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notapradagurl7 · 5 months ago

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Frosted Whispers.

Black Fem! Reader x Terry RichmondBillonaire! & Kelvin Harrison Jr.Billonaire!

Word Count: 3544k 😭

Warnings: +18, dirty talk, mention of burnout, praise, mention of favoritism, profanity, mention of wealth and power, fluff, soft Kelvin, soft Terry, voyeurism, toxic smut, confession, fingering, oral(male & female receiving) slight degradation, dominant duo, teasing, PWP, consensual for all parties, Kelvin and Terry are bosses but spoil the reader, unprotected sex.(wear protection)

Taglist: @megamindsecretlair @life-in-the-slut-house @liatreads @sweettea-and-honeybutter @ovohanna24 @henneseyhoe @euphorichappiness10 @mightbeher @miguelspvssy @simplyzeeka @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @uzumaki-rebellion @planetblaque @blackmoonchilee @slutsareteacherstoo @writingsbytee @nayaesworld @mymindisneverhere @sageispunk @slippinninque @babybratzmaraj @soft-persephone @keyera-jackson @amplifiedmoan @avoidthings

A/N: Happy holidays! I've been seeing these two on my timeline so much that I decided to write about these two cuties, here is a cozy, nasty Christmas gift from me to you! Enjoy! 🎄🤶 Don't forget to leave a like, comment & reblog to support, feel free to ask for a request! ❤️

Summary: You were sent to a cozy cabin Christmas retreat in the secluded Rocky Mountains picked by two of your wealthy bosses Terry and Kelvin, for a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of your corporate lives.

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Ding. The notification you've been waiting for since September, you grabbed your phone from the dresser and your eyes scanned the text message from Mr. Richmond or Terry as you would call him outside of the workplace.

Terry.

We are on our way to pick you up, don't forget to wear a coat since it's gonna be snowing out there.

Your phone buzzed again, you giggled at Kelvin text in the group chat called “It's Work, right?”

Kelvin.🤣💞

Don't forget to be out of that house by the time we pull up🙄

You.

You ain't my daddy Kelvin,🙄🤣

Terry.😌💞

Kel, you play too damn much.

You grinned like a Cheshire cat from Alice In Wonderland, laughing at the messages, unlocking your phone and quickly sending a text back to the attractive man who was also your boss.

You.

Okay, can't wait to see both of you! I'll be waiting impatiently 🤣

Dressed in a warm toffee-colored turtleneck sweater and black pants, matching boots, and socks adorned your feet. Your brown box braids hung to your elbows, a beanie atop your pretty head.

Full of zeal you were for a much-needed break from work, luckily you chose to work from home. It was a private cozy cabin in the Rocky Mountains with your bosses Terry and Kelvin.

You worked diligently and consistently in a successful corporate business which was an LLC, owned by Terry’s father and Kelvin’s father through inheritance, which some would call a clear, cold case of nepotism. Turns out their fathers were the best of friends.

Some would call it a white boys club at that, but it wasn't at all, it was black-owned by two black men with black business workers there. It was certified for sure.

Let’s not forget that you worked for two very handsome men, but on the outside, they were strict yet fair to their employees. Knowing when to not take shit from anyone and ready to fire the ones who were douchebags, or being inappropriate to co-workers. Prematurely erased from the planet, and unable to find another job.

The men made sure to get tested and sent you the papers to prove it that they were both clean, you did the same and let them know that you were on the pill. You were glad they did it without complaining, they wanted to be honest with you.

Other co-workers accused Terry and Kelvin of favoritism, which only involved you since you were an assistant to them both, you didn't make excuses, and you arrived at work on time, and worked nights and days.

You earned an amazing amount of pay that allowed you to get in a great house in a safe neighborhood, and books you wanted to read, places you wanted to go. It was a dream come true.

Obviously, you didn't give a damn what other people said or thought of you. You knew that you worked hard to get where you needed to be, you didn't need to prove it to anyone.

Looking in the full-length mirror, making sure you look good for you self. You sure did as always.

“Damn, I look fine as hell and I'm nervous,” you mumbled.

You caught the sound of a horn honking cutting through your thoughts, you kissed your teeth and grabbed your pink duffle bag.

Hurried your way out of your house, turned on your alarm and locked the front door with quickness.

Kelvin leaned against the luxurious black truck with a sinful grin on his face, while Terry sat behind the wheel. Leaning in the seat as his eyes flicker toward you, chuckling at your almost lateness.

“Hurry your ass up, girl! The snow is probably melting by now!” Kelvin hollered with a smirk.

You rolled your eyes playfully at them, as your movement was fast anyway, you've never been to the Rocky Mountains before, so seen that much snow.

This was your first taste of cabin living, the crisp snow crunched underneath your shoes and greeted you with the holiday season.

Normally, bosses and their employees weren't at good terms but it was different between you, Terry, and Kelvin. When they wanted to go to dinner, you agreed.

At first, it was about the benefits that came with being friends with Terry and Kelvin, but they turned out to be such sweethearts, normally some men wouldn't understand or try to get with co-workers but this was different.

“I’m coming, damn!” You yelled back, slinging your duffle bag over your shoulder.

Kelvin held out his hand like the gentleman he was, you passed your duffle bag to him. “What a perfect gentleman, thank you,” you replied, in a royalty-like tone.

He nodded and opened the door for you, in the backseat. “You’re welcome, after you, my lady,” he replied back, his tone in royalty-like.

You chuckled lightly, “Y’all are too much,” you said, shaking your head as you slid into the backseat.

The car was warm with the heat blowing at the right temperature, a stark contrast to the brisk winter air outside. Terry glanced back at you through the rearview mirror, his playful smirk softening into something more tender.

“You’re gonna love it up there, just you wait,” Terry chimed in, his voice smooth as melted chocolate.

“I’m sure I will, as long as you two don’t start acting like children,” you teased, leaning back comfortably against the plush leather seats.

Kelvin turned slightly in his seat, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “Who, us? Never. We’re perfect angels,” he said, feigning innocence. But you knew better.

“Right, and I’m the Queen of England,” you retorted, crossing your arms playfully.

Terry chuckled, shaking his head. “You know you love it. Besides, you’re the one who’s been working your ass off. You deserve this break.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it’d come with a side of y’all acting like complete goofballs,” you replied, rolling your eyes playfully.

The car came to a stop in the clear driveway, before you can reach for the door handle, Terry opened the door for and stepped out. Thanking him with a warm tone and you passed your bag to Kelvin, while you smiled at him.

The cabin was nestled at the base of a mountain, surrounded by the whispering pines dusted in white. The moment you stepped out, the air felt crisp and fresh, invigorating.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” you breathed, taking in the stunning view.

Terry stepped out beside you, his tall frame casting a long shadow. “Welcome to our little winter wonderland,” he coaxed, a proud grin spreading across his face.

Kelvin joined you, his hands thrust deep into his pockets, his playful demeanor shifting slightly, as if he was soaking in the serenity. “And we’ve got all the comforts of home. Hot cocoa, a fireplace, and—” he paused dramatically, “—a fully stocked kitchen.”

“Don’t tempt me,” you said, raising an eyebrow. “I might just make you both work.”

“Now, that’s the spirit!” Kelvin laughed, nudging you playfully. “But only if you promise not to burn anything.”

“Ha! Very funny,” you shot back. “I’m not that bad.”

Terry leaned closer, lowering his voice. “We’ll see about that. Just remember, if you burn something, you’re on dish duty.”

You laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet woods. As the three of you made your way to the cabin, a sense of warmth and comfort enveloped you. Kelvin unlocked the door and nudged it, You walked in first while Kelvin and Terry followed behind you.

Inside, the cabin was just as cozy as you imagined, the fireplace crackling and casting flickering shadows on the walls. It was breathtaking, biting down on your lip.

“Let me show you to your room,” Kelvin chimed in, his tone shifting to something softer, more sincere. “We want you to feel at home here.”

You followed him down a short hallway, feeling your pulse quicken slightly as he opened the door to a beautifully decorated room.

“Wow, this is amazing,” you exclaimed, stepping inside. The space was adorned with plush blankets and twinkling fairy lights, presents on the bed with your name on them.

“All for you,” Kelvin exclaimed, leaning against the doorframe, his gaze steady. “We wanted you to feel special.”

Your heart fluttered at his words, warmth flooding your cheeks. “You guys really didn’t have to do all this,” you said, turning to him.

“Of course we did,” Terry chimed in from behind you. “You work harder than anyone I know. You deserve it.”

You felt like a queen in a storybook, soon to be courted by two kings who wanted to give you the world that was created by only them.

You turned to him, finding his gaze sincere and deep, something settling in your chest. “Thank you. Really. This means a lot.”

“Good, now go get settled. We’ll be right out here,” Kelvin added, his voice dipped low, almost intimate.

As you closed the door, you took a deep breath, feeling the excitement and tension swirl in the air. You felt like you were on the edge of something new, something thrilling. You took off your coat and beanie, throw it in the dresser, take off your shoes and slide on some slippers.

After unpacking, you joined them in the living room, where they were both lounging on the couch watching a movie from the 2000s, a bottle of wine and glasses waiting on the coffee table.

“Join us?” Terry asked, his dark eyes inviting.

“Absolutely,” you smiled, taking a seat between them, feeling the warmth radiate from their bodies. Grabbing a champagne glass from Terry.

“You know, we’ve been talking,” Kelvin began, his voice a low rumble.

You raised an eyebrow, curious. “Oh really? What’s this about?”

Terry leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You’ve been burning the candle at both ends. It’s about time we show you how much we value you.”

“Let me guess, it's time for me to unwrap my gifts in my room.” you teased, giggling a bit.

Terry darkly chuckled with a smirk, watching you sip from your glass. You sat in between them on the couch. Patiently waiting for what they had to say to you. “You can say that,”

“We have mustered up the courage to tell you that we both have feelings for you, if you don't feel the same way then we completely understand,” Kelvin confessed with gentleness in his time.

Obviously you liked both of them, could you be with them both without a scandal? You would have to quit your job or would they fire you? They wouldn't, A throuple would be the appropriate label.

You shook your head trying to brush off those thoughts away and enjoy this moment with them.

“I don't want to choose, I rather have both of you, Terry and Kelvin, you've been on my mind for quite some time now, but I want to keep it on the low at work, I need my job,” you confessed.

Terry and Aaron exchanged looks before nodding, “Understandable but if this ever goes out then we will protect you,” he said in a reassuring tone.

“Have you been naughty or nice this year beautiful?” Terry chimed in, his eyes roaming your body.

A smile etched on your face, placing your hand on the nape of his neck, “I think I have been good this year,”

“Can I get a kiss from my girl?”

“Your girl? You mean our girl right?”

After that, Terry kissed your lips deeply, while Kelvin slid off your sweater, he began to take off his tee shirt. Unhooking your bra and throw it across the room, your breasts poked out swiftly, he kissed your cheek as you broke the kiss with Terry, causing the male’s face to twist up.

A sinful smirk etched on Kelvin’s face, “What? You could get all the damn attention from our girl?”

“Is that a challenge I hear?” Terry asked him.

Terry slides off his sweater, unbuckling his belt and freed his dick with your hand grabbed it gently eliciting a grunt from him.

“Would you like a taste?” Terry coaxed darkly.

“Can I eat you out while you're sucking him off?” Kelvin asked, kissing your neck and sucking your skin to leave a hickey.

“Yes, please,” You replied with a seductive tone, kissing his lips twice.

You took him eagerly in your mouth, using your hand to stroke him from what you couldn't fit in your mouth, sucking him off and Kelvin took off his clothes. Rubbing your breast and pinching your nipple, “Kel…mhm..” you moaned again.

With your consent, Kelvin gently slid your purple panties from your ankles, grabbing underneath your knees and resting them on his shoulders. His lips kissing your clit sweetly eliciting muffled moans from you. You sent vibrations on Terry’s thick length, bopping your head while Kelvin’s fingers slid between your wet folds. “So fucking wet, this shit is turning you on?” he asked.

“Suck that shit baby, you're doing so well for me,” Terry groaned, pushing his hips into the warmth of your mouth. Closing his eyes to relish in every moment.

That only made Kelvin work harder with his mouth, his tongue tracing shapes on your throbbing clit and thrusting his fingers in and out of you skillfully, your essence spurting out on his wrist and moaning onto Terry’s dick. “You taste so fucking good,” Kelvin moaned onto your pussy.

On the verge of a climax, you and Terry felt the knot untighten, his warm jets of cum poured onto your tounge causing you to swallow every bit of him, pulling his dick out. “You did an amazing job,” Terry praised, You moaned loudly at Kelvin still eating you out.

Your hips rolled against his mouth, your head fell back onto the armrest. Your essence poured onto Kelvin’s mouth, swallowing every drop of you. Hand resting on the nape of his neck, “Just like that, you're both are so good to me,” you babbled softly, hearing a slurping noise from him.

Kelvin moved his head away and looked up at you with a smirk, “You deserve the better, my love,” he cooed, cupped your face and kissed you passionately yet deeply, your tongue slipped in with his. Pulling away with a soft smack.

“My turn,” Kelvin playful sang before kissing your lips sweetly.

Kelvin lifted you effortlessly and sat comfortably on the couch, your hand resting on his shoulders with his hands gripping your hips. Sliding you onto his dick gradually and filling you completely. “Damn, I'm buying an engagement ring next time,”

Your mouth parted wide, pulling him close in a tight bear hug, you kissed him sloppily, “Strange way to propose..yess,” you cried out, his hips moved yours, creating a slapping sound similar to a gunshot.

“Oh fuckkk! Kelvin!” You cried out, eyes rolling back. Hips rolling against him as your body shook with pleasure. Kelvin watched your essence pooled around his dick, he groaned out your name like a seductive song, watching you fall apart after every stroke.

He laid you down on your back and you grabbed the couch armrest for dear life, fucking you like he had something to prove, he rutted into you and Terry watched with a smirk, your reactions to Kelvin’s thrusts turned him on. “Oh yes! Shit!” you cried again, nails scratched his back eliciting a hiss from him.

Terry’s lush lips took your nipple in his mouth with genuine care, your hand rested on the nape of his neck. Your hips rolled against Kelvin’s thick dick, screaming out their names to the mountains.“T-Terry…Kelvin..baby, you make me feel so gooddddd,” you babbled, tears falling down your cheeks.

Terry’s finger rubbed your clit in circles, and you whimpered his name again. “Damn, you’re so perfect,” Kelvin groaned, his grip tightening on your hips as he thrust into you deeper, each movement sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body.

Such possessive men they were, your attention and your love were their oxygen. Couldn't live without it.

Terry looked up from your breast, his dark eyes glinting with pride. “You’re taking him so well, baby. You’re such a good girl,” he praised, his voice low and sultry, sending shivers down your spine.

“Y-yes, I’m trying baby,” you stuttered out, trying to keep your composure as both men lavished you with attention.

Kelvin leaned down, his forehead resting against yours, his breath hot against your skin. “You feel so damn good wrapped around me. I could stay here forever,” he whispered, his voice thick with lust.

“Me too,” you breathed, losing yourself in the moment as you rocked your hips against his, feeling his length hit the perfect spot inside you. “Please don’t stop.”

“Never,” he replied, picking up the pace, his thrusts becoming more frantic. You could feel the tension building within you, the knot tightening in your belly as he drove you closer and closer to the edge.

Terry’s mouth moved from your nipple to your ear and cupped your breast, his hot breath sending another wave of arousal through you. “Let go for us, baby. We’re right here,” he murmured, his fingers still working expertly on your clit, teasing and coaxing you towards your release.

With a few more thrusts and Terry’s skilled fingers, you felt the world around you blur. You cried out as the pleasure peaked, your body trembling as you came undone. “I’m cumming!” you screamed, your nails digging into Kelvin’s shoulders as the waves of ecstasy washed over you.

“That’s it, baby girl. Let it all out,” Kelvin urged, his own release following closely as he buried himself deep inside you, filling you with his cum completely.

Terry’s fingers continued to work on your clit, coaxing out every last bit of pleasure until you were panting, your body still quivering from the intensity of your orgasm. “Terry…please, Kelvin!” you cried out.

As Kelvin collapsed beside you, still catching his breath, Terry leaned over to kiss you softly, his lips brushing against yours tenderly. “You did so amazing, sweetheart,” he whispered, his eyes sparkling with affection.

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at his words. “I couldn’t have done it without both of you,” you replied, a smile spreading across your face as you glanced between the two of them.

Kelvin chuckled, wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you close. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

“Absolutely,” you nodded, feeling a sense of belonging and happiness you hadn’t experienced before.

“Next time, we should try the hot tub outside,” Kelvin suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Only if you promise to keep the hot cocoa flowing,” you teased back, feeling the playful banter return.

“Deal,” Terry chimed in, his arm tightening around you, making you feel safe and cherished.

“A hot bath for our favorite girl?” Kelvin asked with a grin, picking up you in his arms, and carrying you to the bathroom. You nodded weakly.

“Make sure it's on the right temperature, nigga.” Terry shouted out, rolling his eyes. They pulled up their pants and followed behind Kelvin. Cleaning up the place immediately.

The white marble curved bath tub was filled with heat and soapy foam, you sighed in bliss. Terry passed your favorite book with a bookmark in between and kissed your forehead, “Enjoy, Empress,” he said before closing the door.

You freshened up, dried off, and applied lotion. You wore a loose t-shirt and leggings. you sauntered back into the clean living area, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

As you entered, you found Terry and Kelvin lounging comfortably on the couch, both looking up at you with amused expressions.

"Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Terry teased, a playful smirk on his face.

"Had to make sure I was all clean and cute for my two favorite bosses," you replied, winking at them as you sank onto the couch beside Kelvin.

"Cute is an understatement," Kelvin remarked, his gaze lingering on you with a hint of desire. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thanks, I appreciate it,” You smiled, sitting in between them.

For the rest of the night, you cuddled close to them with warm blankets and classic Christmas movies, and hot cocoa. Treated like the queen that are you.

#black!reader #black fanfiction #aaron pierre #terry richmond #kelvin harrison jr.#rebel ridge #rebel ridge fic #kelvin harrison jr x reader #terry richmond x black reader #black writer

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fabled-fiction · 2 years ago

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (Hobie Brown x Spider!Reader)

Summary: When Hobie hasn’t seen you in a while, he starts to come to the realization that he might be missing you for the wrong reasons. So when you come back, all those feelings reasons come bubbling up to the surface.

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: MINOR SPIDERVERSE SPOILERS

A/N: This kinda took a mind of its own, but I LOVED writing every second of it. Hope you enjoy it!! ☺️

Request by @its-me-ig-101: I was wondering if I could request for you to write a fluff Hobie Brown x GN reader, where the reader visits Hobie in his universe, or reverse? (Kind of like what Gwen does)

It had been 127 days since he last saw you,

14 since you last spoke.

It wasn’t like he was counting or anything. Nah…no he was completely able to be his own person. I mean, he had a whole Earth to protect as Spiderman.

But if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t think four months apart would take such a toll on him.

You both were just always together. It didn’t cross his mind that there could be more than two to three days of you being away…from him especially. Gwen always joked about how quickly you both became so close so quickly. How Hobie was usually a steel trap and you were the key.

And he couldn’t even visit you! You were away on Spider business! Miguel had you consistently going after anomalies. It didn’t help that you had an insanely good success rate. Hell! Hobie couldn’t remember the last time you didn’t catch one of the anomalies!

“I’m sure they’ll be back soon! This is the ultimate test before the big question! Will their relationship prevail over this unexpected test?!”

Pavitr placed his hand on his chest, spinning around before collapsing onto Hobie's bed, where he was currently lounging. His fingers fiddled with his watch, flicking through all the channels. Maybe if he clicked on the right one, he would end up on the Earth where you were. Miguel had stopped telling him what Earth you were visiting, knowing he would just tag along. But Hobie could come up with something on the fly, he didn’t give a damn at this point if Miguel was pissed at him for interrupting your mission.

He would like to see him try and keep you from him any longer at this point.

“Hello, Earth to Hobie. Hey!”

Catching the plush that Gwen had thrown at him, he huffed and sat up. Pav smiled when he caught a glimpse at Hobie’s watch, and the roulette wheel of universes were still going.

“ Dude, they’re fine! (Y/N) is like…an invincible spider.”

“You know why he’s being more quiet than usual! He’s realizing he’s in looove. Our Hobie is head over he-” A well shot pillow from Hobie landed Pavitr on the floor.

“Am I not allowed to miss a friend? I remember ‘ow upset you were whenever you’d talk ‘bout Miles.” He scoffed, crossing his arms. He smirked when he saw how red Gwen’s face got.

“Ooooh we’re starting to enter the grumpy Hobie stage!” Pav shot up into a sitting position, this time dodging the second pillow that he had thrown.

Scoffing, he waved his hand at them as he pulled his phone out of his pant pocket. Unlocking it, he scrolled through his photo album and sighed.

They always teased him like this when he was down in the dumps. It had just been more recent as of late, seeing as you were rising in the ranks. Meaning you were gone more and more.

That also meant your friendship was tested more and more. He had noticed the change, he wasn’t completely blind to his emotions. He had noticed that as of late whenever you were gone he got a bit more snippy, and a bit more cynical-well more cynical than usual. Some had even told him that his color seemed more drained the longer and longer you were away.

This time had just been the longest. But it was also the most eye opening.

It's odd how you don’t notice how consistent someone is in your life until they’re gone.

He was mindlessly scrolling with a thousand yard stare off into the distance, when his phone suddenly anchored him back to reality.

Specifically your text tone.

Flicking to his messages, he felt his heart rate pick up.

(Y/N): heey! im finally back!! i missed you (cry emoji) (heart emoji)

Before his head could reminisce on the heart emoji and brew up any meaning behind it, he heard Pav gasp. Quickly looking up from his phone, he saw Pav squeal in excitement and Gwen chuckle as she shook her head.

“Look at him G! Do you see how much brighter he is? Ugh! Our boy has it bad.”

Sliding off his bed, he grabbed his bag and mask. Both Gwen and Pavitr could see that there was some pep in his step as he slung the bag over his shoulder. Fastening his web shooters on, he slid his mask into his pocket before entering your Earth into his watch.

“Oh oh! Where you heading Hobie? Thought we were having some serious bro time!”

Flicking them off, Hobie felt the portal open below him. Glancing through, he could see the flickering lights of your Earth.

“Piss off.”

Jumping through the portal, Hobie braced himself as he felt a quick rush before landing on your bed. The flickering and crackling of the portal remained only for a second before it snapped shut, dropping everything in the room along with its departure.

You stood in the opposite corner of the room, barely even unpacked. Your bag sat at the foot of your desk, unzipped with some of your clothes spilling out. You must’ve just texted him, because you were still in your spider suit…with one of his jumpers on.

Turning around, a smile spread across your face in an instant. Whatever you were doing was soon abandoned as you ran towards him. He was quick to stand, enveloping you in his frame. Feeling your aura mix with his, as he buried his nose into your hair felt nice. It awoke whatever nerves that had gone into hibernation after your departure, activating his senses once more.

Because he became highly aware of how right when you entered his arm, the hairs on yours stood under your suit. Your heart rate calmed but also picked up. Hell, he could even feel the blood rush to your cheeks as you buried your head into his chest.

“You really did miss me aye?” He teased, pulling you back by your shoulders to get a good look at his face.

“Mmm, only like…thiiiiiiis much.” Holding up two fingers, he watched as you held them close together and very very slowly pulled them apart.

“Oh wow, and here I was in absolute agony.” He hummed, sitting on the edge of your windowsill.

“Oh really?” You laugh, leaning over him. He looked up at you, nodding as he placed his hands in his pocket.

“Absolutely, almost died.”

Watching you laugh was something he knew he needed. It wasn’t too hard, at least for him. Your back and forth quips and teases were something that usually ended in you laughing or him chuckling. Inside jokes and knowing stares were usually exchanged to test the waters whenever others were around. It happened so often people usually felt excluded whenever you were both in each other's presence.

It was something he didn’t know he could miss.

“Wanna go for a swing?”

Watching the way your eyes lit up, he knew he had his answer.

Slipping his mask on, he was quick to open your window. He knew you were right behind him as he swung into action.

This was a dance you both did whenever you visited his world, swinging between buildings and each other. Finding ways to play off the others webbing and moves.

He loved watching you swing and flip. Hearing you laugh as you gave him a heart attack with how close you’d like to fall before yanking yourself back up into the air.

He felt a rush of similar emotions in the two weeks of you going dark. Whenever it was just him alone in his room, his mind would wander. He knew that if anything had happened he would have been the first told, both a blessing and a curse. But it still didn’t stop him from…worrying.

When did his worry for you become such a crutch?

Reaching to your normal hang out, what was atop your Statue of Liberty (which was still bronze here on your earth), both of you sat atop her torch. With shoulders touching, he watched as you leaned back and looked at your city.

“So, how many anomalies did you catch on this little spree of yours?”

With a big sigh you ripped your mask off and stuffed it into your-no, his jacket pocket. Bringing a knee to your chest you placed your cheek on it as you looked at him.

“Twelve. Probably the most in a row.”

Tisking, he leaned back on his hands now as he also took his mask off.

“Wow, remember which ones?”

“Most of them were Vultures. They were the only ones that could reach the portals that opened in their respective worlds. I might as Miguel if I can take a break though.”

That piqued his interest. But he didn’t show a reaction, in fact he just hummed and watched as you put your forehead to rest on your knees.

“I appreciate how much Miguel…trusts me to keep the multiverse intact, I really do. I went through hell with his stupid tests in order to get into the Spider Society and its…its lead me to meet some of my favorite people but recently I've been more Spider than Person…”

Hobie sat up now, putting his elbows on his knees and smirking. He knew what you needed to hear in this moment. He knew you like the back of his hand, in the year that you two have gotten to know each other it is safe to say he almost knows you better than he knows himself. The same could probably be said about you knowing him.

“Favorite people aye? Where do I fall on that list?”

Watching you lift your head to give him a quick glance, a small smile graced your lips before you lifted your head fully to clear your throat.

“Atleast top…let's say ten? There's a lot of competition BB.” You chuckle

“Oh yea? That jumper you’re wearing says otherwise.”

Your eyes grew almost as wide as the lenses on your mask as you looked down. Your hands gripped the edge of the jacket for a moment before shoving into the pockets.

“Oh I uh…yea I dunno what to say…”

The gears were turning in your head, he could tell. Something was brewing.

“..y’know I didn’t even realize I had packed this until I was subconsciously putting it on the first night. I'm being dead serious when I tell you I only ever took it off whenever I was about to go into battle…I didn’t wanna ruin it.”

He smiled to himself listening to your words. Something similar to what was brewing in your head was brewing in his chest.

These past few months, more specifically the past two weeks where you couldn’t contact him, there was a confession building. Words that were just waiting in the dark until he was at his most vulnerable to come into the light were bubbling up in his throat. The only thing keeping them from spilling right at this very moment was the seal of his lips.

It was nice, having you back. But all these realizations that he was having just in these last few days, especially now in these moments he was sharing with you, told him all he needed to know.

Especially with those words that you had just said to him, he knew his realization was not far from out of the blue.

“ Y’know those two weeks were you went dark were ‘ell. Pav and Gwendy were up my arse the entire time. It irked me how well they read me those two weeks..”

Watching you grow still and turn towards him, and sighed before turning towards you as well.

“I'm sorry about that Hobbie…my communicator died and Miguel told me I wasn’t allowed a new one until I finished my assignment. Which made everything so much harder to do since I had to wait for texts from Lyla and code instead of her just being able to talk me through it.”

“I knew it ‘ad to be somethin outta your control…and I also had a keepsake that ‘elped me keep my cool.”

Pulling back his cuffs, an array of bracelets both woven and made were on both of his wrists. They were all yours, but ones you hadn’t seen in a while and ones you were sure you had left on your desk before you had left.

What he couldn’t show you was the shirt he had of yours that was also on his pillow. He had it for the same reason he was sure you had his jacket for the entire trip…

Though it was starting to lose your scent.

There was a comfortable silence, at least he hoped there was. He could barely tell based off the thumping of his heart…

When he finally made eye contact with you, he saw a dopey smile on your face. It made him smile too. No matter how long you two were apart, no matter how raw the two of you got it never changed anything.

Well, he hoped nothing would change after what he was about to do.

Hobie wasn’t scared of a lot, practically nothing. But you scared the ever loving shit out of him. Both with all the stunts that you pulled and just the way you made him feel. He used to be this hardass corruptor but now? He wasn’t sure what he was without you.

“Hey Hobie..”

“Yea?”

“You should totally kiss me right now.”

“Yup.”

His hand fit perfectly on the crook of your neck, and so did his lips with yours.

Whatever you were feeling spilled into him, and he with you. A full year's worth of pent up emotion exploded into the kiss as he seemingly took your breath away. In recent months he could only imagine how your lips would feel against his, but it was nothing compared to what he was experiencing right now. Yours and his molded together in a flurry of silken passion, fitting together perfectly just like he knew they would.

Your hands found their place resting on his cheeks, just as his found theirs. With one resting on your neck and the other finding its way onto your side to pull you close. So close that he could feel the drum of your heart match his when your chests collided.

He wanted to curse whatever being made it so that the human body needed oxygen. When you pulled away his lips followed yours in chase, and it wasn’t until you held his face in place so that your bruised lips could take in a breath. Your finger ran over his bottom lip, playing with his lip ring as he panted in time with you.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that…how..how being away from you for so long made me realize that's all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“I ‘ave an idea.”

His hand that rested on the edge of your neck came around to hold your throat, with his fingers resting on your pulse.

It was going a mile a minute just like his.

#hobie brown #hobie brown x reader #x reader #across the spiderverse #marvel x reader #spiderman across the spiderverse #spiderman across the spiderverse x reader #into the spider verse #spiderman x reader #spiderpunk x reader #spider punk #spider!reader

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updownlately · 1 year ago

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but i’m scared (of what life without you’s like)

| leah williamson x reader | angst with a dash of hurt/comfort | 1.9k | a/n: got this req in today based of this fic from yesterday. was listening to 'how do i say goodbye' by dean lewis, and well, the stars aligned themselves. i tried to make this short but angsty so someone lmk if i was successful! anyways, happy reading 🫶 read part i. here

~~~

It’s a warm May day yet your blood runs cold.

You know football’s a physical sport, having been on the receiving end of brutal physicality many times.

Pushes, shoves, stud-up tackles, you’ve had your fair share of bruises to show for multiple ninety minutes of running around chasing a little sphere.

Accidents happen, and you were very well aware.

But accidents weren’t supposed to be like this.

Accidents weren’t supposed to be accidents.

Accidents weren’t supposed to involve stretchers immediately rushing to the field.

Nor a silent crowd in a fully sold-out stadium.

Swallowing hard, you helplessly felt your adrenaline kick in, body subconsciously sprinting faster than you’d ever ran before.

Maybe you should’ve checked up on Leah after the blonde had taken the corner to the face. Maybe you should’ve been overbearing. Or looked into her eyes, so that you could’ve noticed the dazed look.

You could’ve stuck around a second longer instead of running back on defence.

You could have, you could have, you could have…but now you couldn’t.

There’s something about seeing an unmoving lump of limbs on the floor, especially of a loved one, chest tightening ever so cruelly, so painfully.

As you come to an abrupt stop beside Leah, you do your best to stay out of the medics' way.

Your hands shake, eyes wide at the blood streaming down the side of her face, the gash above her eye nothing but a waterfall of red.

You don’t realize it when the other girls reach you.

You don’t feel it as Alessia gently wraps her arms around your waist, trying to gently usher you away.

You don’t move an inch though. You can’t.

Your feet are rooted to the spot, eyes fixating on the way Leah’s chest isn’t moving up and down.

She was supposed to be breathing heavily. She had to be.

Sure she had insane fitness, but none of you on the team were yet at the point where seventy minutes of football didn’t feel tiresome- she surely wasn’t.

So why wasn’t her chest moving up and down? Why wasn’t it in the steady rhythm that you loved to listen to when you’d cuddle up to her on late nights after a tiresome day.

Why wasn’t her cheeky smile on her face? The consistent response of her ‘I’m fine’ she would mumble to you each and every time she took a hit or a particularly hard tackle.

Why was she not up yet?

It’s sometime between Lia stepping between you and your view of your girlfriend do you find your voice, panic and realization clear as you call for Leah.

Once.

Twice.

Then another time.

Yet no response.

You feel your own breathing pick up, blood rushing through your ears.

No.

No. No. No. No. NO.

You don’t realize you’ve screamed the words out loud, teammates and opposing players alike sharing grim looks of sympathy as many of them turned away from the sight of the medics.

Doing your best to claw your way out of the striker's tight grasp, you fight Alessia, feet digging into the grass as you try to gain the momentum to be near the English skipper.

Each try though, left you more defeated, the blonde’s grip strong as the ground between you and Leah somehow only increased with each attempt.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

The words rattle in your brain as you see a stretcher in your vision, sounds of sirens ringing faintly, so far away yet so close.

Begging Alessia to let you go, you put all your effort into breaking her hold on you, your hands trying to unlock her linked ones, the striker only pulling you back into her chest in retaliation, gentle murmurs being whispered into your ears.

Tears streaming down your face, heart in your stomach, throat sore from all your screaming, you watch in horror as the sea of medics slowly fade from your view, Leah’s cleats oddly the only thing left on the pitch- no trace of blood, of cleat marks, of the weight of the medical bag- the blonde gone without a trace.

Falling to your knees as Alessia finally let go of you, you curled into yourself, sobs wracking your body as your forehead hit the ground, your hands coming to cover your ears as you tried to block out the shrill noise of the ambulances.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

~~~

It’s the same words ringing in your head that has you jolting awake, you taking a deep inhale when you realize where you are, the familiar walls of your shared bedroom with Leah bringing you immediate comfort that has you slumping back into your pillow.

Feeling wetness on the fabric as you laid down, you realized you’d been crying in your sleep, your cheeks damp, forehead and body covered in a layer of swear as your shirt clung to you.

Fear kicking in as you realized why you were awake at this ungodly hour, you whipped your head to the side, eyes adjusting to the darkness just enough for you to make out your girlfriend’s sprawled out form beside you.

Swallowing hard, the images from earlier haunting your mind, you held your breath as you tried to listen for Leah’s quiet breathing, unable to see her chest rising from the bundle of blankets she was buried beneath.

She was awake, right?

Raising a shaking hand, you contemplated whether you should touch the blonde to soothe your worries.

You didn’t want to bother Leah, well aware of just how long it took her to sleep tonight, the constant pounding in her head frustrating her more than she’d like to admit, only able to get her rest as her body slowly succumbed to the exhaustion of the day.

Yet, with each second that passed, you got flashes of Leah lying face first in the graph, medics around her, the grass stained bright red, taunting you, teasing you as you wondered if you were imagining the breaths you were hearing.

Heart pounding yet again, you wanted to be safe. Sorry didn’t seem like an option.

Sorry wasn’t an option, not when it came to the love of your life.

Holding your breath, you tentatively reached out, hand shaking, moving mere millimetres every few seconds.

You didn’t want to wake her, but you needed to feel that she was alright.

Hand making gentle contact with the nape of the other girl’s neck, you froze as you felt her tense at your touch, muscles taut for a mere second before she relaxed into the feeling.

Waiting a second for her to adapt to your slightly cooler touch, you softly traced the length of her spine, following the bony pattern down to the space between her shoulder blades, hand coming to a rest as your fingers splayed out, trying to maximize the contact you had with her.

Feeling a sob of relief escape you as you felt Leah’s body move in time with her gentle breaths, you brought your other hand to cover your mouth, stifling the sound as you felt your chest wrack with the weight of the tension slowly dissipating.

Doing your best not to move too much as your body shook, you wiped your tears with the hand covering your mouth, not yet ready to let go of your girlfriend, her mere physical presence providing you comfort you couldn’t ever express in words.

Fabric of your sleep shirt tucked into your mouth as you held back shaky pants, you moved to lay on your side, needing to be able to see Leah before you’d feel your heart settle for the night.

You couldn’t lose her. You couldn’t afford to. Not now, and not ever.

Sunshine on your darkest days, the constant light at the end of the tunnel, the woman was your rock through thick and thin.

She was the first person you’d ever truly trusted, and the last you ever would.

She was cocky, over-confident, a cheeky tease, an energetic kid at heart.

She was determined, loving, caring, attentive, respectful, thoughtful.

She was the best thing you had and god did it terrify you that you could’ve lost her yesterday.

A piece of your mind knew her injury wasn’t that serious, the lack of the blonde out-right fainting immediately a good sign, a comforting one really.

Yet, your heart still couldn't believe it, not yet at least.

Letting your hand come to gently brush away the messy strands that had come to cover her face in her sleep, you let your thumb run over her eyebrow as you sighed gratefully.

She was okay.

She was here.

You repeated the words like a mantra in your head, trying to get your racing heard to settle.

Nodding to yourself as you tried to believe the statements, you bit the inside of your cheek as you felt Leah stir at your ministrations, your hand coming to an abrupt stop as she just barely opened an eye, taking a second to register that it was still late, nearly the middle of the night.

Keeping your voice low as you watched her sleep-laden eyes briefly search yours, you resumed your earlier actions, hoping it would bring the blonde the same level of comfort if brought you.

“Go to sleep, yeah? I’ve got you. You’re safe….”

Feeling Leah sleepily nod at your quiet words, you felt your heart melt as she sluggishly pulled herself towards your body, a blonde mop coming to rest on your chest as she curled around your side, an arm coming to wrap around your waist as she held on tightly.

“Love you…”

The words were muffled, being mumbled into the cotton of the old t-shirt you’d stolen from the defender eons ago, yet you heard them clear as day.

“I love you too…so so so much…”

Your words were hoarse, but in her sleepy state Leah didn’t notice and you couldn't help but be glad.

Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, your lips lingering for a second, you inhaled deeply, trying to commit the easing restlessness in your body to memory, the weight of the blonde on your chest bringing you the reassurance you so desperately craved, the pair of you breathing in tandem as sleep overtook her again, content in the solace that your arms around her form brought.

You didn’t want to worry about what life would be like without the blonde, and thankfully, you didn’t have to.

Here, with her on your chest, small breaths puffing against the arms you held her close with, you let your worries fall away, lump in your throat easing rapidly with each second.

She was okay.

She was okay and here in your arms.

She was okay, and so you were okay- and you couldn’t thank the universe enough for either of the two.

And so with sleep beginning to creep up on you, you wiped the last few tears of relief away with the back of your hand, finally truly believing the words.

It would all eventually be okay- all of it- just as long as she was here with you.

#not proofread as usual #leah williamson x reader #leah williamson imagine #leah williamson #woso fanfics #woso x reader #woso imagine #woso one shot #woso community #woso #my writing #fic #hurt/comfort #angst #bis #sytibo

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thejournallo · 5 months ago

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The Science of Manifestation

Manifestation and the law of attraction (along with other universal laws) are often associated with spirituality and mysticism, which isn’t incorrect. However, recent discoveries have revealed potential links between these concepts and scientific principles—specifically, the realm of quantum physics.

"Quantum physics is the study of matter and energy at the smallest scales, like atoms and subatomic particles."

in this post, we’ll explore more how manifestation is connected to science, the role of frequencies, and practical steps to manifest your desires.

(Here, I’ve already discussed frequencies and vibrations, [a reeealy old post] and you can find a list of frequencies that may be helpful to you.)

The Science Behind Manifestation

The core idea is that everything in the universe operates at a frequency, including sound, light, and even emotions. Quantum physics explains that humans can only perceive a fraction of the existing frequencies, as our senses are limited to a specific range. Manifestation, therefore, involves tapping into the non-physical frequencies that lie beyond our natural perception.

Higher frequencies represent higher dimensions that cannot be observed directly but can be accessed through specific practices, such as visualization or meditation. This concept forms the basis for the scientific explanation of how manifestation works. By aligning your emotions and thoughts to the desired frequency, you create a bridge between your current reality and the reality you wish to manifest.

Understanding Emotional Frequencies and Multiple Realities

Our emotions operate within a specific frequency range. However, there are higher frequencies, such as the intuitive "sixth sense," that go beyond what our physical senses can detect. Manifestation involves aligning with these higher frequencies.

The concept of multiple realities further enhances this understanding. Think of it as tuning into a radio channel: each reality exists on a different frequency, and by aligning your emotions and thoughts to a specific channel, you can "tune in" to your desired reality. In this sense, every thought and emotion is a step toward creating a new version of reality within your mind.

Practical Steps to Manifestation

1. Express Your Desire

The first step to manifesting is expressing your desire clearly. Tell the universe which reality you want to tune into. This can be done through visualization or scripting—a powerful technique where you write down your desires while fully immersing yourself in the emotions of having already achieved them.

2. Detachment from Current Circumstances

Detachment doesn’t mean giving up on your desire; instead, it means not letting your current circumstances dictate your emotions. By focusing on your desired reality and generating the emotions as if it’s already true, you align with the frequency of your manifestation.

3. Align Your Feelings

Consistently align your feelings with the reality you want to manifest. Avoid putting your desires on a pedestal, as this creates a sense of lack. Instead, cultivate a deep conviction that your desired reality is already on its way.

4. Use Others as Inspiration

When you see others who have achieved what you desire, use their success as motivation. Jealousy or demotivation lowers your frequency, while inspiration lifts it. This mindset keeps you tuned into the positive energy of your manifestation.

Applying Manifestation in Daily Life

The key to successful manifestation is consistency and belief. Treat your mind like a radio: you have the power to tune into any frequency you desire. By focusing on positive emotions and maintaining a belief in your ability to shape your reality, you can manifest anything into your life.

Embrace the science behind manifestation and start experimenting with these techniques today. The power to create your desired reality lies within you, waiting to be unlocked through intentional alignment and focused energy.

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emblemxeno · 26 days ago

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Localization Differences: Niles! Happy Belated Birthday, my beloved.

I wanted to get this done by his actual birthday on the 22nd, but things kept coming up, so here it is now.

Niles is one of my favorites in Fates' cast. He has a very handsome design, he's incredibly useful in gameplay due to his stats, weapon type and capture ability, and he has extremely good supports that give glimpses into his life, pull uncomfortable truths out of others, and offers a sight into the hard life that many Nohrians are forced to live.

One of the most notable things about him, though, is that to a lot of people, he's one of the two first explicitly queer characters introduced in Fire Emblem. I personally find this to be inaccurate given that lots of homoerotic relationships and queer coded characters have existed in the series, arguably stretching back as far as Thracia 776. Other popular examples are Raven/Lucius, Lyn/Florina, Heather, Kyza, Ike/Soren, etc.

Though after Awakening's massive success, the "almighty" S rank takes priority in many readings, so Niles and Rhajat having that available with a Male Corrin and Female Corrin respectively, was massive progress.

Now, do I think one of the explicitly queer characters in FE being a sadist who antagonizes people counts as good representation? No. But 1) that's not the point of this post and 2) going by that tier list I did, I see lots of other characters in Fates as queer than just Niles and Rhajat.

Anyway, I digress. The point of this (extremely long) post is to list and give my opinion on the changes to his lines (and potentially his character/personality) between a translated Japanese script and the localized English script done by Treehouse.

Here is a link to my post of translated sources!

As always, I'm only gonna list things that I find significantly different. Get cozy, this is a massive analysis! Thank you for reading!

To start off, there's two things to set the stage. The first is that Niles is one of Fates' characters that got a completely new name in localization. His Japanese name is Zero, so if I use that name at all in this post, that's why. I might flip-flop between other characters' names too, like from Corrin to Kamui, for example.

The second thing is that, overall, Niles' Japanese lines tend to be coated in innuendo and double entendres. Many times, these only really make sense if you speak Japanese, which I don't, hence why I tried to defer to translations before running things through a machine. For example, I've learned from some translators that when JP!Niles says that he'll "send his enemies to heaven/make them ascend to heaven", it's a statement in Japanese that also works as a euphemism for making someone orgasm. I'm not gonna spend too much time pointing out every instance of JP!Niles saying raunchy stuff, but will if it's particularly funny, striking or outlandish.

---

Classic Mode Retreat Quote

Japanese: Sometimes pain feels good, but I'm about to reach my limit here... I don't want to upset Lord Leon, so I'm going to retreat now...

English: This doesn't feel good anymore... I must retreat while I still can. I'll live to suffer another day...

-If you know Niles, you know his connection to Leo is extremely important to his character. Not just because he's Leo's retainer, but because Niles meeting Leo changed his life forever. So, while removing that one line doesn't sound too outrageous at first, it gets kind of silly when you think about it.

Most of the first gen men in Fates retreat instead of die in Classic mode due to avoid consistency issues if you've unlocked their child's paralogue. However, though they retreat, they still aren't deployable anymore in Classic mode, with the explanation being that they took such grave injuries that they can't fight anymore even though they survive.

Niles/Zero, in his Japanese quote, is pulling himself back from the brink of death because he doesn't want to upset Leo, even if he can't fight anymore. This is a twist on how initially, he begged Leo to kill him after being abandoned by his criminal gang, before Leo hired him as a retainer based on fascination/curiosity with how Niles was acting. All retainers in Fates are close to their masters, but some are closer than others, such as Niles.

Critical/Skill Activation

Japanese: I won't let you get away!/Let's go.../Take it all in!*/This is gonna hurt!

English: You can't hide from me!/Here's a taste.../Ohhh, yes!/Time to suffer!

-Both sets are delightfully fucked up and lewd, but I wanted to draw special attention to the one I marked with an asterisk.

Again, I don't speak Japanese, so I may be way of the mark, but the quote "Take it all in!" in Japanese is 受けてみろよ！or transliterated as "Ukete miro yo!"

Running that through machine translator reads it as "Give it a try!", but I've also watched a Japanese Fates crit quote video where it was translated as "Out of my face..."

But I think I cracked the code: it's a top/bottom joke. It's basically a "Take this!" quote in context of battle, but "Ukete miro yo!", phonetically, is also used in the Seme (top) and Uke (bottom) tropes in BL. So I think he's telling his enemy to 'take his dick', if you wanna be coarse about it.

What solidified this for me, is Nina's Japanese crit/skill quotes. In the Japanese version of Fates, the children share crit/skill quotes (or put some spin on them) with their direct parents. Nina shares "Let's go.../Take it all in!/This is gonna hurt!" but not "I won't let you get away!" because that's what Niles shares with Leo as his retainer (yeah they doubled up on crit quotes a lot in this one lol)

So Nina's fourth crit quote is unique to her, and she says 攻めるわよ！, transliterated as Semeru wa yo! (I'll attack you!) Again, it's a Seme (Semeru wa yo!) and Uke (Ukete miro yo!) euphemism joke. Cuz she's the Fujo. ...I spent a lot of time on this section lmaooo.

The other battle lines for Niles are pretty faithful or otherwise appropriate localizations.

Level Up

0-1 stats: Well... sometimes bad things happen. (JP) How unfortunate. (Eng)

2-3 stats: It's still not enough for me... (JP) I deserve better. (Eng)

4-5 stats: I feel good... (JP) My power is growing. (Eng)

6 or more stats: I can't go easy on you anymore. (JP) My gain will be another's pain. (Eng)

0-1 stats with most stats maxed: It was you who made me this way. (JP) Alas, I am at the height of my powers. (Eng)

-Overall, kind of a mix-and-match between versions, with the JP version being more suggestive and the English version being more powerhungry/sadistic. Neither is out of character.

I do lament the loss of sincerity from his maxed stats quote from Japanese to English (I could be misreading this though, I just think Niles is talking to the player)

Class Change

Japanese: What do you want me to do by dressing me like this...?

English: How quaint.

-Japanese is suggestive, English is weirdly boring? Quaint is not a word that's easily applicable to all situations when it comes to class changes, so meeeeh.

Mess Hall

-Not much to say here, but in Japanese when he eats a bad meal, he asks if there's an aphrodisiac in it, which is pretty funny.

My Castle

-Besides some suggestive flirting being removed or toned down, a couple lines were changed at the gathering spots. In the English version, at a rice paddy he says "Think rice is boring? Think again. I eat it at every meal." while in Japanese he says "Cooked rice is so beaitiful... It's like it's seducing me with its shiny white body..."

In English, at the dairy farm he says "Here, take this. It's good for your bones." while in Japanese he says "Look, milk. When I miled the cow, she mooed with joy..."

Birthday

Giving him a present: To think that my birth would be celebrated... I'm grateful. (JP) The world changed the day I was born. Thank you for acknowledging that. (English)

Saying happy birthday to Corrin: It's your birthday... You should be thankful for all the days since you were born. (JP) Birthdays always make me think of death. Oh, by the way... happy birthday! (English)

-The English ones are funny, but Niles is already funny just through his euphemism schtick. The genuine sincerity being removed makes me sad.

Conquest Chapter 8

-Niles introduction in this chapter is pretty much the same, it's actually mostly Odin who has more line differences. Though this is where the "I'll send them to heaven/make them cum" line pops up for Niles, so I thought I'd mention it.

-Like the rest of the script in Conquest, it is pretty faithful, if a little more bland. But it can't be helped sometimes, given how English and Japanese work so differently as languages. Now Birthright on the other hand...

Birthright Chapter 18 Standard Boss Quote

Japanese: What a nice face you have. I find that look of desperation irresistable. With Lord Leo's permission... I'll do something good for you...

English: Say that's a nice face you've got there. Would be a shame if someone were to slash it. Let's have some fun, shall we?

-Love when Treehouse inserts memes into things that date the game immediately, loooooove it /s "Would be a shame if something happened to it" was an old meme even by 2016, jesus.

Vs. Corrin/Kamui (Japanese)

Zero: So... You're Kamui... The traitorous brother that Lord Leon hates enough to kill...

Kamui: He wants to kill me? Leon...?

Zero: Haha, what a splendid face you're making. The pain in another's face is sublime. Twist it up more for me, I want to see you cry.

Kamui: Huh...

Zero: ...Come on now, you're here to fight me, aren't you? I want to pierce you soon, too... with this thick arrow of mine.

Kamui: !!!

Zero: Hmmm? Are you scared? ...It's okay, I'll be gentle. The pain will be gone before you know it... Once I send you to heaven...

Vs. Corrin English

Niles: So, you're the little thorn in my master's side, are you? Very well. If he wants you dead, who am I to argue?

Corrin: I still can't believe it. We lived as brothers...

Niles: Oh, yes. The suffering on your face is simply delicious. Now, let's see what happens when you have a few more holes...

Corrin: You're sick!

Niles: Oh, please. This is war. This is my job. I'm good at what I do. I'll try to make this painless so you can die in peace. Deal?

-This one is confusing more than anything. Niles sort of has the same lines/message here, but Corrin in Localized Birthright is generally so fucking insufferable that it bleeds into here as well. He talks as if Niles isn't even there, and then calls him sick, which, yes it's true Niles is fucked up, but Corrin is SUPPOSED TO BE EXCEEDINGLY SWEET AND FORGIVING. This extends to his enemies as well, he's very polite with the retainers of the opposing side. Niles isn't any worse than Zola, yet Corrin has worse words for him??? It's weird.

-The other story moments Niles has aren't signifcantly changed to where I feel the need to mention them, even Birthright. Again, it's actually Odin and Leo who are more altered, but that's neither here nor there.

Ghostly Gold

Japanese: You're so naughty. Even like this, you still want more? This place *is* pretty fascinating, but... These are also sacred ruins not to be disturbed. Were a thief like the former me to find out about this place, it'd be quite troublesome. To honor my orders and silence you... I'll make you come by my own hands.

English: Last night was a cinch for me. I always sleep with one eye open. You never know whose grabby little hands might end up in your pockets.

-Some lines in Ghostly Gold, regardless of language, either discuss the gold/treasure, the enemies, or how the army stayed up all night to catch the thieves. Niles' got changed from one to another.

The Japanese one is pretty standard when considering how Niles has moments of sincerity in the Japanese script as it is, but again, losing it in the English version for something completely different? It's not only disappointing, it's confusing. Did some of the people on the job when localizing just not have the original script? Or did they decide just to change it because they felt like it? It's truly dumbfounding to me, how this particular scenario happens in Fates so much.

Boo Camp

Japanese: Please be gentle with me...? I'm not used to things like this... What do you all expect, putting yourselves in danger in a dark place like this. At least if I were a monster like you, I'd take everyone who comes here to the cruel edge of ecstasy. (I'd make everyone who comes here cum cruelly? idk)

English: Be gentle, boys... or whatever you are. I don't know what we expected, making ourselves so vulnerable in the dark. But you'll find out like all the others that I give as good as I get.

-Omg, Vers King Niles in the English version... That's all I have to say about this, it's faithful, and a really great example of how to keep suggestive euphemism while not being a literal translation.

-The other DLC maps with character dialogue don't have too big of changes, or at least ones that give insight into Niles to mention.

Niles' Father Support with M!Kana

-A rank: Pretty much the same until the very end, where in the JP version, after promising to have a night in with Kana and Corrin, Niles says “Haha… I never thought the day would come when I would be sleeping peacefully with my whole family. I have always wanted to destroy other people's happiness, but now that I have it for myself, I want to protect it at all costs. Perhaps I'm the most selfish one…” Calling himself selfish is in reference to earlier in A rank, where Niles says parents can act selfish since they sometimes want their children to stay reliant on them so as to not feel lonely, even if they understand that they must fly the nest someday. Because this is a variant-parent conversation, the meaning is the same if Kana has a different father, though instances of unique characterization come through at times. In Niles’ case, it’s his referencing how he’s usually sadistic in dealing with others, especially those who grew up privileged. However, now that he has a family and is surrounded by love, he understands the feeling of wanting to protect happiness instead of ruining it.

In the English version, the line is instead “Heh. Never thought I'd be spending a night in with a family of my very own. So this must be happiness, huh? Maybe it's something worth protecting after all. Looks like Kana's not the only one who's changing…” The general gist *is* there, but the different wording can make it seem like Niles doesn’t know what happiness is, which would be kind of odd for his character; to be a sadist who delights taking happiness away from others, you have to know what it means. Niles knows what it means, and is resentful because he never got it before. I’m also very nitpicky, though, so I could be overcomplicating things.

Niles’ Father Support with Shigure

C Rank: JP version, Niles says that Shigure’s talents for art can captivate people regardless of gender, another example of a unique line variant depending on the father (for example Hinata relates Shigure’s interest in art to his interest in swords, Saizo tells Shigure that he shouldn’t focus on art during a war despite appreciating is talent, etc.)

For Niles it’s interesting here, since it’s in reference to how Niles is also attracted to multiple genders.

In the English version, Niles instead says “I think your work might turn a few heads.” The same message, but it lost a bit of spice.

There’s nothing else really important to mention, but in the JP version during the A rank, when Shigure’s running late and out of breath to the art exhibit, Niles asks if he’s out of breath because he got laid, which is really fucking funny.

Niles with Subaki

-In the JP script, there's more of an amicable attempt at building friendship from Niles. During B rank, he says "it'd be great if two warped people like us could get along." referring to how Subaki's perfectionist mindset is obsessive and destructive. The English version has him say "The mighty Mr. Perfect reveals a crack in the facade! Strangely, that just makes me hate you less." which is more impersonal.

During A rank, while Subaki is venting about how tired it is keeping up appearances, Niles offers different things between languages. In the Japanese version, he offers a massage (he's good at massages, also revealed in his father support with M!Kana) to take Subaki's mind off things, and Subaki accepts and is genuinely grateful towards Niles.

In the English version... he asks Subaki to 'give him some of his burden' by taking his worries and placing them in his hands. Not in a suggestive way, he's being for real in how Subaki should do this weird mime act of putting his worries in Niles' hands. And replacing the line of Subaki thanking Niles, he instead asks Niles what he plans to do with his worries, to which Niles says "Don't worry about that. I'll put them to good use. Heh heh..."

This was just confounding? Like, okay, I get it, Niles is perverted, so by association offering a massage is lewd itself. But if you're gonna change it, write something with the same energy, not this mime act that ends on a very awkward and clunky note. The JP version reads as if they're finally friends or amiable, the English version is still distant sounding.

Niles/Zero with Mozu/Mozume

-For context, Mozu has been visiting her run down village looking for a special jewel, and Niles has been following her. They discuss her losing her family. During B rank, in the Japanese version, these lines are said:

Mozume: Have you ever lost someone and felt sad? Don't you know what it's like to lose something?

Zero: Oh, I don't know. I just wanted to see your face twisted in pain.

Mozume: What... what did you say!?

Zero: I love seeing the pain on other people's faces. It makes me want to torment them more and make them cry... The reason I became interested in you is because I knew about your village's past.

Mozume: You're a terrible person...

Zero: But... it's been very boring. You're already suffering and griveing enough without me having to do anything.... So I've lost interest in doing anything to you. Don't worry.

Mozume: What a selfish person...

In the English version, this is said instead:

Mozu: Haven't you ever been upset when someone passed? Don't you know that knot in your gut when you lose someone?

Niles: ...That's neither here nor there. I prefer not to dwell on those things. Better to live for the pleasures of the now. I could give you a demonstration, if it would take your mind off things.

Mozu: Th-this is hardly the time!

Niles: If you want to wallow in pain and misery in the ruins of your home, suit yourself. But my offer still stands if you'd rather have some fun instead.

Mozu: You... you're horrible...

Niles: And you're boring, which is worse. It wouldn't take much for me to make you feel better. Believe me, I know lots of ways. But I can see you'd rather be miserable, so carry on without me.

Mozu: Wh-what a self-centered jerk...

-So, the English version has Niles offer to hook up with Mozu in the ruins of her home. Furthermore, Niles in the English version keeps pressing the issue in "making her feel better" and fucks off when she rightfully rejects his advances. But in the JP version, there's something else here.

Niles' code is poking at people who haven't suffered *or* people who pry into others feelings for no good reason. Saying outlandish stuff is a defense mechanism for him, he does that to actively push people away. This is discussed in his Japanese support with Azura, which I'll get to later.

Niles took an interest in Mozu's situation because he knows something fucked up happened to her (Niles is actually quite compassionate to others who have suffered greatly once he finds out about it), but when Mozu asked him about if he ever felt loss, she *unknowingly set off his defense mechanisms* and he responsed like an asshole. A rank concludes with Niles having recovered the jewel that Mozu was looking for, which is what he was intending to do ever since Mozu first told him about it during C rank. Mozu isn't at fault whatsoever, it's just Niles couldn't help responding cruelly.

BUT, this only really works in the JP version, because instead of offering to hook up with Mozu to make her feel better, he instead says that "I don't know [if I ever felt the pain of loss], but I do like seeing other people's faces in pain" which flows better as a conversation. Couple that with how Niles says he won't bother her because she's suffering enough, it displays that Mozu isn't the type of person he would target, it just came out because of Niles' trauma response. This doesn't work in the English version because Niles implies that Mozu is actively making herself sad, which is not only incorrect, it dulls Mozu's situation and screws up Niles' secretly compassionate side. Just... :///

Niles/Zero with Arthur/Harold

So there's stuff concerning the entire chain, but I'll focus on B rank and A rank for now.

In the Japanese B rank, there's this exchange:

Zero: If you don't trust me, then maybe I'll go bust into that mansion for real.

Harold: In that case, I'd have to deliver judgment onto you. I've received a request to stop these robbers.

Zero: Hmph. Whatever, just try not to make it too easy for them.

Harold: ...That's suspicious.

Zero: What is?

Harold: People like you who try to unnerve others often have something to hide. They keep their distance from others so nobody can discover their secrets.

Zero: You think that nonsense passes for actual theory?

Harold: I did come up with that one on the spot, so...

Zero: Right, I thought so.

Harold: I don't care what sort of life you lead, but there's something you're hiding, speak now.

In the English B rank, it's changed to this:

Niles: You've given me an idea. Perhaps, I will join up with this band of merry thieves...

Arthur: Oh, come on! You can't be serious!

Niles: Maybe I am! What are you going to do about it?

Arthur: This is suspicious...

Niles: Wait. You're actually ACTUALLY serious.

Arthur: Well, joking about a crime is a well-known defense technique. Because, if you joke about it, surely you wouldn't actually DO it, right? Oh ho! Thought you could outthink Arthur, did you, evildoer?

Niles: Your logic is breathtakingly stupid.

Arthur: Is it? Darn. I did just kind of make that up.

Niles: Yep. It was obvious.

Arthur: Well, you can make fun of me all you want. But if you're hiding something, you better tell me now.

-The English version kind of has Arthur go "Dumb Cop" mode by doing a pretty vapid investigative trick, but in the Japanese version, he doesn't exclusively reference the crime. His theory is that Zero talks outlandishly to others in order to keep distance from them... which is EXACTLY correct, that's what he does and why he does it. Zero rebuffs him and tells him it's stupid because of that very same idea, that he doesn't want Harold prying into his business. Harold only connects this to the crime at the moment because he believes that "well people who talk like that to others must be hiding something, therefore he must be hiding something regarding this band of thieves he used to work with." The end point is wrong, but the reasoning is correct, even if Harold admits he made it up on the spot. (But that's also supposed to tie into how he's the grounded/emotionally in-touch Axe Fighter for Fates, he was written intentionally to be very good at reading people)

This was kind of scrubbed from the English version, with how Niles eggs him on by dancing around the subject of the thieves and how he might work with them, and Arthur/Harold only centering his reasoning around *criminal activity* instead of the thought process/psychology of Niles/Zero himself. This dumbs Arthur down while making Niles more childish.

Now for rank A. For context, Arthur subdued the thieves but saw Niles sneak into the jailhouse and assumed again that he was working with them. However, he then saw how Niles was lecturing the group and trying to get them to reform, and Niles explains by going into his past. Afterwards, in the Japanese version, there's this exchange:

Harold: I never imagined you had such a past... Thank you for telling me. I see you had nothing to hide today.

Zero: What's that supposed to mean?

Harold: You didn't use your usual, unpleasant manner of speech while you were talking. That's proof that you weren't hiding anything.

Zero: ...The hell are you talking about? Is that another one of your stupid, spur-of-the-moment theories?

Harold: And if it is? Just because it's spur-of-the-moment doesn't mean it's wrong. I felt moved knowing that even you can speak candidly. Alright, now let's go tell everyone what we just discussed. If we do that, they'll all understand that even you can speak properly in the right situation.

Zero: No way. Now get outta here unless you want me to plunge a thick arrow-shaft into you.

Harold: ...Whoa there. I see you're still hiding something after all. But you're cute, so I'll let it slide.

Zero: Huh? Cute?

Harold: What you're trying to hide is your own embarrassment. Feeling embarrassed from hearing my praise, you switched back to your unpleasant way of speaking. But it's no use hiding from me now, I know everything.

Zero: Why you...

Harold: Let's get along from now on. If there's anything you need to talk about, don't hesitate to ask me. As someone who understands you now, I'll listen to my heart's content.

Zero: Tch...

The English version replaces that with this:

Arthur: Thank you for sharing that, Niles. I should have relied on Lord Leo's judgment and trusted you from the start. Now then! I'm off to tell everyone about what a great guy you are!

Niles: Um, that's reall now necessary.

Arthur: Of course it is! It's not fair that you have a bad reputation. People need to know the truth about you! Justice must prevail! I will shout it from the rooftops. "Niles is A-OK in my book"! Ha ha! This is going to be great!

Niles: Can we go back to being enemies?

--Not only is the exchange a lot shorter in English, it's less intimate/emotionally charged. It dials up the humor by writing Arthur to be a bit of a dingbat and Niles being dragged along against his wishes.

Arthur/Harold in the Japanese script, is written to be very good at interpersonal communication and sympathy, hence why he fights for justice and moral causes (saving Azura from being punished, helping any and all citizens instead of just being completely dedicated to Elise like Effie is, taking on dangerous jobs despite his bad luck, etc.). He's an incredibly splendid guy who has a knack for reading people.

And the Japanese A rank proves that he was right in thinking Zero was keeping a part of himself hidden, because Harold noticed that he wasn't talking outlandishly anymore when revealing his past, therefore, he was being genuine and speaking from the heart. Further proving that, is that when Harold genuinely praises him, Zero shrinks into himself and goes on defense again, trying to push him away by threatening to "fuck him with an arrow." Harold clocks this IMMEDIATELY as him trying to hide his embarrassment over being praised, before calling him cute and letting him know that if Zero has anything to vent about, that he'll always be willing to listen, to which the latter again gets embarrassed by.

This massive layer of intimacy and vulnerability between them-especially from Arthur-being removed is devastating! Getting to see Niles be vulnerable and sincere is a very rare treat, and the fact that Arthur is able to pull that side out of him (when the only other people really able to do that are Leo and his spouse) showcases how close Arthur and Niles can be, even if the latter doesn't admit it. The JP version of this conversation is one of the major reasons why Arthur has potential to be read as queer himself, not just because he calls Niles cute, but also because he's able to do something for Niles that's reserved for his closer relationships.

Having this all be replaced/cut out makes me sad, especially since it dumbs down Arthur and dulls Niles' personality. Hell, this also kind of extends to the C rank, where in the Japanese version it's implied that they knew/heard of each other before their current jobs since they were both from the slums, but had never spoken until now due to contrasting personalities and ideals. The English version scrubs that implication away, only having Arthur say "Your reputation precedes you" and Niles say "I don't like smug goody-goodies", as if they only became aware of each other when they got employed and immediately got bad vibes from the other. No! Niles was a known outlaw and Arthur was a known town hero! Of course they heard of each other, and just didn't know how to speak with one another in the palace until the current day!

Ughhh, it's SUCH a good support, yet the English version's changes and alterations just do it no justice whatsoever.

Niles with Azura

-In B rank, Niles explains why he thinks him and Azura are similar, delving into his past and personality in the process. In the JP version he says:

"There are two types of people I like to direct my colorful words to. The first are people who don't seem to know anything about hardship. [...] I was abandoned by my parents when I was a child, and was living in the slums soon after. Maybe that's why, when I see people who've never experienced hardship, I want to see their faces twitch. [...] I followed a hopeless path until Lord Leo took me in. [...] Moving on, perhaps due to my upbringing, I also don't like people who invade other people's hearts with bad intentions. I use my words to put people at a distance from me. [...] However, you aren't anything like either group. You had a turbulent upbringing and you try to keep your distance from others. So I thought to myself that you and I were alike."

In the English version, he says:

"You and I have both experienced real suffering unlike most of the idiots we know. [...] As a child, I was abandoned by my parents and had to fend for myself in the slums. Before Lord Leo accepted me as his retainer, I was literally living in the gutter... [...] It's left me with a low tolerance for people who lack compassion. I cannot stand shallow people! I try to avoid them at all costs. [...] I can tell that you are different from the others, milady. In fact, I get the impression that your childhood was no picnic either. You keep your distance by being aloof, while I actively drive people away. The more people I offend, the fewer I have to put up with. See? We're quite the same."

--Again, the general gist is there in the English version, but it's missing good details while muddying up others. The JP version reads like Zero pushing people away as a defense mechanism, and his envy towards others living privileged lives warping into resentment and antagonism. The English version weirdly makes things more vague, having Niles say he hates "shallow people who lack compassion" which can apply to anyone! A layer to Niles' character is the resentment towards the privileged, hence why his backstory involves breaking into the royal castle and he's not afraid of being scathing towards Corrin, Camilla (royalty), Felicia (royal maid), and Setsuna (noblewoman). It's why his support with Azura is a bit of an oddball, that was intentional. Niles can deduce that Azura is carrying heavy stuff with her like he is, since you have to be a little fucked up to end up distant and detached like Azura is. Her being royalty doesn't matter, because the vibe he gets from her overrules that. But for that overrule to make sense, you have to keep Niles' antagonism towards the privileged, and Treehouse gets fairly iffy with that.

Also in the JP version Niles says he and Azura are like hedgehogs, and the English version changed it to porcupines. As a huge Sonic fan, I'm obligated to be upset by this.

Niles with Elise

--Okay, this one is kind of difficult to talk about, because given Elise's age (at the very least 15, I believe, but possibly older), Niles can come off as a creep.

In Japanese C rank, Elise says she's still too young/too immature to go to the strategy meetings, thinking she'd just be a nuisance to everybody. Niles disagrees and says she "has a great body" which yeah, isn't great sounding. I think the intent was she "has a mature body" which also isn't great sounding, but the point was that Elise is, going by age, is mature enough. Further on, he asks if it'd be better if she stopped thinking of herself as too young, and join in the meetings for the benefit of Nohr.

In the English version, the comments on Elise's body are scrubbed out, but it also ups the childish factor on Elise a LOT for some reason. Instead of seeing herself as a child and lamenting her not understanding the discussions at the war council, she complains that everyone else treats her like a kid instead, hence why she doesn't go to the meetings. That holds very different implications no matter the language, since recognizing your own immaturity is ironically a very mature thing to do, and Elise is characterized as having extremely keen sensibilities. Complaining that others keep treating you like a kid, on the other hand, is extremely immature (hence the constant trope usage by characters like Ricken, Hayato, Lysithea, etc.)

In the Japanese B rank, after being told she didn't need to go to the meeting because it still might be too hard to understand, Elise is very upset. She says:

"You know, Zero... I went to the meeting. And then they told me that I didn't need to go again. It was still too difficult for me to understand [...] Yes. even though everyone was at the meeting... in the end I was the only one left out... [...] No, it's okay. It wasn't unnecessary advice. The problem is me. I act like too much of a child... how do I become an adult..."

Once again, a lot of the emphasis is put on how Elise sees herself as childish, not necessarily others. Zero gives her advice again, saying that her heart might be the problem. He says:

"You say that you want to become an adult, but in your heart you just want to be a child, don't you? The heart shows what you truly are. Heading to meetings with a spoiled heart, of course you'd be seen as unnecessary. Unless you do something about your heart, you won't be needed no matter how old you get."

He then says it's wonderful to see her cry, which again, yes it's fucked up but Zero is fucked up.

In the English version, it removes the line about him liking to see her cry, but also changes the exchange again. Elise now says:

"I w-went to the war meeting like you said, but they told me I didn't need to be there! They said i-i-it was too complicated for me! J-j-jerks! [...] Yeah! Everyone else was there, and I'm th-the only one they said should leave! It's so dumb! Dumb dumb dumb! They're all just a bunch of dumbheads! Why won't they take me seriously?! I even showed up and everything! I'm and adult, right? They should treat me like ooooonnee! *sob* [...] No, you were right. I need to study more. I'm no better than a child. My siblings are so mature... Why can't I be like them?"

Again, I don't speak Japanese, so maybe Elise is crashing out just as hard in the JP script and I just don't know it, but holy fuck, they really ramped up her outburtst here! It's not too far from Peri level, which is unfitting for Elise. While childish in some aspects, she's keen and introspective in others, always desiring to improve. The English version did this part of her personality no favors.

And keep in mind, it was also Treehouse that was responsible for Leo's infamous line where he says "Elise, when do you intend to behave like the adult that you technically are?" That line and its implications were not the same in the JP version, where he instead complains that Elise still acts like such a brat. So, what's the deal here, Treehouse? Is Elise an adult or not?

Anyway, Niles' reply to Elise is kind of the same, but instead of saying "heart" he says "attitude" which gets the same meaning across, and because Elise references her siblings in the English version, he does as well.

-Now, for A rank, there's not as much changed here, but in the Japanese version, Zero is clearly disappointed that his advice inadvertently cost him a chance to see Elise cry/suffer again, given that Elise used the advice on changing her heart and it worked. The English version... only half scrubbed this away, for some reason? They changed a line to have Niles say "I'm proud of you, Elise. That's wonderful. Though... perhaps also something of a shame." It's awkward because Niles isn't written to be that disappointed anymore, you can't have both!

-S rank is a bit of a trip. So, in both versions, Elise says that she wants to marry someone like Niles in the future, because she wants a husband like him that'll tell her things directly and not shy away from harsh truths. But then the versions diverge.

In the Japanese version, it's Niles who brings out a ring and proposes, saying something along the lines of "I had a boyish/immature mindset, where I teased you so much and wanted to see you cry because I was in love with you" and "From now on, you'll face harsh realities. But you don't have to hold back tears. Please cry as much as you want around me. I'll help stop them for you. [...] I'll do my best to be even more wonderful for you, and help you grow into a fine adult."

In the English version, however, it's Elise who brings out a ring and proposes. In response, Niles says "Well I supposed I must accept. [...] I never expected it. But I have grown to love you. You have an innocence about you that I have rarely seen in my life. I lost hope, once, because I bore witness to the worst evils the world has to offer. But you have rekindled that hope in my heart. I could not live without you. [...] And I vow I will do everything in my power to help you in all your endeavors. Though I supposed we'll start with making you a responsible, regal princess, eh?"

-Again, I don't know what the intent is here by Treehouse. You make Elise more childish, outbursts and all, but then have her be the one to propose? And then have Niles comment on her innocence? What? Is she a child or not? Is it appropriate for her to marry or not? Now I could be misreading things, since the "innocence" bit could be translated from Niles saying he had an "innocent schoolboy love" for Elise, or it could've been Treehouse's mistake. Still, that doesn't change the fact that Treehouse had Elise be the one to propose, which is contradictory within this support chain, said support chain being contradictory to what was established earlier in the game. Make up your minds!

Niles with Leo

-A rank sets the scene a bit differently between versions. In the English version, Niles is contemplating the future. This leads him to say he’s confident about his future rather than worried, because he found a purpose in serving as Leo’s retainer. JP version, on the other hand, has Niles thinking about how he is in the present. This leads him to consider his past and come to terms with how lucky he believes himself to be at the moment, and wishing to convey his gratitude to Leo for his part in his life. The same case in B rank happens here as well, where the JP version has Niles express gratitude over finally having a place to stay (which I think is very intimate and vulnerable, because I read it as a "place of belonging"), while the English version has him say his life now has a purpose. That could carry the same weight, but on an interpersonal level, idk, it doesn't feel as deep.

Niles with Camilla

This support is pretty juicy, but key things from Japanese to English get lost. When Zero asks why Camilla relentlessly showers Kamui with love, this exchange happens in the Japanese version:

Camilla: My love for Kamui? I don't quite understand it either. I do think dearly of him, but I don't have a reason for it. Howver, Kamui did have a bad childhood... perhaps that's why I treat him kindly.

Zero: Would it be fair to say that Lady Camilla's love is... selfless (unconditional)?

Camilla: I wonder.

Zero: I see... Heh. Heheheheheheheh...

Camilla: ...What is it?

Zero: I do not agree with that.

Camilla: then, what do you really think?

Zero: Am I allowed to say it?

Camilla: Of course.

Zero: The reason is simple. Because you're a pitiful human being.

Camilla: ! What do you mean by pitiful?

Zero: I'll save it for next time, I'll tell you a story that'll blow your mind.

In the English version, Camilla instead says this first:

"What do you mean? I love Corrin! He's such a sweetie! Plus, he had a terrible childhood. I think he deserves a little kindness now!"

Because of this change to Camilla not really fully knowing the reason why she dotes on Corrin, Niles subsequently doesn't ask her if her love is selfless/unconditional. Instead this exchange happens:

Niles: As I suspected! Your so-called love is nothing more than pity. You're probably one of those people who brings home lost puppy dogs too.

Camilla: Of course I would! Who would leave a cute, little puppy out in the cold?

Niles: Heh heh...

Camilla: *gasp* You would, wouldn't you?! Niles, you're terrible!

Niles: There's a reason you fixate on helping poor pathetic creatures!

Camilla: Is that so? And what's that?

Niles: You live a pathetic existence. You're trying to make yourself feel better!

--In Japanese, the clear cause of her own obsessive devotion to Corrin is unknown even to her, and Corrin's bad childhood is just the best reason she can put forward. In English, she says that's the definitive reason, with no hesitation or deliberation. So not only is there this weird gag inserted in the English version where Niles would leave puppies to suffer, Camilla's own problems are dulled.

Now for B rank, the context here is that, before explaining why he called her pitiful, Niles asks Camilla a hypothetical question on why humans love animals. This is how it plays out in Japanese:

Zero: They (people) want to be loved. But that reality doesn't exist for them. That's why they turn to animals to fill the hole in their heartst. That's exactly what your relationship with Lord Kamui is like. You pitied your own existence and thought that you never received enough love. And so you sougt to devote your love to someone more pitiful than yourself... in other words, Lord Kamui. For your own, disgusting form of comfort.

Camilla: ...If that's the case, so what? What's the point of you saying this.

In English, this exchange is written like this instead:

Niles: It's because people want to be loved. They want companionship-a person to come home to, and if they can't get it... They'll settle for a furry creature who'll greet them and slobber on their shoes. This is the same relationship you have with that lost, little puppy-Lord Corrin. You're miserable, so you shower him with affection, and that puppy slobbers back!

Camilla: Are you calling Corrin a dog? That's disgusting!

--The difference in Camilla's response is important. In Japanese, she doesn't deny that this is the kind of relationship she's cultivated with Corrin. In English, she pivots to offense at Corrin being called a dog. Niles' words about her kind of love is disgusting are also dulled a bit, and the indirect antagonism towards Corrin is also ramped up.

The lack of denial on Camilla's part in JP is important to understand how fucked up she is as well. It connects back to C rank where she wonders if her love is actually selfless/unconditional, and the truth is, it's not. She goes of the deep end in Birthright becasue of her warped love towards Corrin, blending love and cruelty together, because that's how she was raised as well. She's mature enough to reflect on it a bit, but nowhere near close to getting it under control. Removing this tidbit removes the juicy implications that Camilla's character brings.

Niles/Zero then goes on to explain his background to Camilla, how he likes to give hell to people who he believes have never known hardship. This leads us into A rank. In Japanese, Camilla says this:

"You said I never knew hardship and must have been happy because I'm royalty. I summoned you here to tell you that you're wrong. [...] Did you know? Marx (Xander) is the only one among Nohrian royalty was mothered by the queen. Leon, Elise and I are children of concubines. All of us had different mothers. [...] Concubines are in fragile positions. In order to raise their status, even just a bit, they would quarrel and insult each other during their free time. And that's not all. Their spats affected their children as well. All sorts of conflicts arised using the children as an excuse. [...] Your claim that I'm pitiful is not entirely wrong. I exist only to bind my mother to Father. Mother may have loved me, but perhaps that itself was just love towards Father.

In English, however, she says this:

"I know what you thought! She's royalty! She must be happy! Her life is perfect! You're wrong! I wasn't born in the slums, but my childhood wasn't all roses either. [...] O. Didn't you know? Xander is the only one of my siblings born to the queen. The rest of us-Leo, Elise, and I-we're all children of King Garon's mistresses. Different mistresses, I might add. He loved to pit our mothers against each other. [...] Our mothers were the lowest of the low, trying to claw their way to a better status. Naturally, they used us as bait in all of their conflicts. [...] You said I was pathetic, and you were right! My mother loved me, but only as a pawn. Do I dote on Corrin? Yes, I do! I remember what it feels like to be alone!

---There are several things to note here.

1) The English version says Garon loved to pit the concubines against each other, while the Japanese version says the concubines did it on their volition. The English change doesn't make sense, of course, because the whole reason why Garon went off the deep end was because of the stress borne as result of the concubines feuding. He wasn't cruel when they were alive, he became disillusioned and went mad after the fact, including after Azura's mother came and went.

2) Camilla in the Japanese version presents a more detached scenario, including how she felt towards her mother. The experience no doubt fucked her up, but she truly is reflective on whether her mother loved her, or if that was just an extension of her love for Garon. This contrasts with Leo, who explicitly says he never loved his mom, and Elise who (in the Japanese version at least) says she loved her mom, but her mom didn't love her back. In the English version, Camilla is more sure that her mother didn't love her for real, and calls her and the other concubines the lowest of the low. It's quite different, and I don't know if I dislike the approach compared to the detached one in Japanese.

3) Camilla brings up Corrin in English, saying she dotes on him because she knows what it's like to not be loved. JP version, she doesn't bring him up, and instead further contemplates if her mother actually cared for her.

I know this is about Niles, but what the partner says in a conversation with him can change his response. Case in point, this is the exchange that follows Camilla's background in the Japanese version:

Zero: That's enough, Lady Camilla. I was mistaken. You are not pitiful, you are a woman who's stood strong and never resigned yourself... someone far too dazzling for me.

Camilla: Zero...

In English, this is what the exchange is instead:

Niles: I'm so sorry. I was wrong about you! You disguise your pain well. I didn't realize.

Camilla: I didn't tell you all this so you could apologize. I want you to think twice before you judge someon else unfairly!

---The English version made Niles more impersonal (and kind of a wimp) in his apology, and Camilla more reactive in response. In Japanese, the words he uses are more... genuine? I'd like to say? And Camilla is genuinely stunned that he'd retract his words like that. Again, Niles' can be very compassionate and sincere, he's just a hard nut to crack. And Camilla, well... her violent tendencies was meant to be more of a "tranquil fury" kind of anger, the kind that unnerves and terrifies you, rather than is abrupt and shocking, but the English version sort of altered that as well.

Oh, and in the JP version, as recompense Niles offers to apologize in the nude and be dragged around, but in the English version he asks her to beat him instead. Not to important, because Camilla refuses either way, but in English she does say "Seriously, Niles. I'll pass. If you want to be flogged, you'll have to do it yourself." Which is really fucking funny so kudos to Treehouse, you got a laught out of me.

--S Rank has less important changes, but in Japanese Camilla does get very forward and flirtatious with him, saying that "even though you're not a thief anymore, you've stolen my heart" and is more open to his sexual advances at the end of the conversation. In the English version, though, she gets a bit more scandalized, which is :/

Niles with Corrin

-In C rank, there's a bit of a change. In Japanese Zero says that trust is born from violent clashes but that maybe there was a difference in how him and Kamui were raised. Still, he says it's nice of Kamui to say he trusts him. Kamui's interest is piqued he wants to talk to Zero more, to which the latter says that he has weird hobbies but to do whatever he liked.

In English, Niles instead says "trust is borne ouf of a violent confrontation or traumatic experience. I supposed you must have had some kind of blessed childhood, free from worry." Corrin rebukes this and Niles apologizes. When Corrin tries to probe, Niles says "Oh ho! You offer nothing and expect juicy gossip in return. Sorry, child, but you'll have to do better than that."

--Not only is Niles more antagonistic towards Corrin in English, he also just assumes that Corrin's childhood was good, which he doesn't do in Japanese. He's actually quite objective and calm in Japanese. The change remains odd, because then the B rank flips Niles to be nicer all of a sudden.

Anyway, in B, there's details that are different. In Japanese, Niles says this, when asked to relay his background to Corrin.

Zero: I'm fine with it. It's not really a big deal, anyway. Ever since I've been a child, I've done anything I had to to get by. Stealing, begging, assaulting people, killing them... It would be pretty difficult to think of an evil deed I haven't done. [...] What? Surprised, ar you? I haven't even gotten to the best part! Anything I had that was of any value, I'd sell. Everything you could think of. The most intense one was that one time... who would've thought such a great man would-

But in English, he says this:

Niles: Very well. But you should know up front that it's not all lollipops and puppy dogs. Since I was a chold, I've had to do a lot of unsavory things just to survive. Steal, beg, kill-just another Tuesday for li'l Niles, sadly. [...] Surprised? I haven't even gotten to the good stuff.

--Basically, the Japanese version implies a lot more, including prostitution. The English version cuts it off. After that, it kind of continues the same way, though Niles in the JP version does more openly admit he was exaggerating a bit.

A rank doesn't have anything major regarding Niles, but the "low-friction tactical grappling and strategy" that he mentions in the English version? In Japanese is instead referred to as "sumo wrestling, famous sport in Hoshido." I'm a sucker for a developed world, so someone besides Rinkah talking about sumo was a neat surprise.

The S rank for Female Corrin was pretty faithfully adapted, but was also notoriously used for the Male Corrin as well. Here are the lines that were in the Japanese S support, exclusively for Male Corrin and Niles.

After asking Corrin to marry him, this exchange happens:

Kamui: B-but... I'm a man, you know.

Zero: I'm aware of that. We're both men, and our social positions differ greatly, but I'm saying this with both of those things in mind. I... love you, Lord Kamui. No matter what anyone says. I couldn't keep myself from conveying these feelings any longer.

Kamui: You're serious...

Zero: Yeah. It's the first time I've felt like this. This is different from my loyalyt to Lord Leo- I've been feeling something warm in my body all this time. It's strange... normally, I like watching others be troubled, but when you look sad, I feel a pain in my chest. I want to protect you with my own two hands, keep you precious to me, and spoil you rotten. And... if possible, I wish to make you happier than anybody else.

Kamui: ...Zero...

Zero: Lord Kamui... would you be willing to marry me?

Kamui: ...

Zero: ...I guess that's a no. I'm sure you'd preferred it to have com from a woman, but hearing this from a man must be...

Kamui: … even if you won’t tell me about your past…

Zero: Huh?

Kamui: If it’s about the future, then we should be able to talk about it, right? From bygone days to the future – why don’t we talk about it together? If yes, then… I accept your proposal.

Zero: Is it really all right? Are you certain? You… won’t regret this?

Kamui: I won’t regret it. If I told you I wasn’t surprised, I’d be lying, but… what you said earlier made me so happy. I want to accept your feelings. I want us to be happy together. … from now on and forever, I always want to be with you.

Zero: … Thank you. … I wasn’t wrong about you after all.

Kamui: Haha. It’s an honor to measure up to your expectations.

--You're free to draw your own conclusions on this. I feel that gay relationships are inherently different in our society compared to straight ones, so writing them should be different. Given that, I prefer the original JP lines over the English version making the S rank the same between genders. It feels more real, and the extra lovey-dovey stuff from Niles to M!Corrin exclusively is just, ughhh, chef's kiss.

Endings

The only major different one is the gay one with Niles and M!Corrin in Conquest. In Japanese it's this:

"Kamui, after helping the reconstruction of both Nohr and Hoshido countries, traveled the world. By his side was the constant presence of Zero. It is said that the two of them left stories in every land. In their later years, they opened a small orphanage for children who were not blessed and lived their lives quietly."

In English, it's this:

"After helping restore Hoshido and Nohr, Corrin and Niles traveled the world together. The two were celebrated for their humanitarian work, inspiring songs, folktales, and poems worldwide."

---The English endings in general are a lot shorter, since you're able to convey a lot more information with Japanese letters/characters in the same amount of space compared to the English alphabet. Still, if I had to pick, I wish they brought over the orphanage tidbit instead, it's so fucking sweet.

Private Quarters Lines (These are the big changes that I have issues with)

Japanese (Friendship)

"You're an unguarded person, huh... If I became "interested" and did you right here... What would you do?"

"You're still using your hands purely... Shall I teach that body of yours something good?"

"Not bad. Next time I'll be the one servicing you."

"To have been noticed by a royal like you... wasn't so bad I guess. As thanks, I'll teach you about a lot of various things... Painful things... And pleasurable things, okay?"

English (Friendship)

"You seem nervous. Was this meant to be a date?"

"It's so revealing to see your room like this. I feel like I know you better than ever."

"I know, I know, it's my turn to invite you over. There's just... things... I don't want you to see. Yet."

"To think... an urchin like me... best friends with a royal like you. Life is so strange sometimes..."

Japanese (Lovers)

"For all that I had to endure... you better prepare yourself tonight. Even if you cry or scream... I won't stop."

"Close your eyes. Don't worry... Right now, I won't go any farther than a touch."

"I love you. My heart, which had been broken a long time ago... You picked it up and fixed it."

"Even now, I see this dream... A painful and agonizing dream... From when I was a child. But... If I were to wake up and see you beside me... I'll be okay. Please stay by my side. And when I sleep... Please hold my hand and never let go."

English (Lovers)

"I've waited so long for this. I'm never going to let you go!"

"Close those beautiful eyes for a second. ...Well?"

"I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone. It's a weakness, I suppose..."

"You've taught me to embrace love... and showed me that it can just as exquisite as pain. Let's share plenty of both."

---Yes, Niles in Japanese is more sexually charged, whether you're friends or lovers. But he's also SO MUCH MORE VULNERABLE, what the hell! He talks about how the world has broken his heart and how he has nightmares, and wants Corrin to stay by his side at night, just holding his hand!!! He's being sensitive and sincere and so ooey-gooey, ughhhh! In comparison, I feel the English version turned him into a personified ;) face, which has its own charm, but thinking about what it replaced? Yeah, it's no contest for me, I think the Japanese lines are better. Similarly...

Confession

Japanese: "So warm... Is this love? I can feel you deep inside me. When did I... become like this... and fall in love with you."

English: "Do you have any idea what you're getting into? I sure hope not."

---The confession is also a lot sweeter and heartfelt in Japanese, while impersonal and trying to be funny in English. I dearly love Niles when he's open and sincere, and it's a shame that many just haven't seen it.

-------

That's all I had to comment on! Thank you for reading, this was really fucking long lmaoooo.

#fire emblem fates #fire emblem #fire emblem if #niles fire emblem #zero fire emblem #fe14 #treehouse localization

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silver-soul00 · 4 months ago

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This is an extremely sensitive post to make because I am going to try yes to dismantle this narrative that someone have about Tyler, but still trying to be somewhat amenable to confrontation.

I had already made posts inherent in the problematic nature of the ship with Tyler and how unsuitable he is as a partner (or in general just impossible for him to have feelings for Wednesday with the information we have now).

“Tyler genuinely smiled after talking to Wednesday.”

A smile is not necessarily a sign of genuineness. Social psychology teaches us that a smile can be used as a tool to manipulate or reassure.

In the context of the series, Tyler proves adept at earning Wednesday's trust through seemingly sincere behavior.

For example, the way he engages her on their “first date” is carefully constructed to leverage her passions and preferences, a classic example of “emotional mirroring,” a manipulative technique that creates an apparent connection.

Obviously, the date was carried out to cheat and remove Wednesday from her room so that Laurel could enter Wednesday's room and carry out the plan (with Thing stabbed I might add)

Moreover, Tyler's smile may reflect personal satisfaction with her success in manipulating her, rather than genuine feelings.

This type of behavior is common in manipulators, who use nonverbal signals to build a false perception of trust and affection.

“He said he liked killing because he was possessed by the Hyde.”

Tyler's statement during interrogation, “I enjoyed it,” cannot be ignored as simply an expression of his Hyde. Although it is true that the Hyde is a monstrous aspect of his personality, the relationship between the “monster” and the human in Tyler is complex.

Studies of individuals with dissociative behavior show that the sense of pleasure felt in negative actions, even under pressure, is often indicative of an at least partially consensual will.

Moreover, the way Tyler expresses himself suggests not distress or remorse, but complacency. This is a sign of moral disengagement, a psychological mechanism in which a person justifies his actions through emotional detachment.

“Wednesday was furious because of betrayal, not because of the murders.”

Reducing Wednesday's anger to personal betrayal alone ignores the depth of her character. Wednesday is motivated by a strong sense of justice, as seen in her constant efforts to uncover the truth and protect others, particularly the marginalized.

Her reaction is a combination of anger at personal betrayal and outrage at the murders committed by Tyler.

The episode in which Eugene is almost killed is emblematic: Wednesday is devastated by the idea of losing a friend to Tyler's senseless violence.

Her guilt and determination to avenge him show that she considers the murders a central issue, not a secondary one.

"He was tortured, drugged, abused to unlock the Hyde”

It is true that Laurel manipulates and unlocks Tyler's Hyde side through cruel methods.

Tyler is a victim of abuse and there is no compromise on that...but once the Hyde is active, Tyler shows that he is a willing participant in Laurel's plans.

There are no signs that Tyler tries to resist or escape his condition.

On the contrary, he fully immerses himself in the role of assassin and enjoys tormenting Wednesday during the scene in the police station.

This kind of behavior is consistent with what the theory of submission to coercive power describes: an individual who is initially a victim can become an active perpetrator if he or she derives benefit or pleasure from the new condition.

“Wednesday is not an angel, she hurt normies and almost tortured Tyler.”

Comparing Wednesday's actions to Tyler's is a classic example of whataboutism, a rhetorical technique that seeks to distract from the actions of one character by highlighting the flaws of another.

Remember that Tyler still harmed and hurt loved ones in Wednesday's

Wednesday's actions, while questionable, are always motivated by a sense of justice or self-defense.

Her extreme behaviors (such as the piranhas in the pool) are directed against people who have done harm, while Tyler targets innocent victims to satisfy his own instincts or to please Laurel.

Wednesday is not perfect but through the series understands when she is wrong or not, such as admiring Wheems only on the finale.

On this point, however, the novel did a better job, where the vigilante mentality is felt more and she thinks so much about the fact that she cares what people think.

“Tyler hated her so much he kissed her and planned a date.”

The argument that Tyler could not hate Wednesday because he kissed her and planned a date is naive. Emotional manipulation often involves seemingly romantic acts to gain the victim's trust.

Tyler exploits Wednesday's feelings to distract her from the truth and to assure her that he is “on her side.”

This is an example of emotional triangulation, a manipulative technique in which the manipulator alternates between affection and betrayal to confuse and control the victim.

"They liked each other and were in a toxic situation, not a toxic relationship"

Tyler and Wednesday's relationship is inherently toxic because it is based on lies, manipulation, and violence.

According to healthy relationship theories, an authentic relationship requires mutual trust, respect and open communication. None of this is present between Tyler and Wednesday.

Their dynamic is defined by a profound inequality: Tyler is in control of information and exploits Wednesday's emotional vulnerability, while she is kept in the dark about her true nature. This asymmetry is the very definition of a toxic relationship.

But in general, this post presents a common narrative that tends to confuse victimization and personal responsibility.

Being a victim does not eliminate personal responsibility

The fact that Tyler was abused, drugged, and manipulated to activate his Hyde is a significant element of his background. However, the psychology of victimization makes it clear that undergoing trauma does not automatically justify all of an individual's subsequent actions.

According to the concept of posttrauma agency, an abused person still has a decision-making capacity, even if it is affected by the trauma suffered.

After his Hyde is activated, Tyler shows no signs of inner conflict or attempts to rebel against Laurel, his manipulator.

On the contrary, he embraces his role complacently, declaring that he took pleasure in killing.

This behavior suggests a conscious choice to indulge his dark nature, despite the Hyde's traumatic origin.

“Wednesday loves murder, so they are meant to be together.”

This statement is based on a superficial understanding of Wednesday's character. Although Wednesday has a fascination with the macabre and a dark personality, she is not motivated by a sadistic pleasure in killing. On the contrary, her actions are guided by a strong sense of justice.

For example:

The piranhas in the pool are punishment for those who bullied his brother.

Her obsession with the Hyde case stems from a desire to protect her friends and other students at Nevermore.

Wednesday never kills without a reason related to justice or self-defense.

Tyler, in contrast, shows a pleasure in committing murder.

This pleasure is completely incompatible with Wednesday's worldview.

Their apparent affinity is superficial: she loves the macabre in an aesthetic and moral sense, while he embraces destructive mayhem without remorse.

The “innocent victim” narrative in social psychology

The idea that being a victim of abuse automatically makes one an innocent person is common, but psychologically incorrect. In reality, traumatized people may develop destructive or abusive behaviors toward others, but this does not eliminate their moral responsibility.

According to the “cycle of abuse” theory, victims of abuse can sometimes become perpetrators, but this does not excuse them from their actions. Tyler is a victim of Laurel, but he becomes an active accomplice in her plan. He shows awareness and pleasure in his actions, which go beyond mere submission to Laurel's control.

The manipulation of Wednesday's emotions.

Tyler not only kills, but also exploits Wednesday's feelings to manipulate her. He presents himself as the sweet, caring guy who tries to understand her, but this mask falls away completely when his role as Hyde is revealed.

The scene in the police station is emblematic:

Tyler humiliates Wednesday with a monologue in which he reveals how easy it was to deceive her.

He shows a complete lack of empathy or remorse, using betrayal as a psychological weapon.

This dynamic is not a basis for a healthy relationship, but an example of emotional manipulation and relational toxicity.

The concept of “meant to be together”

The idea that Tyler and Wednesday are “meant to be together” because they both have a dark side completely ignores the foundations of healthy relationships. According to John Gottman's relationship theories, successful relationships are based on:

- Mutual trust

- Respect

- Honest communication

None of these elements are present between Tyler and Wednesday.

On the contrary, their relationship is based on deception, betrayal, and violence. The fact that Tyler and Wednesday share an interest in the macabre is not enough to build a relationship, especially when this interest manifests itself in completely opposite ways.

Relationships similar to the one hypothesized between Tyler and Wednesday, which are based on dynamics of manipulation, deception, and trauma, are often considered highly problematic.

According to the work of Lundy Bancroft in her book Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men,” relationships in which one partner manipulates the other cannot be considered healthy. Manipulation, such as that displayed by Tyler toward Wednesday, undermines mutual trust and creates an environment of emotional control and abuse.

Healthy relationships require transparency and respect.

Tyler exploits Wednesday's feelings by building a connection based on lies and betrayal.

This type of behavior creates an unbalanced power dynamic in which one partner maintains control by exploiting the other's emotional vulnerability.

Victimization does not excuse toxic behaviors

Abuse cycle theory (Walker, 1979) shows how victims of abuse can develop abusive behaviors, but emphasizes that this does not excuse or justify such actions. Tyler, despite his traumatic past and manipulation by Laurel, demonstrates an active pleasure in killing and manipulation.

Furthermore, a study by McNulty and Fincham (2008) on forgiveness and personal responsibility in relationships points out that:

Suffering trauma does not eliminate personal responsibility for subsequent actions.

Healthy relationships require mutual commitment to avoid destructive behavior, even in the presence of trauma.

Tyler, as far as we have seen, does not show remorse or an attempt to right his wrongs, which makes it difficult to imagine a redemptive relationship with Wednesday.

The importance of equality and respect

According to Gottman's model of successful relationships (The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work), relationships flourish when partners share a sense of mutual respect and engage in open communication.

However, in the Tyler-Wednesday dynamic, Tyler exploits an advantageous position by knowing the truth about his identity as Hyde while Wednesday is kept in the dark.

Recall how betrayed Wednesday felt because, thinking placing trust after so long might be good for her, she eventually found herself stabbed in the back

The relationship is based on systematic deception, which makes genuine trust impossible.

Gottman points out that without a foundation of respect and transparency, relationships are doomed to failure or, worse, become toxic.

The idealization of toxic relationships

A study by Knox et al. (2000) on the idealization of toxic relationships in the media shows that romantic narratives involving manipulation and toxicity can negatively influence audience perceptions of real relationships.

Young viewers, in particular, tend to normalize abusive behaviors when portrayed as romantic or inevitable.

In the case of Tyler and Wednesday, the idea that “both are dark and therefore meant to be together” is an example of this idealization:

It ignores the real harm caused by manipulation and violence.

It romanticizes a dynamic that, in real life, would be devastating to the psychological well-being of both partners.

Psychological impacts on victims of manipulation

Studies on victims of emotional manipulation, such as Stark's (2007) in Coercive Control, reveal that relationships such as the one hypothesized between Tyler and Wednesday can lead to:

Chronic distrust: The difficulty of trusting others after such a profound experience of betrayal.

Emotional trauma: Victims of manipulation often suffer from anxiety, depression and a distorted perception of future relationships.

Self-isolation: Wednesday, already naturally inclined to protect her emotions, may further close herself off from the world after being betrayed in such a brutal way. But still in this case we could specify that Wednesday will be even more careful about placing her trust, since right now she trusts Enid and the other Nevermore friends who fought against Crackstone much more

IN CONCLUSION

Remembering that this is yes an analysis but not necessarily a gallows, anyone who appreciates the ship is not necessarily a bad person, you simply have to bring data and sources to the table when you have to discuss and from my perspective rather than romanticize this relationship, it would be more constructive to use their dynamic as a narrative example of how toxic relationships can negatively affect both partners and serve as a warning to recognize and avoid similar dynamics in real life.

Rather create stories where Tyler is not a murderer, Weyler stories like this I would love to read so much

#wednesday addams #wednesday #wenclair #enid sinclair #netflix wednesday #netflix #jenna ortega #emma myers #tyler galpin #toxic love #toxic relationship

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shifting-empress · 4 months ago

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𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭

Reprogramming your subconscious mind is a powerful practice that can reshape your beliefs, align your thoughts with your desires, and open the door to shifting realities. Your subconscious is the driving force behind your habits, emotions, and perceptions—making it a key player in creating the life you want to live, including your desired reality.

In this post, we’ll explore how subconscious programming impacts shifting, effective methods to rewire limiting beliefs, and exercises to reinforce new, empowering thought patterns. Whether you’re just starting your shifting journey or looking to deepen your practice, this guide will help you unlock the limitless potential of your subconscious mind.

The subconscious mind is a powerful tool, often likened to the operating system of our brain. It works quietly beneath the surface, shaping our perceptions, beliefs, and even behaviors based on the programming it received in early childhood. From birth until about the age of 7, our brains predominantly operate in the theta state—a state akin to hypnosis. During this time, we absorb and internalize everything in our environment, particularly from parental figures, forming the core beliefs that guide our adult lives.

After age 7, the way we learn shifts. Instead of directly absorbing information, we rely on repetition and habituation—doing something over and over again until it becomes second nature. This process is critical when it comes to reprogramming the subconscious mind later in life.

For those pursuing reality shifting, this understanding of the subconscious is essential. Shifting realities involves bridging the gap between your conscious desires and your subconscious programming. If your subconscious beliefs contradict your conscious intention to shift, the process becomes much harder. For instance, if you believe deep down that shifting isn’t real or isn’t possible for you, your subconscious will reject any attempts you make, treating them as incongruent with your “reality.”

Reprogramming your subconscious isn’t an overnight process, but it’s entirely possible with consistency and patience. By aligning your subconscious beliefs with your conscious desire to shift, you break free from limiting perceptions and open the door to experiencing the reality you’ve always envisioned.

Reprogramming your subconscious is the foundation of transforming your mindset and aligning with your goals, especially when it comes to shifting realities. By replacing limiting beliefs with empowering ones, you can remove mental blocks and allow your subconscious to fully support your intentions. Now that we’ve explored the importance of subconscious reprogramming and how it impacts your reality, let’s dive into some practical methods and exercises you can use to start rewiring your mind for success and alignment with your desired reality.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

✦ 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ✦

Affirmations are one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for reprogramming your subconscious mind. They work by replacing old, limiting beliefs with new, empowering ones through repetition and emotional connection. The subconscious mind thrives on consistency and emotional intensity, so by repeating positive statements, you effectively teach it to adopt a new narrative about yourself and your reality.

Your subconscious is like a sponge—it absorbs information and beliefs based on what you repeatedly expose it to. When you consistently repeat affirmations, you override negative thought patterns and implant new, constructive beliefs. Over time, these new beliefs shape your actions, perceptions, and reality.

Repetition is key to reprogramming. Practice your affirmations daily—ideally multiple times a day. Repeat them aloud in the mirror, write them down, or listen to them as subliminals.

For example, if you consistently tell yourself, “I am aligned with my desired reality,” your subconscious will begin to accept this as truth, ultimately guiding you toward that alignment in your waking and subconscious states.

✦ Keep them present and positive. Always phrase affirmations in the present tense as if the desired outcome is already true. Avoid words like “will” or “want” that place your desire in the future. Instead of saying, “I will shift realities,” say, “I am successfully shifting realities with ease.”

✦ Make them personal and specific. Tailor your affirmations to your specific goals and desires. The more personal and meaningful they are, the more effective they’ll be. If your goal is to shift, you might use affirmations like: “I am in full control of my shifting process.” Or, “My subconscious mind knows how to guide me to my DR.”

✦ Engage emotion. Feel the emotions tied to your affirmations as if they are already true. Emotion is what gives affirmations their power, as the subconscious is far more receptive when feelings are involved. For example, while saying “I am already living my dream life,” imagine how it feels to wake up in that reality, the joy, comfort, and peace you would experience.

✦ Combine with visualizing. Pair your affirmations with a visualization practice to make them even more impactful. Imagine yourself actively living out the truth of the affirmation while repeating it.

✦ Mirror Work. Stand in front of a mirror, look into your eyes, and speak affirmations about your desired beliefs or reality. Example: “I trust my ability to shift,” or “I am deserving of my dream life.” This builds self-trust and embeds affirmations more deeply.

✦ Listen to subliminals—audio tracks layered with affirmations—to influence your subconscious. Ensure the affirmations in the subliminals align with your goals and are created by trusted sources. Play them while relaxing, working, or even while sleeping.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Meditation is one of the most effective ways to access and influence your subconscious mind. During meditation, your brain enters slower states of activity, such as alpha and theta waves, which are ideal for reprogramming. These states create a direct pathway to your subconscious, bypassing the critical and analytical filters of your conscious mind. Below are specific meditation techniques to aid in subconscious reprogramming:

✦ Guided Visualization Method : Guided meditations combine relaxation techniques with visualization prompts to help you immerse yourself in your desired reality. The subconscious processes imagery and emotions more powerfully than words. By visualizing your goals as if they’re already achieved, you create new neural pathways that align your subconscious with this reality.

✦ Affirmation-Based Method : This meditation involves focusing on affirmations during a relaxed state, allowing them to sink deeply into your subconscious. During meditation, the mind is less resistant, making it easier for affirmations to become ingrained in the subconscious.

✦ Theta-Wave or Brain Wave Meditations : Theta brainwaves are the frequency your brain naturally enters during deep relaxation, sleep, or hypnosis. Listening to binaural beats or music set to the theta frequency can help you access this state more easily. Theta waves put your subconscious in a hyper-receptive state, making it easier to rewire old beliefs and integrate new ones. Use headphones to listen to theta-wave audio tracks or binaural beats designed for subconscious programming. As you relax, visualize or repeat affirmations to reinforce your desired reality.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬

Hypnosis is a powerful tool to directly access the subconscious and bypass resistance from the conscious mind. In a hypnotic state, your mind becomes more suggestible, making it easier to reprogram limiting beliefs and align your subconscious with your goals

Hypnosis is a state of focused relaxation, where your brainwaves slow down, and your subconscious mind becomes open to suggestion. Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis doesn’t involve losing control—it’s simply a deep state of relaxation where your mind is primed for change.

✦ Self-Hypnosis : Self-hypnosis involves putting yourself into a relaxed, meditative state and delivering suggestions or affirmations directly to your subconscious. Self-hypnosis combines the benefits of meditation and affirmation in one practice, directly targeting your subconscious beliefs.

✦ Sit or lie down in a quiet, comfortable space. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, allowing your body to relax deeply. Repeat affirmations or suggestions aligned with your desired reality. For example: “I shift realities easily and effortlessly.” Visualize the affirmations as true, imagining how they feel in your desired reality.

✦ Guided Hypnosis : Guided hypnosis involves listening to a hypnosis track or working with a hypnotherapist to reprogram your subconscious mind. Guided hypnosis takes the pressure off you to manage the process, helping you relax more deeply and focus on the suggestions being offered.

✦ Sleep Hypnosis : Sleep hypnosis involves playing affirmations or guided hypnosis tracks while you’re falling asleep. During the transition to sleep, your brain naturally enters a suggestible theta-wave state, making it an ideal time to access your subconscious. Sleep is when your subconscious is most active and receptive. Listening to suggestions during this time helps integrate them more deeply.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Visualization is one of the most effective methods to reprogram your subconscious because it engages your imagination and emotions, two key elements that influence your beliefs and mindset. By creating vivid mental images of your desired reality, you train your subconscious to accept those images as truth, bringing you closer to your goals—whether it’s shifting realities, manifesting a dream life, or simply overcoming limiting beliefs.

Your subconscious doesn’t distinguish between real and imagined experiences. When you visualize something with enough clarity and emotion, your mind begins to treat it as if it’s already happening. This process helps:

✦ Strengthen neural pathways associated with your goals.

✦ Align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with your desired outcome.

✦ Overwrite old, limiting beliefs by focusing on new possibilities.

✦ Create a clear picture. Be specific about what you want to experience in your desired reality. Imagine the environment, people, interactions, and even small details like sounds or smells. The clearer the image, the more effective the visualization.

✦ Engage all of your senses. Visualization becomes more powerful when you involve all five senses. For example, if you’re visualizing yourself in your desired reality:

✦ Sight: What does the environment look like?

✦ Sound: Can you hear voices, music, or nature?

✦ Touch: How does the air feel on your skin? Your clothes?

✦ Smell: Are there distinct scents in your surroundings?

✦ Incorporating your emotions. Emotions are a key factor in reprogramming the subconscious. While visualizing, focus on how you feel in your desired reality. Are you happy, fulfilled, at peace, or excited? Let those emotions fill you as if you’re already living that life.

Visualization isn’t about seeing immediate results but about consistently programming your subconscious to believe in your desired reality. The more you visualize, the more natural and real your new beliefs will feel. Over time, this practice will help you align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with the reality you’re working to manifest.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞

The Revision Technique, originally popularized by Neville Goddard, is a powerful tool for reprogramming your subconscious mind and shifting your reality. This practice involves rewriting or “revising” events from your day—or even your past—as if they unfolded in the way you desire. By doing so, you train your subconscious to accept a new narrative, effectively rewriting the energetic patterns tied to those events.

Your subconscious doesn’t distinguish between real experiences and vividly imagined ones. When you revise a memory or an event, you’re replacing the emotional charge and belief attached to it with one that better serves your intentions. Over time, this rewiring creates new mental pathways, helping to align your subconscious with the reality you want to experience.

✦ Daily evening practice. At the end of your day, reflect on any experiences that didn’t align with how you want your life to be. Choose one specific event or moment to focus on. Close your eyes, relax, and vividly reimagine the event, but this time, rewrite it in a way that aligns with your desires. Repeat this revised scenario several times in your mind until it feels natural.

✦ Revising past events. Identify past experiences that still carry emotional weight or limiting beliefs. Revisit the memory and consciously reframe it as a positive, empowering experience. Focus on the emotions of joy, relief, or pride in your revision—it’s the feelings that your subconscious absorbs most powerfully.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

Developing consistent daily habits is key to successfully reprogramming your subconscious mind and aligning with your desired reality. Repetition and commitment create lasting changes in your beliefs and thought patterns, making it easier for your subconscious to accept new ideas and work toward your goals. Below are some daily habits you can integrate into your routine to accelerate your subconscious reprogramming:

✦ Journaling is a direct way to communicate with your subconscious mind, clarify your intentions, and reinforce your goals. I use my journal to write down my dreams, what Subliminals I listened to, angel numbers I saw that day, and what meditation method I tried.

✦ Gratitude is a powerful tool for shifting your focus to abundance and positivity. By cultivating gratitude, you train your subconscious to see opportunities and blessings rather than limitations.

#desired reality #permashifting #quantum jumping #reality shifting #shiftblr #shifting antis dni #shifting blog #shifting community #shifting consciousness #shifting motivation #reprogramming your subconscious #quantum shifting #shift blog #shiftingrealities #shifters #shifting to desired reality #shifting

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astrolook · 3 months ago

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Decode the Universe: Why astrology and tarot are the ultimate power couple! #5

Sagittarius - Nov 23 - Dec 21 : Mercury / Moon / Saturn in Sagittarius

Mercury in Sagittarius - Knight of Wands - "I'm the human firecracker."

Conversations? More like verbal sprint races.

Thinks huge—minor details? Who cares!

Everything’s an adventure. Even bad ideas.

Will argue with you for fun.

Their nightmare? Slow talkers.

If mercury is afflicted, these people has peanut sized attention span. Always interrupts you. Makes big promises—remembers none of them. Overconfident AF. Commitment issues and loses interest fast.

Moon in Sagittarius - Wheel of fortune - "The Cosmic Wild Card"

These people are lucky and everything lands on their feet eventually.

Goes with the flow and unpredictable.

Highly Spiritual - the universe knows what it’s doing!

Optimistic and finds meaning in randomness.

If moon is afflicted, one minute euphoric, next minute existential crisis. Ignores issues until fate forces them to deal. Terrible at being consistent. Blames other people and the universe for their bad choices.

Saturn in Sagittarius - Temperance -" The Zen Philosopher With a Rulebook"

Master of balance. These people are adventurous, but packs a safety net.

Learns through experience -Life is the best classroom.

Can resist temptation... if they want to.

Believes in diving timing or that things will happen at the right time.

If saturn is afflicted, rules for thee, not for me. Won't admit if wrong. Preaches too much but never practice it themselves. One-sided relationship/partnership.

Capricorn - Dec 22 -Jan 19 : Jupiter / Mars / Sun in Capricorn

Jupiter in Capricorn - Queen of Pentacles - "Building empires in silk pajamas."

Budget queen but still treats herself.

These people buy silk sheets from a discount sale.

Work, home, self-care—effortlessly balanced.

Loyal to the core. If these people got your back, you're set for life.

If jupiter is afflicted, can be snobby and brags about their success. No funds? Anxiety skyrockets. Judges bad financial choices of others.

Mars in Capricorn - The World - "Started from the bottom, now we own the whole damn mountain."

These people work harder than ants.

Every challenge is a milestone. Always levels up.

Takes zero shortcuts, makes zero excuses.

Failure? Just a temporary inconvenience- Never gives up.

Always finishes what they start. No half-baked projects here.

If mars is afflicted, could become a workaholic and sleep less. Choose careers/relationship that are not meant for them but still goes for it anyway.

Sun in Capricorn - The Devil - "Work hard, play harder, own everything."

Knows the game and plays better than everyone.

Work hard to achieve power, money and respect.

Could convince a fish to buy water.

Their work ethic is on steroids.

Moves in silence, wins loudly. Hard work is their only religion.

If sun is afflicted, power hungry and obsessed with status. Moves like a chess master… in real life. Could become greedy. Shady dealings and would do illegal things in order to earn money.

Next post about Aquarius and Pisces placements. Stay tuned!

Curious about your birth chart and what it's really saying about you? 🌟 Slide into my DMs for a personalized astrology reading, and let's unlock the secrets of your stars. ✨ Don’t forget to check out my pinned post for pricing details! 🔮 Let’s make those cosmic connections happen! 🌙🌌

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ccaptain · 26 days ago

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SPOILERS OF THE GENSHIN 5.6 TRAILER: THEORY ABOUT WHAT THE FUCK I THINK COULD GO DOWN UNDER THE CUT:

Think about this: so far, we have seen that Mondstadt, compared to other more modern nations (ex. Fontaine, NATLAN) sports a much more rural lifestyle and has been considerably weakened by Varka's expedition. The Knights are understaffed and overworked. The city's line of defense consists in Diluc, Rosaria and Kaeya, occasionally.

But now, shit is getting real. The Abyss's influence over Teyvat has been steadily growing in every nation. Ever since the early Inazuma patches, Rifthounds, creatures contaminated by the Abyssal filth, have been sighted near Wolvendom. The Abyssal Order has been getting bolder.

If something of the magnitude of what happened in Natlan should strike Mondstadt, it'll have catastrophic consequences on our first home due to the lack of technology advancements necessary to repel Abyss related attacks.

I have my firm reasons to say a theory that has been going through my brain since chewing on the trailer: the nation of Mondstadt is being tested.

Having to put something or someone through a stressful situation to unlock their true potential is something a scientific mind would pursue. Albedo cares about the nation he has been living in, but he recognizes that the poor organization, massive loss of Knights and cavalry animals thanks to Varka's expedition and a general under-development could led to disaster if Mondstadt was attacked. He becomes an accomplice in this testing process- as he says in the trailer and was always a constant with him, perhaps this is part of what Rhinedottir entrusted him with: finding the truth of this world.

Due to the predjudice that surrounds him coming from Dhalia, Albedo probably calculates that he would be looked at with suspicion anyway: better to put it to good use if it's bound to happen. ''Unlawful disposal of human remains'' could also be Albedo making it very clear that he's guilty of this crime- almost too guilty, because he seems to have many against him. Sorry to ride on Albedo's dick, but he wouldn't be caught if he didn't wanted to get caught- just like what happened with Joel's dad and the Imposterbedo storyline.

(For those who are not familiar with it: an old event in Dragonspine has a ''second'' Albedo, one of his failed twins, wanting to dispose of him to steal Original Albedo's life and accomplishments. In the end, Albedo emphatizes with how he feels and decides to not kill him, doing the questionably good deed of morphing his twin's memories and looks into the surely-deceased dad of Joel, misteriously make him ''reappear'' much to everyone's relief and joy, and giving his twin a blank slate to start over and enjoy human life. If I got something wrong about the plot of this please tell me-)

Imo, as the city gets under attack, it'll be painfully obvious that Mondstadt needs help- hence why Venti will call for an official meeting with the Hexenzirkel when Abyss-imbued monsters start swarming the city. Clearly, Mondstadt's defensive line has been pushed back by the attack. I can't see a successful defense where stuff is destroyed and Cryochurls attack the city, honestly. And we only see a relatively small swarm attacking as Diluc and Kaeya get ready to protect the city gates- what would have happened if the attack was a massive and consistent one, like in Natlan?

Imo again, we will come to know Albedo's reasons for doing this, as we see him standing on the chessboard under Hexenzirkel's scrutiny and the test they make us (the Traveler) undergo in order to grant us their help. I severely doubt that he would have been yoinked and put here should he had done something truly nefarious. There's something going on underneath.

#from another realm ━ (ooc)#oops. i accidentally cooked? i think #theorizing like a madman. sorry this is MY territory. its my time to go fucking apeshit and post it here for everyone to see this #genshin impact spoilers ;;

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timhanlmacoursereviews · 1 year ago

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thetwstwildcard · 4 months ago

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I would fucking LOVE the Lyre/Lacie route pwetty pwease

𝕳𝖔𝖜 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖊:

So, since it can either be Lacie or Lyre, the player can select which they want. So if they wanna pursue a girl, they can pick Lacie and if they want a boy they can go with Lyre. There really is no big difference between the two, lore wise there are some differences (along with their secret ending names) but the overall stories are the same.

Their route is actually easy to start as they are also a Yuu, so they will be dorm mates with MC. So upon exiting their room after day 1, and entering the common room, MC will meet the other Yuus/ramshackle members where Lacie/Lyre introduce themselves and will give MC a nickname (entered in by the player)

𝕽𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖒:

• This is where they differ slightly, but are also the "same", don't select any dialogue that can be gendered. I.E, for Lacie don't pick any dialogue that comments on how a girl shouldn't fight other school mates and for Lyre don't select any machismo dialogue (reminds them too much of their mother)

• Spend time around Ramshackle, Savanaclaw or Diasomnia. Those are the main locations they can be found (Savanaclaw because that is the "chapter" where they are the main Yuu in the canon story and Diasomnia for their lore). In Ramshackle, they can be found in the common room, their room (unlocked at 2 hearts) and occasionally in MC's room (randomly after the 2 hearts event, will not appear if MC triggers a different heart event prior to returning to their room)

• If you select flirty dialogue, they will return it 10 fold, if you select shy dialogue they will tone it down but still flirt and if you choose more "uncomfortable" dialogue, they may show up less for a bit but will return non flirty and then continue appearing at the same rate. However, occasionally if you select flirty dialogue when they are not initially flirty, you may be able to take them by surprise and fluster them(and increase their affection).

• As the route goes on, and their affection rises, they will use different nicknames for MC (corresponding to dialogue choices and events)

• Have decent affection with the other ramshackle members to keep their affection high since they are all friends.

• Select minigames that involve Ramshackle or Diasomnia members, they may "assist" the player's score and have a slight increase in their affection.

• After their 6 heart event, do not blindly trust Crowley. If you do, their affection will decrease.

Liked Items (to raise affection): Tarot cards (can be found randomly throughout the game, in random locations and random cards [easter eggs]), lollipops/other sweets, gemstones/crystals, music items, any flower, celestial items and spicy food items

Disliked Items(will hurt affection): Monochrome objects, burnt food items, black coffee (obtained through the Covestial Cafe), overly gendered items and puzzle toys

𝖀𝖓𝖑𝖔𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝕬𝖋𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝕸𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘 (10 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝕾𝖞𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖒)

2 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖘: Event consists of MC walking in on Lacie/Lyre attempting to bake in the ramshackle kitchen where it will unlock a special version of the usual Des/Ezra centered mini game. If the player gets a score of S - C, the baking will be a success, if the player gets a score of D or F, the baking will be a failure.

If the baking is a success, the event continues with Lacie/Lyre complimenting MC for their help and brushing some stray flour from their cheek. MC will unlock the nickname "Sugar" from Lacie/Lyre along with dialogues: "Hey wanna bake something again, I've been craving something sweet, and not just you", "You know, between you and me, I think we could beat Des's baking as a team" and "Hey sugar, knew I'd find you here with all the other sweets". if they click on the ramschackle kitchen throughout the game if Lacie/Lyre are there. The event ends with Lacie/Lyre handing MC the collectable "Sweet Treat", a cute bag filled with cookies decorated to look like fellow dorm members (can be used to decorate MC's room) and them pecking MC's cheek.

If the baking is a failure, the event continues with Lacie/Lyre fanning away smoke from the oven while laughing that it was a "total disaster". MC will unlock the nickname "Burner" from Lacie/Lyre along with dialogues: "Are you trying to burn the dorm down again?" "Maybe you should let Des be in charge of baking..." and "I didn't know something could be burnt and raw at the same time... You sure have... Talent, [nickname]" if they click on the ramschackle kitchen throughout the game if Lacie/Lyre are there. The event ends with Lacie/Lyre handing MC the collectable "Burnt Mistake", a cute bag filled of burnt to a crisp cookies (can be used to decorate MC's room) and them ruffling MC's hair.

4 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖘: Event consists of having a movie date/sleepover with Lacie/Lyre in their room. The user is able to select the movie type between three options: Romance, Horror or Comedy.

If player selects "Romance", Lacie/Lyre will lightheartedly tease MC but still watch it happily. Dialogue through the event consists of them over the top recreating scenes/quotes to MC. MC will unlock the nickname "lover boy/girl/enby" from Lacie/Lyre.

If player selects "Horror", Lacie/Lyre will smirk and turn the lights down for the full effect of horror. Dialogue consists of Lacie/Lyre occasionally trying to scare MC or if MC selects a scared dialogue, Lacie/Lyre will hold them. MC will unlock the nickname of "Spookster" from Lacie/Lyre.

If player selects "Comedy", Lacie/Lyre will snicker before putting on the movie. Dialogue through the event consists of Lacie/Lyre occasionally telling jokes and laughing along with the movie. MC will unlock the nickname of "Chuckles" from Lacie/Lyre.

After the movie is over, Lacie/Lyre will lean in to attempt to kiss MC only to get interrupted by Ezra shouting to come down since the dorm decided to do a group movie night. Lacie/Lyre will roll their eyes and pull away. The event concludes with Lacie/Lyre grabbing a heart shaped lollipop (will be in the inventory as a decoration for MC's room) and tapping MC's lips with it while winking before heading downstairs first.

6 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖘: Event consists of Lacie/Lyre learning the truth about how they got to twst along with their previous fate in the world of twst. Where in, Lacie/Lyre and MC follow the trail the ghost orb makes, leading them to a portal that opens to the lily field. There the orb will either take the form of Leah (if Lacie is chosen) or Lysandre (if Lyre was chosen), where upon the spirit touching Lacie/Lyre's cheek, they will fall to the ground. Lacie/Lyre will have the memories of their past life as Leah/Lysandre flash back to them, for Lacie it was as Leah as the queen and her eventual sacrifice/death. For Lyre it was as Lysandre as the head of the knights and eventually being striked down in the war. After getting their memories back, they demand to talk to Crowley and ask if he knew all along.

There, it is revealed that Crowley did know that along with the fact that Lacie/Lyre died back in their world to end up in the world of TWST. Lacie/Lyre are pissed that Crowley kept that from them meanwhile MC is just watching the interaction. The event ends with MC and Lacie/Lyre returning silently to Ramshackle where they collapse in MC's arms sobbing.

After this event, Lacie/Lyre will be quieter for a few in game days (will be harder to raise their affection). And if MC selects dialogue that is positive towards Crowley for these days, Lacie/Lyre's affection will go down.

8 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖘: Event consists of Lacie/Lyre opening up to MC about what they remember before waking up in TWST (in MC's room) and about what they remember about their death before sighing. Lacie/Lyre will look down for a bit before smiling, caressing MC's cheek before talking "But, I guess it lead me to you. So, maybe it wasn't all so bad". From there they will confess to MC, saying their real name for the first time and ask for permission to kiss them. If MC let's them, they will kiss. If MC does not let Lacie/Lyre kiss them, they will lean their forehead against MC's and just smile.

The event concludes with Lacie/Lyre pulling MC onto the bed and holding them close asking if "Can we stay together, just like this, for a bit... Please?" before the event ends.

• Random inbetween heart events can occur, mainly in Ramshackle, with other dorm members shenanigans. If the player clicks a hidden spot in Ramshackle, they will unlock an event where Lacie/Lyre first stumble upon the "mysterious ghost orb" (Leah/Lysandre's spirit) along with Scarum (their "pet" blot bat). Event must be done prior to the 6 heart event unlocking, if not it will occur "off screen".

• 10 hearts signifies unlocking the good ending, however the scale is "locked" after 8 hearts. Affection can still be gained and user should continue to pursue. If Lacie/Lyre are the highest affection for the user by the end of the game days but the player has not gained enough affection to unlock the good ending, they will receive the neutral ending. If the player maintains a "10 heart affection" but continuously chooses dialogue that sides strongly with either Crowley or The Narrator, they will unlock the bad ending (which unlocks a secret ending)

• The ending begins with MC waking up to a loud crashing noise and distant yelling, the beginning of the face off between Crowley and Enola. The other ramshackle members will panic for a bit before deciding regardless of how they feel about Crowley, they need to help to finally bring an end to the overblots. MC will follow them which will lead to the endings.

𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝕰𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 (𝖀𝖕𝖔𝖓 𝖆𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙, 𝖆𝖓 𝖊𝖕𝖎𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖚𝖊 𝖎𝖘 𝖚𝖓𝖑𝖔𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉)

With the help of the Yuus, Des and Ezra, Crowley will defeat Enola, taking control of the book/narrative once more. There he will change The Narrator back to Yua and ask the different Yuus if they would like to stay. MC states that they will stay and Lacie/Lyre hold their hand while also saying they will stay.

Lacie/Lyre will lead MC back to Ramshackle before holding them close, kissing them as they once again say how much they love MC. The ending ends with Lacie/Lyre telling MC that after graduation they should explore the world of twst together before the screen goes to black and the credits begin.

The epilogue is unlocked where a time skip of 5 years has happened. Lacie/Lyre will appear aged up as they tell MC they found a new adventure to go on. There, they will have a date with MC, exploring the new location, occasionally reminding MC about memories of when they were students. The epilogue ends with Lacie/Lyre asking MC to close their eyes, the screen going to black before they tell MC to open their eyes. When MC does, Lacie/Lyre will have a ring in hand to propose to MC, the question being the last scene in the epilogue.

𝕹𝖊𝖚𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕰𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌

With the help of the Yuus, Des and Ezra, Crowley will defeat Enola, taking control of the book/narrative once more. There he will change The Narrator back to Yua and ask the different Yuus if they would like to stay. MC states that they will stay, Lacie/Lyre will think for a moment before deciding to stay, saying how they want to learn more about who they were in their past life.

Lacie/Lyre will walk MC back to Ramshackle, taking the scenic route as night falls. Lacie/Lyre will ask MC if they would like to go back to where they first saw Leah/Lysandre with them while offering them a lily. The ending ends with Lacie/Lyre smiling, putting the flower in MC's hair, kissing their cheek with the final dialogue being "It's a date then!"

𝕭𝖆𝖉 𝕰𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 (𝖀𝖕𝖔𝖓 𝖆𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙, 𝖆 𝖘𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙 𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖎𝖘 𝖚𝖓𝖑𝖔𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉)

During the "battle", Lacie/Lyre will sneak around to steal the Narrator's book. Upon stealing the book, while MC is watching, they will flash them a smile before Lacie/Lyre bleed on the book, now binding themselves to the book. This allows them to reseal Enola and turn Yua back to herself. Now in control of the book/the narrative, Lacie/Lyre begin to send the other Yuus back home. The final Yuu left is MC who begs Lacie/Lyre not to send them back, that they want to stay with them. Lacie/Lyre only smile, wiping away MC's tears as they send them back home. The last thing MC sees before the screen fades to black is Lacie/Lyre smiling while crying and an "I loved you, MC" on the black screen.

The quote stays on the screen for a few moments before fading to complete darkness. After a few seconds, the Secret Ending is unlocked. MC wakes up back in their own world (by default "our world") where they reach for their phone only to be met by a familiar voice on the game screen. If Lacie was romanced, the screen will show "Lark Crowley", if Lyre was romanced, the screen will show "Lanner Crowley". MC will tap the screen only to be rewelcomed to the otome game, now assisted by Lark/Lanner before the screen fades to black (for the player) except for a purple heart in the middle of the screen before the end credits.

#twst oc #twisted wonderland oc #oc #twstoc #twst ocs #twst #twisted wonderland #otome game au #Lacie Reyes #Lyre Reyes #Lark Crowley #Lanner Crowley #the trend of 6 hearts being a lore event is continuing #plus since 8 hearts is the first pure romance event it makes sense for lore to happen right before #gotta know their tragic backstory to kiss 😘#love how I went from like the most anti romance oc to my biggest flirts cause they're my Yuus #don't expect them all to be this long #its cause Lacie Lyre are my self insert Yuus so they have the most lore of my yuus

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fightinggamegirlfriend · 2 months ago

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so like I know there are some followers of mine who said they are interested in playing the Reboot Ninja Gaiden games, and I have made this post providing a few pointers. I’m NOT an expert, but here are my notes from my experience if you want to play the reboot Ninja Gaiden games. But also please look into other resources made by the Ninja Gaiden community, especially with step by step guides on how to be a better player at the game or just getting through the game level by level.

if you’re playing a night Gaiden game for the first time, or the first time in a LONG time, please for the love of god pick the lowest difficulty setting there is on offer. This usually means ‘Normal’, ‘ninja dog’, or ‘Acolyte’, which are the ‘easiest’ to start with. I’d genuinely suggest doing your first complete playthrough on these difficulties first.

Personally I’d reccomend starting with Ninja Gaiden II, be it the original vanilla version for the xbox360 (backwards compatible on modern Xbox hardware), Ninja Gaiden II Sigma or remastered version from the Master Collection, or the updated Ninja Gaiden II Black for new Gen consoles. I say this personally because the action of Ninja Gaiden II overall is much more fast paced and instantaneous compared to the original (at least in my experience). Really important to note that vanilla Ninja Gaiden II DOES NOT feature sections where you get to play as Momiji, Ayane or Rachel. So if you want some variety in your gameplay style I’d suggest sticking to the Sigma versions or NG II Black.

You can try the original Ninja Gaiden Black, but it kinda operates with early Souls-like Logic kinda. It’s much slower from what I personally experience, and it’s less forgiving with its health system. In NG II, health thankfully regenerates when enemies are cleared out, but that doesn’t happen in the first game. You have to stockpile on potions, and even then, you’d probably have to ration them out + what you use to buy the potions are also used to upgrade your weapons. So you have to pick WISELY AND PLAN AHEAD. If in doubt check out Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The NG community have made efforts to point out any differences, pros, and cons between the Black and Sigma versions of the game. Ultimately it’s up to you if you play the first one, just know that if you manage to get to Alma, you’re doing alright! <- she’s a hard boss fight so prepare to fail a lot before succeeding.

In Ninja Gaiden you will obtain various weapons throughout your playthrough! Everyone has their favourite, so ultimately please when you get a new weapon try it out immediately. Always go to the weapon’s techniques for inputs for attacks, which operate with fighting game logic mostly. When you upgrade them you’ll unlock more moves, but I suggest upgrading the dragon sword first and then later upgrading the weapon you use the most next, so on an so forth.

Vanilla Ninja Gaiden II will have consistent frame rate drops because the game was pushing the Xbox360 to its absolute limit as it was throwing enemy after enemy at you. I don’t know if the same can be said if emulated through Xenia (Xbox360 emulator).

Much like Souls games, your failures will eventually lead to success. However some fights and levels are definitely designed in a way to frustrate you, and even tire you out. Sometimes there’s a miniboss after a miniboss you just beaten.

Essence is used to buy upgrades and items, so buy what you think is most important. You can always stockpile essence and come back later to buy stuff at muramasa’s shop. however there is a limit to how many items you buy in NG II, each item can only be maxed out to three. So plan carefully when you need to use them. However items are not available in razor’s edge, and instead you have to buy upgrades and moves from the skill tree menu.

dragon statues (or falcons) and the Bow and Arrow are your best friend. Use them accordingly, especially for enemies with rocket launchers which WILL BE THROWN IN YOUR DIRECTION CONSTANTLY.

Please throughly search the dead bodies of fallen ninja, they will give you special Ninpo techniques, weapons or valuable items that can extend your life bar. They also may give you hints on what to do to be a better player.

Always check your surroundings first before moving on after a boss fight especially in NG II, please use your bow and arrow! you can thank me later :3

Pressing the jump button + the strong or weak attack button will make you do the flying swallow attack, which is certainly useful to help you get enemies off your back. There are also counter attacks, and please please block as liberally as you can.

WALL RUNS ARE ALSO YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

For NGII and Razor's Edge: Please use the obliteration technique on heavily injuried enemies that aren't dead yet. Genuinely, please for love of god use this technique (Y or triangle) on said enemies because you will get a nasty as fuck surprise when they suicide kill you via a bomb and take 25% of your health. The difference between other action games and Ninja Gaiden is that enemies WILL FIGHT BACK. so be on your toes even around regular standard grunts, because they can just as easily kill you as bosses can.

Take your time with bosses, seriously learning and telegraphing their behaviour and attack patterns will help you obtain victory. It’s also part of the fun. Always take advantage of any attack openings of theirs. Be careful of their grabs, which can often take out 25% or more of your health if you’re not careful. Dashing and Dodging to maintain distance is also your best friend.

if you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to put down the game for a few days and come back later. Trust me after a week of putting the game down, I went back to it and made MUCH better progress than I could last time I played it. Serious the longest time I can recommend spending time with the game is at least completing whole chapter or one whole chapter and being halfway through the next one.

Be prepared to die a lot. Especially in Razor’s Edge which if you do intend to play it know that the game isn’t as polished in my opinion. Even being clipped by a boss can take 25% of your health.

Speaking of Razor’s Edge, I’d only recommend it if you really like ninja gaiden, and if you’re willing to endure a lot of quick time events and button prompts. it’s combat does insist you be extremely aggressive that much I do know but you can always do some practice in the ninja trials under the ‘Shadows of the World’ on the menu selection.

#shallow rambles #gaidenposting #LENGTHY AS FUCK POST SORRY.

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pocima · 3 months ago

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2024 albums I recommend catching up on ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆° 📹

In other words, a shamefully long overdue list of my top 10+2 albums of 2024

Welcome to my long overdue list of albums I’ve been adoring last year! It’s the second rendition of my yearly project reviews, and I’m so grateful to be in a circle of bloggers who are as passionate for music and musical projects as I am for over 2 years now. The competition in this list is truly tough because 2024 has been a year where incredible full-length projects were dropping left and right from countless names in the music industry, and I still feel bad about ranking some names lower in the list. A good amount of artists were breaking their years-long hiatuses as well as if they were all given a deadline until 2025, and that felt surreal to witness. Considering the abundance of good full albums specifically, as you noticed, the list will cover my personal top 12 rather than last year’s 10! Additionally, I chose to separate them from my favorite EPs this time around, and an EP ranking will be dropping soon! 💋 Side note: two of the entries are accompanies with audio files instead of the usual videos because of Tumblr’s 10 video per post limit, soz.

⑫ Heráldica - Saramalacara

I wanna start this off by shouting out my sweet tasteful mutual @a-moth-to-the-light, because my Heráldica and Saramalacara discoveries all started with this HUMO audio post. When I first pressed play, I was surely hearing something, but I didn’t exactly predict it would all lead to Saramalacara playing a huge part in defining my summer and fall, and being my top artist on my YouTube Music recap. I was introduced to a very trance and hardstyle influenced headbopper right off the bat, and soon I would be transported to Sara’s very own Heráldica world. The surreal drum & bass INTRO_ greets us, and we stroll through Más Feliz’s breakbeats, .tumblr and 10percs’ electropop dancefloors, Sola’s dramatic cries, XQSI, Tokio Hotel and Diamantes&Kalashnikov’s thumping trap highways and the emo rock anthem tu droga at the departure. I kept the album on repeat, not even intentionally, partly because the tracklist was all pure earworms, but more so because Sara excels at the craft of worldbuilding with music and sound. Her EPs prior and now her debut album feel exactly like portals, straight out of a video game. The visuals support the gloomy, hazy vibe the album gives on its own, and the end result is a distinctive era much needed in the current emo/digicore pop-rap scene.

Favorite tracks: HUMO, Tokio Hotel and .tumblr.

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⑪ Access All Areas - FLO

Moving on to another debut album, one that I’ve been so eagerly anticipating since discovering FLO when they dropped their first single Cardboard Box in 2022. For years I’d been hoping for them to flourish as artists and get all the love and success they deserve because they’re such talents, especially vocally, and their EPs and singles had been just wonderful, and there was just no way their big and mighty first LP would be a letdown. FLO’s contemporary R&B princesses status, their consistency and versatility are fully set in stone with Access All Areas. Harmonies and runs top-notch off the bat with the intro and smooth, sax driven title track AAA. In My Bag, How Does It Feel?, IWH2BMX and Nocturnal are instant confidence boosters all in their different ways and sounds. (The Bree Runway feature on Nocturnal in AAA: Unlocked? Now THAT’S what I’m talking about.) Soft and On & On reveal their more sultry sides with gentle, serenading vocals, while they stand on business and let go of the untrustworthy on Caught Up and Shoulda Woulda Coulda, which is my personal favorite genre of FLO songs. They dabble in some Miami bass with Check, Detroit drill with Get It Till I’m Gone and surprisingly nice pop-rock (I typically find it ear-grating so REALLY surprisingly) with the empowering final track, I’m Just A Girl. The production quality, again, the VOCALS, the arrangements, the group chemistry, the charisma, the energy, everything sets the bar higher for pop and R&B stars, but truthfully it’s unsurprising since that’s exactly what you’d expect from the FLO girls.

Favorite tracks: Shoulda Woulda Coulda (track review here), Caught Up, Get It Till I’m Gone and Nocturnal.

⑩ DOGMA - LSDXOXO

2024 was THE year of underground club bangers and electronic music with a gritty twist, as seen with many projects gaining plenty of attention and artists following suit, and it would only make sense to get to the top 10 of my list with the iconic producer and DJ LSDXOXO’s debut album. LSDXOXO is primarily known for his upbeat, sharp sound, notably on his Dedicated 2 Disrespect and Delusions of Grandeur EPs, however, Dogma takes a bold turn, with the pulsating club beats making way for the guitar topped reggaeton of 4LUVN, the alternative R&B worlds of Blinded and Bloodlust, the dark electropop thrill of Black Light, the synth-focused trap instrumentals of Girls Girls Girls and Ghost, the breakbeats of Witching Hour and Superstar and softer vocals and raps observed on all of the tracks. I knew this direction would be smoothly, beautifully executed since Bloodlust’s single release, and with the continuation of the rollout, I knew the album’s sound would be what I needed in September. The production remains incredibly in-depth and the atmosphere of the project is irresistibly alluring. Overall, this was definitely one of the top projects that defined fall 2024 for me and surely one that proved LSDXOXO’s versatility and successful experimentation. Special shoutout to Kelela for elevating Girls Girls Girls and Ghost with her background vocals, you know I love small but impactful details.

Favorite tracks: Black Light (track review here), Bloodlust and Girls Girls Girls.

⑨ Chupetones - Meth Math

Another solid debut album that has stayed heavily on rotation multiple times throughout 2024, this time by the alternative neoperreo collective Meth Math, previously having captured my attention with their feature on Isabella Lovestory’s Tacon, and later with their Pompi and m♡rtal EPs. Prior to the announcement of the album, I’m gonna be honest and say that its lead single (and later album opener) Mantis did not pull me in like the rest of their discography did, but despite a slightly rough start, the dramatic, hypnotizing second single Myspace brought me back immediately, and forget being seated, I was glued onto my chair with Cyberia (still the catchiest song on the album in my opinion) and later with Axila. Meth Math introduce new genre influences that fit the band’s style like a glove to their catalogue, such as happy hardcore with Cyberia, trip-hop with Capullo and witch house with Axila and Pócima (yup, the source of my username). On occasions they mix said genres, like they did with the familiar reggaeton and the less familiar witch house in Abducida. Every aspect about the project is impressionable, from the echoing sound design to the visual direction of both the music videos and perfectly eccentric cybercore album photography. I can confirm I will be paying attention to Meth Math’s future work moving on forward as I constantly need some electronic, gloomy reggaeton in my life.

Favorite tracks: Pócima (duh) and Cyberia (track review here).

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⑧ Tidal Memory Exo - Iglooghost

You guys witness me frequently posting about music I fall in love with instantly, giving immediate reactions right upon discovery, but I’ve also mentioned that most of the time, my all-time favorites end up being bodies of work that creep up on me slowly. This was the exact case with electronic musician Iglooghost’s Tidal Memory Exo and his discography in general. I knew of his remixes and a couple songs here and there previously, I saved Nemat0de right on the first listen, and just casually kept coming back to the rest of the album, and realized I fell in love with it more and more, and not so unexpectedly. Ever since his come-up, he’s been delivering some of the sickest, glitchiest, most maximalist sound design and absolutely otherworldly mixing. That’s not the only proof he’s an electronic music mogul either, he proves it by the flawless incorporations of breakcore (Alloy Flea), 2-step/garage (flux•Cocoon), drill (Pulse Angel and Dewdrop Signal), along with gothic influences akin to Gesaffelstein’s Gamma (Coral Mimic) and orchestral moments giving that “calm after the storm” feel (Dewdrop Signal). Another element that makes the album this cohesive and put together is the storytelling, present in all of his past projects but especially prominent in this one sonically and visually. The inspiration for the Tidal Memory Exo-verse comes from his time squatting in a garage of a UK seaside town, and the concept is based on apocalyptic, sci-fi themes, and here are some articles that can frankly give a lot more insight on the lore than I can. Tidal Memory Exo is a universe I’d recommend to all IDM fans, or anyone who’s looking for intricate sounds and top-notch quality dopamine.

Favorite tracks: Nemat0de, flux•Cocoon and Coral Mimic.

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⑦ G-SPOT - STARKIDS

Speaking of dopamine, I’ve also mentioned that there’s arguably nobody that induces it in the music game like the Japanese hyperpop band STARKIDS do. It’s been forever since I full-on geeked out over a group like this. I’m very often in need of some loud underground EDM in my life, and they’ve played a huge part in me falling further in love with the J-hyperpop scene. They’re the ultimate masters of unapologetic, maxed out, extremely well-produced fun music. Even when it comes in the form of singles (okay so for the 1000th time I will emphasize that Pop is the 2020s’ Like a G6), their music is mind-blowingly captivating and entertaining, but an entire album of pure unadulterated bangers 3 years after the last one? I’ve gotten scared and then pissed at their diabolical disbandment prank rollout (near decade long K-popper moment) but how could you not forgive them when the music is really THIS good? Unlike the previous projects mentioned in the list, they don't take entirely new directions, but instead effortlessly show how good they are at what they do, from their throbbing as always takes on happy hardcore and Eurobeat to the usual yet exciting hip-hop and trap roads, with hints of 2-step (BACK2BACK) and hardstyle (title track). The members’ flows never fail to hit like a sip of freezing soda, and while Espeon and Benxni are my MVPs in this aspect, all of them have their moments with their own addictive verses and choruses. Thematically, the album offers STARKIDS' constant preachings on embracing authenticity and living your life free of any judgement. Honestly, there's something people of all backgrounds and lifestyles can get out of these preachings. Whether you're the type to spend days and nights partying or choose to navigate stably through work or education, all you have to do is listen up, mentally hop on the band's wavelength and have fun to the fullest just like they do.

Favorite tracks: BACK2BACK (track review here), G-SPOT, Stay Back, TYOSTAR and Thailand BKK.

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⑥ Where The Butterflies Go In The Rain - Raveena

After the intense, high tempo, electronic projects I've talked about in the list so far, it's time to make room for some therapeutic, lush R&B with another gorgeous project from Raveena. With her third studio album, she once again takes on roles she absolutely owns: a narrator, a fairy, a healer, an ethereal being. Let me start simply with how I felt while first listening to it on its release day: I remember taking a half-hour walk home, DMing the #1 Raveena fan @timetravellingkitty my thoughts as they formed, feeling just like a main character in a coming of age movie. You can easily observe that music puts me through countless emotions, that’s why I talk about it so much and in such detail, but again, the art of building entire worlds through albums is something that particularly earns my appreciation. You can guess the beauty of the production and sound straight from the title. From the Brandy inspired string-heavy Pluto and Lose My Focus; to her blending Western and South Asian influences on Every Color; the simple but moving soul tunes Lucky and Rise; the catchy dream pop bops Baby Mama, 16 Candles and Smile For Me; the guitar-only Kid and piano-only Little Bird and We Should Move Somewhere Beautiful; and the soothing, cinematic finale Water (and she KNOWS how to do a good key change). Not to forget the wholesome Afternoon Tea with the Auroras interlude, which begins with her grandmother reciting the Sikh mantra Ik Onkar and includes a conversation between the two, and that alone represents the rawness and emotion put into the album. The sweet vocals and harmonies, lullaby-like at times, are a key in maintaining this otherworldly-ness. Moving onto what the project means to Raveena herself: in her own words, she needed to return to comfort and stop weathering storms, just like how butterflies go into hiding in the rain due to their fragility. If you’re new to her, her spirituality, connection with herself and eloquence seep through every word, every melody she puts out. Whether the topics are sweet such as romance or personal growth and realizations, or rather painful such as grief, genocide or the opposition to women’s rights and humanity, it’s all tackled deeply, but with genuine hope. Genuineness is a quality I highlight consistently when discussing art, though it seems and feels like a bare minimum, and it’s what Raveena directly exudes. That’s something to find true comfort and consolation in.

Favorite tracks: Junebug (track review here) and Lose My Focus.

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⑤ Still - Erika de Casier

Erika de Casier is still a wonderful player in the contemporary R&B game, with her added pinches of breakbeats, 2-step and synths straight out the 2000s all throughout her discography. While her debut album Essentials was pretty down-tempo and trip-hop focused, and sophomore Sensational introduced heavy garage influences, her third album amps up the 2000s aspect of her sound. Right after intro Right This Way, where Erika welcomes you to her very own party as a VIP comes first single Lucky, the adorable liquid drum and bass jam and a production highlight. (Peep two albums back to back having cute songs called Lucky!) Home Alone and ooh possess the epitome of that Y2K era cheekiness and sensuality, as well as the Timbaland-coded beats and samples. The Princess is debatably the most vulnerable Erika has gotten with her with her inner disagreements in relation to her life and future, accompanied by a guitar and soft chest singing. On ice, she brings out Tampa rap duo They Hate Change for their takes on verses about relationship bantering, and the chemistry of the three combined with the melodic high “ah, ah”s and chill instrumentation makes the track unbelievably smooth and itch scratching. Test It, Believe It and Anxious have simpler production that relies on the top-tier synths. Ex-Girlfriend with Shygirl is a collaboration I’ve been anticipating as a big fan of both, and it was surely executed even better than I could’ve imagined. It has that moody, confident flare that both pull off perfectly. Toxic seems like a slower, more soul-leaning ice, and lyrically it’s a drift from the romance of the first half of the album. My Day Off comes in with the pop/EDM hybrid era hip-hop vibe. You can even sing “shawty had them apple bottom jeans, boots with the furrrrr” to its tune, but you honestly won’t need to when its actual lyrics come in handy for classily flipping someone off with words. Toxic featuring Blood Orange, the post-breakup duet with a monologue and low-key harmonies, signals that we’re getting closer to the departure, and with the self-reflective, brink of tears-sounding Someone, we close off the party. To round up the album description, it combines R&B smoothness with electronic elements, both of which are perfect for my tastes. Moreover, it’s an album stripped of previous alter egos (such as Sensational’s Bianka) and is purely a reflection of Erika’s world and observations. Unsurprisingly, Still is a solid new member of Erika de Casier’s pristine, timeless, charming catalogue.

Favorite tracks: Ex-Girlfriend (track review here), ice, ooh and My Day Off.

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④ GAMMA - Gesaffelstein

Techno father Gesaffelstein is a relatively secretive figure. His releases are typically long-anticipated, and come as surprises especially if you rely heavily on social media for your favorite artists’ updates. He uses YouTube and streaming services as announcement-only platforms, with the comments turned off, where the average viewers are all obliged to stay silent like an uninterrupted theater show. I only found out about his exclusive community website (to which you can just sign up for free), where you can actually access announcements and comment your thoughts when I was in the middle of writing this review. The Gamma teaser drop appeared on my YouTube suddenly, and I was blown away by the quality and excellence of the visuals alone. (Director Jordan Hemingway, you are so loved.) We were getting into an era of grandeur, the dark digital bleeding into the plasticized flesh, something I can’t even fully describe. Hard Dreams was released as the first single (in fact, I can’t exactly remember whether I saw the teaser or heard the song first), it’s an accurate introduction to what the era has to offer, similarly to and differently from Gesaffelstein’s previous albums. It has the classic cold, hard synths and dry kicks, but brings in gothic vocals from Yan Wagner and somewhat more vulnerability. The gothic influences especially show through with Digital Slaves and The Urge (yes, we had a little foreshadowing moment in the Tidal Memory Exo section), and 80s electronica á la Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails’ earlier music is heavily dabbled in with Your Share Of The Night and Hysteria. The Perfect feels like a reincarnated Aleph, louder and with vocals. Mania, Psycho and Tyranny are chaotic and fiery in their own ways, the first being fast and repetitive and almost hardstyle-like, the second abrasively maxing out the kick drums and the third relying on acids for a majestic, grim catwalk soundtrack. The serenading Lost Love and the minimal, reverse synth based outro Emet balances them out. Another difference between Gamma and its predecessors is the format, as in the track lengths; only Hard Dreams has a duration of longer than 3 minutes, but it adds up with how diverse the project is, though considerably more cohesive and story-based than Hyperion (with that being said no Hyperion slander allowed). What’s the most certain in my eyes, though, is that this album has the best visual direction of the year. The album trailer, especially, sets the standard insanely high for all other musicians and their concepts. The scenes are abstract and mystical, but so polished and precise, just like the album it backs. Gesaffelstein is rightfully known worldwide as a legendary producer, however, that doesn’t stop his art from consistently being elevated and exclusive.

Favorite track: Hard dreams.

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⊛ Bonus review: RAVE:N, The Remixes

Raven was my favorite R&B album of 2023 with its quality in all areas, surreal feel, metaphors and depth; and it turned out to be a gift that kept on giving. I can’t name a remix album off the top of my head that I love more than this treasure box right here. This is a perfect example of how you reimagine and transform music, in particular a dance music inspired project. On this remix album we play around with ambient, trap, jungle, reggaeton, Eurodance, drill and more with a star-studded feature list. The whole thing is vastly different from what the original album gives, but in the best, most complementary way possible. The visuals were simple but very on point as well: the vignettes were filmed in Tokyo, from a capsule hotel to its nighttime streets to a bright green garden. Everything about this era was flawless and a beautiful sequel to the original Raven era.

Favorite tracks: Sorbet (LSDXOXO Remix) [track review here], Holier (JD. REID Remix feat. Shygirl) and Closure (Flexulant x BAMBII Remix feat. Rahrah Gabor & Brazy).

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Honorable mentions:

Inferno - Moistbreezy (favorite track: La Dolce Vita): Feel genuinely bad for only placing this in the honorable mentions because it’s pure trance heaven, as well as the storyline and concept being so well-crafted. Bangers only in this house, Moistbreezy always outdoes herself.

Hunter - Rhea Raj (favorite track: Hush): Hopped onto this train fairly late, probably sometime in December, but if Rhea isn’t at least a cult favorite pop girl this year I’m giving up on pop music point blank. Such a fun debut project, just wish the tracks were a little longer, but aren’t Hush and Pray On It (which reminds me of my SOTY 🤭 keep reading to find out) the biggest jams ever?

epistolares - Akriila (favorite track: Popper): Akriila is certainly another one of my favorite artist discoveries of 2024. Great genre concoction of neoperreo, dream pop and liquid drum & bass going on in this album. The project’s defined, soft sound makes it looping material.

MEGAN: ACT II - Megan Thee Stallion (favorite track: Bourbon): Megan, you will always be famous. Act I was on rotation the entire summer but Act II came through even harder with the upgraded production, increased cohesion and new, fresh flows. Easily my favorite project from her. (Bourbon is the closest we’ve gotten so far to hearing her on a trip-hop beat, which I desperately need.)

Miniseries 2 - Sumin & Slom (favorite tracks: Why Why Why and I Think…): Another long-awaited by many album and the acclaimed duo’s return, this time taking a more acoustic, slow approach. Love how Sumin’s voice shines even more, and the way the album feels like a game main menu soundtrack but also very earthly.

And now, drumroll for the top 3!

③ For Your Consideration - Empress Of

Welcome to the story of falling love with my most played album of the year, and how it’s my favorite pop album of the year! I was first made familiar with Empress Of through her collaboration with Rina Sawayama, titled Kiss Me, in 2023. I REALLY started to pay attention to her when I saw a reel of her announcing the release of Preciosa with a snippet, and from that snippet alone nobody could convince me we weren’t heading towards the pop emergency of the entire year. I had no choice but to tune in immediately upon seeing Isabella Lovestory and Erika de Casier collaborator Nick León and experimental electronic producers Umru and Casey MQ were on the production team as well. And yeah, pop emergency at its finest. For Your Consideration is primarily an alternative pop and dance album, with strong house and vogue influences. Its core themes include immortalization, being a prize you have to reach for, being the centerpiece in a relationship and gaining dominance after long years of timidity. Numerous pop microtrends came and went in the 2020s and especially in 2024: While some pop stars are truthers of maximalism, whether it be EDM or theatrics, many (especially in K-pop and on the Internet) choose to move away from saturation, and lean into instantly recognizable drum patterns, gently mixed synths, less sharp choruses, overall more monotony (such as in UK garage, drum & bass, Jersey club) and less in-your-face. This “blur” can either create jams that you can’t get overwhelmed with or tired of, or a boring, predictable skip where you can tell what the producers were miserably going for. Empress Of’s record isn’t exactly a banging, loud, overly melodic one like what we left in the 2010s, but she delivers multi-layered work that really takes up space with elegance, confidence and assertiveness. She sings about different aspects of romance, her feelings and experiences over casual beatboxing and breathing and beats that make you put a pep in your step.

The record starts with its title track: the heavenly, passionate intro that lays down the concept of the album. Lorelei is a fan favorite to this day and for good reason: the angsty lyrics, the house beat backed by the vocal bits serving as synths, the harmonies make this song a good representative of the whole project. Preciosa’s chorus is what pulled me into the track and into the whole album before anything else, but the whole track is very memorable, danceable and embellished. Femenine, What Type Of Girl Am I? and Cura strongly lean towards house and vogue with whispery vocals, while Fácil and Sucia is where Umru’s trademark thumping bass and snares come in. Baby Boy and What’s Love are the finisher ballads, vocally pleasing and leaving a sweet aftertaste. My favorite characteristic of this pop masterpiece is probably how detail-oriented and satisfying the whole thing is, how Empress Of utilizes her vocals and transforms them into all sorts of instruments (I’ll elaborate on this further a bit later), the little Timbaland inspired “hah”s and the “tch”s, the harmonies, my brain processing how all of it comes together. In an era of music where so much is stripped down, and all the nostalgic elements being brought back are some of the easiest ones to replicate, it fills me up with joy to see maximalism of this kind being understood and slowly making a comeback in practice. “Satisfying” is truly the way to put it about For Your Consideration. Nothing unnecessarily over the top or unfitting, but no missing keys or details. So grateful that this album got me through the whole first half of the year, nothing could’ve set the tone better for me.

Favorite track: Fácil (track review here).

② Quantum Baby - Tinashe

Quantum Baby earning the silver medal didn’t come as a surprise to you if you’ve been hanging around this blog for a while, I’ve been an avid fan of Tinashe for years, and prequel BB/ANG3L took the #5 spot on my 2023 album awards. You already know by now that I’ve been WAITING for that sequel ever since Tinashe announced that BB/ANG3L was part of a trilogy, so rather than a personal timeline, it would make sense to skip over to witnessing the virality of lead single Nasty. It’s first teased on an Instagram livestream, us SweeTees start humming “is somebody gonna match my freak?”, the song is released, SweeTees keep humming, but we turn around and the whole World Wide Web is humming “is somebody gonna match my freak?” too? Brilliant freestyle-turned-sound bite aside, I’ve seen Nasty being described as combining the best of Tinashe’s older music and newer music, and that couldn’t be more true. The dark-leaning, relatively minimal production of her mixtapes, Nightride and Joyride eras meets the danceability and infectious bars of her 333 bops and BB/ANG3L track Needs. The rollout got followed up with the 2-step Getting No Sleep, possibly less plausible to the mainstream but something that real music enjoyers like me (:3) appreciated. It has that hypnotizing quality, drums and synths/pads wise, that I always immediately cling onto as you can clearly sense, and the topline wasn’t any less catchy either, so it didn’t take long for me to already fully indulge in the music the era had to bring us. When the album dropped and I got to listen to it, what I really appreciated is how experimental it was, how much was dabbled in without hesitation, without losing the plot or that Tinashe essence. No Simulation is the drum-free opener with a fire bass line right off the bat, with the heavenly harmonies more in the spotlight than ever, almost as if it belongs on Miniseries 2. Thirsty… Thirsty… save me crunchy trap song with beautiful, beautiful vocal moments… Red Flags doesn’t fall short on the beauty, it has that distorted synth line that strongly reminds me of Oklou’s work on Galore, which is a vibe I’ve wished I came across more frequently. Next up is the Jersey drill Cross That Line that kicks off with choir vocals and continues subtly too, and When I Get You Alone is an R&B/trap masterclass at the Tinashe School of Two Songs In One with both parts making you move like Homer Simpson in that one GIF. No Broke Boys is the Needs of this season, with its lyrics serving as daily affirmations, and the track later rightfully being pushed as a single. As I mentioned, the songs went in such different directions, in ways you can feel if you listen to the album and fully comprehend if you listen to Tinashe’s previous projects, and that alone felt so fresh and invigorating Quantum Baby instantly became one of my favorite projects from Tinashe and 2024.

With that being said, the aspect that made me more interested in and attached to this project is what it means to Tinashe herself. In BB/ANG3L, she consistently used water as a metaphor for reaching your own essence and getting purified, free from self-doubt, bind to the past and fakeness; and reflected said themes in her lyrics. Thematically, Tinashe follows similar themes in Quantum Baby as you may guess from the title, as in getting to your own core and coming across contradictions and intermediate states between strength and vulnerability in the process, akin to the Schrödinger’s quantum paradox, for example. Not only can we go on and on about how thought out album trilogies are so back and how important it is to map out your themes, concepts and creative direction well (which she evidently never fails to do), but I also wanna touch on how her self-discovery as an artist and person really shows in her craft. For decades, Tinashe has been a polymath from singing and dancing to producing in engineering, pioneering musical trends and influencing many, yet somehow the only repetitive thing about her music is her commitment to excellence. Whenever she drops an album or EP, it never entirely consists of sounds or visuals she’s done previously, everything new from her is refreshing and either causing a buzz (like Nasty or 2 On) or worthy of causing one, and it’s especially noticeable with Quantum Baby. 2024 treated Tinashe like the queen she is, she deserves her success and more, and I will be anticipating all the more to come.

Favorite track: Thirsty (track review here).

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① Dennis - Sega Bodega

Finally, what the readers of this series have probably been anticipating: the review of my favorite album of 2024. To my mutuals, the top spot has been obvious long before I even knew the album was even in the works, simply because it was gonna be a Sega Bodega album, his third album. I’ve mentioned numerous times that Sega is my favorite producer of all time, though I don’t remember if I’ve ever elaborated on it. If I were to put it simply and with a pinch of humor, his brain fascinates me. The way his whole sound design speaks to me from the distorted keys to the reverberating drum patterns, his seamless incorporations of samples from the most random clips and sounds, his surreally gorgeous album and concept building, his artistry and loyalty to the distinctive and unseen before… all so entrancing to me. I’ve played the life of Romeo, Salvador, self*care EP, hell, even the in-between singles such as Arena! with Safety Trance and mimi (no, that’s not where my nickname comes from) or the classics such as Ess B EP and Nivea, his entire discography basically, so I was seated since, like, 2022. I’ve said this about countless projects, but I mean it with each and every single one of my neurons when I say this about Dennis, my already high expectations were blown. I’d like to share this excerpt from Sega’s PAPER Magazine interview (which I highly, highly suggest reading as well as these three articles) that precisely describes his three albums and his evolution:

Dennis continues his artistic development which has steadily moved skyward. Bodega's first album, the darkly intimate 2020 Salvador, was a brooding haunt through a dimly lit bedroom. On it, his deep voice beckoned the listener towards the heathenish. His follow-up, Romeo, seemed to fly out of the bedroom and perch itself on the top of a nearby building. The floaty, angelic project circled the sacred and profane as songs like Only Seeing God When I Come and Angel On My Shoulder merged the physical body with the transcendent. Dennis, though, seems to forgo the world as we know it for the one we experience in our dreams. A floaty, at times euphoric, at times nightmarish journey through the subconscious, Dennis is an exploration of surprising association, the kind of expansive logic that only makes sense in your dreams.

Yup, before we get into my rambles about the songs themselves, let’s discuss the collective consciousness theory and “sleep” as a literary theme, because looking into Sega Bodega discussing this and doing research on the topic alone is something that staggered me entirely and pushed me to think and process a lot of my outlooks and feelings on life. Dennis was titled partially in the sake of two unrelated comic debuts titled Dennis the Menace in the US and UK. This ties into “collective consciousness”, which claims all of our brains are pumped the same information while we sleep, causing uncanny “coincidences”, if we can even call them such. Dissociation and the sleep cycle are core components of the album’s world, which is reflected in hypnosis inducing intro Coma Dennis, its alarm-like follow up Adulter8 and somniloquy samples by Rick Farin in Dirt and Humiliation Doesn’t Leave a Mark.

Now onto the sonics, as mentioned, Adulter8 hits you like an alarm with its distorted 8-bit melody, possibly even causing a headache for some, but as the song progresses, you can’t help but get lost in the echo-y background chords. Next is Elk Skin, third (technically fourth) single from the album rollout, which starts off with a trap beat and transitions into a combo of reggaeton and acoustic guitar, is the most pop-like the album gets, but remains incredibly distorted and modified especially on the vocals provided by Cecile Believe. Kepko was released in 2022 and remains one of Sega’s personal favorites and “most fun he’s ever had making music” to this day, comprised of reversed and chopped up vocals and fast, repeated drum loops, and the atmospheric, warped feel deems it perfectly fitting for the album. Dirt is calming post the chaos of the predecessor two tracks, leaning towards hazy progressive trance and 2-step. I reviewed Deer Teeth instead of Set Me Free, I’m an Animal in my winter 2024 favorite singles review, and I still feel like I did it injustice, because it came to me at a time in my life when I needed something comforting and freeing in its darkness, and the track didn’t fall short, maybe because of its minimal echoing guitar-heavy production, maybe because of its lyricism. True, the final single, is a stunning maze of various sounds with three key changes and a beautiful chorus by KUKII fka Lafawndah. With every key changes, the song steps into a higher ground, becoming more and more celestial and incorporating choir vocals. Tears & Sighs is a rather cold and unwelcoming goodbye, with the abrupt guitar intro flowing into softer but bleak chords and Sega’s voice pitched deeper than ever singing “Heaven stays on burning but that’s none of your concern / You reduced my wings to bone ‘cause they were never yours to earn” and later “Said our goodbyes, these tears and sighs, who even are you anyway? / Don’t talk to me, don’t even look at me, I want to”. Humiliation Doesn’t Leave a Mark is a journey, it’s heavy on the violins and vocals, it has an astonishing beat drop and chorus, its vocals (featuring Kiss Facility bandmate Mayah Alkhateri) are whispery and minimal, and its instrumental interludes are mesmerizing. Coma Salv is the instrumental final, reminiscent to me of deep sleep and the music box loop I’d hear past 11 PM on the kids’ cartoon channel when I was a kid, tying the unconsciousness/subconscious theme together.

In this review, I’ve been reciting “world-building, world-building, world-building” like I’m trying to cast a spell to levitate an alien’s couch, but in my defense, I’ve been emphasizing it relentlessly because it’s been lacking in the music world overall, in an industry where musicians are plastering unrelated singles together, pushing barely-mixtapes as “albums” and putting no thought into what meaning and beauty the barely-mixtapes carry as a whole. Projects like the ones mentioned in this post give me hope for artists creating portals with their projects again. Sega Bodega and all of the ingenious artists I’ve praised here give me hope for the future of music. For the return of proper utilization of song lengths instead of cropping them all to 2 minutes out of convenience, for the collective courage to try the uncommon and lead instead of follow, for complex emotions and situations to be expanded on and shown not told. For albums, for art, for thought and for distinction. I don’t think I can grasp some musicians’ craftsmanship entirely due to my lack of technical knowledge on music theory, so I guess it’s natural for me to continue to be impressed, but on occasions you can be certain when someone is universally outstanding. Sega Bodega is a mastermind.

Favorite track: Adulter8 (track review here). Song of the year. Song of forever.

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I wanna apologize to all potential readers for keeping you waiting this long, the post took me a lot of energy and mental capacity to make, and I always tell myself I’ll do a better job juggling it with my personal schedules, so I appreciate anyone that could be on the lookout for my writing. Thank you so much for reading and possibly enjoying the music I show love to, I see it as the way my mutuals here and I share our love and joy. May 2025 continue to be a year where full bodies are work are appreciated and put effort into creating and understanding.

#keyboard.com #music reviews #sega bodega #tinashe #empress of #gesaffelstein #erika de casier #raveena #starkids #iglooghost #meth math #lsdxoxo #flo #saramalacara

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