#they just see the surface value and that value is worthless to them

[alchemiclee]

I still want to talk about star rail amd no one has talked to me about it, so i'll just ramble to myself now.

I really like firefly 😭 she's one of those characters I have a soft spot for. the way i perceive her is she feels a bit lost, but also very trapped. she's like a caged bird longing to fly. a fish in a tiny bowl wishing to taste the ocean. she wants to be free from her shackles. she's also alone and doesn't seem to really have anyone. no one to help her. no one to rely on. no one to trust. it's kind of like stelle became her first real friend and she immediately attached to stelle and appreciated her kindness so much. she was hiding stuff yes, but we just met so that makes perfect sense.

maybe she's relatable in a sense, and that's why i like her. I want to protect her or help relieve her burden she's stuck with even a little. I feel like we did that for the short moment we were together. sometimes the saddest souls smile the prettiest, with just the smallest of kind gestures. those smiles are fleeting, but also very precious. she's that type of character i guess. I always end up liking these kind of characters 😅

[subtract-me-from-your-heart]

I like the show version of Chishiya, and here’s why.

I love manga!Chishiya, but he always felt pretty one-dimensional to me. His backstory is one of parental neglect, similar to Arisu. Chishiya basically fails to develop a sense of empathy (unlike Arisu, who just has ye olde Main Character Syndrome). He decides to enter med school because he thinks that a profession where he saves lives might actually help him grow a Give-a-Shitter. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

Manga!Chishiya is an emotional flat line. He doesn’t care about other characters because he can’t. I remember thinking that he had a lot of the same traits as a serial killer. He viewed the world through nothing but intellect, and other people were either nonexistent or pawns to be used to further his own ends. Even the idea that maybe being responsible for the lives of others will help him grow some empathy is a chilling one.

That’s cool. I actually really like those kinds of characters. I also think there are enough characters like that in the story. Characters who you look at and think, “Okay, yes, you are terrible.” The big problem is that it makes his weird self-sacrifice with Usagi absolutely senseless. Like, it came out of nowhere. There wasn't any sort of satisfying build-up where I felt like, "Okay, yeah, this makes sense."

His updated backstory adds a dimension that wasn’t present in the manga version. Rather than simply lacking empathy for other people, you can actually see the moment in which he makes the conscious decision to turn it off. He has this light bulb moment where he realizes that the world is a cruel and unfair place. He realizes that allowing himself to feel for other people is only going to hurt him in the end because he’s powerless to change the systems that are actively harming them. It's better to protect himself and survive.

Chishiya is a selfish character, but the idea that his selfishness stems out of a desire to protect himself from pain gives his character some actual depth that was always missing for me. It also makes the King of Diamonds game a lot more meaningful. Kuzuryu went through the same exact thing, but instead of turning off his feelings, he paralyzed himself with a moral dilemma. Where Chishiya chose to treat all human life as equally worthless, Kuzuryu couldn’t stop looking for some value to assign, whether that was to ease his conscience or to inform a sense of justice he was desperately trying to find.

I really, really like how that dichotomy played out.

I also think it's interesting that Chishiya feels a lot more psychological in the show. He's clearly highly intelligent in both the manga and the show, and maybe it's just Murakami's performance, but there's something more sinister to him. He's clearly developed some sort of friendly relationship with Kuina. He displays an ability to be playful and seems to genuinely be extending an offer of friendship to Arisu (up until he sells him out for one corn chip). Seeing how he can make these connections that feel genuine to the people involved (unlike his manga self who is pretty universally despised) and still be willing to fuck those people over for his own survival makes him feel a lot more menacing to me.

This ability to flawlessly manipulate and betray also means he has a deep understanding of human emotion, which is illogical by nature. In the manga, Chishiya says outright that he isn't suited for Hearts games, but show!Chishiya feels tailor-made for them.

It's also interesting that in the manga, he seems to get harsher and more isolated. By contrast, in the show, he feels to me like he softens episode by episode. It really struck me in the Jack of Hearts game when he said something about his partner dying because he was too kind. On the surface, you could take it as a typical judgy Chishiya comment, but there actually appeared to be a glimmer of sadness, or envy, or regret. Or all of the above. Or maybe it's just Murakami Nijiro's face that made me think that. Either way, I think it was smart of the showrunners to throw him in that game.

In the end, the King of Diamonds game pushes him to the realization that he really is envious of people who have the ability to be kind. He's envious of people who can make the selfless choice. And it's not because he can't be. It's because he's closed himself off to the vulnerability that allows a person to make that kind of decision. You can't truly save others if you're always protecting yourself.

So, he saves Usagi to try to become that person. And I don't feel it was out of character at all.

[pweepsiee]

Thank you but goodbye

This won’t get any traction because only pictures of tits get pushed or interacted with but that’s okay. I’ll add tags so you guys see this anyway.

It’s hard to know where to start. I spent a long time on here, putting pieces of myself out into the void, hoping for connection, validation, maybe even some kind of understanding. But it’s been a journey that taught me more than I ever anticipated—about others, about myself, and about the darker sides of online spaces and human nature.

I’ve been through more than I ever thought I’d face here. I’ve had people send me things no one should have to see—gore, graphic threats of rape and murder. Strangers who decided they had the right to punish me with violence for simply existing and sharing my body on my own terms. I’ve been slut-shamed, insulted, torn apart, told I’m not “enough” in a thousand different ways. Too fat, too ugly, too bitchy, too much of a people pleaser. For some, my body was never enough to satisfy whatever expectation they’d dreamed up for me. And when I expressed my pain, I was told to just “try harder” to please. Every insult, every attack—it was relentless.

At first, there was a thrill in it. The idea that people were paying attention. But over time, it became less about freedom and self-expression, and more like a trap. I started needing the notifications, addicted to the fleeting rush of being “seen,” even if it came with all the ugliness. I posted things that made me feel raw, exposed, and ashamed—but still, I kept them up. It wasn’t even about me anymore; it was about performing for a faceless audience, one that only wanted to consume and never connect. I kept hoping that if I posted more, someone might notice that I was struggling, that I was hurting. But the moments I tried to be vulnerable were met with derision, mockery, or worse, cruelty.

On October 6th, I tried to end my life. It wasn’t a whim or a flippant decision—it was the culmination of feeling completely worthless, invisible beyond what I could offer visually, and unheard. I had tried to signal that I was in pain, and the responses I got were gut-wrenching. People told me to “try again,” mocking my failure to die. Others brushed it aside entirely, demanding I get back to posting my body as if I had no value beyond that. It was like looking into a mirror that only showed one version of myself—a version people felt entitled to consume and degrade.

There’s a sickness in spaces like these, a perverse lack of empathy and human decency. There’s a void where kindness, respect, and understanding should be. I’ve encountered men who would spit their hate, their misogyny, their violent fantasies at me without a second thought, men who have shown me how easily they can strip away my humanity to satisfy their own needs. Some are rapists, some are worse, and they all seem to revel in their cruelty, hiding behind screens. They have taught me that, to them, I am just an object—a body, a pair of tits, something to use and discard. They’ve shown me how quickly love, admiration, or even simple respect can turn into venom the moment they don’t get exactly what they want.

Being on here has been like swimming in polluted water, beautiful on the surface but poisonous underneath. What started as a space to share myself turned into a source of harm that corroded my mental and physical well-being. It was more than just being objectified—it was the sense that I didn’t even matter as a person, only as a vessel for gratification. And that feeling sank deeper and deeper, leaving wounds I’m still working to heal.

I’ve met a few kind people here, people who saw me for more than just a body, who offered me small glimpses of kindness, understanding, and friendship. To those few: thank you. Your kindness did not go unnoticed, and I wish you nothing but peace, joy, and all the love you deserve. To those who saw my humanity and respected it—I’m grateful.

But to the rest: those who degraded me, insulted me, sent me threats or slurs, and preyed on my vulnerabilities—you’ll reap what you sow, one way or another. I don’t hold anger toward you, but I do pity you. And I have no intention of letting your words and actions follow me into the future.

There’s been a silver lining in all of this, and it’s one of the few positive things I’m taking with me. Through all of the toxicity, I discovered something important about myself. I realized I am a lesbian, and that I no longer want to be viewed as something for men to consume. I am worth so much more than being reduced to a body on a screen, worth more than any like, reblog, or message notification. I deserve to be seen, truly seen, as a whole person, and to be loved for who I am, not what I look like or what I can give to others.

This is goodbye. For those who truly cared, I’ll remember you. For those who didn’t, I’ll leave you behind, along with this platform that no longer serves me. I’m taking my life back, my self-worth back, and finding peace in spaces that don’t drain me.

Thank you, and goodbye. ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

[thefrogman]

I can't believe you forgot the five thousand dollar HDMI cable! That's the most important part! Never mind the fact that most HDMI cables do basically the same thing and have very few specialized features, don't think about it. Never mind the fact that gold plating is worthless on a digital signal. Spend five thousand dollars on a gold plated HDMI lead, right now!

You can never go wrong with AudioQuest. If you want overpriced cable nonsense, they got you covered.

Meet the Dragon "10K" HDMI cable.

For a cool $2300 you can get "Level 7 Noise Dissipation."

LEVEL 7!!!!!

Check out this totally scientific description of this feature...

"Traditional “100% shielding” is not enough to guard against the increasingly prevalent effects of Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite radiation. In AudioQuest HDMI cables, all 19 conductors are Direction-Controlled to minimize the RF Noise that damages performance by “directing” or draining it away from the most vulnerable circuits. In Level 7 Noise Dissipation, high-loss graphene is added to the carbon layer sandwiched between layers of metal around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs, a "global" high-loss carbon layer is placed around all conductors, we incorporate our patented 72v Dielectric-Bias System, and even the drain wires are 100% Perfect-Surface Silver."

I'm sure all of that would hold up to scientific scrutiny.

I mean, sure, you are just transferring 1s and 0s back and forth, and as long as all of the 1s and 0s get where they need to go, your picture will look exactly the same with a $10 cable as it does with a $2300 cable... but I really do need that Level 7 dissipation. My house is constantly flooded with satellite radiation.

Yes, there are shitty HDMI cables. And some of them struggle to meet the bandwidth they claim on the packaging. This will cause no picture or sound or it will cause dropouts or skipped frames. Sometimes you will get crazy artifacts that pop in and out. But you cannot improve video or audio quality with a fancy cable.

You will not see magical colors so bright you cum in your shorts.

You will not hear indescribably intense bass that will violently vibrate your testicles--killing your sperm. That was microplastics, okay?

You will get the data that was encoded into the media file.

You just need a cable that can pass along that data without incident. Buying a "good" cable is actually recommended. Blue Jeans Cable is a great brand that has high quality control standards and a good warranty. They are a little spendy, but everything is a good value.

Their website is built on ancient GeoCities technology...

So you know they prioritize their budget toward R&D and product design over graphic designer or a subscription to Squarespace.

I buy their cables because they always meet the data bandwidth they claim and they can take abuse due to using tougher materials that last.

My best advice when buying an HDMI or other data cable is to figure out how much bandwidth you need, and then make sure in the product description they mention the data rate.

So if you want 4K resolution at 60 Hz, you will need a cable that does at least 18 gigabits per second. If you need 4K/120Hz/4:4:4/12 bit, then the bandwidth should be 48 Gbps. And if you get more bandwidth than you actually need, the cable is backwards compatible.

Here is a handy chart...

USUALLY, if they list the actual data rate (Gbps) in the product description, you can trust they certified it can pass that much data through. It's when you don't see any Gbps rating in the product description that you should move on to another cable.

(USB standards are insanely confusing, but the same advice applies. Try to find out the data rate you need and research to make sure the cable is capable of that.)

I'm afraid all of this cable nonsense goes back a long way. When I turned 16 I immediately applied for a job at Best Buy selling computers. And I really loved that job. So many people were clueless about computers back then and I was very good at assessing their needs and making sure they went home with the equipment and accessories that would suit them within their budget.

And if they tried to buy the eMachines computers, I would tell them they might as well set their money on fire.

Throw directly into trash because this is some hot garbage.

Unfortunately my managers pressured me to sell warranties and accessories that I didn't really believe in. The hardest thing they asked me to do was sell people gold-plated printer cables. This is back when printers still used a parallel port connection.

They wanted me to sell these for $40 to $60 (depending on length).

Even though these bad boys did the exact same thing for only $20.

I could actually see on the store's computer how much markup these cables had. The cheap ones cost Best Buy the exact same amount as the gold ones.

Maybe they weren't as aesthetically pleasing, but those cheaper cables were built like fuckin' tanks. I probably still have some of these in my basement that would function just as well as they did 25 years ago.

The ONLY difference was the "gold" contacts on the ends. But my managers told me to lie to customers. I was to tell them you would get much faster print speeds, better colors, and more DPI (dots per inch). But both cables sent the same 1s and 0s. They either worked or they didn't. The only tiny advantage is that gold contacts are slightly less resistant to corrosion over time. But I have yet to see that happen within the lifespan of any cable.

So I would tell customers it was a waste of money and lie to my managers saying the customers weren't interested.

"Did you tell them it was faster?" "Yes." (A lie.) "Did you tell them it made the colors better?" "Yes." (Also a lie.) "Well, we're going to have to work on your sales presentation skills." "Sounds good, boss." (Whatever, dude.)

[raayllum]

so Ezran and Karim, right

The fact I'm making this meta, however small, when my third and final Mirrored Paths meta centring on Karim and Callum is still sitting in my drafts, is particularly rich. That said, this is sort, mostly speculative, and I do what I want.

Although Karim has the most parallels with Viren, particularly in his political path and choices, and Ezran mostly parallels Janai in Arc 2, I hit upon some interesting potential parallels, namely three main ones, that I think are worth talking about.

So let's get into it:

Archdragons

First off, Ezran and Karim are the only characters we see really negotiate with archdragons in S4 and S5, albeit for different reasons. Ezran invites Zubeia to Katolis and Karim seeks out Sol Regem, more similarly to how Ezran likewise seeks out Domina Profundis in S5.

Ezran doesn't ask for help from Zubeia as well, but he does offer it: "If the Fallen Star is a threat the whole world will face, this is a chance to solve our problems together," whereas Karim offers a partnership and a request to a disinterested Sol Regem. Zubeia and Sol Regem don't have many parallels on the surface except for both being dragon monarchs, but there are some tethers with being lost in their grief, Zubeia being similarly hurt by dark magic in S5, and Zubeia saying that Zym's return "brought back [her] baby, hope, and her love" which echoes Regem's assertion that "I lost my hope long before I lost my sight".

There are more tangible parallels between Ezran and his archdragons (Domina, Rex Igneous) and Karim and Sol Regem, though. (There's also just a lot of bartering, offers, and exchanges in TDP in general, particularly in arc 2, but that's a meta for another day.)

These similarities are mostly due to asking each of them for something; for Domina and Rex, Ezran needs information; for Karim, he needs literal, physical help. Where Ezran is asserted as the true king, needed by his kingdom, Karim offloads it onto Sol Regem.

But just like Ezran asks for the dragons' aid, generally, in S5 to help hunt down Claudia and Viren (two humans in Xadia), Karim asks for help in getting rid of humans from the Xadian side of the border entirely.

Domina gives the information freely, but Regem and Rex both require a bit more... nudging, shall we say. And both dragons are convinced (seemingly, in S6 for Regem) by the right gift.

Which fits nicely into our next parallel of sorts, regarding

Worth and Parental Keepsake

Now, this is more of a contrasted parallel, of course. Karim asserts that the ring is worthless because it only has personal value (perhaps reaffirming his view of public relationships as something less important than political power, or his focus on symbols as something with immense value), whereas Ezran states that his crown has worth purely because of its sentimental meaning.

Additionally, while Janai loves Khessa and presumably their parents just as much as her brother, the same way that Callum loves Harrow just as much as Ezran does, it is the younger brothers who 1) seem to have always cared more about the throne in general and 2) who maintain keepsakes from their parental figure in comparison to their older sibling.

Which brings us rather nicely to our last point:

Brothers and Sisters

Like I've just said, Ezran and Karim are both the younger sibling and fiercely concerned with the future of their people; this is, admittedly, something Ezran and Janai likewise share ("to build a brighter future" amid other statements) but they have the hope and faith to get there. Karim is concerned with his own individual kingdom only, whereas Ezran has a broader view with Katolis at the top of his mind.

There's also plenty that they could take from Karim's subplot and give to Ezran, honestly—particularly because TDP has a tendency towards exploring how the younger siblings are more heavily impacted by disagreements with the elder (Karim and Janai, Janai and Khessa), abandonment (Soren and Claudia), and death (Amaya and Sarai). We also have confirmation that Callum and Ezran will have a conflict in future seasons where Ezran will be inclined to pull rank about it, throwing Janai's line above into a new foreshadowing light, perhaps.

It also feels inevitable that the brothers are going to have a big wires crossed perspective moment. This could be over Runaan, what to do with Aaravos, or something else entirely, but it seems bound for there to be a moment where they expect to agree ("Who knows my brother better than I do?") and are shocked if not also angry when they disagree, heavily.

If it's over Runaan, this parallel would be particularly fitting due to 1) Karim and Ezran potentially pushing unforgiveness and 2) while Callum would free Runaan regardless because that's just who he is (nor do I think Ezran would actually want the elf trapped or jailed forever), Callum's desire to help Rayla and make her happy is undeniably a factor at play there, just as Amaya helps Janai realize that "Yes, absolutely, I do want to be queen" through both the trial and on the hillside, whereas Karim still believes that "Janai never wanted to be queen" so she will step aside.

Like I said, this is the most speculative, but it seems likely the Broyals will temporarily have a more bitter sibling feud for a time than we've seen, say, from even Soren and Claudia (though S6 could change things!) and I am not opposed.

Other Misc Thoughts / Speculation

Another interesting fact that, again, Ezran shares with both Karim and Janai, is the importance of a royal ancestor from 300 years ago. We know a decent amount more about Queen Aditi—the Merciful, the Kind, who outlawed blood duels and also bound Kim'Dael to her family tree, deeply trusted by the Archdragons, and then mysteriously vanished = was "swallowed"—than we do about the Orphan Queen.

However, the two women definitely have an interplay. One fell prey to Aaravos; one helped imprison him and discovered his treachery. There are also potential parallels if Ezran gets woven into more into the Key of Aaravos debacle, similarly to how only the True Ruler of Lux Aurea can free Kim'Dael, Janai leaving Karim a currently moot point.

That said, I don't think Ezran will have too much to do with the Key as it stands now; he's been pretty narratively removed from it despite being in plenty of seasons where it was actively around (s1, s2, s4, etc) and his main tether to it at all is the Orphan Queen herself. I also wouldn't be surprised if Janai ends up paralleling Aditi more than her brother (though he is, admittedly, the one working with Kim'Dael, so parallel points there) since Aditi seems like ultimately more of a positive than negative figure.

Additionally, we see Karim be reaffirmed time and time again as a 'student of history' in ways that only Viren really comes close to. Karim is our most indicative Mage Scholar character, calling upon history and its importance throughout most of his episode appearances, and his deep desire to return to the past is part of what makes him such a massive fuck up in ways even Viren never meandered into. While I don't think Ezran will have too much to do with the cube, I could see him doing research maybe now that he's back in Katolis on his own for a bit in early S6, and eventually finding out more about his royal ancestor and the cube his brother has, miles and miles away, subsequently for the audience's benefit (and horror?).

And yeah, that's about it! Hope you enjoyed about best king and worst prince until next time!

[thatbadadvice]

Help! All These Boring, Ugly Bitches Won't Hang Out With Me

Care and Feeding, Slate, 23 January 23:

Dear Care and Feeding: I live in the very lonely overlap of a Venn diagram, and I need help figuring out how to fix it. To keep it short, I’m a mom who was on the fence about having kids, so I’m not a very ‘mom-y’ mom. My kid isn’t my life or my identity, and while I think I’m a caring and attentive parent, I’m not the primary parent, and I like it that way. I lost most of my non-parent friends when I had my kid. However, my appearance and interests still very much scream “non-parent.” My kid is off-putting to the people most like me (many are overtly judgmental), but my looks and lifestyle are off-putting to other moms (for example, I prioritize my appearance, have a lot of tattoos, and value my work). This has left me very lonely and isolated. Finding friends as an adult is so hard, so please don’t suggest “finding my people” as I’m very extroverted and have been trying to make new friends for years. It’s not working. If I’m honest, I think my childless friends think I’m stupid for having a kid, while my mom acquaintances are jealous of my appearance and judge my choices. It really sucks. —The Worst Venn Diagram

Dear The Worst Venn Diagram,

Holy shit, a mom ... but with tattoos? Is that even possible? You think you've heard everything at a gig like this, but then someone as incredible as you comes along with such an unusual life story! What a remarkable woman you are.

I can see why it would be difficult for someone as hot and interesting as you to make meaningful connections when you yourself are so special and have a lot of tattoos, and moms are always so ugly and boring and worthless and don't have any tattoos, let alone a lot of them. It might help take the sting off to reframe it this way: it's actually a much bigger bummer that all those sad, frumpy mommy-bots are missing out on an amazing opportunity to befriend a mom with tattoos. Can you imagine how enriched their lives would be if they could get over themselves for just one minute and try to understand you as a person, rather than making a bunch of generalizations and assumptions based on surface-level observations? But here they are, writing you off as soon as they see how beautiful and covered in tattoos you are when you walk around with your important briefcase from work. It's really their loss.

You're practically a unicorn! I mean, okay — unicorn is hyperbole. But you get what I'm saying! You're probably one of a handful of women anywhere who has a kid and also cares about the way she looks, and when you add in the fact that you work and have just so, so many tattoos? I don't know, unicorn might not be far off.

In light of that, you've set for yourself a really hard task here. It's not going to be made easier by the fact that the dull and homely stay-at-home moms who stupidly chose to contribute nothing worthwhile to society are being so judgmental about the way you live your life as a gorgeous, professional cool girl who just happens to have a kid. You have such a neat and fun lifestyle and other women don't! Why should you be punished for being a valuable person who, more importantly, values herself, unlike the other moms, who look like absolute shit and never have anything interesting to say and don't have tattoos and are so mean and critical of your choices and the way you look?

Never forget this: you are exceptional. It's not such a mystery that you've been trying so unsuccessfully to make friends for so long. Of course you can't "find your people." There are none. You're a sexy mom with tattoos and a job, and that's always going to be hard for the two kinds of women on earth to understand, whether they're the kind of woman who is a judgy, child-free asshole or the other kind of woman: a jealous, kid-obsessed mommy zombie.

You are one of one — wild and precious and brave and free and so, so pretty, and with so many tattoos. You must never let motherhood define you — only everyone else.

[2n2n]

ch. 118

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it is scary that there is 2 (still) hot (implies fresh, newly made) cups of tea for them when they wake up here, lol?

I don't have as much of an impression of the house Itself doing things (it feels ... more parsed INTO Tsukasa and Amane...?) so... did Amane make them tea....? Extremely psychofink thing to do if so, love that for him.

absolutely terrifying... ahhh Amane!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥

the implication of these bodies in WATER is interesting, of course ... I've got a longstanding delusion that the God of the Red House was originally something like a river or reservoir...? Something humans once relied on, worshipped and adored, which escalated it to God-status as per shinto beliefs... then perhaps, further human mythologizing turned it into what we see today. After all, women are plunged into water in the village, and dissolve into water under the house... and of course, it was a well which still tapped into this water, which the Red House was built on & which could still access it.

So, ah. Not surprising water might be a factor here too....

I like the 'aquarium' vibe behind the glass, appropriate for Kou and Mitsu eh (:

the outfit he died in, ya? It's kind of funny if somehow a kaii was related to this death lol.... ? Kou is all proud...

this outfit is just interesting lol.. the zipper on the sleeve. Somehow it makes me feel like it makes sense he thinks the form granted to him when Tsukasa blesses him into a Mystery is 'cool'...

I hadn't expected a fight for dominance, in this way, or that the past timeline would have such a vivid sense of self and identity. It's neat though, I enjoy being this haunted, and having to feel this inferior to it. Oppressive...! Surprised it naturally wants to demand you forfeit to it....

We really are upping the ante from Picture Perfect...

Kou is not a submissive person in the least, it's hard to imagine any Kou would willingly to cede to another... that cannot bode well for him lol. I wonder if he will be kicking against everyone else trying to right the timeline..... I would personally love it if Nene-chan and Kou wound up on opposite ends of "what should happen".... the biggest thing I want for Kou, among other things, is for him to have a truly selfish desire, and be driven to hurt innocent people in defense of it... I just think that would be the most interesting challenge for our noble do-good classic shounen-style lad.

I also LONG have wanted him to finally have some sort of an ultimate side, when it comes to Mitsuba VS Nene-chan. As it is, he's been able to be 'loyal' to them both, as their sides don't conflict so harshly. He has a nebulous 'save you' desire towards both, but he's also pretty useless on how to execute that, and generally being Around Nene-chan so much leads him to neglecting Mitsuba, leaving him to the dogs (broadcast club), and making Mitsuba feel worthless & disposable to him. I'd like it if he finally had so much imperative towards Mitsuba (in a world he isn't close to Nene-chan at all!) that Nene-chan is made into an enemy (there's really nothing for her in this timeline, if Amane wasn't even a happy person, is there?).

My problem with Kou is he does a lot of fence-sitting! With Teru, with Mitsuba, with Hanako, with Nene-chan.... his position on everything is middling. His most stern declaration recently was "make everybody happy" which honestly isn't an endgame to me, it's just more fence-sitting. I don't really think this manga values or rewards that kind of generalized 'goodness'...

anyway I think Mitsuba has some kind of fetish for this

Mitsuba has this strange unwellness to him in any timeline, doesn't he... he's interesting like this. As this trait comes to the surface more often, I find him more charming... he seems a little crazy underneath the performance of generic loud fussiness. and I like that being a kaii or dying young with no friends, isn't the thing that made him like this....

a fun whimsical attitude towards his own death!

But he's always willing to die so long as someone (other than his mom lol) would miss and mourn him, right? I wonder if his reservations are absolved by already knowing Kou would cry and lose it.

and then.... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

oh gosh oh goshhhh ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

HI HONEY!!!! HELLO !!!!! HIIIIII YOU LOOK AMAAAAAZING ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!! tired and worn... mmm this is the kind of look I want for an older Amane, for sure for sure! Ohhh I knew it ♥♥♥♥♥♥ I knew you were up to something ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ how many kids have been lead here, how many tortured souls do you need? I love that they seemed to earnestly want to help Mitsuba, but couldn't help looking terrifying and suspicious. Poor things don't want to see yet more souls become trapped with them....

these trapped souls SHOULD be happy, Amane!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ I'm sure they're going to be part of something useful to you!! I'm sure I'm suuuure ♥♥♥♥♥ whatever you need them for is more important than their lives ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ it's good to do as you please.... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

I can't believe WEEEE look like this eeuueuuuuu... delightful ♥♥♥ IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU!!! matching Yugi.... ♥♥♥♥♥

Ough. I'm suspended in terror, just thinking about this MAN interacting with Nene-chan. I'm terribly worried for her. Oh gosh oh gosh. RUN GIRL!!!! What on earth will this creep feel about a Nene-chan.... she's coming to his house!!! RIGHT NOW!!! ouhhfgg.... you're going to see a girl who is all nice with it....

and Nene-chan.... what will she think of you!!! Youuuu handsommmmmmmme devillllllllllll..... ♥♥♥♥♥♥ I'm wooorried for her!! I'm also worried about your tiny baby otouto wwwwww

uhffg he's so small. HELP lol!!!!!! this fuckin CREEPER... AAOAOAuouu

your otouto he feels so innocent.... lost & confused......

🫵

AMANE WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR OTOUTO!!!!!!

in other news, this Amane certainly isn't physically the age we would expect him to be at this point in time, had he aged organically. He's closer to the age he was when working at the school (maybe a little older...), but that was some time ago. So is he dead? Or did he become something else? Did he live in the Red House for his child + adult life? What happened to their parents? While Amane was spreading rumors, was he maintaining something else at home, or did he only begin this nonsense here after dying? Did he live in a normal apartment in life, but managed this property on the side, intending to occupy it later.....? It was sitting abandoned, as far as we can tell... did he wait for his parents to die? So many questions...

but uhhfffff my satisfaction.... showww meeeee the baggy-eyed grim Amane... I've been enjoying spectating JP thirst for him.... you'll have all the girls at your feet if you look like that, Amane.... we love a demented sick boy.......

[atamascolily]

I rewatched The Sword of Life and Death and was once again charmed that Sha Wu Sheng refers to Lin Xue Ya as "Gale" (Ryō in the Japanese dub) which is simultaneously formal and informal in equal measure. It's the short form of Lin's art name, Ryō Fū Setsujin, which the official English subs translate as "The Enigmatic Gale".

Just for fun, I went and looked at the kanji to see what I could learn. Caveat: not a native speaker, just playing around with a JP dictionary; there's probably other subtleties in Mandarin that I am not aware of.

Anyway, Ryō Fū Setsujin is written out as 掠風竊塵, which Wikipedia translates as "Thief of the Wind Dust", but as you can probably imagine, it's a bit more complicated than that.

The first character, 掠, means "pillage" or "rob". It's usually used in compounds, but standing on its own, it's one of the Eight Principles of Yong, referring to specific kinds of calligraphy strokes, all of which are embodied in the character for "eternity" 永 (pronounced yong in Chinese). In the Tang Dynasty, 掠 was known as lüè or 'skim' (among other names); it's the sixth stroke, the sweeping curve at the bottom of the leftmost piece of the character. It's supposed to be drawn quickly, as if skating over the surface.

This dual meaning is preserved in the Japanese verb, 掠める, which means "to steal" but it can also mean "to deceive" or "to touch lightly", "appear or disappear quickly", "to do something while no one is looking" or "to hint and insinuate". In other words, Lin's character in a nutshell.

In English, I'd be tempted to take advantage of the multiple meanings of "skim" ("remove something from liquid" and "embezzle money") and say Sha is calling Lin "Skimmer", which is a little awkward but is also the name of a shorebird, which is fitting since they both have bird motifs. It would also emphasize the transitory nature of their relationship, where Lin is just "passing through" as will as his thieving nature. Skimmers also have a big mouth with the lower beak significantly larger than the top, which is funny because Lin is always talking! Unfortunately, there aren't any species native to China, but Rynchops albicollis can be found further south in Asia, and this is a fantasy world with dragons and monsters, so I'll allow it. "Skimmer" is also slightly classier (and more polite) than a more literal translation like "Thief"; alas, it doesn't fit as well when you add in the rest of the phrase back in.

風 is literally "wind", but with a secondary meaning of "manner" (compare with the English "air", which also has this dual sense). This is partly where Crunchyroll gets "Gale", which I like because Lin is a whirlwind pulling everyone along in his wake.

竊 is "steal, secret, private, hushed" - so once again, we have the thieving aspect coupled with the secrecy, in keeping with Lin's propensity for stealing non-tangible objects and the veil of mystery he operates under. This is where the "Enigmatic" part comes in.

塵 is "dust, trash, garbage" - "Dust" is obviously the more poetic term here, but I personally like the image of Lin as crow ruffling through a dumpster in search of garbage; it suits him. There's a kind of mocking element here; the things Lin steals are worthless in the monetary sense, but they are what his targets value the most, and Lin grinds his victims in the dirt by taking them away. Coupled with the wind imagery, it makes it sound like Lin is a dust devil, kicking up dirt as he goes--conveniently taking us back to "Gale" again. I also appreciate how we now have "trashy" to contrast with the implied elegance elsewhere in the construction.

As you can see, 掠風竊塵 is very challenging to translate succinctly into English; "Thief of Wind Dust" is very literal and covers all the bases ("thief" representing two different characters, lol), while "Enigmatic Gale" is less literal but more poetic in English, and does a better job of capturing the "coolness" inherent in the original. But there's also a lot of subtleties that I wasn't previously aware of; taken together, 掠風竊塵 basically screams "this is a charming but sketchy dude you should not trust", the effect of which is unfortunately lost somewhat in translation.

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 241

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 42 - “Komachi's Decision and the Arabian Nights“ Date watched: 10 January 2024 Original air date: 7 December 2008 Screenshots Precure Metamorphose Gallery | Sky Rose Translate Gallery Project info and master list of posts

Komachi, fabulous she, shielding and blocking

You know what’s fun? The night. What’s more fun than night? An Arabian night! What’s even more fun than an Arabian night? How about a thousand and one of them? Yes, today we are going to dive into another classic story to fight some bad guys, and learn some lessons along the way about self-worth. Let’s dig in!

The Plot

Anacondy pays Shibiretta a visit to implicitly threaten her job, so the witch gets fired up in plans to retaliate against Eternal’s second in command, as well as capture the Rose Pact.

Komachi and Nozomi are chatting in the library about the value of stories and just how many of them there are that Komachi’s could get lost. Nozomi tells her that no matter what, she’ll find her friend’s book. Suddenly, everyone finds themselves sucked into another world… or several, and facing unique individual threats from their stories.

Despite being separated, the girls and fairies figure out that this is another of Shibiretta’s plots and manage to reunite with each other by following the narratives and intents of the tales. They confront the witch and tell her she’s using stories wrong, which she rebuts as they’re just tools to use however she wants. Everyone was able to reunite with each other because they respected the stories. Nuts adds that the story of 1001 Arabian Nights is about a woman telling stories to the brutal king every night, in an attempt to get him to soften his ways; and what Shibiretta is doing is completely counter to that narrative.

In response, Shibiretta creates a genie Hoshiia and kidnaps the fairies and rose pact, so the girls transform, and the battle moves outside of the palace. They have trouble fighting it, since it can turn into smoke and their attacks just pass right through it.

Cure Mint and Shibiretta engage in a verbal tete-a-tete:  the Witch from Eternal says they both uses stories to suit their needs, but Dream defends Komachi saying her stories are exciting and heartfelt and she loves them, while Shibiretta just makes messes of existing stories. Shibiretta retorts that she tried telling stories to the director, and he was unmoved, causing Mint to shoot back that stories won’t respond to her methods. They fight again; Milky Rose defeats the Hoshiina while the Cures take out Shibiretta once and for all with Rainbow Rose Explosion.

Before the world dissolves, Aqua assures Mint that all of them are looking forward to her next book. Over in Eternal, Anacondy remarks that a report for this would be pointless.

At dusk, Komachi tells Nuts she wants to write about her amazing friends and share the feelings of all the good times they have together, in hopes that if someone lonely reads it they'll be inspired to find friends like hers. Everyone else was listening in and all of them want to be the main character of her story, with their own spins, and this ends the episode.

The Analysis

What I Liked

It’s one of the better Shibiretta episodes. I’ve often criticized her episodes for only using the surface elements of the story and not putting the characters through the plot. This time they actually addressed that and made it the entire point of the episode: Shibiretta is only taking advantage of the stories for what she can gain from them (monsters and distractions to attack the precures) and not the underlying morals and emotions. I thought it was especially poignant how she said she had read stories to the director and he was bored, so that means stories are worthless at inspiring emotion; and Komachi shoots back that it’s precisely because all she does is to use stories like tools.

Also, as per the narrative, you can actually see the difference between embracing the story and using it as a tool. The girls are able to reunite by understanding the tales that they are in. Rin kindly asks the magic carpet to help them and it responds. Urara’s sincere feelings to protect Syrup revert him from 40 clones of himself back to one. Nozomi uses “Open Sesame” on the door, and later Karen asks for a sign of the right way to go to find Komachi. It’s a bit convenient but hey it works.

On that note, as usual the antics that the girls get up to in the story world are great, they make some good jokes and gags out of them. The 40 (actually 39) Syrups, the magic carpet, the “Open Sesame” scene and of course the genie Hoshiina, all great uses of the setting. I also like their outfits.

I feel like Nozomi and Komachi are one of the less explored pairings in this series. Sure, Nozomi was the one who first enticed Komachi to become a Precure, but they haven’t done much together since then. Komachi is usually paired up with her longtime friend Karen, and there was that one time she and Urara had a really good bond. It’s true that everyone has been supportive of Komachi’s writing throughout both seasons, but this episode is the first time that Nozomi explicitly praises, uplifts, and defends Komachi’s writing and what it means to her, and that translates to a really great climax where they work together to ward off Shibiretta.

The fight against the genie Hoshiina that turns into smoke kept me on the edge of my seat. Its permeability is a distinct advantage but then Rose turns around and uses that to her gain, before dealing the finishing blow. It’s the kind of creativity I live for here.

Similarly, the battle of the Precure against Shibiretta was really well realized with some great stylized animation and action. Shibiretta launches herself like a rocket, but Mint and Dream combo their attacks to deflect her, and then Lemonade and Rouge kick her out of the sky so the team can perform their final attack on her.

What I DIdn’t Like Nothing comes to mind.

Miscellaneous

When Nozomi uses “Open Sesame” on the cave entrance, she does Kamen Rider’s henshin pose.

One Thousand and One Nights is a compilation of stories from the Middle Eastern region, from a variety of authors and tracing origins back over a millennium. The earliest known mention of the central character Scheherazade is in the 9th century, but many of the individual tales are believed to be much older, hailing from India and Persia. Over time stories from West African, Hebrew, Greek, and other traditions made their way. It’s a dynamic work that was passed down by storytellers over many generations and cultures. There’s no singular version of the text, there may not even actually be 1001 stories as some of the most famous ones, which incidentally are the ones featured in this episode (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin and the Lamp, The Tale of Sinbad the Sailor) were actually separate stories that later got rolled into the collection much later. Trying (and failing) to unravel this complex history to give context to the references in the episode was a bigger undertaking than this blog merits.

In the scene where Syrup is supposedly cloned 40 times, as the 40 thieves that attacked Ali Baba, there are actually only 39 of him.

Conclusion

This was a fun episode exploring some real juicy feelings about anxiety and the future and legacy, and also the purpose of stories. It was a nice sendoff to Shibiretta, whom I’ve had very mixed feelings about throughout the show. She was a step up from the duo but solidly middle tier as far as Precure villains go. Smile Precure will give us another witch character to play around with so when I get to that series I’ll do a compare/contrast.

Next time on Precure Daily, Nozomi comes face to face with the director of Eternal! Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 1 kettei!

[papaziggy-devblog]

It is the largest bony fish in the world, weighing up to 2,300 kg. And since they have so little circumference, that makes them gigantic dishes that God must have accidentally dropped while washing them one day and passed them by, because no one could have imagined this would happen. AND THEY ARE USELESS. EVERY KILO OF THAT IS A WASTED KILO AND EVERY CENTIMETER OF THEM (3.3M BY 4.2M) IS WASTED SPACE. They are so completely useless that scientists even argue about how they move. They have little control other than some small movements. Some say they need to push the water with their mouth to control the direction. They could use their tail fin EXCEPT, GUESS WHAT, what it doesn't do is grow. It just keeps folding in on itself, so the fucking cells are being made, but this floating piece of fucking junk just doesn't put them where they need to go. They also do not have a swim bladder. You know, the one thing a fish needs to make sure they don't sink to the bottom of the ocean when they stop moving and it keeps them from tipping over in the water. Already barely able to move to begin with, this creature can't stop its lagging tour across the ocean or it's FUCKED. BUT. BUT. They can get stranded on the surface! And it happens often! Because without that swim bladder crap, if the ocean pushes the finest but biggest fish on the fucking planet, you're out of fucking luck! There is no creature on this earth that needs a swim bladder more than this spit in the face of nature, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE IT. Some scientists have speculated that when they do, they are absorbing energy from the sun because no one knows how they manage to get energy to begin with. So they need the sun I guess. But good news, when they end up trapped like this, it gives the birds a chance to land on that fucking island that is your body and eat the bugs and parasites on your skin because it's basically a breeding ground for slowly migrating parasites. Pros and cons. "If they're that big, they must be at least decent predators." No. The most dangerous thing about them is, as you may have guessed, their stupidity. They have caused the death of a person. Because a wave put him on a boat. More exactly to a human being. And in 2005 he decided to relive his mighty glory days and do it again, this time landing on a four-year-old. However, the boy was not injured. All right, fish. Great job. Fool.

They mostly just eat jellyfish, because OF COURSE, they could only eat something that has no brains and can accidentally slip into their mouths. Everything they eat has next to zero nutritional value and because it's so stupidly fucking big, it has to eat a fucking mountain of worthless jellyfish to stay alive. Silly. See that ridiculous open mouth? Don't let that expression fool you, they just don't have the fucking ability to shut their mouths because their teeth are fused together, and they can't shut it. You know why she floats around like the most horrible inflatable doll in the history of our planet. Because he's actually just as confused as we are about why the fuck he's still alive.

However, they are sometimes eaten. BUT CHUNGO WHAT HAPPENS. No animals actually use them as a food source, they usually just mutilate them for hanging out. Seals have been seen playing with their flippers like frisbees, probably the most useful thing ever to be done with them. "Wow, those are good arguments, this fish is truly proof that God has abandoned us." Yes, thanks. "But if they're so bad at literally everything, why haven't they gone extinct?" Big question. BECAUSE THIS THING IS SO STUPID IT DOESN'T REALIZE IT SHOULD NOT EXIST. HE IS SO INcapable of LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT HE IS NOT AWARE OF BEING THE WORST FUCKING FISH EVER. And what does he do then to survive? It lays many, many eggs. Besides some bugs, there are some ants and things that will lay more. But the sunfish WILL LAY 300 MILLION EGGS IN ONE THROW. 300,000,000. SURVIVING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE STATISTICALLY IMPROBABLE, what the hell am I saying, IMPOSSIBLE, FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE 300,000,000 NOT TO SURVIVE (which is every time they lay eggs). And this concludes why I hate this complete failure of evolution, the sunfish. If I ever see one, I plan to throw stones at it.

I

WHA?

WHAT FISH?

WHAT IS THIS?

WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

WHAT PROMPTED THIS?

IS THIS THE DRAMA GOING ON?

IS IT FISH DRAMA?

I AM SO CONFUSED

SCREAMING

[surplus-of-sarcasm]

Yandere Whumper Attempt

Note: Some of y'all may have alr read this, from when I sent it on the groupchat, so I'm sorry if it feels repetitive, but I thought I'd share it here too, for new ppl or smth. My next one is a brand new hxv dw!

TW: Posessive whumper, yandere whumper, emotional manipulation, low-confidence whumpee

Whumpee can't do this. It was a simple fact to comprehend, but its cruel inevitability seemed to be forced on them with the same discomfort as a lump stuck in their throat.

Their eyes dart everywhere, with the wariness of a cornered animal. Every time their gaze locked with an audience member regarding them with fervent impatience, their heart would skip a thousand beats.

Their hands shake with tremors that course through their body, sending unpleasant shivers up their spine. They feel their face burn, blood rushing into it.

They take a deep breath that does absolutely nothing to steady their nerves. What good does breathing do to a prisoner on their way to the guillotine?

From a surface-level perspective, the situation at hand had nothing to do with executions. But Whumpee feels so terrified anyway, it might've been their death sentence.

Slowly, they press their fingers down on the piano keys, playing a horrible series of off-key notes. They couldn't read sheet music, couldn't understand it. They'd played before, but they only knew two songs, not even fully, if they could even remember. This wasn't one of them.

Feeling like they were slowly choking, Whumpee finally decides to stop butchering the symphony on the piano, a little after its beginning. The way the crowd's expressions change from utter contempt to relief breaks something in Whumpee. It doesn't take long for their lashes to wet with tears that stain their cheeks.

They rush upstairs, away from the crowd's incessant jeering, still sobbing, to find Whumper talking to some of their guests.

Once they catch sight of their tear-stained face, they utter a polite "Excuse me," to their guests.

"Whumpee, darling what's got you all worked up like that?" they question gently, the muscles of their face quickly working so that their expression morphs into one of worry.

"I- I. . .messed up. . .the. . .the song! They h-hated it, I'm so sorry," they stammer through choked sobs.

"Sweetheart, they don't matter. No one does. I still think you're the most beautiful thing to ever exist. That's why I keep you with me. Because I'm the only person who will ever know your true value, Whumpee," they croon softly, pulling them into a hug and carding their fingers through their hair.

They take their hand and lead them into their room, helping them into a chair. "I don't know what you see in me, Whumper. Everyone else thinks I'm worthless."

Placing their hands softly down on Whumpee's shoulders, they rub careful circles into their shoulders. "They don't understand you like I do."

"What would I ever do if you weren't here, Whumper?"

"Let's not think about that one, sweetie." Their grip tightens posessively on their shoulders, just shy away from being uncomfortable.

Suggesting they play something they had no knowledge of had worked wonders. Whumper is grateful Whumpee can't see the sickening smile playing on their lips.

Whumpee was surely never even contemplating going anywhere where they weren't around. They are all theirs. Just like they'd always wanted.

✨️Le Taglist: @larinzz @syberianjade @lateuplight @altu-whump @enbious-prince @astr0-mj @thelazywitchphotographer @addictedsandwhichaki @justalittlecorrupted @quaggasus @dodo-docs @sirrsnakesssss

Wanna be on the taglist? This'll take you there!

[morte-par-le-chocolat]

Worth

"So, tell me how you're feeling. Better?" "Oui, merci. Much. I think I can get back to work now. I actually felt I should be back to work some time ago." "Ah-ah, not so fast. Just slow down, okay? Let's start easy. Why are you here, Chef Jean?"

Jean-Pierre looked across the room. The other man looked back at him- a neat chestnut haircut, winged eyeliner, a pleasant but neutral smile. Pink sweater vest, a clipboard and pencil held in his robotic arms. Dr. Twinkletits was the very air of professionalism- something he'd learned to adapt well to in his time as Dethklok's therapist. The false smarminess that had lead Jean to dislike the man on sight was more or less gone. Lesson learned. "Lord Commander Offdensen said I should speak with you before returning to work. I am not sure why, but I am not one to dismiss his wishes." "Well, according to what I have here, you collapsed on the job a couple weeks ago and were in the hospital wing a while. Exhaustion? I can see why, cooking for all these people? Must be hard work. But Jean, you have kitchen staff, right? There to help you, make your job a little easier?" "Oui. I do. But I don't need them, not for the bulk of my work." Twinkletits made a 'tch' sound and scribbled something down on his clipboard. Jean frowned. "It kinda seems like you do, though, if you're pushing yourself so hard you're passing out. Come on. Let's..." Don't say it... "...rock talk." Fuck. Jean swore inwardly, but he supposed this was an inevitability. Twinkletits was rarely if ever a surface-level therapist- he'd get to the root of the problem one way or another. "Tell me, why do you feel like you have to do everything yourself? It' can't be easy on you. I have here in your file that you're on medication for pain and that's, you know, that's really understandable. Why,Jean, you were stitched together from a million little pieces! I'm not saying that doesn't make you capable, but you're obviously pushing yourself past your limits when you really don't have to. Why is that?" Jean sighed, bent fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. "It is as you say. I was sewn together after being diced with a helicopter propeller. Dethklok sewed me up with their own hands, because they wanted me to cook for them. I am but fulfilling their wishes, my purpose that I was mended for. You know how the oath goes, oui? 'I am a gear in the klok. I fear not my mortality. I will serve to the best of my ability.' If I perish in the line of service, that is fine, though I do hope I will leave behind a magnum opus when I do." "Oh, but... I mean, of course I know the oath, but the line says it right there. 'To the best of my ability'. You're pushing beyond that and it's just not good for you. ... Jean... does this have to do with your injury at all?" "No! ... Well, sort of. Look at me, doctor. I am a monster. The sight of me would repulse most people. I should be dead, but I am alive- mended, as I said, for the purpose of cooking. This castle is my world. My condition may be unsightly and painful, but my lords saw fit to sew every stitch themselves. This is an honor, no? I am valued for my skills in the culinary arts. This is what I was mended to do, no other reason. To put a smile on my Lords' faces with my cooking is my greatest joy. I need nothing else, but to be allowed to work for this purpose." "I see." Twinkletits' voice was low, soft, almost. "And... these few weeks, how has that made you feel?" "Worthless. I have had nothing to do but convalesce, and worry about the state of the kitchen. Young #713... is a decent hand, but untested. I wonder how he is coping. I do not want the quality of the kitchen's output to suffer, and yet... I fear if he does too well, that... that..."

"Go on, Chef." "...that they will replace me. That my Lords may decide that someone younger and healthier would be a better choice moving forward. I couldn't bear that, doctor." "Mmm. You know, Chef, I think I may have a bead on your problem. If I may? It's an issue with your self worth. You called yourself a monster, only sewn up to keep cooking, so that's all you think you're worth. You do all that cooking yourself because if you can't cook you feel worthless and replaceable. But you know what? I don't think that's true, and I can prove it, you know?" Jean gripped his upper arms, shaking a bit. Hearing out loud, it was an on the nose assessment. Hearing it condensed that way was uncomfortably accurate. "You...can prove it, you say?" "Sure! Look." Humming, Twinkletits set his clipboard and pen aside and held out his arms. Skeletal, spindly things, but very functional, dexterous enough for him to do most anything his flesh and blood arms had. "You see these? I fell out a window and the yardwolves ate my arms off. Plus I'd been... y'know, a real jerk before that. Dethklok didn't have any real reason to keep me around, but they did! And it's been the most fulfilling work of my life, but you know what? I don't let it fully define me. Because that's not healthy at all, Chef. I'm not just worth my work any more than you are." The therapist leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "I know losing my arms probably wasn't quite as traumatic as what happened to you. But you're a worthwhile person, Jean. You're a brilliant chef but that's not all you are, and it's definitely not all you're worth. I know it's gonna take time, but I want you to tell yourself that. Once or twice a day, or whenever you need. And I want you to start letting your staff in. You're supposed to be a team, they're not your competition. Can you do that for me?" "I... suppose I can try. I don't think I have much to lose at this point. ... Merci, Doctor." "Anytime! That's what I'm here for. Anyway, I think if you take those affirmations to heart, I don't see a reason that you can't go back to work. I'll let Mr. Offdensen know!" Rising, Jean shook the doctor's hand. Twinkletits replied with a hearty smile and a pat on the chest. It wasn't until Jean looked down at his chef's blacks after he left that he noticed a bright yellow crescent stuck to his coat.

[ultfan]

anonymous sent in: Umm, what was Nagito's thoughts on Mikan before and after the third execution? I'm asking because I'm so normal about their relationship ✨️✨️✨️

oh boy! i love komaeda's thoughts on people. prior to the execution, i think komaeda greatly admires her. as he does with all the other shsl students. she has that very meek, anxious, prey-animal vibe about her that does make komaeda "worry" about her a little bit. we see him scolding hinata when he interprets that he's bullying her after all. but the thing is that at the start... i think komaeda has very uncomplicated feelings about pretty much everyone on the island.

believe it or not, komaeda's thought process is very simple (crazy, i know). he either reveres you or thinks you're worthless. i really think the only person he has any somewhat nuanced thoughts about early in the game is hinata, and that's only because of his ??? talent and the fact that komaeda can't help but see similarities between them.

that doesn't mean komaeda isn't paying close attention to people, though. he's an observant person, regardless of how much he downplays his intelligence he's very good at piecing things together. despite that i don't think he really cares to analyze her on an emotional or personal level. he absolutely could could if he wanted to! and i think he'd do it very well. but her quirks aren't really his business or what interest him about her. his kindness and admiration are surface level at best. as with everyone else, komaeda cares about her talent. sure he'll say he wants to be friends with her (with everyone), and he believes he means that, but he would never care to get to know her beyond her talent.

one thing i think komaeda really likes about tsumiki compared to everyone else is just how much her talent defines her. it's easy to see that the only time she seems competent and put together is when she is when she's doing something health-related. over explaining medical things, taking care of others, etc. she is the shsl health committee member after all. (jfc that's a mouthful, we're sticking to nurse).

for tsumiki to believe she only has real value when others are helpless and depending on her to take care of them completely aligns with komaeda's own philosophy. of course that is where she gets the most power, where she's the most in control, where she's in her element. he finds that wonderful for her! to truly resonate with her talent in such a way... for her talent to show off all the "best" parts of her. so, like the shsl fanboy komaeda is, he is also a huge tsumiki fanboy.

all of that changed the second she started taking care of him when he contracted despair disease. and when she did too. tsumiki had to be around komaeda the most out of the other patients since he was the most sickly, likely due to his already present health conditions. this meant that he had plenty of time to see her for who she "truly" was. after all, she did get her memories back.

while i don't think komaeda learned anything more than what was said at the trial given his confusion at the end... i do really love the idea that tsumiki might've taken great pleasure in having an incredibly weak komaeda — who both couldn't fight back against her and couldn't properly communicate to anyone even when he was conscious — at her mercy. given that he was the most out of it, i can see her slipping a little around him (which would make sense given she was able to fool everyone else, yet a delirious komaeda was able to sense the change in how she carried herself. unless we're to believe komaeda's observational skill are THAT fucking good, which i also wound't doubt given what we have seen of him).

it's clear from the very beginning of the trial — and during the investigation — that komaeda was well aware that she was the culprit. yet instead of actively helping her out, like he did with earlier culprits, he mostly stays quiet during the trial. he doesn't say anything to mislead the other ultimates during the actual events of the trial (during the investigation is another story, but he did that to make a point later in the trial). of course komaeda would never call her out directly even if she committed a crime he couldn't forgive. not until someone else did. this is because komaeda would rather be a bystander to everyone else's greatness, only piping in when they ask or they need an extra push in the right direction.

i think this immediately communicates the change in his opinion of her. he isn't as aggressive as he is when he learns about the remnant despairs later on, but that's also because he has nothing to go off of beyond "she did this while overcome with despair." even when the remembering thing is brought up he still doesn't know the specifics, so he can only look at her with disapproval and disdain.

i do think he hates her, even if he isn't as mean about it as he will be to others in the future. she was a shsl student who threw away her hope and succumbed to despair. it goes against his entire philosophy. he isn't disappointed like he is with the other executions before this (what a shame your hope wasn't strong enough...), but actively says he can't forgive her or her crimes. and once she's dead he's very quick to move on. he doesn't mourn her (not that he really mourns for anyone in general, but still).

he says regardless of whether she succumbed to the despair disease or just became that way because she remembered, she was always unfit to be a symbol of hope. and he's immediately ready to forget her and encourages everyone to change this despair into hope. just completely ready to move on with their lives and not caring to give anyone a chance to grieve or be confused about what happened with her.

the second she's out of the picture, komaeda simply stops caring about her altogether. i don't think he's the type to loathe someone after their death unless he has a reason for it (junko). to him tsumiki is a worthless person who never deserved her shsl title in the first place. hardly fit to attend hope's peak.

meeting her after waking up, i don't think komaeda's opinions of anyone have really improved. including her. it really depends on how she acts upon their ah... "reunion" i guess, but as a blanket rule i do not think komaeda is ready to just accept all his old classmates with open arms. even though he was ALSO a remnant despair. because he's a hypocrite.

at the end of the day any hope komaeda has for the others is paper thin. he is not at all generous with them, and while he would like to think they could rise from the depths junko dragged them to, he wouldn't be surprised if they didn't. actually, he probably doesn't expect them to at all, he just would like it if they surprised him. that would be poggers for him. not because he cares for them personally bettering themselves, just because he still wants to see that ultimate hope that could destroy any despair. and so long as they're stuck on this island together they're really his only chance to see that. i think he acts very similarly to post-final dead room komaeda for the most part. he may sprinkle in a pep talk or to, but any encouragement is not even close to how genuine he was at the start of dr2.

i can see a very flip-floppy thing where komaeda gives out his classic "create a hope to overcome this despair"-style support only to immediately switch up the second there is any sort of half-assed or negative response to it. so that would apply to tsumiki as well. insincere admiration coming and going every now and then which easily falls away to that harsh, unforgiving, and condescending attitude he has for all the remnant despairs.

he hates her fake ass. get better. smh. like it's hard???

[wordsofrowan]

Written in Ink

Chapter 5 - As the Ink Dries

Alya cleared her throat as once again all eyes fell on her. “We still have one more letter to read. Let's listen to this final letter then we can decide on what to do from there okay?”

With a renewed sense of purpose, the class braced themselves for the last letter. If Adrien’s letter was anything to go by this was going to be very hard for them to process.  They all waited with bated breath for Alya to begin.

“Lila, This I think shall be the hardest letter for me, shockingly enough. I sit here, my heart shattered into a million pieces, writing this letter to you with a mix of anger and utter despair. I guess what I should start with is congratulations, Lila, you did it, you won. You have successfully driven away every single one of my friends with your malicious lies and manipulative tactics. You must be so proud of yourself.  So how does it feel Lila? How does it feel to have torn apart someone’s life with your venomous words? To watch as the bonds I once held so dear crumbled at your hands? You reveled in the destruction you caused, relishing in the pain and suffering you have inflicted upon me. Well, I hope you're satisfied because you’ve broken me. You’ve shattered my trust and left me feeling utterly alone. You played your game so well, didn’t you? Spinning your tales of victimhood and weaving your web of deceit that ensnared even the most loyal of my friends. Your lies have twisted their minds and poisoned their perceptions of me. You whispered lies into their ears and turned them against me, making them cast me aside like a worthless afterthought.  I use to believe that true friendship was unbreakable, that the bond I once shared with them all could withstand anything. You have proven me wrong Lila. You have torn through those bonds like a hurricane, leaving nothing but carnage and debris in your wake and now here I am left standing in the ruins of what was once my support system.  But I refuse to give you the satisfaction of seeing me completely defeated. No, I won’t allow you to revel in my misery. I have found my people and with them, I will rise from the wreckage and become stronger than ever before. I will rebuild my life, piece by painstaking piece, and surround myself with people who value honesty and loyalty and are deserving of my love and friendship.  You may have won this battle, Lila but mark my words the war is far from over. The truth has a way of surfacing and it will expose your deceit for all to see. You may have fooled my so-called friends for now but their eyes will be opened and they will realize the monster you truly are. And when that day comes, you will be left with nothing but the bitter taste of your own lies.  So enjoy your momentary triumph, Lila. Bask in the ruins of what you have created. But remember this victory is hollow, this is your pyrrhic victory, Lila. You may have taken away my friends but you will never break my spirit. I will rise, stronger and more resilient and I will show you just how better than you I really am. So farewell Lila. You have successfully broken me, but I refuse to let you define me. I will find my own path, free from the toxicity you bring. And when I look back on this dark chapter of my life, I will not remember you with anger, but with pity. Pity for someone so consumed by jealousy and insecurity that they resort to tearing others down. Goodbye, Lila. May you one day realize the emptiness of your victory and the magnitude of the pain you have caused. Sincerely, Marinette.”

As Alya finished reading the letter, a heavy silence engulfed the classroom, suffocating the air and hearts of each student. Marinette's words pierced through their defenses, leaving behind a trail of sorrow, guilt, and regret. Tears welled up in their eyes, mirroring the depth of their emotions.

“That’s not true! I just wanted to be her friend! Don’t you see what she’s trying to do! She just wants to pit us against each other so we can be as miserable as she was!” But Lila's feeble attempt to defend herself only ignited an inferno of anger and resentment. Her words, laced with manipulation, fell on barren ground. The class had seen through her facade, and the truth stood unmasked before them, naked and raw.

"That's enough, Lila! Your twisted games and manipulations have torn us apart," Alix shouted, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and wounded trust.

"You played with our hearts, shattered our faith in friendship, and now you dare to shift the blame? We won't let you rewrite the narrative anymore!" Rose added, her voice quivering with a fierce determination.

The classroom erupted into a tempest of voices, each student unleashing their pent-up rage and pain. Emotions surged forth like a tsunami, crashing against the walls of their shattered trust.

"Do you understand the damage you've caused? How you dismantled Marinette's life and left us in ruins?" Max's voice boomed, shaking with a blend of indignation and heartbreak.

"You took advantage of her kindness, exploited our innocence, and left us bruised and broken. We believed in you, and you reveled in our vulnerability!" Mylene exclaimed, her voice laden with the weight of betrayal and disillusionment.

The once-adoring classmates had transformed into an army of wounded souls, united in their rejection of Lila's false narrative. They refused to remain silent victims in her intricate web of lies.

"Your actions have scarred us irreversibly, Lila! We won't grant you forgiveness so easily. We won't let you escape the consequences of your cruelty!" Ivan’s voice thundered, fueled by a fierce resolve.

The classroom became an emotional battleground, each student unleashing their anguish, disappointment, and shattered trust. It was a cathartic release, a necessary purging of the pain inflicted by Lila's manipulative hands.

Yet, amidst the chaos, a flicker of solidarity emerged, like a fragile flame in the darkness. The students, united by shared suffering, began to find solace in one another's eyes, sensing a collective strength to move forward.

As the uproar gradually subsided, a heavy stillness settled over the room. The students turned to one another, their eyes reflecting a mixture of weariness, resilience, and a glimmer of hope. They realized they had a long and arduous journey ahead to mend what was broken, but they were no longer under Lila's spell.

Marinette's letter had ripped apart the veil of deception, and within that truth, they found solace and unity. Together, they pledged to support one another, nurture their wounds, and ensure that Lila's web of lies would never again ensnare their lives. They were determined to rise from the ashes of betrayal, to forge bonds stronger than ever before, rooted in authenticity, compassion, and unwavering trust.

With a renewed sense of purpose, the class stood united, ready to face the daunting challenges ahead. They would rebuild what was shattered, heal their fractured friendships, and prove that even amidst the darkest of deceptions, genuine connections can emerge and thrive.

XoXo Rowan

[advnterccs-archive]

@countlessrealities-2 sent; “He-Hey, I know we have that thing w-where we pretend not to remember when our birthday is, b-but...I got you something. I-It doesn't have to be a birthday present, i-if you don't want tit to be, b-but I really wanted to get you a gift.”

It's a small package, wrapped in velvety black paper and decorated with a bright green lace, tied in a ribbon on top of it. Inside there's a box, similar to the ones rings come with, but a little bigger.

A chuckle. “I-I'm not fuckin' proposing, s-so don't worry. I-It's, uh, a memory crystal. T-They are extremely rare, an-and exist only in a few dimensions, but...y-yeah. Y-You can store memories in them an-and watch them whenever.”

The crystal is light blue, a hue very similar to the one of their eyes, and has been shaped in a half sphere. The curved surface is shiny and perfectly smooth, while the flat one swirls just like a portal would.

“I-I imprinted some shit in it. M-My best memories of you, b-but not just mine. I-I had the families do the same...yeah, even the Jerrys...an-and BP, Squanchy, Karl a-and tha-that couple of friends of yours I met.”

A pause. “W-When you feel down or-or worthless or a-a piece of shit...or any of that self-loathing crap we do? J-Just watch them. A-As a reminder that there are people who want, love an-and value you. An-And you can also see how f-fuckin' amazing you are in my eyes.”

[[ My Rick to your Rick || Birthday presents exchange! Someone decided to be extremely thoughtful x3 ]]

Taking the box in his hands, Rick took in the way it was packaged. Even to the last detail it all looked so planned and thought out. He wasn't going to lie, a proposal was the first thing that reached his mind. Due to the small box and loving look in those blue eyes, mixed with a hint of nervousness. Yet, he wasn't disappointed to be proven wrong.

As the explanation went on, he carefully undid the bow and opened the box to reveal the crystal. His eyes widened, sparkling with awe. With a gentle touch, he picked it up between his thumb and index, holding it up to the light to see the details within it.

Sliding his thumb over the shape, he already saw the glimpses of the memories held within it. It startled him for a second. Not expecting it to work similarly to those death crystals that he had a run in with some time ago.

For a moment, the features on his face softened. He put the crystal back into the box and set aside onto the work bench. Only for him to throw his arms over his boyfriend's neck.

"D-Damn, are you trying to make me fall in love with you all over again?" He spoke with a smile, half-lidded gaze that was more struck with love than anything else. "Because i-it's working and I think I-I just fell in love with you again and fucking deeper,"

He cut his own words off with a kiss. Soft, tender and filled with admiration and appreciation. Quickly igniting with a heat of passion from the overwhelming love that he held in his heart for the man. His arms tightening around to pull the other in closer.

Tilting his head, he separated their lips, ending the kiss. "I-I have something for you, too," He whispered. "A-And I know we don't do this whole birthday thing, but, y-you're the love of my life, so I couldn't fucking help it,"

Not really wanting to leave the warm embrace, he pulled his boyfriend along with him as he walked backwards. He made his way to one of the shelves, taking out a clear, crystal orb. Sat on a pedestal of gold. On top of it a green bow with a thin black stripe running through it.

"I-I didn't know how to wrap it, but, I-I made this for you -- took me a month, but it was worth it," He brought his head closer, nuzzling into the side of his counterpart's head. Cheek pressed against cheek.

Bringing the device closer, in between their chests, he brought his hand to hold the top of the orb, causing it glow a soft green. Inside of it, a holographic image began to play out. The two of them, slow dancing in the garage. And when his hand moved off from it, that image slowly faded.

"A-Any fantasy, thought, or dream you've ever had about us can be seen through this -- 'cause I-I know that dreams are hard to remember and I-I know you miss me sometimes, so if I'm not around or i-if it's late at night and you can't sleep, maybe this can give you some comfort --- for those nights."

Maybe it wasn't as fully thought out, but it came from the heart. Something that he wanted to make to express those hidden feelings that were to hard to express due to one reason or another. And he crafted it with their relationship and the love of his life on his mind.

[fromchaostocosmos]

The issue is not the David slept with Batshevah the issue is in how he went about it.

There are 3 relationships that are pointed to within the Davidic line that on the surface appear inappropriate, but are in fact not, according to commentary.

Yehudah and his daughter in law Tamar, Ruth and Boaz, and finally David and Batshevah.

In fact within Torah commentary there is parallels made between Tamar and Ruth and connections pointed out.

According to midrashim Hashem told David that he would in the future marry Batshevah and have a son who build the Holy Temple.

Something that David wanted to build, but was only able to lay some of foundational stones for.

He was supposed to wait until she was widow he was not supposed to contrive to make her one so that he marry her.

The reason that the kingdom split in two was because of Shlomo, King Solomon, David's son.

See there are rules for being king and he broke them. He bought horses from Egypt, married an Egyptian princess, and had 1,000 wives. All of which was not allowed.

According to midrash on the day that he was supposed to open the Holy Temple for the first time he was late because he wife from Egypt tricked him by making it appear it was still nighttime.

It was for this that as punishment the kingdom split.

You can either do the right thing and worship God from the start, or you can fuck up, be punished, and thus be forced to beg for His forgiveness. Like honestly, I identify with this song so strongly as an off-the-derech Jew, I sometimes wonder what Christians can possibly hear in this song, as it speaks so specifically to the sadomasochistic relationship that a lapsed Jew has with their God.

I thought about how to write this next bit and to be honest I just don't know to do it any other way so I'm just going to say it, but this is just not how Judaism is.

I grew up with term off the derech and it is term I still hear used. It is one I hate.

The word derech means path, journey, road. Each of us has our own journey in life and own road and path to G-d. In reality there is no such thing as off the derech because there is only your derech, my derech, that person's derech, and so on.

I can only be on my derech and you can only be on yours.

The phrase and idea of someone being off the derech is fundamentally incompatible with Judaism.

The idea that G-d punishes us for fucking up, for not worshipping is frankly very xtian in nature and not very Jewish.

The idea that there such thing as a lapsed Jew is again not really compatible with Judaism. You are a Jew always and whatever you are observing or not you are still doing it as a Jew, you still thinking as one, applying Jewish ethics, and morals.

This idea of a sadomasochistic relationship with G-d again reads as very xtian and I think misses important aspects of Judaism.

I recognize that I'm coming across as very preachy and sound like I'm telling you how to feel and such.

I don't intend to be doing that or want to do that.

A lot of these ideas are similar to what I grew up with and it gave me a very negative view of Judaism and G-d.

I at some part studied the Torah on my own and it was very helpful. There is a reason that generation of the flood was destroyed, the Sodom was destroyed, but the generation of the tower was not.

Because it the long run to G-d how we treat each other is far more important. Is far more pressing. Is far more telling.

There is a reason that according to the Perkei Avot is tells us that someone who studies Torah and is wise, but has no midot no values is seen as worthless in the eyes of G-d.

There is a reason that when doing to teshuvah there is always an 11th hour with G-d, but not with people. That the process of teshuvah in regards to people is much harder and asks more of you.

This is not to say that things is regards to G-d do not matter, but rather to make a point about G-d, Judaism, and what is emphasized.

Yes in Judaism there is surrendering yourself to G-d, but there is also questioning, arguing, conversing, with G-d too.

It is not about punishment. That is not really the point. It is about a relationship. It is about sharing in the wonders, the joys, the pains, the whatevers.

I say this all as someone who often feels distant from G-d and abandoned by Hashem. So I'm not saying this from a place where things are hunky dory and it is easy for me to believe what I am saying.

when christian artists change the line in hallelujah from “maybe there’s a God above” to “I know that there’s a God above” >:c