#trials and failures of making gifs

[inakanotori]

AAA - ダイジナコト "Smiling outside, crying inside, sometimes I can't tell the difference"

[salemlunaa]

﹏𓊝∘˚ STOP SCRAMBLING FOR THINGS YOU ALREADY HAVE 𓇼∘˚

why? well because it’s already done

if you can’t see that it’s never. gonna. happen. You either got it or you don’t, you don’t ever have to meet in the middle with the 3D. ever. Don’t need to study, you have them grades. Don’t need that expensive skincare, you have glass skin. Don’t need to workout you have your dream body. You don’t need to induce pure consciousness, you have your dream life.

And funny enough, this is the mindset that helped me induce for the first time. I only went in to the meditation with the mindset that I already had my dream life so i don’t need anything, including pure consciousness. “Why would i need to induce something i already have?”

Even though my circumstances differed, I stopped with the “I need to shift so bad”, “I would do anything to induce the void state”. I knew I had to stop being reliant on the void, I knew everything counted on it. So I told myself it was already done, there was nothing to do. At all. I wasn’t scrambling talking about “omg the day is almost over and I haven’t induced�� why would I need to when I already did? I told myself that there was nothing to be afraid of, i can’t be afraid of failure when i already had my dream life. Would someone be scared of failing their classes when they are already holding a degree in their hand?

I told myself that I was only inducing the void to relax “nothing special” since i induce all the time. I don’t need to meet in the middle. And neither do you. You don’t have to fry your brain with different techniques, you either have your dream life or you don’t. There is no build up. There is no “void journey” where you go through trial and error. Because you don’t need to.

The desperation and the pedestal went away immediately after I accepted my dream life was here. And because of that there was no fear that I was gonna “fall asleep”, there was no fear that it “wouldn’t work”. I am pure consciousness. And because of that I was able to induce.

You need to realise that your dr isn’t a dream anymore it’s just your cr, you aren’t tied to one reality just because your awareness is placed here. There is another version of you reading this. You are infinite, you can shift in a millisecond and you have. Stop making this huge journey, it’s just yours it’s not that deep fr.

Tell yourself you are the “I AM” i don’t care what your outerman has to deal with. You aren’t your outerman, your innerman (you) already ha everything, that’s enough.

Tell yourself that inducing pure consciousness should be for relaxation or “just because” it really lets your subconscious know that you have nothing to be desperate over since you have everything. There nothing to procrastinate over because your dream life belongs to you. Would a couple with a baby be talking about how they are constantly procrastinating the act of trying for a baby? no, they already have one. You already have your dream life.

You don’t have to meet in the middle for anything, and that includes the state of pure consciousness. You already are pure consciousness.

Accept it’s yours, that’s the key to getting it.

[enyasaints]

I have accepted that I am a failure

Despite all my efforts no matter what I do. I will always come up short. It’s been almost 3 months and I have not got a lawyer for my sexual assault case, and I have a month left to not only raise the money but find an employment lawyer that will take my case. I want to give up because it seems impossible to take this to trial.

I have been struggling financially. I’ve tried to stop begging to make up for the big ask of my employment lawyer. I have been suffering silently hoping that I can at least get a lawyer for my case, even if it meant I don’t eat a few times a week. I am all alone with no community. No friends. I have no means of living really. Without exaggeration I am contemplating suicide. The idea of my past employers and my abuser going scott free breaks me. This is just an abridge version of my 3 month break.

CA: $Enyasaint

Venmo: Enyasaint

My small ask for the day is to simply get out of overdraft. I am currently overdrafted -$26

I have a small goal of $200

CA: $Enyasaint

Venmo: Enyasaint

If anyone can contribute to help me pay small bills and get immediate necessities that I have neglected over a very long period of time. I would be so grateful.

Goal: $200

[clueless-fan-critic]

Why Helluva Boss Surpasses Hazbin Hotel In the Best Way Possible

The Helluva Boss Christmas episode dropped and I caught up with Season 2. I love this show so much for so many reasons. But that doesn't diminish Hazbin Hotel in any way at all. In fact, because of the show, it gives us a much deeper appreciation for what Helluva Boss is doing. I mean Hazbin Hotel was cool on Prime, but I want to talk about why Helluva Boss is the "Shrek 2" of the R-Rated animated musical series by a YouTube Animator. And that's a weird mouthful.

Getting Better with No Reward

Helluva Boss makes pretty clear that the "evil" demons of Hell are basically regular people with problems. Whether a majority of demons are born in Hell or damned souls, it's clear that they grow up from children to teens to adults. They have jobs, families, homes, and all the mundane things in our lives. And do in fact die. Possibly? That part is vague in whether they just get erased from existence or reincarnate Chainsaw Man style. But with those in mind, what would exactly be the point of being a "good" or "bad" person?

Throughout the series, many of the demons have some moral code, ethics, empathy, or rationale that sets them apart from the more chaotic and stereotypical demons. What I saw with a lot of characters is they willingly try and change for the better, all without Charlie Morningstar or the promise of Heaven, but redemption. This is especially in the case of Blitzø with a silent O.

Blitzø is one of the more unhinged characters you would see as a demon: immoral, selfish, hedonistic, all those demony things. But we, the audience, get to see his life, his failures, and his pain and how it shaped him. While it doesn't excuse his actions, it does make us understand. Once realizing these feelings, Blitzø tries to confront the consequences of his actions, with some trial and failure. Reconciling with his twin sister Barby: failed. Apologizing to his exes: failed. Talking with Fizzoralli: okay but still some scars, literal and figurative.

In fact, both Blitzø and Charlie share one major quality: attempting to change the status quo of Hell. But Blitzø wants to be seen more than a lackey to other higher demons while Charlie wants to prove people can change for the better. While Charlie's reason is more rooted in selflessness and hope, Blitzø's feels more human and genuine. From what I could see from the show so far, Hell is getting a whole lot bigger in what it can offer.

What's The Big Difference?

Helluva Boss is a more grounded and relatable show than the epic musical of Hazbin Hotel. The show allows for a lot of worldbuilding moments with the different rings of Hell along with their functions and associated demons. We're introduced to imps at the bottom of the demon hierarchy, demon royalty through Stolas and the Goetia royals, and six of the Seven Deadly Sins.

It seems the Seven Deadly Sins hold the most authority compared to the Overlords. It might be that the Overlords are more rich people like CEOs, industrialists, and entertainers while the Sins are like government officials, both holding power and influence but in different areas of life.

Whenever Hell is used in a show, it's represented in a myriad of ways ranging from classic burning pits to existential or nihilistic despair. It does make it clear that Hell is more a dark reflection of life on Earth, but more dirty, vibrant, and chaotic nonetheless. Even the Earth depicted in the show isn't really different aside from the whole demonic powers and magic stuff.

What Makes it More Interesting than its Predecessor?

Helluva Boss uses episodes as vehicles for their characters. Basically, getting to know who we're watching, why they're important, how they are as people, and so on. It doesn't have an overarching story that builds to a final battle. They're just chilling with exploring characters and their impact to others and the present stories in different episodes. Although there are interconnecting plots and stories, the show is mostly episodic.

Its strongest element include the characters, its main cast, supporting, and even one-off jokes, they all leave impressions on anyone who sees them. Millie is given more exploration in later episodes with why she always put up with Blitzø and believes in their business despite his total incompetence and hangups. You think Millie is just this bubbly tank, but shows a much more vulnerable side who wants to be seen more than her "intended role."

Stolas is another character is breaks the mold of his role. With disastrous results for everyone he cares for. Stolas is the love interest of Blitzø who aids IMP with his magic. He slowly breaks out from being a prince into someone else he hasn't found yet. We see his royal comfort implode in the Sinsmas finale, he loses his status, power, and even his daughter because of a perceived fantasy or escape that would free him. But, like a lot of caged birds, he doesn't fare so well in the real world. Now left with truly nothing but the very person he made his "sacrifice" for. Even uncertain of that as well.

But, the songs from both shows are incredible!!!!

My favorites include Loser, Baby performed by veteran Keith David and newcomer Blake Roman and U 2 Me performed in "Apology Tour" by Bryce Pinkham. Both those songs really connect with me while conveying character moments. The songs in Helluva Boss develop and explore character like a musical would use them for those big "Declaration of Something" anthem. Defying Gravity, We Don't Talk About Bruno, even Cell Block Tango, all are songs that explore one's mindset, opinions, and personal struggles.

Why Should I Watch...?

The Characters, the plots, the songs, the animation, so much F^$King things to admire and love that I can't... I just... 😣 😩 ... I don't know.

Just Watch It and See for Yourself!!!

[heretyc]

Outlast Characters On Your Birthday

It's my 23rd birthday today so I thought I'd release something for everybody! Enjoy 🥳🎂🍰 Have a slice on me! [Also, a debate: best flavour of cake? Tuxedo and strawberry shortcake always take the cake for me, wink wink]

Miles and Waylon both throw you a party; the only difference is Miles includes alcohol [assuming you're of age] and Waylon prefers there be sweets and milkshakes. Miles will throw you a surprise party whereas Waylon will ask you what you'd like at your party. Guests, decorations...all up to you.

Miles gives you something comedic or something useful, like a harmonica or a comb with a blade in it. Never know when you have to comb and jab, y'know?

Waylon prefers wholesome things. You know how he is. Or self defense gear.

Jeremy, the bastard, goes all out for it; if you want, he'll bring you to Murkoff and the entire staff can celebrate. Hell, the variants, too! How funny would it be to experiment on variants wearing party hats?? [Not...very funny, but Jeremy has an odd sense of humour.] Because Richard and Jeremy are close, Richard gets you a present. What's inside is up to you. [It may be phallic or just a new wallet or something.]

Trager's not a party kind of feller, so he'll throw you a small party in his office and tell you "me not cutting your fingers off is a gift, sweetheart".

Just kidding, he buys you anything you ask for. He's not fond of surprises, so he'll straight up just go to you and ask you, outright, what you'd like. He gets you two shirts: his says "I love to finger paint" and your shirt says "I'm paint".

He thinks he's funny, please just laugh and get it over with.

Chris is a total sweetiepie and he makes the cake himself [if he's able]. He remembers the subtle details of your interests and he'll know exactly what to get you. One of which being matching sweaters with cats and dogs on them.

Eddie is a master of party throwing and this is a hill I'll die on; he'll buy wine, cheese, gifts and toss in some handmade works of his. He loves to bake, and despite a few failures - and a hole in the wall - he's more than happy to celebrate your day of birth by making you a homemade cake!

Walrider steals a guy, steals a car, drives to Walmart and brings you just about any expensive gift he can grab. You didn't NEED an airfryer, but...the effort he put into his theft was too much to ignore. He purrs when you put chicken strips inside of your new airfryer.

Knoth gives you a bible about himself and tells you stories about how big his penis is. That's...that's as much as you're going to get. I see why Val left. He'll also ask you to convert, seeing as how "God is your birthday gift". No thanks.

Marta's fond of flowers, so expect a bouquet as well as a rosary. She's not as forceful as Knoth is [unless directly told to be], so the rosary is moreso a suggestion to convert.

Val surprises you with heretics, fire, bodies and sex. And more sex. And sex 24/7 7 days a week, no holiday breaks. Jokes aside - or are they jokes? - they'll ask a Heretic to steal something from Knoth to give to you. That, or they'll deceive a delivery boy into getting you something from the outside world. It might be just a small Snickers bar or a bottle of penicillin, but it still means a lot. Val can't really bake considering their circumstances, but they'll try and get you something sweet if all else fails. Coyle thinks his loyalty and his protection of you is a gift, there's no party necessary. That's all you can ask for, right? But he'll grumble about how "greed like yours is what collapses a respectful nation" and try to get you something. Expect something like a necklace or handcuffs. Maybe he'll even set up a few mannequins in a circle to celebrate your special day with cop hats in place of party hats.

Gooseberry is obsessed with gift giving and party throwing, so the entire theme park is completely yours to enjoy for one trial. No ex-pops, just her, you and Dr Futterman. Futterman is just glad you're not ruining his daughter's time as she works away in the Root Canal. Franco loves parties, especially if he throws them! Mainly because his parties are full of sex, booze, drugs and murder. But for you, doll? He'll make an exception...he'll ask the staff to make you a cake and serve it to you himself. Easterman makes sure you're given a day to yourself. Cake, gifts and naps. What more can you ask for? He can't show favouritism, letting you out would be unfair to the other patients, but this is enough.

[ivivenus]

My Checklist for Helluva Boss Season 3!

This list consists of all my theories that I have for season 3. I've been seeing people share their predictions, so I wanted to share mine!

♡ Barbie Wire's reappearance: I have a strong inkling that Blitzø may run to her while he goes to Sloth to pick up Stolas's meds. I don't think Barbie would mention Blitzø almost getting executed but I would love it if it does.

♡ A Pro Choice Storyline: I want Millie to feel that she has the right to choose whether she wants to keep the baby or not and not let the pressure from society keep her from making a choice. I also want this storyline to align with Stella's backstory where it shows what's it like to have a child you don't want with a man you don't like.

♡ Verosika's Healing Journey: All I really want is for Verosika to at least go back to rehab to help her alcoholism. After Apology Tour and Mastermind, she seems to be doing slightly better.

♡ Tilla & Cash Buckzo Flashback: I have a theory that Blitzø and Barbie's parents are similar to Stolas & Stetlla, where Tilla stays for the kids, while Cash was abusive. I also want this to be a way to help Blitzø connect with Via, since they've never really interacted.

♡ Loona & Octavia Interaction: I want it to be opposite of Seeing Stars, where it's not a calm conversion. I just want to see Loona passionately open up to Via about having the first 17 years of her life with no parents in an adoption center while Via had the best childhood that anyone could wish for.

♡ More Fizzarolli: I just like the clown twink.

♡ The Divorce is Finalized: The divorce was initiated in S2E1 and by S2E4 Andrephelus was talking about compensation for Stella. Then S2E8, Stolas says that he won't dwell upon the divorce, and in S2E11 Andrephelus refers to Stolas as "horny ex husband" to Stella but as her "husband" during the trial. I don't think the divorce was ever finalized. With this I want Blitzø to find out what kind of wife Stella was to Stolas.

♡ Striker vs. Blitzø: I don't have a prediction on how this'll happen but I would love to see Blitzø get angry for Mastermind and Western Energy. I also want Striker to say something petty like "Didn't you say it was a transactional fucking?" (S1E5).

♡ Barbie joins IMP: I don't think she'll stay long but it would be cute to see Blitzø help his sister out.

♡ Stolas's Weight Gain: To me, I feel that Stolas struggles with body image and self confidence. Stella literally called him "scrawny" and a "twig" in S2E1, and I feel like his eating habits are not healthy. It's literally cereal and absinthe. I would love to see him try Blitzø's cooking and explore new food items where he gets a bit heavier (and his thighs get thicker).

♡ Moxxie & Stolas Interactions: They are great characters but I want them to have friends outside of their partners. Stolas can sing with Moxxie and they can eventually watch musicals together. I really just want them to have a friendship like Blitzø and Millie does.

♡ Stolitz Cheek & Forehead Kisses: I'm still not over the fact that Stolas was unaware that Blitzø kissed his cheek in Mastermind. Also, they've seen each other's holes already so they deserve to be soft with each other.

♡ Andrealphus Failure: I've had this theory since the end of Mastermind where hell would basically freeze over to an apocalyptic wasteland because Andrealphus doesn't know how to use the Grimoire or do any of Stolas's duties. It can be easily forgotten (because we don't see it really) that Stolas is like a tarot reader/astrologer and he curses the moon during the Harvest Moon Festival so that the farmers can grow crops. Andrealphus is a peacock that has ice powers do geometry.

♡ Octavia's 18th Birthday: After that Sinsmas fight, I don't think Andrealphus will just let Via have Stolas's possessions. He'll most likely do anything to get rid of her and keep the power. I can see him trying to marry her off to someone and Blitzø and Stolas find out. I would love to see Blitzø slip up and call Octavia his daughter when he's trying to save her. I can see this being the finale and Season 4 is the aftermath.

♡ Stolitz Conversation: Eventually, Stolas and Blitzø are going to have to finally talk all that happens between them. I really just want them both to apologize and Blitzø drops that he loves Stolas. I've been waiting for these two talk it out for three years!!

[comicsohwhyohwhy]

Saving Jayce, losing Sky - Viktor's great mistake

There's two crucial moments in Viktor's season 1 arc that very poignantly show why he comes to view his own path as utterly misguided, how tragically close he comes to losing himself.

Twice does he read someone's scientific notes and recognize their brilliance, their potential, and the potential of their ideas to change the world for the better. The first time, of course, it's with Jayce. Viktor is fascinated by what he says at the trial, and he starts studying Jayce's notes. He comes to Jayce notebook in hand, telling him that he's intrigued, that he wants to help Jayce complete his vision, realise his dream.

This is how he literally ends up saving Jayce's life - Jayce, who makes it very clear that his whole life revolves around (re-)creating magic, who says his life's work is all there is, who decided to commit suicide after no one believed him. But Viktor, reading his notes, believes him, and thereby, he gives him back a reason to live.

The second time is the polar opposite, despite being a clear mirror scene. Viktor is reading Sky's notes:

He recognises her brilliance, the potential of her ideas, her idealism in wanting to change the world - she's like Jayce, she's like Jayce and Viktor, once upon a time.

But this time, he reads the notes after Sky died because of him. His reckless experimentation with the Hexcore is what killed her - his recoginising her brilliance cannot save her, because it's too late, she's already lost, and it's Viktor's fault.

This is Viktor losing himself in season 1, it's why he comes to regret everything he did, it's why he himself is about to commit suicide, only for Jayce, in another perfect mirror structure, to interrupt him. It's why Viktor carries Sky's notebook with him throughout the parts of season 2 when he's still in touch with his humanity - as a reminder of his greatest failure, taking the life of a brilliant person instead of saving it.

The thing that makes Viktor's arc utterly tragic, of course, is that all good he thinks he's accomplishing in season 2 ends up being another version of evil. He ends up really losing himself. His intentions become twisted and he ends up taking many more lives instead of saving and improving them, as he vowed to do. Not only was Sky's death a horrible, senseless accident, Viktor's worst mistake, even the lesson he took from it comes to nothing.

(I WILL SOB FOREVER.)

awesome gifs by https://arcanegifs.tumblr.com/

[shini--chan]

Yan face with human! reader (they are analytical cold and don't like hugging (tend to be sociopathic)

Scratching the sociopathic part because it doesn’t entirely fit with the analytical and cold part. Besides, I already had this finished and then my laptop decided to stage a rebellion. To say I’m a bit pissed would be an understatement

Yandere Allies - Winter Solstice

America

Alfred would see it as a challenge. In his eyes, you would just be so closed off because you wouldn’t have met him yet and have had somebody to open up to. It would just be like those old (as well as modern) Hollywood films where the love interest of the protagonist would make him chase them to prove his worth. Every slap to the face would just be a hint to try harder and every no would be a yes in disguise. Like the main character in those movies, he would just have to wear you down and you would just be playing hard to get. Never would a rejection of yours be taken seriously and it would just be seen as one of those silly games people like to play with each other. An important thing to keep in mind would be that the faster you would try to run from him, the more stubborn and passionate he would become in his pursuit of you. Even after he would have you bond to his side, he wouldn’t let go of that delusion. It just would compute for him that you aren’t enamoured with him, especially after you played hard to get for so long. 

You can bet your life that he wouldn’t respect your boundaries when it comes to touch, a feature that would be amplified after the two of you would “establish your relationship”. Wriggling out of his embrace, brushing off his hands, turning your cheek when he would go in for a kiss - that and many other rejection of his advances would just lead to him repeating the action more intimately and longer than before. It goes without saying that this would lead to some very … uncomfortable situations. 

Canada

Matthew would actually be relieved, There wouldn’t be such pressure to be a romantic this way and there wouldn’t be much difference between courting and living with him. This man would be from casting you lovelorn gazes while stalking you to casting lovelorn gazes at you while you go about your business in the isolated cabin he would keep you prisoner in after kidnapping you. His relationship would consist a lot of just observing you - he would act very much like a naturalist in that respect, so it wouldn’t matter much if you wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings. 

China

Yao wouldn’t have a big problem with it. Of course he would prefer it if you’d be more affectionate with him, yet he’d take what he is given. If being cold and distant is your baseline personality, then so be it - he’d have become obsessed with you for who you are after all. However, if you’re just playing at being standoffish to scare him off, then he wouldn’t have any of it. He’d increase his pursuit of you, maybe even going as far as forcing you to cooperate with him by pulling some strings and having you assigned to him. Then he’d have time to file away at your armour.

England

Arthur would actually be disturbed by your coldness and aloofness. The partner he would seek would be sweet and tender in the right moments, and have recognisable emotional expressions. You being so closed off, so one dimensional in character wouldn’t sit well with him. Which is why he would become quickly convinced that you would be hiding most of your personality from him and putting up a cold front to scare him away. As such, he would use any method to thaw that icy heart of your’s. Romantic gestures aplenty would be employed - from flowers to poetry to strolls in the park. Eventually though, he would become fed up with his failures and lure away to the woods. A scene would occur, that would culminate in him kidnapping you. 

After squirreling you away to his estate, he would put you through various trials in order to make your hard shell break. All good romantic relationships would have their own obstacles, and this would be one of your’s. For England, it would be alright if you’re cold to others, however you should be willing to grant emotional tenderness and warmth to him. He would also be very merciless in his pursuit of that. 

France

Francis would pity you. Who on earth would have harmed his beloved so much that they would have become closed off and introverted and distrusting? How dare the cruel world harm his petite little love. His notions of your relationship would lead him to directly skip the courting part and straight up kidnap you. When you would continue to be closed off and cold, he would sit you down to explain at length that you’re safe with him and that you no longer have to retreat into yourself to ensure you remain unharmed. With him, it would be alright to be vulnerable. To extend on this, he would see it as within his right to play therapist to you and if you wouldn’t cooperate, then he would resort to underhand methods. Romantic dinners would turn into interrogations, and every menial problem of your’s would be traced back to your childhood. 

Additionally, he would enact your “revenge” for you so that you can get over your past “traumas”. Your “abuser’s” head would be served to you on a silver platter. While it can be so easy to label him as a sappy, romantic fool, there would be instances like this where he would remind you that that would just be a singular facet to the personality of a warfaring empire.France would be like a cat bringing a mouse to your doorstep, and be as expectant as a hound for praise. 

Russia

Ivan would be alright at first - he would see it as a normal reaction to meeting somebody new. True smiles and real tears are only shared with family and friends, yes? If things would continue that way, then he’ll assume that he wronged you somehow or needs to step up his game. Eitherway, you’d be on the receiving end of a parade of flowers and chocolates. If you’d be naturally cold, then he’d come to terms with it. However, if he’d think you’re trying to get rid of him by giving him the cold shoulder, then you would be kidnapped. 

[mekatrio]

cuz at first ajaa wasnt even meant to exist it was just meant to be the trilogy and thats it, then while theyre porting it over to the nintendo ds capcom gives them the green light to go nuts with a bonus pseudo-dlc case and By God Do They, making the longest case yet of RFTA with fully animated 3d cutscenes + an incredibly convoluted plot that makes the most out of aa1's 3 day trial system + fully modelled 3d rotational evidence, hitting heavy themes of police corruption and evidence forgery and whatnot like they went INSANE, cuz this was supposed to be IT. this was supposed to be ace attorneys big finale and farewell but SIKE oh my god the actual Ministry Of Justice has knocked on capcoms door and told them hey can you make some propaganda for us. so now the aa team has to make propaganda for them. right after burning themselves the fuck out from creating rfta. all that time spent on rfta which couldve been development time for ajaa.... too late. cant be taken back. apollo justice is designed in less than a week and theyre marketing this game while the team is still making it, takumi crazed madman that he is decides to not rely on old characters which while that is an artistic slay, sets up the stage for a marketing failure, and a new artistic team of infinite ambition goes nuts with creating derangedly detailed animations

⬆️ like oh my god are you insane. thank you so much BUT ARE YOU INSANE? all while still making 3d renders of evidence and random 3d animations and it looks so awesome BUT THERES NOT ENOUGH TIME, 3 wonderful cases are made but 4-4 falls on its face. 6 hours long instead of the usual 10 and only one cross-examination in the final trial and 2 whole main characters with no backstory like its bad. its going to be bad. but its too late. the most incomplete ace attorney game has to be rushed out of the gates and the sales are made But The Reception Is Bad. Real Bad. 2000s hater gamer crowds were the first of its kind, being massively fuelled by the internet, haters back then could sink their teeth deep into a company, which is what got nintendo scrambling away from their wind waker art direction to appease the gamers w twilight princess. so similarly when the hate for ajaa came on, cuz whattt phoenix disbarred and no 😤 old characters 😤😤, capcom scrambled to appease the masses. but oh oh whats this? takumi says 'yeahhhh Nah' and says he wants to make a game about his dog. OK. cant persuade him away from that. might as well let some new blood handle the franchise in takumi's place then, but for The Love Of God do not make an ajaa followup. the gamers will kill us. and so the aai duology was born....... cool........ first one's reception was so bad that localization plans were dropped entirely for the sequel. wow. takumi is fresh off from ghost trick but fucking what, 5 years has passed now, and the new hot console is the nintendo THREE ds. 3ds. wowwww. fucking... PROFESSOR LAYTON kidnaps takumi to make plvpwaa and ajaa continues to be left in the dust. fucking nobody wants him. poor orphaned kitten left in the street. all while the trilogy gets 9584948 million adaptations. and yamazaki twiddles his thumbs thinking abt making aai3 but after thinking it over hes like yeah ill try making aa5. capcom lets him and.......... its over........ they tell him sure go for it But Do Not Follow Up On Apollo Everyone Hates Him please make phoenix the protag. a recipe for disaster. and a disaster aa5 is. juggling THREE protags a complete mess and they do a popularity poll and wow would u look at who came first, fucking APOLLO. JUSTICEEEEEEE. its almost like.... gamers opinions..... are not valuable in the long run.. and popular opinion has never signified artistic understanding.... aa6 comes chugging along and yamazaki addicted to racism cranks out something even worse. both aa56 makes the sales it needs but mindless fanservice can only get u so far... its been nearly 10 years since the ajaa 'trilogy' titles released and the general consensus is that Aaja Was Good and aa56 Not So Much but what can you do now? heres the apollo justice trilogy please buy it and deeply lower ur expectations for coherent and cohesive narratives which have basis in reality thank u. bc u will not be finding that here. ajaa never stood a chance.. they werent doomed by the narrative. its worse. they were doomed by STUPID FUCKING GAMERS AND STUPID EXECUTIVE DECISIONS 😭😭😭

[aspoonofsugar]

Hi

A lot of people keep saying Sera from Hazbin hotel and Satan from Helluva Boss are quite similar of how they run Heaven and Hell and personality wise. Would it be possible if you can do an analysis of how similar they are and how heaven and hell isn’t much different from Sera and Satan running both places.

Hi!

Sorry for the wait and thank you for the ask because I have been wanting to discuss this since the episode first came out!

SERA AND SATAN: KNOWLEDGE AND JUSTICE

Sera and Satan are superficially opposites:

Sera is an angel, who presents herself as virtuous, merciful and understanding. She is polite towards Charlie and acts as if she is gonna judge her Hazbin Hotel idea fairly.

Satan is a demon, who presents himself as strict, violent and scary. He is dismissive towards I.M.P., openly racist and all he wants is to find someone to punish.

However, neither is exactly what they seem, as both are wearing a facade.

Sera isn't interested in hearing Charlie out. She manipulates events, so that the Princess of Hell has no chance of succeeding. Moreover, she uses Adam's malice to present him as Charlie's opponent, when she is the one getting in the way. In other words, Sera is the mastermind behind Charlie's failure.

Satan isn't really that much in control. He is easily manipulated by different people, as Andrealphus, Blitz and Stolas all trick him. Moreover, he can't really hide the growing tension among the Sins, no matter how much he tries. In other words, Satan is really no mastermind nor leader of Hell.

What is the point of Sera and Satan both wearing masks?

Both Sera and Satan try to fit the role of leader they are given. Sera is the High Seraphim of Heaven, so she must be perfect and rightful. Satan is instead the Leader of the Deadly Sins, so he must command respect and instill fear.

Most of all, Sera and Satan believe Heaven and Hell can keep going only if the status quo is uphold.

This idea permeates all their actions, including their role as judges. Sera is in charge of a "questioning", whereas Satan presides a "trial". However, neither of them is a good fit.

A questioning is about knowledge. It is about questioning the status quo to discover if there is a new way to do things. It is about pursuing truth and understanding. Still, Sera herself has knowledge she doesn't disclose:

Lute: SHHH. Sir, what was the Seraphim's one rule? Adam: Uuughhh, "No one but the exorcists can know about the exterminations". I know, fine. 

Not only that, but she doesn't want the other angels to ask difficult questions:

Sera: This questioning stops now. We know when a soul arrives, we know when they pass divine judgment, it is our job to ensure these souls are safe.

She uses ignorance as a weapon to keep the system in place.

A trial is about justice. It is about judging if a person is guilty or innocent. It is about giving retributions, which are proportionate and fair. However, Satan is "accuser", as his name implies, "jury", as he manipulates the other demons' votes:

Satan: Why don't we take a vote. Who wants to listen to hours of testimony? Who wants to kill this imp bastard and get home for lunch?

And "judge", as he makes the final decision:

Satan: So you see Next to me, your master plans all look so small Little mice When you break my rules You pay the price!

He embodies a draconian law system. In this sense, he himself is "the law". He is an unjust justice, which strikes fear in people.

Ignorance and fear are what Sera and Satan use to preserve things as they are. They do so because they both believe "order" is necessary to prevent chaos. And yet, both their authorities are challenged during "Welcome to Heaven" and "Mastermind". This happens because two characters choose to stand up against them.

EMILY AND STOLAS: UNDEXPECTED OPPONENTS

Emily and Stolas are respectively a Seraphim and a Goetia. So, they are members of the groups Sera and Satan are doing the interests of. In fact, both Emily and Stolas are powerful, sheltered and at the pinnacle of their respective hierarchies. All they have to do is to stay in their place to keep indulging in their privilege. And yet, both decide to side with respectively Charlie, a demon, and Blitz, an imp.

Emily, differently from Sera, is curious about Charlie's idea and she is interested in discovering the truth about how souls get to Heaven:

Emily: Yeah, why isn't he here?

She is genuinely pursuing knowledge and virtue:

Emily: To think that I admired you Well, I don't need your condescension I'm not a child to protect Was talk of virtue just pretension? Was I too naïve to expect you To heed the morals you're purveying?

Stolas, differently from Satan, doesn't want I.M.P. to die, so he uses the classist ideology Satan understands to manipulate him into showing mercy:

Stolas: I came down just as soon as I heard of the imp Stood accused of a devilish crime Could it be that a worm such as this half a brain Could concoct such a plot so sublime? Does this fool deserve the flame? Or is someone else to blame?

He is acting out of personal feelings, rather than political ideology. However, he is protecting lower demons at a high personal cost:

Stolas: I am the mastermind, the hand that holds the strings! No simple imp of mine could master the disaster Oh it stings! That you thought You had caught the schemer of the schemes I wrought! I confess! It was me and I have no regrets!

Emily and Stolas's "rebellion" is interesting for two reasons.

1) It leads to a moment in You Didn't Know and Mastermind, where Emily/Charlie (directly) and Stolas/Blitz (indirectly) challenge Heaven and Hell.

Charlie and Emily: If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie  If angels can do whatever, and remain in the sky The rules are shades of gray when you don't do as you say When you make the wretched suffer just to kill them again

Here Emily and Charlie have the higher moral ground over Sera, as they sing a reprise of Hell is Forever. They are calling out the High Seraphim of Heaven on her hypocrisy and daring to say Heaven itself is turning into Hell.

Stolas: You're my light Blitzo: You're my heart Blitzo and Stolas: Only death can rend our love apart!

Here Stolas and Blitz are having a metaphorical wedding. They affirm their love with a formula similar to "until death do us apart". Moreover, this exchange happens in front of the embodiment of law (Satan). Stolas and Blitz's relationship is symbolically disrupting the balance between the higher class and the lower demons. They are challenging Hell's bigoted views.

2) It forces Sera and Satan to deal with Emily and Stolas's resistance.

On the one hand Sera insists Emily should ignore what just happened and keep going with the duty Heaven assigned her. She tries to enforce "ignorance" on Emily:

Sera: It is my position as the head Seraphim to protect our people at all costs. And it's your position to keep them happy and joyful. Emily: How can I bring joy when I now know we are bringing misery to thousands of innocent people?

On the other hand Satan makes an example out of Stolas, so that none of the other Goetia will dare to challenge the status quo. He "frightens" the rest of Hell with Stolas's punishment:

Satan: No. Ooh, ooh. No, no. You still definitely fucked up, we just need to figure out a fitting punishment for you.

What's interesting is that both Sera (directly) and Satan (indirectly) compare Emily and Stolas to Lucifer:

Sera: Please.... if you start to question... you could end up like Lucifer: Fallen. I couldn't bear to see you suffer that fate, so please, let me worry about this, ok?

Sera does not want Emily to end up fallen, like Lucifer.

Satan: STOLAS! I hereby strip you of your status, your power, and your title for the next hundred years. You will have to live amongst the citizens of Hell and revel in your failings!

Satan banishes Stolas, just like Heaven banished Lucifer.

Why is the fallen angel so important?

LUCIFER'S FAILURE

Sera: Well, you failed to control the demons' unrest, and now Lucifer is involved, setting up an audience for his misguided daughter. 

Satan: I've ruled the endless dark Since long before the golden angel's fall

Sera and Satan know Lucifer personally and used to share their political role with him:

Sera and Lucifer were both Seraphims, at the top of Heaven's hierarchy

Satan and Lucifer are both Deadly Sins and Lucifer used to be the leader in Satan's place

However, Lucifer ended up disappearing from both of their lives. First, he fell and left Heaven forever. Then, he got more and more depressed and became uninvolved in Hell's ruling.

It is unknown what Sera and Satan's personal relationship with Lucifer was, but right now they both seem to resent him and are trying to erase his memory.

Sera is annoyed by just mentioning Lucifer's name and she clearly projects her unsolved feelings for him on Charlie. She sees the Princess of Hell as just an extension of Lucifer (daughter of the Morningstar) and is biased against her project because she sees it as an echo of Lucifer's past dream.

Satan is angry at Lucifer and is using his absence to take over his Kingdom. He even changes their shared past by presenting himself as the first rightful rule of Hell. He also imposes a policy, which ironically punishes people for sins similar to Lucifer's original one.

In short, Sera and Satan represent Lucifer double failure:

Sera is a Seraphim, who upholds Heaven's "order" and thinks changing Heaven in any capacity is impossible and dangerous. All because Lucifer's attempt ended up in a disaster, which broke the world. She embodies Lucifer's failure to reform Heaven.

Satan is a Sin, who imposes in Hell a law very similar to Heaven's. He upholds a hierarchy, whcih is just a mirror of Heaven's one. He is Sera's parody, in a sense. He represents Lucifer's failure to rule Hell and to make it an alternative to Heaven.

So, Lucifer failed twice. He failed to create a better universe and he failed to live as happily as possible in Hell. Moreover, as King of Hell he failed both at foreign policy (the exterminations) and at domestic policy (Hell's classism).

CHARLIE AND BLITZ: PICKING UP THE PIECES

Charlie and Blitz are meant to pick up Lucifer's pieces and to help both the universe (Charlie) and society (Blitz) to change.

Charlie will deal directly with Lucifer (and Lilith)'s original sin and fix the universe they broke. When it comes to Hell's politics, she is going to grow into a political leader, a true princess in a sense:

Charlie: 'Cause right now, we need a leader And it seems to me that Destiny has picked me to be that If you'll permit me So who's with me?

In particular, she is gonna gain more power and influence in the Pride Ring and is gonna take charge of foreign policy (the relationship between Heaven and Hell).

Blitz will disrupt Hell's hierarchy thanks to his business and relationship with Stolas. He will break free from the system:

Blitzo: All I was trying to do was rise above this stupid fucking place YOU ALL FORCED US INTO!

In particular, he is gonna show new paths for imps to advance their statuses and is gonna impact domestic policy (Hell's classism).

Charlie and Blitz's respective "court episodes" are key steps in their parallel journeys, both on a personal level and on a political level.

On a personal level, they both have a revelation about their love interest:

Charlie discovers Vaggie is an angel and sees her darkest side. She needs to go through this because she must realize the world is gray and more complicated than what she thinks.

Blitz realizes Stolas's feelings for him and admits his own for Stolas. He sees Stolas's light, in a sense. He needs to go through this because he must understand the world can be warmer and more beautiful than he thinks.

On a political level, both Blitz and Charlie manage to mess Sera and Satan's "order".

Charlie highlights Sera's hypocrisy and for a moment she gets through to the other angels. Even if she loses, she is eventually proven right by Sir Pentious's rebirth as an angel:

Blitz survives Satan's judgement and shows other imps things can change for the better. He gives hope to the lower demons and inspires them not to let Hell define who they are:

On a final note, it is interesting that everything Sera and Satan do to keep things as they are actually backfires.

Sera approves of the exterminations to make sure demons won't upraise. However, this leads Charlie to lead Hell's resistance. Sera dismisses Charlie's Hazbin Hotel project. And yet, precisely because of Sera's refusal to look for a peaceful solution, Sir Pentious dies in the battle and becomes an angel.

Satan spends the trial trying to come up with a punishment, which will strike fear in the hearts of the citizens of Hell. He first decides to kill all I.M.P., but then changes his mind when Stolas tells him this would just turn Blitz into a martyr. The end result is that Satan broadcasts Blitz's struggle and victory throughout all of Hell and makes him a hero.

These are my main thoughts on Sera and Satan's foiling! Of course things may change as the two stories unfold.

In any case, thanks you for the ask and a happy new year!

[suguru-getos]

Neuvillette taking care of a sick reader/ Mostly GN but mentions of AFAB as well.

-> Excuse me I'm rambling and I don't usually use Tumblr web so the formatting would be kinda eh :/

It's simple, you're the one falling sick but it's Neuvillette who's world goes upside down. He hates the way the light in your eyes is dimmed, your lips lack their proper color and how you exhale out in ragged, weak breaths. No one else could notice these slight changes except for the observant hydro dragon. He has sworn to take care of you, to protect you, to keep you safe. He takes it as a physical failure that his beloved has fallen ill. How could he let that happen?

Trials during the time when you are sick always end up in thunderous rains. You just say he's being a tad too dramatic when he doesn't have the option to choose between being your content caregiver and the Chief Justice of Fontaine. You'd give him that he tries oh-so-hard to make it up to you later though. Ever so upset expression plastered all over his face as he takes in your hand, kisses each knuckle tenderly and apologetically, gives you a hopeful smile when he senses your body at a normal temperature, not ailed by a fever and kisses your forehead. "It kills me to leave you alone at a time like this, Angel"

Neuvillette is doting and caring, but he becomes intolerably overbearing during the times when you're sick. No you're not allowed to get up from the bed, you need something? Ask him. He would willingly hire a caretaker for you who'd tend to you in every little thing. Focalors really thinks he's just a hopeless romantic lover (which, to your surprise, Neuvillette hasn't denied even once) or accepted- but it's visible how dependent he can be to the fact that you should be alright.

Some days he might push the trials, if you're actually too unwell. No way in hell will he uphold the law and justice when he can't even justify his actions of leaving you alone at a time like this. It's very rare for the trials to get postponed like this & the newspapers in Fontaine and the news channels like the SteamBird write about it quite sassily. "Chief Justice cancels today's trial to tend to his wife, is she pregnant?"

You'd find written apologies the very next day if they shared some overbearing news about you which made your heart sore. While you recover, Neuvillette would be ecstatic to witness the little phases. "My my, your voice doesn't sound as hoarse as it did yesterday. I told you to keep drinking that herbal tea darling." "My sweet love, your fever's down. I can see it just the way your cheeks aren't so dusty"

He's such a simp I want to just ARGHSKGSHJGSK thank you for listening to my rambling loves.

[salemlunaa]

✮GET EXCITED, YOUR SUCCESS IS INEVITABLE✮

No matter how much shit you’re going through, trust me you’re going to make it out….

You’re going to get out of here, you and I both know that. don’t stress, no matter what you’re going through, it isn’t permanent and that’s because you decide everything, because you are everything.

You’re going to make it out, you’re going to get out of here, you’re going to succeed, you’re gonna make it. it’s all gonna be okay because you have everything in the palm of your hand. Whatever the 3d is showing you isn’t real, because it doesn’t have to be.

You’re going to get your dream, no matter what. breathe and understand that manifestation and inducing the void is one of the easiest things you can do, like breathing. You can have everything at the snap of a finger, so guess what, you’re going to be okay. You might feel paralysed watching those who came after you succeed first, you may feel paralysed, procrastinating the inducing process, waiting it off until the last moment, but remind yourself why you’re doing all this, remind yourself about the shitty life you’re experiencing in the 3d.

Get excited for everything you’re going to experience when you get out of this shithole. You deserve the best after the shit you’ve been through, stop pushing back. Once you stop holding it off and really see how easy it is, you’re going to get out of here. Keep telling yourself that in the face of doubt, procrastination and fear. I promise that you will make it out of here.

There are people who go to sleep in apartments and wake up in mansions, people who go to sleep hating their face and body and wake up with new ones. There are people who went to sleep not satisfied with their wallet, their family and friends and woke up with all of that changed. How? They realised that the constant fear and laziness was keeping them from everything that was right infront of them and decided to utilise the knowledge they’ve gained. They decided to apply that knowledge and actually try. They decided that as a god, as an operant power they can do everything.

There is no trial and error for a god, you just do, you just be. You’re scared that you will fail, so you put the void off, you put manifesting off. But, let me tell you, there is no such thing as failure for you and you will make it out of here and you will do so effortlessly. So effortlessly that you will be kicking yourself asking why you didn’t lock in sooner.

I don’t don’t care how you’re feeling in this very moment, just know that it will pass and that you’re going to make it out, alive, happy, beautiful and with everything you have ever dreamed of.

I love the saying “what you don’t change you choose” don’t choose this shithole of a life, go get up and do something!! Your success is inevitable so why make yourself wait with procrastination?

YOU’RE MAKING IT OUT OF THE TRENCHES, DONT WORRY DARLING 💋🫂

[ithinkhobiknows]

Steal Your Heart: Analyzed 💘

THE BEST SONG IN THE A&A UNIVERSE.

— Tunes & Trials (S2 EP19) is one of my favourite episodes of the show and for good reasons and one of them being this song!

[Context: Austin & Ally have decided to remain just friends as they both aren't ready for pursuing a romantic relationship with each other. In this episode, Ally encourages Austin to write a song by himself again (after his failure in doing so in S2 EP16) and gives him the "write about the things you like or the people you care about!" advice which leads him to write his first ever song called 'Steal Your Heart'. The entire episode spins around the fact of trying to find out who the song is about because of the lyrics being so detailed and specific. Trish is immediately interested and wants to know who the song is about. Austin spends the entire episode avoiding/refusing to answer that question until FINALLY he confesses that he wrote it about Ally.]

NOW LET'S INTO THE LYRICS, SHALL WE?

"You like the good boys so; I'm not invited to the plans you make when you're with your friends, but you know bad boys…you can't deny it. They can always show you where the fun begins"

We all know how Ally is a "good girl". She's the most responsible and mature one in the group. She doesn't like breaking rules, lying etc. It's cute to think that Austin refers to himself as a "bad boy" cause he is totally NOT lolol he gives of "golden retriever" energy more than anything, but I digress lol. I think it's kind of nice to see how Austin helps Ally get a little loose and easy-going as the show progresses and Ally helps Austin to be more detail-oriented, focused and serious through the seasons.

He's telling her about how he's kinda jealous that she likes the "good boy" types of guys (AUSTIN IF YOU ONLY KNEW YOU ARE A GOOD BOY TYPE) but she can't deny him when he comes into the picture.

"Hey! now baby…No doubt about it, girl. You drive me crazy. I'm pleading guilty to the way you make me wanna steal your heart, steal your heart!"

He's been trying to keep his feelings in check but she's not making it easy for him (lmao) so he's finally pleading GUILTY to the fact that she's driving him crazy and the way he can't get her out of his head. All this makes him want to steal her heart i.e. make her fall for him!!!

"Call me criminal! I won't deny! you make me want it all, everything you are so lock it up, go on and try it no matter what you do, I'm gonna steal your heart!"

Now that he's confessed, he wants to steal her heart, he's all in. So, she can call him a criminal and he won't even deny his intentions because he wants her heart. (god they're so cheesy I love them)

"I confess I kinda like it that you're innocent keeping up your guard. I'll break it down, so you can't hide it no matter what you do, I'm gonna steal your heart"

— NOT HIM CONFESSING HE LIKES HER QUIRKS AND SHY PERSONALITY FOR HER and finds it cute. (Austin is so down bad for her omg)

"Keeping up your guard, I'll break it down" Ally has these guards up and doesn't allow just anyone though and Austin knows this and wants to be the one and only to break them down and actually get to know her likes, dislikes, her dreams etc.

"You're a good girl ; the perfect picture of an angel's smile from a magazine but it's a new world and I know so well the side of you no one's ever seen"

These lines remind me of the things he said midst of realizing he has feelings for Ally; "I like her smile and the way she laughs."

The line "I know so well the side of you no one's ever seen" continues on the line from the previous stanza meaning he did break down the guards she was putting up and became close to her i.e. being friends & partners with her.

That line could also be referring to how he's the only one who gets to witness her musical talent...

["Listen, Ally it doesn't matter if the world doesn't know how talented you are... I always will!"]

"You're gonna keep it (keep it). Just like a secret (secret). Baby, believe me you gotta free it and you'll have everything you need"

He's saying she should not keep her talent as a secret that he just knows/gets to witness. He wants her to show what she can do to the world. He wants her to be confident and start performing again because it will make everyone do a double take.

The entirety of the song "double take" is about him saying she just needs to loosen up & perform with confidence and everyone would NOT be able to look away from her.

"They wanna know your name. They want the girl with game and when they look your way, you're gonna make'em do a double take!" // "C'mon and take a chance, make a stand and break down the walls." // "I wish you knew just what you got and don't be scared to show me something real."

[Austin, is it true? You wrote it about me? Yeah, it's true. I should have told you earlier, but I couldn't. You told me to write about someone I care about and that's you. Do you still have feelings for me? No. Yes. I don't know. All I know is I love being friends with you. And I don't want to ruin that. That's why I couldn't say it was about you. I get it. I'm happy we're still just friends, but I kind of hoped it was about me.]

In conclusion, Austin writing this song basically confirms to us that he still has feelings for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I REST MY CASE YOUR HONOUR.

+ Bonus Things

In this episode whenever he is asked about who the song is for, he always sneaks a glance at Ally before answering.

"If you come clean and tell the court who the song is about maybe we can convince the judge you didn't steal it!"

"But it's not about anybody!" *He says while glancing at Ally*

The way he was planning a surprise party for Ally and wanted to get her favourite band to play for it. He didn't want the surprise to be ruined so kept telling Kira not to tell the truth at. all. costs. LOOK AT HIS FACE WHEN ALLY FIND OUT HES LIKE "damn it. didn't get a chance to surprise my girl."

The whistle necklace he wears here is what he was wearing when he first met Ally and also when he kissed her for the first time.

Austin always wears RED...

when he is singing to

or with

or for

Ally.

[the whole colour analysis is a separate post so let's not go there haha]

(what inspired me to do this was @biggeo07-blog after seeing theirs 'chasin' the beat of my heart' analysis and also seeing the edits made on YouTube by @filmmakerdreamst)

(Been doing my annual rewatch of them and well I can't stop thinking about them as you can probably tell lol)

[glassrowboat]

🐻 carnival prize

Another Shot. Lyney.

Word count: 2,400+

“You suck.”

You couldn't help but click your tongue as, once again, the blond across the sticky counter, no doubt from countless grubby fingers and spilled cups containing fizzy soda with lids that weren't quite put on right, missed his target. The bright red and white circles seemingly teasing him as they waved back and forth with the poster boards of some animals they were slapped onto.

Well, this was the ‘Hunters Paradise’ shooting game.

“I am trying here.” The blond protested with a slight whine in his voice that you welcomed the sound of far more than the same song you've been forced to listen to on repeat for hours. The entire duration of your shift always proved to have that song playing in your ears even as your head hit a pillow in hopes of some quality shut eye. Haunting you even in your dreams.

Behind him was a woman with a funnel cake and white powder staining her gloves. Not that she seemed to mind, though, as she asked if he really was trying at all.

Aka: the popular brother and sister act of Fontaine standing right before you, and failing at playing a simple game while they're at it.

“You know, magician, I thought you'd be a bit better at this whole rigged games thing considering your profession revolves around sleight of hand.”

Or that he'd be slightly self-aware enough to realize these were just a complete money sink. Not that it seems that way as Lyney once again placed a few mora on the counter, even when his sister's tail twitched at the sight.

Another shot at the game to be had.

“One more try?” He asked.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes, even as you picked up the basket containing the ammo (they were really just rubber bullets) and filled the plastic gun he had been holding back up to its limit. Six shots for another six failures.

“Haven't you learned any better?”

“Well, maybe I just need a good teacher to show me the way.” Lyned said with a wink.

You shoved the gun back in his hands, gesturing for Lyney to continue. Arm outstretched much like you'd seen the very man…if he could be called that..do five minutes earlier when some kids came up to him and asked Lyney to show them a few tricks.

It was a cute sight and certainly far more humble than the shows you've come to know him for. There was no grand spotlight shining on everything, setting a stage alight, but there were eyes full of excitement trying to track his every move.

It's why you thought he came over here in the first place, to give one of those tiny hands a toy to play with, but his flirting had quickly changed your mind on that conclusion.

“Just shoot, cause I'm not taking students.”

Miss. Miss. Miss.

At this point, you were just sharing a look with Lynette and trying not to snicker too obviously.

“Brother, I'm surprised you've been missing the targets so much when you're usually so skilled with a bow.” Lynette said, and that was enough to have your quiet giggles breaking out into a full fit even as you tried to hide them behind your hand.

“Well, dearest sister, this is very different from a bow.”

You were rolling another one of those rubber bullets, ones that are purposefully made with a weighted side, between your fingers as you muttered: “Yeah, right. Sounds like someone's making excuses.”

“Shouldn't you be a bit nicer to me here? I mean, I am putting in money to the booth you're running and all.” As he spoke, Lyney's words slowly trailed off, like even he knew that point was mute.

“I don't get paid enough to be nice.” You said, sticking your tongue out at him.

Not on minimum wage, anyway. It's barely enough to keep your teeth from gritting as that damn song starts again.

“Besides, you're like a celebrity anyway, so I'd imagine you have the money to blow on this.”

Another miss.

“So you've heard of me then? I didn't know my name was so popular in Fontaine. Especially not with such a lovely individual as yourself.”

“Yeah, I heard about you cause of that murder case trial.”

This time, you couldn't blame Lyney as he missed, not with the way he flinched at being called out. An accidental trigger poll. “Ah…well…I was on trial for another thing too if you didn't hear. I can tell you all about it.”

“Alright.” You said as you picked up another handful of bullets, already expecting Lyney to pay for another attempt as they rolled into your awaiting palm. “Regale me, magician.”

“Gladly. Now, picture this: a grand scene. One that has everyone holding their breath in sheer anticipation as I was brought to the stand as a thief. You see, the crime I committed was stealing your heart.”

As he spoke, Lyney was dramatically gesturing to himself with his open hand. Chest right over his heart. Or better yet: the frilled ruffles of his shirt.

(That outfit was not doing him any favors with the twink allegations.)

“He really does say some strange things.” Lynette said, trying to speak around the bite of her cake she had just taken. A notion you couldn't help but agree with.

As he missed again, you poked the pink stuffed rabbit hanging above you, the fuzz brushing against your finger as you forced it to swing back and forth from being jabbed at. Its little feet almost hit your head as you ducked under it. “You do know it would be cheaper to just go to the store and buy yourself a stuffed animal, right?”

“But, it wouldn't be the same, now would it?” Lyney reached up, grabbing the rabbit's leg to force it to stay still as he smiled at you. “This one would be given to me by you.”

You couldn't help the sigh that left you, not when he was such a persistent little bugger. Especially over something you're pretty sure your supervisor mentioned was bought in bulk for fifty bucks. “Next round then?”

Lyney nodded in agreement, repeating your words as you got everything ready again.

“I wasn't aware your downfall would be a single stuffed rabbit, brother.” You heard Lynette say as the trigger was pulled again.

“It's a big compliment to the thing, at least.”

“Thing.” She rolled your words on her tongue for a moment before shaking her head, and you couldn't help but wonder if her cat ears naturally twitched with the movement. “Perhaps we should give it a name. Maybe then it will convince my dear brother to actually be good at this game.”

“Reginald?” You asked.

Two sets of eyes landed on you, both with a raised brow right above them, clearly questioning why you chose that name of all things. “I've been in a regency romance kick. Don't worry about it.”

Lyney muttered a small “....Right.”

“Just-” You tapped the gun, only slightly annoyed by how you could feel a sticky residue left behind. Something you've had to wipe away countless times now only for it to return as another customer happily runs up to try their hand at this. “Just get back to playing the damn game.”

His laughter had you ducking your head, eyes cast down on the ground to count the few popcorn kernels around your feet.

Though you did smirk the second you saw Lyney missing the target again. A dancing deer going back and forth as if it came to life long enough just to stick its tongue out at him only to return to normal a split second later.

“So, you don't have any special tools to help you in that hat of yours?”

“Unfortunately, a magician can only hold so many items in these things without them being so tall they'd fall off my hat just by walking through a door.”

“I wouldn't worry about that then, I doubt you're even tall enough to touch the doorframe. Let alone have it knock anything of yours off.”

He shot the next bullet at you, hitting you right in the forehead before it fell to the ground with a soft plink.

“Oh now you can aim.” You rolled your eyes. “Don't make me take that from you.”

Much like one would with a misbehaving child.

“Well, I may be out of luck with my hat, but a magician always had a few cards up his sleeve.”

A shuffle of papers graced your ears, barely heard over the sound of the passing crowd and children's screams as they whirled around on the nearby roller coaster that spun your hair in its breeze everytime the carts rolled by, as Lyney suddenly held a few cards in his hands. Shuffling the small deck between deft fingers only for it to seemingly fly in the air with a mock surprised look on his face. One you rolled your eyes at to stop from focusing on the pout he put on only for the cards, or confetti really, to disappear with a flash.

“See?” He asked, just waiting to see your awed expression.

“Impressive. Anyway.”

As you turned away from him, you caught Lynette covering up her laugh as Lyney looked back at her, head snapping. Only to start whining a second later. “Here I am, the greatest magician in all of Teyvat being kind enough to share a free show, and I only get an ‘anyway.’”

Nodding Lynette replied back with: “You did get an ‘impressive’ too.”

“In a tone that clearly said our lovely booth vendor here didn't really think much of it!”

You were half tempted to pipe up and say you have a name, only pinned onto your chest in bold font and surrounded by stickers you slapped onto the badge, but you held your tongue. They'd figure it out eventually as you walked over to the dancing cardboard animals.

Moving up and down endlessly.

Maybe they really were taunting him, you thought as you pushed one over and a loud ringing that caused you to flinch back, despite the fact you were expecting it. A robotic voice calling out "you did great, hunter” in what had to be the most half-hearted attempt at sounding cheery (and you work with teenagers) catching the twins’ attention.

“Congrats, Teyvat’s best magician, you won.”

Holding back on your urge to mock his bow at the end of each show, you pull the pink stuffed rabbit Lyney was playing with early off the hook it was hanging on. Floppy ears whacking your arm as you held it out to him.

“Wait, but I didn't even shoot the target myself. I can't say I won anything if I didn't do it myself.”

“And that matters why?” You asked as you shoved it into his arms.

“Well- I-” Lyney hugged the rabbit tight, wrapping his arms around it as he fumbled over his words. Struggling to get just the right sentence that would catch your attention. “You see, Reginald here-”

“Because the rabbit was supposed to be for you.” Lynette piped up. Hands clapped together as she dusted off the powdered sugar clinging to them, letting the few crumbs left of her dessert fall to the ground.

“I was supposed to tell them that, sister!”

You looked down at the rabbit, big ears the same as always, and a bow tied around its neck suddenly seeming slightly more tolerable after all the stuffies you had to fix when the shipment first arrived. Sewing them back where they belonged took hours and left your fingers pricked and stained red to high Celesta. You had cursed them then…but now.

“For me?” You asked hesitantly.

Lyney rubbed at the back of his neck, the fabric of his shirt rustling slightly with the movement as it just barely concealed a nervous bead of sweat sliding down his skin. “That was the intention, lovely booth vendor. You see, I saw you watching my performance earlier and thought you would like a personal show. One that may or may not have included pulling Reginald here out of a hat.”

“And because he thought you were cute.”

“Sister!” Lyney cried. “Please, can you stop outing me?”

You found yourself watching the two, fingers twitching into the rabbit’s plush fur. Truly, it was amazing how bad of a wing woman Lynette was, but considering Lyney wasn't doing himself much favors before, maybe she isn't doing too bad of a job. Even if she is currently looking upset with him, ears pulled back at the sudden change in his volume.

“Sorry. My apologies, truly, just..please allow me to take it from here. A magician sometimes has to perform a trick or two without their assistant.” He playfully tipped his hat, Lyney’s expression just out of your sight as the twins stared at each other.

“You know,” you interjected, right when Lynette was about to open her mouth, “I wouldn't mind seeing that trick. Or two.”

Spinning around on his heel, Lyney looked at you, eyes wide. Not that you could blame him after being so abrasive, but to be fair, he did that to himself.

“I'm serious.”

“Really? You are?” Lyney asked, hand taking your own that was still keeping the rabbit dangling in the air that carried the scent of fried food on it.

With your confirmation, he pushed the rabbit back towards you with a smile. The same one you saw Lyney giving those children who were running around him as he performed trick after trick at their behest. ��Then I'll entrust Reginald to be in your care. And um…”

Your brow raised as you waited for Lyney to finish his sentence, but he kept looking back between the rabbit you were now hugging to your chest and you.

Though, you were half expecting Lynette to chime in with another comment even as she stood to the side watching you two with a deadpan expression.

“And if you happen to actually win the game,” you pointed back towards the dancing cutouts that were once again primed to be shot at, “then your prize can be a date with me. If I get to pick where and when.”

“Well then, our lovely booth vendor,” Lyney said as he placed the coins on the counter, a small chime coming from the handful of mora as they bounced against each other. “Can I have one more round?”

Let's just hope giving him another shot works in your favor you thought as you once again filled the plastic gun full of ammo.

[ms-scarletwings]

So there was a note under my post about Zim hovering a finger over the self destruct switch on his first day on Earth that just cracked open something in my mind.

Cause…Oh. Oh hecc you, @murhuedur. You actually touched on like, my favorite thing about this character, period. I really like this take, I do. It’s a good one. I ponder, still,

In my own opinion, it’s actually genuine confidence and arrogance, but Zim’s delusions of grandeur are as a thin rubber band. They can stretch out to wild lengths and remain malleable enough to bend around truth as he wills,

But there’s a hard limit out there eventually, and should reality require him to stretch his cognitive dissonance just too far, it’s a violent snap-back to full clarity. I don’t think he’s faking it or always lying to everyone else about what hot shit he is, because I think he fully believes those lies about as fast as he can speak them, even if he will later realize he was wrong after a cosmic punch to the face.

Like, Zim’s smart, but smart people aren’t inherently rational ones. Within Zim, the tallest, hell, maybe even Skoodge, there’s sometimes this very short-sighted flippancy about what is objectively true/false that peeks out every now and again in their psychology. I mean, humans sometimes do this too when it’s convenient to their interests, just, obviously not to goofy cartoon character levels if they want to function in society.

Zim has whatever this flaw is and cranked up to 11, maybe as a side effect of his PAK defects. Sometimes it gets him into DEEP shit, but it’s also his biggest mental shield. Zim has like no fortitude against spiraling into a full on depression or a justifiable panic attack over the smallest concession of being an absolute failure to his race. That weaponized denial that makes him so dangerous to himself and others also keeps him together and motivated forward. But it’s not largely a conscious lie he’s telling himself. It’s genuine faith he’s trying to manifest into matter through sheer force of his will.

His dogmatic mantra, “I am Zim” and what it means to him is a statement he holds on such conviction it overpowered and hijacked the ego of 3 control brains at once.

If I were inserting him into DnD he’d have the wisdom stat of a stale poptart and a 20+ thrown into charisma. He’s faking it without even understanding he’s faking it.

But were he completely detached from reality, he’d be WAY more likely than even now to accidentally get himself killed. While a narcissistic level of self esteem is what lets him ignore and selectively unhear inconvenient truths, the adrenaline of immediate life or death danger is what grounds him back in the real world. You notice over time that as self-sabotaging as he normally is, he seems to act his most rational and competent when he’s suddenly put against the grindstone and self preservation HAS to jump into the driver’s seat. He basically survives his day to day on a tightrope between a falsely glorious narrative of himself, and his perceptive anxiety both tugging him to land on either side of the fence when something big happens.

In “The Trial”, he wastes very little time on his expected bullshit or his confidence in being able to just win over the approval of his judges.. by virtue of being his awesome self. He spent most of that ordeal on the verge of a heart attack, squirmed to find an escape, and actually tried to DENY causing the death of two Almighty Tallests (reminder that he usually owns up to his atrocities with downright offensive pride). He understood the full gravity of an existence evaluation and how cooked his goose was. As soon as the situation resolves and he’s no longer in that danger, it’s right back to full trust of his status as an invader, and in Red and Purple as his biggest fans. When his disguise starts to slip in front of Skool kids he knows are dumb as a bag of rocks, he can silver tongue his way around that without skipping a beat. Losing his disguise in front of a bunch of alien-obsessed adults? Uh oh, pants-shitting terror, this is potentially game-over levels of bad, immediately gtfo of here. Stand there, chest beat, and scold the obviously rogue duty-mode Gir all day until the second it actually tries to kill you and you suddenly have to realize you’re not the one holding the cards anymore to save your own life.

The other way this quirk of his really shows through is in his selective memory. Zim has this skill to repress down and push away unpleasant experiences that I think some of us can only dream we had. I love it because it’s equal parts a comedic and analytical goldmine.

Tak, who actually posed a legit threat to his entire mission and tried herself to chip through that massive wall of denial he’s shielded in- same Tak who’s powerful af ship was stolen and desecrated by Zim’s arch nemesis… she’s not just an afterthought in his mind after that mess. He’s literally pushed that one out of his thoughts altogether in the comics. Like she, and Skoodge, who he can’t fucking stand, might as well have never even existed, even while GIR’s trying to remind him. That time he played around with time travel and it was one of the biggest clusterfucks he quickly lost control of? The bologna incident he stooped so low as to ask dib to help him with? You must be thinking of someone else. Nope. Not a thing. Lalala, can’t even hear you. This is also what makes it no wonder he deeply struggles with actually learning from certain mistakes.

From an outsider’s eye this behavior of his is baffling. It makes him look actually insane or at least obnoxiously obstinate. And I think both assumptions are half right, because this is clearly not the result of mere stupidity. Those truths are simply wayyyy too discordant with his view of himself to devote surface memory to, or too uncomfortable, unless and until, of course, you confront him with them in a fashion where that rubber band has to snap, that bubble pops, and he instantly sobers out of that complacency.

Literally god forbid he ever stops being defective in this way or is given the ability to reckon with the reality of his situation and his history all at once. I’m not even just talking about his job or banishment. I’m talking about his entire life. This chaotic, flexible, incoherent mindstate is the only branch he’s holding onto from dropping into a much more horrifying chasm beneath himself, the depth of which we can only guess. I straight up have no idea what he would do or what could happen to him if he could, even for a moment, rationally comprehend his every action, memory, and empirical truth all at the same time. Seriously, leave that Pak’s Gordian Knot be, or I imagine there could be an HP Lovecraft type of breakdown in the making.

#By the way this is probably one of the most important differences between him and Dib, and what makes Zib so… way he is.

[yourneighborhoodporg]

The Guardian

Chapter 1: The Accident

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Reader

Warnings: trials of war (general suffering), sleep deprivation, crash landing, light injury, abandonment (if you squint), angst, fluff, humor, trio banter

Summary: As the Clone Wars officially commence, General Kenobi begins to suffer the consequences of burning the candle at both ends with back-to-back responsibilities constantly at his heels. When the council makes a concerning announcement in the middle of a mission, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ashoka are forced to drop everything and travel to Coruscant. Fate, however, has other plans— you.

Song Inspo: Sign of the Times — Harry Styles

Words: 5.7k

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Only the dead have seen the end of war — Plato

Obi-Wan Kenobi was…displeased.

The General’s arms remained loosely folded across his chest as he leaned back into the passenger’s seat. The robes being used as makeshift blankets shifted in response. He tried to calm himself with a deep breath as the next round of turbulence threatened to rip the shuttle apart, but Obi-Wan couldn’t ignore the slight prickle of his auburn beard when the skin underneath grew more sensitive from anxiety. A sigh escaped his lips. He rested his eyelids, head falling back. The aching Jedi thought back to only a few days before. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda finally recovered Anakin and the new Togruta Padawan on Tatooine after the two successfully returned Jabba’s son Rotta. The Separatist kidnapping plot was a failure.

He remembers finding it odd back on Tatooine, as he waited on the transport for Yoda’s arrival, that the Grand Master found it necessary to personally accompany him and a number of clones on the assault transport tasked with retrieving the duo. His head heavy with sleep was easily distracted by the implications of Yoda’s presence. So much so, that the native Coruscanti failed to notice a certain, nearly 900-year-old Jedi’s arrival. As a wise Master Jedi often does, Yoda sensed Kenobi’s confusion the moment his feet met with the transport floor. He eyed the younger Jedi for a moment until their gazes suddenly met. Kenobi respectfully clasped his hands behind him, nodding at his arrival.

"A new mission, you and Anakin have.” Master Yoda signaled the transport pilot to take off with the motion of a hand as he turned to scan the hilly sand dunes. Obi-Wan matched his stare, wondering if there was something out there; some wisdom the older Jedi gleaned from the three moons in the distance.

Kenobi raised each eyebrow in intrigue as he glanced down at the shorter man, ignoring how the sand around the transport billowed from its ascent. “Oh? What does this mission entail?”

Yoda’s eyes remained locked on the landscape, back facing him. “Explain, I will. Collect Anakin and his young padawan first, we must”

The trip from The Negotiator to Jabba’s palace was quiet, but short. Kenobi was interested in seeing if Anakin and his new Padawan resolved differences so clearly displayed on Christophsis. Despite Anakin’s well-known stubbornness, he had hope. From what little he saw, Ahsoka seemed to have that bright, fiery personality needed to challenge Anakin’s own. His musings were soon answered as the transport neared the palace. Even from hundreds of feet away, it was clear to Obi-Wan that Anakin and Ahsoka seemed to have reconciled, with bright smiles that stood in stark contrast against Tatooine’s muted, emotionless environment. He was pleasantly surprised to sense the first drops of respect between the two, like fresh rainwater after millennia of drought.

As the transport began its landing protocols, Obi-Wan closed his eyes to rest his mind. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. The bearded Jedi felt an air of… perception in the force. Likely Yoda’s wise prediction of this outcome from the start. Master Yoda always had a profound understanding of Jedi connections— which Master-Padawan assignments would work best, which younglins were friends and foes, and, most recently, which Jedis could collaborate in addressing the intricacies of politics, and the horrors of war.

The transport displaced the swirling sand below as they made their final descent. Obi-Wan glanced at Master Yoda when the transport touched down and settled. As if on cue, Master Yoda stepped onto the hot sand and moved toward the duo. While Obi-Wan followed and neared Anakin and Ahsoka, the strength of their connection became increasingly perceptible, challenging Kenobi’s composure to keep a neutral face. He was pleased.

Yoda glanced between Master and Padawan. “A new mission, you are needed on. Rejoin your battalions and travel to Naboo, you must”

As the four boarded the transport and headed back to Kenobi’s ship, Master Yoda informed the trio that the 212th and 501st had been called to Naboo to collect vital medical supplies for a planetoid in the Outer Rim, known as Polis Massa. Their main medical facility, aiding in the treatment and sanctuary of war victims, was experiencing a concerning depletion of medications, bacta patches, and other stock. The sudden arrival of a large planetary entourage of refugees has disrupted their timeline of available reserves from months to merely a week. After a general representative shared these concerns with the Senate days prior, Naboo Senator Padme Amidala graciously offered a large donation of medical supplies to keep the facility functional and the refugees safe. The Jedi were tasked with the transport, and due to the scale of the cargo, two warships were needed.

Obi-Wan’s mind jumped to his recent experience on the young senator’s vibrantly lush and florid planet. He remembers how The Negotiator and The Resolute’s arrival on Naboo was met with noticeable excitement. It began while discussing offloading logistics with the lead Commander.

“General,” Commander Cody glanced back down at the datapad in hand. “This manifest won’t make that timeline possible. Even if we assign every available trooper, it will take at least a week to fully load the cargo. Most of the crates with medication or medical devices are too delicate for the average loadlifter. And many of our troops aren’t trained in handling this type of equipment.”

General Kenobi sighed, gently stroking his chin in contemplation. At the time, the situation certainly posed an unfortunate fate for the refugees who were desperately waiting for these supplies. The issue was not new. The General, Commander, and other troop leaders had spent the entire journey from Tattoine to Naboo attempting to solve this very problem. Having had mere hours of sleep in the last few days, the General had difficulty allowing his mind to reach out to the force for any new ideas to aid in the formulation of a plan. The slight, sharp pounding in his right temple returned, an unfortunate, reoccurring experience that began when he boarded The Negotiator on Tatooine.

Suddenly, as if the Maker himself heard his doubts, Kenobi registered the click and persistent whirring of an opening cargo bay door. What piqued his interest and encouraged Kenobi to turn and assess the situation, however, was the sudden cacophony of loud commands, conversations, and footsteps behind him. Both General and Commander pivoted toward the scene, Cody lowering his datapad in distraction as Kenobi rested his hands on his hips in surprise. There were what looked like thousands of dockworkers as far as the eye could see, all in various states of loading The Negotiator with the medical supply crates. It was not a far-reach to assume that Anakin’s warship was receiving similar assistance. Kenobi shook his head, nearly kicking himself for ever doubting the efficiency of a mission involving Naboo.

“That’s some Senator, huh?” Commander Cody relayed as he gawked at the extra manpower, likely arranged by Padmé herself.

Kenobi smiled at the site. “Your eyes do not deceive you.” Cody called out to a few clones and motioned them to follow as he approached the crowd of dockworkers, orders at the ready.

With the generous assistance of Naboo’s finest citizens, a lot of commands from the confident Commander, and a weary General helping where he could, the starships were fully loaded and cleared for departure in less than a day, much to the bewilderment of Commander Cody. He made sure to remind the General as they made the final cargo checks that even though the pickup on Naboo was exceedingly fast, the offloading process would certainly take a week with Polis Massa’s lack of cargo staff. This, Kenobi could accept. At least with all the cargo already on the planet, the facility could coordinate with the Commander so to prioritize which supplies were offloaded first. The most desperate patients would have what they need in time.

The journey from Naboo to Polis Massa allowed General Kenobi to carry out a new set of duties. These were the first moments in the last few weeks in which he was finally free to file his reports. That meant many meetings, many questions, and writing every small detail down.

War between the Republic and the Separatists rarely left time for moments of respite, and the General was beginning to feel the effects deep in his bones. Occasionally, the head pounding returned. But what truly concerned Kenobi was how the lack of sleep began to play tricks on his mind. Formulating complex thoughts almost felt like drowning, and his mind seemed more easily swayed to the past. Kenobi remembers how this experience pressured him to finally concede— this last report would need to be followed by rest.

As the warships approached the asteroid field and the General completed the finishing touches to his final report, Kenobi received an urgent meeting request from Master Windu with the notation ‘sensitive.’ He remembers entering the empty war room, taking a deep breath from the exhaustion slowly creeping across his shoulders, and accepting the call on his Holopad. The blue, semi-transparent holograph of Mace Windu appeared before him. Only as his figure’s bright blue shine emanated a strong glow into the room did Kenobi realize he’d forgotten to turn on the lights.

“Master Kenobi, a pleasure, as always.”

“Master Windu.” Kenobi greeted.

He paused for a moment, just a moment, but it was long enough to indicate how long the last few days had truly been.

“I hope you’re getting some rest after the events of Christophsis and Tatooine.”

“As much as is possible, Master. The 212th and 501st have been called to deliver vital medical supplies from Naboo to Polis Massa.”

“I am aware. It may settle your mind to know that your time in the Outer Rim will be coming to a close shortly. All active-duty Jedi have been temporarily recalled to The Temple.”

Kenobi immediately grew concerned, especially when he noticed how the elder Master’s eyebrows creased ever so slightly. He frowned. “Master, may I ask what influenced this decision?”

“We will discuss it once you and Anakin arrive in the next few days. Please continue your mission to Polis Massa. The Council requests that once you arrive, you and Anakin arrange for transport back to Coruscant. Your battalions can unload the cargo themselves.”

Kenobi nodded. “Understood.” Once more, he paused. This time unsure if it was fatigue or apprehension. “Should I be concerned?”

This time, Windu embraced the silence, only offering the General a challenging stare.

“Please inform Anakin of this development. We will see you soon, Master.”

With that, Master Windu ended the communication, plunging Obi-Wan back into the darkness. As he remained in that dim, quiet war room, the General was left with a new, deep weight on his chest.

The General rubbed his face with a hand. Rest. He needed rest. Obi-Wan allowed his mind to briefly concentrate on his commitment— he would sleep as soon as the report was finished. It would only take a few more moments, he reassured himself. Then, the General would finally get some much-needed shuteye.

Kenobi relaxed. He was moments away from returning to the datapad when his mind wandered once more. He thought back to his conversation with Master Windu. This type of request from The Council and its level of urgency was unprecedented since the Separatist conflict began. It was difficult not to theorize about the severity of any event that would require the recall of thousands of Jedi. And it was moments like these where he would ask himself what Master Qui-Gon would do.

Obi-Wan tossed those thoughts to the back of his mind, shaking himself out of his stupor. These mild anxieties would disappear as soon as he rested his body, he knew that. And he was certainly looking forward to it. But first, Anakin.

He remembers how Anakin answered his Holopad request faster than expected. It wasn’t that Anakin was ever derelict in his duties, but he sometimes struggled with communication. Admittedly, it was usually because the man was too busy engaging in another risky, dangerous, or outright insane course of action.

However, this time, he answered. And no number of streaky lines in the holograph could hide the smirk spread across his face when his eyes met Obi-Wan’s.

“Miss me already, Master?” He crossed his arms while addressing his former Master. His longer hair shifted and head tilted slightly to the side.

Kenobi shook his head. “Hardly, The Council has called for all Jedi to return to Coruscant, including you and I.”

Anakin scrunched his nose as if a rancid plume of spoiled Giji stew entered his nostrils. “What for?”

“Unknown, but we are to arrange for transport back to Coruscant once we arrive on Polis Massa.”

Anakin nodded. “Got it.” Once more, he grinned. “Don’t worry, Master, I’ll find us a shuttle that will get us back in no time.”

Anakin ended the transmission, once more freeing the darkness to engulf Obi-Wan. His eyelids drooped. It took every strength not to immediately collapse to the floor and sleep. Just as he began to weigh the pros and cons of such an action, there was a sudden knock at the door.

“Yes, come in.”

Commander Cody entered, seeming somewhat out of breath. “General.” He breathed in once more, slowly and deeply. “Apologies,” he exhaled. Kenobi sensed threads of guilt from his person. “I’ve come to tell you that we’ve arrived at Polis Massa.”

The General smiled. “Thank you. I will be there in a moment.” As the Commander exited, Kenobi turned away from the door and back toward the black depths of the room. He sighed.

Another violent shake of the ship’s hull yanked Obi-Wan out of the past. Eyes shooting open only to rest in crinkled annoyance as he side-eyed Anakin in the pilot’s seat.

“Anakin, if I had known that you’d choose a shuttle barely cleared for travel, I would have made my own arrangements.”

Anakin huffed as he negotiated with the Emissary-class shuttle’s controls. “This wasn’t my first choice either, Master.”

Another loud rumble reverberated throughout the cabin. “I thought you were one of the better pilots in the Jedi order?” Ahsoka’s irritation poured from the backseat and flowed around the senses of the two senior Jedi. Obi-Wan stifled a laugh as Anakin’s frown deepened. His grip tightened around the throttle.

“There was no way for me to know that the only available ship capable of galactic travel on that planet was decommissioned hundreds of years ago.” He groaned. “They don’t even make parts for this piece of junk anymore!”

“You call this capable?”

“Snips…”

Despite losing any hope of sleep with the stress of traveling in a rusted space bucket, Obi-Wan couldn’t help but playfully add to Ahsoka’s antagonizations.

“She has a point, Anakin.” He motioned at the hull. “For someone who boasts about their engineering talents, I would have thought that this trip would be smoother.”

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were sure that if they’d looked over at the frustrated pilot, they’d have seen steam blasting out of each red-tinted ear framing Anakin’s flushed face. Without any retort, he let out a defeated huff and refocused on navigating the trio out of the Outer Rim.

Ahsoka snickered as Kenobi used this cue to once more lean back and close his eyes. But despite how much his body ached for rest, his mind wandered to The Council once more.

Then, there was an explosion.

Obi-Wan was shocked into consciousness. He sat up quickly, knocking off some of the robe blankets. Alarms blared and red lights flashed. “What happened?!”

“Something hit the ship. Sublight engines are damaged.” Anakin began to frantically negotiate with the shuttle’s controls, looking increasingly concerned as he continued. “Whatever it was, I have no control over them anymore.”

“Can you fix them?!” Ahsoka yelled out, trying to be heard over the commotion.

“Working… on… it,” Anakin gritted. But despite each new attempt, the shuttle continued to hurtle in a dangerous direction.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan warned. “You’re taking us directly toward the gravitational field of that planet.”

“I know!” Anakin yelled. He continued to fight with the controls. Eventually, he jumped up and stumbled over to a viewing window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the damage from the side.

He sighed, still examining the engines. “Well, whatever it was, it’s permanently changed the direction of the engines.” He glanced back at Obi-Wan and Ahsoka with a look of dismay. “I can’t fix them. We’re going to crash.”

“Do you always crash the ships you pilot?!” Ahsoka exclaimed as she began to brace herself for the planet’s gravitational pull.

Anakin ignored her. He returned to the controls in hopes of making their crash landing as soft as possible.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms and sighed as he felt the new root of a gray hair form. “Always a joy flying with you, Anakin.”

The deafening noise of the croaking hull reached an all-time high as they entered the atmosphere. The three passengers began to sweat, the heat of their reentry taking its toll. As they passed the planet’s cloud layer, the craft’s violent shaking achieved its peak.

If Anakin gripped the clutch with any more strength, it would’ve surely splintered. His teeth clenched and eyes remained alert as he mumbled his internal calculations out loud, a slight pause in between each one.

“700 meters, 600 meters, 500 meters…”

As they rapidly neared the planet’s icy surface, Anakin yanked the controls toward himself and down. What remained of the engines wined out a high-pitched drone as the shuttle struggled to level out with the planet’s surface.

“400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters…”

Ashoka looked away, nails digging into her seat as Kenobi tried to blanket the three of them with a protective force barrier.

“100 meters… brace yourselves!”

The engines’ wine accelerated in intensity and volume as the craft’s belly made contact with a snowy bank.

The impact’s shock finally gave General Kenobi the longest rest he’s had in days.

—

The soft heat of the Tauntaun’s fur warmed your fingers with each stroke as you plunged your hands across her muscular chest. She huffed in contentment, hot steam shooting from her nostrils into the subfreezing air, and across your face. The sensation tickled your cheeks. A giggle bubbled up from your stomach as you rested a cheek against her warm frame. You briefly think back to when you were both young. You absolutely could not stand her smell when you first met her, but companionship has its way of encouraging two beings to attune to each other.

Moments like these in the desolate, icy graveyard of Hoth always helped you recharge after hours-long scavenging trips. You turned and took a few steps away from your steed to look out at the horizon, readjusting the sack of lichen that hung across your shoulder. You knew that you needed to start heading back to the shelter. The trip would take an hour, and night was beginning to creep across the horizon. What’s more, the edges of your boots were beginning to dampen from hours in the snow. At least you had your thick Wampa cape, which encased your body in warmth.

Another huff, this time disgruntled, sounded behind you.

You turned to the beast with a smile. “Oh Meetra,” you sighed. “I’m tired too. We’ll head back soon.” You reached up and scratched behind her ears. The Tauntaun relaxed as the tension in her muscles began to release.

Suddenly, a deafening boom sounded from above and behind you. You flinched, your body shocked out of Hoth’s calm surroundings. Meetra, equally startled, tried to pull and sprint away, but you grabbed the reigns tightly, keeping her calm. You spun around, eyes glued to the sky as a mechanical moan emanated from the atmosphere, its source still invisible in the blue sky. But in an instant, a gray, round shape with smoke trailing behind shot through a cloud and barreled toward the planet’s surface. You watched as what looked like a ship tried to level its descent miles away. In the back of your mind, you hoped that your dear friend, who you last saw years ago, was not inside. Within seconds of that thought, the ship made contact with the ground. A blast of sound and burst of snow left in its wake.

As you watched thin trails of smoke begin to billow in the distance, you felt a sudden pang in your heart, and pull to the wreckage. There could be survivors in desperate need of help, you thought. Maybe they needed medicine, or bacta patches. You contemplated the emotions of whoever may have lived through such a brutal incident. Scared, hopeless, confused— you could identify with those sentiments.

But it didn’t take long for the warnings you’ve heard all your life to creep into your mind. If you broke your agreement, you knew you might regret it. Not just for your own sake, but his too.

“Stay safe. No unnecessary risks. I’ll return soon.”

“I promise.”

A grumble escaped your lips. You agreed to stay out of trouble, to wait. But it’s been so long. Years. Nearly a decade, if you followed the stars correctly.

Then again, he knew your nature. He accepted long, long ago that you were too curious for your own good. He probably thought to himself, as he watched you grow, how your kindness, determination, and sympathetic soul were sure to get you into trouble.

You knew yourself, and you knew he was right. But you could not stand idly by and watch. He’d understand.

You turned back and took a few strides toward Meetra before slinging a leg over the Tauntaun’s body and mounting her bare back. You kept a tight hold of the reigns and angled her head toward the crash site.

“Let’s go girl.” You clicked your tongue twice, signaling her to move. “Let’s check it out.”

Meetra vocalized as she took her first stride forward. Her feet crunched the freshly dusted snow, stamping large tracks behind you.

—

Obi-Wan felt cold air blow across his face and ice dust his fingertips long before having the energy to open his eyes. Slowly, but surely, he tested the movement of his toes, knees, and elbows before checking his sight. Obi-Wan groaned, rubbing his face before assessing one eyelid at a time. Blinding sunrays poked through a small hole in the viewport, lightly burning his eyes. A groan escaped his throat.

Once his vision readjusted, Obi-Wan was able to glance around the cabin. The shuttle was delicately balanced on its right side, gravity attempting to pull them down to the shuttle’s edge. The hull creaked and moaned as snow continued to escape through the viewport hole, adding to the light blanket of ice around the trio. Obi-Wan turned to his left and saw that much like himself, Ahsoka and Anakin were thankfully not thrown from their seats, likely due to the elder Jedi’s last-minute force shield around them. Their arms and legs hung toward him, following gravity’s pull. As he examined the two more closely, Obi-Wan could tell that Ahsoka had regained consciousness only moments ago. Anakin seemed to be in the throes of coming around, his head bobbing side-to-side in discomfort.

“Is everyone alright?” Obi-Wan cleared his throat after his voice cracked.

“I think so,” Ahsoka responded. She began to rub her montrals as if responding to a migraine.

“Here.” Obi-Wan tossed her one of the robes that had fallen to the ground. “It will be colder once we exit.” Ashoka silently thanked him as she slipped it on.

“That wasn’t too bad.” Anakin was suddenly wide awake, an air of contentment emanating from his force signature. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes as he tossed him another robe, this time without warning. Anakin caught it easily despite the distraction from patting himself on the back for his personal definition of an easy landing.

Ahsoka’s eyes narrowed. “What would have been good was not crashing in the first place.”

Clearly, the young Padawan was equally in deep need of real respite like the rest of them, Obi-Wan thought. As their conversation continued, he finally found the energy to stand, taking this moment to observe the hull.

“Well too bad, Snips.” Anakin retorted as he shrugged on the thick cloak. “We’re already here.”

Obi-Wan sighed as he assessed the damage. “Is it repairable?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure.” Anakin stood and hiked up to the shuttle’s exit, using the force as support against the gravity actively pulling him down. The mechanical creaks and cracks heightened with new movement. Ahsoka grabbed her armrest and jumped over it toward the door. Obi-Wan took a few wide strides to follow. Once the three reached the wall that was now the ceiling, Anakin opened the door with a click and whoosh.

The cold bite of an air blast attacked their faces and pockets of exposed skin. Anakin shielded his eyes from sudden bright light and surveyed his surroundings. His former Master and Padawan peered out from either side of him. The trio stood there for only a moment, staring out at miles upon miles of empty terrain, ice, and snow banks.

Anakin jumped out, gently landing on the surface ten free below. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka swiftly followed with equal elegance. As Anakin made his way toward the engines to assess the damage, Obi-Wan used the moment to scan their surroundings further. The sound of Anakin ripping off panels and testing the shuttle’s internal mechanisms echoed off the naked ice patches dotted around them.

He closed his eyes, reaching out cautiously with his mind to feel the area’s energy. There were clusters of forces, small and animal-like, scattered miles away, with one group especially concentrated in a cave, the entrance of which Obi-Wan spotted a few miles West. He relaxed, feeling comfortable enough to deepen his connection with his surroundings.

Obi-Wan’s head tilted and eyebrow raised when he felt particularly strange activity to the South. There was an extremely weak force signature, almost like a dying creature. But it didn’t feel like the sensation of a semi-sentient being. There was depth, conflict in the shaky signal.

He huffed, eyebrows creasing as he attempted to dig his heels deeper into the fleeting feeling. But just as he was getting a better grip, the life force disappeared. Maybe it truly was just a small animal, meeting their Maker.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes. The bright light reflected off the snow and into his retinas.

He knew which planet they had crash-landed on. It shared its name with this system. Nevertheless, he enjoyed using these unexpected moments as a learning opportunity.

“Do you know what planet we’re on?” He said as he turned to look at the young Togruta.

Ahsoka pondered his inquiry. She observed the region, surveying the planet before looking down at the sleet encapsulating her feet. She lightly kicked some snow as she formulated her thoughts.

“Hoth, right?” She questioned.

Obi-Wan smiled. “Very good.” He turned back to the distant ice cave, hoping to get a better sense of the creatures within. It was possible that they might emerge to investigate the excitement of their crash landing. The boom was likely heard from miles away.

“I remember reading about the Skell beings on this planet.” Ahsoka mused. “They refused to choose a side during the old civil war. Instead, they attacked everyone within moments of seeing them.” Her voice stuttered as she finished. The cold was beginning to affect her.

Obi-Wan was pleasantly surprised. “I’m impressed by your knowledge, Ahsoka.” He made sure to raise his voice a little. “Clearly, you took your studies more seriously than Anakin.”

“I can still hear you!” Anakin yelled from behind the engines and he stood up, followed by a sharp clang. “Ow!”

“It looks like you could use a hand.”

Obi-Wan whirled around at the sound of a new voice as Ahsoka followed suit. His eyes met a figure with y/h/c hair and piercing silver eyes that glimmered in the sunlight. The figure sat atop a large, furry beast with two horns framing its round snout. A sizable white furred drape wrapped around their torso and hid their legs.

“Hello there.” Obi-Wan greeted.

Hearing all the commotion, Anakin peaked around the back of the shuttle, rubbing the back of his head in defeat. Curiosity paused his assessment, pushing him to join the others.

The beast huffed and lightly stomped its feet at the presence of strangers. The stranger hushed the animal, stroking its neck to calm it before throwing a leg across its back and demounting.

“I saw your ship crash a few miles back.” They explained as they took a few strides forward. “You should know that recreational hunting on this planet is illegal.”

“We’re not hunters...” Ahsoka clarified.

“Just travelers who lost their way.” Obi-Wan cut in. The young Padawan has yet to learn that these days, strangers fear the Jedi in the Outer Rim. Best to remain anonymous.

—

“Well, you better find shelter soon.” You advised. “The surface temperatures drop too low for non-indigenous beings to survive after sundown.” Everyone seemed alive and healthy when you arrived, you thought. You sensed that the trio before you was more than capable of handling their own affairs from this point forward, so you turned and walked back toward Meetra, satisfied with your investigation.

“Do you live nearby?” The older, bearded man quickly asked. You paused. You knew you shouldn’t indulge the questions of strangers, but curiosity got the best of you. You spun to face the man. He took a few steps toward you. “Is there a village somewhere? We have yet to find signs of civilization.”

Your friend’s voice echoed in the back of your mind.

“Stay safe. No unnecessary risks.”

You took a step back.

The older man paused mid-step as he analyzed your features. He silently apologized by gently lowering his foot back beside the other. The man smiled, likely hoping to make you more comfortable.

“No village.” You paused, internally sighing. You wondered whether you would regret this decision, despite knowing deep in your bones that it was the right thing to do. To help them. To guide them toward survival on this planetoid death trap.

But then your mind pulls you back to your promise. A promise you intended to keep. Still, you had thrown away any semblance of cautiousness hours ago when you first decided to explore the wreckage, you reasoned.

You eyed the hunk of metal once more. It certainly was beaten up. But despite the many dents, holes, and obviously mangled engines, the fact that it wasn’t a pile of parts was simply a miracle.

“I’m surprised your ship suffered such little damage.” You exclaimed, glancing back at the trio. “I wasn’t expecting to find a ship at all with your reentry.” As you finished, you noticed the younger man’s frown at that comment.

The bearded gentleman smiled. “We were very lucky.”

The whistling of chilly wind filled the brief silence. It whirled around the four of you, threatening to take all of your cloaks off your very back. They were sure to perish if they remained out here for any longer.

You internally groaned, knowing that you’ve already made your decision. No avoiding it now.

“There’s no village.” You took a deep breath, hardening your face in case this group was not who they said they were. Best to seem somewhat tough. “But you’re welcome to accompany me back to my shelter. There should be room for everyone.”

The bearded man’s eyes brightened at the gesture. “That is very kind of you.” He seemed sincere.

You could see that the young Togruta behind him also relaxed. She seemed to be especially affected by the cold as she lightly shook. The idea of a warm place to rest surely put her mind at ease. The younger man seemed somewhat surprised, but equally content.

You relaxed at their innocent features, and grinned. “It will take a few hours so we better leave now.” You turned again and walked to Meetra’s side before pausing once more. You faced the trio. “I only have one Tauntaun and she can only carry two people at a time. We’ll need to take turns.” You climbed onto your steed.

“Sounds good to me!” The younger man blurted out. He lightly jogged up to the Tauntaun with a relaxed countenance before jumping up and mounting the steed behind you. You could tell that their younger companion was annoyed with their compatriot’s blatant gall. The man glanced over your shoulder. “My name’s Anakin, by the way.” His toothy grin caught the light.

You chuckled, glancing over at the young man. “Nice to meet you.”

“This is Ahsoka.” The bearded man motioned to the young girl. “And I am Obi-Wan.” He placed a hand against his chest.

Their bright spirits lightened your soul. “It’s a pleasure.” You steered Meetra around toward the shelter far behind you. Clicking your tongue, you began the journey.

“So this shelter,” Anakin started. His head returned to hover over your left shoulder. “You don’t happen to have any century-old shuttle parts or schematics…”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan warned as his march met Meetra’s pace to your right, Ahsoka in tow.

Your bright laughter filled the air as you further relaxed. When you looked back at Anakin you noticed Obi-Wan’s comforting smile out of the corner of your eye. “You know…” you teased. “You may be in luck. Useless centuries-old knowledge is probably all I have.”

Anakin seemed satisfied with your witty retort as he leaned back with a pleased utterance. In your peripheral, you could see Obi-Wan’s interest was piqued by the lift of his eyebrows. He looked out West, into the distance, clearly contemplating your words.

After a moment, his gaze shifted back to the caravan, catching your eye. His features lightened. “I believe I missed your name.” Obi-Wan challenged.

You turned back toward the path ahead and smiled. “Y/n.”

“Hmm.” You glanced back at his vocalization. He stroked his beard while his gaze returned to the West.

“Y/n”