#source code give me strength

[moldysourlemons]

When the wave vapors or something idk im from '07

Every ui aspect of this mod needs to be either Windows 95, vaporwave, or both.

[blueberrybirdsworld]

Collision 2/20

Summary:

Lando always had a type : blonde, models, not ready to settle down. Yet once he met her, all his world is changed and he slowly start to realises maybe he was wrong all this time.

It's a prequel story of The Cat Distribution System, on how Lando Norris fall in love with Ariana. Could be read seperatly.

Pairing : lando norris x original female character

Genre : Fluff, slow burn, enventual smut and angst

Warning : none

Serie Masterlist

CHAPTER 2 : SMAU

@landonorris accidentally became the DJ again

📍London

@pietrapilao: you pressed two buttons and acted like you closed Coachella 💀 @maxfewtrell: never seen a man take credit for autoplay this confidently @carlos55: we left you alone for 5 minutes and this happens @oscarpiastri: how much to make this stop @maxverstappen1: your dj era again?? help. @chaoticgp: every off-season has its villain arc and this one’s giving ✨dj lando✨ @landozoned: this man cannot stay away from a soundboard @mclarenwitch: i just KNOW he said “trust me, I got this” before messing everything up @gridgirliez: lando the club menace is back and we’re not surviving

@arianariverria slow mornings, long rehearsals, quiet evenings 🤍

📍London

@maya.ross: the “main character in a French film” energy is overwhelming @juliettedlcrx: this post just cured my anxiety @claireballetco: i gasped at slide 2. actual sculpture. @balletwithluna: you live in an aesthetic moodboard and i’m just passing through @ellieharperballet: how do you make pink look like a power color @sylviaballet: the definition of stillness in strength @softshoesandsatin: every slide is a different kind of calm

@gridwatchgossip Spotted 👀 #LandoNorris seen behind the DJ booth and chatting closely with a mystery brunette at a London club a few nights ago during winter break. Sources say she wasn’t part of his usual crew, and the two were seen talking more than once throughout the night. No clear photos of the girl — but fans are already buzzing. 👀

@landozoned: NOT ANOTHER DJ ERA LMAOOO @softlandoz: "mystery brunette" is PR-speak for heartbreak incoming @tifosibae: girl if you see this, blink twice for a soft launch @chaoticgp: she better be able to handle his freak @gridtea: lando deep in convo = man is hooked @mclarencurls: plot twist: she’s the reason he didn’t break anything at the DJ booth @numberonechaos: new WAG watch? it's always the winter break

Texts messages :

Group Chat — "🌟 Chaos Trio 🌟"

Pietra: Gentle reminder that you both owe me for putting up with your entire existence last weekend So this Saturday: ballet night. Royal Opera House. We’re going.

Max Fewtrell: wait are we seriously doing this ?

Lando: is this revenge for making you walk through Mayfair with us for 3 hours

Pietra: No. This is me adding culture to your lives because I love one of you and tolerate the other

Max Fewtrell: I’m assuming I’m the one you love but I can’t be completely sure right now

Lando: I’m honored to be tolerated. truly.

Pietra: Dress code is smart. No trainers. No caps.

Max Fewtrell: Define “smart.” Because last time you said that I ended up in a turtleneck at a BBQ

Pietra: Blazer. Nice shirt. Clean shoes. Try not to look like you rolled out of a Twitch stream

Lando: so basically dress like Max but without the part where he’s trying to impress you

Max Fewtrell: rude but not inaccurate

Lando: ok but what if I fall asleep hypothetically

Pietra: Then I will elbow you in the ribs gently. and Max will pretend not to know you

Max Fewtrell: I’m bringing espresso and a respectful attitude also please hold my hand if it gets dramatic

Pietra: obviously it’s Tchaikovsky. we will feel things.

Lando: so we clap when? during? after? I don’t want to be the guy clapping in a tragic death scene

Pietra: clap when everyone else claps don’t start anything, don’t shout "bravo" in random moments

Max Fewtrell: ok but if the intermission has macarons I’ll call it a success

Lando: deal. I’m only coming for the macarons

Pietra: See? We’re growing. 6pm sharp. Don’t be late or I’m giving your ticket to someone cultured.

Taglist : @angelluv16, @httpsxnox, @anunstablefangirl, @chocolatemagazinecupcake, @mayax2o07, @freyathehuntress, @verogonewild

Let me know if you wanted to be added to the taglist !

[stagefoureddiediaz]

https://www.tumblr.com/stagefoureddiediaz/782760653117063168?source=share

What could the check pattern mean? 👀👀

(Also I swear if they end up cutting this scene 😐😐😐)

Hey Dru!!!

I’m truly fascinated by this shirt choice for Eddie for a scene with Hen! I’ve been expecting and waiting for an Eddie and hen conversation the entire season - since the plane disaster - and I’m finally finally getting my wish and it’s accompanied with a intriguing costume choice and in an episode that plays heavily into the juice theme surrounding Eddie this season!

Firstly I want to touch on the fact that no watch is visible - I think I can see the outline of it on his wrist, but it isn’t visible. Then there is also the black Henley - something we see Eddie wearing several times across the seasons - nearly always in scenes connected to eddies family in some way - and we have a clear split in when he wears a black Henley - we see him in one in 215, 217 and 218 and then we don’t see him wear one again until 605, followed by 609, 614 and 701. The 701 one is the most interesting one as it’s the scenes connected to Chris and his multiple girlfriends and his talk with Buck and the. Later when Eddie gives him the letter from Shannon. It’s a series of scenes that really highlights the place of Buck in the Diaz family, and the co-parentsl role Eddie is putting Buck in - is trusting Buck in. So I do think we’ll see some element of this hen-Eddie scene be about family - and most likely about Christopher and his return to LA (or even if he has returned to LA as we don’t know how it’s all going to play out at this point) but the scene will definitely feature some element of conversation about Chris.

So back to the shirt Eddie is wearing - it is in his typical style - for the most part - we have breast pockets that are incredibly similar to the ones we’ve seen on other shirts he wears - shirts I would bill as his LA shirts or style, but the rest of the cut of the shirt is a mixture of Eddies LA and Texas styles - mostly his Texas style. The check is in keeping with his Texas look, so I’m not sure at this point if it’s going to be Eddie still in LA post funeral - before he leaves to return home to El Paso, or if it is Eddie newly returned to LA and the style is a hangover from him being in Texas - in a similar way to how we saw eddies style change over season 2 - moving away from El Paso style - less and less denim and a change in fit and less check and actually a more narrow colour palette!

My feeling at this moment is that it’s a scene shortly after Eddie has fully returned to LA - in part because of his hair and how happy and relaxed he looks in the still, and the fact that we have no reason to think that Eddie did more than fly in for the funeral before returning to El Paso (something I’m sure Tim will magically be expecting us to know even though it will have happened off screen!), but it it truly could be either option because a conversation with Hen in either context is going to work and is going to be important.

One of the reasons I’m so on the fence about it is the fact that it’s a pink shirt - and pink has been very intentionally been connected to eddies search for himself and for joy - his own joy - that is not connected to or about Christopher (directly). As you can see it’s a much more of a ‘dirty’ pink - a pink with brownish undertones - still in the same zone as the other pale pinks we’ve seen him in previously and in the same zone as bucks own forray into pale pink - with his cardigan.

It’s worth pointing out at this moment that all of the above uses of that pale pinks can be read as queer coded to a fairly big degree, and all three scenes are very buddie heavy as well - in different ways - showingn and highlighting different aspects of their relationship and its strength.

Now to me the check aspect of it is suggesting that this conversation is more than likely go somewhere Eddie isn’t either ‘ready for’ or isn’t going to like having pointed out to him - which for me is screaming that it’s about the Buck of it all because there isn’t a lot else it could be about and as I’ve just shown/ explained the use of the pale pink we’ve seen in the show in connection with Eddie and Buck is very buddie, especially buddie relationship coded. So the check is seemingly going to be about Eddie having his worldview changed in some way - because the check always means danger of some sort for the character - but danger isn’t always bad and invariably the person in check (especially when it’s a main) is having their plot moved forward in some way and the danger they face is the way that movement happens. My working theory is that the Eddie hen conversation will be connected to Bobbys ‘death’ and will come around to Buck in some way.

Then there is one last aspect to this new pink Eddie shirt - that is Buck unpacking his things in the Diaz house - finally moving himself in and letting himself accept his new reality. The shirt Buck is wearing is slightly more in the brown side of things than eddies new shirt - but it has very pink undertones and they are the same tonal shades. So we have a scene where Buck allows himself to accept and actually begin to exist in a space that he has struggled with because of its connection to Eddie, Chris, and all that Buck has ‘lost’ - a space that he’s never been a guest in because it’s Eddies house - a space that is still tied to Eddie because it’s eddies lease and Buck is subletting. Coming off the back of two scenes with two people pointing out the Eddie of it all and actively questioning bucks feelings - where eddies straightness is also brought up in both scenes. It’s very definitely an intentional costuming colour choice and it’s making me think that perhaps the reference to Buck that we might be getting is going to be about the roommates era we seem likely to be about to get - maybe hen questioning Eddie about his living arrangements if Buck is in eddies house - if Buck has found a new place now Eddie is back or something in that wheelhouse - about the idea of that connection and about existing in a space and of that space being a safe space.

This is of course all speculation on my part based on the colours and the way the show has previously used colour and even check patterning on Eddie or around Eddie - we’ll find out how close I was to the mark when the episode airs, but it isn’t a common colour and it’s not one the show has used much and the fact we’ve got so much of it in the last couple of seasons and in connection with one characters arc specifically is making me feel a certain level of confidence in my predictions - i really do hope I’m right!

[imsobadatnicknames2]

Been working on this for a bit: Ensam Själ. It's a set of tools and procedures for Mörk Själ, my soulslike hack of Mörk Borg.

In it you will find a 2d10-based Yes/No oracle with a chance for random events, a variety of dark fantasy-themed spark tables, and a set of specific procedures for exploration using these tools.

It takes inspiration from a lot of different solo and GM-less rules, such as Mythic GM Emulator, Conjectural Roleplaying GM Emulator, Game Master’s Apprentice, Solitary Defilement, FORGE, and my very own Pocket Delver (If you've played Pocket Delver, the last set of random tables should look pretty familiar)

As always, licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0, so feel free to poach and steal any bits and pieces you like from it.

It costs $5 USD, but there are 10 community copies available, and I will be adding a new community copy for each sale made. Also, for the next two months it will be available at a discounted price for everyone who already owns the full version of Mörk Själ.

Plus. If community copies run out and you still want a free copy because you can't or just don't feel like paying for it... you can just message me about it, and I'll be more than happy to give you a download code.

Anyway hope y'all enjoy it :)

As a little demonstration of how it works, I will copy the full example of play I included at the end of the document under the cut.

Example of Play

Here is a demonstration of solo play applying the procedures contained in this document.

After randomizing character creation, our chosen undead is Abigeal of Kingfisher Thicket, a Battlemage with a missing foot and vague memories of being betrayed by an old ally.

Abilities: Strength +2, Agility 0, Toughness -1, Presence +2

HP: 5

Inventory: Shortsword, Fur Armor, Lantern, 3 Flasks of oil.

Inventory slots: 4/13

Stamina: 9

Spells: The Fortress, Merciful Sunlight

Her main goal is to track down and punish the old ally who betrayed her, who is...

Roll on NPC spark table: 64 – Arrogant, 16 – Thief

... an arrogant thief by the name of Ciannán the Grinning.

Rolling on the Area spark table (22, 26) we find out that she begins her quest in a flooded prison. I’ve decided that the enemies for this area are: Nuisance: Sewer Rat – Normal: Ghost – Tough: Wraith – Miniboss: Amphibian Shaman – Boss: Giant Sewer Rat.

Let’s generate a room:

Roll for number of exits: 6 - three exits. Roll for cardinal directions: 2 – NE, 4 – SE, 8 – NW. I chose not to roll for exit type for the time being and assume the three of them are horizontal

Roll on room content tables: Encounter: 11 – Nothing. Loot: 8 – Weapon (Roll on weapons table to determine weapon: Femur) . Room feature: 9 – Nothing.

Standing on top of a small ledge, Abigeal looks upon the rest of the flooded room, an abandoned guard post in an ancient, now flooded prison.

Is there a light source in the room? (2d6 on Soul Oracle: 6 – Yes) Luckily, the light that filters from the cracks on the ceiling above is enough to see clearly.

Is the water shallow enough to walk across it? (2d10 on Soul Oracle: 4 – “Yes, and...”) The water is shallow enough to reach all of the doors walking, and barely deep enough to get your feet wet. Due to the Yes, and Response, Doom is increased by 1.

Abigeal ignores the femur floating in the water, instead going to check the coffer beside the old guard table.

Is there anything of value in the coffer? (2d10+1 on Soul Oracle: 12 – No, but...)

There is nothing in the coffer, but when she crouched down to check it she managed to spot something in the water under the table.

Is it a key? (2d10+1 on Soul Oracle: 8 - Yes)

Abigeal grabs the key she spotted under the table, and then finally decides to check the door to the Northeast.

Room generation:

Roll for number of exits: 2 – None, the room has no doors other than the one she came in through.

Roll on room content tables:

Encounter: 16 – 1d3 tough enemies. Loot: 11 – Nothing. Room feature: 12 – Nothing.

Upon entering the flooded guard barracks, Abigeal suddenly finds herself facing a Wraith. As she wasn’t making any particular effort to conceal herself, she’s spotted almost immediately.

Roll for Wraith HP (4d8): 21

Initiative: Test Agility DR12. 19 - Success, Abigeal acts first.

Knowing she can’t defeat the Wraith head-on, Abigeal tries to use her Merciful Sunlight spell to blind it.

Spellcasting: Test Presence DR12. 18 – Success.

Casting Merciful Sunlight and aiming the bright light directly at the wraith’s eyes, Abigeal manages to blind it for 8 combat rounds (There is no set effect for blinding, but I’ve decided the DR to avoid the wraith’s attacks has been reduced to 6)

The wraith tries to hit Abigeal, but she easily avoids its touch and counterattacks with her shortsword, just barely managing to hit its almost incorporeal form. She decides to spend one Stamina to add one damage die to her attack, hitting with 2d4 for 7 damage.

I will omit the full play-by-play narration of the encounter, but Abigeal manages to defeat the wraith after seven rounds of combat, with her HP reduced to 4 and her Stamina Reduced to 3, and earns 250 souls. She rolls her weapon’s Usage Die, but luckily it comes up 3, so her weapon isn’t damaged. However, when rolling her armor’s UD it comes up 1, so her armor receives one level of wear and its UD is reduced from d8 to d6.

After stopping to catch her breath, she recovers 2 Stamina, and decides to examine the room.

Is there any container for guards’ belongings still intact?

(2d10+1 on Soul Oracle: 3 – Yes, And...)

There is not only one, but several barrels and coffers containing the former guards’ belongings. Among them, she finds 2 bombs, a net, 20 ft of rope, and a spear. Due to the Yes, and Response, Doom is increased by 1.

Abigeal takes the spear and the two bombs and adds them to her inventory.

She then heads back to the guard post, now taking the door to the southeast.

Roll for number of exits: 3 – One exit. Roll for cardinal directions: 3 – East. Roll for exit type: 3 – Horizontal.

Roll on room content tables:

Encounter: 11 – Nothing. Loot: 16 – Random scroll. Room feature: 14 – Major obstacle.

Rolling on a spark table to determine what the obstacle is, I decided to roll Verb + Subject

31 – Increase. 16 - Adversity

Towards the center of this room, the water level is much higher respective to the floor, making it impossible to traverse to the other side walking.

Is the scroll on the side of the room Abigeal can reach on foot? (2d10+2 on Soul Oracle: 11 – Random Event)

A random event occurs. Before determining what it is, I resolve the yes/no question by looking at the result of the higher of the two dice. As it’s an even number (8), the answer is yes, the scroll is floating on the side of the room Abigeal can reach on foot.

Roll for event type: 12 – Reveal

Something is revealed to not be what it initially seemed. I decided to roll Adjective + Subject and...

21 – Ancient. 12 – Ally.

Rather serendipitous.

I decided to interpret this as... she suddenly remembers this was an important place for her and Ciannán, back in the old times before the undead curse.

Is this where he betrayed her? (2d10+2 on Soul Oracle: 21 – No, and...)

This doesn’t seem to be the case, quite the opposite, in fact. Due to the No, and Response, Doom is reduced by 1.

Is this where they met? (2d10+1 on Soul Oracle: 10 – Yes, but...)

She recognizes this as the place they met, but she can barely remember anything from that encounter other than the place itself.

I’m going to stop playing here for the time being, closing this example of play on what I think is the most interesting note so far.

[thesummerstorms]

Antaam Invasion of Antiva:

Almost all of this is repurposed from something else I was trying to work out for myself, before finding one single line of a codex entry that answered my question but I had somehow skipped every time prior to now. I figured it might still be a useful reference post for someone, so I reformatted, cut some stuff, and added some stuff.

Blue text is proven fact, red text is inference/supposition by me.

---

As of the quest, Coffee with the Crows, Antiva as a whole is still occupied by the Antaam.

Evidence: Codex: A Letter from House de Riva

"Now we have Qunari in control of all Antiva. Treviso is like their favorite toy. They flaunt the occupation here, showing off how they took charge of our poor, lawless people for their own good. I know you [Lucanis] just got out and too much has happened already, but we still have work to do."

----

2. The King of Antiva is still free, not under house arrest or a hostage, etc. However, he is not currently assisting with the resistance towards Qunari occupation.

Evidence: Multiple pieces of in game dialogue (sourced from the script file, but I have heard most in game) + Codex: King's Draft: Action on the Behalf of Antiva

Teia (Codex): We aren't required to give His Majesty a point-by-point, but he's your blood, Viago. It is a courtesy to let him know we are going to war."

Rook de Riva: "We Crows are all the army Antiva has, but it's not like we can field a garrison. Outside support?" Teia: "The king would say to call on us. The price for being patriots."

Ivenci: "Without you, the king would be forced to deal with this mess. To give proper power to real officials."

Teia: People are desperate. We need to arrange shipments of water from further inland. Viago : (snorts) Maybe the king can be convinced to build an aqueduct—if we involve his favorite sculptors. Teia : It is not a bad time to ask him for aid. Viago : (sighs) I'll go.

----

3. The Antaam started by invading Antiva and northern Rivain, then used that as a launch point to conquer half of the rest of northern Thedas.

Evidence: Codex Entry: The Antaam Invasion

When the Antaam invaded the South, the people there were completely unprepared. Antiva and northern Rivain were overrun quickly, with the invaders pushing down through the Green Dales to the Minanter River, leaving only the southernmost of the Free Marches spared. From there, the Antaam pushed west, overpowering Tevinter magic with gaatlok cannons and brute strength until the defenders finally held at Vyrantium. Nevarra was spared, likely due to the Antaam fears of necromancy and unwillingness to attack until Tevinter was conquered, but almost half of northern Thedas fell to Antaam rule in just a few years...

My messy PowerPoint annotated/color coded map:

(I had to guess where exactly counted as "southern Free Marches", but I feel like the Minanter River makes the most likely boundary given its explicit mention in the codex.)

----

4. Initial occupation of some parts of Antiva was implied to be particularly brutal, though no specifics are given.

Evidence: In game dialogue, confirmed by the script file.

Ivenci: "You know what the Antaam did elsewhere in Antiva. And in every other city they occupied."

----

4. Although the Antaam still hold all of Antiva, they have struggled with supply chains as none of their support teams defected with them. They have been reliant on seizing the resources of occupied territories, presenting a possible weakness.

Evidence: Codex Entry: The Antaam Invasion; in game dialogue

It is also important to note that the Antaam fought alone. With little in the way of supply lines or experts in food production—the craftspeople and strategic experts who would normally support them had not broken from the Qun when the Antaam did—the invaders needed to attack to keep eating. When they encountered resistance that would have forced a siege, the Antaam invasion stalled. The kithshoks who wished only to conquer now had to learn to rule the lands they would claim.

Lucanis: The Crows may have something. The Antaam are moving large quantities of supplies out of the city. Weapons, armor, gaatlok…And food. About half our remaining provisions. Enough to feed the Antaam navy.

Civilian 1: You went to the physician? Civilian 2 : She stitched it well enough. Gave me what she could to ward infection. Civilian 2 : What she could? Civilian 1 : The Antaam confiscated half her supplies. Said they need it for their army.

-----

5. Josephine Montilyet's family and their estate in Antiva City appear to be safe, and potentially operating somewhat normally . Antiva City is also the capital where the King reigns.

Source: Codex: Notes from the Inquisition (if Josephine was romanced); DA:I dialogue placing the family home in Antivan City, Eight Little Talons

"The family writes the weather back home is beautiful. I do miss our quiet times together." "When we return to Antiva, I will ask you, on the steps of the estate, if you will do me a great honor. And I dream you will say yes." "Yvette and Lord Otranto send their best wishes, and hope to see us back home in time to welcome their third child."

Josephine: Well. My parents are alive, and in good health. They live in our estate in Antiva City.

Teia snatched his walking stick and twirled it in the air. “Are you going straight home to Salle?” [Viago] sighed and shook his head. “Antiva City.” “To brief His Royal Fatherliness?” She balanced the stick on the tip of her boot.

-----

6. Teia and Viago have left behind their home territories of Rialto and Salle to join with Caterina in Treviso.

It's unknown if the presence of the Cantori Diamond predates the occupation, but this might mean they are choosing to show a united front in the city most threatened or most symbolic and move outward from there to then retake their own territories.

Possibly this is a deliberate alliance due to Teia, Viago, and Caterina being three of the four Talons to survive the initial attempt to sell Antiva out to the Antaam by a rival House.

Evidence: Eight Little Talons, Codex: A Letter from House de Riva

"Teia had a garden full of the bell shaped flowers in Rialto."

"Andoral [Teia's horse] rarely gets a chance to let loose in Rialto.

"Teia snatched [Viago's] walking stick and twirled it in the air. “Are you going straight home to Salle?”

Now we have Qunari in control of all Antiva. Treviso is like their favorite toy.

This might also be supported by the unimplemented Codex Entry: Many Houses, One Roost. However, many things in the game files were struck on purpose, or contradict the final canon.

7. The Antaam control the port in Treviso, limiting the availability of supplies. However, they don't entirely restrict entering ships, instead taking a "cut" of the foodstuffs they do permit.

Rivain at least is working to send supplies through anyway.

Evidence: Codex Entry: On the Invasion, in game dialogue, Note: Flour Covered Grocery List

Treviso has always been a free port. Even the Merchant Princes respect this. Their fortunes exist because we trade and work where we will. So of course, the first act of the Antaam invasion was to blockade our trading ships with their dreadnoughts

Crow Prisoner: The Antaam kept me alive so they could use me to trick Rivain into sending more supplies....Thank you for your timely arrival. I'll get the supplies to Treviso… and pay back the Antaam there.

A list in Lucanis's handwriting: -Spring onions -Green cabbage -Short-grain rice -Vinegar (white, for pickling) -Vinegar (dark, for dipping with bread) -Coffee beans (for Neve, when she is back) Cinnamon, please! —Bellara If it can be found. The Antaam's navy takes its share from whatever trading ships pass through Treviso. —Lucanis

8. The Antaam across nations aren't working together, but have broken into smaller bands. Any coordination seems to be from the Evanuris.

The Butcher seems primarily occupied with Treviso, so we have no information about who is occupying the rest of Antiva or any alliances they might have.

Evidence: Warlords of the Antaam

It is easy to think that the Antaam broke from the Qunari as one, but the reality is that of a vase shattering into countless shards, each broken in its own way, reflecting the warlord who now leads each kith. Some, like the Butcher in Treviso, use their new freedom to indulge in cultures long forbidden to them. Others, like Ataashok (Dragon King) or Isskatari (Master Killer) in Rivain, reject foreign cultures and either lean on the trappings of the Antaam or invent a heritage to inspire the loyalty of their soldiers. What seems consistent among the Antaam warlords is cruelty, from Baqounasaar (Flaming Wind), whose ships terrorize the northern coast, to Kashtaar (Jewel-Taker), whose kith have become a bandit army in the mountains outside Marothius.

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

Further cut information about the Antaam Invasion that can be found in the game files, but aren't technically canon due to remaining unimplemented: Codex Entry: Observations on the Antaam, Codex Entry: Many Houses, One Roost, Codex Entry: No Need for Armies

[percheduphere]

LET’S TALK ABOUT EXPLORING LOKI & MOBIUS THROUGH THE LENS OF QUEER EXPERIENCE

Thank you for this request, @nabananab 

Before I dig into this juicy ask, I think it’s important to note (however obvious the fact maybe) that an individual’s unique engagement with art is an inherent and integral part of art. The intention of the artist and the sociopolitical influence of culture, while important in our interpretation of a work, are not the sole source of drawing the work’s meaning. We are all artists in one form or another. I consider myself one of the pen, and nothing is more important to me than art giving someone a sense of emotional connection. I should hope other artists would agree, and for this reason I am an ardent believer in art taking on a life of its own once it has been created. The creator’s word, while it matters to some degree, does not supersede an individual’s relationship with the creation. Our histories, our desires, our fears, our likes, our dislikes, indeed our infiniteness as fragile human beings, allow us to create an elevated, spiritual interpretation beyond the confines of original intent. With art, there is no such thing as “reaching” or “reading too deeply”. 

I leave this message with all of you as we look at these beloved characters through the lens of queer experience. 

LOKI 

Culture influences what we see and hear, which in turn influences artistic portrayal. Setting aside Norse myth, Marvel’s Loki is a classic example of a queer-coded villain (later canonized as a queer antihero). Deception, daggers, sexual temptation, transformation, and magic are all culturally tied to the “immoral” facets of femininity. Just as a strong, independent woman untethered to the control of man is deemed a “wicked woman”, a man demonstrating gender ambiguity and like qualities is similarly judged. Only masculinity is viewed as pure and good, and this no doubt was—and continues to be—a key force in white, western colonization’s destructiveness. It all but crushed our rich global history of divine femininity, gender diversity, and romantic and sexual expression. 

Asgard, as Marvel portrays it, is without a doubt a masculine-dominant warrior society. Only two women feature prominently: Queen Frigga and Lady Sif. Whereas Sif embraces her masculine qualities and fits in easily with Thor and the Warriors Three, Queen Frigga embraces her feminine powers, though her authority is submissive to the All-Father, Odin. Her influence is most heavily seen in her adopted son, Loki, with whom she shared and taught magic in hopes that Loki might “feel some sun on himself” despite the “long shadows [Thor] and [Odin]” cast. The magic that Frigga gifts Loki, however, attracts scorn. The subtext here is that Loki’s specialness, his individuality, comes from feminine powers despite presenting as a man, and a gender ambiguous one at that. Unlike Thor and Odin, he is not masculine. While strong, he does not exhibit Thor’s brute strength. He is cautious, thoughtful, another feminine quality, whereas Thor’s courageousness often veers toward foolhardy and brash.  

Thus, if Loki cannot be loved and accepted as he is (a queer person of another race), he will force love and acceptance through the power of the throne. Kings oft inspire fear, coercing subjects to love them whether they wish to or not. But we know Loki never truly wanted the throne. The throne is a mere distraction from, perhaps even a poor replacement for, what he truly wants: genuine love and acceptance that cannot be bought. Unfortunately, Loki believes he will never get these things, which is why, when Mobius questions him, Loki’s desire for control (Loki, King of the Midgard; Loki, King of the Nine Realms; Loki, King of Space) can never be satiated. Mobius challenges Loki for the exact purpose of revealing this to him. What do you really want? At this point, Loki does not have the words to form an answer. In S2E5, Syvlie raises the question Mobius originally asked in S1E1. It is then, after experiencing Mobius’s friendship and the other relationships that come to being as a result (including Sylvie’s), that Loki can articulate his answer. 

Loki’s othering, even before the discovery of his true identity as a Jotun (an allegory for a villainized foreign race), creates a lonely environment in which Loki’s potential for goodness is quashed by centuries of resentment, bitterness, and jealousy. His attempts at masculinity take the form of violence, all of which are, as Loki admits in S1E1, “part of the illusion; the cruel elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.”  

Loneliness and the desire for love and acceptance are a universal human experience, but they are felt far more acutely within our intersectional queer communities. 

MOBIUS 

His fascination with Loki is compelling because there are many things we can infer about its reasons. The first, most obvious explanation is Mobius’s “soft spot for broken things”, which is in some ways tied to his qualities as a compassionate, forgiving, and supportive father. A secondary explanation is a wish for partnership. We know from S1 that Mobius’s friendship with Ravonna spanned eons. We later learn in S2E6 that he and Ravonna started out as peers, hunters. They were partners on the field, but where Mobius “failed” because of his humanity, Ravonna “advanced” because of her ruthlessness. This change in relational dynamics left him partner-less. Finally, a third, less obvious reason is Mobius’s desire to express himself in ways Loki does so effortlessly. That desire may come from the suppression and repression of his own softspoken queerness in order to survive the fascist culture of the TVA. 

Mobius is captivating for many reasons. Whereas Loki is a textbook example of culture viewing “queerness as evil”, “queerness as flamboyance”, “queerness as stylishness”, “queerness as loudness”, “queerness as sexual promiscuity and deviance”, “queerness as chaos”, Mobius very much aligns with the image of a straight-passing, repressed queer individual. This is an identity that does not get as much attention or presence in artistic media as it deserves, for there are many who need this representation to reflect them. He is not stereotypically queer by any means: he is not colorful. He is not stylish, flamboyant, or loud. His sex appeal primarily derives from the viewers’ attraction to his personality, though it certainly helps that Owen Wilson is quite handsome.  

Combine these three reasons, and it becomes easy to see how a character (or person!) like Mobius might fall in love with a character (or person!) like Loki.  

There is a certain amount of beautiful irony in how Loki and Mobius affect one another and consequently their identities. Mobius, feeling compassion toward an individual who has been brutally othered and oppressed, seeks to free Loki from the confines of his narrative, as determined by the “Time Keepers”.  The only feasible way to do this is to bring a variant of Loki out of the timeline and into the TVA. Mobius then provides Loki with the opportunity to change by: acknowledging Loki’s strengths, giving Loki the chance to use his strengths in productive ways, praising Loki when he does well, listening to Loki, believing in Loki, calling out Loki, and accepting Loki as he is, with all his history, without judgement. Mobius does not try to force change like Thor or Odin. Rather, he creates an environment in which change could happen naturally. This kindness and, indeed, what becomes unconditional love by the end of S1E4, allows Loki to embrace his authentic queerness with self-love and use his feminine powers for altruism rather than masking them with self-hatred and masculine rage. 

FREEING LOKI 

In S1E1, Mobius is enthralled with Loki’s hijinks as the handsome, charming, devil-may-care, D.B. Cooper. This minor escapade in Loki’s life, which was likely only intended for laughs by the writer, reveals something interesting about Mobius: Loki’s mischievousness, his magic, his cunning, are all quite endearing to him when no real harm is being inflicted. That is, Loki, when not under duress, is someone to be admired when he’s being himself. We admire in people what we wish we had in ourselves, and this, at times, may lead to powerful attraction. 

Loki, for his part, does much the same for Mobius. The environment (the TVA) which allowed Loki to thrive is also the same environment that has abused and constrained Mobius. 

The heat that Ravonna presses upon Mobius, however, changes his tone with Loki himself. When Loki asks Mobius why he “[sticks] his neck out for [him]”, Mobius provides Loki with two options to choose from: “A. He sees a scared little boy shivering in the cold, or B. He will say whatever he needs to say to get the job done”. Option A, while insulting, has compassion layered beneath the barb. Loki, an expert at cloaking truth with meanness, sees through this and indirectly chooses what he believes to be true in the cafeteria scene: that Mobius feels sympathy for Loki’s painful childhood. The subtext of this acknowledgement is that the true means to the end is reversed: Mobius doesn’t need Loki to catch the Variant on the timelines. Mobius needs the Variant to free Loki from the timelines. The Variant is an excuse and another agent of poetic irony: when Sylvie unleashes the multiverse, she literally frees Loki of his predetermined narrative. 

The conceit of S1E1 is that Mobius intends to use Loki for the “good” of the Sacred Timeline. It is important to remember that characters, while not real, are meant to mirror human complexity. Multiple, seemingly conflicting things may be true concurrently. In S1E2, we see in Mobius’s conversations with Ravonna that he deeply believes in Loki’a capacity to be a wonderful person and wants him to have the opportunity to change. His enthusiasm for these things outshines his desire to catch Sylvie.  

And, because the Variant is Loki, because Sylvie is Loki, because, as she says, “[they] are the same”, Mobius’s own freeing of Loki, his unconditional love for him, cascades from Loki to Sylvie. Sylvie would not be free to live as she pleases if not for Mobius’s compassion for Loki in the first place. 

In S1E4, Loki reveals the TVA’s sham. Mobius’s sense of self becomes fragile alongside his sense of partnership with Loki. But because of our sociopolitical culture’s influence on capitalism, the creative voices of the Loki series self-censures what could be (what is) a queer romance. This self-censureship makes itself known in Mobius’s own self-censureship. His jealousy and heartbreak cannot be spoken directly. It must be spoken through the words of a woman, someone who presents as the opposite sex. Through a looping memory of a scornful Sif telling Loki, “You are alone and always will be”, Mobius makes known the nature of his feelings for him.  

BUT WHO WILL FREE MOBIUS? 

In the same cafeteria scene in S1E2, Loki asks Mobius if he’s ever ridden a jet ski. Mobius’s response is demure, saying him riding one would “cause a branch for sure”. The jet ski gives the audience another clue as to what Mobius seeks in life: something fun, thrilling, and reckless. Yet Mobius sets aside his desires for what he believes is for the good of the TVA, and thus humanity. This suppression and repression of authentic selfhood mirrors the queer experience of living within a heteronormative culture, especially one with religious doctrines that equate pleasure with sinfulness.  

Because Mobius extended his heart, his partnership, his love (symbolized by twin daggers hidden in his locker [a closet]; notably a male phallic symbol of which there are a pair [partners]) and was soundly rejected, Mobius retaliates with the loneliness he himself feels. This loneliness may be interpreted as an allegory for the loneliness of being closeted as opposed to the loneliness of being out but othered. 

Ultimately, Mobius’s love for Loki shifts from selfish desire to unconditional love when he chooses to help Loki save Sylvie. In S1E5, it is conspicuous that after delivering Sylvie safely to Loki’s side, Mobius’s partings words are, “Guess you got away again”, to which Loki replies, “I always do”, which echos the lover’s trope of “the one that got away”. 

[It drives me absolutely bananas that I can't find the specific gif I need when I literally saw it multiple times earlier this week but didn't need it THEN]

Owen’s acting choice is interesting here. He laughs, smiles, then looks down before looking up again, his eyes shifting from fondness to what feels like longing. Mobius extends his hand, a sensible choice for someone who believes his love is unrequited and is unsure of how Loki defines their relationship. Loki, appreciating what Mobius has done for him, closes the distance with an embrace and thanks Mobius for his friendship. 

In S2E1, upon Loki’s time-slipping into the war room, whatever apprehensions Mobius had about physical contact was wiped away by the collapse of the TVA and the memory of Loki’s hug. In this scene, it becomes clear to Mobius that Loki is panicking. He makes the executive decision to use his physical contact as a grounding force, relocates Loki to a quiet environment, asks after Sylvie with no bitterness in his voice, then prioritizes Loki’s physical well-being. Perhaps, in Mobius’s view, his love is unrequited, but there is nothing in place to stop him from expressing that love more freely while honoring Loki’s feelings for Sylvie. This regard, which may be construed as platonic, may also be viewed romantic, courtly love. 

The fight between Loki and Sylvie in S1E6 sets the stage for Mobius to receive Loki and become a refuge for heartbreak.  

S2E2 and S2E3 has Loki’s and Mobius’s temperaments when it comes to investigating flipped. In S1, Mobius was focused on the mission and often had to reign in Loki. In S2, Mobius is more casual, more willing to take his time and enjoy the sleuthing as it unfolds, while Loki administers pressure to stay focused. The question is why? 

In S2E2, Brad attacks Mobius’s sense of self. He points out how weird it is that Mobius is not at all curious about looking at his timeline and stresses that the TVA, and everything in it, isn’t real. Brad calls into question Mobius’s reason for staying. Knowing that the answer is Loki, we can surmise through the queer lens that Brad also corners Mobius into potentially outing himself in front of the object of his affections, someone he believes does not return his feelings, and whose knowledge of those feelings may threaten their friendship. This is a traumatic experience for queer people in the real world, and this extra layer of emotional conflict adds depth to Mobius’s violent response.  

Mobius influenced Loki in a myriad of ways. One that has not been discussed yet is an appreciation for focus and order. Loki, in turn, has cracked the door open for Mobius to explore pleasure. We can speculate that, in his own way, Mobius is testing what happiness could look like living a life between the TVA and the timelines. For him, this means cocktails at the theater, cracker jacks, and exploring the World’s Fair, all of which are pleasurable on their own but are even more so with Loki’s company. His queerness, once again, is quiet, mundane, but playful in its own right, and finally brave enough to explore. These scenes suggest that Mobius is indeed happy at the TVA and, as we see in the finale, this happiness is solely rooted in his relationship with Loki and the emotional intimacy they share together. 

Loki expresses concern for Mobius, noting that he has “never seen him like that before.” Mobius, interestingly, deflects every concern by absurdly blaming Loki: “He got under your skin”, “I was following you!” The psychological undercurrent here is that Loki is the reason why Brad got under Mobius skin. Loki is the person that Mobius will follow.  

Loki takes Mobius’s distress in stride, responding in a way the Mobius normally would. However, Brad’s question piques his interest, and his own care for Mobius prompts him to gently challenge Mobius’s lack of interest in his own timeline. Mobius’s reason for avoidance is, “What if it’s something good?” 

In S2E5, it’s interesting that “good” in this narrative is defined as a heteronormative fantasy of a house, two kids, and (possibly) a puppy and a snake. The “good” in Mobius’s original timeline, however, is imperfect. There is a partner that is missing (partners being a recurring theme in the series, particularly in S2E3), pronounced gone not once but twice. The entire scene between Don and Loki has been discussed at length by many, so there’s no need to reiterate it here. However, let’s bring our attention to Mobius’s avoidance of this “good” because this avoidance resonates with another queer experience. 

The TVA, for Mobius, is the place where he studied, saved, and developed a close relationship with Loki. The fear of the “something good” is the fear of being confronted with something Mobius “should” want more than the TVA, and therefore “should” want more Loki. The fear is wanting something (or feeling pressured to want something) other than a queer relationship with no children. The question of “choice” is impacted by what is considered the “norm”. 

S2E5 very pointedly focuses on the concern of choice, especially Mobius’s choice, in the bar scene between Loki and Sylvie. “Mobius should get a choice now, no?” At this point, Loki’s regard for Mobius has finally caught up with the romantic nature of Mobius’s feelings for him. And Loki, living his own queer experience, is also afraid of his true desires like Mobius. In being part of the intersectional queer community, the psychological need to guard against disappointment is high and commonplace. Desires are easily disappointed by the expectations of oppressive social mores. This survival tactic manifests itself with our hope and heartbreak with mainstream media, Loki the series being among them. 

But Sylvie, the harbinger of true and absolute freedom, takes on the role of supportive ex and challenges Loki to answer Mobius’s question in S1E1: “What do you want?”  

In this, Mobius and Loki’s individual relationships with the TVA are identical. It was never about where (the TVA), when (time works differently at the TVA), or why (the timelines). It was about who. It was about each other. The TVA represents a liminal space which became home by virtue of the people who brought love into it. The TVA is code for Loki and Mobius when each speaks of it. 

Again, the artists behind the media must self-censure. In this, Loki also self-censures while giving the truth. “I don’t want to be alone. I want my friends back.” It cannot be denied that Mobius is Loki’s first truest and closest friend. “I don’t want to be alone. I want Mobius back.” Sylvie appreciates and validates this desire, but also points out that showing the TVA is something that cannot be unseen. The implication of this response suggests that Sylvie believes that Loki’s friends will feel compelled to join the TVA out of moral pressure. She reiterates the true lives that are being lived, and Loki, loving his friends, loving Mobius, elects to not take that away from them. “You are just fine without the TVA.” 

Yet, Loki must choose an act of profound selfless love to save everyone. In doing so, he saves and frees Mobius in the way Mobius saved and freed him. The tragedy and, once again, poetic irony is that they both would have chosen each other. In giving everyone freedom, the true freedom of Loki and Mobius is sacrificed. This double-standard reflects in our reality between those who identify as cis and heterosexual and those who do not. 

When Mobius looks at his timeline in S2E6, he does so for one reason: that timeline survived because of Loki’s sacrifice. He must honor that sacrifice and see what Loki protected. Mobius appreciates what he finds, but he doesn’t belong there. It is not what he ultimately longs for. And there must be worry, shame, in recognizing he would prefer to give up the house and two children if a life with Loki were a viable choice. 

We all experience loss in our lives. Loss without a goodbye is also commonplace but is another pain that is more acute within the intersectional queer community. I speak of missed opportunities for happiness due to external forces. I speak of loss of self. I speak of loss of friends and family and home. I speak of death, losing a loved one without a goodbye, because same-sex lovers are not considered next of kin, an impossibility without marriage. Marriage echoes back to Don, who has no spouse, and Mobius, who has no partner. 

[hihelloimanerd]

Chip Switch

I love Lab Rats, it's my favorite show and I rewatch it constantly. It is not without its faults. Chip Switch (1 x 12) is an episode I have a major gripe with. Bear with me I'm gonna yap a lot about this.

Ignoring the medical improbability of bionics, I think that the idea of the chip being the only thing that makes them Bionic is unlikely. Not only are they genetically engineered -mentioned multiples times throughout the show- they likely have biotech throughout their bodies. For example when Chase activates his hearing, we see a sequence of wires in his car canal or the USB in his finger. I believe the chip is mainly the power source and code for the Biotech.

Taking this into account with the chip switch it should've caused way more problems then it did. They're all engineered to have muscles, speed, and agility (at least in my headcannon). However they don't share the same biotech. Adam likely has most of in his major muscles and bones, as a result to support his major ability to retain muscle, he has to eat a lot. Bree even more so, her biotech increasing her lung capacity, bone strength, and muscles in her legs. Chase has to have the most, in highly dangerous places like his orbital nerves, brain, ears, and muscles for agility. Chase is the only one of the three with tech in his car canal, so when Bree has his chip while it might slightly enhance her hearing, it would be no where near Chase's hearing. They also would not have been able to access microscopic sight or the computer in his brain.

When Chase had Adam's chip, I find it weird that suddenly his intelligence went down the drain, as if he forgot everything he might have learned with his chip and from Davenport. Unless the chip for some reason interferes with intelligence but I don't think thats possible. With Bree's it makes sense that they can all use it with varying degrees of success due to enhanced muscles, trouble breathing and pain are very likely. Adam's chip would be similar.

I think the episode would've been cooler taking into account how bionics and their genetics work together. More glitches and giving the audience a firmer grasp on how they work. All of them have different abilities so their genetics have to intrinsically intertwined with their bionics.

Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear how other people think the bionics works.

[msfbgraves]

So Thomas gave an interview confirming that Terry had cancer (just 🙄 at that).

And while he praised the show and how it ended, there were several moments where he implied he did not like that Terry died, and that he did not like/think it fair that Kreese got redemption and got to live but that he, Terry, had to die and without redemption.

Also: he didn’t like the kidnapping the baby plot (at first, he said)—but his hesitation at accepting the plot makes me feel like he still dislikes it. He also stated again that his apology to Daniel was sincere, as was the dinner/kitchen table scene.

And once more: the number of times he brought up Ralph, and even to a lesser extent Billy, makes me once more believe that he is fond of Ralph, and that hs bled over into his character of Terry.

Something else he off handedly mentioned was Marty not liking that he (Kreese) wasn’t in the KK Legends movie and that he wanted to be. Which makes me once more stand by my belief that Marty, bless him, had way too much control over the story and what/where he wanted (Kreese) to be in said story. Marty always seemed to be very pro Johnny and have a dislike of Terry (in an interview thinking that Terry was a rich loser who never really worked for what he got). I think Marty had a huge hand in Kreese redemption and the overall ending. Which…I hugely dislike.

Idk. From many interviews TIG has given, I am under the impression that he didn’t have quite the rapport with Marty that he had with Ralph. And again, I feel like that bled into Terry and his interactions with Daniel vs. Kreese.

Just my take. I wonder if TIG is truly happy with Terry’s story.

I would be flabbergasted if he were happy with Terry's story in S6, because it is a bad story. As with anything medical in this show, the cancer plotline is nonsense, why would he want to murder a baby over a team win, if this were all about undoing damage to his reputation...? "One last win"? For goodness sake, why should he care, he didn't care before Kreese, he could have spun that story about Daniel's people attacking him at home and in his dojo with ease, it's simply that the CK writers were setting him up to lose, and stupidly. They admitted, or so I have read on Tumblr (which is like third hand information without a source, but OK), that with Terry at full strength, he "would always be a threat."

Really? A man who can stay away for 35 years to become a green entrepreneur? He could simply have gone back to that. There is no good reason to care about karate enough to go crazy over it; in fact, Terry didn't even in the third film. That was all done out of personal loyalty to Kreese. And for me S5 also only makes sense when Daniel has replaced Kreese as insanity trigger for Terry. I don't buy for a milisecond that everything in Terry's life is now about beating Johnny Lawrence at the Sekai Taikai. Terry is the one who called out Kreese to grow tf up, man, why are we even doing karate? To help kids!

I haven't read or heard the interview you're referring to -I'd love to find it! - but I have read another one where he said that he'd love to make a romcom as Terry. Where is the human element? I'd argue he has made one, with Ralph, but yeah, that's gay so we have to assume we're operating under the Hayes code and homosexuality doesn't exist (except of course, for one gay kiss between two teenage girls who play almost no part in the story but are two beautiful teenage girls, right,boomers? Diversity win 🤤). Officially, Terry's life is completely empty, and if John Kreese gets to be a tragic anti hero, why shouldn't Terry, too?

Now from what I have seen from behind the scenes pictures, Marty and Thomas look friendly enough to me, but I have seen discussions on Tumblr in which people mentioned that Marty didn't want Terry's character to return. I don't know how much clout he has, since Terry very much did return. The writers do love him, though, and give Kreese far more screen time than I think is warranted (who cares about Kreese's spiritual journey, really?), they write a young Terry that has nothing to do with Thomas and a young Kreese that is the sweetest guy whom they want to win so bad, it is silly. Marty can't do those fight scenes anymore and when he tries, it's becoming really hard to suspend disbelief. And him still wanting to be in the Legends film? Really? I know Cobra Kai is a hell of a Kreese worshipping echo chamber, but this is a character who has tried to kill I don't know how many people, and the reason why he hasn't was sheer ineptitude. Why would anyone waste a single frame more on him? I wouldn't even want Terry in the film and I love Terry! But outside of the fever dream that is Cobra Kai I would think it much more likely for Daniel to have come to Terry after Miyagi do bowed out of the tournament to say: "OK, Terry. Karate aside - what is going on? You said you were sick?"

"Like you care -"

"You came to my house to talk about this. Alright then. Let's talk."

Which, if the writers had any guts, would end with Terry crumpled at Daniel's feet and swearing undying devotion. I still don't think that has a place in Karate Kid: Legends, but I do think it is a far more in character thing for both Daniel and Terry to do.

[liminalwings]

Hi, so I have a friend on a discord who recently felt very called to dragons. I would like to ask some questions on their behalf, please. Also, any advice would be wonderful if you’re willing.

1: how can I tell if it’s just a hyper fixation or not?

2: how can I tell if I’m in the presence of a dragon?

3: are dragons like deities in the sense that they can help you in your practice? How do they help if they do?

4: do they like alters and offerings? If they do, how can I tell what offerings they like?

5: do dragons have names?

6: are there any misconceptions about dragons that I should know about?

Thank you very much for your time. Even if you read this and don’t respond. 🥰

The best way to tell if anything is a hyperfixation is if it persists over time. If you dive in and it doesn't stick, no worries. Sometimes being called to something even temporarily can help you find where you're going.

There's a few ways to tell: multiple dragon-related synchronicities, asking through a trusted divination method, feeling an energy or presence around you that you would describe as "draconic", random mental images of dragons, etc. It generally depends on where your strengths are in terms of subtle perception.

They can be. Depending on your practice and the dragons you work with, some can be very much like deities or even straight up *are* deities, while some are more like fellow practitioners who help you build up more magical 'oomph' than working alone.

Altars and offerings depend on the dragons you work with and your relationship to them. If you worship dragons and hold them as deities, an altar with offerings makes sense as a devotional act, while an altar for dragons as magical peers is going to be more of a dedicated work space that might include an offering if they indicate a desire for it. As for what they would like, figuring that out will be the same sort of work as determining a dragon is around you. Divination, intuition, etc. A number of folks might suggest lighting a charged/consecrated candle or incense, or keeping a crystal in a space designated for draconic offerings. Most of the dragons I work with don't require offerings, but I'll offer them energy or share food with them on occasion nonetheless.

Some do, some don't. Usually when you start working with a dragon, they will either give you a nickname or "closest human equivalent" to their name to call them by, or will invite you to give them a name. There are many types of dragons and the nature of their name (or lack thereof) can greatly differ from dragon to dragon.

Pinning down a lot of popular beliefs about dragons as a misconception is a bit of a task, since all of it is UPG and can be very contradictory amongst different draconic workers. For me, I personally have not found that all dragons stem from any one source or realm, nor that all dragons have some sort of elemental affinity or magic, and I definitely do not believe that there is any overarching single ruling power (be it deity, king/queen, or council) over all dragons. They are not a monolith. As touched on in a previous post, I also find that dragons do not require you to adhere to any sort of 'code of honor' or other moral creed to work with them, just the basic "don't be a dick", particularly to them.

[thek1ngtalks]

I realize now that I've never really specified what version of Hajin and Suho I'm using every time I write them so here's official confirmation: It's Lightnovel Hajin and Suho

So now that I've said that, lemme be ill for a sec and yap about their differences

LN!Hajin has a much darker colour scheme than MWH!Hajin who was changed to have blue eyes and a brownish hair instead of black hair colour + MWH!Hajin is a bit more reactive than LN!Hajin was which makes sense considering how reliant webtoons are on facial expressions to convey emotions etc. LN!Hajin famously has resting bitch face which is my favorite feature about him.

Oh and also MWH!Hajin has softer features and rounder eyes compared to some of the official art that gives him narrowed features and a more pointy jawline (jaws are p similar tho). This contrast pretty greatly against LN!Hajin's sharper feautres. Another obvious one is hairstyle. LN!Hajin has a beauty peak and his hair, while artistically messy, falls a bit below his ears and frames his face. MWH!Hajin has much fluffier and wilder hair, along with those cowlicks toward the top of his head. I think it might be the blue eyes? But he looks more western to me.

HE HAS GREY EYES! i've been gladly corrected. the blue is his powers activating. he still looks western to me but now i love him more so..

^Offical Art to Compare

Now onto Kim Suho. He doesn't really have official art despite three love interests having art (and not one of them is Boss!)

So obviously we should establish base facts. The wiki might say LN! Kim Suho has brown hair but ACTUALLY he has black hair (proof - Chp 206 at the beginning of the chp). But there actually isn't any confirmed eye color in the LN for some reason. The closest thing i could find was "his eyes shone brightly" (chp 51) which could mean ANYTHING and so is meaningless. I went through SIXTY (60) chapters looking but came up EMPTY.

So the only things we can really confirm about Suho is that he has black hair, bright eyes, and is incredibly fucking handsome. Seriously, Hajin NEVER stops finding ways to bring that up somehow.

Now let's compare that to MWH!Suho. This version has blue hair and bright blue eyes. Definitely some change from the source material. I'm pretty sure I saw people say he wasn't as attractive as they expected but that happens ALWAYS when a light novel gets an adaptation so we're ignoring that. There isn't much i have to say since there isn't offical art to compare to. Suho definitely has softer features and a very inviting and warm face, same as the LN describes him with. But he's also Leaner, too.

Suho has been repeatedly described as someone with a relatively strong build. Not a beef cake like a body builder but someone with a healthy chunk of muscle on him since he's a very strong swordsman. Now, I notice it's a thing in LN's and Manwha to make someone lean and excuse the hidden strength as just that. "Oh people in this world are just like that" or "magic does that to them". But it still breaks my heart to see. I love me some strong men, I NEED me some strong men. But it's not a huge, noticeable difference I suppose especially since we can't compare him to art that doesn't exist!

^ Manwha Art & i needed a 2nd image so Kim suho if Red coded

[dailycharacteroption]

Roleplay Ramblings: Spell Storage part 2

(art by Nimphradora on DeviantArt)

Writing

Magic, as we’ve well established over the years here on the blog and in society as a whole, is the power to go beyond the mortal limitations and affect reality through thought and will, typically by following ritualized practices to make it so, invoking the gods or spirits or simply forcing your will on reality.

Whatever the case may be, it is important to note that the idea of a book of spells, or grimoire as some may call them, dates back a very long time, as far back as Mesopotamia. For the non-history buffs out there, that means that spellbooks and written incantations and rituals have existed for pretty much as long as writing has. That’s super old, Over 5000 years ago old.

Now, whether these ritual books are more religious text or occult and if there is any significant difference between the two is a question for the historians and the theologians, but the fact is that as soon as they had a writing system, spiritual leaders were writing that shit down so they could just teach the next generation from it and also to remind themselves so that the oldest person in the village doesn’t stop the spring fertility rites because you forgot the rabbit blood and therefore are doing it wrong.

As civilization developed, however, it became increasingly clear that the written and spoken word were powerful tools for many reasons. Communication, records-keeping, history, complaining about poor quality copper, and more. It’s easy to see how such people would come to believe that the words themselves had power all their own. After all, to give name to something is to demonstrate a great enough understanding of it to choose such a name, and therefore, gain some measure of control over it.

And so throughout history and various cultures, the power of the written word is demonstrated, from religious texts to the Norse runes to the prayers and invocations written on ofuda, and more.

And with that crash course on the history of the written word as a source of mystical and spiritual power, let’s talk magic in settings where it can irrefutably be proven to exist.

So I guess the big elephant in the room when it comes to linguistics and magic, why does this cosmic force, underpinning structure of reality, or raw energy source respond to words? Whether they are spoken aloud or written down on scrolls or books, why does such a powerful thing react to some mortal waving their hands and invoking them? Depending on the setting, it might be because mages are simply giving description and form to what they want to happen. Alternatively, the words might be some primal language of the cosmos, the proverbial coding language of reality, which they tap into to run “programs”. Alternatively, maybe magic is in some way alive and aware, and spells are more like requests than commands.

Which brings me to my next question: Is the language of magic universal? Depending on setting and how you interpret certain things, it might be, or it might not. In many editions of D&D as well as Pathfinder, draconic is often used as the go-to language for writing down arcane magic, though this might be because draconic is THE language of magic, or it might just be the language everyone agreed to use for a form of universal notation on the subject, possibly because dragons were the first to note such things down. Additionally, primal magic might written and invoked in the druidic language, while divine casters probably write their magic down in the outsider language most appropriate to their religion. Occult casters are another story since they don’t really require words for casting their spells themselves, but that gives them some greater freedom, perhaps interworking a spell that buffs strength into the writings of a manual of military exercises, or a 2E bard making scrolls that are literally sheet music, and so on.

Of course, this changes a little if there is no universal notation for any form of magic. Imagine finding a scroll and having to cast read magic on it because the creator wrote it in a foreign language, or perhaps an old and outdated magical notation that barely anyone uses anymore.

And that brings us to what you’re writing on. Paper, vellum, and papyrus are common choices because of their lightweight nature and compact form, but consider a scroll carved into a polished wood stick, or drawn and baked into clay tablets (or carved into heavier stone ones if you want your wizard to work on his gains), or scrimshawed into bone or horn. Such materials may seem impractical to us, but if you haven’t invented paper or have no access to it, one must often make do. I remember that Pathfinder adventures often have scrolls or spellbooks in such unusual forms.

And how do these unique materials react to the magic inscribing them? While spellbooks are almost entirely mundane in most rules, being a repository for knowledge and nothing more, scrolls have the entire spell inscribed into them. Are there better materials for holding that power in such relatively flimsy (or not so flimsy) form? And what about Grimoires in Second Edition? They have magic all their own despite being otherwise just spellbooks.

Written magic can have so many forms, as many forms as there are to write things. I hope this provided some inspiration though. However, tomorrow, we’ll talk about how spells are stored in living flesh and thinking minds.

[k-aalia]

Signal Strength

Pairing: Judai Yuki/Yusei Fudo

Prompt from a lovely discord friend: Long Distance CB Radio Buddies

Of all the things Yusei has dealt with in the past year alone, a radio which lets him connect to the past doesn't even begin to rank on his radar.

When he first found the thing, old outdated tech amongst all the other old outdated tech that piled high in the Satellite, he had planned to scrap it for parts. Radios could be handy in the Satellite, but anything that didn't run on Momentum was practically useless to him. Fixed points of electricity were hard to come by and working batteries could cost a fortune.

Like a lot of Yusei's projects however, it got put to the wayside in favour of keeping his friends and the world safe and then swiftly forgotten about entirely.

He finds he's glad he didn't scrap it now, as Judai's voice comes crackling through the speakers as he fires off questions at a mile a minute.

Meeting Judai had been a brief thing but they quickly bonded over their desire to defeat Paradox. And even quicker than that, Yusei found himself genuinely enjoying Judai's company. His easy smiles and quick jokes, his curiosity and his confidence. Yusei had been sad to have to say goodbye to him, but he knew that, realistically, it was impossible to stay together.

They were from different times, after all. And there was no force of nature more unforgiving than the hands of time.

So, when the radio in the corner of Yusei's garage with no working power source suddenly sparks to life and Judai's voice comes through, Yusei can only wonder at the miracle before him.

"What's the future like, future boy?" Judai asks him and Yusei can perfectly visualise the teasing smile that must be on his face.

"You know I can't tell you that," Yusei replies.

"Ugh, come on man," Judai whines. "You can't keep your duel runners and your Synchro summons to yourself! I need to be prepared for when we get this stuff!"

"Give it a few more years," Yusei says dryly. "Tell me about the past instead."

"I don't think I could tell you a single current world event," Judai muses. "Let me text Manjoume or something actually, he keeps himself well informed."

"What do you even do?" Yusei finds himself asking. "You were in Venice when we met, right?"

"Yeah! But I'm in Scotland now. Somewhere in the Highlands, actually." Judai says casually, but to Yusei who found moving from the Satellite to Neo-Domino to be a huge change, the idea is mind blowing.

"I travel, mostly," Judai continues unbothered. "I'm not good at staying still really so I just go wherever."

"And you just lug a whole radio around with you everywhere?"

"Amongst other things. I have a cat somewhere in my bag, too-- a live one! Just for the record. He likes it in there."

Yusei finds himself breaking out into a loud laugh at Judai's rambling, a content smile on his face. He could listen to Judai talk for hours, he thinks. It's so easy to get lost in the sound of his voice.

"Tell me about the places you've been to," Yusei asks, the coding project on his laptop left forgotten as he turns his full attention to his magical mystery radio.

And as Judai quickly breaks off into a long rambling story interwoven with a hundred different stories, Yusei is once again glad he kept this radio. His one connection to his bond outside of time.

[ilvero-love]

Clothes Maketh the (Wo)Man (or the colour coding of the Iron Trio)

I saw a post recently wondering about the significance, if any, of the colours our Iron Trio wears💙🖤🧡. It prompted me to go looking. Like everything Complete Fiction seems to do in regard to this show, the choices are careful and deliberate.

Lockwood is black and white🖤🤍 He has a business to run and his suited appearance declares that he is prepared to do just that. He’s business like because he has to be. The success of this company rides on his back and the choices he makes. He is ambitious certainly, seen in his constant striving to take Lockwood and Co to the top and in his drive to put them into the public eye, often at the expense of other’s wishes. But it’s understandable. He has bills to pay and people (George and Lucy) that rely on him. Even after they successfully square away their debts, Lockwood remains conscious that there are still other bills to pay.

Lockwood presents an adult façade to the world. Even Lucy (in the book) is surprised to realise he is scarcely older than her upon first meeting him. But, whilst he may appear an adult, he’s still very much a teenager navigating his way through a world where children are dispensable and adults, despite their general uselessness, still call the shots. It’s Lockwood’s sneakers and pink socks that give him away and reveal the teenage boy behind the façade. This was such a clever choice on the part of Complete Fiction 👏 They remind us that whilst Lockwood has been forced to grow up too quickly, at heart he is still a teen.

So, black and white. Very simple and clear cut. Except life isn’t like that, is it?Only Lucy has insight into how tenuous his grip on control can be, and we see this in the delightful stairwell scene 💖💖💖

😍Take a moment everyone- right, where were we?

Ah yes, Lucy and her blue persona (colour not mood). Lucy’s blue is a nice foil to the green of the ghostly world they inhabit. Both blue and green are heavily associated with nature. I don’t know what that means here, but it’s interesting to ponder.

Blue is traditionally seen as a colour of constancy, loyalty and reliability. She certainly provides this for Lockwood. But it’s also a strong colour, hence its traditional association with boys. A practical colour, heavily associated with working, it feeds into Lucy’s active strength.

(Some of these ideas came after reading the interesting article https://www.allure.com/story/beauty-and-the-beast-blue-dresses-in-female-centric-films . Not sure I agree with all of it but certainly food for thought).

Finally, George 🧡 Orange radiates warmth. George is the only from a stable family background, only leaving because of a burning desire to solve the Problem. 

Orange can represent physical comfort, which, when you add it to his cooking prowess completes the picture. Despite taking a while to warm to Lucy  (understandable when it’s just been him and Lockwood for a year) once he’s in, he’s all in 💯

Orange can represent physical comfort, which, when you add it to his cooking prowess completes the picture. He’s homely-he embodies home. As Lucy says to Lockwood, “Portland Row is my home-You and George”. And despite having taken a while to warm to Lucy (understandable when it’s just been him and Lockwood for a year) once he’s in, he’s all in 💯

It is interesting too that orange is also a complementary colour to blue, meaning that you can argue that George balances Lucy, providing stability for Lockwood.

So, there you have it, my thoughts, nonsensical or not, on the colour coding of our three heroes 🧡💙🖤

Maybe, just maybe, they were completely random colour choices based on what CF could source. But knowing Complete Fiction, I somehow think not 😉

⚔👻💕

[eleanorfenyx]

I have finished Mysterious Lotus Casebook, and here are some of my thoughts! (Obviously not spoiler free)

The cases are absolutely batshit insane and I loved it every single time they were like 'we totally collected this evidence that incriminates a secret suspect, just believe us and also don't question when the fuck we had the time to do this or when we figured out that we needed to look for it'. 10/10 no notes, that's a hilarious way to have a genius detective. Show us nothing, tell us everything, YES king.

That being said, I could have done with a lot less standing around having the supporting cast repeat whatever Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing announce, maybe in an attempt to make sure their genius is clear for the audience? I get it, but at the same time it felt a little too hand-holdy for me, especially in scenes where LLH and FDB had already discussed their findings between themselves before presenting them to the concerned bystanders. I can read between the lines (or else understand what has just been explicitly stated) without having every conclusion filtered through a slightly different sentence structure to make sure I got it.

Di Feisheng amnesia arc my fuckin beloved

Di Feisheng destroying his 'father' and freeing everyone in Di manor in a vicious act of catharsis that tied nicely into the main Nanyin bug-mind-control-thing narrative my beloved

Di Feisheng my beloved

The amount of times I was like...genuinely surprised he and Li Lianhua didn't kiss is both embarrassing (because I do in fact understand censorship and what I sign up for with these dramas and yet and yet) and numerous enough that I could...possibly...theoretically..write a 5+1 fic of every time I want them to kiss about it. No one hold me to that but it's something I think I'd like to do.

Re: the above point: because what the FUCK was that ending?!!! EXCUSE ME?! I gotta FIX THAT SHIT.

There will come a day when the strength of my hope for an unambiguously happy ending in a queer(-coded? is the source originally bl or is this its own thing?) wuxia drama is rewarded....but it is not this day. I must fix this myself.

Jiao Liqiao's laugh is one of the most annoying things I've ever heard. I was reaaaaally hoping someone would just up and stab her during one of her little evil laughing fits. At one point I was shouting "KILL HER, KILL HER" at my screen because I could NOT take anymore of her (unfortunately, I did in fact have to take more of her).

I still think her insistence on being obsessed with DFS is hysterical when he is so VISIBLY only interested in LLH. Explicitly STATES that his only life purpose is to fuck fight LLH again. Babygirl (derogatory) he is so fucking gay let's get you a nice knife to the gut instead, okay?

I thought the whole Shan Gudao plot was interesting, going from looking desperately for his body -> putting him to rest -> hunting for his murderer -> finding out he's alive/the mastermind behind everything going wrong (which I was proud of myself for realizing before the reveal, I'm normally bad at that) -> thwarting him with sass and superior martial arts at every possible turn -> killing him stone fuckin dead with beginner level skills because he's so up his own hole he can't see that's what's happening - was really fun!

He also has a SUPER annoying laugh he can fuck off

OH OH OH MARTIAL ARTS SKILL OF TRANS YOUR GENDER?! I MARRIED HER SO HER AFFAIRS ARE MY BUSINESS NOT YOURS??? ASKING YOUR WIFE FOR HER FORGIVENESS AND UNDERSTANDING AS YOU LAY DYING AND SHE GIVES IT TO YOU?????? OKAYYYYYYY

The twist at the end that LLH is the one with royal blood was so funny to me. Like it's a good twist and I love that Shan Gudao was just quite literally always a fuckin try-hard loser in ways he didn't even know, but also it was SO funny. Granny coming in clutch at the last fuckin minute with secret knowledge she just literally never shared.

LLH is such a smooth motherfucker. Shame about his insistence on dying when quite literally everyone (bar the people who suck) is begging this man to just live. Just LIVE DAMN IT!!!!! I really liked it when FDB begs him to just consider his own life as important for ONCE and remember that people care about him because YES his self-sacrificing and committment to Chilling Out Farmer Style was not the mercy he thought it was!

LIVE AND GROW OLD WITH DI FEISHENG YOU DAMN IDIOT (the likelihood of me resisting the urge to write at least the one fic for them is zero to none)

Unironically love spitting up blood as a plot device and this show is no different. The Drama. The Panache. The desperation of everyone around you because you have BLOOD coming out of your MOUTH and you are FAINTING. Poison acting up? Spit blood. Someone bitch slap you with their magical palm ability? Spit blood. Get stressed? Spit blood. Get stabbed? Spit blood. It's always good!

Okay I think that might be all I've got for now, if I think of anything else I'll add them in a reblog. I thoroughly enjoyed it, would definitely recommend!

[scarecrowandsunflower]

My Unexpected KakaHina Rant (And Why I'm Not Sorry)

I accidentally read someone's opinion on KakaHina as a pairing. I'm gonna write about it here because answering under their post will likely draw confrontation, and I have no intention of being in one, at least in the situation I am currently in. All these claims were made by one person. Anyway:

Claim 1: "This ship is very obviously only for the aesthetics, and I get it. They look pretty nice together."

As a shipper, this isn't why Kakashi and Hinata suit each other. But as a fan, I do think Kakashi and Hinata look good together. At least from this person's POV who doesn't like the pairing, they have matching aesthetics visually, So I'm not alone in thinking that. 

Claim 2: "(IMO they only really look good together in the blank period though. don't feel like their other designs mesh that well.)"

This seems like a projection though--the emphasis on superficial aesthetics. A strong relationship, however, is based on the core characters of the individuals, not simply their outward appearance at any one particular moment. The commenter's focus is on the specific designs instead of the underlying elements of the characters, thereby reinforcing the shallow argument.

Claim 3: "They don't normally interact in the manga, so it's definitely a crack ship, but unlike some other crack ships, the shippers don't even pretend it makes sense. That makes me respect them a lot."

The lack of formal interaction in the canon doesn't preclude the potential for a compelling story. The absence of a direct relationship creates a blank slate for creative exploration. The most thoughtful fanfictions don't just "pretend" the pairing makes sense, but they combine the established source material with their creativity to create a compelling relationship. 

Kakashi and Hinata interacted in the 8-Man Arc. Kakashi had extensive knowledge of Jyuken and was the one who explained it in the manga. Kakashi witnessed the exchange between Hinata and Neji in the Chuunin Exam, and he blocked Neji's hand from killing Hinata even though he wasn't her Sensei and he didn't have to. It's not a no-interaction in canon like SasuHina, for example. 

By praising those who "don't even pretend it makes sense," the commenter sets the terms of engagement. They suggest that any attempt to justify the pairing with logic or evidence is inherently foolish. By praising others for not trying to do so, the commenter preemptively dismisses any argument that might be made in favor of the pairing. Their praise also suggests a desire to end the discussion, as their opinion is clearly superior.

It reinforces their existing bias against the pairing, creating a closed loop of thought where any evidence that challenges their preconceptions is immediately disregarded. This prevents any meaningful discussion of the ship from occurring.

Claim 4: "Uhhh. Aesthetically (in the blank period.) they look nice. so I'll give them points for their designs complimenting each other and being pleasing to the eyes, but idk. just not feeling it. can't imagine their personalities complimenting each other in a relationship. both are quite docile in a domestic environment."

"Docile" is an unfair and limiting description. Hinata's gentleness can be a source of strength and comfort for Kakashi, while her compassion provides him emotional support. His reserved nature can also be a source of stability and strength for her. The commenter has failed to appreciate how their seemingly disparate traits can be complementary. They emphasize the need for a "strong personality," but that doesn't always equate to being loud and aggressive. It often involves a deep sense of inner strength and a strong moral code.

Claim 5: "I think they both need someone with a strong personality. watched the anime only scenes of them interacting and found it boring. this ship is all looks with none of the substance for lack of a better wording."

This statement again relies on superficiality. The "anime only scenes" are not a reliable foundation upon which to base this type of judgement. The commenter's reliance on "anime-only interactions" as a basis for their judgment is fundamentally flawed, as these scenes are specifically designed to portray a formal, professional, and often limited dynamic. Expecting these interactions to be exciting or indicative of romantic potential is inherently misguided.

Anime-only scenes are not part of the original manga storyline and are therefore not considered canon. They are often created to fill time, to add fan service, or to develop specific plot points.

The anime is often limited by needing to adhere to the established boundaries of the canon story, and are not always free to explore new or complex character dynamics.

The anime is often created with commercial considerations in mind, and thus may prioritize fan service, or may choose to ignore more complex or subtle themes, that may be more difficult to portray to a broader audience.

 Anime-only content can often lead to deviations in character portrayals that are not always consistent with the original manga.

The quality of anime-only content is often inconsistent, ranging from well-written and insightful moments to filler content that lacks substance.

 A few select scenes do not make the most compelling case for a relationship, as they do not account for the development of a realistic pairing.

The fact that the commenter is relying on anime-only interactions, which are limited in their scope and do not add any depth to their characters, is a telling aspect of the flaws in their argument:

They already have a bias:

 Their preconceived notions and biases towards the pairing, as indicated by the term "crack ship," likely colored their interpretation of these scenes, predisposing them to find them boring or unconvincing. Their bias likely had an enormous impact on their conclusions.

Their reliance on biased opinions does not account for the subtle nuances that can be found in a well-executed fanfic that takes the time to expand and extrapolate on those characters. Their viewpoint makes it impossible to be objective.

They are only focusing on one very narrow set of moments, rather than a comprehensive analysis of the relationship or the characters involved. They are not giving the pairing the credit that it deserves.

In short, attempting to understand the potential for a relationship based on the limited viewpoint of a prejudiced outside observer is futile, as their judgment is already clouded by their biases.

By acknowledging the limitations of that perspective, the author can then create a story that rises above it.

Anyway, their comment is on Wattpad. I don't usually go there because I feel that the platform caters to kids, but the writer said they were too old to be on Wattpad anyway, so here are my grownup counterarguments for them. 

TLDR: They are wrong.

[agirlandherquill]

love and amentia - a bitter concoction

inspiration hath struck again, and struck hard i've concocted a little story - something wicked, something dark, a fitting thing i think given the fact autumn is steadily drawing in - can a story be autumn inspired? maybe, can i also be inspired by a single word? yes, yes i can

(and this may also have something to do with the fact i started ahs asylum - and the knowledge i have from studying victorian asylums as a part of my epq - so, inspiration has come from all over the place, but the final nail in the coffin so to speak was learning the latin translation for madness - amentia - and the story came to me from there)

so, here's the opening snippet, everything i have so far - and a fitting promise of what's to come, i hope

“Let me out.”

Three words.

A whisper.

An order.

A plea.

Three words were everything she had left to say to him.

“No…” The smile that twisted his face was as gruesome as the crimson stains blackening his sleeves. “I think not.”

“Let. Me. Out.”

“When I have a much better use for you? Why would I do that?” His fingers wrapped around the bars, he leant forward, pressing his forehead against the metal that sought to cage her in. She threw herself against the bars, fingers reaching for his throat. She clawed her nails against his skin, seeking blood, pain, any source of weakness that could get her freedom.

“What do you want from me?”

“The greatest thing of all. What will be my masterpiece.” He took her hands from his throat, clutched them between his and brushed his lips against the inside of her wrist. “Love.”

“I will never love you.” The words were as cold as the metal digging into her front. She had never spoken with such loathing in her life.

“That is the experiment, can’t you see? The greatest experiment of all. That is why I brought you here.”

He did no such thing. He took me. While I slept. He followed me, he watched me, and in the end… He took me. 

“You are a mad-man.” She fought to get her hands free of his grasp, his mere touch sickened her every nerve.

“Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not. We are in the best place for it, no?”

His words startled her into ceasing her efforts of escape. Where… Where am I? He saw the question in her eyes. His smile softened. “The House Of Amentia - Or as you may know it… The Asylum, cherie.”

Asylum. The word ripped the strength from her bones. Her knees gave out. He released her hands so that she could catch herself and slide to the floor, weeping fitfully, silently. No tears would come. She was too distraught, too angry, too devastated to let them out. 

“Why?” She asked, fighting with her voice to birth speech.

“Why, what?” His tone held a shadow of sympathy, it sickened her all the more.

“Why me?”

“That is the greatest question, no? I still wonder at it myself. Perhaps you and I can discover the answer, together?”

At her silence he drew away, sweeping a hand down the front of his dark waistcoat. He shook his head, sighing. “I will give you this night to adjust, tomorrow our work begins. We will make history cherie, you will see.”

He rubbed a hand through his tousled brown hair, turning away. She watched his shoulders rise and fall, as though his breathing was laboured, as though every breath was a struggle - a struggle of which he knew nothing, not like her - “They will all see.”

~ ~ ~

now for the tag list!

(p.s if you'd like to be included/notified too, interact with this post :))

@humbly-a-doppelganger @imawholeassmood @frostedlemonwriter @yrndrgn @abditorywriting

@riveriafalll @lead-to-code @casualsuitturtle @floweryprosegarden @joeys-piano

@catwingsathena @godsmostfuckedupgoblin @nothoughtsjustmhaandotherthings @anaisbebe

@drchenquill @leahnardo-da-veggie @tiredpapergirl @pastelpinkhobbies