#spoilers in the tags from this point on ----->

[egophiliac]

listen. people have always debated which character is the most normal guy but what if it has in fact been crowley the whole time. no string pulling no master plan just a guy who wants to keep his school running and is cursed with problematic students and incidents

honestly I think the funniest possible reveal would be one of two options:

ONE: Crowley has no plot relevance whatsoever. he wears the mask to cover his receding hairline. his darkest secret is the bottle of "medicinal" whiskey under his desk. this man can barely plan a PTA function with six months' advance notice, he doesn't have the time or patience for any kind of overarching master plot involving mutating students or whatever. the only thing wrong with him is that he's been running this school for (mumblemumble) years and, quite frankly, if you'd been putting up with NRC students for a couple of centuries, you'd have totally checked out by this point too.

OR

TWO: Crowley IS actually Raverne and HAS been slowly enacting a master gambit...to embezzle school funds. the overblots are still completely incidental. he has somehow less idea of what's going on than we do. we confront him about it and he's just like

[diogenescynic2288]

This is a long rant that I might want commas, so won't do in the tags. I like your thinking, but, well: the Riddler up until some point in the grim-darkening of the 90s, Eddie (I think I'm enough of a friend to call Edward Nygma Eddie) while technically obsessed enough to be called crazy, really wasn't as killer of a Batman villain as Joker, Scarecrow, or Two Face. I think somewhere inside the last twenty years of comics continuity, he even reformed from the crime game and became a private detective for a bit.

I'll admit, in some recent moving picture incarnations, like the Gotham TV show, and The Batman movie, the Riddler was pretty much just one more crazy killer in Gotham city, but these depictions feel kind of off model to my tastes.

There's also Cluemaster, the knockoff of the Riddler, who never got a meaningful reform arc, and whose only good accomplishment is to have biologically fathered a wonderful daughter, Steph (Spoiler/Batgirl) Brown. Again, I don't think Cluemaster has been especially personally violent, but I'd rather see him described as guy who kills people who don't get his puzzles than Eddie Nygma.

Starting to think we told children that The Fair Folk were out there to trap you in twisted words and doublespeak and clever traps that take what you say and turn it against you for cruel and mischievous purposes just to drive home the importance of critical thinking and analytical skills

If we don’t start putting funding back into the education system I’m gonna invent a creepy pasta that steals your face if you can’t recognize media bias

[sunsetmaidenwrites]

An Essay on SamBucky

Just got back from seeing Captain America: Brave New World and am full of thoughts. The following contains Sambucky-centric thoughts, head canons, and spoilers based on the movie. (I have a separate post that includes my overall thoughts on the movie but this one is solely Sambucky.)

Sambucky nation--we rise! No divorce era for us! (Though it did provide for some awesome, angsty fics). I hope the trend continues with Thunderbolts*. Bucky is obviously looking rougher there than he did in this movie, so we're not out of the woods yet, but I'm feeling pretty good about our chances.

There's so much to say here. Multiple Bucky mentions (Sam alluding to Bucky when he talks about having a friend who was controlled by trigger words.), a picture of SamBucky prominently displayed at Sam's headquarters, Bucky showing up as emotional support when Sam needs him most, the hug, the "Buck" and the "I love you, Buddy." All of these have already been mentioned a lot, though, so for this post (who am I kidding this is an essay!), I would like to highlight a few points pertaining to the movie. I haven't really seen discussed in the Sambucky tag yet.

First, Sam says the following to Bucky at the hospital:

"Joaquin’s in here. Isaiah’s in prison. And Sterns…I had him. I had Sterns right in my hands but he got away." Bucky is given no additional backstory here, which means he already knows who Sterns is and what Sam is dealing with. This indicates Sam and Bucky are in regular contact with Sam keeping Bucky filled in on what's happening. This isn't just a case of Bucky seeing news footage and immediately going to Sam. Bucky is an active part of Sam's life and support system.

Then we have Bucky's line:

"Steve gave people something to believe in, but you give them something to aspire to." Bucky's admiration and devotion to Sam here is quite evident. I fully believe Bucky Barnes is all in for Sam Wilson and has been probably for longer than even he realizes.

Then toward the end of the scene where we get our iconic "Thanks Buck" and "I love you, Buddy" moment:

We have a wealth of unspoken communication here. Sam and Bucky seem to have a whole conversation with both their eyes and body language before they speak these words. Sam looks at Bucky. Looks down at (presumably) Bucky's outstretched hand. Then his eyes cut back up to Bucky. Then they cut back down as he shakes Bucky's hand, then he looks back up at Bucky. For Bucky's part, his eyes never leave Sam's face during the entirety of this. It's only right before he says "I love you, Buddy" that his gaze cuts down from Sam's face. After saying the words, Bucky proceeds to back away and Sam watches him go. The way this scene plays out, and the choices Mackie and Stan make leave a lot of room for subtext and interpretation, imo.

Right after this scene, we also get the female agent coming in with questions/comments about Bucky to Sam, alluding to a possible interest which Sam shuts down with "He's 110 years old." Look, it might make sense for Sam to try to nip a Bucky/Sarah potential connection in the bud like he did in TFATWS and it not mean anything (that's another essay for another day. I wasn't on Tumblr back then to share my thoughts on that.); after all, that's his sister and Bucky was riding on his last nerve through all the previous episodes at that point. It does not, however, make sense for Sam to insert himself into the narrative at this point and try to dissuade a random CIA agent from showing interest in Bucky if Bucky is just his friend and/or Sam's interest in him is purely platonic. It just doesn't. I cannot come up with a logical explanation for this besides the obvious 'that man is mine, step off' conclusion.

And for my last point:

During Sam's final showdown with the red hulk, with the outcome uncertain, and defeat (and therefore death) potentially eminent, Sam proceeds to bitch about Bucky under his breath. "Bucky is full of so much shit..." I know this is supposed to be funny and snarky, but it's also quite telling. We know that the signature of SamBucky's relationship--whether it's platonic or romantic--is the bickering. Not only is Sam spending his potential last moments ranting about Bucky (again, the staple of their relationship), he's also spending them thinking about Bucky. He's going out there facing odds that seem insurmountable and it's Bucky that's on his mind.

So, in conclusion, they're in love.

[buttercupshands]

I forgot I drew this thing sometime back while feeling... not so good tbh

(to be extremely clear - that's a screenshot edit!)

[annagaw]

the medical significance of Draco Malfoy Holding A Baby™: a micro-trope reading list

I am at a very particular point in my hormonal cycle and god damn it once again I have been asking the sub to rescue me in my time of need. It is at present biologically necessary for me to absorb content featuring Draco Malfoy Holding A Baby™.

In case anybody else suffers from the same health condition (called "having a uterus and dipping one toe into my 30s" - it is extremely serious and requires constant intervention), please allow me to share the fics that I have so far read and awarded this tag. I shall endeavour to update the list as I add to it.

For science, you understand.

NB: I have hidden fics for which baby content might be considered spoilers, but have not done so for fics in which the primary focus is pregnancy/childbirth. If you find the appearance of a baby at the end of your HEA pregnancy fic shocking, fair enough, but I refuse to hide the truth from you. Also there are a great many more wonderful fics that feature this trope than the ones on this list - this is merely a curated selection and not my definitive statement on which are Good.

-

Two Idiots and a Baby by ellemenno (M, 27k) - One could be forgiven for thinking that the sole motivation for writing this fic was to find an excuse to get Draco and that baby in the same room and let the magic happen - because my god does the magic happen! But ellemenno has the audacity to deliver it to us with as much style and humour as possible. The fact that this baby situation is occurring within a genuinely intriguing murder mystery and a hilarious idiots-in-denial, colleagues-in-love plot (reminiscent of Bad Omens and Scary Partner Privilege) is especially impressive. It contains another favourite micro-trope of mine: the Very Professional Business Sleepover.

Love and Other Historical Accidents by PacificRimbaud (M, 154k) - I know for a fact that this fic was the beginning of this particular fixation for me. It was one of the first fics I read when I discovered Dramione, and it lured me in by my need for regency romance, keeping me all distracted, before slapping me in the face with this perfect baby scene that I still think about constantly. Draco? Draco Malfoy? Having a one-sided conversation with a baby while staring out a window in a regency suit? Fetch the smelling salts, drag the bloody fainting couch over here, I am destined to swoon!

Cave, [Redacted] (E, 31k) / An Auror’s Guide to Horizontal Dueling (E, 16k) by Accio_Funky_Pants - Now, if Draco Malfoy merely holding a baby does funny things to your reproductive organs, let me tell you, you are not even ready for Draco Malfoy delivering a baby! (Hermione's baby, to be exact.) I used to struggle to read childbirth scenes, but the first fic is multiple chapters of...well, exactly that, and it is magnificent. Intimate, cathartic, warms every last cockle of your heart - truly not a cold cockle nor a dry eye left in the house (and no babies left in wombs either). The sequel fic is an extended epilogue in which, yes, you guessed it, Draco interacts yet again with a baby (and then gets laid after everyone demonstrates an extremely thorough understanding of consent). Good for him!

Witching Hour by neilistic (E, 12k) - This one is so overwhelmingly tender, I skimmed it a moment ago to make sure I remembered the plot and that alone nearly succeeded in wringing tears from me. Nice try, neilistic! (No, really, a masterful effort.) There's nothing like two people bonding over their trauma, their loneliness...but (gently) toss some tiny newborn babies into the mix? A dirty trick, designed to undo me, specifically. Ungentlemanly. (But neither half of Dramione have the energy here to be gentlemen. Oh, and did I mention? There's only one bed.)

The Phoenix Potion by FedonCiadale (T, 237k) - The whole cast of OC Granger-Malfoy offspring in this are completely charming. They're all distinct from each other, kind of weirdos in their own way, and I respect the hell out of it - they really do feel like the children of this particular iteration of Dramione. Hermione works a lot, Draco is a very hands-on father, and everything about their dynamic here feels so lived-in and safe, even when the rest of the world is not: their inside jokes and shorthand, their domestic routines, the way their kids make fun of them, all of it! And then there's just copious amounts of Draco handling babies. I rest my case.

epiphanies by HawthorneWhisperer (M, 31k) - single dad Draco gets a lot of page time in this fandom, and deservedly so. Yes, he is a father, but - more importantly - he is Daddy, and this fic wants you to know that it knows that. It is a perfect bite-sized distillation of everything enjoyable about this trope. Special shout-out to baby Scorpius' chubby little limbs, the real MVPs.

Mind the Bump by Soap1 (E, 84k) - There are an overwhelming amount of unplanned pregnancy fics out there - and believe me that could not be further from a complaint (for you see I need my delicious trope soups, their fertile broths sustain me) (I do hate that I typed that). This one has every ingredient necessary for a balanced diet - lots of lovely gentle caretaking and medically-enforced proximity, small bite-size pieces of drama to keep things a little spicy (please, soup metaphor, let me die). Oh! And...what's this? I won't name names, but did two people bring along all of their emotional baggage from their previous relationships with them? Well, I suppose we have room to store it all somewhere in the Manor.

Pros and Cons by ChaosAndCrumpets (E, 48k) - An unplanned pregnancy fic where everything happens in the run up to an election, a famously relaxing time, especially when you are the present M-oh-M! This fic gives you a political strategist Draco of such dazzling competence that it begs the question: is Draco holding a baby merely a matter of perspective? Perhaps anyone held by such a man is rendered a baby in comparison? But don't worry there's a literal baby too (eventually), and before that there's a disgusting slimy baby-man: Cormac McLaggen! (Though, unlike a baby, McLaggen is never held by anyone willingly, or Draco ever.)

The Pureblood Society of Stay-At-Home Dads by PurpleSugarQuills (E, 2k) - I feel like all the information you really need about this one can be contained in one exceptionally powerful sentence: it begins with Draco getting up to do the night feed with a sleepy little four month old. Hush, little one. Domesticated Draco has come to take care of you. Daddy's home. (Which makes sense because he works here.)

Wait And Hope (M, 95k) / Beginning and End (E, 242k) by mightbewriting - Although I do of course love Draco interacting with his own homemade organic babies, my actual favourite iteration of this trope is the moment that Hermione sees Draco with literally any generic brand baby for the first time, and is like, "oh. I see. I had not considered this. I did not know this would feel this way." And that is captured so very beautifully in both of these fics, at different moments, in different ways (and literally remarked upon by Ginny in the former).

Entries below the break contain mild to moderate plot spoilers for final chapters/epilogues

BLOODY, SLUTTY, AND PATHETIC by WhatMurdah (E, 195k) - You would think that the ceaseless emotional and literal carnage of this fic would prepare me for how unhinged Draco would be as a father and how much it would Affect Me Personally. Alas, apparently fucking not. Draco striding into the pub with his baby that nobody else is allowed to hold? Draco napping with his baby? Don't touch that baby! That baby is His Baby. (And that Draco is My Blorbo.)

I Love You Always Forever by EvergreenTuesdays (E, 13k) - This is a somewhat unhinged addition to the list, because yes, that is a baby Draco has in one arm, but in the other hand I'm pretty sure I'm clocking the remains of a dead dove. Distinctly un-chic. Yet undoubtedly compelling. This one has forced marriage, domestic abuse, murder, gore, a gorgeous (but graphic) illustration...and is also tagged "MILF Hermione". So something for everyone, really!

[bwat5-blog]

Slapping Down Some Nonsense: Caitlyn & Ambessa Edition!

**Spoilers For Arcane**

Good morning my friends. As you may have seen I have especially strong feelings towards this bizarre erasure of Ambessa's role in the events of season two particularly in regards to the impact on Caitlyn Kiramman and her story. These people's argument is that those of us who factor in Ambessa and her manipulations into analysis of Caitlyn are essentially giving Caitlyn a pass.

Keeping that in mind, I was surfing the #Caitlyn Kiramman tag and came upon a re-blog of those ever so creative Arcane Critters giving their thoughts on this topic.

I am not tagging them. I am not screenshotting them. But I have not blocked them. So, if you see this and recognize your points and want to have a discussion, I'm game. But let it be known I am not calling you out specifically or dog piling you. Just your take.

States that Caitlyn defenders are "ignoring how Caitlyn was gassing Zaun before she had ever even spoken to Ambessa"

You are failing to mention that the only reason the strike team goes into Zaun is the memorial strike, which Ambessa causes. Before that, they were still going in with the whole invasion plan and all of the Enforcers. But it goes deeper than that. Before the memorial attack Caitlyn is still testifying that the murder of her mother and the other councilors was "the work of one deranged individual" and she protested that innocents would be hurt. But after the attack she grows considerably angrier. So not only would Caitlyn have not been there if it were not for Ambessa, but Ambessa's actions clearly and irrefutably contribute to Caitlyn's rage.

But um, it is also worth noting that Caitlyn's alternative (as you say "gassing zaun") is a less violent, more controlled and structured operation with unquestionably less bloodshed involved than what the council was going to do. So.... thanks Ambessa?

"She is a grown woman. She should know right from wrong, especially because she was supposed to be a good, moral person in season one"

Correct! All of those things are true. I mean she is fairly young: 23-24 years old per Arcane Wiki. And while of course she is an adult and not too young to be accountable for her mistakes, I think a little perspective given everything she goes through is important. She's in the age range of the average college student.

Also because she grew up in peace and privilege, she has no experience dealing with such violence and death before it all starts happening and her whole world changes. So while your statement isn't wrong it is extremely simplistic thinking. There is a universe of factors that influence her decision making.

Repeatedly almost killed by Jinx

Abducted by Jinx from her childhood bathroom nude

Almost killed by the leader of the organization she believes in while people who are supposed to be her peers stand and watch

Has to listen to Jinx try and convince Vi to kill her

Knocked out by Jinx after she spares Jinx at Vi's pleading

Jinx kills her mom and 2 other councilors, maims 2 others, and destroys the chamber

The memorial service is attacked and many are killed

The whole task force operation: Forgive me I don't know you so you may be aware, but violence leaves a mark on you no matter the reason you do it. I understand she went down there. I'm simply saying that even that would impact her mind.

Survives fight with Sevika trying to kill her.

She held her shot for Vi the first time, it cost her her mother. Vi swears she is ready to end it this time, then stops her again (even for a very good reason- Caitlyn isn't a good state of mind)

She is grieving, isolated, angry, and feeling betrayed, and a conniving war monger more than three decades her senior takes advantage.

Now we run down a little list of her supposed crimes:

"She should know not to use chemical warfare- a war crime- on innocent Zaunites": Good news, she didn't! She targeted the chem-barons and their soldiers in a manner confirmed to be "strategic to a pinpoint". Now of course anything that travels through the air can't be completely controlled but given that Vi is there, that Ekko was in Zaun and didn't step in, and that there is no evidence whatsoever of any innocent Zaunites being harmed I think we are solid. Also, there is no metric for a war crime in Arcane because ya know.... none of this is real. But! I have also put The Grey through its paces using real world standards and even if it were real it still wouldn't qualify. I'd be happy to share that with you if you are interested.

"She should not get to repeatedly hit Vi": So I suppose she technically did hit Vi more than once. Although it was only the first time there was any sort of issue. The second time she didn't know who Vi was- ya now the whole sneaking, obvious surprise, fact that Vi looks radically different and they haven't seen eachother in a bit thing. And the third time was literally their joint plan.

"She should know to get physical when she feels she is losing an argument": So again right on the money! Except.... this is sort of the most simplistic take on what happened possible, and ignores every aspect of her current mental and emotional state. It isn't that it makes it okay. But you are essentially standing in front of a raging forest fire and calling 911 because some embers caught a contained dumpster on fire. It isn't that you are necessarily wrong, but you mightttt wanna look around some more.

"She should know not sleep with TWO of her subordinates": Okay, well the first one is Vi. Who was with her before the Commander thing, and is literally her canon relationship that was planned and developed from the beginning of the story. And the other one was Maddie. A spy. Who was ordered to infiltrate Caitlyn's bed and take advantage of her. Under false pretenses. So..........

"She should know not to impose martial law on Zaunites": Ambessa convinces the elite to declare martial law before Caitlyn was named commander. But I agree Ambessa shouldn't have done that. Very rude indeed.

"She was not faultless because the writers told us- they never actually showed us- that Ambessa manipulated Caitlyn"

I agree! She was not faultless. Fortunately no one has ever actually said that as far as I have seen. But it's the complete misrepresentation of her faults I take issue with. Hence my time here today.

You allege the writers didn't show you how Ambessa manipulated Caitlyn. Yes they did. This isn't really debatable. Perhaps you did not understand it or comprehend it. Don't worry I'm here to help! This is just a rough summary. I have a few in-depth posts if you ever see this and want to discuss I can share them.

She comes to Piltover with clear purpose of starting a war to weaponize hex tech

She orchestrates the memorial attack to exacerbate the conflict

She calls Caitlyn up after stoking the assembled elite's fear and rage and promises her mother justice

She has her spy infiltrate Caitlyn's bed to keep an eye on her

She expertly keeps Caitlyn off balance both praising her strength and scolding her lack of trust in their interactions

It goes on of course. As I said it's really more in-depth than that.

Conclusion:

All in all I really cannot understand this sort of take at all. It isn't supported by the content in any way. My personal recommendation should you ever see this is a good thorough rewatch! Just ya know, don't leave the room for snacks every time Caitlyn comes on screen. You will be AMAZED what you missed the first time.

[juchily]

Yellowjackets S3 Ep1 thoughts

Spoilers below ⚠️

not them buttering us up with the cute fun scenes like them playing tag so they can hit us with the horrible stuff later... I see you showtime

edit: MARI CALLED SHAUNA GAYWAD WHEN SHAUNA TACKLED HER?? ALSO JUST IGNORING THAT SHAUNA IS COMPETITIVE IT WAS INDEED VERY GAY THE WAY SHE WAS MANHANDLING MARI

Taivan taivan taivan taivan!

taivan broke up after rescue 😞

Travis is one of the girls ✨🧚

Shauna's freaky as shit... But like 🙇

That whole scene with Melissa and Shauna was gold, "You have a personality?"?? Be fr the extra gets her first real line and the writers write in a character pointing it out this is so funny

Melissa being so eager to suck up and impress Shauna, two girls telling each other "yeahhh", Melissa wants that cookie. Genlissa shippers it's OVER

what do we think Nat got arrested for when she was 24?

Love Callie for that... I've never hated her be real she's too much of an icon to hate

Im going to be real, when those girls talked about the girls eating pig blood and then having a druggy orgy I did infact go "we all wish" because do we not?? The writers KNOW what we want at this point lol

did Shauna know pre crash that Lottie was schizophrenic? Did she find the pill bottle post crash? If she knew this, would this be a fuel for her hate for Lottie because of her visions, miracles, etc

Lottie being a therapist... God she's too much of everything I can't even begin <3

Lottie and Travis as a duo are so cute (AS NON ROMANTIC, I HATE THEM ROMANTICALLY THAT)

...i thought Van and Tai were going to go at it in the restaurant bathroom ngl, dining and dashing and fucking in an alley is cool too

also that scene in the restaurant where Van seems to be feeling weird... And then right after that the waiter guy dies (supposedly) and we see that onscreen effect go away... Just saying

Id eat the shit (read: spit) out of that soup...

Mari and Shauna getting treated like misbehaving dogs... They low-key are. Poor Mari honestly. And Shauna gaslighting...

SHAUNA AND CALLIE BONDING OH MY LORD CALLIE'S A MINI SHAUNA AND I DONT KNOW WHETHER I SHOULD BE SCARED OF THAT

i can believe Ben finding a war/apocalypse prep container especially considering Cabin guy's insane amount of ammo, but I find it odd that the case is pristinely clean despite being covered in a pit of dirt and dust. Maybe they just didn't bother making it look weathered and I'm looking into it too hard.

NAT HALLUCINATION PLUS CHERRY BOMB 💥💥🎉

Honestly I think Walter may have lied to Misty, on the other hand Van and Taissa were getting down and dirty and Shauna was actually bonding with her kid for once

they make memorial for Javi, then Jackie, then Wilderness baby, im just confused on the fact they don't mention Laura Lee? Especially that Lottie of all people wouldn't mention her. Also the five lanterns I still think that's a clue to a death count this season (past and present, maybe just past timeline)

Ben is up to some evil shit... I don't think Mari dies in that hole though from some of the teasers we've seen

callie pocketed that tape... Didn't anyone tell you not to open other people's mail young lady 🤓

CAKE, they played CAKE, oh I can die happy

Ending thoughts:

Wtf is that sound Travis heard? Does the sound have something to do with being drunk? He hears it first when he's high, and the other girls hear it after the feast (they had like wine or something).

The no eyed man... come on let's get a good look at 'im

Who left the letter? Will the other Yellowjackets get a letter like the one that was supposed to go to Shauna?

What will happen to Mari? What is Ben's purpose of making that trap and what does he plan to do now that he's catched one of the girls. Furthermore, this would prove he knew they survived the cabin fire. Will this lead to the girls finding where Ben is?

Laura Lee erasure... 😭

[sweetiebriar]

With all due respect, this perspective on a new story every update may mainly applies to those who started playing the app fairly recently (within the last 2-3 years). Of course, this is just my point of view, but I’ve been on RC since the very beginning—back when Sails in the Fog was the only story available—and I’ve never had trouble keeping up with all the new releases.

I can see how it might feel overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to keep up with the latest releases and discussions in real time. It’s understandable to feel that way, but the nice thing about RC is that everyone progresses at their own pace, and the app has made it easier than ever to do so lately—especially with the frequent Diamond Rush and Tea Party events every two weeks or so.

Personally, I don’t force myself to read every single story. Over the past year, I’ve dropped some as soon as I realised they weren’t for me (Soulless, 7 Brothers, and especially the Heaven’s Secret franchise, for example). But for all the other ones, I’ve never struggled to finish new chapters before the next update rolls around. Plus, if I ever feel like I didn’t fully connect with a story, I just revisit it later���usually during Tea Party, so I don’t waste my cups.

So, no pressure, friend. Go at your own pace. And if spoilers are your main concern, disconnecting from social media during updates is honestly the best solution. I usually avoid my RC Tumblr feed or filter out spoiler-tagged posts (though, admittedly, not everyone remembers to tag them). Just something to keep in mind for anyone reading this!

P.S. I completely agree with you on the CGI opinion though!

Opinions that nobody asked for nº 649587115339:

Remember that this is just my opinion and y'all can disagree.

I really don't think that bringing one story per update has been very beneficial in the long run. We have 18 stories on the go and we'll get one more in the next update, 19 stories to read!

But you might think, "you're complaining on a full stomach", but we're starting to see the consequences of that now, at least I'm realising it. Firstly, we no longer have time to digest the new stories, because there's always something "new" in the next update that steals our attention. It's tiring to read all the stories and really take the time to like and appreciate them, especially if you're trying to experience and read them all as often as possible. You could say that "you don't need to play all the stories now" and you're right, but following the story in real time, without spoilers, is much better. In short, it's overwhelming.

Second point is the CGs, I think from now on, more than ever, you've realised the use of AI (although they'll never admit it, and let's face it, there'll never be an admission of that - but it's become even more blatant, especially with the latest Diamond Rush card), maybe they thought it would improve the workflow and they could make more CGs - and now the cards, easier (and cheaper). But the result is that stories are getting fewer CGs - especially the ones that aren't so popular, like The Parallel Universes Bureau which only has 2 CGs related to the LIs so far (and I believe it's only going to have two more - for the remaining LIs - Orion and Glim), which is a huge shame, and they're coming out very different from the base sprite of the characters. Not to mention the extra workload with the cards. I think the artists must be having a lot of trouble trying to fix the things the AI delivers.

And adding the two problems, 19 stories to produce CGs (among other things like backgrounds, minor assets and music) and always another one coming up with each update. It's a very long production cycle and the loss of quality is already showing.

I don't know, if they reduced the production of stories to every two or three updates, it would give readers a breather, not only to digest the stories that have been released, but also for the production itself, with more time to produce with quality.

[mooncello]

hi, friends. I shared a few days ago that I haven't been able to write since I posted chapter 8 at the beginning of January. It's been rough ngl. Every time I thought about writing, I wondered what was the point? (I know the point but depressive episodes don't really give a fuck.)

have you heard about federal programs and departments dropping the 'T' from LGBTQ? it's awful and dangerous. (one awful thing in a sea of horrifying things.) it's also stupid and desperate. because they can't erase us, no matter how hard they try.

but also: visibility matters. it saves lives.

over the past few days, as snow fell upon my city, I grabbed my phone and started tapping out a handful of sentences. there is so much out of my control, but I can write queer stories. I'm dreaming up some trans characters, and I'm working on some original fic again. dev and niall deserve their ending in mtaf.

so. here are a few sentences from chapter 9 of more than a footnote. this is in the messy draft stage, but I'm still sharing them because I think I like these lines. placing under the cut because SPOILERS. don't read if you haven't read through chapter 8 yet.

Dev POV

"Piss off," I snarl to [redacted], "you pathetic, wanking troglobite." "Troglobites are quite a feat of evolution, you know," Niall murmurs to me, not granting [redacted] a single glance; he's more preoccupied with scratching his fingers through my hair at the back of my neck. "So that isn't the burn you think it is." I pin Niall with my most aggrieved look. "Omigod, could you please stop being the cutest fucking nerd for five seconds? I'm trying to insult someone here." Niall grins, mouths okay, and kisses me. The clatter of breakfast and [redacted] and the entire goddamn dining hall fade away, my world contracting to the way Niall's lips move against mine. Because it's adoring and so very sure. This is a kiss with history behind it. And a future ahead. It makes my heart seize with happiness and my toes curl inside my shoes.

I love them being little shits together. Chapter 9 is gonna be so good, y'all. Dev and Niall in love with each other is the best. It's all there in my head; I've just gotta write it.

alright, take care of one another this week. love ya.

tags! thank you for the tags today @monbons @thewholelemon and @j-trow-95.

🖤 @drowninginships @valeffelees @run-for-chamo-miles @blackberrysummerblog @orange-peony

@youarenevertooold @shrekgogurt, @hushed-chorus @whatevertheweather, @cutestkilla

@you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @artsyunderstudy, @emeryhall, @imagineacoolusername

@iamamythologicalcreature, @bookish-bogwitch @thewholelemon, @best--dress, @rimeswithpurple

@ileadacharmedlife @skeedelvee, @monbons, @alexalexinii

@theimpossibledemon, @brilla-brilla-estrellita, @larkral, @messofthejess, @talentpiper11

@fiend-for-culture + anyone else who would like to join

[themultifanshipper]

that liam helmet reveal got me thinking about him bending you over in front of the mirror. he’s holding your face down against the table with one hand while he fingers you with the other, ring catching with every thrust. it’s both too much and not enough but he knows exactly what you need and he’s not gonna give it to you unless you beg for it sweetheart. it’s humiliating enough that he’s already got you whining from his fingers alone and you’re sure as hell not gonna give him the satisfaction. but eventually he gets you to crack and soon enough you’re an incoherent mess pleading with him to fill you up you’ll be such a good girl for him you promise please you need more more more. he finally lets your face go, immediately jerking you up against him by your hair as he replaces his fingers with his cock. your hips are pinned between his and the table and the way he’s driving into you there’s no chance you’re walking away from this without a couple bruises but the only thing you can focus on is how he’s gripping your face his fingers digging into your cheeks forcing you to look at yourselves in the mirror. the whole time he’s fucking you stupid he’s whisper the most degrading filth in your ear

-🦴

p.s. i feel like i might be sending too many of these and i don’t wanna take over your inbox so let me know if you want me to stop 🫣

Never stop, baby these give me LIFE

Btw i made a tag for the mean!Liam AU

You are dripping down your thighs with how Liam has been finger fucking you for the past half an hour

He's still wearing his helmet and his suit is hanging off his hips

You came in and said his helmet was ugly, just to piss him off

Spoiler alert: it worked. Of course it did

You're a begging mess under him, being held down on the table with a hand on your back as he looms over you

You've come several times already but he just won't let up

Your eyes rolling back while your body convulses through an orgasm is too pretty a sight to stop

Begging and pleading for him to fuck you, you're barely coherent at this point

The only time he enjoys hearing your voice is when you're crying, because he is the one making you cry

It's been so long, you're begging for his cock like you're going to die without it, and that's his weak spot

He finally decides he doesn't want to wait any longer and shoves his cock into you in one easy thrust

His thrusts do not stay easy however because soon he's fucking into you as hard as he can, probably bruising your cervix in the process

But you don't care, you're too far gone

He grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls you up just enough to force you to watch yourself in the mirror

He kicks your feet further apart so that he can drive into you deeper and harder

Your breath is fogging up the mirror as you struggle to breathe with how deep he is inside you

He leans over you, helmet glinting in the soft light and starts whispering absolute filth in your ear

About how you're not good enough for his seat, and all you're good for is a good fuck

Your tight cunt is the only good thing about you and you don't even deserve to be here

His fingers are digging into your jaw painfully

And you know that after this he won't be done with you, he's going to fuck you on every surface available to ensure you have as many commemorative bruises as possible

You come with a scream around him, milking his cock and he grunts when he empties himself inside you

His fireproofs are soaked and the carpet is ruined

But he doesn't care because the sight of you under him crying and twitching is worth more than any of it

[unintentionaloracle]

Let's Try This Again [Fic]

(The Bloodline Doesn't Know Part Four/Finale)

(Part One, Two, and Three)

Happy Valentine's Day! Here it is! The end of the fic I did not intend to make a four parter (with part four being the hardest and with the most killed darlings) yet here we are!

Summary: In the wake of The Bloodline's explosion and Sami's secrets being revealed, Kevin calls on some advice. Sami reflects. And Roman, well... Can Sami get back what he lost? And will these men just...you know...talk to each other?

(Also I have mentions of Ambreigns (or would it be Moxreigns in this case?) but I kinda don't wanna tag it because...well, spoilers...(Trust me it hurt me too especially because I wanted to go more into it but pacing))

 They'd ran away to some no-name motel after the post-Hell In A Cell SmackDown, like an outlaw couple on the run. Kevin knew that was how everyone probably saw them. Bonnie and Clyde. (Or maybe Bobby and Clyde?) He'd carried Sami over the threshold and slammed the door behind him, locking it before dropping him on the bed before crawling atop his partner in crime. 

 (He wished he could've done this the night he saved him, but that damn medical team whisked him away too fast.)

 They kissed, Kevin knocking Sami’s damn hat away and gripping his lover's hair as best he could (he almost wished it was longer). Sami clung to him. As he moved on to kissing his neck, Sami went rigid, his nails digging into Kevin's back. He'd almost enjoy the sensation, if Sami hadn't let out an uncomfortable whimper. Kevin stopped immediately.

 “You don't want this?” Kevin asked.

 Sami shook his head. “I do want it. I want it so bad, baby. It's just...I still can't believe I did all that. Did you hear the crowd? No one's gonna forgive me...” He said.

 “Hey,” Kevin said, cupping his face. “I'm alive because of you. We're together again because of you. They may not love you, but I do. That's worth it, right? That's enough?” He asked, not sure where that last question came from.

 Sami looked into his eyes, his expression going soft. “Yeah. I've...I've missed you. I've missed us...” He stroked Kevin's face.

 Kevin smirked, grabbing his hand and kissing his wrist. “I’ve missed you, too. Besides, what has anyone else gotten you? Nothing. Stick with me, Sami. I'll give you everything: titles, the world,” he leaned into his ear and practically purred, “me. Do you want that?”

 Sami practically melted in his arms. “Yes~”

 Kevin fumbled with Sami's jacket and shirt, buzzing with excitement. Yeah, he'd manipulated him to get to this point, but he really did miss this. Him. After years apart, he finally had Sami in his bed again, looking at Kevin like the world began and ended with him. Damn, he couldn't wait another minute. Especially when Sami was putty in his hands like this.

 “Good,” he said as he rolled them both over, putting Sami on top, as he kissed him deeply. “Go ahead, you've earned this...”

---

 Kevin sat in the park a block from the arena, all cried out, watching dogs run around. He picked up his phone and redialed the last number he called. He'd been trying for half an hour, but no luck so far.

 “C’mon, pick up this time...” He huffed. The Prizefighter held his breath as the dial tone stopped.

 “Hello? Kevin?” Becky asked.

 A sigh of relief escaped his lips. “Hey, Becky. Glad to hear you...” He took a deep breath. “I need to talk to someone. And you might be the only friend I have left.”

 “What'd Sami do this time?” She asked, somewhat weary.

 “...Why do you assume it's Sami?”

 “You always get a certain tone when it's a Sami problem...” She said simply. “So...what'd he do?”

 Kevin huffed. He explained the whole situation to Becky. How Sami lied and said he was his inside man in The Bloodline. How they'd been hooking up behind closed doors whenever Sami would pass “information” along. How, apparently, Sami had been lying about the nature of their relationship to Roman: that they were merely secretly dating. How Sami possibly broke The Bloodline up (with Jey's help). And finally, how once Sami told him, Kevin stormed out of his own car.

 “He freaking lied to me, Becky! To my face! For weeks! I can't trust anything he said to me! That jerk was probably just using me for my hot body!” Kevin shouted over the phone. The passersby and their dogs all turned their attention to Kevin. He glared at them for being so nosy. They resumed their business.

 “I mean, it's true you're the hot one of the three of us...” Becky said, consolingly. “But what if Sami really did mean well? You know Sami. Guy's got a big heart...”

 “...But he's not as smart as he thinks he is.” Becky and Kevin said, in-sync. They shared a quick laugh.

 Kevin then sighed. “He still shouldn't have lied! Why would he need to lie!?”

 “I mean, lately you've been pretty...aggressive,” Becky stated.

 “What do you mean?”

 “Kevin, how many men's careers have you tried to end with a piledriver in the last few months?” Becky asked, sounding more like his exasperated mother than his possibly only friend.

 He didn't answer. For some reason, he felt a lot less righteous pride about it when Becky put it that way.

 “Uh huh.” She said.

 Kevin rubbed his face. “But still, he usually forgives me for that stuff! Even when I do it to him!” He said.

 “Yeah, because he loves you and you know it. How many times has he thrown away everything he had for you?”

 He looked down at his lap, feeling something he hadn't felt in forever: guilt. “...I love him, too. But he hurt me, Becky. At the end of the day, all I wanted was for him to pick me. To be by my side...”

 “Did you tell him that?”

 “No...”

 Becky took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m not saying you should forgive him, but you should at least tell him that. Maybe hear him out instead of storming out of your car...”

 Kevin groaned. “Ugh, and he has my title, too! He might be a goody two shoes and return it...”

 “Or not. I mean, you've been banging for weeks. If he was gonna steal it back for everyone...”

 “Good point...” Kevin relented. He especially remembered an instance where he had Sami wear the thing (in his underwear, he wasn't a certain influencer) while he took some spicy photos “for the road”. Sami looked so good in gold. Especially with the yellow strands of hair among his copper locks complementing it. He hated the length, but it made a beautiful halo around him on the pillow whenever he–

 Not the time! You're still mad at him! He thought.

 “So, what's your next move?” Becky asked.

 Kevin took a minute to think.

---

 Sami lost track of time as he still sat in Kevin's rental. He'd stopped crying, but he couldn't move. He just felt...numb. Everything had come crashing down on him all at once, and now everything he had was gone. His found family, his best friend/love of his life... All because he just couldn't stop.

 “I just wanted to keep you both...” He said to himself. “I didn't want to lose you, Kev. To hurt you again...but I wasn't ready to let them go...”

 There was a knock at the window. Sami nearly jumped out of his skin. “Kev, I'm sorry,” He said as he went to turn to the window. “I know you want me to–”

 “Hey, Sami,” Roman said, his expression intense but unreadable. “Got a minute?”

 Sami opened the door, practically spilling out the car. He got back to his feet. “Sure.”

 Roman glanced at the discarded Bloodline shirt on the ground. “Kevin took the news well?”

 “Of course he didn't...” Sami said, picking up the shirt. “You came back quick...”

 “I was gone for over an hour,” Roman said, raising an eyebrow as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

 “For you, that's quick...” Sami awkwardly joked. He noticed a mark near the base of Roman's neck. Almost like...a bite? Roman seemed to notice he noticed and shifted his hair to that side to cover it. Sami tried to remember if Roman had had his hair up or down this morning...

 “You wanna know where I've been, don't you, Sami?” Roman asked with a sigh.

 “A little. You kinda stormed out on everyone...I'm sorry about what I said at the meeting, I just–”

 Roman held his hand up. “Don’t. I needed to hear it,” he said. “And I was with an old flame, actually. To talk.”

 Looks like you did way more than “talk”... Sami thought as Roman carefully sat on the hood of the car. He sat beside him. “Did you get back together?”

 “No. The man I wanted him to still be is dead. After we...caught up, we had a talk, and he made that very clear.” Roman said. “I should've known we wouldn't...”

 “Oh,” Sami said. “Roman, I'm so sorry...”

 “It's alright. I think seeing him was good for me. Like, closure, I guess? And he gave me a lot to think about,” he said, glancing at the sky. “Sami, I’ve got three questions for you.”

 “Go ahead,” Sami said, leaning back.

 “You love Kevin, right? Enough to say it?”

  He titled his head at the last sentence. “Of course I do!”

 “And he loves you?”

 “Roman, it’s why I decided to leave in the first place.” Sami said. “And I don't think he'd be this pissed if he didn't love me.”

 Sami could've sworn he saw Roman smile wistfully. “And you love the family?”

 “Yes! If I didn't, I wouldn't have come back! Why are you asking me all this?”

 Roman didn't answer. He just nodded. “Because, unfortunately, you can't quit The Bloodline...”

 Sami sat up, a mixture of grief and fury starting to stir in his heart. “Roman, what the h–”

 “... because as of today, The Bloodline is dissolved.”

 It took a minute for Sami to process. He then smacked Roman's chest, his hand stinging from the impact. “Stop doing that, you jerk!” He chastised as he shook out his poor hand.

 Roman laughed. “Sorry! But you should've seen your face! It was adorable!”

 Sami sulked for a moment. Then he looked over at Roman. “But why?”

 “I realized I’ve been living in the past too much, and I might be dragging you all down because of it. I don't want you guys to feel like you'll rot and grow to resent staying in The Bloodline because of me...”

 Sami caught what Roman said under his breath: “Like Mox said he would've if he'd stayed...”

 Oh... Sami thought, a little bewildered he’d go to Mox, given the prodigal Shield member's current mental state. No wonder you said he was dead...

 There was a pregnant pause. Then Roman took a deep breath.

 “Look, I know I don't really say it, or that I'm very good at showing it, but I love you guys. You, Jey, Jimmy, The Wiseman...hell, even Solo...”

 “And The Tongans and Jacob?” Sami asked.

 “Jury's still out,” Roman joked. “I'm sorry, for how I've treated all of you over the years. I want to try and make it right. Be better. And if that means I have to let you all go and do your thing...then I'll do it.” Roman put his hand on his shoulder.

 Sami felt a rush of joy. Without a second thought, he knocked the hand away and went in for a hug.

  To his pleasant surprise, Roman hugged back. And it was different from the hugs he'd come to expect from The Tribal Chief. There was no sense of a wall between them. No distance. No subtle hint of manipulation. No underlying fear he'd suddenly attack, like petting a lion. This was warm. Firm. Affectionate.

 “Seriously. I love you, Sami...”

 “Love you, too. But careful throwing that around. Kevin might get jealous...” Sami joked.

 Roman broke the hug. “If he hurts you after all this, I'll kick his ass.”

 “Appreciate it, but I need work things out with Kevin on my own.” Sami said.

 Roman shrugged. “Alright. Guess I gotta track down Jey and Jimmy to let ‘em know about The Bloodline, too.”

 Sami checked his phone. “Rhea texted me that she's at Waffle House with Jey...”

 She says he's in a better headspace, too...

 “...And last I heard from Jimmy, he was looking for Heyman at the arena.”

 “Damn. I need to talk to The Wiseman, too...” Roman said. “Well, I'm gonna go find him and Jimmy then, first. Good luck with Kevin, Sami. And everything.”

 “Thanks, Roman. Oh, and one more thing?”

 “Yeah?”

 “Just because we're not a team anymore, doesn't mean we're not family. If you ever need anything...”

 “Of course,” Roman said, genuinely smiling. “Same to you, Sami.”

 Sami smiled as Roman walked away, leaning back on the hood of Kevin's car, the cold air against his bare chest not even registering with him.

 “You're still here?”

 Sami sat up, dropping the shirt as he glanced over to see Kevin. He didn't seem pissed, but he didn't seem happy, either.

 “Sorry! I lost track of time! Plus, you took the keys, so I didn't want to just leave your car unlocked and unattended... I-I can leave now, if–”

 Kevin chuckled. “You know you could probably just lock the door before you close it, right?”

 “...Oh yeah...”

 Kevin shook his head, a small smirk on his face. “You’re ridiculous...”

 “So, do you still want me to go, or...?”

 “No,” Kevin said, glancing down at the discarded Bloodline shirt. He looked at Sami again, in a way Sami could've sworn was soft. “Stay. I want to talk to you...”

 That...gave Sami hope. Sami patted the hood of the car beside him. Kevin shook his head. “Too cold. We can talk in the car.”

 “You sure?”

 “Sami, you're either freezing or happy to see me right now,” Kevin said, nodding to Sami’s chest. He removed his gaudy hoodie and threw it over Sami's shoulders. “Let's talk in the car.”

 Sami blushed, covering his chest before putting on the (surprisingly warm) hoodie. Can't it be both? he thought as they returned to the car. Kevin turned the car on to warm it up to a toasty 68. Sami took a deep breath. “Do you wanna go first?”

 Kevin nodded. “Sami, I hate that you lied to me,” he said bluntly. “I didn't give a damn about the information. I just liked that I thought you picked me first. That you were on my side. I just wanted you, Sami!”

 Sami hung his head. “I just wanted you, too, Kev. I wanted to make you feel good. I know back when I thought the world was against me, all I wanted was someone by my side. You by my side. So I thought if I could give that to you, maybe I could fix everything. That this time I wouldn't have to choose...or break your heart. But I screwed up.”

 “You did.” Kevin said. Then he was quiet for a moment. “I wasn't there for you back then, huh?”

 “I know you tried to help, in your own way...”

 “Kinda like you did, now?”

 Sami chuckled bitterly. “I guess. And hey, apparently Roman's finally trying to be a better person. He ended The Bloodline. So maybe it was somewhat worth it. Now there's nothing to pull me away from you.”

 “Really? Do you think I'm gonna take you back that easily? You broke my heart again, Sami. The Bloodline being gone and Roman finally giving not being a dick a shot is nice, but doesn't fix everything. You know that!”

 “That’s true. And that's why I'm gonna do whatever it takes for you to love me again, or at least make things right by you. I don't care what anyone thinks. I don't care if Cody might drop me as a friend. Hell, I don't care if the only way to make it up to you is to eat a Package Piledriver as many times as it takes!”

 Kevin winced. “I wouldn't go that far...”

 “I just want to see you look at me fondly again. To talk about what stupid nonsense our coworkers are putting us through. To commiserate when we lose and celebrate when we win. To kiss you anywhere and anytime. To wake up knowing my husband is the first thing I'll see and I'll be–”

 “Wait. ‘Husband’, Sami?” Kevin said, awed.

 Sami's face burned. He didn't know how that slipped out. “One day, yeah...”

 Kevin turned a lovely shade of pink. “I mean, it might be a bit soon. We just had a fight, Sami...”

 “Oh.” He said.

 “But I think we can start again,” he said, stroking a strand of hair from Sami's face. “In the hotel room I booked for the weekend. For me and my boyfriend. You can start “making it up to me” there...” He said with a wink and a tongue click.

 Sami felt a weight shift from his shoulders. “Kev!”

 Kevin kissed him. Sami kissed back. As they continued, neither knew how or when Sami managed to climb across the center console and end up in Kevin's lap in the process. Not that they really cared that much.

 “Kevin?” Sami asked with a happy sigh.

 “You want to start making it up to me here in the car first, instead? Then the hotel?” Kevin asked.

 “I know I'm in no place to make demands, but...please~”

 Kevin smirked, reaching down and reclining the front seat as far as it could go, either to go for it there or make the backseat easier to reach. He gripped Sami's hips. “God, you make it hard to stay mad at you.”

 Sami smirked as he peeled off Kevin's shirt. The jacket Kevin had lent him hung off one of his shoulders. “Why do you think we keep getting back together?”

 Kevin gently slid the other side off, letting it collapse off of Sami. “Because I'm good at seducing you to get what I want...” He teased.

 Sami chuckled. “Yeah, well, it helps that you're cute,” he teased back before sending his lips crashing back into him, eager to properly kick off this fresh start.

 And for the first time in weeks, Sami felt no guilt.

[eriisaam]

Good news! I can finally stop spamming this post!

Bad news, getting the magikoopa to dupe itself takes a lot more setup than it looks, and spoiler alert: it was fucking annoying.

How annoying, you ask? As-is, this shit is too crowded out the get-go. If there's other units in place, especially non-magikoopas, then these magikoopas will prioritize spamming the shit out of healing and/or buffing spells on the non-magic units.

But you also can't just narrow it down to ONE magikoopa, cuz guess what? The motherfucker will flee if they're the last and only unit left (and being reminded of that after carefully killing all but the flying one only to have that last one run away on me made me nearly scream.)

ANYWAYS. I accidentally grounded the flying one, but thank fuck, grounded and flying magikoopas both count to this experiment, and I got the one on the left to duplicate. To explain why the screenshot looks so borked, when duped, the magikoopa and their clone will phase in and out of view, and I caught the original mid-damage while the clone was mid-phasing (but you can hopefully see them). Like last time, I saved after the cloning happened, but before I did anything, and to be clear: The one on the far left is the original, the middle one is a copy on the left, and the right is a different, unrelated magikoopa I kept alive to keep the first one from running away.

So, to answer the second phase of this long shitshow:

If a magikoopa from Bowser's Castle used their Illusion move and made a copy of itself, can Goombario tell the difference between the real and fake magikoopa via Tattle (like he could with Crystal King/like Goombella can in the sequel)?

The answer?

YES.

So that answers that.... what now?

For now, I'll post my findings on the post that inspired this all (but condensed), and while I have interest in testing other Paper Mario findings, that's in a "do over time/eventually" thing rather than a "haul ass as fast as possible" thing, will be split up into separate posts in a series of posts I'll probably tag as Paper Mario 64 Discovery Saga (or something along the lines) when I get around to it, and I might get around to it after getting other stuff done first.

It also might take a moment, cuz in both findings here, and stuff to test later, I already see some Broth covered anyways (such as the above Jr Troopa findings+), and I wanna not only sort out what's stuff that's already documented, and what stuff to test all in one go (and not spontaneously out of order like this post saga did, hence why I keep running into 'stuff to test long after the point I could've tested it' issues cuz all of this was impulse rushed) so if I'm gonna do a longhaul of this whole game again, at least I'm more aware of everything I need to check out first.

+ Specifically, he mentions in this post about the same (typo'd) unique dialogue Jr Troopa has if you try to jumpscare him out of the battle, though like I said, when I tested it, it was in the second-to-last Jr Troopa battle between Shiver City and Starborn, I stress-tested with Fright Jar, Spook, Hurricane and Air Lift (I can't test with Up & Away that battle), and he only commented on Spook and Air Lift. Based on the screencaps, when he tested it on the last battle, mentions the comment happened with both Spook and Fright Jar, and this makes me wonder one thing while confirms another thing.

At the very least, it confirms to me that Jr Troopa does have a reaction that seems to carry over across his battles (so one immediate thing I'd be interested testing is whether or not his reaction changes based on all the other encounters leading up to these final two), whether or not he gains or loses awareness to certain factors (for instance Fright Jar didn't do anything for me in the second-to-last battle, but does he react in his last battle?), or if there's other reactions otherwise.

Other things I wanna test out (organized in order of when you can actually do them, and excluding stuff I know was documented, people already know, or what was already tested above):

If you lure a Koopa Troopa or Spiky Goomba to the bridge on Pleasant Path with the red and green diamond pattern and battle him on it, there's a unique battle background showing the bridge.

If you're standing on the table in the Koopa Village Toad House, the Toad will yell at you to get off the table before he lets you use his services.

One of your party members is recruited when you break open a lantern she is being held hostage inside. Most players just whack the lantern with the hammer, but if you break the lantern by blowing it up with Bombette, she complains that it wasn't necessary to use that much force.

In the scene following the Fuzzipede battle, your partner mentions remembering Twink saying where the next Star Spirit is. Since the battle takes place in darkness, you normally can't damage Fuzzipede without having Watt out, but if you wear the Zap Tap badge or use a Volt Shroom at the right time, you can end the battle with a different partner out, and all of the partners actually have unique dialogue for this scene.

Generally, you can deliver letters to recipients at any time. In the case of Kolorado, there's a point during chapter 5 where he's been badly hurt by a spiked rolling rock, but he gets back up as soon as you enter the next room. You can deliver him a letter during this very brief period, and not only will he have unique dialogue for it, Parakarry will break his usual spiel to ask if he's okay.

If using Cloud Nine when Mario is under the effect of Dizzy, Sleep or Freeze, Lakilester will pick him up with his cloud instead of having Mario jumping on it.

But for now, I'm taking a fat fucking break, and catching up on shit, and for the mutuals whose been following along or at least been super patient seeing this post recycled several times in a row: Thank you.

When you woke up planning to try to get some work done despite feeling icky and burnt out, only to get derailed by splitting attention across four or five games that need your attention, and a fifth you now have to longhaul to try to test/prove a point

[mettywiththenotes]

I think one of the things I love the most about Haikyuu is that even though the whole manga comes from a place of love from Furudate who created the story specifically to get people into volleyball, there is nothing to make you feel bad about not wanting to play anymore

There are characters who are completely obsessed with volleyball. There are characters who aren't obsessed but are interested enough to keep going. There are characters who weren't into it but did it anyway and then just couldn't stop. There are characters who started doing volleyball and then realized they didn't like it anymore, then left and were better for it. There are characters who are like "this was cool and it was nice but I don't want to do this forever". There are characters who never play but still support the teams anyway

And the story validates every single one of these experiences. There's no "this experience is better than that experience", there are just characters who like it, don't like it, are obsessed with it or can appreciate everything that happens in a game regardless of their feelings towards it

It's just really nice to go through the story and feel the whole acceptance through the writing itself, to see that Furudate is encouraging you to try volleyball, to experience how fun it can be, and if it's not fun for you or you fell out of love with it or just don't want to do it anymore, then that's fine! At least you experienced it! At least you tried! At least you learned something about yourself! And hopefully you made friends along the way!

Haikyuu inspires people to try something new but never does it show a characters negative feelings or lack of feelings towards it as invalid and wrong. It just encourages you to do what makes you happy. I really appreciate that

[egophiliac]

don't think I'm not still obsessing over 7-12

[shelfperson]

okay but WHYYY is no one talking about louis and daniel WHYYYYYYYYYY is no one talking about the greatest grandpa4grandpa relationship known to man and i don’t even mean romantically i mean in the most basic human platonic level their relationship is FASCINATING.

like louis SAUGHT HIM OUT after FIFTY YEARS he FOUND HIS BOY, this horrible infant who DID NOT UNDERSTAND A THING HE TOLD HIM, who saw his raw, decades-old pain and wanted in on it, AND HE GOES BACK FOR HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE’S CHANGED. he can understand now. he can help him find the truth.

and like, they’re both absolutely terrified by each other because they’re both uniquely skilled at getting under each other’s skin and finding that truth (and also because… louis could just up and eat daniel anytime but shhhh…) and it’s because they UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. louis’s interviewing daniel as much as daniel’s interviewing him, just. pulling teeth from each other’s head, trying to pull out all the rot with such violence and cruelty (from both of them!! daniel is a cockwallop!!) but they want to help each other they CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

LIKE THIS????

THIS FUCKING SHIT?????

GAGGED ME. RUINED ME. I HAD TO STOP AND TAKE A WALK AROUND THE ROOM.

(the gifs are from @loumands account btw. great work my guy)

[itseghost]

a few meager cr3 sketches :] ft feywild fearne, orym's sending stone blues, and the revival scene from blood and dust that i sketched ages ago and decided i was never going to finish lmao