#(the risk behavior is driving. btw)

[dont-open-dead-inside-net]

absolutely insane that there's an age where you're allowed to risk the lives of yourself and everyone around you but can't watch a movie that says fuck more than once without mommy and daddy's permission

[theambitiouswoman]

BTW, You’re not using logic to make your decisions, you’re using it to justify them

Most people believe they make decisions based on logic but in reality, decisions are primarily emotional & we use logic after the fact to justify them. It’s the illusion of rational thinking.

We like to think we analyze all options, weigh the pros & cons & make a reasonable smart choice. But studies in behavioral psychology & neuroscience show that emotions drive most decisions—even when we believe we’re being logical.

Why do people impulse buy but later explain it as a “smart purchase”?

Why do we stay in relationships that aren’t working and justify them with “history” or “potential”?

Why do we take risks & then find logical reasons to support them after the fact?

Because our brains decide emotionally first, then seek logical reasoning to make that decision feel justified.

The limbic system, which controls emotions, makes a decision before the rational brain (prefrontal cortex) can even process it.

You feel an emotional pull toward a product & then convince yourself it’s “a good deal” or “a necessity.”

You justify staying with someone based on time invested, even if you’re unhappy.

You pick a job based on how it makes you feel (excited, secure, proud), then use logic to justify why it was “the best move.”

So learn how to use this to your advantage. Instead of pretending logic runs the show, start recognizing your emotional bias & use it wisely by acknowledging emotions first instead of justifying. Once you do, use logic to enhance it.

I can’t express enough that we really need to start being honest with ourselves & accept reality first in order to achieve a desired outcome.

Hate to break it to everyone, but if you find yourself justifying a decision too much, it’s likely emotion based.

Don’t let people tell you they’re being logical in an emotional decision—they’re just operating out of fear, desire, or attachment & using logic to justify it. Not your problem to try to convince them either FYI. We have to accept what people show us and who they are without trying to manage or change the situation. Which ironically, is what the other person is doing because when we try to manage others decisions, it’s also fear etc. What an ugly little cycle.

You’re not a robot (obviously) & that’s a good thing. Emotions are important. But instead of pretending to be purely logical, recognize that emotion guides your decisions—logic just makes them sound smarter.

[pootimedes]

YAPPING ABOUT SCULK WOOOOO

i have this weird obsession with the deep dark. every time i start a new world, it calls out to me, like it's where i belong.

it all started back in early-ish 2023, when the animator for dan bull's "quiet, please" (warden rap) created a sculk themed smp to go along with the song. sculk could spawn anywhere, and spread on its own. based on the strength of the players on the server, mobs would have special abilities, and at a certain level, wardens could spawn at night like any other monster.

there was this roleplay that went on, about someone finding a "sculk soup", and taking it to their lab (or smth along those lines, i wasn't invited i just read the chat) and someone ended up drinking it, who we'll call 'drey' (he was the host's younger brother btw)

he ended up getting sone sort of infection that turned him into a sort of mini-warden (more on that later), with a strong drive to protect the sculk. his first words upon being fully overcome by the infection?

"want some soup?"

there were no takers. but can you guess who came barreling to the plaza for some sculky suspicious stew? me :3

turns out it had lasting effects that stuck even after the smp closed down.

anyway, i just thought it would be funny to be the only taker. i took the soup, and then let the spores eat my brain. after my magical girl transformation, me and drey reviled in our newfound power, and then drey went on to recruit other members of the smp to the way of the sculk. this is where the racism arc began.

everyone was fighting while my dumbass just sat in my house writing in my stupid girly diary with a fuzzy pen about my violent hallucinations and the hot wardens in my area. i can't remember all the details, but after a lot of fighting, a truce was called.

fast forward a month or so later, i start a sculk cult of my own, with a mini ancient city built by me. i ended up writing a whole biological analysis on the sculk creatures, which was unfortunately lost when the server was closed down, but i still have a good general idea of what it talked about.

That being said,

SCULK BIOLOGY

Sculk is a parasitic, mold-like fungus, generally found in deep caves, emitting a blue fluorescent glow. While beautiful from a distance, close contact without proper protection can pose serious risk. While most fungi are decomposers, sculk tends to go for living prey in order to spread, often favoring humans as its primary means of reproduction. It can enter a human host's body via inhalation, injestion, through an uncovered wound, or even enlongated physical contact, where it will begin the process to take over the host's body and mind.

STAGE 1. The host will start to notice symptoms such as itching, numbness, or chest and stomach pain, depending on how the sculk made its way into the host. These symptoms will start to start to devolve into those reminiscent of a flu, including, but not limited to;

-High fever

-Nausea and vomiting

-Sore throat and consistent coughing

-Dry, flaking skin and/or rashes

STAGE 2. Depending on where the sculk started in the body, the sculk will start to feed off of the corresponding areas. The host might notice unusual weight loss, and if they're experiencing rashes, a blueish discharge seeping out of them.

STAGE 3. Sculk starts to spread in patches on the host's skin. This stage is extremely painful, as at this point, the sculk starts to directly attack the host's nervous system, causing significant damage in order to numb the host.

STAGE 4. The sculk starts to take hold of the brain. It starts by forcing it to release mass amounts of dopamine to distract the host. At this point, the host's sense of touch is gone, unable to feel pain, as the sculk has near fully consumed their body.

STAGE 5. The host starts to experience severe memory loss, and begins to exhibit unusual behavior, such as extreme paranoia and heightened aggression. They start to feel the overwhelming need to wander into a cave, and return to the sculk, believing it's the only way they will be at peace. They will find a patch of sculk, lie down in it, and allow it to consume what remains of their body, and to absorb their soul.

The sculk surrounding the area the host dies in will condense into a catalyst, allowing sculk to further spread. Their soul will be stored in a nearby sculk shrieker, where it lay dormant for up to hundreds of years. As the soul rests, it grows stronger with time. And when the time comes, the soul will be granted a new physical form once the shrieker is disturbed by an outside force, causing the reborn creature of sculk to rise from the earth, known as 'sculklins'. These creatures are covered head to toe in sculk, dawning blue fluorescent antler-like tendrils on either side of their head, commonly having exposed bones on their arms and legs, and are completely blind. But their most notable features is the gaping chest cavity, with exposed ribs, and a glowing blue soul. This soul, along with the sculklin themselves, can vary in size depending on the amount of time their soul remained dormant, larger souls having been dormant for longer periods of time.

(im tired i might keep edit this or yapping later idk)

[dnalt-d2]

ALRIGHT-Y I'M BACK HOME AND READY TO TALK ABOUT TODAY

(And more posts later about some other observations and predictions because this is gonna be FUUUUUUN)

So yeah we've got a corrupted Forever forcing the Eggs to build a Nether-like cave for him for some reason (Possibly to test if they'd be willing to listen to him at all?) Then proceeded to instruct them not to tell their parents

And thankfully Tallulah quickly disregarded that and told Phil, who immediately put two and two together that something was wrong with Forever (The trust this man has in his friend is incredible and immeasurable btw just wanna say that)

We had Ramon pulling some older sibling behavior, doing his best to protect the other Eggs, and Richas later telling BBH that he's gonna try to do the heavy-lifting to help Forever, even if he has to put himself at risk (Which Bad thankfully responded with "NO DON'T DO THAT ARE YOU CRAZY???")

Also like a lot of people said, it is CRAZY IMPRESSIVE how quickly Phil and Tubbo managed to put together that something was up, with Tubbo practically deducing it from the fact that Forever didn't respond to his messages. Crazy intuitive and 100% correct, these two are certainly the MVPs of this part

So yeah things are about to get CRAZY-crazy, and I've got a few more things to say about it. That's probably gonna happen really soon after this because I was driving around for 6 hours straight and had a lot of time to ruminate on this nonsense and I need to scream it into the void known as the QSMP Tag

Good luck with that, everyone else!

I have painful predictions for this :)

[meowzfordayz]

traffic — motorcycle

Author’s Note: inspired by my childhood in Hanoi (Vietnam) and @maaarshieee​ !!

traffic — motorcycle

Iguro Obanai x Reader, Kocho Shinobu x Reader, Uzui Tengen x Reader

Word Count: ~1,500

CW: dark humor, explicit language, mild sexual content

traffic — car

~faqs~

From my traffic — car hcs…

“‼️ Pls and ty read these hcs w/ a grain of salt and lots of humor ‼️

If you drive, then there’s a high likelihood that you might do some of the following driving behaviors/pet peeves mentioned

Myself included in that likelihood lmao 😬 (not including myself this time around bc Idk how to drive a motorcycle lol, altho I hope to ~eventually learn !!)

These hcs are just a personal indulgence into how I believe various Hashira would approach/react to traffic 😇”

… but this time ✨motorcycle style✨

P.S. For all you motorcycle snobs out there (I mean that as lovingly as possible btw — my partner is one of those motorcycle snobs lol 😎): I know you ride a motorcycle, but for the sake of distinguishing between the driver and any passengers, I’ll be using the verb DRIVE

P.P.S. Apparently you ride a motorcycle bc you go w/ the motorcycle’s flow — whereas you drive a car bc the car follows your commands 

#apparently

Writing Obanai purely for the imagery of him having a lil front basket for Kaburamaru 🐍

—Having been adopted from/grown up in Hanoi (2nd-4th grade), I can assure you a snake on a motorcycle would not be particularly weird

—Much easier to transport a snake than 6 ft tall stacks of paper towel bundles

—Or an entire kumquat tree

—Or a dog just sitting on a passenger’s lap smooshed between them and the driver

Dw tho, he doesn’t literally stick Kaburmaru directly into the motorcycle’s basket !! Poor snake could go flying 😂

He’s got another basket, perhaps woven, definitely padded, in which Kaburamaru chills, and then that basket goes into the motorcycle’s basket

But strong winds aren’t really an issue anyway when Obanai’s stuck in traffic

Motorcycles can totally be nifty, sneaky lil vehicles, weaving between cars and whatnot

Except Obanai’s disciplined and doesn’t wanna take any risks w/ Kaburmura, and/or you, as his passengers !!

So he sticks to the rules of the road—As motorcyclists should he firmly believes—regardless of how tired his legs get

Bc yanno, motorcycles can lowkey suck in traffic (if you’re unwilling to utilize their “full potential”)

You can’t exactly rest or balance as one might in a car — it’s similar to a bicycle in that regard

—Idk if this is an unpopular opinion, but ppl who try to balance on their bicycles w/o putting their feet down at red lights are fucking extra 😐

—It’s one thing if you’re doing it as a fun challenge; another if you genuinely think it’s “helpful”

—Bruh ?? It takes significantly less effort to just put your feet down

—”bUt I’m KeEpInG mY mOmEnTuM gOiNg”

—Your momentum isn’t going

—You’re just wobbling around looking like an idiot

Obanai doesn’t have a fancy, dense motorcycle, so having to stand and support its weight in traffic isn’t too tedious

But you still feel badly about it

“Thank you, Obanai,” you say for the umpteenth time, squeezing his waist apologetically

He grunts, “Don’t worry about me, [y/n]. This is light work.”

You snort softly, eyeing the relentless traffic ahead through the clear shield of your helmet, “You could always-”

“No,” he cuts you off gently, “I’m not risking yours or Kaburamaru’s safety. It’s okay, [y/n]. I’m okay. I’m a motorcyclist, not a pedestrian or bicyclist, and I intend to drive as one.”

Sometimes you wish he’d loosen up, especially on occasions when the traffic’s so bad that walking might’ve been faster (walking orrr a lil line splitting action… 🙃)

But you ultimately respect and appreciate where he’s coming from

He’s seen enough cocky motorcyclists whizzing past him only to get pulled over, in fender bender accidents, or worse

Besides…

The heavier the traffic, the longer he gets to feel the warmth of your chest sweet against his back

Your elbows tucked snugly above his hips

Knees pressed comfortably into his thighs

Are there easier ways to “cuddle” ??

Yeah, duh, obvi 🤪

But Obanai’s greedy for all of the ways pls and ty 🥺

If Shinobu’s a menace driving a car in traffic, then she’s an absolute disaster driving a motorcycle in traffic

Disaster as in, she’s a lane-splitting-unexpected-swerving-rubber-burning queen

—Obvi irl pls don’t be a monarch of dangerous driving

—In a car, on a motorcycle, or otherwise 😶

Not to mention, she’s tiny

Just as nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

Nobody expects a 4’11” woman to zoom past them in the middle of rush hr on a motorcycle

“What’s the point in driving a motorcycle as anything besides a motorcycle?” she pouts as you scold her for her most recent terrorization of downtown

“The point,” you pinch the bridge of your nose, “Is to not die.” “The point,” she grins cheekily, “Is to get from A to B faster than everyone else!”

UGH

“How do you not have a bajillion driving violations? Tickets? Is your license even legal?” She claps gleefully, “I wear a helmet!”

You sigh, bc, well, she does wear more than adequate gear

“Shinobu,” she hums in acknowledgement, “Aren’t you the one who told me everyone at the hospital calls motorcyclists donorcyclists?”

“Oh absolutely! 😃 I’m no exception. 😃 Dr. Donorcycle at your service. 😃”

UGH x 2

“[y/n], dear,” you’re skeptical of the singsong tone of her voice, “If you joined me… just once…”

“No.”

“But-”

“No. I’m not getting on a death trap controlled by another death trap.”

 Shinobu huffs, bc she knows you could fall in love w/ riding on a motorcycle — her, motorcycle

The sleek exhilaration, bursts of acceleration at every green light

The coziness of a sun warmed leather seat (Shinobu only drives her motorcycle in the summer), intimacy of your body clinging to hers

The pure badass factor, knowing everyone’s sneaking appreciative, envious glances at your terrifyingly incredible partner 

But could and can aren’t quite the same thing

And if she can’t even get you on her motorcycle, then you can’t fall in love w/ it ☹️

You did offer a compromise the first time she made the suggestion

“If you swear to drive normally, then I’ll go on a ride with you.”

Which, she immediately rejected 🤗

What’s the point in driving a motorcycle as anything besides a motorcycle?

PLUS, what if you got stuck in traffic?

Then there’d be no way, none in the slightest, none at all, that she’d be able to honor your compromise

Motorcycles were created to be traffic’s loophole !!!!!

In case it isn’t crystal clear by now: Shinobu is proud and unashamed of her motorcycle driving ~style

Where’s the fun in bringing you along if she has to drive like Obanai by the rulebook?

Then you wouldn’t be riding w/ Shinobu — you’d just be riding w/ Obanai

Someday she’ll convince bribe threaten lie steal you to ride w/ her

Maybe

Prob not

😞

So I didn’t write hcs for Tengen in traffic — car, but dAMN THIS FINE MF 😭

Him on a motorcycle

Puhleeease 😍

Him on multiple motorcycles, bc he def owns at least two

A cruiser and a sports bike

…

…

Alternatively, him on a classic moped scooter (bc tbh most “motorcycles” in Hanoi are mopeds) w/ you, Hina, Makio, and Suma 

—Yes

—All of you

—It can be done

—It has been done

—Literally just Google “moped family” and look at the resulting images

Quick poll!

Would you choose to:

Sit in front of Tengen (smooshed against his chest, muscular arms encircling you, and excuuuse me you’d basically be in his lap… I’ll leave the rest to your imagination 😌)

Sit directly behind Tengen (smooshed into his back, perfect position to feel up his abs hug him, and you bet he’d rub your knee, thigh, whatever, at red lights — altho that applies to sitting in front of him too)

Sit between Hina/Makio/Suma (BOOBS, yeah, that’s, that’s it, thanks for reading, buh bye 😳 I gotta go sit between boobs) 

Sit on the end (highest risk of flying off lmao, but I personally love sitting at the end—assuming more than 2 ppl on the motorcycle—bc it’s so FREEING: that taste of danger)

Idk what I’d choose

Likely just switch it up depending on my mood

—

Only con to being 1 of 5 passengers?

Well, there’s prob more than one con lol, but the main one I’m thinking of

TRAFFIC SWEAT

Motorcycles can get uncomfortably hot, especially in the summer, w/ even just 1-2 passengers

Let alone someone of Tengen’s stature + 4 additional bodies

It’s tolerable, enjoyable, when you’re able to ride at faster speeds (~30mph/~48km+ perhaps) bc wind on a motorcycle is no joke

But stuck in traffic?

You’ve all learned your lesson

Saddlebags serve one purpose now: to carry clean clothes for everyone

—Tangent inspired by Obanai’s hcs lmao: TENGEN’S LEGS BE WILD

—Like, stuck in traffic supporting 4 ppl’s weight + the motorcycle ??

—SHeesh! 💪🦵

—Or maybe I’m overestimating how much effort it takes

—Regardless

—🥵 

Fortunately, motorcycle excursions usually occur during the weekend

To local hiking trails

Parks for picnics

At midnight, bc why not? ⭐️🌙

So you don’t hit traffic too often

Tengen def intentionally plans your outings to be more spontaneous and naturesque 

Bc he cannot stand traffic sweat 😣

[final-fantasy-imagines]

Hi i was wondering if i could request some cloud x reader and vincent x reader headcanons on how they would react if the reader is protective of them in the same way they would be protective over the reader. Like the reader is tired of cloud/vincent always putting themselves first to protect everyone else so they start protecting them? I hope that makes sense ❤️ i love what you write btw 💗💗, ive been wanting to request something but i havent had a decent idea in a long time lol i hope you like this one 😂

Hi dear! Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate your support. <3 Your request was great btw, thank you for sharing it with me. I hope you like what I came up with. :)

Characters: Cloud Strife, Vincent Valentine

Reacting to their s/o being protective of them (gn!reader)

Cloud Strife

Cloud is definitely confused when he notices the change in your behavior. There’s no reason for you to protect him; he can take care of himself just fine and you know very well that he’s capable of defending himself in every situation. Besides, he still sees it as his duty to protect those he loves, so why do you try to make that even harder by rushing into battles you shouldn’t fight in the first place?

At first, he tries to ignore it because he assumes that you just want to prove your strength to him but that doesn’t mean that he’s okay with the whole situation. He’s constantly worried about you, even though he probably wouldn’t admit it, and it drives him crazy that you always tell him to stay back and try to deal with all the enemies completely on your own.

It takes him quite a while that you’re not trying to prove anything but that you want to protect him the way he protected you all this time. He’s surprised, to say the least, especially since you’ve seen him fight so many times that you should know that he doesn’t need someone else to protect him. A part of him also feels really grateful though because it’s been quite a while since someone cared about him so much. He appreciates that you want to keep him safe but all of that doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t want you to get hurt because of him.

If you actually end up injured, Cloud definitely doesn’t stop blaming himself, no matter how often you reassure him that it’s not his fault and that you’re going to be fine. If you hadn’t tried protecting him you wouldn’t have been getting hurt, it’s that simple, at least for him. He feels awful for letting something happen to you and knowing that you’d risk your life again just to protect him makes it even worse. It’s not that he doesn’t appreciate your efforts but he’d sleep a lot better at night if he knew that you wouldn’t do something like that again.

Vincent Valentine

With Vincent, the situation is quite similar. He’s someone who tries everything in his power to keep the ones he loves safe and sound, even if it puts his own life at risk. He knows that you’re probably worrying about him quite a lot but he still considers it his responsibility to protect you from any harm, no matter how often you tell him that he doesn’t have to do that.

When you start to act a lot more defensive around him and actively try to protect him during a battle, for example, he doesn’t know what to do at first. His initial reaction is worry because he doesn’t want you to get injured, let alone because of him, but on the other hand, he’s also really proud to have someone like you by his side. He never had anyone who wanted to protect him, so it definitely means a lot to him that you don’t hesitate to guard him against his enemies.

However, the whole situation still frightens him. He couldn’t bear to lose you; you’re the most important person in his life and he never wants to live without you, so he often asks you to be a bit more careful during battles and stuff. He understands where you’re coming from when you tell him that you don’t want him to protect you all the time and that you want to return the favor but overall, he’d prefer if you’d just stay out of trouble completely. He knows that he can’t forbid you to fight (and he would never dare to do that) though, so he just has to accept it.

Vincent would never forgive himself if something happened to you. No matter how much you insist that you can take care of yourself just fine, there’s no way he’d let you fight alone, not even when he’s already injured and could need some rest. He’s always by your side during battles, making sure that you’re okay, just like you’re making sure that he doesn’t end up hurt. It’s a situation of give-and-take and probably the only way to convince him of the arrangement in general.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it please consider reblogging. I'd really appreciate the support. <3

Taglist: @cosmicdarlingx @thevoidwriting @fandomatakeover18 @sixdaysofsilverashes @theimaginaryheir @inkybloom-luv @scaraa@randomfandomimagine

[iturbide]

thinking about the multi-lingual headcanon’s so fun because it doesn’t need to apply to just Robin

Tharja gets so done with Frederick’s bullshitTM that she starts speaking only Plegian whenever he’s around just to mess with him.

Henry almost immediately joins in because he’s also done. Robin takes a bit more time, but eventually reaches the end of their rope and starts doing it too.

Frederick walks into the barracks? Tharja looks him directly in the eye and says something shitpost-worthy in Plegian that makes Robin and Henry do spittakes.

this spreads to the other Shepherds. Gaius knows some Plegian (enough to comfortably hold a conversation anyway) and joins the “passive-aggressively call Frederick out on his shit” club. the club ain’t Plegian-exclusive either. you speak Chonsinese, Valmese, ancient Archanean? sure, why not, you’re invited. can’t speak anything other than modern Ylissean? that’s cool, as long as you don’t condone/promote what Frederick does, you’re invited. and hey, free linguistic lessons!

Chrom and Lissa decide to dust off their old foreign language textbooks just so they can join in on the fun.

the Shepherds start to feel more comfortable speaking languages other than Ylissean around each other; people start learning other languages, and as they do so, about other cultures. eventually everyone celebrates the cultures they represent with everyone else.

tl;dr Tharja accidentally started a “fuck you, Frederick, we’re multilingual/multicultural now” club and everyone else is invited

(btw i don’t totally hate Freddy, but i also don’t feel bad about bullying him lol.)

the idea of Tharja spiting Fred by openly speaking Plegian in front of him. kinda spiraled woops

I do love the multi-lingual promise of the Shepherds, it's so under-utilized. We've got people from Plegia, Ferox, Valm, Chon'sin, Roseanne...being able to celebrate one anothers' cultures and languages really isn't explored enough. Picking up at least a few different words, like greetings or cheers and curses, let's be real, everybody's gotta be able to swear in as many languages as possible is something that should happen, without question, and I always want to see it.

I definitely see Tharja as the kind of person who would express her dislike of someone by shifting over to a language they don't understand, and Frederick is definitely someone who warrants that treatment in her book.

Henry, though...I can't see Henry expressing his dislike of people in sidelong ways. He's very direct: if he doesn't like you, he will make sure you know it, probably by hexing you. (He joins Tharja in the Plegian only because it's his native tongue and he'll answer in it when addressed on instinct -- and probably ask later why they switched over, not realizing it was a dig at Frederick).

Robin, while certainly vindictive, I can't see being that petty. As much as they dislike Frederick, they would insist on keeping the conversation in a language Frederick can understand for the sake of politeness. (As soon as Frederick's gone though they would absolutely trash talk the man in Plegian to blow off steam though because good gods Frederick drives them up the wall). When they're fully done with Frederick, they will tell him to his face, likely publicly, in a language Frederick knows so that he understand just how fed up Robin is and how unacceptable they find the great knight's behavior.

It's worth mentioning that Frederick does hold a position of power in the Shepherds -- he's not the Captain, but he generally seems to take charge of day-to-day affairs. Tharja couldn't care less if she pisses him off and gets scolded for it -- but other people, who do care about their position in the Shepherds and can't risk potential dismissal, might not be comfortable sticking it to him so brazenly. Sharing languages is one thing -- using them to spite someone in a position of power is another entirely, and could even be dangerous: Gaius, who has already been to prison and left branded as a thief, probably wouldn't want to take the risk despite his discomfort with Frederick's behavior.

Which is kind of a long way to say that I'm always a fan of the Shepherds embracing their multiculturalism, but I'm not really a fan of them using it in such a petty, spiteful campaign against someone, no matter how much he tends to deserve it for how prejudiced he is. It should instead be called out directly and dealt with.

[elrios-trash]

Luciel's 4th~~~

Their 1st job and 2nd job naming really triggers my interest! Maybe you noticed the EGO and ID on their teaser.

"The queen who fell into the abyss of nothingness" "A ruthless assistant who brightens the lost darkness of void"

Lu: "Though I know not what risks this method will bring, it does not matter if Ciel is protected. Do not worry too much, Ciel."

Ciel: "It is my responsibility that Lu has become like this. Now I must lead Lu. I will never again lose someone precious. The road thus far must not be in vain."

Well, they might take references from a psychology theory. Yes. Psychoanalytic Theory by Sigmund Freud. What does that theory bring? According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the famous one, we as human being have three (at least) part of us.

ID (Identity)

"The id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories"

As we can see, they put ID role to Lu's as 1st job, that means demon is their identity? Despite Ciel is still a half-demon and half-human.

1st Job - Emptiness

My first impression was, "Wow so much Dark Blue like Diangelion's, her hair and horns is short like Iblis', but the outfit style (girly dress), crown, and her wings so much alike with Ishtar's". What do you think?

Ego

"Ego is the realistic part of us." Meditates our ID and Super Ego.

Is that means, Ciel is being realistic? He realized that he's actually dead from the first time protecting Lu? And Lu knew that she can't give Ciel second life from the pact?--because she lost her power from first place?

Oh right, maybe Ego is symbolized by their 2nd Job, Ciel the human.

2nd Job - Turbids

Oh wait, he grew horns! Just like Diangelion's path... Also new weapon for him, a spear. I wonder where he got that spear. Judging from visual, his pose same alike Demonio's idle.

If you look on the word turbid definition in dictionary...

Ciel might had problem related with his emotion or his past. Hmm, sounds alike Laby on Nisha Labyrinth path I guess?

Super Ego

"The superego, Freud argues, acts as a sort of “normative” check on behavior"

Maybe this is their final transformation. At the moment I still don't have any information about what is Loadstar. I might add the information later.

I got their 3rd job silhouette...

3rd Job - Demercio

Oh no, Lu's wings... T-T about her hair? Might get shortens since the lore is mainly about Lu is sacrificing her life for him and Ciel wants to lead Lu. And... Ciel's horns grow longer and sharper. Almost the same length as Ishtar's horns--if you get what I mean...

Btw, their pose also similar to their previous paths (Ishtar and Chevalier's pose) xD

UPDATE

About Loadstar means their theme song, I only find this description at the moment. If I am not wrong, Lucifer used to be called as North Star, right???

Also Lodestar is one of Rune Master's clearing skill xD

Friend : Don't forget to bring pizza roller with your RM Me : Huh? Wdym? Friend : I mean Loadstar....

[faith--in-the-future]

Hey. I know you 100% mean well and you treat all your anons with respect and the assumption that they mean well too, That makes you a good person. But the whole Louis is an addict thing comes entirely from Harries, not least the appalling zot3 who makes up a major part of the destroy-Louis nutters project all on her own. The idea that he’s permanently drunk is demonstrably stupid and untrue along with every other insane accusation against Louis they’ve hurled against the wall in the hope it’d stick, but it’s become about the only thing they have left to attack Louis on, after the success of his last tourThat’s not to say some genuine Louies haven’t taken it up too now but maybe that shows how young or naive they are. Louis comes from a UK working class culture and a generation that views alcohol as generally fun, not as a fast track to addiction. A lot of people can drink a lot on nights out and thats it. No hurtling toward the gutter. A bottle of vodka on the table in rehearsals. So what? What time of day or night was that taken? Why the assumption it’s there just for Louis? The OTT puritanism and extreme safety-ism of subsequent generations hasn’t bitten Louis or the people he works with. And btw drinking to party or just to relax and smoking a bit of weed is quite a bit safer than the kind of substances Harry promotes and those same faux pearl clutchers defend. Louis smokes far too much, yes, but that’s a stress thing I suspect. He’ll make an effort to stop if he wants to. And a lot of singers smoke. It’s not new sadly. Bowing to bad actors making huge deliberately destructive claims about addiction, worrying well meaning younger fans, is a huge gift to the inadequates who need to hate him and genuinely suffer when they see how brilliant his tours are and how happy he makes his fans.

bestie I know all this, that's why I said these conversations would go differently if everyone had good intentions!

I've just decided to not answer an anon I just got bc I could tell from their tone they're one of those assholes who'd rejoice in louis actually suffering from serious conditions and those are just not people I'm willing to speak with

but at other times I think there's fans (and people) who are genuinely just not informed on the matter and who are genuinely worried for him bc they Care and I think it could be useful to have these conversations for them !

also in general i think people forget that fans are people too and we all live in the world so what people learn within the context of fandom is still something that they will take with them in the world and that shapes how they will act and that's why I think the narratives people create here are extremely important and not just silly things about some celebrities! that's why I always expand the conversations from just talking about louis or harry or liam etc to also point out the deeper issues that are driving these choices and these conversations whether that is capitalism, hyper individualism, selfishness, rainbow washing, victim blaming, addiction stigma, mental illness, misogyny etc those are all really huge issues and real ways of living and thinking that inform people's behavior and actions in this fandom just as much as they do in the real world and I try to make an effort to speak about them hoping that if I even manage a little to make someone question their beliefs then I am making a small difference

anyways all this to say that I get where you're coming from and I do try to pick the right anons to answer and to make it harder to derail the conversations into just hater territory even if I don't always succeed rip but I also think it's important to call things what they are and to not minimize the risks of ALL substance abuse just as its important to defend those people's rights as human beings!

also remembering that like I mentioned, we can't diagnose anyone without actually knowing them and a few pictures or videos of someone are definitely not enough to declare anyone anything!

[sailordiavolo]

Sparda Headcanons

nobody asked, but i’ve had many thoughts about Sparda lately, and i need to get them out before i go mentally insane

[ mostly general headcanons about Sparda himself, with some including his relationship with eva and the twins. ]

sparda started out like trish; a full demon who learned compassion, love and empathy, despite those traits not occurring naturally to demon kind.

when he did experience these emotions for the first time, it completely blew him away and fundamentally changed him. he became horrified by things such as the qliphoth tree, which eventually motivated his rebellion.

sparda, similar to mundus, could spiritually inhabit statues that were made in his likeness. there was one placed in fortuna, the purpose of which was originally to watch the hell gate for potential activity

though he would quickly dispatch of demons that tore into the human world, he wouldn’t meddle with human politics or affairs.

unlike vergil, sparda’s hair (in his human form) naturally grew out of his head in that slicked-back manner because that was how his horns grew (curled backwards). his hair even curved out and around like his horns did if he let it grow long enough

he had a romanticised view of humanity. he loved humanity like a neurodivergent person loves their hyperfixation

sparda spent most of his time in the human world in his demon form. he would occasionally take a human form when he wished to experience certain human things firsthand, or if he wanted to blend in, but he did this sparingly

while sparda was alive and at his strongest, there were a lot less demons trying to break into the human world, so the dark knight was often left with long periods of time to himself.

though he had learned empathy and compassion, sparda did not form close, loving bonds with humans for many centuries. thus the dark knight did not really have a concept of loneliness. he read about it, but didn’t really understand.

sparda was very reluctant to let people into his inner world, especially humans, who lived their entire lives and died before he could so much as draw a breath. there had been attempts to mingle with humans, but he stuck out like a sore thumb, or would outright scare people if he was in his demon form.

in his spare time, sparda liked to travel the world and visit various places, observing people, cultures, languages, arts and customs.

several different cultures have legends that somewhat fit the description of the legendary dark knight, but at present, nobody knows how accurate these legends are, and many of these legends do not mention him by name. they tell of his bravery and heroism.

sparda, like vergil, loved poetry and the artistic pursuits that humans created. (after all, swordsmanship is an art, too.) he admired the beauty of human art, especially the ways they used it to express emotions or tell stories

sparda liked to collect weapons and armor, even ones of human creation because they fascinated him. contrary to popular belief, sparda had been wielding guns since they were first invented, although for several hundred years they weren’t any match for most demons.

sparda’s mansion was like his den. it was filled with human literature, a lot of ancient texts in ancient languages; including various works of art, textiles, collections of weapons (including Luce & Ombra) and various items he’d been given as acts of worship. The doors and ceilings were very high because of how tall Sparda was in his demon form.

he had a colllection of human trinkets, various things he’d find that he thought were interesting, but didn’t really know what they were for. random mundane items, like an egg beater, hot water bottle, electric appliances that he doesn’t know how to turn on, spinning tops, and the like. he’d sort of just guess what they were for and put them up in places.

in his human form, he liked to dress in ways that imitated his favorite characters in books.

sparda had wished to know love like what he read about, like in the stories humans love to tell, which just seemed to be intrinsic to their nature. he could sort of understand shakespearean tragedies with his own understanding of love and compassion, yet for many centuries he still found the true meaning of such love to remain elusive to him.

eva was as curious about him as he was about her and humans in general. he would ask her questions about humans (initially, he had a lot of misconceptions about humans) and she would ask questions about him. when he was more comfortable around her, he showed her his human trinkets collection and asked her to explain what they were for. (he did not think that the egg beater was for mixing eggs).

he was bad at socialising and often spoke in a way that sounded ancient and out-of-place, sometimes mixing middle english with modern english, but he improved after meeting eva, since he had more practice after that.

after finding out sparda liked things such as poetry and literature, eva would bring him other human things to try; films, music, food and the like. just as vergil got his love of literature from his parents, dante got his love of music, dance and film from his parents, too. (sparda a fan of old western films? more likely than you’d think)

like dante and vergil, sparda was prone to aging in his human form. that’s why you see the version of him in dmc1 (pretty young-looking) and the older version of him as seen in the family portrait. ( see below )

therefore, it was a HUGE decision to marry eva and stay with her. it meant staying in human form, which meant aging, which meant shortening his own lifespan. although it was a big decision to make the commitment to marry eva, when the time came, he made the decision instantly.

he could’ve lived thousands of years longer had he left her alone, or had he resolved to watching her wither away and die from old age, but that was a very lonely existence, and once he had known eva, he had known loneliness and he had known sorrow.

eva and sparda were married for many years before the children came into the picture. (eva has a banging skin care routine btw)

sparda actually wanted children because of the many times he’d witnessed the loving bond between a human parent and child. it was a type of love he’d secretly longed for

though he wanted children, he was very reluctant to actually create them with eva, because of the potential risks involved with carrying hybrid offspring. not only that, but eva being the mother to his offspring would only put her in even more mortal danger from his enemies.

but eva had insisted, soothed him and reassured him. eva understood the risks of becoming a mother this way, and she was prepared to go through with it anyway.

dante was a mommy’s boy and vergil was a daddy’s boy

sparda was a great storyteller. he would recount in great detail his various adventures to the children, or sometimes read his favourite books to them. dante was only interested in stories where the hero defeats the bad guy, whereas vergil would soak up anything his father told him. thus, vergil was privy to many stories that dante wasn’t.

by the time the twins were young children, sparda had aged considerably since he first married eva, meaning his power had begun to dwindle. this meant he was away from home more often, because more and more demons were beginning to break into the human world.

and once mundus figured out that sparda had fathered children (with a human woman, no less) they’d begun to target the wife and kids.

dante specifically remembered waiting for his father to return on several different occasions, but being disappointed many times. vergil however, understood that sparda was protecting them, because he was the strongest, and there was no one else who could.

the twins often bickered about this. vergil would remind him that his little attitude towards father was “foolish”. at which point dante would try and hit him in the face. (he only managed to actually hit vergil half the time)

while sparda was gone, the twins would stay with eva. sparda’s excursions grew longer and longer, until one day he did not return at all.

dante in his youth held a grudge against his father for his absentee behavior, but it wasn’t until he was much older where he finally understood where his father was coming from. and dante too had become like his old man in thay regard, pushing loved ones away with the intention of protecting them.

and it wasn’t until much later that vergil had finally realised that sparda’s love was his driving force behind the immense power he wielded; sparda’s love for the beauty of humanity. a realisation that had come far too late for vergil.

if sparda and eva had’ve known how it ended for them and given a chance to take it all back, they wouldn’t do it. they knew what they were getting themselves into when they chose to bring dante and vergil into the world. the only regret they would’ve had is not being able to spend more time together as a family.

[librarycards]

sorry to bother you but it kind of bothers me that you compared therapists to cops. i agree with you that therapists are harmful but i dont feel it’s comparable to how cops interact with poc. i might just be overly sensitive since i have known multiple victims of police brutality and as a poc it’s something that i am afraid of happening to me.

replying to this now with the caveat that i don’t have the spoons & headspace to come up with a comprehensive list of links for this. I tag instances of psychiatric/medical abuse on my blog if you’d like more examples, and there exists the #survivingpsych hashtag on here.

when i compare therapists (and other psychiatric professionals, incl social workers and psychiatrists) to cops, i do so intentionally. these professionals do not drive around with guns. short of shooting someone –– which, in many ways, they *can* do, immobilizing and irreversibly damaging peoples’ bodyminds through forced drugging, electric shocks, violent restraint –– there is no limit to the amount of abuse, up to and including the fatal, that psych professionals can facilitate. as in cases of police murder, rhetorics of [cop] fear, risk to society, and personal-pathological failure are applied in order to justify any and all instances of cruelty. whatever cannot be justified is attributed to the “delusional”/”oversensitive” subject’s imagination. (btw I don’t think you’re being “oversensitive” w this ask, but i do think it’s important to stress just how bad the psychiatric industry can be, bc a lot of people don’t realize the extent)

i would say, without knowing explicit details, that comparing my own experience of psychiatric abuse with the victims of police brutality you know is likely not an appropriate comparison. in most cases, white us citizenship proves somewhat protective in these cases. but i assure you that Mad and disabled people of color do not share that privilege. especially if you’re psychotic. if you’re an addict. if you’re homeless. for these “at-risk populations,” the psychological “assistance” provided is almost always unwanted, not because no one wants support, but because the “support” provided is, in effect, policing, and often does invoke the actual police. look at laws around drug courts, rehab/prison, race, and the cop/psych nexus. think about the psychiatrists who reinscribe myths of “sociopathy” and “oppositional defiance” around primarily Black and brown young boys, and later men, and the way these diagnoses function as carceral tags.

not all experiences are 1:1 comparable. many people have positive therapeutic experiences  –– then again, i’ve had nominally “positive” experiences with cops, and still, ACAB. the entire medical industry runs on a system of carceral violence that seeks explicitly, through “cure” rhetoric, to annihilate “mental illness/disorder.” therapists, etc. have friendlier faces, but can and will get you locked up for behavioral transgression all the same. 

[sasquapossum]

Since driving seems to be the subject of the day...

Part 1: The Country Lord

There once was a lord who lived in a country mansion. He would never drive a supply wagon himself, oh no, but that doesn't mean there were none. There was a constant stream of them coming and going, with both workers and supplies for the populous household. When the lord wanted to go visiting or into town himself, he had a driver - in fact a whole team of driver and attendants - for that. Then he decided that all these wagons were an eyesore, and they were banned from the front driveway. They still came, of course, only by a slower and more arduous path to the back door. If there was an accident, the lord would administer harsh discipline to whoever (he felt) was responsible ... and likewise if the flow of goods was disrupted. His servants were, of course, miserable.

This lord has his modern equivalent. It's the urban dweller, often an affluent tech or finance worker, who never tires of telling people they don't drive but also never tires of telling others how they should drive. Their apartment is full of goods ordered online and delivered by car. They order takeout multiple times per week from their favorite niche restaurants miles away, and therefore also delivered by car. If they need to go somewhere too far away to walk but not well served by public transportation, they don't hesitate to call for an Uber or bum a ride from a friend. They don't drive themselves, but that's mostly because - like the country lord - they have other people to do their driving for them. They're not only kibitzers but hypocrites as well.

Part 2: Byzantine Failures

In computing, there's a distinction between simple and "Byzantine" failures. A simple failure is when something just stops - a computer stops computing, a router stops routing, a cable stops ... err, cabling. Whatever. A Byzantine failure is when one of these components acts in arbitrarily difficult or even malicious ways. Instead of not sending any messages at all, for example, it can delay or corrupt messages. This is much more difficult to program for. In fact, the general case is known to be hard to solve for even with infinite time and resources. (Bitcoin claims to achieve this BTW but - even if the claim is true - it's in a hideously slow and costly way.)

Here's the problem: human attention and reaction speed are not infinite, but the modern urban aristocrats like to pretend that it is when they dispense their advice and policy prescriptions. "The driver is always at fault" they say, as they resist any suggestion that pedestrians take any responsibility for safety. If you suggest that it's a good idea for someone in the road at night to wear something light or (even better) reflective for their own safety, they claim you're putting the onus on the victims. Some will even reach for the rape analogy, which I believe is pretty offensive to victims of actual rape (just like comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust, proving again that extremists at both ends of the political spectrum have way too much in common). As though an accident is the same as an assault. As though the issues of third-party risk (which I'll get to) or split attention are the same. As though anyone's claiming that drivers shouldn't be held accountable for their actions, as opposed to merely being drivers. What a cheap rhetorical ploy. A false analogy and an appeal to emotion all at once.

3. Defensive Behavior Is Good

Here's the reality. Less capable drivers exist. Distractions exist. Accidents happen, even with no misdeed or malice. A light changes, or someone else changes speed or direction, and the driver's eye is drawn to it. It's a reflex, and usually a beneficial one, but in that tenth of a second that they're distracted by one change, they might not notice a second. Human eyes and brains set hard limits on how many events per second a person can notice and respond to. If your sudden appearance distracts someone, that can cause an accident injuring other people, and damn right you would share some responsibility for that.

If you enter a shared space, you bear some responsibility for keeping it safe - for yourself and for everyone else as well. In the case of drivers interacting with pedestrians, this means reducing surprises as much as possible. You know what's more ridiculous than suggesting that people should show some concern for safety when they're in the road? Suggesting that it's OK for someone to crouch behind a mailbox wearing dark clothing at night and jump out into a busy city street at literally any moment, and we should still blame the driver who didn't see them in time. The "ambulance chaser" kind of lawyers would love it, but running society for lawyers' benefit isn't a great idea. Drivers should absolutely be held accountable for anything they do wrong that contributes to an accident, not because they're drivers but because everyone including pedestrians should. Being pro-pedestrian should include being pro-pedestrian-safety and that means everyone doing their part.

[waitimcomingtoo]

I Keep On Missing You - Tom

First Part

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Authors note: The songs didn’t come out in that order in real life by any means.

Masterlist

Tom tracked your relationship with Brad with The Vamps music. Every time he heard Brads voice on the radio, he gave it a good old fashioned rage-listen.

“Oh how I wish that you could say you feel the same way.” Brad sang and Tom groaned loudly.

“She doesn’t!” He huffed and quickly changed the channel.

“I’d risk it all. I’d rather crash, I’d rather crawl than never have your love at all. With only bricks to break my fall, I’d risk it all.” Came on another time.

“Shut up!” Tom shrieked.

“We will dream a dream for us that no one else can touch. My dear, I’m here, so wake up.” Brad seemed to follow him wherever he went.

“Go back to sleep, and starve!” Tom grumbled. 

Despite his hatred towards them, all those songs told Tom you guys were in the talking stage.

High Hopes came out a few weeks later and told Tom you were together. Lyrics like “I could move in with you and we could get married too.” cut Tom like a knife. He winced every time it played on the radio.

Worry told Tom you and Brad were fighting and falling apart, and he tended to leave that song on a little longer.

Finally, Million Words. A breakup song.

Tom wasn’t very experienced in love, but he wasn’t an idiot. He wasn’t gonna be that guy that tried to win a girl back right after a breakup. He gave you space but when he refreshed your Instagram one day and saw all traces of Brad had been deleted, he decided to reach out.

“Hey.” He wrote.

“hi.” You answered a few seconds later.

“How are you doing?” He sent.

“so you heard?” You replied and Tom let out a little laugh.

“Everyone hears everything in Hollywood, but that’s not what I’m here for.” He wrote.

“then what are you here for?” You wrote back.

“You. I’m here for you.” Tom sent.

“That was lame.” You replied after a minute, and Tom blew breath out of his nostrils.

“If I recall correctly, my lameness was one of the things you loved about me.” Tom messaged. He waited anxiously for a response.

“ew why’d you put “love” in past tense?” You finally answered, and Toms heart skipped a beat.

“Idk we’re broken up I didn’t want to assume.” He texted back.

“never mind. forget I said anything.” you sent.

“Okay. How are you feeling?” He asked.

“better. brad and I have been broken up five months now so I’ve healed.” You replied and Tom smiled to himself.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Tom sent, then typed out “I miss you”, but he deleted it.

“i’m kinda glad you reached out. i miss you.” You went and Tom nearly threw his phone.

“You do?” He asked.

“we were best friends before we started dating and I thought we always would be. it’s been super weird without you this past year.” You sent. Tom didn’t know how to respond. His thumbs danced over his keyboard until you sent a follow up text. “i don’t like it.”

“Tom, you’re wanted on set.” Someone knocked are his trailer door.

“Listen, I’m on set right now and gotta go but I’m gonna text you later okay?” He sent. “I want to finish this conversation.

“okay” you wrote back, and Tom smiled.

“And btw, I’ve hated every second we’ve been apart.” He sent quickly and left to go on set.

Later that night, Tom got a text.

“are you there?” You sent.

“Always.” He replied.

“can you come over?” You asked, and Tom looked up to Heaven with a smile.

“I’ll be there in ten :)” He sent and quickly put on his shoes. He pulled into your driveway in no time and walked into your house with his spare key.

“Hey.” You came out of the living room in sleep shorts and an old T-shirt. You looked timid and a little worn down.

“Hey.” Tom said back and gave you a gentle smile, which you returned.

“How have you been?” You asked as you took a step closer to him. You rubbed your arms from the cold and Tom wished he was still the one who warmed you up.

“Do you want an honest answer?” Tom laughed halfheartedly.

“Yeah.” You nodded.

“Terrible.” He said, and heard you sigh.

“Why?” You asked lamely. You knew why.

“Because I just had to drive ten minutes to see the love of my life when I used to be able to roll over and see her asleep next to me.” Tom shrugged sadly. He looked small all of the sudden, and your heart began to break as tears stung your eyes.

“What happened to us?” You croaked.

“He did, love.” Tom whispered.

“He didn’t do anything to us. He just magnified problems we were already having.” You said and Tom knew you were right.

��I shouldn’t have gotten jealous or tried to control you. That’s toxic behavior and I know that now. I have no excuse for it.” Tom apologized for the first time and a weight came off his shoulders. All his guilt was coming to light.

“No, you shouldn’t have.” You agreed. But I should have talked to you first before making plans with Brad. I knew it made you uncomfortable but I did it anyway, and I’m sorry for that.”

“I’m sorry too.” Tom sniffled.

“Where do we go from here?” You asked.

“I just want you to come home.” Tom pleaded.

And so you did.

But the songs didn’t stop after you got back with Tom.

The Vamps released Same To You a week after you posted a picture of Tom kissing your cheek on your Instagram, a song asking if the love from your new boyfriend felt the same to you as Brads love did.

The Missing You EP was full of songs about losing your girlfriend and regretting it, making Tom wonder what actually happened between you and Brad. Lyrics like “maybe I should’ve loved harder, checked if you were all right” and “I’m a fool. I let you down, I messed around, I made waves. I’m ashamed.” made it seem like Brad seriously messed up and broke your heart. As much as he wanted to know, he didn’t dare ask. It wasn’t his place. He didn’t need to know how Brad Simpson had broken your heart.

Then, Stay dropped.

It was another song about begging a certain someone to come back and how sorry he was for his mistakes. Tom couldn’t help but notice how longingly you looked at the radio when it played and wondered if Brads songs were the only apology he’d ever given you. Tom felt his chest tighten at the lyrics, ���darling, won’t you stay here? I promise I can change” ,and wondered if you had told Brad about the fight you’d had with Tom in the dressing room of the Graham Norton show all those months ago.

Tom never thought too deeply into the song until he saw his name and Brads name in a headline on Clevver News. A picture of you and Tom was in the thumbnail, as well as a picture of you and Brad. He looked around to see if you could hear and clicked the video.

“Watch Brad Simpson change the lyrics to “Stay” to diss Tom Holland in an attempt to win back Y/n L/N.” A perky “news” reporter said at the start of the video. Tom bounced his leg as the video played. He saw a sweaty Brad sitting on a stool with his guitar in his arms.

“And darling if you stay here, it won’t be a mistake. We can hide under the duvet, and Tom will have to wait.” Brad sang and let out a laugh. The audience laughed as well and Brad kept singing.

“Now, if you didn’t catch it, Brad clearly said “Tom will have to wait” instead of “time will have to wait”. Fans were quick to notice this little dig at Tom Holland while other fans denied Brad saying it. What do you think? “Did Brad change the words? Is he still trying to win Y/n back?” The news reported asked. Tom junked when he heard you enter the room.

“What are you watching?” You wrapped your arms around Toms neck from behind and kissed his cheek.

“He’s still singing about you.” Tom grumbled as you rubbed his shoulders, showing you the headline on his phone.

“Let him sing.” You shrugged as you sat in Toms lap, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Tag List 🏷

@maybemona @sunrise-shawn @foreverxholland @writing-for-hours-on-end @lavender-writer @captainmandeestudent17 @whatareyouhidingpeter @takenbyheartstrings @ultrunning @imyourliquor-youremypoison @theolwebshooter @andreasworlsboring101 @guksmyfav @waiting-to-be-myself @letsloveimagines @ho-ho-holland @peterparkoure @a-villain-vying-for-attention @m19friend @justcallmehitgirl @iamanerdot @averyfosterthoughts @jackiehollanderr @tiny-friggin-human @celestial-skylines

[mysterylover123]

Todoroki’s Relationships Part 5: Training Camp & Hideout Raid Arcs

The Training Camp arc is mostly about Todoroki’s relationship with Bakugou, with a little sidecar for Midoriya.

Todoroki compares Bakugou to Kota; this indicates that he views Katsuki as basically a bratty kid. Baku protests the comparison, and Shoto apologizes (apology #1098234) but doesn’t retract the comparison. 

He gets a chance to use his fire power to help others. Momo steps in to defend him, though also to reprimand her classmates and tell them that they need to learn to be self-reliant. Todoroki tells her it’s fine by him

And helping his friends brings out one of his rare smiles.

We see him thinking in sync with Midoriya and Bakugou 

He comes over to Midoriya after noticing him asking Aizawa about All Might. Midoriya confides in him about Kota.

He shows some impressive respect for Shoto, putting him on the same level as All Might. Shoto then gives him some fantastic advice.

This is very interesting as far as Shoto’s relationships go. It’s clearly an important principle of his that actions speak louder than a person’s words. He often seems to judge people in just that manner: He came to respect Bakugou and Momo for the skills they demonstrated, and didn’t listen to Midoriya until Deku could back up his ideals with actions. Perhaps this also pertains to why Bakugou doesn’t annoy him as much as you’d expect. He isn’t as concerned about what he’s saying.

He also brings up Deku’s words to him, indirectly. He criticizes Izuku again, something he has a surprising tendency to do. Shoto is more of a non-involvement type of person, avoiding meddling in Iida’s personal problems until he was already in trouble, and noticing but not acting on his concern for Momo until it boiled over. Izuku is more interfering, meddlesome, and pushy towards other peoples boundaries. It’s true, as Shoto points out here, that that can be annoying if it isn’t backed up with actions. It’s also absolutely the kind of person Izuku is. This is an interesting difference between them.

He’s paired up with Bakugou for the trial and Bakugou tries to switch with Ojiro. BTW, Ojiro was paired with MINETA. That’s how badly Bakugou apparently wants IcyHot away from him. My god. You couldn’t be more insulting if you tried. 

Shoto’s usual approach to teamwork, as established in previous episodes/chapters, is to take charge and try to handle everything himself. While the members of his Cavalry Battle team, as well as Shoji, were fine with that, neither Deku nor Kacchan is. Both refuse to be bossed around by Shoto. All three are assertive, leader-type characters who take charge and try to handle everything on their own. 

His reaction to hearing Bakugou is being targeted is to reprimand him for his recklessness. He saves Bakugou several times with his ice from Moonfish. Here and there the two achieve smooth communication, though not necessarily great teamwork, usual from coming to similar conclusions at the same time about Moonfish. 

They think rather alike, as both have already figured this out and Bakugou is annoyed with Todoroki for telling him what he already knows. 

Here, they try to negotiate, with Bakugou trying to come up with a plan to take out Moonfish as he drives them into a corner, and Todoroki being more cautious. Another difference between these two is that Bakugou is more reckless, more interested in solving things Right. Now. Shoto, meanwhile, is more cautious, and unless upset emotionally, he generally tries to keep calm. 

However, here their behaviors are reversed. Bakugou is faster to figure things out and realizes exactly what to do, while Shoto wants a quick fix. They are on the same page enough to use fire and explosion simultaneously to calm down Tokoyami. While they don’t work together as smoothly as Shoto and Momo did in the Final Exam arc (after their pep talk), they do work together better than you’d expect, given both of their track records with teamwork.

We get a brief bit of negotiation between him and Izuku, which is mostly them giving each other exposition.

He utters another command to Bakugou, who again hates being bossed.

When Bakugou is taken, we get Shoto’s first extreme reaction to a friend being endangered. While he certainly showed his capacity for anger at the pain of a loved one before (his Mom), this is the first time he’s expressed it about one of his classmates. The first time we get to see Shoto being protective - not just passively concerned and caring about people, but sending a giant ice wall at a villain to save someone.

His reaction to Bakugou’s abduction is not quite as extreme as Deku’s (”GIVE HIM BACK”), but by Todoroki’s standards, this is pretty emotional. He unleashes the power he’s been saving this whole time out of fear of putting others at risk, and grows far more erratic, emotional and expressive.

He takes the time to notice Midoriya’s pain as well, showing concern for him and giving him an order which Deku, being Just Like Kacchan, defies. The difference between Ochaco and Shoto here is she asks, Shoto commands. Deku doesn’t listen to either one of them.

These are his and Izuku’s expressions when they get ahold of the guy who’s taken Bakugou. He’s furious and focused, dead-set on taking him down.

When he thinks Shoji has saved Bakugou he looks happy

Desperation when trying to catch the BakuMarble

And when he fails to  catch the marble...he looks ready to start crying.

And moves in to try and comfort Izuku when he falls over.

What we get from this arc for his relationship with Midoriya is that Shoto notices what’s up with Deku, cares about his wellbeing, can work together with him all right, and finds his interfering personality a little irritating. For Bakugou, we see that Shoto and him aren’t perfectly in sympatico, but can actually work together ok; that Shoto sees Bakugou as kind of childish, but that he cares deeply about him and is rather protective of him. 

HIDEOUT RAID ARC

We get a soft, concerned look at Midoriya when he visits him in the hospital.

He bluntly tells Izuku that Kacchan is gone. This straightforward attitude doesn’t seem to bother Izuku (consider that he grew up around Bakugou, no wonder). Shoto looks pretty devastated himself at Bakugou’s loss.

They must have been going to visit Momo first. 

Shoto makes it clear what’s motivating him here: Bakugou could get killed. He can’t sit around when Bakugou might be in deanger of dying.

However, the decision is Yaoyorozu’s. It’s clear he can’t make her, and he looks surprised when she appears. 

When Iida hits Izuku, Shoto looks properly horrified. We don’t see his reaction to Yaoyorozu saying she’ll help because she trusts him, but it is a moment worth noting. 

Shoto makes it clear that his interest in saving Bakugou is selfish. He isn’t doing it because of what he sees as a pure ideal of heroism, as Izuku and Kirishima both try and justify their actions by bringing up their ideologies. For Shoto, he knows this is because of his own personal desires.

a

This is the first time I can recall of Shoto criticizing Momo, the way he’s wont to critique most of his fiends. He asks her a logical strategy question and she quickly gets defensive and cites reasons that, according to Kirishima’s analysis, are just a cover-up for her real motive. Momo wants to appear good and competent around Todoroki, so she gives a better motive for her actions here than she may actually feel.

He tells them to get moving when creeps start hitting on her, showcasing a kindness and protectiveness of Yaoyorozu here.

When the Pros appear to have handled this situation, he looks back with Izuku, showing that he wasn’t as sanguine about their capacity as Momo and Iida are. Todoroki, being the son of the very flawed #2 hero, most likely has less confidence in their infallability than his peers. 

He looks just as scared of AFO as the others but snaps into dtermined mode like Deku and Kiri when Bakugou is audible...

And moves in to save him with Izuku, having to be stopped by Iida.

He looks very determined to save Bakugou, but can’t act on it. When Midoriya has a plan, Shoto gets a little impatient with him and gives him a very Baku-like order. (in the Viz translation)

He and Momo are left alone and leave together; he calls Midoriya quickly to see if the plan worked successfully and check in on both him and Bakugou. We see some good comfort passing between them.

We don’t see much of Shoto during the All Might vs AFO fight; we meet up with the Rescue Squad again once the furor has died down.

It’s debateable who Momo is speaking to here. "You three” could mean any of the other four. If she includes Todoroki, this is a moment of her reprimanding him mildly.

This arc doesn’t really do much to develop Todoroki’s relationships. He’s worried for Bakugou, he works well with Midoriya, and he’s a little quizzical about Momo.

[thoughtfulfangirling]

Something I've been wanting to write about for some time is how thoroughly the arc between Glimmer and Adora in season 4 parallel Catra and Adora's relationships and in this way, creates space for Catra's redemption, both for the characters in universe and for us as the audience. (btw who edits or revises things before posting them? Not me! Good luck!)

I remember thinking while watching season 5 for the first time and observing Catra and Glimmer's bonding, how Glimmer isn't quite as angry with Catra as one might expect given Catra's actions resulting in Angella's sacrifice. But it occurred to me: Glimmer's mistake just before the events of season 5 could have been just as destructive as Catra's in season 3, wherein that sacrifice took place. 

Since then, I've been pretty blown away on the similarities between these arcs, and it came to a sort of head today while rewatching the first episode via Netflix Party with a friend of mine who is also still reeling over the season 5 finale. 

In the first episode, Adora refuses to let Catra come back with her to the Whispering Woods to find what called out to her. She does this despite Catra's wanting to go with her because Adora fears that the consequences to Catra if they're caught would be too great. This means Catra isn't there when Adora makes her discovery about the Hoard. Catra isn't there nor a part of the decision of Adora's to abandon the Hoard. What might have been different if Adora had allowed her to come along? 

But that's the thing. At that point in time in that first episode, it's not just Catra grossly influenced by the manipulations and abuses of Shadow Weaver, but even while more subtle, it's just as prevalent in Adora, and her acting on that which lays at least one foundational brick in the wall that springs up between them. 

It's very well articulated in this Fandomentals article how Adora had to draw in on herself and her impulses and be the best that she can be in order to protect Catra. 

"Adora wasn’t always like this. Her goofball side shows up lots of times in young adulthood, and we see that as a kid she wasn’t afraid to get in a bit of trouble. Not only did she tease Octavia to goad a violent reaction for her and Catra’s amusement, the excursion into the Black Garnet chamber was arguably her idea. That unfortunate encounter clearly stuck with Adora despite her not being the one who got in trouble...

...The thing Catra does not realize is that part of Adora’s drive to be good in Shadow Weaver’s eyes came from a desire to protect her. Shadow Weaver made Catra out to be a bad influence and threatened her because of it. If Adora was really really good and showed that Catra was not having a negative effect on her, then Shadow Weaver would have no reason to follow through."

And this drive to protect becomes a habit for Adora, a driving need. It's tied very much into the idea that if she can just keep doing everything she can to keep someone safe, she can keep bad things from happening to those she loves. 

She carries this into her new relationships, and notably here, with Glimmer. It's only enhanced by Adora's feelings of always sacrificing her self for what she can do for others in the S3 finale when she has to sit on the sideline while Angella sacrifices herself in what Adora feels is her place. Not only does Adora walk away from that moment feeling that unless she can save the world, it should have been her, but she interprets Angella's last command to "take care of each other" as an order for Adora to protect Glimmer. It might also be worth nothing that the season ends with Adora being clear with Catra that she is done covering for her, that it's time for Catra to bear the responsibilities of her actions for herself and that Adora no longer accepts responsibility for her. I think it's not unlikely that this creates a bit of a vacuum for Adora, one which Angella seemed to suggest someone else for which to fill. 

And the ramifications of that pulse ever more strongly as season 4 progresses. Adora hides behind the idea that this new sense of protectiveness for Glimmer is because Glimmer is the queen, but anyone can see that Glimmer needs to be a part of things and is more competent and capable than ever, and so it seems only reasonable to assume that Adora has gotten caught up in this protection impulse. And while Glimmer's own sense of desperation at the Hoard's advances and the death of her mother propel her ever ready anger and frustration, Adora's need to keep leaving Glimmer behind drives a wedge down between them. It's easy to see Glimmer's anger and her sharp tongue and her bursts of frustration as at fault and the cause of these issues—just like it is easy to see Catra's impulsiveness and possessiveness to appear to be the cause of all her and Adora's issues. But in reality, it's a two person game. Adora's behaviors are at least as destructive to these relationships, if less obviously visible. 

So just like Adora makes a decision about going to the Whispering Woods and defect from the Hoard after leaving Catra in the Fright Zone, Adora leaves Glimmer behind at the end of Season 4 to, as she did in the beginning, do what was right at all costs.

Between getting information Adora doesn't get about Horde Prime arriving at any moment to Etheria followed by the blow that once again, just like many times before this season, Adora and Bow have gone off on a mission on their own, she makes a rash decision to try and use The Heart of Etheria. 

In season 3, Adora tells Catra not to open the portal or the world could be destroyed. In season 4, Adora tells Glimmer the Heart of Etheria cannot be used without the world being destroyed. Catra pulls the lever, and Glimmer activates The Heart. The consequences of Catra's actions result in Angella's sacrifice. The consequences of Glimmer's actions pulls Etheria out of Despondos, into the path of Hoard Prime, and causes Adora to lose She Ra. 

It's arguable what all Glimmer could be aware in regards to these consequences by the time she is taken prisoner, but it stands to reason she might truly believe, in the confines of ship and her cell until she hears further from Prime, that Adora could have been right, and she could have been transported off a planet just before it's destruction. Certainly she believes that the scale of her mistake is quite grave as she truly has a sense of carrying a hell of a burden. 

So I think there's some awareness there, when it's Catra and Glimmer, lost in space in brand new and uncharted, horrifying waters that there is a certain likeness of their experiences. It created the space, I think, for Glimmer to recognize how easy it is to make catastrophic mistakes out of anger and pain and even well intentioned desperation. It shows the audience that given faith in Glimmer's heart and intentions and her own remorse, she is worthy of forgiveness. 

And it just strikes me that it had to be Glimmer. Glimmer had to be the first to see this good in Catra, and it had to be Glimmer who saw hope in her, because Glimmer lost the most to Catra, something that can't be recovered. 

The episode in which it's decided to go back to save Catra is one in which Glimmer spends the entire episode seeking Bow's forgiveness for a wrong even she feels she can never make up for and is only resolved when she says that she can't expect it but that she won't give up. She knows what it means to have messed up irreparably and that this doesn't mean one should just stop trying. 

Glimmer: Look, I know you're still mad at me. Maybe you'll be mad at me for a really long time. I deserve it! And maybe— Maybe we'll— Maybe we'll never be friends like we used to be. But I'm not going to stop trying to make it better. I made a mistake with the Heart of Etheria. I should have listened to you, and I'm sorry. You get to be mad, for as long as you need to be. But I'm not going anywhere, and when you're ready, I'll be here.

Adora witnesses this, and it's then that she truly decides they need to go back for Catra. When she approaches the topic, the 'camera' is on her and Glimmer. Bow is there, but she's telling Glimmer, rambling as she tries to get to the point, knowing what Catra took from Glimmer specifically because she needs Glimmer to understand and, I think, give her this blessing, because it's Glimmer who was most hurt by Catra's past bad actions. And Glimmer gives it. 

Glimmer: Catra sacrificed herself to save me. Whatever you need to do, I'm with you. 

Angella is gone, but Catra is still here. Glimmer knows what it is to mess up profoundly, and she also felt real horror and trauma imprisoned on the Hoard ship. It certainly means Something that Catra risked everything to get Glimmer out, and I think even that it means something that she did it to protect Adora, just like Angella in many ways made her sacrifice largely as a means to protect and save Glimmer.

It is meaningful and impactful that Glimmer plays such a large role in Catra's redemption and that she is cheering her on as she walks the difficult path of admitting and making up for past mistakes. Catra, in some ways, learned how to make things right from Glimmer. Catra watched as Glimmer came to her to end the Hoard's reign at the end of Season 4. Catra watches the realization hit Glimmer that her choice was wrong, destructive as she collapses on the ground being sapped of her power.

Glimmer: Adora was right! Light Hope, used me. She activated the Heart! 

Catra: So? I thought you wanted to win. Use your weapon. 

Glimmer: I can't! It would destroy everything. I have to try and stop it.

Catra clearly followed Glimmer as she struggled back to the Black Garnet to attempt to destroy the garnet and make right the wrong she did. She must have watched Glimmer strike impotently at the garnet until she collapsed. And finally when they are stuck on Hoard Prime's ship together, and they know Adora is on her way to attempt to rescue Glimmer, Glimmer makes that statement, "Do one good thing in your life." 

Catra's redemption has so many moving parts. The show really took it's time to put so many pieces in place, from everything it did with Shadow Weaver (oh hey, also note Shadow Weaver's presence with Glimmer and how it effects her and Adora's relationship too in S4), Entraptra, Scorpia, Double Trouble, etc to put Catra emotionally just in the right place to really hear Glimmer. And part of why she can hear Glimmer, is because she just witnessed Glimmer in her place. She shouts at Glimmer after those words that she knows nothing about her, but the truth is, I think Catra was seeing quite a bit of herself in Glimmer just then, and found herself wanting. So, finally, she strove to do better. 

It honestly is just so beautifully done. I can't blame anyone for wanting more time with Catra's redemption, but I do think it was well earned. Glimmer offers a good prep in how a character can be misled and even estranged by the protagonist that leads to bad places. It creates a point of understanding and an example for the in universe characters to jump off of. I definitely saw in Glimmer's enthusiasm for Catra's joining the team a sense of 'if they can forgive her, then they can forgive me.' And it doesn't seem unlikely that Catra even had the exact same thought when she decided to risk Prime's wrath to save Glimmer. Despite her cynical nature, I think she found a spark of hope in her, and she made a leap of faith. 

And I think in this way too, we were more ready to accept Catra's redemption. So many pillars were put up in many places by the creators, and even while I can't fault anyone for wanting some tweaks or changes, I think spop did a fantastic job on this redemption and felt it truly earned by the end of the season. 

But then again, I might be biased in laying so much credit on Glimmer, cause Glimmer did nothing wrong, and they had to forgive her, and she’s wonderful and perfect! 

[heroes-trash]

on Mira Shenoy: an unfiltered rant about wasted potential

[like genuinely unfiltered, i’m actually a little sorry 🙈🙈]

she is (was?) Mohinder's ex-and-again girlfriend, and she literally got like 4 scenes on the whole show

two in the first season and two in the fourth

AND THE THING IS!!!!!!!!!!

SHE WAS INTRODUCED AS MOHINDER'S *EQUAL*

another geneticist, far as we at all know good at it, SHE CAME TO HIM TO OFFER HIM A JOB. to work alongside her!!

i was actually curious about how they might've grown up together, there was the implication they split bc she kept throwing shade at Chandra's pursuits and Mohinder, though not convinced himself, still very much loved and wanted to protect his father's honor, so he argued, and that's what drove them apart in the end

(i don't remember where the canon evidence for that was from though, might just be a fan theory ig)

but anyway!! another scientist, i must admit that would've been a good match for Mohinder! (yk, far as canon '''possibilities''' go)

[fun fact i thought Maya was horribly annoying, and i am SO fucking glad she and Mohinder were supposed to date again in Vol. 4 but that was cut completely ☺ the way he tried to hinge his 'human-ness' on Her Approval was just,,,,,, BAD WRONG NOPE]

BUT THEN

SEASON FOUR ROLLED ALONG

and i'm 99.9% convinced Sendhil was really busy and that's the reason they *basically wrote him out*

BUT THE WAY THEY DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you can make one or another case for sexism in Heroes sure, but nothing *too bad*, right??

WRONG

e v e r y t h i n g  they did to Mira's character was sexist as FUCK, her and Mohinder's storyline (much, or rather little, of it as there was!!!) was DISGUSTINGLY badly done. The Great, Smart AND Strong Man Hero and His Narrow-Minded House Wife, The Show.

like you can tell me a lot but not that that tonal shift wasn't intentional???

when we first see Mira, she might look like a stereotypical 'pretty indian girl' but at least!! she has intrigue!! she has The Smarts and she's *interesting*

and in S4????? she is all dressed in dull colors (at first i honestly thought they recast the actress!! she looked way older!!!!), 100% the boring housewifey. AND THE WORST OF IT, THE VERY WORST. (bc yes, perpetuating the more than 🤢🤢 'intriguing asian hottie instantly becomes obedient, mousey mother stand-in once you date her' trope is NOT ACTUALLY THE WORST PART)

the worst part is that there is NO mention of her intellect anymore???? Mohinder works as a professor again (not a researcher, LIKE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO RE: THAT JOB OFFER), and there's a sweet moment w/ him & a student that she clearly likes (no doubt the reading here is that she wants kids -.-)....... and she shuns all of his previous pursuits / his father's research, BECAUSE AND I QUOTE: ''you have a good life here!''

and when Mohinder persists, she tells him that she won't wait for him if he leaves again. maybe they were going for an Empowering Moment by making her put her foot down like that, but it just hammers home that Mohinder is OBVIOUSLY doing THE ONLY RIGHT THING, and that his girlfriend's simply too limited to understand that.

woman

made

to

be

the

idiot

to

praise

the

man's

narrative.

CLASSIC CASE.

they take basically ALL of the blame away from him, even though his actions wind up getting him KILLED, his meek 'i broke a promise to a girl.... :(' afterwards just sounds DUMB, and besides,,, isn't the point whatsoever????

the point is that he took a HUGE risk (which btw wound up (however indirectly) getting HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE KILLED, and no one went back to save *them*!!!). the point is that there's something restless, unhinged, and maybe not 100% good in him. still amazing, ofc, it's the true spirit of the scientist, 'discovery at all cost'.

thankfully, it's not quite as extreme as anything he did in Vol. 3 but it's the same!!! spirit!!! that energy that drives him the whole ass time. when Nirand tells him more or less flat-out to drop the pursuit of his father's killer and live a normal life with Mira instead, he refuses with little doubt. and he's still that guy!!!! not because there's anything wrong w/ Mira, but bc he will never *settle*. only that,,, just Maybe, *at this point*.... he could?? at least take it a LITTLE easier???? as i said, his behavior isn't exactly unproblematic.

AND

THEY

COULD

HAVE

MADE

THAT

A

THING

*SO EASILY!!!!!!!!*

and IN THE SAME STROKE keep Mira's honor as a woman of SCIENCE, who has greater ambitions than a man who's good w/ kids and ''a good (meaning QUIET, ORDINARY) life''!!!!!

but NO

goddammit,,,,, i could write the fucken dialogue FOR THEM. JUST have her argue that going back to the states on some new, uncertain quest is DANGEROUS, first of all - i mean, she even p much does that in canon - and then have her contrast that not to '''a good life''', but to THEIR. RESEARCH. RIGHT THERE!! have them BOTH be ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, studying shit together, sharing that passion AND INDEED ENJOYING IT, and the rest writes itself!!!

Mohinder is tempted by the discoveries FIELDWORK can make, damn the dangers. THAT IS LITERALLY ALL THEY WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO DO. make her as smart as she SHOULD BE, and him not the purely blameless, misunderstood white knight!!! not FULLY!!

[fyi in the comics we see their reunion, and it's 200% male fantasy,,, don't get me wrong i love HOW he got his ability, but just sometimes, i think it was indeed a bad idea to give the nerds muscles. they tend to be made into ridiculously one-dimensional action heroes all out of a sudden, then...]