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#and one fun detail that didn't end up being important is that he's meant to be scared of carved pumpkins?
elibeeline · 1 year
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Its 'i woke up too early and fell back asleep and had a crazy dream' day 🙃
#two dreams actually! i was still too tired after the first one#where i had moved into a block of flats? in which i had one of my managers share a kitchen with?#and in the magical world of dream land i had a drive thru window#and i dreamt i was working bc i do that too much and then an angry customer comes up and says something angrily#like he's stood in front of this car at the window and i get scared and turn for my mom (because the family all moved into this flat)#and when i do over to her thjs guy at the dining table (dont know who or why he was there) and he grabs my wrist and presses a knife to it#nothing happens injury wise because apparently im more worried about the guy at the window and i just shrug this guy off#and the dream ends when the guy at the window pulls out a gun and starts shooting but i wake up before anyone can get hurt :)#and the second dream! was about a scarecrow#i feel like its an actual movie bc that what the dream told me it was? like we were on the island where they shot the movie#and the scarecrow was still in the water#so we're on this boat ride (one of those touristy ones with a slide) and im hanging on for dear life bc wtf the scarecrow is in the water#and my stepdad had told me there's this really scary scene where he reveals his like. hollow face behind the mask/hood thing#and one fun detail that didn't end up being important is that he's meant to be scared of carved pumpkins?#like there's a border around the island keeping him in the water#and this is a fun detail because my brain only included it bc in between the dreams i checked my notifications#and someone was looking for a pokemon called a pumpkaboo for the next gym and it stuck in my brain bc idk what that was#so ah yes halloween pumpkins and scarecrows in February. thanks brain#but yeah after the boat ride the island floods and allows the scarecrow to come on land#(which was p smart kudos to u scary brain)#and we're all declared as missing bc idk we werent meant to leave the boat place or something when the flood came#and then brain finds all the action boring and skips straight to both my dad and stepdad bringing us back to the flat to mom#where i assume we probably live happily ever after but idk that flat was creepy and felt very unsafe#i do like that brain thought it was necessary to include it in both dreams rather than. yknow. the house we actually live in.#but if anyone wants to analyse those you're more than welcome too hehe ive always found that interesting
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enluv · 2 years
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The Set Up
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— jake sim x fem!reader
wc: 3.2k+! (rip my fellow mobile users...and myself this is the most I've ever written??)
warning(s): angst, fluff, slow burn, college!au, diabolical genius big brained jay
SPOTTED: a rare sighting of coco actually posting?! [REAL!]
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Being in love with Park Jongseong was never in your plan. You hadn't meant to fall for him, but it happened and it happened fast. His charming smile and delicate demeanor had you swooning and just like that you'd fallen under his trance. There was just one problem. Park Jongseong was not in love with you, yet.
Jake's plan consisted of five very big and important parts. Oh yeah, another thing you hadn't counted on happening was Jake, Jay's best friend, to find out about your budding crush. He'd really stumbled on it by accident, catching you in the act of leaving his friend a letter confessing your love to him. Jake had then ridiculed you by saying, "If you want to catch his attention you can't do what every other girl does. You need to stand out," of course it discouraged you a bit but he quickly brought back up your spirits. "Luckily I'm here! Don't worry, I'll help you get him, but you have to follow my steps or it won't work, okay?" and when you'd nodded his smile grew tenfold.
STEP #1 – CATCH HIS EYE !
"Jake I really doubt he'll notice me from all the way over here," you stated, whining as the boy next to you focused on the game happening in front of him.
"Y/N he won't notice you from here but, he will notice me and once he takes a glance at you next to me, he'll be very curious." Smart plan but you’d never admit it to him.
"Well I guess that makes sense..." you mumbled turning your attention back to the game, Jay had just scored for your school's team.
Jake was right, after the game had came to an end Jay sought out his best friend, and immediately he'd stared you down as he stalked over to you two.
"Hey man, congrats on winning the game. I mean Sunghoon still looked way cooler than you but I guess you did okay," said Jake jokingly.
"Mhm yeah thanks, where did you sit? Didn't see you in the dugout."
"Oh! I sat with Y/N, we watched the game from over there. Oh yeah, Y/N! Come say hi, why are you so far from us?"
He beckoned you over with one hand, the other was placed on Jay's shoulder as he excitedly shouted your name. Taking slow paced steps towards the boys, you bowed and whispered a quick hello to them. Jake's eyes lingered on you for a bit longer than usual. This was the first time he noticed it.
STEP #2 – FLIRT WITH HIM IDIOT !
Jake claimed that after the night of Jay's baseball game, the one you'd attended, he wouldn't stop smiling and asking questions about you.
Now your mission was to flirt with him, not too hard but a few flirty comments here and there would easily help you move things along.
However, flirting with Jay proved to be a lot harder than you'd originally thought. Not only was he constantly surrounded by girls fawning over him, he was also never alone, often he could be found hanging around the other boys on his baseball team (Jake being one of them but he'd taken the semester off to focus on his studies, per his parents request). You'd hoped your professor would take a hint and pair you with Jay but with no luck he'd paired you with Jake.
Jake made your classes bearable and even a lot easier, he was naturally smart with a fun personality so classes were never a bore.
Jay watched the scene in front of him and nodded, finally understanding the situation.
STEP #3 – HANG WITH HIM ALONE ?
You'd become discouraged after step two didn't work out but Jake reassured you that you could easily redeem yourself and get the plan back on track. He had a plan, a plan that was so detailed, it couldn't be messed up. Or so he thought.
It started as any other weekend, you'd woken up to Jake pounding on your door, yelling that today was the day and to be excited. He stormed in the minute your opened the door and walked right up to your closet, quickly picking out an outfit and throwing it towards you.
"Jake will you please tell me why you just waltzed into my dorm room and rummaged my closet?"
"Yes but first get dressed, we’re on a tight schedule Y/N! Chop! Chop!" He shouted pushing you towards the bathroom to change.
"I have to admit, you have good style Jakey. Now can you tell me where you're dragging me off to?”
"Why yes I can Y/N. You see this is all part of my master plan, we are going to hang out at the mall. I invited Jay and when he gets there I'll pretend I got a call and say I need to go, inevitably leaving you two alone on a date!"
"Wait you're leaving me alone? With him?" you asked eyes wide with worry.
"Yes Y/N, a date doesn't consist of three people."He replied eyes rolling for his usual dramatic effect.
"Well not with that attitude it doesn't, and what if he knows what you're trying to do?"
"He won't. Now sit down, I told him to meet us at the food court."
Thirty full minutes had pasted and Jay was nowhere to be seen. Jake had called him three times already but to no avail he got sent straight to voice-mail.
"Maybe his phone die-" your tone was cut short as Jake's phone rang loudly, the caller ID depicting Jay's name. As Jake picked up he nodded following whatever was being said on the other line before sighing and hanging up.
"He can't make it, something about coach calling an emergency meeting for the team. So guess it'll just be us today."
"Wanna go to look at the fish down below?" you asked hoping to raise his spirits, and when a smile crawled back onto his face, you knew it'd worked.
Had you looked around just once you'd see that Jay sat a few tables away from you both, smiling as he got up to leave the mall, his plan was going smoothly.
STEP #4 – MINGLE WITH HIS FRIENDS !
Jake's plan hadn't succeeded since the first step and you'd started to get anxious, but more than anything, the silly crush you'd had on Jay was now faltering. With more unsuccessful attempts at getting his attention and even flirting with Jay the feelings you'd once claimed were love, had went and gone, but new ones had formed and it was slowly becoming more evident that it would be harder to accept them.
Jake could probably relate if he'd actually spoken to you recently, but the boy had been avoiding you ever since your accidental day alone at the mall. To recount, the day was spent laughing and smiling, no thoughts of Jay or Jake's silly plan to get you and his best friend together had crossed either of your minds. At the end of the night he walked you back to your dorm and securely held your hand the whole way. Neither of you cared really, just enjoying the time spent together.
Jake is walking towards the main buildings front office when he sees Jay pulling you along, laughing as you shout at him. His heart sinks and he realizes that maybe his silly little plan had actually worked and in turn Jay now had his eye on you.
Later that day both yourself and Jay walked into the cafe that held his other friends, some of whom you'd met before and a few you had not. With Park Sunghoon and Lee Heeseung being the only people you knew, you'd naturally drifted towards them, talking about god knows what until everyone showed up. Sunoo and Jungwon walked in first, having just gotten out of classes that both ran later than usual. Next to arrive was Riki, a high school senior who just so happened to smile his way into the college group of friends, and finally was Jake, but he wasn't alone. A hand was clutched in his, he'd introduced her as Lili. They had history of trees or something together, not that you cared much. He gushed about how smart she was as she hit his arm playfully begging for him to stop. You'd brought the cup of peach tea up to your lips to cover your scowl.
Jay watched from across the room with an amused smile. "Does he know that she's in love with him?" asked Heeseung quietly, he too watched as you'd rolled your eyes for the fifth time today.
"No I don't think so," he paused looking for the right words, "Jake was convinced she had a thing for me but it's pretty obvious to anyone who she likes."
"Jake's clueless, he'd miss a robbery even if it happen right in front of him," spoke Sunghoon.
"Maybe you should help him Jay," whispered an equally amused Heeseung before walking back to the group with his drink, Sunghoon following soon after.
STEP #5 – GET THE GUY !
It'd been two weeks (not including the week you tried but failed to get his attention) since Jake had last spoken to you. Funny how things work out, one minute you're enjoying a nice and "accidental" date and the next he had Lili hung around him twenty-four seven. Jay had reassured you multiple times that the two were not an item but it was hard to believe with the constant posts about one another that haunted your Instagram feed. Speaking of Jay, you'd made it clear to him that you didn't usher any school girl feelings for him anymore, but he knew that and when he finally got you to fess up about Jake's plan he laughed. As much as you denied liking Jake he could see right through you which lead to where you were now, stuck in your dorm with Jay babbling about how he now has a plan to get you and Jake together, funny how the two boys thought so alike.
The idea of a brand new plan did not sit right with you and you'd quickly shut it down. Jake had a “girlfriend” and you'd have to accept that.
"You're so boring Y/N, he is so in love with you. I saw it from the very first day that I laid eyes on you." Jay could honestly recount all the times he'd noticed Jake's lingering gaze on you, or the subtle touches he left, even the way he spoke to you was a sign of his true feelings.
"Jay he is not in love with me please shut up."
"Stop being stubborn and listen to me for a moment, okay?" He asked staring straight into your eyes. A satisfied hum left his lips when your mouth squeezed shut as he began.
"That day he introduced us, he didn't once look up from you. His eyes stayed on you as if you were the only person on that field. I don't know how to describe it but he just looked so smitten, I don't even think he knew it at the time."
"Jay that proves nothing, so what if he looked at me."
"Let me finish woman! I tested the theory out myself that night. I kept asking questions about you, and not for me, but for him. Y/N he knows how you like your eggs in the morning," he paused looking towards you.
"I don't like eggs."
"EXACTLY! Why the fuck does he know that? Every time I asked a question about you, he was able to answer. He literally knew so much, it was kind of concerning. Aside from that, he doesn't shut up about you, like ever. It's always Y/N this and Y/N that. No offense but I don't care if you hate milk and prefer dry cereal."
A million thoughts ran through your mind as Jay continued, "Does he really?" and "So why did he continue with the set up?" were the two most popular.
"Y/N, what happened on the day I canceled? What happened after the two of you went down to see the fish?"
Shock filled you, he was there, he had set you up.
"We spent the day together, then after he held my hand, and walked me home."
"SEE HE DOES LIKE YOU IDIOT! WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT HAPPENED? I'VE BEEN MAKING A FOOL OF MYSELF TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU," he shouted jumping up from the floor and pointing an accusing finger at you.
"He was just being nice Jay, it's common courtesy to walk someone home when it's late at night."
"No he was not and I'll prove it to you! Watch." Jay pulled his phone from his back pocket quickly dialing Jake's numbers. After three rings he picked up, muttering a small hello to Jay.
"Jake I'm gonna do it, but I need your help." Confusion spread across your face as he spoke in hushed whispers.
"Yes this Friday," his voice grew louder as he faced you, "yes Jake, this Friday, as in tommorrow, I'm going to ask Y/N to be my girlfriend."
Silence filled Jake's side of the line, he stood frozen. He was too late.
As Jay hung up his smile grew sheepish. "Jay what the hell do you mean you're going to ask me to be your girlfriend. I thought we established that I like Jake, as in your best friend.”
“3...2...1!”
Your phones text tone sounded just as Jay concluded his countdown and a single message popped into your notifications:
Jake: Can we meet at the mall? Have to talk to you about something before tomorrow. Please?
Jay’s face held a smirk that screamed, “I told you so.”
STEP #6 – WELL, KISS HIM !
Jake Sim is great at many things, he's a star athlete, top of his class, an amazing barista on the weekend, and so much more but what he isn’t so great at is expressing how he truly feels when under pressure, and that's exactly why he's had you sitting in front of him for about an hour now just babbling about plain nonsense that even he's annoyed with.
“Jake, is there a reason you asked me to meet you after avoiding me for weeks or can I go? Jay and I have plans.”
His faces falls momentarily but he's quick to mask the hurt, “Are you guys a thing now?”
He knows asking this question can only hurt him, Jay was pretty clear on the phone about where you two stood or where you will stand tomorrow. Even he himself isn’t too sure why he's called you here on a random thursday night but hearing what Jay planned to do had sent him spiraling.
“Why does it matter to you? Wasn't getting us together your whole idea in the first place?” You'd never meant to sound so harsh but having been ignored by him for weeks on end only to see how easy it was for him to contact you felt upsetting, betraying even in a way.
“What if that's not what I want anymore.” The sentence comes out confidently and loud enough for not only you to hear but Jay included, who was hidden away not too far from you both after insisting he come with.
Jake isn't sure how it happens but the next moment he remembers is feeling your lips crash onto his, the feeling warm and almost familiar and as you two pull part you whisper the words, “That's all I wanted to hear idiot.”
EPILOGUE: THE SET UP !
“Dude are you ready to go? If we miss the last game because you're too busy making out with Y/N, I’ll actually kill you both,” shouted an annoyed Jay through his roommates closed door.
A soft giggled escaped your lips as you fixed his uniform, “We should get going before he comes in here and beats you up, it’d be pretty sad to have a black eye for your last game of the season babe.”
In the end both Jay and Jake revealed their not so subtle plans to one another, both laughing at just how far they'd go to help the other find happiness.
Although Jake’s plan hadn't reached its initial ending he was happy with its results nonetheless. Jake often secretly thanked Jay for forgetting his baseball glove back then in his locker so many months ago, though at the time he had cursed at him in his head a few times, if Jay hadn’t been so forgetful he would have never caught you leaving a love letter to his best friend which is what initially started your plan together, and that plan had just so happen to start the beginning of his long happy life, with you by his side forever.
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coco’s ♡ note: Hello my lovely toots! I have truthfully had this in my drafts for over a year now and could never seem to complete it but here it is, all done and happily finished! I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do, it took me forever but I’m glad I am now able to share this piece with you! Take it as my small way of coming back to writing :) Feedback is greatly appreciated since this is my first piece in a while and I want to know your thoughts on it if that's possible! 
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freakbullet · 1 month
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so this video (it's pretty good, worth a watch) basically saved me having to clean up the big word salad post I was drafting but I'm gonna reiterate a few points -
firstly, this isn't mentioned in the video but I think it's so, so important: unlike the valentine author, Gaster has never, ever used a single contraction. Toriel is another character who never uses them, no matter how casual the context. for something like this to suddenly change for no reason makes no sense. Toby is meticulous. I genuinely believe this is a HUGE strike against it being Gaster, yet almost no one mentions it. next, the valentine author speaks as if they don't know us: "you seem reliable", "you are very odd". and as we know, Gaster's well acquainted with us by now, so it'd make no sense for him to speak to us this way. (but what it does lend credence to is this being a character we either haven't met before, or haven't extensively interacted with.) additionally, in all instances so far, Gaster's been keen, focused, sharp. why would he suddenly be so addled and confused? the author saying they forgot who they're supposed to help, and it possibly even being themself, doesn't point to Gaster either - in fact, just the opposite - because the idea of him being forgotten is pure fanon. the game explicitly states that Asgore took so long to hire a new royal scientist because Dr. Gaster's brilliance was irreplaceable. how would the king know that if he didn't remember? fictional characters, by their very nature, are presented to us in a deliberate and finite way; our interactions with them have specific purpose. this means that when we try to hold them to real-world standards like "I, a real live person, write differently depending on the occasion", it won't always hold up. we have to go by what precedents have already been set by the creator, in the context in which these characters exist. on occasions when characters in UT/DR have spoken in a different way than usual, the fundamental, anchoring traits of their speech still remain intact (see: contractions), which would not be the case if Gaster were the valentine author.
(and of course, this doesn't even touch on the Japanese translation highlighting how wildly different the speech styles are, which I personally put more stock in than they do in the video.) the last 3rd of the video is more opinion/headcanon-oriented but he makes his point well. even if you disagree with his perception of Gaster (I do to an extent), it's true that there's already no shortage of whimsical, silly, lighthearted characters in UT/DR, and surely, if Gaster were meant to be one of them, Toby wouldn't reveal it in a way that's so out of left field. I love silly goofy wingding man as much as the next guy, but I also agree that attributing this personality to him out of nowhere, when it's incongruent with everything we've seen so far, would only serve to undermine his character and the uniqueness of it. none of this is to knock anyone whose opinion differs from mine! I'm just laying my thoughts out, for whatever that's worth. I've seen an unfortunate tendency in the community to lump the valentine in with the tweets and gonermaker text as all being on the same level of "obviously Gaster", and then tout it as proof that their headcanons are real. (we all have our headcanons! just don't be a dick about it eh?) at the end of the day, personally, I try to absorb and cling to as much canon evidence as possible, scant though it may be. because what I really really want, is to know who Gaster is. in the truest sense, as he is intended to be by his creator.
(but isn't it wonderful how much we all love this character, no matter how differently we may see him? I mean ultimately if we're not having fun here, then what's the point, right?)
but yeah, give the vid a watch! it goes into more detail and makes more compelling points than my sleepless brain can atm. :p
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aftongkier · 3 months
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Hello again, podcast side of Tumblr.
Entities Explained has officially come to a close with the final episode explaining the End. If you didn't know, Entities Explained has been a series where I, over the course of the last year and change, have explained each of the Fears from hit horror anthology podcast The Magnus Archives. This is the longest episode of the series, but I think it's totally worth watching.
Also, this video contains a major announcement: I am currently working on a MASSIVE video explaining The Magnus Archives in as much detail as I possibly can. Hopefully, it'll be a great refresher course before Protocol, and trying to get it done in a month won't absolutely destroy me.
For the art, I decided to draw the moment from Oliver Banks' statement in MAG 121: Far Away where he and the rest of the crew on a research vessel are destroyed by falling satellite pieces. I wanted the whole piece to be very dark and to have this slightly dusty feel to it, which I think I succeeded at.
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I went back and forth a lot on what to dress Banks in, but, in the end (pun intended), I went with something a bit more casual, since he is mostly just hanging around a shipping vessel. If I ever drew him as The Coroner, I'd probably go with something more formal (full black suit with a wilted red flower on the lapel?), but this felt fitting. I also wanted to give him a rain coat because, hey, I imagine it gets pretty rainy out there.
Unfortunately, Banks' design doesn't get to shine through too much in this piece, since his back is to the audience but, for one, I think that's sort of fitting for his themes, and, two, it makes the composition, at least in my mind, a bit more interesting.
The falling satellite was something I experimented around with a lot. Using reference pictures of real satellites, I tried to get something that felt small, but also like it could do some serious damage. The motion blur was a late addition, but I can't say I don't like it.
The moon was always going to be an important part of this piece, but it was during the sketching phase that I realised I could make it into a bit of a stylised skull, which is just a subtle enough detail to be fun. The angular clouds were originally meant to cut through it, but I settled on it being in full view instead, which I think looks much better.
Finally, there's the veins themselves. I actually went with less of them than I originally planned because I think it felt less repetitive, but I'm really happy with the way they turned out. My one addition was adding a pop of colour to this very drab and grey piece (which could, now that I think about it, be seen as a parallel to the desaturated people in Banks' dreams) in the form of the red flowing through the veins. This is technically only described as happening when Banks saw Gertrude Robinson in his dreams, but I figured, if there was another time for it, it was in the moment that he was truly in the grasp of Terminus. I also, honestly, just think it looks better.
That wraps up Entities Explained, so I hope y'all have enjoyed this series while it lasted. I'm not going to stop Magnus content, as I have plenty of ideas already and I'm sure Protocol will only bring more, but I am interested to see where my content goes from here. If you've read this far, thank you so much for listening to my ramblings and, if you celebrate, enjoy your holidays. Good night, Tumblr people!
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bredforloyalty · 5 months
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okay what i meant when i said that even the copious amounts of blood didn't satiate me in particular is that the dead wife/nemesis thing was never something i was eager to see explored, just because i think it's something a lot of male characters get? to go through? the ooh i'm so tortured someone took something from me and now i can't help but turn into a monster while i'm on this quest for revenge and being smothered by grief ough i might kill them even or others in gruesome ways and then realize i'm still just as empty
because, i think men often feel the role they must take on as a man or as a father (especially the latter) is a burden, a huge one, where they aren't allowed to sit back or let go or forgive to their own and everyone else's detriment.. and i understand why there is demand for the same type of stories or story elements or arcs, and why they work, and this same overall theme can be present in a story where it's dealt with in an interesting way or where there's love and care involved in the writing process and the characters don't feel like "man pain machine #48" and "generic sensitive character who will cradle mr. man pain's bloody face in their hands (when we want to end this arc and show how good and lovable he actually is)"....
idk i'm just saying it's not even a specific problem i have with male characters that avenge their families or seem like they're defined by anger or by a traumatic event, i do think it can be written lazily and that we've seen it so many times it's a bit worn-out now, but i wouldn't be quick to generalize. it's just that, since we've seen this before (and that's partly why they poked a bit of fun at themselves when in rickmurai jack, rick's dead wife backstory was revealed).. to me it's one of the least interesting aspects of rick? and yet it's clearly important to the writers and they felt they had to tackle this part of his character, really emphasize his unfinished business, or treat it like something that must have a conclusion
for me though, rick's brand of fucked up and evil wasn't compelling because something deeply fucked up happened to him and there's a lot to deal with there and that's cool, it was more compelling to me (iirc) Before knowing much about his past. tbh. i recognized him already, he felt real, his worst side was familiar because a man doesn't need a whole event to become controlling and cruel when dealing with his family... social norms and umm systems sort of already operate within the framework of the patriarchy, i think it's built into our collective ideas of society, concepts of gender and family and the rules those come with.. i liked that about rick, that why he was an asshole wasn't detailed, there was no easy explanation for the way that he was, he just was. and every time they chose to drive home that rick's defined by losing his original family to his own alternate self and that he was still chasing this one guy, it was like, well i thought there were so many other components as well to why he turned out to be who he is. i liked it more when it was mundane, because that's what i see around me, that abuse is rather mundane. and i'm much more interested in the harm he's directly inflicted on his current family and how his past might affect his current life, what might haunt him. so i guess i never wanted prime to be taken care of, each week i find myself thinking that i just want it to be rick and morty and their messed up little relationship up close and personal again
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kerubimcrepin · 2 months
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Episode 40 - The Beginning
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The same text asset as in the previous episode. I really like how good this show is at re-utilizing the art assets and files, by the way.
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I don't know why this made me laugh so much.
This moment is made funnier by the fact that they have these balls everywhere at home. Everywhere in episode 1 and 2, then in a basket downstairs after that, then, in the movie, yet again, all over the fucking place. Chances are, playing with balls of wool is something Joris does a lot. No wonder he has no idea why Keke's mad at him this time.
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KILL HIM JORIS. I really like that as time goes on he will say this about the most inane things. Buddy, he had a dinosaur tooth, and you're doubting that his orphan ass took a single yarn ball from Ecaflip's collection?
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There are all these kids, who are friends, and Keke only plays with Ecaflip. I had said that, probably, being Atcham's brother didn't help him socially, but also,., I do think Ecaflip was isolating him on purpose too.
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See, when Ecaflip needs Keke to feel awesome, it's "you're the luckiest ecaflip ever", but when he needs Kerubim to need his care and stay by his side, it's "you will Die without me."
I hate this guy.
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DUN DUN DUN. None of the other kids even passed the confirmation. And it turns out they weren't meant to pass it to begin with, apparently... Very kind of Ecaflip.
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It seems that most disciples are free to leave. Kerubim's the ~Exception~.
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...Says the god of cards and fortune, who is characterized by his ability to manipulate luck and results. But did he really? Or is he simply... lying?
One very pointed detail here, is that we are shown the number of the tarot, which is "13", — and that allows us to pinpoint which real world card Misadventure is supposed to represent, to see what it means. So, shall we?
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Oh my fucking god. Ecaflip... Cards never lie, but you just disregard what they say anyway!
Here is what the internet has to say on the topic:
The Death card symbolizes the end of a major phase or aspect of your life that you realize is no longer serving you, opening up the possibility of something far more valuable and essential. You must close one door to open another. You need to put the past behind you and part ways, ready to embrace new opportunities and possibilities. It may be difficult to let go of the past, but you will soon see its importance and the promise of renewal and transformation. If you resist these necessary endings, you may experience pain, both emotionally and physically, but if you exercise your imagination and visualize a new possibility, you allow more constructive patterns to emerge. [...] Finally, Death is a sign that you need to learn to let go of unhealthy attachments in your life to pave the way to a fuller, more fulfilled life of deeper meaning and significance. Death teaches you to let go of outworn and outgrown ways of life and to move forward from them. This is a perfect card to break a bad habit or pattern of behavior. See this as a time to cut out excess and let go of what is unnecessary for your life. Purge the old belongings, memories and baggage that are getting in your way.
I can't deal with this show anymore. How do I even analyse this, when this being the Death card already says all there is to say about Kerubim's childhood and his relationship with Ecaflip during it?
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Yes, Ecaflip values the freedom of his disciples. As long as they are not useful to him. If they are... then, well, it doesn't matter what they want.
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He probably wanted Kerubim to be by his side forever. For centuries. Just in one place, for him to have fun with. And I think that's a very normal thing to be scared shitless of.
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...Orphanage confirmed to have toilers despite the fact that ecaflips can use a litter box. Also it really is such an Ecaflip move, to punish Kerubim for not wanting to be his pet for his whole life.
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Can the metaphors in this episode get any thicker than this?
Also, the expression "a gilded cage" does exist in French.
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Man, haha, I wonder if he's seen someone get the expulsion from the orphanage before, to give him this idea. I wonder if whoever that was had a name starting with A—— (I am forcibly removed from the stage and medicated.)
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Things are that bad. He's being kept here against his will by a guy who plans to do this to him for centuries, and he's forced to mop for him.
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I really do think that it's admirable, that no matter how much bullshit Ecaflip throws at him, Kerubim never loses his willingness to fight for himself, or, at the very least, make himself a problem. He will not go gently into that good night.
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Y'know, judging from how often hearts are used in graffiti in this series, I genuinely think they may symbolize something far more risqué, in-universe.
It is a common misconception that, in earlier human history, this symbol was used to represent sexual organs, which may inspire its usage in this context, within the show.
(Apparently it simply doesn't look like a heart to modern people because we usually look at scientific diagrams, instead of like... actual real hearts of animals during butchery and cooking, or human cadavers. Apparently the real thing, without all the veins, is "<3" shaped. Yes, I went on a deep dive for this symbol's history, for this post. You're welcome.)
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He really is the class clown. We love to see it.
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This confirms that, within modern, cartoon-canon, god conversions are still a thing. Though probably very rare.
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God, Ecaflip's literally that one meme.
Anyway, he was really, really betting on those 600 years of undying immortal codependency he already imagined for him and Kerubim, huh...
But sadly, his personality is too... bad for that. Someone else will get this specific brand of horrific parent-child relationship with Kerubim instead. It will be a very casual Joris Jurgen Win.
(It will also be an instance of Kerubim perpetuating the cycle. But let's not talk about that.)
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Kerubim is saying this to make him feel guilty, as can be seen from his pout immediately after he says this. But the thing is...
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The thing is that if you keep telling someone that they're worthless, so that they stay with you, they will, generally, probably start believing it just a little bit. Even if they don't want to. Especially if they're a child.
He can't hide how much these words actually mean to him.
Is it any wonder his relationship with Lou fell apart because he felt unworthy of her, and it made him fall into gambling addiction, and the glitz and glam of being "successful" and "rich"?
Of course he would develop 20 mental illnesses about this...
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The scariest part of this episode is that Joris recognizes enough similarities between his own situation and Kerubim's (an isolating relationship with a single adoptive parent (Don't forget, Kerubim did have a mortal family once, before the temple, — Ecaflip essentially took him in, despite being his biological father), and said parent insists on being ~Besties~ with you, while you don't really have many, if any at all, friends outside the household. And the household is a very high-stress environment), to clock the relationship between Keke and Eca as a parent-child one.
Even without yet knowing that Kerubim is a demigod.
Man... Kerubim perpetuating the cycle.
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biteme-gum · 2 years
Text
Protection Part III
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Warning: Mentions of physical abuse read at your own risk. Lots of swearing
SUMMER VACATION at last!!!
One of the last breaks until high school, three more years of high school then finally I can go to Seoul University. I had never seen my mom so ecstatic about any news in my life. She was proud of me for making it this far.
Since my mother was so ecstatic about me going to High school, it meant there would be no time to rest for I need to study for my first year of high school. 5 days a week, and have 2 days off so I don't burn out.
It's fun, not only do I get to spend time with my mom and random tutors here and there but I also get two days of the absolute no parent control.
She said that since I'm working so hard to be the perfect scholar, I can have free-range and do whatever I wanted on my days off. Whether it be hanging out with a friend or learning how to drive a car, or just more studying.
Aaaaand over the past 5 months, I had made a new friend who really liked to spend time with me. Especially when it involved food.
At least I hoped he enjoyed his time with me.
Gwi-Nam refused to leave me alone after we hit the fourth month period. Following me home, walking me to school, eating lunch and even hanging around me before class started. Death glaring anyone who would approach me to borrow a pencil.
I was confused at first. Extremely annoyed with him being around me constantly but I got to know him a little bit.
He didn't tell me any important information but he would go as far as telling me his favorite color when it came to his food container so we didn't mix up the thermoses.
That's why today I was slightly relieved that on my weekend I had gotten a message from Gwi-Nam, wondering if I wanted to go get some ice cream.
Smiling at my phone, I told my mom that I would be out today. My mother being... My mother, gave me a time that she wanted me home and said, "one minute later and the rest of the weekend is studying."
I rushed through my front yard and rounded the corner to be face to chest with the boy I was spending the day with. Jumping up at him I clung around his neck as he was startled seeing me. In one hand having his phone opened to my message box and in the other was a ticket.
"Gee!! Making me wait twenty minutes wasn't enough? You have to give me a heart attack too?!" He was physcially stunned, unable to move a muscle and only able to do what he usually did, get angry at the person who caused it.
I laughed at him, unlatching myself around his neck to finally pull attention to the ticket, "What's that?"
He took a second until he looked at his hand, seeing the ticket himself he took in a breath and made eye contact with me, smiling slightly until there was a slight playful glare in his eyes.
"It's a movie ticket. We're going with some friends I know from school." Gwi-Nam put an arm around my shoulders and started leading me to where ever he needed me to go.
"What movie is it?" I looked at him, trying to get a glimpse of the ticket before he stuffed it into his pocket, completely ignoring my question and opening a message on his phone.
I sighed and went to take the ticket out of his pocket before he grabbed my wrist and threw it back to my side.
I tried again, and again. Until he grabbed my wrist and stopped is in the middle of his stride.
"Why are you so fucking persistent huh? No fucking patience in that head?" He flicked the side of my head and pulled me along once again.
The walk to the movie theater was mostly silent on his end, I kept trying to pester him for the answer but he refused to tell me even the slightest detail.
Our walk was interrupted by a yell from across the street, Gwi-Nam immediately stopping and me running into his outstretched arm that had magically made it in front of me.
"Stay quiet and be nice." Gwi-Nam had whispered into my ear before we looked at the group. His casual expression was almost laughable by his small warning.
Looking at the group that had gotten his attention I had noticed familiar faces from around school. A Famous bully named Son Myeong-Hwan, the pretty boy from Gwi-Nams class, Lee Su-Hyeok, and a popular girl who loved to knock over milk cartons in the cafeteria Kim Hyeon-Ju. There were a few other students I hadn't recognized but I'm sure there names will soon be engraved in my brain if they come any closer. A tall man with very noticeably small features and a slightly taller student who seemed to be waiting for someone to move. I was surprised to see them outside. Being afraid to even be apart of their sites in school and successfully avoiding them throughout the school years they had finally found me and decided it was my turn.
I was frozen in fear, I didn't know what to do. Oh fuck they were crossing the street! What do I do- Oh shoot.
"Hey Gopher!!! Thought you were running late for a reason!" I froze in fear, Were they talking to me? I looked at Gwi-Nam quickly to see that he had smiled and he shot his arm once again around my shoulder.
"Ya, Blame her, She was being slow." He nudged me slightly. I looked at Myeong-Hwan and smiled shily, terror was very clear in my eyes as I tried to calm my racing heartbeat to prevent it from giving me a heart attack.
"Oh!! Is this the pretty girl you've been hanging around? Ive seen you around!" He laughs a bit, leaning down only slightly as he wasnt as tall as Gwi-Nam. I wouldn't even say he needed to lean down at all he was so short. Almost laughable.
A small smile was all that could appear on my face as I tried to lift my shaky hand to give him a simple wave.
When I lifted my hand, I heard a sigh from my left and my hand was engulfed in a bigger welcoming hand. A comfort overcame me as I followed the hand to the arm to the shoulder. To the person it was connected too. "Um Gwi-Nam-" my voice was small and noticable shakey.
He threw his head back and groaned, tilting his head towards me in a forwarded way of saying "what?"
"Who are they?"
"My friends, come on, we've wasted enough time, the movies going to start without us."
"But- What?" Before my brain could even process to struggle I had found myself already inside the movie theatre next to Gwi-Nam, His arm relaxed around your shoulders.
His "friends" weren't in the seats yet, Gwi-Nam insisting on saving the seats so no one got cocky and took them. I turned around to look at him, his face was neutral, like putting me into this situation hasn't effected him at all.
"Gwi-Nam, Since when did they become your friends?" My head turned away from his face, his blank expression making goosebumps appear on my arm.
I continued to look at him, then the screen, then the door. A painful cycle for what felt like 1o years but only lasted for 5 minutes. I looked at him again, swallowing my nerves and preparing to ask him the question again.
"Shut up."
I had barely opened my mouth, staring at him in disbelief.
"What is your-"
"Shut up!" His sharp tone was clear, the fear I tried to suppress resurfacing faster then I had intended, my eyes filled with tears and I tried to hide my embarrassment in my arms.
Think of something happy
Purring Kittens, Puppies, rainbows, candle wax, homocide
Any thoughts that could calm me down were in vain, barely noticing that the lights around me were dimming, signaling that the movie would start soon.
His friends joined after the title had appeared on the big screen after the main titles had appeared, big bold letters that said #Alive.
It had only taken me a little while to realise that this was a horror movie. A zombie movie.
It doesn't take a genius to say.
I was not a fan
The blood, the death, the screaming and oh god the CONSTANT CRYING. The movie was not only terrifying but it had unlocked a new fear inside of me.
A fear I did not want to explore any further.
During the movie I jumped screamed and hid behind anything I could grasp. Causing Gwi-Nam to look at me and roll his eyes.
At some point he had leaned in close to me and whispered, "Don't be such a baby." Causing his friends beside him to snicker and laugh.
I was done.
I got up as soon as I saw the end credits and ran away. Gwi-Nam had tried to reach for me but ended up chasing me out of the theatre.
"Y/N! What is your problem huh?" He yelled after my retreating form when I had flung the doors open and practically ran away from my problems.
As soon as the fresh air outside had embraced me I stopped. Hearing Gwi-Nams constant calls behind me to stop and "whats my problem"s
Before I could continue to walk back home my arm was tugged behind me. Pulling me into an embrace with Gwi-Nam.
"Let go."
"Why are you being such a bitch? Are you on your period or something?"
Oh what the fuck
"My problem? When did you make friends with the psychos?!"
Gwi-Nam scoffed. I tried to retreat again but his grip tightened on my arm again, causing a hiss to escape me.
"They're the biggest threat going into next year. You can't avoid dicks but if you run with them they won't hurt you." Gwi-Nam muttered. He had pulled me closer as to make it a secret only kept between us.
"But at the cost of others?"
"Who cares about others?! Its a dog eat dog world Y/N!"
Struggling in his grip. My arm finally was freed during his "better man" speech.
I stared at him. My eyes wide with shock.
No...
"You're a coward.."
"Don't fucking call me that."
"But it's true."
Gwi-Nam had started to physically shake. He was upset at the truth and he wasnt prepared to hear it from his friend.
"You tried to drag me into this stupid cult because you're SCARED!!" My temper was at a minimum as well. I was done. He was dragging me along to hurt others. To protect him.
"Shut up."
"You're a monster!"
Before I knew it my head had shot to the side. A burning pain in the right cheek. My hand shakily reached up to look the possible culprit.
"Wow..."
Tears brimmed my eyes. My heart sunk further then the titanic.
My breathing turned shaky. I shook my head trying to breath. Trying to see. In a panic of embarrassment I turned away from Gwi-Nam who was standing there in stunned silence. He stared at me. And his hand.
I started to walk home as the clouds above me thundered. Notifying everyone of a storm heading our way. I sighed moving faster towards the pathway home.
Gwi-Nam was silent as he watched my retreating form.
Many thoughts were running through his head but he was sure of one thing.
He had just lost a friend.
Part I Part II
@alovingelf @minaanyl22
@michelle-simps
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oc-aita · 7 months
Text
AITA for "choosing" someone I "only knew for 3 stupid fucking months" over a friendship of 9 years?
I try for this not to bother me much since there's nothing I can do to fix the situation, but sometimes I start to think and... well. This happened years ago, too. But you know. Be warned this sounds like a bad gay dramatic book with sex in the mix, but it is entirely true. The three people involved on this are F (27M), C (23M), and of course, me (26M). TL;DR at the end because this thing got long.
First, I need to give context of the type of relationship F and I had. We were friends since I was 14 and he was 15 respectively, at that age I wasn't a friendly person at all, and after I lost my virginity at 17 (with him, important detail) it was extremely difficult to be friendly towards a guy if my intention wasn't to have sex with him, terribly shitty on my part, but we're not getting onto that. Our friendship was the most important thing for me (as I told him a few times, he was my favorite person, and I 100% meant it), we were extremely close, and it was entirely platonic (kinda? if we ignore the "slip" we had at 17 and 18) until we had sex again (20 and 21 respectively) and there we started a friendship-with-benefits thing.
Our "fwb" deal started right after F broke up with his "boyfriend", M (18 at the time). M was roommates with C (17 at the time), so we technically know each other from that time. I was there mostly making small talk and maybe going outside while F and M were pretty obviously fucking, but he was feeling pretty awkward, and like, I get it. Your roommate is getting laid while you're stuck with a sort-of-acquaintance forcefully being friendly. Also, it was awfully obvious C started to resent F a bit. It wasn't the best thing ever, but after F and M broke up, I didn't saw him again for a few years.
Until I was 24! It was pretty normal for us to go to parties, it was fun and that's how I got most of my one-night stands (because if you think having sex with F was enough, no it wasn't). For some reason, that night C was on the same party F and I were. I recognized him right off the bat, and F did too. He was looking... really lonely, and I guess it triggered a kind emotion on me, because the only thing I wanted was to keep him company. F tried to approach him, as there wasn't any resentment on his part (yet), but I told him it might not be the best idea, but I was going on his place.
Long story short, we spent the whole night together, he obviously needed someone to vent, and I was there. After the party ended, I gave him my number, just in case he still needed to vent. Pretty uncharacteristic of me, sincerely. He messaged me again a few days later, with time we kept talking about our lives and shit, and I actually fell in love for the first time in my life three months later! Exciting stuff.
Except apparently I started to "make F feel unimportant" and "won't stop annoying the fuck out of him talking about C" and "I even moaned his stupid name on accident when we were having sex" (all his words!) and, despite my efforts, F and C never got along, now mostly on F's part (in fact, things got worse), which was really stressing.
Everything reached a limit when I told him we couldn't have sex anymore, because I was officially dating C and it was a closed thing, so we should stay platonic again. And he threw a big ass tantrum, saying I was replacing "someone I knew for 9 YEARS over someone I only knew for 3 stupid fucking months", and that "if I was lying to him the whole time I told him he was my favorite person and he was actually that replaceable for me, then I was way more horrible than he thought and that I should stop talking to him altogether". And I did. Not because I didn't loved him (this time truly platonically, we never had romantic feelings for each other), but because I got hurt by the fact he couldn't understand how much this meant to me. It was the first time I felt the so-called romantic love, it was all new, maybe I didn't managed it the best way, but. Come on.
TL;DR: My friend with benefits I knew for 9 years and was my favorite person got angry I "replaced" him for someone I fell in love with, which I knew for 3 months, and ended our friendship as soon as I started to actually date the guy I love.
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inkwell-intrigues · 3 months
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I think you had already said it but I got lost. Why did you rewrite the whole story for Chalice? He became like your favorite character and that's why the change of prominence? Will it stop being a story focused on brothers? I say because from writer to writer it is really difficult to keep several protagonists at the same time with the same importance, but if there are 3, one ends up overshadowing the rest no matter how hard you try, there are cases where there may be a little exception but for very little. My real question is... Was it a completely necessary change to rewrite everything? Maybe add parts of the importance of Chalice later or intertwine them with a detail that you wrote in previous chapters...
I am sorry for any inconvenience of grammatical type or coherence and cohesion. English is not my main language, much less one that I master.
No worries! So- I'm not rewriting the whole story for specifically Chalice, while she is a protagonist, she will get less "screen time" than the brothers, who are and will remain the main focus.
My reason for a rewrite is simply that I feel that the current version of TSTS is not 100% the story I meant to tell.
I got a little lost along the way, going, I believe, far too in depth into the backstory of Ginette (Don't worry- Gin isn't going away, but I focused on her too much, I think), the plot's pacing began to slow down after chapter 13 and onward, and I just lost track of the story I wanted to tell.
As for Chalice: For me, TSTS is about a family that has been torn apart and how families can survive terrible things, and grow to include more people! Chalice is a vital part of that family, and in the current draft I kind of overlooked Chalice. Now, I don't technically need to have her play a bigger role, but I want to. I want Chalice to play a bigger part because I believe she has an important story to tell - one that I strongly resonate with. (But here's a fun fact- she isn't actually my favorite character at all! That honor goes to Mugman! xD But, I advocate for Chalice because I believe so strongly in the story that I want her to tell.)
Additionally, Chalice has a HUGE role to play in the finale, but I didn't develop her well enough in the initial draft for her role in the finale to feel satisfying. (But you are right- 3 protagonists is EXHAUSTING, but I made a few changes that I think will balance it well!)
Now to clarify, I'm not going to rewrite everything. Chapters 7-12 are what I'm calling my "golden standard", so those and some others (Chp. 15, 20, etc.) will not undergo massive changes. What I want is to reshape TSTS's current writing into something that better matches the dream story that has haunted my brain for the past 5 years or so. Of course the dream has changed and been shaped by the DLC, by the Cuphead Show, and by you guys- all my wonderful readers! - but I still hold onto parts of that original story. Parts I almost lost in trying to finish a story while very burnt out. I want to be able to honor those nearly lost parts of the story.
Was it a completely necessary change to rewrite everything?
Depends on who you ask. And once again, I'm not rewriting everything!
But, was the rewrite necessary? For me it was.
This story means a lot to me and has a lot of roots in my own childhood and experiences. It's my baby in some ways, one that will have its 6 year anniversary this summer. I want it to be as perfect as I can get it, not just for me, but for all the people it represents and all of the readers that my words have somehow managed to touch.
Thank you for your question, and I hope my word vomit of an answer makes sense! Also, don't worry - your English is very easy for me to read!
Thank you so much for your support and I hope you have an amazing day!
- Ink
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candysweetposts · 1 year
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What the efff. Since when have I had this in my drafts?
Here's a one-shot made by me late at night about her:
"You can do this," I said while checking myself in the tiny mirror. Tonight was special. Not just because I finally got some cash, but because I finally have the courage to go out and have some fun. Last time I did this I ended up home crying to myself and thinking what was wrong with me and why I acted so frail and pathetic. I felt so humiliated that I locked myself in the apartment and only focus on work for a couple of months.
I put the mirror in the purse and headed to my destination. I walked really fast for some reason as if I had to be there as fast as I could even if that meant I will damage my favorite heels.
And there I was at DELUXE. This was one of those places populated by people with money. From celebrities to some obscure crypto investors, to those influencers who promote cheap make-up on their Instagram, all of them spend their nights there. There were also some commoners who "plagued" the place, like me for example, but there were no such rules as "no poor people allowed". So, I just entered without any regrets.
The place was pretty crowded, maybe too crowded. At some point, the different smells started mixing up so much that I started feeling their taste. There was this guy who was so sweaty that I was lucky that I didn't throw up. I don't know how, but I ended up at the bar, in the same spot where the "incident" happened. I ordered some whiskey with ice. I know ladies aren't supposed to drink this kind of stuff, but I can't help it. The bartender looked at me a little suspiciously but didn't say anything. That reassured me somehow, hoping that he didn't recognize me. I guess it's been a while since he saw me.
I drank around 3 glasses and then I started looking around for a partner. It didn't matter who he was that much, just to be good-looking and to have something big to offer. But none of those guys were what I was looking for. "Too fat ... Too poor... Uh, too ugly" I was thinking while looking around. "Too... Perfect" I said with a satisfied face. I took my drink and moved closer to "him". He looked cute, great sense of style and he also seem important. He probably was in his 20s but his hairstyle made him look younger. He had some sort of emo haircut, half of his face being covered by his dark hair, but it looked cute, to say the least. His visible eye looked tired and cold, like a frozen ocean, almost giving me a glimpse of fear. But the rest of his face looked kind and warm, like an innocent child. He was wearing a white suit with some gold details here and there. Usually, I'll find thises kinds of things excessive and weird, but it looked amazing on him. The way the clothes sat on him was just delightful, almost like he was born in them. He was surrounded by some other people in suits, like bodyguards, further confirming my suspicion that he was an important person, like a celebrity of some kind. I wanted to get closer or at least to get his attention somehow but I had no idea. And those guys around him didn't seem friendly at all. So I took my drink and tried to sneak closer to him, at least so he could hear me.
I managed to get near his table, positioning myself on the next one, behind where he sat. I was still in a bad location because I couldn't really see him. But I gathered some courage and tried to say hi. He turned a bit but gradually ignored me. "Of course he ignored me," I thought then I tried to move somehow but I fell on the ground, where he could see me. I felt some embarrassed that I put my hands on the face and sat there hoping I will fade into existence. "Are you ok?" a soft voice spoke. When I looked it was his looking a bit worried. He reaches to me, helping me to get up. "Thank-thank you very much!" I said very flushed. He chuckled and said, "No problem! Just be careful next time". He looked so cute when he smiled, almost like an angel. I got up and just realized something. He was very short. If I could approximate, it would be 166 cm (5′5″) or less. I know I wasn't that short myself, but still, I wouldn't see this "boy" being the dominant party in bed, even if he had what he needed.
I excused myself and I went back to the bar. "Dang, what a waste!" I said to myself. I took another shot of whiskey and looked again at him. How could someone some handsome be so short? Somehow I felt like I gave up to easily on him. I mean, even with that small problem of his, I still felt attracted to him."Maybe it's still worth it" I said to myself and went back to him. "Um... I'm Hannah. And you?" I said casualty. "Jay" he said on the same casual tone. And from there I knew he was interested so I asked "Would you like to hang out?". He stared a bit but nevertheless he agreed. We sat down and talked. As I thought, Jay was a CEO at this company but didn't gave any name for some reason.
We chat some more and drink. He ordered some expensive wine. (wip)
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So uhhh I’m guessing you saw the latest ep? I hope you’re okay
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//My apologies, everyone. I did not have a fun time with that episode and I got very upset.
//But I've taken some time and applied some of my DR-savvy mind to this episode and I'm going to give you a (probably delulu) theory on what actually happened here:
//Simply put, I don't think that's actually Arei. I'll explain why:
She made it clear how much she hated being reminded of these things, about people who'd send her rope on her birthday. Even after her emotional breakdown, I can't believe she would actually do this. One could argue someone killed her with it, but:
There's been so much emphasis on Arei's character and backstory, and to have her die now would not only feel like a complete waste, but it feels like it was setting up for something deliberate involving her.
As others have pointed out, the changing rooms in the clothing store- the same floor as the playground- are soundproofed. Arturo couldn't hear what J and Teruko were talking about in there, even though he was right outside.
That moment where Teruko and Veronika had their weird and inexplicable conversation about prosopagnosia and how Teruko's not good at recognizing faces. That felt so odd to include...but the fact that we didn't even get a good look at the face with that reveal is telling.
The fact that David drew so much attention to the fact that Arei is missing, and everyone spent so long worrying about her being dead. That's so obvious and played so straight that I genuinely can't believe it would ever really happen. This is meant to get us to remember who was at the scene and who left in what order.
Rose brought up that her turpentine is missing. Something that Teruko pointed out could be use to knock someone unconscious.
The Motive Reveal situation also drew so much attention to the fact that 13 people were in the auditorium. That was bolded in yellow and feels so weird to include if it's not going to be important for later.
Most importantly, the BDA cut off right at the end. We didn't get any details, any closeups, anyone musing on the fate of the victim, or anyone actually checking the body. We got that with Xander in Chapter 1, but not here? In fact, think about it: has that ever happened genuinely in any of the games? All we got was the body swinging from a long distance, no closeup of the face or anyone saying the name, just the "A body has been discovered" announcement and then it immediately cuts off.
//Maybe it's because I've absorbed so much DR-related content at this point, but this reveal feels much too obvious, too straightforward and too weird for me to take it seriously. I honestly can't buy that DT, which has done so well at averting these tropes so far, would suddenly go this route.
//Instead, I think Arei's actually alive somewhere, and that body is someone else dressed up to look like her. They're close enough to the changing rooms, nobody would've heard and we've yet to see anyone except Teruko, Whit and Eden find the body.
//Until we can actually get a headcount and confirm that, yes, that is actually here and everyone else is accounted for, that I'm comfortable with saying that it's not actually her.
//Maybe I'm crazy, but the way this is set up feels far too weird for me to take it seriously. This is too obvious, it has to be setting up for something else.
//This series excels at getting you worked up with seemingly obvious reveals, only to hit you with something that you may not have seen coming if you weren't paying attention.
//All I'm saying is, if it happened with Kaito and Kokichi, it could happen here too
//Until everyone is accounted for, I'm not going to be convinced
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Overprotective Ashwinder x Child Reader
Once again, not a Harry Potter fan but there is now a Harry Potter character. Newt is most likely OOC and I apologize. Also because Ashwinders die really fast, I changed it a tiny bit.
"Why didn't you keep a close eye on the fire?! You know exactly what can come from magical fires!" Mom yelled at Dad for his reckless behavior again.
He's always been like this. My dad isn't a bad dad. The only problem is that his mind tends to wander at moments which ends up in him forgetting important details or important events. We still love him dearly though but right now, we are in mild trouble. An Ashwinder formed from the fire that my dad made and he forgot to put it out in a reasonable amount of time.
"I'm sorry, honey. I was just really excited about the potion almost being done that I forgot how I made the fire. I'm really sorry." Dad apologized, looking quite upset about the mess that he made once again.
"It's fine, sweetie but now we need to find the Ashwinder or the eggs before our entire house gets burned down. Alright everyone, spread out. Let's capture this fire snake." Mom gave the command and we all scattered.
Being only seven, it was going to be hard for me to capture the snake since I don't even have a wand to use. Hopefully I won't be too late if I find it and give my parents time to come and help me. I felt the temperature of the air increase when I went up to the attic. I gave Dad a quick signal before I went in myself. I can understand as to why the Ashwinder decided that our attic was the best place to lay its eggs. It was dark and mostly secluded.
I saw the dust of the Ashwinder left behind and found the eggs in a hidden corner. I went to pick up one of the eggs but I quickly retracted it when my brain brought up the fact that Ashwinder eggs will burn your hand awful if you aren't careful enough. Looking around, I found an Easter basket and put it as close to the eggs as possible before playing a slight game of hot potato. Once they were all in the basket, I rushed out of the house. Thankfully, all of the doors were open making it insanely easy to get outside. The fresh air felt nice on the fall day except I had to get to the small cave near our house to put these eggs in. I heard that you can freeze the eggs to get some good money but... My family have bleeding hearts towards the creatures that exist in the world with us and we couldn't bring ourselves to do that.
I placed the basket on the floor of the cave before rushing out. The heat of the eggs was hot and that meant that they were going to hatch very soon. As soon as I left the cave, it burst into flames. Seems that my judgement was correct. My parents came out side to watch the hatch fire with me.
The fire was big. I had to carry out ten plus eggs. The number was one of the highest nests that we've ever seen. Thankfully, we're able to handle Ashwinder incidents thanks to my Dad's forgetful nature. We've actually lost houses before but it hasn't happened in the past five years. We always have to watch out for an fires made by Dad. We also have an abundance of floo powder in the house that doesn't help the cause. That was a fun accident that Mom made for once.
After about three minutes, all of the flames burnt out and we watched as the newly born Ashwinders crawl out of the cave. They were all moving so slow aside from one which appeared to not be moving at all. My parents and I started to walk around to all of the fire pits that we have set up around the cave. This was so that all of the Ashwinders had a nice warm and safe place while they grow to be adults. The snakes were all thankful for the fires and started to hibernate in the flames for around a month. Or at least that's the normal amount of time. Sometimes shorter of a tad longer.
I was looking over all of the Ashwinders when my eyes looked over at the cave to see the one that refused to move earlier was just watching me. This Ashwinder was very different from the rest of its siblings. Its scales were a dark gray instead of an ashy gray and its eyes were a glowing orange. When our eyes met, it started slithering over to me instead of seeking warmth from a fire.
"What's wrong with that Ashwinder? The fire should be calling to it. Is it a runt?" Mom asked, grabbing me and lifting me away from the Ashwinder.
"I don't know. I've seen plenty of Ashwinders before but I don't remember any with color variation." Dad said, marveling at the off colored snake.
"No offense, honey but eve if you did, I don't think that you would remember it." Mom shot, getting a small giggle from me.
"Maybe I should give Newt a call. He could possibly know about this weird color choice."
I started bouncing up and down in my Mom's arms. I loved it when Mr. Scamander came to visit us. He would teach me about all the different types of creatures that he would see and take care of. I aspire to be like him when I grow up.
Dad decided to go write a letter to Newt and left us with the weird Ashwinder. The Ashwinder started hissing furiously after my Dad and started to glow a deep red.
"What the?"
The Ashwinder then lit itself on fire and started slithering at my Mom at max speed. Mom let out a shriek and accidentally dropped me. She has issues with her grip ever since someone challenged her to a holding challenge that lasted for four whole days. It was a close call but Mom prevailed by only five extra seconds. This resulted in her getting free food at a restaurant plus permanent gripping issues.
The Ashwinder, after I fell onto the ground, put itself out and wrapped around my arm. Because of it being just born, it could only coil around my arm. He then rested his head on my bicep and closed his eyes. I could hear happy little hisses come from him. I decided to test my luck and pet him a few times on his head. He seemed to have enjoyed that. My Dad came back outside, looking extremely happy.
"The letter is on its way! I hope that Newt will be able to visit us. Where did the little ankle biter go?" Dad was searching the ground for the Ashwinder.
"Around our child's arm. The thing lit itself on fire and charged at me. For some unknown reason, it really likes (Y/N)." Mom said, letting out a shiver.
Dad picked me up and observed the creature who was wrapped around my arm.
"Would you look at that? (Y/N)! You've got yourself a new friend! How cool is that?!" Dad smiled at me, giving me a small spin.
I let out a laugh before smiling down at the Ashwinder. I'm now super excited for the new adventure that awaits me in the future with this creature.
*Time skip to about a week*
"Fascinating. And it hasn't died yet." Newt said, examining the Ashwinder with fire proof gloves.
Yeah, Newt decided to hold the snake instead of just holding me. It was letting out angry hisses and lit itself on fire plenty of times. It has a limit for how long is can keep on fire apparently.
"And the only person that it likes is (Y/N), you say? Let's do a few tests with them first. (Y/N), would you please come over here?"
I walked over to Newt and waited for him to inform me on what he wanted me to do. Alasker calmed down a bit when I walked towards newt but was still very on edge.
"Hold out your hands. I'm going to give this little guy back to you. Be prepared." Newt instructed me.
I held out my hands and Newt just dropped Alasker into my hands without much warning. Alasker quickly put himself out before hitting my hands. Newt's eyes widened by a few centimeters and a grin split out on his face.
"Amazing! The Ashwinder really doesn't want to hurt you. I wonder if this is only with kids or if it's just you, (Y/N). Would you mind if I did a few tests with him?" Newt asked me, hope was shining in his eyes.
I subconsciously brought Alasker closer to my body. I was worried about what type of tests that he was talking about. I know that some tests can be really painful and I don't want to put Alasker in any pain. Dad felt my vibe and stepped up in my stead.
"I know that you most likely wouldn't hurt Alasker but (Y/N) just wants to make sure that the tests that you're talking about wouldn't put him into any pain." Dad said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
Alasker gave him a warning hiss before snuggling back into my stomach.
"Alasker? They told the name that they chose for the snake?" Newt asked, excitement was peaking through his tone of voice.
I've never really liked talking all that much so whenever I do talk, my family treats it like it's a national event and that everyone in the world needs to treat it as such.
"No, they sadly didn't speak. Instead they were writing Ashwinder multiple times and eventually, their writing got so messy that it looked like Alasker and they ended up naming him that." Dad explained, giving a sad look to me.
"Well, that's a shame but anyway, these tests shall not be painful to Alasker. They are reaction tests. Harmless as can be." Newt explained, giving me a pat on the head.
Alasker also gave Newt a warning hiss plus an attempted bite to his arm. I gave plenty of small pets to Alasker's head to calm him down. I would feel pretty bad if Newt got hurt because of how angry that Alasker got.
"Well, (Y/N)? Is it okay if I take Alasker with me for the rest of the day? You're allowed to say no if you want."
I nodded my head and held out Alasker. I trusted Newt with almost anything of mine. I know how much he adores his own beasts and I knew that he would gladly take care of any creature that I would find.
Newt took Alasker and let me tell you, Alasker was very upset with the whole world at that point. He relit himself on fire and was biting Newt's arms without stopping. Newt then took off with Alasker. Dad then picked me up in return and we headed for the game boards because it was time for game night.
A few hours had passed and I was starting to get worried for Newt. He hasn't come back yet but we haven't heard of any creams of fire yet. Mom could sense my unease and made me some (F/D) to distract me. I was very thankful for that. Plus for the fact that I love some good (F/D).
After about another hour or two, Newt came back into our house with a burnt out Alasker. Newt also looked like he came out of a bonfire plus his gloves were charred. I jumped out of my chair and took Alasker from his hands then cradled him in my arms. Dad went to our guest room and got Newt a new set of clothing. Newt is a very close friend to my Dad so, we basically made the guest room into a room for Newt to stay in.
"Thank you, (D/N). I appreciate the kindness. Alasker is more of a handful than I originally thought he would be." Newt said, going into a bathroom to get changed out of his burnt attire.
I took Alasker into my room. I was done with the rest of my family and Newt for the time. It was snake and (Y/N) time. I put him down on the floor and went to set up our playpen. It was full of different toys and cushions. After I got the doors open, Alasker joined me indie of the pen and we just started playing make believe. I noticed that Alasker was more tired than normal so I made the executive decision that it was time for Alasker to turn in.
I picked him up and put him into the fire proof cradle. I started rocking it but Alasker was refusing to fall asleep. I let out a sigh and realized that I had to use my most powerful weapon.
"Go to sleep~ My little snakey friend~. Go take a leap~ Into sleepy land~." I sang, my voice floating throughout the air.
Alasker stood no chance against the slow melody that is the lullaby that I came up with. I continued until I completely finished the tune. When it was done, Alasker was in a deep sleep and then I realized how thirsty I was. I went to leave my room and when I opened my door, both of parents and Newt were standing right there, trying to act like they weren't spying on me. I let out another sigh before rushing past them.
"(Y/N)! You have a wonderful voice. Do you think that at one point you could sign for my creatures? I think that they would love to hear a soothing voice like yours." Newt said, trying to get me to speak/sing more.
I only shook my head no before getting my glass of water. He looked pretty disappointed when I gave my answer but I just wasn't comfortable talking in front of multiple creatures let alone sing.
"Don't worry about it, Newt. If it really came down to it, (Y/N) would most likely sing for your creatures if they are really angry." Dad reasoned.
I passed them all again and went straight to bed. I was tired of the crap that happened earlier and I wasn't going to deal with it. I gave one last pet to Alasker before passing into the dream land myself.
The morning came faster than I thought that it would but when I woke up, I realized that I couldn't move any of my arms or legs. When I opened my eyes, all that I could see was Alasker. I started to panic a bit. When was Alasker this big?! Newt said that he wasn't going to any bad tests on him. Did he lie?
I wasn't thinking before I let out a huge scream which warned the whole house. I heard footsteps rushing to my room and the door burst open.
"What on earth happened?!" Newt yelled, taking him off of my suspect list.
"(Y/N)! Are you okay?!" Dad also yelled, rushing over to my side.
Alasker was awake by this point and when Dad got really close, he hit the man with his tail and let out a warning hiss. Dad backed off at that sign.
"Why has he grown? This makes no sense. Maybe I should take him with me on my travels just to make sure that he is safe to be around." Newt observed, pulling out his want to apparate Alasker to his suitcase.
Alasker was immediately on the defense and lunged for Newt's wand, almost getting his jaws around it. But sadly, he wasn't fast enough and got transported into the suitcase. I was relieved to have my limbs back but I didn't want to lose one of my closest friends in the process. I ran over to Newt and put my hands on his suitcase.
"I know, (Y/N). It's really hard to let go of close friends but I want to make sure that you'll be safe with Alasker. He seemed to be really possessive over you. I tired yesterday to see if he liked any other being, wizard or muggle, but he was offensive to all of them. I think it's just best in this case for me to study him for a bit longer." Newt explained, giving me a hug.
This definitely shocked me because I knew that Newt wasn't big on physical contact but I was joyful anyway. Hugs are always a huge mood lifter for me.
"Okay, I trust you with him, Newt." I whispered to him.
The smile on Newt's face was so wide that I thought it might it might split his face in two. He then bid us adieu and took his leave. We waved him off and I started to pray for Alasker's well-being. He will always be my little snake friend and I hope that he'll be okay.
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paradoxgavel · 1 year
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@istherewifiinhell tagged me to list off nine movies that're important to me! ty for the tag! ^^
okay, so... I'm gonna list em off here, and elaborate under a read more, bc i kinda wound up infodumping ehehe
i picked coraline, the thing (1982), lilo & stitch, matilda, into the spiderverse, lord of the rings (yes, all of them), mamma mia, klaus, and everything everywhere all at once!
Coraline
i absolutely loved the book when i was like. 10? 11? and when the movie came out my brother and i were just completely obsessed. like, he and i just wound up hyperfixating on it together for a while. I'm pretty sure i just. straight up have the majority of the movie memorized. it's always gonna hold a special place in my heart. <3
The Thing (1982)
my hands-down, all-time favorite horror movie. i somehow managed to go into watching it completely blind, no idea even what the premise of the movie was, all i knew was the title. and UGH it was so much fun watching it that way!! it's one of those horror movies where, the first time i finished watching it, i felt like i just got off a really crazy roller coaster. like, i was STRESSED, but like. that fun horror movie kinda stress. y'know?
Lilo & Stitch
awh lilo & stitch meant a whole lot to me growing up, and probably means even more to me now as an adult. i really related to lilo in a way i couldn't really figure out when i was little, and when i revisited the movie when i was older, it was just like "... oh. damn. i get it now. little mary was going through it, huh." it's just such a sweet movie and it makes me so happy every time i watch it.
Matilda
very much in the same vein as lilo & stitch. a protagonist i really related to when i was little, and really appreciated a whole lot more when i watched it again as an adult. just an absolute comfort movie for me. and I'm kinda including the musical version as an honorable mention bc. i really love that version of it too. <3
Into the Spiderverse
UGH it's just!! such a creative movie in all its little details and different animation styles and its characters, and just. it's one of those movies where every time you rewatch it, you notice something new. it was such a fun, creatively refreshing movie when it came out, and it's still just so much fun to watch. (also dr. liv octavius pls call me)
Lord of the Rings (yes, all of em.)
just!! fuck dude!!!! like!!!! "It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."
Mamma Mia
this is just. me and my mom's movie. this movie is just inextricably linked to hanging out and laughing and being best buds with my mom. it's just so goofy and campy and silly and just. never fails to put a smile on my face. it's just a good time, and brings back happy memories and just. makes me happy. (except for when the Slipping Through My Fingers scene starts. that's when i either fast forward or leave the room or else my mom and i wind up just bawling our eyes out together ldfkjsldfjsd)
Klaus
my favorite holiday movie, hands down. beautiful animation, really lovely story, really fun characters. one of those movies where it's become a yearly tradition to watch it on christmas eve. <3
Everything Everywhere All At Once
ough. this movie just means a whole lot to me. just. the assertion that the antidote to despair and hopelessness is just. silly absurdity and sincere kindness. finding joy in the littlest, silliest, simplest things and sharing those things with the ones you love. it's so good! and the movie's just. an absolutely buckwild, nonstop ride, i love it so much. the first time i watched it was on my birthday last year! and i... kinda wanna make this another annual thing. watching eeaao on my birthday. <3
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yellowocaballero · 2 years
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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXTRA MATT. you write him so perfectly annoying
THANKS I LIKE HIM MORE THAN HE DESERVES.
Out of all the superheroes I've written in that series he's the first one I actually, like, enjoy and care about, so I had to make him the most insufferably annoying man physically possible. Most of his annoyingness in the final draft was shifted onto the next chapter, since he ended up being used more for plot reasons than anything else, and I we didn't end up with as much of him as I wanted. He might need a side story (for peak annoying). I have a whole-ass backstory and tons of meta for him that I can't share until after the next chapter's published, so check back in then and I can talk more about the ninja industrial complex.
The thing about Daredevil comics is that 60% are mediocre and boring, 30% are good and boring, and 10% are by Waid, Soule, or Zdarsky (so, both good and fun). Miller and Loeb are probably the most influential DD authors, which tells you all about how fun and occasionally questionable the DD status quo is.
The Matt I wrote was closer in tone to Waid, Soule, etc than the status quo Matt, lining up further with Waid's general 'massive troll' energy. This was actually a bit dishonest of me, as Waid's Matt is less a Fraction/Aja style reimagining and more 'this is our normal status quo Matt + one absolute mental breakdown as a result of canon events'. Taking Waid's >:3 Matt wholesale without consideration of the actual root of why he acts like that (Miller Loeb & Bendis induced mental breakdown) does disservice to why the portrayal was interesting. On the other hand, >:3 Matt is fun to read and write and status quo Matt is not. I decided to just pick up on the important lesson from that - that Matt's history is a history of intense pain, that he is somebody who is just so intensely sad constantly, and that it is absolutely best to write him as somebody who is so sad he decided to go apeshit insane.
Anyway, Matt is the other part-timer helper-outer with the Heroes For Hire, and like Jake he feels a sense of superiority over them. He thinks arguing is fun and will argue about anything for absolutely no reason. He didn't really intend to set himself up as someone with no light perception (NLP) and entered college meaning on passing himself off as moderately visually impaired, but when absolutely everybody assumed that the cane and glasses meant you had NLP he just started going with it and things snowballed from there. Foggy is the only one who knows that he's ok at distinguishing objects and spatial perception but that's just because Foggy was the only one who asked. He has his life together in every standard way and is only a disaster at keeping girlfriends alive. Matt, Foggy, and Karen all go clothes shopping together and help each other buy clothes. They color coordinate and Matt doesn't know this. When he was a kid he felt constantly guilty about inconveniencing others and as an adult he's decided to inconvenience everybody around him as much as possible. If you ask him any personal detail, no matter how inconsequential it is, he will lie about it. Responds to most criticism by saying 'can't help being a Libra'. Is a Capricorn.
The best depictions of Matt remember that he is blind. Check back later and I'll describe how he's an accredited yet nonlicensed ninja.
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airlockfailure · 2 years
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This isn't a question about a specific OC, but I was wondering what kind of traditions your characters come up with as free men? Do they celebrate "clone" holidays, on dates that are significant, like the anniversary Fox defeated Palpatine? Do they develop wedding and adoption traditions? Just give me all the details please!
So you actually have a head canon I love regarding clone courtship and gift giving. Where a clone will present their love interest with an object of some significance and if the other person accepts it means they're accepting the courting. (I have butchered this summary.) Ever since you posted that, I've had it stuck in my mind that, yes, this is how clones might initiate courtship. I also like the idea of armor being incredibly important for them. A lot of the early ones were trained by Mandalorians after all, and I feel like a lot of those armor based, berserker fighter attitudes and traditions would trickle down, albeit through the filters of Kamino.
Which is why it's so significant for Fox to paint the armor of his shinies, and why it means so much to have them paint his when he's unable to do so. Swapping an sharing armor is an expression of love, maintaining someone else's is an expression of devotion, but it doesn't necessarily have to be romantic devotions. The context is important. Vaughn swapping his higher quality officer's armor with Sterling's faulty shiny armor in order to protect Sterling is a direct expression of romantic love.
Cue wearing his armor all the time, even when he doesn't have to is significant as well. He doesn't open up to people. He doesn't know how. By being allowed to remove his helmet, Delphi is symbolically allowed to intrude on that stoicism and self-restraint. He doesn't have to open up, because she will meet him where he is.
Knockout prefers to remain clothed, armored, etc. as much as possible, with the exception of medical personnel and Howzer. Knockout "playfully" hands over part of his cybernetic arm, which is both practical, because his lightsaber is in there, and an attempt at bridging the rift between them. "I trust you to hold onto what's important to me. It's not armor, but I still require it to function." And of course Howzer gives it back, but he didn't grasp the significance of the gesture because Knockout's older than him, and as I mentioned before, traditions learned by the older clones were filtered through the Kaminoans, who didn't want them to have anything for themselves.
Vaughn notices this more obviously with Sterling. Vaughn is one of the oldest clones, and Sterling (at the start of NAT) is one of the youngest. Vaughn behaves a lot more like a Mandalorian, and an individual, than Sterling does, to the point where Sterling doesn't even know how the clones mourn each other. (Otto later teaches him the Mandalorian remembrance customs.)
Embree found out the date of Dawn's decanting and decided it was going to be celebrated as his birthday. Embree remembers his own birthdays, and knows they're meant to be fun celebrations, and tries to replicate that with the help of the neighbors who are fond of Dawn. Dawn, in turn, plans Embree's birthdays, and they celebrate their children's birthdays as well. But a lot of the clones, unless they were exposed to cultures that celebrated birthdays, wouldn't know what that was, because they were created in labs.
As for holidays... I haven't given them as much thought. I know Fox would not consider his fight with Palpatine something to celebrate, it's a painful, terrifying memory for him. He would probably celebrate the end of the war itself, and the anniversary of clones being granted rights. I could also see Bail, as Chancellor, making both of these events official galactic holidays, so it wouldn't be just the clones celebrating.
Again, I think it would come down to what the individual clone has been exposed to. A line trooper with the 501st will probably celebrate whatever holidays Anakin Skywalker observes, if they ever witnessed Anakin observe any holidays, as they were at war, and I don't think Anakin is the type of person to put things on hold for a party. Ahsoka, who is more likely to notice troop morale, I could see teaching the clones about various holidays celebrated by the Jedi/on Coruscant. So within the Invictus AU, the 332nd clones know a lot more about holidays and celebrations in that context.
Fox was formally adopted by Aren as a Mandalorian, and when he and Riyo eventually adopt children, Fox will use the same Mandalorian custom for them. Pantoran culture is coming slowly out of feudalism (in my mind a strange mix of stuff from medieval Europe and feudal Japan), thanks in part to Riyo herself and Papanoida's desire to be more involved with the galaxy as a whole. Adoption on Pantora is more to preserve family lines and inheritance than it is about raising children and as such, the adoption of adults into failing family lines is quite common. With the growing of Pantora away from feudalism, that is slowly changing, because we all know how Riyo feels about protecting people who have no means to advocate for themselves.
A lot of the clones would want to adopt the cadets and tubies from Kamino. Most of the clones' experiences regarding nat-borns is negative, or at least neutral. It has always been that the clones look after each other, because they all recognize they can't rely on outsiders. Even after the war, among the former CIS planets, there is a great deal of anti-clone sentiment. And plenty of the loyal Republic planets believed clones were just droids shaped like men.
Commander Colt and Shaak Ti (along with the rest of the Kaminoan Security Team) are responsible for ensuring the cadets and tubies are adopted into homes that will actually protect and raise the clones, and aren't just some nat-born weirdos or heaven forbid, slavers. Anyone who is there for nefarious purposes is escorted out (sometimes arrested). This does mean that it will take a very long time to adopt out all the clones who need families. But as I mentioned, the clones have always taken care of each other, whether that group is small or large.
Uhh, and then my brain died. Time for more coffee LOL
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sanji-luvr · 7 months
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Arlong Park - A Critique On Capitalism
After watching the Arlong ark arc it seems obvious to me that the arc is a critique of capitalism.
Initially, i didn't know what else to say on this but the obvious factors for me was Arlong's laser focus on money. As the arc progressed and we found out more about how he runs the villages he 'owns', it became clear that it is a perfect reflection of the current landscape we're living in now.
Paying to live under Arlong's rule is a scary prospect. Having to work day in day out to have the chance to see the next month is a terrifying ordeal. To be poor is a death sentence - quite literally. Bell-mere's story is one of great tragedy as it not only points out how cruel and unforgiving the capitalist system is, but it also points out how we are often dehumanised under it. Arlong didn't care about Bell-mere as a person, didn't care about her childhood, how she came to be the mother of Nami and Nojiko. He essentially saw her as a disposable source of income and nothing more.
Without getting into the details, the story of Bell-mere was a turning point for me, as I'm sure it was for most fand of One Piece. Up until now, the anime was essentially fun and games, and so the death of Bell-mere was a jarring watch. In refusing to deny her connection to Nami and Nojiko, she walked, willingly, into death. And as we progress in this arc, and the rest of One Piece, the importance and necessity of community and family is pointed out again and again.
Arlong meant this act of violence as a warning, and after witnessing the death of her mother at a young age, Nami took it as such. Shell-shocked and traumatised, she signs up to work for Arlong. At this point however, we are kept in the dark as to why. This omission was interesting to me for a number of reasons, one being that Nami had essentially betrayed her community, effectively being shown as a class traitor. My one take on this is on how capitalism alienates you from your community. That is how it works. It ensnares you with promises of a better life, of freedom, and draws you away from those who truly value you.
It's all the more tragic when you consider Nami's age. As a child, things seem incredibly black and white. In the case of Bell-mere: she was poor, and thus couldn't afford to live under Arlong and was shot as a consequence. The only option from there is to make enough money so that the same doesn't happen to you. In her case, however, her aim was to pay for the freedom of her village, and to do that she had to endure being ostrasized by the very people she wanted to save. But you can't outsmart the system from within it, no matter the advantage you think you have. This truth is heartbreaking, not only because Nami was so young, but because she was also incredibly earnest and genuine in her intentions. Later, when the money is taken from her, she is incredibly distressed, watching eight years of her life essentially thrown away.
I will admit, I was fooled into thinking that Arlong might stick to their agreement honestly. His remarks that he'd rather die than break a deal made over money gave me a false sense of hope. But when the other shoe dropped, it reminded me of one of the most frustrating things about capitalism - the goal post is always shifting. What Arlong managed to do was find a loophole: he hadn't broken his promise per se, but he had figured out a way to make sure Nami could never fulfil her end of it. The capitalist system, and all other systems that stem from it exist to keep you in the position you started in. And this realisation crushed Nami, as it does many of us. In the the midst of it all - after losing her mother, being isolated from her village, labelled as a witch and having your dreams stolen from you, freedom seems impossible, and understandably so.
In comes the Straw-Hats.
I think it's fair to say that Luffy's philosophy, and by extension the Straw-Hats philosphy, is community. There are two moments that stand out to me going forward from Nami's realisation, and those are when Luffy gives his hat to Nami, and his speech during his fight with Arlong. The message in these moments is clear to me: community aid is the antithesis to capitalistic ideals. Where capitalism preaches individuality above everything, Luffy is grounded in his community. The hat scene is an offering of support, and the fight against Arlong is Luffy acting on his sentiment.
The way Luffy goes about his life is the exact opposite of Arlong. He's built his crew on necessity, calling on people to do the things he can't do, to fill the gaps with skills that he is aware he lacks. He acknowleges this himself, stating that he is "confident he cannot live without help".
This scene was emotionally charged for many reasons, but the one that I have to discuss is how reliant Luffy is on his community, and the lengths he is willing to go to in order to protect them. Where Arlong boasts about his strengths, there is no mention of any flaws or skills he lacks in. And this is no accident. He is presented as an immovable figure, impossible to do away with, so much so that the people of Cocoyasi Village refuse to rebel against him for a second time. The system seems like it's impossible to take down. But the Strawhats manage it, not through individualism but through community efforts.
In the end, we learn that the answer to capitalism is mutual aid. Oppressive systems can only be taken down with community power, and that starts from the grassroots. Smaller communities band together and help their own, and it grows from there. The Straw-Hats showed us that, as wishy washy as it sounds, you cannot implement systemic change on your own.
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