#She's just. Very similar to bette in a lot of ways

[autisticcassandracain]

Since people (imo) erroneously keep considering Bette as part of the batfam, here's a list of batfam characters, ranked from most to least likely to get along with Bette Kane (pre-flashpoint post-crisis canon for everyone except Duke):

Stephanie Brown: Spoiler!Steph and Bette would get along like a house on fire. Steph and Bette are very similar, in that they are blondes who became heroes largely because they found it fun, and who are constantly undermined and belittled due to not being quite as hypercompetent as some other heroes (and also sexism). Their personalities and fighting styles are also quite similar. The difference is that, unlike Bette, Steph does have a tragic backstory, and when she became Batgirl, she got much more lofty heroic motivations. As Batgirl, she's also shown to somewhat look down on her past self as Spoiler for being much more flighty. This means that, as Batgirl, she'd likely have friction with Bette, since Bette would remind her of herself as Spoiler. Nothing insurmountable, and would be quite interesting to unpack, but it wouldn't be as natural of a relationship as between Bette and Spoiler.

Duke Thomas: Duke has no real reason not to get along with Bette. He's spent a lot of time running with a ragtag group of untrained, unprofessional heroes in the Robin collective, so he's more likely to appreciate Bette's competency on her own terms rather than disparaging her for not being as well-train/serious as most of the batfam. He's also a little more down to Earth than most of the batfam as a result, which I feel Bette would appreciate. They're both thrill seekers and have solid senses of humor. I don't think it'd be super deep but yeah they'd enjoy hanging out.

Tim Drake: Look. He's got practice. Tim was a condescending ass to Steph, but he did genuinely like her as a person, even if he didn't respect her as a hero. But while pre-Beast Boys (Miniseries) Bette mostly ignores/seems oblivious to other people's condescension, post-Beast Boy (Miniseries) Bette has much less tolerance for it, which would cause her to dislike him. Once Steph hit Batgirl though, Tim mostly felt bad for being a condescending ass to her, so he'd be a little less likely to repeat the mistake with Bette. On the other hand, he's probably heard Dick complain about her. On the other other hand, she was part of a Young Justice branch. I really don't think they'd ever be more than, at best, casually friendly acquaintances, but like, Tim's less likely to actively loathe her on sight than most of the batfam.

Cassandra Cain: Listen. They get along in my heart. In canon Cass is one of the few Batfam members to have met Bette, but didn't express much of an opinion about her. Bette, on the other hand, seemed actively annoyed by her. I think if they were forced together on a few more missions there's a possibility for friendship, since Cass obviously likes Steph and I think Bette would appreciate Cass once she realizes she's a little shit, but Cass heavily values hypercompetence and is likely to look down on you and give you the cold shoulder if you don't have it. Steph was in a unique position where she had skills Cass needed and was able to force a team-up so they got to know each other better, and Steph was willing to do much of the heavy lifting to make friends, but Bette is much less likely to do either of those, so. Unless they get stuck in a hyperspecific scenario in which they were forced to bond, they'd probably dislike each other.

Damian Wayne: Same principle as Cass imo, but even less likely to actually succeed. His relationship with Steph in her Batgirl solo suggests he could forge a positive relationship with Bette if they got stuck in a hyperspecific circumstance where they were forced to bond, but that's. Not going to happen. Unlike with Steph, there's no reason for it to happen, since Bette doesn't live in Gotham and isn't batfam, and on top of that, Damian is even more judgemental and condescending than Cass, and Bette's not gonna like that at all. Plus he's like, twelve. Bette has no reason to want to be friends with him, he has no reason to wanna be friends with her, and Damian is nothing if not a provocative little shit towards people he dislikes, an energy Bette will probably match because she's petty as hell. Most likely, they'd argue too badly to even work together.

Barbara Gordon: They'd LOATHE each other. They have shared history with the Batgirl mantle they interact with in completely different ways. Babs is likely to view Bette as a wildly inferior version of herself as Batgirl that never grew up, Bette will think Babs has a stick up her ass and will respond to her condescension by dialing up all the parts of herself Babs hates to eleven and never listening to her ever, which Barbara 'Control Freak' Gordon would just be overjoyed about. They'd HATE each other.

Bruce Wayne: Do I even. Need to explain why this won't work? Do I really? I don't think I do.

Dick Grayson: The only one with whom Bette has a canon relationship! It's bad! Bette had a rather aggressive crush on him for a long time, which Dick was, understandably, rather annoyed by. Dick pretty consistently saw the worst parts of Bette and it lead him to not only disrespect her as a hero, but dislike her as a person and consider her an active liability on the field. In the Beast Boy Miniseries, he went so far as to read her the riot act and tell her to quit. Which she didn't. This moment seems to have shattered Bette's hero worship of him and instead gave her an understandable dislike of him. They have history and it's not a positive one. I think they could maybe work themselves up to a non-hostile acquaintance status if they really put the effort in, but they have no reason to do so. Unlike the rest of the batfam, who'd mostly dislike Bette for superficial reasons or unfortunate presumptions, Dick and Bette hate each other for reasons rooted in a disastrous personal history that they don't have a reason to talk through. This is on top of Dick's personality not being all that compatible with Bette's in the first place, so even if they got over their history, they'd be unlikely to be friends. So yeah. Not happening.

[sukimas]

The primary difference between gods and youkai in Touhou is of course that gods inspire awe rather than disgust. I've discussed this before.

Now, the differences between yuurei and youkai might be a little more difficult to pick up on, especially when a lot of them are spawned from similar circumstances (rejection, betrayal, othering.) Yuurei of course die from those circumstances while youkai don't really. But much more importantly, in terms of Touhou, yuurei were hurt, and remain hurt. Their existences are quintessentially defined by their suffering and regret; vengeful spirits are defined by unending anger, funayuurei by their own drowning, common yuurei are simply humans who weren't buried properly and thus cannot pass on. They both suffer and cause suffering.

Youkai, meanwhile, are beings that were initially defined by rejection. This may have caused them to hate and resent humanity at first, but they're not supposed to do that (see Eiki's lecture to Medicine); a youkai cannot survive off of that sort of notion. Youkai are nigh-universally (barring some very unwell- and I do mean physically unwell here- exceptions) happy with their current situations. They exist to cause others to feel fear, rather than feeling it themselves. They do not attack humans because of a desire for vengeance. They attack humans because they enjoy it; because they are defined as beings by enjoying the exercise of their own power, because they pass their curses onto others instead of being cursed themselves.

I think that this a key insight to understanding a fairly large number of youkai. In particular, some of the underground ones; Parsee enjoys being able to inflict jealousy even though she's often jealous herself, and Satori loves the ability to read minds even though she's hated for it. The reason that Koishi closed off her heart was because of rejection from other youkai, not from humans!

It's also key, though, to understanding the youkai that interface with the outside world. Mamizou has every right to look at humans with hatred and allow her life to be defined by it; they destroyed her home while she was there, they terrorized her into Gensoukyou. And yet she loves hanging around with them in Gensoukyou, even though she secretly dreams about how the humans of the outside world scare her. She loves exercising her superiority over them, too: "Ho ho ho!" and all that.

Yukari is similar; though she has plenty of reason to despise humanity, she... doesn't.

She resents their abandonment of things they don't need, certainly, and plots to take it all back. But she doesn't hate them. They're her funny, dear, pathetic creatures.

As with Mamizou, her relationship to humans is simply one of predation and exploitation. A youkai who misses the noise of the city. A youkai who adores violence, even when she has nothing to prove; there's little reason to talk how much she loves the scent of death in front of Okina (who can always tell if she's lying) and Sumireko (who would surely just think it was cool, rather than fearing her like she'd want) if she intends to play a role.

If anything, she hides that violent side around humans she needs to trust her. Compare her initial conversation with Reimu to those she has with Marisa and Sakuya; only when talking to the shrine maiden, who she needs to not see her as a threat, does she not bring up murder.

...Of course, I'm getting away from myself a bit. But Yukari ultimately sees humans as lesser than she is. They are not something to "take revenge on", because there's no reason to take revenge on something that gave you the greatest gift of your existence. (Other youkai we get the internality of seem to see them similarly) They are something to take advantage of to make her own life better. If it happens in a way that's ironic considering what happened to her, well, all the better; but that isn't what defines her. What defines all youkai is that they hunt humans. Nothing more, and nothing less. Without that, they would not be youkai.

Contrast Mima; though she's less developed than our dear current vengeful spirit, her raison d'etre is "to take revenge on the entire human race". Until she has accomplished that, she cannot rest; this is quite literally preventing her from dying, and once she achieves it, she will be at peace. She needs to do this; it is the very purpose for which she was reborn. What defines vengeful spirits is their desire for revenge. Nothing more, and nothing less. Without that, they would not be vengeful spirits.

So.

Youkai are differentiated from vengeful spirits in that they exist to prey on humans, rather than to take revenge on humans. They do this because they pass on curses to others rather than be cursed themselves. The method of choice for youkai barring those with more spiritual requirements for sustenance is to kill and eat humans; those with more spiritual requirements still often kill humans (and do eat some part of the human; whether it be magical power, fear, or jealousy.) They are defined by consumption and exploitation; they have become the powerful, rather than the powerless, and enjoy this ability to exploit. Youkai who do not enjoy this kill themselves.

Yukari is a youkai; one whose interface with the world is quite physical. Just look at her. She is made of eyes and hands. Therefore, the method she utilizes for exploitation and consumption must thematically be quite physical as well. She happily sees herself as a youkai of this nature, too.

For all of the above reasons, it's completely thematically incoherent for Yukari Yakumo to not kill and eat humans with enthusiasm.

[vasito-de-leche]

crawling back from a hole to GEEK about suitcase gang members that would get along the best 💁‍♀️

- x, medicine pocket, and sotheby: lethal IRB nightmares

- med poc and sotheby: explosive concoctions

- centurion and tennant: harbingers of serial bankruptcy

- mesmer jr. and 6: orderliness

- dikke and 6: law and order (dun dun)

- melania and bkornblume: the thief and her gal in the chair (they're a ship too)

- eagle and shamane: shamane is MAD impressed at this girl's wilderness skills + will also be willing to teach her stuff

- horropedia, an an lee, and blonney: it's always horro and blonney / horro and an an but never these three together. you can bet that blon and horro surrounds an an to ask about her ghost vacuum

- blonney and desert flannel: she's in patch 1.5 but her design tells me that she's rocking her closet which is a bonding topic with blonney

- lilya and jiu niangzi: girl is in patch 1.6 but all that is known for now for global players is that she makes killer alcohol. cue lilya as her willing taste-tester

- sputnik 1 and 37: just 37 marvelling this perfect sphere

- alien T and 37: this girl again eyeing the ufo's circumference

- kaala bauna and voyager: kaala has a question or two about the heavenly bodies

- dikke and knight: s w o r d

ohhh fun! here's a few dynamics and characters I think would get along since you've shared your own!

Baby Blue and every character younger than her--especially Balloon Party

Baby Blue is just 17 but I do like to think that, bc of her connection with Wonderland and innocence, she would act as a big sister for many of the younger arcanists. especially Balloon Party since the two reject adults or the idea of growing up!

Blonney and Bunny Bunny

both characters have a focus on movie or hollywood as a concept, both are also girls around the same age range who know what it's like to be put into very restrictive stereotypes (the blonde bimbo, the southerner). I think they'd get along, and it's very funny to think about Blonney go straight to Bunny Bunny for help if Jessica ever needs help, since Bunny Bunny's family had a farm lmfao

but I also just rlly love girls who are total opposites on a surface level being close friends bc of the small little things they do have in common

Sweetheart and Bette, following the same reasoning as the Blonney and Bunny Bunny

THE MOST FAMOUS ACTRESS AND A STRUGGLING ACTRESS...BEING FRIENDS... SEEING EACH OTHERS PERSPECTIVES....

sorry I'm very passionate abt Sweetheart being so jaded and tired of the way hollywood treated her and warped her image to be nothing but a product for the audience's consumption. and very passionate abt Bette near-delusional hope of making it into the industry

Sonetto and Zima, both being poets

I could've added Charlie or The Fool since the idea is similar, but I feel like Zima would work best?

all three of these characters cherish the power of the written word and have used it against injust systems, but I think that Charlie's insecurities would hold her back a lot from truly bonding with Sonetto thru poetry, and The Fool is too much of a revolutionary--his very open and vocal "down with the monarchy, every person in authority is a fucking fool" vibe would clash with Sonetto's obedient dog aspects. Zima, however, feels perfect to act as another poet for Sonetto to befriend and a mentor to slowly introduce her to more open ideologies

SURE hes a recluse and socially inept bc of the years of isolation in exile, BUT HES NOT SHY WHEN IT COMES TO SHARING HIS VIEWS AND THOUGHTS OR WORK. hes the perfect idea of subdued and quiet strength, I rlly think Sonetto could really benefit from having him as a mentor or responsible adult figure

Pavia and Centurion

YES, I KNOW TENNANT IS VERY OBVIOUS FOR CENTURION BC SHE SCAMS PPL AND CENTURION IS VERY LUCKY SO SHE WINS AT EVERYTHING AND PUT MANY PLACES INTO BANKRUPCY

but I'm NEVER letting go of casino dealer Pavia from the artificial somnambulism stages. these two? theyre ABSOLUTE MENACES together, the luckiest girl in the world addicted to adrenaline and thrills? with the most deranged "who gives a shit" mafia guy who does whatever he wants?

they'd be playing an extreme version of buckshot roulette together, they'd ruin the economy together just bc its funny. they dont know each other's full names. they hang out and bitch about life together. they dont care abt their respective life stories. they're the first person they call when they're bored. they've been in many many life threatening situations. they dont know each others favorite colors

do you see my vision!!!

[hummus-birb]

My Reverse: 1999 Rarepairs/crackships!

Exactly what it says in the title! I’ve seen a couple other people talk about their favorite rarepairs for r1999, so I thought I’d do it for mine!!

(Technically some of these are just characters I think would interact well, not all of them have to be romantic) (and also not all of them are super duper rare)

An-An Lee x Poltergeist

- I just really like the ghost enthusiast x ghost dynamic in general, this counts for horropedia and An-An Lee with any of the ghost characters tbf

- But An-An Lee and Poltergeist specifically would be cool because of their personalities!!

- Poltergeist is obviously more shy, while An-An Lee seems a bit more outspoken, and I can really see An-An Lee helping Poltergeist help gain confidence!

- Either way, very cute dynamic and I like it a lot!

Tennant x Sweetheart

- Originally, Sweetheart was my main theory for who the other character in Tennants I2 Portrait, along with maybe Mesmer Jr.

- While I definitely don’t think it is anymore, I still like the concept of them having a relationship!

- Tennant would definitely be in it to scam Sweetheart, but I think Sweetheart would at least know some of it due to her being familiar with Hollywood secrets and the drama that goes down there

- If they did become “partners in crime” I think they would legitimately be the best power-couple ever. I just don’t know if there would ever be a scenario where they both show their cards, so I don’t know if they’d ever reach that point sadly.

- Their rich girlboss energy knows no bounds, and together they will be unstoppable

Sweetheart x Bette

- Actor x Stunt double, just another fun concept!! (I saw a similar idea with Blonney and Bette as well, which would also be cool!)

- Sweetheart is sassy and assertive but befriends her innocent stunt double and takes her to Hollywood parties

- Bette is so confused but Sweetheart is her idol so it’s not like she’s going to say no

- It would basically be like the sassy popular girl falls in love with nerd/shy girl trope, Hollywood edition

- I think they would be very cute though!

ONiON x TTT

- The only news station TTT isn’t sick of

- She was actually covered by one of ONiON’s stories, and she’s been a big fan ever since!

- When ONiON meets her, they hit it off immediately!

- Both of them have different brands of eccentric show host vibes and I’m here for it

AliEn T x Sputnik

- The space besties

- Sputnik literally references AliEn T’s lines, what can I say

- Mostly just them lying to each other about exactly what/who they are to hilarious results

Bkornblume x Click

- Sitting as silence as we speak (consider each other their best friends and know each other really well despite this)

- There’s really no other special reason, I just think they’d get along!!

Constantine x Vertin’s Mom

- Not super rare technically

- There is no info on it but it’s both a super interesting and very funny concept

- I saw a post a while ago about the parallels between Madame Z, Constantine, and Vertin’s Mom to Matilda, Sonetto, and Vertin, and it was really cool!

Regulus x X

- Technically this one I like more as a friendship, but I still want to talk about it

- Regulus hung out with X for longer than she did Vertin, there’s no way they aren’t at least somewhat friends

- They’re both sneakily coming up with ideas of pranking people with machines (They were both definitely giggling at the idea of pouring tea on Forget-me-not)

- Silly little goobers, mostly

[nightswithkookmin]

Hey it's good to write to you again 💖love your sense of humour it always hype me😄😄

I just went to Yoongi's concert, I'm telling it's magical, loud and fun. What made me even more excited is because I was traveling with my friend whom we just renewed our friendship that was broken because of misunderstandings, I introduced her to bts and as we were watching their content she suddenly said she like jikook, and in my mind I thought she is talking about them in a platonic way so when she elaborated she said she can see when people are fucking each other😁😂 I laughed then I showed her your blog she's been reading it saying you are very blunt😂😅 Anyway few day after she came and asked me if taehyung used to date Jimin or if tae has a crush on Jimin because she noticed at times tae would look at Jimin's lips and all, I said I thought the same at first. Do you think v had a crush on Jimin, Is that why Jungkook when it comes to yoongi, Rm and tae he needs to clarify that it is friendship turning down every ship moment that can be made? Because I noticed he has no problem with Jimin or jihope moments but always with the others he interrupts them.

Aahh vmin vmin vmin- the ship that could if only they would

No one knows for sure what his thing was with Jimin. It was easier to label it as a crush for kicks and giggles back then. But as grown adults that they are now its a little bit 🥴

I mean sometimes the members themselves do admit some of the things they do and say is a bit fruity 🤷🏾

With Jungkook isn't it double standards for him to feel the need to go out of his way to demystify Jimin's ships while his own ships hang in the gay balance?

Minimoni are friends he says but Namjoon and I are thirsting over eachother's bodies- boys scouts honor

Yoongi and Jimin are laughable he snorts but hey what's that in between Jins legs. time to jiggle jiggle

He's made not letting Jimin's ships breath his entire personality and instead of Jimin whooping his ass as he should he's 'oh Jungkookie" melting away at him

Not to say Jm enjoys it entirely cos clearly it gets a bit too much for him sometimes🥲

This 'double standards' is something I hear most teen same sex couples complain of so I find it interesting to see these things play out between them.

And it's definitely interesting how we the fans respond to this as well. We will praise Jungkook for being territorial but let Jimin exhibit a similar territorial streak and suddenly it's he's clingy, he's an attention seeker, and he acts like he owns Jungkook.

I'll take it a notch further and analyze this in light of Tae's reaction to this territorial behavior in both of them. If Jungkook acts territorial over Jimin with Tae, Tae backs away, acts like he's gonna cry most times and only puts up a fight on few occasions but should JM try to be territorial over Jungkook, Tae would square up with him more often than not🥴

Then there's Namjoon who used to back down and show some respect for the Maknae's feelings- and then suddenly doesn't care anymore. He legit said,

I digress.

Sigh. Am I the only one missing Jin? Where's that one Taejin shipper please send me Taejin gifs😭😭😭😭

Tae can be intense and he's able to connect to people and things on a very deep emotional almost spiritual level. When he was young he used to desire this same level of intensity from the people around him often leading to him coming across as not having emotional boundaries. I don't know much about him personally, but I can deduce from certain things he says and does that he used to get this thrown in his face a lot.

This lack of emotional boundaries is what is often misconstrued as a crush by some of us.

But I think he just wants to hold hands on the pier with Jimin and discuss their deep deep affections for one another while the sun gradually set over the water

It doesn't make them gay- may be lesbians for sure but not gay😭

And while Jimin equally wants a friendship like that and so reciprocate with Tae- he better not try that shit on Jungkook.

You're gonna caress Jungkook's hands in the dime light, over soft music, while whispering to him how much emotionally attached you are to him- better be prepared to have his children while you're at it

So to answer your question, I think Jungkook knows the difference between what's an unconventional quirky friendship and what's blatantly Gay.

And most of the time when he's reacting to these scenarios he's simply expressing his discomfort with the latter.

The day Jungkook goes cross eyed on Vmin is the day you know for sure those two are crossing some serious boundaries Friends shouldn't cross. Other than that I don't think he minds- nor should he.

The only reason he should be worried at all would be if Jimin is emotionally bonding with Tae and not JK. As it stands, that's not the case.

Minimoni are not Vmin. They are not the quirky unconventional same sex friends that Vmin are. So yea, if they start touching up on eachother and if Namjoon- NAMJOON- KIM NAMJOON- starts flirting and flashing dimples at Jimin he has every reason to be worried. I TOO WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND I'M NOT EVEN DATING JIMIN.

THIS KIM NAMJOON????

Smart intelligent successful TALL KIM NAMJOON?

Look, Jungkook is even better than me. I wouldn't let my girlfriend be friends with a KIM NAMJOON. Are you kidding?! I would follow them everywhere and put surveillance on them. Reinforce social distancing rules. 5 ft apart always and never alone in one room.

You think ill let my girlfriend be friends with an Rm, Yoongi, Jk you're mad. And then they'll just tell you casually, hey babe i'm gonna hang out at Rm's place- eh? Excuse me?! PARDON!

Hanging out doing what exactly cos I know yall be not talking about your feelings with them. PRAY TELL WHAT EXACTLY YALL BE HANGING OUT FOR?

I mean I'm not threatened by Yoongi per se but Agust D? Child no. No. No no no no no. NO.

Personally I don't think Jimin is in any way romantically interested in anyone in BTS other than Jk. I will fight him on this if he denies it🤧

But doesn't mean certain people in the band don't- sexually excite him beside JK. He's a rather healthy young adventurous spirited gentleman - with raging fiery hormones JK tries to keep under control

*Insert JK screaming I DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS LEVEL OF HOTTNESS🤣

If your boyfriend had sexy sultry eyes and a Jawline that looks straight out of a hentai anime imagining you would want to police him around too.

And look, Daddy is not wood.

Sticks and stones may break his bones but dare I say, tall chiseled 8 inch biggo excites him😝

I suppose curvy wide hips big booty breastina does it for him too😭😭😭😭😭

I think he finds Namjoon and Jk's physique ideal and attractive as men. And if he's dating Jk then I see how that would be a problem for Jk.

For Suga, I think it's more of how Suga treats Jimin. He treats JM like someone would treat someone they loved. Jimin admires Suga a lot. For his intellect, for his passion- JM has a tattoo of Suga's words on his body. Let that sink in and then put yourself in JK's shoes.

Jimin may be evasive but when he admires someone he praises them a lot. He praises their physique ifm he finds that ideal or attractive or intellect if he admires their ingenuity. He keeps praising and admiring JK. He keeps admiring Namjoon for more than his physique- come to think of it he's shown considerable admiration for Suga, RM and Jk more so than the others.

The only time I've seen him admire V in any way sus is when he said Tae has a huge shlong. I suppose that's enough reason for anyone to Stan V😭 If I hadn't seen it myself I would have said my man's exaggerating but that thing is humongous😭😭😭😭

Moving on from V's shlong,

Between V and Jimin I frankly don't recall who influenced who. We know Jimin today to be the most emotionally vulnerable one who's able to connect emotionally with others but if memory serves me right, that used to be V🤔

He's the one most of the members felt emotionally honest with and comfortable with and the one they seem to suggest helped them gain confidence to be themselves emotionally.

I don't know. Sometimes I feel JM and V are the same person. Different sides of the same coin. Their soul mate shtick makes sense to me.

Talking of soulmates, I find it interesting Tae Talking about twin flames in his new song May be. He said he would release it in 10yrs but I'm itching to hear the whole thing NOW. A. It's a really deep good song. The lyrics are fire, the genre is on point

You told me you are my twin flame, Our colors shimmer the same, when the world is cold in the winter, we'll melt each other away.

I have to praise him for the emotional depth most of his sings have- it's everything I desire in a song. A song that speaks to the human condition and evoke such strong emotions and is very soulful. Bravo mate.

But isn't it interesting how he's switched from soulmate to twin flames and yet still evoke the same imageries of the moon the way he's done when writing songs inspired by Jimin?

Not only is his dick massive his voice is massive too😭

Sorry what was your question?

Ah, JK interrupting JMs ships.

I don't know what to tell ya. He's a hater🤣🤣🤣🤣

You should watch him finding all the excuses in the world as to why JM shouldn't collaborate with the members on a song but somehow had no objection when JM said he'd make a song with him😭😭😭😭

You know when he was younger and he was asked whom he would entrust his sister to out of the group he chose himself? He couldn't chose anyone even when most of them chose Jimin💀

That was his sister. Now imagine his partner 🤣

There's no over analyzing this. I think it's just his personality. And he's been consistent with it. Remember the Perilla leaf debate?

Personally I think some members deliberately avoided answering the question- or answered it the way they did bcos of Jungkook 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣

When Tae said let's take turns I knew Jk was gonna throw a bomb and Jimin was gonna stutter 😭😭😭😭

And of course Namjoon and Suga will say they don't care- of course 😌

Cos if they did care then Jungkook would be vindicated won't he🤣

Ahhh Jimin- JM and his tiny, but why should it even matter if you're eating how would you even notice these things 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Boy's been traumatized straddling the line between the hyungs and the Maknae trying to explain to JK relax we are not flirting, relax he grabbed my balls don't mean I'm cheating. Meanwhile all JK seeing is them walking down the aisle in rainbow suits🤧

If everything we've been screaming on ship street wasn't making things clear, it's obvious from this clip alone the diverse views on boundaries that exist in the group.

It's clear, as I've been saying, JK has boundaries. Boundaries some members think is childish and ridiculous and so do not respect or adhere to which used to be a major cause of tensions within the group.

And for Tae to point out in support of Jungkook that sharing a chopstick or whatever those Perilla leaves were meant to signify was a sign of crossing boundaries should answer my question about him backing down when JK instills boundaries over JM with him but not so much when JM tries to instill boundaries with him.

It's double standard on Jms part and Tae is not the one. Do unto Jk what you want done unto you. If you think JK is childish for trying to instil boundaries with your friends what gives you the right to instill boundaries over JKs friends? Gotta love him. He's a no nonsense sort of person.

Now, we also understand why Namjoon stopped respecting JK's boundaries. It goes both ways.

When I tell you BTS has more drama and is better than the Kardashians whew🤭

Jungkook was the most gaslit member of the group. They constantly made him out to be this unreasonable possessive dude who couldn't keep his relationship a secret. Personally, I don't think a person's boundaries have to be negotiable. It's not something you negotiate on with them. And ridiculing them and calling their boundaries unreasonable and childish speaks to your own inability to take no for an answer which is generally toxic.

It's a good thing JM made his emancipation proclamation himself cos JKV and I were gonna have to break him free from the mold.

Okay bye I'm gonna watch it and akeke to myself again

Oh wait, your friend. I should say something nice- ho ho ho ho ha ha ha ha may the force be with you💜

[whiskersz]

hi! I was curious if you could do a romantic hazbin hotel match up? <3

I go by she/they. im pansexual, im not too picky. I'm originally from Guatemala but was adopted to America! I have dark brown eyes with gold rimmed glasses with peircings; nose stud and septum. Im also a bit on the bigger side like mid size, im super insecure about it due to family problems making it worse. im getting bette with it though! I'm a Pisces and an infp. When first meeting me I'm normally shy and keep to myself and I've been told I look mean since of my resting face but trust I'm the silliest person you have ever met. when getting close; I love to joke around and I tend to be rude and "out of pocket " with my humor. (think of like smiling friends or oneyplays for reference) I love helping others if it be medically or just listening. speaking of medical; I'm almost done with schooling to get my EMT certification! I've always wanted to help someone every since I was a child. since I chose this field I am a real stickler for anatomy and physiology, with that being said I like to point out mistakes in movies which can get super annoying but it's something I love to do. another thing I love is the elder scrolls series! I love the real life inspo it's taken for the game universe, plus I love the medival vibe it has. I also love history such as artifacts from the past, historical texts, and medical practices back then. I'm a huge horror fan as well; scream, thanksgiving, SAW, Halloween, the omen. I love the classics! I also love crime cases too. I also love music,my favorites being malice mizer, gulu gulu, nirvana , ice nine kills, korn,slaughter to prevail and powerwolf! I like gothic type clothing but I normally dress in a baggy shirt and jeans so I feel out of place lol. I'm not the super touchy type (depends on the mood) because it gives me the ick. I'm more of acts of service and quality time type of lover.

I hope this is enough information! I love your writing < 3

Hi!! Thank you for appreciating my writing <3 You’ve got a lot of interests, you seem like a very interesting person!

With that said, I match you with a character that I didn’t think anyone would get matched with...

Lute!

I’m going to start from the bottom here and say that Lute is not very touchy either, so she appreciates having a partner who has similar tastes when it comes to love languages. Her primary language is quality time, if you’re spending time with Lute it means she considers you worthy and thinks your relationship is worth devoting effort on.

Her favorite way of spending time together is doing her own thing while you do yours and listening to music in the meantime. Maybe you’ll be studying and she’ll be stretching, or you’ll be researching historical facts while she’s preening her wings.

Speaking of preening, she will only trust you and herself to do it. She’s pretty shy when asking too, pretending not to care but you can clearly see her looking anywhere but in your eyes. She loves the feeling of your hands on her wings, and being taken care of for once.

Going back to your interests and what you two do together, she’s also not opposed to watching your favorite horror movies! I get the feeling that she’d be into those kind of things herself, and would also find crime cases interesting to follow. I can imagine you two making dinner or a simple snack and sitting on the cough together, watching a documentary on the latest crime case while chewing on your food as quietly as possible to hear every word.

Lute is not the type to get intimidated easily, especially if she doesn’t know someone personally, so your quieter and ‘mean-looking’ exterior never really bothered her in the first place. When you two get closer and you eventually reveal the sillier side of your personality, she’s going to reveal hers as well. She loves out of pocket humor and mean jokes, so much so that you joke around with each other this way so often that others will question whether you’re actually lovers or...don’t like each other that much after all.

She also really admires the dedication you put into studying for your certification and the field you’ve decided to deal with. She loves dedicated and diligent people. It’s also almost funny to her how she’s an Exorcist and you’ll be working in the medical field.

Lute finds you very attractive, that is a given with her being your loyal girlfriend. She really wants you to feel confident in how you look and for you to dress how you want without feeling out of place, so she’s going to remind you that she finds you good looking very often, in her own way of course. She might be a little on the meaner side when it comes to these things, but she means well; she’ll straight up tell you to wear something more interesting if she knows you were planning to dress in a more gothic style but settled on the usual baggy clothes. She’ll then remind you that you’re good looking for her and it shouldn’t really matter what your family or others think.

Overall, Lute is a very supportive – still, in her own way - and devoted partner. If you’ve got to the point of being in a relationship with her, nothing can really separate you two from that point on.  

[sims-half-crazy]

It was one of those autumn days when winter was hinting at its entrance, but summer had declared it wasn't quite done. Andrew was down visiting Bette and they'd driven to a nearby town to enjoy the colonial-era waterfront. They lounged against each other in comfortable silence for a while, when Andrew stroked her cheek. He'd been thinking a lot about their relationship. The long-distance thing was getting annoying. He liked her, a lot, and maybe it was even more but he was not ready to identify that feeling yet. He'd been a loner most of his life, but then so had Bette. He liked things his way, but Bette fit into his life pretty seamlessly. They didn't share many of the same interests, but their ideologies were similar. He just didn't want to continue to commute to see his girlfriend, but she had a life down here in Virginia and his life was in Michigan.

"I wish you didn't have to leave tomorrow." Bette broke the silence with that one statement. Andrew smiled over her head. It would figure that they'd been mulling over the same thing.

"I know. The back and forth for us to see each other is starting to wear on me, but I don't want to walk away either."

She snuggled deeper into his embrace. "I know what you mean. It'd be lovely to wake up next to you every morning." Her voice trailed off as she didn't like where this conversation was going.

Clutching her chin and gently tilting her head back, Andrew stared into the sherry-gold pools of her eyes. "You know... you could move in with me. Construction has gotten to a point where the factory is inhabitable." Bette rolled onto her knees and faced him properly.

"Andrew? Are you...are you asking me to move in with you?"

"I think I am. I did. I don't want to break up with you but I also don't want to do this long-distance thing anymore. Do you mind moving into a construction zone? It won't be for very long. Just a couple of months and then it'll be done."

"I would love to live with you!" Bette pulled him in for a kiss and the rest of the afternoon was spent kissing and making plans for her change of address.

[hanayori89]

Boundless

*Lake Hylia*

"Link, tell me about the Lakebed Temple." You watched the crackling of the flames as Link kindled them with more firewood. He had managed to turn the most disastrous day into such an unforgettable one. You sat cozily nestled in Lake Hylia Cavern. Link had first taken you to a whimsical looking place known as "Falbi's."

It had drawn your attention when you first entered. But with Aryn at your side, you didn't feel comfortable enough to explore. You couldn't contain your excitement when Link mentioned it being the first stop on your Lake Hylia tour.

It was a kaleidoscope of absurdly bright colors. You never saw such a decoupage of ridiculousness. At the same time, it held your eyes captive. It made you want to walk toward it. With the serene backdrop of Lake Hylia's azure waters, Falbi's was a vista of peculiarity. The owner was just as obscene.

"Link." You whispered with an apparent start in your voice. "He's missing half his shirt."

You could hear Link inhale beside you. You glanced sideways to see he was holding back a laugh. Once he composed himself, he responded," Falbi is a good person. He used to work in a circus. Now he and his partner Fyer manage the Water Top Land of Fantastication." Link caught the confusion sketched upon your features. He quickly added," A circus is a type of entertainment venue. You can see all kinds of animals. Clowns, such as Falbi, as well as other performances. " 

"We have something similar in the twilight."

Link gave you a cautious glance. You couldn't help but light up with a wide grin. "We have people dress up in costume like Zant, and then we perform his demise. And yes, someone dresses up as you."

Link started to laugh. "I think that's not quite the same as a circus. Though knowing your realm, it's probably more of a circus than we have here. Just out of curiosity, who's the actor that plays me?"

"Her name is Fisa. She has your build and hair. Minus the red eyes and pale skin."

Link stopped abruptly. "She?"

You linked your arm around his and tugged him along. "I think you need to come see it sometime to understand." Link looked at your arm intertwined with his. You immediately realized your proximity and freed your arm from his. You tried to contain the threatening onslaught of heat about to hit your cheeks. "I'm sorry." You said coolly.

What had come over you? And why had you said Link should come to your realm? As if he could. "I feel I am being very touchy today. Forgive me. This is all so new to me."

Link gave your back a supportive rub. "It was a hard day for you. It's ok. If I could come to your realm, I would." He seemed to take notice of something on your back, wincing as he observed it. "Your dress was ripped. I know someone in Kakariko who can fix it."

The mood between you both quickly grew somber. The realization that you both weren't just divided by something as simple as an ocean. No, you were both divided by realms. You thought of Midna's lamentable voice echoing in the back of your mind. "We can never belong in their realm."

I seem to be doing a good job of assimilating.

Link gleefully chirped. "This is going to lift your spirits. I promise. Not to mention you won't get a better view of Lake Hylia than Falbi's."

"Partner! What brings you to Falbi's today?" A raucous voice greeted you as you made your way inside the whacky building.

Link took out 20 rupees and placed them in Falbi's palm. "This young lady is visiting Lake Hylia for the first time. Can we count on you to give us the grand flight-by-fowl?"

"Awwwwright! I'll lead the way! May I say, you snagged a beauty, partner!" Falbi gave a curtsy in your direction before nudging you to follow along.

He even had a peculiar gait to match his incomplete outfit. Link seemed to regard you carefully. His stare made you slightly uneasy, coaxing you to speak up. "What?"

"Y/N... you draw a lot of attention wherever you go. I don't want to impede your freedom. But I would feel better if you tried not to travel alone." Link shuffled beside you, looking at his feet. He was clearly uncomfortable by the conversation you were having.

"I'm not saying you have to just stay with me. Though I'd prefer to be the one by your side. But someone like Fado or Rusl. I can count on them. You can too."

You wanted to counter with some sort of defense. You realized that Link was right. Look at what the whole Aryn debacle caused. You also wondered how today's incident would impact Link and Ilia's relationship. Why would she be friends with someone so squalid? As you arrived at the summit of Falbi's, you walked toward the edge to take in the view. Instead of gasping at the scenic view of Lake Hylia's waters encompassing you, you gasped at something else.

Had Ilia sent Aryn? Had Ilia planned this whole horrid event? How could you even broach something so reproachful?

The altitude at which you stood made the cold air sting your lungs. Though it didn't sting as much as the undesirable thoughts looming over you.

"Y/N?"

You stared ahead, brushing Link off. Did he know who he was marrying? You did not come to the light for this. Do not focus anymore on this. You inhaled and followed it with a calming exhale. Link must have heard the staggered, deep breath that spilled out of you.  He snuck up behind you.

"Y/N, what's wrong?" Link questioned you sweetly. His voice always dripped out like the syrup he drenched your bread and apples in. This is the Hero of Twilight. He would never be part of such a devious farce. You thought of the way his eyes always regarded you with tenderness. Your intuitive radar told you without a shadow of a doubt that Link was not part of Ilia's plan.

Without a shadow of a doubt. The answers are always hiding in the shadows. You thought of Midna's question. You wondered if someone in the light could make sense of the answer better than you could.

"Link." You kept your gaze cast upon the sparkling ripples in the lake. "Did you know before I left, Midna gave me a homework assignment?"

Link snickered in amusement. "Sounds like Midna. What was the assignment?"

"Where does the truth lie? Within the shadows of the dark or the illumination of the light?" You surreptitiously looked Link's way to read his expression. His face was pensive as he looked out at Lake Hylia.

Instead of formulating an answer, he posed a question. "You've been in the light a few days now. Some part of me thinks you know the answer to Midna's assignment." He raised an eyebrow in your direction quizzically.

You took a moment before you proceeded with a response. " When the sun is out, I can faintly make out your Triforce. But under the light of the moon..." you paused, meeting Link's eyes. " Only under the light of the moon am I able to see it clearly."

A subtle smile lifted from the corners of Link's lips. "Not everything is as it appears in the light. We may be able to feel, but as you have witnessed, many of us don't show those feelings. They lie guarded within." Link used his hand to thud against where his heart would anatomically be located.

"Especially yours." You don't know what made you say it. Whenever you were near Link, it was like your lips had a mind of their own.

The beauty of Lake Hylia was long lost between you both. For the first time, you were becoming attuned to the beauty of something grander.

The beauty of being vulnerable.

*

Link could feel the warmth of the embers from the freshly kindled fire. Now that he had stoked the fire to his content, he took a seat across from Y/N. He was worried by Y/N's demeanor when they were at the top of Falbi's. He couldn't shake the way she had looked at him. The way in which she masterfully blurted, "Especially yours," in response to his guarded feelings. For someone who wasn't familiar with emotions, nobody had ever been so in tune with his.

After a moment of speculation in regard to Midna's assignment, it was time to take the plunge. He walked Y/N through what the flight-by-fowl really was. Her eyes shot open with panic. "We are flying with the cuccos?"

Link delivered her the most trustworthy smile he could. "Y/N... trust me. I would never let anything happen to you."

Her shoulders slumped as she became more subdued. Link grabbed a cucco by the feet, demonstrating what to do. As she selected a cucco worthy of the task, she gripped its' feet. "The important thing is to hold on securely but not crush the cucco's feet. On the count of three, we jump."

Link slightly bent his knees, the cucco flapping wildly above his head. He began to countdown. "One...Two..."

Y/N yelled, "Three!" Eagerly leaping off the ledge with her cucco.

"Y/N!" Link screamed. He plummeted below with his cucco. The endless lapping waves threatened to absorb them into its blue oblivion. The first part of the fall was always the scariest. Link couldn't lie; he was quite afraid his first time doing the flight-by-fowl. As the wind crushed against the weight of his body, he slammed his eyes shut so that he couldn't see his impending doom.

But doom never came. Instead, the cucco's ferocious flapping paid off. Before long, he began to soar. The cruel hand of the wind that was slapping against his body became the same hand that would carry him gracefully to his landing. Link opened his eyes to see Y/N. Her hair whipped savagely around her face. Finally, the wind permitted him to take a peek at her. She was laughing. Like he'd never seen her laugh. Engrossed in the way the blue of the sky bled into the blue of the lake. This is the light he wished for her to witness. The sheer feeling of anything being possible. Being boundless. Not burdened by the heaviness of emotions.

It was in the sky that Link realized he'd also lost sight of what the light was about. In fact, he never even knew. That was until he became a hero. When he began to explore and see the world. As he descended, his thoughts crashed back to reality along with his feet. He thought of Rusl.

He thought about the choice. The answer was always right there. He couldn't marry Ilia. He couldn't settle down in Ordon. He wasn't sure what the rest of his destiny entailed. But whatever it was, he felt he was closer to it when he roamed the expansive fields of Hyrule. He made a silent pact with himself then. He'd find a way to remove himself from this situation. He would find a solution that was just for everyone.

Y/N's bright e/c eyes peered at him through the crackling flames. "Link, tell me about the lakebed temple."

Now, as he sat, telling tales of his journey by the fire, it only confirmed what he already knew.

He vowed he would help Y/N find her place in this realm. For he too was looking for his own place to belong.

Was it wrong that he hoped the place they belonged to be the same?

That maybe they belonged together.

A/N: Edited 12/08/22

The water has a way of reflecting one's deepest emotions. As you wonder about the light and its' populace, someone else is doing some wondering of his own. Will both of your separate missions lead to the same ending?

Check out my other completed OOT Zelda work- No Woman Beyond

[2bu]

Hi, even though I barely see you post any of your OCs (I mean actual pics of them/art of them / pos) I was curious... how do you go about naming your OCs??? I struggle with names a lot but you never seem to! What's your secret

Hi there! my process is weird, cause most of the time, i follow a naming system i set up in one of my original worlds - which means i make up a LOT of names across the board on the fly when i make a character or sometimes purchase one. idm explaining the various noted ways i go about naming ocs

simply making it up - this applies more to surnames, ie: stormi goodchild in my world, reverialum. surnames indicate family occupations, types of magic, where you're from, and other similar things. sometimes it relates to famous ancestors of theirs, tales of them, etc. stormi's got a famous great-aunt from several generations ago that was a good, fair storm witch that aided in storm management and control, thus, they were dubbed 'goodchild'.

various influences from media i watch/listen to/etc: this is like the second biggest thing LOL. some examples of ocs that are inspired by + named after characters/songs/etc: pacifica okiruaiti, leena raff, dott & bette liu, so on. my more well known charas, leena and pacifica... leena was named after the song OF the same name by caravan palace, and well... pacifica? i pulled her name from gravity falls' pacifica, because... it fit. it made sense when i had originally purchased her. her surname used to be lazuli, and that was because she was a gem-hybrid adopt i got from one of my fave artists. i was going to change her first name, but it just... stuck. LOL bette + dott are named after the conjoined twins bette and dot from ahs: freakshow, which i watched a very, very long time ago. also just felt fitting since bette and dott are conjoined sisters (too much to explain why i'm picking that term).

sometimes i just keep names that were suggested by creators, former owners, etc.

i pocket some names for myself over the years i'd wanna use. ie: darla brandy. darla was an entirely different oc concept with very, very little art, so i just applied the name to a freshly made oc.

i name characters after plants, songs, food, objects, themes, tarot cards, mythological creatures/deities/etc. examples: three of swords, pepper, eros, aphrodite. a very unique example of a name of an oc i have that's named after a song is last night all my dreams came true.

in the end, i just kinda??? come up with names accordingly? if i'm real stuck i ask my friends in corpse pit for help, and they're geniuses LOL. i also will say i like alliteration in names, which makes naming fun and easier for me - ie: andromeda angeles, esther everafter, dr demeter demize.

anyways sorry this is long - thank you for asking this question! i'll try to post/show off my ocs more - if you do wanna see them, you're welcome to follow my oc blog @cosmotelluriantarot since that's where i'm trying to post them a lot more consistently!

[saturniandragon]

From your most recent ask game I thought 18 and 19 sounded like they would be fun to combine. Oh and 32 looks interesting if you wish to add that as a bonus. 36 too in fact but don't worry if that's too many. With any OC of yours that you wish to choose. Although I would very much like to see your TES characters if I may request that :D

Trying to be careful not to accidentally delete an ask draft like that one time I tried to answer your anon ask from a while ago.

And yes to anyone's wondering, spinn-virus is the anon that has been sending me oc asks. I've obtained permission to reveal her identity.

18. How easy is it to become their enemy?

Zanri: Zanri isn't one to hold grudges often. Except if you commit acts that in real world would be the equivalent of Geneva convention violations. Terrorism, unlawful torture and executions, taking hostages, to name a few.

Or insult his mom Queen Ayrenn.

Vani: The fighter Khajiit from Orcrest has no more family left, so when Zanri adopts her into his little Dominion family, one can be sure whoever brings her step brother into harm's way will not see the light of day again. Awkwardly they are being overprotective of each other, and they're not fully aware of it.

Adrastea (ESO): Just step on his pet dwarven spider, whether on accident or intentional. Or bring him cold tea. The man is unpredictable on what will trigger him and what will not.

Merri'sa: Merri'sa possesses similar demeanor as Zanri regarding combat. She's by no means a soldier of the Imperial Legion or related to any armed forces in any way, but her Imperial father was. And she has inherited his teachings of battle.

-

19. How easy is it to become their friend?

Zanri + Merri'sa: You make a perfect friend of Zanri and Merri'sa if you're an archer, not a racist, a scholar, or any combination of them. In general though, anyone socially decent and respectful can be their friend regardless of background.

Vani: Do you like knives? Close range combat? Making the biggest mess possible in the kitchen? You will like Vani, and she will like you. Whether her step brother will also like you is another matter.

Adrastea (ESO): You have to be educated. Like, extremely educated. Especially on Dwemer. The way he filters out fake friends from real ones is by throwing in some Dwemer-related terminologies in his sentences and see how long they will last. And you have to know how to make a good tea. It's a bit unclear if those are requirements to be his friend or his servant.

(yes I just realized I'm basing his personality off of Neloth from Skyrim)

Adrastea (Saturn): Adra has plenty of interests so chances are one of your interests will align with him. Supercars, firearms, trance music. Or sometimes about adult stuff. He's horny.

Aeryx: Aeryx behaves almost like a house cat. Give her a little affection and she will probably cling to you for a while. Even just complimenting her coffee is enough to make her ecstatic.

-

32. If they could change one thing about themselves what would it be?

Zanri: Zanri wishes he can read people better. Numerous times he felt he was used or lied to because he couldn't take hints except the obvious ones. Sarcasm is his enemy because it can take a few hours to a few days before he realizes what his interlocutor actually meant. This stems from him not wanting to judge people too quickly, which has proved to be a little bit of a double-edged sword.

Vani: Vani has been trying to take her step brother's advice of "chill the fuck out a little", though she hasn't been able to because she was born with 6 claws according to the old Khajiiti saying. Admittedly on day to day life she has learned how to keep her temper down since Zanri adopts her, but it's gone out the window when blades are out.

Adrastea (ESO): Does he need to change anything about himself? If anything, being full of himself is one. Though he believes it's just because he's still being stationed in Western Skyrim when he would appreciate somewhere warmer a lot better.

Merri'sa: Merri'sa currently seeks to be better in close range combat. It's never in her blood to be proficient in a fight that takes place within 3 meters, other than when she stealthily assassinates a bandit from behind with her dagger. Granted she is rarely involved in close range combat, but it's a skillset she wants to have.

36. Would they ever kill someone? Have they already?

Not applicable to my Saturn ocs because they're all upstanding civilians :)

Zanri: Zanri has taken plenty of lives, probably unnecessarily too many, although none has been civilians or non-combatants. From simple bandits to Dremoras he has seen a lot of blood splatter caused by his arrows. It's easy to brand him as a cold-hearted assassin who blindly follows orders from his Queen, but he knows that some evil are necessary for the greater good. And he's perfectly willing to forgive anyone who wishes to abandon their wrong ways. Except Mannimarco.

Vani: Vani doesn't have anywhere near the same kill count as Zanri. As a hot-tempered fighter however she is more willing to draw blood as her way of solving a problem. Like Zanri however, she won't fight those who can't defend themselves.

Adrastea (ESO): Adrastea used to be a Pact sergeant before he deserted, and he's slain a few dozen soldiers from other alliances, Covenant and Dominion alike. Some Pact soldiers used to call him the Incinerator because of the amount of charred corpses he left in his wake from his aggressive use of sun magic. Though it's not a name he's particularly proud of.

Merri'sa: Merri'sa has killed a lot of bandit leaders in her time, both in Skyrim and back in Cyrodiil. Though she wonders if it's possible to form a society where execution or assassination isn't necessary to solve the worst of problems. A world where there's no need to carry out a war or a battle, despite how impossible it may sound. For now she has been treating her enemies as archery target practice.

[thisisalwaysmorethanoneknows]

It is Often that the Unexpected Happens

Chapter 3

Word Count: 1937

Summary: Ash the BeetleWing has died to what would later be called the Othermind. Unfortunately, by means outside his understanding, he has been brought back in 7426 as, far from his time, and far from the extinction of his tribe. He doesn't belong in this time, he misses his friends, and he knows that the friends he left behind aren't safe. With the help of Darner and Poseidra, Ash goes on a quest to return home.

Warnings: violence

< Prev

________________________________

After hours of almost nonstop flying (minus a few stops for Darner), Poseidra stopped at a small island, "here we are!"

"Geeze, how do you two have so much energy?" Darner complained, "we flew so far and took breaks, yet Poseidra is ok and Ash is barely tired."

"I flew across an entire ocean," Ash said, "we couldn't stop, so we needed a lot of stamina training."

"I was a soldier," Poseidra said, "I needed to be able to handle a lot of exercise."

"Oh! On the topic of crossing oceans, Ash, why did the BeetleWings and LeafWings came to Pantala?" Darner said, "it's not in any scrolls or books I could find.''

“How does no one have any documentation of that time? I know it was a very long time ago, but even so, it was pretty big,” Ash muttered, “whatever, I don’t feel like talking about it right now, as to me it feels like I was experiencing it just the other day, and I'd rather never remember."

“Fine. Poseidra, is this where you’re taking us?” Darner asked, “I mean, it’s pretty small, I’m pretty sure no one’d live here.”

“I wasn’t here that long ago, so I doubt she’s left in that short amount of time,” Poseidra said, “she should still be here.”

“And how long ago is 'not very long'?” Ash asked.

“About two days before we left,” Poseidra said.

“Poseidra?” Ash heard from behind him, he turned around to see what seemed to be an odd looking SeaWing, they had bat wings, a sail similar to what LeafWings had, and glowing scales all over, their teeth looked mildly dull and they had small pupils. They ran up to Poseidra, “what are you doing here after… you know?”

Despite looking harmless for a SeaWing, Ash was still nervous. A SeaWing was a SeaWing regardless of how it looked or acted. He used to have a friend that learned the hard way, that friend didn't have a chance of coming to the new continent.

“I know what you’re talking about Ray, and I’m sure you know I’ve dealt with worse,” Poseidra said, not paying attention to the confused HiveWing and BeetleWing right there.

“Yeah, still it wasn’t ok. Did you ever talk to Mizo?” Ray asked.

“Yes I did but-” Poseidra seemed to remember that Darner and Ash were there, “uhh, I’ll tell you later.”

“They don’t know?” Ray asked, sounding surprised.

“It’s best not to, it’s not their business, besides, I barely know them,” Poseidra said, “I met them not even a week ago."

“You trusted me, and clearly you knew very little about me and still you told us everything,” Ray argued.

“You were a bit different.”

“Oh? How was I different? You didn’t know me any better than them?”

“For starters, I knew you for months before I told you two."

“Hey, hey, arguing won’t get us anywhere,” Ash said, “it never accomplished anything for anyone I knew.”

“I- nevermind. Poseidra, who is the odd looking dragon, and I’m not talking about you and the fur on your neck, you’ll explain that to me later, I mean the new one,” Ray said, looking at Ash.

“This is Ash, he’s a BeetleWing, who somehow came back to life, even if it makes no sense,” Poseidra explained.

“So why’d you come here? To argue with me?” Ray asked, eyes narrowed.

"Didn't you start it though?" Darner asked.

“Unimportant- Ray, no I didn’t, I returned because you’re my friend, even if we fought, a fight shouldn’t be enough to split us up," Poseidra stated, ignoring Darner’s comment.

“Then why did you leave with Mizo?” Ray asked.

“I didn’t have a choice, if I did, I’d have never left,” Poseidra said.

“Fine, but you and your friends had better be able to provide for yourselves, my shack can’t hold four dragons, and I don’t have enough rations for you three either,” Ray said.

“Don’t worry, I'm sure we can.”

“And you had better tell me everything tomorrow or I’ll tell them everything myself,” Ray said.

“I- yeah I guess that’s understandable.”

Ray began to lead them inland, until they came to a small shack.

"That is my shack, it can only hold me and Poseidra comfortably," Ray explained, "you two'll have to sleep on the sand.

“Don’t worry about me, I should be ok,” Ash said, “I have a lot of practice.”

“And I’m sure Ash can help me,” Darner said.

“Why is that?”

“Because we’re friends, that’s why!”

“Uhhh-”

“Cool thanks!”

Ash looked over at Ray and Poseidra who were talking about something, they were so quiet Ash was having a hard time understanding them, which was probably the point. He thought he heard something about someone being corrupted, which he had no idea what they meant, he had never heard the word. He was about to ask but remembered that he probably shouldn’t have been listening so he just turned back to Darner who was collecting palm fronds for some reason.

“Uhh, what are you doing?” Ash asked, confused.

“I don’t know, I thought I could use these for sleeping on,” Darner said.

“You wanted to sleep… on palm fronds?” Ash asked.

“What am I supposed to sleep on? The sand?”

“You could, it’s not that bad.”

“You can sleep on the sand, I’m sleeping on the palm fronds,” Darner said.

“So Poseidra, what happened after our fight?” Ray asked.

“You can have fun with that.”

·

·

·

Ash opened his eyes to two dragons speaking, while he wouldn’t normally eavesdrop, they sounded very serious, and Ash didn’t like when things were hidden from him. He listened to the two of them, it sounded like Poseidra and Ray were discussing something.

“Uhh, in short, Karasu came, we agreed that if she helped me find Mizo I’d help her with some things-”

“Poseidra, how did you not learn that you couldn't trust her.”

Ash noticed sand was getting into his nostrils. He began to regret sleeping on the sand as it was going to give him away. Despite his best efforts, his need to sneeze overpowered his want to eavesdrop, "dammit."

"Well good morning," Ray said.

"Uh, Ash, how much did you hear?" Poseidra asked, nervously.

"Not very much, something about a dragon named Karasu being untrustworthy," Ash said, "but that's about it."

"Ah, that's good," Poseidra said, sighing.

“Ugh, I shouldn’t have slept on these palm fronds,” the dragons heard, they turned and saw a tired Darner, pulling palm fronds off himself “what are you three talking about?”

"Nothing much, just-" Ash noticed Poseidra's face telling him to not mention it, so he didn't, "telling them about Orchid and Click."

“Orchid and Click? Didn’t you mention them when you first met?” Darner asked.

“Yeah, Orchid was the LeafWing leader and Click was the BeetleWing leader,” Ash said.

“Leader? Do you mean queen?” Ray asked.

“No, we didn’t have Queens, I didn’t even know that word until the other day,” Ash said.

“Huh, very interesting,” Poseidra said, “I-”

Poseidra was interrupted by a very loud, metallic sound, they looked over to see a large wooden thing on the water, with a few dragons flying off of it, the majority of them looked a lot like Ray.

“Uhh, what the hell is that?” Ash asked.

“Large ship,” Ray curtly explained.

"Urr, ship? What even is a ship?" Ash asked, very confused.

“I live alone, and the most I see is the occasional ship that passes by, they don’t usually stop here!” Ray said, “not once in my life has a ship stopped here, it comes with living alone on a small island.”

“Ahoooy!” a dark colored dragon yelled, they looked mildly similar to Ray when it came to anatomy. They flew down to the group of dragons, then looked around at the dragons, from the mildly furry dragon, to the BeetleWing, “wow, we have a really interestin' group here! 'D love to learn 'bout all of ya over some gazelle jerky.”

“Sorry, we’re good, right guys?” Ray asked, she seemed nervous about the darker dragon.

“Yep!” the rest of the group said.

“Yeah, we’re fine being alone on this island,” Darner said.

“Oh, 'm sorry if y'all thought t’at was a question, t’wasn’t,” they said, a small smirk forming on their face, “see, the MudWin' queen'd love ta buy the hybrid and wha'ever 'e is,” they said pointing at Poseidra and Ash, “'nd ’m not sure wha' I’d do with the SeaWin' 'nd HiveWin', but 'm sure I could sell ya to the SandWin' Queen for wha’ever reason t’at she wanted dragons for."

Poseidra’s eyes narrowed, but she held her ground, “and why would you do that, how do you know it could benefit you? The MudWing Queen could easily turn on you,” she said, sounding as if she was speaking from experience.

“She 'ouldn’t, and even if they did, m'fleet would come fer meh, we can take on'a castle,” they said, smirking, “now, come wit' us nice an' easily, or, we can have a very fun time”

“Last time I heard that tone from someone with bad intentions, nothing good happened,” Poseidra looking mildly concerned, “so I don’t want to know what they mean by ‘good time.’”

“Uhh, I’m siding with Poseidra, she’s the most knowledgeable out of all of us,” Ray said, “so yeah, I trust her.”

“Uhh, yeah, I kind of don’t want to feel death again… it kind of hurts,” Ash said, “so I’m agreeing with those two.”

“Those three seem pretty smart so I agree with them,” Darner said.

“Good, 'm so glad that I don’t have ta make thin's messy, Queen Gharial 'nd Queen Buzzard won’t appreciate it if the dragons I bring 'er are damaged,” they said, smiling, “y'all! Come help meh with t'ese four, we wouldn’t want 'em ta try anythin' funny.”

“Yes Captain Kamchatka!” seven of the dragons in the air yelled before flying down. Including Kamchatka, that was two dragons for each dragon in their group, if they tried to fight back, they’d be outnumbered. On top of that, the dragons were probably trained to fight, meanwhile, no one in the group seemed to be trained, aside from maybe Poseidra.

Two dragons came up to Ash, blocking his view from the others, one had a dagger, while the other had ropes, “don’t squirm,” one of them said, holding up the dagger. The other dragon started to bind his talons, “after all, you wouldn’t want me to nick a vein on ‘accident.’”

“Oh please, that’s the least of their worries, they should be more worried about Queen Gharile, she isn’t known for giving nice deaths,” the other one said.

“Ya two! Stop chattin' and tie 'im up right fuckin' now! If 'e gets away ’m turnin' ya two in ta Gharile,” Kamchatka yelled.

“Yes captain!” they yelled, before quickly tying rope around his talons, while one held the dagger to his throat, with a look that dared him to struggle.

“We got the… whatever he is!” the dragon with the dagger yelled.

“Fin'lly, we got the other three! Take 'im ta the brig!” Kamchatka yelled.

“Yeah yeah, come on weirdo, you’re going to the brig,” the dagger dragon said, trying to drag a very much conscious Ash.

“Fer fuck’s sake! Just knock 'im out dammit!” Kamchatka yelled, “'t’s not that hard. Why're ya two so incompetent?”

“Good idea,” the one who had the rope said, he walked away for a little bit before returning with a large, heavy branch, “night night, freak," they hit Ash with the branch using their full strength, knocking him out.

___________________

Next >

[zorilleerrant]

and if you want to do the ask game: 17?

the ask game

each of the Batchildren's favorite sibling... I've done this before, but I do go back and forth on the answers, so this is what I think at this moment before I change my mind again. (this is long tho because I count as many batkids as possible.)

Cass's favorite is Steph, and Steph's favorite is Cass. there's something about being the only girls surrounded by boys - they love Babs, but she's older, and has different pressures in the public eye, so they're not quite in the same place - that really makes them turn to each other and be like. you. you get it. and their bond is a lot older than the other girls, so it's there even once there are more of them in the Manor. also they both love boba.

Damian's favorite is Cass, but he won't admit it. the bond he has with Dick is more father-son, so it doesn't feel like a sibling bond in the same way, so for a while he feels like he's doing all the sibling bonding stuff wrong. but he's jealous of Cass overcoming her training and knowing exactly what she wants out of fighting, and it slowly morphs into respect. he just thinks she's very cool.

Jason's favorite is Dick. it's awkward for him, because he really wants to reintegrate into the family and be more than just a peripheral hanger-on like he feels sometimes, but none of them feel like real siblings to him except for Dick, and sometimes Luke. there's a basis there for Dick, back when he was a kid, and he can't really figure out how to make the shift from 'technically siblings' to 'actually siblings' in his mind.

Lance's favorite is also Dick, by default, and not necessarily because he actually likes the guy, but he does appreciate how hard Dick is trying, even if he's never willing to admit it. he doesn't really know how to deal with having a brother, but he would've learned how, if he'd had the time.

Tim's favorite is Dick, too. that's his childhood hero and his original mentor, and possibly the coolest superhero to ever exist. and not only did Dick try so hard with him in order to make sure he felt loved in a way Jason didn't, but they were for a long time the only ones there, and so had a lot of time to bond one to one. Tim loves Cass, too, but he managed to bond with her as a peer in a way he never did with Dick (he still can't get over his hero-worship entirely), so it's less intimidating. and it's weird to him to think of Steph as a sibling so he tries not to put too much thought into it.

Babs's favorite sibling is Dick, because they were childhood best friends and made a pact to always be there for each other, so she feels it's important to her many friendship bracelets from him to honor that. she also tries not to play favorites with the younger siblings because it's not so good for training them, so it's easier for her to have a quick answer to the question.

Bette's favorite is Babs because she's absolutely a worthy successor, and Bette doesn't want to have to worry about who's in charge of the mantle. she also trusts Babs to hand it off when the time is right to someone else who can take it on.

Harper and Cullen's favorites are each other, even though it feels a little mean they think their relationship is realer than all the other siblings, but they do.

Claire's favorite sibling is Helena because she's simply so badass. even with superpowers, Claire just really wishes she could rise to that level, and occasionally gets Helena to train her, when possible. she's not as impressed by Cass because Cass is a lot closer to her in age, and she just never managed to be wowed by anyone else in the family right off the Bat.

Duke's favorite sibling is also Helena, because he feels a little bit the outcast with everyone at the Manor looking so similar, and so he latches onto Helena just to have another black face to look at. he trusts Luke's advice, but he doesn't think of the man as a sibling in the same way, since at least Helena really is Bruce's daughter instead of just his mentee. he doesn't get along with Damian at all because they're too similar in age, so his second favorite is Cass.

Helena's favorite sibling is Babs, for also being a peripheral member of the family, never living in the Manor, etc. because, yeah, Bruce is her dad in a very technical sense, but he's also sort of like Babs's dad, and that doesn't seem to phase her any, even though she already has a dad that she loves. due to this favoritism, Helena often gets Selena to mom Babs as well.

Turner's favorite is Tim, for managing to be so competent all the time, and confident even when he's not. he's massively impressed by the whole figuring it out thing when he. didn't. kind of jealous? but also his mind is just blown on the sheer scale of puzzle pieces it takes to do that. wishes he had a skateboard.

Luke's favorite is Tiff, because she's the baby. he always felt too responsible for what his other siblings were doing growing up, and struggled to help them with it when he was only a kid himself, but by the time Tiff comes along he's sort of got things figured out, and he can do a lot more to help her. she reminds him so much of himself at that age, with such a determined sense of justice, and the belief she can change the world. also she's so tiny???

Tam's favorite is also Tiff, because there's a unique sort of joy in being able to impart all of the things she's learned and warn Tiff away from all of her mistakes, because Luke doesn't have to deal with all the things she and Tiff do, and also he's sidestepped a lot of the issues both Tam and Jace have dealt with. Tiff looks up to her for life advice, fashion advice, school advice - all sorts of things that Luke never learned breezing through life. she takes great pains to teach Tiff how to do her hair in convenient ways, and have a great time giving each other makeovers. also. she's tiny

Jace's favorite is also Tiff. it's not just because she's the only one he's not fighting with. it's also the fact that she sees his vision and doesn't question him on it - well, he's worried about her, of course, but they have the same end goal, the same beliefs about the things that need to change, and the ability to work together to get it done. and that impresses him to see in her. also she's tiny

Tiff's favorite is Luke because he's always seemed so perfect to her, and she's put him on a little bit of a pedestal. he's her big brother and he's always so careful to be sweet to her and not yell at her, even when she's accidentally broken his things, even if he does baby her a little. and he just seems so cool all the time.

Terry's favorite is Mattie because that's his baby brother he would do anything for, and Mattie's favorite is Terry because that's his brother who always took care of him, and this would be true even if they had much closer relationships with the rest of their siblings.

Carrie's favorite is also Terry, because the rest of them feel like they're sort of distant so it makes sense they shine so brightly, but Terry's her age and he's managing to kick serious ass. she tells Mattie he's her favorite tho because it makes him feel special.

Maps's favorite is Steph, because she once talked some youtuber into eating an actual sock, or at least part of one, which is a life goal. anyway it's better than eggplant

Bao's favorite is Jason, because of all the murder. there's someone who really gets it, he thinks, and sometimes feels conflicted about all of that. but that's someone whose goals and ideals really seem to align with his.

Diego's favorite is Dick, for, um, obvious reasons. also he'll have you know they're not actually siblings, they're colleagues, and also obviously he's not going to make a move until he turns eighteen because that would just be rude. but yeah he has super huge respect for, uh, the first Robin and all that.

Merissa's favorite is Helena, because she loves to see a woman of color being in the spotlight and kicking ass. and also her mom is Catwoman and, possibly unethical life choices aside, because they were cool irresponsible decisions, well, Merissa loves cats.

Lucas's favorite is Luke because he seems like the only one in the entire constellation who's making sensible decisions. not always, obviously, but way more often than the other people. he even saw Batwing eat a vegetable on purpose once.

Dick's favorite isn't as obvious, and he'll often say Damian just because Damian is the baby and needs to hear it, or Tim if Dami's not there to complain, but his favorite sibling is his older brother. he's lionized the man to the point of unrecognizability, and he knows that, which is why he never talks about it, because he was just a person and people aren't perfect. he loved Dick, tho, and Dick loved him, and misses him every single day.

[tamathena]

My Thoughts on The Prophecies Begin

Obvious Spoiler warning, I will be talking about all six books and the ending of this particular series, but it will be limited to this one.

I think, especially when compared to a lot of books for a similar demographic, Warriors was really good. The writing is descriptive, but not overly flowery, while still feeling to the point. It didn't feel like there was a lot of filler, I feel like most everything was relevant to the story in some way, and the world and its rules were really interesting. I don't really blame the books for being predictable, they're meant for an audience younger than me.

The tension in most of the series was genuinely really good. There was a lot of setup for some things, like Tigerstar (then Tigerclaw) being seen sharing tongues with Brokentail, and the reader immediately knows something is up.

I did find some of the characters frustrating, but I am not sure if that is more a me problem or a symptom of where some aspects could have improved. For example, Book 2 (Fire and Ice) was the single most frustrating one to read, since a lot of the conflict in that book comes from both Fireheart and Graystripe consinuously making similarly bad decisions, and Fireheart being mad a Graystripe for it, but not really considering how his actions were not much different. I also found Cloudpaw a little annoying and frustrating, though I think this may have been a little bit of the point of his character at the time he was Cloudpaw.

There were a lot of characters I did really like, though. I really liked Yellowfang, she was a fun character and her grumpy old lady kind of personality I think was interesting for a character who spends her time caring about and for others. Her death was one of the saddest scenes in the book, and I cannot get over her wishing that she had Fireheart for a son instead of the one she really had.

I also really enjoyed Whitestorm. He was just, likeable. There wasn't really anything to dislike about him. He was a good friend to the main character, and very wise. I kind of wish he had been developed a little more as a character. But what we did get to see of him, I liked a lot. He was loyal, and wise, and kind. Even when Bluestar wasn't well, he was there for her and was going above and beyond to help Fireheart, guising him gently, but not pushing him to anything through his deputyship. He was an obvious choice for Clan deputy.

My thoughts on Bluestar are super complicated, and I did initially really like her as a character. My thoughts on Bluestar after Tigerclaw's treachery was known are complicated, and I don't know exactly how to word them or what words to use. I did really like a few passages with her then, as a few were certainly extremely memorable. I'm just not sure I can articulate how I feel about her character in a way that would make any sort of sense.

I'm not sure how much I liked the thing with BloodClan, they seemed like they could have been interesting as a villain, but they were not around for ling, and only really became relevant in like, the last 10% of the Darkest Hour, which did unfortunately make them feel a little rushed and our of place for me. Especially since they wound up killing Tigerstar. I'm not sure what a better way to set them up in my opinion would have been, but they just felt so... weird?

I did think the religion that the cats had was interesting. They don't really have a deity, but there's not much better way to describe how they seem to feel about their warrior ancestors in StarClan. They believe that StarClan has more control over things than they really do, when StarClan is much more observatory and destiny, if that makes sense. They believe that StarClan can control the happenings of the forest, though they more just take a role of guides.

Overall, I think it was pretty good, maybe I can figure out more of my thoughts later, and when my boyfriend actually finishes reading them, talking with him might help me put better word to my thoughts. If I do, I'll likely add in the reblogs.

[acidglue234]

I just wanted to say I loved your TedTalk ;) You actually made some very valid points on both Dani & Gigi’s view of relationships. My question to you now is, what do you think attracted Gigi to Dani?

thanks so much! i needed to make my thoughts about those two coherent so i’m glad it’s resonating w folks.

as for your question, i touched on this a little in my Dani x Gigi post but i think what initially attracted Gigi to Dani comes down to three things:

1. Gigi is very nurturing; she’s a great mother and provider (as Nat and Alice have praised). in Gigi's hypothetical friend group, she's totally the mom friend, so from these maternal instincts, i think Gigi receives gratification in knowing she’s wanted/needed.

not only does Dani embrace this side of Gigi, Dani fulfills this need in her by welcoming her support instead of writing her off as annoying or a fling.

early on in the season, we see that Dani and Bette are both hurting in different ways, but while Bette shirks Gigi’s support, criticizes her doting nature, and dumps her for not being what she needs, Dani does the exact opposite.

when Gigi offers to take Dani out and talks to her about her father/her ex, not only is Dani accepting of Gigi’s help, she's grateful; like Dani outwardly expresses her thanks to Gigi for being kind and funny when Dani needed it most, and at a time where Gigi is lacking this recognition in her life (from Nat, Alice, and Bette), Dani provides it.

coincidentally (fatefully?), they both give each other exactly what the other is desperately missing.

Dani: "thank you again for everything."

Gigi: "the pleasure is all mine."

2. Gigi and Dani have a lot in common, and i think Gigi sees a lot of herself in Dani (which only further draws her to Dani).

Gigi is very observant and asks lots of meaningful questions, specifically about Dani’s friends and family. from these interactions, Gigi gets to see how much Dani cares about her friendship with Micah, how much she misses her mother, and how much she struggles to make it work with her father despite their differences.

this resonates with Gigi to the point of captivation.

in the first season it’s mentioned that Gigi and Nat were best friends before they started dating and it’s no small feat that they’re still close now, even after everything they’ve been through together. sure, they have to make it work for the kids, but we’ve seen other couples on this show with a similar dynamic (Bette and Tina), and i wouldn’t go so far as to call those two close.

but because of the way Gigi communicates, her relationships are deeper and her bonds are stronger. she’ll try to make things work even if it hurts and i think this is something she shares with Dani.

vice versa, Dani expresses interest in Gigi's family too; so often the listener and caretaker in her relationships, i can only assume it's rare that people return Gigi's attentiveness, but in asking about Gigi's life, Dani shows she's willing to share the emotional labor that Gigi's used to carrying alone.

ultimately, through their conversations about their family and their shared culture, Gigi finds she can connect with Dani on a deeper level, a place where Gigi lives and thrives, in all likelihood, all by herself. not a lot of people can reach that level, which i'm sure has been lonely for Gigi, but Dani has proven capable of meeting her at this place, and if that's not attractive, i don't know what is.

3. i mean...have you seen Dani Núñez *fans self* what other reasons does Gigi need?

(i'm only half kidding)

[shewholovestoread]

The L Word Generation Q - The Bette and Dani Fight

One of the scenes that most intrigued me was the fight between Dani and Bette in episode 8. Throughout season 1 and the first half of season 2, we saw the closeness between Dani and Bette. I think in a lot of ways, Bette sees herself in Dani. They have similar family dynamics and are both incredibly driven and ambitious women. Dani also looks up to Bette, she idolises her and even had a crush on her in season 1. I love this scene because it establishes a few important things.

We start the scene with Dani taking Bette to the CAC and Bette has no idea why they’re there. What I find interesting is how uncomfortable Dani appears and as it will turn out, not for the right reason. She wants to make sure that Bette knows that she cares about her and their friendship. She clearly likes Gigi and wants to be with her and at the same time, hoping that Bette is okay with it and she’s terrified that she won’t be or that she might still have feelings for Gigi. I think Bette sees her discomfort and offers her a smile, and the reassurance that she values their friendship as well.

Dani’s finally worked up the courage to speak to Bette about Gigi. The events of the previous night was all the push she needed, once she realised that Gigi was serious about them, she was willing to broach the subject with Bette. She’s so caught up in how to start that conversation that she misses Bette’s expression. Bette’s face completely closes off and she’s wearing her trademark pissed-off look.

Dani’s first instinct at Bette’s question is to assume that she’s talking about Gigi and immediately starts to apologise and explain herself (though she clearly didn’t need to) And Bette finally voices what everyone had been saying about Bette and Gigi, that she never cared much for Gigi to begin with. To the extent that even as she says, “I don’t give a fuck about Gigi.” she’s clearly distracted. In her self-righteous anger, she misses what Dani was trying to ask her.

The CAC endowment deal is something that Dani had to work very hard to finalise and she’s proud of it. This is her way of making sure that her father’s company is finally doing some good in the community. And more than that, it’s her baby, the entire initiative was her idea.

Dani brings Bette to the CAC to show her something she was proud of accomplishing, she wants it to be a surprise for Bette because, in part, I think she did because of Bette, knowing how much art means to her. Dani’s so sure that Bette will be happy that it completely blind-sides her when she realises just how angry she is.

Bette is so angry that she’s not even willing to hear Dani out. She has to know that Rudolfo is in prison and that Dani’s currently the CEO, yet she still asks if the endowment is from her or from Rudolfo. Bette’s lashing out with Dani trying to reason with her, telling her that that was not her intention at all. And Bette keeps shutting her down.

Bette’s main point of contention is the Núñez name in the new wing. She associates it with Rudolfo and all the harm his company has done. But she forgets that it’s Dani’s name as well. I think it’s telling that she actually draws back when Dani says, “That’s my name, too.” As far as Dani knows, her father is in trouble and for all the toxicity of their relationship, she still loves him. The Núñez name is part of her identity and her heritage.

I think Bette just expected Dani to do as she said. That Dani stands up for herself and her name is like drawing a line in the sand as far as Bette is concerned. In her head, that was Dani taking her father’s side. Her expression as Dani says her line is full of venom. I think that’s the moment it became personal for Bette.

Bette tries one more time, telling Dani to fix this and once again when Dani refuses, Bette ends the exchange with a threat.

What I find really interesting throughout this confrontation is that Dani stays calm. She keeps trying to make Bette understand where she’s coming from, trying to reason with her and keeps hitting a wall. And that’s part of what also throws her off, she’s so used to seeing Bette as a reasonable person and seeing this other side, she just doesn’t know how to handle this new Bette.

Bette knows Dani, she knows where she stands and they shared a deep friendship to the extent that she was the first person Dani reached out to for comfort after the Sophie fiasco. Bette also knows that Dani looks up to her and if you were to watch their earlier scenes, you can tell that Bette cares about her as well. That Bette could turn on Dani so viciously is jarring and disturbing.

Was the endowment a good idea, probably not. Was Bette’s reaction warranted, also no. Everything Bette said could have been said in a way where she wasn’t actively attacking Dani. She immediately goes on the offensive, never stopping to think about Dani. She doesn’t stop to see Dani’s point of view, to understand what motivated her, why she did what she did. She doesn’t bother trying to explain to Dani why it was a bad idea and then trying to figure out a solution together, what they could do to make it work or at the very least, reach a compromise. She doesn’t try to have a conversation.

Bette’s preoccupation with her “legacy” is part of the problem with her behaviour this season. I think her loss last season rattled her more than she let on and she desperately wants to do something that she sees as meaningful and leave her mark. It’s a noble endeavour but not when it comes at the cost of other people’s feelings and emotions. Anyone she didn’t view as good enough or her equal was immediately shunned and shut out and I fear next season (if we have one) it will bite her in the ass. It’s not a surprise that her personal life is a mess and if she wants to have some semblance of peace, she’ll have to re-evaluate her choices and actions and how they affect those around her.

I do see Dani and Bette mending their friendship with one key difference, they will come together as equals. The scales were tipped in Bette’s favour because of Dani’s idolisation which gave her opinions and points of view more weight. But not anymore, I think Dani will be more independent and view Bette as more of a peer than her mentor, leading to a better balanced dynamic which ultimately will be good for both of them.

[anxiouspandatheatrekid]

✨Ranking of Black Friday songs✨

17- Monsters And Men (Reprise)

Rewatched Black Friday recently while this one is still good, I just feel like McNamara didn't need another song. The ending with the scream overlap is nice though!

16- Wiggly Jingle

Do I need to say anything about this one? I get it's meaning in the context of the show but I shit you not when I first watched Black Friday I was unsure if this one was meant ironic or not. I was a little scared the whole show was going to be like this at first. I don't really like the song itself but the choreography is great!

15- Monsters And Men

Haven't really gotten into this one yet, I realize that it's good but it's just not that catchy to me as of now. The ending is pretty great though.

14- Adore Me

Great acting on Lauren's part. A bit slow for my taste and short but ut was supposed to be longer so I get why they cut it. Also really funny ending. Love the choreography.

13- Califor.M.I.A

Always great when that song starts while your mom is around. Anyways. I like the energy of this one, while the letter part is a little long and I wish the "that's not how cameras work babe" part would have been included on the cast recording, it's still pretty good. Also relatable.

12- Wiggle

I was a little sad that Lauren didn't get any great songs in Black Friday, but I've come to like her songs quite a lot lately. Especially the dance break at the ending of this one is pretty cool. I am not a fan of the stylistic singing choices on Lauren's part if I'm honest but to give her credit the song is pretty much the lowest she has had to sing.

11- Deck The Halls

Really catchy and funny to watch if you've seen way too many Christmas/holiday movies, but I kinda dislike that the entire dialogue was kept on the cast recording. But sidenote, I love the fact that they included this movie so well in the show and also referenced it in NMT. A bop overall and even funnier because of how straight it is played.

10- Made In America

Yes I got into this song not so long ago but Joey is (I know I have said this way too many times on this list) low key terrifying. He did a great job though. Also I skip the Wiggly part because it still feels weird to me. Joey really flexed his wagon on fire muscles here.

9- If I Fail You

I feel like this one is very similar to What Tim Wants, not only because they are sung by the same character and are about the literal same topic, they're also quite similar in melody because the second part is a reprise. Either way, it's a good song (if not a little long). Also considering I love What Tim Wants, to me it gets considerably better when the melody transitions to the second part.

8- What Do You Say

Also a great song. That's it. A little slow but really cute and it has a well timed ending. All the group numbers have a special place in my heart because the cast is so fucking talented. Also this one is very funny too.

7- Our Doors Are Open

Also a little slow for my taste but I love that Corey had a chance to shine here. The more I listen to it the more I appreciate the song.

6- Black Friday

Jesus. There have been many different interpretations of this song, and I still like the overall "I'm going to die, fuck you all" vibe. And while it is about her near death experience and I relate to it for that I think everyone can relate to the hopeless feeling of having to give up before you even had the chance to try something. The song is sad as fuck.

5- Do You Want To Play?

At first I thought this one was boring but the harmonies... Besides the fact that the song deeply terrifies me, I have to say that the part where they suddenly start screaming/laughing (u know the part) is chilling and sounds amazing at the same time.

4- What If Tomorrow Comes

Overall this is a good finale and especially the ending gives me chills every time, but I feel like it repeats itself. Starkid finale songs tend to be very loud and dynamic, but in this case I feel like the seriousness of the show is matched better with a cautious song like this one.

3- Take Me Back

Also listen to this one on repeat. The actors' voices match well and this song has a strong emotional core and yes I have belted this when I was home alone.

2- Feast Or Famine

I mean the hunger games character of this one is just overwhelming. Honestly this song describes the whole show, and it's super fun to listen to.

1- What Tim Wants

I get this is a controversial opinion but this is 100% the best song. I feel like Dylan is great in this one and the relationship between Tim and Tom is delivered perfectly. Usually solos rank low on my lists by default because I like change within the songs and group harmonies and that stuff, which proves how great this song is even more. Love this one, no notes.

Do you agree? Love to chat about Black Friday so feel free to dm/comment!