#I'm supposed to use it for professional development but well.

[belle--ofthebrawl]

I am very, very curious about the whole world is your phantom limb 👀👀👀

In a lot of fics, I see it mentioned how Aether is "extra empathetic" or can "pull away exhaustion" and while I love to see other people's interpretations of quintessence magic...I began thinking about how something like that might realistically affect a person. What carrying around other people's pain does when all you want to do is help but maybe don't have the best way of setting boundaries or taking care of yourself. Especially in a universe where magic is involved.

I mention in "exalt and praise his name" how Aeon cures Sunny of a sprain but is warned he has to get rid of that very quickly before it latches onto him or somebody else. How the grass withers and dies just from that little bit of pain.

What would it look like if someone held onto it instead? It's just a little bit of hurt, they can handle it. They're better equipped for it and their friends deserve to be happy. Only it keeps happening and that little ball of pain turns into something very large very quickly.

Thankfully, Omega has been keeping an eye on Aether ever since the last tour. He knows Aether is a grown ghoul and can handle himself but something isn't quite right this time around.

Anyway, he daddies Aether like no one has ever daddied Aether before.

[star-anise]

are we talking about broke therapists yet?

I've been out of things for a couple of years now, which is why I'm willing to talk about it, and maybe the pandemic has helped things a little, but holy shit the counselling and psychotherapy field is not equipped to help its practitioners in the gig economy.

Of all my interests and talents, I pursued a degree in psychology because being a therapist is supposed to be a safe, stable, well-paid job. Every therapist I met who was registered before 2008 worked and lived under that assumption. And oh boy are all the fee structures--registration, supervision, continuing education, conferences--set up for that scenario.

After getting my Master's, I struggled like hell to get a job. It was especially bad because to get my license, I needed a supervisor to take me on. To take me on, most supervisors wanted me to already have a caseload and client base. To get a caseload and client base, I needed a job.

Friends: Every single job I heard back on wanted me to have my license before I could even land an interview.

Professors and career advisors and professional development specialists all advised me very earnestly to just keep cold-calling people on the supervision list, and it began to feel a lot like my parents' friends telling me to hit the bricks and hand out resumes. That's what worked for them, right?

I finally got a supervisor who agreed to take me on, and I'd be able to use her clinic for advertising and workspace, and we were doing the paperwork to send in with my registration, when she called me up and said, "Is this job going to be your only source of income? If you're trying to depend on getting clients and building your practice for your basic needs, this is not going to work out. This has to be something you're doing on top of a basic salary. Okay, so you're not working anywhere else right now? I'm sorry, I can't move forward with this."

Even once I landed a supervisor and a job building my own private practice, I struggled. I have ADHD and am not great at self-promotion, so trying to do all my own advertising, scheduling, bookkeeping, billing, and records management (on top of counselling) was an enormous strain. One my bosses, supervisors, and other senior professionals watched with a slightly critical eye, but consoled me about because in their early days, their clinics had had business managers, receptionists, filing clerks, and accountants, and getting used to doing everything online yourself was a bit of a learning curve, wasn't it?

I counted my pennies very carefully, because I had to pay my supervisor roughly $180 for their services every 6 hours of in-person counselling I did. This meant that to break even I had to charge my clients an average of about $30 (plus room rental and service fees) an hour--and my clients, being people with complex trauma, were frequently poor, disabled, unemployed, and had no health benefits, so even $10 or $20 a session was a lot for them.

Maybe it would have been easier if I could have taken some of those nice comfortable organization positions where they find clients and funding for you and you work 40 hours a week and get benefits and a pension, but I had to be disabled into the bargain, so working 40 hours a week just isn't possible for me. I start passing out from stress and exhaustion. Older colleagues gave me serious-faced advice about approaching my employer and asking them for some flexibility and accommodation in my schedule, and I tried to explain across the gap between us that employers simply did not hire me if I made the slightest noise about the workload. They weren't going to invest in me as a person; they were hiring 40 units of work a week, and if I wouldn't do it there were a dozen applicants after me who would.

At one point I broke down enough to email my licensing body because the Annual General Meeting/Professional Development Conference was coming up, and I wanted to attend, but I could not produce $500 to do it with. Was there some kind of way I could attend anyway? I felt ashamed to have to ask, and then absolutely mortified when the response came from the organization president, who needed to personally sign off on me being too poor to attend the single most important event in my profession's calendar year.

I honestly felt so ashamed all the time at how I was apparently failing to be a successful therapist, failing to be rich and successful, and every time I mentioned it around mentors and bosses, I could feel myself shrinking from a person to a problem to be solved. My closest therapist-friends and I have reflected on how much more difficult, poorly-paid and underworked, our various career starts have been than we were ever warned about. About the classmates and coworkers who couldn't get disability exceptions when they fell behind in their registration requirements, or burned out and left the field, or dropped their registrations and took up as life coaches, or moved their whole family somewhere exceptionally remote or rural because it was the only good job available, or worked for some godforsaken app skirting the bounds of malpractice like BetterHelp.

I like those conversations, because I feel less like an absolute fuck-up in them. There's less "Hey Lis, you were so talented in grad school, I really admired you, what are you doing now?" "Oh, I, uh... am professionally disabled, so I get government benefits, and I... sell embroidery patterns on Etsy now."

My own therapist kept asking if and when I felt like going back to being a counsellor, and I finally told him: I don't, actually. I don't want to go back and do it like I was doing it before. It was a profession I loved to the depths of my soul, and it profoundly did not love me back. I can't even imagine what would have to change, in me or it, to make it have a space in it that could fit me.

All of which I was way too scared to admit to at the time, because the more I let people know I was struggling, the more they hinted that maybe I just wasn't in a place in my life where this was a job I could do, and I needed to take a little break and wait to come back until money and disability just weren't issues for me anymore.

Eventually my cups of doubt and exhaustion did overflow, and I quit. I'm here now, living a much different life. And at the very least, all my years of helping people in bad life situations set me up perfectly for my own. I already knew what form to fill out for financial assistance, which student clinics to access for mental health support, and which government agency would, if pressed, cough out pharmacy coverage for the genuinely destitute. It gave me that much.

I hope this is just me being in extraordinary circumstances, sitting at the intersections of a few different shitty life situations that most people skip right past. Because it's on one level comforting, but another deeply infuriating, if I'm not, and I've just missed it or we've just all been too afraid to admit it to each other.

[leclerc-s]

paint the town red - part one

THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA

series masterlist

liked by peterbparker, harleykeener, queenshuri and others

biancastark_potts 'all the rumors are true'

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username bestie which driver will you be the race engineer for?

username is sebastian coming back? tell me that rumor is true

tonystark you're supposed to be working!

↳ biancastark_potts i am working. ask anyone. except harley, he'll lie to you.

↳ harleykeener she's being no help! spanish was not one of my public school requirements. i don't think i am qualified for this job.

↳ peterbparker I CAN SPEAK SPANISH! LET ME BE SAINZ'S RACE ENGINEER!

↳ harleykeener YOU FOCUS ON YOUR PHYSICS! LET ME HAVE THIS PARKER!

↳ biancastark_potts dad literally made you social media admin for the offical ferrari account. a mistake on his part truly.

↳ tonystark i regret everything now.

username so, stark will be race engineer for leclerc and keener for sainz?

↳ username an iconic group truly and i know nothing about this keener kid

↳ harleykeener i got a stark internship because i made a potato gun for tony one time when i was a child.

liked by biancastark_potts, harleykeener, and peterbparker and other

scuderiaferrari meet ferrari's newest race engineers. bianca stark-potts (24) (left) will become charles leclerc's new race engineer, replacing xavier marcos. while harley keener (20) (right) will become carlos sainz' new race engineer, replacing riccardo adami. these two will also be taking on the roles of lead engineers for our cars and they know they can deliver a championship winning car. these two are excited to be taking on the world of formula one.

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📍peterbparker this was all proofread by mrs. pepper stark-potts. i would've gone with something like 'out with the old in with the new.' but apparently that's not professional or something.

username ferrari is about to become the most attractive team on the grid. i take no complaints.

↳ username no you're absolutely right.

username what exactly are their qualifications to becoming an f1 driver's race engineer?

↳ username bianca is an MIT and columbia graduate, she has a phd in mechanical engineering and a masters in electrical engineering. harley is a columbia graduate with a masters in mechanical engineering and studying at MIT for a masters in computer science and engineering. if anything they're overqualified for the job. they've also developed few of the suits tony stark's uses. definitely more qualified than ricciardo and xavier.

↳ username that doesn't matter, we'll finally have a decent car and might even win the drivers/constructors championships.

charles_leclerc welcome to the team!

↳ biancastark_potts thanks, happy to be here!

↳ harleykeener thank you, even if i'm not your race engineer.

carlossainz55 bienvenidos!

↳ harleykeener gracias, mi amigo. (i don't speak spanish that well. we'll both be struggling through this, as you saw last week.)

↳ biancastark_potts good luck with him. thanks for the welcome!

liked by biancastark_potts, charles_leclerc, and peterbparker and other

scuderiaferrari you knew him as 4x world champion of red bull, you knew him as a ferrari driver, now you'll know him as ferrari's new team principal. ladies, gentleman, and non-binary folks, the formidable sebastian vettel is back!

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📍peterbparker not added was 'sorry not sorry we took your golden boy red bull' again, mrs. pepper potts-stark said that was unprofessional so i was forbidden from adding that. the urge to add a multi-21 joke in there was strong but i resisted.

↳ maxverstappen1 no need to rub it in. christian is crying. (i’m joking, he’s upset)

↳ peterbparker TU-TU-DU-DU MAX VERSTAPPEN!! (get me oscar piastri's number)

↳ maxverstappen1 no.

↳ peterbparker i'll settle for lando norris if you want. don't worry i'm not after either of your men (charles and danny)

↳ maxverstappen can i get you fired?

↳ biancastark_potts i've been trying since 2018 when he walked into my life. all i achieved was my parents emotionally adopting him.

username i fucking love this new ferrari admin. they're unhinged.

↳ peterbparker thanks, pepper does not find it as amusing. i've been told to keep it 'professional' until the season begins then i'm allowed to be unhinged.

username HE'S BACK! I KNEW RETIREMENT WOULDN'T LAST LONG.

username please tell me he is still caring for his bees. seb and his bees is iconic

↳ peterbparker proud to announce that seb and his bees will continue. we will be bringing awareness to the bees with every race. seb's buzzin' corner for every race? MR. STARK MAKE IT HAPPEN!

liked by pierregasly, charles_leclerc, and tonystark and other

scuderiaferrari mood cause we're back! preseason testing begins in two days!

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📍peterbparker i'm allowed to shit post now people! the ban has been lifted! WAR IS OVER!

↳ peterbparker I'VE BEEN FOUND BY PIERRE GASLY. NOOO! HOW COULD I HAVE BECOME A VICTIM SO SOON?

username admin is acting like a teenager

↳ peterbparker i'm 20.

↳ maxverstappen1 that explains it.

↳ peterbparker so about piastri's number...

↳ maxverstappen1 no.

↳ harleykeener you have a girlfriend parker.

↳ peterbparker she doesn't need to know

↳ michellejones this is a public instagram post

username let's hope stark industries can deliver with all the hype surrounding them taking over ferrari's f1 team.

↳ username i just hope they aren't being overhyped, because if they fail to deliver they'll be such a dissapointment.

¡leclerc-s speaks! you can blame charles' shitty race for this story. other than that we won't speak further on the events of the us grand prix (i'm living in delusion) (congrats to logan for scoring his first points and congrats to williams for their double points!) i had been wanting to do a mcu x formula one crossover but i didn't have the motivation to do so until now (you can guess why).

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

[worriedvision]

A harbingers child - Dottore

Gender neutral reader, reader is pregnant with Dottores child. They realise Dottore doesn't hope to raise this child, and reader runs away to save their child. "Open" ending with this one, but it really isn't a happy one for the reader. Might possibly do another part, but as much as I would like to make this into a happy ending, this is Dottore we are talking about.

--

Oh, your husband was so lovely. He always nurtured you, ever since he took you in from the streets. For so many people to be so hateful of him, they must have misheard who he was! He definitely wouldn't be carrying out these inhumane experiments and also be so lovely to you, right?

Well, a couple of weeks into your pregnancy, you see a concerning letter laying on the table. Upon initial inspection, this was meant only for your husband. Seeing your name, however, stopped you from just walking away. Reading this letter, you realise with horror that he has been arranging plans with an unnamed source to take your child away before you can have a moment to hold them. Your blood goes cold, thankful that Dottore was away for work, before you decide to leave empty handed.

You had heard there was a mission for Fontaine, and you knew this would be your way of protecting your child. As long as you could escape, without being caught, you would be just fine.

--

You had been discovered on the boat by a harbinger. A harbinger.

You freeze up the moment you make eye contact with the harbinger, remembering him as the harbinger that fell out with Dottore on several occasions regarding threats to his siblings. He was a harbinger, but maybe you can explain your situation to him.

He, thankfully, keeps quiet as he motions for you to explain your actions. You point to your abdomen, making sure not to speak in the possibility of an eavesdropper. Childe nods, taking you outside to get you off the boat.

"My lord, why is she here? Dottore won't be happy." A mage asks, only for Childe to sigh.

"Well, if you must know, he wanted me to take _ to Fontaine. Something about legal documents that they needed to pick up personally?" He replies, fooling the asker before continuing along with you.

"So...why did you leave? Not that your husband is a good one, but I'm curious why the change of heart now," Tartaglia asks.

"My child would be used for experiments. He's planning on using me as a producer for subjects." You explain, starting to feel trust with him. "I figured if I were to give birth in Fontaine, my child would be considered a Fontaine resident."

Childe nods, relieved to hear you won't be returning to Dottore willingly, escorts you to Neuvillette. As much as he was itching to experience the joy of a duel, he figured this was more important.

Neuvillette was surprised to hear about your predicament, seeing you had managed to escape from your husband's house without being noticed. You explain your situation - the child you are currently carrying, the danger the child would face in your husband's care - Childe verifying your information to be true. You stop yourself from mentioning Dottore's name, suspecting he would likely be contacted by the man in front of you.

"I suppose we can put some emergency arrangements in place." Neuvillette hums out in thought, you sighing out of relief. "The moment you birth your child, however, we cannot guarantee your stay."

"Will my child be put up for adoption?" You ask.

"And will this be an adoption from overseas?" Childe asks.

"Your child will be considered a Fontaine resident, therefore we will be putting arrangements in." Neuvillette states. "I apologise, but I must be going."

--

In the months leading to the birth of the child, you grew close to Neuvillette. At first, it was entirely professional, however Neuvillette seemed to thaw his heart with you. While neither of you made a move on each other, you develop feelings.

When you gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, you were allowed to hold him and bond. Unfortunately, you had to go to court to prove if you were eligible to stay.

That was when you told Neuvillette that you were married to Dottore. The spectators gasp in horror, not expecting the twist of you telling on yourself. Focalors was shocked as well, almost not believing what you said until you showed your wedding ring, engraved with your husband's full name and occupation.

The opposition was gobsmacked, realising that you were actually arguing to be sent away.

"I am here to save my son. He was born in Fontaine, and I have documentation to prove he is a Fontaine resident." You state, clearing your throat. "I knew that this wouldn't help me in becoming a citizen."

"Hold on! Can we please postpone this hearing?" Someone in the audience yells out. "Surely there must be some evidence the opposition has not yet found, and this is undisclosed information!"

"yes! We cannot separate a loving parent from their child!"

"But what about the marriage? Isn't that still official?"

"Order, Order!" Neuvillette calls out, the crowd going silent. "...The fact you are in a formal marriage implies a contract has been signed. We will take a break to find out if this has been officially filed."

--

Silence falls upon the court, you already knew you would be guilty of not being a legal citizen. Neuvillette watches as the word "guilty" shows up, his heart aching for you. He wasn't an emotional man, but he knew you had been through a lot of manipulation from your husband.

Just after the plea, however, someone bursts into the court.

"Pardon me, I hope I'm not intruding." You hear Pantalone tut, your eyes widening in fear. He looks up as you, a disgustingly sweet smile on his face. "Aww, what a beautiful baby. Your husband has been awfully worried for you."

"My son is a Fontaine citizen. He isn't coming with me." You state, Pantalone still smiling as you.

"Oh, that is of no concern to me. Your husband has just been...so heartbroken upon your sudden leave."

Neuvillette had been making his way to you, hoping to take the poor child away from you without freaking the baby out. Unfortunately, upon handing your child over, the child's screams of yearning echo across the courtroom. Neuvillette tries to soothe it, starting to feel the same horrible feelings your child must be feeling, as you walk away with tears in your eyes.

Upon boarding the boat, Pantalone stops smiling.

"Your husband is not happy." Pantalone states, facing you. "You will be punished for your actions. It's a shame, he treated you so kindly, and you repay him by running away and growing a relationship with another man."

[shiyorin]

The Imperium Shelter

Adoption Poster: Angron

Name: Angron (he refuses to answer to anything else)

Species: Primarch

Breed: World Eater

Age: Approximately 3 weeks (though he's been through a lot, so his physiology has aged faster than average.)

Background: Found this one half-starved and raging in the pits of Nuceria. Covered in scars and barking about some nonsense. Took a lot of tranquilizers just to get him home in one piece, let me tell you! His previous "owners" clearly abused him. Poor boy. Or so I suppose…

Anyway, we rescued Angron and have been rehabilitating him through positive reinforcement techniques (definitely no mood-altering neurotransmitter adjustments used, no sir!). No wonder he developed some, er, behavior issues. But with plenty of tender loving care and training, I'm sure he'll learn to curb those homicidal tendencies. I mean, normal primarch tendencies!

Personality: Angry would be an understatement. This one is pure rage walking! Snarls and lunges at anything that moves, frothing at the mouth like some rabid animals. Absolutely no social skills, nearly took my hand off just for trying to give him a treat! I'd be wary leaving small children unsupervised around him, if you catch my drift. Let's just say he takes "aggressive" to a whole new level.

But give him a chance to warm up to you, earn his trust, and I'm sure he'll calm down! Sure, he may try to bite your face off at first, but I promise once he gets used to you he'll stop seeing every interaction as a threat or challenge. Might take a few… I mean, a lot of training sessions. But he means well deep down, the poor dear just wants to be loved!

Skills: Surprisingly dexterous for one so enraged. Could probably handle advanced weaponry or driving vehicles if provoked, so keep an eye on the car keys for sure. He already knows basic commands like "attack," "kill," "Skull for the Skull Throne!" No, strike that, I have no idea where that came from! He's a quick learner regardless. Also seems preternaturally strong, literally ripped the bars off his cage on the first night! And could wrestle a grown man to the ground, break his spine with a chomp. Of course, he would never do that!

In summary, Angron is one angry boy with a lot of special needs. Strict owner only, with experience handling extreme cases. Lots of patience, training and muzzles required. Adoption not recommended for the faint of heart! But who could resist that underbite… He just needs the right home to reach his true potential as a war machine! I mean, loyal primarch. Who's a good boy?!

Signed,

The Emperor

(Angron tries to bite his hand as he says that last part)

Comments from the employees:

M*******: I wouldn't recommend adopting Angron. He tried to bite my arm off during feeding time.

Big E: Nonsense Malcador, I'm sure you were provoking him. Angron just wants love, you'll do fine!

V*****: With respect sir, Angron is dangerously unstable. He killed three of our security measures. Even with sedatives he's too risky. Perhaps a more seasoned professional handler could manage him, if anyone can.

Big E: Quit scaring people Valdor, he was just playing! Weren't you boy? Angron foams rabidly See, happy as a clam. Next!

O*******: I understand the desire to rehabilitate him sir, but adopting out Angron could endanger lives. For the safety of the public and his own well-being, long term confinement and treatment seem best.

Big E: No Ollanius. Angron just wants someone to show him love. I'm sure with the right owner he'll come around, won't you boy? Angron bites his pants leg Down boy! So what do you say, is he yours?

[tenebraevesper]

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 2)

Welcome back to the second part of my analysis of Shadow's character in Sonic Prime. I will admit, after re-reading my previous analysis, I realized that this wasn't becoming an analysis of just Shadow's character, but also Sonic's, considering how much they influence each other and their interactions help each other to develop. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here, so I'll just take it step by step.

Note, this part will only cover the first half of Episode 09: Avoid the Void, since it is a very Sonic and Shadow-centered episode, meaning that there is a lot to talk about (and there is also a limit to the number of screenshots I can post).

So, let's dive in!

Episode 09: Avoid the Void is the turning point in Shadow's relationship with Sonic and is also the point where the Sonadow ship really took off. I will try to keep things professional and just focus on the character analysis, but I'm certain that I speak the truth when I say that Sonic Prime definitely shows us the appeal of this particular ship.

To start off, we have a flashback showing us what exactly had happened to Shadow after he entered The Void. He attempted to follow Sonic as the latter was launched into New Yoke City, but after failing to pass through the gate, he was knocked back, losing the Chaos Emerald in the process.

Shadow then tries again to get through the gate, each punch showing us a flash of what is going on with Sonic while he is in New Yoke City, including information about the Paradox Prism energy and Shadow's point of view in regards to what happens when Sonic uses his Prism energy.

Shadow quickly realized that he can use this to talk to Sonic, but as we know from before, Sonic either thinks he is hallucinating or leaves Shadow on read. The explosion of energy that Sonic then releases knocks Shadow back to a different gate, which I'll talk about in a moment. We then follow Shadow as he tries to find a way to contact Sonic while he is sent to different Shatterspaces.

As we already know, it doesn't really work, but Shadow is determined to contact Sonic at any cost, and once Sonic is sent flying out of No Place, Shadow manages to stop him by kicking a crystal at him, leading us to the scene from the previous episode, where Shadow reveals to Sonic that not only is Green Hill gone, but also punches him for his troubles. As I had said before, Sonic definitely deserved that punch for being so reckless.

Shadow then keeps fighting Sonic out of sheer frustration, with Sonic asking him to just leave him alone, not realizing that this isn't just some Shatterverse Variant of Shadow, but actually the Shadow he knows.

''I'm stuck in here, and it's all your fault, Sonic!'' ''Yeah, yeah, what else is new? Wait, how do you know my name? Unless... *gasp* Shadow, you're... you!''

''The real you!''

Sonic is absolutely elated when he realizes that this is the Shadow he knows, immediately hugging him. It really shows how much he missed a familiar face, not caring that Shadow beat him up just a moment ago. Honestly, it's sooooo adorable!! (≧◡≦)

''The only me!''

In contrast, Shadow is not happy about the reunion, pushing Sonic away and leaving the azure hedgehog saddened. I cannot fault Shadow for this reaction because he was stuck in The Void for who knows how long, having to track down Sonic and processing the fact that their home is now gone thanks to Sonic. I suppose that beating Sonic up was also just him venting his frustrations.

''You just don't listen. What part of our home doesn't exist anymore are you not understanding?'' ''What did you just say?'' ''What do you think I've been trying to tell you? When you broke the Paradox Prism, you broke our reality. Green Hill is gone! It doesn't exist anymore!''

Remember when I talked about Shadow and Sonic having issues with communication? Well, it seems that they have finally reached their breaking point. This is the first time Shadow has explained to Sonic what is going on and this is also the first time Sonic actually listened to him.

Sonic is obviously devastated, having not intended for this to happen. He acknowledges that this is his fault and how things keep getting worse, and I will add that, even if Sonic had a plan to get the Prism Shards and fix things with Nine's help, he had been still going from one Shatterspace to another without any proper aim or focus. Fortunately, things are about to change.

Shadow just sighs, realizing that Sonic really has no clue what he's doing, and decides to explain the situation to him.

''Follow me!''

What is up with that dramatic stance? I mean, Shadow can be a bit dramatic, but still. X3

Sonic follows Shadow, wondering how he ended up here. Shadow explains how he chased him up to the cave where the Paradox Prism was just about when Sonic shattered it, so he used the Chaos Emerald to teleport out, but when he reappeared, he was in The Void, stuck between the Shatterspaces.

As Sonic and Shadow stand before the New Yoke City gateway, we can see Shadow eyeing Sonic's shoes, or rather, the tech on his shoes. We'll get to it later, but it is clear that Shadow had been forming this plan for quite a while now.

Sonic wonders whether Shadow has been able to see him this whole time, with Shadow replying how that was only possible because Sonic kicked up Prism energy every time he got fast, thinning the veil to The Void. He was basically opening a portal through the gateway, with Sonic figuring out how that was how he teleported into No Place. Shadow kept tracking him from gateway to gateway.

''What's down there?'' ''Not sure. From what I can tell, it's an eternity of darkness that decays all life.''

As Sonic points into what appears to be a black hole, Shadow explains what he thinks it is, remembering the loss of the Chaos Emerald. Honestly, while listening to their conversation, I felt oddly calm. I guess it feels sort of strange, but also soothing, for Sonic and Shadow to have natural conversation, trying to make sense of their situation. I really love these quiet moments.

Sonic then wonders why Shadow hadn't followed him in, with Shadow explaining that while Sonic can enter the Shatterspaces, he can't... with one exception.

''When you unleashed a shockwave from New Yoke, it blew me to the outer reaches of The Void, and led me here. And for reasons I haven't figured out yet, this gateway let me in. Maybe it's because the Shatterspace isn't fully formed. Maybe it's decaying. I'm not sure. But, it's not whole.''

''Like a ghost.'' ''So then, what is this place?'' ''Come see for yourself.''

I'll stop here just to praise Shadow's VA, Ian Hanlin. Shadow's voice really conveys his emotions and I could just spend the whole episode just listening to it. He's serious and calm, but his voice is also oddly soothing as he just explains things to Sonic, with no hint of anger in it. He is just trying to make sense of things not even he understands.

He and Sonic then pass through the gateway...

...and while Shadow manages to land on his feet, Sonic just faceplants.

I just love how Shadow rolls his eyes here, it's hilarious. He's so used to Sonic's antics.

Moving on, Sonic starts exploring what appears to be Green Hill, except it looks like it has all life drained from it. While he is excited to see his home and his friends, he slowly comes to a very horrifying realization.

''What's wrong with them?'' ''It's a Shatterspace, Sonic, just like the others. Cruel version to make us suffer.''

Sonic's friends are stuck in a loop of saying the same thing over and over again, looking like ghosts of their former selves. Sonic is devastated, with Shadow voicing his thoughts on this place, this Ghost Hill. I think it's really telling how he claims that this place is cruel and created to make them suffer. He clearly cares about his home and he probably had his own moment of processing what Ghost Hill really was.

Sonic wasn't the only one suffering.

I think this is a good place to say that Team Dark doesn't appear to exist in this universe, and Shadow and Rouge don't appear to be friends. I believe that Sonic later says it himself, but yeah, Shadow is friendless in Sonic Prime, so seeing this shot of him glancing back at Ghost Rouge is kind of heartbreaking when you know their history.

Shadow considers Green Hill his home, and even if he isn't close with Sonic and his friends, he cares about them. He also understands Sonic's pain.

''How do I fix this?''

Sonic is finally hit with the full realization of what his recklessness had caused, asking Shadow how to fix it.

I will be talking more in detail about it in Part 3, but knowing what we know, I believe that Shadow here is on the fence of whether he is going to help Sonic or do things by himself.

From what we saw so far, Shadow has seen a side of Sonic where the latter finally listens to him and understands the consequences of his actions, and whenever he was asked to explain things further, he always makes a grimace and sighs. If he wanted, Shadow could've told Sonic nothing or just kept him out of loop, and actually gone with his own plan. Instead, he tells Sonic everything he knows and, even if it's a small part of him he won't acknowledge until much later, he knows that he will need Sonic's help in some capacity.

However, knowing what the rest of the episode holds for us, and knowing Shadow in general, it would take him another fight to understand that his own plan won't work.

#Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 1)

#Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 3)

#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)

[666writingcafe]

A Reward: Diavolo/Simeon

Part Four of Special Bonus Content

Content Warning: name-calling, biting

Diavolo and Simeon are off in a corner, looking rather serious as they're whispering to each other. I know that they have a professional relationship resulting from a mutual desire to unite the three realms, but I didn't think they talked much beyond that.

Apparently, I was wrong.

The two of them approach me, stopping at the foot of the bed. Simeon looks like he's seconds away from bolting, but Diavolo rests a hand on his shoulder, making him stay in place.

And then it dawns on me.

"You're scared, aren't you?" I ask Simeon, who nods his head.

"It hit me all at once," he whispers. "It's one thing to think about doing this, but actually being presented with the opportunity is something else entirely. I mean, I know we're in the dream realm, but that doesn't mean there won't be real-world consequences, and I..." He trails off, swallowing nervously.

"He fears that he's about to fly too close to the sun, so to speak," Diavolo continues. "And he's not sure whether to risk the fall or not." That makes sense. Simeon's feelings towards me are intense, but at the end of the day, he's still an angel. He's been conditioned for thousands of years to not succumb to sin. If he follows through on any of the fantasies I saw, his life as he knows it is over. He no longer would be able to call the Celestial Realm his home.

"It also doesn't help that I was all gun-ho about it earlier." Simeon looks down in embarrassment. "I don't want to look like a chicken by backing out."

"Bro," Mammon pipes up. "None of us are gonna judge you if you change your mind, least of all MC. We might have chosen our fate for different reasons, but that doesn't mean it was an easy decision to make. I remember Lucifer and I going back and forth about it a buncha times before we even thought about our first move. So not knowing which direction you're gonna go in is completely normal."

"Didn't think Mammon had it in him to be insightful," Levi mutters, earning a hard jab from his brother.

"You know my position on this, but if you feel like you need to take a back seat or leave this dream entirely, then that's fine as well," Diavolo tells Simeon, making me raise an eyebrow in disapproval.

"Really?" I ask the prince. "We're playing into tropes now?"

"He's right." Simeon's statement surprises me. "If it weren't for the apple, then you wouldn't be here, and you're the best thing that has happened to me in a really long time." The next thing I know, the angel's straddling my lap.

"I hope you're ready, MC," he murmurs. "Because I plan on making the Celestial Realm seem like a cheap imitation of heaven by the time I'm done with you." Diavolo clears his throat, reminding Simeon of his presence. The angel merely smirks as he asks me,

"Think you can handle both of us, MC?"

"Well, only one way to find out."

The dynamic that quickly develops between Simeon and Diavolo is insane. With only brief glances, they're able to communicate in a way that rivals the twin telepathy of Beel and Belphie. Between the two of them, they're able to work me up in a matter of seconds.

"This isn't fair," I whine. The two men chuckle.

"Did you really expect us to take it easy on you?" Simeon whispers, grinning wickedly. "You should know better than that, MC."

"Perhaps they're not as smart as we thought they were," Diavolo adds in a teasing tone.

"Or maybe being fucked by multiple men has made them temporarily stupid." Simeon pinches my chin between two of his fingers. "Is that it, MC? Have all the thoughts in your pretty little head been wiped clean and replaced with the sole desire of receiving as much dick as you possibly can?" Diavolo tightly grips my thighs.

"Answer him," he hisses. I manage to stammer out a "yes".

"Well, I'll give you this: at least you're honest," Simeon responds. "I suppose if you want to act like a needy whore, then we have no choice but to treat you like one." He glances at Diavolo, who nods in agreement. The next thing I know, my back's pressed against the prince's chest, my wrists restrained by his hands. Simeon nearly towers over me as he begins stroking himself.

"Are you ready?" he asks me.

"For what?"

"This." With that, he begins pounding into me relentlessly. Diavolo, meanwhile, bites down on my neck and begins sucking. The combined sensations are making me rather lightheaded, but not necessarily in a bad way.

I feel like I'm in a state of pure euphoria.

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick

[hyperesthesias]

Can you actually write something smutty for Viktor? Or just a guide on how to? I really want to write some Viktor smut, but I'm worried I won't do his disability justice as I'm able bodied and a dumbass

Of my twelve years on this webbed site, this has got to be the best ask I have ever received lmao

I would be happy to help, friend. I'll answer this in two parts.

Yes, I am planning on writing Viktor smut for Viktor x Anya. I had a lot happen in the year since I made the post you're referencing, but I've finally been able to get back into fandom stuff. I wanted to lay some backstory with them first though, as I am apparently a PWP kind of person lmao. It's coming soon! (No pun intended).

You've taken the first great step in recognizing that your experience and knowledge may not be congruent with potential portrayal, and therefore asking for advice. I don't mean to sound patronizing at all. I am an author and I have seen many professional authors that don't do this, so you're already ahead of the game! I wouldn't consider that dumbassery in any way, shape, or form.

I'll put the rest under a cut due to the nature of this post.

*Disclaimer to this is, of course, I don't speak for every disabled person, this list isn't extensive, and these are my opinions.

I, personally, operate under the assumption that Viktor has Post Polio Syndrome. Looking at photographs (x, x, x) it's pretty clear the animators used PPS as a framework for Viktor's movements and posture, as well as his mobility and assistive devices. People with PPS often develop need for braces, canes or crutches, and treatment for scoliosis -- all of which Viktor has. You are more than welcome to headcanon something different, as I don't believe the writers or animators have ever confirmed or denied PPS, but based on my own experience and research, I would bet money on it.

That being said -- regardless of PPS, or otherwise -- the first thing to consider when writing smut for any disabled character is fatigue. It may not be the obvious thing, as mobility devices often are the first thing to catch an observer's eye. But there is so much that goes on beneath mobility devices. Fatigue is a big one.

Consider the worst flu you've ever had -- all the time, every day, even in your sleep. It can be maddening, like you can't get any relief -- even if you take pain reliever or use other analgesics. Most people with a severe flu aren't exactly in the mood to be frisky, especially spontaneously. Many physically disabled people rely on preplanning. Having a date night where they can plan for extra pain reliever, or where they can schedule the rest of their day or week to conserve energy for a special night. The psychological energy that people need to conserve alone can take a lot of effort. Being disabled is also mentally exhausting, especially when you have a partner and their needs to consider. Giving a disabled person time to prepare for sex (or other tasks) is essential.

Related to that, is the fact the energy levels aren't always consistent. A disabled person and their lover could be going at it like rabbits for a while and then suddenly the disabled partner may need to stop because their "battery" (their physical energy levels) has run out. They may need a break for a few minutes, or they may just need to end the sexual encounter altogether.

The worst thing you (or your character) could do is take this personally. It has nothing to do with their partner, it's their body that is (frustratingly [on many levels]) not cooperating.

Something to toy with (no pun intended) when writing characters with energy level deficits is vibrators. Twice the work with half the effort. Don't be afraid to write smut with toys and vibrators -- it doesn't even have to be kinky. Toys and vibrators are normal and vanilla, all things considered. The only reason they haven't been normalized is because of patriarchal standards as to what sex is and is supposed to be.

The second thing to consider is physical limitations of positions and potential discomfort. I've seen several fanfic writers describe situations and positions that Viktor simply would never be able to do (e.g. lifting his partner onto a table or desk).

Viktor doesn't have a lot of strength. That's not to say he can't be rough or that all smut has to be vanilla. But realistically, it's absurd to think that he can lift someone else or manhandle them with any force, or thrust at the speed of light (💀). He also doesn't have any balance whatsoever post Act I. During Act I, he's able to hobble somewhat without his cane, as long as he has something to hold onto, as seen in episode three. But in Acts II and III, his balance issues combined with scoliosis would make any positions where he has to stand much more difficult.

Therefore, if you're wanting to write a scene somewhere outside of a bedroom (e.g. the lab, his office, etc.), he'd need something to balance himself. Seated sex is a great concept to play with -- very disability friendly and offers many options for all sorts of scenes. Desk/table sex is also realistic, as long as your character lifts themself onto the desk or table, and he's able to lean on it.

Scenes that take place in the bedroom also have their own limitations. He has zero use of his right leg, which means he'd need more time to get in and out of different positions. Missionary would take a toll on his back, I'd imagine, from being hunched over -- not that he couldn't do it at all, but that was more of a sidenote. Having your character straddle him, while his back was supported, is probably the most comfortable position I can imagine. Or spooning. Or maybe doggy, though I think his back and hips might get tired. But I'm just spit balling at this point. Utilizing objects from the setting is important -- pillows, having your character bent over the back of a couch, etc. This is where creativity comes in -- it's just important to keep in mind where his limitations are located on his body: his back and his leg/hip.

There are also adaptive devices for sex and disabilities.

One final thing I want to say is: don't overcorrect. This is common. It's one thing to keep a character's disability in mind, but it's another to make a disability the entire character. Just because Viktor is disabled doesn't mean he can't have the filthiest, most disgusting, raw, life changing, I-should-visit-a-confessional type of sex. However you headcanon him to be in bed is exactly how he can be. If you see him as a cruel Dom, he absolutely can slap the shit out of whoever has the pleasure of being beneath him, while he makes them beg for his mercy -- with his back and leg supported. If you see him as a bratty sub, he can be that, too -- while he lies there with a back pillow to relieve pressure off his spine. If he's the plainest, blander-than-vanilla type of lover, that's exactly what he is -- while he takes a few extra minutes to move from one position to the next. If he's any combination of those things, more power to you.

The point of writing a scene, is the point you're trying to make. Meaning: a lot of writers worry about conveying ideas and settings perfectly and with detail, while losing sight of the main point of their story. Rarely will you ever have to add paragraphs to a piece of writing in order to convey something, especially if it's not the main point. Often, it only takes one or two sentences. Keep the main point of the scene in mind. If you're writing a fic where Viktor and your character are secretly getting it on in the lab, then the point and the idea of that scene is the forbidden sex they are having. Not necessarily his limitations. You can easily acknowledge Viktor's disability by saying something like: 'Viktor sat on a chair at the far end of the lab, away from the door's line of sight. He leaned his back against the seat, allowing his spine to settle, before he coaxed his lover onto his lap. His lover straddled his legs, reaching to kiss his neck, while his hand trailed up their thighs...' You've successfully conveyed the limitations he has in two sentences, while maintaining the focus of your scene, and without reducing Viktor to a caricature of his disability. Less is more throughout your fic.

As a side note, which is completely my headcanon -- and something I've vaguely alluded to in my Viktor x Anya fics -- is that Viktor also has erectile dysfunction as a result of the PPS. Polio is a neurological virus, meaning is attacks the nerve cells, the main cause of the atrophy in PPS. It isn't common, but it's not uncommon for males with PPS to struggle with ED. As such, in my own personal stories, I have mentioned that Viktor takes medication to help with it. Sildenafil (the generic for Viagra) is a medication that specifically targets nerves.

That's my own person interpretation, though, and has no bearing on what we seen in Arcane lol.

To close this off for now, I want to reassure you that your efforts count and they matter. No one will write any depiction of disability 'perfectly'. Disability is unique to every person, and one person's spinal disability will look different to another's. Even people with the exact same diagnosis and prognosis will differ in how they experience it. You're not a dumbass. You're very intelligent to recognize the need for external resources. Enjoy yourself, enjoy the work you write, and keep asking questions.

If and when you decide to write your Viktor smut piece, I would love to read it. And likewise, if you'd like to read what I write I'd be happy to send it to you! If you're comfortable coming off anon, you can message me privately and we can talk more!

[vioranhyperfixation]

Damian : #011, it has come to my attention that you are unproductive at the leisure time you are excuse with during the time when I'm unavailable. And that's just improper.

#011 : um.. Then what I'm supposed to do? There's nothing here.

Damian : i have realized that too so I decided to brought upon you this

#011 : ???

Damian : this is doll's, a toy with a shell that have similarity to human that most use to play pretend.

Damian : that would also be the case for you. You shall use this doll's to help develop your productivity and creativity.

#011 : ahhh..

Damian : would you like to play it with me?

#011 : yeah!

Damian : then shall we make a series of stories with those doll? Let me start it, this girl is a star, her name is Khalila. She is a bright star, it just that she has a problem, she has not yet granted a human wish like all other star has done. So she was hoping to find someone to grant wish to, upon that thought she caught a brown girl looking hopefull at the sky and she thought, maybe this would be the day!

#011 :

Damian :

#011 :

#011 : uhhhh,, should I continue it?

Damian : yeah, just said anything you want

011 : "star, if you can hear me, please listen to my plea. My brothen had betrayed me and I'm left with the rubble of my home..

Damian : *nod and nudge him to continue

#011 : "I use to think that they would always stand besides me, I don't know they feel that that they are behind me! I- I just want the best for all of us!

Sometimes in the future at the wayne manor

Bruce : Rafi, is there anything you want to do on the weekend?

Rafi : yeah, I'm going to continue the ten wish

Bruce : is that a show you watch?

Tim : what it is about? I don't think I ever heard of that.

Rafi : of course you don't, because ten wish is not a show. It's my doll's lore on the 34th universe

Bruce : sorry?

Tim : well, that's interesting

Rafi : it is, currently my main character. River, is undergoing a survival competition to secure a position on the Catalyst. But because she is well known on her talent of fighting and intelligence she need to use other way to compete, and that's is by registering herself as a professional mourner

Bruce : what?

Rafi : you know, It is a tradition in South East Asia that a loud funeral will assist the dead as they travel to the afterlife, so professional mourners are hired to cry and weep loudly throughout the service. And she register herself as that. I mean, most of her loved one are dead, so she's pretty good at it. Crying and weeping that is.

Bruce : I don't think that's a good way to deal with having your loved one died.

Rafi : I don't want to hear that from someone going feral when his son died.

Bruce :

Tim :

Tim : yeah, I won't lie. It is pretty bad bruce

Rafi : anyway, it has been going pretty well on river part. On the other hand, things are going pretty badly on Khalila part. Jupiter and Neptunus heve yet to come back after the moon revolution.

Tim : wait- wait- you mean evolution?

Rafi : no, revolution.

Tim : okay- I think we skip a big part here.

Rafi : yeah, obviously. This is part 57, you skip 56 part, you're missing on a lot.

Tim : can't we, start from part one?

Rafi : god no, it's a lot. If we put it into book it can lead from 7 to 9 book! If you want to know about what you're missing at you can ask Jason, he listen from the start since we are at LoA. If you don't feel like asking then just skip it, you will understand later anyway.

Jason *who's putting a criminal body to a trash can : hatchuu-

Roy : bless you man

Jason : is someone talking about me? God I hope it's not Bruce.

[nobrashfestivity]

Question

Often there's a sweet spot in technology where something, usually a piece of hardware, was the best and has been supplanted by newer, theoretically better things. If you wait too long, these things develop a cult status, it's idea well articulated by Brian Eno where artifacts people hate become desirable to a different generation.

I'd love to have better photo printer, mine is just a generic cannon ink jet printer. It's supposed to be for photos but it's not really any better than any other printer. It would be also nice to be able to print a little larger than conventional. I don't have a lot of money to spend on this but I am curious if any photographers out there know about this and might have recommendations for something I could find cheap or used. The idea would be to save money in the end by being able to get decent (i'm not expecting professional exactly) prints from film scans, thus in the end saving money on paying a lab to print.

I don't have room for a darkroom and I am hoping to take more pictures this year. Incidentally the last lab I paid to do prints did a terrible job, I was shocked! So good lab recommendations are also always welcome.

I'm not a great photographer, but it's on my list of things to improve.

Thanks!

[woodchipp]

A CRITIQUE OF OMORI, PART 2: CHARACTERS

NOTE: Reader discretion is advised. By clicking on “Keep reading”, you willingly choose to continue reading the post.

Generally speaking, OMORI’s character writing is superficial, both in Headspace and the real world. Instead of letting the player parse the main characters’ personalities for themselves via organic character interaction, all five of them get conveniently summed up by Basil comparing them to flowers before you’re flatly informed that Omori is afraid of heights, spiders and drowning in the game’s first 10 minutes. For what is supposed to be the player’s introduction to the characters, it comes across as particularly sloppy.

Their counterparts in the real world aren’t much better, despite the game’s attempts to make them appear complex and nuanced. In fact, Sunny sums up their personalities to you again (in 2 lines, no less) if you decide to interact with them right before the game’s penultimate boss fight. Another testament to how trite the writing is is that each of the main characters’ real-world selves can be easily defined by their basic archetype: Sunny is The Quiet One, Basil is the Nervous Wreck, Kel is the Manic Pixie Dream Boy, Aubrey is The Bully, Hero is The Ace and Mari was Stuffed into the Fridge. They don’t have any remarkable quirks that’d add a distinct flair to their character nor do they have unique speech patterns or anything of the sort to set them apart, creating the impression that they’re all indistinguishable from each other. The dialogue doesn’t sound authentic either - Hero hamfistedly espouses morals the way you’d expect a children’s show to while Aubrey’s conversation with Sunny on the swings on One Day Left has her dispense advice you would expect to hear from a clinical professional.

Of course, the most egregious example of what I'm describing is Aubrey’s big motive rant near the tree stump Mari allegedly hung herself on, since the game expects the player to believe that the violent juvenile delinquent who previously flew off the handle if her former friends talked to her for more than a minute would be able to talk at length about her festering trauma in such a clear and well-structured manner with no prior character development. It’s also obvious that her speech was written not to be directed at any of her friends but rather at the player, thus making the entire cutscene a very transparent infodump.

What feels the fakest about these characters is that they’re supposed to be close friends. OMORI doesn’t miss a single opportunity to remind you how ostensibly tight-knit the group was back when Mari was alive: it has you look through Basil’s photo album four times over the course of the game, the kids often reassure each other they’re still friends, Sunny’s most cherished memories in Memory Lane are those he experienced together with his friends and the entire DUET cutscene is a bittersweet “good times” montage. However, as heartwarming as seeing cute kids having fun might be, everything I’ve listed amounts to being pointless at best and heavy-handed glurge at worst because the characters rarely ever do anything substantial to reaffirm their friendship. Quite the contrary - upon close examination, most of their actions towards each other before and during the game inadvertently render their friendship an informed attribute at best. 

Let’s take the friend group’s disbandment after Mari’s death as an example. The photo album’s narrative purpose is to establish how strong the group’s friendship used to be in the past so that the fact they’ve drifted apart in the present would have weight and emotional impact, but the memories the photos depict boil down to mostly irrelevant fluff along the lines of "We went to the beach. It was fun!" or "We're reading a new comic issue. So exciting!". Not only does it not tell us anything new about any of the characters, but it also paints a picture too impossibly perfect to be believable - the way the narrative presents it, the characters' childhood was ideal and Mari’s death was the only horrible thing to have ever happened to them as a group. Since the game lacks a precedent of the kids sticking with and trying to help each other in times of need, the fact they split apart and lost touch with each other so quickly in the face of this single hardship ends up unintentionally implying that their friendship is way flimsier than the game makes it out to be. And that’s not even going into details such as Kel reaching out to Sunny only after he learned the latter was about to leave, Hero and Kel admitting they’ve never been to Aubrey’s house (which implies that none of her friends questioned her tendency to always come over and never made the effort to actually visit her themselves) and Basil admitting he thought his friends forgot about his birthday.

Sunny and Basil have, at best, a deeply one-sided codependent relationship. While the guilt and stress of shouldering the blame and aftermath of Mari’s death caused Basil to suffer a mental breakdown, Sunny appears apathetic towards Basil. Basil considers Sunny his best friend and will do anything for him, including staging a suicide and taking the brunt of Aubrey’s misdirected wrath for several years, because of his staunch belief that Sunny is a good person who would never hurt anyone, much less his beloved sister. 

While Basil would do anything for Sunny, it seems the sentiment is not mutual. Upon witnessing Basil having his first mental breakdown in the bathroom, Sunny exits the bathroom under the pretense of looking “scared” despite maintaining his default facial expression if you look into the bathroom mirror and Basil tearfully begging him to stay. The player is forced to abandon a friend in their time of need. What does this say about Sunny’s character?

Basil’s absence in Headspace becomes conspicuous over the course of the game as Omori and the gang become increasingly distracted by meaningless storylines that go nowhere. It is, in fact, a major plot point that the gang begins to forget they were ever looking for him in the first place. This, along with Basil’s numerous deaths in Black Space, heavily implies that Sunny’s trauma is intertwined with Basil and that, preferring to repress thoughts of him for his own peace of mind, he chooses to ignore the deterioration of his best friend’s mental health. Additionally, the imaginary Basil’s conversation with Sunny shortly before the latter goes down his Memory Lane has the former apologize to Sunny for “causing [him] so much trouble” and “burdening" him, which implies that Sunny does consider Basil a burden to some extent. 

Finally, the method you use to obtain the "secret ending" cutscene is by watering Basil’s plants in Sunny's dream world. Sunny doesn’t help Basil when he actually has the chance to and Basil clearly needs it, but seems to be content with thinking about doing something good for the Basil he made up in his head while the real one is suffering. Again, what does that say about Sunny’s character?

Sunny himself is notable for essentially being a walking checklist of #relatable character traits the game doesn’t give you much of an actual reason to care about. He’s passive to the point where the plot of the route named after him is driven forward by Kel (as per Kel's stated narrative purpose) and every other character except Sunny himself. Neither Headspace nor Black Space do much to flesh him out despite taking place in his mind, and the most the game can say about him is that his friends have to take care of him since he’s the group’s “baby” (along with comparing him to Mari’s pet cat, which is a whole another unfortunate implication of its own).

[Pictured: an intricate and well-written character. Also pictured: peak friendship. Because your best friends infantilizing you is just so sweet of them, isn't it?]

[Pictured: the sun apparently shining brighter when Mari was here. Also, ew.]

Tying into his “baby of the bunch” role is how… Sunny-centric the group’s friendship is. Most of Sunny’s interactions with his friends are marked by his friends doing everything they can for him, but Sunny is never shown doing anything for them - in fact, a pivotal plot point of the game is him breaking the expensive violin they bought him for Christmas and spent an entire summer saving up money for. Coupled with one of Hero’s remarks indicating that Sunny’s family was financially well-off before Mari’s death, this action paints him as being spoiled. Moreover, the revelation that Basil took the blame for Sunny desecrating the photo album (as well as Mari taking the blame for him breaking one of their mother’s vases) heavily implies that Sunny is either used to letting other people take the fall for his actions or is otherwise all too willing to do that.

Since he’s inextricably tied to Sunny, Kel also needs to be mentioned here. While the overall concept of his character - an upbeat jokester hiding how hurt he really is by his friend group’s dissolution beneath a mask of (toxic) positivity - is interesting on paper, the game doesn’t do anything particularly interesting with it. As mentioned earlier, Kel exists solely as a plot device to push Faraway Town’s story along and acts as Sunny’s Manic Pixie Dream Boy, being the wacky and energetic character who gives the brooding and gloomy protagonist a new lease on life. Ironically, despite the game making it a point that Kel and Hero’s parents ignored him to comfort Hero first, whatever trauma Kel might’ve suffered from Hero’s outburst is glossed over in favor of focusing on his brother’s grief over Mari. In addition to this, the exchange where Kel reveals that Hero yelled at him is optional and very easy to miss, which is baffling since it’s crucial context for Kel's relationship with Hero in the present day. Lastly, even though Kel’s slight thoughtlessness is generally meant to be endearing, there is one plot-relevant moment when it crosses over into dangerous stupidity.

After Aubrey pushes Basil into the lake near the group’s old hangout spot, Kel tells Sunny to rescue Basil - even though he should know that Sunny has a fear of drowning since he was there when Sunny nearly drowned in that very lake before. Instead of just diving into the lake himself, Kel chooses to argue with Aubrey on the pier, both of them seeming more interested in debating Aubrey’s motives than in saving their friend’s life. Not only is saving Basil a choice the player has to make, the choice prompt to do so doesn't have any sort of time limit and the game doesn't punish you at all if you choose "No", which nullifies the urgency this moment is supposed to have. 

Depending on how long you take to save Basil and the time it takes for Kel and Sunny to respond, it can be inferred that Basil was submerged for at least twenty seconds. Although the average person can hold their breath for roughly thirty seconds underwater, Basil was taken off-guard and likely did not have the opportunity to brace himself before Aubrey pushed him in.

Instead of acting swiftly, however, Kel and Aubrey devolve into an argument. This implies that their quarreling takes priority over their love of their friend, if not suggests outright disregard toward both Sunny and Basil’s well-being. 

The intention behind the scene seemed to be providing a thematic parallel to the accidental nature of Mari’s death and Sunny’s participation in it. Aubrey insists that she “didn’t mean to” push Basil, even though by that point she had already committed the act and her intent no longer mattered. 

However, this scene fails as a thematic foil because unlike Mari, who was already dead by the time she was brought upstairs, Basil is still alive when submerged, and is in active danger of dying even as Kel and Aubrey argue. By ignoring the immediate threat to their friend’s life, the narrative inadvertently implies that Kel and Aubrey care less about Basil than Aubrey’s feelings. And while this may be understandable in the heat of the moment for Aubrey, who turned against Basil out of the mistaken assumption that he was, in her own words, a “nutcase,” it’s less understandable for Kel, who wants to keep the group together and has up to this point tried to treat Basil with kindness. 

Aubrey does not immediately apologize for having pushed Basil (who was unconscious at the time of his rescue) into the lake, and similarly to Kel, she didn’t jump into the lake to save Basil herself. She yells “Where do you think you’re going?” to the retreating Hero, Sunny, and Kel, apparently callous to or unaware of Basil’s condition. Even after taking into account her anger issues and rough home life, Aubrey’s treatment of Basil is still unacceptable for several reasons.

[Pictured: Aubrey being an absolute girlboss and serving cunt.]

First of all, the event that caused Aubrey to turn on Basil was that she looked through his album without his permission while the two were studying together at his house. Although she portrays the photo album as a shared group possession because it contains their collective memories, in reality the album belongs to Basil. Mari bought it for him, its item description is “BASIL’s most precious belonging”, and most importantly, the album is entitled “Basil’s Memories.”

Secondly, the game further emphasizes that the album is Basil’s to do with as he wishes and not inherently a group possession when he gives it to Sunny. As its inheritor, Sunny is then free to share the album with his friends, but it can’t be stressed enough that the ownership of the album and its subsequent welfare initially belonged to Basil.

All this to say, Aubrey essentially breached Basil’s privacy by leafing through the album behind his back (note that he had not been in the room at the time of her discovery).

In hindsight, we know that Aubrey wrongly jumped to conclusions when she assumed Basil had been the one to black Mari out of his photographs. However, the fact that she instantly believed her own conclusion - that Basil is a “nutcase” - instead of trying to give her close friend the benefit of the doubt inadvertently paints Aubrey as a dishonest and disrespectful friend. It doesn’t seem to have occurred to her to ask him why he did it, to give him the chance to explain himself, before condemning him as a “nutcase.”

If the event had stopped there, perhaps that may have been enough to get the point across. But Aubrey then proceeds to bully Basil for the next four years, even going so far as to rope several other people into tormenting him. She could have just as easily avoided Basil, yet due to her erroneous and unfounded belief, she consciously chose to bully him. 

When confronted, Aubrey expresses more concern over being perceived as a bully than making genuine amends with her victim. The label “bully” damages her self-image and seems to distress her more than the thought of having harmed someone she used to be good friends with.

[Ma'am, you are a bully. The churchgoers saw you and your gang bully Basil.]

The nature of Aubrey’s bullying is rather vague, but we can reasonably infer that it included verbal abuse such as name-calling: she admits to having called Basil a “nutcase,” a “creep,” and “other things” which she conveniently does not specify.

Basil’s mental health was already heavily compromised by his involvement in Mari’s death. His tendency to shoulder blame for others’ deeds means he took the abuse Aubrey would have likely inflicted onto Sunny had she known the truth. That also serves to imply that she would’ve probably tormented another friend of hers regardless of who was the true target of her ire. What’s more, the game attempts to implicitly rationalize Aubrey’s reprehensible actions as the byproduct of a rough home life, assuming a trite and largely outdated “bullies come from pitiable backgrounds” angle in order to earn sympathy from the audience. 

By peddling this angle, the game sends the message that Aubrey’s hurt feelings outweigh the actual harm she inflicted on Basil. Such a perception is not helped by Basil mostly staying out of the story’s focus while Aubrey gets to explain herself at length and be forgiven for her misdeeds with a cute group hug because she cried really hard. Her apology to Basil (who had shut himself off from everyone by that point due to his grandmother's death) is meaningless since we don’t get to see any real reconciliation between her and her victim. That, in turn, is a fault of the game's short three-day timespan, which results in Sunny's friends being thrown to the wayside in the last hour as the game's climax takes center stage.

The fact of the matter is, there is a major difference between being anguished that your friend group has fallen apart and lashing out as a result, and making the conscious choice to bully someone you used to consider a friend because you assumed the worst of them. OMORI treats the latter like the former. Aubrey appears disingenuous when she insists she isn’t a bully because by her own admission, she did bully someone, a former close friend who is known for his sensitive temperament, and she bullied him for four years, contributing to the deterioration of his already unstable mental state. It’s not a simple mistake she can take back so easily.

Aubrey’s horrible home life also fails as a rationalization because Basil, her victim, has a horrible home life as well. His parents left him in the care of his grandmother when he was a toddler and don’t seem to visit him at all; he is forced to live with a guardian, Polly, who doesn’t know how to approach him, and his grandmother’s health is failing. In fact, it could be argued that Basil’s life is somewhat worse than Aubrey’s. Yet in spite of his mitigating circumstances, Basil chooses to shoulder the blame for Sunny’s actions.

Basil in general is best described as the game’s punching bag. Even after taking into account his involvement in Mari’s death, he elicits sympathy purely by virtue of having a truckload of horrible things happen to him before and during the story, as well his closest friends either being grossly unreliable (Sunny) or, even worse, actually harming him (Aubrey). On top of that, his friends also prove to be appalingly inconsiderate; after not taking the opportunity to visit him at the hospital when Polly first told them that he’s in the ICU with his grandmother and instead spending their time “doing whatever” until he got back home in the afternoon, they suddenly decide to visit him while he’s grieving his grandmother's death and decide to sleep over at his house without asking Basil himself whether he'd want that just because they assume he'd appreciate their company. His psychotic breakdown near the end of the Sunny route is the most logical reaction he could’ve had to circumstances as awful as his, really.

Hero is a character. I seriously struggle to think of anything notable about him other than him being Mari’s grieving boyfriend and the friend group’s father figure, and he’s not given much of a remarkable personality beyond that.

One last thing I’d like to mention is Sunny’s family - or, more precisely, that the player is given minimal information about them. Sunny’s mother is barely there, prioritizing furniture sales over her clearly unwell son, and the only notable thing about his father is the fact that he walked out on his family after the death of his daughter. Despite the game prominently featuring Sunny’s family photo during the story, it doesn’t carry any narrative importance because we don’t know much about what Sunny’s family was actually like. Did Sunny love his parents? Was he indifferent to them? Did his parents love him? Did they favor Mari over him? They don’t even get brought up by Omori during his dressing-down of Sunny in the final boss fight; and, as with Sunny’s friends, the game doesn't bother showing the reaction of Sunny’s mother to the fact that her son killed her daughter, even if accidentally. 

Finally, there’s Mari herself. She is Sunny’s older sister and the lynchpin of the entire plot. Talking about her and how the story treats her requires me to talk about the most important, and perhaps most controversial aspect of OMORI: her death, and the twist behind it.

[thenightfolknetwork]

Hey!!

(I saw your fairy girlfriend last week, I think. I'd recognize that snooty accent anywhere, and she looked angry. My condolences to whoever she's arguing with)

So, changelings! It seems that stealing children from their cribs never gets old, and if my parents didn't notice that their little baby suddenly had a mouth full of teeth from one morning to the next, then, well, they were begging for it.

You see, I'm not a person from the past, but lately I keep thinking about the child who was traded for me. I wonder how different it must have been to grow up human in a world of creatures, and whether it was as strange as growing up a changeling in such a sapio-normative world.

I keep thinking about a girl with lily hair and the right amount of teeth in her mouth, irredeemably human, despite her upbringing.

I know no one keeps humans as pets anymore, so I like to think she had a good childhood, unlike mine. For a while, thinking about it seemed enough.

Not anymore.

I feel like I'm rambling here, but I don't know how to explain it any other way than this: I was swapped for a child and never thought much about her. Today, I think about her every day.

I would like to find her. Does she still look like me? Or rather, do I still look like her? Or did the magic flow away like water? Or were we never alike to begin with? There are many questions and few answers, so I come to ask you for help.

Or to your irascible fairy girlfriend.

Where do I find the person I was meant to be?

(And if I find her, how the hell am I supposed to act?)

First of all, reader, kindly refrain from making comments about my personal life, the people with whom I might share that life, and the terminology we may or may not use to describe that relationship.

Secondly, I feel I must remind you that not all reclaimed slurs are acceptable to all members of the community they describe. In short: call her an “f-word” again, and there will be consequences.

Despite your quite astonishing lack of manners, I have chosen to respond to your question because I think it speaks to a very common feeling among people who were the subject of infant substitution.

It's easy to get fixated imagining your “other self” – the child who, were it not for an almost arbitrary choice made by your biological parents, would have grown up in your place.

However, I am not sure I understand what you hope to gain by reaching out to this person. Please understand, your sudden presence in their life has the potential to be extremely disruptive.

She is more than just your erstwhile template; she is her own person, with her own life and her own feelings and ideas about the way she was raised. I see no reason why you should feel entitled to impose yourself on her for your own whims.

Instead, I encourage you to consider what it is you feel this reconnection would achieve. You say you've never thought much about her in the past. I wonder if there is some reason you've suddenly developed an interest.

Perhaps there has been a change of circumstance in your personal or professional life which has left you feeling disconnected and uncertain of your place in the world. Perhaps you've encountered some new feelings of self-doubt, and are seeking some way to reassure yourself.

Or perhaps you are simply bored. Whatever the underlying cause, none of these are good reasons for inserting yourself into this woman's life.

Take some time to ascertain what might be causing this new obsession. I feel quite sure your rumination on your substitute is a symptom of something else. Get to the root of the issue and handle the matter from there – and leave this poor woman alone.

[the-almighty-god]

Dear God, I desperately need your help.

I'm not feeling myself. That's the long story short.

I can't feel my legs and my head, and it feels so lightweight. It's almost as if I'm going to faint or my soul flying away.

This used to happen to me before, but only when I'm crossing roads(??) And now, it's happening all of the time. I wake up, and the next thing I know is that I'm this close to blacking out. Also, my energy levels are fluctuating like hell! And so are my moods. I'm constantly thinking, getting distracted, having trouble focusing, and I can't get my job done! I feel so old in my young body. I'm feeling like a 13 year old and yet like a 32 year old person. I look at myself and go, "Wait! That's me. Why do i look like this? It's weird. I'm not supposed to be this girl." And this is so much for a 15 year old (almost 16) me. I should be just stressing about my studies, not anything else!

Why am I like this? I pray that I'll be well soon, but it's so hard. I've tried talking to my parents. I always try, but they just dismiss it outright, or sometimes they interrupt and start venting about themselves.

(I'm asking for help, I'm practically screaming, but no one hears it or cares to help. Why am I so alone? What did I do to deserve this?)

Also! Here's your whale! 🐋

I hope you're having a good time in your place!😊😊

I hear you. You did nothing to deserve this. You are not alone.

You're (almost) sixteen.

Teenage years are difficult and confusing for everyone. I'm not saying that to dismiss or belittle what you're going through. Quite the opposite actually. I'm saying that so you know that there isn't anything wrong with you.

It sounds to me like you're experiencing anxiety, and perhaps a bit of disassociation, too. And there still isn't anything wrong with you.

The world is scary, especially right now, and so anxiety is natural. That doesn't mean it can't be managed.

Although I'm God, not a doctor, so you'll need a trained professional for an actual diagnosis, as well as to help you find a treatment that works for you.

These feelings that you've having will never fully go away. In fact, when you're thirty-two, you--or at least part of you--will still feel like you're sixteen.

You don't feel yourself at the moment because right now you're still figuring out who yourself is. And the older you get the more yourself you'll become.

The new parts of you that you discover. The new parts of you that you create. The parts of you that were there all along. Some of them hiding, that you're now ready to show. Some that you never hid. The influences from others, real and fictional. The growth from experiences, good and bad.

You'll never fully figure out who you are, because you'll always be growing and changing. But you will develop a stronger sense of you and from then on, you'll just be refining it.

I'm sorry that your parents are dismissing your legitimate concerns, some of which may need medical and psychological attention.

While I can't speak for them, I can speak for myself as a creator. I admit that when your child is struggling, it makes you feel like a failure, and so it can be easier to write it off as ungratefulness or childish complaining, or turn it around and it make it all about yourself and your suffering.

Part of growing up is realizing that your parents are human. They have flaws, and they also have traumas. They're not perfect, and can't be expected to be. Another part of growing up is forgiving them for this--if they deserve it. Not all parents do.

Likewise, parents also must realize that their children are human. Their own people, independent beings separate from the parents. And sometimes what your children go through actually isn't your fault (regardless of whether your child is blaming you in the moment), but rather just part of the general struggle of human existence, and actually has nothing at all to do with you.

This revelation can be jarring. You go from your child depending on you for their every need to them no longer needing you. Or at least not for the things that were simple to take care of, like meals and diaper changes, but now needing you to guide them through the more complex problems of life, without solving the problems for your child--if they even can be solved.

Not all of them can. And that's a lesson that is as painful to watch your child go through as it is to go through it yourself when you were their age.

It's a difficult transition for everyone involved. It's your first time as a teenager, and perhaps their first time as parents of a teenager. All of you are going to make mistakes. (It's still on your parents to be the adults, though, because you're still a child.)

Now all of that was more explanation than advice. So here is my advice:

To address your lightheadedness, almost blackouts, and lack of feeling in your limbs, the first step is to make sure you are drinking enough water, eating enough food (especially food that will give you the nutrients and electrolytes your body needs), and getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep, low blood sugar, and not enough electrolytes can contribute to low energy levels.

Exercise is also something that can help with sleep and energy, as well as with stress and anxiety. A 15-20 minute walk or jog, preferably outdoors in nature, can be beneficial for mental and physical health. If you can do this safely, I'd recommend it. (If you feel there is a chance you might faint, don't go alone.)

Of course, you can do all of the above perfectly and still have issues, but it's somewhere to start because you have to start somewhere. Both to rule these out as the cause of the symptoms, and because they do help, even if they don't fix everything.

If the symptoms persist, talk to a doctor (both medical and psychological) if one is available to you. Unfortunately, because you're young and you're female, there's a chance they may dismiss your symptoms at first. It isn't fair, but you might have push to get help. It's scary thing to do, but it's necessary. I know you can do it.

I hope this has been helpful to you.

Keep surviving.

Oh, and thanks for the whale.

[anthromimicry]

AHH, okay, okay... it has recently come to my attention that i have not been posting enough headcanons on here compared to my other acc's so i'm about to fix that right quick. i have briefly talked about this in one of my previous posts, but misao has allowed one or two patients throughout the years to hold her VERY beloved tarantula which she has (affectionately) named rosie and those were ones who she actually had developed a personal liking for, which is surprisingly ( or perhaps not so surprisingly, i guess it just depends on how you look at it LOL ) rare for her to do. so i believe it's safe to say that if she has offered you a chance to touch her... that you have somehow managed to worm your way into her good graces haha. also, another good indicator that misao GENUINELY likes a patient is that she will make physical attempts to comfort your muse, but of course as a mental health professional, misao acknowledges the importance of consent and she will ask them if she can hug them / put a hand on their shoulder as a comforting non-sexual gesture before doing so. though whenever it comes to psychotherapy — you are generally supposed to be a neutral presence towards your clients or patients, so misao still doesn't consider them to be friends if/when she does things like this as that would be compromising the integrity of the patient and therapist relationship.

and speaking of the patient + therapist relationship, i will circle back to how this relates to how this could be a indicator that misao likes your muse on a personal level if they are a patient of hers, BUT as a psychiatrist; it is not only misao's responsibility to listen attentively to the person in her office but also to diagnose and issue prescriptions to patients, and whenever she does this, i do like to think that misao does not abuse her power in the way that she will assign them with the wrong drugs or anything like that (except in the event that she is about to eat them or had somehow found out her secret which... is messed up for a multitude of reasons, of course). but i do have to say that she is ever-so-slightly less likely to advocate for a patient who has shown themselves to be hostile towards her or she feels has insulted her in some way, as misao is VERY much capable of being vindictive but in ways that are not so obvious if that makes any sense. like for example, if your muse comes in in visibly uncomfortable restraints, she will not volunteer to have any guards take them off for them and will simply let them sit there like that because, well, she is lowkey evil. ( okay, no, that is actually HIGHKEY evil of her ngl but misao doesn't care JSJSJ ) so, if she likes you... though i know this is rather two-faced of her and totally unethical of her as a physician to set patients of hers to different standards, she will advocate more for those who she likes personally.

this is part of how she is flawed as a psychiatrist, for lack of better words, as although misao likes to think she doesn't get her personal biases get in the middle of treating her patients... it DOES happen and she seems to subtly practice favoritism. but here is one thing that you all may be unexpected to hear: misao honestly thinks that the nonconsensual use of ECT, or electroconvulsive therapy that arkham has been known to do that is also very morally wrong to do, is barbaric and will not pretty much under any circumstances subject her patients to it unless they actually consent to it. because it has been shown to help those with treatment resistant depression or bipolar disorder in some cases, though it also has been shown to have some risks associated with it such as temporary memory loss and difficulty learning. people have also suffered from more serious side effects from it as well including longer lasting gaps in memory, however, so the risks are not exactly moderate all the time.

so unlike some of her colleagues at arkham, misao will not force anyone into it and insists on only doing it if/when she has written consent from them. thus, you could say that although misao is certainly not perfect and her general morality is VERY skewed, even she has some 'standards' as to lines that she will not cross. though of course, every doctor in arkham should be prescribing to ECT only being used in consensual situations, though it is sadly known for being a very corrupt institution for a reason. misao herself has not contributed to the corruption in this way, however, as i believe there may be personal reasons behind why she does not want to go beyond it and i will discuss those more later. but for now... i hope you all liked this little drabble of mine.

[sunflowersandcherryblossoms]

Hey, quick question!

What does it mean when a professional, published, paid author forgets his own plot and starts making shit up as he goes?

1. He had an initial good concept but not the talent to actually develop it cohesively?

2. Had an initial idea, almost no talent, but had someone behind him actually doing the hard work, (tons of sadly real example around the literary and plastic arts world) until they got fed up and told them to fuck right off?

3. Got so distracted with fanservice and the allure of money and fame, that they forgot what their story was actually supposed to be about?

Because:

NO TV IN THE SOUL SOCIETY UNTIL 2015????

Seriously?

You have Shinji listening to a record player in Turn Back The Pendulum.

You have Shinigami and Sternritter with clothing, swords and glasses, A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, that don't match the supposed era they were living in.

They had cellphones with gps-type technology in the very beginning of Bleach.

THE WHOLEASS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT!

They had technology not available to humans yet!

But no TV? Like... They wouldn't have used that technology to keep tabs on the reality of the human world... Right...

Stupid and implausible.

The "not using touchscreen smartphones" at least has an actual real life reason since (from all I've searched and read about) Japanese people still used flip phones well into the 2000s...

So, they don't really seem so different from their human counterparts for preferring these too.

But to portray these near immortal Gods Of Death as being backwards idiots doesn't sit right with me...

.

.

.

...on the other hand...

Here's a very sad detail in Ichigo's conversation:

"...At least not like this."

Oh!

You mean, in the wrong place with the wrong person?

Yeah... I'm sorry your author had a great idea when he created you but dropped the ball in coherent and satisfying storytelling... I'm really sorry...

[thebreakfastgenie]

Hawkeye, 2,3,5,9 :3c

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

I mean really where to begin, I could go with anything, but I'm going to highlight something I think doesn't get enough attention in fandom: I like that he's cool. Hawkeye is the big man on campus. He's popular. Guys like him, Radar looks up to him as a male role model (bad idea but also maybe good idea), women adore him, the man gets laid all the time. He's very good at his job, so he's respected professionally, but he's also well-liked. He's well-liked because he's funny, hot, friendly, and usually nice. He's also kind, but he's nice to people, too, unless he feels they've earned derision (e.g. they support the army). Hawkeye is a chad! He's also very anti-establishment. I've called him a jock before but I think he's more of a greaser. A hero to the students, despised by the principal (beloved by the cool teacher, Henry). This is a really important part of the show. If Hawkeye were an underdog outsider it wouldn't have the same impact that he hates the army so much. MASH uses his strong social position to communicate the morality of the show, which is topsy-turvy by conventional standards. He loves sex, booze, and gambling, he breaks rules and flouts authority, but he's morally right because he knows war is wrong. And through loving Hawkeye, maybe we start to think about whether sex, booze, and gambling are really so bad, whether rules shouldn't be broken sometimes, whether authority shouldn't be questioned. I like that he's the popular kid.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

This one is really hard because even the bad things make him a better character to me... I genuinely don't even mind that he's kind of sexist, like, I'd be surprised if he wasn't. I guess my least favorite thing is some of the attempts at character development... I don't mind Hawkeye being less interested in casual sex (for him as a character, I actually do kind of mind the show going that direction in the conservative 80s because nothing exists in a vacuum) but the way it's handled in Who Knew totally sucks. He says he always made sure the women he slept with knew he'd be gone if they wanted a more serious relationship... that's what you're supposed to do! That's being honest! It's okay to only want casual sex and the way it's framed suggests it's not! But I think if they'd gone the other way, and had Hawkeye actually take advantage of women by implying he was open to something more serious than he really was (as is implied early on, although there's often subtext that the nurses are just in it for fun too which softens it a lot) it would come off too gross and make him too unlikable.

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Honestly the first song is Saturday in the Park by Chicago because of GFA. July 4th, 1953 was a Saturday! Required viewing courtesy of @movietonight:

Other than that... I just checked my MASH characters as Billy Joel songs post and I gave Hawkeye I Go to Extremes which makes sense. I also associate Teachers by Leonard Cohen and Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens with him.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Yes, but if we had a third roommate that person would kill us both. Our place would be disgusting, but neither one of us would get mad at the other about it because we'd both be equally responsible. We'd be complete disasters but I think we'd have fun.