#I have a habit of having to come up with a specific setup for any AU I draw

[nomaejie]

This is what i wrote about SxF fantasy AU because I think about it a lot. It's a character setting and I don't go too deep. (I wrote it in Vietnamese and slapped it all into the translator):

The human government in the past was afraid of the power of the mystical creature, so they forced the magical creature to yield to avoid war. It's all a conspiracy from King Ostawest (a combination name of Ostania and Westalis because I'm bad at naming). He has quietly cooperated with other factions (including mystical creature like the Desmond) and especially witches. They created the magic machine to suck all the magic of the world. Taking advantage of that energy source for personal gain and developing the weapons industry. As the world lost its magic, the difference in strength between humans and mystical creature was no longer a scary thing. Those mystical creature that still retain their original powers (it is the nobility who know the secret of Ostawest) will be called Pure Blood. They are highly respected in society.

700 years later, a mysterious organization called Apple (?), combined with an aristocratic family opposed to Desmond, conducts an experiment to create an artificial mystical creature: the Chimera. They wanted to create a power that could defeat Desmond and gain power over the country. Apple on the other hand doesn't care about politics, they want to study the power limit of mystical creature.

Anya is born and becomes the most successful creation of the organization. A Beast that can use magic like a witch. They intended to raise Anya as a weapon until the WISE Graden intervened.

The WISE Graden is a free organization in Ostania city. They have the role of protecting the struggle to protect the peace between humans and mystical creature, eliminating the danger between two races. Twilight and his parter, Yor, stormed the Apple base and took Anya. At that time, they did not know about the purpose behind Apple but only thought that they were illegally experimenting on mystical creature. Loid and Yor decide to adopt Anya and send her to Eden School.

Eden academy is the only remaining magic school in the world, open to both mystical creature and humans. The school is divided into 3 faculties:

Warriors: 80%. Those who want to learn to use weapons, martial arts for fighting.

Beast: accounts for 18%. People who have the ability to transform into large creatures. Here they will teach you how to use your abilities in combat.

Witches: 2%. An almost extinct ability. Although any species can use a spell or two if they have the talent. But witches are people with special powers, they can possess countless spells, the ability to wield the power to shake the world. The teacher of the department of witchcraft is Henreson – one of the 10 remaining orthodox witches. Upon entering the school, each student will be given an apprentice wand, made specifically for that person, by the school. The whole Eden school only has a total of 10 students who meet the requirements to become witches.

Anya: Chimera born from the experiment. Because of her past trauma, she doesn't like her Beast form. After being adopted and healed by Loid and Yor. She asked to learn to be a witch, so her parents sent her to Eden as a human. Anya was attracted to Damian from the beginning probably because they were both creatures that were bred from many different species. However, Damian at that time was because of his arrogant brat, refusing Anya's friend request. Disgusted with Damian's attitude, Anya also gave up on it. However, one day she discovered Damian secretly learning magic in a small corner of the schoolyard. Worried but also curious as to why a Beast would want to learn magic, Anya decided to stop and watch, not expecting Damian's mistake to cause an accident and summon a fire monster. Damian and Anya must then work together to defeat the demonic beast. Damian felt extremely ashamed of his mistake. After many things happened to each other, the two somehow became (secret) friend. Damian will teach help her with homework., in return she teaches Damian magic.

As a Chimera, Anya can use 5 types of elements: fire, water, wind, lightning, and darkness. In addition, she also has the ability to expand to more advanced types of magic, but has been warned by her parents not to arbitrarily learn miscellaneous things. The first magic Anya mastered was fire. Although she is no longer disgusted with her Beast form, she wants to reveal the truth to outsiders.. One time, she lost in a Dungeon with Becky, she transformed into Chimera to save both of them from escaping. The two were back at school looking for first aid supplies then they ran into Damian. Damian became the second person to know her secret. Later, at Becky's encouragement, Anya asked Damian to teach her how to use Beast's powers. Damian: Second son of the prestigious Desmond family – Landlord of the city of Ostania, the political and military capital of Ostawest. Also a Pure Blood. He wanted to learn more about witchcraft but was forced into the Beast by the wishes of his family. Anya secretly teaches him some spells. Around his neck was a Desmond family heirloom magic key. His spells are wind (falcon), and fire (lion part). In addition, Giffin's sharp claws and beak is a weapon that makes most other mystical creature wary. When in human form, Damian can only use a little magic because he does not have a wand.

Becky: A Pure Blood Black Cat witch, she is in the same class with Anya. She was the only daughter of the Blackbell family – closely related to the Desmonds. The family is extremely wealthy and possesses a lot of magical items – which are now very rare in the world. Becky loves to brag about the magic labels she wears on her hands. Blackbell's main spell is lightning, familiar is a black panther.

Yor: The ultimate Pure Blood Vampire. Her power is the most primitive. 700 years ago the Bair house was like discovering the dark secret of the Ostawest royal family and was purged. To protect their blood, Yor's parents sealed the child and hid them underground. 700 years later, someone awakens Yor. Lost in the new world, Yor becomes a bounty hunter. She is then recruited by Twilight of WISE. Loid: A human witch. Quite weak because he can only use 10 spells. That's why he mainly used power-enhancing magic to engage in physical combat with the enemy. As a child, Loid's village was involved in a war between humans and mystical creature, resulting in the death of the entire village including Loid's mother. Before the incident happened, Loid's Father asked Loid to find out the "secret of the world". He became a warrior for a living until the age of 16 when he joined WISE. Because of the tragedy of the past, Loid is always worried about keeping the peace, dissolving the stigma and discrimination between the two species. Also find the answer to what the “world secret” is.

Yuri: Unlike Yor,  Yuri was found by the government and brainwashed to become a bodyguard for the King. He is still searching for his lost sister.

The Black Forest: an area for exiled mystical creature who oppose living with humans who have been banished from the kingdom and have to live forever in the forest of darkness. The people there became radicalized and vowed to destroy all humans and traitors. The first person Yor meets when she wakes up is from the Black Forest, they have instructed Yor to become a bounty hunter. The real purpose is to use her power to kill innocent people.

[inkskinned]

im gonna start a fight; and, at the same time, i need you to take this in the most good-faith way possible, but:

videos that involve body-checking and intentionally (and uncritically) show a mealplan of an unhealthy number of calories are just a revamped version of pro-ana food diaries.

and yeah, i know there's arguments. i address some of them under the cut. but at the end of the day, we're just coming back to romanticizing mental illness; we've just found a better platform for it.

this is already something we've done. we knew it was wrong and tried to stop it. and tbh. it just wasn't enough.

there are people who argue "well, what if you have an eating disorder, you can't help it if you don't eat!" except that as someone with an ED; we are not infants. we know what we're doing. part of having an ED is that you are like, maybe too self-aware. even if we can't help our own food choices, we don't need to fucking romanticize the disorder - something we've been warning you about since 2013. there are hours of setup, filming, and editing that go into these videos. they do not happen to fall into place randomly. there is a reason they are pieced together to be beautiful, bright, inspiring.

there's this woman who pretty much only posts daily plans under a normal amount of calories, and everyone defends her saying but it's better than nothing! and i'm like. except she opens those with images of her showing off her body and provides no context in the video or caption that suggests that she believes what she's doing is unhealthy. she has hundreds of thousands of followers on a platform designed for young kids and teens. i refuse to believe that by accident her content just happens to be cheery advice on "healthy" versions of starving.

for any other symptom of mental illness, we would be incredibly enraged by this kind of placid acceptance of a "tips and tricks" fast-start guide. imagine if people posted pink & pretty videos saying "best places to cut yourself" as if it was a fucking storytime. we, as a society, are so fucking fatphobic that we would rather accept blatantly harmful displays of self harm than admit that we are obsessed with a hyper-thin body type.

i am not suggesting someone never talks about their disorder. i talk about mine. actually, it's a plot point in my book.

here's the difference: i recognize it's a fucking mental illness. i am very careful to never mention a specific weight, eating pattern, or calorie plan. i always make sure to position it as something that ruined my fucking life. i do not put cheery music in the background and hearts and sparkles over my worst moments. i do not film it in bright light. i do not start each passage with an image of a thin body followed by "here's how to look like her."

eating disorders should not be framed as aspirational. and the problem is that society worships the "after" image, so long as you don't get too sick. there is a reason so many people who quit being "influencers" will later admit - i wasn't eating well that whole time; an obsession with food was completely destroying my life.

we let any uncredited, uncertified person write the most backwards, fucked up shit about how to get the body you desire! because the underlying, secret belief is: well, at least they're thin! and the real thing that fucking gets me each time - they make fucking money off of it. their irresponsibility and societal harm literally pays off for them.

"why do you care so much." "don't like it don't look." "so what if people experiment with new ways of thinking of food?"

thank you for asking. we're about to get extremely personal. it's because when i was 18 i discovered "thinspiration"/"thinspo." and it absolutely influenced, shaped, and codified my pre-existing eating disorder. i went from having some troubling habits and traits to being incredibly unwell within what felt like a matter of days. there were actual pages designed to train me on how to have an ED correctly. it was all so suddenly easy. i was sick; and the nature of the illness meant - i wanted to be sicker.

it takes an average of 7 years for a person to fully recover. i know this personally - even now, 10 years from the worst of it, i still fucking struggle. i am so much happier now and i eat what i want and i literally don't think about food at all (19 year old me would shudder) and yet - i still fucking know the calories of plain toast with butter.

an eating disorder is one of the deadliest types of mental illness. over 1 in 4 people with an ED will attempt suicide.

and i'm sorry. i just do not see the exchange rate of "high rate of engagement" versus "the value of a human life."

[beyondmistland]

I read through all your posts about Alysanne Targaryen as Maegor's daughter and am now in a rabbit hole. Thank you. I've been thinking about Maegor's wives and which one of Henry VIII's wives they represent. Ceryse is Cathrine of Aragon and Alys is Anne Boleyn. The others are hard to pin for me since there isn't a lot. What do you think? Would Maegor's reign have been more interesting if his marriages had more similarities to those of Henry VIII?

I think this is where we run into a number of problems regarding the way GRRM wrote Fire & Blood specifically and the way he setup Westeros more generally.

For one, the fairly homogenized nature of southron culture as well as the oversimplification of religious institutions and history means you can't quite get the same dynamism as from real life European history, with its dizzying array of languages, cultures, cuisines, fashions, etc., to mention nothing of the then-ongoing Protestant Reformation. I suppose GRRM could have had Maegor convert to the Old Gods a la Julian (II) the Apostate or the Drowned God (you just know the Ironborn are the one race on the surface of Planetos that would say King Maegor the Good with a completely straight face) or even R'hllor, which would be the best choice in terms of worldbuilding opportunities in my opinion.

Moving on, we run into a handful of problems with Maegor specifically, one of them being the length of his reign. Look, while I can't deny Maegor ruling for 6 years and 66 days is incredibly cheeky, it also isn't anywhere close to Henry VIII's 36 years as king. With so little room timeline-wise, there isn't a lot of flexibility when it comes to telling new stories and fleshing out preexisting ones and all that is before you factor in Maegor himself.

I won't hold back. For all GRRM's talk of moral ambiguity, the human heart in conflict with itself, good men who were bad kings and bad men who were good kings, etc., his Targaryen monarchs are, for the most part, numbingly one-note. Aegon I is a literal enigma, Aenys is weak, Maegor cruel, Viserys I a party animal, Aegon II and Rhaenyra mirror-images of each other in their disqualifying vices, etc. As I've written before with my post reimagining Maegor as more of a Ivan (IV) the Terrible figure there was room to make him a genuinely controversial figure of historiography but instead GRRM doubled down on sensationalism and apathy-inducing slasher porn for lack of a better word. The fact Maegor is also the first and last of Visenya's line just adds more salt to the wound but that's part of GRRM's more general (and for me personally, vexing) habit of keeping family trees incredibly small.

(I do recall another alternative someone once brought up to the late Steven Attewell. Namely, turning Maegor into the Westerosi version of Macbeth by way of Der Untergang.)

This brings me to my semifinal point. GRRM didn't have to write Fire & Blood as Procopius' Secret History on steroids with a dash of Suetonius' Lives of Twelve Caesars and I, Claudius (the entire Saera episode is practically lifted wholesale from the scandal that envelops Augustus' daughter, Julia) but he did, which is doubly disappointing because not only does the final product suck quality-wise as a result but also because there were so many other avenues available to him.

He could have written Fire & Blood as a proper history (with less focus on the sex lives of teenage girls for one) or as a mirror for princes or as a dialogue between two characters or even as a character study. You can even see GRRM struggling with the constraints imposed by his use of Gyldayn in certain sections like the death of Maelor and the entire Hour of the Wolf episode, where you get reams of dialogue and characterization as well as more traditional narrative trappings like build-up, mood setting, etc.

Now, to answer your actual question (lol), I don't think any of Henry VIII's other wives map well onto Maegor's. Tyanna is, more or less, his female counterpart in terms of cruelty and zero redeeming features and entirely a fantasy construct. Elinor and Jeyne are both married to Maegor for only a year (with poor Jeyne dying in childbirth because Jeyne Westerlings, like the Brackens, Peakes, and Florents, cannot catch a break in Westeros) and before said marriage takes place neither appears on the page. As for Rhaena, well, credit where its due, she was a rare (and unexpected) highlight of Fire & Blood.

Thanks for the question, anon

[lackadaisy-headcanon-supply-unit]

Hiiii!!!! Can I please request a headcanon home brew with the reader being friends with rocky? It can be angsty or fluffy or whatever you prefer! Thank you 😁

Took a more lighthearted direction with this, to offset a particularly angsty romantic oneshot that’s eventually to come… One must maintain a balanced diet of their illicit beverages and all. It also ended up a bit specific. Hope you enjoy!

So you’ve become friends with the notorious poet, eh? Congratulations! There likely wasn’t much effort needed on your part.

He’s naturally talkative (and how) as well as sociable (though lacking the skill), but you had to have bumped into him several times in the same setting before a true habit was formed of it.

Being a regular at the café or the speakeasy is the setup that most easily lends itself… maybe one before the other, though he wouldn’t bring you downstairs unless you were explicitly interested. The criminal scene might not be everyone’s cup of tea, after all.

You’re less probable to find out about the Lackadaisy from him, either; it’s likely Ivy told you first, seeing how much you two get along as well as finding you genuinely personable and interesting. But if you end up undeterred by the revelation that he works for a bootlegging operation and would like to take that trip downstairs some night, he’ll be glad to have you see him play with the band!

Speaking of, if you were also an artist, he’d be elated.

The stanzas shall flow like water from an overly tenacious tap regardless of your expertise, of course. Uneducated listening ears are better than none, and he’ll appreciate even surface level analysis and positive feedback if you bother with such. Don’t fret if you don’t understand all of the words or get tangled up in an abundant array of alliterative allegories. You’ll learn to adjust accordingly. (Or so he assures.)

But! If you’re a kindred creative soul, it’s a common ground he’ll hop onto with utmost eagerness.

A fellow poet or writer? He’d hinge on your every word of appraisal. How did you like the flow of this one, (Y/N)? You could practically feel the expressionistic scenery enveloping you with this picturesque wording, could you not? What about that one metaphor about the stars, (Y/N)? Surely it conveyed his message on the sweet transience of life? (Y/N)? Oh, (Y/N)! Please answer him, (Y/N), he’s begging to know.

Don’t worry, it’s not one-sided. He’s always all up in your literary business and half-finished drafts in return, asking plenty of questions and insisting on being your first audience for everything. He’ll listen to you talk yourself out of plot holes and come in handy as a sentient thesaurus whenever you get stuck on the synonyms.

(Though I cannot guarantee he’s capable of providing a distraction-free environment. Any environment truly free of distractions is one where he is absent.)

A musician? Oh boy! Your instruments may not be the slightest bit compatible, but that could never stop him from making the most splendorous harmonies together with his dearest chum!

Teaching each other songs you know is a must. Beloved classics like Vivaldi as well as local tunes from either of your lands of origin; he’s an extremely quick learner, as you’ve found out, with a keen ear and significant thirst for knowledge, especially when it comes to things dear to your heart.

You’ve observed how deeply serene he appears to be when playing a certain song or two with a gentle folk-like ring, as if in a trance of reminiscence. He claims not to understand what you mean when you bring it up… so you play along in silent understanding, earning a smile back when your eyes meet that is, for a change, admittedly softer.

Or perhaps a visual artist? Painter? Comic strip illustrator? Cartoon animator?

He would so brag about having an animator friend (even if only aspiring). To the surprise of no one, he’s a great fan of those whimsical hand-drawn moving pictures. Some may find them silly, but in his vocabulary that’s a staple of high precedence.

Yes, he has been to the movies several times, and a shared interest would provide a stellar excuse to accompany you there. Unfortunately, he both refuses to let you treat and is perpetually penniless, so he has the two of you sneak in by less than rule-abiding means. You’ve gotten thrown out before. (Likely not the first time when going out somewhere with him, and neither is it the last.)

But let’s suppose you’re a painter instead. Likely you’re creating in the chiefly popular styles of the era; impressionism, surrealism, the like. Even if not, he still praises you for sticking to your individuality. If you’re a misunderstood artist like him, he reassures with genuine conviction that you’ll make it into the galleries someday, current trends be damned. (Maybe you both are simply ahead of your time.)

The contents or perceived quality are entirely negligible, because he will find a way to compliment your work. Usually his criticism is focused less around your technical skill and more so his emotions and ideas sparked by the sight that are occasionally heavily abstract or several degrees of detached from your original intent. Still, the different perspective can be… well, interesting to hear out, at least.

When you’re coloring or shading certain parts in certain ways, like circularly or with a soothing curve of the brush, he’ll trail off in whatever he was doing or prattling on about and watch quietly for a bit as you work. It’s only embarrassing when he was in the middle of telling you something; he might even lose that line of thought. (Far from the only time that ever happens to him, so you’re forgiving by now.)

Listen, stimboards didn’t exist in the 1920s. He’ll take what he can get.

As for him, well, his personality isn’t the only thing that stopped substantially developing at the age of twelve. His visual art skills might begin and end at silly-looking scribbles caricaturing himself and the people he knows, but he’s satisfied nonetheless. Ambitious rhymes and ornate metaphors are more his department.

He’s still gotten a chuckle or two out of you with his humorously misshapen efforts at drawing you, so he considers that a win as well.

I’ve mentioned lands of origin. If you’re from a state he’s yet to have visited, he’ll surely ask a number of questions about your experiences living there. But if you’re from overseas? Another continent? Nation he’s scarcely heard of? Square that number and multiply by ten thousand.

It’s exciting to hear about different cultures, alright? He likes to understand you better. In any case you make an easier job of it for him than the other way around.

He’d likely have a lot of respect for you for learning English so well, even more so if mostly by yourself. (Viktor’s intimidating disposition and inclination to punch him at the slightest provocation are not the only reasons he never corrects his phrasing.) If he’d said some difficult or rare word you don’t understand, he wouldn’t have to hesitantly accept your complaints of confusion as exasperated mockery for a change and instead could take the time to kindly explain. Probably in an even more troublesome way. You go through like five overcomplicated synonyms before one of them finally rings a bell… but he’s patient.

Expect spontaneous “hey, how’d you say that in your language?” inquiries in the middle of a conversation, out of sheer curiosity. You may only laugh at his clumsy mimicking of your pronounciation once, because he adapts to the unique sounds of a foreign tongue scarily fast. He greets you with the everyday words you’re rather used to hearing around your hometown thousands of miles away and it’s downright uncanny how natural it sounds. (Which is why you’ve asked him not to do it without warning.)

You can’t quite hold conversations like that yet, but you reckon it’d be fun to annoy everyone else around you with if you ever got him to that point.

The others at the speakeasy are mostly baffled by the fact you’re willingly sticking around, especially if you’re not a colleague, for Rocky’s company. Not many people can, well, tolerate him. He’s honestly a bit much sometimes.

But you liked him when you were running from the cops together in scant apparel covered head to toe in dirt as the flames digesting some poor sod’s patio crackled distantly and you wondered how a starry night walk by the riverside had so inexplicably devolved into acts of incidental vandalism, and you continue to like him nowadays.

He’s your friend, after all. The adventures born of questionable choices are part of the deal. And like his soft-spokenly reluctant cousin (except less so motivated by guilt) you’re there with him through it all to make sure he doesn’t get himself in serious trouble… much.

[pancake-breakfast]

Not really ready to move on from Vol. 10 yet, but here we go anyway.

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 11, Chapters 1-2 below.

Volume 11 Covers

I see Nightow decided not to give spoilers for Vash's hair here.

That rabbit looks less than happy... but I think Vash deserves to hug a bunny right now.

Looks like we're gonna get some Milly and Meryl again in this volume! Hooray!

Also Legato. Maybe someday he'll evolve from a bagworm into a bagworm butterfly??

And Zazie, whom we haven't seen since like Dragon's Nest.

And... shall we say, a new blond lady friend??

You know, I never actually read the text on the back cover. It's an old habit after having the blurb on the back of a book give me major spoilers once.

I'm pretty sure no one really knows what's going on with the fake back cover here, including Nightow. I hope everyone's enjoying their duck lips.

Slap-Stick Days? Are those really a thing this manga can have at this point? Or is this just another setup so we can end the chapter on "Slap-Stick Days/End"?

Chapter 1: Zero Hour

Awww. His darkened hair makes me sad.

Whyyyyy do I have to start this out looking at Chapel's stupid mug again??

Ah, Legato... has looked better.

"Chapel and the old man are both dead." As in... Wolfwood Chapel and Old Man Chapel??

Ohhhh, geez. I didn't realize just how separately they treated Livio and Razlo. But I guess he really is both Double Fang and Trip of Death.

"Falling out like teeth." Man, they never stood a chance. They've been decimated for a while now.

Wait, when did Legato get shot in the spine? I thought... ohhhh, Wolfwood. Nevermind, I was thinking this was, like, part of his everyday treatment when he's not in his little metal cocoon. Then again, I don't know how he'd have received any treatment like this over the seven months he was holding down Vash. Hells, I don't know how he went to the bathroom during the seven months he was holding down Vash.

Oooh, I was wondering if this element would come up. Zazie looks pretty pleased with their chosen path.

Knives, you crazy abomination, what are you doing now??

It's a good thing Livio knows how to drive given Vash's history behind the wheel.

Is that a Bentley?? How did they get a Bentley??? How in the hell would that be practical on a sand world??? (I assume it came from the same place as the Prada bag Meryl wants to get.)

Ugh. Vash does not want to answer Brad's questions. This is the face of a man who's tired of thinking about it. He's been thinking about it waaaaaay too much, and he was just kind of hoping for a minute's distraction from his brain thoughts. But he knows he has to explain, even if he doesn't want to.

Livio has so many cute little expressions in these pages. They give me life.

I get where Brad's distrust comes from, but Vash doesn't have the heart to deal with it right now. He's doing his best, but he's so tired. Emotionally, I mean.

I love how Vash takes Brad's objection and immediately counters with a real-life example.

Oh, I love the firmness bordering on anger here. Like Livio suggesting Vash is being too trusting with him specifically is an insult to Wolfwood's memory. Gods, babygirl is sooooo angry and hurt by all this right now.

LOL, Brad's anchor tattoo. I know this is kind of a joke panel, so now I'm wondering if he actually has one.

Livio apologizing. I think he really would bleed more as penance for Wolfwood, if he could. Like, he'd accept more grievous injury than Brad can do to him and wouldn't seek retaliation because if it's not fair, it's not fair in his favor and not in theirs. They have a right to seek retribution. To a point, though. He doesn't seem suicidal.

Oh, an ion cannon, eh? I'm sure this will go well for them and not get decimated by Knives from 100 meters or something.

Ohhhh noooooo. They're gonna Last Run a bunch of plants to power this thing.

That's sooooo many plants.

Yeah, as if Knives wasn't pissed enough.

Huh. I honestly didn't expect the Plants' will to come into play here.

I love how insect-y the plants look on this spread.

I mean, they've had over a century to rebel, and it seems like they've only done anything similar in isolated incidents. They seem to genuinely want to help humans. But this particular instance is rather unique. At the very least, they don't seem positively inclined toward Knives.

Ooh, space friends. I'm sure that will go smoothly.

Chapter 2: Slap-Stick Days

Oof, they're down to one major city. That's bad.

This old guy with the guitar. I do like how music is inextricable from the Trigun story.

Luida coming out to talk with the authorities elsewhere really is a Big Thing.

Eyyyy, it's the return of long-haired Meryl!

Still just as cheeky, I see.

Milly is so cute with her hair like that.

"It's descending into a complete state of lawlessness." Hate to break it to ya, but this planet has hardly been a bastion of law and order. Sure, it might be better than just after the Great Fall, but still.

I swear, if this is more Nebraskas...

"Oh no! It's the feds!" This line is so cliche. It's beautiful.

Vash!?

It is Vash! One air-dropped Vash, to the rescue! Meryl and Milly look like they're about to die of pure shock.

That's ok. Vash is gonna die of pure shock at seeing them, too.

When I turn the page, will they be punching him, hugging him, or screaming at him (affectionately)? Some combination of the above?

Welp, a full melt-down with tears of relief wasn't on my list....

(Loving the girls' new outfits, btw. Very practical.)

Hang on, I just need to drink in this page for a bit.

Ok, I'm good. Moving on.

Hahahaha, good job, radio nerd.

This is gonna give a LOT of weight to Luida's claims with the other authorities. I wonder what Knives will make of it.

Ah, there he is. Heeeeyyyy, Kniiiiiives. Buddy.... You... you don't look like yourself so much anymore.... You doing ok? Need a break, maybe? A glass of water? Tea? Hard liquor?

Yeah, pretty sure the ark isn't actually space-worthy anymore. I hope he's providing some atmosphere for his atmosphere-breathing peons.

IDK, man. You might have great plans, but you have NO idea what these people are capable of. They just dropped out of some sort of hyperspace. They're clearly working on the kind of technology humanity would have if they hadn't crash-landed violently on a resource-less planet and been forced to scavenge everything they could get their hands on just to survive. All I'm saying is maybe don't count your chicks before they've hatched, Knives-kun.

Archive

Trigun Vol. 1: Covers + 1-3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 || Vol. 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Vol. 1: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 2: Covers + 1, 2-4, 5, 6-7 || Vol. 3: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 || Vol. 4: Covers + 1-2, 3-5, 6-7 || Vol. 5: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 6: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 7: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 8: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5 + Bonus || Vol. 9: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 10: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-8

Extra Credit: Trigun Vol. 1: Nebraska vs. Vash's Motivations, Vash's Loneliness, Vash's Depression (pt. 2 of post), Soupy Brains || Vol. 2: Coin Factoids || TriMax Vol. 1: Lina, Vash, and a Haircut || Meryl, Vash, and the Pursuit of Happiness || Vol. 5: Knives, Vash, and Hatred for Humanity || Vol. 6: Coping Series: Wolfwood, Meryl, Vash || Vol. 8: The Uncoordinated Counterattack || Vol. 9: Justice, Punishment, and Mercy, The Tolling of an Iron Bell || Vol. 10: Crucifixion Symbology (pt. 2 of post), Merging of Families, Being Childlike (And Why God Hates Chapel)

[uncleasad]

for that fic ask meme - 14, 26, 50, 53, 55

14. what’s your worst writing habit?

Oof! My entire writing process is one giant bad habit, so it’s hard to pick the worst part 😂

I know I just reblogged that post about ignoring the tyranny of the daily word count, but I’m going to say not trying to write a few words every day, or a sentence a week, or something like that…I let myself get into writing droughts that go on and on and on (and, yes, I’m busier than I was in 2020 and 2021, but I love writing and doing so always makes me feel good), so trying to stop those pauses before they become droughts is something I need to do to break a bad habit.

26. do you like to write one-shots or series, and why?

Both? I write what the idea I have calls for, I guess? (Almost all of my series are collections of one-shots; I have never thought of writing a series consisting of multi-chapter fics, but one kinda sneaked in there 😳)

I enjoy—and sometimes specifically choose an idea because it fits—writing one-shots because they’re a good way for me to get back into writing when I’ve been too busy with life or bogged down in one of my long WIPs. Last Christmas’s Mischief and Mistletoe is a great example of this: short, self-contained, and seasonally relevant 😏 I liken these sorts of fics to artists doing a doodle or quick sketch as a warm-up.

Sometimes while writing a one-shot I’ll think of something that will open the door to a sequel, sometimes there’ll be nothing specific but nothing to rule out more in the same vein (e.g. the Tales from the Salvatore Kitchen series), and sometimes readers will have a suggestion I hadn’t thought of that I love that will turn a one-shot into a series of one-shots.

It’s nice to have a series or two where you enjoy the world/setup, because it’s fun and easy to dip back in and write some more (so all the benefits of a one-shot) and you (I!) can develop ideas, characters, and events without feeling guilty about not updating (vs a single multi-chapter fic where readers have started reading and want more 😏); there’s less expectation.

(My true favorite things to write are the big, expansive, complex stories, but they’re simultaneously my least favorite for all those reasons 😂)

50. do you plan or do you write whatever comes to your mind? 53. when writing, do you have an outline? and do you stick to it?

These two are related, so I’ll tackle them together. I’ve linked to and written about George RR Martin’s post about gardening before, so there’s good background there and I’ll (try! to) make this the short version.

I mostly have a lightweight plan for what I write: a collection of scenes, or some important character beats or plot points, and often, but not always, an idea of what the ending is (sometimes my idea for the fic is “I want to write this scene that is probably somewhere in the middle of an actual fic 😂 but more often it instead is “this would be a fun situation to throw them into; let’s see what happens!”). That’s as close as I’ll get to an outline 😳

I’ll often also make a series of notes as I’m writing, again of the same types of things as in the “plan,” plus dialogue and details, as a sort of “living outline” for what’s next/coming up. But nothing formal or well-structured (which does make it harder to do those bigger stories, naturally). I have hated outlines since elementary school, so…

I’ll diverge from what I have “planned” any time I have an idea I really like or think will improve the story, although to my recollection it rarely happens, and when it does it’s more small changes. I’m much more likely to split “planned” chapters and make a fic 4x longer than I originally thought it would be 😂

So, needless to say, I mostly write what comes to mind. Sometimes that’s filling in the big blank spaces between things I know I want to include, and sometimes that’s deciding where the whole story itself will go. (My mind is wont to come up with crazy twists and tangents #this is the way my mind works 😂)

55. do you have any abandoned WIP’s? What made you abandon them?

I don’t think I have any WIPs that I’ve started writing that I never intend to come back to/finish. I have an entire laundry list of WIPs that I have not written on in months or years, though.

My story as a current fanfic author goes like this:

Started writing Have At Least One Totally Epic Love in spring 2020, ran out of steam/got stuck near the pivotal moments.

Had an idea for After Ten Long Years and started writing it to try to work through that block, but got stuck on it.

Had an idea for Old West Hosie; started writing it to work around that block, then got stuck on it, too.

Had an idea for Hosie Alternate Realities; started writing it to work around that block, then got stuck there, also 😳

[Cue Hope Mikaelson: “Love, Lose, Grieve, repeat”]

At some point in there, I wrote the first one-shot in the Tales from the Salvatore Kitchen series, You Complete Me, to break the cycle and publish something, which turned into 3 more seasonal one-shots (initially), and then I finally finished Have At Least One Totally Epic Love, almost exactly 1 year after I had left off. 2021 I think was a pretty good year, lots of shorter works finished, but also several more big works started where I once again ran out of steam/got stuck/got distracted by the shiny new idea 😂

(Also, after the experience with Have At Least One Totally Epic Love, I rarely actually write and publish things serially unless I have a really, really good idea of the scope of the fic and also know I’ll have decent amounts of writing time—so there’s nothing out there that readers would perceive of as abandoned. The biggest example of a fic I’ve written and published serially since HALOTEL is And I Will Always Love You, 8 chapters, 32K words, written from February to May.)

So approaching 200K words of incomplete WIPs now, but nothing I intend never to finish.

Thanks for asking! Lots of great choices 😀 Hopefully I didn’t bore you to sleep with the answers!

[hardwiredweird]

Can I ask what may possibly be a dumb question but why do people do virtual art, like where they do drawings but on an ipad or some kind of thing? Is it less time consuming than drawing on paper? Can you erase mistakes easier than on paper? Also what happens if the ipad/tech drawing thing breaks, do you lose all your work then?

I'll take this as a good faith question and assume you're being genuine. I'm someone who does both digital and traditional art, but generally prefer traditional.

First and foremost, let me clarify one thing: Digital art (virtual is a bit of a weird phrasing, but that might be because English isn't your first language?) is not in any way 'lesser' than traditional. It's still art and it requires pretty much the same types of skill as traditional.

Digital has a whole host of advantages over traditional art. Some being in the process itself and others in the end result.

Digital pieces are easier to reproduce, for example. They are already in a printable format and don't have to be scanned/digitized to be shared. In today's world where so much happens online, that's a huge plus.

Digital is also much more 'approachable' and accessible for a lot of people. Most people have a computer already and a starter drawing tablet is less than 50 bucks, while there's plenty of free drawing programs out there like Krita. Yes, that is a lot more than a pencil and paper, but it is capable of more than the paper and pencil combo and will last you for years.

Digital, as you already figured out, has plenty of advantages over traditional like the ability to infinitely erase (which isn't possible when with a pencil), reshaping/repositioning elements endlessly, having layers and adjustments that can be manipulated individually... The list goes on and on.

Something that might be less obvious when it comes to the advantages of digital especially when we're talking about devices like an iPad or other standalone tablet device (I use a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+, or example) is that it has a lower barrier for getting started. These devices are easy to have with you, are instant on, can be used handheld or on your lap and as soon as we start going beyond a simple sketch (which in traditional would require just a pencil and paper) it has zero setup time.

If I set up my paints, it requires special paper, my paint palette, my mixing palette, at least one, ideally two cups of water, my brushes... If I want to colour something digitally, I just need my tablet and pen.

Professional art supplies are also expensive and require space to store them (often under specific conditions. Dry, dark, clean, cool), while a tablet or PC has a use beyond art.

Digital has a long, long list of benefits over traditional, all coming down to 'if you mess up, you can fix it a lot easier and you don't have to waste materials on it'. Not everything is perfect with it (for example, it's much easier to learn bad habits on digital, the tactile aspect of traditional media is lost and the ability to infinitely erase and manipulate your pieces can hobble your progress with the mindset of 'eh, I can always fix it later') but generally, it's 'easier' in a lot of ways.

As for your last question: all digital drawing programs have the ability to export workable files like .psd files and it's generally just good digital hygiene to back up your files regularly in at least one or two locations. I recently upgraded my drawing tech (not because something broke, but because I was fortunate enough to get the chance to) and already had all my files in another location.

[justices-blade]

💥👪☀️

ask meme - emoji asks

💥 COLLISON - what emotions do they have trouble dealing with?

// i've touched on this already, but edward has a really hard time coming to grips with sadness and grief — he sort of saw them as slippery slopes towards despair for too long, which was completely at odds with his primary survival tactic (unrelenting optimism) that he refused to entertain them altogether beyond skimming their surfaces. guilt and regret is another one, because he's afraid that he won't find either upon closer inspection of himself. (reminds me of one other quote i couldve used: "serve, save, slay; i've sins aplenty, but regrets? not so much.")

// he doesn't cry enough to let it out, doesn't give himself time to stop and think... it just kind of. rots. comes back to haunt him when he has his guard down. his guard's been getting worse after the end of the war, too. i think between that weakened guard and the lack of needing it in peacetime, he's at least finally at a point where he can try to start looking these emotions in the eye and come to terms with them. it's not healthy in the long term, and due to actually having really good anger management, some part of him knows it.

// he really, really doesn't want to though.

👪 FAMILY - what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?

// edward doesn't know jack shit about his mom barring the fact that she's the one who gave him his birth name. which he doesn't use. lmfao. he and his brother finch started out from an orphanage that kind of couldn't support itself, and after it went to ruin, they were just left to their own devices.

// finch was the only family he had for the longest time; a scrawny, sicklier kid, softer-spoken than edward but curious and imaginative. he wasn't as hardy, but he was sharp for his age. they looked similar, were close in outlook but opposite in constitution. edward never thought of him as a burden, just someone to support and guarantee some kind of future for. evidently, that didn't work. edward refuses to believe finch is dead, but, well. hm. let's not get too into that.

// blood family aside, he does consider the dawn brigade his actual family above anything else; not a nuclear arrangement by any means, but they're a group bound not by blood given, but blood spilled (though, that's given in a different way, right?), time shared, tears shed. edward wouldn't be able to label them by specific familial terms by any means, but it doesn't matter; he knows how much he cherishes them, and how much he's cherished in turn, and wouldn't trade any of them for the world.

☀️ SUN - are they a morning person? what is the first thing they do in the morning?

// edward loves getting up bright and early as much as he loves sleeping in; though the former's probably habit from helping all the early bird grannies with their errands all the time. there's nothing quite like getting your work done in the morning and loafing around for a bit in the afternoon. ideal nap setup. old people made points by using those early hours. he also loves watching the sun rise, so that's an added bonus.

// he's as chipper when woken up early as when he sleeps in, at any rate. the off chance of him sleeping in is usually a result from him cracking an eye open at six to seven, assessing whether he has to get up, and then deciding on "nahhhh". smash cut to him blinking awake at any time between ten and one.

// when he gets up, he usually starts with a drink of water, does a few stretches to get himself going for everything else that follows.

[cloudbattrolls]

Tessellate

Gliese Benral || Mallowmist Swamp || Present Night

The swamp hive that could be seen from the edge of the mire it laid in was a decent size, and well maintained despite the dampness of its environs. It had enough space for a troll and a moderately sized lusus to live comfortably, perhaps a guest or quadrant or two, but such visitors would have to pick their way through the murk and the path was well hidden.

All packages were instructed to be left at its edge in a secure, weatherproof container for the inhabitant to pick up later.

Gliese Benral took one look at that setup and snorted.

“Still the same old shit.” She muttered under her breath. “But hey, she’s famous now. Some idiot stalker might get it in their head to come out to this dump, I guess.”

It had been sweeps, but the blueblood remembered the way. She’d come dressed in thick, hardy boots, covered to the nines in bug spray, wearing a waterproof hat that her hair and ears were secured under. Gloves, too, and a light but tough coat that was resistant against any and all kinds of mud and ooze. Goggles, too - technically they were her flying goggles, but whatever.

Out of habit, she got out her phone to text Ehizta, as if she was eight again. As if he was waiting for her at the swamp hive, ready to be annoyed by a surprise visit and a tackle.

She stared at the screen a moment, then shook her head. She put the phone away.

It was weird to not text him. It was weird to come back here, period.

The hare troll forged through the muck, keeping to the path and gently brushing the plants covering it to the side before they sprang back, wary of the extra-large mosquitoes and the larger dangers she knew lurked in its waters.

At least she didn’t have to watch out for that fucking frog anymore. Good riddance.

When she extracted herself from the muddy water some minutes later, stepping onto the dry(ish) land where the hive stood, she was quite glad to be done with her trek. Gliese had just started swatting off plants that had tried to attach themselves to her (and some determined mud) when the door to the hive opened and a short woman stepped out.

“Aw, I don’t get to surprise you.” sighed the highblood. “You’re no fun.”

The woman stepped closer, and the highblood’s ears tried to raise up inside her hat.

That was new.

“Wow, fuck, what happened to you?” The blueblood demanded, throwing handfuls of waterweed back into the drink. “You look like hell.”

“Gliese, what are you doing here?”

It had always amused the hare troll that someone even shorter than her had a surprisingly deep voice. Shedir Baruch was olive, five foot one, pudgy, and with some of the biggest eyes the ex-fleet woman had ever seen on a troll. Her hair was as short as ever, and her horns looked like they hadn’t grown an inch since Gliese had seen her last, which was weird - was she cutting them? Eh, whatever.

She was now also pale as a ghost - Gliese had seen more than enough of those - with odd lime marks on her face, and her big eyes were now real fucked up looking, all pale in the irises and dark blue in the sclera.

She looked like a fucking mutant, but that couldn’t be - Gliese had seen her bleed, and she was as plain olive as any troll had ever been hatched.

“I need to ask you for advice. Rejoice, for I admit you know more than me about some things.”

The frog troll’s eyebrows raised.

“Would it have killed you to text me ahead of time?” said Shedir, pursing her lips. “I wasn’t exactly expecting visitors.”

“Wouldn’t you have just told me to fuck off?”

The olive’s lips twitched in what was almost a smile.

“I might have.”

“Cool, so you’re not, love that for me.” said the blueblood brusquely, walking toward her and past her, wiping her boots on the doormat, which read GAME ON. She then left said boots in a tray on the floor specifically meant for the purpose - it hadn’t changed a bit since the last time she’d been here.

Shedir sighed as she walked back in her hive and shut the door behind them.

“Tea or coffee, Gliese?”

“Tea. Stop dodging the question, and don’t try to tell me it’s - haha, nope, I got it.” The blueblood grinned, her glowing orange eyes and wide grin smug with satisfaction as a few sparks winked in and out around the bases of her large horns.

“So how’d it happen, girlie? Who popped you?”

An extremely frustrated noise came from the frog troll’s throat, something between a sigh and a groan. She turned around, busying herself with putting her kettle on to boil.

“I see you’re just as…invested in other people as ever!” Replied the midblood with a faux chipper tone she didn’t even try to disguise the fakeness of.

“Yeah.” Drawled the hare troll. “So cough up. I wanna know what I’m dealing with.”

“Some people might consider it a little gauche, coming in and implying very rude things to someone who never liked you in the first place.” Shedir said, with all the careful lightness of a person holding herself back.

Gliese’s ears flicked and while her pupils weren’t discernible under her psiionic glow, her languid lean against the wall and crossed arms made it easy to imagine she’d rolled her eyes.

“Don’t act like you’re going to poison my tea, Shedir, we both know that’s not your style. You let me in, gamer girl, you get to follow through.”

The shorter woman’s movements became rigid, stiff with anger. Gliese waited, knowing not to provoke her further. Not yet, anyway.

She took off the rest of her swamp wear and hung it up carefully. Shedir never liked anything on the floor, would get all tight and snide if anyone left it. Gliese had given her shit over it until she realized it was because of that fucking frog, who’d slap her own charge even if it was someone else’s stuff.

Even if it wasn’t in the goddamn way to begin with.

The blueblood stood, not wanting to try her luck by sitting down yet, and looked around. The photos of the olive and her second kismesis still sat on the mantelpiece, faded a bit with time, but kept free of dust. She saw Arkoda, too - she wondered if those two were still together. Shedir wasn’t wearing purple anymore, so maybe not.

“What do you need advice on?”

“Guy I know. His lusus sucks, or so I hear. Pretty sure it’s true, though I haven’t seen the thing myself.”

Shedir turned slowly and fixed the cerulean with an unreadable gaze.

“What - ” She said carefully. “ - do you think I can tell you? Do you think I’m - some sort of guide? An expert? Because of what my - what that thing did to me? And I’m not - anyone but myself. I don’t know anything about this man, if we’re similar at all. Why did you come here?”

Gliese bit her lip, ears lowering.

“Yeah. Sorry. But...what did happen to you? I’m...” She tapped near her eyes with a claw. “I can control undead now.”

Shedir’s ears flattened.

“Hey, hey.” Said the blueblood, unusually soft. “I’m not gonna do anything. I got a nullifier I can turn on, if you want.”

The older woman nodded tightly.

The hare troll took out said nullifier and flicked it on, and the glow in her eyes died, leaving her normal yellow sclera and eyes, just on the cusp of being cobalt, but not quite.

Shedir’s shoulders lowered, and she sighed.

“Thank you.” She murmured. “Gliese...I don’t want to talk about it. I really, really don’t want to talk about it. Especially not with you.”

“Yeah, that’s fair.” Sighed the cerulean. “...Sorry. I just...I want to help this guy, and hell, Shedir, I feel like every time I try to help someone I fuck up. But if I don’t off his lusus, who will? How much longer is he gonna have to suffer?”

The frog troll finally gave the blueblood a mug of tea, and went and sat at a table with her own, waving for Gliese to sit down with her. The chairs were soft and comfortable, with padded armrests.

“He’ll suffer in a new way if you kill his lusus.” Said Shedir bluntly. “Are you ready for that? Just how well do you know him?”

“Not a lot.” Gliese admitted. “I know people who do. Isn’t it better if it’s me? I don’t think he likes me anyway, even if he won’t admit it. It’ll hurt less than if someone he cared about did it.”

The big, odd eyes drilled into her, and Gliese really felt looked at. Kit could look at her that way. Aquila had looked at her that way.

“Huh. You’ve changed.” said the frog troll, with faint surprise.

“People do that.” the blueblood grunted, sipping on her tea. The warmth spread through her body and was welcome after the chill of the swamp water.

“I didn’t think you ever would.” admitted the midblood, soft fingers tapping against her other arm.

“Fair.” Gliese said, shrugging. Given how she’d treated Shedir, it was a miracle the olive had even let her in...but then, she was like that.

“Oh, hey - almost forgot, brought you something.”

The hare troll reached into her sylladex and pulled out a small metal figurine. It was a fiduspawn monster, a bearlike one, the fur and face beautifully detailed. She grimaced slightly as she held it in her hand.

“I realize this might not be the greatest, I didn’t know you two had - “

Shedir snatched it out of her hand and held it to her chest.

Gliese blinked.

“No, it’s fine.” Said the olive, in a determinedly steadfast tone, and she tried to smile, which made the blueblood’s spirits plummet and her ears flick in guilt and distress.

“Shedir, you don’t have to - “

The olive raised a hand.

“I want it. Thank you.” She said gently. “Yes, it hurts. But it’s worth it.”

Gliese nodded. Fuck, what was wrong with her? Why did she feel choked up?

She purposefully looked away from the photos that contained her ex.

The hare troll didn’t notice her lowerblooded fellow looking at her with pity and understanding. She was too busy clenching her bony fists, forcing her grief back down her throat.

She was fine, goddamnit. It was a long time ago.

“I didn’t want him to see me like this.” Said Shedir, startling the taller woman slightly. “Arkoda.”

Gliese blinked. “Why not Ehizta?”

Shedir looked at her.

“He’s indigo, Gliese. I was scared. Can you blame me? Look at me.”

The blueblood nodded reluctantly.

“Yeah, I get you. But you’re not a hungry one, are you? Shit - sorry. Not trying to be nosy, I swear.”

“It’s none of your business, but no, I’m not.” Sighed the frog troll. “Not that it mattered anyway - he got conscripted too, as far as I could tell.”

Gliese nodded in sympathy. “That fucking blows. But he’s purple, he should be okay.”

Shedir looked at her and shook her head. “What’s it matter, Gliese? He’s never coming back.” She muttered. “Everyone’s gone. You’re the only person from the old nights who’s spoken to me since...well. It’s not important.”

The blueblood grimaced. “Yeah. Matari’s still kicking, but I don’t talk to her anymore, she fucked up too bad. Dunno what Cennef is up to and I could not give less of a fuck. Dionna’s around, I think, but I haven’t seen her in ages. Aquila...”

“She’s gone too, isn’t she?” said the olive quietly.

“I don’t know.” muttered Gliese. “I had to ditch her when fleet snapped me up, same as Ehizta. Don’t know if she’s alive or dead or what. Don’t think it’s really my right to know anymore.”

“Auriga?”

Gliese shook her head. “No idea.”

“Ionole?”

“Still around, I think - we lived in the same town for a bit, actually, before I moved back hive.”

Shedir looked thoughtful.

“Io and I always got along. Do you have his handle?”

Gliese nodded, taking out her phone to flick through her contacts and text the goldblood’s information to the olive.

The midblood smiled.

“Thanks.”

Another surge of guilt ran through the blueblood, and she winced.

Shedir looked bemused.

“What, do you feel bad when I thank you? I should do it more often.”

Gliese snorted. “Thanks, Shedir, really appreciate it.”

The olive grinned and oh wow, those were some teeth. She definitely hadn’t had those before whatever horrible end she’d met. Gliese leaned back slightly.

“Are you scared? Big bad Gliese Benral is scared of me?” said the frog troll, amused. “I already told you I don’t eat people.”

“So what do you eat? Those are some chompers, girl.”

“Food, same as usual.” She replied.

“Good. Because I have met two rainbowdrinkers since we last saw each other, and holy shit, one of them was insane.”

The olive suddenly looked tense. “Wait. You shouldn’t be here.”

Gliese frowned.

“I mean yeah, I’m not your favorite person, but -”

“You shouldn’t be here for your own sake.” she said urgently. “I know another undead, and she does eat flesh. She doesn’t care about the living at all.”

The ex-fleet troll laughed.

“Big fucking whoop. You know how many zombies I’ve dealt with in the last two sweeps? Spoilers: a fuckload. And I have my powers now!”

Shedir gritted her teeth, ears pinned down in frustration.

“Gliese, listen to me. Zeller isn’t a normal undead. I don’t know what her deal is exactly, but she’s really strong, and she’s resistant to psiionics! I’ve seen people who can control undead try to kill her - it works a little, but then she shakes it off, and they barely got away alive.” She shuddered.

The blueblood frowned. That was like the gem zombies, or Tuuya. Weird.

“Okay, but like, does she just fucking drop in randoml - “

“Oh, oh, whaaaaat’s this?”

The door flung open, and a tall, thin figure leaned against the door frame. The woman grinned, mouth full of long, needle-like teeth, her hair short and straight. Her eyes were different colors - one a light purple, the other a dark gray. As Gliese looked at her she realized that her face was made of...patches, patches of different skin sewn together, grays of every hue. Gross.

“What are you, Frankentroll?” sniped the blueblood. “I’ve seen a worm corpse that looked better than you did.”

The woman paused.

“A worm corpse. Is that so? Novel! Topical, even. And - what was this worm corpse’s name?”

“Tuuya.” said Gliese, mystified. “Why do you care?”

“Tuuya, Tuuya...” muttered the undead. “Haven’t a clue. Hm. Last name?“

“Vannyn.” said Gliese, and the woman’s face lit up with a smile that went nauseatingly wide.

“Oh, brilliant.” She breathed. “Sheddy, you brought me a present, and I love it. Bit scrawny, but I’ll forgive you. We are going to have so much fun.”

The blueblood looked at the undead.

“Yeah, okay.”

She whipped out a flamethrower and blasted the woman point blank as Shedir yelped and dove aside from the blistering heat. Gliese knew she was going to have aches and minor burns later, but whatever; the thing was crispy and that’s what mattered; plus, thankfully, the jet of fire was concentrated enough that there had been minimal damage to the olive’s hive.

The woman put her weapon away and quickly got her swamp gear back on, looking with sympathy at a shivering, huddled Shedir.

“I’ll send you some money, girlie. Sorry. Good luck.”

Gliese ran out the hive’s other door and into the swamp, wading through the murk as fast as she could, mind racing.

What the fuck had just happened?

[nimbooz]

30 through 35 with all three

30. Do they smell like anything notable?

I honestly can't say, but they spend a lot of time around each other so I doubt they would smell super different. Dhanush is probably used to more expensive perfumes (having grown up in royalty) so he may still carry around a small bottle of sandalwood oil or rose oil. Kamal probably smells of coconuts, as he's used to putting it in his hair. I think chimni would smell like dirt and wild flowers, that makes sense to me.

31. Do they like recieving gifts? giving gifts? What is their ideal gift?

Gift-giving is more of a show of status or wealth in this world, as opposed to something intimate and personal. I can see these kids holding onto things that feel important to them, but trade and gifting out of kindness or affection doesn't really fit these cultures (unless it's something significant to a moment, or handmade by the person gifting). Kamal is crafty with his hands and works with wood- I could see them being able to carve up little sculptures and what not and give it to his friends

32. Any odd habits?

Dhanush twiddles with his curls when he's pondering or stressed, and sometimes bites his lower lip. Chimni needs to bathe at a specific time of the day (this is moreso a common practice where she comes from than a habit, but it counts). Kamal tends to fidget with whatever is in their hands.

34. How would your character describe themselves (doesn't have to line up with who they are)

Ok this one's fun, because the whole setup of this story is three kids pretending to be people they're not and hiding something. I'm not sure if I want to put it down because I haven't solidified it in my head but Dhanush is hiding his status, Chimni is hiding her motivations and Kamal is hiding his origins. I think that makes sense

35. Do they ever return home?

Maybe someday I'll actually write this thing down and we'll all find out together lol

[avalonrv325]

Boondocking with Solar: Tips for Extended Off-Grid Adventures

Many RV enthusiasts revel in the freedom of the open road, the idea of setting up camp wherever they desire, away from the hustle and bustle of crowded campgrounds. But with freedom comes responsibility – especially when it comes to power. Solar power systems are a game-changer for those serious about extended boondocking adventures. If you've ever wondered, "Where can I find RV solar system installers near me?" you're on the right track.

The Solar Advantage

While boondocking – camping without any hookups – can be liberating, it also means you're on your own for power. Generators are an option, but they're noisy, can be bulky, and require constant refueling. This is where RV solar power systems truly shine. Silent, sustainable, and self-reliant, they harness the sun's abundant rays, converting them into electricity. It means you can enjoy those sunsets, nature sounds, and the peace of remote areas without the hum of a generator in the background.

Size Matters

Solar isn't one-size-fits-all. Your energy needs might be different from your neighbor's. Hence, before jumping in, assess your energy consumption. Maybe you only need enough power for basic amenities, or perhaps you want to run your AC and coffee maker without worries. Start by jotting down all your appliances and their energy needs. Once you have a clear picture, you can match it with an appropriate solar setup. This tailored approach ensures you won't find yourself short of power midway through your trip.

The Power of Battery Banks

Imagine storing sunshine in a box and using it whenever you like. That's what a battery bank does. Solar panels can harvest a good amount of energy during daylight, but what keeps your lights on at night? A strong, reliable battery bank. The type of battery matters here. While lead-acid batteries are common and affordable, lithium batteries last longer and can be discharged more deeply, giving you more usable energy.

Positioning Your Panels

Just as you'd position your RV to get the best view, the position of your solar panels is equally crucial. Some areas might be shaded, while others receive sunlight all day. Being strategic about where you park can enhance your panels' efficiency. And it's not just about parking - with adjustable tilt mechanisms, you can position your solar panels to face the sun more directly, optimizing energy capture, especially when the sun sits lower in the sky during winter.

Maintenance is Key

Solar panels are pretty low-maintenance, but occasional care can go a long way. Leaves, bird droppings, or accumulated dust can hinder their efficiency. A simple routine of wiping them down or brushing off debris can boost their output. While you're at it, check the connections and cables to ensure everything is in top shape.

Think Local

The array of panels, inverters, and batteries can be confusing. If you're frequently thinking, "Where are the reliable RV solar system installers near me?" local expertise is invaluable. Local professionals are well-versed in your region's specific needs and challenges, making them the best guide in your solar journey.

Embrace Energy Efficiency

A solar setup is only one side of the coin. The other side is how efficiently you use that power. Wasteful energy habits can leave you in the dark even with a top-tier solar system. Simple measures like using LED bulbs, insulating your RV, or even solar-powered gadgets can significantly reduce your consumption, allowing you to stay off-grid longer.

Boondocking with solar is more than just a trend; it's a lifestyle choice that combines the best of both worlds - the beauty of nature and the comfort of modern amenities. 

So, if you're looking to set your RV up for serious off-grid adventures, remember these tips and take that first step into a brighter, greener future. Safe travels!

Author’s Bio – The author is an online blogger. This article is about solar power systems for off-grid adventures.

[luckydragon10]

P&P Chapters 3 and 4

(Chapters 1 and 2)

Off we go again, reacting to Pride and Prejudice:

Chapter 3

More of Mr. Bennet trolling his wife and daughters to start things off. (Might be his favorite sport?)

His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.

YOU. Mr. Darcy, I hear a LOT about you from basically everyone. But you're not going to impress me just because you impressed them. Nope, I will NOT go easy on you just because you're already popular with other readers. Therefore I am immediately deducting 10 points just for being ridiculously wealthy. It's to balance out your privilege. You can thank me later.

and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

...I will immediately give you 5 points back for being an asshole. That's kind of fun of you. Carry on.

“She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men...

MY DUDE, she can HEAR YOU. Being a general asshole is one thing, but being a specific asshole is another. I'm taking 10 points off. You're at -15.

This is going to be fun. Scoring Mr. Darcy is my new game.

“If he had had any compassion for me,” cried her husband impatiently, “he would not have danced half so much! For God’s sake, say no more of his partners. Oh that he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!”

I'm with Mr. Bennet on this one. WOW Mrs. Bennet can talk.

Mr. Bennet should have kept better track of the time and gone to bed before they got home if he'd known what was good for him.

~~~

Chapter 4

“He is just what a young man ought to be,” said she, “sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!—so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!”

Are we setting up a reversal between Bingley and Darcy? Seems like a setup to turn things around and say "neither was what they at first seemed to be" later on. (NO SPOILERS, don't tell me anything or I will haunt you. I'm strictly speculating.)

“I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment.” “Did not you? I did for you. 

Lizzy, you get 5 points for being a supportive sibling. You're at +5 right now.

We'll see how the (ridiculously subjective) score comes out in the end.

They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank; and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others.

In general, I see where the title comes. Everyone is prideful and everyone is prejudiced. It's pervasive already.

Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of great opposition of character. 

Mm, I'm less inclined toward the "reversal of impressions" concept I mentioned above. Foils, more like, gotcha.

~~~

Still lots of establishment going on, bits and pieces of character exposition. I'm trying to take it all with a grain of salt because I feel like the narrator doesn't really want me to take things at face value.

More to come. The reaction continues.

(Chapters 5 and 6)

[sunflowerdaisybee]

Could I request c!Bad fluff / hurt/comfort with a m!reader? I had an idea the other day so that’s where this request spawns from.

So remember when haters made Bad cry on his birthday? I just had an idea for a hurt/comfort fic where reader comes into his room (like they had a second sense that their Bad was upset), ended his stream and just started comforting him? Like, cuddles and soft forehead kisses, reassuring words...all that good stuffs.

-Soj

This was so cute and it broke my heart to hear him crying, <3 also I saw your message about meaning cc instead of c so don't worry :]

Summary: People suck, but thankfully you're there to help

Pairing: Bad X Reader

Pronouns: Male intended but no specific ones used

[A/n]: Requests are open <3

You knew that Bad’s streams would sometimes feature rude comments and generally unpleasant people, so you had taken up the habit of watching and monitoring his stream whenever you had the chance.

Today was no different, except for the fact that it was a Birthday Stream, the stream was just him doing his thing. You were peeved at all the hateful comments coming through, you were tempted to walk into his streaming room and tell them off yourself, but Bad would get upset about it. He always assured you that he was capable of handling them himself, he was grown up and didn’t need protection.

You respected that and you respected him, until you couldn’t abided by his request any longer. You were in the kitchen preparing some food for Bad when you felt a chill run down your spine. You looked over to your phone, which had his stream playing on mute, and rushed over to unmute it. As soon as the sound of him crying came through and breached your ears you threw down your phone and stormed into his streaming room. With no hesitation, you scooted his chair out of the way, shut down everything, and brought him into a hug.

You didn’t care if the stream ended abruptly, they didn’t deserve to see the rest of it if that’s how they wanted to treat him.

Bad had hugged you back like his life depended on it, and in that moment it felt like it did. Usually, he was able to brush off those types of comments but today, they got to him, and it did not feel good. You hushed him and lovingly rubbed his back till he was calm enough to talk.

“Did you shut it off? I didn’t finish the stream.” He looked over at his setup dejectedly, sad that his stream couldn’t be finished.

“You had a good stream while it lasted, that’s all that matters. Now come on, we’re gonna go eat something and have a drink, and then we’re gonna cuddle ok?” Bad nodded and followed you out of the room and into the kitchen.

“What am I gonna tell them? The fans are gonna ask why I ended so suddenly.”

“Sit, leave all that worrying to me.” You placed a soft kiss to the top of his head once he sat, reaching for your phone that was still on the counter. You quickly opened up twitter, sending out a tweet that said how disappointed you were and how you had ended the stream for Bad. Bad had, of course, seen the tweet as soon as you tweeted it.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I do and I did, now hush, let me make my favorite birthday boy some yummy foods.”

[cinnamonest]

I feel like I’ve found my kin, I fell in love with Kakashi when I was like 8 LOL. Can I request some general yandere Zoro headcanons btw? I loved/still love him too 😶

Yes you may ahhh!!!! I love Zoro so much. I love writing for fandoms like this bc shounen anime are... Well, shounen, they're aimed at dudes, so they tend to not have as large of a female audience so there's not a lot of content out there. I love Luffy and there's like zero girl-targeted content for him. I swear I've spent so much time looking for wholesome, decent LuNa (my otp im sorry i just hhhh) doujins that aren't super male-oriented, and there's like... 2. For a 900+ episode anime. 2.

I also love the concept of a yandere in a situation where they CAN'T kidnap you, they're limited by their circumstances, so they have to kind of adjust or go insane. It's an interesting dynamic because it eliminates the norm for yanderes.

I think I mentioned this but I'm not 100% caught up with one piece (I mean, who is?), so I'm just keeping it simplistic and going with kinda basic Zoro and nothing with specific character developments or any spoilers other than his backstory

Yandere Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)

Tws: all the usuals -- yandere, noncon, kidnapping

He meets you while he's lost. I'm sorry I just. Zoro gets lost in the middle of some place they're docked, and you're just such a sweetheart, you see this guy clearly not knowing where he's going, and offer to help him. He's kind of taken aback by your softness and sweetness.

He's not easily made aware of his own feelings. He's a rough and tough sort of guy, and he has dedicated himself to swordsmanship so much that he's neglected to focus on himself and his interpersonal relationships, and he's not really self aware at all of his own feelings, very out of touch with his emotions.

Obviously, even if he tries to shove it down, Kuina weighs heavily on his mind in relation to you. He's another man that has known loss and it's dealt its damage on his psyche. He can't lose another person who's dear to him again.

This results in him becoming insanely protective, one of the most protective yans out there. He's easily one led into paranoia delusions regarding your safety. However, he's an honest and reasonable guy and can be level-headed when confronted. If someone (not yourself, as he thinks you're naive, but maybe another girl like Nami or Robin) tells him he's being overprotective and exaggerating about your safety, he may actually have a moment of self-realization and admit to it. He's capable of being reasonable enough to see it once it's pointed out to him. However... this doesn't stop him. He tries, really, he genuinely tells himself that he needs to stop. But his instincts just kind of take over. It's an impulse, to stop you from doing even the most slightly dangerous things.

Once you join the Straw Hat Crew, he just kinda... clings. It's a silent presence, but he's always there, constantly seems to show up wherever you are. Unfortunately, you can't really... get away from him per se. You're kinda limited to one ship, at least as long as you're out on the sea. Your only option for respite is going to your room or bathing, otherwise, he's gonna follow you, even if he's not saying anything and (very badly) trying to feign indifference, pretending you just happen to be going the same way all the time. He doesn't really know what to say, he's not good with these things, and often he's acting without really thinking too much about it. He won't usually strike up a conversation, he just... is there. Watches. May awkwardly ask a question or make a passing comment.

One scenario I imagine is you jokingly picking up one of his swords and wielding it around giggling and he just flips out, takes it from you and yells at you not to do that, are you an idiot? Do you want to trip and fall and have that impale you? Do you realize how easy it would be for you to slice your arm open by accident? It's startling to both you and anyone watching -- even for someone who gets yell-y as easily as him, it seems like an overreaction. He'll apologize but insist it's a safety thing, really.

And he really tries to hide his more... aggressive nature, because he thinks it will drive you away -- he's a blunt, tough guy with a short-fused temper, and he thinks that's definitely not something women like very much. He tries not to yell at you, not get mad so easy, keep his calm better around you, and might even be nicer to others so that you don't think he's mean. And for the most part, he can manage that. Except when it comes to a very specific, very problematic blonde crew member. His little conflicts with Sanji get worse, to even a point that he's snapping at him so frequently that even Sanji himself is a bit bewildered and caught off guard by it. The others notice they fight a lot more often... and Zoro always seems to instigate it, picking quarrels over the littlest things. In reality, he's afraid of the other's... sleazy nature. He can't have you falling for that bastard. He even starts to get jittery when you're in the presence of Franky, Usopp, hell even Luffy of all people. It's noticeable, and everyone kinda worries for him.

He kicks himself for it as soon as he does it, but he finds himself insulting you nonetheless. It's a terrible habit. He gets so awkward and flustered that it's second nature for him to say something snarky or even rude when you talk to him, and he immediately is just mentally screaming at himself for doing so. This will get a bit better with time, though, if you two talk more often.

Now, even if you can fight, you're never gonna really get the opportunity. In battle, he's clinging to you and protecting you at every moment, even if it costs the others some unnecessary wounds. It's highly uncharacteristic of him, and they notice. He won't leave your side, insisting that you're a weak fighter and that he has to take care of you. You just don't get it, you overestimate yourself, you underestimate your enemies, you're a girl. What, Nami and Robin? Well, they've been at this much longer than you, and they had rough upbringings. You're different. You're soft... fragile. You just can't see it. You're lucky he's here to protect your dumbass.

Due to your setup, well, he can't really kidnap you per se. He undoubtedly would if you two were somewhere else, in another life or another setting, but that's not really an option, and even as a yandere, he would never go so far as to kill or abandon his crew. So, he's stuck with just... slowly, slowly mentally deteriorating.

Now, he's not capable of kidnapping, he's not smart enough to really manipulate you into anything (although he WILL tell you that some of the other guys are out to use you), so, he's left to be the guard dog he inevitably becomes to you. If you avoid him, he'll just follow you. If you don't talk to him, that's ok. If you confront him, he'll just insist he has no idea what you're talking about, and you'll start to feel like maybe you're just paranoid. The others... don't really know what to do, to be honest. I can see Nami/Robin potentially confronting him, but in the end, they can't force him to change his behaviors, and they can't afford to lose him. This results in, gradually, everyone slowly kind of accepting your dynamic onboard. They feel bad for you, really, but... in the end, Zoro's just more valuable to the crew. Sorry. They're not gonna get rid of him, but they don't want to get rid of you either.

If you leave? It may just be one of the very very few things that could ever cause him to leave the Strawhats. It would tear him up, really, it goes against his dreams, his pride, his loyalty, but in the end... his loyalty is first and foremost to you. He'll follow you if you leave. It's a bad move on your part, because this gets rid of the only thing standing between you and kidnapping. Which, at that point, surely will happen. Like his other behaviors, he'll feel bad, he'll try and stop himself, tell himself it's wrong, but you'll end up bound in some dark basement nonetheless. He's one to take a very simple approach. Find you alone, sling you up and over his shoulder and carry you off before anyone can come.

Rejection doesn't faze him. No matter what, he'll remain by your side. Even if you never love him in return. It's just his nature, he's a guardian through and through.

In the end, he'll be right there by your side, scaring off any competitors, clinging to you like glue, ever in your presence like a shadow, forever. Whether you want him to or not. He's just an inescapable force, an unmovable object, and you're wasting your time trying to change your fate.

Now, he's very flustered with anything sexual. Highly embarrassed, lots of shame, and doesn't talk much about it. It just kind of happens. He doesn't talk much during, mostly grunts and the occasional fuck when you clamp down, occasionally asking you if you're ok, if it hurts, if it feels good. It's one of the only very soft sides of him. In the end, he really, truly loves you, and doesn't want to hurt you, he wants you to feel good and just love him. It's a very different side to him, one no one else has ever really seen, it's the most vulnerable he himself has ever been with another person.

He feels shame for it, but initially he'll definitely be one to steal your things, sit outside of your room at night, listening to you through the wall, try and get glimpses of you bathing or dressing. He really, really feels guilty, and he's one that will, once you're comfortably restrained and never going anywhere, just sit down and list out every nasty little thing he's ever done regarding you, just to get it off his chest. He understands if you react badly, and he'll apologize, which is a bit ironic considering how much worse kidnapping you is.

He'll apologize for that, too. He's actually one to do so a lot. He's normally a proud guy, but with this? He knows it's wrong, he knows it's fucked up. He knows he can't stop. And he'll be sorry to the moon and back. Just never sorry enough to stop.

He's actually a pretty vanilla guy. Hand-holding missionary type. And, despite being so embarrassed over it all, oddly romantic about it. It's one of the only things he's ever soft and gentle about, it's almost unbelievable to you that he's capable of being so gentle and slow with anything. But he'll kiss your forehead, really take his time with it all, make you cum on his fingers before ever actually fucking you. Hold your hand, look into your eyes. It would be honestly incredibly sweet if it weren't... you know, taking place in some dark sealed off room after dragging you there against your will.

If he's particularly mad, he can get rougher, but he'll apologize after. It's a lot of harsh grabbing, biting, it leaves bruises that he'll rub over softly, whispering an apology, even if a little part of him likes the way it looks on you.

[royalreef]

@tornvoid​ inquired: random Headcanon question: what type oif voice do you think Miranda has? 

(( In a gesture that will surprise absolutely no one: I don’t consider Miranda’s canon VA to be what my Miranda sounds like. I suppose it does work for canon Miranda and her design, but when it comes to the redesign... Well, it just doesn’t work.

Namely, because Miranda doesn’t exactly have the same vocal setup as a human. I still need to more fully decide on how exactly it works in all of the fine details, but her vocal cords include a large, complex organ in her chest that partially extends up her throat, the existence of which partially explains why Miranda’s chest and neck both are so much larger than that of a human’s. Merfolk are pretty big, even if Miranda’s still short and small by merfolk standards — and they’re especially good at long-distance conversation through a liquid medium. They have a wider range of sound than a human, including sounds that are too high for human ears to hear, as well as sounds that are too low for human ears to hear, but most of their sounds do occupy the lower range, for the reasons discussed above.

So I like to imagine my Miranda actually has a fairly deep voice? Hers is more smooth than growl-y, and speaks with a lot of confidence to her words, which is a rather far departure from the more canon-typical voice! I wouldn’t really know how to find a VA to match her, not without mixing something up for her in specific, just because it’s really not a human-sounding voice at all, more like what you might imagine a crocodile and a tiger would sound like in combination, with a little bit of whale sprinkled in for flavor, if any could speak.

There’s also the matter of Miranda’s accent. She does try to hide hers, to more closely match how the people around her sound and how they pronounce words, but you’ll notice that if she ever gets really excited or really upset, she’ll start to gain her accent back again, as she’s not putting in as much effort to hide it. This is another one that’s complicated to explain, just due to us not having anything else to compare it to, but I always liken it to music? As in, she’ll pull out some syllables into sounds that almost sound like musical notes, or she’ll add in little trills and chirrs to make the sounds “dance”, or she’ll switch up how she stresses her words to make them form patterns, like she’s forcing everything she says to take on iambic pentameter. There’s also quite often a lot of growls to her words - where, how they’re normally pronounced, you can feel them vibrate in the throat, but she’ll go a step further and actually growl in her chest, producing a deeper and richer sound. Miranda actually tends to speak a lot more “from her chest” than the others around her, which is partially explained by just how she’s making those words, but also by force of habit and how she’s used to speaking.

That said, however — Miranda really does try to hide all of these little quirks and things about her that make listening to her speak unique. Largely because this is the first time any landfolk are speaking to a merfolk, and Miranda gets REALLY uncomfortable if people make a show of not being able to understand her or acting weird because of how she sounds. Merfolk, being so vocal in nature, tend to really err towards making sure they’re understood, and especially as a royal, Miranda cannot STAND to have herself be misunderstood or misinterpreted. It’s also why she doesn’t actually introduce herself using her real name, and instead settles with “Miranda Vanderbilt” - because most landfolk don’t have the vocal cords to say her name properly, and it’s less rude to just call her something entirely different than it is to mispronounce her title and her real name.

[blondehairstripe]

So I think that as of S3, Varian is crushing hard on Rapunzel. And in this case, it goes deeper than mere infatuation, given the nature of their relationship and everything that’s transpired between them within the series.

Read on for in-series analysis with screencaps and some bonus post-series fanon speculation!

IN-SERIES ANALYSIS

Before he went villain, I’d say that Varian’s feelings toward Rapunzel were more hero-worship, so he likely thought she was pretty, but undoubtedly out of his league and already taken to boot. No signs of crushing yet—he instead becomes infatuated with the only unattached person who came to visit him: Cassandra.

In my humble opinion, Varian didn’t have a romantic attraction to Rapunzel until it hit him like a bolt of lightning when she told him “It’s your mess, but it’s my kingdom” in Rapunzel’s Return.

Though he was oddly flirty with her while she was in that dungeon cell...

There is also the distinct possibility that the cell was where the first stirrings of a crush began to form during their reconnection. The basis for this theory comes from the absolutely adoring look he gave her when she said “we need him” and how he looked pretty well smitten as she pulled him along.

By the end of the episode Rapunzel frees Quirin, and hoo boy, is that the final nail in Varian’s coffin of feelings. She’d forgiven him his atrocities, kept her word, freed his father—honestly, it’d be weirder if he didn’t fall for her if you ask me.

Then Be Very Afraid rolls along, and we learn that Varian considers Rapunzel “wondrous and magical,” something Rapunzel notes rather slyly and Pascal seems to think is sweet. The look on Varian’s face when she takes his hand and pulls him along again says it all. Boi is smitten.

Additionally...just look at this dork when Rapunzel catches him being a nerd about metals and drinking hot cocoa in Cassandra’s Revenge. This is the reaction of a teenager who just got caught doing something embarrassing by his crush. He zeroes in on Rapunzel specifically and doesn’t seem to care that any of the others caught him.

But through all of these new feelings for Rapunzel, Varian loves Eugene too (90% platonically in this case), so my take is that he’s resolved to not interfere in their relationship. And after everything that’s happened, he likely feels that Eugene is a better match for her and that they truly deserve each other. Though after his stint as a villain where Varian completely lost his respect for the ruling class, the whole “she’s a princess I’m a peasant” thing would likely not be a factor for him anymore. Also, he’s clearly never given a crap about age gaps, and the 4 year gap between him and Rapunzel is even smaller than his canonical S1 crush on Cassandra with an 8 year gap.

Now that we’ve covered the analysis of canonical events, we can delve into pure fanon speculation territory.

POST SERIES SPECULATION

While Varian has indeed resolved to not do a single stupid thing to mess up Rapunzel and Eugene’s relationship, he can’t keep himself from wanting to be close to Rapunzel and craving her affection. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it) Rapunzel is a very affectionate person, so she’ll hug Varian, hold his hand, even cuddle him because he’s her precious friend. Also, she’s a pro at giving him the verbal validation that seems to fuel him (aka his love language: words of affirmation).

This results in Varian coming up with excuses and ways to stay close to Rapunzel, and at times when he ends up being sandwich-snuggled between Eugene and Rapunzel (because let’s face it, we’ve seen that Eugene is huggy) he sometimes catches himself trying to pretend Eugene isn’t there, which he instantly feels super guilty about.

Side note: Ruddiger is completely aware of how he feels because Varian is an open book when he’s alone with his little raccoon buddy, and the devious little critter sometimes manipulates situations to try to get Varian alone with Rapunzel or to set them up for what he believes is a romantic encounter (what do you mean being trapped inside a dumpster together isn’t romantic? Intimate dark setting, and all the garbage you can eat!). These setups only work about half the time, and so while Varian appreciates the sentiment, he’d prefer Ruddiger to stay out of it because the failures tend to end with Varian being horribly embarrassed.

And if Rapunzel ever gives him what she views as chaste kisses on the cheek or forehead, Varian’s over the freaking moon and always blushes so hard he almost passes out. Rapunzel finds it cute while Eugene thinks it’s the funniest thing ever and teases Varian he’s gonna have to get over that habit if he ever wants a girlfriend/boyfriend of his own. Whether he’s aware of Varian’s crush or not is up for debate, but he for sure has no idea how deep it runs and thus considers it harmless if he’s aware of it.

Varian probably also frequently gives Rapunzel gifts in order to get her attention and favor in the form of inventions/discoveries he thinks she’ll like. He might even bake her things since we’ve seen he has a knack for it. His favorite thing is if he can get Rapunzel to come work on a project with him, giving him the one-on-one time he craves while doing something he loves.

Also, I think that if anyone were to insult Rapunzel in Varian’s presence, they might find their shoes sticky bombed to the floor. Looking at you, Uncle Monty. Varian might become the second person in Corona to not like him.

Of course, he’s not so obsessed with Rapunzel that he has no life outside of her, since he very much enjoys one-on-one time with both his dad and Eugene (Lance is kind of a 50/50 shot for him, and the girls are like little sisters to him). And of course he spends most of his time in his lab doing alchemy. But he lights up every time Rapunzel enters the room and gravitates towards her, and would do pretty much anything for her.

And for a while, Varian convinces himself that this is fine, and that he doesn’t need Rapunzel to love him back the same way he loves her. Though he feels small flares of jealousy whenever she and Eugene kiss or indulge in other romantic gestures that Varian would never hope or dare to try, but he stomps the jealousy down for the greater good of everyone involved.

The wedding would be super bittersweet for him, since he’d be so happy that his friends have found happiness together, even while knowing that Rapunzel is unquestionably out of his reach now. But that doesn't stop him from continuing to love her. His dad says he’ll get over her one day (his only human confidant, the dude is legendary at keeping secrets), but Varian isn’t so sure.

And from this point, the fanon possibilities are pretty much endless, some of them running the gambit from Varian continuing to respectfully pine for Rapunzel in secret, to him getting over her and finding his own happiness with someone else, to him gradually descending into madness and going just a touch yandere. Depends on what flavor of Varian you’re in the mood for: pining Varian, happy Varian, or villainous Varian. And of course, you can get real fancy and combine different Varian flavors to make something unique!

@varipunzel​