#swordsman rambles

[pooks]

thought about One Piece post-canon, like after they all achieved their dreams. Luffy is the Pirate King, Zoro is the world's greatest swordsman, Sanji found the All Blue, etc.

Zoro settled down in All Blue with Sanji, they got married, they got a child

this kid is Zoro's mini-me. mossy green hair, chubby cheeks and a cute little pout. Sanji loves his little "marimo chibi" so much.

but here's the thing; he's a brat. he's the brattiest brat ever, he always yells that no one can tell him what to do, he'll fight them and bite them. but the kicker is that he's a total "mama's boy". he loves his "mama" (it's Sanji), he always hugs his legs, asks for hugs and cuddles. always says he loves him and he's the best chef in the whole world. Sanji almost spoils him rotten (tbh can anyone blame him? it's his baby boy)

and this little brat sticks out his tongue at Nami and blows a raspberry when Sanji's not looking. Zoro finds that hilarious af (and he's obviously very proud that he got a mini-me) and also payback for everytime Nami has raised the interest on his debts

his name is Ryuma, btw

all the straw hats loves him, even if he's kind of a brat. he tries to ambush Zoro with a wooden sword every time he's napping, hoping to usurp his title. it never works.

the straw hats loves the little boy but Luffy loves Ryuma the most, they always play around and Ryuma is hardly afraid of anything.

endnote 1: Ryuma really likes whenever Sanji's siblings are visiting, they always brings gifts. he usually gets dinosaurs or robots from Yonji. Niji always overfeeds him with sweets and snacks. Ichiji brings books (which Ryuma nags him to read to him). Ryuma's favorite is Reiju, though.

endnote 2: for the context why Ryuma knows Sanji's siblings (and Sanji doesn't fear him being taken to Germa), he has no knowledge of Judge at all and he never will. to his knowledge, he only has Grandpa Zeff and Grandma Sora who is in heaven. (and since Judge is dead, Ichiji said there's no reason to ever mention him. they're all working to make sure Judge's memory becomes forgotten)

endnote 3: Ryuma gets a baby sister later. her name is Kairi, her blonde hair has light green tips and she has Sanji's blue eyes. he calls her "hime-chan". she's spoiled rotten by Nami and Robin.

endnote 4 (last one i promise): Zoro wants a third child and Sanji is so tired of calling Iva-san whenever they want to try for a kid. he also says this is the last time because suffering for nine months isn't fun. but he's not complaining when he holds the baby in his arms. XD

[isabeauwolf]

That challenging smug smile 🫣🤭🥰❣️😍 Law's not giving up, he's just getting started! Get'em, my snow leopard 🐆 Go kick some ass!

[galacticnova3]

Many people are familiar with the existence of certain members of the Dark Matter family, but today we answer the question: where are they now?

Dark Matter Swordsman, arguably the face of their kind whether we like it or not, has recently been spotted at an anime convention. When questioned, it was discovered that they do not know what anime is and apparently just assumed that it was a place for people wearing impractical armor to hang out. They were subsequently thrown out by security for not having a weekend pass to be in the convention.

Gooey has become an incredibly successful angler, with record catches all over Popstar. Good for them. Gooey is very talented.

Mariel has recently moved to live a peaceful life in Floralia after learning insects are respected there. They aren’t an insect or even an arthropod, but they’re close enough. We guess. We tried reaching out for an interview, but it turns out Floralia has more than one dark spider-like individual with six legs and a thousand yard stare, which has made it difficult to find them. They were always kind of toxic anyways.

Zero is still dead. We think.

N-Z is currently wanted on several counts of tax fraud, and was last seen purchasing gasoline in Yogurt Yard. If you have any more information on their whereabouts, we don’t care. Don’t be a snitch.

Certain sources online are claiming that Rimuru, Rimura, and Rimuro are currently posing as a humble trio of reporters conducting interviews with hard to contact individuals. This is, of course, a completely unsubstantiated rumor that only serves as further proof that you can’t trust everything you read online. People will make up the wildest things!

Miracle Matter has made a very successful living as an actor in… Stim videos for toddlers. Well, whatever works, right? When approached for comment they turned into a ball of spikes and attempted to impale us before telepathically transmitting the sound of thousands of their kin wailing in agony directly into our minds until we left. Not all reunions are meant to be, it seems.

02 is still dead. We think.

Dark Nebula has developed a crippling addiction to gambling, and at this time is said to be several thousand star coins in debt, though others have suggested it is closer to millions. Our sources indicate that they are currently locked in a room. A rubber room. A rubber room with rats. And rats make them crazy. Lol. Lmao. Insane that this guy used to be known as the ruler of the underworld…

This concludes today’s update! Up next, we’ll be covering how to tell the difference between a possessed waddle dee and a waddle doo, and why you probably shouldn’t worry about it.

[anthurak]

Random little Yugioh idea/headcanon I’ve been mulling over lately:

Post-DM/DSOD, Joey becomes a Pro-Duelist as he alludes to during the movie. However, Joey doesn’t actually play Red Eyes Black Dragon anymore in his pro-career, instead, playing a full warrior-focused deck.

Specifically, one based around Flame Swordsman and using all those very nifty new cards for it that came out IRL recently.

Really, I think this only makes sense. Despite Red Eyes being his iconic ‘ace’ monster, Joey’s ‘bread and butter’ has always been warriors, and Flame Swordsman is still basically his Spirit Monster. So I think it’s pretty cool to imagine Joey ‘returning to his roots’ with a warrior deck focused around his favorite monster.

So what happens to Red Eyes Black Dragon if Joey isn’t playing them anymore?

Well, while the obvious option might be that Joey ends up passing Red Eyes to a young and starry eyed fan by the name of Atticus Rhodes in setup for GX, I’ve got a more fun idea:

In this hypothetical sequel fic/series idea, it’s at first a bit of a mystery as to what happened to Joey’s Red Eyes, as in we see Joey playing a few duels all conspicuously NOT using his once-iconic dragon.

Only to get a surprise reveal where all of a sudden, Serenity breaks out Red Eyes Black Dragon in a duel. And not just Red Eyes, but also a pure Red Eyes-focused deck with all the requisite support and the advanced fusion versions like Red Eyes Slash Dragon and Archfiend Black Skull Dragon.

It turns out that Serenity wanted to get into dueling around the same time Joey was getting ready to go pro, and after teaching her everything he knows, Joey passed Red Eyes on to her. Both as a gift, and because Joey saw it as giving Serenity his most powerful and trusted monster/companion to watch over her.

Like when magic chicanery starts happening, it turns out that Red Eyes the monster spirit is absolutely watching over Serenity and keeping her safe.

Also, I’d say there’s even something of a precedent for this. The only time in the show that Serenity duels, during the Virtual World arc, she used Goddess with the Third Eye as her deckmaster, which of course had a fusion effect. So Serenity playing a fusion-focused deck would certainly be thematically appropriate.

So yeah, Serenity with Red Eyes Black Dragon. I think it would be pretty awesome :)

Actually come to think of it, this would fit perfectly into the Tea/DMG-focused ‘Successor of Dark Magic’ storyline I’ve been workshopping for years now…

[purplepenntapus]

It’s ENDLESSLY important to me that whoever takes the world’s greatest swordsman title from Zoro when he’s old and grey is a woman. Like there’s no other option, it’s a requirement.

[mamamittens]

Had a dream where I was in a store and saw a card pack of just one card and it had Thatch?!?! In Wano?!? But it wasn't Thatch but dream me knew there were mad theories this was both Thatch's real name (maybe) and he's still alive just amnesiac.

Cannot recall the name but I think the first name was like, "Ryoku" or something similar.

Wanted that damn card so bad he looked so pretty in Wano style One Piece. Like, dream even provided a short animation of him laughing it up slicing his sword through the air. Didn't even have a top knot, it was literally just him in a yukata.

Why is this the second time my dreams have provided/insisted there's more canon Thatch content than there actually is?!???

[the-owl-tree]

I'm just saying I think Ashfur being Hollyleaf's mentor would have been more interesting than him being Lionblaze's...

soooooo true, i think with tbc it would have been really interesting if we got to see more of this code revering side of ashfur who hammered in the importance of being faithful to it in hollyleaf. like not only does that add to both their characters, her murdering the mentor who instilled her values into her.....mwah very nice

[pooks]

Sanji, enters his All Blue restaurant: Alright, it's baby time! Pants off, Mosshead! Ichiji, standing by the fridge and looks very disturbed: ... Sanji, very awkwardly: ...didn't see you there, 'chiji.

[dkniade]

headcanon/scenario (I’ve been thinking about team dynamics again)

In Fontaine, Childe learns about (the play) Cyrano de Bergerac, and learns some Cyrano monologues

Next time he does the weekly spar, he starts throwing in some French Fontainian into the list of things he say in battle

— Oh ! frappé par la seule arme noble qui soit,

Et par un ennemi qu’on sait digne de soi,

Sur un gazon de gloire et loin d’un lit de fièvres,

Tomber la pointe au cœur en même temps qu’aux lèvres !

If I’m not mistaken (though I’m by no means fluent. Do correct me, if there are mistakes), I do believe it means…

-- Oh! struck by the only noble weapon there is,

And by an enemy who you know is worthy of yourself.

On a field of glory and far from a feverish bed,

Falling off the peak of one’s heart at the same time of one’s lips !

…?

[romance-rambles]

questionable decisions were made

[i am 30 paints poorer now]

i regret nothing until summer kicks in

[smilesrobotlover]

Sometimes I realize that Rusl would be absolutely jacked

[anoddopal]

9 and 10 for the s/i ask game! (asking for both the regular timeline and the au timeline! 👀) -gideongrovel

[Link to ask game!!]

Main Timeline

9. Who are your self insert’s closest friends?

Bun’s very closest friends are Ni.co Robin, Tony Tony Cho.pper, and her ✨~flashy~✨ bestie, Bu.ggy the Clown!

The friendship bewteen Silva and Robin has been explained in more depth HERE; but as a whole, they are cut from a very similar cloth. Just your average duo of morbidly curious history buffs who in time- found their respective reasons to live. ❤️‍🩹

Ch.opper is Bun's preferred doctor. He took care of her when she briefly traveled with the St.raw Hats. Bun was rather unwell after the Ala.basta incident, and her pets communicated to the reindeer that she needed help. As a result she adores the little guy [+bonus points in his favor that he's an animal]! They both look up to each other; Bun admires his dedication to his craft, and respects the fact that he is a talented medical professional, despite some of his more childish mannerisms. Ch.opper outright thinks that Silva is cool, if not something of a badass- he always carefully regards the life advice she provides him with. Tony is always happy to translate what Silva's pets say to her! Even a ways off into the future, Bun still goes to him for her significant medical needs; or sometimes Ch.opper makes the trip to her. The little guy may be the only person that Bun earnestly listens to when he scolds her to take better care of herself.

Bu.ggy and Bun were practically instant friends. They initially met when Bu.ggy made a trip to Ala.basta to search for THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE his on-agin-off-again partner, Jinx [@/mothlover69]. Bu.ggy quickly perceived Bun as a secret freak outcast, and Bun couldn't help but think he'd be a fascinating specimen to observe, er, a unique acquaintance to have! In any case, they got along decently well right off of the bat, so much so that Bu.ggy eagerly allowed Bun to live on his ship after she decided she didn't have the heart to keep traveling with the St.raw Hats. Actually, rumor has it that he just shot out his detached hands and scooped her + her pets onto the Big Top sometime before Lu.ffy's crew made it to Jaya!

It would be fair to say that B.uggy is a bad influence on her. It would also be fair to say that she’s as equally of a good influence on him. He’s learned how to be slightly better because of her. For example, the slack he cut for a frightened Transponder Snail at Mar.ineford was due in part to Bun’s impact. Most of the time Bun is the responsible one in their friendship, but in the event she’s not at her best, she has a tendency to feed into Bu.ggy’s nonsense. This was extremely evident when Bun was in a post-breakup[?] depression after Ala.basta, and Bu.ggy chose to enable all of Bun’s bad habits. What, what’s the harm in eating candy and cake for breakfast? Breakfast… three meals a day… HEY, he got her to eat, okay?! Psshh, he was only trying to comfort his friend! That’s what friends do, right? They cheer each other up? [Bless Jinx for rising up as the responsible adult in this specific situation!]

Bun respects Bu.ggy as her friend, but she also tends to call him out on his bullshit. [Nagging is one of her love languages!] Bu.ggy huffs at this tendency of hers, but deep down he knows that she wouldn’t do it if she didn’t really care about him. He very much enjoys the attention she gives him in any context. He furthermore appreciates her authenticity even though he doesn’t always know what to do with her… wholesomeness. Whereas Bun appreciates how she can ease up and laugh around him. In the future, Bun protects him from the wrath of her ill-tempered husbands.

Bu.ggy has been desperate to get his best bun to join his crew for a very long time. After she left with Cro.codile after the battle at Mar.ineford, he had a meltdown due the fact she was gone. [Actually he thought she was dead! They got separated during the battle and never regrouped. When Bun eventually came back a few weeks later to collect some of her belongings that were still on the ship, Bu.ggy legitimately thought he was being haunted by her ghost.] Though the two end up working within close proximity when Cross Gu.ild is formed, Bu.ggy still laments she still didn’t choose to join up with him. Listen, the guy is a better friend to her than most would think- however, that doesn’t mean that he still isn’t just a taaaad selfish. 🙄

Bu.ggy has since added some more pastels to his flashy wardrobe, while Bun can semi-frequently be seen wearing oddly clownish makeup [Bu.ggy uses her face as a canvas when she allows it].

[This answer really only included dynamics with canon characters but I simply must give shoutouts to @/mothlover69’s Jinx and @/jj-exe’s JJ!! They are also Bun’s beloved fwiends.]

10. How do the other characters feel about your self insert and f/o’s relationship?

Most folks are baffled as to why/how Bun and Cro.codile ended up together. They became even more confused when Mi.hawk also married Bun years down the line. Bun is very small and kind- her husbands seem like too harsh of people for somebody like her. [Little do they realize how ridiculously soft the are for bun-]

But given that the three seem outwardly content with their dynamic, the rest of the world can only assume that Bun is extremely powerful, having wrangled two former Warlords of the Sea and all! And that assumption is not wrong. uwu

Robin is glad for her friend. She saw Bun and Cro.codile together during their early days, and she knows firsthand how inseparable they are. Bu.ggy does NOT care for his business associates/his best bun's husbands. They eat up her TIME and ATTENTION!! >:o( And he also secretly worries that they're mean to her like how they are to him!! However, the flashy fool has nothing to worry about.

Somebody -> 🦩 may be not-so-secretly seething with jealousy about the relationship, but the details on that matter are better kept hush-hush.

Forbidden Fruit AU

9. Who are your self insert’s closest friends?

Why, Bun’s very best friend in this timeline is the good doctor, D.oc Q! Ca.tarina D.evon and Ku.zan are also quite close with her.

D.oc Q is her ride or die. They have that Horse Girl [or uh, Horse Boy in this case?] 🤝 Rabbit Girl connection. They are both chronically ill [ofc Doc's health issues are much more dire] and count on their prey animal pets to get by: he has his horse Stronger🐴 [mobility aid] and Silva has her lapin🐰 Stratus [ESA]. Doc has a way of knowing what's amiss with Bun before she even knows herself- he furthermore was able to pick up on some of her health issues that she didn't initially disclose to him. Bun assists him with his work when needed- D.oc Q has the MD degree and Bun has the bedside manner, lol. Though she mostly helps him take proper care of Stonger, which is something he is eternally grateful for.

It was Doc who first started referring to Silva as "lucky", which is a judgement that has stuck, though Bun denies it. Bun will sing with others, but Doc is the only person she will sing to. He insists that her low-toned warbles are soothing, that the sound helps him feel better when he's sick. The often have deep discussions about death and the fragility of life. If D.oc Q's mantra is "memento mori", then Bun-Bun Silva is soon to follow with a gentle "memento vivere".

When Ca.tarina Devon first joined the crew, Bun was ecstatic! Being surrounded by a bunch of men all the time was… a bit exhausting, so finally having a woman around was a nice change of pace. Of course, Devon is as rotten as the rest of them, but she found that she couldn’t possibly rain on Bun’s parade. Turns out it’s nice to have a platonic “gal pal” to share the AFAB experience with. They’re both LGBT+, they manifest ~queen~ energy together, and Devon continuously tries to teach Bun how to live the: Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss 💅 way of life. However, Bun is a bit too kindhearted to really adapt that approach to herself. So Devon has to settle for engaging Bun in juicy gossip- which Bun is juuuuuust petty enough to indulge in. 💖💜💅✨

Ku.zan and Silva are alike in ways that set them apart from their other crew members. Both have a capacity for compromise and compassion. They are disenchanted with the World Government; they found they could seek their own freedom and fulfill their own needs by aligning themselves with Bla.ckbeard. Out of everyone else they’re the most socially acceptable out of the bunch. Ku.zan had his world turned on his head, which is a feeling of despair that Bun can relate to on a deep level. She’s always interested to hear what his life was like when he was a Marine, and she always chuckles bitterly when she relates to how his perspective was forced to change. Ku.zan enjoys her ability to match his dry humor- but the ice puns get a little repetitive. Overall they have a seemingly casual, yet actually rather close, friendship!

Oh! And Bun tends to give the latter two unwarranted relationship advice. "You know Devon, maybe you'd have a girlfriend if you didn't keep trying to behead every date you've landed since you've been a free woman! 💀 And Ku.zan! Please tell me you didn't try the 'big bazongas' cold opening on another poor woman again-"

10. How do the other characters feel about your self insert and f/o’s relationship?

The rest of the Bla.ckbeard Pirates wholly support Silva and La.ffitte as a couple! Their union was a product of destiny after all- the two were simply meant to be. None of them would ever deny that fact or attempt to get in the way of their relationship. They’re the crew’s resident lovebirds. [It helps that La.ffitte, in a terrifyingly cheerful manner, makes it clear to any potential newcomers he and his beloved wife are strictly exclusive… and any person who attempts to challenge that will be dealt with accordingly.]

… Though in the beginning, the crew were almost certain Bun would end up with D.oc Q, given how close they are. But it seems fate had other plans in store!

And as for the rest of the world; as for everyone that was close to Bun before she became involved with Te.ach's crew? They're very concerned. The Bun they knew would never associate with a person like that! Something must be wrong. Something must have gone horribly wrong.

... Sir Cr.ocodile is filled with so many regrets...

[eye-of-yelough]

fun thing about developing my rook while the game isn’t even out yet so i don’t know what kinda Situations he’s gonna be in is the fact it’s making me ‘develop’ him as just like. a run of the mill da/bg3 companion and the kind of things he would say. the greeting lines that depend on approval, the things you’d be able to ask him, etc…

[ofcowardiceandkings]

had dumb thought might draw it later

[longagoitwastuesday]

Do you have favorite actors for the various roles in "Cyrano de Bergerac"? I would love to hear your thoughts!

I do! I actually rambled a lot about this while I was watching the different productions I could get my hands on (I tagged it "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "I talk too much").

My favorite productions are the one with José Ferrer and the one with Benoit Solès, and those actors make the best Cyranos in my opinion. Though that's probably something in part beyond the actors' choice, their dynamic with their respective Roxane and Christian are the best ones, I think, and I find how Cyrano moves around these two particular characters at the core of a good Cyrano characterisation.

José Ferrer's use of his voice, which is arguably Cyrano's true most characteristic feature, is unmatched imo (although McAvoy does a very good job with this too), and he manauvers very well several of the different aspects of the character, such as his playfulness, his shittiness and longing. By the end of the play you believe he is the most beautiful man on Earth. Cyrano, however, is a bit pathetic (not just in a "pathos" way), and I'd say Ferrer gives off an air full of dignity very fitting of many scenes, but that eats almost entirely this aspect of Cyrano; Benoit Solès manages this very well, while also playing well with some of the other ones, such as the playfulness, the longing, the pain and the despair. Both Ferrer and Solès are hilarious, tender, a bit shitty, vulnerable, playful and sad. Albeit neither of them portrays 100% what Cyrano is, I think both come pretty close in slightly different flavours, and by the end of the play one ends up being terribly fond of them.

My favourite Roxane is Clara Huet in the production with Benoit Solès, but Mala Powers in the 1950 film is a close second. I think they portray wonderfully Roxane's spunk, and her mix of honest playful cheerfulness and her haughtiness, her intelligence and wit, and how much like Cyrano she is.

I've not come to love for now any Christian as much as I've loved Ferrer, Solès, Huet and Powers, but again I think the Christians in the 1950 film and the Solès productions are very very good. I love the dynamic they have with their Cyranos, especially the one Christian and Cyrano have in the 1950 film, enhanced positively by the added scenes (they actually work so well in showing their developing as friends, their deep love and care for each other!). I don't want to expand too much on this to avoid spoilers (beyond the already known 'Christian dies' ones I mean), but some things they do with both these Christians are a thing of genius, and both feel vulnerable, kind, ready to fight and truly desperate at times; I like when they do that.

There's an Italian production which has a Cyrano I truly enjoy as well, despite how they dumbify him more than I usually like my Christians. His mix of anger and deep pain when he discovers Cyrano's feelings for Roxane were so well made, and his physical presence makes you identify who Christian is even before the play starts.

The Podalydès production has two different Christians. The one in the version on youtube isn't bad, but @ride-a-dromedary likes Éric Ruf a lot. I actually adore him based on the clips and gifs she's posted of him, but I haven't been able to find the version with him online, so I can't know. But he truly seems one of the best. Based on what little I've seen, I love his intense gazes and subtle gestures.

I'm not entirely sold on any Le Bret, De Guiche or Ragueneau yet.

I think the German musical has a decent Ragueneau in vibes, and the 1990 French film does as well. I found his poem made song for what I think is a Spanish production (I'm not sure if it's a fan creation based on the Spanish production), and while I've not been able to find that production online, the song works well in vibes too I think.

The German musical's Le Bret in vibes is very good. He encompasses well his deep love and worry for Cyrano while also being done with his shit. They truly feel like close friends. The 1950 film kind of combines Gaston de Castel-Jaloux and Le Bret into one character, which sadly changes Le Bret's dynamic with Cyrano a bit, but that's a very good Le Bret as well. The one in Solès' production is pretty good too. He has my favourite delivery of the scene in which Le Bret chastises Cyrano for risking his life sending letters.

De Guiche is complicated. I think productions often make him too pathetic and laughable or too bad, so bad it makes the last act kind of not make sense. The 1950 one, the 1990 French one, the Kevin Kline one and the Solès one are all good, but I am not passionate for any of them either.

And basically that's it!

[pooks]

i just had a very hilarious idea

at the end of the WCI arc, when the Retrieval Squad are safe and heading towards Wano, Nami laments that she had somewhat hoped to get the chance to steal some money from Big Mom

and then Ichiji, the madlad, just untucks his shirt and lifts it up. what happens? sacks with Berry and jewelry falls down on the lawn deck

Ichiji casually reveals that that he, just hours before the Whole Cake Wedding Assasination, decided to sneak and raid so much treasure from his and Sanji's sire.

"child support." he simply says. "with interest, of course."

Nami, of course, get Berry sign in her eyes and just says "Ichiji...you know that you're my best friend, right?" and Ichiji just smiles, a real genuine smile for the first time since Dressrosa, and says "of course, Nami dearest. would you have the honor to keep these safely?"

but it's on one condition; Ichiji wants to keep a specific jewelry box that belonged to his and Sanji's mother Sora.

while Nami is busy counting the money, Sanji and Ichiji sits together and looks in their mother's jewelry box, remembering and admiring the beautiful necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets she used to own. there is also old photographs, hand-written notes and small bottles with perfume from the North Blue.

Sanji wanted Nami to have some, but she declined and said she didn't need it. Nami understood perfectly well that it was Ichiji and Sanji's late mother's things

none of them are sure what to do with the jewelry box and its' contents, but Ichiji simply stole it back because he didn't had the heart to leave it behind

also later

Sanji: *cooking lunch* WAIT you stole all that from the treasury and then fought with sacks of gold and jewels in your clothes?! Ichiji: what, like it's hard? *sips wine like an absolute icon*

also bonus

post-Wano, Zoro absolutely threw himself in the ocean for a swim when he saw Sanji wearing his mother's sapphire and gold earrings. the marimo claimed the weather was hot when they were actually closer to a spring island.

Nami called bullshit on that lol