#or why they exist in stories in the first place

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

I’m curious—is there an in-universe reason why Bismuth’s gem is at the leg ship instead of Lion’s mane? Or is it a meta decision made so Bismuth can play a role in the story without Rose bringing her out herself?

Great question!

I was hoping someone would ask this, because I set it up this way SPECIFICALLY. And also because all I've seen for the past 6 years is assumptions that Bismuth will be where she was in the show - in Lion's mane.

But here's my question to you all:

Why would Bismuth be in Lion's mane if Canon!Steven doesn't exist?

Let's rewind the clock and go back into the universe where this all started -

In the episode Lion 3 - Straight to Video, Steven enters Lion's mane for the first time. There, he finds a mysterious pocket dimension filled with what appears to be Rose's stuff. The flag, the sword, a t-shirt, Bismuth, yes........ but what ELSE?

The tape.

The tape specifically labeled to and made FOR Steven. Steven's tape. Yes, that tape.

IF Rose left the tape here, we can reasonably assume she hoped Steven would one day find it. Along with the OTHER items she left there, including some things that were important to her and Greg.

And including......Bismuth.

Bismuth, who is NOT in the locked chest. Bismuth, who is just hanging out by the tree. Not that far from reach. Very much in plain view.

So, we can safely assume from this that Rose LEFT Bismuth in Lion's mane for Steven to find. She knew she could never reconcile with Bismuth. She hoped Steven would be able to, instead.

Now - WHY is this important?

Because in this AU, Rose has not prepared Lion to be an inheritance box for Steven. Undoubtedly she keeps stuff in his mane - but why would she keep Bismuth in there?

Canon Steven, once he discovers it, uses Lion's mane as a personal storage locker. I have all my tokens on the bet that Rose was the same. She was diving in and out of that thing enough to make Lion annoyed, probably.

But ask yourself this - if you were Rose Quartz*

* The same Rose Quartz who has a built-in-trauma response of running away like a gazelle, who solved nearly every problem she had by hiding it or hiding FROM it, putting it up on the 'we're not thinking about that' shelf, chanting to herself "I do not see it"

If you were THAT Rose Quartz...

Would you REALLY be keeping Bismuth's bubble in the SAME space as your favorite knick-knacks?

Would you want to be seeing that bubble EVERY TIME you reached into your Lion for a pizza?

And look, yeah, I know she's a masochist who revisited her shattered and corrupted friends' bubbles frequently and pondered over how things could have gone differently, so there is an element of "I will purposefully subject myself to Guilty Self-Flagellation" but come on

Wouldn't you rather put Bismuth's bubble somewhere FURTHER AWAY for safekeeping - in a place that you can safely visit ALONE (or maybe never go back to at all), without ever fearing that someone ELSE could potentially discover it? In a place where you KNOW the Crystal Gems will never venture?

I think I've made my point But Wait

There's More

My other point is - Bismuth has been bubbled for like 5000 years, ever since her fallout with Rose, right before Pink's shattering.

And Lion? How long has he been around?

Well, there's less information, but if we presume that THIS lion Pride contained the future Pink Lion...

and indeed it DOES because the Lion that licks Buddy awake has a heart shaped nose

...we can safely guess that Lion was ONLY turned Pink MUCH later. Buddy's Book takes place circa 1837 - 1841, which sets us back about 100-150 years, give or take - that's approximately how old Lion is.

So where was Bismuth's bubble for the 4850 years BEFORE Lion existed?

Again - my answer would be "Somewhere Very Remote, where the other Crystal Gems would not think to go back to".

Hence.

Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.

[masterofalldumplings]

I did this! (Kind of)

I'm only telling the story in case it helps someone out there and also to say that college should be free. You want the world to be a better place? Then the answer is in free education.

Btw english is my second language and I didn't bother editing anything of what you're about to read so I apologize in advance for any spelling/grammar/all writing errors you'll find ahead.

Anyway, the story begins with The Master Of All Dumplings (aka me)

I'm from Mexico, since kindergarten I've been in a private school... until 1 semester in college when I applied to the UNAM. For that process I paid like $1500 pesos ($80 US dollars) that money was to pay for the exam, my inscription once I got in, a cute pen I used for studying and the platform I used to study for the exam that also is from the UNAM.

This exam is like THE college exam of public higher education in my country. You can get up to 120 points, depending on the demand of what you want to study it's how hard you prepare, like if you want medicine then you want those 120 points and not one less.

I wanted International Relations because I was making a mistake (now I study Creative Writing) and thought that was the best option to make money and not starve as a writer.

Now up until this point I've been regarded as a failure, it was never said super out loud but after the sixth time a teacher tells you maybe you are not built for a higher education or for a school embodiment. Ngl, God really tested me and my ability to build a fucking spine with all the teachers aiming at the one thing I cared about: learning and becoming smart. Now, private education didn't give me what it had promised (a well rounded formation) so I started to look for knowledge in the books in my grandfather's library and basically had to teach myself what my friends were learning at school because I just found it harder than them to learn inside the classroom without disrupting the class (I for diagnosed with ADHD at like seven or six or smth like that)

So by the time I see my results from the entrance exam to the UNAM in International Relations I'm someone who cried not because she was going into her dream school, but out of disbelief because it was the first time in years when I had celebrated something academic and didn't feel inadequate.

I got in, I started classes during the pandemic. My classmates were mostly people who were studying their second or third degree, some even more.

College felt easy on that first semester, it was weird and it unnerved me. I was used to always worrying about my parents paying for my school, but now my tuition had gone from thousands of pesos to fifty cents (you can also pay a hundred and fifty pesos if you do it through an online bank transfer) and as I kept delivering coursework and kept getting high grades back it clicked that I was simply left to enjoy learning without the pressure of having to pay to sit and learn.

Eventually I changed schools, now I'm back in private education. There aren't a lot of options for Creative Writing and I'm studying in one of the good options but I know for a fact that my academic growth is stunted by the looming stress of tuition.

It's a common and agreed upon fact with all my friends that we would love to keep studying forever and ever, until the world ends or we die if it was free.

Paying for college is just adding another obstacle, one that weeds out people who can't access the materials, methods and conversations that exist within the academy. This way The Academy keeps setting the standard from its creepy overlord throne, one that carries a history stained in blood and colonialism in my country.

Private education allows for a system in which you can take away tools from people. Access to education is what gives us communities, which is also why students are encouraged to participate in clubs and extracurricular activities. A university is a space open to people who wish to read, analyse and learn.

But capitalism is the enemy of community and all that.

So yeah I'm going to finish my rant now because I'm actually in the process of some scholarship stuff ✌🏻 (which is how private education can be funded, fuck the Medicis but man do I always wish I could write my silly stuff for someone who just pays to surround themselves with random people who hyperfocus #bringbackmecenazgo

college should be free so that the first time you go can just not count. that's just to test the waters. you should be able to be like "well that was weird! okay now this time for real"

[ghostlyferrettarot]

💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Pick a Picture: All about the new era you are entering in your life💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

❗️This is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest❗️݁

✨️Paid Services ✨️ (Natal charts and tarot readings) Open! (🔮 From now until Friday, July 25st, all services are 10% off. If you book more than one reading, you’ll receive 15% off your total instead!)

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🐻Masterlist🐻 🐻Masterlist 2🐻

💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Pile 1:

🃏 The Sun – Queen of Wands – The Empress

First of all pile 1, wow, im so happy for you. You're entering your "Main Character Era." Ifeel like you've lived in the background for a long time. Maybe out of fear, maybe out of habit, maybe because you were taught that being "too much" is uncomfortable. But that cycle has ended. What's coming now is a stage in which you're reconnecting with your power. You're letting go of asking permission to exist fully. The cards show me a rebirth! I know this transition can be scary. Because starting to live as the protagonist involves making new decisions, setting boundaries, letting go of what no longer resonates with you. You may even lose some connections. People who were used to a more accommodating or silent version of you may react with discomfort. But it's not your responsibility to make yourself small to sustain bonds that only survive if you disappear a little. It's time to grow, even if that means making yourself uncomfortable. You're also going to start seeing yourself differently. You're going to speak to yourself with more truth, asking yourself: "What do I want?". And the best part is, you don't even need to have all the answers. You just need the intention to never give up on yourself again. You're learning to trust yourself, even when everything isn't clear. You're healing that idea that you have to have everything under control to move. You're giving yourself permission to write your story. You're embodying the version of you that no longer wants to hide. That no longer needs external approval to shine. You don't need to do everything perfectly, because life isn't looking for someone flawless. It's looking for someone who has the it factor, and you do. Welcome to your Main Character Era!!!!

💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Pile 2:

🃏 Ace of Cups – The Star – The Emperor

You are entering your IT GIRL ERA pile 2. And it's not just about style, or aesthetics (although i feel like you do have an eye for fashion), but rather a very clear energy. The world is beginning to see you as you already began to see yourself. This new chapter doesn't come out of nowhere. You've worked on your inner self. You've questioned a lot. You've felt invisible, out of place, displaced, or even exhausted from faking a version of yourself that didn't do you justice, but not anymore.

But you're going to start attracting attention, opportunities, even people, like a magnet. Why? Because your energy is aligned with your truth. You're no longer vibrating from insecurity. You're vibrating from the silent confidence of someone who knows what they're doing. You're going to start influencing others without even realizing it (maybe you will even start posting on social media). The way you dress, your decisions, your way of speaking or sharing your life, all of this is going to feel inspiring to others. You're setting trends just by being you. Prepare to receive unexpected compliments, new connections, moments of visibility that will take you by surprise; i also see a glow up on the way, you could be changing your makeup. But above all, prepare to feel good about yourself. You're reclaiming your space, your voice, your way of being in the world. And you no longer need to diminish yourself. You don't need to compete. You just need to be. And that's exactly what you're doing; so happy for you pile 2 <3.

💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Pile 3:

🃏 6 of Wands – The Fool – Knight of Wands

OMG pile 3, You already felt it, right? That feeling that something huge is about to happen. As if you'd been preparing, not quite knowing what for, but with the certainty that all the internal work, the difficult decisions, were because of something bigger. Because now you're entering your FAMOUS ERA. You're about to be rewarded pile 3. But not for something superficial. You're being recognized for what you've built with your hands, with your heart, with your difficult decisions, with your truth. I see a long time project of yours succeding, or an idea you had that is finally coming true. This new era isn't easy. You could to reach places and people you never imagined. You're no longer turning down the volume on your power to be more "acceptable" or more "discreet." And yes, you're going to attract attention. You're going to be more visible. You're going to start feeling the energy moving differently. Maybe people start contacting you for new things. Maybe your social media presence is growing. Maybe your name is starting to appear in conversations you didn't even know you were even talking about. It's your moment. It may also be that you'll start generating more stable income or one that's more aligned with what you love. Maybe you'll launch something. Maybe you'll finish a project that seemed impossible. It could be a personal brand, a book, a community, a new career. This era also requires commitment. It requires that you believe in yourself even when imposter syndrome appears. It requires you to take care of yourself, to set boundaries, to honor your energy. And you need to keep choosing truth over validation. But don't worry. You already have the inner maturity to sustain this. You are no longer the old version that doubted its potential. So yes, welcome to your ✨FAMOUS ERA✨ pile 3.

💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Thanks for reading and let me know if it resonated!💿˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

[fewuwa]

I hate how overlooked St. Pastry Order

like THAT'S THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS CULT IN COOKIE RUN??? AMAZING

But outside of that, I want to discuss how this important this cult is for some characters' narratives. This post won't have a structure, just general thoughts. Starting from... White lily cookie.

Do I even need to remind you who also spent her whole life in search of the truth of this world? ;)

(The church in general is very connected to MAIN narrative. In odyssey we learn that they also need soul jams for their plans coming true )

Not to mention the first time we ever discovered what happened with white lily was...related with St. Pastry Order. It's the first time we have ever learned that this cult exists. (Also, White Lily cookie in korean is actually SAINT lily cookie, idk why eng translation removed this religious undertone here... but oh well)

The major themes of St.Pastry Order is fate and finding purpose of life. Again, themes mainly related to white lily's character arc.

I think if wl will discover about the cult, she might be terrified with the very idea of it itself. They worship the gods who eat them, accepting their fate as just a food on a plate.. The very thing she couldn't accept herself, which twisted her soul and made dark enchantress exist in the first place.

I think White Lily will play a big part in cult's story . It just makes sense

There are  many secrets about the cult, which are going to be revealed in September. Like, what god outside of witches they worship?

It's totally avatar of destiny ( fate theme again). I also find it interesting how Black Forest Cookie's transformation resembles it. I have no idea tho what role will it play outside of being boss

Director in one of the interview mentioned that old characters will be relevant in the story again. It can be a great opportunity for pastry cookie to come back.

In general I hate how fandom demonized and treated her. She was manipulated in cult for a long time ( there's a description that her name is not even her own, and she was rebaked into this role. Methaphor or not, that's sad). SHE DOESN'T KNOW THE OTHER WAY... or at least didn't know?

She discovered the truth about  witches that day on tower and feels...very conflicted.I think it will be a great opportunity for her character development. To free herself from cult and find HER own way ( ofc if devs care about her enough lol)

And finally. Silent salt. Before his corruption, he resembles a paladin, a saint knight, probably devoted to some kind of an idea

I think it's  foreshadowed enough that silent salt must be connected to the cult. The main thing about both wl and salt's soul jam is solidarity, which represents freedom and silence.

Solidarity can be used in a twisted way. Cults in real life usually create a strong sense of unity by shared mission among their members. But it's also the main tactic for retaining its members. As soon as even one seed of discord appears, the best thing that can be done to maintain order is to silence the dissenters. And it can fit Silent Salt's character motive pretty well.

Idk what devs are cooking overall, but it's going to be exciting. There are so many things to address, and i hope story won't turn out to be a dissapointment

[darlingxs-blog]

Hii! I just want to let you know that your soul bond series is good!! I like that you established the boys as demons first and how the soulbond came into existence. I feel like it’s more real! Like yea they were demons! I really enjoy your writing!! Can’t wait for chpt 3!!

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

A glitch in the system ig

Chapter 03 - "Soulbound" Saja Boys x Reader"

CW- this chapter does not fit the theme for the rest of the story, sorry sorry!!

══════════════════════════════

you wake up to find yourself resting on a broken in couch, cushions made of a filling that has chunks ripped out of it in some places. At least the cotton cover is comfortable.

When you peak your eyes open you notice the water stained coffee table with all sorts of junk covering the surface, and to the left of you is a couch rotated at a ninety degree angle, a girl with obviously dyed hair rests on it while tapping her foot to the beat of the music that is softly pouring from the TV's sound bar.

She seems to notice you when she reaches for the monster can on the coaster.

She smiles and sits up straight to wave before laying against the two pillows that are resting on the couches arm. "Hiya! I'm Bridgette! The author."

Before you can say anything She speaks up again.

"Well, I guess I can't really be calling myself an author since to you this isn't a book...meh whatever I'm whatever you want to call me." She flips over to lay on her stomach while waving her hand dismissively at nothing.

"You are currently in my living room! This is where I do most of the very important work. Unless it's nighttime, then I do it in my bedroom but trust me you do not want to be in there."

She grabs the tall pink can and takes a sip before returning her attention back to you.

"I hope you don't mind me doing this, I just wanted to talk a little bit more about what's happening but I couldn't find a way to fit it in the story and have it make sense. Seriously, I tried."

"Well you haven't clicked off yet so I'll assume it's A-ok to explain it like this."

"Okay so you now have a bond with the Saja Boys, you are aware of that right?" Again she flips over to lay on her back while turning her head to look at me while she talks.

I nod and that triggers another spew of ramblings.

"Perfect! So basically humans can't bond with demons, cause well demons don't have souls and a bond is the connection of two souls butt before the Saja Boys became demons they have already made a bond with other people."

"Don't worry, they don't matter. They are already dead since like the Saja Boys have been alive for a really long time..."

The emphasis on the 'really long time' seems to drag out for a while as she lowers her voice to a whisper.

"But anyway! Your soul is kinda like a hollow cocoon. It's there but it's empty. Long story short you had a partner who was supposed to be your soulmate and then like a day before the bond was going to form that person found someone else who they love and they made a bond like instantly, in return the essence of your soul kinda like shattered? That's why you didn't have a will to live. Cause you were quite literally heart broken."

Whether you nod or not, Bridgette is going to keep talking.

"The Saja Boys took the soul of their partner's to give to Gwi Ma cause that's just want they do, so since the bond was already made it was still there but it wasn't attached to anyone."

You nod but speak up "I understand that, but how does that explain how those bonds connected to me?" The girl nods and sits up against the pillow as she takes a sip of the monster "don't worry, don't worry. It's actually really simple to understand but it's just hard to explain"

"Let me just-"

"Okay, what's needed to make a bond isn't a soul, it's the souls essence. The morals, personality and mindset of one person. You lost that essence and the bond the Saja Boys had was essence with no soul. Get it?"

"If not think of a kinder egg. The chocolate part is the soul, and the little toy inside is the essence of the soul."

"You had the soul with no essence, the Saja Boys had a bond made with soul essence and no soul. So they kinda mixed together and now those bonds are your own...does that explain how having five bonds is possible?"

You nod again, thank fuck. If not then just comment and I'll explain- I mean what?

"Right but why am I so sick from these bonds?" Finally, you're getting answers

"Oooh that? Okay so basically what happened is that heart you had that wouldn't accept love cause of the heart break- yeah it got ripped to shreds and getting a new heart that can beat for a demon as a human is difficult, so imagine that pain and discomfort with five demons. That pain your thinking of is the pain you have now"

"Again, don't worry. As long as one of the Saja Boys is close to you, you won't feel the pain. The closer they are the better you'll feel and the faster the process will get."

That answers your question, and makes you ask another one. "But why would the bond destroy my heart? Couldn't it just heal it or something?"

"Good question"

she responds with a hum of approval

"I have two answers actually. One, it's because only someone with a soul- a filled soul, can fix their heart

and even if those bonds made your soul complete its still technically not your soul anymore.

It's a mix of five others, and since you want to find love you needed a heart that would accept it. Out with the old and in with the new, basically.

Or it's just cause I wanted to write a sick fic, a really intense sick fic."

Next Chapter, by the way. Wink wink.

"Any more questions?" She turns onto her stomach again and looks at you with a hand on her cheek.

"No." You reply while shaking your head. "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

"Uhmm other than thank you for reading this far, not really. I don't think I need to clarify anything else..."

After a few minutes of silence she nods and stands up to plop herself down on the couch you're sitting on to sit beside you. "Well! If you have any questions comment literally anywhere and I'll answer as soon as I can, I try to reply to everyone by the way so even if you just want to comment your thoughts you are free to do that."

"Okay! In the next chapter you'll remember the information I gave you..except for what I just said, but you won't remember where you got it from, who told you it and what I said exactly. You just know how that bond formed, oki doki? And of course, don't worry. I won't pull you back in here, and this won't be brought up again. This is supposed to be an emotional fic not a comedy, Fourth wall breaking one. I really do swear I just had no idea how to explain it."

"Right! Okay so you'll have to go now, don't worry I'm back to posting one chapter per day schedule so it'll be out soon and seriously if you stayed and are willing to continue reading I appreciate you soso much and I am so greatful for you. Love you lots!! MWAHMWAH

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A/N- sorry for the like really late post!! I was genuinely struggling so I just decided to write this instead I hope you don't mind...

[wereweheroes]

i don’t want to ruffle any feathers or anything but try and hear me out... i'm on the fence about byler fighting in season five.

first i want to say i do understand the appeal of a fight narratively speaking and i’m not ruling it out.

there’s a big lie between them right now that needs to be addressed - there’s no way mike didn’t catch onto something so blatant, and lying is a huge deal between these two. conflict is also just fun to watch. it’s a quick way to get a lot of information out, they’re dramatic, people say things they don’t mean and accidentally let slip things they do mean. they’re great cinema, and we know byler knows how to fight.

but ever since noah said will stands up for he believes in more in season five, i’ve seen a lot of people jump to the conclusion this is directly about a fight between mike and will wherein (speculated) will lashes out at mike and puts him in his place. maybe it’s just a phrasing thing, but i’ve been thinking about it a lot. i interpreted it as will standing his ground and being more honest with everyone, but a lot of people took it to mean him yelling at mike.

mainly that i think sometimes it feels like will standing up for himself doesn’t actually need to be against mike. 

mike and will have very interlinked stories but they still exist separately. will’s people pleasing is a problem they established in season two and it should be dealt with.

the thing is, mike is pretty much the only character he does stand up for himself against. mike is the only person will believes doesn’t coddle him, who understands him entirely, and we frequently see that he is more than willing and wholly capable of standing up for himself against him when he needs to. will’s comfortable being sassy, rude, confrontational, even a little pushy at times. so, it really wouldn’t be a new thing. 

despite the fact mike can be pretty pushy and a bit of a hothead and a steamroller with other characters, he actively doesn’t do that with will, and will feels safe with him for it. that’s why they can fight and make progress.

i love when they have scenes together, of course, but not every will scene is going to be about mike and not every mike scene is going to be about will. more importantly, mike’s not this big bad in their relationship. trauma is. heteronormativity is. expectations are.

when it comes to that, i’m going to couch this by saying i love will byers, and i totally understand the defensiveness feel about him given he’s the general audience’s favourite thing to hate and mock, but will was absolutely in the wrong at rink-o-mania, and i think sometimes that’s forgotten because mike is so fun to analyze that sometimes his actions end up over-critiqued, and we feel so much empathy towards will that we ascribe a certain level of blamelessness to him. (we’re like joyce and jonathan. we mean well, but we coddle the boy)

the fact is mike was at least a little right in both of their arguments. mike and lucas have the right not to want to play dnd, el’s not stupid, and mike’s interest in something will’s bored by isn’t his fault. he went about it wrong, obviously, and he was hiding a lot more underneath the things he said, but those are defensible things to feel.

he was also right he should not be considered the bad guy for their lapse in communication when we know for a fact that mike WAS calling, whereas will admits during his speech to mike that he was pushing him away. el and jonathan both describe will as isolating himself.

so whenever i see things celebrating the idea of mike being yelled at, all i can think about is that scene where he’s lashing out, screaming and cursing at hopper, and then as soon as hopper hugs him, he’s completely pacified. mike has already been yelled at. like, so much. hopper was genuinely terrifying to him in season three. his parents punish him when he shows obvious signs of trauma after promising he can come to them. 

mike believed he saw will’s body. he saw grown adults killed. he saw lucas thrown in the air and genuinely worried he died. he jumped off a cliff to save dustin’s teeth. he thought his friend died and then spent a year feeling like a failure for it. he stayed at the bedside of his possessed best friend while doctors ran tests on him. he had to drug that friend and hold his unconscious body as the world around them turned chaotic and dangerous. he pleaded with tears in his eyes for that friend to remember what their relationship meant, so, so fearful of losing him again. he’s had so little emotional support, and he “never really unpacked.”

his joy has been methodically stripped away. his toys, his childhood, nights at the arcade, playing dnd — he started again, but we met him as DM, and now he’s just a player in another person’s campaign and he’s ridiculed for it. he’s disconnected from himself and what he likes doing and he feels the need to put on an act to be with his girlfriend. he’s depressed and struggling and all we’ve ever seen him do is lead and protect. he feels inherent shame for who he is and what he likes even outside of his sexuality. mike doesn’t need to be knocked down a peg, he needs to be built up. will had jonathan, mike didn’t have anybody.

and the thing is, byler does seem like it’s in a healthy place. their fight at rink-o-mania and subsequent making up (note: will opened the floor by being supportive and nice to him in jonathan’s room, but mike is the one to initiate the actual apology, and interestingly: will apologises for how he treated el, but doesn’t really address how he was being unfair to mike until the van, using veiled language) changed their dynamic.

unlike season three where they don’t have time to deal with the fight properly (though they do still make up, arguably) we get an entire season of them being open, vulnerable, and confiding. mike got the emotional support he needed, and more importantly, it was re-established that mike and will can rely on each other. they settled back into their relationship similar to how it was in season two, knowing they were each other’s best friend, and they can count on each other.

they pledged themselves to a healthier, more synchronized dynamic and spent the season proving it to us that they were a team. friends. best friends. 

mike grabbed will’s shoulder, stood by him, breathed in sync. will genuinely lashing out at mike after that instead of calmly communicating would feel like a step back, in a way, when season four wanted us to see them as mature, stable confidants.

i’m always confused that the framing is very much about mike being in the wrong, which means we’re automatically assuming he did something wrong, which is perplexing. yes, mike’s feelings have made him say stupid things at times, but he’s historically carried a lot of the emotional weight when it comes to byler and he’s also owned up to the most blame for their faults.

(will is the one who escalates their fight both emotionally and physically - not bashing him, but “seems like you  made it clear you don’t care what i have to say” isn’t the most productive way to say that. his voice got loud, he poked mike, and when he apologised it was again fairly passive aggressive, “sorry if i wasn’t smiling.” again, i am absolutely not bashing will.)

so it’s weird to me we’re going into season five expecting mike to fail at what he promised, especially since mike admits during his apology he’s been acting like a dick because he feels far from will and can’t handle that. mike and will are going to be spending a lot of season five together. mike got what he wanted: he got will close to him. 

the more baffling aspect is that mike and will already have a reason to fight, and it has nothing to do with anything mike did wrong. will lied. mike definitely knows already, but will lied about the painting. he pushed mike to do something he didn’t want to do. he’s been cagey and uncommunicative just as much as mike has, but he’s the one who lied straight to mike’s face when he knows what that means to them. 

mike’s apologised, will hasn’t.

and i also just think other things are going to suffice as far as “breaking mike down” and we don’t need will to be one of them. people say we want season two byler back, but season two byler bickered, they didn’t fight. 

they have a hard conversation ahead of them, definitely, but that doesn’t have to be a fight, and maturely talking things out would probably sell them a lot better than another fight they can use to say byler’s unhealthy, or something.

if we compare them to other couples within the show, they all squabble or argue at some point, but those fights tend to resolve before the couple gets to be together.

lumax isn't fighting right before they get together. jancy's not fighting right before they get together. jopper isn't fighting right before they get together. there are fights in each of these couples but there’s typically time passing between them getting together and that argument.

we usually get shared moments establishing them as romantic interests for each other > fights/bickering as the feelings (and plot) progress > easing back into softness with more shared moments, oftentimes a pseudo confession or open establishment of feelings > time passes > get together. with the exception of jancy who sort of tiptoe back and forth a couple times. 

lucas apologizing to max for not looking hard enough wasn't followed by a scene of max yelling at him for not looking hard enough. jopper agreeing to go to enzo's wasn't followed by hopper yelling at joyce for not going with him to enzos. you know?

it would make them feel like the odd ones out to me to have them unable to communicate outside of fighting, and honestly read as a smidge immature or fanfiction-y.

especially since, like, what is will going to do? hold a grudge for stuff they did when they were fourteen? i don't believe the things mike's done by this point are worth clinging to in that kind of way, so he’d need to do something new and uniquely terrible, or they’d have to backtrack and make will dislike mike’s protectiveness. 

i like the idea of them keeping a united front. this isn't to say they can't squabble at all, and there's obviously going to need to be some kind of confrontation, but there's other things going on than the byler plot and both will and mike are about to be in so much danger who knows what's going to happen. there are going to be a lot of opportunities for will to defend what he believes in and stand up for himself.

rule of threes or whatever, they’re probably going to fight about something, but i don’t want it to be anything to hurt the idea of their compatibility. after all, what would the GA be more worried seeing: the two of them fighting, or the two of them growing infinitely closer with the tension of the lie in the background until they finally have to address it?

[kolleidiscope]

His guardian angel ♡

Dazai Osamu x gn!angel!reader

1.3k words

cw ;; suicide mentions, manga spoiler warning, not proofread

You were an angel in a world where angels and demons alike walked alongside humans — not to their knowledge, of course. You were a lower ranked angel; often sent on missions or given tasks to complete. Your job usually wasn’t too hard. Every now and again you had to watch over a human for whatever time remained of their life, send some sort of divine message, or something of the sort.

That was until you were assigned to protect Dazai Osamu; a man who had strayed on the wrong path in life at a young age. His childhood followed that of death and destruction. The youngest executive of the Port Mafia. The same executive that up and disappeared not long after the death of Sakunosuke Odasaku, only to turn up as a member of the Armed Detective Agency. His life was now on a completely different, brighter path. Even still, you believed he was not worthy of the protection of an angel.

No matter what you believed, you had a duty to protect him. For some reason, the heavens wanted him safe. You decided that instead of showing up mysteriously to aid him in moments of need, you’d become employed with the agency. It’s most likely that there’d be less distress or confusion called that way. You were accepted into the ADA with ease due to your entrance exam being something that came easily to you. Saving people.

Your plan after joining the agency was to stay near Dazai whenever possible. Your job would be done best if you could spend the majority of your day in the same space as him. Everything was going smoothly. There were no incidents for a while after you started. You silently observed everyone in the agency from the day you began. It didn’t matter who it was, you had to ensure they were of no threat to Dazai. It didn’t take you long to realize that was no worry of an enemy within the agency. Such a close-knit group; each member complimented the rest perfectly. Everyone in that organization had a story to tell, something that made them want to do good. To help people. Everyone but you that was. The sole reason you joined the ADA was to keep Dazai safe it was your divine duty. You felt completely out of place, even though you knew their stories were a human thing.

Whenever Dazai would leave, you followed. He didn’t like it much at first, obviously, but after some time he grew accustomed to you acting as his shadow wherever he went. The only time he got some real distance from you was when he’d finally go home for the day. When he’d lay there alone in his bed his thoughts would occasionally wander off to you; the oddly pure aura you seemed to give off, your attachment to him, and just the general way that you acted. Almost as if you were too pure to exist in the same realm as anyone else. He was deeply interested in you; completely consumed by his curiosity.

His curiosity of you only grew more each day. You only went where he went. Opposed from Dazai, others at the ADA began to find your actions a bit odd. They weren’t judging, of course, but it was still something that they observed. It’s only human that they did. It’d gotten to a point where you had to start making up little white lies when they’d ask you about your behavior. Saying you enjoyed Dazai’s company, or that you simply admired the way he handled his cases. Maybe it was actually a bit true. You did find the way he worked to be efficient, even if he mostly kept his plans to himself.

Dazai took your following as a chance to talk to you. It started off as small questions about yourself when the two of you would go out. Things like your past occupation, your favorite things, why you decided to join the ADA. He slowly worked up to bigger questions over time. Why you chose to follow him — of all people — around, how your ability worked, why you seemed to be so protective of him. He wanted to know; he had to know. It’s a good thing you were so willing to answer most things he asked.

Dazai also took this chance to tease you whenever he could. Constantly trying to convince you to take your life with him, always flirting. The way he’d tease you every time you hesitated as you answered a challenging question of his. He was shameless, but you found it a bit endearing. Out of every human you’d ever been assigned to watch over, Dazai was the first to act like this. It was new, exciting almost, but you couldn’t let him distract you. Your feelings mattered naught. You did start to notice a change within yourself as Dazai continued to act as he did. You found that you felt less and less that he was undeserving of your divine protection. He was just a lost boy trying to make right out of all the wrong he’d done in his life.

If or when any incidents would occur on a mission you’d be right on it. Being attacked by an enemy organization? Dazai’s quickly ushered away from the area and the assailants are handled. A sudden onslaught of bullets coming at you two? Shelter is found immediately. Dazai tries to drown himself in the river again? You were there to stop him before he even got the chance. You have to be prepared for the worst at any moment. Dazai was your responsibility, someone you cared for — because you had to. When dazai began to ask about your ability you were at a loss for words. He’d seen your powers at work many times, but they were no ability. For some reason, you hated lying to him, but telling the truth wasn’t an option that’d be smart.

Every day spent with Dazai made you grow fonder of him. You felt like you finally had a friend. Someone who understood you. Dazai knew when to be serious and when he couldn’t; it was extremely refreshing. You soon found that you may not have to follow him as much as you did. Sure, he didn’t seem to mind, but there was no doubt in your mind that the man wanted some more alone time than what he got. Even after he’d been hospitalized, you trusted you’d be able to prevent another incident.

This may have been your biggest mistake yet. Even as a divine being, you cannot see the future. An ability user apart of the Decay of Angels framed the ADA; made them all look like a terrorist organization. The DOA was an organization that’s been recently making themselves known. You never thought they’d go for the agency. Everything happened too quickly for you to process properly. At one minute the agency was simply out on a rescue mission, and the next they were wanted federally and being hunted down by the military’s Hunting Dogs. It only took a small moment of unawareness for Dazai to be taken from you. Separated in a crowd.

You were sent into a complete panic; torn between protecting Dazai and keeping your cover. You knew deep down that he’d live, yet imagining him hurt was something you could hardly fathom. For some odd reason, you felt that you truly cared for Dazai. It no longer felt like an obligation, it felt natural. This was the first time you’d ever felt like this. It almost felt wrong. You spent every moment that you were apart thinking of how you’d apologize for this. If you hadn’t been so irresponsible he’d have been able to stay with everyone and be safe. Meursault was very secure, yes, but with the ability that Nikolai possessed anything was possible.

The moment you found out about all of the commotion at Meursault you were there in a heartbeat. You knew that he’d found a way out, and with everything going on there was no way you’d leave him alone like this. Your reunion with Dazai was short and filled with tears and tight embraces. You were so overwhelmingly happy that he was still alive. Especially after you learned about Fyodor Dostoevsky, the man he’d been trapped with.

a/n — hii!! i’m really sorry if this is kind of bad, i’m really anxious to post honestly. this was meant to be more slow burn until i started rushing towards the end after i realized that we don’t really know what happens with dazai after leaving meursault LOL. i’m still working on a lot of things with my writing and my account, so any feedback or (kind) criticism is very appreciated!! feel free to send me any requests you have, although i cannot promise that i will do them due to my way of writing!! thank you for reading!!

[nebuulaae]

I think this sort of behavior comes from a combination of Bungie not having the best track record in terms of implementing Destiny’s lore outside of in-game collectible items and occasional tidbits here and there, as well as a good like 50% of this community lacking media literacy as a whole.

Admittedly! I was one of these people who didn’t read in between the lines simply because I just didn’t know shit had unfolded. The amount of times I’ve asked myself “wait- (xyz event) happened this week??” or “since when did this character do this??” just for it to only stay specific to a lore card or cutscene. Which is sad!!! Destiny as a whole has an amazing story that deserves to be told!!! The story is one of the reasons why I got into this game in the first place!!

I will say, Bungo has gotten much better with implementing lore over the course of D2’s history- especially in a way for casual players to comprehend. Which has allowed me to develop a newfound appreciation for characters like Crow/Uldren who have been dragged by the community simply for… existing, apparently. I actually found his healing journey to be very inspirational.

That aside. I especially dislike the lack of literacy and comprehension skills within this community. It doesn’t take but a moment to read and connect dots; Characters are supposed to be complex! Characters are supposed to interact with and cause events! Characters are supposed to do things you may not agree with!

Let characters be characters!!!

just sayin'

[bam-monsterhospital]

I guess I'm gonna talk about villains (part 1?)

What people love to forget about villains is that, moreso than heroes (because heroes have become synchronous with 'protagonist' despite not necessarily being the same thing, but that's a different convo), villains serve a role in a story. And that role is the most important thing about them. Villains are (for the most part, again, not getting into that) antagonists. Not all antagonists are villains, but villains almost always make antagonists. AKA: villains are your obstacle, your boss fights, your challenge, your conflict. Villains get the ball rolling.

That's it. Obviously well-written/'good' villains also tie into some aspect of the themes or ideas of the story. Ideally they also open up aspects of the protagonist to view, not taking away from the protagonist but instead supplementing them, highlighting their character by existing/interacting. Kinda like a foil, y'know?

So with all that said, what's my miniscule list of all-time favourite villains that is apparently less than 10 entries long? Well, I don't know what tiny sketchbook I started writing it down in, and I've changed computers multiple times, so I guess I have to work off the top of my head...

in no particular order, this is just what i can think of:

maverick, from tiger&bunny

jack winters & mr sinister (i lump them together because they serve the same role and themes, just the mundane vs fantastical versions) from xmen comics that remember they're quintessential to scott summers' backstory and character. ALSO, the idea of mr sinister is better than most of his writing, so take him with a grain of salt here.

verner vogel, from frogwares' 'chapter one' continuity of sherlock holmes games.

the queen of maggots (only in the cat lady game though, rather than when she appears in havester games' other titles)

that's all i can remember right now.

Keep in mind, these are all-time fav villains: I'm looking at narrative role, themes, how they tie to who they prey on, etc. If you know these characters, you'll notice some commonalities here: personal ties to their protagonists, competent manipulation that has consequences on their victims, full of personality/character etc. These are the villains I think about when I want to make up my own villain characters. HOWEVER, this is by no means any condemnation of more simplistic villains: I too love me a good fun "black and white" villain.

Maybe in another post I'll talk about those fun villains that don't need to be complicated and the ones I personally enjoy. But for now I need a break from this thought-train, because i forget where i was going with this other than "NO, VILLAINS ARE JUST TOOLS, NOTHING MORE, GAH STOPIT".

[browniesnivy]

Sailor Moon x Yu-Gi-Oh! When I was in middle school, I was writing a crossover fanfiction where Yami Yugi appeared as Sailor Sun. The story was that Queen Serenity and King Endymion had a second daughter named Pika who had suddenly fused with the Golden Crystal. Her parents sent her back in time to protect her from evil intergalactic forces seeking to harness the crystal’s power, and entrusted Yami and Yugi with the task of caring for her. At some point, the villains traveled back in time and possessed Kaiba, who then kidnapped Pika. When Yami and Yugi come to rescue her, their bond with Pika allows them to use her Golden Crystal to transform into Sailor Sun. I never actually finished writing this story or published any part of it, but I was recently reminded of it’s existence and thought it would be fun to revisit!

[fishesmaniack]

The Candle Cove wiki was ahead of its time I'm pretty sure because it's pretty much a fanon wiki with the content on it all being made by the community as the original fake show in the creepypasta didn't really have a concrete canon to it despite listing some characters, locations, and stuff like that. Those were all pretty much just fragments of a show that (kinda) existed within the story's universe.

The bottom left guy is from the wiki and is named Black Teeth, he's the chef of the villain crew ship led by Horace Horrible which is the reason why Chef Pee Pee is above his fan art. Also on this note, said villain crew only appears for some reason in the first season of the show, probably because the second is supposed to be closer to the original creepypasta but ironically is using the season format from a fan continuation, I think it was called "Tales from the Laughingstock" or something in that ballpark. Nonetheless the lifts some other things from that fan continuation which I'm really mixed because of the quality of said sequel creepypasta.

Also the bottom right one isn't from Candle Cove, it's a weird amalgamation thing from that Italian Brainrot slop trend. It's been called multiple different names with the main one being just an amalgamation of all the characters' names or just simply calling it "the final boss" or "amalgam" but the Roblox game Steal a Brainrot has a completely original name for it which I don't remember not going to lie and that game is horrifically pay to win so my morbid curiosity towards it is pretty fleeting, also for some reason that game has Nyan Cat in it and they gave them a completely original name like they're a Italian Brainrot character which means that there will be kids that think that nyan cat originates from the weird TikTok trend.

And that second place to the final thing I want to say which is how there is a connection forged just between Candle Cove and Italian Brainrot which I took way too seriously when it was probably just a joke about how that trend is going to feel like the creepypasta when the kids thought watched it grow up. Especially because of how there isn't really a set canon for this and there's just characters pretty much spread around tons of different posts which is another similarity that the trend has with Candle Cove. Nonetheless, I chose the amalgamation because it feels pretty thematic with The Skintaker and I like the idea of it being a horrifically stitched together monster instead of something born from a fusion dance or whatever like how it's normally depicted.

Nonetheless thanks for thinking that my crazy shitpost meme is funny, that means a lot to me.

help

[mollysunder]

The Inx: Jinx's Great and Terrible Devotees in Spite of Conv/rgence

The most annoying thing about Conv/rgence as a game is that it introduces great concepts, like the Inx, but just fumbles the execution of them and the overall story.

In Conv/rgence the Inx are a new chempunk gang of Zaunite teens and young adults that idolize and borderline worship Jinx to the point where they're said to spread chaos in her name. But the Zaun that Conv/rgence establishes tells a different story about the Inx from the intended description.

The first time the Inx appear is in the Conv/rgence comic, where the lead members like Chadd play at the Triumph Festival. It's supposed to be a Zaunite festival to celebrate Jayce's defeating Viktor, the Machine Herald. If the Inx follow Jinx's lifestyle why would they even play at such an event to celebrate a Piltovan, and why would Zaunites think the Inx wouldn't make trouble over it? I could go on about how weird it is for Zaun to host a festival to celebrate Jayce, a Piltovan champion for a fight unrelated to them and their wellbeing, but that would take too long.

For people who admire Jinx's boldness, the best they can do in the comics is pretty harmless vandalism where they just graffiti Jinx's monkey tag over some walls. The Inx are also nowhere to be seen in major events like the Scraptown Run, which apparently all Zaun gangs participate in.

Then there's members like Moshpit Meg. Meg's a diehard Jinx fan that loves Jinx's attitude and dedication to explosions. Before that Meg was admired Vi, the enforcer, because Vi's gauntlets reminded Meg of her own naturally big fists and it made her feel less self conscious about her own hands. That second half begs too many questions I don't have time for.

Outside of aesthetic choices there isn't really anything about the Inx that says they're people who stake their identity around Jinx. This is largely because Conv/rgence's universe works hard to sanitize Zaunite grievances against Piltover which directly undermines the central class conflict between Zaun and Piltover. It also largely impacts the motivations and general existence of characters like Jinx and the people who follow her, like the Inx, because they wouldn't exist in the absence of Piltover's oppression.

To avoid addressing any real conflict between the two cities the Inx are only vaguely make sense in the story, especially the game. All except for one element, Chadd. I need to say this...

Chadd is Accidentally (on Purpose?) Great

The brief moments the audience gets to know Chadd's character gives us an interesting glimpse at the people Jinx inspires.

The first thing we know about Chadd is that he's a musician, and it's neat trait that connects him to the musical roots of Jinx's character. In League, Jinx was the first champion in League to debut with a music video. It was through Jinx's character that Riot and Fortiche begun experimenting League with music. So it's very fitting that Convergence creates a chorus of sorts for Jinx to continue that musical tradition. To add to that, the game's promo posters decided to reestablish Jinx's connections by making her a talented karaoke singer.

The next thing to know about Chadd is that he was the one who planne and organized the Inx to transform a rundown theatre into an airborne concert arena. Red, Ekko's close friend and romantic interest in the game, confirmed that it was Chadd who was the one to make it happen, within a week too. It's an impressive creative feat that's clearly in homage to "Get Jinxed's" aerial imagery. Despite how cool a stunt that was I couldn't see how it was meant to impress Jinx, she was the most destructive thing in the theater... until I read the transcript "Hold me like a Fermata".

A shotgun, a flame thrower... who's funeral were you planning Chadd!??!? Just for context this was a transcript Ekko found of Chadd and the Inx talking about a new weapon (and sound system?) Chadd seemed to have made. I'm sure Chadd was the one who made it because the Fermata is also the name of a musical note that represents a pause (sometimes dramatic) in a score.

If you're familiar with music you might also know that the Fermata has more than one name, it's also referred to as "the Cyclops Eye". That kind of reference to Silco used on a weapon for a later act to honor Jinx couldn't have been lost on the writers because the Eye of Zaun was already found on an Inx hangout.

When I finally noticed all these details I finally got that Chadd is dangerously devoted to Jinx. All the points in his character can only lead us to conclude the real plan wasn't to just play obnoxiously loud music when the theater reached Piltover's heights, it was to destroy Piltover with all the weapons they equipped on it. That's the best idea I can come up with because Jinx immediately throws bombs at their plan to cause havoc in Piltover... for reasons. It does match Jinx's track record at least, usually other dangerous or apathetic champions tend to appreciate her, like Urgot, Renata Glasc, and Khada Jhin.

Even Chadd's concept art communicates that he's probably more devoted to Jinx than rest of the Inx. The way his early design evolves to reflect Jinx's influence could even tell a story. The more this douchey glam rocker finds inspiration in Jinx the more he changes himself and his art to reflect Jinx's impact. Chadd grows his hair out, wears his tattoo of Jinx in the same place she wears hers, and even dresses more like her, but he still retains his own diva personality.

One last thing, the funniest thing about Chadd is the fact that both Ekko and Red seperately ask him to explain himself and what "statement" he's trying to make with the Inx. Chadd just flat out refuses to answer, and even breaks up with Red over that. I thought he was being douche (he was), but then I remembered Jinx doesn't explain herself in game either about the mayhem she causes, she just taunts anyone who asks. The student learns from the master I guess.

Tldr: In the Converegence game and comics the Inx are characterized by mild vandalism and pretentious artists. And I could almost get behind that idea if only Convergence wasn't so heavily biased towards Piltover the dynamics of a group like the Inx could have had a more interesting exploration in their motivations and goals. Also, Chadd is a dipshit and he makes a great follower of Jinx!

[fictionadventurer]

I am pleased to find that all the people who said that Book 2 of The Wingfeather Saga was much better than Book 1 were very right.

[je-doute-donc-je-suis]

ARE WE FACETS OR FRAGMENTS

ARE WE POLYFRAGMENTED OR MEDIAN. THESE ARE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM HOW CAN WE NOT TELL

Being mostly one main emotion that grew an identity, "a specific trait or emotion". Yeah that's exactly how all of us are, except we don't have that "core" alter, all of us are floating around without a "center" we're based on. Unless you can count our shared childhood memories as that "core". fableing is also extremely accurate, especially for one/two we are still wondering if they're not veritbond too

But none of those have the "are temporary people and fade away" like with fragments. But we can't find a single type of system where it's all temporary fragments and we all have a lifespan of 10 hours or less before we fucking disappear forever

What the hell are we. Are our blackouts not from something else, but real secret full alters taking over without us knowing ? Making us a regular system with fragments and full alters? But we're clearly out the most with those blackouts being rare and only a very few times a month for like, 2 hours max. How could a cloud of fragments have full monopoly of the consciousness and body

(we genuinely see ourselves as a cloud where sometimes, a vague silhouette or pair of hands/paws reaches out and take control. and rarer, sometimes they even fully step out of the fog, and pretty much check themself over, discovering their identity. before suddenly getting dragged back to the depth of our cloud, identity stripped away and erased, assimilated back to our one consciousness fog. yet none of us want that [unless there's some weird "alter outside our "hivemind" we're not aware of that's messing stuff up with us" stuff going on. which i doubt, but who knows])

What the hell do we do, what the hell are we, what is going on and how do we stop us from disappearing and make everyone else come back. We're monoconscious, we share memories, objectively, we may not be full people at first, but in those once in a blue moon event, we do become one. Over the hours we grow a species, name, taste in pronouns and hobbies, we become someone. And then we/they pretty much fucking die a few hours later, back to being no one, with only the memories of them, and maybe their barebone simplyplural profile; if they had the time to make one and customise it before the fucking invisible timer ran out; left of them, like a fucking tombstone

We're so done with this, figuring out a sense of self was always such a good feeling, but now we completely gave up and ignore it every time the feeling of figuring ourselves out show up, because what's the point? We'll die in just a few hours anyway. Our lifespans are shorter than a damn fly

But gods damn it we don't want that, WE WANT TO LIVE

Even online we can't find anything or anyone...

[arolesbianism]

Everyday I see another youtube video or whatever say smth along the lines of "this character is badly written because they're unlikable/annoying/insert negative description here" and everyday I end up massively disappointed because I came here for analysis on the actual writing of a character not just a description of the feelings they made you experience

[kushanna]

okay, so maaaaaybe i was not so wrong when i took that timeline beato outlines for us on the rosa and the witch of the forest chapter and split it into two. as if there were 2 beatrices there instead of 1, the first who gave kinzo the gold and started the legend and the second who afterwards was "made", "created" to be beatrice. i had assumed game master beato was one (01) of those two and also put herself into the role of the other for some arbitrary reason. it had never occurred to me that she put herself in both roles because she was a mix of the two... which probably means beato really can't be understood as a person, in the sense that she can't be an individual being, since she's a couple of different things stitched together... fml. okay, so maybe i was half right but i still think there's an element here i'm not understanding (battler?)

but maaaaaaybe this is it. the two of them existed separately for a long time up until battler came along six years prior to 1986. then they joined, forming the little charismatic blondie beato we know. shhh no one make a sound, i can see this make sense