#I like the source of freedom's take on him best I think but it completely loses his connection to scott and also fuck n'vir free

[autisticcassandracain]

I really. Should sit down and figure out what to do with Shilo in my Fourth World canon

[witchie-writings]

Okay last one I PROMISE!! Megatron’s human pet and what he gets like when he finds out they’ve escaped? How do you think the reader feels knowing he’s probably looking for them? Does megatron get just angry or does he enjoy the hunt because he knows he’ll find them rather quickly? (Bonus if it takes longer than expected and puts mega in ANGRY PANIC MODE lmao)

Had to think about this one a little bit! Not proof-read.

Decided I'll just always put a trigger warning for Bayverse!Megatron. He's just a chaotic man

Should Bayverse!Megatron's pet escape, Megatron would be absolutely outraged and Starscream would end up taking the brunt of his carnage, placing all of the blame onto the second in-command even though it was the warlord’s fault for being too complacent with the human!reader. Control is Bayverse!Megatron’s main schtick - having complete authority and monitoring every inch of one’s daily life or the inner workings of a society gives the tyrant an exhilarating rush of power, so when that is taken away from him or one rebels against the fate that Megatron had lined out for them (i.e., his pet and how they were supposed to be forever a source of cruel entertainment for the cause), the warlord does not take that lightly in the slightest. How DARE they attempt to re-carve out their own destiny? To forge another life away from his grasp, and think they could wipe clean the blood and sin from their tainted hands? Megatron would be sent into a blinding frenzy that no one could reign him in from; he would find no thrill in this hunt, not when it wasn’t on his own terms. All that he could remotely feel is a crushing fury that sends his spark into overdrive, a rushing pulse that the adrenaline rides into his processor and sends him on a rampage to find his lost pet. 

As the human!reader escapes, stars above, I would not blame them for terror that would strangle their breath and heart. It takes a considerable amount of willpower to ponder the thought of escaping from the tyrannical mad man, but to put that plan into execution and it actually succeeding is an entirely other realm. They would manage to utilize their significantly smaller body size to their advantage; clinging to the shadows as if they were a frail child seeking the comfort of a warm embrace, the human would weave and wove through whatever crevice they could squeeze into, dodging the glaring gazes of dozens if not hundreds of wandering Decepticons before they finally got to taste the fruitful taste of their freedom. It was sweet, delicate on their soul. The human!reader could almost drown in it… but when the high calms to a slower pace, and the reality sets in, the human begins to realize that they have forever sealed their fate at being hunted till their dying breath. 

The best course of action is to quickly seek out those that could provide ample protection against the scourge that trampled all that stood in his way. Thankfully, the Autobots were able to provide such protection, along with their human allies at N.E.S.T. To hear of the human!reader’s story definitely earned them sympathy from all of them and a building urge to protect this lost light, especially from Optimus Prime. Optimus knew of his old friend’s ways and how corrupted Megatron had become; once he was an honorable guard of Cybertron, now fallen to dark desires and false promises, turning him into a violent oppressor that only sought to please his own wishes. He would immediately take the human!reader under his wing to shelter them from the chaotic storm that thundered in the distance, swearing a promise under his breath that he would be their protector from the cybertronian that had been lost to his delusions. 

But let’s go back to Megatron, shall we? The longer he draws on his hunt for his prized pet, the more insane and radical he’ll become. If you thought him without his pet was brutal as is, imagine when he had acquired a pet that kept him entertained, only to grow too comfortable and for his pet to abuse this leverage and rebel. Definitely a blow to his swollen pride and made him look like a fool. This time he won’t be so kind. 

Despite the ceaseless amounts of scorching rage that flooded his system, Megatron was no fool. If anything, the Decepticons grew to realize how terrifyingly intelligent he truly was, all hidden by his barbaric facade that was well-kept before, but had been haphazardly discarded. Yeah, any attempts at manipulation or blackmailing wasn’t going to work on him in his, admittedly, slightly panicked state. Before? Megatron played the fool, but now, he could care less about such appearances, not when a treasure was flailing around out in the wild thinking life was theirs to own.

No stone is left unturned when Megatron goes on the prowl, and I mean it. Every corner of the Earth he sinks his daggered denta into; villages, towns, remote areas, cities, forests, deserts, jungles, any place you could imagine he’ll shred it apart with his bare digits, all in search of his pet. The Decepticons take part in the hunt as well, if only to avoid the wrath of their feral leader and dodge the prospect of being a doll to be torn apart by Megatron later for their disobedience. 

Now, I’ll leave it up to you to imagine if Megatron ends up finding the human!reader or not. Who knows, maybe the Autobots keep them on the move once they discover Megatron’s relentless pursuit of them, or the tyrannical ruler finds them before the Autobots have a chance to register it all. But I will leave this with you: there WILL be casualties between the Autobots and Megatron, and not everyone will survive that particularly bloody conflict. Maybe not even Optimus… or Megatron for that matter. But it goes to show how no one, not even the human!reader, can escape their destined fate for long. Not when they have drawn the gaze of the leader of the Decepticons.

[acewitch-writes]

Hello! I recently found your account, and I went on scrolling down and down...and now I hope you know how grateful I am. Thank u- Merci. About 90% of the content you share here has made me feel so much better. I realllyy hope wonderful things happen for you. I've been a fan of hp since 2001, but I'm not really a social media person so I haven't been active in the fandom. I had no idea what was happening here until recently..two months ago to be exact (other details are not important) and omg.. I ended up in a discussion with some I think, new fans. tbh I thought, "Great! I'm good at this, I read all the books more than once Let's talk :)"  and omg their very first question was "What do you think about Regulus?"

I was like, "Who?" *dying from secondhand embarrassment bc It turns out I'm not that good at this

but as the discussion continued, I became more and more baffled bc "Why was everyone talking about Barty, Evan, and Regulus? who is daddy Remu? and what do you mean people ship James Potter with R.A.B.? What?"

I swear for a moment I thought "Did the writer publish a new book? Did I miss something? " tbh, I respect everyone's opinion it's none of my business but I'm still shocked. The only thing that bothers me is everything that happened with this new Wolfsar

omg, for most fans around my age (or at least people I know), Sirius was the complete portrayal of a bad boy- a rebel, with boots, tattoos, a leather jacket, and a fucking motorcycle. so this new Sirius is like a stranger to me, and that's okay. Mein issue is kinda with this new Remus T T my beloved .

They (the fans I was talking with) told me Remus is "tall, so handsome, SO strong, and hot-headed person because,  yk he's a werewolf." I was like "hot headed? excuse me?" I tried to explain to them that Remus being a werewolf is a metaphor for illnesses like HIV, it's not some superpowery gift.  they didn't believe me, but then they literally looked me in the face and said, "Then why would Sirius like someone like him? He's poor, short, and ugly." I swear I wanted to cry right then and there.

What is this mindset that makes some people think that a person should be, Idk, hot and flawless to deserve to be loved? Yes I don't think Remus is tall and super hot and perfect and isn't it fine? and I am 100% sure he's so beautiful. not like Sirius ofc but he has this "warm, cozy, and soft" sort of beauty. and I don't think he was a coward (ok maybe he was a liitle) but I guess it's easier for us, humans, to take the worst or weakest moment of a character and amplify it until it defines them entirely. and omg I'm so sorry for my rant and my bad english. but once again thank you for your beautiful soul <3 thank you

Hi anon! I, too, am baffled by the recent obsession with Regulus in this fandom. I think Jegulus is fine as a crack ship, but it has become so mainstream that many fans have just gone ahead and canonized it to the point that you'll be vilified for not accepting it as canon. I underestimated how popular the "best friend's brother" trope was, apparently. I also think it appeals to many fans as a Marauders Era version of one of the most popular ships of all time, Drarry.

This new version of Wolfstar is my biggest complaint with today's fandom, too! I get that the Marauders have very limited canon information and therefore we have more creative freedom to flesh them out, but I really believe that it has gone way too far. Sirius and Remus in today's fandom don't bear any resemblance to the characters they're based on. Remus is just a generic alpha werewolf OC and Sirius is his generic himbo femboy love interest OC. They don't even share a physical description with their Canon counterparts, and their personalities and character traits are so far removed that I can't even fathom how we reached this point as a fandom. How can you claim to like these characters if you have to change everything the source material says about them?

You're English is great, by the way! I completely agree that Remus has a cozy-and-warm sort of beauty. He made a point to distance himself from the stigma surrounding Lycanthropy because it was the focal point of his shame and self-loathing. And I just adore Wolfstar's dynamic from this lens, with the intimidatingly beautiful, confident, headstrong Sirius Black, who could have his pick of anyone he wants, choosing this ordinary guy because he's cozy and soft and it's exactly what Sirius wants after surviving the harsh ideals and abuse of House Black.

[theanimeview]

[Analysis] The Abandoned Empress Should Have Been With The Knight! (Ending Spoilers)

Source: The Abandoned Empress

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

I don’t know about everyone else, but I hated the ending of The Abandoned Empress. I’ve been wanting to discuss it for a while now but was unable to bring myself to write about it until now because of the disappointment I felt after reading the ending. Spoilers ahead, by the way.

For those needing a reminder, and perhaps those not yet reading the story but considering it, The Abandoned Empress is a a complete romance story available on TappyToon that follows the life of Aristia, the daughter of a prestigious knight’s family, House Monique. After a tragic first life where she suffered at the hands of her abusive, cold husband, was demoted to the position of a Queen while still having to do the Empress’s work because the chosen Empress was practically useless, and other pains, Aristia is given a chance to start anew when she awakens in the body of her 10-year-old self.

The god of the story, after seeing Aristia great suffering, gives her a second chance by resetting the timeline. She is given a middle name, “Pioneer,” something that is only gifted by the god of this world. By receiving the name, Aristia is given the freedom to choose a different path from the one the god had defined for her, allowing her to go against her fate of marrying the emperor, dying at his hands, and so on.

Throughout her second life, Aristia makes significant changes that positively impact those around her. She forges friendships, trains in swordplay to potentially inherit her family name, and even changes the course of her romantic life by gaining two additional love interests. However, despite the numerous changes in her second life, the ending of the story put her in the same place she was before–at the Emperor’s side.

This my main issue with the ending. Particularly because Ruvellis Kamaludin Shana Castina, the Emperor, and her husband fails to develop significantly in the story. While he supposedly changes in the second life due to Aristia’s influence, his poor behavior in the first life, including emotional and physical abuse towards Aristia and her father, is not sufficiently explained or justified. The creator(s) try to use effects from prolonged poisoning as an excuse, but that fails to address his one-sided vendetta against Aristia and her family by extension. Even more so when you consider that, in their first life, he was kind to his Empress and recognized as a good leader. Things that would likely not have been possible if his aggression toward Aristia was truly a result of poisoning. Moreover, Aristia’s love for him seems unconvincing and unfounded, especially given their history and the presence of far better options among her three potential love interests.

Outside of Ruvellis, there is Allendis de Verita, an administrative officer from her past life, and Carsein de Rass, a man who becomes a knight in her past life. In this new life, the two other love interests follow somewhat similar paths with Allendis de Verita taking on an administrative role but becoming obsessed with Aristia to the point of committing treason. Meanwhile, Carsein de Rass, once more becomes the youngest knight in history.

Of the three options, I think everyone can agree that Carsein was the best option. He goes blind for his friend and always puts Aristia first. He is caring, honest, and upfront, unlike the other two options who are individually abusive and manipulative.

Moreover, and this one is a big one for me, marrying him makes the most sense for her if she truly plans to inherit her family’s house.

Carsein is the second son of another prestigious knight’s family. As the second son, he is aware he won’t inherit a title and instead focuses on building up his own name. Because of his history training as a fellow knight, he makes the most sense for her to pick as a partner, since he would be able to enter under House Montique rather than Arisitia entering House Rass. He and Aristia would have made a great knight family together and also enjoyed a loving relationship. We see that the men of House Rass are very affectionate and loving towards their partners–even if their love interests are not as in love with them, they do not falter in their care and concern. Carsein very much lives up to this at the end of the story when he accepts that Aristia has chosen Ruvellis.

The fact that she chose Ruvellis, that she chose to become Empress, that she chose to stick with her former fate as his partner really left me, as a reader, with much to be desired. Her second life was all about building herself up as the rightful heir of House Monique, and she was granted that opportunity by the god of their world and her father, who stood in opposition of the Imperial family’s expectations regarding her engagement. At the end, she is still the heir, but that is an empty title that will be secondary to her role and standing as the Empress. More likely, one of her children will become the actual heir to the house, and that felt like an insult. I mean, even choosing not to have a partner or love interest at the end would have been better because of how poorly developed Ruvellis was by the ending of the story.

Overall, The Abandoned Empress was a fascinating story and had a great cast of characters. However, the ending leaves much to be desired, particularly concerning the character development of the male lead and the resolution of Aristia’s romantic life.

If you have read it, did you feel the same? Or, did you think Ruvellis/Allendis was the right choice? Let me know, as I’d be interested in hearing why.

[thtdamfangirl4]

I feel the same way you did about the movie. I was eating up the promo, I lost sleep last night because I was so excited, and I was happy while watching it (I cried several times) but by the time the credits started to roll i just started seeing all of it's flaws and I just got so sad. I've been a fan of this book for the last 2 years. This book is so important to me in so many ways and I'm so sad that the movie didn't make me feel the same way the book did. I think it was because they advertised it to be heavily inspired by the book when it really wasn't. I know I'll rewatch it a few more times but it just feels bland and empty and I'm lowkey angry bc i do see Taylor and Nick as Alex and Henry and I ADORED Zahra but I could honestly go so far to say that I hate it and I'm angry that I feel that way. I don't want to be the person that goes "the book is better 🤓👆" because i know that people outside the book fandom are going to eat it up but it is and i feel betrayed bc they kept saying it was for us but it just doesn't feel like it (sorry for this long ass message literally no one else in my life cares about this story bsbsjsgsj)

Don’t apologize because I DO CARE about this story more than anything else and I agree! Personally, I was stop and start throughout the movie, I’d love a scene because it captured Alex and Henry, and then I’d hate the next because it bore no resemblance to something I loved. The moments when it was good, it was GOOD, but to me that almost just highlights the flaws because you know they were capable of executing this story well and there were moments when the script and direction just flat out chose to do otherwise.

Like, they did the texts and phone calls so well and then ignored the emails almost entirely??? Your format was RIGHT THERE.

They allowed Alex and Henry and Ellen and Zahra to embody their characters, but Nora, Pez, and Bea had no smidgen of their personalities? No fault to the actors, but where were the characters I fell in love with? Nora is a human supercomputer and she’s queer and proud. Pez is flashy and absurd and Henry’s best friend and I think I heard him speak MAXIMUM two lines??? Bea was the perfect princess younger sister and I HATED IT.

Thinking on it, I cry at least like 8 times each time I reread (which has been countless times), and while I found myself in tears last night watching the movie, it was rarely for any of the reasons I might have thought. I think this first watch served as an immunization of sorts, and hopefully the next time I watch it I can immerse myself into it more fully rather than feeling like my watch is taken up by Noticing.

Anyway; i agree with you completely and I’m glad you’re getting to share your feelings. This story was and IS so so SO important to me, and I’m sad that it isn’t shown on the screen. There’s too much gone. And I don’t get WHY. I don’t get how anyone could look at that book and think they could do it justice in 2 hours. I don’t get why you take source material you love enough to adapt it and then pick out only certain parts like you’re a picky eater at a buffet.

I especially don’t get why you would treat so much of this story with care and love and discard the rest. The entire team of people who worked on this film had it in them, and just were only given the freedom to give it their all for a fraction of the total story.

Now this is long, too, sorry.

I hope we both grow into enjoying it as a separate entity, but until then, I think it’s okay to feel our feelings in a respectful manner.

[merpiko]

analysis on the atsv music cause NO ONE is talking about it ??? yet :(

covering the leitmotifs of gwen stacy and miles morales for now !! mostly miles bc he's the protag and has a lot of interesting motifs 👍👍

keep in mind most of this is brain dumping and most likely incorrect/incomprehensible

SPOILERS

gwen stacy

user has pointed out the flute plays a variation of the spiderman theme song, if u play the notes on piano u can see it. the flute is imo the best instrument that both represents and goes against gwen bc of her gracefulness and freedom as spiderwoman but her stubbornness and rule-sticking as gwen stacy, polar opposites as the flute is usually an instrument associated with the wind/flexibility. the first section of the movie where the leitmotif is played is exactly at the moment spiderwoman flies out of the window and goes to the guggenheim and it stops when gwen stacy faces her father and takes off her mask. as spiderwoman, she is free; as gwen stacy, she is not. the guitar, bass, and drums could echo her musical background as a drum player but her loneliness in never finding "the right band to join," so she takes her persona as spiderwoman to be part of a full band. ok this wasnt meant to be a gwen character analysis but ykwim and i could also be completely off so

miles morales

technically he doesn't really have a theme song dedicated to him within the atsv score, but his main leitmotif is already established from itsv and is used throughout the film:

source (and also a rlly good analysis of the itsv music!)

miles has multiple leitmotifs that echo his story and were used previously in itsv, such as the prowler elephant sound (which could've foreshadowed his earth-42 counterpart, but i'd like to think that its use in itsv was for uncle aaron's role in the story) and the whistling motif whenever miles is nervous/in a tense situation. the key difference in his main motif (i prefer to call it the hero motif) is the change in instrument for it from a higher brass instrument in itsv to a lower brass instrument in atsv (or higher pitch to lower pitch, not sure which one yes i suck at telling what instrument is which), which could symbolize his maturity into his spiderman persona.

similar to gwen stacy, miles morales doesn't have a leitmotif: his spiderman identity does. the hero motif only plays during scenes where he faces a heroic/triumphant moment as spiderman and not scenes where the same occurs but as miles morales.

to also touch on the prowler motif and whistle motif, the prowler motif is used during the nueva york chase scene at some point, most likely for miguel. this argues that the prowler motif is actually not about the prowler itself; it symbolizes whenever miles is in danger. however, there is a scene artistically where miguel flashes the prowler colors and miles glitches into his crappy spiderman costume from the previous movie right after and could symbolize miles's fear of not being a "real spiderman," although i am not 100% sure if the prowler motif is being played exactly during this moment (i would not be surprised if it was). the prowler motif could be interpreted in both ways, though.

the whistle motif is mostly noticed near the end of the movie where miles is in earth-42 while gwen lands in earth-1610b and miles confronts his 42 version of himself. it occurs twice: when miles is punched on the apartment roof and when he is tied to the punching bag. the motif idea itself is pretty simple: miles feels unsafe.

if i feel like it i might rb this post and continue with more music analysis on pavitr, hobie, miguel, etc. but yaa

[slavicafire]

hi Żmija, i was wondering what are your thoughts on how slavic mythology is portrayed in media. cause i have this impression, that they kinda demonize? it. for example lets take Leshy. in many stories He's described as neutral being, whos disposition towards humans, dependent on the attitudes and behaviours of an individual person, or local population, towards the forest. and i've always imagined Him being more like Tolkien's Ent - pretty chill guy, unless you make Him VERY angry. however in media He's portrayed more as a Wendigo like creature? who "lives only to kill"? and is like complete opposite of what He's been. and there's even that quote "For unknown reasons, many peasants consider him to be a spirit that protects the forest. In reality, it is a very dangerous creature that hunts woodland creatures and lone wanderers." like why do this feels like they're trying to demonize our ancestors beliefs and what have been important part of our culture and even of present us?

my first question is - where is that quote from? in reality makes me think it's actually from some sort of fantasy description, and not from a genuine source concerned with beliefs regarding beings and creatures. so artistic freedom, first, and then:

look at any other mythology that seeped into the mainstream and you will find the very same issue: the quite complex approaches of our ancestors, no matter where from exactly, get simplified to create some fitting fun narrative. preferably one that sells, too - nuance doesn't sell.

so spirits become monsters, monsters become gods, gods become NPCs, cautionary tales become clickbait, complex creatures and beings become flat and simplified.

and unfortunately, both in terms of mainstream media and general approach to mythologies, the bits that sell the best (either in strictly monetary terms or just attention) are the "fucked up" weird bits. so everything has to be spooky and murderous and wrong and weird. you must abhor the dark times of past or you must laugh at them, either or.

just as the catholic church mauled the mythologies of cultures it impacted, so does capitalism.

[fangirleaconmigo]

'There are a lot of fics in the fandom where Jaskier is a concubine or bed warmer and is gifted to Geralt (usually warlord Geralt) and that becomes his path to freedom and love. Some of them are among the best fics in the fandom. One of them is one of my favorite fics ever.'

Got any recs?

Yes! I love rec-ing fics.

First let me tell you why I think this trope works so well for Geraskier. Geralt is often feared and vilified as a monster, and Jaskier is often underestimated and dismissed. In these fics, you see both of these things pulled back, as Jaskier arrives terrified, only to find out about the deep goodness and soft doughy protective core of Geralt. And Geralt, having a sexual tribute or bed warmer dumped at his door, (someone who isn't valued and has maybe even been sold by his family) finds out how talented and intelligent Jaskier is, and how much he has to give. It's finding value and hidden depth in people that society has written off as a heartless beast, or a warm body.

******Past sexual abuse (or the fear of it) is inherent in this trope, but the extent to which the fics focus on it or engage with it varies widely. They range from wholesome to dead dove. So whenever you look for this trope, mind the tags and take care of yourself.******

1. So my first rec is: The Heart is a Winged Beast rated explicit by @greyduckgreygoose

After the turmoil of war robbed him of his birthright, Jaskier endures life as a simple Bard in the court of Kerack, under the protection of his cruel, ambitious cousin. Until the night that Jaskier catches the attention of the Geralt of Rivia, Lord of the Clan of the Wolf, and is terrified to be gifted to the barbarian mercenary as a bed-warmer.

This fic. It's two good people, trapped in a vicious, unjust system. It's the near impossibility of finding their way through it to a strong, unbreakable, love of equals. It is painful, repressed longing. It is everything they can't say. It's the fact that to trust is reckless and dangerous. The scenes between Geralt and Jaskier are so intense and engages deeply with the emotional effects of the power differential. It reached right into my chest and wrung my heart out. If you read fic to feel something, this is your fic.

Full disclosure: it is not complete yet, but there are about 100k words already. If you don't read unfinished fics, check out anything else by grey. You won't regret it. Seriously grey is one of those writers that when I get the notif for a new fic, I drop everything and go read it.

2. I can't talk about this trope and not mention the og, the beloved fandom juggernaut that has inspired many, if not most of these fics, the The Accidental Warlord and His Pack series. @inexplicifics has written almost 400k in this series! There are 42 works in it! That is so impressive.

I have only read the first work so far, and it is incredibly wholesome and heartwarming. It is all about found family and has a full, lovable cast of characters with Ciri, Yen, Eskel, Lambert, Triss, Vesemir, and many others, including OCs. The dynamic between Geralt and Jaskier is so sweet and sexy. There is a scene where Geralt meets Jaskier's father that is VERY satisfying! I believe it becomes poly later on, though I can't speak to that fully just yet.

The consistency, quality, and quantity of Inexplicific's work is a constant source of amazement to me. I aspire to it! The sheer time and effort she puts into this fandom is unbelievable. And she is always gracious in the ask box, and leaves comments for other writers.

3. Inspired by the Accidental Warlord Series Tag. Also, the thing I find extraordinary about this fic series is how it has inspired so many others. As of right now, there are over 150 fics in the 'inspired by the Accidental Warlord and His Pack' tag. Just SO COOL how fandom can take a life of it's own like this! You can go to that tag and browse to find more similar fics. If you like a/b/o there are a/b/o variations of the trope in that tag.

Since I haven't finished the series, I haven't gone through that tag, but I just scrolled through (also the Warlord Geralt tag) and at a glance found a few of my favorite fandom writers in there like @eyesupmarksman @ghostinthelibrarywrites @ theartistformerlyknownasg (not on tumblr I don't think) and @hoomhum

oh and also, @oldandkinky who provides a lot of the hard kink and dead dove material for the fandom and explores the darker side inherent in that trope.

I haven't read those fics yet, but they are fantastic writers, and there are many more where that came from!

[2n2n]

rank all Amanes (canon + AU) from most-to-least 'liberated'... (like, indulgent, self-satisfied, flourishing)... onegaishimasu

aough my GOD. Ok I'll do my BEST. My God....

Setting ground rules.

Amane at his most liberated is: completely insane and harming wantonly, that is what I think. His amount of hesitation or reluctance to take Nene, or interact with Tsukasa, are good markers for his self-possessed status. As well as, whether or not Amane is subjected to the world at large's rules and restrictions, how much freedom he acts with, if he's being kept in line or making his own rules…

These are what I shall consider the most.

MOST INDULGENT & SELF-SATISFIED, to LEAST

1. Ghost Hotel

He's a murderer, and he's not sorry about it. He decorates Tsukasa's (?) grave with a smile. He corrupts/entraps others with a smile. He playfully jokes about doing to Nene exactly what he did with Tsukasa (if you leave I'll be sad, so sad… so sad, I may just have to drink your blood). He doesn't… inhibit, anything. He's leaning wholly into the villain schtick, and he's even running rampant, master of his domain, ruler of this hotel, all is under his jurisdiction, seemingly. He seemingly answers to no system of power or greater force, no authority, no punishment. TERU is forced into the shadows and seedy underground methods!! He's simply going to Get Nene, and that's that; he wants her, so he'll have her, immediately, no hesitation, not even worried about her consent in the least. The ambiguity is how much he interacts with Tsukasa directly, though they both coexist in the hotel. Tsukasa can be seen only by some guests and not others. Can Hanako see him? I hope so, but if he can't, maybe that is why he is so nasty. Their matching seals imply something.

2. Black Spade King

I wish I knew, more, about this complete and utter nightmare. He seems perfectly self-satisfied and content with his kingdom of ash and bone, and unashamed of all that he's doing. He has all of this supremacy and control going for him, and he's unabashed to approach and pursue Nene with confidence. He doesn't look like he's holding back anything or avoiding catching feelings, he'd just like to, have her. Make You Mine. What we see of him here he seems like, just a crazy guy. I don't know. He seems just contentedly off his rocker completely, and, I guess he killed his brother for ultimate power… ??? I have no idea what his status is with Tsukasa, who is some sort of God beneath the castle. Does he, willfully, keep Tsukasa down there? The seals sortof suggest this … probably Tsukasa is his… prisoner? Power source? This guy has an endlessly sprawling kingdom of graves and undead slaves. Ash rains from the sky. His army is the most powerful in the world. He is going to expand his empire of death. His brother simply 'disappeared'. FUCKING RUN AWAY NENE-CHAN!!!!!!!! but you can't.

3. Kamome Valentine Company

Judging by the GIGANTIC WAREHOUSE OF JEWELERY I actually think this Hanako's life is RUINED by pleasure and frivolity. Ruinous I tell you. I really think he has probably just spend many many years doing little else but playing games with Tsukasa, making bets, messing with people's hearts without a single drop of guilt or remorse, and he is some sort of demon that exists to do just this kind of thing and gain satisfaction off of it. His matching jewelery with Tsukasa makes me think that they like, figured it out, or something. Consummated. I don't KNOW. BECAME COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER WILLFULLY? SAW THE EXTENT OF EACH OTHER'S LOVE OPENLY???? They seem completely self-content to the point of barely registering the world outside of them. What the fuck! They don't seem to have to answer to anybody or suffer consequences? What little we see anyway, they just exist as they are, and faff off… This is the 1 Hanako who is so obsessed with only his brother that he doesn't even feel possessive of Nene….???? I don't think he lacks confidence to pursue her, he just, doesn't, care… ??????? It's wild. Happy enough to gaslight her and see her off and get back to what really matters: cashing in on his winning bet. He's on this Earth to play games with Tsukasa endlessly and fill that hoarders den warehouse with yet more bangles, bangles which symbolize memories of games he played with Tsukasa, more than anything. Reckless abandon he lives with. And being that he's way too comfortable with Tsukasa, I don't get the impression he feels guilt about… whatever circumstances lead Tsukasa to have that seal. The lifestyle on the surface sortof looks more bleak than something as lush as the ryokan, but I'm under the impression it's just that the 'type' of being he is only cares about certain things. It almost feels like him and Tsukasa hacked some sort of system by being in love with one another... as some sort of love-controlling demons....

4. Bakeneko Ryokan

Also a profound cockiness and self-assuredness to this Hanako, and he again seems, at least, to lack guilt about what he's done or the consequences of his actions. He enjoys the luxuries of the ryokan, his captive, Tsukasa, appears happy and well and in his immediate vicinity, available for him to play with, seemingly without an interruption or impediment between them. That said, he endured for SOME amount of time, spectating Tsukasa in probably a less than ideal situation, and who knows what happened to them on their way TO the Ryokan…? He was sort of normal, once… he's not in dastardly control whisking away Tsukasa. He at some point, felt panicked and felt a lack of control. Fear of losing Tsukasa, fear of others doing this or that... He isn't the master in charge of the entire Ryokan; Sakura is… so he lacks the total 'king on his throne' vibe of Ghost Hotel or Spade King, or the 'rogue agent doing its own thing' of Valentine's. For whatever reasons, whatever constraints of the world, he does just work a job. Though he does capriciously threaten to eat humans, so he's not all that restrained. Nene is JUST his normal coworker in this AU, and a normal bakeneko girl. I feel like there's less inhibiting them than ever lol. He harasses her as he pleases and I don't see any reason he can't just take her when he's worn her down enough.

5. Hanako of the Opera

He seems like he's having a lot of fun. He doesn't seem too troubled. Him and Tsukasa have matching rings, so I guess they've, consummated, whatever, reached a conclusion, feel good about themselves. The Phantom typically lives underneath the Opera... do him and Tsukasa live together? I... have no idea. Hope they are down there with their candelabras and cobwebs, singing and playing piano together... He's out here giving roses to Nene and Tsukasa both. He's adamant and shitty to Nene, and Nene thinks of him as 'the Angel', so he's doing great for himself? He's pretty insane and throws his weight around, happy to threaten others while actually doing nothing that bad at any point we see. In the snippet we got, he seems to take the fall for Mitsuba's poisoning to protect Tsukasa (but unwittingly protects Kou, the one who actually poisoned Mitsuba), and uses the circumstance to his advantage, commanding everyone to do as he says. Teru technically owns the building and Hanako is not all that powerful, here. He's not even able to control who is the leading role. I think this guy is pretty limited in how much he can move and whatall he can do… so he's low ranking. But he is self-possessed enough to boss Nene around, threaten others, and consort all he pleases with Tsukasa, so he seems good enough. More constraints keeping him from some sort of crazy domination, Just a Sortof Scary Guy. He seems kinda mild! For Hanako! And I think IF he acted up, meaningfully, that he'd be punished summarily somehow...

6. Phantom Thief

what do we even know about this guy... We were so early on in the manga at the time of this AU that it can't really have a lot of salacious details. There is a Tsukasa here. But he isn't 'with' Hanako, he's merely relaying information to Nene via letters and such, trying to key her into Hanako's identity. I think this Hanako is secretive and obtuse like our canon guy, so I don't think he's actually doing so well, and I think Tsukasa is trying to work around him to procure a better solution or beget him nicer circumstances. I assume Phantom Thief boy is troubled secretly. He has like, no power. He is the underhanded backdoor guy while the Minamoto have more operative control. He's under a lot of authoritative pressure and has seemingly no real power, he's just a shitty little thief guy who is good at thiefing. I doubt he's much more self-possessed than canon Hanako, who is at least the effective God of a school, even if he's also its prisoner... he gets to boss people around and threaten them, you know... I dunno what this guy has going for him.

7. Magic Academy Teen Drama Boy

I actually rank him higher than normal Hanako because he at least is doing nothing but his own hobbies, seemingly, completely immersed in that. His problems are comically mundane, he's just…. like, socially withdrawn and doesn't like attention being brought to him. He'd like to be quiet and doing his own thing, left alone. For whatever reason, he has complete control over Tsukasa, though, and can ping him at any moment. So he's doing pretty well for himself, isn't he? Tsukasa is just like… his? He's comfortable with Tsukasa and with him all the time. I, don't know, given the suggestions in canon that Hanako ate Tsukasa in some way, and in this AU, eating, someone, makes them your familiar in a contract with you, I don't know . Anything could be true for, these two, and there could be deceptive aspects to this AU... He goes relatively low though because he's reluctant towards Nene. His impediment seems to be his own uh, dislike of being noticed or drawn attention to… so, he has a way to go. He's not harassing Nene or feeling entitled to her attention or imprisoning her. He's also not imprisoning Tsukasa, as far as we know... they lack seals or anything. I'm not sure this Amane can really manage much on his own, he would probably just tinker endlessly with his electronics. He faces a normal human amount of pressures and punishments and the usual reasons to act in line in a collectivist society… sadly, not a complete crazy guy putting women in his dungeon. I feel very sorry for him, in that way, but I also don't feel sorry for him, because he just has Tsukasa on-call, and Nene is TRYING!!!! to fuck him. Really this one is like, frustrating. I think if other Hanako saw THIS one they'd fuckin shove him in a locker, like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, HAVE SEX WITH HER, WHAT IS STOPPING YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! *SLAPS CONTROLLER OUT OF HIS HAND*

8. Monster Nursery

He seems like just a pretty mundane wagecuck, so to speak. He has a job, and he quietly does it, and does it well, but not so exceedingly well that he has phenomenal sway or anything. Just an underling in a greater company. He writes good papers and has shitty handwriting. Tsukasa is actually better at the job than him, and in the past, made the biggest strides for the company(?)… and Tsukasa seems a lot more ah, flourishing, here. He's awful well-suited to raising Nene-chan and full bore into it.

Amane is meek and quiet nerd guy here. He's pretty normal. He doesn't seem to face a catastrophic amount of pressure and constraints and punishments, but he also doesn't hold any meaningful power. I rank him low. I don't think he's all that excited about life or self-possessed. He needs to fuck the Nene Tsukasa's raised. That will fix him. I don't even know what this guy would look like, going crazy, or bucking against the structures of this company, or what consequences would befall him. Do him and Tsukasa live together....? presumably.... ? We do not get to see them interact; maybe it would just have been a spoiler to depict them being too close, lol....

9. canon Hanako

He's seemingly being kept in line under authoritative pressure and threats to tow that line. He was targetted in the past by grandma Minamoto, somehow, and is sealed. He has little freedom or mobility. He is crazy and relatively perky, in his sexual harassment of Nene, but he's extremely inhibited and self-hateful and reluctant to lean into his own nature-- the harassment is itself a form of protection, keeping his interest crude and rude and trying to obfuscate sincerity with boorish horniness. He doesn't really harm others for his own pleasure, but out of necessity, though he does threaten for fun. Tsukasa is trying to work around him and help open up new possibilities for him, maybe. Hanako seemingly can't bring himself to be more intimate with Tsukasa (?), and they spend much of their time apart. He feels a lot of negative things about his past and buries it deep and feels no hope or ambition towards the future. He has obligations and doesn't do as he pleases, and he can't exit his environment. His environment is not as pretty or pleasurous as a ryokan. His past has pain, but also, many years of joy with Tsukasa and some shining moments with Nene... and surely, he once felt something very euphoric surrounding the shinjuu, but that's a sensation most Amane get the pleasure of, so it can't rank him up. He's more cocky and insane than some of the wagecucks and society drones above, BUT ..... indulging being a little nerdo and being able to like, run around and not get blasted by a big sword at any moment, puts them over top of this one. School Boy is weak but can probably go to McDonalds whenever he wants. Or attend a festival. Or go to Nene's house. Our Hanako has to watch her leave every day, unable to follow her an inch further. I'm sure if we had entire mangas about other boys we'd be screaming about every Hanako though, and he's probably always 10 layers deep in lying and obfuscating how much pain or pleasure he is having.

Given how much him & Tsukasa are heehee playing in AUs, they might be closer even now than we think... I don't trust how warm this guy looks about everything.

I worry he deserves to be higher on the list, but if he is, I fear for my life. How can we judge this guy's pleasure? He is making sure we don't know about it .............

[bookwyrminspiration]

Kotlc characters trying to skateboard

I gotta be honest my main source of knowledge for skateboarding comes from 7th grade PE when I was like 12, but!! I will do my best!

Sophie: She tries so hard but her legs simply do not want to cooperate. She may have been able to walk across that moving boathouse no problem but in trying to push off she completely loses her balance before she even has the chance to try and stand on the board

Fitz: All the practice on using levitating crutches has given him a better sense of balance, so he's passable on a board. Does not like hills or bumps, but he's not in danger of seriously injuring himself. he does have a habit of bailing when he thinks he's gonna fall by just...levitating and freezing midair, so he's not allowed to skateboard near any humans

Keefe: He goes into it with so much confidence and has no idea what he's doing. He's watched people successfully skateboard and thinks he's got it. He does not. He takes as many tumbles as Sophie and is always covered in scratches and colorful bandaids, but he keeps trying. He'll eventually get better, but for now it's a lot of trial and error. Once he fell into a fountain because he forgot how to turn

Biana: It took her a few tries to figure out what she was doing, but once she got it she was gone. She's one of the best skaters in the kotlcrew and she's mastered several tricks. Can sometimes be seen skateboarding through the halls of Everglen.

Dex: It's no longer a skateboard it's a hoverboard. He's made it to space now. How is he breathing? he doesn't need to, he's a god

Marella: She's good at falling, by which I mean she knows how to do it safely. She and Biana spent a good amount of time together learning how to move on the board and to bend their knees to stabilize themselves, and now Marella loves to get as low as she can for the fun of it. Her skills are on par with Biana's, though it took some work to get there.

Linh: her sense of balance is the best out of everyone, so she has the fewest tumbles on her record. She doesn't often do the more daring or risky tricks that Biana and Marella enjoy, but every so often she'll join them for the thrill of it. Her favorite part is the feeling of the wind in her hair, so once she's more comfortable she enjoys slight inclines. It gives her a sense of freedom, even with the risks of getting hurt

Tam: He's making fun of everyone who falls like wow you can fight the Neverseen but fall on a moving board? Inevitably this ends in him trying like "whatever like it's hard." He immediately eats shit on the pavement the moment he encounters a crack. Just goes flying into a bush. He will never live it down

Stina: She started as a competent skater, able to do what she needed to to get places though her turns were a little sharp and she frequently lost control on inclines. But she refused to be bad at it or give up so she persisted and got good just to spite everyone else. And because she likes it or whatever...it's a good release even if it isn't her favorite thing ever

Maruca: She wanted to be part of the group so she picked up a board and immediately fell off when she locked up her knees and hit a bump. But she caught herself and picked herself back up and tried again. With some encouragement from everyone else, she's now one of the best in the group and enjoys the risk

Wylie: You will not catch him dead on a skateboard. He tried once just to see what it was like and now he knows what walls taste like. It's so much work for something so much less efficient at getting around than light leaping, and the danger of getting hurt is too much for it to be fun for him. Good for everyone else, but he will be a normal person, thank you very much

Jensi: His only concern is going as fast as possible and as such he has a bad habit of charging down very steep hills. Yes, this does always end in a crash. No, he won't stop

[lcveaffairs]

(—) ★ spotted!!  KARTER WINDSOR on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 33 year old looks like MICHAEL B JORDAN, but i don’t really see it. while  the FORMER PRINCE / REALITY TV STAR / INFLUENCER is known for being CUNNING my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be UNRELIABLE i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song DOGTOOTH BY TYLER THE CREATOR  { he/him / cis male} - penned by IVY, 21, CISFEMALE, SHE / HER

hi luvs !!! i'm ivy :)) so happy to see you all ! please excuse my bad timing and bad impulse control , i just kept typing HAHA but can't wait to write with you !!

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 :

name : karter antonio windsor age : thirty - three birthday : june 4th sign : gemini - gasp !! birthplace : london , england career : formerly , prince ! now . . . reality tv star & social media heartthrob !

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 :

soo for those who hadn't already guessed , karter completes the windsor siblings trio ! he was formerly prince of uk until a few years ago , when their parents relinquished the royal title & moved them all to america !

but let's take a few steps back. before all this , honestly , karter had very few complaints with his royal life. he always felt like he was made for a life of luxury and attention , and he'd practically come out the womb trying to charm those around him. he enjoyed his privilege and wasn't shy in using it , often grinning at all the house staff when he'd act up and asking them not to tell his parents about whatever trouble he got into.

the more stiff , less idealized parts of royalty didn't appeal to him , however. in fact , there were probably pictures released of him falling asleep during royal ceremonies & trying to escape LMAO ! it was w relatively selfish intentions , honestly , his thought always being why put so much effort into something that matters so little to me ? i wouldn't be surprised if his parents constantly had to wrangle him growing up !!

but his redeeming quality def was his charisma as i mentioned. though most can agree he wasn't the most poised prince , he was very approachable & generally not ultra uppity ? and for that , he did best in public appearances , service projects , etc. basically he was like ... i want you to adore me but not worship me !

anyways , when he got to america the best way i can explain it is modern giselle from enchanted HA ! like ... he was so overwhelmed w all this newfound freedom , not only from moving but no longer being a royal ? and well ... he went crazy.

karter wasn't even there a week before the paparazzi had pictures of him club hopping , dancing over everyone , and being an absolute mess !! sure , there were those who he knew were only talking to him for his status , but he didn't mind. in fact ... part of him liked how his title could make people's heads turn , for better or for worse. because at least they were looking at him.

i find it entirely canon that when approached by the paparazzi regarding his chaotic life he said - " if you want the royal story , read my parent's book ! but if you want to know the karter story , just turn on tmz ! i'm sure you'll find me there. "

yeah .... guys he's one of my most chaotic muses yet HAHA !!!

but soon the appeal of mindless partying wore off , and so did the intrigue of the former prince moving to town. he wanted more attention , and didn't want it to stop with his title.

so , in 2021 , he starred in a too hot to handle-esque reality show , very steamy & scandalous vibes ?? i probably don't have to explain that he had an absolute field day but ! it also blew him up once again , w him developing a new sub-set of fans who now knew him as reality tv karter , not just former prince karter !

on the show i imagine he was the epitome of this gifset , but also always saying the most off the wall quotable things during his confessionals ? and essentially became one of those people you love to hate.

so ever since , he's been wiggling his way into the mainstream influencer / celebrity culture for his own projects ! since he's done numerous modeling gigs for big companies , had small roles on several entertainment networks , and currently is guest starring as a returning contestant for the reality show he starred in !

he wanted to give acting a try but is lowkey terrified no one would take him seriously & they'd only gonna cast him for comedic relief roles. not because he wouldn't like it but like ... he would hate to feel like that's all he can do ??

fitness has always been incredibly important to him , though , and when he moved to america he had a desire to do something of true meaning that would allow him to generate his own income. his big project right now though is trying to open an exclusive gym in hollywood , where celebrities can work out amongst each other without the prying eyes of the public ! it's still in the works , but he's looking for help to get him started up !

so most of his own income has come from public appearances & sponsorships , and since most of that is getting saved up for the gym he's living relatively below his means.

his relationship w his parents has also grown incredibly complicated now , as he hasn't exactly been the model son of the year , and at the age of 33 is still making a life of clubbing and chaos. but more than that , he's been more distant from his parent's lately , as he feels close association always is going to group him as a royal and not as his own person ? so he's been more distant than usual , and he feels guilty as hell , but hasn't done much about it , either.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀 :

I SWEAR i try so hard to keep these short and they never are ... here's to making sure i keep this personality section reeeal concise !

ok so i think i got most the obvious things out the way via his background , but as you can tell this man is a lothario !! full of charisma , heeeavy flirt , adores attention but doesn't know how to keep a relationship to save his life.

honestly though ... smarter than he comes across ! those who first meet him might think he's a himbo , because he can come across as pretty aloof , but well-meaning ! the truth is though , he is smarter than he seems , he just doesn't like to share everything w the public , but wants them to feel like they know everything. by " dumbing down " his image to a party guy he keeps the headlines about him predictable and frequent , but keeps them away from the things that truly matter to him in life.

in the romantic sense , though , he is horrid at relationships bc he a.) he doesn't want one b.) he can't tell he can come across as such an asshole sometimes by being so blunt ?? he doesn't want a relationship , and since he can be self-centered , doesn't understand that other people may ? he also sees himself as a walking red flag after all the news about him so doesn't expect those to approach him to be in the market for something seriously anyways.

part of him hates this , though , because he feels like he can't be taken seriously. numerous brands he's tried working with clown him bc of his background , and he struggles to make true friends in america bc he feels like they're all either clout chasers or just see him as someone to party with !!

that being said , he can come across as emotionally guarded bc he doesn't know who he can trust. but when he trusts you ?? ugh this man is fiercely loyal ! almost to a fault. bc on that token , he can be incredibly protective and will go to war for those he loves.

when you truly get to know him below his exterior , i would say he radiates golden retriever energy. very clingy & affectionate , dotes heavily on those he loves , as well as constantly poking fun of his loved ones in healthy doses.

when they first moved to the us , he had intended to adopt a german shepard who would accompany him on his runs , only to realize he'd said the wrong name when he asked them about the dog rescue. well out came this little yorkie and well .... he felt too bad to complain , and now he has a 8 pound dog named zoe who he accidentally fell in love with and yes she still accompanies him on his runs !!

sidenote i need to remind myself ivy u literally won't have anything else to write w people if you keep typing !! so i'm gonna stop myself here because otherwise i won't shut up !! pls i would love to plot w u all and i'm so excited to be with you MWAH !

𝐖𝐂𝐒 :

costars !! i'm keeping the premise relatively vague on purpose , but at some point in 2021 karter starred in a show similar to too hot to handle !! so i would love it if some of his costars were still around , esp if they had drama on the show ? or alternatively , someone who the show did evil editing on to make it seem like they had a rivalry when they were actually cool w each other !

roomies question mark ?? if this doesn't happen i'll probably have it be canon he lives on his own ! but tbh i could see karter being in the chaos spawn that is a content house ! probably 25+ leaning since idk i don't think he needs to be living up w people too much younger than him efjjefoijeoi ! but i think it could be so fun to have a hype house vibe except like ... they're all a little older and so it gives it a bit of a different vibe !

exes !! you'll soon see i love a messy plot so any sort of ex would be great. bitter , still a little in love , a relationship that never really became a thing , high school sweethearts ( if somehow they were in the uk lol ! )

current fwbs , messy or not ! he has both drama-filled and more tame situationships , so this could go anyway !

the one that got away ? i feel like there's max oooone person who karter truly thought he could love at some point or another. but maybe sh*t happened and they didn't make it out together. would totally love a more angst leaning plot where there could potentially still be lingering feelings but not necessarily !!

if there's any other muses from the uk , i'd also love to see childhood-oriented / long-term connections ! he's also probably much closer to them than most others in hollywood which would give a different side of him for sure !

enemies / frenemies !! i definitely think there's people who don't like karter and i would love to see some muses he has a more tense relationship w !! honestly he's drawn to people who don't like him bc he's ultra-competitive and it makes him want them to like him that much more. but on the other hand , maybe also someone he has a mutual nemesis-sort of relationship w , and who's twitter feuds are constantly making celeb gossip news ?

former tour guide also !! i assume karter's probably been to america at some point before moving , but regardless it was definitely a culture shock not only moving but to no longer be treated as royalty ?? so i think it'd be super fun to have someone who showed him the ropes around ( maybe even hollywood specifically for those who were born into the life ) , and grow close in the process ! we could also do flashback threads for this of their adventures if u would like !

any and everything else. <3 if i can think of anything better , i'll add it , but truly i love nearly everything & totally like just talking it out as well !! never feel afraid to hit me up bc if you don't have an idea , we can plot it out 'till we do !! <3

[kaylor]

Maddy, I felt like you're the best person for me to talk to since you mentioned being the main source of income for you and your partner.

My partner wants to drop out of his PhD, which is going to mean that we need to repay 2 years of funding - including two overseas trips. I'm not feeling super jazzed about it, but I can't force him to complete his PhD. He doesn't have an idea of what to do next, just that it's not in academia.

And this is a very long story to get to the point that I feel very very overwhelmed by the pressure of "soon I'm going to be the main/ only source of income for a while".

it's a tough position to be sure!! but not unmanageable. me and my partner have both been the sole breadwinner at various points in our life together, sometimes you need to quit your job because it's literally killing you, sometimes you are simply unemployed for a while because job hunting is just not an efficient process at all, sometimes shit just happens. but you work it out together, you budget, you plan, you have contingency plans, you have contingency plans for your contingency plans, and if you're lucky you have parents who can help you out in a sticky spot.

i think aside from money issues, the toughest part is when you're in a shit job but you know you don't have the freedom to leave, or it's precarious and you don't know how long you're going to have that stability for. as a junior contractor i've been in both of those positions, sometimes at the same time! and it fucks with your mental health if you're not careful. which is why it's so important to be there for each other and to make sure you're finding joy together in things outside of just work when work seems to be the only thing on your mind all the time.

like, times like this just suck. i can't sugarcoat it. you're gonna get annoyed with him for taking too long to find a job. he's gonna get annoyed at you for getting frustrated with him playing a video game when he should be looking for jobs but you don't know he's applied to 17 jobs that morning already. waiting to hear back from anywhere is excruciating and you're both going to be in bad moods and it's going to suck. but it's not going to be forever. you got this! ❤️

[autisticcassandracain]

Do you have any Free Family reading recs? I’ve read all of Scott Free’s solo runs except the Tom King one and I’ve read JLI and I want more of my blorbos

Unfortunately I've been procrastinating on fine tooth combing through Scott's appearances on DCU Guide so you've almost definitely read most if not all of my recs for him, and recs for Barda overlap heavily with him bc they're basically a package deal. And I have only one real rec for Shilo Norman, but on the bright side, you might not have read it?

Normally I'd wait to answer this ask until I've read some stuff I've been putting off, like Barda's Justice League appearances and Shilo's appearances in Joker's Last Laugh, but my laptop decided it hates me so that'd take forever so uh. Have some crumbs I guess.

Mister Miracle Special: On the off chance you've read Scott's solos but not this oneshot, please read it it's very good I love it.

Justice League of America (1960) #183 - 185: Now THIS one you probably haven't read! I basically read it on accident but I ended up really liking Scott and Barda's characterization in this one. It's an ensemble cast Justice League/New Gods comic, so it's not Scott and Barda focused, but well worth reading for them imo. Set pre-crisis.

Orion: Scott is a minor character in this one but the lore added to his character here is super interesting. The entire book is really good so if you've read New Gods (1971) (which I'm assuming you have, if not please at least read #7) I recommend reading all of it, but Scott appears in the following issues: #10 (Tales of the New Gods back-up story only), #12-15 (he’s not in all of these and plays a big role in just one issue, but I think reading the whole arc is pretty necessary for context; the issue he has a big role in is #15 if you do want to skip though), #16 (for like one page but it's probably best to read it), and #25.

Mister Miracle and the Source of Freedom: A Shilo Norman miniseries. A very different, but interesting, take on Shilo's character. I dislike how they used Scott and Barda in this one but it's well worth reading for Shilo, Thaddeus Brown, and Oberon.

For completion's sake, here's my Scott reading recs, here's my Barda reading recs (essentially identical to Scott's but someone very kindly added DCAU recs), here's my New Gods in general reading recs.

[goldenworldsabound]

❄❤🌼??

Thanks @heatobrienswife! Let's do Golden Genshin

25 OC Questions

❄️ What makes your OC sad, so sad that they can’t help but cry all day? How do they cheer themself up? Does their sadness upset any of their loved ones too?

hm 🥺I think seeing Kaeya and Diluc completely fail to reconcile upsets them, though...I think they keep that under wraps. It's just such a bitter reminder that things aren't the same as they were - and they may never be again. So those mean little quips the two make at each other...especially because they know how much it hurts Kaeya...those can lead to tears later, though in the moment they'll overcompensate.

Kaeya is distraught by the fact that this makes them so upset. He never wanted to be a source of pain for them, which is why he originally tried to distance himself from them before realizing he couldn't do that. But at the same time...he rarely cries about the situation anymore, and seeing them do so...while it hurts, it's also cathartic to get through it together.

I think this SI also suffers from my specific trauma and remembering that is so upsetting. It will knock them out for the day. All of their partners are of course concerned when this happens. There will be a lot of hugs, and soothing touches, and taking care of Golden.

❤️ What would your OC’s ideal lover be like? Appearnce, personality, voice? Would their family approve or would it be civil war?

Golden doesn't believe in a concept like this! They have three lovers who are all very different people, after all.

Regarding their family, I hadn't thought of this much even though they do lowkey have parents that have come up in fic. Their upbringing is pretty important to how they think. The key value is that their family really emphasized the freedom that comes with Mondstadt. Freedom to go learn whatever you want, freedom to do whatever you want and to make it work. So I think their family would be perfectly happy to accept their three partners.

Of course, they were very happy with Kaeya, since their parents know him super well since Kaeya and Golden grew up together. He's a lovely young man and they were hoping for it tbh fkdjsahfkjdsa and then Dehya. They're more surprised but Dehya also in many ways embodies freedom - she goes where she chooses, and takes the jobs she wants, and is successful. She meets the family values quite well. Alhaitham is also approved - though with a bit less enthusiasm at first, since he is part of an organization (the Akademiya) that has strict rules and policies and that Golden themself lambasted for it's lack of freedom. Of course the truth of the matter is that Alhaitham has situated himself to have the most freedom he can within the Akademiya with his position of scribe so! He'll grow on them.

🌼 Write a short drabble from your OCs POV meeting their LI (or if they don’t have a love interest, their best friend. If you don’t want to do a drabble, describe their first meeting instead!)

Their first meeting with Kaeya was as little kiddos!!! One day, along with Diluc and Jean, Kaeya came to play. He was so scared and shy - but Golden and the others helped him come out of his shell and have fun with them. It's a fond memory that they hold onto tightly - Kaeya has long since stopped being so openly vulnerable and the innocence of that moment of connection means a lot to them..

With Dehya, their first meeting was when Golden hired Dehya to lead them safely to Sumeru City on their first visit to Sumeru. They got along well enough and Golden was very happy, leading them to hire Dehya many more times until Dehya simply started refusing payment because they were friends now (and then lovers later uwu)

With Alhaitham, Dehya introduced Golden to him at some point after the Sumeru Archon Quest. Golden found him irritating immediately and promptly got an argument with him, especially upon finding out he was a scholar in the Akademiya (and they perceived his Scribe role to be pretty high up there). Alhaitham enjoyed their intellectual sparring - Golden was practically dragged away by Dehya FHEFKJEHKJE

[dailyrecaps]

That's why dividends are good - [a couple lunches out per month with your spendy co-workers who throw away their one-source-hard-earned dollars every day.] PAY YOURSELF FIRST, not the restaurant as you succumb to peer pressure.

*Realization 1. when raylyn wanted to check out a huge dragon/fairy chapter book... why don't you just imagine all your hopes reading in this book? What do you think happens? What all would you want to happen? What do you need to read the book for? Skip it. Write your own. Nonetheless, I let her get it.

2. Same. *Brain click. I observed myself outside myself again. Why am I reading this business book like I'm seeking some kind of authority? As if this contains all the answers I'm in need of. Then what? I go to the next book and the next, looking for more authority - someone to tell me its okay, to tell me how. I'm not looking for a book to vibe with, I'm not in need of authority. Write my own, be my own authority. Get help, discover for myself, like literally all the greats did. There wasn't this much knowledge back then. I need guts. Fail or fly. I need W.B. sense. I need structure and to lay out my long-term/overall plan. I need belief in that plan. To begin. It's going to work no matter what, I'll make it.

**+ the day I spent all day searching retail on the internet as if I was at a job, my life out of my control, trying to entertain/distract myself from the fact, like everyone else... no no no more. I'm an entrepreneur; remember, I didn't want to have time for that.

It takes one decision/one desire, then refusal thereafter to happily ever after.

I've made the most of the past 4 days since the start of his new job. I love it. Love how I now get to be/feel "cool mom," spend all day with them, whether it's school or anything else. Having the vehicle all the time helps. No more fucked over. No more helpless feeling of not able to do better when it all starts blending to nowhere. Able to be more responsible. Makes me want to run errands and make dinner.

Imagine, Brittany at home while he's at work in a crush state, on dates where he can squeeze them in on lunch breaks or on days off when they're away, spending it all up- time/money as he pleases in the moment, coming home to her, playing the game, she's easy just buy sugar, faking to stay lovable/delay any of her suspicion, to maintain sex and a home with the kids, bc it's the best of both worlds... [I'm dumb]. Imagine what Brittany is doing with her 8 hours of complete uninterrupted/self-guided freedom, that he never asks her about, and would she honestly tell? Other ppl's realizations and questions: what does she do all day? Investing/homeschooling, what do you mean? How's that going? How much does she contribute? Telling him, you're dumb. His suspicion - what if she's faking her jealousy? If everything about work/etc is truly unappealing to her? Should that make me lose belief in what I'm doing, where I've gotten/ led myself, where I was going to go? Don't for a second think that he has it better; remember. Never give this up. Protect/enhance it, work to keep it.

Here's what I did today. But I'll never talk about my genius-masterminding strategy learned. Only I can make me happy.

Learned how to breathe from guy sprinting past me :) Enough oxygen funneled through and pushed out quickly to regain more faster = energy flow. And the principles translate from one field to another. Didn't grasp it here, then won't do it there.

[melbournenewsvine]

Best Australian Yarn author Julie Raffaele imagines the day an earthquake struck Meckering

The events at Meckering on the morning of October 14, 1968, when a massive earthquake ripped through the Wheatbelt town are knotted into the fabric of Julie Raffaele’s family history. “I was only one and have no memories of it but my mum does,” she says. “We were living in Kalgoorlie at the time and mum tells me that dad was outside on a ladder and she didn’t know whether to save the children or what to do. There was a lot going on, children in high chairs and that kind of thing.” A few years ago, Raffaele started writing a short story based on her imaginings of the day. The Best Australian Yarn competition provided the perfect opportunity for her to go back to her unfinished work and complete it. “I honestly don’t know why I started writing it,” she says. “I think like a lot of things, various elements compost in your mind. You read stuff every now and then because they still have tremors out there, so I’m sure something had come up. “When I re-read it — which I did the other night — it still brings up a lot of emotion for me. I don’t know why that is but I think it is about the characters.” “I just thought about the way they would have experienced it, and really all of them are quite challenged – if that’s the word – in different ways, particularly the woman who is alone in the country.” None of the characters is based on a real person. “The country publican, I’ve met him many times,” she laughs. “I don’t know where the idea of the shopkeeper being chased by the viper came from, but that seemed very natural.” Raffaele is a film-maker who grew up in East Fremantle. She remembers being an avid reader as a child and having an affinity with literature-based learning at school. Her university career took her to Curtin, to what was then Swinburne College in Melbourne and eventually back to Murdoch University to do her masters degree in film-making. She describes her writing for her work as a film-maker as pretty heavily researched-based and enjoys the freedom of writing short stories. “It’s a purer form of an idea, more imaginative, not constrained by fact,” she says. “Any research has to be spot on. You can take some liberties once you have done the research but a short story comes comes from a place of invention.” The Best Australian Yarn, which is run by The West Australian in partnership with Minderoo Foundation, was launched in February and allows professional and amateur short story writers to compete for a $50,000 prize pool, the richest of its kind in the world. Raffaele and the other authors in the Top 50 have the opportunity to win the $30,000 major prize. Nine other finalists shortlisted for the overall prize will receive $1000 each, the top WA entrant $4000, the best Australian regional entry $3000 and the best youth entry $2000. The prize jury is chaired by the editor-in-chief of The West Australian, Anthony De Ceglie, and includes Minderoo Foundation co-founder Nicola Forrest, author Robert Drewe and publishers Terri-ann White and Rachel Bin Salleh. The winners will be announced on November 18. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine