#the artist! simply didn't have to slay this hard!

[unluckywisher]

Here we go. My "favorite" (note the quotation marks) parts of Beyond Cloudfall - Sylus' Dragon Myth, voice lines at the end.

Oh boy okay. I have a lot of scenes to go through so strap in.

Spoilers for Sylus' myth under the cut!!!!

Normally I would do the whole 'posting screenshots and commenting on them' thing, but since Tumblr is annoying with how many images you can put on a post, I'll just transcribe them. I've grouped them in categories, so just know that they're not necessarily in chronological order <3

Fun moments - I have to start with this or I will have a break down.

[They're both looking at a mural depicting a man slaying Sylus] MC: ...Of course, that's just the artist's take. You're much more handsome and imposing in real life.

MC, narrating: That night, the dragon places me with all the treasures he gathered. It's as if I'm one of them.

- MC PLEASE YOU JUST MET HIM AND YOU BOTH WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER WHY ARE YOU FLIRTING?????

Sylus: I'm also curious to see where a "sorceress" who consorts with a fiend thinks she can go.

- Let's be real here. Sleeping on top of a bunch of coins is not exactly comfy bro. LMAO

MC: Hey, do you have a name? Sylus (at this point, the story had been simply referring to him with the name 'Dragon'): Does it matter? MC: [...] What should I call you? Demon? Dragon? Or maybe... Drago? The Fiend gives me a cold stare. Sensing his boredom, I shut my mouth, but then I hear two faint syllables rumble from his throat. MC: "...Stayrus?" Or are you telling me to stay clear? Sylus: It's an ancient Philosian word [...]. MC: How about I call you by a name that sounds similar? Is Sylus alright with you? Sylus: Call me whatever you want. But don't expect me to respond.

- 'CONSORTS' LMAOOOOO they use this word a lot in the myth and every time it makes me laugh

I hold up a mirror from a stall. It reflects the face of the dragon. MC: Can you guess what I see when I look at you? He lowers the mirror as if he heard a childish joke. He leans closer. Sylus: At the very least, I'm a lot more handsome than I was depicted in that Fiend-Slaying God mural.

- ARE YOU KIDDING ME??????? HIS ACTUAL NAME IS SOMETHING LIKE 'STAYRUS'??????? MC WHY DID YOU BOTCH IT LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO toysrus

Sylus: You wouldn't use them if I gave them to you. Why are you interested in cheap things? MC: You actually measure worth based on monetary value? Sylus: There's another way?

- hfkdgfdhfjd MC I'm still in awe that you said that first with so much ease

Merchant: One piece of information or thirty gold coins for the bracelet. MC: For this bone bracelet? At best, it's worth- I'm about to start haggling, but when I look up, the dragon is already opening his pouch. A cascade of gold coins spills from his hand onto the counter.

- FHDUYSFGHJDFSJKHDASJKBDHSJD

MC: These, these, and these... Don't they all suit you perfectly? I quickly pick up a few, intricately designed accessories and shove them into the dragon's arms. Then, I stand on my tiptoes to hang a bone wind chime on his horn. Sylus: You-

- Old habits die hard, I see

MC: I fell asleep while waiting for you these past few nights. Why didn't you wake me up? [...] A gentle smile graces his lips. Sylus: Someone was dreaming and continued to say my name- MC: Hey...!

- HELP???????? MC LMAO ON HIS HORN, TOO???? XD

[MC is being judged] Sacred Judicator: First crime: worshipping evil and desire, showing no repentance, letting your heart fall to corruption... Second crime: Consorting with a Fiend and bearing its mark, tainting your very body with corruption... Third crime: Plundering wealth and embracing insatiable greed, actions steeped in corruption...

- HAHAHAHA EMBARRASSINGGGGG GIRL

Cute moments...

- god forbid women do anything smh

MC: (Besides... If he's going to treat me like a pet cat, he shouldn't be surprised if he gets scratched.) [Later, in another scene...] The dragon knows about my escape plan. Sometimes he even sits on the pile of gold, resting his head in his hands as he watches - He neither helps nor stops me. It takes me a while to realize he isn't just watching - he's studying me out of sheer boredom. Just like I used to watch a cat in the Sanctuary that kept trying to jump over a wall it could never clear. [And later, again...] When he's caught off-guard, I arch my back like a cat and pounce.

I sit in the dragon's lair and receive shiny trinkets every day. One night, a small mountain cat came in to play with me. It wasn't until later that I realized - there's no way a mountain cat could just wander into a dragon's lair on its own. ...Could the dragon be comforting me?

- So... Origin of MC being treated like a kitten, I see.

MC: [...] How did it feel when you grew your horns? Sylus: It was nothing special. The dragon sits back down, avoiding my gaze. Sylus: It hurt just a bit.

- Awwww???????

I cup his face in my hands and make him meet my gaze. MC: I just realized something these days. You don't understand a song's melody, can't see the beauty in patterns, and can't even taste the flavors of food. Is that right? Sylus: Dragons don't need those things to survive. He escapes from my hands, yet I detect a hint of awkwardness in his words. MC: You act mature, but you were sealed away for so long... Sylus, you're still a young dragon, aren't you? Sylus: ? MC: You only just learned how to hide your wings... I gently stroke the top of his head. Then, my hand glides down his prominent spine and reaches his tail. MC: But you can't hide your horns and tail. Are you an adult? Don't tell me you're just acting mature because you're worried about ruining your "fiendish" image. The dragon stays silent and flicks his tail away from me. He loops it around us, and it touches the small of my back. Sylus: Are you trying to say you've uncovered my secret? A defiant force gently pulls me toward the dragon's chest. Sylus: All right, let's assume there is a young dragon before you. What will you do? Eat it? MC: ... I'd tell it that we're doing something humans call "hugging". Sylus: Then do humans still hug each other even when they want to kill each other? Like us?

- I'm gonna be honest this scene should be with the rest of the angsty ones further down but by itself it's really cute

MC: Sylus, those gems and weapons are boring. If you want to cultivate my desire, you need to give me something rarer. This time, I want... I can't stand being the only one who's troubled by this thought. So, I demand something from him he can never own and will never offer. [Here, the game lets you pick between saying 'Your soul' or 'Your love'] MC: Your love. As expected, he looks surprised and then laughs. Sylus: A fiend's love? What are you going to do with something that doesn't exist? MC: If it doesn't exist, then it's even more precious. Sylus: Speak. What does it mean to truly love a person? Have you ever loved anyone before? MC: ...No, but I know exactly what to do. [MC kisses his forehead]

- THAT'S? SO CUTE? HE'S A SMOL DRAGON? HUG???

The body next to me is warm. I wrap the dragon's tail around myself and move closer. Resting my head on his shoulder, I drift in and out of sleep.

- MC is insanely proactive in this myth. She does NOT hesitate dude.

- I just thought this was a cute moment <3

AGAIN, CASE IN POINT, LOOK. SHE JUST GOES FOR IT. AND THEY MAKE YOU CLICK SO YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED:

Yooo!! The test to take the brooch might have been to try and jog MC's memory???

[After leaving a bitemark on MC's neck] Sylus: This will be the mark for the first time. Until this mark disappears, you will have two more chances to take my life. Prove to me that you can be stronger.

THE SONG!!!!!!!!!!

- Like...????? And the fact that in Midnight Stealth he pins her down, too............

Sylus: What's that sound? [...] As I sing the final note, I close my mouth and continue gazing at the distant lights in Tarus City. MC: A requiem for the departed. Sylus: Sing it again. MC: Haven't you heard someone sing before? Sylus: I've never heard you sing.

Sylus: Sing that song again. MC: It's boring without music. It sounds better with an organ accompaniment. Can you get one for me? Sylus: It's a simple matter. Consider it done.

- so originally it was sung, not just played...

[They found an organ and MC began to play the song] My performance ends, and the Sanctuary falls silent. Sylus: Why did you stop? MC: A requiem is meant to soothe the dead, but the souls in this place don't deserve it. They were sanctimonious enough when they were alive - I have no intention of praising their ugly souls.

- aaaand then that's that...

INTENSE moments (oof)

- And that's why Sylus never got to hear it in full.

One by one, red flames ignite as far as the eye can see. My surroundings are illuminated by their shimmering light. Before me is... An endless array of treasures and luxurious garments. MC: ... Sylus: You are not interested? MC: ...You'd give these to me? Sylus: Why not? You're also mine now.

Sylus: If you want something, just reach out and take it. In the flickering firelight, our shadows intertwine on the dimly lit wall. Sylus: Just. Like. This. Let your greed and desire burn a little brighter... His tail glides up my calf. Smiling, the Fiend leans in to whisper into my ear. Sylus: This is how you'll become worthy enough to be my meal.

- STOPPPPP YOU JUST METTTT I CANNOT STRESS IT ENOUGH WHAT IS THISSSSSSSSS

I hook my arm around the dragon's neck, stand on my tiptoes, and whisper in his ear. MC: Isn't that the place where you tried to eat me for the first time? Sylus: Do you wish to return for the sake of nostalgia?

- I think I'm beyond saving guys...

I press a silver knife against his neck. MC: Be honest with me. What do you gain from indulging my desires like this? I pin him down against a cushion. The knife and bleeding wound dissipate into crimson light particles as he chuckles. Sylus looks up at me. We can feel each other's breaths. As he raises his head, his nose gently brushes against mine. Sylus: What about you? What's in it for you to attempt an assassination with such a weak hand? Before the curtains, our eyes meet. The afterglow is reflected in his eyes which emit a surreal warmth. A strange flutter brushes against my heart, and a soft laugh escapes my lips. I return to my original spot before peeling a savoring a pomegranate. MC: You don't need to tell me. The greedier the soul, the more delicious it is. Am I mistaken? In any case let's hope it doesn't backfire on you. Sylus laughs. As I take out another pomegranate seed, he leans in and snatches it with his teeth. Sylus: Likewise.

- WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE THAT WHISPERING AND STUFF HELLO????

MC: What I desire is... My fingers brush over the renowned painting adorning the wall. I turn, lift the hem of my dress, and sit on the sacred throne positioned at the top of the stairs. I point my toes, and in silence, I hook my leg around the dragon's as he reaches the last step. Just as he leans forward, I tug him closer. MC: To live freely and die without regrets. Our breath's mingle, and our heartbeats sync. Light ripples in his eyes, and his lips slowly curl into a smile. With a flick of his tail, he catches me off guard, wrapping it around my waist and pulling me in. Sylus: Are you aware of your soul's scent? He meets my gaze, leaning in provocatively. His breath teasingly caresses the pulse in my neck. Sylus: It's akin to a strong liquor topped off with salt... Forever boiling and never satisfied.

- THIS WHOLE SCENE HAD ME SCREAMINGG??

An inexplicable raging inferno surges within me. Indignant, I laugh. I open my mouth and sink my teeth into his hand. Sylus: Ugh...! MC: I don't believe in this destined archnemesis nonsense! Moonlight boils in his eyes. Sylus cackles. He lowers his head and bites my shoulder like a predator. MC: You! Pain spreads like fire. Then, Sylus extends his tongue, slowly licking the wound on my shoulder. It's as if he's claiming and soothing me. Sylus: If you want to push me away, now's the time. His tongue alternates between licking and biting, sending a strange, tingling sensation through my body despite the lingering pain. He slowly licks over my throbbing wound.

- I don't even know what to say anymore....

- THEY'RE BOTH? SO KINKY? HELLO? YEAH NO, FORGET WE WERE AT DEATH'S DOOR JUST THEN- TIME TO GET FREAKY

And now... Yeah... It had to happen... Angst...

Sylus: People are far more interesting alive than dead. If you truly want revenge, the best way is to keep them alive. Or would you say this world is the closest thing to hell itself? You can only feel pain when you're alive.

Figures surround them. He could fly her back to the dragon's lair. But tonight, he wants to walk a bit longer with her. Sylus: In the beginning, the dragon lived in a valley with other dragons. Amongst his kin, he was the only one with a human appearance. He mistakenly believed he was a normal person. But as he grew older, horns sprouted from his head and a tail from his back. He had never seen anything like this on someone before. He was scared, so he picked up a blade because he wanted to remove them. But the horns and scales would grow back, dripping with blood. It didn't matter how many times he cut them. After a long time, he finally came to terms with being a monster with horns... But then, the love of his life appeared. She showed him human love and companionship, making him think he could live like a human too. And slowly, without realizing it, he began to forget he was a dragon.

- When I first read this scene I was like 'YEAHHHH REVENGEEEE' but after finishing the myth.......... bro....

Sylus: Save me? Are you aware of the cost? Once we hold hands now, our lives will be bound together, along with our deaths. We must offer half of our soul to the other. They'll be merged... To forge an unbreakable bond. To share your life with a fiend - it might be a punishment worse than having your soul devoured. Will you truly not regret it? MC: I said I'll live, didn't I? No matter the cost. If following our hearts is a sin, then you and I must be the last of our kind in this world.

- Can you hear my heart shattering?

MC: Let's make a pinky promise. Sylus: Hmm? MC: To never betray each other. Sylus: Our souls are bound. We will never betray each other even if Doomsday arrives outside this Sanctuary. Even if the world crumbles. MC: This promise can't be broken. Sylus: This promise will never be broken.

- SYLUSSSS WAAAAAAA DON'T BE LIKE THAT T_T

His body lies quietly among the flowers. In his garnet-like eyes is my reflection. MC: Look at me... You're not allowed to close your eyes! My tears fall onto him as I lower my head. I allow him to place a kiss on my forehead. The dark-red glow in his eyes dims. Obsidian-like crystals crawl over the dragon's scales, slowly covering his entire body. My dragon is gone.

- ...let it sink in

- Listen... At least we can take some comfort in knowing... MC didn't kill him on purpose. He drove the sword to his chest himself, grabbing MC's hands. She didn't want to. That's a relief. Still fucked, but...

My beloved was born into apocalyptic terror. People cursed his existence, fabricated his sins, and celebrated his death. Only one person ever gazed into his jewel-like eyes, embraced his burning soul, and sang to him in the night wind. He had already etched the traces of his existence deep into my life... Yet his retaliation against fate pierces my chest like a sword. MC: Sylus... I curse your soul... He says the best way to punish someone is to let them live forever. MC: I curse your soul... To never fade away... You'll always be tied to me. Forever. This is my curse... Only I can... Grant you true death. [...] I feel something sprouting from my head like tender branches. Sharp pain pierces my spine as a dragon's tails replaces my tailbone.

- So... That's how he is alive in the present, and it's also the explanation for the Evol Linkage, I believe? It's really cool that she actually turned into a dragon, as sad as the scene is.

And of course, as always, my favorite voicelines:

[humaforever]

Hi! Could you share your favourite headcanon(s) for Harry and Uma?

Oh nothing would make me happier

Alright so, Harry absolutely loves the idea of having matching outfits with Uma all the time. He will always make an effort to buy clothes that look like hers, plan his outfits so they match. He will wait for Uma to get dressed first and then come out in an outfit that looks like hers and be like, "that's crazy, we totally match" Uma rolls her eyes but definitely loves it too.

Similarly Harry will just straight up steal Umas clothes, he doesn't care if they fit weird that's just the style don't you know. Again Uma doesn't usually care, but sometimes she tries to give him a taste of his own medicine when she can't find anything to wear and everything is in his closet. She will wear his clothes which makes Harry absolutely head over heels, oh it makes him so happy. Which wasn't exactly Umas plan but oh well.

I like to think that Harry is really into reading and literature, especially the old, romance stuff like Shakespeare. Anyway since he's so awed by it he starts writing Uma poetry and love letters making her all warm inside but she's totally keeping her cool on the outside, or really trying to.

Uma craves cuddles from Harry because he is huge, and so warm, and it feels so good to just be totally engulfed by him.

And Harry loves holding her because he knows she's safe there with him.

Harry has a very specific scent and Uma knows when he's in the room even if she can't see him because she can smell him.

They both like good smells because everything smelled gross on the isle also Uma's still insecure about how she smells. So when they move to Auradon they love all the soap and perfume shops and will always stop in the candle isle and just smell candles together discussing the different scents like it's their job. It's honestly one of their favorite activities.

Harry thinks the best gifts he can give Uma are weapons and honestly, she agrees. So throughout the years Uma has built up quite the weaponry collection because Harry is always giving her some sort of new dangerous gadget.

Though, Uma had to return a few after Harriet figured out Harry had been stealing from her collection of weapons .

Harry loves fashion and style. This was hard on the isle though because hardly anybody had a lot of clothes and if you wanted something you would most likely have to make it yourself. But Harry couldn't sew. So, Uma would always make him clothes, even if he didn't ask for it, she thoroughly enjoys it. Harry is very grateful for this and he has made that clear. Plus, It always made her happy to see him sporting something she had made him. He slays every time.

I think Harry has ADHD making it hard for him to focus. But he can always focus on Uma, so she will help him whenever, and has lots of patience for him.

Uma never had, or grew up on a ship so she didn't know how to sail or maneuver the ship. Instead of making fun of her and saying she was unworthy of being Capitan if she didn't know how to work a ship, Harry simply taught her all he knew, he loved the bonding time and feeling like he was important.

Uma can understand and talk to marine animals. She loves telling Harry all the gossip and news about the sea animals lives, she gets absolutely giddy to tell him. And when they go to the ocean she'll just start convos with a random fish updating Harry so often of what's going on. It's one of the millions of reasons Harry is so deeply in love with her, he loves seeing how happy it makes her.

Stealing is fun. It's one of their favorite activities and hobbies to do together. It's frowned upon in Auradon but Uma decided it's okay as long as it's not from a small business. And anything Uma says goes, so...

Harry has done all of Umas tattoos and it's going to stay that way because the boy has an artistic eye.

Harry likes to caress Uma it's a stress reliever and she's soft so you know, it's valid.

Them doing each other's hair and makeup obvi.

Uma got Harry a bouquet of nightshade for Valentine's day, because it's funner when it's deadly.

Uma thinks that sword fights are the most romantic dates, oof and seeing Harry in combat. Just makes her ravenous.

Umas the early bird and loves watching Harry sleep. He always has crazy bed head. But this means Uma falls asleep first so Harry gets to watch her sleep during the night.

Uma started having Harry test her food to see if it was "poisonous." In reality she just felt bad that he wasn't getting enough food and this excuse was the only way she could get him to take some of her food. This just led to them sharing food all the time.

Both Harry and Uma downplay their injuries, it's an isle thing. But it truly concerns Harry just how much Uma will downplay her injuries. One day she said she was fine and proceeded to collapse in front of him. So it gives him extreme anxiety, but like, she's not gonna stop.

It shocks Uma how easily Harry can insert a pick up line or compliment into his sentences when he's talking to her. It's just so quick that she's just stuck there silent not knowing how to react.

Harry would be happy to die for Umas cooking because she is by far the most amazing cook on the planet. At least in Harry's eyes, oh God she's amazing when it comes to cooking.

By the way Uma cooks, Harry cleans. And Harry will cook sometimes if he knows it will relieve her stress.

Harry's receiving love language is physical touch. Umas is words of affirmation. So if course they make sure to shower each other with these.

Uma and Harry have grown a habit of watching and loving soap operas because Ursula always had them on in the chip shop. So when they get time to relax they watch soap operas together and laugh and make fun of them, while also being super invested.

I could continue but I feel like this is getting long. Thank you for the ask, I will probably write more at some point ❤️

[usagirln12003]

Hunter: Hogwarts AU

Hunter is a Half-Blood wizard that was born on the 25th of October 1982 and started attending Hogwarts on the 1st of September 1994, being sorted into Hufflepuff house.

He has a Apple wand with a Unicorn Hair Core.

His Patronus is a Northern Cardinal.

His favorite subject is Muggle Studies and his least favorite subject is History of Magic.

He was the Hufflepuff Keeper in his sixth and seventh year.

During his time while living with his uncle, Hunter acted authoritative and confident in the persona, while praising and advocating for the cause of the minister, his uncle Belos. He was, however, more laid-back and easygoing than him, being sometimes comedic and snarky in his dialogue. Despite his upper-class status, he never takes advantage of his power for personal gain, only using his authority when ordered by Belos himself. He showed deep respect and love towards Belos, yet quite a bit of hubris and egotism towards anyone else, which earned him the dislike of many of his compatriots. Lilith describes Hunter as a brat who is well renowned within Hogwarts and would always receive special treatment for being a "genius teen prodigy", though it's possible that Lilith exaggerated this out of jealousy.

He was, however, an opportunist who was willing to use blackmail or extortion to manipulate others, offering to let Eda and Luz go in exchange for slaying a group of quintapes, and then threatening to kill King when they refuse to do so. Whether this is due to pragmatism or simply laziness is hard to say, but having said that, he does give Luz advice and does indeed let them go after he believes the job is done. Seeing as it was not done (and Eda is well-known as a con artist) might suggest some naivety on his part. After seeing his uncle's necklace (while unaware that it was an Horcrux) around Amity's neck, he attempted to steal it from her and threatened both her and Luz when the two were caught in a deadlock. Despite this, he was genuinely appreciative when Amity complied, showing that it was done out of desperation rather than malice.

Despite his laid-back persona, Hunter was easily annoyed when things didn't go his way, as seen with his early interactions with Luz. He also seemed to have a fascination with magic, and despite his loyalty to Belos and his cause, he still expressed his interest in it towards Luz. In addition, he also possessed a hidden softer side, as he was sickened by the apparent slaying of the Quintapes, as well as being visibly affected by Luz's words when he tried to double-cross her. His softer side grew more prominent later on after bonding to his first pet, Flapjack, not only starting sympathize for him, but all the other creatures who had to die for Belos.

He was very loyal to Belos at first, even worrying about the condition of his "uncle" whenever Belos got sick due to his curse. He occasionally offered alternatives to help Belos with dark magic, but also feared his reaction to the mere mention of it. However, his loyalty was not absolute; he continually wondered why Belos had such a strong hatred for all sorts of magic, but was always discouraged or even threatened by Belos whenever he brought up the thought. In addition, Hunter did not want to hand over Flapjack to Belos after the bird chose him as his owner.

Even though he was committed to Belos and his supposed purpose as his heir, Hunter appears to be very insecure about himself. Ever since his failed mission to find magical creatures for Belos, Hunter showed signs of anxiety towards the idea that Belos would replace him and was desperate to get back in his good graces. When he failed to find any more Unicorn Blood, Hunter began to suffer a mental breakdown and chose to lie in a grave rather than return empty-handed, showing that deep down, he fears Belos and the idea of what he'd do to him if he were to fail a second time.

Due to being sheltered all his life by Belos, Hunter's social skills were extremely poor when interacting with others outside of his families' mansion, having no comprehension on how to associate with others his own age. This made it difficult for him to socialize with students at Hogwarts while attempting to gather recruits for the ministry, with him being dumbfounded and horrified by both their independent thinking and disinterest in working for the ministry. This social ineptness also gave him a very limited grasp on how to have fun and understanding others' feelings, as he initially associated fun activities with Belos' brutal training methods for aurors and was unable to comprehend why others his age would object to working for the ministry despite having to be separated from their families and essentially become prisoners.

After befriending a few Quidditch players, however, particularly Willow and Gus, Hunter's character and beliefs gradually began to change. When he became Hufflepuff's new Keeper, his time amongst them allowed him to experience his first genuine instances of having fun and connecting with other witches and wizards his age, causing him to better understand and appreciate the notions of friendship and camaraderie. This was emphasized when, after coming to recognize the danger he placed his teammates in by handing them over to the ministry, Hunter risked his life to help them escape from Darius, despite doing so technically going against Belos' will and placing his status as his heir in jeopardy. Since then, Hunter's social skills gradually improved, as he slowly became more independent and open towards others, despite remaining loyal to Belos.

During his and Luz's time in Belos' memories, however, Hunter's beliefs would be completely shattered after learning the terrible truth of his families' lineage, Belos' evil nature and goals and that the life he was raised in was all a lie. This sent Hunter into a period of trauma and depression, in which he lost much of his previous confidence and became increasingly paranoid and sullen as he struggled to come to terms with the awful truths he learned. Additionally, Hunter's fear of Belos dramatically increased to the point where he would suffer severe panic attacks at the mere thought of being brought to him after learning the minister had been looking to capture and terminate him. Additionally, after learning that he is a horcrux, Hunter became deeply insecure about his true nature and began suffering an existential crisis over his identity and place in the world. This left him questioning whether he was truly a wizard or really human, and deeply uncertain of his individuality; whether he was his own person or simply a copy of someone else.

Despite this, Hunter's kinder, selfless traits gradually came out more following his ordeal in Belos' memories. After accepting his life was a lie, Hunter promptly abandoned his loyalty to Belos, to the point where he risked being captured to protect his friends at Hogwarts from being forcibly sent to work for the ministry, before officially joining the fight against the minister and his genocidal plans for Hogwarts' anniversary. After joining the resistance, however, Hunter became much more humble, caring, and supportive as he regained his former confidence and determination, though no longer to the point of arrogance. Additionally, as his bond with his friends grew stronger, Hunter became deeply devoted to and protective of them, showing that he maintained his strong sense of loyalty though not in the same blindly devoted manner as his previous allegiance to Belos. Despite this, he remained deeply secretive regarding his insecurities, particularly about being a horcrux, out of shame and fear that his friends would reject him for having a bit of Belos' soul inside of him.

In spite of these lingering emotional insecurities, Hunter's personality tremendously improved during his and his friends' time stranded in the muggle neighborhood where Luz lives, becoming much more cheerful, enthusiastic and somewhat geeky, as he came to enjoy his newfound freedom from Belos' control. Additionally, Hunter also possessed a deep fascination and fondness for many customs and features of the Muggle world, including sewing, wolves and especially the Star Wars science-fiction series, of which he became a fan of.

Sadly, this newfound happiness ended when Flapjack sacrificed himself to save Hunter after he was possessed by Belos, leaving him grief-stricken over the loss of his beloved pet and first friend. His struggle to process his grief made him increasingly bitter and short tempered, much like how he was when he lived with Belos. This resulted in him becoming cold and distant towards his friends, to the point of furiously snapping at them whenever irritated or reminded of Flapjack. In addition, after returning to Hogwarts, Hunter completely abandoned his traumatic fears of Belos, replacing them with a deep-seated hatred and strong determination to destroy Belos to avenge Flapjack's death.

Fortunately, over the course of their return to Hogwarts, Hunter was slowly able to recover from Flapjack's loss through the support of his friends. A major catalyst of his healing was when they revealed their awareness of him being a horcrux and voiced their acceptance of him regardless. This not only allowed Hunter to finally make peace with his origins, but also recognize how his anger had distanced himself from his friends, allowing him to finally open himself up to them and make amends. In doing so, he was able to overcome his bitterness and hatred for Belos, coming to prioritize the safety of both his friends and innocent lives more than getting revenge.

In the four years after Belos' defeat, Hunter has become increasingly mature, patient and happy, now being able to enjoy the life of a wand maker, forever freed from Belos' toxic control and influence. Since then, Hunter has shown himself to be much more temperate and open towards others, no longer being afraid of receiving affectionate physical contact and finally entering into a relationship with Willow. In addition, he has also come to terms with and moved on from Flapjack's death, exemplified by how he has affectionately bonded to Waffle as his new pet, while also continuing to honor Flapjack's memory in reverence for his first true friend.

[of-petals-and-lightning]

Mochizuki Rai - Intro Info

BASICS.

FULL NAME: Rai Mochizuki (Eng order) / Mochizuki Rai (Jap order)

NICKNAME/S: Thundercloud (uzui household)

BIRTHDAY/AGE: 21, November 3rd.

GENDER: Nonbinary (masc leaning, primarily they/them, but doesn’t mind she/her or he/him)

HOMETOWN / AREA: Takasaki City, Kantō.

CURRENT HOME: Sound Estate.

PROFESSION: Demon Slayer, Thunder Breathing Form - Naginata / Bisento Version. Kinoe Rank.

BACKSTORY.

After their family was murdered by a demon, Rai was taken in by Kuwajima Jigorou and trained in the art of Thunder Breathing. While they were quite an average slayer at first, their innate stubbornness tended to have slayers of even a single rank lower (and a couple of those who were of higher rank even) look up to them for their determination in the face of exceptionally strong demons. Their warm personality also left quite an impression on Kaigaku, their junior, whom Kuwajima took in after Rai passed their final selection. While Rai saw Kaigaku as a younger brother, he saw a senior whose skill he had to eventually match and surpass in order to earn their respect. With Rai being sent on missions frequently, they weren't able to get through to him that he didn't need to push himself that hard.

It was against such a demon, the most recently created Lower Moon 3, that Rai gained their signature lightning strike scar on the left side of their forehead and through their left eye. Due to their immense skill and determination during the fight, they were able to slay the Lower moon before the newly minted Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen. Impressed by their skill and intense battle instincts, Rai was taken in by Tengen as his tsuguko. Shortly after, they were able to reconnect with their cousin, Yuuki Shiori, as Tengen had taken them to be backup for the squad Shiori had been a part of.

Over the years, and thanks to having the rank of tsuguko, they were able to cultivate and master their own breathing style, Lightning Breathing, and change their weapon from the standard katana to that of a naginata. While it is far more clearly a derivative to Thunder breathing compared to Sound breathing, it allows Rai to fight more freely as they are able to incorporate both traditional slayer stances with certain Shinobi techniques.

They made a name for themself amongst the lower ranked slayers for simply being Tengens’ tsuguko, and even inspired many younger slayers who managed to fight alongside them thanks to their more humble and reasonable personality (especially compared to Tengen).

PHYSICAL.

HAIR: charcoal black & blonde with streaks and tips

EYES: heterochromatic. right - gold, left - pale blue

NOSE: straight but semi-broad

FACE: heart / oval-esc

LIPS: cupids bow

COMPLEXION: warm beige with freckles all across their face, neck, and shoulders.

SCARS:

TATTOOS: Golden lightning that goes through their right eye and over their right shoulder down to their fingertips, all of which covers scars.

HEIGHT: 5’9

WEIGHT: 155lbs

BUILD: naginata-wielder / martial artist - lean muscle

[readtilyoudie]

February 2022- Unprotected: A Memoir by Billy Porter

It’s easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic Emmy-winning performance in the celebrated TV show Pose; before he was the groundbreaking Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of Broadway’s Kinky Boots; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, director, and all-around legend, Porter was a young boy in Pittsburgh who was seen as different, who didn’t fit in. At five years old, Porter was sent to therapy to “fix” his effeminacy. He was endlessly bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, and criticized at his church. Porter came of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle. Billy Porter’s Unprotected is the life story of a singular artist and survivor in his own words. It is the story of a boy whose talent and courage opened doors for him, but only a crack. It is the story of a teenager discovering himself, learning his voice and his craft amidst deep trauma. And it is the story of a young man whose unbreakable determination led him through countless hard times to where he is now; a proud icon who refuses to back down or hide. Porter is a multitalented, multifaceted treasure at the top of his game, and Unprotected is a resonant, inspirational story of trauma and healing, shot through with his singular voice.

Last year, this blog didn't recognize the monthly holidays with our choices -- something that came from being new. But as we head into our second year here soon, we want our picks to be better and show recognition. That's why this is my pick for Black History Month.

Why this book? Because I love bios. Because Billy Porter is a queer and fashion icon, but outside of tumblr posts, I honestly have no idea who this person is. But I want to, and that's why we're going with this one. We haven't read any bios as a blog and I'm interested in Inu's reaction. I read a good deal of them, fictional and nonfiction. I'm looking forward to listening to the audiobook. It's always better to hear bios in their own voice.

[wet-leafs]

Okay okay. Someone reblogged this post from me with these tags and... Ok. I've been trying to think of a way make this post without being elitist, because elitism SUCKS and I'm just a huge art history nerd.

Basically, this art actually isn't based on the Frozen painting. All those paintings in the Frozen castle are based on famous historical paintings! Those tags made me realize that some people might not know about all of the cool real art references that are made in "First Time in Forever" in Frozen!!

Before I start, to reiterate and clarify: this is absolutely not about looking down on or making fun of anyone for not knowing art history. I mean for starters art history is a relatively obscure topic, but also Frozen is a children's movie, which means that most of these references were probably expected to go unnoticed by its audience. Not knowing things isn't a bad thing, and it doesn't deserve criticism!! I just go feral for art history and I'd love to teach anyone who's interested about the role of it in Frozen!! Come geek out with me :)

Yay! Welcome! So, to my lovely follower who reblogged this - if you (or anyone else!) didn't know, this is a reimagining of a well-known painting called The Swing by French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard, circa 1767.

Here's the original French painting ↓

And here's the Frozen version, with and without Anna! ↓

This painting is shown while she sings "First Time in Forever", and she dances past several other paintings - which also have real-life counterparts! She recreates/imitates each painting she passes. The English major inside me is absolutely chomping at the bit. I could break apart this entire part of the movie and analyze it but I won't put anyone through that.

Here's a good image I found on Reddit of all the different examples! The middle images are the originals, and the images on the right are Frozen's interpretations. (Sorry for the low quality) ↓

AHHH I love it! I love when animated movies do stuff like this!!! Easter Eggs are so fun... anyway - in order from top to bottom, here's the real-life art equivalents:

The Peasant Dance by Bruegel the Elder (1567)

The Picnic by Auguste Serrure (circa mid-late 1800s)

Dancing Couple by Gerard ter Borch (1660)

El Jaleo by John Singer Sargent (1882)

The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1767)

Potiphar’s Wife Shows Joseph’s Gown to Her Husband. by Lucas van Leyden (circa 1512)

There's also the Joan of Arc one that I remember, that isn't in the Reddit compilation photo. In a different song Anna gestures towards a version of St. Joan of Arc by John Gilbert circa 1879. Here's the original and then Disney's version ↓

I love that original painting, it's one of my all-time favorites. And Disney kept her looking badass! I approve.

Here's a larger image of #3, another personal favorite of mine - Dancing Couple by ter Borch ↓

I'm obsessed with how hard she's slaying and how, in return, he is serving nothing. She's basically glowing in her gown of WHITE SATIN AND SILK (literally the most expensive material to buy and upkeep at the time, let alone make a whole dress out of) while he is literally fading into the background with his Morticia Addams haircut. And the way she's looking down at his HAND I simply cannot. This painting is so funny. She's just not that into you dude.

I love historical art, man. I really do. It was (is?) like a whole other language where you could equate someone to Virgin Mary or Jesus based solely on what color fabric they're wearing, or the subjects' composition. Or you could imply someone was promiscuous based on whether or not their fruit basket is tipped over in the background. It's wild.

Anyways - here's a clearer comparison of Frozen's recreation of Sargent's El Jaleo ↓

El Jaleo by John Singer Sargent ↑ Anna jumping in in front of the recreation ↓

IS THIS NOT EXCELLENT????? I find this excellent. Art begets art y'all, nothing is new. Plus you KNOW the artist had a blast with this. Actually let me see if I can find the artist credit for these recreations! They deserve a shoutout! (Not that my tiny blog will be platforming a Disney-contracted artist but whatever.)

THEY'RE ON TUMBLR!! @coryloftis

Here's their post about the art, with high-res images. There's one that wasn't included in the Reddit image! They haven't posted since 2017 but they have links to their other online presences for anyone interested.

Okay back on track back on track, I'm just about done. Here's some cool close-ups from the original The Swing ↓

↑ Cupids are very prominent is this era's art style. I quite literally don't have time to get into their symbolism though. I'd be here all day.

↑ This is the man pushing the woman on the swing. Again I just don't have time to get into this properly so just take my word on it: Fragonard is calling this guy a simp pushover.

Oh he's also calling this guy a simp pushover ↓

So with all of that historical context out of the way...

What I always love to come across are modern reinterpretations of historical pieces that include POC! And that's what the artist at the verryyy top of this post did! (@shouty-y)

Side note: @shouty-y is one of my ALL TIME favorite modern artists, I've been following them for years and I love love love literally everything they make. Go check them out!!! The Classics But Make It Gay zine is incredible, it's linked in the original post.

Anyways I'll wrap it up.

TL;DR: The paintings hanging in the Frozen castle are actually modern imitations of real historical art pieces!! So this version of the woman on a swing that centers a woman of color instead of a white woman is not only excellent in general; it implies a much larger real-life message about Western culture, racism, art, history, whiteness, oppression, and like so many other things again I could genuinely write essays about this topic I'm begging for an excuse to talk about gender and race and sexuality in relation to art history holy shit

So yes! That's it. :) Wow, this got long. Whoops! I really hope that none of that came off as condescending at all. I just like art a lot and I love talking about it! And I never thought about how many people probably don't know about all the cool art references in Disney movies, so I thought I'd share. <3

Here’s my full piece for the “Classics but Make it Gay” zine which Kickstarter has officially launched now! 😳✨