#v: I'm FINALLY Emperor!

[boombambaby]

Meow

Guess who lmao

A kitty cat?

[verysium]

attractive things bllk characters (unintentionally) do?👀

i received this ask and decided to write this entire thing through a caffeine-powered fever dream. may have gone a little overboard. please pray for both your sanity and mine. thank you anon for your strong sense of imagination (or delusion, whichever you prefer.)

nagi lifts the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face, and you accidentally (or not so accidentally) get a good look at the droplets running down his abs and v-line. he also does the doorway lean while waiting for you to get ready. since he's so tall, he puts his one arm up on the top of the door frame while scrolling through his phone. when he feels drained of energy, he clings to you like a koala, face buried into the crook of your neck.

rin pushes his hair back when his bangs get in the way, and it shows off his ridiculously sharp side profile. sometimes you have to pause mid-conversation because the direct eye contact gets too intense. he has the brightest turquoise eyes in existence, and they stare right into your soul. pair that with the height difference and him towering over you. hang onto your ovaries because this man is about to snatch them. if isagi or sae are anywhere remotely close within your vicinity, he will personally drag your chair closer over to him. you know, the whole nick jonas chair pull thing? he also unintentionally clenches his jaw when pissed, the vein popping out and everything.

barou is polite to his elders. he holds the door open for others. he tips extra at restaurants. he is kind to service workers. he's just a gentleman overall even though he likes to act tough. he rolls up his sleeves while cleaning or cutting up vegetables, and you can see the veins bulging in his forearms. wears those form-fitting aprons where you can see the outline of his waist and the muscles in his back. he is not immune to raging pit bull moments, but he will calm down immediately when you ask him to.

kaiser requires physical touch to function. all concept of personal boundaries goes poof in his little ego-driven brain. he holds your chin so you look up at him while he's talking. also has that husky growl when he wakes up in the morning. he speaks german. what else is more attractive than that? if you stroke his ego, he will puff his chest out like an emperor penguin and flash that movie star smile. does not slow down his pace for you, and will laugh at your expense when you trip in heels and fall. but then he feels guilty about it and begrudgingly picks you up and carries you home. however, before that he will make you swear on everything holy to never tell isagi about his moment of weakness. (tbh kaiser is a menace and has some serious self-esteem issues. pls avoid dating a man like him in real life until he is fully mature. i still love him tho.)

reo mansplains but not in the condescending way. he does so in the "omg i'm so excited to finally get to share something with you and you're never going to believe it" sort of way. rambles on and on about his interests and gets that little glint in his eye when he's passionate about something. also not sure if this counts but he gets extremely depressed when you don't message him back within five minutes. what do you mean you were busy? he was out here dying from a literal famine. he needs your affection to survive. last but not least, he is good at styling. he knows what colors work best for you, and he will put together three new looks for you in record time.

hiori dreams that you left him for good and wakes up crying with his arms around you. will refuse to let you leave the bed even if it is just to get a glass of water. his rare moments of emotional vulnerability are what gets to you.

shidou does not condone any of your bad decisions. you want to get shit-faced and party until early morning? no complaints from him. you want to wear sexy outfits to the club? say less because he's about to enjoy the view and knock out the front teeth of every guy who dares to ogle you. i don't know if this qualifies as being attractive, but he would never be the controlling type. you can dress and act however you want. unfortunately for you though, this is also a textbook case of the blind leading the blind. if you get horrendously hungover, so does he. if you get pulled over, he's going to be too blackout drunk to even comprehend the officer's words. you can count on him for a good time, but not anything else. do not take any of his advice at face value.

oliver likes to show you off even if he doesn't notice it himself. any talk with his team, and he will find a way to make the entire conversation about you. at this point, the entire u-20 team is done with him. they placed bets that you two wouldn't last more than a month due to his philandering reputation, but the universe seems to think otherwise because you and oliver hit the six-month mark and are still going strong.

ness guards your drink with an unnecessary amount of protection. while you left to go use the restroom, he was looking left and right, and the hairs on the back of his neck were prickling every time someone even came close to your cup. he also shoos away any person who opens their mouth while standing next to your drink because apparently the condensation from their breath could be dangerous. definitely covers your cup with both hands even if it has a lid. no suspicious shit is happening on his watch.

yukimiya is well-read, and he wears glasses. he has a copy of every single classic out there in existence and will fangirl along with you over your virginia woolf collection. he was written by a woman with two cats and a wine glass. not much else to say.

loki absolutely clears the entire carnival/arcade game. you want that giant teddy bear that costs over three hundred ticket points? say less because he's about to win the whole damn pot. of all characters, i would say he's one of the only green flags. like celery green.

isagi always looks for you when he enters the room. intentionally or not, he always seeks your presence. if someone says a funny joke, he turns to you to see if you're laughing or not. also does that somewhat creepy stare thing where he just looks at you quietly while you do mundane tasks. internally he is screaming cus what do you mean you actually like him?

chigiri gives you that thankful little smile whenever you stand up for him. i feel like people don't understand how goofy he can get as he's canonically good at doing impressions/impersonations. also has the prettiest laugh. if he ever cuts his hair, i think i'm going to get a nosebleed.

noa unconsciously says yes to every question you ask of him. he'd be giving bastard münchen a hard time (and denying isagi's requests) but then immediately once you come over, he's automatically acquiescing to everything you say. the rest of the team is low-key shocked you can win him over so easily. when they confront him about it, he just shrugs and goes "y/n is always right."

kurona's entire existence is attractive. he's just perfect. nothing is ever wrong with him. will let you check out his shark teeth and lightly pokes your finger to leave an imprint. hopefully you'll always remember him that way. he's also quiet so he will listen to everything you say and give ample weight to your words.

sae is my baby girl so he gets a whole section dedicated to himself:

absentmindedly plays with your hair. when you're sleeping in his lap, he'll gently run his fingers along your scalp. sometimes in the morning when you're sitting up on the edge of your bed to do your makeup, he'll come up from behind you and brush back your hair. might also press a kiss to the back of your neck.

helps you put on your face mask. when he's shopping, he will buy you lotion along with his own skincare products. says that it was just a convenient store run but you know he personally made sure to get you the best quality ones.

this is canon because i said so: when he gets out of the shower, he slings the towel over his neck or his shoulder. he also involuntarily flexes his biceps when he bends down to grab something. has the world's most defined deltoids.

when you're stuck in large crowds at the airport, he puts his hand in your back pocket to keep you two from getting separated. if the TSA pat-down is anywhere too personal for his liking, he will openly glare at the officer once you've passed the security checkpoint.

bonus point: when you two brush your teeth early in the morning, he has that little bed head where his shorn-off bangs stick up in cute little tufts here and there. will have a dead look on his face, but his eyes soften when he catches your gaze through the mirror.

[edenesth]

Scarlet Requiem

Pairing: emperor!Baekhyun x empress!reader

AU: historical au (Goryeo era)

Word Count: 4k

Summary: In his reign, Baekhyun strived to be a virtuous emperor, all for the sake of his kind-hearted empress, steadfastly resisting the temptations of power that had corrupted those before him. He held onto the belief that this was the key to securing her eternal presence by his side. Yet, he learned, to his heartbreak, that this very resolve would lead to the cruellest loss of all.

Genre: heavy angst

Trigger Warnings: major character death, violence, gore, lots of blood

MAIN MASTERLIST

"Capture that demon before she flees!"

Her hands trembled as she gazed at her reflection in the ornate gold mirror. Once healthy skin now bore a sickly pallor, brown eyes turned crimson, tears staining her cheeks red. Even her jet-black hair had transformed to snowy white. Confusion and fear gripped her as she struggled to comprehend the inexplicable transformation.

As guards roughly seized her arms, she pleaded, "No, please! I've done nothing wrong! I don't understand any of this!"

"Of course, you'd deny it, Your Imperial Majesty," sneered the Minister of Rites, one of many who had urged her husband, the emperor, to accept their daughters as concubines. "Little did you know, those potions you received from the royal healer for the past month were meant to reveal your true nature by shedding your human guise."

Horror pierced her heart as realisation dawned. The tonics meant to maintain her health had been a ruse. She had been poisoned, it explained the sudden and alarming changes in her body and health.

"You," she whispered, the weight of the truth settling heavily upon her. "It was all you."

She was not naive; she understood the ministers' discontent with her influence over Baekhyun throughout his reign. Their persistent attempts to sway him, offering their daughters as concubines to bolster their own power and threaten her position, had not escaped her notice. Their frustration must have reached its zenith when her husband adamantly refused their advances, steadfast in his commitment to her as his one and only empress.

"Hm? I'm not sure I understand what you're implying," the man smirked, his deceptive tone belying his words. "We've long suspected there was more to you, Your Imperial Majesty. It appears you're indeed a demon, effortlessly manipulating the emperor. Surely a man of his stature would desire more than one woman by his side?"

Struggling against the guards' grasp, she retorted weakly, "You vile cowards. You'll rue the day my husband learns of this..."

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place, revealing their sinister plot. They had bided their time, seizing the perfect opportunity amidst the chaos of war. With Baekhyun, the virtuous emperor she had wished him to be, leading the army, they saw their chance to poison her, framing her as a demon to eradicate her while he was away.

"Or perhaps we'll witness the rise of the ambitious emperor we've long awaited. He will finally be able to reach his full potential without you here obstructing his path," he sneered, gesturing towards the approaching healer with another bowl of poison. "Just comply and drink your tonic, Your Imperial Majesty. Your suffering will soon end, and our nation will thrive under the rule of a new emperor, liberated from your naive ideals."

As the sinister men tightened their grip, she sobbed in agony, the relentless headache from the past month resurfacing with a vengeance. Each touch felt like a dagger through her skull, each word a cruel reminder of her plight.

With an apologetic bow of his head, the healer cupped her jaw, his hands trembling as he forced the bowl of poison towards her lips. "Forgive me, Your Imperial Majesty," he whispered, his voice trembling with remorse. "This will be the last one, I promise."

She gagged as the bitter liquid slid down her throat, burning with each swallow. Crimson tears streamed down her white face as she choked on the vile concoction, feeling her strength wane with each passing moment. In that desperate moment, all she could do was pray for salvation from the nightmare consuming her.

As the healer finally released his hold, she felt despair engulf her. The bitter poison settled within her damaged insides, coursing through her veins like a silent killer, slowly consuming her from within.

"It is done, my lord. The empress will not survive through the night," the healer declared, his voice carrying a finality that chilled her to the bone.

The minister's grin widened with satisfaction. "Excellent. Arrange for someone to confirm her death by dawn. Let her enjoy her final moments in the comforts of her own chambers. His Imperial Majesty will surely be grateful we've rid him of his treacherous demon of a wife upon his return from war."

Laying limply in the centre of her grand chambers, the very space she had once despised before ascending to empress, memories flooded her mind. She recalled the scepticism that clouded her heart when she first found herself falling for the crown prince of the nation. After all, history had taught her that no happy endings awaited the women who loved emperors. But Baekhyun was different—he was loving, caring, and considerate, going to great lengths to prove his devotion to her.

He swore never to take concubines, to resist the allure of power, and to remain hers, and hers alone. Despite the admiration of the entire nation, he remained committed to prioritising her above all else, even if it meant drawing the ire of his ministers and officials. Their accusations of his partiality towards his empress over his nation only served to strengthen his resolve, his unwavering loyalty to her.

But now, as she lay weakened by poison, she realised the tragic irony of his goodness. It was his very commitment to righteousness that led him to the battlefield, refusing to let his men fight in his stead. And it was this decision that ultimately sealed their fate, leaving her to face the consequences of his noble intentions.

As the darkness closed in around her, she couldn't help but wonder how Baekhyun would react upon returning to find her lifeless form in this state. Would he succumb to the poisonous words of his ministers, believing their accusations that she had been a demon all along? Would he entertain the notion that she had bewitched him, clouding his judgement and leading him astray?

Or would he remain firm in his loyalty, unwavering in his belief that this was nothing more than a cruel ploy to rid him of her for good? In the depths of her fading consciousness, she desperately clung to the hope that he would see through the lies, that his love for her would prevail over doubt.

On the brink of death, she yearned to trust in his endless devotion to her, to believe that he would never doubt the love they shared. It was a fragile hope, but in that moment, it was all she had to cling to as she slipped further into the darkness, awaiting the inevitable arrival of dawn and the fate it would eventually bring.

"Forgive me for not being strong enough, Baek," she whispered into the stillness of the chamber, her voice barely a breath against the heavy silence. "Please don't blame yourself for any of this."

As the darkness threatened to swallow her entirely, she couldn't help but reflect on the warnings of history, the cautionary tales of women who loved emperors, only to meet tragic ends. Once again, it seemed, she had fallen victim to the same fate.

Her vision blurred with crimson tears as memories flooded her mind—moments shared with Baekhyun before he departed for battle, blissfully unaware that they would be their last. Each memory stung with bittersweet intensity, a painful reminder of what could have been, had fate been kinder.

As her life ebbed away, flashes of cherished moments with him flickered through her mind like scattered stars in the night sky.

Wrapped in the warmth of silk sheets, doubts clouded her mind one morning, questioning her husband's resolve to remain faithful amidst the pressures of his position.

"Would you truly refuse to take any concubines, Baek?" she inquired, her voice laced with uncertainty. "You're aware that the ministers and officials desire it, and perhaps even the citizens of our nation. For all we know, the people might have grown weary of this same dull empress who has yet to bear you an heir."

He drew her close, pulling the silk sheets higher to shield her bare form from the chill seeping through the open windows. Pressing a tender kiss upon her head, he smiled reassuringly. "Never, my love. I do not care for their political machinations. I won't forsake my vow to you. You will remain my only wife, that is final. I did not ask to be emperor, the role was thrust upon me. Now that I am here, they should at least be grateful I am fulfilling my general duties."

She chuckled, nestling into the crook of his neck as he added, "Besides, if the ministers and officials are so displeased, they could just dismiss me. That would be even better; we could live in a quiet little village, just as we've always dreamed."

In another memory, standing before her reflection, plagued by insecurities instilled by the scheming ministers, his unwavering admiration melted her fears away.

"You look beautiful, my empress. You always do," he reassured, approaching from behind to envelop her in his arms.

"Not as beautiful as those young maidens, I fear. I am old," she confessed, feeling a twinge of self-consciousness after witnessing the ministers' attempts to seduce the emperor with their daughters.

Baekhyun gently turned her to face him. "If you're old, then I must be ancient," he teased. "I believe it's only fitting that I am with someone my age, and that's you, my empress. I have no interest in marrying children or anyone else for that matter; I am a taken man. Don't you dare compare yourself to anyone else again, you hear me? You're the most beautiful woman in my eyes, and that's all that matters."

In the final embrace before he departed for war, hearts heavy with the uncertainty of his return, they clung to each other.

"I will be back before you know it, my love. You'll wait for me, won't you?" her husband murmured against her neck, his arms tightening around her.

"Where else would I go, you idiot? Of course, I'll be waiting right here," she retorted, tightening her hold around his shoulders.

Amidst tears and laughter, he leaned in to kiss her deeply, pressing his lips against her soft ones over and over again to imprint the sensation into memory.

"I love you, my empress," Baekhyun whispered against her lips before pulling away, his eyes full of love and determination.

In the quiet of her chamber, she found solace in the fleeting recollections, clinging to them as the darkness threatened to consume her entirely. And as the crimson tears clouded her eyes once more, she resigned herself to the inevitable, silently bidding farewell to the life she once knew.

"I love you too, my emperor."

"I will not ask again, where is she?!" the emperor's voice thundered through the throne room as he stormed back into the palace, abandoning the battle upon learning the shocking revelation. According to the Minister of Rites in his letter, the empress had been discovered to be a demon all along, concealing her true nature under human skin to manipulate him and bend him to her will.

The eunuch panicked and fell to his knees. "Th-the empress is confined to her grand chambers, Your Imperial Majesty!"

Without uttering another word, Baekhyun stormed over immediately, his heart thumping loudly against his chest as fury overtook his being. Betrayal flooded his veins; he was seething with anger.

"You will regret lying to me," he growled under his breath, his vision zeroing in on the path towards her chambers, the place he frequented more than his own. "You will regret deceiving me."

Upon reaching the entrance of her chambers, he turned to the eunuch. "Gather all the ministers and officials who played a part in discovering the empress as what they claimed her to be in the throne room. I wish to speak with them soon."

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty," the eunuch hurriedly replied before darting off to carry out his orders. Baekhyun steadied his breaths, his hand resting on the door as he prepared to face her once more. Under his breath, he vowed, "I swear, you will all regret it. How dare you accuse my wife of being what you are—demons."

I'm here now, my love.

Stepping into the familiar room, the emperor's heart raced with anxiety as he mulled over a perfect apology. He needed to express his deep remorse for not being there when she needed him the most, for failing to shield her from the treachery of those vultures. Reflecting on his actions, he realised he should have never left her behind. In his rush to leave for war, he had neglected to arrange proper protection for her. In hindsight, he understood that he should have never left her side in the first place.

Determined to make amends, he vowed to do better. He resolved to never again allow those ministers or officials the opportunity to torment her in his absence again. From now on, he would be her shield, her staunch protector, and her unending support.

But it might be too late for any of that.

His steps faltered, his breath caught in his chest, and his heart skipped a beat as he beheld the sight before his eyes. The sword in his hands slipped, clanging loudly as it hit the ground, and he sank to his knees in disbelief at the last thing he expected to see.

His shock deepened as he took in his wife's unrecognisable appearance. Crawling towards her limp form on the ground, he pulled her into his arms, his voice trembling with anguish. The horror settled within him like a heavy weight as he tried to imagine what atrocities these monsters had dared inflict upon her while he was gone. His mind raced with images of torture and torment, each one more gruesome than the last.

"Oh god, what have they done to you?" he whispered, his heart fracturing into a million shards as he struggled to comprehend her pale skin, her white hair, and the blood-like tears staining her cheeks. With shaking hands, he gently cupped her cold cheek, his fingers tracing the contours of her face as if seeking reassurance that she was still there, still his beloved wife.

"Please wake up, my love. This isn't funny, stop scaring me," he pleaded, his voice thick with emotion. "You promised to wait for me. You promised..." His words trailed off into a broken sob as he refused to accept anything but the truth, shaking his head in denial even as he searched desperately for a pulse, even when she remained unresponsive.

"No, no, no... this can't be real. It can't be," he murmured, his mind reeling with the unimaginable horror of what he had found.

Despair and regret enveloped him as he sobbed painfully, holding her lifeless body tightly against his chest. The realisation that she was truly gone, that her final moments were spent alone in the very room she despised just to be with him, weighed heavily on his heart. He grappled with the bitter truth that he had failed her, just as she had feared when she hesitated to be with him.

Gradually, his sorrow gave way to seething rage as he recalled the faces of the ministers and officials responsible for this atrocity. They had callously taken her life, foolishly believing he would be deceived by their feeble attempt to frame her. With trembling hands, he picked up a shard of the shattered bowl nearby and brought it to his nose, recognising the metallic scent of mercury.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

They had poisoned her with lethal doses of mercury, causing a myriad of symptoms—tremors, headaches, muscle weakness, kidney damage, and breathing difficulties. And the deliberate administration of such high doses to turn her hair white revealed their sinister intent from the outset.

Just how much had they fed her? It was evident they had intended to kill her from the start. Anguish and fury surged within him as he vowed to make them pay.

Gently caressing her cold cheek, he leaned in to kiss her unmoving lips, his own trembling against hers. He blamed himself for everything that had transpired. Perhaps if she hadn't been with him, she would have lived a better life—a normal life with a normal man. She wouldn't have to endure such a painful and cruel death.

It was all because of him.

Regret hung heavy in his heart, but dwelling on what could have been served no purpose.

"I'm so sorry, my wife," he whispered, his voice thick with grief. "Just hold on a bit longer, alright? I'll join you soon, but first, I'll make those bastards pay. Wait for me—I won't let you face this alone. Not again."

With resolve hardening in his heart, he retrieved his sword and sheathed it once more before lifting her lifeless form into his arms. Like a man burdened by death itself, he trudged towards the throne room where justice awaited. Kicking the doors open with a forceful thrust of his leg, he was met with a sea of horrified expressions from the ministers and officials. Clearly, they hadn't anticipated the emperor's dramatic entrance, cradling his beloved empress in his arms.

Ignoring their shocked gazes, he strode past them, his eyes fixed on the throne at the far end of the room. With careful tenderness, he laid his wife down upon the ornate seat, arranging her robes and ensuring her comfort as though she were merely sleeping. Pressing a solemn kiss upon her cold forehead, he turned to face the assembled council, their unease palpable in the air.

The guilty culprits remained frozen in their places, uncertain of what awaited them.

As the emperor's gaze swept over them, the ministers and officials for the first time felt a cold shiver of fear trickle down their spines. His expression was unreadable, his appearance wild and dishevelled compared to his usual polished demeanour. Specks of blood and dirt stained his robes and skin, his hair a tangled mess, half tied up in a disarray that mirrored the chaos within him.

Gone was the warm smile that often graced his features; instead, a slow, unsettling grin crept across his face.

"My dearest ministers and officials," he began, his voice low and laced with an eerie calmness. "Your message has been received loud and clear. I hope you're satisfied now that you've succeeded in eradicating the empress, as you so desperately desired. I've given it some thought, and perhaps... you were all right."

The Minister of Rites, attempting to feign nonchalance, cleared his throat. "A-about what, Your Imperial Majesty?" he stammered.

Baekhyun's eyes gleamed with a frightening intensity as he smirked, his demeanour bordering on madness. "About what this nation truly needs," he replied, his voice carrying a chilling edge.

"Not a good emperor, but a mad one."

Without giving the men before him time to register his words, all Baekhyun saw was red. In a split second, he unsheathed his sword and transformed into a bloodthirsty animal, cutting down anyone and everyone in his path. The Minister of Rites tried to flee but to no avail. He watched in complete horror as his colleagues dropped dead one by one, their blood splattering over the grand walls of the throne room, their screams echoing.

The emperor went on a rampage, leaving no man behind. The Minister of Rites, who had been behind the idea of poisoning the empress, smearing her name by labelling her a demon, and executing her, was now filled with regret. They had turned him into the mad king his empress had feared. Perhaps they had finally achieved their goal, but it wasn't what they were prepared for.

The minister collapsed to his knees before the emperor, realising that His Imperial Majesty had saved him for last. Trembling, he rubbed his hands together in a desperate plea. "P-please, everything I've done, it's for the betterment of our nation."

Baekhyun's humourless laughter echoed through the hall, sending shivers down the minister's spine. "You truly believe that, don't you? Of course, that includes subjecting my wife to all that torment. Yes, because that is exactly what the nation needs. Unfortunately for you, I am the emperor, and I determine what's best for the nation. And in this case, I think it's better off without traitors like you. See you on the other side," were the last words the minister heard before his head was severed from his neck, rolling off to join the others on the floor.

The emperor finally turned back, his eyes softening as they landed on his beloved's lifeless body. Making his way back towards her, he knelt down beside her, tears streaming down his face as he reached for her hand. Holding it to his cheek, he missed the warmth it once had.

"I'm coming now, my love," he whispered brokenly. "I'm sorry you had to wait for so long. I'll be there with you soon."

"Yes, I understand His Imperial Majesty's orders not to enter, but it's been hours. Surely, any assembly would have concluded by now, wouldn't it?" With apprehension and curiosity, a senior court lady pushed open the doors to the once-bustling throne room, expecting to find His Imperial Majesty and his council of ministers. Instead, she was met with a horrifying sight—a scene of bloodshed and chaos spread across the grand hall.

Her piercing scream echoed through the silent room, jolting nearby palace staff into action. Rushing to the scene, they were met with a scene that chilled them to the bone. At the end of the room, amidst a sea of lifeless bodies, lay the empress on the throne, her appearance shocking all who beheld it. Beside her, her husband remained, his head cradled on her chest, their hands tightly clasped together. A gaping stab wound marred his chest—it seemed he had taken his own life before joining her in death.

Following that, the next prince in line promptly ascended the throne and found himself compelled to appoint an entirely new cabinet of ministers and officials. The entire nation descended into chaos, particularly since it was still embroiled in a war, with endless theories circulating about the events. While some speculated that the emperor succumbed to madness and killed his own council, others whispered of a conspiracy, suggesting that the ministers had orchestrated the demise of both the empress and the emperor.

Amidst this uncertainty, the new prince faced the daunting challenge of restoring order to the kingdom. With a heavy heart, he pledged to uncover the truth behind the tragic occurrences and ensure that justice was served to those responsible.

In the end, the truth of what truly occurred remained shrouded in mystery. All those involved had departed from the realm of the living. As centuries passed, that chapter in history became known as the Scarlet Requiem, a haunting tale that lingered in the collective memory of the kingdom. Despite countless efforts to unravel the enigma, the events surrounding the tragedy remained obscured by the sands of time, leaving future generations to ponder and speculate about the dark secrets of the past.

"What do you think really happened?" a woman asked her boyfriend as they studied a painting depicting the throne room scene in a museum dedicated to the events of the Scarlet Requiem.

He pondered for a moment before responding with a shrug. "It's hard to say. But judging by the way he's holding onto her, it seems he must have truly loved her. Let's hope they've found peace and happiness, whether in the afterlife or their next life."

She nodded in agreement, leaning into his comforting embrace. "Yeah, I hope so too."

He flashed a mischievous grin. "I'm just saying, if I were him, I wouldn't have left her for war in the first place."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful smack, though a smile danced on her lips. "I'm sure you wouldn't. I bet it's because the empress was described as beautiful as a celestial being."

He scoffed. "Doesn't matter to me how pretty she was. I'll stay only if you're my empress."

Unbeknownst to them, the couple had been contemplating their own past lives. Perhaps the emperor and empress had indeed found each other again in another existence.

Believe it or not, this has been on my mind for months ever since seeing those AI-generated photos of Baekhyun. I had an epiphany while looking at them again yesterday and just had to write this. It's my first EXO fic, and I hope it's decent hehe~

As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

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All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[metaben]

Body Language of the Emperor

NOTE: I have a habit of using they/he for Emperor but I understand that as a Mind Flayer, his gender contains multitudes.

So, I'm really eager to explore the body language behind the Emperor, and specifically how the body language of the DG reflects his own expressions and is essentially a V-tuber avatar.

I obviously have to replay the game and examine his animations for this, so a full examination will take some time. However, I'm already intrigued by his body language as DG and want to make some points.

Scott Joseph, actor for the Emperor, has remarked that a big challenge in playing the Emperor is their restricted movements. He'd leave filming/recording with pain in his shoulders, due to how restrained the Emperor's posture is.

The Emperor is extremely deliberate in all his motions, almost like he doesn't want to startle you, or is trying to contain his greater powers. While I played a recent scene, I noticed this is true for the DG.

This is their sort of neutral stance, but it's firm. Everything about them is tightly held. Shoulders, jaws, lips. The only exception are the eyes, which always look at the player with a very open expression.

A moment later, his posture firms even more, but is still restrained. He's leant forward in a beseeching manner, almost confrontational, but it's very subdued. Then in his shoulders and back, you can see again that rigidity. Interestingly, their eyes barely change. They continue to look on almost pleadingly throughout your conversation.

Now look here! A flourish of the hand! Something we see Emperor do a few times, but still very restrained. In scenes with the DG, it's very easy to miss these quick yet dramatic motions. But his shoulders, his jaw, his neck. The restraint is still there. And again, I must point out how his eyes betray all this restraint.

Finally, we have this. In this moment, he's pleased. I can't remember which dialogue option I chose, but it was an agreeable one to end off the scene positively. His shoulders have relaxed, but not much, and his jaw and mouth have relaxed, implying the hint of a smile. Yet, you can tell he's still not fully reassured- most notably, his eyes are no longer pleading, but they are withdrawn, darkened. I wonder if he might feel some guilt that he can't give you all the answers right then.

But overall, he's feeling a bit more confident here, a bit more trusting of you, but he knows he still can't fully relax.

All these screenshots were taken from the scene that starts with "you haven't been using your tadpole powers, you think you don't need them" in act 1, after speaking to Halsin but not eating any tadpoles.

Anyway, I'm really intrigued by all this. A big criicism of the Emperor is that he approaches you in an altered form, and rather than demonise him for this, I'm more interested in pointing out how his astral avatar still corresponds to his true feelings.

One thing I can say about BG3 is the animation is stunning and purposeful and really shows off the actor's physical skills through their mocap, and this is evident most of all with the Emperor, whose body language is micromanaged to communicate his purposes. Big shout out to Scott Joseph, I really believe he was given the hardest role to portray, and he killed it!

[plumbum-art]

Regarding this post.

I think I did come to a conclusion regarding this whole bishop!Aziraphale mess.

There could be a thousand reasons, why he was a bishop. Could be curiosity in human religion, could be his roleplay hobby showing, could be for a mission and so on. I don't think he was lying here. As far as we know, Aziraphale takes his jobs very seriously. He wouldn't do anything half-heartedly (for example: learning french the hard way or insisting to take a driving test, although he doesn't need one).

My personal hc is, that it was a disguise for a mission.

But let me explain.

So Neil did mention a scrapped “15th century papal” minisode for S2. This could refer to a lot of things of course. For my hc I'm choosing the following event.

At the beginning of the 15th century there was a split within the catholic church, also known as the Papal Schism. Long story short, there where three rival popes (Pope Gregory XII in Rome, Pope Benedict XIII in Avignon and Pope John XXIII in Pisa), who claimed to be the rightful head of the catholic church. The increasing secularization of the church in general was a problem too.

So to unite the catholic church again, a council was held (also known as the Council of Constance) to decide, which pope was the rightful one. The whole council was a single chaotic mess. The only pope, who showed up, secrectly fled again and was later put in jail. The other two didn't even appear and also disqualified themselves so to speak. Finally in 1417, three years after the council started, the joint Pope Martin V. was elected, which ended the schism.

Just some bishops and cardinals chilling together, debating with Pope John XXIII.

Anyway my point is, the council was attended by a large number of cardinals, abbots, bishops and archbishops from different nations, such as England, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavia, etc. One can imagine the council as some kind of medieval Wacken, the biggest party at this time with emperors, nobles, peasents, handyman, merchants and generally thousands of people from all around the world, who gathered in the small city of Constance.

It would be easy for a certain angel to dive in the mass and disguise as a bishop. Why? Maybe he got a strong word from Up ("Hey Aziraphale, what's going on with Gods representative on earth? Humans make a mockery of Her ineffability!" "Um, it gotten a bit out of hand, yeah." "Sort this out immediately!" "As you wish...")

So Aziraphale thought of a plan and attended the council as a bishop to make sure that this time a righteous person would be chosen as Pope. After the election though he was quick to get rid of his regalia. Human religion didn't fit what he envisioned and he decided that angels shouldn't meddle with it.

[annabelle--cane]

oh my god i love watching someone else go through the (absolutely batshit insane) masterpiece that is the locked tomb

i promise it will all make sense even if it seems impossible with harrow

i swear it is worth it. the worst part is that when it finally does start making sense you'll want to read the books all over again because it was right there this entire time

please keep us updated i love scrolling through your liveblogs in the morning, makes waking up early for work more bearable :)

v v intriguing + thank you!

latest happenings: god has officially absolved harrow from worrying about the circumstances of her birth and quoted a bit of king lear while explaining about blood of eden. I'm finding his characterization interesting, he has a bit of charisma and gravitas but it's more "summer camp director" gravitas than "immortal necromancer god-emperor" gravitas. he's being kind to harrow in ways that other powerful people haven't been, but the way he talks about the blood of eden rings some alarm bells for me. feels like he's playing the good cop to the other lyctors' bad cop, yknow?

[empiredesimparte]

Interview : Louis Simparte, free above all else.

Journalist: You quit Maison Simparte as a teenager to join the Socialist Party. You claim to have found your freedom in this way.

Louis: At university, I took part in drunken student parties and joined student union groups. The final straw: I hung a portrait of Che Guevara in my room. It drove my parents crazy! It wasn't much, I'm sure you'll agree, but members of the imperial family are narrow-minded.

Journalist: Despite your family's exile at the time, did your parents hope to see you one day ascend the imperial throne in Francesim?

Louis: Oh yes. When I was a child, on my way to school, Simpartist soldiers and supporters would greet me as if I were a prophet. I lived completely out of touch with reality: baptized by the Pope, surrounded by old aristocrats who fantasized about empire and the old ways. My father fed off these fantasies and was convinced that one day we'd be back at the helm of Francesim. I had to be prepared to embody his dream.

Journalist: Your grandfather's dream was realized through his grandson, Charles, who became Emperor Napoléon IV.

Louis: My father forced me to marry an aristocrat, and I had Charles and Henri. To please the head of the family. But I was soon divorced, I couldn't live chained to my father any longer. So my father disinherited me and took it out on my son, Charles. He separated us from each other and made him think that I was the enemy of the family.

Journalist: And now? Would you like to reconcile with the imperial family?

Louis: I've come to terms with myself and my family history over the years. Charles and Henri never invited me to ceremonies in Francesim, and Napoléon V didn't either. None of them considered me in the Imperial Constitution, even though I am the true dynastic head. Today, I think I'm a blot on their imperial history.

Journalist: Did the tragic death of Emperor Napoléon IV change your position? Perhaps in the future, your destiny will be to return to Francesim, to the Emperor.

Louis: You know… I don't think so. No. I have a parallel life to all that, and I took my responsibilities when I left the Simparte family. For the past ten years, I've been working for the United Nations, helping countries and associations all over the world. For my part, I'm no longer angry with my children Charles and Henri. I don't know Napoléon V, my grandson, nor his sister Hortense. But my republican ideas are undeniably interfering with their lives.

Journalist: Yet you've decided to move back to Francesim next year.

Louis: With all due respect to the imperial family (sic), I think it's important for me to illustrate all the facets of Simpartism. I'm still a Simparte. And Napoléon isn't just a dynasty, a tyrant or an emperor. He's also the revolutionary, the general, the first president of the French republic.

Journalist: Your book is selling like hotcakes in French bookshops. You are conducting numerous interviews. From the shadows, you entered the light at the dawn of Napoleon V's reign. With your arrival in Francesim, few people think it's harmless. Some call it a "family settling of scores".

Louis: I don't want to challenge the Emperor, or Henri, or anyone else. I simply assume who I am without any complexes, I don't feel any scruples and I don't want to run away from debates either. I simply want to set the record straight, for the young Emperor's sake too.

Journalist: Do you think Emperor Napoléon V will read your book?

Louis: Probably not, but I sincerely hope so.

⚜ Traduction française

Interview : Louis Simparte, libre avant tout.

Journaliste : Vous avez claqué la porte à la Maison Simparte depuis votre adolescence pour rejoindre le parti socialiste. Vous dîtes avoir ainsi trouvé votre liberté.

Louis : A l'université, j'ai participé à des fêtes estudiantines arrosées et j'ai rejoint des groupes syndicaux étudiants. Le coup final : j'ai accroché un portrait du Che Guevara dans ma chambre. Cela rendait mes parents fous ! Ce n'était pas grand chose vous en conviendrez, mais les membres de la famille impériale sont étroits d'esprit.

Journaliste : Malgré l'exil de votre famille à l'époque, vos parents espéraient-ils vous voir un jour monter sur le trône impérial en Francesim ?

Louis : Oh oui. Lorsque j'étais enfant, sur le chemin de l'école, des militaires et des soutiens Simpartistes me saluaient comme si j'étais un prophète. Je vivais complètement déconnecté de la réalité : baptisé par le pape, entouré de vieux aristocrates qui fantasmaient l'empire et les vieilles mœurs. Mon père se nourrissait sans cesse de ces fantasmes et était persuadé que nous reviendrons un jour à la tête de la Francesim. Je devais être préparé à incarner son rêve.

Journaliste : Le rêve de votre grand-père s'est réalisé à travers son petit-fils, Charles devenu l'Empereur Napoléon IV. Pourquoi lui plutôt que vous ?

Louis : Mon père m'a marié de force à une aristocrate, et j'ai eu Charles et Henri. Pour faire plaisir au chef de famille. Mais j'ai divorcé rapidement, je ne pouvais plus vivre enchaîné à mon père. Alors mon père m'a déshérité et s'en est pris à mon fils, Charles. Il nous a séparés l'un de l'autre et lui a mis en tête que j'étais l'ennemi de la famille.

Journaliste : Et maintenant ? Souhaitez-vous vous réconcilier avec la famille impériale ?

Louis : Je me suis réconcilié avec moi-même et avec mon histoire familiale, au fur et à mesure des années. Charles et Henri ne m'ont jamais convié aux cérémonies en Francesim, et Napoléon V non plus. Aucun d'eux ne me considère dans la Constitution impériale, alors que je suis le véritable chef dynastique. Aujourd'hui, je crois que je suis pour eux une tache de leur histoire impériale.

Journaliste : La disparition tragique de l'Empereur Napoléon IV n'a rien changé à votre position ? Peut-être que à l'avenir, votre destin sera de revenir en Francesim auprès de l'Empereur.

Louis : Vous savez... Je ne crois pas. Non. J'ai une vie parallèle à tout ça, j'ai pris mes responsabilités en quittant la famille Simparte. Je travaille depuis une dizaine d'années pour les Nations Unies, pour aider les pays et les associations du monde entier. De mon côté, je ne suis plus fâché contre mes enfants Charles et Henri. Je ne connais pas Napoléon V, mon petit fils, ni Hortense sa soeur. Mais mes idées républicaines nuisent à leur vie indéniablement.

Journaliste : Pourtant, vous avez décidé de revenir vivre en Francesim l'an prochain.

Louis : N'en déplaise à la famille impériale. Je pense que c'est important pour moi d'illustrer toutes les facettes du Simpartisme. Je reste un Simparte. Et Napoléon, ce n'est pas qu'une dynastie, que le tyran ou l'empereur. C'est aussi le révolutionnaire, le général, le premier président de la république française.

Journaliste : Votre livre s'arrache dans toutes les librairies françaises. Vous menez de nombreuses interviews. De l'ombre, vous entrez dans la lumière à l'aube du règne de Napoléon V. Avec votre arrivée en Francesim, peu de gens pensent que c'est anodin. Certains parlent d'un "règlement de comptes familial".

Louis : Je ne veux pas défier l'Empereur, ou Henri, ou qui que ce soit. J'assume simplement qui je suis sans complexe, je ne ressens pas de scrupules et je n'ai pas non plus envie de fuir les débats. Je veux simplement rétablir la vérité, aussi pour le jeune Empereur.

Journaliste : Pensez-vous que l'Empereur Napoléon V lira votre livre ?

Louis : Probablement pas, mais je l'espère sincèrement.

[psy-kylo-gy]

Finally, Act V Day 3 of A Day in the Life of TchaikovsKYLO Ren! Our favorite messy boy has at last renounced the dark side and reclaimed his true self: Ben Tchaikovsolo! Surprises await for both him and his headstrong waifu who is challenging Emperor Ovaltine all alone. Reylo chaos ensues but can love save the day?

Catch up with the entire series here

Well first off I'm so sorry for the wait on this, I had it 99% finished since 2020 but just lost the heart to post it during Covid and my subsequent depression. I really wanted the people who love this series to know that I haven't abandoned it, and the finale is mostly done as well and I'm so excited to bestow Reylo with a GOOD ENDING they deserve.

As always, I want to dedicate this to some special folks who've motivated me and given me such kindness and patience over the years. I'm SO grateful for the love and support and I really hope you enjoy this one, Ben is (of course) a lot of fun: @pandoraspocksao3 @blackeyedlily @violet1979 @missrenaeann-blog @maryloki3000 @fangiosfriend

[skitskatdacat63]

catie I NEED more vettonso lore for your au. please. (love u)

Aaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! C!!! Thank you so much for asking!! This took me a bit cause there’s a lot of stuff I want to cover and I had to figure out how to balance the explanation of the historical context and how I apply it to my AU. But seriously thank you for asking because I did more research to write this post and learned a lot of things that make me feel deranged but I cannot bring any of this up to anyone irl without sounding like a lunatic. I’d apologize for the length but you should expect this from me by now! (I realized this doc for this was 1.5k+ my god)

Basic Info: early 1700s historical AU with arranged marriage plot 

Historical Context:

Okay, so this AU is based on a real historical event: The War of The Spanish Succession. Which is when the Spanish Throne was without a clear line of succession because the bloodline(Spanish Habsburgs) died out. So then, even though the previous Spanish King named his successor(Philip V, a Duke related to the French Royal family - representing Fernando in this AU), the Habsburgs still thought they should be allowed to keep the throne within their dynasty, thus offering up the second son(Charles VI - representing Seb in this AU) of the Holy Roman Emperor. So obviously they had to start a war because of it. But then the end result ended up being that because Charles VI’s older brother, the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, died during the war(because of illness though so it would have happened regardless), he became the next Emperor and Philip V ended up becoming the Spanish King after all, rendering it all pointless imo.

How does this relate to Vettonso?:

I'm not overly interested in either Charles VI and Philip V as people, but rather the roles they fulfill in this conflict, but obv I can’t help but draw on details from their lives. As I mentioned, Fernando is now Fernando I of Renault/France Spain and Seb is Sebastian I of Red Bull Austria. This is supposed to be like 2010-2012!Vettonso with Ferrari!Fernando and RBR!Seb(but like Fernando's title of Duke coming from France, because of his championships with Renault.) This AU is kinda just me looking at this historical event and thinking: wouldn’t a gay arranged marriage solve this succession quandary? But also just that it reminds me of Fernando and Seb’s rivalry, and the nationalities/kingdoms fit pretty well!!

Think about the throne of Spain as akin to winning a race, but becoming Holy Roman Emperor as winning the whole entire competition.(Also side note: real life Charles VI didn’t become a king until he became Emperor and adopted all of his brother’s titles, but I want Seb to be a boy king in this AU, so he can have a title as a treat.) Imagine you’re competing for something and you win it, but the only reason you win is because the other competitor won an even bigger prize!!!! Yay you got what you wanted but the boy king is now the emperor of most of Europe. And now you are stuck with him through lawfully wedded arranged marriage because they let you have what you wanted but only under the condition that the two kingdoms are still united. Yeah Fernando got the title, but Seb gained even more titles(get it???) 

They probably have a lot of animosity coming into the marriage, like “how could I ever build a relationship with the man who tried to steal my birthright?” but then realize they’re pretty similar after all. Though obviously Fernando has a lot more resentment than Seb because Seb won the whole damn thing! He would have control over Spain as he’s the king but since it's still within the domain of the empire, Seb would always have the final say. And Seb tries to be magnanimous like “Don’t worry, I won’t interfere”, and Fernando is all snide with comments like “Oh thank you great imperial majesty, can I really? Would you really allow me to do so?” But eventually become loving co-rulers that still constantly snipe at each other over different decisions the other makes. 

Some headcanons(I guess you’d still call it headcanons even if it's your own AU bcs it still comes from your head) + some fun facts from real life that have brainrotted me so I’m putting them in:

Their dynamic is just Seb being a very righteous, bratty boy king emperor who is unabashed about being that way, because he feels that it is his right, but still has a heart of gold and wants to treat his husband well no matter the circumstances leading to their marriage. And then Fernando is like a stray cat that keeps hissing and scratching because it’s really hard for him to accept the circumstances because he still feels humiliated, even though he got everything he wanted, but he still can’t help but be charmed by this baby emperor because he sees attributes of himself in Seb, and can’t really fault him because he would be the exact same, flaunting his power, if he were in Seb’s shoes. 

They would have to speak in French to each other because that’s their shared language but eventually attempt to learn each other’s native languages! Imagine Seb has to travel to Spain to give some Emperor speech and Fernando then bullies him for his bad Spanish. 

They would probably split where they live based on a schedule or by need. Yes, Fernando is the King of Spain but he is also the Emperor’s husband so he does have to spend time in the capital, Vienna. And then since Spain is a part of the empire, Seb has to go routinely, but y’know also to spend time with his husband. They find that their marriage as well as their politics is full of having to make concessions and compromises in order to make it work. 

Something I find funny is that as compensation for not getting the Spanish throne back, Spain had to cede some Italian territories to the Empire. That is literally the Ferrari plot with the transfer from Fernando to Seb!!

I’m not sure how the titles would work in this AU because obviously a m/m political marriage has not ever happened(as far as I know.) But I guess Fernando would just be King Fernando I of Spain and then Seb would be Holy Roman Emperor Sebastian I with the million titles that come with being in that role(though like most importantly Archduke of Austria and King of Bohemia and Hungary, etc.) I like the idea that Seb tries to share some titles with Fernando as a show of good will but Fernando is so affronted, mostly just from embarrassment, like “oh you think I need your good will?? I can’t be happy with what I earned in my own right??” But their kids would receive both titles and would be split in the traditional way, like first kid getting it all mostly, but the others still being nobility obv(yes.. there would be mpreg because of the plot need for succession….don’t ask who…)

They bond through their love of horses, particularly fast horses. The first time they go riding together, they’re both like awkwardly trying to act very proper as a sense of showmanship to the other like “I’m more mature than you”, but then can’t stop trying to get ahead of the other person and eventually break into a full-on race. Their aids are mutually like “oh god, they’re both the same type of insane.” 

Irl Charles VI was so salty about losing the throne that he wouldn’t stop dressing like a traditional Spanish monarch. I can totally see Seb doing that and Fernando getting so pissed with him like “you became emperor!! What more could you possibly want???’ and Seb then fixing him with his biggest pout and saying “your throne!” But also Fernando being weirdly into it because it’s basically Seb presenting himself blatantly as Fernando’s spouse. 

In that same vein, I’m going crazy over how there’s a painting from before the war, of Philip V wearing vestments from both the French order of chivalry and the Habsburg order of chivalry. Like basically stating the desire to see those two lines combined into one kingdom, which fits so well into this AU. Just Seb going crazy over how Fernando is willingly branding himself as belonging to Seb’s house. 

A testimony of Philip V’s personality is that he was a “neurotic, vacillating ruler, concerned with outward decorum and brave only in battle,” god can you not sense the energy of Fernando in that statement???

Very important to me that Charles VI reportedly had many male lovers, and that his soulmate was one of his courtiers. Maybe there can be a bit of Martian or Sebson cheating plot with them being his courtiers hahaha  

Not very relevant in this AU but there’s something about how Philip V had the longest ever reign of a Spanish monarch. Is that not Fernando??? Old man who will rule on forever, or should I say, forever keep his seat 

I already obv posted the wip for this but I'll include it here again as visual rep hehehe:

I've spent way too much time lately trying to research the fashion of the time ugh. But this, as I said, is like first joint portrait session into the marriage. And I guess I kind of want them to be wearing their corronation clothing, which I'm pretty solid on for Seb but still need to research more for Fernando. I think I'll maybe try and just put him in the afformentioned traditional Spanish monarch clothing, but the fact that it's all black kinda bores me, I'd rather he wear red!! This is like a typical royal couple type pose, except they're being more tactile. Also there's something to be said about the symbolism of Fernando being the one standing and Seb being the one sitting hehehe....

[eluari]

BORN TO THE SEA - A long overdue update

Genre //Adult Fantasy // Status // Finished 💕 Themes // a fall from grace | vengeance | justice | action & consequences | magic | loyality | survival | love | war | fate | rebellion | sacrifice | queer

Hi there, apologies because you may not remember me, or how you´ve ended up on this taglist. But I still remember you. 2019 you were by my side when I wrote the very first draft of my fantasy novel "Born to the Sea". Until 2021, when I finished my final draft tumblr felt very much like home to me. I shared my thoughts on writing, met new friends, and I’m forever grateful for all the encouragement, interest and love towards what has become an experience of a lifetime ...

I'm truly sorry for not keeping you updated. It's been over a year since I found a literary agent. Back then I wrote “Born to the Sea might actually be published – but only time will tell.”

What happened in the summer of 2022 surpassed my wildest fantasies: One of the major German publishers picked up the manuscript and I met the editor of my dreams: A person who understands the story and its characters on its deepest level ... and here I am, knowing that Born to the Sea will get published; knowing that I'll see my own book hit the stores next year and I still shake my head in disbelief … because all of this started here. With a rough Idea.

And it started with everyone who supported me. It started with you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Lots of love Elya💕

PS: Born to the Sea will be published under a different name, but I fear I can't reveal it just yet. PPS: If you have any questions, by all means, feel free to ask. If you want to keep following my journey to the release, I’m on Instagram these days, being a little more official. You’ll find me *here*. There is bonus art, too - I’m still painting. It would be lovely to see some familiar faces there.

Taglist: (love you, forever.)

@ardawyn @cirianne @elfrooted @somedeadmagic @relevy @alternativeforensicscientist @doro-writes @pen-in-hand @wanderers-minuet @skyfireflight @darth-salem-emperor-of-earth @monaramis @rookie009 @re-writing-h @lady-redshield-writes @zachatari @owl-writes @noxstories @quilloftheclouds @illyriandreamer @writemares @lordkingsmith @kosmosian-quills @reeseweston @ladywithalamp @the-violent-writer @phoenyxrisenfromashes @fantasy-shadows @v-writes-stories @ntbogoni @notiziarios @cawolters @adie-dee @wildswrites @siarven @semblanche @unfortunatelyunfocused @furysreign @a-tear-in-the-veil @acaranna @themidnxghtwriter @songsofaleria @wqtermelon-gloss @august-the-third @waterfallwritings @drunkinbook @doriians @homesteadchronicles @inky-duchess @silas-the-reading-addict @vesrayn @vorskra @miladaydreams @halfbloodlycan @smilelovefat-e @slothssassin @writer-somewhat @twoseeds

Also tagging @gingerly-writing because you might remember me. 💕

[boombambaby]

TAGS LIST! (updated)

[signor-signor]

June 27, 2023 - 7 Years Later

And now a TED Talk-type presentation (a DET Discussion) by Lord Hater.

Attention, fans of Wander Over Yonder (and Lord Hater, #1 superstar), I'm reaching out to you today to give you the current status of our show and explain why you need to pull yourselves together and pull your own weight in acknowledging the show's need for one more season! For those who are completely clueless, Wander Over Yonder is a sci-fi comedy cartoon show created by veteran cartoonist Craig McCracken, and it debuted in 2013 on Disney Channel before being moved to Disney XD. It ran for two seasons, but one more season was planned and probably primed for production.

Seven years ago, the second season showcasing our lives came to an end, in which I single-handedly stopped Lord Dominator, who, by the way, nearly destroyed the entire galaxy and spurned my affections for her. HOWEVER, because of the uncalled-for cancellation that was decided by the "higher up bosses of bosses of bosses," the majority of the world keeps calling this event the... ssseries... finale... oh, it's painful to call it that... and frankly, I'm really, really sick of it. So let me tell you this...

Our show is NOT dead! It's just left in limbo! Two seasons were NOT enough! The End of the Galaxy is NOT the true series finale and I have the information to prove it!

As you can plainly see, the people who worked on our show NEVER planned on stopping after two seasons. The show itself even has some details pertaining to the plans for our third season, which was pitched back in early 2015.

For instance, in The Waste of Time, there were two images that briefly appeared during the final time travel sequence: one of an orbble-powered ship called the Star Nomad, where, according to Craig McCracken, I'd have to bunk with Wander (shudder), another is one of what fans are speculating to be me in a past life as a space ape. I can see the resemblance, but the facts remain to be known and proven true. Nevertheless, neither of them appeared anywhere else in the first season or the second.

Another telltale sign of our show's unfinished business is the absence of the other villains, including Emperor Awesome. Last time I saw them on the show, they were still on Suburbon V; oddly, they never reappeared when Dominator seemingly destroyed every planet except the one Wander and Sylvia found. As a result, after I defeated Dominator, I was unable to brag about it to the villains!

(EMPEROR AWESOME (off stage): Dude, just because I wasn't in that episode doesn't mean I don't know what happened!)

Anyway, another reason our show is not finished is this: In Craig's Tumblr post announcing that gropforsaken cancellation and concession, he told the readers, and I quote, "We had plans for new characters, the return of old characters, and even a bit of backstory!" Back in 2015 at Comic-Con, just a couple of weeks before our second season premiered, he confirmed he had an origin story planned out for me; the second season only revealed that Major Threat's evil deeds inspired me to take up villainy, but no origin story explaining how I, Lord Hater, came to be!

(MAJOR THREAT (off stage): I'd sure love to hear all about it, man, but for reasons beyond my understanding, we have to keep it in the vault until the big cheese himself gives Craig the okay.)

Yes, Jeff, I get it. Just so you know, you were planned to be a recurring character. Now, in the case of the new characters, I heard they would include a team of space cops called Star Forcement Forcen Force.

(COMMANDER PEEPERS (off stage): It's Star Force Enforcement Force, sir.)

Whatever. Apparently, these new characters were set to be introduced in the third season we were denied years ago, and because we don't have that third season, they have to hide themselves under question marked sheets and we're not able to say their names, like [NAME REDACTED], [NAME REDACTED], or [NAME REDACTED]. AAHH! It's so annoying!

And don't get me started on how Craig ended his post with some of the words from a song Wander sang to cheer me up, or rather, reignite my ire. Believe me when I say his post will ignite your ire when you read all the way to the end, unless, of course, you're a hardcore fan of some overrated show that gets so much attention. I'm talkin' to you, blue cat boy.

Moving right along, in the finale of one of Disney's underappreciated shows, Future-Worm, the titular invertibrate and his companion Danny warped to various universes, including the alternate version of the one in which our show takes place. And guess what they saw when they arrived in it... Wander and Sylvia aboard the Star Nomad! Remember when I said I'd have to share a room with Wander on the ship? This is the very ship, the same one you saw in The Waste of Time, and if there's something I know about it, it's that it started out as a regular airship seen in The Secret Planet, and Wander and Sylvia would use it as their new mode of transportation to bring any refugees remaining on the planet I saved back to their home planets. You know, the planets I wanted to conquer as soon as I saved the galaxy. The point is, this ship was planned to play a BIG role in Season 3, and while I'm thankful for not bunking with Wander at this time, I'm still determined to know more about it.

(WANDER (off stage): Hey, Hater, if you wanna know more about the Star Nomad, you can join me at Underappreciated Cartoons Anonymous and Fyootch and I will be more than happy to tell you all about it.)

No thank you, and I'm still not your buddy. Oh, that's another reason our show's not finished: Wander has not yet befriended me. Even if he did, I'd still keep my distance from him, but I digress.

Now, what else is there? Waste of Time images... absence of other villains... origin story... new characters... Future-Worm cameo... Oh yes.

Fans, I have saved the most obvious reason for the show's total lack of closure for last... A DOWNED SPACE CAPSULE WITH GREEN LIGHTNING AND MONKEY-LIKE SCREECHING FADING INTO MY EVIL LAUGHTER! Words alone cannot describe how serious this is for a show that got canceled prematurely. If you look up "cliffhanger" in the dictionary, there would be a picture of that space capsule. To add insult to injury, Disney kept shunning us and continued to show more love for that strange Oregon town show, which the Internet never seems to stop talking about even though it already ended perfectly, and that anime-influenced show about a naïve princess with a powerful, cutesy-wutesy wand that got not three seasons, but FOUR seasons! Honest to Grop, I'm really fed up with their popularity. They ALWAYS outrank us!

(Clears throat) Thankfully, the SaveWOY campaign was flourishing since the day Craig made that dreadful announcement, but as the years went by, most supporters simply gave up and moved on, almost as if they were telling us that we can't reason with those "higher up bosses of bosses of bosses." It’s pathetic. You know what I say to that? Giving up is quitting, and quitters never win! Don't make those bosses think they were in the right when they canceled the show. Not doing anything gives them the impression that you're giving in to their demands. If a show has more to tell, THEY should be giving in to YOUR demands. And if you dare to discourage the curious fans from fighting for a proper conclusion, consider yourself likely to be struck by lightning.

Don't forget, our show is currently accessible on Hulu and Disney+, but with Disney being focused on the present, the future, and the shows that are hard to surpass in popularity, like that one about the school girls and cold-blooded critters and that one show about a Hispanic girl in a fantasy world, saving the show has become more impossible than difficult. Seriously, what has an entertainment conglomerate got against shows with guys as main protagonists? What does it have against a show that doesn’t feature Earth? And for that matter, why is it still not swayed by the SaveWOY campaign? How are they not comprehending what the fans have been trying to communicate on social media? We’re in the 21st century, for crying out loud!

After seven grueling years, the SaveWOY campaign's efforts to save the show have been absolutely futile, leaving the public perpetually in the dark about the plans for Season 3. That's why I, Lord Hater, propose we start up an entirely new campaign where fans old and new come together to meet a common goal: FinishWOY! Instead of begging Disney to bring back the show, we can make it our mission to collect the missing details, put the pieces together, and create that third season in the cheapest format possible! In doing so, we can spare Disney the trouble of getting the crew back together and spending tons of money to make it. At this time, Craig is back at his alma mater working on that Powerpuffed Girls revival and the Foster’s preschool retooling for Imaginated Friends, and he said that "movement, music, and McBrayer” would do our show’s third season justice. However, in these difficult economic times when he can't be bothered to spill the beans, the crew is already scattered, most of the world fails to acknowledge our existence, and the bosses don't give a zbornak’s pajamas about the show's unfinished business, it's probably best if we make it ourselves, and if it has to be relegated to web comic form, I'm willing to take it as it is!

In conclusion, if a show is suggested to be incomplete, it would be totally foolish to say it ended and even more foolish to leave it ignored. If you do that, you push it further into obscurity and let it bite the dust. If that third season bites the dust, everything planned for it bites the dust as well... my origin story... that orbble ship... Star Forks and Forks Galore... and most important... MY CHANCE TO CONQUER THE REBORN GALAXY! Yes, we may be lucky enough to have two seasons and that instance where I defeated Dominator and won, but it’s hard to be happy about it when there is CLEARLY a space primate in peril! There are people who know all that was planned for Season 3, but they pledged to never share everything they know about it to anyone in any instance for any reason, whether that’d be their children, their neighbors, or at a convention center. Now, if you want to see me back in action, stop lamenting on "what could have been" and start ruminating on "what there could be." Why wait for Disney to make Season 3 a reality when you fans can simply do it yourselves? You don’t need their permission. Nothing's gonna stop you. You've probably watched Seasons 1 and 2 multiple times, and we have just enough information to get an idea of what might happen, so make that third season and the show will be revived, at least in your imagination. Or if the bosses finally decide to revive the show themselves for one more season, that would be a miracle. Either way, this wrong is still waiting to be righted, and I’m not gonna wait another seven years for that to happen. Tag and support "Finish Wander Over Yonder" and I shall resume upholding my reputation as THE GREATEST IN ALL THE GALAXY! Hater out!

That’s right, FinishWOY is a brand new campaign where we fans get the facts we have about Season 3 (SFEF, “Monkeyboy,” the Star Nomad, etcetera) and figure out the overall plot. It’s just like Team Sea3on, who are responsible for giving Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) the third season it was never given back in the ‘90s, but the animation is totally optional.

Mind you, this is entirely a suggestion. If you endorse the idea, though, then welcome to the club!

[tiaramania]

For the coronation usually monarchs don't attend, but what about countries like Spain? They don't really have a heir of age that can attend and sending a former king and queen isn't a really good look...Or like Japan, Naruhito is an emperor and he outranks a king, but there are rumours that he at least will attend, so do you think that everyone will throw the "rule" out of the window and attend such a big party? hahaha

Yeah, I think the rule isn't as strict as people make it out to be and I'm not as sure as I was about who will be attending the coronation.

First there's the countries that are part of the Commonwealth and monarchies in their own right (Brunei, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Tonga) most of which sent the monarch not the heir in 1953. I would not be surprised if they did the same this time around. There are also more countries following the Dutch example of the monarch abdicating as a form of retirement so former reigning monarchs are in the mix in a way they weren't before.

Then you've got the young heirs. For Spain I think it will either be Queen Sofia or Queen Letizia. My dream would be for Queen Letizia to accompany Infanta Leonor since she's underage but both of them go. I wouldn't expect her to wear a tiara or anything and I know it's not going to happen but I can dream. There's also the heirs that are technically of age but still pretty young like Princess Catharina Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, and Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco. I can't imagine being 19 and attending an event like this on my own. Are they going to send someone else with them or send someone else entirely?

Now we seem to have other sovereigns saying that they are planning on going. I was surprised when Prince Albert told People that him and Princess Charlene would attend because at the last British coronation Prince Rainier III sent his father, Prince Pierre, as Monaco's representative. I was expecting Princess Caroline to go but I'm hoping this means Princess Charlene will finally wear a tiara at a royal event.

A couple of weeks ago there was an article in Aftonbladet where Margareta Thorgren, the head of the Swedish Royal Court's press department, seemed to say that King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia are planning to attend the coronation. I assumed that something got lost in translation but now I'm not so sure. They use kungaparet which means the king couple not kronprinsessparet which means the crown princess couple.

I Sverige kröns inte längre kungar, det började med att Gustav V avstod från ceremonin. I Storbritannien kröns däremot prins Charles den 6 maj i Westminster Abbey. Att kröningen kommer att bli lika spektakulär som när hans mamma, drottning Elizabeth, kröntes 1953 är inte troligt. Men det svenska kungaparet kommer att finnas på plats. Det är planen, säger Margareta Thorgren.

In Sweden, kings are no longer crowned, it started when Gustav V refrained from the ceremony. In Great Britain, on the other hand, Prince Charles is crowned on May 6 in Westminster Abbey. That the coronation will be as spectacular as when his mother, Queen Elizabeth, was crowned in 1953 is not likely. But the Swedish royal couple will be there. That is the plan, says Margareta Thorgren.

I didn't see the rumors of Emperor Naruhito attending but now that I read back how Prisma translated this article it does kind of sound like that's a possibility.

So I'm just really not sure about who we're going to see at the coronation.

[s1ithers]

rt posting // finished ch3. love the torture elves, hysterical 10/10. obsessed with how the game pits altruism against your responsibility to your people against the culture around your character. do something good & compassionate by player standards/treasonous in-universe, get absolutely kicked in the teeth for it, and have your companions call you to account afterwards... exactly what i want from an rpg, thank you

like i'm sure it has another way to get you through the plot if you don't agree to help Y, but i was thinking while doing it, hm. this is an action i am taking with videogame protagonist-like disregard for consequences bc i personally want to, despite how hard it would be for my char to justify, even if /she/ personally wants to! & then to just eat shit for the rest of the chapter. v satisfying. love a game that doesn't let you tramp all over its internal consistency to be a hero. love a world that pushes back <3

almost wonder if i got some sort of bug with the romance being weirdly (not) integrated? with H going from v sweet to Mad as Hell. (and like thank god they voiced that bit in case the text didn't fully convey how blisteringly he despises you for this lmao x_x christ alive. the VAs are gr8). but honestly only needed like one or two lines of transition bc it's a great conflict. what if your existence was only excused by your purpose & your purpose was fighting one enemy but the one person who treats you as more than that keeps falling for that enemy's lures. what a knife in the heart. bc the dismissal of your function is a dismissal of YOU but at the same time....you've already bitten the hook of that same mercy, haven't u :3

honestly would've liked a chance to say sorry i got us all trapped in the torment nexus. bc it's ultimately my responsibility right, yrliet doesn't command this vessel. i'm gleaning that admitting that to the group might be a somewhat uh avant-garde leadership style for these ppl but twould be nice to say it to ur lover what with the torture n all

reconciliation scene could be so good bc like what if we were two people with something tender & fragile growing between us. but also a traitor to humanity & an agent of the inquisition. but also a psyker who laid powers on the absolute ruler of the sector etc etc

and perhaps some dialogue option wherein you ask /why?/ and i could say it was out of friendship with a xenos. absolute super mega heresy. handing you the weapon to destroy me to prove my sincerity but like. like. the power play of knowing you won't use it.

could be sexy.

(but then ofc power play is the only language we speak, so maybe what i really want is to trust you. it's about the plausible deniability it's about the misdirection)

anyway. forcing me into a public judgment of my other not-lover in a way that also functions as a proxy trial for my own failings in That Whole Situation, both undermining my authority & creating the chance to shore it back up IF i give the rest of the crew their pound of flesh (realigning the emperor's chosen with the path of righteousness & oh so conveniently, with him over her), an hour after we /finally/ tore each other's clothes off is sooo. fun n flirty. peak shit. because as we know! the most important element of a healthy ship is trust :)

[imminent-danger-came]

what would your ideal lmk season five look like? specifically for mk's character arc because I love your takes on that

I've said it before I want that boy centrifuged by the narrative

I didn't get the title of "MK death spiral blog" that one time by that one guy for nothing. I am 1000% on the "MK getting centrifuged by the narrative" pain train.

Now, in all honestly my ideal lmk s5 is the one they give me. These writers are so talented and they know more about their story than I do, so whatever they got planned is going to make me lose my mind!

But, indulging myself a little bit, here's a list of some things I'd love to see in s5 (or beyond???):

Sun Wukong V MK fight. Anyone who has followed me for any amount of time probably knows this. I need a SWK and MK fallout and then I need them to build their relationship up stronger.

MK Guilt Over Azure's death. That boy felt guilty for "releasing DBK from the underworld" when it was definitely Red Son who did that. MK arguably had a huge hand in Azure's death, being the one to cause Azure to finally lose his grasp on the Jade Emperor's powers.

Samadhi Fire Part 3. Anyone who has followed me for any amount of time also probably knows this. I want MK to be in the position of Samadhi Fire Mei and Jade Emperor Azure, unable to control his own powers, and needing to be talked down by Mei or someone else. We got one half of a 3x10 parallel in 4x08, and I need more!

Mei Dragon Form. Please for the love of god I want her to turn into a dragon so bad—nonnegotiably while she's protecting the people she cares about, for the sweet 4x05 callback. In my heart of hearts, I want Mei to unlock dragon form while trying to reach MK during Samadhi Fire Part 3. If we don't get another "We will figure this out together" what's the fucking point.

MK Subodhi Training??? Or honestly, MK interacting with real Subodhi in general. Did you see his face after the world reformed in 4x14? That was not a face of confidence.

Sandy Backstory. Which partially includes Pigsy. I just want to know what his 2x08 PTSD flashbacks were all about. *pulls out conspiracy board* I want to say those flashbacks take place at the 1x09 battlefield, which has helmets that we then see in 4x01, but who knows!

Sun Wukong homeless arc. Flower Fruit Mountain was destroyed during the s4 special, and I want to see the consequences of that, especially if MK feels guilty about it! Which he probably will!

MK Spiral! This isn't as much of a prediction/want as it is just a fact. MK is going DOWN next season and I'm here with popcorn and tears. I need a FULL harbinger of chaos meltdown.

Macaque is just there, hanging out. After everything that happened last season I hope we see Macaque around a lot more, because I love him but also because I need MK to yell at him too. Also because "Whatever they're scheming we can handle it."

Yellowtusk helps Ne Zha maintain the seal. Yellowtusk had an important skill in helping Azure contain the Jade Emperor's powers—I'm wondering if he could do the same with Ne Zha's lotus seal.

MK Flashback. You know, how he got to Pigsy's, the circumstances of his birth, an explanation for what the fuck the stone monkey is/all those stone animals were, all that good stuff.

Bye Bye Bandana. If/when MK snaps and completely loses himself to whatever he is, I'd love for the headband to come off. Really cement it.

MK Relives His Nightmares Again. Oops. After going "So we never have to live our nightmares again!" in 4x12 I now need the opposite of that to happen. Sorry MK. I need his new "Better than we found it" resolve to fold like the soggy french fry it is. That ain't lasting.

Hurting The People You Care About Theme. So with "hurting the people who care about you the most" and everything being "to pain", I really want this to go a "hurting people is a part of life" route. We're already almost there with "Mistakes happen but as long as you leave the world better than you found it then it's all good." Like that's SO close. Come on s5 give it to me.

Wukong Killed Macaque Reveal. *twirls hair* This would sooooo not bode well for MK.

MK Gets Out of His "Good Guy" "Bad Guy" Way of Thinking. I think 4x11 as an episode really highlights this. MK views people as one or the other, ignoring the vast grey area that a lot of people fall in. Wukong in his past wasn't just "a bad guy", just like he isn't currently flawless or wholly "a good guy" now. He's just a guy.

I could probably go on forever, so I'll cut this off here!

[boinin]

Blue Lock Manga

After two weeks of creeping hysteria and stir-craziness redditors know what I mean, the scanlation for Chapter 222 (“Design”) has dropped. My usual new chapter rambling under the cut.

No mention of a break next week 🎉

Previous chapter analyses

1. Hiori finds his mojo (isagi. it's been isagi all along)

I had hoped best boi's ego would be linked to combating Ubers more so than Isagi, but alas, the harem of simps/rivals proved too compelling to pass on. This seems to be set-up for Noa to substitute Hiori on in place of Kurona once the three-minute star change is over. But until then...

It's been pointed out on the subreddit that Isagi looks particularly good in that first panel. I would like to raise that Hiori is going doki-doki for Himsagi-kun in the second.

Guys, they know who they're appealing to with this manga. On that point...

2. Soccer Dad Star Showdown

Blue Lock!! Where one half of the fandom are here for the world-class ball keeping techniques and the other half of the fandom are here for... the world-class ball keeping techniques 😏 Guess what camp I'm in?

The effect normal panels of Snuffy and Noa have on me. Guess I have a kink for competent football dads 🤷 /s Chris Prince and Lavinho could never.

Anyway, Snuffy hits the pitch hot and doesn't let BM catch a break. I really enjoyed his and Noa's face off. As much chaos as Lavinho and Prince caused during the two previous matches, Snuffy strikes me as a far bigger threat in terms of dismantling BM's defence (and showing up Noa). It takes BM's two most talented forwards to see off the shot Snuffy sets up for Barou. At the end of the chapter, as Ubers regroup to take on BM's defence again, I have a sinking feeling Snuffy's going to win this confrontation. And perhaps he should. What's rational exactly about a team at war?

Unashamed thirst screenshot of Snuff. This one is really cool, didn't have time to clean it, but it looks bomb ✨ He's so threatening yet friendly? Realest of the bunch.

3. Ness tries

...

...

That's it.

Like for real. He runs in, doesn't touch the ball, gets read to filth by a fifteen year old, and isn't seen again in this chapter.

When are we going to see some magic from the magician?

It's high time for Ness (as a professional player) to get his head in the game. This is the guy that outperformed everybody but Kaiser in the original BM stamina and technique test. He's subservient to his emperor, but even then, how is he this lacklustre?

Since Noa only cares about numbers, it seems like Ness is here to stay... but it sure is frustrating.

4. Superbowl: Kaiser V Barou V Isagi

This is my favourite panel this week. Clock the auras: puzzles, thorned vines and lightning collide at last. Dope. I'm still new to colouring, so I'm not touching this one, but I can't WAIT to see what someone with serious skill does with it 🔥🔥🔥

It's refreshing to see Kaiser get worked up over someone other than Isagi. Got to spread the frustration, right?

Prediction tracker

(alternatively: how wrong can one nerd be week to week?)

Last time, I predicted: I think Snuffy's MO will be to set up a goal for Barou, while knocking Kaiser and Isagi down a peg. I hope he synergises with Lorenzo! Noa will be man marking Snuffy, but might get time to do some Isagi coaching while he's out there, who knows?

So far so good, right? I think this prediction will carry over into the next chapter. I'll caveat one thing: Isagi and Kaiser's backs must ache from carrying both the offence and defence of Bastard Munchen. They're the only BM players that aren't part of the circus as of the end of this chapter. Raichi, Yukimiya, Mensah and Birkenstock found dead in a ditch /s

I predict Barou will score the next goal, with Lorenzo providing an assist. Then Noa will make a substitution with the aim of countering Lorenzo and Ubers in the final play of the game...

Four chapters ago (chp 218), I predicted: As for who’ll be the true game changer? Said it already, but if Hiori’s not getting subbed on for our newly christened royal trash!Ness in the next five chapters, I’ll eat my hat. 🐑

Have a funny feeling he'll get subbed in the chapter after next. If I'm decided a clown by chp 223, watch the egg on my face get cooked by chp 224. I don't think Ness is getting subbed out at this point.

Until next time! 😋👒