#scenes that u are trying to write about for your own stupid essay and keep nearly crying at :')

[familyabolisher]

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini

[galvanizedfriend]

hi friend <3 How are you?

This might sound weird, but sometimes I watch 1 or 2 clips of TO while reading TW, just to have a clearer picture of each character (especially those like Freya, Vincent and Marcel who never showed up on Tvd) and also to see what you changed from the Story.

Now, call me biased, but to this day I don't understand how your version is 100x more emotional and logical than the actual show 😭😭

An entire team of people who do scripts and directories for A LIVING somehow can't reach the level of your fanfiction. Granted, they give you a very big base to work with, but still.

I watched the clip where Klaus talked to Hayley right before going to Hope, just to see what she said, since they have a different dynamic than Klaroline (both in canon and TW) and i was SO disappointed 😭😭😭

"you were her fairy tale prince, you have a lot to live up to"

AND THAT'S IT?? THAT'S YOU WAY OF HELPING??? GIRL 😭 Honestly, the only cute thing I saw was the flashback of Vincent and Eva at the start!

that's what they mean when they say that curiosity kills the cat, I guess.

Anyway, all of this rumble just to say that you do a spectacular work, and you manage to make likeable, interesting, and logical even the worst kind of shit. You're a gift to this fandom!

have a good one, love u xoxo

Hi, friend! ✨ Sorry it took me a lil to answer this, I wanted to have proper time. 😊

This is so nice of you to say. 🥹 Whenever I get a stupid message about how it's basically the same thing as TO, objectively I know it isn't because I know how much work I put into it, but there's always that little voice of impostor syndrome whispering in my head. You have no idea how it brightens my day to read messages like this. Especially since you went back to rewatch the show!

That chapter in particular has a hell of a lot of stuff that was nowhere near the episode. It took me forever to get the vibes right because I wanted to change how a lot of things were portrayed, which requires a series of nuanced shifts that might seem simple but are not that easy to get right, especially to someone like me, not a native speaker 😂 Sometimes the words just refuse to come. 🥲 But this sums up what I have been trying to do from the very start. I keep the plot points (most of them, anyway), but that doesn't mean the story is the same because so much of the context is changed, there are so many scenes that aren't on the show, which creates major differences in how the characters relate to one another. I wanted to give to give depth to this fucking show, make things make sense and, above all, create a version of TO that would've kept me entertained and interested.

I could honestly write a whole ass essay about this chapter 😂 It's long as hell and I have feelings about it lol But just wanted to thank you for your very kind words ❤️ Sometimes I wonder if there's anyone still interested and enjoying this story or if I'm mostly just writing to get it out of my own system, but messages like this are a boost in confidence. 🥰🫶

[frcsca]

Notes on Sander Driesen: Section 2, Sander’s (and every even’s) Undying love for art (kind of an essay, more like a passionate rant)

Dedicated to @depppie because she’s amazing and she encouraged me to make one of these again, so this is for u ! 💕

Making Sander the even who has the most passion for art is the reason for my existence and death..

Warning: Very personal and kind of emotional

Every even has their own unique way of creating art, Even makes films and cute doodles, nicco with his post-it notes, red strings and potion, elliot with his polaris and his animal doodles, david with his cool collages and joana with her adorable cartoons. Art is a very vital part of every even, it accentuates who they are as a person. I love how they all lowkey love art while sander is on the next level, he’s the only even who managed to finish highschool and apply to an art college to study visual arts. (A college even, who would’ve thought?)

Sander is a very determined person, if he really wants something he will not stop until he gets it, if he can do something, he will push his limits and do even better than that (all the way or no way am i right?)

His love for art in all forms is the first thing that we have in common, I thought he only take pictures (of his soulmate) turns out he has a bomb-ass taste in music and in film, he also hates (well i don’t hate him nor his work i just find it very cringy and basic, i’m sorry even i’m with sander on this one) baz luhrman like?! he also draws well too, like really fucking good, he’s like the Picasso of graphite and not to mention HE ALSO PAINTS, not only paint but also SPRAY PAINTS, oh no not just on canvases but on WALLS, yes he creates MURALS (insert spongebob rainbow meme)

And the fact that his art school is his safe place, makes me 🥺

Yes, i’ll admit, my knowledge about art is very limited, i have a normal yet a very wide range of taste in music, or as what would spotify would like to call it, a “genre-fluid”. I like photography, i think i can also take good pictures but i just don’t have the right tools or a good camera. I also write, may it be poems, stories or about some stupid and random shit like this one, and i can also draw (i think?!) but only if i’m really determined and motivated because i’m such a perfectionist that it would take me MONTHS to finish a simple sketch..

As a person who loves art, i relate to the way sander loves art, just like him, art is my safe haven, a way of coping and understanding about some things beyond my comprehension, to turn your thoughts -may it be good or bad- into something creative that you can share to other people. Art is what connects people in this vicious and secluded world, it keeps us inclusive because art reminds us that we humans are all the same, our feelings are the same, our bodies, internal and external organs are the same, unique in some ways but still the same. Art is a light of hope, to motivate us to keep seeking for a greater beyond, to put our feelings into perspective, to express our emotions into something where everybody can relate to so when they look, read or listen to a piece of art, they will instantly understand what it was trying to say.

Sander is a boy of many feelings, and he needed a substance where he can unleash all this strong emotions into something physical, he needs art to keep himself balanced and at ease, to remind himself that this, this is what you feel. When we first got a glimpse of his art studio, you can tell that art is his life, I cried like a bitch during that scene because it represents a lot of people who uses art as a coping mechanism to deal with what they’re feeling, and the fact that some people think the mural and the drawings sander made for robbe is creepy, in my opinion I think it’s very personal and sweet, dedicating a piece of art to someone is one of the most romantic gestures one can do for their partner, it’s not just pieces of drawings or a painting on a wall, making someone who’s very close to you as a subject for your art acquires a lot of effort and emotional venting, opening and allowing the deepest part of your soul to take over and express what it truly feels for that person.

Every Even struggles differently, the way they use art to express themselves defines who they are and not what they’re dealing with. As we all know, Sander has a bipolar disorder, he keeps talking about how one’s thoughts never stops and that the only way to is by dying, he often mentions death and you can tell he thinks about it way too much and the fact that maybe art was the only thing that keeps him sane hits so close to home because not that many people have a strong sense of appreciation and dependency on art, he breathes in it as if it’s the air that keeps him alive.

[obaewankenope]

An Angel, A Demon, and a Child Saviour go to Hogwarts: Year Two

Part 6 of the Absconding with Harry verse is up! It’s multi-chaptered and centres on Harry’s second year!! It’s the year of the hissy hissy snakey happenings and it’s gonna be F U N!

I’m also putting it here under the cut but you’ll have to scroll for the footnotes rather than click on them I’m afraid; tumblr messes up the click option for them :/

Summer with two immortal beings is, for Harry James Potter, incredibly enjoyable. He learns early on that completing his holiday school work in the first weeks after school ends is the quickest way to get uncle Aziraphale to let him go out and about with his friends. He also learns that putting it off until uncle Aziraphale is a fretful mess over it pleases uncle Crowley to the point of letting him stay over at Ron’s house more than once a month.

“Uncle Aziraphale,” Harry calls, not looking up from his textbook on the floor beneath the skylight in the bookshop. He’s lying on his stomach, a notepad to his right, textbook to his left and a fountain pen poised over the pad. A frown is on Harry’s face as he stares down at the textbook and the frankly stupid potions ingredients he’s meant to be writing a four-foot long essay on the properties of. “Why do all of these names sound so—well—silly? Eye of newt? Why would I want to put the eye of a newt in potion that you’re meant to drink for stomach upset? Seems kind of silly.”

Uncle Aziraphale is sat at his desk, glasses perched on his nose and very intent on the book of prophecies he’s finally managed to obtain from a very reluctant seller. The book is engrossing to the point where he’s let his hot chocolate go cold three times now—not even noticing Harry warming it up with a warming charm—but not so engrossing that he doesn’t register Harry asking him questions.

“Hmm?” Aziraphale blinks and looks up and away from the book of prophecies on his desk, turning a little to look at Harry under the skylight. “What was that Harry?”

“Eye of newt; is that a real potions ingredient? The book talks about grinding it up and making sure you don’t let it get mouldy but, how can you grind up an eye? I suppose they can get mouldy, though, since eyes are made of liquid right?” Harry looks away from his textbook to look at Aziraphale with a confused expression. “I mean, Hermione told me that they are, and if things get damp you can get mould so eyes should be able to mould right? Or cause mould?”

Aziraphale hums thoughtfully, thinking for a moment. “I don’t rightly know, I’m afraid,” he admits after a moment. “About the eyes, that is,” he clarifies at Harry’s disappointed look. “I do know about eye of newt, however. It’s actually mustard seed.”

“Mustard seed?”

Aziraphale nods excitedly. “Oh yes,” he says, shifting more in his chair so he’s fully facing Harry who is paying rapt attention to his uncle. “Some potions ingredients are known by rather misleading names like ‘eye of newt’ and ‘wool of bat’ but are really plants or herbs. Some—naturally—are really what they say they are, like blindworm—although that’s really a type of venomous snake also known as a slowworm—but generally, if the potion says, ‘toe of frog’, ‘wool of bat’, or ‘eye of newt’ it’s just plants.”

Harry nods slowly. “Okay,” he says, “but why are they called those names? They’re really silly.”

“Because those were the names they were given a long time ago—by human standards,” Aziraphale answers, standing up and crossing the bookshop to a specific shelf. He selects three books in particular on the shelf and brings them over to Harry in the middle. “Here, these are historical accounts—quite accurate too might I point out—about witchcraft in the middle ages. There should be chapters that talk about potions ingredients and the origins of some of their names.”

“Awesome!” Harry gladly takes the books, smiling widely. “I’ll write to Hermione and ask her if she’s read them,” he says then, pulling a fresh piece of paper from the notepad and begins doing just that. “If she hasn’t, she’ll love hearing about them!”

Aziraphale smiles softly down at Harry—who is engrossed in his letter writing and thus doesn’t notice—and watches the eleven-year-old-soon-to-be-twelve scribbling away to his friend about books. Crowley, for all that the demon liked to pretend otherwise, found Harry’s love of books and learning about new things to be—well—nice. It was nice to see someone care about knowledge, about asking questions, about understanding things[1].

Several days later, something tries to visit the bookshop but is ejected by the celestial wards Crowley and Aziraphale jointly created. These wards work to deny access to anything or anyone that would potentially cause harm to Harry—although the definition of ‘harm’ is very liberal to the point where a visit from one of Harry’s old primary school teachers intent on making snide comments about Harry’s non-English heritage is forcibly ejected from the bookshop and sent rolling out into the middle of the road, narrowly avoiding being flattened by a double decker bus[2].

Harry’s birthday is an enjoyable affair as Crowley and Aziraphale each get him individual gifts and a combined one that is, to summarise, “absolutely bloody bonkers” according to one Ronald Weasley.

Aziraphale—in true bibliophile fashion—gifts Harry with an exquisite set of books on magical lore from around the world. The books are expertly crafted and—by Aziraphale’s own miracle—adjust themselves to the magical ability of the reader[3]. Crowley’s gift is—in terms of presentation—far more ostentatious and very much Him. The demon snaps his fingers, blanking out all light in the room—since Aziraphale can create light as an angel, Crowley is equally as capable of removing it as a demon—which makes the arrival of a flaming broom—literally—more impressive than it would be otherwise. After the screaming subsides, Harry is absolutely stoked to try the broom out—learning that the flames will deter anyone from trying to tackle him in the air but won’t harm him at all—and it is only because Aziraphale reminds both Crowley and Harry that they don’t have the space—“no, we will not ‘just make the space’ Crowley!”—and that this is a party that Harry doesn’t zoom around the bookshop on it[4].

The last gift from both of Harry’s surrogate parents is given to him after everyone else has left—except Hermione and Ron who are staying the week so the trio can see 3 Ninjas on 7th August—since both angel and demon figure it may cause a ‘bit of a scene’ with the Weasley and Granger parents. After all, it’s not everyday you find out your son or daughter’s friend can talk to snakes including the saw-scaled viper that, as a species, is known as one of the most deadly in the world.

“That thing is poisonous!” Ron exclaims, leaning back as far as he can in his chair when Harry opens the box with the snake inside.

Harry’s face lights up at the sight of the snake—young and barely longer than a pencil[5]--when it hisses at him curiously. Harry hisses back at it automatically at the same moment that Crowley—unable to help himself, being part-serpent himself by nature—hisses soothingly at it.

This—completely reasonably considering Ron’s upbringing—causes the young ginger to leap out of his chair and away from Crowley who has been leaning down over his shoulder to watch Harry’s reaction to the snake. “Merlin’s balls!”

“Merlin didn’t have balls, you humans just rewrote history and made him have a set,” Crowley scoffs.

Ron gapes at him.

Hermione and Aziraphale, as usual, ignore the shenanigans of the Two Gingers in favour of discussing Harry’s gift.

“Aren’t saw-scaled vipers venomous?” Hermione asks suspiciously.

“Very,” Crowley interjects helpfully, smirking a not so nice smirk. It suits him.

“That was partly the reason for choosing an Echis really,” Aziraphale explains when Hermione looks surprised. The little smile on the angel’s face is—for those who don’t know from personal experience—the same smile he has worn when wiping the memories of human mob members trying to intimidate him out of his home for decades now. It is a nice smile but only in that it reaches his eyes, not in any way that makes you feel like the angel isn’t a threat[6].

“Why?” Hermione looks appalled at Aziraphale and the angels smile falls away a little.

“Well—after last year—with—with that shade, we—we had a talk—Crowley and I,” Aziraphale says awkwardly. “Harry was in danger and we almost weren’t quick enough you see—and that—that didn’t quite sit well with us.”

“I’ll say,” Crowley mutters, ruffling Harry’s hair when the now-twelve-year-old looks at him guiltily. “So we thought to do something about it.”

“But a snake?”

Crowley shrugs. “Why not? Harry likes them, I made them, and he can talk to this one—and it’ll keep me up to date on any threats to him we don’t notice,” Crowley says, giving Hermione a look. “Makes perfect sense really.”

“Talk? To snakes? That’s not possible!” Hermione exclaims hotly and Crowley rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses—which he has worn all day that people have been at the bookshop for Harry’s party.

“Yes it is,” Ron says nervously, shooting Crowley awkward glances. “Parseltongue,” he explains, looking at Hermione. “Always been dark wizards who can talk to snakes.”

Crowley looks so offended at Ron’s words that Aziraphale hastily claps his hands together, shooting Harry an apologetic look when it scares the snake that was just about to slither out of the box at last. “Right! Tea anyone?”

The experience of the cinema with his friends is all Harry can talk about for days after. Crowley and Aziraphale endure the chattering with the patience of immortal beings who have listened to a lot worse than a twelve-year-old gushing about a relatively mediocre film[7]. 

He is still going on about it when the letter from Hogwarts detailing second year equipment requirements arrives. Crowley and Aziraphale have already informed Harry and his friends of the texts they'd need for second year—except for Defence—and it's uniform and potions ingredients that Harry needs from Diagon Alley than textbooks[8]. 

The day the trio go to Diagon Alley to collect Harry’s schoolbooks for the coming term is a day they Unanimously Regret. Visiting the ice-cream parlour on the street is enjoyable but it doesn't make up for the sheer chaos that occurs inside Flourish and Blotts when the Weasley family—who Ron has convinced to visit the Alley on the same day as Harry and Hermione—come across the head of the Malfoy household and his son. Especially after Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defence professor for the coming year, tries to drag Harry into a photoshoot and is instead turned into a mirror by Aziraphale[9]. This sends the entire bookshop into a circus until Aziraphale turns him back and Crowley makes everyone forget about that little miracle. 

"Arthur Weasley," Lucius Malfoy says and it is definitely sneered—Crowley mutters such to Aziraphale while they stand just to the side with Harry and watch—as Malfoy and Weasley heads stare each other down. "The blood traitor." 

It, as to be expected, gets worse from this point. Mister Malfoy is given a verbal slap by Mister Weasley on what it means to be a 'blood traitor' and, as a result, Mister Weasley is insulted by Mister Malfoy commenting on his ability to provide for his family. The fists flying from both men are a bit unexpected considering they're both wizards but Crowley has always commented on the value of a good right hook. 

Rubeus Hagrid attempts to intervene between the two men but it is Crowley who separate them in a very real sense. The demon snaps his fingers and sends both Weasley and Malfoy skidding away from each other. Hagrid's not inconsiderable height and general mass separates the two more permanently when he stands between them and the two wizards hiss out the most polite but not at all meant apologies they can before Mister Malfoy leaves with Draco trailing behind. 

All but Aziraphale miss the fact that Mister Malfoy has been fiddling with the books of one Ginny Weasley. However, as Crowley leaves the bookshop and Harry follows the demon, the angel is distracted from pursuing the matter. This, it seems, is becoming a habit. 

The trio, leaving the Weasleys behind, follow at a vaguely decent distance as the Malfoy males head toward a side alley off Diagon. A sign reads: Knockturn Alley and, from the general state of the brickwork alone, Aziraphale figures the place isn't all that nice. 

"I'll follow them," Crowley declares, turning to Aziraphale. "Can claim it's for evil purposes and that. Meet you at the bookshop in an hour." 

Aziraphale wants to argue—he really does—but Crowley is more likely to fare better than Aziraphale in the not-nice-at-all alley and someone needs to take care of Harry. 

"You best be back for dinner, Crowley," Aziraphale orders and he narrows his eyes when Crowley mockingly places a hand over where his heart should be and swears on it. "Crowley, your heart isn't located there." 

"It's the sentiment," the demon counters before disappearing down Knockturn Alley. Aziraphale and Harry apparate home—though it's not really apparating in Aziraphale's case, simply a close enough mimicry of the act[10]. 

In Knockturn Alley, Crowley miracles it so no one notices him as unusual for the place, although—as a demon—he's very, very usual for Knockturn. The Malfoy's head to a shop with grimy windows and even grimier woodwork surrounding the glass panes. Inside is grimy also but in a more ordered manner suggesting the grime is for the Creepy Aesthetic. 

Crowley is reminded a little too much of hell with the aesthetic and loathes the idea of entering the shop but needs must. He is spying after all and—considering the contents of Borgin and Burkes—Crowley definitely needs to know about this shop. He follows behind Lucius Malfoy as the man moves with purpose to the proprietor of the store—at least, Crowley presumes this guy owns the place, if he doesn’t then he’s probably an escapee from the mad house; wait, humans don’t have ‘mad houses’ anymore do they? An escapee from the hospital then.

“Father, will you buy me this?” Draco Malfoy asks, pointing at an eye on display nearby and Crowley automatically glances at the boy. He’s not a bad student—if a bit pompous—but obviously the kid has a poor roll model in the form of his elitist father. No body’s perfect though—just look at Crowley.

The staring glass eye is, Crowley realises with a jolt, a bastardisation of the all-seeing eye of God. It was created in the middle of the 14th century—another reason Crowley hates that century—by a group of very devout but ultimately stupid humans at the behest of a demon that was actually a Fallen Archangel. It wasn’t Crowley, but he knows who had the eye commissioned by humanity and he also knows they got a right lashing by Satan for losing the thing not long after.

Leaving it in the hands of obviously similar stupid humans to the ones who made it is a Bad Idea and Crowley decides to have a Good Idea. So he snaps his fingers and the glass eye vanishes, immediately replaced with a perfect replica with no power to it at all. The staring glass eye is nestled safely in an inner pocket of his jacket while Borgin—the name of the owner—and Lucius Malfoy talk about items the Malfoy head is selling to avoid a ministry raid.

Very naughty that, Crowley thinks, leaning over Malfoy’s shoulder to read the list on the counter. “Didn’t know you lot used foetuses that way; though English always have been about stealing everyone else’s stuff and claiming it as their own so, really, why am I surprised?”

It is fortunate none of the individuals in the shop can hear Crowley otherwise he’d be both cursed and verbally bitched at for daring to insult England and English tradition yada-yada. The demon has heard the same sort of diatribe from hell for centuries now so, honestly, he could probably change the places and the titles and still have near enough the rant from hell and the wizards be near enough word-for-word the same.

Shaking his head, Crowley moves away from the men, deciding he’s done enough spying for now and focuses his attention on the items in the Borgin’s shop. He notices a Hand of Glory that seems to fascinate Draco Malfoy—until Crowley snaps his fingers again and the boy loses interest; he’ll never know but Crowley thinks the boy has more potential than dark magic and evil and hell. Most of the items that Crowley can see are pretty unassuming—to the point where he wonders if the staring eye is the only thing in the shop that is honestly not meant for human hands until he sees it.

It’s nestled away, in a corner and it shouldn’t—it shouldn’t be there. It shouldn’t be anywhere.

“No,” Crowley breathes. “That—that’s not possible. It can’t be.”

He steps toward the object, eyes wide behind his sunglasses and he absently takes them off to better see. That—that shouldn’t be in human hands. It should be—well—

“You shouldn’t be here,” Crowley whispers, hand reaching out, trembling. “I can’t believe you’re here.” His hand touches the case. “You’re—you’re really here.”

A person can make a split-second decision and change everything. One moment in history, a single point in time, and the action undertaken changes what is to come. From the beginning of time, some actions are impossible to change because they have been Ordained, but others… others are determined by choices made in the moment.

Choices like taking an item that hasn’t been held by its owner in over six thousand years.

Those kinds of choices can change everything really.

.

[1] If there was one thing that Crowley would always support, no matter what, it was the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. In Harry’s case, that meant the demon would procure books that he’d never read in a million years just so Harry could have the opportunity to learn about world war two, ancient Egypt, mythology, Japanese history, the ocean, space, and anything else the child might well find an interest in learning about. Aziraphale once commented about this propensity of Crowley’s only for the demon to pin him to a wall and declare, very, very angrily—oh so angrily because he was a demony demon—that it was all in service of evil and knowledge threw mankind out of Eden so maybe it’d do the same here. Both of them, unanimously agreed that mankind leaving Eden—not actually getting kicked out so much so as politely evicted from the premises—was actually the best thing to happen to humanity.

[2] The wards do, however, also include protections for Crowley and Aziraphale. Neither of them mention these protections for the other since they are done in ‘secret’ but the end result is no one in heaven or hell can actually see inside the bookshop and likely are unable to enter no matter how powerful they are since—combined together—Aziraphale and Crowley turn out to be a mite bit stronger than any Archangel or demon who would think to visit. However, as neither of them realise this, they simply chalk up the lack of visits to the bookshop by their respective offices as a stroke of good luck and continue on with life thinking they’re fooling their head offices. And, as their head offices have no desire to ‘loose face’, neither side actually pushes to try and do anything about these wards and the combined strength of a principality and archangel-turned-demon powering said wards.

[3] The books are, amusingly enough, more comprehensive than the fifth-year textbooks Percy will obtain in Diagon Alley on 19th August. They also—as per Aziraphale’s intentions—limit Harry’s exposure to more advanced and potentially-dangerous magic but don’t impede his progress either.

[4] Aziraphale and Hermione both squeak in horrified unison at the prospect of open flames near so many books—even if they are protected from flame damage after Harry set several on fire while attempting his charms homework—and this, more than anything, dissuades Crowley and Harry from using the broom inside the bookshop. St James’ Park, however, is fair game—Crowley can always freeze everyone so they don’t notice after all.

[5] The average length of which is approximately nineteen centimetres or seven-point-five inches long as both metric and imperial measurement systems are used in the United Kingdom in a mish-mash, hodgepodge collection of both measurement systems. This is because the United Kingdom has never done things the easy way—just look at Brexit.

[6] In truth, it’s the kind of smile a very polite, demure person wears when they’re about to snap and beat you to death with the teaspoon they’re using to stir the tea with.

[7] It is the authors opinion that the first film of the 3 Ninjas franchise isn't the best of them, but that is because they are biased towards roller-coaster.

[8] Not that he wasn't going to buy some books. Aziraphale is always so pleased when Harry buys a book and, since Harry tends to enjoy the books he buys, he has no complaints with pleasing his uncle Zira this way. Crowley is pleased also but hates to admit it verbally—as he has only ever managed a smile when Harry has gushed about a book he’s bought or that Crowley has given him. But knowing that both his uncles are happy about Harry liking books reassures the child that being smart isn’t a bad thing no matter what aunt Petunia, uncle Vernon or Dudley tried to drill into him.

[9] "I thought it rather fitting," Aziraphale says later when Crowley asks him why a mirror. The angel has that look in his eyes that is mirthful but also a little bit mean and Crowley just smiles. 

"That's my angel," he says fondly and Aziraphale's smile turns bashful at the praise. Harry, wisely, makes himself scarce to avoid the inevitable flirting-disguised-as-insults that is about to occur.

[10] Although neither Crowley or Aziraphale do it often, both are capable of spontaneous teleportation of their beings and anything else they so desire to teleport. It is more a matter of choosing not to do it and enjoying the journey time that deters them from teleporting everywhere. Although, at some point in their lives, both are advised against teleportation and, as such, don’t think of it as the first solution to a problem when Crowley’s Bentley is far more comfortable and—although mildly terrifying for Aziraphale considering the speed of it—far more enjoyable as well. Teleportation is instantaneous after all and it is sometimes enjoyable to spend time with someone on a journey to a point rather than immediately arriving at your destination.

[babydollsmadd]

For the madd ask: 🍩🍫🍎

Thank u Shadow!! I saw this ask when I woke up & the donut question sent me into a whole daydream scene where Zazie & Nyru were fighting over this hypothetical question so.. that was fun lmao

I’ll be answering this for all of them bc I love torturing myself :))) 

🌟 tasty madd ask game 🌟

🍩 - if your para had to be stuck on an island with one other para, who would they choose?

Zazie: HOOOOO okay so. This is trouble. Because he would never. No matter who he chooses, it wouldn’t really end well. Nyru obviously wants to be his choice, but they fight a lot and he’s very aware of that. And he’s the kinda person to make this overly complicated and sit there and list his reasons for 2 hours straight & make everyone go crazy because GOD DAMN IT ZAZIE THIS ISNT SO DIFFICULT JUST MAKE A CHOICE I SWEAR yeah I can’t answer this without going on a 10 page essay rant I’m sorry- (probably Tatsu tho not gonna lie don’t tell Nyru or she’ll go nuts)

Nyru: She wouldn’t think twice about it and choose Zazie. And then regret it later and cry on the beach wishing she had chosen her sister or something.

Tatsu: Zazie or Nyru! He’d probably ask if he can take both of them. Deep inside tho he wishes he could have said Nyra, but their relationship is still in pieces.

Nyra: Hmm she would probably say her sister Nyru, tho only reluctantly. She’s been kinda doing her own thing, I don’t think she would mind being alone.

Nyro: Their girlfriend Ami, of course. Their relationship somehow became the healthiest out of all of them, and I have no idea how. They’re probably okay with Zazie too tho, as long as they could play chess lol.

Daiki: This one’s difficult too, seeing as he’s not really that close yet with most of the group. His safe choice would be Nyru since they’re really good friends, but I think he’d like to choose Suki cause he kinda has a crush on her. (Don’t tell anyone)

Megumi: Any of her girls probably! So either Ao, Nyru, or Ami. I think her first choice is Ao, then the other two, and.. I feel like she’d be fine with Zazie too.

Ao: Just give her a book and she’s happy, honestly. But having to make a choice, she’d say Meg or Nyru.

Ami: Definitely her partner Nyro. How the heck is their relationship still so alive and well I don’t fucking understand. Second choice would be her brother.

Suki: Don’t ask this poor little soul something like that!!! Her anxiety would go through the freaking roof. If you do get an answer out of her, it’d probably be Daiki or Nyru.

Rin: Zazie, mostly likely. But he’d probably be fine with anyone, since he actually gets along with the entire group.

🍫 - what’s your para’s signature outfit?

OKAY OKAY this is my fav n I wanna try making actual boards!!! I started writing but, I need something to do and I thought it would be a lot of fun doing boards for their signature looks, so I’ll start doing that & tag u in it lol.

🍎 - what can’t your para live without?

Zazie: He’s had everything & he’s had nothing, so it wouldn’t be anything materialistic. He wouldn’t give you a straight answer, he’d say something stupid like “my gucci clothing” or “my supercars” and keep joking about it. But I feel like everyone would know in reality it’s Nyru.

Nyru: Hmmmm I wonder!!! No I don’t, it’s definitely Zazie. Tho I’m not sure if she’d actually say that out loud. She’d say her cats, and that’s 100% true.

Tatsu: Dogs. He’d undoubtedly say dogs. And his loved ones, of course.

Nyra: This one’s tricky. I have a feeling she’d say something like her clothing, it’s like her armor. Or like a favorite stuffy.

Nyro: They’d definitely just say straight up chess. It’s something very important to them & it helps them a lot, weirdly enough. They’re not the type to be cheesy so I doubt they would say their girlfriend lol.

Daiki: Probably.. books? He loves reading, and he has quite the collection, so I think he’d say books.

Megumi: Lipstick. I’m not even joking. She’d say lipstick or heels or something. She’s.. quite materialistic, tho not in the worst way. And she’s 100% the type to be cheesy and mention her friends.

Ao: She’d start a whole ass dialogue on how it’s not healthy to be materialistic, human relationships are so much more important bla bla bla, only for someone to go “just choose for fuck’s sake” and she says “fine, my red bottoms”.

Ami: And she’s the kinda person that just wouldn’t stop listing things. Anything from clothing, piercings, her phone, laptop, whatever. But I think what she really couldn’t live without are her friends/partner.

Suki: Nature. She always has a lot of flowers and plants in her apartment/room, and I do feel like it’s something extremely important to her that she can’t go without.

Rin: Art! Art supplies! He’s an artist by heart & it’s definitely something he cannot live without under any circumstances.

[loveg1rl-remade]

write short descriptions of your favourite mutuals/friends and then tag them (but not next to their descriptions) and try to make them guess which one is theirs!

i did two parts bc i did a lot of ppl! ppl are tagged in alphabetical order dfjskfn also i hope y'all can guess your number 🚶🚶🚶

p1. 

@01bri @1aju @1oveful @2blushy @chanilovehours @doyoung @fruittxt @himlo @jenolees @junghwasgf

01 - omg we were JUST talking today… we always hit each other up for drama its p funny sjdfksldj i love hearing them talk just in general. they have a lot of good energy and it makes me happy that they like me enough to like. willingly hit me up i think thats really cute and i love that… also theyre always going to concerts and i think thats really cute i hope they hve a really good time :( they always have my back n i love talking to them !! angel 

02 - my sweetheart!!! they’re really the funniest we used to talk ALL the time before school started :( i miss them a lot but honestly i love when they spam me with notifs :’) jsdfkjsd i remember when we first met n we talked about divergent and the bts visual novel it was HONESTLY really iconic… they’re a year under me but honestly it feels like we’ve known each other for a while !! they have a lot of love in their heart and their love for a certain few ppl (starting w t) is so sweet :( i love how we both procrastinate and stay up until like 2 for everything anyway ily and i miss u! 

03 -  omg.. i feel like they’re my younger sister… i really don’t deserve such a ray of sunshine! whenever i’m down they always send me the sweetest asks and messages and once they even told me abt their day out of nowhere i just thought that was really cute :( they’re ALWAYS cheering me on and it is really really sweet !! they make me rlly happy nsdfkjsd even just seeing their asks that start with “GIRL!!!” yea :’) they’re the brightest star w the cutest personality

04. we talked for like four hours about grapes once and that’s how we became friends… uhh i love them a LOT !!! they are really so kind and supportive and we get along really well?? they have a callout list for me kjdfdsf honestly we have a lot of inside jokes and it’s really cute. they changed my opinion abt taureans (U SHOULD KNOW WHO U ARE BY NOW .. ) and i just love how we can talk about anythin????? also your sleep schedule is SUPER screwed up but its chill bc that means we can talk more ndfkjsdkf i love you angel !! 

05. i will LITERALLY never forget the time i was feeling like absolute SHIT and they took the time to write out like an ESSAY for me and it’s saved and screenshotted and immortalized forever in my heart it really meant a lot for someone to like. take the time out to do that for me and im so grateful…we don’t even post the same content anymore but they always interact w my posts and check up on me and send me asks… i love them a lot lot lot! on my old blog they’d send me the cutest asks too im grateful and lucky to have them in my life :’) 

06. they know who they are !! my one n only!! we talk every single day and somehow they don’t get sick of me which is a feat in of itself. super creative and caring and empathetic and strong and selfless and just? a really good person. they have the biggest heart and the most love to give. they’re also really hard on themselves :( my biggest cheerleader n the love of my life.. if you haven’t figured out who you are yet i’ll send jeno over to talk some sense into you (*tell you he loves you)

07. soooo soft :( everything about them is soft!! they hav a lot of love for a certain bunny boy and they’re always always tagging ppl in things i think it’s so unbelievably kind. they’re always spreading kindness and joy and is such a ray of sunshine!! i really really lov them a lot ! 

08. o man where do i start?? they’re really full of a lot of love… they’re always love posting abt their best friend and that really makes me so happy that they have such a positive good person in their life… anyway we always send each other cute asks periodically to check on each other & we’re always helping each other out when we go through emo moods… anyway they’re applying to college at the same time i am and i remember stressing out abt it with them but i KNOW we’ll both be fine i lovve them :’)

09. seriously a big source of support for me even if we don’t talk on the daily!! they always have really good advice to give and even when like. No Advice Can Be Given they’re always lending an listening ear. they’re really cute i love how mature they are !! besides giving rlly insightful n thoughtful advice.. uh they’re just a rockstar! they’re a little bit younger than me but they always try their best and help others out and it’s really admirable. plus they said they love making playlists and i just thought that was the cutest thing :/

10. we haven’t had a lot of conversations together but theyre really just the sweetest :( ever :( i was going through a hard time n they sent me so many sweet asks and messages. its always nice to know there are ppl who care abt u and this person is just SO caring in general!! they’re always tagging ppl in sweet things and doing their best and it is much appreciated !! much like their name they rlly are. the best and the brightest

– 

p2. 

@kimjunnoodle @lazy-gudetama @pastelunnie @rapgodkth @rosehyuck @snowedjin @taehn @taeilsgrl @taeyyongs

11. UGH another sweetheart … they’re always sending me the sweetest long asks checking up on me and they’re always interacting n communicating and talking abt stuff they’re passionate abt it i really love it ?????? i miss talking to them !! they would send me the cutest dog pictures :( i always see them around spreading love and happiness and warmth .. they have a lot of love and compassion in their heart. i always look forward to their asks and replies!!

12.  my EVERYTHING!!!! i saw their selfies like yesterday n they rlly knocked my socks off imagine being so pretty!!!! they are really an icon it was so cute talking to them abt our wedding :/ they’re a lot of fun they go from super soft to super funny and like, theyre either loveposting or talking about furries i think its the funniest thing ever. anyway they’re a total sweetheart n the best hyuck stan so yeah ! i love love

13. omg …. they’re SO considerate they’re always tagging me in those “associate ur mutuals with” posts and it’s honestly really cute ??? they have my kidneys and my left lung and my Whole heart :( the biggest sweetest tae stan ! super sweet and lovely and funny !!! we don’t talk a lot but i’m always cheering them on behind the scenes!! they always interact w my not funny stupid posts and hype me up theyre just. really great to be with and im grateful to b mutuals 

14. i’ve known you the longest!!!!!!!! i have all ur jk fics saved omg :( you’re the sweetest bean and i love talking to you.. even tho we don’t talk on the regular anymore it’s always so sweet hearing from you and i love how we always update each other when smthing important happens in our lives!!!! i love watching the videos u send ur voice is rlly the cutest n i remember the first tme i heard it i started crying anyway i still have your christmas card saved and i love you a whole freaking lot im still waiting to go on a date with u :( my tall gf

15. UH we literally talk and just. gush over how cute girls are …. jsfdasdf we ALWAYS tell each other beef no matter what sfjdsk they really have such a caring n chill personality. we think alike so it’s really nice telling them abt things i need help with because i always get a good second perspective on it… they’re always here to listen to me (even late at night when they have work the next day)… they’re a bit like my older sister i trust them a lot !! i really love how they always update me on things even tho i SUCK ass at messaging so :) anyway i love them a lot (move to california sooner!) 

16. one of the funniest most down to earth ppl i’ve ever met. memes are iconic and every single conversation we have i always manage to laugh bc their comedic timing is amazing and yea they’re just an all around great person. they’re my movie buddy and we can also really talk abt anything??? like we’re super comfortable around each other which is super cool n i’m grateful. we can talk for hours n hours … and yeah .. they’re also super sweet and always support me through everything! we have a lot of inside joke its cute & i’m glad i met this person i really am :’)

17. hdfsfn.. really. they really own my heart.. honestly i couldn’t have asked for a better mutual???????? they are Top Tier quality one of kind…they have like thousands upon thousands of followers and they always always promo me … im so undeserving of their love… AND AND THEY ALWAYS SEND ME ASKS …. even when like. im being annoying and ask stupid questions no one wants to answer they always write out a whole paragraph and it makes my WHOLE world ten times over im so grateful for them … i have the strawberry emoji on like all of their asks bc i want to keep all of them thats how much i appreciate the time n effort they show me … wrow… the cutest and best ever i love them a LOT! 

18. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they’re so motherly to me …. they’re always looking out for me and making sure i’m doing ok and i think that’s just the sweetest best thing ever :( they’re really sweet n pretty AND funny i always love seein their posts… they’re one of my few exo mutuals and i LOVE IT ! I LOVE THEM! they are sosososo soft their tags for their man are really the cutest too… they’re one of those mutuals who switch from loveposting to toesucking and it’s the best and funniest i love them! once i was sick n they sent me like two asks making sure i was ok and . wrow. i couldnt have asked for anyone better

19.  mMmMmMm i remember i thought they hated me and then it turns out they didn’t and i was SO relieved bc they’re so sweet and funny and :( just a really great person. they did a lil astrology analysis for me and it was so spot on i’d trust them with my life and my savings and my posterity…. uhhh they have a heart of gold they’re always looking out for others and trying their best n it’s really admirable. they also have such a good sense of humor!! a treasured mutual who owns my heart :( 

[springlock-bonnie]

Everyone leave Yukio alone.

....Just kidding, literally do the opposite. (see below)

Yukio’s always been going through shit, but the fandom tends to write him off as the “mean” character and leave it at that. Kato finally decides to drop the bass, and now we’ve collectively shifted over to “Yukio, what the fuck”, because now he’s being angry at characters other than me, now. This stupid (persuasive) essay’s gonna look at Yukio’s personality and troubles, a little deeper than “Yukio’s mean to Rin :(”. Also, I’m biased as fuck and have only good things to say about this boy. Let’s roll.

Let’s start from the beginning, what we all universally know about Yukio as a baby. Yukio started training to be an exorcist very fucking early. It’s partially due to schizophrenia, partially due to his desire to take (what’s that one meme right now) Direct Action to supposedly protect me from the outside world. His theory was basically if I’ve always been protecting him in the physical world, he had the upper hand in the… supernatural world? Sure, let’s call it that.

Yukio’s seven years old, deathly afraid of guns and loud noises, but continues along with dad to be the best fucking exorcist at an even younger age than Fujimoto, just for one little asshole that still throttles him on a regular basis. He wants to follow dad, because dad is literally the Paladin, and almost the first thing you learn is the True Cross Exorcist categories and stature. Yukio was lucky our dad was who he was, and took advantage of that.

Growing up, Yukio was only ever working. Think about it. Going to school like a good boy, doing his homework, constantly disappearing on exorcisms, and then doing that homework too. Because he’s so little, he has to be Great. He doesn’t have time to be The Little Boy Exorcist, he has to kick everyone’s ass (Shura included) so that they never think of him as too delicate or inferior. This is where when you guys go “he thinks he’s so important *eye roll*” I physically feel my toes catch on fire.

So his childhood was maturing too fast. Maturing too fast, no matter the reason, is never a good thing. It means something bad happened, or is happening. Yukio isn’t mature because he’s such a mentally healthy boy. The rod up his ass is there, but it’s caked with maturity way before his time (idk how to phrase that). Yukio was naturally very smart, but he was still a kid. But there’s no time to be afraid of butterflies. You have to follow dad, who everyone looks up to, including you. You need to be where dad is.

Dad is also… dad. You may not have seen much of Fujimoto, but from what you did see you can kind of see, he wasn’t very good at being “fatherly” because he never wanted/planned to be. Two baby demons were just sort of plopped in his arms. Bless his soul, but that man wasn’t what Yukio needed emotionally. Ever wonder why the poor boy misses a mother he never had? He knows mom equals soft. Mom equals comfort, affection, love… whatever you want to say, mom means something different from Fujimoto, in Yukio’s eyes.

Yukio clings to that because he lacks it. I’m not like that, dad wasn’t like that, and mom’s been dead since literally our birth. So forgive him for fantasizing about someone who’s maybe gentle with him, or stops and asks him genuinely how he’s doing. He’s feeling a lack of caring, whether he registers it or not. It’s not like he’s going to ask for it or anything, b-baka! We’ll come back to this in a few paragraphs.

Yukio needs to be the best. Not because he wants to be looked up to, not because he wants to feel superior, but because he’s always behind. Even ahead of everything, he needs to be the best at a constant. He’s working up the ranks, but he needs to be able to take on everything. Not only that, but meet everyone’s raising expectations. Yukio? The Yukio? Yukio Okumura? If they think he can shoot three hobgoblins dead in mid-flight, he has to be able to do that.

Yukio does not think he’s better. He thinks he needs to be better, and is willing to do whatever that takes. In fact, that sentence might as well be his motto. Now we’re at Yukio at 15, when dad dies. What does Yukio do immediately? Question dad on following him. “Dad, you just died, should I kill myself too?” Now, he’s lost. Now, dad isn’t his superior, he has to impress people on his own and make it on his own.

I’m not denying we had troubles. He blamed me for dad, I was fucking livid he lied to me for half our life. But he’s human. Ish. He’s a baby, and where we see his early maturity, we have to understand he literally mentally age regresses. Those little scenes in the anime with him suddenly crying as a child because he’s scared? How it’s in that blank room, and is usually directed somehow to dad? That’s his coping mechanism that he’s alone as an adult now, at 15. He has to be.

Everything he is doing, he is doing for me. Remember that. Remember that’s his sole purpose to being an exorcist, and the only reason he yells and hits and is a total ass. It’s because he can’t show weakness, not to anyone. Because if he’s even gentle to one person, everyone’s going to hear about it. Don’t break down, don’t break down. Keep your chin high and be the fucking best. Don’t slip up. Don’t make mistakes.

Remember when you were 15? You might be that age or younger right now, but someday you’ll realize 15 is very young. Dude, I’m 18, and 16 y/os give me a headache. Yukio is young. He’s not even close to hormone maturity, and he’s scared shitless, all the time. But he’s a prodigy, so at 15, he has to act 25. That’s what he’s doing.

Yukio puts others needs in front of his own. He always does, even if it comes off as “mean”. Alright yeah, I do joke about how in the movie he was like “exorcists don’t save people, we kill demons”. WhOoP dE dOo I jUsT LoVe ShOoTiNg a GoOd DeMoN nOw AnD aGaIn. What are we, the republican presidential candidate? But look at all he does. The only times you have to argue are in Kyoto, when he was like, “shit, I guess the Vatican’s going to kill my brother.” But are you really going to hold it against him? He’s not going to argue with the higher ups, and get himself killed, who is arguably the best chance they have at actually getting me out of there. Off what y’all have seen, I happen to know he’s argued mercilessly with them. So basically, when they said death to Rin, they were done with him arguing already and he wouldn’t be of help.

In example of selflessness, Shura’s little arc. It’s a terrible example, but Yukio wasn’t there to kill Hachiro. He was there to assist Shura. I mean, Tiny Boy was like “hey I’m legal I’ll give u a baby so u can be reborn” even though he didn’t want to. Then, he concocted that stupid plan of tricking Serpent Man just to 100% get Shura out of her contract for good. But you know, Yukio’s mean and thinks he’s most important.

Yukio desperately needs something like what he’s searching out for in the recent chapters. Look at how he pried around for mom, and then continued to. Look at how he reacted with Sheimi. He’s trying to reach out, but what’s that Marina and The Diamonds “Numb” quote? “I can’t open up and cry, because I’ve been silent all my life?” That’s my boy. He probably doesn’t even know how, anymore.

Yukio had the potential to grow up really soft and sensual, but lost that ability with his desire to protect. So now, we’ve got this outer shell we see, which is cold and stiff and doesn’t show a lot of emotion. It isn’t because he’s mean. I see a lot of jokes about Yukio not wanting to open up about his feelings. You’re very right, but the joke part of it is where you’re still on the wrong idea.

Right now, Yukio’s going through demon bullshit. Demon bullshit means even more intense emotions he’s not even used to showing in the first place. You know how he’s aggressive, attacks, and then suddenly turns around and apologizes? That apology is genuine. He doesn’t even know what’s going on with him. It’s scaring him, too. I’m not saying his actions are justified. I’m not defending the fact he’s threatened and hurt people.

AND HEY HOW ABOUT THAT CHAPTER 93. That suicide isn’t just, oh look at me, I might as well. And it isn’t a sudden thought. (Side effects may include) suicidal thoughts or actions aren’t spontaneous and not thought out. Yukio wasn’t like, hey turns out True Cross sucks, time to bippity bop the fuck right out. As far as canon material goes, Yukio’s considered death since dad died. But is it really that crazy of a stretch to deny that? Yukio’s never been mentally stable.

I think my main beef is the fact sometimes even folks who see all this, don’t care. “Yeah but he’s reacting inappropriately”. Ah yes, sorry Oliver, I’m sure you would behave so much better in that situation. It’s easy to demonize (Heheh) a character and forget everything human about them. Yukio is very easy with that. It’s so, so easy to look at his “mean”-ness and go “man that kids an asshole, fuck him”. I did it too. But you have to remember he is (part) human, and he has emotions.

And if you want to argue I’m looking too deep, go ahead. But Kato’s stories are the most beautiful things to analyze and I know for a fact she’s not just shitting out some asshole character with no other redeeming qualities. She’s too respectful of every single one of her characters for that. Especially not in comparison to Astronerd, where Yukio stems from. Let’s talk about that for a sec, shall we?

Astronerd, in short, is a story about a boy named Yoshio Fujiko who loves astronomy. But he’s finally decided he’s done with that, and doesn’t want to be viewed as a freak anymore. He briefly talks about his bullying with it. He talks about his crush, Tezuka. He discovers she likes astronomy, too! But it’s okay that she does, “because she’s cute.”

Aliens suddenly come down to destroy earth, and tell Yoshio he’s the subject they’re going to cryogenically freeze to set as an example to other planets to never be like earth. He asks why was he born (*cough*), and they joke and say if someone figured that out they’d get a medal and the aliens would put on a display of fireworks instead of blowing the world up. “But, an inferior life form like you has no chance!”

Yoshio’s about to sign, when he gets a text from Tezuka (who he was mean to), still believing in him! So he gets on his little scooter and races to the school to apologize. Suddenly, there’s a huge crater. Yoshio’s tired, and the aliens are like “what the fuck! You’re killing yourself over an apology?” and he goes “no, it’s not the apology anymore.”

And, my favorite fuckin quote via my mom ever,

“I really was a fool… and fools don’t change unless they die!”

ANYWAY HE FUCKING MAKES IT (Kato told a mildly happy story?!) LIKE SOME E.T. BULLSHIT (and then determines life is too precious) apologizes to Tezuka, and admits he’s an astronerd! He then realizes he was born for realizing that, at that moment. And the aliens are like “shit! Fuck! He’s right! We gotta keep our promise…!”

If I was to go deeper into the summary, you’d see that Yoshio in a sense is a very watered down Yukio as far as things go. He suddenly thinks his life his hopeless, but upon almost dying, he gets a second chance, and ends up literally saving the world and discovering who he is. I’m not saying aliens are going to descend from the heavens and tell Yukio he’s actually an angel (it’s implied), but I think Kato’s planning on… basically explaining that Yukio figures himself out, and it betters him as a person (go Kato, go!)

In conclusion, Yukio is a complicated perfect boy (perfect boy) who needs (and deserves) lots of attention and affection whether he thinks he wants it or not. He’s stiff and mature because he needs to be, and he does everything he does for a selfless reason. He doesn’t want to be the best exorcist to fuck with people. You just gotta remember his original reason.

JESUS FUCK THANKS FOR READING

[readreadbookblog]

1942: The Year That Tried Men’s Soul by Winston Groom

https://www.amazon.com/1942-Year-That-Tried-Souls-ebook/dp/B008RZK8M0

Popular American history (especially in schools) teach that a reluctant America was thrusted into World War II following the surprised attack on Pearl Harbor and shortly after that, America took charge of the Allies and started kicking ass and taking names. Of course history is written by the winners and the beginning of the second world war was such a disaster, that the U.S. was almost eliminated from the war before it even entered.

For this and the reasons explaining it, Winston Groom’s book, 1942: The Year That Tried Men’s Souls, argues that 1942 was the most decisive and hardest year for America during the year. The U.S. army was at very low levels with outdated weapons and equipment and a low number of active or even experienced soldiers during a time when war with either Japan or Germany was looking possible. Of course the war eventually does happen and America is hit hard. Groom shows how unprepared, yet valiantly fought, the U.S. soldiers were in the Pacific. Men died in vast numbers and were facing a different warfare style against the Japanese Imperial Army, who not only fought brutally but to the death. U.S. islands after islands fall to the Japanese and the Americans guarding these places suffer heavy losses. Add to this American commanders from officers to upper levels generals to even MacArthur displaying ignorance and incompetence that cost both land and lives, American defenses fail against the advancing Japanese. Groom does manage to fully convince how despite the Pacific theater was against the Americans. If it wasn’t for the code breakers that broke Japanese encryption or the hardline dedication, even during despite and terrible times, of the American soldiers, the battle against the Japanese might have ended completely differently.

Groom’s book is very much a military book. Probably about 75% of the book deals with the Pacific Theater from Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. The rest of the book is about the Allied invasion of North Africa (which takes place towards the end of the book) and there are two short but essentially irreverent stories about two different groups of P.O.W.s trying to escape the Japanese and a female spy in D.C. gathering secret naval codes inside the French embassy. The biggest problem of the beginning of the war was u-boast submarines sinking, also known as the battle of the Atlantic, which is basically mentioned and promptly forgotten.

A short chapter of the homeland and building the total war economy is mentioned but it is very short. It mentions how factories were desperately needed to be built and then filled with workers to make items for the army. There is little mention of the home front being rationed, racism against black workers, and the Japanese interment camps are basically only mentioned in one sentence and then only dismissed as that no one complained of it back then. I know someone who complained: the Japanese that were interned. This is a major section that this book lacks. I can understand not talking about Eastern Europe or any other front since this book concerns the United States, but missing out on the home front is a big flaw since it was not just the soldiers that were sacrificing during the world war. This war transformed America in every way.

While Groom’s thesis can be understood and his points valid, the book really suffers from what I suspect is ghost writing. The book starts with Groom making an introduction of his thesis. You can tell he wrote it since it is very straight forward and written with personal bias. He describes Hitler as “a cranky aspiring Austrian artist”. Describing Hitler like this just does disservice to his victims and legacy by saying that all his bad actions were because he was “cranky”. During Chapter Twenty-One, Groom writes explaining why his book continues into 1943 (not only defeating his own thesis but unnecessary if the point was made clear, otherwise known as the conclusion of an essay) saying

“it would be not only profoundly wrong but insulting as well to imply that everything coming afterward was somehow anticlimax, for terrible battles remained to be fought and millions of people were yet to suffer and die before the beast was run to ground.”

So what! This is a book about arguing that 1942 was the hardest year for America during the war. Fuck the rest. If you did your job correctly there would be no need to add further information outside your thesis that goes against it. Everyone knows how terrible the most deadly and destructive war in human history was.

Groom continues his stupid personal options to historic writing by also being a creepy guy. He adds anti-Japanese racism to his writing. I’m not talking about quoting soldiers or people of the time but his own words, describing the Japanese as crazy eyed and wild. During a section of the book talking about Japanese occupation of Manila, Groom mentions Claire Phillips, a club owner turned American spy, and a scene between her and a Japanese officer. He writes that he said to her “I rove you. You rove me? You very pretty girr. You rike me?” There are no quotes and this literally adds nothing of value to the story. Can we conclude that Groom might be racist? Yes we can. Don’t forget this other creepy detail. In telling the story of Amy Elizabeth Thorpe, a female spy who seduced French embassy officials into getting French naval codes, she ended up laying naked on a couch in full view of an embassy guard as part of a scheme. This story is told in the beginning but Groom keeps mentioning it with only referencing her state of undress. He would say something like ‘during this time, when Cynthia was sitting naked on the couch, Allies forces in the South Pacific were...’. Don’t be surprised if we find out that Groom has ‘metoo’ed someone.

These are definitely Groom’s writing styles. But the book has excellent sections too. The chapter on the Japanese invading Wake Island for example is well done. Lots of detail, narrative in story telling, explains military logistics easily, all great writing overall. There times when the writing turns like this, well written and full of good clear information. That is why I suspect that Groom has a ghost writer, someone who is researching the work and writing most of it while handling some work for Groom. Perhaps the other explanation is that Groom goes racist and personal when he doesn’t have information to fill with details.

The book has errors thou. For example, Groom writes

“The Nazis were a disturbing grab bag of thugs, criminals, zealots, and dupes aided by not a few misguided aristocrats and otherwise intelligent people such as General Erich Ludendorf, who had masterminded the German army in World War I and nearly engineered a German victory in 1918.” 

Wow this wrong. Ignoring the Nazis were crazy mindless criminals simple explanation, Ludendorf did not almost engineered a German victory in 1918, the year the Allies won the war, but he barely had control of the army. Ludendorf was also not a misguided intelligent person, he was a god damn Nazi supporter! He created the ‘stabbed in the back’ myth that the Nazis used as a rally cry. He marched with Hitler during the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler’s first attempt to gain power via a coup which he was jailed for and wrote mein kampf in.  Ludendorf also engaged in the street battles for power of the German Wiemar Republic and was a big anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist. This portrait of Ludendorf would be like if someone today wrote that Michael Flynn almost won the wars in the Middle East and had unknowingly helped Trump but a thousand times worsts. Groom writes details and facts incorrectly like this throughout the book but since it is in context of being minor details, most readers will probably not even notice it.

Groom’s book has an interesting thesis but lacks being written beyond a first or third draft. Groom’s strong points are compelling and would vastly benefit if it was compared to the other years of the war to see if it is truly as deadly as Groom says it is. This would especially be helped by further explorations of the American front, as it currently reads like a military history book rather then the grand ambitious thesis it proposals. Moments of great writing are mixed with Groom’s terrible personal inputs, racism, and just plain wrong facts and statements, which muddy an otherwise easy to read and follow book. With so many World War II out there, Groom can’t afford to make these kinds of mistakes.

[vr2]

*turn around in shorts that say its time for my fuckin opinion on the ass* hey sweaty read to choke on my bns hot takes for uh lets see here uh ... t-two thousand words....

first of all... im pretty easily entertained so if u fail to do that its so like something has gone horribly wrong. i can enjoy pretty much anything halfway decent and i hate nitpicking on shit. but nitpicking implies small problems and sometimes the problem is the whole fucking thing. but man the direction bns has been going in is like. it really be like that, it really be just the most blatantly boring and uninspired it could go and here’s my fucking video essay that i will not do you the honour of being read aloud since the force of my opinion would crush your skull like a grape if spoken in the real world. 

first of all. i generally didnt have a problem with act1 bns story, i honestly thought it had some cool characters, some COOL as fuck cutscenes and as a person that loves lore juice a lot of the characters held a lot of promise and the diary was a fun read despite being the absolutely worst most stupid way to deliver any sort of lore content.

the circular narrative, the tight ending and the callback to all the characters was pretty well-rounded, a little but hammy but adopting the hongmoon kids nad becoming the master of your school was pretty novel. i really felt like there were so many new places to go with this dynamic, like bns could do something new by giving the mc more stakes in other characters rather than being a complete wildcard drifter.

but they keep doing this fucking thing were they repeat story themes in a way thats become incredibly unwelcome. i can understand why npcs would become recurring characters, why certain objects etc are still relevant but the fact that beat for beat the endgame again is divine mandate, mushins there, namsoyoo in danger and someone gets killed off for the sake of idk tragedy i guess. 

i think the worse thing is that the game tries to be tongue in cheek about its tropiness and normally id be like ok cool but the tropes are executed just so fucking blandly and soullessly its kind of insulting like. they really absolutely did not fucking try in the slightest for this one. not at fucking all. 

ryu saying ‘oh it would be so bad if you passed out form poison at an inconvenient time’ and the obvious death flags from bunah and bunyang are incredibly grating when you have absolutely no fucking stake in the story, know exactly whats coming cause the writing repeats itself over and over and know the exact same beats. 

at the very least most people can stand tropey anime, hell you can even ENJOY it if you are absorbed into the world and characters and the tropes are executed well. but this story is wholesale just same fucking shit slightly different npcs. it feels like they tries to manufacture drama in the most blatantly cheap way and it really lets itself down. i could honestly see them killing ONE of the kids for cheap and dirty tearjerking but man all of them leaving you alone again with jsy is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo unebelievably lazy. we have entered asian tv drama levels but at least those are fucking interesting. even the dance number in this act was shit.

i think the most annoying thing is that bns is one of the first mmos i played way back when and i still genuinely like the game up to a point and i like the world and characters. im literally always moaning bout how they did fuck all with the eight masters but gave them the barest most tantalizing hints of interesting characterisation in the diaries. but i think that’s all you need. it doesnt need to be 24/7 ballz to the walls worldending tragedy shock tactics to be entertaining. it somehow feels like they played it so incredibly safe that they looped around and made the worst decision possible and i just really wish theyd hire just your random ass average fucking ln writer cause theyd at least make shit entertaining. like the long form story telling of a truple a game thats reaching nearly 10 acts now should definitely be better than this like. what a fucking way to drop the ball.  

now. my second bone to grind. tell me why they actively REMOVED? ALL SIDE QUESTS? what kind of game, especially an mmo would fucking remove its OWN lore? why would that make any fucking sense? especially for how lore-light this game is but how vast its world is like sidequests felt like the absolute BARE minimum way to furnish this admittedly underdeveloped world. they at least gave us that slight illusion of depth and some of them were even fun! interesting! i still remember the sidequest where you go on a ‘hostage rescue mission’ to save an npc’s son who was kidnapped by lycandi and the npc who fucking gave you the mission murders his own son in front of you cause he was bumpin with the lycandi like. it’s not fucking riveting writing but it gave some more context to the places you visit, it’s SOMETHING about the supposed people that inhabit the world and it clearly makes some places more memorable than just ‘cool sky desert’, ‘cool sky city’, ‘cool sky village’.

im vaguely aware that this was done cause it ‘confused players’ who thought they had to do blue quests to level up to endgame and firstable idk why bns pushes endgame as the only ‘good’ part when its like in my humble opinion really fucking boring. you know people play mmos for different reasons? not just to reach lvl 100 super tier omega hongmoon thornbuster breakre 5000 and be no.1 in pvp. just looking flashy and good combat isn’t really enough to compete these days. im guessing its a push to the esports scene but also like you really want to serve one side better by doing relateively arbitrary thing that fucks over pve ppl? like? 

also there ARE genuinely people interested in the world and content and story as exemplified by all the oc and various comics and even even some official webcomics like i honestly dont think nc at all in any way nurtures that side of their mmo nearly enough especially when you see how healthy and thriving ff14 and other communities are in their oc scene. the sheer fact that people still stuck around despite the experiene of playing bns being patently awfully optimised and an uphill battle in every single way is testament to the fact that maybe some people just genuinely like the game? gutting it is absolutely antithesis to that.

i actually cant wrap my head around purposefully deleting lore cause it makes ‘grinding to endgame’ too confusing like does the story take that low a priority? the fucking ACTUAL game and the story is less important than people mindlessly burning themselves out to endgame, grinding dungeons and buying lootboxes like you cant do in literally every other game anyways? why would you get rid of some of the only shit that makes your game even slightly different? like im not out here saying it was the most revolutionary great shit but at least the side quests TRIED to give a modicum of flavour to bns. like they at least attempted to add to all the zones and make them places rather than set pieces were story happens to you then you leave and never come back. it doesnt even have to be revolutionary amazing writing to do that it just needs to be serviceable to give even the slightest sense of depth.

but for some reason rather than idk. just tell people theyre just flavour text and theyre not compulsory or just toggle on/off the fucking blue quest markers you decide to fucking? nuke the already translated (which someone no doubt paid for), completely unintrusive, absolutely functional, if somewhat tedious sidequests? making the whole fucking game even MORE barren and lifeless? FOR FREE? what a fucking deal.

 i literally cannot understand this clownery this absolute idiot idea could only have been concocted by the specific brand of stupidity found only in corporate sales dept. but like i think its also emblematic of how this game has no creative direction other than make Money which is fucked cause theres genuinely many parts of this game that i enjoy from like characters, music, visuals theres A LOT of promise in bns even if it takes a lot of legwork to get to it. as much as people give htk shit he absolutely made this game what it is visually and thematically, the soundtrack fucking rocks, theres some solid characters and story elements, a lot of the game still holds up visually and som of it dare i say looks fucking good. give bns a try its free to play.

maybe ive just been spoiled by fgo and gbf and literally every other popular game ACTUALLY trying to write good shit. trying to give their readers lore, trying to make things genuinely ENJOYABLE as a game should be rather than a part time job. but man i always forget after act1 bns really reveals why its never broken out from being a midweight grindy mmo