#(also to be fair- getting 'sad' in battle is probably not the same as sadness in general)

[radishaur]

༄ kind words ༄

Warnings: mentions of unwelcome advances in Law's part Genre: fluff Characters: Luffy, Zoro, & Law Summary: How they realize they have feelings for you (words of affirmation edition) Author's Note: It's finally here! These keep getting longer and longer as I get more familiar with each character and the dynamic, especially Law's, but I don't think that's too much of an issue. I also kind of hate Luffy's but couldn't keep redoing it, so maybe I'll edit it later. Happy reading as I begin working on the next part!

masterlist

Luffy is great at giving compliments because he just says whatever he's thinking.

He gets complimented a lot as well. He's always running around and saving people, intentionally or not, so he's probably heard his fair share of compliments. I think hearing a compliment that's more deep and genuine, that comes from someone who knows him deeply, would be more meaningful than anything and would make him recognize his feelings.

~

Not every day on the Sunny was a fun adventure.

Setting out to sail across the whole world and strive for their individual goals there was bound to be hardship. Sometimes it came in the form of grueling battles with their latest enemy. Other times it was internal conflicts or disputes, simple disagreements or heated arguments.

This time, it was grief.

After so many months traveling together, the crew had learned how to tell when one of them was upset about something and needed space. Today, it had been Nami. For the past few days, her mood had been off. She'd been more quick to anger and had spent more time than was strictly necessary tending to her orange trees. Then today, she'd been even worse, snapping at Sanji's normal overbearing lovey behavior and brooding to herself under the shade of her grove.

It didn't take him long to realize what was bothering her.

Nami only ever got like this when she was thinking about Bellemere, which meant today must be the anniversary of when everything happened. The crew had spent most of the day giving her her space, allowing her to process what she was very clearly feeling. After a while, he took it upon himself to cheer her up. He made silly faces and played some of her favorite games on the deck, goading her into joining them by making bets he knew he would lose. He'd even secretly asked Sanji to incorporate oranges into their dinner. By the end of the night, Nami was laughing and she seemed a lot lighter, like whatever was weighing her down had lessened some.

Now, it was late at night, and the only sounds that could be heard on the Sunny were the lapping of waves against the ship and the snores of his crew as they slept. All except for him.

Sleep was avoiding him, so he decided that he would be much better off just joining whoever was on watch and maybe having some fun. He made his way up to the crow's nest and was happy to find you sitting on the bench, looking out across the sea.

"Oh, hi Luffy," you said, your voice quiet.

"Hi!" he said, sitting excitedly next to you on the bench as you looked out across the sea once more. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to come out and have some fun!"

You smiled, always amused by his antics.

"Well, unfortunately, there's no fun here. I'm on watch, remember?"

He pouted, knowing you were right but still disappointed anyways. You laughed at him as he whined and complained, but he didn't actually intend on distracting you, so after a while, he quieted down and let you focus.

"I hope Nami is feeling better," you said, resting your head on the arm you propped up on the window. You were frowning slightly, your eyes unfocused as your worry made itself visible on your face.

"She'll be ok, she's Nami! She's strong," he replied, no doubt in his mind that tomorrow she would be the same old Nami she had always been. "She might be sad now, but it's not forever. She has us to help her."

You hummed in agreement, a small smile on your face. He smiled himself, happy to see you smiling instead of with a frown on your face. He felt so lucky to have found a group who cared so deeply about each other.

"All that stuff you did today. It was to cheer her up, wasn't it."

You said it like a statement more than a question and he found himself smiling at how observant you were. "You figured it out. You're so smart!"

You laughed at him once again, his own laughter joining you as you said, "Of course I did. I know you wouldn't have made those bets under normal circumstances."

They had been stupidly dumb bets that left no chance for him to win and he found himself giggling as he remembered how Nami had perked up upon hearing him agree to them. He loved his crew more than anything, so what was a few beri down the drain? Your laughter subsided as you got lost in thought once more. You seemed like you were debating saying something and when you seemed to have made up your mind, he found himself sitting up straighter as you turned to look at him.

"You're a lot smarter than people give you credit for," you said, a small smile on your face and a playful admiration in your eyes.

He's not quite sure what to say to that. He's always been called stupid and to everyone's credit, he is. He doesn't think very often, preferring to act on instinct and figure out the rest of the plan later. He's been known to not read the room, to zone out during important world lessons, and to shout out the first thing that comes to mind. He doesn't think anyone has ever called him smart and for the first time in maybe his whole life, he's speechless.

"I guess that's probably not what you were expecting me to say, huh?" you teased, a light smile making its way onto your face.

He collects himself and asks, slightly incredulously, the question that's first in his mind. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, you just told me you did all that stuff to cheer Nami up, right? Someone stupid wouldn't be able to put together why she was upset and what would make her feel better. You pay attention when it counts and you're a lot more emotionally intelligent than people realize," you explain, relaxing slightly as you look out at the ocean once more. "Today it was Nami, but I've watched you help lots of people like that. Vivi, Robin, Sanji, even me. Maybe you don't say it out loud, but you pick up on people's emotions and what they need the most in that moment."

He listens as you talk and slowly realizes that you're right. He's always had a way of reading people and knowing what they really want or need, but he's never really connected it to intelligence. He always thought it was just his own special kind of stupid.

"I guess that makes me a genius!" he exclaimed, laughing heartily as your eyes widened in shock before laughing along with him.

"Maybe you are stupid after all," you say, but there's no malice in the words as you keep laughing at him.

Finally, your watch shift is over and the sun peeks up over the horizon. He'd stayed with you the entire time, just talking and goofing around until he realized how much time had passed and how tired he was. His dreams that night are filled with you and when he wakes up, your words are still floating around in his mind. Knowing that you think he's smart makes him feel funny and he thinks that maybe he should finally turn his ability to recognize people's feelings inward.

Zoro doesn't throw out compliments or encouragement left and right, he only says something if he really means it.

I think he's received his fair share of compliments, although I doubt he puts much stock in them unless they come from someone he respects. If he doesn't think there's any stock in the compliment, or on that same token an insult, why bother giving it attention? For this reason, I think getting a compliment or reassurance from you would rattle him a little and cause him to have an aha moment.

~

The town that the Sunny docked in isn't too interesting to Zoro, aside from the bar he's nestled into for the past few hours. He has a few empty glasses in front of him and he's almost done with his current one when he sees the door open.

He's not surprised when he sees multiple of the crew walk in, quickly noticing him in the corner and making their way to him. You're among them, talking to Robin about something that elicits a small laugh out of her. Begrudgingly, he scoots over and makes room for everyone in his booth as they smoosh in.

"I knew we'd find you here!" you say, the last to slide in so you're right across from him. "Already deep into your drinks, as expected."

"Shut it, woman," he grumbles, his brows furrowing as he finishes his drink and sets the cup down on the table. You laugh, looking at Robin as Usopp reluctantly hands Nami some beri. He feels his eye twitch in irritation as he notices the exchange. "Are you betting on me?"

Usopp gulps at the glare he sends his way and Nami simply smiles, dollar signs practically lighting up in her eyes as she answers, "Yep! I bet that you were already 3 drinks deep and I was right."

"We've barely even arrived! I thought-" Usopp protests, attempting to explain himself.

"You both are insufferable!"

His exclamation elicits another laugh out of you as Robin simply lifts a hand to her mouth to hide the amusement that is no doubt there. He wants to be annoyed, and he is, but he's been traveling with the lot of you for long enough that he can't really be upset, at least that genuinely. He simply huffs, waving down a server to ask for another glass.

The rest leap over each other to order their own drinks, some alcoholic, some not, and fall into easy chatter with each other. Periodically, he catches your eyes and you send him a smile, but he doesn't insert himself in the conversations, much preferring to listen. Eventually, Nami gets tired of just sitting in the bar and decides to go shopping. Usopp and Robin decide to accompany her, but you decide to stay behind. You wave, watching them go as he takes his previous spot in the booth back.

"Not in the shopping mood?" he asks, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye.

"No, I'd much rather stay here with my favorite swordsman," you tease. He bristles, knowing that you're just poking him for fun, but he can't stop himself from blushing, taking a long sip from his glass to hide the blush he can feel on his cheeks.

"You're worse than that damn cook," he mumbles, his glass now sufficiently empty.

You laugh at that.

"Now that's just a lie."

He can't deny that, the corner of his lips twisting up into a smile. He's spent enough time traveling with you to know that you don't act like that with everyone, just him. The notion that you reserve this behavior for just him is both agitating and yet satisfying. He feels something possessive lick at his heart but ignores it, waving at the server for yet another drink.

He asks you about what you've been up to on the island since they docked and you happily tell him all about it. It hasn't been long so you don't have much to say and it isn't long before the two of you fall into a comfortable silence. After a while, you finally talk again and it's not what he's expecting.

"I know you'll become the greatest swordsman, Zoro."

He sputters, the sip he was taking spilling all over himself as he coughs, trying to catch his breath. He can feel his ears heating up with embarrassment and sputters, "Where the hell did that come from?"

When you look at him, your face is set in firm determination, but your eyes are soft, filled with a fondness he wishes you would direct at him more often.

"Those pirates we fought yesterday," you explain.

He thinks for a moment before he's reminded of what you're referring to. On their way to this island, they had run into a rival ship following the same course. While they hadn't intended to battle them, the ship fired at them as soon as they were in range, so they had no other choice. He remembers the fight being fairly easy, each member of the crew handling their fair share of pirates.

He also remembers one of their crew having some rather nasty words to say to him.

"You're delusional if you think you can become the greatest swordsman," he had spat, struggling to breathe. "You'll see it eventually. Even if you won this battle, you'll never achieve your dream."

He hadn't paid much attention to the words. He was confident in his own abilities and his opponent had been defeated easily, so there wasn't any point in taking his words to heart. He hadn't thought anyone was close enough to hear it and he certainly hadn't brought it up, quickly forgetting about it.

He smirked then, letting the full force of his pride show in the grin as he said, "That loser wouldn't know what it takes to be the greatest swordsman even if it smacked him in the face."

"That doesn't make any sense," you say, your face wrinkling as you giggle at his statement.

He takes another sip as your laughter dies out.

"I'm not worried about what a crap swordsman has to say about me and my dream," he says, his voice a lot more serious now as he thinks about the promise he made all those years ago. "I will become the world's greatest swordsman or die trying."

"You'll do it. I know you will."

You don't say anything after that, seemingly having said everything you intended to, but your words linger with him. The thought that you had heard the man's words and felt it was important enough to dispute them made his heart feel weird. He had never doubted himself, even when he maybe should have. He'd always been sure that his will, determination, and hard work would take him to exactly where he was supposed to be. Still, hearing your words of encouragement, hearing your genuine belief in his ability, it affected him in a way he wasn't expecting.

"You will too," he says, his voice barely above a murmur.

A few seconds go by where you don't say anything and he wonders if you'd even heard him, but one glance at you tells him that you had. You're not looking at him, your eyes averted as if you're embarrassed and your lips are curved into a small, satisfied smile. The sight makes his heart stop and he almost goes to clutch his chest before the feeling quickly passes.

Before the moment can linger, you're shooting back into conversation with him. Despite his best efforts to pay attention, he finds that his attention is drawn back again and again to your words. He knows that the crew believes in his dreams just as much as he believes in theirs. It's part of why he's so willing to protect their dreams just as fiercely as his own, but for some reason knowing that you believe in him so much really sticks with him.

He thinks about it for the rest of the day as well as late into the night when they're all back on the Sunny and setting off for the next island. He doesn't like being distracted, so he mulls over why your compliment holds so much weight for him. He values your opinion, but you're also not a swordsman, so theoretically there shouldn't be that much weight to your words. When he finally realizes, it feels like everything clicks into place and so many things start to make sense.

He acts like nothing has changed, wanting time to sit with the feelings before he decides what to do about them, but he finds it hard now that he understands the full weight of his regard for you.

Law rarely ever gives out compliments, rather preferring to show how he feels with his actions.

I think he receives a few compliments here and there, but he's built an intimidating presence and image, so I think they're far and few between. However, I think if you took him off guard with a meaningful compliment, especially if its one that he hasn't heard before, it would make him start to think about his feelings towards you.

~

"Captain, we have a problem."

Law sighs, all of the worst-case scenarios running through his mind as he turns to face Sachi. They're docked at a port town so that they can restock the Polar Tang, preparing for another few weeks underwater. It's familiar and something that the crew should be familiar with by this point. They have a routine, a schedule that rarely changes, that details who goes with who to go get what. In theory, it should go perfectly smoothly.

It never does.

"What is it, Sachi?" he asks, his grip on Kikoku tightening slightly as Sachi walks up to him with the list of crewmates and jobs in hand.

"Well, you said that nobody is allowed to go alone into town right? For safety?" he asks, only resuming once Law has hummed in agreement. "Right, well uh, unfortunately, Penguin is sick today which means his partner doesn't have anyone to go with, which wouldn't be an issue since usually we have at least one group of three but, well, they're also sick so-"

Law grumbles under his breath about getting to the damn point, grabbing the sheet from Sachi's hands to just look at the issue himself. Sachi gulps, sensing his irritation, and nervously rubs the back of his neck. The problem becomes clear very easily. His beloved crew had partied a little too hard the last few nights and now two of them were sick, leaving no group of three to split up and someone unaccompanied. He looks for Penguin's name to see who's alone and feels his heart flutter slightly when he sees your name scrawled out next to it.

"Our only two options are to either make one group get two things, which would set us back at least an hour, or...," Sachi says, trailing off slightly. The unspoken second option is clear. Law always spend their restock days on the ship. The higher his bounty gets, the higher the chance that he gets recognized, so he always finds it easier and safer for him to stay behind.

"I'll go," he relents, watching as the tension in Sachi's shoulders dissipates.

"Great. Thanks, Captain!"

Sachi disappears before he can change his mind. He sighs, looking around the collection of his crew until he finally finds you in the mix. He makes his way over, watching as you converse with Bepo, catching the very end of your sentence.

"-seems like I'll be alone today. Sachi said he would look into it, but everyone already has their pairs so I don't know who could take his place."

"That would be me," he answers, watching as both Bepo and you finally notice his approach.

"Oh! Uh, are you sure? Don't you usually spend the day on the Tang doing research?" you ask.

He ignores your improper name for the Polar Tang as he explains the situation to you. You nod, smiling as you say, "I see. Well, I'm glad to have your company then, Captain!"

He's taken aback by your words but decides to just move forward instead of dwelling on them, so he turns around and shouts, "Let's go."

"Shouldn't you probably change?"

He stops, looking down at his attire as you add, "As much as it suits you, it doesn't really hide the fact that you're a pirate, let alone our Captain."

He can't really argue with that. The Heart Pirates logo is front and center on his shirt and Kikaku is certainly not doing him any favors either. He tells you to wait and then quickly shambles himself into his room to change. He has to dig really deep in his closet before he finds a shirt that doesn't have his symbol front and center, but once he does he leaves Kikaku leaning against his wall and shambles back up to you.

By the time he's changed and came back, most of his crew is gone. You're quicker to notice him this time as a result and the two of you finally head into town.

"What are we in charge of?" he asks, stuffing his hands into his pockets now that they're not holding his sword.

"We're in charge of the medicinal herbs, Captain," you answer.

"Just Law is fine," he says, his hand fidgeting slightly as he adds, "No use in me changing if you're just going to use my title."

He sees you smile softly out of the corner of his eyes. "Right. Law it is, then."

His ears burn slightly as you say his name so effortlessly, but he brushes it off quickly and continues into town. It's not hard to find the store you're looking for and he lets you take the lead as you begin listing off the various herbs you need. It's not long before the two of you are walking through town once more, heading towards the submarine.

"Oh, look! That art is gorgeous."

He stops walking as he turns to look at what you're pointing at. There's a small stall in the marketplace's square that's selling paintings of all different sizes and mediums. He sees your eyes light up as you look at them and isn't surprised when you say, "Wait here, I'm going to go buy one."

He huffs, leaning against the wall of a nearby building where he can see the stall. He'd like to pretend that today had purely been an inconvenience, but he can't find it in himself to be that upset. While it was inconvenient that he wasn't able to spend the time studying the most recent medical book he had been interested in, the day had been pleasant. You'd made pleasant conversation with him while walking in town and your bright demeanor always seems to calm him down.

He looks back over to the stall, curious about what painting had caught your eyes, but feels his heart jolt when he doesn't see any sign of you. He stands up to his full height, hoping to catch any glimpse of you, but he still doesn't see anything. He curses to himself for letting his guard down and allowing you to somehow slip away and starts searching for you with his observation haki.

He picks up your signature in an alleyway and feels his gut churning. Not wanting to draw attention to himself by using his devil fruit powers, he quickly makes his way to where you are. As he gets closer, he hears you pleading with someone.

"Look, I'm really not interested and I have someone waiting for me, so-"

"Surely I can show you a better time than them, hm?"

He doesn't recognize the second voice but he doesn't need to to know what's going on. He feels anger burn in him as he finally turns a corner and sees a guy caging your body against the wall with both of his arms.

"I already told you, I'm not looking for that. Please let me go," you say, your hands clutching the bag of herbs you'd bought earlier as well as what looks to be whatever painting you had bought at the stall. He also sees the man take a step closer and open his mouth to talk, so he takes the opportunity to interrupt.

"You heard them," he says, his voice like venom as he enunciates, "Let them go."

The man looks at him, sizing him up as he takes a step back and lets his arms drop. "What are you, a good samaritan? Buzz off," he scoffs, turning his head back to you, clearly intending to ignore him.

He doesn't know what comes over him as he finds himself stepping closer and punching the man square on the side of his face. The man, clearly caught off guard, stumbles slightly. He doesn't give him any time to recover as he steps forward, putting himself in between you and the man whose face was now swelling up.

"What the hell?" he shouts, cradling his face as he finally catches his balance.

He can see the punch coming but knows that you're standing right behind him, so he only shifts slightly so that the punch only hits him in the shoulder. A moment afterward, it dawns on him that he can just get rid of the man, so he does.

"You're lucky I don't have my sword, or you'd be getting much worse than this," he seethes, holding his hand out as he says his classic phrase and sends the man shambling into the ocean. In his place, a mossy stone drops to the ground, echoing in the now almost empty alleyway.

When he turns around, you're staring at him speechless. He frowns slightly as he gives you a once over, checking for any visible signs of harm.

"I'm ok," you finally say, your voice shaky before you cough slightly and repeat, voice calm, "I'm ok. Just unnerved."

He doesn't take his chances and calls another room, switching you both closer to the Polar Tang. His guilt at letting you out of his sight and allowing this guy to drag you off eats at him as the two of you approach the ship. Once inside, he shambles the two of you to his examination room, pointing to the table and saying, "Sit. I want to check for injuries with the proper equipment."

You don't fight him as you make your way towards the table. You're still holding the bag and the painting until he gently takes them from you, placing them next to you on the table.

"I'm really ok La- I mean Captain," you begin, correcting yourself back to his title now that it's just the two of you.

He finds himself missing his name from you but keeps the comment to himself. He's supposed to be checking you for injuries. He's supposed to be assessing your well-being, which is only in question because of his own negligence. He frowns to himself and continues to check you for injuries without answering.

You let him, still assuring him that you're fine, that he only grabbed your arm for a moment at the stall, but he doesn't stop until he's sure that there's nothing wrong.

He sighs, finally stepping back from the table. His guilt still eats at him regardless as he goes over everything he did wrong. "I'm sorry, I should have been watching more carefully. No, I should have just come with you."

You simply smile at him in response and say, "It's my fault. I was the one who stepped away."

He doesn't have anything to say to that. He knows it's true, you did step away despite it being an explicit rule not to, but he can't deny his part in it as well. He curls his fists as the silence continues.

"Why didn't you dodge his punch?" you ask, your voice quiet.

He's surprised by the question, but also by how quickly his cheeks warm up at his answer. He looks off to the side, hiding behind his hat as he says, "You were right behind me. If I moved, he would have just punched you."

You have the audacity to laugh, loud and full as if he had just told you the funniest joke you'd ever heard and he can't help but scowl.

"You know," you start, laughter still floating in your voice, "For someone with such a cold exterior, you sure are kind."

The compliment catches him off guard. His face whips towards you as his eyes open in shock, the faint blush now burning bright red across his whole face. He meets your eyes and he doesn't see any hint of a joke.

He's heard himself called a lot of things. Scary, cold, bitter, even downright malicious, but never kind. It sends shivers up his spine as the word settles somewhere under his skin. You think he's kind. Kind.

"You're my subordinate. I'm not being kind, I'm just doing my job as your Captain," he corrects, not wanting you to misunderstand his intentions.

Your laugh this time is softer, more full of fondness, but it rustles him all the same. "You really are kind though," you insist. He's not ready for you to continue, barely able to handle the few words you've said, but that's never stopped you before. "I think you care a lot more than you want us to think. You wouldn't worry so much otherwise. Besides, you're always going out of your way to protect us. I think that makes you kind."

He doesn't know what to say, so he tries to navigate back into familiar territory. He takes a deep breath and calms his nerves, grabbing the bag of medical herbs from your side and turning around to begin putting them away. "Well, since I've checked and you don't have any injuries, there's no reason for you to stay."

He hears you shuffling around as he begins unpacking the herbs from the bag and chances a glance over at you one more time. He regrets it immediately.

You're looking at him like you can see right through him. You have your painting tucked under your arm as you look over your shoulder at him in the doorway and you're still smiling at him as if he didn't just ignore your comment and dismiss you rather rudely. It makes his heart ache, wanting to prove you right. To prove that he is kind, that he's worthy of your opinion of him, that he's worthy of your praise.

"Thank you, Captain. I enjoyed your company today."

With that, you disappear down the hallway, presumably back to your shared room to hang up your new picture. He stares at the spot you left long after you've gone, your words echoing in his mind. They rattle around in his heart until they finally settle, leaving a warm comfort he didn't know he craved.

You think he's kind.

That thought plagues his mind for the rest of the day. His guilt is completely forgotten, his mind too consumed by your compliment to make any room for it. He finds himself unable to even focus on reading the medical book that night that he missed out on reading earlier. Your words and the simple fact that you truly believed them chip away at his resolve until he finally has to come to terms with why it affects him so much. He mumbles your name, his hand clutching his heart as it beats, solidifying what he'd been ignoring for a long, long time now.

ღ radishaur — i do not own any of these characters. do not plagiarize. please enjoy and remember to be respectful! 

[rekino2114]

Makima and Power going to the beach with their S/o

Beach date headcanons with makima and power

Makima

She probably rented a private beach the moment you said you wanted to go.

She teased you so much while in her bikini, giving you all the best views while telling you she put it on just for you. Of course, she compliments your body too. She also asked you to put sunscreen on her and did the same for you all the while blatantly flirting with you.

She doesn't like getting wet too much, but she will obviously do it for you if you ask her. She has fun playing with you in the water, but she still spends most of her time sunbathing with you while holding your hand.

Her favorite moment was eating ice cream with you while looking at the sunset, just basking in your presence and the warmth of the sun. Makima always loves relaxing moments like these with you.

"This feels wonderful, my love"

"I'm glad you liked the date, I had a lot of fun"

"Me too, well to be fair as long as you're with me doing anything feels amazing"

"Oh really? I'm happy you think so"

"Of course, I love you, just you being there makes anything better for me"

Power

She needed a bit of convincing to come but after you asked her enough times she said yes, she was really bummed she couldn't take meowy with her though.

Power is 100% one of those people who kick down kids' sandcastles while laughing at them. You then have to apologize to the moms cause she refuses to do that to "weak humans"

She hates getting wet, when she saw the sea she accused you of tricking her into taking a bath but then you splashed her and you two ended up playing in the water and she actually had fun. From now on, she always requests to go to the beach when aki tells her to take a bath (which gives him even more of an headache)

Her favorite moment was actually playing with you in the water, which she didn't expect to enjoy but instead ended up loving. She had the biggest smile on her face while splashing you and winning your water battle and she actually felt really sad when you had to leave.

"Ahahahah, the great power is victorious once again, bow and watch as your pathetic castle falls-hey no fair"

"What? can the great power not even handle a bit of water?"

"*gasp* how dare you say such a thing, I will show you what the almighty power is capable of"

"Alright then the war is on"

[astral-cookiery]

Hugging Headcanons. || Ft: The Red Dragon Crew.

A/n: This has been in my drafts since uhh... July? Whoops. I scrolled down and saw that it was like. 95% complete and decided that I should finish it. Anyways, enjoy!

Hollyberry Cookie

She's the sort to hug without warning, as tightly as possible, and for as long as possible. No, you cannot escape until she sets you free. No, she is not fully conscious of her own strength. Wildberry Cookie has probably had to intervene to set you free at least once or twice before.

Despite her high status as both a queen and an Ancient, she does not stress formality hardly at all. Regardless of who you are, she will choose a hug over a handshake or formal greeting any day.

If you let her, she will pick you up. It does not matter if you are bigger than her. She will try, and unless you're for some reason slippery, she will succeed.

Yk that one scene with Dark Cacao where she kind of had him in a headlock? She probably does the same to others on occasion, just when she's feeling goofy, or if they're standoffish like DC is.

Pitaya Dragon Cookie

"Issss thisss some kind of trick, cookie?" - Bestie doesn't really recognize a gesture like that. They weren't exactly known to be the most peaceful before banding with Hollyberry Cookie, and thus didn't experience regular social things like a hug. How sad.

They would probably try to fight you if you hugged without warning. Trapping their arms like that? Bad idea. The great Greenish-Red Dragon can win any battle, regardless of disadvantages!

Oh, turns out Pitaya likes hugs quite a bit, once they get used to it. Have fun in the dirt, because they lean on you a little too much, unaware (or uncaring) that you can't quite support all their weight. Oh well, they don't care if they get dirty. If you really like laying in the dirt for some reason, try petting their hair while you're at it. Be warned, you will be staying there for quite a while.

Tail wags. You can hear the thumping of their spiky tail hitting any nearby objects while they hold you close. They really hold onto you too. Not quite as tightly as Hollyberry, but you won't be going anywhere.

Royal Margarine Cookie

Haaave fun boosting his ego. Because that's exactly what hugging him will do. The fangirls envy you, they didn't get a chance to hug him! No fair!

Buttercream might also rest her head on your shoulder sometimes, since she's decided that she likes you. Occasionally she accidentally knocks you over since she doesn't know her own strength. (And tbh a dragon is heavy.)

There was one time after fighting the red dragon that he just sorta. Aggressively hugged you (in private of course.) He hadn't seen you since before Dragon City was set aflame, and he was worried for your well being. Please hug him tightly back. He might cry.

I dunno, I feel like he pets your hair too. His arms probably rest across your shoulders and he just can't help but want to pet you for some reason.

Tarte Tatin Cookie

No, she will not set the cannon down. You get side-hugged, fool. Congratulations.

She's used to doing that sort of picturesque side-hug thing since she doesn't like to not have her cannon in her hands at any point in time, and since it's the most convenient when someone wants to take a photo with her.

It takes a very special person and a very special occasion to get her to put it down for once (like when the magma dragon was slain). It is at that point that she will give you a proper hug.

Rests her chin on your head, arms are folded across your shoulders. You can tell how tired she is after hunting dragons all day just from her tired sigh and the way she sort of tiredly leans against you.

Snapdragon Cookie

You do not hug the baby. The baby hugs you. Or at least they try.

They will fly full speed at you and then you have to catch them, or be tackle-hugged to the floor. If you don't stop them in time, they will happily tumble to the floor with you, squealing all the while.

Their arms are a little too short to wrap all the way around your torso, but they can hug your neck just fine.

Honestly, their aggressive hugging behavior gets directed at anyone. Pitaya Dragon Cookie finds it hilarious when they tackle cookies to the ground for the sake of a hug. Stop encouraging them.

[emypony]

so uh- pls elaborate on ce!hua x sim!hua im here for the agenda

Anon I hope ur still here and sorry i took this long but i just HAD to make something for them. (and also....barking and meowing, drawing Fu Hua oh my god..)

This got heckin lengthy so I will be putting my thoughts down below in a read more <3

I ended up with brainrot 🛐🙏 alas...let me elaborate!! This if ofc in the context if ER was repaired and with new tech they were able to give the sims each their own body to continue living on as a separate entity <3

I will differentiate them by Hua and Fu Hua since it's probably the easiest. And speaking of them

Fu Hua herself has gone through many battles over the years and has met a myriad of people, shaping her into the person that she's become. Grief, Joy, Despair and Relief over the years have eroded her into her most peaceful version yet, more calm and collected and sure of herself. Maaaybe a little cheekier than usual (Senti's attitude has been rubbing off on her, unfortunately) but it's never in a mean way.

All the while Hua herself while having gone through the same amount of years as her, has not got the chance to be so out and about, but got her fair share of interaction from the visitors and successors that came to the realm. Her frequent memory wipes did slow down her progress however, so she's still closer to the original 'Fu Hua' that she was created from so many years back.

Hua was always unsure of herself and what her future would hold, wondering if her real life self would be good enough (would she, as a sim?) but she's never felt like it herself. After all, she's just a copy and that's what she's supposed to be, right?

And yet now that she gets to SEE what the real Fu Hua became, with the inherent knowledge that she's still there and has survived on despite all her hardships (which she would eventually hear about, as Fu Hua vehemently denied syncing their memories, for more reasons than one), it made her be overwhelmed with a multitude of new feelings - relief, admiration, sadness for everything she's endured, hope? for the future, and a new one that she can't quite elaborate on (these new bodies sure feel vastly different from being a bunch of data in a non physical realm, and that includes feelings too)

Unlike herself, Fu Hua now displays great amounts of patience, coupled with the suffocating feelings of kindness and softness (? once again an inexplicable feeling - how can someone act 'soft'! that's a physical feeling and yet it felt like the best word to use)

Of course all their time eventually spent together leads for more feelings of both heartache and inexplicable self consciousness- after all, Hua is just a sim, created in Fu Hua's image (not that the thought ever bothered her, she'd accepted it as a reality as all the others). Now that she's got her own body however, she can't help but feel inadequate being there. Would she be a fighter proficient enough? Good enough to carry the burden of the same name and face? Would she be able to live up to her legacy, her name and her greatness? Could she ever achieve what she did or would she just forever be branded as a 'copy' and nothing else. Would it have been better off if she'd remained deleted by the Herrscher of Corruption? The others are after all...not there anymore, so there would be no confusion to be made. They could carry on their real life counterpart's legacies without issue- but she felt like she was just not meant to be there. Fu Hua was still alive, so why the need for her, too?

It all culminates one day after isolating herself for weeks and becoming more and more of a hermit. Not even Pardofelis could coax her to open up, so who better to work through Hua related issues than Fu Hua herself? It doesn't take long until Hua confesses her feelings in regards to the matter of her existence, and Fu Hua can't help but smile gently, thinking about the amusing parallels between this Hua and Senti.

Hua's skin is burning as Fu Hua takes her hand into hers, and addresses her with the same tenderness as raindrops falling after a hot day. She feels tears prick her eyes as Hua's talking, about how despite being made after her it was so so long ago that it isn't bad that she's different. Fu Hua wouldn't want her to take after her anyway, it's better off if she would just be her own person. There is no need to repeat Fu Hua's mistakes, just to become like her. She's not perfect, after all.

Hua may be derived from the same starting point as Fu Hua over 50 000 years ago, but so much time has passed, and the two of them ended up being shaped by people and circumstance differently, and now she has sort of become her own person. It would be unfair to her own self and legacy to attempt to be like Fu Hua. There's no more Honkai, they have achieved their goal and she'd fought just as valiantly as the others. And that is enough.

here's where my general thoughts stop, but I do have other more funny ones in regards to Senti (and by extension Pardo, because now with a soulium body I'd just put them together like cheese and crackers).

Senti's views on Sim!Hua are also funny because:

Fu Hua: old timer. antique. do NOT tell me we're alike i'm going to start foaming at the mouth. smh my head she cant get it together

Sim!Hua: absolute baby lmaooo look at her. okay she is kind of cute and pathetic. yeah ill help her shes funny (by being a wet sopping scrungly)

I just think they would be interesting friends, and maybe a bit of an easy target for teasing (especially once she finds out that she kinda has a crush on Fu Hua). Obviously enough, getting dating advice from a Herrscher who has never dated is going to end in disaster.

Senti and Felis get together (i swear this is for storytelling purposes this time), all is well and they enjoy each other. Seeing them be happy and such, Hua finally allows herself to think of the possibility of at least confessing. "Oh okay so…a sim(?) and a. real . ? person? (debatable) Herrscher? can be together so maybe i can at least confess… i want to get over this" Hua wouldn't delude herself into thinking that there could be any outcome of her feelings, after all Senti and Pardo's situation was somewhat different than her own.

As much as she hates it, Senti is unfortunately the only one who knows Fu Hua enough so...by extension of asking Felis she has to ask her too and its awfully embarrassing because of how much teasing she expects.

Senti's the first one to react and she goes "LMAO no WAY. Fu Hua?!?"

Felis hits her shoulder. "Senti, be nice !!! this is serious!!"

Senti can't help but almost double over in laughter, but recovers pretty quickly. "Out of everyone you could've chosen smh…sure fine, it''s whatever I'll help you."

Hua was a bit. skeptical. "You're…not doing this just to gloat and laugh at me if it doesn't work, right?"

Senti had half the mind to think better on it. "Eh…I would say maybe, but quite frankly I'll do ANYTHING if it means Hua will shut the fuck up and stop asking me how Felis and I are going. If you confessing to her will get her off my case I'm literally willing to throw petals from above for added effect"

Suddenly Hua doesn't feel that great about asking Senti for help. But what's done is done, so she might as well give her best. Senti goes "Don't worry I'll ease her about the thought" and goes to Fu Hua and asks "Hey so how much do you love yourself?" like with no fucking context. Funnily enough, Fu Hua thinks Senti is trying to talk to her about not sacrificing herself if things get dire, so she completely cuts her off before she elaborates any further and assures her that she will never put her duty before herself or her friends ever again, all of them can rest assured!

Needless to say Senti came back with nothing to show for it except words completely unrelated to what they needed. Hua herself can't help but go "wow, she really is different from me, she's matured so much and learned to prioritize herself" and can't help but feel like she likes her even more, to Senti's absolute disgust ("Good God, you're down bad"). Mission failed.

Senti turns to Felis, going "yeah you know what. they're perfect for each other."

Felis smiles and clasps her hands. "Aww that's so cute, do you mean they seem to be on the same page about feelings?"

"No i mean they're both incomprehensibly daft and delusional but yours works too, probably."

Enough about Hua, we should probably touch on Fu Hua's feelings for comparison. She feels a strange sense of wanting to protect Hua- maybe chalks it up to it reminding her of her past, lost and full of uncertainty about each following day, of losing more people and more sacrifices being made. But those are no longer pressing issues now, so why does she still feel like that, when Hua is clearly capable of defending herself if something comes to be? It's confusing, but she doesn't dwell on it for too much.

...well, until it does end up being on her mind a bit too much, so she can only go to the one person that would understand AND knows enough about the person in question - Felis! ....and by extension (and to her dismay) Senti as well. The two share a 'there's no way this is happening AGAIN' look with each other as Fu Hua is trying to explain her issue.

She confides in them briefly. "I've been having these...weird feelings towards er, Hua. I'm not sure but I find myself wanting to spend more time with her and I feel like I want to protect her. But there's no danger anymore and clearly she can defend herself just as well as anyone else...so why am I...?" she seems lost.

Senti makes a joke which Felis almost chokes to. "Maybe you like her?"

Fu Hua blushes and almost gives herself away. "W-What? N-no, I could never, I...s-she's me- well, not- not really anymore no but she was created from me at one point...that... that would be wrong wouldn't it?" Well. it wasn't an outright no, technically...

Senti continues. "Okay HYPOTHETICALLY...if she liked you back, would you confess?"

For once Fu Hua doesn't seem so shocked about it anymore, she seems almost...melancholic, as if she's thinking about something that's too far out of her reach. "Oh please...she's still got some of my traits and mannerisms...she would know better than to like the person she was made after..." she chuckles longingly. "She's probably got a stronger sense of justice and morals than I have right now, I certainly have mellowed out over the years." Senti sighs, and groans, and almost hits something.

"Oh my GODDD I am leaving. I cannot deal with this you're TOO DUMB!!" and just disappears away in a flash of black feathers. Fu Hua is confused and taken aback and Felis can do nothing but shrug her shoulders because she too wishes she could straight up disappear right now. These two were so different yet so alike and it was so frustrating how stupid they were about it.

---

I've yet to think about how they confess - I'll admit my thoughts stopped there as I got one tracked on doing art for them, but if I happen to figure something out, I might do another post. Idk if I would be able to do a little one-shot though...........unless?

Anyway if u've made it this far godspeed thank you for letting me talk about them 🙏 they're on my mind fr haha.

[dotsartspot]

Aight maybe an unpopular opinion but i have to say it bc i feel like i’m going insane??? I just don’t understand why people are so insistent on seeing this season as a black and white scenario in regards to TRG and especially Kipperlily.

First of all I have zero beef with this season. Dimension 20 has never once claimed to be on the same level of narrative seriousness as a show like Critical Role. D20 is a full comedy show on a streaming platform that posts almost exclusively comedic content. I get that people are disappointed and I understand why and it’s fair but it also just seems a little… i guess odd is the word I’ll use, to be so upset about feeling like the message fell flat or that the bad kids were rewarded for being assholes or what have you when Dimension 20, first and foremost, is a comedy show done by professional improv comedians. These comedians have also fully stated on record that emotionally heavy seasons are really rough for them. That’s the whole reason why they haven’t done a second Crown of Candy with the full cast of Intrepid Heroes. Their lack of making this season super emotionally impactful is probably simply bc despite the overarching message that was setup, they didn’t WANT it to be more serious than that.

And the second issue I have with complaints i’m seeing is the way people are coddling Kipperlily. I get she was manipulated I get that it’s tragic its part of why her character is so good but also hey guys can we please stop pretending like the kid who willingly became a pawn of a man trying to become a war god is fully innocent in her own downfall? Can we stop pretending like emotional distress, especially when it’s fueled by so much bitter jealousy towards someone who has truly done nothing to you, is any sort of justification for her actions? She’s the only one who joined them willingly. I’m not saying she wasn’t manipulated and that her story isn’t tragic but she wasn’t a GOOD person. She was a fucked up teenager who decided her sadness was more important than everyone else in the world and then actively aided a plan that would cause direct harm to innocent people who did not affect her in the slightest. Redemption is real and second chances are worth giving but not everyone is worth giving it to and i know some people think that’s such an awful thing to say but as much as they think it’s so awful that doesn’t stop it from being true. EVERYONE has their battles. EVERYONE is messed up in some way shape or form, that’s just the reality of the world. But not everyone who has trauma is an asshole. Because despite whatever pain you may have, you yourself ultimately decide what you’re going to do with it and how you’ll respond to your own ugly negativity towards others. And imho people who choose to take their pain and wield it as a weapon against people who have done nothing wrong are not always worth talking off the ledge. Sometimes these people don’t WANT to be better, they just want their behavior to be justified. Sometimes they take your attempts to reach out a hand to try to drown you instead, or just fully drown you with them. Sometimes people aren’t willing to put in the work to make themselves better, and you can extend all the hands in the world but if that person does not WANT to get better, they simply never will.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Let's say you have complete creative control.

How would you write a Marinette (non-Akuma/Amok) corruption arc?

If I had complete creative control, I wouldn't do a corruption arc for Marinette, I'd do one for Gabriel. But I'm assuming you want me to pretend I would do one for Marinette, so I will because why not? How I'd do it would depend heavily on when the writing team gave up and shoved the story into my hands. For the purposes of this hypothetical, I'm going to have to lean into the bad writing, so read on at your own risk.

Current state: as of the end of season five, Marinette seemingly knows that Adrien is a sentimonster. Marinette also has anxiety issues and there's a new butterfly villain on the loose whose knowledge regarding Adrien and connection to Gabriel are unknown. We also have Felix's previous less-than-heroic actions and Nathalie's status as Gabriel's former right hand lady. With all these less-than-awesome people out there, fully aware of Adrien's vulnerability, we have a pretty fantastic setup for an arc where Marinette gets ever more paranoid and controlling in the name of keeping Adrien safe from this new villain. Basically have her spiral into Gabriel 2.0 where her love for Adrien is used to justify terrible things. Not a setup I'd want to watch, but it does fit the show's treatment of The Power of Love so, you know, do with that what you will.

Season three up to near the end of season five: Something to do with Lila making Marinette lose all faith in her friends because, if you're going to write them as terrible friends, you may as well own it. Have Marinette feel like she's sacrificing everything for people who treat her like a villain or a child in spite of all she does, so she decides why bother to be the good guy? Why make all these sacrifices when it never works out for her? I'd probably have her stop showing up to fights like Chat Noir did in Kuro Neko, only if Ladybug did that it would be a much bigger deal. You could even have her full out quit and give Chat Noir her miraculous and the miracle box as a bit of a "fine, you do it and see if you can do it better" thing. Basically anything that lets her go fully selfish due to pressure and poor treatment since it's really not fair that Adrien's the only one who's allowed to miss battles and give up his miraculous when he doesn't feel appreciated.

A variation on this could be quitting because of something like her friends are putting too much pressure on her re:Adrien combined with the show's love of never letting her make the right call when it really matters, so she snaps from all this pressure on every side.

Pre season three: I don't think there's really a great lead up to a corruption in the earlier seasons. Things were pretty great back then. Idk, maybe have her snap from frustration with Chat Noir never taking things seriously, so she starts mimicking him, leading to people getting hurt? (Reminder, I think this is a writing issue when it comes to Chat Noir, but it's there and I said we were going to lean into canon's bad writing for this so here we are.)

And there you go! My takes on evil!Marinette. As I said at the start, I'm not interested in writing any of these. While I do think canon has the setup for them, they rely too heavily on things canon should never have done. Things that don't fit my image of Marinette's core character.

I'm also not big on corruption arcs for heroes. For me, they fall under the same category as the broken partnership/team trope: interesting concept, but one that's rarely executed in a satisfying way. They also tend to be too depressing and/or tragic for my tastes.

My two major hobbies are writing/reading fiction and studying world history/cultures. World history isn't all doom and gloom, but there's a lot of harsh, tragic, and sad things to be found in the past. As such, I've never really enjoyed fictional stories with a hopeless feeling to them. I turn to fictional worlds to escape reality. To go to places full of satisfying endings that are, at worst, bittersweet. If I'm reading a tragedy, I want something that's all or mostly historical fact. Not a matter of judgment, just one of personal preference.

[goldensunset]

i’m not about to draw a minimum of twelve entire pictures but i wanna do this anyway (i guess i could just edit the images in there but that’s lame lol)

•my favorite gym leader is probably either tulip or clay! something about tulip i just always found very endearing and respectable and i love clay’s no-nonsense attitude and sheer strength. plus he gets bonus points for his daughter being lacey

•fav champion is clearly volo. like how could you not classify that as a champion fight. that was so freaking hard man. runner up goes to kieran though bc he was also really hard for me. but of course if we’re talking official true pokémon league champions then cynthia

•fav elite four member has gotta be lacey. i adore her. first time i’ve ever lost to the same opponent multiple times in a fair fight (aka being prepared and on-level). she’s sooo cute and fun! she also terrifies me severely

•favorite protagonist is akari no surprise there. la does such a good job of making it clearly important why the protag is the protag. it offers a legitimate in-universe explanation as to why this one child in particular is so much more powerful than all the others. out of place in time and space, literally chosen by a god… the way certain characters question her humanity, both in a good and evil way… it’s so good

•favorite rival… well pokémon fans use the term rival really loosely. it can mean any friend character that you battle for funsies even once. it can mean literal arch nemesis. idk. arven stole my heart with his story but i don’t consider him a rival like most people do so that goes to cheren. i love his story and he has also mopped the floor with me several times

•favorite antagonist is also volo next question. i’m sick in the head about him. n is a strong and clear second place obviously though. i’ve done enough rambling on here about them

•professor laventon is the guy ever he feels like he actually personally cares about akari so much. that’s her dad. the way he’s actively involved in plot stuff, he accompanies the team on field missions even when he really doesn’t need to… he’s always there. you see him a lot. and he’s clearly writing the pokédex entries himself and they’re absolute gold. but seeing as professor is also a broad term because they’ve been really breaking up the older tradition in recent games, i nominate director clavell as second place bc i respect the guy a lot. that old man (tm) enjoyer here

•fav battle facility leader… well. i don’t really have one bc i’ve done very little with the battle facilities in the two games i’ve played that had them lol. so i guess throwaway answer is ingo but mostly for pla reasons. actually i think he counts as a battle facility leader in pla with the daybreak update and i’ve done some of his stuff so he does in fact count for me

•for fav clan member i’m gonna say arezu i like her a lot. she tried doing the right thing in a very chaotic way and i respect her for her efforts. plus her design is cute and she gives great haircuts and her noble is adorable

•character from other media… well i’m obsessed with the way n is portrayed in pokespe. perfect blend between sad prettyboy and freak behavior. they just made everything so intense. and i love oshawott from poképark 2 with the way he’s trying so hard to be serious and cool but snivy keeps getting on his nerves lol. that’s the reason i chose oshawott in pla bc that was the only of those pokémon i recognized

•i’m classifying arven as miscellaneous bc like i said i don’t consider him a rival but MAN!! man… this guy just got shortchanged so many times but i’m glad he was able to get closure for his parents’ disappearance and death and that he can move on and just live his own life. also certified dog lover moment

•top fav character… yeah you all know it’s volo LOL. completely shrimp fried my brain. the absolute hyperactive high i was on when he revealed himself. made even more insane bc i had literally been spoiled that he was a twist villain but i had no other context so i was just waiting the whole game for him to be evil. imagine the sinking in my gut when the credits rolled and it didn’t happen i thought i’d been embarrassing myself the whole time but then the postgame punched me in the gut HARD. i thought he’d end up being like the sad sympathetic frenemy guy where you don’t really want to fight him but NOPE full on evil full on he was just using you. made even better by the context that he had been your biggest fan throughout the whole game while everyone else had been suspicious of you. i lost my entire mind. once again second place to n though

[synergysilhouette]

Remaking Miraculous Ladybug (Season 1)

Oh, boy! Here I go again. Hello, all! I'm a Miraculous Ladybug fan, though my interest in the show has waned over the years due to it's writing. The film adaptation renewed interest for me, and it made me want to rewrite the series--similar to how I rewrote X-Men: Evolution (which I recommend you check out the posts for). Originally I was just gonna make a broad overview of the changes I'd make, but I decided to make it like XME and remake every episode...Yeah, I've got my work cut out for me. Some of these changes are influenced by fans' (not just me) opinions of the show while others are influenced by my own personal thoughts and opinions. As such, in this season, there's a lot of filler, so I'm actually removing some episodes that I don't feel add much to the overall show, possibly taking anything worthwhile and adding to it a different episode. I was gonna make this more PG-13, but I decided not to in the end. I hope you still enjoy it! Please forgive me if I forget/omit any important details due to a lapse in memory of translation changes, as I usually watch the English dub. Sorry in advance!

Ladybug & Cat Noir (Origins-Part 1)--In my remake, the way Marinette and Adrien get their Miraculous is similar to the film version instead of how the show does it, along with Adrien already being a student at the school. While Chat Noir isn't as reckless, he still keeps his light-heartedness and quips, often using his many skills as Adrien to help Ladybug with battling villains. I'd also want more equality for the cat and ladybug miraculous; in this case, if only the ladybug miraculous can purify an akuma, than only the cat miraculous can destroy the akumatized object. Sounds fair, right? Otherwise everything plays out the same. Along with this, I'd like to think their outfits are a bit more detailed; Chat Noir's black outfit is complimented with green designs, and his hair is the same color as Cat Walker's (to avoid suspicion), and Ladybug's hair has red streaks, with it later being joked about by Gabriel that she copied Nathalie.

2. Stoneheart (Origins-Part 2)--Gabriel is shown to be more sympathetic towards Adrien, explaining that he stopped Adrien's homeschooling as a result of Gabriel becoming emotionally detached following Emelie's death. The Ladyblog is more investigative, with Alya wanting to unmask Ladybug. It's revealed that Chloe bullied Ivan because he was nice to Sabrina, and Chloe fears Sabrina leaving her for "utterly ridiculous losers." It's also revealed that Sabrina is an Agreste fan herself (both of Gabriel and Adrien), and Chloe assumes she's brownnosing, but encourages it this time.

3. Stormy Weather--Abandons all stalkerish elements, and Chat Noir is the one to break the parasol with his cataclysm instead of using it on the billboard. I'd also probably put more depth on akumatizations from here on out so that only people with truly angry/sad/envious etc. emotions can be akumatized rather than simply saying to ignore/get rid of negative feelings. Perhaps Aurore had wanted to be a weather girl for a long time and the poll results were closer, causing her to be even more upset that she lost. Otherwise everything plays out the same.

4. The Evillustrator--Lady Wifi being in Marinette's dream is discarded, since production-wise, her episode occurs after this one. When Nathaniel is sent to the principal's office, Marinette realizes that despite sharing classes together for some time, she's just now noticing him. Sabrina, trying to emulate Chloe, jokes at how ironic it is, given that Nathaniel has a crush on her similar to Marinette's crush on Adrien. This makes Marinette feel guilty about not paying attention to Nathaniel, as well as losing hope that Adrien would see her as more than a friend. It's revealed by Sabrina that Chloe is actually good at schoolwork when she was younger, but when her mother left, so did her interests in academics, resulting in relying on Sabrina. Chloe begins to tell off Marinette and threatens to disown Sabrina if she doesn't do what Chloe tells her to, but Adrien overhears and gives Chloe a similar ultimatum of being nicer or he'd stop being friends with her. Sabrina later begs him not to do that, and he feels guilty that he phrased it like he was trying to control her like she controls Sabrina. The Sabrina and Chloe argument doesn't happen here, with Marinette and Chloe arguing instead while Sabrina does all the work, making Marinette feel guilty about putting her own feelings before the group's. It's also revealed that part of the reason Chloe made fun of Nathaniel was because she was worried Nathaniel would be seen as Ladybug's #1 fan instead of her if she saw his work. Chat Noir doesn't flirt with Marinette, acting like Adrien. The Evillustrator more compassionate with Marinette. As the Evillustrator and Chat Noir battle, Marinette wonders if she could be akumatized from unrequited love. When he deakumatizes, Marinette decides that combined with their shared artistic talents and inspired by his passion, asks Nathaniel if he wants to go out sometime, to which he accepts. When Adrien tries to ask Marinette about her time with Chat Noir, she states that he was polite, but when she tells him the reason she's going on a date with Nathaniel, Adrien decides that he needs to be more passionate to win Ladybug's heart.

5. Lady Wifi--Alya doesn't really believe that Chloe is Ladybug, instead suspecting Nathalie (or surmising that she's Nathalie's daughter), but believes that Chloe may be the link to finding out who Ladybug is, given that Chloe upsets enough people that they become akumatized and want to find her, resulting in protection from Ladybug and Chat Noir. While stalking Chloe for any signs of akuma-inducing events, she gets caught and is still suspended. Chloe, once again threatened by another "Ladybug superfan," manipulates Alya into converting her curiosity of Ladybug into frustration, blaming her for getting suspended, making Alya want to expose her. Once akumatized, she goes after Chloe anyway, stating that she pretty much has the heroes on speedial at this point (as well as Lady WiFi's), and embarasses her and Sabrina dressing up as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Most of the episode plays out the same, though Chat Noir narrowly prevents Alya from finding out Ladybug's identity, telling her that Ladybug is someone who doesn't go to the school. Deciding to trust him, Alya decides to turn her attention away from school suspects, and Marinette vows to tell her someday. Everything else is the same.

6. Princess Fragrance--Marinette has to turn down a date with Nathaniel for Tikki instead of Adrien in this version. Sabrina reads Rose's note, stating that she has a crush of her own and wants to know how to tell them, then destroys it. Chloe doesn't try to flirt with Ali, being more interested in Adrien, but tries to steer Sabrina his way, reasoning that anyone she crushed on wouldn't be good enough for her (Chloe), and Ali was a good way to trade up. Nathaniel tries to reason with Princess Fragrance, saying that what she's doing was the wrong way to get someone to want to be with her, but she ignores him, saying that it worked out for him in the end. Due to Chat Noir's cat sensitivity when it comes to smell, he grows irritated by the fragrance rather than brainwashed by it, helping Ladybug defeat Princess Fragrance. Ali is rattled by Rose's akumatization, and she apologizes for trying to make him love her, and he says that they can just be friends for now.

7. Dark Cupid--Includes the flashback from "Derision," and any Adrien-related romance subplot is removed since Marinette is with Nathaniel. Kim tells Chloe that he's had a crush on her since their bonded over "pranking" Marinette, which inspires Chloe to have him prank Alya, still not over the events of "Lady WiFi." Chloe inquires about who Sabrina's crush is, but she states that Chloe wouldn't be able to guess. Kim becomes akumatized after Alya avoids his prank and Chloe rejects him, giving him a vendetta against Alya. Pretty much everything else is the same.

8. Pixelator--Luka is formally introduced, and it's shown that he and Juleka (who ARE twins) are Jagged Stone's children. Pixelator instead vows to use them to get revenge on Jagged Stone. The sunglasses subplot and the hat designing contest from "Mr. Pigeon" are conflated here, given that I'm not a fan of MP, with Marinette giving Jagged Stone a whole new look, which takes inspiration from Pixelator. Luka and Adrien bond as he distracts Chloe long enough to let him transform (which Luka sees). At the concert, Kitty Section makes their debut appearance, though the costumes are more professional and Rose and Ivan are not part of the group. It's also noted that Nathaniel was asked to do the concept art for Jagged Stone's next album.

9. The Bubbler--Nathaniel and Marinette team up to make a poster of Adrien and his friends (signed by all of them), along with Marinette's scarf. While Chloe forgets a gift for Adrien, Sabrina gives one to him from both of them. Nino and Chloe are permitted to go to Adrien's mansion, but after being rudely treated by Chloe and Adrien lashing out at him (following an upsetting conversation with Gabriel) and causing him to be akumatized. More emphasis is put on Adrien's few friends, especially since Nino is realizing how severe Adrien's situation is. Gabriel also doesn't take credit for the sweater, instead tailoring a custom outfit that happens to go with it. Elements of "Simon Says" also occur here to focus on Adrien and Gabriel's dynamic.

10. Rogercop--It plays out essentially the same, except giving more focus to Sabrina as she becomes angry with Chloe for trying to get her fired, though Chloe lies and claims the bracelet she was missing was one that Sabrina gave her and that it meant a lot to her. More hints to Sabrina's mystery crush is dropped, though not explicitly stated. Some of Roger's akumatization is also due to Alya being critical of the officers being unable to defend the city against akumatized villains, thus creating a more stressful environment that could lead to more akumatizations.

11. Gamer--Almost identical, though Chloe is the cause of Max's akumatization rather than Marinette, given that Marinette is with Nathaniel, and Nino reveals his crush on Alya, Luka is also revealed to be a good gamer, taking Chloe's place.

12. The Puppeteer--plays out the same.

13. Reflekta--plays out mostly the same, but puts more emphasis on Luka and Juleka's sibling relationship and hints at a romance between Juleka and Rose.

14. Antibug--It's revealed that Sabrina had a crush on Adrien as well, and Chloe angrily humiliates her in front of the whole school, as well as denouncing their friendship making her wish she was invisible. Most of this plays out the same, with possibly some references to self-harm, making Chloe regret her cruelty towards Sabrina, and Adrien secretly gives her a kiss on the cheek, telling her that he hopes she doesn't disappear (though stating that he didn't see her as anything more than a friend).

15. Kung Food--It's explained that Marinette knows conversational Mandarin, but Adrien helps her with any complexities, and more emphasis is put on her Chinese heritage and history rather than it being done so quickly. Chloe is genuinely ignorant of Asian cultures, something Adrien corrects her on and she implements, as she does personal insults, not broad, racially insensitive ones. Here, Nathaniel and Marinette share the soup with her uncle, with Nathaniel happy to learn more about his girlfriend's ancestors' culture. Everything else is the same.

16. Volpina--It's revealed that the fox miraculous Lila has is the real deal, albeit stolen, and she uses these powers to make her lies and disguises legitimate. Adrien also suspects his father of being a superhero fan and investigates the Miraculous book. Ladybug flies off the handle at Lila, this time for making unflattering lies about Ladybug. She also uses her powers to make it seem as though Adrien and Marinette have been dating behind Nathaniel's back, causing them to break up (as Marinette can't disprove Lila's illusion), resulting in them having to defeat the Illustrator as well. In the end, Lila despises Ladybug and Nathaniel despises Marinette. Lila also learns of Adrien's warning to Chloe in "Evillustrator," and since she hasn't adhered to it, makes an illusion of Adrien that severs his friendship with Chloe.

Lemme know what you thoughts! I may revise this before I do season 2.

[cyphyree]

Giorno 2, 3, 9,and 15

Hell yeah, the lil guy himself!

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

I love how the narrator states that Giorno's heart became a righteous one, but whatever that means is incredibly subjective. Sure, I like to think that he tries his best to do good, but we hardly get to really see what his goals really are. Can we trust that he actually wants to ban the drug trade aimed at vulnerable people, or did he say so because he's deduced that he could manipulate Bucciaratti that way? That's something I've seen being debated a lot, especially since the manga didn't have that anime scene where The Gangster is specifically against drug trading with children (therefore implying that Giorno adopted the same belief). He also just has no qualms about killing an enemy before he's met them properly (like Sale), because hey this is the mafia, they're going to kill you if you don't kill them first. Even in the enemy rush that's Stardust Crusaders, most enemies just have to get bonked hard enough to take a nap.

But listen, maybe it's because I'm biased or whatever, but even from a more objective lens, Giorno seems to care deeply even if he can't show it. I keep thinking specifically about the part where he talks to Bucciaratti in the car to Rome, and how distraught he seems. You can argue that his pride was hurt because GE failed and he was about to lose a strong ally, and I mean maybe that's part of it. But it's during the solitary and quiet moments that we see Giorno as himself a little bit more, and coincidentally those are my favourite canon moments of him.

He also just let cats walk all over him at the docks and doesn't bother to do anything about it. So there's that.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

We could've gotten a cool 1 v 1 battle between pre-GER Giorno and Daivolo, BUT WE DIDN'T and I'm so sad about it. His dad got to destroy half of Cairo with Jotaro, this just isn't fair. I want to see what a life-bringer vs time-skip fight looks like. Maybe Giorno's doing that to distract Diavolo while everyone else was chasing after Chariot Requiem, you know?

What if Diavolo thinks he can stand-rush Giorno's vine shield during the time skip, but when time resumed he gets pummeled via attack reflection.

What if Giorno distracted Diavolo with a giant tree growing, which Diavolo dodges via time skip, only to get skunk-sprayed in the face.

What if he slips on a banana that turns into a gun.

We were robbed of self-proclaimed time lord mafia boss getting decked by a 15-year-old flower boy in the most looney tune ways possible.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Eh......... I feel like that's more up to him. I'd probably be nervous because I don't like to bother people in general, but I think we'd mostly likely keep to ourselves most of the time anyway. Maybe share infodumps sometimes, I don't know.

It might just be a security concern if I keep bumping into enemy stand users and gang members though.

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

I don't have one, to be honest. I like the symbolic duality that he and Fugo has, but I've never felt super strongly about Giorno being attracted to anyone romantically.

I do think he has very deep bonds with his friends though. I just like the idea of him trying to maintain relationships with what's left of the team. It would be hard because of power imbalances, the journey's aftermath, and the consequences of Giorno's actions. Maybe he grows up never being close to anyone, platonically or otherwise. But there's still the possibility that, after years of ostracization and neglect, maybe he'll finally have a family.

[danpuff-ao3]

Snarry Recs: 2022 Fest Fics

So much good content comes out of fests, and I really do have so much love for the Snarry fests out there! Really doing the work to spread the Snarry agenda, and we have to love and respect it. Plus...how can a gal say no to more Snarry content?? She can't.

I chose 3 from each fest to keep it even and fair, and also to keep it from getting out of hand. But I do recommend checking out the other fics from each fest if you find yourself wanting more! So many excellent fics were posted this year! Please feel free to binge-read them all. (But start with my list because I have most excellent taste 😉) (Also because I really love these fics and need people to love them with me!!!! 😍)

Snarry Adopt-a-Prompt

Certain Dark Things

by LilaDiurne (@liladiurne.) Rated E. 50k. AU. Slytherin!Harry. 1st person POV. Pining. Seduction. Manipulation. Brief Harry/other. Gorgeous, gorgeous work.

In which Severus takes a trip to Italy, thinking he'll have a quiet time at the Malfoys' villa, but Harry has other plans.

Written for prompt #182: AU. Harry never lived with the Dursleys. He was adopted by the reformed Malfoys as an infant. He is secretly in love with his adopted father's best friend, Severus Snape.

Ghosts of Christmas

by PinaNaponi (@vulnerasanenturmyprince.) Rated E. 45k. Fluff & smut. Hurt/comfort. Found family. Mental health issues. Probably my favorite Nina fic. Really heartwarming and lovely but tinged with sadness and bits of angst.

Prompt #53: Harry visits a recuperating Severus at Spinner’s End at Christmas and ends up learning quite a lot from Eileen, who has been taking care of him.

A story about recovery, ghosts of the past and forgiveness.

Before the Police Were Told

by salazarinadress. Rated E. 24k. Muggle AU. Crime. Witness protection. Homophobia. Angst.

Severus is tired. He doesn’t want to work for Tom, and he doesn't want to be a Death Eater, either. The only thing he wants is for his decades-long ordeal to be over... so it’s just his luck that when the Aurora taskforce asks him to testify and put Tom away forever, it’s for the one crime he can never speak of. The crime that has haunted him for thirty five years.

A fic about Severus; the choices he made, and the ones he never had. About redemption, and deservedness. Also about kissin’.

Snarry-a-Thon

The Potter Phenomenon

by ines_iz. Rated E. 31k. Romance. Homophobia. Coming out. Idiots in love. Coworkers to lovers. Pining. Angst, with a happy ending.

When Harry Potter, queer star of the Wizarding World, returns to Hogwarts as the new Defence professor, Severus Snape is not happy. In fact, he is positively outraged. Not only does Severus have to endure the man's obnoxious behaviour (not to mention his ridiculous sense of fashion), but he also ends up being dragged into Potter's attention-seeking plans — and, ultimately, is forced to face a few demons of his own. Or: Harry Potter Goes Gay (and the entirety of Hogwarts Goes Gay with him)

A Trick of the Mind

by PinaNaponi. Rated E. 40k. UST. Pining. Legilimency. Enemies to lovers.

Ever since the horcrux in his head is gone, Legilimency comes easy to Harry. It’s nearly laughable how easy it is, considering how much he used to struggle with it back in his fifth year. But he reckons half of that had been Snape’s fault anyway. Who on earth would enjoy the nasty git invading their mind?

But as life as Harry has known it changes, Harry’s opinion on the matter changes with it ― rather drastically so if he’s being perfectly honest.

With Aloha

by silvereye5 (@silvereye5.) Rated E. 26k. Fluff. Hawaii. Fun!

Severus and Harry are booked on the same gay singles cruise.

Snarry AUctober Fest

Found

by avioleta (@avioleta.) Rated E. 16k. Postwar. Domestic fluff. Developing relationship. Naked swimming!!!! Sweet & sexy.

The night of the Battle of Hogwarts, Severus Snape disappears and is presumed dead. One day, however, Harry Potter finds him in Italy and...stays.

When Dreams Come True

by maraudersaffair (@maraudersaffair.) Rated E. 10k. Pining. Secret crush. Injury. Bondage. Light d/s. Hurt/comfort. Fun & sweet!

Harry is a world famous Quidditch star and Severus is his biggest fan (in secret). He is also desperate for Harry to dominate him.

The Boy

by themoonandstars1989. Rated E. 2k. Dead dove. Underage. Non-con. Somnophilia. Curses. Imprisonment. Dark Snape. Dark fairytale vibes. Bad dirty wrong!

The boy had grown beautiful — alabaster skin and dark red lips. Snow White personified, waiting for a prince's kiss to wake him up. 

Or was it Sleeping Beauty?

Severus paid no mind to his mum's ramblings. He did not waste his childhood on fairy tales and wishes.

Maybe he should have.

Secret Snarry Swap

Slipping

by BlueSundayCake (@bluesundaycake.) Rated E. 11k. Drug use. Murder. Minor character death. Trafficking. Morally gray Harry. Angst. Sad start, hopeful ending. Gritty and real and I loved it so much.

After Harry takes on a strange case, everything begins to fall apart. Nothing makes sense, and he only has one person he can trust. Unless—? In which Harry doesn't cope very well with life after the war and keeps slipping.

Spy Glass

by suitesamba (@suitesamba.) Rated E. 18k. Seeker Harry. Spy Severus. Voyeurism. Hilarity. (Genuinely, so so funny, oh my god, I love it so much.)

England wants to insure star Seeker Harry Potter and his fabulous broom. Enter Severus Snape, wizarding investigator extraordinaire, ready to calculate risk and assess value. Tailing Harry Potter turns out to be the job of his dreams, though he wishes it could be done without the disguise. A tale of a man’s obsession, another man’s obsession, and a heartwarming ending where everyone ultimately gets what they want – or what they need.

Friends of Dorothy

by Writcraft (@writcraft.) Rated E. 22k. Bi!Harry. Self-discovery. Fun OCs. Magical creatures. Really enjoyable and happy story.

When Harry Potter sees Severus Snape on a date with another wizard it sets him on a journey of self-discovery that leads to the Friends of Dorothy Detective Agency and a Niffler called Toto.

[bluebudgie]

So I have this long-standing tradition where, after I finish a video game, I sit down and listen to the soundtrack outside of the game's context.

It serves as a sort of "conclusion" to the experience and simultaneously helps me evaluate the game as a whole a little better... After all the soundtrack is often what sticks with us long after we're done actively playing a game. It preserves the memories we've made along the way.

That means: I have finally found the FF Sixteen OST online in its entirety and could finally follow through with this tradition. (Debatable how much it applies considering I didn't actually play the game myself, but it felt necessary.)

The final missing piece to the pissbaby gamer rage essay. Significantly less raging this time, though.

It's okay. I don't love it. There's worse.

I had very unfavourable opinions of the OST during the game itself which might have been due to the overall pacing issues, where large stretches were filled with the same hub music and then everything bombastic all happened at once and either side of the coin was exhausting in its own way.

I still can't believe there are over 200 songs in the OST when I could have sworn I heard like. Maybe 10 or so during gameplay. A lot of it is very same-y. A large part of the OST can be split into "loud choir explosion" or "sad piano". There isn't a whole lot in between. Good for people who like it, not so much for me.

Which means my biggest issue is the very subjective "I just don't like the style". It's not a bad soundtrack, but I'm just really not a fan of the direction the music took. The battle themes are over the top (fair for the equally over the top DBZ kaijū battles, annoying with 3 wolves that show up on the side of the road). The calmer songs don't really hit right for me. No chord progressions or melodies that hook me. Unfortunate. I did however appreciate the electronic influences in the music when the alien baddies were on screen. (in this fantasy game that is based on medieval reality and that's why people of colour cant exi-)

I have also since learned that there isn't one acoustic guitar song that plays for 20 hours straight. There are like 6 or so that all sound the same. I don't know if that makes it better or worse. I hate them all. (I don't hate acoustic guitars. It's these songs in particular.)

That said - I was curious about which ones are people's favourite tracks of the OST and went checking those out in particular. Consistently in people's tops was Ascension and I can't deny that one's been plagueing (semi-endearing) my memory a bunch the past days. Probably the theme that stuck out the most to me while watching the game. If not the entire theme, then at the very least That Violin Part. If you know, you know.

You know what. If you don't know, here:

(footage stolen from here)

Like damn. Good rhythm going on there with the off beats. Also fits the relevant character nicely in terms of mood. And I like that the battle phase before this one has a more low-key version of this song playing before it goes into this full ham version.

I just kinda wish more of the battle music had been a bit more... this. A bit more... subtle. Like yes it slaps hard but this song legitimately feels calm in comparison to the other battle tracks. This drives me nuts.

There's one other song I keep getting stuck in my head which is one that plays fairly close to the end (in the final... "dungeon" (cutscene? sequence? QTE battle?)). I figured out today that I don't actually really enjoy listening to the song on its own but I like it in-game in combination with the voice perfomance. There's an interesting dissonance in it that blends super nicely with the voice acting. (I'm being held hostage by the game's voice acting. It's unfortunately way too good. Voice actors are once again holding too much power over me.)

Other than that... I have one final criticism. The prelude theme. We must. Leave it. Alone. Enough. It's fine playing once as a gimmick somewhere in the game (I do genuinely like the menu (pause screen?) arrangement) but having it woven into what seems like every 5th song feels like someone is smacking a sign into your face that screams "YOU ARE PLAYING A FINAL FANTASY GAME." Seriously it's unbearable. (Also I did take notice of the FF1 overworld theme being rearranged into a battle theme for the final segment of the game. I don't know why, but fine. Not complaining about that one.)

Overall it's a solid "mh" from me. Not the worst OST we've had in the series (thirteen trilogy exis-COUGHAGFNJKN) but definitely on the lower end for me. Not of bad quality, but not my cup of tea at all. Dark Souls III OST executed the epic orchestra choirs better somehow. More interesting composition. Spaced out better throughout the game. Idk.

Welp. Back to getting haunted by voices and violins now o/

[arkus-rhapsode]

So... I kinda miss FE7's 10 chapter long tutorial was structured

So like many people I've had a chance to replay FE7 on Nintendo's NSO program. FE7 is still a great game, even with nostalgia goggles off. But something that is of course legend at this point in the FE fandom is the 10 chapter long tutorial.

This serves as Lyn's story and essentially a prologue to the rest of the game that stretches teaching you a lot of mechanics for 10 chapters. Now I experienced this once before so I was ready to grit my teeth and bare it. And the crazy thing is as I was playing it, I realized just how much this 10 chapter prologue made me care about the characters in a way the recent FE hadn't.

Now look, I like modern FE. This isn't me saying everything was better back in my day. But something about them that just isn't like the GBA era is that they introduce characters to you as clusters that you control off the bat. This is something that really started around with Fates, you'd be given a lord and then their two retainers. Maybe you'd have to assist them after some space was put between you on the map, but for the most part, you were handed a bunch of units that would train you to use multiple mechanics on a single map. FE3H was probably more extreme with this handing you an entire class of kids before you really even get a chance to know even the lord character.

But then when I played through FE Engage, the Yunaka chapter had genuinely shocked me. Engage up to that point had basically done the same thing Fates had done. Hand you a bunch of characters with different classes and test you with the map. But with Yunaka, the chapter was actually narratively structured in a way where she was the primary focus and showed who she was, then you got to the map which utilized her abilities. And by the end of it, I had felt like I really got a taste of her in a way I really hadn't with characters like Chloe, Louis, Celine etc.

From a meta standpoint, FE is a game with permadeath, so only the lord characters really have plot shields and arcs that are overarching that builds throughout the game. But since this is a strategy RPG with a bunch of characters, a lot of those characters really only have their introduction to make an impression on the player. Even now with the support system to flesh them out, an average non lord character will really only one chapter for recruitment. Now the obvious reason modern FE is giving you three new units a chapter is to teach you multiple mechanics. To avoid another 10 chapter long tutorial. But the thing is though, if three characters are all being introduced at the same time, namely the cutscene before and after a map, there's only so much characterization you can spread between them. I talked about Yunaka earlier, but her whole chapter genuinely felt like an exclusive highlight of her. Then I think about one of my other favorite characters from Engage, Lapis, and her intro is really nothing. Most of her intro chapter is about Alcryst and as far as I knew she was just his serious retainer. But then I actually grinned out her supports and found her to be one of the best characters in the game. And the sad thing is I almost didn't do it because I felt like I didn't really find her endearing in her intro.

This is basically the same problem I had with Fates and to a lesser extent 3H. But, to be fair, 3H was structured in a way that the emphasis was on socializing so even though I got a bunch of characters I knew nothing about, the game encouraged me to learn more through social activities with them.

But then I look at FE7, while yes the pacing of introducing mechanics is more stretched out, the chapters of FE7 genuinely feel like they endear me to the cast to point I want to know more about them. The levels are structured in such a way that the narrative portion pre battle its usually only focused on one character, but then there is also a recruitable character on the map who is in the middle of their own story. They feel like a natural inclusion while not detracting from the new character just introduced this chapter's time to shine. And like all FEs, a lot of these characters aren't really plot relevant going forward. I never have to use Dorcas ever again if I don't want to and it really changes nothing in the narrative. But when I play chapter four, I feel for Natalie and Dorcas's stories. I want to see more of them.

Now look, Im not saying I want to go back to the 10 chapter long padding of introducing mechanics, but I feel like with how FE is going with trying to hand you a bunch of units and then wanting you to learn more about them through their supports and not narrative chapters like the lord characters, I would like for those introduction chapters to maybe get more focused.

Instead of a lord and their retainers, maybe have a different dynamic? I think modern FE has had a bit too many characters recently who are just a lord and those they trust most. We can have an intro like Celine, Chloe, and Louis, but maybe structure the map more to be like an interactive episode than just a barrier between my party and getting the three new units. And if the recruitable units feel too much like a hassle, I feel like PoR and Awakening were probably the best middle ground. Slowly dripping in multiple characters a chapter while building that chapter to characterize them like the Maribelle and Ricken chapter.

Just one of those things where I understand was changed to make for gameplay convenience and even developer convenience. But with FE, I always want that balance of character and gameplay so these are more than just functions. I'd have been happy if I spent longer in like Firene if it was just to get me to know the characters more. Or play levels with a bit more of a difficulty curve if they were structured to play out in a less straightforward and more narrative way.

[thot-farm]

I finally finished birthright. I hated it, but I am a biased Xander dick rider 🤷‍♀️

I spent Elise's birthday getting her killed in birthright instead of making a shit post edit.

I just don't get how Ryoma stood still so many times. Like I get it, honorable samurai and all, fair fight between Xander and Corrin, but the strongest Nohrian soldier is beating his sister/brother with an ancient magic sword that is as tall as F!Corrin, and Ryoma is standing there staring while he let it happen. (Image creds u/MSGold)

Like, what?! If he, the fast samurai with a lightning katana, just jumped in and blocked the "final" blow from Xander that probably would have killed or at least greatly injured Corrin, 1) Elise would have lived and been able to do Elise things, 2) HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A JACKASS STANDING THERE WHILE HIS SIBLING WAS ABOUT TO DIE! I don't hate Ryoma in every other route, but holy fuck I hate Birthright Ryoma. In the cutscene for the fight against Garon, bro tried to negotiate with Garon, of all people, to let Azura go, then he gets hit by a fucking fireball. Like for fuck sake dude get it together!

Maybe this is all steaming from them making Xander seem unstoppably strong and then the Reddit propaganda that Ryoma is on the same level or stronger. I don't believe that anymore after playing Birthright. Ryoma sucked and sassy birthright Corrin sucks too. Azura slayed, literally, she was the last unit left alive on the final battle for me, she fucked up that overgrown salamander.

And why in the route about justice prevailing and peace did Corrin not just make the Nohrian siblings come with her? Puppy eyes for Camilla on her first appearance and she would probably come with. Elise did come with. Corrin could have just dragged Leo with her or dangled Camilla in front of him and he would have come, or Camilla would have forcibly dragged him. If Xander was pitted against all his loved ones trying to bring peace to the lands or picking King Garon, he would probably pick his siblings, even if it would take a battle of him "knocking" sense into his siblings, looking at his siblings beaten down yet not giving up the fight for peace, and not giving up on hope for him even against his blade would probably let the "real" Xander's feelings out instead of them being stifled by the loyal crown prince of Nohr.

But that didn't happen, instead, Corrin lives with the guilt of Elise dying in her place the blood of Xander's glorified suicide on her hands, and a worse elder brother imo. But at least Ryoma is hotter, right? (Screenshots taken from Hawlo's video.)

Also, I get that Xander would have dismissed Azura's crystal ball probably like he dismissed soothsaying. (Screenshots from Xander/Nyx supports justonegamer)

But in his death quote he admitted King Garon had changed, he knew, and everyone else knew and was telling him so. So maybe that crystal could have given him the final push he needed to break free of his shackles to King Garon. (Screenshots from pheonixmaster1 chapter 26.)

Why oh why of all people did they show it to Leo and not Xander? Leo quite literally just disappeared, killed Lago, then disappeared again then came back and now he was king of Nohr. All could have been avoided if Leo told Xander to stop huffing copium. (ETA om the crystal at the end.)

Xander's death hit me harder than any other death in the game, I knew it was coming so I was tearing up the chapters leading up to it and through his death speech. Ryoma's I teared up a bit. Takumi I didn't realize died so it never set it. Elise I didn't cry, I was frustrated. Azura's death in Birthright was sad, but I was still recovering from Xander's death, and all of Ryoma's yapping afterward just made me angry. Who else dies? A bunch of side characters and enemies? Characters I couldn't give less of a shit about since I don't remember?

I don't know why, but I feel like the salamander form and the goo form should have been swapped for the route but I don't know how they would do that story-wise. I found birthrights last battle much harder than I did Conquest, but I did totally over level all the royals on Conquest, but I still had a level 30 defense boon Corrin with a strength/defense backpack get fucking obliterated on Birthright along with all my other units, which included my over-leveled Xander and Siegbert. The only survivors at my 2nd to last turn were my over-leveled dark flier Leo from my conquest run and my dark flier Azura with 8 hp left, but they beat down that ugly salamander anyway! But I was playing very aggressively in endgame (I sent all my units in different directions and expected it to be an easy sweep like conquest endgame was for me.) (Edit: I played endgame right and it was an easy sweep, I don't know what I did the first time to make it so hard, it may have been the grief of Xander's death clouding my brain's capabilities.)

If they ever remake fates for the switch, they should make it so we as the player get more impactful choices, similar to 3 houses, but I feel like there are so many instances where the player could make a choice that gives you a different avenue to the end or multiple endings instead of the only decision beings what side you pick, and if you pick conquest kill shura for boots or let Azura's kidnapper join you, hooray.

And if they remake the game for the switch they should show Xander with his cheeks out in the hot springs 🤭

(ETA: I was playing Conquest and Azura says to access the power of the crystal at will they need a 'powerful mage like Leo' or a person with 'potent dragon blood like Corrin', so they did give an actual reason as to why the crystal was given to Leo in birthright but you only get that explanation in conquest (I don't believe Azura explains jackshit in birthright but I could be wrong). But this does not explain if Corrin or Leo were to use the crystal, would have Xander been able to see it in some way? All of this just makes me wish there was like a Telltale version of Fates, it would fit the whole 'what if' theme so well and I would eat it up, even more than I ate up warriors 1.)

[whenthechickencry]

Umineko EP5. Replay Part 3

The theme about Natsuhi and the One Winged Angel in her heart thing is always really heartbreaking to me.... no matter how much she yells it over and over the fact is her clothes not having it will always prove certainly that Kinzo did not care for her.

Oh, it took like 5 seconds for everyone to go from "Yeah we will be happy forever" to "lets kill each other over this".

It's not really fear that she's trying to convey here, but more "thought".... which uh doesn't work Battler doesn't think like that but she is trying.

Virgiia, noting Battler is getting closer, uses that as an opportunity to get him closer to the truth.

Man uh, Virgilia is not holding off with the red, damn. She also specified Battler is not the killer. She's helping Battler so much rn.

This last line made me very happy... I am glad he understands this now. I am so glad he realizes what he has done wrong. It makes Virgilia happy too so she confirms in red that the reason wasn't pleasure. This scene is very sweet in general, Battle does some more affirmation that he is going to understand her.

Shkannon showing up together so much in this chapter is very interesting, feel like a way of challenging even the people who already figured out the solution! With how much emphasis this episode places on to not stop thinking, I think that makes sense.

This scene's kind of sweet I will admit, still the fact the time when he does give her comfort and niceties is when it can be used to override her judgement is.... offering to take the blame for her is good, though, and does show that he is aware to some extent he is the main one at fault for all of this.

It's not hard to side with Natsuhi in this scene considering she's clearly being tortured, but while this Sayo is maybe a little more hung up on this than the usual Sayo.... fuck I can't imagine how much that revelation must have hurt. Seeing a person who literally threw you off a cliff play the nice mother to someone else while you get yelled at and ordered around every day. Obviously, Natsuhi isn't exclusively to blame here. The pressure Kinzo, Eva, etc put in her and patriarchal society in general making her feel worthless for not being able to give birth contributes to all of this and it's not fair to scapegoat all sin into Natsuhi.

It's obviously not her fault., but it's easy to say that than it is for her to feel that where you are in that position, with no doubt Eva, Kinzo and probably even Krauss harping her about it. Natsuhi always pushes the blame from the men in her life into herself, it's quite sad to think of how many people are like this in real life too.....

It's not hard to see why Natsuhi feels unwilling to take this child. She had no choice whatsoever in this. Not only that but the same man who is forcing that on her is insulting her, calling her barren and defective. I don't think anyone would be happy with that situation. Add on Natsuhi's internalized misogyny making her think this is all her fault for her infertility....

The fact Beatrice, not Natsuhi, is the one pointing all of this is so heartbreaking, too.... it shows Natsuhi thinks her, herself, thinking this is bad. That it's proper for her to blame herself. Deep down she knows this is all unfair and not her fault but can't admit that.

I am quite queasy about body self-hatred and this causes that a lot of Umineko is hard to read due to this. It makes me very sad to see scenes like this and Sayo's scenes.

The way Beatrice's face changes when the subject goes to this hurts me; the way Natsuhi did not allow herself to blame the people that actually caused this (Kinzo mainly) because that would be improper... so she forces that hatred to acceptable targets, herself and the person she had power over.

The demon being Natsuhi herself; but the same way it isn't productive to demonize Sayo it is not productive to demonize Natsuhi.

Kinzo's mind is melting right now, more than it usually is I mean. The fact they died roughly the same way probably didn't help his brain. And his fucked up controlling brain is shown. Also: the description about no one knowing of the baby because Rosa and Krauss weren't around is interesting.... the lack of people let the catbox in Rokkenjima be created for the first time.

Forgetting a sin is creating another sin.

Throw yourself off a cliff is interesting wording here.... but anyways this scene introduced Erika as a person in the meta too.

B-bernkastel your girlfriend has been dropping a million different hints about Beatrice's backstory in this game.

The lack of Battler actually describing the scene until other people get there is is interesting, I mean he isn't the detective so he could have just pretended to see whatever lol. But the fact they just kind of zoom over that is interesting and should raise suspicions, anyway.

It is interesting how much Erika makes it obvious the boards in the game are fictional, from her being the designated detective to having detective powers, etc. From her introduction, she's certainly a person who is fictional and was never in Rokkenjima.

Uh oh, you got owned by the fact you don't want to look into their throats Erika, damn.

Even though the cousin murder is fake bc they were doing the epic prank on Natsuhi to force her to confess, I imagine they are in fact holding a gun to Krauss's head right now, I don't think Krauss would agree to it without some very strong coercion.

The fact Kyrie brings this up is interesting? They didn't even get Beato's letters this time to hint at this. So it's very weird for someone to jump at this immediately.... unless they were following some script, of course.

Bernkastel hits it immediately, though the fact they were killed later does make that something Lambda could wiggle out of, too. Her other theories are Krauss culprit theory and fake corpses which are very wrong. The issue with making so many theories is it's even hard to know what you were wrong about when they get refuted.

Gohda keeps fucking things up for Natsuhi, it's kind of funny. He's bribed with everyone else, of course, but I think he might just really be fucking up unintentionally lol. Kumasawa is acting pretty badly too, With Sayo in this fragment seemingly wanting to reveal Natsuhi's ruse in order to get back at her, they are struggling with dual loyalty here lol.

Hideyoshi like, if we do this dumb discussion right now Natsuhi's gonna figure out the farce, everyone! Before this Erika gets owned on mystery novel knowledge and Bernkastel starts separating herself from Erika. The way Erika and Bernkastel's relationship slowly deteriorates in this chapter is kind of sad. It's really obvious Erika is just kind of roleplaying being the main character for someone who will drop her for any failure, no matter how smal.

Natsuhi is not good at hiding her nervousness, also the fact Erika seems to earnestly believe Natsuhi culprit theory is kind of funny... you go be really wrong, girl!

The fact Battler is clearly going against the plan to some extent is kind of interesting, I think it would be kind of hard to get him to agree to torture Natsuhi so it's more complicated than that. With the fact he knows about Sayo to some extent here, you can probably give him a lot of possible motives - though I guess the easiest one is he wants to get Natsuhi to confess to lying but isn't interested in the whole act everyone else has of making her prostrate herself.

Dlanor is so cool... anyways Beatrice being on the defensive side with the blue is obviously an interesting role reversal. We know Natsuhi is lying and is the culprit of lying about Kinzo but the game is still asking us to sympathize with her and to see heartless efforts to destroy and expose her as bad. Training us for the next couple episodes, a bit.

[marvelsuperfangirl]

The King and her Queen

Valkyrie (Brunnhilde) x Fem!Reader

Summary : After the disappearance of half of humanity, who wouldn’t hit rock bottom of despair. Y/N has seen most of her loved ones dissolve into nothingness and doesn’t know what to do with her life. Until the unrealistic hope of getting a god’s help came to her mind. But when even that seems to be impossible, destiny plays its little game to introduce her to the one woman that can put her back on her feet : The King of Asgard.

Since her prime childhood, Y/N has always dreamed of living her own adventure. Being able to jump in the air and launch herself at the enemy to give them the fatal blow, at the same occasion saving her people and bringing the peace back. Or riding a magical creature. Or mastering mystical powers. And if she could’ve done that while wearing a super cool and ancient-looking armor or outfit, that would be even better.

Those were the dreams lighting up her daily existence; which had not much resemblance to what she hoped it’d be.

Then; came the eclipse. She was one of the rare members of her family to remain. And five years is sure a long time. Especially when spending many of the first months crying everyday and hoping it was just a bad dream until everything went back to its original state. However after 7 months, earth was still missing half of its population, there wasn’t anybody that seemed to be able to resolve the problem and among the lasting humans, thing were starting to go south.

Sadness and anger led to violence and crime, people found death in riot, in “survival clans” battle or simply were so desperate that they killed themselves.

Y/N remembered how she thought of the great Avengers and all the other superheroes…Realizing that they were humans, just like the rest of humanity, and despite being gifted extraordinary abilities.

And that’s when she remembered that one of them was a literal god.

Thor!

After quick researches on how to find him, and learning the existence of “New Asgard”, she was purchasing plane and bus ticket for the Norwegian coast.

But how disappointed was she to see what he had become, not even so long after the snap, the god wasn’t looking much like one. His hair had grown out to a vaguely shaped bob, the strands sticking to each other with was seemed to be dirt, his stomach had also grown, leaving the abs far behind, in trade for a chubby belly. Even looking past his appearance, there was nothing left of the Asguardian warrior who battled against an army of aliens for the sake of humanity.

Yeah, Thor was now a regular man, who spent his days lounging in his dirty couch, among chips’s crumbs, drinking beer and playing video games with his non-humans friends.

Now, spending thousands of dollars on a whim for a trip to find your supposed savior seemed to be ridiculous. New Asgard seemed to be the perfect place for a self-reflect, sitting on a lonely bench on the side of the hill, facing the wild ocean and letting the strong wind push your hair around as well as your messy thoughts.

The sound of footsteps reached her through the wind.

Y/N turned to the side, seeing a silhouette coming at running speed toward her before refocusing on the horizon.

The noise got closer and closer until the jogger passed behind you, getting away, their echo fainting away. But after a few seconds, the footsteps were back, then stopped. The young woman turned her head for the second time, eyes falling on a feminine figure.

Despite knowing this was probably one of the most disrespectful thing to do, she took her time to look at the newcomer up and down.

Firstly, the woman had long dark braided hair, assemble in a messy bun to free her face from any strands. Her skin was brown, of a fair tone, eyes were also brown but of a darker shade, she had plump lips, the one you can see on models in the magazines. Her face was gorgeous, but along wandering down her body, Y/N noticed how her whole self was.

Under the light tank top she had, showing off a sport bras on the side openings, her musculature was visibly well entertained. Her arms were showing defined muscles, let Y/N assume that she had enough strength to break one’s jaw with only one blow. The rest of her body had an overall well-built shape, especially her muscle-thick thighs who were wrapped in the elastic fabric of her sport legging.

Yeah…that woman was a sight for sore eyes, a real woman of power.

A fake cough pulled her out of her train of simping thoughts, bringing her attention to her interlocutor’s face level, displaying a suspicious expression.

I said, are you knew? I’ve never seen you around before” the woman asked, making Y/N blink herself back to the surface.

“Ugh…Yes, I’m just here to visit”

At her words, the stranger’s face changed into a grin and she walked around the bench to sit beside Y/N. Her arms went to rest on the back, hand almost touching the young woman’s back.

“ Sorry, the world’s not at its best now, can’t be to careful with stranger.”

She offered her hand to shake.

“I’m Brunnhilde, I live there, trying to maintain a tiny bit of order in this small town”

Y/N looked at her hand for a few instants, somehow not accustomed to human interactions since the snap, but grasped it in her own, shaking it lightly.  

“Y/N”

Brunnhilde retrieved her hand.

“So, what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” she asked.

Y/n opened her mouth to answer, before re-closing it, an open smile pulling at her mouth while she looked at the landscape, trying to avoid Brunnhilde’s gaze.

“This is so ridiculous, you’re going to laugh”

She shrugged, lightlty hitting Y/N’s shoulder with the hand that rested on the back of the bench.

“I love a good laugh, come on”

Y/N rolled her eyes, before sighing

“ I wanted to meet Thor and try to save us all from this mess. He’s a god after all and I thought he could do something, but... After what I’ve seen today, I have serious doubt.”

She laughed.

“How could I thought I would be the one making a difference, I’m just a desperate nobody. And Thor is now…just like any humans on this goddamned planet:  powerless.”

Silence fell over the two of them, except for the sound of the waves and still raging wind.

Y/N glanced at Brunnhilde.

“Sorry for ruining the mood. I just…this is the only mood I’ve known since half of humanity disappeared.”

She hummed in response

“I get it.”

She sat up, resting her elbows on her knees, taking her turn to look over at the horizon in a pose that could only be qualified as dramatic.

“I am an Asgardian, and a former Valkyrie. I’ve seen my fellow female warriors fall on the battle field. Then, after years on a trash planet, I thought I found my home again but that giant purple ass decided to kill half of the Asgardian on his quest to infinite power and here we are…

Y/N swallow thickly at the sight of the woman’s intertwined hands tightening around each othe in what seemed to be a mix of anger and sadness.

“And as if it wasn’t enough, I have to watch the king of Asgard lose himself, while not being able to do anything about it”

Again, silence overtook the couple like a prison, one filled with negative feeling that made it hard to breath.

“This is not a competition, but you definitely won first place in personal life drama”

The former Valkyrie whipped her head to look at Y/N, who despite the situation had a small ironic smile playing on her lips.

And after a few second of looking incredulously at the sarcastic girl, Brunnhilde, couldn’t hold it either and from a discreet smile, broke into a chuckle.

“Yay! Will I get some more drama on top or did I hit rock bottom? Because I don’t think the overall situation can get any worse”

“I don’t think so either”

“Listen, I’ve been through this already and at the time, I lost hope. Until a certain optimistic and stupid prince helped me escape the prison I locked myself in for years. So try not to lose hope and if you do, try not to lose yourself. That’s the only advice I can give you”.

Y/N looked down, feeling stupid but also kind of re-boosted.

“I just feel useless. As a young adult, I can barely take care of myself, I don’t have a job, and now my family has disappeared and I don’t know what to do”.

If Y/N had been brave enough, she would’ve asked Brunnhilde for help. Maybe to tell her what to do. Or even asked her if she could stay in New Asgard but there was a tug at the guts that prevented her from doing so.

Brunnhilde sat up and stood  in front of Y/N.

“This is your chance. You can either let yourself sink under all this or ride the wave. Think about what you want to tell your loved ones about the live you’ve been living during the time they were missing when they’ll come back and also what kind of world you want them to come back to.

 “That’s a really philosophical advice”

She extended her arms, laughing.

“Hey, what can I do?  I’m not good at this but it’ll pain me to see another person drown in sorrow”

She, then, made a move to walk away but stopped herself, turning back around to the still sitting and confused young woman.

“You should come back after things go back to normal and show me what you became”

“And if things don’t go back to how it was?”

She grinned.

“They will. I’m sure of it, don’t know how or when, but they will. Good luck”

And on that, the Valkyrie took off, leaving Y/N to watch her silhouette disappear in the distance. The latter waited a few moments replaying the scene in her mind before she took her turn to stand up and walk in the opposite direction.

If she wanted to go forward, she first needed to leave this town, put some order into her life and set her new goal into action. Because the next time she’ll step in New Asgard, she’d be a Valkyrie.

[girlucifer]

nightbringer initial thoughts

i know no one gives a SHIT about hashtag girlucifer's thoughts or anything also this blog has been mostly dead at least from my own original content for a while. my life majorly sucks at the moment but also i'm super cool about everything. ANYWAY so here's my updated mc in the new game

*of note, i lost some weight hehe i'm growing out my hair and i'm utilizing this like... coconut butter thing which brings out like these natural funky waves which is really cute on me with my longer hair! and also i've been vibing with this black turtleneck so there's that. okay to my thoughts now

DISCLAIMER: i'm only up to lesson 4 so leave me alone if my ideas show up later in the season, i'll get to lesson 10 hopefully by tomorrow but we will see

i really think solmare needs to hire me ASAP. as if i don't have enough stuff going on. anyway so the way the story is going, i am fearful of a repeat of the original obey me! app where it's basically regaining our pacts with the brothers + maybe some lore sprinkled in to keep us from ditching the app entirely. yes, while it's great to see some scenes where mammon admits he feels worthless and just goes along for the ride (eg, the great celestial war) because he's afraid of being alone, or satan's rage, or even the quirky stuff like leviathan's origin story with ruri-chan + "snake" - like it's cute and fun but i really honestly came to nightbringer hoping for the ANGST. these brothers are POST-CELESTIAL-WAR. like not even post. like it happened like A FEW HOURS into lesson 1. i need you to understand that the great celestial war wasn't just something that happened. it wasn't just a thing lucifer & his brothers decided to do in the spur of the moment. that shit was PREMEDIATED. it took a number of catalysts, last one being lilith in love with a human, to ignite the war. they fell from celestial status to DEMONS. the very thing they were born, taught, fueled to hate. IT CANNOT BE THAT SIMPLE for them to just be like ok wig let's move past it. maybe i'm projecting. but i want them to GRIEVE. i want them to be ANGRY. to be fair, we did get the mammon + leviathan fight scene, which was AWESOME. that's what i want to see! we get to see satan TRULY ANGRY. which is also good! versus y'know, nerd bitch catboy. asmodeus beelzebub and belphegor unfortunately are not very well-rounded and seem the same. instead, the writers really should've taken asmodeus weird tendencies to become flirtatious, like it should be jarring to him. he should be terrified as to why he's all of a sudden so enamored with the demons around him. why he feels drawn towards physical affection, something deemed sinful and naughty in the celestial realm. beelzebub should've been ... well idk. belphegor had a lot of potential because he was the one so intent on destroying humans after he lost his SISTER that lucifer and belphegor should've had their falling out right then and there for MC to truly see how broken their family was right after their fall.

i think we all came to the consensus that the 3D models are wack. i really wish they used the anime style or chibi 2D style or something. i love that kind of shit, the 3D looks like just some rwby weird shit going on. but i'm a hater. so idk. i hate tiktok and whatnot so i'm kind of like ummm

the battles take so much longer and i'm so sad i have to start from essentially nothing again for cards. i worked for nearly over a year to get the strongest cards for each color, both for demon and memory. so to do it all again... not fun and i probably will give up just because i'm soooo tired.

i think lucifer is a bitch dude i need him to stop being such a fucking bitchhhh i'm already on the edgeeee i need love and romance and whatnot

i wish . i could see baby luke... and i really hope when simeon shows up, he's going to be like bitchhh fuck lifeeee like i need him to curse and scream and be a menace and evil and stuff. i think it would be fun. especially since we lost out on fallen simeon. fuck my baka life

i will always hate how the devs don't give a shit about basic common sense in regards to the timeline. if the great celestial war happened like, at least SOMEWHAT according to the motherfucking BIBLE . then humans were like not a thing when they fall. or if you want to be lenient, it would've bene ancient times for the humans. aka no phones, no manga or anime, no "otaku" phrase since NO JAPAN. well i'm not that great with ancient society, maybe there was japan. but yeah, basically with the DDD and diavolo's society being so advanced, it makes it that the only logical answer to convince myself from blowing up is that a demon is responsible for human's developments in society. but that's lame as fuck :sob: i want humans to be like. resilient and the ones who taught the demons because i'm a bitch and love humanity and wish to see the inherent good in everyone please oh god please

anyway yeah i'm a bitch and insane and like i honestly have been going through it guys i am not going to lie i had a fun little whirlwind romance and it's over now and i'm trying to convince myself it was fun while it lasted but i miss him so much so like, with nightbringer i'm like wow can this really distract me from the unrelenting sadness his face brings lol anyway yeah enjoy my ramblings but i know my blog is dead but maybe it'll be revived with this app <- says this but will disappear for another 6 months