#16 years later and I'm still bitter about it

[jennypings]

Honestly...💜💛

[diminuel]

Doflamingo as a babysitter/parent is so funny because he is an evil insane crazy villain man BUT he is ALSO canonically VERY good at the TECHNICAL aspects of childcare. He WILL encourage Luffy to kill people but he WILL also make sure he eats his vegetables and is asleep by 9 on the dot and has had a bath.

You know if Dragon and Croc (in ANY crocdad canon) knew about Dellinger it would drive them crazy!!! Thats like the one piece equivalent of being an instagram parent with a spotless house and straight A kids and homebaked bread and designer nails and—

He had a BABY on his SHIP during BATTLES and the kid didn’t come out with a SINGLE scratch!!! Dellinger wasn’t even a secret!!!! Every dangerous pirate and gang Doffy dealt with for 16 years knew he had a little baby nephew and the kid has been seemingly FINE this entire time!!! Yes he’s CRAZY and EVIL but so is Doflamingo!!!!!!!

(The idea of Instagram parent Doflamingo delights me!)

In the one universe where he is babysitting Luffy he's not an insane crazy villain since he was most likely picked up by the marine together with Rosinante (it's potentially the same universe as this comic). The kid clearly has issues that growing up with marines is definitely not going to fix and he does abandon his marine career in favor of becoming a pirate and underworld crime lord. So he could still encourage Luffy to kill (but honestly, Crocodile might encourage that too. He'd much rather have a child that will know how to kill than a dead child.) But definitely, out of anyone he'd probably be the best at actually meeting Luffy's needs as a child and enforcing child appropriate rules (eating veggies, taking baths, bed time.)

And yes! Dragon and Crocodile did so much in order to conceal that they had a child, fearful of him being killed for the sins of his fathers or Luffy being abducted/ used against them. It would probably be especially bitter in an universe where they abandoned Luffy for his own good. It's frustrating to see that Doflamingo could do it so effortlessly but Doflamingo has the benefit that he trusts his crew. He's not just one man with a kid against the world. Crocodile doesn't trust anyone. And Dragon of course doesn't even have the protection that being a warlord grants Crocodile. But I think Crocodile would be livid if he ever found out that Dragon took in a child to be raised on their secret head quarters. Why a random child, why not their child?

And then years later Sengoku announced the truth of Luffy being Dragon's child to the whole world during battle in what must be Crocodile's worst case scenario.

Crocodile (in any Crocodad AU) is not having a great time X'D

Sorry, I drifted off mentally because I'm rereading OP and am about to get to Marineford.

[gallaghercest]

Lyric Analysis - It's a Crime

Ok, this reunion really messed with my head. It feels like a dream come true. I never imagined to experience this. I've been listening to Oasis non-stop since the 27th. I've been obsessing with these two fuckers in such a way that I haven't done since I was 16.

My current obsession has been It's A Crime. It's a demo from 1999, SOTSOG era. A few years later it was released as a single during the Don't Believe The Truth era as "Let There Be Love". Mind you that LTBL is the second song Liam and Noel sing together, the first being Acquiesce - yes, that one where Noel sings they need and believe in each other.

I always knew these lyrics were a huge piece of evidence, but for some reason, I never managed to understand what it meant. It was sort of an enigma to me.

Well, let's get into it. It won't be anything groundbreaking, just my thoughts on the lyrics as I need to vent with someone.

Disclaimer: I don't ship Liam and Noel, these are only thoughts and theories about their relationship, and this is all merely for entertainment purposes. Noel/Liam, if you're reading this, please don't sue me. I'm cool.

Before we start, I'd like to remind you of My version/timeline of Liam and Noel's relationship as this will help you understand my analysis:

Their thingy started around 1992, as Liam and Noel got closer to each other because of Oasis;

I firmly believe Noel was the starter, hence Lock All The Doors (1992) lyrics. Why did Liam agree with that? Fuck knows. I'd die to know that;

Noel was the one who showed more affection/was head over heels in love during 1992-1995. He was always writing about Liam and treating him like a God. Liam loved Noel too but I just think he had more important things to care about, he didn't really see how important Noel's love and public displays of affection were. He was too immature to realize that and value Noel's love. We know Noel is a cold person by nature so showing his vulnerable side to Liam was something important to him, but Liam couldn't understand that;

Then we have 1996. Boom. That was the first time their ""relationship"" was in crisis. I don't know if it was because of their wives or if a single episode we're unaware of led to a crisis. I sadly don't have that info. I also believe Noel went to Mustique Island as a way to cope with/escape this crisis. He recorded nearly all the demos for Be Here Now there, including If We Shadows and Untitled. Haha. The boy was depressed as hell;

Things seemed to get a lot better in 1997-1998;

1999-2001 is a strange period, it seems off - they seemed more distant, but at the same time, there are some hints Noel was still willing to give themselves one more try. I don't have many thoughts on that period;

2002: they seemed to be on pretty good terms, but guess what: from this year onwards, their roles switched - Liam started to be the one who's most affectionate, and more passionate and needy, while Noel was more distant, and cold. That was their dynamics until 2007-2008;

2009 was a terrible year for them so I won't even bother to comment on that.

Well, you can say what you want But you won't get a thing from me And if you don't understand That's it's not in your hands you need Let there be love

You'll notice that, throughout the song, Noel uses the words "want" and "feel"/"mean" in the first line of each verse, because there's a difference between what Liam wants to say and what Liam needs to say. We'll get into that later on.

I think this verse supports what I said about Noel being emotionally unavailable during the SOTSOG era and post-2002. I don't know what happened in 1996 but he seemed to be extremely bitter ever since (1997 being an exception). No matter how many times Liam told him he loved Noel, no matter how Liam showed his affection or begged for Noel's attention, he wouldn't get it. The old Noel was dead.

The last three lines, in my opinion, show that what Liam needs is Noel's love, something that's irreplaceable in his life: there's nothing Liam can do on his own that would replace what they have, and no one else on Earth could give Liam the same love - so it's really not in his hands. This also accentuates how Noel likes to be in charge/have power.

"Let there be love". Noel is telling Liam that he should let love take over him, and thus be more expressive. Noel always says how Liam is an angry man, etc, so this is just a message to remind him that he's still able to love.

But you can say what you feel And it might never steal from me And then you must understand That it's all in your hands what you need Let there be love

English is not my first language so I have no idea if the "steal from me" is an idiom that means anything other than the regular meaning of it. The first line shows that all Noel wanted was Liam to be more verbal about them i.e. show more affection.

Third and fourth lines show that Noel's way of loving solely depends on Liam's actions - if Liam shows his love, Noel's happy and will express his love too. By saying that, we must think: does that mean Noel's love is not unconditional? Does it mean a huge part of Noel's obsession with Liam was a need to feel approved and needed by Liam, which is (plot twist) basically the exact same way Liam felt about Noel during… his entire life? In the end, both wished for the same thing from each other but were poor communicators.

Again, Noel thinks his love is all Liam needs, but Liam is unaware of it.

And I never knew But all the things that you've done Are coming right back to you But everybody knows that it's no crime

1994 Noel would never have imagined that their relationship would be in shambles in 1996, or that they would go through such emotionally-distant periods, ever.

My understanding of this whole verse is that Noel was aware that Liam was getting his karma, not only regarding their relationship but with life in general, and Noel never imagined that would ever happen, as Liam always seemed to get away with absolutely everything when they were younger.

Although Liam and Patsy had Lennon in 1999, they got divorced in 2000, so we can suppose things were not very nice when this demo was recorded. Although Liam was sober around the SOTSOG recordings in 1999, he was Drunk™️ as hell on the second Wembley night in 2000. Liam didn't value Noel's love in the early years, and now he's paying for that "mistake". In Noel's mind, that's no crime. People reap what they sow, whether that's good or bad.

But does it make you feel ashamed? You never said what you've done And there's no need to blame But everybody knows Yeah, everybody knows Everybody knows that it's no crime It's no crime

These lines are sort of a mystery to me. "You never said what you've done". What does Noel mean by that? Is he talking about the 1ncest? Or is Liam not able to admit he failed to meet Noel's emotional needs? I believe it is the latter. In Noel's mind, that would be a reason for Liam to be ashamed, but at the same time, he can't blame him, since Noel was the one who started all of this.

For a second, while I was reading the lyrics, I realised the first three lines were kind of familiar to me. Then I had an epiphany and noticed that Noel has written something similar in Stay Young, released in 1997: They're making you feel so ashamed/Making you taking the blame. As I always say, guilt, blame, shame, being a sinner, and wanting to escape from people are recurrent themes in Noel's lyrics. I wonder why…………..

So you can say what you want But you'll not get a thought from me But if you say what you mean Then you might get a thing from me Let there be love

This just reflects what I said above: if Liam says whatever he pleases - or, in this case, if he's not verbal with Noel -, Noel will shut down. However, if Liam says what he really feels deep inside, Noel might be cool to him. That line shows me that despite Liam being immature and not valuing Noel in the past/present, he still knew Liam genuinely loved him the same way he did. Noel just had this (ego-guided?) desire to hear that. Clearly, Noel's language of love is words of affirmation (he's such a Gemini!!!), and Liam's is acts of service (he's such a Virgo!!!). That's it.

While I was writing the above paragraph, I thought, "Am I going nuts? What if everything I'm writing is pure bullshit?". So I refreshed my Tumblr timeline and saw THIS:

It's a Liam quote from 2006. It's literally what I've been saying throughout this whole analysis. Liam thinks words are not necessary. But Noel does. Do I think Noel complained about Liam's lack of communication with Liam himself? Probably not. Noel'd probably think that'd be humiliating. I think there's a high chance that Noel just vented about it in his lyrics and when he was face-to-face with Liam, they'd simply fight with each other as a way to express the frustration they felt inside caused by each of them not being able to act the way they expected, love-wise.

If I ever knew That all the things I've thought Are coming right back to you But everybody thinks that it's a crime

First things first: I love Noel's delivery of the word "Crime" in this verse. It's so agonizing, you can really feel his guilt/desperation.

To me, this verse shows how Noel knows the 1ncest and his own actions/way of treating Liam impacts Liam's life and way of being, and also their relationship in general. It all started with a thought in Noel's mind back in 1992. An intrusive one, most likely. But Noel wasn't able to brush it off and eventually gave in to his forbidden wishes. If he ever knew how that would affect them forever, he'd have never done that (no shit, Sherlock).

Obviously, everybody would think what they have is a crime. Because, luckily, people are sane. Alternatively, Noel might meant that even when Liam does something wrong or gets what he deserves, people still think it's a crime for him to be held accountable for his actions. As I mentioned above, Noel is convinced that Liam is the world's protegé, a kind of invincible human being who is never blamed by anyone.

It never makes you feel ashamed You sit around and you sold And you're passing the blame But everybody knows Yeah everybody knows Everybody knows that it's a crime It's a crime

Now, Noel is kind of blaming Liam for not doing anything to change his behaviour, being convinced that Noel's the reason why everything is shite and blaming him for it. Or maybe blaming other people/situations to justify his behaviour/lack of expression of feelings.

Either way, unless Noel would address his desires directly to Liam, it doesn't make a lot of sense in my head to be a bitch about it. I mean, get a grip. Stop writing songs about it and do something!!! Cry in public!!! Make a press conference to expose how Liam is non-verbal with you!!!

Last lines conclude that, in the end, 1ncest is still a crime. Who would've thought?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x- That's it - hope you missed me and enjoyed this. Kiss Kiss JM

[royboyfanpage]

Okay a post by @mew-poo got me thinking about Titans (1999) #15-#16 again, and I think I noticed something. This may be absolute bs, I haven't slept in two days so I might be doing analysis that doesn't exist, but-

I think Roy is the only one of the fab five who doesn't hold grudges.

Essentially the comics, particularly #15, focus on the fab five being stranded on an island with Gargoyle, who is bringing their personal resentments and grudges to light, causing a lot of tensions between the team. But one thing I've noticed is that the different arguments Roy makes are rarely centred around anything that happened between him and the others off the island. The main issues for him are-

-the current situation, or-

-regarding Lian. Comparatively, the things that the others say to him, such as Garth bringing up his addiction arguably unnecessarily-

-Donna suggesting that Roy's stupid for thinking their relationship will last (and later insulting him for leaving after she said that)-

-and Dick questioning his commitment to the Titans (which I won't post a panel of due to Tumblr photo limit, so imagine it's here), it's clear to see a difference. Despite being on an island intended to highten negative emotions, Roy never actually brings up anything anyone's done in the past (at least not yet) unless he's actively prompted to by someone else, like his defending himself from Dick's criticism-

-and the only time he really brings anything up without a prompt (prior to the end) is STILL in reference to something that was said to him on the island as opposed to years ago.

I think that makes a lot of sense for Roy as a character. He's a very practical man, and so it makes sense that he wouldn't dwell on old grudges compared to current issues he's faced with. It could also, at least partially, explain why it takes Roy so long to recognise that Garth is mad at his teasing. Roy reacts strongly in the moment to issues in his life and relationships rather than letting them brew (at least this era of Roy does, his reactions were different in the Snowbirds era), which may make it harder for him to see that someone *is* harbouring a grudge against him that they haven't acted on- that's just not how his brain works.

And then, there's the moment where Roy does snap.

I don't think that Roy's dialogue here stems from a grudge, and it's not based in negativity. As mentioned earlier in the comic, Gargoyle thrives on negativity, that was what was keeping them in purgatory. However, Roy's rant and punch was what managed to free them. It's not based in bitterness but rather... I guess violently constructive criticism? Roy doesn't like seeing Dick stuck in Bruce's shadow, and his tirade is based in concern for Dick more than anything, a wake-up call. And anything similar to bitterness in this is rather based on the double standards towards Dick- everyone has to walk on eggshells around Dick's issues, whereas Roy's issues are constantly brought up (Roy's addiction is mentioned in almost every comic with him I've read). He's angry that his friends will step in and give *him* a wakeup call, but they let Dick spiral without stepping in.

Anyway I'm very tired and forgot my point halfway through writing this, so do with this as you will and reinterpretations are more than welcome.

[leclerqueensainz]

A Family of Three (C.L 16)

Part. III - Heroes, Princess and Fewawi.

⚠️ Warnings: Distress (Charles is very sad talking about losing someone he loves), mention of maternal abandonment, issues with parents, and postpartum depression, among other triggers. However, there is also a cute interaction with Vincenzo for the first time, so that's a step forward.

Enjoy the reading!

P.S.: This is entirely based on Charles's point of view.

Word Count: 4,332.

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April 19, 2019 - Monte Carlo, Monaco.

When my father died a few years ago, I thought I would be prepared for any loss I would have endure later on. I anticipated losing other people, of which I had no doubt, but I swore that nothing could shake me as much as losing my hero.

When I lied to him about securing the Ferrari contract because it was his dream, and I wanted him to rest in peace, knowing that we had achieved it, that all the effort he had put into my future had been worthwhile, I thought nothing else could hurt as much as knowing he would never have the opportunity to see me don a red racing suit and drive a Scuderia car.

When I was given permission to drive the car carrying his casket, and I drove through the city so my father could bid a final farewell to the place he lived and loved for so long before taking him to the cemetery, I thought nothing could destroy my heart and burn every cell of my body as much as that did.

I was wrong.

But I should have known better. I should have understood that no pain would be enough to call someone's soul.

The news reached me two days ago on Monday when I was still in Shanghai after a race. Marie, my ex-girlfriend, called me in the middle of the night, and I couldn't fathom why she was calling me when we hadn't spoken in six months since the breakup.

My heart had raced before answering the phone, and a thousand thoughts crossed my mind—whether she was drunk and missing me or if she dialed accidentally. If she just wanted to talk because she had a bad day and Jules didn't answer when she called. I could expect anything and think of any possibility, but never these words. "Jules is dead." That's what she said right after my hello. There were no tears, no pauses. Just a broken and lifeless voice. A dead and cold voice.

Marie hadn't called because she was drunk or had a bad day and had no one else to talk to. It wasn't nostalgia for the six months we had been apart. It wasn't to tell me she loved me, as I had dreamed so many times before.

Marie called because our best friend, my godfather, was dead. No tears, no pauses. Just shock. It was direct. It was terrifying.

I wanted to know what she was talking about because Jules had left after the race, and he was fine. He was happy with the position and wanted to return to Nice to celebrate with the family. She didn't answer me. And I wondered if she had a baby or if it was a playful way to start a conversation with an ex-boyfriend. But she didn't laugh like I knew she would if she were joking. Then I felt it. The silence that told the truth. I had lost Jules, too.

So I shouted into the phone, said it wasn't funny, I was late, and I didn't want to participate in that cruel game. Denial. "Come to Monaco, Charles." She said and hung up.

I never wanted to have answered. I never wanted to pack hastily, wake up Pierre, and tell him we had lost him. I didn't want to arrive in Monaco and see the faces of my brothers and my mother painted with grief again. "I'm so sorry, my love." That's what my mother said when I fell to my knees and allowed myself to cry in front of my family as she hugged me. "It will be okay." That's what Lorenzo said. But we both knew it wouldn't.

I thought I wouldn't feel the sense of helplessness and bitterness when putting on a black suit again. I thought grief would be something I could handle. But it wasn't.

I begged anything that existed not to take anything else from me. I couldn't bear to make the same journey to that church because of another funeral. And I didn't want the experience of that shadow that left me shattered again.

I didn't want to overcome another loss; I didn't want to wonder why the pain didn't pass and didn't seem enough. I didn't want to try to understand or hear people saying that he would be in a better place and everything was God's purpose.

God. Why did he seem so angry with me? Wasn't losing my father enough? Why did he need Jules, too?

knowing that the only certainty of life is death, why didn't God bring an easier way for those who remain to overcome it?

There was no more my father; there was no more Jules. My heroes were gone, and I was left here. Why was I left?

I was being selfish and wise. Nevertheless, it was what allowed me to feel at the moment. I was alone, without those who once helped me become who I am. There was no one else to advise or guide me. And even though I still had Lorenzo or Arthur, I felt lost, like a drifting boat.

When the car parked in front of that church, I asked my family to proceed. I need a few minutes. I gathered the courage and strength to enter that place once again and face what I already knew would be the cause of my nightmares in the coming days. "Confront your demons," everyone says. But whoever coined that phrase never understood the complexity of the dark and bitterness-filled hole that grief brings.

I stared at the church from behind the car window. The same car in which I had once smiled with my best friend for having won it and carrying the Ferrari brand on its bodywork. The same car where I cried when I thought about how my father would have reacted to seeing me come home with it, and Jules hugged me and said it didn't matter where he would be; he would be selling and proud of my achievements.

And now I'm here inside. I'm inside this car, once again, in front of this church. However, without the consolation of someone I love this time. I'm inside this machine, summoning the courage to enter the funeral of someone who once comforted me for a loss.

I'm here summoning the courage to say goodbye to another of my heroes.

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January 20, 2023 - Nice, France.

I park the car in front of an old, low-rise building. Beside me, Marie watches closely as Cecilia steps out of the car in front of us. I can feel her nervousness and notice her hands tightly gripping the cuffs.

I know exactly what she's feeling, and a part of me is proud that I still manage to understand her body language even after all these years, but I try my best to downplay it since it's a delicate moment for both her and me.

After the meeting, Cecilia made a request that we expected but still caught us somewhat off guard. She wanted us to meet Vincenzo that afternoon. And that's where we are now—parked in front of the building, which I assume is where Cecilia lives with Vincenzo.

"What if he doesn't like us?" Marie asks softly. And I think she's posing the question more to herself than me.

"Hey! He's going to adore us!" I say, and she looks at me. Her eyes are wide with fear and anxiety. "Marie, it won't be easy initially, but we've discussed this before. Let's take it one step at a time. Don't think of Vincenzo as our future responsibility for now; think of him as a piece of Jules we will meet, okay?" Her eyes fill with tears, but she nods and smiles.

I take her hand, still clenched into a fist, and slowly bring it to my lips, gently touching it. Her hand opened, and I saw the half-moon red marks in her palm. She sighs in surprise, and I smile, trying to convey reassurance, even though I'm as terrified as she is deep down.

"We'll make it, my dear. Trust me," I say, and she agrees.

She subtly motions for me to release her wrist, but before I can feel my stomach sink with her rejection, her hand grabs mine and squeezes—a firm grip with a lot of meaning. My eyes go from our joined hands to her face, and this time, she has a small, reassuring smile on her lips.

"Let's go, Leclerc! Let's meet the legacy of our best friend."

(…)

"Sorry for the number of stairs! Our elevator hardly ever works," Cecilia says when we finally reach her apartment door after climbing about eight flights of stairs.

I lean against the wall next to the door and pull the air firmly into my lungs. On the other hand, in the last step, Marie depends on the railing, trying to laugh her heart out and normalize her breathing.

"Jesus! How do you manage to do this every day?" She asks Cecilia, who laughs and shrugs.

"Try doing it with a child in your arms; you'll guarantee it's much worse," she says, and Marie laughs lightly.

"So, good for you that you'll soon be free from going through this, right?" I speak, and the smile once painted on her lips fades.

Marie clears her throat, making me take my eyes off Cecilia and look at her. She is giving me a reproachful look, and I muster all of myself not to roll my eyes.

"Cecilia, do you want to go in first and talk to Vincenzo for a bit?" She asks, and Cecilia agrees.

"Good idea! Be back in a minute," she says, searching for the key inside her bag until she finds it and inserts it into the door lock. Before she turned the doorknob to open it, she waited for me for a full minute.

"I'm not asking you to like me, Charles," her tone is profound, and I stare at her with the same intensity. "But know that while we are in my house and front of Vincenzo, you won't talk to me like that, and you won't disrespect my pain in front of my son. I know I can't expect much from you because you're a man, and you'll never understand the situation with any view other than a man's." She turns entirely to me. "None of this is a walk in the park. Not for any of us. And this is the saddest thing I've had to do since I spent 12 hours in labor alone in a hospital while still mourning the father of my child." Tears overflow in her eyes, and I swallow hard.

"I messed up, and I messed up a lot. But I pay my penance every day for it. While you could feel the pain of mourning at your doorstep, I had to get up every day to feed and change a child who depended on me, and for a long time, I considered him to blame for everything." She lowers her gaze, shame and regret in her words reflecting her being. "They said it was postpartum depression, but I always knew better. I always loved Vincenzo, but I will never be able to look at him without seeing the reflection of my mistakes." She wipes the tears streaming down her face with the backs of her hands. "I will live eternally with these ghosts haunting me, but I won't let my son go through this." She says and turns, opening the door and entering right after.

The door closes with a soft thud, and I look at her. I don't know how I should react or even what I feel in the face of Cecilia's declaration. But even without knowing, shame points at the pit of my stomach. It's a shame because I wonder what Jules would say if he could see me now. And I think about my father for the first time in a long time.

"She didn't say that for you to feel bad, Charles," I'm drawn by Marie's voice. Her expression is serious, but her tone is gentle. "But she's not entirely wrong. You'll never understand her, not just because you're a man, but because this situation is far beyond any understanding and empathy you and I can have." She says, and her gaze shifts momentarily before returning to me. "I think the only one who could understand her is no longer here." She whispers the last part, and I continue observing her and digesting her words.

I also wonder if Marie has ever felt like Cecilia, not for the same reasons; that's obvious. But for different reasons, has she ever felt so alone with no one to understand her motives?

And then, I remember when I found out she had left a few days after Jules' funeral. I went to her apartment in the center of Monaco, and when I arrived, the landlord told me she had moved two days ago. I remember the emptiness that filled me: the pain, the loneliness, the mourning.

I had questioned many times why she left and abandoned me, even though she had nothing left with me and no obligation to try to restore what was broken inside me. But at no point did I wonder what she felt.

Jules died, and Marie and I no longer had a relationship. Her parents were never real parents. She had no one else but me, and even though I felt lonely and abandoned, I still had family who felt my pain.

So, is that it? Is that why she left? Because she thought she had no one else? Did she go through all of this alone?

"Please, Charles. Don't do this," she says, and I stare at her.

"Do what?" I ask, confused.

"Don't try to decipher if there's more to what I said than what I said," her gaze is as intense as Cecilia's a bit ago. "This is not about me and certainly not about you." And with these words, she ended the subject.

I wish I could retort and ask her, but that wasn't the moment, and I had already messed up enough for today. So, I nod in understanding, and she relaxes her shoulders and clears her throat.

Marie walks towards me in small steps, my trained eyes on her movements. She stops by my side, leaning against the same wall as me. Her face turned to the stairs where she was before.

"I'm sorry," is what I say because that's what I feel. Marie looks at me, and a faint smile adorns her lips.

"It's not your fault," she looks back at the stairs, and I follow.

We spend a few more minutes facing the cold steps, both immersed in our thoughts until I hear a slight maneuver coming from inside Cecilia's apartment. The door opened, but there was no one there.

"Hi!" A childish voice says, and I look down, seeing a tiny being with dimples and chubby cheeks staring at us. "I'm Vitiendo."

I feel my body freeze, and everything around me seems blurry. The little one looks at me with big brown eyes, just like Jules'. My heart races inside my chest, but still, I try to pull the air as deep as I can.

I crouch down, getting as close as I can to Vincenzo's height, and he keeps looking at me with big and curious eyes.

"Are you a friend of Daddy?" He asks, and I nod.

"Your father was my best friend," I say, his eyes light up. "I'm Charles. Nice to meet you, Vincenzo," I add, extending my hand for him to take.

"Will you be my best friend too, Shal?" he asks, looking from my hand back to my face.

I feel my eyes welling up, and a smile grows on my face.

"Yes, Vincenzo. You'll be my best friend," I reply, and he throws himself into my arms. I was startled and remained still momentarily, feeling his little arms tightly wrapped around my neck.

I instinctively hugged him back when I finally realized he was hugging me.

Tears I tried to hold back streamed down my face. It's Jules' son who is in my arms now. And it's him to whom I will give my word and my life to protect, no matter what happens. Just as Jules once did for me.

I lose myself in the feeling of that hug. I lost the sense of familiarity I felt at that moment. It's as if I've been transported back a few years, and the person in my arms is my best friend. I close my eyes tightly and suppress the urge to say everything. I never had the opportunity to speak to Jules one last time.

I love you. I miss you. I'm sorry. Thank you for being my hero. Stay.

I don't know how long we've stayed in this position, but I've returned to reality, or at least part of it when I hear a sniffle and a half sob behind Vincenzo. He must have heard it, too, as he squirms slightly in my arms, urging me to let go. He then turns to his mother and Marie, who are watching us, tears in their eyes.

Many things are happening on Marie's face, but for the first time since we learned of Vincenzo's existence, fear is not a part of any of them.

I watch her eyes shine with inspiration as she looks at the little boy in front of her, who looks back at her with sparkling eyes. They stand there, staring at each other for a few seconds, until Vincenzo tilts his head in confusion.

"Hi!" he greets with a shy smile. "Are you a princess?" I let out a low laugh, and Cecilia joined me. Marie bends down to his level. Her right hand slowly traces Vincenzo's face as if she wants to capture every feature.

"You look just like your dad," her voice falters with emotion, and Vincenzo extends a hand, mimicking her movements.

"Were you also a friend of Daddy, Princess?" He smiles openly, and Marie quickly nods with closed eyes, savoring the affection Vincenzo is showing.

"Yes, my love. I was excellent friends with your daddy," she says in a soft voice, and just as he did with me, Vincenzo throws himself into Marie's arms, who holds him instantly and presses him tightly against her.

I approach the two and give Marie a sideways hug, running my hands through Vincenzo's small curls.

(...)

"And this here is my Lawi Hamilton car," Vincenzo shows me another one of his toy cars when we reach the small room he shares with his mother. "It's my favorite," he says, and Marie laughs beside me when I can't hide my grimace.

"And a Ferrari? Don't you like Ferrari?" I ask him, and he leaves me confused for a few seconds.

"Fewawi? Is that the red car that breaks?" He innocently asks, and this time Marie bursts into laughter. I nod and give her a dirty look. "Fewawi is cool, Shal. But I like Cedes," he says, his eyes sparkling with the name of Mercedes, and I can't help but smile.

"Alright, I'll make you change that over time. At least it's not Redbull," I say, and Marie shakes her head, the huge smile still on her face.

"Edbull is the best! I like Edbull!" He says, and I choke on the air.

"But that's not possible!" I am incredulous, and Marie already has tears in her eyes from laughing so much.

"Don't be mad, Shal! I'll like Fewawi too, I promise!" Vincenzo extends his pinky finger towards me, and I catch it with mine, crossing them in a promise.

"I think that's great because you're going to spend a lot of time in the Ferrari box with me, little man," I say, picking him up, and he laughs.

"And are we going to meet Lawi Hamilton?" He asks excitedly, and I nod with a smile.

"Well, he won't be in the Ferrari box, but we can go to the Mercedes one; how about that?" I ask, and Vincenzo lets out a scream of happiness and hugs me tightly.

"Thank you, Shal! Are you coming too, Princess?" He turns to Marie, who looks at me awkwardly, unsure what to answer.

It has been a long time since Marie walked through the Paddock; the last time was months before Jules' death when we both ended our relationship. And I understand that for her, it might be a bit challenging.

"The Princess will go when she's ready," I say, looking at Marie. "And when she's ready, we'll both be there to hold her hands and ensure she doesn't feel scared, right?" I ask, shifting my gaze from Marie to Vincenzo, and the little boy in my arms jumps, making me hold him tighter to prevent him from falling.

"Yes! And can we take mommy too, Shal?" I feel a shiver down my spine when he asks me. I look at Marie, who stares back at me with wide, sad eyes.

I don't know what to answer. I still need to understand my position here. Vincenzo will live with us, but I don't know who or how we would break this news to him. Even though I don't like Cecilia and disagree with her parenting methods, I still don't feel that this conversation should come from me but rather from Cecilia, who is still the boy's mother.

No child is ready to leave their mother, especially one so young. Cecilia is Vincenzo's world. The only absolute truth he knows, and I don't want him to lose that, even if it's something enforced.

"How about we check if Mommy has finished making dinner, Little One?" Marie asks, lifting the rug where Vincenzo is sitting. "Will you help me find the kitchen? This house is still a maze for me, and princesses can't wander in mazes without royal guards and knights in armor to watch over them, right?" Marie gestures and puts her hands on her chest, pretending to be a distressed damsel. Despite wanting to laugh at her horrible acting, I feel grateful she thought of something so quickly to distract the boy from his question.

"Yes, Princess! I'll protect you from monsters and bad guys!" Vincenzo says, striking a pose as a brave hero, making us laugh. "Shal, floor!" I understand what he means and bend down to safely put him on the floor.

Vincenzo takes Marie's hand, pulling her towards the door. She follows him briskly, and I stay in the room for a few more minutes, looking at the toys Vincenzo had left on the floor.

His question still echoes in my head. The feeling of wanting to shield him from any pain overwhelms me, but I know it's impossible for him not to suffer from Cecilia's future absence. I wonder if she is not going through the same, for I've known him for less than an hour, and I can't imagine being away from the boy for too long. Then I remember what she said earlier, her bitter words against herself, and how she doesn't want Vincenzo to be haunted by the ghosts of her mistakes.

And remembering the feeling I had earlier with him in my arms, this may be the universe's way of telling me that even though I no longer have my heroes around me, I still have the opportunity to be someone's hero.

And there, sitting on Spider-Man's play mat, holding the toy cars in my hands, I begin to understand, or at least I think I do. If I already love him, having just met him, it's clear that this is a nightmare for Cecilia. She has to leave her son, her only companion because guilt and the consequences of her mistakes always haunt her. Sacrificing her right as a mother rather than offering her son's happiness and future might not make her a terrible mother. Perhaps it's the only thing she has done right in her entire life.

"Come on, Shal! Many monsters want to take the Princess!" Vincenzo appears at the door, and I quickly get up, running towards him. After all, I can't let such a tiny being fight against so many monsters alone.

🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨

Hello! After months, I brought another part translated into English! I apologize for the delay, but it's truly challenging to translate into another language. This weekend, I will translate the other parts :) See You!

Tag list:

@woofgocows

@livinglifethroughfanfic @allthisfortommy

@kyomihann

@numafarawayglxy

@ushygushybaby

@lara03

@alwaysclassyeagle

@ru-kru @pjofics

[stem-sister-scuffle]

STEM SISTER SCUFFLE: SEMIFINALS LEFT MASHUP

Ema Skye (Ace Attorney) vs Ms Frizzle (The Magic School Bus)

Ema Skye is a Forensic Scientist!

Ms. Frizzle is a Science Teacher!

Why you should vote for each contestant:

Ema Skye:

"I love her a lot and she's very important to me. We get to see her story from being a high school student who's really into science, to becoming a detective, to then finally passing her forensics exam and becoming a forensic scientist like she always wanted. I cosplayed her before"

"Ema has been interested in forensics ever since she was a kid. She's extremely passionate about it. She works very hard and despite bumps along the way she does manage to achieve her dreams/career goal and get into forensic science. She is amazing and I love her enthusiasm and I love her :D When she was like 16 she personally had her own spray bottle(s) of luminol testing fluid, what a dork (in the best way!). Forensic science is practically her whole life. What an inspiration. The first thing on her wiki page is the quote "Yes! Isn't it amazing? Ah, the power of science. It's my life." Bless."

"this girl is so silly. Her favorite thing is luminol. You have an ace attorney pfp you know her. She is my favorite ever. She calls Klavier Gavin a "glimmerous fop" (accurate description). She wears a lab coat over her school uniform. She brings snacks to crime scenes.i love her your honor"

"shes like every enthusiastic autism girl with a science special interest who then gors to college and gets a job and is tired and a mean lesbian but still is a freak about forensics. i love her"

"SHE WORKED SO HARD TO GO INTO FORENSICS. SHE HELPS EVERYONE DO FORENSICS. SHE THEN FAILS WHEN IT COUNTS AND BECOMES BITTER BUT GETS OUT OF THOSE FEELINGS LATER ON. I love her dearly she's so silly and fun when she needs to be, and I think her failure is fascinating but I'm SOOOOO GLAD she was able to become a forensic scientist in the end :)"

"Showed up and gave Apollo random forensics supplies at just the right time. Not sure if this was authorized. Does not Mayte though she can do anything she wants. C’mon man you know her you know why she’s the best you get me right"

"She's fun and good at science and has pink lenses in her glasses and I like her a lot"

"She is so excited to be using her fun little toys to solve crimes."

"She’s a gosh darn professional in a house of fops. Is passionate about her work and was inspired partially by a murder case she was involved in as a witness. She’s really cute and really quirky, and ya girl knows how to snack. She accessorizes really well. I cosplayed as her once and found myself more and more impressed with her style choices as I was putting it together. We stan a fashionable yet practical STEM queen."

"she is literally everythingggg to me. she has wanted to be a forensic scientist since she was 16 y/o and introduces forensic investigation mechanics to the series like luminol and dusting for fingerprints. when she does not get her dream job, she becomes depressed and bitter, only cheering up when she talks about forensic science. later on, when she attains the job, she is much happier! science is her entire life and her career and she is tremendously autistic about it. also she's such a girlboss i love her <3 ema must go through btw. she is the ultimate woman in stem"

"Ema Skye has been interested in forensics for many years due to case that occurred when she was younger. Even though she didn't pass the test to become one at first she had still continued trying till she made it. She always lights up at the mention of anything revolving sciene. She gets so happy when she's able to work with her forensic tools and investigate the crime scene <33"

"Teaches Phoenix wright about forensics"

"she wears a cool lab coat and I don't really know what else to put here but she's neat"

"she is so autistic about forensic science. she goes against the police rules to take fingerprints. she infodumps to anyone who will listen about forensic science. ema is so special to me and I love her very much"

"Ema is a girlboss! She started using forensics and scientific investigation to help solve murders when she was just 15 years old. she autistic and bisexual bc I say so :)"

"Literally the only character in universe that uses hard evidence in trials."

"The skyentific detective…."

"Its literally her personality ok. Just listen to her theme(s). I just love her"

"She is literally me <33 I love her. I need to see her grow up happy and healthy and i need to tell my friends and family about her."

"Wants to be a scientific investigator and solve crimes scientifically, forced to be a cop. Goes from teen with a weird hobby to reluctant cop to everything she ever wanted and I am so proud"

"She’s just a little weirdo. And she keeps trying to be a forensic scientist, but she has to finish high school first. She solved the murder her sister was accused of "

"Forensic science fascinates her. She sure is a woman jn stem. I am sorry I am very tired i dn what to write"

"I need to actually finish AA but it’s her. You probably have more submissions with better reasoning but I like her vibes from what I did play."

"She's got all sorts of cool gadgets which utilize the DS touchscreen"

Ms. Frizzle:

"*gestures at entire magic school bus series*"

"Embodies the true spirit of scientific discovery: barely-contained chaos."

"She is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of sciences, and uses that knowledge to further the educations of many people. Teachers deserve the world; they do so much for so little in return. (shout out to Mrs. Goates)"

"She loves science and loves teaching kids about science. I love her. Idk I saw she only had one submission and that made me sad so now im here submitting her"

"She is an icon and has cool earrings"

"SHE'S SO COOL!!! She's so smart and so fun and genuinely just an icon. ALSO she has a little lizard on her shoulder. I saw an ask abt the submissions for Ms. Frizzle and the sender was the only person who submitted her.. I couldn't let this go. ALSO one of my professors irl called herself the irl Frizzle and she's a doctor of biology so make of that what you will"

[hazel-of-sodor]

Day 16-Too Late

Traintober 2023

Other Stories

Day 16-Purpose

Too Late

James was the one to find him. Thomas was hidden among the disused wagons behind Tidmouth. It didn't surprise James that none of the others had found him. Most tended to forget this part of the yard existed. James only knew because this was one of the spots he went to when everything became too much. As it had become for Caomhnóir.

The tank engine's fire had long gone out, his soot covering slowly washing away under the rain. Tear tracks covered his cheeks, but he was utterly unmoving. He had never looked so small to James as he did right then. Thomas had an energy that swelled past his frames, always moving, never still for longer than a second at a time. When he was upset it was easy to forget he wasn't as big as the main line engines. As Caomhnóir...there was a reason the likes of Flying Scotsman listened when he spoke. But right now? James just saw a little engine, bending under the weight placed on his frames.

James silently rolled to a stop in front of the tank engine, his crew walking away, leaving the two engines alone. For a long time, they remained in silence, James just letting him cry.

"I was too late." Caomhnóir finally whispered, his voice rough from crying. "She was already gone when we arrived."

James had no idea who he was talking about, but he could certainly guess at their fate.

"You can't save everyone." He reminded gently.

Caomhnóir's laugh was bitter and broken, "Everyone? Right now I'm failing to save anyone."

Well, that was enough of that.

"So you did dump that goods train on me last week for no reason."

Thomas looked up, confused, "No, I was..."

"And you had Henry sabotage the kipper the week before that for nothing."

"Of course not! I..."

"And Gordon derailed at Barrow completely by accident last month."

Thomas fell silent.

James raised an eyebrow, "Well? Did you or did you not need cover for engines sneaking in three times in a month?"

Thomas sighed, "I did...but it was not enough."

"No its not..and it never will be." James sighed, allowing his own grief to slip through. "But we can either accept that and help you save who we can, or let them take our kin unopposed."

"There's just so many." Caomhnóir sounded lost. "When I realized she was gone I grabbed who I could but..."

He was quiet for a long moment, " I moved as fast as I could but...." He looked helplessly up at James, "How do I tell Gordon Pretty Polly''s gone."

Oh. Well, that explained it.

"You don't," James said. "I will."

Thomas looked up to protest but James pressed their buffers together. "You have enough on your frames without this."

Thomas shook, "she wasn't supposed to be withdrawn yet. We had a plan, but suddenly they withdrew her, and by the time I got there..."

James took a deep breathe to steady himself, "it's still not your fault." He pushed on before the little engine could protest. "By all accounts, you made a sudden mad dash across the entire country undetected to try to save her. If you failed, then it was because there was no way to succeed, not because you failed in any way."

"I ran out of coal on the way back." Thomas admitted, "The midnight goods had to sneak me in."

Well, that explained why his fire was out.

"That only proves you did everything you could."

***

11 years later.

Thomas was resting at Tidmouth when he heard Gordon's whistle, joined by his siblings. He opened his eyes, expecting to see Gordon, Northern, and Scotsman.

Instead, a fourth engine was in front of him, the three expected Gresley's smirking on either side of her.

She, somehow was an A3 Pacific in BR Express Passenger Blue with the number 60061 on her buffer beam.

"I never got to thank you for trying to save me."

"POLLY?!?!?"

[troublemakingrebel]

Fanfic Tag Game

Ayyy, @krankittoeleven, thanks for tagging! Love these little lists!

1. How many fics do you have on AO3?

34! (I used to write in two languages, but for this game i count only the English ones)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

295,814... (~1.5 times more words than "Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien *sweating*)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Totally obsessed with Assassin's Creed (Valhalla in particular), but also have some WIPs for Cyberpunk 2077.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Right Behind You (Witcher 3), a piece about epic friendship & love between Geralt of Rivia and the absolute husband material Emiel Regis

10 years apart, no more (AC Valhalla), a fix-it for the fLicKEriNg flame nonsense (if you know you know...)

Shall We? (AC Syndicate), another fix-it that makes Maxwell Roth survive the fire as there's no fire at all

The Truth (The Wolf Among Us), about shaky relationship between the Big Bad Wolf and the Woodsman (i'm so surprised it made it to the top-5!!)

In the Belly of the Beast (AC Valhalla), about Ivarr Ragnarsson eating the forbidden Saxon fruit while no one is watching hehe

5. Do you respond to comments?

Of course! Can't leave them hanging there in silence!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Usually, I don't do sad endings, but the most bitter-sweet one is Pebble (Dragon Age: Inquisition) about a kossith who cuts his massive horns off to look more like a human so he could follow his lover to the city where kossith race isn't welcome :c Although I don't think his lover would let him go there anyway......

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Haha every other one :D But Sun, Rum and Gunpowder (AC Black Flag) has the happiest and the most carefree vibes whatsoever!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not on the fics, but the ships! I just delete those because why is it an author's problem suddenly that some people don't know how filters work??

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Oh, I sure do ;> It's not extremely explicit (no holes in sight, but dicks and balls can be spotted) and is mostly focused on emotions and dialogues.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Nope, but I write AUs sometimes to spice things up! Modern days AUs are the bane of my existence, and still... somehow... I keep making them...

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, but I noticed my lines and phrases in the stories of fellow writers. I appreciate it!!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yeah!! Out of all possible fics, it was The Remnants of a Ruined Past, a Mad Max (the game!) story translated into Polish. Love it lots!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

Never as i am incapable to work in groups haha. I did some challenges though, such as picking a theme and writing something small with a fren to compare the results later. It's very fun and helps to keep your brain gears spinning!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Like, the one and only ship that I could bring along if I was stuck on a desert island? Or the one I don't even write for anymore but carry in my heart daily? The former would be Hawke x Varric (Dragon Age 2) because they're a comfort ship with many possibilities for plots. The latter is Ezio x Leonardo (AC II + Brotherhood + Revelations) and Arthur x Eames (Inception) because they started it all hehe.

15. What’s a fic you’d like to finish but don’t think you ever will?

It's a compilation of drabbles written for a very niche CGI Resident Evil movie (Damnation) & very rare pair that i was planning to continue for as long as the planet keeps spinning, but got overwhelmed with the amount of ideas I had in mind :c

16. What are your writing strengths?

Humor and dialogues!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Everything el– 🥲 Deep character studies, believable politics and fights.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

A big yes from me, it ads depth and character when used correctly. Also, it's very interesting to keep an evening reading about the language you're planning to use, even it's for a few simple words.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

It was an attempt to mimic Marie Corelli and write a ficlet for her novel "The Sorrows of Satan". And then Assassin's Creed took my soul and I've never seen it since! Kinda ironic, huh...

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I'm gonna cheat bc I'm quite proud about Beautiful Decline, a series of four fics written for Assassin's Creed Valhalla. It's an enormous project that was never meant to break out from its confinements and produce three more stories lmao.

Tagging @firefly-partyn and @krankittoeleven if you wanna join!

[koreanbibliophilegirl]

I am so curious about bedrock bros persuasion fic. share? :eyes:

OMG ANTIMONY-MEDUSA???????? o_O

Oh gosh, umm okay!! Hehe😅 Soooooo, basically, it started bc I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jane Austen(I'm not into romance stories, but Jane Austen's humor, and the neat way she handled the romances had me hooked), and Persuasion is one of my favorite Austen works!

Unfortunately, the 2022 Persuasion adaptation wasn't very..... um. Yeah. You can guess.

So that got me thinking about the theme & story of Persuasion. A little wandering of the thoughts, and boom. Bedrock Bros Persuasion AU.

This is gonna get a bit long, be warned:

So basically, Techno's family fostered/adopted Theseus, and the two boys get very close. Except their parents unexpectedly die, and Theseus gets sent off to foster care again while it's arranged for Techno to go live with his uncle Schlatt and cousin Tubbo. Techno would rather stay with Theseus, but ppl tell him Theseus would have a better chance at adoption if he was on his own since he's 11, and Techno is 16. Plus, Schlatt is really busy and doesn't think he could raise another 11-year-old kid. Techno REALLY doesn't want to let Theseus go on his own, but ultimately decides Theseus would be happier with another family(either the foster system is better in this universe, or Techno doesn't know it sucks. I haven't fleshed this bit out very well yet😅).

Theseus takes it about as well as you'd expect him to, and their last few days together are filled with bitter, sour silence.

Timeskip to like 5 years later, at the start of summer. Techno is a 21-year-old college student who's back for summer break, in the small town where he lives. Tubbo talks about the new neighbors who moved in recently, they have two kids, and the younger one, Tommy, is Tubbo's age. They've become fast friends, and the next day, after Schlatt leaves for a week(?)-long business trip, Tubbo takes Techno to meet the neighbors, and, turns out this Tommy Craft kid is Theseus. Theseus- Tommy now- is very much Not Pleased, and since Phil and Kristin invite both Tubbo and Techno to dinner, things are pretty awkward between them. It does NOT help that Wilbur, Tommy's current brother, insists that he and Techno look alike(they do not) and that they're basically twins.

So things are really awkward for Bedrock Bros, especially since Tommy and Tubbo(plus Ranboo) hang out basically every day. Tommy bascially just ignores Techno. Techno is sad obviously, but he doesn't say anything, just silently accepts this is their dynamic now. He doesn't even feel jealousy towards Wilbur. A bit of envy maybe, but he doesn't hold a grudge. After all, he wanted Tommy to have a happier life, and Wilbur clearly makes him happy. He doesn't see any reason to be angry- though he does wish he could have been what Wilbur now is to Tommy.

Then one day, while they're out, Wilbur gets into an accident(I'm thinking car accident, but this fic is still in the plotting process so idk for sure😅), and since Kristin(successful businesswoman) is absent for a few days, Phil is the one to stay with Wilbur in hospital, and Tommy stays with Tubbo overnight. And subsequently, stays with Techno overnight.

Tommy's in a bit of shock. Tubbo is also scared, but he's significantly calmer, and is more concerned about Tommy. Techno, seeing how bad Tommy's doing, starts the comfort routine they had when they were brothers. (He has a different routine with Tubbo. Tubbo and Tommy are different people after all, plus, Tommy's routine is for Tommy alone.)

Later that night while Tubbo's not there, Tommy asks Techno why. He doesn't elaborate, just asks why. Techno thinks he's talking about the comfort routine, & replies that he thought it would help Tommy calm down a little. That's not what Tommy meant though. He meant, why did Techno send him away? (Since he obviously cared/cares about Tommy, if he still remembers their routine down to a T.) Techno replies that he thought Tommy would be happier elsewhere. And Tommy is happy- right? Tommy goes silent for a moment, then slowly replies that yes, he's happy- he loves his family, and the friends he made- but he's not sure if going away made him happier. Because he was already happy. He was happy with Techno, and was heartbroken when he was sent away. And that hurt never really disappeared, even after his new foster family ended up adopting him almost immediately, or after he found a new brother in Wilbur.

Then Tommy (FINALLY) tells Techno he missed him, and Techno tells him he did too. They hug, and after Tubbo joins them they set up blankets and pillows in front of the landline, staking out for the call from hospital.

Late that night/early next morning they get the call, Wilbur's gonna be fine, he's sleeping now.

So yeah. After Wilbur's discharged they all just hang out. Later when Techno is reading in the backyard Tommy comes up and sits next to him. Tommy tells Techno that he'd been thinking, and he doesn't actually wish things had gone differently, since they wouldn't have ever met half of their friends otherwise. Techno concedes he has a point, though he still regrets sending Tommy away. They sit there quietly, watching the summer sun slowly start to set.

...Aaaaaand that's about as far as I've gotten for now haha. I'm gonna have to flesh it out more/fact-check some stuff before I actually start writing it.

Thank you so much for the ask, I had a lot of fun writing this! Cheers💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Have this meme!

[wutdeedido]

Cw: Bitter sweet vent

Last night, I was dreaming I was finally going to get my top surgery. Ever since I went through precocious puberty, I started to experience top dysphoria and it's been going on for almost 5 years now.

Each birthday since I discovered mastectomy wasn't only for breast cancer, I counted the years left before I reach the minimum age.

"Luckily", I live in Canada, where gender-affirming surgeries are included in the free healthcare system and you can get top surgery when you get 16 years old. Unfortunately, the public system is extremely slow. I've been fucking around and finding out with them about questions concerning HRT for a year now. Outside the gender-affirming care clinics (there's 3 public ones in all of Canada), the hospital staff can be hostile, sometimes even violent.

I'm a few days from being 15. And it's still long af. In my dream, I confessed falsifying my document to access top surgery. Then, I got taken to an isolated corner of the surgery center. It was an underground surgery facility for underaged people. The surgeons put me on anaesthesia.

Later on, I woke up and saw my scars. I remember the pure tears of joy. I finally got rid of those two sacks of fat that only caused me pain so far !

I forgot the rest of the dream, but when I woke up, I started to heavily cry. Nothing has changed.

[pinkopalina]

how covid unsocialized me.

it's hard for me to even wax poetic about my experiences because I saw how little anything mattered. so many of us died and even more wrote it off like god was thinning the herd or like the most vulnerable of us getting picked off was deserved because of what the most brutal and uncaring of us did. it made me form a stark contrast between who I thought "us" was and who I realized "they" are.

it made it really hard for me to live day to day without ruminating about our systems and how unhappy I am playing pretend doing stupid shit to make money for people who proved to me that they don't care about me. why am I doing this? why do I have to participate ? how are the rest of you happy and complacent this way, but how dare I say that? in what way have I proven myself a pure saint of a paragon? I have sinned with my apathy.

now I'm so completely disillusioned with any attempt to care about anything because I watched in real time as everything shifted. as covid broke us and rebuilt us for THEIR convenience. yes being gay is okay, to sell you stuff. but we'll take your rights away. yes we care about work life balance... but only if our job controls our access to healthcare and we have to be there more than enough to warrant the work we do.

and it's not like it was great before! it's not like something amazing was ruined and I'm just mad at covid for fucking it up. it was bad and it was a matter of time before something sparked change, and I feel like that was supposed to be covid. if it wasn't that, it was gonna be something else. we had this whole opportunity to actually change and heal the earth and ourselves but we FUCKED THAT UP. we're STILL FUCKED UP YEARS LATER. how many more years of this am I going to witness and bear apathy to because I have no better choice???

it feels with so much bad shit compounding on top of each other, like an unhealthy mind, our unhealthy society ruminating on their problems and blaming each other instead of getting up to help has just left me defeated. the fight goes on and I am no soldier. it's every day. it's always feeling stupid for feeling hopeful and then feeling regret for overcorrecting with rage. I feel like my words are so foreign and long winded to people now that expressing myself, like trying to be saved during COVID, was useless. I legitimately have thoughts like "well at least people who are dead now don't have to worry about what a shit world it's becoming lol" but I can't even EXPRESS that I feel that way because Tumblr police in my head from 16 years of being on the only website that hasn't died yet -- but only has a MILLION rules you have to abide by unless you want a callout post and to develop borderline personality disorder -- will remind me that thoughtcrimes are actually that serious like just as bad as the real shit that is happening with the people with guns and money and power and law making abilities and you should be killed for them too. even though the war is bad. like, these rules don't make any fucking sense but I still have to abide by them.

and then I go into these huge metaphors and assumptions about life and it's echo chambering in my own brain and I actually feel like I turned into the joker. except I'm not even allowed to relate to that because everyone in the ship tag you follow to try to alleviate some of the symptoms of the rot on your mental health that is Daily Life has become an expert on how you should think about them too and they will also kill and ostracize you for having a headcanon that maybe onions have layers sometimes and then you're just better off rambling in every text post you ever make and then deleting it because everything you've ever said has gotten a decreasing amount of notes until it's become 0 and every single one of your artist friends has followers in the thousands but still wants your pity because hating ourselves is too addictive to ever trying to be positive about anything.

like man I am BITTER!!!!!! 🤪😂🙂‍↕️🤝🥰🥴🤪☺️

[silviakundera]

Empresses in the Palace ep 20 - 21

I've consumed too many chinese dramas and novels not to expect that a triumphant general celebrated throughout the nation is gonna eventually end up headless. Emperors who rose to power by quelling a rebellion are not a big fan of competition.

But for now, Hua Fei is at the height of her power. She's not even needing to scheme & throw petulant tantrums much, which is unfortunately reducing her hottness quotient for me.

And with all of the toxicity.... Real sibling love, who truly seem to like and support each other? That's so nice for them fr. Amid all the dirt & layers of masks in the palace, it's a bit refreshing that Hua Fei and General Nian have each other's backs. Her family has been funding her to be glamorous in the palace and (from what we can tell) aren't hounding her & guilting her & implying she's worthless for not having a baby yet. Almost wholesome compared to the typical noble family members I see in dramas.

Ling Rong and Zhen Huan in their besties era. I don't ship them, but ok girls have a good time. 👌

Baby concubine in waiting Chun has such a strange life. Just hanging out in the palace, playing with the servants, but she's 16 now. danger 🚨danger 🚨

Such a brilliant move to juxtapose a domestic, charming scene of the emperor and Zhen Huan play-acting as a typical married couple with darling Chun'er bursting into the room for added cheer. And then cutting to still childish Chun being carried to the emperor's bed. Masterful followup to that sweet family-like scene that reveals the rot beneath. As childishly innocent and cossetted as she is... She is doomed to be just more meat for the machine.

Ep 22

Death flags right & left for my darling Hua Fei.

Prince Guo: "Unobtrusiveness and self-restraint is the way to survive in His Majesty's court."

If General Nian is as fantastic in battle as he is in digging his own grave, no wonder the whole nation has been kissing his ass.

It's opera night in the harem and none of these bitches knows how watch a drama. Timed comments ON but can't hold a candle to Viki posters. Girls, this is your first opportunity in 2 years to enjoy something that's not getting banged by a fugly monarch, poetry duels, or flower & tea appreciation. Maybe stop grandstanding and enjoy it?

Ep 23

PLAGUE !!!

I've watched The Tudors. I'm ready for shit to go down.

Oh look, my beloved Hua Fei is already scheming to infect her enemies. Honestly shocked that new baby momma what's her face hasn't been given toxic incense yet.

Ling Rong irriates the fuck out of me these days. 2 things that I can't stand: [1] UGH ambitious people in the workplace who don't put themselves out there and do the work to advance, but then are bitter & resentful when their proactive peers succeed (LR is so entitled, she wants to sit back and be rewarded; resents not having everything ZH has when her friend is grinding full-time to protect herself and their lil faction) [2] misrepresents friends' actions, interpreting everything in the light that they are using or mocking her, when the friend is just going about their day to day and isn't intending anything malicious.

Zhen Huan conveniently capturing & presenting key witness Liu Ben wasn't satisfying. I understand that, ok, maybe her runners could catch him now because there are limited places to avoid the plague. But it doesn't feel right. The first time in the drama that things felt too easy to escape a huge dilemma. Mei Zihuang has the plague! She's secluded and no doctors will see her! 😱 .... oh, ZH now a dozen episodes later happens to have found some flimsy evidence to release her. (seriously, she just brings in a villian to say stuff. he could be bribed? lying to protect a loved one? any number of things?) (this goes back to the whole theory, 'emperor never REALLY thought Mei'er was faking, he just didn't care and it was easier to go with it)

And then Hua Fei gets out of HER predicament also with hilarious convenience. Oh, it just so happens that her stooges found a plague cure? Right now? 🤔

[words-after-midnight]

For the winter ask game.. ❄️ 🥶 🍲

-Min <3

thank you Min! <3

Winter asks

❄️ Snowflake: talk about a unique trait or aspect of your favorite OC. Have they been living rent-free in your brain? It’s time to talk about them!

I'll do this for Life in Black and White's protagonist.

I had to really think about this: I don't think there's anything particularly unique about Gabriel. He's overall a pretty average young American white guy in most ways (the story follows him from ages 17-27), and was written as such. Depending on your personal life experience, you'll probably find him either very relatable or mildly to moderately frustrating. From a narrative perspective, I suppose a pretty unusual thing about him as a character - I won't say unique, because I'm sure it isn't - is that he's a protagonist in love with the antagonist of his story, and so the protagonist-antagonist dynamic here isn't what I would call typical. But as a person? He's pretty ordinary. I hope so, anyway. I worked very, very hard to make him a realistic, fleshed-out person. Without going into details (spoilers), he's written to be an accurate reflection of a specific type of person, as well as someone who struggles with various specific mental health issues. So I can't tell you what's unique about him as a person, but I can definitely offer some spoiler-free facts about him:

Graduated from high school one year early (16).

Has a fraught relationship with his family, particularly his father.

Drink of choice is vodka, but he can also be found drinking really bland light beer (think cheap pilsner).

Takes Seroquel and Zoloft (the latter is later switched to Paxil)

Chronic insomniac, but sleeps relatively well when in a "safe place" or around people he loves.

Especially in his younger years, he can be described as reserved, moody, and emotionally guarded. He's notoriously bad at opening up about things that are emotional in nature or that deeply affect him, including in therapy. This is particularly the case when it comes to his toxic relationship with the antagonist.

Canonically bisexual (he never says "I'm bisexual" straight up, but it's shown and obvious).

The gay who doesn't drive (he does learn to drive at one point, but spiritually he's still the gay who doesn't drive).

Drinks black drip coffee or double espresso. He is the type of person who will unironically say (or at least think) things like "I like my coffee as dark and bitter as my soul."

The guy who rolls out of bed and throws on the first clothes he sees five minutes before he has to be somewhere.

Has no clue whatsoever about queer culture. Like, one time he thought the antagonist was making up hanky code just to fuck with him (in his defense, though, the antagonist's favorite activity is pretty much fucking with people, like the time he tried to convince his roommate that you can for sure microwave aluminum foil as long as there's a potato wrapped inside).

Loves biking. Will bike anytime, anywhere. In his words, it's essentially the only solitary activity he enjoys.

Doesn't call anywhere "home" other than the antagonist's house for the entire story, including his father's house and, later, his own apartments.

🥶 Ice: what’s been the most difficult scene for you to write?

The most challenging scene I've written to this day is actually a companion piece to Life in Black and White called "Sixteen Minutes" - specifically the second of three scenes, but the whole thing was honestly quite rough. That being said, the piece is also my proudest achievement as a writer, precisely because of how challenging it was for me and how close I was able to get it to what was in my head (it's based on a very realistic dream I had about a month before the draft of Life in Black and White was completed). Though I never plan to publish it or release it publicly, it's extremely special to me. Other than me, only one person has read it (though I've offered it to a few other beta readers). I can't tell you what it's about or the context of the piece, because it's a pretty major spoiler for the novel.

I wrote "Sixteen Minutes" on February 25th, 2013, over two years after having the dream. The only reason I know this is because I recorded it in a dedicated novel diary I was keeping during the process of the first and second drafts of the novel (up to the first version of the manuscript, iirc). I don't remember writing the piece at all. It's finalized now, but it took me nine years to revise it. I would get to the end of the first scene, recall what happens in the second scene, and consistently nope out.

🍲 Soup: share a snippet where a character does something kind.

"Kind" is doing a lot of work here, lmao, but I immediately thought of this part of an early chapter, where they're roommates on an adolescent psychiatric ward:

[necroneos]

I've always been curious about running an ask/roleplay blog of one of my Jojo's Bizarre Adventure OCs 🤔 It probably wouldn't gain any traction tho, outside of (possibly) other OC blogs (if I had to guess). Does anybody think it'd be worth a try? I was thinking my part 5 OC Anguria Eccitato but I don't see a lot of Melone writers haha. But overall I'm open to any jojo OC of mine. Any suggestions anybody?

A brief (as brief as I can make it) summary of the OCs and their relationship between their love interest:

(Battle Tendency) Patricia Abbandonato - a bitter and jaded woman that judges people prematurely based on first impressions because of the hardships she's faced in life. Works at a busy cafe to support herself and formerly her father before he passed. Suzie-Q helped her through said situation and the two are good friends. Meets Caesar one day at the cafe and is immediately disgusted with his behavior around the woman he brought along, assuming he has it easy. Treats him coldly and bitterly until she's fired from the cafe and hired at Air Supplena island (upon Suzie-Q's request), where the two get to know about each other.

(Stardust Crusaders) Jessica Desjardins - The adoptive daughter of Joseph after he discovered her homeless on the streets via a tip from the Speedwagon Foundation. She was abandoned at an orphanage sometime after birth by her father, unable to afford raising her. Her extroverted nature naturally drew people to her but the bonds were always superficial. She had an insatiable desire to learn and has a high IQ. At 9 she manifested her stand. At 13 people noticed she was talking to herself and picked on her. At 16 she fled from the orphanage and to the streets. She was homeless for three years and if people tried to attack her, her stand attacked. Speedwagon Foundation caught wind of the talk people made on the streets. Joseph scoped it out and seeing her state, he adopted her. At 24 she was called (unwillingly) in by Joseph to help the Crusaders while Avdol healed, taking on his role temporarily. She and Polnareff easily bonded, the two of them a mischievous pair who joked and pulled pranks on the others. They also just naturally clicked.

(Vento Aureo/Golden Wind) Alessandra Allanorma - Everybody can only do something for so long before they can't take it anymore. A former coworker of Abbacchio who's still in love with him. She was abandoned on a park bench during a thunderstorm by her scared mother who did not know she was pregnant. She's discovered by a woman hurrying home but Alessandra is taken to the hospital where she'd later be adopted by the woman who found her. While she wanted to help the people as a psychologist, she was only able to get part of her education. She joined the place as an alternative to helping the people. Former naivety and vigilance drove her to protect the people despite what was going on behind the scenes. She was friends with Abbacchio's partners and in love with Abbacchio, who unfortunately only saw her like a sister he had to protect. After he was kicked from the force, she put forth the effort to climb the ranks until a year later she was Captain. By then, she had seen more of the world, turned cynical, but still retained some of her former personality. After learning the man who killed Abbacchio's partner lived, she sought him out, killed him, and earned a scar and blindness in one eye. 8 months later (before Giorno's arrival) a chance encounter with Abbacchio pushes her already teetering (from her job) self over the edge. Despite his distant attitude, it gave her a reason to finally quit. After taking the test, she would go on to stubbornly pursue Abbacchio and prove to him she was a woman, not the weak little sister he knew.

(Vento Aureo/Golden Wind) Anguria Eccitato - An intelligent neurochemist with a near insatiable sex drive (inherited from her father). Got through college with a doctorate because of an inheritance her father inherited. She was bullied/isolated in school by most of the kids around her as the 'ugly girl's (think hive mentality). By middle school, she was bending over backwards for people just to make any sort of friends despite the lack of common interests. A facade in the end. By highschool, she started using makeup and suddenly all the eyes were on here. While she didn't want to change herself, her wardrobe, and personality if it made others accept her it was worth it. During a science class, she learned of neurochemistry and it caught her interest. In college she studied it and gained a doctorate. She'd go on to be hired at a neuroscience research institute. After a particularly bad day at work (both her and Melone) she meets Melone at a bar where they get drunk off their asses and have a one night stand. She leaves him with her number if he wants a 'round 2', as she is unable to forget the most passionate night she's ever experienced. A friend with benefits slowly turns into a romantic relationship.

(Vento Aureo/Golden Wind) Liliana Ribollita - Born as the result of a butler raping a maid and getting pregnant (both work for the Fugo family). The maid is forced to marry the butler so she doesn't lose her job. After her birth, she was raised in an environment filled with anger, conflict, fights, and abuse that she and her mother were the victims of. During the day, things were peaceful. But at night after work, things were almost never good, a result of her father's temper. The accumulation of all this caused the formation of anxiety related to anger, violence, conflict (verbal and physical), shouting/yelling. She has an aversion towards this as well. The abuse would go on to meld part of her personality as one who is meek, cowardly, complaisant, insecure, and anxiety-ridden. Despite all this, however, her mother still instilled in her the importance of being kind, loving, compassionate, optimistic, and to always persevere. She met Fugo when they were both 5 and became quick friends with Liliana being a bright spot in his life. At 6 his temper showed and she shrunk back. But an apology and promise to never hurt her if he could help it easily mended the relationship. She would start school later where they spent less time with each other. At 13, Fugo left for college and her mother died a year later. She was taken in by her aunt and would get a job at Libeccio to help support her younger brothers and help pay for her education. At 16, she has a brief reunion with Fugo that is cut short (he has her fired and she gets a job at a new restaurant, wanting to keep her safe). She doesn't see him again until post-Purple Haze Feedback via Giorno's assistance. While a relationship between a girl who has anxiety stemming from anger and conflict and a mafia member with a strong temper don't seem to match, it's their strong friendship from childhood and affection for each other that keeps them together.

Trivia/Fun facts:

- Fugo, when getting angry/is angry, will send Liliana a small glare as a silent warning to leave or not say anything. It helps ease some of her anxiety because she can prepare for it.

- Patricia is often seen as off-putting to others do to her curt and distant attitude. She also suffers from night terrors sometimes, typically of the first few years of her life where her mother physically and verbally abused her and her father.

- Jessica daydreams a lot. People tend to mistake her for a space case because of this despite her high IQ.

- Alessandra fears abandonment and thunder. This can sometimes paint her as clingy if she's particularly close to somebody she cares for intensely. Jessica also fears abandonment.

- Anguria comes off as confident and charismatic but really she's very insecure with her body. All the years of pretending has affected her personality as well. Instead of just being a facade, some (keyword: some) of her confidence and charisma has slowly become a part of herself. She's an ambivert.

- Alessandra, before Abbacchio being kicked off the force, wasn't very muscular and wasn't as engaged in police reports (to investigate). This made others see her as weak and defenseless. During Abbacchio's absence, she exercised and currently her body has an athletic build.

- Liliana from the beginning was meant to look like the girl next door (brown hair, brown eyes). To contrast the current standard of strong women who have a witty personality and don't need to be saved, I made her the opposite; What women in some old fiction were like. Her personality was based off of a concept I had for a 'x reader' - what if Fugo had an s/o with anxiety that's specifically focused on things like anger, conflict, yelling, etc. I expanded on this concept and Liliana came to being. I knew that under normal circumstances these two would never meet, hence why I made them childhood friends.

[livingfictionsystem]

Contemplative Asks

1. cosmos: what's one thing you wish you could say to someone you are no longer friends with?

I was right and you were wrong.

2. galaxies: what are three things you want to do before you die?

- Visit London.

- Have a drink at the Oscar Wilde bar.

- Finish All of my planned books.

3. waxing: what is your proudest accomplishment?

Breaking up with my worst ex, despite the hit to my social circle and reputation.

4. waning: what is your biggest regret?

Not realising what Rowan was doing soon enough to save my husband from them.

5. full moon: what type of person do you hope to be?

The type that's remembered and debated for centuries.

6. contemplation: if you could wake up one morning and everything in your life was perfect, what would that look like?

I'd be living downtown in some historic, capital city. Somewhere high up, where I could see several buildings from my window. I have rooftop access and have tea On the roof with a partner or friend who lives close, but not necessarily with me. Some friends/lovers are going to get together and we're going to see a show later on. Some theater production I'm familiar with. But first, a fancy dinner and a bit of bar hopping~ My treat.

7. night light: who/what makes you feel safe?

Not much. Though I am a being of comfort-rewatching.

8. ponder: what do you want to do with your life?

Help the host with their goals. (They still have a chance. I don't.) But also travel, sample the various fruits of life, and perhaps one day completely dismantling the cult. It'd also be nice to have my books less niche.

9. sunset: who is someone you thought would be in your life forever, but you no longer talk to?

Seran.

10. midnight: are you a different person late at night than in the early morning?

Oh definitely. I Thrive at night and bumble through mornings.

11. candle light: are you an indecisive person?

No.

12. reflection: have you ever changed something you liked about yourself to satisfy someone else?

Absolutely fucking not. I've faked it before, but only when I had to.

13. sweet dreams: are you happy?

No. I've been in a persistent state of misery and bitterness for four years. Grief's a bitch.

14. nightmare: what are you most afraid of?

Probably my system redacting itself and the person controlling the body acting like we, including myself, had never existed.

15. constellations: who is someone you could talk to for hours and never stop?

My partner and close friends.

16. reminder: who is someone you will never forget?

It'd be quicker to list those I will forget.

17. 11-11: what's something you want, but feel like you will never have?

Peace. No rest for me in this life---maybe in the next.

18. shooting star: who is someone you trust to help you make the right decisions?

Kaspar. It's like a godsend of a social tactician and I've learned a lot from watching it. Cotton is also a good sounding board for moral decisions.

19. earth: where do you feel most at home?

Savannah, Georgia.

20. soothe: what's one thing that always makes you feel better when you're upset?

My MP3 player. Watching one of my favourite shows with someone. Champagne. One of my adopted siblings. My partner. Gallows humour.

21. slumber: what's one thing that helps you fall asleep when it feels impossible?

The cold and white noise. Especially the sort of 40 F cold that you only start to feel in the northern autumn.

-Xanthe

[stem-sister-scuffle]

STEM SISTER SCUFFLE: ROUND 1 MASHUP 4

Violet Baudelaire (A Series Of Unfortunate Events) vs Ema Skye (Ace Attorney)

Violet Baudelaire is an Inventor!

Ema Skye is a Forensic Scientist!

Why you should vote for each contestant:

Violet Baudelaire:

"She is only fourteen (later fifteen then sixteen as the story goes on) yet here she is straight up going around solving stuff with her (equally as smart) brother with inventions she makes. "Anyone who knew Violet well could tell she was thinking hard, because her long hair was tied up in a ribbon to keep it out of her eyes. Violet had a real knack for inventing and building strange devices, so her brain was often filled with images of pulleys, levers, and gears, and she never wanted to be distracted by something as trivial as her hair.” - Lemony Snicket, The Bad Beginning"

"She makes inventions to get herself and her siblings out of scrapes all the time, she's excellent and we love her"

"Excellent at engineering tools/inventions in crisis situations with whatever resources are lying around. (And she built a telegraph machine at age 7, to give you an idea of what she can do when she *does* have sufficient resources)"

"Violet is a very resourceful young lady with a fantastic mind for inventions out of anything and everything available. We see her building really intricate Rube Goldberg machines in the Baudelaire mansion pre-fire, and afterwards she uses her inventiveness to get the siblings out of all sorts of difficult situations, including breaking a baby out of a cage. She's very cool."

"She's fourteen years old but her ability in mechanical engineering saves her and her siblings from numerous terrible situations. She can work with limited materials to find ways to get out of any scenario and never gives up, even when the odds are against her."

"She’s like 14 years old and can design and make machines out of nothing in a very short amount of time (literally was hurtling towards certain death by falling off a cliff and managed to save herself and her brother)"

Ema Skye:

"I love her a lot and she's very important to me. We get to see her story from being a high school student who's really into science, to becoming a detective, to then finally passing her forensics exam and becoming a forensic scientist like she always wanted. I cosplayed her before"

"Ema has been interested in forensics ever since she was a kid. She's extremely passionate about it. She works very hard and despite bumps along the way she does manage to achieve her dreams/career goal and get into forensic science. She is amazing and I love her enthusiasm and I love her :D When she was like 16 she personally had her own spray bottle(s) of luminol testing fluid, what a dork (in the best way!). Forensic science is practically her whole life. What an inspiration. The first thing on her wiki page is the quote "Yes! Isn't it amazing? Ah, the power of science. It's my life." Bless."

"this girl is so silly. Her favorite thing is luminol. You have an ace attorney pfp you know her. She is my favorite ever. She calls Klavier Gavin a "glimmerous fop" (accurate description). She wears a lab coat over her school uniform. She brings snacks to crime scenes.i love her your honor"

"shes like every enthusiastic autism girl with a science special interest who then gors to college and gets a job and is tired and a mean lesbian but still is a freak about forensics. i love her"

"SHE WORKED SO HARD TO GO INTO FORENSICS. SHE HELPS EVERYONE DO FORENSICS. SHE THEN FAILS WHEN IT COUNTS AND BECOMES BITTER BUT GETS OUT OF THOSE FEELINGS LATER ON. I love her dearly she's so silly and fun when she needs to be, and I think her failure is fascinating but I'm SOOOOO GLAD she was able to become a forensic scientist in the end :)"

"Showed up and gave Apollo random forensics supplies at just the right time. Not sure if this was authorized. Does not Mayte though she can do anything she wants. C’mon man you know her you know why she’s the best you get me right"

"She's fun and good at science and has pink lenses in her glasses and I like her a lot"

"She is so excited to be using her fun little toys to solve crimes."

"She’s a gosh darn professional in a house of fops. Is passionate about her work and was inspired partially by a murder case she was involved in as a witness. She’s really cute and really quirky, and ya girl knows how to snack. She accessorizes really well. I cosplayed as her once and found myself more and more impressed with her style choices as I was putting it together. We stan a fashionable yet practical STEM queen."

"she is literally everythingggg to me. she has wanted to be a forensic scientist since she was 16 y/o and introduces forensic investigation mechanics to the series like luminol and dusting for fingerprints. when she does not get her dream job, she becomes depressed and bitter, only cheering up when she talks about forensic science. later on, when she attains the job, she is much happier! science is her entire life and her career and she is tremendously autistic about it. also she's such a girlboss i love her <3 ema must go through btw. she is the ultimate woman in stem"

"Ema Skye has been interested in forensics for many years due to case that occurred when she was younger. Even though she didn't pass the test to become one at first she had still continued trying till she made it. She always lights up at the mention of anything revolving sciene. She gets so happy when she's able to work with her forensic tools and investigate the crime scene <33"

"Teaches Phoenix wright about forensics"

"she wears a cool lab coat and I don't really know what else to put here but she's neat"

"she is so autistic about forensic science. she goes against the police rules to take fingerprints. she infodumps to anyone who will listen about forensic science. ema is so special to me and I love her very much"

"Ema is a girlboss! She started using forensics and scientific investigation to help solve murders when she was just 15 years old. she autistic and bisexual bc I say so :)"

"Literally the only character in universe that uses hard evidence in trials."

"The skyentific detective…."

"Its literally her personality ok. Just listen to her theme(s). I just love her"

"She is literally me <33 I love her. I need to see her grow up happy and healthy and i need to tell my friends and family about her."

"Wants to be a scientific investigator and solve crimes scientifically, forced to be a cop. Goes from teen with a weird hobby to reluctant cop to everything she ever wanted and I am so proud"

"She’s just a little weirdo. And she keeps trying to be a forensic scientist, but she has to finish high school first. She solved the murder her sister was accused of "

"Forensic science fascinates her. She sure is a woman jn stem. I am sorry I am very tired i dn what to write"

"I need to actually finish AA but it’s her. You probably have more submissions with better reasoning but I like her vibes from what I did play."

"She's got all sorts of cool gadgets which utilize the DS touchscreen"