#I know I know it's... in many ways... just cultural difference

[aardvarkingmad]

Or to a multi- or "pan" fandom online rpg. I've seen many of them, and played in some of them for years. There was a lot of variety early on, as a lot of the tropes or conventions that make them work had not yet been nailed down. But it's been years now since I saw a game advertised that didn't have the following:

PCs from various fandoms suddenly find themselves in a strange location (a spaceship, a city, an island, a post-apocalyptic landscape, etc). They may or may not know how they got there.

They will be greeted, in person or via a message of some kind, informing them of where they are, that they cannot leave, and that there are others in the same predicament.

They will be assigned a place to live, usually given a sum of money to get them started, and advised that they will have to find some way to support themselves when that runs out.

They'll also have access to a personal phone/communicator/PC which will allow them to communicate with other people. (The earliest game I played in, a multi-fandom game based on LOST had no such thing. It was in-person interactions or nothing.)

Characters with special abilities may or may not have then nerfed to differing degrees. Sometimes they're unaffected, sometimes they lost their powers entirely, or somewhere in between. Sometimes only certain powers are nerfed. (But in all cases, characters who *should* be able to escape the game environment--via teleportation, portals, magic, whatever) cannot.

A culture of "yeah, what can you do?" arises, Newcomers learn that this happens a lot. Nobody knows how long they'll stay, and the community generally learns that a character has departed (i.e, been dropped or retired by a player, or possibly booted for violating game rules) when messsages to the character start bouncing back and/or "I think [character] has left. All his stuff is gone."

Nothing that happens to the character in the game, including maiming or death, will affect the canon characters (Obviously. It can't.) If a character was picked up at the time of death in canon (miraculously rescued/cloned/whatever), when their time in the games, well, sucks to be them I guess when their brief afterlife ends....

Some characters come and go repeatedly, picked up a player, played for a while, then dropped--only to be picked up by a new player. Sometimes repeatedly--some characters are a lot harder to play than people think they'll be. The returning character may or may not remember his previous time in the game. He may be subtly or greatly different (especially for characters who exist in different canons--cartoon version of the character vs live-action character, etc), and of course may just be played differently by a player who has a different interpretation of the character. A lot characters who are not canonically bisexual or gay turn out that way in the games (a LOT of slash fiction happens there, either explicit behind a locked post or in a fade-to-black scenario.)

[petalbcrnes]

hiii i luv your writing so much!! this is probably a silly question but what media do you read/watch to get a good understanding of the batboys? i want to write about them ^_^ i know only a little based on what I've read from stories but other than that im clueless... sorry if this is a very weird thing to ask.... i just luv your writing and look up to you!!!

not a silly question at all my dear! 💞 it makes me so happy you look up to me 🥹🥹 i wish you the best of luck in writing for them.

there is a lot of media to choose from when learning about the batboys characters. Almost every comic, movie & game shows us different sides of their personality.

id recommend these medias to start from. i would like to clarify that i am no expert in this. i have barely read any comics about them. most of my knowledge about their characters comes from reading fanfiction. if i make any mistakes with the information i gathered here please let me know!

batman: death in the family & batman: under the red hood, Arkham Knight (a more gritty version of jay, bruce, etc) juni ba's comics (i recommend juni ba's comics to every dc fan), batman vs robin, son of batman, gotham knights (take this one with a grain of salt, not many liked it, i personally liked it 😭), wayne family adventures. (most of my characteristics for the batboys comes from wfa), if you're feeling like it you could give the series titans a try (first dc media i ever watched, im not too much of a fan of the earlier seasons, the characters building gets better down the road), young justice is a classic (currently watchinf yj, you could watch it for nightwing i suppose)

I have some issues with the movies, considering we do not get the full batfamily in most of them, plus i feel like their culture/roots often gets ignored (damian and dick for example). (Jason, tim and duke are often ignored. Mostly duke though).

what to keep in mind when writing:

dont fall for the stereotypes. jason wasn't some angry robin. tim isnt always glued to his computer. duke is 100% a batfam member and has his own full fleshed out character. damian isn't unfeeling. talia isn't a horrid mother. bruce is flawed yes, but for our sakes give him a chance.

dont forget their roots/race/ethnicity— i think it is canon that dick is romani (writers put that in ~2000's, in a very racist way as well. it doesn't erase the fact dick is romani, but take advice from romani and roma creators when writing for him (if you plan on highlighting his heritage). damian is mixed— arab and chinese heritage on his mother's side, plus bruce is white so (wow kore you worded that beautifully). for damian his culture is pretty important— id recommend letting it shine through while writing.

dont forget duke. duke thomas is a batboy. he will always be a batboy. try and include him in any works where the other batboys r included.

this is more of a quick guide to know about the batboys. for me at least 😭 if anyone has recommendations feel free to let us know 💞

[gutssnipe]

I’m writing this because I watched the Columbine iceberg video a few years ago, and I’ve just started rewatching it. There are, of course, different parts, but I’m going to be talking about the first likeee 20 to 30 minutes of the first video.

“Harris and Klebold weren’t bullied”

Obviously, I can’t say for certain whether they were or weren’t, but what I can say is this:

Enough people who went to Columbine came out and spoke about the harassment and bullying that Dylan, Eric, and many others received. Frank DeAngelis, the principal of Columbine, testified and said that the “jock culture” that was prone to bullying kids like Harris and Klebold was a myth — that there was no Trench Coat Mafia, and that staff didn’t detect any bullying or see what was to come. Other teachers and staff echoed the same words, and some outright refused to be interviewed at all.

That said, there’s a lot of testimony from students and staff at Columbine who said bullying actually was an issue.

Here are some examples:

“Eric and Dylan did get this every day, and we all knew it, and we all talked about it. We laughed about it because that’s all you can do.” – Brooks Brown Patty Stevens, a special education teacher at Columbine, said bullying was out of hand. She mentioned how she tried to bring it up in staff meetings because of how scared her students were, but to no avail: “They kind of blew me off,” she said. Within a month of school opening in fall 1996, Rocky Hoffschneider and another football player were teasing Stephen Greene’s son Jonathan, who was Jewish. Their favorite bit was singing about Hitler when he made a basket in gym class. The gym teacher, Craig Place — also Hoffschneider’s wrestling coach — did nothing. “They pinned him on the ground and did ‘body twisters,’” Greene said. “He got bruises all over. Then the threats began – about setting him on fire and burning him.” When Greene confronted the principal and Jonathan’s guidance counselor, their response was: “These things can happen.” Valeen Schnurr, who was critically wounded in the massacre, told her mother that bullying happened based on things like race and religion.

There’s probably more I’ve forgotten, but even just with this, people still refuse to accept that bullying was a major factor in their reasoning. Clearly not the only factor, but a big one.

It seems — keyword, seems — to me that Frank just wanted to preserve the school’s image. The idea that everyone was good, kind, and accepting, and that Eric and Dylan were part of that. That they had no real reason to do what they did. To demonize them. Which — yes — they absolutely were, but in a much more complex way than they made it out to be.

I think, with murder in general, people nowadays don’t view it solely as “inhumane,” but sometimes as an outlet for anger. That’s not to excuse or condone anything they did. What I mean by “demonizing” is this: claiming Harris and Klebold had no reason — that they just wanted to hurt people out of nowhere. I don’t think what they did was right or justifiable in any way. But I do think they felt stuck. And “NBK” was their easiest way out — not to graduate or move forward in life, but to die.

On the "Follower vs. Leader" Trope

Another thing — which was briefly mentioned — is the whole “leader and follower” narrative. While it’s possible, I don’t think one led the other. I believe they were both equally disturbed.

You can never know the full truth. I’m not claiming I know more than anyone else. What I’m saying is: people pick this whole thing apart and twist others’ words — or even their own. Uninformed people can choose to get informed, they just… don’t care enough to.

“Eric wanted to kill, Dylan wanted to die”

While I don’t totally dismiss this idea, I do notice how people tend to paint Eric as so much worse than Dylan. In reality, they were both just as bad.

“And when I see that they tried to get mental help for Eric, and how honest they were on the diversion papers (they were straightforward and admitted Eric’s responsibility) — and Sue’s way of phrasing things and straight-up lying to minimize Dylan’s actions (from way before the massacre) — I take things with a grain of salt.”

That’s a Reddit comment someone left under one of Randy Brown’s posts in r/Columbine. I didn’t retype it because I could just copy and paste it — but I agree with that take deeply.

Basement Tapes / Copycats (??)

"the basement tapes have never been released to the public in their entirety. the official reason for withholding the tapes is that they'll make people sympathize with the killers or inspire copycats"

Stupid thing to say, no matter how much you keep from the publics eye there will always be copycats and people who sympathize anyways. You release radioactive clothing, hitmen for hire, more videos and their journals but keep one thing because you're scared?

Definitely not all, but lots of shooters after the massacre, took a liking to columbine as a whole and had an abnormal amount of interest in it. You can never categorize somebody as a copycat unless they outright claim themself as one, but you can definitely speculate it if you look into it enough. What has been released in the time since it happened has already inspired many copycats. So the reasoning is just, well, stupid. It's insanely stupid.

quick note, because I re-read this several times before posting (out of fear of grammar or spelling errors, or overall stupidity). I mentioned that I am not trying to excuse, or condone any of the things that I mention but I want to make it VERY clear. I don't think that bullying is a "reason" to commit anything like this, I do not condone what they did, or what anyone similar has done. I just like to yap, and i've been researching these types of things for years! PLEASE DONT NUKE ME!!!!!

Anyway, Thank you for reading my yap sesh ✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ )

[hermajestyimher]

I'm about to ruffle some feathers with this, but it's been bothering my spirit for a while and I need to let it out.

I know I was one of the people with a platform who ran to comment on the Wizard Liz situation and jumped on the social media bandwagon where everyone had to say something about it. But now that several days have passed, I can’t help but notice that the world of online “female empowerment” has become oversaturated, not just with recycled advice, but with increasingly toxic talking points. Things like “high-value people,” glamorizing sex work under the guise of hypergamy, and encouraging women to act like bimbos as if that’s somehow radical. All of it has started to feel like a massive, communal online brain rot. It’s encouraging surface-level aesthetics while discouraging critical thinking, and it's leaving young women unequipped to navigate finances, relationships, career growth, or real-world emotional development.

This isn’t empowerment anymore. Somewhere along the way, this “community” morphed into a repackaged conservative space dressed up in soft girl branding with a bow tie on it. So many of your favorite gurus are parroting the same talking points you’ll find in the manosphere, just twisted into language that’s palatable to women. Meanwhile, a lot of these same women are in dysfunctional relationships with undesirable men who openly disrespect them, or they themselves are openly involved in sex work while encouraging others to take advice from them on emotional regulation and personal values.

The situation with Wizard Liz really drove this home for me—not just because of her scandal, but because of the way the internet responded. The mob mentality. The idolization. The obsessive praise. It’s wild to watch how quickly the internet will crown a woman as a queen, a mother, a messiah, and treat her as untouchable. “You’re the best.” “You’re my mother.” “You’re the only one I listen to.” It’s become this strange form of digital worship. And I’m not saying that to be cynical because I get why people do it. We’re all just trying to find someone to believe in. But when we put imperfect humans on pedestals like that, we set them up to become avatars for our own unmet needs.

We need to talk more about the cost of this internet idol culture. When people become brands, they stop being seen as people. They become symbols and mirrors for our fantasies. And in that process, our own discernment fades. We stop asking, “Is this true for me?” and start asking, “Who else agrees with this so I can feel safe thinking it too?” Suddenly, everyone is saying the same thing in different aesthetics, and no one wants to be the one to say, “Hey, this might be shallow.”

And the scariest part? This groupthink often looks like empowerment, but it’s just another form of control, only this time it comes with soft music and good lighting.

We don’t need to cancel these women, and we don’t need to worship them either. We can just see them for what they are: people, not prophets. We can honor what they’ve contributed while also questioning what they’re selling. We can notice where we’re projecting our own longings onto someone else’s curated image. And most importantly, we can come back to ourselves.

If you feel yourself comparing, ask: Do I want her life, or do I want the feeling I think her life would give me? Because once you name that feeling, you can start building it: here, now, in your own lane, with your own voice.

That’s what I’m choosing to do. And if you’ve been feeling the same way, I hope you’ll join me.

[marxalittle]

dangit I don’t have the link to hand but after the invention of photography I wanna say either Alexander I or II (if so, one of the last things he ever did) commissioned a photographic study of his empire, sending a camera crew from the western border with what was probably not Poland again at that point all the way out to Vladivostok and all points north and south in between. they brought back these amazing images of all the people they could find in every distant region, from Old Believers to the many, many Asian peoples who had up until then essentially been administrative abstractions to Moscow and Petersburg: and all of these were Russians. beautiful photos, by the way.

because the USSR did not change imperial Russia’s territorial ambitions and Russification policy but merely inherited and expanded it, in some cases after the revolution those people became members of their SSR [Region/Territory/Designator] and ultimately remained Russian. since the collapse of the USSR, some of those regions have become independent, but culturally many remain Russian in the fashion they had been for centuries, because the heritage of several hundred years of being part of a culture and polity don’t go away with rebranding; others remain part of the Russian Federation, aka the recapitulation of Russia’s imperial ambitions, and are therefore by definition Russian.

it’s the most territorially large country on the planet and more than half of it is in, by any standard, Asia. the stereotypical blonde northern Slav population (btw, loads of Slavs are brunettes and not just southern Slavs either, just putting that out there) is most likely in the minority in Russia, but they inhabit the cities closest to and best known by the West, so they dominate the Western understanding of Russia. this is something, btw, which the Slavic Russians are in no hurry to change, partly because of several hundred years of being desperate for the West to like them, partially bc of the aforementioned Russification, which if you don’t know is the (cough cough genocidal) cultural project of subsuming all ethnic identities, starting with all Slavs (see pan-Slavism, 19th century) and expanding to all ethnic groups within territory controlled or claimed by Russia, into the Russian identity, erasing cultural linguistic religious etc differences and replacing them with a Moscow-Petersburg (not even Nizhny Novgorod, smdh) ratified concept of the Russian (white, blonde, etc).

[asktheritochampion]

yoooo revaliiii waddup. Happy pride my dude

ummm but speaking of pride, I’m thinking of coming out to my family next week. My mom first because I feel like she’d get me most.

I’ve been scared to for as long as I’ve known I was bisexual. Which has been like, four years. I’ve just never gotten to telling my family yet because they’re religious (albeit not strictly, but either way).

I have literally zero way to support myself if they reject me/cut me off, even though the chances of them doing so are highly unlikely. I’m just scared. What if it harms my relationships? I just don’t wanna loose what I already have.

sorry for dumping that all on you, but you’ve probably come out to Teba and Saki and others. I just don’t know how I’m gonna look myself in the mirror if they say I’m something unholy or unworthy of love. Which, again, probably won’t happen, but the threat of it is keeping me from saying anything. My family is everything to me and if I lose that, I might lose myself

best regards and happy pride, master revali!

'Coming out' as bisexual isn't something Rito typically need to do, in fact most would consider bisexual to be the norm amongst our people. Even back in my day before the Calamity, it was rather traditional for male warriors to bed one another the night before important battles for good luck and prosparity, and most women had relations with other women around the village while their husbands were away on missions for weeks at a time. Many Rito life bond with others of their own gender identity - I beleive Nekk and Huck who run the Braizen Beak armour shop in town are pair bonded.

However; I can understand that in Hylian culture it's rather a taboo thing - and I am not without experience in hiding...other aspects of my quer experience from those around me for the purpose of safety.

Your desire to express yourself and to be accepted by loved ones is rather normal, however I would advise against making any decisions until you are certain of the security of your position. Safety comes first, unfortunately

Perhaps you could broach the topic first in an unsupecting manor. Bring up in conversation that you have a friend or colleague who has an interest in multiple genders to guage their reaction. Ensure that you yourself present the topic in a positive manor - people often mimic the emotions of those around them, and if you seem alright with the concept then they are more likely to react in a positive way too.

If they do respond in a neutral or positive manor, perhaps continue the conversation by querying if they know or have met any other queer people. You may find yourself suprised that despite one's religious beleifs, they've lived full lives you undoubtably know little about - which could include brief questioning of their own sexuality or periods of friendship with others who live vastly different lifestyles.

Perhaps even bluntly query that if you or one of your sibblings had questions about their sexuality, would your primary caregivers still support you? It's not giving them any immediate indication to react poorly, but should give you a confidence in whether or not this is a safe discussion for you to have.

Rest assured, whether or not your blood relations respect or support your life choices; there is a rich community of queer individuals all over the world - accessable to you easily from home through your household purah pad. Even if you feel unable to safely confide in your parental figures, there are plenty of individuals out in the world who will always have your back, and as you grow and someday become able to leave home, you shall be able to find your own chosen family who shall accept you for all of you.

[shsl-hubris-guy]

this wasn't triggered by anything in particular, I was just talking with a friend about media analysis and remembered this and don't think I've ever formally talked about it on here lol

I know damn well I'm not the first person to mention this (I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I've already said this shit before and just forgot), but Chihiro. Genders, am I right? I think a lot of people interpret Chihiro in very different ways and have a different level of removal or connection from the plot in which they come from. And because of that, there's like, a million different headcanons for them, none of which I think are necessarily the "wrong" way to look at them, even if I do have a bias for transfem Chihiro in particular

Chihiro as a character and their presentation is one that's incredibly flawed. While it's meant to be a breakdown of toxic masculinity and criticizes the expectations put on men, it does so through a pretty misogynistic lens, and doesn't do much of anything to critique that misogyny. And, while most likely unintentional due to the cultural context and time period, it also reads as transphobic, with the subgenre Chihiro comes from often being referred to as a 'trap' character in the first place. This can all be read pretty easily by just playing the game or watching the anime adaptation, though it's admittedly much worse in the localization than it was in its original form. That's also why you get so many different reads of the character, because different people consume different versions and have differing experiences of their own that they can connect it to. For example, someone who read the original Let's Play or have more knowledge of the otoko no ko subculture are probably going to read Chihiro very differently from, say, your average anime watcher.

What I take issue with, and I think a lot of people can see where I'm coming from with this, are the people that make a point to say that anyone who interprets them other than the way they do are somehow morally incorrect for doing so. Chihiro Fujisaki's character is a work of fiction, and while the experiences they have and the arc they undergo is relevant to the story, none of it is real. It's based entirely on how the author perceives the subculture they're based upon, which is a pattern with every character from THH in particular. So treating the work as infallible and shooting down people's interpretations, headcanons, and even criticisms with textual evidence doesn't really accomplish anything other than making all parties frustrated. A Doylist problem can't really be disproven with a Watsonian explanation, yk?

Generally, the people who enjoy Chihiro as seen in canon take a lot of value from the Watsonian angle. Chihiro dresses femininely because bullies made him think he wasn't good enough to be a boy, so he pretended to be a girl so he'd fit people's perceptions of weakness. His determination to shed the disguise is the proof of his mental strength, but the tragedy is that he still believed in the same system, and went to a symbol of hypermasculinity only to then get killed by it, both literally and metaphorically. He was a man because he chose to be, and didn't need to prove it. That's the in-game explanation for his character and his internal struggle, and why his death occurred.

Those who like alternative reads of them, meanwhile, look at the story beyond just what the game gives us itself, and look at the how and why of it on a meta sense. That's the Doylist look at it. Why does the game think dressing femininely functions as a sign of weakness? Why does it treat men being stronger than women as a generalized truth? Why is Chihiro's backstory written the way it is, and what does that say about how the author's views? Otoko no ko as a subculture comes from the conscious choice of the people who dress and act that way, so what does it say about the people who made Chihiro that his participation in said subculture is an inherent weakness on his part, and that strength comes from discarding it entirely?

You can have people who take the game for what it is, people who discard the game's choices for its flaws, or a mixgture of both. This is generally where you get the split between cismale, transfem, and transmasc/genderqueer interpretations. And again, none of these reads are wrong as long as you can respect other people's right to read them differently than you. But there does always seem to be a pocket of Chihiro fans that seem to think anyone outside of their own interpretation is wrong for doing so, and go out of their way to say that on other people's posts and stuff like that, and I just can't for the life of me understand why, because all it does is make people more defensive of their own read and, consequently, more apprehensive to people outside of that. Rinse and repeat, and the Chihiro fanbase eventually becomes a total minefield.

the TLDR is all Chihiros are valid, and also be nice to people

[junwritten]

my blogger

pairing: choi yeonjun x f!reader

genre: fluff, mutual pining, slice of life, light academia vibes

warnings: light swearing, mild academic stress, adorable yeonjun being adorable

summary: you’re sitting at starbucks with your crush doing homework when he invites you over to a friend’s place—and drops a line that just might ruin you forever.

MDNI . txt masterlist

you don’t really mean to fall in love with choi yeonjun.

it just kind of… happens.

it starts in your elective media studies class, where he shows up with fluffy hair, chapstick shimmer on the edge of his cup, and opinions on blogging that make the whole room sit up straighter. you don’t talk to him for the first two weeks. you just write about him.

because, well—your professor made you start a blog. and not just a pretend blog—a real one, with actual weekly entries about digital culture, personal reflections, media consumption, blah blah. most of your classmates do the bare minimum.

but you? you write essays about yeonjun.

not directly, obviously. that would be unhinged. you just refer to him vaguely as “the boy with the soft laugh who sits by the window.” and “gloss boy,” once, which is embarrassing in retrospect.

you write about how he talks with his hands, like he’s painting ideas in midair. how he doodles on the sides of his notes. how he reads blog posts out loud with this half-laugh in his voice, like everything is secretly funny to him.

so when he turns to you one day and goes, “hey, wanna get coffee and study sometime?” you nearly choke on your own breath.

but somehow you say yes. and even more miraculously, it turns into a habit.

starbucks becomes your thing.

you get the same drinks each time—he orders some ridiculous iced monstrosity with extra whipped cream and strawberry drizzle, and you get a boring latte and steal sips from his cup when he offers. he always offers. you always pretend not to want it and then take it anyway.

you work together, side by side, laptops open, headphones half-on. he makes you laugh more than you probably should during a study session. you keep writing blog entries about him, even though your class only requires one a week and you’re way past the limit.

and okay. maybe you’re delusional. but sometimes it feels like he’s writing about you too. not in blog posts—you’ve never seen his, he’s secretive about it—but in the way he looks at you when you’re not paying attention. in the way he saves the seat next to him with his jacket. in the way he texts you at midnight like, “send me a pic of your notes i zoned out thinking about waffles.”

you’re so down bad it’s painful.

today’s no different.

he’s waiting for you at the usual table when you arrive, spinning his iced drink between his hands, eyes lighting up when he sees you.

“you’re late,” he says with a grin.

“you’re early,” you shoot back, sliding into the chair across from him.

your laptop’s heavy in your bag, your brain foggy from too many late nights, but something about being here—being next to him—makes everything feel easier. he always does.

you sip your drink, scroll through your notes, make it exactly fifteen minutes before he distracts you again.

“hey,” he says suddenly, glancing at his phone. “soobin just texted. he’s having people over. wanna come?”

you blink. “oh, i thought you were just heading over to his place.”

“yeah,” he says, like it’s obvious. “but aren’t you coming?”

you pause, caught off guard. you were fully prepared to say goodbye, to sit here alone with your homework and your unspoken feelings.

“well…” you start.

but before you can finish, he’s looking at you with that stupid, goofy smile. the one he only ever really gives to you. and he says, with zero hesitation and all the dramatic flair of someone who absolutely knows what he’s doing.

“i’d be lost without my blogger.”

you freeze.

your heart skips three beats. maybe four. your brain explodes.

“you—” you choke out. “what?”

he just sips his drink, unbothered. smug. “what?” he echoes, voice light.

“you know about my blog?” you hiss, leaning across the table like it’s a secret government mission. “how do you—”

“you write like you think no one’s ever gonna read it,” he says, all soft and honest, like he hasn’t just upended your entire existence. “but i read it. every post.”

you are going to die right here in this starbucks.

“you’re the reason i passed that midterm,” he adds. “your notes? immaculate. your media takes? unhinged but smart. your entries about ‘the boy with the soft laugh’?” he wiggles his eyebrows. “flattering.”

you cover your face with both hands. “oh my god.”

he laughs—actual, full-body laughs—and reaches out like he’s going to tug your hands away, then thinks better of it and just lightly taps your wrist.

“you’re a good writer,” he says. “and a terrible liar.”

you peek through your fingers. “how long have you known?”

“first week,” he says. “you posted about my ‘strawberry crime against coffee.’ i put two and two together.”

“why didn’t you say anything?”

“i dunno,” he shrugs. “i liked being your secret muse.”

you groan. “yeonjun.”

he tilts his head. “what?”

you lower your hands, exhale, and look at him—really look at him

he’s so annoyingly pretty. he’s so bright, and funny, and stupidly clever, and he’s looking at you like you’re something worth reading twice.

“you’re lucky you’re cute,” you mutter.

“oh?” he says, smirking. “so you do think i’m cute.”

you shake your head, laughing despite yourself. “are we going to soobin’s or not?”

“only if you sit next to me the whole time,” he says. “i need my blogger.”

“you’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”

“not a chance.”

you pack up your stuff together, sipping from the same drink, your shoulders brushing as you walk out into the golden haze of late afternoon.

it’s a little ridiculous. a little romantic. painfully soft.

you don’t know what’s going to happen next. you don’t know if this means anything real, or if he’s just teasing, or if you’re dreaming this whole thing up and you’ll wake up in your dorm bed with a dead phone and a missed alarm.

but then he slips his hand into yours without saying a word.

and you think maybe—just maybe—you’re not the only one who’s been writing love letters between the lines.

later that night, when he falls asleep halfway through a movie at soobin’s, curled into your side with his head on your shoulder, you take a picture of him and post it to your blog with no caption.

the next morning, he reblogs it from his burner account.

the tags say:

#i’d be lost without her

#yes this is about me

#no i’m not embarrassed

and you just sit there smiling at your phone like an idiot, typing one final entry for the class.

“there’s a boy i wrote about once. i thought he’d never know. i thought if he did, it would ruin everything. but it didn’t. it made everything better. it made everything real.”

you hit post.

and for the first time in a long time, you don’t feel like you’re writing for a grade.

you feel like you’re writing for the boy who sees you.

the one who reads between the lines.

and honestly?

you’d be lost without him, too.

[plethomacademia]

I'm still thinking about this blog post almost a week later:

https://phirephoenix.com/blog/2025-05-30/metrics

It's not directly related to fandom, but it did hit a lot of the Bad Feelings I think myself and others have sometimes, when it feels like you are shouting at a void.

Jumping for me just rambling without a point

There really is something lost in text based communication: you can't nod along or make little understanding noises, you can't show that you are listening. We are very built for in person turn taking in conversations, and online just makes that so much harder. Add to that the one to many nature of communication on social media, where you are not having one conversation but as many conversations as people who are reading the post, and it all breaks down. The ways you know you are being heard don't work anymore.

I also think a lot about how like, if you were talking to someone in person and they just nodded and walked off, that would be bizarre, but that is the default mode of communication online. This isn't bad, it's just so different! No wonder it can sometimes feel weird.

Honestly, I find this interesting from the purely linguistics angle, but of course this isn't just language. This is community and people and feeling like you belong. Combine that with influencer culture, where you will see people say things that to me come off as antisocial, but really are direct responses to how this system is designed -- I'm rambling, I find this all fascinating! I find these clusters of "this feels gross" posts interesting because there is definitely something there there, but what that something is gets covered up a lot in weird regressive anti tech stuff that ignores that the internet has been a huge boon for little weirdos finding other little weirdos like them so that they feel a little less alone.

[beginnerblueglass]

Lol

I just think that as a person who is pro-life and deeply saturated in pro-life culture, I have the qualifications to identity a fictional group whose views appear similar to mine, but I guess not 😂

Anyway, I’m going to keep finding parallels between my views on abortion and pro-choicer’s labels for preborn babies and the Republic’s insistence that the clones are sub-human biological material, property owned and created by the Republic, whom they can do with what they will, and the Jedi’s repeated insistence and ensuing actions that proclaim the clones as so much more, as human beings inherently worthy of dignity as individuals and as a group.

Again, as a person who is pro-life, I actually know what I and other pro-life people believe, and I believe I have the right and qualifications to know and recognize what makes up a pro-life worldview. Many who are pro-life (let’s differentiate that from the political Pro-Life stance, and call it what it is, a comprehensive worldview) recognize that, rather than merely creating laws against abortion, what would be ultimately beneficial for our society would be widespread ideological change. Change people’s minds. People will get abortions and euthanize sick/old people, and be cruel to animals and the helpless regardless of laws. But if we can instil in people the amazing value and sanctity of all life, that each and every human being is precious and our species must stop killing its weakest members, for its ultimate good, that change will be more lasting and save more lives. We model life-honouring behaviour as well as we are able, and we stumble sometimes, but strive to elevate the dignity of human life in all areas. Everyone can always be better at this.

I could go on, but to get back to Star Wars, the Jedi know their role within the Republic’s political structure, and both of you are right—they do not enforce their beliefs on others. The Jedi are a tiny minority, and can’t conceivably enforce their particular religious and spiritual beliefs on the galaxy. They serve the galaxy, according to their conviction of the value of life and their duty to protect as much of it as they are able, to promote peace so that as many as possible may thrive, and they model and authentically and practically live out rather than enforce their beliefs as they operate in the galaxy. There are numerous examples of the Jedi valuing all life-forms, in a way that speaks to me, personally.

You by no means have to feel the same way, because shockingly, people who believe differently than myself are welcome to make all the observations they want to about fictional media, hopefully without stooping to name calling and insulting those who disagree.

The Jedi are pro-life.

[elainemorisi]

every couple months in one of the larger local fb groups some transplant complains that people here don't smile at you

a) yes they do?? if you smile at them first??*

b) as a Midwestern transplant. the people who make those posts. are bad people. like. I'm. half joking. but that's one of the sketchier relatively apolitical things you could say, actually, imo

[julijbee]

girlbossing too close to the sun.

[persona-2-daily-reminder]

Daily reminder that Ulala is very insecure about her femininity

[ranchwamen]

You mentioned something about becoming human/taur being spells in the tags, what's stopping non-taur humans from learning it?

Thanks for the question! Same thing with Waterspeak, nothing really! In fact I think Sirpa was born as a two-legged human, but spends and has spent considerable amounts of time in the water as a mermaid because her mother is a mermaid. I guess you could consider her “half mermaid” as a result! She could’ve very well been born as a mermaid but her parents had to think long and hard about what form would be easier for her to live in as her original form, given their location and fears about water pollution it was undeniably two-legged

Sirpa tangent aside, anyone at all can learn the spell that makes you a mermaid, or the spell that makes you a terrestrial taur, or the spell that makes you a taur that can fly, so on so on! However, it can be seen as really weird if someone who was born as a two-legged human to a family that’s pretty much always been only two-legged humans to suddenly start living life as a taur. Taurness is not only just a body shape, after all, but a culture. Several cultures! Even if taurs are humans with human sensibilities, they’re shaped so different, they wear clothes that are different, they move differently, they can do things that two-legged humans can’t and can’t do things that two-legged humans can, they specifically have had many many stories about how they could’ve come to be (two-leggeds not so much), they need their own furniture, sometimes they’ve even lived separately from other types of humans. Merfolk are the most extreme cases, since they quite literally live where terrestrial humans can’t go naturally and every bit of their life has been adapted to an aquatic environment. Even if it would be very cool to live as a taur in theory, it’s fundamentally a very different experience, a more difficult experience sometimes, and people would probably give one many glances if they decided to become a taur one day for no other reason than “just cuz”. You may have the shape of a taur, but are you really even a taur if you’ve never experienced the culture?

Nuance exists, of course, like if you have a lot of taurs in your family and ever since you were a kid you’ve lived your life as many forms that are all equally “you”, or if your taur friend was like “lol wanna see what your true animal form would be” one night and you tried it out once and that was it, or if you have lived for a while now with many taurs — usually taurs are a minority on land but there are exceptions, for example in a very mountainous, difficult-to-traverse region a good bit of people might just be taurs for their better balance — and eventually decided to become a taur to fit the customs of the community better, or if you paid one billiam dollars at an exotic recreational center where they “Let [You] Feel the Wilderness Inside You (TM)” by having folks explore like a wildlife area as taurs, then like, yeah lol those are some random examples where no one would bat an eye! Also ironically, even though merfolk are definitely the most removed from terrestrial humans as a whole, it would be most acceptable to become a merm if you have an extended stay underwater (work, vacation, whatever) and need accommodations for breathing and moving in the water and things like that. It’s simply seen as the easiest way to do things, however true that may be! Similarly merfolk on land have a lot of pressure to “simply become two-legged” even though accommodations like wheelchairs for merms exist (and all merfolk can already breathe air). It’s a little… sad. A lot of merfolk don’t really like that their own selves are treated as unimportant and disposable and that the “best way” to go about moving in a foreign environment is to literally ditch your own body away to become something else. Many taurs never become two-legged because it would remove a big part of themselves, so why are merfolk any different? These are unfortunately some societal problems of the Sirpaverse.

TL;DR: Any non-taur can learn the spells that make you a taur, however there are societal and cultural implications of doing that and it might not be very appropriate in all situations.

[ancha-aus]

Gifted Drabble - NewAgeAu - Q&A

As I said! I totally wasn't scheming :3 @spotaus

But i had to wait until you uploaded your drabble about very sneaky Cross to make sure I got more references and a better idea about his character :D

So... here we are :3 Also yes the name of the drabble is a very bad joke but i thought of it and it was too funny.

*------------------------------------------*

Cross just sits there... He is such an idiot!

Getting caught?! As quickly as he did? that must be a record on how incapable he was.

It wasn't as if Cross had an excuse. Dream and Blue warned him! Warned him that the Knights were very skilled and watchful. That he had to leave as soon as he got the information and plans. Do not linger!

That had been the mission!

Instead he was a coward and just. Took too long. He spend too much time trying to form a plan instead of just acting. And then He tried to solve mysteries himself instead of just grabbing and leaving as soon as he could!

But he just... Cross groans.

He hadn't found anything fitting the brief. He hadn't been able to find anything that spoke about hurting people or raising taxes to hurt the poor or anything!

In matter of fact.

All he found was plans to improve the infra structure. To tax the nobels more and lower the taxes on people who earned less. He found information on how the king had contact with farmers to work on more structures and installations to help farmers recover from the change in weather and to fully utilise the land without exhausting it.

Projects on testing mixed crop planting and stricts rotation schedules to make sure the soil itself wasn't exhausted from nutrients or risks infections or fungi growing which would hurt the soil and specific crops.

There was even this whole program about apprentices!! something about orphans and children and teens on the straights and a way to offer them schooling and housing and even training with the people helping them! That the crown would pay these people for helping those who don't have family to count on!

It is still in draft clearly as it had been covered with sidenotes in this very elegant and curve handwriting. notes about how to pay for it. where to start it. which people to ask for posibilities. but also notes about how to check the children. how to make sure the children and teens weren't use or abused or even worse!

And... well... not too shortly after that one of the Knights just... Sat in the chair and spoke casually... Scared the shit out of him at the time.

How was that dude so quiet?! or so strong for that matter?

How could his magic had backfired so badly?

Cross sighs as he turns to his side. He is an IDIOT. How could he have gotten so reckless?

Drema and Blue would have already been happy with him getting anything back from the king's plans... maybe he just couldnt see the danger in them clearly? Hell if he knows what the state in the country is. He knows nothing about this place.

Maybe the things he saw was a bad thing? Maybe there was some... weird way to make them look bad?

Like.

Maybe there was already little nature? Sure Cross saw a lot of it on his way here but hell if he knows? maybe there is little in the cities or soemthing?

Maybe the nobels are already being taxed a lot? maybe this will make the nobels all poor? and euh.... Cross isn't sure how taxing the poor less could be bad but maybe there is some way?

the farming thing... Well... Cross isn't sure... maybe the farmers don't want him to micro manage or soemthing? maybe the king is being too controlling about it? that works...

The children are obvious. those are vulnerable kids and teens! Who are being used and exploited!! Well... he would have to ignore all the sidenotes about the kids wellbeing... and the notes about banning child labor...

Cross groans. Why is it so hard to see the things he is doing as bad?! Dream told him that Nightmare is corrupted and the thing ruling now is evil and terrible and needs to be removed to save his twin!!

Then why are the plans good? Maybe he is faking it? But why? XGaster never bothered to fake anything... He was just rightfully the king and people should respect him.

Cross frowns as he turns on his side. Ignoring the guard standing well guard outside of his cell. He tugs on the magical blocker on his arm. Making him unable to use his magic to summon any weapon or try to take control over someone elses magic again.

Well... Not like he can try that with the guard guarding him again anyway. Seeing as it is Dust guarding him...

Cross tugs on it again and Dust speaks "Don't bother. Those things can't be removed by the wearer."

Cross freezes and looks over. He thought he had been sneaky enough. The one with the panther mask stares back.

Cross frowns as he turns back to the wall.

The Knight goes quiet again.

Cross tugs on the band one more time. Just to be spiteful. Before laying back and staring at the wall.

Fuck... He is going to die here? Isn't he?

Maybe they will just starve him...

Or maybe they will first torture him to figure out who he works for.

Cross is going to have to withstand it until he dies. He can't give up Dream and the fact he is planning a revolution.

He can't ruin another revolution that could save and help so many people.

He will have to be strong. Not give in. Not even an inch.

"I apologise I took so long Dust. Thank you for keeping watch."

Cross freezes at the new but familiar voice. Cross had heard the voice before. He had seen the owner walk around and had been getting information on him.

The king.

The fucking king.

Nightmare himself!

Why was the king here?!

Sure Cross had been spying and stealing information. But was that really such a big deal to get the king himself to interrogate him?!

Then again... Shed's tail had aparently been removed and used for cat toys...

He is so dead.

A click and the door to his cell slowly creaks open.

Cross's pulse is beating so fast.

Footsteps walking closer. before the door creaks closed. and is relocked.

He is so dead.

A few more steps and then silence for a moment as Cross tries to keep his panic at bay. He regrets staring at the wall.

"I know you are awake. Speaking will be a lot easier if we face each other."

Cross keeps laying there. What does he do?! He can't ignore him. Come on Cross. Be brave. You faced down scarier threats!

'But you had magic back then.' his mind whispers 'You had a way to defend yourself.'

Still. Cross sits up and turns around. Making sure he is glaring. He is not going to give in. "What is there to tell?" His voice holds the challange. He isn't afraid. He will not give in. He is not going to give this so-called king anything!

Nightmare tilts his skull slightly. intrigue clearly. Cross doesn't like the fact that he seems just so... unbothered by Cross. Cross is the enemy! He is sitting in the cell after Nightmare's forces found him snooping around, trying to steal information.

So why is this king staring at him with just intrigued! No rage? No disgust?!

Nightmare speaks again. Seemingly taking his time to think about his answers. trying to be actually truthful? or trying to think of an answer that Cross wants to hear? Wait... Is the king already in cross's head and mind? is Cross already being tricked?

Nightmare's voice breaks him out of his spiralled thinking "I think I disagree. there is a lot to talk about."

Cross tilts his skull upwards. stubborn energy in his soul "I won't tell you anything about who send me or why. No matter what!"

Nightmare looks slightly amused "I don't exactly care about who send you or why."

... what?

Nightmare continues, at his aparently obvious confusion, as he explains "I know there are people who wish to know what I am doing. I know people are scheming against me. It is nothing new. Even a spy as yourself is nothing new." he looks amused "The fact they even send you implies they know close to nothign about me, my land or my home. Or, that they don't care about you at all."

That.. that doesn't make any sense?!

Ngihtmare nods "I do apologise you swore your loyalty to those who know nothing of the target they send you to spy on. Otherwise they would have known that I am aware of what goes on in my castle and land." he smiles "they would have known that my Knights are everywhere and good at their jobs." he shoots Cross a look "They would know that i am aware of who is suposed to work where at which moment."

Cross feels his mind lock up as the information filters in... How... how hadn't Dream known this?

Ngihtmare waves a hand casually "You are a rather inexperienced spy. Not that it matters. As there is very little any type of skill could have done against me and those of mine. Either your employers know nothing of me which means they aren't much of a threat quite yet. Or they were willing to throw you away as some sort of test against me or you. Which just makes me unimpressed with them overall."

Cross just stares at the ground.

The Knight speaks softly "Way to ruin his worldview my king."

a moment of silence before "I apologise. I shouldn't have said those things. You did not deserve to hear those or have to worry about which case is true."

Cross snaps "Why am i not dead yet?!" He had heard about the terrible punishment this parasite of a king does. How he hurts people for jsut the hell of it... From Dream... form the guards working here... It makes no sense that Cross is still alive. Unless he wants to torture him of course...

A moment of silence.

Ngihtmare speaks a bit softer but still sure and confident "You meant no harm. You were here for a few days and no one was attacked. Neither myself, my knights, my servants or my people in the city. I do not see why i would punish you with death if you did not do a crime earning such a thing."

Cross glares up "And if i had hurt someone?" So he was just doing this own test?! this is just a test. That Cross can deal with. Cross can deal with someone trying to trick and test him!

The king chuckles and shakes his skull "It is very bold of you to assume you would have been able to hurt anyone. Just because we aren't obvious you were not walking around unnoticed or unwatched. If you had made a single move to hurt someone you would have been stopped and caught right away. I must admit however if you had tried that this conversation would be going very differently."

Cross frowns, wait... "If i moved to hurt someone? Anyone?"

Nightmare nods "Of course. The people who work for me are people who's safety i take very seriously. They are willing to work for me. in trade for their servitude i make sure they have what they need and want and more importantly. That they are safe to live their lifes." He sounds so certain and the answer is instantly.

He didn't even need to think about it.

Cross's mind is swimming as he tries to focus. This makes no sense... Why is he implying that he only punishes those who deserve it? That isn't waht others said. This... this is weird. This is the weirdest interrogation he has ever been part of. But he manages to find his voice again "What do you then even want to know?" It isn't like he knows anything.

Nightmare watches him "I am curious about the Lost Kingdom."

Cross flinches as he looks away. "It isn't called lost..." it isn't lost... it isn't! His... his brother- Nine is trying so hard to fix the mess Cross left behind. the mess Cross helped cause. It may be broken and a bit of a mess but it isn't lost. Lost implies there is nothing that can be saved from it.

A soft hum before he speaks again "I apologise. It is a name i took over from others." a moment of silence "I supose I am just curious what made the most loyal of knights of that land leave the country he was working on protecting."

Cross freezes. huh?

Nightmare waits for a moment but when Cross doens't answer he continues "It doesn't make sense to me. Your every move and motivation was from trying to protect the country you served. Yet here you are. Instead of there."

Cross looks to the side. He... he had tried to protect but he failed everyone. He always failed... He made the most terrible mistake of mistakes... How could he stay? they didn't want him to stay. He didn't deserve to stay after that.

Cross looks to the side and speaks "No one wanted the loyal dog of the tyrant to stay. so i left." there.

a moment of silence. "Seems a bit of a harsh name for someone who was loyal to the country."

Cross glares "I wasn't! I just did what the old tyrant wanted!" Like an idiot who can't think for himself. He just did whatever his father told him. Too blind and too stupid to see that XGaster was hurting others.

Nightmare continues to look at him "And you believed in him to make the right choices for the country. That is the job of a king. Make sure that what is done is done to improve the land. improve the country. improve life for the people. It is not your fault that XGaster didn't honour his rule. That he did not do what he was suposed to. What he was sworn into."

Cross can't hear this. Not form sometone who is suposed to be eveil but seems to know so much. Who seems to know what it means to be king yet who isn't suposed to care. Why is this thing who is possessing an innocent acting as it he cares? How would this thing know what makes a good king?!

Cross asks him as much. "Why do you care!?" it is more of a snap than a question.

Is it... Is it Nightmare? Influencing the thing brainwashing him and controlling him? Fighting back?

Dream would be happy to hear that.

Nightmare still thinks about the question. He looks ahead of himself with a tiny frown. Seemingly thinking.

Cross however can't help that notice how blue the cyan eye is. Clearly unnatural. Toxic even... Yet calm. There is no rage hidden that Dream warned him about. No edge of insanity or madness. Just calm and insightful thoughts. Control over his mind? but that makes no sense if he is brainwashed...

The body is not at all what Cross even expected to once see. Ngihtmare had this imposing presence. The fact his form was covered with a goop that had melted over one of his sockets didn't help. The way those tentacles on his back moved and idled. Seemingly without a single thought- wait... didn't octopusses have like... brains in each tentacle. Did that mean that Nightmare had five brains working and thinking for him?

Still... The corruption is so clearly... strange. Dream had told him that the powers given by the ritual was suposed to make a king and warrior of light. Of good. This form is proof that Nightmare wasn't suposed to gain this power. It is dark and moving and changing... But Cross can't help but think it doesn't look that bad, that the name corruption doesn't quite fit. It doesn't radiate any harm in anyway. Not like that time in the hall... Is... Nightmare able to control the presence it gives off? Why wouldn't he use it now? The slight magic he can still feel is potent and strong and unlike anything Cross ever felt before... But it isn't like other poisonous magics Cross had learned about. That he had trained to recognise. It is strange...

Cross decides to focus on the clothes he is wearing. It is clearly high quality stuff. not to forget the golden accents and actual bands around the tentacles. the clips with apple motifs. the detailing of branches like swirls in the same cyan colour as that eye, just less obvious because the fabric is slightly see through.

It makes for one intimidating image. One that the king carries with confidence and familiarity.

Nightmare speaks "I care because i wish to understand. We learn by understanding others. Even if i don't agree with someone doesn't mean i don't have to understand them. In matter of fact. the only way to truly disagree and be against something is to understand or at least know about the concept. When it is about why people do certain actions it is important to learn their motives and reasons. to understand why they did what they did before casting out judgement."

Cross can't deal with him... how is this suposed evil tyrant so understanding?

He is nothing like XGaster.

Nothing at all.

Cross can see that so clearly and so easily. This is someone who knows what he is talking about and who doesn't just say what you want to hear. Cross thought he knew what he was going into. He thought he would meet a man simular to XGaster.

Someone who manipulates. Someone who lies. Someone who turns every answer into a small insult. Someone who tells you how to think and why you are an idiot for not thinkinf like that from the start. Someone who believes himself to be perfect and not capable of fault.

Cross believed his father to be rightful in being this way and thinking that way for so long. It wasn't until after the revolution Cross finally noticed the cracks in the facade.

Cross thought... he figured he would be able to see through whatever mask Ngihtmare is wearing. Metaphorical of course. But he can't... he is failing. He can't figure this out.

Is... is cross being an idiot again? is Nightmare lying to him and is Cross still just unable to see it?

Or is there no mask to see through? no mask to spot the cracks in?

What does he do?

Nightmare waits and remains quiet until Cross actually focusses on him. When he does Nightmare speaks again "I wish to know what happened there. In your home."

His home...

"It isn't my home..." not anymore...

Nightmare nods and speaks again "Then what happened to the country that you used to serve and protect. What caused the downfall?"

Cross looks to the side "A revolution obviously..."

Ngihtmare nods and waits.

Cross glares "I was an idiot and could not pick a side. I couldn't fight my brother who lead the revolution but i could also not betray my lord. I ended up trying to help both yet messed everything up." he glares at the king "I made everything worse." all because he just couldn't pick.

Ngihtmare tilts his skull "Rather extreme. Thinking just one person can make or break a revolution."

Cross blinks.

Nightmare nods calmly "I am not saying that you couldn't have made it go better. That is always an option. However. A revolution... a rebellion. It is the same thing, and it is messy. it is dangerous. One person can not make things go perfect. that is impossible."

Dust coughs lightly into his hand. The king shoots him a look but nothing else happens.

The king turns back to him "You are not responsible for everything that happened. could you have helped? Yes. But... the choice that you made also enabled you to do the few things you could. the little bits you did to help your brother. If you had picked to defend the old tyrant. You would have had to hurt others."

Cross glares down "I know i should have helped."

Ngihtmare shakes his skull "That isn't what i am saying. the point i am trying to make is. You never know what you would have done in the other two situations. You could have joined your brother. but then you would have had to fight the very people you trained and fought beside before. The same people who know you through and through. who know how you fight and move." and he looks at him. "You helping them. either side of the conflict. would have meant you would have been at a different position at any given point. The things that happened wouldn't and couldn't have happened because your actions in this... neutral choice also had consequences and effect. It meant that XGaster stationed you as a guard. if you hadn't been available he would maybe have used two others to gain the same protection you gave him. You didn't stop the revolution when they got to you. instead there would have been two guards guarding the door." And nightmare give shim a moment to let that information sink in.

Cross stops... he... hadn't thought about... all he could think about is how he could have made things different. Thinking about how his skills could have helped specific moments... he hadn't considered that... him helping them from the start would have chanced everything...

and the moment where he could have helped... may never have even happened.

Cross shakes his skull "Things would have been better if i had picked a side."

The king considers it "Maybe it would have. Maybe it wouldn't. Maybe by not picking a side you were able to do enough damage control for both sides that enabled it to even be successful. Maybe not picking a side made it last longer. You can not know which choice would ahve been better as you never saw the options."

Cross isn't sure what is even going on anymore. He had believed... He had been sure that him not making a choice just made everythign worse. Everyone agreed. Everyone must have agreed or else they wouldn't have made sure to remind him about his mistake each moment they could...

right?

Nightmare nods before getting up. Cross only now notices that Nightmare had been using his own tentacles as a chair "But I think I have pushed you too far already with my questions. You need rest and time to process and calm down. Food will be brought to you later." he turns towards the cell door and exits.

The king nods to the guard and starts to walk away.

Wait...

Wait!

Cross jumps up and rushes to the bars "Wait!"

The king stops and turns back to him "yes?" and he waits.

Cross pants "You said... Way before... at the start... There had been others like me. other spies. Where are they now?" Dream said others had been send before right? Or maybe even other forces. That Nightmare killed them?

Nightmare tilts his skull "My knights or I myself spoke to them. Much like I am doing wiht you. Those who meant no harm and held no wish to hurt those here... They were offered a change of scenery. They mentioned they couldn't and didn't want to return a failure to their old leaders. There is always room and a need for people willing to work and help."

Cross frowns "And those who did wish to return home?"

Nightmare looks unbothered "After making sure they were no threat they were released at the border. With a warning to not return. Once is an happening after all, one people can learn from. However if it turns out they lied or wished to return to do harm after all they were punished for their crimes."

Cross looks down as his mind spins "Oh..."

Nightmare waits for a moment longer before nodding "Rest up. I will come back either tomorrow or the day after to continue our conversation." he turns and leaves.

Cross slowly lets go of the bars and goes back to the bed in the cell... He can't help but notice that it is actually rather comfortable here.

Sure there are bars and he is locked in and unable to use magic...

But there is fresh air. Some natural sunlight comes in through the barred windows. It isn't cold or wet. There are warm blankets and soft places to sit...

Even if it is a jailcell. It is comfortable at least.

Cross rolls back up on the bed and thinks.

His mind going over the past conversation and thinking about what he learned. For it having been suposed to be a way for the king to learn about Cross it was just Cross learning about Nightmare.

What had the king even wanted to learn? All Cross told him was how he thought about things and experienced it. Not even how the revolution happened or what events took place.

If Nightmare had wished to know those it would make sense. Then it would gain Nightmare insight to how the revolution managed to be successfull and what to defend against.

And yet...

and yet...

He didn't. All Nightmare wished to know was what Cross did.

It doesn't make sense.

None of it does.

It doesn't take long but eventually a maid comes along. a human and she bows in respect to the Knight before turning towards Cross with a smile "Hello there. I brought you some food. It are roasted potatoes and a salad." she puts it on the little opening to push it into his cell "Once you are done please place it back in this same area. Makes us able to clean it up which will leave your area a bit cleaner!" she smiles happily before nodding once she sees Cross paying her attention.

After that she turns away, bows to the Knight again,before leaving.

Cross makes his way to the food slowly but the Knight standing guard doesn't make a single move to take or mess with it.

Cross grabs his food and takes a seat on his bed again. He eats it slowly and feels his hand shake once he realises it is actually good.

It is taste and warm and filled with nutrients.

Why are they treating him so nicely?

Cross just... doesn't get it...

Maybe he can ask the next time Nightmare comes to him to talk?

Maybe he can get some answers after all...

*------------------------*

In case you guys don't get the title name. It is a joke. Because Cross is being interrogated but it is more a mutual Q&A...

I will leave now.

[dingodad]

to be fair i think the reasons why i believe quadrants r fake versus why i believe classpects r fake are pretty crucially different. like homestuck kind of goes out of its way to trick you into thinking classpects could be real whereas i genuinely dont think hussie ever expected anyone to read about moirallegience and think wow... so romantic.. i want that in my life ❤ LOL