#so much that she can make money out of soulless art

[mikuyuuss]

That one character in The Glory, Lee Sa-Ra (one of the bullies) claims to be an artist yet makes one of the most blandest soulless art I've ever seen.

[marypsue]

There's a thing in Grady Hendrix' We Sold Our Souls, especially in conversation with what he has to say about splatterpunk in Paperbacks From Hell, that I've been thinking about ever since I read it.

So the protagonist of We Sold Our Souls is the guitarist of a long-dissolved heavy metal band, and the premise is that she finds out her former bandmate sold her (and their other bandmates') soul in exchange for success. And she wants it back.

This could very easily have turned into a one-note diatribe against the soulless corporate commercialism and trend-chasing sameiness of mainstream music - and that's definitely a thread that runs through the entire book. Our Heroes do very much insult the creative bankruptcy and shameless plagiarism that the soul-selling bandmate engages in to get to the top of the heap. It's shown as both a moral and an aesthetic wrong. There's a lot about the ~grittiness and ~rawness of ~real music, a lot of lauding the artists that never get anywhere because they don't have wide, mainstream, commercial appeal, because they stick to making the art that they love and that they believe in. There is, to be perfectly frank, a lot of the kind of alternative music snobbery that's inherent in any underground scene.

But then. Then there's Melanie. And there's her love of this manufactured, commercial, creatively bankrupt, overproduced hacky nu-metal act that the soul-selling bandmate became, and what that love has helped her through, and what that love inspires her to do with her life. And, most importantly for the story's purposes, how that love puts her in the very place she needs to be to help Kris when Kris needs it the most.

And then there's the girl with the guitar, busking on the street. She's not very good, and she hasn't gotten much better by the end of the novel. But she's still making music.

And then there's the fact that Grady Hendrix makes a point, during the climactic scene, to note that the opening riff on the first track of Troglodyte is one that Kris...borrowed, albeit unintentionally, from a much more famous song. That this paragon of music and art and creativity and soul that she hopes can save them all...isn't wholly original.

We Sold Our Souls raises a question that, on the surface, it seems to never conclusively answer: is the album Troglodyte actually any good? It's never entirely clear (because this is a book, and part of the reason why I think it's unfilmable) whether the music itself actually sounds good. Kris certainly thinks so. The people at Hellstock seem to think so. The people on the radio say that the album is mediocre at best - but then, the radio's been a puppet of Black Iron Mountain all along (except for the AM weirdos, which sort of undermines that argument, which goes to my point). What is clear, though, is that whether or not Troglodyte is technically, musically, aesthetically, artistically good or not...doesn't matter. Because just by virtue of being what it is - the first serious artistic efforts of a lonely, sad, angry teenage girl and her friends, kicking defiantly back at a world that seems built just to grind them down - it has immeasurable power.

What We Sold Our Souls seems to me to be saying, with all of this, is that it doesn't matter much in the end what the art that you love actually is. It doesn't matter whether it's good, or original, or makes you money. What matters is that you love it. All art is made out of other art, and what matters is the art that you make out of it next.

And that any art that gets made, no matter how commercial or shallow or derivative or technically imperfect or ugly or strange or whatever it might be, is always better than the art that doesn't.

[stalkerthetiger]

My mother had friend come by today. She offered to help find me a job at the university, where I’d call companies and ask them for materials that are overdue. She asked what career I want to build. What I think I would be good at.

But see, I’m actually not thinking of a career. I’m not suffering to deserve my life. I don’t want to build a career to make more money to be proud of. I’m studying coding because I can work anywhere and I can leave our soulless city where you can’t walk. I’m applying to a bakery because I’m excited to learn more of gf cooking and to avoid customers.

My uncle won’t call his drawings art. I told him that’s very Catholic of him and he laughed.

I’m not necessarily trying to be insulting saying Catholic but I was forcibly baptized, against parental consent, in a fucking sink. So in a manner I feel vindicated to spit on the rotting remains I see, where we all cover our eyes and claim secularity.

This isn’t luckless and I know it makes much of the art I can put out tainted by the middle class lie. That my parents and their parents get a say in how I’m perceived and I can’t shake that off. I’ll embrace the enveloping but in return, no, thank you, I’ll wait to hear back from the bakery.

[chromanebula]

Whiteness, Power, and Morality on the Andor Show

I read @gffa‘s recent post on the ISB, the banality of evil, and the color symbolism of their soullessness, and it is on point. But I have something more to say, which I am writing as a separate post rather than a reblog in the interest of not derailing that post. Namely, the highly appropriate use of white to symbolize power, privilege, and morality--or the lack thereof. 

If you don’t know by this point that Western countries and their histories have a serious race problem...I don’t know what to tell you. Slavery, colonialism, and racism have left a severe, pervasive mark that has persisted even to this day. While the Andor show exists in a fictional reality, it has “leaned on the fourth wall” several times already regarding these issues, especially with its lead of color (as @queen-breha-organa has pointed out). Cassian/Kassa is from the dark-skinned Kenari tribe (which was attacked just for existing on land the white invaders wanted to strip-mine for themselves--really, how much more obvious can you get?), and these features are repeatedly brought up when the Corpos (i.e., cops) are pursuing him. He was taken away from his people by a (admittedly well-intentioned) white woman. And--as I rather embarrassingly missed on first viewing--he was asked if he had swam to a place he wasn’t supposed to be. Andor is a political show, no doubt about it. 

Star Wars has always been political. Prior installments have sent mixed messages due to latent prejudice and laziness. Even when they did get the conscious messaging right, the symbolism was...not ideal. Admittedly with some exceptions, such as the white-clad stormtroopers and Luke and Leia’s outfits in ROTJ, we generally see white associated with goodness and black representing evil. Just look at this poster of Luke and Leia versus their Sithly father (and, later, the Emperor): 

When Han is a smuggler being drawn into the Rebellion, he wears a white shirt under his black vest as he’s a good person at heart and that side of him is going to win out in the end. So too with Luke facing his father in ROTJ. The symbolism is even explicitly codified in the “Light” and “Dark” sides of the Force! Now, this is a trope that well predates systemic racism, so I’m not necessarily faulting Lucas for (broadly) falling into it. But in our historical context, and the messages Lucas wanted to convey about standing up to oppression, he should have at least thought more critically about it. 

Fortunately, that’s exactly what the creators of Andor appear to have done! On this show, made by and for marginalized people, the resistance lives and works in shades of brown and black while power is cloaked in white. Just compare this shot: 

to this:

and this:

The inclusion of that last shot may be puzzling at first. The ISB are obviously powerful and evil, the oppressors of our black and brown protagonists; @gffa pointed out how the cold white symbolizes their soulless detachment from their own bloodshed. Mon Mothma, on the other hand, wears a warm white...but it’s still white. She is the kinder face of power and privilege--she seems to truly care for the downtrodden of the galaxy and risks herself to support the Rebellion--but she is still a wealthy, Core-world, human politician. Just look at her in the art gallery with Luthen: 

In this scene, the wealthy Core worlders (including Mon’s own husband) are collecting and displaying artifacts from various different planets in their own museum. Chandrila having an “interesting history” is putting it kindly, according to Mon, and the comics give it a white aesthetic much like Coruscant’s own upper levels where the wealthy and powerful live. Does this perhaps remind you of anything? My money is on Chandrila having an imperial past. (And perhaps my own bias is clouding my judgment, but Alderaan is also a wealthy, largely human Core world with royalty and a white aesthetic. Who’s to say the same doesn’t apply to them?) 

Now, does this make Mon Mothma and the other “respectable” rebels (like Bail Organa) evil? No. Individual planetary empires are no more justified than the Galactic Empire and (if real colonial empires are anything to go by) most likely committed several crimes against sentients. But we see that here and now these senators (who did not choose their ancestry) are at least trying to do the right thing, which is a world apart from the oppression by design wrought by Palpatine and his cronies. However, because of that past and the privilege they inherited, they still have some work to do before they can assume their proper place in the freedom struggle. Just look at Mon and Luthen again: 

Mon is visually out of place here. We see that while wealthy collectors of other people’s artifacts gather in the white museum room, the back room where the actual work of plotting rebellion is done--and Luthen with it--presents dark shades and low lighting. Mon Mothma is still dressed in white as she plans how to use her place within the system to the best of her ability. Even as she talks of supporting outside groups like Luthen’s, we see in the trailer that she fears going to war. But the contrast is jarring, as this can’t last forever. We know that the Imperial Senate, “the last remnants of the Old Republic,” will be swept away in a few short years. Even while it still exists, its power is only nominal; the system is designed to prevent any possibility of real positive change from within. Thus, working outside the system--waging war--is the only option. Eventually, (former) Senator Mothma will have to step up and lead a military Alliance to Restore the Republic; while the New Republic’s fate is as sealed as Cassian Andor’s own, in large part due to Mothma’s naivete about the threat posed by the First Order, I do hope we can see some character development on the show. 

Will she step out of her white by the final episode? I don’t know. Wearing dark brown or black would certainly symbolize a shift in thinking. But as sympathetic as she is to the plight of the galaxy’s downtrodden, she lacks real empathy. I don’t have a screenshot for it, but as @my-last-brain-cell-is-socrates​ and @a-sassination have both pointed out, she snapped at her housekeeper when the actual Problem Character was her husband. Yes, she was under a lot of stress, but there’s definitely a class dynamic at play there too. Even while consciously trying to end structures of oppression, she is unconsciously reinforcing them. It’s whiteness at work, just as in the ISB elite. Even without evil, power used incorrectly can still cause damage. And that’s something that all privileged people need to watch out for. Skin (or wealth, or other forms of privilege) can’t be shed as an outfit can, so the learning is lifelong, and we will never be able to substitute for marginalized self-advocates. But that doesn’t mean our efforts are hopeless. Allies have a role to play as sidekicks, doing the work that the self-advocate heroes ask of us without hogging the spotlight. Their educational, representative work--such as the Andor show--deserves to be spotlighted. 

[antibronybenswolo]

She-Ra Hollywood AU (AKA, if Double Trouble wrote SPOP)

Adora was the intern for Horde Studios until she auditioned for the lead role in a movie by Horde Studios rival, Bright Moon Films, and she landed the role. She quit her job as an intern and began the part.

Catra was a fellow intern alongside Adora at Horde Studios, but was shocked and betrayed Adora was leaving the studio for the lead role in another film. She would later become a film director at Horde Studios.

Glimmer is a film director working on bringing together a film based on the romantic book "The Heart of Etheria" as her directorial debut. Bow is Glimmer's assistant in helping put this film together.

Angella is the CEO of Bright Moon films and works hardest to make sure everything about her company's movies goes under control and on schedule.

Hordak is a struggling artist in charge of Horde Studios known for making terrible and awful movies but knows there is something deep down inside him that inspires him to keep going so he can make his Magnum Opus.

Shadow Weaver is Hordak's right-hand and go-to director for making his movies. But unlike Hordak, Shadow Weaver doesn't care about making art like he does. Instead, she's just a control freak who wants to be a director for the sake of being a director. However, after being caught in the act as a control freak, Hordak fires her.

Entrapta is a film writer who binge-watches classic films and takes notes on them so she can write her own movies. At first, she's brought to Bright Moon Films to work on Glimmer's "Heart of Etheria" movie, but is later convinced to write for Horde Studios' movie instead.

Sea Hawk is brought on to Bright Moon Films as the composer for the "Heart of Etheria"'s soundtrack.

Mermista is a heckling critic who makes fun of Hordak's movies.

Perfuma works on Set Design at Bright Moon Films.

Scorpia is the lead actress in Catra's directorial debut film and a frequent collaborator for Catra's movies.

Double Trouble is a disaster artist making deliberately bad spoof movies on purpose, knowing they'll get a laugh out of people anyways. Their talents are brought to Horde Studios to make a short film directly targeting Bright Moon Films.

Spinerella and Netossa auditioned for the lead roles in "The Heart of Etheria", but ended up playing supporting characters in the movie instead.

Frosta is a child actor who is brought on to play a character in "The Heart of Etheria"

Horde Prime is a soulless corporate overlord who tries to buy Horde Studios and Bright Moon Films and wants to turn Glimmer's "Heart of Etheria" movie into a bland and soulless franchise so he could milk as much money out of these movies as possible.

Catra later joins Glimmer's "Heart of Etheria" movie as Adora's co-star after a lot of drama at Horde Studios with her movies and Horde Prime. Adora and Catra act out an incredibly romantic scene including a dramatic kiss which saves Glimmer's movie and forces Horde Prime to back off.

[fiendish-insanity-in-the-written]

Clare Archer (OC)

Name : Clare Archer

Date of Birth (& age): 11. September 1995 (25)

Gender: Female

Language: English

Family/Friends/Pets/Etc: Lives with her mother and two half sisters, she is the oldest child

____________________________________________________________ Physical Description

Height: 5′ 9′‘

Weight: 62 kg

Hair: Long, blood red, slightly curly

Eyes: Dark,emerald green with brown spots on the irises

Detailed Physical Description: Athletically built because of her love for athletics and martial arts, and she prefers judo. Long legs with wider hips, thin waist and long elegant arms. Prominent cheekbones and jaw, delicate facial features. Big rosy lips, long black lashes. She has several tattoos: a red and black tattoo of a Japanese demon mask on her shoulder blade, a black snake decorated with miniatures that climbs around her thigh all the way to her groin, a set of small demon skulls on her ribs.

Typical Clothing/Equipment: Usually dark clothes. Black jeans and grey top with a Harley Davidson leather jacket .

Personality/Attributes ____________________________________________________________

Personality/Attitude: Manipulative, very patient, sometimes comes off as aggressive, can play sweet and innocent when needed. Clare is a tortured soul and product of her sinister past. At first she will seem soulless, unwelcoming and somewhat an asshole, but her core is pure and has nothing but goodness. Her personality heavily depends on ‘character development’, in other words, in time spent with her, she will change accordingly. However, if you are aiming to really connect with her, it will be a long and painful process, and by painful I mean - it will take a lot of nerves and patience.

Skills/Talents: very good in martial arts, excessive knowledge in the field of biology and chemistry, high IQ and infiltrating skills

Favorites/Likes: ancient books with dark contents, rock music, dissection of people, playing with animals

Most Hated/Dislikes: animal cruelty

Goals/Ambitions: *depends on the role play*

Strengths: physical endurance

Weaknesses: if she gets emotionally attached to someone, she can become subjected to that person

Fears: narrow spaces, being buried alive

Hobbies/Interests: riding a motorbike, partying, studying the dark subjects

Philosophy of Life: Hell is here, devils are walking the earth, find the worst one and make him yours.

Attitude Toward Death: “As long as it is not me.”

Religion/Beliefs: Atheist

Fetishes/Strange Behaviors: sadistic men, being forced into submission, bondage

Occupation: Student of Biology / Scientist

Backstory:

Clare was born in a small town with not so loving family. Her mother was not particularly interested in raising children since she only had them by accident.She was a gold digger, a woman only interested in what a man can provide. Clare was her first “mistake”. Forced to learn how to take care of herself from a young age, she was constantly been fed lies from the people around her. Her biological father was a man who pretended to be interested for the show and others around him not to judge him, breaking promises left and right, and sometimes even forgetting Clare’s name, calling her Carla, Catty... Her father left when she was 5, and died a year later, and her mother re-married 2 more times, having two more children, Clare’s stepsisters Mel and Veronica, true daughters of her mother as they decided to follow in her footsteps, unlike Clare. She was disgusted with the concept of being a gold digger and a mindless toy for money, and her love and interest in complicated topics and dark content made her a black sheep in that family, so much that they openly hated her and casually locked her out side of the house, even when she was only 10. But she did not let them get to her, instead, she trained herself for years to shut down emotionally. The breaking point was when her mother took her to see her fathers grave at the age of 6 on Clare’s request, but the problem was that she left her there and it was just getting dark, telling Clare that she can do her a favor and just lay in to a empty grave that was next to her father’s.

She quickly developed the belief that gentile, love, affection = lies, and similar things are used as tools of manipulation, to get others to do your bidding or making them just useful for your needs. Perfecting her craft, she was using it through life, but her manipulation did not include much of those things, but the tricks of the mind. She gazed upon humanity with disgust in general, seeing only the selfish being and lying individuals, and in that moment she began fantasizing about killers. For her, they were examples of raw, unstained instinct and pointed to much deserved punishment of others that are truly evil. She knew she was no killer, she maybe could manipulate, help with the process of capturing victims, but something in her could not kill, yet she wanted to be part of the punishment. So her goal and plan was to find a killer and drill her way in his mind so she can join him, and finally be around someone who has no need or better said,just has no emotions what so ever, and is only “evil”, so when you know that and can’t expect nothing more, there is no danger of him ever hurting you emotionally.

Beside her plans and childhood, Clare was always a feisty one. Filled with energy and adrenaline. That is why she trained athletics and martial arts, to get the energy out, and built physical endurance plus be sure she can smite down anyone who stands in her way. She takes shit from no one,and even though she will not get physical right away, her sharp tongue will not hesitate to tell you things packed in a nice sarcastic dark humor that will bring you down from your high horse.

The only place where she did not mind people were rock parties and motorcycle conventions, since people there were similar to her. Dangerous from outside but still good from the inside, even though Clare hid her “good” very, very deep.

Although, her good side can come out and that is her weakness. When Clare gets attached to someone, they will find out that behind that wildcat facade hides a cuddling kitten, but those moments are reserved for someone who truly deserves it. Do you dare to try and be the one?

In her collage days, she did manage to get two friends that find her amusing and are not bothered with her flaming temper. Alice and Jake, who stick by her no matter how bad things are. But still, somehow Clare did not show her special good side even to them.

Extra information about Clare:

Clare’s childhood: - Preferences towards books

Clare’s demons: - Nightmare she hopes for

Clare’s jewelry: Blood vial bracelet

[revcleo]

As a note: I am an artist, I create digital and physical paintings. I think we need to be careful how we react to AI art in order to not create the same situation as what has happened to music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jwo5qc78QU

tl;dr - I think we have to worry about what companies will do with copyrighting art, because ai art will not go away, ai art can benefit artists of all levels. long post ahead if you want to see my arguments about this

I think that there's a lot of soulless and stripped of culture art already, plenty of art which is created as pure consumption, such as the exploitation of artists around the world. People have been stripping signatures and urls and names from all kinds of digital art as long as it's been made. AI allows further appropriative art https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appropriation_(art) but it doesn't change much in regards to how artists have been devalued by capitalism. Just think of how many people have been asked to work "for exposure".

We need to ensure that all artists are supported and valued, but the focus on copyright will result in big businesses such as Disney owning "legit ai libraries" where they will still devalue artists, paying people less the same way that tightening copyright on sampling has made it harder for musicians.

There might be a lot of memes out there which are based on popular musics, but for musicians who want to play their stuff on the radio or sell albums, not just be popular on youtube, it's very expensive and sometimes difficult to clear music. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Upright_Music,_Ltd._v._Warner_Bros._Records_Inc.

I think that calling the creators of the ai stuff fascist is a bit far, it's not really fascism it's just boring ordinary capitalism. Capitalism already doesn't value artists, this is just making things a little bit easier to have a bit nicer images.

I think there is value in generated art, in the long term we will find where that value is, the same way that Daft Punk have sampled other work, and in the same way that art professionals have used photobashing and otherwise collages for many years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBSWw7RdZLk

In my experience messing around with generated art, it's very good at doing vague concepts, but very bad at doing details. One of my friends posted this image (she didn't realise it was ai):

I noticed, because of all of the errors, so I fixed it up a bit, for fun

I still don't think it's perfect, I mean at very least the clothes still don't really make sense. There's just a bunch of details which don't all fit together. But at least the cat has a face.

I think this sort of activity is good for artists to do, in the same way this is a good thing to do:

This is a study of a scene from a movie. I wouldn't say that I created this lil alien fella from out of my brain, they're a study. I painted him using my skills and my ability to colour match. I think artists can develop their skills by fixing up AI images, or using them as inspiration, the same way you can learn how to program by fixing websites.

I think anyone who says that a study or fixing of some AI art is their own 100% ideas and skill, will be found out eventually, and while the people who think it's their own skill will be upset to be lied to, I think the person they are lying to the most would be theirself.

People can use ai generated art to make custom art, but people can also use picrew to make custom art. In this situation it will seem shitty if an individual generates 1000's of pictures which are in "the style of loish" without spending the 1000s of hours needing to paint similarly, but that individual is not likely to have hired an artist either way.

The things to look out for in this situation are the people with big money, it's like with translators, the cost cutting will be for people hired by companies.

These people will be able to afford the costs of if something like Activision-Blizard decide that under their contracts the "Activision-Blizzard style" is now copyright for purposes of ai generation. They'll then save on costs by paying AB for the right to generate concepts in their style, which they can then send artists to model.

None of that money will go towards the artists in the AI training pool, it'll just go to make the business give higher dividends. And who is to say that if someone tries to draw in their style, that AI don't pick it up and block it, much the same how musicians have been picked up by AI and blocked/covered in adverts after their playing has been detected as similar to that of someone under copyright.

I think the barriers of entry to art are already very low, and don't need ai generation to anything on that front, you can just think of 8-bit theatre, which reused assets from final fantasy, or dinosaur comics, which uses the same art almost every day. The problem is capitalism and how most people can't earn a living from art, and how most people who do earn a living from art usually can't support themselves just with art.

While it's tricky to find average illustrator pay through time (though in the 1920s apparently one cartoonist was paid over $250,000 a year) I doubt there's any junior animators currently getting paid $1500 a week https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-24-mn-49659-story.html at the end it lists the average animator salary as $60k on the low end, according to https://www.salary.com/research/salary/listing/animator-salary the low end is currently $50k. That's a massive paycut in real terms as well as without inflation.

Copyright in it's currently form does not help artists, I can't think of a single case where copyright itself has been argued to help individual artists when their art has been stolen by companies. Only pressure from people in general has forced them to provide some compensation.

The only times people have successfully won in court as far as I can tell, are times such as https://www.forbes.com/sites/billsinger/2012/09/07/obama-hope-and-progress-photo-ends-with-artists-criminal-plea/ where companies such as AP or Getty Images are able to represent their photographers. Though it's unknown how much of that money the photographer gets.

We need to find good data collection methods to train AI, perhaps some vetted training sets where people are paid for their submission? (any ideas are welcome on this front) otherwise i am not surprised when people scrape websites, on this front I think it is best a harm reduction standpoint is taken. It may feel best on a knee-jerk reaction to go "ban it!" but that's just not going to happen, the technology is out there and the best you can do now is drive it underground.

This is an ai “artwork” hate blog now

[dylanobrienisbatman]

You not liking Taylor’s music and not caring about lyrics makes sense. I love Taylor and I love lyrics more than the overall production of music. It’s why i love Lorde but hate Solar Power with a passion. While the songs can be fun to listen to, the lyrics were (to me) soulless compared to her previous records. Taylor writes music that I can relate to, even if she is a very rich cis white woman. Lorde is the same except Solar Power screamed an experience and mindset that I can’t relate to at all

I do find a lot of your points to dislike her a little meh if you did take more time to learn about what she gives us access into seeing. But I also really don’t care to inform someone who doesn’t like her. She isn’t losing sleep over this stuff LMAO The same way I’m sure 5SOS isn’t going to be affected by me not liking any of their songs or knowing any of their names. Or me not caring about DOB or Sadie Sink. All of the celebrities I’ve mentioned are talented, but not everyone has to care or like them and they’re still going to be talented

I find her re-recordings pretty lacklustre just given the nature that it is the same songs we already heard and a handful of ones that didn’t make the cut the first time, but I truly don’t really care if she is milking it. I’m sure I would too, from a business standpoint. If rich people are going to do one thing, it’s going to be stay rich

I’ll start by saying I appreciate how respectful this message is 🥰 thanks!

Yeah honestly for me the way a song sounds musically and sonically is the most important thing. Lyrically, it often takes me reading the lyrics or watching a review on YouTube that discusses the lyrics to understand what they’re saying and what they mean (yay HOH and auditory processing issues), so to me, lyrics matter only in the sense that they should sound good within the song (I.e. good flow, working with the music, etc), and what they’re actually saying is really not that important to me. So obviously the musical part of the song is what I notice and care about, and if I’m not enjoying the sound of a song, why bother? And I’m also very much anti-ballads, I find them soooo boring, which likely doesn’t help matters in regards to her because she puts out a TON of ballads. Not my speed AT ALL.

But as for the rest, exactly! Like, I don’t have to like her. My reasons are mine, and they’re enough for me, and nobody is gonna convince me otherwise by yelling at me on the internet, in fact, you’ll likely make me dig my heels in. And my reasons for not liking her personally are long standing, so I’m not gonna go out of my way to engage with her to try to see “more” of what she shows her fans, because why would I engage more with someone I don’t like as a person?

I never take it personally when people don’t like artists I like. 5sos is my favourite band, their music is some of my favourite out there and they seem like authentic dudes, but if someone (such as yourself) isn’t into it… why do I care? Same with Dylan O’Brien! If something isn’t for you, it isn’t for you. If someone’s art doesn’t speak to you or connect with you, that’s okay, and to me that respect should extend both ways. I’ve never understood the need to try to batter people into liking something that is entirely subjective. And honestly, the thing about her not losing sleep? 100% accurate. That woman could not care less what I think of her, and I’m not berating her in a way that engages with her personally, so I don’t see what the problem is.

In terms of the re-recording thing, my big issue is the that it’s so clearly a money grab, and it’s also a way for her fans to harass and be obnoxious towards the men these songs are presumably about. Like, I saw people saying they hope Joe Jonas’s daughter grows up to hate him for what he did to her when he was a teenager… that’s some disturbing shit. And like, she could have donated to charities or causes she cares about or done something like, start a fund to help other artists in the fight to get their own masters back, or something, but instead she is milking it for every penny and keeping it all for herself. But as you said, if there’s one thing a rich person is gonna do it’s get richer, so I’ll just be annoyed with it and be done!

[chocolatte-and-despair]

Skeletons and their jobs

UNDERTALE: * Sans/Undertale Sans ‘ The Judge ‘ - Owns a hotdog stand and is a freelance scientist. Creates inventions and sells them for high prices, that’s why he has a lot of money. * Papyrus/Undertale Papyrus ‘ The Liar ‘ - Mascot of the monster kid, social media influencer, Instagram model. He’s a very popular person online, and brands pay him millions to advertise their products. * Gaster/Undertale Gaster ‘ The Forgotten Scientist ‘ - A scientist. He works for the royal family with a few other very talented scientists.

* Grillby/Undertale Grillby ‘The Bartender ‘ - A bar owner and bartender. Grillby owns a bar, and usually works at the counter, but he does most of his own management too.

* Toriel/Undertale Toriel 'The Caretaker' - Works as an elementary teacher. Loves children, and even if the pay isn’t high, she doesn’t plan on changing her job. * Asgore/Undertale Asgore 'The Previous King' - Flower shop owner. Sells the flowers that he himself raises, and sells tea blends he makes himself too on the side.

* Alphys/Undertale Alphys ' The anxious scientist ' - The royal scientist. She’s very talented at her job and always makes sure to help her coworkers with things so they achieve the best result. * Undyne/Undertale Undyne ' Captain of the royal guard ' - The head of the police force. Loves to help people, and has a powerful sense of justice. Loves training new recruits.

* Flowey/Undertale Flowey ' The soulless monster ' - Jobless. He doesn’t really work anywhere. He lives with Frisk.

* Bratty/Undertale Bratty ' The friendly crocodile ' - Works at the junkyard. Sells the good stuff that she finds at the junkyard on the side.

* Catty/undertale Catty ' The chatty cat ' - Works at the junkyard. Sells the good stuff she finds at the junkyard on the side, online.

* Lady/Snowdin shopkeeper ' the cheerful shopkeeper from snowdin ' - Small shop owner. Lady owns a small shop, but the shop has quite a variety of things and is always filled with expensive products, that cost much less than they are supposed to.

* Chara/Undertale Chara ' The vengeful ghost ' - Currently a university student. Is learning English as a major. Wants to become an English teacher.

* Asriel/Undertale Asriel ' The crybaby heir ' - A twitch streamer. Plays video games, talks with his fans, and in general, has become a very lovable streamer.

* Frisk/Undertale Frisk ' the monster ambassador ' - The ambassador for the monsters. Works to represent monster kid, and help people as much as possible, accept monsters in their communities.

* Mickey/Undertale Monster Kid ' The Undyne Fan ' - Currently finishing up his last year of high school. Still doesn’t know what he wants to do after he finishes school.

* Ginger/Undertale Burgerpants - An university student and a part-timer at a fast food joint. Is currently studying theater, and whenever he’s not at school, he’s working.

UNDERFELL: * Red/Underfell Sans ‘ The Sentry’  -  Works as a mechanic part-time, and studies full-time quantum physics. He enjoys mechanics more, but to help Sans, he’s studying quantum physics too.

* Boss/Underfell Papyrus ‘The Guard Captain’  -  A detective. Boss is in the police force and works in the homicide department. Loves to help people out and keep everything in its order.

* Aster/Underfell Gaster ‘ The Failed Scientist ‘ - A writer. After his career as a scientist failed, he discovered that he loved writing more than researching over and over again.

* Firefly/Underfell Grillby ‘ The Cold Flirt ‘ - Works as a bartender at Grillby’s bar. Is a bartender, but he also gets himself involved in the mafia, so, he has a part-time job a as human trafficker.

* Ursa/Underfell Toriel 'The Caretaker of the Catacombs' - Currently jobless. Her daughter pays for everything for Ursa, as she keeps going to therapy, group counseling, and trying to find hobbies to help herself.

* Tenor/Underfell Asgore ' The Tyrant' - An in and out of prison criminal. He makes his living by committing crime and has a very well known reputation around the criminals.

* Laguna/Underfell Alphys ' The mad scientist ' - The doctor of a mafia. Laguna can both help and experiment on people, which is much more than what she could do doing a clean job.

* Currant/Underfell Undyne ' The cruel captain ' - A police officer. Has been working in the police force for a long time, and loves to keep everyone safe, even if she sometimes overlooks crime.

* Dessy/Underfell Chara ' The demon who brought despair underground ' - A sex worker. Currently works as a stripper, and camming to get the money that she needs. While in her universe, she dabbled in prostitution but doesn’t do it anymore, as it’s illegal where she lives. Currently has been studying political science, and has a degree in psychology.

* Daffodil/Underfell Flowey ' The frightful flower ' - Doesn’t have a job. Lives with Dessy and helps out around the house whenever Dessy is out working.

* Fawn/Underfell Frisk ' The genocidal freak ' - Currently studying history in university. Doesn’t know what she wants to do with her degree.

* Penny/Underfell Monster Kid ' The moody teenager ' - Currently studying psychology in university. Wishes to become a physical therapist.

* Tuscan/Underfell Asriel ' The obsessive prince ' - Finishing up his last year in high school. Plans on studying political science at university after he graduates.

UNDERSWAP: * Lucky/Underswap Sans ‘ The Manipulator’  -  Works as a police officer. Hates his job, but it helps him keep the reputation of a good person, who cares for the people around him.

* Stretch/Underswap Papyrus ‘ The Puppet ‘   -  Currently studies at university. He’s graduating with his art major. He’s a very talented artist and has been freelancing for some time now.

* Dings/Underswap Gaster ‘ The RiverMan ‘ - Works at a library. He works at a library and uses that to get to know things about people, to use it against them.

* Peachy/Underswap Grillby 'The bubbling bakery owner' - A bakery owner. Works in a bakery, and makes most of his pastries himself.

* Pepper/Underswap Mutter ' The quiet Bartender' - Works as a bartender and cook at Grillby’s. She’s a talented cook but has a hard time connecting with clients. * Cinnamon/Underswap Chara ' The Two-Faced savior ' - Currently studying veterinary. Wishes to become a veterinarian when she finishes her degree.

* Tawny/Underswap Asriel ' The friendly town guide ' - Tour guide. He loves visiting places and telling other people about those places, so of course, his perfect job is as a tour guide.

* Buttercup/Underswap Frisk ' The lost princess ' - Jobless. She doesn’t have a physical body at this moment, and usually just follows Buttercup around.

SWAPFELL: * Razz/Swapfell Sans ‘ The Lord ‘ -  Police officer.

* Mutt/Swapfell Papyrus ‘ The Wild Dog’  - Computer technician.

* Ebony/Swapfell Toriel ' The unstable Queen' - Politician.

* Marigold/Swapfell Asgore ' The Unstable Caretaker' - Jobless. Currently goes to therapy and is being taken care of by his ex-wife.

* Pitch/Swapfell Chara ' The Cheerful ambassador ' - A photographer.

* Cobalt/Swapfell Asriel ' The quiet town guide ' - Tour Guide.

* Chartreuse/Swapfell Frisk ' The domineering prince ' - Currently studying in university political science.

* Peacock/Swapfell Monster Kid ' The prideful princess ' - Jobless, being taken care off by her mother.

FELLSWAP: * Blackberry/Fellswap Sans ‘ The WannaBe Guard ‘ - Police officer.

* Patch/Fellswap Papyrus ‘ The Loyal Pet ‘ - Grocery store stocker.

* Sunny/Fellswap Grillby ‘ The Poisonous Bakery Owner ‘ - Bakery owner.

* Mahogany/Fellswap Chara ' The temperamental fallen human ' - Works at a moving agency.

* Flaxen/Fellswap Asriel ' The bored town guide ' - Tour guide.

* Canary/Fellswap Frisk ' The good-hearted Lost Spirit ' - Jobless.

* Jade/Fellswap Monster Kid ' The frightful princess ' - Heiress.

FELLSWAP GOLD: *Merlot/Fellswap Gold Sans ' The bad wine expert wannabe ' - Blogger.

*Mochaccino/Fellswap Gold Papyrus ' The coffee addict ' - Grocery shop cashier.

HORRORTALE: * Hickory/Horrortale Sans ‘ The Butcher ‘ - Butcher.

* Tatters/Horrortale Papyrus ‘ The Cannibal ‘ - Grows his own vegetables and flowers and sells them.

* Vile/Horrortale Grillby 'The starving bartender' - Cook at Grillby’s bar. * Trigger/ Horrortale Undyne ' The Fallen Queen ' - In an out of jail. Jobless.

* Widow/Horrortale Muffet ' The Black Widow ' - Small bakery owner.

STORYSHIFT: * Toffee/Storyshift Chara ‘ The Guard ‘ - Retail worker.

* Plum/storyshift Asriel ‘ The Captain’s Son ‘ - Studying in the police academy.

* Pebble/Storyshift Frisk ' The one who will free them all ' - Studying philosophy in school. Part-time fast food worker.

* Moss/Storyshift Monster Kid ' The village boy ' - Studying English in university.

* Cantaloupe/Storyshift Papyrus - Owns an orphanage.

* Skyblue/Storyshift Sans ‘ The King ‘ - A Politician.

ASYLUMTALE: * Delta/Asylumtale Sans ‘ The Maniac ‘ - Jobless. Recovering.

* Daisy/Asylumtale Alphys 'The therapist' - Therapist.

OVERTALE: * Sam/Overtale Sans 'The Boy-Next-Door' - Hot dog stand owner.

* Audrey/Overtale Papyrus 'The eccentric mascot' - Amusment park mascot.

* Sapphire/Overtale Frisk ' The friendly goat monster ' - Nurse at a retirement home.

* Oliver/Overtale Monster Kid ' The curious neighborhood teenager ' - Finishing high school. Planning on studying medicine in university.

OUTERTALE: * Bumblebee/Outertale Flower ' The worrisome flower ' - jobless.

* Midnight/Outertale Sans ‘ The Star Fanatic ‘ - Astronomist.

*  Marrow/Outertale Papyrus ‘ The Earth Fanatic ‘ - Biologist.

DELTARUNE: * Kris/Deltarune Kris  - Finishing high school. Planning on studying history.

* Susie/Deltarune Susie  - Finishing high school. Planning on going to the police academy.

TRICKSTERTALE: * Sugarberry/Trickstertale Swap!Sans ' The eccentric Trickster ' - Party mascot.

OUTCODES: * Glitch/Error! Sans 'The destroyer' - Destroyer of universes.

* Palette/Ink! Sans 'The creator' - Stand in god of the multiverse.

* Night/Nightmare! Sans 'The bringer of nightmares' - Business man.

* Starry/Dream! Sans 'The bringer of gentle dreams' - Protector of universes.

* Sansy/Fresh! Sans 'The parasite' - Depending on his host. Jobless.

* Coral/Shattered Dream - Scientist.

* Iris/Fresh! Chara - Depending on her host. Scientist.

* Fern/Mafia!Dream  ' The Optimistic Detective ' - Detective

* Onyx/Mafia!Nightmare  ' The Pessimistic Detective ' - Detective

* Sangria/Mafia!Ink  ' The soulless detective ' - Detective

* Chiffon/Mafia!Error  ' The guilty Detective ' - Detective

* Berry/Strawberry Nightmare ' The positive nightmare ' - Leader of a gang

* Arctic/Snake!Dream!Sans ' The positive snake protector ' - Head of a snake pack.

* Anchor/Snake!Nightmare!Sans ' the negative snake guardian ' - Head of the snake pack

* Sky/Outcode Underswap Sans ' The last star sans ' - Ex protector of the universe, double agent.

* Raven/Killertale Sans - Lackey of a gang.

* Blueprints/Error! Underswap Sans - Lab rat.

BITTIES: * Tortilla/ Pup Bitty - Jobless.

* Denim/Sansy Bitty ' The lazy bitty ' - Jobless.

* Pistachio/Sansy Naga Bitty ' The peaceful snake bitty ' - Jobless.

* Jam/Edgy bitty - Jobless.

* Navy/Baby blue bitty - Jobless.

* Bruno/Punny bitty - Jobless.

ECHO SANSES: * Echo/Echotale Sans ‘ The PlayBoy’  - Host.

* Heather/Echofell Sans - underground caretaker.

* Juniper/Echoswap Sans - Tv personality.

ECHO PAPYRUSES: * Green/Echotale Papyrus ‘ The BookWorm’  - Museum worker.

DUST SANSES: * Solaris/Dusttale Sans ‘ The Murderer ‘ - Executer.

DUST PAPYRUSES: * Hound/Dustswapfell Papyrus 'The feeling addict' - Executer.

* Yammy/DustJar Papyrus - Hair dresser.

* Bronze/Disbelief Papyrus - Police officer.

* Sandstone/Dustbelief Papyrus - Executer.

* Squash/Dustswap Papyrus - Executer.

DUST ASRIELS: * Carob/Dustshift Asriel - Jobless.

HORROR GASTERS: * Rust/horrorfell Gaster 'The man who speaks in screams ' - Librarian.

* Carnal/Horrorswapfell Gaster ' The Pathetic RiverMan ' - Jobless. Recluse.

HORROR SANSES: * Teddy/Horrorfell Sans 'The dusting butcher' - Butcher.

* Cranberry/Horrorswap Sans 'The backstabbing maniac' - Shop assistant.  

* Bell/Horrorfellswap Sans 'The incompetent little helper' - Florist.

* Knight/Horrorswapfell Sans 'The Try hard protector' - Police officer.

* Garnet/Horrorfellswap gold sans - Factory worker.

HORROR PAPYRUSES: * Rottenberry/Horrorfell Papyrus ‘ The Mute ‘ - Jobless.

* Pine/Horrorswap Papyrus ' The creepy Con Artist ' - Con artist.

* Cedar/Horrorfellswap gold Papyrus - Mechanic

HORROR ASRIELS: * Umber/Horrorshift Asriel ' the broken down sentry ' - Carpenter

HORROR CHARAS: * Soot/Horrorshift Chara ' the protective Butcher ' - Butcher

LUST SANSES: * Spice/Underlust Sans ‘ The Lover ‘ - Stripper.

* Cotton/Lustswapfell Sans 'The Authoritative slut' - BDSM club worker.

* Candy/Lustfell Sans - prostitute

* Teal/Swaplust sans ' The innocent slut ' - Lap dancer.

LUST PAPYRUSES: * Sugar/Underlust Papyrus ‘ The Friend-With-Benefits ‘ - Cam boy.

* Lavender/Lustfellswap Papyrus 'The Affection seeker' - Massage parlour

* Marmalade/swaplust Papyrus - Escort.

LUST GRILLBYS: * Cerulean/Lustfell Grillby 'The flirty bartender' - Gentlemen's club owner.

ALTER SANSES: * Eros/Altertale Sans 'The gentle giant' - Author

* Nebula/Alterswap Sans 'The benevolent ruler' - Wine taster.

DANCE SANSES: *  Azure/Dancetale Sans 'The dancer' - Street dancer.

* Puffy/Danceswap Sans ‘ The Happy-Go-Lucky Dancer ‘ - Dance instructor.

DANCE PAPYRUSES: * Lyric/Danceswap Papyrus 'The jokester dance fanatic' - Dance instructor.

* Tangerine/Dancetale Papyrus  - Professional dancer.

OUTER SANSES: * Comet/Outerswap Sans 'The Curious human fanatic' - Jobless.

* Pluto/Outerfellswap Sans 'The strength fanatic' - Jobless.

* Perseus/Outerswapfell Sans ' The rule follower ' - Jobless.

* Cygnus/Outerfell Sans ' The eccentric dreamer ' - Astronomer

STORY CHARAS: * Cherry/Shiftfell Chara ‘ The Pet ‘ - Baker

* Majesty/Shiftfellswap Chara ‘ The Captain Of Pride ‘ - Architect

* Caramel/Storyswap Chara ' The friendly sentry-to-be ' - Police officer

STORY ASRIELS: * Brash/Storyswapfell Asriel 'The absent minded sentry' - Bricklayer

* Ivory/Storyswap Asriel ' The laid-back sentry ' - Bus driver

STORY PAPYRUSES: * Bloodbath/Shiftfell Papyrus ‘ The Catacombs Caretaker ‘ - Prison warden.

MAFIA SANSES: * Riffle/Mafiatale Sans ‘ The Mobster ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Riggs/Mafiafell Sans 'The failing underling' - Part of the mafia.

* Slate/Mafiaswap Sans ‘ The Two-Faced ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Mal/Mafiafellswap Sans ‘ The Malevolent Boss ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Casanova/Mafiaswapfell Sans ' The Angry Boss ' - Part of the mafia.

* Grim/Mafiahorror Sans ' The Devoted follower ' - Part of the mafia.

MAFIA PAPYRUSES: * Rose/Mafiatale Papyrus ‘The Right Hand ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Whip/Mafiafell Papyrus ‘ The Boss ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Slim/Mafiaswap Papyrus 'The blind follower' - Part of the mafia.

* Rus/Mafiaswapfell Papyrus ‘The Jack-Of-All-Trades ‘ - Part of the mafia.

* Slim/Mafiaswap Papyrus 'The blind follower' - Part of the mafia.  

* Toots/Mafiafellswap Papyrus ' The kind follower ' - Part of the mafia.

* Dreary/Mafiahorror Papyrus ' The cowardly follower ' - Part of the mafia.

MAFIA GASTERS: * Syrup/Mafiafellswap Gaster ‘The Spy ‘ - double agent.

* Chompers/Mafiahorror Gaster ‘The deceased Don’ - Mafia member.

* Admiral/Mafiafell Gaster ' The brutal Don ' - Leader of the Aster mafia.

* Basiliscus/Mafiatale Gaster ' The Collected Don' - Leader of the Tale mafia.

* Apricot/Mafiaswap Gaster  ' The cheerful informant ' - Informat for the mafia.

* Sable/Mafiaswapfell Gaster ' The strict Don ' - Leader of the Fell mafia.

MAFIA CHARAS: * Dove/Mafiafell Chara  ' The Apathetic heir ' - Heir of the Dreemurr mafia.

* Sage/Mafiaswap Chara   ' The two-faced sweetheart ' - Double agent.

SLAVE SANSES: * Ardor/Slavetale Sans 'The catalyst' - Slave

* Roxxy/Slavefell Sans  'The lovable pervert' - Slave

* Ditzy/Slaveswap Sans  'The savant slave' - Slave

* Wisteria/Slaveswapfell Sans 'The perfectionist' - Slave

* Azalea/Slavefellswap Sans 'The housekeeper' - Slave

* Mortis/SlaveDust Sans 'The loose canon' - Slave

* Cassiopeia/SlaveOuter Sans 'The perfect prey' - Slave

* Jaws/Slavehorror Sans 'The starving slave' - Slave

SLAVE PAPYRUSES: * Viper/Slaveswap Papyrus 'The skeptical slave' - Slave

* Rogue/Slavefell Papyrus  'The reluctant slave' - Slave

* Pup/Slaveswapfell Papyrus 'The perfect puppy' - Slave

* Foxglove/Slavefellswap Papyrus 'The perfect lover' - Slave

OVER SANSES: * Frank/Overfell Sans 'The flirty mechanic' - Mechanic

* Tommy/Overswap Sans 'The friendly donut shop owner' - Donut shop owner

* Pierre/Overswapfell Sans 'The justice obsessed officer' - Police officer

* Theodore/Overfellswap Sans 'The temperamental nurse' - Nurse

* Flynn/Overhorror Sans 'The veteran' - Shopping wall cop

* Angelo/OverLust Sans 'The insane cat gentleman' - Cam boy

* Daniel/OverOuter Sans 'The passionate astronomer' - Astronomer

* Tony/OverMafia Sans 'The typical dark backstory ex-mafiose' - Italian restaurant owner

OVER PAPYRUSES: * Russel/Overswapfell Papyrus 'The child-loving kindergarden teacher' - Kindergarden teacher

* Tobias/Overfellswap Papyrus 'The helpless romantic' - Sculputer

* Whitley/OverLust Papryus 'The damsel in distress' - Exotic dancer

* Willow/OverMafia Papyrus 'The friendly rival' - family restaurant cook.

BEAST SANSES: * Spurce/Beasttale Sans ' The territorial Alpha ' - Alpha of the pack.

BEAST PAPYRUSES: * Shamrock/Beasttale Papyrus ' The Friendly Beta ' - Beta of the pack.

SNAKE SANSES: * Charcoal/Snaketale Sans ' The chubby snake ' - Jobless

* Leather/Snakeswapfell Sans ' The territorial snake ' - Jobless

* Grease/Snakefell Sans ' The aggressive snake ' - Jobless

* Aquila/Outersnake sans ' the dreamy snake ' - Jobless

* Walnut/Snakeswap Sans ' The cheerful snake' - Jobless

* Crow/Dustsnake Sans ' the homicidal snake ' - Jobless

* Lapis/Altersnake sans  - Jobless

SIREN SANSES: * Seafoam/Sirentale Sans ' The human-hating siren ' - Jobless

* Ocean/Sirenswap Sans ' The selfish siren ' - Jobless

* Seaweed/Sirenswapfell sans  - Jobless

REAPER SANSES: * Hades/Reapertale Sans - God of brutal death

[wendydarling1400]

JANE EYRE: INFP

Fi:

Jane Eyre, throughout the novel is completely devoted to her principles and beliefs. Although quiet and isolated Jane is not afraid to express her true opinion and judgments. When she observes Mr Rochester alienating Adele she gently teaches him that Adele should be treated with respect; Jane shows that she has strong empathy and will not accept people talking down to children “Adele is not answerable for either her Mother’s faults or yours (...) forsaken by her Mother and disowned by you, I shall cling closer to her than before”; Jane is stubborn and unmoving in her moral judgments in which she pulls from her internal beliefs (this is evident in the fact that these views are deeply against the social norms of the time). As Jane moves from place to place the things she clings to is her sense of self and her determination to be happy with her moral actions, this brings her great comfort in her circumstances  “I can live alone if self-respect and circumstances require me to do so”; Jane leaves Thornfield on the pretence that she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she were to stay and be tempted into living a bigamous marriage. Mr Rochester recognises that Jane is innocent and “untainted” leading him to ask Jane continuously if the actions he has taken are morally right to which Jane happily and honestly gives advice “you would in time find it possible to become what you yourself would approve”.Although Jane expresses to the reader that she loves Mr Rochester “while I breathe and think, I must love him” and is completely loyal to him, she will not act immorally for him “I like to serve you in all that is right” again proving that her principles are the most important thing to her and that she constantly evaluates things from an Fi perspective. Jane longs for love and affection which is what makes following her principles even harder as they often cost her the gateway to that in which she is seeking “to the crib I took my doll. Human beings must love something.”  

Ne:

After establishing her principles and gaining all she feels she can from Lowood, Jane decides to move on. Although Jane is in search of a place or someone she belongs to, she easily becomes bored with the mundane and longs for deeper conversations and interactions finding  Miss Fairfax, though kind, does not satisfy Jane in this way. Jane is intrigued and drawn in by Helen Burns and Miss Temples conversions as they discuss the bigger picture, she sees this as meaningful and interesting. Jane attaches herself quickly to Helen who is at first not particularly welcoming to Jane “you ask too many questions, I want to get back to my book” although this interaction could have put Jane off, she enjoys Helen’s insights and wisdom “Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs”; Helen is wise and unlike other people around her, she talks about deeper matters of life in which Jane asks many questions about and seemingly absorbs the answers to (her Ne feeds her Fi); it is clear that many of Helen’s teachings are absorbed by Jane and brought into later life. Jane’s Ne lives for the excitement of deeper conversation and a thirst for diving into multiple hobbies including, painting, writing and playing the piano. It is this saviour function that ironically actually works as a saviour for Jane in her life, as a child she is told that she has ‘bad blood’ due to her emotional responses but her Ne and openness to new information (Helen and her teachings) transforms Jane into a principled and responsible young woman. In Mr Rochester Jane finds another person who enjoys deeper topics of conversation, he is also out of the box and strange, before Mr Rochester returned to Thornfield (before they met) she begins to find as months move pass by that she is becoming restless and again thinks of finding herself a new situation. However it is Mr Rochester and his company who keeps her at Thornfield. Jane also possesses a vivid imagination as she constantly invisions ghostly experiences in Gateshead, down the path whilst posting a letter (Gytrash), and most obviously at Thornfield hall; she expresses that as a child she only enjoyed reading stories about “fairies” and “genii”, and in later life is constantly told by Mr Rochester that she is like numerous different fairytale creatures and that she is“Unearthly.”

Si:

Sentimental and comfort seeking, Jane moves from place to place in search for a home and love. Jane consistently looks back over the past romanticising elements and also feeling upset over others. Though the book has to recollect her past, Jane has very strong feelings and statements to make regarding it. Jane reviews her past deeply and, remembers in great detail how she categorised each person and event she encountered. Jane has a Fi-Si loop which pulls her back in her personal journey; she has at times an unhealthy look on the past as she jumpes from one extreme view on the past to the other (pain and romanticism). After meeting the aristocratic group in which Mr Rochester brings to Thornfield one of the women automatically reminds Jane of Mrs Reed, Jane begins to sink into some of her past experiences of Mrs Reed and then forms somewhat of a disliking for the woman because she looks like her. When Jane returns to Gateshead to see Mrs Reed, memories flood back hitting her hard showing the power that Jane’s Si holds over her hitting her Fi at times very harshly. Obviously, we can all have bad memories but Jane is strongly guided by them and refers back to them many a time throughout her life, sometimes strongly living in the past “Old times crowded fast back on me”; “the inanimate objects were not changed; but the living things had altered past recognition” Jane clearly remembers Gateshead vividly as she travels back there in her mind frequently. It is clear that Jane’s Fi is strongly attached to her Si and is sometimes fed negative thoughts “I did not need directions to the well-known room, to which I had so often been summoned for chastisement in former days”; “the recollection of childhood terrors and sorrows revived”.  Even the physical places in which Jane lives mean a lot to her as she categorises each place as a new stepping stone in her life. 

Te:

Jane has a quiet and gentle nature however at moments during the novel her Te shows in a direct and passionate way; when Mr Rochester first talks about sending Jane off to a new place/situation, Jane quietly digests it trying not to show her grief, but over time Jane feels she cannot hold in her emotions anymore and speaks directly to Mr Rochester in an effort to get her views across which she had previously kept to herself “Do you think because I am poor, obscure, plain and little that I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! - I have as much soul as you - and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you." Mr Rochester is shocked by this side of Jane as it is rarely shown. Jane also speaks to the ‘gypsy lady’ directly as the interview she conducts feels uncomfortable, making Jane feel on edge and as a result she has a sharper tongue than usual “ ‘Why do you not consult my art?’ ‘because I am not silly.’ (...) “‘You are cold and you are silly’ ‘prove it’; Jane is more blunt and short when put on the spot by someone who is trying to read her deep emotions; making her defensive. 

Hufflepuff:

One of Jane’s main traits is loyalty, she is loyal in many ways; Jane is loyal to her principles sticking to them strictly, she is loyal to Helen and her guidance, and she is most obviously loyal to Mr Rochester. Jane has no idea what Mr Rochester’s big secret is and doesn’t try to force it out of him or investigate herself (by perhaps going up to the tower), instead she trusts him and does whatever she can to serve him as a friend; “Can I help you, sir? - I’d give anything to serve you”, Jane earns the trust of Mr Rochester very quickly despite the fact that he is deeply secretive, as he sees that Jane is loyal and honest and would keep his secrets not wishing to harm him “ ‘my little friend!’ Said he, ‘I wish I were on a quiet island with only you” Mr Rochester knows that Jane does not easily judge or cast aside people and that if everyone else around him were to hate him, she would not. Jane is forgiving, even though she feels great sorrow in regard to Mrs Reed she forgives her “a strong yearning to forget and forgive all injuries- to be reconciled and clasp hands with amity” this shows that Jane is caring and not prideful or bitter, she has true Hufflepuff traits (wanting peace and harmony). As Well as this Jane is also hugely modest and uncompetitive in nature “I will do my best; it is a pity that doing one’s best does not always answer”; “If he expects me to talk for the sake of talking and showing off, he will find he has addressed himself to the wrong person”, Jane is disinterested in gossip and being boastful and competitive, when Jane and Mr Rochester plan to get married Jane refuses to have anything big and over the top wanting only the simple things in life, the simple things strongly include love for Jane; “There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort”. When she learns that her uncle died and left her a huge sum of money, Jane’s initial reaction was sadness as she had never met her uncle, and not excitement towards the money that would mean a different life for her. Jane holds love above everything else. Jane is a Hufflepuff because she values, loyalty, kindness, modesty, fair-play and hard-work.

-WendyDarling1400

[just-your-average-supervillain]

State Alchemists are called "dogs of the military" for a damn good reason.

Combat-capable alchemists are sent out to war, committing atrocities wherever the government needs them to in order to create the Marks of Blood for the circle. During that time, they're encouraged to build strong bonds with their fellow soldiers as opposed to having their emotional connections severed, so that if they lose someone close to them, they'll be desperate enough to perform Human Transmutation and get added to the list of sacrifices. If that doesn't work and they just wind up madmen in love with causing carnage, then they're recruited as the enforcers of the homunculi, just like Kimblee.

Research-focused alchemists are put up against the grindstone, making them desperate and obsessive with finding new discoveries, and they're practically incentivized to perform atrocities and numb themselves to the horrific actions they perform; if Shou Tucker hadn't been found out by Ed and Al and killed by Scar, he was probably on track to become their next Gold-Toothed Doctor, gleefully experimenting on humans with a soulless smile. Doctor Marcoh was a genius healer capable of undoing even the most grievous of wounds, but he was only able to do that by mastering the art of creating Philospher's Stones, which are a patently evil thing to make.

Ed and Al, meanwhile, are practically riding in the fast lane when compared to their contemporaries. Ed pretty much just runs errands for Mustang and dicks around Amestris doing nothing but chasing after the traces of Philosopher's Stones while causing a lot of property damage, and he's still only ever lectured by Mustang while still being paid enough to make anyone normal foam at the mouth at the sums of money he can just drop on a dime. He threatened the dictator of the country at spearpoint and it was treated as a ho-hum moment of nothing special. He patently does nothing and just screws around creating problems for his superiors, but he's more valuable than any other State Alchemist because he's a sacrifice. Just having him on the payroll and easily accessible is too good for the brass to give up. Doubly so once Father learns that the Elrics are the sons of Van Hohenheim.

I honestly think that a lot of the emphasis placed on Hughes' death isn't just for easy drama in the early season, but also because the military is actively pushing it in Roy's face, practically taunting him with the death of his best friend, trying to goad him into breaking that taboo and making the attempt to bring Hughes back. They had their eyes on Roy as a sacrifice all the way from the beginning, and they've just been trying, again and again, to make him perform Human Transmutation. Hughes dies and he's forced to constantly see reminders of it. Jean Havoc is mortally wounded in front of him to make him watch one of his men bleed out and die when he can't save him. By the time of the final conflict, they're done with subtlety and just force him to watch her bleeding out, and when she refuses to let him sully his hands like that, they just force him to perform the ritual even at great cost to themselves.

do you ever think about how FMA writes Nina Tucker off as an unsalvageable ruin who is better off mercy killed but then you meet Greed's crew and Kimblee's bodyguards and it turns out that the military can just produce perfect human chimerae whenever it feels like it. the military has chimera alchemy down to a science. they could have called up a Doctor Moreau or whoever and had him fix Nina and turn her into a cute kemonomimi if he wasn't too busy being a state secret and producing shapeshifting supersoldiers for the brass to jack off to

[dangermousie]

Ok, a bunch of things:

It appears to be a recurring theme in this drama so far that a LOT of people seem to take HS being different from the norm as a license to justify awful behavior to him and to treat him as less then. The delivery man, who tried to kill a man who has done zero to him, for money, unironically claims the moral ground when being told HS is dead - a person like that should die, he says, feeling retroactively justified in stabbing someone for cash years before he knew anything about his victim other than he was a little odd and was nice enough to help him look for a lost wallet and offer him cash.

It’s the same as the taxi driver claiming moral high ground, completely unironically exhorting a man who he has never met before a few hours ago but who he has brutally tortured and now is killing in a horrific fashion to “be human for once.” Or Moo Jin, who claims in his statement to the cops that everyone in their village always thought HS was a freak because if anyone would upset him in the slightest, he made sure to repay it, when not only have I seldom met a character less motivated by revenge than HS (all he wants is to be left in peace; he had no interest in revenge against the delivery man who tried to kill him or even the taxi driver who tortured him into a literal coma mere days ago. He has trauma aplenty as a result of his experience but not much interest in avenging them) but Moo Jin himself couldn’t have thought HS was that weird before the serial killer dad reveal because as the video tapes show he interacted with him completely normally when he dated his noona. But no - he needs HS to be a vengeful creep because that way he can justify his own behavior. Between the two of them, the one who thought a proportional response to HJ hurting his finger was to tie him up in the woods with a gang and then group-stone him is the one who has zero sense of proportion in responding to slights. 

But if they can assume he’s bad and somehow soulless than they aren’t monsters for doing monstrous things to him. It’s their guilt speaking, really.

The other thing is, I didn’t realize he and deliverymen were roommates for three years and HS felt comfortable enough with him to let him know he had issues with reacting in emotionally appropriate way. As I was telling @krysyuy, no wonder he is skittish as hell when he meets Ji Won a mere year later and she demonstrates interest - last time he befriended someone or thought he did, and revealed some vulnerability, that person quite literally ended up stabbing him.

Honestly, I have no idea if he has some sort of a mental illness or not, but the life he’s had would be enough to engender one in someone who didn’t even have it initially. You get enough of that family and that environment and that life, and you get enough PTSD and other issues you would doubt you can process or properly understand any emotion soon enough. I mean, he genuinely does feel things - he may study up on smiles but in that flashback in ep 4, he smiles at her without any practice and completely genuinely; a surprise to himself as much as to her. So yes, he can genuinely feel joy as much as anyone else, it’s just his life has left him being able to do so unconsciously just fine but to consciously process it being a problem.

This is what you get when the only emotion you get from others is loathing, rage, or betrayal and suddenly someone shows you liking. Forget self-esteem being left in shreds by now, I think any sort of judgment of people he may have had is gone by now too (dad was serial killer, roommate tried to kill him, and he had zero clue about either until it happened) and he honestly cannot process this on a variety of levels.

On a mystery front, I want to know who left threatening messages to the deliveryman because it clearly wasn’t the taxi driver.

In other news, I didn’t notice the first time that noona says their dad built the art studio for her. And she doesn’t act as someone terrified of daddy. Which makes me wonder if he was a decent dad and so the serial killer thing completely came out of nowhere (as compared to Come and Hug Me serial killer dad who was a horrific father where clearly a lot of things were off) or it was one of those “sometimes he’s really nice and sometimes a psycho” things or he was nice to her but not HS, or who knows - maybe he was even framed, though I don’t think so. I mean, maybe HS sees him with a rope because he saw him do something horrible; but maybe it was because after he found out for some reason it became an image for him. (Oh and side note - in flashbacks he appears to see his father whenever he lets his guard down and has some happiness, at least until the kiss. No wonder he’s messed up.)

[mocha-sim]

For a while now I’ve wanted to write out a post concerning where I stand on the whole issue with YanSim and its developer (in short: neutral, leaning heavily towards the negative side, but I like the potential of the story and characters). There are a lot of problems and I really want to throw in my two cents

This might not be necessary, but I need to get it off my chest, and hopefully make some people think about other points of view

Warning: long post ahead

1. Six years and still in development

I can really see both sides here

On one hand, six full years without even one rival - the single most important part of the game - and a game still full of placeholder assets, and terrible code on top of that, is pathetic

On the other hand, Yandev is working with only a small team of volunteers and himself, who (no matter what he claims) knows very little about game development (from what i’ve seen, he’s made one before, but it looks like a very small-scale and basic fighting game, unlike YanSim which is much more large-scale and has a lot of features)

Professional game teams do have full, high-quality games made in less than six years, but that time is also a product of game company employees being extremely overworked. Lately I’ve seen a lot more people talking about this issue, which is good, but isn’t it hypocritical to not also apply that logic to Yandev?

Again, though, I’m not sure how much time he spends actually working on the game - to me, it seems like he spends a lot of time on discord, reddit, etc. even if he does only stream for a few hours every night. Maybe the “harassment” that’s “slowing down game development” wouldn’t be such an issue if he didn’t spend so much time online interacting with these people?

2. The writing and characters

I’m not a huge fan of how the game’s story is handled, either

I don’t think it’s 100% fair to cast a final judgement with the game the way it is now - Osana not being out is in no way a good thing, but it also means that there hasn’t really been any opportunity for story or character development yet, especially for the rivals. That being said:

I feel like there’s a lot of wasted potential with characters’ individual stories and with the game’s story as a whole, like the “Aishi curse” - I just can’t think of many good stories with a main character who’s basically an empty husk. If Ayano had emotions from the beginning, and actually had to struggle with them, she could be a much more interesting character. There doesn’t even need to be a magical curse for it to run in the family - the way children are raised has a serious impact on the person they grow into. If Ayano is raised by a crazy, abusive stalker of a mother, she may well turn into the same thing.

Taro, too - he has so many contradicting character traits. He yells at Ayano for “scaring him” when she’s carrying a box cutter or laughing, but has the courage to run right up to a murderer and take off their mask?? He doesn’t care about reputations for Osoro or Oka, but won’t love Ayano if her reputation drops too low?? We’re told that he’s “friendly and respectful”, but we’re never shown that part of his personality. On top of that, we’re not really given a reason to like or pursue him as the goal of the game - when he’s not interacting with Girl of the Week, he doesn’t really do anything except sit by the fountain and read. I feel as though Taro should have a routine that involves interacting with other characters and gives us more of a feel for the personality we’re told he’s supposed to have

Raibaru as a whole makes no sense and feels like a satellite character to Osana. In Osana’s shoes, I would want to have a word with her about personal space. There’s not a lot to say about her aside from that, because... she doesn’t really do anything except follow Osana around all day and shut down the player’s attempts to kill her. She feels more like a soulless obstacle than a character

I think there should be more true pacifist options than just matchmaking - even the befriending elimination route will, in Yandev’s own words, involve someone getting hurt. If we’re supposed to have a choice on whether or not to hurt and kill people, there should be more variety in our options

3. The game’s code sucks/it’s poorly-optimized

Yeah.

I don’t know much about coding but the amount of awkward stretching/bending limbs on corpses, clipping through walls, low fps, etc. makes this obvious. It was definitely a bad move on Yandev’s part to start a project like this without at least taking a coding/game development class or something

I think the best course of action for Yandev would be to get a professional programmer on board after Osana is released and spend a few months fixing the game’s code before he starts work on the next rival

4. The character models are just stolen Unity models

They are just unity models, but not “stolen” at all - YanDev paid for them.

That being said, they’re sort of ugly and inexpressive, and personally i’m hoping they get replaced soon

5. The characters are all minors

They’re not. It’s in flashing red letters on the screen when you open the game. I can’t help but feel like the reason people keep insisting that the characters are minors is so that they can feel like heroes for defending them or something

It doesn’t make a lot of logical sense, but there’s still plenty of time for this to be fixed. I think it was recently confirmed that Akademi is called an “academy” now and won’t be referred to as a high school again

Imo YanDev should just change it to a post-secondary school, since that’s probably the most seamless way for all the characters to be adults

One last thing I want to say on this is that, when it gets brought up, I often see people use the excuse “the age of consent in Japan is 13″. 1: it isn’t - the Japanese government lets each prefecture decide its own age of consent, but 13 is the minimum. As far as I know, no prefecture has set it below 16. 2: even if 13 was the age of consent, that doesn’t mean we should accept and defend it as “part of a different culture”. It’s still pedophilia. 3: Japanese people actively protest against things like this

6. The uniforms are middle-school uniforms/don’t look like they belong in a prestigious school

Yeah

However there are multiple uniform options, and it looks like the default uniforms will be completely changed in the final game

7. Panty shots

YanSim is an 18+ game, but there is such a thing as too far

I’ve seen people who tolerate it, but I haven’t seen a single person who actively likes the panty shots and would complain if they were removed. Imo the part that makes this bad is the fact that we, the player, actively have to point our camera up a girl’s skirt and take a photo of her underwear with it being in full view; the whole way this works makes it obvious that the feature was put in there for titillation more than anything else, and it just feels uncomfortable. If it were more like Uekiya’s key-stealing minigame where all we have to do is push a few buttons, the whole gross/uncomfortable aspect could be taken away and a lot of people would probably be fine with it

It would also be better to replace it with an expanded version of the phone-stealing feature: this would let the player get “points” for students of both genders, plus it would still make sense to gain more points for certain students, like the student council or the bullies. Maybe you could even steal teachers’ phones under certain circumstances?

8. YanDev is homophobic

Again not too sure on this one

Iirc, most of the comments people bring up on this are from years ago when he still went by EvaXephon

But speaking as a wlw, I think some of the ways I’ve seen him talk about f/f relationships are pretty creepy. And on top of that, he seems to be considering adding a “female senpai” option to the game, but no male player character? (though i guess i can see the point of view that a male mc would need a lot more new voice lines, animations, etc. while the senpai follows a mostly fixed routine and would only need so many. still, it seems wrong to have one without the other). I hope I’m wrong about this but his support of the LGBT community seems mostly focused on the L and more for his own entertainment than any actual support

9. YanDev is making more money than he should (and handles it poorly)

His Patreon may be dropping, but his YouTube channel is raking in even more money with 2M+ subscribers, and he’s making even more money from things like merch and donations... all while apparently still living with his parents (which i don’t find hard to believe). He’s also apparently bought 2 switches and a sex doll instead of using the money to hire the help he desperately needs with his game

Assuming he really does still live with his parents, I fully support the petition to get his Patreon suspended until he at least finishes Osana. Most game devs don’t make any money off of their games until they’ve finished it completely

10. YanDev wrote rape fanfics

So I did briefly check his old ffn profile some time ago, and as far as I could see everything had the proper ratings and warnings

Tagging/warning/rating is a fanfic author’s only responsibility to you. You make the choice on whether or not to read it. If everything is appropriately tagged and you read it anyway, that’s on you, not the author. If you are mature enough to be on the internet unsupervised, then you are mature enough to curate your own experience.

Fiction is the place to explore controversial themes and topics. It doesn’t mean in any way that a content creator would condone the things they write about in real life

11. YanDev steals art/assets

He does, and still hasn’t apologized for the DLC rivals thing. In fact he made a post defending himself for it, and even compared himself to Andy Warhol in the process (lol)

I’m not sure but I think I heard something recently about him continuing to do this type of thing (the grass, etc.). In which case we should continue to put pressure on him until he credits the creators of whatever art/assets he stole. Art theft is inexcusable

12. The fanbase is mostly kids

This is unfortunately true, and it’s a big problem (i’ve had to deal with it myself on my youtube channel)

However I would personally say that this problem is outside of YanDev’s control. Kids seem to be drawn to edgy/violent things, or things they shouldn’t be allowed to see (just look at Call of Duty). I put the blame for this on the parents who aren’t monitoring their kids’ computer activities. As for YanDev, he’s not a babysitter and it’s not his responsibility to censor his content for kids who shouldn’t be viewing it in the first place

Underage or not though, he should really avoid calling his fans things like “fuck kittens”. Even from the perspective of an adult that’s super creepy to hear

13. The character designs suck

Some are alright, others are absolutely awful

I think that, in a game built on anime tropes, characters should be allowed to have unnaturally-coloured hair. I mean, a lot of characters in anime do have weird hair that you wouldn’t see in real life (seemingly without any dye), and it can add a lot of personality to their designs

But some YanSim characters push that too far. The science club is the worst of the worst imo, despite being otherwise one of my favourite clubs. The neon streaks are ugly, and what’s up with the visors? Why are they allowed to wear those outside of club time? Why do they wear them during club time, as opposed to actual goggles or something? (i have this issue with a lot of club accessories, imo the accessories are unnecessary in the first place)

The bullies and the light music club also take things too far. Their designs are crowded, hard to look at, and out-of-place. Nothing against characters with multi-coloured hair, but there’s a time and a place and a “prestigious” school setting isn’t it

(also, slightly off-topic, but why does almost every “intended couple” look like they could be siblings?)

I could probably make a whole separate post on the character designs in YS, but I’ll save that for another day. (i’m just very passionate about character design)

14. YanDev has collaborated with porn games 3 times now

Once I could overlook (after all, the characters are 18+ and YS is already not for kids) but a third time? Seriously? And so soon after the last one?

Not only do I have mixed feelings about Yandev doing crossovers when his game isn’t even in the demo stage yet, isn’t this game supposed to be taken seriously as a horror game? I can’t think of a single other horror game that has willingly put its characters in porn.

Also I can’t help noticing that he advertises the porn game crossovers a lot more than he did with that one Dark Deception crossover. Did he ever even mention that one? I only ever saw it on the Dark Deception Twitter

15. YanDev is rude to his fans

I don’t have a lot to say against this one. As far as I’ve seen, he is, and he doesn’t take criticism well at all (just look at the subreddit - yes, a lot of the things that were removed deserved it (unfunny cum chalice jokes, etc.) but there have also been completely innocent questions, fanarts, jokes, and fanfics that have been removed. Not to mention mods going through peoples’ post history and banning them for being active in r/Osana. Both he and his mod team seem insanely paranoid)

I think he’s going to have to grow a thicker skin and stop censoring critiques if he wants to get anywhere with this game. Not just fans who bring up tiny details that might need changing, but also big, glaring issues like the code and character designs and such. He also doesn’t seem that professional for a game developer who wants to be taken seriously

That being said, if you’re the type to spam the discord server/subreddit/fan communities who have nothing to do with Yandev like the amino, you deserved that ban

16. YanDev defends pedophiles/the “sex license” thing

“No adult ever has any excuse to do anything sexual with a child. As soon as you touch a kid, you have crossed the line from being someone with a mental disorder to being the worst scum imaginable. Having a mental illness is involuntary, but touching a kid is a choice. If you have a mental illness, I feel bad for you. If you violate a child, I feel disgust and contempt for you, and I think you deserve the death penalty.” -From YanDev himself on this page

The sex license thing is also debunked on the same page: the whole conversation was taken out of context and the hypothetical “license” was supposed to be something that only an adult could meet the requirements for

17. “Corona-chan”

This was a really insensitive move to make in the middle of a pandemic, and I agree that the design was racist

However, YanDev listened to the fans’ complaints and removed the easter egg a day later, plus gave an apology. I think that this was the best thing he could do in that scenario and idk what else people are expecting him to do about it

18. YanDev’s general portrayal of high schoolers

Honestly, it’s not 100% realistic (especially in some of the dialogue. you know what i’m talking about)

I’m surprised that more students don’t seem to have friends outside of their clubs. It seems like all the students mostly stick within their club/group - walking to school together, spending their breaks together, etc. A lot of the ways the characters behave are very robotic, like walking in a perfectly straight line everywhere they go

That being said, a lot of the things i’ve seen criticized in regards to this are not part of the problem. By the time you’re in high school, you’ve probably hit puberty. It doesn’t make a character automatically sexualized if they have bigger breasts (though some designs in the game are over-sexualized, like a few certain staff members)

19. Muja, Mida, and Hanako

Let’s start with Hanako: Yandev has already said that she’s not romantically interested in her brother, she’s just insanely clingy and doesn’t want him to get a girlfriend out of fear that he’ll forget about her. If you still insist that she’s in love with Taro, then that’s on you

Muja and Mida I have mixed feelings on.

If every student is 18 or older, meaning that the first-years are 18, that makes Taro, a third-year, 20-21 years old. If Mida and Muja are in their early 20s as Yandev has said, that means that the age gap isn’t an issue. However, it’s still wrong for a teacher or a nurse to pursue their student/patient

I don’t think Yandev should need to spell out “hey, Mida and Muja are not good people” in flashing neon signs. The game is rated M and anyone who’s old enough to play it should be able to understand that without it being said. If you need morality in fiction spoon-fed to you, you probably shouldn’t be watching/reading/playing anything rated above PG

On the other hand, YanDev has a nasty habit of making these things into a joke, which is really insensitive and creepy. Like saying that Mida’s favourite food is “the spit of a younger man” (yikes), that she’s tried to seduce her own students 69 times (haha 69 so funney right guys XD), or that whole confession scene mess. It’s less of a problem with Muja, but it’s still there. As much as the audience shouldn’t need everything served to them on a silver platter, issues like these should still be treated with respect, not made into gags

20. Yandev wastes time on “Easter eggs”

I have to agree that he does spend time implementing unnecessary things sometimes (like the abc challenge), but as far as I know the Easter eggs are what he does in his spare time while waiting for assets from volunteers. However: snap mode, which was hyped up for years, turned out to be a flop with zero purpose, disappointing a good portion of the fanbase.

21. Love Letter

So far I’m really liking the look of this game: I like the models and the school environment they’ve shown, and it seems like they’re doing a lot of things in better or more interesting ways than YanDev, like not outright telling us who the rivals are. I don’t think it’s fair to accuse them of “stealing” anything, when it seems like most of the assets the games have in common are the things they bought from the Unity store (Love Letter even changed the base Unity model to have a more appealing look)

I'm glad to see that they actually listened to criticism from fans on things like Setsuna’s design (I love her newest look and I hope it’s the final one). From design alone she’s already a more interesting protagonist, and she looks like the sort of character you’d actually enjoy playing as

Not sure I totally buy the claim that it was all done in two weeks, but even if it was over the span of months, that’s still miles better than YanSim’s six years

Knowing that Dr. Apeis has already ditched one project I’m staying open to new information on this, but as of right now I’m looking forward to playing the demo!

Overall: A lot of the hate against the game and the dev are unnecessary, but some is justified and we shouldn’t blindly defend everything he does (seriously, you can admit that the character designs are shit. no one is going to stone you for it).  There are a lot of improvements Dev could make, both on the game and on his behaviour towards fans.

I think that the biggest improvement would be for the game to just stop taking itself so seriously. At this point, it’s so full of memes, cringy google translate names, excessive edginess, and gags that it may as well just be a fun ridiculous anime game instead of a serious horror game. I feel like taking this approach could make it more successful (plus, it doesn’t really have a lot of horror elements aside from the gore)

There are a lot of cases of people taking things too far. Like spamming YanDev with explicit gore/animal abuse, trying to swat him, spamming volunteers with weird porn, trying to hack into volunteers’ accounts (including bank accounts), etc. That is going way too far, no matter how awful or pathetic you think a person is. If you are doing these kinds of things, you are doing more harm than Dev or his volunteers

Attacking YanDev’s appearance is unnecessary and not related to his behaviour or skills. Same with the chalice memes

However, I’ve seen a lot of YanDev’s defenders lashing out against “gremlins”, lumping all of them in with the kinds of people who do these things. If you check r/Osana, you’ll see that most if not all of the people there condemn this behaviour: the gore and porn spammers are a loud minority (and i’m willing to bet most of them are the basement-dwelling losers from KiwiFarms and 4Chan)

Attacking and/or spamming fans who are just trying to enjoy the game is also unnecessary. Someone liking a video game you don’t like is not doing you any harm. Be mature and move on

I’m not sure if some of what I’ve said above is 100% accurate so if anyone actually read this and has evidence against it then feel free to add

I think that’s about all I have to say on that. Again, i don’t know if it will change anything in the fandom but i really just wanted to get this off my chest

[akimmito]

Heroes are made by the path they choose

Previous | AO3 | Next

_______________

Chapter 6

Jason walks the corridors of the mansion until reaching the entrance to the cave, he feels confident enough to return knowing that the only inhabitants of the mansion are Dick, Tim and Alfred. Bruce and his idea for Batman Inc. have him going around the world... except Paris, why hadn't anyone noticed what was happening in France? A little look at the country and the fucking Constitution has an exclusive item for heroes and vigilantes! Fully proven, the United States fears success. France developed a good relationship with its vigilantes and they are a kind of team without taking orders from each other, but recognizing the authority where it should be.

Certainly nobody expected it, because they are surprised to see it arrive. Dick half-dressed in Batman and Tim's costume completely put, only Alfred remains calm and chances are it's because he already knew it would be there. One must only accept that Alfred is omniscient.

"Hey. Did anyone know that Paris has vigilantes?"Outside the sentimental greetings or whatever, he goes straight to the point. What does it matter that this is the first time you've spoken to them in five years?

"No?"Dick questions confused, they have not looked at Paris in years because they have been calm… disturbing, if he think about it, especially the last seven years, no traffic network of any kind connects with Paris or France in general, that must have caught his attention more than it did. Although if there are vigilantes, It would explain a little. "Since when?"

"Seven years, apparently. I was researching with Roy and we found some information, but as you will see, I don't have the resources you have here. It caught my attention that, according to this boy from twitter, there is also a team of heroes and they are two separate groups, it seems."

That captures more attention from of them, Tim accepts the USB memory that Jason gives him and some images taken by phones and some captures from Parisian news appear. He manages to classify it, putting name with appearance.

"It seems that the leader is Suzaku, I estimate that he could be my age. No idea of their civil identity, they use a kind of transport with portals and I don't know if it's magic or technology. Probably the called Augur is the one in charge of taking them from one place to another, that them to reach the scenes immediately. "

"Interesting. Can you explain us?"Dick gives the free pass to his younger brother to update them with the information, they will not go to a city with vigilantes (he knows that it bothers when they appear in his without warning), but knowing the situation will allow them to be careful if they cross their paths.

"Insurance. Let's see, replacement, unfold all the photographs and I will explain each one of them. What I managed to discover through twitter, because it is the only source of constant information about them. The media says little or almost nothing, beyond mentioning them and thanking them for their services. "

Tim just obeys, saving his thoughts about it. He did know about the vigilantes, but he didn't see it necessary to inform anyone, he even spoke to one of them while he was there, Caelum explained the ways in which the city was working and how they reached a balance with the government, something that took them two years to build and they hoped they would not have third parties hanging around without warning them. Sure, he's not going to tell any of that.

"Well, Suzaku, leader, has magical knowledge, according to users she has put in place safeguards to protect places of interest such as the so-called Akuma Refuges, I don't know what they are, the hospital and health centers, in addition to some government buildings that can also serve as shelters. She's normally paired with Corvus and five days ago she appeared on patrol with Thuban, everyone speculating that he's her son because of dark hair. They talk about her being kind and lethal, emphasis on lethal. One user listed the martial arts styles she mastered, I counted twelve combined with a style much like yours, Dick. "

Dick smiles and looks with some interest at the short-haired little lady, the costume fits perfectly leaving an ideal mobility and reflects a lot that does tricks, there is nothing in the costume that can get in her way. He's curious if she uses any type of weapon, they are not visible to the naked eye.

"Corvus, he seems second in command, his costume reminds me of mine... he seems to have the mettle of a trained assassin. According to users, it's rare that he speaks and if he does it is to give orders, otherwise, they mention that he's cold and even rude, very distant, his weapons use real bullets, but it's rare that he goes to the extreme of using them. There are many strange theories where he's also paired in a romantic relationship with Suzaku, Paris really is strange..."

Tim just stares at the image of the blonde in a costume that mimics the forms of a military one very well and not surprised that Jason knows so much, Paris enjoys talking about her heroes and vigilantes, they are almost celebrities and  they resign themselves to being the professionals who are ignoring all comments on the internet as best as possible.

"Genbu is ruthless and tends to scold civilians when they are endangered by ridiculousness, close combat and needles, acupuncture type, but as an attack, it sleeps their limbs and makes them easier to handle. Byakko usually deals a lot with civilians, she always asks questions and jokes with them, she wears a kind of yellow half-helmet and is really the only thing with color in her entire costume. Seiryuu is... according to twitter, a soulless ex-killer who ignores civilians unless she threatens them with her sword because they have purposely put themselves in danger, they call her Ice Queen... they consider her worse than Corvus. "

Tim laughs, he can vouch for it. While he only spoke to Caelum, the other two were nearby and seemed to want to point their weapons at him. If it wasn't for Suzaku holding them by the shoulders, he thinks they would have been close to him threatening him, she was sweetly dangerous as honey with poison. Remembering that, he decides that it's better to give his own information.

"Before you continue, why are you telling us this? You could just go to Paris and see everything with your own eyes. ”He doesn't pretend to be rude, but it seems he was from the annoyed look Jason gives him.

"Because, genius, I don't have the resources to go there and, as I said at the beginning, neither to investigate them further from here. You should sleep more, your brain hardly works. "

"Jason..."

"Whatever, I'll continue..."

"The easiest to speak are Pyxis, Caelum and Black Metal. Despite the fact that Suzaku is kind, she turns the whole conversation in her favor and always has Corvus around, which makes you feel like you are going to be shot if you neglect for a second, the feeling is worse if Seiryuu is present..."

"Tim, how do you know that?" Dick is curious, especially since he never mentioned having met any team of heroes, but, if he's honest with himself, Tim is like a little version of Bruce and that man won't say anything until it is absolutely and strictly necessary that should know and only says a part. It's frustrating.

"I was in Paris while looking for Bruce and I met them, being attacked by criminals definitely caught their attention. The information on Twitter, although accurate, doesn't do them justice, Paris only sees what the MT lets them see, they have managed to pass next to Batman without him noticing, that is a great feat. And I was able to meet them only because they stopped wanting to know some things, it was basically an exchange of information. "

"I get it."

"Do you know anything about their identities?" Jason asks, is what makes him curious. Little problem inherited from Batman? Yeah, It definitely frustrates not knowing anything.

"Not. I only know what everyone knows, but at least one or more of them must have money, their costume were of incredible quality and I have only seen that level of protection in us. Bruce never skimped on expenses for the costumes, I guess they didn't either..."

They nod to his answer, Tim is excellent at noticing details, so they may consider him to be true information.

"I'm curious, but if they're doing a good job, it's not our business, Jay. We can go browse Paris, but we definitely shouldn't get into her business. "

"You want to see Suzaku, right?" Tim lets out a sigh, why did Jason have to mention the stunts? He didn't say it directly, but made the suggestion when buying his styles. No one can do half the tricks he do, that there is someone in the world who can accompany him in his inhuman stunts and stretches, he must be excited...  and that she has a tight costume and a beautiful body should only generate more expectation.

"I would like to meet her."

"Professionally or in bed?" Jason is more direct and hits just where Tim's thoughts were heading.

"You offends m…"

"Dick, you've had sex with half the women you know..." Tim cuts him off, it's no secret to anyone how many lovers he's had over the years. He's very surprised that he doesn't have a lost son out there, but that only shows how careful he's.

"Yes, man, even villains. Gives you no shame?" Dick snorts at him.

"You have no right, Jay. I remind you that you slept with Talia and two of my girlfriends... in my bed!"

"They could not resist my charms, I think it was your foult. And Talia, well, I have nothing in my defense. "Tim sighs and gets up from his seat, he considers that it’s better to go to bed, he will not be able to work with those two arguing and he could well use a couple of hours of sleep.

He just hopes that if they go to Paris, Dick doesn't really intend to have sex with Suzaku. It gives him the impression that Thuban doesn't get the nickname Demon Boy for nothing and if he's really her son, well maybe Dick won't come back alive from there.

___________

Tim Drake @TimDrakeW_

Can I change families? I want new brothers, please.

____________

Talia Al Ghul.

Damian never expected or wanted to see her again. Why is she here? He doesn't want her close. In the midst of his discomfort, he can only frown at his progenitor.

He writhes, letting himself fall to knees against the hard asphalt, he feels his head throb with pain and each breath is more difficult than the last, it's as if fire breaks through his nose and burns his lungs little by little.

"My son." He growls when he hears her. It's an Akuma attack, he reasons, she's not real. "At last I find you. "She's not real, right? " I will take you back home. "

"You're not my mother." He manages to speak despite feeling his throat tear with every word. "I was just a tool for you and Grandpa, they made it clear... they got rid of me. "He looks furiously at the figure of his... no, Talia. They knew it, he's totally convinced that they knew it...

"That is not true, what that woman told you... "

"My mother said nothing to me! You sent me to my death, it was impossible for me to survive even if I completed the mission... "

Damian still has dreams of that mission, of his planning, of everything he did up to the inevitable outcome in what turned out to be the enemy base with around fifty targets scattered throughout the small underground fortress.

He complains and a groan escapes his throat, if he were using the prodigy would it be different? He hears a deep voice beside him, but everything is suffocated by Talia's presence and the pain that breathing generates.

A few more minutes and he falls unconscious, his mind plunges into the haze of memories that still haunt him.

The full moon hangs over the night sky at its highest point, the lighting is sufficient to allow you to see the entire perimeter from the trees. Damian watches the assassins move around, standing guard, looking like they are waiting for an attack, and he wonders if they have discovered it, although from their posture they seem to expect something more frontal and not as stealthy as their plans. It doesn't matter, he will only go for his target and if someone gets in the way, he will kill him on the spot. It just needs to be fast and efficient.

He jumps out of the tree to head towards the fortress, taking advantage of the minute it takes to turn around, just in time, when he has climbed the roof, the guards are positioned at the place where he climbed. He go his way as his plan how to get them out of the way, it would be much better if he get rid of all the low-level organization.

He walks the corridors cautiously, he has disabled several targets and has hidden them, they are dead, of course, the surprise factor gave him that benefit. Everything is going well, as expected, the group are just a bunch of incompetents.

Damian manages to reach his target without a scratch, but can't find it where it should be. He clicks his tongue in disgust, it's a setback.

"I am offended that Ra’s believes that a child will be enough to kill me. Bad luck for you, now, be a good boy and serve as training for my new power."

Damian turns to the origin of the voice and sees a man in a lilac costume simulating the standard equipment of the League of Assassins, his skin seems to glow in pink tones and his eyes turned dark... he looked discordant, very dark and colorful at the same time. He frowns and attacks him, pulls out his swords, but... his attack doesn't touch him.

The entire room suddenly begins to spin and as he tries to recover, the traitor is on him with twin swords running through his abdomen. The blood gushes immediately when the swords are removed and this time the dizziness is from the blood being lost at alarming rates.

The last thing Damian sees is a woman dressed in black wearing a whip with silver inscriptions, using it to grab the traitor by the neck, even in low light he can recognize her blue eyes that seem to glow much more as the darkness swallows his consciousness.

_________

Ladybug come back @ LadybugHero_89

Paris became Tokyo-3? Will an Eva appear? Is this night a NGE and The Mist crack fic?

Bro don´t leave me alone @DDD_Lol214

I don't want to be in that fog, brother, the screams are terrifying.

MarcusGentleman @ TheMaster_091

I can see Ladynoir fall into the mist, hell, no one warned me that I would be experiencing an angel's siege.

____________

Ladynoir jumps on the huge rhombus, it's certainly peculiar and their could not believe that there is a person inside. They must break through the outer cortex to reach the real Akuma and her objective, therefore her powers are the best point of action. It's a real problem that he had a force field.

"An AT field! I can't believe it. ”He manages to hear Max over the communications before falling straight into the mist. She can also listen to others talk.

"What is an AT field?" Kagami almost growled at the Akuma's troublesome abilities.

"It's basically a shield... which is troublesome, I think only the cataclysm could go through it if it has the same defensive properties as the anime."

"Perfect. I'll give the new Hawkmoth points for achieving a new level of annoyance. "Chloe complains from the roof of the Luxembourg Palace, everyone is analyzing the situation, but seeing that he has a shield that they won't be able to get through, they just have to wait for Marinette to recover… what is taking a time.

"It seems the mist is a problem." Nathaniel exposes everyone's concerns. If it were a normal mist, Ladynoir would be back on the rooftops by now.

"Many civilians report screaming in the mist, some liken it to a scene from a horror movie..." Kagami reviews the app with her yo-yo, looking at all the testimonies they are giving. That helps them determine the Akuma's powers.

"Ilusions?"Nathaniel questions.

"Probably." Felix agrees.

"What if it's not mist?" Luka questions, capturing everyone's attention, who wait for him to continue. "It could be a type of gas, they should collect a little and analyze it. That way they can use the filters on their weapons and not run the same fate as Ladynoir. "

And as they try to regroup, on the streets, just below the Akuma. Marinette meets Talia Al Ghul's voice, the suit protects her enough not to be so affected by the mist, but she still feels pain when breathing.

If you think you can steal my son, you are wrong. I'll take him back.

Marinette ignores her, it's just a voice in the middle of a mist caused by an Akuma. Yes, she fears that Damian decides to go with Talia or his biological father (even though the boy has not told her who he is), but she's in the middle of a battle and she's no longer girl, she has trained her mind and her fears will not be what stops her. However, without the cane, she should run towards the buildings, but between the voice and the pain when breathing, it becomes difficult.

He prefers to be with his REAL family.

She continues to move towards the closest building, it's incredible that the mist doesn't let her see the Akuma, but that's the way it's. It seems like a world apart... and seeing that it's not really moving in the direction she expects, she begins to think that it's.

He will never love you. You are not his real mother.

Marinette, surprisingly, stumbles and falls. She complains, she had spent years without tripping and much longer without falling by her own feet. When she looks up, she's surrounded by a body, she holds her breath, they are the people who were close when the mist appeared and without any protection, they only perished being chased by their fears.

It's beautiful to see, these scenarios are the ones that Damian loves.

Marinette blocks her voice, ignoring it. If there are civilians here… Damian should have been close and if he couldn't get away, he was trapped… Oh, no.

She gets up again and, trembling a little because they are all dead, begins to search, hoping that she doesn't meet the body of her little boy.

But she's not the bearer of the black cat for nothing, she sees it, her black suit with the details in green and runs towards him, stumbling again and falling to her knees in front of him. She takes him in her arms, he barely breathing.

"Oh honey." She hugs him to her chest and touches her communications. "Augur?"

"Oh, what a relief you communicate. We need you to break through the Akuma's defenses. "

"I understand, but you open a portal, please. The mist doesn't allow me to find high points and I lost the cane... also, I have Thuban here."

"Okay, I'll bring you to the MT for Plagg to eat something before you use his power."

"That would be fine. "

A portal opens in front of her and advances as fast as she can to avoid the mist passing through its, the difference is felt when she breathing. She drops down next to the transformation, hugging Damian tighter. Longg comes out of a hiding place inside the costume.

"I try talking to him, if he transformed he would last longer... but it seems he was looking at his birth mother." The little dragon looks with concern at his current owner and then looks at she with resolution. "Combine my prodigy with Plagg's, my beams must be strong enough to cross that field, so you won't leave him a chance to replace his shield."

"Okay, let's do that."

____________

Just Robert @PoorButterflies

District VI is a disaster. Suddenly I no longer miss Gabriel Agreste as a villain, he was not so creative with his evil.

Dick Grayson @TheFlyingGrayson

It seems that a visit to Paris is in sight.

Roy @RoyHarperQ

@TheFlyingGrayson I'm not surprised that you go.

Jason @IAmYisus_XD

@TheFlyingGrayson @RoyHarperQ See, Dick? Everyone knows your ways.

Polaris Vermilion @Elgato_Solaris

Is one of @BruceWayneOfficial's adoptive boys coming to Paris? Oh oh. Hey, @TheFlyingGrayson! You must know @MarieLenoir goes the same way as your adoptive father haha

[gh-0-stcup]

Exactly! The "turn Earth into Hell" thing was very out of character for Angelus. It wasn't even his goal until he'd worn out several avenues for chaos.

I don't think it had a thing to do with Buffy. It was stated outright what Angelus wanted to do to her - Drusilla Pt 2. What does ending the world do to acheive that? Nothing. By the time of their final showdown, I don't actually think he cares much about what happens to her.

I think Angelus realized "the make Buffy like Dru" plan wasn't going to work. Or he got bored of trying - it would have been an extremely long and risky process. He got less invested in it as time went on, eventually losing interest.

And that is, I think, the pattern with Angelus. He struggles to find meaning and purpose in his unlife, flitting from vice to vice as his interests are peaked. Sex, money, power, art, cruelty - he chases things that stimulate him. Physically, intellectually, or emotionally.

But unlike Darla, Angelus' natural state is boredom. Perhaps apathy. He desperately needs enrichment in his enclosure or he starts lashing out/losing his shit.

Darla was an important partner for him because she knew how to keep him entertained. She loved life - joy oozed from this lady's pores. She also kept him focused and motivated, gave him ideas and showed him how to follow through.

What's an artist without his muse?

I fully believe they loved each other. I think where things get messy is how "love" is defined. When ensouled, neither of them see what they had back then as love. I think they both see love in a very romantic, idealized kind of way. When soulless, both see "love" as a human weakness and so they don't define their relationship that way.

This ties in with the "Angel saying Darla never made him happy" thing. It's a lie and she calls him on it being a lie. We see how happy Angelus was with her. We see how happy Angel was in his dreams, in the moments when Darla was being sweet and mostly normal with him.

But Angel is twisting things to jab at Darla. What he means is that he wasn't capable of a specific kind of curse-breaking happiness while soulless. "Perfect happiness" is a pretty high standard, a once in a lifetime thing that turned out to be situation specific (not entirely Buffy-specific).

It says absolutely nothing about whether or not Angelus loved Darla, imo. And again, Angel was very much trying to be an asshole to Darla.

Darla and Angelus know vampires can love. These are her words on the matter:

What we once were informs all that we have become. The same love will infect our hearts, even if they no longer beat. Simple death won't change that.

They were also close with at least two vampire couples who were madly in love - James and Elisabeth, Spike and Drusilla.

Darla's philosophy on betrayals also sheds some light on her and Angelus' dynamics.

Everyone betrays you. That's not what eats at you in the long winter's night.

Betrayal isn't a big deal to her. Betrayal is forgivable, even when it's as far as murder. It's being alone that's the issue.

The backstabbing we do see between them seems to have no real bite. Was Angelus really mad about her leaving him to the mob? He found her after, just as she asked. He tortured her for it - but it's a happy memory for both of them.

Is it really a betrayal if nobody actually ends up hurt?

It seemed like more of a game they played, that nobody but them really understood. A way to add excitement to their lives. It was also proof they were worthy partners for each other. I don't think either would have been happy with someone who'd sacrifice their own life to save them. Or with someone who wasn't capable of surviving without them.

I'd claw my way back from the depths of Hell to lay by your side.

^ That is how Angelus felt about Darla. Those repressed weirdos can call it whatever they like, but it's absolutely love to me.

In season 2, she's gone, it's his fault, and he did it to protect another girl. Darla spent her last day (days?) trying to get Angel back. She went up against a Slayer for him. And he rejected her.

There is no Darla for Angelus to claw his way back from Hell for. So why not cast the entire world into Hell?

angelus choosing the mansion as their new lair after the factory burned down and spike specifically pointing out the big windows as a hazard…. “she’d want something with a view. darla always loved something with a view”

[talesfromlordaeron]

Bai’s Apprentice Part 3: Goals

((Author’s note: Sorry for the long delay + lack of posts recently... real-life obligations are starting to kick my rear. Semester will be over soon though, so hopefully I should get back to a regular-ish schedule in about a week or so. Thanks as always for reading!))

“So tell me, Zully,” Bai said as they traveled, “what is your hurry to get to Orgrimmar? We really should be starting your training so the journey is easier.”

“Zully take mage training seriously,” he replied, “but he need to start his business first. Hard times in village now. Family needs money.”

“Oh. I see.” Bai could understand the need to work at a profession; she’d spent a few days prior to getting the Kirin Tor’s letter practicing her latest tailoring patterns. Her fingers still ached from the effort of trying to force a needle through leather to make some pairs of boots. “And... what sort of business will you be starting? Tailoring?” She couldn’t picture Zully as a tailor, even though many mages loved the opportunity to work with magic-enchanted cloths. Bai had to stop herself a few times lately from absorbing the arcane enchantments off her rune thread...

Zully shook his head emphatically. “Nah, mon. Zully be bad tailor.”

“Why? You tried it?”

“Not dat, no. But Zully know he no good already. Family come from long line of craft-makers. Dey try to teach Zully too, but his hands be too big.” He waved his hands in front of Bai to emphasize the point; while they were certainly larger than her own hands, she couldn’t tell whether they were that much larger than normal for a troll. “But Zully be really good at finding da tings family needs to make crafts. So he go to da big orc city and find someone to teach him how to do dat better, den he can sell da tings he finds!”

“Sounds like it could be profitable.” They were within sight of Orgrimmar by now, the massive gates looming on the horizon. “Make sure you save some money for yourself too. The trainers that will help you inscribe your new spells in your spellbook will charge for their services.”

“You no do that?”

Bai shook her head. “I’m not officially sanctioned by the Kirin Tor to do that. They only let specifically-trained mages do spellbook inscriptions. It’s a bit of a delicate art, and apparently they don’t trust most of us to do it ourselves safely.”

Zully nodded sagely. “It be fine, mon. Zully understand. Zully be clumsy too. Accidents happen.”

“I’m not--” Bai felt her cheeks heating up as she recalled a particularly embarrassing spellcasting attempt within her first week of training. “I’m not clumsy, I’m just... well you see... I mean, it’s just safer that way.” Searching for a way to change the subject, she looked around at the fighters dueling outside Orgrimmar’s gates. One in particular caught her eye. “Look there, Zully -- another mage!”

They came to a stop, watching the mage in question -- a blood elf like Bai -- as she dueled with a death knight (Bai felt a slight chill deep down as she saw the Forsaken’s glowing soulless blue eyes), firing a volley of frostbolts at her opponent. “She’s a frost mage, too,” Bai commented as the mage summoned a water elemental to counter the ghoul charging toward her.

“She be good.”

“Yes, very.”

“You do dat too?”

“Duel like that?” Bai laughed shortly. “I wish. I’ve never been good at fighting other adventurers like that.”

“Maybe one day you be good like her too.”

“Maybe.” Bai watched as the mage shot first a frostbolt, followed quickly by a fireball, at her opponent. The death knight fell to his knees and tapped the ground, signaling the fight’s end. Zully let out a loud cheer, clapping vigorously for the mage as she approached her defeated foe and offered him some bread. She looked up at the two mages and smiled.

Bai shifted her gaze, suddenly self-conscious of the way they’d been staring at the other mage. “We should probably go on into--”

“Hello!” the other mage called out with a friendly wave. “I didn’t know we had an audience.”

Zully waved back. “Zully think you be amazing mage!” he told her enthusiastically. “Zully hope to learn to be good mage like you. He get best teacher dat Rhonin could send!”

“Oh?” The mage turned toward Bai with a bemused grin, making what felt like a very pointed effort to look her over from head to foot. Bai quietly wished she already knew how to turn invisible. “I see, well... I’m sure they sent the best they had available..”

Embarrassment gave way to cold hostility, but Bai said nothing, letting the -- metaphorical -- icy daggers from her eyes speak for her. The other mage either didn’t notice, or pretended not to. “Tell you what,” she continued, “I can’t take on an apprentice full-time, but if you ever decide you want some real lessons, I might be willing to spare a few minutes to help you out.”

Zully’s eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. “Zully like dat.”

The other mage glanced over at Bai, offering a smile that felt like equal parts pity and condescension, then turned as the death knight -- speaking a form of Orcish that Bai didn’t quite understand -- made it clear he wanted to continue dueling. Bai and Zully watched as they began dueling. Bai mentally categorized all the things the other mage was doing right that she herself had failed to do the last time she’d tried to duel (although in her defense, she’d misjudged the speed at which a bear could travel; Kiwi had knocked her flat on her back and ended the duel before she could even charge a single Frostbolt).

Bai sighed, turning away from the battle. “She’s a much better mage than I am,” she told Zully, her voice quiet. “You should take her up on that offer.”

She could feel Zully’s eyes on her, even without turning back to look at him. How pathetic she must look now, she thought bitterly, especially in comparison to a mage of a much higher caliber...

“But you already be Zully’s mentor. Rhonin send a good mage. You be polite to Zully, you already teach him lots about magic. Zully likes you as his teacher.”

Bai turned back to him. He was staring at her with wide, eager eyes; there was no doubt that everything he’d said to her was genuine.

“I... thank you.” Bai offered a shaky smile that she hoped didn’t betray the feelings she was trying hard to suppress. Taking a deep breath, she nodded her head toward Orgrimmar’s gates. “Alright Zully. Let’s go get that business of yours started...”