#weird thoughts very entertaining XD

[cuubism]

I wonder sometimes what would happen to Hob should the dream of a thousand cats thing succeed. Would he still be immortal? Would he still know Dream? Perhaps the Cat of Dreams is particularly fond of one specific human 👀

(Since you were asking for Dreamling stuff)

omg this is a wild thing to consider. since the dream theoretically makes it so that the new world was always that way, i imagine Hob would lose his memory of all that transpired in the other timeline-- or it would get transposed into cat world 🤔 i think Hob must have been that one insane guy who was like 'i'm gonna live forever guys!' while dangling from the jaws of a cat that's trying to eat him 😂 everyone thinks he's nuts

I think he must have caught the cat of dreams attention somehow... probably by doing something stupid and insolent XD thereafter Dream decided that Hob would be his little pet. he still meets up with Dream, it's just that Dream is this bizarrely sentient huge cat that somehow doesn't want to eat him 😂

or else, since Dream usually appears to everyone as their own species, he still looks human to Hob, until Hob goes to the Dreaming with him and is confronted with what he can only interpret as the Cat Overlord 😂 and Dream tells him of the alternate universe where humans were the dominant species and how a thousand dreamers can make it happen. and instead Hob gets a thousand people to dream that he's a cat so he and Dream can live in cat bliss forevermore. he's normal like that.

[yuseirra]

Onk Chapter 159 review~

(a small comic for starters :) either way, Ai will still kick his butt)

yes, I had been spoiled; yes, and I actually like it, as much as it leaves at a cliffhanger and leaves you in confusion(why is this comic always like this) The way it ends is indeed, quite shocking, isn't it? But I think I understand where it's coming from.

I honestly won't have a clue on just what this story is going to be unless it's not going to be like what I write here; If that's so, then I'll just sit back and just.. let the story run along after this~ I'm pretty confident, for now though!!

The development in this current episode aligns with the interpretation I initially had back when I hopped onto the series, right after 153-154. It feels like I've been reset XD

It's pretty good, right? It's entertaining and well done. There is no need to fuss whether "Kamiki is evil!!" or "He's the final boss!", at least not right now, that'd be determined in the following eps. but for now, I think I have an idea of what it's trying to convey.

He DOES look super evil in that last panel (I keep staring at it for how ridiculous he looks)but let's look into the things that are being discussed for now-

Judging by the reaction he has, Kamiki never stopped loving Ai. The reaction in chapter 154 and the current one can coexist as emotional responses.

But it seems that after Ai died, Kamiki did a lot.

It actually matches really well with the interpretation I made after reading chapter 154 for the first time! I mean this comic I drew. I thought I might have went a bit overboard with it for awhile, for Kamiki's actions after that chapter felt milder than that, but now that 159 is out, it... seems pretty similar.

Sometimes, the first answer you pick on a test is the correct one, right? I laughed...perhaps I should trust my initial feelings about things more...they may tend to be the most accurate.

He has this, "I'm already beyond hope now, I can't be saved" vibe to him. And I saw this coming all along, I kept wondering just what is it that he'd have done. It's been pretty vague except for that case with Yura, right? (To be honest, the one death that bothers me a lot is Gorou's. Did Nino and Ryosuke kill him?? Why did Gorou die?? I really hope Kamiki wasn't involved with that case because that leads to really weird sorts of conclusions... killing the doc that helped deliver his own children;;; I hope it's just Ryosuke and Nino that's played a part there)

Judging by how he reacts to Aqua, he does have paternal love, and Kamiki’s attitude towards his children is consistently kind and gentle. His way of speech is...I've been sent the leaks in another language right..; I can tell. He speaks in a really.. kind and gentle way. Even in that last panel as well. He's so tender with his way of speaking when he talks towards his kids, so much like the lyrics of Mephisto (how the song is like as it ends) I feel like he is, or at least used to be, a sweet person. Talking to his fully grown son like that.

It seems like he genuinely wants to watch his daughter's performance. I feel Kamiki cherishes and cares for Aqua and Ruby. As for whether he would go so far as to harm the children to save Ai... I think the chances of that are low. Ai’s judgment seems correct, and if Kamiki had married Ai and lived with her, he would have been a kind and gentle father to their children.

At the same time, though, he thinks it's too late to save himself now. The attitude he has feels like self-mockery or despair. He's a bit out of vigor, in my opinion(aside from that last panel).

The key is figuring out what exactly the "lies" he told was.

Judging by Aqua's reaction, Kamiki’s involvement in Ai’s death should be minimal. If it weren’t, there should be some anger connected to the mention of Ai’s name as Aqua brought it up. For example, "Ai trusted you until the end, she wanted you to help you, but you made her die!" Because it's very natural, right? If Kamiki killed the very person who wanted to help him, it's natural to bring that up as you mention the "help".

But that’s not the case. Instead, Aqua's reaction is something like, "I’m supposed to help you, as Ai said, but you’ve been telling this 'ugly lie for your own sake' so I can’t."

I think that, to evoke this kind of response, Kamiki must have done a lot after Ai’s death, thinking he was doing it for her, but deep down, he knew it was a lie he told himself all along, and Aqua is calling him out on it.

It doesn’t seem like Kamiki killed someone with the thought that "no one can outshine Ai" (that would be really stupid;;), but rather, that he made sacrifices because he wanted to save Ai or bring her back to life. In that case, what Aqua is saying here translates to: "Hey, would Ai have wanted that? That was a crazy thing you did for your own sake and pleasure, thinking 'Ai would want to live' or 'Ai would want to reunite with the kids in any way possible.' You know that's NOT what she has ever wanted, but you lied to yourself convincing it would all be okay as long as it came true. That makes you an ugly liar."

If Kamiki did kill someone, Aqua really should report him to the police instead of meeting one-on-one. Report him, for crying out loud! Why doesn't he do that in 155 and why doesn't he try to do it now, either? He just walks up to him and starts a conversation. Didn't he figure things out with Akane earlier? Can't they just turn those pieces of evidence they found to the police if they have them?

So... that's why I’m not sure if what Kamiki did actually involved killing someone... Maybe Aqua didn’t report it or he can't because there wasn’t enough evidence? Yura is dead, that's a fact, but well, we know now for sure that Kamiki did not play a part in Ryosuke's death(who cares about him but yeah), and if he isn't the one who's killed Gorou (the one who did it is Ryosuke and Nino is his acquaintance so I think there's low chance?;) Maybe he didn't kill Yura either. He says it's his fault but at this point, I don't think he's the one that's responsible for Ai's death. There is a reason I'm saying this, stay with me for a while, okay? But he's still done something that Aqua deems as a "selfish lie".. I just don't know how severe this guy can get and what he's done but I guess he's done some terrible things...

Moving on, I don't think this character would hurt Ruby or Aqua or anyone else at this point. (Although... who knows; if he feels like he has nothing to lose, he might...) It seems like he intended to end his life to offer as the final tribute, and Aqua came to stop him. (Like, Aqua came to him to "save him" on Ai''s behalf. He didn't say he's come to "punish him" for his misdeeds... so I think it's safe to say Aqua's come to save his butt) It might tie into the supernatural elements that pop up occasionally, like when Kamiki mentioned the "gods" in chapter 147 or talked about no longer needing to offer "sacrifices." There were many intriguing and important things mentioned in that chapter.

It seems like Kamiki thinks he’s done wrong, but he can’t stop himself from continuing on the path he was, so he wants his children to kill him or get revenge on him.

Nino is truly crazy... It's unhealthy to be fixated like that on just one single person... I don’t want to think too deeply about it because it’s not something I want to empathize with. I don’t wish to feel any pity. If I were to analyze it deeply, I could, but this is the kind of dark human psyche I don’t want to delve into because it takes energy and I don't feel it's that worth it. It's already been displayed so well in this chapter, and it's creepy and perfect as it is so I don't think it needs further explanation, she's just as I pictured her to be and even.. damp and scarier in eerily realistic ways.

If I were Ai, I’d grab Nino by the collar and ask, "Nino-chan, Why are you doing this to me? Why are you like this? What did I ever do to deserve this?" what the heck...poor Ai. it's too much. She's scary.

Ryosuke is out of his mind, and what has Ichigo been doing all this time if he knew something?... Perhaps he needed solid evidence and wished to catch her when she took action? But...; I really wish Ichigo did better when Ai was still alive if he knew what was going about with Nino and Ryosuke and Ai......

So, was Kamiki the one who made Ryosuke and Nino "that way"...(as in, hopelessly insane about Ai)?

No, that's not how it's going to go.

Looking at his past, there’s no big reason or motive for Kamiki to have done something like that and I don't think he could have coerced them to feel that way about Ai, they brought it upon themselves; (Honestly, I'm curious, what’s the connection between him and Nino and Ryosuke? At this point, I feel like they did not have any particular connection before Ai's death, at this point)

Kamiki clearly recognizes that Ai is just a normal girl who has cruel and selfish sides (this is a strong difference from Nino and Ryosuke). I'm not sure when he formed that idea, but he is at least aware of that, as he's doing whatever he's been doing.

That means, if Kamiki decided to take some extreme actions "for Ai", it wouldn’t have been because of some superficial motive like wanting Ai to be perfect or the best idol(Ryosuke and Nino's actions fall here) . Instead, it would have stemmed from a more practical desire, like wanting Ai to come back or get closer to her. For Kamiki, Ai isn’t a fantasy; she’s real. She’s a person he loves. That’s why the song Mephisto and Fatal suits him. Kamiki doesn’t need Ai to be an invincible idol; he just wants the person he loves to be alive.

So, tying it into the theme of this manga, I come to the conclusion that:

It wasn’t a single person like Kamiki who made Ryosuke and Nino the way they are, but rather, the public’s expectations of Ai.

This connects to the story explored in the movie arc, where people expected Ai to be the invincible idol, leading her to lie and conceal her weak self completely.

If my interpretation is correct... this is where the story is heading.

From the start, there was no such thing as an evil mastermind or anything like that. What happened to Ai was always the result of a fan’s twisted desire for their idol to be flawless, and the public's expectation of idols reinforcing such a behavior.

In reality, it’s Ryousuke and Nino who are insane, but the culture or fervor that creates such crazy people isn’t entirely absent in this world. That seems to be the point being made.

I mentioned this in a previous post: (it's paraphrased and condensed)

"But more than that, I think the main focus of this work and the message it's trying to give is: "Even celebrities are just people in the end"... Ultimately, that's it."

This is... probably it.

If you look at it that way, Kamiki is someone who was separated from the person he loved due to such malice (if Ai and Kamiki weren’t celebrities, they would have stayed together after having the kids and lived happily... What made Kamiki’s life miserable, and brought Ai to believe it'd hurt him less if she broke up with him was the dark side of the entertainment industry. After all, the pain he went through in his entertainment career was too much, and even afterward, they couldn’t reunite despite their feelings for each other because Ai was too successful as an idol. I think that’s why they couldn’t be together). In that sense, Kamiki is almost like the biggest victim of the entertainment industry in the story because not only did he suffer from it all his life, he ultimately lost the very person he loved because of it. Ai was an idol, so there was social pressure and expectations that she shouldn’t have kids or a boyfriend. That’s why they couldn’t stay together...

Kamiki, having his life destroyed by the dark side of the entertainment industry, and upon he lost the one person he loved, Ai, ended up doing a lot of things in desperation to bring her back and see her again. That’s what's going on about in the songs Fatal and Mephisto.

We haven’t seen exactly what he's been doing in the story, but I think the songs fill that narrative. "The gathering of light"... "finding things to fill in what's missing"...

Kamiki just wants to see Ai again. He wants to see her, but he doesn’t think Ai would love him or want to meet him, so he wished for her to come back to life, and when that didn’t work, he tried to get closer to her himself.

His true feelings were that he loved Ai sincerely and only had eyes for her.

But if what he did involve needing someone else’s life to achieve that goal (and the songs do suggest that...), that’s terrifying. Lol

Ai wanted Kamiki to be saved... If there really is a sliver of chance of such things to be a possibility, what he's done should not be that extreme. Kamiki does seem to think he's beyond saving, though.

I made an analysis earlier that he may be lying to appear as evil as he can be to persuade Aqua into believing he should just die there, and that he isn't worth saving... this was before I saw the actual images, but that could be the case too. if he's really planning to give himself away as a sacrifice of some sort or die to bring Ai back/reach her, then I guess it'd make sense for him to appear as menacing and horrible as possible so that his boy wouldn't have to care about him. He IS a liar and he IS a genius actor. He wants to do something for Ai, and I think that still stands. He said he'd do it in 155 - if that means it takes his life to do so, he'd still, definitely go through with it.

We’ll probably find out what he did all along within the next 10 chapters. I also think that the manga now needs to address the stars and the gods;; The idea that Ai became a star was mentioned directly, and Tsukuyomi was also brought up. The stars were beautifully shining during the B-Komachi concert, right? It feels like Ai is giving her blessing. If my guesses about this series is correct, Kamiki should mention stuff along the lines of the supernatural when talking about his motives. I think Kamiki tried to bring Ai back to life. If he hadn’t had that hope, I feel he would have followed Ai long ago. He doesn’t seem particularly attached to his own life. That means there must have been something that gave him that sort of hope. The songs imply something like it. It's made Kamiki believe Ai could come back to life...

I wonder if Kamiki can be saved. The fact that Aqua even brought the idea of helping the guy may mean there still might be a chance. Otherwise, Aqua would just throw him in jail; there’d be no point in talking to him like this, even if it's Ai's wish. Impossible things are still impossible.

But it’s true that Kamiki really fell apart after Ai died. Whether he’s just a pitiful guy or a victim who became a perpetrator (the latter seems more likely...sadly), we’ll have to wait and see.

To be continued, I guess.

That character’s life was truly miserable, but if he ruined other people’s lives, then he should still be punished for that.

Still, In the end, it seems like everything will turn out as Ai wanted, so I’m looking forward to seeing how much Aqua can fulfill Ai’s wishes.

It was a good chapter! :)

Come to think of it, in my analysis of Ai (this was written wayy back in June, when ch 152 was fresh) , I wrote something like this:

Ai didn't want to get back together with her ex because she wanted to continue being an idol. She couldn't have a public relationship. But I think she wanted to show her kids to him because she gained a little bit of courage while raising them. That she could show her real self. When you look at a Ai, you can infer she has a lot welled up. They had always hidden themselves, and now they have "secrets" that are not just their own, living, that grow with time. She's always had vicious circle that led to self-hatred from all the lies she'd been creating, which led to anger and stress…and it was this close to being let out through the movie. Maybe that's why Aqua believes making movies is for her. It's to fulfill her desire to be freed from the lies.

This might have hit the mark. The reason it has to be a movie is because of this… if it was only Kamiki, he could have just been shown the video Ai left, but-

Aqua’s “revenge” has to be fulfilled through a movie because Ai’s situation was caused by the public’s perception of her.

If people had accepted the real Ai as a person, twisted individuals like Ryosuke wouldn’t have appeared, and Ai wouldn’t have had to lie to the person she so dearly wanted to love. If… If only Ai had survived, I think Kamiki could have reunited with her after the movie was released. Because people would have understood and accepted their circumstances. Ai would never have had to die because she had children - for being imperfect and human, as she is.

This is not a story about a psychopathic murderer getting back at his ex-girlfriend or just one crazy fan attacking their idol, it's tackling a much bigger theme than that.

So no, this isn't going to be about Kamiki being the crazy mastermind, quite the contrary. He's the one who's lost his beloved due to a societal belief that idols have to be perfect and flawless. He's the one who desperately wants to get her back after having lost her.

When I think about it, it’s really heartbreaking. Ai and Kamiki could have been happy, for sure. They really could have had it weren't it for this, I feel.

The public isn’t always so cold, so I think Ai might have wanted to take that risk…

++ Oh, wow… Aqua showed up wearing the exact outfit from the Mephisto video!

Then, if my thoughts are correct, the next chapter, or at least within a few chapters, should reveal more about the Fatal/Mephisto storyline in the series. Those songs aren’t Aqua’s, they’re Kamiki’s.

+++ Didn't mention but Kamiki looks even younger than Aqua in that last panel, he looks kinda adorable in a very freaky way. Ai didn't mention his looks for nothing.. he still has it over the age of thirty...

yeah, I'll believe in him for just a little longer. I really hope the next chapter continues where it left off and just TELL US what he's been up to for once. This chapter is 159 so I guess it'd be the last ep of a volume, Yeah, that'd definitely make people wish to buy the next copy

but I really want answers at this point, stop the taunts.

If Mephisto and Fatal ain't the story of this guy then tbh, nothing would make sense to me about this guy nor the story. Aside from the fact that it matches his characteristics and lores in a perfect sense, it's just a really strong hunch I get. The moment I first heard Fatal, I knew it had to be it. I can't explain how it happens but I just know what it's supposed to imply. So there!

Till next week!

[drama-glob]

SPOILERS FOR "THE FULL MOON!!!!"

Well, the thing we all knew was going to happen happened. ;_; ;_; ;_;

I had a feeling the episode would start with the duet we were shown earlier this month and it's so funny as well as entertaining, but the heartfelt longing we get from Stolas definitely encapsulates what we were waiting for. ;_;

I had a suspicion too that this would be when we saw the cherubs and DHORK agents team up, so I'm glad to see that weird combo (which will likely happen again ;) ). My, how the cherubs have fallen into sin with Collin being the only one to still have a conscience and not be consumed with vengeance. :/ Poor Collin. It'll be interesting to see what could happen if the DHORK agents actually get the portal to fully work because they sure have a lot of weapons and manpower now; maybe we'll see them again in "Mastermind" since we didn't see Blitz meet the DHORK agents again like we saw in the trailer. :/

I do appreciate that the cherubs wind up in Lust because if there was any ring that was going to expose them to so much that they consider vile and sinful (beside Pride ;) ), it was going to be Lust. ;) XD I laughed so hard at them thinking all the sex stuff was for torturing humans. XD XD XD The thing that definitely made me so happy though was we got to see Fizz and Blitz hanging out as friends again, with them even fist-bumping (that was sooo cute) and Fizz helping Blitz find some new toys for him and Stolas. ^_^<3<3<3

It doesn't surprise me that the cherubs were dumb enough to wait to attack Blitz instead of just doing it when they had the chance; plus, they were indeed not very covert as Moxxie pointed out. ;) I thought the fight was cool and showed that even with high-tech weapons, IMP are indeed the professionals. ;) Hopefully the cherubs don't help DHORK get actual angelic materials since before they were banished from Heaven they could summon their crossbows, but who knows if they still can. :/ I do find it funny that Agent One likes to wear a Loona furry suit, but hey, if it makes him happy. :)

That ending though was so tense and angst-filled as we hear Blitz spiral and beg to keep the book, only to then be confused as to why Stolas is giving him an Asmodean crystal, and the whole time you can see the tinge of sadness in Stolas even when he's smiling because he knows there's a chance he'll be rejected, but he just wants Blitz to be free. ;_; ;_; ;_; My heart broke at Blitz dismissing Stolas's feelings for him as some kind of role-play because although Blitz's belief that no one could possibly love him is why he can be so dismissive, it's just so sad to know Stolas has been giving Blitz signs that he cares about him but that it seems like they've been ignored/don't matter. My heart then broken again into tiny splinters at Stolas crying over Blitz's harsh words towards him because damn that was brutal to hear Blitz say such things that he can't take back and ones that felt cruel. ;_; ;_; ;_; It ending with Blitz trying to apologize only to be teleported out of the palace so as to show Stolas removing him from his life/he doesn't want to talk with Blitz right now is certainly a way to leave a cliffhanger, and now we're left waiting to see how they do broken up. ;_; ;_; ;_;

Here's hoping Blitz and Stolas make some progress in "Apology Tour."

[kassuthehero]

my favorite riordan characters (just my opinion, don’t come at me)

Magnus Chase

I read MCGoA first (dont judge), so I have sentimental value over this series. I think magnus is literally so hilarious in a tired and confused way. It’s also so funny how Percy was so lost still like after 5 books but Magnus knows so much about the mythology already. Even after reading pjo i thought Magnus was way funnier and better main character than Percy. I think that was because Magnus is 16 in his series and Percy is just 12 in the lightning thief and I was already like 14-15 and liked more mature characters (Magnus is still a child and a dumbass). Magnus is also a very sad character if you think about it. He is basically an orphan bc his father wasn’t there and he witnessed his mothers death. Then he lived in the streets and was probably hungry, cold and scared almost every day. And then BOOM. Suddenly weird shit happens and he dies a gruesome death. Like seriously, a ball of melted asphalt burns through his body… He also never really had time to cope with the being dead thing bc suddenly he's supposed to save the world. Like wtf. Also I get the biggest gender envy ever (don’t ask why, he’s kinda pathetic xd). Best thing is that he’s fruity like I am. Magnus is also the healer so it is really interesting to get the healer's pov, a guy who isn’t your usual hero. Magnus also defeated LOKI, A GOD, with the power of friendship, which is hilarious. Magnus starts the show as a cynical boy who has lost everyone but by the end he has found a new family and moved on and I think that’s beautiful.

2. Will Solace

The absolute sass master. Of course Percy is still the sassiest ever but oh boy does Will come the next second. Will seriously takes no shit. I haven’t read his and Nico’s book yet but just from BoO and tHO I can say he has some balls. Like, one of the first things he does is calling Octavian, one of the biggest bad guys, an anemic loser. WHILE standing nose to nose with him. Like even Nico thought that Octavian was kinda scary but Will just marches right up to him and starts throwing insults. And then he proceeds to stubbornly make Nico rest and heal. He is so stubborn and bossy and I love him for it. Will also has a sadder side. He always puts everyone else before him bc he is the healer so it’s his job. He also was forced to be a leader way too young after he lost his older siblings. Still, he manages to walk around with a smile on his face. Will is so strong and his past is way overlooked. All the fans focus on Nico’s traumas and how Will helped him but never the other way around. Give Will some love, people.

3.Apollon (Lester Papadopoulos)

The most dramatic god ever, like omg. Apollo/Apollon has always been my favorite Greek god and Rick's version is just perfect. He is so annoyingly self centered and arrogant but at the same time he is so sad and vulnerable. I have never cried bc of Riordan's books but the hidden oracle made me sod like a baby. All the regret and pain in the stories about his lovers was heartbreaking. How his heart is stone bc he doesn’t believe in love anymore and how he takes responsibility for all the death he has caused. He is still an asshole but at least he notices it. I relate to him on such a deep level. He masks all his pain with humor and overconfidence just like I do. I haven't finished the trials of the Apollon yet but I can’t wait to read more of him and learn even more sad, funny and interesting things about him as a character.

4.Percy

Of course I have to include our best boy. During the HoO I just kept waiting for Percy’s POV just bc his thought process is the most entertaining in my opinion. He is so unhinged most of the time. Like, everyone is scared of Nico, no, you guys should be absolutely terrified by Percy. Like bro is so close to losing it. Few more inconveniences and he will kill everyone. but at the same time he likes eating blue food and doesn’t know half of the myths the others do. He just does what he feels like doing. My favorite moment was when he and Annabeth were in Tartarus and Percy was about to kill Akhlys by drowning her in her own poison. Like bro is insane. It’s also so sad that he and Annabeth have been in the front lines of war since they were like 12. It’s always them. Like there had to be other heroes right? Or like why couldn’t some minor god handle the situations? I have always loved characters who insult the enemy while fighting and Percy is just like that. At first, I didn't think he was any special but as he grew older, I started to like him more. Probably bc I could relate to him better when he was closer to my age. He also got more serious as he got older. I’m kinda pissed that he gets again a new series even tho Riordan has other characters that have potential. (I MEAN MAGNUS! LIKE PLEASE RICK! PLEASE!)

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I've got a strange question about Zeus' affairs... Do Ancient authors elaborate on these supernatural seduction stories or do they just day "Zeus seduced her taking the form of X"...

Like, do they tell us if, after catching the girl's attention Zeus goes back to a more human form, or does the "deed" take place while Zeus has an animal form (that would be more weird)?

I don't want to seem offensive / graphic, I'm just curious about how Ancient writers and storytellers tell this stories, a story can be very different depending on how you tell it and I suppose "a beautiful swan caught my eye, then turned in this handsome divine man and I wanted to bed him" is a much more compelling version of events than "a strange swan flew where I was sitting and assaulted me, that's why im pregnant".

I love your posts on Greek Myths, especially the oned related to Perseas and Medusa. XOXO

Hello! Thank you for the good words! I like those posts as well xD

Well, Greek myths were not meant to be taken that literally, or given so much thought. The deed takes place when Zeus is back in a more human form, usually, except in the case of Leda where he was in a swan form, and she birthed eggs that hatched.

But even in Leda's case, it's implied that there was some type of.... affection on her part?? Which is definitely weird because when you like a swan the next logical step is not "I want to bed it". But from what I read the coupling was more... divine in nature and beyond human logic. Like, Leda didn't bed an actual swan and she knew that it wasn't a swan. I'm just trying to explain it. I definitely don't mean that humans and swans should do anything else than look at each other in the park 😅😂😅😂😅😂

Usually, when the deity has an animal form, the children also have animal forms. (Poseidon raping Demeter as a stallion comes to mind)

Again, we are not meant to seek the logistics of these couplings. They were more like explanations than stories, and one needed the context of the time to fill in the blanks. So the story goes "Zeus wanted this woman, he seduced her in the form of X and from their coupling, she gave birth to our Hero and King. The End." It's often that simple, and the focus point is the result, aka how the hero/god/king/deity/genealogical line came to exist. The other details are unnecessary.

Sometimes we might get an extra story about how the hero/deity etc had to defend their mother from Hera or someone else's wrath which is only a means to another explanation of why a mountain/river/sea/animal exists. Again, the focus is on the result.

Which makes sense if you think more of it like this:

Imagine if, in the tale of Snowhite, we started asking "Is there an economy of magic mirrors? Is there a theme of exploited labor when it comes to The Mirror? Does the court system work in favour of the mother or father? And can we assume there is welfare for Little people in the Snowhite universe?" These are... possibly related questions to the story, but the story chooses not to explore them, and - let's be honest - we don't ask ourselves about those. Because they are so beyond the point.

Finally, the stories weren't probably created by one random guy who wanted to entertain the kids around the fire. The stories were most likely the result of divination or oracles and visions since they were about the gods. That's why they don't have all the characteristics of a traditional tale that is meant to entertain.

The first paragraphs from this post will answer your question additionally, I think!

[kamiko1234]

Alrighty, I just got to the point of Chapter 13 after they talked to Luke and BOY DO I HAVE THOUGHTS. So , can we talk about how straight up unserious Percy is ? Like you NOTICE that this is a kid. Buddy is out on a mission to basically save the world, going around telling Medusa he and his friends are orphans having been left behind by a circus and sightseeing XD Say what you want but that kid is funny af. Love that for him. The whole Medusa thing was CREPPY tho, like- Grover fr just found what basically is his dead uncle's corpse ???????? That's honestly fucked up. (The Uncle Ferdinand jokes were funny as hell tho) I do hold firm onto the believethat the gods are sort of dicks tho. Like, honestly ? I'm surprised there wasn't a half blood revolution yet ! Those poor children are treated HORRIBLY by their parents ! Not to mention that they also gotta deal with all sorts of monsters just because they are the kids of that one specific god. Ngl if I was a demigod I'd be ready to straight up overthrow the gods. Or atleast sue them for all the child neglect they did. Like, damn there seems to be little to no resentment against the gods on the side of the kids besides Percy. How'd that happen ? Does Camp Halfblood just have really good therapists to deal with all that trauma and to keep the kids from going , idk, crazy ? Or do they just flood them with propaganda ???? Idk, just seems a bit weird to me how everyone seems to like the gods when so far most couldn't care less so far OR are doing the bare minimum. The only thing more surprising to me than the fact that no one hates the gods, is how surprisingly well I can get on with the first-person POV ? Like, I JUST realized that. It's just THAT good. Normally I don't rly like first-person , but honestly this is the biggest expection so far ! Percy's POV is just hilarious. Kinda nervous about his dreams tho, idk what to make of them.......... But also, OMFG GROVER WAS THE GUY WHO BROUGHT ANNABETH. Damn does every character have trauma here ? Poor lad. On the topic of Grover tho, that whole backstory with Pan gives me BIG tingels for my traitor theories. When he went on his little rant about humanity and how they ruined nature, he very clearly called Percy human. He sees Percy as part of a group he seemingly dislikes to atleast some degree.

Grover also has a sort of legacy he thinks he needs to fullfill ? With many (if not all) members of his family having been seekers. Like, what if Pan IS actually dead ? Or atleast in the underworld, and that is why no seeker has ever returned ? Maybe Hades manages to get Grover to betray Percy by offering him Pan ? It is Grover's dream while also being very important to his entier species. It looks like a good motivation for me. Otherwise I rly like the backstory for Grover we have so far. The author did a great job in fleshing him out tbh. He really went from a droky comic-relieve sort of guy to something..... honestly depressing. I really wonder what happened to Pan. But I do think he's most likely dead or somewhere in the underworld, with Hades being the big bad it would think. ANNABETH GOT A HINT TOO THO, during the Luke talk he did mention that you'd have to be invisible to get the Master Bolt. And the Athena Cabin already picked the side against Poseidon when the camp started to splitt. The motivation for her would still stay the same ofcourse, her godly parent. Personally I do still favor Annabeth as traitor, but it could simply be that I just had the theory about her for longer. Honestly both have solid bases for it and I'd be interesting either way. I'm about halfway done now, so I doubt a thrid character will be introduced now to be the traitor. If a new character IS introduced tho, they'd props be the prime suspect for me. But also, thank you Luke for being one of the MOST reliable character in the story so far. Anytime you show off smth good happens for me (either entertainment or more hints for my theory). BUT ALSO HIM CALLING ANNABETH HIS LITTLE SISTER ? ALKQOPÜREINA THAT'S SO CUTE LIKE ????? ugh ngl now I sort of hope it ISN'T Annabeth bc her betraying them would BREAK Luke's heart T-T. Just let them be happy, please. That's all I ask. Let my fav big bro be happy. Please.

[dapg-otmebytheballs]

SAY THE PARASOCIAL THING SAY IT

Aksjfhk okay

This got super long but basically I was thinking about that post about Phil being more open in his boundaries and I think he actually always has been! More under the cut

I think Phil has actually always been more self-assured in his interactions with the audience and I have some idea(?) of why that is. Phil has been around forever on YouTube, he is kind of a performer in a very classical way. You can see this in like how he carries himself in his liveshows, using very basic tenets of performance that we're taught like face the audience always and fill up any lulls in the conversation. There is always a screen between the creator and the audience, of course there is. But the culture we see now of internet celebrities and their audiences having very little boundaries because of how accessible creators have become to audiences wasn't as prominent back then. You understood as a creator that your audience will make whatever they want of what you're saying and you can't account for any bad faith readers. Phil always came across to me as someone who knew how much he wanted to put out there and was self assured in it. He doesn't feel the need to clarify stuff, and likewise engages with fandom in a similar good faith. What goes on in his life and what informs his thoughts, beyond what he shares, is none of our business, that was an understood thing and he's left it at that. And what fandom talks about, how we interpret stuff, how we do our parasocial shit is also not meant to be more than a performance, it isn't supposed to Say Something Serious about the creators, which is also understood. And though of course audience interactions started getting wildly out of hand some years after Phil started posting, he still is a product of a time where that wasn't how things are meant to be and he maintains that distance with ease. Thinking about stuff like draw Phil naked where he engaged with it in good humour, or how he didn't mind having sponsorships and clickbait titles because there's an implicit understanding that this is All A Performance so he doesn't have to try and "act authentic". There's a confidence he has in his role as an entertainer, and that informs how he interacts with us. (also I had expressed this all much better earlier but Tumblr ate it up so now I have to type it again sorry if this reads weird ;-;)

On the other hand, Dan seems to worry about all that stuff a Lot More. (And I was apprehensive about saying this so I thank anon here for allowing me to say my parasocial shit XD) And the thing is, the reason I notice that is Because I am literally like Dan about that stuff when interacting with an audience (I did some videos as well yeah, but also when I've organised events that I had to host, or presented poetry somewhere, etc etc) where I constantly feel the need to qualify everything I say and do very worried I'll come off as being maliciously bad, or even perceived as being a certain way or having a certain tone when I don't. I find it in rather positive ways with Dan too (like correcting language in old videos or pulling them off when there's something in there that aged badly or could be seen in bad taste). But other times I see reflected in him my own tendency to overcompensate (self referencing how he is making Easy-Content a la 'some shit a youtuber would do', making sure he doesn't come across as having the wrong political opinions by stressing on his principles when something like that comes up 'don't settle for neoliberalism' ((also he is totally correct and I actually do love those clarifications just fyi)) )

You can see this play out so well that time when Phil accidentally says 'cockies' instead of 'cookies' and Dan makes a 'cut that out' motion and Phil just laughs about it and corrects himself and Dan goes "Are you keeping that in??"

There's probably a lot of factors to why they have those particular styles of interacting, and really there's merit to both. Phil knows where the boundaries are and ever since him just speaking random shit hasn't had the extra issue of possibly outing Dan before he's ready, Phil has just gotten even more open with how he speaks, but I truly think he doesn't care as much what we think about him. It's like, what's going on in his life is none of our business and what we're making out of our parasocial relationship with him is none of his business, which is a great way of approaching being a creator and unfortunately something that is becoming less and less of an option as the culture shifts completely with generations that have been within this internet creator culture since they were born.

Dan having entered the scene later on when this kind of culture had started (plus of course his own issues that did Not help the situation) means that it made sense for him to approach us with that bit of hesitancy and that he continues to do so. I know I have that hesitancy about how I word things because I've also seen people be taken out of context and treated in really bad faith and that is a completely understandable thing to take into consideration.

But yeah Phil being the "quiet one" has never really meant that he is less certain/more shy to me, personally, I think he is an incredibly professional entertainer is the thing and I love love love that about him because he's of a dying species in the current climate.

[flusteredfools]

First off, love ur work & ur au.

The LoZ au was such a good read & I absolutely love the fluff & hurt in Feafull hearts.

Keep it up~

On a different note had artisan y/n ever thought of making candy? I can't help imagining sprite sun getting a sugar high & zooming around.

Aww thank you!! 💕💕 I'm so glad you like them! The LoZ AU I know seems like a weird crossover to some but I'm glad overall people liked it! I'm still looking forward to the drabbles I have planned for them. And I'm already getting sad that Faeful Hearts is starting to get closer to the end; it was originally only meant to be a 10 chapter short story but I've fallen so in love with my own creation that it's now been spread out over 20 chapters and still going... XD As for your question, yes! Artisan Y/N loves to dabble in a bit of everything and anything, and candy making would be right up their alley! From simple candies like milk caramels and chocolate melts to finer skilled ones like sugar sculptures, they'd want to try it all; and much to their Fae partners' delight. Assorted candy trays make great holiday gifts after all. If Sun and Moon had their way though, Artisan Y/N wouldn't be sharing any of their sweet creations with anyone but them; but after letting them sample all the treats one day only to find the myth of a sugar rush for humans is not a myth for their Fae Neighbors, well they had to pay a bit more attention to how much they spoil their loving Fae spouses.

If you'd like, please enjoy this small drabble inspired by your ask that's below the cut!

Sugar Highs & Hayrides - Part One

Faeful Hearts Side Drabble - Artisan Y/N x Fae Sun x Fae Moon (word count: 1353)

CW: kisses and playful Fae, very minor main story spoilers (I think that's it but please let me know if I missed anything)

The Autumn breeze blows chilly air across the wind chimes outside the kitchen window, while you work on the final batch of treats for the Many Hands Shelter’s Halloween party tonight. With no children of your own and your home being too far outside the small town, you wouldn’t be seeing any trick-or-treaters, no littles dressed up in spooky or adorable costumes gracing your doorstep with small riddles or silly jokes. You can’t say it was a holiday you used to look forward to while you were growing up, though the boarding school did host a small dance and banquet, inviting family members to come and join in the festivities and show off what the students have been up to throughout the year; you never really partook in more than just the meal. 

Gregory would invite you to join him and the Glamrocks in a makeshift patrol of trick-or-treating; Gregory visiting houses for candy while the Glamrocks would split up and watch over children and help steer them from trouble. Though occasionally, the Fae would pull small pranks of their own on rowdy teenagers or those up to no good. But you’d politely decline more often than not. No costume to wear door to door and not usually feeling up to the pranks. So instead you’d retire back to your dorm room and keep yourself entertained with self-study, crafting or reading. 

But this year is different, this year you’re back home and have two loving husbands who greatly enjoy the holiday. They’ve told you tales from years in the past, how they’d take the time to relax and celebrate on Hallow’s Eve. Sun would spend time swapping in and out of his Glamours to be around the children, helping lost ones find their parents, picking up abandoned wrapped treats, admiring all the decorations humans would hang and place around their yards; and Moon would delight in startling anyone who crossed his path while he clung to the shadows in his animal Glamour, laughing alongside children and adults as jack-o-lanterns lined the sidewalks with a warm glow before claiming fallen candy as a reward for his tricks. 

You were more than happy to let them have the holiday to spend however they wished, even if it left you at home alone in the small cottage; after all you had no magic that would allow you to join in their pranks or guidance. However, Sun said he had a better idea and pulled out a flier from the Many Hands Shelter advertising a Halloween Party and requesting volunteers and donations and, well, you couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day. 

Moon volunteered to help them decorate the venue they rented and even offered to help make a haunted house attraction, and you had to remind him to make sure he didn’t go overboard, small scares were fine but you didn’t want any children or parents terrified; to which he replied “no promises~” with a sharp smirk. Sun had already been picking out the best pumpkins and squash from his garden to help children carve and paint their own jack-o-lanterns, as well as offer his truck and trailer for a night time hayride. 

In between helping them both with their projects, you decided to do the majority of baking treats for the event. Wanting to make it extra special you decided you’d make candy this year to go along with your cookies, cakes and brownies. You’d done a bit of research, getting everything you’d need to make your own sugar sculptures and chocolates; though most of the work could be done through candy molds. 

You just finished a tray of caramel and candied apples and slices, and were now working on dipping some blueberries and strawberries in colored melted sugar, planning on sculpting the blueberries into small spiders and the strawberries into bats; working the melted sugar similar to how you’d work glass. You wanted small works of art that children and adults could enjoy, posing the spiders on white candy sticks as if they were hanging from a web and the strawberry bats on pretzel sticks as if they were hanging from a branch. Figuring it would be an easier way to eat the treat without anyone getting their fingers too sticky. 

That’s not to say you didn’t have your fair share of mistakes with the candy; a decent size pile of broken sugar shards and chocolate chunks fill a bowl on the counter beside you. Though the bowl of misshapen treats isn’t as full as it once was, Sun keeps sneaking pieces out of it when he thinks you’re not looking when he comes in to help load up your trays of goodies for the party. You’ve let him get away with it a few times now, just so the bowl wouldn’t overflow while you still needed it, but now that you could see the bottom of it again it was time to cut the light Fae off. 

“Sunshine.” You lightly scold once you hear him approaching again as you finish packing up the last of the treats to load. His attention turns to you, hands that were about to reach for the bowl on the counter wrapping around your body instead.

“Yes, my Sweet?” He coos, placing a kiss to your lips before trailing them across your cheek. 

You giggle away from his kisses, “don’t you think you’ve had enough sugar for now?” He gasps and nuzzles his face against your neck, trailing new kisses as one hand draws circles into your hip.

“Never~ There’s no such thing as too much sugar, especially from someone as sweet as you~” he teases between kisses, drawing them back up your neck to your lips. You giggle again, pressing your own kisses back to his lips as you trail your fingers down his shoulder and arm of the hand not on your hip. 

“As kind as it is of you to say that, Sunshine, I would have to disagree.” You continue your path along his arm until you’re able to grip his wrist and remove the candy he was trying to steal literally from behind your back. “And I think a bowl full of sugar when I know you plan on having more at the party tonight is too much.” Sun clicks his tongue in disappointment of getting caught sneaking the candy, having thought he was distracting you well enough. He switches to a pout, trying to use his puppy eyes on you to make you give in like you always have before. You spread your free hand over his face to block it out and you turn your eyes. “No! Don’t even think about giving me the puppy pout. You know how you get when you have too much sweets and you have a group of children looking forward to a hayride tonight.” 

“But Blossom…” Sun whines at you, taking advantage of your hand across his face to place more kisses into and you feel your resolve melting away like the sugar still in the pot with each gentle touch. You let out a long sigh and you can feel the corners of Sun’s lips upturn into his winning grin. 

“You don’t get more now, so wipe that smirk.” You playfully huff at him, “but as long as you don’t get too hyped up on sugar that it will affect your driving, you can finish the bowl before we head over to the venue.” He places a firm kiss on your temple as he pulls away from you to load up the final dessert tray you finished. Sun spins himself and the dessert tray happily as he hums a tune in his victory as he leaves the kitchen. “You’ll still have to cut back on the desserts at the party!” You call after him and while you know he heard you, he didn’t respond. You let out a groan of mild regret as you start cleaning up the remains of your mess; trying not to think of the mess you’ll have on your hands later tonight when Sun doesn’t heed your warnings.

[labyrinthofsphinx]

Dear Vox, I have a Few questions…

So Vox what happened at Christmas?

Did your brother pull crap on Alastor like he did with you? Did he have nearly every family member in on it?

I mean you and Al could have hunted him down and have Al eat him for dinner(wait that is weird but then again I am going to continue)…but then again Al doesn’t eat garbage 🗑️ or junk food 🌭…And that’s what your brother sounds like…

A garbage 🗑️ bastard than again the rest of your family except for aunt(your aunt sounds like a saint and sweetheart) sound like that especially your brother… wait those people aren’t your family because family doesn’t treat each other like that…

I think that Al and Drift are your brand new family now………and that you really don’t need that type of negativity in your life anymore……have you ever thought Vox of going low to no contact with them……

P.s. think about it

-sincerely your unnamed fan……

@crazyshipper67 asked: Can we see the Chrismas incident? 👀

@crazyshipper67 asked: why doesn't Vox spend Christmas with Al? Friends spend Christmas together all the time.

Your honor, asked and answered! XD But I guess a bit of retreading old grounds:

We'll get to the Christmas incident eventually, but it's kinda a plot point to be shown later, so I can't actually show you guys right now. But as both Vox has said and has been explained, the short of it is that Al met Vox's family over Christmas, and they were absolutely degenerates.

They didn't have a term for no-contact at the time, but Vox fully intended to cut them out of his life entirely afterwards...but Al wouldn't have it. He may not like them, but he values blood family ties too much to ever want to be 'the thing' that ended Vox's familial ties. What he doesn't know, or realize, is that Vox's family was basically dead to him for a while now, and it was all mostly for appearance, bragging rights, and his own attachment issues. But the Christmas incident, and, very specifically, the fact that they went after Al, gave Vox that last push he needed the decide he's had enough. All of them, save Aunt Edith, have been cut off, except to the extent that he has to look like he cares for the public (sending birthday presents to his nephews and whatnot).

The reason why Vox spends Christmas alone is because Al and Vox got into a fight over Vox cutting his family off. Al really, really values family from his mother and he didn't think the incident was bad enough for that reaction (it totally was, even in isolation of everything else they put Vox through over the years). Vox refused to even entertain the idea of allowing them back into his life after that. They were at a standstill, and Vox, reading the writing on the wall, proposed a solution: he'll have them over for Christmas. Only for Christmas. That's what they settled on...except that Vox was lying. Again, he just refuses to speak to them. So, every year, he heads back up to New York, dresses the house like he's going to have a party, then stays in the empty mansion by himself until New Years. Al stays in New Orleans and has Christmas over his house or Rosie's. The radio station hosts it's own party, which was kinda brought up here.

Vox would love to spend the holidays with people who actually care about him, and who he loves dearly, but because of that little 'understanding' he has with Al about it, he can't. So, it's just been Vox alone for some time.

...and, no, Al wouldn't hunt Vox's brother for sport. He's Vox's brother after all, and he has two kids. Also, so far as Al is concerned, he doesn't meet the qualifications for his 'list'.

Also, also, just because Vox doesn't want to see his family ever again doesn't mean they don't go out of their way to try see him. It's all just for the money, fame, and power though, not any attempt the rekindle anything. That ship has long since sailed. (Think of it this way, Vox hasn't disowned them yet on account of Al. He's not married and has no kids of his own. If anything should happen to him, his parents would get everything...then his brother and nephews. And Vox has a lot of money, property, and a giant corporation.)

Sooo yeah, sorry I can't show it yet, but I promise we'll get to it!

Thanks for the asks though!

[kaddyssammlung]

I just read something that I wish I had not XD

Someone complaining about “the thirsting girls” in this fandom.

Even saying things like “they know about this stuff and they find it atrocious" (meaning the band). Oh dear. I do see things in a different way. Maybe just because I'm old or older. And also who told you how they feel about things?! If that is really the case then who are you?!

So...why did I decide to open a new tumblr last year?!

I've been lurking under the #sleep token for a long time. There were so many cool things and I wanted to contribute. One of the first things that I saw when I came looking for Sleep Token content when I came here first was all the “gay stuff”. You know what I mean. Vessel on top of iii. I was a bit confused first but then I thought things like...they are on stage and it's a show and also I don't know what their sexual orientation is.

Apart from that I actually was more interested in the lyrics and how others see the lyrics or what they read into them. I was very obsessed with the lyrics and the lore. With all the writing that I did that changed. My obsession faded. That's why I have this blog and also for personal reasons. I always like writing blog. That's something that I started in 2004 btw.

I started playing a round a little and wanted to know what you guys like meaning what gets more hearts or rebloggs and what does not. What I mean by this is, making gifs and finding pictures.

Well...just look at the most liked posts under #sleep token there is a lot of “thirsting”. But not exclusively. When I think about my post under that hashtag that has the most notifications on it then you could see this as thirsting?! Which I don't. It's the one where Vessel tries to draw something on his belly. It looked weird the first time that I saw it but then a few days later when more videos were released I could see that he was just trying to draw a heart. I did not know that.

But many other things I would call “playing with the audience and their expectations”. I mean Vessel on top of iii and the way that he grabs him. I can't help but laugh. I find this very entertaining.

Of course we make videos and gifs out of this or use it as inspiration to write fics.

I've been on stage many times. I danced when I was in school and I sang in the choir. It's nice to be on a stage and present yourself a certain way. Lord knows what I would to with that mic stand. Try to pole dance probably because of all the years that I danced.

Vessel was breathing heavily at the last festival they played while doing something to that mic stand...not me. I see nothing wrong that. It's called a performance.

A few years back I saw Marylin Manson live at a festival. I was waiting for Korn and not for him. He took someone's phone, made a few photos with it and then threw it backstage. That's a performance also. Strange example....I know...that was in 2007 or something like that.

They kind of feed us these things and we make something out of them.

That's how I see this.

And also, no I don't know if anyone is reading in here. I don't care. That's my blog and I write what I feel like.

I don't mean to attack anyone. We all view the world in a different way. I just felt like I had to say something.

And also I feel like there is a bigger "problem" behind all of this...that "problem" has something to do with society itself and what we are taught as women when it comes to sexuality. But that's a different topic.

I don't have a problem with "thirsting" in general. Some things I do find disrespectful though.

That's all...I guess.....

[localsharkcryptid]

I never watched THOD (my bad), how easy is it to match with a dragon and how do riders deal with them ? Are they "glorified pets" (can't communicate verbally with humans, of course emotionnally connected and can "understand" humans just not talk), friends (can talk to their riders), dangerous and murderous "friend" that consider riders like their own pets (dragons have their own intelligence and see humans as entertaining creatures)... ?

How does DRAU's dragon and humans relations operate ? To be clearer I loved Eragon and was wondering if it was close to that or if it was totally different kind of deal

Alrighty finally getting around to answering this!

Ironically enough despite being obsessed with dragons for most of my life I actually never got around to reading Eragon so I have a very vague idea on how it's dragons function - and don't feel bad for not watching HOTD! I understand fully that it is not for everyone, I just happened to get really invested thus it became my primary inspiration - alongside the Ice & Fire Minecraft mod which is also based on GoT at least somewhat! (I would always recommend looking up the dragon scenes from HOTD though, mainly just for the amazing CGI work and neat designs both of the dragons and their sounds!)

Anyways to answer the actual questions here!

-

How easy is it to match with a dragon and how do riders deal with them?

Alright so! Admittedly the matching system is, vague, though this is a personal writing choice in all honesty - seeing as in universe no one is entirely sure how it works, dragons are creatures with little concrete information known about them.

What is known is that it is the dragon that makes the final decision, the dragon chooses its rider (hatching an egg is the exception and it's more so, an "if the egg hatches" in that case) and additionally that the bond is sealed in blood.

If a dragon rejects a rider it will kill or at the very least maim the unfortunate individual unless they manage to get away first (dragons generally won't pursue anything once it's out of their roost)- this is a very well known fact and is half the reason why Dream doesn't have a dragon yet when the plot begins, as XD doesn't want to lose his only remaining family to something as trivial as trying to claim a dragon. Which admittedly, XD got off easy in life cause his dragon found him so there's some notable disconnect between him and Dream on this matter. Anyways.

Those who successfully claim a dragon don't get out unscathed either, there is some weird blood magic going on when it comes to dragon bonds - so to establish the bond properly a rider will always gain some sort of injury that draws blood when they claim a dragon. For instance with hatchlings, they will simply just bite whoever hatched the egg - for larger dragons it can be anything from a bite to some other injury, regardless it won't be lethal and their breath will not be involved. Additionally there won't be any pain either, it's a bizarre supernatural phenomenon but it's something all dragon riders experience as it is the establishing link for the sort-of-psychic connection that occurs between dragons and their riders.

All riders have some sort of defining scar as a consequence to this injury as well! There's also a thought that the deeper the scar, the stronger the bond between a dragon and their rider - which does have some truth behind it.

(Admittedly this got a littleeee off topic but I've really wanted to talk about dragon bonds so I hope you don't mind! ^^)

As for how riders deal with them, for the most part a dragon can be left to its own devices and be fine, they'll hunt and care for themselves unless given other options. Think of them as this weird combination of falconry birds, horses and cats. They thrive best with human care but are fine if left alone for the most part with minimal interactions.

In the case of Orboros's dragon riders, they have the dragon keep - which is an extensive cave network/building dedicated to housing their dragons, the dragons themselves are tended to there and the riders themselves spend plenty of free time with them! The only notable exception being 'The Warden' (Sam's dragon) who has a roost on an offshore island due to her sheer size.

Dragons are 'trained' in a way to respond to often quick and simple commands (I really want to have these commands in another language but I'm still not entirely sure how to execute that idea) just to make things easier since there are dragon keepers who look after the beasts a fair amount of the time. Once bonded most dragons tend to be more tolerant to humans, especially if said humans are the ones who bring them food. They are after all very intelligent.

Are the dragons 'Glorified Pets, Friends or A Dangerous/Murderous Friend that considers the humans their pets?

Okay so by this criteria they fall into the 'glorified pets' category due to the inability to speak! Again my inspirations do take from a series that goes the very intelligent magical animal route so, yeah, unfortunately no talking dragons.

How do dragon and human relationships operate?

I think I inadvertently answered some of this in my rambles above but regardless!

Wild Dragons - Generally indifferent to people, smallfolk don't care for them for obvious reasons since killing a dragon is no easy task let alone driving one from it's roost if it's set up shop just a few miles away from your village. They're just very dangerous and often problematic wild animals.

Claimed Dragons - A dragon's relationship with its rider varies between individuals, some bonds are closer than others. They become more tolerant of people yet tend to often reflect their rider's opinions (conscious or subconscious) towards certain individuals (ie becoming bristly and aggressive towards an enemy/rival, more tolerant and maybe even affectionate towards a love interest) as well as following their own instincts and intuition about new individuals. The best example I have for that last bit is a very particular scene I have in mind, namely with Nightmare being particularly protective and reactive thanks to the arrival of Schlatt & Quackity for some event being held in Orboros's main city/the castle.

All in all they're very animalistic so the relations with people often reflect that in their operation, this includes a bunch of misconceptions as well, since who can truly know the heart of a dragon?

---

Also sorry about the wait! I had some stuff come up this past week and in general wanted to make sure the questions were answered as thoroughly as possible!

[piracytheorist]

So as I mentioned, I got my copy of the Family Portrait stories!

It feels weird to suddenly have to turn the pages the left-to-right way, lol. But I guess it wouldn't work the right-to-left way for a book translated to English.

Opening it there's this cute illustration, as well as the winter-y one on the back, which kinda makes me wonder: why is it bound on the book?? I wished there was a safe way for me to rip it off and hang it on my wall. Anyway, both illustrations are super cute!

And so my collection continues to grow!

I might order the Eyes Only guide soon, I'm just wary of it including spoilers from a few future chapters. So we'll see. In any case, this might be the first time since I was a child collecting Disney's Ducks comics (and I wasn't that meticulous with those, even) that I've made such a collection! Should things keep going well I intend to keep buying the volumes to the end of the story :D

Spoilered thoughts about the stories included in the book below!

The first mission with the Eden kids going camping actually reminded me that I can find the dynamic between Anya and Damian pretty funny, at least from seeing how stubborn Damian gets. The illustration especially of Damian holding Anya's hand with Anya going like "He can be nice for real??" and Damian going like "How dare she manipulate me into feeling bad for her!!" is terrific and the only way I'll ever see this dynamic, thanks. Also really loved the moment of Damian kinda and dismissively admitting to himself he's also scared of the thunderstorm. Also found it really funny how at the end, Loid is described as handsome XD the writer knew her audience!

In the second story I think I lost count how many times I laughed. While with a deep, interesting layer, Yuri is just so entertaining to me. The most normal guy ever, wishing he was an ingredient so his sister could chop him into her dishes along with pieces of the cutting board 🥰

No, but really, I think there was a lot of care in writing Yuri here. His inner monologue is unending and bound to give Anya a headache, though it was quite sudden to hear him refer to her as a bastard and the spawn of Loid's loins 😳 but I liked the darker tone as he "acted" as a cop and took out his frustrations on the actor, picturing him as a potentially-abusive Loid. It ticks at a very interesting dynamic which I very much hope Endo explores at some point :D

(I actually wonder if there will be a moment post-identity reveal (where Yuri also knows about both Loid and Yor) and he makes a really ugly quip at Anya and Loid goes all protective like "Say whatever you want about me, but hurt my daughter again and I won't hesitate, bitch")

While I found Anya's "interrogation" scene funny, I found it a bit repetitive that she used the same technique that she used with the Red Circus guy from the bullet-in-butt date. Small note, but still XD

For the third story I have both praises and criticism... I understand how it was needed for the story, but I don't like it when characters' disabilities are taken away. It would have made for a bit more complicated setting but it would have been a little more respectful to have Alessa unable to see Franky because she had eye surgery for whatever reason aside from being blind before, and she had bandages on and couldn't see. And Franky would feel like he's on borrowed time because he knows from day to day she'll get the bandages off and she'll face him.

Also, making her nineteen instead of sixteen is just on the verge. And because I have met people who are now professional singers... nineteen is way too young to be considered for opera. She could be training, of course, but it's a very long-term investment. There's a reason most opera singers you see in concerts are in their late twenties at the earliest. And I get that she comes from a musical background and she has a talent or whatever, but again. She could have been aged up to mid-twenties and to me it would have made much more sense.

But as for the good parts, I was actually surprised by how convincing Franky was about wanting to deceive her. And when Twilight turned and asked "Are you sure you're okay with this?" I might have felt a chill. I should have given Franky more credit, haha. And the banter between them was nice, with Twilight teetering on thinking of Franky as a friend, and how Franky ended up handling the situation... that was good, I liked it.

I had already read the last story through a fan translation, so I wasn't surprised by anything new there. It was just as fun and wacky as you'd expect it to be. By the way, I liked the point that story drove on, that despite the painter's success and fame, he only had a cheap apartment for himself and donated all his earnings so that future art students could paint without worrying about the cost of their supplies. Very in touch with the whole story's message :)

What struck me as odd was when Loid hugged Anya to keep the pretense of him being a doting father. I was like "He would not fucking do that" cause we know homeboy isn't ready for such proximity, and an actual hug between Anya and Loid has to have a big impact, the times he held her up while she slept or whatever notwithstanding.

But the ending was really sweet, with Twilight feeling a sense of warmth and getting a bit of honesty in his smile. The last illustration by Endo was very fitting!

Overall, it was interesting to hold a book in my hands and read about the characters that way. I think Aya Yajima did a good job capturing the characters, and I'm always happy to read Endo's afterwords, he really seems like a very chill and down-to-earth guy.

[themadlu]

OC ASK GAME

Tagged by @spacebarbarianweird – I'm happy you want to know more about my three idiots!

Zélie

What does it take to gain their trust?

Time and actions, mainly. Zélie is very private and doesn't easily open up to strangers; she may come off as cold and distant at first (well, she is), but if you stick around for long enough (months or even years) and if you prove actions are louder than words, she will open up.

2. In what scenario would they feel most uncomfortable?

Unfamiliar ones wherein she does not know the protocol. She gets stressed about making a faux pas since she tends to follow traditions to the letter. Being lied to is another major one; she despises trickery and lies and sees them as a coward's tools.

3. How do they act in their worst moments?

She closes off. She's already a pretty cold person to start with, but when she's angry or upset she becomes a rock, harsh and silent and just wants to be alone to do her own stuff. Approach her at your own peril.

Chiyo

What does it take to gain their trust?

Open-mindedness. She is a (looks like) half-drow raised in an isolated monastery of Ilmater by her own happy parents, so she's already a weird one by background only. Most other kids were scared of her; adult monks were cordial but found her corpse-grey skin and red eyes unsettling. She likes being on her own, however, so she doesn't mind people staying away; what she minds is being seen in a negative light only because of her heritage. And she doesn't suffer fools. Trust her with her story and she will trust you (moderately) in return.

2. In what scenario would they feel most uncomfortable?

She grew up in a pretty remote place surrounded by the same people every day, so busy places are a no-go (for now). She thought she'd love them, but her initial experiences were very overwhelming. She hates being underestimated too, so she'll exaggerate her drow traits to scare the shit out of those who demean her.

3. How do they act in their worst moments?

She does her best (and is pretty good at) keeping her cool in most situations – she trained as a monk of Ilmater since she was a baby, so she's seen plenty of shit going down. However, the drow (and something else) in her causes her to erupt at times of intense stress in new situations (e.g. a certain merc being a racist shithead). When that happens, run.

Fuji

What does it take to gain their trust?

Patience. Fuji is a lot and wouldn't change who she is (if it's not broken don't fix it), but she knows not everyone can stand her for long. So, if you can survive her constant need for entertainment, her hyperactivity and slightly (quite) unhinged but mostly well-meaning (for herself) moral compass, then congratulations. You've made an ally for life (unless her shenanigans kill you first).

2. In what scenario would they feel most uncomfortable?

Anywhere that reminds her of home. She's a drow from a very fanatic family, and she's seen the horrors Lolth's followers can cause. She herself had made her first fill by the age of five.

3. How do they act in their worst moments?

Angry or upset Fuji is a catastrophe waiting to happen. It takes a lot to get her this way and she's gotten a lot better since her Menzoberranzan days, but she's still prone to hurtful confrontation (both physical and vocal since she's a bard of swords) and all-around chaos. She may regret it later, but that's unlikely since she prefers to forget the past, live in the present and plan for the future (easy for her since she's only 60 years old, so she's got a few centuries ahead of her). She teaches Rolan a few tricks to calm down.

No pressure tagging @amywritesthings, @vixstarria (and @spacebarbarianweird if you wanna answer these XD) and anyone who'd like to share!

Questions:

What would push them to physical altercation or violence during an argument?

How do they take criticism?

How do they view death?

[baings-nails]

I binged your comic yesterday night on Tumblr and I loved it !

Thankfully I kept the follow because my dumbass thought the END note meant it was the end of the comic XD

I loved how you characterised Link, Zelda and Princess (who is adorable btw I would kill for her). And the whole weird situationship with Zelink was very entertaining (and heartbreaking, give them some happiness please) to read.

So yeah I will be there for the next arc !

(Also will the chapters be published around the same time on Tumblr and Twitter ? Or will it be earlier on Twitter ?)

Hello! Thank you for reading!! I'm excited to post the next arc too! As for timing I try and produce a comic once a week so once Tumblr is caught up it unfortunately will be weekly updates. hopefully the updates will be at the same time if not a few hours difference. Curse of having a ft real job.

[keikakudom]

Agsudisg I'm so glad you liked it, Kazi, I literally sat down the moment I finished reading and started drawing cuz you freaking killed me, I MEAN, vox being stubborn and denying help, and Alastor stubbornly giving him the aid he needs, but crouched in their respective toxic egos and self-image? So delicious. Alastor, who needs to know why he was left behind, and vox who's desperately pouring himself into the new thing... Ahhhh...

The part where he implies he really was running off to die...and Alastor goes all soft...the shared frequency, the antenna petting... I reread that multiple times bc it's so good...and the claws, the claws, vox denies wanting help from alastor to the last, but the claws!

(also we tots need full seasons and reruns of 'Let's Shit on Vox', I bet Alastor even encourages to call in with more info, not that anyone would bc they're too scared. Hey, does carmilla have to listen his obsession LOL)

Btw for the artist questions, if you want, 9, 14, 30?

YOU NEVER FAIL TO MAKE ME GUSH, ES AAAA...oh lemme tell you when I lock-in, i do NOT fuck around with toxic old men yaoi. When I get better at writing, I hope to capture all their glory✨

I have never really written in this particular weird genre, I don't even know what to call it? Disgustingly intimate love/hate? At least, that's what I aspire for it to be XD

Heheh the part where "Alastor goes all soft" is also a little on the part of RR!AU characterization, so it's a bit exaggerated. He's trying to ween his way in appealing to Vox again, but RR!AU Vox is just so tired. Alastor keeps bringing up the past....This was kind of a wacky scenario to write because it does skip/make you infer a lot of stages of development, but the AU is close enough to canon that I think it's not far to imagine filling in the gaps hhh....

LMFAO yes, Alastor def encourages call-ins, "The 'Let's Shit on Vox' show, your one-stop opportunity to diss Hell's most saturated overlord!" -- on the rare occasion someone actually called in, Alastor killed whoever said something off about Vox that wasn't to his "flavor" of hate.

Carmilla has already read through these two idiots and just rolls her eyes at their immaturity. If she's there for Alastor's radio show, she's just in the background, utterly done and convinced they're playing everything up for entertainment at this point. Now that has me thinking, if Alastor ever started feeling something unfamiliar and god-forbid genuinely *good*(????), he would probably consult Rosie or Carmilla for it first........and Vox would ask Charlie.....oh..........

Aaaand Artist Questions under the cut, TYSM for the ask <33

9. What are your file name conventions?

I have terrible file organization. Many of them are named "a", "aa3", "asgv", "fhgh", or other random keyboard smashes. Recently, I have a bad habit of naming files "sketch1", "sk1", "skht1", or some misspelled way-- it's gotten so bad I'm up to "sketch22".... I find things by icon only.

14. Any favorite motifs?

Straight edges and shapes, maybe? I started drawing with an anime style though I'm mostly into western media-- I think it's very satisfying to have nice shape design/silhouettes though, but I don't draw in a super cartoony or exaggerated style so it's kind of hard to tell that I like and have fun doing it. I'm kind of scattered and like to dip my foot into everything unfortunately.

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated?

None really, but if I had to pick one for HH, maybe this one.

For my older art, definitely this one. I mean, I don't love it anymore, but I really thought I ATE with the concept at the time.

[neutrallyobsessed]

i know you'll proudly sacrifice yourself on the KayWorth hill (and please keep doing the good work o7), but i also wonder what you think of MitsuMei and GouMitsu (Manfred and Miles)

and since the two got mentioned, also Karmacest

More Kayworth will be on the way hell yea Uw0

The way this is phrased makes me think that this is more of my explained opinion rather than part of the ship ask game. I may do the meme eventually, I still kinda need to figure out their food analogy, I do know that GouMitsu is rare steak so MitsuMei and GoMei are going to be meat based as well; this post brings some good ideas about MitsuMei and confirms that indeed Kayworth is a classic spaghetti, western noodles and such. Also kinda answered this before but it's in spanish so xd, here's my thoughts on shipping within the fucked up von karma family uwu:

Franziska is a perfectly good girlfriend option for Miles, they grew up togheter so they know each other very very well, which can crack the ice in this tsundere x tsundere ship x3. I like it, have thought about it during JFA and T&T, it is very cool and epic, still a bit cold for my tastes but I can enjoy it very much ;3

I definitely can enjoy such grooming and weird ways of understanding love that come from shipping Manfred with either Miles or Franziska. I like the darkness of GouMitsu, with Miles doing everything he can to please Manfred (with various degrees of success) and we can even add a bit of culture shock like yeah sure this is totally normal German behavoir, what could he know? but GouMei UFF I'm thinking they could be happier with each other so I'm putting all my coins on this one uwu, very in sync very alike thats the good stuff~~!

Now this begs the question of what if we ship all three togheter? Well, that could be a very funny, conflicting and very entertaining watch, even if not that happy in the end lol. Eh whatever, add the rest of the Von Karmas there too, Miles with the Okaasan or Oneesan can be pretty cute too, ever thought about that~~?