#Invincible Questions & Discussion continuation

[clairewritesfanfics]

Invincible Questions & Discussion part 2

first list<<select

ranking the dads

vtuber shiesty irl

what if you became edible bubblegum?

the cursed toes of that one variant

more on virgin shiesty

meeting the bats-in-law (neglected batsis au)

mohawk's harem

the harem helping main mark

when you use pet names on them

[sepdet]

Merry Shitscram, Tumblr!

(transcript below cut)

Guess what I borrowed from Mom's stacks while visiting?

I won't cap the whole thing, but at least I can provide you with some selected excerpts for the next week. Yes, this IS that edition.

Transcript below.

Chapter One

FOR THE THIRD consecutive night, Captain James T. Kirk awoke with a gasp of surprise and something akin to fear clinging to the side of his throat. He blinked once, then struggled to sit up, leaning against the head of the bed his eyes scanned the dark room. Reality returned and his gaze settled on the chronometer. It was shortly after 3 A.M., Ship Standard Time, but he was wide awake and knew he would have little hope of getting back to sleep before the alarm demanded his attention at six.

Releasing the breath he'd been holding, he replayed the recurring dream in his mind, wondering why it should have disturbed him so deeply . . . and so often.

After discovering no logical explanation for its cause or its unprecedented effect on him, he tried passing it off to the fact that the Enterprise had been on routine patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone for nearly two months—an inexcusably boring mission. But with Romulan Fleet activity increased for no apparent reason, he accepted the fact that he was bound to be a little edgy.

After another deep breath and a shake of his tousled hair, he slowly lowered himself back into the warm nest of covers,l and closed his eyes; but as expected, he was only pretending to sleep when the First Shift duty alarm sounded less than three hours later.

Stifling a yawn, Kirk entried the Deck 5 turbolift to discover the ship's first officer studying him with a lifted eyebrow.

"Morning, Spock," Kink said with a sheepish grin, wishing he'd taken the time for a cup of coffee before presenting himself publicly.

The Vulcan's head inclined in greeting, "Captain," he said formally. The doors closed and the lift began its familiar horizontal motion, but the Vulcan continued to study his friend. "Is everything all right, Captain?" he inquired presently.

"Just fine, Mister Spock," Kirk replied. "Why do you ask?" He wondered if his eyes were a trifle more red than they'd appeared in the mirror.

The eyebrow climbed higher beneath the long black bangs. "You seem. . . unusually distracted," Spock observed after a questioning moment of silence.

So much for dismissing the matter, Kirk thought. Spock's scrutiny was never escaped easily. "Would you believe me if I told you that the invincible Captain Kirk has insomnia?" he asked with a smile.

"Indeed," Spock murmured. Kirk was normally a very private individual; but now the hazel eyes seemed alight with a combination of embarrassment and mischief. The Vulcan decided not to mention that he himself had been having disturbing dreams for at least a week. "I trust you have not sought relief from Doctor McCoy?"

Kirk shook his head. "For a few hours of lost sleep?" But the twinkle left his eyes as a frown found its way to his face. "I don't know why it should bother me at all," he said, feeling some need to explain himself. "But . . . never mind, Spock," he added as the nocturnal images returned to haunt him. "It was . . . just a dream." Trying to change the subject, the smile returned to his face. "Another human shortcoming, eh, Spock?"

Something in Kirk's too-casual tone caused the Vulcan to look at him more closely. "Would you care to discuss the matter in more detail, Captain?" he asked, momentarily wondering why he didn't dismiss the subject as Kirk was attempting to do. Yet he realized that the captain's normal reservations concerning his personal life did not extend to him, just as he understood that the reverse was also true.

Kirk glanced up from where he'd been studying his boots, and felt the familiar telepathic door swing open between himself and the Vulcan. It was something which had formed between them over the years, something which had saved their lives countless times and made them brothers. He did want to discuss it, but only with Spock.

McCoy would, as the Vulcan was fond of pointing out, dispense a handful of pills and an hour of friendly advice; and though Kirk valued the doctor's friendship, he wasn't in the mood for a full battery of psychological tests to determine the cause of a simple recurring dream. He chanced a quick look at the Vulcan as a plan of action took shape in his mind.

"I haven't had breakfast yet," he began, finding an excuse he needed. "But . . . I'm sure you have, Mister Spock. After all," he continued with a broadening grin, "Vulcans never ever miss breakfast, right? You have to keep those thought-wheels well oiled and in perfect working order." He studied his first officer's lean frame. "And you never gain an ounce either!" he added with a look of mock-disgust, remembering Mc-Coy's warnings to cut back on the meat and potatoes and settle for a salad once in awhile.

The Vulcan brow lowered as Spock observed his captain's nonchalant approach. "I have not eaten this morning," he stated in straightforward contrast to Kirk's roundabout endeavors, "and I would be pleased to join you." His eyes seemed to lighten as he studied the casual way Kirk was holding in his stomach. "And we need not inform Doctor McCoy as to the menu."

—•—

(Next Time: Our lads discuss nightmares over breakfast and discover they are on the same wavelength, as usual.)

[See tag Killing Time Excerpts for more!]

[b0w13133]

WHAT DOES DARLINS REACTIONS TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS SAY ABOUT THEM AS A CHARACTER?

A Darlin analysis >:)

Darlin is first introduced snooping around Wonderworld, looking for Quinn Fox, and is found by Sam, who happens to be on patrol that night. Right from the start, we learn a defining feature about Darlin: they are reckless when it comes to their own well-being.

Darlin’s first character arc centres on finding Quinn, a dangerous vampire with whom they had a brief relationship. They actively hide that they’re looking for him from David. They are caught by Sam, who quickly becomes defensive, knowing Darlin shouldn’t be there. After discovering they detected a six-month-old signature, Sam snarkily remarks, “If you were that good of a tracker, you should be in a lab being studied, not running around in the moonlight on some wild goose chase.”

When David finds out Darlin lied about still being in Washington, he calls Sam and sets up a meeting to discuss Darlin and the risk they’re putting on themselves, and unintentionally, the pack itself, dubbing it a “vigilante vendetta.” He explains that Darlin was never very close with the pack, which led to them “falling in with a less-than-savoury crowd” and finding Quinn. David continues by telling Sam about Darlin ignoring most of his check-in texts, how he looked into the two new members of the Solaire clan, and how the circumstances of their turning reminded him of Quinn. He therefore discovered that Quinn was never apprehended by the Department. While Darlin claimed they kept the information from the pack to protect them, David dismisses this as “short-sighted and bull-headed, but well-intended.”

Though Darlin constantly puts themselves at risk, it’s always in the name of protecting their loved ones. However, they clearly lack self-preservation skills, convinced of their own invincibility due to their accelerated healing ability. In the "Vampire Tends to Your Injuries" audio, Sam calls Darlin about information on Quinn and notes that they sound weird. They admit they’re hurt. Sam immediately expresses concern and chews them out for not going to see a healer to avoid being asked questions. When he arrives at their house, they ask if he is okay with the blood, despite being very hurt, their concern obvious despite their condition. He heals them up before lecturing them on taking on two vampires without backup: “You’re a werewolf, not a damn tank.”

When Quinn is caught, Darlin is out the door with David immediately. Sam meets them there, and when they find out Quinn will only speak to Sam, it upsets both of them. Still, they quickly agree because a girl’s life is on the line. Sam agrees, albeit reluctantly, though he makes a point of stating, “He should have to see you, hear you—he doesn’t get to hide away.” Darlin clearly appreciates Sam’s feelings on the situation—if kissing him was anything to go by (plus I was fully ready for Darlin to launch through the two-way mirror).

Another instance of Darlin’s reactions I adored was with Alexis at the Summit. At this point, they hadn’t interacted with her at all, with Sam actively dreading the inevitable. When Alexis refers to Darlin as “Sam’s latest conquest,” Darlin immediately corrects her, telling her that they’re mates. Alexis, who turned Sam because she wanted to be with him, is bitter about them being together and manages to get a rise out of them quickly. Porter is quick to save them from a public display, remarking, “You looked a second away from taking a swing at a half-century-old powerhouse, and that’s a fight I’d rather not witness.” This furthers the fact that Darlin is quick to react, and that reaction is usually violent—if past references and Alexis feeling the need to say, “Problems don’t get resolved by hitting them,” are anything to go by.

Porter and Darlin seem to have a dynamic of harmless teasing and aggressive reactions, the first of which is in the "Vampire Boys Have It Out." Darlin opens the door to let Porter in, and he immediately takes a dig at Sam, which I can only imagine was met with a tense response. They’re more controlled around Sam, no doubt because the oncoming lecture wouldn’t be worth it.

Darlin’s tendency to jump to violence at the first sign of trouble complements their obvious strength. This is described by Sam at the start of the 2024 Valentine’s Day Sam audio: “Do you have any idea what it’s like to see a wolf of that size push off a tree, hit a guy jumping at vamp speeds, ash him, and still land on your feet?” Their ability to fight off two vampires and force Quinn makes this very clear.

They’re clearly a force to be reckoned with, and to top it off, they’re dating a fine-as-hell cowboy vampire who would both die for them and give them a lecture from hell for it.

Proofread and edited by @achios I LOVE YOU <333

[howlingday]

Godzilla in Remnant AU the Atlesian Military thought they were victorious against Godzilla, only to be met with horror as the damaged parts of his body begin to regenerate.

"And as it stands, the Atlas military stands firm in its decision to divert all available forces to protect and assist the people of Argus following the Grimm attack."

General Ironwood spoke to the throng of reporters, each surrounded by a different camera, microphone, and notepad. Amidst the crowd, he recognized members of his media staff writing down for their reports to be published on behalf of the Atlas military. It gave him some comfort that there were those who understood his position, though it did little to ease the discomfort of the next four words that would follow.

"Are there any questions?" Immediately, the crowd erupted into a roar that would only grow louder as his name was chanted for his attention. He took no pleasure in this, but it was a necessary discomfort. He pointed at a woman with green hair and a red highlight. "Yes, you."

"Amaranthine Grove, the Mantle Crier," Mantle's number one newspaper, and one that wasn't known for pulling punches when discussing their more elevated sister city, "what is the city of Atlas' plan should Godzilla set its sights on Solitas?"

"Though I cannot speak on behalf of the rest of the council of Atlas," Ironwood was as careful with his words as Ms. Grove was, since she clarified the CITY of ATLAS, rather than the academy or the kingdom or the military, "Atlas will defend itself as necessary, using both the might of its military and its technology." He pointed to a man with glasses. "Next question."

"Bauman Stock, the Atlesian Orchard," Ironwood resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the 'news outlet' with more accusations of libel against them than the words in any given article, "what of the rumors that Jacques Schnee threatened to counter-sue should you press legal action for the military's involvement in the creation of Ancient Gasp?"

"I have no intention of making any comments about rumors." He pointed to the far back, where a man with white hair and glasses, almost too similar to a member of the Schnee family, raised his pen. "Yes, you."

"Cyril Ian, Vale News Network," Ironwood let his mask slip and looked genuinely surprised by the appearance of the reporter from another kingdom, "does the Atlas military have any update on the status of Godzilla, including its location and current alignment with humanity?"

"The Atlas military is coordinating with the huntsmen and huntresses of other kingdoms to locate and monitor the movement of the creature identified as 'Godzilla'. And as for its alignment with humanity," Ironwood swallowed a lump in his throat, "while it is responsible for the destruction of Argus, the deaths of its citizens, and the threat the survivors continue to face with the surrounding Grimm, we can say with certainty that it is not a creature of Grimm, nor does it show any alignment to them."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, General, but isn't the Atlas military just as responsible, if not moreso after their flagrant disregard for human life by funding the dust weapon, 'Ancient Gasp'?"

"Ancient Gasp was a weapon designed to be used on the Grimm, Mr. Ian." Ironwood tensed his jaw. "At the time, we had no knowledge of the creature's existence. It is an anomaly that we could not have predicted."

"General Ironwood-"

"This interview is over." General Ironwood stepped away from the podium, reporters clamoring for his attention as he made for the exit. Hopefully, someone would see things from his perspective; if not in the room, then watching from home.

--------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Pyrrha? You okay?"

She didn't respond, though no response was a response in itself, wasn't it? Pyrrha Nikos, the champion of Mistral, the invincible girl, lay in her bed, as she had for the past month, watching every news outlet she could on her scroll. Jaune was careful as he approached, taking slow, cautious steps towards his partner. She didn't say a word when he knelt to her side.

"It's, uh... It's dinnertime." She grunted. "I think they're serving your favorite."

"...Okay." Pyrrha turned off her scroll, then closed her eyes and breathed slowly as the burning pain continued across her corneas. She sat up and blinked, weakly tossing the covers off and making her way to door.

Every day had been the same since the Argus attack. Pyrrha would stay up, watching everything from news outlets to video bloggers talking about the death and destruction that occurred in her demolished home. She would then fall asleep, tears in her eyes before waking up and crying in the bathroom. Then, she would put a brave face on and go to class.

Everything was normal, though students would keep the subject of Argus to hush whispers around her. Her friends were unfortunate enough to have firsthand knowledge to share with the rest of the academy, as evident when Weiss tried to defend the SDC and its use of dust before watching in horror as all of her silverware curled themselves into the company logo before her eyes. In Weiss' defense, Blake started it.

After lunch, Pyrrha would sneak away to her dorm to grab her scroll and try to call her mother. She'd left so many voice messages that her mother's voice mailbox was full. She'd fight back the tears for a little longer, then make her way to her afternoon classes. Combat classes were noticeably more brutal as she started venting her frustration onto her opponents. It was probably the first time Professor Goodwitch had to step in and penalize Pyrrha for anything. She was let off with a warning, but if she couldn't control herself, the penalties would be more severe.

Then, once classes were finished, she would crawl into bed until dinner, watching more videos, and occasionally pull the covers over her head to hide her tears. The rest of the team could still hear her, so they tried to give her the room, going out to do studying elsewhere. At this point, it all became so routine.

"Are you feeling okay, Pyrrha?"

"I'm fine..."

"Did you see anything new?"

"No..."

"Do you... want to talk?"

"..." She gave sigh. "No."

--------------------------------------------------

Clack-clack. Clack-clack. Clack-clack.

Salem rapped her talon-like fingers against the arm of her chair. Ever since the destruction of her Leviathan, all of her plans had been made undone. She'd considered recalling Cinder to her side once more, but knew that it would only make her more difficult in the long run. Salem was always thinking of the long run.

Until something interrupts her plans in the most devastating way possible. She couldn't remember the last time someone or something forced her to revise her plans. So, she sat on her throne, day in and day out, rapping her fingers against her throne.

She could always create another Leviathan, though something that large requires a lot of magic, and though her internal and physical pool of magic was the only of its kind, it was not entirely limitless. She'd honed her arcane abilities for decades, even centuries, and crafted many a terrifying Grimm. But creatures like Leviathan, Monstro, and Blind Worms were special. Each put a strain on her body, and at one point destroyed her, albeit for but a moment.

Still, this beast could not roam unchecked. If left alone, humanity could unite against it. Upon destroying it or being destroyed, there would be only one force left on Remnant for either victor to focus their efforts on; herself. And she knew Ozma would be no fool and simply leave her be, even with a creature as large as a mountain roaming the oceans.

Clack-clack. Clack-clack. Clack-clack. Clack.

Oh... There was an idea~.

--------------------------------------------------

The fishing trawler rocked side to side, gently tossed atop the waves as her crew laid in their racks for the night. The few watchstanders still awake at this hour made their rounds under the clear and starry skies. It would be beautiful if it weren't for long day of labor that occurred beforehand.

The topside watchman stopped for a moment and admired the sight of his portside home of Mistral. His love was likely putting the kids to bed, pointing at him while telling them tall tales of his sea stories he'd shared. He smiled, his heart eager to reunite with his family.

"Topside, Engine, test." The radio crackled.

"Engine, Topside, aye."

"Topside, Engine, ya might wanna take a gander at the radar."

"Engine, Topside, aye. Moving."

He made his way down the steps and across the P-way to the control room. Inside, the engineering watchman and the control watchman were standing over the console, eyes glued to the radar screen. Following a knock, the topside watchman entered and made his way over. The two others stood aside to let him see as well. The sight was far from comforting.

"The hell is that?"

"That right there," the control watchman pointed, "is a Grimm. I'm sure of it."

"Either that, or a whale."

"Whales don't move like that."

"Looks like somethin's chasin' it."

"Aye, but what would chase a Grimm in these waters?"

"A bigger Grimm?"

"Could be that Godzilla thing I've been hearin' about." The topside answered. "The kids are scared they're gonna get what Argus got."

"Fuck off." The engineering watchman rolled his eyes. "Ain't no Godzilla or nothin'. For all we know, Atlas just missed the water by a few hundred feet. Blamed it all on this fake Godzilla thing to cover it up."

"Not from what I've been hearin'." Topside shook his head. "Some are callin' it the Brothers returned."

"Aye, and I've got two-foot-long-"

"Shut up, both of you!" Control tapped the screen. "They're gone!"

Sure enough, the screen was empty of both blobs. Though it wasn't for long as returned from one end of the screen. Then it got closer, and closer. Then the larger blob came in from behind, closing the gap.

"Shit!" Control jumped away from the screen, climbing the steps to the helm. "Engine, load the engine!"

"Aye-aye, Control!" He flew down the steps into the engine room.

"Topside, get me a visual!"

"Aye-aye, control!" The topside watchman rushed down the P-way and up the steps to the telescope. Taking hold, he swiftly shifted to nightvision. "Control, Topside," he called into his radio, "request bearing!"

"Request bearing, aye," Control replied, "ship is moving west at two knots and increasing. Request visual!"

"Request visual, aye. No contact!" Empty ocean filled the expanse before him, even with nightvision engaged.

"Topside, control, look aft!"

Turning the scope towards the rudder, the topside swore as he caught sight of fiery red eyes gleaming in the black. Or that would be what he saw, if not for the greenscreen of nightvision only giving him textures of bone and black fins.

"GRIMM!" Suddenly, the ship was alive with the wailing of alarms and ringing of bells. Sailors clambered from their racks, hurriedly making their way to their battle stations. Some manned guns while others manned auxiliary equipment to aid in their escape and maneuvering. "It's closing in! Brace for shock!"

However, such measures were unnecessary. As the Grimm jumped out of the water, something much larger torpedoed into its underbelly, both launching out of the water. Topside watched in awe as he caught sight of the beast he'd heard so much about. And as the ship made their escape, he watched as it took hold of the Grimm and dragged it beneath the waves.

"Good thing he's on our side..."

[aihoshiino]

It's Hoshinover: Oshi no Posting Post Oshi no Ko

Hello gang! I thought I'd make a quick post outlining what my plans are now the series is over. Like I mentioned in my 166 chapter review, I still have a lot to say and I don't plan on going anywhere! But I also thought it would help for me to still have that bi-weekly structure for discussions that the release schedule gave me... so here's my plans going forward now the series is wrapped!

Bi-weekly series re-visit!

Every other Wednesday, I'll be alternating between episode reviews and volume reviews as I make my way through the series again! Episode reviews will be a more in-depth continuation of my OnK Rewatch I started a bit ago with the intent to focus on the adaptation itself as an experience.

Volume reviews will be my re-read of the whole series now we have the full thing in front of us. Basically, just an expanded & less speculative version of my chapter reviews! I'll be following along with the YenPress translation of the manga as well, so I'll be commenting on the TL choices there too because I'm annoying <3

Askbox is remaining open!

I'll get to everyone's questions eventually I prommyyyyyyyyy

Fanfics

YES I STILL WRITE THESE I PROMISE!!! I had some creative commitments elsewhere over the last two or so months so I had to take a break from working on my current projects but I've got a lot of things cooking! Chapter 5 of An Invincible Girl is in the works, as is chapter 2 of Atonement or Sacrifice. I also have chapter 1 of Oshi no Gohan and Rotten Happy Heart mostly drafted and am hoping to get those up eventually as well!

I also have a big, long term-project that's in the planning stages with the gang on the OnK Brainrot server so please look forward to... whenever we're ready to announce that!

[whencyclopedia]

Theogony

The Theogony is an 8th-century BCE didactic and instructional poem, credited to the Greek poet Hesiod. The Theogony was, at first, not actually written down, rather, it was part of a rich oral tradition which only achieved written form decades later. The Theogony traces the history of the world from its creation through the battle between the Olympians and the Titans to the ascension of Zeus as the absolute ruler of all of the Olympian gods. With the rise of Zeus to supremacy and the birth of his many children, the poem ends and does not address the continued struggles between mankind and the gods. Much of what is known today concerning early Greek mythology comes from Hesiod's work and that other great Greek poet Homer. Collectively, their works would serve as a major influence on later Greek literature and drama, and Roman mythology, especially through the epic Metamorphoses by Ovid.

Authorship

The Theogony (from the Greek theogonia, meaning "generations of the gods") is an epic poem of 1,022 hexameter lines which describes the birth of the gods in the Greek pantheon. It is thought to have been composed c. 700 BCE (give or take a generation either side of that date). Little is known of Hesiod's life. His father emigrated from Cyme in Asia Minor and settled in Boeotia, a small state in central Greece. It is assumed that the poet was a farmer; a fact garnered from the early verses of the Theogony. He may also have been a rhapsodist, a reciter of poetry, where he learned the technique and vocabulary of heroic songs.

Although there are some who question whether or not Hesiod actually wrote the Theogony, most classicists believe he did. However, parts of the work may have been added by later poets and there is a definite similarity in some aspects to earlier Mesopotamian literature. The historian Dorothea Wender believes that the Theogony was an earlier work than Works and Days, the other work attributed to Hesiod. She considers the latter to be a better work, and while the Theogony seems to be unpolished, the author could have had difficulty with written composition.

Wender criticizes Hesiod for not discussing the dethroning of Kronos and his endless mention of "colourless deities." Also, Hesiod's Zeus is too invincible. There is no suspense. "Homer gets more excitement out of a footrace than Hesiod does out of a full-scale war in heaven" (18). However, to Wender, the poem still has historical interest. Certainly, the Theogony was influential; the historian Norman Cantor in his Antiquity wrote that the Greeks adopted Homer and Hesiod's notion of the gods and

a distinctive Greek religion was developed. This religion was always complex and never consistent in all its details; still, its view of man and the world lies at the center of Greek culture. (123)

Hesiod was influential on Classical Greek literature and philosophy, his Prometheus story, for example, inspiring such playwrights as Aeschylus (c. 525 - c. 456 BCE). His poetic style was much imitated, particularly in Hellenistic times and in Roman times - both the Republic and Imperial Rome - when Hesiod's works continued to be recited and set to music. The great Roman writer Ovid (43 BCE - 17 CE) would use many of the themes of the Theogony in his Metamorphoses.

Continue reading...

[cheatsru]

Valorant Hacks

In the competitive realm of Valorant, players continually seek an edge over their opponents. Valorant hacks have emerged as a point of intrigue for many, allowing users to manipulate the game in ways that seem almost otherworldly. Tools like wallhacks and aimbots not only enhance performance but also provide players with an exhilarating sense of power—turning ordinary matches into showcases of skill and strategy. But this allure comes at a cost; with bans lurking around every corner, the thrill of hacking is tinged with risk.

Interestingly, let's take a closer look at the psychological aspects behind using these hacks. Many gamers are drawn not merely by the desire to win but by an unquenchable thirst for validation in a highly skilled environment. The momentary exhilaration from outsmarting opponents can spark feelings of invincibility and confidence that few experiences can match. However, reliance on these external tools often leads to diminished personal skill development—a paradoxical yet compelling cycle where fulfillment is found in shortcuts rather than hard-earned mastery.

Ultimately, while Valorant hacks may promise immediate gains, they invite profound questions about authenticity and achievement within gaming culture. Players must weigh their options carefully: Is it worth sacrificing genuine growth for fleeting victories? As community norms evolve and technological advancements continue to rise—from cheat detection systems to ethical gameplay discussions—the horizon appears both vibrant with possibility and clouded by consequence.

[ducktracy]

How did you became a fan of looney tunes, particularly the porky and daffy shorts?

SO! THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG ASK because i get asked this a lot (and have talked about it pretty frequently lately), and i feel every time i answer i have 80 explanations. all of them are true! but i kinda want a repository so i can reference back to my thoughts if and when the question comes up, because i love talking about it. saying this now because usually when i intend to answer an ask quickly, that's never how it goes.

TLDR for both is: i was bored one day, saw Boomerang was airing the shorts, remembered hearing good things about the shorts and was immediately swept away. a series of rabbit holes clinched my obsession. as for Daffy and Porky, i find them intensely interesting and they're also some of the most i've ever found myself reflected in a fictional character, Daffy especially.

NOW THE LONGER ANSWERS!

SO. as i mentioned above, there's about 80 different explanations i could give for what got me into Looney Tunes. (this is not true and heavy hyperbole, but it is true that my interest was clinched in a number of ways). the most objective of those is that, i was very curious about learning the history and production of cartoons, especially because i had aspirations of making my own cartoons one day and working in the industry. at the time, there was (and still kind of is...) a popular animation blog by a, uh, let's say disgraced cartoonist. said disgraced cartoonist had a blog where he would discuss animation technique, history, and in spite of knowing he was disgraced and very publicly disavowing him to the point of overcompensation, i drank the Kool-Aid and fell into the trap of reading his blog pretty religiously and absorbing a bunch of information that i have now spent years unlearning and have no interest in returning to.

BUT ANYWAY. said cartoonist's blog discussed LT quite often as a pinnacle of great cartooning. i never actually went out of my way to check out any of the shorts mentioned--it was just sort of an understanding of "oh wow, these are important. got it." and not putting the research in

come September 2019 (the 13th to be exact because i'm neurotic and memorize dates). i'm home alone for the weekend and bored out of my mind. channel surf. see Boomerang is showing LT shorts. think, "hey, i've spent years reading about how good this stuff is, i didn't watch it very often as a kid, let's see if the rumors about this being good are true." AND THEY WERE! the first short i saw was Bob McKimson's Upswept Hare which is actually not one i go out of my way to watch often, it's whatever, but i thought it was amazing that i was able to watch cartoons from 1953 on my TV. even though my obsession with golden age cartoons is recent, i've had a lifelong nostalgia affliction--i've been interested in things that are old for as long as i can remember.

after that was Rabbit Transit which, wow, 1947?? that's even older! and even COOLER!!! and it's true! Friz Freleng's Bugs is now my favorite director's interpretation of the character. i was amazed at how funny it was, how fast everything was, how lush the music sounded and how intricate the animation was. i genuinely did not know animation could be that smooth and lush. it was seriously mind blowing. likewise, seeing these McKimson and Freleng Bugs shorts defied the notion i had for the longest time where i only thought Bugs was just a terminally bored beacon of invincibility, since those were the shorts i remembered most from my childhood. Rabbit Transit ends with Bugs being dragged away by cops kicking and screaming--i thought it was HILARIOUS and so different than what i was used to. i really wanted to see more Bugs Bunny and see how my notions of what he was continued to be challenged.

another short included in the line-up was A Pest in the House, which is one of the major dominos in this entire domino effect. i didn't watch very much LT as a kid (only just on DVDs during road trips, but i recall seeing a few on Cartoon Network or Boomerang at some point in my life), but i do recall having a particular dislike towards Daffy since he was mean. also, he was not a cute and cuddly cat and/or rabbit like Sylvester and Bugs, which did not appease my child mind, who loved cats and rabbits. (my childhood cat looked like Sylvester so i've always been fond of him, i do recall owning a Sylvester balloon on a stick at one point as a small child, so yay?)

needless to say, my hopes were not very high. Daffy Duck, who cares, whatever. so, of course, finding out that Daffy is small and cute here and acting amicably, smiling, and being obnoxious was VERY surprising and novel to me. the bit where he's cracking up and can't even tell the poor hotel patron a joke because he's too busy laughing and sobbing and screaming and then FORGETS IT was my canon event. my "oh god, i have never related more to anything than i do right now in this moment." (this is still true, as this exact thing happened to me on a Zoom call recently and i was literally sobbing cracking myself up at a stupid joke i thought of that literally isn't funny at all, and i kept thinking of that scene which just made me laugh harder).

that, in conjunction with this scene and how QUICKLY IT MOVED, how SMOOTHLY, how ENERGETIC the music is, the hilarity that is Elmer's "?" above his head... i HAD TO SEE MORE. i was so interested to learn that Daffy wasn't just a self-obsessed greedy miser all the time. i had no idea cartoons could move this way. you can time the action to the music?? that's GENIUS! so A Pest in the House was a very big break through moment for me and kickstarted my infatuation with Daffy Duck.

another breakthrough was watching Falling Hare for the first time thanks to Boomerang as well. it was the first Bob Clampett cartoon i saw as a cognizant adult, and i knew to look out for it because this disgraced cartoon creator certainly loved to make his bootlicking of Clampett very, very, very well known. i thought that it was amazing to be seeing a short from 1943 on TV!!! SO ANCIENT! so old! who knew they made cartoons that old! and, most importantly, who knew they made cartoons that old THAT MOVE AS GORGEOUSLY AS THEY DO HERE!!!! GEEEEEEZ, you wanna talk about never seeing cartoons move like that before... and not only that, i loved the humor, i loved the characterizations, i loved even the most hokey gags in it. i decided that to really jumpstart my interest in LT, rather than waiting around to catch Boomerang airings, i'd binge the entire Clampett chronology. i did indeed do this, and it wasn't until i got to around 1942 or so that i finally began to branch out and watch other directors

THERE ARE STILL MORE BRANCHES TO THE STORY! SOMEHOW! while i wasn't much of a LT fan before this, i WAS a Tom and Jerry fan. was a very big fan as a kid. i didn't go out and watch the shorts as an adult, but i did listen to the soundtracks. i recall listening to one of the soundtracks, and a comment on it talked about comparisons between Scott Bradley, who did the MGM scores, and Carl Stalling, who did WB's. i was like "huh, wonder who this Stalling fella is" and looked up one of his music compilations. found one from the '30s, went "there's such a thing as Depression-era music scores??" and listened to it.

one of the comments on that video gave a timestamp and mentioned a Porky's Romance. i went to the timestamp, listened to the song, and thought it was one of the most beautiful things i had heard in my life. i still have a screen recording saved in my camera roll from when i first listened to it. i thought, this is so gorgeous, i have to see what cartoon this is from.

and lo and behold, the cartoon about Porky Pig offing himself because he got rejected in his marriage proposal was the first Porky short i saw as an adult. similar to my Bugs and Daffy revelations, there were SO many things that intrigued me. largely: I HAD NO IDEA THEY MADE THE CARTOONS IN BLACK AND WHITE! seeing these beloved cartoon characters in black and white was the coolest thing to me! i had to learn more! likewise, i never knew that Porky was fat! or that these shorts would deal with such dark subject matter! or that they could be so representative of their time with the music styling and background design!

SO, all of these sort of culminated together. i wanted to see more LT, i wanted to see more cartoons that challenged my perception of them. i wanted to see more old things. shocking things. beautiful things. my main path into LT was binging a bunch of the Bob Clampett cartoons, which coincided with my interest in seeing more Porky shorts and more black and white shorts since the first 4 years of his career were nothing BUT black and white Porky cartoons. i also recall checking out Porky's Duck Hunt around the same time i watched Romance for the first time, but i'm not sure why. i think i was reading up on the Wikipedia article for A Pest in the House, learned that Daffy used to be crazy, and wanted to see it for myself. i also fell in love with the novelty of seeing him HOOHOO and jump around and act a fool, as well as the very present 30s-isms in that short.

i began to branch out to other directors, a lot of my introductions boiling down to "i saw this on Google and it looked interesting" (i know that's how i discovered Yankee Doodle Daffy). there was a period in early October 2019 where i was beginning to lose a little interest and fixating on other shows instead, but i watched Porky in Wackyland for the first time and, well, HERE I YAM! likewise, seeing praise about Baby Bottleneck and The Great Piggy Bank Robbery got me to jump ahead in my self imposed Clampett chronology and watch those for the first time (October 18th, 2019, a day that will forever live in infamy). needless to say, it was one of the smartest decisions of my life since those are two of my favorite cartoons of all time. Baby Bottleneck impressed me so much that it literally gave me heart palpitations SO SEVERE i genuinely considered calling my parents to tell them i might need to go to the hospital. i seriously thought i was having a heart attack. no cartoon has ever made me feel like that since. that was a defining "i need to do this" moment for me. again, i reiterate, talk about not knowing the possibilities of how animation could move.

and from thereon out, i continued to go on my little rabbit holes. i started my reviews in December 2019 as an excuse to motivate myself to see every Looney Tunes cartoon ever made (which is a mission i completed on December 31st, 2022.) i've seen and even own some of the animation art from the cartoons themselves in person, i've had relatives of the directors praise my work, i can directly owe my job to LT (and am known as the LT person--specifically, the pig and duck person--by my bosses, coworkers, and peers), i've received job offers from Warner Bros... all because i got bored one day and decided to channel surf.

it's been nearly 5 years now. September 2019, i was in a very low point in my life. i was recovering from a very messy and rather traumatic break-up, there was some related drama affecting my friendships, i had just started college and was missing all the friends and relationships i'd built in high school, and i was really grappling with my mental health as a result. this introduction couldn't have come at a perfect time. i went from being despondent and listless and depressed to actively looking forward to waking up and discovering a new cartoon to watch because it meant i'd learn something new. i really look back on that time fondly. i cringe at a lot of what i was saying and doing back then, as i've learned so much more and matured a lot since then, but i'm still so lucky to have had that time in my life. and even though i'm 5 years in, and even though i've calmed down in a lot of aspects, that excitement never really goes away and i don't forsee it doing so. i can tell this is going to be a lifelong fixture for me. i don't have any doubt about it. calling it a "hyperfixation" or "interest" seems to temporary and diminutive; too many areas of my life have been affected by it and it's really just ingrained in me now, and will continue to do so. i'm so lucky for that.

SO! TO GET COMPARATIVELY LESS PHILOSOPHICAL BUT STILL RELEVANTLY SO, answering your question about Daffy and Porky specifically

as i talked about above, much of my investment in them comes from really identifying with the both of them. Daffy a bit moreso, but certainly Porky as well. i find myself in Daffy's exuberance, passion, impulsiveness, his emotionality, his... shall we say "neuroticisms", always living life at a high frequency, being a very all or nothing person, his often fleeting attention span and endeavors, his obnoxiousness, good humor, his charisma (this feels so conceited of me to say but i've had multiple people told me i'm charismatic--i don't entirely believe so but i think it is worth bringing up, if nothing else), his at-times overly trusting demeanor. all of these descriptions are more in line with the 40s Daffy rather than the Daffy most folks know, though there is some overlap and i can't say there aren't some traits of the later Daffy i don't see myself in either. namely impulsiveness, a tendency to be a bit overbearing, etc... that's why i can relate so much to him, because he's not just a character who i relate to for positives.

Porky, i can relate a lot to his idiosyncrasies, his stubbornness, his obliviousness, a general awkwardness, [usually] good heart, innocence, occasionally hare trigger temper (i do not consider myself an angry person thank goodness and i'd definitely consider myself more optimistic than most, but if i am mad i am very mad and have a very hard time concealing it), which leads me to my next point in also being pretty transparent, a little bit of a stutter, and so forth

me being able to relate to the both of them certainly does help in pushing them up the ranks, but my enjoyment doesn't hinge on that because i'm thankfully able to see them as their own characters (and i think if i just saw them as reflections of Me the whole time, it'd be a bit uncomfortable). that's the biggest draw: their dynamic is so intensely interesting to me and unlike anything else offered by any of the other characters in the cartoons.

i'm mostly interested in the cartoons and the people behind the scenes rather than the characters, which is funny to say since character and characterization is super important to me. maybe this'll change! but as of right now, i don't really care to think up any headcanons for The Tasmanian Devil or Pepe le Pew or what have you. i'm namely interested in the characters if it directly relates to their context with their creators. i was just saying the other day that i tend to be averse to things that have the LT cast in a big ensemble, even if you remove the "oh they're a happy family" aspect from it. i worded it more succinctly here:

Daffy and Porky are the only real exceptions to this, and it's likewise because they're some of the only characters who weren't bound to a certain director. Tex Avery only ever directed 3 Daffy cartoons, and Friz Freleng, as much as i love the Porkys he did direct and wish he did more, didn't seem very interested in pursuing Porky the same as he did with his other characters like Yosemite Sam or Sylvester (both of whom being some of my favorites, Sylvester ranks behind Daffy and Porky for me in terms of favorites. amazing character.) this likewise offers them a lot of freedom, as they're subject to more interpretation by more directors

their dynamic is the most varied out of any, and i love that. some shorts they're roommates and work together. others, they want each other's blood. my favorite is a good blend of both. but, no matter what dynamic they're in, they still feel like Daffy and Porky. they're flexible and malleable but not completely lost in who they are. i've expressed many times that they're the only two characters who can have a genuine sort of camaraderie between them in the shorts where they do and have it feel natural rather than "get a load of these guys teaming up!". in my eyes, they have the best chemistry, they play off of each other so well. my favorite Porky shorts and my favorite Daffy shorts are always the ones where they're with the other. there are genuinely no Porky and Daffy shorts i dislike outside of the sadly usual "this is racist garbage", but thankfully that's only limited to a very select handful.

much of it likewise comes down to novelty. when i first began getting into their shorts, i was AMAZED that i had never heard anyone talk about their dynamic before. granted, i probably wasn't looking, but all my life it's always been Bugs and Daffy Bugs and Daffy Bugs and Daffy--i still, maybe selfishly, think the Porky and Daffy shorts are 50x more interesting and fun to watch and it was just MINDBLOWING to me how i'd never seen anyone bring this up! how is nobody talking about how varied their dynamic is? why is nobody talking about how well they play off each other here? why is nobody talking about how funny this is? it's a feeling of sort of stumbling into a hidden diamond mind. i really like that feeling. it's why the '30s and '40s shorts are my preferred favorites; they're less talked about, which means i have more room to shill them and maybe give someone the same reaction it's given me. i love that aspect of exploration.

i've been typing this out for nearly 1 hour and 25 minutes straight, and so my steam is finally beginning to run out. there's more i could say on just how much Porky and Daffy mean to me, but that's the general jist. i identify with them both a lot, i sincerely love their chemistry, i think they're one of the most interesting cartoon duos of all time, i want more people to discover them, and i just love watching them. Mel Blanc's Daffy voice is one of the most beautiful sounds i've ever heard and i'm not even exaggerating. i have so much fun picking apart Porky's stutter and seeing how it varies depending on the voice directing, and i love catching certain stutters that Mel Blanc does that feel very true to life/like something i've heard out of my own mouth before. i love how they have a bit of an underrepresented past (Porky moreso; i've really fallen in love with the Joe Dougherty era shorts). they're just so interesting and offer so much, no matter what your interest is.

WOW. this may have been the lengthiest ask i've ever answered. but, ye ask and ye shall receive, so i hope ye received!

[professoruber]

Been getting a bit back into Invincible stuff lately, especially what with Season 2 coming, and I remembered Nikki - the homeless girl whom Martian Man was friends with (and possibly living with?). And I still feel really bad about her honestly.

She's a pretty minor question but her role is both very tragic and also kinda raises several questions.

For one thing; why didn't Martian Man seemingly do anything for her? At least get her to social services or try to arrange some proper housing for her other than a condemned building. Is it due to lack of understanding of earth/humans due to being Martian? Or did he try but wasn't able to do anything?

There is probably an argument to be made that pulling strings for Nikki's sake would be too attention-drawing. People might notice this random homeless girl has some important connections and so keep an eye on her and might connect her to Martian Man.

She at least seemed to be still alive and getting food from the soup kitchen last she appeared. But still... given several other Guardians were shown with loved ones in the montage, it does give the implication that they were quite close, possibly even some kind of parental figure.

Given she's still homeless after his death and is never mentioned by others and also didn't appear to attend the funeral, it does give the impression as well that others are unaware of all. Although even if Martian Man did mention he was friends with a homeless kid; that's probably a fairly vague statement to go on and it'd probably be difficult tracking her down specifically.

But this means that while the families of the other guardians at least got to attend the funeral as a potential form of closure, and also could even possibly use one another for emotion support or appeal to the GDA for assistance... Nikki got none of those options or possibilities.

She's lost someone close to her and she doesn't appear to even have anyone to confide in or watch out for her; few would believe her if she tried discussing her feelings about Martian Man's death and even if they did it would only bring dangerous attention onto her.

Just a shitty situation all round for her and I kind of hope Season 2 shows she's continuing to at least do okay. Haven't read the comic (although I might) but from what I've seen it doesn't appear she was a comic character so I guess her fate's up to the show writers (assuming they choose to show her again anyway).

[evidence-based-activism]

Lmao keep on using the Gish Gallop whenever trans women are the topic. evidence-based-activism so very based in evidence and not just feelings on how trans women are icky and deserve segregation even when the actual evidence contradicts your feelings. Have fun blocking me!

So, Wikipedia says that a Gish Gallop is "a rhetorical technique in which a person in a debate attempts to overwhelm an opponent by abandoning formal debating principles, providing an excessive number of arguments with no regard for the accuracy or strength of those arguments and that are impossible to address adequately in the time allotted to the opponent."

Now ... I know Freud has been largely discredited (and agree with the criticisms of him and his work), but even a broken clock is right twice a day, and he was clearly spot-on with the idea of "projection"!

Honestly, that "rhetorical technique" perfectly describes your approach to discussion, and is the part of the reason I've chosen not to humor you in that discussion any further. Each time I refuted your argument you simply claimed the evidence is invalid (without any genuine reason/argument why, just a claim of bias) and spammed me with tangentially related points. (The other reason was your commitment to the invincible ignorance fallacy, "where the person in question simply refuses to believe the argument, ignoring any evidence given" per Wikipedia.) I don't intend to expend effort refuting your numerous un-sourced claims; I wanted to leave an avenue open for discussion in case you ever chose to change how you interact, but instead you ignored my warnings and continued attempting to interact in the same way. As such, I have blocked you.

All that being said, I do now have access to that article you linked me to. Aside from the numerous issues with the methodology, the results don't actually support your conclusion. (Which is why you need to read the actual paper, not just the abstract. A growing issue in academia is a paper's abstract either intentionally or unintentionally misrepresenting the paper.) Here is a link to that post, which I'm hoping will be useful to anyone interested in actual scientific evidence concerning transwomen's inclusion/exclusion in women's sports.

(And I can assure everyone the "actual evidence" does not support a biological argument for transwomen's inclusion in women's sports. And here is another user's excellent post on the difference between segregation and separation.)

[clairewritesfanfics]

Invincible Questions & Discussion

smart atoms and skin-biting

masochist smart atoms

what if there were enough supplies in the wasteland

emotions and viltrumite flight

omni-mark and his wife getting judged by other women

flaxan mark notes

mark, his variants, and the legendary puppy dog pout

mark grayson is my godzilla

mohawk's influence on the virgin viltrumite

no goggles and mohawk educate virgin viltrumite

the other marks try to educate virgin vil

shiesty is a supportive gamer bf

mark variants with duplikate-like reader

chiikawa (spoilers)

mohawk zipper

marks getting embarrassed

female mark grayson

right person, wrong time with reader, mark and eve & eve's reaction

reader-sexual

every mark's love

variants react to eve and main mark crashing out

variants costume suit up

marks as disney princes

scarring with shiesty and full mask

mark can't masturbate

comfort him

most to least embarrassed -🌠 anon

would i pierce him?

piercing mohawk

ranking the masochists -🌠anon

mark tiddies

the real reason omni crosses his arms so much

omni is working to make them bigger

i wanna suck

other au marks (burger & gda)

teaching them to swear in filipino (tagalog)

good boy -🌠 anon

murderous viltrumite puppy -🌠 anon

jealous big dogs

sinister sinister

command: kill 🐇

spoiler alert, eve (possible spoiler for canon)

flower harem

teasing shiesty with his veil

personal salon crew -🌠 anon (harem au)

"you're too late, bro!" cw: nsfw at the end, mild angst, happy end tho

chibivincible, or "invinciblobs," or "invinciblorbos," if you will

star charts -🌠 anon (harem au)

ranking the star whores

boyfriend of the month (harem au)

prizes -🌠 anon

full mask banned

suggestion box

most coveted award

when you laugh -🌠 anon

scar headcanons (full mask and shiesty)

stunted prison mark

what to call the marks -🌠 anon

"up"

trapped in the canon verse

random yn visit

when you smile 🐇

mark in his gold and white thraxan mini

get pegged

gold and white suit

cut him open

when we rant to him (them) -🌠 anon

vil mark hobbies

eating with them pinoy-style

vil mark's froggies

scars and masochist atoms

full mask and shiesty sharing the love (harem au)

anglerfish love 🐇

altar of love (harem au)

reader's blood -🌠 anon

viltrumite blood donation 🐇

finite curve without traces of you (harem au)

marcy's (female mark) au

bite me -🌠 anon (harem au)

shiesty with a figurine collecting reader

harem manager reader -🌠 anon (harem au)

kidnapping angstrom for a mark harem

smart atoms rejected

marks accidentally step on chibi reader (harem au, dollhouse au)

yandere reader wants to kidnap mark

watching chibi reader bathe (harem au, dollhouse au)

each variant's shrine - 🌠 anon (harem au)

silent hill 2

relationship of each mark with each other (harem au)

snippet

jason todd and batsis reader (platonic) (neglected batsis au)

mohawk's looks

no goggles and a giant portrait

do you think my food is affecting me?

the marks as dads and their ranks

#end of first list#

author's note: Tumblr won't let me add a new link for some reason (T.T) but if you want to see the continuation, just use the #InvincibleQ&D tag

Back to Invincible Masterlist<<select

Back to Main Masterlist<<select

Any questions for the author? Ask here.

[toexpectamagicalmeaning]

The "Ideal" Hero

A miniature supernova appears to go off as Isayo puts everything she can into her teleportation spell's targeting and speed. 'Please. Please let me find her. I have to see them again. Any of them. At least one.'

On a rooftop in Musutafu, a young, Quirkless boy trembles as he stands before his idol, unaware that the Number 1 Hero is now emaciated and powerless. "Is it possible to become a hero, even if I don't have a Quirk…?" Izuku Midoriya asks breathlessly. "I'm a normal kid without any powers. Could I ever hope to be someone like you?!"

As he opens his eyes, smoke billows around All Might, muscles the size of fresh pillows and with the strength of tungsten now nowhere to be found.

"Wh-Wh-Wha-?!" He stutters.

"COURAGE!" And just as the last seconds of the Hero's power tick away, any discussion is rapidly derailed as Isayo teleports onto that same rooftop and wraps the green boy in the tightest hug he's ever had to put up with, sobbing incoherently.

"Wh-What the-?!" The middle schooler struggles against her grip, shock and confusion temporarily redirected. "M-Miss- Ma'am-? I-I don't think-"

Isayo pulls away, her transformation dissipating as she regains a bit of coherence, her half manic grin of wobbly relief soon snapping to shock, shame, and alarm as she realizes- "Ah- Y-You're not- I'm so sorry!" She pulls away immediately, wiping liquid night off of her face.

"No, no, it's okay! I don't know who this Courage person is, but-" Izuku flinches as the rattle of a locked doorknob wavers through the air. The two turn to look at All Might, who winces at his failed escape attempt.

"Oh dear…" Isayo murmurs, putting a hand to her mouth at the sorry state of the man, not that she knew who he was. Izuku finds himself much less coherent, sputtering about impostors and fakes.

"I assure you, I am All Mi-" He suddenly erupts into a bloody coughing fit, making both of them flinch and Izuku scream. Isayo wishes bitterly that she knew any healing spells, but that was always more of Love's- No, no, she can't break down again, not here. She can't hurt any innocent people by falling into despair again. She's teetered twice now, and she won't risk the third time.

"Th-This isn't true… It can't be! It's impossible! All Might's a giant among men- He always saves the day with a fearless smile! The perfect Hero!" The green haired boy cries, making Isayo cringe internally.

"Kid, there's always lots of fear behind that smile." All Might sighs, accepting his fate. "Well, since you guys have both walked in on a massive secret... Or teleported, in the blue missus' case." He looks over at Isayo, who squirms with shame. "I should at least come clean, and answer your question while I'm at it." He remarks, shifting his gaze to Izuku. "Don't go blabbing about this online or to any family or friends, got it?"

"I... Wouldn't have anyone to tell, frankly. So don't worry about that." Isayo replies as Izuku numbly makes a lip zipping motion. The man lifts his shirt, revealing a puckered, fleshy crater where a normal person's stomach would be. The heavy silence somehow grows yet denser with disgust and horror.

"Yeah, looks pretty awful, huh? I got this in a massive fight with a Villain five years ago. My respiratory system was wrecked, and I had to get my stomach amputated entirely. Now, I'm on borrowed time. I can only do Heroics for three hours a day. Any other time, I'm like this." All Might continues, concealing his injury again.

"Five years ago... Toxic Chainsaw did this to you?" Izuku mutters.

All Might lets out a small mirthful scoff. "Huh, you must be a real fanatic to know about that fight. But no, he'd never have the muscle to do this to me. I kept the Villain who did it and my fight with him under wraps because I have to be the Hero who always smiles. What else is the Symbol of Peace for?" His expression hardens. "Every person you see in the street? They have to believe I'm always invincible, never afraid of anything. Without a brave face, society collapses into anarchy. This job's no cakewalk, kid."

"Can you be a Hero? Not without a Quirk." The man rumbles. Izuku knows this, of course, deep down. But his dream has finally collapsed. No words come to his mouth, only whimpers of despair. Tears roll down from his cheeks as All Might's answer hammers the final nail in his dream's coffin.

Isayo's heart squeezes in solidarity, the sting of broken dreams so familiar to her that it identified her as The Knight of Despair. Yet perhaps even more tragically, she knows she can't raise an objection. How can she? The City only proves it all the more, despite having no Quirks of their own. Power is everything there, and those without it are left to either scurry together for safety or die under the heel of their betters. 'The Symbol of Peace... Cannot be daunted by fear.' Guilt worms through her mind, more starry black tears budding in her eyes. Were her sisters and herself not also Symbols, in a sense, for their kingdom? Of Love, Justice, Happiness, Courage? And when Hatred, Despair, Greed, and Wrath consumed them... No, she knows it's true. She knows first hand. Nothing was truly upheld on her watch. Symbols... are destined to crumble one day. No one can change things without power, and no one in power wants to change that.

But maybe someday, something will anyway.

"If you wanna help people, there are plenty other ways to do it." The thin blonde man continues. "You could become a police officer. They get crap because the Heroes capture most of the Villains, but it's a fine profession. It's not bad to have a dream, young man, but-"

A sudden explosion shakes the air, plumes of smoke erupting in the distance. "Huh? Another Villain attack?" All Might frowns. "Damn it, I'm out of time... Well, I can at least-" He reaches down to his belt, freezing as he finds nothing there. "Oh shit."

"Sir? What's the matter?" Isayo asks, a trace of panic in her voice. As she watches the chaos, a familiar wall of dirty green sludge writhes and surges, framed in ominous orange as explosive bursts of flame erupt from it regularly. "Th-That's-"

"The Sludge Villain. Th-The bottle he was in..." Izuku quivers, his voice cracking like ice under a pick. "I-It must have... Fallen off. Broken. When I jumped... I-I'm so sorry!"

"Jumped?!" Isayo screeches, the worst coming to mind, before her logic kicks in. "Ah, so that's why I saw..."

"We can talk about that later! Wh-What do we do?" Izuku stammers, tears in his eyes. Though they're too far to make the specifics out, the giant woman's frustration is obvious. All Might's frustration is silent, but evident, his fists clenching as bitter worthlessness runs through his veins. It's a feeling she knows well, one that she embodies. The darkness at her fingertips surges and creeps in response.

Perhaps that is what spurs her to act.

In a flash of light, Isayo transforms again, much to the shock of her fellows on the roof. She gravely summons her swords and jabs them into the ground, beginning to glow.

"W-Wait!"

"Woah, hey, kid, what are you-?!" As her spell goes through, she has no time to cut it short as Izuku leaps after her and All Might, trying to stop him, gets caught up in it as well.

The shock knocks her aim off slightly, leaving them behind the crowd. Luckily, the spectacle of the Villain's rampage and the Heroes' struggles keep them from being discovered. Izuku wastes no time in rushing into the crowd, gasping as he spots who's caught in the Villain's clutches. As Isayo is still reeling from her spell's misfire, she recovers just in time to see Izuku charging directly into the fray, much to the shock of the crowd.

"KID, STOP! YOU GOT A DEATH WISH?!" One of the Heroes shouts, and Isayo can't help but agree as Izuku claws fruitlessly at the Villain's thick, formless body, speaking with someone trapped inside as it starts to swirls around the other boy as well.

All Might's surprise melts into an inspiring warmth, the embers becoming a roaring fire. His body tenses, his Quirk responding to his desperate wish-

Before Isayo puts an ebony hand before him, stepping in front. His focus disrupted, the swelling muscles deflate again. "Please, sir, you are far too injured to act right now. It is my duty to protect the weak and strike down those who would act unjustly. Do not strain yourself against a foe I can take down with ease."

"Are you a Hero? You seem so young, no matter how you look now." He asks, frowning. She looks at the Sludge Villain, her expression determined, yet serene.

"It's my purpose in life to protect others." She says, aware of the lie by omission. "I already revealed myself earlier today. Pushing your limits too far will only lead to disaster."

All Might sighed, a wry smirk creeping up on him as precious seconds ticked down. "Well, if neither of us will back down, perhaps a team up? Just make sure to transform back before the media sees you. If I may be so pragmatic, I have my own questions for you that I want you to answer after this. Ones that I fear some people in high places may be less gentle with if they get to you first, and you have a very distinctive appearance."

Isayo responds with a firm nod, a single sword flashing into existence above her, and with the speed of a bullet, it pierces the pile of sludge. A sword that struck flesh would simply sink into the liquid, barely recognized by the Villain.

Good thing the sword does not strike flesh, then. With an anguished roar, the Villain's body suddenly loses cohesion as a pang of overwhelming foreign hopelessness rings through his brain like a bell's hammer, large portions collapsing into a simple puddle, releasing Izuku and the other boy in his clutches, a young blonde boy.

With the Magical Girl's work done, power surges through All Might despite his limits, and after only reading about his exploits in passing from the library, the new scale of the man puts more weight behind his deeds.

What he does next solidifies them even further. He charges forth and yanks Izuku and another boy, blonde and red eyed, out of the muck with one hand, a reassuring grin on his face as he reared back with the other.

"Detroit...! SMAAAAAAASH!"

With a single strike, gale force winds whip up around the area, blowing the Sludge Villain to mere droplets as the clouds above went dark, the ensuing rain laying the fires to rest. The crowd is silent for a long few moments before cheers erupt.

The Number One Hero has saved the day once more.

[All Might and Izuku Midoriya are open for asks!]

[OKAY CLEARLY I UNDERESTIMATED THIS SCENE'S LENGTH NEXT TIME WILL HAVE A POLL FOR SURE OR IM GONNA SHIT-]

[ianjapanblog]

Mobile Suit Gundam

Since its debut in 1979, Mobile Suit Gundam has stood as one of the most influential anime franchises in history. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the series revolutionized the mecha genre by introducing "real robot" storytelling, where war machines were not invincible heroes but complex weapons piloted by flawed humans. Mobile Suit Gundam tells the story of a futuristic war between the Earth Federation and the space-dwelling Principality of Zeon. The protagonist, Amuro Ray, is thrust into battle when he discovers the powerful RX-78-2 Gundam, setting the stage for a conflict that questions the morality of war and the nature of human survival.

Beyond its thrilling mecha battles, Gundam deeply explores issues that resonate both within Japan and globally. In post-war Japan, the trauma of World War II still loomed large, and Gundam reflected this through its depiction of war’s brutality, civilian suffering, and the blurred lines between good and evil. It rejected the simplistic notion of “hero vs. villain,” instead portraying both sides of the conflict as morally complex, much like Japan's own reflections on its wartime past.

Globally, Gundam remains relevant as it addresses themes of war, colonialism, and the ethical dilemmas of technological advancement. The conflict between Earth and space colonies mirrors real-world struggles of oppression and independence. Issues such as environmental destruction, class disparity, and the military-industrial complex are woven into the narrative, making it a powerful critique of the consequences of unchecked power.

Decades after its release, Mobile Suit Gundam continues to inspire discussions about war and peace, proving that its message is as crucial today as it was in 1979. Whether you watch it for the action or the philosophy, Gundam is a masterpiece that demands reflection.

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 5: Heroes Never Fall

Narrated by Perlin.

Narrator: I think I can finish the draft today. Only the final evaluation is left.

Narrator: There has been much discussion over Yunikina, even now.

Narrator: Some say that she could have built a great empire, if she had half the ambition of the Queen of Arms.

Narrator: She clearly wasn't a warmonger, though, so they thought that she let her talents go to waste.

Narrator: Of course, it's unreasonable to berate a historical figure with modern perspectives.

Narrator: In the past and even now, people hold her might and flawless record in high esteem, hoping for a repeat of her deeds.

Narrator: With the recent rise of anti-war sentiments, she has become a symbol for peace and freedom.

Narrator: More works of art based on her were released. She has become synonymous with the terms Girl Commander, Unforgettable Romance, and Patriot.

Narrator: Yunikina now shoulders so many romantic ideals that her actual life seems boring in comparison.

You: Do you think it's boring?

Narrator: Like many kids in North Kingdom, I grew up listening to stories about Yunikina.

Narrator: But I was never into fighting, so her stories didn't inspire ambition in me, but an indescribable peace of mind.

Narrator: North Kingdom is becoming peaceful now. When I was little, there was always a war going on.

Narrator: I remember watching the war reports, seeing the soldiers' tired faces, burned pictures, and those little sprouts growing in bullet casings.

Narrator: I could almost understand why the invincible commander always regarded herself with a hint of sadness, why she could wield the Sword of Legend, and why I feel safe whenever I hear stories about her.

Narrator: We were both born in times of peace and scarred by war. I began to wonder if history is indeed moving forward, or simply going around in circles.

Narrator: Eagle never sang about war. He only praised the beauty of bygone things, reminded Yunikina and her people of their home that once was, and showed them the way forward.

Narrator: Perhaps that is what I truly want to do. To be calm while I reflect on the past, and maybe have some sort of revelation.

You: Is it why you chose to major in military history?

Narrator: Probably. I don't know if this story has answered your question.

Narrator: If I must say something... I am grateful for her part in North Kingdom's history, and for being my childhood hero.

Narrator: Also, perhaps I was wrong before with what I said.

You: Huh?

Narrator: A hero's story never ends, because memories are never-ending songs.

Narrator: Regardless of time or space, the will to uphold freedom and peace will continue to light the way forward.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

[thewatcher727]

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast Again - Chapter 6: Fists and Speed

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast again is a thrilling continuation of the beloved anime, promising action-packed escapades and heartwarming moments as our heroes embark on their next chapter! Available for Reading on AO3 & FF!

FanFiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14344080/6/Sonic-X-Gotta-Go-Fast-Again

Archive of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54991219/chapters/141751531

Preview:

As Sonic and Knuckles approached the elevators, there was a tangible air of confidence between them. The ease with which they dispatched the Egg Pawns left them feeling almost invincible. Sonic, with a nonchalant demeanor, casually punched the elevator button as if it were just another routine task. The soft hum of machinery surrounded them as they waited.

Knuckles, with his arms crossed, glanced at Sonic. "We could just take the stairs."

Sonic, leaning against the wall with an air of relaxed confidence, chuckled in response. "If these tin cans are the best Egghead can do, I'm not exactly in a rush to win."

Their banter continued as they waited for the elevator, the atmosphere surprisingly light given the circumstances. Knuckles, recalling Sonic's earlier remark, finally posed the question that had been nagging at him. "So, why were you here yesterday again?"

Sonic responded with an air of indifference, as if recounting yesterday's events was as mundane as discussing the weather. "Eggman caught Rouge and tried to lure me in. Another copycat he called Mecha."

Knuckles raised an eyebrow at Sonic's revelation about Rouge's involvement, a hint of surprise etching across his features. Eggman kidnapping Rouge was undoubtedly an unexpected twist in their usual battles.

"I'd have just left her here," Knuckles remarked, his tone suggesting a lack of sympathy for the bat.

Sonic shot him a knowing look, fully aware of Knuckles' gruff exterior and the underlying camaraderie they shared. "She's not that bad. Besides, I at least got a Chaos Emerald out of it." Sonic's eyes gleamed with mischief as he spoke, making it clear that the situation wasn't as dire as it seemed.

However, Sonic's confidence wavered as he averted his gaze, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "Well, that was at least until she… kind of… stole it…"

Sonic's admission was met with a chuckle from Knuckles, who couldn't help but find amusement in the predictable antics of Rouge. The guardian knew her persuasive charm all too well and could easily imagine how she managed to catch Sonic off guard and swipe the Chaos Emerald for herself.

The elevator doors slid open at last, revealing a sleek metallic interior. Sonic and Knuckles, sharing a glance without a word, entered the elevator with practiced ease, their backs turned to the space within. The doors closed in front of them, and the ascent began, the gentle hum of the elevator creating an oddly serene atmosphere.

However, the tranquility was short-lived. The ominous click of multiple guns being armed disrupted the relative quiet, causing Sonic and Knuckles to snap to attention. They turned to find themselves encircled by Egg Pawns, armed and poised for action.

"Intruders!" declared the first Egg Pawn, its metallic voice echoing through the confined space.

"Affirmative!" chimed in another.

Sonic and Knuckles, undeterred by the sudden confrontation, exchanged a knowing glance, a silent communication that spoke volumes. With lightning speed, they pivoted, transforming into whirlwinds of motion. The sound of cracking metal filled the air as Egg Pawns were dismantled with ruthless efficiency, their pieces scattering across the elevator floor before they even had a chance to fire a single shot.

Standing triumphantly amidst the wreckage, Sonic couldn't resist playfully mimicking the defeated Egg Pawns. "Intruders," he intoned in a teasing robotic tone.

Knuckles, usually stoic, joined in with an unexpected playfulness, his voice matching the mechanical mimicry. "Affirmative."

A brief chuckle escaped both heroes as they stood over their conquered foes, the elevator ascending with a sense of shared accomplishment.

[sliptohk]

Prompt #14: Clear

It was difficult to tell just how long they had kept him caged, no small part of Gerlach insulted with each breath he took. They thought him captured. Believed him helpless. Such thoughts would serve him best, but they did nothing to salve his wounded pride. From the moment the trap had sprung, his keen eye had seen there was no avenue for escape. Only a choice to see every last one of his kin slain, or to wait the proper time.

His hunger was suppressed.

A simple prison would have been no great obstacle. Fewer guards, fewer equipment. The value of the captives weighed against the importance of their incarceration. Placid surrender would have tipped the scale in their favor, wrapping themselves in a veil of weakness and obedience. Though that expectation was shattered.

"Ain't animals."

It was a phrase that puzzled him, yet it seemed to possess some deeper meaning when Katja growled it at the white-suited man laughing at them after some exchange he failed to understand. A look of excitement that Gerlach did not like, followed by an excited reference to a 'resonance project'. Though he did not know these men, there was something about their nature that displeased the Highlander.

Their destination was viewable from far away. Towers rising to pierce the sky, sparse vegetation not spared reaping blades to clear the killing fields around it from unwelcome obstacles. Solid structures of metal, not wood and stone. Still, there was opportunity. These castrums were difficult targets, but nothing was invincible.

They spared him the needles, but not his nieces and nephews. Blood drawn. Mixtures injected. Careful not to keep them all together, some part of them wary of organized resistance. A wise move, though it did not deter the patient man. Observation continued, discerning patterns to those movements, and habits of their captors. That one favored one leg, injury to the ankle by the way they favored it. Prickly. Blamed the conflict for their state, no doubt.

Another seemed hale. Composed. Gaze always turning to take in those within the cage Gerlach found himself in. Shared by the elder kin, his siblings and spouses, the younger ones only seen when they were paraded past toward some unseen location. Looking more wane when they returned. Whatever was done drained them, but the carts of food they pushed down to that length of the wing assured him that they were fed. Not well, but enough to ensure their survival.

Considering this point, Gerlach focused his efforts, awaiting the moment one of those oddly clad men moved past. Exchanging words in that same foreign tongue he did not know. But there was no masking the way one man spoke, the gestures he made. An explanation was clear from those motions, so the silent warrior interjected a simple reply. Fit for a range of discussions they may have between themselves.

"Won't."

Well chosen, as they came to a startled stop, looking through the bars at the man fixing them with an unblinking stare. A heartbeat or two, before they excitedly spoke, "This one understands too, Organem will wish to know!"

It was spoken in a common tongue, but he ignored it. Turning away in some passive display of seeming resistance. Unwilling to share words with their captors. His action would earn him what he wished instead.

Their presence.

Soon, they came for him. Bringing him to clean, metal rooms and working tools and needles about him. Though unsure of what their machines intended, or what those odd-colored mixtures involved, Gerlach endured. The picture of an obedient captive as he took stock of the Castrum with every journey from cell to infirmary, and back again. A variety of them, each one filled with different furnishings.

Undoubtedly a torment to his kin.

Heilwig hissed at him, questioning his actions. His plans. Badurad asked after his children. The others waited, stewing in their hatred for their captives. All a waste of time, it did nothing to speed the process.

In time he came to understand these men. Predict their motions, adapt to their behavior. Certain that the time would come soon, a sudden bark of gunfire shattered his concentration as he was lead down those halls. A cell filled with resistance fighters were slain to the man. A shouted argument between conscripts over the approaching forces. Falling forts. The need to withdraw and orders to eliminate the subjects left behind.

There would be blood. A thick scent of death to come filled his nostrils.

They had bound his hands. He freed them. Words were shouted in surprise. Shock. They warranted no response, save an unhurried step toward the men leading him. Then slaughter. Their rhythm too familiar, numbers too limited. They were no threat. There were doors to open. Many more men to kill. More than his clan could manage on their own, but the time was thrust upon them. Kin would die, a thought that only steeled his resolve. But at least there was a chance to save as many as he could. He need only break down the doors to unleash them.

Gerlach's vision was exacting. His goal stood before him with perfect clarity. Only one move forward - to enact it.