#yuma/cynthia

[ligninn]

"...Joined by the souls of our comrades who fell in Pieta!"

[alinamgh]

7 Ghosts

[protaetia]

🐞

[baenxietydad]

The Mess Inside (selfpara) -- May Task 2023

Task: Write a one-shot where your character mourns the loss of something or someone significant to them.

Word Count: 1410

Mu-yeol was grateful for his son’s absence this month. May 2023 marked another anniversary of the month his world fell apart and the last thing he wanted was for his son to ever worry about him again. Nemo didn’t need to see how he had to sit down to eat even though he didn’t feel hungry, or how he poured over So-yeon’s journals he’d already had memorized by now because it almost felt like she was there, or even how really he was so much better than he’d been in May in the past. Nam-min shouldn’t worry about his father, and he shouldn’t even notice how much better he was doing, so when Nemo asked out of habit Mu-yeol was honest enough when he said “I’m all right, don’t worry about it.” 

He was all right and Nemo didn’t need to know any more than that.

So it was a good thing that Mu-yeol was home alone on a Wednesday evening, carefully sipping his tea so as not to spill it on the journal open in his lap. His fingers lingered at the top corner of the page, resisting the desire to slide the pads over her words as if they were some physical representation of her. He didn’t want to fade the blue pen ink more than it already had been. The familiar emptiness in his chest ached less than it did most years, even if he could still feel it. He could live with that. 

This May was different both for Nam-min’s absence and for the ongoing investigation into her murder happening in Korea. Pixies typically viewed death as a good thing, a natural part of life, but that was because almost all pixies die of old age after living full and mostly happy lives. The impermanence of life, like how even ancient trees one day will die, was something pixies appreciated. But pixies do not die young like So-yeon did. They aren’t murdered like So-yeon was. Murder isn’t– it’s not something pixies do. It’s not something pixies generally know how to handle. Mu-yeol had enough time since March to sit with his feelings regarding the murder investigation and he’d come to the conclusion he was very glad it was happening. Someone should be punished for altering the course of his son’s life. He and Nemo shouldn’t be the only ones suffering.

As he sat alone with So-yeon’s journals, he couldn’t identify one single emotion he felt. There were tinges of anger of course, and conversely a sense of peace. He felt in his throat the urge so sob, but he was smiling as he read her writing about their son’s upcoming second birthday party.

I’ve invited Icy, Dita, Yuma, Joy, Caleb, Tao, Eric and Cynthia, Johnny, Hanako, Da-som, Loan, Mimi, Geum-seong, the downstairs Auntie, and little Mi-yeon and her parents. My sister and Won-shik are coming too of course. Da-som pointed out that there would be at least as many foreigners as Koreans and that makes me happy that my family has become family to our foreigner friends. Mu-yeol  is even taking the night off work to have cake with us. 

Nam-min is so little, he won’t remember this party, but I think it’s important we celebrate him anyway. He deserves to be celebrated for lovingly tolerating his parents who foolishly had him so young because we couldn’t wait for him. Nam-min is just as responsible for my accomplishments as my studying. Because of Nam-min, I cannot fail, I cannot commit to my Ph.D halfway, because earning my Ph.D and securing a professorship will give him and Mu-yeol a good life. Until I can give them that life, I’ll make sure we celebrate the little things like our son’s second birthday. Our Nam-min is growing so fast but at the same time not fast enough. I wish I could put him on pause this little, but also have a sneak preview of what he’ll be like when he’s old enough to share his opinions with me and argue with us. What will be the first thing that makes him shout at me, ‘Eomma! I hate you!’ When will he start to point at clothes and say ‘Eomma, Appa, I want the one with the kitty on it!’ I wonder what music he’ll insist on listening to when he’s tired of Eomma and Appa’s Alanis Morisette, Lee Hyori, and The Mountain Goats. I’m impatient to know these things but greedy for my baby to stay a baby who loves his parents and can only fall asleep if Eomma is holding him and Appa is singing to him.

As accompanied many of her journal entries, there were drawings in the margins. A cake with a lit candle of the number ‘2.’ Little stick figure representations of a few of their international friends with their flags over their heads - Dita from Indonesia, Yuma from Japan, Tao from China, and Johnny from Canada. A stick figure of him with earphones on and the caption ‘Mu-yeol listening to All Hail West Texas again.

Mu-yeol huffed a laugh and flipped the page to a selection of pictures glued to the next few pages, pictures from Nemo’s second birthday party. His eyes were instantly drawn to the one of So-yeon laughing and holding Nam-min with his face covered in cake. Dita was captured, frozen in time, reaching for a napkin on the table to help wipe his face. 

A few entries later, So-yeon wrote about her feelings after a fairy rights protest they had attended.

I’m exhausted. I’m tired of begging my country to acknowledge that my family belongs in it. At the same time, neither Mu-yeol nor I want to leave. Korea is our home. We want to bring our son up here because our pixie son deserves to be here just as much as human children do. If we didn’t love our home we wouldn’t fight for it as hard as we are. I see signs of progress, things are changing! Some new laws are going through the National Assembly right now streamlining the process for pixies to apply for citizenship if they didn’t have it at birth like I did. A pixie ran for the National Assembly in a district in Jeollanam-do and he barely lost. I think my son will grow up in a very different Korea than his father and I did and for that I’m optimistic. That doesn’t make me any less tired. If it wasn’t for my husband who manages to be so full of joy despite how hard we struggle to make a better future for Nam-min, I think I would be an angrier person than I am.

Mu-yeol always found it difficult not to cry reading that. He wasn’t the person So-yeon loved anymore, he hadn’t been him in a long time. Sometimes he wondered if she’d be disappointed that Nemo didn’t grow up in Korea, that he had to work very hard to have good pronunciation, and that he only ever really spoke their language with him at home. Leaving felt like giving up on So-yeon’s fight for a Korea more friendly toward fairies sometimes.

Between some of the next pages was a dried mugunghwa, a hibiscus flower, that little Nemo had plucked and put in his mother’s hair on one of their walks through the park near their apartment. Mu-yeol smiled, remembering how he clapped his little hands and chirped “Eomma neomu ippeuda!” all proud of himself for giving her a flower.,

He dabbed at his watery eyes as he realized his tea was empty, setting the empty cup down as he opened another one of her journals, hoping she’d forgive him for reading them to feel close to her since he lost her. 

He almost wished it was in fairy culture to observe jesa, to offer food to your late loved ones the way the Moons did. Instead he read her journals which she kept religiously, studied her drawings both the haphazard stick figures and the beautifully done sketches, and was relieved he got to sit with her alone this year.

Mu-yeol frowned as it grew too dark to read in his Hollow home, leaving the journal he stopped at on top of the stack of them. He thought, before getting up, that Nemo might like to read the one he’d just finished next to practice his reading as it contained a lot of Little Nam-min stories he’d surely love.

[nohmaskk]

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 ⋆ฺ｡*:･

still kind of a wip, be patient

Call me Leo or Noh ✧ 20 y/o ✧ Check out my AO3

I write both fluff pieces and lemons, be warned!

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

⇢ My Fandoms

✦ Fullmetal Alchemist

✧ Genshin Impact

✦ Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

✧ D.Gray-Man

✦ My Hero Academia

✧ Fire Emblem Awakening

✦ Fire Emblem: Three Houses

✧ Brand New Animal

✦ Mystic Messenger

✧ Jujutsu Kaisen

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

⇢ My Ships

✦ Anita x Miles (FMA)

✧ Arina x Tartaglia (GI)

✦ Ayuri x Rengoku (KNY)

✧ Carina x Link (DGM)

✦ Cerys x Diluc/Kaeya (GI)

✧ Cynthia x Lavi (DGM)

✦ Delphina x Laxus (FT)

✧ Eir x Dainsleif (GI)

✦ Elmas x Alhaitham/Cyno/Kaveh (GI)

✧ Ema x Keigo (MHA)

✦ Griselda x Frederick (FEA)

✧ Hest x Remi (Promare)

✦ Lorelei x Claude (FE3H)

✧ Misato x Shirou (BNA)

✦ Naeun x Zen (MM)

✧ Priscilla x Kimblee (FMA)

✦ Robin x Priam (FEA)

✧ Xianya x Zhongli (GI)

✦ Yuma x Ayato/Itto/Kazuha/Thoma (GI)

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

⇢ Currently working on

✦ Beauty and the Beast AU ft. Dragon!Zhongli x Xianya ☁️/🍋

✧ Heated Pt. 2 ft. Stripper!Diluc x Cerys ☁️

✦ Sweet as Honey ft. Diluc x Cerys 🍋

✧ Master of My Quarters ft. Kaeya x Cerys 🍋

✦ Letters to You ft. Claude x Lorelei ☁️

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

⇢ Recent Works

✦ A Moment Alone ft. Link x Carina 🍋

✧ Heated Pt. 1 ft. Stripper!Diluc x Cerys 🍋

✦ From Me to You ft. Diluc x Cerys ☁️

✧Ravaged ft. Dragon!Zhongli x Xianya 🍋

✦ Our Little Secret ft. Keigo x Ema 🍋

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

[sweetgazelle]

Claymore + Claymore OCs sketches

[aresmarked]

this is an incredibly specific au text but

arknights!claymore au, clare is a sarkaz who took up teresa’s weapon

[ohtheseskaters]

A goodbye

After almost 12 (!) years, it’s time for me to say goodbye to this blog. It will not be deleted though.

Here’s a (pretty rough and I’m sure not full) list of skaters featured here. They’re listed in alphabetical order by the first name (so “Ashley Wagner” is under “A” and not “W”). I know it’s not the correct way to do this thing but it was easier for me. Also, if you can’t find someone, try searching within the blog or just general Tumblr search.

Thank you for the company and bye!

Women

Adelina Sotnikova

Akiko Suzuki

Alaine Chartrand

Alena Kostornaia

Alena Leonova

Alexandra Trusova

Alexia Paganini

Alina Zagitova

Alissa Czisny

Alysa Liu

Amber Glenn

Amelie Lacoste

Anna Pogorilaya

Anna Shcherbakova

Ashley Wagner

Audrey Shin

Bradie Tennell

Carolina Kostner

Christina Gao

Cynthia Phaneuf

Ekaterina Gordeeva

Elena Radionova

Elene Gedevanishvili

Elizabet Tursynbaeva

Elizaveta Nugumanova

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva

Emmi Peltonen

Eunsoo Lim

Evgenia Medvedeva

Gabrielle Daleman

Gracie Gold

Haein Lee

Irina Slutskaya

Jenna McCorkell

Jenni Saarinen

Joannie Rochette

Josefin Taljegard

Joshi Helgesson

Julia Lipnitskaya

Kaetlyn Osmond

Kailani Craine

Kanako Murakami

Kaori Sakamoto

Karen Chen

Kiira Korpi

Kristi Yamaguchi

Ksenia Makarova

Lara Naki Gutmann

Laura Lepisto

Laurine Lecavelier

Loena Hendrickx

Madeline Schizas

Mae Berenice Meite

Mai Mihara

Mao Asada

Maria Artemieva

Maria Sotskova

Mariah Bell

Marin Honda

Michelle Kwan

Miki Ando

Mirai Nagasu

Polina Edmunds

Polina Korobeynikova

Pooja Kalyan

Rachael Flatt

Roberta Rodeghiero

Rika Hongo

Rika Kihira

Samantha Cesario

Sarah Meier

Sasha Cohen

Satoko Miyahara

Shizuka Arakawa

Sofia Samodurova

Stanislava Konstantinova

Viktoria Helgesson

Yelim Kim

Yu-Na Kim

Wakaba Higuchi

Zijun Li

Men

Adam Rippon

Adian Pitkeev

Alban Preaubert

Alexei Bychenko

Alexei Yagudin

Artur Gachinski

Brendan Kerry

Boyang Jin

Brian Joubert

Brian Orser

Chafik Besseghier

Daisuke Takahashi

Daniel Samohin

Denis Ten

Deniss Vasiljevs

Dmitri Aliev

Evan Lysacek

Evgeni Plushenko

Florent Amodio

Han Yan

Ilia Kulik

Jason Brown

Javier Fernandez

Jeffrey Buttle

Jeremy Abbott

Jeremy Ten

Johnny Weir

Joshua Farris

Jun-Hwan Cha

Max Aaron

Ryan Bradley

Michal Brezina

Keegan Messing

Keiji Tanaka

Kevin Aymoz

Kevin Reynolds

Kevin Van Der Perren

Kurt Browning

Matteo Rizzo

Mikhail Kolyada

Maxim Kovtun

Misha Ge

Moris Kvitelashvili

Nam Nguyen

Nan Song

Nathan Chen

Nobunari Oda

Patrcik Chan

Richard Dornbush

Sergei Voronov

Shawn Sawyer

Shoma Uno

Stephane Lambiel

Stephen Carriere

Takahiko Kozuka

Takahito Mura

Tatsuki Machida

Tomas Verner

Vincent Zhou

Yuma Kagiyama

Yuzuru Hanyu

Pairs

Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim

Alexandra Boikova and Dmitri Kozlovski

Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam

Aljona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy/Bruno Massot

Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig

Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hey

Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov

Ashley Cain and Timothy Leduc

Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin/Joshua Reagan/Hamash Gaman

Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett/John Coughlin

Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang

Deanna Stellato and Nate Bartholomay / Maxime Deschamps

Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor

Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov

Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze

Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov

Felicia Zhang and Nate Bartolomay

Gretchen Donlan and Andrew Sperroff/Nate Bartolomay

Haven Denney and Brendan Frazier

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier

Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison/Sebastien Wolfe

Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau

Katarina Gerboldt and Alexander Enbert

Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch/Michael Marinaro

Kristina Astakhova and Alexei Rogonov

Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov

Lubov Iliushechkina and Nodari Mausiradze/Dylan Moscovitch

Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov

Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov

Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir/Mervin Tran

Mary Beth Marley and Rockne Brubaker

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford

Miriam Ziegler and Severin Kiefer

Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran/Ryuichi Kihara

Natalia Zabijako and Alexander Enbert

Nicole Della Monica and Matteo Guarise

Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers

Peng Cheng and Hao Zhang/Yang Jin

Qing Pang and Jian Tong

Rena Inoue and John Baldwin

Riku Mihura and Ryuichi Kihara

Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek

Tae-Ok Ryom and Ju-Sik Kim

Tarah Kayne and Denny O'Shea

Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin

Tatiana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov/Maxim Trankov

Valentina Marchei and Ondrej Hotarek

Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres

Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov/Andrei Deputat

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han

Xiaoyu Yu and Yang Jin/Hao Zhang

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao

Xuehan Wang and Lei Wang

Yuko Kavaguti and Alexaner Smirnov

Ice Dance

Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski

Alisa Agafonova and Alper Ucar

Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton / Matthew Blackmer

Alexandra Nazarova and Maxim Nikitin

Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin

Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte

Anna Yanovskaya and Sergei Mozgov

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus

Cecilia Torn and Jussiville Partanen

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri

Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev

Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko

Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov/Ruslan Zhiganshin

Elisabeth Paradis and Francois-Xavier Ouellette

Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates

Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali

Federica Testa and Lucas Csolley

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron

Isabella Tobias and Deividas Stagniunas/Ilia Tkachenko

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker

Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje

Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed / Daisuke Takahashi

Kavita Lorenz and Panagiotis Polizoakis

Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill

Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson

Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein / Evan Bates

Madison Hubbell and Kiefer Hubbell/Zachary Donohue

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani

Mari-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac

Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon

Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat

Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas

Meryl Davis and Charlie White

Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto

Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi

Natalia Kaliszek and Maksim Spodyrev

Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat

Nicole Orford and Thomas Williams/Asher Hill

Nora Hoffmann and Maxim Zavozin

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin

Olivia Smart and Adria Diaz

Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland

Pernelle Carron and Lloyd Jones

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier

Sara Hurtado and Adria Diaz

Sinead Kerr and John Kerr

Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Liu

Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto

Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir

Tiffany Zahorski and Jonathan Guerreiro

Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier

Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov

[the-warmesthello]

thinking more about this post, may i present: saf characters' big threes according to someone with a healthy interest in astrology

(this is all for fun, no need to take it too seriously. i know that birth dates don't determine personality or vice versa, but i wanted to see if i could do this anyway. for people who don't know what the big three mean: your sun sign is the overall vibe, your moon sign is the emotional inner side, and your rising is how people see you on the surface. brief and not all encompassing but that's the basic idea.)

curt: aries sun, taurus moon, gemini rising birthday: 11th of april 1929 (born 08:54, jersey city NJ)

aries sun is self explanatory - he's impulsive, a little bit childish, kind of quick to anger, wants to lead everything and be the best, passionate. you agree. moving on.

ok so the idea of curt having any taurus placements is laughable at first but think about it. taurus moons are idealistic, confident, and determined. they're loyal to their loved ones and stubborn as fuck.

gemini risings are outgoing and funny while also coming off as indecisive and hyperactive. if you don't get what i mean, go rewatch saf.

owen: scorpio sun, virgo moon, leo rising birthday: 14th of november 1930 (born 23:06, aberystwyth)

right. so szol's post (linked at top) already explained the scorpio thing. mysterious, intense, wants power, potential to be ruthless, etc. the absolute IMPLICATIONS of him being a water sign and curt being a fire sign are not lost on me.

virgo moons are perfectionistic, sometimes overly critical, quiet, and often pessimistic. they're analytical and organised without really thinking about it. they know what they want out of life don't take failure as an option.

you might be going 'wait, why would you make owen leo rising and not curt?' well. you see. leo risings are charismatic, maybe egotistical, sometimes manipulative, always dramatic. how could i not?

tatiana: capricorn sun, scorpio moon, scorpio rising birthday: 26th of december 1929 (born 03:43, yekaterinburg)

ok so uh. i don't have a super intellectual justification for this one. she's a capricorn because i said so. idk something something goal driven, stoic outside but deep down actually does care, tenacious and realistic, etc etc. also winter birthdays <3

scorpio moons need to be close to people, but are scared to let themselves be known. they're tough and decisive, relying only on themselves to avoid needing to be taken care of. they often appear calm and collected, but are often hiding some past trauma.

secretive, mysterious, looks like they could kill you, sorta sexy. idk man i'm just right on this one. i had to change an already set up birthday for this one bc i changed my mind. and i was right to do so.

barb: sagittarius sun, cancer moon, virgo rising birthday: 21st of december 1934 (born 00:17, provo UT)

saggitarius might not have been the obvious choice, but barb is inquisitive, inventive, and eager to travel to new places and get into the action. saggitarius suns also tend to think optimistically and philosophically, which i think fits her.

cancer moons tend to keep a small circle of close friends who they defend fiercely, with a need for security that can seem clingy at times. they feel really deeply, but can have a hard time expressing it. they're loving, imaginative, and great long-term planners.

barb absolutely has virgo rising vibes, with her needing full attention to detail from others, always planning and thinking of the practical way to get things done, and making people feel like she's "boring" for her interests in organisation and data storage.

cynthia: leo sun, capricorn moon, scorpio rising birthday: 6th of august 1903 (born 12:58, yuma AZ)

cynthia is a leo. strong willed and ambitious, she has this power that almost seems innate. she can charm if she wants to, but isn't scared to appear arrogant or domineering if it means her leadership is recognised.

capricorn moons are based around duty and ambition. they're practical and serious, never wasting resources, with a strong sense of justice and self-discipline. they tend to be secretive and analytical, bordering on overly cautious.

difficult to read or control, scorpio risings are masters at guarding their thoughts and emotions. they might tend to think about death to the point of hypervigilance. in relationships, people don't know where they stand; does she like you or does she want you dead?

the informant: gemini sun, gemini moon, libra rising birthday: 15th of june 1931 (born 14:38, ohio MO)

ive been trying to avoid doubles, but the informant is really hard to place outside of their job. they recognise it themself as well. there's no way to describe double sun-moons separately so here's them both at the same time.

gemini sun-moons tend to be able to get along with everyone and win people over easily. they're very adaptable, quick thinking, and self aware, but can have a hard time knowing what their true self is and what's just a social mask.

oops all air signs. libra risings are diplomatic, able to persuade and compromise to get what they want, possibly including flirtation. they are hard workers who want to travel and get involved in the social scene of many cultures and social classes.

mama mega: taurus sun, pisces moon, cancer rising birthday: 27th of april 1908 (born 08:31, białystok)

i actually had a really hard time with mama mega's sun sign, but i settled on the stable, kind, homey taurus. they're reliable and generally content with life, love routine and helping people, and take things as they come with nonchalance.

pisces moons seek connection with people and are very socially oriented, genuine, creative, and compassionate. they might hide their intense feelings very well, and are often sidelined while everyone else does all the flashy, exciting things.

cancer risings are family oriented, nurturing, and compassionate. they want to understand everything about the people they love, but that sometimes leads them to push questions too far and seem invasive or smothering.

[crowdvscritic]

round up // MARCH + APRIL 21

March and April were a whirlwind of vaccines and awards shows! A full year after we starting staying at home, the end of this weird chapter in recent history seems like it might finally be coming to a close, and this pop culture awards season—typically a time full of fun and glamour—captured our moment weirdly well. (Emphasis on the weird.) This month’s recommendations is filled with more Critic Picks than usual, so without further delay, let’s dive right in...

March + April Crowd-Pleasers

Double Feature — 2018 Action Thrillers: Bad Times at the El Royale + Den of Thieves

In Bad Times at the El Royale (Crowd: 9/10, // Critic: 8/10), Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, and Dakota Johnson are staying at a motel on the California-Nevada state line full of money, murder, and mystery. In Den of Thieves (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10), Gerard Butler takes on some of the best bank robbers in the world. Whether you like your action with a dose of mystery or the thrills of plot twists, these will fit the bill.

Double Feature — ‘80s Comedies: Caddyshack (1980) + Splash (1984)

In the mood for pure silliness? Take your pick between a mermaid and a gopher! Five years before The Little Mermaid, Tom Hanks fell for Daryl Hannah’s blonde hair and scaly tail, and John Candy was his goofy brother in Splash (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10). And four years before Ghostbusters, Bill Murray was the goof on a golf course full of funny people like Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ted Knight in Caddyshack (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10).

Double Feature — 1980s Coming-of-Age Films Starring Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, and Challenging Brother Relationships That Influenced Stranger Things: Stand by Me (1986) + The Lost Boys (1987)

Believe it or not, I had no idea these two ‘80s classics had so much in common when I chose to watch them back-to-back. In Rob Reiner’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Stand by Me (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 9/10), four kids (Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, River Phoenix, and Wil Wheaton) are following train tracks to find a missing body. In The Lost Boys (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10), Corey Haim and Jason Patric move to a small California town and discover it’s full of ‘80s movie star cameos and…vampires? One is a thoughtful coming-of-age story and one is just bonkers, but both are a great time.

Spaceman by Nick Jonas (2021)

My love for the Jonas Brothers is well-documented, so instead of going down the rabbit hole I started digging at 15, I’ll talk about how Nick Jonas’s latest solo album will likely appeal to a wider audience than just the fans of the brothers’ bombastic pop records. It’s full of catchy tunes you’ll play on repeat and an R&B-influenced album experience about the loneliness we’ve experienced in the last year and how we try to make long-term relationships work.

Ted Lasso (2020- )

I love stories about nice people crushing cruelty and cynicism with relentless kindness, and Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is the warmest, most dedicated leader this side of Leslie Knope. Be sure to catch up on these witty and sweet 10 episodes before season 2 drops later this summer.

Double Feature — Tony Scott Action Flicks: Enemy of the State (1998) + The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

Tony Scott’s movies have got explosions and excitement in spades. I love a good man-on-the-run movie, and in Enemy of the State (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10), Will Smith is running through the streets of D.C. after getting evidence of a politician’s (Jon Voight) part in a murder. I also love a tense story set in a confined space, which is what Denzel Washington is dealing with in The Taking of Pelham 123 (Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 7/10) after a hammy John Travolta takes a New York subway train hostage.

Double Feature — Baseball Movies: The Natural (1984) + Trouble With the Curve (2012)

Sue me—I love baseball movies. Robert Redford plays a fictional all-time great in the early days of the MLB in The Natural (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10), and Clint Eastwood plays a fictional all-time great scout in his late career in Trouble With the Curve (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7.5/10). If you love baseball or actors like Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, and Justin Timberlake, these movies are just right here waiting for you.

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (2021)

Sue me—I enjoy Netflix standup comedy specials that are safe enough to watch with your whole family. That’s exactly the crowd I laughed with over Easter weekend, and while the trailer captures Bargatze’s relaxed vibe, it doesn’t capture how funny he really is.

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

I thought somewhere in my childhood I’d seen at least one of The Mighty Ducks movies, but after watching all three, I think my memories must’ve come from previews on the VHS tapes for other Disney movies I watched over and over again. The original still holds up as an grown-ups, which is why even my parents got sucked in to this family movie while just passing through the living room. Bonus for ‘80s movies lovers: Emilio Estevez is basically continuing Andrew Clark’s story from The Breakfast Club as an adult. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

Double Feature — New, Dumb Action on Streaming: Godzilla vs. Kong + Thunder Force (2021)

If you want something intelligent, go ahead and skip to the next recommendation, but if you’re looking for something stupid fun, these are ready for you on HBO Max and Netflix. Thunder Force (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6/10) follows Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as they train to become superheroes who take on superhuman sociopaths wreaking havoc on Chicago, and alongside Jason Bateman, they do it with a lot of laughs. Godzilla vs. Kong (Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 5/10) is, um, exactly what it sounds like, so I’ll skip a plot summary and just say it’s exactly what you want from this kind of movie. #TeamKong

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

All you need to know is Russell Crowe is an outlaw, and Christian Bale is the guy who’s got to get him on the train to prison. I also watched the 1957 version, which is also a solid watch if you love classic Westerns. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10

Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

Marvel’s newest series isn’t nearly as inventive as WandaVision, and it may not land every beat, but it’s worth a watch for the fun new gadgets, Sebastian Stan’s dry joke delivery, and its exploration into themes of what makes a hero and what governments owe their citizens. It’s a pretty satisfying entry in the MCU canon, but I’d also recommend re-watching Captain America: Winter Soldier and Civil War—the canon is getting expansive, and it’s getting trickier every year to keep up with all the backstory.

March + April Critic Picks

Best of 2020 Picks

As per usual, the months leading up to the Oscars becomes a binge period for potential Oscar nominees. In March and April, I watched many of the films that made my Top 20 of 2020, including Boys State, The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Let Them All Talk, Minari, Nomadland, On the Rocks, One Night in Miami…, Promising Young Woman, Soul, and Sound of Metal. You can read how I ranked them on my list for ZekeFilm, plus reviews of The Father, Minari, Promising Young Woman, and Soul.

Bonus: If you loved On the Rocks, don’t miss this feature and beautiful photography starring Sofia Coppola, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and Rashida Jones for W Magazine. 

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

What would you do if you started hearing a voice who narrated your every thought and move? If you’re Will Ferrell, you’ll seek out a literary professor (Dustin Hoffman), fall in love (with Maggie Gyllenhaal), and track down the voice (Emma Thompson) who’s making ominous predictions about your future. Stranger Than Fiction is funny thought-provoking, and an unusual but welcome role for Ferrell. Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

All the Royal Family News

Speaking of stranger than fiction, it’s been a busy few months for the Royal Family. We’ve celebrated 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the 3rd birthday of Prince Louis, and the 10th anniversary of Will and Kate’s marriage. We also lost Prince Philip, and we watched the drama of Harry and Meaghan’s interview with Oprah. No matter what happens to their Crown, I don’t think we’ll ever get over our fascination with the Windsor family. A few pieces worth reading from the last few months:

“In Meghan and Harry’s Interview, Two TV Worlds Collided,” Vulture.com

“The Queen’s Man: Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Dies,” TIME.com

“Obituary: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” BBC.com

Goodfellas (1990)

One of my film opinions that makes me feel like a phony is that Martin Scorsese just isn’t my cup of tea. He’s brilliant, but his films tend to be long and dark, two qualities that are never my first choice…and somehow Goodfellas still worked for me? Maybe it was the TV edit graciously toning down the violence or maybe it was that Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci were firing on all cylinders, but for some reason this ‘90s classic didn’t suck the joy out of my evening like Scorsese often does. (Bonus: For a Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro I don’t really recommend, head to the last section of this Round Up.)

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021)

Her voice has only matured, so Taylor Swift revisiting her old albums is like upgrading a blast to the past. Plus, the six new tracks make me feel like 15 crushing on that boy in Spanish class again, and her Grammys performance (just before her third Album of the Year win) was magical and folklore-tastic.

Double Feature — ‘60s Action Classics: The Guns of Navarone (1961) + Planet of the Apes (1968)

The Guns of Navarone (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10) follows Gregory Peck and David Niven as they destroy Nazi weapons in the Mediterranean. Planet of the Apes (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10) follows Charlton Heston as he attempts to escape from, well, a planet full of apes. The pacing of ‘60s films doesn’t always hold up, but that’s not the case with this pair. Both are still full of suspense, and you can’t go wrong hanging with casts like these.

Let Him Go (2020)

Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play a farming couple who unexpectedly help raise a boy who lost his biological father—sound familiar? But instead of a superhero origin story, they’re part of a thrilling Western with performances nuanced (Costner and Lane) and showy (Lesley Manville). If I’d watched this before completing my Best of 2020 piece, it likely would’ve been on my list. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

The Oscars

I’m a ride-or-die fan of the Academy Awards, but I’ll admit even I found this year’s ceremony odd. Instead of focusing on what wasn’t so hot, I’ll recommend a few moments you don’t want to miss:

Emerald Fennell giving a shout-out to Saved by the Bell

Daniel Kaluuya acknowledging his parents’ sex life during his acceptance speech (??)

Yuh-Jung Yoon flirting with Brad Pitt and acknowledging she’s just “luckier” than her fellow nominees

Glenn Close dancing to…”Da Butt”?

You can also read about the historic wins and nominations from this year’s Oscar class and why the Golden Globes were an even stranger production weeks earlier.

Trailer-palooza!

Movies are on their way back, y’all! I’m counting down the days until I can get back to a theatre, and even if some of these movies are duds, I’m planning to see all of them on a big screen if possible:

Those Who Wish Me Dead (May 14)

Cruella (May 28)

In the Heights (June 11)

Space Jam 2 (July 16)

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3)

West Side Story (December 10)

Also in March + April…

To add to the Oscars love, you can listen to a conversation about what we learn about family, community, and society in some of the year’s biggest nominees on the Uncommon Voices podcast. I join regular hosts Michael and Kenneth in this episode, and I recommend all of their thoughtful discussions on their “What’s Streaming” episodes.

I’ve previously recommended the Do You Like Apples weekly newsletter, so I’m proud to share I contributed twice in March! I wrote about Love and Basketball, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and one of my all-time favorite Julia Roberts rom-coms, Notting Hill. (I also tied to win their Oscars pool, but I suppose that’s less exciting for you than me.)

It was a busy couple of months on SO IT’S A SHOW! New logo, new email list, new Instagram, and a host of new episodes about a flop of a Madonna flick, a Swedish children’s TV show, an urban legend turned into a horror movie, one of the best films about journalism ever, and a Martin Scorsese movie about a real boxer.

Most of what I wrote for ZekeFilm in March and April was mentioned in Best of 2020 recommendations…except for The Nest, a film that couldn’t figure out what genre it wanted to be.

Photo credits: Nick Jonas, Royal Family. All others IMDb.com.

[usafphantom2]

Capt. Kristin Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot and commander, flies during an air show demonstration practice March 5, 2020, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The team will make its first of 20 appearances at the Yuma Air Show, March 13-14, 2020, at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo by Cynthia Griggs)

[chxoticmuses]

15 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MUNS TASTE IN MUSES

Status: No longer accepting

@hammurabicomplex​ said: i'm late to the party so just do all the questions you haven't gotten already for that mun meme

1. how many muses, do you think, have you had in total while on tumblr?

Oooo, a lot! I have like 50 something muses on this blog, I had a blog for Yuma Lau from FC4, Nisha from Borderlands, Garett Barnes from FCND, a multimuse with all canon characters, like three FCND OCs, and some blogs I don’t even remember.....well over 100! I’d say around 115 or something.

2. is there a muse you’d add or bring back if you didn’t have to worry about whether others are interested in them or not?

I’ve never role played them before besides Cynthia, BUT MY FALLOUT 4, BIOSHOCKC AND MAFIA OCs!!! I’m obsessed with everything 50s/60s-esque so to see games with those type of aesthetics was so visually pleasing! The storylines, canon characters, and gameplay were only a plus! Most of my FCs for them are actresses from the time period so making icons or any resources of any source would be such a pain, but it would be so nice to play them out! I’ve played each game at least 3+ times and I have some grasp of the lore, so they’re pretty developed characters that I still make headcanons for till this day 😭. Most of them have just turned into my OCs parents, but they’re still amazing as stand-alones.

[lermisv4]

The CANON Yu-Gi-Oh! Shipping List

This list only exists because the rate of canon pairings vs the rate of ALL pairings is hilarious. Please don’t kill me. If there are any inaccuracies (like wrong names), tell me.

So without further ado...

Duel Monsters 1. Ardentshipping | Honda / Shizuka (one-sided from Honda) 2. Atlantisshipping | Dartz / Iorei (married) 3. Cheershipping | Ryuuji / Shizuka (one-sided from Ryuuji) 4. Delusionshipping | Pandora / Katherine (married) 5. Mizushipping | Priest Seto / Kisara (mutual) 6. Peachshipping | Anzu / Yugi (one-sided from Anzu, for the most part) 7. Replayshipping | Rebecca / Yugi (one-sided from Rebecca) 8. Roseshipping | Cynthia / Pegasus (married) 9. Tieshipping | Honda / Miho (manga!verse, one-sided from Honda) 10. Vanishshipping | Anzu / Atem (one-sided from Anzu) 11. Honorable mention: Ryo Bakura’s fanclub

GX 1. Clipshipping | Kaiser / Rei Saotome (one-sided from Rei) 2. Evilshipping | Supreme King / Yubel (mutual) 3. Fantasyshipping | Dark Magician Girl / Sho (one-sided from Sho) 4. Fianceshipping | Asuka / Judai (one-sided from Asuka) 5. Loveshickshipping | Judai / Rei Saotome (one-sided from Rei) 6. Sacrificeshipping | Amon / Echo (mutual) 7. Soulshipping | Judai / Yubel (mutual) 8. Tigershipping | Misawa / Taniya (past mutual) 9. Valentineshipping | Asuka / Manjoume (one-sided from Manjoume) 10. Honorable mention: Fubuki’s little blue book with every girl that ever confessed to him

5D’s 1. Careshipping | Jack / Mikage (one-sided from Mikage) 2. Coastershipping | Mikage / Tetsuo (one-sided from Tetsuo) 3. Coffeeshipping | Jack / the coffee shop girl (one-sided from the girl) 4. Faithshipping | Aki / Yusei (mutual) 5. Frenchshipping | Sherry’s parents 6. Momentumshipping | Yusei’s parents 7. Retributionshipping | Dark Signer Carly / Jack (one-sided from Nagisa) 8. Scoopshipping | Carly / Jack (mutual)

ZeXal 1. Adventureshipping | Kazuma / Mirai (Yuma’s parents) 2. Anxietyshipping | Droite / Kaito (one-sided from Droite) 3. Bazookashipping | Anna / Yuma (one-sided from Anna) 4. Cattobingushipping | Kathy / Yuma (one-sided from Kathy) 5. Flowershipping | Alito / Kotori (one-sided from Alito) 6. Kissushipping | Akari / Charlie (past mutual) 7. Skyshipping | Kotori / Yuma (mutual) 8. Sunlikeshipping | Rio / Tetsuo (one-sided from Tetsuo)

Arc-V 1. Appleshipping | Rin / Yugo (one-sided from Yugo) 2. Fallenangelshipping | Ruri / Yuto (mutual) 3. Fatedshipping | Mieru / Yuya (one-sided from Mieru) 4. Instituteshipping | Himika / Leo (Reiji’s parents) 5. Smileshipping | Yoko / Yusho (Yuya’s parents) 6. Honorable mention: Fruitshipping | Yuya / Yuzu. When everyone from the brats to the manipulative bastard to complete strangers assume you’re dating...

VRAINS 1. Entrustshipping | Kiku / Takeru (mutual) 2. Roboaishipping | Ai / Roboppi (mutual in season 1 and 2)

[pathfinder-society]

DnD Classes for Claymore Characters

I’ve been playing a lot of DnD lately, and, well, this happened. Feel free to disagree/suggest things for characters I’ve not mentioned :)

Clare - Barbarian Path of the Berserker. Zero self-control and rages like Bruce Banner.

Clarice - Warlock of the Great Old One. No inherent power. Gets what strength she has by channeling something large and tentacled. She’s also kind of good at messing with people’s heads which is on-class as well.

Cynthia - Cleric. Life domain because healer.

Daae - Wizard, School of Necromancy. Braniac maniac who gets off on raising the dead.

Deneve - Fighter, Champion. Champions literally regain HP at higher levels so that’s your regeneration right there. She’s also got mad CON and dual-wields like a boss.

Dietrich - Paladin. I’m leaning towards Oath of the Crown since she’s got a more rules vibe than Jean does but she could very easily also be Oath of Devotion.

Galatea - Bard, College of Glamour. Sassy, gorgeous, and boy oh boy can she mess with your head. I don’t care how much time she spends in a church she is NOT a cleric.

Helen - Rogue, swashbuckler. She’s got swagger, so, so much swagger. Also a hand crossbow.

Hysteria - Fighter, Eldrich Knight. DPS with a teleport. Knows Misty Step.

Irene - Monk. I don’t know much about monks, but high-DEX hermit sounds rather familiar. I’m not making race suggestions here generally but ELF, DUH.

Jean - Paladin, Oath of Devotion.

Louvre - Rogue, mastermind. He’s a spy.

Miria - Wizard! Her INT is off-the-charts and she’s all about strategy so of course she’s in THE academically inclined battlefield control class. I’m going with School of War for the combat-oriented abilities.

Ophelia - Paladin, Oath of Vengeance. I’m not super sold on this one since she might be too chaotic to have an oath, but BOY is she all about revenge.

Priscilla - Sorcerer, Wild Magic. “Hi! I can’t control my powers!” She wants to be a Paladin.

Roxanne - Bard, College of Whispers. She will charm you, kill you, and steal your identity. College of Whispers.

Tabitha - Rogue, scout. Environment information and stealth damage. That said, she has the attitude for a paladin.

Teresa - Fighter, Champion. Didn’t know what to do with herself so she went with something straightforward. Wants to multiclass but doesn’t know what to pick. The fact that she doesn’t have a stat lower than 18 does nothing to narrow anything down.

Yuma - Ranger/Cleric who multiclassed off her WIS stat when the party needed healing more than it did ranged DPS. Not sure about Conclave (Monster Slayer?), but definitely Life domain.

@jean-snow

@thusspakesophie

@lotsofdragons

[pppssc]

Fire Emblem Awakening Kids as The Brave Little Toaster Worthless Cars

Noire: ...Can't take this kind of pressure...

Lucina: ...Don't have the heart to live in the fast lane...

Gerome: ...Nothing you can do about it

Yarne: Pardon me while I panic!

Owain: ...Got my kicks on Route 66, every truck stop from Butte to M.O...

Cynthia: ...Ran the Indy 500, I must confess I'm impressed how I did it...

Brady: Once took a Texan to a wedding...

Laurent: I took a man to a graveyard...

Kjelle: ...From Zuma to Yuma the rumor was I had a hand in the lay of the land.

Nah: ...Was happy 'til I heard him say 'you're worthless'

Severa, Morgan, Inigo: Chorus members

[cityescape4]

Kinda late to the party but for the Pokemon ask: Ghooooost?

oooh spooky~

can’t be late to the party when you’re the only one to show up c’:

Ok so Ghost types~ Not a particular favorite type of mine in general; not because i dislike them or anything, there’s just like, not that many, yeah? I think with the sun/moon games that ghost types are the second rarest type? Also, I’m a sentimental piece of shit and i have nicknames for all my pokémon bear with me i’m so sorry 

btw its all under the cut cuz its kinda long i’m bad with making things short (also spoilers for the ending of sun/moon and Pokémon dungeon explorers of time/darkness/sky i guess???)

Favorites:

1: Gengar (Grim)         – ok so this is probably a like, stereotypical answer cuz “bleh genwunners every other pokemon is bad bleh” but Gengar was a big accomplishment for me when I first got one. I did play the first games when they came out (I had blue), and did catch a Gastly which evolved into Haunter. But because my only friend who had the game  at the time was kinda an asshat, and my brothers didn’t play Pokémon games at the time, I never got the chance to evolve Grim. He stayed a Haunter all the way to like, level 89, and then my game deleted itself after like 10 years so :/ I didn’t get a chance to play the gen 2 or 3 games when they came out, so when I got to Diamond and you could catch a Gastly in the old Chateau I caught one, named it Grim in honor of my old Haunter, and then played with that one. By that point, my younger brother had been old enough to be able to properly read and play Pokémon, and with wireless trading being a thing, I was finally able to evolve Grim and get a Gengar after so. damn. long. I loved that lil smirky asshole and I was glad I kept the name Grim because everytime I looked at Gengar’s sprite I couldn’t help but think of that song “Grim Grinning Ghosts” and just, it made me so happy i’m a dork     – also gengar was fucking robbed in sun/moon with the sudden ability change and loss of ground immunity and i just??? my son?!?! gamefreak!!!!  let him float!!!!

2: The Litwick Line (Manson)    – this is probably a dumb reason but I ran into a shiny litwick once in Black 2 and it was so pretty??? (i accidentlly killed it and nearly just rage quit Black 2 entirely but thats besides the point shhh)  it and Lampent’s shinys look like they’d be super iridescent and they matched with non-shiny Chandlure and I loved it. I feel like they should have switched Chandelure’s forms because its shiny matches with non-shiny Litwick and Lampent, and vice-versa. But regardless, The entire line is just adorable to look at (too bad they kill people according to the pokédex entries, rip)

3: Froslass (Merag)   – Ok so after Zexal ended I felt realy sad inside because I fucking loved that series (and if it wasn’t for the nostalgia glasses i wear everytime i see something DM related, I would be able to say i like Zexal more than DM but thats story for another time) and I decided to make a Zexal based team in my Alpha Sapphire game. So I had Nasch (Garchomp), Mach(Shiny Rapidash), Yuma(Victini), Ryoga (Shiny Sharpedo), Durbe(Meowstic) and I needed one more Pokémon to round out a full team. A friend of mine said Blaziken for Alit, but I ended up trying to raise a Snorunt to evolve into Froslass for Merag (cuz ice for her deck theme and ghost cuz heyheyhey barians are dead rip) and Merag was just so much fun to use in battle??? I’d never used a Froslass before because Glalie kinda scared me and just sorta pushed me away from touching Snorunts but Merag was a definite surprise. All the other Pokemon I’d used before so I knew what I was getting into, and finding a new Pokémon that I hadn’t expected to really like took me by surprise.

Least Favorites:

1: Spiritomb (Raider)    -- Ok so, I played gen 4 before I played gen 3, so I encountered Spiritomb before I ever encountered Sableye and jesus christ with the team I had in my Diamond game was not prepared for this weakness-less tank of a pokémon. And when Cynthia had one at the end of the Elite Four it wiped my team. ;A; I’d taken so long to get past Lucian and his Bronzong, only for Cynthia to crush my confidence all over again. I get this sense of anger everytime I see a Spiritomb because of it. And then the one you can get at Sea Mauville in ORAS scared the shit out of me when it randomly appeared behind you after reading a thing so >> Spiritomb and I got beef.

2: Dhelmise    -- listen this was a confusing ass pokémon and i’m pretty sure it only exists to make me question everything. i first saw one while fishing at the last island in Moon, and thought it was Water/Steel, because i fished it from the water, and it looked like an anchor. But then it knew grass moves??? so I thought it was water/grass cuz ehhh it does kinda look like mossy seaweed??? and then it used steel moves???? so maybe it was grass/steel, a mossy seaweed covered sucken anchor??? but then fire wasn’t effective against it?!?!? so maybe it was water/steel??? and then i made it faint before i could catch it to find out what types it was, and then forgot it existed until the E4, and then Acerola had one in her party which meANT IT WAS GHOST TYPE and HOW the FUCK was that a possibility???? And then come to find out that its special ability basically means it gets STAB on steel type moves so it might as well be a steel/ghost/grass Pokémon on you know what fuck dhelmise jsut fuck it

3: Dusknoir (Whimsly)   -- this one is a childish reason, but i played Pokémon Dungeon Explorers of Darkness and Dusknoir is a villain character of this game and as a kid he made me irrationally angry. He came off as a good guy, only to betray you and backstab you, your partner, and the Grovyle that you’d thought was a bad guy but had been your friend all along. And then right when you think you’ve beaten him, he surprise attacks you and that Grovyle basically sacrifices itself to stop Dusknoir from hurting you, and they both basically die and i was so angry for the longest time as a kid. I ended up getting Explorers of the Sky some time afterwards, and if i remember correctly in that game they don’t die and eventuallly Dusknoir gets redeemed, but i still had to relive through the  backstabbing betrayal and the loss of a friend so yeah that messed with me as a kid.

holy shit this was longer than i expected i’m so sorry