#and I guess that's something we have to keep in mind when managing conflict with others

[dirkxcaliborn]

Reddit is absolutely insane sometimes. "my boyfriend gets sad when I don't want to watch him play video games and doesn't feel like playing anymore."

"Your boyfriend is a childish control freak" < not even paraphrased. That's literally how the comment started word for word.

[chainelunaire]

how we fight each other

gojo satoru

starts an argument unknowingly. he usually just says some random shit out of nowhere, which might leave you speechless. is ready to appologize if asked for, but rarely fully understands the reason behind. however, he doesn't like the tension, so he's willing to compromise. has a trauma regarding fighting with someone dear to him. during fight, is either calm and collected or relaxed and playful, which is somethimes infuriating. he might sound cruel (unintentionally, but it feels personal, bc of his sharp tongue). in general really doesn't like arguments, would like to avoid them at all but he sort of can't stop his mouth from spewing shit. most of the times he's pretty chill and peaceful, he doesn't just go around looking for someone to annoy (if you're not nanami, of course). fights with him are about stupid little things, mostly chores or something like that. he rarely engages in something serious, he refuses to and he will avoid it like a vampire avoids garlic. because of this behaviour, sometimes he might seem distant or secretitive, but he's really not. actually he's kind of a sweetheart, he never truly gets mad and feels bad after. he's usually the one to make a first move and make up. does not hold grudges, very forgiving, even if you really hurt him during a fight.

geto suguru

complete opposite. it's impossible to have an argument with him about something as stupid as who cleans the kitchen next, he won't engage and simply do it himself. will appologize for things he haven't even done, all in order to keep peace (mark that part). he won't let you to start a fight either, he's a great mediator. hates the idea that you are mad or upset with him, is very dependant on others opinion of him. takes time to understand your reasoning, is compassionate, and he's in general careful with words, so if it is an argument, it is for sure a serious one. he has some issues with anger managment and he feels weak if he feels anger, so he prefers to avoid conflict at all costs. he might go like that for literal weeks, if not months, until the bubble finally pops. it takes a lot for him to be truly angry and start a fight. he's taking it very seriously, even if he has that relaxed and cold demeanor. everything he says is very intentional, so if it hurts, do not second guess it - he wanted it to hurt. will remind you of everything he's done for you and hold it over your head (remember i told you that?). is the type to end relationship over one argument. he also holds grudges, even tho he refuses to acknowledge that.

nanami kento

actually, he's kind of easy to get into an argument with, but it's because he's usually very tired and therefore easily irritated. he doesn't like that part of him, when he lashes out. he prefers to avoid conflict until he literally can't anymore. he sounds more pained than angry, it feels like he's desperate and just wants it to end (he does want it to end). easily appologizes, each time genuine. he's also careful with his words even when he's angry, but unlike geto, he doesn't want to hurt you in the process. fights drain him out to an extent even sorcery can not. kind of willing take all the blame, if it means this all will end. could piss you off with his selflessness, because sometimes this could be something really important to you, and it feels like he would choose to end your relationship rather than listen to your complains. he wants to, he really does, but he rarely is able to do so bc of how worn out he is. however, when he's rested and has more clear mind, it's almost impossible to have an argument with him. he's perfectly able to talk things out calmly. just don't start anything when he's right back from work, please, and you'll be fine.

fushiguro toji

you would be surprised, but he's very difficult to have an argument with. mostly because of how absent he can be, when he senses trouble, and oh he senses it from very very far away. he'll be back when you cooled off and will play it off like it was nothing. very hard to corner, it's practically impossible to talk things through with him. but, if you somehow manage to do that, you will be surprised again at how calm and collected he could be. you want to talk about things - okay, he will, do not complain later, because he warned you. he's won't show any empathy towards you. everything he says is calculated and very rational, he's also has almost godly patience (thanks to his past with zenin clan, he can go very far with being the last sane person in the room). it doesn't even feel like an argument, it's very one-sided with you being hurt and him complitely unaffected. he's not even mad. if you want to say something, let it be something very logical and rational, so he can take it into account. otherwise, he simply won't listen. you want to hear his side - fine, perfect, but he won't compromise in any way if everything you have is just your emotions. he has his reasons to behave like this, it's either you accept it or you suggest something more effective (from his perspective of course). and don't cry. god forbid you start crying.

ryomen sukuna

another anomaly. even tho he's not easily pissed off, fights with him are frequent. not because of you, but because he enjoys to annoy the hell out of you just for fun. the more aggressive you get, the better. absolute win if you cry out of helplessness, since you can't physically shut him up. but he rarely means anything with all the shit he throws your way, it's mostly because he's bored. like gojo, he's usually chill and peaceful, when he's in a good mood - and he's rarely in a bad mood. however, unlike with others, he has a twisted mind, and he himself is a sadist, so his good mood doesn't really apply to yours. but, these are still some small petty fights, which are not even considered as such in his mind, it's more of a playful (almost loving, from his perspective) banter. when he's not bored (when he's somewhere near actual battlefield, for instance) he's very calm, dare i say, serene. when he's not mocking or teasing you, there's nothing to fight about. if you want to fight back and have your revenge, well, mostly likely you won't. to hurt him - to really hurt him deep inside - you need to be at least mentally on his level. he usually just laughs everything off, if notices at all. for him to listen to you takes a lot of effort from your side. your words won't sting if you can't see through him, and to do that you need to match his intelligence and share his worldview. the only way not to get hurt by him is when he respects you. and it's easier said than done.

[changbinsboobs]

haii can you do skz ideal types? like physique and personality. thank youu

Hi:) since i want to do those readings properly im gonna do them one by one and since i already have some for individual members i'll use this ask to start with chan:)

So, i originally started doing an Ideal Type reading but it got hijacked😅 so i guess im reading on his current energy. I'll try to still add something about his ideal type if i manage getting past the bitter energy but i think ill have to redo it some other time since i believe his opinion would be very influenced by his current feelings right now.

Take it with a grain of salt!!!

Chan's current energy / Ideal Typ

For his physical type i got pretty weird cards ngl, 3 of them are the tower, 5 of cups and 5 of wands, the 4th one's queen of pentacles. Tbh i didn't really get any hints about anything physical. He seems angry and bitter.

I think this reading is gonna be hijacked by something else he wants to talk about. I sense he has had a bitter experience thats still fresh in his mind, i think he got dumped tbh!

Like im seeing a situation with lots of bickering. Ogmg ok wait i have so much to say about it this situation has so many layers!

He feels like he lost something great and regrets his stupid actions.

At the same time tho he thinks its that persons fault and if they were better he wouldn't have acted in a way that would get him dumped.

But then again he feels like he's at fault and regrets it a lot.

But he's also so angry cuz they kept having fights, and she kept exhausting him and he kept not being enough. He feels horrible when he's not enough! He doesn't want to feel like that. He wants to live up to her expectations, to peoples expectations. But he just couldn't in this situation with that person.

It seems like he actually got himself a high quality girl - the he couldn't keep obviously. And he's in so much distress with all his conflicting feelings and thoughts. Im sry but im getting a bit angry at him here🙄 its that male stupidity with lack of accountability whatsoever! You cant expect to give the bare minimum, to be an excuse of a "man" and except to get all the perks real man and masculinity gets you! Deal with the consequences bro🙄 -> not necessarily meaning him, im just seeing the picture from his view, so idk how "horrible" he actually was, i was rather talking about the general population of useless men that just have the audacity to expect the best when they themselves aren't worthy of it and then get mad when they can't keep it.

Anyways back to chan - im also getting mommy's boy vibes here omg its getting worse😩😭 i feel like with this situation he's like "forget her bro, she's not worth it. Your mom used to cook and clean, and take care of 3 children and do everything by herself and she didn't whine and was always so giving. I want a woman like that! This girl wasn't lie my mother - she's not worth it, get over her and stop feeling guilty." Don't take that monologue word for word i was rather training to paint the feeling behind his thoughts.

So yeah we have that...tbh i didn't expect him to have a reaction like that like with the comparison to his mom. The rest i expected, but this? Damn🥲

Also this whole situation seems very dramatic, but what I've noticed in the male population overall is that they tend to blow things way put of proportion, and so knowing chan and his tendencies for a victim-complex, pick me, delulu and stuff - im pretty sure this situation might've been not dramatic at all. Just 2-3 little discussions (not full blown arguments and fights as he depicts it) or even just opposing opinions, where he just felt attacked in some way just by her disagreeing or something...and then after a few dates or weeks of dating she politely told him she doesn't want to see him anymore cuz they don't see compatiable and he broke down.

Again idk how things are for real cuz i haven read the other girls energy nor have i read just the energy itself, im just reading HIS energy and perception, but it feels really needy and excagerated so thats whats leading me to believe that it might not be nearly as bad.

So i managed to get some cards on his ideal types personality only and i got those: 3 of cups, 6 of pentacles, page of cups & king of wands.

His types a younger, more innocent and inexperienced girl he can take care of and teach and lead.

She likes a girl that's social but shy. Someone he can take with when meeting his friends and show of. But as i said - social enough for him to be able to do that - but but also shy so he stays sure that theres no risk of her "going wild" (goddamn bro u forreal?🫠)

Im actually getting something about physical appearance - slender, middle hight, like just a bit shorter than him, prefferably forreign with lighter skin and ginger or light brown or dark blonde hair. Im also seeing big head? Like yk this type of body with very slender narrow shoulders, long lanky arms and legs, but a bigger head where it also seems disproportionate to the body? Its so specific i almost think thats what his last girl looked like.

And he also wants a girl thats submissive and will see up to him and make him feel like a boss or a king or a ...daddy (🤢 im sry i just cant hold in the cringe)

In conclusion - i think this ideal type i got from the cards isn't his true ideal type but rather something that came out of spite. Like if i had to guess he's describing the girl he lost, but without her empowering qualities so that he doesn't get hurt.

Judging on the energy of this reading and previous ones ive done i think he has had a think for strong dominant women because he's fascinated with inner strength and power and always wanted to conquer a woman like that because in his head it meant he has that amount of power and strength the said woman had and even more - since he has managed to tame and conquer her. Now that he's tried tho he got met with the cold reality and got a slap in the face realizing he might not be fit for the task just yet and is just sour about it😃

As weird and unexpected this reading was i really enjoyed it cuz it was really shocking to me actually and even gave me a bit of a slap in the face, reminding me how he's just a man...and that he apparently does stupid things like any other guy too.

[emma23]

All in a day’s work:

Marc Spector x reader

————————————————————————

“Do you ever think about what it would be like to live a normal life?”

Marc Spector turned his head slightly to glance at Y/N, his partner-in-crime – quite literally, in this case. She was leaning against the kitchen counter of the small flat they shared as a safehouse, staring out the window at the dim London skyline. Her hair was tousled from the day’s mission, and she was still wearing her tactical gear, a streak of dirt across her cheek. Yet, there was something peaceful about her posture, like she had somehow managed to find tranquility in the chaos.

“No,” Marc said flatly, turning back to the gun he was cleaning. He preferred to keep his hands busy, focusing on something tangible. “Normal doesn’t exist. Not for people like us.”

Y/N shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But it doesn’t hurt to imagine, right? A nine-to-five job, a tiny house with a garden, maybe a dog. The most excitement we’d get would be a power outage or a flat tire.”

Marc snorted. “That’s your idea of excitement? A power outage?”

“Hey, some people live for that kind of simplicity. And maybe… it wouldn’t be so bad. Just once, you know?”

“Right,” Marc muttered, focusing on the rhythmic motion of oiling the gun’s barrel. He knew she wasn’t serious, but the thought lingered. What would it be like to live without the constant threat of death hanging over their heads? Without Khonshu’s ominous voice echoing in his mind, without the weight of the world’s darkness pressing down on his shoulders?

Y/N walked over and plopped down on the couch, her head tilted back as she stared at the ceiling. “We should get a cat. No one suspects the people with cats. Cats are sneaky, good at hiding secrets. Like us.”

Marc raised an eyebrow, looking at her sideways. “You want a cat?”

“No, but I think we should get one,” she replied, grinning up at him. “Come on, think about it. You’d look so broody and mysterious with a cat sitting on your shoulder, like some kind of moody superhero.”

“More like a villain,” Marc corrected. “The whole Moon Knight persona kind of fits the villain vibe.”

“Yeah, but we both know you’re not a villain.” Her tone softened, and Marc felt his chest tighten. Y/N always did this to him—slipped past his defenses with her careless comments and easy smile. It was like she knew exactly how to make him feel exposed without even trying.

“I’m not so sure about that,” Marc said, voice low. He placed the gun down and turned to face her. “I’ve done some pretty bad things, Y/N.”

“We all have.” She sat up, her eyes meeting his. “But we’re not defined by our worst moments. You know that better than anyone.”

Marc felt the familiar conflict rise in him. She was right, and that’s what scared him. Y/N had seen him at his lowest, had watched him battle with his other selves, seen him collapse under the weight of his past. And yet, she stayed. It didn’t make sense. Why would anyone stick around someone as broken as him?

“Why are you still here?” he asked before he could stop himself. His voice came out rough, almost desperate. “Why do you stay?”

Y/N blinked, genuinely surprised by the question. “Why do you think?” she asked softly.

Marc’s throat tightened. “I don’t know. Maybe because you’re just as screwed up as I am.”

“Maybe,” she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. “Or maybe it’s because I care about you, Marc. I’ve seen you do amazing things. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

Marc felt his heart thudding in his chest, a slow, heavy beat. This was dangerous territory. “You don’t know everything about me.”

Y/N stood up, taking a step closer. “I know enough. And I know you try to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. That’s what matters.”

She was too close now. Marc could smell the faint scent of her shampoo, something floral and sweet. It was intoxicating. His hands itched to reach out, to pull her close and lose himself in her, just for a moment.

But he couldn’t. He shouldn’t.

“Y/N…” he began, but she cut him off.

“Don’t. Just… don’t.” Her hand reached up, fingers brushing his cheek lightly. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Marc closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. It was too much. The warmth of her hand, the softness of her voice, the way she looked at him like he was something worth saving. It made him want to believe it.

Then it hit him, like a punch to the gut. He loved her. God, he loved her.

“Ah, shit,” he muttered under his breath.

Y/N laughed, the sound like music. “What?”

“Nothing,” Marc said quickly, pulling away before he could do something stupid, like kiss her. “It’s nothing.”

Y/N’s smile faded a little, but she didn’t push. “Okay. If you say so.”

She turned to walk away, but Marc grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Y/N, wait.”

She looked back at him, eyes wide. “Yeah?”

Marc hesitated, his mind racing. This was the point of no return. If he said it, there was no going back. But looking at her, standing there, waiting for him, he knew he couldn’t keep it in any longer.

“I love you,” he blurted out, the words rough and unpracticed. “I know I don’t say things like that. I know I’m… I’m messed up. But I love you, Y/N. I can’t stop thinking about you, worrying about you, wanting to protect you. Even when it makes no sense.”

Y/N’s eyes softened, and she took a step closer, her hands resting on his chest. “It makes perfect sense to me,” she whispered. “I love you too, Marc. I always have.”

Marc felt like the air had been knocked out of him. He pulled her into his arms, his lips crashing down on hers with a hunger that had been building for far too long. Y/N kissed him back just as fiercely, her hands threading through his hair, pulling him closer.

The kiss was desperate, a tangle of lips and tongues, years of unspoken feelings pouring out. Marc’s hands roamed over her back, pulling her flush against him, needing to feel every inch of her. Y/N gasped into his mouth, the sound sending a jolt of desire through him.

He backed her up against the wall, his mouth moving to her neck, tasting the salt of her skin. Y/N moaned softly, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he pressed her harder against the wall.

“Marc…” she breathed, her voice shaky. “We… we should…”

“Yeah,” Marc agreed, though he made no move to stop. He kissed her again, deep and slow, savoring the way she melted against him. He felt like he was on fire, every nerve ending alive with the need to have her, to make her his.

Y/N’s hands slid under his shirt, her nails grazing his skin, and Marc let out a low growl. He pulled back just enough to yank his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. Y/N’s eyes roamed over his chest, her gaze heated, and Marc felt a surge of satisfaction at the desire in her eyes.

He kissed her again, his hands moving to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head. Y/N’s hands were already at his belt, fingers deftly unbuckling it, pushing his pants down. Marc followed her lead, his hands fumbling with her jeans, tugging them off.

They stumbled toward the couch, a mess of tangled limbs and feverish kisses. Marc fell back onto the cushions, pulling Y/N down on top of him. She straddled his hips, her hands braced on his chest as she looked down at him.

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Marc nodded, his hands gripping her hips. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Y/N smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made Marc’s heart ache. She leaned down, kissing him gently, and Marc felt something inside him click into place. This was where he belonged. With her.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down against him, losing himself in the feel of her, the taste of her. They moved together, a slow, sensual rhythm that built and built until Marc thought he might come apart.

When they finally reached that peak, it was like the world stopped for a moment, everything narrowing down to just the two of them. Marc held her close, their bodies trembling, hearts pounding.

After, they lay tangled together on the couch, the only sound their ragged breathing. Y/N’s head rested on Marc’s chest, her fingers tracing patterns on his skin.

“You okay?” she asked softly.

Marc smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “More than okay.”

He knew they still had a long road ahead of them. There would be fights, danger, and the ever-present specter of Khonshu looming over them. But for now, in this moment, Marc felt a peace he hadn’t known in years.

With Y/N by his side, he knew they could face anything.

[distort-opia]

i love reading your reactions about the recent previews! you are one of the few people whom i trust with the nuanced reading of bruce. ive been seeing people saying that it’s so out of character of bruce who is all about second chances to do something like that to jason. what do you personally think about that (the claim that it’s ooc)?

Hey, happy you're enjoying my understanding of Bruce's character! Well, when it comes to his behavior in the preview for the next Gotham War issue... it's a bit funny, actually. Basically, I think it's an in-character action, not executed or set up well enough to feel in-character.

Bruce being so invasive and controlling towards people he loves, because "he knows best", is fully something he'd do. He's pulled surveillance on people he cares about without them knowing more than once, and if we even start to delve into shit Bruce has done regarding Jason... didn't he basically use his father (who Jason still does not know is alive canonically) to keep tabs on Jason, by having his "Wingman" identity be on the Batman Inc. payroll? He also had no qualms in famously beating the crap out of him when he thought Jason had killed Penguin in RHatO #25; and I could list some other shitty things Bruce has done, even without an alternate personality containing his undiluted darkness taking over. Because that's the thing, we've got to keep in mind the fact that Zur-en-Arrh is very much influencing Bruce's behavior right now-- which is why I think this isn't technically out of character. If you combine Bruce's general controlling tendencies and his egocentricity with a shitload of traumatic events and a splintered psyche... yeah, I see him acting this way, and I very much see him justifying it as love.

But it's just so ham-fisted. Everything about Gotham War feels like patchwork. There's some good parts, with some good writers clearly trying their best with what they've been given, and some less good writers managing that a lot worse. If up to Batman #138 we had a consistent, well-written depiction of Bruce losing his grip on himself (instead of the messy and rushed trajectory we had so far), I'd have bought Bruce's heinous behavior towards Jason. But instead, it doesn't feel right because it doesn't flow; we've got to remind ourselves of stuff like "oh yeah Zur-en-Arrh is making Bruce evil and he's also traumatized after the Multiverse shit" because we got told that repeatedly, but we didn't really see it in a convincing way. Even the things that Bruce says to Jason in the preview... it feels like Zdarsky is trying to speedrun the entire conflict between Bruce and Jason, putting it in such obvious and direct terms. It feels like a brick to the face, writing-wise.

My guess is that a lot of this is because the writers were not given enough space and time to write what should be a complex story. They've got a limited number of issues and events they need to hit, and they're... doing their best, but the effort is direly showing. (Don't even get me started on how nonsensical some character decisions are to begin with, as if they only exist to advance the plot from point A to B, because it's required.)

[tanenigiri]

*punches through wall* OUR DINING TABLE

(Thoughts and ramblings on episodes 8 and 9 under the cut. Some manga comparisons but I don't think any of them constitute as plot spoilers since there's one episode left, but if you plan on reading the manga and don't want the differences from the show to be spoiled, fair warning.)

The corresponding chapter of Episode 8 in the manga is actually where we find out all about Minoru's backstory. We see a good chunk of it here in the flashback in the cafe, when he and Tane first cross paths with Yutaka. But most of the other things we've seen about Minoru's past up to this point in the show - that scene with Nao where Tane spills a drink on her, that flashback scene with young Tane which looks like it just happened right after their mom's funeral, and the general sense of Minoru bearing the weight of being a second parent to Tane - all of that comes to head in this chapter of the manga. I know I've said it repeatedly over my previous posts, but I really have to say it again because it deserves the praise - Minoru's plot arc was handled so, so well in this show, and I genuinely think all the decisions they made to spread and flesh it out was to its benefit.

There were already a lot of other posts last week that pointed it out but I still wanna highlight it - the silence that pervades this episode was really effective in conveying the conflict Yutaka and Minoru were facing. Giving them all this space to think about it could be dragging for some, but I found it quite necessary for what they were dealing with. This show has always used the quiet moments effectively and I think this episode isn't an exception.

I also wanted to highlight how that whole idea of "things being the same" is important to both Yutaka and Minoru. Before the events of Episode 1, Yutaka was living a very monotonous routine, down to the meals he was feeding himself. And Minoru's life has been nothing but one massive change after the other, so I don't blame him in wanting to find something that he could keep from changing. But, of course, both of them know that what happened between them isn't static, and that the change is something they either have to accept or have to let go of.

Gotta dedicate a bullet point to Ohata, who finally got her one manga-canonical scene in this episode (Hozumi-kun you're so easy to read!), but really her character has quickly become my favorite addition to the series. She's a much-needed confidant for Yutaka in the same way the dad (and his manager at the ramen shop) is for Minoru, and these past two episodes also bring up the fact that she was having relationship troubles with her boyfriend. I guess I can point out how her own issues seemed a little too convenient in terms of giving the right advice to Yutaka to move the plot along, but I honestly don't mind it - partly because I think those conversations also serve to show how far Yutaka's come in terms of breaking out of his shell and partly because I always cheer whenever her character shows up haha. (And can we talk about how she's constantly the best-dressed character of the show? Like I know she doesn't really have much competition but still?? Did you guys see her hair in that last scene???)

Speaking of which, I'm so glad they added that last scene with Yutaka joining his officemates for drinks. This was only mentioned in the manga, but I think this is as big of a deal as the confession in terms of Yutaka's growth. This is the same character who, in Episode 1 (which was only a few months prior to this), was known by the office as someone who would turn down any invite, and the manga even goes further with this in that they wouldn't invite him at all because they know that he would just reject them. Not to mention that the literal first thing we find out about Yutaka is how he doesn't share meals with anyone! Seeing him in the bar with his coworkers is absolutely massive in terms of how much Yutaka has changed, and while Ohata is right in teasing him that it's because of a special someone, I do think it's a testament to how much progress Yutaka has made over the course of the show both because of Minoru and because of his personal growth.

And since I mentioned it, I'm pretty happy with how they translated that playground confession scene into the show. In particular I enjoyed how generally awkward it was because it was very in-character, and I think giving the scene a more laid back vibe instead of a serious one was a really good decision. That whole "you're very important to me" spiel destroyed me though.

It's only recently I realized that the whole "BL male lead running to other BL male lead" is an actual trope that's seen in almost every series and I find that so funny. I've only watched a few before this and they do all have running involved.

Screaming at Mr. Ueda literally dragging his son out of the house and telling him to get it together before the New Year rings in. We don't really get a lot of scenes between the two of them so I'm glad we got this.

Tane-kun takes a bit of a backseat in these two episodes as the plot shifts to Yutaka and Minoru's relationship (the same thing happens in the manga), but the scenes he does get are still really good. In particular I like that once he realizes that Minoru and Yutaka are "fighting," all Tane says is that Minoru should apologize because, for him, Yutaka would always understand and accept their apology.

Ok so I'm of two minds about that scene with Yuuki (Yutaka's adoptive brother), which I was pretty surprised to see as it wasn't in the manga. On one hand, I'm glad that we do get some sort of closure for this, and that at the end of the day, Yutaka does have an adoptive family that cares for him. But on the other hand, I really don't think that the apology was anywhere close to undoing the damage that Yutaka's had to bear all these years? Like, I get that it's a misunderstanding on both ends and that proper communication would've solved it (and this is, in fact, the takeaway Yutaka needed for his confession to Minoru), but I'm not a fan of the implication that just because Yuuki was apparently not that much of a jerk to Yutaka as we thought that he's forgiven for his clearly traumatizing actions? I don't think they're gonna address this further in next week's episode (though I'd love to be wrong), but I dunno - it's not the note I would've liked that plot point to be left on. Sure, put some forgiveness in there, but I guess I wanted either party to acknowledge that while Yutaka could start mending his relationship with his adoptive family, there's still a lot of damage that they need to process? I know that's a pretty big ask for what is essentially a minor plot point, but eh. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it (and on the show in general).

The preview gave me a glimpse of the one other scene in the manga that's in my Top 3 (up there with Yutaka's cartoonified backstory and Minoru taking care of a sick Yutaka) and I am soooo ready to break down because of it. For manga readers who want to know which one: It's the scene without Minoru.

Love this show so much. I don't want it to end and I'm both anticipating and dreading the finale next week.

[isei-silva]

As I am replaying Deyaenus and re-exploring his character through RP, I noticed the difference in how I RP'd him in the past, versus how I play him now - especially in regards to his confidence. His lack thereof before, to today's abundance. Back in the day, Deyaenus was far more ill-tempered, anxious, and depressed; a reflection of myself. We often say and try not to bleed over into our characters, but these figments of our imaginations are our brain-puppets, and as ours as can be are inevitably reflected by the thoughts, emotions, and constitution of their birth place.

Once my exterior environment changed and bettered, so did I. And, by extension, so did Deyaenus. This reflected itself in RP through a burst of confidence and tempered demeanor from the character that was a pleasant surprise.

Mind you, the meat and potatoes of the character has not changed: opinionated, stubborn in some archaic beliefs, and faction biased. You know, the good stuff that people dislike him for. And that's fine! I enjoy being the "in-the-wrong" character if it helps push other people's RPs and character development. Both those things can only really move forward with conflict.

"It's me hi, I'm the problem, it's me~"

It's just funny how I remember Deyaenus, as a Holy Priest, desperately clinging to the doctrines of the Church, the Light, and stomping his foot about being right in it all, when he was at his emotional lowest because being part of something greater and as non-negotionable as The Light made him feel just as indomitable. He could hide behind the white robes, and the verses and preaching, behind prayer, behind dogmatic virtues of beliefs carved by mortals, because it made him feel good. He wanted to be a preacher for the immediate idolation he would get, for the attention, the praise, bask in the benefit of devotion, from the lack of receiving the same in his home life. Of course he never recognized this himself, and he DOES truly, honestly believe in the goodness that the Church has extended and wants to be part of that, but with that little sidenote of "and I will get everyone's love and respect because of it too".

Now, as a Shadow Priest, stuck with a parasitc infant (not so?) Old God and dealing with it through the adventures, trials, and shenanigans thereof, he is both at his loneliest (no guild, friends moved on, on-and-off romance(?)) and, at the same time, his most confident. I've been personally headcannoning and RP'ing that the void parasite - named Junior - managed to anchor itself to the physical realm by feeding on Deyaenus' depression and poor emotional state. He doesn't know it, recognize it, or think about it, under the misguided belief that this is just normal and every shadow priest has a little bugger like his. It's not like the parasite has 'eaten' or removed or replaced Deyaenus' depression. It's, much like in Real Life, you can eventually learn to positively live with it! I still have the same poor thoughts, fears, and insecurities as before, when I first roleplayed Deyaenus and these were more evident both in RP and in myself, but over time I've grown to nurture myself, build myself up, and find confidence inwardly.

Nowadays, I like thinking that while Junior is the symbolic, physical manifestation of depression (how similar are those corruptive "your friends hate you" whispers in-game to actual depressive thoughts?), Deyaenus has learned to depend on himself and keep positive momentum regardless. Junior works for him. Deyaenus can't afford to wallow in these poorly thoughts, even though he won't ever get rid of them. And if ever he did end up overpowered by those thoughts, THAT'S when corruption would kick in at its strongest. THAT'S when depression eats you alive IRL too.

Deyaenus cannot ever get rid of depression, mental illness, what-have-yous, but what he has done is recognize it ("I guess this weird worm is part of me"), take responsibility for it ("The actions of this weird worm and the powers thereof are what I make of them"), and move forward with it ("Weird worm is coming with me whether I like it or not"). And he's that much better for it.

Not perfect, but better.

[winguontheweb]

Long, ranty/venty post ahead

god I'm really frustrated as of late

I've known and dealt with tendonitis and RSI on and off (mostly on) since 2020. Also a few times like earlier this year and sometime last year, I threatened carpal tunnel, even. I felt the tingling in my fingertips. It's frustrating when I am often at the height of my passion and drive to have to cut it short by resting and care and avoiding drawing or anything intensive for about as long as I was drawing passionately.

I keep wanting so bad to jump right back into stuff but it just keeps happening, and it gets worse if I'm too impatient. So I just have to sit here spinning my wheels, dealing with the fact I NEVER stop thinking of ideas to draw. I literally cannot stop thinking of awesome fucking pictures I want to draw. It's a constant flow of creativity.

But like. The thing is... I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I mean sure, my posture might not be perfect, I might not have all the right ergonomics and equipment, but, I feel like for the most part, I can't deduce the thing that I'm doing wrong, other than... drawing.

I don't viciously slouch while drawing - like I said, my posture's not perfect, but it's good enough I think

I take breaks, especially if like, dinner gets ready while I'm drawing, I try to take opportunities to stretch my wrist and hands. I'm bad at remembering to do the whole routines people have given me/I've seen online, but I still try my best to get some in.

I'm not like, crimping my wrist on anything, my tablet's flat on my desk, and I feel decently good about how my hand position is on it.

I do own a wrist brace, but, honestly, I often feel WORSE after drawing with it, and I get conflicting opinions online as to whether or not I should wear it while drawing, or if I should avoid wearing it while drawing.

I get plenty of water

I don't grip the pen with a ton of pressure, I even specifically have CSP's pen pressure altered to better advantage me using less pen pressure

When I'm feeling soreness, pain, etc. in my hand, I'll either ice or heat it using the packs we have in the house.

and other stuff I forgot

like... with all of this, all this I have in mind, and from talking to others about it, I feel like I've come to the conclusion that I'm literally not doing anything wrong. So like, I guess it could be from overuse, something that I'd be more prepared to accept...

...if I didn't literally have friends who, multiple times per week, have multi-hour sessions of drawing straight with minimal breaks (and also just drawing all the time outside of those sessions too), have been doing those for months or years, and have told me they experience NO HAND PAIN. And apparently have never felt it.

Like, I'm sorry, I want to not sound like I'm viciously jealous of my friends, but also, how the fuck? How? How??? How do they get to draw multiple hours in a row with minimal breaks like it's some whatever thing they always do, and I get fucking punished for doing my most passionate hobby?? Like, that's what it feels like to me, especially when I compare myself to others who do exactly the level of drawing I want to do. It feels like I'm being punished for no reason other than wanting to do the thing that makes me happy. I'm excited for friends who are capable but it just makes me look at myself and wonder what the fuck I'm doing wrong.

What's different about me?

I've been told I'm not doing anything wrong, but clearly there's something different!! And I have no clue what it is! Other than something fundamental to my body and nobody else's - something genetic? Like, I do have a family with arthritis, my dad has osteoarthritis specifically. But even if I inherited it, surely I've not worn-and-torn my wrist down to developing it at 22 fucking years of age. Especially since I've been trying to practice good wrist health management as best I can ever since I learned about tendonitis??

Like I'm also not that strong. My skinny-ass arms are the main point of my body I feel dysphoric about because they just look so disproportionate from the rest of my body and it leaves me with so little in the way of upper body strength. But I wanted to get better, lift weights, work towards making my arms BIGGER. But earlier this year I had to take a BREAK because too much weight lifting every day/every other day, and push-ups, and all that shit, my arms and wrist were hurting, threatening carpal tunnel.

Ever since then I haven't been able to get back into the swing and so the rare times I find myself trying to lift a 3 pound weight with my wrist, my wrist is sore and feeling even worse for like 2 days straight.

It just feels so fucking unfair. My issues aren't always pain, it doesn't always prevent me from just living my day-to-day life. Often it's soreness, discomfort, hotness in my fingers and wrist, but not pain. The pain I've had in my fingers is rare and typically a point I know when to stop. But it's never been enough that I feel like I'd get taken seriously at physical therapy, especially when everyone else going to PT is trying to actually regain mobility. Or it'll get better by the time I get a PT appointment and I'll awkwardly not know what to say. I went to PT once for a free consultation and basically just got a slip of stretches they told me to do. I did those daily for a while, fell out of the habit, but I never felt like it actually particularly helped prevent the hand pain/soreness.

It just... I'm so tired. I'm so tired and frustrated of this happening every single month at this point, confronting the mortality and precarious situation of my drawing hand. I don't know what I'd do in life without art. I don't know if I can continue forever into old age with a mind that's pushing so far ahead of my body. I need a way for my body to catch up. But it just doesn't seem feasible because it feels like I was just inherently dealt a hand where I can't.

I guess, if anyone has any advice, please let me know. This has been the most comprehensive description of my wrist issues I've ever made and I just want to be vulnerable and openly frustrated for a bit. I know others deal with chronic pain that's debilitating and I sympathize very much. But I guess from my perspective I just don't know what to do. I don't want to wreck my wrist and have to quit drawing by 25.

[faelune-home]

FFXIVWrite 2024 #21: Shade

(A/n: Another sort of interaction piece for the role quest series, this time G'raha and Hien. Both my ranged quests so far have had this allusion to G'raha's long life and former duties and the weight that would leave on him...idk why, I think it just pairs well with Hien's troubles in the quest series, despite being a young man only new to the position of responsibility.

Having a duty of care to people as a leader, but also having to cope with the losses even if they're out of your control, but people also feeling like you shoudl've known how to prevent it.

Keeping this one short due to the time left to write but also, as I said last time, I already make these so long I should embrace the shorter writings as well.

Word count: 966)

It was a night not dissimilar to the night before the siege and recapture of Doma Castle - Hien sat by candlelight nursing a cup of sake, ruminating. The only difference was that there was no war on the horizon, no buzz of anticipation, just a heavy dread and uncertainty over a foe they couldn’t find.

And he was alone. No companions to join him and share in his musings. Yugiri was on patrol duty with her shinobi and Gosetsu…well.

He had a lot to think about - the fears of his people, the conflict in those that lost their loved ones to the Garleans, loved ones that never came home after conscription. Haunted by shades, and surely Minato had to count herself - the only reason she became their blasphemy was because he couldn’t ensure her beloved could return home.

In some way, he wanted to argue back, call out the unfairness of it all - he was only one man, and he couldn’t do everything. For all his training, he couldn’t face down the Empire on his own, lest he be cut down like his father before him. He couldn’t storm the camps and save the people all on his own.

But he couldn’t do that. A prince can’t argue back. As the figurehead of the people, he had to hold his head up and atone for the losses under his name.

A creak of the wood outside his room startled him from his thoughts. His door was still closed but he could hazard a guess at who it was - the servants and the shinobi knew where the weak spots were.

Indeed when he strode across the room and opened the door, G’raha jumped back at his arrival, looking sheepish to have been caught.

“My apologies, my lord, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he started.

“Not at all, I wasn’t even sleeping. Too much on my mind. Why are you awake?”

“I just…to be honest, sleep eludes me as well. I feel as though there’s more I should be able to do, more names to search through, and I can’t find rest until I do,” G’raha sighed, tail lashing behind him. “I got up for a drink. I didn’t want to bother your people at this late hour.”

Thinking it over, Hien dared to step aside, inviting access to his quarters, and asked, “Would sake do? Perhaps we can share our burdens together. Though if you’d prefer water instead, I can get you some.” G’raha’s ears perked up, surprised at the offer, but he nodded.

“Nay, I’ll manage with the sake. Thank you, my lord.”

Even once they’d settled down, chat was idle at first, Hien trying to find out how his guest had settled during his time at the Enclave before broaching the subject properly.

“If I may,” he said, finally making the move, “I obviously do not know you truly beyond what little Fhara told me, but I get an impression off of you.”

“Oh?”

“Like you’re much more experienced than one of your years would suggest. The way you take on the burden of the lost prisoners, the transformed peoples, as though it is something already familiar to you in some way. Am I wrong?”

G’raha sipped from his cup, then placed it down, letting Hien refill it again, giving him time to think of a response.

“You’re not wrong. Though forgive me if it isn’t something I would like to go into detail on. But yes, I’ve certainly lived a life experiencing loss, and feeling the burdens of one responsible for many peoples. Much like yourself.”

Hien downed his own cup in one go, but forewent a refill.

“I wouldn’t pry into your personal matters. But knowing we are of similar experiences, I would ask some advice of you. Though maybe it is less advice I ask for, and more just solace, given our current times.”

A flick of the ear.

“Whatever it is, I’ll provide what aid I can.”

“As it stands now, we know our quarry - a woman turned through the loss of her husband through conscription. He never came home, while many others are reunited with their loved ones. Those that turn are of similar despair to Lady Minato. Especially those that would’ve suffered personally at the hands of Yotsuyu, who they got to see roam free, even if in a highly compromised state. It was my decision that she lived, and the people would’ve known that. They resent me, as they should, and I know not how to appease them now.”

His hand tightened into a fist, frustrations brewing.

“This isn’t about appeasement though, is it?” G’raha asked, seeing this.

“Nay.Though I may vent to you, I wouldn’t ask you to solve my problem for me. It is my duty to bridge the gap between me and my people, especially after I burnt it in the first place. I suppose the problem I seek your help with is more a personal one.”

He was stalling. How unlike him. Hien knew if Gosetsu was here, he would’ve pried it out of him before any of the rambling could even begin. He sighed, trying to push aside the memory of his absent friend to focus on his guest in front of him, still aware he was making him wait.

“How does one cope with having shades to haunt your every hour, reminding you of your failures? How do you ignore them so that you may focus on the people in front of you, on moving into the future?”

G’raha didn’t respond for a long while, red piercing eyes seeming looking right through Hien a million miles away. And when he finally did respond, it was only two words, but they carried the weight of a lifetime upon them.

“You don’t.”

[kozachenko]

Ok managed to catch up on Cheating Detective Satori... surprisingly quickly! Was it as bad as I thought?

....I mean, not really but it's still not... the best. Full review under the keep reading tag. Huge spoilers for the manga, of course.

Ok so, for the first bit before Mizuchi's reveal was... honestly kinda bad, like, Satori could've just... solved the case at the mansion quicker if she just read Sakuya's mind and went "ah yes she had no motive but did it anyway she was possessed" because like, if Mizuchi had been pulling shit like that before in former Hell, shouldn't she have said something? That's kind of a problem in this manga, the characters who should be telling us something are just so "vaguey no explainey". And also, why the fuck wasn't she at the scene more often? Like, why wasn't she the one who interviewed Sakuya? Why Orin? Why does Satori barely show up in a manga called Cheating Detective Satori? I mean, I don't mind it as a narrative choice but with the title it just feels like false advertising at this point.

Overall, the first portion of the manga with the endless "but who's being possessed next?" is honesly kinda frustrating. Also, Reimu, you are literally a shrine maiden and you have experience with ghosts and the like, what's stopping you from using some kind of spiritual techniques to try and track Mizuchi down? Like, why?

And now for the somewhat controversial reveal of Mizuchi...and honestly? I'm fine with it not being Mima. Like, it would have contradicted with her character from the PC-98 games anyways, and also because MORE MIZUCHI PLEASE HOLY FUCKING SHIT HAVE I BEEN CONVERTED TO THE MIZUCHI ENJOYERS CLUB OH MY FUCKING GOD-

Yeah so Mizuchi is my diamond in the rough that is Cheating Detective Satori. I like her character a lot and the parts where she's in it are some of my favourite parts in the manga. However, I think her sudden escalations in power are... well a bit much to say the least? Like, in the Eientei arc they mention how "we don't really know how the jailbreak king posses people" and my first reaction was, "REIMU YOU HAVE SEEN NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT 4 PEOPLE GET PASS OUT AFTER DRINKING SOMETHING, MAYBE YOU COULD INFER THAT THIS JAILBREAK KING CAN ONLY GET TO YOU IF YOU DRINK SOMETHING AND SO YOU MAKE SURE NO ONE DRINKS ANYTHING EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE EXACT CAUSE OF IT-" which, I guess it was never really properly established but fine, it leads to a cool moment where Mokou gets possesed and all but still. Mizuchi doesn't really have any weaknesses and kinda gets more and more powerful as the manga goes on.

However, if ZUN plays his cards right this could turn into a good thing JUST HEAR ME OUT, PLEASE-

Ok so, before I read the manga I saw the idea that Okina had something to do with Mizuchi getting loose and I fucking love that idea. Mizuchi's rampage in Gensokyo being enabled by Okina (albeit unknowingly) could also help explain the sudden power ups she gets.

[EDIT]: Ok as I was still organizing my thoughts on the manga after this, I realized that the limitation of Mizuchi only being able to posses people who have a grudge on the Hakurei shrine is pretty smart and could be used for some good character conflicts. But I think this is something that's kind of underutilized in the actual manga, despite the fact that it maybe limits who Mizuchi can posses in Gensokyo.

Anyways, the manga is kind of just wallowing with the story, like, why did the protagonists just let Mizuchi get away into former Hell when they could've just... exterminated her then and there. Like, if you still wanted Mizuchi to get away somehow, you could just extend the fight to where Mizuchi swaps from body to body as she makes everyone fight each other for her, so that by the end, everyone is too exhausted to go after her. Other than that, I actually liked the Myouren Temple arc a lot. Like, it isn't perfect per say but I liked it the most. I also liked how in the most recent chapter, we (kind of) learn what Mizuchi's deal is, mainly that something about Gensokyo's creation royally screwed her over. I also think that the twist with her being a member of a family that served the Hakurei shrine was really cool too. I have always liked the idea of there being something darker going on behind Gensokyo's creation. I honest to god don't know how the fuck ZUN is gonna end the manga though. Like, I just wanna know how the hell things are gonna go now, especially with the sealing off of former Hell. Which, side note, but I love how pissed off Yuugi is in the most recent chapter, like, this is the second time now that someone who was meant to take care of the place just ended up ditching it. Of course she's gonna be mad. I'm not against the idea of Former Hell needing to be sealed up, it's just how it gets there that's kind of messy. Like, it's such a drastic decision that just feels to rash for Satori to make, especially considering the fact that Mizuchi was RIGHT FUCKING THERE I'M STILL PISSED OFF THAT THEY JUST LET HER GET AWAY LIKE THAT LIKE WHY?! I feel like that's where a lot of problems with this manga lie, a lot of really interesting plot points and events that are very messily connected.

[EDIT]: Ok so about that last point I missed something with the latest chapter and yeah, Satori planning on getting Reimu to confront Mizuchi personally is a good way narratively to recover from what would normally be something out of character for Satori (This whole post was made in a bit of a hurry after I finished the most recent chapter so the information still needs to set in my brain a little).

Now for my thoughts on the artstyle. I'll be honest, the early artstyle for the manga was really pretty, but didn't really work for a manga style story. It's really nice looking for illustrations, but other than that it's just kinda eh. The page layouts were kind of boring and I think that's what made the earlier chapters feel boring. It also somehow fucked up the way each character talked if that makes any sense??? Like, since there wasn't really much expression in the character's faces, they all kind of started to blend together, even with the dialogue they all felt like they thought and reacted in the exact same way. Not to mention Sakuya's STUPID RINKY DINK LITTLE MAID CROWN WHY IS IT VERTICAL- sorry had to go off on that tangent there, that's always bothered me.

However, the manga's new style is so much better oh my god. Like, everyone translated pretty well into the style, even if it is a teensy bit inconsistent. The page layouts were also really creative and made things a lot easier to read. It only got better as the manga went on too. Can I talk about how beautiful Yuugi looks? Ok so Yuugi looks fucking gorgeous in this manga, like, the artist clearly liked her the most because she just looks *muah* chef's kiss. Also, the fights in this manga are so well done, like, this is EXACTLY what I was missing in Lotus Eaters. Like, all the hits feel weighty and impactful, and not to mention how expressive the characters are. The newer style isn't afraid to give us some really fucking unhinged expressions and I LOVE THAT. It helped make the manga more tolerable.

I said in my review of Lotus Eaters that I would compare the two mangas in terms of writing styles so I'm gonna do that. Lotus Eaters represents a lot of ZUN's strengths in writing, i.e. shorter more character driven stories that wrap themselves up nicely in the end. I think this is probably because ZUN is more experienced with this style of writing, since from what I've gathered, a lot of the other mangas and literary works follow this similar principal. I feel like ZUN doesn't have trouble with writing good characters, but instead struggles with finding ways to make them act consistently throughout a longer narrative. Like, I feel like that's the best way to put it. I feel like a good way to rectify this issue for ZUN is if he tried writing more longer printed works (mainly just to get experience with the format) take what he learned from CDS and apply that.

IDK if I gave Lotus Eaters a rating but I'll do so for CDS. I'd say it's a 4.5/10 if we're being generous. It frustrated me to no end because of how many missed opportunities it had, and it had so much potential to be amazing, even though it has some good qualities that made the experience a bit less painful than what I was expecting. I mean, it's still ongoing so it could get better, but now I'm just more curious to see how it sticks the landing. My math question comparison that I made in my Lotus Eaters review still holds up tho lol.

I remember a post on here saying that JoJo Part 4 is basically just CDS but good. And honestly, now that I've actually read the manga I see what that person meant now lol.

[forthedancingandthethriving]

"That was such a bad plan!"

"I'm aware of that now-"

"TPO, what even was that?!"

Lumi loafs on her perch, back in ABP, with a conflicted look on her face. She can't exactly blame TPO as she listens to the conversion below. Red was arguing with TPO, Green was trying to meditate, and Blue was on Red's side.

She narrows her eyes, placing a paw under her chin. Her eyes drift over to the door that she and TPO made to access the little place a while ago, and an idea comes to mind.

She remembers seeing the girl, Root, using a portal in a single spot every time. She knew jack about code, but.. surely something would linger there if she did it every time.

Her ears perk up, and she leaps off the perch. She breaks into a run, heading towards one of the few doors.

"Lumi?" Blue calls, his paws gently thumping against the ground as he turns and races after her. "What are you doing?"

"I have an idea!" Lumi grins, skidding to a stop by the last door. She then walks down a bit more and sits down.

Right, how did she do it without TPO's help..

She holds up her paws and forms a circle with them, one on top and one on the bottom. She feels the familiar energy form and then she thrusts her paws forward.

A door appears, with no location set.

"What." Blue blinks comically.

Lumi opens her eyes and bounces on her paws. She gets up and races down towards one of the first doors and jumps through.

"What is she doing?" Red asks as he comes rushing over, TPO and Green right behind him.

"I have no clue." Blue shakes his head as he comes up as well.

The group of cats all jolt when the sounds of crashing and cursing comes from beyond the door. Then.. "COMING THROUGH!"

The group all yelp and manages to rush out of the way when a familiar set of two rings, with mist in the middle, comes barreling through with Lumi clinging to the outer ring.

"A POWER POINT?!"

"I HAVE AN IDEA!" Lumi cheers. She hops off the power point (really a checkpoint, but she doesn't need to spoil the moment) and looks at her friends with a confident smile. "We're obviously not doing well by ourselves. So, why don't we recruit whoever is with her?"

"What." They stare at her.

"Whenever Leto talks to her, Root always mentions other people!" Lumi wraps her tail around the outer ring and starts walking. "If we go there and explain the situation, they'll be sure to help!"

"Are you sure about this?" Blue frowns as he follows. "What if-"

"We can't rely on 'what-ifs' anymore, Blue." Lumi cuts him off, looking at him. "That kid is getting worse, and anything we do, we can't do efficiently."

She sighs. "So this? This is our best bet."

The ground behind her all pause, looking at each other before nodding.

"What do we do?" Green asks.

"Red, Green, Blue! Go and grab that door I made." The trio nods and rushes off. "TPO, help me get the Point through the connected door."

As the group reconvenes at the door to the other world, they sneakily move through, carrying with them the door and check point. They all carefully pace and weave through the large area, keeping their ears pricked.

Finally, they get to the spot, and Lumi sets it up. She places the door down, and in an instant, it starts reacting, code crackling around. A vibrant red mixes with the white, and Lumi grins.

With a huff, she tosses the check point, and it envelopes the door. The mist expands to cover it, and then darkens.

"Percect!" Lumi laughs. "It worked!"

"Wait, did you expect it not to?" Green looks at her incredulously.

"K-Kinda." She laughs again, though this time nervously.

"Hide!" Blue suddenly hisses, as the mist began to crack and sparkle. The cats all yelp and rush off, hiding behind banisters.

Root walks through and looks around, confused. "Huh.. guess Bioluminescent wanted to designate where I come from." She smiles before walking over to the ground, where her cloak had been discarded. She dusts it off before heading back through.

"Now!" Lumi whispers loudly, and the five cats shoot through the check point just before Root's portal can close.

As they land on the other side, Lumi because distinctly aware how.. round everything seems. Not flat or 2D.

"Woah.." Green seems to share the sentiment, his eyes sparkling.

"Perfect!" Lumi cheers, hopping up to her paws. "Now, all we have to do is-!"

Silver roots erupt from the ground and wrap around them all. The cats all shriek and struggle as the vines squeeze them a bit too tight.

"You." Root snarls, emerging from some nearby trees. Her rapier appears, and she points it towards TPO. "You brought backup because you're too chicken to face me alone?!"

"She recognizes you?!" Red's tail puffs up.

"I'd recognize anyone's inferior character code any day." The offshoot of Ozymandias narrows her eyes.

Blue struggles against the roots. "Hey, come on, we don't want to hurt you or anything. Let us go!"

"Let you go?" Root sneers. "Yeah, right. Coral mentioned things like you, saying you were spying on us. I'll get rid of you right here, right now."

".. yeah guys, maybe turn liquid-"

The group all turn to liquid and slip out of the roots, just as Root swipes her rapier at them and the roots holding them captive.

"Book it! Run!" Lumi shouts, and the group runs.

Root chases them after them, snarling softly. "Bring it on!"

[chumby4life]

Some cute and funny screengrabs from Maison Ikkoku that i liked

GAAHH this was such a good show, so just heartwarming idk. I watched it over a period of a few months, one ep a day during my work breaks. It's the perfect show for that, a lighthearted sitcom with some really heartfelt moments. Just a nice and relaxing reprieve from stressful work. And it's a wonderful example of the found family trope (i'm always weak for that stuff) and I feel like the show presents grief in a really nice way even when it can be silly at times.

I love how the two main characters, Godai and Kyoko, are around my age (although they do get older thru the series) because I feel like it's hard to find anime that focuses on twenty-somethings. Godai's struggles as a college student and later finding a good job were pretty relatable for me tbh.

As for Kyoko, her whole character conflict was, so...poignant? Spoilers, but she is introduced as someone who was widowed at 22, a pretty young age for that. You get the sense from her that her life has ended before it really began - she married just a few years earlier, she had a taste of feeling fulfilled and complete, only for it to be taken from her. Now the manager of the boarding house belonging to her late husband's family, it really seems like she's living in the shadow of the past, and is reluctant to move on. Hell, she named her dog after her husband, maybe just so she has an excuse to keep saying his name. She just seems so trapped within herself for a good portion of the series.

Not to mention that her husband was actually her high school geology teacher...haha. Which I really feel conveys her tendency to refrain from stepping out of her comfort zone. I mean, she had it all set up nicely - she gets to spend her days with someone who was already a constant in her life, someone who taught her and guided her through unfamiliar territory. Maybe this extended into a desire to be guided through life, to ease the burden of making one's own choices. Don't get me wrong, Kyoko is more than capable of handling things on her own, but doesn't everyone kind of want to be led and taken care of through life's difficulties, at least a little bit? And with her spouse gone, she feels lost and scared, as anyone might.

With all this in mind, it's funny that we see Kyoko frequently frustrated with Godai's lack of maturity at first, as he was likely a far cry from the mature person that her husband was. And, of course, Kyoko's late husband kind of reminds me of the whole "dead wife" trope you see in action movies, you know? Those scenes where we see the protag's memories of their dead wife, so angelic and perfect and running on a beach or something. Because only in death can someone become perfect, I guess. How is Godai supposed to measure up to that? Obviously, he can't. And he can't expect that of himself, nor can Kyoko.

Eventually, though, Kyoko does get to experience an entirely new kind of love and romance through Godai. Instead of being led through life as she may have once wanted, these two help each other through their struggles equally, and it's really satisfying to witness.

Good show good show, also it has one of my favorite anime op's... The op for one episode has Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again" as its music. That is so strange and yet kind of fitting for the series lol. Anyways rant over I recommend this one

[cinnamontoastcrunch-15]

Mothers of the Moon

Chapter 1: Drift

From @wolfstarmicrofic ‘s prompts!

Masterpost

It was normal for kids to drift during high school.

Completely normal.

Expected, really.

They had both known it was going to happen someday.

Everything was absolutely fine.

“Is everything alright?” Poppy turned her head slightly, as she and Remus walked to the whomping willow, the sun slowly making its descent for the night. Remus was always a little… worse for wear, around the full moons, but he was acting weird. More nervous than before.

“Hm? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Conflict seemed to pass his face very briefly, before relaxing into an easy smile.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Poppy wasn’t easily fooled.

She and Minerva both knew when Remus was lying about something. He wasn’t the best at keeping secrets. Clearly, neither was Poppy, as Minerva frowned, confused at the sight of her wife sitting across from her in her office.

“What happened?” She asked immediately.

“Remus is hiding something.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, he just seemed… more nervous, about tonight.”

“Remus? Nervous?” She thought carefully, pulling her small silver frames from her face. “Since when was he nervous about full moons?”

“I don’t know.” Poppy busied herself with paperwork, hoping the work would help her think a little better. “What could he ever feel like he needs to hide from us? I’d like to think we’re pretty open minded.”

“I guess we just wait and see if he tells us.” Minerva concluded simply, shrugging.

“Wait? What if it’s important?”

“It’s Remus. If anything’s really wrong, he’ll tell us, won’t he?”

“Of course he will, yeah.”

Poppy knocked tentatively as she walked into the shack, early the next morning.

“Remus, darling?” He was asleep, which was pretty normal for the day after a full moon, blanket pulled over him, not a scratch on him.

Not a scratch on him.

Crouching low beside him, Poppy pulled out her wand, scanning Remus quickly, hand shaking. Dislocated wrist, and that was it. At Poppy’s gentle manoeuvring, fixing his wrist, he started to stir.

“Mum?”

“What is going on?” She whispered to herself, before she met his eyes. “You’re fine. Actually, better than fine. All you need is some sleep.” Remus’ eyes widened.

“Seriously?”

“What changed?” She asked, as Remus sat up slowly, still a bit stiff.

“I- I don’t know.” He answered. “Can we go to the hospital wing, though? I’m absolutely knackered.”

She let him change, and they walked in silence. He was clearly still exhausted, which was expected. Of course the moons took a toll on him, and of course she was overjoyed that he was pretty much in perfect condition this time, she was just confused. They hadn’t done anything different. They’d stopped the whole experimentation thing years before. Remus practically collapsed into the bed, out like a light.

As Poppy began to root through various potions, finding some in case Remus was in pain, hushed whispering that she knew all too well approached. She turned to greet the boys, who were holding plates of food for when Remus woke up, and she couldn’t help but smile. His friends.

“Is he awake?” James started.

“We brought food!” Sirius added brightly.

“How’s he feeling?” Peter asked, the boys’ faces dropping, concerned.

“He’s still asleep, but he’s… great. Really great.”

“Really?” James’ face lit up, a smile slowly emerging on all of their faces.

“Is he coming to lesson today?”

These boys and their questions. Poppy couldn’t help but feel a rush of warmth towards them as she shook her head.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” The three of them nodded.

“Yeah, sure. We’ll come back later, if that’s alright.”

“Of course.” As they left, the food on Remus’ side table, Poppy couldn’t help but overhear part of their, somewhat quiet, conversation.

“It worked! It actually fucking worked!” Sirius whispered, excitedly.

“Thank Merlin we managed to talk Moony into it.” Peter added.

“I can’t believe we pulled that off, and he’s fine! He’s actually…” the voices trailed off slowly, gradually, and Poppy turned, stunned.

They knew something.

Whatever Remus was hiding, it was about the moons, and it was about them.

[jeanmoreaux]

can you tell us a little more about dark rise? i love hearing you talk about books, and i'm always more inclined to read them when someone talks about them in depth rather than reading some random person's review of them.

*me, popping back up ten years later with a silly little drink in hand and feeling very, very embarrassed* hi there, wow it’s been some time. life is crazy, isn’t it?

i’d love to talk a little about it but at the same time i don’t think i can talk about it much without getting into spoilers? not that the plot is unpredictable but it partly lives off intrigue (it [the plot] is well-constructed, and as an avid story-enjoyer you’ll probably guess quite a few of the twists because they’re set up well, which doesn’t make the reveals any less satisfying tho in my opinion). so this is all gonna be very abstract and vague. sorry about that </3 idk if you’ve read c. s. pacat before, and while i’d say dark rise reminds of the other stuff she has published, it still manages to be quite different. just to have it mentioned from the start: we know she really likes to explore power dynamics, especially ones that are quite unbalanced in one way or another, and i think dark rise taps into that too, even though to a much lesser degree. so depending on how you feel about that, you’ll read this novel differently.

i think an aspect that’s most central to the story is the idea of fate and how an individual’s agency plays into it. is there something like fate making us into who we are? are we destined to turn out a certain way, a certain kind of person? is there free will to fight again what or who you’re supposed to be or do you play into the hands of fate by defying an ending that seems to be predestined? and i think the story isn’t only concerned with the concept of self-agency but also responsibility. how do you navigate your relationship with yourself and with others in moments when you’re seemingly forced into certain roles? what do you owe the people around you and what do they owe to you? how do you avoid dynamics and patterns and how responsible are the people involved for perpetuating or changing them. and there is also an emphasis on how our relationships, the love we have for other people, additionally influences all of this! this might all have already clued you into the fact that there are basically no straight forward answers to these questions. and i know we keep going on about morally grey stories etc. on this website that sometimes aren’t really morally grey, and in this case i’d say (give that this is a ya title, leaning (new) adult) it does actually engage with moral ambiguity and grey morality. also please keep in mind i only read book one so far, but i could see some corruption arcs happening (give the right circumstances). and ofc in true c. s. pacat fashion the interpersonal relationships do explore loyalty, devotion, seeing people at their worst and still choosing them, the building and breaking of trust, complex parent child relationships, trauma and how it influences your life, etc. there is a “chosen one” element to it, but i think it’s handled well and in an interesting way that truly allows for some interesting conflicts to arise later in the story.

it’s by no means a perfect book, and there are some things i would have tweaked or adjusted, but it’s some of the best ya fantasy i read in a while. it doesn’t shy away from leaning into some more uncomfortable things and it doesn’t try to baby the readers. it’s giving them space to think for themselves, i’d say.

[inconspicious-random-thoughts]

First of all, thanks for responding to my first theory question. Now for my second theory question. Do you think Angel Dust won't be able to ascend to Heaven as long as Valentino owns his soul, even if he manages to redeem himself? It would give the Hotel a personal reason to oppose him and the Vees, and a major part of the conflict in S2 would be finding a loophole in the deal to break his hold on Angel for good. Or maybe the only way to end the deal would be to kill Val since he's the one who the contract is bound to and he's obviously not going to let his "favorite toy" go to Heaven and live free of him.

No problem. Thanks for asking. Its delightful that someone comes to pick my brain on this for whatever reason.

The thought had floating around in my mind. If contracted souls are forever tethered to their contractor until they are let go or death. etc.

As of now, we only seen 1 soul redeemed, Sir Pentious. Who died in battle then showed up in heaven. So with the little information we have atm...yes. Angel can go to Heaven even if he contracted. I only going by with these assumptions: Contracted is terminated by the death of either parties of the contract. Sort of like a marriage "Til death do us part". If they died with enough redeemability to get to Heaven upon death, the contractee is free from the contractor as the soul is "reborn" in a sense. Since being redeemed was such a far fetch improbity when contracts are being made, I highly doubt there's any clauses of that would pertain owning souls after death and rebirth.

That's my assumption and guessing.

The real question and more interesting prospect is can a soul be redeemed AND sent to Heaven without dying again for it to happen. Like, bam they get to see the light shining down them like a spotlight from Heaven and pull them upwards like a cow being abducted by aliens.

I very interested in this prospect and that would being contracts a lot more complicated. I think in Angel case, he be fine because as we been told, Val only owns Angel soul while in the studio. Which is why he so pissed that Angel moved out. It cut out his ability to completely control Angel. I find that contract odd. Im sure Val worded it to better convince it to Angel to sign then manipulated him to live at the studio. But now that Angel moved out...like why keep working for him? Why not just keep the hell away from the studio? My guess, Val was afraid of this loophole and had clauses that Angle must work X amount of hours per week.

I imagine most soul contracts are full time and not part time like Angels so its interesting how it would really work if a contracted soul try to be redeemed without taking the risk of death. It probably be something cheesy like no one can truly own a soul or the overlord powers can extend pass Hell, so if the redeem soul in Heaven realm, the contractor has no power over them anymore. So in short, final answer, souls can be redeemed regardless.

Maybe there be a whole arc of deconstruction of overlords if there time in the series. Which of course, the overlords will dislike.

The whole lost of contracted souls wouldn't be simply a loss of power but it a real dire life and death situation to the overlords. Not only would they a bulk of their power. Also they probably fulfilled there end of the deal only to not keep the compensation of the person soul? But with the loss of power, they lost their employees/slaves/soldiers etc etc that was obligated to protect them. The overlords, while still powerful, would be targeted and their own power can only hold up against onslaught of masses for so long. Contracted should they once trusted/forced to protect them now have knowledge they are not obligated to keep about the overlords and may turn against them. Overlords would topple quicker then when Alastor made a splash in Hell.

The Hazbin and Helluvah (I like but I greatly enjoy Hazbin more) universe can have so many interesting arcs but I the creators only have so much time to work with. As much as I love Hazbin, I don't think it be given many seasons. They are not given information how many season they will get. So they are restricted to not overachieving a grand plot. I pretty damn sure Roo the big bad but if its only given two seasons we may never see the grand corrupted scheme. The more then likely limited show time, we may never see Lucifer finally stepping in as an active king, and possibly reconstruction of Hell power structure of the overlords and their contracts.

Well, those are my ideas and guesses without mulling too deeply on it.

[componentcables]

Alright, wake up Honey. Time for my 10pm Rant about Splatoon Side Order Theory

Thank you for coming to my Impromptu TED Talk.

I want to see Side Order live up to Octo Expansion. O.E did some amazing things with the story and lore of Pearl & Marina and it would be a crying shame for them to shoot themselves in their foot by making Marina the main villain or god forbid force her into the role with Mind Control or bringing back an older already used vilian like Tartar or something. Marina is shown to be incredibly smart, especially with technology, so it would be hard to believe that she was used by someone else. And I'd hate to see any form of Hypnosis being used.. Since it just robs her character of importance and just makes her a 'reward' sort of like Callie from splatoon 2s story mode.

Side Note: For Splat2s base storymode, It would have been interesting to hear the two parts of the squid sisters have some sort of dialogue in that story. It's obvious that Marie cares about Callie to go to these lengths, but outside of some sparse moments in a handful of levels, we never see it in game outside of the final fight. It would have been interesting to have Callie be a much more present threat to the player in maybe the boss battles or something. It would've been really cool to maybe have her talking to Agent 4 throughout the final few levels to intimidate them and Marie would have some sort of reaction to it.

Honestly would hurt to see Marina be relegated to a 'damsel in distress' when it comes to Side Order. She deserves the agency and there's CLEARLY some theme going on with Marina in the tower itself. With the various imagery of Memcakes (the collectable from OE) being either made or packaged to go somewhere, and the fact that there's various bits of memories from Marina like the baby mobile, Children's toys like Wooden blocks, and specifically pink pianos being held in stasis or again, being transported somewhere.

Personally, I don't want there to be any big villain or world ending threat.

Here comes the big theory:I think it would be more interesting for the plot-point of her(Marina) choosing to stay in the Spire due to Sunk Coat Fallacy.

To me, it fits character more to be wrapped up in her managing and repairing the Spire to where she might as well be trapped in an endless flow of Micromanaging the well oiled machine she made. Rather than her being Trapped at the top of the place she might as well have built with her own two hands. Genuinely I think it would be an amazing idea for the main conflict being Pearl, Agent 8 and Acht be the ones to physically go over to Marina sort of like an Intervention. At least Pearl would understand that Marina didn't mean to hurt anybody, but their main concern would be her own physical and mental health since she's.. More or less walled off everything that isn't her work for the sake of keeping things running smoothly if at all. It would be hard to justify abandoning a project that you either put years of planning into(like the few years between splat 2 ending and… We'll, now) or something that Just ballooned so much in scope that it literally needs the constant maintenance and checkups for it to not collapse on itself.

She's probably spent a shit load of time and resources on something she clearly cares about for one reason or another (hopefully to help others). To actually guess as to what exactly the Spire does would be foolish since its less than a week away.

We even see the spire itself show signs of damage in that new trailer so there's probable chance that something unintended is happening if that wasn't obvious from how… Literally everything around it is dead and bleached sand and coral.

My reasoning is that Marina had some… Genuine concerns about the world falling into chaos in splat 2. She felt rightfully scared that she'd never see Pearl again if there wasn't some sort of order with the world. So thats my best guess.

But I know this.. Well, won't happen due to how the main Side Order Trailer starts with the player character of Splat 3 falling asleep On a train. And the fact that the description of the DLC describes it as a 'What If' scenario if Order one the Final Fest. So I'm fully expecting things to be as non-cannon as can be if I'm lucky.

Side Topic Act II:I don't want the reward to be another playable species.. Since the main draw of Octo expansion Was the octolings, a feature people wanted since the beginning.. It would Really suck for there to be something like 'Salmon-lings' since the Salmon in game have a… Shit ton of lore dedicated to then as an entirely different society with unique well, everything. So to go back on that design for a basic looking humanoid salmon.. Thing, would again.. Be shooting themselves in the foot. I think the big reward other than Inkopolis Square, would be the various weapon skins. It looks like every main weapon in the game, or at least slot of them, have some sort of Prototype version that's used in the Spire simulations. And I'd imagine that beating the Spire with that weapon, unlocks that skin for multi-player use. Not as a separate weapon, but as a literal togglable thing for the weapon you already have. It would be that extra bit of motivation to play with the weapon you enjoy to get a unique variant of it or something. That, and the option to tint your fingers and tentacles. Since Color is another big theme with Side Order. And it's another thing people have been wanting since the 2nd game.