#which contrasts Mayor quite well

[askblueandviolet]

what was it like living with xiuying?? any embarrassing moments you saw?? id imagine it was fun. c:

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[daryldicksuckon69]

Unspoken Truths (16+)

Pair: Daryl Dixon x Reader

Era: Alexandria Era (No particular season, Glenn, Abraham live and there's no Saviors)

Tags: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Teasing by the whole group

Word Count: 5.1k

Warnings: none

Summary: Daryl and Reader and reminded that they need to step into reality and admit the growing attraction between the two of them that literally everyone else sees except them.

@futuremilfemma hey :) i saw that your request were open and i had something in my mind 🤭 first of all i love your fics and your writing style especially in „ride his motorcycle“ when the character had this cute relationship with the women of the group and their little gossip sessions. sooo i was wondering if you could write something like this: the group finally settles down in alexandria (pre negan) the reader and daryl have known eachother since the quarry (they went hunting together. bonded over past trauma, etc.) and they have always hit it off and are now labeled as best friends but everyone around them can see that they feel more. like they try and convince them to confess and all but they just keep admiring eachother from afar especially daryl when he sees the reader getting ready for the party at deanna‘s? sorry if that‘s too much i would just love reading something like this

A/N: Thanks for the request emma, I hope this is what you were looking for. I was keke-ing while writing about the girls and guys teasing reader and daryl haha

The walls of Alexandria loomed in the distance, a symbol of safety and normalcy in a world where both had become distant memories. Daryl, perched against the frame of the front porch, watched the community come alive. People bustled about, preparing for a party Deanna was hosting that night—a strange but welcome change of pace from the endless survivalist days on the road.

He wasn’t sure how he felt about all this. The quiet, the calm—it unnerved him. It was a stark contrast to the constant danger they’d faced since the prison, the farm; since anything in his life, even before people lost their brains: Alexandria seemed almost too good to be true.

And then there was you.

You had been with him from the beginning, always by his side during hunts, sharing long silences and stories of past hurts, unspoken but understood. Over the years, you’d become his anchor, the one person he could trust completely. The one person he didn’t feel judged by, and the one who saw past his rough exterior. You got him in a way no one else did.

Which is why it was complicated now, more than ever.

His gaze flickered to the house where you were getting ready for the party. The curtains were drawn back, and he could see you through the open window. You’d always been beautiful to him, though he’d never said it aloud. That wasn’t his way, after all. But tonight, something was different. Maybe it was the fact that you had spent so long getting ready, or maybe it was the way the soft glow of the evening light bathed you in an ethereal warmth. Whatever it was, Daryl couldn’t look away.

You were standing in front of a mirror, adjusting the dress he’d recognised all too well. 

You and Daryl had gone on a supply run, just the two of you—like old times. Though Alexandria offered some respite from the chaos, there were still days when you both preferred the quiet of the woods, where the only sounds were your footsteps and the rustle of leaves.

It had been a rough few days, though. A week ago, Spencer, Mayor Deanna’s son, had rejected you. The memory of his dismissive words still stung—how he’d said you were “nice,” but he wasn’t looking for anything serious. It wasn’t just the rejection that hurt, but the way he’d made you feel small, like you were an afterthought.

Daryl hadn’t pried, but he knew something was off. He’d seen the sadness you tried to hide and how your smile didn’t quite reach your eyes lately.

“Need somethin’?” Daryl asked as he pulled open the door to what used to be a boutique, stepping inside first to make sure it was clear.

“No, just looking,” you muttered, following him in. The boutique was a sad shell of its former self. Clothes lay scattered across the floor, mannequins toppled, and the scent of dust and decay filled the air.

You trailed behind him, not really interested in finding anything specific—just glad to be moving. Daryl moved with his usual quiet intensity, sifting through racks with a practised eye. He didn’t speak much, but his presence was a comfort. He’d always been that for you, even when words weren’t necessary.

As you wandered near the back of the store, your gaze fell on a shattered mirror. You stared at your reflection for a moment, feeling the weight of Spencer’s rejection creeping back in. The cracked glass seemed to echo how you felt inside—fractured, unimportant.

Suddenly, Daryl’s voice cut through your thoughts. “Hey.”

You turned, and your heart skipped at the sight of him holding up a dress—a simple, sleeveless one in a soft, faded green. He held it awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure how to handle it, but his expression was serious as ever. “Thought this might suit ya.”

For a moment, you were speechless. The idea of Daryl, tough and rugged, holding up a dress for you was almost surreal. But the sincerity in his eyes softened the moment.

“Me?” You arched a brow, stepping closer to inspect the dress. “You really think so?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged, not meeting your eyes. “Kinda matches your eyes, I guess. I dunno.” He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable but pushing through. “Just… figured ya might like it. After… y’know.”

It took you a second to realise what he meant. After Spencer. It wasn’t just that Spencer had rejected you– it was the casual way he’d brushed you aside, as though your feelings were nothing more than an inconvenience. It has cut deeper than you wanted to admit.

The realisation made your chest tighten, but not with sadness this time—with something else. He wasn’t just showing you a dress. He was trying to make you feel better, in the way only Daryl could.

A soft smile tugged at your lips. “Thanks, Daryl. That’s… sweet.”

He grunted, clearly embarrassed, his gaze darting away. “Ain’t nothin’. Just a stupid dress.”

But you shook your head. “No, it’s not stupid. I like it.”

For the first time in days, you felt the shadow that had been hanging over you lift just a little. The dress was a gesture, small but significant. Daryl didn’t give compliments easily, and for him to go out of his way to do something like this—it meant more than you could put into words.

You took the dress from his hands, feeling the worn fabric between your fingers. “Maybe I’ll wear it to the next one of Deanna’s parties,” you joked lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Daryl’s eyes flicked to yours, and for a split second, something unreadable passed between you. “You should,” he muttered, his voice low but firm. “You’d look real good.”

You blinked, surprised by the weight behind his words. His gaze lingered on yours for a moment longer before he turned back to the rack of clothes, mumbling something under his breath. It wasn’t like Daryl to give compliments, much less ones that carried so much weight.

Your heart fluttered at the thought.

Tucking the dress under your arm, you smiled softly to yourself. Spencer’s rejection suddenly seemed like a distant memory. Maybe it didn’t matter what he thought. Maybe the only person whose opinion really mattered was standing right in front of you.

He saw the way you ran your hands over the fabric, smoothing it down before reaching up to touch your hair. It was rare to see you like this—clean, dressed up. It made his heart race in a way he couldn’t quite explain. He wasn’t even sure if you ever really noticed how hard he tried, in his own way, to make you feel like you mattered.

“What’re you starin’ at, Dixon?”

Daryl stiffened at the voice behind him. Rick. Of course.

“Nothin’,” he muttered, turning away from the window as if caught doing something wrong. But Rick wasn’t buying it, and the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth told Daryl that much.

“Yeah, sure. Nothin’.” Rick chuckled softly, clapping a hand on Daryl’s shoulder. “Everyone sees it, you know.”

Daryl frowned, his eyes narrowing. “Sees what?”

Rick raised an eyebrow. “You and her. You think nobody’s noticed the way you two are? C’mon, Daryl. It’s obvious.”

Daryl shifted uncomfortably, his boots scraping against the porch floor. He wanted to scoff, shrug it off like Rick was wrong, but the truth stuck in his throat like splinters. It wasn't just how you made him feel—he was terrified of what would happen if you knew.

“Ain’t like that.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Rick’s tone was teasing but gentle, like he knew exactly what Daryl was feeling. “You ever think about just… telling her?”

Daryl’s throat tightened at the thought. Confess? To you? The idea seemed ridiculous. You were his best friend—why would you want anything more from a guy like him? You deserved better. Someone who could give you more than just broken words and awkward silences.

“Nah,” he finally muttered. “Ain’t my place.”

Rick sighed, giving him a sympathetic look. “You’re not fooling anyone. Just think about it.”

With that, Rick walked away, leaving Daryl alone with his thoughts. He huffed in frustration, casting another glance toward your window. You were moving now, stepping back from the mirror to admire your reflection. A soft smile touched your lips, and something inside Daryl clenched.

He didn’t deserve to feel this way, did he? Not about you.

But he couldn’t help it.

The small house in Alexandria buzzed with excitement as you stood in front of the mirror, tugging at the green dress Daryl had found for you on that run weeks ago. You weren’t exactly used to getting dressed up, and the idea of attending Deanna’s party made you feel awkward, even if the people around you seemed eager for a night of normalcy.

Behind you, Rosita lounged on the bed with her legs crossed, twirling a strand of her hair, while Carol and Maggie were sorting through a small pile of accessories on the table. Michonne leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed, a knowing smirk already playing at her lips.

“You know,” Rosita said, eyeing you with a sly grin, “if you’re getting all dolled up like that, maybe it’s not just for the party.”

You blinked at her through the mirror. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, c’mon,” Carol chimed in, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “You’ve been wearing that same look all afternoon. Like you’re not sure if you’re nervous about the party or something else… or someone else.”

Your cheeks burned instantly, and you turned to look at her. “Carol, don’t start—”

“Daryl,” Maggie finished for her, waggling her eyebrows playfully. “We’re talking about Daryl.”

You groaned, shaking your head, but the teasing only intensified. Michonne smirked, uncrossing her arms and stepping closer. “Oh yeah. It’s obvious,” she added. “The way he looks at you… like he’s ready to rip apart anyone who so much as breathes in your direction.”

“Pfft,” Rosita snickered, shifting on the bed. “That man’s got it bad for you. I mean, you’ve been glued to his side since day one. You’re practically the Bonnie to his Clyde. Except way less murder-y… sometimes.”

You laughed despite yourself. “We’re just friends.”

Maggie let out a small chuckle, shaking her head. “If you two are ‘just friends,’ then Rick and Michonne are still ‘just patrolling together,’” she teased, throwing a playful glance at Michonne, who raised a brow in mock offense.

“Hey, at least Rick and I own it now,” Michonne quipped, smirking. “You two? You’ve been dancing around each other forever.”

“Maybe he’s just waiting for the right moment,” Carol said thoughtfully, her smile turning softer. “Daryl’s like that. He’s patient, but… when he cares about someone, he doesn’t let go.”

You bit your lip, trying to ignore the way your heart sped up at her words. It wasn’t like you hadn’t thought about it before—about Daryl, about what he meant to you. But you’d always pushed those thoughts aside. Why ruin a good thing?

Rosita, though, wasn’t about to let you off the hook. She stood up and walked over, grinning as she picked up a necklace from the table and held it up to your neck. “Come on, admit it. You’ve noticed the way he looks at you, haven’t you? He watches you like you’re the last good thing in this world.”

You swallowed hard, your mind drifting back to the way Daryl had looked at you earlier today when you caught him staring before the party. The way his eyes softened just slightly, the way he averted his gaze as if he was afraid of being caught.

Maggie smirked, stepping closer and nudging your arm. “Face it, girl. Y’all are the definition of ‘cute couple that won’t admit it.’”

“I—” you started, but Michonne cut you off, crossing her arms again with a teasing grin.

“Daryl may be rough around the edges, but let me tell you, when it comes to you…” She paused for dramatic effect, raising a brow. “He’d take real good care of you.”

Your face went hot. “Michonne!”

“What?” Rosita laughed, slinging an arm around your shoulder as she wiggled her brows. “You know it’s true. He’s got that whole protective thing going on, like he’s just waiting to step in and—”

“Rosita, stop,” you groaned, covering your face in embarrassment.

But the room erupted into laughter, and even you couldn’t help but smile behind your hands. The teasing was relentless, but you knew it came from a place of love. They saw something in the way Daryl and you interacted—something you had been too scared to fully acknowledge yourself.

As the laughter died down, Carol stepped forward, her expression soft and kind. “We’re only teasing because we care about you. And him. He might not be good with words, but Daryl… he shows how he feels in other ways.”

Maggie nodded, her voice gentle. “Like finding that dress for you. You know he didn’t just stumble on it by accident, right? He wanted you to have something nice. For yourself.”

“I can think of something else he wants her to have all to herself,” Rosita quips, turning the room into a bottle of laughter once again. 

You looked down at the green fabric, brushing your fingers over it. Daryl had given it to you during one of your lowest moments, and you hadn’t realised until now how much it truly meant. It wasn’t just a dress. It was his way of saying he saw you, that you mattered to him.

Rosita gave you a playful nudge. “He may not say it out loud, but actions speak louder than words, right?”

You met her eyes through the mirror, and for a moment, everything felt so clear. The tension between you and Daryl had been building for so long, and maybe—just maybe—it was time to stop pretending it didn’t exist.

“Whatever happens tonight,” Maggie said, adjusting a bracelet on your wrist, “just remember—we all think you two would be great together.”

“Yeah,” Rosita added with a wink, “and don’t be surprised if Daryl tries to ‘take real good care of you’ later.”

You groaned again, laughing despite yourself. “You guys are terrible.”

Michonne grinned, her voice low and teasing. “Terrible? Maybe. But we’re right.”

And deep down, you really wanted them to be right.

The sun had begun to set by the time the party was in full swing. The house was filled with laughter, chatter, and the clinking of glasses as the residents of Alexandria tried to pretend, just for a moment, that the world outside wasn’t in ruins. Daryl stood in the corner, his arms crossed over his chest, scanning the room with the practised eye of someone who never quite let his guard down.

And then you walked in.

He hadn’t seen you since earlier when you were getting ready, and now that you were here, it was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. The dress you wore was simple, but it hugged your frame in a way that made Daryl’s heart stutter. Your hair was loose, framing your face, and your eyes… your eyes were searching the room until they found him.

When you smiled, his throat went dry.

Daryl quickly looked away, feeling like an idiot. He was supposed to be a damn hunter, a man of few words, not some lovesick fool gawking at his best friend from across the room.

“Wow,” came a voice at his side. Daryl looked over to see Carol, who had caught his reaction and was now giving him a knowing grin. “You really should tell her, you know.”

“Not you too,” Daryl grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Carol chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I’m just saying, Daryl. It’s been obvious for a long time. She feels the same way—you can see it in the way she looks at you.”

Daryl shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t know how to respond to that. Feel the same way? No. That couldn’t be possible. Could it?

“Why don’t you go talk to her?” Carol nudged him gently. “It’s a party, after all.”

Daryl hesitated. He wasn’t good with this kind of stuff—feelings, emotions, talking. But as he glanced back at you, standing there, laughing with Maggie and Glenn, he realised that maybe Rick and Carol were right.

You spotted him as he was walking out into the yard, your eyes lighting up as you excused yourself from the conversation and made your way over to him just outside the house.

He could spend the rest of his life admiring you from afar, or he could take a risk.

"I'm goin' out for a smoke," Daryl nods, as he leaves through the back door.

The dim street light reflected the sheen of sweat on his toned bicep, Daryl’s eye locked on you as you made your way over to him. It was hard to see his expression as the setting of the sun glared in your eyes.

His heart pounded in his chest as you approached, every step making him more nervous than he’d ever been facing walkers.

“Hey,” you greeted softly, stopping just in front of him. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Daryl mumbled, avoiding your gaze for a moment before finally looking at you. “You, uh… you look nice.”

You smiled, a hint of surprise flickering in your eyes. “Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He snorted at that, shaking his head. “Ain’t nothin’ fancy ‘bout me.”

“I like you just the way you are,” you said, your voice soft but sincere.

Daryl’s breath caught in his throat. There it was again—that feeling. The one he’d been trying to ignore for so long. The one that made his heart race whenever you were near. He swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.

Before he could stop himself, the words came tumbling out.

“You ever think about… us?”

Your brow furrowed slightly in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Us,” he repeated, his voice rougher than he intended. “I mean… hell, I dunno. Everyone keeps sayin’… like maybe there’s more. Between us.”

You blinked, processing his words, and for a moment Daryl feared he’d made a huge mistake. But then your expression softened, and you took a small step closer.

“Yeah,” you admitted quietly. “I’ve thought about it. A lot.”

Daryl’s heart stuttered in his chest. “Yeah?”

You nodded, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from his face. “I thought you’d never say anything.”

“I didn’t think I deserved to,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

You smiled at that, and the warmth in your eyes nearly undid him. “You’ve always deserved it, Daryl.”

And with that, the unspoken truth between you finally became clear. You had always been more than just best friends. You had always been each other’s home, in this world of chaos and ruin.

Maybe it was time you both admitted it.

The moment hung between you and Daryl like a fragile thread, one pull away from unraveling everything. His admission still echoed in your ears, making your heart race. You stood in front of him, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body, your pulse quickening with each second that passed. You could feel the tension—thick, electric—stretching between you, both of you aware that this was a moment you couldn’t come back from.

You swallowed, your throat tight. “Daryl…”

He was still avoiding your gaze, the vulnerability in his expression so foreign it almost took your breath away. Daryl Dixon, the man who had survived everything, was scared—of you, of what this meant. You could see it in the way his hands clenched into fists at his sides, the way his jaw tightened as if he was bracing himself for something he couldn’t control.

But there was something else in his eyes too. Something raw and hungry, something that made your skin tingle.

“Daryl,” you whispered again, softer this time, stepping closer. He didn’t back away. Instead, his blue eyes flickered up to meet yours, and the intensity there sent a shiver down your spine.

Before either of you could think twice, before you could second-guess or push it away, your hands found his jacket, gripping the worn leather like it was the only thing anchoring you to reality. His breath hitched as you closed the distance between you, and in the next heartbeat, your lips were on his.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative—like you were testing the waters, unsure of how far you could go. But the moment his lips moved against yours, the hesitation melted away. Daryl’s hands came up to your waist, pulling you closer as if he’d been holding himself back for too long. The gentle touch of his calloused fingers sent sparks through your skin, making you gasp against his mouth.

That was all the encouragement he needed.

The kiss deepened, his grip tightening around your waist as he pulled you flush against him. The world outside—the party, the people, the chaos—faded into the background until it was just you and Daryl. You could taste the intensity of his need, the years of unspoken words between you bleeding into every brush of your lips. He kissed you like you were the only thing that mattered, like he’d been starving for this—starving for you.

Your heart pounded as you tangled your fingers in his hair, tugging just enough to draw a low, guttural sound from the back of his throat. The noise sent a wave of heat rushing through your body, and suddenly, you wanted more. Needed more.

Daryl seemed to feel the same. His hands slid up your sides, his thumbs brushing the fabric of your dress in a way that made you shiver. He broke the kiss just long enough to look at you, his breath ragged, his eyes dark with want.

“You sure ‘bout this?” he rasped, his voice rough with restraint. His thumb traced slow circles on your hip, as though he was fighting against the very desire that had his body trembling with tension.

In response, you tugged him down again, crashing your lips against his. It wasn’t soft this time. It was all heat and desperation, like you couldn’t get enough of him, like you were trying to make up for all the time you’d spent denying this.

He groaned against your mouth, the sound vibrating through you as his hands gripped your hips harder, pulling you closer. You could feel his body against yours, all hard muscle and heat, and it made your knees weak. Without breaking the kiss, Daryl backed you against the nearest wall, your back pressing against the cool surface as his mouth trailed down your jawline to the sensitive skin of your neck.

“God, Daryl,” you breathed, your fingers clutching his shoulders as he kissed his way down your throat, the rough scrape of his stubble igniting a fire beneath your skin.

He pulled back just enough to look at you, his lips swollen from the kiss, his breathing heavy. “I ain’t… I ain’t good at this,” he muttered, his voice low, filled with doubt. But there was a vulnerability there too, a softness that made your heart ache.

You cupped his face in your hands, brushing your thumb along his jawline. “You’re better than you think,” you whispered, leaning in to press another soft kiss to his lips.

The reassurance seemed to break whatever was left of his hesitation. His hands were back on you, running down your sides, his fingers skimming over your dress before gripping your thighs and lifting you up effortlessly. Your legs wrapped around his waist, and you could feel every inch of him pressed against you.

Daryl kissed you again, rougher this time, his hands sliding under your dress, fingertips brushing against bare skin. His touch was searing, leaving trails of fire in its wake, and the need pooling in your core only intensified. His body pressed against yours, pinning you against the wall, and you could feel the hard planes of his chest, the heat of his skin through the thin fabric of his shirt.

“Daryl…” you whispered, your breath hitching as his hands roamed higher, slipping beneath your dress. Every touch sent a shiver of pleasure through you, and you arched against him, craving more of his heat, more of him.

His lips were back on yours, his kiss desperate and demanding. You could feel the tension in his body, the way he held himself back, like he was afraid of losing control. But that was exactly what you wanted—you wanted him to lose control, to let go of all the tension he’d been holding for so long. His hands were gripping your waist, pulling you closer, and the heat between you was undeniable. His breath was heavy against your neck, lips grazing your skin, when—

“Daryl? You out here?” Rick’s voice cut through the air like a bucket of cold water.

Both of you froze, bodies tense and pressed together against the wall. You heard the sound of boots approaching, and panic shot through you. Daryl stepped back quickly, dropping his hands from your waist, but not before Rick rounded the corner, his brows shooting up in surprise.

“Oh, uh—sorry,” Rick said, holding up his hands in a mock surrender, though there was a smirk creeping onto his face. “Didn’t mean to… interrupt.”

Your face flushed red as you adjusted your dress, smoothing it down, while Daryl scrubbed a hand over his face, clearly flustered. His shoulders were still tense, and he shot Rick a look that could’ve melted steel.

Rick, ever the leader, just shrugged. “Deanna’s lookin’ for you two. Figured I’d check out back. Didn’t expect to find… this.”

You opened your mouth to say something—anything—but words failed you. The heat of the moment had been so intense, so all-consuming, that being yanked back to reality felt almost disorienting. Daryl, on the other hand, let out a low grunt, clearly still agitated by the sudden intrusion.

Rick, picking up on the tension, tried to backtrack. “Look, I’ll tell her I couldn’t find you. Give you some more time.”

“No,” you blurted, straightening your back and forcing a shaky laugh. “No, it’s fine. We’ll… we’ll be there in a minute.”

Rick nodded, the smirk still lingering on his lips as he backed away, throwing one last glance at Daryl. “Y’all take your time.”

As soon as he was gone, you and Daryl were left in awkward silence. You dared a glance at him, his eyes still burning with something you couldn’t quite place—frustration, embarrassment, maybe both. He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head slightly.

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, his voice rougher than usual. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

You swallowed hard, the moment that had felt so heated now replaced with a strange tension. But you managed a small smile, stepping closer and brushing your fingers lightly against his hand. “It’s not your fault.”

His gaze flickered to you, softer now, but still conflicted. He hesitated, like he wasn’t sure what to say next, but before he could speak, you gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come on,” you said, your voice gentle but firm. “Let’s get back inside.”

As you walked back inside, Daryl’s hand brushing yours was a silent promise. The air between you was charged with what had just happened, but there was a new understanding. “We’ll talk later,” you said quietly, and he nodded, a small smile breaking through his earlier tension.

The house was bustling when you walked back in, laughter and music filling the air, the warmth of the party wrapping around you like a blanket. You felt a bit dishevelled, your mind still lingering on what had almost happened out there.

As you stepped inside, you were greeted with knowing looks from your friends. Maggie’s eyes landed on you first, and she exchanged a smirk with Rosita, who was sitting on the couch. Carol and Michonne were nearby, their gazes flicking between you and Daryl, who had taken up his usual stance near the door, trying to stay invisible.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” Rosita teased, raising an eyebrow at you. Her eyes darted from you to Daryl, a grin spreading across her face. “You two were gone for a while. Everything okay?”

Your face flushed again, and you glanced at Daryl, who was doing his best to avoid everyone’s eyes. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, shuffling his feet, and you couldn’t help but laugh nervously.

“Yeah,” you managed, trying to sound casual. “We just… needed some air.”

“Uh-huh,” Maggie drawled, her tone dripping with amusement. “Is that what they call it these days?”

Carol, who had been watching quietly from the side, stepped forward with a soft smile. “Glad you two finally got some air. It’s about time.”

You blinked, unsure of how to respond, but before you could, Michonne chimed in, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. “You two need a map, or did you manage to find your way back okay?”

“Michonne!” you groaned, burying your face in your hands as everyone around you erupted into laughter. Even Rick, who had rejoined the group, couldn’t suppress his grin.

Daryl, still standing off to the side, cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention. But there was a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“You alright, Daryl?” Rick asked, his voice teasing but with genuine care beneath it.

Daryl grunted in response, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ain’t nothin’,” he muttered, but his eyes briefly flicked to you, and the tension between you was still there, simmering beneath the surface.

Rosita, never one to miss a beat, leaned back on the couch and sighed dramatically. “Well, if that’s what fresh air does, maybe we should all get some.”

Laughter rippled through the group again, and this time, you couldn’t help but laugh with them. The teasing, though relentless, was filled with warmth, and you felt a sense of relief wash over you. They weren’t judging you—they were happy. Happy that, after everything, you and Daryl had finally taken a step toward something more.

Carol caught your eye, her smile gentle as ever. “Don’t let us embarrass you too much. We’re just glad you both finally stopped dancing around it.”

As the laughter subsided, you and Daryl exchanged a look that spoke volumes. It wasn’t the end of the conversation, but it was a start. You reached out, gently touching his arm, and he responded with a nod. In the midst of the party’s warmth, there was a new, tentative promise between you—an acknowledgment of all the unspoken truths that had simmered between you for so long.

There was a new, tentative promise between you—a promise to face the unspoken truths head-on. It was a promise of more conversations, more moments, and perhaps, the start of a deeper connection where everything that had remained unsaid would finally have a place.

[wanderinghedgehog]

By now, y’all might be familiar with that poll I posted awhile ago about different actor’s interpretations of a certain line in the Les Mis musical. Well, now I’m gonna talk about it. Hooray!

”Forgive me, sir. I would not dare” is such a fascinating line to me partially because of how it takes the place of an entire series of monologues from a chapter in the novel. For time’s sake, the musical condenses the runaway cart incident, Javert voicing his suspicions about the mayor, and the result of his suspicions into one scene which puts it in a different context. Instead of reporting Madeleine and then gaining information about Valjean’s lookalike as he does in the novel, Javert instead finds himself suspicious of Madeleine despite already knowing that “Jean Valjean” has been recaptured. Surprisingly, this doesn’t significantly change Javert’s motivation for taking such an apologetic tone. In both cases, he chided himself not for being suspicious of the mayor, but for being so in a way that trusted his own feelings more than that of the law. “Forgive me, sir. I would not dare” is not only a fumbled apology, but a testament to how rare it is for him to disregard his superiors. It’s a moment to understand his philosophy pre-Stars. Not only that, but it provides different information than Stars. It shows how the strictness of Javert’s moral code doesn’t only make him seem authoritative, but can also degrade him.

But an apology is not inherently degrading. So why is it in this case? This is where actor interpretation becomes important. The effect comes from the tone, not the words.

I’ve noticed a few different ways actors tend to portray this line. The first involves more of the pleading present in the novel. This interpretation comes across as somewhat panicked, trying to convey a plea for forgiveness and being appalled by his own actions simultaneously. This is beneficial in the way that it can clearly draw the audience’s attention to the difference between this line and the more composed lines surrounding it. Additionally, this particular version of the line tends to split into two subcategories. One is more reserved, contrasted with the previous, more confident lines and effectively communicates abashment. The other is more distressed and makes the apology seems urgent. Both subcategories serve the same purpose though.

The second interpretation is much more even-toned than the first. With this one, Javert maintains his composure and the apology rarely comes across as anything other than the result of a momentary lapse in judgment. This version of Javert tends to prioritize professionalism over any kind of charisma. My opinion of this interpretation varies depending on the actor.

The third interpretation is probably my least favorite. It has little to no sincerity and makes it clear that Javert is still quite suspicious of the mayor, but simply doesn’t want to alarm him. The apology has absolutely none of its original meaning. This interpretation irks me because it takes away an aspect of this character I find very interesting (the fact that Javert is a bootlicker in the most genuine way possible).

Anyway, I’m not sure how to end this. I’m might‘ve not really had a point here, but that’s okay. I just really like this line.

[acnologiaheart]

DAY 8 (CHANSTOBER) . DESPERATION AU: Flowerfell CW: Mayor Character Death, Illness

NA: Here we are with an AU that, as far as I know, is a bit controversial but quite popular in the Frans community. However, what do you say we give it a little twist? Let's change into a Chans AU, shall we? ;)

This time, I tried using soft pastel colors to capture the gentleness with which Sans remembers Chara, making it contrast with the sad storyline. It’s kind of a bittersweet drawing.

Well, as many of you probably suspect, soft colors aren’t really my thing. I really hope my effort shows!

Big hug to @charillyis for the request!

@chans-week

[duckapus]

Nicktoons: Fractureverse

An idea based on FusionFall.

The Mawgu somehow returns, seeking revenge on the nine (technically eleven but for some reason Cosmo and Wanda don’t count as separate from Timmy for the purposes of the prophecy) Chosen Heroes who defeated him on Volcano Island. To that end, he tears the space-time continuum asunder, linking their worlds and many others (so every Nickelodeon universe I can think of) with unstable portals called Fractures, and then exploits the ensuing chaos to stage an invasion. He manages to do a lot of damage, most notably conquering Bikini Bottom and transforming it into his new base of operations, causing Fairy World to crash-land in the desert just outside of Retroville (it’s still mostly intact but it’s stuck on the ground afterwards), and stealing about 40% of the Irken Empire, but is met with resistance far sooner than he anticipated.

It turns out that Jimmy was aware of the possibility of the Mawgu escaping and had been working on countermeasures, creating weapons specifically designed to destroy his ooze’s unique chemical makeup and sap the energy his true self consists of. They’re not enough to defeat him outright, not yet, but for now they’re enough to turn this into a war instead of a slaughter. It also helps that the Mawgu’s powers don’t work well on machines (and that he doesn’t really understand them, though the Irkens now under his control do mitigate that somewhat), and that he’s somehow developed a weakness to weaponized ectoplasm. By contrast, his presence (and probably the whole shattering spacetime thing) now severely weakens Fairy magic, hence the quite literal Fall of Fairy World.

A war as unconventional as this requires an unconventional army, and one is formed by the various heroes and altruistic oddballs of the newly dubbed Fractureverse, as well as their allies, a handful of their enemies who can see the writing on the wall, and anyone else willing to step up and help. They call it the United Dimensional Defense Force, or UDDF, and its main headquarters is in a newly built part of Dimmsdale called Dry Atlantis, which is where most of the Bikini Bottom refugees are staying. As you’d expect, the actual Nicktoons team (particularly the Chosen Nine) end up as key players in the war, with Timmy in particular somehow ending up as the leader of the entire UDDF.

And then, of course there’s the villains. While a few of them either joined the UDDF or are still acting on their own, most of them have joined the Syndicate. However, there’s been a divide there. The New Syndicate, led by Plankton, have decided to put aside their antagonism for now and cooperate with the UDDF while remaining a mostly independent faction, seeing the Mawgu as a greater threat to their plans (and lives) than the heroes could ever be. The much smaller Old Syndicate, led by Professor Calamitous, were unwilling and/or unable to curb their ego and ambition, and are trying to exploit the war for their own ends. Interestingly, despite the name, Calamitous is the only one of the four founding members of the original Evil Syndicate to be part of the Old Syndicate, with Crocker serving as Plankton’s head of R&D and Vlad being too busy as the mayor of one of the Mawgu’s biggest targets to join anyone, though he has been financially and politically supporting the UDDF, and supplying the NS with his ghost research and knockoff Fenton Tech. Also the GIW isn’t working with anybody since the NS and UDDF have ghosts on staff and aren’t even remotely willing to hand them over, the OS is literally a war profiteering criminal organization, and they’re too Xenophobic and patriotic to even entertain the idea of betraying earth and siding with the Mawgu, which is good for them considering they’d either get turned into puppets or just destroyed. The Irken Empire isn’t getting involved (aside from a few individuals like Zim, Tak and Skoodge) despite the heavy loss they were dealt because Red and Purple, as per usual, don’t give a shit.

[zahri-melitor]

Okay a loose Recent Reads roundup:

Birds of Prey: Sirens of Justice: so I was lured (tricked) into reading this as Gail Simone wrote one of the stories, even though it, sigh, contains far too much Harley Quinn due to movie synergy. The Dinah and Helena banter is decent, but otherwise this felt...aggressively fine. The Helena story is very pat in terms of how people tend to write Huntress shorts, though I guess it wasn't 'Helena worries about a student' this time.

The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage: very much in conversation with O'Neil's run, of course, and also clearly reacting to contemporaneous US racial discussions. Shifting Myra to be the Mayor's sister not wife definitely alters her position in the narrative, particularly in terms of her obligations and response to situations. It is incredibly bleak in places, but that simply reflects the run it is based on and is a tribute to.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: This is definitely for the Silver Age fan. Matt Fraction manages to string together solving a complex assassination plot over 12 issues by telling the story in short, 2-4 page sections that wildly jump around the timeline and are framed by 'the many ridiculous things that have happened to Jimmy Olsen'. I have absolutely no handle on the canonicity of some of this, particularly the extended Olsen family, and not knowing probably makes this read more easily. Looking at it as a whole, I'm impressed how well Fraction stitched what was effectively episodic 2 page fills into a complete narrative. The energy of the story is relentless. Best read in small doses.

Batman: Pennyworth R.I.P: god this comic could have been so much better than it was. It’s fine and accomplishes exactly what it was intended to do - tell a story of how Alfred influenced and looked out for each of Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian and Barbara - and sets everyone up to be mildly pissed at Bruce. But just for one example, it would have been HUGELY more powerful if they’d been able to use Dick, with his memories just restored, facing the fact he wasn’t there when Alfred needed him and his last interactions were so impersonal and spent pushing Alfred away.

Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: again, underwhelming. Tom King played shipper and wrote his version of how the Helena Wayne story should work; the Dixon story felt 90s appropriate but the art was dire; Brubaker’s felt like a missing scene to his run; Dini’s honestly wasn’t up to the standard I’d hope for from Dini. The art pieces were great though; a lot of good commissions.

Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: I cannot work out who chose the covers used in the issue, which swing between 'iconic' and 'reminding everyone ASBAR exists was unnecessary, DC'.

Generally: they did manage to round up fairly iconic lineups for most of the stories, with some chopping and changing for a few.

Wolfman got another run at trying to frame the 'Dick quits v Bruce fires him' debate; Dixon and Grayson both submitted literal fills (Dixon's is a scene immediately after Nightwing #19 1996 and before #20; Grayson's is at least just an extra story that fits into #1-12 of her Titans 1999 run on a day all the second stringers didn't come to work). I don't actually have a problem with any of these - they're nice additional material, but mostly more of the same. Seeley & King's suffers from the usual Seeley problem for me where it would be vastly improved by having a different focus; but it does feel straight out of his Grayson run, with everything that implies (down to the St Hadrian's student I wish was not present). All of the Dick stories are basically "we got the team back together" creative line ups.

Jason, in contrast, makes it really obvious that nobody can define a definitive Jason run, and so gets the tiniest story with Winick and Dustin Nguyen. I checked, and Nguyen did draw part of UTRH, but I wouldn't have associated him as a character-defining artist for Jason. The story's cute. Winick sidestepped having to commit to anything about his opinions on post-Flashpoint Jason direction.

Tim got Adam Beechen (which honestly makes me happy, I don't care about anyone else's opinion) and luxuriates in Tim having to play civilian; Tynion gets a Rebirth story that I can't quite work out his timing on (it's supposed to be a prequel, but Dick is already back in costume as Nightwing and talking to Tim, suggesting that several issues of the Rebirth Nightwing take place significantly before 'Tec #934) that is a classic 'Tim tells everyone how he feels about his brothers' story. I realise everyone boring has complained about Tim calling Damian a 'horrible gremlin' but the thing is you see I can only read nicknames like that as full of affection. The back and forth is an important part of their relationship, as shown by Damian snapping 'you're only listening to the insults'.

Steph gets her 71 days as Robin slightly padded out and Amy Wolfram manages to pick up Willingham's tone pretty well; I suspect she liaised with Damion Scott quite a bit on this piece.

Damian has a Super Sons piece from Tomasi, because it's the most lighthearted option available and it sells very well (it's sickly sweet). Which was probably the right call as the other piece is clearly written by Robbie Thompson to accompany his Teen Titans run and for the downward spiral going on there. Which is honestly a bit of a pity for Damian, given everyone else got feature pieces from favourite runs, and he got the 'this slots into your current story' piece.

[hisui555]

Hazbin Hotel thoughts : Foils 2

(Foils 1 here)

(Foils 3 here)

(Foils 4 here)

Masterpost here.

Crawling back out of my cave because my stupid brain won't let me rest. Synapses fired all night yesterday, I'm sure there's some structural damage in the front lobe from all the fireworks going off and bouncing around the walls of my skull, but mostly color me impressed that my asocial side actually got cowed into submission, by PRODUCTIVITY of all things, holy shit, why can't it happen for job interviews ?

...Anyway.

Aaaand without transition I would like to talk about Rosie VS Carmilla (I'm putting a "VS" so that it's clearer from a couple/team, see Foils 1), especially around Ep 7, which has just this magnificent parallel between them, respectively coaching Charlie and Vaggie (yes, TV Tropes already covered that one, shhhh, don't tell my spark of productivity, it might disappear and play dead for months again). For the A plot, we have Charlie, led by Alastor, who's going to Cannibal Town to meet Rosie and ask for reinforcements - basically getting an army of cannibals to lend a hand, even if it's not theirs and has some bite marks on it. For the B plot, on the other side, Vaggie goes to Carmilla to learn how angels can be killed, and from that on asking her for the appropriate weapons. On both sides, the two girls learn about confidence and fighting for the right thing - Charlie grows into the leader she's capable of being, Vaggie steels her resolve and grows her wings back.

What's interesting about those parallel scenes is how much Rosie and Carmilla contrast each other, and are similar to Charlie and Vaggie respectively yet have differences : again, a square of foils. But let's talk about the (seemingly) older women first.

When we stumble upon Cannibal Town, it has a very gentlemanly aesthetic, streets are clean, people are well-dressed and polite, and if you forget the minor detail of cough eating people cough, they are quite the amicable bunch - something Charlie herself comments on, how "surprisingly nice" it is. The second we meet Rosie, we understand why : she's a councelor, the unofficial mayor and of course the Overlord representing them all. She's a faultless host (again, if you don't care much about her specific ingredients), very accomodating, and doesn't rebut Charlie right away despite her enormous demand. In fact, once Alastor chimes in that her citizens would be not only well-armed but also well-fed, she's happy to give it a go and coach Charlie on how to convince them (well, for the most part. Susan.), showing she knows her community very well. Rosie is shown as more of a knowledge broker : she trades information to Alastor in exchange of favors, seems to know things about him that even our deer friend doesn't ("A what now ?" *Pats your shoulder in ace, buddy. You'll get the hang of it.*), and overall comes off as very well-informed.

In the meantime, we follow Vaggie to the industrial side of the Pentagram, where it seems to be more smoke, steel and craft than rural, pictoresque town. Carmilla doesn't let Vaggie enter until she threatens to spill the beans out in plain view of the street, and once she's inside, Carmilla is immediately verbally hostile and commandeering the whole speech ("Ninety seconds."), rebutting each of Vaggie's claims with clinical precision - rightfully countering that she doesn't want to bring the trouble to her doorstep, and put her loved ones (+ workers) in danger, to which Vaggie counters (also rightfully) that if the Hotel fails to defend itself, Carmilla might still kiss her pointy shoes goodbye. Once the time is up, Carmilla attacks, but it's quickly blatant that she's actually stealthily coaching Vaggie into fighting better, both physically and mentally. She's ruthless, brutal, and elegant, but not with the same elegance as Rosie : Rosie's charm and mannierisms are day-to-day, yet she's a proud cannibal, so her elegance hides a very carnal nature by the way of eating human flesh (even if she wraps it in pretty ribbons in a candy box), while Carmilla's cold and sharp demeanor hides her graceful but efficient fighting style - I mean, have you seen those twirls and acrobatics ? Hot dang, she's cool. Rosie is a knowledge broker that knows damn well how to use her information, Carmilla is a weapons dealer that knows damn well how to use her weapons : no wonder she arms herself (and her daughters) first. Carmilla, on the surface, rejects Vaggie's deal, but after a few moments, we see that she's turning it into her own way of helping.

Now we arrive to the two main songs, Out For Love and Ready For This, who are almost back-to-back. Charlie has had her moment with Rosie, who genuinely helped her through her personal problems and her moment of uncertainty concerning Vaggie's secret, and it's time for the big rallying song. And, Charlie, you're cute and all, but sightseeing and camaraderie aren't the things cannibals are interested in - they might have a child's heart (somewhere in a jar behind a desk), but EATING is where it's at ! Good thing Alastor chimed in, hm ? Which kinda rebounds on his private part of the song with Rosie ("Stick with her, you'll be on the winning side !") : their motivations are more selfish than we think. Rosie is genuinely kind and empathetic, but not altruist : doing the Princess of Hell a solid might be a real advantage in the long run, especially for someone like her who trades in favors. On the other side, Carmilla has it out for her own reasons right away, but does a selfless move by teaching Vaggie and lending the weapons : while she doesn't directly stick her neck out, she still helps from the shadows. Her main motive is to protect her loved ones and avoid bloodshed, while Rosie's and the cannibals are to get their belly full and gain political advantage.

It's really like an hourglass between the two : Rosie hears Charlie (and Alastor) out and accepts to help but actually for selfish reason, actively and directly helping Charlie to assert herself, talking her through therapy and words - a language Charlie is very receptive to - teaching her confidence and leadership (something Vaggie already has). Carmilla on her side rebukes Vaggie but actually for more selfless (even if personal) reasons, indirectly (but still actively) helps her to rekindle with her own emotions and be honest with herself (something Charlie already is), all that through physical training and fighting - a language Vaggie knows quite well. You'd think they have the names of the songs crossed and mixed up, yet they fit perfectly : Charlie needs to be Ready For This and finally face physical confrontation, while Vaggie needs to be Out For Love and honest with her feelings and past. They both complement each other.

The smiles Carmilla and Rosie also give at the news are contrasting : Carmilla hears the news and smiles a little smile, to herself, looking proud that it worked, and proud of her 'student'. Rosie on her side has a charming, calculated, wide smile that seems to spell out 'now there we go' and 'ooh, this was nothing, darling' more than 'good job', complete with a cup of tea. It's like she smiles more at the camera than out of genuine pride, unlike Carmilla who just smiles to herself. You'd think tough-as-nails Carmilla would be the last person to teach people to fight for love, yet here we are, while ladylike elegant Rosie, who does show genuine understanding and kindness, is also planning to use Charlie for her own gain.

Wrapping this up, Charlie & Vaggie VS Carmilla & Rosie : Carmilla is kind of a more experienced version of Vaggie (a figther, determined, devoted to her loved ones), with Charlie's core ideas (love, compassion, avoiding fights) while Rosie is a more experienced version of Charlie (connections, empathy, people person) with Vaggie's way of thinking (strategic, knowledgeable, prepared).

Like Vaggie, Carmilla is a fierce fighter that you don't want to piss off, with people to protect, an expert in dealing with weapons (cherry on top : both about angelic steel), even physically they're quite alike : long white hair (especially when Carmilla lets hers go in response to Vaggie's grumbling), similar tone of skin, palette in dark grays and white mostly (Vaggie has more pink where Carmilla has black), both are also Hispanic. They already (unknowingly) share a duet in Whatever It Takes, with personal reasons very close to one another. Carmilla is the perfect combination of Charlie's ideals and Vaggie's realism, leaning more towards Vaggie's side as a fighter. They also look the less relatively demonic, past some features (like Carmilla's oversized arms).

Rosie on her side looks like an upper-class lady who is the leader of her town and an Overlord (mirroring Charlie being a princess and the founder of the Hotel), sharing some reds in their respective palettes (even if Charlie's is more solid red and Rosie's burgundy), pale hair and a very affable, accomodating demeanor. Rosie is the perfect mix of Vaggie's pragmatism and Charlie's kindness, leaning towards Charlie's side as an informator and councelor. They naturally stand in the spotlight, one way or another, and guide people through their problems. They're also both more "demonic" : Charlie is the literal Princess of Hell and hellborn demon, while Rosie has notable very sharp teeth, pitch black eyes (like the town citizens) and... what was it again...? oh right ! Eats people.

(Don't worry, I'm not always a smartass : sometimes I'm asleep.)

That went longer than expected (...as always), but, well, enjoy. Skyscrapers like those are useful when you have time to kill. I might need to consider doing a masterpost for those... might be more practical for those crazy enough to want to read all of my inane rambling (boredom is such a pain, right ?)

Hope you enjoyed.

Again, Masterpost here.

[theredhavendelegate]

Off The Record No. 1: Carmine Letter

Here's a scoop you won't get anywhere else. They won't print stories like this in the paper, not even in rags like The Broad Street Negotiator.

If you want to know what's really going on in Redhaven, then you have to go off the record.

---

A man in a bowler hat, a vest, and wire-rim glasses walks down a long hallway. The carpet is ornate, patterned with fibers of dark red, blue, and gold. The walls are papered with an equally ostentatious style, and wood trim covers them from the baseboards to a little over waist height. It is dim, lit just by gas lamps. The windows are all shuttered.

There are paintings hung along the way, well dressed figures standing alone, contrasted and framed by rolling landscapes, statues, and bowls of fruit. One portrait depicts a brown-furred foxhound so saggy and wrinkled that it appears to be melting.

The Valet stops in front of a pair of hand-carved wooden doors and knocks with an uneven cadence. The response is a single knock from somewhere on the other side, and The Valet enters.

The room is a study, walls lined with bookshelves and more paintings. There are side tables, a couch, a balcony, and a large, imposing wooden desk at the center, which has been etched on its front with the image of a large feather.

Behind the desk is a woman with long, reddish-brown hair and ice-blue eyes. She wears a small amount of makeup, something to sharpen her brows and, to the keen-eyed, foundation on the cheeks. Her clothing is practical, though flawlessly tailored from shoe to cuff.

She smiles coolly at The Valet and gestures with a hand as she says, “We’re on a wonderful little adventure now, meddling in the affairs of the lay folk so directly. I wonder, will it all play out in our favor? I worry that I’m beginning to lose my edge.”

The Valet closes the doors behind himself with a featherlight touch, and then walks over to the desk. Arms at his back, he replies, “One cannot make statements encapsulating a whole person, but your plans, at the very least, are as keen as those of any Carmine to come before you.”

The mayor leans back in her seat and steeples her fingers. “You would know better, wouldn’t you? I see vanishingly little of the effects of my decisions. The balcony provides a stunning view, but very little insight. Enlighten me.”

The servant nods and removes his cap to reveal a mostly vacant scalp which is interrupted by a neat row of thinning strands. “You’ve chosen wisely. All the laborers you’ve selected have agreed to the meeting, including today’s visit, Mister Dahl. He has more influence than he realizes, and his cool temper should prove a balm to that of The Blue Coalition’s agents. All that said, assuming this first meeting goes well, Redhaven’s laborers should be protected without upsetting General Harrison too badly.”

The mayor scoffs. “Nothing could prevent that man from getting his medals in a tangle.”

“Quite right,” The Valet agrees.

There is a knock at the door and the mayor comments, “Right on time. Let Lord Redhaven in and fetch us refreshments. You know what he likes.”

The serving man goes towards the door, his gait soft and prudent. He pulls open them open to reveal an old man with a white, well kept beard and a broad build. The Valet bows and gestures deeper into the room, and once Lord Redhaven has walked past him, closes the doors again. The valet exits through a side door.

“Oswald,” Mayor Carmine calls brightly. “Please, make yourself comfortable. My man will be back in a moment with tarts and Candamoran coffee, a good, coastal blend.”

The lord’s brow is furrowed and his lips are slightly pursed, but he forces a smile and nods, taking a seat before the desk. He slouches deeply into the maroon upholstery and clears his throat. “Well, Desdemona. It’s good to see you again.”

She beams fawningly. “My lord, the honor is all mine! It’s always a blessing that you’re willing to take time out of your busy day to talk about matters of such import with a lowly public servant.”

He rubs a temple. “Well, my schedule only gets busier with the passing days. Did you know that the Confederates conducted an inquest at my estate? They wanted to imprison half of my scientists and philosophers! Claimed they were operatives of The Covenant! I had to bargain directly with that upstart general just to keep those good people free, and I still had to lay a few of them off for his satisfaction.” Oswald has begun to rake his fingers through his beard and the strong impression that he’d been wearing sloughs off to reveal weariness.

The side door opens silently and The Valet returns. He carries a sterling silver platter, upon which rides a set of fine porcelain serving-ware: saucers, teacups, and a steaming carafe, along with a plate of fresh fruit pastries.

The server fills a cup with coffee so dark it seems to suck the light out of the air around it, and then passes it to Oswald. The lord takes a sip and another layer sloughs off of him, weariness giving way to calm. He mutters to the man, “Thank you good sir, thank you.”

Mayor Carmine serves herself a cup as well and turns to The Valet. “Thank you, that will be all.” He bows low, a hand on his bowler hat, rises, and takes his leave.

“Now,” Carmine begins, “It can’t all be bad news, can it? What have your learned men discovered?”

Oswald turns his chin up slightly and smiles. “Ah, yes. Progress. The fog, which had been making people quite fatally ill, can be filtered. Doctor Bell has already seen success with a round of prototype suits, which also mask his condition to his satisfaction while he searches for a cure. He’s rather a lot more confident with his face covered. Another thing: The complex is finally secure again. The entrances that formed during The Transit are all locked down and it’s no longer threatening to collapse, and we’ll be back at full capacity in another month or two.”

Desdemona nods and stirs her coffee, which must have four sugar cubes in it by now. She says, “That’s wonderful to hear. I’ll have you know that the civil side of things is stabilizing as well. Our friends in orange should have their hands full soon enough, and The Blue Coalition won’t be any bother. I’m working on giving them some…competition.”

Oswald nods with a furrowed brow, “I see,” he says, clearly lying. “This…competition, you said? It should see a little…uh…reduction in the population’s general anger, yes?”

The mayor nods decisively and stirs her coffee.

“Good, good then.” Oswald takes another sip from his cup, closing his eyes and sighing with contentment.

A grandfather clock by the window chimes and his eyes snap open. “Oh, goodness me! Is it that late already?” He rises, mildly aback, and sets his cup on the platter. “I’ve got to see Doctor Bell. He has a demonstration for me, something about these peculiar crystals he’s found in the ‘Void Fields’, as he’s taken to calling them, but it was a fine visit, very fine.”

Desdemona pushes the plate of pastries towards the lord and he takes a strawberry one from the stack as he turns to the door. “I really ought to arrange to swing by more often. I swear, our conversations are the only times that I get any rest. Take care and all that.” She nods and waves, and the lord hurries off without another word, pulling open the office doors with one hand while the other handles his tart.

Carmine stares at the doors as they shut and she keeps her eyes fixed on them as Lord Redhaven’s tread fades down the corridor. Once the sound has fully vanished, she sets her untouched drink back on the platter and claps once.

The Valet reemerges from the side door and strolls over to the desk, placing a notepad on the corner of the desk. A few pages are filled with large, neat handwriting, which mirrors the conversation that had just taken place. Carmine tucks it into a drawer as the serving man carries off the platter, and she sets to work writing her own notes after a moment.

She doesn’t write for long. There is a thunderous knock on the door, a sound that echoes throughout the room, and Carmine’s face rankles with displeased familiarity. “Enter,” she vociferates dispassionately.

A brusque man pushes through the doors and throws them closed again. He has rich, olive skin and black eyes that pierce the gloom. His clothing is robe-like, beige and maroon and tied off at the waist with yet more fabric. He carries himself to one of the chairs in front of they mayor’s desk, seats himself, and crosses his legs. “The seat’s still warm,” he remarks.

“Indeed,” Desdemona sneers, not bothering to look up from her note-taking. “The lord was just here a minute ago, and I doubt he’d be happy to see you out and about.”

The man pouts. “You consider this ‘out and about’? You really out to get more sunshine.”

Carmine sets down her pen and glances up, locking eyes with the man. “You are here under my service, Mister Jazari.”

“Please, call me Hasan,” he interjects.

She relaxes slightly and rolls her eyes. “I can tell that you’re bored, Mister Jazari, but I’ve got a bit of good news for once.”

The mercenary raises a dark brow.

The mayor explains, “We’re expecting some agitation at the northern science post not too long after public hiring begins. You’ll be on over-watch to make sure nothing gets too loud: we want to bring things to a simmer now, not a boil.”

Hasan cocks his head to the side and grins. “Over-watch,” he repeats, gnawing on the word slightly. “Sitting around and gazing about? Holding fire unless absolutely necessary? That means I get out of the kennel and I don’t have to waste ammunition. I like the sound of that.”

Carmine furrows her brow. “Regardless of how much ammunition you expect to waste. Make sure you and your rifle are ready. The Valet will give you more details on a need-to-know basis.”

The mayor goes back to writing, and Hasan stares at her for a moment. without looking up, she says, “There are fruit tarts in the pantry, help yourself, and don’t come back in here until I call for you.”

The mercenary grins and finally rises. He heads off through the side door and disappears, leaving Carmine alone in her office. She sets her pen down and strolls over to the glass balcony doors. The sky outside is a dim grey, and it grows dimmer by the minute.

“We’re on a wonderful little adventure now, aren’t we?” she whispers to no one in particular.

“A wonderful little adventure.”

---

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[nataliescatorccio]

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even know the book existed until it came out on adverts for the movie release in cinemas! I bought the book right there and then as I am a big hunger games fan, but it took me months to be able to read it as life got in the way and have just finished it last night!!!

I fell completely and utterly in love with Lucy and Snow/Lucy (well up until his true colours at the end of the book showed its ugly head)

Was it just me that felt the book near the end started to finish off things very quickly? Like with Senjaus and his plans to rebel Snow follows him and then it all goes to shit right there and then he kills the mayors daughter and the other rebel killed Billy which to me didn't make much sense cause he was charging at someone the rebel didn't even know over anger at killing someone he cared about but the rebel sided with protecting Snow? Unless I misread it?

I love how you were drew into actually quite liking Snow and his relationships even though he did have a kind of dick side even then, I also love his relationship he had with Senjaus in district 12 until he betrayed him like he did anyway it killed me reading that part :/ I hate how he became the Plinths son pretty much after he was killed also even though he was the reason. I feel after the deaths of the other two he may now of gone on the run and settled down for a while at least or maybe even ran off like Lucy did on his own in hopes he'd get away.

Also I wish we'd found out what actually happened between Billy and Lucy? It seemed like it was more than what was said as it seemed it happened much before the hunger games name call out? Do you think the mayors daughter really made her name come out and be put into the games?

i'm glad you finally got the chance to read it, it really is an amazing book! i was definitely just enraptured with lucy. i think the story does an amazing job at showing possibly 'redeeming' qualities in snow to make you root for him at points, but then entirely twisting it at the end so you're reminded who he really is. it's so cleverly done because going into it, you know snow is no good, so it takes a certain kind of special writing to make you forget that at points. you get so caught up in his relationships with both sejanus and lucy that you forget his only loyalty is to himself. while a horrible twist that he almost took sejanus' place as a son, it so perfectly fits who snow was, so much so that you almost want to kick yourself for not seeing it sooner.

i agree it wrapped up quickly at the end, but honestly, i feel like most books do. and i think it had to because it all amounted in a cascade of events which were interlinked, each triggering the other. so yes, while a lot happens, it does sort of making sense that it suddenly all starts to fall apart and does so quickly. it's been a while for me since i last read the books so i have to admit the details are not fresh in my mind, but i don't remember being confused by this scene. i think it's just reacting out of the sudden stress of the moment and the need to cover tracks and simply survive the situation before anyone either a) ran for help or b) turned on them.

i personally don't think there was anymore in the story between lucy gray and billy that we weren't told? i just saw it as a typical first love story, girl loves boy, boy leads girl on for a bit, boy leaves girl for another. lucy gray was incredibly independent, intelligent and hardy, this seemed a contrast to what billy wanted from a girlfriend which was stated as lucy as some girl to take care of him. and then their whole breakup got messier because yes, i really do think the mayor's daughter set up lucy gray's name to be reaped out of jealousy. to me this is the only outcome that would make sense for the mayor jumping to the immediate conclusion that lucy gray killed mayfair, why else would he be so convinced she would enact revenge on his daughter? however, i would love a novel from lucy gray's perspective that could show us a bit more of her life before the games. she's such a magnetic character and i'd always be happy to hear more from her.

[whetstonefires]

oh sorry for sending you down a random and inane internet rabbit hole that's what i get for speed typing on a tiny iphone screen and just sending it without checking lol. i think i mean to write what if instead of the batman 2022 it was the owlman 2022 movie. because i think pattinson could play a very scary villain if they gave him the material.

🤣 ahahaha oh, I see!

okay, then...i think an owlman movie in the style of the batman 2022 could be great, that is fun, but crucially i would want it made in the context of battinson already existing.

mirror universe rpatz, just taking his already hingeless and vaguely stunted yet deeply sincere portrayal of the character and upping it to true detached-door levels.

since the official position is to not have owlman be mirror bruce, but his brother thomas jr, they obviously would never make this, even leaving budget considerations aside.

but there just haven't been enough owlmans for batman 2022's specific treatment of the material to work as a dialogue in the same way, so i think it could only really land if it was done as a dialogue with their own, existing film.

so then, what would an owlman launching from the world established in the battinson film want? he believes all the worst things about his father, i guess. he believes all the worst things about everything and thinks it makes him rational and clear-eyed; he's got to be the most self-congratulatory cynic ever, and also walk around in a bird hat in total seriousness.

he's out to master the Gotham underworld and also control its politics. you could do something with his owning the mayor?

or with a contrast to battinson's hatred of being in public etc where owlman is the one running for mayor?

if we pursue the themes around Riddler in that movie, battinson owlman probably encourages the bitterness and disillusionment of The Youth and their radicalization, and takes advantage of it to turn them into weapons against society. very modern and yet utterly traditional!

idk, owlman is a hard villain protagonist to work with imo, because he's such a control freak and so selfish you need a big external problem to get any story out of him. absent the 'thomas jr vs police commissioner thomas dad' drama at least, which is hacky but hey it's comics ig. otherwise he just keeps chugging along doing evil, unless you want to chase down the nietzche multiverse breakdown from the Crisis on Two Earths or something.

i'd want to pitch a version of jokester at him to get some dynamism in there, but realistically then i'm just using battinson as a set of action figures to play out my fanfic lmao.

robert patttinson could certainly do a good villain, in that he seems to revel in the camp end of melodrama without checking out on acting while doing so, and also he has the capacity to be quite threatening because he's demonstrated that he can go ham while maintaining character. which is not actually easy to do.

but i'm not sure how well drawing the audience's attention to the fundamental idiocy of owlman as a concept would work when he's not uh. very lovable. because battinson works because he attracts our derision and our affection simultaneously, you know?

and i've never seen pattinson play anything he wasn't making fun of--i've only seen snippets of him as cullen, come to think of it, and if i saw the fourth harry potter movie i formed no memories, but anyway.

mostly what i'm coming away with here is i'm now curious to see what pattinson would do with an actual serious dramatic role. which is not how i would describe owlman.

[autopotion]

Gravity Rush 2 rant post incoming:

The Hekseville chapter really drags in the second half /: A lot of ppl hated the last mission of the Jirga Para Lhao chapter, but I would take the living city any day over a many-headed and many-limbed blob that's constantly vomiting on you. Like it was just out of nowhere how disgusting it was

Other thoughts about the Hekseville chapter:

I REALLY loved the Jirga Para Lhao chapter, like more than anything in the first game. The world was beautiful and colorful, the NPCs had more depth than the first game's, and it was refreshingly frank about classism and imperialism. Like it wasn't perfect or even all that deep, but I was actually surprised at how much it committed to the bit. The upper class in Lei Havina were all white, blond-haired and blue-eyed, in contrast to the much more varied people on the other levels (which the latter was so cool to see in like, character portraits and stuff), and the ones that weren't rude or downright cruel were completely out of touch with how their wasteful lifestyles contributed to the violence the people on the lower levels experienced. Kat is allied with a group of folks indigenous to JPL who were kicked out, who then successfully take their city back. It was cool to see that treated as good and uncontroversial in a lighthearted fantasy game.

So I was sort of expecting those same themes to carry into the Hekseville chapter.

They did not.

Okay first: I actually really liked going back initially. For one, it was cool to see the city I'd grown attached to after all that time with the first GR, and for another, I was excited about the changes. There's a new superheroine in town, and she's doing Kat's job! Surveillance robots have taken over the street! You need a registration number to live anywhere! And worse, an entire district of the city is so impoverished, the trains don't even run there anymore! It's just like JPL! I sympathized with Kat's loneliness over no longer recognizing the city she called home and felt very curious about how all of these things were tied together--because surely they were?

They were not. It devolved into your standard mad scientist vs superhero plot, where the police are innocents caught between the horrible new government and protecting the people. It would've made me groan in anything, but after the previous chapter, I was more disappointed than anything.

A lot of the problems I had with the first GR reared their ugly heads in this chapter too, principally NPC unfriendliness. For some reason the games love the two assholes who, when Kat rescued them, blamed her for destroying their house (she did not do that). The writers thought that their continued hostility was hilarious for some reason. You interact with these two an awful lot.

If you're not interacting with them, you're interacting with Kali, who steals Kat's thunder, or the police, who are, quite literally, Kat's only positive relationships in Hekseville. Which is maddening. Like in the first game she had a wobbly relationship with the police--mostly the military--in that she got on with Syd, for example, but still butted heads with the government quite frequently on which lives were worth protecting, and directly defied them several times. Not here. In one mission, you have to protect the police from Kali, who is working for the new evil mayor (but the police aren't?).

I guess GR2 didn't want to do a rehash of "military dictator takes over Hekseville and makes things worse for everybody," but they also didn't want to discard the trappings of a military dictatorship. So all the tensions they set up wrt to that--the surveillance bots, the mandatory registration numbers, the decaying infrastructure of Endestria--are later normalized. The bots start acting nefariously (because constantly surveillance wasn't nefarious enough), someone FINALLY complains about them, and Kat has a line to the effect "well it's just a machine doing what it's programmed to do... /:" Kat tells Raven to get a registration number to avoid the hassle (even though she got hers from the overarching villain of the chapter, and that wasn't hinting at his bureaucratic malevolence I guess?). And nothing is done about Endestria, ever, until, after the end of chapter 3, Lisa and JPL show up, and teaches the police to open shelters for the unhoused. Wow. Three years of this nonsense, and they never thought of that!

The Kali and Dr. Brahman stuff never goes anywhere interesting either, but that's a rant for another post.

--Except in how it ties into the Missing Orphans stuff, which. I can't even tell what's going on there anymore? Like, what happened to the ark from the previous game? We spend a decent chunk of the first GR in the orphan town, learning about Raven's backstory, and then they completely disappear from the plot, and only are referenced again through... Kali and Cecie? I've been led to believe that Raven's DLC actually retcons the entire thing, which... okay. Lol. More reasons to not be emotionally invested in the plot of the last game, I guess.

I cannot overstate how much I hated Blob Kali. I'm saying it again because it bears repeating. She blows chunks (literally). One of the worst boss fights ever.

After this chapter I'm so ready to be done with the game, but I have Chapter 4 left, which FINALLY gets into Kat's backstory. I'm hoping that's a more enjoyable experience than the end of Chapter 3 was because good lord. Rant over.

I'm for real not a hater of GR2, like honestly, Zoe can confirm I've been singing its praises for the last few weeks. I actually LOVE the game as a whole. But this part was a huge slog so I'm complaining about it on my blog. As one does.

I saw someone on reddit say that GR2 has higher highs and lower lows than the first GR, and I 100% agree. The parts I love about GR2 I love more than anything from the first game, but the parts that are bad are really bad. The first GR was more consistent in tone and quality IMO. GR2 > GR1 for me, ultimately, but. Yeah.

[marine-indie-gal]

Coming up with some Background and Character Lore for One of My Original Stories that being "Colorland", here we are is the Main Leaders of each of the Main Lands in the World of Colorland; Mr. Sunshines (The Mayor and Leader of both Chromaville and all of Colorland) and Dr. Monochrome (The Dictator of Black 'n White Land). Of course, these Two Leaders are actually Biological Brothers with their own Real Names. Mr. Sunshines' Real Name is "Aidan" while Dr. Monochrome's Real Name is "Diablo".

Aidan and Diablo were the Descendants of the Primordial Gods of Colorland (Phoebe, the Sun Goddess and Dian, the Moon God) as well as the Heirs to their Parents' Throne in Colorland. Their Father was a Yellow Humanoid (from a species called "Sunfolks") by the name, "King Solar Sunshine" while their Mother was a Monochrome Humanoid (also from another Species called "Moonfolks") named "Queen Evana Monochrome". Long ago, Sunfolk and Moonfolks hated each other due to how that the Moonfolks were jealous at the Sunfolks for having much Cute and Beautiful Nature due to the Day and Nature of the Sun while the Moonfolks' Nature of the Moon was nothing more but Dark and Scary because of how that the Night can be quite frightful. There was once a War in which the Moonfolk People were holding their grudges and battling against the Sunfolk People because of how that the Sun gave them more Beauty and more Light as the Moonfolk People wanted to have their Light for themselves. However, the Two Heirs from each of the Sun and Moon's own Kingdoms were desperately in love as The Two Heirs from Different Races stopped the War with the Power of their Love as the Answer to Sun and Moon people together was not supposed to be about racism but how that the Species of the Sun and Moon were actually meant to each other as One.

The Kings of the Sun and Moon Kingdoms cancelled the entire War as they made a New Constitution to their own Laws that Sunfolks and Moonfolks should leave together in Peace and Harmony with Love and Joy as the Nature of the Sun and Moon no longer exisited when the Darkness behind the Town of Moonfolks faded away as the Sun People and the Moon People now lived together along with other Domainate Species of Colorland Citizens. Thus, the New Title for their New Land was officially "Colorland". The Sun Prince married the Moon Princess as they had a Kingdom of their own and were blessed with litter of Heirs of Two Princes (Aidan and Diablo). Diablo was the Oldest while Aidan was the Youngest.

Aidan is a Kind-Hearted, Joyful, and Generous Humble Mayor who often would keep and protect Chromaville for Safety while Diablo was often Mean-Spirited, Narcissistic, Cold-Hearted, and Vain who was often more of a Dicator than just a Leader to his own Land.

As a Rotten Bad Egg Diablo was, he always wanted to rule over their Father's Kingdom to have more extreme power over all and each of the Lands for Himself as he was often a Troublemaker always causing mischeif behind every prank to every of the Servants in the Colorland Kingdom (which often annoys their Parents since the Parents always saw Diablo as a Bad Seed that he was born to be) while Aidan however was a more contrast to his Brother, that being he was never a troublemaker or would often ditched his own lessons of becoming Future King, but that he was always helpful, understanding, and to learn the ways of Growing Up.

When it came to Coronation when Aidan and Diablo were around in their 20s, King Solar decided to make his Youngest Son the New King of Colorland as Aidan was crowned the Rightful King of Colorland from his Parents. Diablo grew extremly jealous at heart for he wanted to be the New King of Colorland but what their Parents saw in their Eldest Son was that he would make Colorland a Bad Future for they knew that Aidan was often trustworthy and that they made the Right choice for their Youngest Son to become King. During at a Dinner Party at Coronation Day, Diablo was at the Kitchen sneakfully putting some poison ingredients into his Father's Soup while the Chefs didn't noticed that Diablo was in the Kitchen but as when Former King Solar was enjoying his Soup, he instantly felt death right in his heart as his head was drob dead unconscious in the Soup bowl which made Everyone at the Dinner Table gasped in their Eyes of Fear. King Solar Sunshine was dead.

As the People around in the Kingdom were trying to find out on who the Mass Murder really was that killed the Old King, Aidan found out that it was his Brother who posioned their Father but Diablo spoked out to Aidan, saying that he shouldn't be the New Ruler of their Land and that the New King should've been Diablo himself. When their Mother found out the Truth behind her Husband's horrible murder, it was then that Aidan banished his Brother off of Colorland as Diablo was kicked out of their Kingdom for he had to search through the Lands all by himself even after when The Entire Family were at King Solar's Funreal but since Diablo was kicked out, he did not come to visit his Father's Funreal.

When Aidan was now the Official King of Colorland, he became a Mayor of Chromaville as he would often give good fortune to those in need of the Poor as he often kept his Kingdom a lot busy but kept the Land more Peaceful shortly after when Queen Evana died, Aidan was given a New Name, "Mr. Sunshines" (sometimes known as "Mayor Sunshines"). But as for Diablo, well, needless to say that while he was lost throughout his Long Journey, he found himself a New Land (that being "Black 'n White Land") where he was sheltered by the Monochrome Citizens. As soon as Diablo was sheltered in that village for Weeks, he ended up becoming their New Leader as he officially became the King of Black 'n White Land, giving his New Name "Dr. Monochrome".

Mr. Sunshines and Dr. Monochrome (c) Me

[theadventurerslog]

King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride | Part 3

The Adventurer’s Log

King’s Quest VII: The Princeless Bride Part 3

Chapter Three: "The sky is falling!"

Previously Valanice was trying to find a way out of the desert to keep up her search for Rosella. A tunnel was opened but we left her confronting a beast...

A beast I couldn't deal with just yet as I didn't have what I needed here, so I had to make a hasty retreat.

All I was missing was a prickly pear which was just outside waiting to be knocked down by my handy dandy previously unused stick. Then I fed it to the beast and could carry on.

num num num then back into the hole it went.

And I came out into a pretty forest-y area in quite a contrast to the desert.

I quite like this screen. It's pretty. I could only examine the broken bridge and the statue, but there was nothing else to do here.

I came across a stag.

The stag is actually the Lord of the Hunt. He was transformed though he doesn't know by whom. The tree is truly Ceres, the Goddess of Nature, and his wife. She was cursed as well with a stake driven into her. Attis knows such power could only come from one from Etheria, but such a thing would be unthinkable.

He also warns Valanice to stay away from the Were-Woods as the weres will attack.

When asking about Rosella by using the comb he informs her he had heard of her and that she was to be wed to King Otar III. Valanice needs to rescue her! He advises she go to Falderal to seek help in finding a salve from a merchant that would allow Valanice to pass through the Were-Woods and find the way to the Volcanix Underground.

I continued on and found a web in which a bird was trapped and a spider was getting ready to eat her.

I wasn't entirely sure what to do yet, though I managed to get myself killed by the spider oops. I moved on a little more to find a giant snoring statue that I also couldn't do anything about.

Turns out I just needed to use the basket to trap the spider. The bird thanked me and flew off to freedom. The web was cleared away opening the route to Falderal.

The guard at the gate peeking in through the giant gate, refused to me let me pass unless I were to bring him the holy one ton tomato. Valanice thought that was absurd. So, it was time to find another route.

But first I realized I wanted to go back to some flowers I'd found where another of the birds had been and see if my freed bird was there. I'd missed some dialogue from Attis as well.

Attis: Valanice asks if there's anyway she can help lift the curse. He doesn't know, but Feldspar the stone spirit might know something. Unfortunately, that would be the snoring stone statue I don't have any way to deal with yet. I also tried to pull the stake from Ceres but no such luck thanks to the powerful magic. There's fear she may die and if she does the forest likely will as well.

Bird: my freed bird did have help for me! Nectar from the flowers. I had to empty my pot of water, but now I have a pot of sweet nectar.

Back to Falderal where the very complicated puzzle of entering took place.

Walk through the small door ignoring the 'threats' of the guard. He has quite a selection of empty threats of various small animals with weapons on the other side.

Time for silliness!

As soon as I'd entered town I was greeted by the mayor, Archduke Fifi le Yipyap who protested a human entering. However, getting sad over Rosella with the comb helped again and got him crying too. He also said something else that I missed between his accent and, er, slobberiness, to my annoyance because it caused me some trouble later. This is why subtitles matter!

Then Chicken Petite came running and screaming in about the sky falling. Yipyap brushed her off and went on his way.

With all that out of the way it was time to start exploring. I went to the China Shop first.

Bull in a china shop, heh. Conspicuous mask that will be needed.

The owner, named Fernando, was sad because he'd lost Treasure, a bird who's a very dear friend to him. She was stolen, though he doesn't know how or by whom. Couldn't do anything here in his current state, so with an offer to look for Treasure, I set off again.

And got accosted by Chicken Petite.

The sky is falling! An evil fairy (hmm) is making everything come down! But no one is really believing her so off she runs again.

The town hall couldn't be entered yet, but there was a note about the archduke's birthday party and masquerade ball. At the end of town were two more shops and a bird.

First: another instance of Chicken Petite. The shopkeeper tried to sell her some special glue to hold the sky up in the most sleazy snakeoil salesman voice. Apparently he's an eel of some sort or based off of? But definitely some snakiness intent happening here too. Poor Chicken Petite gets immensely frustrated again and runs off.

Second: bird in the tree. A mocking bird. He insults you every time you click on him and the list of insults goes on and on and...on...

Third: Faux Shop. Was currently closed.

Now, the salesman was the one I needed to talk to about getting a salve to get through the Were-wood. Of course it can't be that easy and he wants something in return: a magic statuette currently in the possession of the archduke. Valanice protests until he says it doesn't actually belong to the archduke, then she agrees. Anything to save her daughter! Rampant adventurer theft included. True adventure game protagonist Valanice now?

Off to the side was a covered cage which I naturally investigated and inside was none other than the little bird, Treasure, who was scared at first until Valanice explained she'd talked to Fernando and that he was looking for her. Treasure joined and surprisingly that was all that was required. The shopkeep didn't seem to notice.

I brought her back to Fernando who was delighted.

Look at him!

And in return he gave me that handy red mask. And it's party time.

You gotta wear the mask or the guard won't let you in--it is a maskerade after all--and is offended by Valanice's bald face, bare of fur or feathers.

Sadly there's not a lot to interact with here. Archduke Yipyap will give a little speech and you can eat a little of the cake. I would have liked to talk a little to some of the guests or have some background gossip but it is what it is.

Thankfully no one seems to have any issue with us doing a little poking around. Either that or they're all fixated on Yipyap. I was able to go in through the back door to some wacky stairs.

The stairs lead to a different set on the screen in a somewhat maze-like fashion but a pretty simple one if you just keep going. Eventually it will take you into another room.

The statue on the left is incredibly tacky according to the Valanice and "What a perfectly awful basin" in the centre. Not at all to Valanice's tastes here.

The mirrors act like funhouse mirrors causing different distorted reflections, except for one in which her reflection appears upside and drags her in. Spooky.

Although you just get pulled into Yipyap's office.

She thinks his portrait is very silly too. There's silliness everywhere, Valanice. That's this place's whole schtick.

There's some shenanigans here in which the door takes you back to the stairs room and you find your way to another door that takes you back here but with the room upside down. Then there's a drawer on the desk to investigate. The statuette falls out but because it's upside down you can't reach, so you go back around to the room right side up and the statuette falls back into the now-open drawer where it can be fetched.

Voila!

Naturally, it's not so simple from here as when I returned outside intending to give the statuette to the merchant he was away off to 'fool some other suckers' or similar. Then Chicken Petite came screaming back in and the moon fell! Well not really, she thinks so, but Valanice points out it's just green cheese. No, it's the moon! The sky really is falling! And off she runs again and the mockingbird flew off during all the raucous too.

There was a wooden nickel in the nest I was able to fetch, but I couldn't reach the cheese, I'm sorry moon.

This is where I got stuck because of missing the clue from Yipyap when first entering. The Faux Shop was apparently open now--no more notice--but when I tried entering I just popped out the other side of the wall. Honestly, I thought it was meant to be a joke. False shop and all. What you actually have to do is take it with a grain of salt. In other words eat the grains of salt gotten from the desert and then you can enter.

Faux shop full of fake things run by a mockturtle. I got a book, The Wit and Wisdom of Falderal for a wooden nickel. Examining it opens it and it's...empty.

I was also able to trade my mask for a prime rubber chicken, specifically the one smirking there. I'd rather not have that one and there's no pulley in it, pah.

I had a nice selection of items to try at the Eduardo's shop in the desert, which actually turned out to be the thing to do. I was able to trade the book for a shepherd's crook.

I was able to return and use the crook to get the cheese and all should be well...!

Nah, of course not.

Her face is a sight to behold.

But yeaaah, Archduke Yipyap and guards came charging in. Yipyap saw what she did. She stole the moon! And she's a human! And a partypooper! And the guard places accuses her of that and the 'heinous and disgusting crime of having no fur or feathers to cover your bald face.'

And so we end the chapter with Valanice arrested...

And onto chapter 4!

Chapter Four: "Will the real troll king please stand up."

And a needed break from Yipyap and Chicken Petite...

--

Deaths: 8 Time: 3:49

[badwasabi]

complaining about Vorkosigan Saga fanfics.

Executive Summary: Fanfic writer tried to write knockoff GI Jane, but made it more boring and mediocre in every possible way.

This one was a fic about a girl. A very special girl. A girl who was, apparently, the first girl in the three-planet Barrayaran Imperium to join the Barrayaran Imperial Service.

In other words, it's GI Jane, in space.

If you're not familiar with the series, "The Service" started including non-noble and non Barrayaran men as officer candidates only, oh, a few decades ago. There is a woman's auxiliary, but women aren't directly allowed to serve in the main military.

Now, what makes our heroine so special? What makes her more unique than the countless women and girls who tried the same thing over the decades?

She was there.

I'm not kidding.

She tried to petition the Emperor, but the guards wouldn't let her in the gates. Which means she happened to get noticed by Cordelia Vorkosigan.

She's the wife of the former Regent and Prime Minister, Aral Vorkosigan. At this point in the timeline, he's had to retire for health reasons, and got a nice, relaxing job as, um, governor of a planet.

Now, from a writing perspective, there are these things called "threshold guardians". People or obstacles that keep the protagonist from escaping their everyday life. Once the hero/ine changes and grows to overcome the Guardian, they enter a new world, where they'll have to further change and adapt. Remember that scene in the first Harry Potter book, where Draco says Harry should join Slytherin? Or when Steve Rogers meets Erskine?

The heroine says her family's oldest sons have traditionally served. But her older brother died, and she's the next in line. So she wants to join.

Cordelia basically looks at her and goes "Great! Let's make it happen."

This feels kind of in-character for Cordelia, but I still feel like she'd test the kid's resolve somehow before acting. And it doesn't feel like the girl actually earned her way past the threshold. In one story, a woman in the Vorkosigans' district walked four days to their gate. Her newborn was murdered, her village mayor didn't want to do anything, the district magistrate is away for weeks, and so she came to beg her lord to investigate, as is her right. Miles Vorkosigan happens to be coming back from a swim, gets her in to see his father - who's taking a break from being Prime Minister - and the second Miles actually gets the woman past the threshold, she starts to panic about talking to The legendary Aral Vorkosigan. Her reward? An investigation. By Miles. By the end of the story, both her and Miles have gone through a lot of character development. Even more when he visits her again in Memory. In this fanfic, the heroine basically tripped and fell onto an "I win" button. The Vorkosigans are the most powerful family in the Imperium. They literally include the Emperor. And she happened to run into the one person in the family most likely to - and most capable of - helping her. Timeskip to a year later. Cordelia's been training the kid, as well as attending to the political issues. The Emperor himself has put his thumb on the scale, and our heroine learns that she's got a shot. Now, you'd think the press would be interested in this groundbreaking girl. Maybe try a few ambush holovid interviews. Nope! Maybe try to interview her friends and family back home. Nope! In fact, she doesn't think about her family back home at all. Not even to contrast her old life with the luxurious surroundings of Vorkosigan house, where she's been living. I can't remember if she even mentions Ma Kosti, the Vorkosigans' legendary cook. And when Heroine gets to the academy, does she ever think "boy, this is sure different from my time with the Vorkosigans, or my time back home!"? Of course not. In fact, her family only seems to exist to give her paper-thin motivation. She never thinks "I need to live up to my family's legacy of Service, even if I'm a girl. Even if I want to quit." I'd like to think the writer didn't want to retread old ground for the series, but I suspect she just didn't think of it. It could've been very interesting to see a Miles-like arc from another angle. The other cadets and officers at the camp generally fall into three categories; active hatred, confusion and/or indifference, or they actually like her.

You may notice a fourth category is missing; protection.

Barrayar has very rigid gender roles, though they get looser over the course of the series. There should be men and boys who have the instinct to protect Heroine. It happens in some real-world mixed units., and it's come up in the original books lots of times. Our heroine is bullied and ostracized, but remains plucky and determined. And only plucky and determined. She doesn't really grow as a character to to overcome obstacles. She makes friends through no real effort of her own. In fact, she makes friends with a guy she seriously hurt during a training exercise, where she was literally punch-drunk. Actually, let me go into detail. This is around the midpoint of the first "book" of this fic. In a traditional narrative, this would be where the protagonist realizes they need to make some critical change. And this scene is big, important, and dramatic.

The writer just forgot the "change" part.

Heroine is in a hand-to-hand fighting exercise, overseen by an drill sgt. who hates her. Someone's about to try a certain move on her. She knows a move that can counter that move, but only if you take the other guy by surprise. So she uses it. Sarge gets mad. He commands her to take the next guy without resisting. And the next. And the next. The entire class, in fact. If she resists, she gets in serious trouble. But, of course, she can tap out at any time. All she has to do is admit she can't take it.

She doesn't. 

She just takes it, until she sees this one guy. Someone ransacked her quarters, and left his hat there. She knows it probably wasn't him, and he was almost certainly framed. She lashes out anyway. Which disqualifies her.

The dick drill sgt. says her punishment is...to keep going.

And then another sergeant shows up, and quietly threatens to kill the dick drill sgt. if he doesn't cut it out.

In fact, the jerk sgt. seems awfully eager to bully a girl who has the most powerful woman in the Empire as her Galactic godmother. Beating our heroine to a pulp, with dozens of witnesses, is not exactly subtle.

Incidentally, taking that beating actually impresses a lot of the boys with our heroine's toughness and determination. Which would've been a fine plot development, if a) her friend didn't just tell her, and the story had shown us instead, ii) she had actually blacked out or collapsed, instead of being rescued by Sgt. G. Angel (not for the first time), and 3) she didn't lash out at the framed guy for plot purposes.

II would force the dick drill sgt to be much more low-key and psychological,

which would increase the challenge for our heroine going into the second half of the "book".

I don't think the heroine even sees the framed guy coming up in line, and starts getting irrationally mad at him. She just notices he's there and hits him.

To misuse a term Blake Snyder used, it's too much marzipan. The scene has a clear focus, but there's too much other stuff tacked on.

In the climax of the first 'book', there's a team obstacle course, and if our girl passes that, she moves on. So she has to assemble and train a ragtag group of misfits to storm HYDRA's main base win the Big Race.

Including the framed guy she assaulted.

Who forgave her the second she explains the situation and apologizes.

Notice the situation is set up so the heroine isn't actually at fault. Remember, she only hit him because she was groggy from the beating. It would be one thing if she seriously thought he was a bad guy, and she learned he wasn't after she injured him, but her and her friends already went "he was pretty obviously framed" the second they found his hat.

Maybe the framed guy could be frosty to her for a while, and she feels guilty about hurting him, and, y'know, grows as a character somehow. Has to actually earn his forgiveness, and his mistrust keeps hindering the team in the climax, until she Digs Down Deep, sacrifices some character flaw, and does something important to get him onside.

Or maybe that guy gets hurt or put at risk of injury, and her team can go on and win without him, and she makes them go back. They lose the race, but impress the judges, and our girl passes on sportsmanship (EG the House Cup at the end of Harry Potter 1).

Maybe the framed guy is on the jerk team, which abandons him to win.

Instead, the race is pretty much a foregone conclusion. The good guys have a secret technique that the dicks on the other team can't match. The savior sgt basically told our heroine how to win. All she had to do was figure out how to execute it.

And you know the worst part? The stupidest part? That one sergeant?

Guess who he was sent by?

So we have a story where the Vorkosigans' significant "soft power" and political influence apparently vanish the second our heroine hits the academy (which sure wasn't the case when Miles was there, even without his dad actively helping), but they also send a guy to be her guardian angel, and also deprive her of agency.

You've probably started thinking a certain phrase. But I won't call our girl a Mary Sue. In fact, she's kind of the opposite.

She's basically a very ordinary girl in a very ordinary, shallow story - especially compared to the series' usual level of depth and quality - but the story treats her like she's very, very special.

If anything, I started feeling like she was a token. The tip of a spear to get women into the regular military, thrust by Cordelia. Not valued for herself, but only for how useful she is. The story implies otherwise, and it would be greatly out of Cordelia's character, but, again, we don't see very much about Heroine's relationship with Cordelia, even in flashbacks.

Because there are no flashbacks.

The most influential woman in the Vorkosigan Saga is reduced to a plot device.

Which is ironic, given the themes of this story and the series.

I want to say this story is aggressively mediocre even for a Young Adult book, but it's not. It's mediocre for middle grade book. Maniac Magee has more depth and nuance and originality than this, and I'm not just saying that because it's one of my favorite books.

The second "book" opens with one of her friends - a noble son who doesn't fit in with his family - having a falling out with his dad. Because daddy is a bigot who doesn't like our heroine, or the idea of women in the service. So - of course - the youth basically disowns himself and moves in with the Vorkosigans, and that's when I gave up. I even deleted the story from my AO3 history, apparently, and I can't find it, so I can't check my memories.

I don't mind the idea of static protagonists who make others change around them, but they have to at least be compelling in their own right. 

Cliches aren't compelling. 

Protagonists who keep getting bailed out aren't compelling.

[whatisonthemoon]

Patriarchal nationalistic faith and the devoted daughter-in-law

Excerpted from “Marriage as a pilgrimage to the fatherland: The case of Japanese women in the Unification Church” by Kim Hyun Mee

The UC exhibited the unique feature of having combined both Confucian patriarchy and the transcendence of race. The Church advertised that the women who migrate through the church are dealt with as ‘first-rate brides’ in the media, emphasizing that they were modern-day virtuous and filial women who were ‘filial daughters-in-law’ and ‘polite leaders of women’s society’ (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, 2007). In fact, the ‘sacrifice without remuneration’ view of womanhood demanded by the UC was an identity that was not desired by modern Korean women who broadly did not wish to return to this version of the past or tradition. The ‘model life’ promoted by the international marriages of the UC places excessive emphasis on the image of women as dutiful daughters-in-law. The Church has provided no concrete example for Korean men to follow, while it has done so for the Japanese women who have been attracted to join its ranks. In contrast with the Korean women who refuse to look after their parents-in-law, the making of migrant women who are more Korean than Korean women reached its zenith with the ‘dutiful daughter-inlaw’ prize. Many local governments and organizations have rewarded Korean women who they consider ‘devoted daughter-in-laws’ as a way to promote Korea’s traditional and patriarchal culture especially in the country’s remote and rural areas. However, this prize has been opposed by women’s groups as it contradicts norms of gender equality and so is no longer cherished in contemporary Korean society. Interestingly, the winners of the prize have often been UC women. The desirable model migrant women who have received the prize have been ‘self-sacrificing’ women who have not hesitated in caringly and uncomplainingly looking after parents-in-law and husbands, even while fighting disease and poverty.

Rieko (36) who lives in Hwagyeri in Dongmyun, Cheonan city, is a Japanese woman who married a Korean man Yoon Jae Kyeol (40) in 1995. Despite having a family environment in which the 85 year-old mother-in-law had Alzheimer’s and went to the bathroom on her blanket and a father-in-law who was often drunk and rarely came home, she managed a stable family life together with her husband who worked in the district office, engaging in rice farming, and in May 2000, she received the dutiful daughter-in-law prize from the mayor of Cheonan (Song, 2000: 5)

The reason why UC women exhibited such dutifulness was because of the religious teaching that ‘parents-in-law should be looked after like God.’ Despite its ideology based on the family and the myth of ‘salvation,’ conflict within average international marriage families cannot be avoided. The UC has asserted that true love can “even out all differences and function as a standardizing agent which overcomes differences between rich and poor, races, and intellect” (Seol, 2005: 54), but here ‘standardization’ refers to Koreanization. This meant that all language within the family is to be unified, which is revealed in the doctrine written by Moon as well:

Then through which country’s language is language unified? The answer to this question is quite obvious. Children must learn the language of their parents. If it is true that Jesus, the parent of mankind, arose again in Korea, he would have used Korean and Korean would have been the native language. That means that all mankind would not have been able to but use the native language. Thus all mankind must become one country, one race that uses one language (Divine Principle, 1995: 567–68, as cited in Ando, 2004: 69–70).

The UC, which aims for world peace, shows the hypocrisy of strengthening nationalism in the process of aiming for world peace. God and Adam’s culture is Korean culture, and the Korean language is viewed as representing God’s culture, meaning that all followers must learn Korean. In the mass ceremony, the pledge of allegiance is included, and the emphasis on Korean language demonstrates that the UC is a religion based on nationalism and patriarchy. For this reason, the claim that through international marriage it will be possible to escape from a world view based on race is not very persuasive. Rather, the result of this focus on Korean tradition and language is to re-emphasize the hierarchical differences between races and ethnicities, by elevating Korea. The UC’s ethnic chauvinism and its ideology are centered on the husband’s work to strengthen the position of Korean men who do not possess great social attributes as ‘masters.’ The notion that Koreans are ‘chosen’ people is deeply rooted in the marriage ideology of the group; because of this, the world must learn Korean and imitate Korean family. From this perspective, the husbands’ individual weak points are understood within the patriarchal ideological framework of the UC as elements that the women have a religious duty to overcome on their own.

[cutekittenlady]

What do you think Iris, Ingo and Emmet's relationship is like?

I think how any given person reads their presumptive relationship depends a lot on what other headcanons or assumptions they have about Iris and twins relationships with Drayden are like since he's both their immediate connection and would, presumably, be the one to introduce them.

Like, if one were to take a dramatic reading and say that the twins and drayden, for whatever reason, are estranged from Drayden or otherwise distant from him, then its possible that they would never get the immediate opportunity to meet Iris.

Thats not my personal reading, just an example of how I tend to think about these kinds of things. Basically any assumptions I make about Drayden's relationship to the twins would automatically effect how they get on with Iris and vice versa.

As it is I think the twins and Iris would be friendly with one another. Although I don't quite view their relationship to be that of siblings. Emmet and Ingo in Black and White are likely in their 20's at the earliest with Iris probably being around 10. That doesnt mean that a sibling relationship isn't possible, but given that she outright calls Drayden "grandpa" in the english translated versions of the games and how this seems to imply that, at bare minimum, he takes on the role of an honorary grandfather to her then it feels more appropriate the twins, who were presumably raised and taught by Drayden themselves and are from a generation between Drayden and Iris, to be closer to being her honorary uncles or cousins rather than siblings.

Ingo and Emmet for their part, I think, would be happy to see Drayden having a personal protege/adopted grandchild. The three of them (Drayden and the twins) are all notorious workaholics. But while the twins keep each other in check to make sure neither overworks, Drayden is largely going it alone. This combined with his growing age and the fact that he's the Mayor of a whole city as well as a gym leader (AND the headmaster of a trainer school if one chooses to airlift that tidbit from the anime lol) I think would make the twins worry a lot about Drayden overworking himself more.

Iris coming into Draydens life, I think, would be viewed as a positive influence in the eyes of Ingo and Emmet. Iris has an energetic, perky, and fun loving energy to her that contrasts nicely with Draydens more straight-lined personality. Plus the fact that Drayden is explicitly training her to take over the gym tells them that he HAS thought about and intends to eventually retire which is a comfort to them. (This doesnt stop them from being happy that Iris became champion, even though it means Drayden is back as gym leaders. Tho they may still be concerned about Drayden once again pushing back retirement.)

As for Drayden, his experience raising Emmet and Ingo definitely help make him a great teacher and parental figure to Iris. (Maybe even admitting that the compared to the twins the rambunctious Iris is a saint lol). So of course he's happy that Iris ends up spiritually inheriting the families competitive spirit.

I can just imagine Iris happily going to Nimbasa to try and battle through the subway in order to battle Ingo and Emmet in an official capacity even after shes champion. Or all of them watching the Pokemon World Tournament together. And so on.

They're an odd but very happy little family I think.

((Of course I just can't keep the sad bone away. Ingo disappearing would be very distressing to Iris I think. As champion she may feel like she SHOULD be able to find Ingo, but her duties as champion keep her from free roaming, and even when she is able to look for him she fails to come up with anything. It would be a serious blow to her confidence.))