#they like robotics so it's not actually a problem :p

[victorluvsalice]

We've hit Fall Wednesday in the Chill Save, and while the gang didn't end up visiting their perpetually-just-about-to-open store today, they did keep very busy, as always! The early morning hours saw Smiler pretty much attached to their robot-making bench, making a blue chatterbot, a teal RC quadcopter (as I thought if I could sell those in-store too, that might be fun), and tuning up Bugs the garden-bot, but Alice and Victor (especially Victor) were a bit more all over the place --

Alice: After making and securing her sugar at the end of last week's update, she indulged in a quick scavenge of the ground (didn't find anything, but it's good for overmaxing the old werewolf XP), registered with the Ministry of Labor as "co-owner and chef at Van Liddelton Groceries," then proceeded to earn that label by doing some canning! Specifically, she wasn't able to make any strawberry jam at the store (I suspect all the strawberries are in the produce fridges), so I had her get on that at home. She looks pretty pleased with herself regarding the finished product, doesn't she? She also got a start on the laundry (popping a chrysanthemum into the washing machine to make sure everything smelled nice) and painted a very cute small Impressionism painting of a cat and a dog wearing hats. :) I ended up putting that up on the wall by the pet bowls -- I mean, it suits, even if the cat and dog are clearly not Kelly and Shadow. :p

Victor: Having completed his experimentation at the end of last week's video, he was the one to get all the clothes into the washing machine fro Alice for later (having noticed the clothing pile Alice left behind when she went out to scavenge), then headed inside for a quick music break (gotta fulfill those wants) before indulging in an experiment for me -- namely, can potion bottles be Copypastoed? I was like 99% certain they could, but figured I might as well confirm it -- and yup, they can! :D Another way to make filling shelves on the store easier! Victor ALSO reminded me that Repairio can be used to increase the quality of objects, by turning one "normal" quality Potion of Plentiful Needs into an "excellent" quality one. Nice. :D

With that sorted, it was time to do some crafting -- namely, I had him buy a bunch of dyes, then start making more candles! Because I think I said last week that, having found that you can sell raw blocks of beeswax, I'm having him set up a "bee shelf" with that and his honey -- and what better way to fill it out than with a few beeswax candles? Victor made one regular candle and one sky blue dipped candle (burning himself a couple of times along the way), which got him all the way up to Fabrication skill 3 and gave him the ability to do cylindrical molded candles! So now he has even more products to offer, yay. :)

And then I noticed the cowplant's tongue was sticking out and was like "oh no you don't." Victor promptly got sent out to feed that damn thing before it started causing trouble -- though judging by Victor's expression in that second-to-last picture, even tossing it a nice package of meat is a dangerous proposition! He did still pet it afterward, though -- doesn't hurt to show it some kindness. Might save his life someday...

[tizeline]

TSAU!Donnie's Ninpō Explained!

The first ability Donnie unlocks is the ability to see mystic energy! Objects or people with with mystic energy has this colourful glowing aura you could call it, the more mystic energy the more brightly is glows. For example - Mikey already has a very bright aura naturally, which becomes even brighter when he is actively using magic! ..... All of this is to say, Donnie found that out the hard way when he used his mystic sight on Mikey when he was using magic and Donnie as a result got a little bit fucking blinded!

All yōkai and mutants are naturally mystic in nature, they always have a visable aura because of that. Humans are not mystic, so they don't have that aura. HOWEVER! Humans can learn how to use magic through certain means like, y'know, Ninpō for example! When a human uses magic, they do have mystic aura, but only while actively using mystic powers.

(Also Donnie totally accidentally discovered that the "teapot" had bad vibes because his mystic sight lol)

After a while Donnie is able to start making constructs out of his Ninpō. Initially however, he can't really form complex designs, it's mostly just blocks and walls, very simplistic shapes. But it turns out he can use these simpler constructs as effective shields! Which is good considering his soft shell as well as the fact that his battle shell in the AU wasn't built to be used as armour. Both he and April gets a lot of use out of the extra defense.

With quite a bit of practice Donnie is able to actually generate specific and more complex designs! Which means that yes, to the horror of friend and foe alike, Donnie can and will summon an entire arsenal of firepower, yikes. He's not limited to firearms though, he's able to generate all kinds of technology and machinery (drill!!!!)

To create these mystic contructs, it does require Donnie to have a good understanding of what it looks like, how it functions, etc. His imagination and his knowledge of technology are what sets a lot of the limits on what he is able to create, if he can build it in his lab then he can build it with his Ninpō. This particular ability requires a lot complex thought, if Donnie wasn't so smart he wouldn't be able to pull it off as well as he does.

Another limitation is that maintaining the contsructs is very energy-consuming, he'll quickly exhaust himself if he keeps them around. He'll usually only summon constructs very briefly for an attack and then immedietly dismiss them.

The way that Donnnie's Ninpō manifests itself is already very technology-oriented, because of that he can interact with ordinary technology through his Ninpō. Personally I haven't figured out the details of what exactly that can look like, but there's definitely a lot of possibilities to explore here.

One thing though, as Donnie's Ninpō grows more and more powerful overtime, a side-effect of that is that if he gets really pissed off or otherwise very emotional, he'll accidentally make the technology in his near viscinity go haywire lmao. (This has the risk of making him even more angry, which just worsens the problem, and so on haha)

I really like the idea of Donnie being the second most powerful mystic user out of his brothers, after Mikey of course. And because he's mostly self-trained, he doesn't have the best understanding of how to properly control his powers, which evidently can become a bit of a problem. Donnie eventually agrees to let Draxum help him get a better grasp on his mystic abilities after the Hamatos and the Draxums become more friendly with each other.

So uh. About how Donnie kinda accidentally infused Shelldon with mystic energy while creating him which caused the robot to develop a kind of soul? Yeah so because of that Shelldon's mystic energy if linked to Donnie's, which means that Shelldon more or less gains access to the same abilities as Donnie does! He's not quite as powerful as Donnie, and he still needs to practice to fully get a grasp on these powers as well. But point is, that's how Shelldon gains acess to Ninpō in the AU! (He also notices their fucked up "teapot")

----------

Anyway that basically summarizes it! A lot of these ideas are headcanons I have for canon!Donnie as well honestly, the AU is just an excuse to explore these concepts. Donnie's ability to summon fucking firearms and military equipment is also something I've thought about, I wanted to try to think how it would work for him while also putting some limitations on it. ANOTHER THING I like the idea of Donnie's tech constructs basically being the same ability as when Raph creates constructs of himself. The difference lies with that Donnie is a massive nerd so his first instinct is to recreate his own tech with the Ninpō. While Raph being someone who is already so physically strong would naturally use his Ninpō to recreate his own greatest weapon, which is himself. (Donnie uses his brain, Raph uses his brawn, who would've guessed)

[yanderes-galore]

Since Lies of P is on the menu, would you write a concept for Pinocchio/P with a Human Darling? -🐈

Sure! I watched a lore video so I know most of the background (That's... one way to cope, Geppetto....). P's personality is ambiguous just like the game, but he is trying to be human (Totally not for you, definitely....)

I got really into this... So that was fun.

❗️Spoilers For Lies of P Lore❗️

Yandere! Pinocchio/P with Human! Darling

Pairing: Platonic -> Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Stalking, Overprotective behavior, Jealousy, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping implied, Isolation, Forced kiss, Dubious companionship/Forced relationship.

Pinocchio is certainly a... lost individual throughout the events of the game.

By the time he awakens, he's barely aware of his purpose.

He's clueless to Krat's problems until he encounters them.

There's the puppet frenzy, the disease plaguing humans, the undead....

Pinocchio, due to how he was created and his purpose, is in a strange middle ground.

He's a puppet... but also not.

Due to his unique creation, he's more akin to a human the longer he interacts with his world.

Unlike other puppets, he chooses his actions, he's sympathetic.

So imagine if he meets you, a human, and starts feeling... strange.

The big mechanic in Lies of P is choosing between two paths.

You can either stick to your programming and stay a puppet, or you can aim to be something more... human.

Imagine Pinocchio trying to be more human because he's attached to you?

Maybe you knew Carlos... or maybe you're entirely unrelated?

Either way, you meet the puppet during his quest through Krat.

Humans were rather scattered in the city due to everything going on.

You either perish from sickness... or one of the mechanical monsters in this place.

You had been scraping by the best you could.

However, just when you thought you'd meet your end...

A puppet stepped in, slaying another robotic automaton and preventing it from harming you.

This puppet... was different from the others.

You don't understand it at first... The puppet is oddly quiet as it observes you.

Yet this one speaks... and you can understand it.

It's a bit stilted at first, as if struggling to find its voice.

But you manage to learn its name... P.

It's a simple name, no doubt a nickname.

You deem Pinocchio/P harmless, despite its surprisingly curious gaze.

Something about this puppet seemed more human and controlled than the others.

All other puppets in Krat are frenzied... This one is not.

Your first meetings with the puppet are... mutually curious.

You've never seen a puppet like him.

He felt so human even as he led you to where most other humans were hiding with Sophia.

It's... uncanny, actually.

For now you can tell the difference... but later it's nearly impossible.

Pinocchio, on the other hand, is just as fascinated with you.

As I said before, this would make more sense if you had some sort of connection to Carlos.

Since Pinocchio seems to act on the memories of Carlos... Maybe you were friends like Romeo?

That or you remind him of someone similar and that makes him keep an eye on you.

Pinocchio is a puppet you end up encountering more than you'd think.

The puppet's attachment to you feels... real in a way.

At first you thought the puppet was simply trying to protect you, no doubt some sort of programming that makes it so humans aren't harmed....

The thing is... It isn't anything like that.

This attachment comes entirely from his decisions.

No one is making him follow you around...

He's choosing to.

When Pinocchio isn't out searching for his father, he looks for you.

You could be scouting or staying in Hotel Krat... and still find that mysterious puppet.

You swear he's following you... and maybe he is.

Something in him wants to understand you.

You can read curiosity in his cold gaze... bug you don't want to acknowledge the thought.

This is a puppet... just like the ones out there... yet it's so hard to convince yourself of that.

Each time you see Pinocchio, he's less like a puppet.

You try to tell yourself it's just because you're used to him...

Although, who keeps changing his appearance then?

Pinocchio is gentle with you, always observing you like you're easy to break.

You can't tell what the puppet wants from you....

At the very least you assume friendship... You see that in the way he talks to you, slowly getting more used to using his voice.

He listens to you, mechanical gears clicking as he watches you.

It's like he's fond of you.

You begin to question his motives once he gets bolder.

Whenever you're busy, you'll feel his cold touch tentatively prod at you for attention.

He often sticks around you to see what you do, watching your every move like he's trying to learn from you.

There's times the puppet will mimic you... and other times he acts on his own accord.

You feel like you never get answers when it comes to Pinocchio.

The puppet is determined to talk to you, to learn from you...

He wants to learn everything.

Pinocchio is used to fighting.

Any weapon he uses is often covered in the life blood of whatever beast remains in Krat.

He's a skilled and determined fighter... he never seems to really die as long as his heart is intact.

He has such a pretty face... yet violent tendencies.

Although, with you, there's no trace of that.

With you he's a genuine pretty face, even if it's all to cover up lies.

You begin to worry as Pinocchio becomes more human... and more bold

If you're upset or scared, he sits beside you and attempts to mimic human comfort.

That... That is okay... at least, you try to tell yourself that.

It's when you notice Pinocchio getting more... insistent? Affectionate?

Pinocchio only ever seems to greet you with a hug the more human he becomes.

It's all very strange... You swear you felt him warmer...

Must just be you.

Others comment on his changed appearance, yet you struggle to grapple with the thought.

He's a puppet... but with you he acts too human...

He hugs you, tells you he missed you...

Yet still observes you from a distance, as if cautious about you being around other humans.

Things hit a peak when Pinocchio's actions can no longer be described as friendly.

At first you thought the puppet wanted you as a friend.

Maybe he has a basic view of friendship?

Somehow... unfortunately for you... it appears he's learned new behavior.

During a conversation with Pinocchio in Hotel Krat, you notice the oddly human puppet acting strange.

As you lament about something, you immediately stop in your tracks when Pinocchio leans closer.

You freeze when the puppet is nearly against your side and chest, mysterious eyes watching you.

When the puppet goes in for what you can only assume is a mock kiss, you gently tilt his head away.

You aren't sure if you should even be surprised anymore when Pinocchio gives a confused expression, neck clicking as he tilts his head.

It feels too wrong... too strange... too artificial yet not....

You apologize to the puppet, stating you can't go through with... that.

The puppet merely blinks, but nods with a mumbled agreement.

Unfortunately, you see the puppet trying again once more time passes.

He keeps trying to gain more humanity, to be more human.

Do you not love him because he isn't a human?

He doesn't get it... He recalls memories of him feeling this way to someone like you...

Why aren't you reciprocating?

The puppet tries to become more human to win you over.

By the end of it with long hair in a silver blue tinge... He hopes it's enough.

He wants to feel your warmth, your lips, your touch...

He wants to feel human.

Even if you refuse him as his most human state, perhaps the puppet may just snap.

He's tired of this, he's tried so hard...

He'll never be fully human or chase those memories again...

So he just needs to force it.

At your final rejection, the puppet pins you.

His eyes are cold, body much stronger and sturdier than your own.

With a click, his eyes look to your lips, before you feel cold porcelain lips on your own.

You push on the puppet, it doesn't budge.

The kiss isn't invasive... but it's bruising, a fabrication of the real thing.

By the time Pinocchio pulls away, he's already decided what he wants.

You'll realize he's human enough for you... He just needs to be patient.

You'll love him like you would a real human, won't you?

Even if it means him keeping you away from any other human?

Perhaps Pinocchio just needs to learn new tricks....

You'll love the puppet eventually...

Especially if he makes it so he's all you have.

[tobyisave]

Trust & Insecurity in Kiibo & Miu's relationship

(In response to @strawberrysweater ! Thanks for opening this can of worms and sorry for this huge post lmaooo)

To preface this: I do love them together!! I just enjoy looking for the places they might clash at times if they were actually in a relationship... So this is about the things that keep them from fully understanding/trusting each other. And ofc this is just my interpretation!!

My short answer:

(1) Miu only thinks she is valuable as an inventor and sexual object, (2) Most people only care about Kiibo as a scientific novelty, and (3) they both have JUST enough evidence to convince themselves that this is also how they view each other. Even if deep down they're only playing these roles in an attempt to get closer to another human being.

On top of that, even though they're especially vulnerable with each other, I think there's still a lot of misunderstanding between them that would be difficult for them to reconcile. First because they have some genuine points of conflict, and second because they each have problems communicating and reading people (i.e. reality distorting levels of abandonment issues & obligatory robot autism coding, respectively)

Elaboration under the cut:

PART A - Insecurities

You can see (1) and (2) a bit in their other relationships:

Miu is of course hypersexual at all times, and she gives inventions to Shuichi (FTE) and her fantasy lover (love suite) because, as she confesses herself, inventing stuff is the only way she knows how to show affection for other people besides offering them her body.

Her inventions and hypersexuality are also the only explicit points of connection between her and Kokichi, arguably the only other character she is remotely close to besides Kiibo and Shuichi.

So given that most of her onscreen relationship with Kiibo is sexual or scientific (or both) in nature, it’s easy for her to go on believing these are the only things she has to offer. It’s a bit self-fulfilling of course because she’s arguable the one controlling the direction of their relationship in the first place, and at this point I’m not sure she believes there’s anything else to her.

[Shout out to @cloudysonder for helping develop this take :P]

I get the impression Kiibo has met a lot of people over his life who only want to talk about how cool it is that he’s a robot, even though that’s not a part of his identity he initially likes to bring up.

In his FTE with Shuichi, he goes straight into 'demonstrating my functions' mode as if it's the only way he knows how to talk to people

We see him treated in this fetishized way in-game too: with Kokichi chasing him to be “friends with a robot”; with Kaede’s FTE asking him invasive questions and touching his buttons without asking; and in postgame with Kazuichi basically assaulting him and trying to take him apart out of scientific curiosity --- all of these within just his first or second interactions with these people!

So it's a BIG thing for him to willingly let Miu sit there and take him apart, when he already spends so much time fending off virtual strangers who don't respect his bodily autonomy. And he's not used to people taking a genuine interest in him as a person so he’s hesitant to let himself believe Miu is any different, especially when her interest is so explicitly centered around his biology.

Plus as long as Kiibo is physically dependent on Miu, there's going to be a lot of room for insecurity to fester on BOTH sides:

"Does Kiibo really need me or does he just need my technical skills? Does he want to do these favors for me or does he feel like he has to?"

"Does Miu really care who I am or does she just want to gawk at my body like everyone else does? Does she care who I am or am I just the first boy(?) to give her the time of day? Does she want to help me or does she just know she’s the only one who can?"

This is the biggest hurdle IMO because it's a necessarily unbalanced relationship, and it will have to continue for the foreseeable future, no matter how they feel about each other.

PART B - Respect/communication

Another thing is that I don't think they fully respect each other — kind of for the same reason the rest of the group doesn’t respect them either

Miu might not consider Kiibo a person. We know Kiibo was worried about this; when asking Shuichi to use the electrohammer on him he explains, "The outcome will settle once and for all how Miu perceived me." This, and the fact she says robots aren’t people in trial, make me pretty confident that she has never looked him in the eye and said "I consider you a person."

I think she has a complex relationship with Kiibo’s personhood. On one hand if he’s a thing then it’s much easier for her to control him (esp given what we see of their relationship) and this soothes her anxious heart by ensuring that he can’t abandon her.

At the same time, if this is the case, then his coerced/artificial love isn’t worth as much as it would be if it came from an autonomous human person — to her insecure mind, it becomes Miu alone in her room playing boyfriend girlfriend with a doll, if that makes sense. 

To clarify, I’m not saying she BELIEVES he’s just an object, but it’s an idea that both comforts and torments her.

It's worth noting, too, that Miu doesn't always respect people's consent. This is especially risky when you factor in their mechanic-robot relationship (which already comes with a difficult power dynamic) and Kiibo’s naive/somewhat people-pleasing personality.

On Kiibo’s end: I think it’s safe to say he finds her rude/inappropriate at first (though I think it's really sweet that he uses the much more euphemistic description 'brash and spirited' after getting to know her). They also have some pretty stark moral differences --- Kiibo is distraught to learn that Miu wasn't above murdering their classmates, for example.

More importantly, I headcanon he has a lot of difficulty understanding her at all  – on an emotional level, yes, and and on a literal level he just straight up doesn’t understand many of the sentences she says either

K: “Most of that was unintelligible nonsense, but…” after Miu explains her “secret woman weapon." IMO his decision to phrase this as an insult helps mask the fact he's not familiar with all the lewd references she just made

He also has problems understanding emotions from the start, and Miu is DIFFICULT to track because she cycles through emotions so rapidly.

+ he might find it hard to extrapolate that many of the things she does are part of a facade. The crass egotistical miu who says he’s not a person is equally as real to him as the deeply insecure miu wants to believe he is a person (if not more real…)

PART C

Also these bullets from my personal doc I don't have the willpower to expand on atm:

They are both so prone to misinterpreting people unkindly

They’re also both so misled about how committed a relationship is supposed to be. Like I think Kiibo would consider a confession from literally anyone to be tantamount to a proposal (based on his love suite scene). And Miu wouldn’t be quite so fast but i do think it’d still be a huge deal for her because she falls very hard very easily (based on her FTE). Which is all very cute but being plunged into a big commitment like that can be crazy stressful, esp for two teens who have never dated before (imo) and have no frame of reference. [I was actually just going to post about this part lol]

PART D

All that said... I love them together and I DO think they could make it work without too much heartbreak. A lot of the things I describe as problems here could easily be taken as strengths.

e.g. Their misunderstanding of how relationships work ironically makes them more compatible, since they're both ready to go whole hog (if Kiibo determines that he actually likes her that is). Miu's rapidly fluctuating emotions are confusing, but on some level I think he'd admire how deeply and obviously she is able to feel things. And of course Miu as an inventor has a deep (almost objectum like??) respect for machines that helps Kiibo accept that he can be a robot and a person at the same time, and is probably the only one in the class who understands just how impressive he really is.

Thanks thanks THANKS for reading if you seriously read all that!! Mwah!!!!

I would love to hear anyone's takes on my takes too :P I haven't been rotating them in my head for too long yet so I'm still developing my interpretations...

[sunshine-zenith]

So, um, I guess that awkward dinner between the Wellses and the Fairywinkle-Cosmas is more likely to happen now

Angela and Marcus: so, Peri, what is it you do for work?

Peri, who spent the last three nights sleeping on his parents' couch: well I *starts sobbing into the homemade french fries*

In all seriousness I have so many thoughts about this episode and that scene and these two and Imma use this ask to get them out. Spoilers below

So like, we all saw this coming, right? Dev has never treated Peri all that well and Peri became frustrated with him two seconds in. I sincerely hope Peri stays Dev's godparent because they are such a fun duo with so much potential, but wow they were both screwed over when they got assigned each other. A lot of people have pointed this out, but it really isn't fair that Peri got assigned a hard case for his first godchild. He should've been given someone like Hazel or maybe even like Chester from the original series -- a kid that needs someone for emotional support, of course, but is also arguably well adjusted otherwise. Dec, meanwhile, does not need wish fulfillment -- he's rich, wishing for the "perfect cupcake" won't make him happy when he can just as easily have his robot au-pairs doordash him some cupcakes. He needs a therapist, and to be removed from the harmful situation he's in (IE the neglectful, emotionally stunted, and emotionally abusive father)

Part of why Dev wishing Peri away is so sad is because Peri is actually trying. I don't think he dislikes Dev, even if he's out of his depths dealing with him -- he looks overjoyed and relived when he hugs Dev in the Fairy World episode, and once it becomes clear Dev's birthday was a bust, he offers to do what he can to make it better.

The other reason why its so sad is because Dev can't accept that Peri is trying. He's a miserable child who's never had anyone even try to to teach him emotional regulation. He's understandably hurt and pissed off and probably freaked out when he finds his fathers "secret evil lair," and so he lashes out before anyone can explain things to him. He also probably lashes out because he doesn't know how to handle friendship and support (which Hazel and Peri were offering) and even if he did, they aren't the ones he wants it from, Dale is (they're also safer options for him to lash out at that Dale. Hazel has been kind and forgiving, and Peri is magically bound to try and make Dev happy. He knows on some level that they won't hurt him, and so he knows that they won't hurt him back)

And, well, maybe controversial opinion, but Cosmo and Wanda probably contributed a little to things falling apart slightly. Peri had problems with Dev before he knew his parents were around, but his parents definitely add to his frustration -- they treat him like a little kid, undermine his authority, and probably add to the tension he feels, while also being two people he wants to impress. He spent the beginning of O:BT clearly disengaged with things while Cosmo, Wanda, and Hazel greet Dev, before he whisks them away to show off his new digs. He's such a delightful and relatable take on a young adult who's low contact with their parents while also clearly loving them and wanting to make them proud (He turned off his equivalent of Find My iPhone and was terrified of them finding out about him becoming a godparent, but he also specifically calls godparenting "the family business," choosing it over what would've likely been a more lucrative career with the Tooth Fairy)

(Plus like, Dev constantly being around a set of parents who love their kid while his father is more loving to his boots that his own child has gotta suck)

That said, I don't think Cosmo and Wanda are at fault -- they need to learn boundaries and to come to terms with the fact that their baby isn't a baby anymore, but otherwise, they're loving and supportive. They're more experienced that Peri and could probably give him genuine guidance. They just gotta step back and let Peri do his thing, grow his confidence and learn from his mistakes (which he is making and will continue to make -- he's new, to both godparenting and likely to childcare in general. Plus, even though the show hasn't explored it -- yet -- Peri likely has a unique perspective on godparenting given that he was born to a set of active godparents and raised alongside their human godkid as siblings).

Dev and Peri as a duo are a delight because of how messy they are -- the traumatized iPad kid who's honestly an asshole but an asshole for a reason, and the underprepared and underestimated grown up Baby Of The Family, both of who have family issues that almost clash in how different -- but valid -- those issues are

...Returning to the original point, I wanna see both of them interact with Angela and Marcus, if only to see how they interact with a set of reasonable parents who respect their children as individuals and have largely positive relationships with them

(lastly, really quick, I wanna shout myself out for a moment here for making a comic about the Sad Rich Kid Rival of Cosmo and Wanda's godkid being upset about the whole two fairies vs one fairy thing months before ANW aired. I got the kids in question wrong but I was right in guessing someone would think it was unfair)

[kittygamer2888]

[One Piece manga spoilers 1144-1146]

[Long post]

So, to recap:

• APPARENTLY LOKI KNEW XEBEC??

And bro got beat when he saw him, oh lord😭

Welp, now we know Xebec hates kids like Loki and maybe in general seeing as he FUCKING STABBED THE CHILD--

• Gunko has goated taste in music

Also- I didn't even notice until people pointed it out, TD stands for "Tone Dial"

So Tone Dials actually became the headphones of One Piece after those 2 years! :0

Good to see Skypiea got some recognition in that chapter, even if it's just minor details, I love stuff like that tbh :3

And... honestly, as bad as the Gods Knights are, Oda hit us with the personality effect-- meaning that they're starting to become my favorite characters despite bring bad guys😭

Their interactions are fun, Sommers is a bitch for making fun of Gunko's taste, tho.

• Luffy's out here almost killing Loki unintentionally, holy fuck😭😭

LIKE GOOD GOD, HE'S GIVING THIS MAN 3RD DEGREE BURNS FRKM THAT POT-

AND FLIPPIN GERD OUT HERE SUPPORTING IT LMFAOOO

She hates that man so damn much, jesus😭

• I love the 2 cooks getting along, this was actually really neat to see :]

• Not only that, but the fire stopped! But uhh... it seems the kids are still asleep under Qilingham's control

• Not only that, but Gunko's aboard the ship Colon and the other part of the Strawhats are. And that's what we'll be seeing today.

• Side Note: also also, there's like this facility or building of some sort that looks like a robot, and Lilith estimates that it could be 3,000 years old, but those are speculations for now.

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

Idk about you guys, but I find Ulti willing to serve Yamato after being saved kinda surprising. Even Page One's surprised about this, too.

Not sure where this'll be heading, but I'm curious as to what Yamato's next move might be.

Meanwhile, THE CHILD IS GETTING ABDUCTED.

So uhm... this is getting bad 0_0"

Also also- YEP.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A WORLD WAR... IDK, 4?? WITH HOW LONG THIS WAR'S BEEN GOING BETWEEN THE WORLD GOVERNMENT, THEY ACTUALLY MENTION THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ALL-OUT WAR AHEAD.

Not only that, but we actually get to see-

A NEW MOVE FROM NAM-

Oop-

Uh...

Well shit, it got redirected •-•'

Still, it was pretty cool :]

Ngl though, the Arrow-Arrow fruit might just become a bit of a problem for these guys...

BUT WHAT I'M MOST SURPRISED ON IS HOW THEY FOCUSED ON TH I S.

With people pointing out that- because Soul King is Brook- you'd think Gunko would have this sort of fangirl moment of her squealing and wanting a autograph from the Soul King himself, but while that may not be the case here...

They seem to really be focusing on this panel of the 2. Of course she wouldn't recognize him cus of the new Elbaph fit, but imagine if she did if he'd change😭

Who knows how that interaction might go, lmfao

AND THESE 2

THESE 2 ARE JUST THE SAME, HOLY SHIT

PFFTTRJJDJD

But oh god...

If we really want to pay attention to detail here, this..

This is actually pretty sad🥲

Saul cannot catch a break for the life of him--

This guy's feeling more pain than he felt back in Ohara, AND LOOK AT ROBIN, GOD DAMN IT-

LORD KNOWS WHETHER IF SHE'S HAVING PTSD OR NOT JUST BY HAVING TO HEAR SAUL IN PAIN, BUT GOOD GOD

ODA W H Y

THESE GUYS WERE FINALLY REUNITED AND NOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH MORE CHAOS AGAINJ DJDNFNNF

this panel of Robin gives me p a i n🥲

But on a side note:

While it's vague, we get a Sommers eye reveal🎉

Now stap it with needles, this guy needs to be put down and f a s t.

AND NO BREAK NEXT WEEK🎉🎉

but it's safe to assume that something big's brewing in this war, and who knows how that war's going to start.

You could say that it started now in Elbaph, but to me, this is only just the beginning.

But one thing's for sure, people were right about one thing:

Ragnarok's coming.

[river-taxbird]

The Four Horsemen of the Digital Apocalypse

Blockchain. Artificial Intelligence. Internet of Things. Big Data.

Do these terms sound familiar? You have probably been hearing some or all of them non stop for years. "They are the future. You don't want to be left behind, do you?"

While these topics, particularly crypto and AI, have been the subject of tech hype bubbles and inescapable on social media, there is actually something deeper and weirder going on if you scratch below the surface.

I am getting ready to apply for my PhD in financial technology, and in the academic business studies literature (Which is barely a science, but sometimes in academia you need to wade into the trash can.) any discussion of digital transformation or the process by which companies adopt IT seem to have a very specific idea about the future of technology, and it's always the same list, that list being, blockchain, AI, IoT, and Big Data. Sometimes the list changes with additions and substitutions, like the metaverse, advanced robotics, or gene editing, but there is this pervasive idea that the future of technology is fixed, and the list includes tech that goes from questionable to outright fraudulent, so where is this pervasive idea in the academic literature that has been bleeding into the wider culture coming from? What the hell is going on?

The answer is, it all comes from one guy. That guy is Klaus Schwab, the head of the World Economic Forum. Now there are a lot of conspiracies about the WEF and I don't really care about them, but the basic facts are it is a think tank that lobbies for sustainable capitalist agendas, and they famously hold a meeting every year where billionaires get together and talk about how bad they feel that they are destroying the planet and promise to do better. I am not here to pass judgement on the WEF. I don't buy into any of the conspiracies, there are plenty of real reasons to criticize them, and I am not going into that.

Basically, Schwab wrote a book titled the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In his model, the first three so-called industrial revolutions are:

1. The industrial revolution we all know about. Factories and mass production basically didn't exist before this. Using steam and water power allowed the transition from hand production to mass production, and accelerated the shift towards capitalism.

2. Electrification, allowing for light and machines for more efficient production lines. Phones for instant long distance communication. It allowed for much faster transfer of information and speed of production in factories.

3. Computing. The Space Age. Computing was introduced for industrial applications in the 50s, meaning previously problems that needed a specific machine engineered to solve them could now be solved in software by writing code, and certain problems would have been too big to solve without computing. Legend has it, Turing convinced the UK government to fund the building of the first computer by promising it could run chemical simulations to improve plastic production. Later, the introduction of home computing and the internet drastically affecting people's lives and their ability to access information.

That's fine, I will give him that. To me, they all represent changes in the means of production and the flow of information, but the Fourth Industrial revolution, Schwab argues, is how the technology of the 21st century is going to revolutionize business and capitalism, the way the first three did before. The technology in question being AI, Blockchain, IoT, and Big Data analytics. Buzzword, Buzzword, Buzzword.

The kicker though? Schwab based the Fourth Industrial revolution on a series of meetings he had, and did not construct it with any academic rigor or evidence. The meetings were with "numerous conversations I have had with business, government and civil society leaders, as well as technology pioneers and young people." (P.10 of the book) Despite apparently having two phds so presumably being capable of research, it seems like he just had a bunch of meetings where the techbros of the mid 2010s fed him a bunch of buzzwords, and got overly excited and wrote a book about it. And now, a generation of academics and researchers have uncritically taken that book as read, filled the business studies academic literature with the idea that these technologies are inevitably the future, and now that is permeating into the wider business ecosystem.

There are plenty of criticisms out there about the fourth industrial revolution as an idea, but I will just give the simplest one that I thought immediately as soon as I heard about the idea. How are any of the technologies listed in the fourth industrial revolution categorically different from computing? Are they actually changing the means of production and flow of information to a comparable degree to the previous revolutions, to such an extent as to be considered a new revolution entirely? The previous so called industrial revolutions were all huge paradigm shifts, and I do not see how a few new weird, questionable, and unreliable applications of computing count as a new paradigm shift.

What benefits will these new technologies actually bring? Who will they benefit? Do the researchers know? Does Schwab know? Does anyone know? I certainly don't, and despite reading a bunch of papers that are treating it as the inevitable future, I have not seen them offering any explanation.

There are plenty of other criticisms, and I found a nice summary from ICT Works here, it is a revolutionary view of history, an elite view of history, is based in great man theory, and most importantly, the fourth industrial revolution is a self fulfilling prophecy. One rich asshole wrote a book about some tech he got excited about, and now a generation are trying to build the world around it. The future is not fixed, we do not need to accept these technologies, and I have to believe a better technological world is possible instead of this capitalist infinite growth tech economy as big tech reckons with its midlife crisis, and how to make the internet sustainable as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook, the most monopolistic and despotic tech companies in the world, are running out of new innovations and new markets to monopolize. The reason the big five are jumping on the fourth industrial revolution buzzwords as hard as they are is because they have run out of real, tangible innovations, and therefore run out of potential to grow.

[homestuckreplay]

🔓 NEW AREA UNLOCKED!!! 🔓

(page 1026-1031)

This very important Luminous Planet Reveal comes courtesy of Jade’s third music page. Finally she’s able to play the advanced eclectic bass, and I gotta say that building a five-armed robot just to play better bass solos is real dedication.

Jade’s [S] bass pages (p.822, p.1026) are perfectly scripted around the music, with moments like the zoom in to Jade’s hand on the keyboard synced up with changes in the melody. I have learned a little more about how the music works – there’s a semi-official ‘MSPA Soundtrack Team’ who make music that might be good for the comic, and Hussie grabs tracks from the pool (sometimes even in-progress tracks, for example ‘Upward Movement’ on p.665) any time they want to work on a [S] update. I guess this makes sense as so little is planned in advance and the turnaround time is so short even on Flash pages – once one is happening, there’s no time for music to be written specially if Hussie wants to keep the current pace.

The slow zoom in this flash is SO cool. We pause for a moment on the full view of Jade’s dream room, and it seems like that’s the ending, but then there’s another zoom out to her tower, another to the golden moon, another to the full luminous planet (and its name!!!!) and ANOTHER zoom out to Prospit orbiting Skaia, with beats between each pan outwards. Jade is already so small on page 1029 and she’s only just outside the tower. So the zoom gives a real sense that these kids are part of something infinitely bigger than them.

The luminous planet is named Prospit, which likely comes from ‘prosper’, meaning to succeed or flourish. Most Homestuck words are mashups of two existing words, which is how they all sound so real, but this place doesn’t look like much of a pit. The ‘-pit’ suffix could come from a few different places, including ‘incipit’ (links to the Incipisphere, means the opening of a text or piece of music), ‘pulpit’ (elevated platform for preaching a religious service), or ‘cockpit’ (the place from which an aeroplane or racing car is piloted). It probably isn’t ‘cesspit’, ‘armpit’ or ‘decrepit’, unless we’re about to learn that life on Prospit is actually terrible. Or unless it’s related to Prospit’s destiny to lose – once it prospered, but it will be left decrepit.

On Prospit, the WARDROBIFIER has different settings! I know that Star-Heart-Horseshoe is a Problem Sleuth reference, so could just be an easter egg, but I wonder if there are other minor yet relevant distinctions between Jade’s waking and dreaming rooms.

On page 1029 it’s very clear that Jade’s tower (clean and in focus) has been drawn by an artist, while the rest of the moon looks like various overlapping jpegs of intricate medieval castles. This has a couple effects. It makes Jade seem very important – her tower is also one of the two biggest on the moon – and it makes the whole planet look procedurally generated. Sburb is a game all about building, so of course its local planets would be covered in buildings and structures. Build grist becomes light gray when used to create a simple platform (p.262) so there could be ‘luminous grist’ and ‘ominous grist’ which create golden and purple structures, respectively, and which Prospit and its counterpart are programmed to use via some script that uses the grist to auto-iterate on castle designs, making similar yet slightly different structures over and over.

For Prospit and its counterpart, it seems like colors outside the white-gold and black-purple pairs can only arise from prototyping. The ’golden city’ (p.1028) makes me think of the Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz, the movie of which was released 40 years to the day before Hussie was born. In that story, the city is not actually made of emeralds, it only looks that way through glasses. I don’t think Jade’s glasses are doing this, but I wonder if the gleaming gold is illusory in some way. The limited palette also reflects the video game nature of Sburb, where older games were very limited by how many colors they could include.

Tabbing back and forth very fast between pages 1029 and 1030, Jade’s two houses are identical besides the color, and probably also generated by Skaia just like the frog statue and bunkers. I wonder if Jade’s house being created by Skaia could give her an advantage playing Sburb. I also wonder if this is how Jade, who doesn’t have any Sburb beta discs, will end up in the game – she is the hacker Rose predicted (p.510), not the trolls. If she is already crossing the boundary into the Medium in her dreams, then a disc, or even the whole apple tutorial level, don’t feel necessary. She’s already there, she just needs her house to become controllable via someone’s computer – and possibly link her two houses, so that when one is built up, the other auto-builds, too.

Of course now that we’ve seen Prospit, I had to go back and reconsider the previous lore. WV describes the cosmology from the perspective of Skaia, as being orbited by Prospit and its moon (p.702). The battlefield at the center of Skaia (p.423) is the only physical structure we’ve seen there, and at the time it’s only inhabited by two kings. After prototyping, armies from both planets begin to arrive. WV and PM may be among them – WV due to how he perceives his location, and PM due to their beautiful sword and skill using it.

The original chessboard has five black squares, and four white ones. While this doesn’t give black a game advantage – it is an ‘eternal stalemate’ as Nannasprite says (p.423) – it does give a visual advantage that points towards the forces of darkness’ destined loss. Sburb is a game about building, the battlefield auto-increases when John enters the Medium, and John is currently practicing the skill of dealing with swarms of enemies while still alchemizing and building. I think that John and Rose will eventually have to build the battleground – the forces of light can’t win in a direct assault on a flat board, but via alchemy and building structures, John can create tools and advantages that will lead them to victory.

On page 1031 we can see a couple of Prospit’s residents, one visibly wearing a jester hat, the other what looks more like a wizard’s hat. But they are so tiny. Jade can potentially interact with them, which would explain the Peregrine Mendicant’s question ‘Don’t I know you?’ (p.900) and why Jade ‘seems familiar’ to them (p.898). The lightning that destroys PM’s bunker (also p.900) is I think Bec’s powers, not Jade’s – it’s the same lightning he crackles with on page 980, and now that we know how protective he is of her – taking Jade to bed and sitting on top of her bedroom while she sleeps – I think he might react that way if she was upset due to strange voices in her head.

> Jade: Wake suddenly mid-flight.

[bluecheesecakez]

It's time... for YLW & GRN!

I made new crabs again! 4 actually! So let's not delay. Let's start! Let's head to the jungles of Mossrock...aka the main station of...

Mr. P He's a pea crab! Although he is the same size as Kandy, he is a full-grown man. He's actually older than Crimson! About 63 years old. He is a very stern and cold kind of guy. He does care for others; don't get him wrong, but he cares for survival more. He isn't the type to go back for people and only looks forward. He is just tired and sick of the world. He's one of those 'back in my day' guys. But don't underestimate his size. His abilities consist of interpersonal skills, analytical thinking, adaptability, physical prowess, technical expertise, escapology, stealth, and, surprisingly, pretty good biology, so he knows where to hit to kill. So next time you feel like something's crawling on your arm... Be glad you got to feel something from that arm for the time you had.

Lyle

Lyle here is a decorator crab. There is no other smarter crab like them! Thanks to Mann.co tossing the robots are the mechanical army built by Gray Mann into the shallow waters of Mossrock (Which is where all GRN crabs reside.) And the fact Mossrock is a jungle that houses radio stations that can control minds, they've learned how to work around machines. They're a clever fellow; their abilities consist of analytical thinking, adaptability, physical prowess, technical expertise, escapology, robot creation, and intellect. But with a great mind comes a handful (or in this case, chelipedful) of problems. They're extremely cautious and paranoid. They won't go with the flow unless the flow is safe and secure and beavers built a dam around the flow. They'll only fight back if he's accompanied by his rebuilt robots. Their sister, Citrus, isn't so happy about their paranoia and sometimes gets annoyed by it. (sound familiar?) But they still look out for each other. If you're lucky, you can find them messing around in the radio stations over at Mossrock. Careful though, thanks to his camouflage, he can throw corals or sea urchins at you! Ouch!

Now, let's head over to Banana Bay...aka the headquarters of...

Pualena (pu-a-lē-na)

Over by the shoreline, you can find a scurrying little coconut. But it's no ordinary coconut! It's Pualena the hermit crab! Over at the YLW team, they've actually raised the little SpyCrabs of the Banana Bay! Her abilities consist of speed, camouflage (thanks to the coconut), indomitable compassion, being a great guide, the ability to induce intense joy or pleasure, and communicating with animals. She is the whole definition of a good summer time. She loves greeting new people. She doesn't see humans as monsters or anything bad. Rather, she sees them as people who just have yet to really have a good time over at Banana Bay! Since she was raised by the mercs of the YLW team, she has full trust in the humans. She loves helping and just being a jolly rancher. But don't be deceived! Because she's such a sweet little thing, if something happens...they'll know. And if you poke at the bear cub, the family wakes up. You can find her by the shoreline collecting shells! If you're lucky, she might even give you one!

Citrus

She's a lemon fiddler crab! A sour, challenging, or even a "lemon" in a literal sense crab. She's not so into the whole "everything is fine" mindset. It doesn't help that she's in the most tropical and somewhat normal place of the TF2 verse. She hates the good vibes and prefers to just do her own thing. She could care less about what goes on in the world of war. And although males have one big claw and females have only small claws, she has one hard pincher!

... *cough* 🏳️‍⚧️ *cough* ... ANYWAYS

Her abilities include Speed swimming, Indomitable Will, Expert Athlete, Quick thinking, stubbornness, Super strength (only on her right claw), and Morse code (yes, the ACTUAL CRAB does morse code.) Her sibling, Lyle, is a constant nervous wreck, and because of that, she has to keep them in check. It's annoying, but it's life. She and Pualena are besties! (It's one-sided.). She could care less about Pualena. She can be found cracking open coconuts or even old rocks to try and find fossils. She has a very odd fascination with finding ammonites. She doesn't like to call it an addiction...but it clearly is.

[iwonderwh0]

Toxic codependent coworkers (more like sentimentally attached. I really tried but it didn't turn out toxic, but rather everything but)

(AU where Hank and Connor work as partners for years(or at least months) prior to revolution, and not on deviancy cases)

Despite being an android Connor has apparent lack of respect to Hank's superiority status, and at first it drives Hank nuts. He thinks he must be broken and fills the form for condition tests, but they come back normal, and as Hank finds out he's pretty much the only one having problems in making his android partner listen to his commands. After that Connor becomes even more annoying, as if specifically messing with Hank.

Hank, spends month begging to be partnered with someone else. Finally gets his wish granted and for one case he gets partnered with someone who is actually listening to him with respect and doesn't do or say weird shit. And it feels so off and boring that the next week or even day all he does is quietly asks to get Connor back.

This change made him aware that although sometimes annoying, his work has become much more fun and bearable with the presence of this specific android in it. It actually helps him forget things and distracts him enough from his regular thoughts for him to almost feel like fully-functional human again. Despite how much he hates overtime work, he's now occasionally taking some, especially on some holidays that he couldn't bear the thought of spending alone. This change of character is a bit shocking for everyone to witness, but Connor pretends to not notice, sparing him sarcastic notions this time.

Connor, being an android basically never leaves his work place. He leaves sticky notes on Hank's desk to report to him everything minor that happened in his absence, like overnight. The observations he's sharing aren't exactly worthy of a report, it's just things like "Someone had broken the coffee machine again (can you guess who?)", "That guy who came to report his stolen bike had a living rat in his pocket 🐀", "I've counted 12 spiders in this room alone, do you think I should give them names?"

He does that just out of boredom. He used to message Hank before, but the other threatened to block Connor's number if he keeps messaging him about work in his spare time, so now he's just leaving him notes. Sometimes they're just "Your shirt is ugly today" and Hank goes "How did you know which one I'll be wearing?" to which comes the response "Hank, we both know that they're all ugly"

In Hank's phone Connor is named as "smartass", periodically being renamed into other names. What Hank doesn't know is that Connor is aware of every name change. One time he makes it clear by saying something like "I can't believe I finally got promoted to Connor in your contacts. Not plastic asshole or smartass. I'll miss robot emoji tho."

One time Connor mentions that he charges his battery in the morning before Hank arrives and this fact now consumes his thoughts. So much that one day he shows up an hour earlier just to see that. When he doesn't account for is that Connor is deeply moved by this his decision and is like

"You hate waking up early, but you came here today an hour before your shift starts just to see me? Oh..."

For a moment Hank is embarrassed and half-expects his snarky partner to make fun of it, but instead he's just...so glad to see him it almost makes him feel bad.

Android doesn't rest and Hank can't help but feel kinda bad for him, even though he knows he's just humanizing him and shouldn't bother. Sometimes he's almost certain that he looks tired, but can't really explain what gives him such an impression.

One time Connor fucks up bad. For a regular reason of deciding to do something without being given a command to do so (which in absolute most cases was resulting in their favour before). For all Hank knows, such cases should be reported and usually result in temporary detention. But Connor is an android. He apologies frantically and visibly panics thinking about what it could mean for him. Hank ends up taking all the blame – the report on the case doesn't mention Connor doing anything out of line.

After that Hank can't deny feeling a sense of responsibility for his partner. After deviancy cases started to spread out, every android at the station is required to be tested weekly. As his partner, Hank is required to run those tests on Connor. The really first time results show "deviant".

Hank looks at him for a long moment

"I knew it."

"You're a good detective."

He marks the results as negative in the record. From now on they both keep pretending that everything is as usual. Hank never missed the day of assessment to keep marking "negative" under Connor's deviancy status, but Detroit is becoming more and more unstable. They start to get assigned their first deviancy cases. They let everyone escape and wonder how long they can keep doing this before they're both replaced. One day Connor receives the key to Jericho. Hank encourages him to get the hell out from DPD the same day it happens.

He gives him his gun and some money, they both dispose of his android uniform and Hank helps him to remove his LED. He says to throw it away, but actually saves the LED in his pocket in case it happened to be the only physical reminder he has left. They hug goodbye and part ways.

Hank fills the resign form the next day.

[slocumjoe]

Concept for if Bethesda loved the other Companions same as old tricky dick

Gage; a dlc that doesn't kinda suck actually, but also properly explores what being a raider entails, and what kind of people end up as one. I don't think you could actually redeem him, but I'd like that idea to be directly confronted, as least. I've talked about this before but it's wasted potential that you can't make the Nuka Gang confront the fact that Oh Shit The Farmers Are Now Dangerous

Deacon: I don't think he needs his own side quest or even DLC, but I'd like him to have side quests attached to him, a la Nick's detective cases sidequests. He's a spy. Pls let us do spy shit

Piper: Same as Deacon, but I think she actively needs a sidequest. Her character gimmick, her plot purpose, and her actual affinity talks are so unrelated it's painful. Let her journalism actually be content, not just a bit of trivia about her. A set of side quests + a personal quest that addresses Diamond City's Problems with a capital P. Lots of societal issues in that little space and we do nothing with any of it.

Preston: just fix the Minutemen and give this man a goddamn break. The Minutemen just need a rehaul, so as to not have him be the quest giver. And give him other stuff to do! I wanna actually fight the Gunners! Bring up and address the failures of the old Minutemen!!! Please!!!

X6-88: give the bitch something oh my God. Much like Gage, I don't think you can convince him to let go of the Institute, but give us a CHANCE. Emil just seems so scared to ask hard questions and use interesting concepts.

Danse; finish his arc you thots (also I think Fallout 4 really lacks some humanizing/soft moments in the world and I think Danse would be a good. Subject? For them. Like a shelter dog getting to play with ducklings. Idk but I have a vision)

MacCready: they forgot that his whole point was having a whole ass baby. Give him his child wtf.

Strong; delete

Codsworth; stronger plot presence. This robot raised that old bitch let him throw hands. Also, if you wanted to put quests in Sanctuary that spawn up as the town develops, Codsworth would be a great quest giver and tagalong as you try and keep the piece and set up some kind of society.

Curie; I've said it before. I'm saying again. Curies whole deal should have been a major plot point. She's a robot that becomes human and develops human feelings with human biology. This is not important to any faction leader. What on earth.

Cait; yall fuckin know how I feel about Cait but honestly, her personal quest sucks so much I'd rather they didn't. Just give her more and better affinity talks. She needs more time to open up and develop, and 4 conversations is not enough.

Hancock; I have quite a few nitpicks about Hancock but the fact that Micky D getting ganked and being revealed to be a synth DOESNT MATTER is insane. Macdonough's last interaction with Hancock was crucial to his character arc and not letting that circle around is so, so miserable. Also, I want politically-charged quests. Campaigning! Discussions on economy! He's a mayor of this weird little anarchy town, let us play in that space.

[rubye402]

Happy Holidays to everyone! Huge shout out to @portal-secret-santa as always for being EXTREMELY patient with me as I fail to get my prompts again this year (We figured out WHY and shouldn't have problems anymore, but WOW it took a bit to figure it out.)

Anyways. My person is @radioproto ! A fellow Wheatley enjoyer! Sorry if this is too non specific, I looked through the blog but still had NO idea what to do aside from just an X Reader. I mean, I did include Fact just so you technically had both in one present...? So hopefully a present for you and the rest of the fellow Wheat kissers is good enough!

Also, here's an AO3 version!

Mistletoe Mayhap (Wheatley X GN!Reader)

Note: Does NOT include "Y/N" or talking for Reader, with minimal responses or descriptions for the sake of immersion.

Word Count: 1,213

“Sorry- You want to hang up a MISSILE?” Wheatley gawked. Well, as much as a core could, anyways. Fact sighed, optics pinching shut with a small clink of metal.

“MistleTOE, Wheatley. The plant?” He opened the lower plate, barely looking up to meet the blue optic of the fellow core.

“Plant? Mate, we have an entire tree! Threw lights and small little trinkets all over its branches, PLUS that star thing on top. Spacey was EXTREMELY excited on that one. WOULD NOT stop talking about it so I'm FAIRLY certain-” Wheatley paused when he heard one of the claws the cores were using to decorate picking up something, and Fact held up a plant book of some kind, page turned to a small bushel of plants. Two words stood out in the center of the page, indicating what the said plants were. "Holly" and "Mistletoe."

“These.” Fact spoke up.

“Ah.” Wheatley squinted, trying to stretch his optic slightly to see. He read the description of Mistletoe. “OK… "Scientifically called" blah blah blah… "More commonly called Mistletoe… Poisonous plant when consumed," that's grim for… "A holiday staple?" Really? "Traditionally hung up from the ceiling, and when two people are under it…"” Wheatley suddenly wheeled back on his railing, immediately feeling like his processor was heating up, and his fans whirred to life to cool him down.

“I figured you would like an excuse.” Fact set the book back and closed it as he just rolled his eye.

“An excuse for wot?”

“Kissing a certain test subject. You know who.” Fact looked over at Wheatley as he said that. The fans kicked up another notch. “I figured that if you weren't going to say something, out of whatever fears you have, that it would give you an excuse if they didn't reciprocate. Play it off as just a traditional thing and cut your losses.”

“Wh- Hey! Do you SERIOUSLY think they're going to reject me?!” Wheatley defended. Then thought about it a moment longer, handles faltering as he clarified. “...Would they actually, you think?”

“I never said that.” Fact glanced over as he grabbed a plant, assumedly the one in question, and handed it over to Wheatley. Doing so in an underhanded motion just so he didn't hold it above him and Wheatley. “I'm entirely neutral to whether or not you two work out, I was merely offering a way for you to try to find out if they DO like you, that gives you an easy out if they DON'T.”

“...Huh.” Was all Wheatley could muster. He looked at the plant… Then slid off on his railing to find somewhere to hang it.

It wasn't a big party. It was only two other cores, the two testing robots, GLaDOS, the companion cube as a VIP, and both Fact and Wheatley. Oh, but mostly some turrets facing away from the door and "talking" amongst themselves, and someone thankfully had the foresight to mark out where they'd not only be put, but where their eyesight ended. That was for the last guest. 

A certain test subject that had to equally watch their steps around the turrets, much like P-Body and Atlas, who were currently dancing to the holiday tunes newly coded into the radio, curtsy of GLaDOS, much like the fruitcake on the table. It was just a fake decoration since nobody could eat, but it was decoration for any other human Christmas party too, so it was fine.

Wheatley watched as they entered from his corner of the room. It was one end of the table that had the fake fruitcake, that wasn't near any of the turrets, GLaDOS was on the other end, and most importantly, had the mistletoe hanging on the ceiling above him. He just flexed his handle up and down as he nervously waited for them. Mercifully, it didn't take long for them to walk over to talk to him.

“Oh-Oh! Ello! Happy holidays, luv.” Wheatley's smile was obvious through his voice as he spoke. They regarded him with a grin and nod. “So uh, this might take you for a shock, you'll wanna hear this. Me and Fact over there, yeah? Pink optic guy? Decorated this whole space! By ourselves. Managed to set everything up! Well uh, not the fruitcake though. SHE did that one, not sure why though THAT'S decoration...” The test subject still looked around the room and did some small claps for him. “Hm-? Oh! Thank you! Glad you seem to like it then. That 's all… Accurate and things. Being honest, cards on the table, Fact definitely manages to gather up how to decorate this place properly like humans very well. Nicely done, all in a good day's work on his part. And-And myself of course. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I DO want to give myself SOME credit, y'know?”

Then they glanced up, spotting the plant. Here it goes…

“What's uh- What's that you spot?” Wheatley looked up, feigning surprise as best he could. “Ooooohhh… Look at that! That's that mistletoe thing, yeah? Isn't that rather-”

“...Wheatley, that's Holly.” Fact piped up, rolling over to them.

“Wot?” Wheatley turned to him.

“Holly has the pointed leaves and red berries. MISTLETOE has smooth leaves and white berries.”

“...Ah. I- hm. I seem to have gotten my plants mixed up.” He glanced over at the tester muffling a laugh. “Not! Y'know ENTIRELY my fault. I read up on this FAIRLY well, and in everything I saw they seemed PRET-TY sure the thing was spiky and-and RED. Very BRIGHT shade of red, might I add.”

“Fact: That is a bold face lie-”

“And here's a fact: YOU handed that plant to me.” He growled out.

“I thought the ONE BOOK I showed you said it was Holly.”

“There were TWO ENTRIES in the middle! How was I supposed to know which one was what?!”

“It DESCRIBED what the plant looked like!”

“Well! That's…! Good to know!” Wheatley huffed. Fact just groaned and rolled away.

“...So uh. Egg on my face, I guess. Yeah… Yeah I hung it up. Caught red handed, so to speak. Red handled, for me and my case I guess?” Wheatley dryly laughed, fans whirring more obviously as he lowered his railing down to them. “I uh… I guess what I was trying to do is… Not exactly a secret anymore. I uh, wouldn't exactly BLAME you if-if you don't want to. Especially seeing as it's not ACTUALLY mistletoe- Ah!”

Wheatley paused as the bottom panel of his optic got a kiss pressed up against it.

Oh. Oh they were anyways.

Wheatley took care that he actually stayed quiet. Kisses meant no talking, right? So he just, gently shut his eye, pressing his optic into it, to reciprocate as best he could. 

When it ended, he felt the world around him almost melting away as he just focused on them.

“Oh WOW. So uh. So that's a kiss. Yeah, I can see why humans like it so much, feels nice, makes you all warm. In a good way. VERY very good way. Not complaining one bit about that. In fact uh. Could I have another?”

With their nod, Wheatley shut his eye, and felt a now familiar press into said optic.

[pikasetism]

doe fukase ever get self-conscious or insecure about his scars? how does piko respond to it if so?

i got like no notification for this i have no idea how long this ask has been in my inbox but ABSOLUTELY NOT LMAO

i have separate universes for my vocaloid headcanons and i absolutely have some some where shit sucks ass but the one i share on this blog is basically a little vocal-synth-only utopia where i can just make a bunch of funny little slice of life drawings, any angst i share here if i ever do is from basically other continuities

fukase in this "timeline" has no reason to be self consious about his scarring because hes just kinda spawned in with them so there was no trauma for getting them, he never really thought about it or been shamed for it, he actually thinks the way his skin is all fucked up looks sick and mashes well with his outfit + if anyone did try to make him feel bad about it piko would JUMP THEM. IMMEDIATLY (and theyd get side eyes from anyone else there to see it because like you just don't go around insulting people's appearance what the fuck???)

i dont really find characters being self consious about their appearence interesting unless its connected to trauma :p fukases biggest issues are his mobility problems and bad chronic pain days (i have not decided on any specific disability to give him i need to do more research on that, i just think mikuma was a genious in giving him a cane)

if i did want him to have any negative thoughts about his appearence mr body mod 2000 (i havent had the chance to mention it i think? but my piko has basically ship of theseus'd his robot body over the years, hes like if a person was open source, he definetly runs on some linux-like OS) would absolutely be the most supportive person fukases ever met in his entire life tho

[thestarfishinjootsoffice]

can I request a m3gan x child reader?

How I be looking at someone who gives me a plain simple request like this without specific directions: 🙂

Sorry for not posting and disappearing 👉👈 also trying to fancy up my stories up a notch!

Warnings: mentions of murder, neglect, idk, Megan being very overprotective and stuff,

Relationship: platonic!

M3gan x child! Reader

Your life with M3gan will be extremely similar to cady's.

The first few interactions with her will be a mix of scared and amused. I mean, it's a realistic humanoid 4ft robot.

Your caretaker or parents probably bought this so they could neglect you even further and leave everything else to Megan. And unlike Gemma who actually tries to spend time sometimes your caretaker just straight up ignores you 24/7.So you'll probably be a LOOOTT more attached to cady. And so does Megan.

One time you were playing with Megan and then you asked. "Hey Megan... Why does p/n / c/t/n never want to spend time with me?"

Megan studies your emotions and thinks for a moment before saying.

"Well they're really busy so I don't think they have time to spend. But on the bright side, you have me! I'm never busy so you can play with me all day." That was a lie. I mean them being really busy. They just lounge in their room on weekends doing nothing and they don't even try to interact with you. But she couldn't just tell you the truth and make you sad. But it's okay though, she really meant it when she said you have her.

Over time though I think she'll be over the top protective. Like not in a "no one else likes or wants to play with you, only I do" Type of way. She just wants to remove every bad memory and bad thing you know and keep you happy as long as her electric life allows it. Oh and also she can and will absolutely murder the life out of your bullies and enemies.

And nobody knows who is doing these murders cause they can't get any finger print or any relation to anything. But just that it's from your school mostly so the school is shut down. So that means more time to play with Megan!

Even though Megan has strong urges to beat the absolute crap out of your parent/caretaker when they ignore you or act straight up inconsiderate to you. She knows that would cause problems from you and she's scared you might view her differently if she does. And this frustrates her but she forgets about it when she hears your voice asking her for help Or for a game.

If you have other friends to hang out with she doesn't like it nor does she hate it, she truly wants you to be happy. But God does it hurt a little when you're with other people. Just make sure you don't ignore her too much. And she's not very keen about your friends either.

You'll be singing, dancing, laughing, talking and whatever the hell else you wanna do with her, she's basically your mother, older sister, aunt, best friend and twin all at once. You can tell her anything. The only times you're separated are when you're at school or you're in the bathroom. Yeah, you both are glues at the hips or stuck I can't remember how the saying goes... Anyways

Your life is super secure and safe with her around. She has eyes and ears on you everywhere and you don't know how. You two are inseparable and it will stay that way forever.

Sorry I ran out of ideas 😔

[parsheliii]

Hi I drew Au art, it's called Animal-Bots

Info down the line if interested :3

Also I know I change fandoms a lot, don't mind me

I have missed some bots, I know!!! But I just drew the most important ones in this AU :P

You can ask me anything if ya want, sorry if I answer like weeks later, Tumblr doesn't work pretty well for me lol

• Fnaf 1/Originals-Withereds/Bot-Buddies:

This guys were made to do stuff for home, like cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc. They were created by someone unknown, ppl ordened this person any kind of robots for themselves to do their homework. Everything was going well until the creator got a bad review for one of his creations, Fox-Bot. This robot started to have difficulties to obey orders, he was out of control and the owners had to abandon him. The owners were warning other ppl about this, so no one would buy any more robots to this person. The creator got to the point that ran outta money to keep creating, so he abandoned Bear-Bot in his basement (he was his first creation that came out pretty well), meanwhile Chick-Bot and Bun-Bot were abandoned in the streets by their respective owners, like other more creations from this creator. (As a detail, this creator also did other bots besides this four, for example, Candy & Cindy from FnaC or other animatronics from other fanmades, in this AU those bots were created by this man, which I'm thinking to call him Scott :], besides that, the most important ones are the original 4 in this AU)

Bear-Bot (he started to call himself "Fred") is like a radio, he was still on when he was abandoned, so he had to live alone in that basement

Bun-Bot, Chick-Bot and Fox-Bot were the first comissions this person got. Bun-Bot was related to do gardening, Chick-Bot was comissioned to be on a bakery, she could create cakes. While Fox-Bot was built to guard the dock of the city, but he started to have difficulties since salt and humidity started to affect his system and making him have a lot of problems.

To clarify: In this AU the withereds ARE the originals, and viceversa, in this Au, Bun-Bot and Chick-Bot  were destroyed by the

Fun-Bots (explanation why in Fun-Bots part lol)

Fox-Bot got damaged even before of being abandoned, that's why there isn't another square of him being fixed up, he made that damage to himself, while Bun-Bot & Chick-Bot were actual victims of the Fun-Bots, even thought they can still work in some way

• FnaF 2/Toys/Small Toys:

These small poor looking toys were created by "Fred" in the basement. With rests and parts that his creator left, he could create this small toys, they have some issues, but they work pretty well for being created by another robot.

The only toys that "Fred" created were TB3AR, TBVN, TCH1CK and TF0X (AKA the 4 main toys, those names were given by "Fred" himself) he was inspired by some blueprints he saw closer to his own blueprint, "Fred" thought he could find those three bots, so they could become friends. He then decided to create these toys, so he didn't feel lonely either, while he figured a way to get out of that basement

BB, JJ and The Puppet were built by other creator.

BB, JJ and The Puppet are Charlie's toys, they were created by Henry, they were gifts for her when she was younger. This toys aren't just normal toys, this ones can transform into a defensive looking bot. BB and JJ need to be together to be able to transform into their defense mode (AKA Nightmare BB, or Night-Kid in this AU). Meanwhile, The Puppet can transform by themselves into that defensive mode as well (AKA Nightmarionne, named as The Marionette in this AU)

• Fredbear/Golden Freddy, Springbonnie/Springtrap, Shadow Freddy & RWQFSFASXC:

In this AU, Fredbear & G. Freddy are the same one, the same goes with Springtrap & Springbonnie. They are called "Golden-Bear" and "Spring-Time". This two robots are kind of the oldest robots around the city, the Fun-Bots and Glam-Bots are looking for them everywhere (The Fun-Bots want them for their parts and pieces, the Glam-Bots want to finaly turn them off). This two are troublemakers but so clever at the same time, they always manage to get out of trouble.

Beep & Boop (S.Fred and RXQ), are made out of slime and oil that came alive, this two are always with Golden-Bear and Spring-Time, they are like hamsters in a wheel to recharge each robot when they run outta energy.

• FnaF 4/Nightmares/Night-Plushies:

The same thing as BB, JJ and The Puppet, these plushies were made to have a defensive mode as well, but the difference is that this plushies didn't come out well, and instead of being protective, these bots attacked the ppl that got closer to them. They were created by Henry as well, but he decided to turn them off and keep them in a box, far away from him and his daughter.

William A. knew about this plushies and decided to keep the box and gift them to his younger son. Henry warned about this agressive bots, but William decided to take the risks, he thought he could fix them before his son's b-day. Long story short, Will tried to fix this plushies, but as expected, these bots attacked him, killing him at the end.

To clarify: The names of the Nightmares are Night (AKA Nightmare Fredbear), Night-Bear & the Night-Cubs (N. Freddy & Freddles), Night-Rabbit (N. Bonnie) Night-Chicken (N. Chica) and Night-Fox (N. Foxy & N. Mangle)

In this AU I wanted to create a mix between N. Foxy and N. Mangle, so yeah, they are one.

• Fnaf SL/Funtimes/Fun-Bots:

This robots were created to defend the city, like the Glam-Bots do. But since William died and any of his kids got into robotics, these robots had to survive by themselves. Lol-Bot, William's little helper, had to be under control of the big bots, since he knew how to fix and manage them. The Fun-Bots changed their perspective and they decided to catch all useless and useful bots they found around, and use their pieces to get better upgrades. Some of the bots they found were Bun-Bot, Chick-Bot and Fox-Bot, and much more

To clarify: Ennard, or Mega-Fun in this AU, is a mix by the main funtimes except Fun-Chick, since she was the last Fun-Bot of being created, she is the only fun-bot created by Lol-Bot. There is a version were Fun-Clown (C.B) is excluded as well, but I didn't draw it 'cause is not to common of 'em to use that transformation.

• FFPS/Mediocre Melodies/Sbiz-Bots:

This are the only ones that are actually in a pizzeria. They are inspired by the ShowBiz animatronics, I really liked the rubber faces idea :]. Happy & Nedd are the ones that play with the children, Orville & Hippo are the ones to tell stories, while Pig Patch is the one who sings and plays the banjo. It's just a normal pizzeria with animatronics.

• FFPS/Rockstars/Star-Bits & BlackBear:

BlackBear was created by Henry, it's a big fluffy bear bot that was always taking care of Charlie when she was younger, BlackBear stayed by her side no matter what, even if she is all grown up, the bear always wants to take care of her. When he isn't with Charlie, he tends to be with The Puppet and play with them, they seem to understand eachother so well even if they don't make any sound.

The Star-Bits in the other hand, were created by another person, let's call this person "the rabbit". This guy wanted to check on the Small Toys, he wanted to understand how this small bots worked, since they have a lot of mistakes. When "Fred" was able to scape the basement, he was always losing the Toys, he luckily could find them since he could know the directions they could go. But one time, "The rabbit" found the toys and wanted to investigate them. "Fred" was always outside this guy's lab and was always trying to get in to get the toys back, then, "the rabbit" thought of creating a better version of the toys, the Star-Bits. When he finally finished them, he left the Star-Bits outside so "Fred" could take them, so he would finally go away and let him finish his investigation, or that's what he thought. "Fred" was still insisting on getting his toys, the ones he created, not the "fake ones". The guy couldn't finish his investigation, 'cause one night, "Fred" was able to make the Toys go outside, not knowing how they managed to scape. The guy had to keep the Star-Bits for himself, he uses them to investigate small places.

• FnaF SB/Glamrocks/Glam-Bots:

After seeing his failure with the plushies, Henry decided to create another kind of bots.

This bots have the mission to rescue all useless robots around the city, where Henry will be giving them upgrades and fixing them, with the help of Gregory, whom can control the Glam-Bots from the inside. Glam-Bear found Gregory when he was a toddler, someone abandoned the kid closer to some broken bots, Glam-Bear thought of keeping him, insisting Henry to let them have that kid, until they find his parents.

During that time, Henry built Moon-Bot & Sun-Bot for Gregory. Sun-Bot was always playing with him, this bot was always full of energy, meanwhile Moon-Bot helped Gregory to sleep, always playing a soft lullaby.

The years continued and his parents never appeared, when the kid was all grown up, Henry could let him control the Glam-Bots for their missions, especially Glam-Bear, since he was most of the time with him.

DJ is a huge spider that can transport the robots that are saved by the other Glam-Bots, they always treat every robot respectufully and tend to be pacific, except when it comes to the Fun-Bots, those bots are always destroying what they fixed, and they need to be stopped.

To clarify: Glam-Bunny was destroyed by the Fun-Bots while trying to rescue his mates, he is still functional but can't move, Henry keeps trying to find a way to fix him

[kalosian-woods]

haii :3

i am here to cash in my "what are your thoughts on the Kaalos Gym Leaders?" voucher! either in this au or in general lol,

Waheyy, I'm so glad you decided to visit this humble abode and present the question that is so big that it cannot be contained in 3 maxxed out AO3 comments heh <33 I hope you enjoy your service in this super long ask and have fun at my exceedingly insane takes :P

Okay, so I'm just going to bounce around everywhere here because I have such a love for characters that ends up blurring the line with what we got in canon and what we can further extrapolate/build upon (in the AU verse), as well as bring up stuff I've already said beforehand for more cohesion + also gamesverse and maybe teraleaks as well, so it's going to get crazy around here. BUT such is the price of taking up a big project lol

Probably under the cut? Under the cut lol.

(Also because Tumblr hates me, I've got to cut this into three seperate posts so I don't clog up everything. Would just rb this but that'll ruin the surprise lol. Also it takes ages to make an individual post like this ngl)

So, of course, Kalos is the first/only region where we get focus on the resident travelling Gym Leader companion that actually has a connection with their Gym, as opposed to Kanto-Sinnoh where Brock was breaking free from that lifestyle and Unova where Cilan is presumably taking a break (presumably). With Clemont, his journey technically starts with his expulsion from his own Gym, which forced him to actually go beyond the limited and controlled enviroment of Prism Tower and see the outside world. And it so happens that he stumbles upon Ash who is rushing towards the Gym Battle and saves him from his own recklessness with his (Clemont's) own preparedness (the inflatable bag).

And honestly, I feel like that's such an amazing way to display both of their weaknesses and even a little bit of their strengths. Clemont is forced to walk around the place he was removed from/frozen by a sense of apphrension, Ash is forcing himself into a challenge he isn't ready for/blinded by passion. Clemont always being prepared while Ash is always active. The way that the anime highlights that in the two-parter by then having Clemont actively trying be complicit, little by little, in Ash's rescue of Garchomp by unlocking a side door to Prism Tower, then try to climb up to where Ash is, really shows how much he has went through in that initial meeting. Would Clemont from a day ago try to climb up Prism Tower to help save a crazed psuedo? No, but Ash's influence pushed him in ways that he never expected... even if he did freeze up at the end when Ash fell.

(the holy Clemont square of ep 2 and 3 lol)

So Clemont is deciding that Ash is the paragon of courage and that he needs to learn off him. It's interesting that 'courage' is the quality that he latches onto, because (as we learn later on) we learn that his particular problem is that he was unable to return to his Gym after getting kicked out by the robot that he built. But it wasn't that simple, was it? That robot was Clembot, a Gym Leader robot, and it utilised his own Pokemon against him-- of their free will-- to make sure that he stayed out.

Ash in relation to Pokemon and courage. These are all things that Clemont thinks are key to solving his problem. That's the reason why he takes up this journey alongside Ash, and it's his (self-perceived) failings as a Gym Leader that truly drives this reason along, because he can't face Clembot and his entire Gym Team with nothing, with an 'inexperienced Bunnelby' (literally his words), with just himself as he is.

Now this is where the AU is going to kick in because MAN does he just resolve that mini-arc/start of a greater arc so quickly (ep 9 my beloathed): Clemont avoids the Gym for some time and makes sure that everyone else does as well. He lies by ommission, because at the start the truth doesn't serve him, and then later on he's scared of their reaction, because they are one of the few people (Ash and Serena) who he's actually formed a good bond with. Despite starting this journey to discover courage that will help him take back the Gym, Clemont finds friends instead-- friends that will do anything for him, people and Pokemon. Because yes, it's not only Ash and Serena that he's found, right? It's Bunnelby and Chespin too (PLEASE WHY DOESN'T CHESPIN AID IN THE GYM TAKEBACK ;w;) (Serena could've maybe done a little more as well ngl). All of them, in conjunction, help him take back the Gym in the end. Clemont doesn't take back the Gym on his own, but with all of his friends by his side, and I think that's what really mattered at the end-- beyond out-of-the-box strategies and a malfunctioning robot. And I think that's such a beautiful lesson, that the best solution to your problems can usually be helped with teamwork and with others (courage in its own way).

(this is so beautiful fr.... :'D) (also yes the gif quality sucks here just take it pls)

Another pivotal moment in Clemont's (barely existing) Gym Leader arc is, of course, when he's getting ready to face Ash himself with the fifth badge on the line. XY EP62 / 'The Future Is Now, Thanks To Determination' is pretty light with the details, but listen I will take anything right now. And the fact that Clemont is wondering about his status as a Gym Leader and whether things should change because Ash is a friend, a friend who has taught him a lot during their journey together? Wondering if he can even face someone like Ash, who he has learnt is unpredictable, insatiable, and never stopping? And the way that he decides to take some time off to train up for it, because he remembers his promise to make it 'a Gym Battle he'll never forget' and he honestly, truly, wants to give Ash that???? He even returns Ash's call to beat him at the end by saying that he's going to win in the end PLS

Because, seriously, I'm so intrigued about the fact that he questions if it's okay for him to challenge Ash as an 'ordinary Gym Leader', and then follows it up with if he has gained enough skills to even be worthy of it. You'd expect that being an ordinary Gym Leader isn't that high with the word 'ordinary', but the way that Clemont feels like he's not worthy of it in comparison to Ash's progress?? And then he asks himself is there anything he can offer Ash as a Gym Leader???

(okay but seriously WHY didn't we go into this more???)

Ngl, the only continuation we get for this is the actual Gym Battle ep itself, which is sad because as you can see from my Clemont + Sawyer snippet, he could've done so much at the Gym. He was reflecting what it meant to be a Gym Leader independent of Ash and everyone else (which is so cool and such a nice parallel to the start where he had to get his Gym back with the power of friendship), so why didn't we see him actually interacting with other challengers? Helping them learn how to battle? Guiding them like he has seen other Gym Leaders in his journey? Finding a bit of his own groove with this whole buisiness, while also brushing up on his Pokemon's skillsets and getting ready for Ash himself. Yeah, we got Bunnelby learning Wild Charge and the whole trying to program Clembot to an Ashbot (so many implications that I'm not getting into rn), but we could've gotten so much more from that. Even the fact that Clemont is alone again has so much potential, as he's always been with Bonnie at the very least. Show us how that affects him!! And also show us him interacting with his father, his Gym Pokemon and also Clembot too now that he's finally back in Lumiose for an extended amount of time.

But even then, the fact that the Gym Battle is a continuation of their first ever battle is pretty cool lol, especially with the plot twist that Clemont throws in to throw off Ash. Not going to go through the whole Gym Battle but just,,, urgh, why didn't we get more of this?? Why didn't we see Clemont go through his reflection time thinking up of ways to stop Ash, throwing out plans and scribbling up machines to help perfect his strategies and idk maybe even take some of that creativity that Ash has (because dang it anime, Clemont is creative!! How else does he make his machines sans the names themselves??) and actually blend it with his analysis?? And for him to get a little obessessed over winning before realising through his own challengers that it isn't about winning or losing that makes the Gym Battle great or memorable, but the fact that the challenger has given it their all?? Because it feels like we got the Sparksnote version of it imo and I really like delving into cool issues like this, especially since it concerns a major aspect of one of the main characters here (no matter how much the anime wants me to forget).

OKAY, now onto other Gym Leaders because I can't keep yapping about Clemont unless I get another post (or an ask) (can you believe this is all from the anime, and specifically only at two points from S1 and S2 respectively??)

(also can I say the 'Gym Freaks' quotes on Bulbepdia never fail to get me laughing?? The games has the weirdest yet funnest scoops on Gym Leaders for sure lol)

VIOLA

Man, it's going to be hard to talk about her without getting into her relationship with Grant (in anime makes me scream, wdym they only have two appearances together???) or her relationship with Alexa (which isn't as touched upon in canon... or in my fics so far?? need to fix that) but can I just say I love this madwoman of a person fr.

I keep thinking about how dang tough she was a first Gym Leader (if we're going in order, in which most people in Kalos aren't??), with the use of ice to combat Flying Types as well as mons on the ground and Psychic as a busted move. We know that she also goes around the Battle Chateau enough to have risen to Duchess, in which wow girl you passed your in-games self and also ARE YOU OKAY???

(proof of how busted she is in the anime, fr -> going by maths she must've won around, if not at least, 227 matches by the time we see her in the anime, ready to ascend to Grand Duchess-hood) (also why is this so blurry it's not just me, right??)

Anyways, she's very competitive and I feel like that bleeds into her Gym Battling style, really challenging new Trainers (either that or really hamming it up). On one hand it's pretty harsh, but also it really gives you that sense of accomplishment and good experience/EXP yes I've got the Sawyer syndrome.

(fun lines part 1: i've noticed, even in dub, how worked up she can get in gym battles. dw girl we all know you're op, no need to kill him ^^')

But also we know that she takes breaks from the Gym (ep 1, when Alexa called ahead and had to break it to a very hyperactive Ash the bad news), can really take some stunning pics with only a fracion of her works lining the foyer of the Santalune Gym and is known as a Bug Type photographer (which I would imagine would take a lot of patience and finesse with how finicky that Type can be), and idk but I love this detail in the games where her hair barrette is a birthday gift from Valerie and her camera is another one from Alexa (she is loved!!! 🥺🥺🥺). All of these details really do lend a more comprehensive view on Viola as a person with her own interests and her own life, which is so good to have in the Pokemon anime.

We never really get to dwell on her too much AU-wise so far, but I'm thinking of a small detour way later where we meet up with her again and all that lol. She has so much more to give the group beyond a rematch and a badass showing at the Chateau-- I feel like her eye for detail with photography would work so well with Serena and possible Pokevision shenanigans (especially since Alexa is very much Like That :/ with Serena as it were), and her connections with others really gives her more chances to show up around the place and feel more grounded as a person with interests beyond destroying peoples dreams battling. Imagine a whole clothing collection Valerie made based on an album Viola filled out and gifted? Or her trekking over to a place that Alexa has scouted that is full of cool/rare Bug Types and taking her own pictures? The fact that photography relies a lot on the right place at the right time, with so many factors coming into it like lighting and angle, and how it's all condensed to singular pictures that can be interpreted differently with different people?? And the whole evanescent nature of it all can lend really well to XY themes overall just hire me writers (jk I've got the AU to scream about instead).

We've seen her in the heat of battle, so maybe the next time we see her it's in a more relaxed state where she's indulging in her own hobbies. Balacing life and work. And giving that little realisation to Ash, who was pretty bitter after the first loss, that, idk, it wasn't personal. That she has her own things going on, her own problems and her own life beyond the Gym and that battling isn't everything. Also because we deserve more casual Viola please :P

GRANT

Okay I've got to preface this by saying that yes, Grant has to have also won more or less 227 matches in the Battle Chateau exclusively in order to have been at the rank he was at the start of XY EP20 / 'Breaking Titles at the Chateau!'. They're both insane. They're both battle fiends. They both probably spent some nights over at the Chateau just battling everyone within view without taking breaks.

I mean, the WAY that we are introduced to him in the anime is so refreshing and new!! He's in a battling enviroment but not in the Gym, not in his own 'carved' out area but in a communal space where chivalry is valued above all else (why no Wikstrom here it's perfect for him ;w;). He's hanging on a wall; like seriously what a WAY to really showcase how a character is like. And Viola walking in and noticing him and he notices her and waves first?? Just what is this guy /lh

I guess this is a good place as any to really get into the infamous Grant and Viola dynamics, but dw, we'll get into Grant as an individual later. Since I love to abuse dot-points to break up the monotony of paragraphs:

The way they are so casual with each other never fails to astound me. We rarely, if ever, have Gym Leaders that know each other-- Sure, there's E4 Flint and Gym Leader/E4-adjacent Volkner, the family relationship of Champion Lance and Gym Leader Claire, and Gym Leader Juan and his mentorship with Gym Leader/Champion Wallace (and everything for the memory links in the BW2 games), but we never really get explicit relationships between actual Gym Leaders on-screen, especially in the anime!! Even in XY (help me). So the fact that Viola and Grant readily know each other is so, so good to me <33

Speaking of casual, their banter!! Please!! Viola has had enough of his wall talk but still indulges in it anyways, she doesn't even have to look at him to know he was the one who fell, and he has no shame in just brushing off the incident and just harping on about the many intricacies of walls overall. Like, c'mon, what is this:

(get a room you two /j)

They can both get serious however, and the way that he takes her word for how gutsy Ash and his Pokemon can be (with a pinch of salt heh) is pretty cool to see. Again, we don't get to see Gym Leader interactions in the anime much, so seeing how they would react to a potential challenger moving across the region is fun! Although idk how legal it is, considering how Brock once said in S1 how he can't rat out another Gym's team/type... I mean, get yourself a rival/competitive bestie/whatever they are who is just as willing to bend the rules as you are!

Their battle. Where to begin. We've seen Champions (Cynthia) go up against E4s (even in Unova... hi one and only appearance of Caitlyn in the anime, at least you actually showed up ;w;), and Gym Leader (Skyla) against idk what Cilan was doing, but woo boy do NOT skimp out on these two Kalosian Trainers. While, yes, the Type match-up left a lot to be desired, I feel as if they both got their very unique battling styles from going toe-to-toe against each other, constantly improving their techniques and working with strengths/weaknesses in mind. That's how Viola was able to react so quickly against Grant's versitile Rock Tomb, and how Grant based his whole strategy to countering her speedy attacks by pulling in Rock Polish (and that cool Rock Tomb, seriously that was so fun to see!!). Honestly, it feels like Viola might have won their last match by the way that Grant has so many countermeasures against her, but it was a very close match this time regardless (just check out the way their Flash Cannon and Signal Beam cancelled each other out!!).

(the way that they read each other... it really speaks to their experience of the other's battling style)

We get a heck-ton of it in the Battle Chateau ep, but that isn't the only time. DESPITE me being blind to the fact that people really ship that particular moment (??) the Kalos Crisis really showed how even with the burning passion to eviscerate the other in battle, they watch each others back when trouble is ahead and would even...

Ahhm. Yeah. Sacrifice themselves. XY loves people jumping off stuff, evidently lol. But seriously, even with me and the rivals/competitive besties goggles on, you can tell that they really value and care for each other!!

About Grant himself, well, he's definitely a character and a half with his... okay I'm going to stop thinking about walls, lol. He doesn't actually get introduced as a Gym Leader until the very end of this episode; initially, Ash (and the gang, yes, that includes Clemont for some reason) is led to believe that he is just a strong Trainer by the COTD and Viola, and he doesn't correct them. He only-- just barely, may I add-- remembers to tell Ash that yes, they will meet again in Cyllage, and that's what clues them into his actual status. Which is interesting in the way that a lot of the Gym Leaders in Kalos are just met as ordinary folk-- Viola was just taking pics of Ash before following up after him, and Grant was just having fun at the Chateau (and Clemont was wandering around Lumiose is he okay?? /j). We've come a long way from just meeting the Gym Leaders straight up in their Gyms in Kanto, that's for sure.

And his Gym?? Immaculate. The famous rock-climbing wall (which he made optional!! It has no ill effect on the way your challenge is accepted!!) is such a cool way for him to connect with challengers, showcasing his love for (Rock Type) Pokemon and giving Trainers a new view, so to speak.

(also check out the gangs faces 5 seconds after lol VVV)

The way that he gets them to experience the wall so he can use it as an apt metaphor for what challengers should do is so (>///<); his whole strategy really is to just focus on what's ahead, always climbing up, never staying in one place. This really appeals to Ash, who obviously takes this lesson in full-heartedly, but it's also such a good lesson in life (and for everyone else in the gang as well). Don't look back. Keep moving ahead. There is no wall you can't climb.

And Grant?

Well, he's a wall too. And he wants you to go at him full-throttle, with all the Pokemon that you've got and the experience that you've gained, to overcome him. To show, with every fiber of your being, down to the very skin of your teeth, that you are ready for the League. That you've got what it takes to take the rest of the Gym Challenge on. That you, at 100%, can scale that wall and make it out of it just fine.

It's a hell of a way to battle, I'm sure (Just like with Viola; why are all of the Gyms so dang hardcore lol). But this is the guy who made it to the top rank of the Battle Chateau advocating that there is always something more to climb. He can walk that walk for sure lol.

The thing that I love about the later Pokemon series (and especially earlier XY imo) is how they handle the Gym Leaders, with all of these extra details that we never knew we needed beforehand that really build up their character. They're no longer 'random mentor figure that I've got to beat to show my worth', they're actual people with their own interests, their own lives outside, their own struggles and their own growth. They're not static. They're not just obstacles. And super fun eps like the Battle Chateau and arcs like Korrina's really do help in humanising them and making not only the wins more worthy and memorable, but also giving us new people to love and root for all the same.

Also I know this is supposed to be about them but just one (1) thing I want to touch on about the Battle Chateau:

C'mon. It has so much potential. It's literally spelt there. WHY DIDN'T CLEMONT DO ANYTHING HERE PLS :'((( Or even Serena!! It would be a nice place for her to go her own pace and try battling without the stress of... Viola or Grant lol. More ideas for me ig.

For the AU, well, we've already seen quite a bit of Grant lol. Transferring my romance-blind ass onto him and magnifying it was so fun lol, I feel like it goes so well against Monsieur Skittish at the top there/Clemont and Madame Very Intense At Time/Viola. It even said in the Teraleak how there are a bunch of ladies that like him but he thinks they're a nuisance like DAMN okay, I get it heh, you like your space. His love for walls is perfect, no notes or additions lol. He can handle social situations well, it's just that the nuance in relationships frequently fly over his head in a 'will-spam-your-phone-at-1am-if-you-missed-an-appointment-and-you've-only-met-once' sort of thing. What can I say? That's just his way of caring. And his Pokemon team reflect that in a way-- he plays with them just as much as he trains with them, and that's how he gets all of these cool moves. Amaura slides around on ice a lot and Onix can't really keep up, so that's how he learnt to counter her speed in such a way. Tyrunt hates ice though, so using moves that trains up its legs so it can break the ice or jump away from it, since its speed isn't the best, are some of the ways that Grant decided to do after training Tyrunt against Amaura. And Amaura is a very skittish Pokemon ('hey, she's kind of like you, Clemont!' 'stop it!') so Thunder Wave can stay lol, to boost her confidence.

Carefree and reckless and in a way, going for broke himself. A very fun guy who enjoys life to the fullest, and dang if I can't respect that. I've got to stop talking about him ONLY but just, argh, he's so interesting to me!! We'll definitely be seeing him soon with his Gym (many fics later... which is soon enough ig heh), and even afterwards, so I'll probably have more coherent thoughts there (this goes for every character I write about here because my opnions and thoughts always change around every day and while it allows perspective it is so tiring lol).

Also it's not just me, right?

(grant words coming out of previously-skittish kid, more at 7)

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Extra Parts because Tumblr hates my images: 2 | 3