#nothingburger of a post

[arcanewebs]

RIP bad kids you all would have loved staring directly at the eclipse no glasses

[onenightbreak]

huh

[remsterden]

I still freak out about this every now and then. the narrator! is fond of the unknowable!!!!! the zen dome!!!!!! space!!!! and also this is applicable to the ocean with shrimp and night sharks and I love him a lot

[nyastyaraspurrtina]

in the club straight up forgetting it. and by "it", haha, well. lets justr say. my country

[thinkingabout-girls]

oh you’re dating? which one of you is the empty space and which is the formless shape

[fairyroses]

The two-year anniversary of an event which shall not be named sounds like a good enough excuse to post this CX-2 Tech portrait that I drew back when season 3 was airing and all the CX theories were at their peak (I was so disappointed by the lack of a reveal that I never posted it back then 😔)

BONUS: for something happier, here's a post-canon TechPhee sketch that I'd still like to finish someday 💕

anyway Tech Lives™ GOODNIGHT 🤎

[causticsodaa]

Sakura and Suo stopping each other

That’s it. That’s the title of the post.

This probably isn’t intentional and is just me reading too into both of these scenes, but I speculate these particular moments in Chapter(s) 50 and 75 have many similarities + differences at the same time and could parallel each other, or at least show how Suo and Sakura’s relationship has subtly developed over time.

For starters, both of these scenes open with Sakura/Suo looking out for each other amidst their battle, with the other person too pre-occupied to notice their concern.

These scenes also involve someone losing control during their fight (with KEEL being Suo, and Roppo having Kanji almost punching Sakura)

Suo and Kanji are stopped; however, it is Sakura who restrains Suo, while Kanji gains back his self control before he can manage to hit Sakura.

Then we get a few pages of exposition which involves Sakura/Kanji refocusing their priorities (I’m being brief about this because this part isn’t that important right now lol)

It’s also important to note that Sakura’s allies were being overwhelmed before these two moments, causing him to be more alert/distressed:

And we have the obligatory dead wife flashbacks, of course.

The main thing that sets these scenes apart, however, is when Sakura and Suo interfere with each other, and the context behind it.

In KEEL, Sakura stops Suo from losing control, insisting that there are more important things to do rather than focusing on one person (even though Nirei had been hurt)

Though Suo questions Sakura at first, we can see how quickly his thoughts shift when Sakura admits that he’s really mad at himself [for failing as a leader].

We see Suo calming down the more Sakura talks (even though he tries to escape from his grasp in the middle of it). Suo soon rationalizes and agrees with Sakura, even teasing him in classic Suo fashion to deflect from his strong outburst earlier.

Then we get one out of the two meaningful introspections that we’ve received from Suo so far right after:

Keep in mind, most of Suo’s internal dialogue have consisted of one-off quips about the situation around him, with them being enclosed in thought bubbles.

We barely see any sort of meaningful internal dialogue from him otherwise (compared to the other prominent characters such as Nirei, Ume, Tsubaki, Endo, and Sakura who is the MC) This writing choice is probably deliberate in order to keep the mysterious/unknown aspect of his character consistent.

The only other time we see this from Suo is in Noroshi, and his introspection is, once again, about Sakura.

This moment in KEEL is not only important for Nirei and Sakura’s developments, but it is also highly important for Suo; especially because we see two hidden aspects of his character drawn out by Sakura and Nirei. In essence, Chapter 50 main focus is on Suo, a character who is so closed off and ambiguous, and brings him to the limelight (given that the chapters title is literally named ‘Extreme Emotions’, which refers to Suo’s outburst).

In Roppo Ichiza however, things are different. This scene mainly focuses on Sakura, since we constantly see his internal dialogue echo throughout the chapter.

When Kanji gives out his orders, we can see Sakura doubt himself, both internally and externally. Suo, being the observant person he is, probably picked up on this.

So when Kanji yells his cue, Suo immediately rushes to grab Sakura’s hand and drags him to Shizuka, instead of letting him follow Suo himself.

Unlike KEEL, this interaction is very blunt and straightforward. It is a simple one-pager, rather than the multiple paged dedicated to their previous confrontation in the shipyard. Though Sakura protests, Suo merely reassures him of their main objective, and Sakura just lets Suo take him away.

We even see Sakura verbally resisting, while Suo had physically resisted before.

But after Suo says his words, Sakura immediately doubts himself again, wishing that he could do more in this situation.

I believe that this contrasts Suo’s introspection back in Chapter 50. Though Suo looks up to Sakura and even feels that he can never compete with him, Sakura himself doesn’t even think he’s enough [as a person]. It really shows how the other people in Sakura’s life really respect him, while Sakura can’t even respect himself.

In the end, Suo and Sakura look out for each other in times of need, and guide each other when necessary despite resistance; a push and pull relationship.

Also, it’s really cute how Suo and Sakura didn’t even let go of each other in the next chapter. Like Shizuka is right there, what are you guys even doing lol

[codecicle-archive]

if you're not freakin it with me you're freaking it against me

[catapultry]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH its fine its ok its alright its ok its lovely im full of love

[glitter-hound]

when you're just chillin but then you think about the fact that the bts photo of the s14 macdennis bed scene has a bible set in between mac and dennis and in the final shot it isn't there which means rcg is very intentional with small details in regards to mac and dennis' relationship and now you have to chew your fingers off over-analyzing every scene of them post-mac coming out because knowing this fact helps lend actual credence to any tiny macdennis details you notice that could otherwise be shrugged off as coincidental or irrelevant

[nyxcii-official]

Honestly the MCSM community on Tumblr is so chill... Feel like it's the only place I can post my art without getting 50 "why does it look like that" or something along those lines.

[3lizab3t]

sketches from the last week

[mipexch]

1014 blast 2

[ajastu]

god okay. sorry for yet another text post. but i'm just still thinking about the argument that veilguard is bad because the only option re: morality of your player character that it gives is kindness.

Now, to preface. I understand where this criticism comes from. Veilguard IS a departure from the general scheme of the previous games, in several aspects. And i understand how people would be upset at not having quite the same kind of options/ways to influence the world. It took me some getting used to, also.

What i do disagree with, however, is using that to claim that the game is bad, irredeemable, and also meaningless n soft or whatever.

Because it's really not. It's just different, with a different narrative focus. I've played the previous games several times, and as i said before, origins is in first place for me. Veilguard is a very close second. And i'm not more right or wrong in this opinion than someone who thinks datv is the worst game in the series.

You can still make choices that will influence the world in wildly different ways, they're just not... ''genocide or no genocide'' kinds of choices. Which i can see how some people would not consider the difference significant enough to be interesting for them personally. Which is whatever, im not their dad, i dont really care.

However. I think it's kind of weird to say that ''the game made me resent being a nice person'' or that "kindness you dont have the choice not to offer isnt worth a lot"

Like, game criticism aside. That is just an objectively weird thing to say.

There are ways to phrase that particular dissatisfaction in a way that will not make most people side-eye you. This is not one of those ways.

The thing is, it was a deliberate choice in characterization. Since game development at AAA scale is. an incredibly complex beast, i suspect there were many different reasons for it, and not all of them purely narrative. It is also not 2009 anymore. We are not getting another Origins, like, probably ever.

But. Rook is established in the very second cutscene to care about other people. It makes sense narratively, too, with Varric being the one to recruit them. Their backstory also shows that they gravitate towards the 'moral' choices. It's not bad writing. It's deliberate.

That does not mean that everyone has to like it. And i don't think the people who are upset about the change in this gameplay aspect are stupid or wrong.

We are all different people with different preferences, and i really am sorry if the game ended up being a disappointment for you. I know how it feels, and it does suck.

But i also do think it might be worth to examine the way people choose to phrase this complaining. The claim that kindness is somehow diminished in value if you aren't offered the choice to be cruel alongside it. I just think that, like. misses the point of what kindness is?

I know what those people mean when they say it, i just...fundamentally disagree with the sentiment. And i think phrasing it in this way is incredibly weird. sorry 🤷‍♂️

There is a better way to talk about this particular complaint. I just never actually SEE that being done. and i do think a lot of it comes from not actually engaging with the source material people are trying to criticize. Like, the person i sort of quoted earlier explicitly said they have not finished the game. If you never give something a chance in the first place, if all the information you have is second-hand, then i do not find your criticism valuable in any way. There is no substance to it, no backing. You are not proving a point, you're just chasing your own tail at that point. There isnt even a bone to chew. You've only heard of the bone. you havent actually experienced it.

Another part is people being too twisted up in the emotion of disappointment to actually see that they're not making compelling arguments, necessarily, and that they're actually being a tar pit.

I know not everyone thinks as much about the push towards dismissing the value of kindness for kindness' sake as i do. But like. It really is very weird to see this insistence that game bad bcs it didnt have the option to do a murder to an innocent person, or something. While also dismissing the horrible things we Are shown as 'not in your face enough'.

And honestly, personally? I dont love origins or any of the other ones specifically for the ability to choose the evil options. It's never even been a choice for me, because you can very well play the games without having to make the bad choices. theres always a workaround. And that workaround doesnt even harm u in any significant way. there isnt an actual like. terrible complexity here. I enjoy the dwarf politics quest a lot but ultimately, knowing the outcome? its EASY to choose Bhelen. Unless you're playing a dwarf noble origin, i guess. Rip Harrowmont 🙏 you would have made a terrible king.

And again, my personal opinion is not more right or wrong than that of someone who adored the prev dragon age games exactly because they allow you to make some terrible terrible moral choices.

At the end of the day. why are people still so pissed about a game that came out almost 6 months ago that many of them havent even played in the first place? Relax. take a walk if you can. Maybe move a snail out of the road if you find one. There tends to be a lot of them after it rains. Think about the ones that didn't make it. Try to find compassion for lives so easily dismissed. Maybe that will make you think about whether or not kindness on its own really is so lacking in value.

[waywardstation]

Cloud Gazing

Ingo and Akari make out shapes of Pokémon in the clouds while taking a break from training.

This is a low-effort segment I had written to try and get myself used to just writing again -- just one simple interaction that can focus on dialogue! Nothing much goes on, just more uncle Ingo content ^^

OR read here on AO3!

Enjoy!

—————

“Hmm… well then, what about that one?”

Akari’s eyes followed Ingo’s finger as he pointed up towards one of the smaller clouds that had separated from the rest.

“That one-” Akari hummed for a moment, considering as she squinted against the sunlight. “That’s a grumpy Paras.”

Ingo’s laugh, while quiet, was one of surprise. “Grumpy? Why’s it grumpy?”

“It’s got angry eyebrows, see?” Now it was Akari’s turn to point, doing her best to try and guide his eyes to the details she interpreted. “There are its claws, and there are the mushrooms on the top.”

“I see,” He reassured her, though she suspected he couldn’t entirely make out what she saw.

The Fieldlands’ tall grass swayed as another gust swept across it, stringing along fallen leaves. The large clouds overhead covered the area in expansive traveling shadows, providing a cool reprieve from the sun — a perfect day to relax in between training sessions.

The two had opted to battle outside Jubilife’s gates today seeing as Freight, Akari’s alpha Shieldon, had recently evolved into a Bastiodon. He barely fit in the training grounds’ battle arena now, so Ingo had suggested a more open area for the sake of the surrounding buildings.

Now taking a break after several well-fought matches, Ingo’s Probopass — Freight’s battle partner — had joined the Bastiodon by one of the nearby streams to soak and cool down. Ingo and Akari had followed suit by lying down in the tall grasses. While Ingo had seemed content to just lie there and rest his legs, the break had only made Akari grow restless. It hadn’t been long before she began looking to the sky for something to find, and had started pointing out shapes of Pokémon she recognized to the warden.

“Ok wait, now it's your turn to do one. What does…” Akari scanned the sky for a moment, searching for a lone cloud. “That one look like to you?”

Ingo, who had taken the previous silence as a moment to rest his eyes, blinked up wearily; it seemed the idea of a nap was tugging at him. But he observed the cloud as it passed overhead, squinting until it graciously covered the sun from view.

“An upside-down Avalugg.” He concluded after a considerable amount of time, sounding rather confident in his answer.

“What?” Now Akari couldn’t help but blurt out a giggle, turning to look at him. “Why’s it upside down?”

“Its underside is completely flat,” The man reasoned, Akari's contagious laughter inflecting his own tone. “A perfect resemblance of an Avalugg’s back.”

Akari watched the cloud pass overhead until it once again revealed the sun from behind it. “Alright, I can kind of see it. Now… do that one over there.”

She pointed to a tall, splotchy cloud. Akari immediately thought it looked like a Hisuian Lilligant, but she wanted to know what Ingo saw.

The man gave another long stretch to ponder before he answered, though there was a certain expression on his face now, replacing the genuine thoughtfulness he conveyed earlier. “That one appears to be a Basculin with two long legs.”

“Hey!” If he wasn’t joking around with her before, he was now. “It doesn’t work like that!”

“Says who?” He sounded rather proud of himself for getting her a second time. “It’s what I see!”

“Oh fine,” Akari’s smile stayed as she returned her gaze to the sky, browsing for another shape. This time, she picked out the most convoluted, misshapen cloud she could find. It didn’t look like anything — surely this would stump him. “Ok, now do that one.”

“Two Mr. Mimes fighting over a chair.” His answer was immediate this time.

“Sto-op!” More laughter broke Akari’s outburst as she playfully shoved his shoulder. “You didn’t even look at it!”

“That is what I observed!” He insisted, keeping it going as she continued to push at him. “Look, there’s the chair in the middle, and over on the left, you can clearly discern a fist pulled back, ready to punch-”

“No you can’t!” Akari had to sit up now with how much she was laughing. By now the cloud had begun to separate at its thinnest areas, practically gone to the wind. “There’s nothing even there anymore!”

“You asked what I saw!” His gaze followed her up as he stayed where he was, lying in the grass with an amused smile in his eyes. “I am simply answering your questions!”

“Liar!” Getting up, Akari nudged him in the side with one of her legs. “Come on, I think Freight’s ready to train again. Can we do some more battles now?”

Sure enough, the overgrown Pokémon was lumbering back up the hill towards them, his own Probopass following behind — the two of them had probably been attracted to their laughter more than anything, but Ingo had to admit he was looking forward to getting back into battling too.

“Of course, Miss Akari,” The man sat back up with some effort, then got back to his feet. “Let’s get back on track with our training, then.”

[aroaceleovaldez]

i think the thing that gets me the most about the plot of Court of the Dead as announced so far is, like TSATS it... has no reason to be the plot? Except even less so this time. Cause TSATS was at least slightly different from the plot point it was repeating ("Tartarus Adventure™", but CotD is entirely centered on... a fact of the franchise that has existed at least as early as Sea of Monsters.

"Some monsters are choosing not to be evil!" You mean. the entire central plot of Sea of Monsters? That one? That Tyson is not evil and not all monsters are out to kill demigods and Annabeth needed to get over her internalized ableism prejudice against cyclopes and Percy help Tyson to be accepted at CHB? A theme that is repeated throughout the series ad nauseam? The absolute plethora of allied monsters? The camp harpies? The Party Ponies? Mrs. O'Leary? Briares? All of Percy's cyclops half-siblings who live with Poseidon? Ella? The literal entire peaceful monster population of Camp Jupiter explicitly established since the first time we saw Camp Jupiter? And that Rick clearly did not forget about, cause he referenced it throughout the entirety of HoO and then also prominently in Tyrant's Tomb, including establishing that as being part of why Tyson and Ella live there now!!!!

Heck, that's even also half the plot of TSATS. What do you MEAN "Omg monsters are choosing to be good now!" like it's news??? That's the ENTIRE FRANCHISE...