#the fighting was absolutely wonderful here

[dynamightimagines]

Can you write some headcannons of Izuku, Katsuki, Denki, Kiri, and Tamaki Amajiki dating a reader whose quirk is basically her being a magical girl.

Hey hey! Sorry this one took a min! This is so cute I have just been so mf busy with work and everything in like (why is finding new health insurance so mf hard) Hope you like it!! headcannons under the tag!! (I'm switching canon a little around for a few to fit reader into the story!)

Izuku, Katsuki, Denki, Kirishima, and Tamaki with a magical girl! S/O!

Izuku Midoriya

The first time Deku had seen your quirk he was absolutely stunned.

You guys were doing the villain and hero scenario's and you had been partnered with Uraraka to stop Iida and Bakugou from taking the bomb

It was normal at first, until the bright light went off

At first Izuku thought it was Bakugou setting off a particularly big explosion, the white of the blast blinding the cameras they were watching the fight from

But as it dimmed he realized it was focused around you, and as it went away he realized why your hero costume at first was so basic

It had completely transformed, you now adorned in a cute (favorite color) outfit, complete with bows and a small staff now in your hands

You seemed to move faster, even with the complicated outfit you were dodging your enemies left and right, sending out blasts from the staff you now carried

Izuku desperately wished he had his journal right now. How did your entire outfit change? And the increase in your stamina and dexterity?

You were keeping up very well with your opponents, dodging Bakugou's blasts left and right and moving faster than Iida could reach you

You were able to keep them long enough for the timer to run out, signaling your win against the hero team

As soon as you got back to the meeting room you were flocked by everyone, all of them aweing over your new costume and how your quirk worked

Another bright flash was sent out and you were back into your normal clothes, fatigue now visibly apparent on your face

Deku offered to take you to the infirmary to rest since his trial was already done

He tried really hard, but he couldn't stop himself from throwing question after question at you, wondering how your quirk worked, its drawbacks, and what all you could do

You were happy to answer all of his questions, bashful at the idea of someone so interested in your quirk

This blossomed your friendship, and little did you know how far your relationship would go

Katsuki Bakugou

Everyone teased him for your relationship

How did he, the angriest and most volatile student in UA, get together with one of the most upbeat and sociable students?

He made everyone who knew swear up and down they'd never let it out that he was the one that fell for you first

When he first saw your quirk, he thought it was the most obnoxious thing in the world, bright lights and frills and a wand?

But the power you had, the strength and how well you wielded the quirk's possibilities was admirable

Your sociable personality bounced off of his brash one well, making you two a popular couple

He knew you could handle yourself, sitting back during training knowing you'd always kick your opponents ass

Plus, he found it absolutely hilarious to see hardened, scary villains get demolished by you in your adorable costume, like a doll beating down Godzilla

He will also never admit it, but he finds your outfit adorable

He swears it changes a little bit every now and then, morphing to your growing personality

No matter what, its a perfect personification of you, and he will never get tired of it!

Denki Kaminari

The first time Denki saw you in action he swears he died and went to heaven

We know this guy watches anime, so the fact that, right before his eyes, a beautiful magical girl is here, just for him?

Technically just for him, as you two were sparring and you were coming right at him with your staff at the ready

He didn't care if he got teased for the quickest knockout in today's class, the fact that you carried him back to the infirmary and waited for him to wake up is all he needed to see before he decided he loved you

He hits you with so many flirty comments, calling you magical and asking you if you could sweep him off his feet

Luckily for him, it worked, and you two began dating

He will never stop bragging about you, showing off your quirk and cuteness to everyone he meets, daring them to fight you just so he can see you kick their asses, and see their faces as they realize the adorable and seemingly harmless girl they dared to fight could probably send them to hell and back

If anyone makes fun of your quirk he's quick to defend you, threatening to fight whoever dares to be mean to you, even though he knows you can defend yourself

He will never get over your magical girl outfit, begging you to activate your quirk just so he can take pictures of you in it

He will beg Momo to make a replica of it so you can wear it even while not activating your quirk

You are his beautiful magical princess and he will always treat you as such!

Eijiro Kirishima

You two are such a power duo

you both are power houses in a fight, and when you're partnered you are practically unstoppable

Imagine trying to block Kirishima while you're in the back shooting blast after blast of pure power

Any opponent would be overwhelmed quite easily

If anyone doubts you because of how your quirk looks he is the first to defend you, telling whoever is being mean to you that you are probably much stronger than most macho looking guys out there

If anyone's words ever get to you and you start doubting yourself he makes sure to shower you in reassurances, telling you that despite how girly someone may think your quirk looks you are a beast on the battlefield

He would ask you to help him train, to shoot blast after blast at him to help him increase the durability of his hardening

You two are easily the most popular couple at UA, your guys' kindness and strength make everyone feel safe and appreciated

Tamaki Amajiki

Tamaki first noticed you when you got second place in that year's sports festival, just behind Mirio

Mirio quickly became your friend, so of course you became good friends with Nejire and Tamaki too!

You and Nejire became best friends first, two of the cutest girls in your year made you quite popular

Tamaki was very intimidated by you at first, your flashiness and power was enough to make anyone shy

But you were so nice! How could he not respond to you and hang out with you when you asked so politely, and made sure to make plans in calm places so he wouldn't be overwhelmed?

Plus Mirio loved you, so that was good enough reason for him to open up to you

You're definitely the 'leader' in the relationship, taking lead of plans and any interactions you guys had while you were out

"He asked for no pickles" type of dynamic

You thought his power was absolutely amazing, and you never failed to tell him so, even though it made him a blushing mess

You got lots of love letters, many boys and girls alike showed affection for you and it made Amajiki very self conscious

You always reassured him, promising you would never leave him for someone else

He loves you with all his might and he will never stop showing it to you

Can you tell I lost all writing capabilities and motivation half way through this LOL I love this prompt I just suck at keeping focused. Love ya!

[highly-flammable]

I still have so many thoughts about this scene.

It’s very interesting how regardless of what you think of Sauron’s motivations here, his emotions are completely genuine here. Galadriel is someone who has believed in him, who has pushed him and revitalized him, and that feeling, that high he could chase forever. We see how lonely Sauron as a character is in S2, how he has felt betrayed at the hand of Adar, and how normal people (like Diarmid) don’t do anything for him. It takes someone like Galadriel with her level of power and wisdom, and that hint of darkness, to finally feel like he is not alone. That he has somehow been made better.

At the same time, you have to wonder why this is the moment that he chose to open up to Galadriel like this. In the scene right before, he seemed almost calculating as he called her name and stopped her from killing Adar. I, for one, am averse to having too much of a charitable opinion of this guy. To me, part of the beauty of this character in TROP is that he says and does many things that come from an emotionally honest place, but they end up serving his goals in little ways.

As I see it, both things are true: he could genuinely feel a connection to her and felt like communicating it (you can almost feel the words spilling out of him), and he also saw how this moment was absolutely ripe for Galadriel to know they were firm friends and therefore get bound to him. Their fight was seemingly over and he knew she was going to have to leave soon. He had to give her a reason to still have him around, and here he tries to do that. Galadriel is someone who has spent centuries looking for him so that she could destroy him, and this is when he sees that opening where he could get through to her and somehow make her feel that they did not have to be enemies. Sauron’s good at choosing the moments for planting seeds which will bear fruit later, and we will indeed see him referring to this interaction multiple times in the future.

Sidenote: Charlie Vickers has very soulful, expressive eyes.

Moving on to what I personally find even more interesting: Galadriel’s feelings. Morfydd once mentioned in an interview that when Galadriel meets Halbrand, she is desperate to feel anything other than grief. She has been drowning in it for centuries, and when Sauron pulls her out of the ocean in the middle of the tempest, their resurfacing is symbolic of a rebirth. As brash and headstrong and disrespectful as she finds Halbrand, she enjoys his audacity and his wit. She admires that he feels alive and seems to grasp at opportunities. He wakes her up, as much as she does it for him.

But between the two of them, Galadriel is the one still dealing with overwhelming loss. She is mourning so many of her kinsmen, particularly Finrod, who was clearly her guiding light, and also Celeborn. Different shipper camps will have their interpretations of Galadriel and Celeborn’s relationship, but I don’t think it’s up for debate that she had been quietly grieving him. It wasn’t enough to divert her from hunting down Sauron, but the grief itself is clear in 1x07 when she mentions him. Galadriel’s story has been a tapestry of different kinds of loss - the ones that are unexpected and come as a heavy blow like Finrod’s, and the ones where the realization slowly seeps in like poison and eats away at you.

It’s downright painful for her to admit here that she felt something poignant with regard to Halbrand, perhaps simply because she is so afraid of loss again. It must have been ages since she last let someone new in, and this person has rescued her and stood by her (aside from all the playing hard to get) when she was utterly alone. This is the moment where it truly hits her how much he has begun to mean to her, and having gone through what she has, you have to assume she is downright terrified of it, particularly because as per her knowledge, this is a mortal man, with no enhanced lifespan even, his time on middle-earth a mere blink against the ages she has endured and will continue to.

Their relationship has been coded as romantic from the very beginning (I would say right from the moment Sauron first tries to separate from the rest of the castaways in 1x02 and clearly plans to join her). But I don’t believe Galadriel in this scene would ever admit to herself if she felt anything romantic. It would be too much for her, and I don’t believe she is even in the headspace to think about these things . I have to say Morfydd and Charlie are right about one thing: romance alone doesn’t cover whatever they were trying to sell here. For both characters, this is a moment of a tremendous wall breaking down emotionally, and both of them realizing they have met their kindreds. This is the moment that understandably keeps haunting both of them, and I suppose will continue to for multiple reasons.

Sidenote 2: Galadriel’s little shaky breaths and subtly pained expressions are so masterfully done here by Morfydd. You almost feel like you are watching someone’s wounds being slowly, excruciatingly cut open again.

[peppermint-cardboard]

hey. hello my friend. i am grabbing you by the shoulders oh so gently. do not become hopeless. that is exactly what they want. blue state governments will give them hell over the next presidential term, and you can rest assured there will absolutely be people in our government fighting for democracy.

the thing we can all do that will have the most direct immediate impact and will lay the groundwork for cultures of help, creativity, and love is to get involved at the local community level.

i’m talking especially to my fellow teens here!!! may not be able to vote but that doesn’t mean we’re not able to help.

for my fellow Angelenos!

Hollywood Food Coalition - free food! you can sign up to volunteer and do meal prep (cooking), meal service (serving food), or help at their food bank. locations are on their website. thanksgiving is coming up and HFC will need volunteers!

My Friend’s Place - free aid for youth homelessness, especially queer youth homelessness. volunteering is for 18 years and older

Los Angeles LGBT Center - exactly what it sounds like. offers a wide range of wonderful services and opportunities for volunteering. also works with school GSAs!

Moonwater Farm - a community farm in Compton with great opportunities for education and sometimes paid fellowships

for people everywhere else! just some general recommendations:

The Trevor Project - queer youth services that have saved my ass a number of times. i don’t know if they call the police as part of their responses or not (offers a single-click-to-leave button in case of emergency)

TrevorSpace - a great queer youth-centered website and a very safe place for queer community and discussion

Debate Me, Bro - a great anarchist newsletter/advice column run by a friend of mine!

The Child And Its Enemies - anarchist child rights-focused podcast also run by that same friend of mine :)

Neocities - make a website! learn some HTML! it’s fun, it’s pretty simple, and it’s a way to get a message out if that’s what you want but it’s also just a great de-stresser

Queer Liberation Library - need i even elaborate on the importance of libraries and access to queer media over the coming few years? (offers a single-click-to-leave button in case of emergency)

American Civil Liberties Union - an activism and aid organization that gave the Republicans absolute hell last time and will continue to do so this time

Blackline (800-604-5841) - a crisis and help hotline prioritizing BI&POC and black queer people. will not call the police!

Trans Lifeline (US: 877-565-8860, Canada: 877-330-6366) - a helpline run by and for trans folks. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line (888-407-4515) - a warmline to chat with trained therapists and professionals. will not call the police!

StrongHearts Native Helpline (844-762-8483) - a domestic and sexual violence helpline prioritizing Native Americans and Alaska Natives. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Thrive Lifeline (313-662-8209) - a live crisis warmline prioritizing marginalized people. also offers text messaging! will not call the police!

LGBT National Health Center (888-843-4564) - exactly what it sounds like! warmlines for queer people if you need help. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Transfeminine Science - a fantastic resource for... transfeminine science. exactly what it says on the tin.

Planned Parenthood - an incredibly prolific and important organization that offers a very wide array of vastly important services. if you live in an at least semi-urban city in the U.S., Planned Parenthood probably has a clinic near you. you should find out if they do!!!

please feel free to add more resources if you know any!!

other recommendations: say hi to a neighbor. bake someone a pie. start a garden. treat homeless people like your neighbors (because they are). propose a community movie night. have a party in your apartment building. call a friend. text a friend. draw something. cook something good. go to a restaurant you like. buy some DVDs. get a new stuffed animal. compliment a stranger’s shirt. ask for a hug. offer someone a hug. listen to music. KEEP LIVING!!!!!!!!!

don't just survive, keep living <3

[thanks-for-the-crabapples]

Initial thoughts while watching arcane s2 act 1, spoilers below

Ep 1:

Literally in disbelief that Mel ended up alive, surely thought they were going to kill her and thus spark off Ambessa's arc

Absolutely unhinged that Viktor's last wish was for Jayce to destroy the hexcore and he uses it to save his life. There will surely be no repercussions from this action

Caitlyn and Vi hugging stfuuuuuuu

I really wish we had gotten to see Caitlyn defending Vi to the Enforcers instead of just hearing about it. I think that would've been really helpful for Cait's arc as well as made their future rift more impactful :/

That chem baron attack had me on the edge of my seat !! If they actually killed Mel in that moment I would've been so mad that I wondered about her for three years then found out she was alive then saw her die.... not yet at least :|

Okay but was the chem baron lady always that fit? Like,,,,hello

Cait and Vi fighting together is *chef's kiss*

Made a joke that Ambessa was late to the party cause she was watching her own music video to hype herself up. If only :(

Caitlyn storming in and claiming herself as a decorated officer and leader of House Kiramman to get her way holyyyyyy shit girl get it

Ep 2

These little differently animated opens are so slay

Very fun to see behind the curtain of this power grab. Love Sevika saying they don't give up their own people. She has changed somehow??

Super fun watching Sevika and Jinx reminisce about being Silco's henchwomen. They say behind every strong man, lol

Viktor waking up?!?!? Hehe he's nakey. They made Jayce give him a blanket so we wouldn't know about his arcane pee pee, sad

Affection that held us together??? Yaoi

They just love throwing more and more irreparable moments at Vi and Jinx's relationship huh? Talking about the arcade and how sad Jinx was to see Vi as an Enforcer using the gas :((((

Caitlyn's rage??? Okay girl go off. Let us see your rage. I support women's wrongs

Jinx's line about taking out the only family she has left kill me

Viktor as Jesus is not what I was expecting but I'm here for it

Ep 3:

So fascinated by the Kiramman lore and The Gray

Also, just have to say that the intro is so good and I never would have expected comfortable clothes for everyone but it's giving. Whoever put Cait in a black turtle neck thank youuuu

*kinda blacked out and missed stuff in this episode cause* CAITVI KISS LETS GO HAJAFHSJSKFK

Scientist team up is delightful

Definitely thought the temple fight was gonna be ep 9, very interesting fight and dynamic, it makes me very sad :(

"You're not my sister" ahhhhhhhh

I've taken ventilation classes before and idk how Jinx made the air do that lol

Cait and Vi break up scene, hundreds dead thousands injured. It's me, I'm dead

I'm so ready to witness all of Caitlyn's wrongs

Def blacked out most of ep 3 and missed quite a bit of note taking cause so much was happening. Can't wait to go back and process it all again. Until then I'm going to keep wallowing

[lightningarmour]

Absolute comics first thoughts

For the first time since the end of DOOMSDAY CLOCK I've been persuaded into paying money for a DC comic, and two, no less.

I've been 100% checked out of the DC sphere for about 5 years, only occasionally seeing some news here or there about the latest crossover event or fave character or what have you, and I regard those with the passing interest one might have in seeing a hot air balloon. Nothing has drawn me back partly because I'm old now and don't have the time or inclination to try catching up on years of crossover event, status quo altering storylines and yadda yadda.

I had heard about the new ABSOLUTE line of titles, but from the initial teasers and previews, not the least of which was the character design for Absolute Batman with his giant stupid fat bat symbol, I just wrote it off as them doing yet more edgy elseworlds stories, and thought no more on it until maybe three weeks ago. I saw a little roundup of details about Absolute Superman from an interview with Jason Aaron and it caught my attention.

I've gone on at length in the past about how I think that any earnest attempt at writing Superman for modern audiences that keeps true to the "idea" of Superman without making a cynical edgelord version of the character would need to depict Superman as a politically engaged, class conscious individual at least, and a full on Leninist at best. Now obviously I do not expect DC comics to publish a comic about communist superman without it being a laughable piece of propaganda like RED SON, but nonetheless, hearing that Absolute Superman is about a superman who is fighting a mining corporation to protect a community of abused labourers, and re-imagining Krypton as a caste-based society that was destroyed by reckless exploitation of the environment, I was certainly interested.

I resolved to check it out at least. I'd seen some of the details about Absolute Batman, that he's not a billionaire and whatever and still wasn't too interested, but realized I'd heard basically nothing about Absolute Wonder Woman. "She didn't grow up on Themyscira" okay what does that mean?

At this point both Batman and Wonder Woman were out so I looked it up and found some pages from Absolute Wonder Woman #1 and was pretty much instantly hooked because the art was tremendous, and Wonder Woman is flying on a skeleton pegasus with a huge Guts sword and like, that just fucking rocks ass, come on. So I was now sold on two Absolute series, I decided eh, what the hell I'll check out Absolute Batman #1, maybe I could be convinced.

So now that I've read all three first issues of the new ABSOLUTE Universe, I have some thoughts.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 is a confused mess. I think that Batman, being easily the most popular DC character, with the broadest demographic appeal, has too much baggage. You'd kind of think that with a character like this where everyone knows his whole basic backstory, you could gloss over the details a bit more, but this issue is so concerned with establishing and referencing as many iconic Batman characters as possible, it's so bloated.

in this one(1) issue they set up or directly show you: Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, Barbara Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Killer Croc, Penguin, Riddler, Cat Woman, Two-Face, Black Mask, Ras Al Ghul, and of course we cannot go even one single issue without giving you The Joinker. It's too much. Ease off. We're not going to encounter probably two thirds of these people for ages. And, frankly establishing that half of Batman's presumptive rogue's gallery just so happened to be Bruce Wayne's childhood friends is dumb as shit. The dynamic between all of them is going to follow the exact same "gasp, could it be that my old friend is now a criminal?!" dynamic like 5 times in a row.

This is easily the most edgy of the current Absolute series and is basically exactly what I assumed the whole imprint was going to be, but it really feels in places like Scott Snyder wanted this to be a Batman that was darker and more violent but then DC editorial was like "no, Batman can't kill people" so he adjusted the script as little as possible to reassure the audience that he's rolling non-lethal damage as he stabs the shit out of people with his ear-knives and chops their hands off.

Despite all the parts I don't like about how they portray Batman, the thing that pisses me off is I really like the way they are doing Bruce Wayne.

Typically Bruce Wayne, the billionaire is kind of a hard character for me to like because of how much he serves this kind of great man power fantasy(yes, I know, superhero comics are inherently fascist) He has a vendetta against the concept of crime because his parents were killed by a criminal, so he takes it upon himself to "protect" Gotham, but in many depictions of Batman it's kind of like, what exactly is his connection to the city other than he lives there and presumably is the HQ of Wayne Enterprises. he views it the way a rich person would, dirty and too full of undesirable people who must be punished so that he, a wealthy socialite can enjoy the place without having to see the underclasses.

Making Bruce a working class urbanist is such a more interesting way of exploring the character. He loves the city because he grew up in it's streets, played in it's parks, attended it's schools, rode it's busses. Adding the layer on that that he became a civil engineer and worked with the municipal government does for the first time I've ever seen something interesting with Gotham by kind of interrogating the notion of what makes a city what it is. Is it the infrastructure, the people, the civil servants? It's the most interesting Bruce Wayne has ever been.

But then as Batman he's just fucking mutilating people and blowing them up with bombs and whatever. Yawn. I think that the Batman aspect also annoys me because it so blatantly disregards the central premise of the Absolute line. What if Batman wasn't a billionaire? Well then he wouldn't have access to tons of money and resources to do his Batman shit! So they like, half-ass that by giving him the kind of stripped-down arsenal. No gadgets and gizmos, just knives and a hunk of bat shaped metal used as a battle axe. But then oh yeah he also has some kind of miracle fabric that he can use as like tendrils or whatever and it's completely bullet-proof and so on and so forth. Like, Batman really really does not feel in any meaningful way like he is working at a disadvantage in this version of the story, and that just makes the whole thing so damn boring.

ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #1 fucking kicks ass. This was by kind of a wide margin the best issue of the three series debut issues. I think that unlike Batman and Superman who both have quite a lot of baggage tied into their backstories and supporting cast and so forth, Wonder Woman has never quite achieved the level of iconography as they have so there's almost more freedom to do something new without hitting a bunch of prescribed plot points. In fact she might be the one of the trinity who has had the most attempts to re-imagine her and spruce her up to get people interested. I recall back in 2010 they did a big shake up that was not too dissimilar to this new take on the character. What if she never grew up on Themyscira? What if she didn't have the favour of the gods, etc. And I really liked that one, so I guess it's no surprise I'd be fond of this new version as well.

I think the number one thing that hooked me on this issue is the artwork, tbh. It's my favourite style so far of the Absolute comics, and everything just looks so cool and big and epic and awesome. That's it. It's just cool as hell.

The next most important thing is it has much better pacing than the other issues. You get a very simple, very effective set-up. The Amazons have been punished by the gods so this baby is being raised in hell by a witch. That's it. Good, effective time lapse of her growing up interspersed within the action scenes of her fighting monsters. It's simple and to the point but still leaves me invested int he mystery and wanting to know more. And again, it did not feel the need to shoe-horn a bunch of characters in so you can do the soyjack point at the issue. They could have easily shoved Steve Trevor in there as one of the soldiers responding to the freaky monster pyramid but that would have just been lame. It's confident enough in itself to not have to try and get you with low hanging fruit.

I don't really have much else to say, it's just cool and good and I'm unequivocally excited for more.

ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #1 is a solid start. Now I'll admit I'm way more of a Superman-head than I am for Batman or Wonder Woman. This was the series that made me interested in the Absolute experiment in the first place, so I'm probably way more willing to be lenient towards a Superman title than say Batman.

That being said, this one also has like Batman, aspects I really like, and others I'm a bit iffy on, though not in as wide a gulf as Absolute Batman. As I said before, I've spent probably too much time trying to think of how to reinvent Superman in a modern context and, specifically, from a politically left-wing perspective, and I'll say that so far I think they're doing a decent job.

It's obviously nothing new to look at Superman as an immigrant story. Going all the way back to Siegel & Shuster, who were children of Jewish immigrants, the whole idea was what if this guy came from somewhere else. I think that the way that Jason Aaron has interpreted that concept for a modern context is actually quite brilliant. It's almost less of what if Superman was an immigrant than what if Superman was a refugee? Rather than unable to return to his homeland, but finding a new home with loving foster parents we are given the suggestion that he's never had a stable home since arriving on Earth. Moving from one place to another, nowhere to go home to, hiding among the economically exploited peoples of the global south.

It's such a riveting set up, I'm really excited to see how this version of the Character is informed by his history.

I also like the use of Krypton as kind of a heavy-handed double metaphor for stratified class society and the dangers of climate change. Like, it is presumably already dead and gone and unable to like, textually affect the story so who cares if it's allegorical nature is too on the nose. I also really like the notion of Kal El having like, living memory of Krypton, rather than only knowing about it from recordings on an alien flash drive or whatever.

I think the use of this "Lazarus" corporation as a kind of stand-in blanket evil corporation that does every kind of exploitative, extractive, broadly seen as morally wrong kinds of industries a bit hokey but hey it's a comic. I love the use of the Peacemakers as the like, corporate PMC security force though, that's fun. I am pretty curious if Lazarus is going to be a kind of fake-out Lexcorp. Like Luthor is the head of it but they called it by a different name so as not to ruin the surprise of his introduction. That or maybe it's related to Ras Al Ghul? Who knows, but I'm interested in what their whole deal is. They not only operate diamond mines and factory farms but also like, hunt down alien technology to reverse engineer?? And employ a Brainiac. curious as to what the deal is with the screaming jars. Does being shrunk down just like, really hurt? Seems like almost going overboard with the concept. Like not only does he shrink down cities and put them in jars but he also tortures the shrunken people? Like why, what's he getting out of it?

Some of the iffy parts for me include the suit AI thing he's got because I'm frankly sick of that trope by now. Ever since Iron man it's like every fucking character in comics has to have some kind of tech suit with a quirky robot voice. I'm willing to give it a chance on the grounds that it's like alien technology so sure whatever. I kind of like that he has to fucking charge the suit with a solar panel. I am curious about what exactly the breakdown is with the suit. He uses his x-ray and laser eyes so presumably it's still Kal himself who has super powers and they're not like, imbued by the suit. The suit seems like it is regulating his powers in some way. Like without it he couldn't control them and would cause havoc, but the fact that he has to like charge the suit's battery is kind of funny. Like, is the suit solar powered and his powers are just inherent no matter what, or does he still derive his power from sunlight as well? Fuzzy on the rules.

I also don't like the Lois reveal. It's just dull. Who care. The little teaser of Kent Farm is interesting to me. Feels like several different ways they could pivot:

Kal El's rocket lands and blows a hole in their barn, they find him and are frightened of him so they call the authorities/Lazarus and Kal flees.

Similar to above but they care for him like usual before Lazarus shows up looking for the alien craft and kill the Kents to remove any witnesses

Altogether it does enough things I'm interested in to keep me going with it despite the few quibbles I have. So far it's 2/3 on the Absolute universe and with the "phase 2" or whatever announced I'm 100% guaranteed also picking up Absolute Flash because it's my boy Wally and Jeff Lemire writing, like come the fuck on, how could I resist that.

[cvrnelians]

birds of a feather

dark!Wade Wilson x reader: Wade does his best to protect you, in his own way.

Content warnings: stalking, obsessive behavior, violence. This blog is 18+ only, minors do not interact.

Shit was getting weird.

Like, freaky deaky weird.

Wade hadn’t meant for things to go this far. He never intended to follow you, he never planned on breaking into your place, and he certainly never meant to scare you, for goddesses sake.

And yet, here he was. Doing any and every and all of those things.

You managed to piece things together fairly quickly. Of course you did, you smart cookie. You knew you were being followed—just not by who. Or whom. Whatever.

You didn’t know Wade. Not yet. One day you would, but for now, you simply knew him as some creep in a fugly jacket trailing behind you on your journeys to and from work. And the grocery store. And the mall. And your weekly therapy appointments, which were probably very necessary at this point.

Sadly, your awareness of his sparkling presence in your life made things ten times weirder than they already were. Because now that you caught him in the act, it meant things were actually real. Wade’s actions were having a serious effect on someone, a serious effect on you. And you were terrified. Obviously. Who wouldn’t be?

Ugh.

It was a massive bummer. He didn’t want to freak you out—not like this, anyway. If you just got to know him, you’d realize definitively that there was nothing to be afraid of. And you were so much alike! You loved all the same things—pizza, fancy cocktails, joyrides, Wham! And you were kind. And sweet. And beautiful.

Right before he had the chance to finally come forward—to gracefully saunter out from the shadows and come into the light—to finally tell you who he was and how he felt...

He got sick. Really, really sick. And he sought help. And then he got burned. Literally.

How on this god’s green fucking earth were you going to love him now?

💌

It all came to a stop.

The loud footsteps behind you, the odd noise here or there in your apartment, the creepy letters (with the horrifically messy penmanship) left in your mailbox. All of it just…stopped. It was over. After months of sleepless nights and anxiety-ridden days, it was finally over.

The man was tall and lean, with dark eyes and dark hair. That was all you could remember from the night you caught him sneaking out of your apartment. He didn’t look familiar. You weren’t sure how he found you or why he was so fixated on you. Either way, it didn’t matter. You just wanted him gone.

And gone he was. For about six months now, your stalker had all but disappeared.

You wondered if he had lost interest. You wondered if he felt guilty. You wondered if he had died.

“Hiya.”

The man’s voice startled you. More startling was the red and black…leotard? Suit? And even more startling was the action movie-worthy fight scene going down right in front of you.

One second, the man in the red suit was standing in your way, smiling—at least, he sounded like he was smiling—and waving at you cheerfully. In the next second, his fist was plunging into the face of a man standing right behind you. You ducked down and stumbled away as they continued their squabble. You wanted to run, but it was as if you were frozen. You stood in horrified awe as leotard man kicked the absolute shit out of the other one. The fight was over in less than a minute, with a very clear winner.

“Oh my god. Oh my god!” you yelled, watching as the man in normal clothes rolled over in a crumpled, bloody heap. He groaned loudly, coughing.

The man in the red suit bowed proudly. “Thank you, thank you.”

You leaned over the beaten man, surveying his injuries.

“I wouldn’t get any closer if I were you. Our friend here was following you. I don’t know what he planned on doing, but I do know body language. Dude was up to no good.”

Your eyes widened and you backed away slowly. You looked at the man on the ground once more. Tall and lean, with dark hair and dark eyes. Was that….? It had to have been. Who else would be following you so closely like that?

And then, you stepped forward.

You abruptly threw yourself at the man in the red suit, wrapping your arms around him as you sobbed. He stiffened up in surprise, slowly wrapping his arms around you in return.

“Thank you,” you said, your voice muffled in the crook of his neck.

The man cleared his throat, leaning closer. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, no. Don’t mention it.”

💌

Wade smiled to himself.

He was melting. Absolutely, positively melting.

[b1xi]

───𝘊𝘜𝘗𝘐𝘋───ハイキュー!!

Haikyuu(ハイキュー!!)x fem!reader

Word count: 4242

𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

"Hinata-san, slow down! You could fall," you warned, trying to keep up as you ran alongside him towards the gym. His speed was impressive, and you found yourself dodging other students in the crowded hallway, struggling not to lose sight of him.

"Then I'll get my revenge on that King!" Hinata shouted with determination, making an energetic leap just before reaching the gym entrance.

You watched the scene in disbelief. "Is he really having an internal monologue right now...?" you murmured to yourself, almost amused by his intensity. But before you could fully process it, Hinata came to a sudden stop at the entrance, and you found yourself halting abruptly beside him, trying to catch your breath.

"Now what...?" you muttered, frustrated, as you noticed the reason for his sudden stop. Inside the gym, a tall boy with black hair was looking at both of you with an expression that was somewhere between confusion and disapproval, as if he’d just found a pair of intruders in his territory. Catching his gaze, you quickly tried to fix your messy hair after the run, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Hinata, for his part, wore an expression that seemed like a strange mix of dread and restrained excitement. As if facing his greatest challenge, he stayed silent, his eyes locked on the tall boy in front of you, clearly caught up in some kind of internal conflict.

"What are you doing here?!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the empty gym. It seemed like he was facing some kind of nemesis.

You watched the scene with a mix of curiosity and discomfort, wondering what kind of relationship existed between them. "Do you know each other?" you asked, trying to understand the situation, but Hinata, absorbed in his standoff, seemed to ignore your question entirely.

The tall boy, who was looking at you both with a calm but cold expression, finally spoke, his words direct and emotionless. "I saw you last year," he said in a tone that showed disinterest, barely looking at Hinata. "I don’t remember your name."

Hinata, however, didn’t let the comment slide. "My name is Shoyo Hinata!" he retorted, indignant, raising his voice. "I doubt you remember the team you beat in the first match!"

You looked at Hinata, finally understanding the origin of his hostility. The rivalry between them didn’t seem recent; there was a history that still weighed on his mind. But the tall boy, unfazed, calmly interrupted him before Hinata could continue.

"Of course I remember you," he said in a quiet but firm voice.

"What?" Hinata clenched his fists, taking a fighting stance that was more clumsy than intimidating. "Do you want to fight?" he challenged, oblivious to the fact that the height and strength difference between them didn’t play in his favor. You could see that, even though he was angry, Hinata didn’t realize just how disadvantaged he was.

"Hinata-san!" you intervened, fearing more for him than for his opponent. You knew well that the tall boy had the ability to turn your friend into rubble if he decided to take the provocation seriously.

The tall boy observed him in silence for a moment, showing not the slightest emotion, before letting his words fall with unyielding harshness. "You were pathetic," he said bluntly, and although he said it with absolute calm, the comment seemed to hang in the air, freezing it.

Hinata, still frowning and with clenched fists, seemed torn between frustration and determination. His initial surprise had given way to a mix of disbelief and restrained anger. "D-don’t make fun of me!" he exclaimed, clearly upset. "Yeah, we got crushed last time, but I’m not going to lose again! It’s something I promised myself…" His words came out rushed, but the firmness in his voice was unmistakable. However, soon something else crossed his mind, and he added, with the tone of someone trying to understand the impossible, "But…what are you doing here? How am I supposed to beat you if we’re on the same team? You should be at a school with a good team!"

You were surprised by Hinata’s sincerity. The intensity of his frustration spoke of something deeper; it seemed like this boy meant much more to him than just a simple rival.

The tall boy let out a sigh filled with resignation and bitterness. "The best school in the prefecture rejected me," he confessed, not bothering to hide his disappointment.

The revelation left both of you speechless. Hinata and you exchanged a glance, trying to process what that implied. How was it possible that someone with such a commanding presence on the court hadn’t been accepted onto a major team?

"They…they didn’t accept you?" The question escaped your lips before you thought it through, while Hinata, even more perplexed, exclaimed in confusion, "Even though you’re the 'King of the Court'?"

"King of the Court." The nickname echoed in your mind, strange and a bit grandiose. But seeing the hardened expression on the tall boy’s face, you had no doubt that, to him, that title was both a distinction and a burden.

The mention of the "King of the Court" had clearly caused annoyance in the tall boy, who frowned angrily and shot you both a withering look. "Don’t ever call me that again!" he growled, leaving a palpable tension in the air that unsettled both Hinata and you.

Before you could respond, voices filtered in from the nearby hallway, approaching quickly.

"The Kitagawa’s first setter is on our team," said a deep voice, with a mocking tone, "but he’s arrogant."

"Don’t try to intimidate him, all right," another voice chimed in, softer but carrying a slight reprimand.

Hinata, always brimming with enthusiasm, looked toward the hallway, completely curious. "What’s going on?" he murmured to you, edging closer, but stopped when he saw that the conversation continued.

Soon, a group of boys appeared at the entrance to the gym, their silhouettes standing out in the dim light. One of them, tall, with a calm but firm expression, stepped forward. Beside him, a boy with ash-colored hair and another with a shaved head completed the trio.

"Well, well, well. So you guys are..." The shaved-head boy, with a defiant attitude, tried to approach you, but was stopped dead in his tracks by the brown-haired boy, who firmly grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.

"Are you Kageyama?" the brown-haired boy asked, his gaze fixed on the tall, black-haired boy, who, visibly tense, stared back at him.

The atmosphere became even denser with the arrival of the third-year senpais, whose presence and energy were hard to ignore. Everything seemed to pause for a moment as the tension between the volleyball players grew.

Hinata, seeing the opportunity to get noticed, started moving back and forth, eager to attract the attention of the third-years, gesturing exaggeratedly in an attempt to win their favor.

However, it wasn’t just Hinata acting. Determined to make your presence felt, you quickly approached him and, without warning, gave him a firm tap on the back of the neck. "That’s for ignoring me," you said, your tone playful but somewhat ironic, stepping back from him with a slight smile on your face.

The atmosphere in the gym grew even more tense as all eyes turned to you after your little tap on Hinata’s neck. Quickly, he stepped in front of you, protecting you without thinking, and while you were grateful, you couldn’t help but smile at his impulsive gesture.

"Ah, you, the number 1 shorty," said the shaved-head boy, pointing at Hinata. If you remembered correctly, his name was Tanaka.

"So the other candidate is Hinata... is it you?" they asked, their tone a mix of curiosity and a hint of disbelief. "What a surprise. I see, so you two came to Karasuno."

Once again, you felt left out of the conversation, watching as the focus shifted entirely to them. It seemed like Tanaka, Daichi, and Sugawara shared memories of their past encounter with Hinata and Kageyama. You stayed a step back as they began exchanging jokes and comments, as if you weren’t even there.

However, the situation tensed again when Kageyama, in his usual direct style, told Hinata he better have improved his techniques because if not, it would be a waste of time. The dry tone of his voice contrasted with Hinata's vibrant energy, who, though somewhat surprised by the remark, remained firm.

"Hey, you’re not enemies anymore, volleyball is a team sport," Daichi intervened with a calm voice, but his words were quickly drowned out by Hinata.

The tension in the air was palpable. Daichi tried, unsuccessfully, to calm things down, but Hinata’s words, filled with seriousness and indignation, cut off any attempt at mediation. "He challenged you!" he shouted, and his voice, full of determination and a touch of desperation, made the atmosphere even thicker. The desire to prove something was clear in his words.

Tanaka, seeing the growing tension, tried to divert the attention to Daichi’s attempt at reconciliation. "Hey, Daichi-san is talking!" he exclaimed, but the clamor between the two young players continued to grow.

Kageyama, as expected, didn’t hold back. "You’re challenging me to what?" he retorted, his voice relentless, responding to Hinata’s provocation with the same intensity. His expression remained cold, as if this were just a game.

"To volleyball, obviously!" Hinata didn’t hesitate, his challenge clear and direct. The atmosphere between them grew even tenser, and the situation was on the verge of exploding.

You felt uncomfortable seeing how Daichi’s interventions were completely ignored. You thought maybe it was better to step back before things got out of hand, but something kept you there. You couldn’t leave Hinata to deal with this alone, even though you had no interest in volleyball.

The rivalry became even more charged when Kageyama questioned how Hinata expected to challenge him in a one-on-one match. "How do you expect to challenge me one-on-one?" the question came out of his mouth in a challenging tone, which only fueled the flames of the confrontation.

At that moment, a figure appeared in the doorway. "Why is there so much noise?" The voice of the Deputy Director or teacher, you couldn't tell for sure, momentarily halted the verbal exchange. "I hope you're not fighting," they continued, their tone of authority ingraining each word as they approached with a firm step.

Instinctively, you hid behind Sugawara, trying to find a way to avoid being linked to the chaos unfolding. This was your first day at Karasuno, and the last thing you wanted was to get into trouble with one of the school’s authority figures. But, like you, Hinata and Kageyama seemed completely unaware of the Deputy Director's presence. Their rivalry was stronger than anything else at that moment.

"I'll prove I'm not the same as before," Hinata said, defiantly, without a hint of doubt in his voice. Kageyama accepted the challenge, ready to show that, despite the rivalry, there was something deeper behind their competitiveness. Both of them knew this wasn’t just a simple confrontation; it was a test of skill, of growth.

As the situation unfolded, you found yourself in an internal dilemma. Should you stay and support Hinata, or just leave? The truth was, you had no particular interest in volleyball, but the loyalty you felt toward your friend kept you there, watching in silence.

The battle between them continued, with neither yielding. Kageyama, with his precision, and Hinata, with his unstoppable energy, collided with each pass, with each attempt to block. The others watched in fascination, keeping their distance, not interfering in the direct clash between the two.

"Hinata-san!" you exclaimed, worried, as your friend fell to the ground after trying to dodge a powerful shot from Kageyama. The fall was hard, and your instinct was to run to him, but you stopped yourself when you saw him get up quickly, his determination as strong as ever.

"One more!" Hinata yelled, ignoring the pain and fatigue, getting back on his feet with an unwavering energy. Despite the hard impact, his spirit never wavered. His decision was clear: no matter how many times he fell, he would keep fighting.

Daichi tried once more to get Hinata and Kageyama’s attention, his tone both stern and patient. "Hey, that's enough!" he insisted, but his words seemed to fade into the air as the two players ignored any attempt to moderate the situation.

The Deputy Director, visibly upset, shot a disapproving look at Daichi. "They don't even listen to their captain? This is going to be a problem," he commented critically, causing Daichi to tense up under the scrutiny.

"So Daichi is the captain..." you thought, watching as he, despite his calm and kind nature, seemed to have a significant challenge dealing with such intense personalities. However, that same calmness made him a reliable presence, and for a moment, you wondered how far his patience would go with these energetic boys.

The practice continued when Kageyama, completely focused, prepared to make another pass. This time, the ball veered to the side of the court, an unexpected shot that, however, Hinata chased with determination. Hinata’s speed and reflexes almost made you cheer for him, but fate had other plans. Just at the last moment, the ball hit his face with such precision that it bounced directly into the Deputy Director's head, knocking off his toupee.

The gym went dead silent. Eyes froze in time, everyone holding their breath. Instinctively, you placed your hands over your mouth, trying to suppress a laugh that was threatening to burst out.

"He wears a toupee?" Kageyama murmured, approaching Hinata with disbelief.

Hinata, still stunned by the turn of events, whispered back, "Didn’t you notice? We all saw it at the entrance ceremony."

The situation became even more surreal when Tanaka, despite his efforts, let out a muffled laugh. "Guys... shut up..." he pleaded, trying to control his own laughter, though it was almost impossible.

"Tanaka, you shut up too!" Sugawara tried to bring order, though his tone betrayed that he too was struggling against laughter.

Everyone made visible efforts to contain themselves as the head Deputy Director straightened his jacket, trying to regain some dignity. Finally, his gaze landed on the captain. "Sawamura-kun, come here," he asked firmly before leaving the gym.

After a few minutes of waiting, Daichi returned and, without saying a word, lined up the team. You found yourself between Hinata and Kageyama, waiting with a mixture of anticipation and tension as Sawamura prepared to make the announcement.

With controlled calm, Daichi broke the silence. "Luckily, he won’t punish us, nor will he ask us to apologize," he informed, relaxing the tension in the room. Immediately, everyone exhaled in relief, until he added: "But we agreed we didn’t see anything."

Exchanges of glances passed between the team members. Keeping the secret didn’t seem like a problem for anyone; after all, it had been a pretty funny incident. However, as soon as Daichi spoke again, another small dispute broke out between Hinata and Kageyama.

"This is because you couldn’t receive a serve... you’re terrible!" Kageyama accused, turning to Hinata with a serious expression. "Didn’t you say you were different this time? I must have been a fool for believing it!"

Hinata, not missing a second, countered, looking for an ally. "You talk too much, right, Y/N?" he said, hoping for your support.

With a sigh and some irritation, you replied bluntly: "Hey, don’t drag me into this."

Just when the tension between the two seemed to rise again, Daichi raised his voice, causing both of them to fall silent immediately. "Listen well," he said in an authoritative tone, impossible to ignore. "I don’t know why you came to Karasuno, but I want to believe you have the desire to win." With his arms crossed and a serious look, he continued: "A few years ago, Karasuno was one of the best teams in the prefecture. We even made it to the national tournament. However, today we’re among the top eight, nothing special. Other schools call us 'the fallen giant' or 'the wingless crow.'"

Daichi continued explaining the history of the team, its decline, and its potential, in a passionate and motivational speech. Although the sincerity of his words was evident, you couldn’t help but let your mind wander a little; after all, Sawamura’s speech seemed directed at the players who shared his fervor for volleyball. However, you couldn’t ignore the determination you saw in Hinata and Kageyama’s eyes; for them, those words seemed to spark a flame.

Daichi continued his speech, finally approaching where you, Hinata, and Kageyama were standing. However, before you could fully understand the situation, you felt a slight tug on the sleeve of your sweater: Tanaka had discreetly pulled you aside, leaving you at a distance from the scene unfolding.

You watched as Daichi, with a serious and determined expression, focused his attention solely on Hinata and Kageyama. In a firm, unquestionable tone, he delivered his decision: "Until you two get along, we don’t need you on the team." And with that, he closed the door in their faces, leaving them outside the gym.

"Y/N-san!" you heard Hinata’s desperate call from the other side of the door, perhaps hoping you’d intervene for them. However, you remained where you were, aware that there was nothing you could do. Daichi had been clear, and he didn’t seem like the type of person who would change his mind easily.

You sighed, suddenly feeling in an uncomfortable position. Great, you thought, now I’m alone with three third-year students... Hinata, this is all because of your competitive spirit. You threw a frustrated glance at the door, silently wondering how everything had escalated to this point.

Tanaka and Sugawara offered friendly smiles, while Daichi watched the door, clearly waiting for his words to sink in with the two rookies on the other side. After a moment, Daichi seemed to notice your presence and turned to you with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry about all this," he said, looking down at a piece of paper in his hand, seemingly a list of club members. After scanning for your name without success, he looked back at you with a slight confusion. "I’m sorry, but… I don’t see your name on the list. Are you new?"

The question reminded you of why you were there in the first place. "Oh, right, sorry," you replied, feeling a faint blush on your cheeks. "I’m not signed up, I just came to see what the volleyball club was like." Nervously, you put a hand to the back of your neck and introduced yourself: "My name is Y/N Y/LN." You gave a small bow as a gesture of respect.

Daichi gave you a calm smile, perhaps noticing your nervousness. "Nice to meet you, Y/N. I’m Sawamura Daichi," he introduced himself formally. Then, he pointed to his companions.

"I’m Koshi Sugawara," the young man with ash-colored hair chimed in, offering you a kind and genuine smile. "Nice to meet you."

Finally, the guy with a shaved head took an exaggerated, proud stance, hands on his hips. "I’m Ryunosuke Tanaka!" he exclaimed loudly, his energy contagious. "But you can call me Tanaka-senpai."

Sugawara rolled his eyes with an amused smile. "Don’t mind him, Y/N," he joked, earning a mock disappointed look from Tanaka, whose shoulders dramatically dropped.

"So, Y/N, do you play volleyball?" Daichi brought your attention back to him, picking up a ball from the floor and looking at you with curiosity.

"Oh, no!" you responded quickly, shaking your hands in denial. "Well, I used to play occasionally at my old school, but honestly, I’m terrible." The last thing you wanted was for these three to see your mediocre skills at any sport.

Daichi nodded, a look of understanding on his face. "Well, maybe we could ask Kiyoko to show you the open spots on the team; maybe one of them will interest you." He suggested, passing the ball to Sugawara.

Before you could respond, you heard a shout from the other side of the door. "Please let me in! Let me play volleyball!" Hinata’s pleading voice was unmistakable. "I promise I’ll get along with Kageyama, please!"

Sugawara sighed and gave Daichi a knowing look. "Are you sure about this, Daichi? After all, they’re still part of the team," he suggested gently. "Teams bond over time, don’t they?"

Daichi nodded thoughtfully, though his expression remained firm. "I know… but..." His response was interrupted when a loud noise came from the other side of the door, followed by a groan from Hinata.

You frowned and raised your voice, shouting a warning through the door. "Hey, don’t hurt him, emo!" You hadn’t known Hinata for long, but that didn’t mean you’d let Kageyama take advantage of his height and skills.

"I’m sorry, I promise I’ll get along with him," Kageyama responded from the other side, though his tone didn’t sound entirely convincing. Sugawara tried to hide a smile at the dynamic between the two. "Let me join the club!"

Sawamura walked up to the door and opened it just enough to peek his face through. "Really?" He gave Kageyama a firm look, and Kageyama hesitated under the intensity of his gaze. It really didn’t seem easy to lie to Daichi’s face.

Kageyama sighed in resignation before muttering, "If I had to cooperate with him in a match, I’d prefer to receive, set, and spike all by myself." The confession made his pride clear, and you couldn’t help but think about how stubborn he was.

With a sigh, Daichi closed the door again. While you waited, you sat on the floor, trying to distract yourself from the boredom and took out your PSP from your bag, ready to pass the time until Shimizu arrived. You didn’t know anyone in the other clubs, except Nayuta, and the last thing you wanted was to spend your afternoons surrounded by outdated reading.

As the others continued their practice, you occasionally looked up from the screen and watched the game. The energy and coordination of the players were evident; every movement seemed carefully calculated, though some still showed the awkwardness typical of beginners. Daichi led with patience, offering corrections and encouraging his teammates, while Sugawara and Tanaka kept the atmosphere light with jokes and smiles.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Tanaka, full of energy, rushed toward the entrance and hastily opened it with contagious enthusiasm. When you looked up, you noticed a young woman had just entered. She had a calm elegance, and her beauty stood out even in the simplicity of her sports uniform. Her serene eyes and confident posture conveyed a calm and assured presence; it had to be Kiyoko Shimizu.

For a moment, the room seemed to fall silent, as if her arrival captured everyone’s attention. Tanaka, visibly impressed, tried not to let his enthusiasm spill over while welcoming her, but his expression betrayed him: admiration was evident in every word and gesture.

"Kiyoko-san," Daichi said, walking up to her with a smile, then, upon noticing you, gestured for you to join them. "This is Y/N, who’s interested in joining the club."

With a slight nod, you greeted her. "Hello," you said, feeling a faint warmth in your cheeks under the serene and deep gaze of her blue eyes.

Kiyoko returned your smile, her voice calm and professional. "Hello, Y/N. Here are some of the positions we have available. Take your time to choose the one that suits you best." She handed you a sheet with the names and descriptions of the open roles in the club.

You thanked her for the gesture and took the sheet, reading each position carefully. You quickly discarded any option that involved direct contact with the ball; the idea of playing intimidated you a little, and you preferred something less demanding in terms of sports skills. Finally, your gaze landed on an option that seemed manageable: assistant coach. It sounded reasonable: it involved observing the playing style of rival teams, organizing practices, and making strategic notes. Nothing too complex, and interesting enough to keep your attention.

After reflecting for a moment, you returned to Kiyoko. "I think I’ll go for this one," you said, pointing to the position on the sheet you were holding. Kiyoko examined your choice and nodded with approval.

"I think that’s a good option," she replied as she wrote your name on her clipboard, "though, as you may already know, we don’t currently have a coach, so there won’t be many specific tasks for you at first. But you can help with other organizational aspects in the meantime."

"That’s fine, I have no problem with that," you answered, not too concerned with the temporary void in activities. In fact, the idea of a quiet start allowed you to adapt at your own pace and still have time for other things if needed.

[hotmusketeerspoll]

Magnificent Musketeer Tournament

Constance Bonacieux Poll 1 - Round 2

Constance - Tamla Kari The Musketeers 2014-2016

She is brave, caring, independent-minded, loyal, and determined that men aren’t going to have all the fun. She does what she thinks is right, even if it’s dangerous or difficult. She’s ABSOLUTELY GOT THIS. She’s both the garrison mom and one of its fiercest soldiers. She’s a Musketeer!

Constance - Lyna Khoudri Les Trois Mousquetaires: D'Artagnan 2023, Les Trois Mousquetaires: Milady 2023

She's so clever and funny and sweet, she's the perfect Constance. There's no M. Bonacieux in this one so she's single AND a homeowner (one (1) landlady has rights). All of the best scenes in this movie are between her and d'Artagnan because they are SO cute together. There's this part where she's sewing up a gaping wound in d'Artagnan's side and he's flirting with her and she says "next time, I'll sew your mouth shut," and he just meekly goes "alright, I'll shut up." They are CUTE, your honor!!!

The complete list of entrants can be found here.

More information & links to the other polls here.

Additional Propaganda under the cut

Tamla Kari:

She's a fully rounded character, absolutely beautiful, and responds to misogyny with "maybe I bring men to fight [my battles]". She's the Queen's confidante and she's so wonderful that she turns down a man's proposal after her husband's death and he just accepts it and wishes her happiness. This fanvid says it best:

Even though her story is different from the book, it's so wonderful to watch her grow and take such an active role.

Constance is one of the best characters of this show - she gets to be so much more than just a love interest and we get to see her as a fully fleshed out person. Her relationship with Anne in particular stands out as really interesting and fun. She is also a badass and gets to take part in adventures and eventually becoming part of the garrison organisation after she gets to marry d'Artagnan. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and for once Constance gets hers.

Lyna Khoudri:

[katerinaaqu]

Oh boy I am certainly honored! Actually that is a genius way to save it! Hahahahaha!

For real! I think so too! The more I do these stuff the more convinced I am to that! The more I analyze the more gems I discover! Like an endless diamond mine! For real I wonder indeed how on earth is it so brilliant and how contemporary at the same time! This timeless classic!

Hahahaha don't wanna sound salty and say that I am glad because hey that would make me waaaaaay too of a meanie-Odysseus hahaha but I am gonna say I am glad that my analysis makes you make some comparison between the modern ideas and the original material that inspired them. My friend you truly have said it better than what I could ever say! You are absolutely right. I feel like what many modern versions lack is that Odysseus was not going only about Penelope this and Telemachus that, which was already a big part of his goals, but it was about his men as well. His goal was not to return home to his wife. It was for ALL of them to return home to their wives and families. That's why he left no man behind; Lotus Eaters, Polyphemus, Circe etc. every time he had the chance to do something he would do it. He never tried to claw himself out of a situation. He always tried to do it so that he could save his men! That was definitely a trope that missed and couldn't put my finger on but you are so right my friend! THAT is exactly what was missing! (for now I have the drafts that I posted here I am afraid! If you ever get interested ^_^)

I am really honored that it had you thinking! For real and Odysseus as I mentioned in some other parts of conversations and analysis is NOT unaffected by his humiliations and misadventures! For starters he is aware of every detail thus trying to hide his identity from the Phaeaces or lie for his identity to the girl of Ithaca (Athena in disguise). He was also ashamed of women for a while. He didn't let Nausicaa's servants to bathe him and requested that he should bathe himself. His reaction against his nurse could also be low-key trauma. He warns her not to betray him otherwise he wouldn't spare her. Was the threat really necessary? I doubt it. But after spending 7 years abused by a goddess and even more years out there at wars and survival battles Odysseus became even more secretive, even more suspicious.

I agree. Even from before. In fact there were many people who claimed that this whole "monster" saga would be fitting for him during his thought of taking Troy by trickery; his guilt speaking for it I believe it was also @aaronofithaca05 who suggested it at some point when we used to discuss about it more, so that I will not claim the credit for that idea. In generl yes I think this whole "turning into a monster" is a very blunt transfer of the Odyssey. Odysseus never lost his moral compass. It is just his moral compass was not the same as a modern human to begin with. Hehehe I am very happy that you feel that because to me that was the beauty of the Odyssey to begin with; he was a man fighting against the elements, against all odds, torn apart by the sea and the storms but still insisting to go home. Gosh my friend I am gonna cry! You are so right on that! Yes no matter what he did, tried hard, prayed and tried to correct his mistake and yet there is no guarantee that he will get what he wants and he doesn't; his men die, he is left alone. Arguably his ultimate goal to return was of course fulfilled after so much effort but the price was great; despite his best efforts his men are gone and he lost 10 years more of his life in the process Hahaha "more edgy" sounds a perfect description here hahahaha and oh gosh "when younger" makes us feel old! Hahahahahaha! But yes as I said to another post reply of mine; the beauty of the Odyssey for me is that Odysseus could be any one of us; anyone who struggles to survive and achieve a goal and also to learn along the way.

So yes to repeat one more time yes I think so too "Monster" is a very strong song, not gonna lie, and it could fit perfectly on Odysseus but not in that context. Odysseus might as well consider himself a monster for what he did to Troy or that he is more than capable of doing things that others wouldn't but yeah the way it was played as if it was some transformation from Jekyll to Hyde somehow doesn't do it for me. Odysseus could have had a mental breakdown and accusing himself for being a monster sounds more like it and even then that would be dangerous theme to play around but much more suitable. In fact as I have written in several analysis Odysseus was definitely violent many times over but never did I think "monstrous" when I read the Odyssey. So the theme should probably revolve around a turmoil through his heart rather than an actual "transformation" song.

Not at all! You always make brilliant points!

Hmm that is actually a very interesting point and I agree. Despite the fact that it was clear as day that whoever lived in that cave was not human (huge cave and tools and bed etc) Odysseus did want to give them the benefit of doubt. Perhaps his instict was already tngling that a monsterous creature lived there but he wanted to give the element of doubt some space; he wanted to take a gamble and not judge directly. And honestly the misadventure of the Lotus Eaters kinda proved to him that Xenia can come from different places (Odysseus admits the Lotus Eaters were peaceful and did not wish them harm it was just the fruit that was harmful to them) and as I mentioned to another Analysis of mine, he also spoke on Polyphemus's pain as well as his emotional side when he describes what he said to his favorite sheep:

Oh! Calypso is actually another good example. Arguably one could say that yes he had no choice. What could he do? Hold a grudge to a goddess? But yes he did try to see it from her point of view. He tried to sincerely talk to her. He even was brutally honest with her. He said that she has nothing to be jealous of his wife that she was much prettier and younger than her and yet his desire to go to his wife was deeper. He reconsiles with her and later despite the fact he often refers to him as his jailer he still tries to talk tenderly on the fact that she saved his life. I myself believe so indeed! Which is what I partially try to convey to my retelling as well:

"So I think it's a good moment of self reflection for him, it shows that he is not in search for enemies but he just wants to go home." DUDE!!! YOU SUMMERIZED BETTER THAN WHAT I COULD EVER HAVE SAID!!!!!!

Undoubtedly. Odyssey and many other myths like that teach us "never to mess up with the gods". The gods are to be respected and they dectate the lives of mortals but also the fact that blasphemy (hubris) brings punishment (nemesis). Hahahaha lol don't remind me please! Hahahahahahahaha!

Indeed I thought so too! It does seem to reflect to that aspect and honestly a great part of the epic cycle involves Odysseus do things that others wouldn't. I so agree! Which is what I tried to convey to my story "Guilt" because honestly Odysseus thought he could bring quick results so that the war would be over. Arguably if he knew about the prophecy that he would return home in 20 years he might as well hope he could make the prophecy shorter. He himself new he as playing dirty and he thought he could take it but ironically that comes to bite him later for at Scheria he cries out of pure guilt when he is reminded of Troy.

In one way it would fit indeed if we talked about the turmoil in his soul. That HE considers HIMSELF the monster for the decisions he makes. And as people said before me there is a differene between ruthlessness and cruelty. Odysseus was often ruthless but at least in Homer he was never cruel. It could be interesting hearing him speak of himself being a monster without making the cruel actions of the latest. His ruthlessness can be seen in many occasions such as the hanging of maidens (which yes I made a retelling about! Hahahaha)

Basically he performed a ruthless judgement on them but didn't prolong their torment. Sure there is a thin line between ruthlessness and cruelty but still Odysseus doesn't seem to cross it very often yet alone in Homer. So yes the song could absolutely work in homeric poems if it was more like Odysseus's self-critisism than actual reality

Hahahahaha don't apologize you brought up so many amazing points! And you are right the song had potential! Like most of the songs in the musical had! Hahahaha like I said not sure if I will make it a reality but for now I only write the small things around. Maybe one day I will generate them to an actual book!

Hahahaha I feel ya dear! If only indeed! Hahahaha I wouldn't mind a non-musical but I understand. Musicals are really fun and technically speaking Odyssey was also sung! If only I could do an experiment and try to create the Odyssey in the original tongue and into a play with songs and all! Hahahaha unfortunately do not have the knowledge or skill! Hahahaha but who knows!

(Not at all! I understand definitely how you mean it and like I said I am really open to discuss like this! No need to apologize at all! DUDE! I love the long reblogs!!! No worries at all! As you see I live for them!!!!)

Why didn't Odysseus's crew stage a mutiny against him in the Odyssey? (An analysis based on Homer's Odyssey)

It has been a while since the last time I did some Odyssey Analysis and here is an interesting question that goes on in this. A very valid question actually.

During the arduous trip in the Odyssey, the Cephallinians suffered greater loss than anything they suffered at the 10 year war at Troy. They lost almost all ships and all men were dying. They were reduced to a ship of a crew with less than 40 people and they didn't seem to get much hope. So of course one could ask; what was holding them back and didn't fight back against Odysseus apart from the indirect mutiny they did when he turned his eyes away from him to pray? Why their only mutiny was to disobey his orders and slay the cattle of Helios Hyperion? Surely more than 30 men could do plenty of damage to one man right? Why didn't they? And why is it important for the story?

So while thinking about it I came down with some possible explanations as to why that happened;

Odysseus was beloved to the gods

Regardless of their terrible situations, Odysseus probably still had the fame of someone beloved to the gods. He used to be directly communicating with Athena and was under her protection. Despite the fact that he was cursed by a god, there could be some sort of a thought running to their minds; what if we harm him and the gods strike us for it? What if there will be consequences for directly wishing harm to one who was blessed to be appreciated by gods? It could possibly be a risk that they didn't want to take. And it makes sense given how much Odysseus interracted even with minor gods during the trip (for example Aeolus or Circe). Quite frankly they might as well have wished that at some point Odysseus would appeal to yet another god for help.

Odysseus was beloved to his subjects

If you look at my other analysis here You can remember how beloved leader Odysseus was even to subjects such as slaves who in theory would have no real reason to be loyal to him. Odysseus seemed always to be a just and beloved leader and his men on the ship were not an exception. Regardless of whether they had lost faith hin him in his capability to bring him home or if they doubted his judgement, they couldn't get past the emotional connection; Odysseus had protected them during the war to the point of suffering the least possible losses, during the trip he was going to extreme measures to protect them (even the cruel misadventure in which Odysseus cut the rope from his ship to save the last ship from the Laestrygonians might as well have spoken volumes to the men that were saved). It would be hard for them to completely ignore that even in the face of mistrust. Somehow it would also be them thinking that they "owe him" till that part.

Odysseus was hiding stuff from them that could be important

Ironically the very source of their mistrust was protecting Odysseus. Odysseus didn't share with them the nature of the sack of Aeolus even if he seemed pretty clear that they couldn't touch it (and that led to their first tragedies). Later he hid the information that they would have to go through the Sirens till the very last moment where he warned them about it. Later he hid completely the information that they would go through Skylla and Charybdis. His men could think "How many more things did this man know on their way home and hid it from them?" if they captured or killed him in a mutiny how were they sure there weren't more dangers ahead that Odysseus was hiding from them and could either be informed the last moment or not at all? What guarantee did they have that Odysseus didn't know even MORE about their course? They had none. So ironically the very reason they began to mistrust him in the first place became the reason Odysseus was safe from their rage.

No one wanted to take responsibility at time of crisis!

Last and definitely not least comes for me the most important reason of all at least story-wise that shows how excellent writer Homer is into writing human nature. His men didn't stage a mutiny because no matter how displeased they were with his decisions, literally NO ONE wants to have the same responsibility to take decisions in time of crisis! Honestly, how many times do common folk feel themselves find a scapegoat usually to the face of their leaders when things go south? (and for good reason that is given that they are the ones with the responsibility to take decisions). When something goes wrong we blame the leader, the government or someone that has come forth and not only takes the decisions but also is responsible for the blame as well.

During their arduous trip Odysseus took some of the most painful decisions they could imagine in order to save what he could; he advised them to leave the Cicones and they didn't which led to their first tragedy; he tried to correct his mistake by appeasing the god Aeolus, he took the decision to sacrifice his ships in order to save the one he could knowing full well that they would never be able to fight against the Laestrygonians. He knew the 11 ships were lost cause so he acted fast cutting the ropes of his own ship and sailing away, making sure to save what he could even if that meant to the terrible loss. He traveled to the underworld even though he was alive, he chose Skylla over Charybdis knowing that the sacrifice would be too great but still not as great as to lose them all.

Regardless of their emotions at that moment; they put themselves in his shoes and realize that none of them would take the burden of leadership and take those decisions for them. Odysseus with his nerves of steel managed to save them so far even if they had so many losses and undoubtedly they realized that in his shoes they would never be able to act so efficiently and so fast. And knowing their own reactions against him; blaming him for the losses, they realize that none of them would have the guts to take not only the painful decisions but also the blame and hate that follows them. Odysseus was lifting on his shoulder as much hate and anger as very few others; not only his previous experiences at war and his actions but now his decisions of the trip. I have no doubt that even in their anger the men admired how he could carry it all.

Conlcusions:

Homer is a master of words and plot. I have no doubt that if he thought it served the plot he would have mentioned his men staging a full on mutiny against Odysseus or in one way I am almost certain he thought of the possibility being quite doable given as I said above that Odysseys was one man and the others were over 30. However knowing how great he is in protraying human emotions to his writing I think his choice of plot was deliberate.

Not only was Odysseus someone that could erupt not only controversy but also superstition given his close relationship with gods before, his leadership was always admirable regardless of the results (knowing his prudent nature and how plenty of his orders that were disobeyed ended up in a tragedy and let's face it Odysseus was also a brilliant fighter. I doubt anyone would easily take the first step to fight him one on one either!) and above all he was one of the best when it came on taking some really difficult decisions, carrying on his back not only the personal guilt he felt while taking them but also the anger of others and their retalliation. And in an amazingly human writing Homer speaks on times of crisis. When people do not wish to take responsibility at times of Crisis because they know full well that their decisions rarely ever would be painless!

Therefore they couldn't retalliate against him; they didn't want the responsibility of leadership or the blame for the losses. They didn't want to stand against authority directly either. So they took the indirect mutiny decision; when authority is not present they disobey or they break their will when the force of authority.

Could we perhaps one more time appeal to the usual theory of "unreliable storyteller" and speak on how Odysseus doesn't want to mention a mutiny in his story to Phaeakes because he doesn't want to appear as weak leader in their eyes?

We could but in my opinion this doesn't seem likely. Odysseus is already humiliated; shipwrecked and a beggar in their house. He mentioned how it was ellegedly his fault that the whole domino of reactions began when he mentions how he was yelling to Polyphemus being blasphemus that not even Poseidon could put him back together if he had killed him (which let's face it is too much given that gods had no probelm resurrecting some dead before). He had already mentioned his men not listening to him and disobedience was already a heavy thing. He didn't hide most of the unpleasant experiences during the trip so why miss the opportunity of shifting the blame to his men, saying that they stage a mutiny against him thus himself being unable to react instead of stating that he fell asleep during the prayer? To show that his men fear him so they do not dare to face him? Perhaps but it seems unlikely given the whole story in which Odysseus doesn't hide his bad sides from them.

What do you guys think? Let me know to your comments and reblogs below! ^_^

[aruanimess]

Round three, of me endlessly yapping on Reverse AU. I am still VERY new to this.. tumblr asking, notes and whatnot, so.. I apologise if I seem somewhat annoying and bothersome Anyway, less 'bout me, more on blondes! I'm going to try spitballing a few ideas there and there, because I don't have ONE big topic/arc to really focus on, so here we go!

1; Armin being captured after his identity is figured out. There are.. three way's of this going, in my opinion. >First, being that they managed to successfully take him down into the tunnels to capture him, possibly after some convincing by Annie, since he trusts her a lot? (Plus, if Armin sticks around to around S3 when they're all in that Cabin, hiding away from the Military Police and all. I think Annie and Armin would be.. somewhat awkward, between each other. Since, she cares for him, a lot and.. betrayed him.) >Second, same scene where his identity is discovered and remains at the top of the staircase, but more or less breaks down because he doesn't know what is right anymore, he cares for his new found friends, the thought of betraying them crushes his heart, so he gives up and surrenders peacefully. >Third, transforms and makes a run for the walls to dip, which could ALSO go multiple ways, but.. I don't really have much on that. 2; Warriors Reveal, though Armin is now in the midst of it. I cannot see Armin ever betraying Paradis Island and trying to capture Eren (a second time, mind you), now that Reiner decided to reveal their identites to the same bloke he tried capturing too - yikes. Armin could very well try making them surrender, in a subtle way so the situation doesn't escalate, nor turn his own comrades against him. So, he tricks them and everyone. Transforming along the other two to capture Eren, only to fight Reiner along with Eren but obviously ending in failure with Bert's Titan crushing them. On one hand, I think Bert would try getting Armin, though Reiner is too focused on the mission, he ditches Armin and makes a run for it.

3; Armin still gets captured by the Opaki, though he saves Annie from being the one to be captured by it. As fun and simple it would be if she was the one to be yoinked, so they couldn't use the power of the Colossal and rescue her, I decided to go differently with this. While Armin does end up getting captured, he isn't terrified that he can't protect his people, that they need him, without him he'll die. No, he's accepting his fate. They have Annie, they can still blow up the Doomsday Titan and they'll all be fine, he may die but will die at least doing something right for them, finally doing something useful after betraying his friends, and putting his life down on the line, as their Commander.

(I also agree he'd still be the next Commander that Hange would put the title upon, so.. it sorta means a lot, like he finally is one of them in some way? - I dunno, spitballing!) But, ahaa.. Yeah, that isn't happening. Annie is not letting that blonde go, despite they have a clear winning shot here, she is not about to let him die. Not now, there is still more to be said to him, with how she feels. So, the mission of saving Armin is once more! AND, to end it off, I like to think he'd still be suicidal and jump for the Parasite to hold it down along with Reiner, even if there's a chance of him dying from the Colossal's explosion.

I apologise having to read this entire shit-show of ideas in your inbox, I doubt I'll do more to not seem too big of a yapper, but we'll see! I hope everything is going well for you, have a wonderful day/night! Now, I depart. Toodles!

Hello, Rux!!

Please, never apologize for sending an ask! I absolutely love hearing your ideas and I’m very happy to know the reverse AU still resonates with people :D

Okay, now let’s see:

1. I do prefer the second scenario in the staircase scene. Armin at this point has nothing waiting for him back in Marley and as a character he generally prefers ending conflicts with talking rather than fighting so I believe he’d rather strike a deal and resolve this through diplomacy. 

2. Now for the Warriors reveal… we do have to consider that this scene occurs very soon after Armin’s own reveal. Like it’s all happening within three days tops. There’s always the possibility that he’s too busy getting interrogated within an inch of his life to even attend these events. 

Personally, I’m more curious as to whether Reiner and Bertolt would attempt to convince Zeke to launch an operation to “rescue” Armin at that point, or write him off as a lost cause. I think there’s potential for drama and bitterness in both cases. In the first scenario, you have a Reiner who fought to save Armin getting betrayed by someone he considered his friend, while in the second scenario, you have an Armin even more estranged by his peers in Marley, sad and disappointed they never even cared for him. 

3. Here you’re gonna have to forgive me, because I respectfully disagree.

While Armin and Annie would absolutely act the way you described in the event of Armin getting captured by the Okapi Titan, I don’t see why the Founder Ymir would bother to kidnap him. In canon, she only does so because he’s the Colossus and is the only one with the power to stop Eren. So I’m afraid that our girl Annie would have to be the one getting choked by that tongue… (well that was a sentence I’d never thought I’d write xD)

As for the Commander part… I don’t know. On one hand, I do see how meaningful such a gesture would be from Hange, accepting Armin as one of their own wholeheartedly. On the other hand, the idea of an outsider coming in to “save” the Paradisians from their plight and lead them to the truth makes me feel kind of uncomfortable. 

Personally, because I’m a useless bisexual with a one track mind, I’d love to see how Commander Annie could work. At the very least I’d like to consider the possibility of her assuming a leadership role. She’s not an out of the box thinker like Armin in canon, but she is very practical and very decisive when it comes to battle. In another world, raised alongside Eren and Mikasa and not as confined by her father and her circumstances, I can see her developing a keen eye for solutions, maybe not outrageous strategies, but clean simple yet effective and devastating in their consequences plans. She’s ruthless, she’s perceptive and she’s willing to give up her life to achieve her means.

Honestly? I’d love to see it explored.

[birdy-bird27]

Here is my live blog notes of reading the new chapter of The first of a shattered mirror

Mostly for @volivolition I didn’t send this as an ask bc it was long lol but here are my thoughts as I read the chapter

This chapter is hilarious already the physical crew always brings the A game

Hand cordination saying gun? Like a puppy hearing treat lol

Savvy my boyyyy he’s back! All for a couple coins from an altar lol

lol we are not punching a child part

Love when contact Mike is brought up Voltion is like we gotta put a stop to this

Poor volition putting up a. Plea to be reasonable but the phys gang is in control this time around. The whole intervention Voltion really stressed out

Naurrr Harry don’t listen to the fascist ideas of time travel 😭 don’t do it

Echem is really shining this time lol especially around the princess “big *woman*”

I knew the voice of stubborn would get along great with the coach

The home made Gatorade lol

LMAOOO the coach check and echem both saying they can take her I cantttt this chapter I knew it was going to be good

Reaction speed returning just the right time

Omg the voice of the stubborn joined the team! You impressed the coach son 😎

Ahh yes just what I expected the voice of the stubborn starting to push his power.

. Much like the game how he takes over the narration I love it

Good call Harry out Voltion and the physical skills

Drat I forgot which skill is missing. Visual calculus? I have foolishly thought he was not missing though

Yooo spinal cord!

I was right Visual calculus! My boyyy so underrated!!! Yess

Even the voices can appreciate his awesome work hell yea

“VOLITION [Medium: Success] - If you make it out of this in one piece, you *definitely* need to get back in touch with that therapist. None of this is good.” So true Voltion

Yess visual calc with his math

Oop he threw the jersey away

That ending beautiful muah love it. There’s more to all of it. So many thoughts woah. Absolutely visceral and bloody I love it!!’

Perfect balance of humor and sadness to it all absolutely wonder.

God I love this fic so much

[lucabyte]

I don't know how everyone isn't also always constantly thinking about how burial rites seem to be potentially one of the few things Siffrin instinctively remembers about their culture. But rest assured. I am in fact always thinking about it.

Textless version where they're just hanging out. It's fine!

[philosophiums]

truly i have been eating all of the theories/ideas lately about itfs cursing each other in some way shape or form at the end of the manga. i love twisted love stories i love a bittersweet ending i love living through the tragedy by enacting violence upon yourself and your loved ones OUGH it's so good

megumi whose main goals this entire series have been centered around yuuji. yuuji who is possibly already acting under the (beginning?) effects of a curse that megumi put on him ("start by saving me" - could also argue that "you've got it from here" isn't helping either kjsdbvjkdfb). megumi who watched yuuji die once and who refuses to see it happen again. yuuji who has witnessed up close everyone dear to him die and cannot lose megumi too....

just... the fighting and clawing and tearing at themselves and each other - desperate to stay together no matter what, even if it leaves them scarred and broken on the other side. because wounds can heal and they can fight to realign themselves with each other and the world, but none of it means anything if they're not alive and together

[shima-draws]

Grips my shirt and tears it apart so that all the buttons go flying and SCREAMS I love Law and Cora so much what the FUCK!!!!

[deus-ex-mona]

suddenly remembered this thing from an old interview soooo

Q: You mentioned that the characters, Suzumi Hiyori and both Someya Yujiro and Shibasaki Aizo of LIPxLIP, were created at the same time, but how did they come to be?

Yamako: Yujiro and Hiyori made their first appearance at the end of the MV for “Koiiro ni Sake” to indicate that a new generation was about to begin as the first generation of characters from the CEC graduated from high school. At that time, I didn’t have a specific vision for their future, but it gradually took shape as I thought up Aizo’s character visuals afterwards. I think LIPxLIP became idols because shito said that he wanted to create idol characters in the series.

shito: Yes, that’s indeed the case (laughs). Up till then, we had only written love songs for the CEC, but even before that, I had wanted to write idol songs. So, since we’re able to create our own characters and have them move around as we wish through our songs as HoneyWorks, I proposed the idea of creating a two-man idol unit. Around the same time, we also created Hiyori, a girl who could bring out the two-faced nature of the idols, since a completely ordinary girl like her would be able to bring out both their natural personalities and their bad-tempered natures (laughs). So I get the feeling that Hiyori naturally came about as we were creating LIPxLIP.

[skydigiblogs]

ykw i just realized i haven't actually posted about the shit i liked about ghost game and i was thinking about like.

gammamon and gulusgammamon's relationship today???

the resolution of that whole thing really made me and my system happy, because one of us was literally in the middle of writing an essay about how no one ever does the "superpowered evil side" trope right, yeah?

ghost game is literally the only time i think they've ever done it alright from a system's perspective

mostly because while yeah, that whole conflict comes to a head at the climax of the series, it also doesn't end in some annoying shit where either gammamon Learns To Control His Evil Side (functionally destroying gulus) or Finds A Better Higher Power (technically he does as siriusmon but), he just goes DUDE YOU NEED TO CHILL and gulus grumpily obliges after getting the shit kicked out of him.

i'm pretty sure i've seen a few systems right more in-depth posts about this here on tumblr but like... yeah...

gammamon system my beloved