#this was in my drafts for... a while XD

[bakawitch]

Fantasy au, where Prince Ryou is locked in a tower Rapunzel style. His father put him there to keep him safe from war/assailants or something among those lines. There's not all that much to do other than read the thousands of books in the tower's library, and one day, Ryou comes across a few books hidden under a dusty bookshelf. To his surprise, the books he found were all from the romance genre, something that he's never come across in the mostly science based library before.

He starts reading them and eventually becomes obsessed with the contents (probably due to the lack of human contact and interaction he's experienced in the tower). He starts fantasising about romantic stuff, like being stolen away from his prison by a dashing stranger or falling in love with a hunter who wandered too far away from the forest trail and sharing a forbidden romance with them. One day, his dreams come true in the most absurd way possible. A dragon lands on the roof of his tower and decides to make it its home. It sunbathes by the day and goes hunting at night. It seemingly doesn't really take notice of or care for Ryou, but Ryou still talks to him even if it's not really listening to him because at this point he's just grateful for the company the dragon's presence provides. Ryou playfully flirts with it on occasion, but he doesn’t think the dragon takes it seriously or anything.

The dragon occasionally lets Ryou climb up on the roof with it, while Ryou reads books out loud and experiments with how much touching it allows him to get away with. One day, Ryou decides to tie one of his fancy necklaces around one of the dragons horns as a thank you gift for being such good company, which in return to the dragon gives him a pretty crystallised scale.

After an unknown amount of time, Ryou's father finally arrives with escorts to bring his son out of the tower, but the dragon quickly sends them running, which Ryou is actually grateful for. Heroes and knights trying to rescue the Prince Ryou eventually start showing up at the tower, all of which either die, get chased away, or get too injured to continue fighting, all the while the dragon continues to keep Ryou safe and be a very good roommate (save for the loud snoring and the accidental puffs of fire through Ryou's windows).

Eventually, a famed beast tamer, Yugi, shows up who surprisingly recognises the dragon and tries to have a conversation with it. Surprisingly, the dragon ends up taking a more humanoid form and explains to Yugi that Ryou and him are spiritually bonded mates now. Being very knowledgeable about intelligent beasts and their costumes, Yugi agrees to try and explain things to the King, but that the dragon shouldn't expect anything good.

Ryou is a little upset, but mostly extatic that his dragon could talk the whole time and that they're basically married at that point. The dragon, now revealed to be a famous dragon who goes by Thief King Bakura, moves inside Ryou's tower part time, and they spend even more quality time bonding together and stuff (you know what I mean). One day, Yugi returns and warns Bakura that the king did not take the news of their elopement well and that he's sending a full-on army. Bakura and Ryou discuss things, and they decide that its better to just leave because Ryou doesn't really want his people dead at Bakura's hands, and Bakura has other places they could live at anyway. They fly off into the sunset and Bakura dumps Ryou in a big ass treasure pile for soft dialogue and fun times.

The end =)

[skylessknights]

Swerve & Hangman + incorrect quote [1/?]

in/sp

[driftingballoons]

Love that Dusknoir can glow; the glowstick pokemon

[cuubism]

I see your "Dream yelling at Desire because 'how dare you make me have feelings for Hob!!'" and raise you "Dream yelling at Desire because 'how dare you make Hob have feelings for me!!'" because it's the only logical explanation for why Hob would claim to want someone like Dream

[ cat screaming crying . jpg ]

Dream storms into Desire’s realm, steps thudding on the uneven floor, rage propelling him forward. He cannot remember ever feeling such anger, such betrayal towards his sibling, not even when he had learned they were behind his imprisonment.

Desire’s games have always gone too far, but this is beyond trying to teach him a lesson, this is beyond what Dream can reconcile, this is simply cruelty.

“YOU,” he thunders, the air shaking around him as he stalks up to where Desire is lying casually on a chaise lounge as if they haven’t just ripped Dream’s one comfort in this life out from under him. “How dare you.”

“Brother, dear,” drawls Desire, popping a grape into their mouth with not a care in the world, “it is rude to simply fly in without even knocking on the door. You wouldn’t like it if I did it to you.”

Blind with fury, Dream grabs them by the throat and hauls them to their feet. Desire lets out a choked gasp, genuinely startled by his vitriol. Their pulse trips under Dream’s thumb.

Desire cannot be killed through something as simple as strangulation, but it truly is tempting to try. “What,” Dream snarls, grip tightening, “what have you done to Hob Gadling?”

Desire blinks at him, torn from their alarm by confusion. “Whomst? Listen, I know you know everybody’s name and their kinkiest fantasy but I honestly can’t be bothered with the details, you’re going to have to fill me in.”

The rage in Dream’s core only flares hotter. “Enough of this charade, you know exactly what you’ve done.”

“No, seriously, I have no idea what you’re—”

Dream whirls away, leaving his sibling staggering in the wake of his grasp. “Was it not enough?” he demands, staring sightlessly into the gleaming red curves of Desire’s realm. “Was the vortex not enough? Was a century of imprisonment not enough for you?” His voice cracks halfway through, and it’s mortifying. “Truly, your hatred of me is untempered by even the slightest compassion.”

Desire’s voice is quizzical when they next speak. “I am starting to wish I was behind whatever this is that seems to have pierced you straight through the heart. I’m afraid my own arrows have missed that organ thus far.”

“Hob Gadling,” Dream insists, but Desire’s seemingly-genuine confusion has him wavering. It’s not like them not to revel in their own victory, and oh, this has been a victory, Dream feels laid lower than even a century in a cage had managed. “You are manipulating him.”

“Once again, I don’t know who that is. But he’s clearly excellent ammunition so I’m certainly going to find out once you leave.”

Dream flexes his hands at his sides, summoning his control. If Desire truly was not behind this, then he’s already made a mistake in coming here. Best not to offer anything else.

Being in Desire’s realm makes this stoicism difficult. The very space brings emotions to the surface, drags feelings up from his stomach that he’s tried so very hard to tamp down. He tastes blood at the back of his throat, his stomach churns, his skin prickles with sweat.

Desire stalks up behind him, sensing all of this. “Now I am curious,” they murmur, dragging a finger up his shoulder, over the collar of his coat and along the back of his neck. “Now I must know what’s go you so riled up.”

“You think you have earned such things?” Dream says through gritted teeth. His heart is pounding hard and uneven such that it physically hurts in his chest, the weight of the Threshold bearing down.

“No need to earn, you can hide nothing from me here.” Desire circles around him to his front, dragging their finger along his collarbone until it lands right at the base of his throat. They look at him from under their lashes, all smug satisfaction. “You are all tangled up in the realm of Desire, aren’t you?”

Dream moves to storm off, but Desire blocks him, nails pressing into his skin.

“Nah-ah, no running away. Let your little sibling help you, hm? As you may know, I am rather wise in matters of the heart.”

The look on Desire’s face is craftiness, glee, not charity or wisdom.

“I neither need nor wish for your assistance,” says Dream, voice hard. “On this, or any other matter.”

“But there is a matter.” Desire leans in and speaks right in his ear. “I can smell the heartsickness on you, Dream.”

There is nothing Dream can say in response to this. Any denial would only be read as falsehood, for Desire does not lie – of late, Dream feels sick with wanting in Hob’s presence, hunger so sharp it turns over into nausea, much like the first time Hob had pushed him to eat after his captivity. How cruel, then, to have his pain eased, his desires sated by a reciprocation that cannot possibly be truly felt.

There is nothing to say, so Dream doesn’t speak. Silence, of course, is its own answer.

“You know, if there’s one thing I have always admired about you, big brother, it’s your willingness to destroy yourself for the sake of passion,” Desire continues. “You’d think that’d be my sort of thing. Who’ve you lost yourself on this time? Demigod? Demon? Dryad? Vampire?”

Dream glares at them, but does not speak.

Desire’s face absolutely lights up as they realize. “Oh. My. God. Is he human? Dreeaaammmmm, my my, maybe your little time out did change you, after all.”

Dream turns away, refusing to give them the satisfaction of confirming. Though he knows this reaction is also a confirmation.

Desire claps their hands. “Oh! I’m so proud of myself. Look at this! Look at the softness of your heart. Look how I can bruise it.”

Dream’s heart, indeed, gives a painful thump. “Should you dare to touch him, even the old laws will not protect you.”

Desire sighs, flopping back onto a couch, legs crossed, head propped in their hand. “Why bother? You’ll destroy it yourself, and that’ll be much more fun.”

I hate you, Dream thinks, like a petulant child. He hates, also, how any argument with Desire makes him feel that way, feelings crowding at the surface of his skin, throat tightening, mind spinning in a chaotic churn. His muscles clench so hard he thinks they might have snapped, were he human, then he forces himself back into a semblance of ease.

There is no extracting himself from this situation with any dignity.

“Interfere with my affairs again,” he warns darkly, “and I will destroy you.”

Then he storms out of the Threshold.

“Love you too!” Desire calls after him, a grin in their voice. “Good luck with your human!”

--

When he’d found Hob at the New Inn, thirty-three years after he’d meant to arrive, Dream had not known how he might be received. Friendship extended once may not be extended again after so brutal a rejection, and so prolonged an absence, no matter that the latter offense was not within his control.

Being met with a smile, then, and an easy acceptance of his apology, like Hob had already forgiven him long before Dream had stepped through the door, had been a revelation. Something had settled in him that he had not known was knocked askew. Could there, truly, be one thing in his life that was allowed to be easy? Where Dream’s missteps were not met with scorn or vitriol or world-shaking consequences, but with grace and the chance to try again?

It seemed improbable, but still Dream had grabbed for it with cold, shaking fingers. Had held that unlikely flame between his palms. Had watched as it grew, hotter and brighter with each smile Hob sent his way, with each gentle brush of fingers as he pressed cups of tea into Dream’s hands, with the hug Hob finally managed to wind him into, once Dream had told him of the true reason for his absence in 1989.

Hob’s grace, Hob’s generosity in inviting someone, something like him into his home, into his life… Dream did not quite know how to hold it, so unlikely it was. He tried, though, oh he tried. And he swore he would not mess it up, not like he had when Hob had first offered his friendship.

He has now, quite royally, messed it up.

He very much doubts Hob will be so generous this time.

He finds Hob where he left him, sitting on the couch in his flat, a book in his hand. He doesn’t seem to be concentrating on it; his thoughts feel scattered in ragged, disturbed daydreams.

He doesn’t even startle when Dream materializes next to him. Though he knows it can be startling to humans, Dream has not been able to break himself of just appearing where he needs to – traversing the long way from point to point is not how he works. But aside from the occasional, teasing, I have a door, you know, Hob never truly complains about these disturbances to his day.

Dream means to offer him an apology. To say, I should not have walked out when you said that you loved me. To say, I am supposed to be better, I am trying to be better.

Instead, just as Hob looks up, the words that trip out of Dream’s mouth, pushed by the flurry of Desire’s realm still pounding within him, are, “Did you speak truly, Hob Gadling?”

Which is a ridiculous question. Dream does not think he has ever heard Hob speak a lie. Still, Dream must have the answer.

Hob’s expression shifts through several incarnations, none of which Dream feels capable of reading. Finally, it settles on the same soft, exasperated understanding Dream remembers being presented with when he’d said, I know thirty years is truly quite late, at their reunion, before he’d told Hob why he was late.

Grace, then. He is to be offered grace, again.

His emotions are still so close to the surface that he has to physically swallow down what he feels about that.

“Of course, I did,” Hob says, and there’s a hint of nerves in it, but he pushes through, he always does. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that.”

His gaze is genuine, open, and no, Desire had not lied – Hob’s feelings are no manipulation of theirs. And while it is tempting to search for other answers, spells or illusions or any number of other causes, Dream knows, deep down, that he will come up empty.

Hob’s feelings are true, are his truth, confounding though that is.

Dream no longer feels capable of holding any of this in his hands.

Instead, he kisses him.

It’s like he is pulled forward by a force outside his own body. He goes to Hob like he had gone to the sugar in the tea Hob had made him, that night at the inn when Dream had first realized how long it had truly been since he’d eaten; he goes to him like he had gone back to the Dreaming after being freed, returning home breathless, lost, changed.

Hob catches him against his mouth, hands cradling Dream’s face. His grip is solid and warm, and he kisses Dream like he looks at him like he speaks to him, with a care Dream hardly knows how to accept. He leans into it anyway, he leans in.

“I wasn’t fishing for a kiss when I said that, you know,” Hob says when they part, still lingering close enough that Dream can feel his heat, his breath. “I meant it in more of— well, that way, for certain, but really, any way you wanted to take it.”

“Any way,” Dream repeats, not sure he comprehends Hob’s meaning.

“Yeah, you—” Hob cuts himself off, letting out a breath, thinking. His hands slide from Dream’s face down to his shoulders, and he holds him there. “I. You just. I want you to know that you’re loved. Not demanding anything of it. Just telling you. Take it however serves you best.”

Dream stares at him, his whole being tripped and restarted at a new rhythm, and Hob gives him a sad smile.

“It’s too big to hold,” he says, and taps his chest. “In here. And besides, I wanted you to have it.”

Dream had had it. Only he hadn’t quite known what he had. The sunshine of Hob’s smiles, sustaining him, a bridge between distant points of light.

Finally, he manages to say, “I felt it. You have been my succor. My… only.”

Hob has captured him more effectively than Burgess’s snare, but this capture is not a prison. It hurts, oh, it aches, but it never wounds.

Hob smiles at him again. There’s still something pained in the creases around his eyes. “I know.”

He’s still touching Dream. His hands run over him, up his neck, over his throat, along his collarbone, and—

catch, on the collar of his shirt, above his heart.

“What happened?”

His voice is tight, now, worried, and— yes. There are bruises on Dream’s chest, crawling up over his breastbone. He had felt them form, and hadn’t stopped them.

Hob’s expression darkens further the longer he looks; he drags the collar of Dream’s shirt down, trying to see how far the damage spreads. “You’ve got bruises all over you. Dream, what happened?”

What happened is Dream stood in the Threshold and his heart beat so hard it drummed right through to the surface of his skin. What happened is it hurt so badly his form shifted to give reason for the pain.

“Desire,” he says, and he does not mean his sibling.

Hob doesn’t seem to understand, but he smoothes a hand over Dream’s heart as if to wipe the bruises away. Dream could will his body to return to its original, unharmed state, but he does not. He lets the blood stay pooled beneath his skin.

Hob sighs, tugging Dream’s coat tighter around him, shielding him from further injury. “Come here, you. You strange creature.”

He pulls Dream in, though he does not have to pull hard. Dream tucks his face into Hob’s neck, reveling in the warm scent of him, woodsmoke from the fireplace down in the inn where they’ve now spent many a long evening, basking in the heat of the flames. Hob’s arms go around him.

Absolution. Dream does not think this is a gift that has ever been granted to him.

“I would also love you,” he says. “If you would accept it.”

“If I would accept it?” Hob repeats. “Darling, your love is a privilege.”

Dream’s heart, in all its bruises and blood, finds rhythm again, and he thinks, though he certainly doesn’t pull away from Hob to check, that his skin clears up partway, too.

[yumedoca]

Despite everything..

..it's still you...

[littlebittyhollowbugs]

Lurien + Dragonflies headcanon

Lurien is a dragonfly! Actually half dragonfly. (Little fact, irl Dragonflies are known to have exceptional eyesight!)

So in my fic the adventures of dragonfly and unicorn, about two vessels who escaped and are found by a weevil wizard who makes them his apprentices blablabla, there is a land known as the hidden meadow, built on the coast of the petal sea. (We will get there in the fic I need to post more chapters..)

Anyway It was created by the dragonfly lords, Who are children of the god of the sea. An ancient dragonfly god who had four eyes that could see across lands, to watch over them. He died and gave each of his eyes to one of his four children. Gale, Nor, Blisso, and Cilla are their names.

They created the kingdom and an enchanted border to keep it hidden from outsiders. They lived in the four spires of the palace and each of them kept watch over their land and their neighboring ones from the North, East, South and West respectively.

Eventually Nor, watcher of the east, learned of the rising kingdom of Hallownest. Especially curious and adventurous, she left the meadow to uncover the secrets of that kingdom, and she never came back. In the story no one ever knew what happened to her. But what happened is,

She met a nobleman from the city, the two fell in love and Lurien was born!

As a half Dragonfly, and grandchild of an old god, Lurien was born with some magic ability, Specifically his ability to see far and wide which of course the king eventually discovered and was rather impressed by.

fun addition to this HC is that the worldsense spell (ability to see the entire kingdom from one location.) the king 'gifted' the Hollow knight, was created by both the king and Lurien! As it is similar to the magic Lurien posseses.

[creepypso]

I had updated my wardrobe over the last year and since I get the comment quite a lot that I look like my artstyle or just straight up like my pilot Dib, I've decided to use the boy as my model and draw some of my outfits on him :3

[always-a-joyful-note]

Spy x Family is such a Concept of an animanga. Like here is a fairly good representation of what war does to both sides, taking a neutral ground as it unfurls of the horrors it brings to ordinary people, showing that no matter how justified one side is, it does not erase the horrendous things they have to do......but instead of focusing on that, it focuses primarily on the shenanigans of one family living their best fake relationship AU.

Like, in a way, that's the best way to show how hope and light still exist amongst all the war crimes and devastation (focus on life than death without diminishing the latter). Something about focusing on the ordinary or people hurt and harmed by the war even as they're working against it. Or something

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

.shattered dream.

-buy the newest shampoo and make your hair wavier than our favorite dark angel's-

there's gotta be a secret to her looks! >:'Dc

shattered belongs to @galacii

dark cream/studio au belongs to @zu-is-here

fem!studio au designs are made by me

[manofmanymons]

Kaito trying really really hard to put his protectiveness aside giving miu some growing room by distracting himself with dating and hanging out with people he barely is able to tolerate due to his experience in the other world, wince dating and making friends is what normal highschoolers do.

Miu developing very /very/ messy feelings regarding Kaito seemingly having no more time for her, while at the same time pushing him away when he does since that's just how their dynamic has always been as siblings and she wants him to feel like everything is fine with her, get really mad at girls he brings to the house, her even worse ability to relate to other people her age. . Also gender stuff unrelated to the main plot.

Takuma and Ryo being the only still decently well adjusted ones.

Shuuji developing a bad rebellious streak due to his father treating lopmon like a stray animal at the best of times.

Saki having anxiety since, now that she's improving in her physical self she has to prepare for rhe future.

Aoi being a mess with the fact their group is starting to drift apart due to their own issues and worrying she won't have anyone that really /gets/ her if they do stop talking together.

The concept of Kaito trying too hard to be a "normal" kid as a distraction from Miu even though he's clearly bad at it and doesn't like doing it is honestly really interesting. It's almost funny in a fish out of water way, but also really sad thinking about him being stuck with nothing but fake friends after having spent time with real friends.

Pretty much everything you said about Miu is like,,,exactly how I imagined she'd act post game? Like yeah Kaito being clingy annoyed her, but that doesn't mean she wants him to never be with her. Not having friends her age AND having this new distance between her and someone she's used to having around a lot would be really isolating and tough. I actually talked a little about this one before. Lowkey love that pretty much everyone seems to agree that this kid has gender stuff going on.

I actually imagine Ryo would have a similar problem to Aoi. He went to camp to make friends because people at his school already didn't like him, so drifting apart from the friends he DID make would be hard for him since they're all he has. Well, other than Kunemon.

Takuma probably would be the most relatively well-adjusted person here but he is still a kid trying to pretend life is normal after having to save the world so ladfkjakj idk maybe as former team leader he'd be a little adverse to taking responsibility for things for a while. Y'know like having trouble finding ordinary things in his life important compared to saving the universe. I think I accidentally just described ant man quantumania never mind ignore me.

Shuuji WOULD have a rebellious phase. He didn't go through an entire self-acceptance arc to watch the other half of his soul be mistreated ToT It'd probably be a bit awkward tbh tho like sunk cost fallacy is real and I don't think he'd want to throw away everything he's worked for academically when he's this close? Local rebellious bad boy still top of his class? But then again what better way would there be to spite his dad than failing aldkfa idk

I actually. Really really love that idea for Saki. Her being someone who didn't plan about the future before because she didn't know if she'd even have one now realizing that Life is Happening and she doesn't know what she's doing. Obviously she's still young but tbh can confirm that at any age it's extremely stressful when everyone seems to know what they want and where they're going but you.

What is a squad mom without her squad ToT It probably would be jarring for Aoi going back to school with classmates that just take advantage of her after having friends who truly appreciated her. Being unable to feel the same way about her old "friends" anymore.

Honestly I think they would all be afraid of drifting apart. In a lot of ways, most of them are each other's first true friends who care about them and not just for the masks they wear or the help they can give. None of them WANT to move on from each other, they just don't have the time, and most of them don't go to school together. ...Digimon Tri Joe moment. Joement.

[pixelatedraindrops]

A story told in 4 images 🌡️

Yuma develops an almost dangerously high fever almost collapsing outside the agency and returns to the base per Shinigami's recommendation.

Yakou proceeds to check him, sit him down and get him a blanket to keep him warm (his own bed's blanket) as well as a thermometer to read his temperature. Shinigami remains by her master's side the whole time, with slight concern.

Then he lays him down and tries to cool him off with ice, cold water and uses whatever medicine the agency had during his restless sleep.

The NDA likely cannot afford professional healthcare or a hospital visit, so Yakou's on his own here ;-; Though he doesn't really know what he's doing, he's trying his best. He felt responsible for him. He wouldn't let anything happen to him.

~

Don't worry, it works out in the end c:

After hours of hard work, the high fever breaks down to being only slight. The medicine and ice water worked.

Yakou's relief felt is so immeasurable he practically almost cries, and a very dazed Yuma wakes up with next to no memory of what happened, confused by his chief's exaggerated reaction.

Until he recalls it later and thanks him for tending to him.

💕💊

[maryse127]

Got tagged by @dying-suffering-french-stalkers to post five (5) songs I like :)

Melodies of Life from Final Fantasy IX - surprisingly not because I finally finished the game (FFIX is in backlog hell) but because the lyrics fit beautifully into my Final Fantasy XV headcanon/one day to be written fic maybe hopefully?

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me by Taylor Swift - my big obsession from the new album at least partially because uhm, this too fit way too good into the FFXV story in my head, oops

Valse di Fantastica by God Yoko Shimomura - speaking of FFXV :) I love this song and I am very excited that yesterday Distant Worlds announced they are premiering a new score of it at the Berlin concert I am going to in May!! (Last time I went to Distant Worlds they did a kinda shitty and very short performance of my beloved Apocalypsis Noctis as the FFXV rep which was incredibly disappointing so I am very glad about this redemption arc)

No Promises to Keep from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth by Nobuo Uematsu the other God and Loren Allred - This post is apparently brought to you by my Final Fantasy brainrot but at least this one isn't about XV I guess :) This song is so pretty omg. And from this one I actually do have the full emotional damage from having finished the game!

Away (Phoenix theme from Final Fantasy XVI) by Masayoshi Soken - I was gonna put some not Final Fantasy song here but this post is already derailed, might as well stick with the theme. I am once again asking Square Enix to release this ost on Spotify. Also yes, this has English lyrics which literally nobody realised until the offical lyrics were released. This song is so good I actually spend money on the FFXVI dlc for Theatrhytm.

Honorable mentions: Toward Mt. Nibel (FF7 Rebirth) like the entire fucking soundtrack for this game is insane (put it on streaming Square) but this is the opening credits while running through a very beutiful valley towards the mountain and it is such a beautiful epic start to the game! Also I am once again asking y'all to listen to Songs from Final Fantasy XV by Florence and the Machine.

Tagging: @mister-e-muss @randomlygeneratedusername2 @elfje-8 @humongousfurybeard and who-ever else thinks this is fun just say I tagged you :)

[octoagentmiles]

Try list any Octo-Agents and think of an Episode you Think give them a Shining Moment

W O O F this took a while– I was thinking long and hard about this because there are SO MANY good moments and episodes 😅, and so many agents– it was difficult, but I’m happy with my answers 👀

Ranger Marsh’s Shine Episode is definitely The Monitor Lizards. I LOVE this episode, it’s one of my favourites in the whole series so far—not just because of the events in it, but as a concept. I LOVE the callback to the Great Swamp Search!! I watched the 2nd season blind, and seeing all these familiar faces was SUCH a fun surprise. It’s good for Ranger Marsh as a character, because it actually shows him doing his job as a Ranger, not as an Octo-Agent. It also reinforces the fact that he truly cares for and is friends with these creatures, even if they are invasive, and that he's willing to travel to check in on them. This is another episode that also proves (to me) that the writers know they’re dealing with an older audience for the show, and are more likely to delve into solid lore and continuity. This episode makes me really hopeful for more of that.

Natquik’s Shine Episode, WITHOUT QUESTION, is The Red Fox. Honestly I feel like I don’t need to explain why, but I will because I like talking ✨: Natquik is my favourite Octo-Agent, but overall we haven’t actually gotten that many episodes dedicated to him yet. The Red Fox gives us a close and personal look into what Natquik is like by himself (I love episodes where characters are alone 👀), how he deals with problems (by ignoring them until they get worse—which is interesting... *stares at Barnacles*...), and even hints toward his family, by showing us his family portraits, and leaving us wondering, “Where are they?” – There are so many moments I love in this episode, from when he first discovers the kits, decides to help them stay warm, rushes to protect Barnacles, to his bittersweet goodbye at the end. It’s all so perfect.

Tracker absolutely shines in The Missing Lake. Honestly, he shines a LOT in Above and Beyond, considering he never got his own episode in the main series, and was only in Operation Deep Freeze for two scenes. AnB has been really good to Tracker, and I’m so grateful they decided to make him an Agent. The Missing Lake sticks out to me the most, because for the most part he is by himself (and I’ve already mentioned my love for that <3), and unlike all his other episodes, we get to really see him be responsible and use his Polar Scout skills in action. He’s often portrayed as a follower, who just goes along with whatever he's told to do, but he takes charge twice in this episode: when he offers to help Rowan, and when he stays behind to save Buck. Love that for him.

Calico Jack. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Calico Jack....... I could talk forever about this funky old cat man. He doesn’t just shine, he GLOWS in every episode he’s in—but alas, for the sake of this post I will be focusing on The Harlequin Duck. I love the showing of his gentle parental instincts in this episode, and his singing; since we know he canonically has a theme song, that I headcanon he wrote himself. I think far too much, and often, about how he legit panicked when he realized the egg was missing. How his first instinct was to hide that fact from Captain Barnacles. He was terrified, having a full blown panic attack on screen. He apologizes to the mother duck with such genuine solace, and promises to get it back “On [his] honour as a pirate!” ...Which is extremely significant to me, considering Kwazii was the first character to EVER say the phrase: “On me honour as an Octonaut!” in The Flying Fish after Inkling’s book was lost – and of course as a final touch, I adore seeing him work with Pete to get the egg back. The way he tosses the egg in the air, fully trusting that Pete will catch it... they’re so in sync, just as pirate and parrot are meant to be ;)

Paani... I feel like there’s so much more to him than what we’ve seen so far, it almost feels unfair to assign him a “Shine Episode”. So, instead of highlighting a single episode, I’ll quickly talk about three that stick out (PS: you might sense a theme 🤣):

The Barnacle Geese - Uncle Paani. I like the “I’ll be my own uncle” joke, and the Edgar Allen Poe reference. I think Paani’s determination to help the chick (who doesn’t seem to want help) is nice to watch, and helps to prove his worthiness as an Agent—which is always fun considering his hesitance when Barnacles tried to recruit him in S1E1. In a way, this episode also makes Paani seem more like Barnacles. See my old post analyzing the show’s intro. (*Stares at the episode title* 👁️👁️)

The Arabian Camels - Take a shot of cocoa every time I mention my love for episodes where characters are forced to be by themselves. This one is especially interesting to me though, because we know that Paani was alone, for a very long time, before he met the Octonauts. He has no trouble working and getting by alone, and we get to see him exhibiting that, while being out of his element (a dry desert) at the same time; and that’s really cool.

The Lonely Frog - ...Y’know how they constantly make the Octonauts/Agents meet creatures with similar issues to them? Yeah. *Stares at the episode title.* *Stares at the end scene where he says “Kinda like when I met you guys!” before obnoxiously jumping into the lake, in response to Shellington+Peso saying “They never even knew each other existed before! [...] and now it’s like they’ve known each other all their lives!”* *STARES MORE AT THE EPISODE TITLE,,* *wonders how long Paani was actually alone before becoming an Agent...*

Pinto, where art thou? He wasn’t in S2 at all, which was a bit disappointing since we just saw him get an Octowatch in S1. I would’ve expected him to be pressing that button every chance he got, giving us a “Penguin who cried Octoalert” episode. But anyway,, The Curious Penguin is the PERFECT episode for Pinto. It shows his personality really well, and I love how his distractions and the things he learns and discovers help him to save the day in the end. I think Pinto (just like Kwazii) is a good portrayal of ADHD, and how he just needs to be in the right environment to succeed. Each time Pinto messes up or loses focus, isn’t because he was left alone and couldn’t be trusted—it’s because he was left alone and understimulated. So when he’s thrown into a sudden high-stakes situation, all of his focus hones in on the moment, and he’s able to save Dashi and Paani by himself.

AND, because you didn’t say it had to be an Above and Beyond moment, I want to throw some love at The Oarfish episode from the main series. In this episode, Pinto no longer views Peso as “less” than an Octonaut, and is so excited to watch him do his job—it’s really cute!! His impulsivity is once again a positive thing—granted, it seems to annoy Peso a little, but when you think about it he kinda saved the day by being impulsive. He sounded the Octoalert without permission, which let the captain know to come back before their radio signal cut out, and by being unafraid of the “monster” and swimming outside, he was able to discover what the problem was so that Peso could help. He did good.

Pearl.... I love Pearl a lot, but I can’t think of one specific episode that comes to mind for her. I love The Pupfish because it introduces Peri to AnB, and I love how he teaches her how to tie a knot, so she can save the algae (and Glen). I like The Bison episode because it’s interesting watching her not doing something with algae for once, and The Pink Glacier because her and Kwazii’s dynamic was something I didn’t know I needed, but now I want more of (/p).

Ryla. Possibly controversial opinion: I liked Ryla in The Caves of Sac Actun, more than I like her now in Above and Beyond. I know she’s only gotten 3 episodes so far, but she’s really missing something. Sac Actun gave us lore on her right off the bat: she’s old friends with Dashi, she’s a skilled cave explorer, she’s spunky, she’s purple. AnB hasn’t given us much yet. So far her only shtick is caves, and that’s getting a bit repetitive. Consider every moment she has in Sac Actun as her “Shining Moment”, because honestly that whole movie is a 10/10.

Koshi,,,, she hasn't gotten that much yet, but I'm gonna say The Longfin Eels is her Shine Episode. I like the way she narrates the whole episode, because it's very in-character. Plus we know she’s literally writing about this adventure in her diary as she's telling it, as if it were a mystery book. She reminds me of narrators from 1920s film noirs, and that’s cool. Also! Honorary mention of the scene when she gets her Octowatch: I loved that for her <3

Min is below the cut, because my answer for her includes some very heavy SEASON 5 SPOILERS, including SCREENSHOTS:

All of Min's appearances so far are dear to my heart. However, my favourite has to be her own introductory episode: The Giant Chinese Salamander.

The Rainforest Rescue is another amazing episode for Min—she’s a wonderful character on her own, of course—but I think we can all agree that she and Inkling are very adorable together (no matter how you interpret their relationship).

When Above and Beyond aired on Netflix, there was a lot of confusion around Min, from the younger audience and other fans who hadn’t seen S5. The Giant Chinese Salamander introduces Min with a 20-minute special; showing her in high-stakes action with Kwazii, bonding with the Octonauts, being an all-around Cool Person™, and a flashback of how she met Inkling when they were younger.

She saved his life. He was thrown far inland by a rough storm, and was trapped until she found him. I honestly headcanon that Min partially (if not outright) inspired Inkling to form the Octonauts, and this moment could have literally sealed the fate of EVERYTHING we know.

But! Until S5 comes out, that's all I've got to say~ 👋💝

[incorrect-brawlstars]

Nani, talking to Lola on the phone: Did you preheat the oven like I asked you to?

Lola: You bet!

Nani: At what temperature?

Lola: 535.

Nani: That's the clock.

Lola:

Nani:

Lola: 536.

[rhaegxr]

Rhaegar on his way to sneak out and serenade the smallfolk Rhaegar on his way to Summerhall to brood with ghosts Rhaegar on his way to have a clandestine meeting with a she-wolf

[overlyimmersed]

Headcanons/inferences about the Fairy Race from 7DS/nnt

🌱 They're vegetarian. Meaning they can't digest actual flesh. We see Harlequin eat things that have eggs and/or milk in them, but he always hesitates when offered actual meat. And whenever all the guys go out hunting, King either gathers fruit or...sleeps xD

🌿 They're born from oversized versions of regular plant buds.

🌱 They're naked when they're born just like everyone else. You may not think I need to headcanon that, but some people headcanon that they're born clothed like Never Fairies. Which is fine, just not the one I subscribe to.

🌿 All of their clothes are just open in the back or backless for their wings. I know the manga and anime don't reflect this thought at all, but I can't really figure out how their wings work otherwise.

🌱 And about their wings! Basically cartilaginous joints that form on their shoulder blades as they mature. That's why it would make that horrible sound when they get ripped off, like the sound a dislocating shoulder makes. Gross...

🌿 Fairies live forever. I know now the wiki says they have a definitive lifespan, but when I first joined the fandom, in 2022, it said something different. And I just actually think this makes more sense. See this post for my reasoning.

🌱 Fairies don't really practice any sort of formal agriculture. They mostly just get whatever they need from around them.

🌿 Fairies can compliment each other's wings, but it's weird if another race does it.

🌱 Fairies with round ears are needed to make babies. They can do it with other races and even other Fairies with pointed ears, but at least 1 of the Fairies in the pairing has to have naturally round ears for babies to happen.

🌿 Fairies don't really have architecture the way humans would think of it. They make their homes in tree hollows.

🌱 The Fairy King's Forest grows all sorts of plants that aren't native to Britannia. Not just things native to the Fairy Realm, but plants from other regions of the Human Realm too. Regardless of things like climate and grow zones.

🌿 The Fairy King's Forest does shift through the four seasons as if it were a temperate zone, but because of all the magic the plants don't really die in the winter. The color of foliage and what's in bloom changes from season to season.

🌱 Most Fairies are aroace. The majority of the Fairy Clan aren't interested in romance at all and are just really close friends. Even fewer have any interest in sex and the ones that do are only interested in it if it's with someone they're in love with.

🌿 Most Fairies are ambidextrous. Some do favor right or left, but it's less common.

🌱 Gloxinia and Dahlia have scales on their wings like a moth or butterfly, that's what gives them that irridecent, rainbowy quality. Still don't know why Harlequin is different though :p (credit to @juiceyobsessionist for this idea)