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piastrixpole · 3 days ago

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tattoo my heart - carlos sainz

pairing: carlos sainz x tattoo artist!reader

genre: smau

faceclaim: maggie lindemann

liked by charlesleclerc, carlossainz, landonorris and 838,213 others

f1: it’s a paddock debut here at COTA for the smooth operator’s new body art

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charlesleclerc: looking good mate😉 didn’t think you’d actually go through with it

carlossainz: a bets a bet🙂↕️

landonorris: save a horse🤤

carlossainz: aye cabrón not in public

pierluigi_della_bonna: caliente chili🌶️

user1: god he looks so good with tattoos

user2: fell to my knees in a walmart when they showed them on the broadcast

user3: he is THE Ferrari driver of all time tbh like just look at him😭 he’s like a walking ad (no hate to Charles ofc!!)

scuderiaferrari: that’s our driver🌶️

liked by yourbsf, oliviarodrigo, calumhood and 15,113 others

yntattoo: in honour of race week I’m doing a new f1 themed flash at 50% off this weekend❤️

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oliviarodrigo: gorgeous gorgeous girl💜you’re making me want a tattoo

-> yntattoo: omg please!! it would be an honour my love💜

calumhood: these are sick yn! will need to come and see you again soon

-> yntattoo: cal!! you better

user12: the Ferrari ones?? ok im obsessed😍

user17: making an appointment as we speak

user14: oh to be going to COTA so I could also get tattooed by yn sigh😭

user9: omg imagine if she was the one to tattoo carlos user55

messages

tiktok

transcript:

“carlos you surprised everyone in the paddock this weekend with your new look, what can you tell us about it.”

“well i have been thinking about getting one for a long time and a friend of mine knew a girl who was running a special on f1 tattoos for this weekend so i called over and she did an amazing job.”

“charles, will you be following in your teammates footsteps any time soon?”

“definitely not. carlos of course looks very good but I do not think I could pull it off as well as he does.”

“aye that’s not true cabron, I think a full scale on your chest would be quite eye catching…”

oliviarodrigo posted a story!

(pic 1: best day with my girls tattoyn, yourbsf) (pic 2: 🏎️)

liked by oliviarodrigo, yourbsf, scuderiaferrari and 27,390 others

yntattoo: forza ferrari sempre❤️🏎️ thank you for inviting me scuderiaferrari

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scuderiaferrari: so happy to have you with us❤️you’ll have to come back and give all the team matching tats

-> yntattoo: say less admin🤭❤️

yourbsf: hottieee😍 had the most amazing time with you

-> yntattoo: love you so much girl

oliviarodrigo: ferrari girls🏎️✨

alexandrasaintmleux: it was so lovely to meet you girls❤️

-> yntattoo: you too Alex!!

twitter

carlossainz posted a story!

Replies…

charlesleclerc: finally got the girl?😉

-> you know it mate

yourbsf: take care of my girl

-> I promise Bella

alexandrasaintmleux: that’s MY wife!!

-> stop trying to steal her from me you have Charles

liked by carlospriv, yourbsf, alexpriv, charlespriv, livpriv and 72 others

ynpriv: my man my man my man my man my man my man (ps the tramp stamp is fake…for now🫣)

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yourbsf: iconic, legendary, never been done before

->ynpriv: that’s you💋

alexpriv: my ferrari wifey❤️🥰

->ynpriv: run away with me xx

carlossainz: princesa❤️

->ynpriv: love u papi😼

charlesleclerc: can you give me the tramp stamp next win?

->ynpriv: I’ll hold you to that leclerc

messages

📍mexico

liked by carlossainz, charlesleclerc, yourbsf, oliviarodrigo and 100,346 others yntattoo: who would have though a tattoo appointment would bring me you❤️ congratulations mi amor

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yourbsf: making me believe in love again

oliviarodrigo: omg you’re the mystery girlfriend and not me whaaat!?!

->yntattoo: wait no i thought it was you??

carlossainz: gracias mi amor❤️ couldn’t have done it without you by my side

->yntattoo: ❤️

user33: yn is really living my dream life huh tattooing carlos sainz and then ending up as his girlfriend

user50: wattpad protagonist vibe

user27: I wonder if carlos is gonna get more tattoos from her??

->user92: he shouldn’t be with someone messy and skanky like her, she’s not Ferrari girlfriend material…

liked by landonorris, yntattoo, scuderiaferrari

carlossainz: my good luck charm

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landonorris: the other woman🎶

->yntattoo: hands off my man norris I will punt you into the sun

yntattoo: panties fell off at the sight of you on the top step🤤

->user3: YN??

->user12: i know ferrari pr are screaming rn

->scuderiaferrari: yn🫣👀 training being scheduled as we speak

->yntattoo: boooo!! they hated me for being right😔

#abby's writing #f1 #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #formula 1 fic #f1 smau #f1 x reader #carlos sainz #formula 1 fanfic #cs55 #cs55 x reader #carlos sainz smau #carlos sainz fic #carlos sainz fanfic #carlos sainz x reader

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the-lazyyy-artist · 3 days ago

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Pairing: Kunigami Rensuke x GN!Reader Synopsis: He left as a hero, and he returned cold and heartless. What adventures have made him like this? Would you still love him? Themes: angst, post-WC! Kunigami, set during Blue Lock's two-week break after their win against JP U-20 (chapters 150 - 153), reader is hopeful, Kunigami lost all humanity, established relationship, if you squint a little it's kinda like Epic's OdyPen lmao Author's Note: Epic The Ithaca Saga is ruining my brain chemistry. A mutual and fellow writer already created something like this but I wanna put my own twist on this hehe!

@thebestsetter ✨

Kunigami Rensuke was a hero before he became yours.

He always believed in goodness, helping everyone else, and acting like a big brother to those who needed his guidance. It's no wonder his morals bleed through his play on the field. To win each game fair and square while he showcases his skills. Watching how he turned into a knight in shining armor every time he stepped onto the field, defending his team from the enemy and scoring his goals was mesmerizing.

So, when he was invited to the Blue Lock Program, you weren't so surprised.

"How long will you be there?" you asked him once while you were on his bed, watching him go back and forth around his room, packing a small duffle bag of the things he might need in the facility. "That's something I can't answer right now, love," he replied, "it's something they never clarified in the letter. But let's say 2 or 3 months, give or take."

"Take care of yourself in there, okay? Show them the hero that you are," you reminded him, smiling up softly as he zipped the bag close. He was ready. Ready to face a new adventure, new challenges, and new foes and allies. You can feel the excitement radiating from him. "I will. Then when this is all over, I'm coming home to you with stories from my training."

"You're not leaving me behind, are you?" you teased, reaching for his hand. On his ring finger was a promise ring, the same one you wore. A symbol of his love for you and his promise to marry you. Your fingers gingerly held on to his ring, feeling the rough metal against your skin. "I will never. I'll always take you with me, remember? I'll be back before you know it."

3 days later, he left with a kiss, a promise, and a vision of him taking over the world with his aspirations.

A few weeks in, you received a call from him, happy and excited to talk to you. He told you about the things he's learned, the friends he's gained, and the foes he's made. He spoke about an Isagi, a Chigiri, and a Bachira, and how these people made him feel stronger with how they all blended on the field. You were proud to hear him grow and find friends.

"How did you get your phone anyway? I thought the letter said phones aren't allowed?" You asked him.

"We were given a star system where goals are exchanged for points that we can use for different privileges," Kunigami explained, "I exchanged my first goal for steak, and shared that with Isagi. Now, I exchanged two of my goals for my phone so I can talk to you."

Always so considerate. Your hero never changed despite the changes he's experienced in Blue Lock. With every point he earned, he'd always exchange it for phone time to call you and tell you about his adventures.

Suddenly, the calls stopped.

You're sure Kunigami wasn't the type to never make a goal. Was he getting into harder challenges in there? No matter how hard it was, you knew your hero would never back down.

Right?

It worried you. You kept looking at your phone, waiting for a call. You kept replaying your conversation weeks ago about a possible second selection and how it would play out, and you worried it was even more challenging than the team matches. Would he get out of it alive? Triumphant? Of course! Since when did you start doubting your hero?

You began to twist your ring, anxious about Kunigami as the days went by, each one feeling longer than the last. It's making you sick. He was never the type to just disappear without saying anything.

The announcement of an exhibition game with Japan U-20 made you feel hopeful again. Knowing your hero, he would be part of the starting 11. You saved enough for the tickets for you and your sibling to watch him play live. You were excited about what skill he gained in Blue Lock, and if he improved to be the best version of himself.

But why wasn't he there?

You know Isagi was there... Chigiri... Bachira... but where was he? Where's your hero?

The win was a blur. How can you even cheer for his team when he isn't there? It's impossible that he's benched too. Kunigami was never the type to warm the bench for the whole game. You wanted to ask Isagi... Maybe Chigiri because Kunigami has talked about him the most. Bachira might know too. But it's impossible to reach them, especially with how they disappeared into the building after the game.

"Where are you?" you whispered into the empty stadium.

Maybe it's time to let go. No. Kunigami made it clear that you would never let go. You'll wait for him to call. You'll wait for him to send you some kind of sign. Anything. Letting go is never the answer, he would say if he's beside you. So, with every passing day after the match, you never went anywhere without your phone, hoping soon he'd call.

How cruel must fate be that the only time you let your guard down was on the day he decided to show up?

Your mother opened the door for him, a gasp leaving her lips. She led him to your door and left him to talk to you. From the outside, Kunigami tensed as he wrapped his large hand around your doorknob, hearing your voice spilling out as he opened it slowly. And for a moment, Kunigami would like to believe nothing has changed. For a moment, all he could see was the light he held on to.

There you were, sitting on your desk as you studied with headphones on, singing one of the songs from the playlist he created for both of you to listen to. Clearly, in your little world, you didn't hear Kunigami enter and close your door behind him. Kunigami sighed, and then he opened his lips to say your name.

Oh, it felt like a lifetime since he spoke your name. Kunigami felt a piece of him remembering what it was like to say your name the first time he met you.

"Y/n."

No answer.

"Y/n," he said once more, a little louder. He saw you perk up a little.

You don't know if you're just imagining things or if Kunigami's voice sounded nearer than how you'd usually imagine it on the days you missed him. And then...

"Y/n."

You removed your headphones, standing up so quickly that your chair toppled over and fell to the floor with a thud. In front of you right now was your hero, the man you waited to return. You held your breath for a moment as you took a good look at him. He looks... he looks...

Tired. His build was bigger, but he looked tired. His hair was a thick mop of messy orange, his eyes...

"Rensuke?" You spoke with caution, "Is it you?"

Kunigami felt like he could fall to his knees the moment you spoke. But he wouldn’t allow himself to do so. You stepped away from your desk to walk to him, holding out your hands to touch him, that this wasn't a dream. He was cold, his cheeks, at least.

That was enough to break you. You embraced him, crying and grateful that your hero had returned. "You're back," you sobbed softly, "my Rensuke, you're back to me." You felt him lift his hands, but instead of embracing you, he gripped your shoulders and pulled you away from him. "Y/n," he spoke, his voice ragged but soft, "I'm not entirely back."

"W-what do you mean?" you asked, your teary eyes, wide and confused, looking up to meet his dull orange eyes. This was the first time you've seen him so lifeless. What the hell happened?

"I'm not the Rensuke you once knew. That version of me is gone."

"What?"

"I'm not the hero I promised you to be."

"What... I-I don't understand. What happened, my love?"

Rensuke looked at you with a slight hint of vulnerability. He must not show weakness. It was drilled into him that he'll be ruthless, he'll become irrational if it means becoming the best that the world will see. But with the sight of you, it felt impossible. "They... changed me. I'm not the hero we both envisioned to be. I... I had to become cruel and let go of my beliefs... The Rensuke you fell for because he believed in doing the right thing fair and square is dead.

"That's why I decided you can no longer love me, Y/n. Because I can't."

You're not hearing this, right? Yet, he sounded so sure. His voice was firm, the same one he would use on his teammates.

"Who are you to decide that?" you asked calmly, reaching for his hand again. Your gaze lowered to his hand, callused and tired, yet the ring was still there. A little worn out than the last time you saw it, but he's still wearing it. Your fingers worked on twisting the ring off his finger, causing him to tense up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a hint of panic in his voice. You looked up at him with determined eyes. "You once told me when you got these rings for us that if we no longer love the other, we should remove our rings.

"I'm removing yours for you, Ren."

The ring was almost off his finger when he suddenly closed his hand. You looked up at him, and there he was, the Rensuke you fell in love with. "Don't, please..."

"But you said you can no longer love me," you reasoned, still holding his hand. Rensuke stared at you, his walls slowly breaking down at the reality of what he just told you. A stupid, stupid decision because he can't stop loving you.

The whole time he was in the Wildcard Project, the only thing that made him hold on to the little humanity he had in him was the promise of forever in your arms when he returned. The ring on his finger comforted him on nights when he almost gave up because his dream of becoming the best came from you. He promised he'd bring you with him and that he'd come back to you. So, he persevered and came out triumphant... but at what cost?

"How could you even love a cold-hearted man, my love?" he asked, his voice now a mere whisper, slightly cracking, "I have nothing left in me but the drive to win. I am no longer the warm man you want to be with for the rest of my life. I did all I could inside that facility for us to reach our dream, but they drained me. How can you still love me if I have nothing to give you any more?"

"I would still love you because no matter what, you're mine. You're my Rensuke, the man who made me believe that love as pure as yours exists in this world," you replied, "I don't care how much you've lost in there. As long as you return in my arms, I know a part of you that loves me and believes in us is still in there. I know you're still in there, Ren."

And with that, Rensuke broke down in tears in your arms. The place he had always longed for in the days he felt so alone. The warmth that he always yearned for in the coldest and loneliest nights. He's home. He's here.

"If you didn't care about me, you should've removed your ring a long time ago," you added, "but the symbol of your love for me is still there. A little worn, but I know you still have love for me.

"I've waited for you to return. This is all that matters now."

"I love you," Rensuke said between his tired sobs, his orange eyes sparkling with a little bit of life. He's still in there, the hero you loved is still in there.

"And I love you."

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milesluna · 22 hours ago

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2024 GOTY Write Up

In 2024 I got a full time job for the first time in four years, and you know what? It turns out you don't get to play as many video games when that happens.

And yet, I persisted. I think there was a common theme among my favorite games this year, and it's that I had to meet many of them on their terms. Yes, some whisked me away from the moment I hit start, but overwhelmingly I found myself really clicking with these titles when I paused, reconsidered how I felt the game wanted me to play, and adjusted my pace to meet their intentions.

This year's write up is a bit rushed, but I got it in just before the buzzer! I hope you'll enjoy. If any of you ever want to talk about these games, you know where to find me.

Before we get started, here are my Honorable Mentions:

Crow Country - If a survivor horror game was also a cozy game that ALSO made you laugh.

Batman: Arkham Origins - A gritty origin story where Batman has an ARC?! And he’s kind of a DICK?! Let’s GOOOO!!!

Sonic x Shadow Generations - It's the best Sonic game ever made. Full stop.

Shenmue - A time capsule of a game with disastrous ambition. Both ahead of its time and utterly wrong in what it assumes everyone wants from an open world experience. I love it. Sea of Theives - The perfect game to enjoy with your morning coffee or evening edible. Relaxing if you want it to be, harrowing if you want it to be.

Now…

My Top 5 Games from 2024

#5 - Astro Bot

The best Nintendo game of the year was made by Team Asobi for the PlayStation 5, and baby it’s Astro Bot. There is delightful imagination and a surprising level of polish covering every pixel of this adventure. In fact, I think it’s surprise that winds up being Astro Bot’s greatest strength. Each main stage introduces a novel mechanic that must be mastered, boss fights feature multiple phases that often turn the literal world on its head, and secret challenge stages leave players with nothing more than their basic move set while demanding a level of mechanical precision that would make Super Meat Boy blush. There is no filler in Astro Bot, only a tangible love for the art, science, history, and joy of video games.

#4 - Dragon's Dogma 2

Like Death Stranding, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a game that thrives on friction. Traversing the world is genuinely treacherous and requires careful planning before leaving the (relative) safety of a city or village. Maybe you think you can save some time and resources by spending money on a fast-travel wagon, only for said wagon to be attacked by a gang of goblins… and for that fight with goblins to be interrupted by giant griffin that will pick you up and carry you across the kingdom before you’re able to wrestle out of its talons. When things go wrong on your adventure, and they WILL go wrong, the systems and possibilities spring to life. If you pay attention to your surroundings, though, and listen closely to the many hints the game drops for you, you’ll survive… if only just barely.

#3 - Balatro

I think Balatro is going to be my exercise bike companion for quite some time. This silly game of poker hands and multipliers makes time melt away, almost alarmingly so. I’m actually hesitant to call the game “fun”. “Hypnotic” feels more appropriate. The looping, otherworldly soundtrack, spiraling background, and floating UI elements all seem tailor-made to pull players into a dreamlike trance, and boy oh boy do they succeed.

#2 - UFO 50

Goddamn, what a triumph. UFO 50 contains 50 full-length games that would’ve shared shelves with Super Mario Bros or Dragon Warrior back in the 80s. Just about every prominent genre of that era is represented in this collection, from Shmups to JRPGs. I think my favorite aspect of this game is how it makes you more aware of your own gaming proclivities. Everyone I know who plays this game has a different list of favorites; a different game that “made everything click”. For me, that game was Bushido Ball - a surprisingly complex title where samurai play soccer. Every title only requires the use of 2 buttons, every title has its own “historical lore”, and every title - no matter how obtuse or challenging it seems - is excited for you to uncover its secrets and achieve victory.

#1 - Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 had a well-deserved moment in the spotlight when it first launched. It was a perfect storm of fun that managed to convince players to fully buy into the world of the game and had them gleefully shouting “FOR DEMOCRACY” over and over again. That is an impressive thing to do. I’ll never forget the days when TikTok was filled with “wartime footage” backed by Creedence Clearwater Revival while players urged one another to “join the fight” as if freedom actually depended on it. Then that honeymoon phase passed. But you know what? Helldivers 2 is still my go-to game when I’m looking to have fun with friends within a matter of minutes after sending out the call on discord. The game manages to feed your explosion-fueled power fantasy and SECONDS LATER humiliate you by flinging your worthless corpse halfway across the planet. When I win in Helldivers, it often feels like I barely managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. When I lose in Helldivers, I laugh. Every time.

And now…

My Top 5 Games NOT from 2024

#5 - Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition S

I fear JRPGs. I know myself well enough to be wary of most games that consider 10 hours of playtime an introduction. However, I’m currently experiencing a very unique moment in my life wherein I’m leaving my beloved home and venturing out into the larger world for an adventure. Perhaps that’s why the Dragon Quest XI demo called to me in a way it never had before. I’ve enjoyed spending about an hour with it before bed every night, chipping away at it slowly and letting it charm me with its characters and story. Earlier this year I would read chapters of the Dragon Ball manga before bed, now I feel like I’m finally experiencing life inside of one of Akira Toriyama’s worlds. Since I started playing a few weeks ago I’ve put about 13 hours into Dragon Quest and have only just had the full world map revealed to me. Rather than feeling my usual level of intimidation and disinterest, I find myself excited to see where this adventure will take me next.

#4 - Resident Evil 2 (1998)

A few years ago I finally realized that Resident Evil is my favorite long-running video game series, with the RE2 Remake firmly positioned as one of my favorite games of all time. Replaying the original RE2 over a long weekend was a blast of an experience I won’t soon forget. This campy, pixelated puzzle box of a game managed to get a few genuine jump scares out of me and plenty more smiles. The famous ink ribbon save system was so effective at repeatedly forcing me to ask myself “Can I check just one more room? IS the risk worth the reward?!” As I slowly peeled away the mysteries of Raccoon City, I realized the game I held in my hands was a perfectly tuned, mechanical mouse trap (copyright Umbrella Corp).

#3 - Assassin's Creed: Ezio Trilogy

Outside of AC2, I never quite jived with this franchise, but this year I went through my typical phase of simply wanting to exist in a video game world… and Italy called to me. What happened next, I never could have expected. I devoured the Ezio Trilogy. I had forgotten about the days when “open world games” were significantly smaller and simpler, and by god did it make me realize how much I miss those days. Despite presenting a story with more than a few grating characters and a plot that loses the… plot, these three games made me fall in love with Ezio. It isn’t often you get to spend time with a character from the moment they are born to the moment they die. Ezio’s death and his reflections on his legacy brought actual tears to my eyes. The most interesting legacy of all, though, was the one being forged by Ubisoft at the time these titles were originally released. Seeing video game sensibilities evolve over the course of these three games, for better and for worse, was a fascinating experience.

#2 - Red Dead Redemption 2

You know how I said I like existing in video game worlds? This game world is the best. RDR2 was my hunting and fishing simulator for a few weeks, and then I figured I might as well finally try to finish it. I used to hate how slow this game felt, and then I realized the game was begging me, PLEADING me to slow down. Arthur Morgan and his friends are all running out of time, and there is a wonderful moment when the player and Arthur both realize that the time they have left is more valuable than anything else they have ever chased after in the shrinking West. There’s not much else I can think to say about RDR2 other than that it lived up to the hype. I look forward to returning to it as John Marston from time to time for years to come.

#1 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Remake

I started the year rekindling my love for the WiiU. It’s one of my favorite consoles and there was no better game to bring me back to it than the Twilight Princess HD Remake. I feel like these days there are four types of Zelda games. There are the DS-style games (that nobody likes). There are 2D Zelda games, my favorite of which is Link Between Worlds. There are the two Immersive Sim Zelda games, Breath of the Wild being my favorite of the two. And finally, there are the Puzzle Box 3D Zelda games… and this year Twilight Princess officially dethroned Ocarina of Time as my favorite. Again, this is a game I enjoy simply existing in. It is bursting at the seams with interesting characters, both big and small. I adore the art style and music. I adore the melancholy tone. And (coldest take in the universe) Midna is THE best Zelda companion to ever grace us with her presence. According to my save data, I’d tried Twilight Princess twice in the past and both times I made it to the Water Temple and bailed. Back then, the game just felt like it was trying to be Ocarina. Little did I know that as soon as you emerge victorious from Lake Hylia, the game takes on an entire new personality of its own. And I fucking love it.

#goty 2024 #video games #gaming

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queen-of-hawkins-why-ler · 1 day ago

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It becomes so obvious that Milkvan isn't supposed to be endgame when you compare the development (or lack thereof) of their relationship to Lumax's. Mike and El are supposedly the main characters and "the main couple" of the show, but if this were actually the case, then why wouldn't the writers spend more time developing their relationship like they have developed Lumax's?

Truth be told, Mike and El's storyline does not have much "development" beyond what happens in the show on a surface level. In s1, they meet each other, become friends, and Mike hides and protects El from the people who are trying to harm her. When he loses her at the end of s1, he subsequently misses her a lot in s2 and they spend the season looking for each other. It's very sweet when they reunite, but even so, not a lot is happening with their relationship besides the obvious, which is that they are happy to see each other again.

Contrast this to Lumax in s2, which portrays an actual relationship DYNAMIC that goes beyond a surface level. Lucas likes Max, and Max likes Lucas, but there are so many layers to how they feel about each other and what is actually going on between them. Lucas likes and cares about Max and wants to get to know her better, but he is genuinely afraid for her safety and doesn't want to involve her in the supernatural. On the other side of it, Max is clearly drawn to Lucas the more she gets to know him, but she has a difficult time trusting or opening up to people, especially when she realizes that the boys are deliberately shunning her and leaving her out of the know and AV Club meetings. Not to mention the entire problem of race, wherein Max is afraid of how her racist, emotionally abusive brother is going to react to her becoming intimately involved with a black boy. Needless to say, Lumax from the very beginning is a complex relationship that has lots of layers, while Mike and El's relationship is pretty straightforward: boy loses girl, boy and girl miss each other, boy and girl are happy to be reunited.

While s3 doesn't do a whole lot for Lucas and Max other than showing them being cute together, it does set the stage for s4 Lumax, which beautifully continues the aforementioned themes. In s2, we are introduced to the idea of Lucas wanting to open up Max and allow her to be in the know, but he does so with the fear that she could get herself killed: that he could lose her. Max, too, is unsure about the amount of risk that comes with opening herself up to somebody, and the answer to both of these problems is both characters' worst nightmare: Max getting hurt and them losing each other. We see Lucas trying so hard and doing everything he can to reach out to Max. He loves her so selflessly and wants her to know that he is there for her no matter what, but she is of course still so traumatized from what happened to Billy and scared of what Vecna is doing to her that she struggles to open herself up freely. And when she finally does, she STILL reaps the consequences and is targeted by Vecna. And of course Lucas feels like his worst fears have become a reality, and Max's ultimate fate is a direct follow up to the initial conflict that was set up for Lumax in s2.

Think about how much thought had to be put into creating that relationship for it to not only work but to be well-executed within the show itself. Not to mention that all of these story elements get developed by way of Lumax developing both as individuals and as a couple. We see them succumbing to their fears. We see them growing apart and together. Most importantly, we see them COMMUNICATING. Max pulls away from Lucas because she is afraid, but Lucas pulls her right back in and assures her that he is there for her, he is protecting her, he loves her. Do we see any of this depth for Milkvan? No. Because there isn't any depth.

In what season (or scene for that matter) have we ever watched Mike and El struggle against what they are faced with both individually and as a couple?? Mind you, there have been plenty of opportunities in this story for Mike and El to develop and to take things on together. And in a very literal sense, they DO take on things together, these things are just utterly surface-level and transparent. Mike is scared that people are under or overestimating El and what her powers are capable of, so he bats for her and tries his best to advocate for her and be by her side. Okay, that's great. El, on the other hand, worries that Mike could be holding her back so she tries relying on herself and her newfound best friend for strength (interesting writing choice lmao). Again, great. But what's happening here beyond a surface level? Nothing. There are no subsequent layers to Mike and El's relationship that the show would have us dive into. And if we ARE in fact supposed to dig into Mike and El's relationship, we are only doing so...

To directly contrast the lack of depth in Milkvan's relationship to the depth we see in Mike and Will's relationship. Milkvan hasn't been layered and built up the same way Byler has because they are not a main focus of the story. Byler IS, on the other hand, which is why their relationship is just as fleshed out and developed as Lumax's. Milkvan gets virtually no development beyond a surface level for four whole seasons, meanwhile Byler's relationship shifts and changes again and again. Even from the beginning, when we barely see Mike and Will interact, we are shown that they share a special bond that is contrasted to the platonic friendship that the other boys have, and we see Mike ceaselessly, endlessly searching for Will with no intention on ever giving up (side note: when Mike is missing El in s2, does he ever throw the tantrums he threw for Will or try to get everyone else involved in finding El the way he did for Will?? Does he ever claim to be the "only one who cares about El?" No). When he finds Will, he stays stuck to him like glue and does everything in his power to watch over and protect Will, the same way Lucas does for Max. In s3, we see Mike and Will's relationship get rocky and we see them struggle, but we also see Mike develop and go the distance as far as mending his relationship with Will, which is something we barely see for Mike and El in the same season. And then in s4, we see the ultimate demonstration of Mike and Will literally working as a team, taking on each other's problems, and most importantly, COMMUNICATING about said problems. They check in on each other, they make sure that the other is okay. They are real about their feelings and don't deliberately hide things from one another (besides the fact that they love each other, ofc, which they only feel the need to hide because it is unsafe and because they are afraid of how the other would react). Needless to say, Lumax and Byler are both well-written, fleshed out, and get development. There are many layers to these relationships as well as shifting dynamics and real, relevant plot threads. Milkvan gets none of these things. Probably because their relationship does not go much deeper than "they care about each other." The only thing worth exploring in terms of the depth of their relationship is all the things Mike isn't able to do and the ways he isn't able to be there for El because his priorities lie with Will.

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anniesilverl2 · 1 day ago

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CHARACTER STUDY: Darkwing Duck, Representation of the superhero or the insecure man?

INTRODUCTION

Good morning / good afternoon / good evening, whatever time you are receiving this, I hope you have been keeping up with your sleep schedule, and we are back with some loose ideas for characters in an animated comedy show. I apologize for the delay, it is difficult to have good plans to express the ideas that are lingering in my poor memory. I will probably mention some of my own ideas to explain some information. So be prepared for me to hide parts of the story or make jokes with double meanings among readers and acquaintances of mine who mentioned the entire plot. Without further ado about this post for the holidays, let's face the night duck!

Important warnings about sensitive content: Mentions of likely coping behaviors against bullying or recurrences such as grief and low confidence.

DARKWING DUCK SERIES - Taking everything the show SAYS for itself

Darkwing Duck, aka, Drake Mallard, is the central protagonist of the series' story along with his social circle, both family and local criminals. The series will not have a direct say as it did with the rest of the characters, no, no, that would be too much luck. A conclusion, out of curiosity, of an art project by Tad Stones and Bob Kline called “Double O Duck”. Moving on to the story before, he became a considerably clumsy crime fighter. A visual sample is given in the episode entitled.

“The Secret Origins of Darkwing Duck” was nothing more than a parody of the great Superman, but to summarize the content. The young Drake was sent to Earth by the destruction of his planet along with Negaduck where the young duck spent his time training to face the opposing duck (it's a very short summary, sorry). The parody sequence was cut, in relation to the episode “Paraducks” where Darkwing made a paradox that made his younger self need help from his older self to face a group of troublemakers and shoplifters.

Ironically, this version reunites with the continuation of his childhood to adolescence, following the episode “Crash Reunion” where they confirm that Drake Mallard himself studied and was bullied for a considerable time by the former Megavolt entity, Elmo Sputterspark. In many parts that are searched separately will complicate to a difficult level and to put together independent material is worse Going, but hold on there because I will do you a favour with the notebooks (be careful, I had to cut the technical part so as not to give away spoilers that will be used in the Purple Union AU universe).

DARKWING DUCK FANDOM - Building everything that was formed for the fans together with the most indirect interpretations perceived in my participation when writing or drawing with lore

Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard is a character as popular as the other characters in his cast. Of course, some more and others a little less, however, both the protagonist brings enough mystery and characteristics to attract all types of writers and fans, from the series to the comics from 2010 to 2024. I also love the dynamics and stories involving Darkwing, it has the essence of 80s-90s comedy, the animation is one of the few in Disney's transition period. The story behind the character, however, is what gets me because there is nothing to deepen his life before the series and the comics. All the events that readers get are after his entire life, even more so with some rumours that make you stop and think about what exactly happened to make everything go wrong for DW.

At this point, just like Megavolt, I have some points regarding the development and carelessness of the narrative in addressing some themes. For the character Darkwing Duck, it goes much further than what is done with any other character. The character suffered from what I call the “clean formula.” Why this name? The answer is simple: it is exactly every piece that leads to a direct influence on the character’s mind, and in the next episode it is partially or totally undone to continue with the script of a single episode, which is somewhat exaggerated? Yes, my explanation makes it seem that way, but going deeper, I might be able to convince you of this point.

IN DARKWING DUCK appearing in the episodes:

Darkwing Duck - Series (1990-1991, 3-4 Seasons) -

IN DUCKTALES 2017 appear in the episodes:

The Duck Knight Returns! (Season 2, Episode 16)

Moonvasion! (Season 2, Episode 24)

Let's Get Dangerous! (Season 3, Episode 12)

Escape from the Impossible! (Season 3, Episode 13)

The Last Adventure! (Season 3, Episode 22)

IN COMICS (Boom! Studios and Joe Books):

Darkwing Duck - Series (1991-1996, 48 editions)

Darkwing Duck: "The Quackshot" (1991)

Darkwing Duck: "Danger Time" (1994)

Darkwing Duck: Classics (2011) - IDW Publishing

Darkwing Duck: "The Untimely Terror of the Time Turtle" (2011)

Darkwing Duck: "The Duck Knight Returns" (2010)

Darkwing Duck: "F.O.W.L. Disposition" (2011)

Darkwing Duck: “Toy with Me” (2011)

Darkwing Duck: "Crisis on Infinite Darkwings" (2011)

Darkwing Duck: The Secrets of Darkwing Duck (2011-12)

Darkwing Duck Annual (2011)

Darkwing Duck: "Campaign Carnage" (2011)

Darkwing Duck: Omnibus (2014) - IDW Publishing

Darkwing Duck: The Definitively Dangerous Edition (2015) - Boom! Studio

Darkwing Duck (2016-2017, 8 editions) - Joe Books

DuckTales (1988) - IDW Publishing

Uncle Scrooge (1986) - IDW Publishing

Walt Disney's Comics and Stories (1991) - IDW Publishing

Disney Afternoon (2013) - IDW Publishing

DuckTales/Darkwing Duck (2019) - IDW Publishing

Disney's Hero Squad (2019) - IDW Publishing

Darkwing Duck: Justice Ducks(2024) - Dynamite

DARKWING DUCK/DRAKE MALLARD - Story adapted without extreme spoilers, just adding the changes, ideas on his biological identity and influence:

With the introduction of the character in the Ducktales universe in 2017, there were many doubts. Not only him, however the other characters in his show suffered with the drastic change, involving all the participants and some actors such as Jim Starling, the former Negaduck. Drake Mallard is also an actor, replacing the original Darkwing Duck, who was Mr. Starling. And as we know, the character tried to get revenge and regain his great role of glory. The aspects related to his family are left open regarding the relationships before Launchpad, Fenton and Gosalyn. The changes were not that many, to a certain extent the changes make the character follow the line of his development as in the original series.

Focusing on his future, while the aspects that need to evolve arrive, positively or negatively, as the character has his moments as a hero. Or, in some cases, a not very responsible personality as a night watchman and experience will seek his responsibility as the criminals appear. In the description most often used in some of my or shared ideas, it is Drake Mallard working as a member of the acting team. Either directly as a protagonist or as an employee for effects and preparation for filming, involving everything from makeup, improvisation to editing after filming. When he is no longer active in the studios, since the events of Ducktales “The Last Adventure”, Drake Mallard came into contact with SHUSH due to some missions involving local superheroes and criminals. For now, he tends to work alone to face the big personalities of Saint Canard, he was just a vigilante until the arrival of new characters that can directly affect his way of thinking or acting (for now this part will be cut, but it is related to some future AUs with my help in the main art).

One point that was added is that Drake's childhood significantly influenced many things in his life. His family, especially, and being a little more specific about HIS ABSENCE in his life story, the character here carries many mysteries about how this happened. In the past, together with Elmo, Drake was tormenting so much that he continued in the current storyline. People hardly expect anything good from him. Although, he managed to have good influences. Such as his mention of the old show, it is an idea that I add that the series was originally presented by his father before the events that gave rise to his last events. It is a case of almost hyperfocus / a fascinating on the character, even with the near-death incident for Jim Starling, who previously became an idol. The meaning behind it did not disappear, as it was the memory that gave him his true motivation, even with everyone who does not trust him or sees him as useless (remembering that he had his ups and downs and is not confirming anything). There was a difference in Drake's portrayal of the character, who carries enough for his life and dealing with situations that put him down, very different from Elmo, who carried repressed anger until he exploded in full fury. The point is that the show would have meant much more family than directly the actors involved, not disregarding the event of nostalgia. Of course, Drake is an old guy, although the notes make him about 5 years younger than the original.

DARKWING DUCK/DRAKE MALLARD - Character Design:

Concept art Vs Final Design (Credits to User Acmeoop)

Canon Redesign

DEVELOPMENT:

One fact that I note as responsible for the brief evaluation of most DWD viewers goes far beyond opinion. Even though it influenced a good part of the critics of the time and even today, with how they deal with the program as a whole and even in the approaches given to recent writers (there were some situations of writers coming and going, I recommend doing more research if you are interested in the behind the scenes). The main fact is that I reached a conclusion after reviewing the episodes in English three times, the fact is the script style of the episodes, no, no, calm down! I'm not saying that the episodes made are bad. I love every questionnaire for the writers who didn't drink too much caffeine- I love the style, the fact that I enter is considered the atmosphere of the first pilot of the show.

“Darkly Dawns the Duck” was the first episode I looked for when I still didn't know the program. I initially came from the beginning of the release of Ducktales 2017. A fact that makes me only look for the episodes to review, it is directly about the atmosphere. The first episode mixes the tone of comedy and the tone of seriousness with balance. The scenes in which Taurus Bulba appears have always had an air of villainy worthy of a film by the studio, and without a doubt one of the few in the series that challenge Darkwing Duck's inner concern. Once again, this mood returns in a tone similar to the episode “Steerminator”. My sense of production is affected due to ADHD (and in the current situation I feel like I'm going to leave with another diagnosis, so get ready to deal with an imperative or “inattentive” young woman). Without losing the point, I say that Darkwing Duck could have followed the line of these episodes. Not just the constant continuity made from the comics and double episodes, in general, it would have been a big difference if it were remade in modern times. There is a fan universe that Beatriz (@zelda-cooper) and I made called “Classic” where we redid some changes in the 1990 Darkwing Duck series. One of the main ones was the mood of the episodes, of course, there are still great moments and development thanks to the tone of the comedy and some silly moments of family banter. However, one of the main differences is in the atmosphere and some changes in the events involving the character's life against crime. In the same way that he got some moments right, there were times when he was irresponsible due to his behaviour, an example? We have directly the degradation of his relationship with the main team of the Fearsome Five, there were ugly fights, there were threats. There were also events related to the appearances of these criminals and the main point that I will mention as a bonus is his origin story, yay! So will we have a mini Drake? Yes, my child, feel free to give an excerpt of the ideas that I wrote down in the notebooks for both the shared universes and the LYG AU.

Eliane and Musson Mallard are the names I chose for the characters that represent Drake's parents. The essential information is that Eliane had a job outside the home, and it was thanks to it that she met Musson. And, let's say, this job was not the most conventional for someone looking for a quiet family. Well, here is the first step towards a stubborn personality like Drake's could have been influenced thanks to a rebellious woman after World War II. She had a job, personal items, access to difficult equipment and had such a strong personality and was committed to bringing security to people. Hm? Was it golden with a young protagonist who would confidently lead her story? Yes, Eliane was a mix of a friendly, caring personality for a person who had high confidence and a desire to find solutions. Musson, he was created taking as reference the silliest traits of Drake, the real Darkwing Duck, besides the mask, he was a goofy, clumsy, not very mature or with a sense of being a common person. I hope the small excerpt I removed is understandable. One point I tried to make is that Drake directly had or could have had the influence of a person as eccentric as his future self, but without the “Paraducks” part. In this version, it was his own parents who inspired traits of his older personality. So, where were they both in the end? Unfortunately, as a good writer and artist, we must have the courage to put the blade to the fate of OCs, like Bruce Wayne. The Mallards' deaths are unknown. Drake still doesn't remember them completely, it was right when they left. In this space, so, created the participation of another character called Dap, Daphine Mallard, who was her little brother's legal guardian during his elementary years until the end of high school, and where is she? Unfortunately, the two don't talk to each other for a small reason linked to the X of all the character's relationship conflicts, LACK of communication.

CONSEQUENCES

The only point that raises doubts and raises some questions in the minds of fans is directly related to Drake Mallard's self-destructive personality. Individuals with events marked by high stress or lack of freedom to deal with things go through many things in their lives, and this goes from reality to fiction. Mourning, bullying, low self-esteem and anxiety are the main points that I found when reviewing the character's ups and downs. Maybe it's not so obvious, I thought at first that it was just an idea in my head until I became aware of some thoughts from Darkwing's own artists and writers. Officially or from fan activities, it is an essential fact to relate to the beginning and end of a journey. The problem that marked it was exactly this jump back to the passage of the character's development, the difficulties, and traumas were not completely resolved, they still remain in the imagination and vision of the purple duck.

What makes me believe this is reviewing episodes related to the character's mind. “Dead Duck” is the most famous and once again made characters free to work on these points for the vigilante, but let’s leave my opinions aside and get to the questions. Why exactly did Drake never have the courage to properly fix his past relationships? Who did this directly affect? We see this among everyone with Morgana, their relationship is often cut short due to the recurrence of the lack of communication. Darkwing does not respect his partner’s wishes, interests, and even requests at times, and we regularly see that situations lead both her and him to embarrassment. They think that Gosalyn could escape, in reality it is the complete opposite. Gosalyn clearly carries the hero’s motivational point, his reason for being rises and returns to the fight regardless of his original state. However, “Darkwarrior Duck” is not far removed from the imagination of some and possibly of the child who had to see his father as a worse criminal than the main cast. And it is hardly said between the hero and his insane counterpart. How do they deal with this? The answer is that we rarely have direct answers in the show, and this does not fail to bring thoughts for the fans to make.

RELATIONSHIPS

In the end, Darkwing Duck is a show chosen for children, as every company does with its cartoonish characters. However, here are some things from the point of view of a slightly older fan. The main characteristic of posts like this is to bring something original from a different line. According to the observations they left, whether serious or not. Between the lines of the show, those involved in writing Darkwing Duck still brought great things that can be used in the imagination for the present day. Feel free to disagree or correct some points, just like any artist. I am open to having opinions to develop and have better results. The character's relationships vary mainly according to the author's objective. One pattern, by chance, is the perception of how much could be deepened how much Darkwing Duck relates to his family and friends. How close he is and his strengths and weaknesses, even with all the duck's appreciation for them. Also, the parallel of his personality with the fearsome ones, there are some characteristics that have a sequence of being too specific with the opposing choice, some ideas below.

CREATIVE WRITING: What ideas can be worked and how can each one fit in?

RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SUPER VILLAINS:

The best place to start is with the lowest expectations, when there is a group against the character's difficulties. Do you remember when I said that you could explore the superhero's similarities and differences with his villains? I'll give you a less visible example: Quackerjack. The character can be a counterpoint directly related to his stubbornness and inability to change, as he gets into his mind and is seen in episodes that require dealing with new information or new relationships. The same reasoning goes for Liquidator, and his greed. The mutant's character is directly related to greed for objects, but Darkwing could very well be related to indirect greed, the accumulation of things, his interests versus the needs of others. Did the examples help? In this regard, just take the opportunity to play around with how well his dynamics can work to maintain his stability and sense of duty. At the same time that he needs to face figures that remind him how close he is to being someone as crazy as evil, he has the strength and skills to his advantage in the fight. As far as it can serve for other points, such as the degradation or approximation of their dynamics, feel free to here.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS:

Gosalyn is her daughter, despite being adopted, she is everything to her character, she is her motivation, her responsibility, and the fact mainly of some episodes. Her concern for her safety, from the smallest to the biggest troubles that she follows looking for help, her only relative, Drake Mallard under the mantle of Darkwing Duck. Their dynamic has many moments of comfort and affection, as well as learning over the course of some episodes. Sometimes, will she ever grow up, and how long will it take until she wants her independence? Will Darkwing/Drake be okay knowing that she can follow in their footsteps after so many arguments? There are many approaches to be made, from the adoption process, the trust being established, to the moments when both get into arguments due to lack of communication and. Speaking directly about this, Morgana Macawber was said to be the character's final romantic partner. Having only one problem that leads to many others, does Drake trust her? Does Drake really care about trying to bring her the comfort and trust that she deserves? Of all the episodes, inconsistency, and fights more than support and support, but how would it be working on its point? Did the two resolve it? Will Drake and Morgana be sincere enough to be reciprocally boyfriends, or a step further, as married? And what is the mother-daughter relationship between the witch and the hockey troublemaker like? Dig deeper! This is the best idea to play with, and there are no answers other than those I agree with when discussing with others. The dynamic also applies to friends, they can either have access or none of your identity.

NON-INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH STRANGERS:

The point that begins another similarity with some Fearsome, this time to the beloved Bushroot, Darkwing Duck is not great at keeping things private or completely safe unless necessary. One point that marks the attention sensor is his need for approval to a significant degree. However, what would it be like for the character when there are still no people who care about him beyond the closest ones, who are his friends and family? The development of a prepared hero is when he recognizes his ability as a guardian for people, but still knows what is important to keep everyone safe. Well, those he can reach, remember the brief end of Bud Flud, right? Of course, there wouldn't be all the responsibility of the character, however… if Darkwing Duck was responsible for some problem or mistake to someone innocent? How much would the common people not pull his feet? If all the attention and admiration he wanted to get were enough to make him worried and even panic about having his head on the news posts, “Is Darkwing Duck truly an ally or a threat to propagating these lunatics with powers?” Don't be afraid to be creative or a little dramatic, it is a point that allows for many points to be explored regarding the common personality and how one or the other influences the fate of Drake Mallard.

INTERESTING REFERENCES FOR YOU TO PICK YOU TO PICK UP FOR THE CHARACTER

Batman / Bruce Wayne of DC Comics

The Shadow of Detective Story Hour

Blitzo "Blitz" Buckzo of Helluva Boss

Rose Quartz / Pink Diamond of Steven Universe

CONCLUSION

For now, that's all, I got tired of editing again and, along with that. Unfortunately, I was out of ideas of how to organize this, especially having to remove all the points that gave too much revelation to the story in planning. I hope I have answered your request well enough, what do you think of the next Liquidator being? I have some ideas for revamping the future post. Leave your opinions open, I would love to see what you think of this clumsy vigilante, see you? BYE-EEEEE!

#darkwing duck #ducktales #darkwing duck au #ducktales au #disney duckverse #duckverse #drake mallard #character study #additional ideas #headcanon

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virsancte · 3 days ago

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List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore ♥♥♥

give it up for my MALEWIFE!!!! some facts abt zakhar sidorov :3

zakhar is extremely self-conscious about his ability to take care of anything considering his clear inability to do so with himself and always turns down angel's suggestions to get a pet, pretending he doesn't like them very much. whenever they visit the farm though he spends most of his time there outside playing w/ the baby goats and has convinced their father to teach him how to milk a cow lmao their visits to chestnut ridge are also the only reason why he doesn't look paler than a ghost anymore. he used to avoid going out so much he straight up looked Dead

he can sleep anywhere. most often he sleeps curled up on the bean bag in their living room. he always acts like it's completely fine. his aching back tells a different story

he's a born mathematician. when he's not out partying or rotting in his bed for days, he likes to listen to public lectures on youtube from various mathematicians & physicists - and when he's feeling really bored, he just pirates math textbooks to solve them for fun. he's kind of insane ngl. IMAGINE DOING MATH FOR FUN?? <- (guy who would absolutely do math for fun)

speaking of academia, zakhar absolutely refuses to even try going to uni to actually do something with his life because of his history of almost getting kicked out of school every year. it was always due to absences. he's the kind of person that can glance over the material a couple times and still pass an exam, so he never actually failed anything. the fear of failure remains deeply rooted in him regardless.

he's a massive introvert that doesn't like being around people, but nonetheless has a great love for humanity as a whole, especially children. and children love him. even though he has a resting bitch face and, according to a lot of people, a "vaguely malicious aura".

bonus: his theme song is wrecked by coma cinema. the entirety of blue suicide to be honest omg i almost forgot. white trash VHS by coma cinema as well. and that entire album too. basically: all of coma cinema's discography

#ask #thank you for sending!!#also i will get to the other ones today or tomorrow i've just been kind of absent from simblr lately.

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mifluffy-thoughts · 22 hours ago

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MLQC & LaDs Comparison: Sylus and Gavin

This is the first post in my planned series comparing the LIs of LaDs to the ones from MLQC. I am doing this as InFold has already shown they have a few things they tend to gravitate towards in their writing, and common themes between the two stories can help better understand both and possibly even come up with theories. Originally, I planned to do a comparison between Sylus and all the MLQC LIs, but I just had too many things to talk about with these two so I'm going to do it one by one. For clarity's sake, the MLQC MC will be referred to as P!MC (producer MC) and the LaDs MC will be referred to as H!MC (hunter MC).

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING FOR BOTH GAMES

General Stuff

Sylus and Gavin are practically polar opposites if looked at from afar. Sylus is a criminal, Gavin is a cop. Sylus loves fancy suits, Gavin absolutely hates them (even if he looks great in them :3). Sylus's main colors palette-wise are black and red, Gavin's are blue and white. Sylus has very particular tastes and will barely touch anything he finds to not be "good enough" (you will not catch this man wearing Shein) meanwhile Gavin just wants his stuff to be functional. Sylus does not have the best musical abilities, while Gavin can play the guitar and sing on-tune. I could go on and on about the things they are complete opposites in, and they are on a surface level, but there's a lot more to look at with these two. Dates and Birds

The first thing that came to mind while I was thinking about this is the fact that they have dates that are terrifyingly similar in concept. When I was reading Sylus's Nightplumes memoria, my jaw hit the fucking floor. The concept is fairly simple. H!MC finds an injured dove and asks Sylus to take care of it when she has to leave Linkon. When she returns, they have a cute romantic moment when they meet up and when they free the dove.

Now, let me tell you the concept for Gavin's Brilliant Date. This date is attached to a card from an event in which the player had to log in daily and do a small task to eventually get the free SSR card. The story behind the event is this: Gavin finds an injured dove and begins taking care of it, however he gets a mission and has to leave, so he asks P!MC to take care of it. The date attached to the card shows their meet up once Gavin comes back and the romantic moments that takes place before, during and after they release the dove.

Sound familiar?

While the romantic moments that take place in the dates (as in, the scene with the snow and fireworks for Nightplumes and the window and rooftop scenes for the Brilliant Date) are very different, the overall concept is practically identical, the roles are just switched. And listen, I don't know if "nursing an injured dove back to health while the character who first found the bird is out of town" is a common trope in Chinese VNs (I have only played LaDs and MLQC. I tried Tears of Themis, it wasn't my jam), but in all other otome games that I've played, and I've played a lot, I have only seen this happen in these two occasions. Please correct me if I'm wrong, tho.

Now, what does this imply about the connections between these characters? Well, I feel like this was mainly just to strengthen both of the characters' bird connections, as they are both associated with birds. Sylus's bird association is much more concrete, with the crow imagery basically being yelled at us every other second. Gavin, on the other hand, is much less connected with one bird but rather all birds (that can fly). Gavin acts a lot like a bird- he eats everything with little complaint, he prefers to enter P!MC's apartment through the window, he is very curious and often gets into shit he shouldn't. As such, these two dates serve to highlight these two characters' "birdiness". Tracking MC and Protectiveness

You read that right, both of these characters track MC (with her consent, ofc), albeit in different ways. Sylus tracks H!MC via Mephisto and Gavin tracks P!MC using his Evol (although at first he tells P!MC it's through a GPS tracker in the bracelet he gifted her, probably because this was only a few hours after she found out Evol existed and didn't want to freak her out even more and to have a easy way to identify her). The reason they track MC is the exact same, to keep her safe. Both of them know their MC is being targeted by dangerous forces, and they are unwilling to risk her getting into danger.

However, there is one major difference in the ways they track MC that show a key difference in their protectiveness. Due to Mephisto having a camera and microphone, Sylus doesn't just know where H!MC is, he also knows what she's doing and what she's saying. This gives him a perfect image of what she's up to and, more importantly, who's around her. Sylus knows H!MC is in extreme danger not just because of her Evol and the aether core and whatnot, but also because she's involved with him. She's a target for countless of people. Not only that, she's a hunter. Her job puts her life on the line constantly as she fights to protect Linkon from wanderers.

Sylus knows how reckless H!MC can get if it means saving others. He's experienced that first hand. He knows the lengths she went to just to save him. Of course, we all know how that ended, since he was willing to do the same. But H!MC way back when they first met didn't love anyone aside from him. Now, there's so many people she loves, and he's terrified of that being used against her in any remotely similar way to how it was used in the past. Gavin, on the other hand, only knows where P!MC is. From what I gather, his Evol lets him "feel" what's in the wind. The bracelet was probably just a way for him to easily know that it's her since it's one-of-a-kind. Once he got used to how she felt, he didn't need it anymore. And while he may be protective of her, and he may be terrified of what could happen to her, he has much less to fear than Sylus.

Unlike Sylus (so far), Gavin knows he's not the only one looking out for MC. At the bare minimum, he knows Lucien will protect her, and implications from chapter 18 show that he might also be aware that Victor and Kiro are also looking out for her. And those are just the strongest. Minor and Anna are also keeping her safe in their own ways. Gavin will protect her the most he can, and is willing to go to any lengths to keep her safe, but his worry is much less about who could be a danger to P!MC, it's about what. When P!MC is about to get shot, who saves her? Gavin. Because he knew where she was and he could feel both the sniper and the bullet. And this happens twice. When P!MC is falling from Loveland TV Tower, who saves her? Gavin. Because he could feel her falling and could save her quickly. And in all but one of these situations, Gavin isn't the only one keeping P!MC safe. The first time someone tries to shoot her, Lucies further protects her with a force field. When P!MC is falling, Kiro is making sure Black Swan doesn't get to her.

So yeah, this is something where they are both extremely similar and also very different.

MC Saving them Through Music

The way Gavin's Evol awakened is pretty iconic (if you're in the MLQC fandom). For those who are unaware, Gavin fell off the roof of his and P!MC's high school. Unless something miraculously broke his fall, he was going to die. But then he heard P!MC playing the piano. Something about the tune she was playing awakened the Evol within him, allowing him to fly by controlling the around him. This made a ton of gingko leaves fly around him, and he was able to survive. Had it not been because of P!MC's song, he would have died.

Then there's Sylus. The way her song saved him is in a much less physical sense, but it was because of her song that he was not only able to begin understanding human emotion, but also get the will to survive for long enough to save H!MC. When he first hears the song on the organ, he is genuinely moved. Up until that point, he thought he was basically unable to feel anything aside from desire. Whether it was the desire for acceptance, the desire for gold or the desire for revenge, that was all he knew. But the song made him feel something different. When he was injured to near-death, it was that song that gave him the will to live. Of course, we all know how this story ends.

Honestly, both of these moments are extremely heart breaking. Neither Sylus nor Gavin really cared about their own lives. Sure, Sylus pretended he was happy just collecting treasure and getting revenge on those who trapped him, but he was absolutely hated by everyone. As soon as his horns started growing, his world fell apart. Everyone attacked him, everyone thought he was a monster and he hated it. And then Gavin was made to feel like dirt by his father. The only reason Gavin was alive was to protect his mother and his brother, but eventually he lost them both. And as soon as his father saw any potential in him, he became just another pawn in his games. Music reminded both of them that there's more to life then just surviving.

Other Stuff

To wrap it all off, I'll just list some other things I noticed about these two that are worth mentioning but don't have enough juice for me to write paragraphs and paragraphs of.

Both of them went through some kind of "rebirth". Gavin had his rebirth with his Evol awakening (keep in mind he thought he had no Evol as far as I'm aware) and Sylus had his dragon rebirth

Both of them learn that justice isn't as simple as it's made out to be in the worst way possible. Sylus through how he was hated by everyone due to being a dragon and how P!MC was tried in court and Gavin through basically his entire arc in S1

Both of their backstories are heavily linked to a plant. Gavin has the ginkgo while Sylus has the datura

Both of them are often perceived to be cruel or monstrous by others, especially when they were younger

Both of them have several occasions where their MC has to patch up their wounds

And that's it! Hope you enjoyed this very thorough comparison. Up next will probably be Zayne and Gavin because I just cannot stop thinking about their similarities. No promises, tho! -Fluffy

#lads #lads sylus #love and deepspace #mr love gavin #mr love queen's choice #sylus #sylus qin #l&ds sylus #lnds sylus #sylus love and deepspace #l&ds #mlqc #gavin bai #bai qi #mlqc gavin

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karmanun · 19 hours ago

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Isha: A writer’s musings

Tw mentions of suicidal ideation, depression

Maybe a little late to the conversation, but you’ve mentioned in a couple of your others posts that Isha somewhat puzzles you, so I wanted to share my two cents, because Isha confused the hell out of me at first two.

I have always been a fan of the idea of Jinx becoming a parent/parental figure with Lux just because of how important a theme parenthood is in her story, there has always been something incredibly poetic about it all coming full circle, so while I was certainly intrigued to see Jinx actually depicted in a parental/older sibling role in S2, it sort of felt like it was happening too quickly? Like, shouldn’t Jinx have more time to grow and figure herself out a little before being a role model, especially to such a young girl?

However, the more a thought about it the more I realized what a genius move it was. Many people picked up on how Isha heals Jinx’s inner child - she even says it herself:

- “I had a different name back then you know. Powder. Stupid, right? I thought I was rid of her for good, but… you kind of remind me of her.”

But it’s more than that. Jinx is simultaneously coming to accept her role as a symbol to the Zaunites (a role which makes perfect sense: Vander kept the peace but also upheld the status quo, Silco furthered the movement but walked all over the very people he claimed he wanted to free to do it, Jinx was the first person to actually make a move) but it’s a struggle for her. Jinx has never been a “big picture” person - while I have no doubt that she believes in the cause, given everything Piltover took from her, she operates mainly off of emotional reponses and impulses. Her world is limited to her inner circle of family and she has trouble empathizing with anyone outside of it. She was already someone who was driven by personal connection. Throw in severe suicidal ideation and naturally she needs more than simply a grand cause to accept her role as a symbol.

Isha fulfills that missing piece. She is the personal connection Jinx needed to drive her towards something new. Jinx wouldn’t have cared about being Zaun’s hero, but the fact that she is Isha’s hero is what convinces her that there might be something to it.

“Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?”

Boom, I have the character figured out!

Except…

What in the cheezits frick was this about???

Now, from a storytelling perspective: do I think Isha’s death was necessary? Of course not. Do I think it was worthless? Also no.

To figure out what is going on here, let’s back up and explain what S2 was doing with Jinx (because although Isha is my precious baby gremlin with an explosive personality and I love her, from a writing perspective she is primarily a narrative device for Jinx’s arc). My take is:

If Jinx’s arc in Season 1 is about accepting that she is “Jinx” ie she can never go back to the girl she was before, then her Season 2 arc is about learning that “Jinx” can mean whatever she wants it to mean. She gets to decide what that means, no one else. As we discussed above, Isha is the one who truly helps her to understand that - this little girl who never knew Powder, only Jinx, and still sees a hero, a friend, family in her - helps her see she can be more than the destructive force of chaos Silco told her was perfect.

So when Isha died and Jinx fell back into depression and suicidal ideation, it sort of seemed like it was all for nothing - like the lessons she learned through Isha were lost, and that having Ekko replace Isha as the one who helps her accept her new identity was, as you put it, “shipping wish fulfillment”. However, I slowly came to realize that just wasn’t true.

youtube

As somewhat of a side note, this video really helped me understand what was going on with the Ep. 9 opening, the AU, and Ekko’s character arc in general. The basic gist of it is that he redefines his views on the potential of the present (something the Z-Drive is symbolic of) and therefore of Jinx’s potential. After Isha’s death Jinx falls back into her old, dark mental state, but not because Isha’s lesson is lost: because that is a human response to such a horrible tragedy, and frankly I commend the writers on not shying away from that.

My interpretation of Jinx and Ekko’s interaction in Ep. 9 isn’t that he’s able to pull her back from the brink because he’s her savior or because they’re just so in love, but because the fact that even the very person who gave up on her, spent years despising her, and tried to kill her multiple times (for justified reasons) was able to redefine the way her saw her was a jarring reminder that Isha’s lesson was not, in fact, lost - that there is still more to her than just a jinx.

I think that’s why Jinx chooses to live. I think that’s why she chooses to break the cycle not by killing herself but by taking a chance on something new. Ekko being able to change the way he saw her, enough to take a chance on the good she could still do, was the final nail in the coffin that was her journey of self-growth Isha led her on. Just because Isha was gone didn’t mean the person she saw in Jinx also had to be.

Now, I don’t think Isha had to die for Jinx’s arc to reach this same conclusion. They were very clearly careening towards it anyway. I can’t say for sure why the writers chose to go down that route (other than the obvious answer that they love to torment us) but I still believe they got something powerful out of it.

Jinx chooses to live, for her little girl.

Jinx's mental health musings, again.

I think calling a severely traumatized person struggling with mental illness 'broken' or a 'monster' is part of the problem, no matter how violently she's lashing out at the world. So many people in Jinx's life wrote her off as 'broken' 'monster' 'too far gone', and that just made it worse for her at every point.

Vi and Ekko just wanted Powder back, so hard they each were literally ready to murder her until some reminder of her 'Powder' side stopped them, and Silco leaned into enabling her 'Jinx' persona, and all that did was force her to choose between two parts of her psyche mostly constructed by other people's expectations, instead of reconciling with herself.

It took until the very end of S3 and a whole jaunt into another timeline and a romance with an AU version of his childhood crush for Ekko to see that maybe he shouldn't have written her off.

The only people who loved her unconditionally were Isha and Vander... ...and arguably Sevika, in a grumpy auntie who sort of wants you to lead a rebellion for her kind of way. Even AU Powder is hiding her trauma from losing Vi and stifling her own genius to please others and be their support girl. It's no surprise that Jinx is at her most healed, authentic and whole when she is with Isha.

She still had a long way to go, but that was when she felt the most 'complete' to me. She was healing herself on her own steam, taking her own steps to reach out to her sister and reunite with her father. To become the hero, not just for the kiddo who looked up to her, but for herself as well.

The writers taking that away from her just so Amanda could have her shipping wish fulfillment plot will burn in me forever.

#anyways sorry for singling you out as an excuse to ramble #I have thought way too much about this #jinx #jinx arcane #isha #isha arcane #jinx and isha #ekko #arcane #ramblings #Youtube

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trappedinafantasy37 · 23 days ago

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One of the things that had my mind spinning for a while is that in the Shadowheart origin, if you reject Shar, Minthara will apologize. She will believe that she and the rest of the companions held Shadowheart back from achieving her destiny. She blames herself for Shadowheart making a choice completely on her own, thinking that Shadowheart's concern for herself and others held her back. Minthara feels it to be her fault that Shadowheart is not as powerful as she could be and she is to blame for Shadowheart walking away from her destiny. Minthara sees herself as having failed for Shadowheart making the choice that she did.

I know it is cut content and cannot really be considered canon, but she does something similar in the breakup. Where she's yelling at Durge and asking why they rejected Bhaal. And Durge can tell her it's cause they love her. When the breakup was slipped in, I was initially so angry because Minthara calls Durge stupid for choosing love over power (when Minthara herself chooses love over power). Especially since the breakup happens like 10 minutes after the alurlssrin confession where she says the two of you have an unbreakable bond. I used to be so confused on why she would be so upset that you actually loved her. Then I realized that she's not upset that you love her. She's upset cause she fears that your love for her held you back.

Even though she sees you as her equal, she keeps putting herself as less than you. Where your wants and desires are more important than her own, and your greatness should be put above any affection you have for her. She wants you to love her of course, but she does not want to be what holds you back from reaching for power. To Minthara, power is safety and she has never felt safe. She wants you to keep elevating yourself cause the stronger you are, the safer you will be and by extension, the safer she will be. So you picking her over power means you are less safe and by consequence, she is less safe. And as much as Minthara loves loves, she needs to be safe first. It's why it seems like she keeps making the same dumb mistakes over and over, getting herself into precarious situations. It isn't because she's necessarily blinded by love, but she feels her proximity to power should keep her safe.

I also had a discussion with someone on Reddit, talking where it almost seems like Minthara keeps putting herself in positions of servitude, despite having some pretty ambitious goals involving world domination. We are talking about someone who has been a servant of Lolth her entire life. She tells us she was raised to be a soldier in Lolth's army and that was all she was meant to be. For 200+ years she was a servant and has never been anything else and doesn't know how to be anything else, and I believe she is too afraid to try to be anything else.

As a paladin, she was responsible for keeping social order, follow the word of whatever Priestess was in charge and enacting Lolth's will, partake in surface raids, and kill any of Lolth's enemies. There was very little room for her to achieve what she wanted, because Lolth had to come first. And even if there were things she wanted for herself, they still ultimately had to please Lolth in the end. Her time in the Absolute is no different. She just swaps the Absolute for Lolth and keeps up with the same shit (although she is too brainwashed to tell). So of course she is stunned when Lolth abandons her and the Absolute attempts to kill her and throws her deep into a crisis of faith. 200+ years of service has always bought her safety, until it didn't. So when you come along, she just swaps you for the Absolute. Telling herself, "I just need to be better than I was for the Absolute, better than I was for Lolth, and I should be okay." And her little rant about the gods, Lolth, Bhaal, the Absolute. Minthara is not anti-god. Minthara is anti-gods who do not reward their followers for their service. Because to her, service should be rewarded with something (other than death). She plays both sides when it comes to Shar because although she does think Shar is a poison in Shadowheart's life and believes Shadowheart is better off without Shar, at least Shar did reward Shadowheart for her service by making her a Dark Justiciar and elevating her to Chosen.

You would think she'd learn, but she doesn't. Not because she's stupid, but because her basic need for safety isn't being met. And so be fair, her "mistakes" with Lolth and the Absolute were relatively recent. So she keeps pushing people down the path of ruin and never going down the path herself directly, thinking that if she helps you become powerful, she will be safe. Where if she stands beside as you walk down this path, you will reward her for her service. Where she does not believe you would betray her because she helped you get that power. Where she thinks her service to you should buy her safety. Because to her, the most important thing she can be to you is useful. And she is terrified of being useless. So she provides you with unbreakable loyalty, devotion, and servitude, (and perhaps love). Where she will help you achieve your ambitions, whether it be to become a Dark Justiciar, the Vampire Ascended, the Slayer, or a god. Her path to safety, and greatness, and true power is forever lost to her down in the Underdark. So all she can do is help you walk down yours.

She keeps doing the same stupid shit over and over, making the same mistakes with people over and over, cause her fundamental need to safety is never being satisfied. And her service to various gods and entities technically did buy her safety, but only for an unknown period of time. And when she loses that safety, she thinks that the problem is her. That she was punished because she was not a good enough servant. That if she was a truly good servant, she won't lose your safety and your protection. And she thinks love interferes with your perception of her as a servant. She wants you to see her as a loyal servant first, lover second, because the only things in her life to be truly rewarded was her service, whereas her love got punished.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #minthara #minthara baenre #evil murder kitten #it seems like the endings where she is truly doing things for herself is the underdark and baldur's gate ending #but she doesn't seem particularly happy with her underdark ending as she is very much afraid that she is going to die and is going insane #i adore the avernus ending with karlach - but she is going to avernus *for* karlach #but karlach is especially unique because karlach does not have a power grab related theme to her story #and karlach doesn't particularly seem to care about power or achieving power #so her doing stuff *for* karlach is also a choice she is making for herself as going to avernus is not to make karlach more powerful #but to keep her alive #her being a paladin also means she will innately be in service of someone else or do things on the behalf of someone else #and a lot of paladin oaths seem to break the moment the paladin puts their own goals and ambitions above their oaths #and even she feels a sense of freedom if she becomes an oath breaker and prefers being one #minthara only starts putting herself first after you show her that she can - and that it isn't so scary #that eternal servitude is not a requirement for safety and affection #and it becomes clear that her sticking by your side in the end - even when you reject power - is no longer to seek the need of safety #but because she genuinely does love you even if you are not as powerful as you could be

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geraskierfanficprompts · 8 months ago

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Prompt 23

Jaskier wishes on dandelions every time he sees one. He wishes for inspiration, his hair to look nice during this next performance, his rivals to lose, Geralt to be unwounded in his next fight, he wishes, he wishes, and he wishes. One day, he wishes that Geralt would love him back. When Geralt starts being nicer to him in what Jaskier can only assume is his awkward attempts at flirting, Jaskier begins panicking over the possibility his wish came true and he unintentionally brainwashed his friend into feeling romantic feelings for him. Geralt, meanwhile, is wondering why Jaskier has flirted with him for a decade at the least but suddenly seems so confused at Geralt's courting attempts.

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4lexnilsen · 2 days ago

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“but what, little cat? we’re allowed to hang out and study together. i mean, as long as you want to,” alex clarifies with a sheepish smile, reminding himself that they’re just friends so why would they want to hide and never spend time alone? “helena and alexander. it has a nice ring to it. like bonnie and clyde,” he laughs, using his free hand to adjust his scarf in a feeble attempt at concealing the rosiness that’s slowly but surely overtaking his face. helena and alexander. two old-fashioned yet timeless names. maybe they do belong together after all. “yeah, that does scream OCD, doesn’t it? my other friend’s parents also had a theme. all of their children’s names start with the same letter. what’s it like being the only child, hm? must be nice, never dealing with this b-u-l-l-s-h-i-t.” he wouldn’t trade his brothers for the world, obviously, but there are days when he gets curious. is it lonely? or peaceful? listening intently as she tells him the story of how her parents came up with her name, a soft smile blooming on his lips. “i’m sorry to hear that. the part about your grandparents and how your dad had to go through something so terrible at such a young age, how that affected him.” he lost one parent and still hasn’t fully recovered, even if he would never admit it out loud. let alone two. such a tragedy. “but that’s such a beautiful story, a really special meaning.” his shining light in the darkness. the name surely fits because that’s exactly what helena is to alex as well — a lighthouse always guiding him home. “oh, so after your grandparents’ death, he just kind of stepped up and took care of your dad?” like a legal guardian? “he must be a good man, then.” better than most. no wonder he’s still in the picture and means so much to both helena and her father. “i’ve never been to europe but i’d love to go one day. italy sounds super nice. poppy and i wanted to go to paris last summer, but we didn’t really have the money for that so we settled for canada. vancouver island. a beautiful place.” he doubts he can impress a girl like helena wayne with a trip to canada, but he doesn’t want her to think he’s some uncultured hillbilly who barely travels across state lines.

“well, harry doesn’t seem to like me very much,” he sighs, simply stating the obvious. if the other guy, colby, reports what he’s seen back to harry, the two of them laughing and holding hands, it surely won’t make the other guy happy. the sad part is — alex couldn’t care less about harry’s feelings or pride being hurt, but he is her boyfriend, after all. he could try to ensure alex doesn’t get see helena as often, could try to throw a fit and guilt helena into cutting him off. that’s the one thing his heart wouldn’t be able to handle. his head snaps up at the sound of colby’s voice, the mere sound of it so very annoying. nails on chalkboard. it has alex regretting not exiting the rink immediately as well. lovebirds. for a split second, he wonders whether it’s just harmless taunting or they’ll end up throwing punches. taking another look at him, he thinks he could take that colby guy down. pale blue eyes throwing daggers. fingers curling a little tighter around helena’s, keeping her in place as she attempts to lunge forward. before he can say anything, though, she’s already roasting the guy and he’s skating away, laughing like the idiot that he is. “come on, miss eighty pounds of pure fury, let’s get you some churros before you break the guy’s nose.” he laughs, curling an arm around helena’s shoulders and guiding her towards the nearest exit. there’s a bench nearby so they’ll be able to take off their skates and and change into regular boots. “we should have asked him to take a picture of us, give him something to show harry what lovebirds we are. poor guy clearly doesn’t understand boys and girls can be just friends,” he huffs, rolling his eyes as he helps the raven-haired girl sit down.

"no, but..." kind eyes flicker up on his face, mind buffering, before a bashful smile takes over her visage and a sheepish laugh escapes. but it just seems illegal. "okay, i'll do so then." smiling sweetly, that'll be no problem at all since she likes saying it. secretly. "that's not weird, maybe they're just... ocd." she gently laughs, pretending it's not as weird as it really is. doesn't want to insult his parents decisions on that. "it means light or radiance. my dad didn't think he'd ever have children, felt he didn't deserve them, had fears... all of it stemming from his parents dying when he was younger, so he's dealt with a lot darkness and when mom found out she was pregnant he suggested helena. because 'i was his shining light in his darkness'." helena recites, a small smile approaching back on her face after telling the sad parts of the story at how sweet the ending is. "he's more like... my dad's father he never had. and my grandfather." she replies, deciding not to say butler. some things need kept as an enigma. "i just know." a smirk, from experience; but again... keeping things mysterious about herself. "maybe, maybe not." the answer is yes but she also doesn't want him to know more things that give away to lead her to being labeled as 'spoiled'.

"sorry, alexander cander, i can't help it." to be so tensed and worried about eating ice for dinner. "we shouldn't be in trouble with harry," even if they are. her face keeps blushing and she's blaming it on the cold arctic air turning her skin pink. "harry decided to hang at the lounge with the guys. you showed. he didn't." helena points out, trying to make herself feel less guilty. which is true. "hmmm, that'll make them even better." the sauce. "dulce de leche is one of my favorite flavors." she's excitedly informing, getting lost in another round of skating because she doesn't really want to leave yet. but she should've trusted her intuition. "so what's the rush love birds?!" colby comes back up on them and helena nearly jolts, turning to glare at him as she sees him and his girlfriend giggling at her and alex. they've caught up as the ZOOM by. anger starting to boil this time, UGH, she's pulling alex in their direction to grab their necks until she realizes she can't let go of him because without his support she'll risk falling. these stupid skates! "they're LUCKY. you know? i was aiming to grab them both." subconsciously squeezing alex's hand in anger, other hand balled in her mitten, ready to hit colby in the back if he hadn't moved away so fast. yelling after him instead while still trying to scoot her feet quickly, "what's the rush, COWARD?!" throwing his own words back at him.

#batheir #pls i love alex insisting they're just friends every five minutes bc he's trying to convince HIMSELF there's no love in his heart for helen #when he could as well have a shrine for her in his closet lol

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undefeatablesin · 28 days ago

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Not Yharnam posting, but I need to tell everyone that Phantom in the Rain was fantastic and I have had my brain chemistry permanently rewired since watching it.

#sin speaking #(also the way i screamed when crispin freeman's voice came out of his mouth in the dubbed version LMAO)#(i have loved the mononoke series since college and have waited for this movie since it was announced AND MATE. I WASNT DISAPPOINTED.)#(i actually cried in the second half because i was so overwhelmed with joy it just felt THAT good to watch. for me at least)#(and the story itself was pretty damn potent with a lot of themes i care DEEPLY ABOUT)#(it was everything i hoped it'd be. it was gorgeous the soundtrack SLAPS the art style the story the VIBES)#(and theres two more movies coming???? god is good. I will be seated bitch)#(it is a worthy modernisation of the original franchise imo it has all the old school vibes with a fresh coat of paint)#(even if youve never seen the original series you can still enjoy this movie. the incredible art style alone justifies the watch.)#(LORD I SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME AND FOR OTHERS)#(if you catch me drawing fanart for this when im done with my bb comics. dont say u werent warned LOL)#(i know a psychological psychedelic horror anime movie isnt exactly seasonally appropriate but do i give a fuck)#(no its halloween every day when you live in yharnam brother)

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feroluce · 10 months ago

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Thinking tonight about Caelus, and the nature of his loss and his grief after the Everything that went down in Penacony during 2.0.

Because Acheron, Black Swan, and Misha kind of knew of Firefly, they at least met her, but they didn't like really know her, and Caelus never even got the chance to introduce her to the rest of the Astral Express Crew. The only person who would have talked to her much was Sparkle, who is. Probably not really someone Caelus is interested in grieving with skznmsks

Anyway, all this to say, I like thinking about how alone poor Caelus is in his grief, because he was the only one who knew Firefly. He's the only one really mourning her. There's no one to talk about her with. There's no stories to trade or memories to reminisce with anyone over. It's not as though he knew her for long, but still. No one else knew her at all.

And I love the thought of all of this coming bubbling up, hot and acidic and bitter, during a conversation with Sampo, who Caelus just so happens to run into in the Golden Hour. Poor Sampo is kinda blindsided, he knew shit was going down in Penacony, but yeesh. And he just. Isn't quite sure what to say about it all, because he's never really encountered this before. His feelings about the Masked Fools are...a mixed bag, but he's been a part of them for a very long time, and when you're with a close organization like that, it's hard to feel alone, in grief or otherwise.

So Sampo sits there on their little bench that the two of them have occupied, and he thinks of his old friend April, how she'd died in his arms cackling and spitting her own blood after a heist gone wrong, and how after he'd dragged himself back to the World's End Tavern they'd all held a Fool's Funeral- which is basically just a big party where everyone gets really really drunk and reminisces and toasts the dead and celebrates their life.

He still thinks about her a lot, and he remembers how the time he'd most keenly felt her absence was on Jarilo-VI, the one place where he couldn't talk about her because he couldn't say anything to give himself away as an alien. The Fools still tell stories about her every time he goes back to the Tavern. His first toast of the night is always in her name. Even now, all these years after she'd died, Sampo is still learning new things about her. He's never had to grieve her alone.

Caelus doesn't have any of that.

He might never have that. As they speak, Caelus has no proof that Firefly was even her real name, or if she dreamt with her true appearance. He might not ever find out who she even was.

And just imagining that kind of loneliness hollows out a strange little pit, right behind his sternum, deep between his ribs.

So Sampo claps Caelus' shoulder and offers him a deal. Come find him outside of the dream. He knows a guy who can get them a lot of beer for really cheap-

("Is that guy you and your five finger discounts?" "Whatever do you mean, dear friend, I don't even know the meaning of the phrase, hehee.")

-and they can hole up in a bar or a hotel room or something, and get completely shitcanned. Tell him all about Firefly, tell him everything, and he'll tell Caelus about April and everyone else he's ever lost. Sampo will carry Caelus' memories of Firefly with him, and at least this way, Caelus will be a little less alone in remembering her. And the next time they cross paths, Sampo will be the one to bring her up, and to tell her stories, and Caelus can get to be the one listening. He won't have to be the only person to talk about her anymore.

Caelus rolls his eyes when Sampo avoids another remark about sticky fingers, but...ok, yeah. That sounds good. Nice, even. Thank you. Caelus bumps his shoulder against Sampo's. Sampo bumps back.

(They find each other again the next day, and true to their word, get themselves completely and utterly shitcanned. Caelus talks more than Sampo has ever heard him; every minute detail, every word choice, Firefly's every odd little mannerism and habit. Because Caelus wants to make sure this will outlive him, that even if the Stellaron dwelling within him finally burns him to a crisp and he really does up and kick the bucket, or even, godforbid, if he forgets, he wants to make sure someone remembers her. She deserved that.)

((And it takes quite a while, after that. Caelus doesn't see Sampo again until after everything has settled down. On his last day in Penacony, he finds the guy slinking out of a seedy back alley and all but runs right into him. Sampo happily leads him to some dive bar in an even seedier back alley that Caelus has never even heard of, and Sampo raises his glass. "To Firefly! Who sounds like she probably would have hated me at first, but I would have liked to have met her anyway."

And Caelus stares at him, almost looking startled, long enough that Sampo worries that he's read him wrong and brought this up too soon. He's halfway into planning how to talk himself out of this situation when Caelus finally throws back his head back and laughs, tells him that yeah, Firefly would have politely called him out on every lie he told, and all their conversations would take twice as long with the way Sampo is so full of shit.

And he can see it, the same way he watches and sees through everyone, that Caelus' eyes have a tightness to them, his knuckles are nearly white around the handle of his mug. But he smiles. He hits his glass against Sampo's far too hard and throws it back and gets foam everywhere like he does every time they drink because the guy's about as elegant as a raging bull, but those things don't lessen the genuineness of his smile.

The grief is there, but so is the elation, and those emotions aren't a sliding scale between one or the other. It is all of both and both at once, and that's what contents Sampo enough to throw his own mug back when Caelus makes a toast of his own, "to April!!".))

#caelus #sampo koski #hsr caelus #hsr sampo #sampo & caelus #honkai star rail #hsr #my fics #me a few days ago: my favorite silly little guys uwu #me today: ANGST #honestly I feel like this isn't even a super strong angst though #it's more just. bittersweet? melancholic? something.#I JUST. REALLY LOVE STORIES ABOUT THE NATURE OF GRIEF #and 2.0 laid the groundwork for that beautifully woohoo #I just remembered this probably isn't common knowledge oops but April is the cute red haired girl in Funny Bone #her name was revealed by the creators on twitter. she's named April like April Fools!#anyway I ship it hardcore now thanks bucket boi & studio #but anyway yes I love and adore the loneliness of the trailblazer's loss and grief after 2.0 #because we know from Sunday that Firefly is “spiritually dead” but the trailblazer wouldn't have that knowledge #and they wouldn't know her identity or about any of her connections to other people #and I love that juxtaposed against Sampo and the possible strange nature of his own grief-#-given how the Masked Fools operate and how they see Elation in everything and everywhere #Sampo is no saint- like at all lol- but I do like him and Caelus getting along and being bros #and I don't think it would be terribly ooc for him to care about someone he sees as a genuine friend #he maybe rarely considers someone a genuine friend. but still dmxjjdjdk #listening to Sam's boss theme as I tag this... have been listening to it a lot ever since I finished 2.0 tbh #it's probably what inspired a lot of this haha #because it does sound strong and intimidating and imposing #but you can hear it #the heartbreak

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spacedlexi · 10 months ago

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the way the ericson group were at the outbreak just a bunch of troubled kids who made various mistakes or committed crimes and were judged by a system that punished and abandoned them instead of giving them the support and love they needed, are then nearly a decade later put into a situation where now they must judge a troubled child for the mistakes and crimes hes committed against them. and 5 to 3 vote them out 😭

#twdg #i love the way s4 connects back to lees whole 'murderer' thing back in s1 😭 guilt...atonement.....systems of punishment #i love thinking about s1>s4 themes and crying #anyway this is partially why i hate when i see the ericson cast reduced down to 'just some teens' its so much more than that #them being abandoned in a boarding school for troubled kids is SO IMPORTANT its not 'just some school'#anyway its also probably why theyre my favorite cast #theyre literally one of if not the most mature group of the series even while being a bunch of kids who make choices i dont agree with #because they actually love and care about each other. even when theyre mad. because theyre all they have left #i do think the vote was a fair way to handle it even tho i still ultimately find it cruel. they couldve talked it out #but this is still a story that needs conflict to resolve so is what it is #they would rather they leave than have to face their confused feelings. the most immature thing they do. but understandable #they did such a good job crafting that cast for clem GOD an entire ensemble built around her and aj....delicious #zombie/post apoc media about love and community my beloved 😭#sorry but get tf out of here with that 'humans are evil and everyone dies' lame ass bullshit we are nothing without community #the amount of love pouring out of s4 is like getting my ass kicked but then they give me a big hug and kiss after and send me on my way #s4 my absolute beloved i really love it more and more every time. so much to appreciate even with it the way it is #the themes bro the themes........ the connections between seasons 1 and 4 you are everything to me #it speaks

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deoidesign · 2 months ago

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Can you make a tutorial on how you world build and make ocs? I can't seem to make any people in my brain, but then when I try to come up with environments jobs, beliefs and little details to slowly come up with someone, I think: well I don't really know how people have influenced the world- it's a weird loop

To be honest, I don't think I can! Writing is an extremely personal process. The way I write is directly related to how I process things, what I find important in stories, years of my own analysis of my and other's writing, etc... The way you write will be unique to you, as well. But I can explain how I personally think of it.

The short answer:

Write. Write anything and everything, it's a tool to explore your ideas. Analyze your own writing, and write more. Then, as you discover which ideas you want to develop, write more to explore them more. You won't know what you want otherwise!

The long answer:

I think this kind of loop is common. It's easy to feel like everything needs to be done "at once," because our job as writers is to make elements logically fit with each other for our readers. But as you've discovered, developing multiple elements simultaneously isn't really possible, or at least is extremely difficult.

Personally, when I think of writing, I break it into three major elements; characters, world, and plot. As much as possible every scene explores one or more of these, and as much as possible these three things tie back into what I personally consider most important: theme.

Everything I do is in service of the themes I want to present. Without them my events feel aimless. It can take a while to discover them, but they're the core of my work. You will have to discover what you feel is the core of yours. Analyzing other media helps with this too.

Concepts in your brain exist in a state of infinite potential. But when you start writing you have to start making choices, which removes potential as you move forward... But you have to move forward anyways. If there's ideas you want to explore later, you can always explore them later.

What this ends up meaning, to answer your question, is that I don't think of my characters as "people in my brain" or my worlds as something people have influenced... Not at their core, at least. They are tools that I use to represent specific ideas. Obviously they're also my blorbos, but mostly they're serving a specific narrative purpose.

So above all else... Write. Write, and discover what you're writing about, and then start over and write with that in mind. Keep doing this. But you have to write!

#I wish there were a cleaner answer to this kind of thing #and I also wish that there were a way to answer that didnt feel like 'just do it lol'#but... genuinely you kind of just have to do it!#I find it helps to reframe writing as trying to figure out which ideas I don't like #then if I write anything that feels bad to me #it's not about being a bad writer or anything like that. it's just something I dont want in my story and I delete it.#like if you find yourself naturally coming up with worldbuilding elements. its okay to just start there!#you can start like 'I really want giant mushrooms' and then start thinking about how cool that would be #and like oooh what if there were really cool caves full of mushrooms and all glowy yeaaah #then you start building people from that. colonies of fungal people or something. this is still worldbuilding #then you might think now. whats a plot that could go with this and show off my cool mushrooms.#maybe the mushrooms are all connected and the main one is dying and no one knows why. it's a classic plot.#if you still dont feel like you can find a character in that. keep going! why is it dying? how can it be saved? can it? if not then why?#etc etc etc. when I am writing I actually ltierally write out 101 questions like this as I'm going and then I answer them #and if I cant answer them. then I figure out a different situation that doesnt bring that question up LMFAO #eventually you can decide you want a hero who idfk will replace the big mushroom or something. a sacrifice and immortality simultaneously #then you can be like yeah so my themes are probably about sacrifice. connection to others. love for your community. stuff like that #and then you can go back to your world and say. yeah I think that people should have telepathic communication on some level!#I'm just making all this up right now but I just want to illustrate somehow how this kind of cyclical process can actually be a tool #because it's not about getting it all right at once. its about leaning into the cycle and how it guides you through developing these #anyways idk if this makes any sense. if this doesnt feel like it works for you then it probably literally doesnt #but writing more and analyzing writing more is ALWAYS good #it will never make your writing worse to do those things.#unfortunately (said with all the love in the world) writing is an endless process of learning more about who you are and what you care abou #its wonderful but it's hard and theres no way to skip that process #good luck!#asks #anon #writing stuff #oh also if at any point you go hm. that big thing isnt working for me I think...

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