#I really like how they all have their own little motivations. I've always been fascinated by Marchosias in particular

[bonefall]

It would be funny if people channeled aither Appledusk or Frecklewish for protection against Mapleshade SPECIFICALLY. They protect cats that are haunted by her for no other reason then petty spite.

I lean towards Frecklewish on a more general level because she is spiteful in the dark forest

With Apple I got the idea that it is a sort of unspoken dark secret in river clan since that's where his bloodline is. It just exists as an old ghost story that is told "If you are ever haunted by a ghostly Calico Cat, go to the old apple tree and say a damned man's name three times." And everyone just thinks it as a weird folk story.

Anyways, main point is that ghost curse horror movie Mapleshade is a really good idea

Frecklewish would RELISH the chance the beat the snot out of Mapleshade. Mostly the thing that would stand in the way is that Frecklewish shares no relation to the Applekin and even has a bit of a grudge of her own, but she is totally the sort of person who would put that aside for the chance to beat Maple's face in.

Appledusk could probably be channeled easily, just find a crabapple tree and strip its bark at sunset, but BB!Apple is kind of a pushover. He has a lot of regrets about his life, and hopes for atonement so that he may one day join StarClan. He may have mixed feelings on granting requests.

I'd say that he's good for undoing Maple's curses, but not going to town with her.

Frecklewish is DEFINITELY hard to get ahold of for some reason. You probably need something that adders produce... but if you call for her, she's there immediately.

Not to mention, though, the StarClan cats who are open for invocation. Maybe I should give Stormpaw's Demon a bit of a theme of "information loss" between generations as a result of neglect... Duskwater taught Rainflower how to cope with her curse, but Rainflower did not pass on the information to her own children, and they have to "re-discover" the wisdom that she should have given them.

Will make for a pretty awesome moment when one of them is able to get the attention of Petalstar.

[flymmsy]

do you think that gort used to like karlach at some point? or was he just always faking it to get what he wants? curious about your interpretation of their relationship

I actually wrote about that here! (TLDR: He very much admired her, but Gortash has a fucked up way of showing admiration.)

Karlach and Gortash’s relationship is fascinating. I feel strongly that it was platonic, with perhaps some wiggle room on Karlach's part only because she is really quick to say "it wasn't like that." But I do think that Karlach became one of only a handful of people that Gortash (thought he) cared about.

Gortash on a very base level would never put his security into the hands of someone he didn't trust. A lot of people really wonder "Why Karlach?" - and that's a great question to ask, what is this ~19 y/o (roughly) going to do for you? But it is because it is a bizarre pick that we should look deeper - on the one hand, she's young and impressionable and he can mold her - thats an obvious motivator. But on the other, I strongly believe Gortash saw himself in young Karlach. I also love Karlach and don't want to diminish anything that Gortash did to her, but I am a little skeptical of her "I didn't recognize evil when I saw it" line. I think that's not entirely true - I do think Karlach knew more about what he was (not a Banite, but an Arms Dealer), but she was young enough that she didn't quite understand the true ramifications of that. I think she knew her boss was bad, but didn't think too deeply into just how bad he was and the consequences of his actions. Plus, he gave her financial security she literally never had. As a person who grew up in poverty, yea I'd be willing to overlook a certain degree of shit too for that security.

[And to those who might be unhappy with that take - you're not giving Karlach enough credit. Someone who did bad things/was around bad people and ended up developing into an insanely incredible person in spite of it (and in opposition to it) is a testament to her character AND way more impressive than someone who was just blind and ignorant. She's so much more than that.]

Even more interesting is how genuinely happy Gortash is to see Karlach if you play her origin. It only comes out in this very quick origin-specific interaction - but he actually laughs and sounds different than the entire rest of the game.

"By the Black Hand, I'd recognize that voice anywhere."

Now, I'm insane and overanalyze voice actor's performances all the time, but his voice is immediately rougher and his cadence is different before it shifts back into the regular Gortash voice immediately in the next sentence - "Karlach - it's been an eternity" - as if he's caught himself slipping into something he shouldn't have. Will the real Enver Gortash please stand up?

I've also written about how I think Gortash is genuinely surprised that Karlach is angry with him/blames him for the Hells. It reveals so much about how he's so delusional about his own trauma.

So - in short - I feel that Gortash would say Karlach was one of the closest people to him ever and fully mean it. It's just that she happened to be close to someone who was a terrible, terrible person.

[beanzwrites]

│Chapter One│

│Human! Alastor x Reader│

Ⓢⓨⓝⓞⓟⓢⓘⓢ: Alastor offers (Y/n) a job, and though they are hesitant, they accept.

Ⓝⓞⓣⓔⓢ: The reader is indicated to be biologically female as they will face certain challenges throughout this story due to the time period. Characters set in this will refer to the reader as she, but for the most part, it will be gender neutral. This is written to be platonic but will remain ambiguous. There may be inaccuracies to the time frame. This series may and will contain things such as sexism, classism, gender dysphoria, bullying, mentions of religion, and gore. Please read at your own risk.

〣Previous Part 〣

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"Alastor. Charmed to meet you! I must say, this is an awful lot of stuff you have here. Mind if I ask what you are doing?" The man speaks with glee.

(Y/n) notes a shine in his eyes they couldn't quite decipher, and a feeling of uncertainty washes over them. Very few people have shown interest towards them willingly, as the locals have made sure to blacklist them due to their unorthodox behavior, and (Y/n) mentally barricades themself for where this interaction will lead to. Surely, it won't end well.

"Just working on an assignment," (Y/n) replies, cautiously watching as the man permits himself to sit at the table.

"One for learning then! What does one such as yourself want to be?" Alastor hums, looking over the covered surface with curiosity.

"I'm currently enrolled for journalism. Nothing too grand..."

"I see, I see. Do tell about this fascination you have with the Bayou Killer then? Surely, the college doesn't speak of such things in a mere literacy class," Alastor casually remarks as he takes up one of the cut-out articles that (Y/n) made notes on in his hand, "My, what interesting theories you have! Do you really think this murderer has a vendetta against ill-willed men?"

"That's none of your concern," (Y/n) snaps as they tear their work away from the stranger's hold. The man's smile twitches slightly, his stare intensifying on them for a moment. (Y/n) would've been intimated if it weren't for the immediate regret they felt pull at their heart. Alastor's arms fall into his lap, and the grin he wore before falls as he leans back. Were they truly so standoffish as Joanne claims?

"I apologize..." (Y/n) sighs out, "That was rude of me, and though I cannot excuse my terrible behavior, it's been an off day for me. Please pardon my actions."

"That's quite alright, my dear. I've had a few days in the ditch myself, but my mother always told me that if you want something to happen, act as if you already have it," Alastor reflects with the wiggle of his finger. "Nothing a little music can't help either! Instead of working one's finger to the bone, why don't you come dance with me?"

"That's very kind of you, but you wouldn't want to dance with me."

"Nonsense! If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have asked."

"If you want to go home with a broken toe, then by all means."

"How farcical of you," Alastor laughs, "I'd like to see you try!"

Alastor's temperament returns back to a mirthful one such as before, an ever-growing smile etched on his lips and waggish gleam casting from his eyes. His slim fingers tap against the glass he brought with him from the bar, sipping from the alcoholic beverage periodically as his gaze drifts over to the bustling scene of the dancefloor. (Y/n) watches too, as pretty girls with short furling dresses and babydoll curls gather with their friends to dance with boys who bought them one to many drinks. The laughter that bounces throughout the building suddenly becomes too much for (Y/n), and though Alastor sat just beside them, a staggering loneliness weighs heavy on them.

"Please don't let me keep you," (Y/n) mutters, returning their focus back on the papers laid out in front of them. Not like they had the motivation to work now, but it was the only thing that would keep their mind from wandering too far. Scribbling away once more, (Y/n) couldn't help but to be curious of a soft creaking coming closer to their side, and peek over to see Alastor's watchful regard reading over their writing. "What are you doing?"

"Mere curiosity is all, sweet. You need it in my line of work, but I suppose you would understand where I'm coming from, wouldn't you?"

"It's not my job to be curious, I just simply am."

"Is that so?" Alastor asks with a raise of his brow, "I would've assumed a clever woman such as yourself would have a high standing occupation to go with her wit."

"And that would be a first for me being called clever instead of imprudent," (Y/n) laughs, "Sadly, your assumption is mistaken. I guess people just don't see anything else besides my gender. I can't be smart like a man nor curious like a man can. How lucky for you."

"I could care less," Alastor answers, "All that matters is that I see potential, a potential I can guide."

"What could I possibly give you that won't bite you in retaliation?"

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" He grins somewhat diabolically, "What could society possibly say about you that would bring down the best radio host in city? Trust me, you aren't the only one who's name escapes disquieting tongues. From one interesting person to another, I persist that we join forces. Come work with me at that radio station."

"You come off awfully fast. I don't even know you!"

"You can't race time, but you can be quick with it! You need a job, do you not?"

"I'll think about it," (Y/n) remarks, "I'm still in school after all. I will have to see when and if my schedule permits it. You cannot control time either, you know?"

"I understand completely, my dear! Take all the time you need. My radio isn't going anywhere if I can help it!"

"There you are!" The familiar sound of (Y/n)'s mother calls out over the live music. The fringes of their mother's dress shine under the fluorescents like gold as she walks over to the table, an ecstatic red painted smile expressing how she felt. She looked absolutely stunning, (Y/n) thought. Her aging has always been graceful, like that of fine silk, and a small sense of pride fills them as they think back on Mimzy's praise. (Y/n) never saw themself as beautiful, always opting to hide away from attention as much as they could, but the similarities they had with their mother was something they always liked. "I was worried that you didn't show up."

"I would never disobey you, Ma." (Y/n) comments as their mother sits across from Alastor.

"I see you've made a friend!" Their mom's eyes twinkle as her attentiveness casts over to the man, "I'm Lorraine, (Y/n)'s mother. Pleasure to meet you!"

"The pleasure is all mine!" Alastor greets, "I must say, what an excellent performance you put on earlier! I suppose talent runs in the family?"

(Y/n)'s mother surveys him quizzically, pursing her lips in thought, before her eyes brighten.

"Did (Y/n) let you read her writings? Marvelous, isn't it? I don't know where she got her smarts from, but it surely wasn't me! I have to say though, she normally doesn't get along quick with strangers. What did you do to be so special?"

(Y/n)'s cheeks heat slightly as their mother peeks at them, a smirk on her face. They quickly collect their papers with a pout, glaring from the eulogize words their mom practically sang. "Don't call yourself dumb, Ma. You are anything but," (Y/n) grumbles, "The only reason Mister Alastor here read anything is because he allowed himself to without permission."

"You wound me!" Alastor cries, clasping his suit where his heart should be, "Your work merely fascinates me is all. I offered them a job, you know?"

"Really?" Lorraine exclaims with a gasp, "Oh, (Y/n)! That's wonderful! What will she be doing?"

"Helping me write manuscripts for my broadcast. If she says yes, that is."

"You must say yes, sweetheart! This is a miracle to you from God!" (Y/n)'s mother pleads as she take her child's hands in hers. "It may not be exactly what you want, but you've been given a chance."

"I've been called many things in my life, but God is a first." Alastor bombinates with a tilt of his head.

"Oh! My apologize, Mister Alastor!" their mom remarks, "Thank you for seeing good in my daughter!"

"Why do I feel like I don't have a choice here?" (Y/n) mutters, watching the two adults go back and forth in chatter. Their mother, charismatic as ever, goes off on a tangent about (Y/n)'s greatest strengths that could be useful in the workplace. Her face beams with absolute gratitude and support; it makes (Y/n) feel off about their previous cumbersome comments. Alastor nods along with their mother's insistent information, his head leaning casually against his closed fist.

A sense of mystery surrounds this man, (Y/n) notes cautiously. Though his demeaner was nothing short of friendly, his eyes held unknown intent. The edge of his smile quirks slightly as he continues listening to their mother, but the tapping of his foot shows a sense of urgency. (Y/n) continues observing the stranger, even when his eyes connect with theirs.

All their life, no one besides their mother showed such fervent interest in their activities. On many occasions, they were told that their insistence on bountiful knowledge would only lead them to be fruitless. No one in this city would've told this man good things about their progressive exertion, and it only made (Y/n) want to build up their walls even higher. Their mother wasn't oblivious to people's intentions and wickedness, however. She's had her fair share of snakes, and she knows when to spot one, even with her honey-like spirit. It caused a sense of unsureness within (Y/n)'s own perception; were the things that they heeded true, or was there an underlining of their insecurities seeping through? If their mother didn't raise any alarm of what she thought of Alastor, why should they?

"Can I help you with something?" Alastor calmly asks as his stare bores into (Y/n)'s.

"I was just wondering..." (Y/n) declares, "When would you like me to start?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━☻━━━━━━━━━━━━━

(Y/n) vigorously taps their pencil against the desk, eyes glued to the hands ticking by on the clock above the professor's head. Time surely was testing (Y/n)'s patience today, as their history teacher had brought her lecture to a closing a few minutes ago, and opted the students to work on anything that needed to get done before it was officially time to leave. (Y/n), diligent as ever, made sure to be on top of their class assignments. There was really no reason for them to stay in class; however, the anxiety that bubbled underneath their skin prompted them to linger a little longer.

Very few students remain in the room, most taking the free time as a way of escape from their responsibilities. Though some moil over their own homework in silence, others gathered together leisurely in gossip. The boisterous laughter buzzed uncomfortably in (Y/n)'s ears like that of an unreachable itch, but the loudness of their own head distracted them more so.

With persistent persuasion from their mother after the encounter with Alastor, (Y/n) requested to start at the station the beginning of the upcoming week. The weekend went by before they could even process what they had accepted, and now that the afternoon of their first shift has presented itself in a cloudy manner, (Y/n)'s doubt sprouted in a messy briar of potency. But, the distraction of their own loathing couldn't even be dealt with in peace.

A sharp pain warms the back of (Y/n)'s head with great vehemence, as a strand of their hair is tugged on in an arbitrary manner. The audible hiss that escapes through their teeth causes an eruption of cackles behind them. (Y/n) swiftly turns to the obnoxious noise, icy vexation carrying their stare. Donald Raslo, a boy with slick auburn locks and a smile that would gain any clueless woman's trust, eyes (Y/n) with a look they could only describe as vile. His teeth tug at his bottom lip mischievously, hazel orbs casting over their body. An involuntary shutter of disgust travels down their spine as their fellow classmate reaches over to grab at their hair again.

"Don't touch me," (Y/n) growls in absolute rancor.

"I'm surprised you haven't just shaved it all off yet," Donald simply replies with a maniacal grin. "You know, since you want to be a man so bad."

"You are pathetic," (Y/n) responds coolly as they turn back in their seat to quickly gather their things. Another agonizing pull forces their head back as Donald watches from behind his thin-framed glasses.

"It's all just fun and games!" Donald chuckles, as if his insults were anything but cruel, "You get defensive so quickly. Relax a little, doll."

"What do you want?" (Y/n) bluntly asks, jerking the strand away that Donald curled with his finger.

"I was wondering if you would go to the dance with me. I've wanted to ask for a while now."

A scowl morphs onto (Y/n)'s face, and they rise from their sit. Anger boils throughout their body, their nails involuntarily digging at their palms. Without another word to the boy, (Y/n) excuses themself to their teacher, and flounces out of the room. The heels on their feet become unbearably heavy as they stalk throughout the halls, visibly shaking as the distant feeling of Donald's hand through their hair burns at their scalp. (Y/n) wanted to scrub their head raw as their discomfort taunts them.

The world around them spins, and tears catch at the edge of their eyes. Deep huffs of air exhale from (Y/n) as they try to calm down. They despised themself for letting such childish behavior bring them into such a vulnerable state, but the tightness in their chest was excruciating.

Sometimes, they wished that they weren't so different.

The smell of freshly bloomed marigolds ground (Y/n) back to reality as they push open an exit door of the school. The sky basks in a slate blue, caressing the earth in a rare coolness of spring. The wetness on their cheeks startles them; they hadn't realized they were crying. Wiping their cheeks with the sleeve of their overcoat, they settle themself on the pavement steps gliding down into town. They stare blankly ahead, a fixed frown on their face.

(Y/n) never let the bullying affect them too much, convincing themself that the others were too callow for their own good. They taught themself at a very young age to stifle their insecurities, and eventually, people would just leave you alone. (Y/n) isn't an emotionless robot, however. As hardened as they try to appear, wounds that are consistently probed at never truly heal.

"(Y/n)?"Joanne, small and quiet in tone, carefully settles herself down by them, sun hat in her petite white-gloved hands. Her eyebrows arch together in worry and a deep frown sits on her usually cheerful face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," (Y/n) remarks as their eyes remain ahead. They subtly wipe at their cheeks again, letting out a deep sigh. "What do you need?"

"I wanted to apologize, for what I said to you before. It was very unbecoming of me. I'm sorry."

"Water under the bridge, Ann..."

"Good," Joanne says after a moment, "I couldn't live with my best friend being upset with me."

"I'm not petty by any means. The most I would've done is never talk to you again," (Y/n) snorts.

"You call that not being petty?" Joanne laughs, "You and I have different morals on what that looks like then! Seriously though, are we alright?"

"We will be, (Y/n) replies, "There's still a lot I have to think on."

"I understand... I heard that Donald asked you to the dance. You rejected him."

"I'm guessing he told you that. I'm still not accepting his offer, if that is why you are truly out here."

"I won't pressure you into dating someone you don't like. I know my fair share in that," Joanne reflects as she pinches at the fabric of her skirt delicately, "Will you at least think about going still? Even if you go alone, I'll be happy that you're there."

"You know I don't do good at socializing," (Y/n) answers, "It's best if I just stick to myself."

"Could I maybe convince you over coffee? The cafe should still be open."

"I won't be able to today. I have plans already," (Y/n) acknowledges as they stand. Casting their gaze over to the girl, a smirk cracks onto their solemn expression. "I might take you up on the offer at a later date though. Our last get-together ended kind of sour, after all."

"Sure, but why the sudden leave?" Joanne questions as she stands herself.

"I got a job."

"Oh, (Y/n)! That's wonderful!" Joanne exclaims as she races to hug her friend. "Mind if I ask where?"

"A local radio station," (Y/n) simply remarks, rigidly patting Joanne on the back. Their friend pulls away soon after, hands firmly holding their shoulders and a big grin on her face.

"How long have been working there? Is that why you haven't been around?"

"Not exactly... I've been helping my Mom with her new job after my classes. That's where I met my boss actually; I start today."

"You'll have to tell me all of the details later! Promise you will!"

"I promise... Can you let me go now?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━☻━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Wheels squeal to life as the bus (Y/n) took to the far edge of town starts up again. The ground beneath them rumbles as the trolley continues back to civilization, and (Y/n) begins to venture across the street where the treeline of the marsh begins.

A dirt road trails off into the forest, a black tin mailbox posted alongside it. Glancing at the scrapped piece of paper in their hands, (Y/n) read over the address Alastor hastily wrote down for them a few days before, and confirm this was the driveway to the radio station.

Leaves, thick like smoke, hover over (Y/n) in shadowed agglomerations, and sweat begins to bead across their forehead as the coolness of the day begins to heat up once more. The muggy atmosphere felt almost suffocating, but they continued onwards with tenacious intent. Though anxiety still roared within their heart in fast palpitations, they'd be damned to show up late.

The forest rang with muffled silence, the chirping of crickets seeming to echo but a distance. (Y/n) follows along the wooden fence that barricaded the road from the woodland's depths, and soon enough, a scrupulous house and rustic barn are revealed as the narrow path opens up into a field.

As (Y/n) walks up to the porch, confusion entwines in their thoughts as they quickly notice how vacant this station seemed to be. They knock on the screen door and wait a few moments with furrowed brows.

Where was everybody?

"There you are, dear!" The charismatic voice of Alastor discloses his presence, his never-changing smile lining his pearly whites with thin lines. "I hope your travels gave you no trouble."

"Your station is a long ways from the city. I almost thought I got off at the wrong place. Where are the others?" (Y/n) asks curiously as they walk down to meet him.

"The others?" Alastor questions.

"Surely you don't do everything yourself? Where are your other employees?"

"I don't need a whole group to do tasks I'm perfectly capable of doing myself," Alastor comments as he leads (Y/n) towards the barn with his hand on their upper back. "I will say though, I'm ecstatic to see how you work. I sure do hope you do not disappoint me."

"Me either..." (Y/n) mutters, malaise injecting itself once again into their nerves.

As they enter, (Y/n) notices rather quickly that this isn't a typical barn house, but instead, it has been renovated in Alastor's image. The area was spacious and quaint, organized in a way that aligned with Alastor's schedule. Sound panels lined the wall, a table adjacent to them equipped with a microphone and headphones. Paper cabinets were stationed in the far corner and a cork board pinned with different notes and articles hung above them. A lounge area was arranged near the center, couches patterned with red and black circling a low rising coffee table. Along with the dim bulb lanterns that dropped from the ceiling, the atmosphere was quite cozy.

"This isn't what I was expecting," (Y/n) honestly reports, watching as Alastor casually sits on one of the sofas. "I was imagining a more... Claustrophobic environment to say the least."

"Oh, Heaven's no. I need my space to work," Alastor replies with a soft scoff. (Y/n) felt somewhat small compared to Alastor, his confidence burning like a rapid flame to wind. His knowledge on the world, though ostensibly coming off as arrogant at times, seemed to be too far-reached for the likes of (Y/n). However, a small spark of aspiration lit their need to learn, and a smaller part of them also hoped that Alastor would be patient in his teachings. Yet, (Y/n) also couldn't help but to remain cautious of this man's intentions. His ambitions towards them still remain unclear, and that caused an uncomfortable grip of fear on their heart.

"I'm still not fully sure on why you were insistent that I work for you. What can I do that someone else can't? You said it yourself you can manage perfectly fine on your own. I'm just curious on why," (Y/n) says, hesitantly walking further inside with their bag strap in a deathly grip.

"I've told you before," Alastor remarks in a deep timbered hum, his eye blown out and unwavering as he stares at them. "I want to experiment with your mind. See your ticks and how it responds to certain circumstances. I did my research more than you realize, sweet."

"You purposely sought me out because of gossip? You do realize you are feeding into a media man's stereotype, yes?"

"I never said I believed it! It is my job and passion, however, to create my own hypotheses. If it makes you feel any better, I do find that brain of yours quite fascinating so far."

"I don't really know what to say to that..."

"Let's make a deal then, shall we?" Alastor compels, "I'll let you cover any topic your heart desires while you work under me, and with the condition that you can leave at any time, I get to observe and test you in any way I please."

"And what makes you think I won't walk out of here right now? How can I guarantee you won't use anything against me?" (Y/n) tests with a grimace, hating the slight amusement they found in this position. They took pride in the work they do, knowing that every advantage they can access to achieve the truth should never be taken for granted. On the other hand, they despised needless societal gossip. Being on the receiving end of undeserved hate, they fully understand the need for veracity. Though, they don't fully commend Alastor at this point, the opportunity to disassemble the lies built in New Orleans overweighed any possible hesitations.

"You can't guarantee anything and I won't say if I will or if I won't. I know you won't walk away though," Alastor chuckles, "You are just like me; you won't turn down the possibility of destroying another."

"Is that so?" (Y/n) hisses out, a tempestuous glare keeping up with the puckish one their new boss held with them. "What do we start on first then?"

"Sit, dear." Alastor's smile widens as he gestures to the other couch, "We have much to discuss."

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[twinsunstars]

Why I Love the Characters of The Bad Batch

(a lil fun post before the chaos increases)

Hi everyone! I've seen some people talk about why they love the characters of the Bad Batch before on here, and I felt like making my own post and discussing how each character from the show speaks to me and why I like them so much. I'll discuss a few characters that I find myself resonating with, and you all can sit back and just listen to me ramble. :)

Hunter

Being the oldest sibling of the Bad Batch and a man who is shorter than his brothers, I relate to Hunter a lot not just because I am the oldest sibling and 5 feet tall. Hunter does everything he can to keep his squad safe and cares for his brothers and sister, and he is often looked towards as the leader of the squad. Many people often come to me for advice. Hunter is a big comfort character for me (and so is the rest of the Batch), and he’s the character I connected with the most ever since the Batch were introduced.

Wrecker

One thing I absolutely love about Wrecker is his playfulness. He isn’t afraid to be himself around others, and it relates to how I show my personality and playfulness around others with ease (not fully though, my insecurity gets in the way haha). He had Lula with him most of the time for comfort, and I’m always sleeping while surrounded by many of my stuffed animals. He knows when it’s time to get serious, especially when things are being hard around him (such as Hunter being really depressed at the start of this season with Omega missing), and he’s there to help comfort others. I love how smart he is. Wrecker spoke to me by helping me understand that I don’t need to be perfect, I just need to be someone who makes me feel happy. I quote Wrecker, “Defective and effective!”

Tech

Tech is honestly me whenever I ramble to others about things. He loves to explain things to people and talk about things that he is really interested about and fascinated by, and it’s me whenever I am around people. His little speech in “The Crossing” was amazing, and I love him for opening up about his feelings slowly that way to Omega. He’s always got his nose buried in his datapad, researching things, and I’m always looking everywhere and reading information whenever something interests me. Tech is an amazing character and will always have a special place in my heart.

Echo

We hear Echo being called the mom of the Batch, and I am often called the mom of my friend group. Echo’s determination to fight for what he believes is right and wants to do makes him one of the characters that motivates me whenever I have things to get done and want to chase my goals and dreams that I have in my life. Echo cares for his brothers and sister, and he’s ready to fight for the right things. He’s also a soft sweetheart.

Crosshair

The main thing about Crosshair that I resonate with the most (especially this season) is his path of healing. Ever since that scene where Omega teaches him to meditate to help his shaking hand, I was breathing along with them. Since the beginning of this year, I set myself onto a slowly paced journey to heal from all that I went through last year. Watching Crosshair start to heal on his own just warmed my heart and had me following along with Omega’s meditation lesson so I could work on healing just like Crosshair was. Crosshair’s been through a lot of suffering with the previous seasons, and it’s time for him to start healing from all of that. Even though the show has a lot more pain for him in store likely T-T

Omega

Omega is such a little sweetheart, and watching her grow up over the seasons has been emotional for me. She was this little naive girl in Season 1, and she is still young, but she’s maturing really fast. With all of the things she’s been going through each season, it’s likely one of the reasons why. Omega’s been learning from her brothers and learning a lot about the galaxy she lives in, starting to expand on her knowledge and understanding the rights and wrongs of the world around her. I learned a lot of things at a young age and it’s part of how I started being seen as mature at a young age because of this, and there was a lot of things I went through at a young age that caused me to mature quickly. Omega still has her playful and optimistic nature inside of her, and I love that side of her.

Emerie

Yes, I even found myself resonating with Emerie at one point for good reason. The reason why I personally resonate with Emerie is because I see her naive side in me. I grew up being an obedient girl with my parents and mostly doing what they told me to do, and I often easily believed things that they told me. Emerie has grown up believing that the world around her isn’t safe and if she stays in one place and follows what she is told to do, then everything will be okay. I saw myself in her after realizing this, and Emerie has a lot to learn in the coming episodes.

With four episodes left, The Bad Batch has been such a great show and they will continue to be part of my long list of comfort characters. It’ll cause pain, but it’s still a great addition to my life, adding color, happiness, and sadness to my heart.

[delicatelystrangepolice]

Simon is my favorite character from young royals so I didn’t really care if wille ended a monarch as long as Simon could stay away from that. A better ending for me is for Simon never taking Wille back again. He didn’t deserve all that bullshit. For me monarchy was not the problem but Wille never understanding Simon he never did in any season.

Hi Anon, thanks for the message! I'm the worst person to discuss YR with because I have a complicated relationship with that story and my opinion about it has changed a lot since I first watched it. But let me use this moment to blab about my thoughts...

I agree that whatever s3 did to wilmon's relationship didn't inspire me to imagine a happy future for them. For first two seasons I cheered for them because they seemed like such a tragic set up; conflicts always thrown at them and they desperately wanting to just be together. I understood their motivations from both sides.

However, I was always a little critical of the amount of conflicts. At some points, it felt like the characters were just being tortured. I excused that with 'oh it's such a complex story, it packages a lot with the little screentime it has and some things are left for the imagination!'

For me it has always been Wilmon relationship that was more 'you just need to read between the lines' which isn't bad in itself but looking at things that actually happened on screen - they never had a proper conversation. There were fights and there were sweet moments but s3 proved that they just don't know each other.

I've seen fans speculating: surely they do talk to each other much more off-screen. Wille saying Simon is the only person he can talk to was one of the reasons for that theory.

Well, how much did they talk if by the end of the story they became... that?

My overall hope came from my own delusions - because I do think it's very interesting to meet people from different backgrounds when you are able to learn from each other, enrich your point of view through their experiences. It happens easily and all the time when people are willing to listen and understand each other. It's what keeps this world fascinating and beautiful.

There were choices made to always keep Wille and Simon apart - creative choices that I first thought were very good but in s3 they became irritating. Instead of showing the potential of what Simon and Wille could be together, the show decided they needed to be tortured all the way through and quickly threw a 'happy ending' that seemed completely nonsensical.

And it pulled me out of the story so much that I was not even judging any of the characters - I only judged the creator. Which... I guess says something about how realistic that story felt to me.

So yeah...

[carlos-in-glasses]

Hi!

I’m so amazed by the backgrounds you’ve built for TK and Carlos in Where All This Love Comes From! Can you talk a little about your process with that?

Hello! Thank you for this lovely question! I’m really happy you’re enjoying their backstories!

This gets a bit long, but basically: I've been collecting up backstory headcanons like a truffle pig since I discovered the show, and it became quickly evident that to ‘know’ Tarlos is to imagine them.

We have to assume that so many important things happen off screen, and we’re left to piece together why they are who they are when we meet them. So, my imagination naturally began filling in the blanks, but in a way that drove me so bananas I had to write it down - the images were strong!

In my first fic, Sensitivity, I brought three headcanons into it: Carlos had a crush on Scott Fitzsimmons, a lovely member of his high school wrestling team; TK self-harmed as a teen (which I think is a headcanon many people share); TK was gay-bashed by his own high school crush (the latter being a key point of Chapter 10 of Where All This Love Comes From, which I’m about to post!)

These and other headcanons became enduring, and I kept digging away and bringing TK and Carlos’ pasts into other fics: Wrestling Angels, Chasers, Afterglow of a Supernova, Man to Man, The Heart Behind the Shield. All are stand-alone but linked, and it seems that every time I elaborate on a backstory in one fic, I come away wanting to sink my teeth in deeper, so bring it out in another fic. And so on. Where All This Love Comes From is effectively my way of bringing lots of my backstory ideas from different fics into one place. The challenge within that was to knit them into the canon-compliant present day of Husband Era.

I think backstory is a really important part of storytelling in general, especially when the story effectively is the character and their motivations. The questions are always why and how, and we need an outlet for those. Why did Carlos marry Iris after coming out aged 17? Why did TK become an addict? How did Carlos eventually get to a place where he confidently danced with TK in public at the honky-tonk? How did the Carlos we know and love become so broken by grief for a man he had a difficult relationship with that he nearly killed a guy? It’s fascinating and I want to keep going! I’m writing a fic at the moment which yet again involves backstory but around a specific subject. I try to look the show being vague in its writing as a gift that keeps on giving 😅

[oliveroctavius]

Thoughts on Lily Hollister?

Oh man, I've been thinking about her a lot recently. She's from a period of ASM that I do not always like or understand but she fascinates me as a character.

I remember my first impression of her and Carlie being a cynical "Okay, MJ and Gwen 2.0". I still think she was introduced as part of a "back to basics" push to assemble a neo-CBG, but I have no hard feelings there. Parallel civilian drama is always a plus in a Spidey comic and they are quite cute.

But—as a big HarryMJ fan—this isn't really a rehash. (And not just because Harry is now also meant to be a ditzy glamorous party guy.) MJ was just a teenager dicking around while Lily's non-party goals are political and focused. Note that this "love triangle" kicks off when she realizes Peter is an insider at a paper that opposes her dad. I wasn't reading the letters, but—surely someone guessed Menace's identity the moment "he" turned out to be backing Hollister, right?

She's definitely pulling Harry's strings on the politics side, but isn't emotionally avoidant and spends a lot of private time with him. (If we believe her later, worry about his well-being triggered her origin story.) It seems fair to say she appreciates familial devotion.

ASM #586 is my favorite flavor of Spidey Reveal. The villain is someone we knew and almost trusted, and when we look back the seeds of motivation are there, paralleling our protagonist for dramatic tension! Your dad whose reputation you're curating loves your roommate more than you, you say? He always wanted a son, you say?

There's a deliciously Lady Macbeth flavor to this whole speech.

That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. What hath quenched them hath given me fire. My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white.

Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty!

"Okay, you won't be jealous?" she asks seemingly genuinely, in a voice so deep and a body so muscular that everyone has he/him-ed it up until now. The ongoing goblin theme of violence = power = masculinity is blinking neon here. Obvious jokes about Harry's taste in women aside: what kind of philosophy does a woman have to have to be attracted to what the Osborns represent, thinking she's special enough to not be chewed up and spit out?

And she does say she still loves him! You could read that as a manipulative lie, but to me it's more interesting if she does like Harry in her condescending way.

After all, she seems to love her dad similarly, going behind his back to "support" him in ways he'd never want.

It's too bad that this super-intense characterization of Lily is mostly only retrospective. ASM #588 and the jig is up.

Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal.

It's very possible that the gender element is writers being weird about a black woman as a love interest. (I have a whole thesis on how Black side characters are compared/contrasted to the Osborns somewhere.) But I believe that just a little weirdness can add flavor. It seems significant that Menace, as Lily's fantasy of power denied to her, reads as a nonblack male, as though she hopes that becoming an Osborn will grant her whiteness, too...

Unfortunately, I don't think anything has lived up to that reveal. It kind of feels like nothing has even tried.

[sighs extremely deeply] American Son. Throwing out her whole villain speech to have her bear a super-soldier goblin son for Norman to use as the next Real Osborn.

Macbeth once says to Lady Macbeth:

Bring forth men-children only, For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males.

But that's right after Lady Macbeth says she'd murder her own baby with her bare hands if it was personally politically advantageous. Why is Lily "if you want something done right, steal your man's role and do it yourself" Hollister now an obedient heir-producing accessory? And that to a guy she beat the crap out of in ASM #571 for being a waste of rich white dude advantages?

We have gone all the way to the other side of Weird. Where did her jealousy and personal ambition and all the weight behind it go? Where's her guilt for ruining her relationship with her father for good? Why is she calling Norman "babe"?

Origin Of The Species (ASM #642-6) makes some attempt to reconnect to the original character threads with the whole friend group banding together to deal with the fallout of Lily's decisions.

But she still feels mostly like a plot device, and her guilt is more wet blanket than "out, damned spot" levels of satisfying. (She jumped to murder to bolster the name of someone who would never have wanted that! Are we ever going to come back to that part!)

Protecting her child from Norman should redefine her allegiances, but she just... got dragged back to bit-part appearances as an accessory to whichever goblin is the biggest deal at the moment. And got memory wiped for a while and became a black cat ripoff.

I feel like this wouldn't have fallen so flat if Bill Hollister hadn't vanished right after her reveal. Did he ever know about his grandson? A severely underrated element of the classic CBG is how many of their parents/mentors knew each other independently of the kids. The larger web of political + financial + circumstantial connections meant that interpersonal family shockwaves stuck around after the first arc, doubled back, mirrored each other in interesting ways. These should've! This should've.

God this post got long. TLDR crazy first arc that nothing else has even remotely lived up to in my mind yet; it would have to follow up on her bonkers family relationships and deeply jealous personal philosophy (or whatever's left of it).

[not-poignant]

salut pia!

ive been wondering? how do you handle/change modes when you’re writing across AUs/fics? i mean not only the personality/attribute changes (like role reversal with ef and gwyn) but also change in…oh how do i say this..when a character is a MC in one but side/minor in another? bc they are different devices to different stories, how do you keep an overview of how much you reveal, go into so as to not side track from the main story or change the “flow”. example: whenever theres mentions of gender identity and betas somethin somethin feeling like omegas somethin somethin comes up “casually” sirens go off in my head and then i realise wait faber is NOT the MC in this story this is not about him him but its a little bit about him him. and then i feel like im standing behind a glass wall looking from Utb/Utg to Utr screaming at faber but he is a NPC here so we dont know whats going on in his head. that scene with ef and him eating carrots?…. i would give my right foot and skin tone copic markers to be a fly on the wall in fabers POV (the timelines probably wont align for it to happen but would you ever consider sth like this?? a scene overlapp across stories i mean?)

i’ve mostly read within that universe but ive also read spoils where your characters have completely different..positions? roles? weight? than in rainbow. so yeah how do you keep it all “appropriate” or “fitting” for their roles in different stories. like a puppet master

cheers xx

Hi anon,

So this is going to be not very helpful, but I don't write this stuff down for the most part.

This is the stuff I find so easy that this is why this is my job, in a way. I don't have a list of 'different Efnisiens' to keep track of, or 'different Gwyns.' They become themselves within the story. If I read a chapter of the story I get back into it (actually often I just need to listen to a song or put on the right playlist). Every version of a character is kind of there right now. I know how each would respond to something, and how those things would be the same or vary based on life experiences and the question etc.

I don't do really much at all to change modes. I just...do. There is no overview. It's all in my head. I'd say some of this goes down to how long / how many years I've spent studying character and dialogue overall. But even when I was younger I found this pretty easy, and transplanting characters into different situations to see how they'd react similarly / differently was one of my favourite kinds of exercises even when I was a teenager.

Some of it is knowing focus. Faber's side story is interesting, for those who like Faber and/or Underline the Red, hints about his gender struggles are fascinating, but they can only ever be hints, because I'm mindful that many readers aren't interested in Faber except as a minor character, and haven't read Underline the Red.

The focus is always Efnisien and Gary. Other characters can have their own lives and motivations, but it won't be more than that in the main story. Though I can go into a bit more detail because of the length of the story which is really nice for building out side characters / ensemble cast.

As to crossover perspectives, I don't know! I know we'll see some of Faber's perspective of Efnisien arriving at Hillview in Underline the Red, but obviously things impact characters differently at different times, I don't know what will be most important by the time we get to Faber's side of things. I used to write alternative perspectives as side chapters for Fae Tales though, and that could be a lot of fun.

so yeah how do you keep it all “appropriate” or “fitting” for their roles in different stories.

I saw a video by Hank Green I think once where he said the reason sportspeople are so good at their sports is in part because they're physically often the best at that sport anyway. Like, ballerinas have a certain build, swimmers have a certain build, and any training they do works to support that and make them better, but they were 'built' out for those sports in the first place. Some people have yoga bodies. I have a swimming body and swimming shoulders.

And I feel like this is true sometimes with writing. I don't try to keep it appropriate or fitting, I just know that the ensemble characters can't matter as much as the main characters in the course of the story. That's what a story is. That's what a main character and an ensemble character is. I would say years of experience has made this part of writing mostly easy and fun for me, so I don't have to think or overthink about this stuff anymore. At worst I might think 'was that too much Faber? Eh, it's helping Efnisien, it's still important to the plot and his character arc.'

I'm 'built' for writing big worlds with big ensemble casts where all the characters are important but where the focus is only on a couple of main characters per story. I'm built for character-focused stories and seem to be very built for transplanting characters I love into different worlds (and different roles) to see how that changes things. I started wanting to write these kinds of worlds and characters when I was 10 years old, and had my first sprawling ensemble fantasy series started by the age of 11. By the age of 15 I had a 3 novel fantasy trilogy built out with about 20 significant characters, and it was ridiculous and silly but that was what I wanted to write.

And I guess you could say I haven't really changed, I've just gotten better at it. I hope to keep getting better at it! The challenge now is to figure out how to break down some of these skills so I can share them with others. But...I do think there's an element of 'this is just what I love, it's a special interest, I don't know how to convey that I have 30 years of special interest in reading, writing, and studying this thing across television, manga, manhwa, fanfiction, AUs, and fictional series.' There will be teachable skills in that, but I don't know how much osmosis / absorption / and being obsessed with entangled tapestries of stories makes up what I do.

In some ways it would be 'better' if I was built for more conventional storytelling. My bank account might like that more! BUT, I'm doing okay where I'm at, because I love it, and I try to share that with other people and see if I can tell stories that resonate with them too.

(There are aspects of what I do that are very hard for me - timelines, aspects of worldbuilding, pacing in the first arc, and so on, but the actual characterisation part, and creating multiple versions of the same character is as easy as breathing. I could give you four more different versions of Faber in an hour. Maybe even twenty minutes. It's not hyperbole, it's just...how I daydream, what I think about. And it's fun!)

I'm very very very lucky that other folks are willing to read the same characters across different narratives, because it's a very strange thing to do in writing outside of fanfiction, case in point being that we almost never see any other professional authors doing it with their original works. x.x

[shallowseeker]

how do you feel about repressed dean?

I've been sitting on this one, and I've been a little scared of it, to be honest. I really hope it's not anger-bait. So, why not answer it in the middle of the night, when few will see it?

Here goes: I love just about anything that's complex, you know? I think if I had to pick, I'd say I'm more a fan of consciously suppressed Dean than unconsciously repressed Dean, at least when it comes to emotions.

//

(Of the two, I actually view Cas as the more repressed one, not always privy to the three-dimensionality and multifaceted depth of his own motivations. -> "I always wondered, ever since I took that burden, that curse, I wondered what it could be? What my true happiness could even look like."

And The Empty knows who Cas loves, sure, but does Cas really, really know the extent of what that means at that point? I don't know. Did Cas allow himself to fantasize, or did he shut it down and sublimate it so hard into The Mission that it lives only in the repressed shadow-world of The Empty?

Cas can certainly read others and is, I think, actually more emotionally intuitive than characters like Sam, but his own emotions? He brutally trained to repress them to the point the Angelic company line is, “We’re heartless. We feel nothing.”)

//

Anyway, I really adore when Dean knows what's going on and is actively choosing his whole sublimation and transference approach, whatever that approach happens to be.

As a default, I view him as emotionally intuitive. That said, we have seen him unconsciously repress his own memories of Cas rejecting him in Purgatory, so you can certainly build things around Dean and repression! (It seems like the rejection was the big issue there, more than even losing Cas. -> "We were there! It was like you just gave up!")

And I know it's not exactly popular but:

I think you can make a well-argued case for a deeply closeted Dean who doesn't act on his less “acceptable” urges. Like, he was The Good Son, you know? It's completely logical for me to see a reading where Dean has Queer Relationships that he knows have implications and yet keeps them juuuuuust peripheral enough that he doesn't act on them in a way that he thinks counts, which for argument's sake can be not acting on them physically or just…sublimating them into Rhonda Hurley type scenarios. Or he just gets himself into situations where he triangulates.

Dean tends to get stereotyped in a hypersexual manner, so I think assumptions are made, but they don’t have to be made, and we don’t have to conclude the same thing. I mean, there are stories where I find a less-sexual-than-expected Dean fascinating. I mean, clearly, he’s flustered around men like Aaron Bass. He gets flustered too when Cas tells him over the phone in Prophet & Loss that, “It’s so good to hear from you.” I can roll with it. Perhaps it really comes down to which parts of his puffed up performance you believe, and some ppl believe waaay less of it.

//

Anyway, overall, it’s just fine as a reading. I'm not here to read the text just one way! I hope I don't come off that way…because I enjoy things that aren’t my “Main.” Some of my all-time favorite fics approach Dean in unusual ways, and it's delicious and painful and all the things that keep you riveted for days.

Some of them even challenge me and change my mind.

//

I read one where Dean sunders himself from his own desires and act strategically-manipulatively as a way to prop up the desires of others in order to get at the security he craves, and I absolutely love that! That Dean might suppress his own needs to obtain a goal with regards to someone else's continued presence/security/etc? Mind-bogglingly awesome in my book! Dean’s shadow self is demonic; he can read others’ needs and maneuver desires! Maybe sometimes getting past others’ desires and all the way down to his own can be like rupturing a boil! I’m here for it!

//

In some stories, Dean is the emotionally forthright heart/Tinman, but suppressed insomuch that he doesn't take that final physical step unless he's being steered by someone else's desires, which can be argued beautifully, I think. On the other hand, Dean is certainly courageous in trying to communicate his feelings as early as season 8. (But arguably, he’s not as clear about it as he thinks!)

//

And what of Cas being forward? Cas uses grand gestures a lot, and he prefers to hide behind a Noble Cause but when he Gets It, he Gets It. He’s more firmly explicit about it, because Cas can be up-front to the point of bluntness. (His words were grand, too, a pretty grand gesture, all on its own.) Cas is certainly a courageous/Cowardly Lion in season 15, once he finally wakes up to What's Going On.

Overall, Cas is remarkably brave, even when he thinks he's not. He lives in the fear and is culturally outside of his comfort zone 99% of the time, and 9 times out of 10 he will do something regardless of how foolish he may look.

//

The thing is, people go through things and they get psychologically wounded and they have periods where their mental health thresholds plummet, so really, depending on the context, people can act in unusual or unexpected ways and it totally works!

What i’m trying to say, Repressed Dean enjoyers, is that I support you.

[holylustration]

Writer Asks

Thank you for the tag, @galateaencore! What a fun thing to wake up to :D

When did you start writing?

Since a pencil was put into my hand! My mother always encouraged my writing, and used to do small illustrations to my childhood ramblings.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading more than what you write?

Not really. I think "I write what I read" is an apt statement for me. I love romance and I am not ashamed to say it.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

If someone said my prose was like that of Jacqueline Carey's in Kushiel's Dart, or Katherine Arden's in Winternight Trilogy, or even Angela Carter, I'd be over the moon. That's the style I try and aim for: lush, effortless, flowing prose.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I have several:

My office, at my gaming computer. Right now, a bit cluttered with my work laptop, chapstick and various nail polishes as I sort out how I want my wedding nails to look. All my tarot cards and gaming ephemera are behind me in a built in bookshelf, and my nail supplies are all nestled safely within some ikea drawers against the wall, guarded by my legion of cat-chewed planties.

My bedroom, in my bed, with the string lights on. Everything is either white or off-white, with green accents. It may be a California king bed, but you'd be surprised how little space you or a laptop can have when you have four cats who all think mom's lap is the best place to be.

Family room, on the deep-seat leather couch, cocooned in blankets, when the lights are low and the fireplace is going, so there's only orange warmth against the harsh glare of the laptop screen. Still fighting for a space to put my computer when being swarmed by cats wanting a place to sleep (my lap).

Outside, in the screened in patio. The interior façade is very Nordic bathhouse, with its knotted wood panels. When its been properly cleaned, it is a nice place to sit in early summer or fall. I do often get distracted by watching the various creatures that make my garden their home, but I've never missed my word count yet.

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Go for a long walk outside while listening to music. Never fails.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

I don't know about themes, but certainly there are character types that I like to revisit. There is comfort in that familiarity.

What is your reason for writing?

To scratch the itch in my brain and to release pent up emotions. In times of great stress and sorrow, I find myself drawn to the page.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

Any comment is thoughtful. I am an equal opportunity comment lover. That said, I am always fascinated about what is resonating with my readers, whether it was a description, or a conversation, or something else entirely.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Well, beyond that they're thinking of me at all (which is nice in and of itself), I'd hope that they find my stories entertaining.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Using language and sentence structure in a way that is interesting and varied, so that the reader doesn't get bored.

How do you feel about your own writing?

I am proud of it! More often than not, I'll reread a chapter and think, "Damn, yeah, that prose is fire. What a banger line. Go me!"

When you write, are you influenced by what others enjoy or might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

Because this is a hobby, I write for me. If others like what I write, that's great! This car is big enough for anyone who wants to come along for the ride.

Tagging @pallysuune + @themagnificentmags + @redbatchedcumbermayned + @theevilscribbler + @jaal-ama-daravv + anyone who wants to tag in!

[ultimateplaylistmaker]

Full Talent Swap NDRV3 Cast

Korekiyo: Ultimate Detective/Serial Killer

And so we find where the serial killer talent has gone! Groomed by his sister on stories of detectives and kidnapping for love, Korekiyo has become quite the skilled Detective.

Kiibo: Ultimate Anthropologist/Robot

Due to his intense need to understand humanity as a robot, Kiibo has become quite skilled at Anthropology

Chisa: Ultimate Aikido Master

Quick and strong, Chisa learned how to fight to help better help the people around her.

Nagisa: Ultimate Inventor

Always very smart and clever, Nagisa is a natural inventor with all that implies. Very determined to leave his impact on the world.

Mikan: Ultimate Artist

When no one would help her, Mikan turned to art to cope with her trauma. Eventually becoming fascinated with live performance pieces. Which she began to design her own based on her trauma, which where a huge hit. Though Mikan wonders if it's so popular because of its greater meaning, or because people just want to peep at her.

Great Gozu: Ultimate Child Caregiver

Yes he still wears the mask, children love it, dude seems really kind, and you need an energetic all in person to take care of little kids.

Peko - Ultimate Maid

She learned how to handle the household and clean for Fuyuhiko, clean also sometimes meaning murder, which her intense skills at got her noticed.

Koichi: Ultimate Tennis Player

Sometimes you're really good at tennis but you have addictive habits so you get a temporary banned from the league, oops.

Imposter: Magician

Sometimes you use magic to get money to survive, and get really good at it.

Naegi: Ultimate Supreme Leader

he’s a sweet boy who I could see amassing a following by sheer wholesomeness. His organization is a bunch of friends he made while wandering and they work together to improve their city and help people. While it started with simply getting food for people and the like, eventually this escalated to more reckless behaviors like prying up anti-homeless architects and organizing large protests. Naegi’s earnesty and need to help is leading him to being wanted as the mysterious organizer of large scale protests and routine defiance of cruel laws. The group has swelled to a shocking size but Naegi still considers it just a group of friends trying to do what is right.  He wears a green ushanka he got as a gift, both a very welcoming hat and a hat used in war, fits him. Can you tell he's my favorite in this au?

Ryota: Ultimate Cosplayer

Still inspired by animation, Ryota tried to escape himself by becoming the characters he saw on tv.

Chihiro: Ultimate Astronaut

I know they were originally the Tennis Player but with their subtle love for the stars you can see in their room, I felt Chihiro could make a great astronaut.

Hifumi - Ultimate Entomologist

I still think Hifumi making weird bug gjinkas is funny and that's my only reason.

Yasuhiro: Ultimate Adventurer

Yasuhiro has done some crazy things to escape the mafia like hiding in caves and drinking mud, and has even been to south america, I think he's earned the title

Kyosuke: Ultimate Pianist

He's just got stuck up pianist energy.

Kaede: Ultimate Assassin

Since Kiibo is also the Ultimate Robot and I've seen some great assassin stuff, Kaede is the Ultimate Assassin, but she likely words it like "oh yeah I'm the Ultimate Cleaner" or something. Very motivated to help people, even if it means she has to hurt people for it.

[notesbyash]

Hello, there. I don’t know if you answer asks like this, but, please, feel free to ignore it if you don’t. So, I was wondering if you had any tips on how to study efficiently? I keep seeing people (myself included) getting long hours of studying and I just feel it’s not healthy in the long term. What are your thoughts on this matter, though? Would you mind sharing?

Hello anon - I do my best to answer asks, I'm just slow in getting around to them most of time~

Have been turning that question around in my head myself actually, the idea of studying more efficiently. A while back I made this post of practical things that helped me out in undergrad. I think they still hold true, but it also speaks to where I was in that point in life, spinning my wheels and constantly behind deadlines. Not that I'm not still now, but I'm doing my best to stay ahead (though I also have the luxury of fewer classes and some understanding advisors).

I think the things I struggle with the most, and frankly always have, are motivation and balance. At the end of the day, persistence and resolve are more important than personal motivation when it comes to studying; I have a routine and a set place to study, and remain relatively strict with myself about not allowing anything but work when I'm there. But I find that without at least some kind of positive motivation it becomes incredibly difficult to avoid burnout. It seems easier to find that motivation in graduate school; you're allowed to specialize and dive into your interests much more than in undergrad just by virtue of the way it's structured. However, with my program specifically, I'm still forced to take courses that have seemingly no relevance with what I actually want to be doing.

What has helped me maintain some motivation through them has, strangely enough, been customization. Ways to connect with myself and things I love despite having to study topics that I may find tiring to parse. I've personally always had a fascination with 60s era technical reports and documentation, the aesthetic collision of analogue devices and early computers - the world built in Remedy's 2019 video game Control fit me perfectly and has been incredibly influential in my life. I've developed a filing and notation system that replicates the lore collectibles in game; I format my class notes and homeworks as internal memos written to document and summarize technical discoveries, turn my projects into experimental reports. Little things, simple changes, that bring me a little more joy when trudging through confusing material.

This rolls into my next point: balance. The moment I lose myself to just the work is the moment the burnout begins. I'm the type of person to live and breathe what I do in some senses, but instead of letting my interests consume me I've sought to infuse myself into my interests. To cultivate joy in tedium. I've found it important to hold onto yourself outside of academics, to indulge in personal interests even if it feels like a waste of time in the moment. To make those indulgences regular, noting that regularity and frequency aren't always the same thing. A morning cup of tea, a favorite writing pen, a bit of time on a weekend spent watching a show or visiting a local park. Something where you can breathe and truly let yourself rest.

And then, as ever, remember your goal, strengthen your resolve, and move forward from a place of hope and personal fulfillment as best you can.

It's not easy, it really isn't, but I believe in you. Be kind to yourself anon, and don't undercut your own achievements - the little things matter, perhaps the most of all.

[faerywhimsy]

Shit, this re-read of TVL has quickly turned into The Armand Show, because of course it is. But can we please sit and talk a bit about both 'slave' and riches when it comes to Armand? (The more I look at it, the more I'm glad we have a PoC actor cast into the TV series. I've seen consensual M/s stuff discussed by PoC and it always forms a really powerful discussion).

I'm not even going to look at the times it's implied by Armand's calling Marius 'Master'. This post does a really good job of pulling in a LOT more Master/slave language than this one is going to.

Sidebar: And, I mean, yes, Lestat is a self proclaimed "slave of my own obsessions and fascination" but it's also explicitly different because he is the seventh son of a wealthy land owner and was never in any danger of literal slavery.

So.

"You've been the slave of everything that ever claimed you." "I was the leader of my coven!" "No. You were the slave of Marius and then of the Children of Darkness. You fell under the spell of one and then the other. What you suffer now is the absence of a spell. I think I shudder that you caused me so to understand it for a little while, to know it as if I were a different being than I am."

Sure, yes, I agree with @uncivilcivilservice that something in both Armand and Lestat's souls do seem to recognise the other on first meeting. But there are huge differences in their psyche and, honestly, just lived experience. This, and wealth, are just two of them.

Lestat identifies here that the kind of slave, or the thing he means by the word 'slave' when applied to him is a different thing to how he applies it to Armand. Lestat is a slave to his own ego; Armand is a slave to others. The endless people pleaser. The only person Lestat consistently seeks to please is himself.

He's not wrong, though, is the thing.

When I see Armand using the word in TVA, I wonder if it's more of a reclaiming thing for him.

"Amadeo, you play the devil." "Don't you want me to, Master? Didn't you like it? You took my blood and it made you my slave!" Marius laughed. "So that's the twist you put on it, isn't it?"

I've touched on the moment Lestat is basically all, 'go buy yourself something nice, just leave me alone' but I just find myself... needing to go... a little deeper here. The specific passage in question:

"You can take this tower for your lair," I said. "Use it as long as you wish. Magnus found it safe enough." After a moment, he nodded with a grave politeness, but he didn't say anything. "Let Lestat give you the gold needed to make you a gentleman," Gabrielle said.

A kind reading of the text might indicate this moment is Lestat offering something to Armand from the goodness of his heart. A slightly less charitable reading would probably point out that, with riches such as Lestat has grown up with, he likely doesn't appreciate the value in what he offers here to someone Armand.

It's only money and land. I can see Gabrielle's aware of it though; she's the one who's cognisant that wealth alone can turn one into a gentleman.

The last obvious reading is, of course, Lestat is here using his gold to buy Nicolas' wellbeing.

"If you will not go to them," I said slowly, "then do not hurt them. Do not hurt Nicolas." And when I spoke these words, Armand's face changed very subtly. It was almost a smile that crept over his features. And his eyes shifted slowly to me. And I saw the scorn in them. I looked away but the look had affected me as much as a blow. "I don't want him to be harmed," I said in a tense whisper.

Probably, there's an argument for a combination of all three.

Suffice to say: this moment's incredibly fraught. Not just from Lestat's motivations, but from Armand's acceptance. Armand's swift cycle through expressions in the above passage—especially from a character so renowned for his blank expressions—is incredibly telling.

I could go into another longer diatribe here, but honestly this post is long already. So I've condensed what I see in this moment of fraught contrasts between Lestat and Armand to the following 3 points:

The one who has been a slave finally being given money for his freedom, instead of being bought as he was by Marius vs. the strings that are clearly evident and expected in Armand's behaviour should he accept Lestat's money,

Money as an established exchange for sex; something Armand is no stranger to vs. BOTH Lestat declaring he wants nothing further to do with Armand and that the physical act of sex is not something TVC vampires are capable of, then finally

Bribery, which is more or less the simplest of these points, but kinda has its claws woven into both previous points in different ways.

Yup, these two boys are not even playing from the same book when they meet each other at this point in their stories.

[dr-milfi]

Why didn't Melfi try to send Anthony to cognitive therapy again (after the events of s3)? Wasn't that a little selfish of her?

"Who could I sic on that son of a bitch to tear him to shreds? No feeling has ever been so sweet as to see that pig beg and plead and scream for his life because the justice system is fucked up Elliot. Richard's got his attorney looking into this at 300 dollars an hour, but meanwhile that employee of the month cock sucker is back on the street and who's going to stop him? You? . . . Oh don't worry, I'm not going to break the social compact, but that's not saying there's not a certain satisfaction in knowing I could have that asshole squashed like a bug if I wanted." Melfi to Elliot, Employee of the Month.

She knows she can't and won't tell Tony, yet there is something about keeping him close that is still comforting to her. Is it selfish? Perhaps, but therapists are humans before they are anything else and she did just go through the worst trauma of her life. And let's face it, CBT probably wasn't going to help Tony very much anyway.

Melfi is always conflicted about transferring Tony. There's a part of her that genuinely likes him, a part of her that's attracted to him, a part of her that's fascinated by him, and a part of her that's repulsed by him. She also is probably the only person on the planet who genuinely wants to help him and doesn't really want anything from him in return. With everyone else in his life, relationships are transactional. Sure he's paying Melfi for her services, but she doesn't have any duplicitous ulterior motive other than helping him heal.

At some point she hits a stride with him and isn't afraid of him anymore. She learns how to push back against some of his bullshit and call him out when he's being ridiculous. You see it in the Strong Silent Type when he talks about being the sad clown and she basically tells him he's full of crap. But she's also constantly being challenged and practically bullied by her own therapist to drop "Leadbelly" so I think she has a lot of professional conflict.

Then in Season four, Tony drops out of therapy himself and there's like a year he doesn't go (from Calling All Cars in season four to Irregular Around the Margins in season five). So she does get a break from him. It's a compelling question to ask why she does take him back and one I've never really considered farther than she really likes him and it makes for compelling television.

Ultimately, if she was selfish, I think it was minimal compared to how much she genuinely wanted to help him, and how much she did help him.

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

fic ask game, 2, 7, 17, 18?

2. What fanfic do you wish you got more response on?

this one's hard because i feel like the response on my fics so far has been like extremely generous. like i feel like the things i decide to hyperfixate on are like, dead characters who people don't really seek out fics for, like lisa castle or jack murdock, so i don't exactly expect a big response?

i'd probably pick porcelain chips, if i had to pick one. I loved porcelain chips. it's probably one of my favorite things i've written.

porcelain chips happened a bit on a whim, a bit because i couldn't figure out how to get across why peter was like that in the first step of kintsugi. like, so much of peter's motivations in pottery shards was a lot of moments that formed his subconscious and impacted him forever. frank wasn't going to fucking figure it out--one of the main conflicts in pottery shards was that frank and peter are very different people and they don't really understand each other either. But I don't think peter's emotionally processed his own motivations and life experiences in a way that's simply put into words. the first step of kintsugi is a very straightforward, traditional narrative. but peter's mindset was always this kind of dreamlike compilation of these little moments that sort of chipped away at him and made him who he was.

like, how can peter explain that he thinks the sound of his uncle's door closing on the day daredevil took down the NYPD carved its way into his brain, and it's never quite been buffed out again. ben is someone who's a monument in his mind, and he had a very quiet anger to him that Peter's constantly trying to understand and unravel. there's so much of peter wrapped up in the moment he realized the thoughtless cruelty of people who price epi-pens, of the constant worry around money, of how badly he just wanted ben to be proud of him. so porcelain chips became this very poetic series of snapshots that i loved. peter in the first step of kintsugi needed an origin story, and i'm really happy with the one in porcelain chips.

7. What’s a troupe you love to write?

okay so like. i'm very obviously an angst and hurt/comfort writer, but that's kind of broad.

it's ironic that i'm going to say these are my favorite tropes, considering it's nothing i have on my AO3, but i love fake dating with a twist. i've got this hugely elaborate BNHA Fake Dating AU--except it's more as like, All Might and Inko being fake bitter divorcees. I've got Captain America and Sam Wilson fake dating, I've got Captain America and Matt Murdock fake dating. It's to fight Nazis. I've got May and Natasha fake dating. It's also to fight Nazis. I've got jon and gerry and danny all fake dating to fight evil and get free desserts (not in nhthcth). god why have none of these seen the light of day yet.

17. Are there any writers and/of stories that you consider an influence?

so, Kurt Vonnegut is probably my favorite author of all time, and a lot of my style came from cramming pieces of his works by the handfuls in my own pockets and walking away very very quickly before security spotted me.

i read slaughterhouse five in high school, and the non-linear narrative structure became something that immediately became a hallmark of how i wrote. my favorite of his is cat's cradle. if you read anything of his, i'd suggest slaughterhouse five, cat's cradle, mother night, and--if you really like his style--breakfast of champions.

I think the biggest takeaway's of kurt vonnegut's style, besides extremely fascinating narrative structures, is 1) he's a masterclass in messy characters, and 2) he's a fucking genius at embracing the narrative he's in.

There is not a single character in Vonnegut's works that's truly good or likable. they're just people. they're understandable people, but they're people. there aren't heroes. there isn't nobility. just humans. i think a big core of vonnegut's works is the absence of the divine plan (read sirens of titan if you really want biting commentary in the absence of divine plan). people can be good, if they fucking go out and do it. the world is fixed or broken on our terms. so you get these horrible, ugly, messy portrayals of humanity that's weirdly hopeful at the same time.

but vonnegut's also visceral because he refuses to flinch. if you want to see how little of a narrative flinch instinct this man has, read breakfast of champions. like, there's this entire part of breakfast of champions where he includes a character's dick length in the descriptions. cat's cradle includes this entire thing about feet. he will have weird shit in his writing that lesser writers would flinch from as being too scandalous or alienating to the reader. it somehow underscores his point perfectly and makes for a visceral gut punch of a story.

Terry pratchett's discworld series is also a must-read that influenced my style a lot. he's also got a very serious-funny style. like, his books are hilarious, imaginative, and his style is incredibly distinctive and unique, an he has some very incisive commentary on the world that comes through a very funny story. absolutely amazing stories all around. read small gods, the rincewind storylines, and the night watch story lines.

neil gaiman's also one of my favorite authors of all time, and he's sort of got this amazing balance of these amazing, imaginative, mystical worlds, absolutely beautiful and poetic prose, humor, and compelling narrative structure. like, the man knows how to nail chekov's gun to the wall and convince you that it's just a decoration, nothing to see here. he's also really good at not having a flinch instinct in his writing, like vonnegut. neverwhere, american gods, and a short story compilation called fragile things are some of my favorites.

lastly, there was this one fanfiction i've already rec'd, but it's probably the fanfic that was most influential on my own writing. it's a mirror, darkly by silverpard, and some of the lines in it are just so hauntingly visceral that it really made understand in a second what the character's felt. like, their entire description of jack the ripper is probably something i've been chasing in writing for a long time.

18. Recommend someone else fic! (And tag them if they have a tumblr!)

I made a daredevil fic rec list here ages ago, renewing shoutout to these authors.

if it's magnus archives, i'd recommend terror management theory by @prismatic-et-al. it's a really interesting concept, and it's super well executed as well as beautifully written.

for marvel, i'd recommend Steve Rogers is (Not) A Good Influence by attackofthezee. I think they're @stevergrsno on tumblr now. it's so funny, and i absolutely love the characterization in it.

[villanevehaus]

Thank you so much for answering all of those questions. I really appreciate you taking the time!

All of that makes a lot of sense, especially the show don’t tell. Now that you’ve pointed it out, that’s a big part of why I love reading your works so much - I can clearly picture everything without the character telling me something.

It seems like so, SO much work goes into your stories (like 2 full time jobs worth of work) and that’s incredible. Your process is really interesting. The way you outline is fascinating. Have you ever made a huge change like halfway through? Or had an event that you wish you included?

I’ve never thought of writing future scenes and kind of going back to where the characters are at now and making sure they get to said place in the future - that’s so brilliant!! Okay, last question for now, I promise. Do you ever get writer’s block or lack motivation to write?

Thank you so much for letting me pick your brain. - anon33 ❤️

You're very welcome, I appreciate the curiosity! And ngl I think until you'd asked, I hadn't fully realized how much I put into my stuff, so... thank you also for that!

I'm really trying to rack my brain in terms of if there have been huge narrative changes and I really can't think of any!

I think because of how my writing process kind of fluctuates between 1. rigid scenes (often canon scenes from the media I'm pulling from- Black Swan, Bound, etc- that I can't change a lot) that are just malleable enough for me to add my own stuff to, 2. scenes that are entirely my own, always driven by a necessary beat of some sort, and 3. how to tie those together, I kind of end up almost having like. a mental map of sorts? Aside from moving some stuff around to better fit the beats ('this makes more sense in ch6 instead of ch5, then it feels less drastic when this other thing happens in ch7' kind of thing), I'm usually pretty on the path I've set out on.

I feel like I might be overcomplicating this a lil bit BUT you're the one asking questions so I'm assuming you're okay with extra answers: aside from whatever beats I'm working on, I don't really plan out my original scenes, especially when it comes to dialogue. I don't go into it with a plan that Eve will talk about X, Y, Z, and then Vil will say A, B, C, I tend to just see where the conversation takes them- even in TME's case of therapy sessions I don't have a plan beyond the character beats.

- Eve is beginning to trust Vil, but not enough to be entirely honest about anything they haven't already talked about. Her walls aren't down, but they're a little lower when it comes to certain things that (in Eve's mind) have been established as safe to talk about with Vil.

- Vil is starting to figure out how to pull at whatever darkness she perceives within Eve without accidentally getting herself shut out. She respects when Eve says 'next question' because she knows from experience that she won't get what she wants if she pushes- that pushing will do more harm than good... but she still wants to pull.

Even within BB too!

- Eve feels comfortable with Ox, but she's so unused to being asked what she wants, what feels good for her, how she thinks of things, that that's what's stressing her out. She's juggling being with a woman for the first time (something she's very new to wanting) and being truly respected for the first time.

- Ox wants to be with Eve, but she also wants nothing more than for Eve to be comfortable. She knows that Eve has some hangups about being with each other, and doesn't want her to 'go along with it' just because Ox wants it.

So when it comes to dialogue or scenes or both, that's what I end up using more than Plot Stuffs. If I know that Eve isn't ready for something, she isn't ready- and I'm not going to make Ox push her on it for the sake of speeding up her being ready because that's not how that works!

As with literally everything, TME is a lot more complicated. If I know that Eve won't talk truthfully about her addiction, and the dialogue I'm working on veers toward that topic, then I write Eve according to her current beat- she's not going to suddenly decide she's actually going to be honest just because I, the writer, have decided that it's 'time' for her to be honest for Plot reasons. That feels unearned, and also not in line with the story/Eve! And with that, I can play with some fun conversational stuff: if Vil pushes too far, that impacts Eve's level of trust down the line. If Eve opens up, that gives Vil more insight into why she opened up.

This got both long and complicated but I think what I'm rambling toward is ultimately saying that I write the plot around the characters, not the other way around- so if the plot changes at all, I see it coming because I am shaping the bones.

In terms of events I wish I'd included the only thing that really jumps to mind is in Eve Undone: Vil apologizing to Eve for being shitty about Niko/Hawaii, but that's in Meteor/ites now, so!

For the writer's block/lack of motivation question: short answer, no...? My current grammarly streak is 59 weeks, something I am not sure how to feel about ngl! I hesitate to call it writer's block since I actually can't think of a day that I've gone without opening docs (lol) but I do find that being able to bounce between all my WIPs is massively helpful for if I'm feeling stuck. Two TME documents (TME proper and the 'holding cell' of scenes from chapters I haven't written yet), BB, Meteor/ites, and Undoing are all really different headspaces, styles, etc- if I'm not feeling 50s fluff, I can hop over to the Astankohva's and see what they're up to, if that's not working then how about we check out something from TME Vil's past?

I've talked previously about how I do a LOT of writing on my phone (like right now!) and I think that definitely impacts the process, too. Unless I've been possessed to do so by a scene, I don't really actively Sit and Write for hours: I was in my dentist's waiting room today and wrote a few lines of dialogue while I waited for my appointment, yesterday I was struck by a character realization while I was doing some drawing and went to make a quick note before returning to it, the previous day I reworked a scene in the chapter that I just put up. In all honesty I think if I weren't writing, it'd just keep clogging up my brain. There have been more than a few times where I've been trying to articulate something that's been brewing in my skull- plot arcs, character stuff, whatever- that's turned into a massive deluge of information that I may have not entirely realized was all up there! @eveandpsyche attest to me going "i have a thought" and then two hours of rambling later, I walk out with several pages of backstory that had been apparently just living in my head.

Thank you for asking me so many questions, I mean it very genuinely when I say that I appreciate it/them/you and enjoy answering them :)