#nor do I resent them for “having to” make the effort

[katsy-kitty]

the thing about me is that I'm not a chill person (extr anxious) but I am (generally) a nice person

and so e.g. I just made a CALENDAR REMINDER to remember to respond to a mutual's post because I don't have the time now

[goldensunset]

Envy is absolutely the most cringfail sin. it's about spending your energy NOT minding your own business and being obsessed with what other people have. and it's the only one that grants you no pleasure. it's just misery. completely pathetic

loving the fact that you have an opinion on this and needed to say it. mutuals please sit down it’s time for the philosophy and ethics socratic seminar on tumblr dot com

[hagfishviperfish]

eieudururururuffggh… it’s definitely along the lines of limerence. u think its fine when ur sitting together, it’s actualized that this is someone you could never be together with, and really he’s not all that glittering attractive in terms of someone you would want to be in a relationship with anyway. but then there’s the twofold dream of living with him, then wandering around a city aimless with the thought resounding “i love you so much please text me back”

i think it’s a sign of needing to reconcile something in myself but i don’t know what. i am left with these feelings that i do not know how to deal with. i desire him so much but he is not present. he never will be. it’s just how he is. i don’t know why he’s worth it in terms of my brain/heart. as i said, there are so many things about him that are extremely unattractive in terms of a relationship. This is a consequence of coming back into his life, but really this was happening anyway, in the past two years. it was so nice to just sit with him and not want for more, except i feel bad drawing him to speak to me but that’s fine

i don’t trust him with anything in the world, i feel that i don’t really know who he is, if he’s even a real person — but also that it’s so simple and he’s much more simple than i think. except it’s just that i don’t know. i can only assume and assume and theorize because he’s never around. i don’t know why i wish to know him specifically. Maybe it’s an ego thing. Maybe it’s an issue.

I had a dream that i think was a sequel to an existing dream but i dont know. It was like. I was adopted by the queen and king of england, they looked over me and raised me for a bit. And eventually i had to go back home to my mother. This dream was the sequel where I come back to see them again and see how every influence I had on their castle and lives and everything was stripped away and muttered about as ill-fashion— “oh, that old thing.” whereas i looked up to them so much, i was devoted and dedicated so much to them. they taught me how to dance, i taught the king jokes, things like so.

upon seeing all the ways i meant nothing to them I proceeded to have a breakdown in the dream, taking it out on them, everyone around me, tearing things down, playing into the ill worth they regarded me with by giving them something to be actually disgusted by.

My ex was there— he was there because he heard it was me, on the news, in the rumors, and came to witness. he was talking to people about me, telling them who i was and who he was, *defending* me. Which was crazy. So fond. but when i really think about it I think he was there because ultimately being the child of the queen of england and then coming back to see i meant nothing felt like what it was like to be in a relationship with him.

Why i am drawn to people i mean nothing to. I dont know. why their validation in my worth means so much. i dont know. why i see my worth through others. i dont know. this is what i need to reconcile in myself but. i don’t know. How. I even feel like its fine most of the time, but then i look up to someone and it all comes back.

I just wish he cared about me enough to come by. But he doesnt and i need to find someone who does. Thats the path i’m trying to take. It’s just sorrowful. What also overtakes me sometimes is that when he’s not there, he claims to be thinking of me. Stalking my twitter. Watching what i’m doing wherever. Songs that make him think about me. Which kind of makes it worse. All of that and it’s still not enough to draw him near. He was right in saying I am someone that needs someone to be there for me and it was hardly a kindness that he let go of me when saying that, especially considering the circumstances, but at least he could admit he was not that person. it’s this wish i have that i need to reconcile. the fact that it exists at all. I wish it could go away, I’ve been trying to make it go away, forcing it to by looking at all the facts and realities, but yet its still here, I don’t know how to change, I need to be strong

[mydarlingdearestdead]

Bow in hand, Apollo roared, "Athena has her pet mortals-" The owl on Athena's shoulder squawked as if indignant, "-Why is Hyacinth- A mortal man that I happen to love- such a vital issue to this council?"

"There was no case to make Odysseus immortal." Zeus replied simply, "This is a different matter."

"Odysseus also wasn't killed by the west wind in a blind rage." Apollo's voice, devoid of melody, rose like Poseidon's tide, "And if he had, you would not hesitate to appease her."

Athena rose her head, grey eyes narrowed. She did not protest. Zeus looked hopefully toward her gilded expression for a long moment. Her spear head shone in the final strains of sunlight filtering through the columns, risen by her side. Zeus swiftly faced his son once more.

"What would your mother say?" He attempted, a white-knuckled grip on the arms of his throne.

Apollo conjured an image of his mother- Lovely-haired Leto- and a soft smile grew upon his lips, "Why, father... If I didn't know better, I'd say you were deflecting." Zeus sneered and, cautious, Apollo retracted, "Good thing I do know better.

"My mother... Leto traversed the Earth in an effort to birth me and my sister-" He held a hand to Artemis, who instead rose and brushed his cheek lightly. Without a word passed between them, she returned to her seat, and Apollo continued, "-And Delos became her sanctuary. Our sanctuary. She knew both love and agony..."

He turned from his father in a flash of clarity, seeking the goddess who sat silently by him. "Queen Hera, I will not say I do not hold resentment toward you for your treatment of Leto. But... But I have grown to adore you in every manner of the word despite. I think my mother would respect that... In the moments before she turns me into a frog, that is."

A long instant passed between the council. Hera held Apollo's gaze, ox eyes wide and inviting. Eventually, she replied, "I do not believe you to have answered my husband's question."

Wordlessly, Apollo bowed his head to her and addressed his father once more, "As I said, my mother knew both love and agony in our birth. I do not speak of her love for you, Lord Zeus, because that is simply false, nor do I speak of the agony of childbirth as Lady Hera mustn't be blamed for that. Love for the children she carried-" Apollo spared Artemis another hopeful glance, "- and the agony resulting from the man who raped her. My mother, should she see me here today, would cheer in my favour."

An uneasy look passed between the remnants of Zeus' children at Apollo's words. They each looked to their father in turn, carefully dissecting his neutral expression. Apollo remained, flawed confidence unperturbed.

"We..." Zeus' voice boomed, "Will reconvene the morning of the second day of Thargelia."

Masterlist

[slowd1ving]

ACT II: WITHER ✦ . 　⁺ VIL SCHOENHEIT

Vil Schoenheit and second place aren't supposed to be a thing. He's supposed to be the very embodiment of perfection, so why the hell is someone else's name usurping his crown on the Potions leader board? In which our starring actor cannot quench the flames of academic rivalry and resentment that consume him, nor can he fathom the enigma that you are. gn! scientist! reader warnings: contains nsfw but only later, angst with a happy ending, spoilers for book five, canon-compliant violence

TWISTED WONDERLAND MASTERLIST

BREACH THE IMMEASURABLE CHASM MASTERLIST

MASTERLIST ・゜・NAVIGATION

PREVIOUS PART ✧ ･ﾟ NEXT PART

Scene I: Rivalry . 　⁺

Vil’s not quite sure when his coldness towards you turns into unadulterated rivalry, but he thinks it started in the middle of the next Advanced Potions class, where Professor Crewel had asked a question and both your hands shot up immediately to answer.

“Shoenheit,” Crewel utters. You put your hand down, shrugging good-naturedly, but Vil can see past that forced body language into the annoyance of that casual gesture.

“The pH in which that particular enzyme denatures should be 2.8. Enzymes after that point should be avoided and Silvertear root is typically added in to continue as the second stage’s catalyst,” Vil’s voice is clear and articulate. Crewel nods in approval and continues the lecture, and he thinks that’s where your feelings of rivalry started blossoming.

He notices the little looks you send his way; the way your eyes are half-lidded in exasperation tell him everything he needs to know. You’ve been goaded into approaching the bait he’s left. No use in crushing you if you aren’t at your full potential, right? That’s the way it should be.

He taunts you with snide comments; you fire back almost immediately. You’re not as bashful as you initially look. This hatred is more cathartic than the deep resentment he has for Neige. It consumes him. It eats at his mind, his heart. When he shoots his movies, you’re always there at the back of his mind, taunting him into becoming impossibly beautiful. Adela’s only got praises for those emerging “fierce eyes” of his.

“What’d you get?” you peer over his papers every time he gets them back. He doesn’t know when sitting next to you becomes a second thought.

“You little fucker,” you always pout in mock-sadness when you see that red circled 100% on his written exams, before showing your 90% on the test that you had to verbally translate for Crewel to be able to mark it.

“You’re always so vulgar,” he scoffs back. He scoffs again when he sees those stupid doodles on the corner of your test paper.

Your remarks only extend to when you sit next to him in the laboratory. Otherwise, you ignore him when walking around the school, always focusing on whoever you’re talking to. It’s always those ruffians of first-years; you’re in the company of that red-haired potato and that dark-haired tuber almost daily. Regularly, you’re seen chatting with Rook. Vil watches from a distance, watching the hunter eagerly discuss the latest scientific theory with you. He watches you accept kisses on the hand from the vice Housewarden with a smile and laugh.

He does not care.

He watches you get along with Leona, of all people. He watches the way the lion actually listens to your suggestions if you have input on Spelldrive practice. Why are you suddenly such a precious commodity? Even the notoriously standoffish Azul makes an effort to at least greet and smile at you if he sees you, even after his Overblot (which you partly caused!). If Vil happens to be walking nearby, you’re always in the company of at least one of your friends, even if it’s only that unsightly cat.

He doesn’t think he cares.

He doesn’t think you care either. If you’re standing next to him in line, or bump into him at the library, you’re always carefully civil. Your eyes slide off him as easily as oil, looking through him. Do you not treat this rivalry seriously? Whatever remark he has always catches in his throat as you act as if he’s nothing more than a goddamn wall. It only fuels his resentment - it has to go somewhere, right?

Adela’s remarked that his eyes, when modelling, have a more wistful quality - nothing like the “fierce” look his fans had come to adore. This new look also garners a lot of popularity, with throngs of fans in his comments expressing their adoration for this newfound look.

Does he not take up your thoughts at all like you take up his?

Scene II: Song . 　⁺

It starts up all over again after the winter break. The sky is grey, peppered with clouds that slowly sprinkle snow all over Night Raven College. Vil’s heard rumours from Rook of you being involved in yet another Overblot; this made four in just as many months. He feels a headache blossoming just thinking about it.

He shivers as he takes his seat in the laboratory. The rankings should be posted within the next three weeks - plenty of time to brush up on his skills for the final assignment. Plenty of time to take back that number one spot. It’s been occupied by you ever since you arrived. Your practical work with potions is always polished to absolute perfection, though your grades with written work rarely ever meet that 100. But when they do, you turn to him with that shit eating grin on your face.

Speak of the devil. The distinct rhythm of your footsteps jars him out of his thoughts. Vil busies himself by looking at himself with his cosmetic mirror. Twice he adjusts his tie, ignoring you all the while. If you want to ignore him, he’ll do the same.

He doesn’t know what he was hoping for. You simply open your notebook while propping your chin up again on your hand, doodling and rewriting your previous notes in your strange Latin alphabet. Vil takes in your tired appearance, how you look more exhausted than usual. A drop of pity splashes into his turbulent mind. Pity. That has no room in his mind, especially with the Song and Dance competition only a few weeks away.

Resentment fuels him to new heights. His dance practice runs flawlessly; spite powers him like an engine. The aches of his muscles leave his mind feeling euphoric as he stretches them out.

It’s only when he spots you and that idiot trio talking to Epel that his good mood shatters instantly. How dare you distract him from singing practice? Vil’s body reacts before he can fully think; he marches himself over to the well with a scowl on his face as he lectures all of you for disrupting such a crucial time. He does not miss the way your eyes smoulder with annoyance - his walk back to Pomefiore is one with a cheerful gait.

To his revulsion, you’re somehow roped into being the manager of the group after the SDC auditions, by Crowley of all people. Even worse, he’s forced to sleep in Ramshackle Dorm with the rest of the team to gain some camaraderie. It’s logical, he can’t help but admit it, but the thought of living in the same space as you makes him shudder. Even worse than that moth-eaten couch he’s currently perching on in the living room after the first day’s gruelling rehearsal. It’s a far cry for Pomefiore, but he’s always been a stickler for routine.

“Hey Rook-” your voice intrudes on his little bubble as you bound into the room, holding what seems to be a microscope and a bundle of mechanical junk, including electrical wiring. Vil swivels his head towards you, but you don’t even deign to look at him. Instead, you approach Kalim who sits criss cross on the carpet in front of the fireplace.

“Have you seen Rook?” you ask Kalim hurriedly. “I need that hunter for an experiment.”

“Nope! He might be in the kitchen though!” Kalim’s enthusiastic voice betrays his excitement. “What kinda experiment are you planning?”

“It’s like you’ve robbed Ignihyde,” Epel comments from behind Vil. “S’full of stuff like that.”

“Just some magic resistivity testing,” you explain, rummaging around in your stash of junk. Your eyebrows furrow and you glance around the room. “Have any of you seen my ammeter?”

As luck would have it, there’s an oddly shaped box lying half-submerged in those ugly rags you’d call cushions on the other end of the couch Vil sits on. A large triangular symbol is painted in black with a circle around it. Vil picks it up wordlessly and clears his throat. Your eyes turn to him finally - finally! - and you snatch the box up eagerly.

“Cool, thanks,” your voice is already slipping away as you turn around, a jive in your step as you seek the hunter.

“Good luck in your experiment,” Kalim calls out after you - with the way you eagerly yell something back indistinctly, Vil is sure you won’t need it.

Scene III: Interlude . 　⁺

Between the constant rehearsing and shaping those potatoes into something somewhat presentable, Vil expects the urge to compete with you to subside. It doesn’t. The fire within his blood isn’t beaten out by the long training he makes himself undertake - it doesn’t rest when he shuts his eyes either. That gnawing feeling of proving himself is fighting to be let out.

“Professor,” Vil’s voice is slightly shaky as he approaches Crewel. Normally he would’ve thought everything out before he came here, but his legs moved before his head had a chance to input anything. It’s been happening more and more lately, and he hates the feeling.

“What is this about? Aren’t you rehearsing for the showcase?” Crewel sounds slightly surprised at Vil’s appearance at his office; it’s very rare, after all, to see him when the SDC period begins.

“I want to hold the poison assessment,” Vil doesn’t need to specify to Crewel what this means. Crewel’s eyes soften with worry, but Vil doesn’t need any of that.

“There’s only one person who could have prompted this,” Crewel murmurs his sympathies to the shaking youth. His eyes flick down to his desk, searching through the schedule for the next few weeks. “It’s unorthodox for a non-Pomefiore student to- but.. if that is what you wish, pup.”

Scene IV: Resistivity . 　⁺

The date for the poison assessment is set for the week before the SDC. Vil receives the missive from Crewel; you, no doubt, have received the same one. For an assessment of this magnitude, there’s several days of waiting for the poisons to be tested and assessed by not only Crewel, but a panel of researchers. It’s a big deal.

It’s how Vil became the Housewarden.

Unorthodox. He supposes this whole ordeal is; the challenger is supposed to be the one vying for the seat of Housewarden. Instead, the Pomefiore Housewarden is challenging someone who isn’t even in Pomefiore. And for what?

It’s the ultimate challenge. The laboratory will be his stage for victory.

You shouldn’t even be allowed to undertake the assessment, but then again, you’re always the exception, aren’t you? Vil chokes back a hysterical laugh. He has to prove himself. One way or the other. He has to beat both you and Neige. Being reduced to second place isn’t an option anymore. At all.

A knock resounds on the wood of his room in Ramshackle. It must be Rook. Surely…

“Come in,” Vil feels as if he’s speaking through water. He doesn’t know why he feels so hollow.

The door creaks open. Instead of Rook, there you stand, holding that damned missive. Your brows are furrowed. You look the part of the mad scientists, with your customised lab coat and goggles still propped up on your nose. The smell of matchsmoke emanates off you in light tendrils. Vil just gazes at you. He doesn’t comprehend you.

“What’s this supposed to be? A duel? Rook just told me to go find you,” you unfurl the scroll again, squinting at the runes before you. With a start, Vil realises that one, he’s not even told you about the assessment, and two, you can’t even read the information anyway. What a fool he’s made of himself.

“Allow-” Vil clears his throat as his voice gives out. “-allow me to explain.”

“Go ahead,” you stride over to him, placing the missive in his outstretched hand. Up close, the coppery tang of wires adds itself to the kaleidoscope of scents he can feel. Underneath all the various chemical traces, clings a pure, unadulterated scent of.. the Dream Flower? Faintly, he remembers eavesdropping on your conversation - les fleurs des rêves. Somniablossoms. That’s what he smells on you, beneath all the conflicting scents.

“Right, the missive,” Vil scans over the parchment; it’s essentially the same letter he’s received, with a few inconsistencies. “It appears you have been selected as the student challenged for the poison assessment. Though you are not a Pomefiore student, your application has been approved by a figure of authority. Your assessment is to brew your most potent poison within a three-hour time limit, supervised by Professor Divus Crewel, alongside your opponent. The poisons are then sent to be assessed across a seven point criteria. May the legacy of the Fairest Queen guide you.”

There’s a long pause. Some rustling. Vil looks up from the letter to see you wiping away smudges on your goggles with the hem of your lab coat.

“Well,” you finally speak. Vil waits. “I’m assuming you’re my opponent?”

You’re taking this differently than he had expected. He thought you’d sneer down on him for this desperate challenge; that’s what he would’ve done had someone challenged him. Deep down, he isn’t surprised by your nonchalance - it’s something that’s intrinsically rooted in your being.

“Yes,” Vil begins to explain himself, but you hold up a hand to silence him. He shuts his mouth.

“Spare me the details,” you shrug it off. Like always. Vil feels a bitter laugh surge within him; it takes everything he’s got to suppress it. “I’ve got interesting news from my findings with Rook.”

The suspense builds. You take your time before your next words, folding your goggles and tucking them into your lab coat pocket.

“Come to my lab.”

Vil blinks, then follows you out the door. It’s a relief. You haven’t yelled at him, cursed him out, or anything someone else in this position would’ve done-

“Look, I really don’t like you,” you mutter, as if you’re deliberating whether you want Vil to hear you or not. “You’re an arrogant prick who picks fights for reasons that are beyond me. But I want to make something extremely clear before we start the assessment.”

You shove open a door before Vil has time to register what you’ve just said. It’s strangely gratifying to be the villain in someone else’s story for a reason other than his beauty.

A gust of warm air barrels past him as you barge into what appears to be your lab. An array of tabletops are arranged in the room, and shoved on top are all sorts of appliances he doesn’t even have names for. He can vaguely make out a fractional distiller perched precariously on the edge of a table, but the clanking and whirring machinery elsewhere throw him for a loop.

Rook stands in the corner of the lab, peering through what appears to be a microscope. He’s also decked out in what appears to be spares of your lab gear, judging by the ugly little doodles embroidered on the fabric. Not drawn on - embroidered. It’s such a waste of thread he almost laughs out loud.

“Welcome to my lab,” your greeting is completely monotone. “Where the equipment here is every scientist’s wet dream.”

Vil ignores this.

“I would know,” Rook chimes in, beckoning you over. Vil also ignores this. You make your way around a table to look at whatever’s on the slide, grabbing your class notepad and scribbling something down.

“The structure’s slightly different,” you murmur, twisting the fine adjustment knob. Vil wants to scream. You’ve invited him here and already you’re sidetracked.

“What’s going on?” Vil crosses his arms over his chest. He feels out of his league here, and as he spots you and Rook sharing a glance that feeling only seems to worsen.

“Magical resistivity,” your pencils scritches the side of your neck as you pull out a stool and sit on it. “It’s the reason why none of your potions or whatever you call it ever achieves that 100.”

“I’ve never heard of that,” Vil scoffs as he stares you down. You meet his gaze.

“Yeah, because I’ve just found it,” you slide your notepad towards Vil across the table. He picks it up, noticing the two diagrams of what appear to be cells drawn on the page. One side is a typical animal cell here, whereas the other… the other appears to be missing a few organelles.

“It’s a side by side comparison of one of my skin cells and Rook’s,” your voice contains an element of barely restrained excitement. “Notice those structures in his? Those magic generator thingies?”

“Yes,” Vil’s heart is slowly starting to race.

“From examining the flora cells here, they’ve got a key difference against the ones in my world. That extra structure is what generates magic power in people here, and it extends to plants here as well,” your eyes begin to light up. “Then, I began questioning why my yield in Potions is so much better than everyone else’s. Rook’s kindly told me that 100 point potions are practically unheard of here, and it occurred more than once so it’s clearly not a coincidence right?”

“Right,” Vil’s mouth is dry.

“So, I ran some magic circuits using some equipment I borrowed, and some stuff I tinkered with, and I used both my hair and Rook’s to test for conductivity of magic. By hooking Rook’s magic pen up to the circuit, he could feed magic directly into the circuit.”

You motion for him to turn the page, where a page of incoherent scribbles meets his eyes. Vil’s eyes almost roll back into his head with exasperation.

“When my hair was hooked up, there was no magic lost - the initial magic was identical to the place where my hair was. But when Rook’s hair was hooked up… the magic output was only around 96%. And when we tested skin cells, his fell to around 94%, whereas mine remained constant.”

A pause.

“So when potions here are made, there’s always a margin of error in the precision, because of the magical resistance in your very being suppressing the natural magic yield of ingredients. Of course, this means I’m more susceptible to the spells here… so it’s not a complete win,” your ramble slowly dwindles out. Vil feels his eyes about to burst from their sockets. Of course. That consistent 100 in your potion work.

“Plus, my refinery skills are so unbelievably sexy,” you puff out your chest proudly. “It’s like those triple threats in theatres.”

So what’s the third skill? Vil almost allows the biting remark to leave his lips before he restrains himself.

“Anyways, I’m going to wear some lab-issued rubber gloves for the actual poison assessment, so that should bring that magic resistivity up, since the gloves are made here,” you stand up from your stool, walking over to Vil. Your eyes are half-lidded with a deep annoyance.

“I’m going to beat you from square one,” you promise. Vil wouldn’t want any less effort from you.

“I adore the tension here; what a truly stunning display of beauty,” Rook chimes in, and Vil can practically hear the stars in his eyes.

“How did you get Crowley to fund all this?” Vil suddenly asks, as if noticing your lab for the first time. The equipment here almost gleams with technological prowess, and he’s genuinely curious.

“He didn’t,” you shrug. “I’ve made a side hustle selling potions, and I buy old equipment from both Crewel and Ignihyde and convert them into models I’ve seen in my world.”

“Don’t you need a licence for potion selling?” Vil frowns.

“I can’t read,” you shrug again. “That law’s irrelevant.”

Before Vil can respond to whatever the hell that response was, you shoo him away.

“C’mon Rook, I’ve gotta show Crewel these findings,” Vil can faintly hear your voice as the door firmly closes in his face.

[reddesires]

I'm new to asking for something (I love your writings) because I don't know what makes you uncomfortable writing but... I have a request but don't do it if you don't want to

How about one from Koba? the new human who wants to be friends with the bonobo even though he growls at him as a warning for approaching him and being his friend because maybe he likes him in some way

Koba Human Friend Headcanons

A/N: I love stories about the grumpy bonobo who has no choice but to be nice to the stinky human, lol I find this too funny, honestly

•He refers to you as a pest. He'll growl and snarl in attempts of chasing you off, but it's useless as you insist on following him around. Caesar already warned him off of harming you in any way, he's obviously very disgruntled every time Caesar throws him a warning glance when Koba's feels he's at his wits end at your presence hovering over him.

•In a way he gets used to you following him around, it's like stray who you fed once and now your their lord and savior leading them to salvation, only except he didn't feed you at all nor would he throw you a scrap.

•He calls you stinky every chance he gets. 'Stinky human', 'Stinky pest', and it's almost a term of endearment now if you look past the disgusted edge that dripped off the vowels of his words, he finds enjoyment in degrading you as if you were a lesser being but he'll come around possibly? Maybe not.

•Caesar made you Koba's responsibility since you insist on following him around in hopes of a friendship, Caesar totally gives you the side eye at your lack of caring for Koba's clear resentment towards you but you just look past it as if there wasn't a thought behind those big doe eyes, he truly pities you for wanting such a rocky (and not secretly bloodthirsty) friendship.

•He prefers you to follow him in silence. Any sort of sound or attempt of conversation is met with a menacing glare or vengeful snarl, the gleam of his canines in clear view for all to see. Somehow, you don't take it to heart, only sidestepping back into your usual lane, and it's back to silence and following the grumpy bonobo.

•Other apes would grow curious and ask you why do you follow Koba around even though he really doesn't like you, and your response is always the same. "he's my friend, I like him," a happy go lucky response whilst Koba glowers in resentful misery at your statement, a dark cloud over his head for the rest of the day.

•He thinks it's unusual punishment, he hates humans with a passion, they had done nothing but bring him to the depths of trauma and unrelenting hatred for their treatment of him but now here he is, with a human that follows him around everyday as if their raccoon following their food source, it's sickening. (He secretly doesn't mind it despite the fuss he displays each time.)

•He'll grow more used to your presence and it'll improve only slightly, you'll go from annoying raccoon status to Gnat status, you'll hover and he'll swat at you in hopes of chasing you away but you'll still linger and he'll give up on the efforts.

[sonik-kun]

"If Jiang Cheng is all about debts, he should repay his debts to Wen Qing and Wen Ning!"

What debts? The two were from a sect that decimated his own. Be it willingly or not, they occupied the burned remains of his sect and helped the war effort on the Wen side (whilst assisting WWX and JC, but bear in mind, WQ only did it begrudgingly due to the risks associated with asissiting them. It's funny that y'all would jump to her defence whilst shitting on JC when she was in the exact same position he was in btw. But that's a debate for another day~).

Expecting him to pay a debt to the people that were, to at least some degree, complicit in numerous genocides is pretty messed up.

Even then, JC DID vouch for them to express his gratitude for helping him and WWX to escape and get their parent's remains back. But the other leaders shut him down when he did and scoffed at him. I feel like I've said this so many times on here, but he was in no position to argue any further on the matter. Especially when a more established sect leader like LXC was shut down, too.

As for the core transfer that he didn't consent to, how can he thank someone for that when he never knew it had happened in the first place?? Or asked for, for that matter?? The whole thing made him feel shitty anyway when he found out about it.

WQ and WWX, although both had good intentions, still had no right to experiment on him like that and keep this very invasive secret from him for so long, too. You can't just do something for someone without them knowing or consenting and expect them to repay that "debt" when you find yourself in a pinch. That's kinda like blackmail and is very coercive.. Something WWX and the Wen sibs are certainly not..

Then there's the situation with WN. Sure, he could be thankful for WN helping to get him to safety and treating his wounds (which, see my earlier point, JC did express gratitude.) But that opportunity kinda all fizzled out when WN killed JZX (I know it was an accident due to him being under the influence of DC but let's be real. That resentment is going to be there. Espeically since the topic greatly upsets JL soooo).

Even all that aside, you seriously can't expect JC to "repay his debts" and help WN and WQ out of that situation when the whole CW was against them. Helping them was suicidal and would bring on the wrath of the other major sects. And we all saw how that went for WWX (as JC rightly predicted)..

Had JC sided with the Wens and took them in to "pay his debts," he would have dragged the whole of his sect into the siege that happened soon after. This would mean more innocents would have been involved, and it would be the destruction of Lotus Pier all over again (and quite possibly the destruction of the Jiang, too). JC had to prioritise his own people. He would be a shit leader otherwise.

I feel as though some of y'all put some unrealistic expectations on JC when assessing his character. Especially when you compare him to the others in the story (returning back to my point I made earlier about him and WQ and how similar they both are).

On the topic of "debts" though, I would also like to argue that doing a good deed out of the kindness of your heart shouldn't be seen as a debt. And if you do something with the expectation that someone would do something for you back in kind, wouldn't that make you a shitty person? Is that what you're implying the Wen sibs are (or should be) ? Self-serving people who only help others if something is to be gained? 🤨

But what about the "debt" JC goes on about, you might ask? Oh, you mean the PROMISE that WWX made HIMSELF? That he would stay by JC's side? And be his subordinate? To fulfil his role as promised and expected of him?

That wasn't a debt.

WWX construed it as being one, but it doesn't fit the criteria, honestly. What WWX had was an obligation. He made that promise himself, and JC held him to it. It wasn't one JC forced him into as some form of servitiude, nor was it made in return for bed and board or something.

We know JC isn't truly about holding debts over others. If he was, he would have dangled his own sacrifice over WWX and used that to guilt trip him instead. Or force him to pay him back in kind. But he never did. Why? Because he loved WWX, and he didn't want him to feel "indebted" to him. Especially when WWX revealed his feelings of "letting go and moving on" to him.

You could go on forever about debts and who owes who what, but the thing is, each of these characters have hurt eachother in one way or another that at this point, the notion of who owes what doesn't matter anymore. The situation is far more complex than that. That's why all "debts" were dropped at the end, and JC and WWX just moved on. I feel that was the message MXTX tried to convey in her work. About moving on and letting go of grudges. Perhaps JC antis should take on that advice? And move on too?

[starheavenly]

(this was about a million more questions than I meant to send sorry! I got ahead of myself, answer what you’d like, no pressure.)

You mentioned Pharma’s codependency with Ratchet and how some deceptions would fake injuries (or actually get injured) to see Ratchet. How do you think he reacted to that? / Was he allowed to help medical visits at all (not saying they allowed him to surgery of course, but more like a basic check up and etc) or was that only after the whole redemption/recovery happened?

Speaking of Pharma’s codependency; how did that work out when Deadlock started to warm up to Rachet? Had he gotten enough work and healing in that it wasn’t an issue or was it a mess? XD (Would be wild of Pharma and Deadlock got along before they added Ratchet)

I'm glad people are invested in these three; they're obviously my favorites! Okay, just had my morning coffee, so it's time for a wall of text.

I still think my idea that half the Decepticons have a tiny crush on Ratchet is pretty funny. It was a little joke on the fandom since so many simp for Ratchet (me, it's me). I don't think Pharma ever noticed the correlation, though. Like I've said, I've moved on from the yandere idea, so Pharma isn't actively threatening people; he's just clingy. Maybe the cons stopped getting injured because they were wary of Pharma being around.

Honestly, I don't think Pharma is ever getting his medical license back. But at the same time, I think part of healing is accepting that you can't be the same person you were or do the same things you used to do. He probably just helps with tools and getting supplies. After a bit of recovery, he would get some of his snarkier personality back and be a bit of a backseat medic to Ratchet. He's healthier but still a control freak, that's for sure.

And Pharma obviously has a resentment to Decepticons in general, so he did not like Deadlock at first; but Deadlock didn't really care about Pharma nor Ratchet either.

This is a super silly detail, but Deadlock writes/talks to Cyclonus on Cybertron since they're all supposed to write to someone. Cyclonus is the one who convinces Deadlock to make more of an effort to get to know people (like how she got to know a little sanitation bot) Once Deadlock actually begins to try, he finds out a bit more about Pharma's whole deal. Deadlock discovers that Ratchet still cares about and helps Pharma even after what he did. Seeing how different Pharma was (a bit of a parallel to Drift/Deadlock), he begins to warm up to both of them.

(Pharma 100% cheats at their games of Go, by the way.)

And I know you didn't ask, but I didn't explain how/why Deadlock leaves Earth. He noticed how fond he was of Ratchet, and that scared him. He really didn't think he deserved any sort of redemption after all he'd done. Windblade and Chromia visit, and he steals their ship. Yes, there is Zenith!Wing. I have to design him, but he's a silly hermit who teaches Deadlock that there will be people willing to forgive him and care about him (also swords; he shows him how cool swords are). So Deadlock goes back to Earth as Drift! And my dratchma bias continues.

[hjellacott]

Bit worried about Ashlyn Harris actually

Aside from all the drama that's been going on lately, I've got to confess that for the past few months (or years?) I've been wondering what the hell is up with this woman.

I was such a huge fan back when she was just this Satellite Beach goalkeeper with a humble head and the love for skate-boarding and surfing and you know, family & friends first and her work with To Write Love on Her Arms. And I get people change and that none of us ever really knew her, but I've seen I'm not the only one who can't believe what she's turned into. Like, can we recognise her any more? Or was the completely playing out to be an entirely different person ten years ago?

I think it started when she came out with Ali and suddenly she was like, this attention-seeking, uncomfortably loud (as in literally screaming) person with the weird, rather cringey fashion, only talking about gay things and nothing else, behaving like the complete soccer start that to be entirely fair she wasn't... Even on her wedding video I couldn't believe that Ashlyn was the same Ashlyn of 2011, 2012, 2013... It's not even that many years to change so much, let alone in your thirties. It's like there were no remnants of the surfer, the skate-boarder, the humble butch from a small town who valued the little things... Like she was adamant on transforming into this massively public, loud, "fashionable (?)" celebrity. Even when giving interviews she was expressing herself like she had no intellect any more, you know like male footballers speak, like it's all looks and no brain, no sign of the person who got a uni degree and who gave an amazing mental health talk with TWLOHA years back.

And then when they were celebrating the WC, I was thinking, since when is she this loud and arrogant? Since when is she so attention-seeking? When did she turn into this whole other person who makes such a huge effort to ignore her lack of National Team performances and pretend like she deserved her world cup as much as Ali or Pinoe? I get subs deserve the medal and all too, I mean, they made it so far and if they weren't there training with the rest, the rest wouldn't be as good. You're only as good as the worst of you, after all. But none of the others was bragging so loudly and calling themselves x2 champions so much without having played a minute of those games, were they? Even Alyssa Naeher doesn't have world cup champion in her profiles, nor does AD Franch, nor PINOE, but you know who does? Hope Solo. And you don't want to have THAT personality. I feel like when you're confident on your victories, you don't need to brag, everyone knows who you are, your work speaks for itself.

What worries me about AH (sit down here comes my Psychology Grad analysis) is that in the past few years she's been more and more behaving like someone with no self-esteem, who's desperately afraid of being forgotten and needing to shout left and right look at me! i'm a champion! I'm a soccer star! And then she stopped getting called up for the USWNT, got stuck in the Pride (and I love them but bunch of losers tbh), and all she had left was Ali. And then Ali's doing better than she is. And then Ashlyn gets these horrible injuries and that's story of her life (injuries effed her up from day 1 and seriously impacted her career) and she's forced into an abrupt retirement with no glory.

And then emerges this Ashlyn who only cares about rubbing elbows with celebs, who believes herself to be some fashion mogul (that's all she's got left) and who is deeply satisfied with how her life turned out to be and how she's ended up being nothing but a footnote in the history of American women's soccer, specially compared to her wife. We know they've had issues for a while, that has been hinted at before, and I can only imagine there must've been a growing resentment/bitterness towards Ali because she gets everything Ashlyn won't in terms of soccer. In fact it seems to me (and maybe it's just me), that she seems to be ferociously resentful to soccer in general, like, suddenly she wants nothing to do with it and wants to pretend like soccer is not a big deal. How many times as she stated quite firmly that she's now happiest she's ever been and acted almost as if soccer was actually holding her back? as if her soccer career is nothing compared with what she has now, when we know it isn't true, because she still feels the need to remind us she's a twice world cup champion all the time?

So from a psychology point of view I think she's very bitter, very hurt, very pissed off, very resentful, that she hasn't processed her forced retirement and her not so good soccer career in a healthy way, and so she has to pretend like she's super happy and better than she was before so as not to look like the failure she feels she is. She has to use social media all the time and brag about the celebrities she's meeting, the trips she's going in... She's got nothing else but to pretend she's still as successful as all her friends she has to constantly see in social media showing off with the accomplishments she wishes she had. It's the classic game of getting depressed comparing yourself to others so you take to social media to constantly pretend you're as good as them or better, we all do it. And she's gone, in my humble opinion, off the rails, she's unrecognaisable, and if she has really had an affair and hurt Ali this big, as rumours have it, then that only strengthens my opinion. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if she's abusing substances again, if she's in some spiral downhill as it looks like. And what's Ali going to do? She can't focus on looking after her, she's got work, she's got two small kids, at this age Ashlyn needs to see she needs help and seek it on her own, not expect Ali to mother her.

That's part of why I really don't like people going on and insulting her left and right, because we really don't know what's going on, but to me it seems like when someone's not well, when someone's spiralling, they start to really go off and the first people to get hurt are those closest to her. And we must remember she is a human being, even if she makes mistakes, even if she does bad things (IF she has), and she doesn't deserve billions of people judging her and making her life miserable. And none of us would like it in our consciences if she actually is struggling with her mental health and gets worse because of generalised mass bullying. She's still Sloane and Ocean's mother, and they probably love her very much, and Ali's probably struggling a lot, so we need to remember supporting one person does not have to mean stooping so low as to have to become horrible bullies. Let's stay human, y'all.

[percyposting]

Now while I am of course critical of them as characters, I’m not that crazy about when people, when talking about Percy and his family, either put all the blame on one side or the other. Like, when people who don’t take the time to understand Percy’s perspective will say he was unjust and didn’t love his family and a scorn upon the Weasleys, which is obviously a very black and white and incorrect perspective on his character which literally is incorrect when you reference the canon. But on the other hand, I don’t always agree with some of the ways people defend him, either, because a lot of those statements are also black and white; for example when people say Arthur is a terrible father, or that Percy’s siblings are unwaveringly cruel, or that Percy didn’t make any mistake/he was imperiused. I especially hateeeee that last theory specifically because it really undermines everything that he was going through during the course of the story and does more damage to his character than anything. He made the choices he did not because he’s a bad person but because he was like nineteen and wasn’t being listened to and he was being manipulated by the individual Minister’s he worked under because they were targeting his biggest weakness which is that he comes from a poor family that have been labeled as ‘blood-traitors’ and because of that, he was not born with as many opportunities that others are, and this clearly effects him as he brings it up during his argument with Arthur. He blames Arthur for their struggles, while he is wrong about this it’s not like he’s given much help to see why he’s wrong. Percy is naive and believes he’s smarter than he is (not slander of course, like these are very reasonable things to be as a 18-19 year old) so it leads to him thinking he understands how the world works but really he’s stuck in this box his government/society has built around him. And I think the rest of the Weasley’s are only a tad bit more enlightened, because they don’t seem to recognize this. They just don’t realize that Percy is just as much a victim of this system as they are, and can’t help but point fingers and resent one another.

I wouldn’t say any one of the Weasley’s are really at any major fault here. Percy misunderstands that the reason he’s struggling is not because his father’s lack of effort in his work or in providing for his family, but it’s because his father is actually a decent employee but the institution he works for will never give him any benefits or a raise because they hate him and his family. This is one of the major reasons for Percy’s split between his family, and it’s not his fault, nor his family’s fault, it’s the fault of the pureblood aka oppressive and corrupt society that they live in that actively promotes their downfall. Along with any other person that doesn’t match their blood purist beliefs.

I don’t think any of the Weasleys hated each other. I believe they loved each other VERY much, and the forces actively and canonically working against them nearly succeeded in tearing their family — but in the end they ultimately failed because that the Weasley’s truly do love each other and never wanted to be split apart. That’s what I think people miss when they attempt to defend one or the other: they misunderstand that no one is the villain but corruption, manipulation, and misplaced blame. Percy was young and tricked into believing something hopeful after his entire future was almost crushed (Barty Crouch Snr’s death and the subsequent investigation). Arthur didn’t want to believe his son would actually align himself with the enemy and tried to get Percy to understand the truth, but this only causes more friction because he goes about it wrong, instead insulting Percy’s capabilities, which are his most tender subject. And Percy’s siblings grew up in a loud, chaotic house where there wasn’t enough validation to go around, so they accidentally began resenting each other as time went on, most of the time because one was getting what the other wanted or (like Percy getting constant praise and attention for his academic achievements while the twins watch, waiting to be scolded for ‘not being successful like Percy.’) These are common family difficulties! They’re very realistic. And I don’t think it points to anyone being the bad guy, just that they may have said and did some bad or hurtful things, but by the end of the book most of these things are resolved because the Weasleys find each other again and go “I’m sorry, I love you, and I forgive you.”

[velvetvexations]

One of the things about normalizing dom/sub relationships is that like, I have a guardianship that I deeply resent. It's an argument and negotiation and a huge thing to try and see my partner, who lives in another state, despite the fact that I'm almost thirty.

But like, people who willingly enter into a relationship structured and viewed through ownership is "just a kink" no matter how much joy and satisfaction in brings them, not just in the bedroom but in daily life? And that like, violates the consent of everyone around them? Like damn I hope it makes you ten times as uncomfortable that I can't make my own decisions as an adult completely against my will and unlike a sub in that kinna relationship there's nothing I can do about it minus extremely time-intensive effort to get it overturned that I can't do because I'm neither a famous pop star nor capable of some complicated operations expected of adults that would not be an issue if I had so much as a patient roommate but is nevertheless disqualifying to having rights beyond a child's.

Presumably there are people who would condemn both. But the point is that society doesn't, and doesn't that disparity hint that maybe dom/sub relationships are stigmatized unfairly, just as it's unfair guardianships are passively accepted? That the idea they have in common, that one party has less power than the other, is not actually the issue?

[hroscek]

Dottore NSFW alphabet

NSFW alphabet for Il dottore ✮ hope this finds the right audience

GN! partner

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Aftercare with the 2nd harbinger is minimal to say the least. He resents attachment so don't expect anything more than a towel to clean yourself up with. If you do have the (mis)fortune of being his partner he will likely stay with you for a while before returning to his work.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Dottore doesn't spend much time pondering his own body, but if he had to pick a favourite part it would definitely be his hands. He's likely very skilled with using them, especially because of his work. In the bedroom he uses his knowledge to touch, caress and prod at different spots to see how you react. As for his partner, I feel like Dottore has a fascination with the abdomen. It's a very sensitive area of the body so he would take advantage of that to explore what feels good to you. He would enjoy finding sensitive spots along your stomach, making your body shake.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Doesn't care much for it, usually finishing either on your stomach or nearest body part (depending on the position). If you get him worked up enough he might finish inside you, but he mostly thinks of convenience when picking a spot.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Not that experienced, mostly due to a general dislike for people. He sees it as a waste of time since it's not vital to his experiments, but you're most likely not going to be his first as he did get curious a couple times along the way. I'd say he knows the basic positions, some (outdated) terminology and it could be quite enjoyable if he decided to put some effort in.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Missionary or any where he has a view of your face to see how you react to him. He sees sex as a method to study you and your body, so why waste the opportunity to learn something new. Hope you can keep your eyes closed as he will be examining every expression you make in detail.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Very serious. Again, he wants to take that moment to study the act so he would likely be laser focused on taking everything in. Don't be shocked if he pulls out a notepad out after you're done to take notes the first few times you do it.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

This man is all about efficiency. If it doesn't impact his research he won't do it and that includes shaving anything other than his face. He does have impeccable hygiene though. I imagine his blue hair is natural, so all his body hair is a slightly deeper blue than his head.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Heavily depends on who you are to him. If you're just another experiment or one night stand he wouldn't be intimate at all. Purely robotic and serious. If you somehow break down his walls and get to a point he's comfortable with you though he will loosen up. He would give soft kisses along your shoulders and hold you ever so gently.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Very rarely. He simply doesn't have time to think about that side of himself, nor is he ever in the mood while caught up in various experiments. There may come a time once in a blue moon though when it catches up to him and he jerks off just to let off some steam.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Due to his inexperience he likely wouldn't know of kink until a partner introduced him to it. He probably wouldn't be super into it, but would take interest in any that further his goal of experimenting and seeing different methods in action. Most likely would be into hitting/spanking, choking and restraints.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

If he ever took a serious interest in physical intimacy to further his studies he would likely prepare a special section in a lab to test out different approaches in a neutral environment. For any partners he wouldn't be as picky. The bedroom, his study or any convenient place is fair game for him.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

As stated, he isn't naturally motivated to be intimate with anyone. The only way to get him going is an opportunity to study the human body or further a goal of his. For more casual sex he would need to first have an established relationship with the person in which case he would likely initiate on a more regular basis.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Anything to do with him submitting to his partner (he is a VERY egotistical man) or anything that involves pregnancy (if his partner is able to have children). He isn't interested in creating a family as it would distract from his studies.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He would enjoy receiving, especially from a partner. If you offer it to him, he would start initiating as a stress reliever basically anytime you can. He would also give oral on occasion to see the effect it has on the other person, but he wouldn't swallow.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Very methodical and almost robotic. He would vary the pace to fit your needs, but only to a point. You can typically tell when he gets really into it as he would start losing the tempo and become rougher and sloppier.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

With a partner he would use them to bow off steam after a stressful period of experimenting. Definitely less organised and put together than his usual methods, but you don't mind it.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

He would be very interested in experimenting with the partner's body but only to an extent. As long as he has full control over the results he's eager to see how far he can push you.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Being human and all he would likely last around two rounds on a typical day. He lasts slightly longer than an average human male, but not by a lot. If he saw the need for it though, he would definitely be willing to create a potion or medicine to extend the sessions.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

While he's not against the use of toys in the bedroom, he wouldn't own them personally. The only time you would see him using them is after he's exhausted all other options while trying out an experiment or if his partner brings them up first.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Definitely a tease. He loves seeing the look on your face after denying a release. It's all a part of the process for him, so why not have some fun while he's at it?

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Dottore is a quiet man in the bedroom. He's focused on his partner's noises so would make an effort not to drown them out with his own. You can expect an occasional grunt or words of encouragement to speed things along, but other than that dead silence.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Would send a segment or two to "deal" with a partner that's too needy. Whether you're into that or not is up to you.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Around 17 cm in length and fairly thick. Probably uncut, unshaven but otherwise impeccably clean.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

When he's focused on an experiment he's suppressing his drive (which is pretty much all the time) but if he has a partner to take care of his needs he'd definitely be more open to any activity.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Dottore doesn't believe in sleep, likely returning to his work directly after he's done. If you do catch him at a time when he decides to wind down though, he'd fall asleep pretty fast from exhaustion. Appreciate those times, as they're rare.

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎

Hello, I've been thinking of writing my own headcanons for a while now. Is anyone interested in that? I'll likely be a fairly Dottore-centric blog for a bit while I'm still obsessed with him but I'm open to suggestions.

[aeonophagic]

Orokapi in Chapter 52 reminded me of something:

Names.

The topic of names when it comes to bodysnatchers is very important to me, as many of my favorite characters fall into that category. Some body snatchers draw a clear line that they are not their body, some others become their body. Orokapi seems to blur this line.

This excuses characters like Hikaru, who lives on pretending to be Hikaru, thus taking on his name,

But includes characters like Kenjaku or Void Archives that are mistakenly referred to using the names of the body of the host despite them stating they don’t align with that identity.

Kenjaku switches bodies for a purpose. She doesn’t care to upkeep her own identity. If she wants to see something that amuses her, she will go to any length to see it. This includes letting go of any identity she might have had before becoming someone else. It includes letting go of her connections to the world. It includes relinquishing morality.

Man is a moral animal, yet, she forfeits that natural order for the sake of nothing more than the fun of it. That’s her driving force: if it amuses her, she must obtain it. Let me stop here before this turns into a Kenjaku character analysis.

Void Archives is different. The identity of Otto Apocalypse does not belong to them, nor do they want it. They resent him; they hate him. They wear what was once his body, nothing more, covering his face with a mask of their own making so they may not see him in their reflection. So others may not look at them and see him. Void Archives is Void Archives, no matter what apocalyptic traits bleed into them, yet so many perceive them as someone they are not.

This misconception in which bodysnatchers are mistakenly referred to by the name of their host, or even perceived as such when they’re not actively seeking to live under their name, is usually due to the reveal of their identity being later in the story, despite their appearance being distinctly different, one way or another. This is something I’ve always disliked, so Orokapi has always tormented me with the question of which name is more appropriate to use for him. Let me talk about it:

He adopted the identity of his host, Obikawa Kiyoshi, as a sort of disguise to live amongst humans so he could hide from Alula. The important part to me is that he chose his host specifically because he liked the name of it.

It didn’t seem like Orokapi made much effort to mimic the behavior of his host. He was and still is friendly, energetic, overwhelmingly familiar as opposed to the harsh and distant persona his vessel had.

Tokinaga met Obikawa Kiyoshi, then he met “Obikawa Kiyoshi”, then finally encountered Orokapi. Though he had only gotten a brief glimpse into Obikawa Kiyoshi’s life, he accompanied Orokapi through the entirety of his life as the human called “Obikawa Kiyoshi”.

Once his identity as a God was revealed, he’s mostly called by his real name, Orokapi, when the big shots are speaking of him. It seems that no one sees him as “Obikawa Kiyoshi” any longer. No one, other than perhaps Tokinaga whom, despite the betrayal, still sees him as his friend. Orokapi, to them, is a potential threat as well as a potential ally, or more accurately, a weapon.

This drives me to remember this important moment:

He states he’d like to teach his name to Tokinaga, which is the last pointer I needed to reach my conclusion:

It would be more appropriate for me to use the name of Orokapi when talking about him, rather than that of Obikawa Kiyoshi, but it’s not wrong to call him that either. He had become Obikawa Kiyoshi, but he was still Orokapi.

[keyboardserpent]

So I have this idea/headcanon/theory about Drayton:

We can see during the story of the DLC that he's got some stake in making sure the player character (aka: you) kicks Kieran out of the champion spot.

He seems very invested in making sure you not only get to join the club but that you will be the one to finally beat Kieran. He's seen pulling strings to make this easier for you, such as taking you to get signed up personally and allowing you to skip straight to challenging the Elite 4, and also waiving your BP cost to fight him personally.

Normally when someone seeks to dethrone someone with more power than themselves, it's to gain that power for their own. Not this time though, as Drayton says that he doesn't want the responsibility and the work of being the club leader, as the Champion becomes upon gaining said title.

So what does he want?

I don't think it's really got much to do with Kieran, and even though there is clearly some animosity between him and Carmine, I don't think it has much to do with her either.

I think it's Iris.

It's pretty widely accepted at this point that Drayton is Drayden's grandson, and who is Iris? Well, wikis state she is his "adoptive granddaughter." So it's likely that Iris and Drayton spent significant amounts time around Drayden at the same time.

And I think both of them were training under him.

Iris went on to become the Champion of Unova. We all know that. Iris. The one who isn't related to Drayden by blood.

And what happened to Drayton? He was either sent off to Blueberry Academy or chose to go to do more studying there.

He tells the player at one point that he was held back a year three times.

I don't think that was because he simply wasn't putting in the effort. I think it was deliberate. Not only is he absorbing more knowledge by staying longer, but he's also avoiding going home to Unova proper.

Back to where Iris is Champion.

Why? Because he's bitter about the girl his flesh-and-blood grandfather took under his wing doing better than him. It's not about being champion specifically. He doesn't want all that responsibility, but she outshone him and probably took up a lot of his grandfather's attention as a result. I'd be bitter about that too!

His wanting to make sure you, the player, became Champion is about dethroning Kieran because he's bitter about who the Unovan Champion is, and he's taking it out on the only Champion he's actually able to influence.

Him bending over Kieran after his loss to call him "ex-champion" and rub salt in the wound might be seen as him simply not reading the room, but it reads as malicious to me. He's gloating because he chose the person who took him down, and probably imagining Iris in a similar position, which he may see as a return to equal footing and a chance to win back the attention of his grandfather.

By putting you on the top of their little Blueberry pyramid, at least he's essentially endorsed you as the Champion rather than being stuck with someone he (and everybody else) didn't really want there.

Kieran being a douchebag to everyone else (see that one kid he practically kicked out for "not trying hard enough") was a bonus, really. It would make people less suspicious of him for wanting to make sure he didn't stay Champion.

And just as another bonus, if you happen to subscribe to the idea of Drayton and Carmine's prior relationship being something that ended badly (hence her animosity toward him), that would only add fuel to the fire so to speak, making him that much more determined to mess up Kieran to get back at her.

In conclusion: Drayton wants Kieran gone simply because Kieran holds a Champion title, and he resents Iris (the Unovan Champion) for outshining him while they were both training under his grandfather Drayden. He's just taking his frustration out on Kieran. However, there is merit for Kieran's behaviour and his relation to Carmine having some impact, too.

- - -

A lot of this is just speculation (I don't have the time nor the energy to spend hours digging for hard evidence) so I recognise it isn't a proper theory and probably has some glaring holes. Don't flame me too hard 🙏

[gaysails]

"If low-wage workers do not always behave in an economically rational way, that is, as free agents within a capitalist democracy, it is because they dwell in a place that is neither free nor in any way democratic. When you enter the low-wage workplace – and many of the medium-wage workplaces as well – you check your civil liberties at the door, leave America and all it supposedly stands for behind, and learn to zip your lips for the duration of the shift. The consequences of this routine surrender go beyond the issues of wages and poverty. We can hardly pride ourselves on being the world's preeminent democracy, after all, if large numbers of citizens spend half their waking hours in what amounts, in plain terms, to a dictatorship. . . My guess is that the indignities imposed on so many low-wage workers – the drug tests, the constant surveillance, being 'reamed out' by managers – are part of what keeps wages low. If you're made to feel unworthy enough, you may come to think that what you're paid is what you are actually worth. It is hard to imagine any other function for workplace authoritarianism. Managers may truly believe that, without their unremitting efforts, all work would quickly grind to a halt. That is not my impression. While I encountered some cynics and plenty of people who had learned how to budget their energy, I never met an actual slacker [. . .] On the contrary, I was amazed and sometimes saddened by the pride people took in jobs that rewarded them so meagerly, either in wages or in recognition. Often, in fact, these people experienced management as an obstacle to getting the job done as it should be done. Waitresses chafed at managers' stinginess toward the customers; housecleaners resented the time constraints that sometimes made them cut corners; retail workers wanted the floor to be beautiful, not cluttered with excess stock as management required. Left to themselves, they devised systems of cooperation and work sharing; when there was a crisis, they rose to it. In fact, it was often hard to see what the function of management was, other than to exact obeisance. There seems to be a vicious cycle at work here, making ours not just an economy but a culture of extreme inequality. [Corporate decision makers and entrepreneurs] occupy an economic position miles above that of the underpaid people whose labor they depend on. For reasons that have more to do with class – and often racial – prejudice than with actual experience, they tend to fear and distrust the category of people from which they recruit their workers. Hence the perceived need for repressive management and intrusive measures like drug and personality testing. But these things cost money – $20,000 or more a year for a manager, $100 a pop for a drug test, and so on – and the high cost of repression results in ever more pressure to hold wages down. The larger society seems to be caught up in a similar cycle: cutting public services for the poor, which are sometimes referred to collectively as the 'social wage,' while investing ever more heavily in prisons and cops. And in the larger society, too, the cost of repression becomes another factor weighing against the expansion or restoration of needed services. It is a tragic cycle, condemning us to ever deeper inequality, and in the long run, almost no one benefits but the agents of repression themselves."

-Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

[yandere-paramour]

How would Atalanta react to a darling that point blank refuses to have kids? Especially after the talk with her father. I mean, darling refuses to continue the cycle, and it will end with her and Atalanta. Like no amount of punishment changes, darlings mind on the matter. I can imagine Atalanta being so confused since she sees nothing wrong with her behavior.

On a separate note, I would have kids with Vivien he over here winning the best father award, lol. It probably doesn't matter, but I just imagine how indignant Atalanta would be like you will have his kids but not mine.

Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine how pissed and bewildered she would be. "You would rather have this rowdy boy give you children and not her? You are aware he does not have money nor education nor ambition. He cannot give the child a life like I can." She would absolutely insist she's not throwing a tantrum but her face is red and her fists are balled and she's two seconds from stomping her foot like a toddler.

Atalanta would be deeply, deeply hurt that you do not want to raise a child with her. She really, really needs an heir, and... she loves you, she wants to raise a family with you. She does not see anything wrong with her behavior, this has been her entire life. To her, it is perfectly acceptable to love obsessively, to cherish and adore your partner to the point that you are willing and able to kill for them, to love your spouse enough to correct their behavior so that they can be happy with you. According to her, her parents have a perfect relationship and she wants to be just like them (except gay).

But... this is something different. This is not something she can punish away, and she can see it in your eyes that you're not backing down. She cannot make you compromise if she wants you to be happy. And she does, she wants you two to live in marital bliss and for you not to resent her. So she won't force you on this.

It isn't too bad. She would not have done the bulk of the child-raising anyway, and she's certain she saved a lot of time, money, and effort by not raising someone. But she still needs an heir, even if you don't want to raise one. Her father had siblings; if one of them has a worthy daughter she can mold into a cutthroat mogul, then problem solved. If not, Atalanta will simply use her endless time and resources to find a worthy girl. She'll place the child with some trusted people and direct her raising from afar, thus fulfilling your request not to have a child yourselves. She'll pay for a top-notch education, provide instructions for proper business acumen and moral compass, and ensure the girl knows exactly who she is, who she will become, and what she's meant for.