#I don’t think that’s really a spoiler but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[tilthedayidice]

I love bg3, but let me make a fat bitch please

[caliboron]

playing a little game in my head called “am I just full of myself or did I have way better and more interesting interests when I was kid than kids do today?”

[fourstarsoutofnine]

I was wondering if you could do something with reader yeeting a weighted blanket at the chain and their reactions? I got reminded of that weighted blanket trend and thought it’d be funny

A/N:HAHAHA ABSOLUTELY OMG this ask made me actually laugh out loud😭 I have a weighted blanket I use sometimes bc it helps with chronic pain(I have arthritis) and anxiety and such—also I’ve always wanted to do that trend w someone but I’ve been to scared bc I don’t wanna hurt anybody :( anyway enjoy!

The chain and a weighted blanket!

(For simplicity’s sake, we’ll say they have weighted blankets in Hyrule lol)

Time:

Is a bit confused with the initial throw(I’d be struggling if I tried tbh) like—why is a blanket being thrown on him, but once it hits him, he stumbles back with a groan and a laugh

“What’s wrong with this thing, great goddesses!”

Totally thinks it’s funny

Will be buying a weighted blanket as soon as possible to get Malon with it…also just cause it feels nice.

Twilight:

Catches it

“Hylia, this is heavy, why is this blanket heavy???”

When you(albeit shocked, cause how did he freaking catch it) explain to him that it has sand(?) in it, and what it can be used for, he’s pleasantly surprised.

“Oh wow! Who would’ve thought of such a thing!”

He accompanies you to go get Wild with it.

Wild:

Body folds like a lawn chair

“OGH-“ and a thunk on the ground 💀

But he’s laughing!

Pokes his head out and just kinda lays there. Twilight’s cackling his head off behind you.

“Why?” He asks with a laugh and you just

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Funny is funny, and it’s nice to have a few pranks here and there, both to keep you on your toes and have a laugh.

Sky:

Also folds like a lawn chair

Except he doesn’t like his head out like wild. When there’s no movement and you peek under, he’s asleep

Mans can fall asleep anywhere anytime in a short amount of time. Sleeping is like second nature to him.

“Sky???”

Nothing. Dead silence. You’re actually beginning to wonder if it knocked him out, but no. He’s snoring, and seems perfectly fine. It’s just comfy and he decided it was time to honk his shoos. Go night night for a bit.

Wars:

You throw it at him from behind and he stumbles forward into the stump he was using as a table for planning their next route.

“Agh! Hey!!!”

Was originally upset but when he saw how hard you were laughing, he can’t seem to make himself stay mad

You were too cute, and far too happy. He didn’t want to ruin that.. and it was a little funny

“Alright Alright, You’ve had your fun…. Now go get the vet.” He said with a soft smile. The effect you had on these boys was remarkable

Legend:

Get ready to run, and run fast

Yeah—he’s… pretty much the only one that didn’t take it well.

You threw it on him and he fell forward and cursed

“Y/n what gives?!”

Though when he saw how upset his yelling made you, he softened.

“It was just a joke, I didn’t mean—“

“No. It’s whatever.” He drops the blanket to the ground with a thud and crossed his arms. “It’s fine. Stop looking like that, though. All…sad. You look like a wet dog… or wet blanket, more appropriately..”

That made you crack a smile, and he huffed and rolled his eyes, the corners of his mouth turning up as he turned away.

You can’t figure out if he said the pun with the intention of making you laugh or not, but it worked. (Spoiler alert, yes he did. He’s a softie whether he likes it or not and he has a particular soft spot for you.)

(Totally got the blanket to sleep under it for comfort, but if you told anyone or asked him about it he’d deny everything.)

Hyrule:

“AAH!” He yelled as he flew forward when you threw it on his back.

He’s laughing, which is good.

Like time, he just laughs and holds it out to you, only he’s doing it with a touch of struggle to keep his arms out until you take it.

“That’s so heavy! What the heck! How did it get like that???”

After a long winded explanation, he really likes it!

Definitely asks for it one night, especially after a particularly rough battle.

Four:

Like Wars, he’s a bit upset but laughs it off, because at the end of the day, it is funny

Just make sure to pay attention to when you’re throwing it on him. Make sure he’s not working on any weapons—that’s dangerous ground both in injury and messing the weapon up.

Then, he’d actually be upset(but not for too long. He can’t stay mad at you.)

“Oh cmon!” He laughs, shoving you once he’s out from under the blanket.

Once he gets over his small upset, he’s laughing louder. It starts being real funny to him.

“That’s so dumb, that’s so dumb.” He says through laughter.

Wind:

He goes FLYING

“Hey y/—WAH!”

When you pick it up he’s got the biggest mischievous grin

“THATS CRAZY! LETS GO GET THE OTHERS!”

Thinks it’s the funniest thing known to mankind

[funhouse-mirror-barbie]

This will be more of a vent post than it is a critique or review. It’s just something I personally find so agitating and I wanted to talk about it to just get the feelings of my chest.

I hate. And I mean hate. That they named her “Vaggie”

More below cut/includes slight spoilers from released content and leaked audition sheets.

I just. And please keep in mind that this is all my personal opinion and you’re allowed to think whatever you want. You can love her name and think it’s the most creative beautiful name in the world and that’s fine. That’s your opinion, and that’s great!!

But this is my opinion—V’s name isn’t funny. It’s not creative or clever.

It comes off as trying to be “edgy” or daring, but it just flops. And it’s incredibly frustrating to be sapphic (I’m a lesbian) and to see one of only TWO sapphic characters be literally named after “female” genitalia.

And I wondered for a while if I was just being weirdly picky about this, but if this leak turns out to be real (and I am PRAYING it’s not):

Then the exterminators, a seemingly entire female group, are named after genitalia. Like. Why? What is the point of having a group of characters being named after genitals??

I have a hard time describing why this makes me so angry and makes me feel so disrespected. I think it’s because:

1. Whether intentional or not, it comes off as reducing women characters to their genitalia.

2. It’s reducing a sapphic (possibly lesbian, but never confirmed) character to her genitals. Again, whether or not this is intended, the writers have made it so that everyone who hears these characters names immediately thinks “oh like Vagina”. This is even a joke in the prequel comics:

And the FIRST EPISODE:

Apparently the original character that V is based on was actually named “Vagina” just straight up. Oh but they used a Y. Because. That really makes it unique a cool. (Being sarcastic)

3. Again. I don’t care if this was the intent or not. But it feels just so so reductive to name a whole GROUP of women characters after different female genital parts. It’s just disrespectful. And again, I don’t think it was meant to be this—but it just? It’s so reductive and just stupid.

Like. I also want to make it clear that I’d be saying the SAME thing as I am now if it was a male character named “Penissy” or “Scrothomas” or some stupid shit. If Angel Dust’s name was like… “Tainty” or “Schlong” or something I would also be frustrated and upset.

Because that would be the same thing. A gay man character reduced to his genitals. Anyway this is done, it’s disrespectful and feels gross and reductive to me.

But I don’t know what I expected because this is the same writing team that thinks a character referring to himself as “The Dickmaster” and saying “dick” 600 times in a row is peak comedy writing. Ugh.

Again, I’m sorry this is more a personal vent than any sort of review or critique. I’m genuinely hoping that the Lute audition sheet is not anything that will show up in the show, and that Clitorissa and Labianne will never see the light of day. It’s just.

It’s not funny. It’s stupid, and annoying, and I hate it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And V deserved to be called by a real name, not a edgy unfunny punchline.

[phoenixkaptain]

Luke and Mara’s relationship is SO FUNNY. Literally everyone else is like: “What are you doing? Why are you concerned? Luke, she threatens to kill you every time you speak with each other, please-“

I love the Luke was so concerned when he sensed that Mara’s ship lost power in the second book. Han describes it as Luke acting like Mara is his best friend rather than the woman who has repeatedly threatened him with murder. And after it’s all over, he does save her! He gets them to pick her up and they take her to Coruscant to heal and none of that would have happened without Luke’s influence.

Luke is so fond of Mara, despite having met her all of three months ago. All of their interactions involve murder threats and dangerous situations, literally none of them have been postive interactions, but Luke is so pleased to see her! Just! All the time!

Luke agrees to break Karrde off of Thrawn’s ship because Mara asks (no further requesting necessary). Luke breaks Mara out of her house arrest on Coruscant because he wants her to go to Wayland with them. Luke defends Mara constantly whenever Han (very reasonably) questions whether or not they should trust her. Han and Mara and Luke himself all ask “What if this ends in Luke’s death?” and Luke’s answer is always “¯\ _(ツ)_/¯ Guess I’ll die then.”

(Luke is basically like “If I die, I die. The Force wills it.” I think he and Qui-Gon were soulmates-)

I like that Luke finds out about Mara’s past in the first book but only ever brings it up in the third. And Han is like “She was the EMPEROR’S HAND, and you didn’t think that was worth mentioning???” and Luke just: “The past is in the past.”

Leia and Mara also have a fun relationship though. Leia speaks to Mara for the first time and Mara, right as Leia is leaving, is like “I’m going to kill your brother. Did he tell you that?” and Leia just: “No, he didn’t mention that. May I ask why?”

Leia consistently is like “Well. Luke trusts this person. I trust her too.” Which is almost exactly like Wedge “Luke vouched for them so I trust them with my life” Antilles.

Leia 🤝 Wedge

“If Luke trusts them, I trust them.”

Leia is always like “I know you’ve said you want to kill my brother. But, from what he’s said, you had a lot of opportunities to kill him. And he’s still alive. Are you sure you want to kill him?”

And Mara is just like: “Shut up.”

Han is the only one who is like “I don’t think we should trust this person who wants to kill Luke” and Luke is always like “Why not?”

But really what gets me is the final scene SPOILERS when Luke gives Mara Anakin’s lightsaber. And I know Mara thinks it’s him not-so-subtly telling her that they can both move on from the past, but all I can see it as is Luke seeing Mara like he saw Anakin. He sees them both enslaved to the Emperor and brainwashed and hurting and he ultimately saves both of them. But, Anakin never got to use his lightsaber again, after he came back to the light. So, giving it to Mara, who was in a very similar situation as Vader was, is such a good way to honour Anakin’s memory and every time I think about it - two people manipulated by Palpatine who find their way back after years and years of abuse, both using the same lightsaber at opposite ends of their life - I kind of want to cry.

And maybe I’m looking too deeply into it, but I love this scene. I love Mara asking why Luke is giving it to her and Luke saying “I want you to have it.” I love Anakin’s lightsaber finally being used in the light again, I love it I love it I love it- I’m crying again

[mairitess]

form 009-xm3rc, signed, in triplicate // to be known, ch. 2

summary: jordana has her own ambitions. and her own friends.

a/n: i'm giggling so hard i can't believe people like this and that i'm so influenced i whipped out this next part bc of comments luv and thanks? this is also ch. 2 but i don't think it necessarily haaaaaas to be read in order ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ do what u wanna do + also on ao3!

words: 2.8k

tags: angst, jaya mentioned, jordana characterization if it were up to me, and now it is up to me, jordana pov, dr s2 spoilers

warnings: n/a

preview:

They shrugged in tandem unnervingly. “You know us. There’s the form for filing a complaint of abuse of power, Form A17-PQ9 for actually complaining about an abuse of power, the form for filing a complaint of aiding and abetting a coup, Form A38-BU9 for actually complaining about aiding and abetting a coup, the–” “I get it!” Jordana interrupted. “Where do I file the form for filing a complaint about wasting my time?”

Nya’s last words echoed painfully at the tail end of all of Jordana’s thoughts, steady like a heartbeat, as Jordana walked through the fluorescent-lit halls of the Department of Reassignment. Gotta fill out form BA-7180. Gotta notarize form BA-7180. I’m not what I do. I’m more than what I do. Have to make sure Agent Walker has copies of Form 009X. Have to go to HR to corroborate Agent Walker’s statement. I’m not what I do. I’m more than what I do? Need to mediate a meeting between Lord Ras and Agent Walker. Need to find Nokt. I’m not what I do. I’m more than what I do.

Steady, for sure, but believable? Jordana wasn’t sure. Though maybe it would become more believable the more she said it. What was it that one wizard said? The more you believe something the more you manifest it? No – That couldn’t be right. Jordana ran with facts and figures, not signs and persuasions. Certainly not manifestations. Sure, there was elemental power; sure, she could harness Source Dragon energy; sure, she’d learned a good bit of Theroxian magic… Yet those still felt markedly different from simply sitting somewhere, thinking really hard over and over again, just willing something to be and it becoming.

Here were the facts and figures, at least those she liked to keep at the forefront of her mind:

Figure: Jordana had a 74% success rate while working under Dr. LaRow.

Fact: The success rate took the number of inventions she suggested, with the number of inventions she worked on, with the number of inventions tested and passing lab trials, with the number of inventions that were used practically outside of a simulated scenario.

Figure: Sora’s success rate, though she was working under Dr. LaRow for far less time than Jordana, was 84%.

Fact: Don’t ask Jordana how she knows.

Fact: She knows because she was counting.

Figure: Jordana’s success rate after being recruited by the Administration increased to 89%.

Fact: Jordana was only recruited as a mercenary.

Fact: If Lord Ras’ plans fell through, Jordana was more than happy to join the Department of Reassignment full-time.

Fact: It wasn’t an “if.” It was a “when.” Lord Ras had overstepped when he lost Nokt.

Fact: Jordana only knew because Agent Walker offhandedly told her. “It’s a good thing you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket,” he said. “That ship is sinking fast. We’re just making sure we have all the evidence for it.”

Agent Denholt begrudgingly walked Jordana over to an empty desk, and Jordana plopped her stack of files loudly on the table. “Agent Mantha is out doing surveillance for the next few hours, so make sure to finish by then,” they said.

Jordana hadn’t necessarily thought of herself as the “bureaucratic type” while she was working with Dr. LaRow, and the paperwork surely was not a highlight of the position she held now. But the more time she spent with the Administration, the more she warmed up to the idea of the Administration – not as pencil-pushers, but as enforcers of order. Jordana liked order the same way she liked her facts and figures: You were either right or wrong, good or bad, acting as you should or acting as you shouldn’t. All she needed was to be told where the line was, and from there, all Jordana had to do was sort.

When the Administration first found her, Jordana had just finished her first week with Dr. LaRow, and was still riding off the highs of achieving a childhood dream. Though Dr. LaRow mentioned Sora every two seconds, Jordana didn’t care – one of them was there, and the other wasn’t. She didn’t quite know, either, why Sora left. Probably couldn’t take the pressure. But Jordana could take it. She wasn’t a quitter.

“A girl of your talents could go much further than one realm,” one of the agents said. “It may just be one realm,” Jordana retorted, “but it’s mine.”

While extremely flattered by the Administration’s initial offer to join them, to put her skills to use with the Department of Reassignment, Jordana simply took it as proof she was good enough to compete with Sora. Was Sora getting recruited by the logistical gatekeeper of all the Realms? No. Well, probably not. But whatever the Administration was offering wasn’t enough for Jordana to leave the laboratory. Besides, what could an enforcing agency want with an inventor, a scientist?

The second time the Administration found her, two agents – Agent Pi’idi and Agent Urda – materialized from a bright portal right after Lord Ras had convinced her to join with his efforts. She’d just turned her back once Lord Ras sifted into the darkness of the night, and in his place were the Administration’s enforcers. Though this time, their recruitment tactics were different.

“Do you really think the Administration would let Ras go so far to achieve total domination like that?” They asked her. Jordana’s hands shook, yet she managed a casual shrug. “The Administration hasn’t stopped him yet.”

They shrugged in tandem unnervingly. “You know us. There’s the form for filing a complaint of abuse of power, Form A17-PQ9 for actually complaining about an abuse of power, the form for filing a complaint of aiding and abetting a coup, Form A38-BU9 for actually complaining about aiding and abetting a coup, the–”

“I get it!” Jordana interrupted. “Where do I file the form for filing a complaint about wasting my time?” She snarked, drawing a sarcastic laugh from the suited agents.

“Trust us,” Agent Pi’idi said, smirking. “We’ll make your time well-worth it.” “All we’re offering is a tour,” Agent Urda added. “You give us an hour to see what we do, we tell you what we’re looking for, and you give us a decision in a week.” “Do you have all the paperwork already filed for an outsider?” Jordana asked, jokingly. “Where’s my visitor’s badge?”

Agent Urda pulled a rectangular piece of plastic from his lapel while Agent Pi’idi pulled out a stack of files in triplicate. Jordana could see the notarized stamp on top, peeking through from underneath the carbonless copy paper. “We’re the Administration. Of course we do.”

------

The tour was exactly an hour as promised, Jordana circling around the Department of Reassignment and back where she started. While Agents Pi’idi and Urda brought her in, the department manager, Agent Walker was the one to give her the tour. At first, she thought his rambling and verbal meandering were nerves, but after 20 minutes, she realized – he didn’t really care. Jordana, surprising herself, kind of liked that.

“So you’ve seen each of the departments, met some of the other agents… This is my office. Rule of thumb: Do not call on me unless there’s an emergency. What counts as an emergency?” “Someone needs realm reassignment.” “And?” “That’s it.” “Yup. That’s it. Any questions?”

Agent Walker just did what he needed to. He must have been good enough at the work to become manager, but he didn’t gloat about it, nor seem like a try hard. And from the video game controller in his hand, Jordana could make a pretty good guess as to what he was really spending his time on while at work.

“Just one.” Jordana frowned. “What does the Administration want me for? I don’t understand how I could be of any help.”

Agent Walker shrugged, and pulled a slip of paper from the folder he’d tucked under his elbow while they walked. “It says here that the Administrator thinks you’d fit well with the Department of Reassignment. Uh… Hold on.”

He mumbled to himself as he skimmed through, flipping the page. “‘Jordana’s commitment and advanced technological understanding, notably through her development of containment and transference vessels for pure elemental power, would best be recognized as reinforcement of Administration duties and responsibilities as opposed to threats,’” Agent Walker quoted. “‘Jordana’s conscription or, preferably, allegiance with the Administration would be a useful asset to Administration goals.’”

He looked at her. “Does that make sense?”

Jordana turned the paper towards herself, re-reading it. “It says you’d prefer my ‘allegiance’ over my ‘conscription.’ So that means…”

Agent Walker returned the pages to their respective folder. “What do you know about the Administration, Jordana?” “Not much,” she admitted. “Just that it’s slow and bureaucratic. Nothing gets done.”

Agent Walker smiled. “Good. That’s precisely what they want you to think.”

He opened the door to his office, gesturing for her to step inside. There was a standard desk with two meeting chairs, no windows, and a small gaming set-up with a TV and beanbag. The TV’s lights were dim, but still gave away Agent Walker’s paused gameplay. Jordana took a seat while Agent Walker closed the door.

“Everything has its place, Jordana. Everything belongs somewhere. My controller,” he said, tossing it on the beanbag as he moved to sit across from Jordana, “connects to the console. My computer sits on my desk. And just as everything belongs somewhere, so does everyone.” Agent Walker’s brow furrowed, somewhat unbecomingly serious.

“I mean that in two ways. The first is in the literal job of the Department of Reassignment. After the Merge, all we wanted to do was make sure everyone got back to where they belonged. Call it going home, if you want.” Jordana nodded slowly, and Agent Walker leaned forward towards her. “The second is that everyone has their place in the system. And that’s where you would come in.”

What… System?

“Some people actively avoid their place. But that upsets order – everything was in order before the Merge. The Administration, sometimes, needs people…” Agent Walker trailed off, choosing his words. “Adjacent to the Administration to help find them. Why spend three days filing Form 5U-O3E to search a last known location when the subject may have left it two days before? Why not,” he suggested, “simply file Form 009X, to process and reattribute mercenary acquisitions of targets?”

The older agent smiled to himself, proud. “It’s practically a game, Jordana. You find them, we catch them, and I put them back in their place. A completely reimagined, completely expedited process.” Jordana’s gaze flickered up to a certificate framed and hung on the wall, just above Agent Walker’s desktop. Greatest Annual Contributions to the Department of Reassignment.

“And what do I get?” Jordana asked.

Agent Walker leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “When everyone’s back where they belong, Jordana… All the realms will have you to thank. Nobody could do it like you.”

He smiled, earnest. “That’s why we’re asking you, Jordana. Only you. And if you agree to help us, we’ll make sure everyone knows you saved them from the effects of the Merge.” He kept saying you. She’d never heard her name used so many times in one conversation, attached to such promises of greatness and success.

Bright lights started dazzling in Jordana’s head, the buzz of cheers and congratulations filling her ears. “Oh, and if you thought Imperium’s labs were advanced… Wait ‘til you see the Department of Innovation.”

“I get to work there?” Jordana asked, feeling lightheaded with fantasies of what could be. “The Department of Reassignment doesn’t just put people in their place, Jordana. We decide where everything goes.”

The next day, Agent Walker received a completed and signed form through the pipes, in triplicate. Form 009-XM3RC: Filing to Work in Consortium With the Administration.

------

Lord Ras was completely unaware of Jordana’s dual allegiances, completely engrossed in his own endeavors. Jordana didn’t mind. She felt what she was doing was bigger than Lord Ras, even if he managed to bring back the entirety of the Forbidden Five. The Administration pulled more strings than she could’ve imagined. Jordana felt lucky to be pulling on a few of them herself.

Her first mark was a test – a Juniper Long, attempting to evade returning to her work as a lighthouse keeper in the Never-Realm by hiding out in the Wyldness. Easy grab, at least, in between her orders from Lord Ras. Jordana had caught Juniper against a tree, Juniper confused beyond all measure, and Agent Walker opened his portal and swiftly took Juniper away. For sake of appearances, Agent Walker would often pretend to be somewhat cold to Jordana when he finished their tasks; he’d pretend he was taking her work from her, or that Jordana didn’t have as much agency in her work as she truly did. Jordana didn’t mind the theatrics. Besides, they couldn’t have people outside the Administration realize that there were more Agents and pseudo-Agents than the public thought.

“It’s a balancing act,” Agent Walker tried explaining to her once. “Remember what I told you about everyone having their place, everything being part of the system?” “Yeah. I don’t think I ever really understood what you meant by ‘system,’ though,” Jordana admitted.

He laughed. “Think of it like… Like yin and yang. The Administration isn’t on a ‘good’ side or a ‘bad’ side. We’re bureaucratic because order – systematic, global order – requires both. Life itself is about opposites moving together, forever, complimenting the force of the other as it goes.” Agent Walker’s voice grew quiet as he finished, as if he were recalling some distant thought he couldn’t quite place.

“… I guess.” Jordana shrugged, and Agent Walker laughed again. “You’ll get it when you’re older. Maybe.” She shoved his shoulder, and he clutched it closer to him in mock hurt. “Hey! I’m your superior!"

Jordana stuck her tongue out, and she felt like she was exactly where she needed to be as a grin spread across her face.

Agent Walker was perhaps one of the best people she’d ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was kind to her and gently corrected her mistakes while (maybe over-) congratulating her on her successes. Sometimes she’d visit the Department and hear him speak so highly of her it made her feel shy. No one in Imperium was proud of her the way Agent Walker was. Agent Walker would always ask about her new inventions, and as it turned out, he was pretty handy with technology himself. Soon enough, they were developing new gear together. It might not have been her dream job, but Agent Walker was far better than Dr. LaRow ever was. Even with his help, everything she did still felt like hers. It was Agent Walker’s idea for Jordana to etch a maker’s symbol at the bottom left corner of her creations, something he said was inspired by a blacksmithing tradition he’d heard about long ago.

------

A few months into their agreement, Agent Walker called Jordana into his office, handing her a tablet with a looping clip of a ninja Jordana had only seen before in passing. A woman caught on a security camera, likely about Agent Walker’s age, pretty despite the scowl on her face. She pulled her mask over her face, and it took losing sight of the woman’s entire face for Jordana to start recognizing her.

“Do you know her?” Agent Walker asked, his face stern and arms crossed over his chest. “I… No,” Jordana said, shaking her head. “But I’ve seen her. With Sora and Arin.” Her mentor nodded, pursing his lips. “She’s your next target.” He started to turn away from Jordana to return to his game. “Do I get to know why?” Jordana halfheartedly called out, still looking at the streaks of blue in the woman’s hair.

“She says she’s my Yang,” he responded, and Jordana turned to him in shock. She had so many questions – What were you doing with her? But that felt unfair, given his apparent disposition. It was the first time she’d seen him defeated, slumped in the beanbag, not even bothering to pick up his controller.

The Yin/Yang promise had fallen out of practice, to Jordana’s understanding. It was a Ninjago custom, but after the Merge, some rituals simply ceased to be. At least Jordana thought some of them had. But if Jay had a Yang…

“You’re from Ninjago?” Jordana asked, quiet. Agent Walker glanced up at her. “I guess so.” “You guess?”

He sounded sad. Jordana didn’t know what she was supposed to do other than watch and maybe awkwardly offer to sit with him.

“I… I didn’t know where I came from.” He took a deep breath, exhaling shakily though he tried to laugh it off. “That’s why they put me in the Department of Reassignment, I guess. Bringing other people back home if I didn’t have one.”

Sometimes when Agent Walker stepped the wrong way, she’d watch him grab his shoulder or brace his back. Jordana first thought he might be older than she’d assumed, but after this… Who was Agent Walker, really?

“Do you know her name?” Jordana handed the tablet back to her mentor gently.

“Nya,” he responded, her name rolling off his tongue like water.

[maybeimamuppet]

OKAY MUPPETS IT IS TIIIIME FOR EZZYS OPINION HOUR

i saw the mean girls movie yesterday and i have THOUGHTS. spoilers below the cut but general thoughts up here

1. is it objectively not a super great movie? yes

2. is it my new favorite movie? yes

3. will i defend this movie tooth and nail from people who don’t like it just bc it’s a musical or bc they’re a 2004 purist? YES

4. did this movie make me feel so many conflicting emotions back to back i have now had a tummyache for 24 hours? YESSS

5. will i ever, ever, EVER IN MY LIFE forgive tina fey for the ending? no.

alright babes welcome to below the elementary school gym class parachute

last spoiler warning!!

these aren’t all in order and are most definitely not all the thoughts i had bc i have the memory storage of a flea and once an experience is over it is GONE FROM MY HEAD so this is the list of thoughts i struggled to put together when i got home lmao

overall thoughts:

it felt very gimmicky. the stage production felt gimmicky too but in a fun way, this was gimmicky in a way that kinda gave me a touch of the ick

it did not feel to me very much like a cohesive movie. it felt like browsing ig or tiktok and just seeing a hodgepodge of scenes stuck together. which is a cool idea but idk how well it worked in practice and i also don’t know if it was intentional.

this is not the word i’m looking for but in terms of personality they absolutely whitewashed all of the characters and i really don’t care for that. the visuals and the casting were so immaculate but in terms of personality they just made them all taste like unsweetened corn flakes.

i’m biased and didn’t care for most of the tweaks they made to the songs individually BUT i think they blended with each other more cohesively than they do in the stage production so that was cool. and i am able to understand why they made them more pop-esque than theatre-y it’s just not my personal vibe

it all felt very emma watson’s beauty and the beast. like. not deserving of much hate but also just not as good. it has its time and place but i still just. the changes they made were too much for me. that being said i am gonna be the #1 viewer whenever it’s released to streaming platforms was not kidding when i said this is a new favorite movie

the whole like. tiktok and iphone camera thing was an interesting??? idea. i really liked it for cautionary tale but the rest. i think it was a better idea than the way they executed it.

i miss do this thing!! i wish they had done like a mashup with it and the stupid with love reprise but i wasn’t mad at the reprise so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

fourth wall break was real cringe!!

thoughts abt cady:

angourie is so cute!!!!!!! she has the perfect look for cady. her costumes were kinda yikes but physically she’s mwah chefs kiss perfection

cady is so viscerally autistic in this version and it is DELIGHTFUL

but again i feel like they took so much from her. in the show she’s this overexcited little bubbly (autistic again but still) thing and she’s naive and then it’s revealed she’s conniving and manipulative and has this serious dark streak in her. in the movie it felt like she was just. awkward and then straight to conniving and manipulative. it was interesting but i miss my little jumping bean i wish they had given her some more spice

this movie has turned me into a cadina shipper of THE HIGHEST ORDER i’m already writing a fic for them and i call diiiiibs nobody else do it i write slow /j

i honestly really liked what ifs. i didn’t enjoy it as much as it roars but i think for the screen and for angourie’s voice it was a better fit. and i think it blended better with the new versions of the songs than it roars would have. not mad at it and the staging of it was really cool

cady being the one with a single parent is so interesting to me!! idk why they did that but i think it’s interesting. makes me wonder what happened to her dad but also go mom!!! women in stem!!!

her relationship with the art freaks was so???? weird??? it seemed like damian was the only one who really wanted all of them to be friends. i love this version of janis and damian together but when they were with cady it was all just so BLAND. it didn’t really feel like she and janis were friends at all which is what’s supposed to make the betrayal sting so much

whatever they were aiming for with someone gets hurt they missed hard bc holy cadina batman that shits gay dude BUT THE STAGING WAS SO COOL with everyone like frozen and then they all kick back in all crazy with the music it was great

janis thoughts:

THEY FUCKING RUINED HEEEEEEEER

AULI’I WAS SO PERFECT SHE WAS SO CUTE AND HER OUTFITS ARE SO COOL BUT THEY JUST TOOK AWAY ALL OF HER PERSONALITY

janis is supposed to be spunky and angry and hurt and vengeful and quirky and out there and firey and she’s meant to HAVE GRIT GOTDANGIT but again she just felt so whitewashed. like here’s a vaguely leftist lesbian in ripped jeans and cool eyeshadow that’s janis right?? LIKE NO IT IS NOT

i’d rather be me, while it had a little less vocal oomph behind it than the stage show, was as transcendent as i hoped for and i got chills multiple times. also the comedic timing of the bus was immaculate and the sound it made made me cackle

i can’t tell how i feel about the new middle school incident. i think it takes so much of the pain out of it for janis which is meant to be her main motivator. she was not supposed to be KICKED OUT she was PULLED OUT but i do kind of like that they clearly made it where regina kissed a girl and liked it and freaked out and that was the catalyst for everything

i do not ship this version of cadnis and that to me is unforgivable. they have sooo little chemistry as friends let alone lovers i just can’t stand it. janis doesn’t ever even seem like she wants cady around. it seems so much like they took away what makes janis janis just to turn her into another catalyst for regina and cady’s stories

apex predator was fun!! i honestly like it being janis and damian singing it better than janis and cady i think it works better as a warning and stuff! and also the band in the tree made me laugh so hard. i’m glad cady had them as her tour guides but again that’s all it felt like they were to each other and i miss them being a little posse

REVENGE PARTYYYYYYUH. i thought the staging was really fucking weird?? like all the pastels and shit didn’t really fit i would’ve much preferred it to start like that and then have blood dripping down the walls or something when they’re talking ABOUT PEOPLES HEADS ON SPIKES. but musically it was my favorite of everything!! i’m so happy they put the original verse back i almost screamed out loud in the theater when i heard it!!!!!

i never thought i would say this but i wish they had not canonically made her a lesbian. i will never forgive tina fey for having her end up with that random girl. no shade to the girl, she’s gorgeous and i’m glad we got some on screen, good, healthy queer rep. but in my eyes that is absolutely just a cop out because they know people wanted her to end up with cady or regina. they’re spitting on us and saying “here have your fucking lesbian and enjoy it this is what you get” and expect us to be happy with it. i get so angry every time i think about it and it honestly kind of ruined the whole thing for me. i would rather she have ended up with kevin g again. or like. honestly damian romantically would’ve made more sense in a twisted fucked up way. i just absolutely hate how they handled that.

damian thoughts:

HE! WAS! PERFECT! i am a grey henson stan first and a human being second but by golly he might be my new favorite. comedic timing on point and the fact we barely get to hear him sing is a FELONY. he was delightful and i love him also we love black queer rep!!! fuck yeah!!!! his bit with the fan before id rather be me. sent me into the dang stratosphere i love him so much

ALSO HIS DATE AT RHE END WE LOVE THESTRE BOYYYYY!!! ugh so cute i love

regina thoughts:

HOW DID THEY MAKE HER SUCH A COWARD???? HOW DO YOU TAKE A CHARACTER WITH SO MUCH POWER AND FUCK HER UP THIS BAD???

again everything that’s a core tenet of her personality was removed. i wasn’t afraid of her which is a CRIME bc renee on broadway’s regina was TERRIFYING. she just felt like one of those girls that every hs has like 7 of. they’re a dime a dozen, they’re rich and hot shit and they know it but you don’t care what they do because you know they’ll be divorced and broke and probably fat at your 10 year reunion. it’s giving peaked in high school and not queen bee which is really sad honestly

it made cady seem so much more evil tho?? like regina seemed. hurt. and cady was still so gung ho about taking her down. and it made janis seem much more manipulative too. i don’t care for either of those things

her costumes were so weird??? half that shit regina would not touch with a ten foot pole but it’s renee and she would and she’s hot so i do not care. also this isn’t a criticism but her halloween costume was giving gargoyle more than angel lol

plastics thoughts:

gretchen again felt really reductive. she was all anxiety. not that gretchen isn’t that onstage but it just felt like that was her entire personality. but bebe was adorable and i loved what’s wrong with me she did a great job

avantika was DELIGHTFUL. i loved her so much more than i was expecting to she was the only one where i never had a moment like “i am watching people acting in a movie they are repeating written lines” it felt much more like fluid with her. 10/10 beautifully done to her

aaron thoughts:

HOW DID THEY MAKE HIM MORE BORING????? MY GOD

he was already the most redundant character in the whole goddamn thing and they somehow made him even more useless. he could’ve been removed from the movie entirely and it would’ve changed NOTHING. he is white bread if he was a spice he’d be flour. didn’t think it was possible to make him more that but by golly they did it

HOW DID HE AND CADY END UP TOGETHER HE HAS THE CHEMISTRY OF A BRICK WALL. she has so much more romantic fire and chemistry with regina this is some of the most comphet shit i’ve ever seen. it’s giving wicked levels of comphet like gooooddamn.

misc. thoughts:

THAT LINDSAY LOHAN CAMEO HAD ME OUTBOF MY SEAT I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING BUT IT WAS AMAZING also that “i don’t know your life” was mwah

MS NORBURY SND MR DUVALLLL WERE SO CUUUUUTE i squealed ngl i love them

overall like 7/10 good movie i’m angry about a whole bunch but this is also amazing i’m so glad we got this new content and i am definitely hyperfixating on it now. so not that different from my stage show opinions lol

[jessilynallendilla]

So I just read Danny Phantom: A Glitch in Time and...it was ok

Had this come out when I was a kid and just watched Ultimate Enemy I would have gone absolutely feral over it

this show came out in 2004 so not quite sure how to feel about the updated technology IMO it would have been cool to have a time capsule of the show than the common floating timeline you see in comics

unlike with DC graphic novels you can tell the person that wrote this is actually a fan of the show and not a rando corporate pick the plot is plausible and the characters stay in character

A loyal tribute that brings in new lore and character growth

it also retcons the hated movie Phantom Planet

And it leaves enough to be curious for the sequel

People either seem to love it saying it's a good continuation the more serious take they wanted or hate it saying they're tired of villains being complex and redeemable and not pure evil anymore and the plot seems too much like tumblr fanfiction

I made notes as a read it so spoilers under the cut

Dash Kwan Paulina and Star are ghost hunters 

Tucker has instagram/twitter “Spectregram” fans 

The Fentons supply the town’s ghost hunting tech unasked 

Tucker’s wiki “click-a-pedia" has him listed as married to Ember 

Danny and Jazz just accept their father is such a bungler he can’t even kill a guy by abandoning him in space 

Dan was strong enough to dent the only thing that can contain him and just it being knocked off a shelf was enough for him to break out (why Clockwork the Master of Time never foresaw this happening moved it from a table to a more secure location ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  ) 

So uh... Dan just absorbed “ate” Clockwork  

Ecto energy can reach atomic bomb levels so dimension ending threat there 

Since the Disasteroid his powers have been fading their theories match their personalities Tucker-science Sam-government Jazz-trauma  

“Do you have any childhood trauma you wanna talk about?” (like Jazz as if you weren’t there) 

Vlad found a primordial source of ecto energy and just kept that information to himself for a rainy day 

Jazz has a magical girl transformation for her ghost fighting suit 

Vlad is just “ignore those clones” (there in clothes so did Vlad just buy multiple copies of Danny’s favorite outfit how did he know his size) 

Vlad is such an old man who doesn’t know how to use modern computers 

“not a place of honor” ah the nuclear waste warning (we don’t really get much more exploration of this or the seven ancients) 

Sam is a horse girl 

Valerie still holding that grudge huh 

In Pariah’s Keep Danny is suffers from bad memories and holds Sam’s hand to comfort himself 

The Keep is Fright Knight’s domain  

Danny just forgets humans are the ghosts in the Ghost Zone (in line with how often he forgets what powers he has) 

Fright Knight calls Pariah his master 

Vlad is such a loser he keeps getting his shit kicked 

Maddie “That’s not my Danny.” 

The Ghost Zone and human world were split in half an unnatural divide 

Danny is still a C student (io don't think he's going to be an astronaut)

Ghosts are manifestations of human emotions not separate entities (take that Fartman) 

Eventually they start to lose their human identity it’s why some are less human 

Vlad has his own “Where’s the rest of it?” meme 

They figured out all ghosts run on some emotional drive or purpose  

Danny realizes his purpose is protection but now there’s no longer the monster of the week threat or his parents he never asked himself what he wanted 

Now instead of constant fighting he’ll help the ghost achieve their desires they just want to keep doing in death what they did in life and heal the rift 

Fight for control Clockwork 

Vlad finally grew as a person realizing it was his action and drive for power that drew everyone away and has making amends as his new purpose 

Dan just doesn’t want to be alone (makes sense the “no more painful human emotions” +Vlad’s anger and abandonment issues so he’s all the emotions and pain) 

Dan is destabilizing flashing back to his pre Dark child form because he’s a being outside his destroyed timeline  

Danny is the GOAT 

Clockwork needs to fix what he can of the time streams and Danny has two choices Post Disasteroid+no powers or Pre Disasteroid+powers  

Danny gives up being accepted so he can fix the realms “I’m Danny Phantom, proctor of humans and ghosts!” 

They are back to being invisible losers and Sam is just happy goths aren’t popular anymore 

The city doesn’t know how they avoided the Disasteroid but the Mayor declares ghosts are responsible for everything the city will now have a branch of ghost hunters and Danny Phantom is again public enemy #1 

Clockwork transfers Dan from Vlad into one of the empty clones he’s Vlad’s responsibility now he’ll be too busy to help again 

Clockwork’s powers are finite (so he isn’t omnipotent and all powerful) but he still feels something wrong in the stitches he feels weaker now 

And Valerie has a Time Medallion and is pissed (but there was a Valerie in the crowd at the Mayor’s speech so the two Valeries might meet up in the sequel)  

Jazz is ecstatic she was right about ghosts being emotions based  

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Drama CD - Shimabara Disturbance Track 1 English translation

Happy new year everyone! I know it’s kinda late to be saying that... but whatever. Decided that I’ll only be translating track 1 this month and then not doing anything else until after February 22 since I need to study like 700 pages of text.... sorry but not really sorry? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (committing to writing my exam has cost me +$1000 so yeah.)

Anyway, in regards to the Hakuoki dramas that I wanted translated, this one probably ranked first or second, right next to Shinsengumi Oni-tan... but it was too much work to go look up the sections that were missing from the tl I found for the longest time.

As a warning, I HIGHLY ADVISE AGAINST READING THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED THROUGH THE SHIMABARA INFILTRATION MISSION FROM ZUISOUROKU (specifically Saito’s route, and I’m going stress the fact that this is NOT my bias speaking, and that this is a recommendation being made based on the drama itself, though it should probably be fine if you’ve watched the Hakuoki Sekkaroku anime...? Probably? Well, assuming that’s the one where they go to Shimabara since there are some spoilers for it too?).

Also, the promo video for this has been posted to my video blog if anyone wants to watch that. 

enjoy!

Hakuoki Drama CD - Shimabara Disturbance Track 1:  A Man Without Greed

Translation by KumoriYami

Hijikata: Thank you for all your hard work, Saito. It really was the right choice to leave capturing all the ronin at the inn to your Third Division.

Saito: Please don't say that, however, Vice-Commander, what is this money for?

Hijikata: It’s a bounty, a bonus for doing especially hard work. 

Saito: But, I was merely accomplishing my duties as a member of the Shinsengumi. How can I accept a bounty for it? Furthermore, this is too much.

Hijikata: I knew you wouldn't accept it. Forget it, I don't want to force you into accepting it because I often send you on difficult missions. If I give you the occasional reward, you shouldn't decline, and just accept it.

Saito: I understand, then I'll gratefully accept it.  

(Saito leaves the room and starts walking away)

Saito: A bounty...?

Saito: I can't betray the Vice-Commander's kindness, so I need to think about how to use this.... how should this best be used? Since there was so much of a bonus, it shouldn’t be spent all at once... In this case, exactly what should I do?

(sound of fighting from the dojo)

Saito: Hrm? It’s quite noisy in the dojo. is someone training the troops? I’ll go observe the situation..

Souji:  No good, no good~ your sword is too slow, your footwork is sloppy [or steps taken are too small. reword later?], and there are weaknesses everywhere! There are too many flaws, so if you don't want to die, you better work harder.  

Warrior:  Yes...

Saito: Hrm.

Souji: Areh, Hajime-kun, when did you get there/here? What's wrong? You look like you have something to say.

Saito: You’re still conducting harsh training as always. It’s fine if you train the troops, but there’s no point in causing injuries before they can become more useful. . 

Souji: Is that so? I’m already very gentle~. If this sort of attack killed someone, they'd immediately get cut down in real combat when fighting ronin~

Saito: Although that's true...

Souji: Anyway, would Hajime-kun like to have a match with me? That just now wasn't training for me. I'd be very happy if you were my opponent.

Saito: No, my apologies, but I have something I need to think about.

Souji: What's wrong? You aren’t speaking clearly.

Saito: I have abrupt question for you, Souji.

Souji: It's rare for Hajime-kun to consult me. What is it?

Saito: If you were suddenly given a lot of money, how would you use it?

Souji: Me? In that case... I'd buy some candy and share/eat with the kids living nearby.

Saito: Ah.... I see....

Souji: Isn't it rude to sigh/seem so disappointed after hearing someone else's answer? Speaking of which, did you receive a lot of money again?

Saito: Well....

Souji: That's why you should use it and not worry about it. It’s a luxury to worry about how to spend money.

Saito:.....

Souji: Just spend it however you want. Dignity and standards don't matter, regardless if that's in the eyes of Hijikata-san or anyone else.

Saito: If I was able to do what you suggested, I wouldn't have asked you.

Souji: Seriously? Hajime-kun, you really have no desires...

Saito: It’s true that I have no desires for material things. 

Souji: I think it’s just that you’re not materialistic. Well, my opinions won’t matter anyway. Besides snacks, all I can think about are the caltrops I bought and scattered in Hijikata-san’s room. 

Saito:....I’ll head back to my room to think about it again. Excuse me then, Souji.

(Saito walks away)

Souji: Huh... it’s a problem too be so rigid. 

-------

Saito: Then, what should I be doing? There’s nothing I need to buy right away, and I don’t want to spend money on food and drink either...

(sound of running then a door slides open)

Shinpachi: Yo, Saito! Excuse me!

Saito: Shinpachi? Sano and Heisuke, what’s wrong?

Harada: Hehe, I heard about it, Saito. You received a large bonus, right?

Saito: That is the case. Why do you know that?

Shinpachi: Well, in any case, that doesn’t matter right? You're so serious, so even if you got a huge sum of money, you probably wouldn't know how to spent it, right? We just came over to give you some ideas!

Heisuke: Hajime-kun, how is that going? Have you made a decision on how to spend it?

Saito: No, not yet.

Harada: Let me ask you first, is there something that you want?

Saito: There's nothing I want in particular.

Shinpachi: If it's like that, then just go to Shimabara!

Saito: Shimabara?

Shinpachi: That’s right! Enjoy the company of geishas is the way to go, right?!

Saito: I'm sorry, I'm not interested.

Harada: Well, Saito is the same as always. What about getting a new katana?

Saito: Unfortunately, the blade was sharpened recently, and it is a Kunishige...

Heisuke: Ah~ I get it, I get it! Speaking of which, does Hajime-kun have any interests?

Saito: An interest? Why are you suddenly asking me this?

Heisuke: Generally speaking, people spend money on the things they like. I've never seen Hajime-kun spend money on his own interests.

Harada: That’s true. Do you have one?

Saito: An interest...? I appreciate katana and other things... 

Sano: No need to continue, I get it. 

Heisuke: That’s right... even when he has time off, Hajime-kun is still working...

Harada: This is a rare opportunity. Why don't you try something that you haven't done before?

Saito: Haven’t tried before?   

Harada: For example... reciting haiku like HIjikata-san. 

Shinpachi: That's true... you'd be very suitable to reciting haiku. So if you were doing that with HIjikata-san, it'd go like...

~~[this is being imagined]~~

Hijikata: It's become warmer, 

more recently it feels that, 

spring's finally sprung. [yeah that matches the 5-7-5 stanza haiku syllable count... why the hell did I try to match that?]

 How about it, Saito? Try composing a haiku about spring. 

Saito: Yes.

The warbler is perched [more literally it’s on a branch... but w/e]

It chirps again and again

It cries are ceaseless

Hijikata: Oh~ that wasn’t bad! Although it's very straightforward, it's very easy to understand.

Saito: I’m honoured to receive your praise. I will continue to improve from now on.

Hijikata:Ooh, the journey to learning haiku is long and hard, do your best.

~~~[end of imagination sequence]~~~

Shinpachi: No, it shouldn’t be like that... 

Harada: No, not like that. 

Heisuke: Anyway, it doesn’t cost money to compose haiku. At most, he could buy a few collections. 

Harada: That’s right, the purpose is to spend money.

Shinpachi: So, what about buying some delicious food? We could find out which store has the best dango and eat them all one by one. 

Harada: Why don’t you replace the dango with something more expensive? Like with sake to go drink.

Saito: Go drink?  

~~~imagination sequence~~~

Saito: Store owner, is there anymore sake left?

Owner: I'm terribly sorry, that was all the sake in the establishment

Saito: No, wait, the sake on the shelf over there hasn't been served yet.

Owner: Th-That's not for sale. It's a specialty sake from my hometown.

Serve it. I won't stop drinking until I have all the sake in the store. If you don't serve it...

(unsheathes blade)

Owner: Th-That sort of thing...Please wait!  Okyakusama!  Okyakusama..!

~~~[end of imagined sequence]~~~ 

Shinpachi: Is going out for sake supposed to be like that? 

Harada: No, it isn’t. 

Heisuke: Furthermore, that's what Sano-san wants to do right?

Harada: Then what ideas would you propose, Heisuke?

Heisuke: Eh: In... in that case... a show house [ 見世物小屋 is the word here in Japanese... Wikipedia says the term “freak show” is used overseas. had to get the audio as text because I wasn’t sure of the word I had used originally].?

Shinpachi: A show house? It's true that tickets are expensive so that might not be bad...

~~~[imagination sequence]~~~

(crowd going ooh)

Saito: Come one, come all Regardless of how ridiculous the order is, I will obey it without fail. I am the legendary dog with a human face [or human dog... I guess].

(crowd clamor)

Saito: Vice-Commander, please immediately give me an order. 

HIjikata: Saito! Apprehend Souji, who scattered caltrops around my room!

Saito: Understood! No, wan! Dog with a human face, going forth!

(crowd clamor)

~~~[end of imagined sequence]~~~ 

Heisuke: Why is Hajime-kun working for the show house? That would be for making money, not spending it!

Harada: And isn’t the dog with a human face just like the usual Saito? He’s someone who called a human with dog like traits.

Shinpachi: But with so many options, there should be something you're interested in. How about it, Saito?

Saito: No, I’m sorry, but I can’t accept any of these proposals you’ve given.  

Harada: Well, that’s how it is. 

Shinpachi: Sure enough, it’ll just be going to Shimabara. Occasionally, you do go drinking together with us! 

Harada: Can't you say anything else? He said it already that he wasn't interested.

Saito: But, it might not be bad to spend this money on someone else. I'll need to think this over again.

Heisuke: For someone else...?

Saito: Heisuke, what is it?

Heisuke: Eh? Ah, it’s nothing! 

Harada: Then, we’ll take our leave now. 

Shinpachi: Tell us when you figure out how to use it! If you decided on going to Shimabara, I'll approve of that!

(door slides open, Shinpachi and Harada leave)

Heisuke: Then, I’ll be going too. 

Saito: Wait, Heisuke. What was it that you were going to say? Your expression is strange. 

Heisuke: No, I was just a bit envious of Hajime-kun.

Saito: Envious?

Heisuke: If I had a lot of money, I would give Chizuru a beautiful kimono.

Saito: A beautiful kimono... like the clothes she wore when she infiltrated Shimabara?

Heisuke: That’s right, Chizuru was so cute then... No, uh, she was very happy!

Saito: Yukimura at that time... The day I infiltrated Shimabara, Yukimura, who had been disguised by Osen, seemed shy to show herself. I probably won't ever forget how she looked then. Her appearance wasn't changed at all, she simply wore a beautiful kimono, combed her hair, put on some hair pins and make-up, that's all it was. I couldn't even look directly at her. That's how beautiful Yukimura had become then...  

Heisuke: Hajime-kun! Hajime-kun! Hey Hajime-kun!

Saito: Uh.... Ah! What is it, Heisuke? 

Heisuke: What are you doing? Why are you suddenly dazed? 

Saito: No, it’s nothing. Sorry, what did you say?

Heisuke: I was just talking about giving Chizuru a beautiful kimono to wear! But that's impossible. How would hear wearing a woman's kimono be allowed at headquarters?

Saito: Nn, that’s right. 

Heisuke: Kodo-san is still missing, so I really want to do something that will help cheer her up.

Saito: Is Yukimura very depressed?  

Heisuke: It's not like that, but she might be forcing herself to smile. 

Saito:  That’s right...

Heisuke: I really want to do something for her. 

Saito: Ah...... But would she want to wear a woman’s kimono again? Or is it that I want to see her dressed up like that again? No, even though she’s usually wearing men’s clothing, it’s to be expected for her to want to dress up a woman. No, but... 

Heisuke: Hajime-kun. Hajime-kun. Hey~ Hajime-kun! Hah... he’s like this again... would it be better to just leave him be for a while?

---to be continued---

....in february. unless it’s fine to post track 5 and 6. since those are done while track 2 is incomplete.

[raraeavesmoriendi]

I just finished last night and I have some questions for people who have read mike bockoven’s fantasticland -

[for those who have not:

- take a climate change-charged hurricane that’s the worst noaa has seen in recent memory and the first to hit daytona beach since 1960

- throw it at a Not-Disney-World Florida theme park with major national nostalgia, where a bunch of the Not-Disney College Program kids and some adult staff have opted to get paid extra to stay inside the park through the storm to prevent looting

- watch as people trapped within the park for more than a month - still with plenty of food and water, mind you - lose their minds, fragment into factions, and begin going full battle royale/lord of the flies on each other

- tell the whole thing testimonial style with different witnesses interviewed each chapter, a la World War Z, with some insanely unreliable narrators to boot

if that sounds like your kind of horror novel, give it a go. it’s not perfect (especially when they call the factions ‘tribes,’ which. yikes.) but I tore through it in like, two days.]

okay, questions below, spoilers for the novel:

1. …is the pirate who comforted the little boy who was evacuating, in interview three with the kansas city dad, Brock Hockley? am I reading too much into that?

like. I don’t remember that we ever get a description of him, so I don’t know about the “weird beard/mustache thing” the dad describes, but just. the emphasis put on “I’d like to shake his hand. I might even give him a hug.” feels so purposeful. part of me wonders if that’s supposed to add some further hindsight horror to what happened in the park and then his prison interview. he says early that he found making little kids happy a fulfilling and rewarding part of his job as a character actor in the park, and we know other people found him charismatic enough to follow, not just because they were scared but bc he could have these moments of surface-level charm or rationality (the code, etc.)

idk, I just thought it felt a bit too one-off to read it as Just Some Guy. but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I could be wrong.

2. we never get any hint as to the identity of the warthog couple, right? I remember the FNG found their masks discarded outside the World Circus, they’re first mentioned in the book as hanging around/inside the circus, and the guy from the Dreamland Hotel interview talks about still getting postcards from them whenever he moves (scariest part of the whole book for me ngl), so we can assume they were walked out with the rest of the survivors. I just wasn’t sure if there was anything else to do with them that I missed.

I’m still thinking about the fact that they turned the Dreamland lobby into a torture theater. like… who was that for? just for them, or did they have an audience? probably not, right? since they weren’t affiliated with anyone? but still. also, who were they taking there, just people they could pick off???

hmm. I wonder if any casualties thought to be faction-related were actually theirs.

3. in Travis’s interview (the guy with the body camera), do we know who the girl is that they found in the crawlspace of the employee locker room? the one whispering “Mommy” over and over? there were enough survivors left that she could be someone we didn’t encounter before, but I just thought I’d check that there wasn’t some other interview where someone describes a girl running off to hide. the Anonymous shopgirl mentioned one of the girls disappeared during the cannon raid on Pirate turf with the Deadpool soldiers before they turned on each other, so I wondered if it could be her.

4. Brock in his interview mentions that Sam Garlieck’s people were terrorizing others during the power outage in the storm shelter, specifically mentioning an instance of sexual assault. does anyone else corroborate this in their interview? Adam Jakes sounds skeptical, saying his research would have turned that up by now, but the only people we really hear from about that period are Sam himself (obviously an unreliable narrator, like, duh) and Stuart Dietz, who mentioned that Sam definitely killed Maria Flynn. did anyone see any other mentions of this anywhere, or did we just move straight out of the storm shelters and never talk about them again once we get to the park? is this just Brock being an unreliable narrator himself to justify how things went down? (but then why would he need to be, when Bryce definitely died?? although he himself says that wasn’t as big a motivator as people writing about him want it to be, so maybe that’s moot)

5. not really a question just an observation: Stuart Dietz, the maintenance guy/Mole Man, is the only person to get two interviews in the entire novel. Not Sam, not Jill, not Brock. I don’t know, I just find that really interesting why he was selected to come back twice. I know part of it is to describe the botched demolition, but I’m also wondering what effect it has on the novel that the only person we hear from multiple times is an older dude from one of the pointedly non-aggressive factions.

6. in looking through posts already in the tag, I don’t quite follow some readers’ comments that there was an attempt at a “cell phones bad!!” message here. I feel like every time it’s come up, it’s been shown by Adam Jakes (author stand-in) to be minimizing what really happened and looking for an easy scapegoat. I don’t think that was part of the intended story at all, I think it’s just been stated over and over as people using an excuse to not think themselves capable of similar violence. just wanted to put that out there.

anyway. one of my favorite things about novels with multi-witness perspectives is finding threads that leave off in one person’s story and pick up in another, so I’m going through my digital copy and highlighting all the places two different interviews tie together (Austin’s fate, the guy who botched branding Adrienne as part of his Pirate initiation, etc.)

if anyone else has noticed anything interesting, I’m all ears 👀

[can-and-wont]

Mha chapter 427 spoilers

And on the sabbath day, they returned with their thoughts on the new mha chapter

Really love how they’re representing the 21yo girls as so superficial and stuff. Like haha I would so make light of my friends death like that lol lol rofl etc.

He… *tucks hair behind ear*… was a gamer. (We really aren’t beating the cringe allegations are we. Never forget Shigaraki was a league of legends player)

Omg 😱 such a meta moment!! Was… spinner writing this all along? No, god i hope not. He was the reason Shirakumo died and I am Never forgetting that!

Shoji mentioned!! Shojis actually pretty cool I feel like he deserved more screen time

Look at what they did to Chisaki. I always was a Chisaki disliker but the stans must be crying screaming throwing up right now

Deku’s new haircut is actually growing on me + Mineta doesn’t have many things going for him but his face is gold here + I still don’t think Bakugo and Todoroki are that great

Sorry the commentary is winding down a bit but so is my interest for the series ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Shirakumo’s death was really the end of my interest in the show/manga at large

Nonetheless I’m happy you’re here :) and I’m planning to stick with this series until the very end

[tecceran]

xbc3 off-seer toya sketch

ramblings under cut

!!spoiler warning for all three of the numbered xenoblade games!! mostly the first two actually. i imagine if any reads this, it will be a curious pjsk fan who doesn’t really care about xenoblade, but proceed at your own risk.

…

i have ideas for all of the pjsk characters i just don’t have the patience to draw them all out.

i wanted all the natural pairs set up by the game to be one agnian/one kevesi so they could be ouroboros. they’re also probably all off-seers or wannabe off-seers because that’s really the only music in aionios.

i’ll at least talk about vbs here.

toya is the off-seer for a kevesi colony. he has a pretty high percentage of high entia blood, so he still has pretty big headwings (compared to others in 3, not pure blood high entia) but they match his hair color. for some reason his dad feels like the type who would have been a high entia blood purist, but toya made it to aionios somehow so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

akito is agnian and would become toya’s ouroboros partner. he’s also an off-seer, but like mio he probably got drafted into the role due to his prowess when he really just wanted to be a great fighter and make it to his homecoming. he’s gormotti and has the cat ears. also face stripes. they might just be a nia thing but i think they’re fun. i imagine you don’t see his core crystal much like taion, but he could have a flesh eater’s core crystal.

if i’m remembering correctly, agnian colonies commonly have two off-seers, so an would be in the same colony as akito. i feel like she definitely has to have the fire hair like sena and brighid. like she’s already got the gradient, it’s perfect. i don’t imagine her having a peculiarly shaped core crystal, but she could have ether lines like sena as well. she probably is more naturally in tune with off-seeing than akito, but he has the edge in combat. they probably has a similar relationship to canon where they poke fun at each other and argue, but they take care of each other when things get rough.

for kohane i think she comes from a different kevesi colony than toya. her colony’s off-seer just died unexpectedly, so kohane took up the mantle as the new off-seer for the colony. maybe toya’s colony is nearby so he helped train her like crys with noah. i know there’s like a kevesi off-seer school/training program but i don’t care. kohane is just a basic homs like noah. an is her ouroboros partner, too

[edit:]

as far as combat stuff, i think kohane is an attacker, an would be an attacker, but in more of a debuff-y way, akito a dodge tank (i picture him similarly to mio), and toya could be a healer.

i think the flutes are customized to the off-seer in game? so everyone gets a custom one + a charm. toya’s charm is a wing but i might change it later. akito’s is a lightning bolt. an’s is a star. not sure about kohane yet either but maybe she’ll just have a ring similar to noah since she’s new to off-seeing.

also thinking toya maybe caught the eye of a consul while in off-seer and was taught violin. i’m not sure if off-seer flutes are made specifically somehow that allows the special motes to rise, but i say toya’s violin is customized and it can raise motes.

maybe the way toya’s dad is worked in is that he’s the consul (tho not literally toya’s bio dad then) that teaches toya violin, and then toya has a whole arc about coming to terms with the fact consuls are bad because he was close to one.

he’s temporarily at kohane’s colony teaching her when the whole ouroboros thing happens.

toya’s instrument could be worked into his blade like glimmer, but i kinda like the idea that it’s an actual instrument not made for battle in anyway. and it means he gets to stand over a battlefield and play a haunting violin melody.

[mylittleredgirl]

do you think sparktober is a good time to get into stargate atlantis for the first time? i have never watched any stargates. should i start with atlantis or sg1?

i think so!! we’ll be flooding the airwaves here with fanworks.* however, it is definitely NOT the time to have a spoiler free experience! (neither is this post.)

*fanworks in sparktober will be heavily pushing the fandom’s favorite m/f ship if that’s your jam; the main m/m ship is also great and does not need our help because there’s soooo much content! the f/f shippers are starving as always but they work HARD to make festivals out of molehills. it’s a fandom’s fandom and a multishipper’s dream.

sg-1 is A Better Show in many ways, but atlantis is in the dead center of The Fandom Zone (very fun to watch and the setting and characters — and missed opportunities — make it a perfect fandom playground).

i watched sg-1 first, but i don’t think you need to see it if you are willing to just go “yeah okay 👍” when you encounter the basic sci fi mechanics of the world (you can walk through stargates and end up on other planets in the galaxy! if you have ridiculous tons of power you can even go to another galaxy! you can put a shield in front of your stargate and it will squish anybody who tries to come through like a bug on a windshield!).

and the general franchise premise that wherever you go, you will encounter humans, because aliens put them everywhere! different aliens in atlantis than in sg-1, actually. it’s just what stargate aliens do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

you’ll have to muddle through with the knowledge that “okay this spins off from an arc in season 7 of sg-1, but the only thing that still matters about it is that there’s a city somewhere in space built by aliens we call Ancients, and we’ve been looking for it, and we figured out it’s actually Atlantis. also we found some stuff these aliens left in antarctica.”

because this was a pre-streaming episodic tv franchise, they’ll give you exposition when you need it. the main character is basically walking in off the street so everyone has to explain the basics to him (and you!), and a lot of the exposition in the first episode was brand new to sg-1 viewers too.

the whole first season of atlantis is completely cut off from earth, so the sg-1 aliens, storylines, and characters really don’t matter after the first 15 minutes of the pilot.

and basically all the characters are new! two of them, weir and mckay, each guest starred on sg-1 twice, but the only thing we really knew about them going in is that mckay is a super genius with no social skills and weir will face god (across the negotiating table) and walk backwards into hell.

HOWEVER, the streaming services (anywhere that divided it into Part 1 and Part 2) cut up the pilot episode in such a way that they took out the little exposition montage and some character intro stuff. if that’s how you plan to watch, dm me and i’ll send you the complete pilot — all the other episodes are intact!

[impromptu-sketches]

Because nobody asked, here’s an example of why I love Giovanni so much - especially compared to some other common BL tops that are also presidents/directors at their company.

First, relatable ¯\(ツ)/¯

Second, he literally just wants to go home to be with his new lover ♡♡

In the beginning, Giovanni is kind of shown as a common BL top trope: rich president with a bad personality - also seductive and stubborn. 

But unlike others, Giovanni doesn’t really care about his status or wealth that much. He’s shown to be a huge giver to the people he loves, mainly to Felix and Felix’s family, and he doesn’t use his position to get things unfairly.

(slight spoiler in this paragraph) - When bad things happen out of his control and Felix gets hurt/is in trouble, he literally gives up his COMPANY for Felix in order to protect him. Idk about you, but other characters would just kill someone, threaten someone, or use their connections to get what they want. But Giovanni? He didn’t have a lot of options and he chose to give away -everything- he worked so hard for. And that means a LOT when you know that Giovanni was an orphan and has the chronic disease of always being cold - always being uncomfortable (which kind of explains some of his bad personality because I too am a bit snappy when I’m freezing cold for a long time, kind of like being hangry. But I digress). Yes, he was adopted into a nice family and his brother is also a president of a company who has his back - and he does use that to get into a new position - but that’s motivated by him wanting to keep an eye on the person who hurt Felix!! Before that, you see him and his brother working together and keeping work completely separate from their relationship, he even declined a project to Giovanni’s company and Giovanni was like ‘it can’t be helped.’ Just saying, he’s not one to abuse his power (unless it’s to help or protect someone else).

He is just so down to earth and where other characters choose questionable methods, he gives what he can give in order to protect the one he loves. And honestly, this is just a reflection of his whole personality. He's very ‘I don’t care about anyone or anything but you’ and I love that about him ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

I could go on... and I will.

Thirdly, when you think about Giovanni’s past, it’s actually so sad. His family abandoned him when he was young because of his condition, he was an orphan, got adopted into a nice family, and worked his way up to be president of a company. But for his whole life he can’t feel warmth at all. He even gets bullied because of his condition. So he goes through life cold, freezing, and as far as we know, pretty much alone. He does have his family but from what we see in the story he only interacts with his brother Leo, and that’s mainly through work and Leo calling to check up on him. Multiple times Giovanni threatens to never speak to him again if he oversteps (little bit dramatic if you ask me). He lives alone in a huge place - Felix even points it out, ‘no wonder he’s so cold in a place like this.’ It’s shown that he’s not that close to his subordinates at work or anyone else in his life.

~ Until he meets Felix ~ But it’s hilarious that Felix was just like ‘I love you, please go out with me’ and Giovanni was like... ‘nah, not interested.’ And it was only when they touched hands and he felt warmth for the first time that he gave Felix any attention.

I mean, when Felix first approaches him, Giovanni is drinking alone at a bar, not looking like he’s in a good mood. When Felix tries to sit with him and flirt he shuts him down and leaves looking annoyed. But when their hands touch, he feels warmth and so he gives in.

The story starts there and as the story goes on we see that the only person he cares about, really the only close person in his life is Felix.

(spoilers in this paragraph) - Felix on the other hand, has his mother and sister and is basically being threatened to do what he’s doing to keep them safe. And later we learn that Giovanni picks up on this and - thanks to the persistence of his brother - learns that Felix is using him. And he lets him. Mostly because he doesn’t want to give up that warmth he -finally- feels in his life. Also because he starts having feelings for Felix, but they’re really one in the same. He finally feels warmth, he finally feels love, he finally receives love. It’s no wonder that a large plot later on is that he’s worried Felix will leave him.

I also think it’s the cutest thing that Giovanni has Felix’s contact saved as ‘Miracle ♥’ and has this photo of him sleeping as his background

♡*:.。ღ˘◡˘ற.。.:*♡

In conclusion, I love Giovanni

[cannonfullofcanons]

I think I ought to clarify that my Unohana portrayal is largely divergent from canon. Primarily because I haven’t gotten into the TYBW arc yet, and don’t want to deal with too much of that without really knowing the whole story; if my portrayal’s a bit odd, this is why.~

If you haven't gotten to that arc and don't want spoilers, don't hit the read more!

The super abridged version? Unohana doesn’t acknowledge her original title anymore. She doesn’t even acknowledge her original name. As far as she's concerned, Yachiru Unohana is dead. She suffered greatly following her last battles under that name, and having endured so much pain and suffering, she completely lost her taste for inflicting it on others. She came to lead the Fourth Division in the first place to find atonement, to heal instead of harm, and in time her personality changed to match her new goals. She recognizes fighting is a necessity, still, but she doesn’t take any pleasure in combat any longer. There is no aggression within her eyes, no barely-withheld violent intent masked by her smile. She’s a warm and welcoming Captain, one who is very kind and compassionate to those under her command, and sometimes extends the same to others, outside of her Division. She, quite literally, acts like a mother to many in her Division.

But her kindness is the farthest thing from weakness. There are times her resolve is tested; when she starts to slip. Eleventh Division men groping and ogling her nurses, Isane being harassed, and disrespect to herself, are fine examples. When pushed to the brink of her patience, one may just see an echo of the Kenpachi in her gaze, hear that edge in her voice. Anger and hatred can bring it back. A dull urge; a temptation long ago forsaken. The 11th members are quite good at picking up on intent, and have felt it from her one too many times after their antics; they're afraid of her, and for good reason.

Unohana also provides wise counsel & therapy for her Division. She completely ignores her rank in these instances and will approach her subordinates as a friend, someone they can talk to, if they’re particularly down or under the weather. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and she makes sure she’s there for her subordinates when they need her, even for the unseated members. She takes good care of her people, regardless of rank, regardless of origin. As far as she’s concerned, the Fourth Division is family - and considering ohana is literally in her name…

If my Unohana sometimes seems a little too friendly, or seems to dote on others too much, this is why. I am largely unfamiliar with events after the Fake Karakura Town arc, so I developed my portrayal with the information I already had, and brought forth Mom Captain™. This may change when I finally get around to reading through the blood war arc, but who knows. I like Momohana. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

Find the Vibe Tag

Thanks for tagging me, @akiwitch! :D

Rules: find an excerpt from your WIP that fits a vibe. My vibe is “I don’t care”. This was harder to find than expected, and my chosen excerpt doesn’t really fit it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway, here’s part of the denouement from The Unfortunate Moth (MAJOR spoilers, obviously, because it reveals the murderer’s identity):

If Yo-han had thrown a bomb at the gathered suspects he could hardly have caused more uproar. Tremaine and the doctor jumped as if they'd been stung. The captain dropped his pipe. The guards looked back and forth from Yo-han to Colman. Király leapt to his feet with an expression that suggested someone was about to get punched, and he hadn't decided yet if it was Colman or Yo-han. Miss Patton turned to Colman with a bewildered frown.

Colman himself returned Yo-han's stare without flinching and without any apparent emotion. He said nothing, simply raised one eyebrow and waited. His face was blank but there was something in his eyes that suggested he wanted to smile sardonically.

"You're wrong," Miss Patton said. Her voice wavered. "You... You must be wrong. Mr. Colman's my friend!"

A flicker of real emotion crossed Colman's face. Yo-han noticed it. Pain, he thought, but not guilt.

"Well, Mr. Colman?" he asked quietly.

Colman finally seemed to decide on how to play this. Perhaps he had a whole list of scripts for moments like these. He laughed almost naturally. "Alright, Mr. Seo. You've had your fun. But don't you think the joke's fallen flat?"

Yo-han simply looked at him. Colman looked back. He was smiling faintly but his eyes were very cold. Did he believe he could convince Yo-han he was wrong or did he know the game was up? Yo-han couldn't tell.

Tagging @author-a-holmes, @elizaellwrites, @primroseprime2019, @saltysupercomputer, @dogmomwrites, and anyone else who wants to do this! :D Your vibe is “I think I will cause problems on purpose”.

Adding Moth’s taglist: @akindofmagictoo, @lightgriffinsect, @original-writing, @zonnemaagd, @essiesreadingcorner, @oh-no-another-idea, @verba-writing (Let me know if you want to be added to/removed from the taglist!)