#when i tell you he is my inspiration to persevere

[lvnesart]

oh to be loved

[cocteaucherry]

another silly gojo thing I wrote with pregnant reader (I was inspired by Kali’s pregnancy announcement 🩷)

a/n- (I promise pt 3 of LTLM is coming out later today or tomorrow)

cw- pregnancy, talks of sexual situations, gojo being gojo :p

The day Satoru found out you were pregnant was a day you’ll never forget.

It was a freezing morning in January and you had just finished taking down the Christmas decorations (yeah it was a few weeks after Christmas but you both were lazy) you let out a huff wiping your hands as you stared at the old cardboard boxes that housed the glittery decorations, it made you feel more emotional than usual seeing yet another year pass.

You heard the door burst open and you turned to find your husband dragging in a bunch of wires and lights, “ six hundred twinkling lights taken down by your one and only!” He exclaimed, dropping the lights and using his foot to close the door, “you sure? I could’ve sworn I heard you on the verge of using Hollow Purple.” You said playfully as you gazed lovingly at your husband.

“What?! No! I was of course gonna take you out of the house first!” The blue eyed male chuckled as he walked towards you immediately wrapping his arms around your waist, “I think I deserve a kiss for my bravery and perseverance.” He hummed his hands running over the slight pudge in your stomach, “Do you really?” You peered up at his face to be met with a very shocked expression, you chuckled nervously staring at his over exaggerated face.

Gojo could tell something was off for the past few days, frequent bathroom trips, slight nausea in the morning and your missed period. (He might be the strongest but he’s not the smartest) and now your cursed energy was changing he sensed it when he walked in it was almost doubled. “I mean this is the BEST way possible, let me stress BEST, are you somehow maybe- just a little bit ermm.. pregnant?”

Your mind went blank at the question, “Maybe?” You shrugged your shoulders, “it would make sense..” your mind tried to calculate the last time you and Gojo were intimate but Gojo calculated for you, “Christmas.” He said his mouth was still wide open, “yeah , maybe wrapping myself like a present wasn’t the best idea.” You giggled and Satoru was quick to retort with a red face, “you practically had nothing on! You can’t blame me!” Gojo pouted, rubbing the back of his neck, “can we go buy some tests to confirm your theory?”

About seven tests later it was confirmed, you were pregnant.

Of course tears and hugs were shared and you wanted to share the news with your friends but Gojo stopped you claiming he wanted to see how long you both could go unnoticed, he also opted to buy a camcorder to track your happy moments. It was more of a nostalgia thing. (Even while you're pregnant he’s still dramatic.)

By the time you were breaching your second trimester a lot of things changed, for worse and better, the spare room in your house was converted into a full baby room, all constructed by gojo himself since he was terrified of you getting injured. The baby room was filled with expensive baby materials and toys, “Satoru.. are you sure this isn’t too much?” You stared at the room in disbelief, your hand stroking your bump, He grunted, placing a heavy box with more materials down, “What? Think I can go bigger?” He winked and opened the package.

“We don’t even know the gender yet? you yelled walking down the hallway to lay down.

Everyone in Satoru’s life knew something was up, he walked with more pep in his step and glowed even more than he already was.

“So does anyone know what’s up with Gojo-sensei?” Yuji questioned sitting on his bed, Kugusaki and Megumi on the floor visibly not listening. “Don’t know, don’t really care either.” Megumi deadpanned which earned a grin from Kugisaki, “Not sure Yuuji, have you tried asking his wife?” she asked, peering from her phone. “She hasn’t been around here in like months!” The pink haired boy exclaimed failing to connect the dots but Megumi did for him.

“Maybe she’s expecting.” He shrugged it off going back to type on his phone, “What?! You mean they-they-“ yuuji stuttered.

“Yuuji they are adults, plus it would make sense right after the holidays too. So she’d be about.."Kugisaki counted in her head, “second trimester?”

“You guys are taking this a little too well?!” Yuuji exclaimed, “oh Kugisaki and I made our own theory a few weeks ago-“

“And you didn’t tell me?!-“

Later that day you had a teary eyed pink haired teenager yapping at the door about how you didn’t tell him sooner.

[luveline]

also idk if it’s cold enough for this ask yet but kbd winter??? family snowman??

KBD —you, Steve, and the girls make a snowman. 1.3k, mom!r

“Steve, I’m so cold.” 

Steve laughs and shuffles closer to you in the snow-covered grass. Your knees are soaked, your scarf falling from around your neck. “Like, you’re gonna get sick kind of cold?” 

You contemplate this. “No. Probably not.” 

“Good. I need your help with this.” 

A little ways away, your Avery attempts to roll a small ball of snow around the yard. Steve made the snowman’s body, a fat blob in the middle of the grass, while you held Beth. She’s not too young to walk but she’s apprehensive of the snow, and the cold, her nose like ice where it’s hidden in your cheek. 

“You almost done, babe?” you call. 

“No!” 

“Beth’s colder,” you say. 

Steve wrinkles his nose sympathetically. “If you need to head inside, you go.” 

He’s attempting to get buttons from an old coat to stay stuck to the snowman’s stomach. It’s not working. 

You persevere in the chill. The cold is sharp in your throat, but some bad weather won’t kill anyone. You take your scarf off and wrap it around Beth’s neck, though she’s wearing a scarf already, laying it flat and covering her ears. She smiles at you, whispering quietly in the chill, “Thank you.” 

“Is it too cold?” you ask. “Should we go inside?”  

“I wanna see the snowman,” she says. 

You press her to your neck. It hasn’t snowed for hours but the temperature hasn’t warmed either. Avery looks happy as a clam in her snowsuit and her hat, scarf and gloves, all matching, a lavender colour like her boots, though they have a white fur piping to match the snowsuits hanging baubles. Beth is outfitted in the same, but her snowsuit and boots are a cornflower blue. 

You and Steve are in whatever you could find. He has a blue scarf, yours was white. Your coat is one of his from a few years ago, and his gloves are mismatched, but you don’t need matching clothes to make a snowman. 

Your legs really are going to freeze to the floor soon. You stand up as best you can manage, Beth’s weight in your arms an ache you know too well. Steve looks at you in alarm and clambers to his feet. “Here, I’ll have her,” he says, slipping his hands under her arms gently. “You really can go inside if you’re too cold, pretty girl, we’ll be okay.” 

You like being called pretty girl. It warms you up a little. “I’ll help Avery with the head.” 

Steve pulls Beth into his neck, murmuring, “Is it too cold out here, baby? You’ll tell me if you’re too cold, yeah?” He kisses her cheek, turning her face gently to the side. “We did such a good job on the snowman’s tummy. When Avery finishes the head, we’ll put it on top and give him his arms and his carrot nose.” 

“Can I do the nose?” she asks. The way she speaks is adorable, so young still, each word an effort to string to the next. 

“Yeah, if Avery can do the arms and the eyes. Is that fair?” 

Avery pushes the snowball she’s created forward with a great oomf. Snow crunches under your boots, thick and soft. “Need help?” you ask. 

“Please, mom.” 

Avery’s raises her nose at you. When she smiles, she reminds you endlessly of Steve. Her eyes are almond shaped like his, brown and hedged with lashes that twitch as you approach. You rub the top of her head through her hat. “Let’s roll it over by the swing, babe. The snow’s real thick there.” 

You and Avery manoeuvre the head. Steve and Beth search for suitable arms at the edge of the yard where the trees like to shed. 

“Mom?” Avery says. 

You huff as you push the ball over again. “Yeah?” 

“It’s not round.” 

“I’m gonna build it up, my baby, don’t worry.”

“Will it fall off the tummy?” 

“We’re gonna make the bottom flat. Don’t worry, baby, seriously, me and daddy have made lots of snowmen. Like, some when we were kids, and some before you were born. He made a really huge one when I was pregnant with you, actually. He said my baby bump inspired him.” 

“Was it big?” 

“Right at the end.” You poke at the bottom of your stomach. “When you’re a baby, you try very hard not to take up too much space in mommy’s tummy, but after a while you get too big and it makes my stomach change shape. Because you were my first, you stayed in one place for a long time. It was right at the end when I popped. I couldn’t help daddy too much with the snowman, actually, ‘cos I was so slow.” 

“Popped?” Avery asks worriedly. 

You squeeze your cold fingers into balls, smiling at her horrified nose wrinkle. “Sorry, it’s just an expression. What it means is that it was a surprise to have my tummy get so big. It happened overnight. Your dad found it super funny.” 

Steve crunches toward you with twigs in one hand, Beth the other. It’s… a really good look on him, this one armed carry. “It was crazy! With Beth, mommy’s tummy grew slowly. But with you, it was like she wasn’t even having a baby for a while, and then wow!” He offers you Beth, who you take immediately, and bends down to pack snow against the sides of the snowman’s eventual head. He sniffs as he does, but doesn’t mention being cold. “This is awesome, Ave. Do you think it’s time to put it on the tummy?” 

“Yeah!” she says, clapping. 

Steve hoists the head into his hands and carries it to the body. He plops it on there with force, making sure it’s steady, and sending the three of you a proud grin when it stays. “Tada!” 

Avery giggles ecstatically. Even Beth laughs in your arms. 

Steve gives Avery her twigs. “Here’s the arms,” he says, pulling his scarf from his neck. “And here’s a scarf for mister snowman.” 

He wraps it around the snowman’s neck. You dig the extra buttons from your pocket as Avery forces the twigs into the snowman’s sides, and Steve retreats to your back door, nipping inside quickly for the carrot. He waves it in the air. “Here you go,” he says, giving it to Beth. “You got her?” he asks you. 

You nod and crouch. Beth’s tongue appears from between her lips as she concentrates, pushing the fat end of the carrot into the snowman’s face, just below the eyes. Steve leans over you to help her when it won’t go in, and then, suddenly, you have a snowman. 

“He doesn’t have a mouth,” Avery says. 

Steve adjusts his scarf. “It’s behind the scarf, honey. He’s got cold lips.” 

She finds this extremely funny, leaning with a syrupy laugh into her dad’s legs. He gets the hint and picks her up, stepping into place beside you, the four of you giving your snowman an appraising look. 

“That’s amazing, huh?” you ask. 

Beth nods into your cheek. She’s warmer than you, but not by much. 

Steve leans over to kiss your cheek. 

A cold gale barrels from the left, sending shivers down everybody’s spines. “Let’s go back inside for some cocoa, yeah?” Steve asks. 

You’re in emphatic agreement. You leave your Frosty to soak in his new home, tracking wet footprints into the kitchen, where Steve turns on the stove’s burners for a quick fix. When you look out the window you smile to yourself, just a little bit proud of yourself for getting such a nice husband, and making such sweet babies. 

Beth sneezes against your neck. “Oh, sorry,” she mumbles. 

Steve’s face drains of any pride. He’s upstairs running a warm bath before you can so much as wipe Beth’s nose. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

#13: The Recovery (1.02)

gif cred: @riickgrimes

Rick and Michonne’s journeys are always so similar to the point that they both endured their most awful year at the same time. Rick spent the year officially being the walking dead away from family and Michonne spent that same year recovering in a mall from a brutal attack away from family. And once she's healed physically, Michonne still has to navigate so much heartbreak as she finally makes it to Bridgers Terminal🥺...

After the CRM's attack, that group of travelers is then reduced to just two - Michonne and Nat. They spend a year recovering in a mall and there's a montage of how they got through the time, which includes a lot of oxygen, slow healing, and inspiring determination.

I know this time in the mall had to be so painful for Michonne because she wanted to find Rick and get home ASAP and now she literally has to just stay put and fight for her life until she heals up for an entire year.

gif cred: @nerd4music

But never one to take anything lying down, she works hard at her recovery, attempting to still exercise and strengthen her lungs, which is a big challenge at first. Yet another reason Michonne is a commendable queen - because working out is hard enough when you haven’t been bombed with chlorine gas.

Michonne is willing to push through the hardship as we see her slowly but surely get better. Seeing her perseverance is always so inspiring. I also like how the push-ups tie back to the way she would work out and stay fit in the prison. 

Michonne watches the seasons change and gathers food and I guess the one good thing about being hunkered down at a mall is you get to sleep in those comfy display beds.

gif cred: @richardgrimes

There’s a moment where she and Nat eat and she stares at Rick’s boots, a sign that she’s not losing sight of her mission to find her husband and bring him home. Nat also talks about the importance of knowing when to go and knowing when to give up as he feels he learned the hard way.

gif cred: @taiturner

But Michonne is hope personified and so she brings up Nat’s stepdad Danger and says, “He didn’t give up, right? Didn’t give up on you. Gotta think it was cause of your mom. You gotta think it was cause of love.”

As she says this we see she’s holding the phone she found with the image of her and Judith and Rick’s name. I think they pair those lines over that phone image because Michonne knows wherever Rick is he hasn’t given up on his girls, (even if he’s given up on reuniting with them he hasn’t given up on them) as he clearly still kept images of them as reminders to keep going. And if he hasn’t given up because of his love for her then you already know Michonne isn’t giving up because of her love for him.

gif cred: @nerd4music

She also looks outside and sees birds flying which is indicating that the air is getting safer. (Side note: I love her outfits in this mall montage and how she really did bring more pops of color to the show. And the music is great too. 👌🏽)

As Michonne gets better at the push-ups I love how you can see the ring hanging from her neck. It feels symbolic of how Rick is still with her and motivating her to regain her strength. 

gif cred: @nerd4music

So then Michonne and Nat sit and eat and she gives him a map to go to Alexandria because she knows he’s strong enough to travel now. Nat says, “I go to your home and you go to Bridgers Terminal? It should be the other way around.”

Michonne says the s8 ep title from when Carl reveals he was bit as she tells Nat, “This is how it’s gotta be.” But Nat begs to differ and says no.

gif cred: @richardgrimes

Michonne tries to convince him again but Nat passionately cuts her off and emotionally declares, “This is all I got. Okay? You. That’s it” And my heart. ☹️ And then he does his signature thing of playing with his lighter as he more tearily says, “That’s it.” I love that Nat values Michonne this much. 🥲

So Michonne agrees to have him go with her in the morning and also she looks so pretty in her outfit. 😊

gif cred: @nerd4music

Nat says they need to make one stop first for his wagon and I love their little teasing exchange as Michonne asks, “What, you’re expecting me to pull it?” and he’s just matter-of-factly like, “Yeah I am.” 😋

Michonne asks if he’s coming along to see how it ends but Nat gravely says, “Nope. I know how it ends.”

Then without even making a big show of it, I appreciate that they pay homage to Michonne’s signature ability to make the walkers work for her as she and Nat arrive at Bridgers Terminal with a walker pulling their wagon. You just know that was Michonne’s idea and she and Nat have being inventive people in common. 

gif cred: @nerd4music

Michonne is super eager to see what she can find when they get to Bridgers Terminal but all that’s there is a giant shipwreck and the horrific sight of several piles of scorched bodies nearly impossible to identify.

gif cred: @richardgrimes

Michonne’s teary-eyed response to seeing this hurts my heart. 🥺 Like it’s painful to think for a moment she had to seriously wonder if this is the horrible fate that her husband met.

gif cred: @richardgrimes

And then in another act of immense love for her man, Michonne is shown searching every pile of burnt bodies into the night hours to try and see if any of them are Rick. If that ain’t love. 🥲

gif cred: @chaoticroad

The fact that the burned bodies all don’t have shoes makes things even more complicated. But again the resilience of Michonne Grimes is on display as she meticulously checks each one, even with knowing that they might bring her no answers or worse a devastating confirmation that Rick really is gone.

She checks until it’s literally too dark to see anymore and then we get a heartbreaking scene by a fire. 

It’s sad because earlier in the ep she was cozily by a fire with friends and laughing and now she’s by a fire and coming as close to losing hope as she’s ever come in years. 😢

But she still tries to hold onto some hope as she takes out Rick’s boots and hugs them. Just end me now, that sight is so heartrending. 😭 She loves Rick so much and would give anything to be holding him instead right now.

gif cred: @nat111love

Also, now knowing that she only feels safe with Rick, it feels like this moment of hugging the boots is her way to self-soothe as she’s feeling really lost and devastated and it’s like these boots are giving her at least a little of the comfort Rick gave her when they were together. They’re reminding her that somehow his story didn’t end on the bridge and she’s not crazy for still feeling he’s out there. 

I adore seeing Nat take care of Michonne in this state and wrap a blanket around her. 🥹 Just exactly the type of friendship Michonne needs and deserves.

Nat acknowledges the reality of the situation and how it’s likely a dead-end ever knowing if Rick is among the bodies. But Michonne says with conviction, “I felt him. I still feel him.” And I know that’s right. 👏🏽 That’s such a beautiful and powerful sentiment.

gif cred: @nat111love

I love the way TOWL really affirmed Richonne’s soulmate status. Like their souls are in every way connected and so of course even miles and miles apart she can still feel him.

And I bet she knows the way she feels Rick's presence is different than the way she feels Carl or Andre's. In s9 Michonne told Negan she sees Carl in everything so she obviously still feels his presence but in a way of someone who is no longer with her. With Rick, you can just tell that she feels him alive and breathing and walking the earth.

Again, with the immense amount of love Rick was still emitting to her while with the CRM it makes perfect sense that she can still feel him.

Nat tells Michonne that the Japanese on her phone means “believe a little bit longer” and Michonne silently reacts with tears in her eyes, knowing that's likely what Rick has been doing all these years.

gif cred: @nat111love

Michonne then notes that Nat has been telling her to go home. Nat says she should go home but she can still believe that Rick is out there. And then knowing that Danai is an incredible actor with even just her eyes and expressions alone, they zoom in really close as Michonne sheds tears and entertains an idea she’s fought so hard for years to not entertain.

She vulnerably says, “It’s been right in front of me, hasn’t it? All this time, it’s been right in front of me. It’s been so long. If he were alive…he would’ve found his way.” Ok that has my soul sobbing everytime. 😭 It’s so beautiful to see how much she loves him and so painful to see her voice break as she says this.

gif cred: @nat111love

And it’s touching because it again shows how much she believes in Rick. She knows if he could have been home by now he would’ve. But the thing is...Rick needs her in order to truly find his way and without her, he’s too lost to find his way on his own.

I love the way she says this line with so much love, belief, and care for Rick. Almost like she just wants to know even if Rick can’t be with her that he’s okay out there and that he’s found his way somehow, just as a person she loves and wants the best for.

gif cred: @nat111love

All and all, it just really moves me to hear Michonne say this. She knows that Rick Grimes would fight tooth and nail for his family so, considering he's been away from them for years, it might mean he’s not alive. And honestly, that's correct in a way because Rick isn’t alive. When the chance to see her again was taken from him, he lost himself and decided to die.

At this very moment, Rick is living life as the walking dead without her and so that’s why he hasn’t found his way. He lost his compass when he lost Michonne so he can’t get home without her. But I love how Michonne believes Rick would have found his way no matter what. 

Nat is comforting saying Michonne doesn’t know for sure if Rick is gone and then gives her a balanced perspective as he beautifully says, “You can believe he’s out there, that he’s not gone. You can believe a little longer and still go home to your kids. You can know when to go. You can do both.”

gif cred: @nat111love

And then I appreciate his supportiveness in letting Michonne know she doesn’t have to do it alone as he says, “I can do it with you. I will.” He’s the best. 🥹 And how I wish Nat could have gone to ASZ with Michonne and Rick. You just know he would become a beloved uncle to Judith and RJ. 🥲

Nat then tells Michonne something that she really needs to hear as he says, “It’s not giving up.” I think for Michonne, heading back home feels like failing and giving up on her true love when she knows and feels that Rick needs her, and she needs him, and her kids need them both.

Like for someone as loyal and determined as Michonne, going back without finding him would be such a hard and painful defeat. And you see that on Michonne's face as she sheds tears and seriously wrestles in her mind with how going back home now could feel like giving up on the man she loves.  

gif cred: @nat111love

Nat turns on the walkie and as they listen to the static Michonne let’s it all out as she bursts into tears and Nat hugs her like the good friend he is. That was such a raw vulnerable moment. 😭 I love that Michonne got to just release her emotions over everything by this fire because there’s clearly so much weighing on her.

gif cred: @nat111love

I know when hearing that static she’s longing to hear her children’s voices and be back with them. She’s longing to see her husband and be back in his arms too. She's been put through so much in mind and body after the CRM attack and put through even more before the CRM attack in her six or so years as a single mom and head of security.

And in this moment by the fire, you see her just bring all that emotion to the surface and finally know it’s time to go home, even without Rick as much as that breaks her heart.

gif cred: @nat111love

This scene by the fire was stunningly acted by Danai and Matthew. 👏🏽

And then - the episode cuts to "Now" as Richonne’s epic reunion is so close you can feel it in the air…literally. 😌👌🏽

[loganelfreeces]

Shishitoren's Founder: The Silly to Saviour's Serious?

Hey guys, remember when I made that post a while ago about some theories I had about who Umemiya's Saviour is and the kind of person he is and how he'll come back? And how I mentioned he and Shitara know a third person who I have cleverly dubbed the Silly to Saviour's Serious?

We only know three things about this person

They inspired Saviour

They wanted to get stronger by going to Furin

They know Shitara and Saviour due to a Furin connection

So my braincells slammed together and suggested that the Silly to Saviour's Serious guy could in fact be one of Shishitoren's founders or at least one of the main inspirations behind their philosophy. I have no idea if I'm making sense, I'm writing this at 2am and I could be clutching at straws here, but let's roll with it.

Shishitoren's Unclear Origins

Now I bring this up because of the main gangs who have turned up so far, Shishitoren are the only ones with unclear origins.

Umemiya united Furin into Bofurin 2 years ago. KEEL sprung up recently under Endo's funding and then disintegrated. Roppo-Ichiza have been running for a while, protecting the Red Light District and fighting with Furin before Bofurin happened. Gravel sprung up recently out of despiration to provide the impovished people in town with an income. Noroshi are an elite force who left Furin, but have enough connections to muster an army of mooks.

Shishitoren are the only ones we do not know the true origins of. Despite this, we still have a very strong picture of what their philosophy was before Tomiyama and Togame twisted it.

Shishitoren are the Devotees of Power. This means you must persevere, no matter what. You need to push your will through in a fight and never yield to anyone else. You push yourself because strength is the only way you can attain freedom.

The Person Behind The Philosophy

Now, assuming that only one person directly founded Shishitoren and their philosophy, we can then make a few assumptions about this person.

This is a person who has faced immense hardships to get to where they are now, presumably the top of Shishitoren when they created this philosophy.

And given the way Saviour talks about how life won't stop hitting you with tough stuff again and again, I imagine Saviour has had both first hand experience of enduring these difficulties and that Someone Else showed him that there is a way to live through the hardest times.

There's also the fact that strength allows one to become free. While Tomiyama had no idea what this meant, Sakura and Togame do; only those with power are free to be themselves.

Which suggests that Shishitoren's Founder, whoever it was, came from a very restrictive environment that stopped them from being themself.

Then there's the idea of fighting being a means of pushing your will through. I think Shishitoren's Founder understood something that Umemiya taught us near the start of the manga: A fight is a conversation. A fight is a way to push your will through.

Which means that Shishitoren's Founder, if they did come from a restrictive environment, escaped it by becoming strong enough emotionally and physically to push themself through life and let their personality be free.

Potential Connections?

Bringing all these details back to the Silly to Saviour's Serious guy, I think it's very telling that the first main thing we know about this person is that they wanted to get stronger.

Like, on the one hand, of course Silly would be strong if they're on par with Saviour, but that is very much a given in this manga that anyone important to the plot is strong. And most of our other characters who are strong don't get introduced or mentioned with that as their tag line; Suo cracks a joke, Kiryu is chilling with his phone, Umemiya is a airheaded goofball. Why would Nii Satoru focus on Silly's desire to get stronger above anything else?

It's also unclear if Shishitoren, the Devotees of Power, were active when Umemiya was 9. However Saviour does tell us that new teams and gangs sprung up all the time at this stage of Furin's history, so it would make sense if Shishitoren and maybe even Roppo-Ichiza started to find their footing during this period of upheaval.

I think it's also important to note that Hiragi says Tomiyama, who is 17, is the youngest leader in Shishitoren's history who took the top spot some time after Choji's 15th birthday (since he wasn't the leader when he fought Umemiya in his first year). This of course implies that Shishitoren have been around long enough to have multiple leaders and that most of them were not high school aged at this time. Given that Saviour is probably 26 or 27 now, this could mean one of two things:

Shishitoren's Founder is the same age as him, but founded Shishitoren after high school. The latest they could have possibly done this was when they were 24 or 25, but I highly doubt that since they would've been that old when Tomiyama and Umemiya were fighting each other for the first time and Shishitoren seemed to have been better established than the other teams Bofurin had fought before. Though the earliest I would put it at is when Shishitoren's Founder was 20, which again if they're the same age as Saviour, Umemiya and Tomiyama would've been 11. Plenty of time for Shishitoren to get established.

Shishitoren's Founder is older than Saviour and founded Shishitoren after high school. If they are the Silly to Saviour's Serious, then this means they could have played more of a mentor role like the one we see with Hiragi and Kaji, rather than a peer to peer relationship I had initially imagined. Though this makes a lot more sense for how Saviour handled Umemiya's suicidal idealiation if Silly helped Saviour in a mentor role rather than a friendship role. It could also suggest that Silly wasn't loyal to Furin, and potentially neither was Saviour; they just went there to get stronger.

Where is Shishitoren's Founder Now?

Obviously at some point Shishitoren's Founder/Silly to Saviour's Serious and Umemiya's Saviour left Makochi and their respective teams. So where are they now?

Shishitoren's Founder could have left Makochi in search of stronger opponants, or to enjoy that freedom they fought so hard to gain in the first place. I don't think they're still in Makochi since they would have stepped in if they found out that Shishitoren had rotted from the inside out. OR maybe they are still in Makochi but they either no longer care about Shishitoren itself or they don't care about being strong anymore. Either one is possible, though I think them not being in Makochi is much more likely.

I think they may end up returning if Shishitoren have another trouble arc. Not one where Tomiyama or Togame have fallen on the wrong path again, but if Shishitoren are at risk of being destroyed or overwhelmed. After all, changing Shishitoren from the inside after letting it get so bad couldn't have been easy for Tomiyama and Togame. It's possible some former Shishitoren guys saw the return to the old ways as a bad thing and formed their own team to retaliate. We know from flashbacks that Shishitoren often had trouble with a group called Zinc when Tomiyama and Togame were still new to the team, so it's possible Zinc could turn out to be a problem later on if the disgrunted Shishitoren members joined them.

Shishitoren's Founder might just happen to be coming back to Makochi when the fight is about to go down, OR Shishitoren's Founder is the one leading the charge against the current Shishitoren with their own new gang. If that's the case, then this could be Sakura and the other Furin guys' chance to return the help that Shishitoren gave them in the Noroshi arc.

OR if my theories are correct and Shishitoren's Founder is the person that Shitara and Saviour were talking about, I think he and Saviour will show up closer to Umemiya's graduation. That is scheduled to happen in March and we're only in July right now timeline wise, so we have a long way to go before we get there.

If all 3 of them become more relevant during the lead up to Umemiya's graduation, then this means the three could offer different paths for Umemiya to take:

Shitara's Path: Stay in Makochi and care for the local kids as either an orphanage worker or a Furin teacher.

Saviour's Path: Recognise when other people are better equipped at a job and leave them to it.

Founder's Path: Live free of responsibilities and leave Makochi to get stronger from here on out.

Also I bet y'all money that Shishitoren's Founder has birds or lions somewhere in their name. It'd make sense since (at least in the Western world I'm not so sure about Japan) birds are a symbol of freedom. Or maybe Shishitoren's Founder actually has a different kanji for dog in their name, since Sakura called their emblam an ugly dog the first time he saw it.

Who knows, maybe Shishitoren's Founder is related to Inugami.

So yeah that is my 2am frantic thoughts about Shishitoren's past. I'm so looking forward to discovering more about the worldbuilding and what happend to make the town the way it is now.

[heal-the-ashes]

i'm thinking about pl and—like always—i get emotional after anything regarding this series. these stories. the ebb and flow of cherished laughs and pained expressions, the give and take of funny dialogues and heartbreaking reveals. when the end credits songs just wash over the entire experience with additional thoughts (usually angst-y in my case). when you've realized the story you just witnessed and the story that you felt apart of will stay with you for times that seem ephemerally immemorial...

[Slight Miracle Mask and Unwound Future Spoilers near the end]

these games don't show happiness and sadness. they don't show the positives and negatives of how a scene should flow. they don't just have dialogue and action and tone and intonations. 

they have perseverance amidst tragedy, the rose within the thorn, the sun within the bleak clouds. they show that everyone in this series is human. they somehow made me feel—and not in some type of pity way—for those npcs who were stuck on what i thought was the easiest puzzle in the world. there was no humiliation, no real sense of judgement. there was respect and patience and... and there was disappointment, only in one's self. there was no invalidity of emotions. yes, there were invalid actions, but i don't have a single memory of anyone saying another character was stupid for feeling a certain way. there was passive acceptance all around and across the series, there was no stuck-up sounding laughter; no one (to my memory) ever called another stupid for messing up.

and hershel layton is one of the most human characters i have ever seen. 

i saw a fanart that consisted of hershel in different stages of life. it made me emotional, because: 

in each stage of his life that was depicted there… it wasn't growing up. it wasn't milestones of age, it wasn't certain accomplishments in his character. it showed each time he has lost someone. and god does it break my heart to see and realize that he. is still. here. the amount of pain PL characters have gone through just breaks my heart.

and i am so glad and so honestly inspired to know that. and i feel so awful for thinking my problems are bad when i look at the greatest person to ever exist in media ever, who was shaped by traumas far beyond my own. and that is not an understatement: i genuinely believe professor hershel layton is my favorite character in any media. because he and his games tell you that there is more to life than pain. and it is a lesson that i am so glad that i can finally see someone else tell.

miracle mask and unwound future are two of my favorite games because they're the games that tell the audience that he is human. it reveals how he despises—he loathes, he hates—… not emotions. no, not sadness, not regret, not remorse, not disappointment, not pain. no, none of that. 

he hates certain parts of himself. he hates how he dealt with grief. he hates it when he's shown with "proof" that he's gone and done the very thing he swore not to ever do. he doesn't even hate anyone else even though he has so much right to. he should've cussed out bronev off screen. he should've yelled at bill hawks. he shouldn't of saved clive but god what did he do. he saved clive. he saved randall. 

oh, how love is a weapon. this is it. this is one of the greatest examples of how love is a weapon in storytelling. it's not even platonic love between the characters, its the love the audience has for the characters. stories like these twist this and they do it well. but, anyway—

when i was younger, i thought hershel layton was foolish. i thought he was stupid. i used to think: "what is he doing? someone hurts him, why doesn't he want to hurt them back? what's wrong with him that he doesn't want revenge?"

i couldn't of been more... wrong about how he sees the world.

no, he's the one of the greatest persons i've ever seen in media. i've learned so much from him and the PL series as a whole. i've learned something from each and every character. [what i learned from bronev and bill hawks is just to not be them.] 

layton is the kindest person i've seen. there is no earned malice anywhere near him. he doesn't purposefully aggravate others. he isn't mean, he's not one you'd call angry. he's patient and understanding, and he was made from pain. 

if every person was at least a little bit like him, i think the world would be a better place. a place where no one has to be made from pain.

[johnniesmoke]

"Gassed Up" is a dynamic, emotionally resonant piece that captures the interplay between self-confidence, ambition, and personal connection. The track's foundation revolves around the recurring metaphor of being "gassed up," reflecting both emotional exhilaration and the literal energy needed to navigate life’s challenges.

The lyrics evoke a playful yet profound narrative, where Johnnie Smoke dives into themes of love, success, and personal growth. The song’s rhythm and flow create a vibrant energy, akin to the style of Eminem's raw and relentless lyricism, marked by an unapologetic truth. There’s a deliberate pacing to the lyrics that mirrors the storytelling tradition seen in tracks like Eminem’s “Ass like that” where every word contributes to a narrative of overcoming odds and embracing one's identity.

Johnnie Smoke’s self-referential lines, such as "You know who it is, it’s Johnny Smoke," amplify the artist’s individuality, much like Eminem’s defining self-awareness in his work. These moments are interwoven with clever wordplay and cultural nods, creating a layered experience for the listener.

The imagery shifts from romantic interactions to broader reflections on life's demands. References like "Warren Buffet driving a lemon or something" suggest a nod to Warren Buffett’s legendary frugality and his preference for simplicity over excess. The lyrics subtly champion a lifestyle that values authenticity and perseverance, akin to Buffett’s principles of discipline and long-term thinking. By juxtaposing "gassed up" energy with grounded, real-life experiences, Johnnie Smoke crafts a narrative that’s both aspirational and relatable.

The lyrical depth expands through themes of self-improvement and resilience. Lines like "She's cooking with the moves really catching a groove" juxtapose romantic intrigue with an exploration of skill and growth, a metaphor for perfecting one's craft. Meanwhile, the recurring acknowledgment of Boston roots anchors the song in a sense of place and identity.

"Gassed Up" is ultimately a love song, but its scope transcends simple romance. It becomes a celebration of movement—physical, emotional, and intellectual. Johnnie Smoke’s delivery blends charisma and introspection, making this track a testament to the artist's ability to channel vulnerability and strength into a cohesive, resonant story. Whether interpreting the lyrics through a lens of artistic ambition or viewing them as a snapshot of modern life, the song leaves the listener inspired, energized, and ready to claim their place in the world.

Gassed Up 2.0: Lyrics:

Baby's got me gassed up/

Gassed Up/

Mmmh

Could you tell me how baby got it like that. Bruh/

Ass so fat and baby's got me gassed up

Baby's got me gassed up/

Baby's got me/

Ooh

Ooh

Ooh

Ooh

Baby's got me gassed up/

Babycakes/[RIP friend]

Hot and heavy/

She tells me she likes it hot and heavy/

I tell her to hit me when she's ready/

She'll be glad she knew him before he got it/

She just wants a story for the books/

Being honest/

Dancing/

Climbing all upon she's got something extra on it/

She likes it hot and heavy/

She's cooking with the moves really catching a groove/

And I'll be shocking till noon/

What it do/

Looky/

Looky/

That's the move/

She's pulling who wouldn't with an ass like that/

Allow me to tip my cap/

Where I come from is not the trap/

I'm about eight miles from the garden out of Boston/

That's as the crow flies/

You should already know it's Johnnie smoke/

I'm hungry/

Baby's got me gassed up/

Gassed up/

Could you tell me how baby me how baby got it like that. Bruh/

Ass so fat/

And baby's got me gassed up/

Baby's got me gassed up/

Gassed up/

Ooh

Ooh

Ooh

Ooh

Baby's got me gassed up/

Gassed up/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby yeah/

That's a change for the better/

A little something for me to keep my head up/

This is a love song/

And you said/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Yeah/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

Yeah/

Took a bump to the right/

Looking dead in the lights/

It's a smile that shines/

Damn my future's looking bright/

A real trendsetter/

Picture perfect life/

You know who it is/

It's Johnnie smokes/

And I'm doing alright/

I'll only ever be that's how it is/

Warren Buffet [Transcription said "One bucket"] driving a lemon or something/

I live where I don't have to worry about bullets or fights or nothing/[Anything]

You should get like me and she's got an ass like that/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Gassed up/

Baby/

Yeah/

Baby/

Yeah/

BABYCAKES!👀

Baby's got me gassed up/

[Gassed Up]/

[Gassed up]/

Could you tell me how baby got it like that. Bruh/

Ass so fat/

And baby's got me gassed up/

Baby's got me gassed up/

Ooh/

Ooh/

Ooh/

Ooh/

Baby's got me gassed up/

Listen to Gassed Up by Johnnie Smoke on #SoundCloud

https://on.soundcloud.com/X7WZP

Listen to Gassed Up 2.0 by Johnnie Smoke on #SoundCloud

https://on.soundcloud.com/1ZfLz

[pocketpennytm]

INESCAPABLE

The story where everyone is doomed from the start. (Ft. FATEBREAKERS) Chara (they/it) - SOUL of Pain Plaster (he/they) - SOUL of Patience Omlet (she/they) - SOUL of Kindness Talon (he/him) - SOUL of Bravery Oxalis (they/them) - SOUL of Justice Sonata "Breve" Stardust (she/her)- SOUL of Integrity Litany (he/him)- SOUL of Perseverence Frisk (they/them) - SOUL of Pain Bear witness to my takes on the six fallen humans! I love these silly lil fellas. My main focuses have been envisioning "UNDERTALE: Open Wound", of which Plaster is the protagonist, and "UNDERTALE: Simmer Down", of which Omlet is the protagonist, but I've got ideas for everyone else too. Which I will detail down here lets gooo; Plaster is an anxious overthinker, thinking that they're always doomed. His patience manifests as analysing his enemy's patterns and behaviour, waiting for the right moment to strike... Either emotionally or physically. Omlet is a rude, abrasive person, who thinks the kindest, most selfless thing they can do to people is tell them exactly what she's feeling. Though she seems distant, she does have a warm and caring side- expressed through their cooking. Talon is a very plucky individual, whose bravery manifests as completely pushing down all fear and pretending that he's fine when he's really not fine. He projects outwardly a very cool, calm and collected persona, never breaking a sweat at anything. This trait of his just might be the death of him, as he moves on ahead with reckless abandon- never asking for help, when that just might've saved him. Oxalis seems unemotional at a distance, but they do have occasional moments of goofiness that break through the cold facade. They play as a cowboy embodying justice to cheer themselves up, but it's really only made them seem slightly scary from a distance. Sonata "Breve" Stardust doesn't take shit from anyone. She stays true to herself, no matter what- with her rough-and-tumble-yet-oddly-elegant style. Though perhaps being unaccepting to changing the path one is barreling down is as much of a strength as it is a weakness. Litany is a caring and nurturing person, playing out the fantasy of being a doctor with a clipboard. Always writing down notes on his "clipboard" (journal), clutching onto it for dear life. He only really wants to help others, and he keeps going to achieve this goal no matter what. MISC NOTES: Sonata's form of "game" would likely manifest as a rhythm game sort of thing, justifying it in-universe as this "bizzare trend going around the underground." Stay with the groove, or die! (metaphorically) It's been my headcanon for nearly two years now that the "Red SOUL trait" is PAIN. It is not all too logical. I am sticking by my guns.

NAME LOGIC: I was inspired by Clover from UNDERTALE: Yellow being named after the fact that once pacified, the gun fires clovers. So, I extended this philosophy to everyone else- while also seeking to capture that odd jank the names "Chara" and "Frisk" have.

Plaster is named that because the knives turn into bandaids, and plaster is an alternative term for a bandage, or something that patches up a wound. Omlet is named that because the fire turns into omelettes, and I decided to shorten it for some reason. I think it's charming like this, though. If anyone else mentions how they "aren't really omlettes", i will sob. Talon is named that because that's the most convoluted way I could reference the concept of hands. Which is what the bravery soul phase attacks with. Oxalis is named that because Oxalis Tetraphylla is the official name for a four leaf clover. Though she probably uses Alis as a nickname. Sonata "Breve" Stardust is named that bc the musical notes eventually heal you. a Sonata is a form of music, a Breve is a type of note, and she attacks with some stars. it's also sort of an Equestria Girls reference whoopsie. She's the only one with a lastname bc I feel like "Breve" captures the sort of janky charm I want, but Sonata is a name that I just found legitimately really pretty Litany is named that because that's the most convoluted way i could say "words", in reference to how the soul phase... attacks you with words. It means a funeral procession recited for the dead, but also something that's overly long and needs to be practiced several times- exactly like the cycle of the fallen humans. Or a long and lengthy ramble, like an indecipherable journal.

DESIGN NOTES: I really wanted each of the fallen humans to use their trademark items in an unusual fashion- or just generally "break the mold" a little, ie having Omlet be a rather rude seeming person, while most personify kindness to be a gentle little angel. So, I'll go into that just a smidgen more here. Instead of wearing the Faded Ribbon like an actual ribbon in his hair, Plaster wears it like a bowtie. Omlet wears the apron around her waist, since she's outgrown it but it still holds quite a lot of sentimental value. Most people just?? forget that the worn bandanna is supposed to go around your neck?? since it's got abs drawn on it, and it's like, the whole joke is that it's supposed to look like you have abs- It's a hat. Sonata was such a fun design to make for me. Everyone always chooses to make Integrity a dainty little ballerina girl, so I chose to give Breve a whole-ass varsity jacket. She looks like she'd beat you up and I love it. My logic for Litany's design was entirely "okay... who wears glasses... and takes notes- DOCTOR". So that's what I did. Chara and Frisk were difficult for me to redesign. My friend Cacote suggested Chara be wearing an oversized sweater alongside messy hair, which I quite like. Plus, their hairstyle is a partial reference to Chara from Fanontale, which is always cool. They look adorable. My friend Cacote suggested Frisk be wearing some bizzare fashion, somewhat akin to futuristic clothing. This manifested as me... giving them a weird suit/trenchcoat combo. And a sticky bandage on their nose. They look kind of like a huge asshole, and I love it.

[jonathantaylorthomas]

ED: People are saying they're inspired to shoot their shot with their crush because of Travis. Recently, you said you’re happy he shot for the stars. How do you feel about him having this impact?

DK: It’s awesome. You’re never going to achieve your dreams, do what you want, or find that person that you really care about unless you open up and you’re vulnerable. And it’s so important to try to find that person or find that career that you really want. You’re not going to get it if you never ask for it.

When I was at work, women would come up to me and ask me, “What’s the one piece of advice you could give me to become a vice president in a bank?” And I said, “If you want something, ask for it. Don’t expect anyone to ever give it to you. You have to let them know that that’s what you want.” And that’s what he basically does.

ED: Do you have any advice for shooting your shot?

DK: If you truly believe that you can be who you want to be in life, I think it’s important that you persevere because perseverance and hard work trumps talent any day.

ED: Similarly, Drew Barrymore said she was re-inspired by how much Travis and Taylor are putting their romance out there in public — like Taylor changing her song lyrics to “Karma” to reference him. What do you think about that?

DK: They’re telling their story how they want to, and I think that’s important to let them do that.

ED: What’s your advice for dealing with being in the public eye?

DK: Be yourself. Don’t try to put on any airs. Just be who you are, and I think people can relate to you.

ED: You previously said you loved the Eras tour movie. What did you love about it?

DK: I’ve listened to a different genre my whole life. So I went to the movie to find out what it was all about and how important it was for me to understand the type of music that she sang. What inspired me was that it was very artistic. She’s just amazing. As an entertainer, she can command an entire stadium, and she can reach out and make them feel like they’re special. And I think that’s a special person that can do that.

[cantsayidont]

Something that bugs me a little about the reactions to LORD OF THE RINGS is the way that fans pointedly overlook the sometimes uneasy class politics that are involved in the relationship between Frodo and Sam.

This is in no way denying that it's a homoerotic relationship, which is something that comes through vividly even in the weird, truncated Rankin-Bass RETURN OF THE KING animated adaptation from 1980. However, it's important to understand that until the last few pages of the novel, Sam is literally Frodo's servant.

Tolkien is quick to stress, as stories from class-conscious societies often do, that Sam is happy and eager to serve Frodo, and willingly does so even when there's nothing in it for him, but the story emphasizes throughout that Sam is not the social equal of Frodo, Merry, Pippin, or Bilbo. When Sam calls Frodo "Master," it's not a D/S thing; Sam is Frodo's household employee (and in a sense his batman, which Tolkien said was the inspiration for their interactions), having essentially inherited that role from his father, who was Bilbo's employee. When, in the final chapter, Frodo tells Sam to marry Rosie Cotton and movie her into Bag End, he isn't proposing a menage à trois, he is offering to hire Rosie so that Sam can combine his marriage with his full-time duties. It isn't until Frodo tells Sam, on the way to the Grey Havens, that he has made Sam his heir that Sam becomes Frodo's social equal and the master of Bag End rather than the head of its staff. (Tolkien implies elsewhere that this caused Sam some legal trouble, since there was no indication that Frodo was dead or permanently gone — and if Merry and Pippin hadn't been there to witness Frodo's departure, people would have wondered if Sam did away with his master to try to steal his estate.)

Moreover, Tolkien expressly links Sam's perseverance, loyalty, and ability to resist the power of the Ring to his knowing his place. Toward the beginning, Sam's father recalls telling him:

‘Elves and Dragons! I says to him. Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you. Don’t go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you’ll land in trouble too big for you, I says to him. And I might say it to others,’ he added with a look at the stranger and the miller.

Later (in "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"), Sam is tempted by the Ring, which shows him wild fantasies of his overthrowing Sauron and building a garden in the vale of Gorgoroth. However:

In that hour of trial it was the love of his master that helped most to hold him firm; but also deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command.

The word "free" is doing a lot of work here, since Sam is, back in the safety of Hobbiton, quite literally a hand for others to command; he tends Frodo's garden, not his own. But the point is that he recognizes his humble, inferior position in society and accepts it "freely," and that that choice gives Sam what Gandalf might have called the strength and good purpose to heroically resist a temptation that more noble and lordly types like Boromir could not.

My point is not that Sam doesn't love Frodo, which obviously he does, or the reverse, which the narrative makes plain. However, if you are not so reflexively comforted by classist fantasies of this kind, it's hard not to periodically stop and wonder, "Is this sexual harassment?"

[nero-draco]

Oshi no Ko ending

No magical macguffin ending so its nice Aka didn't pick easy option. I think this ending did well because it goes back to being what an idol means. To shine and gives hope to its fans, even with love called lies. That said the resolution feels a bit rushed since it just several wordless pages showing other characters conclusion.

Anyway if OnK ED1 tells the foreshadow Aqua's conclusion with him drowning, then OnK ED2 foreshadow Ruby's ending with her running and moving forward despite her sadness.

At the end of day Sarina/Ruby finally achieved her dream of being star idol like Ai. On the grim reality side its Aqua's death causing more sensation to Ruby to boost her career, and on the light dreamful side its Ruby's perseverance to keep going on despite the tragedy that inspires people to love and admire her. And she did by copying her mom ability to tell lies to herself.

All in all its Ruby basically succeeding where Ai fails at.

Lets think about.

What Gorou's regret? His regret unable save Sarina and let her becomes an idol.

What Sarina and Ruby's dream? To become an idol like Ai.

What Aqua's desire in the first volume? To avenge Ai and kill her murderer, Kamiki.

All that achieved one way or another. So in a sense Aka didn't lie when he said the ending is exactly what he envisioned from the beginning.

The reason why Ai falls is because Kamiki killed her. His obsession is the biggest and final obstacle to this series. Ai, the manager, Miyako, Ruby and Aqua's dream falls is because of Kamiki. The moment Aqua removed him, their dreams becomes true through Ruby, even if takes Aqua to sacrifice himself.

Now you ask does Aqua have to die? Well think about it:

How can Aqua achieve what he set to do if he survives? Ask Akane's help to create a perfect crime? Ignoring that also dirties Akane's hand in murder and ignoring the impact on her psychology onward, its also assuming that Akane can truly create a perfect crime, something that Kamiki who is just as intelligent proven to be false as his perfect crime on Ai got busted years later.

Hell I'd argue we should've seen the ending coming the very first moment Aqua said he wants to kill Ai's murderer, cause how he is gonna do so without dragging Ruby's future as an idol? I imagine this was his plan from the get go or at least after he convinced that Ruby is really serious becoming an idol.

So Aqua chooses to commit double suicide with Kamiki, but the different with Akane's attempt at suicide is that Akane did it out of despair and her doing so saves no one, while Aqua did it to save Ruby, in other words Aqua martyred himself.

Honestly my biggest gripe is that Ruby and others went from despair to having hope again in span of two chapters, and it was depicted wordless with just pictures. Its not particularly satisfying and usually Oshi no Ko will have introspective dialogue of how modern society works. The last chapters missing all that so it just feels rushed.

Also in the end the crow girl are just plot device for the reincarnation stuff and there's no explanation about them. Though someone mentioned about special chapter so if its true maybe it'll be there it gets revealed.

All in all not too bad, its a sad ending but its ties the theme well so I accept it.

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

Nisha, did you know I would step on some legos barefooted for you? Anyways can’t wait to read for another fandom I have never stepped foot in and would probably never engage with the canon in just because you decided that’s what to make, and I’ve decided to read it anyways. Home cooked meal. -Rotten Anon

The opening line of this message made literal cartoon anime hearts appear above my head, just so you know <3

Also you have inspired me to post a rundown of my WIPs because I am really excited about what I have been working on. And for two of these fandoms, I know you have said you know nothing about the canon, but for the third, I am not sure, so we'll see.

My Current WIPs April/May 2024

Heaven's Gate (for The Walking Dead) - Daryl Dixon x GN!Reader. Strangers to Lovers/Soulmates/Lovers Reunited. Angst, Fluff, Hurt and Comfort. Set during Season 1 to Season 5. 17k in counting (will be a oneshot). You can find a preview here. In this fic, you and Daryl get separated when the Governor attacks the prison, and though you both believe the other person is dead (or long gone) you find each other at the most unlikely time, in the most unlikely place.

I am super excited about this fic, and the themes of hope that I have woven into it. Because yes, I unironically love writing about hope and how the human spirit can persevere - which is something that my favourite moments in The Walking Dead show. This is first draft complete and just needs to be edited.

The Jaws of Life (for DC Titans) - Jason Todd x GN!Reader. Sequel to Emergency Contact. Lovers Reunited. Extreme Angst, Smut, Hurt and (some) Comfort. Set during Season 3. 21k in counting (will probably be a oneshot - if it needs to be split up, it will be put in two parts, but I hope I can get away with a oneshot). (I highly recommend that everyone go read the original in the meantime, because it is one of my best fics ever.) In this fic, you and Jason struggle with the new meaning of your relationship after what happened with Deathstroke - only for this tentative change to be harshly disrupted by the Joker. And you're still heavily mourning when a red hooded stranger breaks into your apartment one night, seeking medical care because apparently - you owe him one.

Everyone give Jaycen @nctzenkane a big fucking round of applause for this one, because he was randomly talking to me about Jason Todd today (we were having the 'some characters are only fuckable in costume' discussion) - and I got talking about how this version of Jason from Titans makes me so passionate to write about the character. And it is solely because of him that I opened up this fic and took a good look at it - I have been thinking about this fic for months, wanting to finish it because I know I am gonna be proud of it, but I kept hesitating because I thought I had a way bigger mountain to conquer with it. But the conversation I had with Jaycen really inspired me and I wrote 5k on the fic just today, and I realized that with this momentum, I could have the first draft done by the end of this month. So I am promising myself that this is gonna be done soon.

Speaking of which - when The Jaws of Life is first draft done, I wanna host a poll so you guys can decide which of those two ^^ fics goes through the editing process to be posted first. Both will be posted (hopefully) by the end of May, but I do wanna know which one you guys wanna see posted first. Which leads me to:

Nasty (for Stranger Things) - Sub!Eddie Munson x Dom!Fem!Reader. Established Relationship. Smut/PWP. 3k (this is gonna be a shorter fic lmao). In this fic, you and Eddie have been dating for a while, but you don't like that all of his attempts to have sex with you have him taking on a (seemingly fake) dom persona. When you finally tell him that you prefer to be more dominant in bed, he isn't disgusted like you thought he might be - he loves it.

This is one I have been sitting on for a while, and right before it was ready to be posted - my brain lost interest in it like tiktok does micro trends. But I think this is gonna be really great to post while the poll for those other fics is cooking because it's short and sweet and for the past few days, whenever I have seen the cover for this in my drafts, I have gotten excited about it again. So I am excited to finish it and show it off to everyone!!

[bonesart]

My pieces for Dimension Disability, a zine I organized for this year’s @d20zinejam

Imagine the respite of being able to sigh in relief and not be charged for the breath. To weep with joy and know that your tears cost you nothing.

When Elaine Lee created the world of Starstruck she asked us to imagine a world where humanity has achieved faster than light spaceflight space travel, invented cybernetic consciousness, and found sapient alien species, but is still ruled by a crypto-fascist hyper-capitalist corporate plutocracy. It’s really not all that hard to imagine really.

For people like me, who live with disabilities in a nation that neglects to give us free healthcare, or even universal insurance, Gunnie’s opening vignette rang a little too true. We know what it’s like to hate our bodies for how costly they are, to be haunted by the debts they accrue.

I’m not paraplegic, and I’m fortunate enough to have been raised in a household that never went uninsured. But I find myself resonating with Gunnie far more than any other disabled D20 character. He is emblematic of many of the truisms of the Disability Rights Movement: Anyone can become disabled at any time, and it is one of the only minority identities that you can gain at any point in your life. One second Gunnie was able bodied, one second he was not. His life was forever changed by an accident. None of us are immune from these catastrophes.

But he also lives in a world of medical miracles. If it weren’t for the cost of his cybernetic body, if it weren’t for the systems that imposed his debts upon him, would we still consider him disabled? Personally, yes. I think a life that requires accommodation is a disabled life. But I also recognize that the medical model of disability is flawed. There are many social forces that disable Gunnie, that disable me. If the two of us didn’t live in capitalist hell worlds, we’d be able to do many things we currently are not. Not to mention the culpability of capitalism in creating dangerous situations that lead to naive navigators being ejected into space without protective gear, or medical systems that leave chronic pain undiagnosed and untreated for over a decade (eh-hem). Gunnie’s story tells us that disability rights won’t be achieved until we shrug off the repressive systems that demand that profits come before people. But it also tells us that we need to be willing and able to care for each other and accommodate many needs even after we ritually sacrifice the execs of Eli Lilly to the Night Yorb, condemn Bezos to a life of sharing a bunk bed with Bazathrax and the Jersey Devil, and nail Elon Musk to a giant metal X before demolishing it with a classic Operation Slippery Puppet.

And Gunnie’s story tells me one more thing. There is joy to be found in a disabled life. Maria Town, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, once said, “Everyone will become disabled if they are lucky enough…Disability is not necessarily a sign of weakness or a sign of a lack of competence. It is instead a sign of survival and resilience and strength.” There are things Gunnie only does because of his experiences with disability, only because he lives in a disabled body. He counts cards, he ejects his torso from his legs in a wild gambit to get to the ship in time, he longs to free the universe of debt. I think if nothing else, my disabilities have given me determination - to fight invisible oppression, to advocate for my disabled siblings, to make it another day because fuck you migraine, fuck you OCD, you aren’t my mom- and compassion - to love everyone even, the people with minds I don’t understand, to find community with those very different from me, to help where I can.

This has been a long rambling rant (maybe my roommates’ suspicions I have AuDHD and not just the ‘tism have merit), but I hope to leave readers with the inspiration to persevere and to research and fight for disability rights. In the United States, a growing fascist movement seeks to rob us of our rights and it is suspected that the Americans with Disabilities Act is the next target. Non-Americans should also be wary of increasing encroachment of capitalism into your medical system. We all deserve an All Debts Cleared moment. Fight the good fight; the ball is not rolling up, WE ARE THE BALL!

[ID: A digital painting of Gunnie, shown from the shoulders up in profile. He is a bald, Black man with a gold and bronze cybernetic body, and a gold and bronze ring around his forehead. He is smiling, covering his mouth with one hand in disbelief, and crying out of his visible eye. A screen on his neck reads "c-0" in small green analog text. Behind him is a star-scape of indigo and magenta. Above his head, a blue panel bordered by green reads "All Debts Cleared" in green, analog, capitalized text.]

[learnfromali]

Muhammad Ali's Legendary Boxing Career

Oh, you know what time it is! We're talking about the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali! This man was a boxing machine, and he knew it. He had the speed, the power, and the quick wit to take down anyone who dared step into the ring with him.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Yalla Papi, why are we talking about boxing? This is supposed to be a blog about learning from Muhammad Ali!" Well, my dear reader, let me tell you something. Muhammad Ali's boxing career was about more than just throwing punches. It was about determination, perseverance, and fighting for what you believe in.

When Ali refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War, he knew it could cost him his boxing career. But he stuck to his principles and stood up for what he believed in, even if it meant sacrificing everything he had worked for. That takes some serious guts, my friends.

And even when he was stripped of his boxing titles, Ali didn't let it break him. He continued to train, to fight, and to inspire millions of people around the world with his dedication to his sport and his beliefs.

So, let's take a page out of Ali's book, shall we? Let's be determined, let's persevere, and let's fight for what we believe in, no matter the cost. That's what it means to be a true champion, inside and outside of the ring.

[softlighter]

Pass Through Fire

rewatching The Legend of Vox Machina season 2, episode 5, "Pass Through Fire," and having some Thoughts.

Every time I rewatch this episode, start to finish, I can't help but pay attention. I rewatch tlovm quite frequently, but this episode is goddamn gift and a spectacular feat of animation, script, everything. From the start, with the meta-theme of the voice of Korra the Avatar as Keyleth's mom's voice actor, and the setting of the episode theme and how it's not just about power, it's about her mom, this episode just starts and it doesn't stop. It might honestly be my favorite episode of the whole series, for so many reasons, but to specifically analyze in regards to Kiki, it's a goddamn gift.

So, let's talk about it! Let's talk about the score and the motifs repeating from during her last conversation with her mother into Keyleth then hearing the wind and then transforming into a fire elemental. I'm not qualified to discuss musical score as a factor, I really am musically illiterate, but you can hear the repeated notes and sections throughout the episode, which makes the final "Pass Through Fire" score all the more powerful. You hear it in "Wind" on the soundtrack as well, which is what plays during her goodbye with her mother, and which is beautiful but ends with this emptiness, this solemnity. You hear the motif on the wind, calling her to Pyrah, but the final "Pass Through Fire" is triumphant and powerful, above all else. It's not this just major triumph in battle as a victory, it is a personal triumph, it's Keyleth recalling her mother's last lesson to her and being able to finally actively internalize it. It's self-actualization and self-acceptance after so much self doubt. It's empowerment, not just power. It is her mother, it is the memory of her mother, and it is Kiki herself.

And, on every rewatch, this effect only becomes more pronounced because you notice the repeated motif, even if only unconsciously, and it's staggering. This past rewatch, the scene of Keyleth transforming and passing through fire genuinely brought me to tears, which I do not say lightly! Even before this, I always got chills when watching this episode, and so much of that, for me at least, is from the thematic impact of the score.

But enough about music which, again, I am not qualified to talk about, let's talk about character analysis!

Keyleth as a young child, an Air Ashari. Her mother's final lesson to her is that it only hurts if you let it, and let's examine that. Fire needs air to live, pain needs us in order to be felt by us, but it only hurts if you let it. Her mother is saying, you are not wood or timber, you were not meant to be consumed by pain, you were made to continue through it, to persevere. And then when we look at Keyleth at the end of campaign one, in the smallest nods we see in campaign two, in the published books from CR, and now in campaign three, I think we can definitively say she is someone who perseveres. She goes on, however painful it is. Keyleth is endurance, Keyleth is inner strength.

Throughout the episode, we see her fighting. Not just physically, but fighting internally, finding the strength. She's fighting to follow the wind, fighting to go to Pyrah and help, fighting to tell her father that her mastery is not where she thinks it should be, but she ends the episode having completed the fire trial. What does this say, what does this tell us? Keyleth is a surviver. She's a fighter, and she's a qualified one. Marisha has said she was inspired by Avatar The Last Airbender, and I especially see allusions to the Book One, episode fourteen, "The Fortuneteller," in this episode and its effect, specifically as to when Sokka says he forgets what a powerful bender Aang is.

Keyleth, mechanically, is a prime choice for considering who is the most powerful member of Vox Machina, and I'm not saying she is or isn't, what I'm saying is this episode was a reminder to her and to us the audience how powerful she is. She carries the heaviest burden out of Vox Machina by the end, save perhaps for Vax, in that she has to lead for the thousands of years that she will live, and she will see everyone she loves die as she barely ages. She is powerful, she perseveres, she continues onward.

This episode brings to tears to my eyes because Keyleth is strong. Her strength is not her druidic might, although that is one path for its expression. She's strong because she perseveres, because she passes through fire, because she has the inner will to continue on.

[uncaaj]

Fanfic: Turnabout Union (DuckTales 2017 x Ace Attorney)

Inspired by THIS post by @ravenconspiracy and @georgiarose

READ NOW ON AO3!

“Ah, Mr. Crackwright,” said the secretary, tapping away at her dated computer. “They have you in Courtroom No. 4 today. I’ll call a bailiff to escort you.”

The lawyer in the blue suit nodded. “Thank you.” It suddenly dawned on ace attorney Fenton Crackwright how much this felt like the first time, despite it being the hundredth time.

Opening the door to Defendant Lobby No. 4, he saw the first defendant he ever saved, a poor unlucky sap by the name of Drake Butz.

Fenton straightened his magenta tie and waved, “Good morning, Drake,” he said in a warming voice.

His client was slumped over the firm leather sofa, head in his lap, hands gripping his shaggy hair. “What good is it, really? She isn’t here, and once again, I’m the guy they pin it on.”

Fenton shook his head and walked over to his lifelong friend. “It doesn’t help when you have a history of breaking and entering, however noble it is.” He held his hand out.

“You know he’s gonna bring that up, first chance he gets!” Drake whined, taking Fenton’s hand and letting the attorney hoist him to his feet.

“I’ve handled Donald Payne before,” said Fenton, brushing down the wrinkles in Drake’s purple jacket. “There’s not a claim he can make that the Court Record can’t refute.”

“Or that you can’t bluff your way out of,” Drake pointed out.

Fenton brushed his long hair back with a nervous chuckle. “Or that.”

He never intended saving his case at the last second and bluffing on everything to be his signature strategy, but Fenton Crackwright’s cases required the kind of tenacity and perseverance that only he was capable of.

Fenton set a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “You know I believe in you to the end.”

Drake straightened up and smiled. “Thanks, Fen.”

Fenton backed away from Drake as his attention wandered around the room. The mahogany furniture, plain walls decorated with stuffy landscapes, and two bailiffs standing at attention carried an aura of importance. This place could make or break a person, entirely at the hands of two lawyers passionately presenting their facts to sway the judge. 

“You know,” Fenton remarked, “I can’t help feeling some semblance of deja vu. It’s been such a long road to get here, with hurdles and detours, and grueling battles. Every murder is horrific, but somehow a murder case involving you almost feels normal.” Fenton turned around and flashed a nervous smile. “I hope you don’t think I’m minimizing your case.”

Drake shrugged. “I know my reputation precedes me. ‘When something smells’ and all that.”

“If you feel this is normal, Crackwright, I would suggest rising from your laurels.”

Fenton startled, sensing a ghost in the courthouse with a voice he hadn’t heard in months. He turned toward the lobby entrance and took a step back, eyes widening at the sight of what might as well have been a ghost. A tall lanky rooster in a magenta suit with a frilly cravat hanging from his neck walked gingerly inside, hands behind his back. His cold, tired face carried years its owner had not earned in the tradition of time, but had been burdened with through unfortunate circumstances.

“Fenton,” greeted Gyro Edgeloose.

Fenton cleared his throat, words sputtering in his bill. “Gyro! Y-you’re back!”

Drake’s bill dropped open. “Edgey?! Well, whaddaya know, the gang’s back together!”

“Wh-when did you get back into town?” said Fenton to his long-time rival.

The demon attorney looked away. “Last week.”

Fenton was knocked off his feet from shock. “And you never thought to tell me? Tell any of us?”

“I’m surprised Detective Launchpad didn’t shout it from the precinct steps,” Gyro remarked.

Fenton jumped up. “…you told Detective Launchpad first?!” His feet pulled him closer to Gyro as the words poured out of him. “Y-you disappeared for months! I could barely sleep most nights wondering if Edgeloose might turn up tomorrow!”

Drake shook his head and sat back at the bench. “I feel like I’m watching one of your mamá’s soap operas, Fentonino.”

 Gyro crossed his arms and looked away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, but you had no need to worry so rashly. I was merely undertaking some self-discovery.”

“That’s not what someone says after they disappeared without a trace,” said Fenton, slipping into his pressing voice.

Gyro rolled his eyes. “You’re being ridiculous. Have you learned nothing since I’ve been gone?”

Fenton was tiring of this. “I would sooner ask you the same question! What self-discovery journey leaves you just as closed off as before?”

“And you are still as emotional and distracted as before!” Gyro exclaimed, “We’re on opposite sides of the law, Crackwright! We have to face each other in five minutes time!”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t still care about you!” yelled Fenton, pointer finger outstretched. “Why can’t you open up to me?!”

The world flashed negative for a split second then all Fenton saw was the rooster, his enemy turned fellow truth seeker that abandoned him. Fenton knew what was coming next. The warmth of the jewel around his neck told him so. It just never failed to catch him off guard, at his most vulnerable. The chains only he could see whipped past him and wrapped around Gyro. Fenton steeled himself as the last piece of the puzzle slammed into place.

The Psyche-Lock he had yet to crack. That was why.

Fenton rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You frustrate me, Gyro. We’ve known each other forever…we put the people behind both our demons behind bars…and yet you still remain closed off to me.”

Gyro rubbed his arm, looking away. “Then why don’t you? Get it over with and break me down like I know you want to?”

Fenton paused. He had never been more sure of what he needed to say than this moment. “Because I don’t have the evidence I need right now. In court and in life, it’s all we have to change minds. But I swear to you that whether you want it or not, I’ll be there for you. We’ll meet in these walls and outside until I have what I need to truly understand you. However long it takes.”

The air between the two lawyers hung there for a moment. Fenton much preferred this over flying by his seat in the courtroom. He didn’t need to grasp at straws, didn’t need to flounder above water to maintain his case. Here, with Gyro, the pressure was off and they could just be.

“You helped me find the truth,” Fenton said, “You can’t go through life alone anymore.”

Gyro adjusted his stance with a long, wet sigh. “Once again, you’ve saddled me with unnecessary feelings…feelings that I can’t deny or admit I dislike. Feelings that are against all I’ve been taught to believe. The truth isn’t human like we are.”

Fenton smiled and closed the gap dividing them. “That’s what’s beautiful about it, about us. Truth changes us.”

“You may be right, Fenton,” said Gyro, “How did you grow so much unlike me?”

“You rubbed off on me, Gyro,” said Fenton. “You changed me. Maybe I can return the favor someday.”

“Defendant!” 

The wood of the defendant lobby returned to view. Both lawyers blinked and turn to the source of the voice. 

“Court is about to begin,” barked the bailiff. “Please make your way inside the courtroom.”

Returning their gaze to each other, they realized how close their beaks were from meeting with a start. Fenton stepped backward with a nervous chuckle.

“Think about it, Gyro. It can start as simple as you’d like. With burgers, even.”

Gyro chuckled despite himself and returned the smile that continually served to humanize him. “I will consider your offer.” With that, the prosecutor took his leave.

“Good luck, Gyro!” Fenton called. “But not too much.”

Gyro chuckled as he opened the door. “Same to you.”

+++

“All rise!” echoed the bailiff’s voice. All voices quieted down and each member in attendance rose to their feet. “The Honorable Judge Scrooge McDuck presiding!”

A duck with sideburns emerged from a door placed high above the courtroom floor. The only sound bouncing around the hallowed walls was his footsteps, hidden by his flowing black robe. He took his seat and took hold of his gavel.

“Thank ye,” he said, “Be seated, everyone.” With the crack of his gavel, all in attendance returned to their seat, except for the two lawyers placed at either side of the foot of the judge’s pedestal

“Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Drake Butz,” said the judge. “Mr. Edgeloose, I understand you were brought in at the last minute to replace Mr. Payne. Are you ready for what’s to come?”

Gyro cleared his throat and addressed the judge. “Nonetheless, I am happy to be back, and you can rest assured…” He looked toward Fenton, features hardened with determination. “The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.”

That look told Fenton everything he wanted and needed to know. His new adventure with his former rival was now under way, and he was prepared to face whatever it would bring. As long as Gyro Edgeloose was by his side, the path to truth was always clear.

“Very well,” said the judge. “Are you prepared, Mr. Crackwright?”

Fenton nodded. “The defense is ready, Your Honor.”