#Don't Join the Stars

[dollya-robinprotector]

I remember I did draw something like this, cuz Stelle and Sampo reminded me of Lumine and Childe. I remember I wanted to see Stelle top Sampo so so so bad I had to go draw some food for myself.

Sigh. This scam mf still hasn't given me his E6. Maybe I'll post my HSR stuffs here later.

[bibxrbie]

One Star Wars headcannon you will have to pry from my cold hands, is that Luke absolutely made Leia carry him on her back when she decided to pursue Force training.

[yellowymellon]

2.2 spoiler analysis (?)

The most tragic thing about Sunday is that he didn't learn anything. Granted he was trying to convince our side of his plan and we lept on the offense to try and stop him instead of talking to him, it might've not convinced him but it gives him a broader perspective. He who doesn't know the world, only dreams. Sunday's philosophy happened as a result of his shelterdness. It's ultimately flawed because what he thinks is weakness is too broad when he actually means the weak willed and the unfortunate. I actually agree on that part, some ppl are dealt some card that can't be changed, but he thought of firefly as a weakling even tho she isn't weak willed, she's fighting for herself . He only knows penacony, and how everyone here is only trying to escape from something, a job, a past, and eventually a life. It was the impeding horror that his wish cannot come true because no higher power can ever grant them the perfect world, and the crushing sadness as he sees people helpless.

But escapism is inherent in humans, and that's why his plans never were about changing reality, or fighting for the world. He was the one who escaped the most from life and living, from pain and tragedy. He, Is the Weakling. And so the shadow of nihility loomed over.

if he wasn't ascending but kept being a human god then I can only assume he'd break, because he is not protecting the weak anymore, he's holding on their everything, and they'd lay every burden on him to fix. It was true when robin said that the order cannot fix humanity's flaws, and Sunday had the fatal impressions that the weak needed to be "babied", instead of nurtured and led to become strong themselves, and that the weak would rather not fight against the odds. I was a bit iffy about how the crew had no real argument but that last line...damn it was too good. Life slumbers, so that someday we wake up. And I think that's the moral of the story. People have their ups and downs, we struggle and it gets too hard to bear, so we escape, and that's okay. But then dawn comes again and we have to face life. "There's no night with no darkness"

I still semi support Sunday's plan, because the moral of the story to us was to face reality, but this is a fictional world, we can never have a dude ascend to create this paradise to us, but they can.

Sunday is so stubborn, as he falls down from the defeat of the duel he said would decide the better ideology, he still reached to the sky and lamented over his loss, as if humanity lost, and people would still suffer. But wasn't that the point of the dual? Wasn't that what should've convinced him? He falls motionlessly even as robin hugs him.

Everything was too strange to him, when TB tells him we sleep so that someday we wake up, he's stunned into silence,like it's too late of a conclusion he never came to because HE never woke up. And thus, he wakes to weep.

If you've seen the 2.3 LC with Sunday on it, spoilers for description if you mind : he once again despairs over the loss, and what does he eventually say? That maybe....maybe there's a way... *Sigh* we know of elio's letter to him, but Sunday gets stubborn like with sparkle so I'm not sure if he'll agree but, not the order again pls;;;

If anyone can articulate what path Sunday was walking on (clarification: as an aeon xD) hit me up! I can't explain it...he didn't fully believe in the order, nor Harmony, him saying to ena that humanity was the one who created you sounds like he believes in humanity, yet he doesn't, it's like he believes in the path but not the aeon (or their track record of destruction lol). Sunday has the kind of contradictions that tingle one's brain

[crepegosette]

something i thought of at 4 am

[tarisilmarwen]

"Thrawn only joined the Empire to help the Chiss!"

Okay sure but have any of you bothered to self-examine why Thrawn chose to join the Empire instead of, say, the Republic, when that was still around? Or why he didn't chose to throw in with the Rebellion, put his tactical mind to use helping them overthrow the Empire quicker?

Could it be... perhaps... that maybe he values the Empire's military strength... more than he cares about the authoritarian tyranny with which it oppresses its own people?

Is it possible that he thinks the Empire's main problem is that it isn't effective enough, too much politicking getting in the way of sound strategy, but if he's around (and in charge) he can guide things so that those annoying little wrinkles (AKA the pockets of discontent and rebellion and fully justified anger at their rights and freedoms being trampled on) are all smoothed out and the overall Imperial machine is better, more in control of its assets, a stronger more unified bulwark against the outergalactic threat of the Grysk or the Vong or whatever.

Is it perhaps just a bit self-centered of him to only care about the Empire's ability to service his own goals and desires and be apathetic (at best) to the way it makes people suffer daily under its inherent systems? The Twi'leks and Wookies being constantly kidnapped and sold into slavery? The careless industrialization of arboreal worlds? The socialization and absorption of all private industry, forcing everyone to work through and with the Empire if they want to work at all? The systematic persecution of anyone remotely Force Sensitive? Is it not the mark of some kind of soul rot to be aware of all of that and go, "Yeah, but I don't care, they have the bigger guns, which is what I need."?

Maybe... just maybe... Thrawn has some Machiavellian tendencies and opinions and maybe this just might... make him not entirely a good person?

And maybe y'all should think about that before you come back and whine about his portrayal as a villain, as if all he has to do is explain to people that he did everything for a good reason and he gets an automatic narrative pardon for all of the shit he did while Grand Admiral that still needs to be addressed and answered for.

[mamuzzy]

Anakin and bpd...

Whenever I see a post bashing Anakin Skywalker, I imagine myself clinging to that giant tall miserable blorbo and tell him "It's okay, love, they just don't understand you. You don't have to listen to them."

Anakin is the closest I can get for a positive bpd representation him being the sweetest little cutiepie in the world with so much love he can give, and not making him an abusive person and/or serial killer BY DEFAULT (I emphasise on this because I don't deny the horrible acts he did, but also I don't think he is a son-of-a-satan with thirst for blood since infancy), because yeah, fucking stereotypes. Ultimately the very same love ruins him, destroyes everything and everyone he loves and believes in, but it's a wonderful allegory to all the intense and often overwhelming feelings a person with bpd could feel regarding their loved ones.

[omgkalyppso]

[Content ID: art of an original character and Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3. On the left, the original character is visible from waist up as they are seated out of frame. They extend their arm closer to the audience so their fingers touch Astarion's stomach and their arm farther from the audience behind his back. The original character is topless, with long hair pulled back over pointed elven ears. Their eyes are closed and they have a slight smile. There are two puncture wounds on their neck, with blood dripping down. There is a smudge of red, seemingly blood, in the shape of lips on the corner of their jaw, indicating a previous kiss. On the right, Astarion is standing, but bent forward. He extends his arm closer to the audience across the original character's forearm, holding at the elbow, and his arm farther from the audience disappears behind them as if in an embrace. His face is scrunched up in a kiss against the original character's forehead. His lips are stained with blood. He is wearing his usual camp outfit. /End ID]

I received this wonderfully soft and intimate couple sketch commission from @ghostwise of my high elf tav oc Étoile and Astarion. I'm in love with their shapes and the flow of Étoile's hair and Astarion's curls and the wrinkles of his face — as well as their jaws!? Just everything.

I was trying to decide on one of three poses for this commission and I'm glad I picked this one. That it is a sketch makes it feel dreamy, I think. Something for the elves to revisit in reverie years down the line.

[coquelicoq]

been learning sql and i fucking love joining tables. jesus christ. i see two tables and instantly i'm like okay what if...they got married???

[nerdalmighty]

I won't be a pirate. I'm a Jedi.

[reinedeslys-central]

"I think you should totally get in the back of my truck, actually," Leo says, linking pinkies with Jason. "What's the line? 'I can show you the world'?"

Jason stares down at where their fingers are curled together, peach on olive. He can't stop looking. "You don't have a truck."

Leo groans. "That was one time. I promise this one's legal. See?" He gently untangles their hands and slips behind the blue Chevy, returning with a slip of wrinkled paper that he triumphantly shoves in Jason's face.

LEO, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU BREAK MY CAR WHILE I'M IN IOWA I WILL HAUNT YOU TO THE END OF TIME.

Your loving cousin, Nyssa (P.S. You can take your boy for a ride. I'll allow it. There's blankets in the back (and please help yourself to the glovebox). Don't tell me.)

Jason's eyes travel down the sparkly purple pen, catching on the note at the bottom before flickering back up. There's something that aches in his chest at the words 'your boy'.

He's not sure what expression takes over his face, but Leo, for his part, sees him and immediately ducks his head down so he can read the paper too, frowning. Jason follows his eyes down to the same line as they widen and Leo turns a raging, glorious red before hastily re-crumpling the note and sticking it into one of the many pockets of his cargo pants.

He clears his throat awkwardly while inspecting the dying grass at their feet. It looks like it could be good grass if it ever rains again this month, nice and long and thick.

..Yeah, nevermind.

He takes his glasses off and cleans them in an attempt to - what, exactly? It's not like he's got the object permanence of a toddler. It's not like looking away will stop him from thinking about red-hot blushes and bouncing curls and sharp smiles and -

Leo claps once, calling Jason's attention back up to him and the pretty blush staining his freckled nose. He looks just as awkward, laughing bashfully.

"Well, that's just Nyssa. Uh, she probably wouldn't actually haunt me, she doesn't believe in ghosts - not, I mean, if you do -" his words trip over each other, diverting the original innuendo that was definitely just meant to tease Leo since Jason's never even met her, not to mention he's not his, finally ending with - "but as you can see, it's clearly perfectly legal. So."

Jason raises an eyebrow. "Somehow I doubt that." Leo groans. "Oh, come on, dude, live a little, why dontcha?" He sidles up to him again, draping a warm arm over his shoulders and drawing him over to the car doors. "I know, you know, your dad's in California, your mom's in Paris, and your sister's at a party."

Jason opens his mouth to protest again and -

"- and before you say that you have homework," Leo scoffs, "allow me to remind you that we did our homework together yesterday, and you're already done your math homework for tomorrow, because you're a nerd."

Jason closes his mouth. "It's a school night," he offers weakly.

"Yeah, and every minute you have us waste out here is another minute we're not in the car, ergo another minute we're wasting, on a school night." Leo steps around him and holds his hands out again, eventually latching on to Jason's wrists and tugging him closer so he can peer into his eyes.

Jason may or may not forget how to breathe.

"Are you tired? You don't look tired," Leo frowns. "If you really don't want to go, I won't force you, y'know."

Jason forces his lungs to expand, contract, expand, so he can blurt out, "No, I mean, you got me. I'll go."

Leo grins as bright as the setting sun and twists around, whooping. He not-so-gently pushes Jason towards the car door before jogging over to hop into the driver's seat.

It takes a while, once they're actually on the road and leaving their neighbourhoods behind, that Jason finally goes, "You know, I'm just as concerned with how legal this is as I am with the fact that you still haven't told me where we're going."

Leo glares at him through the mirror. "Hey, if I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

Jason hates surprises. "For all I know, you just kidnapped me for a surprise road trip to Toronto, and I didn't even pack my toothbrush."

Laughter bubbles out of the boy sitting at the wheel, quickly escalating into a full guffaw. "You're funny," Leo gasps, wiping away tears at a red light. "How did I not notice that you're funny?"

Jason's definitely never been told that he's funny. He might joke, sure, but being 'funny' is reserved for people like Percy, people like Leo or Cecil, who carry humour on them like sugar on a pastry, baked into their laughs and sprinkled over top with how clever they are.

No matter how hard Jason's tried, he's never been very clever.

Leo's still laughing, now more of a soft giggle as he pulls into the left lane to make a turn. He tries not to let it affect him.

"You should joke more often, dude. Bet all the girls would love that."

Jason looks outside at the trees and farms they're passing. Judging by the position of the sun, they're heading pretty much due south. There's nothing down south for them to be doing, though, especially not this late at night.

Skinny dipping, maybe. He wouldn't put it past Leo to suggest something like that and actually go through with it. But dragging him along? They barely know each other. What's a couple months on all the other people he knows?

"You wanna turn the radio on?" Leo says. Jason looks over to see him watching him with an odd smile. "Shotgun's choice, right? Don't worry, I won't judge. Even though I bet you listen to those 24-hour 'nature recordings' for fun and don't know what real music sounds like."

Jason rolls his eyes and plays with the dial until the 106.1 comes on. Leo groans. "Seriously? They keep playing, like, the same six artists over and over. Sure, Top 40's fine, but show a little variety, you know?"

He shrugs. It's like Leo said - he doesn't really know radio stations. His dad - when he deigns to drive the family places - is much more of a silence-of-doom, or failing that, an ominous-car-conversations person. "You put something on, then, if you're so set on it." He replies.

The warm light from the street plays over Leo's knuckles as he switches the wheel to one hand, blindly flailing the other one towards Jason until he hits the box behind the gear shift. "Pick a CD from here, whatever's fine. Eh, maybe not the Chopin or Metallica though. Might shift the vibe a bit too much."

Obligingly, Jason tugs at the black, faux-leather box until it comes open with a muffled thunk. Inside is a stack of CDs, spanning everything from Katy Perry to Vivaldi to Iron Maiden to Monsta X.

"Your cousin's got quite the music taste," he tosses out, rifling through the stack while giving periodic glances out the window to make sure they're not, like, five seconds away from a crash or something.

If there was anything Beryl Grace taught her kids, it was how to be a responsible passenger.

Almost on autopilot, Jason digs the pink-purple Teenage Dream CD out of the pile and then has to hastily shove the polaroids that spill out from underneath it back between the surrounding paper disc-sleeves (Mamma Mia!, he sees, and ..Heng:garæ? Whatever that means). That can't be safe for the discs, especially in a moving card, but then again who is he to judge. He doesn't even own any CDs.

They've fully left the town behind now, sailing down the open road with nothing but trees, farms, and the occasional streetlight in sight. He leans over and pops the disc into the CD drive, wondering again for the hundredth time where Leo's taking him.

Leo rolls to a stop at a four-way and watches him skip over the first two songs. "Whadya choose?"

Jason smiles. "Is now a good time to tell you I was born in Pasadena?"

The open bars of 'California Gurls' start to play, and Leo's warm, penny-brown eyes widen before he laughs, bright and a touch wild, incredulous.

It's weird. It's so weird. Maybe this is what his father meant when he said not to get any weird ideas in his head so close to finally reaching the decade-long goal of an Ivy League school. Maybe this is what his mother meant when she'd chastised him, saying hormonal teenagers got more impulsive with puberty and he should take care to keep listening to his parents, lest he lose everything he's worked so hard for.

If anyone else had tried this, he thinks, he wouldn't have said yes. He would have stayed at home, studied ahead for bond enthalpy and subjunctive Spanish, made tomorrow's lunch and cleaned his room. Adhering to routine. Acting - being normal.

You have to be normal, Jason. That's how they love you.

I will not tolerate an abnormal son.

Oh, Jason, it's like you just don't understand. What will people say? About you? About our family?

Leo isn't normal. Or maybe he is. Normal doesn't exist, when he's with Leo. He likes that about him.

He takes a risk and rolls the window down halfway so he can lean his head out and watch the sky, crisp wind tousling his hair. Leo smirks at him and switches the wheel to his right hand so he can roll his window down to match.

"Ten minutes," he says. "Look alive, buddy."

"There must be something in the water", Katy Perry croons.

also from 'burning like a glowing star', this valgrace fic I'm writing.

more stuff: Writing Directory

[mwolf0epsilon]

I'm not nearly as awake I need to be to be eloquent with this, but like, looking through some of the oldest tags that I follow I've begun to notice a trend that's starting to really tick me off...

A great majority of y'all really don't know what boundaries and setting boundaries means, do you?

Like, I've seen blogs with pinned posts with clear and concise introductions that read "please do not leave explicit comments on my stuff because it makes me uncomfortable" for this or that reason (you're not owed an explanation, they already gave you a valid reason), only to then see the majority of comments/tags on these blogs's posts being incredibly gross for no reason other than spite.

And if the OP makes an effort to reinstate the boundaries they've clearly set, they get given hell for trying to protect themselves. Heck, I've seen some people going out of their way to create new blogs specifically to hound what could very well be a minor trying to protect themselves by blocking them.

That's pretty creepy and gross behavior.

If someone has kindly asked you to not do something, and you go out of your way to do it anyway, at least have the decency to accept you're not welcomed in their space and got kicked out rightfully. Own up to the fact you are in the wrong and back off instead of wasting everyone's time (yours included) with pettiness. It's that simple.

In fact if anyone sets a clear boundary, even one you don't understand, respect it. It's better for everyone involved.

[spark-circuit]

uh oh

[ohnogachaverse]

I've rewatched Monodrama (Sparkle's trailer) because it's cool but now with the context of 2.1

Is she playing out Aventurine's story???

There is only one bullet left, wanna play a game? What's your wager? The life of a faker. Looks like someone's in my way. So what? Let me tell you what foolishness is. Pretending to be smart, like you do. Then, what is a fool? Knowing when to act clueless, like I do. Do you get it now? What is elation? Me! I am elation!

I mean, between the "life of a faker" as a wager, playing a game, "pretending to be smart" and "act clueless" (the scene with Sunday and Ratio), all the self-sabotage imagery and almost straight up suicide and the fact that he was invited to join the masked fools it all oddly fits

Idk maybe someone smarter will tell me I'm wrong, but I think that's interesting at least

[front-facing-pokemon]

[auncyen]

Me: Ok my brain is going back to normal after ISAT. I will focus on my schoolwork and then sneaky santa now. The Part of My Brain That Got Taken Over By ISAT: But what about an AU where Siffrin went to Dormont sooner and got taken in by the House of Change and grows up there? Can we make something out of that? Me: BRAIN, PLEASE.

[bonefall]

I have a question abt thunderstar's justice. Why is killing Clear Sky the wrong thing to do in this situation? I mean I know the in-character reason is One Eye is seasoning him, but there's presumably an OOC reason that that's the situation, a moral that's trying to be told. Clear Sky is not only an unrepentant serial abuser but he's *still skyclan's leader.* he's still in a position to do immense harm as a petty immature warmongering autocrat.

Largely because it will resurrect a 12-foot-long prehistoric megabeast who takes his paychecks in the blood of your enemies. The climactic ritual takes place after One Eye's first defeat in this story, which Skystar had reluctantly joined into after he watched him eat Tom.

They only managed to defeat One Eye through quick thinking on Moon Shadow's part. After this, Star Flower seduced Skystar so she would be able to use him in a ritual to bring One Eye back. She kills him 8 times, bleeding him out fully, counting as 8 individual sacrifices.

Skystar is unrepentant, yes. Thunderstar's stand isn't being done in some attempt to acknowledge Sky as a worthwhile person, or bestow 'forgiveness,' saving him here is not a 'reward'.

But this isn't retaliation or stopping him from committing some evil deed; Skystar was seduced by Star Flower to end up on the wrong side of a sacrificial alter. He joined with the other Clans to oppose One Eye earlier. He's already died 8 times before Thunder arrives.

Thunderstar could have all the might of One Eye on his own side, if he takes Star Flower's offer. He could open up Skystar's worthless throat and be done with him right here. It would feel good, it would feel so, so good.

But where is the honor in that? And where would it end, afterwards, with an ancient God released back into the world?

"A true warrior doesn't need to kill to win their battles," means that there are times you are releasing someone who will go back to a position where they could do harm. But 8 lives down, after being helplessly tortured for hours, being sacrificed to a monster he had previously lent his strength to fight... that is where it crosses the line between Justice and Revenge.

It wouldn't make Thunderstar ""just as bad"" if he took that deal. He doesn't take it because he's better than Skystar will ever be.