#the song describes pretty well how she feels about TI :p

[lunarapocolypse]

Cryptic

@terrible-my-hero-academia-aus I blame you for this. For terrible aus prompt week: Dabi is a Jpop idol

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“Love is dead and never existed. All you ever did is betray me as I lay here, sick and festering. You are the definition of dread, the bane of my life.” Dabi groaned, slumping on the couch. Magne gave him a concerned look.

“Are you okay?”

“Shimura ate my fucking ice cream.”

“Not my fault you didn’t eat it quick enough!” A scratchy voice called from the hallway. 

“I bought that yesterday, obviously I wouldn’t have finished it by now! How the fuck can you eat partically and entire tub of ice cream, and still be that skinny?” Dabi shouted back.

“Metabolism.” Tenko spoke, chuckling as he entered the hotel room. “And you can’t really say that, considering you’re underweight too.”

“I don’t eat much, so at least I have a reason. You eat all the junk in the world, but you’re still a skeleton.” Dabi pointed out.

“Guess I can’t argue with that.” Tenko shrugged.

 Magne let out a sigh.“I really worry for you two, at least try to eat healthy. You’re both practically sticks!” 

Tenko rolled his eyes, flopping onto the  couch as well.“I do what I want, Magne. No need to be worried, though I appreciate it.” 

The makeup artist sighed again. “I can’t help but worry.” She checked her watch, getting up. “Me and Himiko said we’d go out tonight, I have to get ready. You’ll be okay by yourselves, right?”

“Yeah yeah, we will. Now get going, before Crazy barges in here. She broke the door last time. ” Dabi grumbled, waving at her. He wasn’t in the mood to hear Tenko’s screechy shouting about how much it would take to replace the door. That’s at least what happened last time. Then again, Tenko seemed to be in a good mood today. 

“Try not to kill each other.” Magne giggled, opening the door and gently closing it. Tenko flipped her off, but Dabi could tell from the placid look on his face that he wasn’t really mad.

Dabi shifted on the couch, as a silence entered the hotel room. It was one of those silences that gave him space to think, to make him sweatdrop at how the heck he got here. He never thought that after running away from home, he’d get scouted for idol training. And never did he think he’d actually like it. He originally went along with it since they provided free meals but he quickly began to enjoy it. He always did like music, so he supposed it made a little sense. He never thought he’d actually be popular either. He had just debuted a year ago, and was already topping the charts. 

He had just finished his last performance of a tour he was doing, and it had been a blast. This whole tour had been a blast. He and the rest of the team were staying at a hotel until they headed back the next day. Dabi couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed something this much. If only his siblings could be there to see it.

“You did a really good job today.” Tenko spoke, a wide smile crossing his face.  Most people would describe his smiles as creepy at first, but once you got to know him somehow they became endearing. At least that’s what Dabi thought. Not that he’d admit it.

Tenko was the son of the man who had originally scouted him, Kotaro Shimura, so Dabi had known him longer than the people on his team. He and Tenko didn’t get along at first, but they eventually became close friends.

“Are you congratulating me? I’m flattered, but that’s concerning coming from you, mophead. Are you getting a brain freeze from all that ice cream?” He replied, a shit eating grin appearing on his scarred face. His fans, the Cryptids as he called them, somehow thought this was hot. In Tenko’s own words ‘that’s because they’re monsterfuckers.’

Dabi chuckled as he dodged the water bottle that his manager chucked at him. 

“I’d congratulate you more if you didn’t tease me when I tried. But if you’d rather have me be annoyed all the time, then fine! I won’t be nice to you anymore.” he huffed. Dabi pouted.

“Wait no no no, I take it back. Give me validation.” He whined. Tenko turned away, flipping him off.

“Too late. You lost my validation forever.”

“Shimura noooo. Don’t do this to me.” 

“You did this to yourself, bitch.”

“I’m sowwy Mister Shimuwa, owo.”

“Please never say that again.”

“Then fowgwive me.”

“No.”

“Baby don’t hurt me don’t hurt me no more-”

“Oh my god, stop, I’ll validate you, just please. Anything but that song.” Tenko croaked, trying not to laugh but failing miserably at it. Dabi’s grin reappeared as the atmosphere went silent again. Not an awkward silence, much more comfortable than that. Until his dear manager decided to speak.

“We got a new sponsor request.” Ah, so that was the reason the mophead was in such a good mood. 

“It would be pretty stupid not to take it since it’s the best sponsorship we’ve got yet, but I wanted to run it by you anyways.” Tenko said, turning to face the other. Dabi cocked an eyebrow.

“That big? You’re talking like it’s a hero agency or something.”he joked. He had a bad relationship with heroes, so being sponsored by one would be weird. It probably wasn’t that though-

“I’m surprised you guessed it.” Tenko purred, a smile creeping up his pale face. Dabi’s eyes widened. Okay, it was a hero agency. Well...he didn’t like heroes, but this could help his career, so he could make an exception. It’s not like he had to truly support the agency, after all.

“Oh really? What agency?” He asked, unable to stop the bitter feeling in his stomach.

“One of the best! The Flame Hero, Endeavor.” 

Ah.

Dabi froze in his place.

“Personally I don’t like him, too aggressive, but he’s number two so imagine how much this is going to boost us! I can finally give Magne and Toga a pay rai-....hey are you okay?” Tenko said, stopping his rambling with a soft mumble as he noticed Dabi’s stiffness.

“Turn it down.”

“...What?”

“Turn down the offer!” Dabi snapped. “We’re already doing good, we don’t need that bastard’s help.” Tenko raised an eyebrow, giving him a stern look.

“Are you being serious?”

“Yes, I am! I’m not taking some bullshit sponsorship from Endeavor of all people.”

“I get that you don’t like heroes and I don’t either but-”

“This isn’t just about heroes! It’s him! I’m not associating myself with a guy like that.”

“Do you have some personal vendetta against him?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“This is your job, Dabi. You have to put personal feelings aside. Think of how much we’d spread, with his influence!” He hissed.

“I don’t need his influence! I don’t need anything from him!”

“At least give it a chance-”

“I’ve given him more than enough chances!” Dabi roared. His volume was enough to make Tenko flinch. 

“I’ve given him so many chances and he fucked up every single one of them, he’s not going to change, Shimura. He...he’s going to ruin this too.” He gasped.

“He...he…” Dabi felt like he couldn’t breathe, and his vision felt blurry. Shit, was he crying? He was shaking too. Oh god, please not a panic attack things were going so well today-

“Dabi? Dabi!” Tenko seemed to realize what was going on because he gently tapped Dab’s shoulder.

“Look, I need you to breathe. Copy me, alright? Breathe in for 5.” Tenko demonstrated. Dabi followed along.

“Hold for 5.” One two three four five. “And breathe out.” One two three four five.

“Good. Now just repeat that. Here, place a hand on your belly and your chest. Make sure it’s expanding when you breathe in and out.”  Dabi did as he said, slowly calming down. This continued for a bit until he stopped shaking.

“...Sorry. Didn’t mean to freak out.” He mumbled. Tenko sighed.

“Don’t apologize. Here, I’ll turn it down. He’s gonna be pissed at us, but that’ll be fun to see.” Tenko said, grinning once again. Dabi’s eyes widened in shock.

“But, didn’t you say to put personal feelings aside?” He asked.

“I did, but if those feelings are bad enough to make you have a panic attack then it’s clearly not worth it. I’m glad I asked you before accepting, otherwise we’d really be in trouble.” He said, chuckling a little.

“Thanks, Shimura.��

“Don’t thank me. I’d be a shit manager if I still asked you to take it.” He replied, rolling his eyes.

“Although I’m curious, you said you gave him a lot of chances. And he messed it up. What exactly is your history with Endeavor?” he asked. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, of course.”

“Well, it’s complicated. I don’t wanna go into detail, but if I’m gonna talk about this I’m gonna need a drink.” Dabi figured he’d let him know a little. After all, he’d been his manager for a year and his friend for longer, and he deserved an explanation. Tenko nodded at that, getting a bottle of wine from the cabinet, along with two glasses.

“How did you know how to deal with a panic attack? Tell me that first.” 

Tenko shrugged. “Me and my sister get them sometimes, we tend to help each other through it.” Dabi nodded.

“So, anyways, what’s your deal with Mr. Number two?”

“He’s my dad.”

Dabi nearly burst out laughing when Tenko spit out some of his wine.

“What??? Wait,now that I think of it you both have fire quirks and he had a son that died at age 14, the same age you were scouted at and it was only a month before you were scouted too...Oh my god.” He mumbled, taking a large sip. “Oh my freaking god.”

“Connecting the dots, creep?”

“It’s all coming together. I’m surprised I didn’t guess by now.”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyways, he’s an abusive asshole and I’m not taking his help ever again. That’s all I will tell you for now.”

“Understandable.” Tenko had pretty much used his own dad’s influence in the business world to get big then cut ties with him. They didn’t get along, for reasons Dabi only had a vague idea of. Something about All might, and this one old hero...what was her name? Dabi couldn’t remember.

“Wait, he had other kids, right? Do your siblings still know you’re alive?”

“Yeah, we have a group chat.  They have no idea where I am though.” he said, chuckling. “I told them I ran off on a pokemon go journey.”

“...That’s a dick move. I respect that.” Tenko replied, nodding with approval. 

“Pff, yeah. I still send them pics of pokemon from time to time.” 

“You said he was abusive...what about your siblings?”

“He ignored my sis and middle bro, but the youngest...Shoto...he took my place after I left, let’s just say that.” he muttered, bitterly. “...I’m a coward who wasn’t able to help him, let’s just say that.”

“You’re not a coward, you were reasonably scared. And it’s not like you can’t still help.”

“...What do you mean?”

Tenko sat up, his  stunning ruby eyes having a spark in them. “Y’know, Endeavor is pretty popular, but if his fans knew he was a child abuser there would be some controversy. Plus, you’re almost as popular, and if you’re this good now imagine how much your popularity will increase in just a few months.”

Dabi raised an eyebrow. “Your point?”

“Endeavor doesn’t stand a chance against an army of fangirls, and the press, if we can get them to side with us.”

Oh.

“...You want me to admit he’s my dad, and basically expose him when I get popular enough?” Dabi said, giving him a bewildered look.

Tenko shrugged. “Well, not that bluntly. If we’re going to do this we have to make sure it’s convincing. And have a little fun while we’re at it, of course.” he smirked.

“Only if you feel up to it. Not gonna pressure you to do anything you don’t feel like.” 

Dabi gulped.

“Oh, why the hell not. Down with Endeavor.” he raised his glass. Tenko cackled, raising his as well.

“Down with Endeavor!” 

They drank, giggling like teenagers.

“Hey, Dabi?”

“Yeah?”

“I have a stupid idea.”

“Shoot.”

“How about we hype up your fans, before delivering the final blow? Dabi smiled, seeing a gleam in the other’s eyes. 

“Oh, do tell.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Todoroki, Midoriya  you two have to see this!” Mina gushed, running over to where the boys were eating their lunch.

“Ashido? Is something wrong?” he asked, tilting his head.Mina grinned, shoving her phone in his face. 

“There’s this jpop idol me and Kyoka really like, Dabi, and look! In his new album apparently they found a lot of messages when played backwards, but that’s not just it! They have a secret code language in it too.”  This caught both the boys’ attention. 

“Uraraka was talking about him earlier! This should be fun.” Midoriya commented, a large smile forming on his face.

“Can you play one for me?” Shoto Fan-Theorist Todoroki said, eyes gleaming. Mina happily obliged, playing the first song backwards.

“This is for Endeavor, you big fat white nasty ass smelling bitch-” The song began. It was pretty impressive how it sounded like this backwards, yet it had completely different lyrics when played normally.

Shoto and Midoriya listened intently, cracking up a few times. Although Shoto couldn’t help but feel like the voice was strangely familiar...

“He hates Endeavor too, huh Todoroki? I wonder why?” Midoriya tapped his chin. “Now that I think of it, he has a fire quirk too, right? Blue fire.” Shoto’s eyes widened. He only knew one person with blue fire…

“Oh this one is why I wanted to show this to you specifically is because of this.” Mina played another song, making Shoto’s ears perk up.

“Shoto do your homework and don’t forget to water the cactus, Natsuo.  Tell mom I love her and tell dad to fuck off.  Fuyumi don’t cry I’ll be okay.” She stopped the recording, smiling at their wide eyes.

“Fuyumi and Natsuo? Your siblings? And he mentioned you…” Midoriya mumbled, glancing at his friend. Shoto gulped.

“Ashido, play something with the secret code language you mentioned.”

“Huh? Okay.” She played a snippet making Shoto jump up, slamming his hands on the table.

It was the same code language they used in the Todokids group chat.

And it translated to  “I wanna be the very best like no one ever was!  To catch them is my real test to train them is my cause!”

“TOUYA!”

---------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, look at this guys.” Tenko snickered, showing everyone the comments on Dabi’s music videos.

“Who is Natsuo? Sounds like they were pretty close”

“Guys play it at 0.75 speed, you hear the words “Die flaming trash can””

“Why is there so much Endeavor Hate? Did he hurt our Dabi?”

“Omg he looks so perfect <3 I would die for Dabi-senpai”

“Everyone, there’s not actually hidden messages, calm the hell down”

“Stop hating on Endeavor without actual proof”

“Hey look at 1:46-1:57 backwards! It sounds like he’s saying that Endeavor was abusive!”

“Nooo Poor Dabi he looks so sad in this video T-T”

“Hey look, 0:34-0:47 is kinda scary. Is that some secret code? Sounds like parseltongue.”

“Guys, whatever these messages mean, we’ve got to support Dabi no matter what! Poor baby”

They cracked up, making the driver of the limo groan.

“I can’t believe you actually did this, the press is going to go nuts!” Jin cackled. Dabi simply high fived him.

“That’s the point.”

“Just so you know this was my idea, so I get credit if anyone asks.” Tenko huffed.

“Yeah yeah, whatever creep. How much longer til we get there?”

“Perfect timing, it looks like we’ve arrived.” Tenko commented slyly, looking up at the large UA building. The students would be leaving any moment now.

Dabi grinned seeing a heterochromatic boy leave, talking quietly with his friends. He seemed to be excited.

He rolled down the window of the limo, grinning like a maniac.

“Shoto!”

The boy flinched, glancing at the limo. A few of his friends proceeded to freak out. They must’ve been fans.

“Get in loser, we’re going shopping!”

“...Who are you?”

Dabi laughed. “Aww c’mon, you don’t remember your dear big bro? I’m hurt, Shoto. And just when I finally became a pokemon master.”

The pink girl next to him whispered something in his ear, making his eyes widen, as he ran up to the car.

“Touya?”

“Who else would I be? Although I prefer to go by Dabi, now. Touya isn’t edgy enough.”

“...You forgot to bring milk. For 11 years.”

Dabi groaned. “C’mon Sho, I was busy being a star, give me a break.”

Shoto sighed, a hint of a smile appearing on his face as he hugged his brother from the window. Dabi’s eyes went wide but he reciprocated the hug, groaning when he heard Magne and Toga’s squealing.

“I missed you, Touya.”

“...I missed you too. Now stop being sappy, I have a reputation to keep.” he mumbled, as Shoto let go.

“C’mon kid, we’ll give you and your friends a ride home. Plus, I wanna see the rest of your family when they see Dabi.” Tenko said, opening the door with a grin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’M HOME, FUCKERS!” Dabi yelled, bursting the door open. Fuyumi and Natsuo stopped what they were doing to blankly stare.

“Wait Dabi? Sho, why is a jpop idol here? Wait, um, can I have your autograph? My friend really likes your music.” Fuyumi said, getting up.

“Guys, it’s me. Touya.” They continued to stare at him blankly.

“It’s true, he has a complete pokedex. Every pokemon in available pokemon go is in there.” Shoto said, walking in next to him. “Only Touya could manage to do something like that.”

Fuyumi seemed to believe it, running to hug her brother.

“Touya! It’s been so long, did you bring milk?” She smiled, seeing Spinner place two jugs of milk on the counter.

“It’s his apology for missing his turn all those years.” The Lizard snickered. Dabi rolled his eyes.

Natsuo still looked unconvinced. “If you’re Touya, then say something only the real Touya would know.”  Dabi smirked.

“In middle school we graffitied the entire back of Endeavor’s hero agency with meme and vine references. Oh, and you taught Shoto his first curse word by accidentally saying “Fuck this fucking goddam shit I’m yeeting myself the hell outta here” in front of a five year old. You were in fourth grade when you said it, now that I think of it.” Natsuo gasped

“Touya!”

“Wait, you said that in fourth grade? Natsuo!” Fuyumi scolded.

“Shut up, at least I didn’t kiss my best friend’s girlfriend.” Fuyumi turned bright red as Dabi laughed.

“Okay, clearly some drama has been going on and I’m disappointed you didn’t tell me about it.”

“Well, let’s fill you in.” Natsuo said, laughing.

----------------------------------------------------

“Hey we’ve got to leave for the interview in six minutes, hurry the fuck up.” Tenko groaned. Dabi laughed. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

They were on their way to an interview about Dabis’ new album. With Endeavor, due to all the hidden messages.

It was time to let all hell break loose.

“Thanks, Shimura.”

Teno raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For, helping me I guess.” Dabi shrugged.

“Tenko.”

“Huh?”

“We’ve been friends for literal years, just call me Tenko.” The man replied, getting on his coat. Dabi smirked.

“Thanks, Tenko.”

“No problem, patchwork.”

“Hey!”

-------------------------------------------------

Dabi grinned walking into the building. It was probably a bad idea to have drank right before this, but he was nervous and couldn’t help himself, okay?

He smiled even wider, noticing Endeavor there as well.

“Hey old man. Long time no see!”

The man’s face scrunched up looking at him.

“Dabi. I advise you not to call me that.”

“What, are you disappointed in me? I mean, I was the failed child, but I really thought you’d warmed up to me since you offered to sponsor.” His eyes went wide.

“...Touya?”

“I lived bitch.”

Dabi grinned even wider, pretty sure his staples were gonna pop out any moment. But he couldn’t resist seeing the look of terror on the other’s face.

Yeah, this interview was going to be hilarious.

[fmdkiana]

【✧】━━━━━ 🌿 k i a n a     i n t r o     p l a y l i s t 🌿 ━━━━━【✧】

these are nineteen songs that i’ve been listening to while making kiana’s blog [x] some i came across, some randomly thought of, and some suggested by lovely muns i’ve been chatting about kiana to. since she’s a character that i’ve adapted for the purpose of famed, these songs have helped ground me in the person she is. i hope the songs and descriptions below will help you learn kiana a little better too

1. to be torn by kyla la grange

this first song was a suggestion from someone, and i think set the tune for the rest of my choices. apparently it’s from beauty and the beast? lol anyway it describes this desire to be torn, a carnal need to be used. the heavy sound of it is kind of haunting, a bit sad, but also strong. the emotion can be felt even without the lyrics. kiana has this part of her that deeply craves being important, whether it comes at her own expense -her own tearing- or not. also forewarning that a lot of these overlap on the same concepts. shrug emoji

2. intertwined by dodie

intertwined is a song that immediately came to mind for kiana after to be torn. when this song came out, many people saw it as a cute love story, wanting to be intertwined with a lover, and have them be the safe space when you have a troubled head. however, dodie made a video debunking this, against her natural inclination, because the song describes something severely unhealthy. the following music video also helped many people to see the gore that’s strung throughout the lyrics. it Actually describes a relationship where the participants have put all of their source of happiness in one another, and it’s left them codependent, but ever seeking more. kiana has this perpetual trouble in relationships, especially romantic ones

3. bite by troye sivan

i can be the subjective of your dreams, your sickening desire is a pretty good sum up of where the inspo comes from. it’s difficult, when talking about the negative parts of kiana, to not talk about her ex-boyfriend. i have lots planned to talk on so i won’t go on forever here, but it reminds me of how all it took was the tiniest invitation for kiana to “become his.” that’s how she works. come here puppy, don’t bite, and she’ll heel at your side forever. at least, back then. she’s someone who seems difficult, because she’s very asocial, but with the right formula, it could be so easy to slip her into your arms

4. hell in heaven by twice wish

this song is a bit similar to intertwined, i would say? someone who feels stuck, drowning in a “hell” that is only saved by a piece of “heaven/paradise.” yet they’re in between the place of hell and heaven, constantly confused of where they land, because they’ve placed their hope for salvation in this one, singular place/person. they want to be freer than they are, yet their salvation keeps them locked away. open the door to heaven, let me walk on the cloud. the day i’m trapped in you, save me, hold me tight

5. dinner & diatribes by hozier

a few different levels come from this song. while it was created with the idea of how tedious social gatherings are, the story that comes from it makes another world. kiana is asocial, and struggles with fear over social situations, which make something like dinner parties quite stressful for her. she’s also someone who isn’t fond of small talk, and more likely that type to say ‘talk to me about your deepest fears,’ but... she actually means it and isn’t saying it to be pretentious. she would much rather see the sickest, nastiest parts of someone, soak all of that up, than talk about whether the food was good. the music video describes this in part, but also gives a hades/persephone but worse type of story that is also quite kiana aligned. that’s the kind of love i’ve been dreaming of

6. creep by radiohead

i want you to notice when i’m not around. so fuckin special, i wish i was special, but i’m a creep. not to ‘have you ever seen me without this hat’ on you, but lissen! kiana is forever convinced she’s an outsider. the things she likes are more Cool these days than they were when she was a kid, but the feeling of being ostracized for liking them back then will always live with her. she’s an insecure overthinking fuck at times too. and also desperately wants to be someone special, and unique, as if having that would make her pain of feeling different worth it

7. seigfried by frank ocean

the meaning of this song is pretty different from how i view it in relation to kiana. for her, the focus is on the idea of ‘settling down’ being... acceptance of normality? her whole life, she’s been searching for someone and/or something that makes her feel special. she became an idol for this exact reason, dated her ex for that reason, seeks the relationships she does, thinks she could still have superpowers for this reason. but the truth is that she’s pretty normal. her hobbies are very normal people type things. her talents aren’t anything that would have her being called top of the line. her thoughts are all things other people have thought of. her booksmart intelligence isn’t any stronger than the average. she is very normal, and the tiny part of her that acknowledges that usually shoves it away. but on occasion, she wonders if she should accept it, and settle

8. gimme love by joji

gimme gimme love is all you really need to know lol kiana doesn’t stick around easily when she’s not being given the same kind of world-ending affection from those she’s chosen to share that with that she gives out. she gives at Least 110% of her love, affection, and loyalty into anyone that she has chosen to keep closest to her heart, and if she isn’t getting that back, she can feel dejected, unloved, and unimportant. she may give people like this a few chances to change, but her expectations, or “standards,” won’t change

9. pain by king princess

cos i can’t help turning my love into pain is the strongest lyric that ties back to kiana. the overall message isn’t as strong because king princess has a different view on a relationship as described than kiana. for her, it’s yet another kiana will put herself in the face of terrible parts of relationships. the trouble is that she enjoys it, and seeks it, thinking it’s the ultimate show of love. not to pain one another, but to be pained without them. also realizing after all these i should be saying this applies to her inner circle friendships as well, but the standards are just a little less heavy

10. any song by zico sun

not one for big gatherings, kiana likes to have her social interaction either through the wire, or in small groups (duos are best to her tbh) the song has an upbeat tune that contrasts against the lyrical meaning of something more about... any song will do, something to drag away the sadness that’s living inside. kiana functions a bit like that, always seeking her uniqueness to bust out and save her from her own mind thinking she’s not good enough

11. why won’t they talk to me? by tame impala

she is asocial, but that doesn’t mean being a hermit,, an otaku,, whatever you want to call her, is a life full of happiness. she functions very well on her own, but when she has that for too long, it can be damaging to her head as well, especially when she has inner circle friends or a romantic relationship. when not speaking to these people, the need for human connection seems unbearable to deal with, and anxiety runs rampant

12. alien by lee suhyun

her mama told her she’s alien, but actually it was herself telling herself she’s alien mixed with influence from pop culture making her want to be a superhero and kids who told her she was a freak, all coming together in the desire for weirdness to be a Cool thing. kiana will wish til the day she croaks that she will have a realization that she has a special power

13. stressed out by twenty one pilots

ki doesn’t care about the core message of this song. many people relate to oh no bills~ adult stress~ but kiana doesn’t. even if she wasn’t born into a family that could live comfortably, and didn’t become an idol making phat stacks, she would feel the same. to her, it’s an inevitability. HOWEVA the beginning lines are 1:1 for how she wishes to be something extraordinary, and is supa insecure that she isn’t. i wish found some better sounds that no one’s ever heard. i wish i had a better voice that sang some better words ... i was told when i get older all my fears would shrink but now i’m insecure and i care what people think

14. true crime by epik high ft. miso

not exactly 1:1 word by word, since there’s several perspectives coming in one song, however, the overall message i think can be summed in it’s a true crime to be without you. other lines like i’d open up my chest for your entertainment, that was the line that drew me to originally put this in the playlist. i’m not sure on a story behind the song, but it strikes me as something bonnie & clyde-esque? there’s themes of being on the run, lying on the pavement dying, stuff like that. that kind of relationship is strongly the ideals kiana holds for her romantic and close platonic relationships

15. shine by pentagon (shouldve been knight but bad bois image PLAYIN)

i cannot explain to u the random joy this dumb song gave me when it came out. it’s similar to power up like i just?? get so happy lol anyway the whole premise is like nerdy person has a crush n theyre like oh my god~ why would u like me~ i cant say i like u~ it’s super fucking cute. i’m a loser who loves you. yes, i’m a misery. to you, i’m a nuisance, i’m an outsider, but in this world, i only need you. that’s where the kiana part comes in strongest, or explains it in one sentence. she worries she isn’t enough for others but her affections are always incredibly strong. also she’s cute

16. tail by sunmi dimensions soloist 2

when i first heard this song, i needed to play it again to pay attention to the lyrics because i had the feeling it was kiana-esque. i was right, but i would say that it’s where kiana could go at her worst. has she been there? i’m not so sure. perhaps teetering on the edge of having her claws out, but really, for now, it’s just that the potential is there

17. she’s my religion by pale waves

so as to not repeat myself too much and because this is so much fookin writing already, this is another song that talks about how deeply and dangerously kiana falls into others. she’s no angel, but she’s my religion, always finding ways to numb the pain ... made me feel like i was finally enough ... she needs this love just as much as me

18. space cadet by beabadoobee

this song has similar themes to alien, but rather than about being special, it’s about being in a shitty place and letting your mind wander to create a better reality. ki has her interests, her extreme love of her fandoms, because it’s an escape for her. that’s not something i personally approve of, however, it’s a common reality for many people. living in these online spaces and thinking of these fictional worlds gives her a place to go to when the irl world is too difficult for her to handle

19. me! me! me! by teddyloid

you might think this is a meme addition and sure! to a degree it is! but i’m also going to talk about it as an actual piece of music and visuals. first we’ll talk about the music video. kiana feels complicated about the type of anime fans that oversexualize everything, so in general, she likes a message that’s against those types. the message of addiction tearing real life relationships apart also is something kiana sorta needs to hear. the lyrics of the song itself talk about an all consuming type of relationship, and dissects it to explain how it wasn’t love, but worship, which was dangerous to them both. it’s a song that kiana perhaps would need to take to heart, but i, as her mun, am unsure if she ever will. that depends on the connections she forms, and what types of people are goading her on, or trying to get her to stop

[batgirl-87]

i'll start in good faith: explain some situations that your MC will deal once graduated(like maybe the summer before joining for her dream job, or a specific situation you imagined to happen related to her job)

You know I believe I mentioned before on here that I had this idea for a Curse Breaker movie about Bill and his Curse Breaker partner (Keira =p) that was like The Mummy/The Mummy Returns with some Indiana Jones... Guess I could describe that idea in some more detail...

It would be set in Egypt before the Weasley family goes to visit Bill there - basically the reason they go to visit him because after all this he receives some medal to reward him at the end of all these events. Originally I had imagined Cate Blanchett as Rakepick being Bill and Keira’s boss, but despite not playing the game lately I do know about some things that occur still in the game so... Doubt she’d be their boss but we all would love to see Cate Blanchett as Rakepick right?!

Anyway, I digress... This is clearly a fantasy movie that unfortunately will never be made. So sad... Also I have clearly never written a screenplay. Imagine as best as you can...

It would start out with whoever their boss is - could still be Cate Blanchett =p Maybe Rakepick has a good twin or sister or something? - talking with a couple... let’s call them diplomats? From another Curse-Breaking organization because with the whole world filled with artefacts and susceptible to curses Gringotts can’t be the only organization, right? I like to think there are a few scattered around the world and take on different regions but sometimes need to work together although there’s some animosity or competition... sort of like frienemies? Like how different nations interact - it’s some Curse-Breaker UN.

So Head Curse-Breaker of Gringotts discussing a work collaboration with a couple diplomats from another organization and I’m feeling...Russians... And is telling them about their Curse-Breaker agents, assuring them to put the best on the case, pulling out Bill and Keira’s files. As they tell these diplomats all of Bill and Keira’s accolades, how much they’ve accomplished since starting as Curse-Breakers, even before joining Gringotts! The camera can pan down to their files and fade to Bill and Keira in an ancient Egyptian tomb completing a mission. With the voiceover of their boss claiming them to be excellent and professional Curse-Breakers, best of the best!

However, the end of this mission doesn’t go so smoothly as they race down the corridors trying to escape the tidal wave of water that is flooding the tomb, running with the artefact they risked their lives for (I also like to think they’re taking back artefacts from wealthier individuals who stole them from less privileged people and cultures - probably why they’re cursed to begin with). They eventually find an exit from this tomb via some secret doorway that leads to a slide that shoots them out of the tomb and into some nearby body of water. After being submerged for a bit they pop back up, Keira holding up the artefact triumphantly and Bill commenting that he wished for once they could finish a mission without nearly dying or ending up soaking wet (probably because he’s concerned about his hair).

They return to their tent where they receive word that they’ll have an important meeting with their boss tomorrow when they return with the artefact. And she hopes they don’t show up soaking wet this time or with their clothes tattered and burnt =p They’re playing a radio that was a gift for them probably from Penny and Toto’s Africa begins to play with is totally their song and Keira ‘forces’ Bill to sing and dance around with her to it. This is clearly a common occurrence.

Oh and there’s definitely some mercenary ‘curse-breaker/artefact finder for hire’ they have to deal with – one in particular who they have a sort of weird relationship with because they always seem to run into him and have to deal with him so it’s always like a ‘oh you again. Well how are you? How are things?’ He’s also someone who I feel like tries really hard but is clumsy and constantly messes up but tries so hard to be a cool, tough badass but it really cowardly – like Benny from The Mummy =P

Anyway, so they go to meet with their boss, get told they’re doing a mission jointly with these Russians & will be working with his big Russian Curse-Breaker – makes Bill look tiny and like a twig =p – to find some ancient artefact. Ooo maybe from the Romanov Dynasty?! It’s very important to the Russians but the location is suspected after years and years of research to be in Gringott’s territory – hence having to work together. It’s a little awkward and tense at first – can they trust each other? Obviously there’s some distrust because what if Bill and Keira try to take it themselves instead of giving it to the Russians and can you even trust these Russians? And this guy is big and strong and a man of little words so hard to get to know him. But the three set out on this journey which is surely filed with action and adventure and they work well together when dealing with these mercenaries who get in their way and complicate things.

So they find this artefact and as soon as they accomplish their task they get taken by some other large Russians – turns out the leader of this gang is the older brother of their new Russian partner! Was he just using them all along to find this artefact – which is actually a key to a much larger fortune – and luring them to this trap and possibly their doom?! They were bonding! Thought they were friends! Come on man… But his older brother is an arsehole and keeps belittling his younger brother because he was adopted and therefore, worthless because his family didn’t want him so no one would and the only reason he was adopted was because his family just took pity on him, and he wanted a ‘little brother/servant’ so really he saved him so therefore he had to be appreciative and do everything he said/wanted him to do.

Anyway, so Bill and Keira are tied up by these big Russian guys, trying to figure out what to do and coping with the betrayal from their new Russian friend/partner, while the Russian guys discuss what to do with them in their native language. Fortunately Keira knows a little bit of Russian and can pick up a few words about essentially killing them, starting with Bill. So as one approaches them, or Bill specifically, Keira suddenly speaks up in Russian and Bill is like “wtf you speak Russian!?” She does her best to distract them or humanize herself and Bill but really the words she has learned are mainly related to Quidditch… But they got to like Quidditch right? Bill is just freaking flabbergasted because he’s known Keira for like over ten years and had no idea she freaking spoke Russian – what was happening?! Was everyone some secret Russian KGB agent in his life?! Were Fred and George going to start speaking to each other in Russian next?! (Keira now totally has to teach them some to mess with Bill).

Keira manages to at least distract them enough they drop their guards a bit as she rambles nonsensically about Quidditch =p so she can figure out an escape. Maybe something like kicking a knife or wand out of the one Russian’s hand who was approaching them and that kick also sends her back/down to break the wooden chair she’s tied to so she can get free. And if there wasn’t a knife previously from the guy there’s one on some nearby table because I just need Keira to throw a knife at Bill and tell him to cut himself free and get their wands – because they were clearly taken away from them and stored in this gang leader’s ‘office’ – while she runs off and leads this big Russian brute after her and Bill to be like “wtf?! Freaking almost killed me with this knife and how am I supposed to cut myself free with my hands tied?!” and then him awkwardly trying to figure it out. Cue some fight scene between Keira and a giant Russian which probably has a lot of her trying to bash him over the head with any heavy object she finds and this guy just shaking it off and not going down! She tries punching and kicking him – dude is like a brick freaking wall but she’s a fighter and I feel like this guy at least respects her fighting spirit and finds this pretty fun.

I haven’t exactly figured out a location where all this is taking place and how this is exactly to go down but Keira and giant Russian – evil Colossus – fight leaves a lot of property damage and as they stand facing each other for sort of a final showdown they notice…maybe a small fire they accidentally started closing in on a large propane tank or something… a gas leak… basically an explosion is going to happen so they have to get the hell out of there! They’re staring each other down, they look at the impending explosion, they look back at each other and then they both make a run for it. Maybe some slow motion is called for here?

Meanwhile, Bill manages to cut himself free but then Russian gang leader comes out from his office, with his adopted little brother/former Curse-Breaking partner of Bill and Keira – dude needs a name… Viktor? Ivan? I can’t handle anymore Alexanders or Nikitas… There’s some Ivan’s in the Romanov family so Ivan it is. Ivan follows his big arsehole of a brother out of his office who is clearly pissed to find both of his captures had escaped their ropes and one along with his henchmen were missing. Poor Bill is unarmed though and when big arsehole brother (I should give him a name but it is fun to call him this) takes out his wand to do away with Bill Ivan stops him and knocks him out – Ivan can be trusted! He feels awful for betraying Keira and Bill when honestly they’re good people and he liked them, they treated him well unlike his brother here, and they did bond and forge a friendship. He’s sorry he got them into this mess. And he helps Bill retrieve his and Keira’s wands as well as the artefact.

As they prepare to leave – either via apparition, portkey, or floo network which I have some interesting thoughts on but honestly all could work and Bill and Keira would definitely have a portkey to set destination – they realize, oh yeah, where’s Keira? Who of course during this perfect timing flies in with evil Colossus (omg I’m so happy I thought of this nickname for this guy) from the explosion propelling them through a large dividing window – I really feel like glass is the best option here. Evil Colossus is knocked out – the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Keira needs a moment, her ears are ringing, she’s blinking to try and get her blurry vision to focus and finally notices Bill and Ivan shouting to her and waving at her to come to them so they can get the hell out of there.

The explosion, while it knocked out evil Colossus, stirs Ivan’s arsehole brother who notices this new destruction before him and his henchmen taken out by some little witch? Wtf!? He reaches for his dropped wand to shoot at Keira who does her best to quickly get up and race to Bill while somehow avoiding Ivan’s arsehole brother’s attacks – probably because he’s still pretty groggy and not coordinated and focused after being knocked out so his shots are off. Plus in another world he’d be a Stormtrooper =p More slow motion of Keira running and avoiding attacks flying past her? Maybe… So she runs right into Bill’s outstretched arm, Ivan wraps his large arms around both of them, and they disappear – again, either via portkey, apparition, or floo powder/network.

Cut to a quaint little village surrounded by trees/forests and a calming river running through it. Some figures of people walking through the village and one leaving what appears to be a pub, swinging his bag over his shoulder and waving goodbye to his friends as they shout their goodbyes to him. He walks through the village, saying hi to a couple others he passes by, and crosses a bridge over the river to continue down a path towards his cottage-like home. As he opens the door to his quaint dwellings a trio of visitors surprise him by suddenly appearing and collapsing on his living room floor with some painful grunts and groans.

“Bill? Keira?”

If anyone is interested in the rest of my idea for this let me know. This was actually really fun to remember and re-live. I hope you enjoyed it and I would love it if it could be made into a movie one day.

“Hey, Charlie…”

Thank you for asking!

(This also helped me find a lot of good Keira x Charlie gifs from Outlander so thanks for that 😜)

[nodesiretogrowup]

alrighty, review time!

Do you think Donald wrote the song? He did write a song when he was younger and the lyrics fit him best

I love that Donald is the sane man of the Caballeros

Why did you choose the bathroom? That’s really weird and kind of perverted

I love the picture of a rubber ducky in a top hat on the wall

Just how big is that bathtub? Four grown men were able to fit in it at the same time

Never mess with a man who has a demon-ghost butler

“That’s the FOURTH rich guy’s bathroom we’ve been kicked out of.” I...I would like to know about the other three. And again, WHY THE BATHROOM?!

“We just need someone to listen to us!” Donald giving us the theme/moral of the episode

Was Louie just waiting out there?

Louie looks like a drug dealer. He also looks a bit like the reboot version of himself from that poster in Quack Pack

“And you’re willing to do whatever I say, at any cost whatsoever?” “Well, not any...” “QUIET, DONALD!” Guys, you should listen to Donald, he knows Louie better than you

Poor Donald, the only sane man here

I love the stickers on Louie’s laptop. I wonder if he actually knows how to hack

I love the stupid “it” trends. Hats-Hats and Invisible Piercings, what will they think of next

Of course Dewey would keep up with an IT list. He actually cares about his image/how his peers view him

The lead singer of the Feather Weights looks like a punk girl version of Drake. I’m gonna go with them being related somehow. Or they used to date. Or they go to the same hair stylist. THEY ARE TIED TOGETHER SOMEHOW

Yo-yo tricks were more of a 2000s thing, Dewey (seriously though, does anyone else remember when yo-yos were SUPER POPULAR for some reason?)

Panchito is so ridiculously EXTRA and I LOVE HIM

“These are my people.” Oh sweet Dewford, they wish they were on your level

“Internet fame-the most important fame of all” Well it’s the most achievable

And then Dewey just rolls off screen

“If only someone had a super-elaborate scheme to get in...KA-BOOM!” Dewey’s not the only showman in the family

This show LOVES some big boards

Why/when did Louie plan all of this? I mean he did want the Caballeros to make him their manager so he could get a cut, but why?

Already you can see that Louie’s pride is gonna get in the way

Again, Donald is being the responsible one

I love their signatures. Panchito’s is like a 12 year old girl’s, José’s is curvy, and Donald’s is the least showy. And I love that Panchito thought “Don” was enough lol. He is close to Launchpad levels of ditziness

The pictures Louie uses on his board are GREAT! I love fridge-raiding Panchito

Agent Dewey-License to Chill. Dewey, that was two episodes ago

“I have a very special job for you.” “Oh-ho ho-ho, special.”

Luis P Canard. Is that a false identity Louie already had or did he make it up for the party? Or is there an actual Luis P Canard?

Huey looks SO CUTE! Though he should have known something was up when Louie asked him to forge a signature. Do you think Huey has forged other documents with or without knowing it?

Louie looks good with that black “lipstick”

“Welcome to the scheme.” “What scheme?” “Nothing.” “TELL NO ONE.”

Gyro Gearloose-Kid inventor. Does that mean he was a child prodigy or that he LITERALLY invents kids? Or both? The possible clone’s tube had K.I.D. on it. I bet this will be explored more, probably next episode

I love how they all stare at the earpieces when Gyro says the DEFINITELY won’t explode 

I love that the lion statues have sunglasses and there’s a statue of a ballerina hippo from Fantasia

OUR QUEEN HAS ARRIVED

How do ducks whistle if they don’t have lips?

Daisy-smiles, Donald-I WOULD DIE FOR YOU

I love Daisy’s fake laugh

With both of them in tuxes you can really see that Dewey and Louie have different body types. Louie has broader shoulders.

“I’M GONNA DANCE DOWN THE RED CARPET.” No Dewey, that’s for the after party

It’s the PEP guy! I feel like he’s gonna become a villain with how much he’s been embarrassed (and he already LOOKS like a cheesy superhero show villain)

GRAVES IS BACK, BABY

Dewey has made a LOT of enemies

“New plan-Dewey is NOT going to the party!” DAMN, THAT’S COLD

“This is the Dewey-est party in town!”

“Oh, WHY was I cursed to be so FLASHY and UNFORGETTABLE?!” I love my dramatic son

Why did the Caballeros have to switch hats?

“SO TIGHT. !”

WE NEED MORE DJ DAFT DUCK

Ok, real talk? That party looks boring as fuck 

I like that there’s sweat when Dewey pulls off his helmet. It’s the little details

“Everyone listens to my plan.” Dewey looks PISSED

“The plan to wow Glamour with our haunting melodies.” Panchito is Drake/DW if he was a Latin Lover. THEY NEED TO MEET. IT WOULD BE HAMMY AND GLORIOUS

“You mean our SICK dance beats!”

Donald is like “girls, girls, you’re BOTH pretty”

But seriously, they need to decide what direction they want to go with their sound

Donald is ALWAYS the voice of reason (except in The Town Where Everyone Was Nice, he got a bit caught up in that lie)

“I will charm my way on stage with my golden voice.” #youtried

That smirk José gives him, beautiful

“Easy, grownups.” YOU JUST GOT DISSED BY A 10 YEAR OLD!

“So I’ll dazzly Daisy with my hip, cool yo-yo tricks.” I would have liked to see how that played out

Does Louie have some kind of dirt on Jane? Why does she keep helping him out? Why does she call him “Mr. Duck?”

Glamour is a BITCH. And it seems like Daisy might share the same luck as Donald and Della

SERIOUSLY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON HER, LOUIE?!

Donald was posing all cool

Why send Donald in to do the most important part of the plan? At least have someone with him. Louie should have gone with him so Donald could distract Daisy and Louie could use his pickpocket skills to get the pass. Louie did not account for the variables

“Ooooh PHOOEY.” I love that all of the Duck family say Donald’s catchphrase

POOR DEWEY!

I love Louie’s other distraction ideas-explosion, food poisoning, SET FREE A WILD MONGOOSE, ghosts, ANOTHER explosion 

LET DAISY SAY FUCK

I’m pretty sure Donald got a boner when he saw Daisy DESTROY that vase (I also found it hot). He was scaroused

OUCH. That HAD to have hurt/broken SOMETHING

How did Louie get that picture of Webby? Hell, how was that pic taken in the first place?

“WHEEEEEEE” Webby knows what’s up

“MY FAULT! It’s...your bag.” Oh Donald

LET DAISY SAY FUCK

“My band is sorta...crashing the party.” DONALD YOU ARE TOO CUTE

The yo-yo just rolls away

Louie, you hurt Dewey’s feelings! Also, your plans are pretty ridiculous too, including the one you are currently trying to pull off. There had to be a better idea than a harpy

Listy-er

GLAMOUR MUST DIE FOR WHAT SHE DID TO LOUIE! IT’S A GOOD THING DONALD WASN’T THERE OR ELSE SHE WOULD BE

“I don’t want to be at Funzo’s forever.” “Why not?” Oh Webby, so innocent to the horrors of minimum wage jobs. Also it’s nice to see Webby being able to have an ordinary conversation with someone

FALCON’S EYEBROWS ARE MESMERIZING

It’s equal parts cute and sad how long Dewey takes to count

MANNY IS FUCKING SWOLE

Manny is 0 for 2 when it comes to being the muscle (I’m counting him vs Mega-Beaks as well)

“That was odd.” You have no idea

Donald sees Daisy as the GODDESS she is. GET YOU A MAN LIKE DONALD

I KNEW IT! I KNEW SHE WANTED TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER! It was like the only guess I got right so let me have this

“Nobody listens to me either.” Awww

“They don’t understand me.” AWWW

“Well that’s weird, I understand you perfectly.” MY HEART!!!

I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH! And when it changes into how Daisy hears him...chef’s kisses. It reminded me of Remember Me from Coco and I Love You Too Much from Book of Life

Real talk-the song really got me. I feel a lot like Donald. A lot of times it feels like no one is listening or understands me because my thought process is a bit different. Or they can understand but they don’t care, like how Daisy feels. When Donald sings for her, I teared up because I want to be comfortable enough with someone to let down my guard like that. Music is a big part of who I am so I would love if someone sang for me even if they don’t have the “perfect” voice. I want someone to feel comfortable enough with me to let down their guard and be real

Daisy is a woman of ACTION

Do you think she’s been stuck in that elevator before?

“My kids!” “Wait, you have kids?” Whenever Donald calls them his kids I gain 5 years to my lifespan. I can’t wait for Daisy to officially meet the kids

“Oh no, not again!” Starting to rethink your life-choices aren’t ya?

I love Mark. He’s so stupid and out of touch with the real world

“Oh Gravesy! Long time, no crime.” GRAVEBEAK LIVES ON!

I love Mark’s hoverboard crashing and catching fire in the background. And then it chases Slash

Haha, Mark’s name is Markus. What a dewb

I was rooting for rich lesbian aunt, but mom works too

Graves is SO DONE with these people

Dewey is all of us

Poor Louie. His self confidence is the most fragile of the kids

Nerp

“Just listen to me for once.” WE ALL NEED TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, THAT’S THE THEME OF THE EPISODE

THEY’RE HOLDING HANDS! And Mark seemed into it ;)

“I want to look away but I can’t” CALLING IT NOW, THIS LINE’S GONNA BE A MEME

I want Dewey’s yo-yo skills to be a reoccurring thing

That’s one of the things he has in common with his uncle-being a performer even if they aren’t the best at it

Louie’s face as he sneaks away is great

“The failure of it is ridiculous...and BEAUTIFUL!” Gonna use that to describe myself from now on

Dewey is IT. SO FABULOUS!

Daisy, maybe you should let the man get rid of them

DOUBLE BADASS ONE-LINERS

LET DONALD SAY FUCK

HE’S SO PROUD OF HIS BOY

I like the “totally not Pirates of the Caribbean” music that accompanies José when he’s fighting

“Nice singing.” “Nice moves.” NOW KISS

“Oo, nice dagger.” Webby, not the time for that

There is NO WAY that the scene with Gabby and Webby isn’t foreshadowing SOMETHING

“I gotta get out of Duckburg.” Jane starts a GoFundMe page to get out of Duckburg when she gets home

BATTLE COUPLE!

DAISY WILL FUCK YOU UP

DON’T MESS WITH HER MAN

It was then Donald realized that he had met his future wife

DONALD AIN’T GONNA TAKE THAT SHIT FROM YOU

It was then Daisy realized she had met her future husband

“LOVE YOUR BLOG” Who knew Manny kept on on the latest trends

Glamour probably realized those fuckers were crazy so she should back off

SILENT M’MA CABRERA!

OMG EVEN THE TREE HAS FUCKING SUNGLASSES

Manny is one suave motherfucker

Glamour playing with the yo-yo while Mark acts like a spoiled brat

DEWEY IS PROUD OF HIS DADNALD!

IF WE DON’T GET DEWEY’S DOZEN AT SOME POINT I’M SUING

“Our brotherhood is the greatest scheme of all!” SO FUCKING WHOLESOME! MORE LOUIE AND DEWEY PLOTS

“HEY, YOU’RE MESSING WITH MY MOJO!” Don’t be a hater, Manny!

“I could listen to it all night.” DAAAAAWWWWWWW

GAAAAAAHHHHH THIS EPISODE WAS SO GOOD! I love that there was a common theme of feeling like you aren’t being heard. Daisy felt like she was too unimportant to be listened to, Louie doesn’t listen to Dewey because he feels like Dewey isn’t serious enough, and NO ONE listens to Donald because his voice is hard to understand. In the end they all get heard, with Donald and Daisy getting the bonus of finding someone who understands them. The two of them really are relationship goals. I cannot WAIT for more wholesome Donisy content. This one bumped Quack Pack down from my favorite so far.

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

All Those Things They Couldn’t Say - A Runaway Baudelaires AU

{ao3} {tumblr} {masterlist}

Chapter Forty-Seven - The Slippery Slope

Beatrice started stirring when the car was taking off. 

She heard some voices, though it took her quite some time to process what was even being said. Something about a fire, something about “lions…” was she supposed to get up and feed the lions? Surely it was Bertrand’s day to do morning checkins… wasn’t it? When had she seen her lions last?

“Shouldn’t we put them in the caravan?” 

“We don’t have time to clear it, you imbecile! We can’t let them find anything useful in it.” 

She felt dizzy, and for a period of five seconds she wondered if she was going to puke. She managed to hold it, though, and she realized that she was curled up very tightly. Something was atop her now- had it been there a while or just been placed?- and suddenly there was a slam, though more muffled noises. “Going… headquarters… before… here somewhere…” 

She almost dozed off quite a few times, but eventually she felt a jolt underneath her, and suddenly movement, a rocky movement. She realized there was something sharp pressing into her side, but not sharp like a weapon, more like the edge of a box or chest. And there was something sliding under her leg- a blanket, or a coat? 

By the time Beatrice processed things, her mind clearing up, they had been driving for quite some time. She eventually moved a little, and heard a small yelp. 

“Quigley?” 

She tried to blink open her eyes, but it was pretty much useless, she couldn’t see anything in front of her. 

A snuffle, a shuffle- movement on top of her. Was Quigley laying on her stomach? No- no that was his foot, he was laying on top of- 

“Bertrand?” 

“I’m here.” she heard Bertrand say, though everything was so muffled she could barely hear him. “Quigley, are you okay?” 

“I-” Quigley choked on his words. 

“Quigley, are-” 

“No! No, I’m not okay!” he burst. Beatrice’s heart broke as she heard him start to weep. “I’m not okay, none of this is okay!” 

“I know.” she heard Bertrand say. “I know, and we’re so sorry.” 

Quigley started crying harder, and Beatrice could feel him shaking. “I- I can’t do this. I can’t do this, they- they won’t stop, they won’t stop, I- I just want to get out, I just want them to leave me alone…” 

“Quigley, we can get out of here.” Bertrand said. “Just stay calm. Where are we? It feels… very small.” 

As Quigley shuddered, Beatrice shut her eyes and let her senses take over. She could feel that blanket beneath her, and something cold- metal. Quigley was partially on top of her, and she could feel something press against her on both ends- that box, and… oh, that must be Bertrand, she could feel him breathing now. 

“We-we’re in his trunk. The car trunk. U-usually they put me in the backseat but they were rushing. That’s- that’s probably why you’re awake, they probably forgot to inject you again…” 

“That sounds likely.” Beatrice shivered. “Quigley, what happened? Do you know?” 

“I- I don’t know much. I was in this booth? Near this broken rollercoaster, but I kept hearing weird things. Like… animals? Lions? Lots of roaring. Digging. I heard- just before we left, I heard screaming, this awful screaming, and… and then so many people were shouting and it got really hot and I could see smoke and…” he trembled again, and Beatrice tried to reach to touch him, but the space was too cramped to allow her to  move her arms. “I was so scared. I was… I’m still not- I don’t know if I was scared they’d leave me or they’d come get me. But- but they did, the- the nice one, the one with hooks, he cut my ropes and took me here and I was just- I was so scared but O-Olaf just told me to be quiet and shoved me in here and shut the lid and it’s so dark and small and I can barely breathe and I want to be literally anywhere else right now…” 

“I know. We’re so sorry.” Bertrand said. 

Beatrice tried to concentrate. “Quigley, are you tied up?” 

“N-no, they didn’t have time- the Hook-Handed Man couldn’t get the rope untied, that’s why he cut it, just told me to behave and-” 

Beatrice squirmed slightly, flexing her wrists. “I don’t think we’re tied either.” 

“But there’s not much we can do in a trunk.” Bertrand muttered. 

Beatrice considered, and then said, “Quigley, can you see anything?” 

“I- a little? There’s a bit of a light coming from the lock, but… it won’t move, I-” 

“What kind of lock is it?” 

“I don’t know!” 

“Don’t freak out. Just reach over and describe it to me.” 

Quigley adjusted slightly, and though he accidentally kicked her in the chest, she could feel him relax slightly; now he had something to do, he didn’t have to be alone with his thoughts. He started talking, describing as best he could, and Beatrice held still as she felt Bertrand shift against her. While neither of them were inventors quite like their Violet, Bertrand had a bit more of a mechanical mind than she, and thus he was a bit better at lockpicking. 

“Quigley, you might be able to pick the lock.” he said. “You’d just need a loop of strong twine. Do you know what else is in here?” 

“N-no… I see a box, but I think that’s wine, and there’s a bag you’re laying on, Bertrand-” 

“See if you can slide it out from under me. There could be something in there. If all else fails, we’ll break my glasses and see if we can use a shard, but I don’t think that’ll work well.” 

“Probably won’t, dear.” 

Quigley moved again, squirming through the cramped space, and Beatrice heard shuffling and tugging as he tried to slide the bag out from under Bertrand’s head. “S-sorry-” 

“Don’t be sorry, just get the bag.” 

Quigley nodded and after a few panicked minutes, he managed to yank it back, and Beatrice felt his foot kick her in the chest. “Oh! Sorry!” 

“It’s okay.” she breathed. “Just open it. Use the light from the lock to search it.” 

Quigley managed to edge the bag to the side enough to open it. “Costumes. Lots of costumes.” 

“VFD disguise kit.” Bertrand said. “Beatrice, what could be useful in there?” 

Beatrice considered; as a former actress, she’d had that kit memorized since she was younger than Quigley. “See if you can find a monocle.” 

Another few minutes of silence as Quigley dug through, and then, “I think I- I think I found one!” 

“Good! Good job!” Beatrice said. “Now, slip the cord around the lock of the trunk. You should be able to wriggle it around enough to open it.” 

“Are you sure? What if they-” 

Beatrice listened, and then backed up slightly, though the edge of the box poked more into her side. She was almost against a wall, and she could hear a faint conversation. “Yes. They’re driving, and talking, they won’t notice. See if you can get it open and tell us what’s outside.” 

Quigley slid the back back onto her stomach, and then started maneuvering the monocle cord. They fell silent, waiting, and after a few moments, there was a pop, and a hiss, and the trunk slid open. Quigley jumped, grabbing the handle and holding it down so that nobody in the cat noticed the trunk opening, and then he peered through the crack, starting to shake as gusts of wind burst in, slamming into him. 

“Are you okay?” Bertrand asked. “And what’s outside?” 

“I- there’s a rope. Attached to a… a caravan. Like from a carnival- I think we were at a carnival.” Quigley shivered. “I- I don’t know if there’s anyone inside, though-” 

“Is there a window?” 

“Yes, and a door- it’s swinging open and shut, whoever was in it last never closed it. Hence why I think nobody’s there.” 

“Is the window near us?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Take something from the costume bed and throw it at or through the window. See if you can. Do you think you can?” 

“I- I don’t know. My- my dominant hand is- that’s the arm that got-” 

“Just throw as much as you can until you hit it.” 

Quigley nodded, and then slid the trunk more open. Beatrice squinted as much more light suddenly hit her, and the wind chilled her in her torn, loose clothing. Quigley hesitated a second, waiting to see if anyone in the car noticed, and then he reach into the bag, pulling out some kind of amulet. He tossed it, and it landed just beneath the window, skittering to a ledge around the edge of the caravan’s bottom and holding there precariously. He bit his lip and pulled out what looked like half of a pegleg, and then he tossed. 

The crash was lost in the other sounds going on- the wind, the car, the rocks under the tires, some kind of birds crying in the distance, but the pegleg smashed through the window and landed inside. Quigley stood still, waiting a moment, before saying, “Nobody’s looking. I don’t think anyone’s there.” 

“Okay. How far away is it?” 

“P-pretty far. It’s only connected by a rope.” 

“How thick is the rope?” 

“I don’t know?” 

“Is it thicker than your fist?” 

“I- I think?” 

Bertrand hesitated, before saying, “You can crawl across it.” 

“What?” 

“You're a good climber, just use that. Crawl across the rope and get to the caravan, and get inside.” 

“What?” 

“If there’s nobody there, we can break in, cut the rope, and find a way to escape.” 

“I- I don’t know if I can- we’re moving so fast- I-” 

“Quigley.” Beatrice shut her eyes. “Quigley, I know it’s scary. But you have to do the scary thing first and get scared later. This may be our only way out and we can’t- we can’t let them have you any longer. Go across, Bertrand and I will follow. We promise.” 

Quigley shook, and then said, “Okay. Okay.” he shut his eyes, and managed to reach out of the trunk, gripping a thick rope with both hands. The car jolted around a turn, and he screamed into his arm, tears springing to his eyes. 

“It’s going to be okay, we promise.” Bertrand said. “Quigley, we’re going to protect you.” 

Quigley nodded, and then looked up, blinked away his tears, and started muttering a soft song under his breath. 

“Twas brillig and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe…” 

He slowly pulled himself farther, reaching farther down the rope and ignoring the pains in his arms and the rocking of the car and the wind forcing itself against him. 

“All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe…” 

Beatrice held her breath as he reached father, steeled himself, and then moved his legs around the rope. For a moment, it looked like he’d fall, but he managed to cling to the rope just enough to hold a shaky balance. He crept a bit farther, and then, with relief, he started to mutter more, and though the words were lost in the wind, Beatrice knew what he was saying. 

“Beware the Jabberwock my son, the jaws that bite, the claws that catch… Beware the jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch…” 

She heard Bertrand slide up to a sitting position, and he said, “You go next-” 

“No.” she shook her head, almost banging it against the trunk’s wall. “You’re closer. I’d have to climb over you. Just go.” 

“Bea-” 

“I’ll be right behind you.” 

He moved a hand over her ankle, and she flinched. The pain from the hospital was still… well, excruciating, honestly. 

“Will you be able to?” 

“I’ll be okay.” she promised. “We’re former Volunteers, love, a simple rope climb will be child’s play.” 

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, one both of them wished could last longer. Then he turned, once again seeing Quigley, now almost to the edge of the rope. He was reciting much faster, trying to move faster, the fear clearly getting to him. He almost slipped once or twice, and both times Bertrand froze over and put his hands on the edge of the car, prepared to jump and try to grab him if that should happen. But finally, Quigley edged to the caravan’s wall, and he shakily gripped the window ledge, trying to avoid the broken glass fragments and pulling himself upright. He shakily remained there a moment, before edging along towards the door, gripping first to the ledge and then to a chip on the corner, trying to make it as best he could. Finally, he swung himself, and they lost sight of him for a minute, until they saw him crawl up to the window, gesturing for them to come on, relief in his eyes. 

Bertrand smiled at Beatrice, and then made his own way to the rope, She knew he’d be fine; they’d done many things like this before, whether they wanted to or not. When he was out of the trunk, she slid herself to the edge, taking a few seconds just to breathe in a less confined space, before she pushed herself up, grabbing the edge of the trunk and pulling herself up. As expected, Bertrand had basically reached the caravan by then, and she watched as he pulled himself up to the window and crawled along the edge to the door. Once he swung inside, she steadied herself, taking a deep breath. Her foot hurt like hell, yeah, but she could probably move on one… probably… 

She reached out a hand to grab the rope, and then screamed. 

A knife had come swinging at her, curving from the front of the car, and landed in the back of her hand. She heard Bertrand scream her name, but she instead pulled herself up and turned, meeting eyes with Esme, leaning out of the shotgun seat and looking absolutely furious.

She shouted something to Olaf, and Beatrice knew there wasn’t hope now. Her hand was starting to throb and bleed, and surely Olaf would stop the car and… and… 

She looked across, to see Quigley reaching an arm through the window, as if he could hope to reach her from there. Bertrand, meanwhile, was leaning out the door- no. 

He was going to try to get her. He couldn’t. There wouldn’t be time, and then they and Quigley would be right back where they started… 

She wasn’t about to let that happen. 

She took a deep breath, and then gave him a rueful smile. Though she knew he couldn’t hear, she whispered, “Take care of them.” 

Then, before Olaf’s car could even slow, she yanked the knife out of her own hand and sliced it across the rope, before watching the caravan tumble down the mountain.

[pentanguine]

I am not above just answering my favorite ask meme questions even if no one asks them, so here we are:

sunrise: pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally.

“I don’t want another label…I just wish we had words so pretty we’d go out of our way to say them out loud.” -Leslie Feinberg, from Stone Butch Blues (p. 254). If it weren’t so long, this is the kind of quote I would want to aspirationally tattoo on my body. Every time I read it, I love it even more.

To me, it means that I see gender as more creative than taxonomic. It’s a way of interpreting yourself, not discovering what you Truly Are. And so I want words that are beautiful to say. I want words like poetry. I want words that don’t define things in clinical Latin or Greek roots, but that just sound beautiful, like something you’d want to say out loud. I want a word that means whatever you want it to mean.

oil paints: what would you title the autobiography of your life so far?

I Will Be Lighthearted If It Kills Me: A 10-Step Plan to Spontaneity

bands: talk about a song/band/lyric that has affected your life in some way.

Would it be cliché if I talked about MCR? Probably. 

That being said, they really have done the most of any musical artist in terms of changing my view of the world and myself. They made me feel freer to delight in my weird morbidity, they helped motivate me to face my fears (which included things like driving and talking to other people), they helped me process my grandfather’s death, they taught me more useful things about queerness and identity than any of the LGBT resources I’d encountered, they gave me an online fan community to be part of and a shared language to speak, they helped me figure out my sense of style, and they gave me context into the world’s recent past, stuff about 9/11 and the Iraq War that no one was teaching in elementary school because it was happening around us, but that I was too young to actually be aware of. There are probably a lot more ways, subtler ways, that they’ve affected my life, but those are the main ones I want to highlight. 

They also just make me happy. Their music is so damn good, and so enjoyable to listen to, and I feel comfortable when I listen to it, in a way, like a strange kind of nostalgia for a time you never lived or a time that’s still going on.

cry baby: list the concerts you have been to and talk about how they make you feel.

Lindsey Stirling—While I really enjoyed the show, she only played a three song set as part of a larger festival, and so my most vivid memories of the occasion are of getting there and back (and at one point, if memory serves, running down the street in downtown Philly singing songs from The Sound of Music and possibly skipping). Also this festival/concert thing is the reason why the first artist I ever saw live is technically Shawn Mendes, which is always a wild thing to remember.

Brand New--It was an outdoor show in the South in the middle of July and I think some people got heatstroke. Jesse Lacey is a sexual abuser. Believe survivors. Don’t stream their stuff. I ate a hamburger that made me throw up. It was a co-headliner with Modest Mouse, but we had to leave to drive back across the entire state at the start of their set.

Sigur Rós—They are spectacular live. The music just enters your body and fills you up like some kind of otherworldly magic, and they have glorious visual effects to go along with it. I remember being so thrilled that they played Fljótavík, which at the time was my favorite song of theirs, and which I wasn’t expecting at all. It was here that I acquired the Shirt That Says Krunk.

Creeper/Waterparks—Creeper are probably tied for the best band I’ve ever seen live, and they were only the opening act. They put in so much energy and passion, and Will Gould is a fantastic live singer. I’d love to see them as a headliner some day. Waterparks is a band I would not see again now, since I’m not super into their new style of music and I’ve since found better alt rock musicians to project my gender onto, but I was very into seeing them at the time. Awsten Knight threw water into the crowd and most of it landed on my shirt, and this was a high point of my week. Someone crowd-surfed on crutches. At one point I hear this deep voice singing along to 21 Questions, and I turn around and it’s one of the bros from the mosh pit. I remember not actually liking the music live as much as I’d hoped I would, but I think the delights of the concert-going experience made up for it.

Enter Shikari—The best band I’ve ever seen live. This whole show was spectacular from start to finish, from the way the songs sounded live to Rou’s frenetic dancing to the crowd’s incredible energy. I went up on the balcony, and watching the pit from above with a strobe light flashing over it, fracturing this seething mass of people into flashbulb moments of movement and adrenaline, was literally awesome. I think this is the only show I’ve been to where the crowd felt united, and like part of the show—we were all chanting “Still we will be here, standing like statues,” we all clapped together during Sorry You’re Not, and at one point someone started up a rousing chant of “Fuck Tom Brady!!” (I think the Superbowl was the next night). I never wanted it to end.

The 1975—The 1975 may be many things (well, to be fair, just one thing, and that’s pretentious as fuck), but they’re also great live. My favorite part of this show was how satisfyingly long it was. I think it lasted for well over two hours, and I got to hear most of my favorites, plus fall in love with some others I hadn’t appreciated until then. I remember it as a spectacular evening full of that special concert feeling I get (that maybe other people get?), like the music is swallowing you whole and you feel so giddy you end up laughing like a child. This was also the time I learned how to put in a tampon in your car in a parking garage (without getting blood on anything!), which I feel is a valuable life skill.

painting: what is the best halloween costume you have ever put together? if none, make one up.

When I was thirteen, I put together a bookworm costume out of various light green clothing, dust jackets taped to my shirt, and pipe cleaner antennae. I remember it very fondly, because it’s by far the most creativity and DIY work I’ve ever put into a Halloween costume, but at the time I was just painfully aware that it was very dorky and in all the pictures I’m staring at the ground looking like I’m about to get beat up on the playground. Little me should have had more confidence! It was a creative and original costume!

[butterflydm]

fic: safe (as) houses

For @queliotweek (2019) | Day 2: Hedge Witches | read on AO3

main ship: quentin/eliot; background ships: julia/penny/kady; margo/alice; rated: mature for brief discussion of sexual acts

Quentin didn't feel the wards drop, only became aware Eliot had returned when he felt a soft kiss on the top of his head. He closed his book, tossed it – carefully – onto the coffee table, and tilted his head back to get an upside-down kiss from his boyfriend.

“Ugh, we have rules about PDA,” Julia said from the other couch. “Take it to your bedroom, guys.”

Eliot kissed Quentin for a while longer, enough to more than make the point that Julia wasn't the boss of him, then he pulled away.

“If we leave, Q will get to see all the new spells first,” Eliot pointed out, climbing over the back of the couch and weighing down Quentin's lap with his long, long legs. “You'd definitely regret that, Jules. Bambi gave me some great ones this time. That horomancy elective she's taking has some fascinating implications for an amateur meta-comp specialist.”

Eliot tossed a hefty binder onto the table and grinned when Julia snatched it up and started flipping through the pages.

“You're the best,” Julia said, in a sing-song, eyes lighting up as she ran a finger down the detailed diagrams and notes. “I'm really looking forward to meeting your Bambi one day. So comprehensive. Exquisite penmanship, too.”

'One day' probably wouldn't come until after Eliot's friend graduated from Brakebills. It was risky enough for her to be feeding spells to an expelled student – if anyone found out she was essentially teaching an entire hedge safe house, Quentin wasn't sure what might happen to her.

“Speaking of PDA, where are your better two-thirds?” Eliot asked. “Bambi was able to sweet-talk Sunderland into spilling more info on how travellers work.”

“Supply run,” Julia answered, still focused on the binder. Penny was always the best choice on a run, since he could blip them out of trouble if things went sideways. Kady had volunteered to join him this time so that Julia and Quentin could get the chance to chill as friends.

They'd caught up on some of the shows that their housemates declared 'too nerdy' for their tastes, and then settled in to read different books in the same room. Eliot said that didn't count as a 'social activity' which just proved that even Eliot could be wrong sometimes.

“Oooh, yes, we've got notes from Glasses, too,” Julia said, with great delight. “Tell your Bambi to never break up with her – she's got such an amazing handle on contradictions and sympathies in circumstances.”

“I will pass on the request,” Eliot said, faux-solemnly. “No dumping the hottie with great tits who makes her gush like a fire hose when she comes. It'll be a trial for her, I'm sure, but she'll probably manage.”

“Ugh, fuck, Q, rein in your boyfriend's mouth,” Julia said, wrinkling her nose. “I mean, you do realize he's probably told Bambi all about your kinky sex games, right?”

“We don't have-”

“Try that on someone who didn't walk in on you,” Julia said, darkly. “You were suspended from the ceiling. There were clamps in places I didn't realize people ever put clamps.”

Quentin rolled his eyes. “I refuse to believe Kady's never tied you up.” And Julia blushed and said nothing, so that was a point for him.

He rested his hands on Eliot's legs and let himself stare a bit. Eliot had on a new vest (embroidered and golden) and a new tie (blue but with swirls that matched the vest) and he looked amazing. Eliot always ended up with new clothes after a day out with Bambi, and he looked so perfectly put together that Quentin was struck with the sudden desire to muss him up. He tugged the tie loose, crumpling the fabric – silk? – between his fingers. Eliot smiled at him, lazy and self-satisfied, and Quentin honestly didn't care how much of their sex life Eliot was sharing with Bambi. If it made him that happy to spend time with her, that was all that mattered. Even the magic didn't matter as much as Eliot's smile.

Anyway, they owed her a lot. She was the only reason their safe house even existed, after all. She'd broken the rules after Eliot had been expelled, had sought him out and brought back his memory.

One day, when she wasn't tied to Brakebills anymore and it was safe for them to meet her and know her real name... Quentin was really looking forward to thanking her. Having the safe house, having Eliot... he was pretty sure it had saved his life.

So, yeah, all things considered, Quentin didn't care if she knew all his dirty sex secrets. She'd earned them.

“Q, there's a cooperative in here that you've got to do with me,” Julia said. There a pause, then a heavy sigh. “Jesus, Coldwater, do I have to pull out our safe-house agreement to remind you about the rule regarding PDA in the goddamn common room. Taking off Eliot's clothes qualifies as P-D-fucking-A, asshole.”

Quentin was about to protest his innocence when he realized his hand was halfway down Eliot's shirt.

“Some people would pay good money for a show like this,” Eliot said, unrepentant.

Quentin, meanwhile, sheepishly pulled his hand away and put it primly back into his lap. “What- uh- what were you saying about a cooperative spell?”

“It's a reversal spell – kind of like casting 'dispel magic',” Julia said, firmly ignoring Eliot. “But incredibly strong. Anyway, it's- well, the best way to describe it is 'anti-sex magic'.”

“Anti-sex magic?” Quentin asked, dubiously.

“Yeah, it's friendship-based and, apparently, a lot stronger if there's no sexual energy between the casters.”

Even now, two years after his crush on Julia had whimpered in its final death throes, that was a difficult sentence to hear.

“Well,” Eliot said, very deliberately, before Quentin could trip all over his own words awkwardly. “It'll have to wait. I need to steal my boyfriend away and explore some extremely sexual energy with him.”

Eliot stood up, held a hand out to Quentin.

“Or, you could carry me,” Quentin suggested, not moving. He wondered if Eliot remembered their first meeting as vividly as Quentin did, the way he'd asked if Q and Julia were a 'matched set' and Julia had laughed and said Quentin was 'like a brother' to her and Eliot's face had been- sympathetic in a way that didn't feel condescending at all. He suspected that Eliot did remember.

“Spoiled,” Eliot said, approvingly. He reached down and scooped Quentin into his arms, and Quentin felt the soft familiar tingle of Eliot's telekinesis taking part of his weight. “You're going to make me do all the work, aren't you?”

Quentin threw an arm around Eliot's neck and pressed himself against Eliot's chest. Nodded.

“You are literally a few feet from your bedroom and its silencing wards,” Julia said but from the corner of his eye, he could see her starting to look through the book again. “Oh, and, hey, Eliot? Bring him back in two hours so he can do this spell with me.”

“I make no promises,” Eliot said lightly, and carried Quentin away.

[abundantchewtoys]

HS Epi: Meat p21 reaction

So, Dave, huh?

Doesn't seem as if Dirk is expecting him to fall unconscious too from the looks of it.

But that doesn't mean that he might not. It depends on who's really behind the condition, Dirk or Alternate Calliope.

You'd think Dave might get called by Roxy when they can't wake Jade up, but that might happen in the latter half of the page.

It's notable that Dirk even as almost omniscient narrator seems harried to continue acknowledging certain scenes. As if he fears he might be influenced.

"DAVE: holy shit thats disgusting KARKAT: DON’T BE A FUCKING XENOPHOBE DAVE: im not being a xenophobe" Yeah Dave, be more sensitive towards the people whose body image is celestial. :P

"Karkat doesn’t respond immediately. He shuffles his feet to the edge of the outcropping they’re standing on and stares down at the brood pit, where the Mother Grub of Earth C is squelching out unfertilized jelly." :O They actually left their hive! And they're meeting up with Kanaya! So... yeah, didn't think we'd require further indulging into the reproductive cycle of trolls, we had TMI already, but here we are. :P Jelly to go into the slurry, unfertilized like fish eggs. Joy.

"No answer. This silence makes Dave actually back up for three seconds and think about what the hell just came out of his mouth." Karkat's just distracted, thinking of something else or looking for Kanaya, I suspect, but Dave goes reading too much into it.

"Dave could definitely be handling this situation with a certain measure of restraint or grace. But he’s got my genes, so he decides to handle it a different way than that." Well, Dirk did say he owned his own faults. He wasn't lying.

"DAVE: but im almost as passionate about this troll speciesism thing as i am about the economy which you may not have known is my number one" Heh, Dave's really getting worked up about this, assuming he came over poorly.

"Karkat still doesn’t answer. He’s staring real intently at the jelly." He doesn't spot any mutations, by chance?

"KARKAT: HEY DIPSHIT, SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE. KARKAT: I’M NOT IGNORING YOU BECAUSE I’M MAD. DAVE: what DAVE: that wasnt what i KARKAT: I KNOW THAT YOU PERISH LIKE A DELICATE LILAC BLOOM IN THE FUCKING DESERT IF NOT SHOWERED WITH MY VERBAL ATTENTION AT ALL TIMES. KARKAT: BUT I’M KIND OF WITNESSING THE REBIRTH OF MY ENTIRE FUCKING SPECIES RIGHT HERE. KARKAT: YOU EVER THINK THAT THIS MIGHT BE A MONUMENTAL MOMENT FOR ME?" Wow, this is actually really much more like the Karkat we're used to hearing rants from.

I can definitely understand he feels some very heavy feelings right now, since everything that happened in the A2 session and after has lead to this moment. So I'm definitely allowing Karkat a measure of solemnness, and perhaps even feeling proud and aloof at the achievement.

"Dave comes to the edge of the outcropping, standing shoulder to shoulder with Karkat as he too observes the majesty of translucent goo getting birthed out of an alien asshole." So majestic. I'm definitely getting "Mufasa showing Simba the Pride Lands" vibes from this scene. :P

"KARKAT: WHAT PART OF THIS IS DISGUSTING? KARKAT: IS IT THE SLOW DEFLATING OF ITS DISTENDED ABDOMEN? KARKAT: THE SOUND OF DOZENS OF SEGMENTED LEGS CLACKING AGAINST ITS EXOSKELETON? KARKAT: THE UNFERTILIZED SLURRY BEING SLOWLY SQUEEZED FROM ITS OVIPOSITIONAL SPHINCTER? KARKAT: IS THAT IT? IS THAT DISGUSTING TO YOU DAVE? DAVE: kind of KARKAT: ... KARKAT: YOU’RE RIGHT KARKAT: IT’S HORRIBLE" You know when people sum up three items, the third one is often the most important one. :P And yeah, I figure Karkat can still see how horrific this is even as a troll himself. We know how much he could get grossed out by Equius' sweat and strongly voiced his dissent, and this is a whole new level of excrements.

"KANAYA: Im Sorry But I Can Hear You From Down Here" Kanaya has excellent hearing, being able to discern their blabbering from all the squelching and clacking. It might the rainbow drinker abilities.

"She’s glowing. Her skin, I mean." Yes, we already established she and Rose would adopt, if they'd ever go for progeny, if Rose can be convinced. :P

"Kanaya steps out from beneath the canopy where she was doing grub science, wiping her hands on a silk cloth." It's cool to see Kanaya do such a Jade-like activity! It's actually quite logical that her kind would be well versed in biology, given their strong dependence on the grub for (biological) reproduction.

"Her mood can be politely described as pensive." ... Something might be bothering her. A lack of donations, so far? It's not as if the imperial drone system will be set again, right? Depends on how they did things on Beforus, which she might shed light on. ... Figuratively.

"DAVE: whats shaking sis KANAYA: Must You Always Call Me That DAVE: nah but it does feel pretty rad to say DAVE: like wow my sister in law is an alien how" Pffff, yeah, that's right! Well, that's the first time someone besides Calliope (and Joey) is called sis! What'd that make Karkat to Rose? :P Since he has ties to both Kanaya and Dave.

"DAVE: i love our awesome planet where everyone is free to form xenophilic family units without fear of government interference or reprisal" That's an odd thing to say, but okay.

"Karkat pauses to imitate a very common Davism that involves two hands and a double-wrist swivel. It’s an incredibly good imitation, because he sees this particular bit of body language like ten times a day." ... Does Dave make a jazz hands signal when he's trying to change the subject? :D

"KARKAT: IT’S THE STUPIDEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN AND YOU DO IT LIKE TEN TIMES A DAY." ... Is Karkat picking that up from the narration, unconsciously?

"DAVE: im dropping a beat DAVE: like im using a turntable and scratching one song into another" ... Well then, less dorky and more related to his interests than I thought.

"KARKAT: IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE TRYING TO FOLD LAUNDRY YOU FORGOT TO IRON." At this point both he and Dave have forgotten Kanaya's presence. :P

"KANAYA: So This Is About The Election KARKAT: AH." She was expecting them. I wonder if they'll get as much an evasive answer as Roxy and Calliope gave Jade.

"KANAYA: I Do Get The Internet Down Here" Pretty good reception though! 'The Internet', such a Kanaya-ism.

"KANAYA: I Am Impressed That You Managed To Be Seen In Front Of That Many People Without Spontaneously Bursting Into Flames" So he gave a public statement! Nice.

"KARKAT: WOW THANKS, ANOTHER VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS." Yeah, well, your speeching days are kind of behind you, and even then it was only in front of 12 people, she may or may not have a point.

"KARKAT: THIS CONDESCENSION IS REALLY RICH COMING FROM THE PERSON WHO DECIDED HER NARCISSISTIC OBSESSION WITH BEING THE ONE TO HATCH THE MOTHER GRUB WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN NOT SEEDING OUR PLANET WITH A STOPGAP SYSTEM OF REPRODUCTION THAT WOULD CAUSE SYSTEMIC SPECIESISM TO OSSIFY INTO SOCIETY FOR 5000 YEARS." Pfff, Karkat already mentioned he discussed these topics so often with Kanaya over the phone. It'll be interesting to hear her retort.

"KANAYA: But I Do Not Think It Is Productive To Attribute These Resultant Troubles To A Single Decision Or Individual KANAYA: It Stands In The Way Of Our Efforts To Address Them KARKAT: MMNNNRRRGHHH......... DAVE: (shhhhhh)" I like this, Kanaya's right in absolving herself at least in part of the blame for the end result. Karkat is doing wonders in restraining himself from shouting. Dave is shooshing Karkat.

"KAYANA: You Know As Well As I Do That We Must Present A United Front" Yeah, that'd be best to not cause societal upheaval. But they're not doing a good job already of course, running two different campaigns.

"KANAYA: I Have Nothing But The Utmost Faith In You" ... is the new "I believe in you".

"Kanaya reaches out to put a hand on Karkat’s head. He doesn’t duck away in time, and she gives him an affectionate, matronly hair-ruffle between his horns." I love how Kanaya's motherly/sisterly feelings towards Karkat manifest sometimes. :D *pap pap good crab*

"KANAYA: While I Know That It Is Difficult For You To Take A Direct Compliment KANAYA: I Have In The Past Put My Faith In You When The Threat To Our Survival Has Been Immediate And Literal KANAYA: Its Basically Nothing To Ask Me To Do It Again Now That The Threat Is Far More ... KANAYA: *Existential*" Awww. Yeah, she always was one of his closest confidantes. Even going through with the trolling of the kids when she didn't feel like it would be that effective. And she's right, the dangers now are far more vague.

"KANAYA: Is How I Think I Shall Put It KANAYA: If We Are Going To Be Polite" ... And personal, I guess, since they come from within their own group. (Let's be honest, the trolls were a team but not a cohesive one. In that regard, the players on Earth C are far more kin.

"Dave is watching her, but Karkat’s looking contemplatively at his entwined hands. Kanaya’s right: it’s almost excruciating for him to take a completely unironic compliment, especially face-to-face, like what she just said to him. I understand this about Karkat. It’s one of the precious few things he and I have in common." Well, it stands to reason that if Karkat has a lot in common with Dave, he'd have a lot in common with Dirk too! But maybe some of those things are not part of the same set.

"We internalize and project the quality in very different ways, however, which is why I’m going to win." Here goes Dirk again, assuming he's the real leader on his side. He assumes his way of dealing with compliments will make him come off better, but he might just seem arrogant.

"KANAYA: Jane Has Been Here To Speak With Me Recently In Fact" Oh! I actually figured the issue was being discussed over the heads of the actual people impacted by a decision. ... Like is so often the case on our own Earth.

"KANAYA: You Know I Do Like Jane KANAYA: In Some Regards She Reminds Me Of A Friend We Had Who Sadly Did Not Survive Our Time On The Meteor" Feferi?

"KANAYA: She Was Unfailingly Kind To Everyone She Met But She Also Happened To Be The Heiress To The Throne Of A Vast And Bloody Empire" Aww. We didn't have much interaction between them, but it seems she held Feferi in high regard. It would have been a different empire under her. Different from Beforus as well, since the troll race had been influenced so severely by Doc Scratch and )(IC by then already.

"KANAYA: And While She Had A Lot Of Opinions On Reform She Had Already Wrenched Some Of Her Power From Our Last Empress In The Traditional Manner" Via the lusus. That might be her reasoning behind waiting until after the time skip to hatch the Grub. For the bond that would form between troll and grub. Maybe she felt she alone could handle the responsibility, or she craved a little sliver of that contact she lossed with her own custodian.

"Karkat finally looks up at the description of one of their many dead friends." Yeah, this would surely stir something with him as well.

"She rests an ear against the rise of its massive stomach, then taps the shell with two perfectly manicured fingernails." That calls back to when she got the matriorb out from her dead lusus' body.

"KANAYA: By Which I Mean That Jane Is Perfectly Pleasant And I Believe That She Has Only The Best Of Intentions KANAYA: But I Cant Shake The Feeling That Deep Inside Her Lurks The Potential For Despotism" Yeah, we know how it could have manifested in Feferi from Beforus.

"KARKAT: OKAY I GET WHY YOU GUYS KEEP CALLING JANE A CRYPTO-FASCIST KARKAT: BUT FUCKING FEFERI? SHE WAS HARMLESS. KANAYA: These Things Take Time To Gestate Karkat DAVE: damn" Dave is impressed by Kanaya's political analysis.

"KANAYA: Power Corrupts In Small Steps KANAYA: Compromises KANAYA: Concessions KANAYA: Appeasements KANAYA: And Leaders Follow The Example Set For Them KANAYA: Look At What Jane Has Modeled Herself After Already" So maybe the situation on Beforus wasn't Feferi's doing single-handedly, just a situation that grew and grew over millennia. A goal reached by means bartered over, the result corrupted in the process of achieving it.

I don't think Jane really modelled herself after the Condesce consciously, but if it's the only example of a powerful business woman she had, then of course she'd unknowingly copy some bad habits she doesn't think are bad.

"KANAYA: This Is Why I Trust You Karkat KANAYA: Because You Listen To Advice From Below And Beside You Not From Above" Plus, the Sufferer is his precedent, whether he believes in him or not. And yes, Karkat might admire achievements made by what he believes to be his betters (Vriska, Meenah, the Condesce), but he's learned not to copy their behaviour.

"DAVE: so weve got your endorsement then

She laughs, not kindly. KANAYA: Jane Offered Me “A Seat” On The “Board Of Responsible Troll Reproduction” KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK. HOW DARE SHE! KANAYA: That Is Exactly What I Said" Wow, yeah, that was definitely inconsiderate of Jane. Trolls should be the end responsible of their own reproduction, and if there's a board, there's a chairman, but as long as there's a president above either and she's human, the inequality persists.

"RECREATION SPRAWL" Troll term for park.

"KANAYA: In Case You Cant Tell I Am Actually Fucking Furious About This" Well, thanks Kanaya, I really couldn't!

"KANAYA: Our Reproduction Method Is Alien And Unfamiliar KANAYA: To A Human It Must Sound Monstrous KANAYA: Uncontrolled Even" While it wasn't, of course, there's a rhyme and reason to it. Especially considering the dangers on Alternia, a big pool of spawn to go through the trials is necessary. ... I wonder if they're going to set up new trials on Earth C, in the brooding caverns?

Come to think of it... What the grubs go through... It's kind of similar in a way to how in humans, the male sperm has to survive the trip to the egg cell.

"KARKAT: WHEN I HEAR ABOUT HOW HUMAN GRUBS CHEW THEIR WAY OUT OF THE FEMALE MATESPRIT’S ABDOMINAL HOLE BEFORE CONSUMING THE WOMB MEMBRANE IT MAKES ME WANT TO VOMIT." That's... well, a different phrasing but still close to the truth. Makes us sound like birds hatching from an egg, though.

"KANAYA: I Hope That There Is At Least One Principle We Share As A Planet KANAYA: Which Is That We Must All Work To Ensure Equal Dignity And Respect For Every Species" It's sad that in real life, so many people disagree.

"KANAYA: Otherwise KANAYA: What Was This All For

The three of them stare at the floor in adorably cartoonish synchronicity. What was this all for, indeed?" It's almost as if they're looking down to the narration, acknowledging Dirk's presence. :P

"Morality is a cultural construct. It’s pure ego for any of them to believe that their personal interpretation of it will result in the most effective laws." As for your personal interpretation, Dirk? :P

"DAVE: would you be willing to say that exactly but DAVE: like in front of a huge crowd DAVE: and also a television crew or six" She'd actually pull it off better than Karkat. Maybe she could be his press speechperson on troll subjects? :P

"KARKAT: OR MAYBE JUST IN FRONT OF JAKE ENGLISH? KANAYA: Oh Dear Has Jane Recruited Jake" The Jakestakes return. Kanaya also believes in that Jake will sway the vote.

"KANAYA: That Would Be Disastrous KANAYA: He Is Beloved In The Troll Kingdom For His Perky Ass" Why. Of all the universal constants.

"DAVE: seriously? KARKAT: I TOLD YOU IT’S NOT JUST ME! KANAYA: It Has Some Terrible Arcane Power KANAYA: I Have Never Seen Anything Like It" It's like his <3 quadrant, a black hole everything is attracted to.

"DAVE: but jane is one of his best friends so we gotta approach this with a scorched earth policy DAVE: give him a whole cadre of sob stories thatll make him feel all manly and heroic for lending his support DAVE: just gift wrapping babies for him to kiss KARKAT: TROLL BABIES EVEN? DAVE: sure that can be part of the deal he can kiss the first natural born grub right on its gooey lil head" He'd don a mayoral sash, top hat, fake moustache and monocle for the occasion, I can just picture it.

"KANAYA: Have You Spoken To Rose Yet DAVE: uh no DAVE: i mean DAVE: shes

Dave mimes laying down and taking pills. The look Kanaya gives him is neither fond nor patronizing." Very tactful, Dave, real smooth. At least Dave didn't bother Rose while she's otherwise occupied, like during the start of their session. Progress, right?

"DAVE: whats up with that anyway DAVE: are you guys uh DAVE: grub pregnant" Oh, yeah I should have figured Dave would start wildly guessing when not knowing the specifics behind the migraine.

"DAVE: cmon karkat dont you wanna be an uncle to a lil bundle of love and unnatural genetic tampering" Oh, now the baby became a genetically manipulated crossbreed. Jegus, Dave.

"DAVE: ok stop freaking out im just saying from what i understand of troll reproduction it would be technically possible for a troll and human to KANAYA: No DAVE: and with ectobiology anythings possible" Well, it's true the fandom speculated about crossbreeds, but uh, Dave is just approaching the subject from the worst angle.

"DAVE: i dunno its just unusual for rose to brush me off for our annual ecto sibling oversharing session" I would have thought they'd AT LEAST schedule it monthly, not annually. :P

"DAVE: shes been sick for a while DAVE: either shes pregnant or i got reasons to be worried" And NOW we get to the REAL reason Dave's breached the subject.

"DAVE: id be cool with it yknow DAVE: bring on the rosemary combo grubs KANAYA: Rosemary" Hah, nice! Shipping name dropped! Maybe that's what Dave thinks of them in his mind sometimes, like how "Dave and Karkat" became a concept to their friends.

"DAVE: like rose plus your last name which is maryan or something right KANAYA: Maryam" Oh Dave, inconsiderate much? :P

"DAVE: the rosemary babies would have her hair and your horns or whatever DAVE: like when two cartoon animals of different species give in to their lust and have preposterous children" Like what Dirk drew for Jake and Roxy.

"KANAYA: Im Going To Call My Wife And You Are Going To Stop Talking" Oh boy, here we go. Is Dirk going to answer? Making him both narrator and character at the same time? Is he going to impersonate Rose? Or will Rose unexpectedly wake up?

"Dave and Karkat bicker about what their combo kids would look like, in the event that they decided to stop being such laughable wusses" Even Dirk is rooting for them, kind of. And why would they even discuss this subject if the subject of becoming more than friends even scares them so much they don't acknowle- wait I answered my own question.

"Rose’s line rings for a long time. It’s unusual, she thinks. Rose rarely leaves her phone unattended." She rarely leaves an occasion hanging to be able to speak long sentences.

"Rose is in absolutely no condition to be having a conversation with anyone. Not even her cherished bride. DIRK: Hey," Is Dirk going to lie, I wonder. It would just be another mark against him, but a big one, as it'd be a confirmed action of malicious intent.

"Kanaya’s voice turns sharp right away. KANAYA: Excuse Me

She can sense that something’s wrong." Alright! He won't be able to spin the wheel on her, if he'd wish to do so.

"She’s also smart enough, and facile enough in handling questionable men" - right, Doc Scratch.

"to understand that she quickly needs to regulate the tone of her voice for diplomatic purposes. KANAYA: Dirk KANAYA: Is That You" Not fooling him at all, Kanaya, he knows you know it's him. This turned almost into a call with a hostage-holder.

"I don’t answer immediately. I’m distracted by something." His own narration, or something happening to Rose? ... Or perhaps... Perhaps Dirk is making contact with Reload Dirk, if he still exists. It would be something if he lost touch with Earth C for a while.

Perhaps it's more like what Blaperile thinks, Dirk is being distracted by events in the Furthest Ring, leading up to the upcoming perspective switch.

"She really should chill out, anyway. I’ve got everything under control. Not that she’ll ever be able to fully appreciate this." Well that's the understatement of the year. Kanaya would never forgive him, and it's only questionable if a lot of his other friends will. It'll dependent on further developments.

"I don’t have time to explain right now. John’s doing something vaguely important to the plot again." You'd think that what we last saw, John and the wallet, is where we'd continue his scene. But maybe Dirk fastforwarded his narration of John (he showed off at one point and let him spend a few hours, remember?), and now Rose's timeline caught up.

But this means Dirk's currently not in a state to answer Kanaya, but what does that mean? Is he going to freeze with Rose's phone in hand for a few hours, or has he broken off the call to "write" the narration?

"DIRK: Kanaya, I don’t have time to explain right now." That's not an acceptable answer for her and you know it. Unless he has her fall unconscious, too, Dave and Karkat and her are going to come over!

"DIRK: John’s doing something vaguely important to the plot again." Wow, he actually repeated his narration into the phone. He really doesn't control his situation as much as he thinks.

"KANAYA: Dirk... KANAYA: What DIRK: This is gonna have to wait. KANAYA: Dirk DIRK: I’m putting you on hold, ok? KANAYA: DIRK!" "Putting you on hold", pfffff. It's a personal cliffhanger for Kanaya. At least he's partially outed himself to the other people now. Unless he can continue his conversation with her with a 'reasonable' delay of only a few seconds from her perspective, and then proceeds to smoothly talk around what he told her, with his narration powers influencing her to drop the subject.

[mazojo]

Kiznaiver Review

I just finished the Kiznaiver anime and I am not okay, so I decided to do a review with my opinions and thoughts on it, so beware the spoilers and rants on different aspects of it ;w;

Spoiler Free Overview ~

Before actually going into the spoilers, I wanted to leave a little spoiler free plot overview for those interested but not convinced on watching it. Basically Kiznaiver is about 7 teenagers connected by an experiment to their wounds and pain, making the pain of one, that of the others. The anime follows the story of these teenagers and their friendship with the mystery of the experiment and the future of it in their city, making it emotional and addictive to watch.

Although there is a lot more to say, if you don’t want to be spoiled on the anime do not click on read more but if you don’t mind, go ahead <33

Plot

So as mentioned above, the anime consists on the union of 7 characters (representing the 7 sins) through the Kizna system/experiment which bonds them through their pain so if one gets hurt, the other six will feel the pain too. Each of the teenagers choose represents one of the deadly sins, which I will go into further in my description of each character, and they all have to work together throughout the summer in order to free themselves from their Kizna. Everything is running smoothly and they all become friends until some of them begin falling in love with others and it all kind of crumbles. In the final episodes we discover that the experiments have been running for a while and in the past, they were done to kids but it failed miserably as some gathered too much pain from the others while others didn’t, making them feel numb and emotionless. Our main character, Katsuhira was originally connected to the first kizna experiment but became numb to any sort of pain due to another kid (now leading the project?) named Noriko taking all the pain. In the end, Katsuhira is able to convince Noriko to give back his pain and those from the other kids involved in the experiment through a f r i e n d s h i p speech and the whole group ends up becoming much closer, with Katsuhira and Noriko confessing their feelings to each other.

Characters

okay, so I will admit I kind of may have fallen in love with some of the characters from this anime and I am going to list them in order of which I liked the most explaining a bit on who they are and what I believe they must be protected. I also decided to place a song that reminds me of them in order for you to gather a feel of who they are in my opinion.

Katsuhira Agata (Kacchon)

Rise - Ashes Remain

So this gif pretty much describes his attitude and face throughout the whole series (except the two times he actually cries). His sin is “sloth” but referred in the anime as “the imbecile”. This is due to his apathetic behavior to everything happening around him due to the lack of emotions he has. He is precious and even as a kid he has always been looking for those around him (even in his kind of oblivious way) and I love how even after going through everythingg he went through, he is able to forgive Noriko and even loves her with all her faults and imperfections <33.

Nico Niiyama

Hello Kitty - Avril Lavigne

She is one of those characters you either love or hate, and I absolutely looove Nico! She represents the sin of greed I believe due to her wanting of attention and reassurance. I don't know if its because I see myself in her craziness or just her whole attitude throughout the series but Nico is in top place with Kacchon for my favorite characters. She is much more than the I-am-cute-love-me character as we advance through the series we began seeing her need to find friends in those surrounding her and how desperate she tries to fit into this “eccentric girl” stereotype to fit in (if that makes any sense). I also loved how she was one of the first to come back and unite the group after their Kiznas were released even though she was hurting over Tenga, which I thought was really brave and a bit underrated, thanks for coming to my ted talk.

Yoshiharu Hisomu

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

So hear me out, Hisomu is a bit of a weirdo but through the small things he did and said he was able to win me over. Hisomu represents the sin of lust as he is a masochist and finds pleasure over the pain inflicted upon himself. I was a bit skeptical over his character as he appeared on the third episode unlike the others but he grew on me. Not only do I l o v e his character design but I think he has a personal growth over acquiring friends. He is close to Kacchon and never “abandons” him or leaves after all the others decide to part their own ways. Yeah, he may be a bit apathetic and unconscious towards the situations surrounding the others but I think in his heart he is actually a really good friend and sappy as it sounds, he cares deeply about the others and their suffering ;w;

Chidori Takashiro

Camouflage - Selena Gomez

Chidori is our tsundere-ish character. She represents the sin of envy as she is always second best when it comes to her unrequited love towards Kacchon. I really like her character and I feel bad for her as she often throughout the anime feels things very deeply and through Kacchon’s apathetic attitude, she mostly ends up hurt.I enjoyed her reactions as I know in the situations they face, I would definitely react similarly and she is very lovable overall.

Tsuguhito Yuta

Someone you Like - The Girl and the Dreamcatcher

Yuta is a classical popular kid with a soft side character. He represents the sin of gluttony as when he was little he used to eat a lot thus was seen as the fat kid and becomes kind of obsessed with his appearance after the fact. He may seem superficial at first but he is very caring and notices a lot of things others take for granted (like being able to be there for Maki even though she is a tough nut to crack). Also being a fellow cancer according to the wikia he went up my list :3. That being said I felt his character was all about Maki and he never really shined if there wasn’t any Maki story line involve which was kind of sad as I thought he had a lot of potential, but I still love him <33

Noriko Sonozaki

Never Enough - Loren Allred

Noriko is a weird character to me, as in some moments I really like her while in others I don’t really understand her. She has undergone a lot through her childhood due to experiencing the pain of her friends altogether and the constant fear of being left alone and not being understood even though Kacchon often reassures her of this but whatever. She may seem kind of like a psychopath and cold at the beginning but as we learn about her past I guess her behavior is kind of understandable but honestly I prefer the kid Sonozaki version which is adorableee. I like her relationship with Kacchon however and how they are able to grow from each other through their connection.

Honoka Maki

I Found - Amber Run

Maki and Tenga are my least favorite from the group but I don’t totally dislike them, I just don’t connect with he way they act most of the time. Maki represents the sin of pride as she often acts as if she is above everyone and everything going on around her placing a barrier between her and the other Kiznaivers. She has a rough past as she wrote a manga with her best friend Ruru and through their friendship feelings began developing. Ruru had a terminal illness and as Maki was afraid of getting hurt decided to cut all ties with her, which brings her to be the coldhearted person she is. Throughout the series she often rejects the other Kiznaivers refusing to call them friends inserts dramatic eye-roll until at the end she realizes its inevitable and accepts letting people in slowly.

Hajime Tenga

Counting Stars - One Republic

Honestly Tenga is pretty neutral to me and I don’t have much an opinion on his character. He represents the sin of Wrath as he often acts impulsively and resolves his issues through rage and anger acting with his fist rather than his head. He is quite loud and a bit obnoxious at times with his tough guy act but he means good. We don’t get much backstory on him other than he is afraid of dogs? which isn’t mentioned again after the second episode sooo… I mean he is a good character and has good intentions but I more often than not don’t understand his reactions and think he goes a bit over the top in most of them.

Ships

Although I know Kiznaiver isn’t an anime focused completely on the romance but rather a science-fiction/mystery kind of anime, I still had to mention the ships through the series starting from the one I like the most. Also note that some of them are non cannon so keep that in mind and note that this are my personal opinions ;w;

NicoxHisomu (non-cannon)

You can’t even understand HOW MUCH I WANTED THIS TO BE A THING. From the moment Hisomu appeared and had the first interaction with the group I wanted him and Nico to end together sooo badly. I don’t know if its because of their eccentric ways or how they are often looked upon as the weird ones from the group, but I always thought they would make such a cute couple! Even at the end when Nico is ranting on about Tenga, Hisomu is attentive to her and I honestly think their friendship is so pure and perfect ;w; I will be crying in the corner until this becomes a thing.

NorikoxKatsuhira (cannon)

Although I will forever be frustrated that NicoxHisomu didn’t end up together trigger please consider making a second season, I am actually really glad these two did! It was pretty obvious the two wouldd en up being cannon as the whole show premise basically concentrates in their relationship, and I am glad they did. I feel like both complement each other very well and stabilize one another through their feelings (or in this case, the lack of). I feel like both Katsuhira and Nori are very mature and overall I love their pairing as they both deserve all the happiness <33

ChidorixTenga (Cannon-ish?)

I really like this two together and I feel like through the finale we can kind of maybe say its cannon? I mean they never actually confessed their love to one another like Sonozaki and Kacchon (well, Tenga did), but Chidori kinda implied that she was starting to develop feelings? I totally feel like they work together as they level each other out by their protective mama bear attitude of Chidori and Tenga’s impulses leading to him being defensive of those he cares about. Also can we take a moment to appreciate their red aesthetic, like common they are adorable together.

MakixYuta (Cannon?)

This is also an odd pairing, as we see Yuta’s clear interest on Maki since episode 1 and where she only corresponds his feelings at the end of episode 12. Although they never truly became a couple I believe they both like each other so its kind of cannon? I like how they both have rough pasts and they help each other grow from them (cue to Yuta’s scene at the beach were he runs in the water although he may look like a fool) and they level the other out.

ChidorixKatsuhira (non-cannon)

The following two ships are ones I don’t like but I found important to mention as many people do ship them. I honestly can’t see this pair due to Katsuhira’s strong feelings towards Nori. I feel like he sees Chidori as her best friend and will never be able to see her as more than that. Chidori’s often explosive and overprotective character just doesn’t mash well with Kacchon’s laid back apathetic vibe, which is why I wouldn’t see this pairing working at all.

NicoxTenga (non-cannon)

I do not approve of this. I honestly can’t see this working and lets be honest Nico and Hisomu deserve each other so I am too blinded by that. I think their personalities wouldn’t work as Tenga is too aggressive and Nico much softer. I feel like Tenga is most of the times confused by her behavior or just doesn’t understand her eccentric behaviors which would definitely cause a problem if this were to be cannon. I can’t with this ship and if there is a season 2 I really hope this doesn’t become cannon otherwise ill just go cry myself in a corner.

To finish off this review on Kiznaiver, I would like to point out the things I like and the things I didn't like so much.

Liked…

- The characters is one of the things to really highlight from Kiznaiver. They are all so different but so lovable in their own ways and with their own faults which makes everything 10 times better.

- I haven’t been able to mention this before but I really liked the intro and outdo songs, I think they are catchy and represent quite well the anime.

- I adooored the character designs, specially Nico, Hisomu, Sonozaki and Katsuhira’s. I feel like the tones and designs of the characters with their little quirks really lets the audience gather who they are and why they are the way they are.

- I think the concept of the experiment and the characters being connected by their wounds and pain is very interesting! I dint know what to expect at first but as the story developed It really got me thinking what the Kizna system would look like in the real world.

Disliked…

- I feel like the character development could have been a little better for some of them? Specially Yuta, Tenga and Hisomu which even though we got to know, never really learned much about their past other than some random facts.

- The fact that Hisomu and Nico weren’t cannon

- Sometimes due to the small amount of time the creators had to create the episode, I feel like some things weren’t explained very clearly (like Sonozaki’s reasons to try committing suicide when she was young) but maybe its just me being dumb idkk

All in all, I really liked the anime and would definitely recommended to those who enjoy good characters and a little of science fiction as well as troublesome pasts. Remember this are just my opinions and feel free to ask me my opinions on anything related as well as I would love to hear all of yours :33

[ssnakey-b]

FF8 English-French translarison, part 18: A tribe called Side-quest

Hello again, everybody! It’s been a while but we’re back! Quick refresher: last time, we went over the many differences in the concert scene and the stuff leading up to it.

And now, Squall wakes up and is being summoned to the bridge, but before that, let’s take another look around Balamb Garden and see if there’s anything of interest, shall we?

First little thing, the CC Club. For the most part the dialogue with Jack here (or Valet in French) is pretty much the same in both languages, but there is one small difference, in that in English, the CC members other than the King are described as “Card _____” whereas in French, they are just referred to as their title. So for example, you get “The Knight of Clubs” instead of “Card Knight Club” (by the way, “Knight Club” sounds like the name of a place that specializes in all-sorceress bachelorette parties).

Also, the Joker is referred to as just that, not Magician Joker, although the Jack does call him a magician once.

Here’s something interesting if you talk to Irvine. Most of lines are pretty much the same, except for one, where in French, he says “There’s no big secret to hitting on girls, you gotta look cool!” whereas in English, he gives Squall the following advice: “Like... I’ve been thinking about this for a while now... Maybe you should loosen up a bit? You’ll be sure to get girls that way...!”

Weird that only that one line would be so different. Also, thanks for your input, mister Love Doctor, but I think Squall is going to stick to the patented Loire-Leonhart seduction technique: be lucky enough that you’re so hot girls go after you, and not you after them, in spite of your massive awkwardness”. Seriously, between Laguna’s cramp and Squall’s... self, their family line would have extinguished itself centuries ago if it weren’t for their absurdly good genes and actually had to put any effort into wooing ladies.

Skipping ahead to plot stuff, this is a good spot to tell you that in French, Squall’s title isn’t “commander” but “chef”. And no, that doesn’t mean he’s a cook, that word actually just means “chief” or “boss”. The term used in English comes from the title “chef cuisinier”, which translates as “Head cook”.

But yeah, the French title is kinda lame regardless. It’s such a generic title. Don’t know why they couldn’t use “commandant”, which you know, actually is a military rank and would describe Squall’s role far better. “Chef” sounds more like something cops would call their boss in a TV show. Although I will say, now that I think of it, I so want a whodunnit series where Balamb Garden is a police headquarter.

More importantly, though, we have a very different reaction from Squall depending on the version. In English, he actually gets annoyed and asks Quistis not to call him that. In French, he’s more confused and just repeats “Chef?” as shown above.

Anyway, Squall’s filthy assistants suggest checking on Balamb but fuck that, we’re going on side quests! Yeah, I figure that now that the game world is finally almost completely opened up, it’s a good time to start doing these, and generally exploring. Plus, I’ve worked out a neat way to alternate between side quests and plot stuff at least until the battle of the Gardens, so it’s nice to have a bit of organization for a change.

First stop, Obel Lake. We have another bizarre change here as in the English text, the shadow you can meet after humming a song sends you on a quest to find his friend, Mr. Monkey (and with that, it just occurred to me how freaking weird that game can get). But in the French version, his friend is called “Ryo the idiot”.

Yeah, they’re nothing a like and I really wonder what prompted each version. Again, if you played another localisation of the game and they call it something else, I’d love to hear what it is.

After we find the idiot / monkey / idiot monkey and return to mr. Shadow (hm, is it the same one from Fifth Element?), we have another interesting difference as in French, the shadow says “Booyaka” to great you. Looks like Selphie’s catchphrase did catch on to someone after all!

Now then, you may be aware that relaying his friend’s whereabouts makes the shadow give you some helpful hints as a reward, and of them is to “take some time off at Eldbeak Peninsula”. Once you get there, you find some weird message, and the trick is to literally take the words “time” and “off” away from the message the reveal another hint.

Of course, that would only work in English, so what did they do for the French version? Well, the shadow tells you “Retire tes pompes à Eldbeak Peninsula”, which means “take off your shoes at Eldbeak Peninsula”. And indeed, removing the words “tes pompes” pulls the same trick.

Also, annoyingly, the shadow’s hint refers to the place as Eldbeak Peninsula despite being translated as “Crête d’Eldbeak” in French, and since the hint is in a very specific spot and could find it right away, I ended up wondering if I got to the wrong place at first and started looking futilely around for an Eldbeak Peninsule (or a “Péninsule d’Eldbeak”), until checking the Internet confirmed that I was in the right place at the beginning.

If you go back to the dumbass ape after you manage to skip the rock “many, many times” (or “an incalculable amount of times” in French), he’ll get angry and start yelling “Ahhh! Darn it! Y-You’re just a big loser! I’m able to skip the rock as many times as I want! So there! Ha-Hah! Loser! Dork! Idiot! Your mom wears combat boots!”

Well that certainly was creative, although I think most of the cast except Linoa and Zell is immune to “yo mama” jokes, what with being orphans and all. ANyway, he is a bit more restrained in French, going “For God’ssake! How can anyone suck so bad? What a butterfingers, really! I can skip rocks 100 more times than you!”

Do note I specified “a bit”.

Moving on to Timber, let’s see what’s new. This little girl says her mom will let her have a cat when Timber is independent in both versions, and in both versions, she struggles with the word “independent”, but they way to present it is different. In English, she slowly sounds it out. In French, she mispronounces it as “indéTendant”, with a T instead of a P. Well, can’t blame her, I’d rather have a T than a P too. Thank you all for coming, I’ll be here all week!

This guy says that his girlfriend keeps nagging him, saying he’s a loser. In the English version, he than whines that if someone had told him not to give up back then, he would have tried harder, proving his girlfriend right. Oddly, he doesn’t say that second part in the French version, so you don’t get a hint that you should have encouraged him earlier, because apparently this guy makes career decisions based on the advice of random passers-by.

Here’s a very interesting one as the dialogue with both NPCs goes in waaaaayyyy different directions. In English, the mom says “I’m so proud of my daughter. You guys help your parents out, too while you can. They may not ask for it, but it’ll make them really happy.”

Tssssss... about thaaaaat...

Let’s move swiftly on. In French, she instead says “From time to time, I feel like I am my daughter’s grandmother. Strange, isn’t it?”.

As for the daughter, in English, she says “It”s quite tough being the eldest daughter. I have a lot of responsibilities... But I love my parents who adopted me and my twin brothers.”

Gee whiz, it keeps getting more and more awkward. In French, she says “Sometimes, I feel like I’m my parents’ mom... That’s strange, right?”.

So yeah, very different and all kidding aside, I once again have to give it to the English version, as I like the mention of the kids being adopted. It goes to show that the main characters aren’t the only orphans in that world.

Back to smaller differences with these two. For the most part, their dialogue is the same, with the girl saying she used to get fired up but calmed down later on, and in English, the guy says “you were just as attractive when you used to beat me up.” whereas in French, he says “Oh! The beatings she would give me whenever I tried ti give her a little kiss!”.

Well... still a healthier relationship than 50 Shades of Grey, I suppose. Not by much, but hey...

Inside the pub, in the English version, the lady says it’s called Aphrora and that it’s related to an Aurora. However, in the French version, she straight-up says it’s called Aurora. In both versions, she then adds that it means “drink until you see [an/the] aurora,” but interestingly, in English, she tells us to come back for drinks when we’re older, while in French she jokes that “considering the décor, it should be ‘drink until you stop seeing the horror’.“

But far more importantly, this:

Alright, so in the English version, she explains that her boss and his wife are part of different resistance groups, respectively, the Forrest Duck and the Forrest Fox, and that it resembles their relationship.

In French, she says her boss is a “Canard de la Forêt”, which does translate to “Forrest Duck”... but then adds that his wife is part of a different group (which she doesn’t name) and that she always changes one letter from he name of her husband’s group.

Now, this to me seems like a covert yet very obvious reference to the word “connard” (meaning she technically changes two letters but let’s not nitpick), which is a variation on “con” which is French for “cunt”. The closest I could translate that is would be “cunter”.

So yeah, that’s some classic crap getting past the radar right there, although I’m not sure it was even necessary considering the translations of later FF games include similarly coarse language such as “merde” and “connerie”, another variation on “con”.

I should point out that the French are generally way more cool with swearing than Americans seem to be, and boy howdy do we love ourselves some cunts and variations of it. We have cunters, cuntesses, cunteries, etc... Yeah, you’re not gonna have the outraged reactions you’d get from that in America over here. We basically use “cunt” the same way you guys use “fuck / fucker / fuckery / etc”.

In fact, I remember the French dub of one of the Harry Potter movies has Harry call Ron a cunt as well, at some point. It doesn’t help that with a few exceptions, we don’t really have mild swears in French, it’s usually either tame or strong, so translators often go for the stronger option when a scene needs the extra punch, with sometimes hilarious results.

Anyway, let’s move on. I’m putting this above screenshot in English because this guy seems to have an accent or something, which is absent in the French version. Although that does seem to confirm the previous mention of accents in the FF world, which is a neat bit of lore.

If you go back to the area where two kids are playing on the train tracks, you can rescue the little girl after she falls and nearly gets crushed by a train, because apparently Squall just wasn’t sexy enough, so he also has to save adorable little girls to make women will swoon some more. More relevantly, after the girl thanks you, a model train appears to bring some news, which apparently travel very fast in Timber.

In English, it says the girl was saved “in the nick of time” by a brave young man. The French version make sit a bit more grisly, saying she was saved “from a horrible death”.

If you talk to this girl a couple times, she’ll tell you a story about how she was nearly hit by a train and was saved by a very handsome man named Loire (guess it runs in the family) and how he was the man of her dreams and Squall presumably starts feeling nauseated and ddoesn’t understand why. In French, she tells the same story but oddly, she can’t remember his name as well, and calls him La Gooma instead.

And now we move on to Dollet, where there is quite a bit to look at. First thing of note is this guy and his sister; they have quite a bit to say, but the reason I bring him up is that at some point in the French version (and only that one as far as I’m aware), he name-drops Corto Maltese by saying he wants to be a sailor, like him.

For anyone who may not be aware, Corto Maltese is the titular character from a cult classic Italian adventure comic series by Hugo Pratt. Even though it never really became a huge mainstream name, it was still very popular, especially in the seventies it seems. As a result, you probably won’t be surprised to hear it often gets pretty psychedelic, not to mention the art style is rather unusual (but gorgeous) to begin with.

Corto is indeed a sailor, although I don’t remember him ever actually doing much sailing (not that I have read many of the albums although I do recommend them), to the point that in the movie adaptation (which, much like the comics, is excellent yet very obscure), he claims his sailor hat was a gift, and he always ends up embroiled in massive adventures and conspiracies, somewhere between Indiana Jones and James Bond.

And as I alluded to, although the comic is pretty famous, it’s still fairly obscure so it’s pretty amazing to see it brought up in Final Fantasy of all things.

If you talk to this kid, whom is playing hide-and-seek, he tells Squall to go away in both versions, but there’s a slight difference. In English, the kid calls him “mister,” which surprises Squall a bit and he replies that he’s only 17. In French though, the kid calls the group “old guys” and Squall understandably gets more upset about it. Either way, I do love how that’s one of the few things that gets him to explicitly react to what an NPC is saying. Guess even he can’t always be above vanity.

Here’s a bit I love. When you talk to the guy in the green vest and you tell him the town hasn’t changed, he then starts to recognize you as the kids who were being chased the giant robot spider (or robo-crab, as the French version puts it). You then get two options. The English ones are fairly standard: either “don’t know” or “can’t say who, but we know.”

The French one got a bit cute with it, and your choices are “Not at all, What robo-crab?” and “It was our brothers and sisters...”. If you pick the first answer, it’s also different. In English, he just says it’s his job to make repairs. In French, he says “forget it, I got you confused with those 3 kids who destroyed the town”.

Not sure why he’s blaming it on them though, considering it’s Galbadia who did it during the whole “invasion of your dukedom that these kids actually helped stop” thing. At most you could argue Seifer disobeying orders is what led to the Galbadians launching the robot, but that wouldn’t be the other kids’ fault. Also, that’s something to think about when you talk to that little girl by the beach who says she wants her mommy back.

But anyway, if you pick the other option, he more or less says the same thing, except in French, he of course says to tell their siblings they owe the town money and on top of that, while the English version has him mention the specific sum of  1 370 000 gils, the French one rounds it out to 1 000 000.

Next is the painter’s house. Couple things here. First, in the French version, the grandpa explicitly says he’s going to spank the kid if he keeps messing with his paintings, whereas the English version had him says something about “cuchi-cuchi-coo” his neck, which frankly sounds worse. However, in both versions, in the last part of this quest, the grandpa does mention tickling the kid as “punishment”.

Also, in the English text, the kid says adding the white bones are his way of expressing himself and to be novel and original. In French, he just says that in comics, dogs always have a bone in their mouths, so why couldn’t Rex have one?

Finally, after you’ve ended the quest, the grandpa gives different lines depending on versions. In English, he figures that maybe he should have played with the kid more so he wouldn’t be so bored and trying to get his attention, but that he’s too old for sports, and is considering poker instead (so card games other than Triple Triad do exist in this universe!).

In French, he says he’ll stop including dogs on his landscapes and that he’ll try painting cats instead, though he’s afraid the kid will start painting fish bones.

Also, while the kid feels like he’s grown a little from being able to express himself in English, the French one says he’s gonna stop his pranks and that he wants to be a veterinarian, now.

In the bar, there are some changes in what the guy in the white shirt says. In English, he says it’s nice to have a drink after work, and his friend asks him what he’s talking about since he’s always drinking there. Then, if you talk to him again, either he or his friend drunkenly mentions playing ball.

In French, it’s kind of the opposite, as he asks for his last drink of the day, only for his friend to point out it’s only 7 in the morning (which still seems early to start drinking to me, but hey, you do you and your liver problems). Bizarrely, if you talk to him again, he says it’s time for his first cognac of the day, and his friends asks what he’s talking about since he finished the bottle an hour ago.

Speaking to the friend, we have a choice. In English, the prompt is “Yeah, that’s so true...” and the choices are “What is?” and “Yeah... sure...”. If you pick the first, he says life is nicer during peacetime. If you pick the second, he advises not to eat off the floor.

In French, the prompt is roughly “I needed that” and the answers are “What?” and “that hits the spot”. If you pick the first, he asks how many drinks an hour make you an alcoholic. If you pick the second, he says he doesn’t feel too good.

Boy, that sure was a rousing conversation! Let’s talk to the lady on the left.

In both versions, she laments the fact that the rich young men in the dukedom are all married, then asks Squall what he thinks of her. Surprisingly, the answers are the exact same in both versions, but the woman’s reactions are quite different.

In English, picking “you’re very attractive” has her say maybe she should go for older men. In French, it has her say that while it’s true, only perverts like her. And then there’s the much ruder “Are you really a woman?!”. In English, she tries to laugh it off, saying she’s not his type, only to turn around and mumble to herself, wondering how Squall know (s)he was a man. Her French counterpart gets more offended, complaining about all the men she spends at beautician. After she turns around, she makes the more subtle remark that he must have a 6th sense.

WELP. Not opening THAT can of worms.

Next, that female NPC who says she’s window-shopping. In English, she then asks Squall if he has a problem with that (not sure why he would, but okay). In French, she asks him if he wants to buy her something.

In the town Square, we have this guy. In French, he says that due to taxes as a result of hiring SeeD, he’s gonna have to sell his cards collection, which is far nicer than in English, where he said "Better get ma young bride and start havin’ children”. What the actual fuck, dude?!

In the hotel, the two employees have a weird accent which I think is supposed to be vaguely German, but I’m not sure. In the English version, only the one in the back has any sort of special speech pattern, and it’s just a habit of saying “y’all”. Either way, more accent shenanigans.

And here we have one of the strangest differences yet, to the point it actually caught me off guard because I didn’t remember that text in French at all, and for good reasons since it says something completely unrelated! Right, so if you beat that guy in the upper floor of the bar, he’ll invite you to his private room(or secret room in French), where he’ll give you some cards and you can find some of other stuff.

There are also several piles of books, and when checking one of them, you’ll find what is presumably the previous owner’s diary telling a truly harrowing tale of meeting a woman who kept beating him at Triple Triad, eventually marrying her and having a daughter with her, but it ends with her trying to save their daughter from drowning, only to drown herself. It ends with the bleak statement that neither the daughter or he himself can comprehend their loss. Jesus Christ! Even for a Final Fantasy game, that’s dark.

But in the French version, it seems to just be a collection of random thoughts. For example, it first says that his son is studying the Sorceress War (one of the few times Sorceresses are referred to as such in French, instead of “priestesss”), and how he doesn’t understand any of it in spite of having lived it, then he ponders why extraterrestrials in movies always look like animals, and that maybe it’s because humans are bestial in nature as well, concluding that being at the pub sometimes feel like being at a zoo.

It just fascinates me that it could be so different. I can’t fathom what caused this and it’s one of those things that really makes me curious about other versions.

To make this even more baffling, if you check another book pile, the text is very similar, including a bit about Laguna coming along and getting his ass kicked at cards. Interestingly though, in the English version, he can’t quite remember his name, simply remembering it started with Lag, and says an easy win doesn’t leave much of an impression, but in French, he calls him La Gouma and says he’s a “nice guy, but sucks at cards”.

And now we can continue onward to Deling City! First little thing, when asking Caraway about Edea, in the French text, he says that he fears her influence will lead to “a new world war”. Now, the French version does use the term “sorceress war”, so it’s interesting to see him also refer to it as a world war, and it seems fitting for a serious military type.

Another interesting tidbit comes when you ask him about Esthar. For starters, in English, he says that Esthar took over the world under Adel, which isn’t mentioned in French and I don’t remember being said at any other point. This makes me wonder if that was a strange decision on the English translator’s part, but that does make sense as Esthar making it to part of the Galbadian continent would explain why they’re even at war, why Galbadia started invading other countries and forcing them into their army, and even why Galbadian people where paranoid of Sorceresses before Edea.

At the same time, the French version also has an interesting detail, where they mention that even after Esthar went silent, relationships between the two nations remained strained, alluding to the situation turning from a world war to a cold war situation. He also theorizes that perhaps this is due to Galbadia being jealous of Esthar’s technological success and the efficiency of their democracy. Compelling, although I do wonder how Galbadia would know about “the efficiency of Esthar’s democracy” since it stopped all contact with the outside world right after Adel was dethroned.

There isn’t a huge difference in what the various NPCs say, but this one’s pretty intriguing. In French, she just says that she heard a sorceress can transfer her powers to the person of their choosing. In English though, she explicitly says that she learned in the Garden that any person can receive a sorceress’ power, and I thought that’s obviously wrong since it’s stated multiple times that only women can inherit such powers,

But just as I thought that, the next speech box has her explain that while she did go to Garden, she wasn’t a very good student, which would explain why she wouldn’t have gotten it completely right.Cleverly done. Also, I like the implication that the average person isn’t all that aware of exactly what sorceresses are and how their powers work. It’s an interesting treatise on the link between fear, admiration and ignorance.

In fact, reading what the Deling City citizens have to say about Edea and how they blindly believe she’ll lead the country to greatness because she’s tough, promises a renaissance for their country and that even the smaller guys wild be able to make it is fascinating in general... and disturbingly true to real dictatorships.

There’s a small difference I find amusing where in English, one NPC says that people like Edea because “people follow strength, not charisma” whereas contrariwise, the same guy says in French that “Edea is much more charismatic than old Deling”.

ANd here’s a guy who straight-up calls Edea their Messiah in French!In Eglish, he just says he now know he has to abide by Edea after feeling a surge of energy during the parade (which might allude to at least partial mind control).

And finally, we finish with this NPC, whom in the English version, says she’s been sending Edea fan mail daily, but in French, she says, that she hopes Edea will publish a magic cookbook. Which does sound awesome, but unlikely. To be fair, what she says is literally “book of magical recipes”, so she may be referring to like, potions and stuff, but I prefer to believe she means how to use magic to enhance the flavour of your dishes.

And so we reach the end of our first part dedicated entirely to side content and my God there was way more stuff to cover than I ever expected. I hope you enjoyed it because I certainly found a lot of these differences very interesting. As always, if you enjoyed this post, reblogging it would be very appreciated, do not hesitate to commentate or send me asks, maybe even suggest things you’d like to see that I may have missed, and I’ll be seeing you next time for part 19, where we return to Balamb City. Have a nice day, everyone!

[vickdrops]

Happiness [Bucky x Reader]

Pairing: bucky x reader (Y/N) Genre: angst/fluff Warnings: strong language A/N: someone put ‘angst/fluff’ on my grave bc that’s all I ever write apparently. this is for @hellyeahbarnes​ because she still remembers the title of this from when it was first posted ages ago :P requests for bucky, frank castle, and billy russo are open!

When Bucky met Y/N for the first time, he’d stopped for an entire 5 seconds outside the cafe window, just staring at her face. He’d felt like the entire world (as well as all the haunting weight that never seemed to leave his shoulders) had evaporated into thin air, and all he could think about what how gorgeous this person was. Her hair had been tied loosely in a bun at the nape of her neck, but he remembers so clearly the few, curly tendrils that had escaped and fallen in front of her face.

The first time he saw her, he swore his heart stopped.

He remembers how beautiful her smile had been when he approached her, and stuttered out a shaky “hello” for the first time. And how she laughed like she didn’t have a care in the world, when he couldn’t seem to get anymore words out after that, and stuck her hand out for him to shake, with a breezy “Hi, I’m Y/N. Would you like to have a coffee with me?”

And as they say, the rest was history.

He remembers one night where he’d been lying in bed, terrified to fall close his eyes- no, terrified of what he might see if he closes his eyes, and Y/N had come out of the shower, singing some silly jingle she’d heard on the TV earlier that night. She’d been dancing in one of his shirts, and he couldn’t help the smile that slipped onto his face as he watched this amazing creature slip underneath the covers and whisper to him, “I can’t get the bug repellant ad song out of my head.” And when he’d try to roll his eyes playfully, and trying to banish the thought of the impending nightmares only moments away, she’d crawled over to him of him and snuggled literally on top of his chest. And he can’t remember exactly why she’d done it, but he can remember how, with her weight on top of him, he’d felt properly warm and relaxed for the first time in years.

There were no nightmares that night.

Fuck Hydra- fuck all of that. The girl that had curled up beside him and sang him to sleep, the girl that could calm him down from a panic attack with nothing but her quiet whispers and gentle touches- that was all that mattered to Bucky. And he remember show, right before he fell asleep that night, he forgave his lucky stars. He forgave the stars and the Gods and the universe for the decades of pain, because, if his destiny had been aligned this way so that he could one day fall in love with Y/N, then hell. It had all been worth it.

He remembers how, the next morning, when she was making him pancakes shaped like his face (“It’s pancake art, Buck!”), the words that fell from his mouth were words he never thought he’d ever get to say- but he also remembers how he never once regretted saying them. He’d been standing in the doorway, watching her concentrate so hard on perfecting his pancake-eyebrows, and he’d said it so quietly (but oh, how he’d meant it), that she had almost missed it. Almost.

“Marry me.”

He can still picture her face in his mind, clear as crystal- he can picture the stunned, glazed expression she wore, her cheeks tinged pink and her mouth agape, as she stood with her back to the counter, the pancake of his face burning to a crisp in the pan.

“You- wha- marry you?” She’d breathed, her eyes as round as saucers.

He recalls how that had been the third time in his life that he’d been truly afraid. The first was when Steve first joined the army, because goddamn that kid was going to get trampled in army. And the second was- it still hurts to think about it- his fall off off the train. He’d been truly afraid then. And he was feeling it now for the third time- the fear of being rejected by the only person he could ever see himself loving for the rest of his life. The sheer terror of having to maybe consider what life without her again.

“Okay?”

He hadn’t realised that he’d been holding his breath.

“Okay?” He’d repeated softly, a toothy grin (that he didn’t even know he was capable of pulling) spreading on his face. He remembers how much his cheeks hurt because the last time he’d smiled that hard had been on Coney Island with Steve- almost a lifetime ago.

“Okay,” she’d giggled, and he was across the room in an instant, sweeping her up into the biggest, tightest hug, and, like, Bucky’s not usually a touchy person. But with Y/N- he always wants to touch her. Always wants to be holding her hand, or feeling her leg against his. And so Y/N’s arms (spatula and pancake-batter-fingers and all) were wrapped around his neck and he was lifting her off her toes, and they were spinning, spinning, giggling and grinning because they were gonna get married!

But it never ever goes to plan, does it?

Who was he to think that he, The Winter Soldier, deserved anything but an unhappy ending? And Bucky has this habit, right, of dramatising things and letting his head rule his heart until he feels so isolated, and so when he’d lost control a few weeks later and almost slammed Y/N- his sun and stars and everything in between- into the bathroom door, he made up his mind.

Monsters don’t get fairytale endings; they don’t get the princess. And as much as it had killed Bucky to do it, he locked himself in the bathroom and yelled her to “piss off!” when she’d banged on the door and pleaded for him to just. Let her in. Please.

But he’d yelled some things at her he didn’t mean in a million years (even though he knew that both of them knew that- they still hurt). He’d yelled, and they’d both cried, and she had left his place in the early hours of the morning with tear-stained cheeks and a broken heart. He remembers how utterly empty he had felt, sprawled helplessly on the floor with the shards of the broken mirror he’d punched littered on the ground around him.

And so, here he is, two whole months later, sitting on top of the Avengers tower, staring out at the millions of tiny lights that make up New York City. He’s staring- but not really seeing. All he can think is Y/N, Y/N, Y/N, and how much he misses her and needs her. Fuck, he needs her. He’s been sleeping like shit these past few weeks, ever since he’d let her go. (Honestly though, he was lucky if he slept at all. The nightmares seemed to return with a viciousness that he was defenseless against).

He was keeping her safe by staying away. None of the other avengers know about her, she wasn’t in the SHIELD system (Bucky made sure of that the instant they got involved), and as far as he knows (and he knows her pretty damn well), she’s not actually an undercover SHIELD or HYDRA agent.

She was safe. And if her safety could only be guaranteed by them being apart, then he’d suffer a lifetime to keep her from harm.

So why does the engagement ring in his back pocket feel so damn heavy?

“Bucky?” Steve’s voice brings him back down to reality- the shit, lonely reality he just can’t seem to escape. Bucky turns his head, too tired to give a proper response. Steve keeps his distance, letting Bucky have his space, and Bucky feels a surge of gratitude for his friend. He knows the team is concerned about him- hell, even he’s concerned- but he doesn’t even consider the idea of telling the team about Y/N. (And he’s thought about this a whole lot, right, because how else is he supposed to pass the time? And he’s come to the conclusion that he doesn’t want to tell the team because, mostly, he doesn’t want to endanger her, because this ‘superhero’ business almost comes with a using-loved-ones-for-leverage guarantee, and Y/N isn’t someone he can risk, but also because there’s a party of him that doesn’t want to believe that it’s over. If he tells someone about her, they’ll want to know more- they’ll want to know everything- and using past tense to describe his relationship with Y/N is already painful enough when it’s in his head. He doesn’t think he can do it out loud.)

“There’s a girl downstairs asking for you. We don’t know who she is, but...uh...she says she knows you,” Steve begins, an edge to his voice that Bucky doesn’t recognise.

“Who cares,” Bucky mutters back, running a hand through his hair. He let it grow long again, having no motivation to cut it, and it was almost back to chin-length. He hates it.

“She says her name is Y/N,” Steve adds softly, and Bucky immediately stiffens. His heart is caught in his throat and he can’t breathe. Y/N. Y/N is downstairs and she wants to see him and. He doesn’t know if he can do it.

“I don’t want to see her,” Bucky mutters, glaring at his hands because his head says don’t fucking do it but his heart is saying Y/N.

“Look, I don’t know who she is, but you’re a mess, Buck.” Steve doesn’t come any closer but doesn’t show any signs that he’s leaving, either. “If there’s any chance she can help you...please let her,” he says quietly.

“No need,” comes a soft voice that makes Bucky’s heartbeat double immediately and he’s whipping his head around so fast because he knows that voice. It’s the voice that keeps the nightmares away- the voice he thinks about all the time because he’s so damn scared he’ll forget what it sounds like.

She’s standing a little behind Steve, her glasses slipping off her nose a little, and she’s holding her forearms like she’s holding herself together- Bucky knows what that feels like.

“Y/N,” he breathes, slowly getting to his feet, his eyes locked on hers because she’s real and right in front of him. It’s only been two months, but it feels like forever, so he’s devouring her with his eyes and committing every piece of hair and every slope of her face to memory. He’s a man deprived of water and she’s a fucking waterfall.

“Look, I’ve been thinking a lot, and...I don’t give a shit,” she announces, and Bucky just looks. Looks at her. He opens his mouth to reply, but she just narrows her eyes and continues. “Yeah, you’re the big, scary Winter Solider who could probably kill me before I say ‘avenger’, but honestly, who cares? I love you, I trust you, and I know you feel the same, so you seriously need to quit your little martyr act because you deserve to be happy too.”

Does he?

He doesn’t fully believe it yet, but he’d like it to be true.

“You’re not safe with me,” he says miserably. Y/N rolls her eyes, but Steve interrupts before she can say another world.

“Hey, we’re a family here. And if Y/N is your-your...person, then she’s a part of the family too. And we protect our family, remember?” he says. “We promise to keep her safe, Buck. But she’s right. You deserve to be happy too.”

Y/N walks tentatively towards him, and he’s torn between freezing on the spot and sprinting towards her. But she reaches him before he can decide, and then she’s looping her fingers through his...and he feels whole again.

Bucky Barnes is holding happiness in his hands and he doesn’t plan on letting her go again.

Masterlist // Request Something

[simping-on-the-daily]

Credit to @Luxet for her great prompts!

We’re going to be Chelsea, since she was my first Sander Sides gal. <->

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? “Oh, definitely Spotify! The community is lovely, and it’s free!” is your room messy or clean? “My bedroom is clean, but that little corner of my mind room? Yeah, that’s a mess. :p” what color are your eyes? “Pink! A bright magenta, if we’re being exact!” do you like your name? why? “Oh, that’s a question I haven’t heard! ........Yeah, I like it!” what is your relationship status? “Taken by an emo baby. Well, it’s more like I’ve taken him.” describe your personality in 3 words or less “Hmmm......optimistic, bubbly, caring! I prefer listing the good stuff rather then the bad.” what color hair do you have? “Another pink colour! This time it’s more like a salmonish? Light reddish pink? Something like that.” what kind of car do you drive? color? “The day I drive a car is the day Thomas isn’t showing basic human decency. In other words, never. But, I do like those silver SUVs!” where do you shop? “You can’t really shop in the mindscape, considering that we can just summon things, but I do enjoy those nice little comfort shops! Like, those candle places!” how would you describe your style? “Pretty comfy :D!” favorite social media account “Oh, I do enjoy Tumblr and DeviantArt! Get rid of the bad people and not for kids art and it’s awesome!” what size bed do you have? “An Olympic Queen.” any siblings? “I’m not Roman or Remus! Nah, I’m an only child. But a sibling would be really nice!” if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? “Put me next to a beach house and I’m set.” favorite snapchat filter? “I don’t use Snapchat, but I like seeing those glittery and soft aesthetic ones.” favorite makeup brand(s) “Oh, oh, oh! Wet N Wild cosmetics are so nice!” how many times a week do you shower? “God, why are you making me do maths? I mean, we don’t have to shower or do any bathroom business, but I do shower when I wake up and when I get to bed.” favorite tv show? ”We’re gonna be here all day I discuss them. But, does My Hero Academia count?” shoe size? “Somewhere in the 10s, I think.” how tall are you? “6′1. I’m pretty tall, but I’m short then Logan. He’s a giant.” sandals or sneakers? “Sandals are much more comfy!” do you go to the gym? “Don’t need to, don’t want to.” describe your dream date “A dream date is one when we’re both enjoying each other’s presence doing something we love. To me, that’s a dream date.” how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? “Right now, there’s.......$65?” what color socks are you wearing? “Black and white striped socks!” how many pillows do you sleep with? “In my own bed, I have a unicorn pillow pet and two giant pillows on each side. It’s so comfy in there!” do you have a job? what do you do? “My job is giving out free hugs!” how many friends do you have? “All of the sides, I’m guessing? And any friend of Thomas is a friend of mine!” whats the worst thing you have ever done? “Can we please skip the question? I don’t want to talk about it.....” whats your favorite candle scent? “I’m going to go with Parrafin!” 3 favorite boy names “For children? I like Connor, Aiden and Jacob.” 3 favorite girl names “Faith, Hope and Harmony!” favorite actor? “Thomas Sanders! Duh.” favorite actress? “Emma Watson.” who is your celebrity crush? “Chris Hemsworth. He’s hot, okay?” favorite movie? “The BNHA Movies!” do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? “Not a fan of reading a lot, but I do enjoy a good Harry Potter story.” money or brains? “The brains make money.” do you have a nickname? what is it? “Ask Roman. He has plenty of them for me.” how many times have you been to the hospital? “We don’t have a hospital in the mindscape, but Remus makes you cross that limit of healing a lot.” top 10 favorite songs ”I think some of them were in my character bio from Amino?” do you take any medications daily? “Nah.” what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) “Smooth.” what is your biggest fear? “That’s pretty personal! :C But, probably not being able to help others....” how many kids do you want? “Two, maybe? I don’t want that much, you know. So much responsibility!” whats your go to hair style? "My hair's usually curly and in a ponytail!" What type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) “The Mind Palace is always changing (most because of Roman), but right now we’ve got a beach house setting!” who is your role model? “Thomas is always being a great person to everyone he meets even when he’s not doing his videos', but Clifford Chapin has lost his voice due to playing Bakugou so much! That’s real dedication right there!” what was the last compliment you received? “It was from Virgil! He said I have a really nice comforting smile. :)” what was the last text you sent? “Roman asked me if I could give him back his hairdryer.” how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? “I think I was nine? What I did know was that Remus committed a bit crime that day.” what is your dream car? “An SUV!” opinion on smoking? “Oh.........you want my advice on it? Don't abuse it, please. It’s okay if you do it on occasion, but your health is extremely important. There are lines out there if you are a heavy smoker or just want to talk about it. I’m here for you.” do you go to college? “We’re back on the basic questions! I personally didn’t, but Thomas might’ve.”  what is your dream job? “I really just want to help people and be there for them. You don’t need a job to do that.” would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? “Suburbs!” do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? “I prefer using my own shampoo and conditioner! Besides, I don’t even need to use them.” do you have freckles? “Nah.” do you smile for pictures? “I always do! Roman says he’s never seen me frown in pictures, and he’s my creator!” how many pictures do you have on your phone? “In my gallery, there’s five thousand and six hundred right now. We don’t have a storage limit to how much stuff we can post.” have you ever peed in the woods? “Bold of you to assume I even go in the woods.” do you still watch cartoons? “Cartoons are still shows! They still have deep meanings to them. I mean, look at Steven Universe! That’s a cartoon and WOW, it taught me more about life then some live action show could!” do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? “I’ve never had Wendy’s before, so I’ll go with McDonalds! I prefer KFC chips, though.” Favorite dipping sauce? “Its a tie between Sweet N Sour and Tomato.” what do you wear to bed? “I wear nighties.” have you ever won a spelling bee? “You’re acting like I’ve participated in one. ;p” what are your hobbies? “Once again, I think they’re in a bio of mine.” can you draw? “With a lot of referencing, yeah!” do you play an instrument? “I play a ukulele sometimes, but that’s out of sheer fun. And my ukulele skills suck.” what was the last concert you saw? “Depends on what was the last concert Thomas went to.” tea or coffee? “Coffee. It keeps me alert. Also makes me my happy peppy self!” (If you get where the reference is from, I love you.) Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? “Donuts rule! Remy can go to Starbucks all he wants, but I’m gonna stick with my donuts.” do you want to get married? “Absolutely! I don’t want to rush into it, though. Don’t want to make Virgil uncomfortable.” what is your crush’s first and last initial? “Is it a crush if you’re already together? ….the initials are V.S.” are you going to change your last name when you get married? “I don’t even have a last name. :p Chelsea Sanders.......feels nice on the tongue, but I’ll think about that later!” what color looks best on you? “Black and pink! I have really pale skin, so the black works. Pink naturally looks good on me.” do you miss anyone right now? ”Not really. But that’s right now!” do you sleep with your door open or closed? “Closed. Mostly because Virgil likes it closed.” do you believe in ghosts? “Trust me, I believe in everything, That Santa question? He exists in the Mind Palace. Ghosts are something you get used to.” what is your biggest pet peeve? “Lemme think........smacking gum, watching TV and then some loud appliance turns on, and saying ‘no offense’, but then saying something offensive.” last person you called “On the phone, it was Aisha. In real life, I had to scream out for Roman for a while.” favorite ice cream flavor? “Strawberry! Rainbow’s a close second.” regular oreos or golden oreos? “Normal Oreos!” chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? “Rainbow! :D” what shirt are you wearing? “Right now I’m wearing a Trolls: World Tour shirt.” what is your phone background? “Virgil and I with a Snapchat filter! Roman helped with that.” are you outgoing or shy? “Defiantly outgoing.” do you like it when people play with your hair? “Absolutely! It’s calming and I play with my hair myself sometimes.” do you like your neighbors? “My neighbors? Well, the dark sides live next to us, so.......they’re visiting, though! They’re staying here for the day.” do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? “Right after I take a shower.” have you ever been high? “I’m always very thrilled and overjoyed!” have you ever been drunk? “.........REMUS, CAN WE GET DRUNK?” last thing you ate? “Patton’s cookies.” favorite lyrics right now “It’s tied between these two. They’re both from Trolls: World Tour, It’s All Love!” Nobody's born hatin' Nobody's born fake Why we fightin' over something we can all make? That's stingy love I'm just givin' love Ain't no givin' up If you alive, only thing to do is live it up Along with that, there’s: Hate is just lost love So they hidin' summer or winter? “Summer, but Spring is my favourite season!” day or night? “Day!” dark, milk, or white chocolate? “Milk chocolate. Dark is too bitter, and white is too milky.” favorite month? “December! It’s Christmas and man, I love Christmas!” what is your zodiac sign “I’m a Gemini!” who was the last person you cried in front of? “Virgil.”

[thumper-darling]

Yo those Q's are cute will u do me a solid and do all of them?

1. what colors are in your room?

Dark orange, cream, and gold

2. who was your favorite school teacher?

Basically every English teacher I’ve ever had. 

3. what are some passions of yours?

Writing, reading, watching films, eating sushi, and being around the people that I love 

4. when you drink coffee, do you like it black or with cream and sugar?

already answered in a separate post

5. are you self-conscious about anything? if so, what?

e v e r y t h i n g 

6. do you have any tips for self-love?

already answered in a separate post

7. do you have any stuffed animals? Do you name them?

I have a stuffed rabbit and a stuffed fox. The rabbit is named Alice and the fox is named Cadence.

8. do you like drawing or painting more?

doodling is where it’s at 

9. how do you sleep?

not well

10. what are some things that always make you smile?

already answered in a previous post

11. living in the city, mountains, small town, or out in the middle of nowhere?

city living is where it’s at 

12. what's your dream house?

A really cozy apartment or a loft? that’d be fun. Or a colonial fashion house with a yellow exterior and cobblestone accents. 

13. how many pets do you wish to have?

3. I have my dog now, but I also want a german shepherd and a calico cat. 

14. have you ever dyed your hair? do you want to? what color?

lol yeah, I’ve had almost every damn shade of red and then got too tired of doing that so now it’s just dark brown. I wouldn’t mind dying it some sort of turquoise or emerald green? That’d be fun 

15. what's your opinion on keeping a diary?

It’s great for looking back on the good times 

16. what's your opinion on keeping an art journal?

HONESTLY they’re beautiful and I encourage everyone to try to have some form of creative outlets

17. any art tips?

You are asking the w r o n g person my dude

18. talk about a moment where time stopped

time is an illusion anyways so why does it matter?

19. do you keep playlists for your music?

HECK YES I’m honestly a whore for sectioning songs off into playlists

20. is there anyone out there that you trust with your life?

Idk, my sister?

21. are you your number one priority?

N O 

22. do you always type correctly or do you make millions of typos?

Not usually unless it’s my annoying sister or somebody that is bothering me 

23. recommend some music!!

Daft Punk Boys by Bad Suns

Growing Up by Phil Good

Helena Beat by Foster The People 

24. are your nails perfectly painted, chipped, or plain?

P L A I N 

25. do you believe in wishing on a shooting star?

For sure, but I’m not sure it actually does any good 

26. did you see the eclipse? describe it!!

no :’) 

27. tell us what you love about nature

It’s spontaneity and damn are trees pretty

28. who are you? describe yourself!

My name is Becca, I’m 17, a hufflepuff & a scorpio. I’m allergic to seafood, and bunnies, but I love both soooo. My favorite childhood movie is All Dogs Go To Heaven and my favorite Superhero is Spider-dude. 

29. what type of music do you like, and why?

Alternative/ Indie pop 

30. what's your favorite clothing store? why do you love it so much?

Charlotte Russe because it has high quality clothes in my sizes 

31. thrift stores or name brand stores?

Both? 

32. do you like wearing your s.o clothes?

BITCH WHAT SIGNIFICANT OTHER :’) 

   yes

33. when did you start tumblr? why did you decide to?

because I wanted to get to the source of da memes 

34. what's your face care routine?

try not to cry when I look in the mirror :’) , and if I do cry I use my tears as a moisturizer 

35. freckles or dimples?

F R E C K L E S 

36. name something you think should be banned from the universe

Tronald J. Dump 

37. tell us something you did as a kid that you loved

I loved to catch frogs and I read a lot of books homie 

38. mom or dad?

mom 

39. do you buy expensive things just for the aesthetic or do you actually use everything you buy?

I literally don’t use any of the things I buy except for clothes damn I have a problem 

40. tell us about something you're strongly opinionated about

I already answered this in a previous post

41. do you take peoples advice or do you have to figure things out yourself?

I ask for advice from multiple people, and then I sort of find a part of all the advice that has common ground and try to apply it to my situation 

42. bra or no bra?

no bra 

43. would you rather be cute or comfy?

HONESTLY COMFY IS CUTE SO HECK OFF 

44. tell us about a moment in your life where everything went just perfect

I don’t remember 

45. do you believe in anything? aliens? god? bigfoot?

I’m a Sasquatch bitch. Also, aliens are out there soooo 

46. how much water do you drink a day?

Not enough @doctormelapples

47. how do you feel about your natural hair?

I miss it. I used to have some curls in my hair, but I dyed it so much that the texture of my hair changed a bit. 

48. what does the sky look like right now? clear? cloudy? pink? blue? rainy?

It’s a very light blue with some spaced out cloud placement 

49. would you be a prince or a king? princess or a queen?

None of the above, that’s too much pressure 

50. tell us about your favorite outfit!

Off the shoulder gray knit sweater with black ripped jeans

51. name a few things you love about yourself

My eyes, my freckles, my humor, my creativity, and my determination 

52. are you open-minded?

Yeah my dude 

53. do you judge? could someone come to you in any situation they're in and you not judge them?

I really try not to be a judgmental person, but everyone has flaws and it’s definitely one of those things that I’m working on. 

54. do you like planning ahead?

I HAVE TO 

55. tell us how you feel about school

stop

56. talk about your first pet

A small orange cat named Angel. She was satan i swear to god 

57. chocolate or strawberry milk?

chocolate 

58. were you/are you in a fandom? if so, what?

A GOOD AMOUNT 

59. spotify, pandora, or itunes?

I’m a spotify kinda bitch 

60. favorite disney princess movie?

The Princess and The Frog 

61. favorite disney movie

Bolt 

62. what's a subject that you think people don't talk about enough?

English 

63. how long does it take you to let your phone update?

Idk, 20 minutes? 

64. describe the fifth picture on your phone!

A blurry tree with string lights hanging from the branches. Taken at 2:04 am, August 16th, 2017 

65. favorite movie and why?

I hate this question because I am a film enthusiast and honestly I love too many movies for such different reasons 

66. do you watch studio ghibli? what's the first one you saw? what's your favorite one?

Not really, I just never got into studio ghibli movies 

67. you're home alone. describe how the setting is. music? what kind of music? tv on? what show?

Music: loud

TV: on

Movies: playing

bra: off

Food: eaten 

68. how often do you say "i love you"?

Too much and not enough 

69. do you have any weird things you obsess over?

p e n c i l s 

70. do you like being single or do you wish you had a partner?

depends on the day idk

71. what's the last drink you had?

a caramel macchiato 

72. talk about the easiest person to talk to

she’s a real ass bitch and all around classy gal 

73. give us some of your favorite blogs!

@doctormelapples, @parkersenses

74. if you could have one wish, what would it be?

Wish for free college and a successful future thx

75. do you sing in the shower?

It’s best for everyone if they never know 

76. how often do you shave? or do you wax? or do you not shave?

I shave according to my outfit choice 

77. tell us about a habit you wish you could stop

I wish I could stop tapping on everything 

78. do you listen to your own advice?

No, I’m not a stable person thx 4 asking 

79. do you love yourself? if not, are you trying to?

It’s a work in progress

80. tell us about your favorite halloween!! what did you dress up as? did you get a lot of candy?

When I was younger I used to have these poppin halloween parties and one year I had a haunted house and dressed up as a haunted doll it was fun tis all 

Also, I was late to my own party 

81. first memory that pops in your head, talk about it.

First day of school in my junior year. I was late and have been late every first day since then.

82. how are you? what are you feeling? how has your week gone?

I think things are going well 

83. rant.

It’s almost impossible for me to rant? So thank you, but no thank you 

84. do you worry about something a lot? if so, what?

Already answered in a previous post 

85. do you think long distance works?

I’m sure it works for the right people 

86. would you date someone younger than you? older than you?

Yeah, I don’t really mind dating a bit out of my age range as long as our mentality matches?

87. name some people you'd love to meet

Tom Holland thx 

88. what were some things you were scared of as a kid?

My older sister’s scream mask and knives 

89. tell us about your favorite birthday

My friends surprised me with a birthday cake and a bunch of presents during my school lunch and the cafeteria sang to me?? I had v good friends. 

90. how is high school?

It was definitely a journey 

91. tell us the worst pick-up line you've ever heard

None of them because I have never had a pick-up line used on me. ehhhhh 

92. every been groped or catcalled? how'd it make you feel? what did you do?

People can be disgusting and they don’t understand that your body isn’t there just for them to touch, so fuck that person who thought it was 

93. opinion of feminism?

F E M I N I S M IS THE F U T U R E 

94. tell us about a time you got embarrassed

Today in class when I was late :’) 

95. ever had a pregnancy scare? tell us about it!

jinkies 

96. tell us about your best friend

All she talks about water but it’s okay because she’s pure and beautiful

97. what's your opinion on planning your life out?

I mean, it’s nice and extremely helpful to have a timeline or a potential outline for how you want your life to turn out. But don’t expect everything to go according to plan?? Like, just leave a bit of wiggle room in your future for unexpected adventures. :) 

98. describe what you think afterlife is like

energy cannot be created nor destroyed 

99. talking on the phone or texting?

Talking on the phone because I’m lame as heck over text 

100. how do you feel about the way most teachers treat students?

alReADy ANswerEd in a PREviOus PosT 

101. what's a word you use more than others?

H E C K

heck

heckin

hecking 

[jadagul]

I saw Book of Mormon last week, for the second time. (Graduation present for my girlfriend, who had never seen it). I actually thought it was better on the rewatch.

Thoughts with spoilers below the cut.

This show is an anthem of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. One of the leads gives basically an explicit statement of the moral at the end of the show:

It doesn’t matter if you break the rules, if you change some things or if you have complete doubt that God exists. It only matters if we work together to make this our paradise planet.

It's all about how the content of the religion doesn't matter, and you definitely shouldn't take it seriously ("But Nabalungi, 'Salt Lake City' is only a metaphor!"); what matters is being kind to each other and working together.

One of my favorite musical moments in the show is tied into this Moralistic Therapeutic Deism cheering. Possibly the big song of the show is Hasa Diga Eebowai, which translates to "Fuck you, God" as the African villagers curse God for all the bad things in their life.

But at the end of the show, things have turned around, they are harmonious in their (new) worship, and so instead sing "Ma'hanibu eebowai!" to the same tune. It's a nice nod to how things have changed.

I didn't notice this at all the first time I saw the show. I also wouldn't have noticed this the second time if I hadn't been listening for it, since I heard it on the cast recording. I suspect nobody ever hears it in the show the first time, because this musical moment happens after the bows while everyone is clapping madly.

Another nice touch I didn't notice the first time is what they do with the "tomorrow is a latter day" theme. It's introduced for Arnold as a song his mother sang him, to give him hope for the next day.

When Kevin Price loses his temper with Arnold, he yells at him and explains that in the name of the Church, "latter day" doesn't refer to tomorrow, but to the "latter days" of paradise in the heavenly kingdom. (I don't think this is an accurate description of the use of the term either; Wikipedia says that it's drawing a distinction between the Biblical saints and the modern or latter-day saints. But we'll interpret the musical in terms of its own text).

At the time this doesn't seem that important, except as something for Kevin to yell at Arnold for. But it actually has a really nice resonance when the triumphant, happy villagers sing that "tomorrow is a latter day" at the end of the show---by coming together in moralistic therapeutic deism, they have created their own paradise on earth, and thus created the latter days.

The first time I saw the show, I was a bit sour on how aggressively derivative a lot of the songs are. You can basically go through the score and identify which Broadway song this one is riffing off of. This is most obvious in "Hasa Diga Eebowai", which is basically described on screen by the characters as a "Hakuna Matata" ripoff; but it's nearly as clear in You and Me, which uses the bass line from "Defying Gravity".

I Am Africa is a pretty ruthless sendup of "We Are the World", with a bunch of white missionaries identifying with unfortunate stereotypes, and finally concluding "You Africans are Africans, but we are Africa." And at one point they actually quote "Tomorrow" both melodically and lyrically.

But the first time I saw it, I couldn't decide whether I felt like this was a charming pastiche of Broadway songs and stereotypes, or an obnoxiously uncreative theft of everyone else's music. (Por que no los dos?)

This time I came down firmly on the "charming pastiche" side, for two reasons. One is just that I noticed a bunch of little details that made me think the execution was better.

But the other is that the main theme of the show, other than "Yay moralistic therapeutic deism!", is about the way mythology and religion evolve and syncretize through the folk process. The missionaries come to Africa with a mythology well-suited to its birthplace in America, but which doens't speak at all to the concerns and problems of the people they are preaching to. (The All-American Prophet is deliberately awkward as a sales pitch to non-Americans).

The missionaries begin to have success when Arnold Cunningham starts changing the stories to make them speak to the problems that his listeners actually have---with a lot of very silly stories made up to get him out of a tight spot, or convince his followers not to do pretty dumb or terrible things. These stories wind up being very different from the original, but well-adapted to the needs of the people telling them.

And in this context, the fact that half the songs in the show are evolutions and adaptations of popular songs from other shows really reinforces the theme they're going for. The show is exploring the syncretic folk process, and also is itself an example of it.

Even before the first time I saw the show, my old dance partner got really excited about it, and she played Turn it Off for a few friends. And my reaction at the time was "oh god, do I sound like that?"

It's a song about how useful it is to be able to take negative emotions and just turn them off (like a lightswitch!). When I listen to it, my reaction is that that's super unhealthy---you can't turn emotions off, you have to do acceptance and process them. But my philosophy of acceptance and choosing not to be upset by things tends to sound to people like I'm telling them to just not feel things.

My impression that I sound like that to other people was confirmed ten seconds into the song when my girlfriend started violently elbowing me in the side.

Apparently General Butt-Fucking Naked is a reference to a real person. That's kind of horrifying. Also apparently the character and the real person wound up ending their rampages in basically the same way, both eventually reforming and becoming religious missionaries advocating against their own prior behavior.

[fox-rants]

11 Questions

Huuh so I got tagged by @autumn357521  o.o OKAY!

Rules: Always post the rules  Answer the questions given to you  Write 11 questions of your own Tag 11 people (we’ll see about that)

 1. Are there any projects you’re working on?

Hnn a cosplay aaaaand some short stories about some original characters (reviving them to be exact).

2. A song you have been listening to alot lately?

“Mirror, Mirror” Part 1 + 2 Mix by Jeff Williams (RWBY Soundtrack)

3. What kind of tacos do you like?

The Normal chilli sauced ones :P

4. Do you have any artists that you admire?

It goes a wide range from Leiji Matsumoto, as other anime and manga artists, to some tumblr (and not only) ones like @quartzshow and @masaya90, and musicians like Daft Punk and much more. Yeah I admire a lot XD

5. Describe your most recent dream you had.

.. It was quite the weird one, while random villains giving drinks to people, and when my best friend drank it, she immediately started hating me. Pretty fucked up thing I tell you :P

6. How does the rain make you feel? Do you enjoy it or does it bring down your mood?

It kind of brings down my mood and makes me feel somehow restless.

7. If you had a chance to go to outer space, would you? Why or why not? If yes, and you could pick anywhere, where would you go?

I wouldn’t mind going, but I am damn sure I wouldn’t because it would make me stay too far away from my familly and friends, and i kinda hate that.

8. Pick your favourite book, movie or tv show. What would you change? What do you like about it?

I am not sure I would change any of my favourite book, movie or tv show… unless i could make Atem come back later in Yu-Gi-Oh! :P

9. Do you know any songs that incorporate your name in it? Do you like that (those) song(s)?

Actually it is quite an old song, I don’t really like it, though i don’t really hate it either *shrugs*

10. Do you like ducks?

I am ok with ducks, ducks are rather cute :3

11. You now have inherited 3 super powers. What would you hope they would be? What would you do with them?

Invisibility whenever I wanted, to be able to Fly, and to have a magic door that would lead me anywhere I wished (Doraemon stuff).

questions:

1.    Why do you choose that as your url? 

What? Fox-rants? Because originally i have created this tumblr in order to vent out about whatever I felt like since I cannot do it on my other social networks.

2.    Do you like angst-y stuff? Why/why not? 

If it is on books or fanfic, yes, I do. Cannot really Express why, I just enjoy the twist it gives to a story sometimes.

3.    Would you rather be an angel (winged human) or a mermaid? (bird/fish?)

I really like the thought of flying, but mermaids are the most beautiful creatures. So, mermaid it is.

4.    What’s the 3 ships you will drown with? (Only 3) Why? (oohhh however long you like, please.)

Huh I am not sure i fully understand the question, but right now I cannot live without GanonLink, SidLink, VolLink :P

5.    What’s your favorite dessert? What does it taste like? (I don’t eat sugar so I’m curious how dessert tastes)

Hm, that is a hard one, to choose just one. I might go for a petit gateaux with an ice-cream ball and caramel over them. The taste will be proeminent on chocolate and caramel, but the ice-cream, if well chosen, will cut a bit of the sweetness they carry.

6.    What do you think of a favorite pillow/doll?

I tis quite normal to have one. I really love plushies, dolls and figures, but I’d rather have a pillow to hug while I sleep :P

7.    Headphones/earphones? Why?

Personally I prefer the earphones. Headphones tend to either mess my hair or hurting my head after a long while. Earphones are so much more confortable.

8.    Mechanical pencil / wooden pencil? Why?

Wooden pencil. It just feels more natural to me.

9.    Do you have a favorite musical instrument?

Electric Guitar.

10.  What’s your last dream? ^ ^

I kind of answered that already, and It was much like a nightmare xD

11.  Can you recommend me some books/movies? ^ ^)/

Movies: “Interstella 5555: the 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem”

Books: “The Malady” by Andrzej Sapkowski I won’t really add more questions, nor tag anyone. But you are free to do this if you feel like it. If you do, tag me so I can read the answers :P