#wish I had more time to make these more polished these are fun lol

[spectacledraws]

the depression Dess?

thankyou for giving me an excuse to draw dess

[hecksupremechips]

Derby is for colts and fillies alike so long as they’re 3 year old thoroughbreds. 3 fillies have won the derby, though the race is historically dominated by colts due to speed qualifications. The oaks race is for fillies yes, but the derby is not just for colts like your post implies. Please stop trying to spread false information. Yes people who attend derby are mostly rich white folk but behind the scenes are poc workers and people who genuinely have a love for horses and the sport alike

That feels a bit better to know. For some reason idk people around here just label one race as the girl one and the other as the boy one and it’s like why are you being misogynistic about horses. So it’s nice its not like that in reality but now it’s like weird cuz whyyyy have people around me just been spreading horse misogyny my whole life 🤔

And yeah I didn’t intend to spread misinformation but hm I definitely don’t know derby lore very well I just know some fan culture that I’ve grown up around so that’s definitely not gonna give me a very clear picture so idk what I was thinking. I’m mostly just fed up with some of the ways people have treated the derby in my area and really just fed up with family rn so I was being bitter but I shouldn’t have made any like. Statements about the actual derby when I don’t really know what I’m talking about at all and also most things in Kentucky culture and history have a really interesting background and there’s always gonna be passionate people and poc involved that don’t really get shown on the surface cuz. Racism. I do have my big grudges against these rich people from out of state or from the rich neighborhoods of Louisville who treat the derby like some big spectacle but then scoff at the rest of the state and clutch their pearls in fear when they have to park in a closed off parking lot where they gotta pay a black man for parking and then walk through neighborhoods they deem filthy just to get to the derby but eh fuck them. Let’s be here for horses and kentucky history and culture and just celebrate the amazing shit that we have going on

[signedeclipse]

r u taking requests 🥲? if u are can I ask for headcannons on muichiro, obanai, giyuu and shinobu x reader on what they would do if the reader is really tired and a huge sleepy head in general it would be so cute <333

Giyuu | Muichiro | Obanai | Shinobu [X Reader]

In which their s/o is always exhausted and has a hard time staying awake.

Giyuu

He himself was never a very high energy or high demand individual

But next to you, he looked like a kid during their first sugar rush

You were always either leaning him or tucked away on the most comfortable surface nearby, dozing off

No, you weren't apart of the corps, so he didn't have any reason to force you up

You had your own job and you did it when you had to, and when he was away he would always come back to a clean house with all the chores done, along with you napping in bed

To be fair, Giyuu just assumes this is normal

I mean, he would do the same if he could, but he had a lot of duties and training to tend to

He loves cuddling up with you though, you keep the bed nice and warm for him

Muichiro

Muichiro isn't really sleepy, but he does gaze off extremely often

You are both totally lost together, because he just found out the wind makes noise and you were half asleep on the floor

If you were in the corps, you'd never be sent on missions together because somehow together the effects are worse on one another

You do get your missions done when together, it just means less details are remembered and those can be extremely vital

When home, Muichiro makes you lay your head in his lap wherever he goes- usually outside- while he stares at something of interest and just thinks

One thing he does often is speak his thoughts out loud around you, because he knows you won't take it too seriously or make fun of the nonsensical things he comes up with

Sometimes he just stares at you, and wonders what you're dreaming about

When you wake up he tries to guess, he is only getting more accurate!

Obanai

It's not that he is very energetic, but Obanai likes to do small, menial tasks to keep himself occupied

It might be tending to Kaburamaru, small exercises, or renewing his bandages

He refuses to sit down, and even if he does, he will be working on polishing his blade, or eating a meal

For this, he makes you move a lot to wherever he is if he is home

Sleeping is something you do a lot, he knows you're always tired if you don't, so he doesn't want to force you awake or make you feel bad for it

Instead he just wants you to follow him when he moved to another area, and you can sleep there until he moves on again

It keeps you somewhat active, but also brings him comfort in knowing you'll still be there, even if silent and often unmoving

Shinobu

You were very comfortable to be around considering you were mostly silent or spoke in a melancholic tone

Since she was always studying or tending to others, it helped her plenty having someone like that around

Someone who would watch over her and encourage her to be productive while not distracting her from her work too much

But as a doctor, she also understood that if you stayed still in the comfort of the mansion too often, you might become deficient in important vitamins

" You have to go outside once a day, dear! It's not good for you to stay like this all day! "

She says it like it's fact, and she's probably right

So long as you go out once a day for a small walk she is happy

Set up a hammock on the porch of the butterfly mansion where you can sleep in the sun rays, so you get all the vitamins you need even while asleep

If she has a young slayer alone in any of the healing wards, she will ask you to sleep there so they feel better with company

Even if you are tired, she knows you'll get up to help someone who might need something or is becoming ill

Authors Note - Me too reader I love sleepin,,, I hope I was able to right up to your wishes, and thank you so much for requesting! This was pretty much all my most favourite hashira lol

[giggly-squiggily]

I SEE REQUESTS ARE OPEN BESTIE I LOVE U SM ❤️❤️❤️

if its alright and if there are still slots (lol) may i ask for a lee gonta and ler kirumi from danganronpa v3

i headcannon her to be quite a scary ler 😚

(Requests are closed- this is an older request!)

Ooo, wait I love this??? They'd make such a fun pair! Slime, I've gotcha! :D I don't know if I achieved scary Ler energy from Kirumi in this one, but I had a blast writing it! I hope you like it!

Cloud 9 (Taglist Peeps):

@thatbigbisexual29 @sevenincubistolemyheart @giggly-toybox @happy-trenchcoated-impala

Gonta Gokuhara was a gentleman, first and foremost.

But Kirumi- she was what Gonta called “the ultimate gentleman”.

Poised and polished at all times, Kirumi seemed to always be cool headed and wise. She defused tense arguments with soothing words and cups of warm tea, and always went several steps above for everyone- regardless if they showed their appreciation or not. Gonta couldn’t think of a time he’d ever seen the ultimate maid flustered or even angry.

Granted- he had heard a rumor or two that she threw Oma into the nearest trashcan when he kept asking her dumb questions- but that was neither here nor there.

Gonta admired her. She made things so effortless, while all his attempts at being more gentlemanly ended in disaster. He still felt bad for the time he tried to push in Shinguji’s seat and slammed him in so fast he bruised a few ribs, or the time he went to hold the door open for Akamatsu and accidentally took it off the hinges. Both parties had forgiven him, but the shame remained all the same.

Deciding what needed to be done, he got up and went to search for the maid. There was only one way to fix this predicament.

~~~

“You want me to train you?” Kirumi seemed surprised by the offer, halfway through dusting the various plants in her lab. “Why? I’m not as well versed in Entomology as you are-”

“Oh no!  Gonta wishes to learn to be a better gentleman from you!” He was quick to correct her, stiffening when he saw her flinch. Whoops- way too loud. “Sorry- Gonta sorry. I got excited..”

“No, no you're fine.” Kirumi walked over, patting his arm with the gentlest of smiles. “You’re not even the closest to being the loudest in this group. But really- are you sure you want me to teach you? I’m rather old fashioned in my etiquette, and I’m not the best of teachers around..”

“Gonta has faith in you!” Gonta nodded enthusiastically, eyes glittering. “Please, Tojo-sama. Show me how to be a better gentleman.”

Kirumi paused, considering. Then she sighed with a smile, tucking away her duster as she curtsied. “Very well. I will do my best to teach you.”

“Yay!” Gonta began to cheer.”

“But!” She cut him off, pointing a finger at him. “I’m not gonna go easy on you. No mistakes will be accepted.” Her eyes danced, an aura of danger began to surround her, making her seem suddenly much larger than life. For once, Gonta felt rather small. “Be ready, Gonta Gokuhara.”

Gonta could only nod, gulping down his nerves.

~~~

Whatever Gonta had pictured as a result of making a mistake, this wasn’t it.

“Straighten up- now hold that position when you eat.” Kirumi instructed, voice cool and clear. It wasn't the first time she said it, but her tone never betrayed a single hint of annoyance or irritation. “Come, Gokuhara- didn’t I tell you to hold it?”

“Ahehehaha! Hehehehhahahaha!” Gonta struggled to sit up straighter as that dastardly feather duster wiggled against his lower back. The trade of Kirumi’s talent and punishments; whenever he made even the slightest of errors, she’d get him with it! If Gonta were being honest- it didn’t feel nearly as bad as he imagined.

Granted- he’d only ever seen teaching in books and shows where they’d wield wooden swords and rulers. He was happy Kirumi wasn’t that old fashioned. “Gohohohnta sihiihtting strahhahaight!”

“Hmm..yes, that is correct.” Nodding, Kirumi came around to his side, eyeing him. “Now, which is your soup spoon?”

Easy. Gonta picked it up. Kirumi smiled.

“Very good. First course fork?”

Correct again.

“Main course?”

Gonta held them up as she called them. It took a few rounds of feather dusting to get it right, but he felt confident. Pleased, Kirumi nodded. “Very good. Now- here’s a challenge. How do you place down your silverware when you’re taking a break?”

….Uh.

Gonta looked at the plate, trying to recall the earlier positions Kirumi showed him. There were at least five. He dared a peek, feeling anticipation bubble in his gut when she reached for her duster. “G-Gonta thinks…” He looked at the plate and silverware in hand, panicked. “Gonta…Gonta can’t remember.”

Kirumi hummed, nodding. She walked over to him, coming behind. “First- we have finished.” She took his hands in hers, guiding them to show him. “Got it?”

Gonta nodded, she continued.

“This is to signal a break, excellent…didn’t like…next plate. There you are. Makes sense?”

Gonta nodded, feeling a bit more confident. “Yes!”

“Good.”

Then the tickles came.

“Aehahhahaha!” Gonta yelped, dropping the silverware as he tried and failed to block out her hands. “Geahhahhahaha! T-Tohoohoohhojohohoohoho- shahahahahmahahhah! Aheahhahahha!”

“Let’s try this again. Now- using your fingers- what is the signal for finished?” She asked against his shoulder, a laugh in her voice as Gonta squeaked and giggled, curling into himself. “Come on, you know it.”

“Ahehahahaha- F-Fiihihihihnsihed?” Gonta shakily held out two fingers straight.

“Good. Now show me taking a break?”

“Aheahhahaha!” Gonta willed his hands to move, arms too busy pressed tightly into his sides as her nimble fingers danced across his ribs. At times she walked them up his biceps, giving them a few pinches as she went to really get him laughing. “Lihiihihke thihihihis?”

“Close, a little more open..there you go. Good. Now- show me excellent.”

One after the other, Gonta struggled to make hand signs as Kirumi tickled him seemingly endlessly. By the final question, he was breathless and flushed, leaning into the table as Kirumi released him from her clutches. “Ahehehea..ahehahahaa…hehehe..”

“You’ve done well. Even when under stress, you remembered your manners. As is a true gentleman.” Kirumi nodded, leaving briefly. When she returned, she had a cup of tea in hand. For a moment, Gonta wondered if there’d be more lessons regarding it.

“That should be enough for today. We can pick this up tomorrow.” Kirumi nodded as she placed the cup on the table. Then she paused, stiffening all over.

“Tojo-sama?” Gonta asked, surprised to see her so still.

“Oh, pardon me.” She coughed, her cheeks a rare tint of pink. “I seemed to forget myself. I shouldn’t be making assumptions of your future plans like that.”

“Why? I want to come back tomorrow.” Gonta’s words seemed to darken her cheeks, eyes widening a fraction. “You’re a good teacher, Tojo-sama. I feel like I’m becoming a better gentleman through you.” He turned to her, straightening his back and raising his hands. He pointed his fingers in the direction she taught him was “excellent”. “Gonta rates you with an ‘excellent’!”

Kirumi stared, and Gonta carried on smiling. His face cracked when he saw her eyes well up. “Tojo-sama? Oh no- Gonta messed up, didn’t he?”

“No-no, not at all.” She let out a wet laugh, wiping at her eyes. “I’m just- that made me really happy. More than you realize.” She smiled, something new and warm and what Gonta would describe as adorable in her expression as she curtsied. “I’d love to keep teaching you etiquette, if you’ll have me.”

“Gonta wouldn’t have it any other way!” Gonta cheered, making her laugh softly. “For now, let us have tea!”

“Yes…may I make one small request though?” Kirumi asked as she sat down, taking the cup offered to her.

“Hm? Sure, what is it?”

“Please…there’s no need to refer to me as Tojo-sama. I feel like we’ve gotten close well before these lessons. You’re my friend. I’d like you to refer to me as one.” She seemed to shake some in her cup, cheeks hot and eyes averted. Gonta never thought he’d witness such a composed woman so shy.

“Of course…Kirumi.” He watched her relax, smiling in her tea. “But please call me Gonta. We’re friends after all.”

“Yes. Yes, Gonta- we are.”

Thanks for reading!

[threebooksoneplot]

Question for G :)) how was your fanauthor workshop experience? I don't know if I should apply it sounds interesting but at the same time almost no reviews or whatsoever. Thank you!

well I ended up doing it a second time, so I'd say it was pretty damn good! I think the reason there are "no reviews" is mostly due to tumblr's format not really lending itself to that? @fanauthorworkshop isn't marketing itself as a product so much as a pedagogical (educational) extension of the existing fandom gift economy—an exchange where you both learn stuff and share/teach stuff!

this answer is mildly off-podcast-topic and it's gonna get super long and wordy, so it's under a cut lol you're welcome

my Fanauthor Workshop experience

personally, I found the FAW perfect for me. I was at the point in my fic writing where I was getting some lovely comments and glowing praise, but also wishing the world in general took fanfiction more seriously, as a craft to be practiced and discussed, something with both intrinsic and literary merit. @bettsfic's first episode as a guest on Fansplaining really resonated with me and kind of spoke to that desire (it's a must-listen for anyone on the fence about applying to the FAW!!)

but I had never studied creative writing at a university level, and barely knew what a crit letter was. I found the FAW was the perfect way to learn that sort of thing in a low-stress environment! I didn't struggle with feelings of burdensome obligation the way I had with schoolwork; rather I was excited to read everyone else's writing and see what it had to teach me. I also loved having an appropriate venue to air all my writing opinions, lol. I found I was so motivated that I managed to attend every FAW session even though it conflicted with family vacations two years in a row. I wrote crit letters from the lobby of a restaurant in a national park because it was the only place with wifi. I even Zoomed into one session from a random public library in Durango, where I managed to alarm everyone else in the irl vicinity with my enthusiastic discussion of fictional cannibalism (shoutout to the story we workshopped that day, it SLAPPED.)

personally, I approached the FAW with the very specific goal of Having Fun first and letting the writing stuff come second (ie, not putting too much pressure on myself when it came to choosing and polishing my own workshop pieces, and not worrying too much about how they were received.) I still ended up getting some AMAZING critiques and responses to my two (very different) pieces—I was deeply impressed by everyone's insights, how much they were able to pick up on, and how willing they were to meet me at my level. the other pieces we workshopped ranged all over the place in technical ability, from "giohvnsksbnf this writing is so good I'm gonna fucking eat glass" to "this person is clearly just starting out as a writer, but even if their prose has some technical mistakes, their story has Good Bones and their critiques and discussion observations have been spot on."

my big secondary goal was to Make Friends and there I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. I now have SO many cool FAW mutuals, a few of which I have hung out with IRL and the rest of which I totally WOULD hang out with IRL if given the opportunity. they're all uniquely creative and clever people who I probably wouldn't have met otherwise, so that's kind of the biggest Win for me. it's so cool knowing I have all these people I could DM out of the blue and be like "hey, would you mind looking over this short story/beta-ing this fic chapter?" and end up with some great insights. there's also an FAW Discord where anyone can kind of bring fandom- and writing-related questions to the floor, as well as share recs and self-promote projects (or in my case, recruit podcast guests who I know have been pre-screened for both their chill lack of pearl-clutching and their basic fiction-analyzing skills, lol.)

I would recommend the Fanauthor Workshop if:

you're a self-taught writer who's done most of your learning in the fanfiction space and you're curious about how writing is actually taught in academic settings

alternatively, you're a writer from an academic background who chafes at some of the more restrictive rules in traditional workshops/you're tired of the irl Guy in Your MFA -types who refuse to or can't engage with your work on its level

you're ok with doing some "homework" (writing two crit letters per week) on the honor system

you're down to read original work in a wide variety of genres/read fic from fandoms you're not in (maybe even fandoms/pairings/characters you don't personally like)

you like what you read in @oficmag

you wish fanfiction was taken more seriously as a craft

your favorite trad-published writers all seem to be workshop alumni (eg: I swear half of my favorite writers are Clarion grads)

you have work you'd like to publish and/or submit someday but you're not sure if it's ready/not sure where to start

you follow writing advice blogs or send them asks

you wish people would leave "concrit" (constructive criticism) on your fics

you wish people would leave concrit on your fics but you're worried they might be too mean or not "get" your work

you wish people would analyze your work and give critique without letting their personal value judgments get in the way (and you're ready to do the same in turn)

you worry your work is too niche, kinky, queer, romance-focused, or "weird" for a traditional workshop (note: but it doesn't have to be any of these things. people also workshopped gen and the equivalent of coffee shop AUs!)

you'd like to hear perspectives that don't come from cishet dudes

you enjoy Class Participation and discussions (or maybe you're no longer a student and miss that kind of thing!)

you think @bettsfic seems like a good teacher (spoiler: she REALLY is)

you like the idea of a creative writing class with no grades or possibility of "failure"

you'd like to meet people you probably wouldn't meet in any other setting, and make some cool friends from other fandoms

if even a couple of these bullet points sound like you, you'd probably get a lot out of the FAW!! I hope the next session of FAW-ers have a blast. I'll be lurkin the Discord rooting for y'all

[lilyoffandoms]

Hey there! No pressure to do this, but if you want to indulge me... it could be a scene, quick dialogue, or a full fic if you wish (or you can toss this! lol)

AU where Gabirel and Trystan meet for the first time at a bar after both of their blind dates stood them up.

Crimes Drabble AU - Trystan x Gabriel

Warning & A/N: None other than drinking. Decided to write in the style I’ve come to for this book/pairing. Thanks much for this. It was fun!

Quote edit by the lovely @aallotarenunelma

I look out across the crowded pub.

Stuffed to the brim.

Across the room, sweaty bodies grind against their dance partner and everyone else on the packed floor as music pumps from the speakers of some wanna be deejay that the bartender’s brother’s cousin’s neighbor probably convinced the manager to hire on for the night.

The tables in the back of the place that constitutes the restaurant portion this bar slash wanna be pub, are full of couples feeding french fries to each other and groups of raucous friends laughing over some stupid joke told every time they go out together.

Each seat at the rail is occupied by a mix of drunks drowning their sorrows. Or drunks hoping beyond hope that the answer to all their troubles is at the bottom of their next glass. Or drunks hitting on the poor soul next to them, spewing some cheap pick up line that never works but maybe it will this time, they think, if only the person they use it on is drunk enough to find it endearing through the filter of all the alcohol.

I knew I shouldn’t have bothered tonight. It felt wrong the minute I said sure, why not.

Why fucking not indeed, I had thought in the moment. Ruby wouldn’t set me up with anyone she didn’t think I’d hit it off with. She convinced me and I convinced myself that it would be good for me.

I toss the last contents of my glass back and look for one of bartenders. One mixing drinks, another restocking, and yet another flirting for tips.

Well, this, this right here was why fucking not. A text promising to make it up to me and reschedule soon.

I’ve met enough people, hell I’ve interrogated enough people to recognize a lie when I see one.

I attempt to flag the bartender down again. Any of them. I just want another drink.

I look down into my empty glass. Maybe it can tell me why I was this stupid. Stupid enough to accept his blind date set up and even more stupid to actually show up.

The promise of love was really just one disappointment after another.

I try to wave anyone down at this point. I need another damn drink because this empty one is providing me no answers.

What a fucking joke!

I stand on the rail and glance over the bar that at one time was polished. I see the bottle I’m looking for and stretch out to reach it while trying desperately to avoid touching the sticky bar.

“Here,” an accented voice smiles as a hand reaches beyond my own grasp to snag the bottle and pours me another glass in one incredibly fluid motion.

The woman next to me, that the stranger has reached around, doesn’t seem the least bit annoyed by this person pouring drinks across her own space at the bar. In fact, she seems quite please with the entire situation as she smiles stupidly at my bartending savior.

She lifts her glass to him and he obliges in pouring her another drink with a dashing smile and some flirty words judging by the blush that creeps down her neck to engulf not only her cheeks but her entire chest on full display.

I shake my head and grin at the exchange. I should have known this blind date was a horrific idea the minute my date suggested this place.

This is so not my scene.

“Thanks,” I mumble absentmindedly, sure that he’s moved on to entertain the woman beside me.

I take a sip and close my eyes wishing I was back home as the man shoves his way past her, making his excuses, and stands beside my bar stool.

“You are most welcome,” he grins as he picks up the conversation I was foolish enough to initiate. “I’m just pleased I could buy you a drink.”

“Technically you didn’t. You stole one,” I say with little emotion as I stare straight ahead into the mirror and watch him.

He hasn’t taken his eyes off me, not even acknowledging the woman still trying to regain his attention beside him.

“What?” I ask sharply and turn to him as he continues to grin at me.

“Hello.”

He smiles at me, that same brilliant smile he’s tossed at just about everyone that has paid him any attention since he walked into the place tonight.

“Hi,” I respond.

Smooth, I chastise myself.

I wish I hadn’t noticed him. I wish he hadn’t walked over here. I wish-

I wish he would tell me his name.

“Trystan.”

I narrow my eyes at him, it’s like he’s read my mind. I don’t like it. I don’t trust it.

I look at his hand extended in the little space between us and finally take it.

“Gabriel.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Gabriel.”

His voice is honey and I’m stupid enough to want nothing more than to hear my name on his lips again. I simply nod in response and turn back to the mirror across the bar.

Anything to distract myself and avoid him.

“What brings you out here tonight?” he asks.

I can’t help but chuckle. “That line ever work for you?”

His laugh is bright and genuine as he answers, “It’s not a line. I am simply trying to start up a conversation with the gorgeous, albeit brooding, man at the bar, who is drinking alone.”

“That line ever work for you?” I grin

“You tell me.”

I turn back to him and take my time looking him over, deciding whether he’s worth the time or effort.

Sharply dressed, even for a bar, even for a New York bar. Expensive, tailored suit. Manicured nails. Hands that have probably never seen a days hard labor. A ring with a snake on it. Gold, large, expensive. Sculpted brows and neatly trimmed facial hair. Product in his hair and cologne that undoubtedly costs more than my month’s rent.

Maybe worth it for some fun but definitely not for the heartache that will inevitably come from messing with the likes of him.

Nope. No way. This would be a disaster before it even started.

“Tempting, but I don’t mess with,” I pause and look him over again, “with…,” I trail off unsure how to put ‘rich snobs’ nicely.

“With what?”

“With whatever you are,” I gesture at him.

“And what am I? Beyond the given.”

“And what’s the given?” I’m stupid enough to ask.

“A mysterious and handsome stranger that came to your rescue,” he winks.

I chuckle and shake my head. “You’re not my type. I don’t go for rich flirts.”

“Rich flirt?” his laugh rings out across even the din of the pub. “What makes you think I’m that?”

“Your suit and overall appearance tell me you are wealthy. Money has never been an issue for you. More than likely, you have more than you know what to do with. Your smiles, winks, and overall demeanor with everyone in here tells me you are a serial flirt. Too smooth and confident in how good looking you are. Those looks have seen you through life, and I’d wager, into plenty of beds.”

I watch as his smile grows with each of my words. Not what I was expecting, but I stand by my evaluation and my resolve to not let him flirt his way into anything with me.

“Should I continue?” I ask to distract myself from getting lost in the brilliance of that smile.

“Please do,” he laughs. “But only over dinner.”

He stands and holds his hand out to me.

“I don’t think so,” I say as I swallow the last of my stolen drink. “But thanks.”

“You are really going to let me dine alone? I have a table over there and a date that didn’t show up. Join me and tell me about all my other faults while I convince you I could be exactly your type.”

“Or my next mistake,” I say.

“Maybe,” he shrugs with a grin. “But, either way, I’m bound to be way more thrilling than sitting alone.”

“Fine,” I sigh as I stupidly let myself be talked out of all reason and into whatever brand of madness he is.

——————————

All Choices Tag: @storyofmychoices @peonierose @aallotarenunelma @inlocusmads

Other Tags: @choicesbookclub

[yourbelgianthings]

taz november celebration fic 3: prompt laugh

contrary to what you may think for this prompt, this is sad for like 3/4 of it lol but the end is happy, it’s tres horny boys and about 850 words

Magnus Burnsides's laugh was deep and hearty, but he wasn't used to hearing it by itself; he had always been laughing with Julia. Their life together was perfect, working with their hands and having something to show for it at the end of the day, then coming home to each other. Julia made dinner, Magnus did the dishes, their routine was consistent and comforting. They even thought about having a baby, although they were in no rush. Of course, that never happened, and when Magnus hugged Julia goodbye the day he left town, neither of them knew it would be the last. His friends brought dinners, went for walks, and spent evenings on the porch with Magnus after Julia's death, but he actually chose to bury her alone. The physical act of digging the grave was satisfying in a sick way, it grounded his soul in his body despite its countless attempts to break out through his ribs and fly away. A simple granite slab laid on top, reading: Julia Burnsides, We Love You Forever. His tears darkened the stone in little circles until the sun began to set, and he wouldn't laugh again for some time.

Merle Highchurch always did his best to keep a positive outlook, but it was hard to find reasons to laugh without his kids around. Apparently his sense of humor consisted of a lot of "dad jokes", and those weren't really a big hit with anyone else, especially when he was out trying to preach the word of Pan. He constantly struggled with his choice to leave after he was gone, if it was only the arranged marriage that was the problem, things would have been so much simpler. However, Hecuba and he had Mavis and Mookie, who he loved dearly. That didn't change the fact that he wasn't a very good dad, though, intentions don't count for much in that regard. So, he decided they would be better off without him; if you love something let it go and all that. Cycling through feelings of freedom, guilt, regret, apathy, and more, he wandered the world, presumably to share the word of Pan, but really just wishing to be able to laugh again.

Taako Taaco was very hard to make laugh. He and Lup used to do just that when they were bored, whoever laughed first lost and then they would just be in a fit of giggles for a while anyway. They found things funny between themselves that nobody else understood, but it didn't matter, because it made perfect sense to them. Not that he remembered any of this, of course. The Taako who forgot could be very cynical, and often saw humor from others as an attempt to conceal their true attitudes or motives. On stage for Sizzle It Up With Taako, he laughed and told jokes, but that was about as fake as it got. Hearing the applause and cheers from the audience, seeing the excitement in their eyes, and being complimented as he signed autographs and posed for pictures gave Taako energy and kept him going. He thrived on the attention, but some days, it wasn't enough and there was nothing else. Getting out of bed seemed impossible as his body simultaneously felt heavy and hollow. After Glamor Springs, this set in for several weeks until he suddenly thought: I'm fuckin' Taako from TV, I can go do whatever I want, and if anyone has a problem wit h that, I'll just laugh in their face and keep going.

One night, several months later, in their dorm at the Bureau of Balance, Tres Horny Boys were having a sleepover. Technically, they always did this by virtue of sharing a room, but they had decided to make a night of it, just for fun. Taako cooked the most delicious popcorn the other two had ever had, with the perfect amounts of butter and salt, and he also bought some nail polish from the Fantasy Costco. Magnus realized that Pringles had left some of his stuff in the room, so they had some cool old CDs to listen to, and Merle had found some candles for more ambient lighting. They were all set for the perfect sleepover, and as Taako was painting Magnus's nails shiny silver by candlelight, Merle set down the big bowl of popcorn he had been snacking on and asked, "What did everyone say to the kernel when he finally popped?"

Taako snorted and said,

"Merle, I am not even going to entertain this one," but there was a smile on his face.

Magnus gave in, "I don't know, Merle, what?"

"CORN-GRATULATIONS!"

Magnus immediately burst out laughing, which made Merle join in and Taako shout,

"Mags, you're going to mess up your nails!" although he couldn't help laughing too. It was just so ridiculous and Merle's confidence in the delivery was what really got them. The three of them flopped onto each other, slightly out of breath the way the best fits of laughter leave you, Taako leaning on Magnus's shoulder and Merle leaning on his stomach on the other side. They all smiled, and for the moment, things were okay.

[familyofpaladins]

I HAD A REVELATION

okay so I was thinking about gender. My gender. And my feelings about being a cis girl over time.

When I was little I used to wear all kinds of dresses and wore nail polish and even occasionally makeup (but like. Sloppily as a 7 year old would lol) and how overtime I stopped wearing nail polish and stopped wearing dresses and despised make up. I dont really remeber why I stopped with nail polish. Maybe because it flaked off too easily or maybe I was sick of the few colors we had idk. I know I gradually stopped wearing dresses and night gowns because I was sick of being told I couldnt "put my legs up [up against the wall or just straight up in the air] or that I had to sit a certain way while wearing one. So I wore more and more pants.

I think about how i used to stand in the toys aisles while my mom did grocery shopping and look at "The Boys" section and think how much cooler it was than the girls section.

And I think about how my music teacher told us one day we'd hit puberty and we'd grow and us girls would be like "[in a high pitched voice] OH MY GOSH I LOVE BOYS AND DID YOU HEAR ABOUT SO AND SO" and I looked over at my classmates and friends to see if they were also terrified of becoming annoying teenage boy-obsessed girls.

And i think about how when I was at my friend's house and we were building "tree forts" in the woods i would wish I had a penis for the convenience of being able to just go pee behind a tree, because squatting near the ground was Not Fun and I hated walking all the way back to the house. And I think about how I hated that I'd have to wear a bra once my boobs started to come in

Now you might be thinking. Friend I think you want[ed] to be a boy. But the thing is, i dont.

I may have hated being restricted in dresses but I dont actually hate them. I've gotten a couple dresses in the last 10 years (for prom and graduation and a [not my] wedding) and how I actually did like how I looked in them and enjoyed wearing them for that time.

I think about how I was jealous of the boys selection of toys, but also how I had a ton of barbies that I massively enjoyed and how if I'd been a boy I probably wouldnt have been able to enjoy them (thanks to pressure from society) as well as a bunch of other "girly" items and shows and movies. I think about how I'm actually Asexual and that I wasnt scared of becoming "a young woman", I just didnt understand the obsession with sex/romance/boyfriend&girlfriend stuff.

And while having a penis is more convenient for peeing I also remeber thinking that it would suck to get kicked in the balls and/or that trope of falling on soemthign between your legs that happens in so many movies (not that it feels any better with a vagina honestly). And that if I had been born a boy I'd most likely have to deal with all the toxic masculinity forced on me, and I'm glad I dont have to deal with that.

And while me and my boobs dont always get along, I remember that after getting my first cute bra, I thought. Oh well maybe this isnt so bad. And I mostly wear sports bras now because I do wish they were smaller and I HATE that so many bras (EVEN THE SPORTS BRAS) are already padded into cup shapes, and while I don't mind Having Boobs, i Do Not want to show them off. And sometimes i think that maybe i wouldn't mind chopping them off, but then i think how my figure/outline/silhouette would look with out them, and that seems worse.

And i think about the times I've accidentally been called "Sir" from tired fast food employees when wearing gender nonspecific clothing and felt happy about it. But not "oh it feels right to be called sir/he/him" , but more of "hehe I fooled you! You thought this was a dress but its pants!"

And really this is all to say. I was born a girl and grew up that way so it's what I'm used to. If I'd been born with a dick then I guess I'd be a guy. If you magically stuck me in a male body right now, would I feel like a Guy or feel like a girl in a guys body? I honestly dont know. So am I non binary? Maybe that that doesnt quite feel right either.

Being a girl is what I've grown up as and into, and it's what I'm used to and going by anything else is… odd. Maybe itd be better and maybe it wouldnt. It's like an old blanket. You've had it forever and maybe its frayed and patched maybe a little too small and it's not what people expect you to have for a blanket, and maybe you could do with a new one. But nothing feels right with out it. No other blanket feels the same. It's what you're used to and its familar. It's a comfort blanket.

And that's why being a [cis] girl is my comfort gender.

[kittyofalltrades]

Rejected. (Comfort fic)

Yea I'm not sure what this is beside Frankie being sweet. So read on lol.

Words:1384

No beta we die like Tom

Rating: General Audience

You stared at the phone in your hand around the tears that were starting to form. It was a rejection message. You’d gotten bold on a night out and given your number to a man and excitedly spent the week texting him until you’d gone on a date. You’d have a lot of fun even going back to his apartment to make out and be a bit handsy before you returned home. His kisses had left you flustered and giggling like an idiot, which he hadn’t seemed to approve of but you’d pushed forward.

“How are we gonna get anything done with you giggling like that,” he’d asked exasperated. But you’d pushed on and things had gone well. Or so you’d thought. The message could be summed up as a “it’s not you it’s me but we can still be friends” type deal. You almost laughed as you reread the words, and slipped the phone in your pocket. You couldn’t let this distract you from your day when you had work that needed doing. Frankie strolled into the bar to see his friend and favorite bartender looking utterly downtrodden. He wanted to go ask her what was wrong but he was worried it would come off as creepy. Instead he beelined to the table with the boys. They seemed a little somber themselves and that concerned him.

“Who died?” he asked in a joking tone. “Your girl is sad. We watched her go from all smiles to sad in the span of three text messages,” Benny answered softly.

Frankie sputtered out that she wasn’t his girl but he was curious what had caused her to be upset. “Does anybody know what the texts said?”

“Why don’t you go ask her?” Will offered.

“Rumor has it she went on a date last night. Looks like it didn’t go well,” Santiago added matter of factly.

Those words made Frankie’s heart drop. He’d been waiting for a chance to ask her out, but an opportunity never presented itself. It hurt to hear that he’d missed his shot. Well maybe not missed it fully if she was at the bar looking upset. 

“Okay I’ll go talk to her,” he said firmly. He swiped Benny’s shot and downed it before straightening and heading to the bar to talk to her. 

A nervous throat clearing made you look up from the glass you were polishing for the third time. You quickly sat it down and looked up to meet the deep coffee eyes for Frankie. Frankie you think might like you, but when he did make a move you gave up. Frankie of the sweet shy smiles and tender looks. 

“What’s up Frankie?” you asked, trying your hardest to be perky. But perky fell flat and you could tell the second a frown creased his lips.

“What’s wrong, pumpkin?” Frankie asked softly. 

The word pumpkin drew a small giggle out of you. “You know you’re the only one that has the stones to call me pumpkin right?” 

“Well since you haven’t hit me, I figured it was okay.”

“I guess it is. So what's up? Need more drinks for the boys?,” you asked, trying to deflect the question. You really didn’t want to talk about your night. Almost as if reading your mind Frankie sat on the nearest barstool and gave you a soft nod. You paused wondering if you really should tell him, but there was no point in hiding it. Not when Santiago was likely to find out and tell the rest of the miscreants leading back to Frankie anyway. 

“Fine.” You huffed out a sigh and threw your towel down. “I went on a date. I thought it went well. Except the giggling, but apparently he didn’t think so. He sent me a long heartfelt message that was supposed to make me feel better or something I guess. But I almost wish he’d just ghosted me.”

“Can I see the text?”

You frowned but passed the phone over for him to read the text that managed to make you feel bad for being upset, but also royally pissed you off. One of your fellow bartenders telling you that you shouldn’t be upset either hadn’t helped your feelings in the slightest.

So look… I hate having to do this but I gotta be honest about my feelings…I think we’re very different people and I don’t see this working out between us. I just don’t think the vibes were there, we just have very different interests and very different energy. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot I like about you, but the awkwardness was felt on my end a few times last night. I think you’re great I really do, we just don’t vibe like I had hoped. I hope you understand.

“Well that was incredibly reasonable and polite,” Frankie started. He stopped talking as soon as your face fell further. “But it was rude to do it after one date, connections aren’t instant. You have to actually form them like me and you.”

“Me and you?” you asked softly.

“And honestly you’re an angel, you’re sweet, smart, funny, drop dead beautiful. I wish I’d asked you out sooner. I just wish he hadn’t had a chance to hurt you first though,” Frankie prattled on. “I mean he hasn’t had the chance to properly get to know you and your quirks. How can he do that after one date? Like the way you giggle when you’re nervous, or fidgeting while you think, or that cute little hair twirl you do. You’re amazing and beautiful and you deserve the world and every good thing in it….”

You just watched him in shock, he’d said he liked you among other things. When Frankie paused in his tirade of how wonderful you were you leaned across the bar and grabbed his collar. With a hard yank you brought your lips to his pressing a lingering kiss on his plush lips. You pulled away with a giggle when a roaring cheer went up from his friends. You looked at Frankie with his eyes still closed and lips parted and giggled again.

“Are you laughing at me?” He asked softly as he finally recovered. 

“Not at you… a good kiss makes me giggle. He didn’t like that either,” you said with a shrug.

“Yeah he’s a fucking idiot.” Frankie reached out and cupped your cheek again and gave you a soft smile. “Can I take you out tomorrow night pumpkin?”

“Only if you promise to kiss me like that again,” you answered and tipped your face up in invitation. 

Frankie kissed you more slowly, taking his time to make sure you were lost in it before he pulled away. When his lips left yours, you instantly started to giggle making him smile widely. He liked that his kiss provoked that reaction and he hated that somebody else got to experience it. But now that he knew it was an option he was going to kiss you every chance he got. He leaned forward and pressed another kiss to your lips and smiled when you giggled again. 

“Tomorrow then,” he said softly before releasing your face. 

“Tomorrow,” you agreed. 

Tomorrow you had a date with someone who thought you giggling during a kiss was cute. A man that wouldn’t text you a rejection he’d at least call. Once Frankie returned to the table with his friends victorious you picked up your phone and drafted a message back to your date from last night.

It’s okay, I completely understand. And I think we are different people. I hope you find what you’re looking for and thanks to you I just did. I found the man that thinks it’s sweet when I giggle after a kiss. Have a nice life and I hope you find somebody that is as good to you as I would have been.

With the message sent you waited for text bubbles to form before blocking him, no need for flimsy excuses when you had a man that thought you were perfect. You gave Frankie a finger wave that made him blush and his friends hoot with glee before turning back to the tasks at hand. You were gonna have a helluva date with him, you were going to see to it.

[hayannoran]

DA02:TB WAS AMAZING!! Personally, I enjoyed it WAY more than Last Evo Kizuna, and that's really saying something since I think about DA:LEK a lot. I'll be talking about spoilers and my thoughts down under the readmore line!

Okay, so I'll start off with the one thing I somewhat dislike first before getting to positives and just gushing about details: I didn't really like the fact that the digivices dissolved. That's it, really. This is mostly because I'm a bit worried about how travel between the human world and the digital world would work, now. (Also, maybe this is just my Miyakari brainrot, but I was thinking about how this would make it harder for Hikari to visit Miyako... it's ok, my lore brain comes before any kind of shipping brain, but I'm a little bit sad.) Personally, I'm just headcanoning for fun that they eventually can just. Go into digital screens persona-4-style since I think that would be goofy, but that's probably not going to happen lol.

On Rui: I was really pleasantly surprised at how he's written!! Honestly, I felt his frusturation; honestly, I was a bit peeved at what Hikari said to him when he first told the 02 team about the time he broke his digivice due to what Ukkomon did, because even though I agreed with her on what she was saying, I felt like she was ignoring his point of view and his understandable grief. (People aren't perfect when responding to other people's trauma all the time though, so I don't mind from a story perspective.)

I really liked Ukkomon's weird eldritch tentacle form. The tree branches make me think that it's probably Yggsdrasil that Ukkomon has contact with? Since they didn't specify what Ukkomon's connection is, I really hope they explore it more in the future with more episodes, or maybe even another animated series. (Though, maybe a movie would be better for the sake of a more polished end result? Idk, more digimon content is always welcome to me.)

The one scene of Daiken baiting was kinda funny but a little sad since yknow it's queerbait and we know it won't happen canonically due to the epilogue 😭 and the directors doubled down on the epilogue in interviews so we know its not happening... I remember clearly seeing Daisuke blush, but I think Ken was largely unaffected, which, if that blush is anything other than embarrassment, has some slightly sad one-sided connotations. (I'm a Bi Daisuke truther. Maybe I'm delusional. Who cares it's for fun)

This is just a small detail, but I noticed that Silphymon's voice (in the dub at least) (I watch sub usually but the only viewings near my area for both today and tomorrow were dub viewings) was just Tailmon's voice and had none of Hawkmon's voice, which was kinda interesting? It doesn't matter much, it just stuck out to me. I thought it was kinda funny.

I do wish the 02 cast interacted with each other a bit more, but I'm not nearly as bitter about that as I thought I would be, since Rui was a main character I enjoyed. If there's more digimon media in the future that riffs off of this movie, I *would* like it if the 02 cast got more focus, but Rui is a welcome addition to me. (I hope they all get to meet Wallace again at some point... that would be really fun [said by a person who has Hurricane Touchdown as their favorite movie])

Overall, I thought the movie was really good. It had a few other issues, and as someone who's used to the sub I found that the dub voices weren't *entirely* my favorite (except Rui, Rui's performance was excellent), but they didn't bother me as much as I thought they would, making for an amazing experience imo. Review sites I've looked at put it at a B, but for my personal opinion, it's one of the best pieces of digimon media in a LONG time. I'd recommend that you watch it yourself to form your own opinions though (if you haven't watched it and are still reading this for some reason hah) since that's what really matters.

[dirtyvulture]

😎 I have a bunch of things to get off my chest . I am sooo pissed at work . The person who bought my work place has completely fucked us over , they are constantly cutting our days and hours on the work schedule!!!!!! I am a part time worker , typically I work ( or SUPPOSED to) a couple of days a week and four hour shifts and today I went to check on the schedule and I am scheduled one day for 3 ish hours!!!!!! I am just done , I was a loyal and hard worker ….. now I am going out and looking for a new job.

On the upside I had a really good time on Mother’s Day . I went with my parents to my grandmas and then had a second celebration with my granny and her husband ( she remarried 3 years back , I typically call him by his name but don’t want to say it here) . I spent the night and Granny and I went on a little shopping trip to get a new dress and shoes for my nephew’s baptism. The baptism is at the end of June and we have a family cookout the day before, since my new shoes are open toes…. I figured that my grandma ( granny will be out of town with her husband) , mom and I would have a girls day and do our finger and toes nails…. have lunch . Make a whole day of it . I am NOT a girly girl , I am very much a tomboy so I don’t TYPICALLY dress up or do hair and makeup ( I HATE doing nail polish and things like that) but I will do so on SPECIAL OCCASIONS . What occasion is more special than my nephew being baptized ( I am also the godmother after all 😉) .

Because Mother’s Day was this month and I hope that everyone had a good holiday/ celebration. I will now be driving into some thoughts in the : SB , DK and EV universes .

In the SB universe ( and in the same vain of Mother’s Day thoughts) . Remember when I talked about how Nat might have been injured on duty in the military leaving her with the rank she has now but unable to get pregnant and have biological children. Well I believe that she and SB do foster a couple of kids …. Young siblings in fact. A boy( he is the oldest, five ) and a girl ( two years old) named Kit and Jane. Kit doesn’t like and is very scared of men ( remember SB is AMF ) , and so is scared and very weary of SB….. Kit doesn’t like SB being around his baby sister …. He puts on a very brave face and is very protective of Jane . Jane on the other hand LOVES SB ( to her they are a big old teddy bear that gives the BEST hugs ) and both siblings loves Nat .

In the DK universe the kids of the school 1000% percent all chipped their resources into a nice celebration for all the female staff at the school ( R is the main focus, Jean , Storm and even Nat are also prominent figures for Mother’s Day as well) . I don’t know exactly what they would do but the older kids have the biggest hand in planning it ( Rouge , Peter, Kitty, etc) and it’s a very nice and touching celebration.

Lastly in the EV universe….. I don’t know about any mother or motherly figures for that R , I believe that we only really know about her dad . But what about Melina and her daughters ? Do they have a good relationship in this universe and what type of things would Nat and Yelena to celebrate their mother.

That is all for now , hope everyone is doing well and hopefully I can come here with better energy and moods ( and hopefully a new job) . Wish me luck on the hunt for this new adventure. I wish everyone luck with any adventures of their own <3 .

Sorry for my delay with answering this 😭

I am sorry to hear about your issues at work, but I am glad that you have moved on and found a new one. :)

And that sounds like a fun Mother's day! I already can't remember what I did for mine lol.

That would be so cute if the Sergeant couple adopted some kids! I think they would make great parents (after much learning).

And yes! I bet all the students at the mansion would be willing to go all out to celebrate R (and I guess the other mother figures too lol). They would probably do all the cooking and cleaning for the day, and make R come out and play sports games with them. :)

We'll see more about the families of R and Nat in the EV universe. :) I will tell you now that R's mother is no longer in the picture (she passed away years ago...which also might explain why R has...mommy issues). I still haven't decided what to do with Melina yet, though.

Thanks, 😎 anon! Good luck with your new job!

[koschei-the-ginger]

Screw it, brief reviews of Jason Bateman's filmography pre-Arrested Development

(there are only 4 pics but the post is long)

1981 Little House on the prairie - He was there for 1 season and already became so popular they made the grand finale all about him being a proof that God exists lol

1983 Just a little more love - can't find this one

1982 Silver spoons - they had to fire him because the second he appeared on screen nobody gave a crap about the other kid, iconic, I've only had Derek Taylor for 21 episodes but if anything happened to him yk yk..

1984 Knight Rider - Derek Taylor steals a car

1985 Robert Kennedy and his Times - I'm sure he's in it somewhere but it's like SIX hours long and incredibly boring

1984 The Fantastic World of DC Cooper - Derek Taylor strikes again

1984 It's your Move - Arrested Development for 6th graders, this show is SO fucking funny the parents insisted on killing it together with his Derek-sona for good.

1985 Right to kill - blink and you'll miss him, this is his sister's movie

1986 Mr Belvedere - MILF CHASER

1986 Can you feel me dancing - a commissioned tv movie to show off Justine Bateman's range

1986 St Elsewhere - see, Dave Hogan can do drama too (no)

1986 Valerie/ The Hogan family - his most famous role pre-AD and I genuinely don't understand why, stale bread even for a family sitcom™. Cancelled for being the only show that was normal about aids thanks to Jason. They also dyed his hair to a different shade of auburn each season for some reason lol

1987 Bates Motel - this was supposed to be a sequel to Psycho 🤨

1987 Teen Wold too - words cannot describe how much I hate this movie and everything about it

1987 Matlock - he's playing "Jason Bateman, the star of Valerie" only 1 year after they fired Valerie from Valerie hmm...

1987 Moving target - this was fine

1988 Our House - if your kids think giving 10k to a teenager will get them a record label at 13 it's on them, he did nothing wrong

1988 Crossing the mob - you can watch this but god at what cost, it's so grainy you can barely see their faces (okay movie tho)

1989 Breaking the rules - commissioned to show that he can do some "serious" acting, a tragic mistake on everyone's part

1991 Necessary roughness - Scott Bakula simps, I understand, no I seriously get it

1992 A Taste for killing - for every good movie (prev) you get 2 bad ones

1994 Confessions: two faces of evil - COPAGANDA

1994 This can't be love - *looks up synonyms for CUTE*

1994 Black sheep - can't find this one either

1995 Hart to Hart - he was so annoying they made him believe he's related to Donald Trump I can't even rgsthsrth

1995 An affectionate look at fatherhood - can't find this one either²

1995 Burke's law - this show is so camp you need to WATCH THE DUEL

1995 Simon - the writing is atrocious, he's trying SO hard to make it work while Harland Williams recites every line as if he had just learnt to read. Tragically, a must watch, I wish it existed in HD

1996 Ned and Stacey - a sitcom star playing a sitcom star in a sitcom making fun of Friends, 10/10

1997 Chicago sons - 3 polish brothers live together, Jared Paladecki isn't in this eventhough there are at least 4 people that look like him

1998 George and Leo - if this came out today AO3 would be full of this elderly gay couple

1999 Love stinks - not mine but yk

2000 Rude awakening - the absence of a laugh track caught me off guard, he's doing his best Bud Bundy impression down to the tragic goatee

2001 Some of my best friends - after this many cancelled sitcoms you stop seeing AD as a show that's simply good but as a miracle

2002 The Jake effect - if Scrubs was about hs teachers

2002 The sweetest thing - nobody cares about the men this is the penis song movie

2002 No way out - this is like Cary Elwes-kind of bad

2003 Sol Goode - blink and you'll miss him (idk what's even happening)

2003 Twillight Zone -someone get him an Emmy for trying to bribe a ghost of a kid he unintentionally murdered

[systemic-dreams]

Karlach has a happy ending. Going to find a fix for her engine with her best friend(s)/potential lover? Fun. The epilogue party even mentions that they have a lead on a fix if she goes with Wyll. Just because it's not explicitly shown on screen in a 2 minute long cutscene doesn't mean she doesn't get to be happy.

lol, you went on anon to give me this milquetoast take?

I don't even know what you're responding to.

Maybe you should get together with some friends and play Dungeons and Dragons?

I recommend Descent into Avernus which is the campaign that canonically takes place before and leads into the events of Baldur's Gate 3. It features our favourite damsel in distress and Wizard of the Coast's favourite punching bag - Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard, aka Wyll's dad. With a guest appearance by the Archdevil Zariel, whose Evil Minion you can become. Get experience first hand of how not fun Hell can be for people like Karlach by enlisting in Zariel's army today! Well, not today, because the first leg of the campaign will take a few sessions.

Without getting into spoilers, I can tell you that some very interesting stuff happens in the lead up to bg3. None of it really makes me believe that Karlach is going to have 'fun' or 'be happy' during her time in Hell. But it will probably make for a good novel. Hopefully they don't kill her off.

Oh, and this ending you're talking about was only made available after Patch #5 (Nov 30th 2023). It was explicitly released in response to fandom complaints that there was no happy ending for Karlach so... I guess it worked? If randos are coming out of the woodwork to tell me she gets a happy ending. Though, I question the choice to send her back into Hell when you had the Gondians and the Ironhands who could make City Watch robots and blackpowder bombs. Could they not fix her engine maybe? With one of their engines. That seems like a plot hole.

If that's not an option, what about asking for Divine Intervention from one of the party's many Gods? Or, you could do Resurrection when Karlach does die since you get that spooky Thay Grimoire and unlock its secrets in Sorcerous Sundries. Or maybe you could do Reincarnation since we have twO druids in the party for some reason.

Polymorph? High level polymorph anyone?

You could go to Waterdeep and talk to the Wizards? Elminster could get off his lazy cheese-loving ass and do something? Like cast a Wish spell? How about an item that casts a Wish spell? You could go on a quest for that. Or, what if, get this, you could bargain with Raphael, for Karlach's freedom? 🙃I think I would actually give him the tadpole for that one.

Anyway, I still think there's no true happy ending yet but maybe they'll patch that in too. Act 3 needed a lot more polish imo. And I don't think anyone should be turned into a squid if they don't want to be.

[ell-arts]

Hey there! Hope you're doing well! :) I got a quick question! I was just curious as to what makes Cyli your favorite character in the show? Also who would you say would be your top 3 favorites? I love your 10th anniversary art btw! :D

Thank you so much!! Hope you're doing well too :D

I remember the first time I was introduced to pmatga from a friend somewhere in 2013, and that was via the first game. At that time, I took a liking to Cyli's design, but not so much her personality since it was rather lacklustre and toned down for the games, as was the case with many other characters. Back then, usually I wasn't drawn towards a colour palette that's semi-goth or pinkish in nature, but something about the combination of black and pink and its application to a circular being with pigtails looked rather cute and aesthetically endearing.

At some point during the game, I got stuck in a boss fight and so my friend and I googled on how to get pass it...

And that's literally how we found out that there was a show based on the game as well XD We immediately checked it out.

And that's where I started to like Cyli even more. She was given a lot more personality in the show compared to the games, and I felt that a booksmart, slightly tomboy-ish persona fit so well with her design. Since the show's animation and quality was so much more refined and polished than in the games, it gave all the characters a more appealing look, which in turn made Cyli more expressive and bold in a way that I felt was both endearing and enjoyable. I fell in love with her character from then on, and deeply wished that we could've seen more intricate development with her, same with the other characters.

So to sum it up, I really love her design and colour palette, and with the addition of an intelligent, brave, and warm-hearted personality, she just stood out to me as a character that stands out on her own. She can be gentle and supportive in ways that matter, while bold and daring in situations that call for it. And while her role in the show may not have extended any further than Pac's supportive friend, she's been an incredibly fun character to write about and play around with in fanfics and fanart. I think part of why I like her is the untapped potential she could've had in the show, which gives me as a fan a lot of ideas and headcanons to explore in fan works.

Aaaand after a long-winded answer to your first question, I finally get to your second question! XD

My top 3 favourite characters have to be Cyli, Pac, and a tie between Spiral and Betrayus.

Cyli's a soft but clever and brave girl, Pac's just a golden retriever puppy who's trying his best, and Spiral's a loyal and carefree guy who's a great brotherly figure/hypeman. He also gives meme lord vibes lol. Betrayus' strength is his snarky sarcasm coupled with goof that makes for good comedic scenes, and he's very fun to write about as a villain.

And just as an extra, out of the entire Ghost Gang, I like Blinky the most :)

[hyumjim]

I completely agree that the bg3 character storylines are VASTLY more interesting than the main overarching plot. Astarion + Karlach are some of the best written characters I have seen in games. That being said, even their storylines have their imperfections (like, what oomf was talking about, how they released the game with Karlach’s romance kinda half-finished?). The other most interesting character, in my opinion, is The Dark Urge… whom the player is specifically advised to avoid playing as in their first playthrough, meaning you’re supposed to play through this REALLY LONG GAME once before you even get a chance to meet this character. I wish they’d incorporated Durge in a way that didn’t make this an issue, because I think the game is so much more fun with them in it, and I feel like I missed out for many hours of my initial playthrough(s).

Additionally a gameplay gripe: you reach max level WAY too early in act 3, even when playing on tactician. I feel this could have been remedied fairly easy just by making some changes to the experience point system. As it is, there is literally an unceremonious end to leveling progression when you’ve got potentially 100 hours of game content left, and it feels stale pretty quickly, especially for a game that wants to be replayable…

Even now, months after release and countless patches later, there are still quests that are bugged to the point of making no sense. This is just one example, trust me there are more like it, but the one that leaps to mind is the act 3 painting quest, where a big to-do is made about having a custom painting done of your character, and when it’s done you have to drop it on the floor to actually look at it (lol) and then it is just a copy of the in-game portrait of literally a random party member. In my case, I had each member of my party go to get their own portrait, and I received 4 copies of Gale. This is really weirdly clumsy and immersion-breaking, and particularly sucks when you have a huge opportunity because you’ve got a character (Astarion) who hasn’t been able to see himself for 200 years and remarks upon that several times in the game… there’s not one but TWO opportunities for him to see himself, through this painting quest and also the statue you can purchase. And neither of them prompts any sort of reaction from him, The Guy Who Would Like To See Himself. That may seem like a minor fan gripe, but it is weird, immersion-breaking, and… just strange that apparently no one thought of it? imo. Just another thing that adds to the feeling of unfinishedness that pervades this game, especially the third act. It’s a game I’ve gotten hundreds of hours out of, but it has a frustrating lack of polish that it’s strange to see glossed over again and again, and it’s strange to see it awarded with GOTY, I have to admit.

[riddlerosehearts]

saw wish just now!! i can confirm that youtube absolutely compressed the hell out of the effects in the trailer and it visually looked a million times better irl lol. still not as beautiful and unique as i expected it to look, but i love asha's gorgeous textured braids and i am glad that disney is trying new things with their art and animation. i hope this isn't the first and last movie they do this with, because i feel like it really could look amazing if it had been more polished.

unfortunately i also just... didn't enjoy wish anywhere near as much as i expected to. i didn't really like most of the songs, and while i was annoyed to see people judging asha and calling her a generic quirky girl before the movie even came out, i now have to admit that i don't find her very unique or interesting either :( same goes for rosas itself, it didn't feel like there was anything special about the setting. magnifico was the most fun part of this movie to me and that's not something i'd normally say--usually in disney movies i do love a good villain but i prefer to talk about the heroes and their journeys. but magnifico was a fun departure from the "no villain" trend we're currently on and the "every villain is a twist villain" trend we had before that. he only seemed like a good guy for about 10 minutes and was very obviously ruthlessly evil the rest of the time. i wish the queen had stayed evil too tbh, and i guess if i had listened to the soundtrack before watching the movie i would've known she wouldn't, but oh well. i just think a true villain couple would've been more fun than her turning on him once he went too far.

anyway uh... this was supposed to just be a few sentences and not a full review lol. so i guess i'll just say that it takes very little to make me tear up during a really good animated movie but wish barely made me feel anything and i was expecting a lot more out of it. even after seeing it get mixed reviews, i was still really hoping to love it because i've seen some of my favorite movies get trashed by critics while movies i either hated or thought were very mid were treated like the greatest thing ever. but in this case i find myself agreeing that it wasn't all that special. i also think that it was very obviously trying to utilize the nostalgia of longtime disney fans to get us to love it, with things like asha wearing a cape that made her resemble the fairy godmother, a boy named peter dressed in all green at the end wishing to invent a flying machine, and one of the wishes showing a girl sewing aurora's dress... but i can honestly say that the "once upon a studio" short felt to me like a more genuine, heartfelt, and emotional celebration of disney's history than wish did. wish kind of just made me wish i was watching encanto or elemental again.

if you're reading this and you love wish then don't let me stop you!! this is just what i'm feeling right now after getting out of the theater. i was very excited for this movie and wanted to love it so much more than i did, but in the end i guess it just wasn't for me.