#SOMEONE HELP I AM BURSTING WITH QUESTIONS AND THEORIES

[x-moonsoul-x]

Cloaking broaches in rise

How do cloaking broaches work, like, I’m so curious. I assume it’s the gem, so I *assume* it can take other forms. (Like a ring or something, maybe.) But if one were injured while the broach is active, would the injury transfer onto the corresponding part of their original form? And can it be used in the opposite way, where a human could disguise as a mutant? And where does the gem come from, what’s the rarity, what region, how much does it cost? Does it just disguise the wearer, or does it change their actual *form* and not just appearance? Can they choose it, or is it chosen for them? Would it be based on DNA for the turtles? (Splinter’s) Can they only have the one form? Big Mama mentioned that her original form is more comfortable, so I’m curious if that’s because she’s just more used to her spider form, or something to do with the cloaking broach actually constricting her in some way. If one of the turtles wore a broach and while in human form, got an injury on their back, how would that transfer to their turtle form? Would it be under their shell? On their shell? Would their backs be harder in human form? Or normal. I have so many questions about mystics.

I’m so interested in the mystics, I wish we had more time and I hope rise gets a s3. There’s so much potential with just broaches alone, but imagine all the other mystic baubles. Draxum knows a lot about mystics and alchemy, I’d love to see his knowledge of the mystics more; like we did with the orb.

I am a ball of curiosity and I love rise, anyways, love. I hope this is compressible, my words do not often come out quite correctly when I’m writing out what I’m thinking, you know? ANYWHO, but for real this time, buh bye, please help. <3

[sanshinely]

CRAZY MINDS OF MBTI | ATEEZ CHOI SAN

CRAZY MINDS (OF MBTI)

ateez choi san x fem!reader

trope » mbti theme, san as intj and reader as estp. 

established relationship fic, non-idol fic 

genre » fluff, romantic comedy, slice of life, modern au, light angst

word count;  5,126 words estimated reading time » ~20-25  minutes (normal reading speed)

warnings » mild language, suggestive dialogue, MBTI stereotyping, light emotional conflict

Sometimes, one test can change everything.

You were bored when you first took the MBTI test. No deep purpose behind it, just a click out of curiosity during a quiet afternoon. A few questions here, a few unsure choices there, and suddenly... there it was.

ESTP.

You blinked at the screen.

The Entrepreneur. The Doer. Bold. Direct. Energetic. Lives for the thrill of the moment.

That last part? Yeah, that felt painfully accurate. But something about it pulled you in deeper. You weren’t just content with the four letters—you wanted to know why. Why did you make impulsive choices? Why you hated routines. Why do you always run toward chaos instead of away from it?

And the deeper you explored the ESTP personality, the more it felt like finding pieces of yourself you didn’t even know were missing.

That small test? It sparked something way bigger.

A few years later, you're no longer just a girl curious about personality types. You're the founder and CEO of 16Personalities, a personality-based app and consulting platform that skyrocketed in popularity almost overnight. People came for the MBTI quizzes, but stayed for the insights. For the way your team broke down complex ideas and turned them into something deeply human. Even your best friend—an INFJ with a chronic case of emotional repression—gave in and took the test one night after a glass of wine. She burst into your office the next morning, waving her phone. “I’m an INFJ?! What the hell does that even mean?!”

Your friend finally tested her MBTI by the app you made. She wasn’t interested at all in the first because she won’t believe in MBTI as she said MBTIs were the same theory as Zodiacs. Your best friend finally took her chance to test on her MBTI, INFJ as the Advocats.

You laughed. "INFJ, huh?" you said, trying to hold back a laugh. "Well, it means you're kind of like... a walking contradiction."

She rolled her eyes, but you could see the flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

"You're a visionary, but also super private. You want to save the world but can’t stand the idea of asking for help. You care deeply about people, but you don’t exactly enjoy big crowds. You’re an idealist, but also someone who struggles with reality. You’re probably freaking out right now, but deep down, you’re a big softie."

She gaped at you, clearly shocked at how accurate that sounded. "That... sounds like me. That’s terrifying."

You laughed. "Yeah, I know. Welcome to the INFJ club. You cry over poetry, right? You want to change the world, but you'll never ask anyone for help." You shook your head. "Honestly, you might as well get a tattoo that says 'emotional repression' and call it a day."

She stared at you in disbelief. "Wait... am I really that bad?"

"No, no," you quickly reassured her. "But you’ve definitely got some layers, INFJ. You’re like... the emotional intellectual who tries to save the world one quiet conversation at a time."

Her lips twitched into a reluctant smile, her anxiety momentarily forgotten. "I guess that’s... kind of accurate." "Kind of?" You grinned, reaching for your coffee. "Girl, you're all of that. Just embrace it." She sighed, staring at her phone again. "Well, now that I know, I feel like I need to do... something about it." You nodded. "Start by not overthinking it. Trust me, I know. I'm an ESTP. You don’t see me freaking out over who I am."

She raised an eyebrow. "Right, you're the impulsive risk-taker, always up for the next adventure. I swear, you’re basically the opposite of me." You shot her a pointed look. "And you love me for it." She smirked. "True. But now I need to process this INFJ thing. I feel like I’m staring at myself in a mirror and I don’t know what to do with it."

You leaned back in your chair, feeling the weight of her words. "You’ll figure it out. Just don't hide from it, okay? Embrace the weirdness."

She smiled at you, finally feeling like the pieces were coming together. "Thanks for... the reality check."

"Anytime, INFJ," you teased. "Now go ahead and start saving the world, one awkward conversation at a time."

—

It was supposed to be just another normal workday. You were halfway through reviewing the updates for the app when your phone lit up.

[Bestie] “Emergency. Can you take my blind date tonight? I’m literally dying and there’s no refund..”

You blinked. Blind date? You?

You were about to text back a hard “absolutely not” when she sent a second message:

“He’s a psychiatrist. Probably hot. Just go and pretend to be me. Pleaseeeee.”

You stared at the screen. ESTP logic said: screw it. You could use some entertainment.

So you sighed and replied: You : “Fine. But if he’s awkward, I’m making you pay for dessert.”

—

Your best friend stared at you, her jaw practically on the floor. “Wait... you’ve never been on a blind date? Never dated anyone? How have you survived this long? The world is so small, and you’ve been hiding out like this?”You shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. 

“I mean, it’s just never been my thing, y’know?” She gawked at you like you had just revealed you were an alien. “Girl, you’re an entrepreneur who’s running a huge app, but you’ve never even tried to date? That’s... mind-blowing.”

You rolled your eyes. “It’s really not that deep.” “Oh, it is,” she said, pulling out her makeup kit with determination. “And it’s time to fix this. You need to look flawless tonight. Trust me, we’re going all out.”

You groaned. “Do we really have to? I just don’t think I’m ready for all of this.”

She grinned, already pulling out brushes. “You are ready. You just don’t know it yet. We’re going to give you a makeover that’ll make you look like you belong in a rom-com. Now sit down and let me work my magic.”

As she got to work, you felt a little bit out of your element. “How long is this going to take?”

“Don’t rush me,” she said, expertly applying foundation. “You want flawless? It takes time. At least an hour. You’ll thank me later, I promise.” You gave her a skeptical look. “Flawless, huh? You’re really setting the bar high here.”

“You’ll see,” she replied with a wink. “Just trust the process.”

Your Best friend stood still for a moment, her eyes slowly scanning you from head to toe. “You… wow,” she breathed out, visibly stunned. “You actually look stunning. Like, it’s so fabulous. Look at yourself, why’d you never really be interested in makeovers?”

You raised an eyebrow, tugging nervously at the hem of your jacket. “You think so?”

“Please, I don’t think—I know,” she said, beginning to circle you like a proud stylist inspecting her masterpiece. “Honestly, if you don’t fall in love tonight, someone else definitely will.”

You let out a quiet laugh. “I still can’t believe I’m actually doing this. This was your blind date, remember?”

“Yeah, about that…” she trailed off, biting her lip before locking eyes with you. “So… I kinda already told him I couldn’t make it. Said something came up. And then I—uh—might’ve mentioned I was sending someone else to my place.”

Your eyes narrowed. “You what?”

“I panicked, okay?” she held up both hands in surrender. “But don’t worry—I told him you’re amazing. And guess what? He was surprisingly chill about it.” You gave her a look. “Okay… and what exactly did you tell him about me?”

“Just the basics,” she shrugged, trying to look casual. “That you’re smart, drop-dead gorgeous, a little chaotic—but in the cutest way possible. Oh, and—” she paused for effect, “his name is Choi San.”

You stared. “Choi San?” She nodded. “Yep. And—plot twist—he’s a psychologist.” Your eyes widened. “So you set me up with someone who literally studies people’s minds for a living. Amazing. I’m about to be dissected over dinner, that’s literally my type.”

“Or,” she said, grinning knowingly, “he’s about to fall for you the moment he sees you.”You let out a dramatic sigh and grabbed your purse. “If he starts psychoanalyzing me mid-bite, I’m leaving.”

She laughed, stepping over to open the door. “Just be yourself. You’ve got this. And remember—tonight, you’re the main event.”

You rolled your eyes as you stepped out. “Let’s hope he reads romance, not horror.”

—

You walked into the cozy, upscale restaurant, your heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and nerves. The soft clinking of silverware and the warm golden glow from the overhead lights created a calm atmosphere, but your attention was focused solely on the man seated across the table.

Choi San looked up as you approached, a faint smile on his lips. He was dressed in a sharp navy blazer and a simple white shirt that complemented his relaxed yet sophisticated demeanor. He stood up as you neared, offering a nod of acknowledgment.

“Hi,” he greeted, his voice calm and smooth, as if you were already familiar. “You must be Y/N L/N?”

Your eyes met his, and you nodded, taking in a breath to steady yourself. "Yeah, that’s me," you said, your voice a little shaky as you pulled out the chair and sat down. "I guess I’m the one who got... dragged into this blind date."

San smiled, the kind of smile that made your heart skip a beat. “No pressure then,” he said, his gaze soft but confident as he sat back down. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Y/N. My name is Choi San”

They shake their both hands, and make you freeze. You weren't expecting that THIS is the man on your date. Previously, you didn’t expect that he could be this really handsome through your eyes

You adjusted the hem of your jacket, trying to calm the fluttering in your chest. There was something about the way he looked at you that made you feel like you were already on his radar. 

“So, uh…” you started, trying to break the silence, “What exactly do you do for a living? Besides... setting up blind dates?” you added with a nervous laugh. San put down his menu, his eyes locking onto yours. “I’m a psychologist,” he said casually, his tone thoughtful. “I work in mental health.”

Your eyes widened, and before you could stop yourself, you gasped loudly, the sound escaping in a rush. “Wait, you’re a psychologist?!” The shock was evident in your voice, and you quickly realized you might have startled him. San blinked, clearly surprised by your reaction.

 “Yeah... I know, it’s a bit of a shock, huh?” You covered your mouth, feeling a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. It’s just that... I’ve never met anyone in that field before. Isn’t that kind of intimidating?”

San chuckled softly, clearly amused by your reaction. “I promise, I’m not here to analyze you on our date,” he said, his tone warm and reassuring. You relaxed a little at his words, but your curiosity wasn’t satisfied yet. “Still, I can’t imagine what it must be like. You get to read people all day, every day.”

He leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It’s not about reading people; it’s about understanding them,” he said, his gaze shifting to you with a more personal intensity. “But don’t worry, I’m not analyzing you right now.”

You laughed, relieved. “Good to know,” you said with a smile, but your mind couldn’t help but race with the realization that you were sitting across from someone who literally analyzed people for a living. “So, what about you?” he asked, breaking your train of thought. “What do you do?”

You cleared your throat, then replied, “I’m actually the founder and owner of 16Personalities. The site you probably took the test on,” you added with a small smile.

San’s eyes lit up, and a genuine smile tugged at his lips. “Wait, really? I’ve taken that test on your app! It’s actually really fascinating,” he said, leaning forward with newfound interest. “I had no idea you were the person behind it.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the way he was looking at you. A proud smile made you glad because he used your app. “Yeah, it’s one of those things that’s more well-known than most people realize,” you replied, feeling a little more confident now that the conversation was flowing easier.

San grinned, clearly impressed. “I have to admit, I’m even more intrigued now. That’s... seriously impressive.” You laughed softly, trying to hide your smile. “Thanks,” you said, feeling a warm flush spread across your cheeks.

He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he was thinking. “I don’t know if I should tell you my personality type now. Maybe I’ll leave that as a surprise,” he said, the playful tone in his voice making your heart skip another beat.

You grinned, intrigued. “I like surprises, but I have to warn you... I might guess it before the night’s over.” San chuckled softly. “We’ll see about that,” he said with a wink. “But for now, I think we should enjoy our dinner.”

The waiter arrived at that moment, and for a moment, the two of you paused as your meals were served. You couldn’t help but smile, feeling the conversation shift from nerves to something more comfortable, even with the soft tension still lingering between you.

—

The candlelight flickered between you and Choi San, casting playful shadows as the conversation slowed, leaving behind a quiet tension. The soft background music hummed, almost like a soundtrack to the unfolding moment. You couldn’t help but feel curious about the man across from you—so composed, so intriguing.

"So..." you began, swirling your wine glass lightly, keeping your voice playful, "I have to ask, what’s your MBTI type?" San raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Why do you want to know?" You shrugged, leaning back slightly with a smirk. "I’m just curious. I mean, you already know about my job, so I think it’s only fair. And also you tested on my app, right?"

"Fair enough," he said, leaning forward slightly, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "I’m INTJ."

"INTJ?" You blinked, surprised, trying to hide your amusement. "The mastermind type?" San chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the moment. "I suppose that's one way to put it." You tilted your head, eyeing him closely. "Well, no wonder you’re so... organized. So, you’re all about planning, analyzing everything, huh?" 

San leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with an almost stoic air. "That's one way to describe it. What about you?" He paused, raising an eyebrow. "What’s your type?" You leaned forward a little, eyes gleaming with confidence. "ESTP," you said, gesturing with a quick flick of your hand. "The doer, the one who takes action and makes things happen."

San raised both eyebrows, studying you closely, clearly surprised. "Interesting," he murmured, his gaze intense. "So you’re the spontaneous one, huh?" "Yep," you nodded, your eyes sparkling with energy. "I live for the moment, take risks, and embrace whatever comes my way."

San’s expression softened a little, but there was something in his eyes that seemed to admire your extroverted energy. "Well," he said, his voice low, "I think that’s kind of... refreshing. Most people are too cautious for my taste." 

Your eyes widened slightly. "You like that?" He chuckled, the hint of a flirtatious smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I wouldn’t call it my style, but... there’s something about how you embrace it. It’s bold."

The conversation paused for a second, both of you caught up in the unexpected chemistry of the moment. But then, the realization hit you. "Wait a second..." You leaned back in your chair, blinking in disbelief. "We’re total opposites!" San gave you a half-smile. "Guess we are. But apparently, opposites attract." You laughed softly, your heart skipping a beat. "I guess we’ll see about that."

His smile softened, but his gaze remained intense as he leaned in just a little closer. "I’m looking forward to finding out." You both sat in silence for a moment, the words hanging in the air, the connection between you undeniable. Then, you decided to push the conversation further, eager to see what else there was to learn about this intriguing man.

"So," you said, pulling out your phone, "let’s take a look at our profiles. I’m curious how accurate these tests are." San raised an eyebrow as you unlocked the 16personalities app and began to scroll through your results. "Alright, let’s see."

You grinned, showing him your profile. "Here it says I’m outgoing, energetic, and spontaneous—basically, I love taking action and always need something new to challenge me." San leaned in slightly to look at the screen, his curiosity growing. "Sounds pretty spot on," he said, eyes never leaving you. "And the weaknesses?"

You tapped the screen again, showing the weaknesses. "It says I can be a little... reckless. And sometimes, I don’t think things through." San’s lips curled into a playful smirk. "Yeah, I can see that. But I think that’s part of your charm."

You felt your cheeks flush a little at his compliment, but you didn’t back down. Instead, you leaned back with a confident grin. "Okay, so what about you?" You tapped the screen to show him his profile. "Let’s see what the mastermind has."

San took his time scrolling, then cleared his throat. "Alright, here’s the rundown: 'Strategic, logical, ambitious, and driven.'" You raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you’re the definition of control." San’s expression softened as he continued reading aloud. "And... ‘can be overly critical, distant, and too focused on long-term goals at the expense of the present.’"

You couldn’t help but chuckle. "Well, I guess I’m glad I’m here for the present, huh?" San’s smile deepened, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Touché." The conversation grew more relaxed as the night went on, both of you enjoying the chance to learn more about each other. But now, with the realization that your MBTI types were the exact opposite, there was a new, unexpected energy between you two.

"So," you said, your eyes twinkling, "I read somewhere that ESTPs and INTJs make a pretty good match." San raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "Really?" You nodded. "Yep, apparently. You bring the structure and the logic, I bring the chaos and the energy." San chuckled, his gaze warming. "I wouldn’t exactly call it chaos... but I think I can appreciate the spontaneity."

You smiled, feeling a little flutter in your chest. "Well, let’s see where this goes, then."

The evening continued, filled with laughter and easy conversation, but now, there was a deeper undercurrent to everything. The differences between you and San only seemed to make the connection stronger, and you couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the night—and the future—held in store.

—

The night seemed to slow down just enough for the two of you to dive deeper into the unexpected connection unfolding between you. The conversation had shifted from light banter to something more... meaningful. The flickering candle between you cast a soft glow over the table as you both took a moment to soak in the revelation of your MBTI types.

As you put your phone away for a second, you tilted your head slightly, your curiosity growing. "You know," you said, eyeing San carefully, "I just realized something. I never pegged you as an introvert."

San blinked, a little surprised by your observation. He shifted in his seat, his gaze a little more intense than before. "I suppose that’s not something people expect," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

You laughed softly, taking a sip from your glass, trying to make sense of it all. "I mean, look at you—so composed, so calm. I thought you’d be... more extroverted."

San smirked, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "I might not be the life of the party, but I’m not as shy as you think." He paused, his expression thoughtful. "It’s just that I find more energy in my own thoughts than in big social gatherings." Your eyes widened slightly, realizing just how much you had misjudged him. "So, you’re like... an introvert who’s good at faking extroversion?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn’t call it ‘faking.’ I just know how to interact when I need to. But I much prefer quiet time to think things through." You chuckled, now more intrigued than ever. "Well, that’s... a twist. I think you’re an ambivert, just like me.” San smiled  softly, his gaze locking with yours. "Maybe we balance each other out better than I thought."

The revelation lingered between you, but before either of you could say anything more, you decided to dig deeper into the personality profiles on your phones. "Alright, enough of the guessing," you said, unlocking your phone again. "Let’s see what else our profiles have to say. I’m curious if it says anything about us."

San leaned forward slightly, his eyes scanning the screen as you scrolled through your ESTP profile once again. "Alright, let’s see what the fun-loving, action-driven ESTP is all about," he teased, his tone light but his curiosity evident.

You tapped a few times, bringing up a section of your profile. "Okay, here’s something interesting," you said, showing him. "It says I’m highly adaptable, which means I’m good at changing plans on a whim and handling surprises."

San nodded, clearly intrigued. "That makes sense. You’re definitely the type to keep things spontaneous."

You smiled, enjoying the easy rhythm between you. "Yeah, and it also says that I’m a risk-taker. Sometimes, I act before I think—definitely not for everyone."

San chuckled softly, leaning back in his seat. "I can see that. But it’s also what makes you... well, you."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you couldn’t help but feel a little more drawn to him. But you quickly turned the attention back to him. "Alright, your turn. What does it say for an INTJ mastermind?"

He smirked, tapping on his phone as he pulled up his profile. "Let’s see," he muttered, scanning through the sections. "Okay, it says I’m strategic, logical, and have a very clear idea of what I want."

You nodded, impressed. "I can see that. You definitely give off that vibe."

San's gaze softened a little as he continued. "It also mentions that I can sometimes be too focused on long-term goals. That I tend to dismiss the present for the sake of future plans."

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Does that mean you’re not a fan of... living in the moment?"

He looked up at you, a brief flicker of a smile crossing his face. "Not necessarily. I just tend to look ahead more often than most. But maybe you could change that." His tone was light but carried a certain weight to it that made your heart flutter a little.

You laughed, leaning in slightly, trying to cover the warmth spreading across your cheeks. "Guess we’ll see about that."

San's eyes lingered on yours for a moment longer, and the air between you grew charged. There was something magnetic about the way he looked at you, something you hadn’t expected from someone who’d described himself as an introvert.

"So," you said after a beat, trying to shift the mood, "what’s your take on this whole ESTP-INTJ pairing? Because, let’s face it, we are nothing alike."

San smirked, leaning back in his chair, but his eyes never left you. "Maybe we’re not alike in the conventional sense. But I don’t think that means we can’t complement each other."

You blinked, your thoughts momentarily scattered. "You really think so?"

He nodded, his smirk deepening into something a little more sincere. "I do. I think our differences could be... a good thing."

You stared at him, surprised by his honesty—and how quickly it seemed to spark something in you. The conversation had shifted from playful to something with real depth, and you couldn’t deny that you were starting to enjoy this unexpected connection more than you anticipated.

"So, we’re opposites in all the right ways?" you said, your voice softer now.

San’s gaze softened as he gave a slow nod. "Exactly. And I’m starting to think that’s a good thing."

You smiled, feeling a flutter in your chest that you couldn’t quite explain. The night was far from over, but in this moment, you knew one thing for sure: this blind date was turning into something far more interesting than either of you had expected.

"Guess we’ll just have to see where this goes," you said, your voice a little lighter now, and he nodded, his eyes still on you, his smile a little more genuine than before.

And as the conversation continued, you couldn’t help but feel like you were on the edge of something new—something that might just be worth exploring.

—

An hour had passed since they started their date. San had called the waiter over and casually ordered drinks for them. “Maybe it’s time for another drink,” San said with a playful grin, glancing at you. You raised your eyebrows, a bit surprised at the suggestion. “I’m actually good with just tea,” you replied, giving him a small smile.

San looked at you for a moment, almost as if he were processing your words. Then, with a wink, he spoke up. “Tea? Alright, I’ll take care of the wine then.” 

The waiter arrived, and San ordered a bottle of Merlot for himself, while you stuck to your choice of tea. As the waiter left, you couldn’t help but feel a little out of place with San’s relaxed confidence. “You don’t drink much, huh?” San asked as he settled back into his seat. You laughed nervously, lifting your cup of tea. “Not really, but I can handle a glass every now and then,” you said, still unsure about the wine.

San smirked, clearly enjoying teasing you. “It’s just wine. You’re not gonna get drunk off of one glass. Relax, we’re on a date now.”

You couldn’t help but smile, feeling the playful tension between you two. But beneath the surface, you started to wonder if San might be getting bored with all your talk about personality tests and MBTI. You didn’t want him to think you were too much.

The conversation shifted into a more comfortable rhythm, both of you talking about your respective careers and experiences. Even though the night was still young, it felt like you were both starting to connect on a deeper level.

San took a slow sip of his wine, watching you intently as he set the glass down. “So, I’m curious... with your app and the whole 16Personalities thing, how did you end up creating it? I mean, it’s not every day you meet someone who owns such a well-known platform.”

You smiled, feeling a rush of pride at his curiosity. “It all started back in college,” you began, setting your tea down as you leaned forward slightly. “I’ve always been really into psychology too, even before I knew what MBTI was. I’ve always liked understanding how people tick, you know?”

San nodded, clearly interested. “I get that. It’s kind of like my fascination with how people process emotions. It’s amazing how there’s always so much more beneath the surface.”

You continued, “Exactly! So, when I came across MBTI, I thought it was such a cool way to break down personalities in a structured way. I thought to myself, why not create an app that could help people figure themselves out, and even help others understand each other better?”

San raised an eyebrow. “So you basically turned your passion into a business?”

You grinned, a little sheepish. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. It wasn’t easy, though. There were times when I wasn’t sure it would work. But once the app gained traction, I knew I was onto something. The feedback from users was everything. People were telling me how much they learned about themselves and their relationships—it felt like I was actually making a difference, you know?”

San's gaze softened, his admiration for you evident. “That’s incredible. You built something that has real impact. I can see why you’re so passionate about it.”

You looked away for a second, a little bashful under his intense stare. “Thanks. It’s definitely a lot of work. But it’s worth it, especially when people reach out to say how much it’s helped them.”

San nodded, then leaned in slightly, his voice lowering a little. “And you’ve clearly done well for yourself. I have to admit, I admire your drive. You’re doing something that not only challenges you, but also helps people in a meaningful way.”

You felt a slight warmth flush through you at his words, unsure if it was the wine or the genuine sincerity in his tone. “I guess I’ve always been the kind of person who wants to make a difference, even if it’s just in small ways.”

San’s smile grew, and for a moment, you could feel the connection between you two grow even stronger. “Well, you’re definitely making an impact, no doubt about that.”

You laughed softly, grateful for the compliment but not wanting to dwell on it too much. “Enough about me. You’ve got to tell me more about your work, San. You mentioned helping people with deep emotional struggles—what’s been one of the most challenging cases for you?”

San paused for a moment, his expression turning more thoughtful. “There have been a few,” he said slowly. “But one that really stuck with me was a young woman I worked with. She came in dealing with trauma from her childhood—she was just barely keeping it together. It took months of therapy, but eventually, we made progress. I can’t explain the feeling when someone like that starts to trust you and take steps forward. It’s humbling.”

You were silent for a moment, processing his words. It was clear that San wasn’t just doing his job—he was genuinely invested in his patients. “That must’ve been an incredible moment. I can’t even imagine the kind of impact that had on her life.”

San nodded, his eyes a little distant as he spoke. “It wasn’t easy, but the small victories are what keep me going. It’s not about fixing people—it's about helping them realize they’re capable of healing themselves.”

You were struck by his humility, and for the first time, you noticed how much thought and care he put into his work. “I really respect that,” you said softly. “It sounds like you’ve found your calling.”

San smiled again, this time with a bit more warmth. “I have. And I think you’ve found yours too, with what you’re doing. We’re both in jobs that help people understand themselves better. That’s a pretty cool thing to have in common.”

You chuckled, feeling a little lighter with the connection you were starting to build. “Yeah, it’s pretty crazy that we’re both so into understanding people’s minds in different ways.”

San leaned back in his chair, his eyes still locked on yours. “Not so crazy when you think about it. I mean, you’re an expert at analyzing personalities, and I’m just doing the same thing—just from a different perspective. We’re both into making sense of how people tick.”

You thought about his words, nodding. “True. It’s kind of funny, actually. We’ve spent this entire date talking about MBTI and psychology, and yet, here we are, still learning about each other.”

San’s lips curled into a small smile, and he reached for his wine glass. “I’d say it’s been a pretty interesting date so far.”

You smiled, your heart fluttering a little. “Definitely interesting.”

The waiter returned, placing a new round of drinks on the table, and as the evening continued, the conversation naturally flowed into other topics. But no matter what they talked about, the spark between you two remained—something deeper, something real.

—

The air was a little chilly when they stepped out of the restaurant. San insisted on walking her home since it wasn’t too far, just a few blocks away. They strolled in silence for a moment, until Reader spoke.

“You know… I didn’t expect we’d have so much in common.” 

San turned his head slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting into a subtle smile. “Me neither. I thought this would be just another awkward dinner.” She chuckled. “Same. But finding out we both studied psychology? That was a twist.” 

San nodded. “It felt like I was talking to someone who actually gets it. The burnout, the pressure, the way we’re expected to always ‘have it together’ just because we understand the mind.”

“Exactly,” she agreed. “It’s comforting, honestly.” They stopped at a crosswalk. The streetlight cast a warm glow on both of them. “You really built your own company,” San said softly. “That’s… impressive.” She shrugged, a little bashful. “You started young too. Becoming a psychologist at twenty-six? That’s wild.”

They exchanged glances—those long, quiet looks that held more than just admiration. Something deeper hummed in the silence. “I didn’t expect to enjoy this night so much,” you admitted. “I was about to say the same,” San replied, taking a slow step closer. “You surprised me.”

“Surprised you how?” 

“You’re bold. Direct. But you listen. I think I needed that.” Y/N’s breath caught slightly as he stepped into her space, their hands brushing briefly. Neither of them moved away. When they reached the steps of her apartment building, they stopped.

“Well,” she said, “this is me.”

San nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. “Right.”

They talked about university days, their mutual burnout stories, professors they both coincidentally knew, and the one shared subject they both geeked out about: human behavior.

“You really took psychology because you wanted to understand people better?” you asked, glancing at him. San nodded. “I was tired of guessing what others were feeling. Understanding the mind felt like power. A quiet kind.”

She smiled. “Same. Though I guess I took it more because I wanted people to understand me.”

San looked at her, a thoughtful pause in his steps. “I think people do. You’re… loud in the best way.” That made her laugh. “Loud?” “You fill the space. With energy. With presence. That’s not a bad thing.” She smiled, genuinely touched.

By the time they reached her apartment, the street was quiet—just the hum of distant cars and the soft flicker of the streetlamp above them. She turned to face him at her doorstep.

“Well, this is home,” she said, a little breathless. He stayed where he was for a second, hands in the pockets of his coat. “You said you weren’t sure about blind dates.” “Yeah,” she replied, chuckling. “I stand corrected.” They stared at each other. There was tension—warm, expectant.

“I’d really like to see you again,” San said slowly.

“I’d really like that too.”

A beat passed. San took a small step closer. “Can I—?”

Y/N didn’t move away. She tilted her head slightly, gaze flicking down to his lips and back to his eyes.That was all the permission he needed.

 He leaned in slowly, testing the space between them, until his lips brushed hers—gentle at first, hesitant. But when she didn’t pull away, his hand came to the side of her face, and the kiss deepened. Slow, sincere, magnetic.

When they finally pulled back, their foreheads rested against each other.

“You’re full of surprises, San.” He smiled. “So are you.” 

She reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Text me when you get home?”

“I will,” he said. “Sweet dreams, beautiful.” She went up the steps with one last glance behind her. San stayed there for a moment, watching until the lights in her apartment turned on.

And for the first time in a long while, he smiled on his walk home. He got so much in love with You, at the first sight of their eyes.

Epilogue - "Crazy Minds" 💘✨

Since that night, San and Y/N had become inseparable. They were officially a couple, and all of it was thanks to INFJ Bestie, who had somehow played matchmaker and found them their perfect match. 

INFJ Bestie, who had pushed Reader into that blind date in the first place, had always known something special was happening between them. "I knew you two were meant to be," INFJ Bestie often said, grinning at the two of them. "I'm basically a genius at this." 

That night, San and Y/N were curled up together on the couch, watching a movie they weren't really paying attention to. It didn’t matter though, because it was just the two of them, talking, laughing, and feeling completely at ease with one another. They weren’t strangers anymore; they were a couple, comfortable in each other’s presence.

San, who had kept his feelings close to his chest, finally opened up. “You know, I didn’t expect us to get this far. I never thought I’d have a relationship like this.”

Y/N smiled, eyes sparkling with warmth. “Well… I didn’t think so either. But look at us now. I’m glad we gave this a chance.”

San squeezed their hand a little tighter. “Me too.”

They exchanged a look that said more than words could. And in the quiet that followed, San took a step closer. Their eyes locked, hearts pounding as the space between them closed. Reader felt their breath hitch as San stepped in even closer, and without a word, their lips met in a kiss. It was slow, soft, but meaningful.

It wasn’t just a kiss. It was a kiss filled with intimacy, the kind of kiss that said everything they hadn’t been able to say aloud. The kiss deepened, slow and tender, magnetic in a way neither of them had expected. 🌙💕

He had fallen in love with her the moment their eyes met. 💖✨

And that’s how INTJ x ESTP combined through relationships, FOREVER.

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thank u for ur time & for reading this fic!

[pm-my-beloved]

Spiral of Contempt - Analysis

I have seen A LOT of people either claiming to not understand Spiral of Contempt, or, worse, present an interpretation which in my eyes is wrong (How dare they~). Thus, I am deciding to attempt an in-depth analysis of this abno, and while im there, also Awe, Contempt Ryoshu.

I do want to warn that I might miss some of the information because trying to put it all in somewhat coherent order is, quite hard.

First preface I think is needed to estabilish, is that it probably is an abberation of Burrowing Heaven, and that its DEFINETLY a religious themed abnormality.

So lets start with disproving a theory I have frequently seen that is like, so wrong in my opinion?? And that is, that this abnormality represents "God Complex", which like, if you make a very shallow read of it, and decide to not look at its visual design, then maybe.

But, even just from design, despite being named "Spiral of contempt" the primary action that it does, is an act of worship, of adoration, its hands raised into the heavens, blood spilling from its hands as if some form of a gorey offering.

So, first conclusion to be taken, is that this is not "Godly" abno, but rather, a worshipper. And thus is also why its primarily lust, because the core of this is, as previously mentioned, adoration of something thats been put on a pedestal.

The golden land and the pouring blood is above and beyond you, and even as abno picture shows, beyond the spiral. But what could that mean? Its a surprise tool that will help us later.

"It mus have reached this depth after burrowing and burrowing." Why would something or someone go into the depths for source of worship, rather than simply look at the heavens above? This is a question that we will provide two potential answers later.

Now, onto the abnormality choice that I want to focus on in the Mirror Dungeon

The focus on gaze, or in this case, aversion, and previous mention of burrowing makes me to personally be certain of this abnormalities status as an aberration. It also makes me think, how the original abno itself, treated gaze, as almost an act of worship, to devote your focus, yourself fully to the thing your eyes are set upon.

I believe the check passed can have 3 possible interpretations, each with slightly different implications, and all of which might, considering the surreal aspect of abnormalities, be correct at the same time.

First one, is that by being able to avert our eyes from it, from its own act of worship, it has shown us some reverence, but that act, caused the contempt in the abnormality to be directed at self, for feeling respect towards a worthless bug like us. Though I do believe that the last line "The spiral descended out of sight in the meantime" Implies that the middle statement is not describing what the spiral does itself.

Second reading, is that, The Spiral of Contempt itself is a being of little insignificance, thus to observe it, to worship it with your own attention, would be a cause of contempt, and by not adoring something as worthless at it is, we prove our own worth. I want to point out here, that the option to keep looking, is what causes hatred and contempt to burst out out of ourselves

Finally, third, perhaps most radical option that will need some explaining later, is that, whatever the spiral is worshiping itself is of no significance, is profane, that its object of awe in on itself is contemptable. The reason I think so, is because the spiral has burrowed itself under the ground to worship something, to hold it in awe. I believe that one of the angles of interpretation is that, the spiral is worshipping the profane, the bloody, messy, literally placing blood on altar made of its own hands, rather than seek true heaven. It burrows itself deeper, instead of burrowing to the surface, until it reaches sky. Additional clue is, that the primary ego gift we get from it, the hands with the sanguine offering, is named perversion, otherwise translatable as corruption of the natural order.

Additionally, with the failure of the check, what we are punished for, is failure to have courage to look away, to reject the sight in front of our eyes. This failure check leads me to further believe in interpretations 2 and 3.

Now, onto Awe, Contempt, and how it ties into two of my interpretations. In on itself, the name choice is quite interesting, seemingly two completely contrasting statements, yet if we assume correctness of my interpretation, or look at what Ryoshu represents as a person, it is perfectly fitting.

The quote Ryoshu was given shows how those two concepts compliment each other perfectly "Other, lesser painters are such mediocrities, they have no way to see the beauty that lies in ugliness"

Ryoshu, through an act of art, is a sort of worshipper. She worships the squalor and uglyness and suffering that is present in life, and her art. With her actions, she is elevating the most profane, the most vile, the most worthy of contempt, into a thing of beauty and awe. This, is based on interpretation number 3.

A different, equally valid angle in my opinion, is that this EGO represents her worship of art, while separating herself from it. She is very prideful, but she does not require praise or adoration herself, what she wants is for the art itself to be seen, to focus on artist rather than their work, is what invites her scorn. This one, obviously is based on interpretation number 2.

Thus, in conclusion. I believe that Spiral of Contempt is abnormality that both represents worship of something we choose to see as vastly greater than ourselves, and the act of deifying the horrid and profane.

I will write additional things I notice that don't warrant taking space in the analysis in a follow-up post

[milkytheholy1]

Shadow Generations: Part 2

Part 1. Sonic Masterlist.

Awaking in a blank world, Shadow fluttered his eyes open, taking in the vast nothingness. Rubbing his head, he stood on shaky legs, "What happened? Where am I?"

As though everything was happening all at once, the expansive emptiness Shadow resided in burst to life, well, somewhat. Large, white structures burst through the ground, erupting rocks and dirt into the air. Everything seemed to carry a sense of familiarity about it, something that Shadow couldn't quite put into words.

Looking over to the closet monument, the ebony hedgehog decided that was the best place to look for answers. Once he was close enough, Shadow could vaguely make out the rough edges and twisted metal pieces of the ARK. But it somehow felt empty, like there was no life to it, even if it was just a hunk of floating metal.

I was just on the ARK, how can it appear like this? As a matter of fact, this whole world is one big mystery. Am I the only one here? If so, how do I get out? Perhaps this is the anomaly G.U.N was looking for, I have to find a way back out. No matter what.

As Shadow rushed through each level, he soon realised what this world was: his memories.

The Space Colony: ARK, Speed Highway, his fight with Metal Sonic. Everything that was happening was something from his past. But who could have done all this? That was his only lingering question. Shadow remembered the radio that he had on him, perhaps the signal was still connected to Rouge.

'Hello, Rouge, incoming, Rouge can you hear me?" it was only static coming through, but he persisted, "Hello, Rouge do you hear-"

"AHHHH, HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE!" cried out a voice from the distance. Shadow stared at the direction from which it came, huffing, he put away his radio and dashed towards the commotion. There was no point in continuing to contact Rouge, it clearly wasn't working.

As the screaming got louder and louder Shadow picked up his pace, eventually spotting some creatures he recognised chasing someone. He quickly lept into action, kicking Doom's henchmen down within seconds.

Of course, Black Doom is behind this, I should have known. But I could have sworn I had defeated him, so how did he come back?

"Thank you for saving me-" The voice said, it was sweet and delicate, "-Shadow."

The brooding hedgehog looked up, his mind going blank and his mouth wide open. He couldn't believe this, he didn't believe this. It had to be another trick by Doom, she was gone, he saw it happen, there was no way she could be standing here in front of him right now.

"M-Maria?" he nearly whispered out, he was in complete disbelief. Maria's smile widened, she went to approach him until a hand grasped her shoulder, "Be careful, Maria, we don't know if this is truly him or another one of Doom's illusions."

"Professor?" Shadow was truly at a loss for words, if this wasn't real it would be a really sick joke to play on the poor hedgehog. All he ever dreamt of, ever thought about, was seeing them again; his family.

And now here they were in arms reach, yet he couldn't do it, he couldn't push himself to take those extra steps to be beside them again. Knowing they were just here now hurt him tremendously, but perhaps...

"Professor, do you have any theories on how we ended up in this world?" he soon pressed, he tried to appear calm for Maria's sake. Gerald rubbed his chin, deep in thought, his eyes scanned around the void, "I'd say it's a temporal anomaly. Someone or something has trapped us out of time, but that is just my working theory, of course."

Shadow thought about that for a moment, if Black Doom was behind this then maybe that could explain how he came back. Shadow took a glance at Maria and Gerald, "They must be from before the accident on the ARK," he said lowly to himself, "Perhaps I can change their fate if I defeat Black Doom. I will make him pay dearly for everything that I-"

A light presence graced Shadow's shoulder, a pasty white hand gently held him, but the warmth that radiated from it could rival the sun, "Shadow, you've become awfully angry since I last saw you; it's not like you."

"I promise you, Maria, I'm fine. I'll protect you both from what's to come, but you need to trust me."

"Of course, I trust you, Shadow." Maria offered him an ear-to-ear grin, and Gerlald only hummed in agreement, "It begs to assume that if we are here, perhaps other could be around too?"

Maria seemed excited by the idea, "Oh yes, I would love to meet new people, do you think there are more humans like us?"

Shadow could only laugh at that, prompting Maria to look confused, "The only other person I can think of being here is an annoying blue faker." he mumbled, Maria couldn't hear him that well. With a small sigh, Shadow had to drag himself away from the only people he could call family, "Stay safe and stay hidden, I will return to you when I can."

"Shadow, wait!" Maria cried out, he turned to her with wide eyes, "Be careful, please?" Shadow smirked and simply nodded his head, skating off into the distance to find and eliminate Doom.

[takenbypeter]

It's me, hi! (Last one I promise)

But I was wondering if you could write about Wonka and reader watching a horror movie, and afterwards, as she would feel scared, him trying to make her feel better/safe by holding her, maybe singing to her..? It's just an adorable thought 🥹 thank you!

Movie Mistakes

Willy Wonka x reader

Words: 638

You couldn’t believe you actually caved. 

Typically you would do anything and everything to avoid scary films, all because you knew how it would affect you. 

Some jump scares by themselves you could handle, but if added the suspense, tension, and music, you were a goner.

Now to be fair this particular movie was one you actually did want to see. You heard so many great things about it when it came out, but still you were in debate about actually watching it. As always though Willy had convinced you. 

As much as you tried to act like you weren’t phased by all the blood, jumps, and slightly horrific deaths throughout the film, you couldn’t help but flinch at each noise, eventually opting for the view from behind the cracks between your fingers. Willy on the other hand, seemed to be unbothered. 

In fact he was so engrossed by the film he didn’t even notice how tense you were. At least not until you were home.

Now Willy knew of your nature with scary movies just from what you’ve told him but by the way you were agreeing with all his thoughts and theories on the way back had him believing you were alright. It wasn’t until he left you to take a shower and then returned, finding you on the bed with your head and body completely enveloped in a quilt that he realized something was off.

“What are you doing?” He asked, a hint of laughter hidden in his voice. The question prompted you to shift underneath the cloth, still keeping it wrapped around your head.

“Huh?” He heard, muffled. 

Shaking his head he came over, picked up the quilt and stuck his head underneath finding you in the process. 

“Are you alright?”

“Oh me? Yeah I’m fine, just imagining a world where who knows what comes out from my closet and tries to strangle me in the worst possible way, but I’m fine, I’m good.”

Willy tilted his head clearly not believing your words and your promising boxed smile that was obviously forced. So again he lifted the quilt and climbed in while you moved over to make more room for him. 

“I thought you were okay.”

“I am, I'm just afraid to close my eyes, and I have to sleep with my head covered and my back to the wall.”

Willy reached out, his hand coming to rest against your face while his thumb ran over your cheek a couple times before he moved it downwards stopping on your shoulder, “if someone comes through those doors they’re going to have to get through me first,” he said. The idea was ultimately hilarious to you, being that Wonka didn’t have a harmful bone in his body, but it did help you in feeling a little bit better. 

“If I knew this was going to happen I would’ve never pushed for it,” he said and you shook your head. “I wanted to watch it. I went to see it. I’ll be fine.”

Willy glanced over your face, “what can I do to help?”

You bit the inside of your bottom lip for a quick second, maybe out of embarrassment, or probably just pure nerves but all you said was, “just stay with me tonight, please?”

It may seem like a such a simple request but for a chocolatier who sometimes got random bursts of ideas in the middle of the night, it would prove to be slightly more difficult. But still he agreed, “I’m not going anywhere.”

With that being said Willy opened his arms and you naturally crawled in. 

That night you slept well and it was all thanks to the warmth of Willy’s body around yours. That warmth plus the light humming coming from the boy quickly put both you and him sound asleep. 

[ryuichirou]

IMPORTANT QUESTION SINCE NOW I AM AWARE YOU ARE INTO A/B/O DO YOU HAVE ANY SEBEMALLE HCS FOR IT I REALLY LIKE YOUR MIND

Anon! Thank you so much for enjoying our stuff I AM VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT!

We have a couple of asks related to ABO, and I kind of took my sweet time with them lol So it took ages to write this, but I guess this is pretty much a norm for me these days. Anyways, I hope you are still here and enjoy reading it, thank you for your patience!

Sebek/Malleus is such a good ship…

(how come I always say that we aren’t that into ABO but end up having tons of opinions and thoughts about it 🙄)

Sebek had no idea that Malleus is an omega for the longest time; it’s not like it’s a huge secret, but it just never occurred to Sebek to even think about Malleus as someone who could mate and procreate. Sebek found out about it on one fateful day when he was suddenly hit with the strongest and the sweetest wall of scent that was so suffocating and stimulating that Sebek almost passed out in his dorm hallway. Malleus didn’t go hiding or cover his scent that month for some reason…

Malleus has always known that Sebek is an alpha, even when Sebek was a kid; it was just way too obvious. But he never thought that Sebek would grow up to be his alpha: he kind of always thought of him as a restless pup that nibs on Silver without even realising the tension they are going to have in a couple of years. Malleus always thought that Silver is lucky to have Sebek by his side for his whole life.

Like I mentioned in the first hc, Malleus usually either hides somewhere, tries to cover his scent just enough not to get bothered by others or just asks Lilia for help, but that one time he didn’t do any of it, and that was when Sebek burst into his room confused, concerned, determined and very aroused. Malleus didn’t expect to see him, but that was the first time he saw Sebek as an alpha willing and capable of handling him.

And Sebek really is good at handling him. He hesitates at first, but the more they do it, the more confident and aggressive he gets; either his alpha instincts take over, or he just sees that Malleus loves it when he isn’t holding back. But every time they finish, and Malleus squeezes Sebek as he gets stuck inside of him, it’s like the realisation of what kind of relationship he and his liege now have hits Sebek, and he gets flustered and apologetic. Malleus usually hits him with “so you regret doing this to me?” just to see Sebek get even more flustered and apologetic, but for the opposite reason.

Sebek obviously isn’t allowed to claim Malleus, and Malleus usually covers his nape with hard dragon scales just so even if Sebek bites him, he can’t mark him as his own. But one time he felt like testing (or teasing) Sebek and didn’t cover it, and poor Sebek was losing his mind the entire time. He really wanted to sink his teeth into that milky skin, he lapped it with his tongue and whimpered, but had enough self-control not to bite it… he bit Malleus’ shoulder and seriously scratched his hips instead, and Malleus enjoyed that a lot.

The only other lover Malleus had previously (we all know who it is) was bigger than Sebek, so Malleus is very used to the alpha’s cock practically hitting his uterus. He body is demanding and he is a huge-ass dragon, so this is the sensation he pretty much expects. But Sebek can’t really go that deep, which isn’t a super bad thing: Malleus learned to enjoy this tickling frustration of getting pleasured but not completely satisfied, in a weird way it arouses him, and of course his walls are always completely ruined by Sebek anyway. But when one day Sebek suddenly positioned Malleus’ legs in a different way, went harder and much deeper than before, hitting and almost entering Malleus’ uterus, Malleus saw stars. In a very good way.

In theory, Sebek just helps out Malleus (while obviously being madly in love with him), but it’s not like Malleus isn’t helping Sebek out too. They had sex in a library once because Sebek got horny seemingly for no reason, with his mind being a bit clouded. Malleus got surprised when he felt Sebek rubbing against his hip, but thought it was very cute... he could’ve teleport both himself and Sebek to his room, but doing it in a library felt more fun.

After that he gave Sebek his handkerchief, not saying but implying that Sebek should use this to masturbate the next time he gets uncontrollably horny around Malleus. He doesn’t totally mean it, but Sebek abuses that poor handkerchief pretty much daily. Malleus’ scent is so strong that it gives Sebek a headache sometimes, but he just can’t stop smelling it.

Sebek also learned how to massage Malleus when he doesn’t feel good during estrus but also doesn’t want to have sex for some reason. Sebek isn’t super good at it, and Malleus doesn’t always ask him to do it, but he learns very fast. He learned that Malleus reacts the best when his tail is getting massaged…

One day the realisation hit Sebek: he’s been breeding Malleus for quite some time now, up to 5 times per day every estrus, but it never leads to conception. Does Malleus just not get gravid? Is he doing something, is there magic involved? He has a lot of questions, but he wouldn’t dare to ask Malleus about any of them. He is afraid that Malleus would stop asking for his help if he does.

[periwinkla]

Your art is so soft and lovely and I am always stunned by the softness and the colours and everything T_T. If you don't mind sharing, do you have any tips for someone who has just started drawing?

Anon!!!! ;-; !!!! Thank you so much!!! ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Well... that's a hard question, so I'll divide it into points: -First of all, HAVE FUN!!! If you don't have fun with it, it's pointless! Stressing about 'getting better' will hinder your growth. And you won't *ever* be able to make what truly feels like 'you'. Also, when you LOVE something, the strong and positive emotion will help you remember what you learn (it's a psychological fact - I actually used it when teaching kids, I acted silly while I was explaining things because laughter would help them remember). -Observe the world around you. How things are made, how and why they have the shape they have. The way colors transition into one another in a sunset, or on a leaf, or even on your own skin. -Your art grows with you. As you experience new things, your art will grow. As you meet people, visit places, observe the world. As you grow as a person, you will find new things, new ideas and emotions you want to express via your art. -Your hobbies/the things you like influence what you draw. This is something I only noticed lately, but when I was a kid (elementary school age), I used to watch my sister play videogames. One of the first ones was FF X, and if you know the suteki da ne scene, you will get where my sappiness comes from. It's still my favourite animated cutscene of all time... just... the way the bodies move, it's so so beautiful.

-On that note, just because you're an artist it doesn't mean you can't get inspiration from things that aren't visual. Writing, music, etc... get inspiration from those also!

-You know the idea called 'consistent art style'? Well, hold it in your hand, look at it, and then defenestrate it. Outta the window it goes. Right now. -Keep a sketchbook! Why? Because that way, you can easily look back and see all the progress you've made! Your sketchbook can contain not only drawings, but also notes about stuff you learned, or maybe a cutout from something that inspires you... or even outfits, or swatches of color that you think look good together, etc. If you draw digitally, keep a digital sketchbook also (just make a folder and name the files p.01, p.02, etc. - maybe make a folder each year so that it doesn't 'burst' lol) In a way, a sketchbook is like a diary of your artistic life. -Keep a folder in your pc where you keep learning material, notes, or even art inspiration. Back it up every once in a while in case your pc goes kaput! NEVER forget to back up stuff.

Now this is for the technical stuff:

-Learn the fundamentals. Proportions of the body. Color theory. Perspective. <-these are the most important for now if you have just started drawing. There are many resources online, this is a list of useful links for artists of all skill levels, compiled by a wonderful soul: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_gg5Sdern2bn6wgfOh2xRrV8CwaVMIVBYvwSRfI6RCc/edit?pli=1&gid=0#gid=0 Personally, I used the following a lot: Figure drawing for all its worth by Andrew Loomis - book about how to draw the body (archive.org is your friend to find very useful pdfs) Proko and Marco Bucci - two artists on youtube I used to watch a lot during art school. I also used posemaniacs (a website) a lot. -Don't brush off traditional art. It's important you learn how real materials work. Especially with color! Pick three colors: magenta, yellow, and cyan (the primaries). Mix them up. Have fun playing with colors like kids would. Again, have fun! You'll learn lots. (Actually when I taught kids I did this. Also I picked a random colored pencil and asked them if there was more cyan or yellow or magenta in a color. That was particularly fun for them for some reason haha. And it's very VERY useful. Side note kids are so sweet I loved teaching them ;-;)

-On the topic of traditional art, please keep in mind pencils have different kinds of hardness (some draw bolder, some draw fainter) THAT MEANS that some might feel bad in your hand. As a general rule, I suggest not pressing hard because you might strain your wrist/arm, so I suggest something above a B (I personally like the 2B or 3B) but it depends on what feels comfortable for you. This might seem foolish but if it feels uncomfortable, you might draw worse than your potential if you use the wrong pencil for your hand. So experiment and see what feels best.

-Also if your body gets strained because you sit too much, consider drawing while standing up. It might be better. I personally only draw that way these days because of my health problems.

-Use references. Study them. Draw on top of them to understand the shapes of the body / object. Draw the subject again using those shapes. This is easier if you have a tablet obviously, if you don't you could either print them or use a fashion magazine or something like that. Sports magazines also, because you can learn how dynamic movement works.

^if this all seems overwhelming, do the following: get a reference, from anywhere you wish, and draw it with your favourite characters. There's nothing like obsession over some characters to learn how to draw. Trust me! :3c

Thank you again anon! And happy drawing! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

[vibratingskull]

Dance Lesson

Part1, 2

Thrawxf!reader

Between dancing, stealing uniforms and your heart, your head gets fuzzy.

“I was caught up tutoring Shah-tezh on basic theory. I didn't have time to find a date for the Gala!."

"Fair enough. Hopefully it was worth it." Karyn replies.

You shrug your shoulders, you don't care at the moment, you are too busy laying on the grass enjoying the sun. With your limbs spread like a starfish you let the pleasant warmth spread on your skin while a soft wind keeps blowing a lock of hair through your face. You don't mind, at this instant you were really at peace.

"Do you have anyone in mind? Cosblo maybe?" She grins at you.

You burst out laughing together, hugging your ribs. You try your best to speak coherently.

"I can see his face! He would be so disgusted!"

Karyn joins you laying on the grass, her body shaked by her laughter. You both stay like that, under the sun's rays, calming down slowly and enjoying the simple company.

"So, do you have someone in mind or not?" She asks quietly after a moment of silence.

"No, I didn’t actually think that much about it. I’ll just pop up at the Gala alone and run off with their best bottles, what do you think?"

"Sounds good, but if Deenlark caught you, you would be in big trouble!"

"Blast Deenlark! I will have already graduated by then anyway, he won't be able to do much."

You let a moment pass, appreciating the song of a bird near you. It is a gentle melody but one of its last. Birds don't live long on Coruscant. They are constantly imported to the city planet to please the wealthy, but can’t survive in the urban environment.

"And you?" You ask.

"Hey, I still have two years before this Ball, don't pressure me with that now!" She responds playfully.

"Come on. Don't you have any targets? Nobody you wish you could ask in secret?"

She looks at you from the corner of her eyes before capitulating.

"Alright, alright. I am thinking about asking Tiabri's out."

You search in your memory Tiabri's face, you are not the best when it comes to remembering people.

"Tiabri, Tiabri, Tiabri… Long curly black hair and green eyes? The one with a silvery tattoo?"

"Yes, that's her." She answers lazily, getting more and more sleepy under the sun. It doesn't stop you from harassing her with questions.

"When will you ask? How?"

"First off, I can hear your smile with my eyes closed, stop it. And second, I don't know. I’ll see when the moment comes."

"Okay, but don't take too long. You can’t be the only one with your eyes on her"

"Says the one without a date?"

You nudge her.

"Oh shut up, you."

"Hey, J.C! Karyn!"

Shielding your eyes with your hand, you turn toward the voice and see Eli meeting you with a smile, making the grass crack under his feet.

"What are you both doing here?"

"Enjoying the sun, come sit."

Eli lets himself down to the ground beside you and sighs with contentment.

"Why have you never told me about this spot? It must be the greatest thing in this Academy."

"Because we didn’t want you here, but now that you've found it we’re screwed." You playfully whisper.

"(Y/n), language." Karyn berates you.

"Now we are exposed?"

"Better. Where is the other guy? Thram?”

“Thra-wn.” Eli corrects. ”He’s talking with Deenlark”

“He’s talking or he’s talking?”

“He’s arguing with Deenlark.”

“Oh for Maker’s sake…”

“Where did you come from?" Ask Karyn.

"I just came back from the race track, the team accepted me as a substitute after my essays."

"See? I told you they would say yes,Jakeeb is a fair guy, he wouldn’t say no to someone who wanted to join the team.”

“In fact I will mostly help as a technician but he said I could participate in the Senior Race at the end of the year.”

It’s the final race of the season and the one concluding the curriculum of the seniors students just before the final exam of simulation.

“And the ball to finish the year.” you added.

“The what?”

“The ball!” you respond in unison.

He opens his eyes and turns towards you with an incredulous expression.

“Beg you pardon?”

__________________________________

“One, two, three... One, two, three... One, tw- Wrong foot!” You drop Thrawn’s hand and cut the music “Let’s take a break.”

You go over your towel and rub the sweat off your face while the chiss with a frustrated expression go to his bottle, next to him Eli lays against the wall with a defeated look on his face. Clearly neither him nor Thrawn are pleased to be here.

“Eli, you’re next.”

“Okay, but can you tell us again why we have to sweat?”

“The Gala is in less than three months.”

“Isn’t it just a stupid dance?”

“I wish it was. It would be easier, but I’m not working your butt off for just some dance.” You take your bottle and go sit with them. “It’s the Academy Ball, it’s trickier than that.”

“We would show more enthusiasm if we knew what it entails,” argues Thrawn.

You take a sip looking at them, wondering how to put it simply. You’re not informed about everything either.

“To be brief, did you notice how many of the students are from the elite? It’s the new way the Gotha have to introduce its childs to the high Society.”

“Didn’t the Empire wipe them off to instate a new social order?” Thawn wonders, surprised.

“Well it did, but some old, old families of the Republic worked with the Chancelier Palpatine to keep their privileges when he would be emperor. Now the upstarts and the new bourgeoisie had joined them and adopted the old ways of the former Nobility. So they use the ball as a means to introduce their prized children as adults to the Society.”

“And put them in contact with the rest of the political and military scene, I see,” completes Thrawn.

“Of course, as aliens and outer-rim dwellers we don’t have to live up to those high expectations but we still need to honor and not embarrass the military corps in front of the wealthy. So you really need to catch up with those dance moves!”

“Why isn't there any rehearsal with the class?” Eli grumbles.

“We had them at the start of the year, with the taking of measurements of uniforms”

“There is specific uniforms?”

“Of course, they don’t want to present their future new officers with some cheap tuxedos. They’re unique costumes. All the students that could afford it got one. I would have gotten one for myself if Karyn hadn’t already promised me to lend me a dress from her family.”

“Your friendship is strong,” notes Thrawn.

“I stood up for her in front of a stubborn professor when she arrived two years ago.”

“I see, so she bears a sentiment of gratitude towards you since then.”

“Don’t know, she had plenty of occasions to repay me. We just connect well.”

“And what about the students that cannot afford a tailored costume?”

You put your hands behind you and roll your head to ease the muscles of your back.

“Not everyone takes them back so we take old ones that we touch-up, you should ask for one at the stewardship.”

“No.” Thrawn responds, holding his chin. “This will not be an option.”

“Why not?” Eli queries doubtfully.

“I am afraid this opportunity closed itself with my last argument with Deenlark not long ago. He swore he would try his best to get in my way to the navy command chain.”

Eli looks at him mortified, Thrawn has no equal when it comes to running into problems but it seems he surpassed himself this time.

“What did you do?” You ask.

“I merely pointed out alternative and more effective methods of education.”

“Did you?”

Sometimes you wonder if Deenlark wouldn't outright refuse Thrawn to graduate to make him pay for his insolence. He often flirts with the line.

“I bet none of you have the money for a private tailor, so that leaves you with…”

“Robbing one.” Thrawn completes.

You choke on your water.

“Hey, calm down! Isn’t there a solution less… radical?” Eli intervenes.

“You could borrow them,” you propose.

“Unfortunately, we are not popular enough students for that.”

“We could rent them?” Eli adds.

“As J.C said, they are unique costumes. No store would have them.”

“Maybe Karyn could lend us a costume?” Eli insists.

“We would run into the same problem, moreover she agreed to lend a dress to (y/n) who is a good friend of hers, none of us can say the same.”

Eli frowns, annoyed.

“You could just… not go?” you suggest.

“That is out of question for myself. This is evidently an important ritual for the navy. I cannot ignoreit. Moreover, it will get me in contact with the chain of commands as a whole, I can not let such an opportunity pass.”

His arguments are sound, but still… You both turn your head towards Eli.

“I want to go too.” He responds, pressed.

“Then it’s settled, we should soon think about a plan.”

“Hey! Don’t bring me into this!”

“As you wish” Thrawn speaks camly. “But with or without you we will find a way.”

You gave a long groan. You were going to regret this.

_______________________________________________________

“What do you mean Eli won’t come?” You ask.

It is still early in the evening and you just ended your daily session of Shah-tezh and revisions with Thrawn.

“He has practice with the team for the Senior race.” Thrawn answers unwavering, replacing the pawns in the box.

“Hmpf.”

You sulk during your walk to your room. You’re not worried for Eli, his dancing skills are good. He can afford to skip a few sessions, but it is not the same for Thrawn and you're worried about the idea of being alone with him. Who knows what lies behind those incandescent eyes.

You inhale and get ready for what comes next.

“Wrong foot again.” You lightly shake your head. “I don’t understand, you master it when you are without a partner but you lose it when we dance together…”

Thrawn steps back at a respectful distance.

“Maybe you should let me lead for once.”

“ I will when you know how to put one foot after the other, until then you lead nothing! Let’s try it again without music.”

You get back in position, providing enough distance so he can clearly see your feet.

“Let’s try it slow, everything starts with your left foot…”

You start once again, swiping across the floor at the measure of you counting.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two…”

It’s already been a month since you started teaching them. It has been an adventure if only for finding an empty room everyday, muscle soreness and all the time they stepped on your foot. With so little time you’re only teaching them the three most popular dances for those parties.. Eli was doing well enough, you had started helping him develop freestyle. Thrawn, however, was another entity. He’s doing remarkably in the solo exercises, but completely spoils it with a partner; too fast, too slow, off beat, zero synchronization. If only he could just follow the music you could follow him in return.

“One, two,thre- Ouch…”

You hold his shoulder while you prance to keep your balance and he holds your arm for support.

“I am truly sorry,” he says.

“I don’t doubt it, I just wished it didn’t happen as much,” you laugh it out. “I feel like you're not with me on this, like you're absolutely trying to take the lead.”

“I am trying my best but it has proven harder than expected.”

You put your foot back on the ground and think, what could prevent him from improving?

You won't say you fully understand him. His mind works in a different capacity than most anyone you'd ever met. He couldn't even look at a painting without finding a way to bring the art of war into it. Perhaps that was the solution.

“I think… You see your partner as an adversary rather than an ally.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“This is not combat, miss (y/l/n).”

“That’s exactly my point, you expect resistance where there is not. You should relax, go with the flow! Stop being so stern and serious all the time… I know!”

You put the music back on dropping the ballroom style for a more upbeat and joyous style and slide the volume up. You start prancing, swinging on site and encouraging him to do the same.

“Come on! Dance! Have some fun!” You dance and skip “It will unknot your muscles, you’re always so stiff!”

His demeanor doesn’t change but a flash passes through his eyes like you screamed profanity at him, something akin to a horrified expression twists his face for less than a second before getting back to it’s usual imperturbable look as you rotate around him in rhythm.

You take his hands and start swinging them.

“Come on, come on!”

Understanding he wouldn’t escape this, he starts shifting his weight on his feets reluctantly. You start freestyling, shaking your head with all your might to shake off all your stress and nerves from the last month, the exams, the ball, the simulation test, everything that came and is to come, throwing everything away.

At the corner of your eyes you see him expanding and caressing his limbs, more into a choreographed stretch than a real dance, but it will do.

You continue like this for five more minutes before switching back to the ballroom music.

“Let’s try this again! And dance with me this time, not against. ”

You hold your hands and you already notice a difference in the way he carries himself. You engage the first steps and he follows with ease like something just switched in his unconscious mind.

"Very good!"

You keep up the same dance until the end. There were still some errors and resistance on his part but the progress was amazing. These lessons will be less tedious from now on.

“Much better! Let’s take a break.” You turn down the sound and sit to do some stretches.

“Did you make up your mind?” Thawn asks.

“About what?”

“About helping us with the costume. The date is rapidly approaching.”

You hum out a sigh. “I’m not sure. This is not really my problem, no offense.”

He looks at you in silence with a cryptic expression

“I see, a pity.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No nothing, what do you mean by “a pity”? You never make commentaries without some idea in mind, what are you thinking about?”

“I was just thinking how displeased you would be if your secret were spreaded.” _______________________________________________________________

I’m an idiot, you thought, leaning behind a wall to ensure nobody's there and Thrawn behind you to have your back.

You regret accepting to help and you regret this date was chosen. Although it is the best date possible, the Senior Race is monopolizing all the Academy and both teachers and students are at the circuit to support the team, it also means Eli won’t be there to help.

You feel uneasy, you didn’t talk much to Thrawn since you tried to kiss him the other day and you’re not sure how to act. He doesn’t seem to know about it and is acting like always, but your lips and cheeks burn at that single thought.

You press yourself against the wall when a loud group of students pass nearby. The storehouse is down the corridor at your left, and the connection point in front of you, you will need to traverse the junction when the cameras won’t look to the next blindspot.

“You know how to enter, miss (y/n)?” He demands with a low voice.

"That's why you asked for my help., And cut it out with the miss, you're stressing me out."

You turn your head towards the camera.

“Go!” You check left and right and cross the intersection “Stop!”

Hiding from the cam behind Thrawn you open your bag and take out a little console and start searching for the round plug.

“What is this?” He checks on you over his shoulder.

“This, my dear, is a technological marvel that you won’t find anywhere else.” You found it and plugged it right away. “It will take some seconds to connect.”

The screen lights up and you start playing with the buttons, searching for the correct command.

“C’mon, c’mon… Ha!” You click and select the correct files. “I’m hijacking the stream of the camera. There! We won’t appear on the tape anymore.”

He turns himself and kneels next to you to observe.

“It shouldn’t take too long from now on.” Series of numbers appears on the screen and your little machine starts searching.

“So what is it exactly?”

“At first it was sold to technicians to manage stocks, but some smart ones quickly found out how to overwrite the primary code and transform this little toy into a global master key. It works on everything because the code is the most simple one you can find, without any frills. After that the Republic destroyed them for public safety reasons.”

“Not all of them, I see.”

“Most of them.” You laugh. “My grandparents once robbed a bank with one of those!”

He raises an eyebrow.

“Or so I’ve been told.” You clear your throat. “There won’t be any cams inside but the droids can record through their eyes.”

“You sure seem to know a lot about the infrastructure, J.C.”

“No, not really.”

He looks at you with glaring eyes.

“Okay, I’ve done it once. But I only took chocolate bars for Karyn’s birthday.”

“It explains a lot.”

You can’t say if his tone is neutral or judgmental.

“It’s open.” You close your bag and stand up on your feet.

You check left and right once again and go down the corridor to see the storehouse door wide open, you gallop to it and close it behind Thrawn. Glaring across the room you both hide behind a metal box left here. Rising over it you observe the armada of droids handling the stocks, coming and going in a waltz rhythm by the hum of engines.

“And now what?”

“Now we must find the aisle and the correct box.” He answers mimicking a shush.

“I can find the aisle.”

He frowns at you incredulous.

“I told you this toy was a gem!” You look up at the screen. “Row seven.”

You put your console back inside your bag and spy the droids.

“How are we gonna cross the room?” you mumble.

“Haven’t you done this before?”

“There weren't as many droids! I think they took on the fact that someone came behind their back…”

He shakes his head and observes the whole room. His gaze travels from the door to the droids, to the shelves.

“We are going to climb the shelves.”

Without giving you any time to protest, he walks to the first shelf, careful to stay out of sight of the droids and climb the ladder rapidly to the top. You grumble and follow in his trail, avoiding the mechas by passing behind diverse structures and climbing as fast as you could. at the top you measure the area between the two shelves.

“You know we can't jump such a distance, right?”

“We are not going to need to jump, we will use the wall.”

You turn your head to observe the reliefs of the motifs on the walls, you could indeed grasp your hands around and put your feet on the rails but… The surface is incredibly slim. You look down to see the ground and you get dizzy.

“I’m not sure about that.”

“You can stay here if you are afraid.” Without hesitation he places his hands on the wall and starts crossing the gape.

You gulp, you’re not sure those costumes are worth the broken bones you risk with that method, but you’re not a coward and you won’t let that chiss believe it.

You wipe off your hands on your pants and follow him. The surface appears even slimmer now that your weight is on it and you feel like this is gonna be really difficult.

Don’t look down, don't look down, you repeat like a mantra while progressing along the rails. If only the shelves weren’t so spaced out! You grip the embossing with all your might as you start feeling sweat run down your back and your temperature rising. Are you really risking only a broken bone if you fell? Your arms and legs start trembling at the middle of the crossing, in front of you Thrawn already traverses and waiting for you at the next shelf. It looked almost easy when he did it, why is it so difficult?

You stop as even your fingers are shaking with cold sweat running down between them.

“Why did I accept to help you, again?” You whisper.

“Because I know about your family.” He responds deadpan.

Son of a bantha! You feel ire rising in your veins and a new energy spreads through your muscles, you quickly close the gap and seize the hand he extended for you while digging your nails through his sleeve. He doesn’t react and turns himself to the next gap. You forgot there was still five of them. Damn it! You have to take your breath, this is exhausting…

As you stop your eyes travel through the room and you notice a pallet truck moving around. You study its path and calculate roughly when it will come next to your shelf. You step back and sprint to the ledge, as it passes you jump and land almost too far. You crouch and wave to Thrawn as it goes by. It is way quicker than crossing the gap! You laugh a little, realizing the situation is both thrilling and terrifying. You hold yourself to avoid trembling on this precarious balance and you can jump back to the seven shelf. As you turn back you see Thrawn imitates you with another forklift and joins you back.

“Good thinking.”

Without missing a moment he goes down the ladder and starts searching for the right box. You follow him and you quickly find the box you need.

“How are we gonna open it?” You ask “It’s sealed.”

“With this.” He takes out his Lieutenant plaque and inserts it into a port.

“Won’t they find out who opened it?”

“It is a blank plaque, it should not be a problem.”

You hear a click and the lid trembles a little before stopping, you both take one side and slide it.

“I didn’t know a plaque could serve like that!” You say.

“I found it out recently as well.”

Now opened, you could see a myriad of uniforms tightly folded. Without any tag you will need to eyeball each of them to find the good ones.

“They should be ranged by size.” Thawn says.

You both start searching and it takes you around twenty five minutes to find both uniforms and ten more to fold and place back the one you don’t need. You calculate mentally how long the false video recording is and realize you have little time to go back. Once done you put them in your bag and close the box.

Thrawn looks at his chrono.

“We should hurry, the race will soon end.”

You go back back on top of the shelf and jump again on a forklift. Thrawn is right behind you. His landing sends a vibration through the metal, nearly forcing you off the platform. Before you topple off the edge, Thrawn seizes your arms, pulling you tight against him. You can feel the warmth of his hand on your skin and it reminds you again of this fateful kiss. You clear your throat, uneasy. The first shelf arrives quickly and you jump back to safety and go down rapidly. The way back is spent mostly avoiding the cameras and lonely persons wandering the halls.

As you reach Thrawn and Eli’s room you collapse on Thrawn’s bed without asking permission with a long and relieved sigh.

“Finally! Safety!”

Thrawn leans over to seize your bag and takes out the uniforms to try his one again. He plants himself in front of the mirror to appreciate it and finds where to do touch-ups. He really wore it elegantly, you think. At this moment, Eli enters with a cry of victory, so much it startles you.

“We ended up in second place! I got to race ‘till the last lap!” He proudly announces.

You jump off the bed and hug him tightly. “Congratulations!”

As you separate, you notice out of the corner of your eyes Thrawn silently observing both of you.

“How did it go for you?”

“We’ve found them both, you will have to try yours.”

“Quickly then, I have to join the team again after!”

You then take the opportunity to pack your stuff and go to the door.

“I’m gonna sleep a little. I will come celebrate with you later Eli!”

As soon as the door closed behind you, Eli turned to Thrawn.

“Did you really have to steal them?”

“Of course not. I lied to test J.C.’s aptitudes.”

@exoplorationn, @bluechiss

[lej222]

Do you think cheol miae will date briefly and then eventually break up? Or will they ever date in middle school or in high school? I personally think miae won't end up with cheol or with jisu. there’s something like that she is not ready for dating and stuff also i doubt she will ever date someone. Even if she someday realise she likes cheol she will barely work on it. At this point of the story with what's going on in aslfua if cheol don't reciprocate his feelings first nothing major like dating will ever happen and the max we can get is them acknowledging their feelings but one sidedly. It's understandable as they are only kids. Also the insecurities miae have and being with cheol will just remind her that all the time in near future.i am saying this because she heard harsh things about her looks her eyebrows her clothing style but she never listens to these so one day the feelings she has buried deep inside will eventually burst out and it will be much worse then expected. Hope cheol help her from coming out of her insecurities and braces herself as who she is. Some people relay on their favourite person all the time but it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be lovers. For miae cheol is someone she can depend she can trust. So even if they part ways someday they will not have any bitter feelings or regrets as miae got cheol when she needed him the most in her life and cheol got her when he needed her the most in his life. This webtoon is about slice of life and we can relate to aslfua many ways not like other webtoons. In real life we can't always marry our childhood crushes or dates even if we promise to stay with each other forever. Yes some people are lucky they find their true love but normalcy is not that. So i think cheol miae will keep being good friends but they will have their own separate life. (Sorry for my long essay😑i just got carried away bragging about aslfua it’s because you are so fun to talk 🫶)

No, don't apologize, you raised a lot of good points I've been also thinking about! You are really nice so I loved reading your post🙂

You have very great questions and observations. I also believe that even if they start dating in the story, it won't be very serious - they are simply not emotionally mature for a commitment like this. We have a few options to choose from:

They start dating but because they are still kids and might go in different paths in life, it won't last very long. And as you said, in this case the point of the story would be that different people teach us different things in our lives and every encounter is meaningful.

They start dating, break up, then meet again as adults, then start dating again. I know that lots of people love this theory, but I'm not sure about it because realistically by then they would be very different people, we cannot really expect them to be the same and have the same feelings. Unless in some way they are so fated to be with each other. It depends on how realistic the ending will be, not saying this would be totally unrealistic btw.

They start dating soon/at the end of the story and will stay together with eventual marriage. Like you've said, a relationship like this is very rare. Most people indeed do not end up with their first loves from middle school, but it's not impossible. The author really needs to make them communicate in this scenario otherwise like you've mentioned it would feel like they are simply not ready for this step. This is also the happiest ending out of all the options for the readers who want them to end up together.

The story ends abruptly without any conclusion to their feelings, but we get a flashforward of them being together in the future. In this case the author would conveniently skip the steps of them learning about how to be in a relationship, so I'm not the biggest fan of this one.

They acknowledge their feelings, but won't act on them. This is most likely if they will be separated and go on different ways. Although most people hate this theory, I like the bittersweet feeling of young love that goes away just as unexpectedly as it comes. This might be way too realistic for the story, so we will have to see.

Some higher power will interfere, in what ways we don't know yet. Seems like it doesn't want Miae to have regrets about her first love. Does it want her to understand they are not destined to be together? Or will they fight fate? Again, we don't know.

About Jisu, the only way I can see them ending up together is in the distant future. Like, they now become friends, they might go to the same high school, realize that they are on the same wavelength, etc. If they were to be together, I don't think it would be included in the story because the story is mainly about first love. I don't know how likely it is, I love his character so I would be okay with an ending like this but I can understand why people would hate it. Also like you've said, Jisu could also be just a part of Miae's memories who will eventually get separated from her. It wouldn't be bad if Miae only stayed friends with the boys. I'm mostly intersted in Jisu as a character and his memories but he has great chemistry with Miae, Cheol as well, so I don't really care about the romantic outcome.

So yes, it is indeed a tough question, like you, I also love bittersweet and realistic endings that are meaningful. But I can accept if the story will have a big happy ending because at the end of the day I'm just a reader and not the writer🙂

[artivinaytuteja]

Do Positive Affirmations Work?

At times I get to hear from my clients or even family and friends, that they have been using positive affirmations to improve XYZ situation in their life. But unfortunately, it has not been working the way it is claimed or does not work at all for few.

So, should we assume that Positive Affirmations are not true? Or is it doable by only select few? Let us in this article understand the science and the myths and facts about Positive Affirmations.

Positive Affirmation is nothing but using positive statements or phrases to challenge negative thoughts. For e.g. “I am Successful”, “I am a wonderful person” etc. This is one of the self-help strategies, which helps promote self-confidence and strengthen our belief in our own abilities.

Now that I have put forth what is Positive Affirmation, lets get ahead and understand the reasons for the success or failure of these.

Positive Affirmation is no magic. It is pretty much science and extensive research has been conducted through the years on this by Psychologists. The Self Affirmation theory was published by Psychologist Claude Steele in the 1980s. It talks about how individuals react/adapt to information or experiences that are threatening to their self.

It further says that, if an individual reflects on values that are personally relevant to them, they are less likely to experience distress and react defensively when confronted with information that contradict or threatens their self.

Positive Affirmations are fruitful with practice and patience. You would think, positive for a day and then expect you or the situation to improve, well sorry to burst your bubble, but no it does not work like that.

Science behind Positive Affirmations:

Our brain is a complex organ. It stores ample of data, right from our birth! Our brain can change and adapt to different situations. At times brain mixes up the real and imagination, which can be beneficial at times.

Positive Affirmations build an imaginative situation which activates the brain area which would be activated when we experience those situations in reality. For e.g., when we think that we are bungee jumping to conquer fear of heights, the brain thinks that is what we have done. As a result, our fear of heights diminishes. 

Why Positive Affirmation Don’t Work:

Doing the affirmations for the sake of a task: Till the time you do not believe in the affirmations, they won’t be engraved in your mind and heart. Hence, the expected is result is not met.

You are sceptical about the affirmations: If you feel that you are lying to yourself and are having questioning thoughts about them. It won’t boost your self-esteem and hence, you would not get the necessary output.

Not doing anything: As said earlier, positive affirmation is not magic, if you are affirming for a situation and not working on improving the situation, you would suffer the loss or failure. Hence, acting on the task in hand is equally important.

 How to make the affirmations work for you?

Practice and patience: This is an ongoing process, which needs to be done every day. It would be a few days, weeks, or months before you see the results.

Start with 3 – 5 minutes: No one is asking us to sit for 30 minutes straight and practice affirmation. At the start 5 minutes can be utilised twice to get in the flow.

 Repeat affirmations at least few times: Listen yourself, breathe in the affirmations and breathe out negativity.

Get help: Ask someone to repeat your affirmations. Listening to affirmations reinstates the belief in us.

Combine it with other goal setting techniques: For e.g., using visualisation may help to add clarity to what you are saying.

[imhereandexist]

Chapter 2: Trouble Followed pt 1

One minute, Sonic was on the camera. In his cell, cuddling the book as if it were a priceless item. The next minute, their cameras went on the fritz. The screen froze first, then the computer short circuited which caused their entire part of the base to lose power. Then once power was back up and the cameras on once more. They didn't see Sonic at all! All that remained was that book. The door was still shut. They sounded the alarm and had everyone search high and low in every part of the base. Shadow scoured the room and found no tunnels or anything. He scoured the track they made and found no hidden spots.

They sent teams off base to track Sonic down afterwards. Allow while double checking each spot. One day turned into days. Those days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. They confirmed that Sonic just vanished. Many thought he got out but none of the working cameras had Sonic on them. He was just gone. The book was the last thing seen with Sonic. Shadow knew the bookworm wouldn't up and leave something this valuable to him. Something was amiss. He looked at the book and scoured through the pages. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He shut it and tabled it for now.

“Shadow, bring us that book please.”

He grabbed it and headed to the lab. It was taken and analyzed. It was silent and then they hummed. He hated when they did that. Why couldn't they just say what they found?

“How strange. This book has remnants of chaos energy. The kind we use for our weapons and gear.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“I am not sure but…it's clear it took Sonic. Where is not the question. It's when did it take him.”

“Are you saying…Sonic traveled into the past via a book? One that we gave him to entertain himself with?” The commander asked.

“Yes. And judging from how long it's been. It's clear he can't come back, not the same way at least. Give me some time. I'll make a portal with this book as the source.”

“Can we get Sonic back then?”

“In theory.”

“We will send Rouge and Shadow then. Let us know when you are done.” He said. “And Shadow, I expect you to bring him back.”

“Course, why would I not?” Shadow crossed his arms. “I helped you find him the last time.”

The commander walked out. Shadow stuck around to watch the others work. Mostly to have something to do. Sonic really did find a way out. Shadow wasn't lying when he said G.U.N needed Sonic. Yet the hedgehog had given up and became something he had to babysit. When he mentioned Sonic had a need to run, they built the track. When Shadow tried to get that stubborn thing to move, he was met with an eerie silence.

That was all he ever got minus the riddle. Sonic was never quiet. He yapped. He talked so much that Shadow hated it. When they caught him, Sonic recovered from a cold. Yet he never uttered a word. He never moved. He laid on the bed, eyes up. Like a doll someone threw onto the bed. G.U.N told him to make Sonic run. To keep him in shape. That failed and now, Sonic was freed by a book he said would help stimulate his mind.

“Shadow, if this works…we could travel back and forth between time.”

“Safely?” He asked.

“Maybe. Who knows.” They said as they all began to make a small version of what they needed. “It's a prototype but it will work for what we need.”

“So long as we can go in, get Sonic and come back.” He kept watching.

“Agent Rouge coming along?”

“Sadly, knowing G.U.N they already contacted her.” He took a deep breath. “In three, two..”

“Oh handsome~” She burst into the room and hugged him. “I was told I have a mission with you!” She cooed.

“Rouge, get off.” Shadow groaned.

“And to find Blue. Did you let him out?” She cooed.

He shoved her off and fixed his quills and fur, “I'd never let that stubborn faker go. He got away through that.” He pointed at the book. “He was pulled into the past. We need to go in and get him back here.”

“Oh wow, the time of knights and kings. Imagine all the gold and jewels I can bring home with me~” the bat cooed. “And how big those shiny rocks are.”

“Rouge…” Shadow growled.

“I know. I know, but come on Handsome. Can't blame a girl for wanting to get a little coin. I have standards to keep up.” She landed next to him. “And of course, I have to keep up with the fashion of the time.”

“you’re as grating as ever. This isn't a vacation.”

“Ugh, I know already.” She sat with her legs crossed. “So stingy. No wonder Blue left you alone.”

“Tch, I simply avoided him.”

Rouge looked at him, “no, he avoided you. It's why you had such a hard time tracking him down. You told him to leave you alone. He did. Then you go and capture him. When he had a cold. Got lucky.” The bat said.

“Even so, he needs to stay here.”

“Like a caged animal,” The bat crossed her arms. She could feel that look. “Don't pretend like you didn't see it that way. You grew up among humans. A project they made. Sonic was taken and stuffed into a cell. Given a book and told to deal because he was needed.”

Rouge looked at Shadow, “you locked an animal up and told him to adapt. You can't lock someone who runs for fun and lives like the wind. Not without breaking something in them.” She looked away.

Shadow groaned and went back to watching the lab workers. As if he locked Sonic up by choice. Helped or not, G.U.N needed him and he got Sonic to them. Why, he wasn't told but that wasn't his business.

“Once we find Blue, we will meet resistance.” She eyed the book. “Free at last, in a time period where no G.U.N exists. Able to run as he wishes to where he wishes.”

“What are you spewing now?”

“The honest truth about what will happen. He won't come back so easily.” Rouge smiled. “And well…nevermind, best keep the rest to myself.”

“What?” Shadow looked at her.

“Don't worry, it wasn't anything important.” She waved a hand at him.

It was quiet between them. Only the scientists and their tools were the source. He didn't move, but Rouge left to get food or something to drink. Sometimes she would go shower. The rest she slept or sat in silence. There wasn't much they could really do. They had to ensure the machine worked. Test it. All the joys of waiting to ensure it's safe to use. He stood there for days, watching and waiting. Rouge did the same, quietly.

“Seems safe enough.”

“We can send you two to and from, but it will only work two times.”

“I assume we need to be in a certain spot for both times too?” The bat asked.

“Yes. Misty Lake. We sent the commander an email. He said to send you two right now. Remember, find Sonic and try to bring him back.”

“Try?” Shadow asked.

“The commander has a bad feeling this won't be easy. So, he says to try. Failing just means we can try again with a better machine.”

“How lenient.” The bat let out a sigh.

They pulled the switch. The book powered the machine up and opened a portal. Her and Shadow went through and arrived at Misty Lake. It lived up to its name. A vast lake, covered by a thin veil of mist. A light patch of trees around them that thinly veiled the wide open field beyond them. The breeze was warm and soft with the sun high above them.

“Sonic must be in paradise.” The bat relaxed. “Now if only we knew which direction to go.”

“We ask around. There must be a town nearby.” Shadow walked by her. “Keep up.”

“An easy task. You never go full speed with me.”

“Tch, only because you would complain otherwise.” He began to skate in a direction with her flying close by.

“Ok, so we ask around. What do we ask?” Rouge questioned. “Also, it might be seen as odd that we are looking for him.”

“It's a blue hedgehog. How weird can it be?” Shadow scoffed at her concern.

All they had to do was ask the people if they saw a fast, blue hedgehog running around. It was as simple as that. Why was Rouge panicking? There was no need. It was a waste of time and energy. They had to focus on the task at hand. Both kept going in the same direction until they hit a town.

It was full of people and all talking about how the king had returned. Ill but he was safe and being tended to at the current moment. Nothing interesting about that. He and Rouge went to the place most people talked, a tavern. He walked in and many eyes turned to them.

“Sir Lancelot?”

“Where is your armor?”

“So indecent.”

A lot of women covered their eyes. Even some of the men did. Rouge looked at Shadow and smirked.

“I am so sorry about this.” She covered him and he growled. “His armor was stolen. Have you seen it?”

“Oh dear. No, but perhaps the king has. I heard he was bedridden though. Were you given time away from aiding the king?”

Shadow went to reply, but Rouge nodded.

“He was. He needed time away. We will head to the castle and see if the king can help us.” She said, pulling Shadow out.

“Rouge!”

“Go along Handsome. The king has resources that we don't have. People that can help us find Sonic.” She said, hovering in the air.

Shadow went to rebuke her words but she had a point. They could spend days roaming the land in hopes to find Sonic. Or enlist the aid of the king himself to have a search party out helping them.

“For once, you are correct. I know where the castle is in our time. Follow my lead.” He said, taking off.

“And just think, they'll let you in because you are Lancelot.” She cooed. “Oh, I bet the real knight is dashing.”

“Focus Rouge.” Shadow groaned.

“Yeah, yeah.” She booed. “What a party killer.”

They ran from the town towards the Misty Lake. Passing that location and moving on towards the next one. The field turned into a forest. Thicker than the last forest. They kept going and made it out with ease. It took them to the town around Castle Camelot. The people were also talking about the king recovering. He played the role of a knight who lost his armor and headed to the castle. Knights stood straight but he caught wind of talk.

Two Knights asked one another when Lancelot left the king’s side. Not to mention, losing the armor given to him by the king. They assumed it was stolen which meant the thief would pay dearly for their crimes. Rouge landed and walked with him. They entered the castle with ease. A red carpet leading to the end of the hall where a set of double doors stood. Two knights stood at attention. On either side of the were two open stone archways. The left staircase went up and down, spiraling in both directions out of sight. The right staircase only went up.

“Sir Lancelot! The king is ill and you left? You just hurry to his side post haste.”

Shadow was pulled along as was Rouge. They assumed she was some aid he sought out. The two knights pulled them up the right staircase to an ornate wooden door. They knocked and waited.

“Enter,” A voice similar to Shadow spoke.

Rouge opened the door first and walked in with Shadow following her. They had a small entryway to walk through. Light pouring in from a window on the right lights up the bright red curtains pulled back by golden rope. They spotted an antique dress and Vanity first. As they entered the room more, the room curved. In between two windows was a four poster bed with more bright red curtains that were let down to cover the figure resting.

Rouge looked on to see a closet she could stroll into. Expensive clothes, capes, crowns and jewels. All ripe for the taking. Her eyes spotted a gold tub with more red curtains pulled back with the golden rope once more. This was either a king, queen or princess room. Either way, she loved it! Her eyes went back to the bed to see the curtains were disturbed in an area.

“We were told the king sent for us?” She said, trying to stand properly for this time era.

An armored hand pushed the curtain back. The figure stood still. Sword at the hip with his helm down and a scowl now gracing his expression. He looked like Shadow, but darker colors. No wonder everyone thought Shadow was this guy! This was probably Lancelot!

“Imposter, speak now.” He pulled his sword. “Why do you seek the king! What are your intentions!”

Shadow didn't get to speak. Rouge beat him to it.

“Pardon our intrusive behavior. We need his highness’s aid. A friend of ours is missing. Perhaps he has seen or heard of him?” She said.

“Speak his name and description.”

“Sonic. Bright blue quills, emerald green eyes and runs fast as the wind.” She said, keeping Shadow quiet.

The knight lost his frown for a second and looked back behind the curtain, “sire, do you know of a Sonic? Fast, bright blue as you are, with green eyes as your own?”

“No,” A tired voice spoke. “Send them away already.”

“But your majesty, we came all this way…”

“I know why you are here, but I will not aid you in thine search. I grow weary, Sir Lancelot.” The king said.

“I shall have the doctor fetch some nightshade to help you sleep.” The knight looked at them. “As for you. Take thine leave.”

“Please, allow us an audience, your grace.” Rouge begged.

“The king is ill and you dare to bother him during his time of struggle?!”

A hand moved the curtain to the side. Rouge and Shadow saw Sonic of all people.

“Blue!”

Lancelot kept her at bay.

“I don't know who thee are nor do I wish to entertain your trifling issues. My ailing health has already set my kingdom back. Take thine leave. Before it is forced.” Sonic spoke, clear and with a cold tone.

“Guards! Take these two out of the castle!” Lancelot shouted. “Try anything and I shall smite thee myself.”

Knights came running up with a redheaded woman. She spotted the two and walked by them. I shall send thee away soon.” She had the knights drag the two out through the curtains And out of the room. Shadow went to jump but Rouge stopped him. Making it so they were thrown out of the castle and into the town. The gates were then shut.

“Why did you stop me?! That was Sonic!” He yelled.

“Blue doesn't remember us, Handsome. So what is your plan? Force him to return and hope his memories return? By keeping him locked in a cell?” She crossed her arms.

“I…don't know but he can't stay here. He doesn't belong at this time! It's our time he is needed in.” Shadow argued.

“So you plan to kidnap Sonic, who has no idea who he is, who we are and take him back with us. Hope he gains his memory and if he doesn't, manipulate him into thinking other memories then. Is that it?”

“No!”

“Well that is what G.U.N will do. I won't be a part of this. Locking him up and making it so they not have one, but two weapons? And for what? What purpose would that serve?”

“I…I don't know..”

“Okay, then let's say that is what happens but he regains his memories and learns what G.U.N and you did. Then what? What will you do when he becomes angry with you all?” The bat flew up when Shadow tried to punch her. “What happens when all your hard work to lie to him backfires?”

“It wont.” He firmly stated.

“So says you, but we found Sonic and it's clear Sonic doesn't remember us or his original time. Which means time in that cell affected his memories after all.”

“Wh-what are you talking about?” Shadow asked.

“You were given Medical training, but not physiological training. In solitary confinement, people tend to start to lose it. They become depressed, lose their ability to hold onto memories, some can't problem solve, some lose the ability to speak and the list goes on.” Rouge sighed and looked at the king’s tower.

She was concerned. He could see it in her face. He looked at the tower as well. They had a job. They had to complete it. Find Sonic and bring him back. They couldn't go back empty handed. If they hadn't found him, then yeah. They could go back. They did though. G.U.N wouldn't care if he didn't remember. They viewed him as property.

“We need to get him and leave.” Shadow said.

“Try all you want Handsome. That knight isn't going to make it so easy and now, they all know what you look like.” She flew off. “Good luck.”

He scoffed but used Chaos Control. He was back in Sonic’s room as soon as time resumed. He rushed to hide.

“Sire, the medicine is here.”

“I thank thee. I am sorry for being so ill.”

“Your health is important. I can always bring thine paperwork here and have thine work from the bed.”

Shadow leaned out to see Lancelot close the curtain as he set the medicine down. He went back to hiding.

“Even so, the people need me and I can barely move.”

“Sire, stress won't help thine condition.”

“I know but it's hard to not stress.”

The knight took his post and sat on the bed. He saw concern for the king. He also saw how the hands fell against the sword. He didn't want to fight but…he may have to. What else could he do? Chao Control? No, he needed an emerald and he already used it once. G.U.N had all the emeralds. They didn't exist yet and he had no idea where they could be at this time.

“Sire, if I may be frank…perhaps healing magic may help.”

“I doubt it. It's more that they neglected to treat my cold and now I am paying that price.”

“I see. I shall do all I can to help.”

“Also, we have an intruder.”

Shadow saw the knight stand up and look around. Sonic knew? Wait, Rouge said Sonic had been avoiding him. Did he have a sense when it came to him?

“I know thee is in mine closet, Shadow. I know how thine breathes.”

Lancelot was on him in seconds. The knight grabbed him and took him from Sonic's room. The hero playing King could hear his breathing. How did he know that? Was his hearing that good? He got thrown out of the castle again.

“One more time and we will throw thee into the dungeon itself. The king is a kind man, but he has limits. Three times, thee will be punished. This is thine’s second warning.” Lancelot told him.

The gates were closed again and he was left to his own devices. Well, not completely. Rouge was there and laughing.

“Did you think sneaking into the king’s chambers would go that easy? That you could go in and just change his mind?”

“At least I am trying!” He stated. “Sonic isn't a king. He is a hedgehog.”

“Who has no memory of us. Remember?”

“He lied. He knows. He is just pretending. He knows my breathing and called me by my name! He is lying.”

“Ah, I see,” Rouge looked up at the tower. “You want to forget it all huh Blue?”

“Rouge, do something. Try to convince him.”

“Very well.” She landed and walked over to the knights.

He didn't hear very well but she was allowed in. She waved to him and followed a knight back into the castle. Shadow was trying to brute force his way in. It was best to be kind. She knew Blue was a prisoner and knew very well how that would affect him. Course he would pretend and play another role. Why else would he ignore his own time when he was a prisoner? She was back in the chambers but unlike with Shadow. Sonic was waiting for her. Lancelot stood by the bed with a gaze fixated on her every move.

“What does thine want?” Sonic asked her.

“I know you remember us. Shadow told me.” She took a step towards the bed and saw the sword be grabbed. “Unlike him, I am here to talk.”

“Why?”

“Trust me I won't pull you back to that place. Why would I? They have you in such a cramped space and those meals. Ugh.”

She got Blue to laugh and smile at her joke. Lancelot relaxed and let her close enough to sit on the bed.

“Good to see you smiling again, Blue. How are you doing?” She asked.

“Like hell…I'm barely able to stand for long. Can't really run either. Let alone walk. I have to eat small portions and overeating makes me sick. I'm tired easily. I'm only 22 and this is what happens when you get older.”

“Blue, you were imprisoned by G.U.N. They aren't exactly a five star resort,” The bat said, getting him to laugh again. “Besides, it's clear you are the king. Why fight fate, right?”

“You want jewels.” Sonic said, seeing her look away.

“Of course not!” She crossed her arms and looked away.

“Sir Lancelot, remember that necklace the envoy gave me,” He looked at the knight. “Fetch it for me. Present to my friend.”

[imminent-danger-came]

Eldritch Abomination MK Theory

OKAY. @the-punning-ubus

I just want to say reading these tags are SO validating, because I have my little "MK was an eldritch abomination thing pre-hatching from stone" theory and seeing someone else come to pretty much the same conclusion feels good.

I've been meaning to write a proper theory post on this for a while, so now is as good of a time as any!

Obviously we have Wukong's "Not just anyone can wield my staff, but you did" from A Hero is Born and "The staff's just a big 'ol stick bud! It takes someone special to wield it" from 3x03, but there's also something in 1x09 Macaque:

Macaque: "Your staff kinda gives you away dude, not just anyone can wield that thing."

-

Macaque: "Ohohoh no, can't you hold the magic staff anymore? Well, you know what that means—there really isn't anything special about you. You're just a kid with a heavy stick."

-

-

The sweet irony of "There really isn't anything special about you. You're just a kid with a heavy stick!" followed immediately by MK lifting the staff again is not lost on me.

So, from s1 it was pretty obvious that Wukong didn't "give" MK any form of power, but we knew that already with MK being a monkey demon and all. I just think it's particularly intriguing that all of this was laid out in the same episode where MK proclaims "I am the weapon!". In all honestly, he probably was/is.

One of the main questions coming out of s4 is "why was MK created?"—Monkey King's stone was used to form another, but for what purpose? To what end? What reason was MK at the center of all these stories?

Well, here's my current theory:

MK was something in a past life, and that something needed to be contained—and so, to put a stop to past life eldritch abomination MK, he was then sealed away in the stone.

I think this scene in particular raises some alarm bells:

The stone cracks open, bursts with light, and then it closes—like something was put inside it. The scene could of course just be an aesthetic choice, or chosen to be this way for another reason we don't know yet, but it just feels so deliberate. A ball of light appearing from the stone, then another ball of light in the mystery woman's hands being revealed to hold a monkey, and then the stone reforming around the ball of light. I just can't help but feel there's something there.

Next I want to discuss the two key things that make me feel this theory has merit:

1.) MK has made a habit of breaking out of things he shouldn't be able to (the calabash in 1x05, the trigram furnace in 2x00, the scroll in 4x07, Destiny itself in 3x14) and the stone would be no exception.

2.) Every antagonist in this show has been sealed away in some form, then being released to resume their plans from before being sealed. Here's a list:

DBK was sealed under the mountain, and after being released continued his plan of world domination.

Spider Queen was metaphorically trapped in her fallen empire, and after being given the chance to rule the above world once again, immediately takes it.

The Lady Bone Demon was imprisoned in her tomb, and after being released prematurely (before learning the error of her ways), she continued her plan to destroy the world and create a new one.

Azure Lion was imprisoned in the scroll, and upon being released (by an unknown 3rd party), immediately worked to free his friends and then end the Jade Emperor's reign.

Now, I love foils, so MK breaking out of the stone he was sealed in, yet coming out an actually changed being unlike everyone else in this show, would be DELICIOUS:

Lady Bone Demon: ”No backup and no weapon? So, you’re plan is to fist fight a child?” Sun Wukong: “We both know that’s not what you are.”

(3x11 This Imperfect World)

-

Lady Bone Demon: "STOP! Have you forgotten? Destroy me and you destroy the host! Have you become so desperate to end me that you would sacrifice this blameless innocent child?" Sun Wukong: "You're giving me no choice! All the time you spent locked away, and you haven't changed a bit! I'm going to finish you, like I should have done a long time ago! I told you—you should have stayed buried."

(3x11 This Imperfect World)

-

Subodhi: "I have not brought you to your master. Although this is the stone from which Sun Wukong once sprung, it appears overtime, it was used to form another. A simple creature, with no past, no family, and no name. There is a reason you were at the center of these stories—a reason you can harness the power of the Monkey King himself!"

(4x06 Show Me the Monster)

-

(If you want extra fodder for this, please see this parallels post :3)

So, if MK were to hatch out of the stone—where *he* was sealed away—and he actually came out of it a "blameless innocent child" with "no past, no family, and no name", it would work exceedingly well. Wukong's not above giving people second chances, but if you use that second chance to try and destroy the world, you force his hand.

(Side note: it could also be the case that the stone was used to "reset" whatever MK was in his past life, and Wukong was originally meant to destroy whatever came out of the stone—which could be the reason he stayed at Flower Fruit Mountain for hundreds of years. However, when an child came out, a new being without a past or the memories of what it was before—Wukong choose to let it go. He choose to let it live a normal life—or even ensuring it could live a normal life—and it then found it's way to Pigsy. This definitely gets into real crack theory territory, but I did want to bring it up.)

Now, none of this is even mentioning the suspiciously MK shaped figure in the mural from 3x13:

Now, the figure in this mural is only shown when MK is also on screen, which is framing that drives me insane. Perhaps this is when they first caught MK's past life, then finally able to subdue him and seal him in the stone.

And so, if MK really was this terrible chaos driven abomination in his past life, what does that mean ✨thematically✨?

Well,

Sun Wukong: “Point is, mistakes happen, but so long as you leave the world in better shape than you found it, then it’s all good. Right?”

(4x01 Familiar Tales)

-

SWK: “ENOUGH! I’ve never let anyone dictate my destiny in the past, and I’m not about to start now. None of us are! We can’t change who we were yesterday or in a past life, or a hundred life times ago! We live with the choices we’ve made, for what matter is the choices we make RIGHT NOW! Only we decide who we are and what we do with the power we have.”

(4x07 Pitiful Creatures)

-

MK can't change who he was in a past life. He can't change that the roads all lead to pain. But you know what he can do? He can try. He can try and get a little bit better every day. He can try and help people. He can try and make the world better than he found it.

Maybe in a past life, MK caused just as must chaos and destruction as Wukong did in his past. Maybe he caused even more problems then he has as the Monkie Kid. But that also doesn't undo the good he's doing now.

Anyways, that's my "MK was an eldritch abomination thing pre-hatching from stone" theory. Hope you enjoyed

[depressed-sugar-baby]

More incorrect quotes

******************************

Severus: Start talking!

James: Well, I-

Severus: Shut up!

*****************************

James: This date is boring!

Severus: This isnt a date. I said I was going to the store.

James: Then why did you invite me?

Severus: I didnt, I specifically said "dont come with me" then you said " fuck you Severus I'll do whatever I want!

****************************

Severus: Bro-

James: No, no, hold up, rewind.

James: My tongue was down in your throat just a second ago and now you're calling me bro??

***************************

Sirius: Oh, my God. Do you know what this is?

Severus: It’s a book. There’s a lot of those in here, this is a library.

**************************

James: Can I ask a dumb question?

Severus: Better than anyone I know.

*************************

Remus: Why should I make my bed, when I'm just gunna unmake it to sleep in it anyways?

Severus: Why should I feed you if your just gunna die anyways?

Remus:

Remus: I'll go make my bed-

************************

Severus: Remus, get that hidious thing out of the living room, would you?

Remus: Sirius, Severus wants you to get out of the house.

***********************

Remus, bursting into the room: You two are having sex!

Severus, not looking up from their book: Really? James, why didn’t you tell me? I would have put my book down.

**********************

Sirius: It’s impossible to make a sentence without using the letter a.

Severus: Despite your thinking, it is quite possible, yet difficult, to form one without the specific letter. Here’s one more to further disprove your theory.

James: Fuck you.

*********************

Sirius: Severus, I am questioning your sanity...

James: I never questioned it, I knew their sanity was missing from the start.

********************

James: Remus, I’m afraid.

Remus: Just stay close to Severus.

James: That's why I’m afraid.

*******************

Remus: And now for a gay update with Severus and Sirius.

Sirius: Getting gayer.

Remus: Thank you, Sirius.

******************

Remus: H-how do you ask someone out?

Sirius: Well, first-

Severus: Don't ask him, he asked me out in a McDonalds parking lot.

Remus: ...And you said yes?

*****************

James: When you work at lush and a customer comes in and bites the soap because they think it’s cheese... this happens way more frequently than you think.

Severus: If you stopped literally presenting soap as deli food this wouldn't happen.

James: Who goes into a bath store and thinks something covered in glitter is cheese?

Remus: Who goes to the store and just takes a bite from the cheese?

****************

Sirius: Let’s watch Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

Severus: Okay.

Sirius: And make out during the scary parts.

Severus: Th-

Severus: The scary parts.

Severus: Of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

***************

Severus: Look, last night was a mistake.

Sirius: A sexy mistake.

Severus: No, just a regular mistake.

**************

Severus, after getting a job as a life guard: Hmm... I wonder what those things at the bottom of the pool are..

Remus: THOSE ARE PEOPLE DROWNING!

*************

Remus: *angrily presses Severus against a wall* WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE?!

Severus: ...

Severus: Are we about to kiss-

************

Severus: You know you've made it when you see your picture everywhere you go.

Remus: Those are wanted posters!

***********

Severus: Okay, I’m going to get the wedding cake.

James: Perfect, while you do that I’ll check on the ring bear.

Severus: ...

Severus: You mean ring bearER, right?

James: ...

Severus: Look me in the eyes and tell me you are not going to bring a dangerous wild animal to our wedding.

**********

*James and Severus looking at a locked gate into a park*

James: Aw. :(

Severus: You know what they say.

James: Please don’t-

Severus: BE GAY DO CRIME! *hops gate*

James: Fuck-

*********

Severus: Watcha doin?

James: Stealing my neighbour’s cat.

Severus: Scandalous.

Severus: Can I help?

********

James: I got grounded for a whole week just because I came home late.

Severus: Well, you deserved it. I mean, getting everyone's hopes up like that and then showing up again.

*******

Severus: What's gone wrong, James?

James: Hey! That’s one hell of a thing to say to a person. Just because I’m calling doesn’t mean there’s a crisis.

Severus: That’s technically true, I suppose. Why are you calling?

James: Well... There’s a crisis.

******

Severus: I’ve never been in a snowball fight before. I don’t know the rules.

James: What?

Severus: Is there a point system, or is it to the death?

*****

Sirius, dramatically: They called me a fool.

Severus, sick of Sirius's shit: They weren’t wrong.

****

Severus: I truly go into housewife mode when I'm someone's soulmate- like, I'll make you pancakes and bacon every morning.

Sirius: This is a lie.

Sirius: I'm literally dating them. This is a lie.

Sirius: THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COOK A PANCAKE, WHAT IS THIS.

***

Severus: You shouldn't be using a straw.

Sirius: I know, I know, it's bad for the environment and stuff.

Severus: Yeah, but I mean... it's a weird way to eat spaghetti.

**

Sirius: We all have our demons.

Sirius, grabbing Severus: This one’s mine.

*

Sirius: What goes up but never comes down?

Severus: The amount of stress you're bringing this family.

[silver-ink-iron-words]

Day 18 - Forest

From this prompt list by @watercolorfreckles

----

“Okay kid, Rule One. Be careful what you say here. The forest can hear you.”

The protagonist followed the stranger closely along the thin snaking trail. They normally would have suspected paranoia, or delusions. But having spent most of the day lost in these woods, they weren’t so sure anymore.

It was something in the way the underbrush looked different if you glanced back. The way the paths seemed to always pull towards the center. The fact that, if the protagonist stopped and truly listened, they’d almost swear they could hear breathing.

“What am I supposed to not say?”

The stranger – Tam, he’d called himself – broke through a thicket with a small knife. “Just don’t talk about personal things. Vulnerabilities, your loved ones, stuff like that. The forest will try to use that information to cut a deal.” He looked back at the protagonist. “That’s Rule Two, by the way. Don’t make any deals.”

The protagonist went cold. “Why would I do something like that?”

Tam shrugged, moving forward again. “Good harvests, magic cures, a terrible fate for your enemies. People have found plenty of reasons, over the years.”

“You know someone, don’t you?” The protagonist dropped down from a log. “Someone who made a deal.”

Tam didn’t meet the protagonist’s eyes, but he nodded.

“What does the forest ask for in return?”

“Oh lots of things. Sometimes it just needs a bit of your blood, or a couple years off your life.” He grinned when the protagonist paled. “Usually, though, it’ll ask you to stay.”

“What, like, forever?”

“In theory.”

The protagonist cast a wary gaze at the branches overhead. “What does it even get out of something like that?”

“Who knows? Maybe it’s lonely.”

The protagonist ducked around a split trunk. “No offense to your friend, but it seems like a pretty stupid deal to make.”

Tam was silent for a beat. “I can’t say I disagree.”

The path started to incline upwards, as they reached the base of a hill.

“Are there any other rules?”

“Just one.” Tam held out his hand to help the protagonist up a steep rock. “Don’t leave my line of sight.”

----

They continued on like that, well into the evening. The forest was so much larger than the protagonist had ever imagined, and their anxiety rose as the shadows stretched.

Tam was friendly enough, and he answered all the protagonist’s questions. But he also kept his eyes on the trees, as though he expected something to pounce. The protagonist decided eventually that it was best not to distract him.

When they reached the edge of the woods, it took the protagonist a few seconds to believe their eyes.

“Oh my god.” They stared at the field ahead of them, at the little hints of rooftops in the distance. “Oh my god, that’s my town!”

Tam smiled. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

With a nod, the protagonist ran. Footsteps light, breath bubbling, they burst past the treeline. The cool air filled their lungs, the berry-red sunset blinded their eyes. They laughed. They hadn’t died in the forest. They and Tam were going to be – 

Where was Tam?

The protagonist spun around, peered back into the brush. “Tam?”

There was no answer.

“Tam?!”

There was only the graveyard silence of the trees.

----

Tam watched, as the kid called again and again. He could see it on their face, when they thought about going back in to search.

He watched as, wide-eyed and near tears, they made the only reasonable decision available – to leave him behind.

“You need to stop doing this,” the forest said.

It didn’t have a voice, exactly. Its words came via the tapping of branches, the wind rustling through leaves. Yet, Tam could understand it perfectly.

“The kid posed an interesting question,” he said, rubbing his chin. “Why do you want us to stay so badly?”

He watched the kid’s silhouette disappear over the horizon. Towards the town, which seemed to grow a little bigger every year.

He wondered, sometimes, if his family still lived there. 

“Why, it’s because I love you.” Ivy peeled off the trees, and reached to caress him. “But don’t worry. No matter how many I collect, you will always be my favorite.”

“Oh believe me,” he said, as the twigs and leaves twined around him. “I know.”

[mr-entj]

Hello Mr. ENTJ,

I have read a few of your posts. And I must say, they are truly enlightening. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passing on to others.

Would you have any advice on how ENFPs could develop/progress their tertiary Te? Any practical advice (all I see on the internet is theory. No irl use).

I have been struggling with this particular function for three years now. Some days I like how my progress is going. Some days I overuse it to the point of going into unhealthy loops, and on others I am clueless as to how I KNOW I am misusing Te, just don’t know what is specifically going wrong.

Alongside this question, how have your experience been with ENFPs and the function Te (dynamics, healthy and unhealthy individuals)? How did you perceive them? Were their actions/decisions befitting of tertiary Te?

As the daughter of an ENTJ 8w7, one of my goals is to become as logical and effective as half of what my dad is and has accomplished.

Another last question: do you know of any tips of how ENFPs and ENTJs can get along better? Me (ENFP 2w3) being too ‘soft/sensitive’ for the taste of my dad doesn’t help much. We can barely ever figure out what is going on inside each other’s heads. It’s as if it’s two apart worlds, and I’d risk to say I feel I have more in-common with my INTJ brother than with my ENTJ dad (come on, Te-Ni and Ni-Te shouldn’t be too different. Just thinking of my INFP pals, they’re lovely beings I feel I share a lot in-common with them. Flawed logic? Perhaps.)

If you can answer these, it’d be helpful. Coming from a successful, seemingly healthy ENTJ.

Thanks for supporting the blog.

Would you have any advice on how ENFPs could develop/progress their tertiary Te? Any practical advice (all I see on the internet is theory. No irl use).

To develop/progress Te, see this post.

Alongside this question, how have your experience been with ENFPs and the function Te (dynamics, healthy and unhealthy individuals)? How did you perceive them? Were their actions/decisions befitting of tertiary Te?

In the short bursts, strong and focused for things they're personally interested in. Very energetic, infectious, and productive.

In the long term, inconsistent and flaky with significant drop off after the fun phases are over (brainstorming, ideation) and it's time to actually do the difficult and not fun work (execution). The exact point this happens is a few days/hours after the execution phase starts and the excitement fades. This is when the wheels come off the wagon and things go to hell.

Another last question: do you know of any tips of how ENFPs and ENTJs can get along better?

For starters, I wouldn't make it a goal to change who you naturally are and how you operate simply because someone disagrees with it. Parent or not. Unless you're actively harming yourself, it's not a personality disorder or a problem to solve, it's just a personality quirk and a quality to accept.

Off the top of my head:

Set and enforce boundaries. ENTJs will step over lines they don't know exist because they assume that other types communicate as bluntly as they do. Spoiler alert: they don't. Make sure your dad knows they exist or else he'll trample over them unintentionally.

Identify what they're excellent at and learn from them. Pretty much every TJ I know is an expert in a particular field and can't shut up about it when asked. What's your dad's area of expertise? Learn more about it, ask him about it, and try it. This is a great starting place to bond.

Share only the problems you want solutions to. And if you don't want solutions, tell them up front. Most TJs (ENTJ, INTJ, ESTJ, ISTJ) will interpret sharing issues as asking for our input because we're natural problem solvers. Be clear that you're only looking to vent.

Acknowledge the facts, even if you don't agree with them. ENFPs are dreamers who go for moonshots (ambitious but unlikely goals). There's nothing wrong with dreaming big, but being too impractical and neglectful of reality can make you look delusional. This will annoy all TJs, not just the xNTJs. You can acknowledge the facts without killing your dreams. Work with your dad to brainstorm solutions to those problems, not to deny they exist. It's a good intellectual exercise and solid bonding opportunity.

Be considerate of their time. If you're not committed to acting on a plan, don't bother them for advice, and more advice, and more advice. Talking and talking and talking without any action is exhausting at best, and infuriating at worst. This is one of my main gripes with all perceivers especially when it comes to career coaching. They'll get excited about a plan, ask for my input, I'll invest time and energy into building it, and then they'll abandon it. In the long run, it'll damage your relationship with an ENTJ because you'll appear flaky and they'll respect you less because of it. A person's word is their bond, make sure your words hold a lot of weight.

[storiesforallfandoms]

hand delivered ~ corpse husband

word count: 1498

request?: no

description: in which he surprises her with a visit, and she surprises him with something else

pairing: corpse x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist (one, two)

i was inspired by corpse hand delivering sykkuno’s hoodie so i had to write a hella fluffy imagine on it

“I swear to God Rae!” you exclaimed as Rae giggled at her actions.

The two of you were streaming GTA V together at Rae had taken an amusement to stealing cars and driving them towards you, narrowly avoiding killing you every time. For obvious reasons, this wasn’t exactly keeping you under the radar of the cops. Quite the opposite, actually. You were spending most of your time running from both Rae and the cops.

“We’re never gonna make any money at this rate,” you told her. “We’re gonna spend it all on bail fees.”

“Don’t be so dramatic!” Rae argued. “Just jump in, we’ll go to the next job.”

“I can’t jump in when you’re trying to run me over!”

Rae giggled again as your chat joked about what she was doing to you. You rolled your eyes at everyone, but you couldn’t stop the smile that was on your face.

Before you could jump into the car that Rae had recently stolen, you heard a knock at your door. You paused a moment, confused. You weren’t expecting anyone, and you hadn’t ordered any take out or anything. You decided to ignore it, figuring maybe it was a wrong place or something and if no one answered they’d leave. But the knock came again, this time a bit louder and faster.

“Hey, don’t get us killed, I gotta go AFK for a second,” you told Rae. You heard just a piece of her response as you set your headphone aside and made your way to your front door.

You were looking down when you opened the door, prepared to tell whoever was there that they were at the wrong house, but instead your gaze landed on a pair of familiar hands holding a black and red hoodie, folded in a way that all you could see was the familiar fanart of Corpse Husband.

Against your better judgement, you let your eyes trail up to the face of your visitor, the real life version of the face on the hoodie, smiling down at you. Your eyes widened. It was the first time you had ever seen Corpse’s face, and it felt illegal to be standing here looking at him. You quickly covered your eyes, willing yourself to forget what you had saw.

“(Y/N),” Corpse laughed. “You don’t have to cover your eyes.”

“I saw your face!” you said. “I-I saw your actual face! I have to gouge my eyes out or something!”

You felt his cold hands taking hold of your own, lowering them from your eyes so you could look up at him again. Although you tried to stop yourself, you let your eyes wander over his face, taking in every detail. It occurred to you in that moment that this was the first time you were seeing the face of a man you had been crushing on for the past six months.

“Come in,” you said, realizing that he was still just standing outside. “Come, get comfortable. I’m-I’m streaming, I’ll be right back.”

“You don’t have to end your stream early because of me.”

That voice! It comes from an actual person! A real, living person!

“You really think I’ll be able to return to my stream for another few hours while you’re here?” you questioned. “It’s fine, it’s just GTA with Rae. She’ll probably play with Sykkuno instead when I get off.”

You felt like you were in a daze as you returned to your room. You quickly told Rae you were hopping off stream and you’d explain to her - and to your viewers - why later on. Your chat started asking what was wrong, but you ended the stream before responding.

When you returned to your living room, you saw the back of Corpse’s curly, brown haired head sitting on your couch. Your heart was racing with so many different emotions. You couldn’t believe he was actually here, that the voice you had befriended nearly half a year ago was actually sat in your house.

“Wait a second,” you said, realizing something. “Don’t you live like...five hours away? Corpse, did you drive five hours to come visit me?”

He looked up at you and shrugged. “Yeah, so?”

“So?! Corpse, you have nerve issues! You can’t even sit straight for ten minutes!” You were suddenly starting to feel guilty, although obviously you hadn’t asked Corpse to come visit you.

“I’m fine!” he assured you. “Do I look like I’m in pain? I wanted to come give you your merch, and I figured this would be a nice surprise too!”

You went to sit next to him, your heart beating faster the closer you got to him. You were sure this was just a dream and you’d wake up in bed at any moment. To test your theory, you slowly inched your finger forward to softly poke Corpse’s cheek. He chuckled as you jumped back, shocked by the success of your touch.

“You’re real!” you blurted, causing more laughter.

“I am real. Are you surprised?”

“Just a little,” you admitted.

You both sat in silence, just looking at one another. You weren’t really sure what to say. It was like every possible topic you could bring up, or every joke you could make, was suddenly gone. It was obvious Corpse was feeling the same as he was usually the one who could keep a conversation going.

“Try on your hoodie,” he finally said, passing you the hoodie he was still holding to you. You took it excitedly and slipped it on over your head. The warm material engulfed you immediately. It was definitely a few sizes too big, but that was your favorite part - the bagginess of it.

“It’s perfect,” you told him. “Thank you so much for bringing it to me.”

“I told you I would. I really wanted you to have at least one article of my merch. You were so excited for it when I released it.”

You held the hoodie close to your nose, taking in the scent of Corpse that still lingered on it. There was so much happiness bubbling up inside of you that you felt like you were going to burst at any moment. You really did not think things could get any better.

“Can I hug you?” you asked.

Corpse smiled and opened his arms as a response. You immediately lunged into them, wrapping your arms around him and hugging him tightly. It was the last confirmation you needed that this was all real, that Corpse was really there.

The hug was prolonged and eventually Corpse was pulling you into his lap, squeezing you back as if afraid that you would disappear too. You rested your head against his shoulder, feeling his curly locks brush against your face. You never wanted to let go, and you could tell that Corpse felt the same way.

When you finally pulled away from the hug, you looked down into Corpse’s eyes. His hands were still resting on your hips, and yours were on his shoulders. Before you could stop yourself, you were leaning forward to kiss him. The minute your lips collided, it was like someone had set off fireworks inside your small apartment.

You pulled away almost immediately, realizing what you had done. “I-I’m sorry. That-that wasn’t right of me. I’m sorry.”

There was a small smile on Corpse’s face as his hands came up to cup your face and pulled you to him, attaching his lips to yours again.

Just when I thought today couldn’t get any better.

Forgetting the world around you, you became lost in one another. Your arms were back around Corpse’s neck, holding on to him as if you were afraid he’d disappear if you let go. One of his hands was still on your cheek as the other slipped behind your head, your hair tangling around his fingers. There was so much passion in the kiss that it made your head spin, and when the two of you finally pulled away it felt like your head was spinning.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Corpse told you. “I may have been hoping something like this would happen when I got here.”

“What?” you questioned. “Why did you never tell me how you were feeling?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Corpse teased. “I was always flirting with you, I had hoped you’d get the message.”

“Corpse, you flirt with everyone!”

The two of you laughed. You couldn’t help but dip your head to kiss him once more. His lips were intoxicating, and you just wanted to kiss them all the time.

“How long were you planning on staying?” you asked.

“I don’t know. I was going to see how well this visit went and go from there.”

You giggled and cuddled into Corpse’s arms. “Well, you’re welcome to stay as long as you want. I think I’ll have a hard time letting you go now, though.”

“I think I’ll have a hard time leaving.”