#rhapsode rambles

[arkus-rhapsode]

Now I've been working on something involving Cartoon Network and its 30+ history and recently it really hit me just how much I had grown up with the channel, but also how much its still growing.

I had started watching in the early 2000s just before the CN City bumpers were a thing and would catch numerous reruns of shows from the 90s. In a lot of ways, Cartoon Network was my channel. Now I enjoyed Nickelodeon for stuff like Spongebob and Danny Phantom and Invader Zim and I just never had Disney Channel in our cable package so I missed out a lot of those shows. But CN... to say its got a special place in my mind palace is an understatement I remember the checkerboard and seeing Cartoon Network Studios at the end of an episode and their little animations. I was there when Miguzi was a thing as well as the alien invasion. I watched the Noods take over in real time and the transition from black and white to rainbow colors of Check it! for the network. I can even remember Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Lab showing up in the Hannah Barbera logo as I was barraged with these old times characters.

I think one of the things so captivating about this was Cartoon Network's skill at making their programs feel like a family. Like not a shared universe like Marvel or Star Wars, but rather entertainment companies having this identity of their properties able to fit together whether through shared advertising, little crossovers, Easter eggs, etc. Who remembers the "Spot the Block" campaign? I was cringing even as a child to that song. This is something companies like Nintendo does a lot or even what Nicktoons used to do. It made it feel so much bigger than just a show, but it also felt intimate. Personal. That all these characters off in their own little world could find themselves sitting down for coffee or playing catch.

However, by 2015 I had basically stopped with the network. My family opted to get rid of cable and invest in early streaming for entertainment and to be honest, I kinda just knew my time may have been up. I was a teenager almost done with high school and this channel is still primarily aimed at kids, my generation was passing.

I would hear about things through the grapevine. Stuff like Steven Universe and Teen Titans Go were kinda impossible to avoid in 2016. But for the most part what the channel did was kinda under my radar. I was perfectly content to transition into my "Anime 4 Life" adulthood. Cut to the 2020s with HBO Max, and I had the chance to catch up on some TV shows and it was fun. Going back down that rabbit hole of nostalgia and I was fine stopping there. But then this year I started working on a project which required my looking back into every Cartoon Network original show ever.

So of course that meant I had to do research into basically a whole decade after I had stopped watching. So I did some watching-We Bare Bears, Long Live the Royals, Mighty Magiswords, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, Villainous, Apple & Onion, Craig of the Creek, Summer Camp Island, Victor and Valentino, Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Infinity Train, etc. This is probably the part where you expect me to say something like "Everything was better in my day" or something. But like no. I was not... sad about what I was seeing but like I was really glad. There was apart of me being like I'm glad this exists. I'm glad that you can still see that Cartoon Network DNA. It's different than it was before, but like there was still that core of what made Cartoon Network so unique in children's programming. Hell I was a little jealous I couldn't view this through the eyes of a kid today and what it feels like for them.

But for what I am, a man in his mid 20s who still watches animated content, I could almost feel like there was still this link between generations in a way I don't think I've ever seen before. These two halves of a thirty year time frame able to reach out be able to still be Cartoon Cartoons.

Yes I know, people will bring up how there's "dark times" but there always has been. This network wasn't perfect. I know a lot of people like to say there was a downfall, but I gotta be honest, the network always had mixed and controversial bags. I remember people telling me Chowder and Flapjack were garbage that pandered to only loud and gross out humor fans. Yet now they're talked about as absurdist comedy classics. CN Real is considered the lowest point of the network that goes against the entire ethos of the network, but in 2010 you got the debuts of shows like Adventure Time, Generator Rex, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien, etc. The real downfall I see happening right now is in how Warner Bros Discovery the Business has treated animated projects and their horrible treatment of animators in the name of corporate greed.

But I just can't truly dismiss all the good that has come for the last decade. And Hey we're apparently getting a new Cartoon Network show next year, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, it looks good so far. It looks like something that CN City heads wouldn't mind walking around town with Grim and Samurai Jack. And the thing that got me was how I taught to myself "Im glad that if I had kids I know they're is something good for them watch and I could watch alongside them..."

I don't know the future of CN. I don't think anyone can say. But when I really think about kids dedicated networks with an emphasis on purely animation, but also creative visionary driven animated programming, I really thought about how its history is very short in the grand scheme of the world. And I was lucky to be born in the early years of it. I can't tell you, how much a smile the Crossover Nexus special made me smile. Not because it was pandering to my nostalgia of CN City, but like seeing all of these characters preserved in statues in this world, from big names like Ed Edd n Eddy and Courage to stuff that were so short lived like Sym-Bionic Titan or Megas XLR to shows people would scream to the heavens they thought were trash like Secret Mountain Fort Awesome or Problem Solverz to so projects that barely got off the ground like Firebreather. It felt like everything mattered. That this short history means something. Its worth remembering the new and the old and everything in-between.

Because it's not just memories that matter, but it's carrying on that creative spark. That vision for a Network about and for cartoons. Carrying it beyond my life time. Carrying it far into the future. I hope I'm not the only one who feels that.

Welp, sorry for this ramble post to my usual followers. I was just taking a break from my usual discussion based content to work through some feelings I was having.

[remyfire]

Me: I'm feeling normal again. I can change my header and avatar, even

SB: Have you thought about leobeej table dancing while drunk

Me: This is the only thing I will think about for the next 24 hours

[chalkrevelations]

Mmn.

I will likely go back and ramble some more about the bulk of this Bad Buddy Our Skyy ep, which will include rhapsodizing about Nanon���s expressive little face, and discussing how my sly little baby Pran deserves the world, and outrage about how Engineering continues to be the worst and, relatedly, how Pat needs a good punching because - if we’re going to be fair - that bullshit move he pulled with the sponsorship is really just (an attempt at) a mini-version of what his dad pulled on Pran’s mom, so piss off with your good hair, Pat, you should have had to sleep on the couch for the rest of your life. (No, seriously. That was pretty fucked-up, y’all. An immense breach of trust.) And ALSO about my eleven-dimensional-chess theory about how Korn’s drunk assholery - when he’s supposedly one of only four other people who’s in on what’s really going on - is part of his and Wai’s scheme to ensure that everyone else in Architecture and Engineering think that Pat and Pran can’t stand each other. (Although, god, let me tell you how much I did not like a throwback to Pat, Korn, Chang and Mo getting drunk around a table together and what fucking douchebros they can be when that happens, although if they wanted to make me cringe, that was the way to do it. Korn also may be sleeping on the couch for a good bit.)

ANYWAY. All that is to say, that’s not actually the point of this particular post, which is that I do not know how I have survived this long without the utter gorgeous delight that is MIX SAHAPHAP in my life. This, on top of Wen in Moonlight Chicken? He is radiant, and I can only cast flowers at Aof’s feet for how he seems to realize it, including how he insists his lighting guys make beautiful love to Mix’s FACE whenever he’s on-camera. I can hardly bear it.

[simstryingtheirbestok]

Vivienne and her husband had already moved out, to a silly house David had described as "European influenced" and I had described (to myself, privately) as "a monstrosity." It looked like a Tuscan villa had been abducted by a Cape Cod and forced to grow dormers and an English garden.

It was still technically in the city, off the road that led out to the countryside, and so I suffered through a lot of rhapsodizing from David and Vivienne that this orange-bricked nightmare offered "the best of both worlds." I kept to myself the aphorism from Aesop that those who seek to please everybody, please nobody.

I love Vivienne. She is literally my best friend, and I began missing her almost as soon as she moved out. But we are very different people.

I didn't want a place like that, and I couldn't afford one even if I did want a place like that. Satiric novels don't sell as well as other genres do. I was currently working on a mystery novel in an attempt to branch out into something more profitable.

Of course, nothing sells as well as a good romance novel, but that genre I was happy to leave to Vivienne and Violet--not because I looked down on it, but because they were both so much better at it than I was. I can't write love scenes or romantic dialogue without cracking myself up and turning the whole story into a NSFL parody of a romance novel, and (as my agent was quick to assure me) those don't sell at all.

Obviously, there were no modern farmhouses, restored Queen Annes, or Codder-abducted villas in my future. A small townhome, an empty loft, a shotgun flat--that was the vibe. I only wanted someplace to write, read, sleep, and cook, in about that order.

When I ran into my grandfather at the city library, I remembered that he had started out in a tiny house by a lake somewhere. I asked him about that--what had living there been like? Did he think I would like it? Did he still own the house? Could I rent it?

"No, no, I sold that years ago," Grandpa said. "It was in Dragon Valley. That's pretty far from here, Velma, and I don't know whether you'd like it. Agrarian community, mostly."

"Oh," I said, disappointed. I don't want to live anywhere I can smell manure.

"I used to lease it to a family there, years ago," Grandpa continued, "but they outgrew it and moved away. Then we moved to Midnight Hollow and I thought, eh, may as well sell it. That was when we were trying to get the nectary going, you see."

I didn't see, but old people ramble sometimes, and you just have to put up with it when you want them to tell you anything specific. Patience is a virtue.

"Now Tahiya isn't like that," he went on. "All she wants is a well-lit corner to paint in. We had a little garden in Sunlit Tides, I remember, but neither of us kept up with it much. We're not farmers."

"Neither am I," I said emphatically. Sims need to eat, but there's nothing that says I have to be the one to feed them.

"What I think you ought to look for," my grandfather said, "is a place on Calypso Street, back by the mountain. Got a good vibe over there. Lot of artists."

He wasn't wrong about Calypso Street--I'd been to a couple of parties there--but he was way wrong about my budget if he thought I could afford to live on it.

"They aren't exactly giving away lofts on Calypso, Grandpa."

My grandfather cocked his head at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Actually," he said, "I might know a guy who knows a guy who kind of... is."

[sweetteaandpie]

i remember the good old days. this might be my age talking, but i remember when it was about art and community, not content and money-making. i'm too tired to wax rhapsodic about the "old days" of fandom, but i miss the process, the evolution, and the undying devotion that still persists in fandoms that are 10+ years old.

in the same breath, i miss the consistency and stability of pre-streaming shows that didn't lend itself to instant gratification and dragged us along as this imaginary world was built that we felt we could immerse ourselves in and then create art about.

not sure if i'm making sense, but somewhere in my rambling is a coherent thought (i hope).

Not people saying “Fandom has always been like this” in that vent post I made. No. It hasn’t always been like this. Fandom has NEVER been like this until recently and if you were in fandom pre-tumblr purge, pre-twitter, pre-netflix boom, pre-tiktok….then you would fucking know it was nothing like this.

We still had the drive to create. We still sold prints and charms and made zines…but it was never like this.

The introduction of streaming, binge shows that drop all at once, tiktok and vine RIP i still love u vine but you were the beginning of a particularly ugly era) creating this bite sized, quick paced ‘content’ era of creation and it bled out into fucking everything else.

Fandoms didn’t die down when the show ended or the season was over. You didn’t mass unfollow artist, writers or moots just because they changed fandoms. There wasn’t this need to please the algorithm in order for your posts to get seen by people and enjoyed.

Fandoms used to last YEARS. Star Trek is literally the oldest running fandom out there and you got people in there that could care less about the new stuff and still have been happily prancing through their fucking fifty year old fandom today. Hell, even SPN after all it’s fuckups and shitshows has a dedicated fanbase STILL creating tons of art and fic.

There is no patience anymore. No calm feeling of taking in fandom and friends at a pace that which doesn’t make you stressed and is still fun.

Do I blame fandom for this? Of course not, but people are complacent with it and start changing their vocab to accommodate and end up making the situation so deep it cant be fixed.

We call Art & Fic Content now, completely stripping the value of what it is to a level of consumerism instead of personal entertainment & community bonding.

[bellamyblakru]

okay loves imma go to sleep, but can i get some good ass enemies to lovers fantasy recs, please?

ive read: shatter me, cruel prince, bridge kingdom, ToG, the shadows between us, daughter of the pirate king, and rhapsodic (probably more but it’s almost two am and i cannot think)

im in the mood for some ✨magic✨if you got some, but i appreciate anything at all. thank you😭

[hahanoiwont]

eyesbrow

[declanisms]

God phineas and ferb was such a legendary show like that episode where major monocle was like “wait you’re not wearing your fez go to the fez dispenser” and then perry fucking goes to the fez dispenser, which looks like a pez dispenser, then fucking gets a fez? Legendary. Then later Perry has An Entrance with that song, wow I love perry, and at the end ferb’s like, “a platypus saving us isn’t weird because mysterious ways of the world, but why tf was he wearing a fez?” Legendary. Anyway yeah Perry’s the best.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

This is a follow-up to my previous Rainy Rambles column about how awesome coyotes are! This article goes into ways to live with coyotes in ways that minimize conflict and protect both pets and livestock while allowing us to enjoy these fascinating canid neighbors of ours.

[arkus-rhapsode]

I want to talk about Crimson Flower and 3H as a narrative

So... after FE3H discourse makes the round every other week, I end up thinking about it for a bit until I realize, hey maybe its better to not focus on a 4 year old game at this point and occupy your time with something else. Everything has basically been said about it at this point and you know where you land.

But this time my thoughts were just getting too strong for me to ignore, so that's why I'm writing this both get it out of my system and maybe just be another voice in the crowd that some people might want to listen to on the divisive topic that is Crimson Flower route.

Now I really hate that I have to put this disclaimer up front, but I feel like the well of this discussion has become so poisoned that I have to before I make my piece. I want to say that if you enjoy Crimson Flower, if you love Edelgard and believe she did nothing wrong and this is the right route, if you are a Black Eagles stan and you genuinely do not have any issues with Crimson Flower route as a whole-that is perfectly fine.

This will be a somewhat critical examination of the narrative choices about the execution of CF, which I feel like whenever 3H, specifically Edelgard is discussed, there is often very disingenuous arguments people make. Which I believe can create more defensive fans of a particular aspect of a story that we should be able to criticize freely. Which perpetuates this never ending cycle of discourse of legit criticism and defense against that criticism becomes drowned out by trying to decouple these very disingenuous claims from legitimate flaws. So I at least want to make it known that I am going to try my best to be in good faith with this post about this tricky subject.

I also want to just say, this is also going to be mostly an examination of narrative. The thing that I personally enjoy the most in an FE game, but we need to genuinely acknowledge that narrative isn't the only reason why people may like Fire Emblem. The ability to form parasocial relationships with fictional characters and being able to experience something the genuinely brings you emotional fulfillment is not invalid. Being able to enjoy fighting against establishments or ideologies you in the real world disagree with through the experience of a video game is not invalid. The same way someone who plays this game for the experience of gameplay isn't invalid when their primary enjoyment stems from the actual mechanics rather than the "logistics" of the story. The point I'm trying to make is that everyone will engage in media in different ways and will enjoy it other ways and that you don't want to invalidate those feelings someone had with their personal experience. So this is going to be about me and my experience as someone who primarily enjoys narrative.

I am just one guy with opinions who is going to layout what I had an issue with and how I think for me that could've been improved upon. You don't have to agree with me on that, and I'm not saying my way is legitimately better. This is all opinionated.

Buckle this is a long one

First things first Im gonna say Im not going to be using any information given in Three Hopes that may contradict what Im about to say. As in my opinion Three Houses came first and does not include the content from Three Hopes so I should think that Three Houses can stand on its own merits and the content that was provided.

Next thing is I want to catch people up on what in my opinion are the points I think CF did for me that ultimately left me unsatisfied

The post time skip Fodlan was too different and felt contradictory to Byleth's role

Edelgard's Characterization in CF in comparison to the other lord's in their respected routes

The role of Rhea

The role of Those who Slither in the Dark

SO the first thing is probably the thing I'm mostly going to have to defend if I haven't lost you already, but Fire Emblem Three Houses as a narrative provides us with a five year time skip in the game that depending on the route will change who is control of the monastery at this point in the war, with each route providing a lord the chance the forge their campaign. However, something I don't think is brought up enough is talking about the liberties that CF takes with their time skip vs the other three routes. Azure Moon, Verdant Wind, and Silver snow all paint a post five years Fodlan as one where the monastery territory has been abandoned, Rhea has been captured, the Alliance territory is split between an imperialist faction and an anti imperialism faction, and the Kingdom has been split with Cornelia making an alliance with the Empire to create the Dukedom of Faerghus as the houses of Gautier and Faldarius hold up the Kingdom.

There are obviously minor changes like Dimitri camping out in the monastery in Azure Moon rather than in the care of Kingdom Allies, but for the most part there is a consistently defined world between the three routes. However, Crimson Flower's post Fodlan is much different. With a grid locked Fodlan after five years with just the church territory falling under the control of Adrestia, Rhea wasn't captured and instead made it to Faerghus, The Alliance is still feuding amongst itself, but most importantly than all, Faerghus is a complete kingdom with Dimitri as King and no Cornelia's Dukedom.

So there are two main reasons why this bothers me.

The first is that Three Houses as a game wants to present you with three options at first, with the idea that your choices will effect the outcome of the war when Byleth returns, however there's enough consistency to imply that this is what Fodlan would be like regardless of whose House you would join, with the primary effect being your class making it to the church for the festival which in turn will make the monastery your new territory for which route. However, Crimson Flower decides to do away with the consistency, implying that the effect Byleth had on the situation is far greater than that of any other route resulting in a drastically shifted Fodlan. So this is more of a problem with FE3H as a whole with the consistency of choice. Fire Emblem has never really had a BioWare style choose your own adventure type of game. There's only one real choice you're given in the case of 3H and that's which house you side with, which you are essentially locked into. Black Eagles is really the only route that offers a choice beyond that with choosing to side with Edelgard or Rhea which will effect who the class sides with in the time skip. The reason I bring this up is that it essentially means that you the player are for the most part on rails for a predetermined plot where all the choices for the series have already been made. So the Fodlan post five years being consistent makes some sense as essentially mostly everything that happened in White Clouds was the same with the acceptation of the class. However, the Crimson Flower one not being consistent and being so radically different based on a game with so minimal choice feels more like an act of narrative convenience. That this is what happened because of a writer fully independent from me the player had decided that this is how Fodlan shall be for this story because it fits what they want to tell.

Somewhere I had once read that FE3H shouldn't be treated as one story, but since its a bunch of routes they're all a different universe. Everything might look the same but everything is fundamentally altered that you should accept it as an independent universe. And I can't necessarily say that's wrong as the concept of multiverses is to create a world/scenario that allows to explore familiar characters in unfamiliar settings and you could say that Byleth effect on Edelgard in picking this universe was just so much greater that it would result in such a different universe.

I personally disagree with that which brings me to my second point as I believe this one is going to be a more philosophical point on game design. But I feel like the effort to make three routes so consistent with each other with one so different seems to deliberately undercut the core themes of the game. Offering you a choice that this is who you get to spend your happy schools days with and it is what is going to result in them returning to the monastery one the day of your return. That is the true effect of Byleth on the characters. But as you play through white clouds you can't change what happens to other characters which will result in a brand new scenario. Byleth's presence can never stop Dimitri from going blood mad, Byleth's presence can't stop Claude from discovering the Immaculate One research, and Byleths presence can't stop Edelgard from declaring war. And that is a good thing for this type of on rails route story. Byleth while a player insert who can help their lord in the future, right now everyone is on a path that Byleth can only lightly change. With the characters acting independently of what Byleth and the player desire. And the post time skip Fodlan is a sign of that. Its Five Years without Byleth. This is what these characters would do, that they were always capable of doing and that is why Byleth's return and effect on them is important. This also gives us the ability to observe what a lord is like now after the war, and Byleth's effect on them but also see what a character could be like without that Byleth effect on them. Without Byleth Dimitri stays mad, without Byleth Claude always flees Fodlan, without Byeth Edelgard... well lets put a pin in that.

The only other true choice the player can make beyond the initial one is the side with Edelgard or Rhea which radically alters her. Which honestly feels kinda defeating in a game that has locked Byleth so much on a path and the one time it can deviate actively alters everything. It just feels very hollow as there are parts that make you realize how great the effect Byleth could have on people's lives could be if the game actively wanted to integrate choice with the plot. But it didn't. It wants to make one early choice then lock you in that route for several chapters then remove Byleth and then have their return effect real change on the future of Fodlan. Except for this one route. Its why Crimson Flower feels so much like an asterisk compared to the other route. And I don't just mean the lack of chapters, but this feels like a route that can only exist because it was the one that the developers bothered to create something overly deviating from everything else.

Which brings us to Edelgard's role in Crimson Flower as a whole. Now lets just get this out of the way. Im not going to be talking at all on the morality/realistic implications of what Edelgard is doing. I feel like the "Is she a fascist/authoritarian" conversation is not really helpful to talking about FE3H as a work of narrative and mostly exists to create a bunch of petty beef. This is also not going to be a deconstruction of ever minute detail of Edelgard as a character. This is an examination of her as a character in the narrative that we are presented. This will also involve comparison's to Edelgard and other series lords and I want it to be known that this is not a talking down to the only female lord in the game as being something "lesser" than her male contemporaries. I believe there is genuinely sexism when discussing Edelgard as a character, so I want to say that I am approaching Crimson Flower and Three Houses as a whole in a good conscious that there is not a "right route." That this is a game that where all choices have their pros and their cons. Because that's why we like this entry, right? That 3H would provide us some genuinely complex lords who were all capable of doing great and terrible things regardless of gender?

That's why I had such a long winded discussion about why the change in the post time skip Fodlan is so important both for narrative consistency, but also just generally keeping with the tone, but also it reinforced that Fodlan and its lords while all righteous in their own way can be dangers in their own way. Well that's when I return to the pin about Edelgard. So first I want to go through how the lords are characterized in non devoted routes.

Dimitri in non AZ routes is portrayed as someone so damaged by loss that his who response is to avenge and fight. To never stop making those pay for the damage it has brought on his kingdom as well as any lives lost during the tragedies in places like Duscar and Remire.

Claude in non VW routes is portrayed as a brilliant individual with a lot of charm but seems to be hiding something from everyone. He's a lot smarter than one could assume and that he has some mysterious tie to the kingdom of Almyra that he departs after leaving his land to the stronger kingdom that has come so far, be it Dimitri or Edelgard or the Church.

Edelgard in non CF routes is portrayed as a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Now I want to talk about what happens to those lords as you play them in their routes.

Dimitri in AZ is portrayed as someone burdened by loss and his quest for vengeance has led to a neglect for his own health and his own actions. That his kill everyone attitude will perpetuate more loss of those he loves and that he needs to learn to rely upon others. That is his true responsibility as king.

Claude in VW is portrayed as an individual who is outside of Fodlan's system who has observed it more as a third party and believes it can be a great place if people work through diplomatically. He too is not a fan of inequality and racism and wishes to make a Fodlan that is more accepting and able to work through negotiation. While he still leaves Fodlan at the end, this time he has been able to implement real systemic change and make one that is sustainable beyond that of a ruler.

In CF we find out that Edelgard is a traumatized girl who was experimented on for the purposes of Crest Research. This makes her a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Hey wait a minute, that's the same?

So this is where I get to the most glaring flaw for me in this case of narrative and why I think altering the post time skip so much did a lot of damage. Edelgard is a good character and a fascinating one, but in the practice of her narrative, her character journey in her own route isn't like the other lords. Rather she is "right" from the start of the time skip and with the world altering in ways to justify why she is that way.

Now look, I know right now someone could be saying I can't read, that its clearly stated in the text that Edelgard says without Byleth she may have turned into a complete monster to see her goals through to the end. This is referring to how in non CF routes she is on the backfoot getting beaten back and forced to take more drastic measures as whoever Byleth comes closer to ending her ideals. Unlike Dimitri or Claude there's not really a psychological arc she is working through with her sociological arc. Dimitri's arc is almost entirely hinged on him as a character changing in his route. And while Claude the character is also mostly the same, you get an understanding of how his continued participation in Fodlan's politics is so important as he effects sociological change. Claude also does the less stuff that could be considered questionable in Fodlan. He neither initiates the war nor does he intimate greater conflict that is tied into a character arc like Dimitri. Claude action's through the war are mostly to keep the Alliance fighting against each other with avoids giving one side a greater advantage. The truth is Claude real "flaw" is that by being an Almyra he is from a race outside of Fodlan that is inherently untrustworthy in society so his continued prescience in his expanded campaign is done with changing that mentality.

Now one could look at everything I said about Claude and say "well isn't that Edelgard though? She's not the one who needs to change but rather society needs to and this is you making it a fruition?" And I would agree however, then why did post time skip need to change and not Edelgard? So going back to the altered Fodlan, the Fodlan post time skip we see in non CF routes has what can be argued Edelgard's biggest moment of political conquest, making an alliance with Cornelia inside of Faerghus using her authority and influence to expand and bring over a chunk of the kingdom underneath Edelgard's wing. And this makes sense with what has been proposed before us-Edelgard had released a manifesto to lords that would side with her and become her allies in the war to come. This act of subversion is something that benefits her goals for conquering all of Fodlan. However, this is one of the key alterations in CF's time skip. Faerghus is not broken in half, with Edelgard having not empowered Cornelia over the five years. In fact, you do battle with Cornelia with her as a kingdom general.

So if Edelgard isn't a character who is subject to change, why did the world change? Well there is speculation in universe that perhaps Rhea fleeing to Faerghus didn't give her the ability. But I do believe the most likely reason is that narratively the writers of 3H wanted to avoid a scenario where while Byleth was gone Edlegard may have empowered and individual like Cornelia. One of the most objectively evil characters in the game. Now I won't go into to detail if I believe Edelgard knew Cornelia was a TWSITD or not, but as it is presented to us, she seems unaware. Instead I'll focus on the primary point is where they don't want to discuss that while in her route Edelgard was capable of doing something that would potentially cast her in such a negative light. After all, the point of her campaign is the while the bloodshed is worth it to make a new Fodlan free of crests, she's willing to show lenency to those who bend the knee. Again, an action not unreasonable for her character. However, I feel like this not happening in CF genuinely robs us from exploring the flaws of Edelgard's path/showing us what Byleth's effect on her truly is.

This is compounded by my issues with how CF is the only route in which you have an active choice beyond class. That by choosing to side with Edelgard when given the option in the tomb would result in this much radical history alteration. But also all of Byleth's effect on her not being as much conqueror over the last 5 years was all done pre time skip. That all that change was done at that moment rather than being something that prompted her to return to Garreg Mach where they'd remeet Byleth and then that would get them to claim it as a base of oppositions in their future war. In CF, Garreg Mach is already claimed rather than the formation of the Dukedom with no real progress. So it makes it seem as though Byleth's real effect on altering this lord's path was always possible in the short time they knew them before disappearing over five years. Of course this is again a bit miffling given that CF is the only route this is a possibility. We can't Change how Dimitri will act in the pre time skip. That he will make choices without Byleth even if they feel urged to remeet at Garreg Mach. But in the case of CF, Edelgard has apparently been changed despite the only real difference in white clouds fighting beside her in the tomb and against the church pre timeskip. But that has sociologically altered so much of Fodlan.

And maybe you genuinely believe that one extra change is enough. Perhaps that one extra choice is enough justification for such a radically new scenario. For me personally, I find that unsatisfying and feels more like the writers traded in a level of consistency for this new scenario that greater justified being on the side of someone who is portrayed as a more active antagonistic force in other routes (Reminder this not me saying the Empire route is an antagonist route. All routes are antagonistic relative to which side you are on).

This is where we get my first what I would've done to make it more narratively satisfying for me. Keep the same post time skip Fodlan as the other routes. Keep Edelgard having brokered a deal with Cornelia to establish the Dukedom and have Byleth find out about it. Be some that either Byleth or another character close to Edelgard questions the extremity of. Then have Cornelia do something evil like she's experimenting on people for TWSITD or maybe she's just abusing the power. Then have Edelgard clean it up. Have Edelgard realize that while she still wants to make her dream of a crestless Fodlan a reality she can't just back lords or nobles that are willing to go along with her for more power. She can still keep the Dukedom territory, but instead she'd be now more understanding what it means for there to be a ruler with a noble soul. So she continues her campaign of conquest but has realized that if she's going to be emperor, she can't just empower people arbitrarily.

In my opinion this not only would tie together some more TWSITD plot while also paralleling it to Edelgard's past and how there was no authority figure to step in and help her all those years ago. But now she is that authority figure. And while it doesn't call her method in question and like Dimitri and Claude she can continue her expanded influence over Fodlan, but now we actively see that Byleth has helped show her that her allies aren't just those pledging loyalty, she actually needs to empower those who are good. She gets to have her fight with Cornelia level and this won't stop her from killing Dimitri in the future.

Like I said, this is what I'd do. And in my opinion it would give Byleth's presence in CF more purpose beyond the bond with Edelgard is nice and fun. But also stay consistent with each route. Showing that there are flaws in Edelgard's sociological plan, but not undercutting what her actual goal is. You can still believe her quest is just and the only right one with her taking an active role in not making the mistakes she perceives Rhea as doing.

And if you are still with me up to my third point, lets talk about Rhea.

So Rhea as a character can best be described as a neutral evil throughout White Clouds. She doesn't really do anything but there is a lot of ominous foreshowing and presentation that Rhea may be up to something or at the very least complicit with many of her policies and tendencies. And when I say "evil" I don't mean she's bad (please don't skewer me Rhea fans). I mean that if the crest system is flawed and the church is emblematic of the systems maintenance of that flawed system. Then Rhea as the face/founder/head of that church bares some responsibility even if all she does is passive.

In all other routes, Rhea is captured by the Empire. Imprisoned in their capital. Anytime she is seen after she is characterized as somewhat docile or defeated, having been imprisoned for so long. VW goes a step farther to reveal what she did as Seiros and all of her actions leading to this point presumably all thanks to be imprisoned and rethinking her life over. CF is the only one Rhea is allowed to be an active player, she is now portrayed a ranting self righteous warrior priest who swears vengeance upon Byleth for being the reincarnation of her mother but not being a proper vessel as she intended and fighting against her. Naturally, if Byleth being the potential for the reincarnation of Sothis siding against her is what her drives her mad, that is believable, however much like the altered Fodlan Rhea in this version is not captured. This is now for Rhea to serve as Edelgard's true climatic opponent. With her symbolically killing the representation of the church and the power of crests being slain by Byleth and Edelgard. Its very poetic. But once again we reach my issue of the time skip altering so much in CF.

As stated before, Rhea was presented as a neutral evil, in doing so she's not really a direct antagonist in any route. Except of course Silver Snow. Where she is deployed as a weapon against Byleth. In this case killing the immaculate one symbolically is cleansing the church of Rhea and allowing it to pass into the hands of the new archbishop. However, Rhea in that fight is under control. Rather than be conscious as an opponent, they make her more of a beast without choice. Thus making this less a flawed character meeting their end and rather a forced confrontation by the evil cult of evil. Now Rhea I think being kept a neutral party was ultimately a good choice. We are given enough about her to understand she has done things questionable and should possibly not hold the authority she has. But she also has not instigated any open any hostility. As such Rhea is more a symbolic player. By making her an active player, CF has to make Rhea more domino and more a threat. She can't portray constant neutrality in a war. But by making her the active antagonist, it makes her less of a symbol and more if just a rotten character who Edelgard is justified in wanting dead. And much like Cornelia and the Dukedom, this alteration comes off as an attempt by the writers to never truly challenge Edelgard's plans for Fodlan. That Edelgard has no flaws in her plan and the bloodshed is beyond justified more than just philosophically. Had Edelgard captured Rhea in CF this would lead to some genuinely uncomfortable questions of keeping her a prisoner. And to 3H's credit they were actually willing to make the player uncomfortable already in Dimitri's route showing him as a mass murderer. Once again, I want to express this isn't me saying Edelgard's quest or goals are wrong and the plot should undermine it. This is me saying that for a game that wants to genuinely have nuanced and uncomfortable political choices made by their character, this is the route where they opt to alter the scenario so that Edelgard is the most justified and does less things that one could find objectionable. Flattening a lot of interesting implications this would raise and what Byleth as a force in this route could possibly able to influence.

Now one could again say, well the reason Rhea wasn't captured because Edelgard didn't use crest beasts this time. Edelgard not using crest beasts is a sign Byleth is changing her and thus that greatly alters the future. Once again, I can see that as understandable justification, but again, my issue off only ever being able to effect this lord pre time skip comes in again. If it was possible to get Edelgard to not use crest beasts, then how come it wasn't possible for me to get Claude to have Almyra support? How come I couldn't stop Dimitri before the war? The answer is again as a game the only other narrative choice that could possibly alter the story happens in CF which is the side with Edelgard in tombs choice. And while I'm not against the idea of angry pope Rhea, but I feel making her CF's full on antagonist was almost making a straw man antagonist for your opposition.

As an aside we also know Arundel is still on Edelgard's side and he is Thales so while she might not know his entire deal, I hesitate to imagine he'd stop using crest beasts in the war over the two years Byleth was gone.

If I was going to once again alter CF to be something I would personally find more satisfying. Have Rhea captured and then have Arundel use the same rage stuff he uses on her Silver Snow. This way you can facilitate an Edelgard vs TWSITD conflict AND you still get your symbolic victory of Edelgard and Byleth killing the symbol of the crests and church. Again, Edelgard is able to do what she wanted to originally, but now we are also confronted with the role TWSITD did play in her life and allowing her to rectify it as well as truly killing the old world by getting rid of Rhea and Thales.

And final point TWSITD. TWSITD are bad. They've always been bad. And they genuinely damage the overall story of CF because this is beyond just a narrative choice, its very clear CF as a story wasn't complete. I feel confident in saying that given the numerous chapters missing compared to the other routes, but also the epilogue needs to say "Oh yeah there was totally a bunch of war against them. Totally." I know this point is probably the least controversial when talking about CF, but I still think its a glaring flaw.

So what's the tl;dr?

This is not an "I hate Crimson Flower or Edelgard post" I genuinely have no interest in debating people about characters that like or enjoy. Nor did I want to turn this into a moral argument about the implication CF. I feel like these topics do real damage to any real criticisms one can have for CF as a narrative.

Which for me, CF as a route fails to really mesh with the rest of 3H as a whole. It feels like it takes a lot of narrative ways out to avoid potentially making their lord seem objectionable, despite much of this game wanting to be about how tragically flawed everyone is. Im not saying Edelgard needed a come to Jesus moment of "Are we the bad guys?" No absolutely not. In my opinion we just lack seeing Edelgard change the same way post time skip as others have due to creating an entirely brand new setting that keeping her as a mostly the same character is not questionable. Nor does she have to do anything that could truly be seen as flawed. Things that Byleth's influence may overcome.

Edelgard is a good character and her goals are understandable. I just personally find the narrative bending to accommodate her in ways so different from the other time skips genuinely make it a weaker narrative for me.

If you enjoy CF as it it. More power to you. Please keep loving CF. This isn't supposed to be a dissuading post. This is merely me as one guy who likes a lot of FE because of the stories it can tell sharing why he personally didn't enjoy this one. Maybe I helped put it words for some who might feel similar. But this is just my opinion

If you have something you'd like to add or reply in the replies or tags please flee free, but for the love god, please be cordial about it. There is so much toxicity and disingenuous takes around Fire Emblem Crimson Flower and Edelgard and Rhea in general, that I would like for us to please be able to talk about this in good faith.

[jamiesshelves]

Has anyone read The Bargainers series??

Aka Rhapsodic, A Strange Hymn, and The Emperor Of Evening Stars?

I just finished all three and I NEED to talk about it, but I don’t know anyone that has read it 😥😭

[a-kind-of-merry-war]

7! spice is fine :D

Your prompt: Jaskier falls asleep in Geralt's lap and Geralt has a conversation with someone else while stroking Jaskier's hair. (I had fully intended to go spicy, but this prompt... it’s so soft....)

~

Eskel had been expecting Geralt to return for the winter. He had not been expecting the bard.

It wasn’t an altogether unpleasant surprise. They’d been subjected to Geralt’s unintentional rhapsodizing about his bard for years, and he’d hoped that actually having Jaskier amongst them in the keep might mean they’d be forced to listen to less of his rambling. Geralt wasn’t even aware he was doing it - Lambert had called him out on it last winter during training, and the argument had quickly dissolved into a scuffle.

Back then, Geralt had sworn at Lambert, and asked what the fuck he was implying. Lambert had only smirked at him, which had made it worse: he didn’t need to imply anything.

And now the bard was here, in all his apparent glory. 

They’d been playing drinking games and singing increasingly lewd songs one cold evening a couple of weeks after Geralt and Jaskier had arrived at the keep. Jaskier was a good drinker, but even he couldn’t keep up with the gull-spiked vodka that Eskel and his brothers were knocking back.

He’d slumped against Geralt’s shoulder, snoozing drunkenly, his mouth hanging open. Geralt was clearly trying very hard not to disturb him, sitting in a stiff-backed, tense way that was only exacerbated by the drink. When Geralt had finally moved, reaching for a gwent card, the bard toppled fully into his lap, his head resting peacefully against Geralt’s thighs.

They’d continued to drink for a good two hours afterwards before finally calling it a night. Geralt had gently shaken Jaskier awake, who’d mumbled incoherently as he led him upstairs. Lambert folded his arms across his chest, leaning on the bench, watching them go.

“I thought the spare rooms were on the other side of the keep?” He said.

“They are,” Eskel replied, packing away his deck. “But he’s been staying in Geralt’s room since they got here. You didn’t realise?”

“And they’re not...?”

“They are definitely not.”

“Fuck.” Lambert snorted. “Did you see what he was doing?”

“What, playing with Jaskier’s hair for the past hour? Kinda hard to miss.”

“Pathetic, isn’t it? D’you think he even realised he was doing it?”

Eskel shook his head. “If he doesn’t work it out soon, I’m going to throw myself in the lake.” He paused. “Maybe throw him in the lake.”

“How about a wager?”

Eskel tucked his cards into a pocket. “I’m listening.”

“Fifty crowns says they’ll be fucking before winter’s out.”

Eskel considered this. He considered how much of a fool his brother was - and how much Jaskier clearly didn’t want to lose him by pushing Geralt further than he was comfortable with. He stuck out his hand.

“You’re on.”

[danpuff-ao3]

Hermione, Luna, Fleur 🧡

Hi there Anon! Thanks for the asks! 😄

Hermione Granger: A subject you know a lot about.

Gotta be ASTROLOGY, am I right? 🤣 That shouldn't surprise anyone here. Harry Potter, also. (Those books came out when I was 5 and I've basically been reading them since then.)

But for a little extra...astrology is, essentially, a language of symbolism and storytelling. (Also more math than I like to think about, so let's not get into that bit of it.) Well I, as a writer, am very drawn to the storytelling bit, but I'm also pretty well-versed in symbolism in general.

Color symbolism. Animal symbolism. Flower symbolism. I'm very fascinated by symbols, and history, and stories, and sort of tying it all together. The idea of there being deeper meaning, and deeper power, in all things. Seeing beauty and magic all around us.

That's what made Orange Blossoms so fun to write, just fully leaning into floriography. It's why I have a deep fondness for rhapsodizing about eye color; color and meaning and what all I can compare it to, and the meaning behind that. And in astrology, the elements, and the symbolism there; I blend the elements into my work where I can, too, using what I know of its symbolism.

There was a bit I was writing once where Severus was reflecting on his feelings for Lily and Harry, and I was aiming for a lot of airy comparisons for Lily (an Aquarius) and fiery descriptors for Harry (a Leo.) Fully self-indulgent and I never quite finished it!

Anyway, there I go babbling, per usual, LOL.

Luna Lovegood: Something about you other people find weird.

Hmmm. Probably a lot. But people don't generally tell me what they think is weird about me. 🤣 My laugh, maybe, or at least that's what I'm self-conscious of. I think it's loud and obnoxious, and I also happen to laugh way too much.

I also take great pleasure in very simple things. Which maybe sounds nice until I'm raving about how sweet Eddie is for bringing home a Midnight Milky Way and everyone else is like "wtf why are you telling me this." Cuz I'm HAPPY. I'm VERY HAPPY. I love dark chocolate and that was so nice!!! (Eddie is my partner btw for those who dk.)

I also have OCD and ADHD (bad combination that), so my brain is very weirdly particular about things. I'm 1000% sure people think many of those are weird. I also have tics which I hope to god no one notices but if they do, I'm sure they think that's weird, too.

Aaaand...Well. My level of obsessiveness and enthusiasm. I live in the South (U.S.) where everyone religiously follows football, wears merch for their favorite teams, and even play Fantasy Football, but I'm weird for wearing Hufflepuff t shirts and writing fanfiction. 🙄

Also I babble/ramble a lot, but I've gotta be feeling pretty comfy to talk at all so...🤷‍♀️

On the whole I embrace my weirdness so while I can be a bit self-conscious and overthink, I also love all of what makes me unique! And best of all...my weirdness brings in other weird people, who I'd rather hang out with anyway!

Fleur Delacour: What physical attribute do you like most about yourself?

MY. HAIR.

If you know you know. 😂 I'll thank my Leo Rising for great hair (Or I could thank my dad for the genetics, but...I'd rather not. I'd rather thank my Leo Rising, which means I can thank my mother instead for giving birth to me at the optimal time for great hair.)

(Okay we're getting off track, and probably oversharing a bit.)

AHEM.

I don't think I'm especially pretty, and I'm a bit insecure about a lot, but one thing I have never doubted is my hair. Dark brown (I dyed it red for years, but I went back to my natural color some years ago!) LONG...as in, nearly to my butt when fully dry. And best of all: SUPER CURLY. I have 3B hair, to give people a better idea.

I love it even more since my partner likes to tell me that I have so much chaos and liveliness in me that it sprouts out of my head that way. My hair, the ultimate representation of all my...[gestures wildly]

Anyway, maintenance is a pain in the behind. I braid it every night for bed and let me TELL YOU...getting to the end of the braid is a pain, worse still if I have to redo the braid. My arms get TIRED. Also curls tangle like crazy. I could not move at all after brushing it and somehow all of my curls start making friends.

But you know what? It's soft. It's pretty. Having long curly hair makes me feel like a fairytale princess, I won't lie. Flipping it around? Charm. The wind whipping it all over? Magic.

Also fun fact, when it's shorter, it's super springy and has a lot more volume. (The length weighs down the curls a bit.) So when my hair was short it actually kinda looked like a lion's mane. Which was cool. Especially relating to my Leo Moon and my Leo Rising (which is to thank for said hair to begin with.) Leo...lion...lion's mane. Get it?

Okay, I'll see myself out.

If you've not had enough of my babbling, you can send me more HP Name Asks.

[im-totally-not-an-alien]

Final Fantasy 7 prompts #75 (FINAL LIST)

1. Iflana does not trust Cloud, not one bit. She can sense the calamity inside him and wants him to leave. Too bad both her husband and daughter seem enraptured by his very existence. Her husband rambling on about his mutated and 'safer' J-cells, as if that thing could ever be considered safe. Then it was her daughter, who seemed to take him in, as though he was no more than an injured bird needing treatment.

This thing would be the death of them. She just knew it.

2. "In my world its pretty rare for monsters to talk."

The large gray rabbit riding on his head paused to consider this, "Maybe they're just stupid?"

"Duh. They're basically wild animals. They're not really like you Loppy."

"Lopmon." The bunny creature corrected. Again.

Aka Cloud wakes up in the digital world as a twelve year old and has to find his friends...with the help of his partner digimon of course.

3. Genesis used to think mermaids were one of the most beautiful creatures in Ancient lore...until he saw a blond one swallow a fish whole. He wasn't so sure after that.

4. Au where Cloud and the remnants are escaped expiraments from a non-Shinra lab. They travel to Midgar and become mercenaries.

One of them winds up being captured, prompting the other three to rescue them, but they're otherwise preoccupied by normal human things they never got to experience. Loz loves donuts and other sweets, Yazoo adores taking long hot bathes, and Kadaj always seems to have headphones on, etc.

The holy trinity are shocked when the four don't recognize Sephiroth. Genesis also nearly has a heart attack when he catches them roasting a doomrat over an open flame. "You're not actually going to eat that, are you?"

5. Hojos alarm was triggered at three in the morning. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, creatures attempted to escape Shinras (and by extention his) clutches on a regular basis. They were usually recaptured or destroyed within the hour.

What was strange was the fact that this was Jenovas alarm. His goddess tended to not move much beyond bobbing up and down in her tank.

Upon checking the security feed, he witnessed something infuriating. A blond man was holding an armful of wildflowers and bossing around three silver haired teens as they dismantled her shrine and stole her away. Jenova herself seemed...interested? Approving? He wasn't sure, but it looked like she was cooing at them. Further analysis was required.

6. Time travel au, but the whole thing is from Hojos perspective and he suffers

7. Cloud and Reeve were having a discussion about Clouds Jenova abilities and why he never used them, which eventually lead Cloud to picking up a pebble and stating, "Its not like a can just force some of my life energy into a rock and make it a planet"

And then he did. Tfw

8. High fantasy, no materia au.

Magic is rarely seen in humans, rather a tool used by monsters. On the day Clouds mother is murdered his abilities awaken, creating a powerful snowstorm that ripped the town of Nebilhiem apart.

Ten years later and the storm rages on, having grown to cover nearly the entirety of the mountain, rendering communication with nearby kingdoms difficult and travel impossible.

The famed General Rhapsodous is sent to slay whatever great beast is causing this catastrophe. When he is faced with a young man living up there in complete isolation, he chooses to stay with the mysterious man until he can locate the monster.

What will become of Cloud once Genesis discovers the truth? After all, a witch is considered a form of monster.

9. "I should have just remained a puppet!"

Genesis mulled over the words as though they alone could unravel the mystery that is Strife.

Some part of the redhead felt a little bad about using the strange man's emotional outburst against him, but things were getting desperate...

10. Time traveler au where Genesis dresses in drag to save this "Tifa" girl from the Don. He then tries to get her to go to Shinra for questioning and is punched for his efforts

11. Cloud is thrown into a world where he never existed and Shinra still reigns supreme. Worse, he has no memory of who he is or how he got there (cause Jenova destroyed them). He only has his bike and his sword and begins traveling to find a purpose, all while avoiding Shinras detection.

He often stops at inns and rest stops and often sees the same group of people. The large man with a gun arm grew suspicious from seeing him everywhere they went.

___________________________

"Go away."

The knocking came again. "I know you're in there blondie." A gruff voice replied.

"I'm not gay."

The man on the other side of the door began sputtering. "Look," another voice began, "We just need to talk."

"Yeah. Sure. Talk." He said flatly. "In the middle of the night." He went over to the door anyway. Opening it revealed the man with a gun arm and another man with wild black hair.

"Zack?" The blond blurted, startled. What was one of Shinras Supreme doing out here?!

"You remember me!" The man beamed, "SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair, at your service! Now the real question!"

The man leaned down a bit to the mysterious blonds level, "Who are you?"

12. "Can you do it?" The softness of Denzels voice seemed to make the situation all the more horrifying. "Can you kill me?" Eerie mako green eyes stared up at where Cloud stood frozen.

Denzel pulled a knife from the block, "Or will your son kill you?"

Aka Seph plays mind games by possessing the kids from Advent Children and using them to torment Cloud and make him look like a lunatic

13. Cloud gets sent back in time/ alternate reality, ect. but gets turned into a white materia. He's careful not to roll around while people are looking, but that doesn't stop people from saying, "Hey, look! A materia! " and picking him up. He has no real power...other than apparently soothing anyone/anything he comes into contact with.

Strangely, he keeps getting slotted into bracers (among other things) regularly. Ya'll, he's so annoyed.

14. There were two of him. Two Sephiroths. The blond began regulating his breathing, desperately trying to ward off an ensuing panic attack. He wouldn't stand a chance if they decided to work together.

Luckily, one insulted the other and thus a catfight of epic proportions began, all while Cloud had a panic attack in some long forgotten closet.

15. Au where child Sephiroth overhears a scientist talking about her 'prayers being answered' and he asks her what that meant. After a brief explanation, he later prays to anyone who can hear him to get him out of the labs and/or away from Hojo.

It works.

Bonus: Cloud and Sephiroth were fighting again in the Midgar desert when Sephiroth slashed the air, creating a portal. He had intended to use it to appear behind his puppet and impale him again, but the blond rushed forward and slashed through the portal with his own sword, expecting the portal to disappear as he sailed through were it once was.

Unfortunately, it was still very much there. Just...different. Cloud wasn't given the chance to properly examine it before the feeling of being plunged into ice water overwhelmed him and he was spat out on the other side.

It was another desert, but not like the one he left. He could feel no life here. No plants, no animals, no...no lifestream. The only thing around is another version of him. One that was used and abandoned by the Sephiroth of this world.

The other blond stared at him in confusion, wielding twin sabers in a defensive position.

[mochi-marie]

˗ˏˋ 𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐊𝐘𝐔𝐔 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 + 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 ˎˊ˗

author’s note :: ayy ! my first post ! i went a little bit more poetic than originally planned but... that’s fine i guess ! right ? if you find any spelling or grammatical errors, please message me. thanks so much lovelies ! perspective :: gender neutral characters :: hinata shoyo, kageyama tobio, tsukishima kei

⊰ 𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗬𝗢 ⊱ 

summer evenings, clear skies, soft breezes rustling through the trees and bushes lining the streets — soft moments with hinata are out-of-the-blue and surprisingly gentle, despite his rhapsodic and determined demeanor. his wide eyes that sparkle oh so gently are trained on you with joy and excitement filling those coffee-colored eyes of his as he rambles on, straining to get every thought and word out of his mouth as though he were being timed. he simply couldn’t help it — how could he when he was face-to-face with his favorite person standing right in front of him? you could only fight to hold back the wide grin on your face as he excitedly waved the paper around, a paper in which was proudly stamped with a bold fifty-five in bright red marker. “look, look! thanks to you i finally got above the forty-point line! isn’t that amazing?!” he only continued to ramble on, clutching the test papers close to his body, eyes now trained on the score that stared back at him. thanks to you he was able to pass his class’s test, and he couldn’t be happier!  yet his seemingly endless rambling faltered, hearing soft laughter slip past your lips, hand cupping his slowly heating cheek. “i’m so proud of you, hinata!” you giggled out, internally swooning at the way his cheeks flushed a light pink, smooshing his cheek into the palm of your hand, slightly embarrassed at the sweet gesture of affection and at the sweetness of your statement. 

⊰ 𝗞𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗬𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗢 ⊱ 

the faint echoes of conversations and laughter, mid summer day’s warmth, the far-off chirping of blue birds and caws of crows — kageyama isn’t the most romantically inclined lover, but the small moments with him are as equally cherished as any other gesture between lovers. how something so simple could eventually be seen as sweet and thoughtful in a matter of seconds is something unique to karasuno’s setter. his stark gaze finds your figure in a matter of minutes, backpack strap firmly clutched in one hand, the other set at his side, grasped around a small carton. his eyes remained sharp and his movements determined, ( politely ) pushing his way through the gaggles of classmates and their peers/friends. his heart inadvertently swooned as your figure slowly grew closer, butterflies fluttering in his stomach at the sight of your head thrown back as pretty laughter spilled from your lips. “(name)!” his strong voice called, awkwardly shifting his weight as he watched you turn to greet him, a questioning look in your eyes and yet at the very same time a look of contentment within his presence. “h-here,” he forced out, avoiding the gazes of your friends who watched patiently and curiously. his hand was outstretched, a drink from the vending machine clutched in offering palm — you’re favorite drink, to be exact. you could only smile softly at the cute and rather thoughtful gesture. taking the drink from him, you thanked him with a small peck on the cheek, one that effectively made his face flush red — both from the sweet action and from embarrassment, as your friends could only giggle in teasing tones at how soft he acted for such an intimidating, stoic looking guy.

⊰ 𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗔 𝗞𝗘𝗜 ⊱

brisk early mornings, the faint yet comforting smell of candles, the soft fabric of his hoodie/jacket’s pockets and the familiar, soothing rumbling sensation of movement — it’s a rare occurrence for tsukishima’s walls to be broken so effortlessly around the presence of someone special, yet you seemed to be a unique exception. an exception that allowed mornings to be satisfyingly slow and relaxed, sitting next to each other in silence and comfort among a train of people still trying to wake themselves up. you were leaned against tsukishima, head comfortably nestled against his shoulder as your eyes drifted shut in peace, finding comfort both in the rise and fall of tsukishima’s breathing and in the gentle rumbling and smooth movement of the train around and underneath you. you were wrapped snuggly in a scarf, of which he had wrapped gently around your neck the moment you walked outside your front door, not saying a word as he did so, taking hold of your hand and pulling you to the train station that morning. yet what made it all better was tsukishima nudging your head softly, guiding you to lift your gaze up as he wordlessly passed one ear-bud to you, putting the other connected ear-piece into his very own ear. sliding the earbud into your own ear, you were met with the low-volume music to one of your favorite songs, the vocals reaching your ears. cracking open an eye to glance up at tsukishima, a love-sick smile rose to your features as his gaze remained focused and ahead of you both. you were the only one who could see the way the corners of his lips faintly twitched upwards for a split second, expression relaxed and at ease.  

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rhapsodic reaction thread

everyone is so hyped about rhapsodic?? so im gonna give it a try even though im supposed to be doing my class reading (i really know my priorities dont i??) here we go 🤗🤗