#3 years. 3 years. man. what have i accomplished in 3 years huh | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

whumpbug · 2 months

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GUYS IT'S TIME. i now introduce.....

THE SCARAB CREW!!!!!! 𓆣𓆣

(scarab is the name of the ship they are all on do you guys get it. because. whumbug. beetle. scarab. the ship is shaped like a beetle--okay im done)

the vibes/tropes are: sci-fi/space fantasy, dysfunction junction, found family, accidental child acquisition, AND MORE!!!

HUGE thank you to @lemlem21 for listening to me Yap about them and helping me iron out a lot of the details!!! also for recoloring some of the skincolors!!!!

i apologize in advance. this is a long post. please please feel free to ask questions because this can get confusing. there are 6 characters all with complex traits and names so please ask me for clarification if you need it! i apologize for all the reading guys (˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥⋆)

OKAY! ONTO MY SPACE SILLIES! they are Everything to me.

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THE EXPEDITION PROGRAM (TEP):

okay just before i start, i want to briefly explain why all these people are together on a ship.

in this universe, theres a central government that spans across many planets in neighboring star systems. this is known as the Provinces of the Allied Galactic Empire (PAGE). this is the explored and "civilized" part of the galaxy.

recently, there have been more attacks on PAGE-affiliated planets and systems from the unexplored galaxy (known as the Outer Sector, or just Outsec in shorthand) and PAGE intends to get to the bottom of it.

and that's where Scarab Crew comes in! multiple teams were formed of people with exceptional talents in their species/planets and were sent on multi-year long exploratory missions under the name The Expedition Program (TEP). the scarabs are one team of many!

TEP's goal is to record and report all that they find as well as identify threats and/or the planets responible for the attacks. they are to come back with information and new technology that would make PAGE stronger and more well-rounded!

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NOW ONTO THE SILLIES!! i used different picrws for each of them to match their Vibe

(also i added pronounciation guides to the best of my abilities i hope it helps im sorry in advance)

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Captain Nieven Alaric (Nee-ven Ah-la-rik)

pronouns: he/him

role: captain/leader/correspondence with PAGE

planet of origin: Asto’is (species: Asto’isian)

age and height: late '30s to early '40s / 6 ft. 0 in.

description: the competent, calculated, and and cold head of The Scarab. he was a well-off government official before TEP, but unfortunately, he lost his family in an attack by Outsec rogues. he is a man hardened by life and unwilling to get attached to others again and because of this, is very efficient when it comes to running his ship. still, efficiency is not always the most important thing when it comes to leading a team. this is something nieven must learn.

species-specific traits: horns on the top of the head-- very interconnected with the central nervous system. decorated as a sign of age and/or accomplishment. also, asto'isians have pointy teeth! they are carnivores!

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Hari Khurana (Huh-ree Ku-rahna)

pronouns: relaxed he/him

role: engineer/medic/chemist

planet of origin: Earth (species: Homo Sapien)

age and height: mid to late '30s / 6 ft. 2 in.

description: a simple human that started from the bottom. hari grew up in a trailer park, raised by his older sister when his father worked 3 jobs to put food on the table. since he was little, it was known he was a genius when it came to stem subjects. into adulthood, he excelled in every stem job he took on. still, no one expected him to get singled out when TEP was recruiting. aside from his smarts, hari is cheeky, sly, a bit of a Bastard™ but he also has tremendously big heart. he's passionate about what he does, no matter how hard it can be for him sometimes.

species-specific traits: despite his brains, hari is... a defective human. due to malnourishment as a child, he has a plethora of health problems that worry his team to no end. some include: asthma, lactose intolerance, allergies to many foods, marie antoinette syndrome, POTS, among others. he is also a below-the-knee amputee on his left leg due to an accident in his teens.

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Nylathrania (Nyla) Qifir (Nye-lah-trah-nya Kee-feer)

pronouns: she/her

role: pilot/navigator

planet of origin: Harye (species: Haryen)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 7 in.

description: the haryan are an extremely superstitious, winged race that place an extreme importance on flight. when a child was born with in inability to even lift her wings because of nerve damage, you can imagine it did not bode well. nyla was passed around from household to household with no place to call home. she wants to prove herself to her homeland by becoming the most successful pilot in TEP with her pride and joy of a ship, The Scarab, but even that will never make her good enough for her people, and consequently, herself.

species-specific traits: the bat-like wings and short horns are trademarks of the haryen people. unlike nieven's, nyla's horns are simply bony-keratin structures as extra protection for her brain. her wings are a bit smaller than other haryen's due to muscle atrophy.

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Ytzel (Zel) Mixca (Ee-tsel Micsh-cka)

pronouns: relaxed she/her

role: gunsman/conflict strategist

planet of origin: Huelxa (species: Huelxcan)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 4 in.

description: born to a planet of war, zel grew up around bloodshed and violence throughout her life. in her culture, getting close to people was discouraged becasue you never knew who would be on the other side of the next civil war. she was often forced to fight her siblings and friends (to an extreme level) as a test of strength, so she comes off as abrasive and rude because violence makes her feel in control. it's a familiar pattern. she hasn't yet learned that love does not need to be painful.

species-specific traits: the huelxcan actually have a second pair of arms! these arms sit slightly more towards her back, in the middle of her rib cage. the huelxcan people also have evolved with enhanced hearing, and wear accessories on the ears to enhance it further.

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Vin’ri (Vinny) L’aoh (Vin-ree Luh-ow)

pronouns: they/them

role: scribe/recorder/photographer

planet of origin: Z’edin (species: Z’edinra)

age and height: late teens (17-19) / 5 ft. 9 in.

description: vinny is heralded as the voice of reason when tensions are high amongst the rest of the crew. they are level-headed and approachable, making them an instrumental member of the team. but their secret? they're so lonely. in their culture, it's customary to stop being affectionate with children when they reach about 14 to encourage growth and independence. vinny didn't have a problem with this at first, but now that they're so far from home? they feel the need for comfort more than they'd like to admit.

species-specific traits: the z’edinra all have a prehensile tail that is about an armspan in length. it is capable of grasping, and can hold their body weight. also, z'edin is an ice planet which leads vinny to be prone to overheating in even mildly warm environments quite easily

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Ren "Alaric" (Rehn Ah-la-rick)

pronouns: he/him

role: healer/newest member (not with scarab crew initially)

planet of origin: Siea W5M (species: Amb’toman)

age and height: about 7 years old / 4 ft. 3 in.

description: ren's parent's were killed when he was only 4, and he was taken to Seia W5M to be sold as a commodity-- his species is sought after for their abilities. he was under the ownership of a man for a few years before he escaped and has been on the run ever since. he covers his eyes with a blindfold to conceal the signature trait of amb'tomans-- white scleras lacking a cornea. because of his years blindfolded, light tends to overwhelm him. he is skittish, flighty, and in need of people who will take care of and love him.

species-specific traits: the amb'toman are a desert-dwelling species that evolved healing abilities to cope with the harsh climate. the short version of how the abilities work is essentially: people spend a certain amount of energy to heal themselves of injury or illness. ren can spend that energy all at once on himself or another person to heal them exponetially faster. the draw back is gets extremely sleepy after healing, and tends to be unable to stay awake

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RELATIONSHIPS: ask me about them!!! there are Some romantic relationships but i also love platonic and familial relationships so ask about whoever you'd like! i'm aiming to start the story early on to when they first meet so it'll be fun to develop their relationships as i write!!

PICREWS: 1 2 3 4 5 6

BONUS: here is all their height differences (ren is itty bitty guys)

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and that's it!!! thank you SO much if you've read to the end, it honestly means so much. and like i said before please please PLEASE dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you want (about specific scarabs, or the crew as a whole but just know if its the crew it might not be as detailed because. theres 6 of them.) these characters can get confusing and i want to make as easy of a reading experience as i can!

i hope you enjoy my little passion project and im so excited to develop these sillies further!! (✿◦’ᴗ˘◦)♡

tagging: @sethlost and @mellowwhumps (≧▽≦)

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flashfuture · 7 months

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Since I've been on it I wanna talk about Hal's parents. Cause I've seen some dislike for Geoff Johns take on them. But they didn't really, Jessica especially, exist before then. I feel like some people read the comic where Hal in hysterical grief over Coast City made a construct of his parents and then went off to kill all the Lanterns and Guardians and said yep that is exactly how his parents were.

But let's get into it. Martin and Jessica Jordan. For further context, the sibling order is Jack, Hal, Jim Jordan. Three boys. And it was sort of implied for years that they were Jewish and got confirmed not too long ago that Jessica is Jewish and Martin is Catholic. Hal was a grown man in the 80s. His childhood took place in the 50/60s. And before that he was a grown man in the 60s meaning his childhood was the 40s/50s. That absolutely influenced the type of life he had. Vs the further in time we drag this out the less natural it becomes to have super strict parents.

So to begin the first physical appearance of Martin Jordan comes in 1989 in Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #1. This is a post crisis pre zero hour story so any events in this particular time window are wildly subject to change

Martin is a test flight pilot. He's Hal's hero. His plane goes down. Hal watches. This sequence of events stays consistent across every time line including Flashpoint which is you know fascinating.

"Hal got fired today-- and he got his mom to call up and beg for him."

"Talk about my father again Biff and I'll rip your lungs out."

In this version of events, we get a mention of Jessica. She's not named and doesn't appear. So you can tell she was brought up purely for a 'Hal is so irresponsible he needs his mommy's help' bit. Hal and Jack get along though and are violently defensive of their father. Hal also catches a drunk driving charge after this.

Speaking of drunk I know there's a comic out there where Martin is described as a drunk which I could not for the life of me dig up again but that's mentioned all of once so I just ignore it. What's with making test pilots drunks???

Anyways Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn is definitely not my favorite Hal Jordan story and I'm glad it's been mostly retconned out minus the very beginning parts with Martin.

(Green Lantern vol 3 #36)

"So you're back to flying planes, huh?"

"Dad's blood still runs through my veins, I guess."

This Christmas special in 1993 took place before Coast City exploded. Hal took Carol out to Jack's house to spend the holiday with the Jordan family. Hal directly attributes flying to his dad's influence.

Now Green Lantern vol 3 #48. Hal is standing in the ruins of Coast City not a soul left and he conjures an image of his parents. Reminder they are entirely Hal's imagination and again he is just about hysterical right now.

"I looked up to you. I worshipped the ground you walked on, or flew over. I wanted to grow up and be you... which probably has a lot to do with who I am now. Growing up, though, I never felt like you... I don't know thought that much of me."

As we saw Hal's dad died when he was Maybe ten. His little brother and older brother didn't have real accomplishments in elementary school. Jack the DA and Jim helping the campaign and having a family that's all modern. Stuff Martin would have never known about. Martin the pilot getting on Hal's case for having his head in the clouds? Really seems like Hal is the one he could have related to the most. Martin getting on Hal about not saving the city just proves Hal is projecting his worries about disappointing his dad onto his dad and then because he's so hysterical with grief forces himself to rewatch his dad dying.

Absolutely completely irrational state of mind he's in right now. At the end of this issue, he's going to fly off into space to kill all the Lanterns and the Guardians.

And then he summons Jessica. Calling her mother instead of mom is just really funny to me like informal with his strict dad formal with his chill mom. Lmao? Jessica only speaks on Martin. Reminding Hal of the good times they had. She's Hal's memory which which means Hal heard the story of dressing up as Santa he remembers his dad's aftershave. Summoning your mom just to talk about your dad is crazy work btw

Again Hal was so young when his dad died. Not a teenager not even close. What was Martin disappointed about? Maybe Hal who can't keep a job a girl or half his friends (Barry died and all super friends ditched him basically) is projecting backwards into time. And assumes his Dad would be disappointed in him.

"Personal gain? This is about personal loss!"

Personal loss and Hal's spent most of his time summoning his long dead father. He really never got over Martin dying and that's so apparent. Anyways this is where Hal decides to go into space and kill everybody. Seeing his dad taken from him one more time made him snap.

Hal is enamored with his father. Whether their relationship was tough or easy it wasn't necessarily the point. The point is Hal Jordan loves his father to Oa and back more than the rest of his family probably understood. He didn't just want to impress his father he wants to be him.

And Zero Hour royally fucked up Hal's family but like idk let's just say Infinite Crisis fixed it. That's two reality shattering events. Why not give Hal a little treat of being his dad's favorite. No one seems to miss when Jack, Jim, and Hal all went to the same college and the same fraternity and were besties

#dc comics #hal jordan #green lantern #martin jordan #long post

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stevenbasic · 1 year

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GITJ Post 311: Back to the Study Clinics, p3

Audio File Transcript Excerpts, Annotated

6.11.20¥¥ Site 004 Camera 013/”Study Exam Room 3”

Time Stamp 10:23:05

Subj F8-021-TB (aka “Thalia Bates”): “So, is now when you hypnotize me?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч (aka “Karen/Karina Katasova, APRN, CANS”): “Oh, sunshine, remember what we talked about. <places patient file F8-021v2 onto countertop> I don’t like to think of it as ‘hypnotizing’ you. It’s more a mix of…’well, we call it ‘psychological induction’ and ‘guided manifestation’.”

Subj F8-021-TB: <laughs> “Okay if you say so - I just, like, want more…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Can you tell me why?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well, last time, a couple weeks ago, when you did it with me I…I felt great, after. I went home and I was so much more confident, with, like, my boyfriend, my math teacher. And, like, everyone, men…it was awesome.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That’s good to hear. You’re taking to treatment so well! But we should do your physical exam first, and get you your next injection. Here, stand up, let’s see the figure. Any progress since last time?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <giggles> “MMhmm, well -” <Subject stands, tightens gown around torso>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Oh, well, those got bigger! <laughs> Fantastic, you look amazing. Have you had to buy new bras? Remember, we’ll have the custom ones coming to you soon…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I did have to buy a couple. Well, daddy did <giggles>. I went up another two cup sizes.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “So that makes you a…?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “36HH.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: <typing into chart, entry dated> “Wonderful. Now, let’s take some blood, get you measured…”

Time Stamp 10:29:23

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Well, sunshine, that’s....five-eight and a bit. You’ve grown almost another two-point-f…another whole inch since last time, more than five inches since we started. And for weight it’s-”

Subj F8-021-TB: <laughs>”Omigod please, don’t tell me!”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: <laughs> “Oh it’s nothing to be ashamed about! But I understand! We’ll keep that a mystery but someday you’ll be proud of everything you’ve gained.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “What, when I’m, like, eight hundred pounds?” <giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Oh, Thalia, don’t be silly! But, tell me…what’s been going on with your father? You were mentioning him last time. Is he still embarrassed by what you’ve been posting online?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Oh, god, yes.” <huff of exasperation> “He tells me all the time: ‘Tally! I’m a Senator! You can’t be SAYING these things!’ He’s so boring that way.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Aw, that’s unfortunate, that must be hard. But remind me - he wasn’t up for re-election this year?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “No, lucky him, ‘cuz it sounds like women won everything, huh? Like, the other senator from Minnesota is going to be a woman, now.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Oh? I hadn’t heard that.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yeah totally. But, anyway, I know his political advisers tell him to just keep letting me do what I do, post what I want, that it’s doing wonders for his approval ratings or whatever. That he should, like, lean into what I’m doing, to use my, like, lots of followers. ‘Raise his profile’, a bit.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Mmmmhm. How does that feel, having influence like that? It must feel good, right? Thinking that you have this kind of…power, over your father? This important, accomplished man?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “It…does. But, it’s weird. Every time I see him he looks, like…smaller. Like, he’s not as smart or whatever as he used to be. And, like, with every new follower - or thousand followers - I get I feel like I’m…I dunno…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Getting stronger? Bigger? More important and influential? Oh, sunshine, you are. You’re growing into a strong, strong young woman. Thousands and thousands of people watch you, listen to you. You can tell them what to do, how to think. Do you believe that?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yes.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And, your father? Him, men like him? Their days, their days of being in charge are coming to an end. Do you see that? I think, in fact, that your father is-”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I think he’s a little scared of me.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes, yes. Go on, more, Tally, continue…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I heard, actually, that his advisors told him to be careful, ‘don't piss her off’, they said...”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That if you used the weight of your growing fame to hurt him it could honestly be the end of his career?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Omigod yes.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Sunshine I’m so proud of you. Now, are you ready for your next injection?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “oh god yes okay.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Alright here we go. Just a little pinch…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “owww!” <giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Sorry sunshine. Did that hurt?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Just a little. It’s okay.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: <disposing of syringe, sharps container FH0093> “So, tell me. Since we last saw you - how are you feeling, Thalia?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Oh, yeah, me? Pretty good. Well, really good…warm? It changes every day. Full? Tingly?” <giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That’s all normal, good. You’d mentioned your boyfriend, how you were feeling different around him. Can you tell me a little more about that?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “About my boyfriend?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes, about him. I’m sure your boyfriend is…excited about how you’re changing, how much you’re growing. What’s happening to you is like every guy’s dream, these days. You’ve been with him for a while now, right?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yeah we started hanging out like, a year ago? And he, yeah…likes it. It freaked him out at first, but now…well, I don’t know if excited is a strong enough word. It’s almost like he becomes a different person when we’re, like, together…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “When you two are alone?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well, yeah…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Oh? How so?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well, lately, he really focuses in on…” <subject motions to her chest> “And it’s like, well, it’s like he just can’t stop. Can’t get enough of them…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “You used the term ‘boob-monkey’ last time?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <giggles> “Omigod did I? That’s my little nickname for him. Did I really tell you that?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “It’s okay. You did.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Omigod I’m such a dork. But, I don’t really know how else to put it. He can be really pushy, you know? In normal life, in school. But when these started to grow, and then when I get him alone, whenever I take off my top, or put them in front of his face, he goes real quiet. He can barely string two words together, you know? And he grunts…he whines. Kind of like a monkey or a, like…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “A baby?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <giggles> “Yes, yes! Exactly. Like a baby!” <giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That’s interesting. Don’t you find that interesting?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Uh…yeah. And it’s, like, exciting, being able to do that to him. Is that normal? Is everything okay?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes, yes of course, Thalia. This is all within normal parameters for the treatment. He’s changing just as you're changing. Now, what else happens when you’re with your boyfriend?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well…he’s really into nuzzling into me, cuddling. Sucking on my, like…nipples.” <giggles> “Oh…I’m sorry, this just seems so weird to talk about!”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Now now, we are both the women here, no need to be shy.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Ooooo I felt that…! <giggles> Yeah, of course. Well, like I said, he really burrows in, and even though he doesn’t tell me…well, he can’t tell me, but I could just sense he wants me to, like, smother him, to really mash my boobs around his face, to…yeah. Smother him.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And do you? Smother him?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well, <giggles>…yeah. Like, playing. But, sometimes…it gets to be more than just playing.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “I understand. That’s good. That’s you exerting strength, do you see? Strength and dominance. Showing him what you could easily do, if you wanted.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “oh god yes I get it…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Does he struggle, try to stop you from actually smothering him?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “No. It’s almost like…the more my boobs cover his face, the less he struggles. It’s like he…wants it. Wants me to…bury him under my, like, breasts.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “He wants to submit to you, do you see? Be submissive. He wants to be buried in your body, inside you somehow, part of you. And there’s nothing you’d like to do more than that, is there?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “No, that’s…oh, god…exactly it.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Fascinating. Now, you are the social media…what is the word? ‘Influencer’, is that it?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yes, I have like almost eight-hundred thousand followers and subs, now. My videos have been getting millions of, like…likes.” <giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “But you didn’t start that way, right?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “No, yeah, right. In fact, just like six months ago, before my first dose, I had only like a few hundred followers, my videos got maybe a couple-few views…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And, tell me…what changed?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well…these things!” <laughs, motions to chest> “They grew like…like…well, one sub said like ‘watermelons after a rainstorm’.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And your followers…they are like your boyfriend?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Oh my gosh, yes…they’re constantly simping for me, now. Omigod the ‘mommy’ comments I get! ‘I want mommy’ ‘I want milk’, pleading for me to smother them with my ‘mommy milkers’...<giggles> “Don’t they know I’m still in high school??” <;giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “I see. And…did you get the same sense from your father, or from the doctor, today, earlier?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I…w-what?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “It’s okay Thalia, you’re not in the trouble. As a member of the medical team, it’s my job to make observations for continued research. Honestly, I’m happy that you did what you did with the doctor today. Now, what did you feel when the doctor came into the room?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <pauses> “Well, I just felt this, like, I dunno…connection to him. I was so grateful he was here to help me…but he was so little. I felt like he needed me to, like, nurture him, to care for him. I needed to pull him to me, to my chest…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Go on…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “He needed my comfort, my softness and hugs and…and deep down I could sense he wanted me to absolutely bury him between my boobs. And then suddenly I felt him just sink into my chest, felt him struggle a little bit, then relax. <subject moans> It felt so nice…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That’s incredible Thalia - is that why you greeted him how you did?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I…yes. Can you…oh god, do the thing.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “I will, I promise. But tell me more about that, when you first saw the doctor..”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well…when he came in, I was just overwhelmed by how small and precious and, like…how vulni he was. I couldn’t help it - I just filled the room with my…what do you call them? Pheromones?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes, that is the right. You’ve been using them, practicing, at home?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I…yes. But they’re sometimes…hard to control.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That is okay. That is the good. I want you to practice, to use them. You will practice, you will use them. You will get stronger, you will gain control. Do you understand?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Omigod there it is again, <sighs>. Yes…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Now tell me again, Thalia, when he came in…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “The pheromones. They just gushed out of me. I could see immediately where he was looking. Even though he was trying not to look I could, like, sense where his attention was focused, how he felt, and I knew I needed to…to just deal with it, you know?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes, Go on, Thalia…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “He asked, his voice was shaky but he needed to know numbers, to know just how big I was, how big I was growing. So I told him, told him that I’d gained thirty pounds since my first treatment, and a lot of it up here.” <subject presses out her chest, demonstrating breast size><;giggles>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Thalia, I see the smile on your face. You sound like you are the joking, but you are proud of your developments, aren’t you?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yes, well…who wouldn’t want to be bigger like this? It just…feels…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “It feels the right, doesn’t it?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Yes, exactly! But at the same time, even though I said what I said as a bit of a laugh, to him…I meant it. I wanted him to know just how heavy my breasts are…if that makes sense?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “It makes the very good sense, Thalia. You are good. You did the good. Now…let’s talk about your father some more…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “...Daddy?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes…now, again, we’re just girls here, right? How is your father handling all of this?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <moaning> “Oh god, yes. Well…I mean…he’s been gone for so long…he’s a Senator, you know. Lucky for him he wasn’t up for re-election this year. But yeah…he’s kind of missed all these changes with me, but he’s home now on recess…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Mmhmm?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “And at first he seemed really blown away - eyes wide, giving me these brief, almost awkward hugs. But lately…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: <pause> “Yes?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Lately he’s let his eyes linger a little too long…and…I can see it. It’s like there’s this…longing in his eyes.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Thalia…do you get the same feeling with your father as you get with your boyfriend? With your followers? With the doctor?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <hesitates> “uhhh…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “It’s okay, Thalia, this is all protected by HIPAA and our confidentiality agreement. What you tell me now is protected information.”

Subj F8-021-TB: <pause> “y-yes…It’s faint right now. But I can feel it. Like, Daddy…he’s being drawn to me. Like he needs me to protect, to nurture, to care for him…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “To smother him, too?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “omigod yes maybe.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And…have you noticed any other changes, now that you’re growing up? You had said something about it before. Does your father actually look…smaller to you?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “I…Well, yes. Now that you mention it.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That’s wonderful, Thalia…you’re not imagining it. It’s actually happening, you’re making it happen. Do you see how strong you’re getting?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “oh, my god, Ms. Katasova…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Please, call me Karina. But how does that make you feel? That you’re growing and your papochka…sorry, your father…that he’s shrinking? That you’re making him smaller? That one day, a US Senator, he could be tiny compared to you?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Well…omigod. A little awkward? Because he’s my daddy? B…b…but…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “...but also a little powerful?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “<sigh>...nnngh...exactly…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “I want you to think about how empowering that could be for you, Thalia. To make him smaller, and weaker. You have this natural tendency to care for and protect others, and now you’re growing into the job. Imagine being the protector and nurturer, being bigger for them, while they all get smaller, and need you more, get dependent on you for warmth and love. You could be a mommy for your boyfriend, for your followers, for your father…”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Oh god that would feel sooo good…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Tell me how it would feel, Thalia.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Like, like I was giving the whole world a big, squishy hug!” <giggles, hugs herself around chest>

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “I think the world needs a hug from you Thalia!” <laughs>

Subj F8-021-TB: <laughing> “Yes they do!”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “And your father, he needs your support now, to keep his job, as a senator. He depends on staying in your…how do you say? Good graces. He is afraid, Thalia. Do you see? If he has your support he can have everything, but you could take your support away.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Oh god yes it’s like I’m his boss.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes and you will tell him that, let him know. But you will be the kind, loving, understanding. He is a weak, small man. Your father, you understand, likes big boobs also. He likes them a lot. Just like your boyfriend, just like your followers.”

Subj F8-021-TB: “y-yeah my mom told me…”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “That is the good, that’s good that you can share. What do some of your followers, or your boyfriend, ask you to do?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Like, mommy stuff? Or, like, live in my bra?”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Maybe your father would like to try some of these things too. ‘Mommy stuff’.”

Subj F8-021-TB: <pauses> “Yes I think he might. <sighs, pauses again> Thank you, Karina.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “You are the welcome. <smiles, pauses> Want me to call him back in here, the doctor, so you can practice?”

Subj F8-021-TB: “Omigod could you? That would be awesome.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “Yes of course. Why don’t you remove your top, begin making more pheromones? I can go get him.”

Agent KLCTVxx0038цч: “How about a picture for your followers?”

Subj F8-021-TB: <giggles>

===============<end transcript>===================

thanks again to Tally Berry for allowing us to use her images.

My Patreon

#growing into the job

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mushroom-creacher · 11 months

Text

Car Troubles

Chapter 3

< - >

“Ok, so what’s this movie about again?” Nancy asked.

She and Robin were in the backseat of Steve’s car as he drove to the now-closed movie theater.

“This newly engaged couple gets a flat tire in a storm and finds this, like, creepy mansion and meets all these weird people partying to celebrate something the master of the manor has accomplished. Things only get weirder through the night as they encounter the mad scientist who owns the place and his unconventional creation.” Robin was grinning as she vaguely explained the plot to the other two.

“I still don’t understand why they wouldn’t just show it in the theater normally,” Steve spoke up, Robin had been evasive in his questions about this film. He was starting to worry about what could be so bad.

“Trust me, this town would lose it if this was ever shown publicly. You’ll understand once you watch it.”

“Have you ever tried not being so vague?”

“Nope!”

Steve parked a few stores down from the theater. “Eddie said to meet him in the alley.”

“Let’s hurry! I don’t want to miss it!” Robin practically jumped out of the car with Nancy right behind her.

The teens walked past the stores and around the movie theater to the alley behind the building. It only took a moment to spot Eddie in the alley. The young man was dressed in all black with a tattered old band shirt cut into a crop top, a knee-length skirt over ripped fishnets, and a tight leather jacket, his makeup as dark as the rest of his outfit.

Steve felt his face grow warm as he stared at Eddie, gesturing them over to the back door. His heart was racing in his chest. He felt as if he couldn’t take his eyes off the man in front of him.

“Steve? Are you ok?” Nancy’s voice broke through Steve’s daze, bringing him back from his thoughts.

“Huh? “Oh, uh, yeah, sorry, let’s head in,” He shook himself back to the present as he and the others walked into the back of the theater.

“I’m glad I wore my good suspenders now,” Robin chuckled as she nodded to Eddie’s outfit.

Eddie grinned, leading them to the last showing room down the hall. “Yeah, a lot of us thought it’d be in good spirits to dress up a little unconventionally.”

As they walked into the darkened room, they noticed there were only a little over 30 other people seated. Most were people like Eddie and his friends, but Steve noticed a few people from the basketball team. And the cheer squad. And band. What movie could get all these people to hang out with each other in secret like this?

Steve couldn’t think too hard about it before a hand from the crowd waved them over to 4 empty seats.

“Is that Chrissy Cunningham?!” Robin practically shouted.

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool. She helped me with my makeup.”

The group made their way to the empty seats next to Chrissy. She was dressed in a plain dress shirt and slacks with an old vest and matching tie. Steve felt even more underdressed for this movie.

“Hey! I’m so glad you guys could make it! It’s Steve, Nancy, and Robin, right?” Chrissy cheerily stood up to greet the group of teens. It made sense why she was captain of the cheer squad now. The girl practically radiated pep.

“Yep, that’s us! It’s nice to meet you, Chrissy.” Nancy stuck out her hand for Chrissy to shake. Chrissy giggled as she shook the other girl’s hand.

“It’s good to finally meet you too! I read every issue of the school newspaper; I love what you’ve done with it this year!”

“Oh wow, thank you! I’m glad the improvements have been noticed!”

“Yeah, you can absolutely tell the difference between the past issues and now. Like someone’s putting actual effort into it for once.”

“I hate to interrupt but the movie’s gonna start soon soooo,” Eddie said as he took the seat closest to the aisle.

“Oh! Right, sorry! Let’s absolutely talk later though, I’d love to hear your thoughts about the paper.”

“Totally!”

The rest of the teens took their seats and quietly chatted as they waited for the movie to start.

The dark room was suddenly illuminated by the 20th Century Fox logo projected onto the screen followed by a pair of red lips on the black background.

“Michael Rennie was ill, the day the earth stood still.”

I guess it’s a musical, Steve thought. Cute wedding.

“The river was deep, but I swam it.”

So, they’re the main couple, got it. He just had chalk on him? Aw, he proposed.

“I would like, if I may...”

Who’s this guy? How’d he get all those pictures?? I knew it was a horror movie.

“Yes, Janet. Life’s pretty cheap to that type.”

That line earned a row of boos from some of the crowd, including Eddie.

“In the velvet darkness...”

Definitely a horror movie. It was literally called the ‘Frankenstein Place’! They’re not coming out of that castle. That bald guy’s gonna kill them. Well, that maid is definitely crazy!

“It’s astounding. Time is fleeting.”

Steve could hear the crowd getting excited, some even singing along with the movie.

“Let’s do the time warp again!”

Steve smiled as he looked around at the people who got up to dance in the aisle. He didn’t think a horror movie could be this silly. He looked at his group next to him. Robin had pulled Nancy into the aisle to dance while Chrissy cheered them on. He chuckled while watching Nancy nervously dance along with Robin’s fast pace. Those two were total opposites but fit so well together. He turned his attention to Eddie who was singing along and playing the air guitar. His eyes met Steve’s and he gave his signature grin. Steve quickly turned back to the screen, trying to ignore the blush on his face.

“How do you do?”

Steve jumped as the crowd erupted into cheers and whistles and applause. His jaw almost dropped as the flamboyant character strutted onto the screen. He’d never seen anything like this on TV before, he couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. I guess he knew why it’s a secret now.

He quickly pulled his thoughts back to the plot of the movie.

“I hold the secret to life itself!”

So, it is like Frankenstein. That’s why it’s called ‘Rocky Horror’! Wow, that guy is muscular...

“Eddie!”

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle and turn to the man next to him. The similarities between the two were abundant.

“Whoo! Yeah!” He cheered at his fictional namesake.

Steve nodded along to the music until Frank N Furter came running onto the screen with a pickaxe.

Oh shit! Guess we’re back to horror... Oh, he’s gay, that makes sense.

“Who is it? Who’s there?”

Probably the murderer. Oh, it’s Brad. OH THAT’S NOT BRAD Wait, I thought he liked guys?

Poor Rocky... Those two are assholes.

“Oh, Brad, darling, it’s no good here!”

Oh, hey there’s Janet again. NOT AGAIN So he does like guys... and girls?

“What’s happening here? Where’s Brad?”

Brad’s, uh, busy. Poor Rocky... How are you going to be mad? You did the same thing! I’m no doctor but I don’t think that’s how you dress a wound right. Is that a Mickey Mouse hat?

“I was feeling done in.”

Ah, unexpected romance. Oh- uh, this got horny real fast-

“Mercy!”

Oh, here comes the others, this won’t end well... Nice Jacket. New character? Earthling? Oh yeah, that professor guy they went to go see. Oh, he’s mad...

“Great Scott!”

Steve chuckled at the Back to the Future reference.

Eddie? Well, unfortunately, he’s dead. Nephew? Oh shit- And Janet’s been caught.

“Master! Dinner is prepared!”

Worst timing ever... Awkward... Poor girl... she really liked Eddie... Aliens??

“From the day he was born,”

Just talking shit about your missing nephew, ok. Oh shit, he left a note! OH FUCK, HIS BODY

“I’ll tell you once. I won’t tell you twice!”

Someone’s jealous. He’s trapped them... With science! Earth people?? Well, now you’re all statues.

“My God! I can’t stand any more of this!”

Yes! Stand up for yourself! Avenge Eddie! Ah damn...

“It was great when it all began!”

Oh yay! She’s back! Damn Rocky can sing! Brad’s gonna fall in those shoes... Well, Judy’s doing just fine! Do they just have a pool under their stage?? OH SHIT HIS LEGS Heh back to rock n roll!

“Frank N Furter!”

What the fuck?? Wait are they really aliens???

“Wait! I can explain!”

That’s... really sweet... They’re not gonna kill him, right?? No! Oh shit, it doesn’t kill Rocky! No! Rocky!

“And crawling on the planet’s face, some insects called the human race, lost in time and lost in space and meaning.”

“Science Fiction...”

Most of the crowd, including Eddie, Chrissy, and Robin, stood up and cheered as the credits rolled. Steve sat in his seat, staring at the screen.

“Wow.” Nancy’s voice broke the silence beside him, similarly, staring at the now dark screen in front of them.

“Yeah,” was all Steve could respond with. Steve imagined she was having a similar reaction to the movie as he did, a mix of shock, awe, and confusion.

“Well, it certainly explains the secrecy,” Nancy chuckled.

“Heh, yeah, definitely.”

Eddie turned to the rest of the group as the audience started to make their way out of the theater.

“You guys wanna grab some food?”

“Sounds good to me.” Nancy and Steve stood up and followed the others back out to the alley.

“I know a great place near the trailer park, just follow my van.” Eddie and Chrissy made their way to the beat-up old van parked right behind the theater.

“Got it, my car’s just a couple stores down. I’ll pull it up.” Steve started walking to where he had parked the car. He got in, put the key into the ignition, and… Nothing.

“What?”

He turned the key once, twice, and three more times. The car wouldn’t start.

“Fuck!” Steve slammed the door shut as he got out and walked back to the group.

“What’s wrong? I thought you were gonna bring the car around?” Robin asked, crossing her arms to fight the slight chill in the air.

“Car troubles. Again. The damn thing won’t start.”

“God dammit, Steve. Just replace that junk already!”

“You try car shopping on our paycheck, Rob!”

“Want me to take a look at it? I’ve my toolbox in the van,” Eddie offered.

“Yeah, that’d be great, thank you so much, Eddie.”

Eddie smiled as he opened his van’s back door and grabbed his toolbox. “No problem, pretty boy.”

A blush crept its way across Steve’s face again. That seemed to happen a lot around Eddie. Steve ignored the glances exchanged between the girls and led Eddie to his car.

#stranger things 4 #stranger things #stranger things fic #st4 #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #eddie x steve #nancy wheeler #robin buckley

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the-vixen · 1 year

Text

𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥 : 𝙀𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙭 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

PART 12 PART 13 PART 14 -------- MASTERLIST

When you are sent on a mission to rescue Ethan Hunt from prison, the events that domino will force you to face the ghosts of your past and your guilt tied to Ethan.

This takes place throughout the events of ghost protocol. There will be a change in the story and the events of the mission impossible 2 and 3. Ethan and Julia never got married, a certain amount of information will be changed that will be revealed in the story.

You sighed as you dumped your old bandages, after replacing them with a fresh one. According to Jane you lost a good amount of blood by the time you went to go help brandt; killing wistrom in the process.

She was upset by your disobedience, you could've stayed and covered Benji in the time she went to provide backup to Brandt.

You were a little bit out of it by then, but Brandt got you help in time.

Now you were in Seattle.

Ethan took a lot of damage while stopping Hendricks, as usual in Ethan Hunt fashion, he drove a car off a ramp and let it drop 100 meters to the ground. He was in the hospital for a couple of weeks before being discharged.

The IMF was back in the process of being reinstated, most of the work had already been done, just yours and Benji's evaluation, Brandt's position and Jane's ranking left in processing.

Ethan had met up with Luther, catching up with him after his time away and updating him on what happened during the mission. You missed Luther, but you haven't spoken to him lately either.

Of course, only Ethan would blurt out "mission accomplished" while aborting a nuclear warhead.

He had requested the rest of the team to meet him there, you didnt go.

Not that it mattered, you've been listening to everything Ethan's been saying by bugging his table.

Classy.

But you couldn't bring yourself to see Ethan again, not anymore now that he had no reason to stick around with you either. You didnt see him when he was at the hospital but you did send little tidbits to keep him entertained under an anonymous identity.

You knew that Ethan knew it was you, the two of you used to play games like this and follow a language that only the two of you could speak.

You just also knew you didnt have the courage to meet him face to face again after the kiss. Even more so if Jane told him you got hurt again cause of Wistrom.

You listened to the bug, hearing how Ethan expressed his gratefulness that the team functioned well, and how he was glad that they ended up together. A bitter part of you felt like he wouldn't have been so positive and vocal about the mission going well if you were there.

Maybe.

But you knew Ethan was kind. He probably wouldn't do that.

"y/n's not coming huh?" the sound of your name from his mouth making you stop.

"no...havent heard much from her.." Jane shook her head.

You swallowed and closed your eyes, continuing to listen as Ethan explained to Brandt that Julia didnt die, he just faked her death for her safety...for her protection. But as to why he went to prison, he just told him that he had his own reasons. He had to protect someone he cared about.

Listening to Ethan reassure and reconcile with Brandt, putting the man at ease after the years of guilt hes faced, made you wonder again.

Why not you?

Why didnt he do the same for you?

You wanted to kill that wounded part of you.

That pathetic part of you that's probably metamorphosed your platonic feelings for Ethan into feelings of love.

"Are you ever gonna see me again?" Ethan's voice came through, snapping you out of your thoughts. You looked at your laptop.

"its impressive...bugging the table I would be on...bugging my hospital bed...bugging my apartment..." he spoke. "although I would've preferred to see your face. catch up." he spoke through to you.

You bit your lip, a slight flare of confusion and frustration at his tone and statements. It feels like hes playing with you...just not in the way youre used to.

You waited by your laptop, waiting for anything else to be said.

At the stretch of silence, you disconnected the bug, getting ready to pack your stuff up.

You weren't sure where'd you go, but you were not needed here. You only followed Ethan to Seattle to make sure hes okay.

After packing your stuff, you heard the apartment door unlock.

On alert, you grabbed your gun and headed for the door, suspicious at the presence of an intruder. Carefully, you walked out, your gun up and pointed in the direction of your attention.

"move and I shoot." you turned to the front door, finding Ethan standing there with his hands in his hoodie pockets.

Unexpected but unsurprised, you lowered your gun, "picked the lock?"

"yep."

"Already knew where I was?"

"yep."

"Here to scold me some more?" You looked at him.

Ethan shook his head and smiled softly, locking the door again behind him. You watched him in apprehension, putting the gun away.

"what do you want Ethan?" you looked at him before walking into your room.

He trailed behind you, "to talk. face to face preferably. it makes the conversation more interesting watching your reactions." he said.

A smile quirked up your lips before you shoved it back down. It wasn't fair. He doesn't get to do that. You turned around, maintaining a poker face as you looked at him, "so talk."

"Im sorry. About how I treated you during the mission.." He began.

You crossed your arms, "that doesn't cut it Ethan...you..you can't just..undermine me and treat me like a kid and then go and enact your hunches on me. Im not a sidekick for you to use and dispose." You sat down on your bed.

Ethan's gaze analyzed you, before he took a step forward. "I had to make sure you were safe."

You shook your head, "if I wasn't safe the secretary wouldn't have put me on the mission--"

"--not that kind of safe." he interrupted. "your safety. I had to make sure your safety was---"

"--it still doesn't matter! I know I make mistakes but that can't be a reason for you to treat me so shittily. if it's a personal reason because I got you sent to prison then say that. be transparent. dont say shit like my safety mattered and then go and tell me you'd much prefer that I was out of the team completely!" you stood back up, upset.

Ethan watched you, "you weren't the reason I went to Rankov Y/n.." he said, making you scoff as your emotions bubbled up. "dont give me that bs Ethan...I know. the secretary all but confirmed it. You went to prison after rescuing Julia cause of the Ukraine mission fuck up and the Serbians that followed you to Moscow. you took the punishment because you were responsible for keeping me in line and I didnt listen to you and got the asset killed. it was my fault and youre upset about it so youve been unable to trust me and that's why you've been treating me like shit--"

"Y/n you weren't the reason I went to rankov! you were in a coma!" Ethan snapped.

"What?"

#ethan hunt x reader #ethan hunt imagine #ethan hunt fic #mission impossible 4 #mission impossible: ghost protocol #mission impossible #ghost protocol #tom cruise

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animebw · 1 year

Text

Short Reflection: Kaguya-Sama: The First Kiss That Never Ends

I have never quite understood the hype behind Kaguya-sama.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great show. Actually, strike that; it's a fantastic show. It's one of the most consistently funny comedies of the past few years, and its clever character work and outrageous animation are more than deserving of their high praise. But whenever I hear people calling it the best rom com of all time, all I can think is, "Wow, y'all really are so young that you've never heard of Toradora, huh?" Never mind Kimi ni Todoke, Ore Monogatari, and countless other spectacular shoujo rom coms that people are all too quick to forget even exist. I love Kaguya-sama dearly, but I've never quite felt comfortable ranking it among the best of the best like so many others do.

At least, not until I watched this movie.

Now, though? I understand completely.

See, the reason I never rated this show as highly as other people is because to me, Kaguya and Shirogane's romance is the least interesting part of it all. Even after season 3 finally made me give a damn about them officially hooking up as a couple, Kaguya-sama is always at its most interesting to me when it's focused on anything other than its title character. Chika's insane wild card antics, Hayasaka's perfectly deadpan straight man routine, Ishigami's bizarrely endearing blend of misanthropy and sincerity... Kaguya's supporting cast has always been its biggest draw for me. Kaguya and Shirogane aren't bad by any means, and they've had plenty of great moments between them. But most of the time when Kaguya-sama is playing at being a straight romance, it just doesn't connect with me as strongly as it's trying to.

And that's why The First Kiss That Never Ends is so phenomenal. Because after four years of show, it finally, finally made me fall in love with the main romance of Kaguya-sama. After all this time, I get why these two crazy kids are so special to so many people. I get why countless adoring fans consider this their favorite rom com, even if it's still not my personal best. No longer am I standing on the sidelines in mild confusion; I am officially a full throated Kaguya-sama stan at last. And in accomplishing this feat, this movie finally helped me understand why these two weren't clicking for me before... and how I may not have been giving this show as much credit as it deserved.

You see, one of the central tropes in Kaguya-sama's romance is a trope that I have more bad experiences with than I can count: the Ice Queen. Kaguya is a frigid, closed-off girl who must learn to open her heart and be honest about her feelings over the course of the show. It's a character type I've seen a lot, and it's a character type that is dangerously easy to fuck up. Because if you don't treat this kind of story with care, it can very easily come off like the story sees her as a haughty bitch who needs to learn her place, stop being so stuck up, and let a man sweep her into his arms. And considering how many hang-ups a lot of male anime writers clearly have about writing female characters... yeah, let's just say I have enough nightmares of this trope being done wrong to last a lifetime.

And Kaguya's not even a bad example of the trope! She's always been a very well handled character, even as far back as season 1. But one always had this uncertainty in the back of my mind: how aware is this show of the gendered nature of the tropes it's playing with? There are countless times where either the narrator or the characters will make some sweeping statement about what girls are like, or what boys are like, or how relationships between men and women are "supposed" to work. And while they're always presented so absurdly that no rational person could take them seriously, it's never quite clear how unseriously we're supposed to take them. Cause, like... there's a lot of these moments for them to not be indicative of something.

So that's where I've been at with Kaguya the Ice Queen. A very loaded, very gendered trope in a series that has a very unclear stance of loaded, gendered tropes. Was it trying to say something? Did it have some grand thesis about the harmful nature of gendered expectations waiting in the wings? Or like so many anime before it, was it just uncritically parroting the same old tired expectations for good little boys and girls? Looking back, this was the sword of Damacles hanging over my head as I've watched and enjoyed Kaguya-sama, the uncertainty that kept me from opening my heart to it fully. Whether I could fully put it into words or not, I couldn't get past that question: is this show yet another victim of sexist stereotypes it doesn't fully understand?

Thank god, then, that The First Kiss Never Ends had finally proven the answer to be no.

Yes, if you thought the aftermath of Kaguya and Shirogane's first kiss was going to be smooth sailing for these two neurotic messes, you clearly don't know what show you're watching. They've taken the biggest step forward imaginable and brought their relationship right to the precipice of being official. Victory is so close they can taste it, but with that comes a terror the likes of which they've never felt before. Suddenly the reality of what their lives are about to become crashes up against their long standing hang-ups about love and self worth, and their mutual fear over thinking they aren't yet living up to the standard of what a Person In A Relationship is supposed to be leads to the biggest rift in their relationship yet. Neither understands what the other wants from them- hell, they don't even understand what they want from themselves. Which means after so many mental battles and false starts, it's time for Shirogane and Kaguya to rip off their masks and face each other's true selves once and for all, even if they can't bear the answers they think are waiting in the other's gaze.

And yes, in exposing themselves so completely, it makes clear just how inexorably their issues are bound up in gender. Kaguya's so obsessed with playing out the script of the submissive lady who lets the man make all the first moves that her spiraling self-loathing ends up hurting everyone who tries to get close to her. Miyuki's so wrapped up in the need to prove himself manly enough to be worthy of Kaguya that he loses the ability to connect with her on her own terms. And when these two deeply flawed approaches to romance collide with the heightened tension of two dumb kids desperate not to fuck everything up, they feed into each other in the worst way.

In other words, what this movie proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that Kaguya-sama fully understands the importance of leaving gender roles behind. The final boss of this show isn't just the inescapable fear of knowing and being known; it's also, explicitly, how that fear is made worse by gendered expectations that leave lost kids flailing in an attempt to live up to unhealthy notions of love and companionship. It's the kind of misunderstanding plot that actually makes sense and leaves you agonized because of how well it understands why their wires are getting crossed, as opposed to agonized because the writers are clearly dragging things out tortuously to avoid progressing the plot an inch further. For Kaguya and Shirogane to truly overcome their issues, they must leave behind their notions of who they're supposed to be, how they're supposed to act, and see each other as the people they are. Not a girl and guy following a pre-written script, but two complex human beings who make each other's lives that much brighter for being in them.

And in retrospect, that's always been what Kaguya-sama is about, hasn't it? All of this show's best non-comedic moments have been when it takes an ax to a restrictive gendered trope and lets the character behind it fly free. Miko's introductory arc was all about Shirogane realizing that this girl most people dismissed as a naggy bitch in need of an ego check was in fact one of the most passionate, dedicated people in the school, and doing his damndest to give her a chance to speak her truth. And hey, remember how Ishigami's rise from Reddit-pilled loner to someone who can embrace his place in the world without feeling like an incel involved him dressing in drag and feeling happy doing so? When you look back at the whole picture, Kaguya-sama has always been about breaking free of gendered expectations, in ways both big and small. And now that we've reached the climax of Kaguya and Shirogane's arc, it's finally time for them to break free just the same.

And my god, it is spectacular. It's an emotional payoff to years of slow-burn character work that makes look back and realize just how fucking good it’s been at laying the foundation for this moment. It bares Kaguya and Shirogane’s souls like never before, and it took me from being nominally interested in their antics to openly weeping over their attempts to understand each other. This isn't just a beautiful finale that washes away all my concerns, it's made me appreciate everything this show was doing so wonderfully before that I was too uncertain to pick up on. At last, I can see that Kaguya-sama is as incredible as everyone says. It is genuinely a masterpiece of rom com storytelling. It's an uproarious, beautiful tale about the importance of living true to yourself, even when you feel like yourself is something to run away from. And if this movie is the last part of the manga to be adapted, then it's as perfect a conclusion as I could hope for.

It's not a perfect movie overall, to be fair. It pretty much skips over an Ishigami/Miko subplot it starts building up, and there are points in the middle where the lighting is so dark it's almost impossible to see what's going on. Which is a weird misstep for a series that's always had such a strong visual identity. But as a climax to this war of hearts and minds that finally made me care about those hearts and minds, it's an unimpeachable triumph. The First Kiss That Never Ends made me believe the hype at last, and I can't wait to join the rest of the world in preaching the glories of the series it caps off so wonderfully. And I give it a score of:

9/10

Thank you all for reading. Here's holding out hope for season 4!

#anime #the anime binge-watcher #tabw #kaguya-sama: love is war #kaguya-sama #kaguya-sama wa kokurasetai #kaguya sama

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partly-cloudyskies · 2 months

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tagged by @big-meows always happy to talk about mah storeez

How many works do you have on AO3?

29. seems like a lot, where does the time go?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

630,542 where??? time??? go??????

3. What fandoms do you write for?

lessee we got ur ducktales, ur gundam with from mercury, night in the woods, amphibia, outer wilds, xcom and deltarune. man i really forgot about that single xcom fic i wrote. i really did intend to write something in that fandom. i still might maybe idk

4. Top five fics by kudos?

There Will Be No Dancing i've always been really happy with this one. i feel like I really caught the energy of the characters. i'm glad people seemed to catch that energy y'know

Hypothesis i wrote this almost immediately after deltarune came out i think it was like the 2nd one with that pairing and i always kind of felt like it got kudos mostly cuz it was so early. i mean it's not bad but idk, i think it just got out the door early and that's why it got attention. my favorite part is the bit with berdly

Under the Shadow of the Snack Falcon the first fic i posted when i started writing fanfic again after, like, over 20 years. i'm glad it's in the mix

Orbits imo this is my most, like, technically accomplished fic. in terms of structure and theme and that. there's another outer wilds fic i wanna write. been sitting on it for a while. hope i get to it someday!

Rite of Spring my night in the woods magnum opus (that i completed, sorry glass factory). i named it after the stravinsky ballet. i felt like it was thematic, idk. i really had fun writing for lori

5. Do you respond to comments?

i try to. i mean people make a stink about comments being important so i try to reply to the ones i get, even if it's something innocuous like 'thx for reading!'

some fics i don't respond at all and it's usually cuz of any number of badbrain circumstances i am under at the moment. always feel a lil bad about that. not enough to make a stink of it, bad in the sense that you see a banana that you left out too long and now it's all brown and mushy. that kind of bad

well, all any of us can do is try

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

the view from mars, i suppose? or maybe it's monument. or quests! i kind of liked quests.

view from mars is kind of a bog standard teen crush melodrama, but i liked writing the girls from amphibia so i thought i'd give it a try. would like to do another amphibia story someday.

monument is an outer wilds fic, so everyone dies (spoilers i guess) and it's about, like, your work outliving your life and then even your work eventually disappears and then what's left? and maybe asking what's left isn't even the right question. you know. existential stuff. play outer wilds

quests is me indulging myself cuz i have a thing for pairings where one half is gonna have to take care of the other half and like, is lena really up for that and what happens when she gets in over her head cuz webby gets in over her head. idk i'm too much of a sap to take this to its angstiest conclusion and it gets resolved p quickly which might make it seem a little pat but the story did what i set out for it to do so i'm cool with it

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

there will be no dancing, probably. it's got a pretty sweet ending. just don't read the stories in the rest of the series. it's fine it's cool

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not that i've seen. i did see a comment where someone was asking a leading question like they wanted to get into some Discourse but i just ignored it and nothing came of it and we all lived our lives

9. Do you write smut?

ya when the notion strikes. if we're examining the ways characters interact with each other sex is one of those ways and it'd be weird to exclude it over all the other imo

10. Craziest crossover?

i never actually tagged this is how we grow as a crossover huh. but @big-meows was the one to initially conceive of a stardew/ducktales crossover so i ain't taking credit. i guess the only other option is red brithright, my current wip: star wars and witch from mercury

it's not really a crazy crossover tho. they're both sci fi franchises that started in the 70s and prominently feature protagonists with complicated relationships with their parents and have laser swords. kind of an obvious crossover

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of. it's hard to know if i'd care even if someone did. i guess i'd be miffed if someone were making money off of it somehow

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

i have had requests, never saw if they actually did it but i always said yes

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i've had some beta-ing but idk if i'll ever co-write. i've got a pretty light presence in fandoms so i doubt i'll get involved in anything more collaborative then, like, prompt weeks

14. All time favourite ship?

idk man i mean i wouldn't devote days of writing to any ship unless they were my all time fave to some degree. weblena's always gonna have a place, sulemio is the new hotness but i think there's something enduring in it. i'll always have a soft spot for barrisoka

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i like to think i'll finish all wips eventually. yes i know that's dumb but i still like to think it

16. What are your writing strengths?

idk i like to think i'm p okay at juggling an ensemble. like when there's a lot of characters and giving them all a little moment to characterize themselves. even if it's just a single line. i hope that comes across. and i love to have a sense of place, like an environment that feels authentic. i love a good place and want others to feel like they can see it. who knows if that works

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i think i tend to get bogged down in details to the point where i have to step back and ask myself if i've lost the thread of the story. like i'll get preoccupied with how characters get from point a to point b when that shit don't matter

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

don't think i've ever done

19. First fandom you wrote in?

starcraft. used to be part of a writing group that did varying degrees of starcraft. all ancient history by now

20. Favourite fic you've written?

hm. probably there will be no dancing. like yeah again i feel like i was pretty on for that one. punchy and funny and written deep in the perspective of the pov character. i really do wish i could keep that kind of writing for long projects! but alas

if you see this feel free to do your own!

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natures-marvel · 5 months

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Woah, woah woah! 😳

Someone's trying to know too much about me, huh?! 😳

Okay, so :

What is your nickname?

One of them is the one I use here. Kal.

When is your birthday?

15th Feb 😊

What was your longest relationship?

None, lmao 😂 #singleaf💪🏽

What is your favorite book?

A lot of them, omg! 😭

I cant pick a fav! 😭

What is something you're insecure about?

Its Classified 😊

5 Male celebrity crushes

Rodrigo de la Serna (oh la la 👀)

Siddharth Malhotra

Pedro Alonso

Tom Hiddleston

Ram Charan (hes very handsome, okay??)

5 Female celebrity crushes

Alba Flores (step on me, please!)

Shraddha Kapoor (shes so pretty 😍)

Cate Blanchett

What is your dream job?

I am doing exactly what I love!

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

Atm, its smth I am not sharing here but know that it was a dream come true for me when it happened.

What is a fact about you that nobody would believe?

Uh....idt i have anything like that. 😅

What were your highs and lows for this last month?

Where is somewhere you'd like to visit?

Oh man, so many places!

How do you de-stress?

By hassling my moots. Atm, my fav victim is @h0bg0blin-meat 😈

So, mostly I listen to music but sometimes my mind is too very active so i do yoga to calm it down.

What are your favorite apps besides tumblr?

Youtube, then all of my game apps and Photo Editor

Describe yourself in one sentence.

Wow, kay.

I am strong-willed, optimistic, hardworking, kind but also mischievious sometimes.

What do you think makes you attractive?

Idk, tbh 😂

If someone else has an answer, please do lemme know 😂

What is something you're really good at?

Time Management and hardwork.

What is something you're really bad at?

Bad at? Well, ig striking up a convo with people because i am very introverted

A time that you told a lie.

Okay, so this one is actually pretty funny :

When i was 8, my mum made a (pudina) chutney cheese sandwiched toast and i didnt want anyone else to take a bite of it.

So I lied to my classmates who were hanging out with me that day (cause of those sandwiches 😒) that the chutney was prawns chutney 🤣

Predictably, they scampered off. 🤣🤣🤣

What's a totally random and useless fact that you know?

Male crows and female crows are very easily differenciable.

Who knows you the best?

My mom. 🙃.

What is your most prized possession?

Something that adorns the walls of my living room.

What is your longest friendship?

If @delirious-and-slightly-murderous shows up anytime soon and before June, it will be 3 years with that. Otherwise @wedgeantill holds the current record for 2.5 years

#asks #thanks anon!#tho i wonder who you are #i think i do have an idea who sent this. 😏

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theseventhoffrostfall · 4 months

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Read all of the 3 body problem books so you don't have to.

TL;DR its very cold and sterile and no real stakes as a result, making it take place over thousands of years and devoid of enough human connection it has a very "why should I care" feeling. I am not sure if this is a Chinese cultural way of viewing things but it reads like the outline of a better story that'd be filled in later. Closest comparison I can make is Warhammer except everyone has human length lifespans and you look at things from a galactic level scale and after 10,000 years it's hard to care about anyone. I also largely hate all things being equal pessimists at this point. It felt more like a weird acid-trip deep dive into a thought experiment that you pull out of and think "huh, that was fucked up" than any great sweeping narrative and no, i dont care how groundbreaking or deconstructive your story is, it needs to have a plot that makes you invested and the lack thereof isn't the accomplishment you think it is.

But it also irks me that it once again falls into the "this isnt your dumb made up science fiction, this is REAL science fiction" trap. It feels like these authors have 1 specific thing they are maybe more interested in, in this case mathematics, and use that as a crutch of superiority while the rest is as made up as everything else. I'll give GRRM a mild pass since he was writing in the aftermath of Dragonlance, but spec fiction has an issue of defining what it ISNT instead of what it IS. Hell, Tolkien could come out today and market LOTR as "the most realistic fantasy because it charts linguistics and genealogy and cultural evolution in a much more realistic way" vs the others that don't. Which is both ironic given that Tolkien is usually the example used to contrast [insert current trendy author]'s works and the primogenitor of many many things, and also proving the point really that no one writes "better" or "smarter" sci fi/fantasy, and that most authors have 1-3 things they really hone in on accuracy wise and fudge the rest.

(NOTE: yes, there are lots of dumb fantasy/sci-fi that dont even try, Dragonlance doesn't even try to make the 3rd book any good which is why you should stop with Gigachad Sturm Brightblade's better-than-it-has-any-right-to-be character arc)

On the "Probably accurate in one respect but inaccurate in others", I know it's partially a product of the times and understanding of the math involved in both has changed, but the premise of the alien invasion is predicated on the notion that FTL travel is utterly impossible--rather than mathematically possible to the point of the drive being one of the least difficult things to build in a starship--while quantum entanglement-based FTL communication is trivial to manage rather than actually impossible.

It's very much a story where you could find and replace "Aliens" with "wizards" and "Technology" with "Spells" and not change all that much, but in perfect fairness I know very little about the author and if he ever claimed to be Ultra Realism Man personally or if that title was thrust upon him.

The bits of attempted human connection I was seeing in the early stages of the 2nd book are literally why I dropped the series, so I'm not gonna complain about that going away moving forward.

Also, yeah, Sturm is the best part of that series bar none. Elf chick's character development dovetailing off of his arc was also surprisingly interesting, even though they (naturally) faceplanted in handling it at the end of the original trilogy.

#three body problem

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harmonyckrs · 4 months

Text

Act 1, Scene 3 of Twisted Veronaville: Entering the Hero

THE LAST PAGE

"For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliette and her Romeo."

Ripp: Ugh, finally. I'm done reading this stupid book...now I can finally go to sleep.

Ripp: Zzzz....

???: Okay, so now we just have to find the Grunt house...wow, this sure brings back memories!

???: You really need to tell me more about this place later.

???: Well, of course!...let's just go to the Grunt house and get Tank.

???: Hold it right there!

???: Crap! It's General Buzz!

???: If you're going to take one of my sons, at least take the middle one...or even the youngest one. Not Tank. He's the only one I care about.

???: Wow, you really just...straight up admitted that, out loud.

???: You're seriously going to give away your kid like that?

???: Why not? He's a waste of space, anyway. I doubt he'll accomplish anything good in the future...I'll even give you $500 to never bring him back! How about that?

???: Wow. You're not even going to try to hide it...

???: I can't believe you'd say something so terrible about your own kid.

???: Do you want him or not? If not, I can just take you to jail for an attempted kidnapping. I'm sure that nerd you have a crush on would love a man with a criminal record.

???: How did you even know?...ugh, fine. We'll take him.

Sita: Good morning! I get that you're tired, but we've got a long day ahead of us. Aktu's preparing pancakes!

Ripp: Ugh...give me like...five minutes...Hang on...WHERE AM I? WHO ARE YOU?

Sita: Hey, hey! Don't panic. We're not going to hurt you! Your dad handed you over to us-

Ripp: HE GAVE ME AWAY?

Sita: Yeah, sorry. If it helps, your dad really sucks. Probably one of the worst people I've ever met, and I stayed in Pleasantview for a whole year.

Ripp: Thanks, it's reassuring hearing that from someone else...so, why am I here?

Sita: Go get ready first. We'll explain it over breakfast.

Aktu: So here's what's going to be happening...You're in the town of Veronaville, the city where Romeo and Juliette takes place. You read the book, right?

Ripp: Unfortunately yes. Finished it yesterday.

Aktu: Good, so I don't have to explain the plot to you. Everything from that book will happen here. Your job is to prevent everyone from dying.

Ripp: Is this a weird dream I'm having?

Sita: Nope! All real. Do you have any questions?

Ripp: Yeah! Several, actually! Why can't you do this yourself?

Aktu: Because we're both adults, and we can't really go around talking to teenagers about their love lives.

Ripp: Fair.

Sita: We trust that you'll be able to accomplish this, Ripp? We'll provide any support that you need, along with money, basic needs, and any materials you'll need to complete your mission.

Ripp: Sure!...what happens if I fail, though?

Aktu: We'll harvest all of your organs and sell them on the black market.

Sita: Aktu, don't scare him! It's okay if you fail. You'll just have to live with the guilt...but anyway! Let us know if there's anything you need, at any time.

Ripp: Well, there's one thing I'd like right now...

Aktu: Is this okay? Sorry. It's been a while since I've styled someone before.

Ripp: Better than I could've done! Thanks!

Aktu: ...I'm glad you like it. Oh, and that also reminds me...my old friend mentioned that his nephew told him that you really liked music, so Sita and I did some research and bought you a guitar. I hope it's of good quality...

Ripp: (I'm guessing the nephew was Johnny, but-OH SHOOT! Johnny! He and Ophelia probably just found out that Dad gave me away! They're probably worried about me right now!)

Aktu: Are you okay?

Ripp: Yeah, it's just...I have friends back home.

Aktu: Oh, don't worry! You can still call them. We can even organize visits too, just...make sure not to stray too far from the mission. Sita forgot to mention this, but we will be rewarding you with a million dollars if you succeed.

*DING DONG*

Aktu: Huh, weird. We weren't supposed to be getting visitors today...SITA! GO SEE WHO IT IS!

Sita: I AM ALREADY! YOU DON'T NEED TO YELL!

Viola: Hello. I'm Viola. I noticed you just moved in, and I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.

Sita: (Another welcome wagon? Where's everyone else?)...Nice to meet you too, Viola. Would you like to come in?

Viola: I can?...Thank you. Is it okay if I use your bathroom?

Sita: Go for it.

Viola: Thank you. I'll pay you back, I promise.

Sita: You really don't need to worry about it...

As unusual the start of the day was, our hero was adjusting fairly well to the world of Veronaville. He had yet to meet most of the characters from the story he was meant to rewrite, but that wasn't really his main concern at the moment.

Ripp: Sita, can I ask you something? Do you know how I can get in contact with my friends back home?

Sita: Of course! You can just use the phone to call them. We can also take you to Strangetown, also...if you need to go to other places too, we can drive there as well.

Ripp: Well, I've always wanted to go to Pleasantview.

Sita: No! Literally anywhere BUT the Bad Place! If you want to go there that badly, just ask Aktu to take you. I am NOT going back there again!

Ripp: (It can't possibly be that bad, can it?)...Okay. Sounds good...

Day darkens into night, and as our hero chats away with his newfound guardians, Romeo and Juliette were having yet another "secret" meeting.

Romeo: Juliette! It's so nice to-OW! What was that for?

Juliette: I hear footsteps. Your brother's here, isn't he? Tybalt already knows, and I don't want more people knowing either.

Mercutio: You were trying to keep your relationship secret? I never would've thought from you two literally making out right on the front lawn where everyone could see you.

Juliette: Shut up! Nobody asked you!

Romeo: Yeah! Why are you even here, anyway?

Mercutio: Taking out the trash because SOMEONE forgot to do it earlier today.

Romeo: Oops.

Juliette: So you're taking out yourself? About time.

Mercutio: Nice try, but I've heard more original insults from Tybalt. You really need to step up your game...where is he now, by the way?

Juliette: Why would you care?

Mercutio: Just wondering.

Juliette: Sure you are. Anyway, Romeo, Grandpa's hosting a party at our house tomorrow. You can come by, if you want, as long as you don't fight Tybalt again.

Romeo: HE fought ME!

Juliette: Yeah, but you know what I mean! Just...try to remain civil.

Mercutio: Can I come?

Juliette: Absolutely not.

Mercutio: (I'm coming anyway!) Boo...

THE NEXT PAGE

#ts2 #veronaville #sims 2 gameplay

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captains-pet-rat · 1 year

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TEACHING HER TO COOK

*************************

[Dancing Rasta X OC]

Because of her busy schedule, Haera relies on her group members when it comes to cooking. From interviews to back to back practice sessions, she'd come home with barely enough time to eat. However, now that she's on a break, her husband-to-be, Rasta, offers to teach her the basics of cooking and nutrition.

"Soooo, what do you already know, man?" Rasta asked, curious to know, hoping to see where they can start from what she might know.

"I'm really spoilt honestly. Frying an egg is okay, but I'm terrible at flipping them. Most of the times they end up scrambled so I don't have to worry about the yolk leaking. I can cook rice, but only with a rice cooker" She replied.

"I'm guessing you were taught the 'finger measure' method huh?" Rasta asked, knowing that Asians don't really get fancy with measuring water when it comes to cooking rice. All they need are thier knuckles.

"Haha, Bingo!" Haera let out an awkward laugh. The fact Rasta knew about the finger measuring method excited her. She continued " I can also make basic broths with veggies and meat to which I sometimes use to cook flavour my rice with.."

" Broths can be turned into really good soups too mon! Kinda gives me an idea actually~ How about starting off simple, rice, a nice warm soup and for veggies we can have em fresh, like a salad~" Rasta's suggestion was quite beginner friendly, as it wouldn't require too much work neither would it cram HaeRas mind with confusion.

"Hey love, whatever you suggest, I'll gladly follow. I dont the house burning down over a plate of veggies and a bowl of soup" Haera said shyly, as she's excited about what's to happen next. She's always wanted to cook a yummy meal for Rasta when he's coming home drained after a long day at training. Now's an opportunity to expand her knowledge about what Rasta enjoys food wise so far.

Rasta pulled out a chunk of thawed meat and some veggies from the fridge as Haera got the appropriate kitchen appliances. Together they assembled a salad with simple ingredients like lettuce, spinach, baby tomato's and shredded carrot.

Haera knew her way around Rasta's rice cooker from her years of fumbling with different cheap rice cookers her family could afford at local night markets. Very gently, Haera washed the rice in hopes it wouldn't break. She repeatedly washed and drained the rice for at least three times till the water around the rice got less cloudier after each wash. She drained the water and left the rice there as they got ready to boil up some soup.

Firstly, the pot was heated and sesame oil was added. Then, they added pieces of somewhat evenly chopped up meat into the pot with a bit of cooking sauce. Finally, water and a bit of beef stock was added. They left the soup to simmer as they set up the table. They used most of the soup to cook thier rice in hopes it would flavour it up. Whatever was leftover in the pot seemed to be more than enough to fill both of them.

As they brought the food to the table, Haera smiled. She was amazed at fast yet fragrant the food turned out. Rasta on the other hand looked at his wife-to-be, proud of what she's accomplished.

"Smells good! Can't wait to dig in...." Rasta exclaimed~

They spent their next few hours talking around the dinner table, about their hopes and dreams and about how they're excited for their next chapter together. Today was about how little things can lead to moments of happiness. Working together to get something done lead to their relationship getting stronger, and it's these little things that bring back the best memories they'll be laughing at when they're both old and grey <3

#supa strikas #dancing rasta #fanfic #supa strikas fanfic

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agallimaufryofoddments · 2 years

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Kinda wild that the announcement teaser for Fate/strange fake's upcoming TV special (airdate Dec 31) already has nearly 1.3 million plays (views?) on Twitter. It's been up for less than a month.

Not wild because it’s a Fate property, obviously. It’s not even really wild that F/sf is getting a TV special; we all knew an adaptation was inevitable, the question was only ‘how long would one be held off?’ Nah, It’s just wild to me that this TV special will be the first major animated adaptation of one of Narita’s works since the Durarara!!x2 ended in 2016.

Man, if F/sf Volume 8 does come out in, say, January or February... I’m going to think happy thoughts and not “Baccano! Volume 23 top 10 betrayals” thoughts. I’m just going to hope the F/sf TV special will spotlight Ryohgo Narita’s name for mainstream western audiences and boost LN sales. On the one hand, it’s ‘just’ a TV special’. On the other hand, it’s a special seemingly hyped up by Aniplex and, uh, y’know, part of the Fate franchise.

Wasn’t F/sf the number 1 or top 3 ‘most requested anime adaptation’ in a poll a few years ago? That might account for some of the hype. Whether the special will lead to a 2023 summer TV anime like other Fate Dec 31 TV specials have, or whether it will be its own strange thing, the sheer fact of it finally happening is a Fate/strange feeling indeed..

It’s been pointed out that some other Fate adaptations have started with December 31 TV specials (Episode 0s) and gone on to have summer TV series, e.g. Lord El-Melloi and Grand Carnival. So...should we speculate this pattern repeats with F/sf? I haven’t really consumed anything in the Fate franchise and have little interest in doing so beyond F/sf, which I’ve been slowly and sporadically reading, so I’m not exactly familiar with precedent.

For instance, Fate precedent re: adapting incomplete source material. The LNs are at seven volumes so far and (though I’m not caught up yet) in the thick of the plot, and I’m not sure how a one- or two-cour anime would tackle adapting it. A two-cour anime would make more sense than one. Definitely not sure what a 24-minute TV special could accomplish, considering that F/sf is a bit like Baccano! with tons of stuff happening in one, two, three (etc.) days.

Maybe the TV special will be an hour long or something; that would make more sense. Aniplex announced it in a livestream, didn’t it? Hyped it up? Is it normal for Fate TV specials to get the amount of hype it feels like this one’s getting? Am I imagining the hype due to my Narita bias? A long TV special would warrant it. A long special is almost necessary if they’re planning to introduce characters with it, because the entirety of Volume 1 is character introductions and couldn’t possibly fit into a half hour.

Oh, hm, the special could feasibly function as some worldbuilding / backstory set up. I’m guessing that most if not all Fate stories review Fate’s conceit for hypothetical newcomers, which is what Narita helpfully semi-does in Volume 1 (thank God, since I’m essentially a newcomer). Narita’s twist on holy grail wars is new—I understand that pretty much every holy grail war in all the Fate derivates has gone awry / atypically since...the first series?—the setting (Snowfield, Nevada) is new... so a TV special ‘orienting’ viewers makes sense.

Except it makes sense only if the plan is 100% to proceed with a 2023 anime, so, who knows. R.L. (from the PSA teaser) and Ayaka (character’s VA returning) are both Volume 2 material, so... either the TV special is going to blitz through Volume 1 and end with R.L. and Ayaka as a huge cliffhanger / hype teaser, or possibly the special won’t function as a story episode at all and just be a compilation of ‘hype’ moments. That sounds... I mean, wouldn’t that just be spoiler central? I don’t buy that.

Precedent, huh. Also, since A-1 Pictures is handling the F/sf TV special, is it probable that A-1 would then handle a proper TV adaptation? Based on El-Melloi and Grand C., probably. Oh, wait, I forgot A-1 did that 2019 F/sf PV for the light novels—so make that ‘almost definitely’.

One potentially major aspect is that the TV special will have a simuldub, which, from what I’ve read, will be the first 1:1 complete simuldub of a Fate adaptation? Major for us since a simuldub will cast the spotlight on F/sf and concomitantly Narita’s name that much wider, even if the dub is terrible. The sheer novelty alone of a Fate simuldub may be enough to attract viewers. Er, beyond the existing big Fate audience, of course. I’ve also read that a simuldub was greenlit because F/sf is set in America (oh, Narita, you wag), but that’s no guarantee the dub will be any good.

....it’s also wild (well, weird) that I’m thinking this actively about an anime TV special, since I’ve barely watched anime these past few years. Could be that I’m aging out of anime, though, let’s be real, when I was an undergrad I was already more discerning. Could be that I’ve been in mental limbo ever since spring 2020 with the ‘advent’ (you know what I mean) of the pandemic and its affects on my grad school.)

#Ryohgo Narita #Fate/strange fake #F/sf #Fate franchise #PSA #long post #It should boost LN sales no matter what right? Is it possible to overestimate the Fate IP?#It's because it's Fate that I'm assuming sales boost is all but assured even if A-1 Pictures screws up.#With A-1 Pictures the quality of a show really depends on staff; Sawano composing the F/sf score alone is huge given how popular he is.#I don't have strong feelings about his music but his name translates to hype for a lot of people.#Sorry; this was just supposed to be a those video statistics are wild and so is Narita's return to anime post #but it ended up being a dump of F/sf thoughts.#I don't have many of those I swear; I've read the F/sf manga and 'am reading' the LNs...incrementally...#Way more thoughts on what does this mean for Narita than on F/sf itself at the moment.#the length of the post is also strange considering WOW my indifference to Fate is measurable and my knowledge minimal.#I'm having a decently good time with F/sf since it's Narita (also big plus that it's standalone despite all the meta references)#and actually it has raised my interest in Fate a little so let that append or amend my 'indifferent' statement #but I just don't have an urge to get into the rest of Fate soon. Maybe someday.

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master-of-stringz · 2 years

Text

Miss You.

i have a lot of these persona 3 one-shot thingies prepared to post. this is cringe i know, but hey. i think its cool. this one's short, but i think it ain't bad. i think--

any feedback is appreciated!

Some Context: This would be set around the end of 2010, maybe 2011. Makoto/Protag-kun is dead and gone; and some people still think about him... almost daily.

Takeba was sleeping well at her dorm. That day was a simple one, like most had been since *that* night. Go to school, go along with the day; maybe chat a bit with some of her classmates, get annoyed by Junpei’s shennanigans; the usual. It wasn’t night-time yet, but the sun was slowly but surely going down.

Lately, she had noticed a feeling of… emptiness? Like, 2009 was for sure a crazy year, and a lot of the time it was also a REALLY hard one. But there were so many things that pumped her up back then… The thrill of fighting shadows, the power she could feel channeling through her veins; the will to protect the others and the world. The will to stay by his side… She truly misses those moments. Today may be a better time for the world, but her heart has a big hole that has yet to be filled up.

Yukari dreams, deeply. She has had many dreams since Nyx, and always remembers to write them down every morning. Mostly for herself, but sometimes she may find the time to share these with Mitsuru or someone else. There is some running “themes” with her dreams. She sees her Father a lot in there; but that only brings her joy. As a sweet reminder of what they all accomplished, you could say. She also sometimes has nightmares with things such as the Nyx Avatar, or the Magician’s Shadow that attacked them so long ago. But, most of the time; she dreams… about him.

The man that changed their lives. The man, who they themselves also changed. That boy who gave them hope in his own gloomy and sarcasctic ways… She recalls even calling him “Mr. Perfect”, and God; that is just so funny now.

But well. She sees him. On this weird, subconcious, some may say cognitive space. He’s there. As always, doesn’t really talk too much. But just seeing his smile and “talking” with him is enough for her. She clearly doesn’t know how any of this really works, but she does know for a fact that those dreams are… long. She just, keeps on talking. Sometimes resting on his lap or his shoulder, sometimes resting in bed… She just tells him how everything’s been going. Updates him on school, how their Senpais are doing on college; on how much cornier Junpei has got, or how Ken is doing on middle school.

One day, though; she opens up more than usual.

--“You know…”--. Yukari was sitting on a bench with Makoto, at what looked like a beautiful garden. –“You’re probably not the real one, for all I know. But talking here… knowing where I’m at and still getting to stay here, with you… It’s so comforting.”--. Makoto had a smile on his face, and he posed his head on Takeba’s shoulder. –“God dammit, Yuki. You could at least try to say something… You’re making me nervous, douche.”--. She said, getting redder by the second. She took a deep breath… --“Ah… I’ve already told you this, but seriously… we miss you. I miss you. I swear, that… someday, we’ll find a way. We… I… I will see you again. In person, like it should be. I know Yuki is not hearing this, but i need to get it out of my system. Again…”--. A little tear streamed down her cheek. The Fool’s thumb cleaned it off her face, with the usual look of no emotion that he had in the real world… but with those blue eyes, full of hope that she remembered so well. –“I know you’d call me stupid for saying this. But I really do… need you, down there. Everything is so much… dull, and boring; without you. It’s been a long time already, and I only feel worse every month.”--. She had a sad expresion on her face, looking at the flowers around them. –“Kind of ironic that of all things, it’d be a lack of YOU that would make everything boring, huh?”--. She had a melancholic smile on as she spoke. –“I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t still be grieving like this. I’m such a dumb idiot for indulging in stuff like this…”--. The “dream” Makoto stood up a little bit, approaching Yukari’s ear with his lips. He, for once; spit out some words. –“Everything is going to be alright… just, live. Be happy, I know you can.”--. That was followed by a kiss on the cheek, one that wasn’t normal to see from the boy she knew. Still, she shortly gasped on surprise. It was not often that this “dream” partner of hers spoke. The poor girl didn’t know how to respond. The boy grabbed her hand, holding it tightly… to then, just calmly fall asleep on her lap.

It rememberd her of the moment they… “found” him. When they noticed he wasn’t breathing… when they noticed he didn’t have any pulse, when his heart suddenly stopped. She remembered the feelings that coursed through her brain. The anguish, sadness, the anger. She even blamed him, Aigis; herself… It felt like her Dad, all over again; but even worse. But this time… it was weird. Weird because, even if he was replicating that grim moment… she felt happy. She felt serene, with herself and with the world. It was like his words and actions were still helping her through everything, even from beyond the grave.

--“You’re good at making a girl feel special. Have I ever told you that?”--. She said, playing with Yuki’s hair. –“I love you, dork.”--. She mumbled to herself, falling asleep in the dream itself; waking up on her bed.

--“I will always love you, too…”--. An angelic voice echoed through space, unhearable for any human on earth. –“Take good care of everyone… I rest my trust on you.”--.

#Persona #Persona 3 #P3FES #Minato Arisato #Makoto Yuki #Makoto Yuuki #Yukari Takeba #Shuyuka #Fanfic

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