#I'm not interested in how the game goes when the player is good and sweet and kind hearted

[onlyancunin]

One of the runs I currently do is reloaded save of my fav durge V (Violet, but she hates that name), where she ascended Astarion.

I think it unlocked something in me, I spent like 4 h yesterday just straight out murdering people in Baldurs Gate. Elfsong Tavern looks like a borscht, comparable only to the intestined interiors of the Moonrise Towers or decadently decaying decor of the Bhaal Temple.

And of course this knucklehead showed up which reminded me to grab the chef's grab on my way out (also Minthara lmao):

Screw the plot, this is my plot now. I thought Ascended Astarion was bad but somehow I think I'm even worse.

Baldur's Gate prepare because I'm really having a taste for beetroots.

P.S. Yes AA told V she needs to "look presentable now" and coerced her to put on a dress, fix her makeup and wear her hair down. He likes it better that way and it conceals the "ugly scar on her face". Funny how it never bothered him before.

[navybrat817]

Game Nights

Pairing: Thunderbolts!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Game nights in the tower are unpredictable.

Word Count: Over 900

Warnings: Humor, mentions of violence, the team loves trolling on John, kissing, implied smut, team bonding (kind of), Thunderbolts spoilers, Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: Silly headcanon set in the same world as Not Exactly a Secret and part of my Tower Shenanigans. I'm not at all sorry. ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Game nights typically take place on Saturdays since Fridays are reserved for movie night. Snacks and drinks are a must, but there is a drink maximum, so things don’t get too crazy or emotional. 

Bucky purposely gets John the generic brand when it’s his turn to go snack shopping and tells him to deal with it since the quality is just as good. Everyone else gets the name brand of whatever they want. 

There's a huge board with all of your names and the games listed. The tally marks are in various colors, and sometimes names are erased and replaced with affectionate nicknames. 

When John demanded to know who changed his name to “the man with a punchable face”, Bob was ready to confess, but Bucky took the blame, followed by Yelena, you, and Ava. It was a real “I'm Spartacus!” moment. 

Anyone caught cheating is on clean-up duty. You and Bucky have both cheated on the same night so you could clean up together. 

There are occasional tournaments complete with medals and trophies. The gang insisted that participation ribbons were not allowed, but you found a funny last place trophy that you had to get and everyone agreed.

The gang tries to switch it up between classic games, video games, and children's games to keep things interesting. No matter what you play there is a level of competitiveness. 

You try not to rub it in when you win a game, but you will have a subtle smirk on your face when you catch Bucky’s eye. Alexei, on the other hand, loves to yell, “In your face!” while doing air thrusts and Yelena has come close to banning her dad from game nights because of it.

If it’s girls versus boys, the girls win almost every time. The boys can't figure out how, but it might have something to do with John and Alexei both trying to be the leader, Bucky being done, and Bob just wanting to have fun. 

Bucky picks you for any game that requires a partner or teammate outside of girls versus boys, even if there is someone better suited. He doesn't care because he always wants you by his side. 

Bucky also picks two-player games for the two of you to play while the rest of the gang plays something else. Yelena often does the same thing with Bob. 

Weapons aren't allowed. That rule should've been enforced from the beginning, but John insisted after Bucky threatened to stab him during a game of Uno. 

To be fair, John kept playing Draw 4 cards and everyone knew it was a dick move. Even John knew it. 

Bucky will switch to Russian when he gets frustrated or really into a game. He didn't realize it until Yelena and Alexei replied in Russian. 

Hide-and-Seek is banned. Ava kept phasing out of her hiding spots, and you and Bucky got caught fooling around in the coat closet. 

Truth or Dare is also banned. Too personal with the questions when it was meant to be a fun night and Ava kept daring you and Bucky to kiss each other, which you did.

Bob got nervous the first time you all played Among Us, but Yelena assured him it would be fun. It ended with a chair flipped over, which is considerably tame.

Bob also goes into any shooting game prepared to lose because look who he’s playing with? He still has fun with it.

You once sweet talked Bucky into playing Dance Dance Revolution and he did well, surprising no one. So did Yelena and Ava, and not a single one of them cracked a smile while they danced.

John takes Pictionary way too seriously, and you threatened to break the easel and stab him when he raised his voice at Bob. Bucky fell in love with you a little bit more. 

Ava encouraged you to flash Bucky once when he was winning at Mario Kart. You did and he looked, but he still managed to win. 

Yelena argues with Alexei during Jenga. She doesn't need him to tell her which block to move or distract her. 

You and Bucky always end up choosing each other's cards during Cards Against Humanity. You just get each other, and you love getting a laugh out of him every time he reads your card. 

Alexei insists that karaoke should be considered a game and he always wants to sing first, which embarrasses Yelena. He once serenaded you and Bucky because, well, he’s one of your biggest supporters. 

Card games are tense and Yelena usually ends up with the most money by the end of them. She prefers Poker to Blackjack. 

Bob was so happy the first time he won Clue that he almost cried. Everyone hugged him, knowing he never got the chance to have fun game nights growing up. 

John recently made a casual comment about wanting to play games like these with his kid. No one gave him a hard time because everyone could see how much he longed for it. 

Some game nights end with yelling and broken furniture, but more often than not they end with smiles, laughter, and a sense of normalcy. It’s a nice change of pace from some of the horrors you’ve faced, and a great way to bond. 

But Bucky will still find a way to stab John if he can if only to keep him on his toes. 

BAHAHA. What do we think? Any other games? What other shenanigans do we think they get up to in and out of game nights? Let me know! Love and thanks for reading.

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[miyukisu]

Ain't I Fallen In Love .ᐟ

❤︎ | he doesn't realize it yet, but he's kind of clingy ╰ feat. miyuki kazuya (dna)

tags - clingy miyuki, hint of pro player!miyuki, fluff and more fluff, i love him, it's his birthday tomorrow yay

a/n - based on the song Sweet Dreams, TN by the Last Shadow Puppets (pls listen to it!)

MEGA MASTERLIST

Kazuya thinks he isn't the clingy type of boyfriend. There was just no way.

Yet, it seems as if he's addicted to your presence. His words may betray him, but his actions certainly don't.

You see it in the way he aimlessly follows you around your shared space, talking your ear off as you busy yourself with chores. He doesn't even realize how talkative he becomes around you—that's when he's the happiest.

He goes on and on about some random thing he stumbled upon recently, until he realizes he had been talking for a solid 10 minutes or so. He stops, shrinks, and backtracks most of the time. You know the face he makes when it dawns on him that he had been yapping nonstop. It makes you laugh—it makes you smile really wide. Kazuya gets flustered when you have to reassure him that it's alright. But he insists that he isn't clingy.

I just sort of always feel sick without you baby I ain't got anything to lick without you, baby Nothing seems to stick without you, baby

At least, he isn't the guy who can't hang out with his friends anymore once he got a girlfriend. Kazuya meets up with his buddies every once in a while to catch up about life.

They talk about all sorts of things, from the mundane all the way to the extraordinaire. But somehow—somehow Kazuya manages to weave you in every thought he spews.

You'd think it's impossible, but it's true.

"Oh yeah. She was just talking about that the other day."

"I'm sure she'd love to hear about this."

His friends find it funny, how whipped this man was—how you got a man like him wrapped around your tiny little finger. They didn't have to meet you to like you; they just knew right away that you were something else to be able to turn Kazuya into this.

Cue the relentless teasing—Kazuya will lean back with a huff. Again, insisting that wasn't the case. Nevertheless, everyone saw that sparkle in his eyes whenever he'd get to bring you up. But he continues to insist that he isn't clingy—his friends were just jealous.

And all my pals will tell me is that I'm crazy You bet I'm loopy alright And I just don't recognize this fool That you have made me

His feet always lead him to where you were. He could be watching a good game of baseball on the living room TV. But, as soon as he realizes you were in the bedroom, he'll promptly shut it off and opt to watch the game on his phone instead. It hardly mattered to him that he'd have to squint and maybe lower the volume for you.

He sees you wrapped under the covers, silently reading that book you were telling him about the other day. Slowly, he'll approach, phone in hand. Kazuya would slide under the covers, shoving his arm beneath you and pulling you close. For a few minutes, he tries to remain engrossed in the unfolding match. It was he 9th inning; it was getting interesting.

But the arm that held his phone wanted nothing else but to drape over you—finally engulfing you in an embrace. So, he turns his phone off too, chucking he device somewhere off to the side of the bed.

When he pulled you in, he felt content in every way. He could always check the score of the match later. But to touch you like this feels like the first time every time. But, still, he insists that he isn't clingy.

And as you're shrinking figure blows a kiss I catch and smash it on my lips Darling, I can't seem to quit Completely falling to bits

They do say that the heart grows fonder with absence. He thinks he's at his wit's end without you—his anchor—by his side.

He sits alone, off to the side away from his teammates who were busy soaking up the adrenaline from their recent away game. Kazuya becomes restless almost immediately, just 5 minutes after sending the text, telling you that they had won. Rather than thinking about the victory, he wonders what kind of face you'd make upon reading the text or how you'd greet him once he comes home.

He glances down at his wrist where a hair tie of yours had found its way there. When did he start wearing that? Ah. It was his lucky charm all long. It made him smile, only inwardly though.

Closing his eyes, he thinks about you and in a moment of self-awareness... he reevaluates things.

Maybe he is a bit clingy.

Love like an ache in the jaw You're the first day of spring with a septum piercing Little Miss Sweet Dreams

©miyukisu do not repost/reupload/translate any of my works on other platforms

╰ author's note ohhh clingy Miyuki... you will always have my heart

[animezinglife]

Saw your sleepover post, so here’s my ask:

I want to know some of your Cullen headcanons!

Well, you know I'm full of them. ;)

I've dropped these under the cut since the realtionship ones get a bit saucy.

Cullen in General

He's an excellent chess player, but he will simply never be good at Wicked Grace. Something about the game just makes his brain stop working: he approaches it too much like a tactician, not enough like a politician.

I always think that of the siblings, he and Mia look the most alike (perhaps taking after their father).

He definitely took Chantry choir seriously. No idea if that's at all a norm for templars, but it clearly was for him.

He genuinely enjoys reading and eventually starts to do more of it post-Inquisition (when he has more time). He prefers nonfiction.

He suffers from Classic Man Syndrome in that he's not particularly good at picking up whether women are actually nice or not. Fortunately, he's surrounded by a lot of good ones (now, at least) who genuinely have his best interests at heart.

I firmly believe he was oblivious to the fact Dorian's gay when he was playing chess with him. He obviously would not treat Dorian any differently or feel differently about him: I mean this in the most innocent, completely-went-over-his-head kind of way. I also think he just assumes Tevinter people roll differently given his current exposure to them are Dorian and Krem.

I actually have always had the headcanon that my Inquisitor, Mira, is the one who tells Cullen about Dorian after he admitted he was jealous of the time they were spending together (something Dorian picked up in about five seconds and had entirely too much fun with) and how close they seemed. I have a whole scenario of how that conversation goes down (and yes, she's trying so hard not to laugh).

Sometimes, he can be a bit slower to pick up on innuendoes than the others simply because his mind doesn't immediately go there. He's not naive and his ears have bled plenty from the time he's spent living in the barracks, but the "real" conversation doesn't always land quickly. When Sera starts talking to Blackwall about "ripe peaches," he wonders why they're talking about fruit. His lady love has to whisper it in his ear and his face turns ten shades of scarlet.

Cullen's good and sweet with all animals (not just dogs).

More below.

Cullen as a Partner/Husband

He is extremely dialed into her emotions, which is the exact opposite of what many would assume him to be given the nature of his role. He knows she's the type to put on a brave face. I've written in the past about my Inquisitor (Mira) becoming very conditioned to not reacting and protecting herself by not showing emotions at a very young age, even though she's already working to overcome her somewhat extreme guardedness and hurt at the time Inquisition starts. Cullen sees right through it from the start.

Cullen is a protector by nature, and while he hates seeing her upset or even crumbling (an extremely rare occurrence), he's glad that he can be a safe place for her. She's an unbelievably strong person, but she is still a person. She can be "weak" around him while he holds her steady, and vice versa. That he's never seen her as anything other than a person is comforting to her (and I think speaks quite positively to his groundedness).

This one's canon, but he shows his quiet, steadfast dedication in part through small touches: a hand on her shoulder/a shoulder rub, a hand at the small of her back, his fingertips brushing her jawline or cheek, holding her close, etc. It grounds him as much as it reassures her and makes her feel loved, seen, and safe. He doesn't fully understand just how deep this gesture goes with her, but he knows she likes it, that it seems to comfort her, and it does the same for him.

Also kind of already canon: this man hugs and kisses with his entire soul. It doesn't matter if the moment's dreamy and romantic, if it's hot and heavy, or if it's a small peck on the cheek or lips ten years into their marriage. He exudes love for her in every gesture.

He's the king of high romance gestures. It's not an act. He simply believes those are the things you do when you love someone: the hand kissing, the arm rested lightly around her without crushing her, the hand at the small of her back to guide her, and even instinctively putting himself between her and any potential threat (walking with her farthest away from the path, putting himself between her and a particularly grumpy goose when they're going for a walk, etc.).

He never catches the dancing bug, but it's not unusual throughout the years for the Inquisitor to have bouts of nostalgia and for him to pull her in and dance like they did at the Winter Palace.

He is either extremely inexperienced or a virgin by the time we get to Inquisition (which makes him about 10x hotter given how he looks and how easily he could've had anyone, but that's a different conversation). What he is not is incapable or unskilled. Pure, genuine, authentic, honest love and devotion go a long way on their own. Paired with someone who's such a model student and who's athletic? His lady's not complaining.

Since I know this is more along the lines of what people would rather hear: he is an extremely attentive lover by instinct. He's very aware of her and wants to make every moment of physical intimacy they share count.

He quickly memorizes her body: what makes her react and how, and just how long he can drag things out. That chessmaster patience is lethal. Those hands alone are...something else. If you've ever even shaken hands with someone who swings a bat, a sword, an axe, or a sledgehammer a lot, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Speaking of, chess has gotten spicy on occasion. Articles of clothing start piling onto the floor with every chess piece taken out of the game. Implications are always a bit heated when the knight and queen are in play.

He does in fact "need a woman over him" at times. Those honey-amber eyes change in the best ways, and his body's a show of its own.

He'll never be the type who can do nothing all day, but he does grow to sincerely appreciate slow mornings with her and the...lazier style of activities those entail.

He radiates hot husband and good-in-bed energy. He is oblivious to this fact. While he has gathered that women (people in general) find him attractive, he has no real idea of why this is.

Cullen as a Dad

I think he would be the perfect blend of gentle, fair, and firm.

He can be a little tough in some ways (like making sure his children understand the importance of being able to defend themselves, etc.), but there's no malice or cruelty in it. It's just straightforward, non-sugar-coating, informative guidance.

Cullen is fully aware of his own imperfections, and he never expects perfection from anyone else: not through actions, skill, demeanor, or faith. He's very grounded while he would of course want his children to be the best versions of themselves for their own benefit, he would not be the kind to get onto them for any weaknesses.

He'd be the one who'd help his kid get over a fear by standing by that child and taking baby steps to face and overcome it, and he'd teach them young that overcoming anything is a process. There's no shortcut, and there's no instant victory over a real challenge.

He will absolutely put his foot in his mouth and mess up sometimes (intending a comment as encouraging or comforting but it not coming out that way at all), but he catches himself quickly and rephrases it. This happens most often with a daughter (especially in her pre-teen/teenage years, when she's a bit sensitive about everything).

He'll make mistakes as a parent, but they won't be the kind of mistakes his children spend their adult years trying to overcome.

He'll teach them responsibility. He'll be fair and will naturally be the type to command respect from his children just like he does with the adults around him. The kids will always see him as a safe place they can turn to...and also know better than to try to pull one over on him.

I think the real danger with Cullen's parenting wouldn't be strictness, but the Inquisitor watching him parent and wondering way too often if they could handle having another kid. 😅

He has all of the qualities that make not just a good father, but a great one. And also a very, very hot one.

Not to delve too deep into psychology, but their kids will grow up to be highly independent, confident, and have every skill they could ever need to thrive. A daughter would also have high standards in any boys or men she eventually takes an interest in and will know her worth. A son would eventually become the type of man parents pray their daughter will find. They both would've had a very, very good example their entire lives right in front of them.

They will also always have a dog in the family (as they should). Plus, there's the full Rutherford bonus with those kids having Aunt Mia, Uncle Branson, and Aunt Rosalie (plus at least one chessmaster cousin). They also have Uncle Varric for the best storytime sessions.

Nothing brings him more joy than seeing his family safe and happy. Knowing that he's a part of it. Knowing that he played a role in that safety and happiness. To Cullen, that is bliss.

[synergysilhouette]

Ranking Disney revival films

Pretty self-explanatory! Just my personal feelings (condensed) about Disney's Revival Era films up to now--even though many say the Revival Era is over now. Hoping we don't have to wait another decade for a good era to return. I'm sure my placement of some films are a surprise.

15. Wish--It hurts my soul to put a musical at the bottom of this list, especially seeing how it had all the ingredients for a critically-acclaimed, box office success. But the end result wasn't satisfactory; the message was muddled, the songs were generic, and the use of hybrid animation, aside from not being something I like, was ill-fitted for this film. If all the scrapped concepts I liked were used in this film and the creative team wasn't stifled/confused by executives (I NEED a behind-the-scenes documentary for this film), I think this would've been top 5, maybe even top 3 for me on this list.

14. Strange World--The film has a really interesting theme of environmentalism and using it via aliens, but it never comes off as unique or interesting; even the alien animation is generic. This almost feels like something that would've been handled better in the post-renaissance era (and subsequently been underrated, but isn't that better than how it is now?) It's a shame, because Searcher is one of the few Disney films where the main character is a parent/grown adult instead of a young adult. Disney could've opened up to a new audience here if this film was better. I only put this above "Wish" because "Wish" had too much expectation from me.

13. Wreck-It-Ralph--I like the message the film offers, but I think part of the reason I couldn't engage with it was because of the retro inspiration; I was never a big arcade game player. I think it was cute, but it just wasn't engaging. It's not that this was a bad film, but there were other Disney films of this era that I think I gravitated to a bit more. I do hope Disney makes a video game-inspired film one day, though--but I don't know if their current management would handle it right.

12. Wreck-It-Ralph 2--Again, I found it a cute film, but it just didn't engage me. The ONLY reason I placed this above the first was for obvious reasons: the Disney princesses (and most of their original voice actors) returned, so that was an honor to see.

11. Moana 2--The film had a really good concept, but the execution of it wasn't as good. It was very apparent that Disney only gave them 10 months to make a tv show into a movie with little wiggle room to change anything (as confirmed by the screenwriters), which was only 4 months in terms of writing since animation takes about 6 months for 3D, if I recall. I'm pretty sure they did this when it became clear that "Wish" was going to flop, so this was their backup plan. This only goes higher than the other films before it due to familiarity of the property.

10. Winnie the Pooh--This was a sweet film, but I don't have much to say about it. I'm not a big fan of WTP, so it's not a film I'd rewatch a lot, but it was good when I watched it.

9. Raya and the Last Dragon--As I've said, if this film had been different, I think it could've been my favorite Disney film EVER. Unfortunately, last-minute story/cast/crew changes led to it changing significantly, and it just wasn't as good as I think it could've been. I love the idea of a SEA fantasy epic, but the worldbuilding and message of it all needed revising; Raya is offered no validation for her trauma and trust issues, and she's the one who has to move past it because her divine friend is innocent and trusting.

8. Tangled--I'm NOT a fan of this movie, but I love Gothel's songs, so that's a plus. I'm very annoyed with the selfish guy tropes that Flynn Rider exhibits, as well as the fact that why he's like this isn't shown to us; it's just a minute-long discussion. Plus he feels a lot older than Rapunzel because of his jaded attitude, and their adventure to the kingdom is kinda boring to me. A part of me feels like they were going for "Shrek," but it wasn't NEARLY as good to me. (But to fair, it sounds like Disney was micromanaging even back then, too.)

7. The Princess and the Frog--I like a lot of aspects of this film, but the reason it's low is because I'm not a big jazz fan (I do like some of the songs, though), and I'm not crazy on animal-centric movies due to the different POV they have. If Naveen and Tiana had stayed humans for most of the movie, I would've enjoyed this film a lot more. Best believe I would've watched "Tiana," Disney.

6. Frozen 2--This film is the opposite of "Moana 2"; the concept alone isn't really interesting (searching to find a mysterious voice), but the execution is better, even if it has a lot of moving parts that should be cleaned up. Again, this was a production nightmare, but I'm just glad the returning cast and crew were able to make something emotional and powerful, even if the story itself was a bit messy and Kristoff got the short end of the stick.

5. Encanto--This film was good, from it's music to it's setting; I love it when Disney explores different cultures. I think the reason I took points off is because I felt like due to having 12 family members, the story arcs for some of the family members didn't feel as fleshed out as Mirabel's own arc. Plus this story was much more domestic than typical Disney fantasy films, going for magical realism versus high fantasy.

4. Moana--This was a gorgeous film to look at, and I think the music really carried it, but the story itself was still solid enough to push it into the top 4 for me. My only qualm was that I wish we had more main characters and that Moana's "Know Who You Are" had more parallels, since she and Te Fiti went through very different feelings, as Moana never fell into a rage or almost lost herself while on the journey.

3. Big Hero 6--I adore this film so much! The message and the ability to take a very unique comic series into an emotional film made me adore it, especially when processing the ugly sides of grief and accepting that you can't always get back the things and people you've lost. My only critiques are that the villain reveal happened too late to properly have parallels between him and the protagonist, as well as Fred having an unequal amount of screentime compared to the others in the friend group, and the costumes. I'm a sucker for more unique costumes than that.

2. Frozen--When I saw this film, I swore that it was the best film ever. It's really amazing with it's music and storyline; it felt like a (properly-written) modern fairy tale, albeit a bit heavy on the commentary, and we didn't need a twist villain here. I'm also not crazy about how they characterized Elsa and Anna's parents, particularly their dad.

Zootopia--This may come as a big surprise since I'm a big fan of musical films and I'm not a fan of animal-centric films. However, since this movie has the animals in a human setting, it was a film I was open to. The racism metaphor and narrative of prejudice touched me in a way I wasn't expecting it to; I was fully planning to skip this movie. Nick Wilde is essentially what I wanted from Flynn Rider, and Judy Hopps is one of the routes I wish Disney went for Asha.

What's your ranking for Disney's last decade of films up to now?

[tharizt]

Whole Cake Island revolves around the complexities of family, the juxtaposition of blood ties versus chosen family, and the struggle for personal freedom amidst oppressive family structures. As with everything One Piece — it's pretty damn great.

It’s not just about Sanji getting dragged back to his abusive family, but about how the concept of family itself is explored from different angles — whether it’s blood relations, chosen family, or the chains that tie people to their past.

He was raised in this nightmare where strength was the only thing that mattered, and anything outside of that — like compassion or kindness — was seen as weakness. And the arc goes out of its way to affirm that it is in his kindness that Sanji's true strength lies.

The idea of found family is a recurring theme in the series. For Sanji, the Straw Hats are his true family, and the bond he shares with them is way stronger than anything he has with the Vinsmokes. And the arc is very explicit about how even though Sanji may not want his abusers to be massacred, and even if they help him a bit by the end, that does not make them family.

We have this lovely moment at the end of the arc where his father spouts insults about how soft and essentially feminine-coded Sanji is, and Sanji says nothing back while Luffy innocently wonders what why Sanji's father is shouting Sanji's best qualities to him which just... it says everything.

Speaking of Sanji, his arc is very much intertwined with Pudding's. Who is set up as this sweet innocent bride-to-be, but we quickly learn she’s just as deceptive as the rest of Big Mom’s crew. She’s been playing everyone, including Sanji, but Sanji being Sanji, still manages to see the good in her. He helps her realize that she doesn’t have to be defined by her family’s expectations or her appearance (one of many thematic parallels in the arc).

Luffy gets great stuff throughout the arc too. His loyalty to his crew, especially his declaration that he won’t eat anything but Sanji’s cooking, hits hard because it’s not just about food — it’s about how much he values Sanji as a person. Luffy knows Sanji is suffering and that he doesn’t really want to leave, so he plants himself in the middle of danger and waits for him. It speaks volumes about the strength of their bond.

In contrast, Big Mom’s version of “family” is twisted. She treats her children like collections, using them for political marriages or to build her empire. Sure, she may talk a big game about wanting a perfect family, but she treats her kids like tools. To Big Mom, family only matters as long as it helps her achieve her goals (of course juxtaposed by how it is the complete opposite of how the Straw Hats do family).

Another major player in the arc is Katakuri, who starts off as this untouchable, perfect figure, but as his fight with Luffy progresses, we see that he’s hiding his true self. He’s built up this image of perfection for his family’s sake, but deep down, he’s just as vulnerable as anyone else. Luffy, being Luffy, drags that out of him, and by the end of their fight, Katakuri learns to embrace who he really is, flaws and all. I think it works pretty well thematically, even if it's a bit of a simple parallel and his reason for wanting to hide himself (people hurt his family in retaliation for how he looked, which is that he had a bit of a weird mouth doesn't do much when he's far from the weirdest looking character in the series, or even the weirdest looking character in his family lol). Nevertheless, it fits and he makes for a great foe to Luffy.

Big Mom herself is a walking contradiction. On the one hand, she wants to create this utopia where everyone — no matter their race or background — can live together in harmony. But on the other hand, she’s a tyrant who uses her children and subordinates to get what she wants. I'm interested where that will go in the future.

I have a couple of drawbacks with the arc, which really aren't fundamental in the sense of "this is bad", but more so as in why it separates this from just being a really great arc as opposed to an exceptional arc that goes beyond that.

I think the fundamental one is just that it's a bit too... simple? Don't get me wrong, there are some emotional and personal themes here. Some of the more personal themes in the series. But Sanji's abuse isn't much more complicated than a quick flashback to him being abused under a horrific but very simple ideology from his father. It's great that it's very family abolitionist and very explicit about cutting abusers out of your life.

But I just think the depiction isn't particularly noteworthy to me when I've read other stuff that handles abuse in more interesting ways. In the same manner that, sure, I like how Katakuri's arc worked thematically, but by itself it's a rather simple character thing and isn't particularly interesting on its own.

Most of the arc is just a long raid, which is great, but when the emotional core is rather simple. Then the plot and conflict is rather simple too it basically makes for an arc that works so strongly because of its execution. Still, there's nothing there to elevate it conceptually beyond "a simple but great arc".

I also feel like many of the all-time One Piece arcs are about structural oppression? Again, I like that we got a more personal arc about oppressive family structures. I just felt like we didn't have much to say about it besides "this is bad" with very straightforward abuse. When One Piece deals with the oppression of an entire nation, how it's intergenerational and intersectional, how it affects different people differently which gives us so many different characters with their emotional stories, how it changes the customs and culture of the nation, and the insane heights of emotional crescendo as the unimagine tyranny is finally eliminated and liberation is at high -- is what the series does best and when it has the most interesting things to say.

Overall, of course, Whole Cake Island is a great arc. At its core, it’s about finding your place in the world — whether it’s breaking free from the family that tries to control you or embracing the found family that accepts you for who you are. Sanji’s journey is one of self-acceptance and it's the best his character has been maybe ever. The Candyland horror aesthetic is some of the best in the series so far. Plus, that Luffy vs Katakuri fight kicked ass.

And while my tiny quibbles, from its more straightforward narrative to its lack of particularly strong pathos to elevate it further, it's still a great arc that I really can't complain about when it's already better than most arcs in any other shonen series. With so much good stuff going on, I'm nothing but happy.

[11queensupreme11]

ok reading all the stuff you upload about games is really interesting omg. I've never done anything like this before (unless you count Obey me! 😭) and I'd love to do it. what game do you think is the best to start with as a beginner?

asdahgavsfh. omg i LOVE talking about my beloved video games ashjdvgah

if you're interested, i have a very old (like several years old, never been updated before oops) rec list for video games here. i should probably update it.... but oh well

so when you say game, idk whether you mean gacha games or like video game kinda game (if that makes sense) but you said you played obey me sooo i'm gonna assume you're talking about gachas

anyway here's a list of games i'd recommend (these are newer games that i haven't listed in the old rec list above)

for beginners..... i'd say ash echoes???? it's EXTREMELY friendly to new players, you get 200 free pulls from daily log-ins for the first 30 days, and fighting isn't as overwhelming cuz it's just.... move character A and B here and launch an attack kinda thing. just know that once that extra's stamina goes back to normal after a few days, the game WILL feel frustratingly slow. the community is also great! it's super small rn for the global players because the global server's the last to be released (we're behind the other servers lol 😅) but because it's small, everyone's pretty helpful and sweet!

wuthering waves is also pretty easy! the combat is amazing and beautiful, the character designs are absolutely god tier, and the story's also great! i'd say it's beginner friendly, but as you level up, the combat's obviously gonna get harder. just make sure to build your characters well and use websites like prydwen or game8 for extra help AND LEARN HOW TO DODGE AND PARRY. i'd advise you to stay away from the community tho. idk if you've seen my previous wuwa posts, but the fandom's becoming REALLY hostile towards female players and male character wanters in general and also homophobic. kuro games (the company making it) has a track record of treating female players poorly to the point that popular fanartists (who are majority female regardless of fandom) dedicated to PGR (their prev game) dropped it entirely, so this toxic fanbase of sexist men are lowkey who they've always catered to.

hsr. i don't play this anymore, but man did i LOVE this game. it's turn based so you don't have to feel rushed or overwhelmed with the combat, BUT you definitely need to have good builds for your characters since it's turn-based cuz you can't get lucky with dodges/parries in here 💀 building can get annoying cuz of the limited stamina

lastly is infinity nikki. so infinity nikki IS a very cozy game, and i'd rank it as higher than wuwa when it comes to how easy it is, but i put it down last because it's pretty damn predatory even for a gacha game 💀💀💀💀 i've seen a lot of complaints and boycotts about them because they're starting to make new currency, making it harder to get outfits as f2p players, etc. it's an easy game for beginners, but if you're susceptible to gambling, i wouldn't risk this

[thesnazzysharky]

Waffling about/reviewing the notes in SJSM because I think they're cool. 1/2

Okay. So at first I just wanted to review the randomly generated notes that you can find in the story and endless modes. Mainly because those notes are more character focused while the notes that are already set to a specific room are more about adding lore and world building. But fuck it. I can make this work.

I'll be splitting this into two parts. Part 1 will be about the scripted notes and Part 2 will be about the randomly generated notes. They both will be reviewed and scored somewhat similarly. Mostly reviewing them based on how they add to the game or world building, potential creep or comedy factor, or how entertaining they are to read. Part 2 will just be more focused on how overall character is represented through the writing. Anyways, here we go. Starting with Part 1. Part 2 will be posted later.

Gel's Note

Spouting, Splashing, Soaking. Innards, Ingest, Invoking. Nailing, Never, Stops the Choking

This is the first scripted note that you encounter and I say it leaves a good impression! By this point in the game, you probably read through some of the notes from Romantic Victim before reading this one. So first time players will most likely expect this to be another note from them, only to be confused and weirded out by this cryptic note written in red letters (perhaps blood in this case). This makes Gel's sudden appearance behind the player so memorable and out of left field. Not only does the note catch you off guard by making you think this is just another note from Romantic Victim, but Gel himself catches the played off guard by appearing behind the player right after they're done reading the note. The cutesy and fun vibe to the mansion has now been completely stripped away and you get a memorable scene with that. As for the note itself, there's some interesting things about it. Firstly, it's implied to be written by Gel himself, which is pretty cool since he's one of the very few specimens that does this. There's also each first letter in the sentences spelling out the word SIN. But more importantly, it adds a bit to Gel as a character by making him come across as sympathetic.

It implies he was human at some point, but then something fucked up happened to him. Thrashing about in the strange substance, trying to ingest it so it could stop clogging his throat, invoking for help, and digging his nails in his throat. Yet, it was all futile, as he became a monster and is now forever choking. Never being able to breath normally or live a normal life.

Definitely a fucked up note to read once you understand it and your imagination goes wild.

Simple but sweet! 5/5

Generic Lab Assistant's Notes

Subject 5 is growing more and more restless. I told Spook we need more funds for sedatives, but she just laughed and flew into the ceiling. Without more chemicals to keep these things docile, I'm not sure how much longer we can keep them here safely. - Generic Lab Assistant

It's the goat. The myth. The absolute fucking legend that is Generic Lab Assistant. Lets all give a round of applause for the most character of all time. That magnificent bastard aside though, I like these notes. They give some good world building and intrigue by introducing GL Labs and how Spooky apparently runs it. This isn't just some haunted mansion. It's a place where murder monsters are tested on innocent people for reasons currently unknown to the player.

There's also that enjoyable Kira humor here with Spooky laughing and fucking off somewhere else when asked for help and the fact that the person writing the note is literally called Generic Lab Assistant (which became even funnier to me once I learned what the GL in GL Labs stands for).

Also...

I believe subject 5 is loose. The glass around its container is shattered, and I can faintly hear clicking coming from the ceiling. I don't know what will happen now. If it is out and alive then this is probably my last report. The clicking is getting louder now. - Generic Lab Assistant

This note is a good one. It highly raises the stakes as the player most likely knows what will happen once they put the note down. It also establishes that this will be the gameplay loop throughout our journey. Go through some rooms, go into a special area, read some background info that builds up to the specimen that will soon chase you, get chased by said specimen. It's great. RIP in peace to our homie Generic Lab Assisant. He was a true one. 5/5

Matsuri's Classmates Notes

Matsuri never came to class today, I hope she made it home ok.

Could it really be true? I thought the fairy tales about the ghost that eats children who sneak in after class was just to keep us from disobeying. But Matsuri is still missing.

These two notes are very brief, but they do their job well. Specimen 4 is more cryptic in terms of what the hell her whole deal is, so it makes sense that the notes about her aren't about what her origins are, but rather about how she's this boogeyman that adults tell children about so they aren't late for class. Except in this case, the boogeyman is clearly real. To me, Specimen 4 is the first truly creepy and disturbing enemy you encounter in the game. Specimen 2 will give you a scare, but he's easy to become desensitized to due to his slow speed, his kinda generic design, and the fact there's not much background info on him to make the player truly fear him (there is his note, but you most likely won't understand what it even means on your first playthrough). Specimen 3 will also freak you out a bit, especially if you have a fear of bugs and insects, but that's the thing, they're just some giant bug that's hungry. Of course you'll be scared of them because most people wouldn't be fond of being chased by a giant spiderpede, but there's not much else to them other than that. Specimen 4 changes everything by introducing a familiar, but unsettling environment that nobody would want to be in, having notes that are written from the perspective of individuals that are just as clueless as you are when it comes to what this "thing" is other than that it eats children and has presumably already taken a victim, and being a disturbing creature overall due to Matsuri's classmates expressing concern over the disappearance of their friend which makes you take the situation more seriously and feel sympathy for Matsuri. Really doesn't help that simply reading the line "ghost that eats children" tells you that she did not go out in a peaceful and pretty way and neither will you. 5/5

Cult Member's Notes

The darkness is slowly consuming us now. I don't think our rituals will appease it much longer. How were we supposed to know this would happen?

These notes cryptically talk how the "darkness" is slowly consuming these past cult members and how "mother" is pissed at them for sacrificing a girl who wasn't a virgin.

What I like about these notes is how cryptic they are. Not in a sense that not much information is given to you like Specimen 4 for example, but rather how some things are left up to interpretation. What is the darkness? Who is mother? Most people tend to assume that Bab is the "darkness" or "mother" that these cult members were worshipping. So when she got pissed at them for sacrificing an impure girl, she killed them. Technically speaking we don't actually know if this is the case though. Bab could be the demon they were worshipping, but she could have also been a byproduct of the impure girl being sacrificed, either being what she became after that sacrifice (like I assumed at first) or maybe it's just one of the many creatures that the darkness spawned to kill the cult members.

We don't even fully know if the darkness or mother are connected in someway either. Everything surrounding Bab seems intentionally up in the air. Whether that be with who she even is or what's going on with her environment like with the womb room. It's all very neat and feels fitting for a Silent Hill reference. 5/5

Ben's Notes

One day, a strange merchant came to town. He sold handmade puppets and trinkets and all the children loved his store and his gifts. But the town couldn't support his store because the other shops were failing. The other shopkeepers became jealous. So one night some of the townspeople took all his puppets and threw them in the river.

The notes that you find in Ben's area are really cool in that they are written entirely in third person. Being written out as an old story or legend (that's especially reinforced with the tribal sounding music in the background) rather than someone's firsthand account.

A narrative that tells us exactly what happened to Ben; who now that I think about it, probably has the most straightforward and easy to understand background out of all the specimens in the base game. That doesn't make him or these notes not interesting though. Far from it.

The story makes it very easy to sympathize with Ben here, as there really was no real reason for him to suffer the fate that he did. The guy wanted to make cool stuff for children and yet he died because he wanted to save his puppets after they were thrown into a river by some jealous assholes. He was just some chill dude. Well, until you get to this part at least.

Years later the children of the town began to go missing. And as more and more children disappeared, people began to find more and more puppets in the forest and around the river. These puppets seemed almost to look like the missing children sometimes.

Now the once normal merchant has become a soon to be threat to you. It's very well done and it's fun to see some let's player have those similar reactions of "damn, that's mean" to "damn, they were chill with him drowning?" to "they were satisfied!?". All culminating to that last and unsettling note that gives them a reason to fear the creature they will soon face. 5/5

The Hunter's Notes

For a while I thought I had really escaped this place. But despite the 'trees' and flora, I think this is actually just another room. I did, however find deer, so I might at least get to eat. They make some strange sounds though…

For the first time, these sets of notes are written by someone who was just another victim that wanted to explore the mansion; someone referred to as the hunter. Also, for the first time, I'm kinda "eh..." about these notes.

The hunter explains that despite appearance, this outdoors area is just another specimen room. They also talk about how the deer make some strange noises and aren't as they seem; later getting attacked by one and managing to board them up. Hoping they can find another way out and uh...

I think they might have caught a very minor case of being dead while trying to do that. That might just be me though.

Now when it comes to these notes, I do like how the first one subtly warns the player that the deer are a bit weird but doesn't exactly tell them what they will do. Which makes the deer sprinting at you with their sharp teeth and lifeless eyes a good jumpscare (especially in OG Spooky's. Jesus those things are nightmare fuel). I also like how you can find the hunter's bones in one of the cabins (although I wish they had a unique skeleton model of their own). But aside from that? These don't do much for me.

I don't know if this is a hot take or not, but does anyone else think that the buildup to Specimen 8 could've been done better? Obviously Deer Lord is an awesome specimen with a wonderful chase theme and a visually awesome ability where he goes through walls; but his area and the buildup to him feels too tame.

The forest, violent deer, and axe are cool, but the notes don't really say anything about him or anything else of note. Then you get to this big room with a creepy record player and some runes on the walls (which I never realized were there until now) which seems cool, but nothing is really done with it.

I feel like more should have been done with Deer Lord's area and there should've been more notes that build up to him better... or mention him at all. Maybe instead of the hunter dying in a cabin, they could have broken out due to desperation for food and water. Leading them to getting attacked by the deer and to the area with the runes on the walls; this can be where they encounter Deer Lord. Maybe have the last note mention them hearing a demonic voice or something before it ends there. Just kinda disappointing. 2/5

Notes by another Generic Lab Assistant

This old place is somehow even worse than the new GL Labs. Although it seems to have been constructed with a much larger budget than the new lab, nothing works quite right. I can see why it was abandoned so quickly. I wonder if there really is anything here worth salvaging.

Some notes by yet another Generic Lab Assistant... but they're all blue, transparent, and futuristic now!

That cool detail aside, here's a few things of note. These notes establish that there isn't just one GL Labs and that this is an older one despite the more futuristic theme to it. Possibly implying that there are multiple GL Labs that we have yet to see.

One of the notes also mention how the equipment here seems specifically designed for people without hands. My first thought was Spooky since she doesn't have "real" hands in a technical sense, but it could also be referring to the old Specimen 10. Considering it was a passive pet to the employees.

We also get more of Spooky being the most shitty and negligent boss ever. Literally sent a bunch of her employees to a place that had a clearly dangerous monster inside of it. Classic Spook lol.

So there's some nice world building stuff here! Though of course, we also have that eerie factor to these notes that are enjoyable as well.

Reading about there being weird noises in the air ducts and the machinery and power being faulty really makes you feel unsafe being there. Especially considering that not one single soundtrack or ambience plays while your in Specimen 10's area. It's just completely silent. Which makes things so much more uncomfortable and eerie.

Then you read this line.

I don't know what to do. I can't think well, I feel strange. I'm hiding from that thing. I feel like something is growing on my skin. I can't seem to tear it off fast enough, and I'm losing a lot of blood…

Again, like some of the specimens before, you read something that raises the stakes and establishes the threat.

But to spice things up a bit, for the first time, you are actually given a hint on how to deal with the specimen and boy is it a chilling one. The blood on the floor and the note flickering on and off is unnerving. And the fact that it's telling you that you have to stay close to it, in a game where you have always tried to run away as fast as possible, does a good job at confusing and stressing out the player right before they turn the generator on.

Not much else to say other than it's all very good buildup to a very good specimen. 5/5

Fast Food Worker's Notes

1. I was anxious getting a job here at first, but it seems like things are getting better. This chain is really expanding, which is a shock, because just last week I heard this company was going broke. Everyday more and more people show up to eat here. Something still sets me off about this place and its food though, so I'm going to try and not eat anything from here.

Specimen 11's area has the most lengthy notes we have seen yet and it's because of these notes that the Beef Demon is one of my favorite specimens! From the notes that we have seen previously, they usually follow this: some person that's stuck in a shitty situation or is about to be in an even worse situation soon enough. With the exception of the notes found in Ben's area since they're told as a story or legend.

These notes are interesting in that they are more gradual and take their time to get to the horror. It starts off as just someone new to the job noting how the restaurant chain is suddenly booming in business despite the company being on the brink of bankruptcy a week ago. Aside from that and the worker mentioning that they'll try not to eat any food there, nothing seems too suspicious so far.

The next note then informs us that something strange is going on with the customers. The orders are rising in numbers, but not the people. One customer is noted to use the drive through a total of three times. Ordering a bunch of food every 10 minutes. It becomes more odd when we move onto the next note and it tells us that lunch breaks aren't allowed there and neither is outside food. Apparently a customer who tried to do that got screamed at.

It's clear there's something wrong with the food. So it becomes all the more concerning when the writer states that they ate one of the burgers there and had a strange dream soon after.

4. This is strange… I had a dream last night about this restaurant. I know I was here, but I also felt like I was in another place at the same time. Everything looked so.. wrong. Nothing was the right size, and I kept hearing these strange animal noises, almost like wailing. I guess I just feel guilty for eating that burger the other day. Also today I saw that man again. The one who kept ordering every 10 minutes. This time he never even left the parking lot. He just got his meal, parked, and then got back in line. He must have done it at least 8 times before he left.

So these "burgers" make people overly obsessive with them, cause strange dreams, and make them shove other people's heads on a grill... wait... what the fuck?

5. There was a horrible 'accident' today. At least that's what the managers are calling it… One of the other employees brought in some outside food, and got into a fight with a manager about it. The employee said that the burgers here smell like sulfur. I then watched the manager grab the kid's neck and shove his head onto the grill. The employee got up and ran out before anyone could do anything, and I'm told that he is fine, but that really shook me today.

Well shit. That was unexpected and fucked up. So it's also making the managers unreasonably aggressive as well. We still don't know what exactly is in that "beef" however.

6. I'm leaving. I fell asleep in my car today, after eating one of those burgers. I remembered brief flashes of a man or animal coming towards me and feeling like some huge, lumbering thing was wailing from deep underground as I continued eating. When I woke up I was fine, but had veered off the road. I don't know if it's some weird allergic reaction to a preservative they use or something much worse, but this is my last day.

Unfortunately we don't get an answer to that question. The last note just tells that the writer saw "a man or animal" in a dream and that they heard wailing noises again like in their last dream. Except this time it was apparently from deep underground. And it just... ends there. The worker states that this is their last day working there, but we don't know what happened to them after that. Maybe they made it out. Maybe they didn't. I really like these ones as they're subtle. They don't tell you too much, but they don't tell you too little either. Something paranormal is going on with the "beef" but the notes don't tell us exactly why. It isn't until the literal demon shows up is when you're able to connect the dots. The burgers making people act unnatural or aggressive, the hallucinations and dreams, and the company suddenly booming when it was about to go bankrupt. Classic demon worshipping in a horror game. Except it's pretty cool and well executed here. Very wonderful and eerie notes. Especially with the man ordering every 10 minutes. Unsettling to read about a human... not acting human. 5/5

Marine Biologist's Notes

Research Report 1 More whales are being shipped to the facility tomorrow, one for a health inspection and two that are already dead for autopsies. More and more beached whales keep appearing around those islands and I still can't find what is causing it.

Let's skip the notes in Specimen 12 and save them for part 2 for now. You'll see why later (although you probably already know tbf). Anyways these notes introduce a interesting mystery. What's going on with the whales? Apparently they're beaching at an abnormal rate and there are bite marks being found inside their stomachs. At first it's all chalked up to it being a parasite, but then you come across this...

Research Report 5 The research facility is now in dire need of more engineers. We have a whole block that is flooded, and some vital staff are missing.

And this...

Excerpt 4132 And then I watched carelessly as the sea rose above the sky casting waving shadows over the world. I saw the silhouettes of creatures both familiar and forgotten. And suddenly I found myself falling upwards towards an ocean of darkness.

And this...

Research Report 6 I hear a girl. Or an animal. Or something… Singing to me, pleading that I come outside my locked room and let the sweeping waves comfort me.

And you start to realize there's more to it than that... Similar to the notes from the fast food worker, these neither tell you too much or too little. It's subtle in its horror and the creature it's talking about and it works very well like last time. Don't know what else to say without repeating myself. It's just good buildup to the Siren and it makes her an intriguing threat. I will say this though. This particular note is perfectly ominous and goes hard as hell.

Research Report 7 All the staff is gone. Only I remain. For no purpose, I remain here, resisting the call from behind the sealed door. But I will remain… As long as I can. Don't open that door.

5/5

Howard's Note

This was such a surprise. That there would be another entry. Another actual entry. One I could admire. But then as suddenly as it came, it left. And now you disband. Your influence and inspiration will never leave me.

A confusing read on your first playthrough. A funny (or possibly depressing) read once you realize it's Kira being upsetti spaghetti about PT not being turned into a full game. Neat reference but that's all it has going for it. 3/5

Dr. Hamada, Tochigi, Kanagawa, and Nurse Tanaka's Notes

Dr. Hamada Oncologist The patient has displayed increased depression after being informed of their terminal disease. I prescribed an antidepressant to regulate this but was later told that I had cancelled the prescription. I have no memory of cancelling the meds nor can I find any evidence that my orders were tampered with.

Karamari Hospital has a much more serious, darker, and mysterious atmosphere to it and these notes reflect that.

The mystery is set and pulls the player in when they read about Dr. Hamada cancelling the prescription for an antidepressant, despite them having no memory of doing so. This mystery is kept basically throughout the entirety of the notes and overall DLC until the very end. So throughout most of the DLC, you keep on guessing on what happened here with the doctors while not getting a whole lot of answers.

It's very well executed though and these notes have a handful of disturbing content within them as you find and read them. From a patient screaming and being terrified after being given hallucinogenics, to a whole entire liver sitting on Tochigi's desk, to Kanagawa describing how they woke to a patient they unknowingly murdered as he bled out on the floor, to Tanaka twisting the body of a cat and later dosing their head with radiation.

Despite never really showing it, Spooky's was always a gory and brutal game when you really thought about how each of the specimen's would kill you, but this shit is just next level.

It all ends perfectly once you finish the last note covered in blood from Tanaka and face the thing responsible for possessing all these people and forcing them to do these sadistic acts. Ghost Cow. Really well written stuff. 5/5

The Many Notes Inside the Dollhouse.

Congratulations GL Labs associate! You have been volunteered for our proud parent program. You have been given a doll, and your duty is to train the soul entrapped within. To confine it to the doll you must keep it in good 'Spirits' and give it attention. Many of the beta candidates were children when they died and will likely attach themselves to you without problems, but there may be times when punishment or extraction of spirit energy is necessary. The energy can feel quite replenishing, but please refrain from abuse as it negatively affects the ghost. In the event of husk rejection or injury, GL labs is not responsible under any circumstance.

With the Dollhouse DLC wrapping up the story of SJSM, it only makes sense that it has the most notes by far. These notes are incredibly interesting as their purpose isn't to foreshadow or hype up some major creature, but rather give us deeper insight into what GL Labs truly is and what they have done in the past.

Now, we already knew just how shady and cruel GL Labs was previously, I mean, I guess that goes for any company that resides in a mansion made specifically for murder. But we never saw it so upfront before. Nor did we see how negligent and indifferent they are. Summoning the spirits of children, stripping them of their afterlife, and forcing them into at first simple containers and later dolls. The most depressing case of this being Woormy Charles. Despite him wanting a bigger vessel, they kept forcing him into a small one, summoning him over and over again instead of just letting him go; then locking him in a containment room to rub salt in the wound.

We also get to see how incompetent and downright stupid the workers for GL Labs were. Trying to summon a spirit to entertain the dolls (instead of just... entertaining them by themselves or hiring someone to do it?), only to get some creepy ass clown voiced by Tomar. Performing rituals and inflicting pressure on the dolls, dehumanizing them in the process, and then acting surprised when the brilliant idea goes south, leading to one of the workers gouging their eyes out to be safe from the Hooked Doll... which I doubt ended well for them. One worker even mentions they're happy to be transferred to the GL Labs closer to the surface since they were fearing for their life everyday while they were in the Dollhouse. So clearly the whole facility was in need of being shut down not just because of the inhumane doll projects and rituals but also because the workers weren't even fully safe there. That really tells you how desperate a certain someone was though, doesn't it?

Spooky's Father Notes

I'm so sorry my little angel. I've tried hating the man that took you from us, but in the end the only person I can hate is myself. You always liked to scare people, especially when they didn't understand something. I was confounded no one understood your costume but I guess people don't read Poe anymore, even with the new Price film. That man clearly overreacted to your fireworks, but we can only blame a PTSD sufferer so much.

Well, talk about how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The notes written by Spooky's father and everything going on with GL Labs truly shows how broken and tragic he is.

We knew how Spooky died to a soldier suffering from PTSD in the base game thanks to the easter egg arcade, but the Karamari DLC expanded on that by showing us how one of Spooky's parents felt about the matter. Which makes it all the more heart-wrenching.

If you get the bad ending in Karamari, we also get some interesting info about how Spooky's father was trying to bring Spooky back, which seemed to have worked, though judging by how sadistic and apathetic Spooky is, something must have went wrong.

I hate myself for what I am doing, but I can't wait any longer. Your mother puts on a brave face but I know she wants this too. I'm making fair progress in bringing you back, but it seems to only work for a moment even with larger thresholds. Today I think I found the answer. A second device is needed to bind the spirit to the earth after it has been brought back. I know this sounds macabre but I will turn it off and let you return to heaven after your mother and I get to see you again.

Dollhouse expands on him by telling us that he was indeed the main one behind GL Labs and that he approved of the doll project.

A doll is a timeless thing. In the shape of a human but created perfect. Immortal and unmoving. Yet hollow, devoid of soul. A fitting symbol and possibly usable device for our goals here. Soon I will have you back, my dear. But first I must make sure it won't constrict you.

Now with everything I said about GL Labs and how unethical they were, you would think that it would be a good reflection on Spooky's father himself. An apathetic and generally awful person. Well, it's more complex than that. He was behind a lot of the awful stuff going on in GL Labs, but none of it was out of any malice or evil. He really just wanted his daughter back through any means necessary. He hated himself for what he was doing and knew that his wife, shortly before her death, disapproved of bringing Spooky back. By that point though, he felt like he had gone too far to suddenly stop now.

So much desperation and will to go to extreme lengths, just because, as we later find out in a pretty damn good plot twist, he was the PTSD sufferer who killed Spooky and he wanted to be forgiven by his own daughter. Which really makes the line "I've tried hating the man that took you from us, but in the end the only person I can hate is myself." hit harder.

I always wanted to tell you. How that night really ended. But I couldn't. Because you were gone. I need your forgiveness. That's why I wanted you back at any cost. But in the end I robbed you of both life and unlife. Please go on, and be with Monica. I'm sorry.

He framed a homeless guy for a murder he accidentally caused, founded a company that performed unethical experiments, and in the end after his death, his daughter would go on to kill thousands. He really was the main cause behind everything that happened. Yet, you can't really hate the guy, not fully at least. He never was evil nor did he want to be. Even in his desperate madness, he still had a good chunk of his humanity within him. The doll project was unethical, but he still tried to encourage treating the spirits inside the dolls with care, with the scientists taking care of the dolls being referred to as a "proud parent" or presumably approving the party room to entertain them (even if it didn't work out). He could have went against his wife's wishes and tried to bring her back, yet he allowed her to rest, despite missing her everyday, showing how loving and devoted he is. And judging from his dialogue when interacting with his corpse, he realized how fucked up everything he has done was, but by that point it was too late, considering Spooky never moved on to be with Monica.

Always loved morally gray characters and Spooky's father is a great and tragic one. The Dollhouse notes and Spooky's father will both be getting a six, not five, six out of five. Absolutely goated. 6/5

Not Done Just Yet

Well, this part is done at least. Part 2 will be coming out... whenever I finish it lol. But it shouldn't take too long; and once it's finished, I'll state my closing thoughts about all the notes I reviewed. But for now, I'll see you whenever part 2 comes out! Have a snazzy day.

[jennegatron]

For the ask meme. Theo. Hardwon. Aaaaand hmm.... dealers choice from neverafter.

Oh my goodness, thank you. 3 absolute gems. I'm SO sorry that this is so long, I just have a lot of thoughts, especially about Murph characters, but also just generally.

Theo

How I feel about this character oh my boy, the boy of my heart. I love him. His heart is so big, he loves so much. He's so kind and forgiving and sweet. I also love a man who lets a woman be in charge. More men should have a mean bisexual girlfriend/fuck buddy who bosses them around.

All the people I ship romantically with this character Gooey. I think that he needs someone who will be the one to initiate with him. Above the table, Brennan is the only one of the intrepid heroes who will go at someone that hard. Murph as a player doesn't really have romance at the front of his mind when he plays. He'll do it if it makes sense for the character or if it makes him laugh (Jens & Mac Son of Mumford), but he's not really one to pursue it or initiate. Like he does his best to shut down anything for both Riz and Kugrash. Gerard comes in married and even though Barry is the hunkiest of hunks, it's not something that character cares about. At the table, Theobald Gumbar is not a guy who lets himself be distracted from his work by lust or love, and I think that's central to his character. It's why even with everyone's permission he doesn't pursue/further his relationship with Gooey until after the battle for Castle Candy. He keeps his eye on the prize. I love the beauty and power of Gooey. He's not expecting it and it truly blindsides them both. Murph understands Theo's game of being a flunky and follower so well that when threatened by a big buff powerful chocolate lady, he simply has to say yes, you could dominate me. I do think you can make compelling cases for other characters but they're all unrequited/unconsummated to stay in canon. Like a Theo that's in love with Amethar is interesting. A dynamic with Calroy where he takes advantage of Theo's inexperience and knowledge is a fun sandbox to play in (though I think it just simply couldn't happen based on what we know about Theo. That's a ship that centers Calroy who is a fascinating bastard.) I don't mind ignoring canon at times so that you can set up the parameters of your world and see what happens under those circumstances. I think that's fun

My non-romantic OTP for this character I think about Theo and Toby so much. Theo stays busy and I think feels fulfilled by his work, but I think a lot about how few friends he has in Castle Candy. Like there is just a power disparity between himself and the royal family. They're not his friends. most of them find him annoying. Calroy seems like someone who is annoyed by him too. That His relationship with Lapin is one of deep mistrust. It's really only Toby we see him interact with, and in that interaction we get like low key rivalry with Amanda Maillard. This man does NOT have friends other than sprinkle & Toby. Sad! and then Toby dies and no one else even cares!!! Part of why i like Gooey. that's a friend who will fuck his brains out.

My unpopular opinion about this character My dislike of Theopin. I have so many things I don't like about the way Theopin gets talked about in the fandom. I don't see the Theobald I know and love in that vast majority of theopin content. I think Theo's hatred of Lapin as a member of the church was truly felt by him. I think the thing that could have allowed Theopin to happen was them bonding over non-bulbian magic and Lapin's life and debt to the sugarplum fairy precluded that from ever happening before the events of the season. Besides even if Lapin had lived, Zac is also not a player who goes for a romance angle really. He really only does it when he either 1. comes into a season with it as a goal (Esther and Ricky) or 2. if he thinks he won't have to live with the consequences of that choice (Not knowing FH would go into multiple seasons explains the Ragh kiss, and how he just immediately forgot about zelda in sophomore year, how the gorgug/zelda breakup is a total non-factor in junior year, Mary-Ann Skuttle happens in the last hour of the last episode because he thinks it's funny, how Lapin is gay confirmed only happened in the time quangle. He passed up on every Colin/Deli opportunity. It's just not Zac's game. He's very predictable in that exact way.) Also I think it's good that in the penultimate episode he decides that he cares more about magic than the crown and would stand by Saccharina regardless. Lazuli would be proud. Also, he has been cool the whole time!

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. I am a Theobald is bisexual truther, he's just repressed and married to his job. That bisexual virgin is 50 years old when Gooey fucks him for the first time. Muprh, please confirm that Theobald is a perfect bi disaster.

Hardwon

How I feel about this character What a guy. One thing that's true about me is that I looooooove stupid men. Hardwon Surefoot, you're so stupid and I love you so much.

All the people I ship romantically with this character Hardwon & Gemma made me CRY. DEVASTATING. Hardshine is so sweet, I love them.

My non-romantic OTP for this character Hardwon and Maw Maw, greatest platonic love story ever told.

My unpopular opinion about this character I don't think I have one! I am so much more obsessed with Beverly Toegold IV that I poured all of my attention and opinion creation into him. I love middle aged men!

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. I want to see the boobs reunited in the astral plane. RIP Beverley's boy angel voice. Hardwon you HAVE to tell Moonshine you love her.

Prince Gerard of Greenleigh

How I feel about this character SAD! he's TRAGIC. he loves his wife SO MUCH. and he's so ill equipped by his life to be a good husband before the events of Neverafter.

All the people I ship romantically with this character His beautiful wife Elody

My non-romantic OTP for this character Gerard and Ylfa have the most incredible dynamic. Adoptive uncle and rambunctious preteen girl. Both grappling with their monstrosity. Gerard modeling unconditional love for the people he cares about. That he would love Elody even if she was a spider just like he loves Ylfa even though she's a wolf. The end where she carries Gerard and Elody out???? That's my fucking shit.

My unpopular opinion about this character Do people have opinions about Gerard? I feel like people were way more invested in Rosamund being a lesbian or Ylfa and Pinocchio or something. I think that his reaction in the castle where he tries to get Elody to believe him and pukes in the hallway is so deeply sad and funny and real. You have all of this history with this person. You've changed so much in such a short amount of time but they didn't see it. they only know who you were before you were separated. She found HIS BODY. He's a FROGMAN. Leap of Faith you are everything to me.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. I'm okay with the gerard & elody divorce but only if we flash forward 2 years and they get back together better equipped to be partners. ALSO, i wish we had been able to see WHY the sword of truth didn't confirm that elody loved him. it didn't say she didn't love him. Rapunzel, I'm so glad you got eaten by the frog man you bullied. Murph WHY did you decide not to reconcile with Elody. She still loved you 😭. i do admire the bravery of not getting a happy ending, but it would have hit so good for me personally.

[drakothedragon55]

Drako’s Top 10 Underrated "Creepy and/or Cozy" Roblox Games

That’s right. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and as 2024 is drawing to a close, I thought that this would be a good send-off.

For a game to be included, it must have under a thousand current players (at the time of me writing this, which started in October 2024. I'm aware that #4 has over a thousand current players now, but it didn't at the time, so it stays)

I chose to purposely exclude some more well-known games to give smaller ones a chance to be noticed. Sorry, Jim’s Computer, The Smiles Family/any Roblox myth place, and other similar games. You're all still awesome!

Also please keep in mind that this list is quite subjective. It’s literally my opinion lol. What you and I consider a good game might be quite different.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

#1: Expedition by hyuno_ooo

(second image courtesy of Josh Plays)

Interesting plot? Check. Well scripted? Check. Isn’t even close to being finished? Check. The Expedition is a tale about mental health, and about growing up. Despite it only having a prologue, it seems really promising. Yeah, it goes for the "here's the ending of the story. But how do we get here? Let's rewind." trope (which I don't typically like), but this time around it was actually quite interesting. I could relate to the main character in more ways than one, the dream sequences were neat, and...I'm going to stop there to avoid further spoilers. Hopefully more people notice Expedition soon. It deserves the attention 100%.

#2: Star Creator Simulator by funny fire ant games

I stumbled across this game after discovering another one (cart ride around a used car battery or something along those lines) by the same group. It seems to be heavily inspired by Squirrel Stapler, which is already a good game. I won’t spoil the story since I really want people to give this game a shot (and also because it's really short. Like, 10 minutes maximum), but I was consistently tense during my first playthrough. I genuinely didn't feel safe in the little house, and it's crazy that this joke-game-treated-seriously made me feel that way.

#3: Train to the Unknown by Master Games Corporation

A cozy and creepy exploration game where you can travel between different worlds on the titular train. There’s easter eggs, minigames/small tasks that you can do, a lot of cosmetic options, and other neat things to find. Also the lore is quite interesting if you take the time to find it. If you'd rather figure it out for yourself, then you can just skip ahead to #4. Now for those who want to know, the entire game is essentially purgatory, and each world is composed of memories iirc. Pretty neat! And it explains the ominous messages you see each time the train goes between worlds.

#4: The Intruder by Official_Bulderme

Sorry for the bad screenshots. I recorded a video in case I messed up the shot.

The Mandela Catalogue meets FNAF. Despite being a bit of a chicken when it comes to horror games (ironic, since I love them), I enjoy The Intruder. I have fond memories of trying to piece together the lore back when Satan’s Lodge was the most recent released map. Good times. I appreciate the eventual straying (and subsequent returning) from the FNAF formula, just so each multiplayer level doesn't feel like a reskin of the last one. Oh, and the singleplayer campaign is a whole different beast entirely. I recommend the entirety of multiplayer, and all of the singleplayer tapes. They're short but sweet :)

#5: Warm Isolation by Steven_Scripts

Does this count as a bait and switch experience? Regardless, props to the dev for making a singular bedroom so fun to chill in. But once you find a way to leave the bedroom there’s a whole house to (kinda) explore. So get a lighter or two, and venture out into the long dark hallway. I swear- every last inch of this game was put there with a purpose in mind. Sit down anywhere in the bedroom, then sit down anywhere in the rest of the house and see what I mean. There's also a notebook that you can write in, and I'm pretty sure it only erases once the server closes. It's cool to read both the silly and the in-character messages written by all sorts of different players.

#6: Pepper’s Playhouse by kippwire

A weirdcore/circuscore hangout game. You're gonna see a few other hangout games on this list, I'm sure. Anyways, it's a real shame that no one really plays this game anymore. I liked it so much, I even made my own PPH OC once upon a time. It's still getting updates every now and then, and it even has some custom music tracks. If you like weirdcore, then you're gonna like PPH. Here's hoping you like clowns, too...

#7: Tearose Library by * Tearose Library *

I first discovered this game back when it was called Teafuls' Library, and I gotta say that I'm a fan. I actually used to work as a book restocker here once upon a time, but I'd still recommend this game regardless of my past affiliations. It's just so cozy! All of the books are player-submitted, and despite the low active userbase, it's still getting new book submissions each week.

#8: Cookie Cookie Funtime by Draggyy

(both images courtesy of Josh Plays)

Upon first glance, Cookie Cookie Funtime seems to be yet another FNAF clone. And you’d be right! But CCF does something most of the other clones don’t: it makes fun of itself. CCF is a shockingly-well-made experience that’s also short but sweet (ba-dum tish 🥁 ). Just like all the other games on this list, I recommend it!

#9: Journey to the Sun by nextReality Games

A relaxing (and sometimes challenging) platforming adventure! Journey to the Sun tasks you to collect seven sacred flames, before finally venturing into the sun in order to prevent an ancient evil from escaping. You speed and jump height increases with each flame, allowing you to access areas that you otherwise couldn't before. Plus there's a whole lot of bonus content as well. The vibes this game gives off is hard to describe, but it's definitely cozy.

#10: a dream youve had before by 4slug

What first appears to be a simple "leave your mark" game where you can leave notes for other players to read is actually quite the strange experience if you take the time to delve deeper. There's many badges to collect, but the atmosphere alone is probably enough for some to want to play it. I won't spoil the events that can occur on each floor, but I will warn you about the clocks. Any floor with a clock on it is bad news...

——————————————————————————————————

Honourable Mentions

Write a Letter by Free Hashbrowns. It's a cozy hangout spot with multiple different locations, such as an abandoned bakery, an overgrown convenience store, and more. It gets a spot on the honourable mentions list due to it not really having anything going on besides that. Once you see all there is to see, there isn't really any incentive to go back. Though the letter writing/saving is executed well, and its fun to read what others have written :)

JOVIAL Playground by ROSKAA123. I didn't want two different weirdcore hangout games on the list, so I chose Pepper's Playhouse over this one (due to me liking it just a little bit more.) But that doesn't mean that JP is a bad game. Quite the opposite, in fact! It has a lot of areas to explore and NPCs to meet. It feels like a place kid-me would have loved to visit.

Stupid Idiot Cafe by Funny Fire Ant Games. These people also made Star Creator Simulator, which already has a spot on this list. Stupid Idiot Cafe is both a mockery and improvement to the dime-a-dozen cafe games you'll find all over Roblox. The baristas get guns, for pete's sake! But not just for unruly patrons, oh no no. For the SCP-style cryptids that will periodically escape, of course. There's even a Star Creator Simulator reference. It's cool.

Scary Sushi by Evil Twin Games. Any longtime followers of mine know that I love this game. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too popular to qualify for the main list. But the gameplay loop is just the right amount of difficult and fun to keep you interested, and chapter 2 is going to allegedly release in December. Also SS got featured in The Haunt, so uh. Yeah. At least it’s getting acknowledged?

Edit: Chapter 2 is indeed out. Lol.

[broad-shouldered-broad]

Potionomics feels like it was made specifically for me. It combines my absolute love for optimizing my activity in a video game with my need for media about healthy couples. Plus, you play as a woman, and back in 2022 that was like crack to me.

For anyone who doesn't know about this game, gimme a minute to explain what I love about it. It's a hybrid card game, potion shop manager, and dating sim which sounds like an insane combination, but it works really really well. The basic gameplay loop is making potions to earn money to hit a deadline, haggling with customers using a card game system to raise the price of potions while maintaining interest in them, spending your money on various characters to get better upgrades to potion making like better ingredients or cauldrons and whatnot, and then going on dates with characters you choose to obtain cards to better haggle with. Everything feels like it flows into itself seamlessly and I can play this game for hours (If my computer wasn't a potato).

It hits this perfect sweet spot for me between giving me things I can control and taking away control to keep things interesting. I can optimize my deck as much as I want and plot out how I manage my time in a day, but that all goes out the window when I haggle with customers or go to get new ingredients. It keeps me on my toes :3

Also, game design aside… these characters are to die for. Sylvia makes for such a good protagonist who's both able to conform to what the player wants them to be as well as keeping to her own personality and background. My personal favorites, though, are Mint and Roxanne. These two ended up throwing me into a brief crisis over my own personal interests which I look back at fondly. I initially wanted to pursue Roxanne since she was an example of both who I might want to be in the future, and who I'd like to be in a relationship with irl. It was a slightly naive idea of mine born from my lack of experience with people that I could somehow get a girlfriend who was taller than me, elegant, and also dominant. Through playing the game, though, I found myself gravitating a lot more towards Mint, a girl who was out of her element, but had this constant can-do attitude that just made me want to cheer her on all the time.

Dating her in the game got me to realize irl that my expectations were too specific and it was messing with my views on reality. I was poisoning my brain with goth mommy memes and I managed to completely cloud my vision because of it. All I really wanted when I sat down to think about it was a girl who I could support who wanted to support me right back. I still sort of idolize Roxanne and hold her up as a potential transition goal, but that's unrelated. I still don't have a girlfriend, but my head is in the right place. I'm doing everything I can to better myself so that I can support the shit out of people when they need me to.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Devs' Intentions

I read an article yesterday (I think it was GameRant) about a whole bunch of stuff that was cut out of Baldur's Gate 3 before official release. I don't remember all of them, but that's probably because they weren't very important to me one way or the other. However, there were a few that, for better or for worse, caught my attention. And ... well, I'm me. Before I start liveblogging the ridiculous cuteness that is the start of the Shadowheart romance (because whatever multiverse she lives in, Alisaie apparently goes for the dark-haired, mostly-serious, adorkable-when-allowing-herself-to-be-vulnerable godly ones), I wanted to talk about a few of them.

Exhaustion Mechanic: Oh dear sweet fucking gods, I'm glad they scrapped that one. Apparently that whole bit where the companions remark how tired they are is a holdover from that, but it used to come with a decrease to stats, just like the exhaustion mechanic in the PHB. Except ... I'm not sure they could have implemented that without it being ridiculously punishing. Encumberance is bad enough; don't hit my stats because I want to keep playing without taking a long rest, okay?

More Crafting Than Just Potions: Apparently at one point they were looking at allowing people to make and enchant their own weapons and armour. This is why you tend to find gems and metal ingots all over the place. While I'm a little sad about the lack of a crafting mechanic, I can see why they left it out - having a herbalism kit in the TTRPG version is one thing, but carrying around a fucking forge is something else again. And at least now I know this, so I can actually sell off the stupid metal ingots (except the infernal iron, obviously) because I don't actually need them.

Minsc: Apparently he should have been introduced earlier in the game, with a much more comprehensive character arc. I'm not sure why they went with the "rushed in Act 3" introduction to him in party, mostly because I haven't got that far yet, but I would imagine it has something to do with party management.

The Entire Upper Level of Baldur's Gate: Apparently there's an entire section of Baldur's Gate the city that was just ... excised from the game. Maybe they didn't have enough time to finish it, or maybe it just made the game too unwieldy, but apparently data mining indicates that there were a few things tied to the upper city that ... well, were really, really important to varoius characters' endgame states. So if you're dissatisfied with some characters' endings? It's probably to do with that. (And I won't go any further because spoilers.)

The Dark Urge: Now, here's the one I look at and really think, "Larian learned some lessons from Divinity: Original Sin 2" as regards player agency and going too far on the grimdark. Because apparently? Originally, the only way you could have an original character was to take the Dark Urge. There was no Tav / Dark Urge divide; if you wanted your own character instead of playing one of the origin characters? You were stuck with the Dark Urge, whether you wanted it or not. Now, don't get me wrong; if someone wants to play that, more power to them. Just, from what I've read about it, it does involve a certain loss of agency dependent on your stats. If you have to resist that Dark Urge, you're going to need saving throws, and if that's your dump stat because you wanted to play a strength-based character, that's just ... yeah. I don't mind the option being there; it's interesting on the conceptual level. I just wouldn't want that to be my only option. So I'm glad that Larian pried themselves out of Grimdark Valley long enough to go, "Okay, some people might not want to spend all their time fighting blind murderfrenzy just to play a good character", and make a separate, non-Dark Urge Tav. I also figure it has something to do with the issues in Divinity: Original Sin 2 where you'd want to take a specific course of action only to have one of your companions slaughter the quest objective before you could talk to them. (Still never forgiving them for that.)

So ... yeah, some things I'm really glad they stripped out. Others I wonder why? And some, while I enjoy them as mechanics (look, I am a crafting fiend, okay?), I can accept that they wouldn't have added much. I guess I wonder the thought processes that were going on in dev meetings where they came to those conclusions. I imagine the Dark Urge thing and the exhaustion mechanic thing both got, "Look, we can't stick them with this; they will riot", but ... what happened to that whole section of Baldur's Gate?

Maybe I've been dealing with too much bullshit from various AAA game companies*, but if they sell that shit as DLC I am going to set something on fire.

* - YES I AM LOOKING AT YOU, BIOWARE, WITH YOUR SELLING OFF THE ACTUAL ENDING AND/OR KEY ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND THE NEXT GAME IN THE SERIES AS DLC. I AM NOT FORGIVING YOU FOR LEGACY, AND I AM CERTAINLY NOT FORGIVING YOU FOR TRESPASSER. DLC IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN ADDED EXTRAS, LIKE SOLDIER'S PEAK! YOU USED TO UNDERSTAND THIS, EVEN IF YOU DID STICK A FUCKING AD FOR IT IN CAMP.

[petitelepus]

Howdy! I'd like to ask for a Normal Demon Slayer matchup, if it isn't too much trouble.

Pronouns are He/him, hetero

Appearance: Dishwater blonde hair that's short on the sides, and longer / VERY curly on top

Personality: I'm quite outgoing, and am very passionate about what I want to do with my life and how I spend my time. I take my interests and those of my friends very seriously and am both halves of the "Talks a lot - Listens" Drawing.

I enjoy hiking, disc golf, anything remotely nerdy, medieval battles, spicy food, and fluffy romance books

However, I can't STAND droning, repetitive noises, most bugs (bees and spiders are cool, almost everything else is NOT), bigots, and entitled people

Hobbies: I paint miniatures, play board games and video games, play D&D, and once upon a time I used to write short stories. Mostly, I tend to enjoy doing stuff that lets me spend time with other people.

I match you with Kanae Kocho!

Kanae is an easy-going woman who absolutely adores spending time doing what you like. She is very supportive of your hobbies and dreams and is always eager to include you in whatever she might be doing.

She loves how outgoing and passionate you are when it comes to life and those you care about. The Hashira also shares your passion for things you like and love, but she is perhaps a little more laid back and goes with the flow as the saying goes.

So you like romantic books and even wrote some? That sounds so marvelous and so creative! May Kanae read them?

She promises not to share them if you aren't comfortable with other people knowing about them, but... If she reads one of your abandoned works, she might ask you what you had planned for the ending? She can't stand cliffhangers!

Oh, you like medieval battles? That is so fascinating! Maybe the two of you could spar sometime? She might not look like it, but she is in pretty good shape and could give you a real challenge!

The Flower Hashira admires your ability to paint miniatures. She is amazed by the details you put in your work and how you can blend colors so smoothly.

Video games are not something she is that familiar with, but she is eager to learn more and if you teach her and want to give her a chance, then she would love to play be your "Player 2" through games and life.

While her sweet comment may make you groan or even blush, she giggles as she thinks she is being clever with her choice of words.

Kanae also wants to take part in your Dungeons&Dragons sessions and experience a fun adventure with you in the safety and comfort of your own home.

Maybe you could create a miniature of her that she could use in your campaigns? That would make her so happy, knowing that you made something with only her in your mind!

After a long day, Kanae likes to let you rest your head on her lap, while she pets and draws her slender fingers through your hair, wishing that the sweet action could bring you comfort like you bring to her.

[jaeminvore]

Omg hi hello hey.

For some reason fucking Tumblr won't allow me to commenton posts?! (bitch) 🥲

and i can not talk enough about how much i love volleyball for dummies!! So i took this chance to feel mysterious (the anon post) and yap about that gorgeous gorgeous fic ✨🥹.

Like idek why it took me such a long time to finally have the right mindset to read it, but lord! I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT!😭🤧 like.. how precious mark was(🥹🥹✨)? How oc was just so dumb and cute? The actual fuck? I WANT MORE 🫥 PLEASE. I WANT MORE OF ALL OF THAT. I WANT THEM TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE LITTLE VOLLEYBALLS FOR KIDS 🥺🤧😭

Plus, Just imagining how it would be like when we have hyuck or jaemin as the main characters..🤤 with thier unhinged personalities? A BLAST 🥹✨

Thank you for giving me the chance to read sth that blesses the eyes and messes with the heart (them bars yo🫣🤣)

HAVE A GREAT DAY!💚

Omg hello!! So sorry it took me a while to get back to you lol, but thank you so much for having fun reading Volleyball For Dummies! It's been a hot minute since working on an smau so it was kinda scary starting one after a while. Then again, I did have fun working on it and seeing people enjoy each update I had put out was worth the mild anxiety i got LMAO

and please Mark and MC in it was definitely such a funny but very cute pair and their dynamic for a bit made me yearn for something a little similar they were both so sweet in their own... unhinged way 🤧 Mark definitely had my heart racing at some points bc he was so damn sweet for his own good i was this close to taking MC's spot myself, but alas I could not </3

And so true Mark and MC getting married would be like the marriage of the century fr. MC going pro and playing for the national team of her choice and Mark being her trophy house husband who works in something music related 😍😍

and dude... a spin-off series for both Hyuck and Jaemin each would be so fun actually? Like aside from being insane, i feel like we hadn't really gone much into detail in regards to Hyuck's character, though I think an enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers would be fun lmao... or maybe friends to lovers where MC always goes to his games and sit through the hundreds of fangirls/boys trying to get their y/n moment with start athlete and setter Lee Donghyuck 🥹 ugh the pining would be so good

As for Jaemin... LMFAOOO we did get a glimpse that he's also as insane and kind of a slut with commitment issues? maybe emotionally repressed too? and it would be interesting if his y/n was like a manager for his team who he cannot for the life of him read (and he's usually really good at that) he kind of assumed that she might hate him for sleeping around but blah blah blah something happened and he's dead-set on wooing her, but she isn't having any of it because of his history and what if this was just a game to him or something like that hehe

Oops kinda rambled there but really, it was such a fun series to work on and I'm glad you loved it and sent me this ask to tell your feelings on it too 🥹 it's very much appreciated ily anon <3 and you have a great day/night too!

Thank you for giving me the chance to read sth that blesses the eyes and messes with the heart (them bars yo🫣🤣)

This reminds me of Chenle in Vball For Dummies going "like yeah she's an athlete, but that does not make her a player" fr bars from you both 🔥🔥

[dinosizedmintz]

Pond Dino was the standard epic, while Snapdragon broke the arena meta, and has its own purchasable package to enhance the egg hatching gacha. I'm waiting for the day the next cookie run game becomes a runaway hit, so I can watch the CRK players squirm when their game goes to hell :)

lmao, a bit mean to Kingdom players XD

BUT as someone who is almost exclusively an ovenbreak player, I understand the sentiment. Even when they announced kingdom, I remember the only thing interesting to me being the potential for world building and some new characters. It's an auto fighter(? I think that's the genre) so like,, it also doesn't feel like a game at all. In the early days I was just,, starting a mission and putting my phone aside to complete the story. It wasn't engaging, but I felt forced to do it to see how the story would turn out. After a while tho, I would get stuck bc I wasn't able to afford leveling my cookies up due to a lack of resources and time. This is basically how many resource collecting mobile games tho, but like,, at that point ppl were uploading the cut scenes so I just watch those now instead of reinstalling the game lol

And, maybe this is just a me opinion, but I also think ovenbreak can have good writing, but it for some reason isn't the main story lmao. I actually do enjoy the more "self-contained" updates that don't touch the main story at all. All the updates with Roguefort are super fun, for example. That being said, a lot of these one-off stories are pretty one note and I do think that Kingdom is better if you are looking for something with a bit more nuance (Tower of Sweet Chaos will always be my favorite mwah!!)

I have other thoughts, but it's all very jumbled up in my head so, tl;dr: ovenbreaks more fun imo, but I hope the devsis tries to branch out from games with micro transactions OR at the very least, doesn't have them baked into the DNA of the game so heavily

[eusuntgratie]

Okay updates on my hockey ~descent~

I've been reading a bit of bennguin and that was pretty good, I've been looking at some vids and I swear when Tyler got into a fight after someone took a cheap shot at Jamie 😭 like why do I care so much about that?? Anyway I have also just finished reading closed fracture by lightgetsin and it was so lovely <3 so looking for some more recs for sidgeno if you have them! (also why are there (((( all over the place sometimes? I've seen a few in fics and in tweets?) I do really like the Penguins logo and jerseys so maybe I'll follow them closer when things get moving a bit more, its the off season now right? Some other ships I'm a fan of is sterek from teen wolf, Sirius/Remus from hp, Macdennis from iasip, steve/bucky - just pretty basic ones lel 😬

oooooh i'm so excited to answer this okay okay. thank you for the update i love this!

tyler seguin is everyone's favorite slutty bisexual. go bananas in his tag (just #tyler seguin or #seguin) on tumblr and you'll find some great shit. that ship doesn't get as much attention anymore bc benn isn't fandom's favorite. i don't know enough about the stars to know all the reasons, but he did a very dirty and unneccessary hit on the vegas golden knights captain in the playoffs this year and that was enough to make me not like him. i can rec some stars blogs if you want - they are a great team with a solid fandom presence and a lot of young amazing players. and they have seggy :)

um, if you love boys being overprotective on the ice, i can definitely give you some pens moments but ALSO you should look into tknp (travis konecny/nolan patrick). i think i have a #protective tk tag on here you can browse bc the boy goes batshit insane anytime someone touches his boy. one of the big reasons a lot of us fell for that ship. you don't have to be a flyers fan to love them; tk is a fandom darling bc he's so tiny and fighty and wonderful.

also, any decent player is very protective of their goalie, so if you love that dynamic, you might enjoy some defenseman/goalie pairings or there's just some fun clips and gifs out there. i'll try to reblog some stuff for you. give my poor followers a break from the rwrb posting and tzp thirst 😂

DON'T GET ME STARTED ON SIDGENO OH GOD. okay i'll reblog a few posts for them because the things they say about each other are just. alright. you're in love. we get it. okay.

King and Lionheart is the fic that made me fall for sidgeno. There is an excellent podfic available as well.

I could give you a billion sidgeno recs and writers and blogs to follow. What kind of fic do you like? Fluff? Whump? PWP? Kink? ABO? Monsterfuckery? Sidgeno is the most popular hockey rpf ship at least by numbers on ao3; we got it all, baby! I read a lot of angst and porn, so I don't want to throw a bunch of recs at you without knowing what you like :)

((( and )))))))) are russian smileys... so you're probably reading Geno texting. So instead of texting (or tweeting - you can see these in some of his old tweets): i'll be there soon :) he would text i'll be there soon )))

we ARE in the offseason but hockey comes back (relatively) soon. preseason games (exhibition games that don't count towards playoff standings) start at the end of september and the season kicks off in October. The Penguins season opener is vs the Chicago Blackhawks which should be a VERY fun game to watch, bc Chicago drafted Connor Bedard this year, one of the best hockey prospects since Sid himself. Bedard is insanely talented and we are all very eager to see how he does in the NHL. Sid was Bedard's favorite player growing up (he is so many players' favorite player growing up) and they've met and they are both very sweet boys and anyway it will be an interesting game.

Stucky was my first ship since really diving into fandom and I spent a ton of time in Teen Wolf fandom! There's a ton of teen wolf on my ao3, mostly sterek, but i mostly write hockey these days.

feel free to keep sending me questions! there's a lot to learn when you first dive into hockey but i love the sport and love this fandom!!