#((a lot of these images have been lost because they were here for a 1 time gag... but I think it would be fun to post them for realsies))

[tophattrio]

Once-ler: “Huh, something seems familiar about this post...”

Warden: “OH!! I remember these!”

Professor: “Ah, yes! There is an air of familiarity here... Care to go on a trip down memory lane with us?”

((A collection of old background images. Not quite unfinished wips (yet) but I’ve been away from home babysitting so I haven’t gotten the chance to look at my scanned archives, 😭 so I went scrolling through my tumblr drafts instead!! Since (I don’t think) I've posted these anywhere else (and in some cases they may be completely lost or new for some) it’s a fun way to break the ice!))

Original (circa 2013-2016)

Camp Weehawken AU

Lovestruck M!A

Future M!A

Wilson M!A

Greed M!A

Reboot (2016-present)

((What will the future hold? Well... we’ll just have to wait and see!))

[vetyr]

hi, i ireally love your work and i don't know if you've answered this before but, what kinds of studies do you do or how did you learn color theory? i wanna get better at rendering and anatomy but im having trouble TT TT

Hi! Long answer alert. Once a chatterbox, always a chatterbox.

When I started actively learning how to draw about 10 1/2 years ago, I exclusively did graphite studies in sketchbooks. Here's a few examples—I mostly stuck to doing line drawings to drill basic shapes/contours and proportions into my brain. The more rendered sketches helped me practice edge control & basic values, and they were REALLY good for learning the actual 3D structure behind what I was drawing.

I'd use reference images that I grabbed from fitness forums, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and some NSFW places, but you could find adequate ref material from figure drawing sites like Line of Action. LoA has refs for people (you can filter by clothed/unclothed, age, & gender), animals, expressions, hands/feet, and a few other useful things as well. Love them.

Learning how to render digitally was a similar story; it helped a lot that I had a pretty strong foundation for value/anatomy going in. I basically didn't touch color at all for ~2 years (except for a few attempts at bad digital or acrylic paint studies), which may not have been the best idea. I learned color from a lot of trial and error, honestly, and I'm pretty sure this process involved a lot of imitation—there were a number of digital/traditional painters whose styles I really wanted to emulate (notably their edge control, color choices, value distributions, and shape design), so I kiiind of did a mixture of that + my own experimentation.

For example, I really found Benjamin Björklund's style appealing, especially his softened/lost edges & vibrant pops of saturated color, so here's a study I did from some photograph that I'm *pretty* sure was painted with him in mind.

Learning how to detail was definitely a slow process, and like all the aforementioned things (anatomy/color/edge control/values/etc.) I'm still figuring it out. Focusing on edge control first (that is, deciding on where to place hard/soft edges for emphasizing/de-emphasizing certain areas of the image) is super useful, because you can honestly fool a viewer into thinking there's more detail in a piece than there actually is if you're very economical about where you place your hard edges.

The most important part, to me, is probably just doing this stuff over and over again. You're likely not going to see improvement in a few weeks or even a few months, so don't fret about not getting the exact results you want and just keep studying + making art. I like to think about learning art as a process where you *need* to fail and make crappy art/studies—there's literally no way around it—so you might as well fail right now. See, by making bad art you're actually moving forward—isn't that a fun prospect!!

It's useful to have a folder with art you admire, especially if you can dissect the pieces and understand why you like them so much. You can study those aspects (like, you can redraw or repaint that person's work) and break down whether this is art that you just like to look at, or if it's the kind of art that you want to *make.* There's a LOT of art out there that I love looking at, probably tens of thousands of styles/mediums, but there's a very narrow range that I want to make myself.

I've mentioned it in some ask reply in the past, but I really do think looking at other artist's work is such a cheat code for improving your own skills—the other artist does the work to filter reality/ideas for you, and this sort of allows you to contact the subject matter more directly. I can think of so many examples where an artist I admired exaggerated, like, the way sunlight rested on a face and created that orange fringe around its edge, or the greys/dull blues in a wheat field, or the bright indigo in a cast shadow, or the red along the outside of a person's eye, and it just clicked for me that this was a very available & observable aspect of reality, which had up until that point gone completely unnoticed! If you're really perceptive about the art you look at, it's shocking how much it can teach you about how to see the world (in this particular case I mean this literally, in that the art I looked at fully changed the way I visually processed the world, but of course it has had a strong effect on my worldviews/relationships/beliefs).

Thanks so much for sending in a question (& for reading, if you got this far)! I read every single ask I receive, including the kind words & compliments, which I genuinely always appreciate. Best of luck with learning, my friend :)

[boxbug]

A Canary’s Final Flight

My piece for @trafficzine 4th edition! Get it for free here! 200 pages of excellent art and fics, incredible work from all participants and from the mods especially!! huge shoutout to the mods for real

Process notes under the cut! (I struggled a lot so it's a bit of a novel)

So the entire process was a Ride. I knew when I picked this prompt that I was going to have a hard time, because Jimmy’s final death had been illustrated a billion times over by extremely talented artists. But I had a Vision of the snapshot of the second before the impact, when everything is still but you know what’s about happen. It was very much inspired by the clip of Fog by Jabberwocky, bu the thing is, they have the advantage of all the build up of the fall, and that’s when the trouble started.

This was my first version, and obviously it wasn't working. And I was trying so hard, with so many iterations! Small wings, big wings, no wings, different poses, less backgrounds elements. I'd done compositions were everything seemed peaceful but something is Wrong, but it wasn't working this time.

So instead I focused on what rendering I'd like to do - I tried a painterly approach, for that visceral feeling, but it wasn't working either (but hey, I did keep the red sky, so, progress)

At this point I'd been doing back and forths for weeks and I was just as lost as at the start. Now that's my tip for people who make art of any kind, in situations like that, stop thinking about how you can make the best piece possible, and think about you can have fun with it (because when you aren't it's visible). And for that was, 1 - going back to using ink and pen nibs and doing way too detailed inking, and 2- looking at Dave McKean's covers for Sandman (which, funnily enough, was also a reference for my previous trafficzine piece)

And from there I was actually going somewhere! Between the jagged rocks, the red sky, and the increased verticality with the borders, I had hit the vibes I wanted.

I did some experimentation with the border, and even though I really liked the bad boys I drew they were taking too much away from the lonely desolation, so I actually used Red (Unecessary Redstone)'s idea of all of Jimmy's worldy's possessions scattered on the ground post impact, with the idea to make it looks like the central image is his grave being dug.

(and yes for a short amount of time the were supposed to be clock markings on the sun, but there was already enough going with the wings so I scrapped that) (also fun fact the reason why the wings aren't fully material but more ghostly is because my toddler cousin was watching me draw the very first draft and asked why he didn't just use his wings and i went :( so the wings are a metaphor now)

So from there I found a bunch of picture and took some myself, cut and assembled everything together, added shadows in all the appropriate places, and repainted some elements so that everything would look better intergrated (some of the wheats are basically 100% handpainted, the cardboard as well). This took a suprisingly long amount of time, but I was done!

Well I wasn't expecting to have that much to say, but I hope if you're still reading, it was at least interesting!

[onp4012]

Pick a Card: What’s your role in this lifetime?

Choose one of the pictures in the image and then scroll down to see what your role is in this lifetime!

Please like and reblog 〽️

©onenormalperson4012

here’s the masterlist

Pile 1

9S, Emperor, Death, KNOP, QOS, 3P, 9C, Lovers

The people who choose this pile probably have been forced to grow up or mature themselves from a very young age. I feel like life has been giving you a hard time ever since the beginning and you have met a lot of change during your upbringing. Life didn’t seem so stable after a while, did it? I see that your role in this lifetime is to be strong and independent and learn from all of your mistakes. In this lifetime you should be faced with many changes and challenges to further develop your soul. I feel like you will also be forced to develop your more earthly senses. If you choose this pile there’s a chance that you may have mainly earth placements or not have earth placements at all, in which case you will need to develop a more grounded sense and perspective. You are meant to become a strong and stable individual. I can also see that you were forced to become a very very logical person and you had to ignore your feelings.

I’m getting girlboss vibes from this pile. I feel like most of you who have chosen this pile would like to work in finances or want to work as some sort of leader. I can see that you have the leadership qualities but I am not sure if all of you will want this type of responsibility. I’m getting a very serious vibe from you. You are meant to accomplish great things in this lifetime and I see that the universe/God has been trying to send you messages that this is what you should pursue. Some of you may fear this type of commitment but just so you know, God doesn’t give you more than you can carry. I see a lot of happiness and stability in your life around the age of 30.

Pile 2

Hermit, 8S, 10C, KOC, 5S, Justice, QOP, 4C

First thing I heard when I shuffled was “First place you”, so perhaps many of you tend to put others’ needs above yours because of insecurities. I get that most of you who has chosen this pile are very emotional people who tend to seek constant validation or always feel like they are a victim because your efforts are almost never reciprocated. I feel like you might’ve grown up to be a people pleaser and got used to the feeling of being worthy and enough for the people around you. It’s like you’ve constantly sought love and tried to please in order to receive that love. You are quite a compassionate person, gotta be honest.

You seem very empathetic and people have used you for your empathy and your mercy so you might feel a little bit lost. I get that your role in the lifetime is to start putting yourself in first place and stop being a people pleaser or if you want to keep being one, assert some limits. You have to acknowledge that you are your own person, and realize that you have your own life and others are responsible for their own lives. You are not their mother, neither their guardian. I also feel like you have been searching for answers, and that you have probably watched countless pick a card readings on YouTube or Tumblr only to find an answer. The reason you’re feeling lost is because you have started to lose your self identity by putting other people first. You can see how I keep on telling you this, but I feel like no matter how much I tell you that you need to change this. I still feel the need to tell you once again. PUT. YOURSELF. FIRST. While I was looking at the picture for this pile I heard the word “Help” so I guess it’s pretty self explanatory.

Pile 3

10S, 4W, 8P, 9C, AOC, Fool, Empress, Hermit

I was looking at the cards just now and I thought about like you know those times when you are feeling very down and you just pray that things are going to be good again and somehow you end up distracting yourself with something very pleasant, so you just forget about that bad thing. This is the vibe that is pile gives me. I feel like those who have chosen this pile need to learn that pain is something you cannot just ignore  but you have to go through and eventually remember that you have things in life which can help you get over that specific pain. I want you to know that you are able to get over pain by yourself and you do not need anything else but yourself. You are a strong person and you can overcome everything. You’re on this lifetime seems to be that you are able to forgive, and you should forgive those who have done you wrong.

I also feel like your role in this lifetime is also to help people heal faster and enjoy their stay on earth as much as you enjoy yours. I feel like most of you are usually very optimistic people and you prefer to see the good and bad and just enjoy and just work through it but the same time also feel like you’re kind of conflicted. It’s like you don’t even trust yourself and it’s just sad because you have a lot to offer and you should realize how much happiness you can bring others how much love you can teach. Your role in this lifetime, could also be that you will have to be some sort of teacher to those who are very down and teach them how to see the world less scary when they are in pain. So yeah, I think this is your role in this lifetime. You need to learn this lesson in order to be able to help others as well, so you can accomplish this one role

Pile 4

Judgement, POS, 9W, Hanged Man, KNOP, Magician, KOP, High Priestess

Those who have chosen this pile, will need to establish a healthy connection with the divine and develop their spiritual side. I have to be honest I pretty much see in this reading that most of you who have chosen this pile tend to have this envious side, which is caused by the feeling of worthlessness.  Alright, I feel like most of you are probably already involved with spirituality or with occult or religion., so I guess we can talk about the fact that you need to start trusting your gut instinct and your intuition. Your role in this lifetime is to keep being spiritual or dive even deeper than you have already have. Manifestation comes very easily to you I see, especially physical manifestation. You will accomplish great things in this life with the help of the divine so keep on manifesting and wishing big, because it’s working.

Because of your good deeds, you will get to feel content and happy. I see that karma goes very hard for you guys, so please don’t curse or do anything negative because it will come back even harder (I don’t feel like many of you are witches who practice black magic, but still). I also see that in this lifetime you are also meant to be materially blessed and happy financially. The king of pentacles kept on trying to get out of the deck and he usually signifies very prosperous people so this could mean that you will need to become this prosperous archetype. You’ve got what it takes to become what you need to become, just trust the universe and you’ll see. Don’t worry too much about it.

Pile 5

Judgement, POS, QOC, World

Goddamn, first two cards were also in the previous pile. You might wanna check Pile 4 before reading this. I feel like those who have chosen this pile will need to focus on their knowledge and become the best possible version of themselves. This pile will need to learn what auto control really is and start accepting their responsibilities and realize that no one will do their work for them. This pile has a lot of potential, but they also need to work hard.. I feel like those will have chosen this pile need to connect to their femininity and masculinity and try to balance those two things out. I see that you are very passionate people, and that you were very gifted intellectually, but you have to realize that you need to step in to your femininity as well.

Feel your emotions. Trust your instincts don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Be curious to explore things and don’t be afraid of life. You are meant to become a strong individual and be an example for others, so do not be any less of an example. Be happy and enjoy life. This is what you need to be in this lifetime. Learn how to balance energies within yourself out and try being more receptive to your own feelings.

Thank you for being here❤️

[emblazons]

so I swore I was not going to start speculating off of set images, but given the one's we've gotten of Dustin so far, I cannot help myself (plus it's fun). Still: none of the theories I've seen so far make as much sense to me as this being tied to Dustin's trauma and him having a Vecna Vision/Flashback, which becomes clearer the more you put the details revealed in the images into the context we've been given by S4 + The Duffers.

First, the images I'm referencing (TW: IMAGE SPOILERS):

Separately, these things (the basketball players, Dustin's hellfire fit being the same at both the grave and school + him wearing Eddie's rings + Mike's hair & attire) all feel a bit disparate...until you remember the things both Dustin is trying to cope with (Eddie's death + feeling like an outsider) and the Duffers have said re: Eddie and his effect on the characters (listen if you can, its only 3 min). Why?

Well, because we know for a fact that 1) Dustin and Mike were the ones who felt most aligned with Eddie given their being bullied—

—even though we spent all of S4 building the bond between Dustin and Eddie in particular, because Mike was in California with Will.

Similarly (and while I know it's not primary canon), we get this context from Lucas in Lucas on the Line, which corroborates Dustin's comment about Lucas "making all his sports friends" and feeling deeply betrayed by that fact—

—and even stuff about Mike's appearance "not changing" (pre-hellfire, in the moments he's still in S3/regressive conformist territory +not embracing himself)....something that Eddie talks about in S4 when he comments on the look Mike had when he met him.

(I've also already commented on that Mike's shirt looks a lot like the one El wears post Rink-O-Mania in S4—which plays a lot into the idea of Mike giving El a shirt that represents conformity to him (just like her being his girlfriend does, given he cannot be himself in front of her at all in S4).

Combining all of these things though—Dustin being the only one who is in the Hellfire shirt (while all the other extras look a very "S1 good suburban kid" I/ first day of school), Mike showing up (also looking like his 'conformist' self in contrast), Basketball players being on the scene (the people Dustin felt stole Lucas from him)...combined with him in the same outfit at the grave of the person he felt defended him from those losses and challenges in high school?

It's giving Dustin's grief / worst thoughts thrown back at him 100%.

Given that Eddie, who he lost in an extremely traumatic fashion is the one who said forced conformity (which Mike is showing up dressed as alongside Lucas's basketball friends) killed the kids—

—and now they are facing off with Vecna (and Henry by extension, whose says shit like THIS) on top of asking people to "join him" in his displeasure with the world when he 'takes their souls?'

On top of the fact that we KNOW for a fact there is time fuckery coming for us...and it's likely enough that it's 'now 'canonically 1986 (or near it), which is reminiscent of this moment (likely remembered and traumatizing for Dustin specifically)?

Yeah. Flashback / lead up into Vecna torture is exactly what it gives to me—the things causing the event / the moments that lead into the torture. Especially knowing the scenes shot first (aka now) are generally more SFX complex because they take the most time.

bonus: @magentamee also brought up some great points on this theory here!

bonus bonus: I wrote something on Dustin and standing apart from relationship conformity as early as S3 here and wrote up the relationship he has with nonconformity today, which I think plays into his feelings of alienation / what Vecna might pull him apart from his friends by showing him.

[otomiyaa]

nice.png

(literally how I named the image, couldn't think of something else)

Hi guys :') To my followers and tumblr friends, I'm really sorry if my sudden disappearance scared or upset you. It wasn't quite... planned. And today was a busy day and I needed some time to consider what I wanted to do.

Short version of the story:

My tumblr account got terminated for copyright infringement. A certain Mr. Green got me in unlucky trouble (ref 1, 2).

I won't get it back, or try to get it back. It's gone.

Needed a moment to consider 2 options: ask Mia to extend my dramatic farewell letter and stay gone, or make a new blog.

Not planning to post new writing here. I won't be using words like 'never' or 'forever' because I'm a known clown with things like this, but the intention is to no longer post fics. I will finish Tickletober on AO3 and then take a break from writing. So yes, I cancel the swiftscribbles event too, sorry!

When I opened my laptop, I could see my old blog in its final hour lmao (I found out about the loss on my phone). So that's what the snap is from on a fitting grave. It was fun while it lasted!

Long version of the story:

Losing my blog(s): My Tumblr account with main blog + sideblogs got terminated overnight, it was quite the surprise! I've either been reported or tracked by bots. The posts are a bunch of numbered URLs I can't open, but the message is clear: for including anime content, genshin impact or media from other sources (whether it's videos, screenshots, official art, gifs or even fanwork) you technically can get a strike. Upon googling the claimer I quickly found this first, and knew it was a lost cause. Although it feels shitty and unlucky, I am in no place to appeal. It's like when I used to make AMVs in the past, you never knew whether a song or even anime footage was going to give your YT account a copyright strike or even a ban, it was a gamble. I have lost YT accounts before, and now I lost the Tumblr one. With 7+ years of tickle trash content and a bunch of sideblogs. But oh well, moving on!

Starting a new blog: It was a serious consideration whether this was my ultimate chance to do what I've always said I wanted to do eventually - quit my blog. My first thought was to ask Mia to share my explanation and literal goodbye with you guys, and stick to my chaos of a Twitter account to indulge in fandom stuff. But then I thought of how happy Tumblr made me, even without the fic writing, but just.. reblogging things, getting random asks, shouting about life and of course, about tickles. I decided to make a new blog after all, but also decided the following:

The 7K+ milestone swiftscribbles event is cancelled, for which I apologize! The follower milestone, together with the motivation to write the fics, and even the asks with the requests I got, all died with my former blog.

I will see how long I can survive without posting a new fic or drabble. A loose headcanon or two might fly around sometime. And if necessary, a link to a new fic on AO3.

Tickletober? Hell yes I'll finish it, I would cringe in bed for 49 days at least if I would stop. I just won't post the fics here, but on AO3.

Reposting/reblogging my old works? Undecided at the moment but I'm tired and lazy. I don't feel too upset since most of my fics are still on AO3 at least and not completely gone.

Anyways, I'll see what happens and how long I can enjoy this nerfed version of blogging.

Surprisingly I'm not upset about losing my other blog, there were a lot of memories but it was also very cringe. I'm gonna be just as cringe here, but at least I feel cleansed.

For those who choose to follow me again, thank you, but please know that there won't be much original content coming from me, for now!:)

[sykestarot]

who are your guides?

1-2-3 (left to right)

I DO NOT OWN THESE IMAGES

hi guys welcome to this weeks reading! I started this reading last week and the energy just didn't feel right but here it is! I'm working on a website so I can schedule personal readings as well! If anyone has any tips for that I'd love to hear it feel free to dm me :). Anyways I hope you enjoy these messages they were all so very sweet!

Pile 1

“there will be mountains you won't move still, i’ll always be there for you” (The Hermit; queen of wands; 5 of wands reversed; 2 of wands; 6 of cups; knight of pentacles) Hi pile one! For you guys I feel like one of your guides is a familial figure, like a grandparent or maybe someone apart of your chosen family. I feel like you might’ve lost this person pretty recently. For some there is female energy and for others there male energy. I’d say for the female energies this would’ve been a firecracker of a person. They were probably always full of life and adventure and they want to guide you to be in that power as well. For the male energy I feel as though they were steady as a beating drum. A very reliable person in life and probably gave the best advice. This guide is here to help you with staying grounded. For some of you you could have both of them simultaneously, however i feel for most of you you have one or the other. But i must point out that this could’ve been a power couple if they were together in life lol. But I see that those with the feminine energy might be on the shyer side of things, and your guide would love to show you how it feels to fully step into your dark feminine energy. For those with the masculine energy this guide wants to continue to give you advice and wishes you would speak to them more. I also feel like some of you might come from a religious background and maybe feel like believing in guides could insight some shame for you. Your guides want you to know that shaming yourself for a belief will only hinder the progress that you’ve made and don’t be too hard on yourself. I see that these guides have so much unconditional love for you and when you feel most alone I promise you are not. Animal Spirits: Snake + Hawk Signs: canned pumpkin; all spice?; Pocahontas; racoons; pacific northwest; rivers; wood cabins; pine scent; Massachusetts; boats; church; white buildings; cold water; winter; snow; willow trees; vivid dreams; 555

Pile 2

“is there something supernatural fucking with you?” (2 of pentacles; knight of cups; Temperance; 4 of pentacles; 6 of cups; 2 of wands) Hi Pile 2 welcome and thanks for reading! I will say that your guide is a very funny one. I feel like this pile has one pretty good overarching energy. I don’t feel like this is someone you’ve known in this life but maybe a few lifetimes ago. I also feel like you are a very self aware reader or are at least in contact with your guides in some way whether you are conscious of it or not. This guide had lots of fun picking a song, and in turn I feel like was messing around with me. I get the energy of a guide who volunteered to be yours because they loved you so much in the last life. I also feel like you guys go around very uptight and stressed about most things in life, and I feel like their energy is supposed to help you loosen up. Like maybe your lesson in life is to find the joy in being alive instead of being super goal oriented or materially focused. I feel like this is the type of guide where you’d be painting something and then all of the sudden magically all the paint spills, or when you go to get some out you get way too much. Like this guide is trying to really show you that mistakes are just happy accidents. I feel like you guys suffer from catastrophic thinking. It’s like a domino effect for you and sometimes this guide will put things in your way so that you fail and have some realization that it wasn’t the end of the world and that there are other ways to get to the same outcome. I also see that this guide loves see you smile and will give you small rewards in the day. For ecample you might walk home from work and a cute neighborhood cat might say hi to you everyday. Or you get your order payed for by the person in front of you. This guide really does care for you and wants you to know that they’re always there for you and you can relax a bit, not everything is the end of the world. “Please do your breathing exercises!” Animal Spirits: Beaver + Eagle Signs: pranks; giggles; unnatural coincidences; kitties; empty streets; crisp air; chain link fences; playgrounds; small town; ambition; hikes; 11:11; painting; Bob Ross; bird chirps

Pile 3

“if I had the chance to relive those days I’d take it” (4 of swords; The Hanged Man; 2 of pentacles; Temperance; 9 of wands; 2 of swords) Hi pile 3! So for you guys it’s a little different than the other piles, I feel like this might not be a guide but a pet that’s passed on. Whether it was recently or a long time ago I feel like this was a kitty that had some health issues. I feel like you had to make a hard decision on whether or not to put them down and maybe you still carry that guilt with you. This little guy definitely doesn’t want you to hold onto that and they believe that they lived the best life with you truly. You took care of them and loved them so much. I keep hearing you loved me so much you let me go. They don’t harbor any resentment or harsh feelings for you on the other side. I even hear that they’d love to come back and be another pet of yours. Maybe you’re not ready for that just yet and that’s why they haven’t but they want you to know that they forgive you for the choice you made and they understand it. They want you to forgive yourself as well. I keep hearing them say I was really sick. They are so grateful of the life they lived with you truly. I see that maybe you were afraid to talk to them after they crossed the rainbow bridge because you felt like they wouldn’t want to hear from you. Trust me they very much do! They miss you so much and I feel like they always hang around in your energy and they love being close to you. Like I feel like they love to sit on your chest or your back. They never left you, not for a moment. They just want you to feel at peace and be happy. They still keep a very close and watchful eye on you, always wanting to protect you. I don’t know if maybe you’ve been having dreams of them or feeling them where they used to cuddle you. They want you to know that you were the thing that mattered most to them and still are and they hate seeing you continue to carry the weight of that decision after all this time. They think you are the most perfect human. “Please don’t beat yourself up!” Animal Spirits: Dove + Cat Signs: little league; tv static; gamecube; leapfrog; big windows, rays of sunlight; leaves blowing in the wind; green; chemtrails; airplanes; 90’s; reincarnation; green eyes

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Gwen's superhero identity, grief, and what her relationship with Miles means to her

GUESS WHO, ONCE AGAIN, WAS WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, AND WROTE SO MUCH IT WARRANTED ITS OWN POST.

How I keep doing this I don't get it.

Regardless, this post will talk about Gwen using her hero identity instead of working on her emotional situation; and how she holds onto that identity until it makes her lose everything.

So, what is her situation at the beginning of the movie?

Pretty depressing.

Okay, I don't think it needs to be said how much losing Peter messed up Gwen. We don't really know the situation in full detail, however, we are aware that they had known each other for 12 years (As stated by George at the beginning of the movie during the interview,) and considering all the memories he has with the family, needless to say, Peter has been a part for most of Gwen's life.

No idea how was her situation before Peter's death, but I don't think is weird to believe she didn't have many friends besides Peter; maybe people she got along (like her bandmates,) were okay to hang out with, but Peter was the closest to her. Maybe this wouldn't be the case, if it wasn't for Spider-woman.

Here is the thing, did Gwen probably decide to put her distance after Peter's death? For sure, do I think Gwen probably leaned too much into the superhero lifestyle? Also yes.

I think the clue to that is in this part, where we see Gwen changing between her Spider-woman suit and her civilian self.

We could believe part of this is because of her grief, she learned more about her identity as a spider-woman, though I still think she may have focused a lot on it already.

I don't have a lot of proof, but I do have how her fear and her protectives of her hero cost her.

(And yes, I see Miles in the reflection, we will mention him later.)

Again, one image with many frames, because we need to make this quick.

All of this shows that Peter tries, in a way, to breach the gap between them. The only proof I have of this is 1) How Peter was getting pictures of Gwen as Spider-Woman, 2) How he was trying to defend her, believing in her despite what the police, news, and Gwen's dad say.

(Hey, is it just me, or do you think how Miles would end up drawing Gwen because he misses her, and Peter being afar from Gwen, taking pictures of both sides of her, just like Miles draws her both as Spider-Woman and her normal self?)

Guys, you don't want to know the number of times I cried during this scene of Gwen and Peter.

And is tragic on multiple levels, but something that really breaks me in this particular scene, is when Peter is calling her name, revealing how all of this was for how much he admires and looks up to her, and in his last moments, he tries to take out the mask, to see her face.

...And Gwen, in panic, trying to protect herself and her identity, refuses to let him take the mask. Meaning the last thing Peter saw, was the superhero version of Gwen, a version I don't doubt he admired and loved, but was a mask her best friend put to protect herself, and refused to let him see her for who she truly was one last time before he passed away.

I am not sure, what type of bond Peter and Gwen had, if they were crushing, just best friends, etc. For me, Peter at least had a crush on Gwen, and for Gwen well, what they were.

Because let me tell you something, what Peter and Gwen were was more than friendship, but doesn't necessarily need to be romantic; I think Gwen could have fallen for Peter, but for now he was him.

Why this is important? Because of all their history; Peter has known her since she was around 4 years (if we assume Gwen is 16 when George said they had known each other for 12 years, thought depending on the timeline Gwen maybe be 15 and know Peter since 3.) They had been close to each other for most of their lives, they had shared a table for what seemed almost daily, I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason they were close, was because Gwen lost her mom, and Peter lost his parents, and they became friends while living in the same building with George, Ben and May supporting each other with the kids.

(Yes, that last part is a headcanon, until we have proof of the contrary I will roll with that. Feel free to have your own.)

And then Gwen keeps the secret, she tries to act dumb in front of Peter, refusing to let him. She probably is used to defending Peter, and depending on the scenario this can be weighted on him in different ways (aka if Ben died or not, if Peter has seen how much Gwen risks her life and is worried about her, if wants to be strong to help other and stand at her side.)

So this hits even harder because of how much Peter matters to her, and she didn't realize that this was driving a gap between them, a gap Peter try to close by all the means necessary until he died.

This is not to say Gwen is to blame for Peter's death, FUCK NO. Peter risking something like this means some type of doubt or insecurity that is a lot heavier than just a girl, maybe we could talk about how the school system failed Peter by allowing the bullying to continue to happen (After all, Gwen shouldn't need to defend him, this shouldn't need to happen.) Even if this hurt Peter, Gwen cannot be responsible for his well-being, close or not, this shouldn't be her job.

However, do I think Gwen could feel guilty about it, for how this identity drove them to this point? OH YES.

She said so in Into the Spiderverse "I couldn't save my best friend Peter, and I don't do friends anymore." She isolated herself for this.

Except that hey, remember how Miles was the exception? Time to talk about Miles!

I find the wording here important, "before Miles, there was Peter." She is putting Miles at the same level as Peter.

Now, I don't think Gwen means she had a crush on Peter (to be honest, I am not sure if at this point Gwen admitted to herself what Miles meant for her, seriously half of what this girl does is related to hiding her feelings even from herself.) But the role they play in her life.

While Miles didn't know Gwen as much as Peter, I think we need to remember what Miles and those ideas in 1610 could have meant for her.

At this point, Gwen doesn't have any friends, is grieving, and her dad is looking to capture her, her life sucks basically.

Then she ends up traveling to another dimension, while not exactly fun for the most part (or painless.) She had the chance to lay low, reset from her current drama; heck she even got to meet Miles a bit before he was officially bitten, and met him just how he is, and at least find him funny.

And I think while short-lived, she being around Miles as spider-woman helped her, because Miles represents the bridge between those worlds.

She met him when he was starting, and while she has been doing this for 2 years, that means she has been painfully enduring this alone for 2 years.

Miles is someone her age, someone who enjoys being around even if it isn't about being spiders, and also understands the pains of being a hero and the pressure that is on your shoulders, as well as the excitement and the desire to do the right thing.

Peter was a big part of her life, but Miles represents all of her being seen, for someone who likes her for who she is, and who she can be honest with.

For the most part.

Because she still clings to the mantle.

Look, feel free to call me crazy, but I believe this part, is sadly, related to this.

I just established how Gwen had put her identity as spider-woman over other people, including those close to her and those who could have been close to her, allowing Miles as an exception basically because they are both spiders, and being a big reason why Miles is important to her.

One way or another, this cost her, and what she does do when she loses someone? Concentrating on being a Spider-woman, of course!

While I don't doubt Gwen is genuinely excited about being part of the organization, something that I can't stop thinking about is how no Jessica Drew, Peter B, Hobie, or anyone in the organization, could feel the gap Gwen felt. The gap that drove her to spend an afternoon with Miles despite what was at stake.

And Jess's being Gwen's mentor is something that is the reason this post keep coming, (because George's parent skills, Gwen clinging to being a hero, are all connected to that.)

Ultimately, it doesn't matter how much she clings to being a Spider-Woman, it can't replace a bond with someone.

Also, as @ficsinhistory said in a reply to one of my post, you are right! Gwen is definitely Captain Stacy's daughter.

Because while he clings to being a cop, not just as a job, but also as his way of life and moral compass (Which gets in the way of his connection with his daughter,) Gwen also clings to being a hero, instead of dealing with her grief and her fears. She probably did the same because well that's what she learned from him right?

Hey does this mean generational traum- I'll See Myself Out.

This, is the face Gwen makes while Miguel tells Miles he needs to let Jeff die.

A lot of people wonder why so many spiders are doing this, and while that's another massive post I am working on (more investigation, why? Because why I would make things easy for myself.) Let's give the clip notes version here.

The surprise is not that Gwen is going along, is how absolutely heartwrenching is to see this when you put in context everything.

You see, for a while, Gwen cling to being spider-woman because it was a way to avoid her grief, now? She doesn't have anything.

While she puts emphasis on her hero work, let's remember what is probably going on in her universe: Gwen is supposed to be a student, to be in a band, to be a regular teen. Being Gwen Stacy is what she has known most of her life, and what should be her main focus, and now everything she ever knows? As far as she is aware, she lost it, she can't have her life back without risking having her own dad send her to jail.

I cannot call Gwen homeless because she has the organization, but that's not much better. Remember how she believes if she fucks this up, she could get sent back home, meaning going to prison and having her dad try to persecute her?

Forget she using this to not deal with her trauma, she was forced to pick up this life because it was this or still lose everything, but everyone may hate her.

The question is now why Gwen did it, is how anyone can see this situation, and can the question ethical when Gwen is having her risk her life, and not in the life and death kind of way, but the type that is the reason life is worth it.

And she clings to this until the bitter end, until-

She got her own band.

We don't know, what will happen in the third movie; but I don't think would be crazy to believe they would try to keep in contact if that's possible.

Here is the thing, regardless of any previous friendship Gwen had with any of them, the fact is this: Gwen said it herself, she is mostly a solo act, and even with thousands of spiders, she can't bring herself to be vulnerable and open up from the most part. Not having people wasn't the problem anymore, was her being unsure to do the first step.

And she has this band, because she wants to save Miles, because regardless of any mistakes she may had done, he is worth the risk, he is worth fighting for, and if she needs to get help to do right by him, so be it.

So who knows, perhaps Gwen gets to stick with this band, all because she decided to think less about what is the right thing to do and to fight for the people who are worth fighting for.

Because Miles became that first friend after Peter, she had the chance to open up and make more, as well as recover those she thought she lost (like her dad.)

Wouldn't that be a beautiful way to end her arc?

[your-local-grubdog]

Pikmin 4: Heritage Theory

Warning for MAJOR Pikmin 4 spoilers, including: various end of day conversations, post-credit events, late game piklopedia and treasure hoard entries, and also the final boss.

As a sort of re-boot of the franchise, Pikmin 4 introduces a lot of new ideas to the series. Among them is the idea that the various alien species in the game are much more closely related than we first realized - and perhaps more connected to PNF-404 than we would have ever thought in the other three games. I wanted to go over the various texts in the game that touch on this idea and talk about them a little because, hoo boy, the IMPLICATIONS. I call it a theory in the title for a lack of better wording but it honestly just feels like a canon fact that's never directly stated. There's just that much evidence, much of which all but outright says what happened.

Apologies if the images are a little low quality, Tumblr crunched them up badly. I provide image descriptions so hopefully that makes up for it.

As this has many end game spoilers (which, final warning for those), I'm going to assume that anyone reading beyond this point knows the basics of the game's story, world, and characters. Thus I won't be explaining every last little thing.

Somewhat early on, Olimar makes the following observation in his Voyage Log:

[ALT ID: Olimar's Voyage Log, entry 60, "Lost Civilization": Some of the objects I call treasure seem to be more complex than they initially appear. It makes me wonder... who made these? And where are they? I don't sense their presence here at all, but I suppose they could be hiding in the shadows, secretly watching me. END ID]

This vaguely threatening entry does confirm that the characters, or at least Olimar, are aware that there was indeed a civilization on PNF-404 at some point. It should also be noted that the Japanese website includes notes from another character who is also aware of the ancient civilization, though the canonicity of it is debatable. I'll get back to that "they're in the shadows, watching" line in another post, as it presents its own can of worms. For now, what matters is that the characters are aware that this planet was once inhabited and Nintendo is drawing attention towards that.

Where this starts to get weird and interesting is with Olimar's Treasure Hoard entries on the Heroic Shield, Memory Fragment (Center Right), and Buddy Display. I can't show all of their text in just one screenshot and the pikipedia hasn't added every treasure note to the Pikmin 4 treasures as of writing, so I'll only be including the segments most related to this conversation.

[ALT ID 1: Treasure Hoard, Olimar's Notes, Heroic Shield (segment): That would mean these living beings must have looked something like us... I wonder who they were and what their faces looked like. Could they have been our ancestors who migrated through space to our planet long ago? (the treasure is a pin showing the helmet of a human-style spacesuit) END ID 1]

[ALT ID 2: Treasure Hoard, Olimar's Notes, Memory Fragment (Center Right) (segment): I'm amazed that such a similar species could exist in the far reaches of outer space. I've heard that organic components can travel through space on meteorites and comets. Could there be a connection between my planet and this one? (treasure is of a puzzle piece with part of a dog's face on it) END ID 2]

[ALT ID 3: Treasure Hoard, Olimar's Notes, Buddy Display (segment): I can't find any evidence of them in any of the existing creature databases. But there's something familiar about them. It's almost as if I've met them before... I guess I'll chalk it up to an ancient memory that's been imprinted on my genome. (treasure is a photograph of two earth dogs) END ID 3]

There is so much to unpack here alone. Olimar straight up theorizes that there may be a connection between PNF-404 and Hocotate, even going to far as to propose if maybe the people of PNF-404 (or at least the people who made the Heroic Shield) may be his ancient ancestors. He does also theorize that a meteorite may have carried "organic components", which is technically possible, but I'm not sure how that would occur in a way that carries said components from one non-destroyed planet to another and leading to creatures evolving in eerily similar ways. Honestly, I'll chalk that one up to an early theory of his, a red herring on Nintendo's part, and thus not something to think about too much. Especially sense, in the Buddy Display, he considers his ability to somewhat recognize Earth dogs as an "ancient memory... imprinted on my genome". While I'm not sure of the science behind such a claim, we also have to take this from a story telling perspective - which is that Nintendo is all but screaming "there is a connection here". Not just in relation to the aliens and the planets, but also in relation to the dogs.

Speaking of the dogs, Olimar's notes on the final boss of the game presents yet more evidence to a connection - this time focusing more on the connection between Earth dogs and space dogs.

[ALT ID 1: Piklopedia, Olimar's notes, Ancient Sirehound (segment): These results would indicate that 99.9 percent of the canine creature's DNA matches Oatchi's, and that the only difference between Oatchi and Moss may be the natural presence or absence of a leaf tail. END ID 1]

[ALT IDs 2 and 3, as one naturally leads into the other: Piklopedia, Olimar's notes, Ancient Sirehound (segment): If these two theories prove to be true, it would suggest the possibility that this ancient creature is a common ancestor to two canine species from vastly remote star systems. And that, perhaps, there are even more hidden secrets out there that could hint at a fascinating yet inconceivable truth the universe has yet to reveal... END IDs 2 AND 3]

I'm not sure what else to say here; the evidence speaks for itself. The Ancient Sirehound and Moss - both from PNF-404 - closely match the genetics of Oatchi, who is from an entirely different part of the universe. For the Sirehound to be genetically related to Oatchi, then members of the Sirehound's species would have had to leave PNF-404 and migrate to other planets. Their care takers - humans - would have had to go with them.

I also find it worth pointing out that the Sirehound's arena is filled with various human items, such as shoes and toys. It's honestly a little haunting to find them so deep in a dark cave, unused by humans for who knows how long. The ruined toys in particular really get to me. We don't know how old the Ancient Sirehound in particular is, but the idea that humans once hid in this cave from something or that their dog brought the items here for comfort is really depressing.

[ALT IDs: various hard-to-see images of the human items in question, including: pillows, pipes. gardening tools, a fork, adult sized shoes, baby sized shoes, various children's toys, and other objects I couldn't quite make out. All of them are either partly submerged in water or at the very edge of water, leaving them covered in mud. END IDs]

I think by now it's safe to say that, yes, humans left Earth with their dogs at some point in time. Yet there are still MORE pieces of evidence to suggest this idea, this time coming from Shepherd's family history. Because we really needed to be beat over the head with evidence, I suppose. All are presented in numerical order as shown in-game.

[ALT ID 1: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 1: Thanks to the technology that has come from space exploration, our lives have grown much easier and far safer, and on-planet rescue requests have decreased dramatically. But as migration into space continues to grow, our services continue to be needed. So I'm happy to announce we are extending our rescue services to the frontiers of space! Signed, Paniya Shepherd, 82nd Captain. END ID 1]

[ALT ID 2: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 2: We've done it at last! We have flown to space! Out in this great, limitless expanse, not a sound can be heard. And yet, I can still clearly hear the pounding of my own heartbeat. Space--how it overflows with possibilities! There can be no doubt. This is one giant leap forward for our kind. Signed, Ed Shepherd, 65th Captain. END ID 2]

[ALT ID 3: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 6: The Shepherd family has lived with dogs from the very beginning. We understand that if we love and respect these creatures as we do our own--if we pay attention and observe their behavior closely--then we can break down the walls between our species and truly understand one another. Signed, Kain Shepherd, 16th Captain. END ID 3]

[ALT ID 4: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 7: "Beyond the sky itself there lies a beautiful blue planet." Those words have been passed down from captain to captain, calling to each of us. I can't imagine what sort of place this blue planet might be, but it's said to be home to even more dogs and folks that we have here. One day, I hope to fly beyond the sky...and into space. Signed, Maris Shepherd, 7th Captain. END ID 4]

[ALT ID 5: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 8: Many years have passed since we first began to make this land our new home. Still, we need more time to complete our environmental adaptations. In the meantime, we must survive so that, one day, we can pass down this new history to our children, and pass down the ways we've learned to rescue and protect everyone. One day we will live here in peace. Signed, Mark Shepherd, 2nd Captain. END ID 5]

[ALT ID 6: Rescue Journal, Shepherd Family History, entry 9: The surface! We made it at last! Finally, we can begin making a fresh start here on this planet. Of course, it will take many long months and years before what we've built here will be anything like what we once had. But we won't be alone. Our beloved dogs will be by our side as we walk this long, difficult road. Signed, Aral Shepherd, 1st Captain. END ID 6]

There is so much here, all confirming that ancient Giyans (and Captain Shephard's direct ancestors) 1) migrated to this new planet in search of a "fresh start" and 2) proceeded to migrate to other parts of space many generations latter. It also hints that they know of a "blue planet" - a common nickname for Earth - which is home to more people and dogs. Most certainly, it is the planet they came from - making Giyans human, or at least an evolution of humanity, and perhaps all other alien races in Pikmin 4 (from Hocotations to Koppaites to Ohrians to Conohanins to anyone else from the twenty one named planets (excluding PNF-404) in the series) are also descendent from Giyans. It would explain why they all look so similar in game - though we can safely assume that Hocotations are at least descendent from Giyans based on Olimar's notes. Further more, the leafling cure requires cells from a non-leafified individual who is genetically similar to the individual in question. We're never told how Yonny gets these cells (and, given we're talking about Yonny, I'm too afraid to even ask) but the fact that the medicine works for anyone regardless of what their home planet is suggests that they are, in fact, more or less the same species.

How different the various aliens look from Humans is easily chalked up to evolution. We know minor changes in height could, theoretically, happen within just one or two generations spent on a planet with different gravity than Earth's. It would make sense that this would be exacerbated over many many more generations, especially if the gravity is much stronger. Which, to quote the Pikipedia, "According to Brittany, the gravity on Koppai is roughly ten times stronger than on PNF-404." Given their matching heights, it's probably safe to assume similar applies to the other planets, and thus over the generations the people shrunk. Again, the exact scientific validity of this is questionable, but given the semi-fantastical nature of Pikmin I believe we can suspend our disbelief enough to let this story work. We already have to do that for how the Pikmin as a species function, after all. As for oxygen becoming toxic in the 8th history entry Mark Shephard does state that "we need more time to complete our environmental adaptations". Be these natural or artificially induced (as he is only of the second generation), it is again safe to suspend our disbelief to say that humans just adapted to these new worlds. Besides, Koppaites at the very least retained (or possibly gained back?) the ability to tolerate at least low amounts of oxygen.

The real problems come in the time frame and the loss of history. It's never stated one way or the other if people are aware of their ultimate connections back to Giya, so I won't discuss that, but it is very obvious they have forgotten their connection to Earth/PNF-404. Furthermore, it's made clear that the Giyans lost the ability to travel through space by the 7th generation and only regained it by the 65th. If they had access to space flight, they would certainly have archives of their heritage - and they do indeed seem to have some idea of what it is, given how Earth has become a legend. Yet, the Shephard family history as far back as the migration to Giya was preserved - why not anything else? The inconsistencies and questions make this part of the tale hard for me to ignore, yet we have no answers. This is pure speculation, but if I had to provide an answer I think a solar flare hit Giya and destroyed their technology, making them start over. Perhaps these early Giyain-Humans were so reliant on technology at this point that there were no books or oral traditions to preserve this heritage lost when the tech was destroyed? Though, somehow, the Shephard family would have to be one of if not the exception to this. Again, the previous is pure speculation, but it's the best we can do for the time being.

There's also the question of when and how Earth dogs changed to look like the Sirehound, which would of had to happen before the migration to space given that Oatchi has the same body plan. And then why did Moss's species become so much smaller?

Still, even with all these plot holes, I think it's pretty damn clear that Nintendo intended for our favorite little aliens to be the evolutionary decedents of humans. How and if they'll use this plot point remains to be seen, but it does open up a whole bag of opportunities for the universe of Pikmin. One that, frankly, deserves to be explored.

[kazukazuhas]

˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ old friends, lloyd garmadon.┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️

˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ act two ;; scene three┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️

  ୧ ⎯⎯ RECAP

୧ ⎯⎯ WARNINGS ;; one (1) suicide joke ;; mentions of ill treatment // discrimination ;; unspoken trauma ;; ninjago lore but it’s vague asf ;; some pining

  ୧ ��⎯ NOTES ;; so, this is more on the filler chapter side of this but this breakdowns down the lore of this au too! (that an i need a filler before i drop some twists <33) +skylor's verified for the hell of it (because she runs the noddle empire–)

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  finally, you flop down onto your bed with a relieved sigh, burying your face into the sheets of the slightly cold blankets and humming happily. finally, that sad week in the hospital passed –though it only passed so quickly was because of lloyd bugging you for most of it (with the occasional appearance of another one of your new friends, and several video calls from your parents and friends back at home). maybe it wasn’t so sad when that ball of sunshine– lloyd was around.

  so far you’ve learnt many things about this city (and surprisingly you were somehow ignorant to all of some of it’s sometimes worldwide news).

  there were literally ninja superheroes, one of which –the green one– saved your ass from being robbed and injured, worst case killed. they had been around for several years at this point and did multiple patrol runs daily. not only did they stop major threats, they helped out in the community. 

  the secret ninja force; named by the public such because the ninja are incredibly secretive about their personal lives and identities (which was called for because they are superheroes), consists of six people.

  the green ninja is the leader with some weird green power. the water ninja is one of the two tech heavy heroes in the city, having a close resemblance to a samurai while having that ninja aesthetic. the blue (or lightning) ninja earned his title as the human –are they even human?– plasma ball; while the earth ninja could probably throw a whole building at someone. they earned the title of the strongest. the white ninja (a nindroid?) is the master of ice, and probably the most deceiving of them as one of the sweetest people; albeit a little morally grey, you’ll ever meet despite the cold presence he has. then the red ninja is the most open one of the lot, the master of fire and swords –hey, there's a lot of skill before his wielding.

  the ninja also had a goddamn flying ship named the destiny’s bounty.

  there’s also samurai x, having the largest panel of debate on whether they’re a guy or lady. they’re the other tech heavy hero in ninjago, following in the footsteps of the previous samurai x who later became the water ninja. you have your suspicion that it might be cyrus borg’s daughter and assistant, pixal. (it was one of hell of a ride when you found out that pixal was actually a robot– nindroid despite her human-like appearance. well, the more you know.)

  and well, elemental masters aren’t much of a surprise to you –not when your aunt was one. master of something, you don’t remember too well what it was; just that either skylor might inherit it or it would skip her and possibly manifest in her kids. or you might get it, and frankly that would be sick. but it looks like neither of you did, atleast you choose to believe that instead.

  you turn, laying on your side and staring out the window, watching the quiet streets and city through the clear glass with an unfocused attention on it. lloyd’s words on his father stuck in your head, you were curious about him.

  you heard of all sorts of things about ninjago before moving here, things you chalked up as elaborate stories before he confirmed it all to you. 

  stories of overthrowing and controlling the realm, bloodlust and a power hungry fight many villains fought to win but inevitably lost in the end. golden weapons and a boy, a devouring evil that could only ever consume; an evil that never rested, a dark lord. and as of more recently, a princess that tried to rise all hell.

  when the ninja defeated the overlord –the never resting evil– lloyd’s father, garmadon was freed from the poison and evil he was under because of the dark lord’s influence. once the man was a tyrant and now you hear he is a sensei of a small, tranquil monastery in a small village somewhere near the city. garmadon sought out lloyd and koko, and became the father and husband the evil forced him not to be.

  he was a tyrant and then became a father. 

  you turn again, laying on your back and stare up at the ceiling with zoned out eyes. the whole situation was peculiar, especially if now since garmadon is good; why was lloyd still so mistreated?

  no one necessarily needed to say anything about it; you’ve noticed the looks sour faces the nurses, doctors and patients gave him when he was escorting you out of the hospital. you noticed the vaguely visible tension on his face while he kept his guard up when you two were walking to his busted car and the way he looked as though he was expecting the worst.

  a defense mechanism, you could tell from the way his eyes were scanning his surroundings; expect the worst so it doesn’t surprise you.

  he softened up only when you two got home, back to your place. but despite the lighter atmosphere in the comfort of the car; you didn’t quite feel he was ready enough to answer your question about the ill treatment he was being faced with subtly. maybe that would also explain why he was so scared that something worse could’ve happened to you. 

  why’d everything need to be so difficult...?

  you frowned, looking out the window with now more focused eyes. it’s been a hell of a week– or several if you count the ones you've been in ninjago; and there’s something nagging you to go home where you’d be safe. but, that would throw everything you’ve worked for, the seat at the best university in all the realm– a ticket out of that house. you’d have to stick it out for a while; at the least for your course to finish before you do anything else.

  well, even if you leave, you’ll have lloyd’s number this time; a way to contact that greenie (the one thing you wanted so badly since eleven.)

  you close your eyes, trying to get some rest again despite half that week you spent in the hospital consisted of you sleeping when lloyd wasn’t (excusing himself to do something work related–not that you’d known him to be employed at the moment). the soft blankets, now warmed by the gentle sun seeping into your room, call you to fall asleep. and you comply wordlessly, willingly.

  until there was a knock on your door and a call of your name. 

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  ୧ ⎯⎯ TAGLIST ;; @spoopy-fish-writes // @spoops-inliyue ;; @decaffeinatedcloudkryptonite // @shaantiofher ;; @sunangelstears ;; @comicbookweirdo ;; @cl0udyw4ter ;; @chamille-trash ;; @candy884422 ;; @rossivette ;; @veiyx ;; @pix-y-styx ;; @a3th3rrr ;; @deluludhii // [pm/send in an ask to join]

˗ˏˋ ꒰ 💌 ꒱ kazukazuhas copr. 2023 darling┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️

[aquamarineglow]

Things I'd love to see in the Future of the Layton Series:

Some of these are unlikely, borderline impossible. But here's hoping Apollo may grant me the gift of prophesy on just one thing:

1. The rest of the Layton Games get a HD release on mobile.

This just makes sense! The original trilogy got a HD release, time for the prequels! And what if we get new cutscenes and content like Curious Village did? That would be amazing!

2. The entire series gets released on Switch.

This also makes sense. Since NWOS is releasing on the Switch, it makes sense to add the original games so new fans can play all of them! Especially since the Nintendo DS is dead. Rest in Peace. 💕

3. London Life gets a sequel/reboot and is available for all regions.

I've been playing London Life on an Emulator and it is so fun! It's a shame my region never got it!

My hope for the future is that if Spectre's Call gets a HD release, it will include London Life for everyone! But this version will include characters from Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy!

And here's a fun idea: what if befriending Dimitri Allen unlocks the ability to use his time machine! Unfortunately, it doesn't work perfectly; it can only take you twenty years into the future. So you can meet and befriend characters from Mystery Journey and Mystery Room!

4. Layton Brothers Mystery Room Sequel

It's been ten years since the mobile game was released and it's been largely ignored by Level 5. Until recently, with Alfendi's cameo in the anime, and then the manga series. It's clear that there's still love for this game. I think it's perfect time for Alfendi and Lucy to get the sequel they deserve! I'd love to see how they are doing!

5. Layton's Mystery Room Sequel/ Layton Mystery Detective Agency Season 2

I know Katrielle's game and anime wasn't the best received, but I think the series has a lot to offer! With the return of Layton and possibly an appearance from Alfendi, I believe the best is yet to come! Also, we still don't know the backstory of Sherl.

6. Lost Media gets found:

What is Professor Layton and the Phantom Thieves? What is Professor Layton Battle Royale? What is Professor Layton and the Deathly Mirror? I have no idea. But I'd like to know.

7. Roid Artwork

I don't know much about it, but I believe Level 5 had some kind of mobile app where, amongst other things, you received really cute artwork of various characters. Most of if the ones I've seen are poor quality, so I think it would be great if the Level 5 Twitter said, "check these out" and released HD images, including ones we've never seen before.

8. More Games

So, the original series was a trilogy. And the prequels were a trilogy. So what if NWOS is the first entry in a new trilogy, starring Luke in America! The Detective Triton Trilogy!

Also, it's been a while since Professor Layton's first and only crossover game. What about another? I don't know much about the Phoenix Wright series, but a crossover between Apollo Justice and Alfendi/Katrielle could be fun?

9. Rook and Bishop

This message is for Akihiro Hino's eyes only. If you are not Akihiro Hino, please skip.

Hey, Akihiro Hino. I know you read my blog. I will give you £29 and my ham sandwich if you put Rook and Bishop in the new game. They don't even have to do anything, just stand awkwardly in the background. It would be hilarious because nobody would care. Everyone wants to see characters like Flora, Emmy and Descole. You put Benny in LMJ and nobody cared about him. Do this for me.🥺

10. Flora

Just.... Acknowledge her existence in some way. Let her appear in NWOS. Give her something to do.

11. Mangas Series

I was so happy when it was revealed that Level 5 was making a manga series about Mystery Room. I can't read Japanese, but I just love the artwork. So expressive and fun! Completely different from the original 2d sprites.

So I was thinking, what if they made a manga about each of the original games? I don't mean like the Cheerful Mystery Manga, but with beautiful artwork that followed the original stories, maybe with new scenes? I'd like that.

Feel free to add what you'd love to see for the Layton Series! No matter how impossible it sounds! If the list is long enough, at least one thing has to come true, right?

[scarlett-v-the-fox]

WarioWare Move It! Japanese profile entires part 1

As of today, there are only a few profiles of the characters. These are Wario, Jimmy T, Mona, Ashley, Red, Dr. Crygor, Mike, and Penny. I am sharing what they say to you in English.

Disclaimer: My Japanese isn’t perfect, and I had to look up some of words used. But I’m confident 95% of this is correct!

President of the very great Wario Company

WARIO

CV: Hironori Kondo

(Translator’s notes: Wario uses the first person pronoun “ore” and uses the suffix “sama” after it.)

[Image of Wario in front a pile of gold] Today is also a great day! I'm cool, intelligent, and handsome!

WAHAHAHA! You had a good idea that you were interested in me! Take a close look at me from my head to my butt!

This is my profile!!

Favorite letter of the alphabet:

W

Most hated letter of the alphabet:

M

Charm point:

You’ll know it when you see it! Everything!

What made me happy recently:

I went to scrub myself today, and what a surprise! I lost 20 kilograms! That’s amazing!

What surprised me recently:

There was a type of canned food that I thought was delicious and became addicted to, but when I looked closer, it turned out to be for dogs! I got angry!

Things I am not good at:

Nothing! I am perfect!

Recommended movies:

There’s “The Wario Movie” starring me! ...Hmm? There’s no such movie? Hey Nintendo! Make it quickly!

Favorite proverb:

Be on the toilet bowl for three months.

Future aspirations:

Hey! That's enough! That's it for my profile!

~

Energetic high school girl

MONA

CV: Ruriko Aoki

(Translator’s notes: Mona uses the first person pronoun “atashi.” She also uses the “ojisama” suffix for Wario and Dr. Crygor.)

[Image of Mona in a city with her pets in the background] Isn’t Wario wonderful!? That nose and mustache!

Hi~! I’m Mona! I'm busy with my part-time job and club activities every day, but I'm going to run through it with high energy today too!

Profile:

My dream for the future:

To become an adventurer!

Person I admire:

I guess I’d say Wario after all! That big and wild nose… super awesome!

Transportation:

[Image of Mona’s bike. Below it reads “Mona Bike!”] Dr. Crygor made it for me!

Part time jobs I’ve done:

I've done a lot of things! I was a gelato shop clerk, a diner waitress, a pizza delivery girl, a rock band's vocalist and guitarist, a Chinese restaurant's poster girl, an amusement park staff member, a reporter, a cameraman, and even a spy... Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said this? [picture of strawberry gelato]

Family:

My papa is an artist and my mama is a supermodel! I'm an only child, but I wish I had an older sister.

My favorite animal:

Baby moth larvae with fluffy fur!

What I’ve been into lately:

I keep an observation record of the flowers I saw today! I like that they’re bumpy, hairy, and shiny!

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Mona thinks I'm cool, and I'm a guy with quite good taste! …however! As an adventurer, she’s not even close to my level! Even if she finds treasure, it's mine, of course! Because the president is amazing! Wahahaha!

~

Cool dancer

JIMMY T.

CV: Yuma Kametani

(Translator’s notes: Jimmy uses a lot of English words. He also uses the first person pronoun “boku.”)

[Image of Jimmy on a lit up dance floor] Oh YEAH~!! Let’s dance together until the morning, YO!

Everybody! I’m glad you came to visit my page, YO! Let's get feverish with COOL steps!

Profile:

How to spend the night:

Dancing until the morning at a nightclub, YO! [Image of Jimmy P]

Hobby:

Checking my emails! YEAH!

Special skill:

I might be second to none when it comes to high-speed flick input on smartphones.

A little boast:

For some reason, cats tend to like me, YO!

Relationship with Wario:

He’s my email friend! We are also childhood friends!

Favorite way to spend my weekends:

Watching the pigeons in the park, YO! And those kids there have some pretty good BEAT and VIBES, YO!

A secret I’ll only share here:

Actually, my afro, well… No, it’s nothing. Forget it.

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Jimmy is my e-mail friend and childhood friend! He teaches me how to make money with blogs like “Afro Eight” and is a very helpful guy! That's why I made him a special employee of the company, but I’ve never paid him a salary! Wahahaha!

~

Apprentice witch

ASHLEY

CV: Ayaka Fukuhara

(Translator’s notes: She speaks using third person in Japanese at times.)

[Image of Ashley with a mansion in the background] …I’m Ashley, the world’s witch.

…I’m Ashley… What do you want? …If I don’t have any use for you, can I use you as an ingredient?

Profile:

Hobby:

…Research on cursed magic.

Specialty:

…To make magic and potions.

What I think is cool:

…Monsters and carnivorous plants.

Things I don’t like:

Cute dresses… sweets… colorful things… I hate them.

Eating style:

…I eat what I like for last.

What I want most right now:

…Frie—… Nothing really.

How many times have you been called cute?:

Tsk…

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Ashley is always with her familiar, Red! She may be a bit perverse, but she's actually lonely!? Since she's an employee of the Wario Company, I'll take care of her! Looks like she can use magic to find treasure! Wahahaha!

~

Ashley’s partner

RED

CV: Mako Muto

(Translator’s notes: Red uses Kansai dialect, and uses the first person pronoun “ore.” He also talks like a kid.)

[Image of Red with Ashley in the background] Alright! Leave the transforming to me!

Yahoo! I am Red! I am Ashley’s partner, as well as her best friend! You came all the way to visit us, so take your time!

Profile:

Where I live:

In a haunted mansion on the edge of town! But I'm actually really scared of this place...

Special skill:

I can transform into something about the same size as me! Like a magic wand or broom! It’s amazing, isn’t it?!

Personality:

I am quite skittish…

What scared me recently:

When I saw my own reflection in the mirror, I freaked out… Eep…

What I think about Ashley:

Ah, it looks like she’s really shy. She remembered her parents from back home and looked into the distance.

Recent thing Ashley did:

She was practicing smiling in front of the mirror the other day! She was so scared! Ah, this is definitely a secret I should keep!

The scariest thing in this world:

Ashley when she’s angry…

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Even though Red is a monster, he's still taking care of Ashley! And I don't know where he learned to speak Kansai dialect! ...That means he might have some talent for business! Okay, me. Let's sell your game all over the world! Of course, we won't give him any rewards! Wahahaha!

~

Mad scientist

DR. CRYGOR

CV: Kensuke Matsui

(Translator’s notes: A gappori machine is a machine that gives loans in cash)

[Image of Dr. Crygor in a green lit laboratory] People call me a genius scientist... And I am actually a genius!

Here... it seems like you got lost on my page. This must also have something to do with me. Could you let me use your body as a test subject?

Profile:

Occupation:

I am a genius scientist that everyone recognizes.

Someone you hang out with often:

My granddaughter Penny, and my assistant Mike.

Hobby:

Dancing flamenco for inspiration.

My secret to youth:

Modifying my own body and wearing a life-prolonging suit. However, I forgot to extend the life of my scalp and ended up going bald.

Recent research:

I am devoting all my energy and research into promoting my hair regrowth.

Representative inventions:

Wario’s Bike, Wario’s Car, Mona’s Bike, Dribble’s Taxi, Kat and Ana's high-tech swords, 9-Volt's skateboard, Jimmy's cell phone, the Karaoke Robot Mike... You can see how genius I am.

About Wario:

I see him as an interesting research subject. I shall do some human experiments on him someday.

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Dr. Crygor is an old man, but he seems to be doing well! He is also the inventor of my Wario Car and my Wario Bike! But it's disgusting that he’s still bragging about that! ...Well, whatever. Someday, I'll have him make a gappori machine that will give me an infinite amount of money! Wahahaha!

~

Karaoke robot

MIKE

CV: Ryota Suzuki

(Translator’s notes: Robot characters use katakana in their visualized speech. They are also polite and use simple sentences.)

[Image of Mike in a room full of viles] I want to sing more and more!

I’m the karaoke robot Mike! What do you think, would you like to sing a song after?

My profile, lyrics and music by Mike:

Creator:

I was created by Dr Crygor.

Body structure:

I have microphones on my head and speakers on my body.

Hobbies:

I like cooking! My fruit punch is very good.

Special skill:

Karaoke, obviously. But for some reason, when I start singing, everyone covers their ears.

My dissatisfaction:

Why does the karaoke robot have to do all the cleaning?

A secret I’ll share only here:

I want to be independent.

Things I’ve been curious about lately:

Those meal serving robots for family restaurants...

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Mike is Dr. Crygor’s assistant! He seems to be good at cooking and doing the laundry, but he seems to have run away from home in disgust once! If he's going to be used badly, he'd be happier being used by me! Next time you run away from home, I’ll use you as my butt wiper! Wahahaha!

~

Future scientist

PENNY

CV: Maya Enokichi

(Translator’s notes: Penny uses the “chan” suffix for her grandpa. She also uses the term “scientist’s egg” which just means she’s a future scientist)

[Image of Penny in a park] My dream is to become the best singing idol scientist in the world!

Hello, nice to meet you! My name is Penny! My grandpa is a fantastic scientist!

Profile:

Occupation:

I’m a Diamond City junior high school student! I’m also a future scientist!

Someone I admire:

Dr. Crygor! He’s my grandpa!

Hobby:

I love singing in front of people! I wish I could be a singer...

My invention masterpiece:

"Sparkly Voice Ultimate" allows anyone to have a beautiful voice!

Things I’m not good at:

Actually, I'm not good at reading music sheets... just looking at the treble clef makes me dizzy...

About my hair accessory:

You can take the heart-shaped hair clip I'm wearing!

A secret I’ll share only here:

I've been checking all the information about idol auditions, but I'm scared. I haven't been able to apply yet...

Introduction from the president (Wario):

Penny is Dr Crygor’s granddaughter! She's a future scientist, but for some reason the minibike she sent to me ended up turning into a mini-mini myself while riding it! What on earth does that mean!? Well, she also has a geeky side. However, if she comes up with an invention that will make money, I will make a lot of money! Wahahaha!

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Right Place in Time

Summary: What if Steve was in the woods with Chrissy and Eddie getting weed for his headaches?

@disrespectedgoatman @estrellami-1 @darkrose517

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chrissy's POV

She stared out the window of Steve’s car, scowling as she thought about Eddie. What a stupid thing to do. He was lucky that it worked out. She couldn't get the image out of her head of Fred's body, Jason's demented face, and Eddie peeling out of the parking lot as his goons chased after him. She just reconnected with Eddie again, and now she almost could have lost him. She and Steve could have lost him. Speaking of Steve. . . A hand slid across her leg. Steve turned his hand up, and she smiled before placing her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together.

"Some first date, huh?" Chrissy asked.

"Oh, baby, this is not going to be our first date," Steve said. "No, you and Eddie are going to know when it's our first date. I'm going to pull out all of the stops."

"Even for Eddie?" Chrissy asked, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I'm annoyed at him too," Steve said. "But I think we're both angry because we both know why he did it, and we hate the fact that he had to do it."

"This is all so fucked up!" Chrissy burst out.

"I know it is," Steve said softly.

Chrissy took his hand and pressed her cheek to the back of it. She sighed for a moment, cherishing the feel of his skin. She kissed the back of his hand and sat back up. She stared back out the window, this time with an accepting smile on her face. Chrissy watched as Steve pulled into his own driveway. It was the designated meeting place that Dustin had decided on, to the amusement of Chrissy. Steve and Chrissy stepped out of the car at the same time, just as Eddie pulled up in his van, his uncle pulling up in his truck beside him. Nancy's vehicle pulled in last. Steve wrapped his arm around Chrissy as she slipped her arm around his waist as they walked to the front door. Steve let Chrissy in first and then everyone else.

"Hey, Mr. Munson, do you mind if we have a word with your nephew first before we get started?" Chrissy asked.

"Sure thing, darling, and you can call me Wayne," he replied.

"Dustin, you know where everything is. Be a good hostess, you know, since you invited everyone," Steve said.

Chrissy giggled as they stood on either side of Eddie, and frog marched him up the stairs. He looked very nervous. Steve steered them into his room. At least Chrissy assumed it was Steve’s room. She had only ever been here once, and she hadn't been up to the second floor.

"There's a lot of plaid in here," Eddie said, looking around the room wearily.

"You're an idiot," Chrissy said.

"There are a lot of examples, sweetheart, of why that's true. You're going to have to pick a specific one," Eddie replied, backing away from her.

"You - they could have killed you!" Chrissy shrieked.

"I know, but I had to get them off your tail. They wouldn't have stopped until they hunted down every single one you, and they were going to kill Gareth," he explained. "You understand, don't you?"

"Of course, I understand. Doesn't mean that I'm not still pissed," Chrissy said. "Steve, honey, hold him."

"Gladly, dear," Steve said.

Steve gripped Eddie's hips from behind him and pulled Eddie's back flush against his chest. Chrissy stepped closer to Eddie, and he gulped. Steve pressed his cheek against Eddie's.

"Oh my God! You can't seriously let her do this, Steve. First of all, it's going to hurt a lot for both of us, especially if she beats me up with her cast. Oh my god!" Eddie shrieked.

"Eddie, shut up," Chrissy said.

She gripped the front of his shirt and slammed her lips to his. Eddie squeaked in surprise and moaned against her lips. Chrissy smiled as she felt Steve’s arms encircle both of them, his large hands pressing against her lower back. She could hear Steve breathing heavily as they kissed. She pulled away from Eddie's lips and used her hand to turn Eddie's head to face Steve. His lips brushed against Eddie's, kissing him gently. It didn't last quite as long as her kiss with Eddie. As soon as Steve broke the kiss, Chrissy tucked her head underneath their chins, hugging them both. Eddie wrapped his arms around Chrissy's and pressed his forehead against Steve’s head, sighing.

"Don't scare us like again," Chrissy said softly.

"Okay," Eddie said softly.

Chrissy smiled and looked up at Steve before finally kissing him. She broke the kiss and snuggled into their arms.

"Can we stay here forever?" Chrissy pouted.

"Hmm, it would be nice, but everyone is waiting for us downstairs, baby," Eddie said.

"Damn," Chrissy said.

It took them a minute, but they eventually broke away from each other and started downstairs. Everyone was waiting for them in the living room, but it looked like Nancy, Vickie, and Robin were getting ready to walk out the front door.

"We're going to check out the library on Victor Creel, as well as picking up some tapes and Walkmans for you guys. Max already has hers," Nancy said. "What's your favorite song, Chrissy?"

"Landslide by Fleetwood Mac," Chrissy said.

"Granny Fisher's favorite," Vickie grinned.

"Mine's Keep Yourself Alive by Queen," Steve said. "But I already have a Walkman and a copy of the tape, so maybe get plenty of batteries."

"Nice," Eddie said, looking at Steve.

"Oh, I figured it would be a Bob Seger song," Nancy said.

"It used to be," Steve replied, not unkindly.

"Oh," Nancy said.

"Yeah."

"Anyway!" Eddie exclaimed, breaking the awkward tension. "Wheeler, what's Steve like in bed? You know, just so we can prepare ourselves."

"What?!" Nancy asked.

"Please, don't answer that," Steve said.

"Oh, Chrissy and I are dating your ex-boyfriend," Eddie said.

"Oh. . .well, he likes to hold hands during sex," Nancy said with a grin.

"And you answered it," Steve sighed.

"Aww, that's so cute," Chrissy grinned.

"Oh, that is really fucking cute," Eddie said and pinched Steve’s ass causing him to jump.

"I'm going to make fun of you so much," Robin grinned.

"Oh! He also likes to be the little spoon," Nancy said.

Eddie and Chrissy giggled as they wrapped an arm around Steve’s waist, hugging him tightly.

"Please, for the love God, leave," Steve sighed.

As Nancy started to leave, she stopped and turned to Steve.

"Are you happy?" She asked.

"Yeah," he replied with a smile.

"Good," she said.

Suddenly, Lucas hopped into the hallway.

"Can you guys drop me off at Patrick's?" Lucas asked. "I need to check on him."

"Max staying here?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. I think she might be writing a book," Lucas said, shrugging.

Chrissy hugged Vickie tightly before she left.

"Stay safe," Chrissy told her cousin.

"You too," Vickie said. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Chrissy replied.

Lucas followed the girls out the door, closing it behind them. They walked into the living room where Max was furiously writing on the coffee table, headphones securely over her ears.

"These children seem to know where everything is in this house. They over here a lot?" Wayne asked.

"Oh, all the time," Steve said, shrugging. "They even have their own rooms, basically."

"We even have our own keys," Dustin said.

"Did I give you keys?" Steve asked.

"No!" Dustin said cheerfully, and Chrissy giggled.

"So, you stole my house key and had copies made?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Dustin said.

Steve took off Dustin's hat and hit him over the head with it before replacing it.

"Where's your parents, son?" Wayne asked.

"Oh, they're in Florida. They moved there after Starcourt. They wanted me to come with them, but I didn't want to leave the kids," Steve said. "Or Robin. We talk all the time though."

Chrissy watched as Dustin's face fell and launched himself into Steve’s arms.

"Hey, hey, what's this?" Steve asked in concern.

"With everything that happened, I forgot you were cursed too," Dustin sniffled.

"Hey, I'm gonna be alright, man. It's would take so much more than this asshole to drag me away from you kids," Steve said. "Okay?"

"Okay," Dustin sniffled again. "Love you, man."

"I love you, too," Steve said and squeezed him tightly before letting him go.

Dustin moved and hugged Eddie, who had been on the verge of tears himself. He broke away from Eddie to give Chrissy a hug, too.

"Oh, I get a hug, too?" Chrissy asked softly. "Aw."

Dustin smiled and shuffled into the living room to plop down on the floor next to Max.

"So, what's the plan here?" Gareth asked.

"Yes, we need to find out more information on . . . What are you boys calling him? Vecna, right?" Wayne asked Dustin. "Nancy recons it has something to do with Victor Creel. She seems pretty smart."

Chrissy and Eddie snuggled in beside Steve on the empty couch. Gareth, Frank, and Jeff were sprawled out on the floor, leaning against a wall. Wayne was sitting in the recliner.

"So, what do we do in the meantime?" Jeff asked, frowning. "I feel like there's something we should be doing."

"Sometimes the only thing you can do is wait," Wayne told him.

An hour later, they still weren't back. Eddie was now over by Jeff, Frank, and Gareth. He was talking animatedly with them, a huge grin on his face. Wayne was snoring away in the recliner.

"What do you think Eddie's talking about?" Chrissy asked.

"Oh, definitely us," Steve grinned.

"How do you know?" Chrissy asked.

Suddenly, Eddie started making kissy faces and clutching his chest as he swooned.

"He's definitely talking girl talk," Steve said.

Eddie stuck out his tongue and shook his head. Chrissy giggled.

"We didn't use tongue," she said as she laughed in Steve's chest.

Steve grabbed a pillow from the other end of the couch and threw it at Eddie. It knocked him in the head, and Eddie held up his hands, looking at him curiously.

"Stop exaggerating, asshole," Steve laughed, and Eddie batted his eyelashes before blowing a kiss at him.

Chrissy stuck her hand out as though she had caught the kiss and pressed it to her lips. Eddie cackled.

"You guys have to stop stealing my kisses," Steve said.

An hour and a half later, the others still weren't back. Chrissy was getting worried, and she could tell the others were too. Dustin was trying to reach them on the radio, but there was no response. Wayne had been startled awake by the sound of the radio.

"They still not back?" Wayne asked, looking at his watch.

"No," Steve frowned, his headphones dangling around his neck.

It was starting to get close to dark. The sun was starting to disappear behind the clouds. Chrissy looked out the window, fiddling with the necklace. Eddie came up beside her and was about to say something when the sound of tires squealing in the driveway startled them. The front door burst open. Nancy, Vickie, Robin, and Lucas ran into the living room. Lucas was breathing heavily.

"Jason and his friends are out on bail," Lucas said.

"What? Don't they need like a judge to sign off or something?" Max asked. "It's the weekend, and it's spring break."

"Wouldn't surprise me any if Carver's daddy had a judge in his pocket," Wayne sighed.

"Before we could even get to Patrick. We saw Jason pull up to his house. They're one member down, so they threatened Patrick into joining them. They're looking for you, Eddie," Lucas said.

"Fuck," Eddie said.

"It's okay, as long as you're here, you're good," Dustin said. "They'd never think to look for you here."

"Did you forget that I kissed Steve in front of them?" Eddie asked.

"Fuck. Okay. New plan," Dustin said, frowning, and then his eyes brightened. "Oh, I know where you can go! Nobody's bought the place since they moved. We're going to have to stock the place with some food though."

"Okay, let's go!" Eddie said clapping his hands.

"We probably shouldn't draw attention by going all at once," Dustin said. "So maybe Eddie goes first. Maybe leave his van here."

"Okay, just tell us where to go, son," Wayne said.

Chrissy noticed that Eddie's hands were shaking. She slipped her hand into his, letting him know that she was there and that she wasn't going to let anything bad happen to him. . .even if she had to kill Jason to protect him.

Chapter Ten

[aspoonofsugar]

About You, About Me

Jaune: What about you?! It's all about you!

This line is what the episode is about in a nutshell. As a matter of fact it conveys 2 ideas central to the whole situation:

1 - The "you" Ruby is talking about is different than the "you" Jaune means.

Ruby is asking about herself as a person, while Jaune speaks about her as an ideal. This dychotomy is the crux of both their current situations. Ruby has been lving as the embodyment of an ideal, so now she struggles to express how she feels in a healthy way. Jaune is instead trying to hide who he is behind the ideal of a hero.

So, Ruby wants to be seen as a person, while Jaune as a hero. Interestingly, both fail, as WBY's reactions to them make clear:

WBY immediately understand Jaune's pain and can see through his very thin (paper-thin I would say) facade.

WBY fails to pick up on the many red flags Ruby has been showing throughout the whole volume. They try to address Penny's death and her frustration on a couple of occasions, but never really go deep.

2 - Jaune is lashing out at Ruby, but he is really projecting on her his own frustrations.

This is made clear by the rest of the conversation:

Jaune: On that bridge, I was the only one, who could do it... I was the only one! And I... And now I have to live with it forever, in here or back home.

It is all your fault! It is all my fault! Jaune just keeps swinging between these 2 extremes. It is exactly like when in Mistral he goes on a rampage against Cinder, but the one he really hates is himself. There he lashes out at the villain, here he lashes out at the hero. The villain is a monster, the hero just could not live up to her role.

Ruby on her part does exactly the same. To be specific, she lashes out on everybody, but I would say she does so in 2 distinctive ways.

BLAKE AND JAUNE - STOP BEING LIKE ME!

Ruby: Shut up... Don't do that... Just don't.

The fight ends with Ruby telling Blake to stop trying to be positive. This complements her previous outburst directed at her (and Yang):

Ruby: Gotta stay positive, right?! Smiles all around!

Ruby can't stand how Blake is behaving because it reminds her of how she is supposed to feel. And she doesn't feel it anymore.

Thematically, Blake has been stepping into Ruby's role since the beginning of the volume:

I would not say she has substituded Ruby as the leader. Still, she is being the optimistic one, the idealistic one, the hopeful one. She realizes they are in a fairy tale and is enthusiastic about it. She knows the right definition of what being a Huntress means. She is Ruby's past idealistic self and Ruby can't stand it. Ironically, our Black Beast is now more optimistic than our Little Red.

Which is why both moments Ruby shares with Blake and Yang past volume are now bittersweet:

Blake: I know you don’t always know what to do, but that’s never stopped you from doing something. I was like that as a girl, but time and… a lot of other things, took their toll on me. Then I wasn’t sure if that kind of girl could actually survive in the world… until I met you. It was a little strange at first because you were younger, but I’ve always looked up to you, Ruby. And I still do.

Yang: You were being optimistic. Look, blind optimism isn’t great, but no optimism means we already lost. We need hope. We need to take risks.

Sure, everybody loves Ruby because she is optimistic and pure and inspiring... but what when she can't be it anymore?

This episode addresses precisely this and takes Ruby and Blake's current foiling to its extreme conclusion:

Blake: Then we won't run this time.

Blake charges into battle to protect strangers, while Ruby runs away from her loved ones.

If Blake reminds Ruby of her past, Jaune is a spitting mirror image of Ruby's current self. This is why she doesn't even talk to him directly, but keeps mentioning him:

Ruby: What about me? No time, right? Gotta get home! Gotta help Jaune! Gotta find someone, who isn't just going to screw everything up!

Ruby: I'm sorry, is this a bad time? Are we supposed to be mourning Jaune's make believe friends?!

Notice the 2 references to time. Ruby, just like Jaune, feels she has no time. It is just, Jaune feels he has not enough time to save everyone, while Ruby feels she has not enough time for herself. No time for others to care and nurture her. This is what she is trying to convey.

Similarly, the remark about Jaune's make believe friends is cruel, but it has definately to do with Ruby's own very real lost friend:

The one she has yet to mourn. The one nobody is mentioning anymore because everybody is too focused on other things. So, yeah, why should they all be mourning a bunch of afterings they know nothing about? When Ruby herself did not even take the time to properly mourn Penny?

Throughout the whole episode,Jaune (unwillingly) steals Ruby's spotlight and caters everyone's attention on himself.

He's obviously been through a lot. We can be frustrated later. Right now, Jaune needs us. And we need him. We just can't count on him.

While Blake says so, the one in focus is Ruby because this phrase is actually about her. Except nobody realizes it. Nobody (or almost ;)) notices she is struggling.

This pattern keeps going throughout the whole episode:

Weiss and Jaune insist Ruby should just grab her weapon and fight like always

Weiss aka Ruby's partner chooses to assist Jaune instead of her. Symbolically, even the Walker that almost kills Ruby is the one Weiss and Jaune launch in the river while they are fighting

When Ruby lets Crescent Rose fall, Yang's question to her is cut off by the paper town being floaded, which leads to everybody comforting Jaune

Even Ruby's own outburst is overshadowed by Jaune's one, which leads to Ruby finally leaving

All Ruby wants is for someone to look at her properly and empathize with her. Still, everybody has been too focused on their own feelings and losses. At the same time, Ruby herself has been refusing to open up with her friends for several volumes now. Everybody believes she is alright because she has always repressed her negative feelings, so nobody really knows she has any.

Everybody thinks she is Blake, when she is actually Jaune.

WEISS AND YANG - LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME!

You don't need me anymore No, you don't see me anymore I'm alone in this war I am a trap door

Ruby lashes out at Blake and Jaune because they are like her. When it comes to Yang and especially Weiss, instead, she is angry because they don't realize her pain.

Yang is too caught up in her new love life to notice her little sister needs help. Or at least, this is what Ruby thinks tbh because there is not that much evidence of this in the story. It is just that when you feel very low, you can end up resenting others for their own happiness. And this is what happens with Ruby and Bumbleby:

Ruby: Good for you, by the way. We are all soooo happy for you.

Weiss is too caught up in her own pain and grief to realize how much her partner needs help. Even in this episode, when she sees Ruby has not Crescent Rose, Weiss bitterly reprimands her. Just like she did at the market. Not only that, but after Ruby has made clear she is absolutely not okay by letting Crescent Rose fall... all Weiss has to tell her is to help support Jaune.

Weiss: It's what they wanted. Right Ruby? Ruby: Why are you asking me? Because I am the leader? Because I am just supposed to have something to say? Cause I don't.

Nobody looks at Ruby or notices her low spirits... well, actually someone does... a small soul ; )

RED HOOD AND LITTLE

Ruby leaves and the only one she has left is Little. Her new friend. Her Ever After's guide. Little is the only one this episode who notices Ruby is off. And they are also a lot how Ruby used to be when the series starts. Little is someone who sees her and also someone like her.

It is going to be interesting how Little will impact Ruby going forward. Especially because we might get some new Little Red Riding Hood's references this volume.

Ruby leaves her family/loved ones/home and enters a wood alone. Where is she going? Maybe she just wants to go back home:

Yang: Return home, eh?

And yet, the woods are dangerous and full of wolves, who want to eat our Little Red Riding Hood:

And just like with the Hound aka another representation of the Big Bad Wolf... the monster hides a person:

In general, the situation is the reversed one of volume 6:

There Ruby enters the woods, discovers dangerous things, but also meets a mentor figure who teaches her something about her Silver Eyes. She is able to inspire everyone to move on and steps in the role of leader.

Here Ruby enters in this strange new world and can't find an ounce of optimism. They are in a literal fairy tale and she doesn't give a crap. The same girl, who started volume 7 eager to explore Atlas after having crossed a whole continent on foot.

In any case, I am curious to see where we are going with Ruby. Especially because she might very soon have a meeting with the true Neo, aka her Shadow. Little as the Little of her Red Hood and Neo as her shadow and the wolf. Probably both ingredients are needed to see where Ruby is going in the future.

Speaking of Neo, there is this:

Yang: But that's... those were more than her usual tricks. They eat and growl and... how has she gotten so powerful?

Yang openly questioning Neo's new powers make me thing there is more than just a semblance evolution. The power-up happening in the Land of Darkness makes me thing it might have something to do with it. Darkness in Jungian psychology is the Shadow and the Repressed. What if this land lets you tap into your buried potential? For better or worse?

Scratched through the surface And you found a key Unlocking what you thought was safe inside a box But it's somehow been set free (Finally)

THE FALL OF ATLAS- ONCE AGAIN

So far, the protagonists have experienced the fall of Atlas twice now. The first time at the market. The second time at the paper town.

In general, the 2 episodes clearly parallel each other. To better say, the paper town is an escalation of the market.

Both times WBY and Jaune fight Neo's Jabberwalkers, while Ruby freezes up. Both times Ruby is reprimanded for apparently spacing out when she is experiencing psychological distress. Both times the protagonists feel as if they are living Atlas fall once again. And yet:

Neo's presence is made clearer, as if we are building a climax toward a final meeting with her. The real her.

Ruby consoles Weiss at the market, but refuses to console Jaune at paper town.

Ruby buries her feelings at the market, but explodes here.

The Rusted Knight is introduced as a dependable hero and a saviour at the market, but Jaune is revealed as a broken and grieving person here.

The most interesting thing is that when it comes to the Fall of Atlas specifically the 2 characters in focus are Weiss and Jaune:

This fits the foiling set up in the Ponder Storm mirror gallery. There we see how they both are still struggling over what happened in Atlas.

Weiss thinks about her Kingdom, her people and how they risked their homes without gaining anything.

Jaune thinks about Penny and his role in her death.

Both can't forgive themselves for failing to stop Cinder and to save Penny. This makes sense considering how they are the last 2 to fall and the ones who hold on the longest. They were both blooming in Atlas and were in very positive moments of their life. And yet, last volume's climax changed things. They were brought down when they were at their strongest... so what can they really accomplish?

And yet, even if they clearly blame themselves, they end up lashing out on others, as a coping mechanism (even if in different degrees). This volume both are shown particularly rude, sassy and cynical, in ways they usually are not. Or at least not anymore and not as often. The result is that they both enter into a conflict with Ruby. Weiss's insensitivity and ignorance of Ruby's feelings coupled with Jaune's exploding at her are among the reasons why Ruby leaves.

It is clear the dynamic among Weiss, Jaune and Ruby is going to be important for the resolution of this volume and for all 3 their character arcs. Especially, there is still something that hasn't been addressed:

I thought this episode was perfect for the reveal Jaune killed Penny. And yet, it doesn't happen. Which makes me wonder when this truth is gonna come out and how it will impact Ruby, Jaune and Weiss's dynamic. What is sure is that Jaune and Weiss clearly have a role to play in this volume's climax and in Ruby's arc.

WEISS - SNOWHITE, SNOW QUEEN, SNOW ANGEL

Weiss: Then, who does that leave us with? It's obvious we need someone to guide us or we can end up throw back in time or killed by the tree or worse.

Weiss keeps looking for someone to look up to, to guide her, to console her and to support her. This is not wrong per se, but hilariously Weiss is the one who is probably the most put together compared to the characters she wants to depend on.

She opens up to Ruby about her loss. There is nothing wrong in this, but we as viewers can really see it should be the other way around. She should be the one Ruby can lean on. Even in this episode, when it comes to support Jaune, she asks for Ruby's help. Now, she doesn't really need to. She can say something kind to Jaune by herself and neither Blake nor Yang ask Ruby to butt in. Weiss does and, as little as it is, this is what sets Ruby off. Because once again Ruby is asked to ignore what she feels for someone else's sake. Even if Weiss and the others can really handle the situation on their own.

This is why Ruby calls out Weiss specifically this episode:

Ruby: Gotta find someone, who doesn't screw everything up!

Something similar happens with Jaune, as well:

Yang: And when did you get so... Weiss: Mature...

This is both ship-teasing and a joke, but it hides an important truth. Notice that Weiss doesn't say "handsome" or "hot", but mature. Jaune is an adult, he is Weiss's childhood hero, so he must be dependable. And yet, he is not because he is still RWBY's old awkward friend and he has spent years alone with his guilt. Weiss should understand better than anyone else why Jaune isn't well. I mean, she was there when Penny died. She outloud states Penny sacrificed herself, so I think she knows what Jaune had to do. And yet, her reaction this episode to Jaune's predicament is this:

Weiss: But how? He's clearly not... all there.

Just like with Ruby, she makes a snappy remark, which is heard by Jaune and this starts a discussion and escalates an already difficult situation.

I don't say this because I think Weiss is a monster or a bad person, obviously. She is clearly suffering as well and really means no harm. Still, it is important Weiss stops looking only at herself. She failed to save Atlas, but she can still save her friends. She has the inner strength and the wisdom to succeed:

CC: I am talking about you, Wise Huntress.

It is through helping others that she will move forward from her loss. Just like Jaune did it in volume 5 by saving her.

JAUNE - HERO, VILLAIN, MAIDEN

Jaune is instead the opposite of Weiss. He tries to overcome his grief over Penny's death by trying to help other people. I mean, it worked with Pyrrha in Mistral, right? So, why shouldn't it work here? Sorry Jaune, but that coping mechanism is not functional anymore because your past self has been shattered:

And yet, Jaune refuses to let go of the heroic self-image he has worked so hard to built. Basically, he has regressed, as well and is stuck here:

Jaune: I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!

Jaune's arc has always been about integrating with the anima, aka his most feminine parts. He refuses them, but it is through them that he will eventually become the hero he wants to be. He needs to accept he is a damsell in distress to be the hero. Even more so, to truly complete his journey he needs to become a symbolic maiden. Only in this way, he will be complete. He will truly be himself. After all, he alludes to the very famous Maid of Orleans ;)

So, right now Jaune is once again refusing his anima and this is why the once promising hero has turned into a toxic version of himself. He thinks he is protecting the paper pleasers, but he has actually trapped them. He is not the one saving them, but they are the ones saving him by offering him a coping mechanism to keep himself together:

Weiss: Then why do you care so much about this village? Jaune: Because I can actually protect these people!

They are pleasing him in a relationship, which is honestly detrimental for both parties. Jaune protects them, yes. Still, he also stops them from evolving. The same is true the other way around. The paper pleasers are keeping Jaune functional, but they are also stopping him from making any real progress.

This is why after years Jaune is still a prisoner of the Ever After. It is because (obviously) the way out one way or the other has to do with the tree. And yet, Jaune keeps avoiding it. Just like he is avoiding any real change.

This is because "changing" is a risk and a risk means you can't be sure if things are going well or badly:

A new me, I am ready, but who will I find?

And you know what else is a risk?

Weiss: Trust is a risk

Interesting...

Jaune: Afterlings are all either too clever, too stupid or too crazy to trust!

And who is the last person Jaune trusted exactly?

Penny: Trust me...

Jaune is clearly trying to "fix" what happened to Penny through the Afterlings, but he is wrong. There is no fixing the past this way and what he obtains is just that he is making people suffer for no reason. Not only that, but his stubborness puts the paper pleasers in real danger:

If the Jabberwalkers get them, Jaune's friends would never ascend. There is no escaping death, one way or the other.

Jaune needs to accept this and he is actually starting to accept it. Symbolically, the day after he finally reunites with RWBY, the time starts moving once again. After years of delusions, Jaune starts facing what he has done. His delicate stability, which is symbolically represented by a paper world evaporates and dissolves into water (this episode starts with fire and ends with water > 2 elements linked to alchemy and transformation).

He starts the episode claiming he is fine:

Jaune: This isn't crazy. I'm not crazy.

He ends the episode admitting he isn't:

Jaune: I'm sorry. I know I am not okay. I know I am not right.

And even asking himself the key question:

Jaune: What am I supposed to be?

What are you? Only by facing this question head on Jaune can hope to finally evolve. Only by letting fo of his armor, which is rusted already, he can hope to find his new more refined self. A hero, who is also a maiden.

GRIEF

It seems that after the first 5 episodes exploring the 5 stages of grief, we are getting calls out to them in different ways:

Ruby bargains her emblem in order to help her friends. Another way to run away from Summer, but also to sacrifice her pain for others. She failed to get the ingredients in time, so obviously now she has to sacrifice something so personal, like her mother's memento, right?

Ruby, Weiss and Jaune walk in a mirror gallery, which reflects their grief and fail to discuss it. They didn't even properly discuss Penny's death and how it happened. They are negating it on some level.

Ruby and Jaune explodes into anger this episode and in this way they can finally both start their self-actualizing journeys.

We'll see where it goes...

ASCENSION VS DEATH

Personally, I think we need an exploration of this dychotomy on a thematic level.

On the one hand ascension is clearly a metaphor for death. However, the Jabberwalker, which is clearly a creature of Darkness seems to be offering a different idea of death. More similar to the one the characters have. What is the difference? What is ascension really? And why does the Jabberwalker embody something different?

This a very interesting mystery thematically speaking and I am curious to see how it is solved.

Is it about introducing 2 different flavors of Destruction?

Cancellation (death)> negative

Transformation > positive

We'll see...

On another note, the reveal of Jaune's role in the paper pleasers' town gives more context to the Cat's dislike for our Knight. The CC's role is to lead the Afterlings to the Tree, but Jaune goes in the way of this. Symbolically, this makes them antagonists.

MISCELLANIA

Here come some miscellania thoughts:

The time motif is interesting. This episode specifically times keeps being mentioned by Jaune and Ruby. Jaune keeps saying they don't have time and that he is late. He also keeps asking what time is it. Ruby is annoyed there is no time and sarcastically asks if that is a bad time. In general, Jaune and Ruby are also opposites when it comes to time. Jaune is currently a man who has spent too much time alone with his trauma. Ruby is a child who has had not enough time to properly process hers.

Jaune's allusions just keep multiplying. He is the White Knight in Alice (also that character sings a song whose alternate title is litterally The Aged Man :P). He also fits the Hatter to an extent in how he killed time (aka spent years alone making no progress and broke the time fruit). And now he is also the White Rabbit.

Speaking of Jaune... meta-narratively the Rusted Knight is very interesting. Judging by the girls' enthusiasm and by Jaune's own excitement when he mentions realizing he was that character, the Rusted Knight is surely portrayed very positively... And yet, Alyx poisons him. I think @harostar suggested what we saw in this episode might offer us a glimps of why. Jaune might have been controlling to Alyx and Lewis and Alyx may have felt trapped by him. And yet, the story still portrays Jaune as a hero. If Alice wrote the story or if Jaune was really that terrible to her and her brother, then why isn't he portrayed as a villain? This question is interesting and seems to confirm Alyx might not be the writer of the story... At the same time, Jaune might have failed to leave up to a fairy tale- standard. However, if the writer still felt to write him as a hero, maybe he did better than what he thinks.

This is the third time Ruby hallucinates three people. The first one when she falls (Oscar, Yang and Penny), the second one in the Blacksmith's place (Penny, Alyx and Summer), the third one while fighting the Jabberwalker (Cinder, Penny and Salem). Clearly they relfect Ruby's deteriorating mental state. The first time, she isn't hallucinating, but seeing Neo's illusions. The second time she is subjected to the Ever After's strange magic. This time, though, she is having a straight out panic attack. In all this, Penny is fittingly present all three times. Ruby needs to properly mourn her or she will never move on.

WBY's discussion about the Tree this episode is interesting because we have: Blake (destruction) believing the Tree is rebirth, Weiss (creation) being wary of the dangerous power of the Tree and Yang (knowledge) wanting to know more. Fittingly, Ruby (choice) is silent and so they fail to reach a resolution.

I think this volume might introduce a key theme, which will probably keep going in later volumes. The idea of need vs wants in a reverse sense. Jaune and Ruby both want to be needed to the point Ruby fears that now she isn't needed anymore, she is going to be left behind. It is the same as Yang's conditional love idea (see the Auction)...I think the resolution is going to be that you don't love people because you need them, but because you want them in your life. It is the same concept expressed by Blake last volume... Others are just a part of you... you don't stay with them out of codependency or need, but because you are happy and wish to be with them.

[publicmuse]

ᴳᵉⁿᵉʳᵃˡ ᴹᵉˢˢᵃᵍᵉˢ ⁰²

𓃭 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤, 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚! 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝟯 ��𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙬｡ 𝙐𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚｡ 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡｡ 𝙄 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠!

𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚛: 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢. 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕, 𝚙𝚜𝚢𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕, 𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚕 𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜.

From left to right 1,2

3

*Credit to the rightful owners for pictures/media used.*

⚀ Ⅰ

For Someone… 1: Singing and Sighing [Knight of Wands, VII of Wands, The Lovers VI, IX of Cups, Page of Cups Rx, Bottom Deck: VI of Swords Rx] Your passions have gotten the best if you. You’ve gone head first into a situation that has left you juggling a bit. You've stayed afloat and spent long hours working out the kinks from the past that have slowed you down from faster completion. If you were in a bachelor/bachelorette phase indulging in intimacy and lust, I see that you've chilled out or left all your lovers behind for the time being. There is at least a significant decrease in the time you send with them at least. You could be someone who avoids routine at all cost because you never want to remember any day the same. realizing only now that you have come to a point in your life where your noticing just how much of yourself you leave behind with others. I see an image of someone sitting in a recliner in an office at night, smoking a cigar/blunt while speaking to an old friend on the phone. In a serious tone the man says "I can't continue the way I've been with you. I'm leaving town for a while so I'm not sure when we'll reconnect." The masculine is very dry in his speech to these lovers causing heartbreak even if not intended. There is this energy of being fed up with what's presented. I see someone wishing for a new flame. This is coming from the point of view of a masc wanting to manifest the ideal feminine (This could be you or someone else in your energy field. Use discernment to place the energies in the right perspective). The masculine really doesn't care to much about the feelings of others at this current moment, that sounds harsh but they feel that direct honesty is the best policy right now. They know that their current choices keep them from meeting the ideal that they have deep hope is real.

Clarifiers: [Knight of Swords, King of Swords, Wheel of Fortune(X) Rx, V of Swords, Queen of Swords Rx, Queen of Wands] A classic case of seeing where your lies get you. If you the reader are the masculine, you feel devastated about the wasted time and the disappointment you've caused others. Lots of swords here. you've been working on your throat chakra and working out how to channel your seduction skills through your new moral mediums. This could have been triggered because a match has been met. A feminine energy used the same tactics on this masculine and only then did they see the truth of their ways. This caused heavy self reflection. This situation knocked the libido right out of the knight of Wands transforming him into the King of swords.

Final Advice: [Co- Create (40), Loyal Heart (35)] If the storyline resonate with you as the masculine energy then you'll need to continue on your path of enlightenment. This was a lesson not a person for you to hold possession onto for the rest of eternity. You had to learn how to create your life to fit around your universal destiny. If you resonated with the feminine energy then you'll have to make sure that your staying true to your values and not getting lost like the masculine has before. Being truthful about your feelings and seeing your relationships as a collaboration not just a side part of your life's story. Both need to appreciate the moments they have with others or they'll constantly be going through these same lesson with each other or different people until they learn.

⚁ Ⅱ

2: solving an issue [IX of Swords, The Lovers (VI), The High Priestess (II), The Hermit (IX), Page of Swords, Page of Wands, Page of Pentacles Rx, Bottom Deck: The Sun] You could be flying somewhere soon. This could be an abrupt trip. I'm getting the feeling you're running away from something. You went across the world/country to reset your mind (this could be a physical move or the fact that you pulled your energy back from them. With 3/4 pages on the table represent how close you are to gaining your Knighthood . By knighthood I mean you are moving up to a more full frontal position, and this is time where you're more observant and catching what is normally hidden. You may find out someone has been lying to you recently. Someone very close to you. I'm getting someone that you've grown up with and have spent lots of time with, you may have even taken trips and vacations with this person. You could have started having problems with this person after you ranked up to this new position. You started to enjoy activities with yourself, helping you explore your self confidence. This person noticed that you started to pull your time and energy back and felt personally offended. They knew that they really didn't have a reason to be upset so they resorted to watching you from afar. When you post a story this person is always the first to watch or the first person to like your posts. Since you moved away they could be talking about you to others form a bitter heart. You can see how this person feels towards you through their unaware facial expressions. Your intuition was screaming every time you came around this person.

Advice: [King of Swords, The Emperor IV, III of Cups, V of cups, Queen of Pentacles, II of Swords] Whoever this is to you, you're gonna have to make a decision on whether to confront this person or just let them go completely. This won't be easy at all I'm sorry to say. You're going to have to be disciplined with the choices you make. If you choose to go against what your feeling, this will keep you stuck in an uncomfortable situation that will become even more so over time. Please take some time out to speak to your mind and meditate so that you can have discernment with this person and situation.

⚂ Ⅲ

3: who's smoking and sulking

[6 of arrows (swords), Strength VIII (healing), Death XIII (Sunset), 3 of Bowls RVS (cups)] 

In this deck the six of Arrows (Swords) shows a woman who is looking out to the sun that’s right over the horizon, reflecting brightly over the waters. The beams from the sun seem to outline the figures hair giving a halo effect. The water showing colors of blue and green. This scene is encircled in what looks to me like a portal of some sort. This person stands outside of the portal with a broken in half arrow lying next to their feet. The traditional meaning of this card signifies travel, and when matched with these images I can only conclude that you are traveling the depths of your mind. You’re feeling at odds with your environment and it’s causing lack of patience, and this frantic rushing energy. That’s not good for your heart physically or spiritually. I sense you’re going through a drastic change in perspective on everything your mind can reference. You could be researching a lot of historical topics or science, maybe evolution. Telepathic connection could be important in some way to your research. There is an emphasis on the human connection with animals and evolution (idk, maybe this is what you need to research, it could bring you the answers you need). This could also just simply be a message to go outside even if it’s not how you prefer it to be. If you are embodying the hibernating Bear, spirt wants you to remember that you are human and you need to get fresh oxygen from outside (I just heard someone say, “but I have my indoor plants.” lol, they are not producing what you need please 😭). I see that this could have been prompted by discussions you’ve had in the past. I’m getting a situation where family is conversing on a current event topic and you’re just sitting there nodding your head to shit opinions. You want to contribute but you aren’t confident in the info you have to even form your own opinion. Basically, you are becoming a responsible and wise person who gathers evidence before they judge and speak. I’m getting that you have a lot of expressive people around you, but you feel silenced in some way. You could have been getting all your information from others and have now realized the injustice that is to your own brain and soul. You could be someone exploring converting religions or just tapping out of online identity politics. There are two cards represented by sunsets (6 of arrows and death) and that’s all about putting the days behind you to rest and preparing for the days ahead. If you are unsure whether you should be going down this rabbit hole, you must rebalance your connection with yourself (The feminine self) to truly know the right path to take. A suggestion would be to spend less time in busy crowded areas. If your home is the busy crowded area, try and find somewhere you can go to spend less hours of the day around other people’s energy. This will naturally prompt all parts of yourself to start recognizing each other again.  

(Being on socials heavily is also the equivalent of being in a busy crowded area) 

Extra card: Empress (Bounty) 

This card flew out when I was trying to move the deck out of the way, and it landed horizontal facing south (Southern regions could be significant). This tells me that you are well into your rejuvenating process and coming back to that empress confidence. You will be able to express yourself and not feel rattled even in the face of humiliation. That’s some truly powerful energy, congratulations! I’m also getting a message that there could be a matriarchal ancestor from the spiritual realm trying to connect to you. This is also giving me the symbolism of Persephone. You may need to read up on her story and what she represents to get in tune with your empress energy. The matriarchal ancestor trying to connect could be a Virgo, Leo or these placements could be prominent within their chart or energy. They also could have been a really good cook and always hosted gatherings at their home. They would feed anybody who was around, if you were at their house you were prepared to be asked 100 times if your hungry (This person is so sweet).

Final Advice:

[6 of Swords, The Empress III, The Fool 0, 6 of Pentacles RVS, 8 of Cups RVS]  

I honestly feel with these cards you should be the one giving me advice. With the empress repeating itself and the fool following I’m sensing that you need to make sure that you enjoy every moment of this newfound energy, but be careful straying away from a humble perspective to an egotistical one. Do not use this energy to shit on the people of your past (That happens already with the presence of the energy, you don’t have to force humble anyone else. That is not your job). It is important to be aware that you handle the empress power responsibly because you can easily knock yourself off balance back to how you were before. Then you will have to go through the whole rebuild process again and I don’t think that’s at all where you want to be. The more cycles it takes to learn a lesson the harder it gets to come back to center please be mindful.

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐! 𝙷𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢.

𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:

𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚜 𝚄𝚜𝚎𝚍: 𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚆𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚎, 𝙴𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚢 𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚝, Medicine woman Tarot

[idontknowreallywhy]

Resurface 12 - Remember

Parts 1-11 here

So… we finally find out what happened on the roof. Sort of… *cough* sorry Johnny… and Virg… and Jeff. And Scott who I presume is on the receiving end of some version of this account from John…

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He’d done what he was asked. The kids were “kept out of the way” even if they were yelling and crying and rattling pointlessly at the door handle he’d wedged the chair under. He felt awful about it but they had to be safe, not see anything… worrying. Anything that could cause them more problems than they already had. But he couldn’t just stay and babysit when everything might be going wrong. Dad might need help.

John should have seen this was coming. He should have paid more attention. He should have stopped it. He should have been less selfish. Pressing his knuckles into the spaces between his nose and his eyeballs he swallowed hard then raised his voice above the yelling, told Gordon and Alan he’d be back in just a minute. Then with suddenly trembling limbs followed his father up the fold down ladder to the flat part of the roof they used for stargazing.

The sky was cloudless, the sun had just set and blue hour was upon them, the iron oxide-soaked sandstone gleaming as red as any of Dad’s Martian landscape images. Here, in the lee of the dormer there was a dead calm, as if the wind was anxiously holding its breath in the same way John was. His father, about 5 feet above him was edging carefully across the ridge towards where the peaked roof of John’s third storey attic room loomed over the rest of the ranch. Dad looked back over his shoulder and frowned, silently demanding silence.

John complied. His throat had seized up anyway. As had pretty much every nerve in his body the moment as his eyes drifted past his father’s clambering form to the figure standing tall at the highest point of the roof. He clung to the railing at the top of the stairs and prayed to anyone that would listen that this wasn’t what it looked like.

Virgil was stood at the highest point of the roof, one hand resting atop the chimney stack, the other gesticulating as if he was engaged in a passionate debate. His posture was so familiar, the unstyled hair hanging in his face, less so. He couldn’t hear exactly what his brother was saying but his tone was friendly, good humoured even. Which, given the circumstances, was downright eerie.

A solitary bird of prey wailed impatiently as it hovered overhead. Peregrine, probably, John realised with a pang. Scott would point them out as they passed through every spring and every fall. He remembered the otherwise ‘so much more grown up than you lot’ fourteen year old bouncing gleefully around the yard the day they’d seen a female stoop on a pigeon right overhead. Every Tracy knew, because he reminded them often, that that was the fastest any living creature could travel under its own steam, although Scott was determined to break that record one day.

John was aware it should probably be ‘had been’ but was not in any way ready to make that shift. Not in any way at all. He swallowed hard at the lump threatening to close up his throat and returned his attention to his next biggest brother. He edged slightly closer as Dad finally reached Virgil and held out a hand.

Virgil didn’t take it.

More wailing from above, multiple voices this time. John, unable to resist glancing up at the sound, counted a group of four hastening through the sky towards the lone dot in the distance which he imagined wheeling back around at the cries of waaaaaaait-waaaaaait. Scott’s reverent voice reminded him that these birds travelled alone except for newly fledged siblings who would undertake their first big migration together for protection and moral support.

“YOU’RE UNBELIEVABLE!”

Virgil’s raised voice dragged John’s attention back - how had he lost concentration? What had he missed? His father was talking in a low voice, but John detected an edge he could quite place? He was… uncertain? That wasn’t like Dad at all. To hell with it, he had to get over there. He abandoned stealth and scrambled along the roof until the frustrated pain in his brother’s shout stopped him in his tracks.

“WHY WON’T YOU LET ME HELP HIM?!”

Virgil’s back was to his father and he flinched away as Dad reached out to touch his shoulder.

“HE’S GONE, VIRGIL! THIS IS JUST… A… A FANTASY…! YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN! Please…”

His father’s voice was finally raised but then cracked, agonisingly, on that last word and Virgil spun to face him, fury in his eyes.

Time slowed. John felt tension thicken the air, as potent as the moment before a storm breaks and it resolved in much the same way: With a roar of anger and a strike of pent up energy from Virgil’s muscular arm.

Dad crumpled to his knees and leant heavily against the chimney breast. There was absolute silence. John tore his eyes from his father to gape up at his strongest yet most determinedly non-violent brother, in time to see the horrified expression on Virgil’s face, staring at his own clenched fist as though it belonged to someone else entirely. He looked around in a panic and began to shuffle backwards away from his father, more like a small, frightened animal about to bolt than the broad, reassuring presence John knew him to be.

John was moving before his mind even registered the implications. Of course he was too slow, he should have been there to start with. He called out to try to warn him but only succeeded in causing his brother’s eyes to lock on to his for the split second before they widened further and he disappeared from view.

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