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#and just how weird the real world already is
yumeka-sxf · 3 days
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Thoughts on Spy x Family: Family Portrait
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I finally got around to reading the SxF light novel, Family Portrait...and I mean "finally" because it's literally been sitting in my shelf since it was first released in English back in December of last year! I was distracted by Code White and the SxF video game which came out around the same time, but even long after that, I was having trouble getting motivated to read it. For some reason, experiencing SxF in novel format instead of in anime/manga just didn't appeal to me, plus the fact that it's not written by Endo himself (these weird preferences of mine are also why I'm not into reading fanfics either). Don't get me wrong, in general I love reading stories in prose form too, but for a series like SxF that already has such an established visual identity, it doesn't feel as "authentic" to me if that makes any sense. But I did want to read it eventually, since it is an official part of SxF media and Endo did the illustrations and does acknowledge the book (he wrote a nice afterword at the end). So I finally sat down and read it in sections over the course of this week! I'll share my brief thoughts on each of the contained stories:
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Novel Mission 1
Since this was the first story in the book, it took me a while to get used to experiencing the world of SxF in novel form. There were some things I felt would have been better conveyed in anime/manga, for example, one of the very first gags about Yor misinterpreting Anya's nature class as some sort of hardcore outdoor survival trip. As I was reading that part I was like "I get the joke, but it would have been funnier if I actually saw these images and the characters' expressions with Endo's comedic illustrations." It was also a bit jarring to hear the characters thoughts and feelings from third-person narration, but I got used to it. As for the story itself, it was Damianya focused, something I'm not particularly into, but I don't mind it either. I liked the rare, soft Damian moments, and the thing with the squirrel eating Anya's peanut trail was funny. I also liked the scene at the beginning where Loid and Yor feed Bond together while Anya watches.
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Novel Mission 2
Oddly, this was my favorite of the stories! Of all the characters, I think the author nailed Yuri's unhinged thoughts the best - as I was reading, I couldn't help but hear every cringe thought in his voice, which is a good sign of how well the author gets the character! I actually chuckled at a few parts too, both from his insane Yor-obsessed and anti-Loid musings, as well as from his banter with Anya. The police interrogation scene was great and would be even better if it ever gets animated! I also found it interesting that this story has the first instance where we find out what Yuri thinks about Bond (that he's fat and useless - rude!) Also his first time hearing about Franky apparently...makes we wonder if Endo will make him feel the same way if these things ever come up in the manga.
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Novel Mission 3
I liked this story a lot too! I think it worked the best in novel format out of all of them, probably because it was more focused on drama and emotions than comedy. It's ironic that the two official SxF stories that feature the deeper side of Franky's character - this one and the omake chapter from volume 13 - are both not even part of the main canon! Alessa would have definitely accepted Franky's job as an informant, but he felt that someone like her should only be surrounded by "beautiful things." The poor man really needs to see that inner beauty matters too, and he has that! I also think he should have swallowed his pride and told Loid the real reason why he wanted the disguise...not that it would have changed the outcome. Poor Franky.
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Novel Mission 4
This was a cute Forger-focused story, but like the first one, I felt it had parts that would have been more effective in anime/manga form, for example, "hair monster" Yor and whatever hideous painting Felix ended up making! But despite that, it was still funny and cute. Though I do think the author went a tad overboard with Yor's flustered antics...they just kept going and going, lol. Also, like the movie, we have another scenario of Loid getting flung into the air by Yor but landing gracefully on his feet (though this instance was much tamer since she wasn't drunk and only pushed him instead of hit him). Again, maybe I would have appreciated the humor in this story better if I saw it in anime/manga with Endo's hilarious designs and expressions, but for what it was, it was enjoyable enough.
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Short Novel
This extra short story would be perfect as a reintroduction story for a future anime season...maybe one day!
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Overall, the Family Portrait novel is a nice addition to the Spy x Family universe. Even though I feel the humor in the series is most effective in illustrated form, it's still nice to have more stories in the canon, especially ones that show new sides to the characters, like the Franky and Yuri stories. Like the movie, it's debatable if this novel should be considered true canon or not, but personally, I don't find anything in it that contradicts canon, at least not yet. So yeah, definitely check out the novel if you haven't already! 😁
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infernalurge · 2 days
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The Astral Prism Isn't Grindr!- Why the Emperor didn't catfish you.🦑
Very long, rambling post I wrote while manic at 4 am. Enjoy!
I feel like the worst thing you can actually say about Emp in regards to his actions towards the player is that he lies by omission. But even then, to consider it lying you basically have to work from the perspective that you as a player, person, character or whatever, are entitled to know everything about someone you just met, who might have some very good reasons for not wanting to reveal certain things
He didn't "catfish" you the prism isn't grindr lmao?! And the game/companions/etc repeat to you over and over that the Dream Visitor is some kind of manufactured vision. You all have one and it's specific to your individual minds. He wasn't exactly doing some deepcover shit with a fake backstory to get your cryptowallet information or whatever real-life equivalence you keep trying to make. As if you run into alien squid monsters every day or something!
It's doubly bizarre because there is an extremely popular companion character whose entire arc is ACTUALLY lying to you about who they are, only admitting it when you catch them attacking you in your sleep, and then goes on to try to ACTUALLY manipulate you with sex and intimacy while at that point, not actually feeling it. This is the most popular character in the fandom btw- Astarion.
Emperor's morality is held up to a ridiculous standard. Not even the companions are held to that level- not even close!
A better equivalence to his situation than "catfishing" (a term completely exclusive to our world) would be if a sentient, alien creature was stranded on our planet and had to use a disguise to y'know....not be shot at and killed by confused humans? Why the heck would your brain first jump to catfishing? Girl if you approached your DG as a tindr date that's on you! Lliterally the only prompt the game gives you before creating them is "you need a guardian" (At least currently that's how it works, after official release.)
if you met a kind of weird guy and fell for him and he then revealed he's actually a sentient squid monster, I don't think your first response would be "OMG YOU CATFISHED ME?" I'm pretty sure it would be "HOLY FUCK A SQUID MONSTER!" because it would be very obvious and apparent (by virtue of them being a squid monster) that the intent was not to "catfish" you, but to survive a world that would be actively hostile towards him, on sight.
We accept this type of "ambiguous morality for the sake of survival" from characters like Astarion who are traditionally attractive, but we don't accept it from a being whose very appearance, forces them into that position of moral ambiguity. Emperor is not afforded the same privilege of even being able to consider full honesty, because just one look at him could make someone hysterical. Hiding himself from you is not an active choice he's able to make, anymore than a turtle can choose to break open it's shell- it will die.
Even if YOU wouldn't kill him, what about companions like Lae'zal, who are already suspicious of him and will definitely cut him down at that point? Even if you think that would be a good thing, you would then lose your protection from the tadpole/the Absolute. The game basically wouldn't exist without the Prism.
Let's also not use "well Astarion is traumatized" as an excuse here. Emperor is pretty obviously traumatized as well, in addition to being a brain-eating squid monster and having to manage that part of his nature, the way Astarion has to handle his. Yet he's still more up front than Astarion was. Astarion can accidentally kill you while drinking from you and he still doesn't reveal who he is to the others, AND pretends he doesn't know what happened to you lol.
Note my point here isn't "Astarion bad" but simply that if you have room in your heart to sympathize with characters like Astarion, then there's no reason you can't squeeze my man Emp in there too. He doesn't do anything significantly worse than any of the other main characters but is the most hated, and it's literally because of this ridiculous perception of him "catifshing" the player. The most media illiterate take I have ever seen in my life, honestly
Like first off, he's a squid, and secondly! ☝️ Read all that again.
tl;dr if you feel "cafished" by the Emperor you simply weren't paying attention for more than half the game. Fantasy might not be for you if you can't remove the plot from real life circumstances and turn complex fantasy monsters into human romance scammers, as if they're actually alike in any meaningful way.
Read more books maybe. That might help.
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ohisms · 1 day
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↪ ᵀᴴᴱ 𝑀𝐼𝐶𝐾 , ꮲꭲ 2 . (  a  series  of  sentence  starters  from  season  1  of fox's sitcom ,  “ the mick ” adjust phrasing as necessary . )
damn , [ name ] , how many cars can one person crash ?
i can't help it — when i'm behind the wheel , i'm a slave to the power of the machine .
other people worked very hard to buy those cars , and now they're mine .
why you gotta put me in a cage ?
i'm not a rat , okay ?
shut up , you don't know what you're talking about .
i am NOT joking , i don't wanna do this .
guys , we don't snitch . that's it , end of story .
will you listen to yourself ?? "jUsT tElL tHe tRuTh"
[ name ] , you snitch you die !
pretty sure that was already there when i walked up .
how is this good news ?
everyone's gonna call me a traitor , like you .
don't worry about it , it was worth it .
what are you doing tomorrow night ?
just say the words , and it can be yours .
oh , it's like that , huh ? fine .
what was that ? i can't hear you ... you can't breathe ?
you better figure something out , 'cause if you don't — i'll have to go public with this .
that's called extortion , stupid !
those guys are just covering their own asses , they don't even like you .
as easily as i can save you in this world , i can destroy you .
if anybody messes with you , let us know - okay ?
with a dong like that , you'd think he'd be happier .
do i look like i'm playing , [ last name ] ?
oh , your breath reeks of booze .
i hope you have a plan .
i was up all night watching prep school movies in preparation .
there are some real evil illuminati-type vibes in here , right ?
there was a time i could see , and i have seen .
oh , i'm just getting warmed up .
we are but food for worms , gentlemen .
whose burrito did i just step in ?
get out of here , the tv's mine .
what did you do to my shirt ??
how would you feel if i ran around stealing your clothes ?
we had to kill him cause he wasn't a team player .
no more special treatment for you .
i grew up in squalor , i am perfectly comfortable in it .
[ name ] , don't you dare !
didn't know you were gonna be so weird about it .
if you decide that you don't want me around , just tell me and i will go .
you're not the only game in town , buddy , okay ?
you don't know who i hang out with .
jealousy is the reason people hate us .
you don't have to worry about labels , just like who you like .
i hope this is some sort of emergency .
you kept me waiting , so i'm gonna get right to it .
don't make this your thing , this is [ name's ] thing .
suing is how rich white people solve their problems .
i wanted to sing and show you there's nothing to be afraid of .
i'm so nervous for you ... i want to throw up and run away .
you could have me escorted out , but you have no security .
ooh , dark scary room ! you know what they call that in prison ? they call that a blind spot . great place to catch a shiv .
what kind of operation are you running here ?
you didn't do anything wrong . i was the problem , not you .
where i'm from , the guest gets the good seat .
i drink , smoke , lie , steal ... i'm drunk right now .
i will ruin him . please don't let me do that .
i'm not the one doing whatever you guys are doing ... what are you doing ?
i'm not judging , at least he's a hot mess .
it's the wolf's job to eat the sheep , so y'know ... this was bound to happen .
i will RUIN you when we get home .
i'll give it back to you in a minute , you're gonna get it back .
the suit you destroyed cost a grand !
come on , [ name ] . i'll help you get settled .
he can't know it was my idea .
she made her mean bed and she can sleep in those scratchy sheets .
woah , tough day at the office ?
what the hell did you just say to me ?
you are right ... no matter what you say about anything .
we do this all the time , but usually there's some art to it .
this is not nearly as fun as i thought it was gonna be .
you're letting a bunch of nerds pick on you with their computers ?
why don't you just systematically destroy her ?
i can see where this is headed , so i'm just gonna hit the road .
she ripped me open , stuffed me full of devastation and then sewed me back up again .
leave me alone , this is all your fault .
why are they yelling ? are they angry cause they're bad musicians ?
i will never understand your generation .
let me have it . how bad is it ?
do you have any idea what i saw in there ?
you should come and check out what's going on outside , cause i think you'll be pleasantly surprised .
i just want us to be friends again .
it would be such a silly waste of time for someone like me to be mad at someone as insignificant as you .
the truth is , i pity you .
when the universe gives you a sign , it's not up to you to ignore it .
[ name ] gave it to me . it means i'm in charge .
i'm not comfortable with the whole arrangement . where's [ name ] ?
this is outrageous ! i'm getting passed over again ?
i don't have a problem , i'm just blowing off some steam .
you wanna get in on this ?
you deserve to take a time out as much as anybody else .
sorry , i didn't realize you were the fun police .
having money has reaaally changed you .
i've lost control ?! oh no , you dumb , dumb idiot . YOU'VE lost control .
that's a gross overreaction .
i will show myself the door in a ... graceful and classy manner .
thanks for sticking around .
look , i realize i did some questionable things in there .
i just felt like the universe was giving me a sign .
i'm the only one worthy of its power !
keep it in your pants and follow my lead .
it's no offense , i just don't know you very well .
let's go over this one more time , just so we're clear .
we've already been over the terms .
what's in it for you ?
i like the element of surprise .
wasn't expecting that . are you okay ?
i saw a burglar , i didn't know what to do ... so i SMOKED his ass !
you SHOT me ! what the hell's the matter with you ?
that gunpowder's like a hundred years old , it probably just broke the skin .
what about the police ? they're expecting a gunshot victim .
guys , we've gotta move this along , okay ?
you got it , i'll get you a pillow .
you're lucky no one was killed .
here's the thing about the bordeaux ... i drank it .
i'm so sorry that you had to keep our mansion warm .
how do you think the police found them ?
if you're done criticizing me , i think i'll head on up to bed .
you want me to do the jobs no one else wants ?
can we pick this up tomorrow ? i was shot , so ... i'm very tired .
it has nothing to do with that . okay ? now please leave .
i wanted to thank you for having my back earlier .
that had nothing to do with you . i was just trying to hurt them .
it's chloroform . i found a recipe online .
[ name ] , don't come at me with that .
i was gonna do whatever it takes . i'm not a quitter.
i wanna tell you , i really do . but first there's something i need .
oh my god , you're bailing again .
innocent people don't sneak in and out of their own home .
'cause i don't like you , that's why .
i'd rather get mowed down in a hellfire of bullets than listen to you screech .
you don't have to lie . i heard you guys .
how was i supposed to know you were gonna hug me ? i didn't even know you knew how to hug .
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hysteriaww · 2 days
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Hi ! It's going to sound weird but....
How do you think Kai would have influenced Luke's personality if Luke actually won during the merge ?
I know Kai was stronger, but let's say Luke wins.
He was already pretty strong since he was able to break Liv out of the spell she was trying to do. He was stronger than his sister. He would have won if they were to do the merge. I don't exactly remember how powerful he was but I suppose he was fairly quite good with magic.
And magical powers aside, he has quite a strong personality. He's fed up with the Mystic Falls gang bullshit. He was not even that scared of Kai. I mean, he knew his brother was a freaking threat, but he did not hesitate to go on his own and do the merge with Kai. Even when Kai didn't want to do it Luke was like "Hey bitch, you scared I could win ?"
I don't think Luke really thought he could win or maybe he did, anyway he just wanted it to end. He wanted to project his sisters.
So, with Kai's personality inside of him, what would he be like ? I think that guy would at least find a way to end that Gemini tradition crap about the merge, and the lives of the whole coven linked to the leader.
Apart from that I don't know.
That would not be as fun as seeing Kai struggle with new emotions 🤣 but I want to see Luke being even more badass you know.
Yup, really long question sorry not sorry. X)
This is a very interesting question! Tho I have wondered what Jo would be like if she merged w Kai & won, I've never wondered about Luke until now... I think it could be a very compelling arc for him & the gemini coven. Here's what I think would happen! (I wrote a whole ass mini-fanfic in my answer lmfao):
Fresh after the merge: Luke would initially act & feel almost exactly like same old Luke, except maybe he'd rightfully be a bit more grim, traumatized and world-weary after defeating Kai. Liv & Jo would be concerned but he'd tell them not to worry bc he just needs some time to recover & leading the coven rn is more important than his mental health anyway (aka the FIRST Red Flag). Liv & Jo would disagree but let it go for now to avoid stressing him out.
First few months as leader: I think Luke's first order of business would be to undo the damage Joshua did as a terrible coven leader. That might mean overturning fucked up coven laws, etc. but Joshua doesn't like this, so he gets his supporters in the coven to back him & veto Luke's changes. Meanwhile, Luke's own coven support is growing bc I do believe he'd be a MUCH better leader than Joshua, so old man's resentment grows more. Eventually, it reaches a point where Luke feels boxed in like he can't make any real GOOD change bc of Joshua's puppets & THAT is when... the whispers of Kai's voice begin to awaken in Luke's mind. Uh-oh...
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Conflict resolution 101: The part of Luke that's in control tries to be diplomatic about getting rid of Joshua's supporters but it just. doesn't. work. The assholes are FLUENT in gemini bureaucracy bc they've been around longer so they outmaneuver Luke constantly. That's when Kai begins suggesting some... less diplomatic solutions, including the idea that Joshua's supporters wouldn't be such a problem if JOSHUA was gone. Luke spends a long time rejecting this & literally warring with himself, so Liv & Jo are like "dude are u ok" and in a moment of weakness he admits his idea about taking joshua out. They're shocked, but after a sec, they're like "wait this is the same man who tried to off his own kids more than once. Uk what? yes lets do it." And suddenly all 3 (ahem, 4) Parker kids are plotting to put dad in a magical coma (hmm does that sound familiar? I wonder which sibling's idea this was...) so he can't influence his supporters anymore. And the siblings succeed! Joshua's out! but it becomes their lil secret, hidden from the coven...
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A Good Ol' Frame Job: Lo and behold, Joshua's supporters still stay loyal to the man in a coma instead of Luke! Liv & Jo are like "it's fine luke, dad isn't gonna wake up so eventually they'll have no choice but to listen to you" but KAI isn't convinced... and neither is Luke. Diplomacy didn't work, sleeping beauty-ing joshua didn't work, so now he needs to play dirty. He doesn't jump to violence or anything - he simply frames a few of them for crimes they didn't commit. Snakey, but simple. Only problem is... Luke can't recall if this idea was his own, or Kai's...... bc they're both equally likely to have thought of it. Kai's influence is growing... So when Jo & Liv come to him like "wow crazy how those supporters got revealed as criminals right? That worked out conveniently," Luke goes w the safest option & says "haaa yea what a coincidence! no idea how that happened" ......and now he's lying to his sisters (Big Red Flag #2)
Calm before the storm: Now that joshua's remaining supporters (who haven't been framed) are very few, Luke doesn't face much resistance anymore & he actually succeeds at reforming a lot of fucked up gemini practices & making positive change. Maybe he even succeeds at eliminating the merge altogether! Luke's flying high, believing he's a true protector of the geminis & the best leader and savior (which, to be fair, he rly is better than the shitty leaders before him)! Kai's influence here is very sneaky bc some of Luke's old sense of humor comes back to him, with some new hints of cockiness that weren't there before. Luke's golden boy charm & Kai's cockiness creates the perfect politician cocktail & liv and jo appreciate the good he's done for geminis but also lowkey resent the big-headed self-important persona he's growing.
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But THEN there's trouble in paradise: joshua's leftover supporters find a piece of evidence that proves Luke framed the others & they threaten Luke w it, deducing that he also had smthg to do w Joshua's coma. They order him to step down but he can't do that. Not now, when he's finally *this* close to changing the coven for good! These pricks will wake joshua & bring the old laws back! No, he can't let that happen, he can't let it- ....Luke snaps. He blacks out, then wakes up in horror to realize he violently killed. them. all. He panics, calling Jo & Liv for help BUT to cover his ass, he lies & says he had to kill them bc they found out about "all 3 of them" cursing Joshua... while choosing not to mention how they also discovered his frame jobs. Liv & Jo are horrified yet they help him cover this up bc he's falsely led them to believe their asses are also on the line for cursing joshua... but then Jo notices some of them were killed in very "Kai" ways (bled to death from their spleens getting cut out, etc.) & Liv finds the piece of evidence they had that links Luke to the frame jobs...... the 2 of them realize Luke is not in control anymore.
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The Climax: Liv & Jo confront Luke, asking him to step down but warning him that they'll MAKE him if he doesn't agree. He doesn't agree. A fight ensues & Luke is pretty OP despite the 2 v. 1. Luke gets *this* close to killing them (while Kai cheers him on), but then says SIKE and kills JOSHUA's comatose body instead, shocking everyone. Jo, Liv AND Kai are like "wha- why?!" & Luke the politician diabolically reveals that he can't bring himself to kill them - but he can frame them for Joshua's death & turn the coven against them.... OR he can frame the dead supporters for Joshua's death & save his sisters, IF Liv & Jo stay loyal to his cause. At this ultimatum, Jo & Liv finally give up, saying they'd rather get framed or killed than let him rule the coven like this. The Kai in Luke gets triggered by their abandonment bc he's a gOoD LEADER can't u SEE?! Kai's increased presence & Luke's increased lack of control make his SIPHONING manifest for the first time & he unintentionally starts siphoning the sisters. And Luke gets triggered by them trying to overthrow him bc he's the OnLy one who can PROTECT the coven!! Just like he protected Jo & Liv from Kai!! At this point the sisters' resentment RLY comes out like "WE DIDNT ASK YOU TO!! YOU chose to merge to protect us WITHOUT ASKING what WE wanted!! U literally knocked out Jo when she was ABOUT to merge! You protected us bc that's what U wanted, not US. And now the coven doesn't need to be protected BY you anymore, it needs to be protected FROM you!!" Like a bucket of ice water, Luke realizes he's siphoning his sisters rn. He has become Kai. They're right. He is not in control anymore. He steps away & realizes the whole coven itself is broken. The best way to save it is to take the ruling family nonsense out of it & free everyone. He agrees to step down & Jo & Liv help him break the coven link altogether and they free the coven! For a moment, it seems like Kai is going to stop them, but then even the Kai in his mind realizes the coven fucked him over his whole life & he'd much rather see it gone. So all 4 kids unite in Sibling Solidarity and liberate the coven!
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Epilogue: Luke gets therapy & that means Kai begrudgingly gets it too bc he's stuck in luke's head. They both start healing & finding a medium ground of how to share space in luke's head. Kai even uses Luke to apologize to Liv & Jo for his own crimes. I'd like to think he'd even get Luke to go to Bonnie and apologize on his behalf & maybe help her out whenever he can, tho i don't think it would be sexual, bc in canon the merge didn't change kai's sexuality so i doubt it would change luke's. But yea I think bonnie would still at least have a new ally in luke thanks to the Kai in him xD
THE END lol I hope my impromptu mini-fanfic here answered your question ahaahaha thank you for asking!!!
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zhvakinnn · 2 days
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Hello! May I be ⚡ an)on? If that's ok? Anyways! Wondering if I could request a tyler x reader where they thought reader couldn't go to the phantom world but one day while they are there, they are running from a group of Phantoms before a flash bang goes off and reveals reader, holding a machete, and a huge light that was keeping the Phantoms away? You may edit it as you wish! Just keep the basic plot pls! -⚡anon
I was thinking about they flash the light at reader, I don't understand the basic plot but i goggle it (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)
I'm choosing if i should choose the
while 'you' were running
Or
While' i' was running
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Warnings: none ig?
Character: Tyler
G/N reader
Relationship
✨as always i don't know much English so if something is wrong correct me✨
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Let's start on how you went to Savannah
You didn't know why you went to Savannah you didn't even have friends but your parents insist you on going there to make friends
But instead of making friends you look like a lost cat
You wonder around the place then you saw a mansion you went close to it trying to peak but ran away when you heard a rattling sound
You panted as you ran when you look back you froze for a moment you scared of the sight, while you stare at it, it suddenly came running towards you, you shriek while holding your arm up in defense
You fell down when you felt it scratch you
That's when a woman came running towards you
"hey! Are you okay?!" A brown haired woman with yellow shirt came running towards you
You look up from her then your arm, you were shock 'i swear i felt it scratch' then you look around but nothing was there it was just you and your embarrassment
Screaming without anyone harming you is kind of embarrassing
You stand up but the woman help you
"yes I'm fine sorry, i just saw snake came but i guess it disappear?" You lied because you always saw in movies they don't believe ghost or monster ti'll they see it in their naked eye she nodded believing it
"hey? Do you have anyone with? Like a friend?.. sorry to say this but ever since you walk out of the bus you look like a loner" you were offended but she's telling the truth anyway
"well yeah I was just force to be here, no friends" you said smiling softly while scratching your nape
You were shock when a hand was Infront of you "well then i will be honored to be your first friend, im Taylor Hernandez, im on the mechanic club" she smiled brightly at you
"oh, well hi Taylor im (name) , and glad to be you're friend" you smiled back as you were about to shake hands a group came running
"hey Taylor everything ok?" "Yeah just them seeing a snake" Taylor and.. tyler the baseball player that you're inlove with
"(name)" you can't help staring at him his so beautiful "(name)?" His brown eyes "(name)!"
You jump all the sudden only for Taylor apologize "oh no need to apologize, sorry i zone out, what are you saying again?"
"oh just introducing them let's start again this is Logan fields the genius of our group friend" she said pointing at the blonde boy with glasses
"and that is Aiden the uh? Hmm the insane one of our group" he yelled a 'hey' making everyone giggle
"and that is Ben the tall one of our friend, Aiden and him are cousins" Ben waved at you and you wave back
"and that is Ashlyn the quite one sorry not sorry" she shrugged it off and just said hi raising her hand
"and last this is-" "oh yeah i remember him being in the baseball club right?" She nodded and telling you their twins
"so that's why you two look alike"
-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-✧-
When on that night you were in a different room all by yourself when you heard a banging you woke up the sky is red you looked out of the window seeing there's already the black monster it bang its head on the window and you search the room you were shock when you saw a machete
'weird but okay?!'
You swing it in its head and they died
You ran into the bathroom wishing this wasn't real you remember you have your phone on the bed
You cursed why didn't you didn't think to get it first
You open the door looking if there is anyone you quickly snatch your phone and went back in the bathroom you tried calling someone but there are no service
'of course there isn't, am i now in the horror movie ' you thought as you look at the time 12:00 for you it was passed by minutes now yet the clock was still 12:00
This made you cry with fear you tried calling for someone out and you just noticed you have a bleeding arm, you remember that from earlier you look for a wrapping bandaid
Once you find on you wrap it
'i knew it i was scratch!'
That's when you felt your body being pulled
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You woke up gasping, you look out of the window and regretting it when a bright light came to your face you closed it immediately
They're are many thoughts on your mind but glad that it was a dream, while thinking that you felt something coming out of your throat
After all that vomiting you still felt sick
You kept vomiting then vomiting so you went home, you ask your teacher permission and he agree
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Present time
By the time you made friends with the six but you came more close to Barron
He was sweet and caring and he asked if you could help him do his assignments and you agree only regretting it
"hey Barron i thought im gonna help you but instead you kept playing baseball" you said looking frustrated and scared at the same time
"oh sorry but can you do my assignment i never had baseball before cause my mom always wanted me to study" he looks at you smiling, you only nodded and went to do his assignment and he added his friends assignments too
But day after day he started to get violent kicking you, Punching your gut, beating you up
You didn't dare to confront him you were to scared of him
.
You were at the arcade like Barron said you were meeting up there
"hey (name)! It's nice to see you again after weeks, how come i don't see you around" you saw Taylor and his twin Tyler i mean
You were about to speak up but Barron already pulled you away making tyler glare at him
"heyy (name) who's you're friends" Barron glared back
Then you notice Logan looking worried at you and mouthing 'are you okay?'
"oh i.. i i just met them on the camping, its nice seeing you again you wave goodbye as Barron lay an arm around you
"they're not okay" Logan said looking at everyone then you
Ben might not know you but he was mad whenever he saw someone encounter with Barron
But when they got there you were no where to be seen
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They were now in the phantom realm Logan was at the top of the wall looking out
Ashlyn suddenly said "hey Logan how many phantom are there they kept getting louder"
When Logan looked with his sniper he can see a group of phantom chasing someone
"there's someone there running!" "Someone? Quick put the light on the direction it might be another person!" Ashlyn said as they all climb up because of curiosity but Ashlyn went out to grab you
When Logan put the light he can see a person when all the phantom became a slime you look at the light seeing someone you were happy that you're not alone anymore
Then you felt a hand grab you and ran towards the wall
Once you got inside the wall you Taylor and ben and Logan, Ashlyn and....tyler
'stop with your thoughts (name) its not healthy
.
"how did you get here, how long have you been here, when did you get here"
"calm down Taylor don't ask them many questions" Tyler said as he look at you then looked away
"I got here ever since the field trip then I had a dream well... Now I know it's not a dream then woke up vomiting and this been happening for a few weeks now "
They also explain that's what happened to them
"okay okay now thats done what the hell does Barron have to do to you?" Tyler said changing the topic you let out a small 'oh' before being silent
Logan sigh and look at you "Barron also force me to do his homework and violently beat me up" when you heard that from him you started to open up to them
"just letting you know if Barron came to you again I'll beat the shit out of him" you started to feel the warmth of your cheeks when you heard what tyler said
Who would've thought you would fall for him even though he doesn't know you
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"woah you use machete" Aiden said with a big grin on his face
"well yeah i found this on the room where we slept while having the field trip, weird they have this things"
Ben tapped you then showing you a board "hey (name) question how did you survive these weeks?! I mean you didn't have any light"
"oh! Well we have a Bunker and I hid there with these torche but when im running out of food i decided to run in a market nearby but none was there only finding those creatures and your light lead me here" you explain to them
"but did you know in the human realm you can put anything, anywhere and it will be on the phantom realm like those lights, before we don't have those but them we figured out we can transfer anything in the phantom realm by being in the human realm" you only nodded but still couldn't catch up to what his saying but you get what he was saying
"okay okay how about we get some rest for now, and here eat you said you ran out earlier you must've hungry" tyler said giving you a snack
"whoa this is not like you tyler, where's a grumpy old Tyler" Tyler glared at him like there was flaming fire around him
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You all are quiet while you ate the snack you thank Tyler for it
This tiny things can make your heart jump you were inlove with him but now being this close you were every much now falling and falling inlove
-
The next day you we're getting pinned by the wall because you forgot to do his homework and so as your homework
"seriously are you really that dumb?! It was an easy task and you couldn't do it?!"
Barron kicked you gut and you fell on the ground
"if it was an easy task why can't you do it?" You heard a familiar voice you knew that voice, you love that voice
"If it isn't prince charming what your gonna save your helpless s/o" they all laugh as Barron did too you grunt in pain holding your stomach
Tyler saw you then quickly get blocked by Barron when Tyler was about to punch him a teacher appeared out of nowhere making them run
Tyler didn't care he was worried about your situation right now he asked if your okay, you nodded and look at him if you were and emoji you could've have been the emoji with heart eyes
"from now on your sticking with us, were gonna protect you from that maniac like we protected Logan from him" you smiled at him and lead you to the group
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It was months now you were officially their friends
You suddenly didn't regret going to the field trip thought you regret being in the phantom realm but you were also glad you have them
You've been hangout most of the time with the twin their mom loves your company aswell
-
"oh hey ty-ty" you said when he sat down next to you
"congrats its been months your now our officially friend" heh right friends...
You two sat there in a comfortable silent while in the background there was a chaos you laugh when Ben suddenly went flying on the spinning thingy
"hey.. i know we don't know each other much but.. nevermind"
"no go on im listening"
" we were classmate ever since grade 6 and we aren't close but ever since we became grade 8 i suddenly catch feelings for you... Even now" you were shock at his words he fell for you ever since grade 8 while you fell for him at first sight
When you were silent Tyler stand up "sorry I just ruined our friendship we just started and I already ruined it im-"
"no.. no Tyler im.. i accepted your confession though i already fall for you ever since grade 6" you grabbed his hand then he sat back again
"really?..." Another silent was made but then tyler held your hand " so does this mean we're you know... Together?" "Well i guess yes" you giggled at him
When his face started to get close you closed your eyes when your foreheads was at each other Aiden suddenly shout
"GET A ROOM"
"SHUT UP!!"
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This story doesn't make sense but I hope you liked it🙏🏻
Masterlist | about me | rules
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saltynametag · 3 months
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A fairy knocking on your door fundamentally changes our understanding of the world. It's huge. That day becomes a historical moment in this new fairy/human world. First contact. The repercussions felt for decades to come. Fairies are real. The world is irreversibly changed.
A walrus knocking on your door is an unusual circumstance. A series of unlikely (but not impossible) events. A funny story to tell at parties and an appearance on the local news. One of many "did you know" posts already circulating. The world stays the same.
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13, trying to prevent yaz from spiralling when they get separated: i need you to do a deepdive into eschatology
#fghgjhjhggh#'yea i know this sucks babe but we'll figure it out the fate of the world is on your shoulders i believe in you kisses <3'#like thats where you'll end up right#'find out when the aliens come try and take over'#eschatology and death cults and conspiracy theories probably#forced to sift through like centuries of that stuff for years on end trying to find the Real in all of it#and you cant.......stop. bc the world will end#i dont think you come out of that.................normal#even with the best starting condition you dont come out of that normal but yaz is like#functional only by virtue of her circumstances i think#she looks fine bc shes standing next to 13#i dont think shes normal under the surface#i dont think 4 years of apocalypticism left her untouched#dan either i mean i dont think anyone comes out of that untouched but these two are like barely keeping it together beforehand#can you imagine how WEIRD theyve become#can you imagine how obliviously and kind of unsettlingly weird they'd be in support groups#the others would get it like sure none of us are really normal anymore but like#i think they'd be weird#4 years of having to depend on each other and not knowing if you'll get back home and having to take The End Times seriously nonstop as a#matter of urgency and duty#and then losing the third member of your party?#dan and yaz will be so weird and fucked up#iknow im repeating myself but im just trying to put myself in the frame of mind of#having to take intepretations of the end times seriously for 4 years#when youre already like a lowkey suicidal person to begin with#i think if yaz hangs out with 14 she'll say such weird and fucked up things entirely obliviously and he'd be like O.O#she probably still has 1900 habits that show up unexpectedly#or like just miscalibrated. has to take a trip to another country and takes a train bc she forgets planes exist#has to look up somethign and just goes SIGH. gets her coat to go to the library. and ryans like ??? ive googled it#and shes like oh fuck google
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sskk-manifesto · 19 days
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#Wow. Okay ♡#I love this episode. The animation is flawless. The drawings quality is out of the world for real.#I love this episode so much I'm so grateful so much care and dedication went to this sskk centered episode.#(Refraining to talk about what 5x03 could have been)#Sorry for repeating myself but seriously the illustrations this episode are so so pretty.#I rarely appreciate how Akutagawa is drawn in the anime but when it comes with this episode I really like how he looks too.#And Atsushi that I already like a lot in the anime on average‚ this episode is just fabulous. Handsome even.#Seriously I don't know who the animators are but I want to kiss them. This art style is one I dare say I like even more than Dead Apple–#that although is obviously more detailed is just... In comparison too rough for my personal taste?#The art style for this episode is very delicate and soft and I love it tons#And the directing is just great. No weird pacing or awkward ost choice. It's neat.#The reiterated placing ss/kk on opposite sides is neat. The lightening is likeable and especially the purple scene is super pretty.#The “don't compare me to him” scene is neat. The ss/kk final scene is AMAZING. It's gorgeous and stunning and awestriking and every other–#epitome in the world. It's like the only scene I believe turned out better in the anime that it is in the manga which is saying SO MUCH.#But it's really that good!!!!! My favourite anime ss/kk scene ever.#Aaaaaahhh please let me talk about it forever it's sooo pretty and especially poignant...#The heaven-like soft yellow light and how it contrasts with the bleak stormy background. But especially their softening features...#Man that scene. okay. Akutagawa's quiet surprise!!!! That scene is. Idk. Unfortunately chapter 88 exists–#but it's nearly the most romantic thing ever.#I'll leave it at this. It's not like the bsd animation suddenly became a masterpiece and this is still an episode–#I would say I like less than my least liked k/l/k episode (Trigger animation my beloved). But in comparison with the rest of the anime–#It's really bsd anime at its peak#random rambles#Aah peoples btw I'm probably going to spam ss/kk‚‚‚‚ a lot today. Apologies in advance unfollow me now etc. etc.
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dykedvonte · 1 month
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If Ulysses has a million haters, then I'm one of them. If Ulysses has one hater, then I'm THAT ONE. If Ulysses has no haters, that means I'm dead. If the world is with Ulysses than I’m against the world.
#this is slightly joking but like also not but also like am mixed on Ulysses on many factors#infuriating because i sympathize with his pain but it’s like#he is a well written and fundamentally flawed character whose hypocrisy I found doubly in#black characters I can tell were designed by white people with a semblance of an understanding of activism and bipoc oppression#but not enough for the character to not feel like hand holding for the majority white audience#plus personal grips with the whole twisted hairs thing and reference to slave braiding patterns#Ulysses irks me as a black person on a weird personal level and I can go into debt on why him being black is a big detractor for him to me#like he continues this cycle of distancing himself from his roots before remembering over and over again through his actions#he leave so much in his wake that the courier ends up correcting or helping like in honest hearts and old world blues because he’s self#righteous in a subtle way even to himself that he believes he stand out of his one man rule when he does not play an active hand#saw a post talk about how you choose to continue moving through his story and can leave at any moment and this it is partially your fault#but what of the oath that is set before you and is forced to take that he set up#I do not have to walk it but when I do the steps are not my own but those taken for me#you have to go out of your way to change it which is not something he expects because he’s playing by a story he’s been perpetuating in his#head about you two and the effect one man has when he’s continually been that one man more so than you as many of his actions directly lead#to the one you go through also the irony in the flag he continues to bear being the real reason he has no home#like he reps it when the package is likely enclave and thus use the same symbol#also still can’t get over how anyone could have delivered the package and he tries so hard to act like it was the couriers destiny or fate#when this was the one case of chance and that once man was likely a enclave engineer and how it’s really is never one man#it the process and he’s so annoying about it like he’s a cool character but if you don’t believe in his philosophy or already went through#these ideas cause they are very common talking points in poc especially BIPOC spaces he’s just old hashings and stunted#fallout#fallout new vegas#Ulysses you upset me but I’m like I feel you could be better if you weren’t so incessant#I don’t think I ever want to make a serious post stating this about him just because I’d start yapping and it’d never get finished#ulysses fnv#fnv ulysses#lonesome road
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clowningaroundmars · 8 days
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people shipping kendrick and drake rn in the midst of this feud......... hmmmm. don't like that!
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thelostboys87 · 2 months
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my experience as an autistic writer is my silly little story honestly feels like an alternate version of this universe that i just have access to for some reason and spectate which is why it feels so real because as far as im concerned it is real what else would it feel like to have entire lives playing out inside your head? but i don’t think i can just say that to people unless they feel the same 👍
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unproduciblesmackdown · 8 months
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spinning off of "winston being fantastically (literally fantastical (literally related to fantasy)) clairvoyant (he is also figuratively clear-sighted / figuratively preternaturally perceptive just like, in the show. which is where this all comes from. plus him calling himself cassandra, always seeing the future. he really has always / continued to be thusly) and taylor literally has a broadsword" type fun and games that are very loosey goosey b/c billions aus go spinning off into their own separate dimensions super easily when billions canon is so rooted in its specific Stage Settings of modern day US law n finance battles in the office, sidewalks, and eateries:
the thought of winston & tuk and winston gets to be a fairy. jokes, please. changelings are right there with the common theory of "was this to explain disabilities & go 'something could go Wrong and the baby's not a Person and get rid of that,' unlike nowadays where people do that but go 'b/c that baby's disabled'" and also one goes Thinking Emoji about how apparently New Mothers and New Brides were susceptible along with New Borns to become swapped out with a fairy and now something's wrong with them and get rid of that. had to be about Something given that people apparently did act on changeling lore and martin luther is taking a stance like yeah another thesis, it's important to kill them And okay to kill them b/c they don't even have a soul anyways. okay thanks martin luther....meanwhile also witchcraft and getting after anybody for that too. and fairies generally as Problems, the etymology going back to [fate], the range like "ooh hehe causing funny little inconveniences just because" to more so "yeah they could cause life-threatening illness for that" and "yeah they'll just kill you"....and i think fairy/fey as respective noun/adj re: being gay is of Unknown Origin, like "gay" also is. and you never know, if being fey is like, well something's not right and it's dangerous, whether this is the inspiration....though by the time this slang starts turning up, and even in the time of prior possible origins / the roots in other usages / potential inspirations, theoretical actual fairies are surely becoming more Fanciful, this being around like, the 18th century, rather than "here's martin luther telling you to immolate! that! baby!"
but that like, you can have it all ways out here. the Always Small fairies i think being a later kind of victorian deal, rather than "fairies are shapeshifters & can become animals e.g. & May have a 'tiny little inches or millimeters high mode' but that's just a mode & the fact that generally though they just look like people, maybe with some stylistic variations and tells, means watch out" and i think wings came up ever, across yknow the various centuries and regions of folklore out here lmao and possible origins / influences yet further across time & regions & cultures, but again "always small and always winged" being a very relatively modern victorian deal. but we can draw on that to be sure when, additionally, a Potential mutual [would prefer to avoid] between fairies and humans (as opposed to "if your house or some shit is on a fairy path bestie just build them another door to walk straight through cuz they're Gonna") becomes "no, fairies mostly avoid humans more than the other way around" type of imbalance of any threat means like, well hey sure, the Real Self could then become a tiny little magical guy having fun with wing designs who is shy and elusive but maybe another fun little guy can accidentally become aware but then have a secret little hidden friendship hmm....
but then also just thinking of the version where you just look exactly like everyone else and live amongst them, changeling style. and potentially don't Know you're different, or at least not Why, b/c this is a "from birth" thing like hmmm ya don't say. and the whole thread where in some folklore fairies Aren't nonhuman, the difference is only about the separate fairy Realm you live in, which is different, with like "yeah sometimes fairies come from people who died." and alongside / overlapping with everything like "yeah you could disappear for a few days to that realm and then be like 'don't wanna / can't talk about it'" and whatever all various like "watch out for the liminal and unknowingly wandering or being taken into the fairy world and Then watch out for communing with them b/c then you could be Permanently affected, or permanently continually affected or vulnerable, or just stuck there. and we wouldn't want that" like well don't let them know your name but maybe try to find out their names b/c you can get at them in turn that way, don't get in on any food, don't get in on any parties. though variations, sometimes people getting whisked away for particular tasks that apparently Only humans can do. or forever potential for helpful / sympathetic fairy interventions in life. like fairies raising humans b/c their human parents were awful
also, that some classic Tests for "is your baby a changeling?" were very like, "well i guess if we drowned or burned that person and they just died about it....our bad," in the way that like apparently the way to go could be "put them in the fire. where they'll either burn or fly out the chimney." or "start going tf beating them with objects. so that they go away" like and they never stop beating winston with hammers out here!! or the classic "idk abandon them in the forest so fairies can take them back" like well they do also like [i prefer to pretend winston doesn't exist / forget that he does] lmao. this isn't really related. just the ol "ballpeen hammers kind of goated when it comes to putting someone in a sack and beating them to death" factor out here for your local changelings
also sure thinking of like ohh watch out for winston and his gayass Realm he exists in which is wrong and not of our own and potentially will forever change you with its gayass ways. uh oh don't get corrupted into a whole other powerful magical mode of existence if you commune with him in some deep fundamental nourishing ways. oh nooo watch ouuuut....one of the "you might be a changeling if" moments being "when they think they're alone do they act up?? dance??" like yeah i'm stimming and bursting into motion and making noises and existing wrong when i think i'm alone. Old Souls (theory as well that newborn changelings were secretly elderly fairies)....existence in the Fey Realm just making you different and out of place huh. and it would just be a guy though like either [undetectable except by already trying to kill them] and/or [actually just a human, fairies are just humans, fairies b/c they're in/from the fairy realm] but uh oh don't let him corrupt you. don't go hanging out with him and talking with him and partaking in his activities and embracing his ways. you'll be changed. you'll never fit in around here and be able to do things right ever again. we'll have to start beating you with hammers. and all for what. your weird gayass little guy and a whole possible other dimension of existence? vs all This? smh
#that fey little mf. all the same glasses hoodies cargo pants winston....#winston billions#you can't go wrong. sort of semi fantastical au. or just modern day ''fairies can even be in your hedge fund office'' magical realism#not even like there's clear Powers lol like what do fairies do? well bit fuzzy on that but one things for sure:#cause problems for US!!!! like wow the way symptoms & definitions of disabilities are approached much?#you might be a fairy if....ouch i'm dead of unclear causes in 1337. Not very 1337....#winston is truly always causing problems. also learned that ''oaf'' (another word i've recently thought like ''i would just not say that''#b/c for some reason the nyt i believe described orville wingate as [still an(?)] Oaf & i was like a) huh b) excuse me) derives from fairy#as it was a term for a changeling specifically :I which juuust so happens to lead to connotations of Stupidity(tm) & Clumsiness(tm)#hmm! you do not say it!#what could changeling winston do? up for grabs. but the point is: change(ling) your life. and other fun things :)#also i think another potential fairy ability was: seeing the future as well lol. it's all coming together#seeing winston with fun bird wings b/c you've communed with him ''too much'' already. not an angel thing. a fairy thing#(sidebar abt how some Lore was that they Are an angel thing. see: influence from whole other traditions lol)#winston Becoming a bird b/c he can do things like that b/c fairies are shapeshifters. he's a pigeon =) you have a nest for him =) cooing#another parallel like ''definitely don't fuck him or you're locked in to his gay autistic realm for sure''#just like how as a theoretically real world autistic person everyone just knows winston isn't allowed to have sex#nowadays how ridiculous to imagine going: we think someone is weird & dislike their vibes; they shouldn't exist. we should ostracize them#we would never be like; some corruption has caused your child to exist wrong. basically taking your Real child away from you#or when they do tragically exist that they should be driven away to any possible extent up to ''just kill them :( sorry for You btw''#with the Possibility fairies could give you your Real Human Child back....#autistic kid? number one recommendation totally isn't ''put them in specialized abuse school where we try to banish the autism for you''
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pepprs · 1 year
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i guess im starting a tradition of double ventposting lol but the last thing i’llsay (maybe) is like… all of that has a caveat which is that my emotional object permanence has been absolutely OBLITERATED by 3 yrs of covid hell and it is really doing a number on me. clearly
#purrs#this manifests in how not normal i am abt reading / responding to messages btw ♥️ i love depriving myself of evidence that i am loved#also somewhat ​relatedly (and i may have already said this but): covid also destroyed something that has always already been hard for me whi#which (ironically given how important it is to the work I do) foresight. i was not su*cidal growing up but i simply couldn’t imagine what li#life would be like after high school. it felt like the show was supposed to be over on graduation day. and everything that’s happened since#then has seemed a little fake to me… and then covid happened and it felt even more fake… and now i graduated college and WORK THERE full#time. and it’s like.. at any given moment i am about 30-40% convinced that the things that are happening to me aren’t actually real or that#they’re not supposed to be happening bc the show ended on may 30 2017. and i don’t think that’s a healthy way to experience the world lol#unreality tw#ask to tag#like ofc my day to day life is real and the week to week stuff is real. but there’s some twilight zone-ness to it. like its happening to#someone else who looks exactly like me butim in her body and not mine and not controlling anything. idk. that’s not the right metaphor its h#hard to explain and im so sleepy. but the best way i can describe it which i keep doing is like a tv show that should be over by now but is#dragging on fro some reason. like we never finished watching it but it’s like the office continuing after michael Scott left. it’s just#weird and wrong and fake and doesn’t feel real. and the fact that it actually is real but i feel that way is a very big problem
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what the hell is happening rn
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moinsbienquekaworu · 1 year
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Oh my god is today Thanksgiving??
#damn i completely forgot this was a thing#we've adopted so many american holidays but i'm so happy we haven't taken that one#like we already have family time at the end of the year. that's called christmas.#and if a real actual person asked me to my face what i'm grateful & thankful for i think i would bite#(not because there aren't things i'm technically thankful for. there are many and i think about it.)#(but it just come organically y'know? like my parents will do something and i'll be like. damn they really did a good job raising us.)#(and i'll tell them)#but the specific phrasing is soooo christian to me and being asked that question just makes me think of like#when adults tell you you should finish your plate/do your homework because 'there's little orphans in africa who don't have that chance!'#it feels like people are expecting things and using it as a 'things could always be worse'#and i Do Not Need to feel even more invalidated in my negative feelings because 'some people have it worse'#also it has this weird undertone of like. you Should Be Grateful you exist. ?? the weird like. christian sentiment??#how do i say this. when i hear people say how important they think it is to take a moment to reflect on what you are thankful for it just.#it's really this 'you could have it worse you should be happy you're even here' vibe??#also a weird performativity#like the hashtag influencer vibe of 'i'm so grateful for x y and z look at me announcing i'm better than you!!'#i too am glad my parents were good and they had enough money to raise us and they want to see me succeed.#i'm glad for my computer and my opportunities#but like. i do not need to performatively announce it to the world???#i'll tell my parents i'm happy they did x thing a specific way. but just announcing it?? that's useless#anyway. tonight we will eat Soup and i won't have to see my extended family. THAT'S what i'm thankful for lol#wow i have a ramble tag now
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iamthedukeofurl · 6 months
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Scott Pilgrim is, I think, the best example I can think of for establishing a setting's Nonsense Limit. The setting's Nonsense Limit isn't quite "How high-fantasy is this". It's mostly a question of presentation, to what degree does the audience feel that they know the rules the world operates by, such that they are primed to accept a random new element being introduced. A setting with a Nonsense Limit of 0 is, like, an everyday story. Something larger than life, but theoretically taking place in our world, like your standard spy thriller action movie has a limit of 1. Some sort of hidden world urban fantasy with wizards and stuff operating in secret has a nonsense limit around 3 or 4. A Superhero setting, presenting an alternate version of our world, is a 5 or 6. High fantasy comes in around a 7 or so, "Oh yeah, Wizards exist and they can do crazy stuff" is pretty commonly accepted. Scott Pilgrim comes in at a 10. If you read the Scott Pilgrim book, it starts off looking like a purely mundane slice of life. The first hint at the fantastical is Ramona appearing repeatedly in Scott's Dreams, and then later showing up in real life. When we finally get an explanation, it's this:
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Apparently Subspace Highways are a thing? And they go through people's heads? And Ramona treats this like it's obscure, but not secret knowledge. Ramona doesn't think she's doing anything weird here. At this point, it's not clear if Scott is accepting Ramona's explanation or not, things kind of move on as mundane as ever until their Date, when Ramona takes Scott through subspace, and he doesn't act like his world was just blown open or anything, although I guess that could have been a metaphor. there's a couple other moments, but everything with Ramona could be a metaphor, or Scott not recognizing what's going on. Maybe Ramona is uniquely fantastical in this otherwise normal world. And then, this happens
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Suddenly, a fantastical element (A shitty local indie band finishing their set with a song that knocks out most of the audience) is introduced unrelated to Ramona, and undeniably literal. We see the crowd knocked out by Crash and The Boys. but the story doesn't linger on the implications of that, the whole point of that sequence is to raise the Nonsense Level, such that you accept it when This happens
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Matthew Patel comes flying down onto the stage, Scott, who until this point is presented as a terrible person and a loser, but otherwise is extremely ordinary, proceeds to flawlessly block and counter him before doing a 64-hit air juggle combo. Scott's friends treat this like Scott is showing off a mildly interesting party trick, like being really good at darts. The establish that Scott is the "Best Fighter in the Province", not only are street-fighter battles a thing, Scott is Very Good at it, but they're so unimportant that being the best fighter in the province doesn't make Scott NOT a loser. So when Matthew Patel shows off his magic powers and then explodes into a pile of coins, we've established "Oh, this is how silly the setting gets". It's not about establishing the RULES of the setting so much as it is about establishing a lack of rules. Scott's skill at street-fighter battles doesn't translate to any sort of social prestige. Ramona can access Subspace Highways and she uses it to do a basic delivery job. It doesn't make sense and it's clear that it's not supposed to. So later on, when Todd Ingram starts throwing around telekinesis, and the explanation we're given is "He's a Vegan" , you're already so primed by the mixture of weirdness and mundanity that rather than trying to incorporate this new knowledge into any sort of coherent setting ruleset, you just go "Ah, yeah, Vegans".
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