#this is important for fic writing purposes

[noirandchocolate]

so I plan on writing Kohga for fic purposes eventually and I REALLY want to make sure I get him right. do you know of any common pitfalls people have when characterizing him?

Oh hey, flattered you'd ask me! <3 The thing about Master Kohga is that a lot of stuff about him is very your-mileage-may-vary because a lot is left up to interpretation about his origins, backstory, etc. and the way the Clan operates and things like that. So I'll try to stick to things we see in canon and away from my and others' headcanons.

The other thing about Master Kohga is that he's kiiiind of a tightrope walk of a character to write, imo.

For example, there's a fine line with him between how theatrical and silly he can be, and how serious of a threat he and the Clan pose. So on the one hand, I think characterizing him as a complete dunce and clown who's totally reliant on his underlings (Sooga, someone's very serious and competent OC, etc.) as Thinking Brain Lackeys, is a common trap. I feel like whether one headcanons the guy as 10,000 years old and the only Yiga Master ever or the latest in a long line of them or something in-between, one has to think of him as clever enough to keep an entire group of people together and operational. TotK suggests he was able to figure out how to use Zonai tech without a magic Zonai arm, and under his leadership the Clan has spread throughout the Depths. In AoC he successfully infiltrates Gerudo Town posing as Urbosa and nearly kills Zelda. So he ought to be able to carry out an interrogation or come up with a good plan in fics, I think!

He's also a very powerful guy who can hold his own in a fight with practically anybody but Link (and maybe the Champions but I think he's on a more even footing with them or stronger--this is one of those ymmv things though). He has a dang face laser in AoC and in all three games is shown to have various magical abilities that not even other Yiga possess. He has a demon carver in AoC and Zonai tech weapons in TotK and giant spike balls in all his games. So again, writing him as a weakling reliant on others to protect him is a miss when it comes to canon.

However, on the other hand it's easy especially when one really likes Kohga, to fall off the tightrope onto the other side of the pit by making him out to be a total badass who's the best at everything and always right. Canonically, he's very theatrical, and he has so many comedic moments that I think it's important to let him be silly sometimes in fanwork too. A corny banana pun. An over-the-top line delivery ('thestupendouschiefoftheyigaclanMasterKohga! IIIIiis gonna KILL YOU ALL! To DEAAthhhh!!'). Getting distracted and humming to himself. Faceplanting with perfect comedic timing. Failing and blaming the failure on someone else/the situation. Defeating himself by getting carried away with explosives/spike ball size. All things that happen in canon. He uses the word 'thingamajig' in AoC and stomps his feet like a dork in TotK. So fanworks where Kohga is never even a little bit cringe also kinda get him wrong IMO.

(Also that thingamajig thing is a small segue to say that giving Kohga informal-sounding dialogue fits with canon. However he's also capable of issuing a genuinely ominous villain monologue, like he does before his final battle in TotK. He's a character who's funny but also a threat. That's the tightrope!!)

Next I wanna say there's also a fine line between cowardice and pragmatism, when characterizing Kohga. He does run away when things aren't going his way in his first three TotK battles, and he does peace out in AoC while saying 'Yiga, assemble! Meexcludedofcourse.' He yells for Sooga and others to protect him. There's also a DLC mission in AoC where he pulls the Yiga back when too many monsters show up on the battlefield, saying 'Well, that's that. We'll try again another time.' So he does have a self-preservation instinct and will bail when the going gets too tough at least some of the time. But nevertheless I think writing him as a total coward isn't quite right (and I have seen that a fair few times, folks just having him always hide behind Sooga or abandon his lackeys etc.). Because he does gamely face Link down in the first place, multiple times in all three games. Also, in the Yiga Clan Retreats AoC DLC mission he's genuinely upset that his comrades are thinking only of his safety and not their own, and because they're all seriously injured he's kinda the one protecting them by ordering them to stay close and 'protect him.' So it's more accurate to write him as having a bit of a cowardly streak, but not when it really matters.

One other small thing I wanna mention is that we see in AoC that Kohga can be kinda brusque to his underlings sometimes. He yells at Sooga for being late and calls him a bum in one mission. So putting that offhanded rudeness into him fits. He shouldn't always be sweet and understanding to others, especially when he'd logically be frustrated or someone does something stupid or harmful. But Yiga you run into in BotW and TotK also speak highly of him, say he has 'a smile like a sunbeam,' etc. He does seem to be very good at keeping the Clan's morale high. And like I said in the last paragraph he does care about his people not dying; in that Retreat mission he tells multiple people to quit talking about sacrificing themselves! So making him completely callous or never nice to anybody doesn't fit.

FINALLY, because I'm rambling, another pitfall I've seen sometimes is people getting Kohga's motivations a little sideways and forgetting what the Clan is about. Now this is definitely ymmv with regard to how much a given fan thinks the Clan worships/reveres Calamity Ganon or Kohga, and I'm not gonna get into that 'cause tbh most all of that topic involves headcanons. But we see in AoC that Kohga's primary concern, as it turns out, is the preservation of the Clan, with the goal of revenge and destruction of the Hylian Royal Family as the second thing. His willingness to turn back on the Clan's allegiance to/alignment with Calamity Ganon in that game when the Harbinger and Astor start killing Yiga is proof of that. So again, writing Kohga as considering his people disposable or recklessly sending them off to get killed by good guys or monsters as an end-justifies-the-means thing (or harebrained stupid unthinking scheme) for achieving a Calamity-Ganon-or-Ganondorf-related goal? That's just...yeah IMO that's just plain wrong. Kohga cares about the Clan.

BUT! Revenge on the Royal Family and hatred for its members and Link runs DEEP, and is the Clan's prime motive and goal beyond surviving and thriving for themselves. Kohga has a very big drive for that and especially in TotK speaks in quite definite terms about wanting to assist in Hyrule's destruction. So on the other hand, if one wants to write Kohga as allying with the 'good guys,' it's important to have a very good reason for him to do so. It took an immense betrayal by Ganon and Astor involving a swathe of murders to make him do it in AoC. So I doubt Kohga's gonna flip sides genuinely in any timeline, meaning with no plan for a double-cross or at least thought of backstabbing, at the drop of a hat. (And even in AoC timeline he speaks of not being completely comfortable with it.) In a temporary truce, I think he ought to be grumbling and resentful of it.

I went on and on but I hope this was even sorta what you were asking! ^-^; I had fun talking about Best Guy so thanks for the opportunity to do so!

[psychopomp-namine]

this is a dumb question and the answer is probably something like, "they didn't really think about it" but it's been bothering me for a while. where is the kitchen??

we know from the chibi shorts and yingdu ep 1 that cheng xiaoshi does the cooking. he even showcases this in S1E2 when he tried to replicate the noodle recipe

it seems they use this counter a lot for food. when they're eating, it's either here, the table next to the storefront sofa, or in the sunroom

but according to the floor layout, there is no kitchen in the first floor (or second, or third). there's the studio front, the dark room, a restroom, and the sunroom

so... where does cheng xiaoshi cook?? is the kitchen just not shown here?

the only thing I can think of is that he brings out cookware to the sunroom, like when they have hotpot. and I don't think cheng xiaoshi cooks elaborate meals or anything, so that's probably enough, but that's still such a hassle though? maybe that's why they always order takeout in the chibi shorts.

he looks so happy in this ad that I think it's a shame if they don't have a proper kitchen in the studio. I don't think this is in their studio but uh. it should be?? I'll pretend this room exists in their studio.

anyway, yeah, the answer is probably "they didn't really think about it" but the logistics of cooking in their studio is bothering me lmao

[triglycercule]

oh yeah before i forget cute mttpoly headcanon because i said so: when killer finds out (through SOME way of means. he has his ways) that dust and horror like something then at every chance he can he goes and finds that thing for them :3 because I SAID SO AND IT'S CUTE ‼️‼️ (something something killer has no idea how to properly show affection and appreciation after believing his whole life was meant to cause pain and suffering to those close to him and now that he's trying he does silly goofy stuff like this hehe,,,,,,, dust is DROWNING in piles of fluffy blankets and books. horror cannot keep up with eating the amount of snacks killer keeps stealing for him 😞😞😞)

[opha]

something something forcing curly to do the right thing by being the only man on the ship with a functional moral compass, or in lieu of that,

becoming anya's gun-toting shadow and emptying the cylinder into jimmy if he ever goes near anya again

[4lph4kidz]

i was thinking about your dirk and hal poll and i want to mention that i think your concept for ink and iron where dirk creates hal from his reflection by enchanting a mirror is so cool 😌

thank you! hal's predicament and purpose within the canon narrative is so fascinating and i felt it was really important to find a way to explore what i find most interesting with him. i can't take full credit for the concept though i took inspiration from a few placees (one of my friends pitched the idea of the mirror accidentally dumping him onto jake's doorstop for example) but overall i think the idea is very fun and i'm really excited to write more hal stuff!!! also i'm going to take the opportunity to share this oldish doodle i found:

the mispelling of angel as angle was NOT intentional (<- dyslexia haver) but it probably explains a lot. he's pointy

[hr-twink]

~snippet sunday~

from the impending ch6 of We Were Friends, Once

River finishes his tea and fishes a cigarette case out of his breast pocket. He offers one to Webb who accepts quickly. River holds out a light and watches as Webb’s slender fingers hold the roll to the flame and then bring it to his mouth for a skillful puff. Some color returns to his face. “So,” River says, lighting and taking a drag from his own fag. “Am I allowed to ask why you’re here?”  Webb looks at him and takes another puff; this time he exhales the smoke from his mouth and re-inhales it through his nostrils in a practiced fluidity. The smoke escapes his lips again when he sighs.  “Allowed to ask, not allowed to know.”

[britishsass]

The worst part of writing Psychonauts fic is figuring out how to properly write a memory vault. Do they climb inside? Do they just shove their heads in? How do you write a person interacting with the vault in a consistent way???

(the answer is that I don't, and this is why I'm writing this vault completely differently from most others, because I do what I need to for the Plot)

[teecupangel]

"comes out of the coffin with a hot tea"

I HAVE AN IDEA! Stupid one... but still one! Another one of Desmond's being thrown into the past, but this time the apple has read too much about fainting Victorian women and made him in some sort sickly (We can make it as a backlash to almost dying and his burned arm). I mean.... what can i say! I just love the duality of a character that in one moments seems like a breeze can knock them down and in the next they win against you with only a stick in hand!

"sips some tea"

That would also made a good cover for Desmond! If he was trying to not put himself under the radar of his ancestors of course. Who would believe that the most sickly man in -put a city name here- is able to clime roofs, fight off the guards and also win without a scratch? Maybe Connor? Malik? Who knows! :D

"throws the coffin out the window and leaves through the door "

(stares the window for a moment… well, okay. I mean… I have no idea how a coffin could fit thru that but okay)

I mean… if you really want Desmond to have some kind of handicap of the ‘sickly’ kind, may I suggest the setup for “The Villainess's Days Are Numbered!” where the main character’s HP keeps getting depleted? This means... even taking one step gives him a -1HP penalty and stressful times (or any time he overexerts himself) gives him a double HP reduction penalty (which means that -1HP turns to -2HP). Oh, and his default HP is only 1210 and he can gain a max HP reduction if the circumstances call for it)... maybe even go down as far as 200 max HP, hhhhmmm?

This means we have the ‘joy’ of making Desmond have to maintain his HP XD

So Desmond has to be bedridden to keep his HP up before he does any ‘stunts’.

It would be funny if we place him in a very awkward position too.

For example…

Third Crusades? He’s one of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s children. Hell, he could be the son who took over Ḥalab so we have an excuse to place him during the time of Altaïr’s Chronicles.

Renaissance Italy? Make him the ‘child’ of one of the many clergymen against Rodrigo becoming pope to give an excuse for Ezio to ‘know’ of him. Bonus points? Make him a relative of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza

American Revolution? One of the Schuyler children (Philip Schuyler has a lot but you can pick one of the Schuyler sisters if you want to make this a Hamilton reference or if you just want Desmond to be part of all that drama in general XD)

The main point is… Desmond has to maintain his sickly body, all the while making plans how to screw up the timelines without anyone noticing it.

[trans-yllz]

okay question. what does ancient chinese elopement even entail for wangxian

[kevingorg]

actually real last post. how long do you think before mack does get sick of it all and requests a trade. either because of the losing or the false hometown or the daddy issues. or all of the above. like i hope he stays with the sharks forever partially so i can see what kind of monstrous metastasis his relationship with his dad grows into but also partially because i really do enjoy watching the sharks. but realistically how many years could YOU make it with your helicopter dad hovering over your shoulder at every moment before you start to realize that this is actually really fucking you up as a person and the only real option is to get out.

[mrpenguinpants]

Omg you're back again hello 👀 how have you been????

Big mood on the "man I wish this author would finish their fic" LOL I've been rereading my own wiring recently and going wtf. Where's the rest of it?

For a limited time only babyyy

But I've been good. Extremely busy but it's okay, the pto is worth it. That's what I keep telling myself at least :) but how are you??? Is anything interesting happening? New developments perhaps 👀

The funny thing is that I've actually been talking with a few mutuals, and they've all told me that they recently went back to re-read their drafts. Maybe it's something in the air or we're all feeling a bit nostalgic? Or because everyone is on break since it's summer.

[reposenotes]

This blog is just a home for what will essentially be “overflow author’s notes” for future chapters of The Purpose of Repose

I tend to get a bit wordy in my a/n’s, and due to vocal readers+the work that goes into writing this fic+life putting gaps between updates, it felt appropriate that I make a separate space to share my thoughts [instead of dumping walls of text on Ao3 — I’m aware not everyone wants to read all of that]. I’ll simply include a link on each new update!

This is just me not wanting to annoy people on Ao3 (or on my main blog, @thirdeyeblue)

Hopefully, you’ve only found this blog because you wanted to 💖

[microwaving-tesilid-argente]

thinking again about my fic writing process and how ailette is just completely absent from it. i think she's just too strong, any story with her in it would turn out happy and well. i have too much faith that canon will turn out completely fine and dandy bc like she's in it, of course tesilid will be completely fine. i literally have to redact her out of the story for me to explore any kind of tesilid whump.

[c0rpseductor]

i don’t even believe in Emet Lives Fixit like that’s not really my bag i just really like when people draw him with the big scar

[orcelito]

starting to think that Sensei just doesnt have a name.

[donkeys-waffles]

I mean it's just chapter 1, but I already feel like this fic was an excuse just for me to write the mental complexities of grief in a traumatized teenager...

IDK.

All I know is that I'm 5000 words in and there's no comfort in sight.