#ADDED FOR FORESHADOWING. –UNKNOWN

[themoonlitdancers]

What is this place? I don't remember walking here.

Sometimes I think it'd be nice of my other personalities to tell me what they do. That information is typically unavailable to me.

— NIKOLAE

[tackykachowch]

I wanted to make this post really extensive, with a lot of screenshots etc, but I'm literally operating at 0% so forgive me this one time.

So, you all know how I'm constantly after season 2's blood because of how it butchered well...Everything, but especially my favorites Silco and Jinx. And what do you know, they even screwed up Silco's glass. Yes. A Glass. Let me explain.

Animators at Fortiche are real professionals, so they know that every object tells a story, so even small things like glasses or cups can tell us a story or let us understand the character better, or even reflect the whole meta of the show. Arcane season 1 really exceeded at this. Going through every scene of this season I noticed that Piltovans use elegant and neat glasses and cups, and the glasses that are particularly used by the councilors are made out of gold. While Zaunites drink from simple glasses without any ornaments, metal mugs or straight-up out of bottles. But there's this one single glass that's different from any other glass or cup in the ENTIRE season - Silco's glass (also Jinx's cup but I'm not gonna talk about it here).

It's made out of simple glass and is pretty bulky to give an association with Zaun, but also has golden ornaments to associate it with Piltover. This single glass perfectly encapsulates Silco as a character - a Zaunite who rejects living under the status quo and who strives to get his people opportunity and freedom Piltover has. Also it reflects his unique position in society - he operates the entirety of the Undercity, yet even this amount of power is barely enough to compete with Piltover. Silco represents the middle of the barrel, a fusion of both cities at their current states. Then, in ep9 it gets destroyed, foreshadowing Silco's death and destruction of the relative peace the two cities had until this time. It's perfect, no notes.

But theeeen we have season 2 *barely disguised rage*. In it we have my favorite flashback out of all of flashbacks ever, where we see- huh??

Silco's glass?? How did it get in there?? And there's THREE of them now???? This is surely some kind of mistake, right? Let's fast forward a bit- WHAT IS IT DOING IN A CAVE????

So, you want to tell me, that an object unique to Silco and Silco only, which perfectly represented his character and even played a minor narrative role, is in fact NOT unique and its destruction in the season 1 finale meant Literally Nothing???? WHAT??????

This is what I meant when I said that s2 jumped headstrong into the fanservice without the second thought about how it impacts the story and characters. You see, Silco now HAS to keep a glass from the times he, Vander and Felicia were friends. He HAS to keep a diary where he says how he admires Felicia, even though nothing indicated that someone inspired him or something of that sort in prior material. (UPD: Also, Silco is more of an idealistic character in the first place. He DOES care about people to some extent, but he always seemed to fight for the idea itself, and not some people in particular. So to give him this new unknown character as part of his primary motivation is....strange, to say the least. It's almost like writers want to make him more sympathetic hmmm). He HAS to keep a photo of the three of them and an "Our Love" record, because he's a sap like that and he lowed his fwiends so wewy much. We already knew Silco had a soft side because he kept things Jinx made for him, we already knew that he hadn't completely let go of the past because he kept Vander's knife. There's no point in adding all this garbage except make the audience go "awwww". It's disgusting and insulting.

But back to the glasses. It makes no sense that the three of them have the glasses and use them, because none of them have any amount of power yet. Moreover, Vander never has ANY Piltovian aesthetic in his design, and Felicia is literally a non-character, so what is exactly the reason to give her such an important object to begin with? I don't know a thing about her, except that she's arcane's most manic pixie girl ever and that by her sheer existence she ruined Silco and Vander's dynamic. Cool. And why would Silco keep the glass with him throughout all these years? And then openly drink out of it in his office? Is it supposed to mean that he carries on the dream the three of them had? But Vander openly rejected this dream, and the remnant of this is located in the very same office (Vander's knife). Orrr maybe um. Maybe. Ughhh. I can't. Think of anything. Hang on. Maaaybeeee it's ssssupposed to represent how Silco's fight for independence went back to the place it started in (The Last Drop)? Okay, maybe, whatever. But then again, what was the purpose of destroying his glass in season 1 ep9 if presumably the two other glasses are still intact? Except Silco dying it doesn't tell us anything, because it lost the previous weight it had in the narrative.

Then we fast forward again to my favorite episode out of all the episodes ever - s2 ep7. In it Silco appears only for a few seconds, but by God are these one of the most destructive few seconds for his character. First he comes to the scene with his flask in hand. A....weird thing to have in a BAR, but okay.

But then as he says the infamous line about forgiveness Vander hands him- oh. Uhhh...A. A Piltovan glass.

Not Silco's glass, or maybe some entirely new glass to represent Zaun's progress as a free nation, but a Piltiovan one. Okay. You were pretty obvious with the line here writers but I guess it wasn't enough.

S2 proceeds to be an insulting, disgusting mess in its every aspect and I will fight with it for the rest of my life.

[pinkeoni]

Why I Think Will is the "Sorcerer"

When I first saw the episode titled "Sorcerer" way back when the episode titles first leaked, I immediately associated it with Will. But of course I did, considering he is my favorite character after all. But I do have more evidence to back this up other than favorite character bias.

Wizard as Sorcerer

For some of the international episode titles in other languages, the title for "Sorcerer" is occasionally translated to "Wizard." (sometimes it is translated as "Magician" but the general idea of a magic wielder is still there) It has also been noted that in some gendered languages, such as German and Italian, that the word takes on its masculine form. Thank you to @bylrndgm for your help with this! (Edit: adding this post)

It is true that Wizard and Sorcerer are two separate DnD classes, but I think it important to also consider the broader definition and understanding of "sorcerer" outside of just it's DnD definition.

There are multiple definitions that can be found online that refer to a sorcerer as a wizard.

"a person who practices sorcery: wizard" - Merriam-Webster

"Magical, mysterious, and quite possibly mythical, a sorcerer is a name for a spell-casting wizard." - Vocabulary.com

"a person who practices sorcery; black magician; wizard." -Dictionary.com

"a person who practices sorcery : a wizard or warlock" - The Britannica Dictionary

"One who practices sorcery; a wizard." - The Free Dictionary

So I think it is reasonable to see why so many, including myself, immediately associated Will with the sorcerer title— Sorcerers and wizards are heavily associated with each other and are oftentimes used interchangeably.

Since episode 1, Will has been closely tied with wizards. From his DnD character Will the Wise, to the password of Castle Byers referring to a fictional wizard, to dressing up as a wizard, to Will's depiction as a wizard making it into his painting of foreshadowing, the wizard status has followed Will throughout the seasons.

But wait, isn't Will a cleric and not a wizard?

Well yes... and no.

The one reference to Will being a cleric in the show is the one scene where Mike tells Max all of the party members' roles in the group. Here, I do not think he is referring to their DnD roles (even though some of them do share these titles with their characters) but rather, he is referring to their role in the real world using DnD classes. El is assigned as a mage, despite not having a DnD character of her own. The mage title refers to El's real position as a user of magical powers, and Will's cleric title refers to his connection to an otherworldly plane. "Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant plane of the gods." from Dnd Beyond. Despite Will's label as a cleric, he is still heavily associated with wizards as well, and thus sorcerers.

The DnD descricption for sorcerers does seem to match Will as well, however. One defining element of a sorcerer, as described by DnD Beyond, is how they acquired their powers, which is either through "an exotic bloodline" or "exposure to unknown cosmic forces." "Is it a family curse, passed down to you from some distant ancestors? Or did some extraordinary event leave you blessed with inherent magic but perhaps scarred as well?"

I believe that Will has some sort of untapped powers that originate from his trip to the Upside Down in season one, which is why we are getting flashbacks to his time there, as has been indicated in behind the scenes material. I also have a more detailed post on why I believe that Will has powers here.

I don't think El is the "Sorcerer," but I do think it could also refer to Vecna

There are a couple of reasons why I do not believe that the title of sorcerer refers to El. The first being the use of masculine articles which I described above, and the second is that high fantasy imagery does not typically follow El the way it does Will. El is usually encased in science fiction tropes and imagery, and gets the title "Superhero" in relation to her powers rather than "Sorcerer" or "Wizard" or "Magician."

I do, however, acknowledge that Vecna has been referred to as a "dark wizard" by Dustin within the show, and has acquired his powers in a similar way that Will has re: the stage play. I think it is possible that the moniker "Sorcerer" could refer to both Vecna and Will, considering how closely they are connected and how they seem to be intentional foils of each other.

[b1xi]

───𝘊𝘜𝘗𝘐𝘋───ハイキュー!!

Tsukishima Kei(ハイキュー!!)x fem!reader

Word count:2880

𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

By the time you returned, the atmosphere in the gym was electrifying, charged with a palpable tension that permeated every corner of the place. The scoreboard reflected an eerie equality between both teams, which foreshadowed a frenetic outcome. Sweaty and exhausted bodies moved dizzily around the court, each player fighting with all their might to keep the ball in the air, giving up any trace of tiredness. It was a fervent battle, an outpouring of energy that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Hinata, with a dazzling heavenly shot, had managed to take his team to the lead, his contagious energy igniting Karasuno and generating murmurs of excitement in the stands. However, Seijoh, with the skill and precision characteristic of their game, was quick to equalize the points, undoing the ephemeral advantage. Uneasiness took hold of you, your skin crawling as you watched each movement with almost hypnotic attention. The voice in your mind, animated and frantic, echoed: “You can do it, I know you can do it” – though the words never came out of your lips.

You gasped when Oikawa, in a moment that should have been critical for his ego, missed a decisive serve. The Seijoh captain, known for his grace and skill, had unintentionally handed a valuable point to his opponent. The pressure on his shoulders was evident, and you could imagine the storm of frustration he must be feeling at failing in a play he traditionally dominated. However, the Seijoh players were tireless, and within minutes, they managed to regain the lost point, reaffirming their determination not to give up in this match.

As the match progressed and each point was added to the tally, your heart beat with an unknown rapidity; you had never felt such an intense connection with a volleyball match. You were completely absorbed, following each play with an almost hypnotic concentration. The tension intensified with the approaching end of the match; only one round remained. 

The ball traveled through the air, finally landing on Karasuno's side. Kageyama, with his sharp gaze and unmatched precision, deftly received it, sending it to Asahi, who, with strength and determination, returned it to Seijoh's court. Seijoh's libero, however, demonstrated his agility and skill, intercepting the ball with ease and bringing it back towards Karasuno's court. 

Hinata tried to break through the defense with a powerful spike, but Seijoh was prepared, blocking the attempt with impressive timing. The ball rose again in a frantic dance, and in an instant that seemed to last forever, Kageyama, Nishinoya and Asahi launched themselves in a united effort to receive it. But time had run out, and the opportunity was lost in the face of fate: the ball hit the ground.

Your eyes widened, disbelief taking over as you took in the, until then, unthinkable defeat. The mix of emotions overwhelmed you: the euphoria of the game, the sadness of the loss, and an undeniable admiration for the effort everyone had put into that contest.

The atmosphere at school felt heavy and oppressive. Hinata hadn’t exchanged a word with you since the game, and though you didn’t blame him, it was clear that he was mired in deep sadness. You understood all too well what it felt like to be dejected; you didn’t feel like socializing either. As you watched the hands of the clock slowly tick away, you realized that you would be spending the break alone this time. Nayuta had skipped class; she had told you over the phone that she wasn’t feeling well. 

“Today is going to be a pretty boring day,” you sighed heavily. Coach Ukai had cancelled practice, leaving you with the afternoon free. You thought you’d use that time to head to the music room. With auditions right around the corner, warming up a bit would do you good. 

You stood up and grabbed your bento, looking for a comfortable spot to eat lunch at school. Your eyes scanned the empty classrooms, longing for something to catch your attention. It was then that you stopped, drawn to the intense gaze of the tall, blonde boy from class 1-4. His golden eyes met yours, a flash of surprise in both of you.

You found yourself staring at him more than you'd like to admit. Just as the intensity of the moment was beginning to envelop you, Yamaguchi's voice snapped you out of your brief trance. You turned to look at him, feeling a sudden relief at the sight of his friendly face.

"Yamaguchi, hello," you greeted.

The young man, adorned with a pair of freckles on his cheeks, turned his gaze to your bento, which your dad had carefully wrapped in a pink handkerchief with daisies on it. "Would you like to have lunch with us?" he asked, accompanying his invitation with a genuine smile as he pointed at Tsukishima, who was still sitting at one of the desks in the classroom.

Your first reaction was to hesitate. If the invitation had come from the blond, you would have felt a rush of embarrassment and nervousness that would have led you to politely decline. However, the kindness emanating from Yamaguchi was so contagious that your heart rebelled, refusing to reject his offer.

 With a slight smile, you decided to accept the invitation. “Sure, I’d love to,” you replied, feeling a light blush creep up your cheeks. The nervousness that had previously gripped you gradually faded, replaced by a warm feeling of camaraderie. 

The two of you entered the empty classroom; Yamaguchi pointed to a seat next to Tsukishima, who remained silent. You felt a little uncomfortable, as if your mere presence irritated him. After a brief moment, however, you chose to ignore that feeling. Yamaguchi took the seat in front of you, and with a friendly gesture, the two of you prepared to share the meal.

Before you began eating, you exchanged a heartfelt “bon appetit” for the meal. The atmosphere in the room, quiet but cozy, allowed you to appreciate the small details you usually overlooked in moments of tension. The walls were adorned with student projects, and the rays of sunlight filtering through the windows gave a warm and pleasant air to the space.

However, once seated, you realized that you had never had the chance to meet Yamaguchi and Tsukishima outside the context of the sports club. A slight feeling of uncertainty came over you; you didn’t know what to talk about. As you began to eat, your eyes moved between your two companions, searching for a thread that could carry the conversation.

It was then that your attention was drawn to Yamaguchi’s handkerchief, which was decorated with designs of different Pokémon. “Does he like Pokémon?” you wondered, feeling that it was a good starting point. “What is your favorite Pokémon?” Hoping that it might open up a pleasant conversation.

 Yamaguchi smiled widely, his face lighting up immediately. He began talking enthusiastically, sharing his knowledge of the franchise and mentioning several Pokémon you hadn’t heard of in a long time. His eyes sparkled as he told stories about each one, and you realized his passion surpassed your own knowledge as a fan. The conversation flowed naturally, and before you knew it, time passed quickly. 

Once they had finished their lunches, Yamaguchi showed you his small collection of Pokémon cards, carefully organized and protected in laminated cardboard. 

“Look at this one! This is my favorite,” he said, holding up a card that shone with vibrant colors. 

Unable to help yourself, you exclaimed, “That looks just like Kenma!” Without thinking, you pointed at the Torracat illustration on the laminated cardboard. 

“Kenma?” Yamaguchi repeated, frowning as he looked at the card, as if he didn’t understand the reference.

“The setter of the Nekoma,” Tsukishima explained, breaking his silence. “The pudding-headed fool,” he added in a lower, sharper tone, averting his gaze elsewhere.

Tsukishima’s comment surprised you and caused an involuntary smile. There was perhaps a hint of jealousy in his tone, but you decided not to think too much about it.

“Ah, the boy Hinata said you liked,” Yamaguchi recalled as he rearranged his cards. A shocked expression was left on your face. How did he know that?

“What Hinata said that!?” You looked at him in bewilderment, feeling confusion and disbelief take over you. That carrot-headed fool.

“He had told us that you liked him. I assumed that from how you talked so animatedly with him and because you seemed to spend a lot of time together,” Yamaguchi explained, visibly flustered by the intensity of your annoyed look. Before you could retort, Tsukishima interrupted him.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi,” he said in a tone meant to be dismissive, and Yamaguchi looked down, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Tsukki,” he apologized, looking down in a gesture that showed his discomfort. His eyes held a slight glint of guilt, and you sighed in frustration.

“I don’t like Kenma,” you explained, crossing your arms in an attempt to convey your seriousness. “I just thought he was cute, that’s all.”

“So, you like him,” Yamaguchi replied with the same certainty as always, as if he were revealing the absolute truth.

“No, just because I think he’s cute doesn’t mean I like him,” you replied firmly, trying to make him understand your position.

“But if you think about it, isn’t it the same thing?” he insisted, his attitude stubborn. “Sometimes, when we find someone we like, we start by thinking that he’s cute...”

“Yeah, but… that’s not the point,” you interrupted, trying to adjust the conversation to your true feelings. “I don’t like him; I’m interested in someone else now.”

Yamaguchi’s question took you by surprise. “Who do you like then?” you frowned, feeling the conversation becoming awkward.

“You piss me off,” you said through gritted teeth, your frustration rising at the insistence.

“Who do you like?” Tsukishima joined in the conversation, his mocking tone ringing in your ears. “As if you didn’t know,” you thought disdainfully.

You sighed, straightening your back in your seat. “I won’t name names,” you stated, eyes narrowing as you cast a challenging glare at the blond beside you. “But he’s a tall, rather sarcastic boy,” you emphasized the last word, hoping the insinuation would be enough.

Yamaguchi brought a hand to his chin, making a thoughtful gesture. “Who could it be?” he murmured, his innocence contrasting with the tension you felt.

Finally, the bell announcing the end of lunch rang through the air, and you quickly said goodbye before standing up and heading towards your classroom.

“Hey, Tsukki, who do you think it could be?” Yamaguchi asked his friend, watching as you walked away through the door.

You rested your head on your mother's shoulder as you both waited for the time to board the plane to Kyoto. Automatically, you shoved your hands into your jacket pockets, trying to calm the anxiety that was beginning to settle in your chest.

According to the schedule, you would arrive in Kyoto today, just in time to participate in the auditions for the orchestra tomorrow. Yesterday, you had tried to locate Hinata at school to say goodbye, but you were unable to find him. You thought about looking for him at the gym, but the rush to return home prevented you from doing so, leaving you with a slight regret for not having been able to say goodbye properly.

"Calm down, sweetheart," your mother urged, placing a comforting hand on your leg, which was moving nervously up and down. "Yes," you replied, trying to follow her advice.

Turning your gaze to the magazine your mother was reading, you focused on the images of Kyoto's tourist sites, trying to distract your mind. However, as you looked at the beautiful landscapes and temples, a thought crossed your mind: you should return with a couple of gifts for your two best friends. Maybe in Kyoto you would find something that Tsukishima might like as well. With each image you passed, the thought of gifts intertwined with the memory of the conversation you had with him about his date to the festival, making you blush involuntarily.

You glanced at your mother, who was engrossed in her reading and didn't notice the flushed cheeks or the silly smile that adorned your face. You decided it was time to ask her permission so there wouldn't be any awkward questions later on.

"Mom," you called her in your native language, wrapping your arm around hers and putting on your best puppy dog eyes.

"What do you want?" she replied, getting straight to the point, already familiar with the innocent tone you adopted when you needed something.

“You know, the Tanabata festival is coming up and I was wondering if you could give me permission to go,” you asked, choosing your words carefully. “I want to go alone, without my sister or you or dad, just me and…” you paused for a moment, trying to properly categorize Tsukishima in your mind. “Just me and a friend.”

Your mother looked up from the magazine, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “A friend, you say? Sounds interesting. And is that friend someone special?” she hinted, her tone hinting at her curiosity.

“He’s just a friend,” you replied quickly, feeling the blush deepen on your cheeks. However, your mother’s expression, which had turned from surprise to a mix of amusement and expectation, made you hesitate. “It’s just that we like spending time together,” you added, trying to downplay it.

“Sure,” your mother said, a knowing spark in her eyes. “As long as you stay safe and come home at a reasonable hour, I think we can come to an agreement.”

The plane ride was fairly smooth and quick. Kyoto was really different from Miyagi; you were amazed at the number of temples and rich Japanese architecture that surrounded you. You stayed at a lovely hotel in the city center, mainly because your mother had plans to go sightseeing. She was excited to check out the prefecture’s cuisine and sights. You, on the other hand, felt nervous, fidgety even, as you moved your fingers on the small desk in your room, like they were piano keys. You had to do your best tomorrow; you had to make the trip here worth it.

You woke up early in the morning to get ready. Your mother made sure you looked radiant, insisting that a good appearance was key to making a good impression. Stepping onto the university campus, you were struck by the magnitude of the place. When you were led to the auditorium where the auditions would be held, your stomach dropped at how crowded it was. There were many young people your age, and most of them were students from the same high school.

You stood in a corner, holding your mother's hand tightly. You could feel your legs shaking, and at that moment, you completely regretted being there. Just as anxiety began to wash over you, a vibrant buzzing in your pocket made you snap. You quickly reached for your phone; an unfamiliar number appeared on the screen. You quickly apologized to your mother before leaving the room so you could answer it.

"Hello?" you said, trying to regulate your breathing.

"Hello!" a familiar voice answered, full of energy.

"Hinata... is that you?" you asked, feeling a surge of relief at the familiar voice. You lifted the phone from your ear to look at the screen; you thought you had added his number to your contact list, but apparently you hadn't.

“Yeah! It’s me. Well… not just me, the rest of the team is here too,” he explained, and in that instant, a chorus of voices echoed on the other end of the line, shouting a loud “hello!”.

“Oh, hello, guys,” you greeted, waiting for Hinata to explain the reason for the call, as you had to be back soon.

“Well, we were calling to wish you good luck,” Hinata said, his voice softening as other murmurs could be heard in the background.

You stayed silent for a moment, feeling your heart fill with warmth. “That’s really nice, Shoyo.”

“Don’t give me credit, it was Tsukishima’s idea,” Hinata replied, his tone changing to a lower one, followed by a small uproar among the boys. “Here, tell her something!” he insisted, struggling with someone.

“What am I supposed to say?” you recognized Tsukishima’s voice, which sounded somewhat resigned before falling silent.

“Uhm… hello,” he finally said, his voice clearer now. You felt your heart race at the sound of it. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, a little nervous, actually,” you confessed, feeling the mere act of talking to him give you a slight boost of confidence.

“That’s normal,” Tsukishima replied, his tone denoting understanding. “That time when I saw you play in the music classroom, you did amazing.” You can do it.” There was none of the condescending or hateful tone he usually used in his voice, and that pleasantly surprised you.

“Oh, it’s turning red!” Nishinoya’s voice exclaimed from the back, followed by a thump and Tanaka’s laughter, causing a smile to spread across your face.

Your eyes sparkled at his encouraging words. Receiving a compliment from Kei Tsukishima was nothing short of a miracle. The blood rushed to your face, dyeing it a lovely pink. “Thank you, Tsukishima,” you managed to reply, feeling that simple interaction give you a surge of confidence.

“Good luck,” Tsukishima concluded, his voice ringing with sincerity before the call was dismissed with a chorus of well wishes from everyone.

Taglist @hwanghyunjinismybae @keishuii @darthferbert @kittyOsunny @hiqhkey @shoyosyoyo

[accio-victuuri]

September CPNs round-up 🔴🟡🟢

•exploring the unknown episode 1 clownery 🦴

• exploring the unknown episode 2 candy which is more explanation about tea and coffee connection

• more clues that xz helped wyb out in packing his things for the show

• 9/2 fake rumor per this weibo account :

it’s all fake. one time during work visit XZ：x jie, you can leave first, my friend will come and meet me later x jie：ok, bye xiao laoshi that friend wyb they met for about 3 hours. love means that even if it’s only 3 hours, i will still go and see you.

• someone on weibo mentioning that xz took the legend of zanghai cast to eat at a restaurant in hengdian where there are many bjyx photos on the wall. these were placed by cp fans who frequented that place. treat this as a fake rumor. lol.

• Hello to trunk weibo account who posted their GQ spreads! Oh yes! Bad boys HAHAHAHAHA! i am still hoping that their bazaar untamed spread will have a physical copy someday.

• YBO used a chongqing dialect expression in a video

• a bit of clowing with the snowy mountain drawing and how it’s a possible foreshadowing to bobo’s mountain episode in exploring the unknown

• love expert wang yibo talking about liking someone in exploring the unknown episode 3 & then yibo proceeds to share some photos that we also clowned about

• wyb draws an “x” in the snow and a throwback to bittermelon juice + acting out ( exploring the unknown episode 4 )

• the color red being prominent in jimmy choo ad

• tencent video has posted about how exploring the unknown has the highest barrage. one of their example is obviously from a cpf lol

• some minor candies 9/10 - 9/13 🍬 the most significant one being the similarity between a ybo artwork and xz’s previous ones

• IF and Dove livestream candies

• they both like snail rice noodles

• i’m just adding this here because it’s bjyx brainrot HAHAHAHAHAHA! i think the photos speak for itself. especially with bobo’s new found talent for tying ropes. 👀👀👀

i still cannot find any innocent meaning on why xz decided to use that bdsm bunny shirt. so yeah. 🤷🏻‍♀️

• georges hobeika wedding clothes match

• not really cpn but fandom is happy that cql was included in yibo’s 10 year anniversary poster there were also some noted similarities in editing from the video they posted to how xzs does it, but at this point it’s already a pattern lol. personally, what i’m eating is that CQL was 23rd on the list of works, which is ai zan ( love zhan ).

• zz’s mid autumn festival post ( 18:21 )

• The Moon Represents My Heart CPN & 9/20 things. A very busy day for cpfs!

the same night, XZ flies off to Macau and his look is similar to something wyb wore before. twins!

• pizza in Milan 🍕

• empty world / i’m so lucky i have us cpn

• they both love animals

• beijing culture forum photoshoot elements taking inspiration from wyb photos

• sparkling tom ford jackets ✨

• zz is in guangdong and wyb in zhuhai 👀 ; more clowning related to the smiling face emoji

• wyb likes sea turtles the most

• both of them promoting their hometowns!

• another lrlg clue that came true ( yibo saying he wants to go home )

• XZS 5th anniversary video sweets

-END.

<<< previous month

[mammoth-clangen]

Do you like Clangen and Sabertoothed cats? Great, me too!

My name is Pav and this is my clangen blog! <Start reading here>

Important Things

🧓 Im a '99 bby so please don't DM if you're a minor (actually would prefer no unexpected DMs period tbh, im anxious)

⛏️ I work 12hrs 7 days, week on/week off, meaning I will completely vanish 50% of the time and there's nothing I can do about it

🦘 I'm also an Aussie, so my time zone is weird even when I'm not at work (So if I don't reply, im not ignoring u! ;v;-b )

❔️Asks and Anons are turned on! Please read the FAQ below before asking to avoid repeats c:

😻 I read all the tags and replies even if I don't reply. Tysm everyone saying nice things, it makes my day ;v;

😵‍💫 My focus changes like the weather lately, so while I'm Hoping I'll be able to keep this up, please don't get Life Or Death Invested c':

Tags

#mammothmoon -all chapters are tagged with this

#moon (1/2/3/etc) -each moon is tagged by number, and in-character asks from given moons

#mammothask -asks sent to me (will also tag who asks them)

#mammothfanart -art of my silly sabercats by other blogs, tysm!

#mammothref -character references (or possibly species refs if i make them eventually)

#paleo stuff -anything where I'm nerding about paleo biology etc

#ooc/#Pav chatter -Pav updates about Pav! or asks directed to me

#blood/gore/animal death/etc -tagged straight as is if you need to block them!

FAQ

This will be added to as I get more asks and replies to go off!

How often do you post pages?

I try for at least once every 2 weeks, as I spend 50% of my life in the outback with no ability to draw!

Where/ when is Mammothclan set?

In late pleistocene North America, around 12ka ago, during the Younger Dryas!

What species are the cats?

They're Homotherium serum, a scimitar toothed cat.

How paleo accurate is this setting?

Relatively accurate? There's not going to be any species out of their time and place, but I'm not super bothered by, say, exact plant species and how realistic certain story aspects are.

Can I ask the characters' questions?

You can, but I can't promise to answer all of them!

Are we allowed to include characters as cameos/ draw fanart?

Yes definitely absolutely!!!!

You are also welcome to change them to regular cats if that fits better cx (please don't humanise them though, I find that specifically very uncanny)

What mode are you playing on Clangen/ what toggles?

Expanded mode, mass extinctions on, cheating on, "pregnancy ignores biology" off, unknown second parent pregnancies off (bc in my trial run every queen was constantly spawning kittens at lightspeed, no ty)

How far ahead are you from the pages you've drawn?

Currently 40moons ahead, cause I like playing the long game with foreshadowing >:3c

Where do you download Clangen?

Here!

Could you elaborate on/ explain content of (page/panel/speech bubble) that confused me?

Sure! If something is unclear, but it seems like it should be explained, please ask and I'll make sure to clarify c:

Can you tell me about (character backstory/spoilers/ aspect of lore not touched on in comic yet)?

No! I don't want to spoil those kinds of things, I'd rather they come up naturally in the comic than dump them under an ask.

I'm a firm believer that if it doesn't happen in text, it's not cannon.

[theharrowing]

Devil with the Mint Hair 🍃 2: hey, beautiful 😍 wyd?

A text comes in from an unknown number and you make the mistake of responding.

🍃 Yoongi x Female Reader

🍃 word count: 0 words + images of text conversations

🍃 brother’s best friend, enemies to fuck buddies, nsfw, 18+

🍃 warnings: Yoongi is persistent; you are annoyed. Yoongi is bi which is foreshadowing for part 4. a little explicit dirty talk & mention of previous sexual encounter. use of "baby girl." drunk texting. alexa, play bad decisions by bts.

🍃 notes: you hate him, and yet…lol. apologies for this one being all images and therefore not accessible to all readers. i'm not sure what has driven me to want to do this; creating and uploading screencaps is such a thing. but here we are! enjoy!!!

🍃 not beta read

🍃 posted sept. 2023 | read on ao3

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check out the playlist 🎵

this is just a little teaser for the next part hehe.

comments & reblogs are the lifeblood of this site! and likes are very nice, too! 💜 thank you so much for reading!!!

tag list: @btsiguess-kpop @codeinebelle @dasexydevitt13 @fluffybuns69 @giriiboyy @glosstwn @melancholy-of-nadia @mgthecat @moonleeai @m1sss1mp @spookyminyunki @violetsiren90🍃 comment or DM to be added to the tag list!

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Devil with the Mint Hair is copyright 2022 - 2023 theharrowing, all rights reserved. 

[lady-embers]

Gwyneth Bedara and More to Come

Gwyneth Bedara is a priestess in ACOSF who has been living in the library at the House of Wind for the past two years. She ends up befriending Nesta and Emerie, and even trains with them to become Valkyries.

Some people think that she is just a side character in Nesta story and we won't see much of her beyond ACOSF. Well, I am one of those who happen to think we will be seeing much more of Gwyn, and possibly even as a main character.

Here's why I think that.

I am going to start out with an except from ACOSF:

Gwyn convinced Merrill to add them into the penultimate chapter. And what's interesting is the definition of penultimate: last, but one in a series of things; second to the last. Maybe Gwyn could be the leading female main character in the next book, or even the one after? We know Sarah has 2 full length novels and a novella left, but we don't know who the next couples they will be about, or even if she will continue the series beyond what she's contracted for already. It's definitely something to think about..

But to go on.... Emerie poses the question of "You had this much to say about us?" With Gwyn answering back, "With more to come." Then, at the end of this scene, we have Gwyn's famous line of "Our stories are worth telling."

Hmmm... Sarah is known for her foreshadowing and this screams of foreshadowing of more to come with these three, especially adding that line of their stories are worth telling.

We also have these scenes from Gwyn where she's expressed wanting the courage to venture out of the library and that she was tired of living there:

While yes, she does end up going back to the library after the Blood Rite, doesn't that just place her at the exact, perfect start of a healing journey for her? Sarah has given her a backstory of trauma, unknown parentage, and unexplored powers after all just in ACOSF that she can expand upon.

Sarah has also given us a character that a lot of people have questions about still, would love to explore, and would love to read about her finding healing as well as love. (You all know I'm rooting for Azriel to be her love interest given their interactions in ACOSF and bonus scene of Azriels)

So... whose to say we WON'T see more of Gwyn? Because from where I'm sitting... Sarah has laid down the groundwork for us to see more of her, and the others...She isn't done with them yet.

[monstermoviedean]

i so so get your feelings about the michael arc as a whole, just spilling some added thoughts here, feel free to ignore, i just wanted to make it an ask so this mess wouldn't be an rb

the michael arc has a whole other layer of unfairness to me because it follows so much of the same plot threads as sam's issues with lucifer in season 4-5 and then hurts dean in a way they never hurt sam. when sam was panicked over what being lucifer's vessel meant and running around on cases, dean supports him (despite getting no sympathy when michael is also revealed). in s14 however sam not only, obviously, actively brings up dean's very valid fears like they're just him abandoning family (sammy, honey, look at your track record) and works behind his back with others. sam in the cage = dean in the malak box. but dean trusted sam to let him go, no matter how much it killed him. sam frames dean doing the exact same thing as another issue of trust. also also also if i remember right, sam wasn't even possesed by lucifer as long as dean and cas were by the archangels!!! not dismissing his cage trauma ofc, but there is a very clear level of repression that sam is trying to keep concerning everything, which also leads him making some bullheaded statements to dean.

like it's insane how they speedran the archangel vessel trauma from s4-s5 with michael, but proceeded to have no aftermath resolution for any of it. nor did they have sam really support and dare i say, comfort, dean, the way the reverse happened. (and obviously dean made his own mistakes in s4-s5 with sam, but the ratio is completely different). anyways, just found the repeated themes interesting and thought you might too

oh this is soooooo tasty thank you so much!!! i especially love it when people send me stuff like this that helps me connect dots. i hadn't connected the dots on how much of a speedrun this is! but holy crap. it really is!

they spend almost all of season 5 working on the lucifer + michael vessel buildup, and then most of season 6 and part of season 7 deals with the aftermath of sam's decision to say yes. to be clear, i don't have any issue with that! it makes sense in context and a lot of it is well-done. and i certainly don't begrudge the show for highlighting sam's feelings about being lucifer's vessel. but even if we round down, even if we say it's just one season of sam having this vessel arc, that's still way, way more than dean got.

i don't want this to sound like "wah sam got more screen time than dean" because that's absolutely not my issue. my issue is that both in their universe and in our universe, sam and dean can have the same exact problem and their problems can be assigned different levels of weight and attention. is this 100% true 100% of the time? no, of course not. but when it comes to being a vessel, the effects on sam are highlighted. the effects on dean are downplayed.

like you said - even in s5 dean barely gets to react to being michael's vessel. he gets one episode (05x18) to really consider it and we all know how that goes for him. and in s13-14 it's just as minimized. dean gets less than 5 minutes in 13x23 to concoct his plan. this isn't something he's agonized over. this isn't something that is foreshadowed even a little bit. and then dean is possessed for an unknown length of time. in my opinion, it was probably a few months.

that's a huge deal. that is a HUGE deal. even if he's possessed for the minimum amount of time necessitated by the episodes, it's still probably a month. i don't remember how long sam was possessed for in 05x22, but i'm pretty sure it was less than a month.

is length of time the only thing that matters here? nope! definitely not! in no way do i mean to suggest that dean automatically had it worse than sam simply because he was possessed for longer. as you point out, the cage.

but this brings me to one of my biggest issues with the whole arc: sam not showing a single speck of empathy for dean. as you noted - sam is going through it, he is feeling emotions and recalling memories that he has repressed, and i understand why those could come out in ways that are less than healthy. totally get it. but it is still just downright awful to watch sam talk to dean the way he does, especially knowing sam has been exactly where dean was.

dean doesn't do a perfect job handling sam being lucifer's vessel. no doubt. i don't remember it that well at this point; it's been a while since i've seen season 5. but look at what he says to sam when sam has made up his mind to say yes:

SAM: You're gonna let me say yes? DEAN: No. That's the thing. It's not on me to let you do anything. You're a grown – well, overgrown – man. If this is what you want, I'll back your play. SAM: That's the last thing I thought you'd ever say. DEAN: Might be. I'm not gonna lie to you, though. It goes against every fiber I got. I mean, truth is… You know, watching out for you… it's kinda been my job, you know? But more than that, it's… it's kinda who I am. You're not a kid anymore, Sam, and I can't keep treating you like one. Maybe I got to grow up a little, too. I don't know if we got a snowball's chance. But… But I do know that if anybody can do it… it's you. SAM: Thank you.

dean says it's not up to him to decide for sam, and while he doesn't necessarily like his decision, he respects it. and he wants sam to know that. he goes out of his way to comfort sam and to build him up, to support him. and it's a shocking contrast to what sam says when dean tells him about the ma'lak box plan. it's even more shocking when compared to sam trying to talk dean out of it.

does sam need to be 100% supportive and kind all the time? nope! but the way he goes about this is just so incredibly self-centered and so actively harmful to dean. as you mentioned - he frames it as dean abandoning his family. he also suggests dean is "giving up," "quitting," refusing to believe in/trust sam. i yelled about this yesterday but sam is, whether intentionally or not, picking at all of dean's worst fears while dean is facing down another worst fear and feeling shame for feeling fear. sam says and does some pretty awful things and dean does not get to respond to any of it. he just moves on. it's like it's not his story so it doesn't matter what he feels or how he's treated.

and to know that all of this gets heaped on dean - guilt for saying yes, guilt for letting michael out, guilt for "leaving the door open," guilt for what michael did, guilt for not being "strong enough" to keep him contained, guilt for "abandoning" sam, plus the very VERY real trauma of being possessed for a long stretch of time, plus what's about to happen to mary and jack - to know all of this happens back-to-back-to-back? that's hard enough. but to not even let him react to any of it? to force him to keep going as if this is all business as usual and he should just suck it up? so much worse.

and i'm just going to go ahead and assume sam never apologizes for any of it. i may be wrong. please correct me if i'm wrong.

[maryychill]

Digimon Adventure: review of a timeless journey of growth and connection

Originally posted on Reddit.

I rewatched Digimon Adventure after nearly 20 years (wow, that hits hard 😬). Coming back to it, I was surprised to discover the story continued beyond 02. I had no idea about Our War Game, Tri, or 02: The Beginning. I watched Kizuna a couple of years ago, and I barely remembered 02, which, just like in my childhood, I ended up abandoning halfway through. And yes, I know 02 has important elements for understanding the rest of the movies and OVAs, but it never resonated with me, and that's a whole other topic.

While Digimon Adventure is a widely known and deeply analyzed show, where each viewer brings their own interpretation, I'd like to share my personal overall perspective. Watching the series in its original japanese with subtitles for the first time significantly enriched my experience, revealing nuances I'd missed before.

The story begins with a narration that immediately sets a tone of global imbalance:

"Strange things happened in the world that summer. In Southeast Asia, it stopped raining and rice paddies dried up. In the Middle East, rain caused floods. In the United States, the coldest summer was recorded. And seven children at a summer camp didn't know that this would be the beginning of their adventure in an unknown world."

This opening foreshadows that the digital world and the human world are interconnected. The climate anomalies mirror the chaos in the digital world, suggesting that what is broken in one world affects the other, and foreshadowing the adventure of our protagonists.

This world was created from the data that flows through your computational network.

The story then introduces us to seven children who, during that same summer camp, are transported to the digital world after the sudden arrival of the digivices like a meteor shower. Through their adventures, they discover they've been chosen to save that world from darkness with the help of their digimon partners, the digital monsters. But Digimon Adventure is much more than a series of battles. Its essence lies in personal growth. Through challenges and adversities, the children overcome their insecurities, strengthen their bonds, and develop their attributes. This evolution is reflected in the growth of their digimon, creating a parallel between their internal development and the growing power of their digimon companions.

Each character has their own journey:

Taichi, impulsive and brave, learns to be more reflective before acting and to care for the wellbeing of his team, understanding that genuine courage and leadership are demonstrated by facing danger with awareness.

Yamato, reserved and protective, discovers the importance of friendship and trusting others.

Sora learns that love is not only given but also received.

Koushiro, with his curiosity becomes key to understanding the digital world.

Mimi, who initially seems capricious, demonstrates her big heart.

Joe, always worried about responsibility, learns to trust himself.

And Takeru, the youngest, grew to become a symbol of hope, finding his inner strength.

Later, an eighth chosen child is added: Hikari, Taichi's younger sister, who couldn't travel with them at first due to illness. Her digimon, Tailmon, had a different destiny from the others. Separated from the rest, she was dragged into Vamdemon's darkness, forgetting her purpose until she finally finds Hikari and remembers the light she always had inside.

But Digimon Adventure isn't just the story of these eight children with valuable attributes that resonated among them. There are several worlds and a huge story beyond them: ancient prophecies, chosen children who came before, digimon who guide, fight, and protect. Characters like Gennai, Leomon, Orgemon, Centarumon, Piccolomon, Andromon, Elecmon, Whamon, and many more enrich the story, giving it more depth and mystery.

Also, digimon carry inherent attributes. Their potential is shaped not only by their data structure but also by the emotions, values, and environment surrounding them. One of the most interesting aspects is that digivolutions aren't fixed or linear. They often emerge from emotional triggers, moments of clarity, or strong bonds with their partners.

To understand this complexity, digimon are categorized in these ways:

1. Attribute: These act like behavioral alignments or data structures.

Vaccine: protective or heroic

Data: neutral or balanced

Virus: wild or destructive.

They can affect interactions and matchups in lore, like vaccine being strong against virus, but they don't define morality, a virus type can be as noble as any other, depending on its heart and context.

2. Level:

Levels go for example from:

Baby I: Botamon

Baby II: Koromon

Child: Agumon

Champion: Greymon

Perfect: MetalGreymon

Mega: WarGreymon

3. Species: Reptile, Beast, Insect, Pixie, Dragon Man, Cyborg, Holy Beast, etc.

This isn't a category but some digimon do have a sort of elemental theme. For example, focusing on the chosen digimon:

Tentomon and his evolutions often use electricity

Piyomon and her evolutions often use fire

Gomamon and his evolutions often use water.

These elements reflect more of a design choice or thematic identity than a fixed system. All of this reinforces that evolution in Adventure is driven less by combat rules or elemental progression and more by the environment, emotional resonance and the bonds between partners.

Taichi, your courage gives me strength.

The digivice is crucial, acting as a stabilizing bridge that amplifies the connection between a digimon and their partner. It safely channels emotional energy, enabling stable evolutions. Basically, the digivice is a conduit that converts courage, love, hope, and other powerful values into the digital energy a digimon needs to digivolve safely and in sync with its partner's heart.

The digivices and crests facilitate the connection between the chosen children and their digimon. Each digimon is an unconditional companion, almost like an extension of their partner's soul, while the children act as catalysts, allowing their digimon to reach their full potential.

An interest aspect is that digivolutions aren't permanent. Digimon can evolve and then return to a previous stage, which makes them feel more alive and emotionally complex. This cycle of evolution and deevolution reflects the fluidity of personal growth.

The crests represent the qualities that each one must recognize and cultivate. That's what I understood in episode 45, when the entity that spoke to the children through Hikari reminded them that those virtues had always been within them. However, their challenge wasn't just possessing them, but understanding and applying them. The crests and their circuits served as guides in that process, but even when they were destroyed by Apocalymon, each attribute remained engraved in the children's hearts, demonstrating that their growth was genuine and that those qualities were already part of them.

Each character's journey is defined by their core attribute: Taichi learns about true Courage, Yamato discovers Friendship, Sora understands Love, Koushiro is guided by Curiosity, Mimi embraces Purity, and Joe grapples with Reliability.

However, focusing on the adventure of the chosen children was, for me, a great choice. Their digimon are not only endearing, they are also their most loyal companions, those who push them to overcome their limits (special mention to Gabumon, who helped Yamato find his way when darkness threatened to consume him).

One of the pillars of the story is the relationship between Taichi and Yamato. Their personalities constantly clash, but behind their differences, there is respect, admiration and resonance. Taichi admires Yamato's determination and strength, while Yamato values Taichi's courage and leadership. Their conflicts reflect the weight of their roles and how, despite everything, their bond is unbreakable.

The children's journey began on File Island, where Devimon corrupted the island and we witnessed how sometimes the smallest can become the strongest, like Angemon, who emerged from Patamon and sacrificed himself to protect the chosen children.

After that, they went to the Server Continent, where they met Etemon. He was defeated by Agumon's Perfect evolution into MetalGreymon in an intense battle which created a distortion in space, sending Etemon away and pulling Taichi and Koromon into the real world.

In the real world, Taichi and Koromon quickly realized that digimon were starting to appear and cause problems, though humans couldn't see them. This showed them that a serious crisis was unfolding in the digital world, and they needed to return to stop it.

When Taichi and Agumon finally got back, he found out that only half a day had passed in the real world, but almost a month went by in the digital world. While he was gone, a minion of Vamdemon, PicoDevimon, caused trouble among the scattered chosen children, who had separated after Taichi's sudden disappearance. Taichi and Agumon then worked to reunite them. As they came back together, every chosen child began to achieve their Perfect evolutions and prepared for defeating Vamdemon.

Their fight with Vamdemon was huge. He even managed to cross into the real world, wanting to defeat the 8th chosen child, Hikari. The children saved her, but their struggle wasn't over.

Gennai then shared an old prophecy:

"The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats. The fallen people will invoke the name of the undead digimon king and when the clock strikes the hour of the beast, the undead king will reveal himself in his true form as the beast. Then angels will shoot arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they've been sent to protect, and a miracle will happen."

This led them to VenomVamdemon, who appeared in the real world. Koushiro figured out the prophecy: Taichi and Yamato needed to be hit by arrows of light and hope from Angewomon and Angemon to unlock the Mega evolutions of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. With the power of all the children's crests and their Mega digimon, they defeated VenomVamdemon.

However, a greater distortion spread across both worlds, and the digital world became even more chaotic. This was due to the vast time difference between the two worlds, while the children were in the real world, the true enemy had been causing chaos back in the digital world, and its effects were now spilling over into their own world. Realizing the danger, the children had to go back.

There, they faced the Dark Masters: Metalseadramon ruling the waters, Pinocchimon the forests, Mugendramon the cities, and their leader, Piemon. They beat each one, but it was a hard fight, and they lost good allies along the way.

When they finally defeated the Dark Masters, the real enemy showed up: Apocalymon. This being, born from the resentment, sadness, and hatred of digimon who couldn't evolve, survive, or revive, was the reason for the huge spatial distortion that messed with time in the digital world and caused the climate changes in the real world. With their strong attributes, their digimon, and their digivices, the chosen children finally defeated Apocalymon, bringing peace back to the digital world and starting a new era.

This victory, though, meant they had to say a sudden sad goodbye to their digimon partners and the world they worked so hard to save.

By revisiting this story I was struck by how meaningful it still is. It was a reminder that our values aren't fixed, we have to actively live by them and hold onto them to evolve.

And finally, something that should never be forgotten: The song "Brave Heart" is an anthem.

[syoddeye]

regarding your last message on spoilers for the warren - do you feel this is the downside of over-reliance on tagging(not you specifically, but just in general across all fandom)? I LOVE ao3’s tagging system on one hand, but on the other, I feel like people want every single thing tagged that happens from start to finish so they know in advance if they want to read the fic or not. Which…valid! I understand people just don’t vibe with certain things or find other material triggering. But sometimes I feel like it teeters into like…over disclosure or that it takes away from the reading experience. Sometimes, you’re SUPPOSED to be surprised or shocked if something happens to a character.

yeah, i get what you’re saying. i also love AO3's tagging system. it's so helpful for filtering content, especially when it comes to avoiding stuff that's triggering or upsetting, or simply fall outside of one's interests.

but for my own writing—i think there's a balance between content warnings for safety, and tagging every single plot point just so people don't feel caught off guard emotionally. to me, part of storytelling is the unknown. it's okay to not know exactly what you're walking into sometimes, especially in dark or horror fic. i am not in favor of foreshadowing everything in the tags.

that's where i think the reader's own discernment comes in. if you're choosing to read something suspenseful or unsettling, then it follows that some parts of the story are meant to shock, disturb, or confuse you. you have to be okay with not getting immediate answers—or possibly never getting them at all. (i personally love horror stories that leave things open-ended or unexplained. it's part of what makes them stick.)

for the warren specifically, this is why i labeled it no archive warnings apply, included a note that tags will change on the first chapter, and added heads-ups at the top of any chapters where major tags are added. if someone needs full disclosure or wants every possible tag up front, those notices are there—they should see them and choose to skip.

(does that always happen? no. but that's also why i don't feel bad if someone skips warnings and tags, then gets upset. i did my part. it's not fair to be mad at me for not doing theirs.)

i don't think it's anyone's fault. it's a kind of a symptom of how people interact with works now. people want to curate their experiences really tightly, which makes sense, god knows i do too, but i personally believe it can also dull the impact of a story when you know too much going in.

it's tricky. i try to be respectful of boundaries while still keeping the spirit of the story intact, which sometimes means letting people know, hey, this is dark and upsetting, but not laying everything bare before they've even read a line.

i'm completely okay with people skipping my stuff because of that. i'm not going to spoil major plot points in the tags just to make everyone comfortable. that, in and of itself, is impossible.

[carionto]

The Continued Situations of Bames Jond, Human Activist

context for lack of a better word

SCENE - EXT - ROOF - NIGHT

BAMES JOND enters to contemplate previous scene of memory recollection regarding an emotionally dense conversation with FORMER EMPLOYEE that escalated to utilize sonic weaponry in close proximity (Hank the human intern: 'It's just shouting and arguing')

BAMES JOND approaches the railing that DOES NOT COMPLY with safety regulations (foreshadowing for future scene with the railing almost failing and letting a person almost fall). His face contorts into various unpleasant grimaces and muscular combinations to indicate he is UNHAPPY

Shot of local muscle car musical parade occurring at the street level to CONTRAST JAMES BOND's sadness

Close up shot of BAMES JOND's HAND going into his apron's pocket to retrieve DELIBERATELY OBSCURED ITEM FOR INTRIGUE

Multiple cuts of shots of BAMES JOND's individual facial features to signify importance of MYSTERY ITEM

SUDDENLY a shadow silhouette of UNKNOWN PERSON appears in the background of the last shot of BAMES JOND's chin

The DRAMATIC music goes SILENT, only the rhythm of the muscle car musical parade is heard in the background

Tracking shot of the shadow walking and LOUD boot stepping sounds with echo and reverb effects and slow motion added for DRAMATIC TENSION

UNKNOWN PERSON approaches BAMES JOND and extends their arm towards BAMES JOND with an item in it

BAMES JOND turns around, gripping the MYSTERY ITEM tightly, and stares at the UNKNOWN PERSON without saying anything because he is still SAD

UNKNOWN PERSON says: "Mr Jond, I presume?" they say in a neutral voice on the higher tonal and pitch range, indicating they are of the feminine variety

Rolling shot going from the shadow to reveal not boots but SNEAKER SHOES then green puffer pants then a yellow dress shirt, panning over a nametag on the left side of the chest that says CAROL and finally to reveal CAROL's face with triple glasses (Hank the human intern: 'what?' ; Klodri the alien director: 'You know, the glasses where there are several glasses you can pull up and down to change the zoom level and have different color lenses for analysis' ; Hank the human intern: 'uhh... sure, whatever, fine.')

BAMES JOND says carefully: "Yes, that is I. Who are you, Carol?" he says with a hint of smugness to indicate he noticed her nametag

CAROL responds chipperly: "Oh good, you dropped this at the entrance." and she approaches BAMES JOND to give him the item she was holding.

Shot of BAMES JOND surprised, he exclaims: "My ticket receipt! Now I can participate in the muscle car musical parade! Thank you very kindly!"

BAMES JOND opens his hand to reveal he was clenching his ticket to the muscle car musical parade but lacked the receipt of purchase which rules state one must have to participate legally

CAROL gives him the receipt and smiles, then watches as BAMES JOND HAPPILY walks at a rapid pace down to the parking lot where he enters his vehicle and starts honking the horn HAPPILY (Hank the human intern: 'wait, I thought he was sad for a different reason?' ; Klodri the alien director: 'yes, but he was also sad about this, the other sadness will be brought back later' ; Hank the human intern: 'umm, sure, okay, whatever')

[lilas]

dawntrail and the theme of duality and unity through visual motif

Hi, thank you for coming to my MEGtalk presentation, aka I’ve already yelled about this to my friends but they’re not as into theorizing as I am so I’m throwing this out to fellow theorists on tumblr dot come.

I want to discuss the motifs we’ve seen of Dawntrail so far, specifically evidence pointing to the theme of duality, unity, and two becoming one.

Discussion of live letters, marketing materials, teasers, trailers, and theories ahead.

reflection, parallels, and the motif of two and connection in official materials

Starting with Dawntrail’s poster, we immediately see reflection, pairs of two, and the idea of symmetry:

There is a sense of symmetry in the composition, where you can clearly mark a vertical line down the center of the poster

One side faces left, the other side faces right, visually separating Team WoL and everyone else/our rivals at least in the beginning

Gulool Ja Ja, the Dawnservant, is divided by the imaginary center line, with one head falling on either side of the composition

NOTE: Mystery woman at the top facing left towards Team WoL, foreshadowing her involvement with our success?

Twos throughout the poster design: Gulool Ja Ja’s two heads, his two swords, everyone placed in a pair throughout the composition (Erenville and Koana, WoL and Urianger, Krile and Thancred, Wuk Lamat and Mysterious Mamool Ja)

I’m not sure if this implies a parallel of character arcs in the story, but it is worth noting and revisiting after Dawntrail releases

The teaser for the main menu screen was released last week, and builds upon the visual motif from the poster:

Tuliyollal is reflected in the water

Clouds are reflected in the water as well as reflect across the imaginary center line

Looking at what I assume is the palace and home of the Dawnservant, its design is perfectly symmetrical; I believe this is the first straight on view we’ve seen of its architecture

As we see in the full trailer for Dawntrail and in the new world map, there is an extremely long bridge that connects the two halves of the continent:

On the map, we can clearly see a giant chasm physically separating the two halves of the continent

In the trailer, we see extreme visual differences between the two halves of the continent; one full of color and flora and the other an arid desert

They are two distinct halves of a whole

Even the new DPS job, Viper, Meteor’s assigned job for this expac and the newest job completely unique to FFXIV uses dual swords that can be apart or combined.

what we know about the story so far, from fanfest, live letters, and msq (sources to be added)

Multiple comments have been made about basic elements of the story:

Gulool Ja Ja is blessed with two heads, an auspicious sign

Gulool Ja Ja united the disparate peoples of Tural under the one unifying nation of Tuliyollal

To further signify the union of the people of Tural, Gulool Ja Ja adopted four children; several races under one household

Bakool Ja Ja is a contender for the throne; he is not royalty but has two heads like the Dawnservant

Yoshi P has made comments about the two halves of the story feeling very distinct

concluding thoughts

It’a clear to me the idea of duality and two becoming one is an underlying theme of this expansion:

Dawntrail’s poster child DPS job being built around two swords becoming one

Gulool Ja Ja’s two heads, one body

The bridge connecting two halves of the continent

There is also symmetry and parallels seen throughout available marketing materials. From this motif I suspect a few things to happen in this expac:

There will not be one ruler, but two governing heads of state, ruling as one

Tuliyollal and Solution Nine, both confirmed to be hub cities and potentially previously unknown to each other, will form a relationship or partnership; perhaps a story beat will be navigating the unease and awkwardness of this new political alliance

A major plot point during the 6.x patches was bridging the Source with the shards for traveling between worlds; I suspect some development on that front especially with Y’shtola’s involvement

Regardless of where the story takes us, I’m so excited and interested in what they do with the theme of duality and connection that they’ve primed us for, as it keeps popping up again and again in everything they show us and tell us.

please let me know your thoughts!

Did you notice these same things? Was there something I missed? Do you have new thoughts or theories based on this theme of duality?

[bts-0t-7]

So What? | MYG | Chapter 7

Pair: Hybrid Cat Yoongi x F Reader 

Summary: Running from a past that foreshadows him, Yoongi is adamant about ever turning back to his human counterpart form, in hopes that nobody would recognise him and take him away. You worked at a cafe with your best friend. As a more-than-normal day seemed to go by, you discovered something amidst your housing block. Perhaps - just perhaps, the nighttime is where the angels arrive. 

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hybrid, non-idol au

Warnings: Contains explicit language, abuse

Chapter Warnings: Blood, experimenting, abuse. This chapter contains explicit content on how Yoongi was treated back at the facility. Please skip the bolded parts if you feel uncomfortable. 

A/N: Bold is for flashback. 

WC: 4K

Taglist: @bearr02 @svnbangtansworld @vintageoldfashion @rkivemaar @codeinebelle @ldysmfrst

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The moment Yoongi heard your bedroom door close, he moved your hair aside as he continuously scented you. He nosed the crook of your neck and you ruffled in your hair, effectively covering you in his scent. Once he deemed that it was enough, he walked around the room to clean up the mess. It would be best that you wake up to a clean, clear environment so that it wouldn’t put extra stress on you. 

Yoongi wasn’t dumb nor was he deaf. He could clearly hear the ongoing conversation about him outside. Sooner or later, he will have to go out there and confront them. It was not a choice.  

Yoongi pulled the curtains back and opened the windows wide, letting the fresh night air into the stuffy room. He had added more ice into the pail beside your bed just as you started fussing. By now, Yoongi could read your body language with ease. You were not tough to read in the first place but now that you are sick and your barriers are down, it was even easier. 

He wrung the cloth and placed it on your forehead as he adjusted the blanket to cover your legs. Yoongi heard footsteps getting closer to your door, stopping just outside. Before whoever was outside could knock and potentially wake you, Yoongi shot up and crossed the distance in an instant. He yanked open the door with teeth gritted and bared. 

An unknown man stood there with a tray of food - a big bowl of fruits, a few scoops of porridge, and a plate of grilled… Is that beef? 

“Hello. I had hoped to meet you under better circumstances but it seems that lives don’t weave that way.” The man with plush lips said. “I’m Seokjin. Y/N told me quite a lot about her troubles with you and the company is swarming with whispers of you as well.”

So this is Seokjinnie. He could see why you liked him. Handsome, plush lips, broad build, and someone who won’t cause you trouble. Yoongi sighed internally, he had no fight with somebody like him. He opened the door wider, letting the man in. 

Seokjin surveyed the room and nodded. “You sure did clean up well. Sorry for the mess earlier. I was too busy trying to get everyone to stop crowding.” 

Yoongi nodded silently, eyes trained on Seokjin as he placed the tray of food on the bedside table. 

“This is dinner for the both of you. Her medications are on the tray as well. The prescriptions are written there too. Come down once you finish and I’ll take over. The boys want to speak to you downstairs.” 

Yoongi nodded. He knew what was coming. 

Yoongi walked down out of your bedroom with the tray of empty plates, save for the bowl of fruits that were unfinished in one hand. Seokjin immediately got up and took the plates from him, pushing him to the loveseat he sat on a few seconds ago. 

Yoongi’s eyes scanned the people in the living room. Other than Seokjin, he seems to have seen everybody before. Dr. Park waved for him to sit, taking the bowl of fruit from him and taking a piece out before putting the bowl on the table. The two doctors’ scents are merged together. His mate smacked his arm, making him flinch and rub the spot. 

Yoongi was surprised to find out that Dr. Park is a hybrid. He didn’t see any traits of one when he was in his care at the hospital. Yoongi tilted his head, confusion swarming his senses. There were two Dr. Parks in this room and Yoongi needed another way to address the second Dr. Park. At this point in time, Yoongi can’t differentiate one from the other. 

“Jimin! That’s not for you. You already had your share!” The other Dr. Park in this room said - Dr. Ji-Hyun would be better. 

Yoongi sighed and curled his legs up to his chest as they started bickering. Hoseok cleared his throat, effectively shutting the couple. 

“So Yoongi,” Hoseok started. “I am aware that Y/N has yet to inform you about her group of friends and what they do so here we are going to give you a slight introduction. As you know, I’m Hoseok and this is Zurie.” Hoseok pointed to his hybrid. Yoongi nodded. “Dr Park Jimin is your doctor and Dr Park Ji-Hyun works as a veterinary.” Yoongi also knew that, coincidentally being treated by both doctors. He should apologise for puking at her workplace soon. “And that is Kim Seokjin. Y/N’s boss and brother.” 

Yoongi’s eyes bulged out. Wait, brother? 

His head whipped to the threshold of the kitchen and back to the closed bedroom door. Hoseok nodded, catching his attention. “Yep, brother. They don’t often go around saying their siblings and they do not look alike at all. Everybody took a while to figure it out anyway. It’s okay.” He continued. “As of who Y/N knows in this room is only me, Zurie, and Jin. She has not met Jimin till the day she brought you in. So now, to address the elephant in the room.” 

Yoongi gulped, this is it then. 

“As you know Jin and both Dr Park’s occupations, I won’t bring that up. I work under the NIS, Korea’s National Intelligence Service. My team and I have been tracking the sales of illegally sold hybrids so as to find out the mainstream line and put a stop to it.” Hoseok placed a folder and a business card on top, pushing it across the table. “It would be the most effective shall you choose to help us in our cause.”

Yoongi’s eyes drifted to the thick folder but never made any plans to grab it. The air turned charged as the Park’s eyes drifted between the both of them. 

“I don’t want to see it. I will tell you what I know and be done.” Yoongi challenged. 

Hoseok held his arms up in a surrender position. “I shall leave this here just in case you want a look.” Hoseok slid it under the table and opened a drawer, slotting it inside. He sat back, holding a pen and paper, motioning for Yoongi to start. 

Yoongi breathed in a deep breath. 

12 years ago

Yoongi didn’t know the first thing about good deeds. Oh, how would he? 

Loud footsteps sounded and his ears twitched as hands shot into his cage, harshly pulling his ears and scruff. He lay limp, letting the scientists do as they wish. He was born within these four walls of white - has never seen the world outside. He couldn’t remember much of his time with his mom, ripped away from her at a young age.

Yoongi grew up in the faculty, soon learning the horrors of the world he unwillingly plunged into. Every night, screams and screams could be heard from rooms and wings away. The scientists would always come back with bloodied hands and grab another one of them. In the morning, these hybrids would then be returned to their respective cages. 

However, the states of these chosen hybrids were not a pretty sight to see. They always came back bloodied and in pain - either crying for help, fighting to rebel, or completely passed out. It was only with time that Yoongi knew he would be chosen. 

He desperately tried to find a way out of it, rebelling against the scientists and disciplinary masters in hopes that they would find him too troublesome and throw him off. Yoongi soon realised that it only got him into more trouble and an early note to being chosen. 

So Yoongi stayed silent, letting them do what they wished. Injected him, touched him, cut him open and then stitched him back - he endured it. He knew he couldn’t get out of there, already submitting to his fate every time they pulled him out of his cage. He didn’t understand why he was born into this horrid truth but he fought and rebelled in the way of living. 

He wouldn’t let them take away his life - even if this was his life. 

3 years ago 

Yoongi truly tried to fight. But after so long, he started to grow tired. Started to grow hopeless. Rebelling was no longer a strong enough motivation for him to live. He was awake before the scientists came to get him. He turned and looked around the room. He was the only one of his batch that survived. All his friends and family…

Yoongi curled back into a ball at the end of his cage, refusing to cry. A few stray tears leaked out the sides of his eyes as he sniffled. He turned quiet the moment noises could be heard from the other side of the room. 

“I swear, Mr Robbinson. He is a fighter - the last living one of his batch. And because of that, all procedures went through. He is only one of our most successful mutated hybrids his age.”

Yoongi didn’t know what was going on. His ears strained to listen in on the conversation. “I promise to you that he is all you will wish to have.”

Yoongi could hear the sickening click of the key and soon after, he was being grabbed out of his cage. This time, he was faced with a man he had never seen before - well-kept hair, a beard nowhere in sight, and an expensive suit. Yoongi could smell the cologne he used but moreover, he scented the malice coming off this man in strong waves. 

Yoongi looked up and made eye contact with the man, instantly cowering back from the death he saw in the man’s eyes. He started to whimper and struggle from the hold of the scientist. Unfortunately, the collar on his neck did not allow him to go far. Injecting hormones into his body, it relaxed against his own will. 

The last thing he heard was, “I’ll take him” before darkness engulfed him. 

“I was the faculty’s favourite experiment and Mr Robbinson’s daughter’s favourite toy. Things were alright for a while until his daughter took an interest in me. But I refused and rejected her. She would whip me as long as I was not obedient. From that day on, nothing I did was good enough and I would constantly be scolded. Soon, she got enough and sold me off to one of Robbinson’s dealers. I ran away after the fourth deal during the transportation to the fifth.” Yoongi curled deeper into the couch, hoping that he could get this over with. He just wanted to go back into your room and curl up beside you. He didn’t want to be talking about this topic. “Back then, there were many hybrids in one truck and they lacked the manpower so a few of us were able to sneak out. But most of us who did end up getting caught halfway through. Some of them were shot and others were left injured. Only a few of us were lucky to escape.”

“This Mr Robbinson,” Jimin suddenly talked, surprising Hoseok into looking up to observe him. “Does he look like this?” Jimin whipped out a photo from his phone. 

Sure, many years passed and everybody changed. However, Yoongi could never forget the malice in his eyes and the way he commanded the world around him. “Where did you get that picture?” Yoongi hissed, shooting up into a leaping position. In the picture, Jimin was smiling widely beside Mr Robbinson and his instincts shot up high. 

Jimin shut off his phone and raised his hands in a surrender position, showing his neck as a form of submission. “It happened during one of the conventions held earlier this year. He was one of the sponsors. The convention was on medication advancements for hybrids. He owns many hospitals and a large amount of the market share as well. His companies are dominant in every firm he enters.”

Hoseok shifted on the sofa, whistling. “Well, shit. We can’t just barge in with a warrant like that then.” He shifted his gaze to Yoongi. “Approximately how many hybrids do you think there were?”

Yoongi kept silent. “I- I honestly don’t know. In the truck, perhaps a hundred over. But we were not all from the same dealer or facility. In the facility I came from, we are ever one kept within our own batch. However, each batch is split apart between males and females and then further split upon their breeds and types.” The males in the room nodded. It was expected as so. “In my room, there were about 150 hybrids in total. We were placed in cages, stacked on top of shelves. There were a total of 15 rows and 10 columns.”

“We were never allowed out of the rooms unless it was for experiments. Even so, we are taken out of our cages and wheeled to our respective rooms. During the rides, there isn’t much to see. Just white walls on white walls.” Yoongi shrugged, slowly getting to his feet. 

“All right, thank you Yoongi. We will update you if anything happens. I hope to see you healthy soon.” Hoseok flashed him a beaming smile, easily lightening the atmosphere. 

“I’ll see you soon for your check-up.” Jimin placed a business card on the table. “If Ms. Y/N is busy or is still feeling unwell, you can call this number and I’ll arrange for an in-house check-up instead.” 

Yoongi nodded, heading to your room. Seokjin had come out a few minutes before the talk had finished. Yoongi closed the door and walked over to you, picking up the thermometer on the way. 

37.4°C.

Yoongi sighed in relief. He was glad that you were getting better. The past few hours talking about his past has drained him. He quickly wiped you down one last time before shifting and snuggling on the other end of your bed, hidden within the tiny pillow fort but enough space to sense you in distress. 

With a small meow, Yoongi allowed your scent to cover his, lulling him to a deep slumber. 

[thelreads]

With the most recent Sxf chapter I take it that Anya's sleep talking about her mama trying to kill her papa really was a memory? I did have some doubts, thinking maybe it could've been foreshadowing more for Loid & Yor, but 111 really solidified for me what likely happened if that bit was also a memory:

1. Anya's bio-mom was a test subject; unsure whether pregnant before or after the lab.

2. Anya was essentially born in captivity & was aware of who her biological parents were.

3. Anya's bio-mom from what we've seen so far is a loving person. To imagine her trying to murder, not just anyone, but the father of her own child is mind-boggling at this point. There had to have been an absolutely devastating falling out between them assuming they did love each other previously. The only other option I can imagine is that Anya's conception was non-consentual which taking into account the environment is a possibility.

4. In bio-mom's attempt to kill bio-dad, she herself winds up dead. Whether or not she managed to drag down baby daddy with her is unknown. This is likely also around the time Anya escapes & the rest of Sxf plays out from there.

5. If there were any scientists that could've helped in escaping, my guess is the bald scientist from Bond's flashback since he was hesitant to raise the voltage when told to do so. If he began having doubts about experimenting on animals, what could've his reaction been upon finding out their latest test subject is practically a toddler? He's the only one who's shown a shred of empathy in all the lab flashbacks we've seen. Maybe his feelings of guilt could've weighed on him & eventually culminated in an escape plan?

Well, those are my assumptions on what we've seen so far. I probably could've added my own ideas on Anya's bio-dad (it's the Head scientist/Leonardo Hapoon/Corporal) but I'll just leave it here for now.

So you're saying that everything I predicted back then now is not only plausible but also highly likely to be correct?

I'll accept the apologies from that anon that said I was wrong now

[ac-liveblogs]

Followup post to my with explanations behind the lore changes re; Celestia, Aether, Lumine, etc.

Lumine sort of is, sort of isn't Aether's sister (Hemera)

The Aether-Lumine thing being weird is (I think) exclusive to the western versions of Genshin. Aether's (Greek god of "the bright upper sky" and the air the gods breathed) sister was Hemera, personification of daytime, while Lumine just means "light"… in Latin.

In the CN and JP scripts, Aether's names mean "sky" and Lumine's mean "glow" and "firefly", so in her case the name "Lumine" definitely translates more faithfully. But in terms of the mythology they're drawing from… it opens up a very fun possibility. That I'm using.

For my purposes, I was speculating on a way to use Lumine collecting the 7 Elements/a more personal reason for Aether's actions + avoiding the high concept largely impersonal conflicts you sometimes get with gods that just kinda show up at the end of some RPGs by giving them a pseudo-familial relation... so I just decided to make Lumine the Third Descender, and used "Hemera" as a justification to do it.

(Also, that bit where your sibling calls you by your "canon name" even if you choose a different one ...)

Speaking of names, I went with "Nox" over "Nyx", bc Nox is Nyx' Roman equivalent and I wanted to show Nox and Phanes as fundamentally incompatible even if they're quite similar, + Nox as Phanes' successor to rule.

Also, Aether and Hemera's Roman equivalents...

Aether is still Aether, but the Roman Hemera's name is "Dies". Sorry, but it writes itself.

I wonder if they just decided to go with Lumine bc Hemera sounds stranger to the ear + "light", or if it's a case of subtle west-exclusive foreshadowing…

I think in canon, it's more likely your sibling is the fake one though.

Lumine's Memories

I decided to have her memories muddled not just by only remembering parts of Hemera's life, but having been constructed from Phanes' flesh and Nox' soul also caused some crossover... mostly on Nox's side.

To Lumine, her memories probably seem quite reliable, but the more she makes contact with the Gnoses the more that will change. It can neatly segue into her giving a shit about Irminsul beyond academic curiosity, if she suspects something's wrong with her head.

As for Irminsul, it can't affect anyone that isn't from this world - Phanes+Nox are immune, though Aether and Lumine while largely safe may still have issues.

Paimon as the Shade of Life, Asmoday as the Unknown God/Shade of Void

I bow to the HI3 Scholars and dataminers on this one. The Shades are assumed to be Life, Death, Time and Void - drawing from 4 of the 5 artifact types. The Unknown God is assumed to be the Shade repping Void bc the HI3 players say so, and it works better for me if Paimon is Life anyway. The name "Asmoday" is pulled from early datamining.

i don't think any of this obscure knowledge but i am Citing My Sources (whoever put that on wikipedia is my hero, i was staring at the list of 72 demons and sweating until i saw that. tsaritsa next please)

I also use HI3's definitions of Void and Reason from the wiki (though assume no fault if my interpretation is off from HI3 because I am not touching that game with a 10 foot pole), since I assume they'll be roughly the same here;

Void - space manipulation, imaginary space travel, pocket dimension creation/travel

Reason - object creation, "reconstruction of that which is understood by the user" and absorption of soul fragments of the deceased. I'm adding an extra definition - "acceptable knowledge of the world". AKA, not Forbidden Knowledge.

Not mentioned in the big post, but I'm kind of splitting the Reason role between Hemera and Aether. Rather than enforcing Nox' chosen wisdom/understanding of the world though, they kind of do their own thing... oops

Hemera absorbed the remains of some of the dead from the Archon War

Since I'm not using the Sovereigns (but Visions seem to draw from their power anyway), I was thinking some the elemental beings that appear in Mondstadt were born from the scattered remnants of their power still floating around.

If some of that power ends up in the Gnoses, it also makes them more amalgamations of the power of a bunch of old elemental beings + a bit of Nox' authority, so it's already a "lesser" divinity than anyone associated with Celestia has.

Also, "absorption of soul fragments of the deceased" is apparently something Reason can do. If it works something like this in HI3, I have precedent. If it doesn't, I was already planning to do it to connect Hemera specifically to the 7 Elements, so... doesn't bother me.

Paimon as a traitor/loyal to Phanes

I kind of assume this is the case in canon anyway, even if the circumstances are probably pretty different.

There are some connections to be drawn between Phanes and Lucifer - e.g., their names both meaning "to bring light", though Lucifer is associated with a handful of other Greek/Orphic gods as well.

For my purposes, and I assume Hoyoverse's (eventually), I'm drawing on the Phanes=Lucifer connection… and the fact that in Ars Goetia, the demon Paimon is completely loyal to Lucifer. Making her a Shade just simplifies things.

Also, Paimon shrunk just like Guoba did - she overused her power creating and later reawakening Lumine and got smaller as a result (and lost some intelligence, also like Guoba...)

Aether originally working for Celestia

This one I wondered about for ages, right down to wondering if I should keep Nox as Hemera/Aether's "mother"/creator figure.

Eventually, I thought it was compelling if Aether directly rebelled against Celestia by siding with their sworn enemy. Aether's probably fought some of these guys before during the Cataclysm - including Dainsleif, which could be fun.

Traveling and becoming friends with your old enemy just for him to decide you were right, Celestia is evil - and then go and join the insane people that caused the Cataclysm in the first place... Dainsleif must be feeling Some Kinda Way about all that.

Nox's Goals

Nyx, Nox or "Night" was, beyond being Aether and Hemera's mother, the progenitor of a lot of other gods that are generally associated with the Underworld. (Chthonic deities).

Since Very Special People end up in Celestia when they die, I thought I'd just stitch all that together and make Celestia/Nyx into a factory that converts exceptional human souls into new gods when they die...

Nox eating Phanes and absorbing his power/giving birth to+redistributing it to Aether and Hemera was inspired by the stories of Zeus doing the same thing to Phanes (poor guy), and splitting his power among the Olympians. (there are some really weird births in Greek mythology, so... I don't think this is out of left field from that perspective)

Phanes wanting to consume the twins to absorb their power came from a similar place, and also "Saturn Eating His Children", where Saturn/Cronus uhhhh does that to avoid them overthrowing him. Though in this case it's to get back at Nox, who did overthrow him, but just like Saturn/Cronus it's not... gonna work out for him very well.

I am cutting out a lot of other gods to recreate some myths, so this is pretty remixed... not as badly remixed as HSR's take seems to be though...? Why associate Castor with the Underworld over... any number of other... characters... there were already 12 titans... why...