#please let my guy have diverse and protective styles

[nightwings-blue]

no more buzzcut duke no more buzzcut duke no more buzzcut duke no more buzzcut duke

[numberonedukethomasapologist]

Duke teaching the batfam how to style his hair and the culture of his protective styles

Teaching a batfam member how to do cornrows

Whichever member he taught sitting down and having a bonding moment over doing duke's cornrows and visiting the hair supply store that makes Duke feel nostalgic❤️

[Which batfam member would do duke's hair and take him on trips to the Beauty supply store?]

[that-ari-blogger]

Who's In Charge Here? (Ready For This)

Hazbin Hotel’s plot centres around Charlie’s quest to redeem the residents of Hell and protect them from a heavenly genocide.

The phrasing of that is important. The story is about Charlie’s quest to redeem others. The agency is on Charlie, rather than the citizens of hell.

A large part of that is Charlie’s understanding of what redemption actually is. Is it a generalized “be more like heaven”? Or is it something more specific?

Every part of Hazbin Hotel and it’s sibling series Helluva Boss revolves around individuality. The art style is dynamic as anything, the musical numbers are diverse by nature, and the extras… the extras steal the show.

Hell doesn’t learn from Charlie, Charlie learns from Hell. Or does she?

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (Hazbin Hotel)

CONTENT WARNING: (Hazbin Hotel)

The song begins in 6/4 time in the key of B flat majour. It’s optimistic and pseudo-spoken in tonality. But to hell with that, because at 1 minute 20 on the dot, the ensemble comes in.

Alastor has just offered the cannibals angel flesh as a reward, and the song immediately shifts in tone. Speeding up slightly and changing keys to G Majour. All while the cannibals are adlibbing and someone who’s name I do not know makes the legendary decision to say the following, and you bet your arse I’m putting this in quotes.

“Namamamam”

What this does is simple, it takes the agency from Charlie and gives it to the citizens of hell. The song is no longer about her, and frankly neither is the musical at this point, it is about what she represents and the themes at play.

We have had the revelation of the genocide happening in a month, we have had Vaggie’s betrayal, and Charlie has put all of her plans on a hold because she thinks she isn’t worthy. This ain’t about her and her drama now. There are lives at stake.

This is reassuring and stable. Every word is an octave chord, that is, two of the same note an octave apart. Each section is a rising melody that starts on B and rises to E minour \ G. It is repetitive with the first half containing two mostly identical runs upwards, while the second half dips slightly to reflect the threat of which it speaks, before resolving back up with a hopeful tone.

As a disclaimer, I am far from an expert in music theory. That’s why I am writing this blog. I want to learn. So correct me if I am wrong please. I am using this transcription to guide myself.

This starts the same as previously but then twists with an upwards inflection. The sharpening of teeth chord swaps out its central E for a C, becoming C5 \ G or G sus 4 (again, I’m not an expert, I don’t know the difference between these two names, so I’m putting both of them in and hoping someone will please explain it to me). This is like a bow being drawn back, building up kinetic energy that is released in the final two notes for A5 (E sus 4 \ A) and G \ B.

Now, trying to name all of these chords made my nose bleed, but I had a reason for that other than to make myself look like an eejit.

Ready For This is a song built on chords. You don’t have to know their names to know that the sections of a song that are sung by a choir rely on the interplay between different voices. It’s less about the technical knowledge, though that is still important, and more the density of sound.

I do appreciate this guy pointing at his teeth when he said he would sharpen them. I wasn't sure what he meant at first, but then he pointed, and I am now up to speed. He means teeth. See? He's pointing at them.

This part of the song makes you feel supported because of the contours of the music, but also because of how many parts there are. You feel like you are being lifted up by that crowd.

Charlie is gathering an army damn it. Susan may be the symbol of Cannibal Town’s alignment, but Cannibal Town itself is a symbol of its power.

I highlight this whole section because of it’s rhythm. This is written with an iambic metre. That is, one note slightly longer than the other. Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter.

This evokes a marching band or an old timey war song, intended to be easy to sing. Shakespeare utilised the rhythm to make dialogue sound more natural, and “of the common man.”

This was a form of propaganda, not just using music to draw people into signing up for near certain death, but also the subtle messaging of how the songs were written. If anyone could sing it, then it could become an earworm and sit with its audience, pestering them until they join the army.

I find it morbidly entertaining that Charlie begins the song with all of the distractions usually promised by recruitment songs - Camaraderie, travel, adventure – and the cannibals are instead enchanted by the promise of murder. In Hell, that nonsense doesn’t stand.

Charlie's dissonant perspective is brought back for a moment as she argues with the ensemble.

“That’s a little violent, can we tone it down?”

“Oh, don’t be put of by their snarlin’ that’s enthusiasm, darlin!”

“Eh, they just seem a little murder right now.”

“Don’t worry, honey, that’s their thing.”

Charlie. I don’t want to be a pedant, so forgive me for pointing out the inconvenience. But, you are aware this is a war, right? Violence is kind of the point.

Yes, cannibalism is generally considered a foe par in modern society, but that’s sadism. Charlie is complaining about her side being too into violence and murder… in a war.

I have seen discussion of this song as lesser liked at the start because the rhythm is off and frustrating to follow. I agree about that being the case, but that is the point. Notice the time signature when Charlie tries to argue:

It’s in 4/4, notably different from the 3/4 of the verse and the 6/4 of the chorus. Whereas the other two signatures merge together pretty seamlessly, Charlie has to stumble over herself to get the words out here.

This is the same time signature as Charlie’s recruitment jaunt, and that is the section of the song that is cited the most as being off kilter.

It’s supposed to be.

There is a fundamental disconnect between what Charlie wants and what she needs. You are all going to die if you don’t get over yourself and take Hell as it is. Work with what you have, not what you wish for.

Queerness is a spectrum. From "scheming for world domination" to "no thoughts, head empty." I am sitting comfortably at both ends of the spectrum.

Charlie changes her tone and time signature over the course of the song and it works, she is accepted into the cannibal ranks as a leader. Alastor and Rosie imply that this is their guidance swaying her and, according to Alastor, corrupting her. However, and this is really important, he is wrong.

The two of them converse in 6/4, the same rhythm and tune as the verse earlier, signifying their connection to it. But Charlie doesn’t join the ensemble, it joins her.

I maintain that Alastor has actually been pretty decent to Charlie. Like, he keeps saying he is manipulating her behind her back, and he makes a deal that he promises will be a problem in the future, but he never actually does anything in the present to her. Obviously, this will change when that future comes to pass, but for now, he's just supportive. Is he just bad at being evil? Is that what's going on?

Here is how the song starts:

As mentioned above, it’s in 6/4, and judging by the conversation this section has between Charlie and Susan, it’s connecting.

Susan is almost trying to help Charlie here by translating what she is saying into terms the Cannibals will get. You have a dream; we have dreams too. They need the connection.

A few bars later, we get the eponymous motif.

There is a lot I can take apart here in just the lyrics. It’s an admission of weakness, of being new to this, but its also the acknowledgement that said weakness doesn’t matter right now. Hell needs a leader and Charlie is in a position to be that leader.

I am not Christian, but I grew up in a very Christian landscape. As such, the idea of leading from the front, specifically in the context of a show set in Hell, calls to mind the image of the shepherd who leads the flock rather than the sheepdog who chases it.

Leadership in this style is not unique to Christianity, I want to be clear, but it is a fundamental part of that faith, at least in my understanding. And again, in this context, it felt important to mention. But in this context, it is the daughter of the king of hell who assumes that role of a shepherd, rather than the son of the king of heaven.

The second time the motif comes up, once again Charlie is singing alone, but it’s the moment after everything has gone to plan. Rosie has told Charlie to relax with the criticism and take the help when it’s offered, and Charlie sings her motif again.

Up until this point, it has been a question of what can be done for each side. This section is Charlie’s connection to the cannibals on a human level. It is the moment when they understand her.

“For the first time in my life,

maybe I can be ready for this.

I can be the marshal leading the parade.

I can come into my own, and I think I’ve always known.

My destiny could never be postponed.

When Adam brings the battle here

I must appear like I’m ready for this.”

Once again, I notice some awfully specific word choice here.

Charlie is still focused on herself. This isn’t a complete story, her development as a character will continue into another season at least. As such, she is still self centred and focused on the philosophical angle of everything. When Adam arrives, she will appear ready. She hasn’t internalized the fact that she should actually be ready. Or at least, she hasn’t internalized that looking like something and acting like something are different things that can go together, but don’t always.

Which is a prescient thing to unpack.

The Ready For This motif comes around for a third time, and here we have my final piece of proof. Charlie doesn’t sing, those around her do. She has inspired them. She has had to change how she acted, sure, but they met her in the middle.

If anything, Charlie is singing background vocals. They part for her to voice the following:

“It is time to take a stand!

It is time to lend a hand!”

But here, she is part of the crowd, offering her perspective when the chance becomes apparent rather than forcing her way through.

Most obviously, the use of enjambment here gives this a rising sense of momentum. That is, each musical phrase begins a note early to hook you and keep you moving.

Also, "we cannot take it anymore". Violence is the tool of the oppressor, but it's also that of the oppressed. It is one of the few options that is always available, and it is where people will turn to when they have no other choice. Empires historically have tried to keep a facade of available diplomacy to keep their subjects compliant. But when it becomes clear that is a farse, those empires never last much longer.

But also, Rosie.

That is an insane note to be able to hit repeatedly, and I’m not just saying that because I sing bass. Rosie’s notes are really high.

That actually contrasts Alastor a bit. They are both schemers, allegedly, and Alastor has spent the entirety of the musical so far grifting off everyone else’s notes. Even in Stayed Gone and Hell’s Greatest Dad, he changes very little. But here, he falls in with the crowd. He doesn’t have anything new to say at all.

It's also notable that Rosie was the one who acknowledged that the ensemble was singing Charlie's song. She is aware of the situation, and her advice to Alastor isn't that he is succeeding at manipulating Charlie, it's that she's going to win, and he should probably stick around her.

Which makes me wonder, does Alastor actually have any power? As in, over Charlie. Is he as good of a manipulator as he makes everyone thinks? He talks a big game but then falls in line with Charlie just like everyone else. Is he special? Is he Machiavellian or is he just a little goober, as scared and spiraling as everyone else, powerless except for a smile.

Final Thoughts

For some reason, Rosie was the character I gravitated towards in this musical. Not just in an “I like the character” kind of way. When I sing along to this song in the car, I sing along to Rosie’s line.

Which is weird and difficult, considering, as has been stated, I sing bass.

Those who know me personally will know that I gravitate towards the mentour that rocks up out of nowhere in the story and offers advice whether you like it or not, so my preference isn’t a surprise, but she also has an umbrella and a cool hat, so what was I supposed to do?

Next week, we reach our penultimate post with the reprise of More Than Anything and discuss what a reprise even does for a story. Stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[nightmare-dreamt]

hello! I would like to request a matchup with a character from demon slayer. please and thank you! 🫶

Orientation: asexual + greyromantic (male preference).

Pronouns: she/her

Appearance: I'm 5'1. My hair is a darkish-brown with light brown streaks, and I have a long, whispy layered pixie cut. I have an inverted-triangle head shape, and I have a triangle + mesomorphic body type. I have dimples. I have beauty marks mostly on my shoulders and arms, and I specifically have one on one of my ear lobes (low-key my favorite feature, huehuegjb 🤭). I have olive-toned skin. I have almond shaped eyes, and my eye color is brown.

- Some people say I'm intimidating, but then others are like, "she's just a little guy! :D".

- I wear glasses.

- My overall style is grunge, comfy, and artsy.

General personality traits + extra: Nice, independent, caring, calm, clever, intelligent, empathetic, friendly, gentle, humble, genuine, forgiving, hard-working, humorous, kind-hearted, reliable, logical, mature, observant, patient, selfless, sweet, responsible, wise, emotionally strong, accepting, supportive, quiet, awkward, reserved, straightforward, shy, tired, blunt, brutally-honest, gullible, procrastinator, lonely.

- I'm a good listener! I always try to reassure people that I'm there for them and they can talk to me about anything. I never judge.

- I genuinely care about others.

- I'm slow to warm up to others, but once I do, I'm much more outgoing.

- People say I have a comforting aura.

Likes: Going for walks, hanging out with friends, deep conversations, blankets, the night sky, sunrises and sunsets, astronomy, psychology, literature, ancient history, nature, browsing, window shopping, sweets, pasta dishes, traveling, art, exploring, cats and dogs, music, fruit (specifically watermelon, raspberries, and strawberries 😩), coffee and tea, laughing, joking around, stormy weather, learning more about the things that interest me, to clean (willingly).

Dislikes: Waffles. , alcohol (for personal reasons), centipedes, anything that makes someone not redeemable (or whatever I think deems someone as a terrible person), humiliation, hot weather, people not listening to what I'm saying, silent treatment, being watched.

Hobbies: Painting, ceramics, playing video games, reading, listening to music (I'm pretty diverse with my taste in music but I mostly listen to k-pop, j-pop, pop, rock, punk-rock, pop-rock, calm, '80s, early 2000's) and occasionally podcasts (comedy, stories).

Etc:

- I'm a barista at a coffee shop 💪.

- I'm told that I laugh like a witch PLS.

- My big three are libra (sun), pisces (moon), and capricorn (rising).

- My MBTI type is INFJ, and my enneagram type is 5w4.

I hope that wasn't too much for you 😭

-🌻

Matchup for Anon 🌻!

Sanemi Shinaguzawa:

When you first saw him, it was clear that he had a scary personality and unknown to you he felt the same way for you. But, when the two of you actually got to know each other, you both seemd to be wrong. Deep down, he was a total softie and so were you. He tends to be soft only to those he cares for, so don't mention him being soft in public or he'll be upset.

He would want a partner who is independent and intellegent because he doesn't want someone who totally relies on him and someone who can't take care of themselves. Yes, he would want to protect you but he would love to see his partner defend themselves and tell someone off for doing something to them.

When he's upset and angry, he needs someone to be there to comfort him and thankfully he has you. He'll come to you when he's not feeling great and will just let everything out, needing someone to listen to him as he explains his problems.

I don't know why, but I could see you begging and begging him to go on cute little dates and when he finally agrees the two of you go on a cermanic date. He's rough with his hands so it can be challenging, but when the two of you are together and you're sculpting one of those pot things on the spinner wheel, his tough demanor is gone and Into a soft one.

[charliehoennam]

please and thank you

A/N: @maydearalexa​ what 👏🏽 have 👏🏽 you 👏🏽 done 👏🏽 to 👏🏽 me! I had no choice but to rewatch The Gentlemen and I ca- you know what? Just read. I hope you can understand why I took my time with this one. This man, y’all...  If you liked my work, please show support by reblogging. Sharing is caring!

Warnings: 18 & over only!! | BDSM relationship; Master/servant relationship; bondage; impact play (ass and face); absolute filthy smut; creampie; cockwarming; oral sex (giving and receiving); male! dom.;  usage of restraints and erotic toys; language. this some rated R sh*t, read at your own risk. Not proofread, apologies for any mistakes.

Pairing: Raymond Smith x (mostly)gn!reader

Word count: 3,835

SHARING IS CARING, SO REBLOG!

Looking down at your drawer, Ray swipes his hand over your throat as he towers over from behind you with a glass of whiskey in hand. You’re on your knees, in front of the dresser you and your husband keep fully stocked with lingerie, ropes, whips and restraints among other toys.  

“Let’s see which one you’ll wear for me tonight.”  

Your collection was quite diverse, especially when it came to your collars. Each style had different representations and set the course of your roleplaying displays. Ray had a strict rule of their use and always demanded you had one on. Not just because you looked adorable with them, but because it was more of a secret form of communication between you.  

The thickest ones were for your private trainings; strictly sexual purposes. You had to be mentally prepared for these because you knew he wouldn’t have much mercy on you when you had them on. Black and heavy, made with plush faux fur-lined leather; plain or with a ring that hung in the center to be attached to either a leash or tied to a post.

The fancy ones were for more social occasions and either made of entirely diamonds or simply encrusted with them in large letters with white leather. They were meant for public use: to show that everyone at the fancy restaurant on your dates or at the nightclubs and parties with your friends that you had a Master to go home to so you wouldn’t get too wild if he wasn’t around. Whether or not they knew it wasn’t just a necklace didn’t really matter. Ray was the only one who needed to see it on you. They were your protection collars.

Then you had your play collars and they, unlike the others, had different colors express your emotions and how you needed to be treated. They were intended to show him you wanted some sort of affection. Pink meant playful and happy. He usually put these on you in daddy mode, when he wanted you to be his good little angel. The red ones are for mischief; they warned him you were seeking spankings and rough punishments. The blue ones were the opposites. They showed him you weren’t feeling too good and needed special care from your Master.

He takes the last swig of his drink and sets the glass on top of the dresser. The ice clanks around the glass and there’s a lot more than he usually adds to his drinks, so you know there’s a reason for that.  

“I think you need some training tonight.” He says as he adjusts his glass before reaching down for one of the thick black collars with a hanging ring in the center.

“You need to be punished for that little trick at the supermarket. You thought that was funny, huh? Flashing that ass and those tits at me in the freezer aisle?”

You knew you would be punished, but it was worth it for the smirk and chuckle you pulled out of him. No one was around and you were just trying to make him smile after having a bad day, but the guy works as head of security. He knows better than anyone the surveillance cameras definitely picked it up and he’d bet the guys watching it were probably wanking off to the video of you lifting your skirt up and pulling your top down, exposing your chest completely to leave imprints of your private areas on the foggy glass doors.

“Yes, Sir. I thought it was funny enough to make you laugh. Which you did.”  

You smirk smugly thinking he won’t notice since he’s buckling the collar on the back of your neck until he lowers himself down to meet you at eye level.  

“Little one... I’m going to wipe that little smile right off your dirty mouth.”  

His gentle knuckle grazing your cheek and his innocent smile are in contrast to what you know he’s already got in store for you.  

“Come.”  

As he stands on his feet, you press your palms against the floor of your bedroom. He makes his way over to the bed and you follow beside him on all fours like the obedient little kitten you are. He pats the white duvet for you to climb up on and sink into the fluffy material, but you notice he remains on his feet by the bed. You know he means business when he’s rolling up the sleeves of his button-down shirt. Just the sight of it ignites the anticipation and burns straight down to your sex.

“On your knees.”

You watch him as you stand on your knees. You don’t have the courage to challenge him by looking up, even though you can feel his eyes staring down at you. He attaches a silver chain to the ring of your collar and lets it hang down to your knees.  

“Turn. Face down, ass up.”

Face pressed against the covers of the bed, you arch your back. You already know the drill. He doesn’t have to tell you where you need to keep your hands. A cold metal bar is set behind your knees. He attaches the chain to the bar, pulling your neck down into a fetal position; your hands reach down to your knees and are cuffed right beside them, into the fur-lined restraints on the bar. You’re immobile and on naked display for him.  

“Usually, I would have you count. But you don’t get to count today. Today, you will endure, little one,” he states calmly sliding a dildo gag into your mouth. He buckles the strap at the back of your head and leans down to continue whispering in your ear. “And you will not make a single sound. You see, you need to be reminded your mouth is my mouth. Your ass is my ass. Your tits are my tits. Your body is mine, I own it. I control it and you cannot go around flaunting it to strangers. You must be punished for that. Don’t you agree with me?”

You obviously nod eagerly, gazing up at him. You wanted this punishment so badly and you’re already sucking on the dildo strapped into your mouth, imagining it was his and praying he’ll fuck your throat until he cums.  

He warms you up thoughtfully with his hands, massaging and kneading your flesh like dough. He’s gentle enough to keep that sensation going to soothe you in between each open-handed spank, gradually adding a little more pressure with each hit. Then came the leather paddle. Lastly, the rubber flogger. Master was kind enough to add less pressure towards the end after you signaled him and warned it was becoming too much.  

“Shall I stop?” You shake your head.  

“Can you handle a little more if I go lighter?” You nod with tears stringing down from your eyes.  

You wanted to make him proud, exceeding your limits with every punishment. But it’s not long until you’re repeatedly tapping the bar to beg him to stop.  

“You look so beautiful.”

He chuckles gently placing kisses over the bright red stinging flesh; you adore the way he’s careful not to rub his beard against the hot sensitive area. You hear the glass of clinking ice and moan in relief at the cool sensation of the ice over your skin. Master is always so thoughtful.  

“You did very well during the first part of punishment, little angel. I’m very proud of you. That was more than usual. I might just let you cum later on.”  

He carefully spills the cold ice water over your ass, taking care of his kitten so nicely.  

“Is that better, love?” You nod.

“Shall we pause?” He grins at you proudly and you nod again.  

He releases you from your restraints and removes the gag. Once you’re propped up on your elbow, he kneels in front of you to tenderly clean your tears drool with his handkerchief.  

“Talk to me, y/n. How are you doing?”  

“I can handle more, Sir.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you remember our safe word?”

“Yes, Sir. The safe word is pepper spray.”  

“That’s right. And what do you say when Master punishes you?”

“Thank you very much, Sir.”

“Good, little one. You make me so proud.” He nods with a smile and kisses your forehead.

Ray leaves only to return with a bottle of chilled water for you. After a couple gulps, you nod at him to let him know you’re ready to continue.  

The second he tosses a pillow on the floor, you instinctively know he wants you on your knees but good kittens wait until they’re ordered.  

He’s squatting down behind you to secure the black leather restraints around your ankles. Carefully rotating your collar, he adds a chain to the ring and, gently pulling your wrists back, he attached the cuffs around them to make sure your hands stay behind you. You don’t get the luxury of touching him just yet. He reminded you your ass belongs to him and now it’s time to show your mouth who’s boss. With both your wrists and your neck chained to your ankles, you have no choice but to wait while he walks around to face you.

“You were saying some awfully dirty things at the supermarket. Do you remember?”

You nod biting your lower lip; your skin rises to goosebumps when you feel his breath on your cheek and his warmth radiating against you. His subtle scent of cologne fills your nostrils as he caresses your cheek.  

“Yes, Sir. I remember. I know I deserve this.”  

“You should know better than to tease me in places I can’t punish you.”

“Yes, Master. You’re right. I was wrong.”

“Good, little one. Now, look up. Eyes on me.”  

You nod licking your lips as you watch him unbutton his waistcoat to toss it aside. He towers over your in his white shirt and black tie. Oh, how you wish you could tug on it to pull him down and crash his lips against yours. You gulp hard when he starts unbuckling his belt; the anticipation makes your throat tingle with hunger. His hand digs into his dark-wash jeans to stroke himself.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

He knows you’re craving his cock so desperately just by the way you stare at his groin, almost gasping anxiously to see his sex but he doesn’t let you just yet. Master is always in control.  

“You think I’m just gonna let you have it? Oh, no, little one. Not just yet.”  

You’re thinking what the fuck is he going to do. How else will he torture you? He could think of a thousand ways to do that and enjoy every single one of them. However, he knows the one you dread the most.  

“My, oh, my. Look at how wet you are, kitten. I think i know just how to get this pussy drooling.”  

He smirks fingering your hole to make you feel the mess you’re making.  

“Whose pussy is this again?”

“Yours, Sir.”  

“Are you going to flash my pussy out in public again?”

“N-no, Master.”

You shudder because his fucking thumb is pressured against your clit and he’s got two long fingers in your hole, checking how ready you are. You shut your fingers tightly, fighting the urge to move your hips but you know the rules. No friction for you naughty little thing.

“You’re all ready for the next step. If you do a good job, little one, I’ll let you come after this.”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you very much”

He smirks devilishly as he pulls his fingers out and stands to walk over to the dresser. The Chasity belt is one of his personal favorites. It’s pair of leather panties that buckles around your hips. A large black dildo sits in the bottom of said panties to be inserted as you wear them. He controls it with a small remote; it allows the silicone member to spin and vibrate inside you and leak you of every drop.

Placing the belt between your thighs and a tight hand under your chin, he uses the dildo to tease your entrance just before sliding it into your wetness painstakingly slow. His fingertips dig into your cheeks, forcing you to keep your eyes on him. His breathing is calm; his smile is menacingly wide. A moan quiet moan escaping from you makes him and pull the dildo out and in, in and out. You can already hear the sloppy squelching of your sex entrenching the room and overtaking the silence.  

Once the belt is strapped on and the dildo is snuggly stretching you apart, Ray stands once more in front of you. Only this time, he finally has his wonderfully thick cock out twitching in his hands as it continues hardening.  

He turns on the motorized panties and you take deep breaths, forcing yourself to keep control as the dildo spins and vibrates inside you. This is only a thoughtful treat he’s allowing you for taking your spanking and whipping so well. You cannot cum without his permission. May God forgive you if you do because Raymond will make you pay.

Master can see your eyes light up. He wonders if it’s at his cock or the sensation of the panties. Whatever it is, he’s happy to see you stay so calm and collected waiting to pleasure him first. He smirks as he holds his tip to your mouth and you waste no time hesitating. You quickly get to work and start licking at the sensitive area. You need to keep your eyes on him.  

Your head bobs up and down deliciously on his length. You suck at his saltiness, hollowing your cheeks as he holds your hair back away from your face.  Lost in the delightful taste of his heavy limb in your mouth, you make the mistake of closing your eyes to savor his taste. He growls and pulls your hair back to rip your mouth away from him and squats down.  

“The fuck are you doing huh?”  

He asks furrowing his brows. A slap lands on your cheek; hard enough to sting pleasantly and redden your skin, not hard enough to bruise.  

“What did I fucking tell you?”

“K-Keep my eyes open.”

Another stinging slap. He hates having to slap you almost as much as he hates stopping mid-blowjob to correct you.  

“Are you going to fucking behave?”

“Yes, Sir. Forgive me.” You nod.

He stands again and lets you get back to his cock. Your eyes are glued to him as you suck more and more of him until he starts hitting the back of your throat, groaning at the warmth wetness of it. It’s a struggle to follow his rule when you’re gagging on his heavenly dick, but that’s why you need him to correct you; to make you the perfect little angel from his desires.

He’s down instantly and slapping you a bit harder now.  

“Are you deaf, little one? Do you need another fucking spanking?”

“No, Master!” Another set of slaps meets your other cheek.

“Shall I fucking glue your eyes open? I want them on me when I cum into your pretty little throat!”

“Y-Yes sir!”

“Only good little angels get their fucking treat. Do you want yours huh? Do you want Master to make you cum?”

“Then you need to wait and make me cum first. If you even think about cuming before me, you will spend days without any release. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal clear, Master!” You nod moaning softly as he intensifies the vibrations of the dildo. It’s purely to torture you for misbehaving, making it even harder to follow his command and not cum yet.

He’s growling almost like a wild animal as he savagely fucks your mouth. He’s relentless and his grip on your hair is unyielding. It hurts, but the pleasure rising between your thigh mixes with the pain enough to drive you insane. The restraints tighten as you struggle against them, desperate to hold his thighs and push his hips back for a bit of relief. But when Raymond gives you the orders, you must execute them flawlessly.  

Holding your head all down on his cock, you can feel the drool dripping around your mouth and dribbling down your chin and neck. You’re praying he finishes cumming down your raw sore throat soon so you wiggle your tongue flush against his balls to milk every single drop of his load. With your eyes on him, you watch him unravelling at the touch of your tongue. He’s never looked more beautiful. A sense of pride encompasses you knowing how wonderful you make him feel. You know you did a good job when he’s a mumbling mess of trembling knees.  

“Fuck, litte one...” He pants pulling your head off his cock.  

“Open your mouth, stick your tongue. Let Master see if you deserve to cum.”

You can’t help but giggle at his little rhyme, tongue proudly stuck out to show him you listened and obeyed his demands.  

“Very well done, little one.” He lowers himself down to wipe the stream of tears from your cheeks with gentle swipes of his thumbs. The grin on his face proves he’s more than content with your blowjob.  

“I think you deserves a little treat after all.”

He places a kiss on your forehead just before moving behind to finally release your limbs and unstrap the torturous device from between your legs. You stay in your position, knelt on the pillow until he orders you otherwise.  

“To the chair now, little one.”  

You obey and crawl towards the cozy armchair, sitting with your posture straight as you anxiously await to see what your treat will be. It doesn’t take him long to walk back to you from the dresser with a black leather harness and more restraints in one hand and a white vibrating wand in the other.  

Ray orders you to lift your arms, sliding them through the straps and securing the harness onto your chest.  

“Lie on your back now, little one. Get those legs up.”  

With the thigh restraints above your knees attached to the harness, your legs are stuck spread open. Such a vulgar exposure of yourself makes you feel a little embarrassed – you feel the blush growing as your eyes shoot around the room shyly – and Raymond picks up on it.

“Don’t you worry. You look beautiful just like this. You’ll look ever more beautiful when you’re begging me to stop.”  

The mischievous grin doesn’t drop as he peppers the inside of your thigh with gentle kisses that slowly inch towards where you need him the most. His palms on your ass are gentle as they remember how sore you still are from the spanking. He pulls his lips off of you when he’s dangerously closer to your wetness though.  

“Hands above your head, little one.”

You hold your loose fists up, knowing he’ll cuff them in the furry restraints at the back of the chair to keep your hands up and above your head the whole time.  

He hasn’t even touched you with anything else but the wand and you’re already working towards your third orgasm. The vibrations of the wand he’s holding your most sensitive area make you wriggle wildly that you almost believe the restraint won’t be strong enough to contain you. Raymond laughs as he watches you, enjoying every second of it.

“Hold it in, little one. Don’t you dare cum just yet.”

It’s torture to force you to fight against your desires when he’s pressing the wand against your sex, overstimulating it until you’re a panting mess of sweat, tears and desperate pleas. His tongue probes your hole, lapping up your juices and the feeling of his prickly beard right in that fucking area has your eyes rolling to the back of your head. You’re shaking underneath him; feet kicking into the air. You want him to stop so you can fucking breathe at last, but you need him to continue because you’re...s-so...close to the edge.

“Please, Master! I can’t hold it back m-much longer! P-please!”  

You’re mortified at how hopelessly distraught you sound, sobbing and sniffling as you beg louder for your release. That’s when you feel it. The answer to your prayers.  

You suddenly feel him pushing his cock into your drenched hole as he stands on his knees, smirking to himself as he watches the sight of your slickness stick and string against his groin.  

“I said not yet, little one. You cum when I fucking tell you to!”

He laughs as you frantically try to buck your hips into his. His ruthless hips pound into you, drilling his cock so delightfully deep; his ball slap against your already sore ass, heightening the pleasure along with the pain. You’re almost sure the neighbors can hear everything; you pathetically moaning and whimpering; him groaning and grunting louder with every thrust; your hips smacking sweaty skin against skin. It’s all so much!

He hisses through clenched teeth and grips the back of your head and carefully pushes it downward, forcing you to watch his cock penetrated you violently.  

“Look at that fucking cunt! This cunt belongs to me! See?! You see how I can fuck this cunt senseless???”

You nodded whimpering and gasping, trying to get whatever air in your lungs before he pounds it out of you.  

“You like it when Master fucks you like this? Huh?!”

“I-I fucking love it, s-sir! Th-thank you so much!”

“This is my fucking cunt and I want it to cum right now.”

His order comes at a growl in your ear which you couldn’t be more thankful to hear. You cum almost instantly, letting yourself finally go and giving in to the mind-numbing wave of pleasure that viciously bursts through you. The tightness of your soaking wet hug around his cock brutally coaxes him to spill his cum inside your warmth, coating you within.

Knowing how much he loves to paint his cum over your sex with his cock as the brush, you expect it since you can feel little beads of it dribbling out from your hole. In much surprise to you, you feel his hand under your chin again as it tilts your head up at him. His lips greedily mold against yours in a sloppy wet kiss as he keeps his cock snug in you, slowly pushing it in deeper to make sure his load stays exactly where he wants it to.

“You did very well, little one. Did you enjoy your punishment and your treat?”

“Yes, Master. T-thank you so much for giving me your cum.” You mumble breathlessly.

“Would you like to stop?”

“No, Sir. I’d like to be filled up even more.”

“Good, little one.” He smirks placing a gentle kiss on your lip. “You make me so proud.”

[whispelanix]

Gameplay features we should have in a future Fallout title

Based on what we’ve had in previous games. Just some random storyline stuff and game stuff I’ve enjoyed so far:

Regions (Fallout 4, 76): Yes, I know every game has regions, but I'm talking about the difference in how life grows in certain areas and the level of radiation in said area kind of thing. The regions in 76 have so much personality. Fallout 4 only had the Commonwealth/Glowing Sea as its base game regions in how nature has evolved, but in 76 it's so diverse. Different mutated creatures are more native to different areas, and it has the flora to go alongside with it.

Plans (Fallout 76): Yeah, most of the 3D Fallout games has a few schematics for some weapons, and maybe a small variety of unique consumables, but I like how 76 makes you actually work and spend caps for Plans in order to know how to make something new. Not just weapons, but food, drinks, armor, workshop, etc. Because if this was real life, you wouldn't magically know how to make everything all of a sudden. They keep basic knowledge food items like deathclaw steak, which you can just cook up, as recipes you already know and you find recipes for more "advanced" dishes, and I really enjoy that.

Consumables System (Fallout 76): The amount of variety you have in regards to consumables in this game is amazing. There's so many mutated animals to cook up, so many plants to make soup, and you can make tea and even make juice out of something like mutfruit. I also love the additions we can put into consumables now (sugar, salt, pepper, honey, and we FINALLY have milk). So what they gave us in Fallout 4 with the better cooking aspects has been taken to new heights. Your food spoils now, and boiling water doesn't purify it, it just makes it boiled, which means you NEED a purifier to make it clean.

Eating/Drinking consumables without using Pip-Boy (Fallout 76): This is extremely useful, especially in an online game, and I think it'd work well in single player as well. You no longer have to hoard a bunch of stuff to just eat it, you now have the option to eat it on the spot as well, and move on with your life.

Layered Armor System and the ability to wear costumes over them (Fallout 4, 76): Fallout 4 introduced to us the layered armor system, which is one of the greatest things we've been given in regards to customizing outfits in the game, and now with Fallout 76 we have two different outfit options, armor and clothing. Now, not only can we wear underarmor and armor over it to protect us, but we now have coveralls as well to do so in style whilst retaining the effects of whatever else we wear underneath it.

Distant Weather Systems (Fallout 76): Pretty self explanatory - the ability to see storms coming from a distance as well as nuclear explosions along the horizon is pretty great if you ask me.

Faction Reputation (New Vegas, Fallout 76): I really like these features, because let's be honest, you can't stay on everyone's good side forever. There was only one case of this in Fallout 4, and that was the "You are now enemies with X faction". That ain't good enough. If we could get a mix of the faction reputation system in NV/76, I would be very pleased.

Karma and Affinity (Fallout 3, New Vegas, Fallout 4): The ultimate decider of good and evil. While in NV you had reputations amongst different factions, the karma system is the ultimate decider of where you stand in the wasteland. I like the individual Affinity system with companions as well, because it gives you the chance to either be a certain way, or pretend to act a way to gain trust. I can see why Karma was removed in 4 though, because Karma is based upon what everyone in the wasteland knows of you, so that would've limited the ability to stay on all the companions good sides if your Karma was at a certain level. If there was a way to balance it out though, that would be great. Or maybe they could find a way to make Karma separate from companions, and still make it work out nicely with their individual Affinity.

Maybe Karma in regards to companions could be the determiner of "first impressions", and then the Affinity you develop with them is the determiner of who you really are. They did a reversal of this in Fallout 4 where companions such as Cait, MacCready and Hancock have a more badass reputation when you first meet them, but as you get to know them you find they've been through a lot of suffering. But they still keep their initial reputation among outsiders. If it can be done with NPC's, who's to say it can't be done with the player?

"You are now dressed as a member of X" (New Vegas): The ability to disguise ourselves as members of different factions was a great addition, and really should be bought back. You can get into places you couldn't before, amongst people you normally couldn't, but I think if it's bought back, then factions you work alongside with should be able to detect whether or not it's you, unless you wear a mask or a facial covering.

Clothing is as clothing does (Fallout 4, 76): Suits shouldn't just magically turn into dresses just because you decided to play as a female. If you wanna alternate between "male" and "female" versions of an outfit, then let there just be suit/dress versions of certain styles of clothing. I liked how 4/76 did this, because now, if you wanna be a guy in a dress. Guess what? You can be a guy in a dress.

Workshops and C.A.M.P features (Fallout 4, 76): I doubt we're going to get the ability to make an obnoxious amount of settlements again (maybe), but I admire the chance we're given to build and really make a part of the wasteland our own, and I even more so love how 76 really gives us all those buildings and furniture and decorations to really personalize what you have. Who knows, maybe a future title will give us a combination of workshops you naturally have in place for construction, settlements to help build up (because saving the day always seems to be the job of the player), and then C.A.M.Ps that we as the player can move wherever we like. Maybe we could be given the option to build campsites for other NPCs as a temporary or permeant home. Maybe what we build up will have the ability to be destroyed like in 76.

Grey Morality/Politics (A bit over all titles, talking especially about New Vegas, The Pitt, things of the sort): The factions we were given in NV all had good and bad sides to them, making it sometimes difficult to have a truly perfect utopia. I hope we get back more morally grey choices as well as factions and politics, or instances in where there is no right answer other than wrong and a little less wrong. I don't really need to explain in detail, you've seen how things have played out across titles.

Old Dialogue System (Every game but Fallout 4): Options yes, no, no but actually yes and sarcasm aren't good enough. I love the cinematic aspect FO4 had, don't get me wrong, but conversation is so limited. I also loved the ridiculous way the camera would zoom right on someone's face (I feel sometimes in 76 you can just be way too far from someone talking sometimes) and I'd like to be able to walk out of the conversation whenever I want as well.

Certain Perks/Stats result certain outcomes (Most of the old titles): I wanna be able to get away with low intelligent speeches, flirt with people to get my way, things of the sort. Pretty simple.

That's all I've got for now since I've been working on this list for hours but yeah. Feel free to add things you'd like to see. Personality I'd just like to see the best features and aspects taken from all the games to create the "ultimate Fallout experience".

[queen-of-my-goofball-army]

Ouran High HCs

For the fifteenth birthday of one of my favorite romantic comedies, and the day that I started watching said romantic comedy with my boyfriend who is relatively new to anime it got me thinking about these characters and how wonderfully diverse their personalities are. The show has 100% chaotic energy and I love it so much. I wanted to look at every major character in the host club (Haruhi, Tamaki, Kyoya, Hikaru, my favorite twin Kaoru, Honey-senpai, and of course Mori-senpai.) using all their personalities and make some head-canons for favorite group of crazies!

Haruhi:

- She/they icon, we stan

- Always preferred to wear more masculine clothes growing up, they were less expensive than the feminine ones. Plus she felt more comfortable in a pair of shorts as opposed to a dress.

- A very active child, she was always running around her neighborhood, going to the park and doing things with her dad.

- Her dad taught her everything that she needed to know about makeup once she became a member of the host club.

- She worked a part time job in order to help her dad pay the bills and to get food money.

- She thought that she was arosexual before joining the host club. Despite the confessions that she got in junior high they either went entirely over her head or she told them that she was too focused on her studies for romance at that time. Of course all that changed when she met our favorite blonde haired himbo goofball.

- She did wind up taking the conversational French with the twins and often times they'll slip into it for practice. Of course, Tamaki always understands when they talk shit about him so they just do it to mess with him.

Tamaki (my favorite):

- Bisexual king, honestly I love that for him out here living his best life.

- He didn't have much of a childhood between constantly needing to be there for his mom and make sure that she was healthy and okay. It's why he made the host club in the first place to live out his childhood that he was robbed of.

- Is actually way smarter academically than most people might think. If you were to look at the class grades he's always right behind Kyoya. He dedicates a lot of his free time to studying. He's not inherently stupid, just naive.

- His mom was the one that got him into cosplay by introducing him to the various kinds of fabrics. It stemmed into a personal interest that he could lose himself in and distract himself from the loneliness.

- He practiced flirting on Kyoya back in middle school for the future host club once he had his heart set on it.

Kyoya:

- In the words of the great immortal J Michael Tatum "Kyoya is probably gay". It was something that didn't even occur to me until I watched him do an Ouran panel and then I was like holy shit the king makes a good point.

- While Tamaki was his gay crisis, he quickly realized that he would spend forever pining after him and eventually shelved his feelings. Tamaki was his best friend and that was more important to him than his feelings.

- Kyoya has always been a really keen observer of people's true intentions. He's excellent at reading people and knowing what they want from him. The only people he has never been able to read perfectly are Tamaki, Kaoru, and Haruhi.

- He originally didn't want to be a doctor but he eventually wanted to prove himself so badly that he told his father that he would surpass his expectations no matter how high they were.

- Doing background checks on people is fascinating to him. It's not just for blackmail purposes but he likes learning people's weaknesses. He's also an excellent chess player.

Hikaru:

- The definitive over protective sibling. Anybody hurts Kaoru they will wish that they were dead. Kaoru is the most important person in his life and he would do anything to protect him.

- His tsundere tendencies come from a place of wanting to protect those he loves not out of anger.

- While he is begrudgingly worse at letting in other people once you fight your way through his walls he's actually a really amazing friend and s/o.

- His love of the fashion industry stems more from the model side of things than anything else. He can't design anything of his own to save his life.

- He never cared about any girls in his life before Haruhi came into his. Even though he didn't know how to deal with his feelings she was the first person who ever really showed that she cared about him.

Kaoru (my preferred Hitachiin sib):

- One big gay disaster that is absolutely crushing on Kyoya (I just learned about this ship today and it has stolen my life juice.) To blush when he's working with Hikaru to please the ladies all he has to do is think of Kyoya in his brother's spot.

- Is the far superior designer that can actually make really beautiful clothes. Most of the costumes that are worn by the club are designed by Kaoru.

- His hair is a lot softer than Hikaru's even though it's the same style, hair product and everything. I think that his would be more poofy and Hikaru's more spikey.

- Kaoru has always felt like he had to work harder to be like his brother that when you spend time with him alone at first it will be almost like you're talking to a replica of Hikaru and not a separate entity. At first it's a little bit awkward but once you get him out of his shell you find what a sweet and amazing person he is.

- Kaoru is an incredible skateboarder. He loves the feeling that he gets from the wind in his hair and designed his own skateboard. A lot of his hobbies outside of the club are athletic related causing him to have a more defined body than his brother since Hikaru is basically a cat.

Honey-senpai: - If this boi could make cakes and pastries for a living without the threat of eating them all he would make the best sweets. He knows when something is just the right amount of sweet and when something is too sweet.

- He learned martial arts to be stronger because he knew that people would try to take advantage of him due to his childlike nature.

- Honey had a fight with his grandmother before she passed away over something completely selfish. That is why he is so attached to Usa-chan.

- Him and Mori were always really close, even as children and understand each other better than anybody.

- His constant animosity between him and his younger brother is because he feels like he is constantly being babied due to his personality.

Mori-senpai:

- Mori has autism. He is also selectively mute. I'm sorry I don't make the rules, the show itself gives them to me.

- Looks like a tough guy but in actuality would give the best hugs. I want a Mori hug. Haruhi probably gets the most Mori hugs because he is immensely protective over her.

- Aro-ace baby but gives the best platonic cuddles to any of the club members that are having parental issues.

- While he prefers spicy over sweet he does have a sweet tooth at random times of the day. Has been sighted at a local Cold Stone five minutes before closing in the dead of winter, while it's snowing outside by Kaoru and Kyoya while they were trying to find a place to get warm while out on a date.

- He actually didn't start his athletic endeavors with kendo, he started with ballet and gymnastics when he was really young.

And that's all my head-canons for the day! Happy anniversary to my favorite ridiculous throw everything against the wall and see what sticks to it romantic comedy. I hope that one day we will either get a season two or at this point it would be better to just do a hard reboot. Hoping that one day we will see our boys animated in high definition, even though I feel like an HD Tamaki would definitely kill me.

[quillyfied]

Mega Good Omens Fic Rec Post 4

I LIIIIIIIVE

99 titles on this list again and once again we have an extra category, and I am pumped that I finally got this one done! Got a lot of holiday overflow but suck it up bc here it comes. As a refresher, the categories are: Jaunts through History/Canon, South Downs, Post-Apocalypse, Bus Ride/Night Before/Heaven and Hell, AU/UA, Soft, Before (exclusive to this list and List 2, meaning takes place almost exclusively Before Canon, as in The Fall/Creation/etc), Touch-Starved/Body Worship/Wings, Bonus, and H/C /Whump/BAMF. Warnings for gore and explicit material present where applicable. I don’t read smut fics but sometimes more adult material sneaks in there.

Mega GOmens Fic Rec Post MASTER

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF A LINK IS BROKEN OR IF I MISATTRIBUTED AN AUTHOR.

JAUNTS THROUGH HISTORY/CANON

1. You are a Call to Motion – @freyjawriter24 (G, the one where Aziraphale would like to dance but doesn’t. Very sweet and soft and kinda sad, follows Aziraphale through history wanting to dance (specifically with Crowley) until he finally gets to. The pining is so good, y’all.)

2. I love you because I know no other way than this – kriswithakay (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley use the excuse of being spectacularly drunk to get in little touches and kisses throughout history. This one is so sad and so full of yearning, the whole time you just wish they would face each other sober. It’s so quiet and beautiful.)

3. A Simple Thing – Sir_Bedevere (T, the one where Aziraphale gives out forehead kisses and Crowley is jelly about it. Continuing with the trend of being achingly sad and tender, this fic packs a wallop in that department. Forehead kisses aren’t always given at the happiest of times, after all. Also Crowley continues his stint as a pine tree and it’s painful.)

4. The Problem with Saints – Lurlur, D20Owlbear, robynthemagpie_writes, Wyvernquill (T and G, the series where it’s Catholic but funny. This series is weird and it’s hilarious and I hope there will be more, because this series goes through some fairly niche Catholic saint stories and the retelling of them featuring the Ineffable Husbands is hysterical. I don’t even want to tell y’all too much about it, just go read them and laugh with me, because they’re beautiful.)

5. When The Things You’ve Planned Need a Helping Hand – Proskenion (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale run into each other in the 1920s. Flapper!Crowley being a lounge singer is the centerpiece of this one, which is delightful enough, but throw in some canon-typical friction over the Arrangement and a chance for Aziraphale to come to the rescue, it’s a lovely little romp that has just the right edge of emotional tenderness to take the sting out of said earlier friction. Or add to it. Just depends on your point of view, really.)

6. The Serpent and the Lady – @summerofspock (T, the one where Aziraphale is Lady Fair and Crowley is competing in a tournament for his favor. Has female-presenting Aziraphale still using male pronouns bc that’s just what he’s comfortable with, and definitely, definitely has that Disney animated Robin Hood flavor. This fic scratches so many of my itches—Aziraphale in a dress, Crowley being a dashing BAMF, chivalric courtship, swordplay, armor, hand-sewn tokens of favor. A delicious little diversion, very worth it a++++.)

7.  Sunlight and Water – @themoonmothwrites (M, the one where Aziraphale is a flirty drunk and Crowley has to be the sensible one. M for some racy elements but not explicit. This one is fun but then takes a direct left into Feels Town, which, when coupled with @cassieoh’s art, just makes the whole experience dreadfully unfair. A gorgeous little story, and the ending is just *chef’s kiss*.)

8. Sloth – libbyfay (T, the one where Aziraphale checks in on Crowley after the fourteenth century. This one is a delight, and includes Aziraphale recommending The Canterbury Tales, as well as a back-and-forth about depression versus Sloth and a lot of talking around feelings. Must absolutely be read in conjunction with the next rec in the list, which is something of a continuation. )

9. I have an aungel which that loveth me – HolRose (NR, the one where Crowley follows up on The Canterbury Tales recommendation from Aziraphale and it gets a bit deep. A continuation of the previous rec, and oof, y’all. This one gets hella sad, which hits pretty hard after Crowley laughing his head off about the funny bits in Canterbury Tales. There’s also Feelings, which are desperate and tender and guys they don’t even kiss but it’s still breathtaking. They love each other so much.)

10. (heaven is) a place on earth – rattatatosk (G, the one where Aziraphale nearly loses his bookshop. This takes place during the deleted scene from the 1800 opening of the bookshop, and has oodles of Aziraphale building himself a home and being devastated about nearly losing it. Not a nesting fic in the traditional sense (meaning it isn’t about building a home for himself and Crowley, it’s definitely just for him), but for fans of happy Aziraphale being fluffy and content in his bookshop, here you go.)

11. No other news to report – @argentconflagration (T, the one where Aziraphale is torn up about an assignment. Y’all want Crowley interfering in angelic plans? Y’all want tenderness and holding? Y’all want Aziraphale letting himself be bested? Then stay a while, because this one is a heart-wrecker. Featuring a very sick and very devout child, and female-presenting Crowley.)

12. These Things Were Here – @MajorEnglishEsquire (T, the one where Crowley resorts to snake form to deal with his feelings. This one is long and it’s emotional; Crowley reverts down to being a snake whenever he gets especially bad assignments from Hell, and it’s about him and Aziraphale finding balance and harmony between themselves when Crowley is like this. Very sweet and very tender and very sad.)

13. Crossing Paths – @amuseoffyre (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale meet every few years. This is your typical “through the ages” fic but it’s Fyre writing it, and that means it has so much humor and heart and history in it it’s practically like reading deleted scenes of the show. The boys are so in-character and their love is subtle and slow-boiling but there. Highly recommended, absolutely.)

14. apples (per the author’s intention) – @lwtis (T, the one where apples is a recurring theme in their friendship. This one is hilarious and it’s heartfelt and I quite enjoyed it; the bits where Aziraphale is absolutely convinced this is a temptation of some kind are particularly juicy (not unlike Crowley’s backside in a certain pair of trousers). Crowley absolutely knows how to beat a joke to death and he does it with style.)

SOUTH DOWNS

15. up in our bedroom, after the war – @rufeepeach (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale need to get away to process things. In this one, they more vacation to the South Downs rather than move there, but them working through the awkwardness of Armageddon’s fighting and gently taking their relationship to its natural conclusion is beautiful and good. It isn’t urgent or desperate, just quiet and understated and organic. A lovely piece.)

16. Somewhere Alive and Green – @thetunewillcome (T, the one where they make a necessary move. This one is quiet and reflective, as a good South Downs fic should be, and though it’s short I think it’s wonderfully healing. Very good.)

POST-APOCALYPSE

17. England’s pleasant pastures seen – @squidsticks (T, the one where Aziraphale has an appointment with a book collector and Crowley offers to drive. Y’all it’s so sweet and, dare I say, uplifting, how much they love each other. Someone drops the “husband” word at some point and someone else has a joyful fit over it and I bet you can tell who does what. There’s also a lot of teasing and the kind of easy banter that comes with knowing someone for so long. V. good.)

18. you have built nests from all my bark – @mutalune (T, the one where Crowley is nesting as an aggressive courting maneuver. This fic is so much fun. Highlights include Michael thinking Aziraphale must have a special connection with the Almighty and trying to emulate his lifestyle in order to have one herself, Crowley getting irrationally jealous over it all and constructing the finest nest known to reality (including cupholders, which I now also want in all my pillow piles), Dagon looking for a very similar thing from Crowley that Michael wants from Aziraphale, and lots of delicious humor and unexpected character interactions. I highly recommend this one if you’re having a bad day.)

19. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – @divisionten (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale find out how to get around Heaven and Hell and it’s through summons. More of an anthology than a solid story, and it’s such a fascinating universe, liberally layered with overcoming trust issues and adjusting to being in a loving relationship, and it’s Good Food y’all, trust me on this.)

20. That’s Not Funny – cyankelpie (G, the one where they’re exceptionally drunk and Crowley says I Love You and Aziraphale thinks he’s joking. This one is sharper than expected but it makes the moment where they finally have everything out in the open so much sweeter. Lots of protective Crowley and very confused Aziraphale.)

21. Stars – @lyricwritesprose (G, the series that’s a spinoff of Tales of the Them that’s about Crowley and the stars, ostensibly. It’s a spinoff bc it deals with Aziraphale’s point of view, too, and their careful navigation of a complicated subject in Crowley’s history. Very soft and bittersweet.)

22. In Action How Like an Angel – PinkPenguinParade (T/NR/M, the series where Aziraphale stumbles into making some useful wards and then Crowley gets taken. Rated high for safety but the violence is truly not that bad and the sex jokes are very mild. Come for cool worldbuilding, stay for BAMF!Aziraphale, and have some extra bits of Anathema and Newt being very good and helpful friends on top!)

23. Let’s share a drink! – @nohaijiachi (G, the one where Aziraphale gets horribly discorporated and gets his body back fairly quickly thanks to quick thinking and Gabriel being easy to gross out. This one is a bit gross, fair warning, but it’s not too graphic, and it’s hilarious besides. Peak Bastard Aziraphale Hours, this one is. If you like reading about Gabriel getting messed with, welcome to the party.)

24. Metastable – MrsCaufield (Not Rated, the one where Aziraphale is having an existential crisis post-Armageddon. Featuring lots of miscommunication, some mild jealousy, and Aziraphale figuring himself out, which is always lovely to read about. Misunderstandings and two supernatural beings being grossly in love, can’t get better than this!)

25. Taking Steps – @joyandotherstories (G, the one where Aziraphale decides he wants to take salsa dancing lessons and Crowley agrees. Oh, y’all. You like pining? You like awkward touching? Do you perhaps like…faked relationships turning into real relationships? You’d best have a seat and dive into this one, because the payoff is many-layered and just phenomenal. The pride in these idiots not only learning to dance but learning to be open about how much they love each other is so good.)

BUS RIDE/NIGHT BEFORE/HEAVEN AND HELL

26. Introspection and Starlight – d20owlbear (T, the one where Aziraphale has a breakdown and is hold. I seem to have a special taste for Aziraphale breaking down, and this one is Hecking Delicious—it’s a slow break but it’s so achingly tender and emotional, especially once sleepy Crowley gets on the scene. Apologies are made and two very tired beings just hold each other at the end of it all and it’s so good.)

27. The Longest Night – @charlottemadison42 (T, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale are taking slow and important steps. Three fics in the series so far, and each one captures their hilarious and effortless dynamic so well while still paying homage to their quiet love. There are so many cool details to explore, ESPECIALLY in the bodyswap fics, and overall they are a really fun and thoughtful look at how the Night the World Didn’t End could’ve gone. OH AND A FOURTH ONE HAS GONE UP WHILE I WAS WORKING ON THIS LIST and you guyssss so much good content about Crowley’s (Presumably) Foot Thing and Shoes, omg. A treasure.)

28. Last Confessions and Hopeless Loves – @girlwholovesherwords (G, the one where they very neatly and annoyingly slot into their new dynamic. This one is so matter-of-fact and tongue-in-cheek I about died laughing, which is amazing given that it’s less than 3k words. A very good little egg.)

29. Choose Your Faces Wisely – @cheeseandonioncrisps (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale set the record straight on how they portrayed each other. This is a fun one based on the very good meta bits floating around (which have been bolstered by Neil Gaiman’s commentary in the DVDs I will have you know) that their performances in each other’s skins is how they see each other and how different that is from how they see themselves and guys it’s so good, I wanted this conversation to last forever and ever.)

30. and I just want to love you, to love you, to love you well – BrinneyFriday (T, the one where apologies are made and kisses are had. Guys it’s so soft. Oh my gosh you guys the tenderness is unreal. There’s Crowley falling asleep in Aziraphale’s lap and there’s deciding they’re stronger together and guys pls it’s so good just read it pleASE—)

AU/UA

31. A Curious Case of Miracles on Marlborough Street – @nihilnovisubsole (M, the one where there might be such a thing as too much of a good thing. M for sexual humor and situations but nothing all that graphic. Y’all it’s the “angels accidentally cast miracles when they orgasm” crack given the serious treatment it deserves, and this fic also wins awards for its brilliant OC angel Sabrael, Keeper of Miracles. The icing on the cake? Beautiful artistic accompaniment to go along with the brilliant writing. Just delightful, a whole entire treat. An afternoon delight indeed.)

32. Too Much of a Good Thing – @yamisnuffles (G, T, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale are both angels and things are a bit different. It’s not fair that yamisnuffles is a distinctive and wonderful artist, they have to be a good writer, too, and be terribly talented at telling a good story. Crowley’s character arc and emotional growth as a disgraced angel cursed to live as a snake for a while is fabulous, and it’s only ramping up, so jump on the train now! It’s a good train!)

33. Measures of Freedom – KazLangston (T, the one where Crowley is an acquisition made by one Mr. AZ Fell. This is one of those “turn left” AUs where they’re still an angel and a demon, they just didn’t meet in Eden. Instead, they meet because Crowley gets himself captured and Aziraphale doesn’t think it’s safe to let a real, dangerous demon loose. Their relationship is very combative and antagonistic but it softens; the emotional journey they go on from clear enemies to clear friends is fantastic.)

34. Somewhere Down Below – jane_with_a_j (T, the series where Aziraphale is captured as an incentive for Crowley to jump masters in Hell. There’s lots of hurt!Aziraphale in this one, as tends to happen to an angel captive in Hell, and an excruciating amount of pining that doesn’t so much counterbalance the angst so much as spice it up enormously. There’s intrigue, there’s a daring escape, it’s radical, folks.)

35. How it Happens – @captainqueernerd (T, the one that’s based on a comic and both are DELIGHTFUL. The fic here is an extension of the comic and so sweet, oh my goodness how sweet it is. The best bits aren’t even when they cover the comic’s events—it’s AFTER that is the real treat. I’ll hand out brownie points to anyone who can find the sentence that made me put down my laptop before I accidentally chucked it while laughing too hard.)

36. mors certissima – @northerntrash (T, the Hades and Persephone AU where Aziraphale is Hades and Crowley is Persephone and they’re all doing their best. This is a super fun one, beautifully written and lovely original lore that has Aziraphale really coming into his own as a god of death and what that means for the wider pantheon and the world. And IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN where the fic is at the moment, I’m pumped for the conclusion!)

37. It’s All Greek to Me (that is, Ineffable) – @ulspi (UR, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale are cast in different mythological roles in each fic. This one’s gorgeous, you guys, haunting and romantic and each fic has a distinct flavor that is impossibly good. A beautiful way to spend a rainy afternoon, in my opinion.)

38. The Princess and the Serpent – @longforgottenhymn (G, the one where Aziraphale takes Crowley to King Arthur’s court to get a nobleman off his back and oh no, fake dating becomes real dating, oh no. You think you’re ready for this fic? FOOL. This fic is going to carve you up from the inside out and you won’t even be READY for it even if you know it’s coming. This fic is going to promise intimacy and deliver in terrible, terrible tenderness. I am being melodramatic but THIS FIC. THIS FIC IS SO GOOD. This fic is not what I was expecting and it hits HARD because of that.)

39. Wicked dance – pirripipi (T, the one that’s a royal AU with incredible depth and complexity. Listen, what this fic might lack in polish it more than makes up for in flat-out interesting worldbuilding. The characterization is on point and the nonlinear storytelling is very well-handled. And that ending! So triumphant, so utterly joyful. What a joy this fic is! Just wait until you see the Garden of Eden, it’s SPECTACULAR.)

40. The sun doesn’t set on the shoreline – VinWrit (G, the one that’s a selkie and siren AU. This one feels more like it’s being told in microfiction installments and that’s certainly interesting on its own, but it reads like a horror story and it’s chock full of worldbuilding, and the characterization of Crowley especially just breaks my heart right in two. What a great little story.)

41. An Angel’s Hope – @braver-stronger-smarter (M, the one that’s a crossover with the Kiesha’ra book series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes and it’s delicious AF. Not sure why it’s rated M, but it does deal with a war and the fallout of dealing with constant violence and death. Explains things well enough that you don’t need to have read the Kiesha’ra to understand what’s going on (or, like, if it’s been well over a decade since you last read it…), and the integration of Crowley and Aziraphale into the main plot of these shapeshifter snake and bird cultures is effortless. Can’t wait to see where this one goes (bc even if it just follows the plot of Hawksong, it’s sure to be an exciting ride). (Side note, read the Kiesha’ra, it’s a good series.))

42. By Grace – @seaskystone (G, the one that’s the little soulmate AU that could. Not very long but still highly impactful in my opinion, featuring Crowley and Aziraphale meeting in heaven and knowing right away they’re meant for each other, but canon still happens as it does. Short and bittersweet and pretty.)

43. The Ones Who Walk Away from Nevaeh – @soft-october-night (T, the one that’s the “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” AU none of us ever even knew we needed but heck if we didn’t get it anyway. If you aren’t familiar, “Omelas” is a short story by Ursula K LeGuin that I absolutely believe you must read in order to get the full impact of this and what the author does with the story with regard to our two boys, it’s earth-shattering. Soft-october-night does it again, just goes and makes outstanding AUs that own my entire soul like it ain’t no thing. Completely unfair.)

44. Take the Fall (What’s a Second Time) – @triffidsandcuckoos (T, the one where Crawly does what it says on the tin. This one includes a nice helping of Crowley suffering from chronic pain as a consequence of taking the blame for the apple business, and some sweet care from Aziraphale, who is well aware it’s his fault. An interesting take and a heartwarming story (even if suffering from chronic pain is the pits and there’s no way around that).)

45. forgotten (but not gone) – @writeonclara (T, the one where their memories are taken and Crowley and Aziraphale still manage to stay away from each other for about .04 seconds. This one has some hard edges and it is a harrowing story about accepting others and yourself, and having faith in yourself and your loved one, but the way they can’t keep their hands to themselves when all the stops are pulled out is frankly hilarious and I commend this story whole-heartedly for committing to that.)

46. It’s Not the Years, it’s the Mileage – @moveslikebucky (T, the one that’s an Indiana Jones AU based on @yamisnuffles’ art. You want Aziraphale doing his best in an Indy role while still being an angel? You want Crowley owning a bar and it DOESN’T suck? You want pining and heartache and hilarity? Park it, then, folks, you don’t even need to know the Indiana Jones films to enjoy it (I certainly don’t and I am aware of this failing, thank you).)

47. or the look or the words – @taizi (T, the one where they just keep getting married and it doesn’t stop from happening. Guys they are literally married HUNDREDS OF TIMES throughout history STARTING AT THE ARK. They are literally so soft and so in love and I am beside myself right now, please love yourself and practice some self-care by reading this fic.)

48. Give me a title, I’ll give you my heart – @nohaijiachi (T, the one that’s a human AU based on fanart and it’s great. Single dad Aziraphale with a cautious past, determined son Adam who is gonna get his dad a date if it’s the last thing he does, utterly besotted Crowley who is excellent at being gentle and also a great beta reader…a surprisingly emotional and fun piece, very good.)

49. what if you fall? oh, but my darling, what if i fly? – Doggoos (T, the one where they loved in Heaven and outside interference tore them apart. I LOST THIS FIC AND SPENT FOREVER TRYING TO FIND IT AGAIN. The one detail that kept me going? Crowley (as Raphael) and Aziraphale exchange jewelry before Gabriel sticks his stupid nose in it and the jewelry is visually stunning and emotionally gorgeous. It’s emotional and it’s fraught and there’s erased memories to contend with but holy COW, y’all. They’re so in love.)

50. Snakes and Stones (the Crowley/Aziraphale Human AU) – @deerstalkerdeathfrisbee (G, the series where it’s exactly what it says it is. The opening fic for this series is where literally everyone in Aziraphale’s dorm thinks his boyfriend is made up and Aziraphale has the enormous pleasure of proving them all wrong. It has great Newt characterization and, surprisingly, Gabriel being likeable, though he has to work for it. It’s fun and a little silly and I adore it.)

51. in the arms of the ocean (so sweet and so cold) – robynthemagpie_writes, agent_of_mischief (T, the one where Aziraphale becomes a lighthouse keeper and Crowley is probably a sea monster. This is a horror story and it’s a love story and while reading it kept me awake at night, thinking about it also kept me very much awake at night. I am the world’s biggest chicken and the spoop is real, friends, but more than that, it’s the horrors lurking in Aziraphale’s past (and probably Crowley’s, I have some theories) that are the heartbreaking bit. Not for the faint-hearted, it goes hard and I have a feeling it’s only going to go harder.)

52. i’ve found a way (a way to make you smile) – @fremulon (T, the one that’s an AU of The Office. Requires no knowledge of The Office but I’m sure it helps. This is one I kept putting off and deeply regret doing so (though, on the other hand, waiting so long to read it meant that I caught up the night before the last chapter went up, so HA). Y’all, it’s so funny and so relatable as an adult stuck in a dead-end job I don’t like, and the romance between Aziraphale and Crowley is so simple and so sweet. I just love it and I love this fic and I want you to read it immediately right now.)

53. I Know Places We Won’t Be Found – FangsScalesSkin (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale run away together from the Garden of Eden. I have been waiting for someone to write this forever and it’s finally happening. And it’s got such fun worldbuilding, and their interactions are so cute, and I just love them and want them to be okay and to be married forever and ever.)

54. an imitation of the garden of eden – @dyslexiccrowley (T, the one that’s a D&D-inspired AU. Speaking of AUs that come out of hecking nowhere, here’s one! This one is a really fun adventure, and if you thought me turning the Bentley into a horse in several of my fics was fun, this one beats me out by a country mile and I couldn’t be more gleeful about it because THE BENTLEY IS A DRAGON. I could deffo see the dnd elements throughout but the flavor of it is so unique, I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and the character moments.)

55. Hell is Just a Sauna – @anthonyjcrowiey (T, the one that’s a “Ten Things I Hate About You” AU. I haven’t seen the film (though I have read Taming of the Shrew and I have been on Tumblr long enough to absorb several gifsets), but this fic was still so good and managed to hook me right in regardless of that fact. I can’t wait for it to finish up, we’re on the emotional crux of the plot and it’s tearing me up how it’s been left!)

56. be mine tonight (be mine forever) – @qorktrees (T, the one that’s a literal “fake dating becomes real dating” AU. Human AU, and these idiots I SWEAR. Aziraphale needs a date for the office Christmas party, Crowley is available and bribable, and of course it ends in their ruse becoming the real deal, this is fanfiction for crying out loud. It happens so sweetly, though, you’ve gotta see this.)

57. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes – @gigglesnortbangdead (T, the one where Heaven and Hell turn enemies into children instead of smiting. Oh, goodness gracious y’all are not ready for this one. You aren’t ready for the way being turned into a child affects an angel or a demon. You aren’t ready for the myriad ways bb!Crowley is gonna tug at your heartstrings. You aren’t ready for the way Aziraphale is when it finally happens to him. You AREN’T READY. This is precisely why you should go read it right now immediately, to see just how unready you really are. You should take care of that at this exact moment.)

58. Ineffably Yours – SecondHandNews (M, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale choose each other and keep choosing each other. Listen to me: this series is the length of several novels. I have only read the first one, after stumbling on a side-story that was really good and not realizing it was a side-story of a bigger series until I’d finished it. I am planning on reading the rest of the series, which is still updating. I am a little terrified at this titan who has managed to write over 360K words since June in this one series alone. The first one absolutely had me biting my nails and rocking back and forth in an anxious haze, and it’s so tender and so beautiful and SO NERVE-WRACKING. Crowley and Aziraphale learn the Rapture is coming and they just…kinda snap, really. Stop avoiding each other, start choosing each other, and all the twists and turns that comes with it. Just. Really outstanding work, I am an anxious mess but it’s good XD)

JUST SOFT

59. Where to Start – @freyjawriter24 (T, the one where Crowley nearly kisses Aziraphale throughout history like A LOT. Guys you wanna feel the pine crushing into your soul? You want to feel that deep ache of wanting to touch so badly but holding back out of sheer desperate force of will? Read this, prepare to have your knees appropriately weakened from the longing.)

60. A Softer Fall – @themoonmothwrites (T, the one that’s the wall shoving but soft. Bury me in this one, boys, my corpse will rest well for eternity, because holy COW the longing and the fear and the reassurances…my heart is a marshmallow now and it’s this fic’s fault.)

61. for the dancing and the dreaming – @une-danse-macabre (G, the one where Aziraphale proposes. Listen I know this entire section of the post is for Soft Fic but this is Softe Fic and I am not joking even a little bit. Crowley desperately deflecting using humor bc he is so overwhelmed? It’s more likely than you think. Read this, it’s a beautiful little shot of humor and romance.)

62. in candlelight, we dance – SaerM (T, the one where they take a shower together. I have a deep and abiding weakness for bathing fic, and even better, it’s not a sex fic! Just two ineffable partners being tender and washing each other and being together. So sweet and good.)

63. A Pile of Pillows – @waffleironbiddingwar (T, the one where Aziraphale seems to have built a nest during a weekend apart. There’s a few cute nesting fics in this here post but this is one of my very favorites; even has some wing grooming, and lots of teasing and kissing. Very cute!)

64. When the Wind Changes – Star_less (G, the one where Crowley makes faces at babies. Listen. LISTEN. You don’t have to personally like kids to go all gooey over how much Crowley seems to like kids, entirely without meaning to. It’s too cute. Someone call the Cute Police.)

65. with adorations, with fertile tears – waywarder (T, the one where there’s an emotional meltdown while watching a high school production of Twelfth Night. So sweet and unsure and awkward, this one; it’s canon-verse, Aziraphale just drags Crowley to a high school production and then proceeds to very nearly have an angelic aneurysm over trying to hold his hand. If you’ve a soft spot for the Ineffable Husbands quoting Shakespeare at each other, welcome to the party, you’ve arrived.)

66. Sleeping Angel – @whatawriterwields (G, the one where Aziraphale is asleep on Crowley’s chest. It should be noted that this writer wields tenderness like a weapon, stiletto right between the ribs to knock all that breath right out of you, which is a much more gruesome descriptor than I probably should’ve used but YOU GUYS CROWLEY TALKS TO AZIRAPHALE IN HIS SLEEP AND IT’S SO SWEET AND I CAN’T BREATHE.)

67. in so many words – @asideofourown (G, the one where Aziraphale has trouble saying “I love you.” This one made me laugh and “aww” in equal measure, but to get you to click on the link and read as fast as I did, Aziraphale says “thank you” the first time Crowley says “I love you” and I DIED.)

68. A First Christmas, Once Again – lalaland666 (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale get to celebrate Christmas together. This one has a fun twist on why Aziraphale dislikes the holidays and a really cute Crowley getting excited for them, and I think it’s well worth reading whether or not you find the December holiday season celebratory or not.)

69. (i love you) as you are – @asideofourown (T, the one where Crowley tries to change to be more like Aziraphale in order to keep him and it’s heartbreaking. Listen, this writer is great and more often than not draws me in bc the dialogue is so good, but this one just crushed my heart into pieces, because Crowley is trying SO HARD and he doesn’t have to but doesn’t realize that he doesn’t have to and AUGH.)

70. the commendation – @forineffablereasons (G, the one where Aziraphale’s ring is itself a commendation from Heaven. This one is short and sweet but it GUTS me every time, just over Aziraphale and how much Heaven screwed him over and failed him by making him feel like the failure. Something this short should not hurt me so much AND YET. Crowley makes it better. Obviously.)

71. the other way round – @forineffablereasons (G, the one where Aziraphale lays in Crowley’s lap instead. Listen we all love it when Crowley puts his head in Aziraphale’s lap but this writer has the right of it, we don’t see it nearly enough the other way round and HHHHGK. The tenderness. The softness. It BURNS.)

72. Every Song in Every Key – @impishtubist (T, the one with the seriously misleading summary. I mean this in the best possible way. Crowley being the one to enjoy the holidays is fun enough, but the true meat of this fic came out of nowhere and it hit me square in the squishy bits. One of the tags is “kid fic” for a little bit of a hint but I shan’t spoil it for you, just go read about Crowley being soft.)

73. shed a sweet light – @areyougonnabe (T, the one that’s not anti-holiday so much as a non-holiday holiday fic. That was probably confusing for you BUT IN ESSENCE: Aziraphale has been around too long to get too attached to any particular holiday (plus time passes so differently when you’re immortal), and attracts the ire of holiday influencers. It gets surprisingly dire, and then delightfully Jewish. Has the exact heart that every holiday story hopes for: quiet, enduring love amidst the chaos. A beautiful little thing.)

BEFORE

74. Unexpected Variables – @seaskystone (T, the one where God keeps having to reset the universe. Hands-down the most hilarious fic on the list just by virtue of God’s impending migraine in dealing with Crowley and Aziraphale, who are so incompetent and I love them so much.)

75. Astralphysiastrics – @wortlby2 (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale finally talk about Before. This one’s “Before” elements take place in flashbacks but given that they’re a pretty significant portion of the fic, I put it in this category anyway. Guys this one HURTS, but there’s healing in it, too, which is a beautiful balance. Ends nice and fluffy, which is a good landing after the flashbacks are done tossing you about.)

TOUCH-STARVED/BODY WORSHIP/WINGS

76. To Preen a Songbird – @tiger-in-the-flightdeck (T, the one that’s just some good old-fashioned preening, y’all. Prepare for these idiots being silly and bantering and teasing, because the back-and-forth is so good. SO good. So very, very good.)

77. Life Hurts (But Not With You) – Spider_Lilly (T, the series that’s about Aziraphale letting Crowley preen him. This one takes a pretty serious turn and talks about what happens to angels with slightly more realistic-type wings who don’t have help preening. Fair warning, there’s a bit of grossness with impacted preen glands (which are oil glands) and if you are squeamish I would tread carefully, bc it can get a bit disturbing when Crowley has to help deal with them, but if you like realistic wing care, this is the series for you. Also love. Also pining. Also they’re kind of the same story from different perspectives and the one from Aziraphale’s perspective is SO MUCH WORSE EMOTIONALLY. A good bit of catharsis fic, for sure.)

78. Descent Suspension – @onheil-ferguson (M, the one where Crowley could use some tying up. M for shibari but it’s nonsexual. Book!verse. I apparently have a thing for nonsexual BDSM and bondage, because this fic absolutely took my breath away. It’s very calm and understated and dignified, just feels quiet. A beautiful piece, for sure.)

79. The End (of the Beginning) or A Not-So-Nice or Accurate Guide to Sex on a Stick, By Anthony J. Crowley, Demon. – @fantasticallyobscure (T, the one where Crowley has been trying sex with all the wrong people. Not explicit at all, just has a lot of discussions about sex, which can be off-putting but now you know going in (if the title didn’t give it away). Basically Crowley keeps trying sex with people who have his same physical build and loses his appetite for it, until he and Aziraphale finally get their heads on straight and Aziraphale wants to try it. Some hilarious metaphors and a lot of adorable Aziraphale being jealous, which is a trip. A wonderful little romp, for sure!)

80. You Are Unbreaking (Though Quaking) – @lesbianscrowleys (T, the one where Aziraphale works through his knee-jerk reactions to being touched. A very good little snapshot of healing and working through things while communicating with your partner, and there’s a fun side-story about accepting who you are that underscores the main theme rather well. Crowley is so good and patient and Aziraphale is trying so hard.)

81. A Treatise Concerning Religious Affectations – forthegreatergood (T, the one where there are discussions of religious ecstasy versus regular ecstasy. This one involves more or less orgasming via manipulation of miraculous brain chemistry, and it’s a little bit funky, but you get in the vibe of the fic pretty quickly, I think, the writer is good about setting the tone. And it’s adversarial as all heck, this is a legitimate disagreement Crowley and Aziraphale are having and you feel every weighty second of it. It’s sensual, I think, but not necessarily erotic, and that’s a hard needle to thread and they do it very well.)

82. 451°F – @purple-suits (G, the one after the church bombing where Aziraphale wants so badly it hurts. Guys, oh you guys, the pure need in this one isn’t even really sexual but it HURTS, it is so physical and raw and achey. It absolutely put about five more aches under my skin just from secondhand need. Oh, y’all. Oh beans.)

BONUS

83. Chaos Theory – @themoonmothwrites (T, the series that’s about Adam hitting on Warlock in a bar and then reintroducing him to his old nanny and gardener. This one is 1. prime Adam/Warlock material, and 2. PRIME Warlock/facing his feelings and confronting his past and figuring out his future material. I have the weakest spot possible for Warlock Dowling and this one hits that spot like a LOT.)

84. Through the branches there’s a son that’s always shone – @jessicafish (G, the one with a contented Warlock. This one is a Halloween fic that has the softest Warlock and Crowley interaction of all time, it’s so short but it hits so hard and I must thank it for my life, really.)

85. Love, And Its Interference With The Nature of Reality – @souljellied (M, the one where Adam has a big ole crush and reality is warping for Warlock. M for some saucy makeouts at the start but it’s pretty tame. Guys if the fact that at one point the headlines in a news stand all read “TOP TEN REASONS TO DATE ADAM YOUNG” before Warlock blinks and they all change back to normal isn’t a good enough reason to read this fic then I don’t know what to tell you, it’s so delightfully tongue-in-cheek about Adam’s effect on reality and so funny and so sweet, even if it does end on a note that makes me howl for wanting a continuation.)

86. Slumber Party Summons and Aftereffects – @joyandotherstories (G, the series where Crowley gets summoned by a party of teenage girls and has a very heartfelt, productive evening with them. I dragged my feet on this story for incomprehensible reasons so DON’T YOU MAKE MY MISTAKES. The teenage girls who summon Crowley are so sweet and loveable, each and every one of them, and guys they ship Crowley and Aziraphale so hard when they finally pry Crowley’s life story out of him, with help from some memory projection witchery. It’s so good, y’all, so cute and so fresh. Just the best.)

87. Christmas Delivery – Daegaer (G, the one where Gabriel sends obnoxious Christmas cards and they are the highlight of Heaven’s holiday (to make merciless fun of). It should be noted that these Christmas cards all feature artistic renderings of Gabriel himself. I about died laughing and it’s canon now in my heart. I should not be endeared to the Archangels but here we are.)

88. and i don’t care if you don’t want me (i’m yours anyhow) – shaekspeares (T, the one where Warlock is figuring himself out at uni. This one is complex and deadpan and has such a good representation of Warlock and what he could grow to be, plus that excellent Warlock/Adam content I am always here for and Warlock having a complete meltdown over the idea that his former nanny and gardener were sent by his parents to spy on him, but not that they’re an angel and a demon. This kid has his priorities in order. Well, no, he doesn’t, but it’s fun to watch him get there. And he and Adam have the best dynamic ever, it’s full of friction and no small amount of adversarial energy turning sweet over time. This fic is physically healing to read and we aren’t even done yet. A fantastic addition to the fandom, if just for what Warlock does to the British equivalent of the Young Republican student body.)

89. Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach – Nnm (T, the one where Crowley gets a therapist. I know most of you should know this, or at least have heard of it, but pipe down bc I finally got around to reading it and it’s AMAZING. If you’re a human who’s gone to a good therapist or who needs to, this story’s protagonist is phenomenal. And she’s not static in her own journey, either, she grows and heals along with Crowley, and it’s not linear or clean or simple. Like real life, it has dips and turns and bad patches, but the healing is palpable. A masterwork, truly, just real dadgum good, y’all.)

H/C /WHUMP/BAMF

90. I Don’t Want the World to See Me – @coulson-is-an-avenger (T, the one where they navigate an unexpected boundary concerning Crowley’s glasses. People who flinch every time they read about Aziraphale taking off Crowley’s glasses without permission rejoice: we have a fix-it fic for you. It’s tender in every sense of the word, and shows great boundary communication (y’know after the immediate scare is over), and all around is incredibly worth the read.)

91. Still Waking Up – @sleepymccoy (T, the one that’s trauma recovery with lots of bed-sharing and pining. Friendos if you want to feel every inch of that slow burn, you’ve arrived. This fic is careful and it’s emotionally ragged-edged and it’s just so dang pretty as Crowley and Aziraphale work through their separate issues and come to terms with what it means to them to be together with each other.)

92. Borrowed Scars – dreamsofspike (M, the one where Aziraphale finds out what Crowley goes through when he’s in Hell. M for implied/referenced rape and onscreen torture (and like some heavy petting that gets interrupted by feels). This one’s heavy, y’all, heavier than my usual fare, bc Aziraphale is in Hell wearing Crowley’s body when he finds this out so it’s pretty firsthand. Most of the bad bits are told in flashbacks but there’s also the healing part where Crowley finds out and he and Aziraphale have to have a heart-to-heart about what happened and how it’s never going to happen again. Drags you through the mud but then sets you back on your feet, a very good little number, I thought.)

93. Surviving Hell – @whatawriterwields (T, the series where Crowley’s coping mechanism is to shut down and then that coping mechanism becomes maladaptive in the new world. If you’re like me, you’re used to this writer writing the fluffiest creations known to man, so this foray into deeper territory socks like a cannonball right in the gut. Crowley’s healing process is long and it’s slow, with so much aching tender care from Aziraphale it is physically painful in a way. Can’t wait for it to update, I am INVESTED.)

94. Easier than Air – @a-candle-for-sherlock (G, the one where Aziraphale finally deals with stuff. This is a collection of panic attacks, as a warning; Aziraphale’s entire six-thousand-year life is catching up to him, living under Heaven’s eye and knowing he doesn’t measure up, still trying to be with Crowley even though knowing the danger…it’s a lot on a person, and it all kinda comes crashing down after Armageddon’t. Crowley takes care of him, talks and holds him through it all, and it’s so sweet, so freeing to vicariously fall apart through Aziraphale and be held through it by Crowley. Just. Augh.)

95. So Still I Wait – HotCrossPigeon (T, the one where Heaven locks Aziraphale in a void, basically, for three months, and then dump him back on earth for Crowley to pick up the pieces. Guys this one is part of a “hurt Aziraphale” series and it delivers. Aziraphale is his usual soft, silly self all throughout and that makes it hurt worse when he’s suffering, and downright agonizing when he’s trying to recover. Heaven is horrible to him throughout, and Crowley is so gentle and scared, and honestly I don’t know how I didn’t just keel over while reading it. This takes touch-starved to an extreme that booted it from the Touch-Starved category and into this one, because WOW. WOW.)

96. Flaming Like Anything – @thepoetoftime (NR, the one where any weapon Aziraphale holds flames. This one isn’t silly, exactly, but it is hilarious watching Aziraphale flame things like a stick and an umbrella and then absolutely CREAM his foes with them. Never stood a chance, poor souls. A wonderful read, with a surprising twist near the end I highly recommend savoring, it’s too good a mental image.)

97. Love Seeketh Not Itself to Please – @dietraumerei (T, the one where Aziraphale is hurt by a summoning and Crowley takes him to Heaven for healing. This one hurts on so many levels I don’t know where to begin. There’s the physical hurt—obviously—but then there’s the tension of our favorite reprobates being back in Heaven, and a moment where the rug is pulled that is disorienting and just…hateful, absolutely hateful, but in the weirdest, most relieving way. I cannot explain this to you, you must read it. And then sweet, sweet aftercare, because of course. I wouldn’t recommend it to you if there wasn’t any comfort in it, and this writer in particular has historically done excellently with the comfort aspect; this is certainly no different. It absolutely tickled my fancy.)

98. Cry for Absolution – forthegreatergood (T, the one where a miscommunication causes six thousand years of touch avoidance. Guys. GUYS. Crowley thinks his touch hurts Aziraphale and you know what it actually does? It actually hurts ME, personally, watching Crowley misread Aziraphale’s little gasps and flinches as pain rather than shock. Then they fight about it, and things resolve, but HHHNG. THAT PINING. THAT TOUCH-STARVED LONGING.)

99. White Walls and Dead Air – BabyHoldMyFlower (G, the one where Crowley has to physically take Aziraphale away from the plague. This one lands in this category rather than in the Body Worship/Touch-Starved/Wings category is the sheer (DESERVED) emotional vitriol Aziraphale has bottled up in him, the anger at God and Heaven, and how ragged he is from trying to stay ahead of the plague but just not being able to. Crowley helps, because of course he does, but this fic is the emotional equivalent of being put through a wringer. It’s exhausting and it’s beautiful.)

[prettylittlebrownskingyal]

Anime recs (some of my personal faves, not the public opinion, obviously):

About sports:

-Haikyuu (I am caught all the way up to season 4 and I have never been more passionate about volleyball in my life, not even when I played it)

-Run the Wind (it's about running but also...friendship? and motivation to follow your dreams?? I mostly just recall relating to some of the lazier characters and sensing the brotherhood vibes. It feels slow at first, but if you get invested you realize that you've binged the whole thing.)

-Free! & Free! Eternal Summer (you wanna get emotional attached to a bunch of teenage swimmers? I don't know why all these sports animes are about guy groups, but here's one about some divas -I mean swimmers. Quite the lil quaint group of nuggets, I gotta tell ya.)

About magic/supernatural

-Sailor Moon (need I say more? She's our queen and we are never too old to watch her steadily turn from crybaby to warrior of the people. If you know, you know. FIGHTING EVEIL BY MOONLIGHT-!!)

-Avatar: the Last Airbender (technically counts as an anime. Holds my entire childhood, every personality trait I have...for sure came from characters in this show. Iconic. Never loses its charms. Lots of magical realism that is centered on the natural elements of the planet, some spiritualism too. Appa is reason enough to watch this show.)

-Legend of Korra (technically a sequel storyline to Avatar: the Last Airbender, but...it's SO DIFFE R E NT. I was at first put off by my lack of OG characters, but there are so many references embedded in there, and you get to meet everybody's kids and grandkids. Also Korra? The embodiment of female pride and power, nothing will forsake her for long. Kinda STRESSFUL how many obstacles the writers create in a single season...let alone 4.)

-Inuyasha (on oldie but a goodie. Technically the first anime I ever saw...*sigh* ah youth...Anyway, it'sset in feudal Japan, but there's time travel so you won't feel too out of place. There are of course demons and magical priestesses and demon hunters and cranky, frankly exhausted, old women. Has a quality plot line and great characters. There is a new sequel show airing about the future of the characters and their bloodlines, I've only seen an episode or two but the nostalgia alone made me want to weep.)

-Fairy Tail (a CLASSIC. It has magic and dragons and FAERIES and found family and is so loveably chaotic, also: hype af fight scenes)

-Soul Eater (another chaotic group of teens that fight impossible battles, the intro music always hits hard for nO rEASON, a little more blood and angst but not like not enough to cancel out the immense joy/annoyance that is Excalibur)

-Noragami (a new take on the concept of how gods are created, sad boi hours have started, wholesome main characters, the graphics are beautiful, some of the monsters can be a tad creepy - but I'm a wimp so it could just be me)

-Bungou Stray Dogs (I HAVE ADOPTED ATSUSHI. HE IS MY SON NOW, THANK YOU FOR COMING. The art style is one I enjoy, very crisp lines and a good variation in character designs. The protagonist is named Atsushi and he is a golden child who must be protected yet allowed to flourish at all times. There is detective work, some great fights, lots of random character flaws, OH and honey the story line is TWISTY!!)

-My Hero Academia/Boko no Hero Academia (this is the show where my broccoli son goes THROUGH IT literally the WHOLE TIME. A great story of the underdog, and the variety of characters and powers are...*chef's kiss*, makes me want to lowkey live in this universe but the amount of villians... gurl it'stoo much for my weak heart smh)

- Cannon Busters (okay, so I know people have mixed opinions on this one. Lemme say this: the intro and outro SLAP, point blank periodtt. The characters are diverse in color and abilities, it's like wild west meets technofuture meets medieval magic war times. The plotline is very all over the place, but hey it's the journey right. If you don't love SAM and Casey by the end of episode 1 you're doing it wrong.)

-BNA: Brand New Animal (the art style is so freaking cool yet cute we luv to see it. The world building is pretty good, basically it'slike Zootopia, but there are way more issues with this island o animals that have a human form half the time. Our main character is determined and just a tad naive, there is a wolf man with a pet crow and we're all okay with that)

-Sirius the Jaegar (straight up, I have no idea how my sister and I binged the whole show in like 2 days, but we did. Great fight scenes, the is blood but... that's because there are vampire-esque creatures also. The main character's childhood got done dirty, but go off on your origin story I guess.)

About slice of life:

- My Little Monster/Tonari no Kaibustu-kun (a wholesome high school romance with oddballs left and right, but you just wanna root for 'em y'know? A good wind down show. There's a chicken in it.)

- (Kaichou wa) Maid-Sama (an unconventional and lowkey erratic main heroine, the love interest seems weird but you'll adore him by the end, just simple high school shenanigans with ridiculously dramatic conflicts)

Phew, that was kinda long 😓 but those are just some animes that I have watched thoroughly off the top off my head to give you a good variety of options. Let me know if you already have seem any of these. Hope this helps you fight off boredom and repetition. Please tell me your faves, I love hearing about new shows!! 🤩 (And btw, my sleep patterns wrecked, I've been going to sleep at like 3AM 😅 Hahaha, send help.)

love love LOVE THIS!! Thank you for sharing babe ❤️❤️❤️ i actually haven’t watched that much anime so i’m glad to get a rundown on some good recs!

also!! i feel u!! team no sleep ftw

[sofia-gothicquirks]

One Piece Wano Kuni analysis : How Oda brings small humanity touches in the plot of an epic/adventure story

So far the Wano arc has been truly fantastic. All the characters of this arc are deep and have wonderful backstories and personalities. Besides, the world building is amazing and I do feel like I am in the middle of a revolution. I am feeling oppressed by the political system of this country and I really do feel attached to all these innocent people who have to suffer because of Orochi's madness. Unlike most stories I do understand the reason why there's a revolution going on behind the scenes. Through these long chapters where you can see children being taught propaganda about how great the shogun is in the Flower Capital while people from Ebisu's town are forced to smile despite their hardships I slowly learned to care about an imaginary country that I didn't even know a year ago. That's one of Oda's strenghts. Contrary to some arcs this isn't just about "saving those who asked for help". All these characters have an actual true and personnal reason to fight linked to their backstories or personnalities : Luffy's promise to O-Tama the little girl his dead big brother swore to protect, Zoro's desire to avenge Tonoyasu, Hiyori's hate for the man who ruined her life twenty years ago .....

Actually for me this country and these characters have truly gained life. Discovering new things about the fascinating japanese culture through an arc from my favourite manga is a dream.

But Wano Kuni isn't just about worldbuiding. It's also about action. There's a revolution going on. There's this prophecy from Oden's mysterious wife. It's almost mythical. There are people who want to fight against this injustice. There are those who must keep living to give food to their starving kids but on the other side there are also people who didn't even know what the word "pain" is. In chapter 931 if I remember well Orochi said that the Wano country is like a paradise. There are all these geishas to bring happiness and music, banquets, cherryblossoms... But we, as readers, know what's going on. We know that this is just a bunch of lies. As Luffy stated in chapter 949 this country is a living hell. And if they don't fight, if they don't change the situation, these people are going to keep suffering. THAT'S WHY A REVOLUTION IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Otherwise nothing will change. The rich will become richer and the poor will become even more poor. Twenty fucking years of a dictatorship is like a lifetime for some people can you imagine that ?

So let's talk about this revolution. The epic perfect plan to overthrown the shogun (that Luffy kinda of fucked up no surprise there), the badass preparation for the final battle, Wano Kuni's background (the story of Hiyougoru, Tonoyasu's past...) and all this plot about keeping identities a secret or having a double identity (Komurasaki the courtesan as princess Hiyori, O-Toko as Ushimitsu (even if this last one is just a theory for now)...) is great. In fact these diversity of intrigues in just one arc is great. ( to name a few of them we have the Komurasaki-Kiyoshiro plot, Udon's prison plot, Zorro's lost sword plot....).

What I really enjoy about Oda's writing style is that he doesn't only shows the bright side of the revolution with all the epic battles and perfect strategy but also the darkest sides of being a renegade. There may be traitors among your allies, you may get captured and tortured, the ennemy is ready to do everything in order to get information from you and you may even die. There will be disagreements about what to do even inside the rebel alliance because not everyone will trust each other and every person is different : everyone has different beliefs and fears. Maybe the plan won't work and the revolution will fail (you can feel the characters insecurities in chapter 938 during the Law-Shinobu disagreement). Furthermore the revolution won't wok without some great sacrifices. Speaking about that...

Please can we take a moment to mourn Tonoyasu's death ? This man deserves some respect please pay tribute to him. He had a loving daughter and people he cared about and yet with just his life he changed everything. Without him the revolution would be truly doomed. At the moment when everything was going down for the rebel alliance he saved them. His public execution was the turning point and until now (we are in chapter 951) we didn't even know the full consequences of his death. This death really impacted me. How could a man sacrifice his own life to save a future he would never be able to see? Such a little yet great and bold move from Oda. ONE LIFE. ONE SACRIFICE. And yet it changed everything. The rebels have a new plan. A new hope. The revolution can keep going.

Respect Shimotsuki Yasuie.

>RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS

And now dear friends we have reached the point where the title of my analysis finally makes some sense lol. Let's talk about human relationships inside this arc and name just a few of them.

-Tsuru and Kinemon, the lost lovers

-Luffy and O-Tama or how Ace lives in his little brother

-The nine red scabbards friendship

-The interactions between the members of the strawhat crew

-Hiyori and Zoro growing relationship (or should I call it "the new ship of the One Piece fandom"?). I hope they turn to lovers. They have a really good chemestry.♡

-Hyogoro and Luffy, the master and the student

-O-Tama and Momonosuke friendship

-Komurasaki and Kiyoshiro hidden secrets

-Killer and Eustass Kidd, the partners

-Luffy's and Kidd's rivality

-Kawamatsu and Hiyori story

So we have romantic, friendly, and familiar relationships inside just one arc. It's intense. This is going to be huge.

I could analyse all the relationships between the characters of this arc but I want to especially talk about the one who impacted me the most. It's going to surprise you.

I want to talk about Nico Robin and O-Toko. The pannel from chapter 951 hit my heart really hard :

You guys remember Robin's backstory right ? The daughter of a criminal who survive a genocide and was chased for years by the government because she was the "devil child". Robin lost her mother at an early age and I think that this is the reason that she kind of become a motherly figure. She has developed strong mother instincts.

Well when you think about it Toko's story is a little similar to Robin. She is chased by an entire country despite being a child mostly because her father was a criminal and she "disrespected" the shogun. But like Robin did in that fateful day in Ohara she laughed at it (well she is kind of obliged because of the SMILES fruit too...).

Robin loved the girl from the beginning: she saw her as a bright kid with a great sense of humor and she saved her during the Orochi banquet. So I think that when she saw that this little girl was being hunted down just like her years ago she swore to give her comfort and love. This hugging scene between O-Toko and Robin warmed my heart. They are just like a mother and a daughter and I think that the two of them really needed each other.

Do you see my point ? Even in a story full of action, with plans, battles and a revolution going on Oda manages to keep writing little heartfelt scenes like this one that allows the readers to not forget that more than just being fighters people must praise their humanity. These little touches of humanity add much more than you can even imagine in an action story like One Piece because they allow us to care about the persons for whom our protagonists are fighting.

What about you guys ? What are your thoughts about the Wano Kuni arc so far ? I would love to discuss with you about that !

[val-bananatine]

Anyone else here having played dragon quest 11? If so; what are your thoughts about it?

To share my own, warning: a rant incoming:

I personally am a huge fan of the dragon quest series. Started with DQ9 and got so hooked that I bought as many of the older games I could find to play through, got the remake of DQ7 - and was super excited when I heard that DQ11 was on its way (I admit: I was upset about hearing that the 3ds version was only available in Japan, but hey, didn't stop me).

When I first was asked for a review on it, I was amazed and still overly happy about finally having the time to play it after months of it laying around. I... I wasn't as deep in the story yet as I thought, and the further I played, the more I noticed some flaws that started to bother me more and more.

Now I took some time to see how other players and sites viewed it and took a look at their views - and I was a little disappointed to see that those things weren't mentioned. So I will bring them up now:

Again warning: The following will heavily focus on this aspect that I criticize. This is in no way intended to make the entire game bad, it has a lot of other features which add to the image as well. It may seem like I try to make the entire game look bad by focusing on this point, but that is not the intention. The intention lies within shedding light to this and wondering if anyone else has noticed it as well.

I was disappointed to see that the main female cast was weakly represented and that a lot of their lives and backstories revolve around men. Like yeah that can happen but it was 2017 at the release and I feel like we can give more representation than the stereotype, especially when that doesn't happen in just ONE of the female main characters, but in a lot of them (gladly, not all).

To the start of the game: Stereotypically we've got the main protagonists childhood friend who obviously seemed to have a crush on him, and later on was very focused on him. I really didn't mind that because it's just so known I just shrugged it off.

A little later we meet our first female team mates, the twins Veronica and Serena. Was I the only one who was a little weirded out that they introduced themselves (and apparently were raised with that view too) as their sole purpose being to serve and aid the hero? As the story progressed further, I honestly was pretty bothered by how their lives seemed to always have revolved around that and their future apparently only consisting of being the heros’ shield and aid. Gladly much later on in the game we found out about Veronica's life goals, it wasn't much to equal it, but I was glad to see.

It gets weird for me at Jade, the hero's "adopted sister" (Their kingdoms were super close and she explained multiple times how she felt and acts like his big sister). Her first introduction is overly focusing on s*xualizing her (who tf would give her such an outfit for a martial arts fighter anyways? This detailed boob cupping isn't protecting her chest at all), we didn't know then about that family thing. Even more bothers me everything at the Casino where she's been brainwashed by a monster into a flirty bunny girl with a heart choker and uses s*xual styled attacks, on our hero as well like flirting with him. Knowing that family lore made the fight super uncomfortable for me. There's more about what they could possibly be hinting on that happened to her, but I will not go into detail about this as it is highly triggering.

So here we've got our team... but you know what else bothered me? How some of the female villains were portrayed. The MOST disappointing by FAR was Crystalinda for me. Introduced as an incredibly powerful witch in the century of legends where even the strongest mage couldn't defeat her without help of the monsters, a woman who terrorized an entire kingdom and more with just a snap of her fingers - fcking strong and badass. You know what happened to her? They turned her into a moaning mess who lusted after the first guy that found her book. She was obsessed by thinking he's hot and wanting to be his bride, her talking was mostly accompanied by moaning. Reasoned because she was "so lonely and he was the first to talk to her again". Bro tf did you do to this badass woman?! Idc that you reason in her info box that she's a "hopeless romantic". You could have also just not added that, give us a strong villain tf who doesn't melt because one (1) man appeared.

Or the woman with the other world behind the fresco, I only know her German name now and I think I remember that it's different in English. Ruins of one of the most powerful kingdoms back then, she probably was the powerful ruler of it - and she is obsessed with being the grand villains bride. Uh-

TW: MENTION OF S**CIDE

I could also comment on the Mermaid Mishelle, whose entire point of existence was that she fell in love with a man and waited decades for him to come back; only to k*ll herself when she found out that he passed away a long while ago (I did cry though at that story, it was very emotional).

But to be fair: you've also got strong women who don't rely on that as their story. The woman who raised the hero (German name is Petra) and was loved by the whole village and was a strong woman with a strong mind, but of course was a very caring mom too.

Or the queen of the mermaids, her German name is Marina and I love it. She's strong, majestic, wise, and has her heart with her people. There do exist strong females in the more main character section, of course, but a majority is catering for men or being s*xualized in favor of them, and I think that the team could have done better on that.

Now, not all other games have done much better. In DQ5 an important plot is that one man demands to marry one of his daughters or your childhood friend in exchange for a much needed child. But I also remember characters of other games who had more personality than catering. And that's on that.

Story wise it's awesome. Being perceived as an evil by some instead of the hope as always? Hell yeah THAT is a change (my guess is that both, the term "luminary" and "dark spawn" are correct, depending on whose side you look at. Ofc the monsters would fear him and see him as evil, his point is to banish them and keep them away). Well... to Act 2 at least. I don't want to talk about Act 3, but that is a personal preference. Some may like doing everything again from an arc with some changes and a different starting situation... I absolutely hate that, because it gives me the feeling of having done everything before for nothing. And no- I don't wanna sacrifice deep friendships and understandings, redemption arcs and clearing past things up, helping some people out of misery, to get one person back, and lose everything of that in return because only I travel back to that point. And it gets way worse after that anyways.

The writing is... good. It had some of these things you see in "DON'T do that" writing advice blogs (eg awful sibling dialogue in showing how they're siblings) - but I think those flaws in some scenes only stood out to me because I dealt with these blogs just a bit before playing.

Some sites say it's "the best game of the franchise so far", do I agree with that? No. It's a moderate to good game, it has some very nice new mechanics (some which sadly don't have any practical use. Eg being able to walk freely in battles but it doesn't affect that ur getting hit no matter where you stand) and a new interesting story with good throwbacks to older, by now traditional, game settings - but the "new" here wasn't nearly impressing me as much as new things did in previous games. And there's also this flaw with having a problem in diverse and strong female main characters. This isn't to excuse the game mechanics of some of the previous games which sometimes also have a very shitty stereotype dominating (See DQ5) - but again: especially in 2017 (release of the game), where we've an uprising demand and change in better representation of women other than negative stereotypes and flat characters, I would expect a better development of the characters. At least that this problem doesn't take up a good majority.

And you know- amazing graphics (I have to give them that, that was fantastic) aren't the only requirement to be the best game of the series. In fact, graphics should play a minor role as a game can be capturing and fascinating without having the most realistic or detailed graphics. It's about the content in it. So yeah, it's an overall good game, but I wouldn't call it the best - and I really want to encourage a by far better representation on the next game. U can do better.

And yeah, it is a part of many to complete this game, but it sadly was a part that bothered me more the more I played it. Because when I first noticed that one character was bad representation, I took a closer look at the others to see if they do better, and unfortunately a lot didn’t. So please improve this next time, let us have deep female characters again who are strong and badass.

[vroenis]

The 2019 Charlie’s Angels Reboot Was A Good Project & Deserved More Respect From Hollywood

We’ve just finished watching the film and there was a lot both J and I really enjoyed about it. We’re critical of media and art in different ways and I certainly don’t speak for them, as for me, oddly I’m lenient in ways that they probably aren’t when it comes to production and culture. I don’t have to dive too deeply into the cultural response to this picture to know how it went down, I’ve come into contact with just enough of it to have a clear understanding of the popular digest. The response is not at all unexpected, it’s just uninformed.

I feel that the 2019 (year of publishing) Charlie’s Angels reboot was a good project with a wonderful spirit. Elizabeth Banks’ aims were clearly evident in the final product, however it may have been shaped along the way, and that it was under-served in the production process likely from the very beginning.

This casting is fantastic.

I do wish there were better cast-ensemble promos for me to lift from the internet and wonder whether that’s another telltale sign of production or whether the heat has just faded since release and they’ve just dropped out of the archives but I struggled to find well composed images.

The first short sizzle-teaser I ever saw for the film, I thought was quite good. Neckbeards and mouthbreathers won’t have paused for a second thought before launching hate for the project - anything in the most vague proximity of feminism or empowerment of women, or even simply just not being centred around men - will be enough to bring snide internet snark by the truckload. It remains interesting that men continue to struggle to live in a world where there can be things that also exist that are not for them, they cannot simply let these other things also exist without contributing in some way. As it were, the project looked good. Sharp, clever, playful, and a timely reboot reclaimed in the most contemporary way. When I looked up the production details and found out Banks was championing it herself, I really took an interest in it. As the first full trailers released, the casting looked great - genuinely diverse and with real chemistry, I hoped it would find the audience it was looking for.

J and I have had a lot going on in our lives over the last two years and still do. We’ve gone to theatres I think twice in that whole time, maybe three times and I think two of those were gift certificates generously paid for by family. So tonight we finally got around to watching Charlie’s Angels. If we’d seen this in theatres, I’d have still be satisfied and had the same evaluation.

A production budget of $55 million is low-balling a project of this scope; 

There seems to have been a bit of pre-production shuffling and Banks did a lot of wrangling herself early on. 

The whole shoot front to back was just over two months and I assume three countries, US/or studio inclusive. 

CGI is noticeably subpar but not exactly cheap either, so it still would have cost a significant portion of that prod. budget. When I say subpar, the CG in this film isn’t bad, please don’t take that criticism as overly negative of the CG artists’ work - remember that people do the best they can with the time and money they’re afforded. If you want to understand what that’s all about, I encourage you to watch Corridor Crew’s channel on YouTube.

Combat choreography with principle actors isn’t great, there’s far too much editing but again, I’m betting there wasn’t a whole lot of money and thus time for training and rehearsing for them, so combat is noticeably slow. 

2nd Unit photography looked very good because this kind of thing is very old-school Hollywood in that it contributes to what makes an action/spy movie look like one. Unfortunately, that means it was also expensive. We’re really running out of money here...

There is a lot of licensed music in this feature which isn’t cheap at all. Again this feels super old-school Hollywood and definitely demographic targeting, but it firmly timestamps the feature - any film, really - and unless your film is about capturing the essence of the time IT WAS THE 80′s! or FOLK FESTIVALS JUST BEFORE COVID BROKE OUT as an example of not necessarily wanting to capture the past, I really think trying to nail down pop songs of the hot present ultimately does your film a disservice.

And I’ll address that one first because I feel like it may have been one of the easiest changes to make to lift the overall quality of the picture. Instead of burning thru an immense amount of budget on a pile of pop licenses, I think a calculated risk could have been taken in getting a young contemporary musician to create a slick electronic score in its entirety to back it along side the generic orchestral action fare, no disrespect to Brian Tyler. To be honest, Tyler probably could have done it all himself but was also probably just writing to spec. BUT HEY... WHY NOT SCOUT FOR ANY NUMBER OF AMAZING WOMEN OUT THERE WHO ARE PHENOMENAL ELECTRONIC MUSICIANS AND PRODUCERS what am I talking about it’s Hollywood...

This is what I mean by the project deserving more respect and being under-served. Hollywood doesn’t believe in projects like this, they don’t realise what the project is and why it needs frontier, sincere, good faith hiring and instead under-funds but funds it nevertheless SEE? WE FUNDED IT, WE DID THE GOOD THING, SEE US SUPPORTING THE WIMMINS? WE’RE NOT  SEXISTS YOU CAN’T SAY WE’RE SEXISTS YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FILM oh it didn’t do very well except we didn’t let you make it the way you wanted to make it, we still shackled you to 

THE SAME TERRIBLE HOLLYWOOD TRADITIONS THAT, BY THE WAY, ARE FAILING OUR MANLY MAN MOVIES FULL OF MEN HOLY SHIT THE DEBT-RECOVERY CYCLE IS REALLY DOING A NUMBER ON OUR INVESTORS I SURE HOPE WE DON’T HAVE TOO MANY CONSECUTIVE FAILURES OR, SAY, SOME KIND OF GLOBAL CATASTROPHIC AND/OR ECONOMIC EVENT HAND-WRINGING

ahem where was I

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provided the entire soundtrack for The Social Network and it’s both fantastic and timeless. OK oranges and refrigerators, but the principle still stands - I get the intent of Charlie’s Angels was a summer blockbuster but it would have still been elevated by being all the more slick having its own identity in music, having its own sound. You want that soundtrack by that amazing young woman because it sounds fucken awesome.

Charlie’s Angels still needed a few passes by a dialogue editor. I say that a lot. I know my standards are high and it’s a Hollywood film. There’s no problem at all with the vernacular, idioms and the casual language, that was all fine. It’s always just the little details - again, it’s always time and money which - really is just money. A good dialogue editor or script supervisor might have been able to just elevate this whole thing to that super-smooth level of flowing just right. Or perhaps if the actors had spent more time in training and combat rehearsal together, they’d have riffed better and improvised more. They still have good on-screen chemistry but again, more time - more money for time - and things improve.

If you don’t know my taste in film, you could see if you recognise anything in the Film Notes page of this journal, but it’s totally OK if you don’t. Basically most of them are long and boring, with super long takes of people not saying or doing much. I still love Hollywood films tho - I love all cinema and I’ll repeat like a broken record, I should either add a section to Film Notes of my favourite blockbusters or create a page for them. Anyway - Charlie’s Angels still has too much editing mostly due to the aforementioned combat, but also because of that good old Hollywood formulaic style-guide. It’s easy to look up the production credits and pluck out names but on a project like this, it’s difficult to pin the end result on the roles themselves. In these cases, personnel like editors are more like daily jobs rather than creative contributors which again is an immense shame. I catch myself before saying “It doesn’t have to be a Malick/Shortland/Lynch project...” but why not? Why can’t a summer blockbuster have its own fantastic identity? General audiences can identify Michael Bay and Christopher Nolan - sure, one or perhaps both of these people take themselves far too seriously, but why not let a project have its own identity?

We run back into the conversation of protecting investments and style guides.

The easy answer to Bay and Nolan is they’re men, but they’ve also had time to prove their worth over time with previous work and track record. Because they’ve had the privilege to do so. Because they’re men. And most of the people making decisions and letting them experiment and sometimes fail to recover investment on their projects and hey, don’t worry, just try again, are men - and they were permitted to try again because they were themselves men.

Whether individual men do or don’t deserve whatever they did or didn’t get, I’m not here to discuss. Many of them definitely didn’t and I can’t change it.

What we should be changing is how we finance, how we empower and how we hand over autonomy of projects to women in cinema, in the arts - in professional life, in any industry.

YOU DON’T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THIS PROJECT

So. Fucking. What.

I can make educated guesses and I can support as much as possible as fair and equitable an arts industry wherever I engage with it.

I really liked Charlie’s Angels. It had a lot of heart. It had a wonderful sense of play and sass and smarts. Yes, a few too many “why didn’t they just shoot the bad guy” moments etc. - again - script reviews, better writers, more time...

More money.

More respect from an industry that doesn’t respect women and women’s autonomy; social, professional, in all aspects.

I hope Elizabeth Banks wants to make another one, can raise the finances for it and has even more control of the next project. More power to her.

[softxharry]

Blacklist (seven)

Harry Styles, one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals turns himself in– and all he wants to do is speak with one rookie agent.  

It’s her job to figure him out and it’s his to protect her from her past, but all secrets have to be told eventually.

AN// You can keep up with this story here via the tag HSBlacklist or on Wattpad at brutallybeautiful !

Grace

We learned two things after Harry's stunt he pulled last night. One: Youseff Badawi, a human rights activist is hosting an event tonight whether his life is on the line or not. Two: Youseff Badawi was going to be killed at tonight's event.

Youseff began his organization National Hope  in 2012 after his sister was rescued from human trafficking. Since then, Yousseff and his sister Noura have been rescuing young girls from their traffickers and starting them onto a better life. And someone didn't like that. 

Someone that we can't stop without Harry's help because Harry is the only one who knows what the assassin looks like—the assassin who they (by they, I mean criminals) call Phantom (I think it's silly too). 

I feel like I've been in this situation a thousand times before, standing in front of Harry's makeshift cell, Harry smirking at me. He's facing the wall, hands clasped behind his back whenever the door beeps open. He doesn't turn around to see who it is, but I'm sure he knows it's me.

"I need your help," I mumble quietly, almost afraid to admit it. I can't see his face, but I know the smirk is there. Something has changed between us since last night, or at least I think so. I feel vulnerable around him, closer to him somehow. Armed guards stand behind me waiting for Harry to make some sort of irrational move, but he doesn't. Harry isn't in restraints this time.

"You know what the Phantom looks like, we're compiling a list of everyone who is attending tonight, but-" Harry cuts me off, turning around as he speaks.

There's not a smirk on his face like I expected, but rather his lips are formed into a thin straight line, his eyebrows furrowed. For once, he's serious.

"Gracey, I want more than anything to help you. It's the reason why I'm here," he mumbles. I suck in a deep breath, bothered by his words because I know he doesn't mean helping me catch criminals, he means something more sentimental or sinister—I can't tell which. 

"But I won't say another word until the terms of my conditions are met." 

And just like that, Harry got everything he wanted. His own personal bodyguard Paul, his own hotel and a title as an FBI informant. It took more than three hours to convince the private board that Cooper has organized to discuss all things Harry, but somehow he did it and somehow he convinced Harry to let him put a tracking chip in his neck. And Harry was somehow on his way to freedom.

Harry steps out of his cell with a wide smile, his eyes shining like he's just discovered a cure for cancer. Agent Hunter is shoving a manilla folder into his chest before he's even over the threshold. 

"You got your end of the bargain now we get ours," Hunter grunts. Harry doesn't take the folder and instead lets it fall onto the floor.  He looks at me, beginning to say something until Hunter interrupts him. 

"I'm right here, you can talk to me," Hunter spits.

It takes everything I have in me to not laugh when Harry looks at me to answer. 

"This guy didn't RSVP. I've seen the man. If you want to identify him, put me in that room," Harry said. 

"So, you want to go to the party?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows. 

Harry grins, "I thought you'd never ask." 

-

I don't know how I keep ending up in these situations. In a fancy dress, with Harry in a suit attached to my side. But somehow I do. The music is deafening as we step out of the elevator and onto a rooftop filled with hundreds of people dressed just as fancy as we are (and also a few dozen agents acting as security). Harry is greeting people, hugging them, kissing their cheeks, shaking their hands. I stand back idly like an awkward girlfriend at her first family reunion. 

I am way out of my comfort zone here and he knows it. Harry grabs my hand, shocking me, and leads me over to a couch where the music is much quieter. We take a seat. I scan the area, looking around for anyone who may look suspicious.

"Do you see him?" I ask.

Harry shakes his head no and sips on the champagne in his hand. He tried to offer some to me earlier, but I am technically on the job, so I couldn't.

"Are you liking D.C.?" he asks, crossing his legs so he's sitting comfortably.

"I guess so," I shrug, shifting in my seat. 

"Must be awfully lonely," he said. 

I turn towards him and furrow my eyebrows, suddenly becoming frustrated. 

"How do you know so much about me?" I huff. "I mean—are you stalking me or something?" 

"There," he points suddenly, ignoring everything I just said (typical). He stands up, reaching his hand out to help me up, but I ignore it. I push myself up off the couch using the arm. "That's him, you need to clear the area."

He's pointing to a waiter holding an empty tray and I don't hesitate to pull my gun out of my purse. "Stop! FBI," I shout towards him. The crowd around us erupts in chaos, people screaming suddenly and running away from me towards the exit. The guy takes off and I radio Hunter his location.

 I don't know why I thought wearing heels to an event where we were planning on catching someone who's killed hundreds of people was a good idea. It proves quite difficult to run in them. Agent Hunter takes the lead on the pursuit, chasing the waiter down while I slip out of my heels and down the stairs. 

I'm running as fast as I can amidst all the chaos and to the floor of Youseff's hotel room. I'm relieved to find guards outside of his room, telling me he made it there safely. 

He sist wide eyed on the couch whenever I walk in to confirm that he was safe.  I couldn't trust anyone anymore.

 Youseff stands and walks towards me.

 "Thank you," he said, taking my hand. He places his hand on top of mine. "For everything, you saved our lives tonight." 

I smile at him, nodding graciously. I don't know what to say in these situations. Do I say you're welcome, no problem, anytime? My phone starts ringing in my purse and I am thankful that it's there to advert the awkwardness. I pull it out of my purse to see who it is.

Hunter. 

 I excuse myself and walk out into the hallway. 

"It was Harry," Hunter said breathlessly on the other side of the line. "He hired the Phantom." 

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. He had to be fucking with me. Someone was seriously fucking with me. I step into the stairwell and walk slowly down to the next floor where Harry was supposed to be staying. 

"Think about it. The hostess didn't leave the picture for him. Harry was signaling the hit."

I stop in my tracks, realizing everything I must have missed. Pointing out the waiter was a diversion, I don't realize I am saying it out loud until Hunter excitedly yells on the other end in agreement. It's the first time I've heard his tone be anything other than flat and angry. He had come to the same conclusion. I'm running back up the stairs before I have time to hang up the phone. 

I felt so cheated as I ran breathlessly through the hallway to Youseff's suite. Security, or should I say Paul, lets me in without a word. When I walk in, Harry is sitting calmly at the table. 

Youseff is standing a mere few feet from him. 

"Oh Grace, thank god you're here," he says hurriedly. "This is the man," he said pointing to Harry. "This is the man who wants me dead." 

I glare at Harry, looking at him made me feel worse than I already did. I felt foolish for letting Harry do this a second time. Something tells me this time won't end up like the last, Harry won't end up sitting exactly where we want him to in the back of our van and things won't fall right into place. 

"You hired him," I say angrily. "How are you going to do it? What's the headline going to read?" 

"How about, humanitarian exposed as fraud, commits suicide?" 

I look back at Youseff who is standing just fine, but paling by the minute. "What have you done?" 

Harry stands up and smells the fresh flowers on the table in front of him. He adjusts his suit, buttoning the second button. "I didn't do anything. The assassin may have slipped him a lethal cocktail. Of the same family he uses to drug the girls he's selling." 

Youseff cups his hand over his mouth and slowly kneels down to the floor. I run over to him and check his pulse. It's still there, he's still conscious and breathing. 

"He is not the man you think he is. He doesn't free enslaved children, he imprisons them." 

Youseff is choking now, holding his hand over his throat as if that will help him get some air. I had no idea what to do, other than to sit there and watch him choke. 

"I have the antidote, Youseff," Harry said, pulling a capped needle filled with a red liquid out of his coat pocket. "All you have to do is tell her." 

"I don't believe you," I tell Harry, feeling hopeless as I was Youseff struggle to breath. I didn't know how to believe Harry. I couldn't trust him 1. because he's a criminal 2. because he's a manipulative criminal who knows how to get what he wants. And that terrified me. 

"Come on, Youseff. A simple nod will suffice," Harry said, bending down next to the choking man.  Youseff nods to the best that he can with barely functioning lungs. Harry seems pleased with the admission of guilt and uncaps the needle to shove it in his neck. 

The door behind us bursts open and I can hear Hunter's voice immediately asking whats going on. Harry stands up, capping the needle and throwing it on the table. "Looks like he is dying," Harry nods. "Definitely dying."

-

The sun is peeking over the horizon, the first of the pinks and oranges disappearing behind the mass of buildings, visible only a tiny bit. I felt exhausted and I look like I'm taking the walk of shame. A man stands at the end of the pier, a line casted out into the water, Harry sits on the bench directly behind me and has been for the past twenty minutes without saying a word.

"You look tired," he says huskily, finally breaking the silence. I roll my eyes at him knowing that he can't see. Of course I' fucking tired, I want to say, but instead I stay quiet, until he speaks again.

"Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

"What would you have done if the antidote had worked in time?" I ask suddenly. "It would have exposed you as our informant."

"There was no antidote," Harry says flatly, I glance back at him then immediately turn my gaze back to the water.

"We confirmed that Youseff Badawi was moving money. The man was one of the biggest traffickers we've ever seen. We were able to locate a shipment of girls. And I had no idea. I should have known." 

A part of me wanted to cry and another part of me wanted to scream, scream at Harry for everything he's done over the last couple of weeks, scream at the world for being so fucked up.

"We never really know anyone, do we Gracey?" Harry said after a long pause.

And with that, Harry gets up and walks away, leaving me alone on the pier wondering how my life got so fucked up.

[writings-from-the-hart]

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Just as promised this is the beginning of the three-part post about answering @quilloftheclouds questions for my Wip Renegade. To kick things off I’m going to start with Modes of Transportation, I thought about adding pictures but that’s time-consuming and would make this post longer than it already is. So if you guys want to see some pictures of the Modes of Transportation in Renegade let me know, I post them! 

Modes of Transportation

The world of Renegade is a mix between Tron: Legacy and Blade Runner 2049, a blend of both cyberpunk and post-apocalypse dystopia. For a world set two millennia past ours (2200) transportation isn’t what most people from our generation would think it to be: there aren’t flying cars, skyscrapers don’t serve as spaceports, and people don’t regularly take trips to the moon or live on Mars. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t cool futuristic modes of transportation, most that travel on something known as The Grid (a network of synchronized power that runs below every interstate, highway, street, and connects at the center of each City-State like hubs to give every citizen of the Republic power). Without The Grid life wouldn’t be able to function, the world would find itself in cold darkness or in other locations scalding heat of the sun without means of protection. 

The Grid runs like ley-lines, connecting everything in the Republic to make it work like one giant machine, these lines can best be seen at night and truly showcase how vast the network is. It’s like a collection of different colored lights running along every surface in the world, some following vehicles. The Grid distributes power to transportation, homes, factories, and other buildings in the Republic. 

HyperExpress

This is the bullet train of the future that can travel up to 2,000 mph, it utilizes a vacuum tube in order to reduce air friction and increase its speed. Not only is HyperExpress an ultra-fast bullet train it also serves as a kind of subway for all Caste citizens, not only the higher/wealthy ones. The HyperExpress system runs much like the railroad did when it first started laying track in 1830′s America, it’s the veins and nervous system of the Republic when it comes to transportation, stretching from one City-State to another across all connecting contents. Both cheap and highly efficient. 

Air-X 

Flying cars aren’t an option for civilians, scientists in the Republic tried to make it happen but after many try fail cycles it was deemed safer to not put the public in such contraptions. So only Air-X remains, the only commercial flying vehicle in the Republic skies. These are unmanned, piloted by A.I or small Androids, freight containers with a small cab build into the front. Using Air-X frees highways, interstates, and the oceans from unnecessary cargo shipment by vehicle or ship and instead acts much like a miniature plane of sorts. Small shipments use hover technology in their motors while larger shipments passing overseas use twin-jets or quad jets depending on the load.

ePath 

Much like HyperExpress there is a network of tube-like structures following smaller highways in City-States civilians in both the middle castes and high castes can use who: ride electronic bicycles, electronic scooters, or even walk. The system is at least 17ft above the road, keeping pedestrians a safe distance from motorized traffic, is climate-controlled all year round, and also offers conjunction points were either 1.) City-State district limits begin and end or 2.) A transportation module such as HyperExpress is available. This allows civilians to hop off ePath and use another mode of transportation or walk directly about the City-State as they please. 

ThunderHaven 

Human beings have been entranced with the idea of flying for decades and pushing the limits of that idea, ThunderHaven provides that extra push into the unknown. Following in the steps of countless airplanes and military jets that have both teased and pushed past the sound barrier this is the super-fast plane that not only pushes past and surpasses the sound barrier, it full on blows it away entirely. ThunderHaven travels 8 times the speed of sound and is also capable of breaking out of Earth’s orbit and touching the stars if it pleased. Its design is sleek, made of the finest materials to keep the body both lightweight and strong, and also windowless. Fear not, inside passengers have a choice between a real-time visual of outside the plane or movies. ThunderHaven has three travel classes for each caste: low, medium, and high. 

Electric Vehicles 

Just because cars don’t fly in 2200 that doesn’t mean they don’t hold their usual allure if anything cars in the Republic are far more diverse and better suited for Earth (as well as people). Pulling power straight from The Grid once a vehicle is in motion, tends to stay in motion running on pure liquid energy without producing climate-damaging greenhouse gases and nitrogen oxide. They can travel for miles and never need to stop to charge while within City-State limits (near a central hub) because The Grid is most powerful there, however, once beyond City-State limits and in outer rim districts/Outlands The Grid is less powerful and vehicles need to recharge after 600 miles. Most vehicles are outfitted with solar panel cells built into their framework, so they remain lightweight, efficient, and ready to charge at a moment's notice if you’re in the outer rim districts/Outlands. Any caste of citizen can own an electric vehicle, what varies from caste to caste is the classification of vehicle. 

Speedsters: These are unhinged, drag-racing, high-performance “cars” with a design that primarily revolves around speed and elegance, most high caste citizens own Speedsters due to their designs and the materials that go into creating them. It’s costly. Speedsters usually never adventure past inner City-State districts because many are low clearance and wouldn’t survive the rough terrain of outer rim districts/outlands. Much of a Speedsters appeal originates from the sleek design they take on: wheels built tightly into the frame not bulky in any way, smooth aerodynamic design, and many resemble “classic muscle cars” from the past giving drivers a nostalgic feeling. While they are pretty to look at and comfortable to sit in people are also drawn to what lies underneath, a powerful engine that pushes past all known boundaries of horsepower.  Speedsters can be defined in two simple terms: powerful and fast.

Cycles: These are vehicles that are not allowed on ePath and resemble sport motorcycles in design. Cycles are extremely slender, hold up to usually only one person (driver), and have tire technology called tilt-tread to allow the cycle to perform tighter turns without risking the driver. The front wheel is locked forward so steering is done by tilting Cycles, not turning the front wheel (why tilt-tread is so crucial). However, when attempting certain maneuvers a pair of small fins spring out behind the driver to aid both balance and braking.  Speed can be increased by twisting the twist throttle back towards the driver (located on the right-hand side handlebar). Most Cycles also come with small twin jets seated by the back wheel, this allows faster speeds to be reached efficiently. Unlike Speedsters, Cycles can adventure beyond inner City-State districts and endure some of the rough terrains of outer rim districts/outlands pose. All kinds of citizens from Castes ride Cycles due to their affordability and ability to go beyond inner City-State limits. 

Trail Blazers: Rugged, usually larger than all other forms of electric vehicles, Trail Blazers are designed to do as their name suggests: pave new ways through the wild territory without being stopped. These are the vehicles that can easily adventure into the outer rim districts/outlands without a second thought, large tires paired with reasonable ground clearance to avoid hazards the terrain may pose and not sink into softer ground due to roads becoming less frequent the further they adventure. Trail Blazers adapt to the terrain around them by extending spikes from its tires for better traction and adjusting its suspension for either better ground clearance or shock absorption. Only high caste military personnel drive these vehicles. 

Roadsters: The last classification of Electric Vehicles, these are sporty vehicles that sit between the Speedster and Trail Blazer category. Their primary design isn’t based on speed or being able to survive the unforgiving landscapes of outer rim districts/Outlands, instead, it’s comfort mixed with style. Built with enough ground clearance to adventure into outer rim districts/Outlands while maintaining a sporty design these vehicles are made for the middle caste families. Roadsters are often referred to as “the family vehicle”, outfitted with a third-row seat (unlike most Speedsters and Cycles) that is roomy and comfortable it’s the ideal vehicle for traveling in groups. 

And there you have it folks, the modes of transportation in the world of Renegade! I had so much fun basically spilling all my thoughts about this fictional world I’ve created and fallen in love with. If you have any questions or want to know more just send an ask or anything! Part two of worldbuilding questions for the world of Renegade is the Social Structure. 

[thehivemindwrites]

A  Series of Disconnected Thoughts, Cast into the Void in No Particular Order

1. I’ve been finding myself thinking more and more about Kill Six Billion Demons recently. Not just because it’s absolutely gorgeous artwork and Moebius-meets-prog-metal stylings are extremely my shit (KSBD is responsible for adding Gojira to my rotation of workout music, and that alone has me in its debt), but because I can really appreciate a main character who is a walking disaster coming to some kind of enlightenment through a combination of getting her ass handed to her repeatedly, making questionable decisions, and basically just deciding to struggle forwards because I don’t know, what the fuck else is there to do? It’s hardly original (see: basically any shounen about The Power of Friendship and Not Giving Up) but damn if the presentation of it in this particular case isn’t particularly delightful. Plus it gave us the image of a giant hulking demon wearing a jacket that says KILL BOSS and that’s rad.The creator of KSBD is also co-creator, as it happens, of the newly released Lancer TTRPG, which I backed on Kickstarter and will, one day, get a rad fucking hardcover copy of (but for now I’m reading through the pdf and swearing oaths that one day I will play it). Anyway, as someone who also got where he is through a series of questionable decisions and getting his ass handed to him by life in general (oh, and an enormous amount of luck), I can relate. Plus the phrase “Reach heaven through violence,” while kind of terrible on the surface, feels good to shout at yourself while you’re off for a run. 

2. Part of this whole exercise thing - a side-effect of it, if you wanna call it that - is that generally I feel better about myself like in general. I’ve mentioned that before. What it doesn’t do, of course, is magically mean that I’m now 100% good and not still dogged by a persistent sense of self-loathing that I’ve just had to accept will never really go away. Like for example: I’ve lost 35 kg since starting this whole gym thing, except you might remember the goal was 40. I still haven’t hit that goal, and frankly I’ve spent the last like three months bouncing around the same like, 3 kg zone because I’ve been traveling a lot and that basically fucks up my workout and eating routine. It’s frustrating, and it sure does let the part of me that knows deep down that I’m a fat fucker and always will be no matter what I do run wild from time to time. Which is, I’m coming to understand, just gonna always be there. This stuff doesn’t go away! Ever! 

Which doesn’t mean it’s right, even a little. You tune it out and throw yourself into battle with it over and over again. You get bloodied and broken and claw back and then you get bloodied and broken some more. Insert that gif from Princess Bride of Westly saying LIFE IS PAIN, HIGHNESS here. Thing is, there’s something about the struggle that’s nice. I am not sure how motivated I’d be to do anything if part of it wasn’t motivated by the desire to prove my dumb brain wrong about, uh, me. If I wasn’t fighting the various little demons that plague me every so often, I doubt I’d be so well-adjusted. I certainly wouldn’t be mentally healthy. None of this makes sense as I read it back, of course - it sounds like I’m saying “boy it’s nice to be miserable,” which isn’t true. Being miserable sucks shit! I don’t recommend it! But it is nice to see misery coming and punch it in the face (metaphorically speaking). Sometimes I think the thing that makes me go to the gym and work so hard (this sounds like I’m bragging, but I can assure you I’m not - “work so hard” means “not collapse and fall off the elliptical after five minutes because oh god I don’t want to be here”) is out of some desire for self-annihilation through pushing myself past my physical limits. Reach heaven through violence (see, I told you it sounded cool).

3. The world has gotten really fucking bad for a lot of people, and I don’t know that it will get better for them any time soon. In fact, given the latest talk from the ol’ UN Climate Change report, it’s gonna get even worse. I would very much prefer that were not the case! It’s motivation enough to get out and vote and shit, at least for me - and as someone who is, you know, ridiculously privileged, that’s the absolute least I can do. Which is why I try to do more, mostly involving donating money to causes that seem like they’re able to cause the sort of trouble that needs to be caused. Or just use expertise to protect the people I don’t know how to protect, because I’m a lot of things, and one of them happens to be smart enough to know that I don’t know shit. So I make sure people that do know shit have the money they need. Pretty straightforward, I think. 

The other thing I try to do, because giving money isn’t really something I think about much at all (I’m stupidly fucking fortunate to have a job that pays well, remember), is occasionally go out and actually be present at protests and the like - there are a lot of climate protests and they’re all a good time. Occasionally it’s worth overcoming one’s intense social anxiety to do so. Lord knows it’s significantly less of a risk for me to be out shouting at cops than most. 

4. She-Ra might be one of the best shows out there. There’s something nice about a show that both does and does not present a simple world. Yes, the Horde is bad. Like, objectively bad! They do a lot of looting and subjugating and are generally just deeply not chill people.On the other hand, the people who make up the Horde are still people, and I have a lot of time for a show that can manage to humanize its Big Bad Villain whilst still making it very clear they are  still, you know, not good. It’s messy, and complicated, and sad, because sometimes you have to fight people you used to be friends with! Sometimes you have to make the call that hey, we can’t be friends anymore, because I can’t support the things you’re doing anymore. I’ve made that call before - I bet everyone has, at some point (if you haven’t, I’m sure you’ll have to eventually). Fortunately for me, it’s never been that difficult of a choice, if only because the people I had to go against weren’t people I’d known for very long. 

Anyway, that’s part of it - you gotta just cut people out sometimes. There’s more to it though, because the other thing the show believes is that everyone - even the real shitty people - can change. It doesn’t mean everything’s forgiven, and it doesn’t erase all the bad shit, but they can still change. It’s worth changing, even if it isn’t a cure-all. 

So yeah, I like She-Ra a lot. It’s also just well-written, and funny, and it’s a real good time to see a bunch of diverse characters running around having adventures and being fuckin’ rad. Plus, they’ve shown an incredible willingness to completely change the stakes from season to season - the end of season four in particular is  the equivalent of detonating all the things you thought were important. It pulls a bait and switch so ruthless that I might have applauded if I wasn’t so self-conscious about making noise that my neighbors might hear. The combination of season 3 and 4 was a masterclass on raising the stakes and then explaining that actually, you were playing for stakes even higher than you could’ve thought possible. Oh, and the people you thought you could trust were just using you, and hey, what if we got rid of the thing that you’ve more or less defined yourself by for the entire show? Good luck in season five, motherfucker! I’m a fan, is what I’m saying.

6. Work on Vanquisher 2103 continues apace. I mentioned this before, but we’re doing a once-a-month schedule while the holidays and work beat my ass into the ground, and as it turns out I really enjoy taking a full month to write a chapter. It’s a comically slow pace, but it’s working for me and hopefully the fact that the chapters have tended to be a little longer (and allowed me to expand on ideas a little more, and do a little more research here and there) makes it worth the longer wait. I’d like this thing to be good! There’s a part of my brain, again, that will always insist that nobody reads this and it’s bad and I’m fucking up, constantly - that point, at least, is probably accurate. I am writing characters who in theory have life experiences that are very much Not Mine, which involves a lot of reading things from people who would know better than I do. It’s nerve-wracking, and the only thing I am bone-deep certain of is that I’ll fuck up and hopefully y’all will forgive me for fucking up when that happens. I’ll keep reading and refining and eventually maybe it’ll be okay. Hopefully, anyway.

7. I went to Ireland and guys, Ireland is bullshit. I am offended by its gorgeous cliff-sides and open grasslands and heart-rending beauty. The immense friendliness of the people I met and the fact that you can’t sit in a pub without hearing some dude play a jaunty reel on a tin whistle or accordion or something is a personal insult. I was Arthur Dent angrily demanding to know why this bloody fish is so good the whole time.

I cultivated an immense drinking habit while there. I was also approached by a random German tourist who somehow clocked that I could speak German and we shouted about socialism for an hour auf Deutsch. I met some woman from Louisiana and we ended up having drinks a couple nights in a row to talk about traveling in general and Germany in particular, because her ex-husband is German. There were some Swedish retirees who were both very pleased by their country’s social safety net and also depressingly sour about the fact that refugees got cheap dental care - we might have had some harsh words exchanged before more drinks helped smooth over our frank discussion of differing viewpoints. I had to explain American health care to some people from the UK who were surprisingly gung-ho about the idea of privatized medicine until they talked to me (one of them talked about how the UK used to be an Empire and could be again in such a way that made me want to throw things. We did not talk for very long because I couldn’t fuckin’ handle it). These were strangers that I willingly engaged, because I was having an adventure, and I guarantee none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been going to the gym and committed to the idea of proving the voice in my head that tells me I’m an awkward mess that nobody would ever want to talk to in their life wrong (also, let’s be honest, if I hadn’t had several pints of cider at the time). 

By the end of the trip if I heard one more pub singer’s version of Whisky in the Jar though, that I was gonna produce my pistol and fucking shoot myself in the head.

Go to Ireland if you can. If you live there, fuck you how dare you live somewhere that rad.

8. I didn’t have an eighth thing but I’m committed to this “each thing is numbered” bit which means that even the end of this thing has to follow the trope. This is the end of the post where I say “okay bye I’ll be back the next time I get the urge to throw a bunch of highly unpolished ideas out.” 

[ciathyzareposts]

Game 108: Nippon Safes, Inc. – Introduction

Written by Torch

Doesn’t look very safe to me

Two years after my first ever playthrough for The Adventure Gamer, I’m finally up for another. Quite the gap, but – surprise! – we’re still doing games from 1992! We sure are taking our time here, or perhaps 1992 was just a particularly bountiful year. Either way, the next game up is Nippon Safes, Inc. This game was developed by Dynabyte software, an Italian game creator. I couldn’t find a lot of information about this company, but running a couple of Italian wikis through Google translate helped a little.

Dynabyte. I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that it’s a portmanteau of dynamite and byte

Dynabyte made 6 games in all, of which 3 were adventure games. Nippon was the first in 1992, followed by Tequila & Boom Boom – a cartoonish western themed adventure named starring anthropomorphic animals – in 1994, and finally Big Red Adventure in 1995 ( 1997 on Amiga ).

Can you spot the KGB agent? ( It’s a trick question. They’re all KBG agents )

Big Red is a direct sequel to Nippon, but I doubt Tequila is related. Not sure how they’d make that work… In 1997 they either changed their name to Ludomedia or disbanded and then created a new company named Ludomedia, I can’t tell for sure. Either way they went out of business the same year, so I guess it doesn’t matter much.

Logos from ‘95-97 Can’t put my finger on it, but it’s like they didn’t fully commit to the new company name

That’s pretty much all I could dig up about Dynabyte, so if any Italian readers see this and know more, please feel free to chip in.

So let’s get back to the game at hand. I read about Nippon Safes Inc. in an Amiga magazine many years ago, and the cartoony graphics kind of caught my eye, but that’s the extent of my familiarity with this game, so I’ll start off by checking out the manual, to see what I can expect.

The story begins like this: “In the most disreputable parts of the Japanese metropolis of Tyoko,a shady character wanders around looking suspicious. What can this mysterious person be up to?”

Talk about suspense building.. To help me learn more about this mysterious character, I will be able to control the dynamic trio of….

“DOUG NUTS. He is an electronics genius who uses his knowledge for not exactly a lawful purpose (with meagre results). His career as an electronics engineer at Oxford ended abruptly when he was caught fiddling the results of the exams stored in the faculty computer. After moving to Japan, the homeland of electronics, he has problems with the law each time one of his breaking in gadgets doesn’t work quite like it was meant to.”

“DINO FAGIOLI. A former boxer of Italian origin, basically a good and honest soul,often falls into the traps set by people taking advantage of the fact that he tends not to think very hard. After a series of defeats in the boxing world, he boarded a ship bound for Japan as a deckhand. After getting into the umpteenth scrape he was thrown off the ship in Tyoko, where he is trying to make ends meet.”

“DONNA FATALE. A variety actress, she abandoned a promising career as a ballet dancer to follow the path of the glittering world of show business. She arrived in Tyoko dazzled by the promises of a self-styled impressario who, after having squandered all her possessions, left her to a life on the border of legality.”

Ok, so brains, brawn and… show tunes? How’s that for diversity? According to the manual, these guys are linked together, and I’ll be able to play them either one at a time, or I can alternate between them. This is referred to as something called the “Parallaction system”. Yes, “parallaction”. As in… “parallel action”. These Dynabyte guys seem to have a thing for wordplay. You may also have noticed that the name of the city where the action takes place is “Tyoko”. That’s not a typo ( or a tyopo – sorry, couldn’t resist ). The manual states that the city of Tyoko is located “somewhere not better identified half way between Tokyo and Kyoto as the crow flies.”

Easily one of the safest mountains to climb

In general, the manual has a certain… let’s call it “Lost in translation” vibe to it. In addition to character introductions, it also contains a test quiz, to help me decide which of the characters I should play. Hmm.. I thought I’m supposed to play them all eventually? Anyway, here’s an example question:

1)YOU ARE ON STAGE.YOU MUST CHEER UP THE EVENING.WHAT DO YOU DO?

I bring out all my artistic gifts. NA Nothing.I would feel out of place. NE Ever heard the one about the airship? WA

It doesn’t say how this helps me decide on a character though. Each answer corresponds to a 2-letter combination, and there are 6 questions so I can end up with a “word” like NARAKIWANAHO. I have no idea how this will help me with such an all-important decision, but hopefully we’ll find out when I actually start playing the game.

Lastly, the manual contains some information (fun facts) about Japan that may or may not be related to copy protection, including but not limited to Japanese written language, the geisha, fish, public baths, hotels and railways. This is actually a fairly interesting and a fun read, both for its content and for the sometimes strange English. Take this section about the subway trains:

To understand just how crowded they are, you should know that most stations have “oshiya”, or throwers-in. These are people charged with pushing the passengers inside the carriages. Each passenger is determined to get in, in order to reach his place of work on time, but the doors of the carriages will not work until until everyone has either got in or out. Since the other passengers are far to well-bred to interfere, these “oshiya” with their impecabble white gloves, help the poor devil make up his mind.

Having read through the manual, I feel ready to take on the game itself. The game is listed as working in ScummVM with a “Good” support level, but in for authenticity, I’ll be playing in Dosbox.

Tough call, but I’ll probably go for japanese engr… soll…sorry! English!

So join me next time as I make my way through the thriving metropolis of Tyo… wait, what?

So it WAS a tyopo after all

Anyway, prepare for a barrage of “safe”-related puns ( or maybe it’s better to Nipp(on) the whole thing in the bud ) as we explore the cartoony world of bank robberies and who knows what other crimes in an imaginary Japanese city.

Note Regarding Spoilers and Companion Assist Points: There’s a set of rules regarding spoilers and companion assist points. Please read it here before making any comments that could be considered a spoiler in any way. The short of it is that no CAPs will be given for hints or spoilers given in advance of me requiring one. As this is an introduction post, it’s an opportunity for readers to bet 10 CAPs (only if they already have them) that I won’t be able to solve a puzzle without putting in an official Request for Assistance: remember to use ROT13 for betting. If you get it right, you will be rewarded with 50 CAPs in return. It’s also your chance to predict what the final rating will be for the game. Voters can predict whatever score they want, regardless of whether someone else has already chosen it.

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/game-108-nippon-safes-inc-introduction/