#the way this arc was peak from start to finish

[lunalunawillow]

Just read through it all and yep Golden Cheese Kingdom is the best story in CRK

[beaulesbian]

I've been thinking about the Whiskey Peak Luffy vs Zoro fight and how nothing is truly finished or contained within just one arc in One Piece - where the themes and character development always overlap and span over many later arcs as well.

It's an interesting scene, and I feel it's almost impossible to dissect that fight just within that arc alone - like it wasn't meant to be taken seriously by itself at that time, but later with more context of what's to come after that.

A short version: It's a great set up of how the trust between Luffy and Zoro would develop after this fight.

Specifically, how it gets to this in Skypiea:

And a longer version under the read more:

To start at the beginning again - Luffy knew about Zoro's reputation by the time he reached Shells Town and heard about him as Demon Pirate Hunter of the East Blue, and decided to see if he's a good guy to have on his crew.

Once Luffy freed Zoro and they took down Morgan together, they could see how the other was similary strong, as well as they were able to fight in sync and well together, but maybe they still didn't understand how much they could depend on each other.

With Luffy, anyone who offers him food becomes something like his hero. If they offer him hospitality, he would protect them with his life.

With Zoro, he's always looking out for the danger, used to travel alone (or with just Johnny and Yosaku), he does what's needed, and usually without telling the others.

And this is, I think, that crucial moment when they realize this about each other -

Luffy wakes up and sees the people who helped him lying on the ground, and telling him that Zoro was the one who did that. Luffy goes berserk without needing to hear why, because there shouldn't be a reason why. Whatever Zoro tells him must be a lie, right? He must have gone mad.

Maybe if Zoro didn't fight back, Luffy would see something was wrong, but Zoro isn't one to back down from a fight, especially when being falsely accused, and if he saw that Luffy was fighting him for real, he in turn would give him the same courtesy. They're both very stubborn in the same way.

The misunderstanding trope can be a bit annoying, but I think it's all just to see them actually fight together on equal footing. It was one of the first examples of what they can do together.

After this fight, where they defeat the two Baroque Works agents together, and after everything is explained, Luffy understands, in his own way.

When rereading this part of "I thought you got mad (...)", I had a feeling that Luffy might have even think Zoro could become a danger to others and was ready to just.. contain him. He heard about him as a demon pirate hunter - of course, those where a lot of talking from the Marine's side of the story perpetuating the myth of him, Zoro never called himself that and Luffy knows it, but part of me thinks maybe Luffy wouldn't care about that - he just wanted Zoro on his crew no matter what, and would deal with the consequences after that. Like in Whiskey Peak.

But what's even more interesting is, since this fight, they began to understand how they work separately.

I kind of like that they don't come back or talk more about this fight, because once it's done, they're past that. But both take it as a learning experience, Luffy still has a long journey to go as a captain, and I feel with knowing what Zoro does without saying, Luffy began finding the footing as captain with putting this specific trust in Zoro - learning he can fully depend on him to protect their crew when something would be amiss, when some danger would be nearby.

And that despite the sudden fight, the bad communication and the immediate resolve, Zoro sees another most important part of Luffy's character - how far he would go to help someone who offered him food or helped Luffy and his crew. And this knowledge has helped Zoro many times since this arc, in situation where the rest of the crew might not understand Luffy's thinking, Zoro's usually the first one who does understand.

On Jaya, that trust takes the main role when Luffy orders Zoro not to fight Bellamy's crew:

Later on Skypiea Luffy says it out loud how much he trusts Zoro to protect the rest of the crew:

It goes on each arc more and more, subtle but with that trust between them deepening.

With Zoro letting Luffy know being their captain is hard but he cannot falter,

in Post Enies Lobby it's Zoro telling him what rules need to be followed, otherwise the crew would fall apart,

It feels since that Whiskey Peak fight, Zoro really took it onto himself to protect the crew without having to say so, and Luffy understood that's what he does. It's Zoro's instinct to do that - Skypiea protecting Robin and Chopper, Thriller Bark - protecting Brook, saving Sanji and of course Luffy from Kuma. On Punk Hazard, while Luffy is against Ceasar, Zoro fights Monet so Nami and Robin could get away. On Dressrosa his final fight against Pica is to protect Usopp and Kinemon.

I also like this bit on Zou, where Zoro doesn't enjoy the Minks' attention on him, and Luffy reprimands him that it's rude to talk back to someone who's hosting a feast for them. Again, kind of a callback to Whiskey Peak, ch. 807

And then there's whole Wano, with Zoro protecting Tama, Otoko and Yasuie, Hiyori, and it gets very personal when they're hurt.

During Onigashima Raid he keeps reminding Luffy that he would go with him up to the rooftop to fight Kaido, because this time the enemies are too dangerous and he needs to protect Luffy as well. And they both protect each other there:

Conclusion: I love the Whiskey Peak fight now, because it brings up many small details that are so important over the span of many arcs later, slowly showing just how different these two are built and how much trust they learnt to put in the other.

bonus:

On their way to Enies Lobby on the train, this scene looks very similar to their Whiskey Peak fight, except this time they're intentionally using their strengths together against the Aqua Laguna.

Whiskey peak, ch. 112

Water Seven, ch. 367

[straightbaittournament]

may the best bait win! propaganda under the cut

kurosaki and ichigo:

Oh man, where do I even begin? So, for some context, Bleach starts when Rukia (a shinigami) gets critically injured saving Ichigo from a monster, and she transfers her powers to him so he can finish it off. Instead of transferring half her powers as planned, however, she transfers all of them, which forces Ichigo to take over her job as a shinigami. During this time period, Rukia... lives in his closet. Yeah. The entire first arc of the manga is dedicated to their relationship, and while a lot of it is playful banter, Rukia's presence in Ichigo's life fundamentally changes it for the better. Rukia then gets kidnapped by the rest of the shinigami who aren't at all happy she gave her powers to a human, and the main plot ensues from there. Throughout the story, Rukia and Ichigo constantly save each other when they're at their worst. When Rukia thinks she deserves to die, Ichigo is there to tell her she deserves to live. When Ichigo is in a funk about his superpowered evil side, Rukia is there to snap him out of it (something his canon love interest explicitly realises she was unable to do). They share a sun/moon motif for crying out loud, and yet like that last sentence said... they don't end up together, but with other people instead. Yeah. No shade to the canon ships, but Ichiruki is peak straightbaiting, honestly. They have a lot of banter/chemistry, fundamentally change eachother's lives for the better, save each other when they're at their lowest, and have a very deliberate sun/moon dichotomy... but they both end up paired off with different characters instead asdfghkl

maka and soul:

Throughout the series, they have a deep friendship with each other which is consistently extremely important to the story's narrative. In order for them to be able to fight, they must get along and resonate with each other, and due to the mechanics of their world, fighting independently of each other is extremely difficult. In multiple instances, they are shown to be willing to put themselves in harm's way to extreme degrees to keep each other safe. They are even shown to live together. They are The Singular Straight Ship I have ever shipped and I love them. Also they are really cool and Soul can turn into an awesome scythe weapon that like only Maka can wield. And they fight really awesomely together.

[linkspooky]

Jujutsu Kaisen, Chapter 215 Thoughts

Yuji remains one of the most interesting shonen protagonists in the manga. Precisely because being the protagonist affords him no special breaks. The world of Jujutsu Kaisen is challenging for everyone to live in, especially Yuji. Now, Yuji after losing Sukuna has basically lost his protagonist status. He’s lost his entire purpose for becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer in the first place because he can no longer become the sacrifice to permanently exorcise Sukuna. Yuji is no longer “special” and never really was in the narrative. Whenever Yuji acts like a shonen protagonist in the shonen manga Jujutsu Kaisen it never works out for him. 

More thoughts underneath the cut.

1. Hero to Zero

What struck me with the whole Sukuna and Yuji fight scene is how tropey it was. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. In a shonen manga the villain suddenly appears easily knocks out the rest of the hero’s friends. All hope is lost and the protagonist looks dead, until they get back on their feet again and start fighting back through sheer force of will alone. 

Yuji was having his protagonist moment when facing down Sukuna. He even gets to make a speech. Yuji and Sukuna faced off with their opposite philosophies, Sukuna beliving the weak should be crushed and put out of their misery, and Yuji continuing to fight Sukuna even if he’s too weak to make a difference. Yuji was determined enough to resist being sliced apart by Sukuna’s cleave technique. Not only is Yuji strong enough to fight back, but he also has Megumi fighting back from within in a show of the power of their bond. 

Not only that but Yuji is shown to have unlocked a new level of strength for as-of-yet-unexplained reasons. Sukuna’s line of dialogue that it’s Kenjaku’s meddling, he either unlocked a heavenly restriction on his body, or Kenjaku was planning something else for Yuji when Sukuna left his body. Either way, Yuji survives being punched through a building and falling several stories.

Yuji fighting Sukuna at this moment is stronger than he ever was before. He gets the last minute power that shonen protagonists all seem to get at the most convenient moment possible. Maki also shows up at the right time where it looks like Yuji might have a fighting chance, especially with Megumi fighting back from within. Maki just like Yuji is at her peak physical strength. Her fight with Naoya allowed her to climb a  greater height than before. She was strong enough to massacre the entire Zen’in Clan, and now she’s even stronger. 

Maki is strong enough at this point that even Sukuna is acknowledging her strength. Maki and Yuji have near-perfect teamwork and neither of them is holding back, they’re both fighting with the intention to kill Sukuna if that’s what it takes to stop him. 

They fight with everything they have, both of them having a recent power-up, and they still lose. They lose because of outside interference because Kenjaku and Ura-Ume both have plans that Maki and Yuji are unaware of. There are outside factors that are bigger than either of them no matter how individually strong they may be. 

Yuji has all this strength, he just keeps getting stronger and yet at moments like this there’s nothing he can do but shout at Sukuna. Sukuna just finds all of his efforts laughable. This scene is clearly a parallel to this. 

Yuji even repeats the line and has the same moment of realization. Think of how much stronger Yuji has gotten between the young finish and reverse punishment arc. How much he’s grown. He was strong enough to face Mahito. He accepted Mahito’s statment that they are the same, and resolved to continue killing curses as a cog in the system. Yet, after all this time Yuji ends up in the exact same situation. He is as powerless to save Megumi as he was to save Junpei. 

This happens because Yuji is not the protagonist of a shonen manga. Jujutsu Kaisen is a deconstruction of the kind of story Yuji thinks he is in. 

2. The Protagonist of Reality

Yuji’s assumption that everything will work out fine once he releases Gojo from the box, and finishes playing his “role” just reeks of storybook logic. Yuji employs narrative thinking a lot. Basically he assumes that the world works like a fictional story. Instead of everything being random and meaningless, events are connected to each other, those events have meaning, and things progress naturally towards an ending. Which is why Yuji says that Megumi and Gojo gave him a “role” to play, like he is a character in a cast of actors performing on stage and reading off a script. 

This is not to say that Yuji thinks fiction and reality are the same thing. He just employs narrative thinking as a coping mechanism. He thinks of his life like a story and gives himself a part to play in that story to give his life meaning. If you think about it, Yuji’s trying to cope with an extremely tragic situation even before Sukuna is unleashed. He is a fifteen year old who will never grow up. His only living family member died at the start of the story, and the few friends he does make through his new school are always risking their lives. He is afraid of losing them. Then he does lose them. 

Yuji goes through a lot of suffering, and at the end of that tunnel he doesn’t see a happy future, no he’s going to die for the sake helping others. Yuji is trying to reconcile his death by giving himself narrative purpose. He wants to die a meaningful death because he can’t accept the unfair reality he has to die young. 

Whether or not Yuji actually sees himself as the main character in the story he’s telling is up for debate. This is not much of an answer but he does and he does not. Yuji clearly does not see himself as important as Megumi and Gojo. They’re the ones who gave him a role to play. That makes sense because they were already Jujutsu Sorcerers at the beginning of the story, Yuji is just the stranger who wandered into their world by accident, he wasn’t even born with a cursed technique and he can only fight thanks to borrowed power from Sukuna. He also only sees himself as a cog in the machine and constantly belittles his own importance. 

At the same time, Yuji can have quite an ego sometimes in a sneaky way. Gojo tells Megumi that someone like Yuji is always swinging for the fences and even likens Yuji to himself. Also, Yuji’s martyr complex still puts himself as the center  of the story. It’s his sacrifice that’s going to save everyone. His sacrifice is important, and matters, and he has a function as long as he plays his part. 

Yuji may regard himself as the main character, or maybe the selfless savior of the story, but the people around him do not. Especially Kenjaku who created Yuji and played author for a good portion of his life.

Kenjaku mentions that Yuji has no longer specific role to play. He’s just the firestarter, it was his actions that started the story by eating the finger and becoming the vessel to Sukuna. What he says here, and the fact Sukuna was already registered as a player in the Culling Games before Yuji entered the boundary (and Ura-Ume was preparing the bath in advance) all imply that Kenjaku always knew that Sukuna was going to leave Yuji’s body. Yuji’s purpose wasn’t just to be Sukuna’s host like Yuji assumed it was. 

Sukuna also reveals that what we as the audience and Yuji himself assumed that Yuji being a one in a thousand special vessel that can contain Sukuna without losing control or dying is not actually the case. Sukuna could have jumped into Megumi’s body from the beginning and was merely biding his time. 

All of these things that made Yuji special, the attributes that made him the main character have essentially been stripped away. He was made into a vessel by Kenjaku, but Kenjaku has no specific plans for him anymore. He was set to serve as Sukuna’s vessel, collect all the fingers and then be exorcised but now that Sukuna has jumped bodies he no longer has that purpose. He no longer is able to just simply die to save the world because it’s Megumi who is possessed by Sukuna now. They might not even be able to free Gojo considering Angel’s fate is now up in the air. 

This is what makes Jujutsu Kaisen unique as a manga, whenever the characters assume that things are going to work out the way they would in a story they get punished. This isn’t just Yuji who’s affected by this. Megumi loses his body to Sukuna because he assumes he can save Tsumiki and makes the mistake that she’s a princess waiting for him to rescue her. Therefore he doesn’t notice that Tsumiki isn’t even acting like herself. Hana is grievously hurt by Sukuna for assuming the exorcism worked and she managed to rescue Megumi with the power of love. That leads her into walking into an obvious trap and not listening to Angel’s warning. 

These characters all walk into obvious traps and pitfalls because they’re not looking at the reality in front of them, they’re blinding themselves because they want the world to be more like a story. 

[echantedtoon]

OBSESSION 憑 MASTERLIST

SUMMERY: (Yandere Michikatsu/Kokushibo x Reader x Yandere Yoriichi) Obsession. To drown without you and expect nothing less but the heart from which they seek. Like an intoxicating addiction of the hearts growing roots to the minds and then eventually entrapping the soul in the twisted branches.

INFO:

Firstly I just wanted to make this clear. This is a FAN MADE continuation of the really good story Addiction by Mocha who had deactivated her account. I did try to find a way to reach out to finish up the story but no dice. She wrote the first two arcs of the Addiction story: Addiction and Intoxication.

I love the story and wanted to make at least a somewhat ending to it but remember this is NOT CANNON to the actual story!! This is a FAN MADE continuation and is absolutely not associated with the first 34 chapters. So as a fan made continuation, I'm going to write things that aren't in the original story to make it different.

1. Yoriichi is going to be thrown back into character being the kind and compassionate man he his. Still an obsessive Yandere but he's not going to be mean for no reason.

2. Spicy undertones are WAY turned down too. I'm focusing on the romantic aspect between them all.

3. I'm leaving out the pet dog.

4. Obsession Arc will not be very long and will have three endings. Yoriichi Ending, Michikatsu Ending, and Neither Ending.

Before you start reading this story please read the first 33 parts by the original writer here:

https://www.quotev.com/story/14123576/ADDICTION-ll-%E4%B8%AD%E6%AF%92

By

https://www.quotev.com/rosecrush

And read the cannon 34th chapter here:

https://www.quotev.com/story/15762833/Addiction-%E4%B8%AD%E6%AF%92

by 

https://www.quotev.com/faithmolerat16748

Obsession Art

Obsession Art 2

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40 Sneak Peak

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

[mrcompass]

A critique of Battle Bladers

As the final and most anticipated tournament in Metal Fusion since Yu requested a big competition, it’s safe to assume that Battle Bladers is the most iconic and important story arc in Metal Fusion, and one of the most iconic in the entire Metal saga. I will try to dissect exactly what makes this tournament stand out compared to previous and later events.

The Stakes

It's no surprise that the event was highly anticipated by the main cast, particularly Gingka, as it presented a precious opportunity to confront Ryuga and the Dark Nebula once and for all. Fulfilling this purpose was Gingka's main goal throughout Fusion, especially considering what he had "lost." As such, a second confrontation with the assumed murderer of his father was always expected to happen. What changed compared to the first time is that Ryuga is not only more powerful (having absorbed the power from other bladers) but more dangerous as well. We also catch a glimpse of Doji’s ambitions, which could lead to world destruction.

Comparing this to the World Championship, where most of the teams were not villainous—and even those that were weren’t trying to destroy the world—the stakes were less critical but still important. The goal was to see the efforts of Team Gan Gan Galaxy come to fruition and make their vision of Beyblade triumph. Regarding Gingka's final fight against Damian, it was significant on a more ideological level, as it determined which view of Beyblade should prevail. I would argue that even though Damian is a better foil to Gingka than Ryuga, the latter adds more stakes as he is more dangerous and untamed. In addition the antagonism between Gingka and Ryuga was built throughout the whole season. In Metal Fury, there are three main smaller tournaments, but the focus shifts more to the quest to find the legendary bladers, with the peak of the season culminating in the final fight against Nemesis.

The End of a Journey

This tournament represents the end of the first season, and for certain characters, it was their last chance to shine, while for others, it allowed them to display their development. I must first address one of the biggest criticisms I’ve seen regarding Battle Bladers: the underwhelming first round. Aside from two fights—Gingka vs. Yu and Hyoma vs. Reiji—most of the duels were finished quickly. If you compare that to the pitch of Battle Bladers, which was to decide who was the best blader in the world (even though it’s only in Japan), it might seem disappointing. I only partially agree with this assessment, as the first round actually serves several narrative purposes I will detail later. The downside is that characters like Teru and Hikaru weren't given a chance to shine. We could have at least had an interesting fight between Teru and Ryutaro, who both use air in their own unique ways.

Two of the characters that encapsulate the journey that was Metal Fusion are Kenta and Kyoya. Regarding Kenta, he was essentially a way for the audience to recognize themselves in the world of Beyblade. His design makes him stand out just enough to show that he isn’t a background character. He first started as a victim of the Face Hunters, and throughout the season, he developed his skills as well as relationships, notably with Gingka, Madoka, and Benkei. During Metal Fusion, we saw him evolve and grow: he created his special move, won tournaments, learned about the mechanics of Beyblades (with part-changing), traveled on his own, and went out of his way to help and teach Sora. All this evolution came into critical play during his fight with Reiji. Kenta started as the crybaby who could easily be bullied, and he ends up against the ultimate "bully": a sadist whose only interest in Beyblade is to destroy his opponent and their Beyblade. However, Kenta didn’t back down, and thanks to everything he went through and all he learned about Beyblade, Yu, and the Beyblade spirit, he was able to hold his own and briefly push Reiji into a corner. He lost the fight, but unlike Hyoma, he didn’t quit competitive blading, and he was even cheered on afterwards. This was, in fact, the beginning of his journey, as he was going to go even further thanks to his determination.

Kyoya's evolution is also quite interesting to watch: he started as a bored gang leader, undefeated until Gingka came along. He took the wrong path by following Doji, and after his second defeat, he corrected his way and became a loyal ally to Gingka, always helping him in times of need. Now, during Metal Fusion, Gingka and Kyoya worked closely together to stop L-Drago, while Kyoya never forgot his ultimate goal of defeating Gingka. Kyoya even adopted Gingka's views regarding Beyblade. During his final fight of the season, he displayed this newfound understanding. When he fought Ryuga, he thought about showing his blader spirit to Gingka, and he even told a possessed Ryuga that he wouldn’t allow him to "steal his blader spirit". This fight was actually vital for Gingka to beat L-Drago, as Kyoya demonstrated that Ryuga was also a blader who cared about the sport (in his own way). This was done by Kyoya provoking Ryuga into not using the dark power. This also led to L-Drago possessing Ryuga in front of everyone, showing that Ryuga was also a victim of the forbidden Beyblade (although this was not yet completely clear to Gingka). In a way, it was Kyoya’s turn to set Gingka on the right path, the path to victory.

The Ambiance

If there is something unique to Metal Fusion, it's the overall vibe and ambiance: compared to the other series, it is, in my opinion, darker and more sinister for several reasons, and I think Battle Bladers perfectly encapsulates that. The first is that the main characters (Gingka, Madoka, Kenta, Kyoya, and Benkei) are on their own and isolated. They can’t count on many people aside from Hikaru, Hyoma, and much later, Tsubasa. It is during Metal Masters that Gingka will extend his web of friends and allies. In Battle Bladers, the only support from the WBBA the group had was Tsubasa, who was sent as a spy (and not to directly help them). Tsubasa is strong, of course, but the WBBA also provided help in terms of information (notably concerning Ziggurat and the arrangement system) and transportation in later seasons. In Battle Bladers, Gingka’s gang found themselves directly fighting each Dark Nebula blader. Those bladers mainly consisted of opponents they had already faced and that instead of joining their cause, went with the ennemy. The second reason is that the setting is focused only on Japan, where a seemingly all-powerful evil organization appears to have influence everywhere. Doji was able to infiltrate Koma Village, after all. Even though the whole world was watching Battle Bladers, the characters are isolated from the rest of the world and seem to have little room for action. It was said that Battle Bladers was the only opportunity to defeat Ryuga. During the tournament proper, this is illustrated by the fact that it is controlled by the Dark Nebula, as Doji can decide who fights whom and even who will fight or not (according to himself).

The third reason for this sinister atmosphere is related to the beginning of the first round: a false sense of security. It also displays how strong the main gang has become. Think about it: half the contestants are from the Dark Nebula, and not only were four of them (half of their number) defeated quickly, moreover Gingka beat Yu, who was believed to be the Dark Nebula’s second-strongest blader. After Gingka's victory, the group becomes even more confident, seeing Ryuga's defeat as a more concrete outcome (which is especially true for Hikaru, who will battle him next). What happens next completely shifts the dynamic: Reiji defeats Hyoma, destroys his Beyblade, and reveals that he, like Ryuga, has a dark move. Right after that, Hikaru herself is defeated in a particularly brutal manner. This certainly illustrates that the game is far from being won, even after defeating more than half the Dark Nebula bladers and even after becoming stronger.

The final reason why Fusion is darker than Masters and Fury is linked to what Battle Bladers really is. It is presented as a tournament to determine who is the strongest blader, but the true goal is for Ryuga and L-Drago to absorb the power of the strongest bladers in Japan: it is an offering to L-Drago, a human sacrifice of some sort. It is during this Battle Bladers arc that Ryuga absorbs the power of the other Dark Nebula bladers, as well as Doji. Reiji’s only appearances in this arc is not random, as his main purpose is to make Gingka angry so L-Drago can defeat him and steal his power easily. Reiji is known for being a ruthless and sadistic blader, he surely contributed the unsettling atmosphere. During the final fight, we see the only example of body horror in the show: Ryuga transforming into a literal monster as he is consumed by L-Drago. Some might compare it to Nemesis’ true form, but here we actually see the transformation process. In addition, this form still displays a human shape and form, unlike Nemesis, so it is easier to relate to and feel horrified by Ryuga's state.

Overall, Battle Bladers is an excellent arc, particularly representative of the season. The dark and sinister tone would never be equaled by any other tournament. However, this might be a good thing, as Battle Bladers was never a real Beyblade tournament: it was an illustration of what Doji and the Dark Nebula planned to do with the Beyblade world. Aside from L-Drago's defeat, Battle Bladers also led to the World Championship, as everyone around the world became eager to be the strongest blader in the world.

[hebuiltfive]

Deflector-In-Place

AO3 link can be found here!

The Hood has broken Fuse out of prison to aid him with his new scheme, only Fuse has a plan of his own.

I've been drafting many Chaos Crew redemption arcs over the last few months. I believe those siblings deserve one, Fuse the most, and thus this story was born.

This piece was inspired the other day by this prompt that can be found here but it's more of a prequel. There is a lot more to the story... I just need to finish it!!

CW (from the very start): implied abuse, verbal abuse

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

Clarence was used to the yelling. He was used to the insults and the waving hands, used to flinching when fists were formed. They were never thrown in his direction, yet Clarence knew better than to try and second-guess the Boss’s next move. Erratic and unpredictable were understatements of the century when the Boss was in this kind of mood. A better description for the actions of the criminal could be found in the words certifiably unhinged, borderline sociopathic. There was never, could never be, any reasoning with him when he was this off kilter, when he was in a fit of pure rage. Clarence had tried once, many months ago, but he quickly learned from his mistakes and had not tried since. For the foreseeable future, he had no plans of trying again either. 

So there he stood, on the other side of the Hood’s large mahogany desk. He was currently out of his purple uniform, dressed in casual clothing, and his hands were clasped together in front of his body. His fingers squeezed his palms tightly. Clarence was sure to find the imprint of half-moon crescents on his palm later, courtesy of the nails that were biting into his skin. It wouldn’t be the first time they appeared, and he doubted today would be the last. He focused on the sting, of the sensation of nails pinching his palm, as the Hood continued his vitriolic abuse.

Yes, Clarence was used to the yelling, but it didn’t make it any easier to take. His anxiety still peaked and the fleeing part of fight or flight seemed incredibly appealing, but he knew he had to bare the brunt of it.

The plan wouldn’t work otherwise.

“I should have left you in the gutter.” The Hood spat, his eyes full of fury, so convinced that Clarence had failed his mission. “I shouldn’t have tried to lift you up, give you something more. I should never have been so philanthropic. You’re not worthy! You’ve never been worthy! I should have left you to rot away in that cell. You’re a waste of my time and my energy, Fuse, nothing more and nothing less!”

As always, Clarence swallowed his desire to retort, to yell back. If Hannah had been here, she’d have defended him. Time and time again, she had fought back for him, her brother. Clarence had pleaded with her after every event to never do it again, for fear that the Boss wouldn’t be so lenient. Uncharacteristically, Hannah had never received a punishment for her defensive yelling. Then again, it had never been a secret that Hannah had been the Hood’s favourite. Still, Clarence lived in fear that one day the Hood would eventually tire of Hannah’s ruthless guardianship of her brother, and subsequently the admiration he assumed the Hood felt for his sister would dissipate. Wrath would take its place and his sister would suffer a fate worse than death for simply giving the man a taste of his own medicine.

Thankfully, that day had not yet come and he was grateful that Hannah wasn’t currently here. She was still locked away in the penitentiary, with no idea that her brother had been unshackled by the Hood, which meant Clarence had to deal with the onslaught the Hood sent his way on his own. He was perfectly fine with it though.

He had to be.

For the plan.

“I’m taking you off Project Mandible. We will have to cope without your expertise.”

Bingo!

To his credit, despite the fear that was bubbling away inside, Clarence played his part well. He stared at the Hood, mouth agape in shock, though he didn’t truly feel it. He had been expecting such a punishment, had been counting on it, if only so the next phases of the plan could work.

Not the Hood’s plan. Not the monstrous vision he had designed with Project Mandible.

But for the GDF.

For the recently promoted Major Rigby’s plan.

“I didn’t want to get caught.” Clarence offered up his ‘reasoning’ as pathetically as he could. He emphasised the begging, hoping the Hood wouldn’t see through the lie it was. “I wouldn’t be of any use to you if they’d caught me and locked me up.”

“You’re no use to me here empty handed and grovelling either!”

Even if he wanted to smile at how easily the Hood had bought his lies, Clarence didn’t dare. Instead, he kept up his pretence and shrugged his shoulders. He resembled a toddler being put in their place after disappointing a parent. In many ways, in the past, Clarence had played into the role of the Hood’s unappreciated child well. The position still fit him like a glove.

He hoped today would be his final curtain call for it.

“… I didn’t come back empty handed, though.”

The Hood’s prominent brows rose suspiciously, but he said nothing. Silently, he waited for Clarence to further elaborate what he meant.

Not wanting to keep the Boss waiting longer than necessary, Clarence reached into his pocket. “It wasn’t what you wanted but… I nabbed it in case it was useful.” He tugged out a device that sat snug in the sore palm of his hand. A tiny LED light flashed intermittently in red, reflecting off the cool silver of the device, and Clarence held it out towards the Hood in offering.

Slender fingers reached out and retrieved the prize from his hand, scraping Clarence’s already sore palm along the way. The Hood examined the device with a devious glint in his eyes and then turned the device over in his hands. Clarence had no doubt that he was already scheming devilishly about what he could achieve with such a seemingly insignificant piece of technology. With one singular button the device appeared as though it was nothing special, but Clarence’s eye was untrained. His expertise lay in explosives, not… whatever that device was.

Rigby hadn’t been too clear about the purpose of the device when he’d handed it over. He only promised that the Hood would recognise the gadget, and that it would be a decent alternative to the weapon he had wanted, that it would keep him from completely flying off the handle.

Clarence was relieved that Rigby was right.

“So, am I back on the team?”

Piercing eyes shot up from the device and locked on to Clarence with a ferocity that had him shrinking back. “What? You thought this was going to make me forgive you?” The Hood waved the instrument around before slamming it down on the table in front of him. Something cracked, but it was unclear whether it was wood or plastic.

Clarence jumped. He wasn’t afraid to show his fear; it made his act all the more believable, after all. “I… I didn’t mean…”

“Do you think you’re even worth forgiving?”

He dared not reply. The plan wasn’t to get back onto Project Mandible, but Clarence had to appear to at least try. It suited him, and Rigby’s plan, just fine if he remained off the team, so he bowed his head in defeat. 

“Now, leave. Your failure isn’t entirely a lost cause but I need to do some rethinking in order to make this fit my plans instead.”

The Hood turned his back on him, the conversation truly over, and Clarence scurried out of the office as fast as his feet could carry him.

The corridors of the depleted manor house ran for what felt like miles, but Clarence continued down them until he found a small nook he could hide away in. Only when he was certain he hadn’t been followed and that he wouldn’t be heard, he pulled out a small transmitter. He lifted one earpiece to his ear and inserted it. When he turned the small box on, it squawked and Clarence silently cursed. Two taps later and he was in touch with Rigby.

“Did he buy the bait?” The assured voice of the American was crystal clear in Clarence’s ears. There was no interference and it sounded for all the world like Rigby was standing right next to him. For an old piece of technology that had been given to him by Rigby purely because it would remain undetected from the Hood’s unauthorised technology scanners, it was in fairly good condition.

“Yes.”

“Well done. Now we just need to make sure he doesn’t try to use it. If he finds out its fake…”

Clarence stuttered. “It’s fake?”

“Well, duh. You didn’t think I wasn’t about to allow you to hand him access to one of our experimental defence weapons, did you?”

He doubted the Boss would use the ‘defence weapon’ in defence of anything but his egotistical plans. Clarence gulped. “How long until he might find out?”

Rigby sighed. “That depends on how closely he looks at the thing.”

Clarence could feel his heart begin to race again. “But… You’ll get me out of here before that will happen, yeah?”

“If you meet us at our usual spot at midnight, I’ll have a team there ready to extract you.”

It only made him feel marginally better. With the new knowledge that the Hood might realise he’d been deceived sooner, Clarence felt even more unsafe than he had done before he’d handed over the device. “Can’t you make it sooner?”

“Not with the Hood’s goons hanging around. It will be better after dark. Midnight, Fuse. We’ll be there to take you.”

“It’s Clarence.” He reaffirmed. “Fuse is dead.”

Rigby didn’t clarify that he’d heard him. The line clicked and Clarence was met with silence.

Midnight. He had to survive until midnight. That was… He glanced down at his watch quickly and tallied up the time. Six hours. The Hood needed to not discover his betrayal for six hours, or, at the very least, the Hood needed to be able to find him if he did work it out. 

He could do it. He’d stowed away somewhere hidden for longer periods of time before. Granted, those times he hadn’t been hiding from the Hood, but the basic principle still applied.

His thoughts drifted to his sister momentarily. If she knew he was working as a double agent for the GDF, the very people who had hunted them and locked them away, would she have despised him? Or would she have understood that he had no alternative? The deal he had made was invaluable and he would see it through until the end.

Six hours.

He only had to play the part for six more hours.

Then he’d be free.

[lilisouless]

Okay, if Leigh´s new novella is about the grishaverse, and she will kill of another character, i have only two guesses and one maybe

First, i think Leigh is self aware enought to realize that the grishaverse books already peaked. Its been enought time after KoS duology to add one more book to the series as an organic continuation. Therefore any adition would be an expanded story, an epylogue, etc. The only way it could peak again is with new characters entirely.

Its important to mention it, because i think that most people know that killing off important characters after your peak its a terrible idea that instead of sadness like you want to evoke what you get is frustration, eye rolling or people to see it as desesperate (No i am not saying narickriordanames)

If you haven't read all the books, beware of the spoilers

Even without this in consideration, some characters being killed just brings more trouble than a clousure. Meaning: Zoya,Nina and Hanne have inmunity. The onyl way it would work its a novella that takes place centuries ahead with another protagonists, and them being old already.

Here´s the thing: i believe Leigh can't go higher than Matthias (being the closest to a main character death) or David (being there from the start) , i seriously doubt she would step up of that, if she were she would have done it at the grishaverse peak, which like i said, its over.

Ohter thing is that its not very on brand for Leigh to kill of women that went trought a lot, otherwise she would have killed off Alina, so Inej and Genya are safe too. In fact, she hardly kills female characters at all, that aren't antagonists or very minor, i can only think on one female character that can be killed.

Kaz and Nikolai are too popular to die, lets get real. Even if Kaz is the crow most likely to die(so you can figure out Wesper are safe) ...he is still very unlikely to die.

I don't know how to explain this, but i think if she would kill Tolya or Kuwei she would have done it already, or kill of Tolya instead of David in RoW

Now, there´s the danger zone:

I think Adrik or Mal would be decent candidates if it weren't for

-Unlike Genya, Alina doesn't have her friends around all the time. While of course she could eventually heal, i think it would be unsatisfying if the least we see of Alina is grieving, considering Mal was brought back to life in order to be with her. So, for this reason only i think Mal is safe

-Now, Adrik would be surely the next target, after all there´s a remaining etherealki (Nadia) to fill up , but i think if we could notice that killing off another member of the triumvirate would seem repetitive, so would Leigh.

To finish up, this doesn't mean this characters are certainly going to die, just that this are the mot likely options : Colm and Misha

Maybe, just maybe Marya, but given that Wylan´s arc was more closed that Jesper´s its less likely than the previous ones

[kisaraslover]

DO U HAVE ANY BLUESHIPPING FIC REC?????PLEASENIMSTARVINGKSKSKKS

anon kskkasak ITS FINE ILL SAVE YOU OK? here goes:

Scenes from a Kaiba Marriage and Temptation by my blueshipping queen @kisara-kaiba as the opening. the peak of modern life blueshipping fluff, very lovesick, when im reading them its heart full, head empty. youre gonna be lucky to start them now cuz ill be rereading and drawing scenes from them this week👀. itll be like premium fanfic reading.

Enjambment -> this fic might be the single best written blueshipping fic by the virtue of MIRRORING their encounter in ancient Egypt beat by beat, including BOTH of their character arcs and the netflix show vibe of suspense and the sharp, cold and bleak setting is chefs kiss. changed my brain chemistry. still one of my favorite portrayals of Kisara.

Maiden with Eyes of Blue -> Sometimes time needs to slow down and a single scene should be a character study/ hashing out of things you needed acknowledged by canon, the situation is ESPECIALLY dire for Seto Kaiba as ive made my feelings on his writing known many times. This is it. Kisara isnt reincarnated in this one though, but her love for him can be felt in the air. Ngl you could just incorporate this into post canon and it would be fine. canon compliant+ canon enriching.

Shades of Water, Ice, and Sky -> I'm skimming through each fic to see what they were about and i just gotta say: why so heart-wrenching if so short?? theyre in love your honor.

Their Promise: Book I -> ok gonna be honest w you i havent finished this one and the main reason is that i cant go past the SPECTACULAR first chapter. ive started and failed to draw it in its entirety. i open it, i chew on the first chapter like a rabid dog, i close it more often than not. the second reason is it has a lot more angst and heartbreak than most blueship fics do and im weak to that sort of thing. still, if we follow their ancient egypt encounter beat by beat, which is a fantastic way of following and enriching the canon, their first meeting needs to be as kids with him saving her from a cage. chefs kiss.

who are you? -> JUST the right amount of Seto Kaiba immediate fixation obsession on Kisara (which means insanely obsessed)

You Will Crave Your Ancient Roots -> this is so good and so heartbreaking man. Seto and Atem are shot back into ancient Egypt and Seto is only able to slightly alter the events around Kisara. hes fated to fall for that woman every single time and *starts sobbing*

Ancient Rules -> all i gotta say is this Seto Kaiba gives me brainworms. hes chuck full of Passion and Cockiness and Insanity. blueshippers sometimes take out his insanity. he is very unsettling here i love it. Kisara is truly at his mercy..

never forget your first dream -> fem!Set and Kisara in ancient Egypt, this story twists more than just Seto's gender. im a yuri seto truther so its great to have written proof of it. jokes aside, very well characterized Set and Kisara, rich writing.

One in Forty -> pretty short but this one fundamentally changed how i viewed Kisara's canon influence over BEWD cards and her constant and unbendable favor around Seto. canon compliant + canon enriching.

ok so these are the cream of the crop for ME personally, might have forgotten some in my other folders, i might have missed reading some, its probably not all encompassing. but frankly ive liked and saved fics for a single resounding line, single funny joke, one interesting implication about the story or the characters the author wrote up so in my heart theyre all worth checking out, always. fanfic writers are carrying this ship on their backs and theyre all 9 ft tall and im just walking around them, clearing the path, giving them a sip of water and snacks etc. so THANK YOU BLUESHIPPING AUTHORS I LOVE YOUUUUUU

[xtraordinaryfangrl]

Yeah... turns out the streets were right about how the 6 measly episodes of TUA S4 was made in somebody's butt crack. I don't even have to watch it now (although I might after cleansing my mind with seasons 1 and 2 - aka PEAK TELEVISION) and I haven't even finished S3 because of how badly they butchered Alison's character/her relationship with Viktor. I do, however, have some very confused thoughts from the bits I've seen so far of the final season:

—

|‼️SPOILER ALERT‼️|

—

- Diego and Lila had 3 kids - two daughters and an unnamed son, according to the wiki-page? So what, is their son supposed to be a pee-wee version of Stanley (or as I know him, a softer version of Ashtray from Euphoria)?? That'd be cool if it was, y'know, confirmed. Guess I'll never know, and that in itself should be a criminal offense.

- SPEAKING OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY - whoever pitched Five and Lila as a romantic pairing needs a psyche evaluation. You mean to tell me that not only she cheats on my man Diego, but she cheats on him with somebody who looks like a sophomore in college? She couldn’t have an affair with Sparrow!Ben? Or Luther - who apparently dabbles in male-stripping now? OR Viktor the Critically Acclaimed Ladies Man? Literally any other Hargreeves sibling would have been a better spring fling than a middle-aged man in a child’s body.

- Allison doesn’t say “I heard a rumor…” at all from the edits I’ve seen of her… Suspicious. Also, Ray just ditched her and Claire? For what- genuinely- WHY WOULD YOU GIVE MY SISTA A VILLAIN ARC FOR NO REASON LIKE-

- Weirdly enough, I’m sort of OK with the ending. Something will never sit right with me about the Hargreeves Siblings only finding peace in death after everything they’ve been through, sure. But their sacrifice makes sense, if not one huge inconsistency.

They didn’t just die, apparently. They were erased from existence, and their children still exist because of the Grandfather Paradox (which I still don’t get, by the way)? Fine. And yet, by some not-so-subtle foreshadowing, there’s an end-credits scene with a row of flowers - 8 marigolds. That’s not a coincidence, or maybe it is, but then that would also equate to more horrendous writing.

All in all, my love for the found-family trope is slightly tarnished now because of St*ve Bl*ckman and the only cure seems to be AO3.

—

Hell, I don’t write for this fandom, but if this isn’t a reason to start then what is?

[taempteng]

So, I finally finished 2ha.

I... have some thoughts.

Let's talk!

【 Story Review 】 The Husky & His White Cat Shizun

I started this story on the 30th of May through the manhua. When I caught up to the latest release, I switched to the novel. I binged the novel day and night, until finally ending the story on the 12th of June.

I want to clarify that I’ve only finished the main 311 chapters. I haven’t read the extra 39 chapters.

This review will only discuss my thoughts on the main story. I'll decide whether to talk about the extra chapters when I finish those in the future.

With that said, what is 2ha?

2ha is short for Dumb Husky and his White Cat Shizun. It came from the Mandarin title 《二哈和他的白猫师尊》 where 二哈 literally translates to “2 ha(s)”. It’s written by 肉包不吃肉 or “Meatbun Doesn’t Eat Meat”.

What’s the story about?

Well, it follows a man named Mo Ran. He’s a regressor and in his first life, he was the 踏仙君 or Celestial-Trampling Emperor. He was at the peak of the Cultivation World, a tyrant who ascended to godhood. However, at the age of 32, he poisoned himself and died.

But then, he wakes up! And he’s back to 16 years ago, before his life went to shit! The guy he likes is still alive, so are his sect members-

Oh, and his Shizun isn’t dead anymore, he supposed.

Either way, he swore to turn his fate around, ensure his crush doesn’t die in this life, and get back at everyone who had wronged him in his first life! Especially that darn Shizun who he hates the most!

Now that you know what the story is about, what is the story like?

2ha has your blueprint regression story beginning. Mo Ran dies bitterly in his first life, regresses, and swears to annihilate all his adversaries while aiming for a better future. That better future being ensuring his crush stays alive.

You must think that, because of the premise, Mo Ran will use the knowledge of his past life to team up with characters that can help with his goal, have intense scheming face-offs against his adversaries, and eventually find a way to overcome his crush’s death. Right?

Well, you would be wrong!

You see, the events in the second timeline unfurled much differently than the first. And when I said “differently”, I don’t mean “the main character did this, so the other characters did that”. No, I meant “the main character didn’t get to move an inch before something completely sidetracks”.

Usually in regression stories, the main character will narrate what happened in the first timeline and tell the audience how they will counter the events in this new life. In 2ha however, despite being told by Mo Ran about the events of the first timeline, what ended up happening in the current life was straight up different. So, Mo Ran was unprepared and had to deal with the situation differently.

It’s definitely a refresher to see Mo Ran being flustered by the change of events, especially when he’s not written to be a masterclass schemer. He’s not shounen-MC-dumb, but he’s clearly not Sherlock-Holmes-genius. It’s a good balance between being thrown off guard by the unfamiliar situation while also trying to adapt to the new scenario.

So if you had been put off by the idea of a stereotypical regression story, you can rest assured that 2ha subverts this trope. It’s packed with interesting twists and dramatic turns, while displaying compelling characters and rewarding developments. It’s a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and always wanting to turn to the next chapter!

Since finishing the story, what did I think of the ending?

Obviously, as the finale, the final arc had to be the most dramatic. Many things happened that honestly had me restless and fearful. With how the plot was progressing, I thought the ending would be a downer.

By the final chapter, all I felt was peace and calm. Not the kind of “and they lived happily ever after”, but more of a “and everyone moved on with their lives”. It’s the kind of feeling when a disaster happened, but you got away with your life, so despite the depression, you still found a way to pick yourself up again and overcome the difficulty.

The final arc was one heck of a rollercoaster ride, but the ending was sweet enough that it makes you glad that everyone could live as happily as possible. In a way, it’s bittersweet, in that the bitter memories will now only bring a sweet fondness of bygone past and a hopeful future.

So for readers who don’t like sad/bad endings or open/ambiguous endings, you don’t have to worry as everyone in the story (or at least the important characters) gets some form of closure.

Overall, what are my thoughts on 2ha?

I personally think the story is amazing. It’s a long story, and there’s a lot of drama and angst. However, reaching the end after all the turmoil and agony, I think it’s worth the arduous read and late night binging.

For me, even if some characters are unbearable at the beginning or some times, they’re still ultimately interesting and endearing. Even with the characters I despise, I can understand why they act the way they do. I don’t like them and I certainly don’t suddenly like them just because they’re sympathetic, but the characters are distinct, convincing and not one-dimensional.

The plot progression is exciting but not spontaneous. Every event happened for a reason, and you won’t feel as if something occurred for the shock value. As the story progresses, the puzzle pieces will piece themselves, leaving you wide-eyed with realisation.

The story isn’t fast-paced, but it isn’t draggy either. It dwells on emotional scenes to bring out the rawest feelings, making you explore the minds of the characters. It also concludes each chapter with a hook, resolving one scene while making you curious for the next.

It is a story that captivates your attention while squeezing your heart where it hurts. Definitely a must-read if you’re an angst or drama lover! The ending is worth all the pain and anguish.

What is the moral of the story?

Some common themes I noticed in 2ha include loneliness, anger and resentment, and karma and revenge. There may be other themes, but these are the most prominent ones.

I’ll explore these themes more thoroughly in the future. For now, I want to talk about what we can take away from this story.

I think this line by Xue Meng in the final chapter perfectly encapsulates the overarching message of 2ha.

I’d love to discuss how this line summarises the lesson in the story, but that’ll require me to spoil a lot of important plot points. So instead, I’ll leave this conversation for another day. Now, we’ll move on to the final part of this review!

Any last words for anyone who wants to pick up 2ha?

A fair warning before you begin: You will hate Mo Ran at the start. His attitude towards Chu Wanning, his master and endgame, was very frustrating. Although there were sweet moments, the way he went straight for Shi Mei when he comes into view will probably make you tear your hair out.

Of course, it gets better as the story progresses, but if you don’t like seeing one side of the couple mistreating and misunderstanding the other side, then this story is not for you.

Not to mention, there are triggering themes discussed such as SA and cannibalism. If these topics make you uncomfortable, proceed with caution or reconsider starting the story.

2ha also touched upon subjects like misogyny, dehumanisation, hate campaigns — just a lot of heavy topics that may be distressing if you’re trying to read for fun and not to be reminded of reality.

With all that said, if you can handle a good dose of heartache, I highly recommend this story! It’s amazingly written (in my opinion) with lovable characters and an intriguing plot. I give 2ha 5 stars!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be reading those extra chapters!

[myrmyrtheorca]

give me your favorite manga or anime of all time. NOW. like, the ones who changed you as a person. if you are okay with questions like that!

HELLO HI I RISE FROM THE GRAVE FOR THIS INCREDIBLE YAPPING OPPORTUNITY

fr tho thank you Lottie for asking me too despite my death apparent, this will be long, I'll put the honorable mentions first as to make it a little more interesting and KHR will be at the bottom for the same reason-

Honorable mentions!

Sailor Moon - love myself some female friendship and magical girls. And women who could kick my ass like Pluto.

Black Rock Shooter - as above, plus vague setting and cool transformations.

Fate series - ok hear me out. I haven't watched the anime and just started the VN, I mostly play the mobile game, but it's about history and there's cute girls in it. Peak.

The Vision of Escaflowne - COOL MECHAS (hasn't finished it)

Yuru Camp - CUTE GIRLS FRIENDHIP AND COZYNESS also relaxing music (hasn't finished it)

Serial Experiments Lain - what the fuck was that

Violet Evergarden - tears? tears in my eyes? stop???

Dungeon Food - I'd have put this above if I wasn't just at the second volume of it, holy shit this is so fun but I feel it will crush my soul soon

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Ah. Lord, NGE. The vagueness of its worldbuilding, the psychological aspects, the occult and religious simbology, and the GODDAMN MUSIC. If you like classical, epic and otherwordly music, I beg you to check out NGE's score even if you're not interested in the anime itself because Shiro Sagisu is a gift from the gods and one of the best composers of our time. The series is a masterpiece. People despise the movies but IMO they do exactly what a movie should do: entertain. Anno embraced the "I'll be cringe, but I'll be free" and went all out on them, as he should have. Also, there's Kaworu Nagisa. Look at him!

Steins;Gate

PLEASE. PLEASE DO AND DON'T DO THIS TO YOURSELF AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS NOT READY. This anime will take your heart, embrace it, warm it up, GRIP IT IN ITS HANDS, CHEW IT AND SPIT IT OUT. Admittedly I played the VN because I wanted to experience all endings and OH MY GOD. It's terrifying and emotionally damaging. I started playing the sequel (Steins;Gate 0) and I had to STOP because it's so gut-wrenching in all the good ways that I need to be in the right spot for it.

Bleach

talk about recent experiences. I live under a rock when it comes to popular anime most times, and I never had the occasion to watch Bleach until recently (still haven't technically finished it because I'm waiting for TYBW to finish releasing to watch it). I... don't know what it is about Bleach that I like so much, but it got me in a similar way to KHR, as in I think about it often against my will and I'm even considering creating an OC for it. I think it's the characters, because the story is pretty straightforward... yeah, yeah it's the fictional men again. Kubo makes handsome men who fight with swords and transformation and everyone has their own powerups and...hhhngh. Look at this batch of cookies.

Ah no, wait, there's Shiro Sagisu again as composer. Almost forgot. *dances aggessively to spanish guitars*

Dr. Stone

I'm not a science brain, totally the opposite. Math doesn't math, geometry is evil and chemistry is wizardry. BUT, I love things that TRY to teach me those things in a funny and accessible way. I still won't understand them, but it was fun trying! And Dr. Stone has that, it's the moment I realize I like it when things are explained to me in that way, especially through media. Plus, fun characters, emotional moments, and cool plot.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your opinion on the show, KHR was the first ever japanese piece of media (excluding videogames) I've ever consumed. Being a lonely and socially awkward human being, it soon became my personality. It was these fuckers who made me get into manga altogether, I started buying the volumes (but only up to Varia Arc because 1. I didn't have an allowance, everything was done with Christmas/Easter/birthday money and 2. I was so obsessed with the Varia that my goldfish brain lost interest mid Future Arc.) and from there I discovered the pleasure of physical copies. The show has never aired in Italy, so nobody knew what the fuck I was talking about. It was, as many others were for me, a very lonely experience. But it was also the first time I felt... unique? Like, "this is my special little treasure and nobody can take it from me" kinda thing. I was emotionally invested in this show and every small piece of merch I could find like my Varia character songs CD became some of my most prized possessions (UNTIL I STARTED GIFTING AWAY MY SET OF VONGOLA RINGS BECAUSE I WANTED TO BRIBE PEOPLE INTO LIKING THE SHOW) (YEAH THAT WAS. STUPID. BECAUSE IT OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK. AND ONLY MADE ME FEEL MORE LONELY AND RINGLESS) Then, the falling off. I started playing an MMO that also shaped part of my personality and as you often do with things that remind you of lonelier times, I sold my volumes and stopped thinking of KHR... until recently, when I joined this fandom and the spark came back because fuck it I'll be cringe but I'll be free. I got my fair share of flack for hyperfixating on an old anime at 24 years old, but it's one of the best experiences I've ever had. So yeah. KHR was ultimately good for me.

[ampheenix]

I'm at my highest peak, I'm ripe, about to fall (capture me) - CHAPTER 1

(BSD/MHA CROSSOVER FIC)

It was just a normal mission.

In and out, quick and easy- for Double Black, anyway. If Mori had sent grunts they wouldn’t have lasted five seconds with this particular Ability user, who seemed to enjoy slinging interdimensional frisbees at her enemies.

How annoying… but Dazai couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips. This woman and her backup sure were giving his dog a lot of trouble, and it was kinda fun watching Chuuya struggle for once… battles like this were normally a cinch for him.

Whoops!

A bullet whistled past just before Dazai ducked back behind the rubble. The rubble he was STRATEGICALLY PLACED at (he was not hiding, as Chuuya seemed to believe and scoff at; figures that his dog wouldn’t understand simple logic. The simple logic being that he, for all his talents, was not bulletproof- and he wouldn’t put it past Chuuya to let a missile or two slip past his ability if he annoyed him enough.)

(Of course he wouldn’t mind a bullet to the brain, but unfortunately silly Chuuya’s aim was so inaccurate it was always a bullet to an arm or leg, and ended up being a painful inconvenience instead of sweet relief.)

Dazai poked his head back out, adjusting his bandages- this area was so dusty and dirty, it was starting to soil the cloth. He could already see stupid Mori smiling condescendingly once he saw his bandages, and chiding him for not being able to keep himself clean during battle… Ugh.

“SHITTY DAZAI, COME OUT AND USE YOUR ABILITY ALREADY!! I KNOW YOU’RE HIDING OVER THERE LIKE A COWARD!!!”

Ah, his dog was calling for him.

Dazai got to his feet, dusting the grime off of his clothes in a leisurely fashion, before making his way out from his ahem, strategic placing. His lips curled up into a grin when he saw Chuuya looking tired out for once; it was always nice to see him get humbled.

Dazai picked his way over all the grunts that had been firing carelessly earlier, now scattered in heaps on the ground. How messy of Chuuya, it was almost as if he had deliberately piled them in order to hinder his owner to the rescue.

“CHUUUUYAAAA, I’M HERE~” Dazai sang carelessly, doing a hop, skip and jump over a few bodies on the ground before coming to a stop beneath where the Gravity user was floating. Chuuya shot him a harried look, clearly out of breath as he continued to dart and dodge around the enemy’s rapid-fire attacks, hardly getting in any hits himself.

Yup, this Ability user certainly wasn’t your average run-of-the-mill… Dazai let out a slow hum, eyes narrowing. He had expected this mission to be somewhat difficult, but it was surprising that Chuuya had had to expend so much of his energy so early.

The Ability user was a tall, slender woman with flowing black hair, skin white as snow and an unnervingly wide grin. She floated in the air, slinging shimmering, dark-as-night disks through the air that arced in glittering curves… and where they landed, Dazai had already noted, they left deep holes in their wake.

Not your average holes, either. It was almost like they erased the land itself, leaving that odd, shimmery darkness all the way through. He had checked!

Dazai shuddered dramatically, who knows what would happen if someone fell through! Perhaps he should test that theory later, preferably with himself. Or, if Chuuya annoyed him enough, he could command him to jump in for the sake of scientific discovery.

Anyway, as fun as it was watching Chuuya put so much effort into living (so fascinatingly ridiculous) he should probably cut this short. It was rather tiresome watching that smug smile widening on the Ability user’s face; he had a nagging urge to put a bullet through her whitened teeth. Perhaps more than once.

Dazai let out a melodramatic sigh, stretching and rolling his shoulders- figures he’ll have to finish this irritating woman off for his dog. “CHUUYAAAA! IT’S TIME!!” Dazai announced with a bright smile, glancing up at the fiery-haired boy who was even more exhausted now, sweat beading on his forehead.

He barely had a second to shoot a glare down at Dazai before darting out the way as another shimmery disk whistled past, missing him by a hair. “IT’S ABOUT TIME, HURRY UP ALREADY!!”

Dazai smiled to himself, before sending a swift nod to Chuuya, both of them exchanging another glance quicker than you can blink before-

“Whoosh!” Dazai hummed brightly to himself as he flew through the air like an arrow, radiating scarlet light. This was the fun part, really, it was almost like he could fly- it was a shame he had to focus because if he didn’t, he’d probably get disc-ed and die and Mori would be annoyed with him.

Dazai’s eye glinted as he neared the woman, who continued to grin infuriatingly wide even as he was swooping in closer and closer- His mind raced faster and faster, everything coming to a head as he reached out, fingers inching closer and closer as the woman’s glowing hands conjured another disc, he was so close he could t-

“SHITTY DAZAI!!!!” A panicked yell interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see another disc zooming behind directly for him because the one she was “creating” with her hands was a DIVERSION, WOW, very original…

My, she really thought Dazai wouldn’t notice? Now that was just insulting, really.

Not to worry though, he knew his dog was observant. He was jerked out of the way in the nick of time, the disc cleaving through thin air and then straight through a broken-down building near them, leaving that shimmery midnight hole in its wake. Hm, fascinating.

Dazai reached out, natural curiosity overring caution of wellbeing, as that strange and dark shimmering substance looked almost… liquid. He wasn’t stupid though, he had gloves on, and his finger was just about to make contact when-

“MACKEREL, DON’T TOUCH THAT WEIRD SHIT!!” He was jolted out of the way just in time again, and let out a sigh of disappointment, unsurprised. Honestly, Chuuya was so boring, if he didn’t let Dazai experiment with weird substances that inexperience could kill him someday, you know. Probably. Maybe… Not really.

In any case, if weird substances kill him someday it’d be by choice, not by pure stupidity.

“Come now Chuuya, can’t I have a little fun?” Dazai whined, crossing his arms petulantly. He whipped his head to the side as a disc whistled straight past, nearly turning him into an Antoinette. Hm, as irritating as this woman was, at least she had better aim than Chuuya.

What a shame she’d be dead within the hour, truly. Dazai’s eye darkened as Chuuya sent him soaring through the air again, reaching out to touch and end all this, once and for all- he was getting a bit sick of beating around the bush.

His hand was getting closer and closer once more, ready to cut off this woman’s power and life in one fell swoo-

Wait.

Dazai felt a third set of eyes on him and darted around, instantly on his guard and- oh. Shit.

A second woman, identical to the first one, glided from the shadows of another building. Dread growing in the pit of his stomach, Chuuya tugged them both backwards through the air, unnerved as more and more clones of the Ability User emerged, still smiling wide.

“D-dazai, what the hell? Why didn’t you warn me about this? Is this another one of your twisted games or what?!” Chuuya scowled, eyebrows furrowed furiously as he turns to the other but Dazai is too shellshocked to respond, mind racing.

This… wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t in the intel.

But it was nothing Double Black couldn’t handle.

Dazai shook himself, giving Chuuya the look, and the other’s eyes cleared with understanding. “Shit, you couldn’t have warned me? Ugh, just don’t take too long like last time.” Chuuya let out a huff, shoving his hands in his pockets as he shot forwards to the first Ability user.

Dazai’s eyes darted around faster than you could blink, assessing the situation- it was a shame he wouldn’t be able to focus on watching his dog enter the Corruption state, beautiful as it was, but there was no time.

This was serious, he had to… hmm…

“Dazai! DAZAI!! LOOK O-”

Chuuya’s words were cut off unnervingly quickly, and Dazai stiffened completely. He knew what that meant, and he didn’t want to. A sense of horror filled him as the scarlet light around him started fading, the zero gravity surrounding his body disappearing completely as he fell through the air.

Shit.

 “No, no, no, no!! Chuuya?!” Dazai’s voice cracked against his will as his head snapped up and around, searching the air frantically as he plummeted. Where was he, WHERE WAS HE? “CHUUYA!”

He spun and found a disc swerving through the air swiftly towards him in a downward spiral, and- fuck, fuck, this must be the one that had gotten Chuuya, and it was coming straight for him and there was no time to dodge-

Dazai Osamu’s last thoughts were nothing but terror, dread and grief… and a sick sense of ironic relief, as though he had craved to die all his life, he had never wanted it to be like this.

THIS.

AH. AHDJ. !ADJSKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII#IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII101110110101000**101010110101011010101010101010101010101#@#%!01010101010102393892804822087152HHDHDHDHHHHHHHHHHHH42

01110011 01101111 01110101 01101011 01101111 01101011 01110101 00100000 01110011 01110101 01110000 01110010 01100101 01101101 01100001 01100011 01111001 00100001- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-

-

-

-NO.

-THIS IS NOTHING.

-THERE IS NOTHING HERE.

-THERE IS ONLY DARKNESS.

-GO.

something whispers to the Boy-Shaped Wrongness in the space.

-GO. GO. GO. GO HERE.

-GO HERE NOW.

something shoves the Shape through the empty.

-GO. THERE IS NOTHING HERE.

something shifts the Boy-Shaped Wrongness over There.

something ends the Boy-Shaped Wrongness where it was Here, marvelling at such a short-lived mockery of an existence.

and something WAKES THE Boy-Shaped Wrongness UP.

SH. SHjdH.

DKSJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ%JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJDDDD$DDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS010101010013101031010100130^@#$13J101301J10J1J03XJ131-1310100101@@000000101010101JKCM=

01100111 01100001 01111001 00100000 01110011 01100101 01111000------…….

Dazai Osamu splutters to a start, breathing heavily. His skin feels a bit strange, almost like it’s been peeled off, stretched and squashed, and then applied back onto his bones once more.

And his eye… he can feel the air on his other eye. It’s uncovered.

That fact alone jolts him up, eyes still closed, as he’s not looking forward to seeing a very displeased Mori standing by his deathbed. After all, he’d blacked out and almost died, and Chuu… Chuuya…

Dazai pushed that thought down for later. When it fought back, he viciously pushed it further and further until it was a scrunched up ball of agony at the back of his skull. Then, he inhaled deeply, as it smelled like… vanilla?

Mori’s “hospital” always smelt vaguely of blood and despair (even though it was deep cleaned daily) along with assorted chemicals. This… smelt sweet, but not the sickening sweetness of Mori’s smile. It was something very different.

Finally, Dazai opened his eyes, blinking blearily as his surroundings blurred and refocused.

First, he gawked.

And then, he gaped.

“Ah, good, one of you has finally awoken.”

Because sitting in front of him was a completely unfamiliar old lady squinting at him with a hint of suspicion in her eyes, hands folded in her lap, and standing beside her were… a series of ridiculously buff strangers.

Oh, and a white rat/bear/cat/?? who was smiling at him with the light of humanity in his eyes, despite obviously being an animal of some kind.

And wait, the lady had said one of you? Meaning it wasn’t just him? Dazai felt his heart leap into his throat, craning his neck, and finally noticed someone else lying in one of the other hospital beds, with- with very distinctive fiery red hair.

Chuuya was alive.

Dazai swallowed, blinking furiously as his eyes drifted across all the strangers before him, thoughts now filled with endless question marks.

Because… what the fuck?

[doodlegirl1998]

In your opinion in regards to the Sports Festival, which arc would you say had the most disappointing/ abysmal conclusion or just ?

Looking back through them, in my opinion, I personally do think the Sports Festival takes the cake imo.

It started out strongly enough. Yes, so many readers have brought to attention the flaws the whole concept of the Sports Festival, but it also was a good starting point to introduce us more of Izuku’s classmates and flesh them out.

We see a setup for Todoroki and we get to know more about him and his story, as well as setting up for a rivalry between him and Midoriya.

We get to see more of Uraraka, such as what drives her (having a sustainable job to help her parents back), and showcasing it’s great to rely on friends, but sometimes there’s battles you’ll have to learn to fight on your own.

We are introduced to interesting characters like Kendo, Testsutestsu, Monoma, and the rest of 1-B.

We also see more moments of the rest of 1-A like Ashido, Yaoyorozu, Iida, Ojiro, and of course Tokoyami, who seems to be the new, mysterious powerhouse.

We also see Midoriya on his absolute A-Game, relying on his wits alone to get through the obstacle courses! This was peak Midoriya in my opinion. Not just in him being successful in the festival, but him being human to the other competitors, particularly with Shinsou and Todoroki.

SO many characters with great potential and plot points to consider, and it got me to thinking, “Who’s actually going to win this?”

Oh, and Bakugou is just acting like an absolute dip**** throughout the arc, but who cares about that, right?

Well, apparently HORIKOSHI cared.

Bakugou had no impactful or actual significance to the story, just kept insisting“I’m gonna win! I’m gonna win!” And all of a sudden he wins the entire thing. All the while being an asshole to everyone around him. So the childish idiot gets his way instead of letting other more interesting characters to shine and Bakugou instead learns something from LOSING to someone other than Deku.

And I recall the first I got finished watching the arc, I thought, “…really? That’s how we’re finishing this? All these characters to focus or benefit from being in the spotlight or at least winning the tournament, and Hori decides to reward HIM? That’s pathetic.”

Anyway, back to my question, do you have an arc where you felt like this the most?

Hi @khonaker 👋,

The most disappointing arc to me was of course the Izuku Solo arc concluding with 1A vs Izuku and Bakugou's apology.

The solo arc seemed to be taking a tonal shift, seemed to be perfect opportunity to focus on Izuku again, seemed to be building up AFO again as an actual threat via Nagant explosion and hinting at DFO in places ("It's your turn," and "This path you have chosen is a thorny one.")

Then 1A vs Izuku, Bkg's joke of an apology and taking him back to U.A crapped all over it. I feel like I haven't gotten as excited over MHA since. Most of the recent arcs are a bunch of empty hype then a huge let down.

I'd also like to give my opinion on the Sports Festival arc specifically since you mentioned this one.

I also found it a huge let down with how it concluded by the very notes of how Shoto's quirk works he should have been able to stomp Bkg with just his ice. ❄️ But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Like you mentioned it fleshed out Izuku's classmates well. It set up a rival class in Class 1B and introduced Shinsou (personally I'd change a few things about him such as have him train prior to Aizawa's mentorship, have him actually be bullied in his backstory and narrowly miss out on entering the hero course by a couple of points.)

I'd change a few things with the one on one battles too because I feel like the Sports Festival would work better with a few shake ups.

Round One

First, Bakugou vs Shinsou and have Shinsou win. This would be Bakugou's pride getting the best of him because he would refuse advice from an 'extra' like Ojiro and pay the price for it.

I'd have Aoyama vs Midoriya. With Midoriya winning. This is to hint at the traitor reveal earlier, to build their bond earlier with their similar self harming quirks.

I'd have Mina vs Momo, just because I feel like they'd be an interesting match up. Momo is versatile and intelligent and Mina is, quite frankly an under used powerhouse and has a quirk that would counter creation. I feel like Momo should win and show off her smarts by creating something to counter Mina's acid. Plus it would build their friendship earlier.

I'd keep Kiri vs Tetsutetsu as it was in canon just because I liked that battle and their friendship that came from it. 🤣

I'd have Tokoyami vs Ibraha and have Tokoyami win.

And I'd keep Mei vs Iida as canon because I found that fight funny.

Then Sero vs Uraraka because that could also link into her growth with wanting to learn to fight hand to hand through failing to win against a more nimble Sero and a poor quirk match up. So Sero would win this.

I'd have Kaminari vs Todoroki with Todoroki winning because I feel like they would be an interesting match up. And Todoroki could similarly stomp him with his ice just like he did with Sero.

Round Two

Shinsou vs Midoriya with Midoriya winning, like how Midoriya's canon first battle went but in round 2 this time so it's more realistic that Shinsou impressed Aizawa and Midoriya being BAMF more - yes please.

Momo vs Sero with Momo winning, I feel like Momo would have to make lots and quickly against someone like Sero who is able to quickly restrain her. It would make for a good battle.

Todoroki vs Iida like canon, Iida gets far into the battle but loses against Todoroki.

Tokoyami vs Kirishima with Tokoyami winning and Kirishima being manly about it. I can see Dark Shadow and Kiri getting along and this would be a good opportunity for them to meet.

Round 3

Midoriya vs Todoroki and the famous "It's your power" moment, I'd have happen here. Along with Midoriya losing, and Todoroki winning

Momo vs Tokoyami, here I would build the foundation for Momo's confidence issues despite her intelligence. I'd have the battle be harder than canon for Tokoyami, but have her make a 'flash bomb' then falter under the pressure of the crowds watching her (maybe insecurity about the amount of skin she had to show, discomfort from the crowds leers) which enables Tokoyami to take her out of the ring. Here Tokoyami would win.

Final round.

I'd have Tokoyami vs Todoroki. Here, this would make sense to have Todoroki lose to a powerhouse like Tokoyami with his weakness being light - not cold. Here it would be realistic that Todoroki's hesitancy to use his fire - to create that light that Tokoyami is weak to - would cost him the match. Plus Tokoyami and Dark I could see being much more concerned for Todoroki than Bakugou was when he passed out.

Therefore in this version of events, Tokoyami (and Dark Shadow) accepting the gold medal with pride, Todoroki being pensive with silver and re-evaulating himself (he can't win every battle with just his mum's ice) and Momo being third (Midoriya breaking himself too much to fight her for third place.)

Let me know what you think of my thoughts and shake up in pairings :)

[eyedoeluhn]

I think a daring synthesis is a better celestial forge fic than Brocktons celestial forge.

To preface this comparison slash review, and all posts after I make on ADS, I’ve only read from chapters 86 (a glib facsimile 2.1) to 145 (killing hope 7.9) of A Daring Synthesis, the section of the fic that covers Greg with the celestial forge. I have not and have no plans of reading the first 85 chapters which are Greg with a gamer power. Those chapters ARE plot relevant as the fic has Greg go back in time from the original timeline during the enchadia fight and are referenced frequently in the fic. I have had a summary of the first section from ads defender #1 and I don’t think that really impacted my experience negatively with the fic. I have read all of the celestial forge. Both of those fics are very different in experience and I’m it going to recommend reading either one fully here, one because I would never want anyone to subject themselves to the forge let alone BCF, and two because defending ADS is how @zizbombs pays for his robux and I’m not going to push him out of the market. this is going to feature heavy spoilers of each, it’s not my plot comparison but I’m going to mention events.

I think to start elsewhere from how unpleasant the experience of reading ADS would be a little disingenuous. Full disclosure, I’ve attempted to read ADS from chapter one several times and completely bounced off of it.

I have a very low gamer tolerance and a lower Greg protagonist tolerance on top of that. Im also not a fan of the slur frequency. Yes it’s an accurate 4channy Greg but I don’t like Greg anyways. Also the authors opinion on this is ass. so this was pretty firmly in the not my thing territory.

I did skip a large portion of the character development and Greg does still say the n word but we’ve graduated to refraining from dropping slurs. As often.

If you don’t like Greg and gamerfic as a catagory, I’d recommend skipping it as well.

Moving past that admittedly large roadblock to judge it on CF merits, it’s….pretty fantastic actually. This is a post glazing ADS via the worlds easiest target ever that I’ve previously lambasted but it’s actually exceeded my expectations.

ADS does not have a filler bloat problem. ADS is just under 400k words including a previous timeline that extends all the way to enchadia starting from before Taylor’s trigger. We’ve started again from before the locker, to the locker, to a ziz attack and now the aftermath of, while BCF is still weeks out from its first endbringer attack and hasn’t finished up its bakuda arc. Greg has frankly done more good for the city than Joe has by several times over. He’s volunteered in hospitals passing out pills that have healing effects, Joe has only selectively healed a handful of people, then the bakuda bomb victims, and Aisha once visited hospitals during the absolute peak of overfilling to provide his significantly better healing tech. Greg has openly shared his whitebox and black boxed tech with Armsmaster (to use in fights as well causing the arrest of hookwolf) and Dragon and a network of other tinkers which has had a positive ripple effect. Joe has dangled white box miniaturized cold fusion in front of Dragon that he purposefully kept the secret of how it worked so it couldn’t be recreated as a bribe then took it back when she refused it. Greg hasn’t spent ages cloistered off to himself, he frequently interacts with an entire cast of characters who have their own motives and aren’t created by him and working for him and are his own age. The fact that’s a bonus is crazy. ADS also addresses Cauldron with a lot more grace than a lot of fic, which I’m not even putting here because we haven’t seen a pov or even a trace of a cauldron agent besides Alexandria holding a meeting in BCF because there’s so much goddamn filler.

A large contributor to this in BCF is Joe getting a new power and then agonizing to himself about all the implications and uses of his power anda description of getting it and all the rolls get mentioned even failed ones frankly and it takes so much goddamn time.

Reading ADS, I nearly missed the first power roll. And they got shorter. And then they got interesting. I was genuinely always looking forwards for the next roll, not because I was excited for the power (though they were still significant) but because they actually affected the plot. Which was frankly an amazing move.

In Brocktons Celestial Forge there is a semi visual component to power rolls. Joe goes into a “thinking stance” which seems tied to contemplating his powers but specifically after rolls, this seems involuntary but he doesn’t really try to stop it in the first place. This stance isn’t well described but it’s noted by every character who witnesses them and is quickly associated with power use and theorized upon. This still remains a rarity though we discuss the theorization in depth because of well, it’s a PR an and reaction piece elevating it to the highest priority of discussion.

When he does gain powers in public it tends to cause social friction—New Wave assumes he is activating a battle thinker power and is threatening them, those attending the Summit believe he is contemplating something that could have dire consequences for them—since it’s not explained what exactly he’s doing, all characters must glaze and fear Jozef, and his erratic behavior fucking the bay up. Beyond that that’s basically all the relevance the roll has. The Celestial Forge is just a collection of powers materialized as “stars” and “nodes” that his Shard wants to collect, unrelated to the plot. They aren’t tied to Worm specifically in any meaningful way and exist on their own, truly out of context. The powers themselves are mulled upon in hypothetical for paragraphs and paragraphs.

On the other hand, ADS approaches the forge in an entirely different context. Firstly the physical consequences of the rolls are more of the vision itself. Greg actively eats shit sometimes, falling flat on his face. There’s no awed moment of everyone waiting quietly with bated breath as Joe contemplates how he can upgrade his ultra sword that he’s literally never used for the 10^50th time. The text itself is also brief, the original one is a small paragraph of like, four lines and then it gets shorter until it becomes plot relevant. However this is not the only consequence of rolling for powers, we’ll pop back to that in a second because I’m bad at formatting and you’re reading a tumblr review about fanfiction.

The celestial forge itself is kind of a bad power set. I’ve complained about it before but in short, it’s heavily unbalanced, doesn’t fit worm’s philosophy whatsoever, isn’t even really about crafting. It’s designed seemingly around eradicating stakes as quickly as possible and quickly becomes hard to write. Both ADS and BCF work off of a modified CF. It’s just that BCF works with what the author feels most comfortable writing, and ADS based off of what would make the best narrative.

BCF cut all unfamiliar IPs and most insert companions whose personality is not dedicated by the author, while ADS takes an axe to many of the weak points of the forge. Spent too long idling in a safe space that can’t be attacked or compromised? Gone. Most of the more absurd free gear has been cut, like tinkertech. Perks that improve your body instead of giving you crafting powers are also gone, no free indestructibility and super speed and super strength without technology. They’re acknowledging to be missing from the forge and I’m all the gladder to see them go.

To me, the essence of a tinkerfic is about building things with your own hands and the reliance on your technology. A tinker who isn’t a squishy wizard because he’s been magically enhanced to be an ultra man and is really just using a vorpal sword he mentally created within a second out of materials he summoned into being for fun isn’t compelling. It’s not what I’m here for when I read ‘tinker’. BCF is, for all its technobabble, hardly a tinkerfic with how much Joe relies on his other abilities , and how much further they’d stretch if he didn’t waste so much time working on tech he doesn’t need in the first place. Joe is not a tinker. He did not even start with tinker powers, and frankly when I talk about him and read about him I don’t really classify him as a tinker. He’s a shaker.

With literally millions of less words, Greg is a tinker. When you strip him of technology, he’s pretty goddamn helpless, which is something the CF (and jumpchains) loathe. He needs to eat, sleep, can get hurt, he gets his arm ripped off a couple times even. Vulnerability and conflict means the power fantasy train has to end and when you don’t address that, writing a six thousand words about a spaceship isn’t going to match the empty pit where meaningful conflict and plot progression is supposed to go.

But ADS goes a step further than cutting the slow strangler vine killing conflict from BCF’s power tree. It actively makes these rolls vital to the plot and character progression of Greg, not directly because of the powers themselves, but Gaylien.

Gay Alien, aka Gaylien, technically goes by the Celestial Forge but is referred to as Gaylien by everyone else including myself. He is not the CF, but a new consciousness implanted with the memories of fanon slash worm and an innate knowledge of the original Forge, and god, I love this character and I think it was an incredible choice.

To contrast, BCF has a direct analogous character. It’s Forge itself is the powers of the post spark jumper that is Joe’s “shard”. Joes shard has been described and acts in continuity with the opinions of the fanbase, particularly on places like Reddit, combined. Shard communicates with Joe by sharing its emotions with him. It isn’t really a specific character than it is in its influence on Joe. Which sucks ass. Let’s break the “fanon insert character” down a little bit.

I think it’s pretty safe for me to say on Wormblr that a lot of people who post about worm haven’t actually read the book and there’s a lot of….interesting ideas floating around about how things go down. Mashing this into canonical worm is always a fun treat in my opinion, and I’m always a fan of seeing how it plays out when canon is taken seriously. When you openly say a characters opinions are based off of fanon, I don’t think it’s erroneous to assume the character is largely misguided and working off of the wrong information.

This is not true in BCF. Joe’s Shard’s information on canon events is all correct, things like aura theory that are just categorically untrue. Joe’s shard DOES lead Joe wrong—in its moral attitude. Shard wants to see Taylor beat people up, has an affection for the undersiders despite Joe’s reluctance based on their personal histories. This isn’t bad per se, but combined with the other letdowns just irons away some of Joe’s character. After his trigger Joe relied on his shards emotional support to the point that in the early chapters it was basically making the decisions as noted by Lisa, and when it told him Taylor was the coolest person ever and the undersiders were all super cool and sympathetic and he needed to help Taylor, he ultimately chose to work with them because of it. However shortly after with the bank job, Taylor maimed Aegis with Joe’s tech, he was horrified to be dragged into their criminal behavior (eyeroll but hey pussies are characters too) but ended up committing, in for a penny in for a pound. This permanently hurt his relationship with his shard, by that I mean it’s pretty much written out of the story, taking a backseat besides warning Joe of big threats like March.

Joe operates off of all of its information on the Protectorate and New Wave like it’s true and this is never portrayed as negative or harmful to him in any real way. Armsmaster is a control freak who’s impossible to work with because he’s too much of a glory hound to do anything productive. Victoria is brainwashing her whole family. Piggot really is a fraudster, too cape racist to be an effective leader. So on so forth, there’s no friction between fact and fiction, no meat to this addition. Shard really just feels like a roundabout way for Joe to operate with some level of awareness of some canon events, and a reason why a total doormat like him would handle living after his trigger event and ever work with the undersiders.

Gaylien is very specifically not the forge. He’s also very specifically dead fucking wrong. He is also not written out of the story in increments, but becomes a bigger presence within the fic the longer it goes on. His gimmick is not emotional influence towards Greg, he’s a completely separate person sharing Greg’s body who takes control after every roll. First for only a few seconds, then a minute, then five, then ten, then hours at a time. He wakes up wherever Greg is and fumbles through trying to work out what’s going on while Greg quickly becomes aware of him and tries to figure out what he even is or what he could want. Their relationship is antagonistic from the start, Gaylien is more “Taylor saved the World” and “the Protectorate is another gang” than a Greg fan and is pretty upset to be dealing with him at all, while Greg isn’t pleased that a guy who hates his coworkers and himself is stealing his body, and staying even longer each time. Did I mention Greg goes to join the Protectorate? It’s great.

Gaylien as a character is incredibly interesting from the get go. Initially all we see of him is from other POVs, Greg listening to recordings he set up, the other Wards when Gaylien crashes a graduation party, before we settle into his point of view for several chapters. There’s two aspects here that make him more enjoyable than Shard.

As a plot device he’s an active threat. Existentially he stays longer every power roll, every couple thousand rolls is another step closer to Gaylien taking control. And when he does take control it has consequences for Greg, even when he sets alarms to warn others and creates Pilot, his sexy chatbot, with the capacity to restrain him. He spits venom at Amy, trashes Greg’s room and technology, spouts random information like Rebecca Costa-Brown being Alexandria to Armsmaster in plainclothes (which he doesn’t take seriously lol) and its legitimately a problem to where you don’t want power rolls to happen and when you get close to one you’re just praying Greg’s in a position where the fallout isn’t big. Which is where one of my favorite moments comes in.

Greg learns to reject rolls. With active effort he can deny the Forge’s connection and opt out of taking a power, and has full incentive to do so. To me it really summarizes how the author treats the forge and powerwank where rejecting powers is an incredibly useful and incentivized skill. We’re so detached from sitting in time dilation thinking about powers to get powers that this is seriously hype. And Greg having some agency out of his hate for the forge and his powers is a lot more interesting than “well my powers unconditionally love and support me in everything but are kind of weird so I ignore them on moral questions”.

As a character, Gaylien is a lot more interesting. With the CF taken as post spark perks and how little backstory the forge itself has, the most character you can prescribe to Shard is that it’s a post spark jumper traveling the multiverse who wants to see Taylor blow things up and wanted to help out the guy who harassed Parian for reasons I guess. On the other hand, Gaylien is a fresh person. Like, completely fresh, never eaten, slept, shat. Literally all he knows is that the world is going to end, the heroes and cauldron are all evil, and Taylor is going to save the world and he needs to help her. He’s actually a pretty sympathetic character, he feels. He gets stressed and confused, feels guilty, gets angry, he genuinely likes building and takes pride in his creations and while he’s an asshole and wrong he’s just operating off of incorrect information and is incredibly stubborn. Even Greg has a short lived moment of sympathy for Gaylien despite the encroaching ego death he’s causing when he’s lost and alone. Then, when the rolls start coming fast enough for Greg to be gone and Gaylien takes center stage we really start seeing his character shine. The last several chapters have all been Gaylien POV, from his first appearances and now what he’s doing with full control of the body. Gaylien believes that Taylor is always right, that the world is going to end, and that he can help her become something glorious. It’s genuine, it’s stupid, and it’s great. I really want to see more of him.

ADS also makes several great points with the differences between Greg and Gaylien and how they use their powers compared to Joe. Gaylien, much like Joe, spends a lot of his time after each power rebuilding items and over engineering simple things and putting lots of effort into every item for small increases. Greg on the other hand doesn’t replace things if they don’t need to be, functionality is his most valued aspect. Joe had an “arc” about his obsessive rebuilding of his kit where Aisha told him he had high standards and his technology was cool even when he didn’t try and he eventually started doing the rebuilding less often.

Bringing up the coolness of tech, Greg spends less time glazing his technology than Gaylien (and of course Joe), despite literally admitting he’s making decisions to look cool. Greg is open with his more selfish desires, he’s making the bot that restrains him super hot because he wants a sexy robot. He used his powers to make porn. A lot of porn. He makes figurines of his waifus, designs his suit so he’s taller, goes out of his way to use his powers to look nice. This is all less than Gaylien who lauds his technology all the time while making it instead of having a looking into the camera moment. Gaylien does have a large ego and loves his tech, but it’s a noticeable difference in the POVs. There’s a specific line from Greg about not being a pussy about making his gear look cool because he had to or not admitting it, which reminds me of Joe.

In BCF, Joe physically cannot make things below a level of quality (despite powers he could use to mitigate that). He is “forced” to make things supernaturally beautiful all the time and constantly look cool, handsome and awesome. Don’t worry, if you thought this had consequences he has a nano machine swarm to help him print anything normal he’d need and he can just glamor up to look average so we can have our paragraphs of paragraphs of paragraphs describing just how amazingly awesome he is and even more this time I promise he looks and wow he even started a fashion war which he’s winning by leagues look at how super humanly hot he is phew. While it’s in character for Greg, it’s definitely a breath of fresh air and an interesting critique.

Frankly, Greg and Gayliens dynamic is far more interesting than Joe and his Shards. Joe doesn’t even have a unique relationship with it, he’s unconditionally loved by his team, several sentient objects, has a supportive therapist, so on so forth. Greg and Gaylien are both battling over the right to be alive and who is making the most of their time with their powers, Greg with his knowledge of being a cauldron agent and protectorate hero and Gaylien with his information on Taylor and Zion. The fear of ego death is treated with weight, where in BCF joe has a blink and you miss it arc about struggling with implanted memories and impulses before deciding to not bother to fight them and a large part of those impulses vanish asides from a few “I have magic ptsd from this world” for a chapter or two outside of paragraphs of filler about his past lives. Frankly, ADS does that better too. Greg’s adjustment period to this timeline is fraught with anguish and uncertainty and his gamer ptsd about missing his old powers is also a problem. His old life means a lot to him, who he was and what he did, it’s not something he contemplates for a time and moves on.

Greg’s clones are also just better than Joes clones. Ugh, seriously. They’re short lived for one and bring up things actually heavy in Greg’s thoughts instead of “goto the therapist” or whatever and he’s open about summoning them for emotional reasons. To be frank Greg finds his moral footing extremely quickly and sticks to it a lot better than Joe. He doesn’t spent hours mulling over stupid stuff and he’s open to actually relevant questions, like handling being a cauldron agent and wanting to help case fifty threes, the fic acknowledging that these ideas aren’t at odds and Greg is also made to really understand firsthand the scope of cauldron.

Man the cauldron stuff is so good. So is the ziz fight honestly. reading ADS was actually fun, armsmaster is great, Amy was fun, it was just a better fic. I could roll my eyes and laugh along when Greg did something self indulgent because one, it’s Greg, two he was self regulating a lot better than Joe fuckin’ was, and three it wasn’t getting in the way of plot. While the rest of the fic isn’t my speed and I have my problems with it, I’m definitely going to be seated for the next update and start to consider ADS on its own footing. As well as comparing it to BCF more because honestly it feels like there’s some digs in there that I wholly approve of. I have more thoughts, and I’ll probably have more as I reread it and more updates come, but I think this is a good enough opener.

also yeah I have a slur counter. Nice one ironypus. I’ve already read BCFs terrible writing decision of sexualizing a black teenage girl until she’s “made modest” by the adult white mc who adultifies her into his on call therapist, so both CFs do have a racism problem. Fair reason not to read, I dnf’d the first half because it was too much on that count a couple times.

Something something Joe getting lapped by Greg making waifu porn something go read tilt. Seriously go read tilt.

[acaciapines]

okay finished the new chapter. descendants of olympus i love you. it is SO WILD to have read the entire fic, now. i never thought i would! i thought it would be chapters 1-10 forever, and i was okay with that, because those chapters gave me vera, and she was in a place where i could say, okay. i love this story, but if this is where things end--i can live with that. a hopeful note.

and then two years passed.

AND THEN CHAPTER ELEVEN WAS POSTED.

so the thing about my love for vera is like. on every single device i own that i have read descendants of olympus on, if i go to type it in the FIRST link that autofills is chapter eleven aka vera's chapter, because thats how many times i read it. i would literally just Open The Page because that made me happy.

and now here we are at the end and just. WOW. sosf and doo are like, literally peak fanfiction to me--the way they take the original story and just Do Their Own Thing, have such fascinating character arcs and dynamics (percy went to leo and vera's wedding!!!!!!!!!! percy and piper are siblings with such a fun dynamic BUT HE HASNT TALKED TO DREW FOR FIVE YEARS!!!) and yes of course vera, vera, and also vera, and have you heard about this character named vera, she's the best pjo character ever, actually.

doo has fundamentally changed who i am as a person. its been such a great and grand experience to have read this entire story, from the very starting days of sosf to here, now, to this five-years-later, this brief lapse in battle we get to see, peaceful lives grabbed for until the end.

and i am so, SO excited to see what comes next.