#any and all presentations of Erika are my favorite

[spiegelgestalt]

the one true solution to Umineko

Look I love Umineko. It's one of my favorite works period. But that whole tragedy (especially in the first Arc) had an obvious solution which I a disciple of Furude Erika will now present:

Create a Panopticon. Don't waste time with finding the culprit. Let the police do their job. You are rich. They will work for you. You only need to survive two days. So here's what you do:

Once the first people are dead (rip) you first make sure that they are truly dead. Than you put the survivors in one room (the best one is arguably the study) Search them. Put any weapons in the middle of the room (in case there is an outsider) close the door, and make everyone sit at the wall with a bottle of water and enough space to each other. You want everyone to see everyone. And than you wait. Need to use the toilet? Tough. No one moves. It will be stinky. It will be unpleasant. And it will be over in two days. Anyone who is against it is obviously the witch and will be executed. After the storm is over you move as a group to one of the ships and go your separate ways. No one has to mention this incident ever again. You can all be traumatized and repressed for the rest of your lives. But let's face it. You were already traumatized and repressed so it won't make a difference.

See problem solved

[acacia-may]

Hello Acacia. I'm glad to see you're feeling a little better. You don't need to rush back into activity but thankfully, it doesn't seem like you won't stress yourself. Thank goodness. Just take care of yourself. But I also saw you reblog an ask game so if you want a little something to think about while you're getting better, can I ask numbers 1, 3, 10, and 36?

Hi Erika! Thank you so much for the ask! I apologize it has taken me a little bit to get back with you. I'm still not feeling the best so I'm very, very slowly easing back into blog activity. I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement, and I loved getting to read all of your reblogs & comments while I was unwell and on hiatus so thank you so much for that as well! 🥰 I'd be delighted to answer these questions for you.

Questions from this fic writer's ask game. Answers below the cut.

1. What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?)

I answered this question here, but as that was more focused on my Black Clover fics and we share more fandoms, I think I'll answer in more generalized terms for you. Out of everything that I've ever written I think "Take Care of Yourself" which is a Demon Slayer fanfiction about Shinobu and Giyuu's friendship says a lot about me as a writer and also, in some ways, as a person. I worked on that story for a very long time, and I'm very proud of how it turned out in the end. It also includes a lot of my favorite themes (platonic friendships, family relationships, hurt/comfort, healing from the past and finding the strength to carry on in the face of adversity ect.). I think I'd direct someone to that fic if they had never read anything of mine and were familiar not only with Demon Slayer but with any/all my other fandoms as well. (I also asked my sister for her opinion since she sometimes Betas my stories and she said that would be her suggestion too 😅).

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

I write a lot about platonic relationships--male & female friendships, found families, and problematic/complicated sibling relationships especially. My favorite genre is probably hurt/comfort, but I'll admit I also really enjoy writing wholesome fluff & shenanigans. I also enjoy writing about happy futures for the characters I love most (especially if they have been through a lot in the canon).

In terms of other characteristics, I think I use a lot of dialog tags. I'm trying to work on using less of those. 😅 I tend to write in third person but I try to stay close enough to the POV to give them a "voice" in the narration of the piece (or that's the hope anyway 😅). I have recently been branching out into 1st person POV, but I'll admit I don't like it nearly as well. 🙈 I think I also write a lot of flashback scenes because I like trying to tie the past and present together in a lot of my stories. Overall though, I really try to try something new in every story that I write whether that be trying out a new narrative structure, genre, character(s), or perspective. It makes me nervous to try new things as a writer, but I think it's the best way to grow and to (hopefully) get better at writing.

10. How do you decide what to write?

I answered this question here, but I will also copy and paste part of it for you and also add a little bit to the discussion. 😊

Truthfully, I have a lot of story ideas that never actually get written. 😅🙈 I just don't have the time or energy to write everything, unfortunately. The ones that do get written are either ideas that wouldn't leave me alone or get out of my head until they were written down or they are ones that I write for some practical reason (i.e. a prompt from someone or for a fandom event/week). Another big motivation for me as a writer is to explain how I see a certain character, relationship, or situation.

[New] I think I tend to read between the lines with a lot of characters--especially ones that aren't necessarily painted in the most favorable light by the canon. While I don't excuse or try to explain away their bad actions (if they have some), I do tend to recognize that they may have diminished culpability or are at least more sympathetic than they may appear. My sister teases me that I have a "sixth sense" for when a character is going to have a tragic backstory. 😂 I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to say that (though it is a fun little running joke), but I do find that I tend to have a more generous/sympathetic interpretation of certain characters than my friends irl. This can make things a bit complicated when we have discussions because I feel like I have to explain why I don't think certain characters are just irredeemable jerks. I feel like I stumble over trying to explain how I see a character (especially if I see them in a more favorable light) so I find that writing about them or writing in their POV and then showing that to my friends can help them better understand my perspective and interpretation and how/why it is different from theirs. It's one of the main reasons I've written so much about Langris from Black Clover, for instance, but I've also done the same with characters from other fandoms and relationships (if I'm trying to explain what certain characters' friendship looks like in my mind for instance).

36. Do you visualize what you read/write?

Yes, I tend to visualize stories very vividly. My own writing especially I usually mentally "walkthrough" a scene/a story in my imagination before sitting down and actually writing (and occasionally I will even talk through the dialogue aloud to make sure that it isn't too clunky or awkward. My youngest sister isn't really into fanfiction, but her pet peeve as a reader of anything is awkward dialogue so I often hear her voice in my head reminding me to only write non-cringy dialogue that people would actually say... 😅 Hopefully I succeed on that point 🙈). My mental walkthroughs are really helpful to me when it comes time to actually write, and sometimes when I'm struggling to choose the POV character, I'll sometimes walk through the same scene from multiple perspectives until I find one that I like best.

I'm not sure that the level of detail I see in my head always makes it into my finished writing though. I used to be really, really wordy and descriptive when I was first starting out writing, but I got a lot of constructive feedback on how a lot of it was unnecessary and weighed down the story so I hope I strike a better balance when it comes to being descriptive now. 😁

[just-an-enby-lemon]

Hey Nico!

Could you perhaps give me, as a person who hasn't listened to WTNV before, a basic summary? I'm really interested in learning more about it!

Ok. I have no idea how to answer that. But I'll try my best. This here will be the version without any major spoilers if you want more details about what happened in the seasons the lore and all you can either send an ask or just DM me (I will love to talk to you either way, bestie).

So let's go.

Welcome to Nightvale is a fiction podcast that mostly follows the (now mandatory) comunity radio show of the fictional city of Nightvale. "A friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep."

Nightvale is a strange city. With strange norms and where the unusual is normal. It's a very dangerous city as well, with tragedy and danger at every corner. But it's citzens are close knit, people care about each other and there's none of the types of bigotry we see on our world.

The voice that guides us through Nightvale is our friendly and wacky radio host: Cecil Gershwin Palmer. He is one of my favorite characthers and he is really weird and complex and the ultimate Tumblr Sexyman.

As the episodes go we are presented with more and more of this comunity and met is fascinating residents. Like Carlos, the scientist that came to Nightvale to study it because he and his team find the city to be the most scienticaly interesting comunity around (now while they have a past conected to Lubelle, Carlos and his team are the good scientists), Cecil falls in love with him the moment he meets him though Carlos takes longer to reciprocate. They are the main couple.

Some other famous characthers are John Peters (you know the farmer), Steve Carlsberg, the Glow Clous (all hail), Dana, Tamika Flyn, Old Woman Josie and the Erikas (the likely bíblical accurated angels and the old woman they live with), the Faceless Old Woman that secretly lives in the house of all nightvale citzens, Deb the sentient patch of haze, Kosheck the statiom cat, City Council (an entidy with many heads), Kevin and soo many more.

Nightvale is a mostly linear story that has been going for ten years with some arcs like Strext Corp, Lot 37, the Evil Beagle, Doctor Lubelle and the University of What It Is (the current one) and the slowly unconver of Cecil's confusing and misterious past that started with "Cassetes" the 33th episode years ago.

Is really good and created a lot of the tropes used in modern horror and comedy podcasts. It also was a strong step into good queer representatitivity having an openly jewish gay main characther whose queernes was never used as mockery since 2012 and whose main interest was a gay latino man who is described as being dark skinned. And the representatitivity only improved with time.

[thesaintcomes]

[𝙍𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙤]

– TOKYO FM "Nippon Yūbin SUNDAY'S POST" (17 October 2021) –

[𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩]

Uga: What did make you take the Nogizaka's audition?

Seira: My big brother has always been very fond of Nogizaka and he told me, "Why don't you give it a shot?" Then I felt like taking it.

Koyama: Did your big brother tell you like, "Go get someone's autograph!" when his little sister joined?

Seira: It's nothing like that! He got irritated after it was decided (that i made it). He was like, "My little sister will be a bother, won't she?" It was like as if he could no longer support (the group) with an unmixed feeling (LOL). Now he only supports me from a parental point of view.

Uga: I see! (LOL).

—

Uga: This time, we have Hayakawa-san here because you often write letters, right?

Seira: I write (letters) at milestones, I like to receive them, and I often write in response to people too.

Koyama: Is there any trigger that made you do that?

Seira: I have loved writing letters since I can remember. I wrote so many letters to my mother that she even set up a letter box in our house.

Koyama: Even now, do you still write letters to your mother?

Seira: I no longer write that many, but I do write to her on her birthday and when I give her presents.

Koyama: Your mother must have all the letters you have written to her up until now.

Seira: She said she keeps them in a big box.

Uga: Do you have a favorite letterhead, or envelope, or maybe postcard?

Seira: I like slightly retro postcards. If I find myself in a general store and get attracted to it, I would buy it even if I don't plan on writing. After buying, I would start planning what to write on it.

Koyama: You obviously receive fan letters as well. Do you read them all?

Seira: Yes, they are in the office. And I read them from end to end, even though there is a little time lag (since the letters were written).

Koyama: Is there any fan letter that left a lasting impression on you?

Seira: Nogizaka has a talk session (with fans). We're currently doing it online, but there was a time when I was told, "I want to work hard in job hunting, so please cheer me up!" by one of my fans. I told them, "Do your best!" and then they wrote me a letter, telling me that they found a job. I think it made me really happy in doing my work.

Koyama: So you sent a yell of encouragement, which cheered that person up and got them into the company of their dreams. That's great, a job that creates a turning point in someone's life!

Seira: For real, I'm incredibly happy!

Uga: Do you exchange letters with people you actually know?

Seira: Yes, with friends, family members, and also the members, and so on.

Uga: You meet them, but you go out of your way to write for them.

Seira: I do it on their birthdays, or at the time of my senior's graduation. Also one of my seniors, Ikuta Erika-san has been having a theater stage performance. And since I have been unable to visit her these days due to the corona outbreak, I wrote her a letter on the spot after (watching) the performance and handed it to the manager to deliver it to her.

Uga: That's a great idea, since it's impossible to meet and greet her at backstage now.

Seira: I really wanted to convey the emotion I felt right after watching the performance. It was like my brush ran fast.

Uga: I will copy you on that (LOL).

Koyama: Is the relationship between senior and junior members kind of rigid?

Seira: Basically, they treat me kindly. But after all, they also give me a lot of attention when it comes to important stuff. I really depend on them.

Uga: Say, Hayakawa-san, what's the most memorable letter you have ever received?

Seira: I once received a letter and a book together from my mother when I was 15 years old. And the letter said, "I think you are at the turning point between a child and an adult, so why don't you read this book to organize your feelings and cultivate your way of thinking?"

Koyama: What was the book?

Seira: It was a book called "Nishi no Majo ga Shinda" (The Witch of the West is Dead).

[The book has been adapted into a movie with the same title.]

—

[Next corner: Seira reads a letter she had written beforehand]

Seira: I wrote this to my grandma who lives in kyoto ... I'm getting embarrassed.

"To Grandma.

Recently, I often think of Grandma and the trips we used to take together. Whenever I feel a little down at work, or when I have a painful time, I remember the good times we used to have. I feel very much better when I remember the good times we had in the past.

The buffalo we rode on taketomi island, the sea grapes we ate at the Kokusai-dori Market, the corn we ate every year in the lavender fields of furano—Grandma's favorite place, the rafting and hot air ballooning, and the potato chips we ate on the ropeway. Our memories have no ending.

I heard from Mom that you have been feeling unwell lately. Are you alright? I have been missing you so much because of my work and the corona outbreak that it's very lonesome. I heard that your store has fewer customers than before because of the corona outbreak. I know it's a lot of hard work, and sometimes things continue to be difficult, but I am most happy when Grandma is healthy.

Take lots of rest when you can, rely on mom to take care of the store, take it easy and get well soon. when you get well and the corona outbreak settles down, let's take lots of trips together again. This time, I'd like to be the one who takes you. I hope you live a healthy and long life. I love you so much.

From Seira."

Koyama: You sure travel with your grandmother to lots of places!

Seira: My grandmother loves to travel very much, but she can't go very often due to the corona outbreak and I can't go either due to my works. Also she's not in a good shape right now, so she can't go as much as she would like to. I've been really concerned about her lately, so I took this opportunity to write (a letter) to her.

Uga: That's very kind of you.

Koyama: When the outbreak settles down, if you were to travel together, where would you like to go?

Seira: I want to take her out of the country. It seems that my grandfather and grandmother met in Rome ....

Koyama: ROME!?

Uga: How romantic!!

Seira: Hence I would like to take her to Rome for a bit.

Koyama: How did they meet in Rome??

Seira: I heard they met while traveling.

Uga: A true Roman holiday, isn't it?

—

Uga: Hayakawa-san, i guess many young people have not written so many letters, do you have any advice or that would make them want to write?

Seira: It's not an unexpected pleasure when I receive a letter or find one in the mailbox, but the day suddenly becomes brighter (when I receive it), so I think delivering such feelings to others will brighten my own day, too. Everyone, why don't you try writing letters?

[loosesodamarble]

Hi Erika! 💙 Thank you again for all of the wonderful discussion about the world’s best grumpy, tsundere spatial mage. You always have such wonderful and thoughtful ideas, and your headcanons are so spot on and delightful! 😊 It’s switching gears a bit, but I wanted to ask you about Demon Slayer (I’ve been on a bit of a KNY kick—lots of excitement for Season 3 I think). I apologise if you’ve already answered this somewhere in a past post, but who are your favourite Demon Slayer characters? Thanks dear! 💕

Hello hello, Acacia~! Sorry for taking forever and a half to answer your question but here's the answer now! (Also gonna tag you @acacia-may to make sure you see this because it's been so long.)

This ask has been sitting in the inbox so long that Season 3 of the anime is currently airing now. Whoops! 😅🤣 I don't think I've answered this exact question regarding my KnY faves, especially since I mostly post Black Clover... So thanks for making me think of Demon Slayer again~! 💖

Now for my favorites, I think I'm gonna go ahead and start with some honorable mentions before listing a Top 5.

I'm gonna talk a lot so the meat of this post will be under the cut.

..........

Honorable mentions

I've talked about how similar Zenitsu and I are to each other and that's why he's an honorable mention. I vibe with the kid. He's so funny with how extra complainy he is about... everything. Poor child. (Side note: the store I work at sells some KnY character pens and the Zenitsu ones don't sell well and I lowkey feel bad about that.)

And Tanjirou is the MC. He's so sweet and kind to his friends. But he's a strong-willed fighter and knows what's right for everyone. Killing demons is how he saves humans threatened by demons and humans who have become demons. I love the way he learns in each arc, whether it be something emotional or in terms of how he fights. His worldview and morality don't really change but I do feel like he experiences growth nonetheless.

Top 5 Faves

5) Sanemi: I like this jerk, okay? I am drawn to jerk older brothers who secretly love and want to protect their siblings (Nacht, Nozel, and Sanemi have a little club in my mind.) He's a little off-putting at first but you know there's depth to his character when we see how he speaks to Kagaya with such respect. He acts rough but he's thoughtful deep down. And his bond with his mother and Genya! Like! This man is soft deep down, let me have it!

4) Nezuko: Before Nacht was my tumblr pfp, it was actually Nezuko. She is the cutest sister character in any series I've read (which actually isn't that many but sssshhhhhh!). I love her anti-demon flames. I love how she's allowed to fight and get bloody (mostly because she has a healing factor and can get absolutely wrecked but come back from it). She doesn't get to say a lot but she still has strong moments. Like how Tanjirou dreams of her telling him not to worry about their family not having nice things and to just try his best. Gosh, when that got animated I cried... I love Nezuko so much... Baby...

3) Mitsuri: Mitsuri is such a sweetheart! She's one of the two KnY characters that I'd date if given the chance. I love how she carries herself. She wears her heart on her sleeve whether she be happy or sad. Like, her second introduction to Tanjirou is crying openly in front of him. In the present, she's not afraid to be vulnerable. Her story in the second light novel is also really nice as it shows how Mitsuri became the open-hearted gal she is in the present. She went from feeling self-conscious about her reason for being in the Corps to learning how she brings cheer to people's lives and that renewing her convictions. She knows the Corps members have hard lives but her attitude doesn't make light of it. It's okay to have cheer after hardship because bogging oneself in pessimism will only hurt. Also, and this might be me bragging a little but I actually used Mitsuri and Obanai's failed romance in a college essay about romance literature in Japan. It was a silly little essay but to be able to cite one of my favorite mangas for a college assignment was fun (and actually my second time doing it. First time was talking about Daki and Gyuutarou in regards to depictions of "geisha"). I just love Mitsuri a lot and would love to be more like her (attitude, appearance, and ability-wise honestly...).

2) Kyoujurou: I love this man so much that I saw the movie in theaters and cried all three times because man does his death really hit hard in the anime. Kyoujurou is bright and warm and inspiring. While he's unable to help Tanjirou regarding the Dance of the Fire God, he still offers to make Tanjirou and the other boys his students. I think it's a mix of genuinely seeing their potential and just wanting the chance to teach the younger generation but it's kinda hilarious how quickly he latches onto the trio. I really like Kyoujurou's philosophy on life, how the fleeting nature of it is what makes it beautiful (mayhaps he read a bit of the Hojoki in his free time?/lh+j). It's a little sad to see people leave or even die but change is what makes life what it is. Kyoujurou also the second KnY characters I'd want to date so there's that.

1) Inosuke: MY BABY BOAR BOY! From the first panel he was in, he had me entertained. Inosuke is loud and chaotic and fun. I'm not usually about chaotic boys but Inosuke learning what kindness and friendship are are what endear me to him. He's so confused by affection is absolutely the cutest thing. And despite acting macho and like he's supposed to be a leader, all of his major victories are a team effort. Working alongside Tanjirou to beat that puppeted demon on Natagumo Mountain, the fight against Daki, and even in his fight of the final arc. I do kinda wish he had more solo moments though because he should get a little more spotlight, but what he does get, I enjoy thoroughly. He's the character that got me to make a KnY oc (Shizuka) because I wanted someone fiery but also sweet to play off him (and be shipped with him). Inosuke is a feral boy but still a sweet guy and I find that really cute for whatever reason. The bonus chapter about his early life is really stinking adorable as well! It's great! Inosuke is very adoptable in my mind. Thus, he is my favorite character.

[ruidisborn]

Erika Ishii climbing most of the way onto the table after the Dusk reveal is a mood.

[boatemlag]

hi riz whags up i see you are dimension 20 posting. how much of it is there because ive thought about checking it out but got frightened

(Edit: 12/14/22 This is currently out of date.)

FRAP I'M SOOOOO GLAD YOU ASKED

so basically dimension 20 is absolutely a lot. it can seem really intimidating, but the truth of the matter is is that most of the seasons are completely independent of each other (barring fantasy high universe, the two seasons of the unsleeping city, and the two seasons of misfits and magic)

i will spell out what is and is not paywalled, and good golly there's a lot of content! keep in mind that the average episode is movie length, about 120 minutes long. so there's a lot of content there and it may take a long time to complete any of it if you're not insane like me. but, again, most seasons are completely independent of each other, so you can skip around! more under the cut

pink = NO MONEY REQUIRED, no paywall

Fantasy High (Universe)

fantasy high (season 1) is available in its entirety on youtube for free! (link here) it is also available on spotify uncensored. the premise of fantasy high is that this is a magical universe where fantasy creatures and magic are commonplace, and the main characters exist in the nation of solace, in a john hughes-esque town. each of the main characters is a freshman at auguefort adventuring academy, the place all prominent adventures learn how to kill, maim, and pillage their way to becoming heroes! our main characters stumble upon a major conspiracy, and hilarity and tearjerkers ensue. this was the first of all dimension 20 campaigns. (17 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

there are a number of interim live show/oneshot adventures within the universe and featuring the characters of fantasy high. this includes a live show with brian david gilbert and another show with griffin mcelroy. all currently paywalled. (2 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

fantasy high sophomore year (or fhsy or fantasy high live or season 2 if you're nasty) is only available free up to 3.5 episodes as far as i can find. (link here) this is an expansion on the first season, and it is all recorded live. absolutely fantastic, i haven't finished it yet but from what i've seen it's incredibly intense and a satisfying payoff on each character's arc. (20 EPISODES, range from 2.5-3hr with a 5hr finale)

pirates of leviathan is a paywalled sidequest that included superstars in actual play such as matt mercer, aabria iyengar, b. dave walters, and more! i haven't finished this season either, but it is an expansion on a location visited in fhsy! (6 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

the seven is the baby of the bunch, and it's paywalled beyond the first episode. this is MAJOR spoilers for the first season of fantasy high, do not watch without watching the first season! (link here to first ep) aabria iyengar and some other star players are in this as well, such as erika ishii and rekha shankar. no spoilers, i'll let you discover this one. (10 EPISODES, 2hr give or take)

within this series (with fhsy) we get the first of the talkbacks, which are episodes released discussing the events of the episode, and are present in most campaigns after fhsy. there is also behind the scenes content that i recommend, a look into rick perry's wonderful team that makes the sets come alive!

The Unsleeping City

the first season of the unsleeping city is also on spotify and the youtube channel! (link here) this is basically brennan's love story to new york city, and it's filled with whimsy and wonder and tragedy and hope. this is probably my favorite main season with the core cast. fabulous, cannot recommend enough. (17 EPISODES, 1.5-2hr avg)

the unsleeping city season 2 is an expansion on the first season and is, unfortunately, paywalled. but still so fantastic. (18 EPISODES, 2-2.5hr avg)

Misfits & Magic

paywalled, but separated because there are technically two seasons. one that is already complete (and i'm crazy about!) and one that will be released this holiday season. NOTE: this is the first adventure DMed by a game master other than brennan lee mulligan. aabria iyengar does a fabulous job of steering the ship and taking the helm of a satire actual play that just rips the shit out of a harry potter universe. i'm on the last episode of this and it's already made me cry. (4 EPISODES, 2hr avg, holiday special is 1 EPISODE, 3hrs)

Non-linear Seasons

a crown of candy is, and i CANNOT stress this enough, a fabulous piece of collaborative storytelling... that i have not gotten around to watching. it's like if you took game of thrones and candyland and smashed it into one large epic. the first episode is available (link here) but unfortunately is also paywalled. (17 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

escape from the bloodkeep is absolutely my favorite sidequest besides mismag, and it is free in its entirety on youtube! (link here) it is a parody of lord of the rings told from the side of the bad guys. (6 EPISODES, 2hr avg with 3hr finale)

tiny heist is paywalled, and it features the mcelroy brothers, their dad, and two college humor cast members (lily du and jess ross). this is less of your traditional 5e, as the focus (while still in traditional dimension 20 fashion) is more of a story based on tiny guys (toys, fairies, little dudes) stealing a roll of quarters from a big bad. it's very fun, even if i have my criticisms. a bit more mindless fun than the rest (6 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

mice and murder is more visual than the other side quests, since it is based around a murder mystery and secret messages! it includes many college humor cast members and though i haven't watched it, i've seen some high reviews. link to the first episode (here), the rest is paywalled (10 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

shriek week is one i'll confess i know very little about. it also includes a GM that is not brennan, and that GM is gabe hicks, who created their own system for the game! the first episode is available here (link here) for free! not sure much about it other than what's on the wiki overview, but i'm sure it's a howl (monster pun) (4 EPISODES, 2hr avg)

there is one new campaign to air very soon that doesn't require major knowledge of previous campaigns, but will contain the core cast once again! it's called a starstruck odyssey and will begin next week, paywalled afaik (TBA) EDIT: will not begin next week, but will instead air on dropout Jan 12, 2022 EDIT 2: a starstruck odyssey is based on the comic by the DM's mother, starstruck. it is a sci fi campaign using the sw5e system modified, and includes the main cast. the first episode is available free on youtube (link here)! (18 episodes, 2-2.5hr avg)

coffin run is a 5e season with a bunch of returning faces that is absolutely hilarious and now airing it's 6 episodes, avg 1.5 hrs each! unfortunately, for now it is paywalled. the first episode is available free on youtube! (link)

The Transcripts

the good people of the dimension 20 fandom have put together a pretty comprehensive free compilation of community made and edited transcripts. (link here to their beautiful work!) while this isn't just a sneaky paywall workaround (shhhh) it's also an invaluable tool as CC is sometimes... inaccurate! of course i suggest trying out a dropout subscription (not just for dimension 20!) but while dipping your toes in, this is a good alternative even if it doesn't compare to the performance of the players and the wonderful editing and sets! now that we're out of the water irt COVID a bit more, they're back in the dome and it's wonderful.

Parting thoughts

i just want to remind you that even though this is a LOT of content, you can jump around as much as you please and view what interests you. you absolutely do not need to watch these in order, save for the few that i mentioned.

there are also a majority free amount of "adventuring academy" videos which are basically Nerds Talking About DnD and tabletop and their loves and dislikes and philosophies and anecdotes about it

i will say, PoL can be a skip imo, as can m&m and tiny heist. but this is all up to personal taste and preference! good luck! enjoy and please feel free to ask more!

[em-neko]

FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM (KBTBB HEADCANON)

how i think mc would’ve met + fallen in love with the bidders if she hadn’t been put up for auction.

oh and i added a song to go along with each scenario, enjoy!

a/n: the auctions don’t exist in this universe, so the bidders don’t know each other (assuming soryu, eisuke and luke didn’t stay in contact after high school). however, shuichi and hikaru are friends.

EISUKE

when mc worked at the tres spade, they’d often run into each other

she’d always catch his eye, but he wasn’t sure why

she was just like any other maid, after all

but to him, she seemed different somehow

one day, his curiosity got the best of him and he promoted her to the penthouse

at first, she was really shy and wouldn’t even look him in the eye

he’d try chatting her up (in his own way)

but she wouldn’t open up (understandably)

so one day, he asked her to make him coffee

their first conversation was about how eisuke liked his coffee

somehow, he managed to make her laugh

and slowly, she began warming up to him

since then, whenever she’d go up to the penthouse to clean, they’d end up just talking the entire time

mc got in trouble for it (and by trouble i mean, erika and tweedledee and tweedledum bullied her about it) but eisuke always defended her

if eisuke was too busy in his office to talk to her, he’d leave her a small present on the coffee table for her to find

things like jewelry, clothes, beauty products and sweets

in exchange, mc left notes and doodles for eisuke to find

once she even left a short comic that she’d written and illustrated for him to read

he saved them all

soon, their relationship turned flirty

eisuke would tease her constantly

sometimes, he’d jokingly pin mc down on the couch

or he’d give her little surprise kisses while she’d be cleaning

mc would always blush and get super flustered

in typical eisuke fashion, he’d play it off as a joke

but it was obvious he really liked her

soon, eisuke offered her to move into the penthouse

he blamed it on boredom and pulled them “it’s for work” card, but mc saw right through it

and she agreed

SORYU

i genuinely don’t think they would’ve ever met if it weren’t for the auctions

however, i could see them potentially meeting in a bookstore

it was that cliche, looking over the shelf, eyes meeting type of thing

soryu didn’t pay any mind to her at first, but he’d remember her face

he found himself thinking about her a lot

she was scared of him at first, but she found him really attractive

so they’d both go to the bookstore every few days, hoping they run into one another

they wouldn’t speak to each other though

but that doesn’t mean the staff of the bookstore didn’t take notice of their occasional glances

they were kinda suspicious because mc and soryu would always be in the store at the same time

so one day, after closing, the staff reorganized the shelves so that the romance section (mc’s favorite section) would be right besides the crime novel section (soryu’s favorite section)

hoping they’d talk to each other

and it worked!

when mc and soryu returned to the bookstore the next day, they realized that things had been move around

and found themselves shoulder to shoulder

mc eventually gathered up the courage to ask him what he was reading

and he offered to buy her a book he liked

in exchange, she bought him a book she liked

every few days, they’d purchase books for each other, and talk about the last books

mc began to leave notes in soryu’s books

and he left notes in hers too

notes turned to letters

and soon, a phone number was left on the bottom of one of the letters

OTA

they met at a museum

ota was there to look for inspiration

while mc was just wardering around on her lunch break

ota caught mc’s eye immediately, he’s the angelic artist after all

but she didn’t want to bother him, nor did she have the courage to talk to him in the first place

so she just pretended like she didn’t see him

when the paparazzi and ota’s fangirls catch wind that he’s at the museum, they all swarmed the place

ota frantically tried to find a place for hide

and luckily for him, mc found a way to sneak into the security guard’s office

she ushered him in and told him to hide under the desk

while waiting for the chaos to cool down, they joked around and laughed together

ota told mc she looked like his old dog and called her koro as a joke

she rolled her eyes, before bursting out laughing

he started treating her like a dog (asking her to sit, give paw, jump etc.) and she played along

they both laughed together hysterically at the end

when the chaos cooled down, ota left his hiding spot

but, not before asking her if he can “take her on a walk sometime”

she’d bark happily

i made mc a whiling participant to ota’s shenanigans because a big reason why i didn’t like ota’s main story was because i felt so bad for mc

MITSUNARI

they met after baba had stolen a painting at an gallery, owned by a child predator

ayame was chasing him down the street

with no where to go, baba ran into a random building

(that happened to be mc’s apartment complexe)

he entered a random apartment on the second floor

(which also happened to be mc’s apartment)

and hid inside her bathtub

when mc got home and found him inside her bathtub, she freaked out (obviously)

she yelled at him and beat him with a broomstick

somehow baba managed to talk her out of calling the cops by explaining the situation to her

after she calmed down, they drank some tea together and chit chatted

mostly about their jobs

baba teased her a lot about being a maid, while she simply blushed, too shy to tease back

but she couldn’t hide the fact that she found good looking

minutes turned to hours

and the next morning, mc woke up in her own bed

turns out, baba had carried her to her bedroom after she’d fallen asleep while they were talking

and sat at the foot of her bed until the crack of dawn

just to make sure she didn’t have any nightmares after the scare he gave her

to thank her for “the unforgettable night” she gave him, he left her a note with his phone number on it

and at the bottom, it was written to call him if she ever needed help

and he’d be there

mc didn’t think she’d ever use it, after all she wasn’t stupid, she knew a womanizer when she saw one

but when she got invited to a party a few days later, she realized that she needed a date

and who better was to call than the flirty thief she’d just met?

MAMORU

they met on the bus

mc was on her way to meet a friend

while she was sitting on the bus, reading her book, mamoru came stumbling in

mc noted that he looked sleepy

when he came towards her, she made sure to move her back out of the way so he could sit down

mere seconds after the bus began moving again, mamoru fell asleep

on mc’s shoulder

mc didn’t want to wake him up and ask him to move because he seemed so exhausted

so she let him sleep on her

she didn’t mind too much, besides she was only getting off at the last stop

and she thought he was pretty cute, but she’d never admit that

but then, the last stop came

and mamoru was still sleeping on her shoulder

mc wondered if he’d missed his stop or if he was getting off on the last stop too

she gently nudged him, calling out to him to wake up

when he woke up, he realized he’d missed his stop and started freaking out

he blamed mc for not waking him up at his stop

mc retorted that she didn’t know which stop was his

and they walked off the bus bickering

they continued arguing on the street too

until mamoru realized how stupid he sounded and somewhat apologized

mc was understandably annoyed that this man had wasted her time and stomped away

but before she could get far enough away from him, he called out to her

he asked her if he could apologize to her with some dinner

he expected her to say no

but instead, she told him she’d only go if he took her to the best ramen place in town

and he agreed

LUKE

like soryu, i can’t imagine them ever meeting if it wasn’t for mc being sold at the auctions

however, there is a possibility that they’d run into each other at the hotel

mc had just gotten transferred to the tres spade dubai

and luke had a meeting there with potential patient

while luke waited for the patient in the lobby, all of the female staff members were checking him out

of course, he is very handsome after all

mc didn’t pay too much mind, she admitted he was good looking, but this was the tres spade

handsome men came through those doors every day

so she simply walked by and continued her work

and luke and his patient eventually went to his suite

a few hours later, mc was asked to bring some refreshments to room 145

turns out, it was luke’s patient’s suite

she smiled politely at luke and his patient and placed the bottles of whiskey on the table in front of them

eyes wide like he was in a trance, he reached his fingertips towards her chest

panicked, mc was about to push his hands away and apologize, thinking he was reaching for her breast

but he wasn’t

instead, he began caressing her collarbones, while praising their beauty

mc and the patient stared at each other with big eyes, confused as to what to do

“uh.. dr foster, are you okay?”

mc was beginning to get flustered at how close luke was

so she gently placed her hands on his and pushed them off of her

she apologized and told him she had to go, and to call the front desk if he needed anything else

but before she could leave, luke called out to her

he asked her if she’d come to his clinic sometimes

he wanted to get x-ray’s of her collarbones

and as weirded out as mc was, she agreed

SHUICHI

they met while shuichi was staying at the tres spade japan on a business trip

mc had just finished cleaning the third floor

so she stepped on the elevator to make her way to the twentieth floor, where she’d end her shift

shuichi was already inside

she bowed to him, greeting him politely

he simply nodded his head

after pressing her floor button, she stepped back and stood besides shuichi

they rode in silence

until the elevator suddenly came to a harsh stop

mc began freaking out

and shuichi got frustrated

he tried mc calming down in his own way

she got pissed at him

but hey, at least she wasn’t panicking anymore

shuichi clicked the help button and they waited

and waited

after a while, while they sat on the floor, mc apologized to shuichi for the inconvenience

he assured her that it wasn’t her fault

after a brief moment of silence, she asked him why he was staying at the tres spade

and they began talking about work

soon, the conversation turned political

mc was a unsure because of how stiff shuichi was

she thought he was annoyed at her

but he wasn’t

in fact, shuichi was impressed by how educated mc was on the subject

and he loved how casually she spoke about it too

once help finally arrived, he couldn’t help but feel sad that the conversation had to come to an end

he genuinely loved talking to her

she was laid back, but intelligent, a combination he found very attractive

so he asked her she’d be his date that night to his business dinner

and she said yes

HIKARU

they met at work, of course

hikaru was always super friendly towards mc

he’d always help her when he had free time

sometimes he’d buy her food at the cafeteria

or bring her coffee from the local coffee shop

soon, mc began developing a little crush on him

at least, that was until he lured her to into a secluded area at the hotel and threatened her with a knife

turns out, he was going after the wrong person

his target’s wife coincidentally had the same first and last name as mc

hence why hikaru confused them

he apologized

but now that she knew who he really was, he couldn’t just let her go

so he told the manager that they were dating and he wanted mc to move in with him

unfortunately for mc, the manager said yes

and they moved in together

at first, mc was (understandably) afraid of hikaru

but soon, she warmed up to him

in fact, she actually began liking his sassy attitude better than his good guy persona

and there was no denying he was into her too

they played house together

they cooked together, cleaned together, watched shows together, built ikea furniture together

hell, they even argued about which type of cheese to buy at the grocery store

when hikaru had nightmares, they’d cuddle and mc would listen to him talk about his demons all night

hikaru was terrified she’d leave him one day

but she never did

RHION

they met at an antique store

rhion was looking for a new unique trinket to add to his collection

while mc was simply aimlessly wandering around the shop

when their eyes suddenly met

it was love at first sight

however, they were both too shy to come up to each other

so they just creeped on each other until the store closed

when it was time to go home, rhion instantly regretted not talking to her

he was upset, there was his chance to not be alone anymore, yet he blew it

he felt like a coward

but the next day, rhion got a knock at the door

and it was mc!

turns out, he had dropped his id while paying for his things at the antique store

and mc was there to return it

he told her that he’d “found his alice”

and invited her in for some tea

they talked until the early hours of the morning

she spent the night

then the week

then the month

and that’s when rhion realized, she wasn’t leaving

and he didn’t complain one bit

[shotos-angelic-whore]

My Heart Beats For You (6) - s. todoroki

Warnings: emotional Todoroki, emotional Bakugo, emotional Deku, emotional Kirishima—basically a shit ton of emotions.

Pairing: shoto todoroki x fem!reader

Note: I’m not going to put the prompt anymore, you get the gist. Oh and new divider! I got it from @skylightlantern

Masterlist

Previously: “This is gonna be a long spring break.” Bakugo mumbles, wiping his tears before cuddling into Kirishima’s side.

Present:

One Month; it has been one month since you entered a coma, and you have yet to wake up.

Todoroki hasn’t left your side other than to shower (which he does at the hospital). He had his sister bring him clothes so he doesn’t have to leave. School has started back up, but Todoroki hasn’t gone back. Your mother makes trips down to the hospital cafeteria to grab the two of them a meal at meal time.

Izuku, Bakugo, and Kirishima visit you every day after school; telling you about their day. They’ve all tried to convince Todoroki to go back to school, telling him that you wouldn’t want him to obsess over you being OK. He always fights back with, “I’m going to be the first one she sees when she wakes up. I promised her I’d be by her side no matter the circumstances; you’re not going to catch me breaking my promise.”

During the month you’ve been in the coma, each of your fellow classmates have come to see you at least once; Uraraka more than others because she tags along with Izuku.

Even Aizawa and All Might have made time to come and visit you, giving condolences to your loved ones.

All Might coming to visit you really meant a lot to Izuku.

“Hey,” Bakugo says as he, Kirishima and Izuku enter your hospital room full of flowers and get well soon cards from fellow classmates.

“Hey,” Todoroki faintly says, looking up from the book in his hands. He reads to you every now and then.

“What is that?” Bakugo questions, sitting down on the couch and pulling Kirishima into his lap.

“[Your favorite book].” Todoroki says, placing the bookmark and closing the book. “It’s [y/n]’s favorite.” he looks at you with a sad smile.

“You read to her?” Kirishima says in awe, looking back at Bakugo. “Would you read to me if I was in a coma?”

“Tch, no,” Bakugo scoffs, causing Kirishima to frown. “You don’t read. What would I read to you? Our math text book?”

“Touché,” Kirishima chuckles lightly.

“Hello, guys,” Dr. Erika enters the room.

“Hey, Doc,” the four day in unison.

“I come with good news,” she says, her hands interlaced.

The four boys look at the doctor intently.

“[Y/n] brain scan came back this morning. We know now that she will wake up. We just don’t know when,” she says with a smile.

Todoroki looks at you, taking your hand in his. “I knew you were a fighter.” he smiles, happy tears in his eyes. He places a kiss to your forehead.

Dr. Erika exits the room.

“When she wakes up, she is not to leave any of our sites,” says Bakugo.

“We will all takes turns sleeping in her room until she is able to go back to school,” Kirishima says.

“None of you guys are to sleep in her room, I will,” says Todoroki.

“We’re not going to try anything, Icy Hot,” Bakugo scoffs. “For fucks sake, I’m dating Kirishima,”

“I’m her twin brother, what do you think I’m gunna do?” Izuku chuckles.

“Considering you couldn’t protect her last time, I don’t think you should.” says Bakugo, standing up and pushing Kirishima aside.

“Bakugo,” Kirishima gasps, looking at him in shock.

“Excuse me?” Izuku stands up. “I can protect her.” he clenches his fists.

“Guys,” Todoroki says, his eyes never leaving you.

“You didn’t even have to balls to talk to Kaji when you figured out he was beating her! I had to!”

“Guys,” Todoroki says a bit louder, this time getting Kirishima’s attention.

“You take that back, Kacchan!” Izuku raises his voice.

“You’ll always be her pathetic twin brother!”

“Can you guys stop arguing for one second?!” Kirishima shouts, gaining their attention. “She’s awake!”

To Be Continued . . .

previous • next

©nicole-is-a-wh0re-4-shoto

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

A hphm character tier list please!! Bonus point if added reasoning/ explanation!

Have a great day :3

I doubt there are any placements on this list that would truly surprise anyone, but let's go through the different rankings. I didn't name them, by the way. Those were the categories that were already offered. I could have renamed or recolored them I suppose, but I didn't wind up doing so. Let's go in ascending order.

"Avada Kedavra." Self explanatory. Three of these characters are absolutely evil and irredeemable pieces of trash. And then there's Lockhart. He's just here because he pisses me off. Granted, so does Rita Skeeter, but she doesn't ruin an entire dating quest. At least when she shows up, it's because it's a quest about her. Fenrir Greyback purposefully infects children and describes them as "delicious" so...yeah. I'd put him even lower if I could. Albus Dumbledore's placement is also not a surprise if you know me. I hate him with all of my hate. Patricia Rakepick is also here and I doubt I need to explain why.

"Send to Azkaban." They don't bother me as much as "Avada Kedavra" but I am still not a fan. The Volde-clown Boggart is personally annoying in presentation but also as a plot device. For Peeves, there is the Prank storyline of Year 5. Enough said. The Weird Sisters creep me out, Filch and Mundugus are generally annoying, I discussed Rita, and the Dementor literally calls Azkaban home. That leaves Wormtail. I don't passionately hate him but he's not exactly a good person either.

"Kinda Sus" This is where I placed all of the characters who I, for whatever reason, do not trust or otherwise find shady, the ones who give me a bad feeling. This doesn't have to be plot related either, for cases like Ethan Parkin or Madam Hooch, it might just mean that their behavior is sometimes questionable. Of course, this is also something of a joke, like putting the Red Cloak on the list. For someone like Moody, it's more obvious - everyone knows I don't trust him. Characters like Bilton and Madam Villanelle are technically on our side, but they could be spies. If a character is a known villain, but their agenda and the depth of their evil is unclear, like The Dark Witch and the White-Robed Wizard, they also go here. Jacob and MC being placed here is somewhat of a joke, but it's also somewhat meta. Jacob is like Moody, his intentions are still unclear to me. And the game keeps teasing the idea that MC may fall to the Dark Side.

"Do you even go here?" Wow, do you ever stop to notice how many characters HPHM actually has? And this tier list included all of them, even the ones I would never have thought of. I literally just used this category to place all of the characters who do not technically attend Hogwarts school, though in a few of those cases like Aurelie, it definitely came off as more amusing. Additionally, I used this ranking for all of the characters who could be considered forgettable. Either by the fandom or the game itself, such as the prefects and poor Elora Dunn. Look, if the tier list has to actually list their name in the picture so that I can remember who they are, maybe they don't need to make the list, that's all I'm saying.

"Don't care." Mostly interchangeable with "Do you even go here." Again, the cast is so huge, that I'm not going to go through every character that I placed here. These past two rankings can mostly act as a summation for the majority of the characters for whom I don't particularly like or dislike. Emily Tyler hasn't returned or been developed as an antagonist in a while, so I don't care. Trelawney giving another prophecy is boring and conflicts with canon, so I don't care. Cedric Diggory is one of the most in-your-face examples of fanservice I've ever seen, so I don't care. But again, not all of these are negative. I think the Red Cap is funny, even if his storyline is brief. I love seeing Dobby, Arthur and Molly. I always love seeing them. I could go on.

"Ok." For the characters who, when I look at them, my immediate reaction is a generally positive one. I could probably get interested in a fanwork about these guys. For many of them, there is great potential to be explored but it just hasn't happened very much. Diego would not have been this high a year ago, but he's been fleshed out. Characters like Andre, Duncan, and Tonks...whenever they're in the spotlight and get genuine development, I'm interested. It just happens so rarely. The same goes for the Weasley boys, for Badeea. Other characters go here because I personally like them, even if they aren't that relevant. People like Aberforth and Percy. But two people can wind up here despite being very different and my having completely separate feelings about both of them, like Alanza and Ben.

"Like." Everyone that I would probably write a fanwork about someday, if I could actually motivate myself to finish my current WIP. Talbott, Chiara, and Jae are genuinely interesting and compelling. They might not make my top five, but they would make my top ten. I will always love Flitwick and what HPHM has done for him, I don't even care. Keep in mind, this doesn't mean I condone everything that the character has done...Ismelda has a lot to answer for, but it doesn't mean she's not interesting. And Penny can be very interesting too, but usually only when she's put under intense stress. As heartless as it is to say. You may also be surprised to see Myrtle here, but similar to Flitwick, I just love what this game did with her. Some of these could rise or drop a ranking pretty easily too. Like in hindsight, maybe I should have switched Duncan and Myrtle. It's not a big deal either way, I guess.

"Must be protected at all costs." Self explanatory. For the most part, these are all my favorite characters in the game, and the ones who I would lay down on railroad tracks for. Another character who climbed higher over time is Skye. If it wasn't for how much people message me about her, I may not have gotten quite as invested. My love for Orion is well documented, Rowan is the reason I started playing this game, Beatrice was the breakout character of Year 6, and Tulip x Merula is my OTP for this game. I could gush about any one of these kids for six paragraphs but the bottom line is that they are my favorite characters. It is at this point that we have entered "top five" territory.

"GOD TIER ~ ALWAYS" Characters who reign supreme and are factually flawless. It's not surprising to see characters like Dennis and Fang up here because critters are, generally speaking, leagues above humans simply by default. We can also see her majesty Queen Bean ruling from the sky, guarded by her champion, the arbiter known as Erika Rath. You are entitled to your wrong opinion if you fail to see the divinity of these characters.

[acacia-may]

Hmmm… What to ask? 🤔/lh

1) Between sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and salty, which do you like best?

2) What’s one piece of media you thought you might watch but just never found the time/energy for?

3) Favorite character (from any media) to dislike/dunk on?

Hi Erika! Thank you so much for such a fun ask and for playing my game!

From this Ask Me Any 3 Questions About Myself Game 🥰

1) Between sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and salty, which do you like best?

Definitely salty! I can enjoy the others from time to time, but I think I gravitate most towards salty foods when I'm picking meals or snacks for myself. I actually got a bag of my favorite kind of potato chips as a birthday present this year! It was great! 🥰

2) What’s one piece of media you thought you might watch but just never found the time/energy for?

Goodness, my to-be-read and to-be-watched lists are embarrassingly lengthy... I feel like there's a time and place for certain stories so even things I end up really loving tend to sit on those future media lists for a long, long time. With Fairy Tail for instance, a family friend stayed with us for a while about 5 years ago and recommended it. I finally started it last year 😅 (which was perfect for me because it was really the uplifting and wholesome story I really needed at the time, but it was still a little embarrassing when I reached out to my friend like "hey thanks for that recommendation from 5 years ago. It took a long time for me to actually get around to it, but I loved it!" 😁😂).

Until recently Fairy Tail was kind of "the big thing" on my to-be-watched anime list so I had to think about this one a little bit... but I think I'd say Noragami. I had a friend who was really into it for a while, and I actually watched the first episode with her and liked it. Always intended to go back to actually watch it but kept getting distracted by other things. It's been in my queue for years now... 😅

[This was not part of the question but for manga, Blue Exorcist... I watched the anime and wanted to know what happened so I checked out a ridiculous amount of volumes from my local library (probably around 15 or so)--three separate times! Never got around to reading any of them and had to return them each of the three times. Now I'm too embarrassed to try to check them all out again 🙈]

3) Favorite character (from any media) to dislike/dunk on?

Ooh! This is such a fun question! I actually really love doing this in real life, believe it or not. My sister makes a lot of jokes that I need "Swear Jars" for certain characters because I can just bash them for hours at a time. 😂😅

I have code names for all of them so I don't give my friends spoilers if they haven't seen, read, or watched the story they're from since a lot of them aren't to that level of visceral detestation upfront and my friends would be all "What? Why this character? I know they're an antagonistic character, but...really? You don't like them that much..." (And yes, really! I don't like them that much! But I want my friends to get to have the experience of coming to their own conclusion about things without being swayed by the fact I just can't stand this or that character).

All the code names are various specific and/or unusual forms of milk (i.e. Bagged Milk, Spilled Milk, Moldy Milk ect.). It's a bit of a long story but "The Milks" phenomenon basically started when I completely misread a meme my sister sent me about one of them ("Bagged Milk"), and (after thoroughly teasing me for my silly mistake) she thought it was such a funny insult to this character to call him “Bagged Milk” so we just started calling him "Bagged Milk" when bashing on him (which was one our favorite activities at the time). It just so happened that all of my friends and all of my sister's friends were starting to get into this particular series around this time, and we wanted to have a way to discuss it with them without spoiling things, so when I went to a party with my friends and mentioned to someone that my sister and I call a particular character in the story "Bagged Milk" (trying to avoid spoilers). My friend started laughing and said he knew exactly who I was talking about before having to explain, and the code name quickly took off in my friend group and we all started calling this character "Bagged Milk." 😂 My sister introduced the same thing with her friends too so now we have a very small circle of people who just call this one character "Bagged Milk" (which honestly might be my greatest contribution to the world given how utterly detestable this character is). One of my best friends actually read this entire series for the purpose of discovering the identity of "Bagged Milk," and memes have even been made amongst my family and friends using a picture of literal bagged milk in lieu of a picture of this character. 😅 (My sense of humor is really bizarre at times, friends).

Anyway, after that really round about answer to your question, I'm going to put my actual response under the cut because I don't want to be responsible for anyone's accidental spoilers, but, naturally, I've chosen "Bagged Milk" who is the King of All of "The Milks" and started "The Milk" phenomenon in the first place. I definitely detest him the most and will bash on him for hours and hours and hours (and have so much fun doing so), so I'm going with him. 🥛

(Warnings: Spoilers for Demon Slayer below the cut)

The answer to your question is Doma from Demon Slayer (otherwise known as "Bagged Milk" in incredibly specific, small circles). UGH!! Freaking Upper Moon 2! I can't stand him. I thought about including a picture, but you know who he is and even looking at him makes me feel viscerally disgusted. I fully admit he is a well written villain and an incredibly interesting character. He is even entertaining at times--admittedly he even made me laugh on occasion which only makes him so much more detestable than he would've been otherwise. Admittedly, he is a masterfully crafted antagonist, but I cannot describe to you the complete and utter loathing and disgust I feel for him viscerally, deep in my bones. I have never enjoyed detesting a character this much (and probably never will again though I do enjoy bashing on the other "Milks"), and I have literally bashed on him for hours and hours at time. (It's one of my favorite things to do with my friends! 😁) I will spare you from me doing that here, but yes, Doma deserves to be bashed, detested, disliked, and dunked on. And I have taken it upon myself to do so which is why I need a "Bagged Milk" swear jar... 😅

Also for your trouble, please have this poor quality meme that was being passed around between my friends at the beginning of the "Bagged Milk" phenomenon... 😂

[maddie-kungs-emporium]

My 10 Favorite TTRPGs (2021)

There’s plenty of amazing tabletop games out there, but I have a few favorites that I absolutely love. The most important are presented below, along with a paragraph of explanation of why I like them. If you have a bit of spare cash burning a hole in your pocket, then hit up Drivethrurpg and find yourself a copy! Before we get started though, here’s a few ground rules.  1. No two from the same system (e.g. I can’t put Mummy: the Curse and Mage: the Awakening on the list even though I dearly want to). This is mostly to prevent one system from being overrepresented (Looking at you, PbtA). By the same token I can’t put multiple editions of the same game or anything like that. 2. None of my own games. Obviously there would be bias there, wouldn’t there? 3. I have to have enough experience with the game to properly rate it. This means I have to have read the game and have a keen understanding of it. 

4. This is my personal opinion. No specific criteria are used beyond whether or not I enjoy them.  With that being said, let’s start from 10#. 

10#: Golden Sky Stories (Star Line Publishing)

This game is on the list because it is one of the most avant-garde games out there, which only makes sense from the philosophy it was created from. If you want a simple game about talking Japanese raccoons you can play with children, check this out. Furthermore, the game is possibly the most peaceful and relaxed from a writing standpoint you can get with any piece of media.

9#: Vampire: the Masquerade (White Wolf But It’s Complicated)

This game is the most personally significant to me on the list. It has serious flaws which prevent it from being any higher, but this game literally saved my life during the darkest periods of when I was young, and I mean that. I don’t actually recommend this to the majority of people, at least not unless you’re already interested, but I could not honestly make a list without it.

8#: Deadball (WM Akers)

This may strike some people as an odd choice, given it is barely a TTRPG and completely flies in the face of many basic game design principles. However, not only does Deadball stretch the limits of both TTRPGs and the game of baseball at the same time, but it does so in a way so simple that even a child can pick it up. If you want a little soothing game to play with your friends and family, it’s definitely one to consider.

7#: Qin: the Warring States (Cubicle 7)

This is one of the few games, which, in my opinion, portrays my Chinese culture in a way that is nuanced and respectful while also doing something different with it. Portraying a criminally underused historical period is one thing, but the accuracy with which they do it is another. Easily the best historical game I’ve ever come across, sorry Ars Magica, Würm and Pendragon!

6#: Flying Circus (Newsstand Press)

There is not a universe in existence where I don’t praise Erika Chappell on one of these. While Flying Circus isn’t as personally significant to me as a lot of the other games on here, it’s mechanics, lore and use of PbtA are some of the best I’ve ever read. Please check if out, you would make me very happy doing so.

5#: Adventures in Middle Earth (Cubicle 7)

From the 5E engine specifically, this game is easily the most mechanically solid I’ve ever seen. While there were other competitors, the reason Adventures in Middle Earth is so high up is because of all the things you could do with Middle Earth, with Tolkien’s incredible imagination, this is one of the far superior uses. I cannot recommend this game enough. Sadly, this is out of print, but it is still occasionally available via humble bundles. If you can find a copy and want to see what 5E’s mechanics can do at their creative peak, get it.

4#: Star Trek Adventures (Modiphius)

Not gonna lie, my enjoyment of 2d20 is hit and miss. I thought it was okay for most things, I didn’t like the Dishonored hack very much, and the Dune hack had good ideas but top-heavy execution, but Star Trek Adventures is easily the best use of this system. Doing the world of Star Trek complete justice, this game combines masterful synergy with the 2d20 engine at its best with an understanding of Star Trek that has yet to be beat.

3#: Tales From the Loop/Things From the Flood (Free League)

If I’m being perfectly honest, I like this better than Kids on Bikes. This game captures the feeling of youth as well as the ideas of teen movies incredibly well, and the Year Zero Engine is one of my favorite systems. Without a doubt, Free League is one the best TTRPG publishers in the business.

2#: Shadow of the Demon Lord (Schwalb Entertainment)

Not only is the closest thing to a perfect 5.5E we’ll ever get, but this game is easily the most mechanically solid on this list. It’s difficult to argue that of all the interpretation of the D20 systems you could come up with that Schwalb’s isn’t one of if not the most captivating. The world of Rûl is excellently done as well, especially considering it wasn’t even intended to be more than a default setting, so go check it out.

1#: Promethean: the Created (Onyx Path)

This is easily the best TTRPG in the history of the industry. Not only does it function as an exploration of the human condition worthy of preservation in the MoMA, but it is mechanically solid with amazing lore and an incredibly meaningful message. This game is one of, if not the, most amazing creative endeavors in any media. Honorable mentions go to Hoodoo Blues (Vajra), Ashen Stars (Pelgrane Press), Legend of the Five Rings (FFG), and Dark Heresy 2E (FFG). Thanks for reading.

[somestansomewhere]

Debbie Gallagher: ALL Love Interests RANKED

Okay! I tried to rank all of Debs’ love interests and it was hard to do because I am not set on that ONE PERSON that I ship her with above all else, but these are my thoughts! Keep in mind that these are all MY OPINIONS and you are entitled to yours as well! Let’s talk about it! If you read all this ILY.

Here we go:

...................................

23. The Guy At The Pool (Season 5)

He thought Debs was special needs and she tried to flirt with him...

22. Kelly (Season 9-10)

I LOVE Kelly so much but she was not into Debbie! I really love her with Carl and Debbie should not have tried to interfere! I will however say that I really really REALLY enjoy their friendship and I wish that that would have continued on. They had some really good moments together.

20/21. Eugene (Season 6) & Board Game Guy (Season 7)

Alright so these two don’t technically count because Frank tried to set Debbie up with Eugene so that she’d be written into his will. And the Board Game Guy was from a deleted scene as one of Debbie’s “life partners” from that flyer she made. So enough said.

18/19. Tyler (Season 6) & Erika (Season 6)

Again, Frank attempted to set Debbie up with Tyler and while that “potential relationship” wasn’t as bad as what happened between her and Erika, I am grouping them together because Debbie wasn’t technically into either of them and it was set up to fail right from the start.

17. Larry (Season 6)

The pregnancy fetish guy! I’m not quite sure what the intentions were for this character in the long run but it was a funny joke in the episode he was in. Even in the beginning Larry gave off red flags, but Debbie was happy... until the truth was revealed. Weird.

16. Jared (Season 11)

Another irrelevant love interest: the gay guy that cheated on his husband with Debbie after giving her cocaine. Obvious issues with this encounter/plot line aside, I did feel that their interactions at the bar were flirtatious and I didn’t hate him.

15. Calista (Season 11)

ANOTHER irrelevant character that was used and never brought back!!! I didn’t totally hate her either, she was upfront about her ex-girlfriend and that whole situation. She helped Debbie and didn’t take advantage of her but the second she came on screen; I’m sorry but I did not give a fuck. Her last episode built up a potential friend/relationship opportunity for Debbie and they just did nothing with it. Idfk what else to say, not a fan but I did appreciate Calista trying to take care of Debbie when she clearly was drinking too much.

14. Sandy (Season 10-11)

Oh boy, everyone’s favorite partner of Debbie’s... Yeah, Sandy is so low on this list not necessarily because I didn’t like her for Debbie, or that I have beef with Elise (b/c I love her as an actor sm). I personally just hate the sheer fact that this character EXISTS in the first place. I never understood the hype, but I know that people only like her because she’s a Milkovich ie. related to Mickey. That’s the hard truth this fandom isn’t willing to admit. My disliking Sandy should be a post of its own but lemme get into her relationship with Debbie.

You could tell that Emma and Elise liked working together so the chemistry was sorta there (definitely not soulmate shit tho). Each time that they interacted in s10 I was over it. S11 was better in the sense that whether I would like to admit it or not, they did have some “cute moments” (mainly just Sandy calling Debbie babe/babes). The second shit hit the fan in regards to Sandy’s history, I immediately understood Debbie’s issue with her and why her character would not want to be with Sandy. But, with that being said, Debbie was also in the wrong because she made everything about herself throughout the entire course of this relationship! Sandy did call her out, ex: “who was supposed to take Franny to school?”, and things like that were nice. HOWEVER I am sorry to say, this relationship felt like a massive waste of time and it felt like they were trying to force something that shouldn’t have existed to begin with. I don’t have the patience to even analyze this anymore, but maybe down the line because clearly there is SO MUCH to delve into!

13. Alex (Season 9)

Omg I did not like this relationship/plotline at all. Alex had issues but Debbie was so inconsiderate! I never saw the appeal here! It was nice that Alex had the decency to go and help Debs with Ford after the fact. I just feel “meh” about this tho. They had moments but ultimately I personally wasn’t into it and Debbie’s random newfound self discovery of “lesbianism”.

12. Kyle (Season 3)

Emma Kenney’s first kiss! Kyle was a one episode character that did have the potential to be more than that. I didn’t hate the kid as Debbie’s love interest, but there also wasn’t anything special about him. He was just kinda there and then he left. Debbie really seemed to like him though, spelling his name in her peas, etc.. I do like that one line about cigarettes that Kyle had but again he was such a short lived character and when he turned out not to be related to Kevin it became unnecessary to keep him around... even if the episode alluded to him returning. They were sorta cute!

11. Claudia (Season 10)

So I didn’t like this relationship much either but there was a certain kind of stability in the relationship that felt organic and nice. Partly because I enjoyed watching Constance Zimmer and she made Claudia likeable. Do I ship it? No. Was it a problematic dynamic? Yes. Was it a tolerable relationship? Eh. I didn’t hate it entirely though. Debbie, being a Gallagher, eventually fucked it up. And while I did like the drama, Debbie wasn’t REALLY into Claudia as much as she may have believed she was. So, it totally felt like a one off that would end with Claudia not returning... and it was. So there was no time for an investment of any kind.

10. Hedi (Season 11)

Gosh... Debbie’s endgame(?). Hedi was introduced too late for me to care enough about her (At this point it would have made sense for Debbie to wind up with Calista because at least she was already introduced!). I don’t necessarily like Hedi as a character and quite frankly it was a “who tf does SHE think she is” kinda deal for me. At first I was interested and didn’t hate her (and I don’t), but then she “thought she was Jimmy” and I instantly got annoyed (LOL I GUESS it was a nice nod to him tho... I guess).

My (several) problems with Hedi as a character aside, there IS something about Hedi being presented as this “dangerous badass” who is (somehow) WORSE than Debbie, that worked well. I’m not a fan of the ship, but it is an interesting dynamic in the sense that Debbie could potentially be “living on the edge”. I fear for what trouble this could cause Debbie BUT it’s like Frank referenced: Monica vibes. I don’t think it’s “true love” like Debbie said to Franny. A constant storyline for Debbie has been “why can’t anyone ever love me” and so she falls in quickly. Maybe Hedi will leave her but that’s the thing, “she’s done worse” so idk, either way I don’t think it’s meant to last! But I guess I don’t mind them being together! Karma’s a bitch! Will Carl tell her what Arthur found? Would it even make a difference?

9. Julia (Season 10)

I would have actually rather preferred her with Carl too! It was never love between Debbie and Julia, but the relationship did create good conflict for my viewing pleasure. UNPOPULAR OPINION, I didn’t mind Julia as a character at all. She was fine for me. I also enjoyed how ultimately SHE was only using Debbie in the end. Julia does admit later on that she was experiencing with her sexuality so maybe she did have feelings for Debbie at one point, which I thought was interesting. Debbie got herself into this one. At least Julia was more age appropriate than Claudia... (which is ironic since Debbie got in trouble for being with Julia when the age gap is MUCH bigger between Claudia and Debbie LOL I love it)! I also found Julia annoying Debbie to be amusing, that’s not to say that I liked her a lot either cuz I don’t!

8. Matty (Season 4-5)

Man do I feel bad for Matty! Debbie raped him and it was horrible. From the get-go when Matty was introduced the relationship was hella awkward!! And not only that but Debbie was a MINOR! Matty did do the right thing and said they couldn’t be together but a part of me will always feel strange that he WAS INITIALLY attracted to Debbie before learning her age. That to me is still wildly inappropriate. He shoulda cut it off. He did try to be her friend and took her to that dance which was cute but ahhh this was just a MESS all around. Cringe. At least he didn’t take advantage.

7. Henry (Season 4)

Speaking of Matty and that dance, Henry was supposed to take her. He asked her as a joke in order for Seama to inflict revenge on Debbie. If that weren’t the case however... DAMN THEY WERE CUTE! The potential that this relationship could have had! If only it wasn’t all an act! It was a “day worth of love” and sure that’s not enough for two people to REALLY be IT, yet there was something charming about their connection that I wish was real. Or idk maybe Henry could have reconnected with her later and apologized and it could have been revealed that he did actually like her... but that wasn’t the case. Fuck him!

6. Simon (Season 1-2)

Debbie was NOT interested in Simon at all but at the time he was almost like the male version of her. Their banter back and forth was fun to watch and he probably would have treated her well. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get to even see their friendship progress. Their interactions were funny and he was a good guy!

5. Batiste (Season 10)

Y’all may not understand why this guy is so high on the list but a part of me wishes this character wasn’t a one off. Batiste is the dude Debbie tried to return her “unused” shoes to. If you can recall, he wanted a blowjob to take advantage of her. While this was a dick move (and the plot went nowhere) a part of me would have liked to see more! He did have an arc where he acted like an ass and realized that it is wrong to degrade women. I just think it could have been built upon and Emma may have had chemistry with this actor. There was something here that I didn’t hate and I felt it could have been expanded upon.

4. Little Hank (Season 2-3)

Debbie’s first real crush! It was interesting to see how he didn’t like her at first and then a “friendship/relationship” slowly started to develop after he gave her flowers. IT JUST NEVER CONTINUED! Little Hank was in no way the most upstanding, but it was cool to see Carl have a friend that Debbie crushed on (when she was little she wasn’t intentionally taking something away from Carl ie. Kelly, so I support it). Their interactions were fun to watch too! The fandom definitely has a soft spot for Little Hank! And at one point everyone was rooting for them to be together. Too bad we never discovered what ended up happening to this character!

3. Neil (Season 7-8)

The bathtub scene tho! Adorable! There was a short moment within this relationship that was super cute where the two of them really did seem to care about each other and may have both been in love. It goes without saying that Debbie was only using him, but they did have SOME potential and they found a common ground where they each benefited each other’s needs. Debbie once again was TOO controlling and self absorbed to make it work, but I don’t think she was entirely happy in a relationship with him. He deserved more respect!

2. Derek (Season 5-8)

Baby Daddy! I really did enjoy them together until Debbie took advance of him and Franny came into the picture, but at the same time that’s one of the reasons that Derek, as a character, has a deeper connection to Debbie and the audience. I always enjoyed their flirting back and forth and the relationship they had (the deleted scene with the card/push up game ahh my heart)! Debbie really did mess up due to her desperation to “belong to a family”, which is another one of her consistent character traits. She just went too far and tried to trap him. Then shit got messed up between their families. Derek did eventually ask for parcial custody and did have a desire to be a part of Franny’s life. Debbie said no and that plot line died until s10. Pepa!! Ahh! RIP to Derek, it was sad to me that he died. Definitely a character and relationship that I wish was incorporated more because I truly enjoyed them together.

1. Duran (Season 8)

Besties with benefits! Stop! Nobody talks about my guy Duran! Sure they both said that this relationship was of a sexual nature and that they were just a couple of friends but damn! The chemistry and dynamic was palpable! It is truly a shame that we didn’t get to see more of this friendship! They were on common ground and really did care about each other! I don’t know why but I really just LOVED them together! Duran was also in her friend group with Farhad and that was a group that seemed to have a positive impact on Debbie as a person. S8 Debbie was cool! These two complemented each other so nicely! Duran wasn’t by any means the best influence on her because he almost lead Debbie down a “Monica path” but come on, Hedi is worse in that department. He was getting his life together like Debbie was with her profession. Just think of the hair convos Duran and Tami could have had Lol. Idk, I just like Debbie with him a lot! It was healthy to an extent and he was supportive of Debs with Franny.

[letterboxd]

How I Letterboxd #13: Erika Amaral.

Film sociologist Erika Amaral on the blossoming of Brazil’s women filmmakers, the joys of queuing for the movies, the on-fire Brazilian Letterboxd community, and the sentimental attachment of her entire nation to A Dog’s Will.

“It is hard to produce art without institutional support and it is very complicated to produce art during this tragic pandemic.” —Erika Amaral

In the wide world outside of English-language Letterboxd, Brazil occupies a particularly fervent corner. Sāo Paulo-based feminist film theorist Erika Amaral has connected with many other local film lovers through her Letterboxd profile, and for anyone with an interest in Cinema Brasileiro, her lists are an excelente place to start.

From her personal introduction to Brazilian film history, to her own attempts to fill gaps in her Latin American cinematic knowledge, Erika’s well-curated selections are a handy primer on the cinema of the fifth-largest country in the world, and its neighbors. These lists sit alongside her finely judged academic deep-dives into filmmakers such as Luis Buñuel, Glauber Rocha and Sarah Bernhardt.

Endlessly fascinated by how “the history of cinema is all intertwined”, Erika has also written on Jia Zhangke for Rosebud Club, is an Ana Carolina stan, enjoys collecting films directed by women featuring mirrors and women, and, like all of us, watched many remarkable movies during quarantine.

Suzana Amaral (left, rear) with cast and crew on the set of her film ‘A Hora da Estrela’ (Hour of the Star, 1985).

Olá, Erika. Please give our readers a brief introduction to your brilliant Introduction to Brazilian Film History list. I’m so happy to see this list getting popular! I’m a sociologist interested in film and gender studies. It’s been four years since I started studying Brazilian film history but my passion for film is much older. I tried to combine those two aspects in this list; films that are meaningful to me, historically relevant films, and historically relevant films erased from film-history books, for instance, those directed by women. The main purpose of my list is to highlight Brazilian women filmmakers’ fundamental contributions to Brazilian cinema.

I listed some absolute classics such as Hour of the Star by the late director Suzana Amaral, and other obscure gems such as The Interview, by Helena Solberg, which is a short feature released in 1966 alongside the development of Cinema Novo. Solberg’s work was hidden for decades. No-one knew about it. In Brazil, especially in the field of film studies and feminist theories, we are experiencing the blossoming of public debates, books being released, and film festivals that look specifically into films such as Solbergs’s and [those of] many other women directors, including Adélia Sampaio, the first Black female director to release a feature film in Brazil in 1984, Amor Maldito. We need these debates on Letterboxd as well, so I wrote this list in English.

As a representative of the passionate Brazilian community on Letterboxd, can you provide some insight into the site’s popularity where you live, especially for those of us who have not learned Brazilian Portuguese? I feel at home using Letterboxd. Everywhere I see Brazilian members posting reviews in both Portuguese and English. It’s a passionate community. It’s directly related to Twitter where Brazilian cinephiles are so active and productive, always sharing film memes (and even Letterboxd memes). Many content creators are using both Letterboxd and Twitter to showcase their podcasts, classes and film clubs. I once started a talk at a university for film students mentioning that my Masters research project came into life when I watched Amélia, showing my mind-blown Letterboxd review in the presentation. I follow many of those students now and it is so good to be connected. Brazilian Film Twitter and [the] Brazilian Letterboxd community are on fire!

Alexandre Rodrigues as Buscapé in ‘City of God’ (2002), directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund.

When uninitiated cinephiles think about Brazilian cinema, City of God is most likely top of the list. It’s the only Brazilian film to be nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards (despite co-director Kátia Lund being shut out!) and it’s the only Brazilian film in IMDb’s Top 250. After nearly 20 years, is it fair for City of God to represent Brazil? Of course, it is fair for City of God to represent Brazil! The only problem is if we think all Brazilian cinema is exclusively City of God. The film is entertaining, well-directed, has a great cast, but it has some flaws—for example, the aestheticization of violence and misery in Brazil, which scholar Ivana Bentes calls the “cosmetics of hunger”. Even so, it is a great film and it captivated Brazilian and international audiences. We shouldn’t limit any country to only one or two films.

If you enjoy City of God, check my list for Brazilian films directed by women in this period, which we call “Cinema da Retomada”—the renaissance of Brazilian cinema after the economic problems [that] hampered the film industry in the 1990s.

Selton Mello and Matheus Nachtergaele in beloved Brazilian comedy ‘O Auto da Compadecida’ (A Dog’s Will, 2000).

Several Brazilian films have stunningly high ratings on Letterboxd, giving them a place on many of our official lists. This includes A Dog’s Will, which is in the top ten of our all-time Top 250. On Letterboxd, A Dog’s Will reviews are cleanly divided into two camps: Brazilians (who absolutely love it) and everyone else (who fail to understand its popularity). What drives this home-team spirit? People truly love A Dog’s Will! It’s funny, has a fantastic rhythm, and it references many aspects of Brazilian culture, especially regarding north-eastern Brazilian culture. It was shown both as a film and as a miniseries infinite times on the largest and most popular television channel in Brazil. I can’t help mentioning that A Dog’s Will portrays Jesus Christ as a black man and Fernanda Montenegro as Brazil’s patron saint, Nossa Senhora Aparecida. It’s a brilliant moment for Matheus Nachtergaele, one of the greatest Brazilian actors ever.

Can you offer us a ‘Gringo’s Guide to A Dog’s Will’? I love the idea of a ‘Gringo’s Guide to A Dog’s Will’! You need to have good subtitles. The beauty of A Dog’s Will is that it is regional but it was made to be understandable to all of Brazil. You are going to need subtitles that [cover] the expressions, slang and proverbs—not mere translations. I would recommend watching some other films from north-eastern Brazil; Land of São Saruê, Love for Sale and Ó Paí Ó: Look at This. This can help you understand other social and cultural dimensions of Brazil beyond, for instance, City of God. A Dog’s Will is a movie that we would watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon with the family, so we have a strong sentimental attachment to it.

Leonardo Villar bears the weight of a cross in ‘The Given Word’ (1964).

Religion plays an important role in Brazilian cinema—for example, one of the few Brazilian films to win the Palme d’Or is the masterful The Given Word. Is this connection a part of what makes Brazilian cinema so potent for the local community? Religious symbolism and religious beliefs are extremely significant in Brazilian cinema. Its presence in cinema seems to address our daily challenges, rituals, history, but not always apologetically—as you can see in the despair of Zé do Burro in The Given Word. Religion does not seem to help him. There’s nowhere to run. The spiritual belief, as well as the cross itself, is a weight on his shoulders.

So you see, religion in Brazilian cinema is so potent because we can think beyond it, we can understand how people relate to their beliefs and how sometimes religion can fail a person. That’s what happens when a priest falls in love with a local girl (The Priest and the Girl), when a curse falls upon a man who turns against his people (The Turning Wind), when we teach fear and sin to young girls (Heart and Guts), when religion becomes a determining way of life that does not pay back efforts (Divine Love), when we accept the possibility of going against religious institutions (José Mojica Marin’s, AKA Coffin Joe, films).

We have all these movies fascinated by religion and how it creates meaning in our society. This is just from Christianity, because if we think of African and Indigenous heritage, we have another whole dimension of films to reflect upon, such as Noirblue and the documentary Ex-Pajé.

We have some Brazilian films in our Official Top 100 by Women Directors list, including The Second Mother, which sits in the top five with City of God. Who are some overlooked female Brazilian filmmakers that you want to celebrate and put on our map? Undoubtedly Juliana Rojas and Gabriela Amaral Almeida. They’re both on the horror scene and their work is astonishing. I strongly recommend Hard Labor and Rojas’ latest film Good Manners (if you are into werewolves). I can’t even pick one for Almeida—The Father’s Shadow and Friendly Beast are awesome. Beatriz Seigner’s The Silences—filmed in the frontier between Brazil, Colombia, and Peru—is really impactful. Glenda Nicácio’s films, co-directed with Ary Rosa, are among my favorite recent Brazilian films. Watch To the End immediately!

Eduardo Coutinho’s ‘Twenty Years Later’ (1984).

Brazilian documentarian Eduardo Coutinho has not one, not two, but three of his films in the Official Top 100 Documentaries list, including the all-time number one Twenty Years Later. Can you describe Coutinho’s significance in Brazil? Coutinho is a monument! Coutinho is an institution! Coutinho is everything. His works are of strong political importance, as you can see in Twenty Years Later. A movie he was making in 1964 was interrupted by the dictatorship installed in Brazil, and the main actor and activist, João Pedro Teixeira, was murdered, then his wife Elizabeth Teixeira had to flee and change her identity.

The documentary follows Coutinho and his crew looking for the actors from his movie from twenty years before. Later, his works developed many different tones and formats as you can see in Playing, an experimental portrayal of real women and their personal experiences side-by-side with actresses representing their real-life events as if in a play. Playing was one of the mandatory films to be analyzed for [my] Film School entrance exam, so I had to watch it a million times in 2017. His works are profound studies on Brazilian people and culture—piercing, but also delicate.

Contemporary documentaries are also doing well; Petra Costa’s latest, The Edge of Democracy, was nominated for an Oscar, and Emicida: AmarElo – It’s All for Yesterday was briefly Letterboxd’s highest-rated film late last year. How are these docs tapping into the zeitgeist? Those are both very different films. Emicida is part of a strong and structured movement against racism, against the marginalization of Black people, against limiting the access to art and culture to certain social groups, which is a common practice in the history of this country. Petra Costa’s documentary is another form of reflection on contemporary politics but in a melancholic tone since, recently in Brazil, we have been facing political storms such as the impeachment of ex-president Dilma Roussef, the imprisonment of ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (who has recently been declared not guilty), and rising far-right politicians. Not to mention another of our losses, the still-unsolved killing of Marielle Franco, a Black and lesbian political representative. These films have helped us face these difficulties and try to gather some hope for the future.

Bárbara Colen (center) and villagers in ‘Bacurau’ (2019).

How has Brazil’s cinema industry been affected by the one-two punch of the pandemic on top of ongoing social and political issues? And, can you talk a bit about how the acclaimed Cannes-winner Bacurau shocked the nation two years ago, and in what ways the film confronted these problems? This question is challenging because there’s so much happening. At this moment, we have 428,000 deaths [from] Covid and we are still mourning the Jacarézinho favela massacre in Rio de Janeiro. We have very troubled political representatives that are not fighting Covid in an adequate way to say the least, and we have had major cut downs in the cultural sector since, in Brazil, a lot of artistic and cultural projects are developed with governmental incentives. It is hard to produce art without institutional support and it is very complicated to produce art during this tragic pandemic.

Right before this chaos, we had Bacurau. Actually, I have a pleasant anecdote about my experience with Bacurau. Everybody was talking about how it was going to premiere at a special event with the presence of its directors. We had some expectations regarding the premiere because it was going to be free of charge and it would take place at the heart of São Paulo, the Avenida Paulista, in an immense theater.

We arrived at 1pm to form a line and people were there already. I discovered through Twitter that the first boy in line was hungry so I gave him a banana. I had brought a lot of snacks. The line was part of the event, and it got so long you couldn’t believe it. It was great to see so many friends and people gathered to see a movie—and such an important movie! There weren’t enough seats for everyone but they exhibited the film in two different rooms so more people could enjoy it.

I love everything about that day and I think it helps me to have some perspective on cinema, culture, politics and what we can accomplish by working collectively—people uniting to fight dirty politicians, people joining forces to fight social menaces, generosity, empathy, fight for justice and the power of the masses.

The life of 17th-century nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is explored in María Luisa Bemberg’s ‘Yo, la Peor de Todas’ (I, the Worst of All, 1990).

Would you like to highlight some films from your neighboring countries? I have been watching some fascinating films from South America. Bolivian filmmaker Jorge Sanjinés has an extensive filmography and his films were the first to portray characters speaking Aymara. I really like his Ukamau. I also love Argentine director María Luisa Bemberg’s films, such as I, the Worst of All. I’m currently studying Jayro Bustamante’s La Llorona, from Guatemala. I have no words to say how incendiary this film is. You’ll have to watch it for yourself!

Who are three Brazilian members that you recommend we all follow? Firstly, I recommend you follow my beautiful partner in crime and cinema, Pedro Britto. Secondly, a fantastic painter and avid researcher of Maya Deren and Agnès Varda, my adored friend Tainah Negreiros. Finally, I recommend you follow Gustavo Menezes, who is the author of many excellent lists [about] Brazilian cinema. He’s also the co-founder of a streaming platform called Cinelimite, which everyone should take a look at.

Related content

Silvia’s Cinema Novo list

Gabriela’s Cinema Brasileiro master list

Serge’s list of films that have won the Grande Otelo (Grande Prêmio de Cinema Brasileiro for Best Film)

Follow Erika on Letterboxd, Tumblr and in print

Follow Jack on Letterboxd

[judediangelo75]

Everybody Cries Sometimes...

Hello everyone,

Normally I would have an explanation of some sort before the start of a story with more life but I’m like legit tired. Something going on with me and I have not the slightest clue what it is.

No real past between the two, but the story for Judith is still relatively the same.

Talbott doesn’t know about her dead father, so he didn’t follow her to the graveyard.

I’ll say this is the beginning of 6th year and they’re not together as of yet. But they went on dates and whatnot. 

Just a fair warning: There will be a suicide attempt.

That’s all.

Here’s the song that goes with the story: Everybody Cries Sometimes by Damien Dawn (also part of Judith’s playlist).

And a bonus song: Right Here by Ashes Remain

Enjoy the story guys.

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

If you were to ask Talbott to describe Judith Harris in one word, he would tell you,

“Strong.”

Despite being sorted into house that others would view as a doormat, Judith has proven to be one not to be trifled with.

She stood up to Merula back in their first year at Hogwarts.

She took on the Cursed Vaults alongside her best friend, all in an effort to find their brothers and to save the students at Hogwarts.

She was Hufflepuff’s star Beater, mentee of Erika Rath, Ravenclaw’s feared Beater.

She’s even physically broken up fights, despite her size.

There’s more to her than her physical strength. But her mental strength as well.

She acted as a big sister to her younger House mates. Even creating a small tradition to sing a song to the Hufflepuffs every once and awhile throughout the year. She mainly does it for the first years, who come to love her for welcoming them. Talbott has heard her sing this song in the Courtyard  in his Animagus form once to the new Hufflepuffs and never felt more at peace listening to the sound of her voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZtUA9_ID0U

She was always looking out for others. 

Her friends.

The professors.

Random people from other houses.

Even to people who she dislikes.

She’s not afraid to provide emotional support to someone and listen to their problems, even if it takes hours.

Talbott can attest to this himself.

---------

~Year 5~

Talbott tossed and turned in his bed, small whimpers escaping the Animagus as he was gripped in a nightmare.

The night that his parents died.

All of it felt real.

The sounds of the Death Eaters trying to break into his home. 

The sight of his dad’s grave face and his mum’s tears.

The last warm hug he received from them before they urged him to escape from his bedroom window on the second floor.

The tortured cries of his parents that rang in his ears as he watched them die from one of the Unforgivable Curses from the air.

The feeling of guilt, sorrow, anger and weakness threatening to swallow him whole as he flew away from the scene.

Talbott awoke with a gasp, sweat clinging onto this skin and tears flowing from his sightless eyes as he try to take in his surroundings.

‘I’m in my dorm at Hogwarts... I’m safe...’ he thought to himself as he struggled to calm his erratic heart. 

This was the 4th time this week that he’s had this nightmare. The O.W.L.S. were just a week away and he felt the dread building at the sheer idea of it.

What if he failed his O.W.L.S.?

He needed to get an Exceeding Expectations or better in order to qualify for his N.E.W.T.S. so he can become an Auror. 

He felt like he failed his parents because he wasn’t able to protect them. At least as an Auror, he can prevent another child from the experience he went through many years ago. 

He wiped his wet face and groaned. He needs to get out for awhile.

Slipping on a random shirt and tucking his wand in his pajama pant pocket, he opened the window to his room. Breathing in the brisk air, he sighed softly before transforming into his Golden Eagle form and took off. 

He didn’t check the time but it suspects that it’s some kind of early hour in the morning. He flew around the sleepy castle a few times before going to the Black Lake. 

Landing in front of a giant boulder on the shore, he transformed back and watched the still waters. 

He wished he could feel that state of calm himself, the unbearable feeling of distress and fear made him feel like he was going to burst any moment.

Hot tears burned his eyes as his nightmare replayed in his mind. Sobs threatened to choke him as the salty tears ran down his face. He almost gave into his sorrow and bawled his eyes out on the shore.

Almost.

His sensitive ears picked up faint footsteps approaching and he quickly took out his wand, ready to defend himself.

He saw a silhouette of a person just a few feet away.

“S-Stop.” He mentally cursed himself for the weak stutter in voice when he said this command. Nonetheless, the person did listen and stopped where they were.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” The person didn’t say anything for a few moments. Just as Talbott was about to repeat his question, he heard a familiar voice.

“Talbott?” The Ravenclaw wizard went stiff.

“J-Judith?” Sure enough, the Hufflepuff witch approached closer where he could properly see her. A black giant fluffy blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, whilst badger slippers covered her feet.

Talbott fought the urge to chuckle. As odd as her footwear was, it was kinda cute.

“Judith, what are you doing here,” he asked as she kneeled beside him. He prayed that she couldn’t hear how hoarse his voice was.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she simply said as she studied him. There were a few times where people could make him uncomfortable, and this is one of them. 

“Wha-”

“You’ve been crying.” Talbott immediately shut his mouth at hearing this. And she wasn’t questioning this, no.

She was stating the obvious.

His silence was all she needed to know that she was right.

Gently, she cupped his face so he can look her in the eye. He saw concern in the pools of molten gold and felt his resolve weakening.

“I’m fi-” A slender finger pressed against his cold chapped lips, gold eyes still piercing into his soul.

“Talbott, if you need to cry, then cry. I’m right here.” As if she said an incantation to a spell, tears sprang back up and he cried.

Cried as if he was 9-year-old little boy again.

Judith said nothing as he bawled his eyes out. She silently wrapped her blanket around the both of them before hugging the Ravenclaw wizard closer to her. She guided his head to lay on her full chest and carefully ran her fingers through his messy bed head. Unconsciously, the weeping teen hugged her by her waist, giving into the warmth and comfort being offered to him.

Who knows how long they stayed like that, but eventually Talbott’s sobs died down. Talbott finally noticed their position and blushed ferociously.

He’s never been this close to a girl like this, and the only witch he really showed interested in was her.

But he admits that he felt comfortable like this.

She felt warm and soft. Her ever present and unique scent wrapped around him like a security blanket. Her steady heartbeat was slowly becoming his favorite melody.

He felt safe in her embrace.

He panicked a bit when he felt her shift, clinging onto her with a silent whimper. Judith hushed him gently.

“I’m not going anywhere, Talbott. Just trying to get more comfortable. Here.” Talbott’s world flipped on it’s axis for a few seconds before it came back in focus again.

Judith was now laying against the boulder with Talbott laying on top of her. His head was on top of her chest again while he felt himself being cradled by her thighs. 

Talbott can partially feel his ears turning red...

The girl let out of soft chuckle before giving him a kiss on his forehead.

“You’re so cute, Sweets...” Talbott huffed and opted not to answer. Especially at the nickname. He instead resettled his arms around her waist again and focused on listening to her heartbeat. Slowly, he felt the exhaustion starting to sink in.

Maybe it was the late hour starting to catch up with him.

Maybe it was because he was emotionally drained.

Or maybe it was because of the warmth radiating from his crush and how her heartbeat had to be the most soothing lullaby he’s heard in years...

Whatever the reason, Talbott felt his eyes started to weigh themselves down and eventually fell asleep.

The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon the next time he opened his eyes. Let out a loud yawn, he took in his surroundings.

He was still on the shore of the Black Lake but Judith was nowhere in sight. He thought that he dreamed the whole encounter until he realized how warm he was. 

Her black blanket was still wrapped around him. 

She must’ve left to sneak back into her common room but didn’t want to disturb him. Or leave him here to freeze his tail feathers off.

Talbott thought back to their interaction.

Not once did she try to pry information out of him. 

Instead, she just stayed and comforted him.

A small smile found its way to his lips as he brought the blanket up to his nose and breathed.

Coconuts, cocoa butter, and vanilla. 

Oh so perfectly her.

--------

The next few days passed quickly. During the week of their O.W.L.S., he visited the shore of the Black Lake in the early hours of the morning. 

Surprisingly enough, Judith would be there too. As if she suspected him to be there.

He tried to give her back her blanket once, but she insisted that he keep it.

“I have plenty in my dorm. I’m not gonna freak out if one was missing.”

Talbott was silently thankful for this, seeing how being wrapped up in her blanket has helped him sleep easier during that week. 

Not that he’s willing to tell her that.

Or that he brings it with him to the lake so they could cuddle under it (and so she can imprint her scent on the fluffy sheet).

During that week, they spent some time talking about anything that came to mind.

One night he felt brave enough to admit to her what happened that night she found him.

--------

“I was having a nightmare about my parents’ death,” he mumbled against her chest. It was night after they’ve taken their Transfiguration O.W.L.S. They were wrapped up in the black blanket Talbott brought with him. Talbott laid on top of the Hufflepuff, his head resting over her chest. Judith was lazily running her fingers through his hair again and it took a lot of willpower not to preen at her gentle touch.

Much to his disappointment, she suddenly stopped after he spoke.

He really didn’t realize how touch deprived he was until her. Oh how spoiled he was when it comes to her affections.

“Do you wanna talk about it, Sweets,” she asked quietly. Talbott bit his lip at this.

He trusted Judith. A whole lot.

She’s kept his secret about being an Animagus and she never pushed him if he didn’t want to talk or if he wanted to be alone.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she said, running her fingers through his hair again. Talbott melted against her once again.

He could trust her with this.

“I was 9 years old at the time. It was just another day for me. Despite the wizarding war, my parents made sure I still had a good childhood. But it was their defiance to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that ruined it for me...” Judith listened attentively to his tale.

“We heard them before they reached us. My dad was quick to barricade the doors and windows before they could reach our home. There was no way for us to outrun them without them catching us. My father tried urging my mother to leave with me through my bedroom window on the second floor. But she didn’t wish to leave him behind. Besides they knew that she was an Animagus and would’ve spotted her trying to fly away...” Judith pursed her lips. Talbott explained to her why he didn’t want to register to the Ministry but now it made more sense. If they knew of his form, they’ll be on the hunt for it.

“I can still hear the harsh bangs and cruel laughter of the Death Eaters trying to break into our home. I was clutching onto my mum like a lifeline, doing my best not to make a sound. It was then that the both of them hugged me tight and told me that they loved me. They whispered to me to escape through my bedroom window before urging me upstairs. I wanted to stay, but I knew they will never allow me to. The Death Eaters broke in just as I opened my window. I quickly flew out and stayed among the trees. I-I saw...” Talbott  began to feel his throat close up on him. He felt the arm around his back squeeze him for a few moments. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

“I saw them drag my parents out. Th-they casted Crucio on them repeatedly. It was terrible, Judith... To see them withering on the ground, screaming and crying out in pain as those Death Eaters laughed at their misery is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget. My mum actually spotted me by the tree line. Despite the tears of pain swimming in her eyes, she gave me one last smile before mouthing ‘I love you’. That’s when one Death Eater decided they had enough fun and used Avada Kedavra on them. The empty look in my parents eyes was the last thing I saw before I flew away,” he whispered. He didn’t realize he was crying until Judith cupped his face so he can look her.

Her thumbs brushed against his tear stain cheeks. Talbott noted the callouses on her fingertips but her touch was gentle. Loving.

Her eyes were soft and understanding. 

“It’s not your fault, Talbott.” The boy’s brows furrowed in confusion. How did she-

“You probably believed that you could’ve made a difference. If only if you were older and had a wand. If only you had the strength to move mountains. If only you stayed. But understand it’s not your fault. You were a scared child who wanted to be with his parents. But your parents wanted more for you. That’s why your mother taught you how to become an Animagus. Why they sacrificed their lives for you. They wanted a future for you and you plan on using your future to protect others from dark witches, wizards, and Death Eaters so no child can go through what you did. To protect those who you are close to. And that’s your way of honoring their memory. You’re allowed to mourn over them, we all grieve differently and at different paces. But don’t let the “if only”‘s haunt you, Talbott.” 

Judith might as well write his whole life story. She was able to tell all of that by how, looking into his eyes?

Talbott wasn’t sure but he was grateful.

Grateful for having this girl in his life. 

“T-thank you, little bird,” he whispered. The most beautiful smile spread on those plump lips. Her mystical gold eyes kind as ever.

“Anything for you, bird boy...” Talbott let out a shaky exhale as he felt her soft lips kiss his forehead, lingering against his cold skin. Judith pulled back a little and Talbott was quick to cling onto her.

Their faces was really close.

Breaths mingling with one another’s.

Shy red eyes locking with patient gold ones.

“J-Judith...” The girl hummed softly.

“Yes, Talbott?” Talbott nervously swiped his tongue over his chapped lips. He was curious...

It’s not the first time he’s kissed her. Though it was always on the cheek. He never felt bold enough to kiss her on the lips...

Until now...

“I-I-I was wondering...” Judith waited silently for him to finish. He was thankfully it was dark out so she couldn’t see the blush on his face...

“C-Can I... Can I kiss you,” he rushed out before he could chicken out. 

A moment passed.

Then another.

And yet another. 

Judith had yet to say anything and Talbott could feel his blush spreading to the tips of his ears.

Judith let out a soft chuckle.

“Of course you can, Sweets.” Talbott blinked at her.

Did he hear that correctly?

Did she really just give him permission to-

A soft gasp escaped the Ravenclaw male as Judith lightly pressed her lips against his.

Soft was the first thing that came to mind. Her lips were really soft.

Talbott can feel his heart pounding against his chest as he stared wide eyed at the Hufflepuff witch. 

‘This was really happening...’ Talbott’s eyes fluttered closed and just as he was about to respond, Judith pulled away. A whine threatened to pass his throat.

“Why did you pull away,” he whispered, pushing his face closer to her’s. Judith blushed at the slightly husky tone in his voice.

“I... I thought you changed your mind. You weren’t responding...” Talbott couldn’t help but to smirk a little. Very rarely does Judith show signs of shyness.

It was cute...

“I’m sorry, little bird. I was a bit dazed is all... May I...” He left the question open in the air, waiting for her response. Judith’s arms slowly wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer still.

Their lips were a hair breadth apart.

The look in Judith’s eyes were absolutely smoldering.

“Kiss me, Talbott...”

She didn’t need to tell him twice.

-----------

They spent a good amount of time on the shore snogging that night before falling asleep in each other’s arms. Talbott found the taste of her vanilla bean chapstick positively addicting.

She was addicting.

It eventually became a routine for them.

A few times during the week, they would sneak out on the shore and huddle together under the stars. They would talk, laugh, kiss or just sit in silence.

Talbott loved the private time they had together. 

But then everything changed.

After breaking the Portrait Curse, Judith stopped coming to the shoreline. He never had the time to question her on her absence since everyone wants the Hufflepuff’s attention. 

The last time he really saw her was at the end of the year feast. Despite the smile on her face, he saw the faraway look in those gold eyes.

They all came back from summer break to start their 6th year. The faraway look was still present in her eyes.

Along with loneliness, sadness and pain.

Talbott was determined to find out what was wrong with his little bird.

He knew this was a stretch but it was possible that she was visiting the lake shore way before he did. It just so happened he was there that night when she came. Because they were together on certain days of the week, then she must spend other days alone.

He would just have to catch her at the right time.

It didn’t take long. 

Talbott was hiding behind a boulder in his Golden Eagle form when he saw the girl approach. Her usual sleepwear, which consisted of a wife beater and shorts, clothed her frame. It was still relatively warm from the summer months, but can get a bit chilly when the breeze passes by. 

She sat at their usual spot not too far away from him, staring out at the water. 

Until he heard it.

A heartbroken sob.

Her small frame was wrecked with sobs as she cried freely. The Ravenclaw wizard was left stunned.

After all these years of knowing her, never once has he seen her cry. 

And so strongly.

He felt his heart ache for the girl he started to fall in love with.

The girl suddenly stood and Talbott suddenly got a bad feeling.

“...better off gone...” was all he heard. Before the girl dashed into the water, sinking beneath the surface.

Talbott didn’t remember transforming back in his human form but next thing he knew he was underwater with the bubble spell around his head. He struggled to see under the dark murky water. Fear gripped his heart as he swam around to search for the girl. It wasn’t until he saw movement to his left. 

Grindylows were making their way to the vulnerable witch, who was sinking fast below him. Talbott was quick to swim in front of her and cast Flipendo on the vicious water demons. Taking the free opportunity, Talbott quickly grabbed the Hufflepuff and swam to the surface. 

Quickly making his way to the shore, he laid Judith down to examine her. His fingers tried to find a pulse.

A faint one was present but her chest wasn’t moving. Talbott tried to clear his mind from the panic that threaten to overtake him as he tried to do chest compressions to restart her heart.

“C’mon, don’t do this to me Judith... I already lost my parents, I can’t lose you too,” Talbott pleaded. Pinching her nose, he parted her mouth and place his on top of her’s. He blew air into her, trying to bring her back.

It wasn’t after a few tries when she finally responded. He felt her body tense up and turned her over just as she spat out the water from her lungs.

She coughed and wheezed, tears building in her eyes as much needed oxygen flooded her system. Talbott never strayed from her side, rubbing her back and offering silent support.

Wiping her eyes, Judith turned to her unexpected savior just to have her blood run cold.

“Tal-” a pair of lips crashed onto her’s, knocking her on her back. Talbott rained kisses all over her face.

Cheeks.

Forehead.

Temple.

Nose. 

Lips. 

Chin.

Anywhere his lips could reach.

She was alive.

She was still here with him.

He eventually pulled back to look at the flushed girl underneath him.

“Why,” she quietly asked. Talbott rose a brow, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Why are you here? Why did you save me?” Her eyes looked tired as she said this. Talbott backed off her so he could pull her into his arms.

“I love you,” he whispered into her wet curls. Judith stiffened.

“Don’t tell me that.” Her voice came out colder than expected, and surprisingly came with a foreign accent. Talbott didn’t back down from this.

“But it’s true. I love you, Judith.” The girl struggled against him, but Talbott had a firm hold on her.

“No! Shut up! Just shut up! You have no idea what you’re talking about! Everyone who says that...” The girl trailed off as she sniffled. Talbott waited for his little bird to finish. Judith whimpered as she finally gave into her tears.

“Everyone who says that always end up leaving me alone,” she bawled into his chest. Talbott squeezed the girl tighter to his chest, letting her cry.

‘It’s always the people who are there for others that feel the most alone...’ Talbott silently mused as he rubbed the girl’s back in attempts to soothe her. He discreetly casted a drying spell on both of them so they wouldn’t catch a cold.

Her sobs turned into sniffles and small hiccups.

“I-I-I wasn’t like this,” she mumbled. Talbott nodded, placing a small kiss to her hairline, quietly encouraging her to continue.

“Once upon a time, I was happy. I’m not originally from Britain but an island called Barbados... It was my father’s homeland. My homeland. I was happy there. Carefree even. It all changed when I was 6. My grandmother, Mercy, died. She was the maternal figure in my life since my mother moved back to Europe after she had me. After her funeral, my father and I moved to Britain. I hated it. The land was cold and so were the people who lived there. I was made fun of because of my accent and my hair. My mother didn’t approve of how my father raised me and decided to do it herself. She taught me how to hide my accent and what’s appropriate to wear while here. If I did anything that wasn’t to her approval, she would beat me. Which left me with multiple scars. My father and brother never knew. I was lucky enough to find a friend in Brooke to make everything bearable... but it only lasted for so long. Our brothers ran away just two weeks after my 9th birthday. Not too long after that, my father fell ill with a heart virus,” Judith paused to take a breath. Nobody knew about this. With the exception of her best friend, of course.

After spending some time with the boy holding her, she felt like she could trust him with this...

“I was the one whole found him. He collapsed on his knees, coughing up blood. Other professional Healers told him that there was nothing that could do for him. I was determined to help him get better. My father was a Healer himself. He taught what he knew to help treat his ailments when he couldn’t do it himself. His little Healer, he fondly called me,” Judith chuckled at the memory before sighing.

“As the Healers said, there was nothing that could be done for him. He died on his birthday, which was weeks after my brother’s disappearance. We sang a song he taught me when we lived in Barbados while I sat on his lap. He died while I was in his arms...” 

Talbott now fully understood how Judith knew how felt when she found him on the lake shore their first night together. She knew how he felt because she understood it herself. She must’ve felt the same he did when she couldn’t save her father from dying, even though it was out of her control.

“Judith...”

“Let’s not forget brother dearest.” The girl wasn’t done. Talbott fell quiet again as the girl got the remaining weight off her chest.

“Seven years, Talbott. Seven years I haven’t seen my older brother. Hearing news that he’s dead somewhere. That he joined He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Seven years of being compared to him. That I’ll go mad just like him. That I’ll make my House a disgrace just like him. That I’ll be expelled just like him. To finally find him again was something close to a miracle. To have a member of my family back again. All for it to blow up in my face. He ran off as soon as he heard about Rakeprick and I never heard from him since. I didn’t get a chance to tell him about Papa. He left me in that Vault to go back to Hogwarts without him... To hear that I can’t seem to hold onto anyone anymore broke me...” Judith fought against the tears that wanted to resurface. 

She looked up into those red eyes that never failed to my her heart sigh.

“Don’t you see, Talbott? Everyone who loved me left me alone. I don’t think I can take the idea of you leaving me too,” she said softly. Talbott caressed his little bird’s cheek, watching her nuzzle his hand.

“Your grandmother and your father didn’t wish to leave willing, little bird. They would probably still be here today if they could. While I can’t speak for your brother, I can speak for myself. I will never leave you, Judith. Never willing. I love you too much to do so. I will always do my best to be by your side. To help heal the brokenness within you. To love you when you come undone. When you feel like you can no longer be strong in front of everyone, you can always come to me. I’ll be there to hold you for as long as you need,” He whispered. 

Judith whimpered and pulled him closer. Talbott leaned in and kissed her.

Soft petal-like kisses were exchanged. Judith was shaking like a leaf. Talbott’s hands caressed her curvy body to help soothe her anxieties. Judith finally pulled away a little to look into the young wizard’s eyes.

“I love you, Talbott.” The boy gave her a small smile. A smile he only reserves for her.

“I love you too, Judith...” The girl cuddled up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. The sound of it paired with his slow breathing helped the Hufflepuff fall asleep. 

“I’ll always be right here, little bird,” he whispered, kissing her forehead before falling asleep himself.

Everyone needs someone. 

Luckily they had each other.

[crystalelemental]

I don’t know of you have said this before, but which BP master pair would yo pick? I think that Coballion is the best, but I think Ill go for Evelyn simply for not being the protag.

I don't recall anyone asking, so I think you're the first. For what it's worth, I'm still slightly under 9k, so it will be a while before I can get any of them at all. But from my cursory glance...

Cobalion has crit buffing and accelerated move gauge, Team Fast Track, and what is a near guaranteed defense drop on Rock Smash. I'd say the only nodes substantially altering its performance are Ripple Effect and Synchro Healing, which is nice for stall teams and for just healing up in general. Everything else is pretty optional and limited? That said, I do think the reduction in physical defense at a 50% rate to the side allies isn't as valuable as it sounds, but that's also spoken from someone who much prefers stalling out and letting sync buffs stack up for damage.

There's also a really big issue, to me at least. Fighting type. There are exactly three. Wally, who does get Ramming Speed which is slowly and inconsistently buffed by Cobalion, and mostly uses Focus Blast which Cobalion can't support. Korrina, who does kinda like the defense buffs to get to that "in a pinch" effect, but otherwise doesn't get a ton. And Bea, who is specifically designed to partner with this, thanks to Inertia and physical offense and being slow as dirt with a 4-gauge move. Outside of that, the Fighting Teamwork passive is going to be super limited. So I really don't think it has great teammates right now, in that regard. And like, if you want to be real, Scyther Bugsy exists, packs the same move gauge acceleration, crit buffing AND attack buffing, and a consistent opponent team debuff in Leer, a similar rate of boosting speed passively, and a grid that confers First Aid and Syncho Healing as well. AND it gets Safety Tether for Endurance. Outside of the strict Fighting support bonuses, nothing Cobalion does is something Bugsy cannot, so I have a tough time saying Cobalion is altogether worth it.

Regirock's positives are that it's a consistent buffer of attack and defense, and has a signature skill that can heal, which is great. Potion but also with +2 defense and gradual healing is super solid. The problem is that all its good stuff is 3/5, and it really wants that, which means using 5* Support Candy. First Aid, Ripple Effect, a Master Healer and MPR on trainer move, Synchro Healing. All of this is 3/5. Which is damning. Because Regirock's base sets aren't great. Crit buffing is superior as a support, and none of its inherent abilities are interesting or all that good. And apparently even Sand Shelter is 3/5, which is really damning as a Rock support with the Rock Teamwork passive, because you'd want to support Rock types. And a good Rock type striker almost universally wants Sandstorm present. The only exception is Classic Blue. Who is specially offensive, and easily buffs to max attack anyway. Regirock just seems kinda bad as a pick.

Evelyn is my personal favorite, entirely because it's not the MU. But yeah she's also not that fantastic. She has exactly one buff skill, and it's a nice +4 to both defenses, but it's 1MP, doesn't get MPR until 3/5, and is in a really awkward spot in her grid. And First Aid 4 also only shows at 3/5, which is a massive problem. But. I do think she's got the best passives of any of the three. Revenge Boost 9 is fantastic gauge control, Quick Cure is nice for the tank, but Team Fist Bump is really what sets her apart. 40% chance to restore HP when a move is successful. It doesn't specify how much, but I'm guessing 20%. These kinds of skills are usually on the lower end. But that's still really good for a unit that can massively buff defenses, applies Gradual Healing to the team, and can pretty reliably burn.

I'm also gonna say it: I don't agree with people who argue she's bad on Fire comps. Blaine or SS Erika for sun setting (probably Blaine because of her passive), a striker, and Evelyn is perfectly acceptable for that kind of team. There's a bit of give and take though, and I think people are acclimated to the idea of making the support unit speed up SS Red or Leon's nuking so they don't spend much time buffing. But a buff to defenses to keep them alive is also a valid approach, and one I think is often overlooked. Especially when she can burn. Not to mention two Master passives at once if she's with Anni N or Leon. That's a lot of damage mitigation.

Short version: I think Evelyn's the most useful of the three. I do acknowledge her faults, especially with how many of her best tools are locked behind 3/5, and how a 1MP move is generally a disaster. Not having any support for pure offense is also kinda limiting. But I think she supports just fine for offensive threats that can self-buff, supplying them with survival, and is actually great for stall despite having no immediate heal moves thanks to Team Fist Bump (inconsistent, but 40% isn't bad). Cobalion is the close second, thanks to rapid crit buffing and the defense debuff support, but Fighting isn't a great type right now, and Scyther Bugsy does everything it does probably better. And Regirock is just kinda not great. Like it's fine, but debuffing speed is the least useful option, and it doesn't offer much without full 3/5 grid at all.

Personally, I'll likely take Evelyn, but I also might hold off a while. I don't necessarily need any of them, and if they add more Master pairs, I'd want to be ready. Especially since heads of frontiers seems to be the focus, and if there's even a chance of BP Master Caitlin, I have to be ready.