#which I bet has been done for like a fan game or something but I think it sounds cool

[science-lings]

I’m calling it now, new aa game in 2025, we’ve had two remakes this year, they’re hyping up the fans for a new installment. Either a new mainline trilogy or the start of a new spin off series which could be like… idk the great ace attorney investigations or another ancestor of Phoenix’s that lives in a different time period, idk enough about law history to know when would be interesting to set it tho. If I’m wrong I’ll know for certain that they’re just sitting on AA7 until gay marriage is legalized in Japan… for some reason they’d want to wait for that…

[goldensunset]

so i guess it didn’t occur to me but like. Yeah. even if the app is offline and only provides theater mode that’s still a real canon kingdom hearts entry. those cutscenes are part of the story. and that app is the official means by which those cutscenes are accessible. there’s youtube of course but that’s all the work of fans… without the uxdr app square enix is currently straight up not offering an actual official way to experience this story anymore. which is. really low. nintendo type move. and like. bad for an overarching story that relies on this and is only going to do so more and more…

i’m betting on this being the first symptom of square enix doing something new with this story in the future but for the time being it’s like. man that really reflects poorly… not that it’s even that irrational to take down an app that’s been dead for years now but what it does is bring to light how ridiculous it is that square enix hasn’t done anything else in that time. no announcement of a remake or other new means of making uxdr available, no warning about the app being removed, etc

not to sound like one of the mobile game saga haters but in the end. when you get practical with it. it really is unprofessional and far-fetched for game developers to expect the masses to get into a story that’s only accessible through a gallery of cutscenes on a mobile app. like i understand there are always gonna be casual fans who aren’t interested in every last side game ever (even if they’re wrong) but in general stuff like bbs and ddd or whatever we’re good at appealing to broader audiences. i think square enix really needs to face the reality that people want real and playable games and the rabid passion of us tumblr weirdos who will gladly watch hours of cutscenes isn’t enough to float their boat

like khux has been around for so long you’d think they’d have realized ‘hmm the cute little online pc/mobile game we made got popular and we expanded the lore a lot hmmmm maybe we should reconsider our initial choice if confining it to the realm of a cute little online pc/mobile game.’ it hurts my heart to hear people dissing the mobile games bc it’s done from ignorance of how good they are but i’m not mad at those people. they’re judging a book by its cover but like yeah some books have unappealing covers. i get it. not everyone will immediately see the hype. the khux superfan in me says skill issue they should try harder. the pragmatic person who wants the series to survive says square enix you gotta do something to appeal to the broader audience

and like only offering the thing in a mediocre form is bad enough but it’s even worse now if they don’t even let you have the thing at all. now it really is up to the fans to preserve this work of art? a set of crucial support beams for the entire mythos’ lore is being curated by youtubers doing this entirely out of passion? and square enix doesn’t see a problem with that? mannnn if you want to be taken seriously as a storyteller. provide access to your stories. ideally make it a good and widely popular type of access but at least do something. nintendo type of move smh . as long as they don’t go full nintendo and start striking down people who upload it online

[harmonysanreads]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ One Year Commemoration Post↬Sumeru Love Hexagon

-; ੈ♡˳ BEHIND THE HEXAGON

☆ The primary inspirations behind this AU are Alhaitham's Demo and this Fan Musical that debuted on Spring HoyoFair 2023!

Alhaitham's Demo no doubt gave many writers and daydreamers heavy brainrot and I happen to be one of them lol. But it was not until the fan musical that I had a concrete enough idea. I was charmed by the amount of tavern shenanigans this concept had the potential to bring, which is something that I really wanted to write at the moment :>

☆ Originally, Scaramouche or, Wanderer wasn't even supposed to be part of the AU!

Mainly because I didn't see many inclusion of him in the Sumeru Crew (at that time) and was unsure how it'd be taken D: But then, I remembered the v3.6 trailer where he was duking it out with the others and I was like 'why not?'. From that point on, he's come a long way and has even become the Best Boy of the Hexagon! :D

☆ Scaramouche's 'innocent in front of reader and the opposite behind their back' act is a tribute to his very first in-game appearance in the v1.1 Unreconciled Stars event!

This is something I'm humbly proud of, so to say. I still occasionally go back and admire the writing from that event. I think it's absolutely criminal for such a lore-rich and well-done in terms of character introduction event to be limited but oh well. Scaramouche, in my opinion, can be an excellent actor when he needs to be and if you watch the story from this event, you'll understand. Combining this with his mental state from after the Interlude Quest creates quite a messy situation though and, I kept it that way intentionally :>

☆ In the initial draft, Alhaitham was written as a very jealous character!

The cause of it being reader's infinite care for Kaveh. But obviously, I scraped it and wrote a much more toned down version and I sometimes wonder if I should've gone with my initial thoughts. Admittedly, I was playing it safe due to some reality checks regarding his character so I don't regret it a whole lot. But if it was up to the present me, I would be down to writing jealous Alhaitham immediately lol

-; ੈ♡˳ QUESTIONNAIRE

Does the Reader have White Knight Syndrome?

Well, I didn't originally write them with this particular condition in mind, however, upon further reflection I can see that they definitely show some symptoms of it. And considering the situation they're in, it's very easy for them to fall into the condition itself. I'm not at all qualified to diagnose someone with a mental condition so, my answer will have to a soft no. However, if anyone wants to imagine them as such, they're of course free to do so.

Is there any character you'd want to write differently if given the chance?

I already mentioned Alhaitham to a degree but, I really really wish I had been more considerate of Cyno. We're entering debatable territory here but the Hoyo writers putting so much emphasis on Cyno's TCG addiction and jokes while handling his actual lore whimsically made me lose interest in his character at that time. Though, I hope his upcoming Story Quest will fix this and do his character justice <3

Who is your favorite among the boys?

If you've lingered around my blog for a while, I know you thought I was going to say Alhaitham but, within the confines of the AU, it's actually Kaveh! He's like the initial spark that kindled the actual fire, as such, he's the first one you read about. I felt immense empathy for him after I learned about his lore through leaks, which is reflected onto the reader as well. Had this been a different timeline, Kaveh and Reader's relationship would be pure wholesomeness.

Who among the five is the endgame?

Ohohohoho.. place your bets because it can be literally anyone :) Even someone outside the hexagon in the off-chance they end up slaughtering each other lol. Kind of out of topic but, I think the Wanderer route would be genuinely heartbreaking unless he does something about Reader's mortality. He'd have to watch the one person who truly loved him decay slowly, while he remains afloat his raft of artificiality, safe from the clutches of death temporarily. Thinking about the endings make me feel quite sad honestly, it's a reminder that even the lighthearted shenanigans of the Hexagon will end at some point.

-; ੈ♡˳ ENDING NOTES

I could've easily done a writing event to celebrate the anniversary but I just really, really wanted to talk about these little tidbits. Many many kudos to you if you've made it this far, I hope I didn't bore you :')

Memories are fragile things, so I'd like to think of this as a memorial of sorts that I can look back to after a few years and not think of myself as a total failure lol. I wrote this AU at a rather difficult period of my life, which is why this is more lighthearted despite falling into the Yandere genre.

I don't really know how to express my gratitude without sounding overly sappy, but I'll forever remember every interaction, comment, ask etc regarding the Hexagon fondly. I even remember someone saying they're binge reading this late at night instead of studying for an exam or something which is.. wow, I hope you're doing well nowadays my fellow night owl! I appreciate every each one of you for even taking some of your time to read my silly ramblings <3

This is not at all the end of the Hexagon AU, just to clarify! I'll still answer any asks regarding the five losers (affectionate) because, despite the limitations placed by reality, in fiction, we have the power to imagine and write infinite tavern shenanigans.

Just before I posted the original concept, I thought to myself, 'If even one person smiles because of this, I'll consider it a success.' and now, looking back to the amount of people that enjoyed the Sumeru Love Hexagon (very silly name but I digress) I just feel so, so happy.

Thank you, everyone, sincerely <3

[local-lamppost]

Act 2, Innitial thoughts, It's 4:30am

First of all: I really need to stop staying up late to binge this show...

SO!

Overall I feel a little bit of everything except happiness. It was all rather confusing and chaotic, which I think was meant to go along with the mess that the natural world is currently in, but is more likely a pacing issue. Act 1 could be quick in some places, but this act had far more 'trust me, happened off screen' moments and I'm not a fan.

Aside from that I liked it, my issue of pacing stems from me wanting to see more of these characters. Some were punished by pacing more than others. Viktor was fine, it was perfect A to B from where we left him to where we pick up; unlike Vi and Cait reconciliation.

Vi and Cait need a proper chat. I think Cait disagreed with Ambessa's plan of attack and would have found a way to disrupt things even without finding Vi. Cait's rage has simmered down it seems(still bringing up potential harm to innocents), her focus back on Jinx instead of the Undercity, so it makes sense for her to go against an assault on a peaceful settlement. Her finding Vi was just an added advantage.

The two of them haven't buried the hatchet. Vi must have something to say about what Vi has turned both cities into, and Cait has to acknowledge what her actions have done to her home and the woman she loves. I'm hoping them working together now is just a patch job for the bigger problem to be fixed in Act 3.

Vi and Jinx were adorable. I love that Jinx knew that Vi was pit fighting from the start, keeping an eye on her not out of care but just in case (maybe to get herself some money too, since she was betting on her sister) and that she immediately went to Vi after discovering Vander. The two of them felt like sister for the first time since season 1 act 1. Even their fight was less actively trying to hurt each other and more sibling brawl. It did work to show just how much of a mess Vi is, as she had trouble dealing with Jinx-who even on shimmer should be no physical match for Vi. I think Isha helped as a kind of filter between them, along with Vander. Jinx and Vi had to rely on each other for the first time ever, not even when Jinx was Powder did Vi rely on her. I think seeing Jinx older sister Isha put something into place for Vi. She sees that Jinx can love and care, and that give Vi hope.

And Isha... Isha who became a mirror of Powder, an off shoot of Powder that blows up an off shoot of Vander.

Non verbal characters in animation are always fun to watch because it gives the animators full control. Every gesture and expression has to add to something because there isn't any dialog to assist. A way to progress the story and give a character character through expression alone, and they knocked it outta the park.

Isha dying her hair, playing the monster game, drawing fake smoke tattoos, etc, all to imitate Jinx is adorable. I also love how she isn't just a tag along, but actively pushes Jinx into doing something to the point Jinx thinks she's in cahoots with Sevika. It's foolish to hope she lives, but god do I hope Isha lived.

Viktor is interesting. He is so unbothered by everything, with only the faintest sense of self remaining. I still think Sky is just figment of the Hexcore/Arcane, an avatar for him to play off of. His determination to help others at the cost of himself is that last strand that connects him to humanity, it's his hope and empathy.

And that's what Jayce kills, not the Arcane. There is not doubt in my mind the Herald survived, but Viktor is gone.

I know people are giving Jayce a lot of flack, but I'm holding out on learning what he experienced in his days/weeks spent inside the Arcane. It seemed to tear at his psyche, leaving him with the sole goal to destroy it's spread; and who was spreading it faster than Viktor?

We have yet to see Heimerdinger and Ekko return from the other side so, here's to act 3.

Confirmation on what Singed has been doing.

Lastly, Warwick. I loved the perspective shots with him, I loved his design and voice, and I love Vander. I did not realize just how much I've missed him.

The flashbacks with him, Silco and Felicia (Vi and Jinx's mom) were so bittersweet. Blister's a brimstone, what could've beens, and the promise of the future through children. The song and art for the sequence too was just heartbreaking; not to mention that Vander named Violet. It also seems to be confirmed that toddler Vi would hang out at the Last Drop with her folks, Vander, and Silco which is adorable.

I'm honestly not sure if Isha's attack will kill him, cause quite a bit of damage certainly, but he's been shown to regenerate quickly and from deadly attacks.

[outsideratheart]

Make It True (Leah Williamson x reader)

A/N: Day twenty three of the Christmas advent calendar.  I thought I would do a longer one for Christmas eve’s eve.

Based off this: Fake dating for Christmas Ball & “I’ll let you sit on my knee.

The snow was falling at The Coloney and it’s as if everyone turned into children. Snowballs had been thrown, snowmen had been made and the last training session of the year had been one full of games. 

As the team gathered in the canteen, the club’s Christmas party was on the team’s mind. There was no pressure of entertaining sponsors and the higher ups. It was just the players and staff in attendance. 

Of all the seats in the room Leah chooses your table which happens to be full so she sits on your knee. It wasn’t the first time this has happened so the team didn’t bat an eyelid. Your team mates and the fans knew the two of you were close and took the term work wife very seriously. 

Like always you and Leah have your own conversation as if no one else is there. Whilst your friends found it cute they also find it a annoying from time to time. 

“Y/N” Katie almost sings and you know the tone, she means to cause trouble. 

“You look very comfortable there. I’m not sure your girlfriend would appreciate you been so close to our vice captain like that?” 

You eyes widen at her accusation. You did not have a girlfriend and you have no idea what would make her think that. Truth is you only had eyes for Leah, it has been that way for years and you honestly don’t see it changing. 

Then you see the look in the Irish women’s eye. She is trying to get one of you to bite and you know that Leah is the easy target. 

“Don’t” you whisper in the blonde’s ear when you feel her tense up on your lap. 

You eye Katie giving her a warning but when she smirks you know she isn’t done. 

“What do you think Meado, will Y/N be bringing her girlfriend?” Katie asks. 

There’s that word again. One which doesn’t have an owner. 

“You’re seeing someone?” Viv asks. 

“It makes sense. You’ve been very preoccupied lately. You haven’t been coming out with us. What’s her name? Do we get to meet her? What’s she like?” Beth fires question after question and as soon as she is finished with her interrogation Jen starts then Steph. 

“It’s me” Leah snaps. 

All heads turn to the two as you as Leah grabs your hand and wraps it around her waist, your hand now resting on the lower part of her stomach. The placement is a lot more intimate then where it was before. 

“You’re better at lying then me” she whispers in your ear before kissing your cheek. 

At the point you see your friends waiting for your response. 

“Looks like the cats out of the bag. Leah is the person I have been spending my time with, if that isn’t obvious at this point” 

“I knew it!” Caitlyn stands up in victory and asks for some of the team to pay up making it clear that they have made bet on your’s and Leah’s fake relationship. 

The attention soon comes back to the two of you but you tap Leah’s tummy telling her to get up. 

 “We have to go. Have fun gossiping” you tel you team. 

Even after you are out the canteen you don’t speak to Leah. It is only when you are back in the locker room where you know no one can hear do you make your true feeling known. 

“Care to explain?” You tried not to sound mad but the undertone was there and Leah knew it. 

When she doesn’t answer you know that it must be something deeper than she is willing to let on because she won’t look you in the eye. 

“We still need to discuss why you did what you did but not now” you couldn’t ignore how natural it felt when you held Leah or the rosiness in her cheeks after she kissed you but clearly she wasn’t ready and neither were you. 

“What is your plan?” You ask Leah knowing that the reason why your fake relationship was revealed is because of the Christmas party. 

“We stay fake dating until after the party then we break up” Leah is clearly unsure of what the plan is, given she only made it up ten minutes ago. 

“Wow, you’re already planning on breaking up with me. You wound me Williamson” 

Leah throws her training jacket at you. She then bursts into laughter at the situation she has put herself in although she can’t complain, not with the way her heart is beating at the thought of calling you hers even if it is fake. 

“The party is in two days. I’ll pick you up and we’ll go together. Follow my lead and let me do the talking” you hug her tightly before leaving to locker room ready to go home. 

“Wait, why are you doing the talking?”

You turn to face Leah.  

“Because you are a terrible liar. It’s one of the things I love about you” it is only when you are half way down the hallway do you realise what you said. You only hope that Leah didn’t think that much into it but if you were to turn around you would see her frozen in her spot. 

********************

You had driven to Leah’s house countless times before but this time was different. You had thought about your plan the entire day. In the end you came to the conclusion that the best way to get through the night was to be as honest as possible and treat Leah the way you always wanted to, like she is the only girl in the world. 

When you knock on her door you cannot help but feel like you are picking up your prom date. That feeling comes true when her mum answers the door. 

“What are you intentions with my daughter?” She only just gets the sentence out before bursting into laughter. 

“Did she tell you what happened?” Her mum nods her head “Maybe tonight to will show what the future could look like” 

Amanda told you time and time again that she thought you were made for her daughter and it made her the number one supporter of yours and Leah’s fake relationship. 

“Maybe. I guess there is only one way to find out” truth is you had thought and hoped the same thing. 

Luckily you get stopped before the conversation gets too deep. The last thing you needed tonight was for your feelings to get in the way. You head needed to be in control. 

“Y/N you look beautiful” Leah makes her way towards you and not so subtly checks you out. 

You wore a long black dress with your hair in a straight ponytail. Although tonight was a party, it was black tie themed. Leah herself takes your breath away, she is wearing a well tailored suit, a white shirt with more buttons undone then done up and then a black lace bra underneath. 

“You look, wow” you keep your sentence short in hear that your true thoughts will come to light. 

“Photo. Photo” Amanda says as she gets her phone out. 

You and Leah pose for several photos before Amanda suggests you get into character. Leah’s mum is oblivious to your hand placement as it rests on Leah’s bum. You lean down and meet her gaze. The way you look at her and she looks at you, well you would have thought each other hung the stars. 

“We do make a good couple” Leah says as she looks at the first few photos. 

“A sexy couple” you reply when she swipes to the final one. 

“Y/N!” Both Leah and her mum say at same time. 

“What! I need to be honest now because I’m about to spend god knows how long lying to our friends” 

Although you meant no harm by your words you can immediately see that Leah is hurt. 

“I’m sorry” 

“Hey!” You grab her shoulders “I agreed to it and we’re going to have fun tonight” you grab her hand and pull her to towards the door. You know it isn’t necessary but you were excited to have Leah be your pretend girlfriend for the night. 

“Have her home for 11” Amanda shouts. 

“Not a chance” Leah shouts back. 

*********************

You face your first challenge when you get out the car. 

“Shall we hold hands? We link arms or we—“ Leah always mumbles when she gets nervous, it was one of her tells. 

“What did I tell you?” 

“To follow your lead”

“That’s right”

You take Leah’s hand in yours making sure to interlock your fingers. When you walk though the doors you feel like a spotlight has been put on the two of you. 

“Well if it isn’t the hottest and best kept secret couple in the WSL” Katie says. 

“You’re just mad we didn’t tell you sooner” you retort as you hug Ruesha. 

You make the extra effort to greet Jonas and his wife. His face is priceless when he sees your hand resting on Leah’s waist as his wife talks. 

“I had my suspicions about you two on my first day here. Nice to see that my gut was right” Jonas is proud of himself, you can tell. 

“I think everyone has thought me and Leah are dating at one point or another” you joke whilst Leah watches as you seem to confirm he is right but don’t actually say it. In this moment she understands why you said you would do the talking. You’re not lying to anyone, you’re just not telling the whole truth. 

Throughout the night you and Leah do the rounds saying hello to the staff and their partners. It is after speaking to one of the your close friends who works at the club that Leah begins to struggle with the facade. 

“I’m going to the bathroom” Leah kisses your cheek before walking away. 

You don’t want to be rude so you continue your conversation but your gaze follows Leah until she is no longer in sight. In the end you excuse yourself. Something wasn’t right and you needed to know if Leah was ok. 

“Leah it’s me. Please open the door” you knock gently as not to make a scene. 

Unbeknownst to you Leah is leaning on the other side of the door. Panic is slowly consuming her as the lies begin to take their toll. Despite this she lets you in and you lock the door behind you. 

“Talk me Leah” 

You see her hesitate like she doesn’t what to say what she is thinking. When she still doesn’t reply you test the waters. 

“Why did you tell the team you were my girlfriend?” It was a question that you knew the answer and it was helping you get through the night. Now Leah had to realise it too. 

“I don’t know” 

At first you don’t believe her but then you see the look her contemplation in her eyes and you know she is almost there. 

“I do. You told them we were dating because you hated the thought of me being with someone else” 

“I can’t keep lying to them” she didn’t acknowledge what you said but you know she heard you and that was enough. 

“Then we make it true” it sounded more simple than it was but you know a little truth can go a long way. 

Leah walks towards you, with each step she gains a little more confidence knowing you mean what you said and that you were right. 

“How?” She asks.

“Like this. On our first date we went for a walk around Hyde park because you know how much I like it and I know you like the little cafe by the bridge”

“But that hasn’t happened” 

“It hasn’t happened…..yet. Are you free tomorrow?” 

You were confident and Leah knew it. 

“Our first date. We just don’t tell them when” she says and you nod your head, now she was getting it “then if they ask when I knew I liked you I would say the day I met you” 

“Is that so? If they ask who said I love you first I will say me. We were in a bathroom and I realised in that moment that there was no one else for me, that you Leah Williamson, were my soul mate so I pulled you close, looked you straight in the eyes and said I love you” 

You do as you and say and by the time you finish the three magic words, Leah’s eyes are welling up with tears. 

“And I said I right back. I said nobody in the world makes me feel the way you do. Whenever I picture my future you are the one I see by my side. I said I love you and I meant it” 

Then Leah kisses you. The warmth of her lips on your own is like nothing you’ve ever felt before. It gave you butterflies, the best kind. 

“We really should get out there, they’ll be looking for us” you unlock the door but Leah remains in her place with a pout on her face 

“C’mon, I’ll let you sit on my knee. I know how much you like it” you tease. 

The rest of the night is much easier. You and Leah remain close and rarely leave each other’s side. Her mum was right. Tonight definitely showed you what the future could look liked and you couldn’t wait. 

[evony256]

SPOILERS FOR DRDT CHAPTER 2 EPISODE 13

TW: SUICIDE

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the episode too since I've seen a lot of people do that

By the way I had to watch this like 7 hours after it was released and I have not scrolled through Tumblr yet so I might bring up stuff that have already been discussed. Also all of these notes were written down while I was watching the episode so yeah

-Levi just moved up so much on my kin list it's insane like omg…

- This was one bad day for Acevi fans, huh. I guess the Xanvid came at a price

-Whit I can now see why David told you to shut up I like you but that was bad 💀 (he was probably left affected by how David reacted in episode 12 and is either really uncomfortable or somewhat intimidated by David now)

-Nah nah nah that's definitely not Teruko's secret so I'm gonna start theorizing now. Teruko might have most of the secrets. It's not like they belong to her, but if you think back to episode 8 she said that she doesn't know which secret is hers because so many things have happened in her life. She probably said that she got the family secret because she thought that was the most likely one. Hu's secret might also be accurate to her considering the fact that, in episode 4, she told Arei that failed suicide attempts are painful, hinting at the fact that she might have tried to kill herself at some point (also backed up by the fact that, in episode 3, she says "why save my life if you're just going to ruin it afterwards?" when talking about her medical debt). The idea that she has most (if not all, but I doubt that) of the secrets might tie in with the killing game secret since it says "How could I even select what secret to be your motive?". The wording here is very ambiguous since it could be interpreted as "secrets about your life" or "secrets that are on the board", like the ones that the other cast members have, the latter being something that I bet that nobody in the fandom thought about until this episode. Anyway theory over back to saying stupid shit

-AREI ILYSM YOU ARE MAKING ME CRY YET FEEL HAPPY THAT'S WHY YOU'RE MY FAVORITEEEEE 😭😭😭

-SHE GOT NEW SPRITES TOO SHE IS SO PRETTY

-I MADE AN AUDIBLE GASP NOISE WHEN THAT CG WITH EDEN SHOWED UP HOLY SHIT!!!! I think she might have hurt or killed the girl she kissed? Unless she killed Arei, which is still a posibility, or Levi lied about his secret for Eden’s sake (idea which could contribute to the "Eden killer Levi accomplice" theory), though Charles would have also needed to lie for Eden since he had her secret. Also, if we're going with Eden remorseless murderer theory, in my opinion, it wouldn't make sense for Eden to be a remorseless killer after what Arei said about her making a mistake "that she couldn't take back" (showing that she probably felt remorse for what she did). Also also this is a good time for me to bring up the note with "Eden's motive" that Charles gave to Teruko. That note could be proof of whether or not Eden really does have the girl kisser secret and I want to mention that the note could be anything since we only have Charles' word to rely on. I really hope we get to see what it says because it's been making me more suspicious of Charles (I personally think that Charles is somewhat suspicious so I might make a post about it soon even though there isn't much proper evidence to say that he has something to do with the killing game, there's still a couple of questionable things about what he's done/said). Okay yap session number two over

-Arei moved up even more on my kin list how is that even possible…. I also love how her voice changed so much in this episode. Even in prior episodes, her voice seemed so cheerful and energetic, yet in this one, it's much calmer. Showing that she truly is feeling relieved that there are other bad people in the world like her and that she might have a chance to redeem herself if so. God damnit Mokaui (Arei's VA) did such a good job with all of her voice lines she needs to be credited more

-THE AREI CG I AM CRYING AREI YOU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME ILYSM I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE BONUS EPISODE AFTER THIS

-They're finally talking about the murder method this is a new evolution for humanity

-Monotv causally breaking the forth wall, now we can blame it on the cast that they were talking about the secrets for an entire year because they didn't watch the Chapter 2 recap

-YESSS FINALLY A MINIGAME I’VE MISSED THESE SO MUCHHHH

-Ooh so that's what the broken handles meant also that Veronika art is so pretty

-I wonder why they would want to break her neck though, it doesn't seem like it would help with the murder at all, but maybe the killer was trying to cause confusion

-This is proving a theory that I've had for a while. If Arei was hung from the ceiling of the playground, then that could be tied in with the broken lights and the movie screening room above the playground. How would they be able to get her into the playground from the movie screening room though…

-J 💀 (that's all I’ve got to say literally)

-That's a lot of very precise information Whit I can understand Veronika but why would you know all that. Care to share something with the class?

-The text animations in the debate are so unique like the question marks with Rose and the one that circles around the top of Levi’s head those look so cool. Also getting to hear a lot of characters talk in a row feels amazing. It gives them a lot of depth showing the contrast between those characters’ tones of voice.

-Also there goes my screening room theory damn

-Everyone just roasting Teruko again is the best thing out of this episode /j

-We got puppy Whit 10/10 episode

-Also THREE CGS AND TWO MINIGANES IN ONE EPISODE??? DRDTDEV YOU HAVE BEEN COOKING 🔥🔥🔥 YOU CAN STOP NOW THE KITCHEN IS ON FIRE (IN THE GOOD WAY). YOU MADE AN ENTIRE BUFFET. THIS IS AN ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT YOU CAN STOP NOW-

-Ooooo she's talking about Ace's attempted murder

-(Probably) Nico and Ace focused episode next week Nico and Ace fans are gonna be eating good

Overall, this might be my favourite episode so far. Not like I had a favourite episode before but still this was SO good

Also I just checked my Tumblr notifications why are there 50 like oh my lord 💀

[kaija-rayne-author]

I guess the discourse today is about Astarion being the favourite poster boy of the devs to the detriment of the other characters.

Yes. That's unequivocally true. Wyll having so little compared to Astarion is also an example of racism.

It's also capitalism. Larian can't make more games unless BG3 does well. So far it has, so in their choice of poster boy they chose correctly.

Every business, especially entertainment ones, follows a similar model. Develop stories or games that the previous game helped fund. It's common in book publishing too.

(Which, tbf, is my realm of knowledge, but the business facts are the same.)

What you, if you're indie, or the publisher, if not, chooses to spend time on is the thing/character/aspect/story that will sell the most copies so they can stay in business.

They bet on Astarion being popular because:

1. Vampire, vampire stories don't seem to get old. People want more.

2. White hair, if you're at all into gaming or anime, you should recognize the white-haired anime boy coding Astarion has.

3. He's pretty. In games & books like these, people want to get turned on or be sucked into emotions, that's rather the point. So, of course, they made him pretty and gave him an angsty backstory about it. Have you noticed that his vampire fangs are the more traditional style and the rest have funky (and likely more efficient) chompers with the fangs on the front teeth?

4. Twink, you'd have to be really not paying attention to not notice that one. They tend to be attractive to the largest section of players.

6. Slow burn, a lot of people prefer slow burn romance.

7. Classically handsome. You could turn him into a statue (and can!) and he wouldn't look out of place.

I don't experience this type of point form character building, my characters tend to march fully formed into my head and demand I write them.

But Astarion was built as a fictional character that would (hopefully) capture a broad cross-section of players and give the game some more sex appeal.

Sex sells.

I'd lay money I don't have on every aspect of Astarion's character having been a deliberate choice to encourage sales.

And that's fine. That's what capitalism does. Don't like it? Start voting for social support programs and things like ubi so that people can create without worrying about the bills.

Is it fair to the other characters and to the gamers who love other characters more than Astarion? Absolutely not. I do hope Larian gets the message and produces more content to make them all equivocal.

Especially for Wyll, they did him so dirty.

Is Wyll having the least lines and scenes racist? Yup.

Larian, despite their faults, produced something that so few games companies have done recently. A single purchase, single player RPG without micro-transactions that was an excellent game straight from release.

Other games companies are bitching about that because it's like sand in the oyster of their business models.

Which, for a while now, has been to roll out a game that wasn't ready yet and use the players as unpaid, uncompensated labour to find bugs etc. As a gamer, I've really hated that.

Did Larian fuck up? Uh, yeah. On several issues. But they also made an amazing game that was awesome from release.

It would be a shame to lose sight of that.

It's important to call out the shite when we see it, but the current 'it has to be perfect for me, or I won't play' attitude rampant on the 'net these days is disturbing to say the least.

I've read Larian has a feedback thing on fridays. If this really bothers you, hustle on over and participate in the feedback session.

They're still actively working on the game. They can still make changes and they seem reasonably responsive to fan feedback.

But just remember... the reason Astarion is the poster boy with the most content is because of capitalism. It was likely a cold, business focused decision vs anything else.

Which doesn't make it better. I just figured inserting a bit of entertainment business knowledge might be helpful to the discussion.

[utilitycaster]

You know, it always frustrates me when people refuse to branch out and try new TTRPGs, stubbornly clinging to things that bring them happiness, so I wanted to provide a little recommendation you might not have considered: D&D.

You might have heard of Dungeons and Dragons, or D&D as it's frequently called, from the 2023 movie, or, if you're a little more tuned in, Stranger Things, but it's been around since the 1970s! And if you haven't given it a go, it's worth checking out.

Obviously you’d be looking for alternatives to Pathfinder given past reports from employees that they had to unionize in order to get the company to follow basic OSHA regulations and repeated accusations of underpaying both staff and freelancers. Fear not! D&D 5e is an intuitive switch - Pathfinder 1e was originally based on an earlier edition of D&D, and the cast of Critical Role actually made this same switch, so it’s been done before! You’ll find most of the same classes, a large homebrew community, and similar combat mechanics - but much more streamlined. If you’ve been rolling your eyes at the near-infinite ability check range in Pathfinder 1e, or the fact that you need to look up twenty factors before assigning a difficulty class, or the need to burn an entire action to maintain spell concentration, D&D simplifies it. With a handful of exceptions for classes with expertise, and not including the possibility of bardic inspiration being used on an already successful roll, most checks will be below 35, and DCs can be created by the DM - which is just one of the many ways D&D prioritizes player agency, a phrase we understand the meaning of and care about deeply.

And now that bears are out of vogue due to their association with hard drugs thanks to Cocaine Bear, you might be looking for alternatives to your Honey Heist game. One of my favorite games is D&D, which has the bonus of being flexible enough for both one-session games, and something ongoing! Pre-created character sheets and modules are available for free, so it can be as low-prep or as involved as you want. If you’re missing the animal aspects, check out the druid class, or you could take a look at the blood hunter class by Matt Mercer (who you may know as Trinket from Trinket’s Honey Heist) if you’re interested in playing a creature who might lose control. The McElroys, known Honey Heist players, have actually run several D&D campaigns if you are looking to onboard. Also, let's be real: Honey Heist is overly simplistic - seriously, only one page? - and has dumb hats, and if you knew about the other options, you'd obviously not be playing it.

Speaking of the McElroys, I bet we have some Blades in the Dark and PbtA fans in the audience! If you find mixed success mechanics frustrating, want to be able to have larger-scale, higher-stakes battles without the risk of dying immediately, or are interested in a less regimented structure that is more setting-agnostic, as well as provides opportunities for the Game Master (called a Dungeon Master in D&D) to fail, D&D is worth a look! It's a fairly combat-heavy game and characters are built to be able to withstand some heavy hits, so a large battle won't bring the narrative to a halt as your characters struggle to find outlets for their unhealthy coping mechanisms in order to recover (though, of course, if you like that, the open RP and general ability check mechanisms make it easy to include)!

What's important, in the end, is to remember that the TTRPG you are currently enjoying is wrong, bad, and stupid. Choose the game I, an internet stranger who has made no effort to learn anything of your personal tastes, interests, and the needs of your table, has decided you should play. And remember: the most important thing is having fun.

[gunslinginnhogtyin]

I am so late to the game for this one and don't expect you to bang this out if there's already too many! Even though they're not a ship (YET???), what do you think a kid between Rach and Butch would come out like? My bet is the wildest little raccoon child to ever exist.

@splinter-sister

If they had a kid… // @splinter-sister

• Name: Robert “Bo” Donahue-Miller

• Gender: male

• General appearance: Has naturally tired and down turned blue eyes and long lashes, brown fluffy hair that never seems to be able to sit right even when combed, and sharp teeth that will only grow back sharper when he loses them. Bo prefers comfort over fashion so more often than not, he’s wearing an oversized shirt or one of his moms comfy jackets. He wears rain boots even when it’s sunny outside and has a croc collection ongoing with charms and all; his favorite pair is a pair of cowboy boot crocs, though he only wears them on special occasions! He inherited the demon tail but oddly enough—no horns!

• Personality: Bo is very outspoken, sometimes without even meaning to be; this tends to hurt feelings which makes keeping friends for him a bit tricky when they’re under the impression that he’s just being a meanie. Hes introverted enough as it is! He’s also very rebellious, borderlining Thing 1 and Thing 2. Tell this boy to do something and he will do the opposite just to spite you or to make himself laugh. Bo is the drifter sort, lax enough to get along with just about anyone while also having a hard time ‘finding his place’. If he’s comfortable around someone, they’ll find that he’s actually pretty goofy.

• Special talents: definitely has Rachael’s Splinter’s gene. Maintains some of Butch’s demon-like abilities as well but only when he’s emotionally charged (which can be scary for Butch and Rach at times). He’s also quite artistically inclined!

• Who they like better: while they’re both pretty relaxed in the way they’ve brought him up, I feel like Bo may take advantage of his fathers more chaotic tendencies to get out of trouble/stay up late/get extra snacks after dinner or what have you. They would both definitely fuss at him if he got in trouble but I have a feeling Butch might not take it all that seriously considering his own track record, and for that Bo is thankful. ADDITIONALLY CONSIDER… both of them because imagine Rachael and Butch doing the same thing behind each others backs only to find out he’s been getting EXTRA extra because they both love him too much lsjsksjs

• Who they take after more: Rachael in the way that he’s definitely more introverted and laid back than he is energetic and sociable. He’d rather be at home, watching TV or drawing than out and about with a bunch of people. He loves a good adventure of course (who doesn’t?) but only with a tight nit few he’s comfortable around. He’s a big napper and will 100% sleep in if no one wakes him up—he’s not a morning person!

• Personal headcanon(s): Bo has a pet turantula named Spike who will sit on his shoulder and go places with him. He loves music and already knows how to play a few songs on guitar! He also has a keyboard he messes with because it makes funny sounds. Loves video games, begs Rachael and Butch to play Roblox with him all the time (Butch tries his best to appease him but absolutely has no idea what he’s doing). He’s big into retro games as well. Bo is a fan of harmless pranks and has definitely done this to Butch atleast ONCE after seeing this video.

[antrea]

hello

if you wanted to know my thoughts about morgan frost and his decision to follow donald fucking trump on ig here they are. if not that's fine this is kinda my own ranting exercise lol

also i don't think this ramble will follow a structure so sorry about that.

ok so as many ppl will know i was in japan during election day (did mail in early voting due to this) so i didn't really react to much on the tumble but invasive thoughts would follow me if i was just sitting there trying to relax in an onsen or like waiting for a train or something. and it would just like frustrate me to no end. like i know in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter AT ALL and there are much more serious things to be worried about instead of some random athlete's political stance. but it's just horrible as a fan to find out that i dedicated all this time (and honestly money - looking at you, adidas stadium series jersey with full stitched lettering) to supporting a player and now the question is like ok so which are you: are you homophobic/transphobic, sexist/women-hater, racist/xenophobic, a climate change denier, etc. etc., all of the above, or what? but you know it's like my own fault for trying to think i know these people (didn't you learn this lesson from kpop? i guess the fuck not) like just bc he seems to treat his sis and mom right and seems to be a nice boy to all the media doesn't mean that we know him!!! d'oh!

then there's the whole like canadian aspect of it all, like well thank goodness he's not actually american and could vote for this guy! but then sometimes it feels even worse that he's canadian and STILL likes some part of trump enough to follow him on ig the day after the election (and yeah i used some third party app to confirm this, because if he followed trump back in 2016 or before for the memes and shits and giggles and didn't unfollow later, honestly i would prefer that so much over following him in nov 2024.), when literally ryan poehling who owns like trump books doesn't even follow the guy on ig then wow you must fucking LOVE trump then. it makes me SO mad. like if the actual conservative americans on the team -- which i'm sure there's a bunch -- don't follow him on ig and you're making a point to as a fucking canadian then like -- !!!!!! like just keep your politics private at that point because i do not want to fucking know!!! why exactly do you love him so much?!?!?! fuck!!!!

i also feel so bad when i think of ppl who have been following him and the flyers for so much longer than i have bc i literally didn't know who morgan frost was this time last year so it hasn't even been long since he's been my favorite athlete and i already feel like this :(

the final thing i've been grappling with is like how do i go on from here. as i bet everyone could tell just by looking at my blog this year i've basically giffed the shit out of him and taken loads of pics as well at voorhees or at games. in the list of upsetting and annoying things, i KNOW that if this was like any other team's player and they did something like this i would be like "ew gross, that player is gross and so is anyone who is still a fan of them". but then it's happened to MY fave guy and i'm just like :| like in general i think it would be great if i just stopped stanning real life people entirely but it's so hard. i think one thing that has helped is that frost has kinda sucked overall this season so i haven't even needed to see him much lmao. i think the best i can do is just dial back my posts and thoughts about him and just treat him as an Average Player. again, it sucks, because i'm out here going like "well i can sort of still like him because he hasn't done anything like actually posted 'yay trump!' or like explicitly endorsed him" but isn't the follow itself pretty telling of him???? again it's like how freaking of a hypocrite am i for not holding the same standard for these privileged white men just because this one was my fave and the others don't play for my team.

i guess one thing i'm completely ok with is let's keep the rpf rolling lmao. esp if he's a homophobe or something let's keep him kissing boys.

[shiraishi--kanade]

Okay I want to clarify smth with my (fairly poor) understanding & revision & not as much emotion:

- Fan translations of events that have already ended will (most likely) be fine. It's both stated directly that the rules and it's also because after the event is done sega compiles it and puts in on YT themselves, so it's no longer "exclusive". As far as copyright is concerned that's open access.

> UNLESS EnSekai team will want to do something about those. Which I doubt they will because EnSekai just doesn't care one bit about anything. And if they wanted to they'd already start doing it, because pre-global release fan translations of main stories & very early events are still around.

> I do see the tl teams putting translations on hold before the end of the event just to be safe though. It depends, but it's likely that the "reading the episodes as soon as the team is done translating" won't be a thing anymore.

> On that note please do remember that sega can do whatever they want forever & nobody can stop them so if they decide that fan tl is not okay one day (a similar thing has happened before with Enstars) we can do nothing about it. My point about media preservation stands.

- What won't be fine is people posting snippets of the current event stories with more than 5 lines and side stories (I'm not sure if it's about current ones or like just in general). It was already not okay tbh, we've just been reminded about it, so it's reasonably to assume they're going to double down on that.

- I still maintain the position that it's not a coincidence it's happening now.

- That said it's also definitely in retaliation to people posting a lot and carelessly about the recent Connect Live, which is meant to be an exclusive paywalled event (as stupid as I think it is). Sega gives a lot of fuck about those & it's not news.

- The prohibition on posting the MVs is just full of shit lol how do you base your game around getting costumes and then... Not let people show off their costumes... Are you stupid. This is stupid. Thousand hammers for you.

> This is also probably a pointer into fixed camera mvs being not okay in Sega's eyes but we'll see.

- In general I think these rules are just shitty. Some of them are very obvious like people blogging about connect lives on twt did it to themselves. But if you want to avoid major spoilers you can... Not go on an app where you can see spoilers...? It's not that difficult.

> I can't say about other media platforms but tumbrl will probably be fine even if you post like 30 screenshots from the ongoing event, because tumbrl staff generally couldn't care less. They can copyright you but tumbrl doesn't remove text posts as a general rule and they're just. Bad at banning people. I think if you want to discuss the current event while it's running tumbrl will be your best bet still (sans like, discord & messenger apps)

- It's hard to say where Sekaibest is right now. They technically do break the rules but you'd have to purposely search out & press buttons to get the spoilers, so that excuse doesn't fly. Card side stories rule? Who knows at this point.

[katyspersonal]

Answering some asks in a bundle

...........off to a terrible start, I see...

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Pfffffttt gdfgfd Well, congratulations on "winning", I guess? xD Again, it is really sad how even since the DLC for Elden Ring got announced, fandomry and theories turned into sort of 'betting on a horse' rather than genuine fun and just doing your own thing. 🤦‍♂️

But when it comes to this, I personally like it better when the weaker side, or the side that deals with more toxicity, finally gets vindicated! In this case, people wanting any kind of not-so-kind Miquella, people wanting more charitable justifications of Mohg and.... yeah, Radahn fans. All of which contradicted my own analyses and headcanons, but considering what kinda shit all of these guys had to put up with in the fandom.... yeahhhh, I've never been happier to be wrong! xD *says a person who had two weeks long crisis over Miquella ACTUALLY falling from grace fhhsd*

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August 23rd?? Anon, this ask turned out to be eerly prophetic, because... well, you probably saw why. 🙄

Okay if not, long story short, my friend @val-of-the-north made a based post against people approving of Hornsent genocide that had to touch upon "savagery and evil Marika did in the base game" collaterally, one person wanted to excuse not only Hornsent genocide (saying maybe it was all an attempt to stop the Omen curse) but ALSO Fire Giants genocide for a good measure (saying they were territorial aggressors and war criminals anyways), a blog that has more followers than there are gamers mad at inclusive customization option in videogames reblogged with passionate agreement and added that Fire Giants being killed also was a mercy because they were just slaves to Fell God anyway.......... ( x )

Also yes, you are ABSOLUTELY correct! I DO think that it was a good thing that SOTE revealed many people's true faces regarding some topics! I am always up and supportive for truth showing up, even if it is ugly, even if you might yearn for previous ""peace"" in the fandom and gone illusion of decency of fellow fans! Would you really want things to go back to how they've been before SOTE? To cheerfully coexist near the people that think extermination of """savage races""" is """net-positive""" and not know?

______________________________

The fact that these asks appeared just when I went on hiatus?! And this previous one with anon not liking someone's take on Messmer cursing Marika?! What did I miss?

Okay fine, I suspect all three are from the same person, you xD But yeah, I could have imagined, I guess? I assume something similar could be happening with Ranni fans - taking someone hating her as "god forbid women do anything" matter!

It is really frustrating how it happens with every other war criminal female character! See, people will insist that existence of a female character who has done awful things or even war crimes is some powerful statement for feminism, and so, if you are not celebrating the very fact that female character did a bad thing then you are the WORST because you are not contributing! >:( Like, girls, don't worry, I have NOT forgotten that women ARE capable of doing evil...... not around toxic women like YOU!

Sorry fsdjdfshhfds People should stop treating someone disliking a fictional character as a personal attack on all their values and struggles. See, some are SO preoccupied with perceiving a character as a +1 in problems of feminism, inclusivity and representation, that characters who are female/not white/gay/trans/etc are no longer characters to be analysed and criticised. They are "statements". 🙄 🤦‍♂️

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Pffffffttfdt @cosmichorrorsarestillnicerthanme

I am happy that my posts instantly captivate you! xDDD But you don't need to JUST focus on me! Other people also have very interesting things to say! For example, I am sure @heraldofcrow has many interesting essays and analyses to share.... unless they're about Sephiroth because then I am NOT reading that fdghfgsdf

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It looks worrysome, is this another Sephiroth trolling? No, I really don't think they've gotten so unoriginal as to send me videos...

aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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@mushroomwithsomeink THESE ASKS ARE STILL COMING!!!!!!

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Awwww @fantomette22 Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts! I am not in the mood for the ask chains for now, but same to you too! Your blog is such a good presense in the fandom, always having such genuine humor and passion for everything! And I swear you have the biggest academical and historical knowledge out of the whole Lore Council! I don't know how you always capture the characters so perfectly, every time you write someone they kind of leap off the page x) Also I am really glad that I am not the only one frying my brain trying to draw the characters in the way that includes EVERY detail of their stupid elaborate designs fhhfdhfsd

______________________________

Thank you for the warm welcome @velvet-apricots! And I was glad to see that you still like Midra and Ansbach month later! XD

Unfortunately, I am still not quite ready to come back! I am working much more than I used to for the same salary and there is no way to change that in the near future.. My mental health got better, but physical not so much, so I have to choose what I allow to stress me very carefully! It is like if in a videogame I ran out of healing items but it was eternity until the next checkpoint, so I can't JUST run around and attack ANY enemy! However, attempt to ratio Val's based post as "just another poorly researched Marika slander and hate" earned me crawling out of the safe spot for a bit, so why not also post something else? XD *voice of a guy that had to cry over Messmer*

It is okay though, I am sure I'll be in the better place in life, but only if I struggle through this hard path. I miss being autistic online! Also fun fact: the first thing I received when I logged back was a bot offering me to buy drugs. Come onnnnn, it should be obvious from my lore posts that I've already had enoughf hfhdgfsh

[mixelation]

I’ve been wondering. What is actually keeping the akatsuki members stay in the akatsuki and not just defecting? For kisame and itachi it makes sense, but with people like sasori and kakuzu, who you can assume have been missing nin for a long time, why don’t they just up and leave? What’s making them stay on and work with the circus that the akatsuki is and listen to pein?

I think this question is one that Akatsuki fans largely actively avoid delving into, because it's very frustrating to answer. Like I'm not even 100% sure why Deidara can't just leave whenever he wants if he hates it so much. I mean, yes, in theory he could end up with a bunch of very dangerous people hunting him down.... but also the in-canon reason we seem to get is "he's bound by high school rules of combat bc Itachi was mean to him." So I think there must be parts that Deidara does enjoy, because he sticks around even after it gets both his arms blown off and the one other artist ninja dies and they give him an annoying idiot to work with.

If you want something vaguely canon, there's this video which goes into how different members were recruited. It is actually, as far as I can tell, a bunch of cut-scenes from a video game, so it is what i would call "canon only if you like it." But it's animated well and some of the characters do state reasons for why they go with Akatsuki. I'm not going to rewatch it right this second, but for example, I think Sasori says something like he wants to meet interesting people and see if he can find new art. (He finds Deidara. YOU'RE WELCOME.) Just keep in mind that because it's video game cut scenes, every encounter is set up to be the lead-up to a fight, and then there's a fade to black for the actual fight because that's the part where you're supposed to be playing the game.

For me I think there's multiple reasons, and different characters are going to weigh them different in their motivations:

It's basically a missing-nin union. It's a shit show and Kakuzu might kill you at any given moment, but there's steady work and theoretically protections from hunter-nin, and also even if your coworkers are assholes, you can call in their expertise. I think this was part of the pitch to Hidan in the video game movie: yeah he's immortal, but that doesn't mean he's immune to being imprisoned or sealed away or blown up and buried in a hole. Even immortal dudes benefit from having a partner.

Opportunities to do interesting things. I think several characters felt their talents were under-appreciated in their hometowns, but Akatsuki encourages people to be the best horrible monsters they can be. Oh, you want to blow up a castle? We have three jobs for that, AND you'll get a paycheck out of it. Also: even missing-nin need a sense of fulfillment. Like Kakuzu has gotten along fine by himself for decades, but I bet he secretly finds managing Akatsuki's finances to be satisfying.

Meet interesting people! You're immortal? So are THREE OTHER PEOPLE HERE-- Oh, you're into art? Guess who we just recruited--

All of these characters grew up in ninja villages, so I think they at least subconsciously perceive this sort of vaguely structured mission-system as how work is supposed to be done. And I think this cultural aspect of it means that they're predisposed to at least kinda sorta agree to some baseline rules, because that's just what you do. So, in my personal take on Deidara, I think he hated the structure and rigid rules of Iwa, but he's not against getting paid to blow shit up, and Akatsuki is a lot more loose with mission parameters so his art isn't completely stifled. He likes having cash to buy art supplies and hot meals, yeah. On the flip side I think Sasori liked having a lot of rules and structure; he just didn't like when the rules restricted his art, or when social rules meant he was "going against human decency even for a ninja" smh. So I think he'd actually be pretty willing to compromise certain things for the sake of buying into the ninja union, as long as he could still be churning out art.

One thing I think would be interesting to explore is what the consequences of Orochimaru defecting are. Because it seems like there never were any consequences for him, but no one looked at his example and went, "Oh, so I can just leave at any time." Maybe instead it had a unifying force, like EVERYONE is pissed they can't hunt him down and skin him alive. Deidara is like "oh, he just.... lost a fight to Itachi and left....?" and Sasori is like, "Yes, and now if any one of us multiple S-rank threats find him, it's on sight." And Deidara is like: "Well, only a COWARD would flee like that anyway, yeah."

[likeadevils]

I've seen people say she has a habit of choosing the wrong singles for albums. Aside from Lover, i think she's done pretty well in that area? What are your thoughts?

i dont think she's bad? but i think her single choice did lead people to view her as a worse songwriter than she actually is. especially lead singles were consistently the most frivolous songs on the album from 2012-2019. like for the general public that will only hear the lead and maaaybe second single, unless a later single blows up, it's just. financially lucrative but not gaining widespread artistic respect.

which i think is a big reason why she's blown up once a) she put all her songs on streaming and b) tiktok came on the scene. like, you're adding structures to throw fan favorite songs into the general public's face-- stuff that wouldn't have worked on radio, like enchanted or all too well, or stuff that just never got it's day in the sun like don't blame me or cruel summer. like, folklore and red tv where also massive turning points, but giving the general public actual, physical evidence of how good her deep cuts where across all her albums goes a long way, too.

(specific album thoughts under the cut)

i think debut and fearless have excellent single selection. speak now is a tricky album to pick singles for and i think she did the best that she could but was also just kinda cursed for that album.

red is weirder-- wanegbt is a perfect lead single, but i think it set off a pattern of like, frivolous lead singles that didn't end up in a good place. but on its own, wanegbt is perfect and i wouldn't give it up. i think begin again is a fascinating second single and i'm not sure i would make the same choice but i understand why she did it. in general the country singles off the album are a bit weak, to me, but then i wasn't immersed in country radio in 2012/2013 so i don't know what was popping off in the market. BUT i do think i bet you think about me would make a good touch back song, which is one of many reasons why i think it should have made the album. or hell, even throw in all too well, once you know you're leaving the genre in a couple months. just a big swing with a lot of artistic merit and nothing to lose. also holy ground should've been a single.

1989 is where i think the pattern starts-- at least for the lead single, not the rest of them, it's hard to go wrong with picking a single for 1989. but in terms of what to start with, shake it off is an interesting choice. like, i think shake it off is a necessary part of the story she's telling on 1989, but it doesn't gel with the rest of the production as smoothly, so establishing it as like, "yeah, shake it off, we've all heard it" goes a long way to smoothing over any little mental speed bumps. that being said, it's not the best song on the album, and blank space and style are, i think, the more natural lead single choices-- blank space especially establishes the "i don't care about my reputation" element of shake it off, but from a more cynical place that could be fun to build off of. also it proves that she's serious about the album being 80s pop

reputation is tough one. there's no song on that album can't be clowned on to hell and back, and there's no way the next taylor swift single wouldn't have been clowned to hell and back after 2016. i guess you could make a big swing and go new year's day, which isn't as meme-able, at least, but that's not what taylor was going for and it would have been false advertising. so like, i don't know. maybe don't blame me or i did something bad instead of end game. but i do like the story lwymmd -> ready for it -> end game -> delicate tells, i think it's neat. and even though it kinda ruins that story, you gotta go getaway car for the closer. like i get that negotiations with bmr had likely broken down and she didnt want to make them a bunch more money, but getaway car -> cruel summer is a once in a career album handoff. sonically, story wise, just. it all clicks

every swiftie on earth knows their opinion on the lover singles and i'm not going to change anyone's minds, but i think anyone can admit that this was the album that really set in stone her reputation of bad single selection.

folklore is just a fun thought exercise, like you basically get one single. definitely one music video, and the cardigan music video is general enough that you can kinda click it into another song, so you can go as far as to say you get this music video, find the song for it. cardigan is very understandable and obviously not a Bad Idea, but with the benefit of knowing the fan favorites, august is just, kinda perfect? i think seven would've also really worked. but also its an Album, not a single, and i don't think a song could've ruined that

evermore is similarly fascinating. i think willow is just kinda meandering and hard to grab onto as a song, but it lends itself well to that music video she made and the music video is a good overview of the full album. that being said, i would've gone no body no crime-- i think you can make a really engaging mv of it without having two people in the same room together, which flows with covid regulations pretty well. or tis the damn season, but i admit that personal bias clouding things (but like? it functions as a christmas song, so you could get airplay in december! and it sets up the main storyline of the album!). but similarly to folklore, hard to drive down public opinion of this album with one single.

midnights solidly breaks the curse, to me. like there were songs on this album that would've set it off on the wrong foot, and then anti hero was the perfect song on every level. as for other singles, they shouldn't have done that to ice spice's verse. that was so mean why did they do that just have it be the beat that's on the rest of the song it works so much better

[generational-atrophy]

Hello! Could you do the main 8 (or something with Gilbert, my egotistical bbg) with a athletic/strong reader? As in can carry them around with ease type strong, I just think it’d be cute. If not, that’s totally okay! :)

(HWS Prussia X Reader) Strong S/O!

(Gender Neutral) Headcanons ~ A/N whoops may have misread this slightly. Oh well! Im pretty sure ive done stuff similar to this request with the main 8 so? Should be fine. let me know if not tho

Trigger Warning: Swearing, other than that, none!

Strong, powerful people have always held a very special place in his heart. Throughout his entire existence, strength has been the most defining thing that drew him to people. His first crush was Hungary, who could break his arm in her grasp. The most important person ever to grace his lifetime was someone who could easily command great armies. So when sweep him off his feet, he knows it’s meant to be.

He absolutely adores how strong you are. Whether you’re muscley, lean, or neither, he just finds you endlessly attractive. A lot of the time he’ll goad you into manual labour just so he can stare at your muscles while they’re working. And who are you to not oblige his less-than-subtle request? His drooling face is just as enjoyable for you as you are to him. 

Please pick him up and carry him around please, please- he’d be so, so happy

But just because he can’t get enough of your physique, doesn’t mean he isn’t gonna be a little emasculated. Of course, not enough to be an actual problem (he’s not that shallow!) but he’s gonna try to prove himself just a little. 

“At least it’s only a couple flights of stairs!” You yell, hoping your boyfriend can hear you from behind. Which, wait, he is behind you right?

You turn around to check, not hearing his footsteps for a moment, only to be greeted with the utterly ridiculous sight of him. Gilbert grunts and groans, taking only baby steps as he tries to carry the last 20 grocery bags in one trip.

“You- You don’t have to do that, baby!”

“Don’t doubt me!”

“I’m not doubting you! People are just uh… staring.”

“Yeah, bet they’ve never seen a guy as strong as me- AH!” He yells before immediately slipping on the first stair up to your apartment. All you can do is put your face to your palm as he yelps, desperately scrounging around on the ground to try to recoup the groceries he had comically thrown in the air.

Plus, if you’re big into maintaining your strength, that’s great! You can come along with him to work out! He’s something of a gym rat himself, so having someone along to encourage and be encouraged by is something he really values. Plus he can glare at anyone that’s checking you out. (He is very willing to yell at them. And it’s always German yelling. Effective, but at what cost?)

But if you’re just into sports, he’s gonna be your number-one fan. Like, legit, he’ll run fan pages. He would miss anything to support you at a game. You need a water boy? Please, please, let him be your waterboy.

Of course, he’ll always support German teams over your own, but he also thinks you personally should win instead. So it’s not a big deal.

He’s also very eager to show you off. He’s never had the… best taste in partners, so he’s very excited to finally have someone strong and kind to bring home! Plus, his entire family is also strong as hell, so maybe you guys can have a competition. Yes, he’s the only one that wants that, but it’s important to him, damnit! He’s gotta prove you’re the best one there

Overall, he loves his S/O no matter what, but your strength is one of his favourite things about you. He’ll be there for you when you’re weak, just as he’ll be there to admire you when you’re doing incredible things. He just loves… you.

[thisfanisgonesorry]

I'd love to request some Junkrat dreaming about his parents, especially his Mum

And how proud they are of him

Give me the feels!

started writing this fic the second u sent it (sorry tf2 fans) cos ive been brainrotting on my sweet boy augh anyway, made this junkrat/you fic just so i could work it into my sleepy time fics and also cos .. youll see

tags: fluff, light angst, sleepy time fic number 3, comfort,, heavily based off shit i grew up w as a kid in australia, paranormal ghost shii, genderneutral reader, open interpretation,, weird pov thing oops

heavily inspired by these 3 clips just in case ur interested :-) (spoiler warnings obv)

[game of tones] [bobs burgers] [tf2 comic #5, old wounds]

<3<3<3

He woke up in his childhood home, he furrowed his eyes at the surroundings and sat up, confused at how he fell asleep on the couch, and the TV buzzed from the heat. The kids channel was inactive as it tended to be late at night. He was remembering things that he hadn’t seen in years. He sat up and went to wobble his way around the building before both feet landed on the carpet.

He paused, noticing both legs in tact, then realising his arm was too. “It’s a dream.” He said plainly, realising what was happening. He began to make his way towards the kitchen, the bright light seeping down the hallway and into the dark lounge room.

“Jamison!” The tall blonde woman called out to him.

“...Ma?” He looked at her confused and she handed him a plate full of meat and vegetables.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up, tea was about to go cold.” She smiled warmly at him, all he could really do was smile weakly back. “Something the matter?”

“Uh.. Nah, nah.” He hesitated.

He’d dreamed of his mother before but not quite to this much extent. Not this much detail, it was uncanny how real it felt. 

“Dinner looks good.”

She placed her plate of food on the bench and put a hand on his face. “You look so grown up.” She frowned at him slightly.

“What?” He was taken back and put his plate on the bench too.

“How long has it been?”

He froze for a minute. “Close to fifteen years.” She kept rubbing her thumb over his cheek before he pulled her hand away.

“That’s a long time.” She laughed softly. “What’s happened?”

He furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged casually. “Not much.. Lost my leg.. Lost my arm.. Survived the Omnic Crisis.”

She grabbed his now in-tact amputated arm and ran her hands over his forearm. “That must’ve been hard.”

“It was.” 

He was a little uneasy about how she somehow knew which arm was gone. They just stood there in silence for a long period of time.

“Is this real?” Jamie laughed awkwardly. “It’s just a dream, right?”

She looked up at him and a moment’s silence passed over them and a sense of knowing filled the air. 

“I’ve missed you.” She said softly.

“I’ve missed you too but how.. How are you..?”

“I bet you’ve done great things since I’ve been gone.”

He pressed his lip into a fine line at her changing the topic but then frowned at the knowledge that she would not be proud of her son if she knew of all the awful things he’s done.

“I don’t know about that..”

“What have you been up to?” She responded casually, as if making small talk with a friend you see once a month.

“I’m a criminal now.” He shrugged with a nervous laugh. “I make a lot of money and.. It makes me happy, I’ve met a lot of good people through it. I’ve travelled the world.” He rambled a little, almost like he was trying to sell a product.

“If it makes you happy, then I’m proud of you.” She sounded faintly disappointed yet still felt genuinely proud of him for finding what makes him happy and finding people that he loved.

“You’re not.. Upset?”

“I think I can understand why things happened the way they did.” She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “You’ll always be my baby, no matter what. I don’t think it makes you a bad person for trying to survive.”

There’s another long gap of silence, both not sure what to say next.

“Tell me about your friends.”

“Ah, my friends?” He hesitated. “Where do I even start?”

“Tell me about the big one.” She smiled.

“Roadhog? His names Mako but he don’t like when we call him that. He’s my best friend, he’s basically like a brother. He’s been there for almost everything, thick and thin, y'know? He's the only person who I can really count on.”

“And the other one?”

“Y/n.. They’re.. Well. I'm lucky to have ‘em, I think you'd love ‘em too. Y’know, in a strange way, they remind me a lot of you. They’re both really important to me and I’m grateful to have them.”

Silence lingers in the air once again, an awkward stillness of uncertainty. What do you even say in this situation? What could you possibly talk about?”

“So.. There’s an afterlife?” She stayed silent. “Why’d it take you so long to visit? Why are you suddenly visiting me now?”

“I think you know why.” A lot of ideas raced through his head, so many possibilities on why. She spoke plainly with a slight sentiment of sadness at the end of her words. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him into a tight embrace. He hesitated but hugged her back, savouring the moment.

“I think it’s time for you to wake up.” She said softly.

“I don’t want to yet.” He said as she pulled out of the hug and kissed his forehead.

He jumped awake with a loud gasp. I was leaning over him with my hand resting on his shoulder. “Jamie? Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“You’re crying.”

He wiped his face in a hurry with his hand and attempted to with his bicep. 

“I’m fine just.. Realising some stuff.” He smiled up at me warmly though it was clear something happened to upset him.

“You can talk to me, you know?”

“I know.” He continued to smile. I handed him a water bottle and smiled back at him. “I’ll tell you about it later. Just gotta think on it.”