#with a very specific path set out as the correct way to do that (being a striker)

[agnesandhilda]

one of these days I'm gonna completely lose it and write about how blue lock's shounen genre misogyny (which isn't to say that it gets a pass because the shounen genre is known for being misogynistic. blue lock is worse than average in this regard. blue lock's very premise is built on misogyny in a way I don't think has been analyzed enough even by people who are aware of the real-world women's football it totally disregards) and accompanying shounen genre-typical totalizing ideal of masculinity result in giving the different play positions the characters have notable gendered connotations, mostly by accident

[yasmindifference]

12!

Tim is only halfway through his explanation of the case he's been working when Bruce sighs and says, "I'll bring Hood in."

He's so astonished by this idiocy that it genuinely takes him a few seconds to recover; he has to run to catch up. Then, since he's running anyway, he uses his momentum to slide into place a few steps ahead, blocking Batman's path.

In the Cave, that's more symbolic than anything--there's plenty of room to go around him--and B respects that much, at least. He stops in his tracks.

"No, you won't," Tim says very clearly.

Batman frowns. "Red Robin."

"Batman," he returns, and Batman's frown deepens.

He's wearing the cowl now, having pulled it on as he walked--steeling himself for what he's decided he has to do. Shutting Bruce away so his paternal affection doesn't slow him down.

As usual, he's being a complete moron. World's Greatest Detective, Tim's ass.

"Red Robin," Batman says again, "your attachment to Red Hood--"

"--has nothing to do with this," Tim interrupts. "Jason didn't do it."

His pointed use of Jason's actual name goes unacknowledged; Batman sets his shoulders to loom and doubles down.

"The victim profile is clearly in line with Hood's usual targets," he says. "The victim's own victims were children, specifically children from Crime Alley, and his crimes against them were exactly the kind that Hood punishes the most severely. You can't deny that."

He's using the Batman growl and still looming over Tim...why, Tim's not exactly sure. It's not like he ever backed down from this kind of display even when he was a literal child facing down a Batman half-mad with grief. As an adult and a vigilante in his own right, who's been facing down the city's, world's, and occasionally galaxy's worst for nearly a decade...Batman is barely going to make him blink.

So he meets the eerie white lenses of the cowl straight on when he says, "No, I can't deny any of that. But Jason still didn't do it."

"You're being unrealistic," Batman says sharply. "Basing your conclusion on emotion instead of fact."

"No, that would be you," Tim corrects, just as sharp. "You're blinded by your issues with Jason's way of doing things. If you were actually thinking straight--"

"Hood makes a habit of targeting rapists, pedophiles, and anyone who breaks his so-called 'rules' in the territory he claims as his." Batman looms harder. "All three apply to the victim. What evidence do you have to support his innocence?"

"The fact that this isn't how Jason works."

Batman's face blanks out, scowl wiped away as he forcefully suppresses his reaction to Tim's words.

"Hood has never agreed with the no-kill rule," he says, "and despite our truce, he never committed to not using lethal force. It was only a matter of time before he crossed the line again, and this is precisely how he likes to 'punish' those he deems guilty."

Tim has to take a second to deliberately calm himself before he can trust his voice. His hands ache for how tightly he's fisted them.

"No," he says, once he's sure his voice won't shake with the anger trembling in his fists. "No, it isn't."

"Tim--"

"It's true that Jason isn't opposed to lethal force," he says over Batman. "It's also true that he particularly targets people who break his rules and/or prey on children. But not like this!"

If he were anyone but Batman, Tim would say Bruce falters.

"Explain."

Tim doesn't hesitate.

"Yes, Jason is willing to kill," he says. "Yes, he'll even make it hurt if the crime is bad enough. But his goal isn't to punish anyone--it's to protect people."

Batman's flat expression--what little Tim can see of it beyond the cowl, at least--says he doesn't appreciate the difference.

Tim tries again. "Jason doesn't kill because he enjoys it, he kills because he thinks it's the only way to stop the worst of the worst. That's why he goes after the people the system can't or won't contain."

Still, Batman is unmoved. Tim gets to the point.

"Our victim was tortured over the course of several hours," he says again. It was one of the first lines in his little presentation on the case, and should have immediately disqualified Jason as a potential perpetrator. "I estimate at least twelve hours passed between the infliction of the first wound and his death, which was the result of a combination of shock and blood loss."

"You said that already," Batman says, unamused.

"Yes, and you should've known that it ruled out Jason!" Tim snaps. "If Jason had done this, he might have, have kneecapped the guy first, or shot him in the gut, or something, because yes, he'd have wanted to make him hurt. But the death still would have been measured in minutes, because at the end of the day, Jason's main priority is to end suffering, not cause it."

For a long, tense moment, Batman stares at him. Tim's trembling with emotion--not just anger that Batman is doubting him, but fear at what Batman might do to Jason if Tim can't stop him.

For all of Bruce's talk about Jason crossing lines...when it comes to Jason, Bruce tends to cross plenty himself.

Finally, Batman (and he is still so very Batman) says, "I wish I could believe that, but I can't."

"Then believe in me," Tim says, seizing the opening at once. "Just give me a day or two, okay? I'll find the real killer and prove that Jason didn't do this."

After either a few seconds or a lifetime, Batman finally--finally--backs down.

"You have a week," he says, and turns away. "And if you're wrong..."

Tim isn't about to humor that ominous trailing off. "I'm not. You'll see."

"I hope so," Bruce says quietly.

Prompt #12 was one character standing up for the other! Good choice! ♡♡

[cocoakrispis-blog]

✭ 1. ADMITTING YOU’RE A HOMOSEXUAL ✭

pairing ~ ellie williams x fem! reader

summary ~ (y/n) finally comes to terms with the fact that she may not be as normal as she thought.

warnings ~ homophobia, tones of a little bit of religious trauma, cat, ellie being a bit of a meanie

wc ~ 3.2k words

SERIES MASTERLIST

you followed close behind maria while still trying your best to take note of your surroundings.

despite the fact that this what you assumed was maria’s home everything in it seemed almost fake.

it was like you were walking on an untouched movie set and it seriously creeped you out.

the walk wasn’t very long and soon you and maria entered a small room that resembled an office.

you silently sat in the chair facing the desk while maria seated herself across from you.

“okay (y/n) once again welcome to true directions and allow me to go a little bit more into depth about how this camp will work. the others that are going to be staying here with you have already had the run down so i’m just going to get you caught up.” you nodded at her words and she continued.

“the true direction camp is a two month rehabilitation program that helps misguided girls straighten themselves out, more specifically correct their imaginary beliefs on sexuality. we use an easy five step program to reeducate and help our campers get back on the right path.” maria pointed to a black sign behind her that displayed all of the steps.

“for now we are going to focus on the first step which is admitting that you are a lesbian.” your brows slightly furrowed at her statement and you reach up to your neck to fidget with your cross necklace anxiously.

“i’m not a lesbian.” you mumble to yourself quietly.

maria ignores your quiet retaliation and doubles down.

“so you’re telling me that when you find yourself in the bathroom before class with one of your friends and you’re watching your friends apply their cherry red lipstick to their plump lips, or maybe you’re cheering and you glance at your teammates in their short frilly skirts using their strong thighs to jump into the air giving you a glance at their round butt, or when your team is showering in the locker room after a long sweaty practice and they’re lathering their perky breasts with the slippery soap your body doesn’t begin to react in unnatural ways and your mind begin to wonder to forbidden places.”

you gulp at maria’s over the top descriptions but can’t help but clench your thighs together to keep yourself grounded.

“no.” you croak out a pathetic response.

maria sighs at your reply and shakes her head in disappointment.

“(y/n) you will not be able to make any progress if you can’t complete the first step of admittance.”maria goes behind her desk and drops a pair of ugly grey scrubs on her desk. “until you are able to get past the first step you will be wearing these.”

you reluctantly grab the clothes from her desk and silently look at her to resume.

“for now i would like you to meet one of our other friends here at true directions, dina.”

as soon as she finishes her statement you turn to your right and watch as a tall tan girl with long black hair walks into the office with an almost sickly pink shirt and skirt combo.

“dina here will be showing you around our facilities and doing her best to help you feel welcome.”

you continue to stare at the beautiful girl as she stares ahead silently before maria clears her throat and shoes you two off out of her office.

as soon as you two make it out of the house dina let’s out a sigh of relief and sends you a small smile.

“sorry i was so quiet back there that lady totally gives me the creeps she’s like an evil barbie.” dina says her first words in ice you met her.

you giggle at her words and reassure her that you feel the same way.

“okay so i’m gonna be completely honest with you the schedule is a little bit nuts. we have to be up at 7:30 and then breakfast starts at 8 after that we have group therapy until lunchtime then in the afternoon we’re finally given a little bit of room to breathe and left alone to do whatever we want and then finally we come back inside to do some reorienting exercises oh and family therapy is on the weekends.” you nod along while listening to your new schedule for the next two months while dina leads you to another building with a pink door.

“do you have any questions so far?” dina turns around fully to look at you.

“no nothing so far.” you send her a smile.

with that dina turns back around to open up the pink door to the building.

“and then this is the pink prison where we sleep.” you follow dina into a very pink room with five beds.

“hey i think it’s cute i like the color pink.” you give her a playful nudge.

as you survey the room you seee an auburn haired girl with a tattoo on her forearm lying on one of the beds while smoking a joint.

you almost didn’t notice her because of how well her pink uniform blended into the pink bed.

dina doesn’t say anything to acknowledge the girl and continues her explanation.

“everyone has already claimed a bed so you’ll sleep there” dina points to one of the beds in the corner.

“you don’t really look like you’ll need this warning since you look about as innocent as can be but we are under no circumstances allowed to engage in any inappropriate behavior.” dina sends you a wink.

“but she’s smoking over there.” you cover your mouth with your hand and whisper to dina as quietly as possible.

dina laughs out loud at your confusion and looks at the other girl to explain.

“by inappropriate behavior she means fucking other girls.” the auburn haired girl speaks up for the first time since you’ve entered the room to defend herrself.

your cheeks warm at her vulgar language and the sultry nature of her voice.

dina laughs even harder at your flustered reaction and walks out of the bedroom while still snickering.

you quickly turn around to follow after her but forget that the scrubs you were given did almost nothing to cover your nether region.

“cute panties newbie.”

you squeak at her comment and quickly shut the back of you scrubs closed before rushing out of the room and making sure to shut the door behind you.

once you made it out of that embarrassing situation you look up to see a chart with you and dina’s name on it as well as three other unfamiliar names.

“sorry about ellie she’s kind of a bitchy wannabe bad boy don’t mind her i’m pretty sure she’s actually a softie deep down.”

you nod silently at dina’s words and make sure to remember the name of the girl who left you feeling extremity embarrassed.

“so this chart is kind of meant to like show our progress through the five steps.” you observe the chart and see that everyone already has a check next to their name and under the first step except for you.

“i promise it’s not really that hard you just need to say it out loud ‘i’m a lesbian!” dina giggles slightly as she repeats the phrase her and the other girls were required to say the day before.

you let out a breathe and grab the cross necklace dangling from your neck tightly.

“sounds easy enough.”

after the tour was over it was time for the group therapy so dina leads you back into the house to a room that already held ellie two other unfamiliar faces and maria.

dina very quietly makes her way to the other side of the room to take a seat in her empty chair while you stand awkwardly at the doorway.

“why don’t you have a seat and join us (y/n)” maria gives you a bright smile and motions to the seat facing everyone else with a bright pink bow wrapped around it.

you stare at the chair and bow in confusion and look at maria for further explanation.

“go ahead unwrap it!”

you fight the urge to roll your eyes at how extra the whole thing is and grab one end of the hot pink bow to unravel it.

once you unravel it maria bursts into applause and urges the other girls to do so.

you awkwardly give everyone a crooked smile before finally taking a seat.

“well everyone why don’t you introduce yourself.” maria turns to the girls.

a sweet looking girl with brown skin and dark brown curls is the first to stand up and introduce herself.

“hi i’m riley i like to play softball and i’m a lesbian.” she smoothly gets out her introduction without any mess ups.

once she finishes everyone begins clapping again which catches you by surprise but you quickly begin to catch on just as the applause is dying down.

next dina decides to stand up to introduce herself.

“hello my name is dina which you already know i’m a very loyal friend to all and i’m a lesbian.”

everyone begins clapping again a before the next girl stands up to introduce herself.

the girl that goes after dina is an asian girl with a very grunge aesthetic despite being in all pink and a mean look on her face.

“i go by cat i like pain and i’m a lesbian.”

you slightly wince at the girls kind of scary introduction but make sure to clap like you did for the rest of the girls.

you turn to look at ellie to introduce herself but she stays seated.

“you already know me.” ellie sighs slumps even further into her seat.

“ellie.” maria gives the freckle faces girl a stern look which makes her roll her eyes.

“hello fellow lesbians my name is ellie williams and i really really really like girls like a lot.”

everyone slightly snickers at ellie’s goofy introduction but awards her with the same applause.

once the clapping stops maria turns to you.

“okay (y/n) now it’s your turn.” maria asks you to introduce yourself.

you nod and stand up to face the group.

“hi my name is (y/n) i like cheerleading and uh yeah.”you quickly sit down when you realize you’re still not exactly ready to say the words out loud.

“okay well um how about i start with a question to jumpstart this discussion.”

“so (y/n) when was the first time you realized you may be a lesbian?” maria sends you what you consider a very inappropriate and uncomfortable question.

“oh no i’m not a lesbian everyone just thinks that i am. i’m really just here to prove my friends and family back home that i’m not” you clear your throat and shift in your seat awkwardly.

the room goes very very quiet and you feel your palms start to sweat at everyone’s eyes being on you.

“that is a perfectly fine place to start (y/n) may i ask about the issues that were brought up in your intervention.” maria tries her best to keep the bright smile on her face despite your lackluster answer.

you think to yourself for a second before recalling all of them.

“well i recently decided to become vegetarian to stay more in shape for cheer i have some pictures of women’s round my room and locker-”

riley speaks up to cut you off.

“do you think that’s normal” she asks he question everyone in the room was probably thinking.

“i mean yeah i think it’s pretty uh normal….. i don’t know i haven’t really thought about it too hard i just hang up pictures that make me happy.” you look down at your lap in shame.

“how about we move onto my next question have you ever had a boyfriend before or do you have any experience with boys?” maria asks you plainly.

“well yes of course i have a boyfriend whom i love ver much back at home he loves football and well me!” you finally give a response that sounds good in your head.

“oh wow he sounds extremely interesting.”ellie snickers at your lackluster description.

“h-he is very interesting.” you cross your arms defensively.

“have you guys done the deed before?” dina gives you a curious look.

“no of course not i’m a christian!” you gasp at the implication of even going further than kissing with your boyfriend.

“well does he at least make you a little bit hot and bothered?” cat follows up dina’s previous question.

you frown at the question and give her a weird look.

“i mean do you think of him when you’re like touching yourself and stuff.” cat rolls her eyes at your obliviousness.

your jaw drops to the floor and you have trouble picking it up to even formulate a response.

“well i ever- t-that’s just not- i don’t t-think that.” you cut yourself of and take a deep breath to find some composure.

“listen no offense to any of you guys but i’m just not like you.” you give them all a sorry look.

“i get good grades, i go to church, i’m a cheerleader!” you exclaim proudly.

everyone in the room gives you almost a stare of pity causing you to get even more frustrated.

“i’m normal guys everyone reads magazines, likes receiving compliments from other girls, and enjoys staring at their fellow girls to admire their beauty all the time.” you hero your hands up in the air in exasperation.”

“yeah you do all of that and assume that they want to do the same thing as you but they don’t” ellie finally puts her two cents into the conversation.

you feel yourself freeze in your tracks at ellie’s statement and you stare at the room almost mortified.

“i-i thought everyone thought the same way i did i thought i was n-normal.” you reach up to grab onto the cross necklace you wore.

“so you admit you’re not normal then.” maria rises from her chair to softly pat your shoulder.

you gasp as the sudden realization hits you and immediately feel tears start to well up in your eyes.

“i’m a lesbian!”

you begin to sob as you finally say the phrase out loud and repeat the phrase over and over still in disbelief.

“you did it (y/n) you completed your first step at true direction!” maria gives you a gleeful look.

all the girls in the room rush up to you to give you a big hug to comfort you.

unfortunately the hug doesn’t work and you continue to cry harder than you ever had before.

maria gently pulls you to the side to give you some comforting words.

“it’s all gonna be okay (y/n) don’t you worry.”

maria hands you an identical pink uniform to the rest of the girls in the room and sends you a smile. “here put these on you’re making progress.”

eventually everyone files out of the room to leave you alone to continue to cry it out.

“i can’t believe everyone was right.” you clutch your new uniform close to your chest.

you don’t know how long you were in the group therapy room crying but after a while dina comes in there with a concerned look.

“i know this can all be very shocking you i promise it gets easier why don’t you go change so we can head to dinner.” dina leads you out of the room as gently as possible.

soon after you find yourself in the corridor grabbing dinner with the rest of the girls.

you notice ellie was siting with cat while dina and riley sat at another table.

as you walk past her table she gives you a smirk.“congrats on making your first big step in this place pom-pom.” she snickers at her own nickname while cat chuckles alongside her.

you give them a look before beelining it towards the table where dina and riley were sitting.

once you make it to the other table. ilya don dina send you a sympathetic look.

“don’t worry about them we are genuinely proud of you (y/n) we both know what you did today was very difficult.” riley gives you a genuine smile while dina nods in agreement.

“thank you guys.” you return the smile before beginning to eat your surprisingly good meal.

after you all finish dinner you head back to your shared bedroom to get ready for bed.

everyone was pretty quiet most likely due to their exhaustion and before you know it you’re tucked away in your soft pink bed.

it was a little bit difficult to fall asleep in such an unfamiliar atmosphere but eventually you find yourself in a light sleep.

much to your dismay your light sleep is disturbed when your ears pick up an annoying continuous buzzing sound.

you pry open your eyes to see cat’s bedsheets high over her head and a red light emitting from underneath the covers.

you realize this is where the buzzing is coming from nd you quietly rise from your bed to go investigate.

“hey cat what are you doing are you okay?” you lightly tap on her moving form form under the sheets.

you wince when you see how roughly she rips the sheets from her head and do your best to calm her.

“sorry i didn’t mean to scare you i just wanted to check on you.”

cat rolls her eyes and gives you a half ass response. “i’m doing AV now leave me be.”

“what’s AV?” you questions yhe unfamiliar abbreviation curiously.

“its aversion therapy you use it to help you stop having inappropriate thoughts about other girls.” cat further explains herself. “you shock yourself whenever you start to have those naughty thoughts.

“sounds painful.” you frown.

“no pain no gain.” cat shrugs her shoulders casually.

you glance down and realize you see an item that looks extremely out of place in her sheets.

“hey is that ellie’s sock?” you question cat cautiously.

“fuck off.” she gives you a glare before throwing the covers back over her head.

as soon as you make it back into bed the door the the room opens and mary flashes a bright flashlight into your face.

“(y/n) you have a phone call.” she sighs plainly.

you rise from your bed and follow mary into her house where she leads you to her phone.

“hi sweetie!” you hear the familiar voice of your mother on the other side of the phone.

“hi mom.” you smile to yourself softly.

“sorry we’re calling s late honey we just had to make sure you were doing okay.” you then hear your dad.

“hi dad and yeah i’m doing okay miss you guys a lot.” you fiddle with the phone line.

“well that’s all we needed to hear we won’t keep you long we know it’s late.” your mom hums.

“we can’t wait until you’re normal sweetie sleep well and remember we love you.” your dad brings a swift end to the conversation.

“love you guys too!” you respond softly before ending the call.

maria then dismisses you and you walk back to the bed room in silence.

“yeah normal.” you sigh to yourself quietly.

a/n: this took way too long my head hurts so ad and i am so tired will come back and edit in th morning. this took forever to write but i think it came out a little bit better than the last chapter. if ou didn’t already notice i am not going to be asking in any of the gay guys because i couldn’t think of enough male tlou characters to fill the role hope that doesn’t;t irk anyone too bad. anyways i hope you guys enjoyed!

taglist: @st4r-b3rries @dollyvuu @lvlymicha @jellyfishrnice @machetegirl109 @smiths-fan--13 @elliewilliamssrealgf @ravyaryn @yuhgetintoonit @nelzooo @luvmily @dearestdolly444 @venuzasmuse

[bloodybreakupscene]

I had sent a request like yesterday- and AAA IM SO HAPPY TO SEE IT DONE ALREADY!! IT WAS SO CUTE >^<

I had another idea, cause my brain has been absolutely filled with different thoughts! Once again, earth 1610! Miles morales- but this time with a very well off partner who tends to spoil him alot. Like gift after gift, as soon as Miles is saying he likes or wants something- they're getting it for him!!

It's just something they really enjoy doing and they love seeing the smiles they get from Miles when he sees the gifts!!

-> 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐇.

miles morales x reader

-> u like to buy ur cutie patootie bf miles expensive gifts and he's like aw :(

-> btw guys i do other characters LOL i kinda wanna try writing for hobie!! i've been trying to research british slang but i can't stop laughing (it's the AMERICAN 🤓🇺🇲🔥🔫 in me i swear)

you and your boyfriend miles were walking along the streets of brooklyn, occasionally stopping for snacks or to observe the stores placed amongst each other. you held his hand and he held yours. this was just another after school thing you two would do.

". . . and when i walked in he was wearing my shoes! like what the hell man." miles ranted, slightly shifting the story because if he told you what actually happened he'd reveal his identity as spiderman, and that wasn't a path he wanted to go down just yet.

"pfft, that's funny. you know, if it bothers you so much i could just buy you another pair of shoes." you reply, nonchalantly.

"huh? no way! that's your money, besides, you already bought me enough stuff."

"i gifted you stuff," you corrected, before joking once more, "you deserve it anyway! i mean, c'mon miles be grateful."

"i am grateful! i just feel bad, you know, they're all so expensive." he defends.

"name ONE gift that was expensive."

"the ohuhu marker set!"

it was miles' birthday and you were at his dorm for a small celebration, just the two of you [ ganke left because he didn't wanna third-wheel. ] so, you two were just sitting on the floor as he opened the carefully wrapped gift.

"so, how's being fifteen so far?" you make small talk, while a pit of happiness boils inside of you as you can't wait for his reaction to the gift you got him.

"totally fun. can't wait to do adult stuff." he laughs, and just as he finishes his sentence he sees a black bag with markers in them, specifically 216 markers. it was a set that cost roughly $170.00.

"oh my god!" he stands up, that's the reaction hoped for, "these are so cool." he rushes to pull you up, kissing you on your lips, holding a side of your face with his hand.

"how much were they?"

"don't worry! it's your birthday you deserve it." you pull him into your arms, embracing him.

"i looked it up when you left and they were almost $200!"

"you're worth more than $200 miles."

"aw," he leans his head on your shoulder as you both continue to walk down the street. "wait! what about that other time, when you got me a camera.”

it was summer time, you and miles walked into a random electronics store. as you both observed the different assortments of cameras, miles picked one of them up, a small, old digicam.

"my uncle used to have one of these." he says, as he moves the camera around in his hand to look at the many details on the camcorder. over the few months you've been dating, you noticed the admiration he had for his uncle, he even mentioned going down under the subway tracks to graffiti on the walls.

"do you wanna get it?"

"nah, it's $40. let's go get lunch, i'm starving."

"wait! but you like it right? i could get it for you, if you want."

"what! no way, i should be the one spoiling you." he wraps his arm around your waist.

you both eventually walked out the store, but later, for christmas that year, you gave it him as an early gift. miles felt like crying, not a sad cry, more like, 'i've never felt more appreciated in my life i love you so much' kind of cry. he couldn't stop hugging and kissing you that day.

"the camera was a gift for both of us." you rolled your eyes, "i just gave it to you to hold, indefinitely!"

miles gives you a look, "whatever, you know i'd love anything you give me, regardless of price."

[thefatedthoughtofyou]

So all the kids are gathered at Steve's for Easter!! And they think it's just a dinner. Until Eddie excuses himself and Steve claps his hands and tells them all to head to the backyard.

They all groan, loudly, and Steve sees Eddie's legs freeze as he's heading up the stairs. He stands there for a moment and then runs the rest of the way up, his legs disappearing as Steve frowns and claps louder.

"Hey! Dipshits!" All of their eyes land on him, his hands slam down onto his hips.

"We spent a lot of time. And a lot of fucking hard work, putting this together for you guys. So get your little asses outside!" He points over their heads, scowls as they all slump toward the door.

"And be excited about it!" He calls, and to their credit they perk a little, El the only one looking genuinely excited.

Steve follows them, smiling when he hears them all gasp when they go through the door. Steve leans against the door frame and watches them take in all their work.

Mostly Eddie's, if Steve's being honest. He'd done most of it. Planned it, drawn it out, bought most of the supplies. And then he, Steve, Robin, and the rest of the older kids, had gotten together and helped with the rest. All of them following Eddie's directions as they cut, and pasted, and nailed, and laughed, as they all turned Steve's backyard into the perfect easter quest.

All the kids follow the arrows Steve had chalked on the ground, it leads to their weapon selections. They all gasp and laugh as they scrounge around the piles of cardboard and plastic weapons. There's clothes too, everything arranged in sets, really.

Steve smiles when Dustin and Erica immediately try to switch hats because, and he quotes, "this matches mine and this matches yours lets just switch 'em."

Steve moves to correct them, Eddie had given them all very specific directions, but before he can say anything, Eddie's disembodied voice floats out the window above them.

"I'll allow it!" Steve smiles when Dustin whirls around and looks at the window.

"Are you coming down?" He calls, as Erica switches their hats, snatches Dustin’s off his head and plops hers on him. He lets her, doesn't react at all, except to straighten the hat, as he stares at the window.

"Momen- ah no! Momentarily!" Eddie calls, Steve frowns when he hears a crash above him. But smiles when he hears Eddie scrambling around. Dustin looks to Steve, narrows his eyes.

"You know what he's up to." He accuses. Steve shrugs, walks towards them at all, slaps the bill of Dustin’s cap as he walks past.

"No shit Sherlock. It's my house." He grins, turns and walks backwards, and then disappears behind one of the giant cardboard cut outs scattering his yard.

"Steve? What the hell? What are we supposed to do?!" Dustin shrieks, his voice nearing glass breaking levels.

"I think we're supposed to read this." Will supplies, holding up the little notebook that had been tucked inside the wizard robes he'd pulled on. The kids all gather round him, El practically bouncing in place next to Max. She's wearing a plastic bow and arrow set. Max is dressed with a reworked Wonder Woman costume, rope of truth twirling around in her hand.

"To Will the Wise, and any who be brave enough to venture further. A golden treasure awaits. If you can find it. And if you can survive the trip.

Good luck children. Let the hunt commence!!"

They look around the backyard, arrows scattered around, marking their path. The cardboard cut outs creating small forests and bogs, and caves, and caverns, and on the left, a huge, shining door. And all the way in the back corner of the yard, the mouth of a cave that looks to be full of dragons gold.

The kids all beam, even Max. As they settle all their weapons and costumes, and set out on their quest.

It goes swimmingly, Steve's the first stop. He's dressed like a knight, he'd been lost in the woods, for years, his armor tattered and rusting. He joins them in their quest, bringing along a secret key.

Robin is next, she's dressed like a witch in the bog. Comes creeping up behind them, grabs Mike and makes him scream bloody murder. She cackles as he stumbles backwards, and smiles wickedly as Steve steps foward, he hands the key to Will.

"Take this, keep it safe." He whispers, conspiratorially, and Will smiles, nods solemnly and tucks the key into his robs.

Steve and Robin fight to the death, both of them dramatically falling into a heap together on the ground.

"No!!! Sir Harrington!!" Lucas yells as he falls. Max grabs Lucas's shoudler, falls against him dramatically.

"It's too late. We've lost him!" She cries, letting her head fall to his shoulder.

"We must go on! For Sir Harrington!" El calls, a little awkward, but with feeling. They all look to Will, he nods, solemnly, moves his staff in Steve and Robin's direction.

"We shall never forget you, Sir Harrington. We thank you for your sacrifice." He says, tosses a handful of shredded paper he pulls from his robes, and they move on.

Jonathan and Argyle are some kind of strange two headed monster in one of the caves. They have riddles for the kids, Dustin and Erica solve them with enthusiasm, their voices shouting as Argyle tells them they may pass. They step aside, and as they pass, Jonathan calls,

"But WATCH OUT!" And then he and Argyle disappear behind their cut out again.

They unattached themselves and go and join Steve and Robin to watch the rest. All of their feet dangling in the pool as they watch, smiles on their faces as the kids work their way through the maze.

Nancy is a warrioress, she's got a bow and arrow to rival Athen, and she joins their party, rescuing Chrissy from her crumbling tower near the dragons cave. She joins them as well, pretends to faint whenever they come across anything remotely frightening, Nancy catches her. Max and El giggle everytime, hands tangled together, both of them huddled behind Lucas.

Steve stands as they approach the dragons cave. Walks slowly toward it, staying off to the side. But he had to see it. Had been waiting to see what Eddie had come up with all week.

The party walks up to the cave, slowly, all of them crouching, their weapons drawn, huge smiles on off their faces and they whisper giddily together. They take a few steps closer and fog begins rolling out of the mouth of the cave. Steve smiles, leans against the nearest tree, arms crossed over his chest.

He watches Lucas push Mike forward a bit, he squawks, does a panicked little turn and then takes another step toward the cave. He glances back towards the party, brows furrowed as they all wave him forward. Eddie uses his moment of distraction to jump through the mouth of the cave with a growling yell.

Mike startles backward, falls into Dustin’s arms as they all yell and laugh as Eddie pounces forward. Steve snorts into his hand when he sees him, finally getting eyes on his entire costume.

Eddie has clearly mutilated a large bunny costume. The sleeves are gone, it's been died a deep red, and he's drawn scales all across it. It has one ear missing, having been replaced by what looks like large ribbed horn.

Eddie has used his many sets of stage makeup to draw scales all down his arms, and across his face and neck. He's got a set of fangs now as he growls at the kids, and a pair of terrible clawed gloves hang off his hands.

"Do we have to kill it!?" El yells, hiding behind Lucas again as they all continue to laugh as Eddie rages in front of the cave.

"We could ask it nicely for the treasure!" She says, and Steve sees Eddie falter a bit, a smile on his face before he growls and scowls again.

"That won't work!" Dustin yells, then immediately turns to Eddie.

"Would that work?" He asks, seriously. Eddie snorts, covers his mouth and frowns.

"No! That won't work!" He growls.

"Defeat me or die!" He yells, and then bares his teeth again.

"Can we share it!?" El yells over Lucas's shoulder.

"El we have to kill it to get the treasure! Which better be candy Edward." Max tells her, then levels her eyes with Eddie. He freezes, his hands held up by his chest like a confused dinosaur. He tilts his head.

"I think sharing is a good idea." Will says, looks at El, nods encouragingly.

Steve watches El look around the party, they all give her small smiles, Eddie's head twitches to the side as he watches them. Nancy and Chrissy both nod at El.

"Worth a shot. Maybe this dragon has a soft spot." Chrissy smiles, looks at Eddie. He scowls at her and then startles back a step when El approaches him. He growls, low in his throat, and she holds her hands up, not the way she used too, to use her powers, but like she's telling him it's okay.

Steve watches Eddie melt a bit more with each step she takes. She moves her hands to the ridiculous fake claws, gently slides them off his hands, he whines in his throat, clearly having decided to lean into this new development.

"It is okay." El says, softly, as she slides the other claw off, taking Eddie's hands in hers. He frowns down at her, shakes his head once. Steve bites his lips as he watches El take him apart.

She reaches up, pushes the horned hood back off his head.

"We can share the candy. If you would like." She pokes at Eddie's fake fangs and he spits them out sadly, licks his lips aggressively, making El laugh.

"Would you like to share the candy with us?" She asks, big eyes looking up at him. And that's what does it, Eddie slups, his shoulders drooping, as he nods.

"Aww hell. Why not." He huffs, then ducks back through the cave mouth. The party all crowd around El, shouting and wooping, and then Eddie bursts back out, black plastic cauldron held high above his head.

"Behold! My treasure!" He yells, and then dumps the cauldron over, raining down gold coins on the party as he cackles.

They all scramble for the coins, shoving them in their pockets.

"Is this it?" Mike whines, when they have the coins all sorted. Eddie crosses his scale clad arms, cocks his brow at Mike.

"What if it is? The quest not enough? You need a whole a fucking cauldron of gold all to your self Wheeler?" He asks, eyes wide. Mike slumps a little.

"Because if so. You're in luck." He says, voice still grumpy but his eyes are twinkling. The party perk up, looking for all the world like a group of prairie dogs, Eddie moves his head to the side, eyes locked on the kids. And then he breaks the moment.

"There's more treasure in the cave." He jerks his thumb over his shoulder and walks away and the kids all scramble toward the cave.

His eyes land on Steve, still leaning against the tree, still smiling as he watches him walk over. The kids all screaming and fighting over the candy in the cave.

"Should we be worried about that?" Steve asks, lifting his chin toward the cave.

"I'm sure it's fine." Eddie grins, doesn't look behind him to check. Chrissy and Nancy smile as they pass and Steve hears Chrissy say,

"El sounds like she really wants that candy." As a high pitched shriek rings through the yard. Nancy sighs beside her.

"That was Mike." She says, both of them laughing as they take their own seats near the pool.

Eddie bounces on the balls of his feet as he stands beside Steve, and Steve can feel the residual energy vibrating off him.

"Have fun?" Steve asks, bumping their shoulders. Eddie nods, enthusiastically.

"Yeah. Yeah it was great. Had a different ending in mind. But that girl..." he trails off, shakes his head fondly.

"Yeah." Steve agrees. Eddie's warmth seeping into his side.

"Her ending was better." Eddie says, glances at Steve with a smile. Steve smiles too, lets them sit in silence for a bit until he glances down and sees Eddie's feet, clad in the bunny feet of the suit he's got on.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" Steve breathes, a laugh in his throat.

"Hmm?" Eddie hums, looks over at him fully now.

"This." Steve curls his finger in the front of the fabric and shakes it a few times, Eddie looking down and then back up.

"What the fuck is this?" Steve asks again, laughing for real this time. Eddie bats at Steve's hands, but keeps his hand on Steve's wrist when he doesn't let go.

"It's a... bunny.... dragon? Dragon bunny? I dunno one'uh those." He laughs, shrugging as he grins at Steve.

"Okay sure." Steve smiles, shrugs, curls his finger tighter, unable to let go, he fights the urge to tug Eddie closer. Wants to pull him close, wants to know what Eddie's lips feel like against his.

"Follow up question." He says, eyes on Eddie.

"Uh huh? What?" Eddie asks, his mouth hanging open just so, making Steve feel a little crazy.

"Why?" Is all Steve says. Eddie laughs then, a real, from the chest, laugh. His head tilted back so Steve has a perfect veiw of his throat, though it's currently done up with scales. Though, Steve thinks that's just making him want to touch it more. When Eddie stops laughing, he just looks at Steve, for a long moment, before a grin curls his lips, dimples his face.

"What?" Steve asks, uncertain now, a grinning Eddie is always a wildcard.

"You really wanna know why?" He asks, face scrunching. Steve nods, smiling now too. Eddie turns around, shows his back to Steve, and bounces his butt up and down a few times as he looks over his shoulder at Steve.

"I liked the tail." He says, completely straight faced. Like he hadn't just shaken his ass at Steve.

Steve laughs then, falls back against the tree, the bark digs into his skin but he doesn't care, because Eddie has turned around again, is facing Steve. Is looking at Steve with this dreamy look in his eyes.

It's a look he's seen before. Several times before. But normally when Steve catches him, Eddie looks away, always going a deep shade of red.

But Eddie doesn't look away this time. He swallows hard, and he does go red, but he keeps looking. His eyes wandering over Steve, his chest, his arms, down to his feet and then back up again. He sighs when his eyes land back on Steve's face.

So Steve smiles. He takes a deep breath, coming down from his laughter, and takes a step toward Eddie.

"This was really nice of you ya know? To do for them." Steve says, his hands reach out, gently move to Eddie's hips. Eddie's breath shakes.

"It wasn't just for them. It was for all of us. Ya know?" He shrugs a little, his hands shaking at his sides. Steve tilts his head, nods slowly.

"Yeah. It was still nice. Guess Chrissy was right." Steve shrugs, Eddie brow furrows.

"The dragon does have a soft spot." Steve says, moves one hand up to Eddie's chest, rests it right over his heart.

Steve watches Eddie melt again, his face doing acrobatics, flickering between a smile and a frown and then his lip trembles and Steve can't take it.

He presses forward, kisses Eddie, soflty. Smiles into the kiss when Eddie makes a little surprised noise, his hands slapping against Steve's back, moving down to his hips, his fingers curling into the loops of Steve's jeans. Steve pulls back, rests his forhead against Eddie's.

"You kissed me." Eddie breathes between them, his hands are hot on Steve's hips, and he can feel him trembling.

"Yes I did. Is...that okay?" His chest flutters with uncertainty, but Eddie's fingers squeeze into his hips like he's afraid Steve is going to disappear, and Steve knows he has nothing to worry about. But Eddie confirms it anyway.

"Yeah. I mean shit Steve, I-" he cuts off, leans back a bit, so that he can look at Steve, properly. He's got that dreamy look in his eyes again, but it's softer now, he reaches up, moves his fingertips over Steve's face, tucks a stray hair up into his hairline with a smile.

"What? What are you looking at?" Steve asks, his hands move over Eddie's arms, tugging him closer and then curling around his wrists when Eddie settles his hands against his chest. Eddie bites his lip, shakes his head, and laughs.

"Just you. And I dunno... it's funny I guess?" He shrugs, looks at Steve, eyes wide and honest. Steve sighs, he's so gone on this guy.

"What's funny?" He asks, his own head shaking. Eddie laughs again, sounding giddy.

"Just... a knight and dragon. Ya know? Who'd've thought?" He shrugs again, fingers pressing into Steve's chest. Steve tilts his head to the side, looks at Eddie for a moment, moves his hand down over Eddie's arm, his fingers dancing over the crimson scales Eddie had drawn there, his heart racing as he touched the boy in front of him, finally.

His hand cups Eddie neck, thumb moving gently over the scar on his cheek. He pulls him closer, pressing their chests together. Steve nods, licks his lips.

"I would. I've been thinking about it a lot, actually." Steve breathes, smiles when Eddie presses forward, his nose brushing Steve's as a whine escapes him.

"Really. You've been thinking about me?" Eddie asks, and he sounds so small. Steve nods, wraps his arms around Eddie's waist swiftly and turns them, presses Eddie agaisnt the tree.

"I can't stop thinking about you Eddie. You're all I think about. All day long." Steve sighs, his head resting on Eddie's again. He feels Eddie's fingers scrambling against his shirt nervously.

"Nerdy freak shit 'an all?" Eddie asks, his body trembling agaisnt Steve's. Steve nods, looks at Eddie with longing.

"Oh all that shit just makes it worse." Steve breaths a laugh, wraps his arms around Eddie tighter. He lets out a little sqeak and Steve pulls back, just a bit.

"I think about you too. All the time." Eddie says in a rush, his hands moving to Steve's shoulders, fingers curling into his soft grey sweater. Steve nods, slow, as he leans back into Eddie's space, his lips brushing Eddie's as he whispers,

"I know you do princess." Eddie whines again and surges forward, kissing Steve fiercely.

It's clumsy, and it's messy, and it might just be Eddie's first, or second, kiss. And just that thought makes Steve's entire body thrum with excitement. Eddie pulls back awkwardly, pats at Steve's shoulders, like he can't keep his hands still.

"I um-" he coughs, clears his throat.

"I'm a dragon. Not a princess." He says, but there's no heat in his words, and his eyes are sparkling like maybe he could be, maybe he could be Steve's princess.

"Do you wanna be both? For me? A knight needs both ya know? A dragon and a princess. Maybe mine just happen to be one and the same." Steve whispered these words between them, like a secret, but the light in Eddie's eyes just burns brighter. He nods again, quick, his hands moving to Steve's neck as he licks his lips.

"I think I'd like that." Eddie sighs, Steve smiles, his heart fluttering when Eddie smiles back, crooked grin dimpling his cheeks.

"I'd like it too." Steve presses his lips to Eddie's again, softer, slower, letting Eddie enjoy it, letting him learn.

And then a wolf whistle rings through the air and they break apart, the kids cheering as they throw golden chocolate coins into the air, the teens by the pool whistling and laughing as Eddie hides his face in Steve's shoulder. Steve laughs and holds him close, protecting his dragonly princess from the teasing of their friends.

[conundrumoftime]

Been thinking about Galadriel and Sauron again

So intrigued by what their exchange on the raft in episode 8 says about where their story's going. I have seen lots of discussion about whether Sauron is genuinely repentant here, but what fascinates me is Galadriel's view that it wouldn't matter anyway.

"When Morgoth was defeated, it was as if a great, clenched fist had released its grasp from my neck. And in the stillness of that first sunrise, I felt the light of the One again. And I knew if ever I was to be forgiven, that I had to heal everything that I had helped ruin."

"No penance could ever erase the evil you have done."

This isn't "you're lying" or "I have read LOTR and know where you end up" or "your decision to impersonate my brother undermines you a bit on this one" - that is "what you have done is too bad for you to ever come back from it and forgiveness is beyond you now."

This sets her up as a very Javert-like figure, in her view of the criminal she's chasing as beyond redemption. Javert in the Les Mis musical: "Those who follow the path of the righteous, shall have their reward / And if they fall as Lucifer fell / The flame, the sword!"

Compare with Gandalf re Gollum, when Frodo says that he deserves to be killed: "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement [...] I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it."

And Tolkien on Sauron: "He had gone the way of all tyrants: beginning well, at least on the level that while desiring to order all things according to his own wisdom he still at first considered the (economic) well-being of other inhabitants of the Earth."

Even LOTR Sauron's offered a chance, by the heralds led by Gandalf: "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Justice shall be done upon him. For wrongfully he has made war upon Gondor and wrested its lands. Therefore the King of Gondor demands that he should atone for his evils, and depart then for ever."

I don't think the narrative in TROP tries to present Galadriel as correct. She clearly believes in repentance & forgiveness for others, including 'Halbrand' who had done evil; and even he says so on the raft ("that is not what you believe!"). It's Sauron-specific rage and grief.

So what I think the show will do is:

show Sauron as 'genuine' in that he thinks he is doing the right thing, and his fall into Dark Lord-ness as a series of active choices he makes in an "ends justify the means" or "I know best for everyone" logic;

and Galadriel as continuing to work against him while - somehow? - coming to terms with the idea that he *could* choose that different path; that it's not totally out of his reach; that he still could, at any point, in any of what's to come.

and given how much TROP likes mirroring and echoing, probably bringing back a few of their earlier lines in a different context: "no peace for you except that which lies across the sea", but in a 'go back to Valinor' sense; "be free of it"/"never believed I could be"?

I do find it a bit disappointing that so much discussion on Galadriel's character arc is "will she chill out and stop being mean, yes/no" when there's something much more interesting going on here! (can't think why she gets this and male characters don't...)

[a-star-that-burns-brightly]

david probably sees hu in him a lot. david thinks hu is easily manipulated because of her kindness, i think he’s projecting. as in he used to also genuinely love helping others and sticking out for people. that is, until he realised that his kindness doesnt pay and that people only take advantage of hin for it.

on that note, i think the same thing can apply to him and arei. arei is very cynical, she believes that if people dont take advantage of others, they will get taken advantage of in the end. during david’s mini break down in ep 10 (i think), he clearly pities arei for trying to befriend someone even though she’s someone with no experience with friendships at all. and he pities her for wanting to change. he definitely sees her in himself a lot. deep inside, he wishes he could change, but he stopped believing in himself a long tome ago

imo his ‘facade’ isnt 100% fake, there definitely some parts of him we see that show who he really is inside.

GODDDD you are so smart anon David is constantly projecting himself onto the people he grows close to, and I think in his four most major relationships so far (Xander, Teruko, Hu, and Arei) you can see a part of himself and what his true desires and feelings about himself are through how he interacts with them. As I explain more in-depth in this post, Xander is very much the kind of person David wants to become. someone who's compassionate and helps others and has hope and not only has faith in a better future, but actively seeks to bring it closer. Xander is David's idea of a good person, an idea that gets shattered after realizing that Xander too is not immune to being deceitful and cruel Teruko and Arei are both people that remind David of himself, specifically the cynical black-and-white way he thinks about the world. But the way he treats both of them is vastly different. The glimmer of light that shined then broke with Xander is re-lit with Arei, because Arei not just shows David a reflection of his own mindset, but a person who wants to change from that mindset. Like you said, David unquestionably saw himself in Arei, specifically his desire to change. Meanwhile in his eyes, Teruko shows no such desire and is forever dead-set on her path

David: Gosh. Teruko Tawaki. David: I know you hate anyone who isn't you, but dragging everyone down with you by getting us all executed is a low blow, even by your standards. David: You're searching for reasons to distrust others, like you always do.

Now we the audience obviously know that Teruko is putting up a front, and if my predictions on how the story will go are correct, I definitely think Teruko will eventually come around meanwhile David will continue on his downward spiral. But that's getting more into theory talk. And as for Hu, David definitely sees his more positive traits within her, specifically the fact that David genuinely wants to help others. That's also something he looked up to in Xander as well, and remember, Xander is David's idea of a picture-perfect good person, the person he wants to be, but thinks he can't be. On the topic of Hu (and this is technically getting into speculation but I think there's enough evidence to support it), I 100% think that she ended up opening up to David about her secret, which is most likely the Hopeless Child one.

Hu: I have to be the one to give everyone guidance. That's the only thing I can do. If no one relies on me, then I won't be useful anymore. Hu: You knew how I felt, and yet you... You... Hu: You toyed with my heart!

And if that is true, that also definitely resonated in David as well considering his own feelings of hopelessness, as well as his suicidal tendencies shown in how he is trying to get himself and everyone else killed in the trial, and also how his hidden quote is most likely referring to himself.

David: I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I wish you could just die.

And to cap it all off, I too also think that David's 'facade' was not entirely fake. In a lot of David analyses I see, especially right after the release of CH2-11, there's often a lot of focus on if him pre-CH2-11 was fake or not, and if his current behavior is just another fake persona, or if the small hints of tiredness and grumpiness we see from him like in the prologue is the "real David". But in my personal opinion, I think it's a lot simpler than that I think we're always seeing the real David, we're just seeing him through different perspectives.

[wings-of-ink]

Hi again! Now I'm done with replaying old content and with reading the new chapter!

And damn, I loved it so much!

I have to say, Duri is probably my biggest surprise here. With the character intros, I expected them to be my least favorite RO, but somehow, they "feel" quite different from what I imagined, and I ended up really adoring them! If I wasn't so in love with Oswin, I would certainly have picked them!

Also, "You just bonked a demigod on the nose and lived to tell the tale." has to be one of my favorite lines in an IF ever!

But you know what has me frustrated (not saying that in a bad way)? The fact because of everything that happened, Oswin STILL didn't tell MC what he wanted to tell them nor did he give them that famous gift! I neeeed to know so badly!

On that matter, I've been thinking a lot about what could have caused Oswin to distance himself from the MC the way he did, and so far, I have two main theories - though both may be wrong. I will share but obviously I'm not expecting you to comment on them as that would be spoilery! - First one would be that after the MC started being sick, he felt more and more helpless about that, and his frustration about not being able to help MC ended up translating as him being frustrated WITH MC. As a kid it's possible he didn't think as much on this, but the more he grew up, the more not being able to do anything could have bothered him. And then acting badly with MC could have led him to feel guilty and keep his distances even more. The thing that makes me hesitant about this one though is the fact Lakota already feels that sort of frustration too, and as a healer it makes more sense for him, so I don't know if it would be the same for Oswin. - Second one would be that as he grew up, Oswin started having romantic feelings for the MC, but since he was older than MC - even if both were teens - he felt bad about it, or simply didn't consider the MC could ever reciprocate because of the age gap, which while very small once a person is an adult is way "bigger" for teenagers. In that case, him being frustrated and angry and lashing out may have been a result of him setting himself up for rejection or considering a relationship - even in the future - would be impossible, and thus sort of putting a wall to prevent further damage, even if said wall CAUSED the damage. Though that would highly depend on Oswin canonically having feelings for MC regardless of player's choices when it comes to MC's feelings, and for the time being I really can't tell if that's the case.

Anyway, I'll stop here with the theories cause it's starting to be quite long! But I just need to ask... will we be able to cuddle with Duri again - no matter the form - even if not romancing them? My MC seems compelled to just hug people and animals!

Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

I was hoping Duri would gain a few more fans with their reveal and it seems that is happening. All the characters are layered, but Duri has some special flavors to discover. They're better experienced in story I think too; they shine a little more true.

And I am so glad you caught that bit with Oswin, my dear! You're the first so far to mention it. Your MC will get the chance to bring that up, don't you worry. He's such a tease sometimes without meaning to be, lol.

I like your take on Oswin, and all I will say (but I won't point to specifics) is that you are on one or more correct paths. Chapter 5 should yield a conversation that will help paint the picture as well. Also thinking I should do some POVs sometime soon, and Oswin has several moments that are well-suited to this.

Duri will be available for cuddles, even the platonic ones in the coming chapters. They're pretty affectionate, especially towards friends.

Thank you for the message my dear, I really enjoyed and appreciated it! ^_^

[utilitycaster]

🔥 about each member of the mighty nein (instead of sending you a million separate asks lol)

Fjord - this is actually the only character from all of Critical Role where if someone does not like that character I am immediately done with anything they have to say. Ashton and Vex are my favorites from C3 and C1 respectively but I get not being particularly into what they're doing even if I disagree, but like, if you don't like Fjord you either have no understanding of the idea of characters being defined by their settings and narratives and vice versa and therefore you have no media analysis statements worth hearing; or you made a snap judgement based on like 20 minutes of campaign 2.

Beau - I wish the circlet had gone to Veth; I liked Beau's arc a lot but she started as one of my favorites and was later surpassed by a number of other characters and I think it was in part because I liked her getting things the hard way and also doing more with the Cobalt Soul and Dairon than she ultimately ended up doing.

Caleb - I think I kind of covered it with my post about his trauma recently, namely, I think he's a fantastic character and Liam did a great job and also whenever someone acts like Caleb is objectively correct at all times or should have murdered everyone in the assembly it's a MASSIVE red flag.

Veth - weirdly unpopular in this fandom but I like her more as a halfling. Also, I actually think arcane trickster was a phenomenal fit for Sam mechanically even though he wants more spells and would love to see him do another 1/3rd or half caster.

Jester - I feel I've covered my main one repeatedly (people LOVED to talk about her agency and the second she kissed the wrong person she was suddenly a stupid baby girl who didn't know what was good for her) so I think my other one is that as with all of Laura's characters she is much more fun, especially early on, if you lean into the fact that she does say a lot of shit that makes people really uncomfortable or annoyed instead of trying to turn this into a SHE LOVES SO HARD AND NO ONE LISTENS because both can be true, your love can come out in ways that people are very annoyed by, this is how cats feel all the time actually, and so much of Jester's arc is figuring out how to share this love in a way that other people can appreciate without losing her own personality in the process.

Caduceus - I've also covered this a zillion times but I will say it again, Caduceus deflected so many attempts to check in with him and he does not want to like, fix Molaesmyr, he was not neglected, he was built out to be a character who was more of a low-key support guy and Taliesin did an incredible job with that.

Molly - honestly my unpopular opinion remains that I simply found him very well built and a great concept and also irritating as hell, and the Nein's response to him was valid but the fandom's post-death lionization was very tiresome. I'm genuinely not sure the party could have bonded the way they ultimately did if someone who was throwing around "enthrall" like that were still around.

Kingsley - now, while I don't mind if you dislike Kingsley, acting like Kingsley and Molly are the same character is actually equal to the not liking Fjord thing; that's an instant "this person's interpretations of media are so bad I am blocking so as to not accidentally see anything they have to say."

Yasha - I'm not sure I have any unpopular opinions? I do think she is at times underappreciated but I also think specifically she is, like Caleb, a victim of the terrible and weirdly common fandom idea that the only way to move on from abuse and horror is by killing everyone and everything that hurt you rather than rejecting violence and finding your own path and your own meaning.

Essek - sticking specifically to his role in the Nein, again, I love Essek and he is a member of the party and also he is an NPC and acting deeply offended that he doesn't get the same treatment in terms of comic books or merch or appearances in one-shots is very childish.

[willowsallen]

counseling 101: the background.

hi everybody! my name is riley, and i'm a substance use counselor. i've worked in both inpatient and outpatient, i've been in this field since i was 19 and have been professionally working for 2 years. i'm currently in grad school for clinical social work, pursuing my lsw and my clinical licensure (lcsw). i wanted to write a guide on what it "means" to be a counselor! i will be discussing the specifics of a substance use counselor in another post. (it will be linked below.)

disclaimer:

do not take this as professional advice for all counselors, therapists, psychologists, or social workers. this is my background, my information, my experiences, and my specific expertise. this will include the basics of schooling, training, certifications, frequently asked questions, and things you might not realize, as it all pertains to me! what works for my patients and i may not work for you, so be mindful this is not a "my way is correct and your therapist is wrong," as i believe in the pct model of meeting everybody where they're at.

even counselors at my exact experience level and education level may do things differently than me, and that's perfectly fine! i just wanted to write this to give some insight if you're interested in writing a character who is a therapist, or who goes to therapy. or if you're just interested in general! i could give reminders upon reminders but i just need to say that this is all my thoughts and path in life! this is not the end all, be all. and with that, let's get started. (if you have further questions or need something clarified, please feel free to reach out but just for clarification: i'm not your therapist, i'm not being paid for this, please don't trauma dump, and always remember i'm a human just like you!)

education:

your education is based a lot on your "experience" (which i'll talk about next) and i know that doesn't make sense but just stick with me! the very basics of what you need is a bachelor's in a "social work" setting. which includes, but is not limited to (because i forget): psychology, social work, sociology, criminology. these are the foundations for your specific field of work! i'll just be talking about counseling in general, or about substance use, as i am unaware of the other jobs / fields you can get with different degrees.

if you're trying to get a "good" job (livable wage) i would suggest getting a master's degree in your field of work. though, i will say, you can get lucky and survive off of your bachelor's (like i currently am!) but i would strongly, strongly encourage further education which will lead into certifications and licensure, and that will cement your place in the field and open up the job field entirely. with a bachelor's, they often want anywhere from 1-5 years of experience. with a master's, many places will take you with 0 years of experience, up to 5 years, depending on your field and what the company wants.

i currently have my bachelor's in psychology. psychology is such a broad degree that unless you're specifically going to be a clinical psychologist or gain your doctorate, i would choose another field. i didn't know i wanted substance use specifically until i was 19, which i'll speak about in experience, but if i did not choose the substance use field, i would most definitely would have had to immediately get a master's and be licensed in order to receive well paying jobs with just a psychology degree.

experience:

you don't need a master's to get a job in this field, but you do need experience (there will be places that take bachelor's with little to no experience, but will pay you next to nothing). the best thing to do is find an internship! i think the easiest way will be through your school, and when you're picking one of the aforementioned degrees, it should be an option when picking out classes - many times, universities have people that specifically work with internships.

when i was getting my bachelor's degree, it was my first semester and i was 19 when i was offered to interview for an internship through my school. i got accepted on the spot and was apart of it even after i got my "credit" for the semester and continued for two years! i worked in houseless shelters in my county and was running daily men and women's groups, 2:1 sessions (2 counselors to 1 resident), debrief sessions with the other interns, and supplying a resource booth for the residents.

without this internship, i truly and wholeheartedly believe i would not have gotten any job in this field. it's a dog-eat-dog out there in the realm of psychology (which includes all those fields above) and i truly got lucky to get my start this way. if you don't have the time, motivation, or money to gain a master's, i would highly suggest getting involved in internships as soon as possible in order to get those years of experience!

certifications:

this has a wide range of things! i can only speak to what i've received, and what i know about. this also includes specific training to the sud field, but i won't go in depth about it until the next post i do! the certification i will always need is my cpr. i know that sounds silly, but working with people, in general, i feel like everybody that is able to should receive their cpr certificate!

now, with a bachelor's, they're not really expecting you to have anything else. but! you can. i currently have my milieu certification. which sounds fancy but it just means i'm certified in "psychotherapy in which the patient's social environment is controlled or manipulated with a view to preventing self-destructive behavior." i could've explained it myself, but google does wonders and makes me sound smart! i got this through my internship. it was required and within the first two weeks, i went through trainings and seminars to receive the certificate.

another thing i can receive with only a bachelor's (that's specific to sud) is my cadc certification. it stands for certified alcohol drug counselor. in order to do this, you'll need supervision hours from a clinical / licensed or otherwise appropriate supervisor or director. once i receive upwards of 300 hours of documented supervision, i can take my cadc exam and become certified. this can also enhance what jobs are available to me because many jobs ask for this certification in place of a clinical license (some don't, but you know... some do!)

currently, i'm working on my master's and may potentially work towards my cadc along the way, but once i receive my master's i can get my caadc, which is certified advanced alcohol drug counselor. it's just more hours and an exam! not sure which path i'll take yet because grad school is killing me, but those are what's offered in my field and what i'm interested in! of course there's other certifications involved, but that's for you to decide.

licenses:

now comes the fun part. again, what license you want or go for is specific to your field. there's a ton of counseling licenses, but the main ones that are down my path are lpc (licensed professional counselor), lsw (licensed social worker), and lcsw (licensed clinical social worker). so let me explain a little bit about each of them, and what i'm personally doing!

lpc: licensed professional counselors "are trained to offer assessment, therapeutic interventions, consultation, program evaluation and follow-up services in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, community agencies, private practices, religious centers, group homes and more. lpc's can also independently practice counseling, meaning they can establish or join a private practice and directly bill insurance companies or receive cash for counseling services." can: work independently, diagnose mental health conditions, and supervise for clinical hours. this license is primarily for direct mental health care.

lsw: licensed social workers can "render services that rely on a special knowledge of therapeutic techniques, human personalities, and social resources. this includes: helping people become socially adjusted as individuals and members of a family or community, you cannot work independently; you must work in the affiliation of an agency or social work service provider." cannot: work independently or diagnose mental health conditions.

lcsw: licensed clinical social workers "support people through various challenges by providing general counseling services, crisis intervention, mental health therapies, substance use support, and other key services. lcsw's may also supervise the work of lsw's. they may work in schools, hospitals, elderly care facilities, private practices, and even the courtroom—social workers are often called upon as witnesses in court cases. the main thing to remember is that this license gives them freedom and responsibility to make independent decisions about diagnosis and treatment plans." can: work independently, diagnose mental health conditions and supervise for clinical hours.

difference between lpc and lcsw: though both are similar in their ability to work independently, diagnose mental health conditions, and supervise for clinical hours, there is one main distinction between the two. lpc's are more patient focused and lcsw's utilize a patient's entire life. to put it, well... better, i've turned to google! lpc's "focus on helping clients with specific issues, such as mental health diagnoses, substance use, or behavioral issues. they also can specialize in different types of counseling, including substance use or marriage and family counseling." whereas lcsw's "assist their clients with finding and accessing resources that promote a client’s quality of life and may be involved in the legislative process dictating these services. social worker training usually includes counseling techniques and training, best practices, and finding resources for clients."

general overview:

so, with a bachelor's and no cadc or license, what can i do? well! i counsel<3 i speak to my patients about their substance use, i speak to them about their family, i conduct family sessions, i delve into their trauma, i utilize cbt, pct, mi, and grounding techniques. i run daily groups with my caseload, i run bi weekly groups for the entire community, and i initially assess them for proper level of care. i submit asam's, prepare treatment plans and update them weekly, and work with them on their goals while in and outside of treatment. all of this will be spoken about further in my sud counseling guide.

a day-in-the-life timeline looks like: clock in, check any updates / notes on my patients, go to treatment team with the clinical staff / case management / nursing and doctors (which pertains to the level of care my rehab is - you will not always have this, dependent on inpatient or outpatient and other factors), i run my daily group for an hour with my patients, i do group notes for them, i have my lunch, if i have that afternoon group for the whole community i run it, then i fit in any individual sessions or initial assessments that i need, i complete all progress notes for the day, and i clock out. in between, i handle patient crisis', ama's, behavioral issues, and general questions.

modalities:

what are modalities? "modalities are approaches or methods that a therapist will use to help you reach your goals. modalities fall into broad categories, such as cognitive and behavioral, somatic (body awareness), experiential (play or art therapy), and more." these vary by counselor-to-counselor. this is what works for the counselor and the patient and instead of including the quadrillions of therapy modalities, i'll just talk about the ones i use the most! (also side note that i believe most therapists, within reason, should be utilizing pct and mi but... that's a soapbox for another day). i'll be talking more about why i use - these in relation to sud - in my other post.

cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt):

i want to start this off by saying that cbt is very useful in the beginning stages of therapy! oftentimes, people utilize dbt or somatic therapy after they've "accomplished" cbt. i employ cbt due to, more often than not, patients not having a solid foundation for recovery or changing their ways. so what is cbt?

"cbt is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective means of treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders." in a shorter sense: i use cbt in order to "change" the way somebody thinks.

things that are apart of cbt therapy (and can be incorporated in other forms of therapy) include cognitive distortions, grounding techniques, actively engaging in combatting their automatic negative thoughts (ant's), and encompassing pct and mi in order for the patient to understand why they need to change their thoughts / actions, how they can change them, and the results of changing them. this will go more in depth in my sud post!

patient centered therapy (pct):

pct isn't necessarily for everybody, as many patients may have difficulty even coming up with what their issues are or potential solutions. but by utilizing pct, counselors may be able to support a patient to an "answer" or realization without giving them the answer - i find it beneficial to voice my issues and concerns so i'm able to form my own solution even without my friends saying anything! it's very limited involvement from the counselor as far as "telling them" what's wrong and giving them "choices" to fix it.

"during person-centered therapy, a therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client’s experience without shifting the conversation in another direction. the therapist is there to encourage and support the client without interrupting or interfering with their process of self-discovery, as they uncover what hurts and what is needed to repair it."

pct is really important, in my opinion, because it allows patient the autonomy to make decisions for themselves, while also giving them support. a counselor is supposed to help, not be a brick wall, so as much as the patient is allowed to freely roam through their thoughts and feelings, i've found a nice balance between pct and cbt when the patient may not have a specific answer or understanding for themselves.

motivational interviewing (mi):

"mi is a guiding style of communication, that sits between following (good listening) and directing (giving information and advice). it's designed to empower people to change by drawing out their own meaning, importance and capacity for change. mi is based on a respectful and curious way of being with people that facilitates the natural process of change and honors client autonomy."

when i speak about "guiding" a patient to a different way of thought, or to a "solution", mi is what i'm talking about. my entire approach to counseling is not to give them the answer, because many times they may know the "right" thing to do (stay away from drugs - duh, not explode in anger, not cut people off, etc.) but allowing them this space to speak freely so i can ask them questions for clarification, let them know somebody is listening to them, and building up that therapeutic relationship is the entire point for me.

mi is where the trifecta of these modalities lays. i can utilize cbt in an effort to change their mindset or offer new ideas or "reasons" why they may think / act like that, as well as incorporating pct so that they can come to the realization themselves! it's all about balance and which modality is right for that exact moment, for that patient. it also allows me to be entirely present in the conversation. i often find myself dissociating in my day-to-day life, as many people do, but by using mi, i have to listen in order to ask questions or repeat what they said back to them. it's beneficial to all!

the end:

thank you so much for reading this! i know this was just the basics, but if you want to write a character who's a therapist or who's going to one, i hope this helps beef up that background for you! again, this is specific to me and my sud field, and there's a million other certifications and licenses for general counselors.

substance use disorder counseling post. (will update when post is done).

[ramoth13]

The Question of the Rings: What do they do? A Brief and Humble History

Season 2 has been a hive of fascinating interpretations. Annatar's manipulations, Celebrimbor's crafts, or the stranger's tension between mastery and service, there is almost no end to the ways in which the series has taken on fundamental aspects of the lore.

But one element I've been rather intrigued by is the way the series will display its title subject matter: the power of the rings. Here, I would like to take a turn discussing the Elven Rings specifically. And hopefully I can take a turn at the other sets (men, dwarves, and Sauron's later). There is an answer that stays true to the original intention, which they have seemingly held true to in the series as well,- the rings provide stasis of life.

In the third age, Elves no longer dot and populate the trees, hills, and mountains of Middle-earth. In fact, there are seemingly only four elven realms left, Rivendell, Lothlorian, Mirkwood, and the Grey Havens. Of these, only Mirkwood is not under the direct power of an Elven Ring at any given time.

Mirkwood's king, Thranduil, is unique in this roster as being the only king of an elvish land never under the stasis of a ring. But it is important to also note that his realm is the only realm that is shrinking, beset on all sides by the darkness of the forest, the invasion of the spiderlings, and even Necromancers. Even if the necromancer in question was Sauron (and there is plenty of evidence to suggest it was, but nothing definitive so far as I'm aware), the Sindarin king is a far cry from his powerful former counterpart, Thingol, whose wife was a maiar with the powers of protection. Thranduil's kingdom isn't just shrinking though, it is also the last of the original holdouts.

Although Thranduil and his son Legolas are Sindarin, those people who went towards the Valar but never made it to the sea, they rule over Silvans, those elves who stayed in their forests refusing the call of Valinor. They are hermits, whose way of life is quickly fading. They are considered the least in grandeur and wisdom of all elves (my sincerest apologies to Arondir and Tauriel, I love you both and dearly).

So why is it that the realm of Mirkwood is struggling to stay afloat while the other three elven strongholds thrive?

Indeed, the rings of power have the power to maintain. Think of the trees of Lothlorian, which have all faded and died in all other parts of Middle-earth (minus the seedling which Samwise plants in the shire, of course). Think of the last homely house of Elrond, right at the foot of mountains filled with goblins and wargs, yet not even the Witch-King of Angmar may enter it.

At this point, some of my fellow Enthusiasts might point out that in the third age, the third ring of power no longer resides in the Grey Havens. Old Círdan gave his ring away...

They are correct, of course. The last of the Elven rings, Narya, lies hidden away, upon the finger of a wandering Maiar trapped in the body of an old man. An istari, once known as Olórin, better known to the elves as Mithrandir, and to the Dwarves as Tharkûn, but to good hobbits and men as Gandalf.

So how does the Grey Havens fit into the stasis field? It is not a kingdom, but a doorway, one in which the Valar have opened and maintained, to bring the elves home to Valinor. Only those under the powers of the rings and the holdouts, the Silvans, are left. But the Valar maintain that opened gate. The Haven is not a permanent residence, but a path towards the home of all Elves.

Which at last leads to the question: if Gandalf has the ring Narya and its power is one of life and stasis, how is he using it? I suspect Rings of Power may yet show us. But if they do not, I would posit that his wanderings are a clue. The great elven lords of the third age (Elrond, Galadriel, and Círdan) are maintaining their realms for very different reasons. Unlike the others, Galadriel cannot leave for Valinor, for her test is not yet finished (she must prove that she is willing to give up power). Círdan is maintaining the Havens until all of the elves leave, and Elrond seems to be acting as historian and tour-guide to those passing to Valinor.

But Gandalf's use of the ring seems to be less regional. That is, by traveling, he spreads the Ring's influence throughout Middle-earth. My speculation here (and in that I mean that this is where personal opinion is treading new ground) is that the Gandalf uses the Ring to bring life and prosperity wherever he travels, be it as Gandalf to the Hobbits and Cities of Men, as Mithrandir to the Elven Havens and elvish realms, or as Tharkûn to the Dwarven halls under mountains.

It is worth noting that the Elven Rings have been rumored glimpses of martial power, such as when the aforementioned 9 wraiths are halted at the border of Imládris. It is presumed that it is the powers of the Ring that kept them at bay. But with the exception of the video game (Shadow of Mordor), I am not familiar with any other attempts to show the rings as martial weapons. Not to say they don't exist.

It will be interesting to see where the Rings of Power series takes the power of the rings. I hope this was helpful and/or at least interesting!

Na lû e-govaded 'wîn.

~Ramoth13

[zooophagous]

“No. Absolutely not. Out of the question.”

Ursula set her mug of weak tea down a little harder on the table than she meant to, for emphasis. Along with an authoritative ‘thunk!’ it also left a split puddle on the cafeteria table. She snatched a napkin from the metal holder and furiously blotted it up.

“You already know that stepping out of the grounds at this moment is VERY stupid. Stepping out for the express purpose of finding a murder suspect to chat with? Doubly stupid. Exceedingly stupid. Stupid even for a vampire.” She huffed.

Artemis gave Strauss a pained expression. They were sat across from Ursula on the table bench, trying to present a united front. It wasn’t much of a front. Mostly because they knew that ultimately Ursula was correct.

“Look, we’ll have the tracker on him as well as the body cam. It will be as if we’re right there without actually being there. Besides, it’s not like the cops are going to be able to find Sylvain. Even if they did… it would be better for everyone including the general public if we found her first.”

“Mhmm. Remind me, Mr. Strauss. Have you met Sylvain before?”

“Yes.” Strauss replied tonelessly.

“And remind me again, what was the outcome of that meeting?”

“I was struck by an SUV and shattered my ribs and femur.”

“Right, right. And what do you think the outcome might be if Sylvain catches you wearing spy equipment while talking to her? Do you think she’d be pleased?”

“No, I expect she would take it as a violation of trust and a threat to her own well being and she would defend herself with extreme prejudice.” Strauss shrugged.

“And how do you expect to mitigate that issue?”

“By not getting caught.” Strauss replied flatly. “And, should I get caught anyway, I will simply have to fight my way out. I am in better shape now than when we last crossed paths. If She thinks I am to be an easy target, she will be surprised by what she finds.”

“Oh, so we would have to put you up in the sick bay again, then? I’m beginning to think you just enjoy being waited on by the pretty nurses.” Ursula scoffed.

“The nurses are not pretty.” Strauss idly picked at his nails, avoiding eye contact. “What of the possibility that I end up winning this fight? Perhaps I could return her to the custody of the Institute. Even if she is not guilty of this specific murder, I take it she is a high priority.”

“You, winning this fight? That’s rich.” Ursula scoffed.

“Why is that funny?”

“Because Sylvain doesn’t fight fair, and you will.” Artemis interrupted with a sigh. “We already know from experience that she wouldn’t hold back.”

Artemis absentmindedly touched the scar on her face that snaked over her clouded eye. “You haven’t ever had to fight like she has, and she was a former hunter to boot. She’s probably the clear winner here.”

“And you think I’ll fight fair?”

“You won’t be fighting to kill. You want information, not blood. Sylvain is a wildcard.”

Strauss sighed and sat back in his chair. “Be that as it may. I still have a much better chance of surviving the encounter than Vicar Martin or any other fool stupid enough to put their hand in the tiger cage.”

“Yes, and get accused of running and killing with her. No, no more talking about this. When I have a plan, if you are useful to it, I will be the first to inform you.” Ursula snorted. “Until then everyone will do as I say and keep their heads down and their mouths shut. Are we clear?”

“Crystal.” Strauss replied.

“Good. Try to focus on work for now. I know it’s difficult but the gears of the project cannot stop turning due to stress. As far as we’re concerned, this has nothing to do with us right now, so we will not plan around it or worry about it for the time being.” Ursula pushed herself up from her chair and turned to leave.

Artemis sat in stony silence as her aunt’s authoritarian heavy footsteps clicked away down the halls. Strauss leaned in towards her conspiratorially. “So. What is the plan?”

She let out a frustrated huff and drew herself up and closed her eyes. She exhaled loudly as she opened them again. “We’re going to do exactly as she says. We are going to focus on work, and we’re going to run experiments as if it’s business as usual.”

“Yes?” Strauss asked, probing. “And what might our experiments entail this evening, Frau Van Helsing?”

“We’ve gotten a full physical workup on you, but there’s a very large piece of your puzzle missing.” She grinned. “We’ve never documented a vampire’s form shifting sequence before. Maybe, for argument’s sake, we take some tracking and biometrics equipment and stick them to you, and take you outside to stretch your wings for a bit. Just for a bit.” She winked.

“I see. And perhaps while we are doing our very scholarly experiments, I happen to be blown off course ever so slightly. Just long enough to see if anyone would like to talk.”

“Exactly.” Artemis got up and began her march towards the equipment room. “Come with me. We’ll need to figure out a way to get a listening device on you that you can wear without it being easily seen. You’ll have to carry out some clothes and figure out how to hide the stuff yourself. Can you figure out one of the cameras?”

“Troy has been educating me on the use of various ‘gadgets and gizmos,’ as he calls them. If you show me which button to press, I am sure I can remember what to do.”

“Good. We’ll give you a smart watch. I’ll show you how to use it… And I suppose…”

“Suppose what?”

“I suppose while we’re at it…” She sighed. “I should actually take some notes on your shift sequence. For science’s sake.”

“Yes, that would be best. It is quite painful, so while we’re at it, we should do it now.”

“Yeah. And if Sylvain gets you, this could be our last chance anyways.” She said sadly.

“She will not.”

“How are you sure?”

“If she wanted me dead, I’d be dead by now.”

The pair made their way to the outdoor exercise arena. Artemis swiped her key-card and the automatic door slid open. Strauss had his eye on the fence line. It would be easy to clear, once he had his wings on. He’d done it before. Just not with permission.

Well. Technically, this was still without permission.

“How quickly do you think you can find her?”

“Less than an hour. She seems to be able to find me. I don’t expect she will wait long. With any luck I will be able to extract some sort of information from her and leave without breaking any more of my bones.” He shuddered.

“Here’s hoping. Whatever she says to you, be it a full confession or anything else, just DON’T try to bring her in on your own, ok? We aren’t prepared to house her anyway, so even if you think you can do it…”

“I will be a perfect gentleman to Frau Pietra.” He replied, and began to peel off his shirt.

“Do you mean to record this event? It requires me to take off my clothing. I’d prefer it if you refrained from photos.”

Artemis smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be shy NOW after all we’ve been through? But that’s ok. I’ll take notes, not pictures.”

“Alright. This is a painful and energy consumptive activity. Please allow me a moment to complete it.”

Strauss dropped his jeans and stepped out of them, fully naked into the clearing. Being nude outdoors was even more nude somehow than being nude in front of the doctors and nurses. It was a situation that would soon be fixed by a pelt of thick, dark hair.

He shut his eyes tight, both from intense concentration and against the pain of transformation. Luckily he was distracted from the burning pain in his enlongating fingers from the agony of his face being broken and remade beneath his skin.

He stifled a cry. It wasn’t something he wanted to do in front of Artemis. None of this was what he wanted to do in front of her, really. For her, though. Well. Things have hurt more than this.

But not by much. He fell to his knees as hair split the skin and ran down his back and around his neck in a thick, uncomfortable mane. Interstitial fluid dampened the fur as it sprouted making the horrible texture all but unbearable. He writhed under it and began to bite at his own skin with the long muzzle that had replaced his jaw. The itching was cut by the stinging stretch of webbing between his fingers and finally, trembling and shaking in every inch, the bat had taken form.

Slowly he turned on his haunches to face Artemis. She was staring hard, and breathing harder. No doubt years of watching lycanthropy accidents from Troy had conditioned her to run instead of calmly watching a shift sequence. He could hear her heart like a jackhammer in her chest.

His pointy head no doubt resembled a wolf somewhat as well. His discomfort was quickly abandoned in favor of tending to hers. Carefully he stilted towards her on his folded wings and demonstrated his harmlessness by shoving his great hairy head into her shoulder.

She let out a nervous laugh and reached up to wrap her arms around the neck of the great bat. “Hey, hey. Down boy. Take it easy.” She chuckled.

“That was quite a show. I’ve never actually seen it in person up close before. Can you speak?”

Strauss let out a deep hiss like a failing hydraulic. “....No…”

It came out in a soft breath with weak consonants. His strained anatomy wasn’t built for speech. Not now.

“I see. That’s ok.” She gently stroked the soft muzzle and felt the hard tips of his fangs just below the velvety fur. She glanced downward and blushed slightly when she realized he was still very obviously naked, despite what coverage his fur gave.

She turned to collect his clothes and his equipment into a bag. “You’ll have to carry this out. If you can make a call when you’re done I’ll send a car to get you, no need to go through all that again. Remember, don’t try and take her on physically, no matter what. Not even if you see her actively killing someone. Preserve yourself over everything, and I mean everything else. Understood?”

The bat stood silent, though in apparent opposition.

“Please Strauss. We really can’t afford to lose you. I don’t want to lose you.”

He paused, then lowered his head into her shoulder again, looking up at her with his dark, watery eyes.

“Good. Then we’re clear.

She rubbed his velvety ear, and he leaned heavily into the affection.

“You know, we should probably be careful about PDA like this. Cameras are still on out here.” She smirked. “I know it hurts and all, but honestly I’m a little jealous. Of the wings, I mean. It’s sort of cliche’ but I think everyone secretly wishes they could fly. You actually can. That’s more of a talent than just about anything else.”

The bat tilted its head at her, and pulled away and began to walk in a stilted circle around her. She turned to watch where he was going, when suddenly he charged.

He aimed low and bowled her over his head, neck and shoulders, landing her squarely on his back. She gasped and grabbed frantically onto the thick fur, but while she was struggling to right herself, he kept moving.

“Strauss? What are you doing! Strauss! STRAUSS!” She yelled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he began to pick up speed. His awkward wing-walk became a lopsided gallop, and soon he had air beneath them.

She couldn’t waste her air yelling or she might faint. The ground was getting further away as the bat began a gentle upward glide, up and over the barbed wire fence, past the search lights.

Ursula scratched a wrong answer into the crossword puzzle, then frowned and furiously erased it. The ghost of it sat there mocking her. What was the name of that sky scraper in Chicago? No longer the Sears tower, but it’s new name? Was that in Chicago?

Strauss was good at these puzzles but she wouldn’t ask him. Not in a million years. There was a soft knock at her office door. An intern, here to bother her. Great.

“Excuse me. Miss Harker?”

“Can’t you see I’m on break?” She huffed.

“Yeah I see that. But, erm. I sort of think this is important. Maybe. I mean the director knows about it already but-”

“If Artemis is handling it I’m sure it can wait.”

“Ok. I just thought maybe it needed security input.”

“If it needed input Artemis would have asked for it.”

“Oh. Well. Uh. Mr. Strauss took off with her, I wasn’t sure if they had like planned this or-”

“THEY WHAT-”

Strauss could have sworn he heard the distant yelling of an angry head of security. He wasn’t concerned with that at the moment. Artemis didn’t hear much of anything except the loud rush of summer air coming over the treeline. Strauss was keeping fairly low, no doubt not trying to scare her any more than he already did. He was aiming lower, too, looking for a landing spot.

She leaned in as far as she could to speak in one of his enormous pointed ears. “Can we make one more lap before you land?”

He immediately began the ascent again. The powerful beat of his wings made the seat difficult, but he was, as best he could, balancing her as she balanced herself. The shock had worn off, and her stomach had crawled back down her throat. The institute wasn’t a beautiful building. It used to be once, before the more utility focused add-ons parasitized the old facade. But from this vantage point in the dark, it was lit up like a dream.

Strauss swerved wide to avoid the building. No sense getting shot out of the sky by an infuriated security team. He aimed for the empty fields that ran along the road leading towards town. He swooped low and spread his wings out like a parachute, and finally reached down to land leg first and skid to a halt in muddy grass.

Artemis fell from his back onto her feet panting and shaking. She handed him his bag full of supplies, which he took in his mouth.

“That was… really cool.” She said breathlessly.

“Don’t ever do that again. But it was really cool.” She glanced out at the road, visible lights were already appearing on the horizon from the fleet of Van Helsing security vehicles.

“You should go. Remember what I told you. Be safe.”

He nodded his head, and with a single powerful leap he was back into the air. A rush of wind beat down from his wings all around the director, sending her hair flying. He was out of reach of security for now.

She walked to the roadside and waited for her escort home. This was a stupid, stupid gamble. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. With luck and prayer, hopefully nothing lost.

[vermillioncrown]

sam + work spouse (let's call him ken) work story (and i'm keeping everything very high level and vague)

vague-mathing and vague-work-kvetching lol

we had a whiteboard meeting today where i walked through a mathematical problem formulation based on my thesis to model a Thing that was in long-time demand by HQ, but requires a lot of input from various experts + bigwigs and there's nothing worse than info elicitation (being specific, standardized definitions, needs vs wants, etc. no vibes allowed)

a lot of technical work that interfaces with gathering data/information for decision-making is like. god, pulling teeth. you need to balance between enforcing standards vs being empathetic about ad-hoc methods

so i'm doing the diagramming and we're walking through changes and representation and we get into minor disagreements on how to best capture a set of logic as hard constraints bc "all rules can be broken" irl vs math isn't that

but that's okay, i have trickery in place to deal with "soft" constraints, but it would require a bit more tailoring of the formulation

(rule of thumb which translates to all aspect of life: there is no free lunch, one-size-fits-all Best Approach. you pay with effort or efficiency)

so i posed two paths to sam and ken. we can:

keep current formulation, use the elicited info that everyone else refuses to correct/standardize, and do exactly what they want, malicious compliance-style

revise the formulation to treat inconsistencies in logic as a penalty to their desired solution, maybe lose some of the needs they want represented but if they don't freak out it's really just a "want"

either way, it gets the bigwigs talking and that's all we care about

but the answers

ken: punish them 😑 (he's been in charge of elicitation for the past few months so lol)

sam: let's be gentle 🙂 (he's a "honey over vinegar" type of guy)

[kalolasfantasyworld]

Okay, ask game for you ☘️ Nozel x Vanessa, because I love them 💜 Nozel x Helena, because your OC ship is amazing ❤️ Nozel x Fuegoleon, because Nozel ship 😅 Yes, a bunch of Nozel ships 🥰🦅

Hi Vilandel!

Hah obviously I have some more specific thoughts for Nozel ships. I really hope I won't make anyone upset with these. They're just my opinions.

Nozel x Vanessa -> doesn’t make sense, compels me

Let’s start with saying this is my favourite canon x canon ship for Nozel. I’ve drawn them and read them, but let me explain why it doesn’t canonically make sense to me. 

Before I set up tumblr I didn’t even think to ship them together, because they never really interacted (correct me if I’m wrong). I only got to like them once I saw them here and read a bit about them. However it’s hard for me to picture the start of their interaction without some outside force to literally make them. Also long term relationship… but let me get to that later.

Firstly their types based on the assorted questions brigade:

Nozel: “Someone with dignified strength who can give their all for the prosperity of the House of Silva” 

I don’t think he’s saying this “just to be proper”. Nozel really cares about his house and I think that a quality of being able to take care of and represent it can make a person attractive in his eyes. 

I’m not saying that Vanessa couldn’t just that it would not really be her style. She got out of her cage and pushing her onto Royal customs would be cruel in my opinion. She could definitely not walk around in her underwear, or casually get drunk. She likes this part of herself and is happy being a Black Bull.

Vanessa: “Wild men with muscles <3” 

Yeah… That’s not Nozel (I admit I have drawn him with way more muscles than he has… It’s a hot art I’m not going to change it and yes a future Paper Hearts illustration, normally I draw him skinnier)

Why does it compel me? (Because it does a lot)

They are both one of my favourites BC characters.

Nozel is not a good boy (closeted perv let’s face it) and Vanessa is definitely up for some heated adventure. Both are very hot. She’s flirty, she’ll pull him out of his shell. They could support one another and emotionally I think they would work well. I enjoy them in fics and the stories are amazing. I love how she would flirt with him and he would get more and more bold as they grew closer. Also there is that spicy forbidden romance part.

There are actually quite a few similarities between Vanessa and Helena as they’re best friends and I enjoy how those qualities shine through her interactions with Nozel. 

I see Nozessa so much in a heated, passionate romance. It’s just long term that doesn’t sit right with me… I feel like they would need to sacrifice a part of themselves to be with the other and I wouldn’t want that. She needs to be free and Nozel is a Royal who takes pride in it, it’s not just his burden. 

Nozel x Helena -> makes sense, compels me (you said it yourself, how could own OC ship not)

Overall I talked a bit about them in my fic explanation post.

I created Helena to explore Nozel more. This is actually my first ever OC x canon ship that I've invested in, because I'm more of a canon x canon shipper. Just that I only knew of Dorothy x Nozel and Fuego x Nozel back then and they didn't really appeal to me as something to write for and have a fun story for.

Why do they make sense? 

Despite them being so different there are actually quite a few parallels between them. For example both had a situation in their youth, which somehow set them on a path. They’re both the eldest siblings. And there are few more.

Similar backgrounds for sure. Both of them are Royals and take pride in their houses. Helena will be a great lady of the house. She was prepared for this and knows how to perfectly manoeuvre in high society. She can be a great support and simply a partner to him in his duties. 

She’s his type from the assorted questions brigade. (yeah the pervy part as well xd)

Helena brings in the warmth and will provide a family atmosphere. Being the eldest of seven siblings taught her that. She “fits” in the Silva family with Noelle, Nebra and Solid. Over time she develops relationships with all of them, so it’s not just Nozel she makes sense with.

Why does it compel me?

Enemies to friends to lovers, Sunshine x grumpy, Blue x red relationship

They have so many imperfections and they mess up, but they get up and try to fix them. There's also quite a lot of plot ahead of us and I don't want to spoil anything, but what happens later is actually more determining in my opinion to how they are fit for and grow with one another.

There are also some parallels with how Nozel treated Noelle and how he treats Helena, so that’s interesting. 

Helena is a virgin, but very much not opposed to sexuality, so they have some spicy, heated moments.

I feel like they can really connect on a deeper level and I like how their story begins right with the beginning of BC. We see the whole development of Nozel and how they interact through it. For example how their relationship changed after Fuego fell in a coma. So it's not just Nozel after he went through a change and apologised to Noelle.

They compliment each other. Helena “makes Nozel have fun” and he can tone her down (this is needed at times).

The birdies… I love my next gen trio so much. I like how they have traits inherited after both Nozel and Helena. I love picturing them as parents.

I feel like there’s more, but I’ve talked about them enough here. 

Nozel x Fuegoleon -> makes sense, doesn’t greatly compel me

As you probably noticed I focus a lot on the “Royal aspects” in the makes sense part and Fuego fits this part. They are close, clearly trust each other and they have amazing dynamics. They’re childhood friends. I’ve seen some cute arts for them and I know they’re pretty popular.

However why it doesn’t greatly compel me? (Besides the fact that I ship both of them with some OCs)

I just think of them as good friends, more than lovers. And somehow I’m not the biggest fan of how Nozel is portrayed in this relationship. He somehow seems “weak” and “needs to be taken care off”. Maybe that’s just me, but it was the vibe I got from few works (not all of them, some were cute and amazing). Maybe I somehow don’t see him have “bottom” energy, but Fuego doesn’t have it either. 

However they would support and care for one another. I also love the hot and cold dynamics and childhood friends romance.

So I like some aspects of this ship and some don’t. 

I would still put it as my second canon x canon Nozel ship.

[redcrescentmoon]

[Tokyo Aliens][Analysis][About the way Tenkuubashi perceives Amamiya]

As we know, Amamiya has a very deep understanding of Shou. 9 years, the amount of time the two of them have known each other, is more than enough for Amamiya to clearly understand the boy.

So, what about the other way around? In Shou's eyes, what kind of person is that white-haired man with one eye covered? Or rather, what is Amamiya's image in Shou's eyes? Specifically, Amamiya is not only a benefactor, and a trustworthy teacher/mentor, but also someone whom the boy cannot understand.

1. To Shou, Amamiya is a benefactor

Regarding this part, surely everyone can see clearly and cannot deny it. I would like to quote directly from the manga chapter 15:

“He is my benefactor.”/“I owe him.”

In chapter 15, Shou used the word 恩人 (onjin – benefactor) when talking about Amamiya. For Shou, Amamiya’s encouragement to join the special armed forces not only meant creating him a new path, but also a new life for him.

Obviously, humans have always been creatures with a strong sense of their identity. They set a very clear boundary between "being human" and "not being human". Either it's human, or it's nothing. As a human being, we must fear death and must die, as is naturally the case. After all, people are always afraid of things they can’t even understand.

For that reason, almost no one among the people around him can accept the body of the planet Ribariba, including Shou himself. "I just happened to get this body; I didn’t want it" - are the words Shou said to himself in chapter 10 when he accidentally heard nasty gossips about him in the bathroom. And then, Shou continued to doubt himself. As always.

But after all, Amamiya's words still had a profound impact on him, beyond all the gossips out there. He followed those words to live, to train, to fight, and not to give up no matter how cruel and hopeless reality was. Because he still has his sister who is in a coma in the hospital waiting to be rescued, and also because he has belonged to that white-haired man since that day.

For that reason, it is not an exaggeration to say that Amamiya is Shou's benefactor - and because Shou himself said so.

2. To Shou, Amamiya is a trustworthy teacher/mentor

Shou is Amamiya's favorite student; everyone knows it. This proves that people are not just saying it out of the blue - there must be something showing that the way Amamiya treats Shou as a teacher and student must be so special. However, I will save this issue for another article.

So let's think about it the other way: how does Shou treat Amamiya as his teacher/mentor? Obviously, he behaved properly and appropriately: he still maintained a respectful and polite attitude towards the man, considered his words to be the absolute and never disobeyed him in important matters. Reading this, you will probably think to yourself, “Oh so what?”

Well, the key is here. Firstly, it can be said that Shou was taught quite well by Amamiya, in terms of strength and awareness that a police officer should have. He has good fighting skills and the ability to react quickly (this has been acknowledged many times, by Ririka and the female alien in chapter 0). At the same time, Shou also has a very correct perception of what to do and what not to do. He did not hesitate to speak out against Amamiya's intention to let Akira join AMO while that boy was just a civilian - because that was what he had been taught. He does not hesitate to do his best to protect others - because that is what he was taught. It can be said that Shou always clearly remembers and engraves what Amamiya taught him. Isn't that the highest respect for a teacher/mentor? And moreover, it can also be inferred that the boy holds a sense of trust in Amamiya, big enough and solid enough to make him always keep what he was taught.

In addition, it can be said that Shou always appreciates what the man taught him (no matter how strict it might be). In chapter 7, when Shou offered to take on the task of protecting Erika alone, Amamiya did not hesitate to remind him of the harsh training period. “That must have been a good experience in your upbringing… I am very glad.” Although it cannot be denied that Amamiya once trained with him in a strict way, Shou still did not feel any resentment against the man in any way whatsoever. On the contrary, the boy did thank Amamiya for that time. Because he understands that the harsh training period was necessary (or can also be understood as necessary evil), that perhaps he will not be able to become a person with such strength and purpose in life - like he is today.

Shou truly understands and appreciates what he taught him, so it can be said that Amamiya is a trustworthy teacher/mentor in the boy’s eyes.

3. To Shou, Amamiya is someone whom he cannot understand

And finally, Amamiya is the person who always makes Shou have vague and incomprehensible feelings toward him. Why did I include this argument? Well, because this proves one thing: Shou also has the desire and need to understand the man.

Only when the person in question is important enough that people have the need to understand them. Most of the time, people always tend to want to know what the other person is like, what their personality is, what habits they have, what they are doing, how they are feeling, or what thoughts they have in mind. After all, human interest is inherently very limited, so it can only be reserved for a certain few. Needless to say, surely everyone will not have the need to understand someone if the relationship with that person is not close enough, or in other words, not important enough, right?

Not only that, Shou's need to understand Amamiya is not a normal desire for understanding. Rather, a seemingly desperate desire. In chapter 15, Shou himself admitted: "He's really great, but most of the time I don't know what he's thinking." Obviously, with someone as mysterious as Amamiya, it's rare for anyone to know what thoughts are running through his mind. Even so, the desire to understand the other person is still a desire. Surely, Shou himself had also wondered about that thought, which made him blurt out about the white-haired man, about his concern in wanting to understand Amamiya like that.

“I thought I was the only one who thinks that.” Once again, this sentence affirms Shou's desire to understand Amamiya. He thought that everyone knew and understood Amamiya's personality, while he was the only exception. It is the very thought that deepened the boy’s desire to know more about Amamiya. A desire to understand the other person so deep and intense that it seems somewhat desperate.

In short, it can be said that Amamiya in Shou's eyes exists in three main images: (1) benefactor; (2) trustworthy teacher/mentor; (3) someone he can't seem to understand. Each of these images has its own rationale, and it is those three images that have contributed to creating the image of AmaShou that I've always liked and loved.

[mmaxie-musings]

Actually, Dhelmise don’t perform mitosis— given that they are multicellular by virtue of being macroalgae— but instead undergo a similar process called fragmentation, like everyday seaweed. However, this only seems to occur in the event that one or more of the upper blades, or “leaves”, is detached, along with a portion of the holdfast; without both, a new individual can’t form. Even if both parts are present, it seems that most of the time a new one won’t actually develop, and instead the result is just seaweed that is indistinguishable from others of the same variety save for the inability to reproduce sexually via spores. For a time it was theorized Dhelmise could reproduce sexually via spores, explaining their genetic diversity, but this hasn’t been observed, nor has a Dhelmise with sporophylls ever been documented. It’s believed this is a side effect of the transformation from normal seaweed/kelp to Dhelmise, and why kelp grown from one remains infertile.

On that note, I didn’t get into the hardly understood development of new Dhelmise, which hasn’t been conclusively documented, but is described in the folklore of many seafaring peoples as the consistent idea of souls possessing or merging with seaweed, or the seaweed itself gaining/having a soul and achieving sentience. It’s generally accepted that it’s a similar process to the one that creates Bramblin on land, but research into the formation of either is rather difficult on account of the very specific circumstances required, and the fact that you can’t (ethically) recreate them in an observable setting. Doing so would probably be described as performing a funny little thing called “murder” and wouldn’t be a very popular or kind decision.

Big fan of Dhelmise, honestly, they’re unusual and often misunderstood fellas and a lot less scary than TV makes them out to be most of the time. I’ve been trying to learn as much about them as possible, and even just going down the poképedia rabbithole is a great way to spend several hours if you have nothing better to do… Signed, random trainer who’s starter was a Dhelmise due to unusual circumstances involving pokébeans and not knowing what to do when Large Hecking Thing decided to leave the water and simply didn’t stay put after I enacted the Back Away Slowly protocol.

P.S.: the Steelworker ability doesn’t have much of anything to do with ions, they’re just good at utilizing metal due to their species-wide preference for that particular kind of material. Sorta like that bird Pokémon that loves dropping rocks enough to be proficient in battle with them… Bomberdier? Bombirdier? Something like that. If they weren’t such incompatible types and also inhabitants of entirely different ecosystems I bet they’d understand each other. Oh to be a weird thing that will look at a hard object and go “yea I think I’ll specialize in beating things with this”….. Instead I had to be born a human and I gotta do things like “get a job” and “stop befriending weird beasts” and “get a hobby that doesn’t center around one or two extremely specific or niche topics”. Maybe I wanna start throwing rocks at people or beating them with random junk I found in the ocean, why can’t those be valid career paths huh

anon I love you.

firstly, THANK you for correcting me. I couldn’t remember the word for fragmentation so I just said Fucked Up Mitosis.

the ions thing may have been a certain thing? they were connected to klefki in that manner (they absorb ions of the keys they steal) but yes, dhelmises do decide to take things from the sea and beat things with it. it SHOULD be a career.

i, surprisingly know a dhelmise! he’s not caught, but just a lot of Afterlife Fuckery. his name is sev and he’s like a fresh-our-of-jail uncle to my fatherless boyfriend. it’s great. he likes sinking ships and he has a husband.

it’s funny because ghost types have varying levels of retaining “souls??” it’s very interesting. rotomblr also happens to have a lot of cross-universe fuckery. and sapient pokemon. there are a lot of those

anyways, very correct about dhelmises being victim to misconceptions. much like mimikyu there are nasty rumors of “they kill you and hate people and kill and kill and evil and violent” they just are very territorial and Don’t Like It when your big ass boat fucks up where they live. they don’t even hurt humans (on purpose. but it’s kind of your fault if you get in the way of 14 foot anchor creature)

anyways again anon ilysm for this. if only i could have a dhelmise. and as a STARTER no less? oh my arc that’s amazing. pokemon behavior is pretty connected to their nature and I think you just were Taken by a friendly one. big ghost anchors need friends too.

this ask made my day. AUG