#Critical Fragments

[philosophybits]

It's impossible to offend someone if he doesn't want to be offended.

Friedrich Schlegel, Critical Fragments

[masterqwertster]

Also love that both Allura and Keyleth's reactions to poking Ashton's magic/essence/energies is shaky breath and perturbed stare followed by "What the fuck are you? And by what miracle are you even functioning? Also the vast powers sleeping within you freak me the fuck out."

[essektheylyss]

Anyway, since we are apparently going hard on 'all bets are off', I'm taking the opportunity to throw out my deeply wishful thinking, absolutely not actually serious, buckwild conspiracy theory, which is that the Luxon heard Ludinus's dumbass monologue through the beacon and went, "Fuck you, bastard, maybe the titans were here before the gods, but I was here before the TITANS" and wrecked his plans.

[bonefall]

So, your Clear Sky post is absolutely horrifying, but it was very needed, so thank you. What are your general thoughts on tackling his abuse for the AU? Like you've said, pretending he's a good guy is not the way to go, but are you planning on toning down *some* of the situations, just to give some of the cats a break? Clear Sky is a very realistic depiction of abusers, but that seems to come across even without victim number 25, yknow? I'm very curious about how you'd like to go about this.

My most recent big change was bringing Slash back into the fold, because I realized that it was actually a disservice to not address where DOTC's themes dip into Colonialism. It's a hard topic, and I'm still trying to work out the details, but I realized it was important.

With how BB!DOTC is such a MASSIVE overhaul, to properly address abuse and the ways it impacts you, ableism and its violence, and xenophobia broadly, a huge reworking of Slash belonged here too. He's one of the greatest examples of how badly WC demonizes non-Clanborn cats. I shouldn't dance around it.

That's what I need to do with Skystar.

MANY of his victims have happier endings than canon, though. Bumble is one of the most famous, bumped up into a major character and directly responsible for the formation of ThunderClan. Bright Storm is taking most of Gray Wing's roles. Birch and Alder are getting examined, with either a father who wants his kids back or Milkweed as the mate of Misty.

A lot of people will die because of him, even more will be hurt, but I see BB!DOTC as a story about victims and survivors.

Others might grab POVs here and there, but as a response to canon which I feel is Clear Sky's story told in many parts, I center this rewrite around Thunder Storm. The path of kindness he marches down, with love and with anger, and the people he helps.

So BB!Star Flower...

Previously I was playing her as ENTIRELY just manipulating Clear Sky. She was loyal to One Eye and trying to get at Skystar to bleed him dry for 8 lives to sacrifice; but connected to Thunderstar over recognizing him as a victim who deserves her idea of justice. So, she offers Thunderstar the final kill, so her father will be grateful to him and he'll get power AND the death of his abuser.

(When Thunderstar looks upon Skystar, pathetic and neutralized down to one life, he thinks about the collateral damage that will descend upon the forest if he accepts the deal. He decides that he has found the line between Justice and Justification. Of course he wants the power to make his enemies cower, protect his people, and eliminate Clear Sky so he never threatens them again; that's not the problem.

He can still do these things. He wouldn't NEED the power of a war god to do so.

But if One Eye returns, he will be endlessly hungry, ruthlessly dedicated to revenge, and set out to devour the whole forest. Everything would get worse, and even more people he loves would die. It's where his desire to destroy a monster would lead to him BECOMING one.)

Even on its face, it was previously missing an element. There's a step between "Starf decides to bring One Eye back" and "Starf offers Thunderstar the final kill" that was bare. This is the piece that was missing-- That she, herself, is trying to reach out to the only person who's ever really understood her.

But more importantly... I do feel this topic belongs here, in BB!DOTC. Abuse is a MAJOR theme. SKYSTAR is a monster already. He's harmed two wives in BB (Bright Storm and Falling Cry) and played toxic games with all three kits (Thunder Storm, Pale Sky, Tiger Sky).

And I'd avoid Star Flower being abused... why? Because it's uncomfortable to confront the pattern that Clear Sky displays? That in-canon, he tries to cut all his victims into the same ideal shape, from Storm to Thunder to Star Flower? ...it should be uncomfortable. Everything that I described in Clear Sky Is A Monster is rooted in the same desire for control, power, and punishment most abusive people share, he just happens to be a severe example.

Yes. That includes how he treats his child and romantic partners. The parallels that are drawn between Starf and Thunder are there because he wants power in the form of obedience. Starf replaces the son as a narrative award for his "growth" of not killing random people anymore for a while.

A cookie cutter is an effective tool because IT ONLY MAKES ONE SHAPE.

You know what's more uncomfortable? Reading canon!DOTC and seeing someone who hurt you reflected almost perfectly in the character the writers think did nothing wrong. Because of "good intentions" that were not there.

I will say though, just to be clear; I don't see a purpose in being more than PG-13 about serious topics for this project. I promise none of my intentions have changed. Nothing will be more graphic or gorey than canon WC-- just more intentional.

I'm keeping the sacrifice because it's dope. No one is taking this from me. Girl Moment: Killed her awful husband 8 times to count as 8 sacrifices and offered the last life to her buddy as a show of good will. How else do you make friends outside of high school

But I know now that Star Flower NEEDS to keep the canon fact she has very little agency, UNTIL that moment she snaps.

She's sacrificing one abuser to try and bring back a bigger, badder one, because in spite of everything, her father One Eye always made her feel safe. Even though he promised her off to Skystar, and expected her to be willing to die for him. She's followed every command, every order, past the death of his mortal vessel.

The first, and only, selfish choice she's ever made was in reaching out to Thunderstar to offer him the power of her father.

Thunderstar's Justice is a story about a Thunder Storm at the pinnacle of his arc, how the survivors of his Clan are settling into the new normal after the carnage of The First Battle, how Skystar's arrogance brings a violent god to the Forest... and the connection Thunderstar makes with the daughter of a monster.

[pocketgalaxies]

tfw the stakes are so high so your charismatic party members should be talking but you and your friends are all about the narrative and it makes narrative sense for your two most horrifically un-charismatic party members to talk and then they roll a 9 and a 10 for deception against the literal queen of an entire empire

[autisticlancemcclain]

Keith was used to random foster parent reassignments. He was used to packing his shit to go from house to house quickly. He was used to meeting whatever exhausted adult who needed the paycheque, knowing he’d be back at the group home in a matter of months. It was clockwork, at this point.

His new foster father was a little different. He was a weirdo.

Keith liked him, a little.

Granted, Keith barely knew him. They’d only really had the one interaction, wherein Keith had met the man who’s car he stole at the police station in handcuffs, and the man had pretty much decided then and there that he wanted to adopt Keith because he found him hilarious.

Yeah. Shiro’s a weirdo. But he’s definitely a break from the norm, which is something Keith appreciates.

“…so, technically, my fiancé is about to have the surprise of his life. But he’s pretty chill, once he gets past all the angry Spanish, so I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Shiro smiles brightly at him, and Keith can’t help the small smile he shoots back. Shiro is definitely kind of a dumbass, and his fiancé is definitely about to go bananas. Like, let’s be serious. Who impulse-decides to foster a child who is also a criminal who has also stolen your shit? It’s inane!

But, well. Keith likes chaos, so. This is going to be interesting.

“Honey, I’m home!” Shiro calls as he opens the apartment door, completely unironically.

Keith forces himself to not find Shiro amusing.

He needs to have some boundaries, or he might go do something really stupid, like get attached.

Jesus.

“In the kitchen,” comes a voice, presumably from the kitchen.

Shiro brightens like a considerably excitable puppy, which is a hilarious face to see on someone who’s supposedly some fancy military officer.

Keith follows Shiro dutifully as he makes his way to the kitchen, watching as a man — the fiancé in question, Keith would assume — idly offers his cheek for a kiss (which Shiro happily obliges) without taking his eyes off the vegetables he’s cutting. Keith sets his bag in the floor and slides onto one of the stools at the kitchen island to watch this play out.

The fiancé has yet to notice him.

“How was your day?”

Shiro’s bright smile never leaves his face. “My car got jacked!” he says, in the same tone someone might say that they were promoted.

To his credit, the fiancé — yikes, Keith needs to learn his name — doesn’t even hesitate.

“That’s probably for the best,” he drawls.

“Yeah, I got it back — hey.” Shiro honest-to-god pouts, and Keith bites his lip to keep his laughter down. “That was mean, Adam. You’re a meanie.”

The fiancé — Adam, finally a name — snorts, pausing for the first time to face Shiro fully. He presses a gentle kiss to his lips, grinning the whole time.

“I’m sorry, Takashi-baby. It’s just that you’re maybe the worst driver ever to pass the test.” He softens his words with another kiss, which seems to mollify Shiro a little.

Keith quietly takes out his notebook and a pencil, and starts sketching. This will make a hilarious comic. Not that he really has anyone to show his comics, but he enjoys amusing himself.

“Anyways,” Adam continues, turning back to the cutting board, “did you get the car back?”

“Yeah! Went to the police station, talked to the kid who took it. He’s actually a sweetheart, and he returned my keys and everything. Say hi, Keith!”

Keith decides he is going to do the funniest thing he could possibly do at the moment. Well, to him, anyway.

“Hi, Keith,” he repeats.

Shiro laughs.

Adam turns around, looks at him, and sighs.

“Takashi,” he says, pinching the bridge of his nose, “did steal a whole-ass child?”

“Of course not! I applied to foster him.”

Adam turns to Keith. “Blink twice if you’ve been kidnapped.”

“Hey!”

Keith snorts. “I don’t think Shiro is capable of kidnapping anyone.”

Adam nods seriously. “Good point. He’s not very organized, is he?”

Keith shakes his head, giggling. “His car is a mess!”

“Hey!” Shiro protests again, but he doesn’t really look upset. “That’s not fair. It’s two versus one!”

Adam and Keith look at each other. Adam raises an eyebrow. Keith nods solemnly. “I’m sorry to inform you, Takashi,” Adam says, “but you are never going to win an argument again.”

Somehow, Shiro doesn’t look very sad at the prospect.

Keith smiles to himself. Maybe this will turn out even better than he thought.

[acepalindrome]

I kind of want to rewatch the Mighty Nein. I miss those messy fuckers. Also I love what cagey, untrusting bastards they are at the start (except for Jester.) And basically everything that happens with the Beacon because it’s all extremely funny in hindsight.

[nervousyouthcupcake]

“A wild longing for strong emotions and sensations seethes in me, a rage against this toneless, flat, normal and sterile life. I have a mad impulse to smash something, a warehouse perhaps, or a cathedral, or myself, to commit outrages...”

― Hermann Hesse

[xaykwolf]

Something that intrigued me about last episode is that it seems like Liam is holding back on his Fragments of Possibility on purpose. Orym took a few significant hits and poor rolls during the fight with Delilah, and it seemed like someone else reminded him about the dunamis potions, but Liam said “I’m saving that for something else” (or something nearly that verbatim). I’m going a little bit out on a limb and assuming that he was talking about the Fragments, but I think I’m making an accurate educated guess here.

What I’m then thinking will happen is Orym is going to insist on playing a part in the resurrection spell, and Liam wants a little bit of extra insurance in case of a bad roll. Fearne chose Orym over Laudna, and I’m sure that’s not sitting completely comfortably with Orym, who’s already been The Survivor™ even if he’s not chock full of guilt about it. He’s lost too much when he didn’t have any say in it, and this is a good opportunity for him to play an active role in making this very wrong situation right. He may have bonded a bit more with Imogen as the de facto leader types, but he also has been consistently introspective and observant (and he CARES...by the gods he cares SO MUCH). He knows this creepy (affectionate) woman has been struggling in general AND with Delilah specifically, and there’s not a single part of him that doesn’t want to reach out and help.

What I’m saying is, Liam is doing everything in his power to make sure whatever role Orym has to play goes off without a hitch. He already gets to reroll 1′s once, but now he’ll be able to roll ANY unsatisfactory roll. And that may make the difference. I guess we’ll see on Thursday!

[amplexadversary]

I am living for a lot of things this episode but Ashton showing off their accidental new arm like an engagement ring is delightful.

[montembeault]

Après-match c. CBJ: Harvey-Pinard (03.25.23)

RHP: Honestly, I just wanted to keep playing. I wasn't really thinking about the hat trick. Of course you always want the hat trick, and you always want to score goals, but I wasn't thinking of anything more than that.

MSL: His details don't change. His read of the game doesn't change. He's capable of (breaking up offensive pressure) because he knows his job on the ice in the moment. Where the puck is going... There's a predictability to his game that helps his teammates both offensively and defensively.

BELZILE: [Would you say that his best quality as a player—as an individual—is having both feet really planted on the ground? That it doesn't feel like his head is getting inflated?] Yeah, that's his natural state. He's just such a good person, a nice guy. When you stay in it, and stay calm... I know that for him, it's just another day at the office. That’s kind of the mentality you need to have. Never too high, never too low. For a guy like him to get a hat trick, especially someone who deserves it this much, we couldn't be happier for him.

[philosophybits]

In order to write well about something, one shouldn't be interested in it any longer. To express an idea with due circumspection, one must have relegated it wholly to one's past; one must no longer be preoccupied with it. As long as the artist is in the process of discovery and inspiration, he is in a state which, as far as communication is concerned, is at the very least intolerant.

Friedrich Schlegel, Critical Fragments

[threadcountart]

That is such cool Ashton lore oh my GOD

[fragmentedblade]

Criticism about Yingxing using the power of Abundance being ooc, as if he hadn't done it before. As if it weren't common practice in the Alliance, despite themselves

[laulo821]

throwback to when my ex and i both appreciated a song. and she made an oc inspired by it (didn't tell me it was but i kinda figured i guess). meanwhile i associated that same song with one of my ocs (john). and she threw a tantrum because ¿ songs "can only have 1 use/application" ¿¿ or idk and she claimed it first w her oc. so. too bad for me. i didn't have the right to draw john with that song as an inspiration i guess

[pocketgalaxies]

the beacon just like an infinite source of fragments of possibility?????????? WILD