#and start focusing more on downfall in general!

[david-talks-sw]

I'd say where the dissonance really starts, when it comes to the portrayal of the Jedi in more recent Star Wars stories, is the perception of what the Prequels are about.

They're not about the Jedi.

George Lucas said over and over that they're about:

How a democracy turns into a dictatorship, we see this in the background of the films, as the Republic descends into becoming the Empire.

That first theme is then paralleled with a second theme: how a good kid becomes a bad man. We see this in the more character-driven and personal exploration of Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side.

The Prequels’ focus is on Anakin and the Republic, these films are not primarily about the fall of the Jedi. In fact, I’d argue they aren’t about the Jedi at all!

And when you look at the original backstory, you’ll notice that it also primarily focuses on:

The political subplot of the Republic’s downfall and Palpatine becoming the Emperor.

Anakin’s turn and his betrayal of the Jedi. 

So, there too… the Jedi themselves aren’t really that big a part of the Prequels’ original idea. They aren't mentioned much, beyond their trying to save the Senate and getting wiped out.

The Star Wars movies aren't about the Jedi, they're about Anakin and Luke, they're about Obi-Wan and Padmé and Han and Leia, the Rebellion vs the Empire, the fall of the Republic.

They're not about Ben and Yoda and Mace and Ki-Adi and Plo Koon and Shaak Ti and Luminara.

Just like Harry Potter isn't about Dumbledore and McGonagall. Just like the Lord of the Rings isn't about Gandalf.

On a functional level, the Jedi are:

POV characters who witness the events unfold with their hands tied, they're our anchors, whose eyes we see through to see democracy crumble into dictatorship.

Embodiments/vectors of the message George Lucas wanted to get across through these movies, which is the conflict between selfishness & selflessness, greed & compassion (Sith & Jedi).

But that's about it.

However, if you ask today’s fans and Star Wars creatives, most will say the Prequels are about the fall of the Jedi Order.

This is a take shared by a big chunk of the fandom, including various filmmakers, authors, and executives involved with Star Wars, so much so that the time period the Prequel films cover has now been redubbed by Lucasfilm as the “Fall of the Jedi era”.

Which leaves us with a question... why? Why the dissonance?

My guess? It's because the Jedi are cool. They're awesome.

And deep down, they wanted the Prequels to be about the Jedi. About the Jedi Knights at their height, errant warriors like the Knights of the Round Table.

And they didn't get that. They got a bunch of diplomats serving a political institution. And that didn't make sense, right? That's not what they expected so it's bad. And it's Star Wars. It's Lucas. It can't be bad, right? So like... what were they missing?

Oh... wait... what if... that's the point? That the Jedi were supposed to be Knight Errants and being guided by the Force instead of like - ew - space ambassadors for the Republic. Yeah now it all makes sense.

The Jedi in the Prequels aren't what we wanted them to be and that's their failure! Like, it's not just that I didn't like them because they weren't likeable to me, it's that I'm not supposed to like them because the narrative totally says so--

-- it doesn't.

The Jedi preach and practice the same Buddhist values as George Lucas, mirroring what he says in interviews almost verbatim.

The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin/Qui-Gon mirrors the dynamic between Lucas and Coppola.

The designs of the Jedi and their temple had to be toned down because they looked too bureaucratic and systemic.

This is Lucas we're talking about. "On the nose" is his middle name. He named the drug-peddling sleazebag "Elan Sleazebaggano." He ditched an elaborate introduction of General Grievous in exchange for just "the doors slide open, in walks Grievous and he's ugly."

If he had really been hell bent on framing the Jedi as elitist squares who lost their way and were mired in bureaucracy, he would've made them and the Jedi Temple look like the authorities in THX-1138.

They weren't likeable to some fans because, well, they weren't developed or shown as much as someone like Anakin. Because it's not about them. It's not their story. It's Anakin's. It's Luke's. It's their respective friends'. Or maybe it's an adversity to "perfect goody two-shoes" characters (which the Jedi are not). But hey, it's a movie for kids. Some 2-dimensionality is forgivable.

Bottom line, had more time been spent on the Jedi, had Lucas made the Prequels into a limited show and give them a whole subplot, had he decided to do away with the 30s serial dialog and let someone else write the dialog, maybe the reception might've been different.

But that's what we got. And guess what it's fine.

It's more than fine, it's fucking awesome.

I proudly and confidently say that I love the Prequels, with and without The Clone Wars.

I love my space monks, I love that they're diplomat wizards, I love that there's such a variety of them, I love that Mace is a no-bullshit guy who genuinely cares about his fellow Jedi and how screwed the Republic is, and Yoda is wise and kind but also a gremlin weirdo who'll embarass you in front of a classroom full of kids, and Ki-Adi has a penis for a head, is constantly calm and yet goes down like a champ even though they take him by surprise. I love that Shaak Ti can kung fu an army full of Magna Guards and still have the energy to charge at Grievous. I love that Obi-Wan is a sass machine who is also hilariously oblivious to the fact that he's just as terrible as Anakin.

They're awesome even if they're not perfect. They're awesome because they're not perfect.

But the movies are not really their story.

They're Anakin's. They're Luke's. They're the Republic's and the Rebellion's. And the fight against a space Nazi emperor/empire.

[obsessivevoidkitten]

Owned By The Demon Admiral (AFAB Reader Version)

Male Demon Yandere x AFAB Demon Reader CW: Noncon/dubcon, terms like pussy used for reader's genitals, yandere DILF, general yandere behavior, groping, biting, captive reader, reader is setup, an overly cute semi-aquatic demon cat named Mr. Sir Buttons Word Count: 2k (I am saying this fic is AFAB versus female because no gendered pronouns are ever used at all for the reader in anyway, rather their genitals are biologically female. Terms like pussy/cunt are used so if that is triggering for you please avoid this fic. This was a birthday gift for a friend normally I don't do AFAB reader so this may be a bit sloppy. I hope you enjoy it.)

The battleship you were on drifted through the calm blood red waters of one of Hell’s oceans. The light of the two suns scintillated beautifully off the serene waves. No evidence at all that your ship had just sunk an enemy vessel, condemning the unlucky demons manning it to death.

In the ensuing ebullience at having survived with no damage the leader of the ship, Admiral Oraan, put one hand behind on your ass and one behind your head and pulled you into a passionate kiss as his tail began to wrap around your leg.

You struggled to push off the larger demon but finally he released you. You steadied yourself and gasped for breath.

“I said no!”

Then you stormed off to your quarters.

This wasn’t the first time your commanding officer had done something like this. This was at least the fourth time you had rebuffed his advances. He just wouldn’t get it through his thick skull. You were focused strictly on your military career. The war against Pride, one of the Princes of Hell, was far too important for romance and sex to get in the way.

But you underestimated his desire for you. And his rage. You should have assumed that the highest ranking admiral in Wrath’s fleet would have some severe anger issues. But you naively thought that service to his prince would take priority over his feelings for you.

The first thing he had done was to sabotage your quarters during inspection. You didn’t know it was his doing and were angered and paranoid that someone would thrash your space in such a way, causing you to get written up.

In reality it was all Oraan. A rising action in the story of your downfall.

The next thing that was done to ruin your uniforms. He told you it was disrespectful to the prince you all served, to the branch you served, and to him to have your uniforms in such a state.

After that it was a more serious infraction. Reported for contraband that was then found in your locker.

The final, and most infuriating, nail in the coffin happened in the next skirmish. A small opponent, easy to sink and posing only a slight threat to the hellish dreadnought on which you served. But Oraan had forced multiple witnesses to claim you were a coward. That you had abandoned your station and hid in your quarters while the rest of the crew gallantly manned their posts.

This led to you having to be court-martialed. No time to dock and have more formal proceedings. You had to be court-martialed right on the ship. Despite the evidence against you, you thought that once you were given your chance to make your arguments and have your comrades vouch for your behavior and character then this would all disappear.

That isn’t quite how things played out for you. You started the court-martial optimistic but with each passing moment a sense of dread became stronger and stronger. Each witness, people you had respected and thought of as your friends, gave damning testimony. They painted you as a belligerent, lazy, neglectful oaf. Someone who cared nothing for duty, rules, or honor.

You had to hold back tears as your body shook with rage and sorrow. Why were they saying such things? Why were they lying about you and your actions and character?

It finally became obvious when the sentence was passed. Not death, as might befit someone who fled from combat. Not dishonorable discharge. No, you were being reassigned. As Oraan’s personal attendant. “A non-combat role where no one would be harmed by your cowardly behavior.”

It was all him. He had pressured or otherwise bribed everyone to turn against you. To lie about you. All to get you in his clutches and punish you for rejecting him. And there was nothing you could do about it. He was an older and stronger demon, you’d have no hope to beat him in a fight. And even if you somehow managed it, how would you escape on a ship? And if by some miracle you either made it to land or just waited until the ship was docked you would be chased for all eternity.

No, he had you in your clutches. Your only hope was that your contract with the navy was almost up. You were only to be enlisted for five years at a time before you had to renew. The only exception for that being prolonged was if a hot war was going on, but this one was nearing its end. Since all that happened was the court-martial was just technically a reassignment you were only bound by the terms of your enlistment.

All you had to do was endure for ten months.

It was humiliating. Oraan really wanted to keep you reminded of your new position. You had to be at his side constantly. Obeying all his orders and whims. You had to press his uniforms and get his meals. And in private the tasks got much worse.

Sucking his girthy cock was a common “request” of his. Almost daily. You also had to bathe with him most nights. This required you to wash his entire well-muscled form. If you were a willing participant you would have enjoyed it, he was very attractive, the tattoo of an anchor on his left shoulder and the three large scars on his ribs adding to his rugged allure.

But you weren’t a willing participant. And bathing him usually led to him giving you an “inspection.” That was where he touched, kissed, groped every inch of you before sliding his cock into your hot pussy, slowly fucking into you until he came hard. His tongue, of course, had to probe your mouth during these inspections, “just to be thorough.”

It was good that he had you eat meals with him in his private quarters, because you didn’t think you’d be able to look any of the other crew members in the eye ever again. The ones that hadn’t been involved in fucking over your entire life were the ones that believed the lies about you. On the entire ship you had not a single ally. The only one you could confide in was Mr. Sir Buttons, the semi-aquatic demonic cat that served as the mascot and unofficial morale officer on the ship.

You were on your way back from taking your food trays back to the galley when you felt something soft rub against your leg. Mr. Sir Buttons! You had a few minutes before you had to be back with Oraan so you stooped down and picked him up. He purred loudly.

“At least I never have to worry about you betraying me.”

He meowed as if in affirmation. You nuzzled his thick, red, waterproof fur before placing him back down to go about his very important demonic cat business.

When you got back to Oraan’s quarters he was naked on the bed. His large prick standing erect and ready for the attention you would surely have to give it, a bead of precum running down the length evidently in anticipation.

You sighed in resignation and began to strip your clothing. You had been doing this for over a month now. Only less than nine more to go. You could do it, just one moment at a time.

Too excited after leering at your naked form, he couldn’t wait for you to come to him anymore. Instead he got up and used his strong arms to pick you up and pin you to the bed. He stole your lips with his, kissing you in a greedy frenzy, his large cock swung below as he groped your chest.

“Mine! I can’t believe after all these years you’re finally all mine!”

He bit your neck, causing you to moan involuntarily. But maybe you should just give into the pleasure of the situation. It was going to happen either way and you’d be able to move on with your life once this was all over anyway. Besides, getting into it a bit might just help him finish faster so you’d have less time stuck in this position.

Oraan massaged the outside of your cunt before sliding a couple of fingers into you to get you wet and ready for his large prick.

When he lined his cock up with your drooling entrance, rough hands on your hips, you didn’t look away or flinch as you would normally. You wrapped your arms and legs around him instead, allowing him the perfect angle to slam deeply into your pussy. He grinned, ecstatic that you finally seemed to have not only learned your place but were actively embracing it. He slammed down with hard but slow thrusts. Each one making you gasp and each one punctuated with another kiss or nip up your neck.

Lewd squelching noises emanated from your sex as he increased the tempo of your lovemaking.

Had any of the crew passed the admiral’s quarters on their way through the halls all they would have heard was the rhythmic slap of Oraan’s nuts against your skin as he bred you along with the occasional grunt or swear from him or moan from you.

“Fuck! I love you so much!”

You only drooled a bit while looking up at him dumbly with lustful eyes, having been fucked nearly senseless. You scratched his shoulders with your sharp demonic nails as you pulled him closer to you in an attempt to somehow get him deeper. You were near your climax, desperate for it.

The pain from your nails spurred him on, causing him to fuck you at a new pace that straddle the line between pain and pleasure. You winced as he came hard, your tight clenching walls milking his cock and sending him over the edge soon after.

He gave a few final thrusts into you to empty his balls good and deep before pulling out and holding you tight, caging you in with his sweat-slicked body. You went limp from exhaustion, practically basking in the afterglow that always followed such intense, passionate sex. If you didn’t know any better you could have mistaken Oraan for a lust demon. Though you imagined saying such a thing to his face would have him prove instantly that he was, in fact, a being of wrath.

When the two of you had recovered he took you into the small shower with him. This time around, he cleaned you. Gently washing your body of cum and sweat before rinsing your hair. Far more tender behavior than you would have thought possible from the stern leader. Maybe there was more wisdom to just being more open to your predicament than you had initially thought.

It was a change in your behavior that hadn’t gone unnoticed by the man who had orchestrated the vast shift in your life circumstances.

“Finally decided to give in, huh?” Came his gruff voice from behind you.

You had no reason to be dishonest or hide your thoughts from him.

“Well, my contract is up in just a few months. I am not going to renew so this assignment is only temporary. I figured it’ll go by faster if I just accept it.”

He laughed and pulled you close to him, you could feel his stubble on your neck as he whispered words that made your fiery demon blood run cold.

“With my power, influence, and wealth I can assure you that your signature will keep renewing that contract for eternity, sweetheart. Whether you sign it yourself or not. Even if we aren’t deployed I will find a way to keep you with me.”

You went limp and would have fallen to the floor had he not had his arms wrapped tightly around you. The room felt like it was spinning. You barely took note of the water trailing down your skin or the chaste kiss he pressed to your cheek.

It was over for you, now that Oraan finally had you there was absolutely nothing that would make the older demon give you up.

[alacritysparked]

Transformers One headcanon that Sentinel specifically took T-cogs from bots who would potentially uprise if given the opportunity.

Looking at even a handful of the cogless bots, they’re all characters who become part of the Autobot or Decepticon chain of command. Jazz becomes TIC of the Autobots and one of the best saboteurs ever. Ironhide becomes the weapons specialist and one of Optimus Prime’s inner circle. Prowl becomes SIC and again, one of the bots Prime relies on throughout the war. Elita-1 becomes a commander and leads her own team of elite warriors - all of which we saw as energon miners.

The free thinkers, the dreamers, the loyal, the ambitious, the leaders…the bots who displayed the greatest potential were put in the sub levels so they could latch onto a lie. The lie of a better life, the Cybertronian dream, the ability to make their lives marginally better with the limited opportunities given to them. Sentinel focused their energy to the lie, working them to death in the name of chasing a false dream.

In that life, there’s no time to question things. We saw it with Megatron, one of the more skeptical bots out there. He didn’t question it. He trusted his leader. He worked hard. It got him nowhere.

Sentinel probably learned his mistake with letting Orion Pax wander around as freely as he does. Orion was a troublemaker. Orion defied everything in the name of the greater good. Sentinel could NOT have another Orion on his hands. So B-127 was isolated. B had a similar spark, someone who could create community and be content with community. Content enough to see past the bleakness of his situation to start asking questions. Sentinel couldn’t have more bots asking questions.

As for the Transformers around before the Primes died? Well, energon stopped flowing the minute the Matrix of Leadership returned to Primus. It’s not that far of a leap to tell the populace that Cybertron was sparking incomplete bots. Some of the newborns didn’t have T-cogs because the planet couldn’t produce T-cogs for everyone. Simple luck of the draw. And those bots had no reason to question Sentinel. Why would the Secretary of the Primes lie to them?

Sentinel tried to destroy a generation of leaders and almost succeeded. His fatal mistake was selfishness. He didn’t see the value of those creating communities until Orion Pax was well on his way through the sub level tiers. Sentinel is smart, so he didn’t make that mistake again. But it was too little, too late. Community, caring about others, working for the betterment of all of Cybertron…this was Sentinel’s downfall.

[vantaeries]

🐈‍⬛ PICK A PILE : GHIBLI CAT 🐈‍⬛

FUTURE SPOUSE : THEIR APPROACH TO THEIR CAREER & WHEN THEY MET YOU

PILE 1 PILE 2 PILE 3

Disclaimer : This is a general reading. It may or may not resonate with you. Please take what resonates and leave what doesn't. Remember, the energies can change from time to time. So pick wisely.

How to pick : Close your eyes, take a deep breath and clear your mind. Trust your intuition and choose a pile that you are most drawn to.

PILE 1

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For those who choose this pile, the profession of your future spouse is often marked by risks and rewards. It requires them to attend many social events, hosting parties or business meetings. No doubt they have good communication skills. Any words that come out of their mouth manage to gain favor from their bosses or clients. However, if they use these skills to trick and manipulate others for their business advantage, it could be the start of their downfall. They might even be willing to change their profession or workplace if it doesn't benefit them. It's like they only seek fun and money in the workplace. It's most likely that when they meet you, they will start to take their work more seriously and responsibly. This could happen when you both work together. From platonic, both of you slowly became lovers. I think you will help your FS to see the big picture in future where you both lead each other in work. So yes, it's definitely like a work couple.

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their chart, Prominent Jupiter, Air Sign (Gemini & Aquarius), Strong Mercury, Water Sign (Scorpio)

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career fields : judge, lawyer, banker , investor, business person, investigator, entrepreneur, artist & leader

PILE 2

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For this pile, you and your future spouse will start a business together or work in partnership. Before starting the business, one of you might have experienced some conflict, but when you meet, you'll both have the idea to open a business. You will serve as pillars of support for each other. For example, if you open a coffee shop, they will make the coffee while you take the orders. The only thing you need to be mindful of is maintaining balance. Misunderstandings or confusion may arise if one of you is emotionally guarded or secretive. If any problems or issues related to work or love occur, both of you need to sit down and have a deep conversation. Otherwise, one of you might harbor a lot of dissatisfaction and potentially isolate themselves in their work.

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their chart : Strong Cancer & Moon, Gemini, Aquarius, Taurus, Moon - Mercury

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career field : Travel blogger, therapist, counselor, teacher, entrepreneur, cooks, stall managers

Pile 3

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For those who choose this pile, your future spouse (FS) is determined and focused. Once they choose a field, they set their mindset and goals firmly on it. Due to this determination, they might overwork themselves. The universe advises them to rest, as they are working themselves like a robot. It's likely they experienced heartbreak before, possibly neglecting their previous partner because of their intense focus on work. After the breakup, they grieved over their mistakes. When they meet you, they feel a nurturing and welcoming energy, making them dream of building a family with you. Both of you will strive to provide comfort and financial security in the relationship. For some of you, this might mean having a child soon after starting the relationship. For others, it could mean that one of you may act like a child (not in a negative way, but in a sense that this relationship will heal your inner child).

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their Chart : Strong Venus (Libra, Taurus), Venus - Saturn, Capricorn, Cancer

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career field : Work in entertainment, musician, artist, banker, florist, executive role (CEO), engineering

Feel free to suggest topic to me in my ask box. Thanks. Enjoy the reading

[letmeoutofthebasementt]

Would SKZ date someone with mental disorders/neurodivergent?

The wording may be off because I wanted to make this not disorder specific and more broad

Chan

He would. He’d be very compassionate about it, and try to support and be a rock for that person. He wants to be their safe place to, let’s say, if they have severe depression be able to come to him and just…Talk. I don’t know how to word this without being really dark. Or explain this entirely, but he just wants to be there and be a save haven. Where they can be free and loved regardless of any apparent baggage the disorder may bring. Though he’d also want them to be able to overcome certain things on their own incase anything happens to the relationship.

Minho

No. Now, do I think he’d dump them if he found out once the relationship already started? No. But if he knew before it started the relationship wouldn’t be. Period. He values stability and security, and just doesn’t feel equipped to deal with someone with mental health issues, rather bluntly. It’s too much for him, and he doesn’t think it’d be smart to knowingly put himself into that situation. And if it becomes apparent later, I think it could very rapidly overwhelm him and may cause the relationship’s downfall if it’s severe. Unless they’re locked in, then he’d try to help them through to work it out. He’s someone very intense and aware of emotion. As such, he needs someone who will be able to handle him and not…Burden him. It may sound harsh, but it’s true. He’s someone who’s just very very easily overwhelmed. And if it’s something that affects emotional maturity/depth, it’d be a definite no go. Now, he’d be compassionate, of course. And he’d be a good and willing friend for someone with a mental disorder, but not really a partner.

Changbin

Another no. He’d be too worried about it, I think. Like if they have mental disorders that affect their day to day life, or just…Anything in general, like for example autism, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety, etc… he’d just constantly be stressing trying to make sure they’re okay. Like if they have depression he’s stressing trying to figure out what may cause it to worsen, or if they’re gonna get triggered, etc. or trying to figure out what’s making them so anxious if they have anxiety, etc. etc. He also may feel…Inhibited? I guess? Because he’s so focused on his partner 24/7 worrying every out of every day, which is draining. And I feel like it’d very rapidly deteriorate his own mental health. Because he’s so busy giving giving giving trying to make their life easier and there’s no way he’ll get all that back. I also think he may be too overbearing with it? Like trying too hard to…Fix. And that ends terribly.

Hyunjin

He would. He’d try his best to understand and help. I think he’d find a certain fulfillment in it? Like just supporting his partner and being there if they need it. Understanding them and being able to help them through the hard times. Knowing he’s useful and needed and that he’s not useless “for once”. He’s very sensitive and has a lot of depth emotionally, and I think he’d feel a lot for them. I honestly think he’s another one if his partner is too emotional it’ll drain him by extension because he feeds off it. But he, like Chan, wants to create a safe place for his partner.

Han

He would. He’d just try to make them happy and, again, be a safe space for them. He wants to share his happiness with them and let them know that he’s there for them. It’d bring him a lot of pleasure. I’m getting he may have had/still has a lot of struggles with mental illness and had a lot of friends who helped him through it, and wants to give his partner that experience. Very compassionate about it, though his reasons may be a tad selfish? Like, he does a lot of it for his own fulfillment and conscious. Not that he doesn’t care, of course. Definitely would feel a need to protect them, though.

Felix

He would. He’d try to help them through it and help them overcome whatever challenges it brings. He’d be glad they can trust him enough to let him help. And he knows they can both push through and endure whatever negative effects it has on the relationship. He can adapt to whatever comes his way from it. Whatever his partner needs due to the disorders. Though I think it may also…Drain him eventually, and become too much.

Seungmin

I was expecting a firm no, but he would. He’d be very mature about the whole thing and a rock. Very emotionally secure throughout the whole thing. He’d help them get through it, and unlike the others I don’t see it draining him really? Because, not in a rude or selfish or apathetic way, it wouldn’t necessarily affect him deeply? I can’t explain it. While he feels empathy, he doesn’t feel FOR you like the others would. He’s more detached with it. Definitely would be the type who’d move mountains for you and be there in a pinch if you needed anything that’d make the whole thing easier? Very generous with his time because of it.

I.N

He would. Honestly, I’m getting he has a lot? Specifically with people who have struggled with depression and anxiety. And he always seems to come at the tail end of that? Where it’s starting to become something they’re overcoming more and more. Like I’m getting he’s always the end of a cycle. He helps them find a different part of themselves and does it kindly. Even if they break up he’s always remembered extremely fondly because of that. It’s like he…Frees them? In a sense? I’m trying not to word this in a way that’s offensive or lessening anything. But he’s a very freeing person to be with and instills a deep love of life in his partners.

[synergysilhouette]

How the mighty have fallen--but will something better come out of it?

I stopped playing "Choices" a few months ago and it's WILD to realize I haven't played "Fictif" since it stopped 3 years ago as well as "The Arcana" when it finished around the early days of "Fictif" (I think), but I feel like I'm experiencing the first nostalgic era of the digital age when it comes to mobile games; the mid to late 2010s was the best era of mobile games, it seems. Of course, after doing some digging, it's WILD to hear about the downfall of the companies that made these games. Nix Hydra (maker of "The Arcana" and "Fictif") is a rabbit hole that I can't even begin to explain, and it's content quickly became second priority when acquired by Dorian, despite Dorian saying it would still prioritize NH's content, instead taking the back seat to Dorian's own app--the app of which I liked in concept, but not execution. In any case, some members of the team from "The Arcana" and "The Last Legacy" from Fictif, as well as other games, made the indie Red Spring Studio company, with their first game "Touchstarved" (which had a Kickstarter that FAR EXCEEDED it's OG goals by 8x; one of the goals included a Nintendo Switch port). I think the game comes out at the end of this year, so I'll be excited to see how it goes. Unfortunately, their Kickstarter page has their updates limited to backers (people who helped fund the project) only, which IMO limits the exposure the game gets, but let's hope for the best.

As for Pixelberry, apparently they've had issues for years, and last year they had massive layoffs and were acquired by an AI company, so...there's that. Plus it seems they're still smut-focused and even the early 2024 art was victim of AI usage, maybe before that. To recooperate their costs, PB closed out two of it's other apps, and while still generating content, is losing the trust of fans, especially since, from what I've seen on their newsletters, they're focused on more "content" for established franchises--which doesn't mean sequels or spinoffs, but often a short book. Anyway, three of their creatives have went on to found Candlelight Games: the Head of Design was once the ex-creative director at PB and helped write "Bloodbound," "Blades of Light and Shadow," "Most Wanted," and "Endless Summer"; the Head of Narrative was an ex-head of Choices and helped write "America's Most Eligible," "The Nanny Affair" (man, the switchup is CRAZY), "With Every Heartbeat," "Distant Shores," and "Ride or Die"; and the CEO was the former VP of new games, an ex-head of Choices, and ex-head of Hollywood U. As someone who became disappointed with many Choices books when the decade hit, this feels promising. The company's first project, "Project Spellstruck" (codename), is expected to start releasing this year.

Seems like the mid-2020s may have me more engaged in interactive mobile games that haven't been exciting for half a decade. Check out these stories and spread the word!

[little-one-eyed-monsters]

I sincerely hope Daou and Offroad make it.

I'll be honest: I was a fan of Laz1, and currently I like Daou and Offroad's music and performances as individuals, but I'm not a big fan of their acting.

They did an okay job in Love in Translation, but I found some of their acting either wooden or too over-the-top. That's all right, I suppose, they are green to acting after all. With no mentors and hardly any industry agents backing them up, that was to be expected. They did a better job in Century of Love, but still the heartfelt moments fell flat to me, and the tearjerkers felt dryly delivered and out of place. I attributed the problems of Love in Translation to the script and production. With a better script, an experienced director, and a bigger production for Century of Love, I can only attribute its shortcomings to its actors, who themselves admitted that they had the most difficult time dealing with the demands of their director.

But despite all this, I'm ROOTING for Daou and Offroad.

They're talented from an entertainment sense, but more than that, they're hard workers. They dedicate their time to improving their craft instead of focusing on fanmeets and fan-benefits like other BL stars. Offroad even disappears for months at a time just to learn a new skill, which jeopardizes his popularity but helps his performances in the long run. They're largely unproblematic-- keeping to themselves quite privately but still maintaining really good friends and connections in the industry. I honestly just think they need proper mentors. But most of all...

Unlike other BL couples I like to delulu myself into thinking are dating in real life, I AM 100% convinced that these two are actually together. Daou himself has alluded to this fact multiple times already, and not in a coy, fanservice kind of way designed to sell more tickets. It's usually in somber, more resentful tones:

Because Daou knows what kind of industry he and Offroad have found themselves in. And for Thailand, the fastest producer of all things queer in Asia, the BL industry remains as homophobic as ever (speaking as an Asian myself).

Look at Mew Suppasit. I can't defend the man because to this day, I believe he had a hand in building the toxic fanservice culture that the BL industry suffered from for years. But I do know Mew's complaints about the downfall of his career, and the hatred he gets for dating fellow BL actor Tul holds merit. To the world, he will always be a gay man, in an industry that values the pleasureable concept of queerness rather than its sobering realities. Actors can be gay on screen all they want, but offscreen, they must remain desireable  and available for their female audience, and someone to look up to for their male ones. Being gay in real life invalidates all of this, which means Mew will never reach the full recognition of his contemporaries.

So for Daou and Offroad, if my belief is true and they really are in a relationship, they're not just risking their careers or their reputation here. They're risking their relationship, too. They're either risking its privacy, bacause being officially branded as a pair means they are constantly forced by fans to share every single detail about each other; or its stability, because they know they can't market as a pair forever. Once they leave the comfort of this branding, they face the uncomfortable expectation of being desireable to their GENERAL audience, and not just members of the LGBTQ+ community. At some point, they might be forced back into the closet. Look at this rage-inducing but all-too-true line from Top Form, a BL series that's shining a light on how difficult this industry is for its actors:

"But if everyone starts associating you. A superstar, to the LGBT, it's not wrong, of course..."

So I hope Daou and Offroad make it. I hope they're happy no matter how this goes.

Because like many other performers in this craft, they're just out here doing their best. I hope they get to love whoever they want to love, and I hope this industry turns out better for all of us.

[ganondoodle]

you know, you could argue that totk is just "one bad game" in a series that doesnt have to mean anything for the future, and i should jsut move on and wait for the next one, and generally id agree, but these days i cannot help but feel like its the beginning of the end, so to say

we are seeing it in every type of media, be it series, games, movies, that stories that say anything are too risky so they go for generic slop instead- the recent news about pixar wanting to focus "mass appeal" (despite their reasoning being completely hypocritical?) is just yet another proof of that being a trend that doesnt seem to stop any time soon

and one of the problems that brings with it, besides just being boring, is that "generic mass appeal" stuff ... ends up turning around to repeat tired old stereotypes that often leads to really problematic framing (like even childrens cartoons featuring war somewhere in the middle east against evil arabs .. just like, as a backdrop), bc "mass appeal" in general really means "average white person able to spend money", which isnt the majority of people but its the ones who this is targeted towards and more often than not made by, and, no matter how much some people want to pretend its possible, its impossible to make anything that doesnt say anything, theres nothing non political, if they think something is non political its bc its aimed at them and they agree with it

thats what makes me so anxious about the future of the zelda franchise, bc, while its always been a problem, totk especially.. is exactly that imo, its generic and a boring good vs evil with no nuance to be found if you are in the target "mass appeal" but as soon as you arent, or know about the most widely used ways of framing, its kinda scary how clearly it turns into a white god appointed savior against the evil arabs imperialism simulator, and it might not have been intended as such, its so normalized that its considered simple and standard.. (i know i go on alot about it, and i dont mean media has to be sanitized uwu perfect and not feature anything problematic- i mean this as a critique of how its presented, it expects and wants you to agree with it, its not like a cautionary tale about serious things like some movies ARE, its a fantasy game 'aimed at kids' ..)

and if its true that they outsourced the writing for the game .. for the sequel to breath of the wild, one of their most successful games ever, then what does that mean for the future? that doesnt sound good at all

with the trends of the dominating media, and how totk turned out, i feel like we are seeing the start of a downfall into 'generic slop' that makes them more money more safely than anything more unique or interesting for the franchise like its happening with everything else that isnt indie

if all that wasnt the case i might not be so focused on it, i might be able to move on much easier, but i cant, i care deeply about it and i feel like im clawing at sand slipping into a giant garbage disposal, im not thrilled and excited for the next game like i was just a few years ago, or direct for that matter, im afraid of what they will do next, and i dont think thats good, and i dont think im the only one either, hyperfixation (special interest?) or not

[alicentsgf]

so there’s clearly a time jump in the latest episode (of like 3-4 months I think) do you think shauna was thinking during that time how she could like overthrow Natalie? Because after she got that taste of power during the trial idk I find it hard to believe she wasn’t thinking about taking the leadership for herself during those months. Do you think Shauna would have eventually found a way to make herself leader if Nat didn’t kill Ben?

I think Shauna always has that desire for power but i dont know if shes been thinking rationally enough to be planning a coup tbh. Shes always been very impulsive and her rage is whats driving her atp. She seems to swing between anger, detachment, and confusion. I have wondered if its more than just postpartum rage and its actually some form of postpartum psychosis as well. The visual hallucinations she experiences could be a result of untreated postpartum psychosis, especially with the type of hallucinations she has. Trauma, lack of nutrition, and poor sleep are all risk factors and Shauna was suffering from all 3 even before enduring a traumatic stillbirth. Either way, I think her thought processes at the moment are pretty much all reactive, she lives in the moment except for when shes reliving her trauma. Considering this, it'll be interesting to see how she copes with a leadership role. I think she could start to hate it very quickly.

Beyond that I think she on some level knows its Lottie who holds the power in this respect, and Shauna is just not a good liar or manipulator. She associates a lot of pain with the wilderness religion/lottie so she tends to keep her distance and beyond that shes just not good with people lmao. like whatevers going on internally rn, she doesnt seem to be able to understand people in general, let alone someone as complex as Lottie, so even if she was thinking clearly i dont think she'd know how to swing things in her favour. Like you can see when lottie names her leader shauna is truly shocked, she hasnt been planning for this, she never thought lottie would choose her. I dont think shauna was even rly thinking about installing herself as leader when she was calling for nats head, she was just fucking angry. because of everything that happened the night javi died a lot of her angers been focused on nat and all that rose to the surface again in that moment. shes been undermining nat at every possible opportunity this season but i think once again thats just her reacting very organically to the situation in front of her, its not an overarching plan per se.

Theres also the fact shauna doesnt feel as powerless as she did anymore, so i think thats been mellowing her slightly. Tai says shes been "better" and I think thats what was meant. Like shes obviously not been happy, but feeling more control over things probably has her acting less volatile. she has melissa to exercise control over, giving her that adoration shes been seeking, and shes also probably feeling some security in the little bit of power she gets via the others fear of her. that might have been enough to fufill her desire for power at least for a while.

So basically, no i dont think so. Shaunas not a calculating or forward-thinking person like that, especially now. she just silently seethes and prays on peoples downfall. Definitely think she was at least subconciously hoping for an opportunity, but i dont think she was actively conspiring and I dont think she becomes leader without coach bens death. Not without something equally as big disrupting the order of things. honestly the chances of shauna eventually snapping and killing someone herself, resulting in her having a similar fate to coach bens, would be higher imo.

[solomons-poison]

Overworked

Lucifer x reader

: ̗̀➛ A/N: Uhhhh inspired by some history of burn out at work... >>; and just general issues with perfectionist ideas. Honestly, this has been in my drafts for nearly two years now. I was unhappy with how it sounded, but much like the message in this piece, I realized I need to be okay with less-than-perfect things. So cleaned it up a little bit and here you go. Written and edited on mobile so please excuse any formatting issues

: ̗̀➛ Warnings: GN reader, angst to fluff, general insecurities, crying, reader ignoring signs of sickness; Lucifer fluff, no established relationship but Lucifer is very soft on reader~

: ̗̀➛ Word Count: 4652

You should have known something was coming on before it got this bad, but unfortunately, you had a bad habit of ignoring body signals, which was ultimately your downfall.

You'd been feeling... off, for the past couple of days. More exhausted than usual, decreased appetite, just generally run down. You often found yourself in a daze, losing concentration on anything that wasn't your work assignments. It didn't help that the coursework at R.A.D. was naturally more difficult for you as a human, dealing with school subjects you never dreamed of or would ever encounter in the human realm. It was also a busy time in the school year, with big exams coming up and the workload increasing in difficulty by the day, so you attributed your exhaustion to this and wrote it off. Of course, by the time you realized what was going on, it was too late. This was mistake #1.

You woke up in the morning to your blaring alarm, feeling tired and sluggish again, and noticed the missed alarms on your phone. Although you occasionally slept through one or two alarms, you almost never slept this late unless you wanted to. But you didn't have time to think about the reasons and rationale on why your body sought so much extra rest. Instead, you pushed yourself through your confusion and sleepiness to get dressed and head down for breakfast as quickly as possible, hoping Lucifer wouldn't punish you too harshly. Mistake #2.

As you started to leave your room, you couldn't help but shiver a little and quickly grabbed a cardigan to wear over your uniform. It wasn't unusual for the air to feel chilly in the Devildom, thanks to the lack of sunlight. However, the chill seemed to be bone-deep this morning, and something in you felt the cardigan was going to be no help. In general, everything in you was screaming to take a day off and rest, but one of your classes had a quiz later that day that you knew you couldn't miss. Once again, you found yourself pushing forward regardless of the glaring warning signs in your peripheral vision.

Mistake #3.

By the time you made it to the dining room, everyone was already seated, including Belphie, a true testament to just how much you overslept. Everyone turned to glance at you except Beel, who was more focused on his food as per usual. Part of your brain noticed Lucifer looking at you a moment longer than the others, but it was forgotten as the second born pointed his fork at you accusingly.

"Finally, human! I thought ya were gonna sleep all day, with your alarm goin' off like that," he said.

"Sorry, Mammon. I guess I must have been sleeping pretty deeply," you replied, smiling sheepishly. You knew he was mostly pulling your leg, but your phone alarms had a tendency to be on the loud side and felt guilty for disturbing any of the brothers with the noise. "I don't even remember going to bed either."

"I don't think that's unusual, I do that all the time," Belphie piped up from down the table, earning pointed looks from the others.

You didn't miss the way the eldest brother's eyes sneaked up to look at you upon hearing your statement, though, clearly studying your face.

"Are you feeling alright, MC? You do seem to look rather tired this morning," Lucifer commented, eyebrows drawn together in concern.

You knew the second you made eye contact you'd be doomed to an interrogation, so you barely spared a glance before training your gaze on your breakfast as you responded. "Yeah, I'm fine, I'm sure I just stayed up too long studying for this quiz I've got today." But even as you said the words, you knew something wasn't right, and it only seemed to be getting worse the longer you sat there.

You could feel it in the air that Lucifer was unsatisfied with that answer, but he remained silent and you continued on with your food.

By the time you'd finished your breakfast, only a few brothers remained in the dining room after your late arrival. Beel and Belphie were both there. But strangely enough, it was Lucifer still being there that really confused you, given his penchant for being early to everything. Unfortunately, your fatigue-addled brain simply couldn't put forth the effort to think hard about the reason. The chill from earlier had now settled deep in your bones, and everything about the situation was screaming "wrong!!".

Once again ignoring the strange phenomena, you stood to bring your dishes back to the kitchen, but you were hit almost instantly by a wave of dizziness and shivering, knees buckling and your vision turning dark as you stumbled forward. You managed to catch yourself on a chair and stayed upright, but all three brothers were instantly on their feet. Lucifer got to you first, his gloved hand gripping your upper arm to steady you further.

"MC! Are you all right? What's wrong?" he questioned, voice rich with concern and a deep frown on his face. Beel and Belphie crowded around, watching you for any risk of falling.

You took a moment to breathe, cold sweat running down your back, fighting hard against the sensations running through your body, and worked up the strength to look up at the first born. "I'm OK. Sorry," you said, smiling shakily, but Lucifer's frown only deepened at your response. "I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"This is more than fatigue, MC. Are you certain you're not sick?"

You gathered the strength to stand a little taller. As you did, something in the back of your brain was yelling at you again that this was a mistake, to sit back down, to call out sick, rest, anything but go to class. But your stubbornness and anxiety won out, knowing that missing just the one class would really put you behind your studies, and you prided yourself on your ability to work hard on your own. You hadn't spent months of pushing yourself, working overtime and scouring textbook after textbook, to quit now from some measly sickness. Your brain just couldn't rationalize any other way around it.

"Really, Lucifer, I'm OK. You don't need to worry so much—" you managed to say, but as the last words left your mouth, your last bit of strength finally ran out, and a blanket of darkness came down on your vision as you lost consciousness.

“MC–!” “Hey!” Multiple voices called out as you passed out in front of them.

Beel caught your body as you fell back out of Lucifer's hold, and he quickly picked up your legs to hold onto your unconscious body. He could feel the heat radiating off your skin and a sad frown twisted his features.

"I think they have a fever," he said, holding you close to himself, and Belphie leaned in to take a closer look at your face.

Lucifer could feel his face fall at Beel's statement, but steeled himself quickly before either of his brothers could notice. However, all it would take is a closer look to see the worry evident in his dark ruby eyes. He sighed quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on as he quickly made up a plan to deal with this new development.

"Beel, could you bring MC up to their room?" Lucifer asked. "I'm going to contact Solomon for some medicine to help with their illness." Beel nodded and started to leave the dining room with you cradled in his arms, Belphie following close behind. However, just before they stepped through the doorway, Lucifer stopped them briefly. "And do not bring this up with the others. If anyone else hears MC is sick, they're all going to leave class to come here and MC needs to rest. I will tell them when it’s appropriate."

He could tell both younger brothers wanted to say something about that, but luckily, they simply nodded and continued on their way. Once he was alone, Lucifer took a moment to himself to stop and breathe, anxiety coursing through his veins at the situation. But he shook it off as best he could before sending a notice out to Solomon, and another notice to Lord Diavolo and Barbatos to alert about your absence. He would have time to fret later, but for now, he needed to focus on you and making sure that you were taken care of. The last thing he needed was to let something terrible happen to one of the human exchange students and possibly disappoint Lord Diavolo… at least, that's what he told himself. But really, he knew it was more than that. Pushing those thoughts away, he shook his head and moved onwards, focusing on the task at hand.

After sending his messages, he quickly gathered some basic supplies, washcloths and a bowl for water to make a cold compress, as well as an extra blanket, and brought them up to your room where Belphie and Beel were waiting. You'd been laid out on your bed covered by a light blanket, your face contorted in discomfort. Lucifer could feel his heart twist in his chest at your visible pain.

"I will take over from here, you can go now," he said, setting down his supplies and removing his cloak.

Belphie frowned, crossing his arms in frustration. "MC is sick, we're not going anywhere. Class can wait–" he started, but Lucifer cut him off with a glare.

"No, you are not staying here," Lucifer said definitively. "MC needs to rest, and they cannot do that with a crowd in the room. Solomon is on his way here with medicine and I will be taking care of them in the meantime."

Belphie practically bristled, the tension in the room almost palpable between the eldest and youngest brothers, but Beel placed a hand on Belphie's shoulder, attempting to calm him down.

"Look, I don't care if you don't attend class today," Lucifer continued, his stress levels exhausting him of energy to fight. "But I want MC to get the rest they need. Until Solomon arrives and we can contact a more knowledgeable physician on human illnesses, we don't know how sick they are. I will keep you updated if anything changes, but for now, you must leave."

Beel and Belphie were silent for a long minute, not breaking eye contact with Lucifer. Eventually, they relented, however, and Belphie sighed, turning away towards the door.

"Fine, we'll go. Come on, Beel," Belphie muttered, going out the door with one last glance to your sleeping form.

Beel started to follow, but turned to Lucifer at the last moment. “We can pick up some food for MC to help them feel better. Would that be okay?”

Lucifer’s eyes widened at the request before softening, knowing his brothers were simply worried about their precious human. He nodded, and Beel smiled happily. “Yes, that will be fine. I believe easy to eat foods will be best, something to make into a soup or broth. I’ll also ask Solomon for recommendations on human world foods.”

“Awesome, I’ll tell Belphie,” Beel replied, smiling back, and headed out the door.

Now that Lucifer was finally alone with you, he heaved a great sigh that was almost too loud for the sudden silence. He shed his coat, placing it over the chair at your desk, before rolling up his sleeves and removing his gloves. He retrieved some cool water from your bathroom and dipped the washcloth in, then took a seat beside your bed, wringing the washcloth before pressing it to your forehead.

The fever had caused a sweat to break out, and your face was twisted in pain even in your sleep. The sound of your labored breathing weighed heavily on Lucifer's mind. But the cooling effects of the washcloth seemed to alleviate your discomfort a little as your face relaxed, and seeing you a little more comfortable eased the ache in his heart. The weight that had been sitting on his shoulders ever since you fainted lifted a little, giving him the slightest bit of relief, and he turned around to refresh your washcloth.

“Mmm.. Lu..cifer…”

Lucifer’s ears perked up almost embarrassingly fast upon hearing you say his name, and his head whipped around to look at you. However, it was evidently just talking in your sleep as your eyes remained closed and your breathing was even. He reached over to pull the blanket up, tucking you in, and did his best to ignore the pounding of his heart.

Although you two weren't a couple, you still seemed to hold a special place in his heart alongside his brothers. You were family now, but even that word didn't seem sufficient for the way he felt. And seeing you so sick all of a sudden gave him a greater shock than he was prepared for. It was moments like this that he realized how truly mortal you were, that you didn’t recover from sickness the same way Lucifer and his brothers could.

He couldn’t even be sure of what you were sick with. For all he knew, he was overreacting and you were likely fine. But still, the fear of the unknown settled deep in his heart, unable to rest until he could get an answer. For now, all he could do was swallow down his worries and continue on with what he was doing, trying to ignore the desperate aching in his chest.

Half an hour passed before a knock resounded at your bedroom door, and Lucifer okayed entry without taking his eyes off of you. He was settled back in your chair, sleeves still rolled up in an unusual display of casualness, although his crossed arms betrayed his true feelings. Solomon quietly opened the door, peeking his head in before entering, a small satchel in his arms that clinked softly as he moved it. Barbatos had come with him and trailed through silently, letting Solomon take the lead.

“Wow, MC really is sick,” Solomon commented, seeing your quiet form tucked in on the bed. However, he wasn’t sure which to be more surprised by, the fact you had fallen ill like this or the sight of Lucifer dressed down, sitting at your bedside.

Lucifer sighed, moving his stiff form now to turn and look at your guests. “Yes, they were looking awful all during breakfast, and after getting up from their chair, they just fainted. I’m not sure what it is, but they have some kind of fever. I’ve been applying this compress but of course we don’t have any human world medicine here.”

Solomon nodded, setting down his satchel on the top of your desk. “I’ve brought a potion that will help bring down their fever for now,” he said, removing a carefully packaged vial filled with a fascinating colored liquid. “Unfortunately, I’m not a doctor so I can’t treat the root cause, but I’ll do my best until a physician can get here.”

“That’s fine, thank you,” Lucifer said, nodding. He glanced at Barbatos, who was standing silently at the foot of your bed. “I didn’t expect you to come here, Barbatos. Did you need something?”

Barbatos only shook his head.

“No, when I received your message that MC was sick, I thought it best to bring some tea for them to drink," he replied, bringing forward a small tin. "Peppermint tea is supposed to provide some medicinal properties, such as relieving fever and nausea. Once MC is awake, perhaps they can drink it to help their symptoms. I've also called on the services of a doctor who is familiar with human health and illnesses, they should be arriving soon."

Lucifer accepted it, taking the tin and placing it on your bedside table. "Yes, that will be good, thank you," he said, prompting a small smile from the butler.

Lucifer reached over and gently shook your shoulders, feeling terrible for waking you but wanting to get the potion in your body already. “MC, can you hear me?” he said softly, and your face scrunched a little in response. “Solomon has brought some medicine to help your fever, you should try to take some.”

Solomon and Barbatos couldn't help glancing at each other at the demon's gentle tone.

"Lucifer..?" You mumbled, bleary eyes blinking several times as you struggled to wake up.

"Yes, it's me," he responded, heart fluttering again at the sound of your voice. "Do you remember what happened? You had passed out after breakfast."

"Oh. That's wild."

Lucifer couldn't help himself as his eyebrows shot up at your response, which was obviously the product of still being half-asleep. But it was a very you response, and he refrained from laughing. He opened his mouth to continue, but was cutoff as you suddenly gasped, shooting up from the bed.

"My quiz! What happened to my quiz?" you shouted, but the outburst was short-lived as the sudden change in elevation made you waver, your fatigued body not strong enough to handle this.

Lucifer caught your body as you started to fall backwards, and he gently eased you back onto your pillow. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Of all the things to think about now, a quiz was on your mind?

"You passed out in front of me and you're worried about a quiz?" he couldn't help but question. "Diavolo was made aware of what happened, you don't have to worry about your class. We're more concerned with your fever, we think you may be sick."

Solomon took the chance to step forward, grabbing the colorful vial he'd brought earlier.

"Here, MC, this potion should help you feel better for now. But we're trying to find you a doctor just to make sure everything is okay," he said, uncorking the vial. Despite your dubious look, you accepted and drank it down with his help before settling back down on the pillow. You could immediately feel the effects of the potion, already getting some relief from the fatigue in your body and the cold sweats plaguing you.

Barbatos also took the opportunity to speak up, stepping up to the end of your bed. “I’ve also brought you some peppermint tea leaves. Please let me know if you’d like me to brew some tea for you. The Young Lord is wishing for your speedy recovery.”

“Thanks, Solomon, that does make me feel a little better. And not right now, Barbatos, but that does sound really good, I appreciate it. Please tell Diavolo thank you for me, as well.” You closed your eyes for a moment, relaxing against your pillow, before opening them again and looking at the three people in your room. “I’m sorry for worrying everyone, I promise I’ll get better soon.”

Lucifer only shook his head at you, pulling up your blanket around your body and tucking you in.

“You can hardly blame us for worrying about you, you have left a strong impression on all of us. Just focus on resting for now, a physician should be coming by soon,” he said, a slight smile on his lips. The other two smiled back at you, as well, before Solomon said his goodbyes and left.

Barbatos stayed behind to wait, eventually making you the tea in the meantime and just involving you in some small talk to comfort you. Once the physician arrived, Barbatos and Lucifer both left to give you some privacy, nervously waiting outside your door for the results. Lucifer even settled on the ground against the wall, sleeves still rolled up and hair a mess, uncharacteristically ruffled.

Although you had seemed in better spirits after taking Solomon’s potion and resting, Lucifer still felt restless, waiting for your assessment to be finished. When he heard your door click open, it was almost embarrassing how quickly he shot to his feet, afraid for the worst. But the physician quickly assuaged his fears.

Despite the fever and the passing out, everything pointed to simple burnout, caused by you overworking yourself in an attempt to get ahead. You would need to wait out the remainder of the fever, taking medicine as needed to help it along. But overall, the most important thing you needed now was rest, and plenty of it. Thankfully, that would be easy enough to arrange.

Unfortunately, the answer was not a surprising one. Lucifer knew that, despite the offers from him and the other RAD council members, you often declined on any kind of assistance or tutoring with your work. His own sin prompted him to say it was pride that prevented you from accepting outside help. But he knew that in general, you felt it could be a weakness, especially being in an environment with those that still looked down on humans and were uncertain of your place in their society. Deeper than that, he also knew you considered yourself a burden, trying to reduce your presence whenever possible, leaving you to work twice as hard to complete the same tasks.

Sometimes he wished that you would rely on him a little more, come to him when you needed help or just a listening ear. But if anyone understood the need to maintain their pride, it was the the Avatar of Pride himself. Lucifer also knew he hadn’t always been the most supportive, memories of your new arrival and the way he treated you burned into his mind like a shameful brand, so he couldn’t blame you for keeping things to yourself. But maybe, after this whole episode was resolved and you were back to full health, things could be different.

He stepped into your room once the physician departed, and you were sitting up in bed, propped up by your pillows. You were already looking much better than earlier, and it eased his heart immensely. Lucifer didn’t even need to say anything, as your sheepish expression said it all, but he still wanted to make sure of something.

“I trust you understand what the doctor has told you about your condition and what to do now,” he said. He couldn’t help gravitating towards you, ending up at the side of your bed once more.

You nodded, squeezing your hands nervously in front of you.

“I know, I understand,” you said, your voice meek and rough from your exhaustion.

Honestly, the whole thing was embarrassing. You were just trying to keep up with your classmates, make sure you weren’t embarrassing the Prince of the Devildom or the Seven Avatars that were hosting you in their home. And for a while, it seemed to be working. Sure you felt a little tired, but at least your grades were exemplary. But of course, it couldn’t be that easy, or stay that easy.

As you recalled what happened up until you passed out, and bits and pieces of Lucifer caring for you afterwards came to mind, you found yourself unable to make eye contact. Your body felt hot again, but it wasn’t the fever this time. Not only did you end up passing out from your efforts, but it was Lucifer that took care of you in the end. It was mortifying, truly. But almost as if sensing your feelings, Lucifer sat at the edge of your bed, his still-uncovered hand moving to cover both of yours.

The touch surprised you, making you look up finally, but his next words were what truly took you off guard.

“I know that you feel you have to work hard to keep up with your studies,” Lucifer said, squeezing your hands gently. “And while we— Diavolo and I— appreciate your efforts, the whole point of you coming to the Devildom was not to get good grades. You are part of the exchange program, but you are also our guest. I know we have not always been as welcome as we should have been, but we hope that you can come to us when you feel that you’re struggling. At least, I hope that you can come to me, if you are struggling.”

You couldn’t help it as your eyes widened. A soft look you’d never noticed before filled Lucifer’s face, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. You’d seen a lot of expressions cross Lucifer’s face, but this was the rarest of all, and one you never expected to be aimed towards you.

This, combined with his words, was all too much for you at once. Suddenly, your vision was swimming and something wet was falling down one of your cheeks, dripping onto your shirt. Almost immediately, Lucifer’s smile dropped in panic, and through your tears, you could just barely make out his mouth opening and closing as he struggled for words.

“Oh—” Damn it. Lucifer wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting when he told you how he felt, but it certainly wasn’t tears. He quickly reached up, brushing away your tears with his fingers, his touch awkward but achingly gentle. Of course, his touch only made you cry harder.

“I– I’m sorry, MC, it wasn’t my intention to make you cry,” he said, finally remembering a handkerchief he keeps in his vest, and patted your cheeks with it, trying desperately to slow your tears.

You struggled to calm yourself down, wanting to reassure the demon of any misunderstanding.

“I-it’s not that,” you said, involuntary gasps breaking up your words. “I just feel so stupid. Like I just keep making the same dumb mistakes over and over again, no matter what. And now here I am, sick in bed and you’re having to take care of me, and you’re being so nice, and I just don’t know what to do.”

“Nice” wasn’t a word often used to describe Lucifer, at least not anymore. And he could guess that it’s not a word you’d used to describe him in the past. It also hurt him to hear how you saw yourself and all your efforts. Although you came across as reckless and a little ridiculous at times, you were also genuine and a hard worker. Lucifer’s pride made it difficult for him to admit many things, but he genuinely came to appreciate the way you treated your studies, unlike some of his brothers. Even if your grades were poor, even if you struggled with the subjects, he simply admired your sincerity in everything you did, and that was enough to make him happy. He just wished that you could feel the same.

“I think you’re being generous by calling me nice. But you don’t need to do anything special, MC,” he said. Finally, your tears were starting to dry a little bit, easing his own aching heart. “We all appreciate your efforts, but we just want you to keep being yourself, more than anything. Keep reminding us that you are human, in the way only you can. Of course, if you can do that without worrying me sick, that would also be appreciated.”

The last part made you laugh, and you couldn’t help but sniffle as the crying finally ended.

“Okay.”

“And if you’re having trouble with a subject, many of us would be happy to help you. Satan does make an excellent tutor, and despite Belphie’s knack for sleeping in class, he often has a good grasp on the subjects as well.” Now that your eyes were dry, Lucifer put the damp handkerchief back in his pocket in order to use a hand to squeeze yours. His other hand brushed over your cheek, rubbing softly, soothingly.

You could only nod, more tears threatening to rip a sob from you if you opened your mouth again. But no more words were needed, getting to relax your impossible standards for once and finally feeling at peace knowing that there were others there to support you, including a certain red-eyed devil at your side.

As always, reblogs and comments are appreciated! 💜 You can also support me by buying a coffee ☕️!

[bigball-thefrog]

Hi there! Just wanted to say i really like your writing!! I also really like the fics that you’ve been writing about Law suffering😭I just find them so entertaining and I enjoy them. So i was kinda wondering if maybe you could write something for him where like him and the reader are already in a pre established relationship. And then just one day the reader completely disappears without saying anything to him or the crew, she just full on goes off the radar. And then!Hear me out! 🙏🏻She was pregnant the whole time and she had the baby! Law then hears about her after seeing on the Newspaper that the reader formed her own crew and became a member of the Worst Generation. Of course he saw her on Sabaody but didn’t get the chance to approach her not until after the timeskip☝🏻 Like their crews run into each other and that’s when Law and the reader meet again and he sees a small child at her side.

I think that would be really cool if you could write that☝🏻Maybe even have other parts to it! You can come up with the rest! But obviously the reader is a very powerful and influential Pirate. ANYWAYS THANK YOU!!

Thank you for the request, I always love writing for Law and I hope you enjoy it too.

Warnings/Tags:

Slight angst

Law back story spoilers

And small Zou spoilers.

______________________________

Law X Reader (Reader runs away pregnant and becomes her own pirate)

Narrator POV

After Cora had died it took a lot for Law to trust again, yes he had Bepo but he isn't a human, he's a mink and they're more kinder than humans. Then Law met you, also a lonely kid that had no one so you both stuck together. And eventually he managed to open his heart up to you and confessed his feelings, and you accepted and he thought that everything would be okay.

Once the heart pirates were established you became his head nurse. It was a nerve wracking time for him but you were always there to support him, until, you weren't. You one day randomly disappeared without a word and he was devastated he thought of what had made you leave and one thought came to mind and that was that you both had sex for the first time recently. Was he really that bad at it that you just left or were you just using him this whole time and finally left after you got what he wanted? But no matter your reasoning, he was angry. Angry at you, angry at himself for letting himself be vulnerable and let himself get used and hurt again. Months went by and he hadn't heard of you and he'd been more closed off because of it, then the day came when he reached Sabaody along with the others of the worst generation. Currently he was fighting off the marines when something caught his eye, and looking away from the fight for a second and... He saw you. What were you doing here? Why were you beigg followed by a bunch of people?? Why did you suddenly gain so much weight??? All his thoughts were interrupted when he was attacked and he was reminded of the fight he was in. And he tried to search for you afterwards but you disappeared again. After seeing you in the same place as him he had to know why you were there, so he searched every newspaper since you left until he found it, your wanted poster and a news article about you. After you left you had started your own pirate crew and became apart of the worst generation. So you left him to be a pirate of your own? That still didn't tell him why you left without saying anything so he was still angry. He wanted to find you and confront you but then the events of Marineford happened and he got distracted and couldn't find you again.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Two years went by and he still hadn't seen you again but now he was focused on the downfall of Doflamingo, yet little did he know was that you had started helping the Strawhats, so when it came to the day they all left Dressrosa along with their allies, Law finally saw you again, and this time you couldn't run. He teleported you both to a different part of the ship you were on to talk.

"You have a lot to explain to me..." He scowled and crossed his arms. You just looked away, the feeling of shame growing in an insane rate inside you. Seeing your hesitation to answer, Law pushed you against a wall and pinned you there, "Answer me! Why did you leave me? I loved you and you left to start your own pirate crew?! Was I not a good enough captain?! Was I not a good enough boyfriend?! Tell me, what was it, WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!" He shouted out until a small voice spoke up behind him, "Mama, who dat?" Law quickly looked behind him to see a toddler behind him and first he was confused, then he was shocked. The toddler that was probably only two years old had his eyes, and even almost had the same haircut as him, why did this toddler look like him? It couldn't be his, it couldn't... "He's yours Law..." You admitted, causing his heart dropped, he had a son, a child, a person with his own DNA and he didn't even know about it. "Is this... Is this why you left?" he managed to stutter out, still too shocked at the fact he had a son, "Yes... I thought that after all you went through that you didn't want children and I couldn't get rid of him, so I left..." his heart clenched again, you were so scared of his reaction to the baby that you left, he drove you away. He finally turned back to you and lightly cupped your cheek, "My darling, I would never have been upset at you being pregnant, I never thought about having kids but I never would have pressured you to get rid of it. All I care about is that you're happy and healthy." "But, what are you gonna do now?" Law cupped both your cheeks, "First of all, you're never leaving my sight again, second, I am going to spend every moment I can making up for lost time, with you and the kid. All I ask is just that you don't leave me again. I can't go through that again..." your heart raced at his words, all that time thinking he would want to get rid of the baby or that he would kick you out was for nothing, you nodded your head yes at his request and for the first time in two years, he leaned in and he kissed you again. Those same soft lips that you could recognize the taste of, the same passion whenever he kissed you. The moment was intimate and beautiful until the child tugged on your pants, "Mama, who is dat?" The child pointed to Law. You chuckled and picked him up, "Cora, this is your father." The child looked shocked as he stared at Law. Law smiled and bent down to eye level with his son, "My sweet Cora, I'm sorry I haven't been there before, but I'm here now, and I'll never leave you or your mother, you mean the world to me..." Law said as he gently pat the boy on his head. The boy smiled and made grabby hands at Law, so you handed the boy to him and he gently took him in his arms. The boy almost instantly hugged Law and after a small moment of shock Law hugged the boy back, and pulled you into the hug too. He had his own family now and he was never going to let anything happen to them.

______________________________

Alright so first request of the year, and once again I was asked to write more of Law in pain, but at least this one had a more happy ending, if you don't think about certain spoilers. But I'll just he posting this tonight and I'll post another request tomorrow. Pleas enjoy this for now and I'll be back tomorrow!

Kelly🐸

[snail-speed]

I've been formulating my Dandy's World AU a little bit more and I finally have a name for it! Say hello to

Mundane Aftermath!

I'll have to get the energy to work on a proper presentation of it like other AUs out there, but is the first part of the details, which I'll put under a readmore so it doesn't flood the tags (THIS IS REALLY LONG, I RECOMMEND TO OPEN IT IN A NEW TAB IF YOU'RE USING DESKTOP/LAPTOP):

The designs I use to draw toons are how they look in the AU, both in the show and outside of it!

The AU is divided into two primary parts, Mundane Prelude and Mundane Aftermath. Prelude focuses on what happened in Gardenview from its inception to its closure, while Aftermath focuses on what happens decades later, which is when the ichor operation of canon!DW happens in this AU.

The main theme of this AU, as the title would suggest, is a certain mundane reasoning behind everything that happens in the story. Ichor in this setting doesn't have supernatural properties, nor was anyone working on the toons deliberately evil, and the downfall of Gardenview happened much more akin to how similar companies shut down IRL.

The worldbuilding surrounding toons and ichor is also a lot more, well, mundane, and less geared towards horror. The toons are definitely still little weird abominations, but they're their own persons, and in this AU, they are treated less like property and more like employees of Gardenview, and after the museum closes they have to set out into the real world and make lives of their own, just like their human coworkers.

There will definitely still be drama, action, and a little bit of horror, but my AU is much more oriented to a slice-of-life comedy. Most everyone in the AU will have a happy ending after a lot of suffering!

The following details lay the general setting and the three "main" characters in the Prelude section of the AU!

Gardenview Before the Toons:

In this AU, Gardenview started out as the Gardenview Chemical Research Center, a laboratory which specialized in the development of polymers (the chemicals that are the basis of plastics).

Gardenview has areas that are above ground, as well as several underground floors. They don't bore deep into the Earth, though, at most there's 10 floors, excluding undeground parking. This is due to the fact the laboratory was built to take as little space as possible above ground.

Unlike canon!Gardenview, the common areas and most offices of Gardenview are NOT underground. Before the toons, the lower floors of Gardenview had a select few offices, laboratories, computer server rooms and several storage areas.

A certain someone worked as one of the lead researchers among the staff...

Delilah Keen:

Before elaborating, I must preface that the designs that I made for both Delilah and Arthur were made before we had a confirmation of their canonical appearances. In this AU, Delilah is the older person, while Arthur is the younger one!

Delilah is a brilliant chemist with a penchant for developing inorganic chemicals that have bizarre properties.

Unlike what's implied of her canon counterpart, Delilah in this AU is NOT evil. She never worked on the toon project with the express purpose of trying to play god or anything of the sort, and she never abused the toons.

She is, however, very bad at giving out necessary warnings and reading between the lines of someone's true intentions. She is also not very emotive and typically speaks with a flat affect. Despite this, she's diligent and fundamentally a kind person.

She developed an odd, intergenerational friendship with Arthur after they both met at a local arts and crafts festival and interacted further through their city's usenet group.

Speaking of...

Arthur Walton:

Arthur is an animator turned director. The young man responsible for the creation of Dandy's World.

He worked as an animator in the late 80's, and got a lucky break when the pitch for DW was greenlit for (at the moment) only one season.

He's a bit naive and very emotional, but just like Delilah, his kindness is genuine and so is his optimism (and eventually, his will to make things right after it all goes to shit).

Even before the toons were brought to life, he loved each and everyone of the characters he created. Especially a certain rainbow flower.

One fateful day, his friend Delilah invited him to her workplace, wanting to show him something as a birthday gift.

Ichor:

Ichor in this AU is a liquid plastic made out of synthetic polymers. In its natural state it's an almost-black dark brown thick liquid (think of the consistency of honey or really thick ink). It's safe for handling for humans (as it has similar properties to PET plastic), and technically safe for toons to handle (though for them lab equipment is extremely recommended).

Its most outstanding feature is not the fact its a liquid at room temperature, but the fact that it has the unexplained quality of creating synthetic life.

How did Delilah discover this? IDK, she just did, don't think too hard about it (it's funnier that way).

Can only cause the iconic infection when an extremely large amount of raw ichor enters a toon's body via a wound/excessive ingestion.

Despite its life-creating properties (with the right equipment), ichor didn't have a lot of other practical uses, so when Gardenview closed down most of it just sat in storage tanks abandoned.

The Printer:

Delilah also has plenty of engineering knowledge, and created the Printer, a device about two-three times as large as the typical office copy machine.

The Printer takes three inputs (apart from the obvious which is electrical power): Ichor, VHS (and later on, also DVD) recordings of the Dandy's World show, and copious amounts of reference sheets that Arthur has created of the show's cast.

The output? At the start, only a few inanimate objects. But Delilah wanted the Printer to reach its intended production. What was that? Toons, obviously!

Although the Printer was operational by the time Delilah showcased it to Arthur, they still spent a few months adjusting both it and the input materials as making life wasn't quite as easy as both of them thought.

One fateful attempt, though, the Printer finally spitted out a certain someone...

Dandy:

The first toon to ever be printed into life. Both in canon and in this AU. However, in this AU, he was born sometime in the very early 90's.

Just a little guy! Just a little dude! The shortest of all the non-pet toons, standing at around 101cm/3.3ft.

Definitely an adult, even when he just got printed. However, at the very start he was very sweet and innocent, since his only memories at that point were the events of the show's first season.

Doesn't technically have a canon voice in this AU, but I really like to imagine he sounds a lot like Dana Synder's role as either Scratch (from The Ghost and Molly McGee) or Master Shake (from Aqua Teen Hunger Force). It's just funny, okay?

Dandy in this AU came out... a little wonky. Instead of always having his cute looks, his default facial features make him look like some cranky old man. This is due to the fact that, in their frustration trying to make the Printer work, Arthur accidentally messed up the reference art for his face, and Delilah lacked the eye for illustration to notice the mistake before feeding the information to the printer.

Delilah offered to "decommission" Dandy and redo the process, but Arthur refused since, despite the flaws, holy shit Delilah, that's his son you're suggesting to kill! His baby boy! Plus, literally everything else about Dandy was like it should be, appearance and personality wise.

Dandy eventually learned to scrunch up his face to actually look like his show counterpart, and his real face ended up being a sort of secret among key staff of Gardenview.

Dandy was surprisingly chill about the prospect of suddenly "waking up" in some mysterious facility filled with strange, giant creatures. Arthur and Delilah told him the lie of being in a hospital for a rare, paralyitic illness he somehow catched, which is how they managed to wave away his facial features. Years later, he also took the truth about being a fictional character brought to life surprisingly well.

Okay that's enough yapping for now, if you have any questions about what I've been laying out so far send a reply to this post! I'll yap more and the next parts describing this whole AU will come out Soon (TM).

[skyward-floored]

The next part to that downfall IAU thing I posted a week or two or whenever it was about Twi's escape! He is... still on the run. Not having a good time.

The fic before this

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

He’d made it outside.

He only half remembered getting there, but Twilight had made it outside.

Twilight wiped his nose, looking up at the sky. The day had started off a little cloudy, but at this point it was grey and bleak, clouds reducing the sun to nothing but a washed-out smear. It had started raining at some point, Twilight forgot when, but it dripped water down his face and soaked his hair and clothes. The whole world seemed grey, and Twilight shivered as he did his best to hurry down the street.

He stumbled on a puddle, nearly falling on his face, and Twilight leaned against a wall for a minute, trying to get himself to focus. He was... having trouble thinking. That last shock had been really bad.

Twilight squeezed his eyes shut, then shook his head and kept going. His ears were constantly swiveling as he walked, listening for threats or any sign of him being followed. Every time he heard a siren he jumped, and he had to duck into an alley more than once when another super or someone official went by. Luckily his hearing gave him plenty of warning, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have made it as far as he had. As it was he’d had way too many close calls, and nearly collapsed more than once.

He had to keep reminding himself what he was doing. He was struggling to remain on task, focusing nearly impossible. Dull throbs of pain buzzed through him, his whole body hurting, chest and head especially. Twilight debated on and off if transforming would be better, but he didn’t get anywhere with the thought.

Four legs would help with balance. A wolf would be much more visible. But they were looking for him either way, he wasn’t sure if it would even matter.

He didn’t know. His head hurt.

Twilight reached a street corner and paused, pressing a hand to his face and rubbing. Where was he even trying to go? He knew distance and safety was the goal. He remembered that. But where? Home?

A pang hit his chest at the thought, and Twilight frowned. That didn’t seem right. Hadn’t he thought it through and decided to go somewhere else? But where would he even go? He wanted to go home, more than just about anything at the moment. But home probably wasn’t safe.

Is anywhere safe?

Twilight breathed in shakily, and pushed himself off the wall he’d slumped against, trying to walk normally through the streets. He’d swiped a shirt and pants from a clothesline and ditched his sleep clothes, but he knew he was still recognizable by the people hunting him. Mask or no mask, they knew who he was.

At least the civilians didn’t. Nobody gave him much of a second glance, even when he did stumble, keeping their heads bowed against the rain. It was only a matter of time before his real face got released though, which meant Twilight needed to hurry.

Hurrying was... very hard, though.

His legs wobbled more the further he went, his vision smearing and thoughts scattering like dust in the wind. That same ache still radiated across his skin, and every step hurt, bruises aching, head pounding. He was nowhere near home, but Twilight was close to collapsing.

He would have to stop and rest. There was no getting around it.

Twilight slightly changed direction, heading in what he hoped was the right direction of the park. There were plenty of places there he could hide. And if he was a wolf, people would be even less inclined to bother him, probably assuming he was an unusually-sized stray dog.

He would just take a quick nap. Rest his aching body then get moving again.

Twilight blinked, green and orange swimming into his vision. The sound of the road and general city bustle was dimmed here, and he exhaled, fallen leaves crunching as he made for the stream that ran through the park. He’d made it.

Maybe he wasn’t quite as far gone as he’d feared.

The plants and trees were thicker by the water, and Twilight slipped into them, falling to his knees as he let his transformation ripple through him. It hurt way more than usual, and Twilight bit back a cry, biting the inside of his already abused mouth. He was collapsed in the mud by the time it finished, and Twilight swallowed, shakily getting to four paws. Now he just needed a good spot.

It didn’t take him long to find a nice thick bush, brambles around and over top it. It was right by the water, beside some trash somebody had left behind, and relief hit him as he studied it. Nobody would go over here unless they had to.

Twilight lost some fur slipping beneath the prickly branches, but it was worth the additional pain. Between the mud and garbage and thick thorny bush, he actually felt pretty safe.

Twilight had barely curled up before he passed out.

(...)

Footsteps.

Twilight woke in a dizzy haze, blinking in confusion at the darkness surrounding him. It had been mid-morning when he’d curled up here, how..?

More footsteps, slower and cautious now, and Twilight froze, only moving his ears. One pair of feet. Stepping lightly. Heading his direction.

Twilight swallowed back a whine and stayed low, breathing in to try and get the scent of whoever it was. Sometimes homeless people hung around down here, but none of them would be stepping with so much care. And the scent he was picking up...

“Twilight?” a voice whispered, and Twilight froze, the voice a familiar one.

...Warriors?

“Don’t come out,” the voice continued, still in a whisper so low Twilight could barely hear it. “If I don’t see you I can tell the truth more easily.”

Twilight felt himself begin to shake, not sure what to think. The rest had barely helped him, and his whole body still ached, head pounding, chest sore. His stomach felt hollow with hunger (when was the last time he’d eaten?), his bones ached with a damp chill, and Warriors... he hadn’t seen his uncle in ages. Could he trust him?

He wanted to. So badly.

He just didn’t know.

“You probably don’t trust me,” Warriors continued, keeping his voice so quiet only Twilight could hear it. “I wouldn’t trust me either. But I’m only here to warn you. Don’t go home. They’re expecting you there.”

Twilight stayed as still as he could with his trembling, rain drumming steadily on the leaves around him and landing on his nose. He didn’t know what to do.

“Nobody knows I’m here,” Warriors whispered with pain in his voice. “Or, well, if they do, they’ll think I just paused to stare at the water.” A bitter laugh went through the air. “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m just convincing myself you’re here somewhere and that my guess was right because I’ve already failed Time once today. I don’t know.”

Twilight heard a shuddery inhale through the rain.

“I brought you food. I’ll leave it here,” Warriors softly continued. “I wish I could do more, but I’m being watched, I’m... I’m so sorry. Don’t give up, Twi.”

Twilight heard something land on the mud and leaves close to where he was hiding, and then the footsteps trailed away, crossing over the bridge at the stream and fading into the distance until Twilight couldn’t hear them.

Twilight waited even longer, shivering with hunger and pain, and then cautiously crept out, fur snagging on thorns. A small bag sat a few feet away, and Twilight crawled towards it, ears still swiveling for any sign that this was a trap.

He gave it a rapid sniff for anything suspicious when he reached it, then snagged it in his teeth, withdrawing to the bush again. The zipper wouldn’t come open with his fangs, so Twilight transformed again, biting back the cry that tried to escape. The moment he could move again he quickly unzipped the bag, then began devouring the protein bars inside. There were only two along with a bottle of water, but it was enough.

Twilight actually felt a bit human again when he finished, and he searched the tiny bag more thoroughly for anything useful... or suspicious. The only thing he found was a flashlight, a few stray bandaids, and a tiny, barely legible note.

Twilight shoved everything in his pocket, then fished the note out and squinted, trying to keep it dry as he read. He may have had reasonable night vision, but it was still really dark out here, and Warriors had written so small it was almost impossible to read. Finally Twilight managed to puzzle it out, though when he did, it actually wasn’t very helpful.

Epona’s been bridled, but her fur is still pink.

Twilight stared, squinted, and read it again, beyond confused. Epona? What on earth could Warriors mean by mentioning Malon’s horse from... oh.

Oh Mom.

Twilight swallowed thickly, his stomach dropping out.

They must have gotten Mom.

Twilight squeezed his eyes shut, crumpling the note and curling back up on the ground. The food had helped, but he still felt exhausted, and the news of Mom was... it was too much right now. He should be using the darkness and terrible weather to his advantage, but the idea of getting up and moving felt suddenly overwhelming.

The second half of the message made it seem like Legend was still out there, at least that’s what Twilight hoped it meant, but...

Mom.

Twilight’s breath shuddered, and he fought against the way his mind tried to go back to when they’d lost Dad, some of the last words he’d ever heard from him ringing in his ears.

Take care of your mother and Legend.

“I’m trying,” he rasped, curling up tighter with his knees to his forehead. “I’m trying.”

He’d already failed on one of those counts.

Twilight’s breath shuddered, rain dripping on his head, his limbs aching and sore. He was exhausted. He was hurt. He had no clue if Legend or his mother or anyone was okay.

What did he have left?

An oddly warm drop of rain fell down his cheek, and Twilight buried his face in his arms.

(...)

When he woke up again it was still dark, but in a different way.

The rain had stopped, though Twilight was still wet and freezing where he lay under the bramble bush. His stomach felt empty again, only in a slightly less desperate way than it had before, and he groaned, grimacing at the taste in his mouth. He’d kill for some toothpaste.

Twilight licked his lips once, then carefully sat up as much as he could, hissing through his teeth at the ache in his body. All of him hurt, from his head to his feet. And the pain only got worse when he remembered what had happened earlier.

Mom...

Twilight breathed out shakily, trying to focus. He felt slightly more clearheaded, but he still felt stuck in a fog of dizziness and pain. Could he risk another few hours here to try and rest a bit longer?

Twilight screwed his eyes shut, then reopened them. No. He had to get moving. This bush wouldn’t be safe forever, especially if Warriors gave up his location. Purposely or not.

A lump settled in his throat. Had Warriors known? Did he try and help Mom? Was he waiting out of sight for Twilight to come out right now?

Too many questions.

Twilight bit back what he knew would end up being a pitiful sound, and took a deep breath. Then he braced himself as he transformed back into a wolf again. It felt terrible, exhaustion weighing him down, his emotions dragging at him, but Twilight pushed through it with a snarl. He had to lie down and catch his breath for several minutes, but once he did, he carefully stood, and nosed his way out of the bush.

He had to figure out where Legend was. That was his mission right now. Keep himself safe, and find his brother.

Easy.

Twilight held back a whine, and started to make his way out of the park, dodging puddles and piles of leaves. He could guess where Legend would hide if needed, but unfortunately they had more than one backup plan, and he didn’t know if Legend had made it home before the order had been issued. And that changed things.

Twilight paused at the park’s exit, and looked down the road, streetlights reflecting off of the pavement in smears of yellowish color. Where should he try first? Would it be better for him to—

A siren blared from somewhere, and Twilight dove for cover, headlights turning a corner and scraping past where he’d been standing mere seconds ago. Another siren joined the first, and when Twilight saw that both cars had slowed down, he bolted, running away from the lights and praying he wouldn’t be seen.

That hope was neatly dashed when headlights shone straight at him, and Twilight broke into a sprint, shouts ringing in his ears.

Bad luck? A set up?

Something whizzed past his ear, and despite Twilight’s exhaustion he began to serpentine as he ran, ducking behind bushes and cars, erratically changing direction.

His tongue lolled as he ran, paws pounding against the pavement. Little jolts of pain went up whenever his paws hit the ground, but Twilight pushed past them, pressing his body to move faster, ears pricked for more shouts, eyes roving for further lights.

He wasn’t going to get caught. Not now. Not ever.

He would make it. For Legend. For Zelda and Champion. For Wind and Four.

For Mom.

Twilight grit his teeth in a snarl and kept running, hearing the squeal of tires behind him and seeing flickers of light cast on nearby buildings.

For everyone.

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

"[...] she doesn’t have an attitude of ‘leaving her until last’ because she’s seen what that’s done to Kaz. She knows that Kaz will never have the satisfaction he’s searching for - I could write essays, he’s in many ways an addict - and so instead of finding the individuals who hurt her and taking them down one by one until only Heleen remains, as Kaz has done by murdering the boy who acted as the roper and by the implied murder of Saskia and Margit as well as many others, [...]"

Could you talk about this? Not just how Kaz is an addict, but him and revenge in general

Hi, thanks so much for your question!

I'm a little embarrassed to have to say that I (more recently than you asked, and if I'd put thought into it at the time/was more sober at the time I would've posted it as a response to your ask instead of it's own thing) I did make a post about this... whilst I was drunk and thinking about Six of Crows... erm...

So you can read that here

But also, possibly more coherently:

So I personally think that addiction is an important theme in the duology and there are 3 major presentations of it: Jesper’s gambling addiction, Nina’s jurda parem addiction, and Kaz’s addiction to revenge. I’m not going to focus too much on Nina and Jesper right now but I do just want to say that I think it’s really important to note how Inej responds to seeing addiction in the others. In the post you referenced here I was talking about how I think Inej would have a different attitude towards killing Heleen than Kaz did to Rollins because she’s seen what his obsession with Rollins did to him and how it's had a negative impact on him in many ways.

However, focusing on Kaz and addiction as a whole I think it's really important to acknowledge that Kaz openly admits to the reader that nothing he can do to Rollins is ever going to be enough for him. When he talks about Jesper's addiction he says (and I've not got my book on me so sorry if I've misremembered the exact quote, I'm paraphrasing from memory) "Someone like Jesper wins two hands and starts calling it a streak. Eventually he loses, and it only leaves him hungry for more" and it's always struck me how precisely this description can be applied to Kaz's own life: he chips away small pieces of Rollins' empire, such as having his steerers acting outside of Pekka's clubs to lead them away from the Dime Lions' businesses and to the Dregs' ones instead, and describes it as enough to keep him going, and then he steps up and 'wins' in Six of Crows when he succeeds at the Ice Court Heist job whilst Rollins fails, this triumph arguably is in part what leads to his downfall in failing to predict Rollins' alliance with Van Eck; he is subsequently tricked and victimised by him all over again, a situation that he describes as being "worse this time" because he is now "old enough to know better", and this experience leaves him desperate and furious to act against him again. He experiences a kind of high when he is able to gain any kind of victory against Rollins, but when that includes such small victories as chipping away at his business the low that comes upon losing is only made all the worse.

I think what's particularly interesting about this presentation, however, is that a) no-one except Inej seems to identify it this way and b) we as the reader aren't encouraged to want Kaz to stop seeking vengeance in the way we're encouraged to want Nina to overcome parem and Jesper to stop gambling. One of my favourite underrated quotes from really early on in Crooked Kingdom (I think it's ch2 but I might be wrong) is when Kaz explains the plan for the Smeet job, which revolves entirely around making Jesper gamble at the card tables for an entire night, and Nina sarcastically suggests that for 'phase two' of this plan maybe she should "masquerade as a jurda parem dealer" because "what could possibly go wrong?", and of course we have the GORGEOUS, beautifully written, famous lines from Inej to Jesper at the Geldrenner hotel later in the book when she tells him that "there's a wound in you" and that the games feel like medicine "but it's poison, Jes" (again paraphrasing from memory for the quotes, sorry). Addiction is very much in the foreground for Jepser throughout the duology and for Nina during Crooked Kingdom, but we never really get a discussion of it for Kaz except in the Bathroom Scene when Inej challenges him about what he would do next if he managed his revenge, and he ultimately had no answer for her (so he resorted to being as dramatic as possible and we love him for it).

But revenge is ultimately what kept Kaz alive. That he admits himself as well, saying that he would have laid down on the Reaper's Barge and died because nothing was waiting for him back on land until he came to the realisation that there was one thing he could strive for if he survived: vengeance. So not only is this arguably why he could give Inej no answer, because it is the only thing he has existed for since he was nine years old, but it also kind of creates this never ending cycle between him and revenge of the concept being both so destructive and so constructive (??that doesn't feel like the right word but I can't think of a better one??) simultaneously - it actually makes me think of a quote from one of Inej's chapters when they're on the roof at the Ice Court. She describes a mural she can see below with two animals, I think wolves but I can't remember off the top of my head I'm sorry, chasing each other and she describes them as being cursed to keep moving in the same circle "for as long as the Ice Court stood". I could talk for days, and probably will do in the future, about how much I freaking love that line as a metaphor for Kaz and Inej's relationship and how the breaking of that cycle comes with the symbolic fall of the Ice Court, but I also think that we can apply it to Kaz indivdually in his relationship with vengeance.

Anyway I hope that this was interesting and that it made some semblance of sense, and I am so sorry that I took an eternity to respond to your ask but thank you so much for sending it this was such an interesting topic to write about!! I love getting asks, please don't let my lateness in replying to them put you off sending one I will get through them all I promise, these things just tend to take a while for me to think about how to answer them first and then I like to write them in one sitting so that all my ideas are fresh so I have to find a good time to sit down and focus on them. But that aside thank you very much for the ask and I hope that this answer was an interesting read 😊

This has been another episode of DK Finally Gets It Together And Answers Her Asks Because It's About Damn Time (Working Title), thanks for joining me & you can check the tag for more <3

[flower-boi16]

I think what's actually alarming about Helluva Boss and Vivziepop is that the shower suffers from heavy creator-fan enmeshment, and the writers/Vivziepop don't see themselves as the problem for it. It's like they see themselves as the victims, too, while encouraging their fandom's toxic mindset and behaviors.

The writers/Vivziepop are not only too entangled with their fans, but they're THINKING like fan artists/fanfic writers instead of actually making a show. There's a difference between writers of a show and fanfic writing. When you take up the mantel to create a show you have to carry yourself in a way and write your show with a point otherwise you end up with shows like Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel, Miraculous Lady Bug, SVFOE, SPOP, and other shows that fall into that category. Some of them focus more on the shipping than the point of their show to begin with.

What makes a good show is having that distinction or maintaining that professionalism. Creators of shows should NEVER let themselves sink into the cesspool of their Fandoms because they should be focused on their story/message instead of all this shipping/woobing bullshit.

TLDR: Helluva Boss never had potential with VivziePop holding the reigns to begin with. It's too disorganized and unfocused, and with the Fan Enmeshment, it was never going to grow or expand from its fanfic-y feeling. If the creator of the show never grew up, we should never expect the show to grow, too.

Though it is a shame since it could have been charming, had someone more professional taken the show.

Viv definitely was never cut out to handle a big project like this. I’ve said this many times before, but ya, Viv writes like a fanfic writer; everything with how messy the structuring of how her shows is and how poorly they are planned makes me think this.

It reminds me of when I tried to make my first fanfic and just went in without a plan with how to structure it which led to me just abandoning it early on. Viv writes like that.

She didn't listen to criticism of her Zoophobia comic and she still isn’t listing here. She shifted the focus of HB away from the premise to shipping nonsense and now we have this weird mess of a show that doesn’t even know what it wants to be anymore.

Season 2 seems to prioritize relationship drama over the actual premise which caused the show’s downfall. Hazbin feels a bit less fan-ficy but it’s still very messy.

Viv just crams too much shit into too little time which results in the pacing being awful. She paces her shows like a fan fic writer. It feels like she only came In with a small understanding of how show running works and jumped right into the industry because she was excited to show off her gizzalion OCs she had since high school.

Everything about HH/HB feels amateur. I really think that before you get into storytelling you need to actually study how to create good stories, like there are YouTube videos out there you could watch for free that give a run down of what is good or bad writing.

You don’t need to spend 20+ in school to be a good writer but you need to have a basic understanding of how to even write your ideas before you start making stories…which Viv clearly does not.

HB Season 2 in general doesn’t feel like a natural continuation of the first season. It feels like a fan-fic written by a fan after season 1 ended posted on wattpad that the show runners decided to animate and voice into a full season.

Viv should have learned how to run a show before jumping into something as ambitious as this, but she didn’t, and look at what we got.

[misty-memories09]

I've been thinking about S.P.E.W and it's failure alot.

Well, where she went wrong was with her approach. The idea was totally nice, no one deserves to be a slave and house elves were treated miserably. The problem came with her attitude about it, she's pretty close minded it's something I briefly talked about in this post. In it I mentioned about S.P.E.W in the second paragraph, this is the specific line I'm talking about :

She's quick at thinking that others are wrong and generally does not like to think from other perspectives.

This was her biggest mistake that lead to S.P.E.W being totally useless and unfruitful. The truth is, house elves are treated so horribly that they themselves do not recognise/realise that what is happening to the is wrong. Hermione created S.P.E.W. to promote the liberation and rights of house-elves, who are treated as enslaved workers in the wizarding world. She believed that house-elves should receive wages, pensions, and other benefits similar to those of regular workers.

What she did not do was communicate, the flow of ideas only happen when you communicate, if the house elves themselves do not realise that what's happening to them is absolutely disgusting then how do you expect them to support your cause? And how do you expect for your cause to be fruitful if the people who you're trying to work for do not promote this?

An argument used against her by other characters is generally that house elves want to be treated like this. How does she solve this? Arguing back even louder. Not trying to improve the root of the cause or just ignore the people saying this because they are objectively wrong to say this, not in a way that house elves do not like being enslaved but the fact that it is absolutely disgusting to say this.

She tries to free them against will, by knitting hats for them and tricking them into being freed instead of...you know? Trying to talk to them and also listen to their views because this idea is actually pinned down in their brains that it's in their nature to submit to their masters. If you do NOT communicate with the community your trying improve the living standards of, if said community is not educated due to a viscious cycle, you can not expect them to be on your side.

She had also been completely impatient and forced Ron, Harry and Neville — people who do not quite agree with her — to join her. Which, is just stupid. If you're making an organisation you should be recruiting people who are willing for it to be more effective. On top of that Hermione is not a good leader, she's too bossy, she does not believe that there is a ‘right’ opinion except her own, forcibly tries to recruit people, does not know how to actually work effectively about her cause.

let's be real here, change doesn't happen overnight as she expected it too, she disbanded it but that's a mistake, the fact she gave up on it is a mistake, the fact she did not try to go further with a different approach is a mistake. These kinds of things take time and her impatience and unwillingness to listen to others became the downfall of S.P.E.W all this without a greater effort to gain a deeper understanding of the issue.

Aside from this, I decided to look online to see others view on this and...

Despite this, I believe that the way Hermione Granger made and promoted SPEW goes against her character and the way she would really behave. If Hermione did her research well, she would have easily realized that the majority of house-elves are happy and that SPEW would have offended them. The way she put out the hats in the Gryffindor common room was stupid of her, and Hermione – being the cleverest of the trio – should have realized that the house-elves wouldn’t take the hats. If I was Hermione, when she was promoting this organization for protecting house-elves, I would have focused more on stopping house-elf abuse, not attempting to free them.

This is...a take, to say the least. My intentions are not to start any fights or anything but this is crediting Hermione way too much. I s'pose this is a stan, because all I ever see is stans just overlooking the character's flaw and honestly, S.P.E.W. could be seen as a way to show her flaws. Also, saying that she shouldn't have attempted to free the house elves...feels really really gross.

Yes, the person said that they would've focused more on stopping the house-elf abuse but...this is basically saying that house elves should stay enslaved, not directly but the meaning is right there. And no, the house elves living conditions would not improve if they're still enslaved because they do not have a say in anything, their masters can still abuse their powers over them AND you can never guarantee that they are actually getting treated wrong, so the last statement is objectively wrong.

I personally believe that if Hermione had been more sensetive, communicated with the community she is trying to work for and recruited people who believe in her cause, she would've reached atleast one point. It's obvious freeing the house elves would be a long drawn process, had she been more patient with everything i just stated, I believe S.P.E.W could have not been such a great failure.

Tl;dr : It was not the idea but her approach that was flawed, and it is related with her flaws as a person itself. The idea was great but the execution? Not so much.