#wri's post

[wriheart]

Howl's Moving Castle Quick Thoughts

Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favorite movies to ever exist, and I was finally able to get around to reading the book. Going into it, I knew that the story of the movie and book were vastly different, and I kept this in mind as I tried not to compare them too much. I wanted to simply enjoy each story for what it was. 

While I still love the movie more (I’m a sucker for romance what can I say), there was one question that I had: why wasn’t Sophie a witch in the movie? 

I love the idea that, while the witch cursed her initially, Sophie was the one to continue the curse upon herself. She had these self-deprecating, “I’m better off as an old lady” thoughts that really made me think about how our thoughts are often what get in the way of our own happiness. We tell ourselves we can’t do something, so when it comes time to do it, we lack the confidence in ourselves that we need to succeed. I know this is often the case for me, whether it comes to school work or my own personal writing: I sometimes talk down about myself and my abilities, which leads me to dread working on what I’ve told myself will be too difficult for me to complete. I thought Sophe was a really powerful representation of how our thoughts affect us, and I would have liked to see it more in the movie. 

(I need to rewatch it but I think her de-aging comes more from her opening up her heart to love which I still really adore that idea too, but can’t I have my cake and eat it too? I just think it would have been nice to see on the big screen the thoughts Sophie has about herself and how they affect her and how she grows past them through self-love and opening up to love Howl.)

[wriheart]

@dr-pipis I love you so much. Your art brings my visions to light.

Alrighty, Part 2 of Lián art drawn by my co-creator @dr-pipis yaaaaay! This post is all the art I have shipping Zuko and Lián because while it might be ways away, it will eventually happen in the fic.

Part 1

There are two parts of their relationship: Ba Sing Se and Air Temple. In Ba Sing Se, they grow close before Zuko betrays everyone, and at the Air Temple, Zuko works hard to regain her trust (and eventually succeeds).

Ba Sing Se

Air Temple (pre the two of them making up)

Air Temple (after they make up)

If you missed Part 1 there’s some more art of just Lián, and if I’ve enticed you to read my fic here’s a link (though I will warn you, the shipping won’t start for at least three more chapters, I know, I wanna get there faster too 😭)

[digitalzomboy]

poem without image below the cut

there is an angel in the wall behind the personal computer your dad brought home.

if you ask her, she'd tell you she's been here, only waiting.

she'd ask when you met god, and you'd say you hadn't,

but she'd read you through the wall and the desk you sit at like a confessional booth,

and you'd feel her hot wire fingers reach out to touch you,

to know you and find what it is you've been searching for through all of these forums you frequent.

"god is a feeling," she'd say.

don't you remember?

don't you remember?

don't you remember?

this place was never meant to comfort you.

---

from sept. 16th 2024 at 3:03 am

[dr-pipis]

KLANCE ON MY DASH

[bawdybooster]

Thoughts on a weak villain with hypnotic powers and a powerful hero? The hero underestimates the villain at first, but minutes later are saying "yes master/mistress" and obeying their every command

Oooooh I really like the sound of that! There's so much focus in the world of heroes on who's the Biggest Baddest Baddie that no one would ever expect some low-level supercriminal to be able to enthrall the minds of even the greatest of heroes.

So sorry it took so long to answer! Been dealing with a lot of stress in the real world and I haven't been able to focus on writing for a while. I hope you enjoy the story!

--- --- ---

Perhaps robbing a bank in the middle of broad daylight hadn’t been the smartest idea.

This was the singular thought in Coin Countess’s villainous mind as she found herself cornered in the vault by the one and only Daring Crusader, Statesborough’s Greatest Hero.

“Let’s get this over with, Countess,” the caped hero smirked, “There’s a warm cell at Carolcroon with your name on it and I wouldn’t like it to get cold.”

“A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned, Daring Dolt,”  The Villainess declared grandly.  “And I’m hardly bankrupt yet.  In fact, I have a secret weapon I’ve been saving for a rainy day such as this — BEHOLD!”

The Hero flinched as Coin Countess reached into her purse.  He readied himself for the worst, only to stare dumbfounded as she produced a singular coin on a string.

“What am I looking at?”

The Villainess cackled as she began to swing the coin back and forth from her dainty fingertip.  “Why, surely you’d recognize your undoing, Crusader.  This is my Ultimate Triumph, for no hero can resist the pleasure of gazing upon my Penny of Pleasure~”

Daring Crusader blinked.  “It’s… It’s just a coin.  On a string.  Swinging.”

Coin Countess continued to grin, though, in the back of her mind, panic struck like a coiled serpent.  She was hoping he’d have fallen by now.  Everyone else who’d gazed upon her Precious Penny would have with a mere glance.  Sure, he had power beyond imagination and everyone else had been decidedly average, but still!

“Ahhh~” she cooed, “But take a closer look, and you’ll see your fate has already been sealed.  Look at its glamorous shine as it swings back and forth from my finger, leaving you senseless at my mercy.”

“No,” the Hero remarked, “I’m… I’m pretty sure… it’s just a… a coin…”

“A coin is a coin, certainly, but at the beck and call of the Coin Countess?  The Princess of Pennies?  The Duchess of Dimes?  Why, soon it will be the one thing you can think of.  The only thing you can think of.”

Coin Countess continued to swing the coin before Daring Crusader, drawing his focus further and further towards the swaying copper coin.  His eyes remained steadfast and focused on the coin as if he dared it to try and hypnotize him.

“Relax…” she whispered soothingly.  “You sell yourself short so much, don’t you?  Wouldn’t you just like to let your worries go bankrupt and empty that mind of yours?”

Agreement murmured from Daring Crusader’s mouth incoherently.  Coin Countess blushed profusely.  She knew her coin could be used to manipulate minds, but she didn’t know it could work this effectively.  She was impressed!

…she was eager to test how deep he was.

“How do you feel, Daring Crusader?”  She whispered in his ear.  The Hero gave an approving grunt, unable to tear his focus from the swaying coin.  “Very good, Daring Crusader.  It feels so good to look at my coin.  You want to feel good, don’t you?”

Another approving grunt.  This was looking to become easier than she could have ever dreamed of.

“You know what else will make you feel good?  Whenever I call you My Little Coin.  Doesn’t that make you feel good, My Little Coin?”

The Countess’ Little Coin gave a grunt of approval.

“Of course, what would make you feel even better is if you vocalized how good you felt.  When you affirm how good you feel.  Whenever I speak to you, you will feel good when you answer ‘Yes, Mistress’.  Will that help you feel good, My Little Coin?”

“Yes, Mistress.”  Her Little Coin spoke emptily, his eyes unwavering from their focus on her hypnotic coin swaying before him.  A blissful smile crept up his lips, betraying his apparent focus to display how wonderful he felt.

The Countess had to conceal her delight with how well this was going.  “Good Coin~”  She praised.  “You’re my Little Coin, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“You belong to your Coin Countess, don’t you, my Little Coin?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“You want nothing but to please your Coin Countess, don’t you, my Little Coin?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Coin Countess brought the sway of her hypnotic coin to a stop, taking it in hand to display before her Little Coin.  “Here.”  She ordered, placing it directly on the forehead of the former hero.  “So long as this is on your head, you will obey my every command and feel so good.  Am I clear, my Little Coin?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Walk with me.”

The Villainess walked out of the vault, followed by her new henchman.  At her beck and call, he followed her every command.

Carry out those bags of cash?

“Yes, Mistress.”

Fight off the cops pursuing her?

“Yes, Mistress.”

Capture more of those awful heroes to turn into good little coins?

“Yes, Mistress.”

Of course, she never bothered to tell anyone here Precious Penny was no more than that — just a regular penny.  No different from any other one would find on the street.  As she came to understand it, it simply allowed her to harness her hypnotic powers of persuasion as a conduit of control.

Sure, this would mean she’d be better known as someone like Mesmera, the Matriarch of the Mind, able to ensnare the hearts and minds of all with anything she comes across.  But she already had a theme going for her!  Why change her motif if being Coin Countess allowed her to enthrall her foes when they least expected it?

After all, they’d never count on someone like her being able to enthrall so many unsuspecting heroes~

[whysosunny]

Point of view

“Bro, she is going mad; she punched me last night just because I forgot to do the dishes”, shrieks the guy. “But you told me that she is the best thing ever happened to you”, says the friend. “I lied! Honeymoon period was long over. She yanks my hair, kicks me in the groin when I touch her. Last week, when I told her it’s over, she threatened me that she would beat herself up, and put me in for domestic violence.” “Dude, you’ve been mistaking her all along”, remarks the friend. “Yes, she is the biggest mistake!” the guy fumes. “I don’t think anything is wrong with what she’s been doing to you”, clarifies the friend. “Are you f****ing serious?” snaps, the guy. “She is a storyteller who is trying to evoke different emotions out of you; unlike other authors, her way is via actions rather than words. Did you get it, lucky man?”, the friend consoles. The guy kicks his friend in the groin and says “Well, here’s the moral of the story.”

[kiwibirdlafayette]

i know ive been postin a lot about lim life and to anyone whos wondering if when is (x) mianite/sparklez au know that quite frankly i have Zero Control over what my brain decides to focus on. also it just occured to me i never posted my mianite rpg art on the art blog. which makes tracks why the alice art didnt make as much sense

[falinscloaca]

considering unfollowing/blocking a bunch of people i like just bc my stress levels at slight disagreements (or ‘disagreeing more strongly on discourse opinions that i don’t even really think i’m in the RIGHT for’) have gotten unbearable. already let someone go. wish i could leave a goodbye letter stating my reasoning but that’d be fucking wierd

[archaeren]

How I learned to write smarter, not harder

(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)

A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.

The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.

As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!

Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!

2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)

Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.

Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.

I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) (Edit from the future: I answered an ask with more explanation on how I use Notion for non-linear writing here.) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.

Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!

This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.

As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.

When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD

People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.

What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!

What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.

You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.

And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.

And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.

If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?

And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD

In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.

Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.

Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)

And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)

[thehalftrollscholar]

I remember seeing a field of soldiers fighting a battle I had never heard of in a war that had long since it happened, was yet to be, and never been all at once.

Bodies littered the ground marked in uniforms of every army I had ever seen, and many I was certain didn’t exist.

Men in white coats came to these last few men hanging on with barely a thread, and these men in white pulled life from the bodies, the soul from these dying men.

They put this life, this spark into machines. Machines built for servitude, and machines built for war. These machines advanced quickly, so much so that soon they needed no orders.

The next thing I saw was long, dark, damp, tunnels far beneath the ground, were more people than I could ever imagine, were herded by the machines.

Great floating eyes made of bronze with long tentacles trailing their bulbous bodies, a putrid green, like a spotlight emanating from their green pupil, as lighting flashed around the edges, like it was bloodshot.

Man, woman, and child herded like cattle, pushed down these tunnels for the purpose of harvesting there sparks, the very energy of sentience, their only purpose being to fuel the machines.

The exact process of how the spark of man, the soul was separated from flesh and blood, was either too horrible for my mind to imagine, or to terrible for my subconscious mind to recall, so the system within these meat factories I remember only as a blur.

It was then I found myself, but not me, standing in a dilapidated city, my hands, not my own, but scarred and calloused, dress in the torn clothes of a period past.

The city I found myself in was familiar, but I knew that I had never seen the likes of it. Fine old, beautiful buildings, spoiled by rot and vines. The blue sky choked out with dark black smoke rising up from these factories of the machines.

It was that I felt the man sorrow. The sorrow of many lives, of lives, loves, and dreams lost. Stolen. Taken.

It was then I heard it. A hollow, haunting humming that also bore with it a deep guttural, scraping sound. It was then that I felt the man’s fear and my own merge into one.

Now, the distinction between myself and the man I did not know was gone. We were one and the same, and our shared fear reflected this.

Quickly, I ducked for cover behind anything I could, as rounding the corner was one of the odd monstrosities. It’s putrid gaze, looking out over the dilapidated Street searching. Hunting.

The great lidless eye gazed about, hovering in the air, as it’s long, segmented tentacles, hung beneath it, the longest of which just barely scraped along the pavement. Each arm ending in long needles, that I knew, without knowing the reason why I knew, if ever it pierced me would leave me incapable of movement.

I do not know what drove the man’s deep, primal fear of these floating eyes, only that I felt it too.

And soon I was discovered, as a pair of its pack mates followed it round about the street in circling me and my small position.

I felt the man’s fear. My fear. I felt the man’s terror and desperation. My desperation, I felt the man’s hopelessness. My terrible and utter hopelessness.

Suddenly, as I knew death awaited me, or more likely something far worse, death merely being a happy illusion I presented to myself, great blue arcs of lightning, flew through the foul abomotons shocking them, and knocking them to the ground lifeless. As a small black orb, only the size of a basketball, floated down to me and circling me like a small puppy, waiting to be led.

Knowing the eyes were not dead but only dazed, for the man had never been so lucky, the man began to run. I began to run. As fast as my legs could carry me, the orb following at my side.

My mind flooded with screams of all the voices of every person who had ever lived and ever would live, as the shrieks of terror and misery reached a crescendo, combining into a terrible sound, a single scream. The death throes of humanity.

It was then I woke up.

[wriheart]

Watching parkour civilization and I’m 20 minutes in, why is the commentary actually good? Because so many people are stuck in poverty or other bad situations, and no matter how hard they try to get out, the systems keeps failing them. Prison should be to help reform people, and yet when people are released, they’re stripped of many of their rights (they can’t vote, they struggle to get a job) and so they’re stuck once again.

This is a Minecraft parkour video why is it making me think?

[wriheart]

Y'all I'm finally getting back into writing. This is my OC Avatar the last airbender fanfic following the younger sister of princess Yue as she travels with the gaang. Check it out if this sounds interesting to you.

Chapter Two: The Waterbending Master

For a few moments, Lián thought Yue might actually be considering it. Maybe for once, she would allow her own desires to win out. 

“Lián, I have to.” 

“Why? Why should you be expected to give up your happiness for them? And for what, because they can’t bear the thought of a woman on the throne? Sacrifice is important, yes, but only when it’s worth sacrificing something. Is their happiness worth your own?” 

[hanihomed]

Hello☺️

I hope you are well,🌹

and I hope you hear me well and feel for me because I am a human being like you, but I am tired and I want to ask for your help a little to relieve me, my dear. I am Hani a young man who has not seen my life yet. The occupation destroyed me psychologically and physically, and destroyed my feet. In short, I have a lot in my heart because of the crises of war that no human being feels, and a long and tiring sigh from the heart. Read more about my story in the first post on my page, knowing that my campaign has been confirmed via Femme intifada Telegram. Donate and do not be stingy, my dear, because I am in dire need, and if you cannot, share my story in the right places. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Hani 🌿

[bl-inkstone]

mini ramble in my tags while i have a breakdown over all my reviewers

[bawdybooster]

Choice

I could easssily bind you here, your body trapped within my lusssciousss coils while your mind fallsss into ssstep with my will. It wouldn’t be a ssstruggle for either of usss… but where’sss the fun in that?

Ssso, I’ll give you a choice:

Go back, and remain asss you were. Lossst, wandering, unable to defend or even protect yourssself the sssuffering of your life…

Or

Ssstay with me. Let me protect you asss your loving massster, doting upon you asss my own persssonal plaything, knowing there isss nowhere you could posssssibly belong but bessside me.

The choice isss yoursss, ssstranger~

[spacedust-ghost]

Okay I am normal now (blatantly lying)

But can we please take a moment to appreciate that way to word his self-identity???

It's so important to me the way he describes his self as all a citizen AND an escapee.

Because, as someone that's been fighting their mental issues for a long time, I understand first hand (and I believe many of you do, too) the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with healing, the "who am I without all my mental issues?".

We've come from the "I am my insecurities" to the "I saw a world outside my mental illness, it's wonderful but it's scary and I'm safer where I am, that's the world I know and understand ", to the "I saw what's outside, I don't wanna stay here anymore, I'm WILLING to try again, there's people, there's LIFE waiting for me outside", to THIS. TØP7. "I'm consistently trying to fight this. I know I can win, I know who I am."

The fact that he says he's both a citizen and an escapee is so important to me because it's that part of the process where you come to acknowledge that yes, you are mentally ill, you have always been, but it coexists with you, the one that has fought for dear life to stay, the one that has seen the yellow colours outside the walls, the one that has been there in the wild and has now decided to go and stay there despite how fearful you may feel.

It's so important to me how he says "I am a citizen and I am an escapee" because acknowledging you are allowed to be someone else aside from your illness is something HUGE. Acknowledging your illness as a part of your history rather than all you'll ever be is a step that's scary, that doesn't always feel true, but it's a part of it. It's not the full picture. That's what it is for me, he's saying "look, my mental issues are a part of me, but that won't stop my will of staying out", and that for me is personal, is important, is another way of saying "the sun will raise and we will try again", or of saying "though I'm far from home, in Trench I'm not alone", etcetera

I'm not going into *much* detail about the "I am an exception" because it's much more of HIS identity, and I wanted to talk how personal the other two feel for me. But for him as Tyler/Clancy to self identify as that also makes me happy because speaks tons of his own self journey as the artist and the character of the universe. For the most fictional part, he's an exception, literally, in a way he can yield the same powers the bishops do and he's found a reason to stay alive and keep fighting, because he now KNOWS he can fight and win. For Tyler as a real person and artist, it speaks of his self journey too, he's just some guy from Ohio that wanted to do music to control his anxiety, and he's come to be someone that could come across and reach thousands of souls, using that sorta power he has to create, to use his imagination and his brilliant mind and send a message. The "I am an exception" is important to me not in a personal/relatable level but in a This person that I admire knows their self worth, good for him level.

I AM A CITIZEN I AM AN ESCAPEE AND I AM AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE I AM A CITIZEN I AM AN ESCAPEE AND I AM AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE I AM A CITIZEN I AM AN ESCAPEE AND I AM AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE I---------------