#again this is all just me theorizing wildly.

[izzyshand]

hey, uh weird question, but I saw u reblog that thing about Izzy with that whip once and you said in the tags that you had sad headcanons about it 👀please share. For the canyon

* referencing this post btw.

hey ! it's not a weird question, honestly i'm flattered that anyone wants to hear my silly little opinions. so thank you for asking ! disclaimer that these are just my own personal thoughts regarding izzy's whip that he carries on his hip during the kraken era. they're all informed by (& i think consistent with) canon, but i do pull a lot of backstory out of thin air just for funsies.

first, we should note that flogging-as-punishment was more common aboard navy vessels than pirate ships during the age of piracy, though certainly not unheard of for pirates as well. we should also bear in mind that ed doesn't have any flogging scars, whereas izzy seems to have many. it is my personal headcanon that izzy was in the navy previously, & thus he likely earned lashings while in the navy, whereas ed did not.

& we could simply end there. or if you're me, you could look at the apparent several different layers of scarring on izzy's back, implying multiple separate floggings, & decide to make it Much Worse for fun !

one of the few pirates who does seem likely within the canon to dole out floggings as punishment was the notoriously cruel hornigold, who we know ed sailed with after joining piracy. we know that calico jack sailed with them as well (we don't see his back so we don't know if he has flogging scars), & i personally think that izzy must have sailed with them as well after deserting the navy in order to make the timeline of his sailing with ed for >20 years make sense.

considering that this puts them all in an environment where flogging was likely on the table, this makes it all the more compelling that ed's back is lash-free. especially given that i really don't see ed as the kind of person to never rebel, never once get into trouble (even while under calico jack's influence), never do a thing that warranted punishment from hornigold. however, given his trauma & hallucination-hornigold's behavior in the gravy basket, i think it's very possible that ed simply suffered other, more "creative" punishments under hornigold. & to that end, given ed's clear discomfort with violence, inflicting violence, especially on someone he was close to, would be a punishment in itself for ed.

what's more is that if we allow that perhaps ed was a gifted sailor & pirate who eventually excelled enough be appointed hornigold's quartermaster/first mate, it would then become part of ed's duties to dole out the punishments — including floggings. & at this point i think that you can see where i'm going with this.

in my mind, one of the reasons for the discrepancy in their flogging scars could be because izzy "took" ed's flogging punishments under hornigold's orders. while ed was the one holding the whip, it was absolutely meant to be punishment for both of them, with the dual purpose of punishment & helping to make ed "toughen up."

but what hornigold likely didn't know is that izzy is a masochist who actually likes the pain. & izzy is also an "if i can't be useful who am i" ass bitch who sees taking a flogging from & for ed as an act of service, & the responsibility of being the one to take on pain for him as a kind of intimacy. he's a fucked up lil guy who processed it in a fucked up way, & he didn't hate it all nearly as much as ed did, even tho he was the one that ended up bleeding.

which means that once they broke off from hornigold & ed became captain & izzy became his quartermaster/first mate, the floggings would have likely stopped. because of course they did, because ed hated them. & actually, it would become izzy's job to dole out punishments to a disobedient crew member. but the thing is that if ed didn't order a flogging (which he wouldn't, because he hated them), then i just don't think izzy would willingly dole them out.

this could be a whole separate post (which i'm sure others have already made better than i could), but i don't think izzy enjoys handing out physical violence. we see him engage in physical violence only when he feels it necessary, & prefers, like ed, to hide behind the threat of violence wherever possible. in s1 we see him threatening violence, & delegating violence to fang & ivan, & even using the powers of the navy to apply violence (which he argues as being "a humane way of ending things" for stede). but aside from the duel with stede & one light smack to black pete's head which doesn't appear to hurt & is played for laughs, he does nothing to personally harm anyone in s1 — an important distinction i think for someone whose last name is literally hands. & i'm firmly in the camp of thought that izzy is not a sadist, does not particularly enjoy inflicting violence, & does not want to be the person holding the whip. he would do it, if ed ordered it of him. but ed doesn't, so he doesn't.

so then we get to the referenced post & what is, to me, the ultimate question here : why then is izzy wearing the flogger during the kraken era, given that it was nowhere to be seen in s1 & does not stay after the kraken is gone? why does it come back out during the kraken era if izzy doesn't use it?

well, this could be many things. some people have pitched that ed started using it on izzy himself, but i'm not personally feeling that. ed doesn't like to hurt izzy, he only does it when he feels trapped or pushed into it, & flogging izzy would have been a traumatic thing for him to endure while on hornigold's ship. instead, i think that making izzy carry the whip is a way of ed calling out izzy's "weakness." in 1.10, izzy essentially called ed weak ("namby pamby"). in izzy's mind this meant that ed is no longer capable of inspiring fear & obedience in the crew, & thus incapable of keeping them safe. but what ed heard was "you are being too openly emotional &, crucially, not violent enough."

but ed is one of the only people that knows that izzy has a similar aversion to violence as he does. so ed making izzy carry the whip (which, i'm compelled to repeat, it would be izzy's duty as first mate to hand out punishments, including floggings) is like a constant reminder to izzy that he could use it on the crew, it's even his duty to use it on the crew. yet he won't. it's ed saying if i'm weak, then so are you. it's ed saying you want to be this? then be it, & making him confront the fact that he won't. it's ed daring izzy to do what he did, what izzy is now telling him to do again, & izzy failing to rise to his challenge. it's ed making izzy carry around a reminder of the simple fact that if ed is weak, then izzy is weak too.

the spectre of blackbeard, which izzy says was the both of them, was essentially a blanket threat of violence they used to protect themselves. & if you accept my backstory & headcanons for them, then when framed against the floggings that ed was forced to deliver unto izzy in their youth, we can see blackbeard as a through-line not only for the floggings of the past but for violence & piracy itself — something that izzy doesn't particularly like any more than ed does, but clings to out of fear long after ed was ready to be rid of it all.

[cyren-myadd]

This concept art has been living in my head rent free

This concept art of Spider with a kuru literally keeps me up some nights wondering what it means. I got so excited over the new D23 concept art that I went looking through some old Avatar stuff I had saved and came across this again, which reignited all the burning questions I have about it.

Concept art typically leads to two outcomes: either it gets scrapped and removed from the plot or it gets refined and is eventually realized within the story. The same is true for this particular piece of concept art. Its existence means it's either:

A) an old idea that they ended up scrapping, or

B) it's an idea they're going with and will eventually be realized in the movies.

The reason I keep myself up at night wondering whether its A or B is because of the context of this concept art. The art was originally shown on a gigantic screen at some big avatar showcase thing in Los Angeles. There's no way showing this was some oversight or mistake. Unlike the script that was shown on accident, this was shown to avatar fans INTENTIONALLY. Which leaves me with the question of why they would show such a shocking concept on purpose?

If option A is right and this is just an old idea they scrapped, why show people? This isn't a minor change (ie switching the Metkayina eye color from yellow to blue/green) that won't really make an impact on the plot. Spider growing a kuru would be a massive change that would radically effect the story. I think I read somewhere that James Cameron at some point wanted the character Trudy to return as a recombinant like Quaritch, but scrapped the idea because the actress, Michelle Rodriguez, didn't want to reprise her role. Could you imagine if before Avatar 2 released, they showed concept art of Trudy as recom, and everyone got all excited to see how that would play out, only for it to be revealed that it was an old scrapped idea and we were never going to see it on screen? That would be such a confusing and disappointing thing to do. This is how I feel about this concept art. If it's never going to happen, why show it at all? Since intentionally showing concept art for an idea they scrapped doesn't make any sense, that makes me wonder if option B is right, but option B doesn't make a lot of sense either.

If option B is right, once again, why show people? That's a MASSIVE spoiler. Showing this image would be like if they showed concept art of Neteyam's funeral before Avatar 2 released, spoiling the major death of the story. It wouldn't make any more sense to spoil a big death than it would to spoil such a radical change like Spider getting a kuru. I'll admit that when I first saw this image, I accepted it at face value and I made this long post theorizing that Spider will get a kuru and that this will somehow be connected to the leaked script where he gets the ability to breathe the Pandoran air, but since then I've rethought my position. It just doesn't make sense to me that they would show it on purpose if they actually do intend to give Spider a kuru in Avatar 3. But at the same time, it also doesn't make sense that they would show a scrapped idea that's so wildly out of the range of what we know is possible in the avatar universe.

Unless there's some secret third option I'm missing, I'm going to keep wondering and wondering whether this image is just a scrapped idea or a real spoiler of what's to come. I guess I'll get my answer when Avatar 3 finally comes out and this idea happens or not, but I'll still wonder why they showed it.

Do you guys think this concept art is depicting a scrapped idea or a spoiler, and why? And does anyone have any idea why they would show this regardless if its a scrap or a spoiler?

[rapha-reads]

The Church on Ruby Road [spoilers]

First of all: Fifteen is AMAZIIIIIING. I swear I'm going to try and be normal about him, but his energy! His joy! His connection to his feelings, the emotional depth! That moment when he says "I've adopted, I've just discovered that recently", and then his tears when he realises what happened to Ruby, and then how soft and gentle he was with baby Ruby.

I keep remembering Bill's words about Twelve: "With some people you can smell the wind in their clothes." - and that's exactly it with Fifteen. You can feel not only the age, the experience, the heartbreak and trials the Doctor has gone through, but also, and maybe more importantly, the healing, the love, the joy, the endless curiosity about the universe, the limitless desire to always learn and discover new things. Fifteen is the sum of all the previous Doctors, and he's carrying that weight, but he's also something new, something exciting. The trauma is still there, but he's not letting it weigh him down anymore. Even when he has a moment of doubt, when he says "Maybe I'M the bad luck", a previous regeneration would have left - he stayed and let Ruby make her choice. There's growth there.

We definitely are in a new era of Doctor Who. New New Who? New Who 2.0? Modern Who? Do we have a name yet or is still being debated?

Anyway, secondly. Ruby! Aw, she sounds so cool and kind! The mystery around her birth mother is thrilling without taking the precedent over anything else. Either her birth parents aren't that important, though it's Doctor Who - there's always something else, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's a Time Lord kid, or even the Doctor's child themself - or maybe Jenny's child, the Doctor's granddaughter? I'm just wildly theorizing at this point, never mind all of that.

What's interesting is her relationship with her adoptive mother. That scene where Ruby disappears and her mother forgets about her, and the colours themselves literally bleed out, and the joyful, kind, generous woman we've come to know suddenly turns bitter and sad and cold... Man, that scene messed me up. Makes you think about coincidences, about how and when you meet people and you can never know how important they are in your life, because sometimes the influence they have on you are so subtle, so diffuse, it's impossible to see it. Not the first time this happens in Doctor Who, though, time travel does have that impact. Butterflies and all that. But the impact is always the same heart-wrenching feeling.

Third, the language of rope! By which I mean, I was talking with my brother (huge Whovian like me), and he was telling me that he's a bit worried about RTD's decision to go towards fantasy stories. Well, magic is just another language, after all, isn't it? It's just science that we haven't been able to decipher yet. So, fantasy and science-fiction? They go hand in hand, actually. If the TARDIS is a wooden box that's bigger on the inside and can travel through time and space, then sure, why not, goblins exist, they eat baby, they can also move around time, and their science is the science of ropes and wood. Totally plausible in this world. Wouldn't be weirder than that time Ten met Satan in a pit, or Eleven had an ongoing feud with evil snowmen, or Twelve rode on Santa's sleigh, or Thirteen talked to a frog from another universe. That's cool. Love it.

Right. Well. I'm excited for this new series. It's shiny and fresh, it's something else! Moving forward without forgetting the past. And apparently we're going to meet the Beatles? I love historic episodes! And go to some new planets, meet some new aliens, deal once again with holes in the fabric of the universe (not new, but maybe done in a new way?)... This is going to be great. Next episode in Spring, though? At least it's not another full year of wait.

[marshmallowprotection]

Hi Kait! I saw that you had theorized that the flowers in MC's hair in the new Unknown CG might be peach blossoms, and I wanted to get your take on the other meaning that I've seen for peach blossoms. On top of good fortune and spring/new beginnings, they can also mean "I am your captive," which is a wildly specific thing for someone to say with a flower but honestly so fitting for Unknown and MC! Especially with your analysis about their relationship slowly changing and evolving and the CG being set after they've already been around each other for a long time... and alongside the other meanings... I just feel like there's definitely some symbolic potential there lol

I was torn between Camellias and Peach Blossoms! They look sort of similar at certain angles so I wanted to present both options to see if one might be more favorable over the other one. Peach Blossom left and Camellia right. As you can see, these flowers share bright yellow filament and anther. The layers of petals also stick out quite a bit with volume! So, it's really up to personal interpretation.

Peach Blossoms made me think of renewal and rebirth. They survive in the harshest winter and are the first to blossom out of many of the flowering plants that bloom around that time. If you see them, it's the best sign to tell yourself that a new year means you get to start again and again and again—Because, you are not bound to repeat things all the same year after year. A new year, a new blossom, and the new you can exist if you decide to see it that way.

I particular love the way it's used in Hanakotoba. The importance of cherishing every moment. It lends itself to the idea that we need to live in the moment and not be afraid of the winter storms that come before our time to bloom. We can survive whatever comes our way in the winter, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the winter. Even if it is harsh and unruly, you can love the frost and snowflakes that caress your buds.

Now, I don't I've ever heard this particular meaning used for Peach Blossoms before, but I'm not surprised you came across something widely specific. Floriography can be both specific to the ninth degree and as vague as it gets. It depends on your intention and what you're trying to convey to others.

So, if we were to take the idea you shared as, "I am your captive." We could do a few things with it to get some different interpretations. If you ask me how I would interpret it, I would add it to the way that it made me feel originally. So, I framed the image as one where this is beyond the confines of Deep Story and Unknown was able to find a Good Ending for himself somewhere along the lines with his MC in tact.

If we take the line about being a captive, you could expand this as his MC formerly being his assistant. Meaning that they got close to him over time in Mint Eye, and as they built up that trust together, there was a moment when something changed for Unknown. He started to see things differently, not as quickly as Ray or Suit Saeran did, but in his own way. They were once his captive in the worst way imaginable, but now, things have changed.

Unknown has become a better person and he is showing MC that even he, a man once wrought with apathy and hatred, could repent and do right by not only them, but himself, too. I think what sells it for me is the way the image itself is drawn. Unknown is laying down, he's on MC's lap, and he looks peaceful.

Unknown: It looks like I'm your captive now, huh? MC: As if I would ever try to capture you, former bossman. Unknown: Hah! Don't tell me you wouldn't love to corner me and get payback for all the torment by making me confess every thought that ran through my head. MC: I don't need to corner you to for you to be vulnerable with me, Saeran. Unknown: ... MC: I'll know I could hold your heart captive for the rest of our lives if I wanted. But, I don't want to hold any power over your head like that. You might've hurt my feelings and done a few things wrong, but I've never once wanted to hurt you for it. I know why you did what you did back then, and I've forgiven you. You wanted to see proof of all those lies Rika told you by lauding your words over me, but all you ever did was realize that power was worthless in the end. MC: What is a paradise that doesn't made good on its promises and hurts someone you've come to trust more than the Savior who told you she'd never hurt them? MC: You and I both know you wouldn't have given me your heart willingly had I not treated you with more kindness than you ever thought you deserved. I don't fear how you used to be, I love you as you are, flaws and all.. and I know you feel the same way about me. Unknown: ...Don't get so damn sappy on me. MC: You're the the one who reached out for my hand first. Unknown, grumbling: Yeah, yeah. MC: But, I can't lie, it's nice to see you sprawl across my lap and tell me that I can do anything I want to you. There's a few things I'd love to do, you know that? Unknown: Oh, yeah? MC: Yeah, like ruffling your hair, you brat.

[strawbubbysugar]

Hmmm, theorizing here… looking back at some art you’ve done in the past… Wondering if Sun wishes to become human, and he comes back as a human and maybe Moon feels incredibly resentful of this. Feels like he’s lost his brother. Maybe things spiral further from there, leaving Moon to feel utterly betrayed by multiple people, maybe his heart broken at the fact hes began developing feelings for us but realizes we still love Sun more than him. Maybe Moon runs off and into the same mysterious being who changed Sun into a human, and maybe Moon makes a very insidious wish. In the heat of all these emotions and feelings maybe something like, “I wish my brother would never leave me ever again”. And well. He gets his wish. Sun can never leave him. Ever again. Hehe I really thought this because also Sun’s Lily is full bloom, Moons is wilting. White Lily’s can mean commitment, faith, and rebirth. Moon isn’t feeling any of these things and hasn’t maybe really ever felt them, while Sun still does so his is fine. Plus Moon’s white eye, Sun’s eyes are white, maybe thats cuz they are joined now? 👀 Or maybe the wish granters wishes always come at a price, and that is linked to something of that price? 👀 …. Or maybe Moon’s just in his emo era /j

Heheheh I loveeee trying to piece together what may happen based off the clues Ive seen so faaaaar, Im shaking with anticipation to find out the real answers even if Im wildly incorrect on mine!!!

Ehehehe ohhh how I love hearing all of your theories!!! <3<3<3

[yukidragon]

Hello!! I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but there's so many of the asks that you've answered (in such great detail too I loved reading it all), but maybe my eyes gave out on me- have you made an answer of a theory of who exactly murdered Jack/Joseph? We know that he was possibly shot at the incident, and I've been making a theory myself on who/what happened, but I was wondering if you had any insight/theories yourself! Sorry again if you've already answered this question!

Thank you for such kind praise! I'm really glad you enjoy reading my posts so much.💖

At the current moment we don't have any clues as to who is responsible for Jack's death. While I have theorized in the past that he was shot, it's just a theory at this point and not confirmed definitively. It was mentioned along with early development art that Jack was murdered, but unless it's stated in the game or on an official page like the twitter, tumblr, or patreon, it can't be counted as canon. The game is still in development, which means that plot points can and do change. Nick didn't used to be an actual character after all, let alone a love interest.

That said, I do personally think that Jack was a murdered. A popular headcanon in the fandom is that the culprit is Jean Laurent, Jack(tor)'s co-star who we can see had the role of Rory Rainberry in this picture. As you can see in the comments, the theory appeared practically as soon as the character did. Personally, I'm not convinced, as there's too little evidence to actually pin the crime on him... or anyone in particular really.

As of right now, Jack's death is intentionally vague, as I'm sure it's going to be one of the biggest plot points of the game. The first name of the actor behind Jack has been redacted, even though we've gotten teasers that his birth name was Joseph Cullman. We don't know who he interacted with besides his co-stars in his daily life. For all we know the murderer is someone he knew who hasn't been introduced yet.

Hell, the murder could even be someone not even Jack knew. For all we know, his death was the result of other peoples' machinations at play and he was an unfortunate casualty... It's this idea plus the name of the studio producing the show - Lambswork Productions - that led me to come up with the theory that Jack was murdered as part of a ritual. Cults have been known to be involved in the entertainment industry after all, and we are talking about a haunted VHS tape that attaches a ghost(?) to the person who watched it...

Another theory I had was that the murder was the result of a toxic lover's jealous ex deciding that Jack was the reason why they were no longer together.

One of the earliest theories I had was that Jack was murdered by someone from his past, a person who wanted to take revenge on Joseph for something that happened in Haberdae High. After all, there was a reason why Joseph ran away in the middle of a school day and abandoned his entire life, taking only the name of the high school as his new surname... I even reference this theory and combine it with the ritual theory in this AU what if where MC goes back into the past to save Jack's life.

As you can see from all these wildly different theories, we don't have enough clues to point us in the direction of the person responsible for Jack's death. We don't have a motive, or even know if more than one person was involved.

Hell, for all we know, the gunshot might not even have been meant for Jack. This happened in Texas after all, the state of lax gun laws where everyone is packing firearms, possibly multiple ones. He could've been shot by a misfired firearm, maybe when security was trying to get a parent to leave the studio while filming was going on. Maybe he was accidentally shot when the bullet was meant for another person working on the set higher up in the chain of command with more power and sway than any of the overworked actors.

Honestly, even when it comes to my own personal telling of the story, Sunshine in Hell, I haven't decided for sure what the truth behind Jack's death will be. I'm still playing around with different ideas, and I've come up with a lot of them, as you can tell from this post and the past headcanons.

I'm sorry I can't narrow down the suspects for you, but hopefully I've at least given you some possibilities to consider. Perhaps we'll get some more clues with the upcoming character teaser trailer that SnaccPop is going to release on the 20th.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur

[wh33zy]

Uhh I dunno if you still accepts asks atm, but I’ve been reading your fanfic for Kotetsu and I LOVE WHAT YOU DONE FOR HIM!!! Honestly thought S2 was gonna give him focus since I was sure from seeing the opening as he was seen closing his locker and that left me to believe (oh there’s gonna be a huge arc for Kotetsu?) but fast-forward to the end, THAT NEVER HAPPENED 😭

So I’m glad this fic exists so I pretend this was actually Season 2. Also, if you had to make a visual for Kotetsu’s Invisible Crusader costume (+ his and Barnaby’s stealth suit) what it would look like?

HOWDY! I do accept asks! Thank you so much for sending me one!!

I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT!!! THANK YOU!! I'm also so nervous every time I post another chapter lol. My intention with No Good Deed was to give myself the series 2 that I wanted. I treat it like American comics where this is canon but it's just my universe. If I had the drawing talent, I would LOVE to make this into a comic book!

But DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON HOW BADLY THE WRITERS FUMBLED S2 OR I WILL RANT FOR PARAGRAPHS. I was also hoping that it would be focused on Kotetsu (expected it actually because the focus is always flipflopping between him and Barnaby). There's SO MUCH about Kotetsu and Ouroboros that we still don't know about!

I also wanted a specific focus where Barnaby was the support this time BUT could give crucial insight as someone who spent a good portion of his life doing investigations/getting obsessed with getting justice. Like WHY have that be a main part of his backstory and then be like "oh, well, he's done with that now, who cares?", especially when he STILL doesn't have answers about Ouroboros?

It just felt like if S2 decided to not add in three new random unlikeable characters, an entire Ryan backstory, all the casual friendship episodes in the first season, fiercely not letting Kotetsu and Barnaby stand no less than five feet away from each other 90% of the time, and making L.L. Audun a random adversary (and not even connect to ANY of the heroes by making him a past villain of Kotetsu's or SOMETHING), then the show would have made far more sense to be called TIGER & Bunny.

We also probably would have had less cringey and cooler fight scenes but I digress.

Suit Inspiration:

My vision for Wild Tiger's crusader suit was VERY much inspired by some of the early versions of Marvel and DC costume designs. Considering that Kotetsu would have been a crusader in the 60s very early 70s.

I was thinking something like Wildcat (DC) and Black Panther (Marvel) but with green tiger stripes, green claws, and a cape added like this:

BUT add the overall shape of Wild Tiger's cowl of his first suit so it comes across like more of a Tiger than a panther:

^^^Like this! I don't know WHY they got rid of the ears OR the cape!!! Not to mention I theorize the reason WHY Kotetsu is so clumsy in the Apollon suit is because it's BIG, HEAVY, CLUNKY ARMOR and he's used to lightweight, skin-tight, and having a full range of motion. AND I have the wildly unpopular opinion of preferring his first suit over Saito's.

NOW for the stealth suits for Wild Tiger and Barnaby:

SO I don't have the clearest vision here for them, but this is what they're supposed to be giving a mix of-

The Batman Beyond suit

and The Arkham Knight's suit:

BUT in their individual colours of course.

Kotetsu's helmet has the same ears that his first suit does and has claws, Barnaby's helmet has ears too but they look like the ones his regular Apollon armor has already.

Again, thanks SO much for the message and the ask! Please don't be shy to send asks my way as I very much welcome them!

[hazardworld]

Monster town S2, P2!

A note: Parts 1, 2, and 3 happen simultaneously. Parts 4 and 5 (possibly 6) happen simultaneously.

Worldbuilding: 1–2–3

Season 1: 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8

Season 2: 1–2

This is what happens when two intellectuals get together to solve problems. If the story sounds weird, sorry, never really been smart before.

(You ever heard of She-Ra?)

————

Nancy wrapped a bag of ice in a dish towel, before walking back into the main area. The bodies of the basketball players were still up against the walls, hopefully only asleep. There were about 8 of them, with an average of two per wall.

Steve had fallen fast asleep on the couch, to the point where he had started snoring. Both Nancy and Dustin knew Steve snoring loudly was highly unusual—obviously it meant whatever magic he’d used earlier was massively exhaustive. Therefore, they both made it a goal to try and be as quiet as possible so they wouldn’t wake him.

In theory, that’d mean moving rooms in order to provide him more silence while they talked and strategized.

The main issue with that was what if any of the basketball players woke up? It would leave Steve completely defenseless. Not to mention Dustin, either, who’d completely refused to leave his side once everyone left. Nancy assumed it was some sort of werewolf pack thing, since it was very clear by the way he had positioned Steve’s arm over his torso: he needed sensory comfort.

She handed the ice pack over to the kid, before sitting herself in front of him criss-crossed.

That was another thing, too. When Dustin was pushed down, he was pushed down on his bad ankle. By Nancy’s suggestion (requirement) he was sitting and icing it for 20-30 minutes.

“I don’t need this,” Dustin raised an eyebrow, trying to give the ice pack back. Nancy shook her head and shoved it back to him.

“I don’t care,”

“I have super healing!” Nancy rolled her eyes.

“And I still want you healing the tried-and-true human way. Steve would agree with me if he was awake,” she raised an eyebrow, and Dustin sighed.

He couldn’t fight her on that one, and she knew it.

“What do you think happened with Steve?” Dustin asked, “I have my ideas but I want to know yours,”

Nancy shook her head. She wasn’t on any research teams, only the main theorizing one.

“I understand it’s probably related to being a siren. You saw how he re-shifted when the wind picked up, right?”

Dustin nodded. “Yup. I was reading earlier; Mélusine descendants have wind powers. I wonder if he’s powerful enough that he just can’t control it.”

"That would make sense, especially since his line is direct. Could Eddie teach him anything to help midigate any future outbursts?”

Dustin shrugged. “No clue. Plus, Steve’s response indicated this has all happened before. He wasn’t even shocked!”

Nancy nodded wildly. She’d noticed that too, how nonchalant Steve’s response to the whole ordeal was. If that had happened before though, who had that happened to? Had anyone gotten hurt in the process?

“He wasn’t. If he hadn’t explained why he stopped using sirenspeak, I would���ve thought maybe that stopped him from using magic,”

Dustin frowned, looking as if he was processing through an idea.

“What if…he did? What if he had more magic, but whatever he did changed him, and from then on he only ventured so far as to sirenspeak people?”

Nancy’s eyes widened.

“Then when the demogorgon happened, he bottled up the last parts of him left, and this was the first time he’d let anything go,”

Dustin’s eyes widened in tandem, and they both panned their gaze to Steve, still sound asleep.

There was a brief pause.

“How many books did you collectively check from the library again?” Nancy asked, attempting to see if there was anything she could scrap to find a historical narrative there. Maybe there was something in one of the books that said why Steve was so powerful, or alluded to how or when Steve had his first outburst.

“You’re not gonna find what you need, not many books actually go in depth with siren magic, much less siren anatomy,” Dustin shook his head, “That being said, Steve’s dad has a good collection of books in his office. Maybe one of those could help?”

Nancy nodded and started getting up.

“Be right back,” she said, but Dustin stopped her before she walked away.

“Wait, one thing before you go, did you hear that song?”

Nancy frowned, looking at Dustin.

“What song?”

“Okay, that answers my question. It’s the song that played in the air while Steve was doing his whole,” he made large wind movements with his hands, and Nancy understood.

“Nope. Remember, if there’s anyone in the group who could hear as well as you, it’s a Sinclair,”

“One sec—you stay with Steve,” Dustin got up, bolting (with his limp) to Steve’s basement. Nancy tried to protest, but he pretended not to hear her.

Stubborn dick.

10 minutes later, Dustin came out holding an electric keyboard over his shoulder. He set it up near the couch, turning it on. It seemed like he was trying to play the melody he’d heard, but he kept screwing up whatever note he was playing.

“Bb…Gb—no, Ab…E—no, F—no, Eb…”

Nancy walked away, since that was something Dustin could manage on his own. She walked towards Steve’s dad’s office—which Steve had never allowed her into before—opening the door to the most sad, beige room she’d ever seen.

The most important thing about it was the large shelves covering the right wall, all completely filed with books on books.

The first book that caught Nancy’s eye was something in the runic script from Steve’s book. She had no clue what the title was or what any of it said, but something in her gut told her it was something she needed.

The second book that caught her eye had no title or cover, but when Nancy looked inside seemed to be a diary of sorts in English. She put both books on the desk as she looked for a third book—the same gut feeling said she had only one more book to look for.

The book in question was large and red, coated in copper runes, and completely bound by a bright, tight red ribbon. As she analyzed it further, it almost looked like—

“NANCY WHEELER,”

————

I’d like to know: any suspicions on who the last voice is? It’s not Dustin, but still someone very important to the plot.

And yes, Dustin is a little choir boy. Because he is a little choir boy and he’s Dustin, that means he definitely is a music theory nerd and knows at least enough piano to get by. It’s quite literally the math of music.

The correct sequence he’s trying to play is Bb-Ab-Eb-Gb-Rest-Bb-Ab-Eb-Db. For my fellow music people, go and play it! It’s completely unrelated to the plot but it is a cutesy little Easter egg.

Finally, again, anyone heard of She-Ra?

Tag list: @estrellami-1 @cookies-and-doom @beckkthewreck  @dbquills @impeachy @sassysleeplord @ironydude @bowl-o-queerios @221b-fandom

[fictionkinfessions]

Sometimes you have your top kin get so strong, so undeniably You(tm) in all aspects, that you just do not have clear timelines for your mems anymore.

"Oh well then maybe some of those mems arent actu-"

Every Single Thing I Say About Dottore Is A Mem unless specifically stated otherwise. If I start typing something immediately, its a mem. It is undeniably correct in my brain, even if I said something contradictory the day before. I cannot properly put it into words. I have about 3 piles of consistent mems then a bunch of other mems scattered on the floor that don't line up with the piles. Perhaps when I finally release and get proper screen time I'll get a properly unfading timeline, as the existing piles all ceased being the Main Thing in the shifts.

I'd say this is partially a product of being Every Segment. In one of those consistent piles I was one conciousness in several bodies. So One Brain contains the memories of many different bodies. Of course contradictions would surface. It seems to just come with the territory of Being Dottore.

I swear I must sound "fake" to anyone else who listens. Sure people often say mems are not a requirement for kinning, a very correct statement of course, but nobody ever really comments on inconsistent memories. Not to say I feel invalid of course, moreso this experience is so difficult to explain, and one I have not heard others experience before, that I'm sure other people would surely think I'm making it up.

I couldn't even begin to theorize on how this happened outside of He is Simply Me Real. We are the Same Person. And I know every time we get more canon lore more and more people out there must think I'm insane and/or stupid for being so open about Being Dottore Real. But I don't care. Trust me I have tried to get this guy to die down in my head but he is always in the background (metaphorically speaking. I personify my thoughts so apologies if it gets confusing). It's so easy to fall into a shift with the right poking and prodding, even when I try to avoid it because whenever he DOES make it out of his cage, he stays in the shift for AGES (metaphorical again).

I'm kind of just rambling at this point- But I don't know, the way my Dottore kinning functions is so wildly intriguing to me. Perhaps its remnants of my breif stint of Delusional Symptoms. (Gotta love getting psychosis symptoms due to chronic depression. Glad I learned that was a thing.) Perhaps he is just that strong of a kin at this point. I'll never know Why. But I love trying to explain it.

So perhaps someone on the blog will be intrigued by my brain as well.

~Il Dottore 🕯♟ (Genshin Impact)

x

[8bitsupervillain]

Higurashi When They Cry Hou Ch. 6 Tsumihoroboshi pt. 18

I don’t have a big block of screenshots for you this time, I promise. Nine is less than twenty-six.

This is quite possibly my second favorite part in this entire chapter. Ignoring the last two lines between Keiichi and Mion, this entire little segment just amused me greatly. Rena and the Okinomiya police department all think the Sonozakis are looking for her for sinister motives, when really it’s just a big old misunderstanding. It’s really funny, and shows that Ryukishi07 has some decent comedy writing skills. It was some much needed levity in a progressively more grim story. Also Kasai just strikes me as a character that if he was in more scenes would definitely be the comically serious foil to more direct goofs. His scene where he was asking that cafe owner if he had that dessert from way earlier on was a good example. Also I do hope you don’t find my randomly flitting between art styles irritating, it will happen again. I just like remake art Shion better than console art or original art. I like her sweater better than the tank top and jean skirt. If I could I would totally have the art styles clash by having some characters only be in remake style and others in console style.

Keiichi and Mion then have a lengthy talk about why the cops are suddenly after Rena. Keiichi theorizes that perhaps the police want to question Rena about the bodies of Teppei and Rina, but Mion assures him that’s not the case. After all she had some of her guys move the bodies shortly after they buried them. But just in case Mion tells Keiichi to try to send Rena her way if he hears from her because the Sonozakis can lawyer her up good, and protect her from the police come hell or high water. To which Keiichi agrees, completely forgetting that because of the scrapbooks she got from Takano Rena is certain the Sonozaki family are behind a certain amount of bioterrorism.

What you find to be the most embarrassing moment of your life, and what I think is the most embarrassing are going to be so wildly different Keiichi it’s not even funny. Mion ends their conversation by saying she’s going to mislead the police to the town of Gogura, in an effort to help her friend avoid the law. Keiichi then leaves his home to try to search for where he thinks Rena might be.

So this is clearly a hallucination right? It’s little moments like these that makes me think that perhaps Ryukishi07 could do a halfway decent job with a Silent Hill game. Of course that’ll more rely on actual visuals to convey the scares, but I think he could probably do pretty well with a more straightforward horror story.

Rena runs back to her hideaway positive she gave the creature the slip, however she has new troubles as shortly after getting back a couple of members from the Sonozaki group arrive to look for her. They split up to search the dump more efficiently putting the fear of god into Rena. Unfortunately for her, her body has chosen that time to become incredibly itchy, and for her stomach to start growling in hunger. Her paranoia starts getting the better of her, positive that these two Sonozaki goons are merciless killers she starts to prepare for the worst. When one of the two gets a call on their radio. Atsushi is informed that Rena has been spotted in Gogura, to which the other Sonozaki grunt complains because they’ll never find her there. Atsushi says they have to find her no matter what, after all Rena has Takano’s scrapbooks “and he wants them.” But since they’re still in Hinamizawa they’re on their way back to HQ, unaware they were perilously close to finding their quarry.

Part of me wonders if parts of this radio call Rena overheard are simply part of her delusions. Not the part about her being seen in Gogura, but the “he wants the scrapbooks” part, after all who is “he?” If the Sonozaki family is leading the manhunt for Rena then surely it would be Oryou calling the shots, and last time she showed up in the narrative she was a woman. Still Rena thinks about how the Sonozakis are trying to hunt her down for the scrapbooks, and how they’re keeping her house under surveillance. But the most peculiar part to her is the notion that she was seen in Gogura despite still being in Hinamizawa.

Rena having a paranoid fit about how the mysterious “them” is controlling events and having a duplicate Rena running around she notices the sounds of someone approaching her hideout. It stands right outside the door of the car she’s in and knocks on it to get her attention.

We, as a society need more bow tie Rika.

[wyrd-syster]

Story Breaking Halbrand in Rings of Power

As promised, I have written down all of my ideas about Halbrand's narrative arc for all five seasons of Rings of Power, and oooh baby have I spiraled out of control!

Have I read any of the books? Sort of…like over a decade ago. But I have watched the original trilogy more times than any other movie in my life and love to microdose Wikipedia (i.e. being the ADHD partner to a man with ADD).

At the same time, I have been doing a deep-dive into story-breaking podcasts, shows and articles to prep for NaNoWriMo. This has been wildly fun, but has also cursed me to look at every story from a 30,000 foot view and examine it for narrative structure, character arc and thematic elements.

(I am literally begging my brain to enjoy things normally).

Yesterday, my partner and I rewatched Fellowship of the Ring. In the evening, we began discussing Rings of Power and theorizing the directions it could take – not only for the last two episodes in the season, but for the following four seasons (given that this will be a five season story) and how it would align with the prologue in Fellowship. And honestly, I think we cracked it.

But, so much of it hinges on the ongoing Halbrand debate – is he Sauron? Is he a Nazgûl? Is he the Dead King who betrays Isildur and ultimately fulfills the oath to Gondor for Aragorn? Is he the progenitor of Rohan? What’s this guy’s fucking deal?? – that it feels impossible to separate the two.

With every new episode, I find the argument that Halbrand is Sauron to grow weaker. I admittedly have no knowledge of the wider Book!Lore so my entrypoint here is limited, and I’ve read some good theories on it, so I wouldn’t be disappointed if it happened…I just think it doesn’t narratively make sense.

Tldr; Halbrand is not the rightful king of the Southlands, but he killed the rightful king under the enemy’s orders. We will learn at least part of this during the final two episodes of season one and he will spend a majority of season two seeking atonement for his actions and lies. He will ultimately assume some form of responsibility/leadership over the people he’s betrayed before falling sway to the rings of power and becoming a Nazgûl.

Halbrand is Not Sauron

The Man With the (non-existent) Plan

Halbrand and Galadriel meeting on a shipwrecked raft in the middle of the Sundering Sea is not a plan, it is an accident at best. It seems to me that Sauron the Deceiver is never without a plan, so this setting of being both literally and figuratively adrift and left up to the hands of fate just feels…off.

Not to mention, when the survivors chance upon Galadriel, Halbrand defers to the group about her fate. Had that sea worm not surprised them and given him the chance to flee and make his own decisions, Galadriel may very well have been cast back into the ocean whether he liked it or not.

Adar claims to have killed Sauron, but…why should we believe him? Celebrimbor is already starting construction on the tower which we know will ultimately forge the rings of power for the Elves, Dwarves and Men of Middle-earth. And again, limited book knowledge here, but doesn’t he begin this endeavor purely under the influence of Sauron?

Not to mention, when Galadriel realizes the mark of Sauron is actually a map of the Southlands, she notes it also contains all the details of the plan to turn it into Mordor. Adar helps enact this plan at the end of episode six by erupting Mount Doom. Suspicious that he would still be following Sauron’s plans if he, in fact, killed him…no?

Adar is there to throw off the scent for both the characters and the audience alike.

Peace? Piece of Cake

At every single turn, Halbrand begs Galadriel to let him keep his peace.

“I have been searching for my peace for far longer than you know. Please, for both our sakes, let me keep it.”

“You used me. After I all but begged you to let me be.”

“Find another head to crown.”

“I think I’ve helped you quite enough.”

Even when Galadriel is not present, Halbrand is desperate to avoid outright violence. When he runs afoul of those Númenórean guildsmen in the alley, he first attempts to flee them and, once caught, pleads with them not to start a fight.

“Please. Don’t do this.”

The fight spurs him into a wild frenzy, which to me seems more like a trauma response than the Very Great and Super Cool Sauron losing his chill and beating up a bunch of Shakespeare actors pretending to be guildsmen.

All of this is a lot of work for Sauron to put into coming across as a simple “Peace Guy.” Not to mention, what does it gain him? If his goal is to have Galadriel bring him back to the Southlands to enact his evil plan…why put up such a big stink? Also…why have him on the raft…sailing away from the Southlands?

Rings of Power LOVES a Misdirect

ROP loves a misdirect, which they used especially skillfully during episode six to great effect. Consider:

The mark of Sauron turned out to be a map of the Southlands.

The orcs that attacked the Southlanders were revealed to be primarily their own neighbors, a horrifying realization highlighted by the (disgusting) black blood dripping on Arondir’s face as he fought the attacker by the well contrasted with the shocking red blood he draws from the corpse on the ground.

We were led to believe that the tunnels being built throughout the Southlands was to allow the orcs travel during the day, but we learned that their primary purpose was to channel the water of the dam into Mount Doom.

Speaking of which, did anyone else think the breaking of the dam was to drown the village? I sure did, I did not even consider it having a purpose beyond destroying the Southlanders until the shot of the water entering the mountain.

It can’t go without noting that some of the highest fan engagement for this show centers around the ongoing debate of “Who Is Sauron?” I think this fan debate is a misdirect within itself, a way to suggest one narrative structure to the audience before drawing back the curtains and revealing the plot twist. (Remembering, of course, that good plot twists should have breadcrumbs throughout the story that seem obvious in 20/20 hindsight. This isn’t Game of Thrones, pure shock and awe does not a plot twist make.)

I think this is only bolstered by the little “clues” that potentially read as Halbrand being Sauron – the blacksmithing, “looks can be deceiving,” etc. It’s all part of the misdirect.

Sauron is not Halbrand, not Adar, not the Stranger with the Harfoots…he’s someone entirely new. And he’s been here the whole time, hiding under our noses with Celebrimbor, inspiring the creation of the rings of power.

Halbrand is Not the Rightful King of the Southlands

Long Live the King?

@laboratorioautoral​ wrote an excellent line in their post that I absolutely cannot get out of my head…“Everything we ‘know’ about [Halbrand] is basically Galadriel's fanfiction.” 

Look at his lines from episode three when Galadriel confronts him about the sigil:

“That’s funny. I found this on a dead man. [I] Thought the pattern suited me.”

“The heir to this mark is heir to more than just nobility. For it was his ancestors that swore a blood oath to Morgoth.”

“I am not the hero you seek. For it was my family that lost the war.” 

Not only does Halbrand not confirm anything Galadriel says, he evades in third-person, referring to the heir of the Southlands as somebody outside of himself. All of his “I statements,” any time he puts himself in the narrative of the kingship, it’s so say 1) he found the sigil on a dead man, 2) he is not the hero she seeks and 3) his family lost the war.

Why shouldn’t we believe Halbrand when he says he took the sigil off of a corpse? Why do we assume losing the war is linked to the blood oath with Morgoth – it could go deeper than that. 

This is one of the first of only a handful of instances of Halbrand offering bits of his past to Galadriel…and I am inclined to believe him.

And let’s look at one of the penultimate scenes of episode five. Halbrand is sitting alone in the forge, contemplating the sigil when he is summoned by Tar-Míriel. He tosses the sigil down with finality and only returns to pick it back up at the very last second. 

Why would Sauron need to go through these motions for no audience? There is no one around here for him to put on a show for – this is all Halbrand.

Halbrand is not Sauron, but neither is he the rightful king. However, he – or at least, his family – are responsible for the king’s absence. 

DILF

I am deeply obsessed with this post that @ichabodjane​ recently published that theorizes Halbrand lost a child. This was something that really stood out to me during episode six – Adar’s taunts to Halbrand seemed narratively significant. 

“Did I cause someone you loved pain? A woman? Perhaps…a child?”

“A woman” could be read as a dig at Galadriel and her (unbearably obvious) connection with Halbrand. I was shocked by this being followed up with “a child” because my little writer’s brain jumped immediately to, “A woman? Perhaps…your father/mother?” Because nothing so far about Halbrand reads as parental and it would fit with the rest of the show’s examination of parenthood and legacy…unless this is a clue.

@ichabodjane​ cleverly points out Halbrand’s face when seeing children playing in Númenor. And when you compare that to his face as Adar taunts him – the absolute sorrow and pain – then suddenly this becomes loss, not vengeance.

Trauma Momma

Consider Halbrand and Galadriel’s argument in episode five:

H: “Not so long ago, men like me were fighting alongside [the enemy].”

G: “Men like you, not you yourself.”

H: “You're wrong. You don't know what I did before I ended up on that raft. You don't know how I survived.”

This is the first instance of Halbrand directly contradicting Galadriel’s assertions about his actions. Again, we have so few instances of him speaking openly about his past, I am inclined to believe him when he appears truthful.

Halbrand is not innocent. He obviously did something terrible, horrifying even, to be put in a position where he needed to flee the Southlands, where he is terrified of everyone learning the truth.

What’s worse than killing the one hope his people have left? Killing the heir of the Southlands would very much fit that narrative, it’s definitely bad. But bad enough to fear exile from Galadriel and his new allies?

Adar: “Did I cause someone you loved pain? A woman? Perhaps…a child?”

I have two branching theories here.

1. Adar, acting a commander for Sauron, threatens Halbrand’s family and child, holding them hostage unless Halbrand agrees to kill the rightful heir to the Southlands. Halbrand complies, but the enemy slays his family anyways.

Not my favorite of the two, seems a little weak compared to…

2.  Halbrand is compelled by Adar to slay the rightful heir to the Southlands…who happens to have a child, who must then also be killed.

This would be fucking brutal, but hits all the beats!

Halbrand slaughters his people’s hope and doubles down on the horror by giving that hope the possibility of living on through a child…and snuffing that out, too.

His feelings of guilt, shame and loss centered around a child and directed at Adar. (And why would Adar remember one mortal man he compelled to do a terrible act? What is one mortal compared to an Uruk?) 

Habrand is not the rightful king, and in fact, took the sigil off of a dead man.

Halbrand is no hero, he is the cause of suffering and pain and the reason why their enemy gains strength.

To Find the Light, We Must First Touch the Darkness

This is the theme of Galadriel’s storyline, and I would argue Halbrand’s as well.

We Touched the Dark…Now What?

So, let’s say all this is true; Halbrand killed the rightful heir to the Southlands. Now, Galadriel has used his false claim to convince Númenor to go to war to free the Southlands, which ended in the creation of Mordor.

It would make sense, then, for Halbrand’s secret to come out in the final two episodes of season one. Then, Tar-Míriel could point to this deception and blame Galadriel for the defeat and the loss of her soldiers – Galadriel was too focused on vengeance to not see the liar in front of her, Galadriel led innocent men to their death under a false flag, never trust an Elf, etc.

Galadriel’s subsequent anger at Halbrand’s betrayal would force them further apart, a necessary obstacle for them to overcome as episode six had them coming too close together (to be sustainable for five seasons, that is). It could also underscore Gil-Galad’s warnings to Galadriel that her search for vengeance would just bring about more darkness. This betrayal will force her to reexamine her priorities, her trust, and force her to find some way to repent for all that she’s seemingly caused.

(Obviously, Mount Doom erupting would’ve happened whether Númenor appeared or not, but what’s the fun in characters acting logically?)

Halbrand too would then be on a road of repentance. Season two could see him and Galadriel on parallel paths searching for ways to atone for all that they’ve done wrong, while also stepping into leadership roles that fate kind of forced upon them.

From the prologue of Fellowship of the Ring, the rings of power had already been handed out to the Elves, Dwarves and Men before Sauron revealed the One Ring, and that the free lands of Middle-earth fell “one by one.” We also know that the Second Age ends with Isildur cutting the ring from Sauron’s finger at the battle on the slopes of Mount Doom.

Given these big points that need to be hit, it would make sense for Celebrimbor to complete his creation of the rings in season three and for there to be a sense of “ah yes, now the enemy is really gone.”

In this case, season four would be the falling of Middle-earth “one by one.” If Halbrand is indeed destined to become a Nazgûl, which I think is highly possible, then his and Galadriel’s storyline this season could be their quest to stop the effects of his ring from taking hold – ending tragically, obviously. You could even take this time to introduce Celeborn (for those who care…lol) and start developing a friendship between him and Galadriel so that when Halbrand inevitably falls, she has someone to turn to for solace.

Season five then would be the final battle against Sauron, now fully empowered with the One Ring and his Nazgûl, including Halbrand.

Heartbreak Highway

Throughout the show, I’ve been asking myself; how does the Galadriel we see in ROP – fiery, angry, brash, intelligent but not wise – become the Galadriel from LOTR – otherworldly, intelligent and wise, sad, restrained?

Answer: heartbreak.

Here’s the crux of why I truly can’t believe Halbrand is Sauron: it’s not as narratively gratifying. Halbrand being Sauron suggests choice – he chooses to fall, chooses to walk a path of darkness, chooses to lie and cheat and betray.

Halbrand becoming a Nazgûl would deny him the freedom to make a choice about his future. If he suffers through all of this – compelled to commit acts of atrocity, confesses his crimes, puts in the work to atone and become a better man, assumes the mantle of leadership – then him becoming a Nazgûl is a goddamned tragedy. This is the gut-punch, brokenhearted, tragic and nonsensical ending for a man on a hero’s journey of self-discovery, repentance and acceptance during an age of darkness and war.

This is also the pinnacle character arc tragedy for Galadriel – all actions she takes to defeat the darkness end in her losing those she loves. Because then, if all this ends up being true, Halbrand would’ve never returned to Middle-earth on his own. She forced him to, and thus, forced him to his downfall.

Tldr; 

Halbrand is not the rightful king of the Southlands, but he killed the rightful king under the enemy’s orders. 

Season two will see him on a journey parallel to Galadriel’s to atone for all the sorrow he’s caused. 

Season three will feel like a final victory over the enemy and the distribution of the rings of power to the Elves, Dwarves and Men. 

Season four will see the free lands of Middle-earth fall “one by one” and end with Halbrand falling by becoming a Nazgûl. 

Season five will be the final lead up to the war that ends the Second Age with Isildur cutting the One Ring from Sauron’s hand. 

I can’t wait to be completely wrong about literally all of this and look like a fool on the internet lol.

[flfverse]

Oh gosh, ok first things first, the obligatory (but still very genuine) please take care of yourself— no fanfiction is worth killing yourself over (no matter how much you or we love it.) At the same time, wildly excited that you’re still working on Free Falling regardless of everything happening in your life — I love it so much. Tbh, I’ll take any part of FLFverse in any form.

Since you said you were looking for asks, I have a couple of questions stacked up as I’ve been reading and rereading all your fics — no pressure to answer ofc, and idk if some of these answers contain spoilers or things you want to keep secret at the moment, but here we go.

Ok so history of subs in the hero world: in one of your BakuDeku fics, they watch this All Might series and you mention this female sub who was the first hero sub, but that there was just generally stupidity by society and the hero world that relegated her to sidekick hood (and then I think she left actually doing the heroics to manage her own agency? Forgive my memory. It’s been a minute since I’ve read it and I too am drowning in college.)

At the same time, however, from both Hawks and Deku’s POVs, there seems to be not any subs at all in the hero world when they’re heroes/training to be heroes. And forgive me if I’m wrong, but I sense from some of the BKDK fics, Deku is kinda seen as one of the first out sub heroes? Obviously there’s a huge gap in the middle between where Free Falling is right now and where the BKDK fics pick up that you probably can’t answer, but is it just like, an open secret in the hero world that Hawks is a sub? Is he one of several that can get by as long as they don’t openly admit it? Have there been hero subs before Hawks, or is her the first high profile heros who’s a sub, regardless of who knows? Have there been other high profile sub heros before Hawks and Deku? I don’t even know how much of that you can answer, but I’m just too obsessed with your world building and fictional history to not ask.

Ok so the next thing I have to ask, and I’m also guessing it’s a thing you can’t answer bc as an obsessive writer/reader of fiction, this is what I would center a plot point on (which, no judgement if you aren’t going to, I’m just obsessively theorizing in my free time): what are the legal ramifications of contracts? Hawk’s specifically. I remember that you posted a lot about contract’s legality, and a lot of Hawk’s seems to be in the illegal zone, ie, he signed it when he was underaged. Again, my memory is failing me, so I can’t remember if things like, there’s no dom specified or that there’s no end date specified could nullify the contract either. But then there’s the thing about permanent contracts. Is this like catholic marriage? Like, you can’t get it dissolved ever, unless under incredibly specific circumstances? Or do illegalities trump permanence? Is permanence itself even legal? But if it isn’t, why is everyone so afraid of that? (Personally, Im sensing Legal and Court Drama in the future, and if that’s the case, please know that I will literally lose my mind in anticipation.)

Anyways, those are things I’ve been stewing over. They might be too plot heavy for you to answer, idk, I’ve never done one of these before. But despite my absolute love of this entire world (but especially Free Falling), or rather, because of it, please take your time and prioritize your mental health! I think everyone who reads this series and loves it a lot would prefer it be a thing that’s made the way you want it to be in a way that’s supportive to you, no matter how long it takes or when the updates come :)

🥺 you’re so sweet 💖 and thank you for the ask!

SO, history of submissive heroes. basically that first hero sub (Morioka!) (she still needs a first name and a hero name shh) was doing it illegally/undercover, then once her secret got out she fought and won the right to keep being a hero so woo submissives can be heroes now.

[side note: i imagine that even she technically wasn’t The First, like when quirks were still new and heroes weren’t regulated, who was going to stop them? but it was still very rare bc of the general attitude around subs and it’s all very hush hush no one talks about that bit. it’s not like they were real heroes, after all 🙄]

so anyway, all that went down just ahead of aizawa’s generation, actually. his first year at UA was the first year the school started allowing submissives (not every hero school did right away, those requirements took a few years). as we know, aizawa and yamada are switches. you know who isn’t? oboro :3

i would like to write about that sometime. just. rahhh. that’s part of why aizawa is very pro-sub (the rest is, you know, basic human decency).

oh—i forgot about the fate of morioka up there. she was actually dropped by her agency for the scandal and did her best working with other heroes/on her own for a little while, but ultimately it got to be too much and she retired early to find a different career. unfortunately not the most feel-good story.

as for how many submissive heroes there are now, during Free Falling, i’d say there’s a handful. but like morioka, quite a few burn out or never really climb the ranks that much and fade into obscurity. on the face of it discrimination is Bad and Not Allowed, but toxic workplaces, y’know? i don’t think i’ve said it outright, but i’ve definitely alluded to ryukuu being a sub. she’s the highest ranking one known to the public and gets a ton of shit for it, but from what we see in canon she doesn’t seem to be too big on the spotlight anyway? i don’t see her as being very activism-minded, she’s just trying to do her job, not be the face of a movement, and probably avoids discussing it publicly just for the sake of her own sanity. valid.

hawks is technically going stealth as a switch. he just dodges the question if it’s brought up or says something vague. the fan conspiracy theories are probably wild (oh no, now i’m thinking about FLFverse rpf xreader fic), but among heroes it’s kind of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” thing—at least the ones that aren’t dicks.

hawks’s image is very carefully crafted by the commission and they do not want that part of him to become undeniable fact because it would damage his reputation. especially after everything he’s accomplished. the first hero to make top ten before he’s twenty is a submissive? uh, yeah, right. that would go over well.

beyond that, i think it’s pretty much just deku who’s high-profile. and kaminari and jirou to a lesser extent (and whoever else i’ve decided subs, there’s 20 of them leave me alone). their whole class is really famous for obvious reasons, so it’s kind of a given. i’d like to say that deku being, you know, who he is starts to change some minds, and he probably does, but not so much that it takes all the fun out of playing with the social hierarchy, right? ;D change can’t be that easy.

hm, gotta think about the second question. if there is to be Legal And Courtroom Drama, it would be in part 4, which is a huge amorphous blob in my brain right now. i know some legal stuff has to happen/change, but i’m not sure if i’ll focus on it or not yet. tucking that in my back pocket!

anyway. what i can say about that right now is that hawks’s contract is very illegal, but pretty much solely bc of the underage signing, especially given that it’s permanent. permanent contracts are like marriage licenses. they’re the only ones that have to be registered with the government in order to “count” and they are harder to get out of, but not quite catholic-marriage-level. and yes, illegalities would trump permanence.

the question is….do you trust the hero commission to be honest with either the government or hawks?

there’s also the whole deal that separate from the D/s contract, hawks still has his canon contract where the commission bought him from his mom. what’s up with that? time will tell.

there’s also other legal/ethical/etc issues going on which, of course, you all won’t know about until the end of part two. :) i can do ~intrigue~, i promise

[barry-j-blupjeans]

hi ise!!! perhaps 43 (“I’ve been alone so long, I didn’t even know I was lonely”) and blupjeans?? thank you!!!

43. "I’ve been alone so long, I didn’t even know I was lonely."

--

There's something about being confined in a space with seven other people for nearly a hundred years that really gets you thinking about how lonely your life was previously. Barry could barely imagine his life living alone. No matter where he was, even off the Starblaster, there was going to be someone else nearby.

Lucretia, hanging out at the edge of the counter in the lab and writing down his dramatic retelling of how he got the scar on his hand (though there were only so many ways you could make "Mom told me not to run with scissors and guess what I did?" interesting.). Merle and Davenport, playing a card game nearby that was increasingly lost on him. Magnus waking him up in the middle of the night to tell him bad jokes. Taako rolling his eyes as Barry developed yet another new allergy, yet, mysteriously, Barry never had to deal with it being in his food ever again.

And Lup- gods, there were so many things he could say about Lup. In the beginning, it had just been her sitting next to him in the lab as they theorized on what exactly the Hunger was. And they still did that, sure, but in between, it was them sharing lunches and stealing shirts from each other. Lup, who gave the best hugs in existence. Lup, who teased him relentlessly about anything and everything he did, but never maliciously. Lup, holding his hand as he told her about his mom, massaging his shoulder after he had torn a muscle, pressing a kiss to his forehead before she got out of bed.

Truthfully, past Barry hadn't known what he was missing. But it just made sure present-Barry felt it twice as much, with every fiber of his being.

The world post-relics was quiet in a way that Barry hadn't experienced in several lifetimes. For the first time in a hundred years, there wasn't going to be anyone waking him up in the middle of the night with a brand-new pun. And every time he played with the deck of cards he had stolen from the ship, he couldn't help but imagine Davenport's hands laying one down, or Merle's defeated groan. There would be no Taako to force him to try new foods and no- no Lucretia. At least, no Lucretia that brought the same comfort that she once did.

No Lup. That one wasn't new, but the sting hadn't lessened any. Barry really wanted to have words with the person who invented the phrase "time heals all wounds" because he had been bleeding for months and there was no hint of it lessening any time soon.

Well... not in the way he wanted it to lessen, at least.

Getting the pod in here had been- hard, to say the least. Finding a "here" to call his own had been hard. Hell, living, or going about his un-death or whatever had been fucking hard. But now, Barry stood (or rather, floated) in front of the pod, watching his soon-to-be body float in the murky green fluid inside, and he-

He missed Lup. So bad. Back before the mission, he had lived in a sad little apartment just off the street that the Institute was on. He had eaten shitty ramen for dinner every day and his walls had been a faded, dull brown. He was in a wildly different circumstance, but the same ache in his bones was still there. There was something missing out of his life. He didn't know, then, and he hadn't really seemed to care. He had been alone so long, since his mom died, that he didn't even know that he was lonely.

But now... now, Barry knew. And it hurt. It hurt, knowing it was avoidable. And it hurt, imagining the things he could have done differently. Lup had always said- Lup always said that he let himself overthink too much, but he couldn't really help it anymore. It was hard not to overthink when the only other alternative was to try and process how avoidable this all could have been.

And he was willing to forget it. That scared him, just a little. That he was willing to forget that all of this had even happened just for a chance to make things right. But, in the end, what other choice did he have? He could sit here, thinking and overthinking for the rest of eternity, or however long it would take for Lucretia's plan to go haywire (which it would, eventually). Or- or he could try and do something about it.

Barry checked, for the third time in the past hour, that everything was set up correctly. The pod was fully functional. He had his clothes laid out and a map set in a very obvious place. Now, there was only one thing left to do. Two things if you counted actually, uh, getting in the pod? But he didn't count that, so he only had one thing left to do.

From the top of the desk, he grabbed his coin and found a little notch on the side of it. He took a deep breath and pressed down.

"Your name is Barry Bluejeans," he said, "and there is a dull ache in your chest that you have forgotten how to fill."

[fuitgummybat]

casual disclaimer my memorys lame so if i sent this already just ignore hehehee hii! im sending asks to people with 'ask me anything' in their bio thingy; feel free to answer or not, or respond however youd like hehe!

what is your favorite holiday or occasion/theme?

what fragrance/scents put you in a good mood?

what kind of weather do you love?

if you could have a dream about anything, what would you dream about?

what kind of treats do you love/make you feel happy?

what's your favorite hands-on activity (or what would you like to try)?

what kind of music are you craving/listening to right now?

what's something that makes you smile/laugh when you think about it?

Oh wow!! I haven’t had an ask in forever! :D

Guess I’ve got some time to kill before I’ve gotta head to work~

Favorite holiday / occasion / theme

I’m a big Christmas guy! It’s always been an important holiday in my family, and I love decorating the tree on my own <3

Fragrance / Scent that puts you in a good mood

I went on a cologne hunt with a friend a couple months ago and discovered I lean toward citrusy scents! I also love those like, “salty ocean scents”- whatever you can call them XD

Weather that you love

Clear skies with light wind! Best time to go out in the summer, and the loveliest winter weather for a walk- bonus points when the sun is low.

A dream about anything

I’d probably want to dream about moments that happened in the Drakkenheim campaign I’m in- a glimpse at what it would be like to see my beautiful boy in action <3

Treats you love / make you happy

I love hard, chewy, fruity candies, and I also love ice cream. Have you ever tried half-frozen mini gummy bears in ice cream before? That’s the good stuff.

Favorite hands-on activity / you’d like to try

I love playing ukulele and making music in general, especially with other people!

In the future, I’d love to learn how to play guitar. And also how to sew more properly since rn my abilities are mediocre at best…

Music you’re craving / listening to right now?

That switches up constantly! Though right now I’ve got Caravan of Love by the Housemartins of all things stuck in my head, and I’ve been in the mood to delve into early Gorillaz again lately!

Something that makes you laugh / smile when thinking about it

I have a recording of my D&D group, seconds after one of the biggest, most revealing sessions in the whole campaign, and it’s just everyone screaming and wildly theorizing while our DM giggles in the background.

That session and recalling everyone’s reactions at the end always brings a smile to my face <3

And there we go!

Thank you so much @syrips for letting me ramble about myself <3

Now I gotta hurry the fuck up and head off XD

[loregoddess]

001 Wrightworth and 002 your girl Anna Pascal from TriStrat!

wrightworth (the most ship duo of all AA):

when I started shipping it if I did: I guess after I watched the first game? No that's not quite right, more like after I finished watching the second game. I was like, "Ah, I understand why this is a popular ship now" after the first and then was like, "Yeah this tracks" after the second.

my thoughts: Wholesome ship, I totally get the appeal (the ship's actually a QPR in my fleet, but I'm not bothered by others shipping romantic wrightworth at all)

What makes me happy about them: I dunno, the dynamic works so well. Phoenix and Edgeworth saved each other, they believe in each other, they're always there for each other--they're just a feel good sort of duo for me.

What makes me sad about them: Nothing really? I mean, sure the entirety of the second game is a low point in their relationship, but it's also so interesting from a writing perspective because like, these two would not have gone into the future games with the bond of trust they eventually come to share w/out the events of the second game so like *gestures wildly*. I know a lot of fans headcanon/theorize that the time between 3 and 4 was also a rougher time (although I have my own set of headcanons/theories about this blank timeframe), but again, there's something about weathering the tough times together and coming out stronger that I enjoy seeing in any sort of fictional relationship arcs.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Hmm, I don't think I have really any other ships for either of them outside of the main one. They have great platonic dynamics with a lot of characters, but nothing that my brain goes "ah, a QPR or romantic relationship!" about

My happily ever after for them: Retired, living together, supporting Trucy's career, tending a nice small house and rewatching Steel Samurai while giving advice to the younger lawyers in their spare time. Probably show up to guest lecture at Themis more often than not, do mock trials for the students there.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: They take turns, but Phoenix likes being the big spoon more often than not.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Binge-watching Steel Samurai, Edgeworth critiquing the spinoffs while Phoenix plays devil's advocate as a joke, although probably they have little mock court battles for the silliest things. I headcanon Phoenix as an ex-theater/vis. arts double major and Edgeworth had a "formal" upbringing, so sometimes they go to galleries or live theater performances too (silly little discussions about the art/shows they see like, ALL the time).

Anna Pascal (my girl...):

How I feel about this character: Love her, love her, lover her. My MVP who was first to hit the lv. 30 cap bc I used her so often in battle, but also just one of my overall favorite characters in the story.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Uhhhh..................actually no one, now that I'm thinking about it? I know Milo x Anna is somewhat popular (as popular as can be in a teeny tiny fandom like TriStrat), but I see them more as enemies to weird coworkers. Although when I realized that both Anna and Avlora were orphaned by the same war, part of my brain wondered what it would be like if they talked/interacted and stuff, and that sort of "what if they talked" question once led to a crackship for a different game, so who knows. If my TriStrat obsession comes back maybe Anna x Avlora will turn from a "wonder what would happen..." to full "welp, guess I have a weird ship now"

My non-romantic OTP for this character: I think Anna has a good relationship with all or most of the House Wolffort people. Obviously her weird familial relationship with Benedict is of endless fascination to me, and I think she has something of a familial relationship with Erador and Archibald as well. I think she gets along very well with Serenoa (and eventually Frederica and Geela) too. Weird coworker with Milo, but the two eventually become weird friends. Accidental mentor figure to Trish and Rudolph and is so confused by this. Accidental parental figure to Decimal. Accidental older familial figure to Quahuag, and he still visits her even after being reunited with his mom. Not entirely sure how she ended up with the giant found family, but isn't complaining.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Honestly I dunno if I have any? Small fandoms sometimes mean there is no "wildly popular" opinions or headcanons to actually go against, because everyone is doing their own thing while also being respectful of their fellow fans, and that's how the TriStrat fandom feels on this site at least.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I want to see Anna's conversation with Benedict after her second character story so badly (I still have not played/watched the extra story that got released, so for all I know she does talk with Benedict finally, but until I do play the extra story I'm to sit here and wonder about her weird and wild familial situation in silence).

my OTP: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

a headcanon: I think Anna is very good with children, and probably helped take care of all the kids Serenoa took in during the war. Wildly popular with all the kids in the Wolffort demense. Acted as something of a babysitter, sort of older sister figure to Serenoa as he was growing up. Is a bit baffled by the fact that even teens who are Going Through It (re: Trish and Ridolph) gravitate towards her and think she's cool. Also, I think she got the scar on her face falling out of a tree when she was a kid, but refuses to tell anyone who doesn't already know about the scar's origin, because she knows it makes her look more intimidating and she wants that edge as the official Wolffort spy. Also, also bc I actually have a lot of headcanons, I also think she gets mistaken as younger than she is like, constantly. Partly because she is Very Short, and partly because she has the "age well" genetics. Milo simply did not believe they were almost the same age when Anna finally told her, and it took everyone who knew Anna when she was a kid to confirm that she is in fact in her early 30s. Trish and Rudolph switched from "oh, we're the same" to "holy shit, teach us your ways" as soon as they figured out Anna was not an older teen or early 20s-adult, which was slightly better than the two of them thinking Anna was also a delinquent since they respect her even more now, but she's still a bit ?? about the development.

[fightabear]

So I was thumbing through the FF7 wiki as I wait for tea to boil, checks the entry for loveless. Read the prologue, paused, read it again slowly.

This could be one hundred percent scuba-diving for meaning where there is not, but that's the fun of speculating wildly in the hype before a new release. so here's... whatever this is.

Prologue

When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end The goddess descends from the sky Wings of light and dark spread afar She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting

This is basically the ending of Dirge. The war of the beasts (Deepground) bringing about the worlds end. Omega now comprised of both Weiss and Nero (light and dark) spreading its wings in preparation to take all life on the planet.

My conspiracy hat started buzzing at the possible readings of this in how it played out in the game. The idea that Loveless wasn’t predicting the original timeline, it was about the conditions to unlock Remake.

So with that aggressive theorizing in mind...

Act 1

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess We seek it thus, and take to the sky Ripples form on the water's surface The wandering soul knows no rest. Three friends go into battle. One is captured One flies away The one that is left becomes a hero.

So, I'm going to presume the "Act 1" here is what happened before we take control of Cloud.

Even if they’re not friends I genuinely think could very well be referring to Cloud, Zack, and Genesis. Since he has that line at the end of Crisis Core when he’s sharing the apple with Cloud and Zack, and it’s meant to be that echoing moment of what he’d wanted with Angeal and Sephiroth.

In this moment, the three become the "friends" of the story.

In the original timeline, Zack is the one who "flies away". As he dies he's lifted into the air, we see feathers, we cry as Why plays and Cloud suddenly comes into awareness because he has been thrust into the role of hero.

I think in Remake, Zack's version of Cloud is going to remain comatose for some time as he's still working through the mako poison. It could also, in theory, be that his consciousness is the Remake Cloud's. So the body remains, but his mind is currently living in this other timeline and the reunion that was talked about will be the reunion of the two disparate Clouds.

Now with this said, I did do some digging and someone posited that the "flies away" line is meant to be something more like wanderer which fits Cloud even better.

I do think the key point of deviation is simple - Genesis was always meant to be the prisoner, and this time he accepts his role. Maybe his encounter with Zack involved a lot less stabbing, like he went easy on him or surrender, something so Zack isn't already barely on his feet.

In the original timeline, Genesis fucks off for reasons we still do not understand though now I'm wondering if it's because the gift he received was knowing that he has to do a bunch of convoluted shit to fix his mistakes. But if he has accomplished that by doing some timey-wimey bullshit to begin with, that means that now doesn’t have to be passive. He's reintroduced into the story in a new chapter he's penning himself.

So maybe the prisoner escapes in this version before the world ends.

I think it's important to note that Cloud still had to break fate in order for all of this to work. Thus sort of feeding in to the flying away line? Like, if Cloud has been shunted to a parallel timeline in order to break the bonds of fate so Zack can proceed - he's not there anymore.

Act 2.

Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul Pride is lost Wings stripped away, the end is nigh There is no hate, only joy For you are beloved by the goddess Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds

This right here honestly just reads like Act 1 Remake Cloud to me, leading into Act 2. Cloud is the shattered soul.

He's having "dreams of the morrow" - dreams of the future, and his brain is a fucking mess.

The rest? I think it's Genesis' point of view on Cloud. And that this right here - what is to happen in remake - is Genesis atoning for setting all of this into motion by eventually sacrificing himself in place of Aerith.

So like... if we think of the fight between Zack and Genesis, Genesis was trying to usurp that hero role. But if he knows the future, maybe that changes how that battle plays out and rather than beating the shit out of Zack he steps down and they share the apple. So Zack isn't as worn the fuck down when he fights the never ending infantry.

Act 3

My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow No matter where the winds may blow My soul, corrupted by vengeance Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey In my own salvation And your eternal slumber

Honestly less sure about this one, but I think this also ties into this being Genesis planning to end Sephiroth once and for all and to liberate himself from his mortal coil so he can be with the Goddess.

The "my friend" here - most likely soliloquizing to Sephiroth, asking if he really intends to do the shit he's doing.

But this NEXT bit...

Act IV My friend, the fates are cruel There are no dreams, no honor remains The arrow has left the bow of the goddess My friend, your desire Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess Legend shall speak Of sacrifice at world's end The wind sails over the water's surface Quietly, but surely

I think he's chatting to two separate friends here. The first friend? Cloud. That's the fate that Cloud was dealt. To have all the people he cares about die. Zack's SOLDIER honor and dreams, and Aerith dying.

The second part - that feels like a message to Zack. The "sacrifice" here could be a lot of things, but I think it's Genesis saying that this go around he's going to do the dying.

Zack? Zack's the Gift of the Goddess. Zack is the key to saving the day.

Loveless is a story wherein all of the players are on the stage and they are able to get a better ending than the one that fate had written for them.

Even if the morrow is barren of promises Nothing shall forestall my return To become the dew that quenches the land To spare the sands, the seas, the skies I offer thee this silent sacrifice

With this said, I'd be interested in what retranslations of the poem is because just plugging it into Google seems to change a lot of the meaning.

BUT IN SHORT i think that loveless is all about the remake timeline and Genesis will end up sacrificing himself.