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hollowed-theory-hall · 7 months ago

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Hi! I love your theories, and I spent too long reading everything I could find on your blog on Harry and V specifically, and bc I fell into a ship hole and can't seem to get out, here's a random question for you! Do you ship Tomarry or Harrymort in any way? Is it believable for you that it could happen? I mean, most of the time people tend to ship hermione with Tom Riddle, with the excuse that she's super smart, but I think Tom Riddle would despise her actually. Harry's not book smart, but he's very intuitive, he's clever and he's cunning, they could fit I think 🤔. Also they have shit lives, and they've been through similar things (not everything), and that'd enable them to understand each other and all. And Harry is annoyingly stubborn, so Tom/V would have a hard time manipulating him or forcing him by other means (like spells or potions), and he's observant and suspicious enough to notice random little clues and trusts his instincts so he wouldn't be blindly in love either? Sorry I'm rambling, I'd like to hear your thoughts about this if you have some? (If you don't ship it, no problem, I don't want to come across as if I'm trying to rant or complain or anything)

Have a good day!!

Thank you so much 🥰

As with all ship asks, ship whatever you ship and have fun, these are just my subjective opinions. Also, no, you don't come across as complaining.

So, real talk, I do enjoy tomarry/harrymort. This ship has some of the most well-written fics I came across in all my various fandoms and it has a special place in my heart. But my thoughts on this pairing are complicated.

To summarise I think this pair can be narrativly delicious. We got distorted parallel mirrors, both of them outright say how much they understand each other, how they know each other better than anyone else. They are narrative foils in many ways, having similar enough backgrounds but making different choices leading down different paths. It also helps these two are in my top 5 favorite characters in the series, so pairing them up is somewhat natural since it gets interesting results.

But, I don't think canon Harry and Tom/Voldemort would actually work as a couple realistically (or at least in a healthy way). Like, even without their history and specific circumstances in the story, ignoring everything and just thinking about how I see their personalities, I think they'd get on each other's nerves if they tried to date. They'd try to kill each other, completely independent of any prophecy.

Now to make a short story long:

(I'll be using the name "Tom" but it refers to Tom at any stage in his life)

First, yes, they do understand each other and have the potential for really seeing each other in a way that others rarely see them. I mean, Harry has Ron and Hermione, but they don't get it the way Tom would. They don't understand loneliness and abuse the way someone who lived through it would. I mean, these two clearly don't know what to do when Harry jokes about ducking his uncle's fists besides looking at him with concern. With Tom, Harry wouldn't have to worry about this. Tom would also not be concerned about Harry's darker more ruthless tendencies, allowing Harry to actually be Harry.

Tom, for his part, is a very lonely character who is looking for companionship and compassion, two things Harry can give. But Tom is unyielding in basically everything, he is incredibly prideful and independent. While he wants a connection, he doesn't really know how to trust and open up, to give a bit of himself that is necessary for relationships which is going to be a struggle for them.

Harry is one of the only characters (if not the only one) Tom sees as an equal or a potential equal. Tom really doesn't respect many people (regardless of blood or magical skill) but he does grow to respect and even fear Harry by book 7. This respect is important for any relationship, but especially when it comes to Tom Riddle, who just wouldn't really take anyone lesser than him seriously. And he thinks 99% of beings are lesser than him, so, that's a point in their favor.

Additionally when we think of the narrative, like, god, this can be juicy. We have two powerful and capable individuals who are basically bound together on every possible level. They are bound by magic, having brother wands that actively don't want to fight each other. They are bound by fate with a prophecy interwinding their lives together. After Tom's resurrection, they are bound by blood and they are bound by soul due to Harry being Tom's Horcrux. They literally share a soul, like, that's insane. They share dreams and memories and get each other in a way few could.

And they are very fixated on each other and can't really escape the other's influence. Tom is obsessed with killing Harry and no one but him is allowed to do it. He even goes as far as stipulating he wants to kill Harry while dueling him properly when Harry has his wand. This is something that shows, again, his respect for Harry. And Harry sees dealing with Voldemort as his responsibility. Tom Riddle is his to deal with and no one else's.

Like, it lends itself to a very dramatic very entertaining story naturally. A messy one for sure, but fun.

All that being said, when I actually think about how I see their respective personalities and what they would want/need from a relationship, I don't think they are very compatible below the surface.

Yes, Tom needs someone who he'll respect, but that partner needs to have some (a lot of) give. They need to be able to work around Tom's 10 million personality complexes without him feeling like he is being fixed. Tom needs to feel like he is getting his way, so his potential partner needs to either be very subtle or put a lot of effort into making Tom dateable (which I talked about more here). The thing is, Harry is just as stubborn and unrelenting as Tom more often than not. These two both have the same complex from a lack of control over their lives in childhood that results in very stubborn people who will fight tooth and nail to get their way and a general distrust of people. This is a recipe for them butting heads often, especially with their different worldviews and how they see people.

Like, both of them would never bow down to anyone. They don't know how to take a backseat. Sure, Harry says he doesn't want all the danger and attention, and he doesn't, but he wouldn't be able to sit and do nothing against what he feels is wrong, he is used to carrying an impossible burden on his shoulders. And he takes a leadership rule easily and naturally. Tom is used to getting his way, he is used to being able to either intimidate or charm what he wants out of everyone, something his partner should be immune to, but I think Harry would rile him up worse, instead of putting a stop to the behavior. Like, Tom would just try harder to break Harry before trying something else would cross his mind because Harry would make a sassy comment that would get Tom emotionally invested. He's going to get his pride and self-worth hinging on breaking Harry's resolve, and he is going to fail. Neither of them would ever be happy in the shadow of the other and it's going to be a constant push and pull with these too. Now, this sort of dynamic can be very compelling in fic, it's a fun story about a relationship that is truly insufferable to be around.

Neither of them is particularly emotionally intelligent or capable of emotional vulnerability. Like, Harry, who didn't know why Cho was crying after Cedric died, would need to be the person carrying the emotional tool in this relationship, and, like, I love Harry, but navigating emotionally volatile situations (specifically romantic ones) is not one of his many skills. Tom is even more useless in this department, he sure can recognize emotions in others, but he repeatedly underestimates emotional attachment, both in himself and others because his conceptions about friendship and love are all skewered. And with romance, he would be so much worse.

Add to all of that the fact both of them have one hell of a temper and it's more likely that they'd blow up at each other rather than talk shit out.

And then there is how I think they'll behave when they actually are in a relationship. As I talked about here, Tom is a sentimental and possessive person. When it comes to romance, I think Tom would want a person to be his, he'd be obsessed and controlling while simultaneously wanting to remain independent and do his own thing. He'd be a nightmare. And Harry, well, Harry would handle the independent, doing his own thing quite well, since I think Harry is the same. Even in a relationship, he'd need to keep his own independence and freedom, and that's where Tom's controlling nature is going to butt heads with Harry's distaste for any controlling figure.

I think Tom would struggle with Harry's lack of ambition too. Because Harry is clever, powerful, has the makings of greatness, and is an equal to Tom, but he isn't planning on doing anything with it. This would infuriate Tom, honestly. I think Tom would find many of Harry's passions (like Quidditch) frivolous and useless and would probably tell him that, which Harry would fight him on.

Harry's sassy nature, would also, get under Tom's skin if it's directed at him, Tom takes himself too seriously to make fun of himself and take a joke. However, he would appreciate these same comments when directed at others. Tom has a sense of humor, but he wouldn't make fun of himself, especially not a younger Tom Riddle when he's still in school.

There are aspects that would work, though, I think Harry would be willing to listen to Tom going on about whatever quite intently, and Tom would love that. Harry can pay a lot of attention to people he cares about, but he can also get distracted and just not hear anything being said to him (he tunes out some of Ron and Hermione's conversations regardless of his love for them. It can happen when you get used to being around someone) which Tom would hate. Although Harry would find Tom's monologing kinda annoying at a certain point, I think.

I think Tom would do good for Harry's self-esteem issues since Tom wouldn't accept Harry thinking of himself as average when he is equal to Tom. Harry would be pretty good for Tom's weird prideful self-hatred and could probably help push for an arc there. Both by showing Tom actual affection and by keeping his ridiculous ego in check.

I also think Harry would appreciate someone being protective over him and wanting him so much as someone who grew up feeling unwanted and like he never had anyone in his corner. And Tom, I believe, would be protective and possessive in a relationship (a little too much, but still).

Basically, both of them (but mostly Tom) need work before they can make a relationship between them work, and that's before looking at their history in the books which will always require some canon-divergence or AU to make this pairing work. Very possible, but it takes effort. Most of said effort goes into forcing them to talk properly, honestly, because Tom really wants Harry, his one failure, dead. Like, Harry would shockingly be the easier one to convince of this, I think. Like, he was willing to forgive Tom, he already sees him as a person and not a bogeyman. Plus, he thinks Tom is hot (the younger one at least). Tom (as Voldemort, during the series), as I said, sees Harry not as Harry but as a representation of his own failings, and until he gets that out of his head, I can't really see this relationship working.

When it comes to the "Harry time travels to the 1940s and goes to Hogwarts with Tom" fics it's easier to get them together because Tom has fewer complexes, but it's still not easy (Sure, he doesn't have 10 million complexes, just 7 million instead). So even then Harry has his work cut out for him and this relationship would be a trainwreck that might take collateral damage in the form of everyone around them being miserable with their bullshit.

The key point in all scenarios I mentioned is that Harry needs to actively pursue Tom because otherwise, it won't happen. Because Tom isn't going to pursue it on his own unless some AU reason pushes him to do so. I can see him getting obsessed with Harry easily in various circumstances, but while he'd pursue his obsession, I don't think it would cross his mind to date Harry. Not on his own, I just don't see Tom coming up with it without something to help him get there. Maybe (again in a time travel scenario) a younger Tom could pursue a fake relationship in pursuit of his obsession, but Harry would fight against it because he'd see through him. I also find it hard to imagine Harry pursuing this relationship with Tom through all of Tom's bullshit. I don't think Harry has the patience for that (unless he has a specific reason to do so).

I don't think Harry would pursue this relationship to begin with either. As I mentioned, emotional intelligence and romance in particular are not Harry's strong suits. He could be in love and not notice it because he shrugged it up to something else and he has more pressing things to worry about. If he does notice, he might try to pursue it, but it again depends on the AU or specific situation. I think he could flirt if he set his mind to it, but whether that's effective with Tom depends on which point in Tom's life we're talking about...

I wrote here about the trope of Tom finding out Harry is his Horcrux and, honestly, what I wrote there applies to any potential romantic relationship between them too. Especially if this trope is relevant in the getting-together stage.

All of this is without talking about the elephant in the room of their specific age difference that I'm kinda ignoring. In the books it's a difference of 54 years, which is a lot, but hey wizards and in fic scenarios, Harry can be an adult or they can be the same age, or, well, in fic you can do whatever even when said whatever situation would be messed up irl. I mean, irl I would never advocate for anyone to sleep with their parents' murderer, but this is fanfiction we're talking about so it doesn't really matter. It does mean that this isn't the kind of pairing that I think could be canon or even canon-adjacent. And though I like it better than Drarry in many ways, it's way less likely to happen than Drarry in the canon books as they are.

So, yeah, I like Tomarrry/Harrymort. It's fun, it's juicy, it's dramatic, it has great fics for it out there, but can it realistically happen without some AU? Not really.

(Also, you mentioned Tom and Hermione so I'll add in a little aside that I think that pair will get along worse than Tom and Harry. I think they would misunderstand each other a lot. And Tom, contrary to popular belief isn't going to appreciate someone who's trying to prove he isn't the smartest person in the room. I also think Tom wouldn't like Hermione's attitude over basically anything. I think Hermione would disapprove of Tom's general disregard for others' lives and well-being as well, and she would take more offense at it than Harry. I think Hermione is more likely to get intimidated by Tom than Harry too. Like Hermione would startle at something Tom says whereas Harry would call out his bluff)

#harry potter #hp #voldemort #tom riddle #lord voldemrot #harry james potter #tomarry #harrymort #hp meta #harry potter meta #i guess #hollowedtheory #anonymous #asks #ship talk

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luckykiwiii101 · 1 year ago

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Okay this is outrageously easy. The way I overcomplicated everything is ummm embarrassing but we move…

So I just really thought and took in that I don't have to put anything on a pedestal and tire myself out I should just stick to that “idc” mindset I have. I was manifesting waking up in the void since I wanted to experience it (and probably manifest my dream life through it) and I was like it's literally nothing, not that deep. Before I would affirm and vaunt many times, visualise and I’d experience that feeling of fulfilment and knowing multiple times until it felt natural. Then yesterday I basically just left it all alone since I already did everything (even when I didn't have to) so it's basically inevitable for me to get what i want, there’s no point in doing anything more now (also methods made me feel like i was struggling to “get” and i didn’t like that). Anyway last night I woke up in the void (by literally falling asleep normally) and I didn't even freak out or anything I was just like "hm okay". I affirmed that I manifest things I want extremely fast and I wake up in the void every night, after I just chilled there for a bit.

I came across this post on how to make your desires feel natural to you i forgot who it was and I honestly can’t be asked finding it but it said to think of it this way. Let’s say many people want a certain feature you have like your eye colour or hair type/texture and they really want it, they even get hella excited or happy thinking about having it. But when you actually take the time to think about that feature you don't even give much of a reaction like you don't care as much that's cus you already have it, it's always been yours. I know I'm repeating what everyone has said and that's because that's literally all there is to say honestly. So being on tumblr scavenging for answers isn't doing anything really. everyone will just repeat the same thing but phrased differently to help people understand better and some people will get mad about them repeating themselves like….. yeah..? that's basically the answer to all your questions.

You think you’re “waiting” to “get” your desires but like it’s the other way round, your desires are waiting for you to wake up and accept that they’re already yours

So it's all just crickets and tumbleweed, if you're just sitting there questioning why you, apparently, don't have your desires. Imagine your desires are just awkwardly watching you ignoring the fact that you already have them and they’re right there in front of you. They’re probably just looking to the left and right, scratching their head. it's especially awkward when you're looking at the 3D for answers when it's literally useless and doesn't do shit, it only reflects old circumstances. That can only change when you turn to yourself or the 4D for answers, and of course any method will help but then again it all comes down to you to decide if it works. If you "want" your desires don’t dismiss what it is that "gets" you them...idk how to phrase it but just start applying and persist it's honestly too easy.

Anyway enough from me, I'm finally deleting this app right after this. This was long sorry if it doesn't make sense but this is how I understood it. To summarise you're all that's left to"getting" your desires. Think of it as having a breakdown over not being able to find your glasses or hair tie but turns out you're wearing it the entire time.

Thank you Wii and all the other bloggers who take the time out of their day to help others with all of this. Take care of yourselves!!

THIS IS AMAZING!!! I’m SO proud of you!! SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY APPLIED WHAT THEY KNEW AND NOW LOOK AT THEM!! you deserve this so much honestly i’m beyond happy for you!

Also i REALLY love the way you put yourself on the pedestal by saying that your desires are waiting for YOU and not the other way round.

#void state #void #law of assumption #loa blog #loa tumblr #loassumption #loablr #manifestation #loa #loa success #void success #void success stories #void success story #void state success story #the void state

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the-longest-day-of-my-life · 3 months ago

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Do you think I'd like 24?

It has very aquired tastes! It can also be very triggering for some, it was hard to watch for me as a SA victim. If that freaks you, I can warn you about those scenes or any of the sort.

I love it, action with an emotional storyline and brilliant characters. A likeable asshole as a main character who will do anything for his family but isn't immune to emotion and has bad moments and doubts and anxiety over things. That's how I'd summarise Day (season) 1, Day 1 is really good. Totally seperate from the rest of the seasons. The rest of the seasons all tie in + hsve media you might want to watch/ play (With 24:The Game) but Day 1 obviously isn't held back by that and I love that!

Not that the other Days (but 6) are not good, because they are! Day 3 is fantastic and really delve into Jack as a character who struggles with things in his past.

I love Jack, he's so real for someone in his situation. (not to spoil too much) He's a hard-working man who just wants to keep his country, family and (few) friends safe and he will do ANYTHING for them. He's also human, something I dislike about later seasons is how robotic they make him, in Day 1. He struggles with the events of Day 1, he doesn't know how to cope and even tries to kill himself in Day 2. In Day 3, it gets ramped up to 11. Day 4-6 are... they need Day 1-3 to get.

Day 5 is an artistic masterpiece. Don't take my word for it, take the MULTIPLE EMMY'S the show got for Day 5. The opener of Day 5 is the most shocking thing you'll ever see. Over 17 million peope tuned in to watch it!

The soundtrack does wonders for the show, the track "Jack in the limo" from Day 1 ep 11 and "Alexis" throughout Day 1 are unironically on my playlist. Sean Callery also got awards for his work on the show.

So, to answer you question "Would I like 24?" it depends. It has similarities to Burn Notice but it's its own show. A truely wonderful time capsule of sorts. The camera work, direction and editing is all amazing. Pair that with the sountrack and the wonderful acting perfomances from major characters to minor one liners is incredible. The atmosphere on set has also been described as good!

(sorry that is long!)

#answered #24 #jack bauer #tw sa mention #brief #alexis rambles

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mrhaitch · 5 months ago

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Hello Mr. Haitch I hope you are having a great and healthy day. Sorry for bothering you on a sunday. How are you and your family doing? If you ask me I'm doing great apart from dealing with classes as a first-year uni student.

It's my first time asking a question to someone on the internet so I'm really nervous, I hope I will be able to explain myself properly.

So... I'm currently rewriting a story that I had wrote as a project in 10th grade. I decided to work on it after it got published by the ministry of education under a project named Young Writers. And I have been struggling with correcting and reshaping some parts so I wanted to ask for some help and some opinions on this from someone knowledgeable.

I don't know if anyone asked this before and if they did sorry for asking again. Can you please give me some ideas as to how I can continue, the basic ideas of my story and the main characters are pretty much shaped in my mind but I'm having a hard time putting those into the old story as it was written a long time ago.

Should I write those down and restart from the beginning or follow a different route? (This might sound like I'm giving the advices to myself but I seriously don't know what to do ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ)

I want to translate the work when it's a few chapters ahead as it would also help with my studies on translation but since I can't write crap it's gotten really messed up🥲

Can you please help this crumbling soul with your sacred knowledge?

(Sorry if the ask is too long but I wanted to explain my struggle thoroughly and English is not my first language so sometimes it's hard to explain myself with few words.)

(Here I go rambling again😓)

Thank you so much in advance (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

Yeah, we're doing well considering all the drama last night.

First of all, congratulations! That is a significant achievement and you should feel proud.

As for the meat of your question: I've had this problem before. Usually when I start a story I have the barest of outlines or direction in my head, but what I do have are a couple of characters, a vibe, and an opening sentence. By the time the first draft is over the story is wildly different and the tone is often wildly uneven. This was definitely the case with the first novel I wrote.

If the changes you want to make are significant there's a few things you can do. Listed below are a handful of things you can try:

1. Write it again

2. Break the story down into key scenes, summarise them on cards, and line them up in chronological order. Do the same for your new scenes and ideas, and physically play around with different orders and structures. Move scene five to scene three, add a couple of new scenes where scene five was and see if it tracks - that kind of thing.

3. Strip your story down to its key elements and beats: the scenes that are 100% integral, and copy them to a new document. Then do something similar to the previous method and play around with slotting things in and moving things around.

If a significant amount of time has passed since you first wrote the story, I'd start it again. In fact - I'd write it from scratch without looking at the old version, and see what parts of the original stuck and what fell away. You'll get an idea, then, of the story's core.

The key thing is that, whatever you decide, you see it through to the end. Even if it doesn't work you'll have learned a lot.

Best of luck.

#mr.haitch #mrhaitch #mr haitch #mrhaitch answers you too

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warriorstale001 · 2 years ago

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Xtra Small Update.

As most of you following me are probably aware, I have a fic on AO3 called Xtra Small or XS is it's shortened abbreviation. I started writing it when I was VERY new to the UTMV and to writing fics in general.

It's... been a while since I updated it... In fact, today marks two years since its last update... And that is a fact I'm not proud of ^^'...

(More info and explanation about why I've been taking so long to write the next chapter below, but to summarise the main point: I have not given up on XS and plan to have another chapter out soon)

Why haven't I updated it in so long? Well there's quite a few reasons really, but the main one that kept me struggling to continue writing for so long was the fact I just didn't feel proud of my writing in that fic anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still love XS and it will always be precious to me (especially kiddo Cross hehe :3), but I just couldn't help but compare myself to... Well everyone whose writing I came across, especially if they wrote babybone fics too. And when people commented on my earlier chapters in the fic I would cringe and wonder how they possibly got through them since I just kept thinking of all the 'better' fics out there.

So for a while I ignored XS and started writing other fics that I felt more proud of and that I think show how I've grown as an author, but I never planned on abandoning XS fully. Over these past 2 years I have gotten sooo many comments from people who have read the fic asking when an update is coming or just telling me that they really enjoyed the story and honestly, that's made me feel more confident in my writing. It really means a lot that despite all this time, people haven't given up that I'll continue the fic and I can't let them or myself down by just never getting around to update it. It made me slowly appreciate XS again for the fic it is. It's not perfect, but if it can bring enjoyment to a reader for even a little bit, then it makes me happy knowing 'Hey, I wrote that :3' hahs ^^

It almost took 2 years to write, but last week I finally finished writing the first draft of the next chapter of the story. It'll take time to edit, but I'm pleased to say that there will definitely be a chapter coming soon enough. Hopefully late April/beginning of May at the latest.

If you're still here two years on since I last updated, then I just want to say thanks for sticking around so long and I'm sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger for so long. I love you guys and I really hope this next chapter will be worth it.

Thank for not giving up on me or XS!

And thanks to those who are here mainly for OSDiff for being patient too ^^!

Have a super day everyone <3!

#update #fanfic #writing #ao3 fanfic #Xtra Small #XS #Xtra Small Update #Still alive!#not gonna give up #Can't do that to the people who have been waiting all this time #have a wonderful day #You're all awesome

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arkhamintensive · 2 months ago

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do your rogues have their own lore that differs from how theyre portrayed in canon? is there a specific version youre drawing from? ive seen the whole dork squad so far, do you have any other rogues youve made your own? sorry for all the questions, your blog is really cool and i wanna know things!!

please tell me about your eddie, i have an addiction to riddle men-

HELLO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, LONG ANNOYING POST AHEAD!! <3 Apologies it's poorly formatted

So!!

Despite being in this silly fandom since around 2011/2012, I've only just started playing with AUs and designs (with the exception of the funny animalverse, those designs have been used and reworked since around 2013/14!) so the lore doesn't run too deep, but I'll try my best to summarise!

This AU is for my simpler designs and more grounded (word used very loosely... it's Batman) backstories. The presence of metahumans, insane powers and general abstractisms is reduced, but not eliminated. I'd consider this to be my "main" verse

I have a few AUs with some very cobbled together lore, but my main ones I'm actively working on are the following!

-Wikiverse (my main doodleverse)

These are the human designs I tend to use the most in my art as they're easy and fun to draw!

The only solidified designs I have so far for this AU are Riddler and Hatter (see below!). I've made a couple of small edits to Jervis' design recently but haven't had a chance to upload them!

I desperately need to make a solidified design for Scarecrow, but I can never settle on one! I'm considering using the design from the Halloween piece I did though as he's ever so fun to draw

Lorewise, this is all very new to me so it's a major work in progress!

Edward's lore will take a lot of inspiration from the BTAS lore (I like the idea of him being a games designer (I'll get into this one in a bit more detail later).

Johnathan's backstory will focus on him being unfulfilled with his job as a psychiatrist, and opting to use unethical methods to try and control/manipulate people for his own entertainment. I want him to hit a breaking point where he develops his toxin to use the power of fear to get people to behave how he wants them to, all while claiming it's for the greater good and entirely unselfish reasons. His big break/the moment where he becomes the scarecrow is going to be when he decides to toxin bomb a "fundraiser dinner" hosted and attended by the alumni/staff of the university he used to lecture at. I'm going to borrow heavily from the origin stories that focus on him being a complete outcast all through his academic life, and his desire to seek revenge on those who shunned him

Jervis' backstory is the most complete one I have, you can find it in thread form on my Twitter here! The too long didn't read version can be seen on his ref, but that leaves out a LOT of key details. With this one I borrowed little bits from all over the shop, so I don't really have a particular point of inspiration I can cite!

This is the AU I want to develop most! I'd love to create some more designs. I think once I've finalised my Scarecrow I might give Two Face or Ivy a go!

-Dreamstateverse (For more experimental designs and concepts)

This one is barely developed, but will house my more complex/wacky designs. I'd like to use this one for some more experimental work, something that really lets me push the boat out.

The general premise for this AU is that everything is completely insane. There are drugs in the water, the GCPD has collapsed, batman is struggling to keep up and the rogues are just running riot. Due to the otherworldly, psychedelic nature of this AU, I'm pinning Hatter as the main baddie

This AU is going to be a lot more flexible with metahumans and weird powers! All cards on the table, anything goes.

The only finalised design I have for this one is Edward! It's very gaudy and his whole outfit clashes, but that's kind of the point of a lot of the dreamstate designs!

The other two designs I'm currently working on are for Hatter and Music Meister! Music Meister's design is in the gross messy stage right now so I unfortunately have nothing to share, but I do have a doodle of Jervis' design! Going crazy... making him a bit tall...

Main rogues I want to design for this one (that I haven't already started) are Scarecrow, Ivy, Harley and I think The Ventriloquist would be fun!

-Everything is the same except Gotham is in Britain-verse

This one is for a longform story driven RP between me and a friend! It's a lot more grounded and takes place in England because that's a lot easier for us to write. I do not know an awful lot about big American cities

It focuses mostly on very early versions of the rogues, and how they get into their gimmicks and crimes. Riddler and Scarecrow are the main characters of this one, but we've also got Harley, Jervis, Selena and Ivy as side characters!

It's a sprawling mess lorewise so I don't think I'd be able to summarise, but it's very fun and silly. We have a large cast of original characters in the mix too!

-Funny animalverse

This is my oldest AU... if you can call it that. I just gave different characters fursonas and use them to doodle... That's all there is to it!

Edward is a fox, Jervis is a weird dog thing (but he's a hare when he's nervous/unstable), Music Meister is a ferret and John is a scraggy barn cat!

(Ignore the species, I've changed this recently to make him more of a basset hound mix!)

And once again... John's design is unfinished... I think I just get nervous designing him, he's very fun but so hard!!

Anyway, there's no lore here, I just use them as my own personal action figures !

E D W A R D S

Standard issue abusive dad backstory

I'm going to try and summarise the lore of my main Eddie's! I want to develop them all into full backstories but for now please enjoy my notes!

Wikiverse:

Worked hard. Studied programming and computer science. Became a game designer

Online personality. Made a lot of videos showcasing how the

industry works, what his role is, programming tutorials etc

Small gaming company he worked for was bought by a larger company who implemented unethical business practices

Speaks out about these online, company sees it as slander and fires him

Name is scrubbed from credits, no royalties given. Goes to complain but CEO laughs in his face and calls him an idiot (sneaky bits in the contract allowing the company to do this)

Enraged, Edward disappears, resurfacing months later under a new persona. Kidnaps the CEO and other involved parties and forces them to partake in game/puzzle like death traps.

Broadcasts the whole thing live to local Gotham news station

Sets up proxy broadcast locations and covers his tracks near perfectly. Leaves cryptic clues that lead to a lot of red herrings and dead ends (with trick answers so he can pretend he's not cheating)

Continues puzzle themed general crimes/heists to gather funds and just to prove how smart he is

Personalitywise, he's quite dorky, but also a completely flamboyant showoff. He's very keen on keeping up appearances and coming across as well put together

Dreamstateverse:

This one I still need to work out. Similar to the previous Eddie, this one is an incredible showoff, and excessively flamboyant. He's very keen on taking any chance he has to show how much better he is than everyone else

Despite his desperation to appear cool and collected, he has an incredibly short temper and will loose it if things don't go his way

I want to say prior to his criminal life, he had some sort of job within the local Gotham government. I think it'd be fun for him to utilise insider information he gained during his career in his schemes

Unfortunately Englandverse:

Once again, the lore for this AU is sprawling so I can't go over it all, but here's a handy dandy list of some key points

Edward grew up in the USA with an abusive father. He sucked at school (he was smart, but he despised the schooling system and often acted out for attention) and got kicked out by the time he was 16

After getting kicked out by his father for failing school, he lives rough for a short while before joining a travelling carnival. He's put in charge of running some of the carnival games (which he rigs) and enjoys himself greatly

The carnival is run by some shady characters who quickly pick up on Edward's smarts. They teach him the tricks of the shadier parts of the trade, focusing on forgery (tax documents, health and safety documents etc etc)

He makes a name for himself as an expert forger, over time accumulating a great deal of notoriety and a decent amount of cash

After becoming bored with the carnival, he decides to move overseas after being offered a shady paperwork job with a well known drugs baron

He continues to work for the baron, getting closer and closer to him over time to learn more about how he operates his business. Over time, Edward becomes bored with the work he was given, and utilises his closeness with the baron (alongside his forgery skills and attention to detail), to kill off the baron and falsely inherit his empire

For a short while, Edward is happy with his work, enjoying being in a position of power, but he quickly becomes bored again, desperately seeking out a new thrill. He begins to target high profile individuals that "pose a threat to his business", forcing them through a variety of puzzles, traps, extortion schemes etc. He broadcasts these antics on hijacked TV signals, claiming that it's to quell corruption in the city (he utilises very manipulative language in order to get the common people on his side). In actual fact, it's all just a game for him, something he uses to entertain and prove himself

I like the idea of him having a fair amount of public support, until he runs out of "genuine" targets and starts forcing the regular citizens of Gotham to partake in his games

Lots of other small details, twists and turns that explain decisions and motivations better, but I think I'd need a whole essay to cover it

The summary for this one is he's just an incredibly smart, power hungry bastard who likes attention

He's also prone to tantrums if things don't go his way. His ego is very easily wounded and his screaming fits are biblical in proportions.

That being said, if he takes a shining to someone he is fiercely loyal (if a little clingy)

That's all I can think of to write right now!!! Thank you again so much for your question and I'm so sorry I threw War and Peace at you!

#arkhamarttherapy #arkhamreplies

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21iskindafunny · 1 year ago

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Can we know about your version of yugotalia? :D like personalities and stuff

OMG… a yugotalia ask… I’m flattered… here are the basic characteristics of my versions of the ExYUs

IDEMOOOO!!!!!!

(I’m sorry if any of the personalities don’t seem fleshed out enough, being honest I’m working on a lot of different stuff at once and haven’t ever properly characterised them LOL. To summarise they’re a mix of the canon crumbs of Hetadesigns that Hidekaz once gave, Tixs Ideas and [mostly] how I’ve seen each country/their citizens act.)

Serbia / RS

Obv an Asshole. He has the heart of a fighter(seen on his eye-scar which he gained from Ottoman-times), and takes loss of his precious land horribly (very greedy in that sense!). He’s hated by a lot of countries, but his main enemies in the current days are Croatia and Albania. He can be caring if he gets something worthy in return; nowadays he tries to be a little more western to get closer to that sweet sweet EU money. Huge Ego, and I mean HUGE. Shares the biggest Ego with his Enemies LOL

Croatia / HR

A more westernised asshole. He cares about how he looks, now that he’s in the EU and getting lots of tourism. He can be very charming if needed, but once he’s drunk (or high on coke) he releases his more.. careless side. Of course, he can also be ruthless on purpose, seen when interacting with Countries like Serbia and Bosnia. The "whore"-ist out of the cast.

Bosnia / BiH (I haven’t thought about making Herze honestly… this might change in the future)

Bosnia is quite the paranoid man, having arguably the most annoying neighbours in Europe. He faces a lot of struggles in life (you can guess why), which he often either drinks/smokes away. If he doesn’t turn to alcohol/cigarettes, he likes to draw triangles frantically. Of course, he’s also an asshole, but I think that’s a given for the ExYUs. He can be quite unstable at times.

Montenegro / MNE

Very lazy and tired most of the time. His sleep schedule is questionable, ranging from multiple hours to multiple weeks. When he’s not asleep, he does work on himself! He doesn’t have the success with Tourists like Croatia, which is why he doesn’t work as hard, but manages to do alright for the short hours he’s awake for.

Slovenia / SI

A greedy, but shy guy. He still holds a lot of the influence that Austria had over him long ago, wishful to be as amazing as any Central European country is in his eyes. A bit of a pushover, having been under the reign of others for long, though he is slowly working to get stronger in that sense. He’s the most western out of the ExYUs.

(North) Macedonia / MK

A happy girl, who loves nothing but dancing and drinking. Though when the illusion of optimism is broken, she can be just as much of an asshole as any other ExYU. Similarly to Bosnia, she has a ton of annoying neighbours who (when extremely drunk) claim to rule over her, which causes her to lash out. Despite all of that, she tries her best to once be in the EU (obv for monetary reasons!)

BONUS…… BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT LOLOLOL

Albania / AL

Cheerful but also a fighter! Serbias Number One Enemy right now. He can be kind, but isn’t afraid to judge anyone who gets in his way. He takes pride in what he has.

Kosova / KS

In a Rough Situation, being annoyed at the constant discourse of whom he belongs to. He’s a free spirit with a huge love for anything US-related.

Vojvodina / VD (i know she isn’t a country LOL)

A lazy princess with a slow way of taking things in life. She lives in Serbias house, with the thought of leaving it roaming her mind, yet never becoming true. She was once a good fighter.

#hetalia #yugotalia #21 talks #long ass post #ocs

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ciaossu-imagines · 8 months ago

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Finally responding to your messages. Sorry that they’re so late, just wasn’t able to gather the energy until now. Yes to you loving wikis because I do as well. Like it’s amazing that those people can always nicely summarise the chapters or episodes of the series since summaries are something I’ll always struggle with and they’re really handy when it comes down to needing a bit of info for my stories as well. And that makes sense. Thanks for saying that 😊 Yeah. Like it makes no sense and it will forever wonder why they decided to make that arc since yeah, like I said, the other ones are pretty decent. There is one mini-arc though, before The Key of The Starry Heavens arc, that I also didn’t rewatch because it’s for me just a bit too weird but yeah, the characters that appeared in that arc appear in the Starry Heavens one as well so if you also don’t want to watch those episodes, I definitely recommend reading those summaries so you’ve got all the context. But it is nice to hear that you’ve found some good fan fics that do succeed at doing it 😊 No problem 😄 Yeah. I have all these ideas of how many messages it might be and it’ll be nice to see which idea’s the closest 😅 I see. I don’t blame you. And that does sound so horrible and indeed out of character since all of their actions always just seem so real so it wouldn’t make sense. I’m currently at chapter 230 and nothing to do with what you said has happened so if it is true, it’ll probably also be quite late into the story with no good / long build up. But yeah, I’m seriously hoping that it isn’t because I don’t want that for Jyugo or any of the other characters involved (as in, for their characterisation).

I’m also going to answer your other admin chatter message here if that’s okay so they’re nicely together and I don’t have to send too separate ones. And of course it’s alright that it’s super-late since yeah, this message is really late and I never mind waiting. I see, that does suck. Though here’s to praising wiki editor yet again since every Haikyuu!! episodes has a manga-anime differences section that’s definitely useful. I really do hope that one of your websites / apps does get it because it’s really something that I’d love for you to read at some point. It’s still a bit more than a hundred chapters and slightly over 400 if you want to read from the beginning but yeah, I hope that one day you’ll get the chance the read it because the arc after nationals is so good when it comes down to Hinata, but also nationals is so great when it comes down to Bokuto. Also I’ll forever love what he said before the match because it’s so funny in the way that he just confused everyone around and was so proud with what he said 😭 Can I send those images to you? He’s just adorable. But yeah well, after the Battle at the Garbage Dump of course and yeah, there’s another match besides Fukurōdani’s one that’s also really important so I’ll forever hope that you can read it for yourself one day. And yeah, I think you’ve been writing them pretty in character since I could always imagine the characters you wrote about in those scenarios.

Please, don’t feel at all bad for taking your time to reply! I’m the queen of super-late replies, as you well know and I fully accept that not only do people have lives outside of tumblr, but people can just have low energy, both mentally and physically, and just not feel up to responding right away and that is perfectly okay 😊 I really do think it’s really amazing how dedicated fans put in so, so much work into creating these wikis, doing the formatting, finding and making sure the information is correct and everything else that goes into creating a wiki. Which makes it a real shame when bots go in and destroy what used to be good wikis (*cough* KHR *cough*). I suck at summaries myself, but only because I bloat when writing. I couldn’t keep a summary short and concise, I know myself well enough to admit that. Of course! And yeah, most of the filler arcs in shows make no sense to me. I know it’s commonly done as a way to avoid catching up completely to a manga or to extend seasons of what they want to be big-name, super popular series, but in most cases, the filler arcs are generic, badly done, and nonsensical. That’s great to know, so thank you for giving me the heads up. If I get around to watching the Fairy Tail anime all the way through after reading it, I’ll try the mini-arc and if I don’t like it, I will probably just read the summaries. Honestly, there’s so much really amazing fanfic out there. I don’t think it’s really talked about or appreciated as much as it should be – that we have thousands and thousands of these amazing stories that fans have created for us, of so many different types and styles and genres, and it’s so incredibly easy, as of current day, to find a fic that scratches whatever itch you have. I have so much appreciation for the big name fandom writers, for the small little fandom writers who create these little hidden gems, for really all fanfic writers. I am proud to say I am finally caught up and have replied to everyone, including you. Now it’s just getting down to the task of clearing the inbox and building that queue that I need to get done and, as of writing this, that’s what I’m working hard on, when I’m not at my job! I’m really glad to hear that, as of the point you are at, nothing like that has happened. It makes me much less scared when it comes to doing the reread. Currently reading Iruma and One Piece now, then moving on to Saiyuki after I finish these last 50 chapters of Iruma (I read fast, thankfully), but Nanbaka is the next one after that.

I have no trouble at all with you grouping the messages together! It makes complete sense to me, honestly. And thank you for saying that, though I assure you that your message was not what I would consider late at all! I am with you in that hope, though like I said, once I finish all the series I can get for free, I might have to bit the bullet and pay the like, $10 a month for a month or two and use Shonen Jump’s manga reader to read Haikyuu!! and Demon Slayer both. It just sucks because, again, it limits me to only 100 chapters a day and if I’m seriously sitting down to read, I can easily do that and more. Of course you can send me those images and geek out about the scene! I like it when anyone does that with shared fandoms 😊 Thank you so much for saying that! That really means a lot to me and makes me very happy! I always worry and just want to do all these amazing characters justice!

#admin chatter

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choccyhazelnutspread · 1 year ago

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I'm in the final year of my philosophy degree and I've struggled with this so i will try and help you out because comments like that one are super unhelpful and confusing, but unfortunately very common from philosophy professors:(

'to sum up' - i am summarising everything i have just said. this is sometimes useful if you've written something long but most acdemics are gonna disapprove of this. if your writing was clear and succinct enough, you wouldn't need a tldr at the end.

'to conclude' - i have finished my discussion and now i am going to make my final position clear. my conclusion states my final opinion on the matters that i have discussed and is supported by the arguments i have made. i am not just restating my propositions or my evidence, but i am using them to reach a decision. this conclusion should be a sound one.

from my interpretation of the comment you received, it sounds like you've signposted a conclusion without actually providing the content of one. conclusions are the hardest bit of philosophy, and professors are often not very good at explaining what they actually need to involve or how to do it.

sorry if u didn't actually want advice and that's why u had comments turned off lol xxx

"There wasn't a conclusion", baby girl I literally said "to sum up" on the last paragraph, what do you think that meant???

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dxmedstudent · 2 years ago

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Hi dx- I don't know when you will see this but I have my OSCE resit in 3 days. I am feeling deflated and burnt out, and believe my performance last week was affected by a lot of nerves. I panicked, stumbled and messed up. These are my finals and so I basically need to know everything and anything but now that I've failed, my imposter syndrome has really kicked in and I just know I'll be even more nervous. Do you have any tips directly for the OSCE itself... How do I remain calm when I'm there. What do I say to myself. It doesn't hellp that the patient's and examiners always seem so deadpan.

Hey, I'm so sorry that your first exam didn't go well. Nerves are real, they can be an absolute nightmare, and they don't define who you are, or how good you are. In an exam like this, it's very easy for us to stumble a bit and for our minds to go blank. This doesn't make you a bad clinician, and lots of people fail an exam or two! You have every right to be there, and you have EVERY right to pass the exam. You're not an imposter, you're just another student who doesn't love exams - and many people who have struggled and passed felt exactly the same as you. Probably most of the doctors you've shadowed or even admired have been in your shoes and felt the same. I know that I have! I don't know if it's happened yet, I check my messages reasonably often, but time is weird. On the chance that you see this before your exams, I'd say this:

Take your time. Take a moment to breathe before you do anything. Take a moment to read the brief, and then read it again. Before you speak, take a moment to gather your thoughts. If you are stuck in the middle of something, it's OK to simply say that you need a second, and then move on. It's fine to say "OK, let me just take a second to make sure I haven't missed anything". And then take that minute. Or to summarise what you've done/learned so far. You don't' get marked down for repeating something twice, you get marked down for forgetting it altogether. I hate that examiners seem so deadpan, too. But they ARE human, underneath that. They've all likely been there themselves! Just remember that they've had a long day, they are probably tired, and if they seem a bit bored, it really isn't you! There's nothing you could do to make the process thrilling for them - you just need to make it easy for them to tick things off their sheet.

Good luck! I hope that you give it your best shot, and I hope you can believe in yourself. I know medblr will be rooting for you!

#askdx

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h-worksrambles · 2 years ago

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Oh here we go, moving onto the man himself! Sorry this took longer than normal, but I finally have some notes of my own ready to add to your own findings. Full spoilers and canon typical content warnings as ever.

-Jenna and Leo are the first to go looking for TJ. Jenna has taken an especially protective attitude to TJ throughout the game. While Leo feels obligated to look out for him as the group’s leader and protector.

LEO’S ROUTE BEGINS:

-Chase sees Leo leaning on a rock, one that he has many fond memories of as a child. It’s a moment that encapsulates many themes of Leo’s route especially. Leo trying and failing to functions as the group’s ’rock’ and how that ultimately leaves him alone. Chase’s conflicting feelings of bittersweet nostalgia. The fact that this nostalgia goes hand in hand with his trauma (the lake being directly next to the rock). It’s a complicated mess of emotions summarised in the next line:

“It’s weird like that. Every memory I have of this place is dreamy and gold, but always has a hint of sadness about it, no matter what the situation was.”

-Leo is deflated, ‘looking way older than he actually is.’ Ironically this disconnect between hold old Leo is and how old he acts, is integral to his route, but in the opposite direction. Because he wishes to go back to the person he used to be when he was younger.

-The choice that actually decides between Jenna and Leo is interesting for a number of reasons. For one, it sets up a distinct connection between Jenna and Leo, the other two members of the ‘OG crew’. The breakdown of that trio ends up being central to the narrative of Jenna’s route. It’s also interesting that, again, Jenna is both acknowledging of Chase and Leo’s relationship and keen to get them to talk. While she has a number of motivations to do this, as I said before, it conveys that she does care about them both and wants them to be honest with each other. But it also sets up another conflict with Jenna. She tries to talk frankly with Leo, he refuses to listen, and she walks away exhausted. The pressure to constantly be the voice of reason and emotionally intelligent ‘mom friend’ is just as much a character conflict for Jenna, as being the protective, hypermasculine ‘big bro’ is for Leo. It’s hardly surprising that a queer story would deconstruct heteronormative and cisnormative gender roles, but Jenna adds another layer to that discussion alongside Leo.

-The first thing Chase does when this route starts is…trip over. Obviously there’s a temptation to joke about how often he does this like a bumbling horror movie protagonist. But in a route all about Chase’s dependency and lack of agency, which ends in a nightmarish visual metaphor directly pertaining to his legs, it’s a fitting tone setter.

-Chase is caught off guard by Leo’s smoking. Leo being made uncomfortable by how much Chase has changed in their years apart comes up frequently both here and in Jenna’s route. And here, Chase experiences the same.

-After all this time, Chase and Leo still find it hard to talk about complicated emotional matters. They immediately avoid the topic and go back to wallowing in nostalgia. But that can only stave off an argument for so long.

-Chase is disillusioned to find out that Leo is still upset about their three years apart…despite the fact that this conversation was clearly unresolved and they even said they would have to talk more…something Chase already non-commitally put off. It clearly sets up the character flaw Chase will have to struggle with over this route. Leo’s anger has a ‘venom’ that Chase doesn’t recognise. Much as with the Carl route, Chase is forced to realise that one of his friends’ pain runs far deeper than he realised and that he himself is partly responsible.

Meanwhile, this sets up many of Leo’s character flaws over the route. While he’s right to feel deeply hurt at Chase for ‘keeping [him] in the dark over three years’ the way he talks about how they ‘always planned’ to live together in Echo, despite having not been together in three years raises worrying questions about just how right Flynn was about him (though Jenna’s route adds another layer to why Leo thinks this). And, as all of their argument unfolds, the final point it inevitably comes down to, is Echo itself. Regardless of whether you as a player, believe Chase and Leo could ever have worked out or not, they will never work as long as their relationship is ‘anchored’ to Echo.

-Chase reflects on how Leo’s protectiveness was hugely exacerbated after Sydney died. Something we have already heard about in Carl’s route.

-Chase voices his fear that Flynn was right about him, that he really is just a boring nobody. Leo tries to comfort Chase by saying he just grew up and matured, but that inadvertently taps into Chase’s fear that he isn’t the same as he used to be. Chase’s lack of comfort with himself and lack of faith in his own identity is a recurring conflict with his character. He alternates between cringing at himself or his selfish behaviour as a kid, and wishing he could go back to that kid because it would be preferable to feeling as bland and empty as he does now. Chase’s trauma has, both metaphorically and literally, made him into a different person. And that lack of faith in himself, leads directly into his dependency on Leo. Leo comforts him during his doubts over not being special and makes him feel that he is. It’s small wonder that Chase was so quick to fall for him.

-Leo takes Jenna’s side insisting that Flynn criticising Jenna for leaving her family was ‘especially’ out of line. Not only does this, as Chase says, show the limits of his family mantra, but it’s a rare moment of solidarity between Jenna and Leo. A reminder that he used to be one of her closest friends and support figures when dealing with her family. The fact that neither of them can tap into that during the scenes they actually share together is a quiet tragedy of their stories.

-Much like his scene in Carl’s route, Flynn’s appearance here is brief, but telling. I mentioned there that seeing Chase and Carl together hits a sore spot for Flynn both because he was Carl’s main support network after Chase left, (and thus he feels like he has just been a Chase substitute) and because of his own buried attraction to Chase himself. Seeing Leo and Chase together here cuts deep in a similar way. As we learn through Metaphor, Leo too has used Flynn as a Chase substitute in the past and subsequently abandoned him. There’s also the fact that to Flynn, this just confirms his own bitter belief that Chase and Leo care more about getting into each other’s pants than they do about Sydney. That Flynn is the only one who’s really affected by it.

-Leo and Chase’s discussion raises a debate that will define this route. When a part of your life is complicated and not entirely healthy, but also was at one time, too important to let go of, what do you do with it? Chase raises this when he wonders if he should not have come back to Echo at all. While Leo, drawing on his own history as an immigrant who considers himself lucky for the good things he has in his life here despite everything, takes a very different view. It’s a dichotomy of letting go of the bad or holding onto the good.

-This moment of comfort causes the boundaries to blur between the two. They fall into a comfortable and familiar act of physical intimacy. Chase himself wonders if they be should doing this but can’t deny it makes him happy. It this mixture of still loving Leo but still being unsure what he wants, that will drive his character arc in this route.

-On a more positive note, we see Leo making an honest to god effort to live up to his protector role. He guides Chase back to the car over the rocks where Chase tripped previously. He does to best to be there for Chase and to be strong for him. It’s a sad reminder that, in a different context, that could be a very a appealing trait and a factor in why Chase fell in love with him to begin with.

Leo as furrybait:

At this point, it’s important to bring up a very deliberate aspect of how Leo’s character was designed. Leo is basically crafted in a lab to be the perfect being to queer furries on the internet. His characters design leans into many of the common traits of hyper-masculine furry love interests, especially in the bara genre. He is also invokes the romantic tropes of childhood friend, first love and old flame. And there have been numerous factors designed to push players to make him one of, if not their absolute, first routes (his route was the second to be completed). Leo is designed to make a very attractive, very positive, first impression. And knowing he and Chase have history and used to be very much in love, further encourages them to explore that relationship and want the two to end up together, regardless of whether you personally are attracted to Leo (and if you are, then that’s just more reason to ship them).. And the game KNOWS THIS. This is important to remember as the route progresses.

Tuesday:

-TJ shows a rare moment of visible frustration here. The reaction is understandable. The reunion has been a disaster. Flynn has brought back all his worst memories. And now Chase hasn’t kept his promise to him about hiking. And still, even though spending time with this group is nothing but stressful for him, he still feels he has to. It’s a rare moment of TJ’s happy, ultra selfless facade breaking and him showing genuine frustration.

This becomes more explicit when Chase talks to TJ when he looks for an action figure for Carl. I’m not entirely sure if Chase’s protectiveness of TJ in that route and dismissal of him here is all that contradictory really. Carl’s route has already established that Chase can be very selfish and tends to think with what’s between his legs, especially when Leo’s involved. I’d argue this moment is simply Chase doing what he did when he and Leo were dating. Getting too wrapped in each other that they ignore other people they care about. They’re falling back into old habits.

-Jenna trying to look for a manga to give to Carl is a fun little character beat that also serves as another example, like in the Carl route, of her giving him what she thinks he needs, not what he likes. Also, as OP states, there definitely seems to be a degree of foreshadowing here.

-While the hypothetical zombie attack discussion is mostly played for laughs, it raises subtle details as to aspects of Leo’s character. Leo instantly declares he will protect Chase in this kind of scenario. Jenna escalates the competition with Leo as soon as Chase is involved. Leo tries to live up to a hyper masculine and ultra capable role, and fails, falling over himself in the attempt. If Leo’s baggage is in part to do with his complicated relationship with masculinity, it’s fitting that this highlighted repeatedly by putting him in conflict with Jenna, the only woman of the group (I don’t mean this to say ‘Leo is sexist’, I simply mean it’s a quick an easy short hand to communicate that masculinity and gender expectations are going to be a theme of Leo’s character).

-Incidentally, Chase brings up that given Leo was trained for football back in high school, that he’s losing worse than Chase would have expected. As such, one could see this as another example feeding into Leo’s insecurity that he peaked in high school and feels washed up abs unsatisfied with himself now by comparison. This incident makes him feel inadequate in something he used to be good at.

-Jenna once again flirts with Chase, and we see once again a similar warning sign to what happened on Sunday. Jenna flirts in a way where it’s unclear whether she’s being serious or just trying to make Leo jealous. But either way, it certainly does make Leo visibly jealous. Again, whenever Chase is involved, the competition between these two escalates from fun to potentially troubling.

-I definitely agree with OP’s interpretation of the music scene. Leo agrees with Chase regardless what answer Chase gives, determined to keep him happy. Meantime, while Chase can say that he finds the lyrics embarrassing, he can’t help but sing along. Another small sign that this nostalgia cuts very deep and is hard to let go of. A feeling he feels towards a lot of thing about Echo. Including Leo…And yes, the lyrics seem like very deliberate foreshadowing for the role of Shadow Chase and Leo’s delusions.

Kudzu:

Like Raven, Kudzu is the designated backer side character for this route. And I refer again to my point about the role these characters serve. They’re characters who provide alternative, potentially healthier dynamics that the characters could follow up on, if they weren’t so trapped in their own heads. Kudzu interestingly serves that role to two characters. To Leo, he’s a friendship that Leo has developed over those three years without Chase, and one of the few good things in his life that could help him be better. For Chase, he ultimately becomes a second, healthier love interest but we’ll get that later. In his opening scene we see an immediate visual contest in the upkeep of their homes. Both line in fairly rusted, modest homes. But Kudzu’s gardening had kept his in good order, whereas Leo’s is overgrown with ‘weeds and sage brush’. He’s out of sorts and his problems are threatening to overwhelm him. Kudzu, while he has his fair share of baggage, is doing a better job keeping his issues under control so that they don’t cause problems for himself or others. They’re both doing their best in a bad environment but Kudzu’s taking better care of himself. And we see that demonstrated visually here.

Chase makes a complete mess of his first meeting with Kudzu, but I think it’s worth noting how Kudzu is visibly tense at the sight of a stranger (a fact which makes a lot of sense once his history becomes clearer), but visibly relaxes when he sees Leo. It’s the first of several reminders that these two are genuine friends. A fact that’s important to remember for later. Leo also establishes that Kudzu moved to Echo to get away from bad things that happened to him Payton. That immediately establishes a contrast between him and the main cast. Kudzu came here to get away from his problems. Unlike Chase and co. his issues aren’t tied to Echo itself.

Chase can’t help but notice that Leo’s family home feels ‘empty’ with only Leo on it. And it smells not of scented candles but only of cigarette smoke. We get an immediate sensory conveyance that Leo is somewhat stagnating in something familiar, because it just isn’t the same. Even his room is exactly as Chase remembers it.

Leo jokingly bringing up his porn habits appears to be a clumsy way to flirt with Chase by bringing up something sexual. But that just makes Chase notice the drywall holes. During the prologue, I mentioned that the carnival game hints at Leo’s anger problems as he gets more desperate in the game. Here we get another glimpse of it. Chase teases Leo by saying “what if I was standing here? What would that have done to my face?” However, despite being a joke, Chase inadvertently cuts to a central issue of Leo’s character: that because he’s caught between trying so hard to protect the people around him, and anger issues that he doesn’t want to seek help for, he could end up hurting the very people he wants to protect.

Incidentally this is the only time Leo’s route mentions the infamous prank that triggered their breakup in the first place. This comes up much more substantially in Jenna’s route. This suggests that, while he still thinks there’s a chance for him and Chase, Leo avoids bringing that up for fear for ruining his chance. But when the prospect of getting back with Chase is not on the table, he’s more willing to be open about how much that hurt him. Chase and Leo’s relationship is consistently depicted as a way for the two to distract themselves from not talking about their problems.

-Leo’s porn habits serve as a pretty clear insight into his headspace towards Chase and their relationship. He’s fixated on any porn that can remind of what he once had with Chase. Not just sexually but just general contact and physical intimacy. Leo isn’t just lonely and horny. It speaks to a deeper desire to be needed. To have someone to dote on so as to feel good about himself.

The two diverting into a tickle fight is a genuinely very sweet image but it’s also another lens in the pattern that the two are trying desperately not to think about their problems. To evoke Leo in Route 65 they’re trying to just ‘be happy’ in the moment. But in the process they’re ignoring things that should probably be addressed. Chase has just seen something that’s probably worth talking to Leo about, asking him if he’s ok. But he doesn’t want to have that conversation. So they do this instead.

Leo’s gun:

Leo’s gun is an important Chekhov’s gun (no pun intended), but it also is another example of why staying in this town is so bad for him. Chase remembers Leo as someone who hates guns. And yet it was given to Leo by his father for protection. In order to protect the life he feels comfortable and familiar with in, Leo arms himself with something he supposedly hates. Just like how, in most aspects of his life, he shields himself in masculinity to be a tough, capable, protective figure. And yet it is clear that not only is Leo not cut out for such a role but it’s making him a worse, less happy person trying to take on this role. The fact that Leo now carries is a gun is a sign that he’s not just stagnating in Echo. He’s actively getting worse.

-On a related note, Leo brings up the strange incident of when he thought he saw Chase outside his window, a fact that will become much more important later. Once again, feeling tired, wanting comfort with something familiar, Chase doesn’t think much about that right now.

Chase’s nightmare:

I agree with OP’s interpretation of this dream sequence. The immediate transition from Chase hearing a voice mocking him for trying to ‘hide’ directly to himself in a sexual position on Leo’s computer is symbolic of his guilt. That finding comfort from Leo (be it emotionally or sexually) is just distracting him from his actual issues. In addition, we get a glimpse of Shadow Chase here. And I find this striking because it’s not simply taunting Leo, but is actively hostile to Chase. I see this as a sign, that, outside its literal plot explanation in Jenna’s route, the Embrace stands as wider metaphor for Chase’s guilt, and the hole he left in the lives of all his friends. And that guilt for his sins has, because of Echo, gained a kind of sentience. His guilt is literally spiralling out of control. All Chase can do is what he always does, cling to Leo and vainly try to distract himself…

Wednesday:

-Chase finds himself still unable to disentangle himself from his nostalgic musings as he travels with the others to Carl’s house. Still he oscillates between cynicism to what a miserable run down place Echo is, and memories he can’t help but cherish.

-Flynn’s pessimism about the party is brushed off by the others but he makes exactly the same points Carl does in his route, that making them meeting up all about Carl would just make him uncomfortable. It’s another sign that, wilfully disagreeable as he may be, Flynn understands Carl better than anyone else in the group right now.

-Janice’s episode is something I already touched on when Flynn describes it in Carl’s route. But in TJ, Leo and Jenna’s route, the scene plays out near identically as Chase is there to see it in person.

-Leo’s frustration now really starts to visibly build as his plans to keep the group together unravel. It’s become increasingly clear that Leo is desperately trying to keep a sinking ship together as everyone (particularly Flynn) snipe at each other as he desperately tries to insist everyone is having fun.

-Carl’s absence causes the birthday party to play out very differently in this route. For Leo it adds to his mounting frustration of things not going as he planned, causing him to lash out at Flynn. For Flynn, without the one person he actually gets on with here, he’s much more abrasive with the others. He’s not reigning himself in like he was in Carl’s route. Even Chase has to excuse himself and be alone for a bit. During this moment, he comes to a difficult realisation. That, for all their history, for all they care about each other, the group are not good for each other. Their personalities don’t mesh and most of them barely tolerate each other. They were brought together through obligation, closer to a fraught family than real friends, now that they’re all full fledged people with their own lives, there’s little holding them together. Not only does highlighting these fractured relationships emphasise the tension where they’re forced to survive together in the climax, but it sets the tone for realisations Chase will need to make about his relationship to Leo in particular.

Flynn and Chase’s argument:

-The scene provides a painful insight into Flynn’s thought process during this time. On a primary level this is Flynn’s attempt to warn Chase of the dangers of getting back with Leo. But there’s many complex emotions at play in Flynn’s head here.

Firstly, Flynn carries a deep resentment at the thought that none of the others actually cared about Sydney as much as he did. As a result, he’s primed to see the others’ actions through that negative light. Hence he accuses Chase and Leo of reigniting their old flame on a grave, a prospect which baffles Chase as he didn’t make that connection. To Flynn, this is a confirmation of what he fears: that everyone hated Sydney and nobody cares that he’s dead.

Secondly, numerous factors make Chase and Leo’s relationship a difficult prospect for him. Firstly, like Carl, Flynn from abandoned when the two got together and ignored the rest of the group, which Flynn alludes to when he accuses them of ‘making it our business’. There is also the added factor that Flynn and Leo were an item in the past, and that Flynn is attracted to Chase. So Flynn feels like he has been used and discarded by two people he wants a closer relationship with. And all of this is given greater weight by something we learn in Route 65: Flynn sent Chase to the infamous party specifically so that the newly out Chase could talk to Leo. He set them up to become a couple in order to bond with his two other queer friends and better make peace with his own sexuality…only to end up ignored by both of them. So any valid concerns he has over their power dynamic, especially since he chose not pursue Chase because he didn’t want to be ‘taking advantage’ of him, is influenced by his resentment of them seemingly ignoring him, and (in his eyes) Sydney, as well as his wish to be closer to both of them: both emotionally and sexually. He has a valid point. He’s seen Leo in these three years and he knows the wolf isn’t in a good place. But he has a lot of other complicated emotions at play here. And when Chase doesn’t immediately buckle under his hostility, he’s forced to confront those emotions.

-When Leo arrives, his own messy history with Flynn, as a result of Metaphor, comes up to the surface again. As far as he’s concerned, Flynn is trying to keep Chase away from him (and to an extent, he’s right). But Chase is totally unaware of the context of their tension. Leo places him arm around Chase’s shoulder to effectively mark his territory against Flynn and the two leave.

-Flynn’s anger boils over again as he insists on leaving to look for Carl. Considering that not only has he been there for Carl more than they have, but (to him) the others seem less worried, this is likely triggering Flynn’s fear of another Sydney. That he’s about to lose his closest friend again, and no one else seems to care.

-In a scene that resembles the Friday of Carl’s route, Leo voiced his sadness that the group can’t fit together like they used to. Now there’s a lot you can say about whether the group ever fit together as well as Leo’s rose coloured glasses suggest, but regardless, he blames himself for trying to force them, especially Flynn and Carl. Now, while Leo is arguably putting too much responsibility on himself, it also true that, as Carl implied in the prologue, Leo has not paid Carl or Flynn much attention the past three years. In trying to bottle up both his depression and his sorrow over losing Chase, his relationships have stagnated due to negligence and it’s only now that he’s really realising that.

It’s at this point that, his attempts to get the group together a complete disaster, Leo puts more effort into rebuilding his relationship with Chase. Chase is, in many ways, all he had left of the group now. And that change in mindset is marked by the sunset, a recurring motif in their relationship. Chase tries to optimistically focus on the good parts of both this week, and the town. The same way that Leo did. But such nostalgia is immediately dissolved by…

Clint:

Clint serves a number of purposes in the story and Leo’s route in particular. On the one hand, he embodies all the worst parts of Echo, the kind that would make it a mistake for Chase to stay with Leo there. He’s racist, homophobic, violent and a drug abuser. He’s also Chase’s childhood bully, another reminder of the worst parts of his past in Echo that Leo is trying to ignore. But as we get a hint at when Leo brings up Clint’s sister, he’s also a product of and victim of the town, physically abused by his father (who also, it is implied, sexually abused Clint’s sister). Leo and Clint’s antagonism, as well as Leo’s willingness to keep trying to get one over on his high school bully, is a sign that he’s still stuck in the past not just in terms of his friendships, but his grudges too. His appearance is also the perfect way to deflate any attempt Leo’s makes to paint a nostalgic picture and convince Chase to stay. He’s a reminder that this place is actively hostile to them both and it would be a horrible mistake for either of them to stay.

As the two sit and drink against the sunset, Chase ponders how much he wants to ‘run off into the wilderness’. It’s an image that encapsulates why Chase loves Leo. To Chase, he represents comfort, familiarity and, above all, escape. They got together out in the middle of nowhere where a newly out Chase could feel safe and protected. He’s a way for Chase to hand the reigns over to someone who cares about him and not think about his problems anymore. A way for Chase, who doesn’t like himself, and thinks of himself as boring and broken, to feel desired and adored. But Leo will never be the escape Chase wants. Not just because asking anyone to be that kind of emotional crutch is unfair, but because Leo doesn’t want to escape. He wants to stay still. To hold onto the good in a way Chase can’t. Leo again tries to ask Chase to come back to Echo, to rebuild what they lost. And again, Chase can’t give a solid answer, still torn between what he needs, to get as far away from Echo as possible. And what he wants, to be with the man he still loves.

Clint’s attack:

This escalates the threat that Clint embodied earlier as all the worst parts of Echo. And immediately after Chase considered coming back to Echo, he serves as a perfect indicator of why that would be a terrible mistake. But Leo’s reaction is also telling. He ‘has a giant smile on his face, like this is exactly what he wanted to happen’. While on this occasion, it’s justifiable for Leo to pummel a bigot coming after him with a crowbar, it makes an important point. While Clint bullied Leo and the others plenty as a kid, Leo is now the one in control. There’s little that a scrawny meth abuser can do to a red wolf with giant muscles (and a gun). Leo’s reaction (as well as Kudzu’s) makes it clear that this is a common occurrence. The two are actively escalating their old antagonism, Leo happy to have a guilt free outlet for his anger problems (it’s also worth noting that the thing that pushes Leo to actively ‘snarl’ and reach new heights of aggression, is when Chase gets hurt in the struggle). It’s worth keeping this in mind as another character in Jenna’s route arguably acts something of a foil to the escalating antagonism of Clint and Leo. No one is going to say Leo is wrong for giving a bigot a sock in the jaw. But it’s one more sign that Echo is not a healthy environment for Leo to stay in. Note that, despite how much Leo hates guns, after the fight Leo remarks he shouldn’t leave the house without it. Again, supernatural influence or no, Echo is a toxic environment for Leo (or anyone) to stay in.

The fight is ultimately broken up by Kudzu who warns Leo against fighting with Clint. Moreover, his wording ‘I thought we had this shit figured out’ implies he’s been trying to help Leo deal with his anger issues. It’s a reminder that, for as much of a mess as Echo is, Leo has built up a supportive relationship with someone who is actively willing to challenge Leo and motivate him to grow. Kudzu is one of the few good things Leo has in Echo right now, and that will be important to remember going forward.

-Duke’s appearance is minor for now, but lays the groundwork for an important recurring mystery of someone who looks identical to Chase being seen around town.

Chase and Leo’s moment:

-This brief moment of intimacy definitely feels like Echo is leaning hard on its dating sim disguise. Between the full CG art and heavily sensual language, even though very little happens, a first time reader would be excused for believing this was leading into a full blown sex scene, even more than any of the brief moments of petting in the Carl route. In fact, this scene bears a lot of similarities to the Carl route’s kiss scene, as there are similar mixed emotions surrounding it. This takes place after a moment of uncharacteristic violence from Leo. There have been multiple signs that Chase and Leo reviving their relationship is a bad idea, and Leo himself might still be somewhat intoxicated right now. Howly as an author knows how many of his audience want Leo in this moment, and layers the scene in uncomfortable ambiguity. The scene is cut short by what Leo sees in the mirror, and knowing what we do from Jenna’s route, it’s very likely that he’s seen Shadow Chase. This brief moment of intimate reunion with the real Chase brings Leo’s steadily slipping grip on reality to the forefront, a problem that will get worse during the route. Especially when we open from Chase’s nightmare that the creature is actively possessive of Leo.

Every moment of Chase and Leo breaking down another barrier, rekindling their feelings for each other, is marked by another sign that the two doing so is a mistake. At this point, though it’s less that Leo himself is a ‘red flag’ (though the fight with Clint is certainly troubling). So far Leo is still presented fairly positively, and it is moreso staying in Echo that would appear to be the biggest problem. Though, as we will soon learn, the problem is more complicated than just that…

…And that’s all of my thoughts on this section. Sorry again that it took longer than normal. But thank you once again for making your analysis posts. This was the route that really convinced me that Echo was something special. And I can’t wait to see more of your take on it.

Furry Visual Novel Book Club: Echo Week 10 SPOILERS:

Hi everyone, here is the SPOILER discussion post for “Echo - Leo’s Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday”

Links: Previous - Next - Original - Spoiler Free Version

Keep reading

#zombie book club #echo vn #echo project #echo spoilers

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bernkastel-ao3 · 2 years ago

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How do you feel about ambiguous open-ended conclusions to stories?

Sorry about taking so long to reply.

It depends on the story would be the initial answer. To try and expand on that, it depends on how that affects what happened in the story and what a reader/viewer)player will be left with. To use the two works I saw someone else you asked this to use, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Danganronpa V3 end in a way where you can potentially look at everything that happened and go "Was that all unreal even in the setting?". But they also both try to give the person playing them a message that they hope will allow the reader to still feel like the experience had meaning, with MGS2 having Snake talking about the value of what people in experience, like through what could be called fiction in some way, and in passing that to others, while DRV3 talks about fiction having meaning and power, regardless of how fake or not it might be.

To add another game, Nier Automata ends in a way where it's outright stated that all the tragedy that occured through the game could end up repeating, regardless of your efforts for the final ending. But it's a work that clearly feels that struggling to carry on and to hope for something better in spite of no reason really to do so has meaning.

In contrast to those, there's one game I played last year that had a trick in regards to how the story is presented, which turns into the reality of that setting being dismantled at the end. But for me, it doesn't feel like I'm given anything from that, in terms of story impact or conveying something. I see the twist, what results from that, and go "That's neat, them pulling this off. It meant nothing to me, but I guess I can appreciate it". A way to show what I mean would be, imagine if a show had a superbly animated moment that was given a ton of attention and clearly meant to be super important, but had no meaning for anything that's going on.

That's what badly done ambiguity feels like for me. It's there, but I don't feel anything from it. Or I'll be thinking "There's was this build up and it's for something this flat or empty?"

I guess this can be summarised like this. For me, did I come out of the work feeling like I was really impacted by what the work was trying to convey, emotionally? If a work does that, I might love that ambiguous open ending and treasure it. If I come out of a work not feeling like that or just like I can appreciate the ambiguity or whatever intellectually, any enthusiasm will likely fade to me adopting stance of "That was all neat, but I feel nothing from thinking about it".

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vollmond-laboratory · 2 years ago

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The Enigmatic Tale of the Flowers and the Moon — Part 2

[Location: Street, Day]

Young Man: “Lord Faust. It’s been a while. You’ve come down from the mountain.”

He had the same black wings on his back as Faust.

Faust: “Oh, it’s you. What are you working as now, a cargo carrier?”

Young Man: “More or less, yes… By the way, who is…?”

The young man’s gaze turned toward me shyly. His narrowed red eyes seemed full of intrigue.

He didn’t appear alarmed so much as he did surprised, like he was seeing something strange for the first time.

Faust: “This is Lennox. He’s a friendly tengu who lives here in Ōun-gai.”

Faust: “I’m sure he’ll do a much better job of taking care of you than I could.”

The man named Lennox gave me a polite nod in greeting. I gave him a similar bob in return.

Standing beside Lennox like this made it clear just how tall he really was. I ended up having to crane my neck back just to look up at him.

Compared to Faust, Lennox is obviously much larger and stouter. Even tengus that seem similar at first glance have their own differences.

Still, I could tell that they had the same sort of quiet demeanour as each other.

Faust: “Anyway, this here is…”

Faust faltered as he tried to find a way to introduce me. Quickly giving up, he looked back at Lennox, exasperated.

Faust: “Frankly, I have no idea who they are. All I know is that they’re alone. According to them, they’ve lost their memory. And now they’re your problem.”

Faust: “Just for the record, I’m never coming back to this town or mountain ever again. I’m sorry for giving you so much trouble, but the rest is in your hands.”

Having said everything he wanted to say without letting anyone else get a word in edgeways, Faust turned to try and walk away from us both briskly.

Akira: “Eh?! Wait a second…!”

Luckily, Lennox’s long arm was able to reach out and grab Faust far faster than I could have caught up with him.

Lennox: “I don’t think it’s fair of you to ask this of me without giving me a proper explanation first.”

Faust: “…”

Trying to shake himself free was impossible – Lennox’s grip on Faust’s arm remained firm, standing immovably still and silent over him.

It seemed less like they were struggling to communicate with each other and more like they were having an entirely silent conversation through gestures alone.

I couldn’t help but get the feeling that they’d known each other a long time, especially considering how Lennox referred to him so respectfully as ‘Lord’ earlier.

Lennox: “…”

Faust: “…”

Eventually, Faust gave in.

Faust: “…I accidentally blew one of the castle dragons off the mountain earlier.”

After hearing Faust speak as if he’d committed some unspeakable crime, I watched as Lennox rolled his eyes lightly.

Akira: “U-Um! What happened was more like, Faust saved me while passing by, because the dragon was trying to attack me…”

Faust: “Regardless of the reason, there’s no denying that I’ve likely angered the dragons with my involvement. It’s very unlikely I’m going to get away with it scot-free.”

Faust: “If you carry on associating yourselves with me, you’ll probably get caught up in whatever revenge they decide to enact. This is likely the last time I’ll ever be able to talk with you like this. It’d be better for me to hide away on some distant mountain somewhere for a while.”

Having finally heard the full story, Lennox’s face suddenly clouded over with seriousness.

Lennox: “One of the castle dragons… It’s definitely not the best situation to be in…”

Akira: “Is it really that bad…?”

Lennox: “Ah, that’s right, you’ve lost your memory. Allow me to summarise things quickly for you.”

Going out of his way to help someone who knew nothing about this world, Lennox calmly explained some of the details about the town and its yōkai to me.

Lennox: “There are many different kinds of yōkai who live around Ōun-gai, and each of them all have their own individual temperaments. Some are mild-mannered and kind, while others can be fierce and occasionally rude.”

Lennox: “There are even some so terrifying that they’ll gladly cannibalise their fellow yōkai and use them to make themselves more powerful…”

Akira: “Cannibalise…?! Are there any yōkai like that near here…?”

Lennox: “Yes, there’s a family of yōkai like that called oni living in a nearby town. But there’s none here in Ōun-gai, so it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever run into them.”

Faust: “…”

Once, Lennox told me, he was almost eaten by an oni when he was much younger and weaker than he is now. They’re said to be quite a violent and dangerous species.

Lennox: “But above all else, it’s vital to always be mindful of the dragons while living here. They are among some of the most powerful yōkai alive.”

Lennox: “Do you see that castle?”

I followed Lennox’s gaze as he turned to look up at something in the distance.

A beautiful castle stood tall there, surrounded by more cherry blossoms than I could possibly count. It seemed to be located right in the centre of town.

Despite how imposing the gate inside the grounds looked, its white, powdered-like walls had a regal and elegant appearance.

The towering keep was especially magnificent, overlooking the town with its many turrets. The entire castle was so vast that even from far away, its immense power and authority here became impossible to ignore.

Lennox: “That castle is where the main body of the great cherry blossom tree resides. Since that tree is the very heart of the town itself, only a select few dragons are allowed to live inside.”

Akira: “Only a select few…?”

Lennox: “The dragons that live within the castle are especially long-lived, and they all have incredibly strong magic powers, which they use to protect the great cherry blossom and Ōun-gai itself from any outside invaders.”

Lennox: “Naturally, that means they have a great deal of influence here. Ōun-gai’s yōkai rely on the dragons, but they also fear their power.”

Lennox: “If you go against their word, you’re likely to be expelled from the town itself.”

Akira: “I see…”

Even among all the various kinds of yōkai that I’d already seen living here, the dragons seemed to hold a particularly high position of power. Maintaining the law within Ōun-gai by acting as its overseers.

Akira: (Which means…)

Faust, through the simple act of having saved my life earlier, had made himself into an enemy of some of the most powerful people in this town.

Akira: (That must be why he looked so uncomfortable helping me earlier…)

Having finally understood the severity of the situation, I felt myself break out into a cold sweat. Because of me, Faust was now caught up in the middle of a huge mess.

Akira: “Faust, I’m so sorry… I’ve caused you so much trouble…”

At my pale-faced apology Faust turned away, looking uncomfortable.

Faust: “It’s not like I did it for your sake. At the time I just happened to really dislike that one particular dragon.”

Lennox: “…I understand now what’s going on.”

Nodding his head gravely, Lennox then looked straight at Faust.

Lennox: “Despite that, I cannot accept the idea that this might be goodbye. I would miss you terribly if I never got to see you again.”

Lennox: “And besides, the fact that this person here was attacked by one of the dragons is also concerning. I can’t think of any reason as to why the dragons would hold a grudge, so there must be something we still don’t know…”

I was in a panic when that dragon suddenly attacked me earlier. Everything had happened so fast, and all I could remember now was the instinctive fear I’d felt in the moment.

Akira: “Did I do something wrong…?”

Faust: “Well, it’s not like there was any time to ask questions. I’m pretty sure I blew it right off the mountain.”

Lennox: “As expected of you, Lord Faust.”

Faust: “You don’t need to sound so impressed…”

Faust looked towards the castle with a little sigh.

Faust: “With no way to know what they’re thinking, we may want to consider taking Akira directly to them…”

Lennox: “Akira?”

Akira: “Oh, that’s my name. For some reason, that’s the only thing I can seem to remember right now…”

Lennox: “Ah, I see. Lord Akira. I will refer to you as such from now on.”

Every time I heard them say my name, it left me with a strangely familiar yet nostalgic feeling – like having someone tap me gently on the shoulder.

But why did I feel that way about people I’d only just met?

Where is this place I’ve abandoned myself in?

Faust: “We can consider going to the castle later, I suppose… I think what’s most important to figure out right now is who you are.”

Faust nodded slightly, having guessed what it was I’d been thinking about.

Faust: “And if that’s the case, we’d better go and pay him a visit.”

Akira: “Him?”

Just as I was going to ask who Faust was talking about, Lennox suddenly looked up with a start. Three shadows were flying above us in the sky.

Faust: “Dragons. It’d be bad if they spotted us.”

Hurriedly we ran into a nearby alleyway and hid ourselves in the shadows.

☾❀☽

[Location: Sky, Day]

White: “How did you fare? Are you able to find them?”

Figaro: “Not sure yet, I’m afraid.”

Oz: “White. Where has Snow gone in the midst of this emergency?”

White: “My poor Snow has been put out of commission by a wayward gust of wind, I’m afraid. He shan’t be joining us again for a while.”

White: “I shall be sure to keep you updated if there are any developments, however.”

Figaro: “Still, It’ll end up being troublesome for us if we take too long to deal with this.”

White: “Indeed, we must hurry and deal with our uninvited guest. The seeds of calamity must be swiftly nipped in the bud.”

Oz: “I will not allow them to roam free for much longer. As soon as they are found, I will take care of them.”

White: “Do be careful. You have something of a tendency to be impetuous, after all.”

Oz: “…”

White: “Come now. ‘Tis rude to refuse to answer me.”

White: “…Putting the matter aside for now, let us split into three groups and continue our search as such.”

White: “Oz. Figaro. I am counting on you both. Let us keep each other informed if anything new occurs.”

Figaro: “Got it.”

Oz: “Understood.”

The three shadows suddenly scattered in different directions.

—

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#the enigmatic tale of the flowers and the moon #mhyktl #mahoyaku tl #mhyk tl

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fwoosheye · 1 year ago

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This! Like here's how I think about it:

Tags are for letting me be able to search for or exclude specific content using key words. If I want to read about Bilbo getting kidnapped, but I don't want any modern au:s, I can just search for "bilbo kidnapped -modern". Most tags can go under the "other tags", but like Silver mentioned too many tags (on a short story) might make me skip it since I'll start to suspect it's tagged for things that are barely even mentioned or worse, tagged with unrelated stuff to get more hits. But for a long fic I'll just assume the tags are to help people with squicks and triggers avoid deal breaking stuff, which is a good thing imo.

When it comes to summaries... I sorry for the upcomming essay OP, I just see so many people complain about summaries I just gotta write about it again. I'll put it under a cut:

So, first of all, please, for the love of God or whatever, don't write that you're bad at summaries. Please! If you genuinely struggle with summaries, here are a few suggestions on how to make them:

If the story had been based on a prompt (if it isn't) what would the "What if?" question have been? And then one use that as a basis for the summary, eg "What if Bilbo had killed Gollum back in the Goblin Caves, how would that have affected Frodo's adventure?" and turning that into "When Bilbo found his ring, his precious, he accidentally killed its previous holder Gollum. Now, when Frodo has inherited the ring, that has unexpected consequences."

Grab a few lines from the story itself that you feel highlights what it's about (I believe it's quite common that scene/idea is also the one that made you write the whole fic, so that can also help)

Condense the entire plot/premise as much as you can and focus on the beginning + the event that gets the ball rolling. Maybe with additional "keywords/-sentences" at the end of it. So if we for example look at the Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess that summary might look like "The Farmhand Link lives a normal farmer's life: He heards the goats, play with the village kids, fishes... but one day, the same one where he is supposed to make a delivery to the Castle, the Village kids are kidnapped by monsters, and as he rushes after them he is dragged into a dark world and transformed into a blue-eyed beast. Follow Link as he tries to restore light to the land and save the children. And just who is his new impish companion?" Or it could be something like "When the village kids are kidnapped by monsters Link rushes after them only to be turned into a wolf by dark magic, and an imp called Midna blackmails him into helping her". Like there are tons of different ways you could make a summary of that game, and there are certainly better summaries, but that doesn't mean mine isn't good enough. It gives you a sense of understanding of what it's about and that's what matters

Remember that a summary doesn't need to include every little detail. You're presenting the major plot and vibes, maybe a side plot if it's big, but we don't need to know what happens near the end. We want to know if the genre is adventure/horror/romance/etc and what the main trope(s) will be. Those are the most important things to show in the summary

The length of the summary matters less to me. On ffn you had to be a bit more creative as there was a pretty tight limit on how many characters you could use to the summary (which often resulted in a "full summary inside" which should only be used in combination with a small summary imo). But on ao3 you don't really have that issue, so a long as I get a clear idea of what it will be about I don't care much about how long the summary is. If the summary is super long and I still don't get what the main point/plot of it is though, I might assume the story is "messy" and/or that the author doesn't have any idea of what to do with the story (assuming it's not a collection of one-shots, then I get maybe wanting a longer summary to summarise common themes).

When it comes to titles... okay they're hard. Som be titles are more enticing than others but I have no good way of explaining what makes a good title or not. Proper Capitalisation though is usually an indication that the fic itself will be well formatted for me, so that might help tip the scale if I'm unsure if I want to read something or not. Also always really cool to see the title being quoted by characters and giving it a really heavy weight or a new cool meaning. So I guess looking for cool quotes in a fic that also tells/ hints something about what it contains can be helpful?

So, uh, I guess the TL:DR would be that a long as the tags and the summary are relevant for the story I don't really care about how long they are.

I'm going to be reworking some of my AO3 summaries. I want to get a better idea of what makes people want to read an AO3 story for the first time.

#sorry about the essay op #poll #summaries #ao3

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oumaheroes · 4 years ago

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NZ and Artie hcs pretty please! Something 🥺 thank youuuu

Sorry this took me so long to answer!

I should start with something 'overall' first. I've enjoyed seeing different fandom interpretations of New Zealand throughout the years- as a shy golden boy, to rambunctious fellow play fighter, to mud weary tomboy, to a poised daughter, or all at once. For me, potentially due to how Zea has been canonically drawn, New Zealand is non-binary. What they've got going on under there ain't my business and they certainly don't care. I’ve therefore given them the name ‘Alex’- for the feminine or masculine version, who’s to say.

They very much live by the feeling 'I am New Zealand', and whatever that entails. Nothing more, nothing less.

Childhood/ Teenagerhood:

England had really settled into the swing of things at this point. He was used to children, used to parenting in general- the ups and downs of it - and used to keeping his children at more of a distance emotionally than he had with Canada and America. So, by the time Zea came about there was a smoother transition into family life than there had been for poor old OZ. Australia, who had a few brief years of England as a more affectionate, happy, and relaxed parent, was abruptly cut from contact for a few years and then reintroduced to someone stricter and far more distant and which has left their relationship a bit strained at times.

Zea knew nothing else. From the get go, England set a standard of behaviour and maintained it. On the one hand this was good: Zea never struggled around England, either in being comfortable in his presence or with the 'new' rules that were in place, and also never suffered from any sort of consequence that came from having a parental figure suddenly do a 180 on you.

On the other hand, they did grow up slightly lacking in the affection department. They knew England loved them, but as soon as they became a little older there were less hugs, less kisses, less of playing silly games and more study, learning, and filling their days with their own company. They were used to this and it didn’t bother them at the time, but compared to their older brothers, or younger ones (seeing him with Sealand does spark some bitterness), they certainly missed out, and have inherited England’s current (in)ability to interact physically with loved ones- they’re not overly touchy-feely and express love through acts of service or gift giving.

Mainly though, Zea's childhood was good and quite stable. They were home schooled, but England also used to like sending them off for playdates with noble families with children to get them more acquainted to people their physical age, or would take Zea with him into town to work with their politicians or their tradesmen. Zea thus spent a lot of their time waiting, either sitting on the floor of England's study, or somewhere around him outside, watching and listening to him work and talk shop with people.

Nations are robust things, sturdy and, surrounded by their people, not really in too much danger. I think England was rather lax in this regard with his children (someone who had a childhood of wandering around villages, foraging for food, and being personally thrust into war from a young age will hardly find a town centre in the 1800s dangerous) and used to leave New Zealand with some local children for entertainment if he needed to go and do things that required a bit more time than a quick chat.

Because of this, a humdrum of business is something New Zealand finds to be a soothing white noise, something they can filter out or tune into easily, and they appreciate this unorthodox education. They’re also very happy with their own company and can entertain, and soothe, themselves independently.

Not to go on too much of a tangent (because I do do that, in these posts), I just want to quickly touch upon Zea and Oz’s relationship because I think that helped cover up for what they were lacking in terms of openness and easy affection from England- Zea because they never really had it, and Oz because he was missing it. Due to how close they are geographically, and potentially because England on some level felt guilty for his inability to fully let himself go and open up to them, New Zealand and Australia spent quite a lot of time with each other in either of their lands from England moving them about with him when he visited one or the other. Both were also sometimes taken back home with him to the UK and a lot of Zea’s exposure to a more ‘traditional’ Kirkland upbringing comes from their time with their bother- playfights, arguments, mischief, and an open easiness with each other’s raw and unfiltered company.

Back on topic and to summarise, New Zealand's childhood relationship with England was a good one. As I mentioned in my Canada headcanon post about a similar topic, England is very, very good with small children and Zea was no different. But as they got older this decreased rapidly, something that they considered perfectly acceptable at the time but now is something they sometimes look back on with a small amount of hurt and confusion.

Teenagerhood they were very used to being on their own and, funnily, when you think about what England was trying to do, very independent. Not independent like America, with his fights for recognition as an independent entity removed from England, but independent personally. A childhood of watching England work and playing often by themselves meant that Zea as a teenager was studious, quiet, and happy to be left alone or taken out for company (similar to Wales in personality, I reckon. Need their alone time and will take themselves away if this is not given).

Arguments with England were rare- Zea’s not one for butting heads but would much rather learn the ins and outs of everything and then put forth and argument for change. England may be a hothead and stubborn, but he’s not closed minded. It’s how you approach him that matters and Zea caught onto this early. Whereas Australia would shout or refuse to do that he was asked if he didn’t want to, or would put up some form of fight, New Zealand would instead do the task, do it well, and then request time with England to formally present him with all of the reasons their proposal was far better.

England being told he is wrong will likely not listen if he believes himself to be right (even if he has doubts, someone telling him that his way is bad will make him stubbornly cling to it just to prove them wrong and himself justified for doing it in the first place- clawing and scraping for even an inch of a victory). But England being told that someone has thought of a different way, and asking for his opinion on it, is far more likely to inspire change. He feels valued and goes into the discussion with an open mind that most often went in New Zealand’s favour.

Because of this, they do have a reputation of having England wound around their little finger from a young age. But really, they were just smart enough to figure England out and use it to their advantage. They were also smart enough not to overplay this hand, and so their teenagerhood was peaceful and calm.

Adulthood:

As adults, the two are on very good terms. England prefers adult children to teenaged ones, especially calm, well-mannered ones, and this relationship improved after Zea got their independence. Rather like a burst of relief from England’s end, I feel- he’d spent so long paranoid about his colonies leaving him that this clouded his enjoyment of them. With them finally independent, that worry is redundant and he can enjoy them for the people they are. And Arthur likes Alex, he really does. He finds them mature, funny, and intelligent. The two have similar hobbies and interests and England often spends time with them travelling about to beaches or passing book recommendations back and forth.

Being nations heavily shaped and surrounded by the sea, this is something that is a huge passion for the both of them and they often go sailing together on the ocean, either on smaller boats by the shore or for larger trips out to sea. Arthur willingly took all of his children out to sea, but Alex was the only one who really took to it and shares a similar hunger for it as he does. They’re probably the least openly affectionate pair of all of the Arthur- child relationships, but that doesn’t mean he loves Alex any less and, most of the time, Alex knows this and is content with the way things are. As mentioned in my Canada post though, England is trying to improve himself in this area in the modern day and he’s trying really hard with Zea, (though this is sometimes awkward for the both of them.)

#hws england #hws new zealand #aph england #aph new zealand #arthur kirkland #hetalia headcanons #aph #hws #hetalia #heroes headcanons #heroes answers #rein-ette #aph australia #hws australia

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