#priya… exists?

[taz-writes]

i’ve been thinking a lot about the paladin wip lately. i need to figure out what the fuck the plot is so i can write more story for it!!!

the struggle with having a cast of very interesting characters in a very interesting world but only the faintest ghost of what the ACTUAL fuck they’re even doing, tbh

[ripaxed]

They’ll never make me hate you Millie total drama

[just-a-silly-little-whumper]

Ephemeral

Masterpost | Read on Ao3

I wrote this while sick and I don't LOVE it, but I'm glad it exists. For Whumptober Day 11.

Contains: Vampires, heist, poisoning, light angst

~~~

“Leave no trace behind.”

Matthias’s words echoed in her ears, a mantra that she couldn’t ignore. The very thought made something inside her twist in anger; for all of the thorough training Matthias had given her, she did not have his centuries of experience, his seemingly-instinctual knowledge of how to move silently and all but meld into shadow.But nevertheless the expectation hung over her head, and she did not doubt that the consequences of failure would be far worse than the lengths it would take to achieve the feat at all.

“A simple mission. You need only retrieve the relic, and leave no trace behind.”

And perhaps it was simple. No targets to kill, nothing to destroy. Even the security was more lax than she expected; though there were plenty of guards outside the manor, once she slipped inside there was nary a soul in sight.

Of course, nothing was as easy as it appeared, as became very clear to Priya when she attempted to open the case the old stone carving was in and was met with a puff of strange gas in her face.

The startled inhale she took was instinctive, and she instantly knew it might be her undoing. The vapor stung in her lungs, even as she pulled back to try to cough it out. Frustration and apprehension ripped through her; what a careless mistake.

But she still had her mission. The case was open, even as the air around it was contaminated with the gas that now made her lungs burned. Priya silently gave thanks for the fact that she didn’t have to breathe (and cursed that one, foolish inhale) as she reached in to grab her quarry. She almost expected it, too, to burn her, but it settled easily in her hand as though there were nothing special about it at all. Slipping the decoy into place, it almost appeared as though nothing had even happened.

“You need only retrieve the relic, and leave no trace behind.”

The gas would dissipate from the room with time; there was no way to hide the fact that she had triggered the trap, but with luck no one would check any time soon. The fire in her lungs burned as she slunk back through the shadows of the manor, slipped between the guards, and made her way into the safety of the trees beyond. It was only when she was far, far away that she allowed herself to cough again, allowed herself to breathe, and took far more time than she should have in letting that pain fade.

But that was okay. She had her target, and she had gotten away. Had barely left a trace.

As if she didn’t even exist.

[tw0ism]

manifesting lesbians next season (prichelle)

[meetmetotheriver]

Now, here's a little something.

I know people have been missing these and have been downloading them from my old LJ account, and I don't think this version of Downtown even exists there. So here's some (re)uploads for you.

Clean Downtown WITH downtownies (but no NPCs) and still-dead Tricous and Rainelle with some memories and cleaned up genetics. Downtownies with broken face templates have been fixed. Tricou teens are properly set as related to Jon Smith Tricou:

Download

Reupload of all three universities hoods, playables only, no dormies or NPCS. Genetics, memories and broken face templates fixed: Download

Finally, as a bonus, my Viper Canyon custom 'hood (home to all stealth hood families), now with fixed face template for Priya Ramaswami, otherwise the same as the LJ version: Main hood

Subhood

[the-moon-lullaby]

i am so glad you are back! i really missed your headcanons. I would like to make a request, do you have any hcs for Nath in UL? ^^

Nathaniel UL Headcanons (Filling the Gap between HSL and UL)

N/A : Hey dear ! Took so long for that request because somehow it showed at the bottom of the request box. Since you've been vague enough, I took the freedom to write about Nathaniel in UL before Candy's return (I feel like this part and his transformation have been really looked over in the game). I am working on prompts (whenever I get time) about the LI in UL so unless the request is about a specific situation, I keep the headcanons for these little one-shots. Hope you like it darling !

Let’s set the bases with where we left off in HSL

• Candy helped him get emancipated, as we know but it’s also the first time he truly takes control of his life. This was like a major milestone in his life.

• Even though he’s free from him, the damage done by his father persists (as we see during graduation day in HSL). Nathaniel still carries the pressure, the expectations, and the anger.

• He moves into his own small apartment and gets Blanche.

• At this point, he still works hard in school, but there’s a weight lifting off his shoulders.

• He graduates with excellent grades, valedictorian, great motivational speech, but he feels strangely empty.

• With no father to fear and no academic chains holding him down, he realises: "I don’t know who I am without all of this." And that’s when he doesn’t apply for business school or anything like that but he applies for something the actually cares about : literature.

• He’s accepted into Anteros Academy, and he tells himself that college will be a fresh start.

• He cuts his hair shorter, trades his button-ups for casual shirts and jackets. He’s a new man really.

• And everyone from high school (Alexy, Rosa, Priya, even Castiel) assumes he’s finally free from his chains.  But Nathaniel has never felt more lost.

⸻

Year 1 of UL : The Breakup & The Downward Spiral Begins

The Long-Distance relationship (the fail of the year) 

• Candy and Nathaniel start university still together.

• He tries so hard to keep things normal, to not worry her, to act like he’s doing fine on his own.

• But he isn’t. He’s struggling, feeling isolated, and the pressure is still crushing him.

• He doesn’t talk about it. He convinces himself: « She has her own life now. She doesn’t need to hear me complain in addition to it. »

• Every phone call becomes shorter, emptier. Messages go unanswered for longer. Nathaniel starts feeling like he’s losing her. But he doesn’t really tries to hold onto her. He starts to feel like it’s pointless. 

 The Breakup (during pre-exam season because I’m horrible)

• Candy brings up how different things feel between them.

• Nathaniel hates where the conversation is going but doesn’t fight it.

• When she says « Maybe we should take a break » he just accepts it.

• Candy was expecting a reaction—something, anything. But Nathaniel just answers with « If that’s what you want. »

• He doesn’t say he’s hurting. He doesn’t say he’s scared. He just lets her go. But that night, he stares at his phone, reading old messages.

• And he doesn’t text her. He doesn’t call. He tells himself « This is fine. »

• If he doesn’t acknowledge the pain, maybe it won’t exist.

• But the consequences of this breakup are impossible to avoid : it’s really sad  but Candy was the only person he ever truly let in (Armin was the second but it’s different). And now? She’s gone.

• After everything that happened with his family, his mind makes the shortcuts on its own :  « Being vulnerable means getting hurt. » Or  « If I let someone in, they will leave me. »

• So he stops letting people in, period.

He’s so emotionally unavailable at this point, like don’t even try. 

• He doesn’t start seeing other people right away but at some point it happens (I mean he’s a brooding handsome blonde, of course he draws attention c’mon) but iIf a girl starts getting attached, he shuts it down.

• The moment a girl says « I like you » or asks him personal questions, he’s done.

• Melody learns this the hard way. She tries to understand him, to fix him (I just know this girl didn’t drop it in college and when she heard he was single again, she gave it another go)

• But he shuts her down so brutally that she never tries again. She’s bitter about it, and they never speak again (fucking finally).

• He starts gaining a reputation as someone who is cold, distant.

⸻

Year 2 of UL :  The Turning Point (where it goes wrong)

• Nathaniel has been feeling off for months, he just feels numb. Nothing went the way he wanted and his college years were not the new beginning he expected. He almost feels that it’s even worst than high school (because this time, he doesn’t even have a goal and certainly not one as simple as getting good grades and fill up paperwork for Mrs Shermansky)

• Which is why, after months of repressing everything, he snaps.

• He gets into his first fight at a party (Kim invites him to one as it was thrown by the sport club of Anteros, where a friend of hers is a member of) and it isn’t just about the drunk guy who provoked him.

• It’s about his father, his past, and every feeling he buried. Kim has front row seat to his crash out. But so do Alexy, Rosalya and Priya.

• He’s never felt anything like this before. There’s a thrill, the rush of finally fighting back. He feels guilty when he realises it but he wants to feel it again (it is the first time he’s felt something real in months)

• Some people are repulsed by his behaviour, some don’t understand it (like the old crew). Some guys, however, are impressed. And that’s how the mess starts (because I hate how the og script based all of his arc on some bad meeting in an alley, it seems too « easy » idk)

• Word spreads fast. He starts getting invites to more parties, meeting people who aren’t exactly students. The guys he meets are street-smart, reckless, and shady.

• They introduce him to gambling or other stuff, and eventually the world of small-time crime (and easy money).

• He starts running "small favours" for them (carrying things, keeping an eye on situations) He finds control in chaos.

• Unlike his family, unlike Candy, unlike his old friends, these people don’t expect him to be « good » (which he believes he isn't or not enough). They only expect him to be useful. And for the first time, he feels like he belongs somewhere.

• His fights become frequent (sometimes on campus), but strategic. He doesn’t fight just for the thrill anymore. He fights to prove something.

• His grades start slipping, but he doesn’t care.

• Girls start paying more attention to him, and he quickly realises: he can have anyone he wants. Even if it’s just for the night.

• Alexy, Rosalya, and Priya notice the change. He’s quieter, colder, and more distant. That’s when they start distancing themselves from him.

⸻

Year 3 of UL : The Repercussions and Playboy Era

• Alexy and Rosalya have officially given up on him. Priya still wants to believe he’ll come back to his senses. 

• But he sees the way they avoid him on campus, the way they whisper when he walks by. Even Castiel’s look on him as change : it’s still sheer distaste and condescension but also something that vaguely looks like worry.

• He doesn’t care. (He does, but he pretends not to. He’s burned too many bridges.)

• Nathaniel proves himself to the shady guys he’s running with.

• He’s not just some dumb fighter, he’s smarter than this. He helps them plan better, avoid cops, and move things more discreetly. He likes the power and control he has over people now just as much as he enjoys the adrenaline rushes. 

• But at the same time, he knows he’s in too deep and it starts to scare him a bit.

• He argues with his mother over Amber’s health. He tells her she’s failing both her kids. The argument ends badly. His mother stops sending him money.

• Nathaniel officially cuts ties with his family (except for Amber).

• Kim is the only person he has left. She’s the only person he trusts. (And by association, Violette too, but she’s a bit scared of him even though she doesn’t believe he’s a bad person)

• He crashes at her place often, sometimes covered in bruises, sometimes just exhausted. She doesn’t push, doesn’t judge but she also doesn’t pity him.

• She reminds him of who he was before everything went to shit.

• By this point, most girls on campus know what he’s like. But some still try. They think they’ll be the one to fix him.

• They’re wrong (and they ended up heartbroken or ghosted, often both)

⸻

Year 4 of UL : Candy’s Return

• His reputation is set in stone now : He’s now known as a troublemaker. Even professors keep an eye on him (even though he hardly ever goes on campus if not for his frequent hookups) 

• The thrill of his activities isn’t enough anymore. His job is keeping him busy, but he feels hollow.

• But he keeps going because what else is there to do? What’s the point in doing anything else when everyone already turned their back on him ?

• When he sees Candy is that alley, he doesn’t expect her. He isn’t prepared. And when he sees her, it hits him like a punch to the gut. Especially in such circumstances (being harassed by two guys he knows and works with)

• He plays it cool. He smirks, acts like nothing’s changed (but he feels like he’s about to crash out). A part of him wants to push her away immediately. The other part? Wants her to stay.

• But he knows if she stays, she might see through him. And if she sees through him, she’ll see what he’s become. And he doesn’t want her to look at him like she’s disappointed.

• Alexy and Rosalya warn Candy about Nathaniel. They tell her he’s not the person she knew. Kim doesn’t warn her, but she tells Candy: “If you’re going to talk to him, don’t expect the boy from high school.” And he sure isn’t.

I think that it would have been great to explore more what happened to Nathaniel during that time (especially if he was Candy’s LI). Their breakup wasn’t just an emotional loss but also a trigger (even if she was just a friend too). Nathaniel’s entire spiral clearly comes from a fear of being vulnerable (which lead to being emotionally constipated), a need for control (which leads to fights, crime, and reckless behaviour) and a desire to be needed & respected (which makes him seek validation in all the wrong places). Perhaps seasons this with a bit of fear of abandonment and you got the perfect angsty love story with an emotionally unavailable blonde. Anyway, I hoped you liked this (I literally tried to go psychologist mode on this one, so I hope it's not too biased but yeah, I think it's easy to tell I really liked Nathaniel character and quite thought about it) <3

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: werewolves

Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber

Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*

Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.

Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*

Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*

Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.

How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*

Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella

Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.

Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*

When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.

Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour

Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.

The Devourers by Indra Das

In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.

Thor by Wayne Smith

Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.

Wild by Meghan O'Brien

Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.

[torantuga]

i was unmotivated to draw this week so i forced myself to draw in diff styles - and i chose to redesign emmk cus i love them both sm (even tho i dont even enjoy td anymore)

buut then i got the idea of maybeeee i could make a what-if scenario where julia-mk-emma alliance could be made

so here they are!

EXPLANATION BELOW!!! (warning, maybe ooc but it's a rewrite + redesign)

sooo what im bringing to the table is a rewrite of their characters - esp s1

JULIA

for julia, i wanted to make the twist villain thing for s2, which might sound weird... but i can explain

she mantains the happy-go-hippie personality as a facade during the time she stays in the island, whilst in the background she's actively sabotaging other contestants with the help of mk. she only shows her true colors after mk betrays her (which i kept the same, probably after the merge tho) and she gets kicked out. (iii feel like mk would stay longer BUT not be a finalist, mainly cus in this redesign she plans things through very VERY carefully)

she would be used as the main villain for s2, and she would be like julia in mid s1 probably - petty, strategic and, most importantly, deadly. she replaces her tropical, pinkish clothing with blueish popular outfits and she becomes mean as she can be. hostile, she becomes someone to fear as she turns her gentle face into one full of disgust for those around her.

MK

So. you guys know i love MK - shes the whole reason i still havent let go of td - so im giving her the best character ever!

calculative, observative, and sneaky, shes the definition of a stellar strategist. she makes herself look average just to pass by smoothly, and she sabotages everyone she cans to assure she stays that way until the very end.

though she's snarky, she understands that overdoing it might get her on a radar. she observes everyone she can to understand them on face value in order to know how to approach them.

she's naturally drawn to julia, as she notices things in her behavior that differentiate her from genuinely nice people like priya or emma. her smile twitches when no one looks, her eyes do not smile along with her mouth... she's as fake as she can be.

so she observes her during the first episodes, trying to make a conclusion and find a way to get her on her good side.

so she confronts julia alone, which makes julia drop the act and threaten her. mk assures julia that shes in no way trying to threaten her, and that she wants to form an alliance, which julia then accepts after some convincing that they were probably the best duo in the game so far.

she's still got a lot of character outside julia though, and she shows it through her snarky attitude when it comes to everything, and her master thief tactics that she uses to hack and learn what challenge is going to happen and how she's going to eliminate certain people that oppose a threat to her.

However, a duo like them always needs a backup to throw under the bus at any circumstance of danger, so they decide to pick a gullible, insecure person....

EMMA

A nice, silly girl that has some bottled up anger from years and years of frustration she was told to keep in because of her internet persona.

after a messy break up and a fine that cost her almost thousands of dollars, she's pretty sure the bottled up anger is now cracking. she's no longer a youtube star, as her ex's channel was the only thing keeping her trendy, so she no longer needed to spread herself thin to please an audience - to please him.

so! chase is here! hm! how the FUCK is she supposed to continue the game knowing that her stupid ex is in the same tv show as her?!

he's dumb, lazy, and apathetic. he shouldn't be there to begin with!

...so she tries to ignore him as much as she can, though he sometimes makes her want to scream.

either way, her ex aside, she tries to be kind to everyone she meets, but everyone sees her as gullible and naïve cus of it. shes letting everyone see her insecurities by simply existing, and though she's friends with bowie, everyone guesses she won't make it far. she's fun, silly, but also weird in her own way.

mk observes emma and concludes that she's the perfect pawn for their game, and so she finds her alone to play mindgames on her, knowing that her biggest insecurity is not being a good people-pleaser.

mk manages to convince emma that she should join the alliance, and so she accepts. emma's not happy about it though, but she understands mk wouldn't let her join if she didn't saw potential.

THE ALLIANCE

mk, julia and emma are underestimated due to their actions, so it's not hard to cheat in challenges that way. emma finds this a bit uncomfortable, but she helps them with social intel. she's the least suspicious of the bunch, so she can eavesdrop with ease since she's not seen as a threat.

they manage to kick out chase and ripper with ease, and they go unpunished through the series.

well. until mk betrays julia, that is.

mk knows that her days are counted if she keeps julia around for too long, so she frames her as soon as she feels things going against her. it is not pretty, and julia swears on her life she'll take her down.

but she didn't betray emma.

mk never mentioned emma being in the alliance, causing her to get the boot as soon as possible, which is 2 episodes after julia.

emma stays to be in the final five, but she doesn't end up winning.

mk swears it's so that they can team up next season, but it's something more.

HOW EMMK CAN STILL WIN

mk originally was going to betray both of them, but she couldn't. not emma.

emma was a genuinely nice person to be around, and though she was useless when it came to actual scheming, she was funny and understanding.

mk had a big crush, long story short, and couldn't bring herself to see emma get hurt like that. if she had had a crush on julia, which she thought she had, she would've still betrayed her. it was strategy, and there were no hard feelings.

but emma? mk believes seeing her sad face would probably ruin her. she's a truthful person, and mk admires that.

so she and emma stay friends, and continue being alliance members in s2, which escalates into something more.

S2

i believe s2 wld be julia vs mk in terms of main villains, and emmk wld be the main focus when it comes to mk and emma screentime.

julia tries her hardest to sabotage, and mk counterattacks in default, leaving them to battle for dominance all the way til the merge, when mk gets eliminated instead of julia. emma is heartbroken due to her ...friend.. getting kicked out, and she follows the next elimination.

idk for s3 but maybe mk wld be a finalist or win cus my girl needs a win under her belt!!!

[frozenartscapes]

I’ve been seeing some stuff crossover Kpop Demon Hunters with Turning Red and I TOTALLY agree that Mei and her friends (Abby especially) would be super into Huntr/x and the Saja Boys (oh my god imagine Priya seeing Your Idol - girl would have her soul snatched so fast)

BUT: I would like to propose an idea.

Turning Red is set in 2002, whereas KPDH is supposedly now-ish. So that would make Mei and her friends 36, instead of young teenagers. So picture this: Mei’s been using the panda to become a bit of a vigilante superhero in Toronto for years now, and her friends have all been training in various methods to help her out. Priya is an expert on the supernatural and has even learned a bit of magic herself (because if magic exists in some forms then it should be possible for others to learn). Abby is a master of mixed martial arts and is a bit of a loose canon when handed anything that could remotely be used as a weapon. Miriam is highly skilled as a free runner and can be incredibly stealthy, making her a good scout for the team. Together, with Mei’s abilities, they’ve been working to keep Toronto safe from these strange creatures that periodically show up and cause people to disappear

They of course have tickets to the biggest show to hit the city in years: Huntr/x, a female Kpop group Abby got them all hooked on (How It’s Done is basically their main workout song). Shenanigans ensue and some of these monsters appear just before the show, the girls end up fighting them backstage only to come face to face with the singers brandishing glowing weapons. There’s panic and misunderstandings and a lot of screaming but eventually everything gets sorted out.

Huntr/x not only learns that the demons aren’t just isolated to Korea but there are others out there taking them on, and Mei gets to add another photo to the wall of insanely famous pop music bands she ended up friends with because of the panda

[rebelrayne]

Each Islander's Answer to: "Would You Be Willing to Return for All-Stars?"

under the cut (endgames included for fun)

➥ YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES!

Emel Ivy Kat Kelly Lily Johnny (with a dramatic flair) R!Hannah Summer Uma

➥ Yes, I would be.

Bianca* (S8 CA) Blake Cassius* (S7 Bombshell) Erikah Felicity* (S8 CA) Hazel Meera Nicolas Rachel* (S8 OG) Stephen* (S7 Bombshell) Toby Valentina

➥ The show wouldn't be complete without me.

Allegra Arlo Brad* (S8 Bombshell) Bryson Christy* (S8 Bombshell) Eddie Elisa Finn Iona Jamal (I'm sorry he is pure chaos) Lexi Marshall Mason Rafi (sorry, he's there for the fame) Reese Ryan Sienna

➥ Doesn't wait for a call, just shows up.

Hamish Liam (he's told to go home)

➥ Depends...Do I get a hot tub date?

Roberto

➥ Pretends they're busy for flair, then says yes.

Rocco

➥ I don't know...Look what happened last time.

Grace Hazeem Hope Jo Lucy Kobi Priya Rohan

➥ Maybe? Let me think about it.

Cherry Daphne Estelle Flo Genevieve Geri Harry (Sorry Mo, he'd just feel bad to say no LOL) Jasper Jen Luna Nicky Sammi Vicky Willow

➥ If I don't have anything better to do, sure.

Jakub Miles Shannon

➥ Lol! This reminds me of a throw pillow!

Chelsea

➥ My Nan would kill me, mate.

Gary Lewie

➥ *Rambles until the producer just hangs up*.

Bill (because he can't shut up) Bruno (because he can't figure out how to say no) Juliet (because she has advice for them) Rahim (because he starts talking about Violet Man)

➥ Tries to say no, tricked into saying yes.

Ciaran Tom Rafael

➥ No thank you.

AJ Alex Andy Arjun Bea Bella Bobby Carl Chloe Claudia Elijah Elladine Evan Gabi Hari Henrik Jack Jake Jin Jo Kyle Levi Logan Lucas Lulu Max Oakley Oliver Ozzy Shawn Tai Talia Thabi Theo Yasmin

➥ Hah. I'm still waiting for the punchline.

Elliot

➥ I wrote enough fanfic about it.

Talia

➥ No thanks, Mamacita.

Camilo

➥ Full offense-no.

Angie Lottie

➥ Non.

Youcef

➥ "Oh, sorry! We forgot you exist."

Tiffany Tyler

➥ Ghosted and/or ignored the call.

Joyo Kassam Noah Seb

➥ Ghosted the call, but by accident.

Cora Najuma Will

➥ Production didn't even bother inviting them.

Alfie Bonnie Dana Felix Francis James Miki Travis

➥ Calls & complains they weren't invited.

Dylan Graham Pete Sophie Suresh

➥ Ghosted & Ignored...by Production.

Amelia

[milkymora]

✧ amanda de lavienne as your girlfriend ✧ nsfw

note: turns out i cant resist the pussy power so i shall give in my desires sooner than intended. writing this instead of going to school because tumblr is the only thing keeping me going rn. ANYWAY, nsfw hdcs of amanda as ur gf (noshit). enjoy xo

this woman has a whole collection of lingerie pieces, of all pink and red shades (she actually loves the red/pink color combo), mainly crotchless and sheer lacy bras;

but when it comes to what you wear, she’ll make sure to suggest you (it’s not a suggestion. wear it.) a good set of classic black stockings, with a matching cupless bra because she’s a tits girl and needs to see your nipples.

she isn’t one to moan a lot during the act itself, it’s kinda frustrating at times. however, as you grew to know her, you came to notice that touching her while kissing makes her hums your name into your mouth.

(although not moaning much, she compensates with a lot of heavy breathing, that never fails to turn you on.)

has a thing for biting. not strongly– it’s more of a nibbling. she does that on your hips a lot, sometimes on your tits too, carefully avoiding your nipples not to hurt you.

she isn’t much into toys, but will definitely get them if you ask for them. indeed she doesn’t really own any, maybe a vibrator that she rarely uses.

she’s a switch and doesn’t mind being on top (actually, she usually prefers it, she enjoys feeling in control of the situation), except on scissoring. you better be on top when that one comes.

when she’s in the mood and wants to initiates, she’ll be very subtle with it at first. coming behind you to massage your shoulders, just to slowly slide down your breast, then your stomach, your thighs, your inner thighs, all while kissing your neck.

shower sex. that’s it. that’s what she yearns for more than anything.

her skin is pale and she’s hyper sensitive on her neck, that being said, she wouldn’t mind you leaving the biggest purplish hickeys on her neck and clivage for anyone to see at work. do it.

how i feel posting about female mcl flirts to my fellow loyal 10 likers 😊☺️🥰😍😘. we barely exist in this fandom girls we must stay strong. also gonna make priya’s dating hdcs soon cause i’m in too deep these two (i wanna do kim too but idk err).

✧ mcl ng navigation. masterlist. amanda sfw hdcs. ©milkymora. ✧

[canonically47]

social media headcanons for tdi gen 4 :3

nichelle: has instagram, twitter and tiktok. has a massive following which only slightly decreased after her hollywood fail. she posts pictures of herself and her friends on set or out in the city, and her story is always photos of herself with a song in the background or some important cause. she actually cares about those causes and boosts them as much as she can.

julia: has instagram, twitter and tiktok. tells people to kill themselves uncensored which has caused her to have her accounts banned so many times that she has lost every follower. somehow the super fans of total drama still found her current account and she is bathing in the attention she is receiving. whether it’s love or hate, she likes every comment, and insults haters.

bowie: has instagram, twitter and tiktok. he has a lot of followers due to being the first openly gay contestant, and also a lot of haters for that exact reason, whom he cusses out daily, and so do his fans. some argue he’s toxic; others may say he just doesn’t take anyone’s shit.

MK: has instagram, twitter, tiktok, reddit and tumblr. she uses anonymous or small accounts that never link back to her personally. nobody has found her accounts and it is driving them crazy. doxxes people.

zee: has instagram, tumblr and pinterest. he just posts pictures of himself or of nature that he’s taken. sometimes he gets on instagram live high out of his mind and rambles about the meaning of mankind’s existence for three hours, then it’s radio silence from him for months. he also likes a lot of posts that talk about how confusing gender is, which has led some fans to believe he may not be very cisgender. when asked “Hey Zee, sorry if this is too invasive but are you a boy or are you under the trans umbrella?”, he replied “idk i may be under the umbrella when it rains too hard haha”.

caleb: has instagram, twitter and tiktok. very active on social media and has a large following. he posts motivational gym videos and gets a lot of ‘sigma alpha males’ in his comments, which he deletes and blocks. he likes a lot of cute animal videos, especially cat ones. his most viral video is him with his four kittens and their baby mama.

ripper: has instagram and twitter. used to have reddit but deleted it after getting together with axel. he used to have a large following of mysoginistic boys but he’s deleted his accounts and created new ones to start fresh and try to he more mindful of what he posts. you could say axel has helped his mindset in a lot of ways.

axel: has instagram and twitter. posts pictures of her cats or of her and ripper. she follows some of the previous contestants, including duncan, leshawna, gwen, brick, jo, shawn and jasmine. also posts workout videos and has a lot of incels but also thirsty girls in her comments. people often harrass her or ripper upon finding out they are together because “he doesn’t deserve her” or “she can do better”.

chase: has youtube, instagram, twitter and reddit. fucking insufferable. follows every previous total drama contestant. obnoxious content. lots of hate. videos are made on him and they are not good. hope he dies.

emma: doesn’t have social media; took a break from it and deleted all her accounts after chase’s incel following found her and harrassed her because she left him.

priya: doesn’t have social media. she just watches training videos on youtube.

millie: doesn’t have social media because “it greatly affects her generation” and she is “better than that”.

damien: doesn’t have social media and is chronically offline. nichelle once asked him what he thinks about some tiktok drama and he asked, genuinely confused, what tiktok is. begs people at school to tell him what ‘rizz’, ‘sigma’ and all other slang means, rarely gets an answer and, when he does, it just confuses him more.

scary girl: doesn’t have social media accounts. she uses socials to stalk people, though. if anyone challenges her she appears in their nightmares that night. chase has made a video on her being some demon. even his haters agreed with him.

wayne: has instagram. posts pictures and videos about hockey or including him and his friends. his pfp is him and raj at one of their games. he replies to almost every fan that has found his account.

raj: has instagram. his private account deeply saddens and annoys his fans. he posts the same things wayne posts and puts a lot of pride stuff on his story.

[endoftheworldhere]

okay the other post got two likes so we're doing this sneak peek of my heartstopper hunger games au (that's mostly just a concept and a random collection of scenes) under the cut.

CW for non-consensual kissing

The sound of voices around the corner makes me pause and draw back against the wall—I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be wandering yet, even though I’ve told Priya and all the Capitol doctors that I feel fine, and absolutely do not need any more bed rest. I don’t really want to find out what she might due to me if she finds out I’ve left the apartment and started wandering the halls. The less people who see me, the lower my odds of getting caught. 

“Fine. I’m here. What do you want?” The first voice—male, young-sounding, with a slight drawl to it that means the speaker definitely isn’t Capitol—snaps out. There’s a beat of silence, then the smacking noise of flesh against flesh. “Don’t touch me.“

“What’s your problem?” The second voice—also male, also District, also probably about my age—sounds almost hurt, though there’s something petulant about it that makes everything the speaker says sound just a little insincere. “I’m trying to be nice-“

The first boy cuts him off, clearly impatient. “You’re trying to get in my pants. That’s not-“ he falters a little, like he has to swallow and collect himself before saying “-you told me you wanted to talk.” 

“I do want to talk.” The other boy sounds a little ruffled—I can picture him smoothing down his shirt as he clears his throat, getting himself back together. When he speaks again, his voice is softer and gentler, like he’s trying to coax a stray dog to take a sniff of his hand, but there’s something off about it, something that sets my teeth on edge. “C’mon, you’ve been avoiding me all week. Are you still upset about what happened to your Tribute? Your Tribute—one of them, at least, is a mentor. Probably both. I can’t think of many reasons besides the Games for there to be District people in the Capitol, certainly no reason besides the Games for them to be in the Tribute Center itself. “Are you seriously holding what happened in the Games against me?” His voice lowers, the same hurt/petulant tone from earlier creeping back in, and I frown despite myself. Something about this boy rubs me the wrong way. “We said we weren’t going to do that-“

“I’m not!” The younger boy’s voice cracks, making him sound even younger than he already does. He takes a deep breath that hitches slightly, like he’s on the verge of tears. “I wouldn’t do that, you know I wouldn’t do that!” Another deep breath—he sounds like Leo or Tilly, trying to stop themselves from crying, and I almost want to come around the corner and take him into my arms, wipe away the tears that are clearly about to spill. “It’s about what you did after. It’s about me sitting there crying and you not doing anything to help me! I was fucking falling apart and you were just sitting there acting like I didn’t even exist!” He sniffs, and I can picture him wiping his nose on his sleeve, blinking back tears. “You couldn’t even act like you cared for one minute?”

“Don’t be stupid, Charlie,” the second boy snaps, and I blink. Charlie—that name’s familiar, though I’m still on a high enough dose of painkillers that I can’t place it right away. “We were in a room full of other people, a room full of spies and cameras. They’ve already got enough leverage on the both of us as it is, do you really want to give them more? I thought you were smarter than that.”  

“You could have come after me-“

“I still had a Tribute I was looking after.” The other boy’s not even trying to his how condescending he sounds now, and I grind my teeth, hoping that Charlie gets tired of this and gives him a good punch in the nose. “You know what that’s like-“

“One has plenty of mentors!” Charlie’s voice is loud enough to echo off the walls of the hallway. I pump my fist in the air silently in celebration. “You were fucking learning, Ben, you could have grabbed any one of the half dozen other One Victors to take your spot! Your Tribute just had a kill, she would have been fine!” There’s a moment of silence, and when he speaks again his voice is back to being soft and shaky. “I just wanted you to make me a priority for once. But I think it’s pretty clear you don’t care about my feelings at all.” 

“Well it’s not like anyone else is going to put up with you,” The other boy—Ben—snaps and this time I’m unable to hold back my gasp of shock and rage. But they don’t hear me, not over the scuffle that’s ensuing—the first thing I hear is the sound of a back cracking against the wall, then Charlie’s voice crying out before it’s quickly silenced by…is that kissing? 

“Charlie, calm down, you know I like you-“ Ben’s still saying something, but the only thing I can hear is Charlie’s pained little whimpers, the way he gasps out “stop” with every punched out breath even as Ben ignores every single one of his pleas. Before I even know it, I’m moving, flinging myself around the corner and throwing myself into a tackle, keeping my center of gravity low the way the instructors in the Training Center taught me. Ben’s caught off guard, and it’s easy to slam him to the ground—it would be easy to wrap my hands around his neck, easy to choke the life out of him, but I pull back before I can do anything more than think it, and turn to look at the person who’s got the right to decide what I should do next.

Charlie—Charlie Spring of District Ten, Victor of last year’s Games, how did I not that put together before?—stares at me, dark blue eyes wide and mouth—swollen a little bit from Ben’s rough kisses—hanging open an inch or so.

[fraudulent-cheese]

Idk if she counts since she’s a protagonist but I love Priya’s gimmick with her parents.

Like for “tiger parents,” they usually make their child study a ton to get into top universities and become a doctor, while the usual storyline is their child wanting to break free and pursue the arts or show business or something.

But for Priya’s parents, they train her up to be a literal reality TV all-star, while her dream is to go to study a bunch and go to medical school 😭

“But if I win, my parents might let me go to med school.”

“Let you?”

Not to mention the umbilical-cord birth…or the fact that after 16 years of training, Priya only won two individual challenges across 2 seasons and constantly compromised her game with best-friend or boyfriend drama, it’s all so perfectly ironic. I love her character.

Honestly yeah i'd say Priya can count as a gimmick girl! At least an honorary one! I'd say being trained for one TV show all your goddamn life counts! (also i'd consider the training itself to be her gimmick)

I don't know how perfectly she fits the mold however since the show actually explores her character instead of only dropping hints here and there. That and she makes it pretty damn far, something most gimmick girls don't do.

As for her parents, i didn't think about that parallel at all lmao, in my mind they were in a similar area to those pageant moms on early 2010s reality tv who seemingly only had kids to either exploit them or live vicariously through them. So them not wanting their precious little reality tv star material to study to become a doctor instead tracks.

Also i said "Reality TV Star material" and not "Total Drama Winner material" on purpose. i doubt her parents were huge total drama fans when she was born a year before it (if we're assuming the reboot cast are 16 during the first season), so i do think they would've trained her for some other extreme Reality show if TD didn't exist.

While i know it's convenient for animation, the only footage of Priya training we see are when she's a young kid (when TD was still running) and as a teenager (presumably right after the reboot was announced). I can't think of many popular Reality TV shows that involve pre-teens and also include alot of athletic stuff happening, or ones that don't involve their entire families. Im assuming maybe this was recorded by her parents to show their daughter's physical prowess.

Also, i mean. Priya's performance getting dragged down due to her seemingly never making actual friends before is inevitable considering how sheltered she is. Are her parents stupid or did they assume Priya would've gotten along via winning every physical/intelligence centered challenge.

But i will say this in defense of Priya not winning a ton of individual challenges, she does contribute alot to team challenges, and is generally one of the contestants that does the best in them (from memory)!

The ombilical cord bungee jump birth is fucking crazy tho. They were PLANNING for this.

[asherbakugou]

Ka'ani ran a hand across the hide of Mimikyu, the Ikran crooning beneath her touch, blinking yellow-orange eyes at her with pleasure. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she adusted the heavy saddle and armor she had crafted under the teachings of Tseke, making sure the straps weren't digging into her bondeds skin, reminiscing.

With the urgings of Nefika and Etuwa, Ka'ani had begun the climb to the Ikran Rookery with Eetu somehow managing to stay in front of her, though she had no idea how he could do so without flying an Ikran, especially since she was stumbling over rocks and nearly falling off the floating rocks, clinging to the vines in fear. But just meeting the gaze of Mimikyu made it all worth it.

A stunning Ikran, who had been well known to swoop on riders to chase them off, to keep them out of his territory - the Aranahe knowing him as Fe'tawng, Fear Diver, for his fast dives and the fear new warriors felt upon meeting him. Blue-black with cream-yellow, purple, and light blue markings along his back, a cream belly with soft purple streaks along his inner wings, with vibrant yellow kuru's and crest, all of it reminded her of one of the fiercest predators she'd learned about at T.A.P..

The Echo Stalker. A fierce pack hunter that lived in the dense Clouded Forest Region, a deadly predator even blind, capable of taking on Na'vi because of its pack mentality.

And the Na'vi name reminded her of the strange game Alma had spoken of once, showing tattered cards of odd animals that had never actually existed on Earth, created only for entertainment. Ka'ani specifically remembered the card with the strange creature hidden in a costume designed after a different creature - Mimikyu - so she named the fierce Ikran, after spending several hours climbing up the Rookery and chasing after him, before finally wrestling him to attach their Kuru.

Eetu had honestly expected her to die when he saw the way Mimikyu had focused upon her with killer intent, which he had admitted with abandon before shoving her off the rookery so her Ikran was forced to dive after and catch her. He later stated it was tradition within the Kinglor Forest, a way to strengthen a young bond and see just how powerful it would grow to be.

She hadn't believed him. He had looked far too happy to shove her off the cliff.

The feeling of flying had never gotten old, but none of it compared to that first time. That feeling of freedom, Mimikyu's memories and the glee he felt at having a rider, the way the wind felt whipping through her hair. It was everything to Ka'ani, to have someone, even an Ikran, that could see her for who she is and not judge her for her anger.

Mimikyu saw her anger - her anger at the death of her people, for the death of her sister, her mother, Zomey - and he saw it as justified when she went after the RDA. For an Ikran, revenge wasn't really a concept. If another hurt you, or your mate, or your flockmates, it was a call to battle. Ikran's were prideful and did not take slights well after all.

But none of the mattered right now. Not after what Alma had told her.

The others were alive, hidden away in a T.A.P. Facility in corner of the Spires, all pried from Alma's lips after Priya picked up on an odd signal. Not freely given. Never freely given.

Little Yefti - so sweet and shy, with so much curioisty when it came to the chemicals of Earth, to chemistry and so afraid of the Forest, just like Teylan.

Fierce and wild Telisí - always quick to back up Aha'ri, sharing that same spark of a flame that was waiting to be coaxed into a raging bonfire, and little interest in the ways of people but protective of Okni.

Sickly Okni - always stuck in the infirmary with a weak constitution that left her susceptable to human sickness, but so kind and eager, with a soft voice and even sweeter singing voice.

Yuayt, Hardings favorite. And how Ka'ani should have seen that happening, should have tried to keep Yuayt closer. But he had told on them - as if they had taken too much food, not been trying to escape. After Aha'ri's death, Yuayt had shyed away, Nor never allowing him to apologize even when the boy had tried. Mayhaps she should have told Nor to back off, to hear his apology, but how could she have known that they would be taken away? At the time, hearing an apology from him would have done nothing but made her angry.

Mimikyu, kuru connected, hissed, head shaking. Apologies didn't seem to be a thing in Ikran culture, rather submission or death were the closest things Ka'ani could find to it so she allowed him to search for more on the subject.

'Forgive too much. Fight more.' Ka'ani couldn't help but snort, easily recognizing what memories he had found.

"Teylan has apologized and has since done his best to earn our forgiveness, and Alma . . . She is the leader of the Restance. I cannot allow anger to cloud that. Without her we would be dead, Mimikyu."

The Ikran huffed, 'Owed life?'

"In a way, yes. Without her the humans would have slaughtered us, before we even had a chance to realize what was happening."

Mimikyu shook his head, flexing his teeth - an Ikran's way of changing the subject.

The memories of the Kinglor Forest, the Plain, and the Clouded Forest flashed behind Ka'ani's eyes, a question in the sights.

"We are returning to the Spires, the Tangled Peaks Region."

That earned a feeling of excitement. Mimikyu had adored the Spires, with criss-crossing wind currents and floating mountains to cling to, the new Ikran Treats were just a bonus. Smiling, Ka'ani hopped up into his back, patting the side of his neck.

"Let's get going, Mimikyu. Unfortunately this is not a pleasant visit."

Hissing - seeing everything Ka'ani did and had - he was quick to take off, understanding the urgency to retrieve her lost Flock Members.

From the Resting Tree Lab - the closest Resistence Field Lab to the edge of the Spires - to the first campsite in the Spires (), to (), before continuing on to the closest camp to T.A.P. Con-2 to rest for the night. From there Ka'ani traveled only a short distance with Mimikyu - unwilling to risk her bondeds safety if Alma and Priya's projected RDA numbers were correct.

Approaching on foot, the building, built into the cliffs itself like the Recon Site, looked abandoned with heavy vines covering the front but the smell of oil, gunpowder, and metal was too strong and fresh. The look was probably to keep the Keawa from noticing, especially since they preffered to stay on the backs of their Ikran than to be on foot.

Searching she eventually found a vent - overrun with mushrooms and moss - that allowed her to slip inside without anyone the wiser. The further into the vent she moved, the cleaner it became, heavy with the sickly clean smell of the RDA Cleaning Bleach, making Ka'ani wrinkle her nose in disgust having long grown used to the scents of Pandora, of herself and the others she met.

Approaching the end, the quiet steps of human soldiers made it to her sensitive ears, but no chatter. And once she made it to the edge, she could see why.

The vent led to a massive hangar - 12 Helicoptors, and at least 15 cars of some kind - so the people patrolling were seperated by multiple vehicles with no way to talk without yelling or pausing their patrols.

Pulling her bow from her shoulder, Ka'ani easily slotted an arrow into place, aiming for the closest soldier - and releasing the arrow so it sank through his throat. In her near 3 years on Pandora, fighting against the RDA, she had realized that Humans were resiliant in that sometimes shooting them in the heart didn't kill them immediatley. And what a surprise that had been, hearing the soldier she had shit call out intruder after her arrow had found its mark in his chest.

So now, she aimed for the throat - for the face if she wasn't using stealth, since the glass shattering could be an obvious mark of a Na'vi having made it inside.

Slipping out the rest of the way, Ka'ani made her way through the hangar leaving behind bloody bodies after retrieving her arrows - all marked with the bone white fletching and singular purple streak to mark her as Sarentu - until she found another vent to climb through.

Well over two hours were spent making her way through the Facility, hiding away the dead bodies she left as she moved on, trying to find the rooms or maybe even a classroom, but this place wasn't like T.A.P. Con-1 or T.A.P., no obvious area for the Na'vi children.

Until the cold nitrous smell of the Cryochambers seeped into her nose. Cryosleep. Maybe the four had been put in Cryosleep when the RDA were forced away the first time - not by a savior, but by their captor - and maybe they hadn't been released yet. Mercer might have wanted to wait until she and the others were killed so no one got the idea to rescue them.

Following the hall signs she finally came upon the room, and shot the singular scientist before he even had a second to register she was there. And there were four Na'vi sized Cryochambers, frosted over.

Laughin in relief, Ka'ani wiped away the gathered frost from the first tank but her expression fell. It was Telisì, but . . .

She hardly looked to even be 13 in the chamber, face frozen in time. Ka'ani was horrified and quickly wiped the frost from all four of them to see if the same was true for the other three and it was.

Reaching up she pressed the comms, "Teylan, Ri'nela? Are you there?"

"We are here," Ri'nela said, calm as ever.

"Did you find them? Are they alright? Oh, I hope they're alright."

"It's . . . They're still children."

"What?"

"What do you mean 'still children'? How is that possible?"

"They must've been put in Cryosleep as soon as they were moved here, because none of them look any older than the day they left," Ka'ani answered, clamping down on the anger curling along her spine.

"How are you going to get them out?" Ri'nela asked.

"I do not know. Are either of you near the Spires?"

"I am. I will speak to Tsu'lo, have him send some warriors to you so you can escape without putting them in danger."

"Thank you, Ri'nela. Do hurry, I do not wish to be here longer than I must, not with them in danger."

The comms clicked off and Ka'ani went about freeing the four from sleep, starting with Telisí.

The girl woke with a gasp, immediately banging a fist on the glass when she realized she was stuck. With a hiss the door slid open, allowing the young girl to sit up . . . And finally catch sight of Ka'ani.

"Who are you? Where are we? What is happening?" Telisí demanded, climbing from the cryochamber on unsteady feet, tail whipping in anger.

"Do I not look familiar, Telisí? I was unaware I had changed so much since we last saw each other," Ka'ani answered, tilting her face so her mark was obvious. Telisí faltered, blue eyes going wide with shock.

"Ka'ani? Is that you? You look . . . Older. How?"

"You've been in Cryosleep, Telisí, and based on the records it's been 23 years since you were all put in."

Telisí was horrified, head snapping to the side to see the other three Cryochambers, "23? No, no, no. That's-that can't . . . Why would Mercer do that?"

"I don't know. And we never will. Telisí, Mercer and Harding are dead."

"Really? Please say you are not pulling my tail, it would be a dick move, Ka'ani."

"I would never lie about this, Telisí."

"The others, you have to free them—" Telisí stared her down "—you have to free all of them, even Yuayt. He didn't know."

"I am going to free him. I would not leave him behind."

"You don't understand, he cried, Ka'ani, he tried to attack Harding when we got here. They almost– They almost killed him for it."

Ka'ani contiued working on releasing the next chamber, Yefti, then Okni's and finally Yuayt's.

All three had similiar reactions to seeing Ka'ani grown up, with Yuayt throwing himself into her to hug her, apologizing over and over even as Ka'ani held his shoulders.

"I know, Yuayt, I know. But we have to be ready to flee. The Keawa Kame'tire are coming to help us make it out, but I need you to do exactly as I say. If I tell you to hide, do it, run, do it. Anything, everything I say, do it."

The four nodded, quickly understanding what was happening, especially with the array of weapons adorning Ka'ani - from her shortbow, to the shotgun, to the knives at her hips. If they wanted to be free, they had to trust her to get them out.

Hardly a half hour passed before Ri'nela was reaching back out.

"Ka'ani, Tsu'lo has sent Emeray, Tseke, and Ku'malo with So'lek and I. Get ready to run, we will be arriving soon."

"We await your arrival," Ka'ani stated, cutting off the comms as the four watched her. "Help is on the way. Get ready to run, and run quickly. I will lead, Telisí, will be last. Okni if you begin to fall behind say something, I will pause if I can but you have to let me know. If you see one another begin to fall behind, speak. We have to work together to get out."

"We understand," Yefti murmured, holding her tail in her hands as Okni clung to her arm.

"We'll stay close," Yuayt confirmed, holding himself tall even with dried tears along his skin.

"Let's go."

Ka'ani was quick to move forward, retracing the path she had took to get inside, luckily no one was there, none having seen the hidden bodies stuffed in the shadows. Okni could not hide the startled whine when she saw the bodies, quickly pushed forward by Telisí.

"Did you—?" Okni began, eyes wide with shock.

"I did. A lot has changed Okni. If I hadn't then they would have lived on to kill other Na'vi."

Telisí spoke up, "I'm glad you did. It means we're safe, right?"

"As long as the RDA are here, no, but in this scenario, yes you are safe."

Ka'ani paused at a intersection, holding out a hand to keep them fron moving forward. The grating chatter of soldiers was coming from the other direction and she reached for her shortbow, knocking it.

"Ka'ani?" Yefti questioned, anxious.

"Stay here."

In one motion, Ka'ani moved into the hall, firing an arrow right into the throat of a soldier, charging forward to bash the second soldiers head in, snapping his spine. There was no point in hiding the bodies so she called them to follow her.

"Ka'ani! We're here!" Ri'nela called into the comms, shots echoing in the background. "Run!"

Alarms began blaring as the four instinctively huddled closer.

"Run!" Ka'ani ordered, picking up the pace. Any RDA they came across, she shot, leaving their bodies to rot. The four stumbled but she got them to the vent, and pushed them through firdt. "Ri'nela, they're coming out through a grate on the east side, outside the hangar area."

"We'll be there."

"Hurry!" Ka'ani ordered, slipping behind them and ushering them out into the world of Pandora. Yuayt, who had been first, stared out into the area with awe and glee, the others having sinilar looks. "I know this is a shock, but we need to go."

Shrieks announced the arrival of the Ikrans, with Mimikyu following.

"Ri'nela?" Telisí asked, amazed to see her on a stunning yellow and green Ikran. "Is that you?"

"Telisì? Oh, Telisí-"

Explosions rocked the facility, cutting her off, "We need to leave, now!" So'lek called.

"Okni, with Ri'nela, Telisì with me, Yuayt with So'lek, Yefti with Tseke," Ka'ani commanded, pointing out the strangers to the kids. Telisí scrambled to follow Ka'ani towards Mimikyu, who lowered his wing to allow Telisí a foothold, before he pudhed off.

Ka'ani had Telisí pressed to her chest, urging Mimikyu to flee towards the floating islands so he could dodge the pursuing helicopters until Emeray and Ku'malo were able to shoot them down with their mounted crossbows.

"Thank you, Ka'ani," Telisí whispered, leaning back against her as they glided through the skies.

"Always, Telisí. I will always protect you."

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Not Quite Human, But Not Yaksa Either

Ask any gymnast: Sticking the landing is HARD. Which is why it's all the more impressive that Tasha Suri makes it look easy with the conclusion to the Burning Kingdoms Trilogy. This book had me terrified, sobbing, and ultimately just utterly in love with the world and characters Suri has cultivated. Let's talk The Lotus Empire.

Yeah, so there are going to be MASSIVE SPOILERS below, so be cool with that or read the book before proceeding.

Ok, first and foremost: If one more goddamn man told Malini she had to willingly choose to burn, I was going to start shoving red-hot pokers into unmentionable places. For TWO AND THREE-QUARTER BOOKS all Malini has done is scrabble to live. This woman has clung to life with both hands and both feet despite the best efforts of her dickhead brother and an entire priesthood. By the time Hemanth showed up to the battle for Ahiranya with the fucking nerve to tell Malini it's time to die horriy and be happy about it, I was ECSTATIC for Rao to murder him to death. Like, my GOD I was sick of everyone insisting that Malini was worth more to Parijatdvipa dead than alive.

She masterminded overthrowing Chandra, she built alliances, she cared about not senselessly sacrificing her troops, and she's Divanyashi's scion...but all these small-minded, bepenised, fire-obsessed zealots can see of worth in her is the symbolic spectacle of the female body as it dies for the entertainment of the masses!?!? Abso-fucking-loutely not. Malini lives, and that more than anything else is her victory. Her continued existence would have been enough if she had no other victories to her name...and she HAD triumphs.

She also had tragedy. Losing Aditya was emotionally complicated, and her relationship with Priya after Priya stabbed her was...not something Malini was prepared for. Malini is amazing at reading people, but her weakness is to take a read and then see it as static. She didn't see the changes in Rao without Lata's prompting. She didn't really see Chandra's wife's betrayal coming without her network of women. She ABSOLUTELY didn't see the changes in Priya and the toll that loving Malini and her Ahiranyi family took, so she didn't see the stab coming. It wasn't until nearly the end that Malini realized and admitted that mistake to Priya. That realization was a nice arc, and it paired well with having to come to terms with still loving Priya despite the stabbing.

Which is a nice segue into poor, poor Priya. Priya honestly deserved so much better from her life. That dear, soft heart that never lost sight of the fact that EVERYONE is people really didn't help where the rot and the yaksa were concerned. Add to that softness the utter hardness and inflexibility that the temple elders and survival trained into Priya, and the horror that is being hollowed to become Mani Ara's vessel, and the fact that Priya held onto her humanity as well as she did is indescribably powerful. She had to cut her heart out. Sacrifice what made her human and herself for the Hirana and the yaksa. She lost her entire family, and she still did the math and came up with "stab Malini and it saves everyone I love in Ahiranya" and followed through.

Priya is the embodiment of what happens when someone with a good heart meets their gods, realizes that those gods not only cannot but actively will not love her or her people back, and goes full Act V Hamlet on them. Because gods are all well and good, but this is not a one-sided relationship. It is not ok for the yaksa to *checks notes* destroy humanity wholesale so they can have a second Age of Flowers. Priya and the Parijatdvipan religions AGREE on this, and apparently the enemy of my enemy is my hella uneasy ally when the entire world is at stake.

The kicker on that one is...they don't quite pull it off. Thanks to yaksa magic, there is some remnant of Mani Ara in Malini, and after everything they both did for over two books to keep Malini alive, there is no way in HELL Priya is letting Malini take a yaksa bullet after she dodged Hemanth's. So yes, Priya destroys the yaksa in Ahiranya. Priya destroys the Hirana--and holy cow I had FEELINGS about my favorite semisentient, morally gray temple falling. And Priya more or less goes with them. Which is heartbreaking in and of itself, because Priya deserved to live as much as Malini and her Ahiranyi loved ones. While she does come back, it takes her fifteen years, and she's not who she was before. She isn't yaksa, but its not fair to say she's her human self, either. Priya died; its just that in this case, death was transformational in a nontraditional sense. Was it fair? Not at all. Did I eat it and the reunion with a spoon? Hell yes I did.

The thing I truly loved about Priya and Maljni's relationship is that the love was never a question. They were each other's, heart and soul, from minute one. The PROBLEMS were situational, social, cultural, and religious, and how they navigated those challenges was fascinating. Trying to make choices as heads of state/religious figures and as human women who want each other so, so badly was agonizing to watch. The yearning in these books was STRONG, and so beautifully handled. At every point I wanted my girls together and happy. Watching the world try to rip them apart made the end of this book all the sweeter for being earned as all hell.

Low Prince of Alor Rao is just a straight-up tragedy from start to finish in this trilogy. By the time we get to Lotus Empire, he is lost as hell, flirting with suicidal ideation, low-key attempting to drink himself into at least a stupid if not full-on death, in a crisis of faith with the nameless, and feeling like a complete and utter failure. Malini is absolutely no help because she is possibly the hardest-core bitch walking, and at this point Rao needs gentleness. Lata sees this, and so does Sima, and they do their best, but there is sort of a war on, and Rao literally cannot peace out of it. Rao is the walking wounded and I'm convinced that he never really recovers, despite his adventures and exploration after the world is saved. As a secondary character, Rao was a really interesting contrast to Malini. Their strengths and weaknesses clashed more than complemented, and neither thinks the other is coping "correctly," which honestly puts soooooooo much unnecessary strain on their relationship.

And yet. And yet. Rao named Malini empress, never didn't have her back, murdered Hemanth, and had the presence of mind--during a goddamn near-apocalypse--to give Malini one last gift: A plausible narrative wherein she burned and lived. He got her out from under the shadow of the priests of the mothers. That ALONE proves that the complicated, prickly love Rao and Malini have for each other is and will always be rock-solid.

None of that stopped me wanting to blanket burrito Rao in a safe place for 100 years though.

Bhumika was an utterly fascinating character to follow. She doesn't start the trilogy as particularly sympathetic or likeable. She's just a little too willing to visibly compromise in uncomfortable ways, a little too good at playing political games, and the label "collaborator" sticks to her a little too easily. But when the chips are down, and when it really matters, it's those uncomfortable, arguably unheroic in the moment choices that put Bhumika in a position to act and to make a difference. She is the reason the people of her mahal survive. She is why Ahiranyi art and culture survives. She is why the yaksa can be thwarted and held at bay long enough for Priya to deliver the deathblow.

But none of it looks heroic. None of it looks uncomplicated, and none of it feels comfortable and right the way so many of Priya's decisions do. Bhumika ultimately sacrifices her self to achieve the knowledge of how to kill yaksa, and it is ultimately thanks to her that Ahiranya's future as a sovereign nation is assured. Bhumika is IMPORTANT, and the work she does gives Ahiranya a future. The nature of her work, though? Reflects the messiness and uncomfortable realities of escaping being conquered, whether by another nation, your own gods, or both.

Ahiranya's future will be full of Padmas: children of both worlds who will ultimately have to shape a future that will have a multitude of complex influences that are both inspiring and tragic. Bhumika's sacrifices and hard choices were what made that future possible, and reckoning with that is critical. Having a Jeevan around also helps. Jeevan is the MVP of Bhumika's book three storyline.

Ok, now we come to the yaksa. We get less time with them than our human characters, and I felt like we barely knew Mani Ara at all by the end. The yaksa we DID know was Ashok/Ahrali Ara. And frankly, when the ghosts of humans haunt decidedly non-human gods who don't value or respect or even care about humans, things get WEIRD. The reverse body horror of flower gods becoming meat was just...absolutely wild. The body horror of meat versus plant was great throughout the trilogy, but turnabout being fair play wasn't something I saw coming, and was a nice subversion of my expectation. The horror of physical and mental change being universalizing between humans and gods was really interesting to watch, and I honestly loved it.

Overall, the Burning Kingdoms trilogy was stunning well written with strong world building and amazing character work. I cannot recommend them enough. As I type this, the trilogy is up for a Hugo for Best Series, and if it DOESN'T win, I'm going to riot, because it deserves it.