#but I’m a massive history buff

[kissmefriendly]

Okay, the little “History is…” talk in the new Amelia Project is making me emotional. Because, as a history buff, my absolute favourite part of history IS the people and the individual stories! One of my favourite things is to read the correspondences of people who never thought that their stories would ever be worth telling or would be important to the historical record.

“History is just wars and dates.”

“No. It’s people! It’s like… it’s like… what is it like? It’s like reading sci-fi but instead of the future it’s the past. But it’s still all stories and cultures and people and they’re different and you never really meet any of them-“

It’s such a lovely way of putting it. And, as Kozlowski points out, the past is still tangible and still impacts and exists in our modern world. Even if it bears little resemblance to what it once was 100 or even 500 years ago. Wars and dates are how we categorise the past, what we define eras by. But it does not give an accurate representation of the living, human parts of the world. How people still played practical jokes, how cultures were evolving or clinging to stay alive, or how for all of time people have always been here just as we are now. Just in different settings. And you know what, that’s beautiful.

The past is horrific and brutal and ugly. It’s also inspiring and worth remembering the stories that make it all up, the threads in the tapestry that is continuing to be woven. It’s about significant names such as Moliere and his death but it SIMULTANEOUSLY about the joy of that one day you found the perfect waffle.

[soulofapatrick]

I Like Your Mind - Edward Cullen x female reader

Summary: As soon as you meet Edward, you're both drawn to each other with an intensity you never expected

Words: 2.2k

Warnings: None

Y/N’s POV

I step into the Cullen house, my heart racing in my chest, and my mind filled with a mixture of fear and fascination. Bella has brought me here, introducing me to the family of her new boyfriend - Jasper Hale - and I can hardly believe where I find myself. I know their secret, the one they’ve been hiding from the world, the fact they’re vampires. And I know Edward can read minds which makes the whole situation even more daunting. But, as Bella races off to find Jasper, I’m left alone I the living room, taking in the stunning surroundings. 

The Cullens’ house is unlike any place I’ve ever seen. The air is heavy with an unspoken history, and everything within is both timeless and modern. A grand piano rests against one wall, a dark mahogany masterpiece, and the soft notes of a melody linger in the air, a testament to the musical talents of the family. On the opposite wall, a massive bookshelf houses an impressive collection of novels and ancient texts. Their spines form a spectrum of human knowledge, artfully arranged. 

My gaze drifts to the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the room, offering a breathtaking view of the dense, ancient forest that surrounds the house. The trees stand tall and proud, their branches intertwined like guardians, protecting the Cullens from prying eyes. The afternoon sun filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that dance across the polished wooden floors. 

As my eyes linger on the tranquil forest, my imagination takes flight. I envision myself running through the woods, feeling the cool, damp earth beneath my feet. The leaves would crunch softly with each step, and the intoxicating scent of pine and damp earth would fill my senses. My heart would race, and a rush of adrenaline would surge through me as I lose myself in the untamed beauty of the wilderness. But, what captivates me the most is the idea of running through the forest in the rain. The thought of raindrops falling like liquid diamonds from the heavens, pelting the leaves and creating a gentle, rhythmic melody, sends a shiver of delight down my spine. In my daydream, I am drenched, my clothes clinging to my skin as I twirl and leap through the woods, liberated and carefree.

The rain washes away all my worries and fears, leaving only the exhilaration of the moment. It's as if the world, with all its complexities and complications, has melted away, leaving only the simplicity and purity of the rain-soaked forest. It's a feeling of utter peace, a sense of being one with nature and the world, a sensation I've longed to experience again. 

Lost in the serenity of my daydream, I sense a subtle presence to my right. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and a strange but not unwelcome shiver runs down my spine. Slowly, I turn my head to see one of the Cullen brothers standing there, a striking figure with sharp, chiseled features. He exudes an air of quiet strength and confidence, and I can't help but admire his physical appearance.

As I take in his feature, I quickly realise that this isn’t Jasper, as Bella would undoubtedly be with him if he were here. Besides, Jasper is known for his blond hair, which contrasts with the dark brunette locks of the Cullen brother beside me. His eyes, however, remain a shimmering gold, and their intensity is captivating. 

Going over Bella’s description, I recall that she mentioned Emmett to be big and buff. Emmett is tall and muscular. He has dark curly hair and dimpled cheeks. Despite his intimidating appearance, he is light-hearted and carefree. This man in front of me is almost quite the opposite with perfect and angular high cheekbones, strong jawline, a straight nose, and full lips causing my heart to quicken with a sudden realisation. In a hushed voice, I tentatively ask, “Edward?” 

The name hangs in the air between us, my uncertainty evident in the way I speak his name. The Cullen brother gives a small nod, his eyes holding a hint of amusement and there’s a small smile on his pretty lips as he says, “Hello.” His voice is a velvet whisper that sends a shiver down my spine. My cheeks heat up in response, and I can’t help but feel flustered by his presence. Turning my face away from him, I gaze out at the enchanting forest, using the breathtaking view to regain my composure. 

But just as I start to calm my racing heart, I sense his movement. Edward is moving closer, somewhat hesitantly as if he’s scared to do so but he moves so close I can feel the coolness of his chest against my back. The physical proximity is both thrilling and nerve-wracking, and I can’t help but wonder what his intention are as I continue to look out at the tranquil forest. 

The peaceful silence in the room is broken by Edward’s soft voice, barely above a whisper, “I like your mind,” he admits, his words sending a rush of warmth through me, “It’s quiet.” 

His words wash over me like a gentle caress, and I can’t deny the intrigue of his interest in my mind. It’s a compliment I could never have anticipated, coming from a vampire who can hear the thoughts of others. The intimacy of this moment is palpable, and I can sense the internal struggle within him, as if he’s torn between his desire to touch me and the realisation that we’ve only just met. 

Despite my rational thoughts screaming at me to maintain my distance, I surrender to the magnetic pull of Edward Cullen. My back leans into his cool, sculpted chest, and the sensation of his icy hands on my hips sends a shiver of anticipation coursing through me. It's as if the enchantment of the Cullen house, the breathtaking view of the forest, and Edward's irresistible presence have combined to create a spell that I am unable, and unwilling, to break. 

Closing my eyes, I allow myself to become completely enveloped in everything Edward. I’m hyperaware of how he feels behind me, the firmness of his chest pressed against my back, the subtle rise and fall of his breath against my neck as if it’s a force of habit for him despite vampires lack of need to breathe. His scent, a delicate blend of lilac, honey and sunshine, fills my senses and intoxicates me, wrapping me in a warm, inviting embrace. 

The moment feels intensely romantic, the air electric with the unspoken connection between us. I know that Edward can read my thoughts and perceive my view of him, and in this vulnerable instant, I choose not to resist. I grant him access tot he unfiltered depths of my desire, allowing him to see and feel the passion that simmers beneath the surface. 

The tension in the room crackles, the rain outside intensifying as if mirroring the fervour building within us. It's a clandestine dance of two souls drawn together by an unexplainable force. In this silent, electrifying embrace, I become an open book for Edward, my thoughts and desires laid bare, and I can only wonder what he'll make of the desires that race through my mind like wildfire

With a slow and deliberate movement, Edward turns me to face him, his eyes open and unguarded. They flicker with a hint of vulnerability, as if he, too, is uncertain of the depth of this connection. His gaze drops to my lips, and I can feel the warmth of his breath on my skin as he hovers close. His fingers twirl my hair around them, an intimate gesture that feels like an attempt to memorise every part of me that he can reach. The air crackles with anticipation as I hold my breath, my heart pounding in my chest, The world outside seems to fade away, leaving only the two of us in this electrifying moment. 

Edward’s gaze remains locked on mine, a silent promise of the depths of emotions and desire that lie beneath the surface. In the hushed room, our shared anticipation and vulnerability create an electric tension that’s impossible to ignore. His lips are tantalisingly close, and I can feel the coolness of his breath as he hovers near. It’s as if he’s about to kiss me, his intentions clear in the smouldering depths of his golden eyes. But he hesitates, his voice barely a whisper as he mumbles something about not being able to stop once he starts, a confession laden with both longing and restraint. 

Unable to resist any longer, I tangle my fingers in his tousled hair, an intimate gesture that communicates my desire and intent. With a gentle, yet urgent push, I guide his face the rest of the way down until his lips finally meet mine. 

As our lips meet in a hesitant and guarded kiss, a complex swirl of emotions and desires floods the space between us. Edward, despite his initial restraint, can’t help but respond to the fiery connection we share. His lips, cool and soft, brush against mine with a caution born of a lifetime of self-control. The kiss begins with a tentative exploration, as if he’s testing the boundaries of this newfound intimacy. 

The initial hesitancy slowly gives way to a growing intensity, and I can sense his need for more. His grip on me tightens ever so slightly, fingers digging into my hips, a delicate balance between desire and restraint. His response is careful, as if he’s constantly aware of his vampire strength, wary of causing any harm to me. The kiss deepens, his passion building, and the chemistry between us becomes an irresistible force that pushes us further into uncharted territory. 

With a slow and deliberate movement, he begins to walk me backwards, his lips never leaving mine, until my back makes contact with the cool glass of the windows, drawing a gasp from me. It has Edward smiling softly, golden eyes a little glazed as if in a trance of disbelief this is happening before his cold nose bumps my neck, making my pulse jump. I should be scared by how close he is to my jugular but I don’t feel any fear or anything, especially when Edward places a soft kiss on my jugular, a silent acknowledgement of the temptation that throbs beneath my skin. His lips are cold, but their touch is gentle, sending shivers of desire coursing through me. 

My hands tangle back in his soft locks, guiding his lips back to mine, their coldness a stark contrast to the burning passion that courses between us. In that moment, I am both vulnerable and empowered, willingly allowing myself to be drawn further into this intoxicating dance of desire. 

Each kiss makes me feel more alive, more connected to a world I never knew existed. The world outside may be drenched in rain, but in this electrifying embrace, a different kind of storm rages, a tempest of emotions and desires that we can’t control. His lips, cool and velvety soft, meet mine over and over again in a symphony of fire and ice, a fusion of elements that ignite a burning desire deep within me. 

His body presses against mine, a solid and unyielding presence that leaves me feeling both vulnerable and empowered. The contrast between his cool skin and the heat of my own sets my senses ablaze. As we deepen our connection, the room seems to spin around us, and I lose myself in the feeling of everything Edward. 

The room is charged with our passion, and I can feel it deep in my core. Every kiss is like a secret, a stolen moment in a world that is entirely our own. We lose track of time and space, our lips locked in an intimate dance that only intensifies the fever that has drawn us together in the first place. 

But then, like a bolt of lightning in our own private storm, I hear Bella’s joyful squeal. Edward pulling away from me, and I let my face fall into the warmth of his chest, overwhelmed by embarrassment. As I hide from the world, I can feel the soft rumble of amused laughter in Edward’s chest, a sound that both soothes and electrifies me in equal measure. 

“Fuck yeah!” Bells shrieks with joy and I flip her off over Edward’s shoulder as he wraps his arms around me, stifling a laugh as he can probably hear all of my silent insults and embarrassed thoughts thrown Bella’s way. 

“It’s okay.” He murmurs, fingers carding through my hair and I just hum, letting my eyes flutter closed in contentment. I don’t care how quick this is happening, all I know is I need Edward and no-one else so I’ll live with the embarrassment if it means I can have Edward. 

“You have me.” 

                           ┈ ✁✃✁✃✁✃✁✃✁ ┈

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Twilight Masterlist

[cow-rants]

Fair warning: this post is in regards to the recent Assassin’s Creed: Shadows trailer. I will talk about my thoughts and feelings regarding race. Thank you.

I’ve been a massive fan of Assassin’s creed (AC) since I first saw my uncle playing it at 7 or 8 years old. I’m a massive history buff and the idea of being able to experience the past through the eyes of an ancestor is such a brilliant idea. Not mention the concept of a secret war being fought through out the centuries is always fun. But as of late, I haven’t been really excited for a new entry. Odyssey was the last game I really played and it was alright, but I’m personally not a huge fan of the new RPG mechanics (although I do understand why they were implemented).

Valhalla looked interesting, but didn’t really feel like an AC game to me. So I put it on my “to play later” list. Mirage looked far better and I definitely do want to play it, but I honestly just haven’t felt a super big pull to pick it up. But when I saw that AC was finally going to Japan, I was ecstatic. I adore Japanese history in general and the Sengoku period is full of interesting conflicts and characters that would fit perfectly with the assassin’s and the templars.

Although they went with some pretty standard people to showcase, such as Oda Nobunaga, I still think they have a chance to do something really interesting story wise (of course, reserve all real judgement for the gameplay reveal. But I’m mainly just talking about the story). Especially with the portrayal of Yasuke. From what I could tell, it seems like his story will be one of disillusionment, possibly betrayal, and redemption. Certainly a story we’ve seen before, but it’s still interesting to see Yasuke in something as big as AC.

Before I get into the more unfortunate discourse regarding Yasuke, I absolutely have to talk about Naoe. See, what caught my eye about her was how she and my OWN AC OC have very similar stories. Well, I don’t know for sure. But they certainly share a similar experience, which is watching their families be butchered by Oda Nobunaga’s armies. It’s not much, but by the gods does it make me pretty happy. My OC’s name is Minori Kishimoto and she’s one of my favorites, so seeing a canon character with some similar traits is kind of exciting for me (okay, very exciting).

Anyhow, back to Yasuke. As soon as I saw the trailer, I knew I was going to see people saying something stupid. So I checked both the comments on the video and twitter. And I was certainly not mistaken. So so so many bad takes and ridiculous arguments that, honestly, only go to show either mild racism or straight up hatred toward African people. Not to mention the fact that they completely ignore Naoe as a protagonist. I guess she must be the greatest assassin of all time.

From what I understand, a lot of people are upset that for a Japan centered AC game, there is a black protagonist. Which, again, ignores Naoe entirely. The biggest argument I have heared against Yasuke being one of the protagonists is that he wasn’t actually a samurai. To which I say: False. Incorrect. Mistaken. Wrong. Factually incorrect.

The primary issue here is the fact that many people refer to him as a retainer. A title that he never officially held, as far as I’m aware, but even so that still makes him Samurai! Looking just at the facts of his life, he was respected by arguably the most powerful Daimyo of that time, earned his trust, received a pension, received a sword, and received property. So then the question becomes: what exactly makes a person a samurai at this time? Because I can tell you one thing, it isn’t noble blood.

A peasant man was once hired by Nobunaga to do a multitude of tasks, one of which was to hold his sandals. This man would soon prove himself to be capable of all of his tasks as well as in the art of war. He would become a powerful man and rise through the ranks until he held the rank of Taiko at the end of his life . That man was Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

If Hideyoshi’s story proves one thing, it’s that at this time anyone could rise to become a daimyo. So then, why wouldn’t Yasuke also be considered a samurai? We’re not even trying to claim he was a daimyo, just that he was a samurai. Retainer, bodyguard, slave, whatever. The fact is that the man was 10000% a samurai and was a respected one at that. To claim otherwise is to prove yourself ignorant in the history you claim to be proficient in, and incompetent at backing up your argument.

Not to mention that from a writing point of view, it’s a brilliant move. Yasuke was not super well recorded and thus is relatively unknown to others. Which makes him perfect for being a:

1. Fish out of water character

2. Real person, that can be treated written like a fictional one

All of this to say, I think that this newest Assassin’s Creed has a chance to become one of my personal favorites. As well as putting the series back on the map for many. But, with no gameplay and an already worrying pre-order package, I’m worried to say the least. Only time will tell, but I look forward to it.

[cosplayinamerica]

Susumu Kodai from Space Battleship Yamato Cosplayer: @the.yamato.boy Photo : @m_padron15

Funny enough at anime cons, not a lot of people recognize it as the Space Battleship Yamato, they usually just get hyped over seeing a massive ship at a con or war buffs notice the resemblance. Only a couple of people have recognized it. The ones that do though go nuts. The fanbase is fiercely loyal and even at Katsucon, the official Hotel Liason let me store the Yamato in his executive suite! Alas sadly barely anyone in my age group knows what Space Battleship Yamato is.

C2E2 was the first time I ever brought Yamato to a regular comic convention. The amount of people that recognized it there was actually comical. The cherry on top was that most people recognized it as the Argo or Intrepido.

What I'm most appreciative is that it's a way to bond the current generation of anime fans with the old and offers an opportunity to explore anime history.

Yamato started out as a binding point with my dad and I. He’s always been there for me but was a mystery at the same time. When I was like 2-3~ish my family still had an old Quasar TV with a built in VHS tape player. This was the kind of TV where you could feel your eyeballs melting out from the TV static. Anyway we had a singular VHS tape of Star Blazers- specifically the episodes where Argo uses the asteroid ring and then says goodbye to your families. As a certified Scooby-Doo fan, seeing #1 a cartoon with actual camera angles and cinema techniques was mind blowing to me and really stuck out, #2 there was a journey. The episodic countdown made me so mad because I knew I was only watching a piece of something bigger. My dad realized this and for my 5th birthday he bought me a full DVD set of all the episodes from Season 1. Afterward I drew little Yamato’s everywhere.

Eventually the spark that was Star Blazers would erupt into a burning flame that has become my love for Yamato. A couple of years ago my Grandpa was fighting with terminal lung cancer. We lived in America and he lived in South Korea so commute was tough and I didn’t get to see him all the time. During this time I was also getting bullied a lot and my mom thought it’d be good if I finished my elementary school years in Korea with my cousins so we moved there for a bit. I was a total fish out of water but a lot of my friends built Gunpla. I had no idea what a gundam was so I decided to research and went to Gundam Base Side 3 which is in Downtown Daegu. Remember the remake just came out at this time so there was a huge display dedicated to Yamato 2199. I really wanted a Yamato and had a meltdown in the store, like a full tantrum. I remember coming back to my apartment with my mom and just thinking non stop about it.

The week following, my grandpa took me instead and I’m guessing my mom told me how badly I wanted it because he got me not only a 1/1000 Yamato 2199 kit, but also the Garmilus 3 ship model pack. I was absolutely overjoyed and would not stop playing with that. The kit was later destroyed after a smaller big shelf collapse. He also died about a year afterward. It serves as a core memory and a reminder of him. As I shifted more into model building I dived more into gunpla until I was about 15. Highschool sucked. A lot.

The transition into being a freshman took a lot on my mental health. I got assaulted and the stress of everything caved in and I tried to take my own life. It’s a lot to Unpack and I’m not super comfortable talking about it, but it’s nessacary because of what happened.

Basically I got sent to outpatient which is like full time therapy sessions but school length. As cliche as it sounds, I brought a small Yamato with me. In order for it to fit comfortably in my pocket I froze super glue all over the fins and sharp bits so I would stab myself in the thigh on accident, iykyk. 

One of the things they told us in outpatient as a coping mechanism was that if we ever felt as bad as we did previously, think about the small things, and try on focus things that we would want to stay for. Well oh boy let me tell you, Yamato 2202 was coming out at this time and because of the format they were doing the movie part releases so 4 episodes every 4 months I think and I kept convincing myself that if I was gone, I would not see the end. 

The ending of 2202 not only brought around the end of that purpose but also wholly changed my outlook on my life. “The planets only stay in their places, only we have the power to give them beauty.” – Teresa of Telezart 

To say the ship had an impact on my life is an understatement. It was a reason to live at one point. On March 2nd/3rd when the announcement of Matsumoto’s passing came out I was absolutely devasted. I didn’t eat or sleep the following couple of days.

not a lot of people still know Yamato so in order to make conversation with other anime fans I picked up other shows but Yamato largely was my heart and soul. Matsumoto’s passing was what urged me to finally start. I wanted to build something that would not only bring me closer to Matsumoto but would hopefully give Yamato what it had given me- another life- sort of- maybe a little too dramatic, interpret that as you do idk. 

I want more people to watch Yamato and understand its message. We live in a day and age of constant bickering and isolation. We are all cogs in an economic machine. While we get blinded by work and debate, Yamato exists to teach people that it’s important to have dreams, to chase love and that maybe we can break out of our predicament – To truly know that you’re not alone is the meaning of Love, and that we must meet the challenge and the impossible will become possible – And finally, there is no one right-way to live – are all things that Yamato teaches.

[microwave-core]

Sada Posting

I didn't include Sada on my scarvio headcanons because I didn't so here she gets her own post

Sada is hard to talk about because I’ve written about her in one of my general headcanons posts and I don’t want to retread old ground but I also feel the need to clarify that there are generally one of two ways that Sada posting can go.

Sada was burned in the past by Arven’s father, who left soon after his birth, so she was incredibly hesitant to reenter the dating scene. However, when she met you, having bumped into you by complete accident, she decided to take the risk in pursuing a relationship, and you saw no reason to turn her down.

And it’s great to have you around, as she loves you dearly, but you being in the picture, along with her darling son, only pushed her further over the edge, as she became even more determined to find paradise for her newly found family. All she wanted was the best for the both of you. With no one to keep her in check, she buried herself within mountains of research, never once stopping to consider the effects of that kind of behavior. To her, being away for the moment, even if it was hard on the two of you, was worth it in the long run.

It fell to you, as the person who she loved above all else, to confront her about her workaholic tendencies. You begged and pleaded with her in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, your words would get through to her, that she would realize and understand how her actions made you and, especially, her son feel. However, realistically speaking, Sada was likely already too far off the rails to listen to reason, but that’s angsty, and I’m not in too much of an angsty mood right now.

Instead, let’s focus on a Sada who actually listened to you, one that realized the amount of harm her actions caused and that it ultimately wasn’t worth it, because creating the perfect world for her family meant nothing if she was never around to begin with. And so, she begins to spend far less time in Area Zero, if not pulling out of the hell hole completely, and begins to focus on living with you and Arven in the moment.

For the most part, you’re a normal family. Just a mother, her son, her new wife, a weird prehistoric dog, and a regular dog. A perfectly average family not riddled with trauma and abandonment. Most of your days are spent looking after little Arven and his puppy, playing and taking care of him until Sada arrives home in the late evening, where she finds the two of you preparing dinner together. She always walks through the door, shouting out “I’m home!” while waiting for Arven to run up and tell her about the day the two of you had.

Her days off are always spent with the two of you. Should the weather allow it, you spend the whole day outside, roaming the wilderness. You have a picnic in a scenic locale, the two of you lounging on the blanket while Arven and Maschiff run around in the grass until he pulls you both up to come and play with him. Eventually, as all kids do, he tires himself out, signaling the end of the day. You pack up your belongings and begin the long walk home, Arven already asleep in Sada’s arms.

Every now and then, Clavell takes care of Arven for the night so the two of you can spend some time together. Sada isn’t the most romantic person in the world, but she is charismatic and incredibly bold. Due to often being recognized in public, she prefers to spend date nights inside, having a nice dinner with wine and cuddling on the couch, which quickly turns to making out as you both ignore the shitty movie playing in the background. Just normal parent things.

To most people’s surprise, Sada is a massive nerd. It should be expected, honestly, considering that she is a professor and has some massive accomplishments under her belt. She’s a huge history buff, and will effortlessly crush the expectations of others, perceiving her to be a suave individual, by rambling on about incredibly minute historical details for hours on end. She’s like Raifort in this regard, but in, like, a different flavor.

ALSO, she loves to ramble about her family. If she, for whatever reason, doesn’t feel like rambling about history to the people around her, she will instead ramble about you two, because have you seen her beautiful wife? Her incredibly talented culinary son? Oh, don’t worry, she has more than enough time to stay and chat for a while, and also has plenty of pictures to show, as well.

The above absolutely kills Arven, because Sada regularly drops by the Academy, giving her the perfect chance to talk to various staff about her family, which leads to many students overhearing these conversations. The boy already has to put up with people loudly simping over his moms, but now he has to deal with people teasing him about these conversations, as she often divulges details (and photos) from his formative years.

And I know this post is about Sada, but I can’t talk about Sada without talking about Arven. When you start dating the woman, she’ll introduce you to her son, and, at first, he’s pretty shy, hiding behind her legs and only peeking his head out occasionally to look at you. Overtime, he’ll get more comfortable around you, enough to not feel the urge to run away and hide when you look in his general direction.

Slight angst posting, when you first meet Arven, it’s when Sada’s still engrossed in Area Zero, meaning he spends most of the time on his own with Maschiff. Obviously, you can’t just leave the boy to fend for himself while Sada’s away, so you progressively spend more and more time with him, to the point that he sees you as more of a mom than his biological one. He was the reason you had to confront Sada about her behavior to begin with, as you could only take the young boy asking if it was his fault that mom was away for so long before breaking.

Anyways, just because I want to give Arven a better family life by bringing his mom back to normalcy and giving him a loving stepmom at  the same time doesn’t mean I won’t make him suffer. As stated, people simp over Sada and you, once they learn of your existence, of course. Poor thing has two milfs for parents, and he has to deal with people bringing it up constantly. Having both of your unconditional support is great, and getting to see Sada on a semi-regular basis while living at the Academy is nice and all, but he would sacrifice so much to escape simping hell, if only for a few moments.

Listen she’s just broken aND I CAN FIX HER

[agentnico]

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) review

Apes without Caesar are not strong!

Plot: Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

The Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy is genuinely a solid collection of well made films. Rise, Dawn and War of the Planet of the Apes are a perfect example of how tell an enticing science fiction story, with truly incredible life-like visuals and really thought provoking. And of course Andy Serkis’ lead mo-cap performance of the ape Caesar is truly phenomenal and his messiah-reflective character arc is really investing to behold. Mind you these films put Matt Reeves and Michael Giacchino on the map - one a successful director and another an accomplished film composer. That being said, War for the Planet of the Apes felt like a proper finale to the Caesar story, and though it did leave room for possible continuation, I felt satisfied with the way it ended. But naturally these films are money-makers so it was only a matter of time before the Hollywood sequel machine did its thing and another movie came to me. Enter Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Brought to us by Wes Ball, who’s most known for directing those Maze Runner films, arguably the last of the 2010’s YA movie trend. And like the Maze Runner movies are fine. They were okay for what they were but nothing special, and nothing that gave indication that Wes Ball was gonna be the next big thing. And with Kingdom, though there are some wonderful shifts and the apes design by Weta once again is a stand-out, this movie’s look didn’t impress me as much as the previous films. Again, solid visuals, but not groundbreaking. With the Andy Serkis apes movies, every new entry of that trilogy felt like a step-up visually from the previous, with War honestly looking scarily realistic, making me wonder if Serkis simply underwent heavy surgery to make himself look like an ape. You know, similar to that young Frenchman on Instagram who went viral for undergoing extreme body modification procedures to make himself look like an alien. Honestly, I’m not even kidding, this guy exists - look it up! Regardless, in Kingdom we don’t see that visual progression. Again it looks good, but it didn’t flabbergast me in its realism.

Biggest issue though is the script. The first half of this movie truly was boring! The pacing was off, and aside from the main new hero ape all the characters weren’t at all that interesting and there’s no one I cared about. As for the story itself, it feels like a lesser retread of the same ideas and themes of the previous trilogy. There's nothing really new here. You've already seen a better version of this movie before. The second half does ramp it up a little and there’s a little more energy and a sense of direction, but again it feels like walking on familiar territory. The main antagonist could have been really cool, played by the way by that buff Elon Musk lookalike who was in Abigail earlier this year. The idea of a cult-like warlord obsessed with human history, there's so much they could have done with that idea. But he simply doesn't have enough scenes to really make him anything more than Koba Part II. And Koba had better motivations and more complexity.

Oh, and the music score is pretty generic and forgettable. Really disappointing, because I loved the music from the other movies. Caesar's theme is so good. Nothing here comes close. I’m not going to lie Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does not inspire confidence in these movies continuing without Caesar’s presence. I mean his shadow is all over this movie, but it only makes you miss the times he was there. This isn’t necessarily a bad movie, it’s just a massive downgrade from what this franchise used to achieve. Oh, and by the way the deus ex machina eagles from Lord of the Rings have come over to the apes to save the day this time, and look I’m the last person to bash on Lord of the Rings, but those eagles just swooping in to save the characters whenever Tolkien got stuck out of ideas was the one ultimate convenient get-out-of-jail-free card and it’s not something I wished for other franchises to copy. So shame on you Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, shame on you!

Overall score: 4/10

[bonefall]

idk if you’ve talked about them before, as i’m newer to your lovely blog, but what’s the haps with the three?? anything different? what about my girl hollyleaf? thank you!!!

Welcome to the party!

Each of the three is getting a massive buff; there are now Four Seasonal Gods, and EACH of the three is associated with one of them.

Po3 is also being adjusted into an episodic arc, MUCH more relaxed than the surrounding ones. It's focused on worldbuilding and setting up the motivations of the Dark Forest trainees in the arc to follow. The Three won't even be receiving the Kin of your Kin prophecy until later in the arc.

Lionblaze

Arc in Po3 is being simplified. He grapples with his strength at a young age and how he feels it makes him special, ultimately concluding that the point of having power is using it to protect others.

He takes this lesson too far when he eventually shoves his daughters, Ivypool and Dovewing, into danger in OotS.

His God is Sharptooth, who appeared in history as One Eye. The diety of summer and destruction.

Jayfeather

This time around, Jayfeather is able to train into a full warrior when his grand-uncle Longtail jumps out of retirement to mentor him. He has mixed feelings on this at first until he realizes his grunckle has a lot more in common with him than just blindness.

Jayfeather is getting NO time travel segments. His power has to do with planeshifting, and he quickly comes to realize StarClan is terrified of him. When he decides he wants to become a medicine cat, he realizes they're hiding something and are stopping at nothing to prevent him from becoming one.

He eventually fights his guardian angel, Molefall, to save Hazeltail from an illness. His best friend Poppyfrost becomes pregnant with his kittens, and they're given to Lionblaze and Cinderheart to raise in a parallel to Leafpool.

His God, I've decided after some mulling over, has to be Rock. The God of Winter and Observation.

Hollyleaf

So for one I have been strongarmed into having her NOT die in the Great Battle. But anyway,

Hollyleaf is the main PoV for Po3. As the episodes progress she grapples with the ideology of Fire Alone and how it fits in with the Warrior Code. As the harsh realities of clan culture set in, she begins to adopt revenge and tyranny as tools of power, eventually taking ALL of the time travel segments by actually being dragged back in time.

She causes the devastation of the Ancient Lake Cats, causing them to be forced to leave their ancestral home. She's stuck in the tunnels for 100 years, becoming Fallen Leaves until she can snatch her body back.

Her troublemaking god is Sol, the diety of Autumn and of Change. He lead her back in time through the tunnels and stole her body. She takes it back and keeps him sealed away deep in her chest.

To mark the change, she takes the name Fallenleaf. Cinderheart becomes the mother of their children, Hollylark, Snaptooth, and Flywhisker. When the kits are grown, Fallen and Cinder go on a wander to learn more from Midnight on what gods are supposed to do.

[yeah-yeah-beebiss-1]

would you recommend scarlet & violet to someone who really didn’t like sword & shield? (ignoring the obvious performance issues)

Depends on what you disliked about it.

-The fairly low general difficulty is still present, although the nonlinear structure means you can choose between “standard modern Pokémon difficulty curve the whole way through” or “challenging for half the game and then steamrolling through the half you’re overleved for.” People have already figured out an order to do everything in that will give you a fairly typical Pokémon level curve, but anyone going in blind is going to have a weird mix of all-or-nothing difficulty.

-Story is a bit more present than SwSh, although it isn’t on the level of SM or BW. You’ve got 18 objectives divided into three story arcs (typical gym-challenge routine, dealing with school delinquents, learning about the legendary Pokémon) that you have to complete to reach the climax.

-The school setting feels barely relevant, for better or worse. They send you out into the world very early on and while you can go back to take classes (cutscenes likely intended to teach newcomers basic gameplay mechanics), I haven’t seen any real benefit to doing so yet. The history classes offer interesting bits of lore, but that’s about it.

-Linear routes are gone, instead you effectively have one gargantuan Wild Area.

-No HMs. You can use (the equivalent of) Fly to landmarks you’ve already visited immediately, and doing the titan quests unlocks new movement options for Ko/Miraidon (sprinting, swimming, higher jumps, climbing, and gliding).

-Trainer battles out in the field are completely optional, you have to talk to them to initiate a battle. This sounds heretical, but I feel like it’s a wise decision in light of the open world - it would be a massive pain in the ass to be trying to run to a destination only to get interrupted by a trainer you missed whose whole team is now 15 levels lower than yours so you have to mindlessly mash A for two minutes to get moving again.

-Terastal is an improvement over Dynamax, it actually has meaningful strategic implications without being a “BECOME THE FUCKING STRONG” button.

-I’m enjoying the raids a bit more than SwSh’s, they use a weird Final Fantasy-type ATB system for a faster pace rather than just repeatedly bashing at barriers (and the raid theme is a banger).

-Towns/cities feel more barebones because you can only enter 2-3 buildings per town (gyms and sandwich shops, nearly everything else is either a menu you interact with or just a facade).

-Breeding is in fact still present, but there’s no daycare - instead, you set up a picnic and idle and compatible pairs of Pokémon will just randomly spawn eggs for you. The other picnic features are making sandwiches (which give “make X-type Pokémon spawn more frequently for Y minutes”-type buffs), and a clone of SM’s washing mode.

-Can’t comment on online/multiplayer aspects due to lmao pirated copy, but if it chugs this much in single player, I’m not optimistic.

-I know you already said “aside from the performance issues,” but let me reiterate that you can make Ko/Miraidon backwards-long-jump up cliffs like it’s a Super Mario 64 speedrun. It’s very silly.

In general, I feel like they could’ve had something really special on their hands if they’d given it another year or two in the oven, and there are certainly moments where that specialness shines through. But then you find another “city” that’s effectively a bunch of facades and a gym, or the framerate drops, or you have to deal with the clunky-ass minimap and you’re reminded of how half-baked it all feels. If you like Pokémon, have a high tolerance for jank, and can find a copy on sale, you’ll have a solid time with it. But I can’t in good conscience recommend people drop $60 on it.

[vosh-rakh]

The air in the Temple was thick and sweet with camphor, leaving behind a grey haze over everything - and everyone. There were several people - mostly priests - waiting for Qismehti, many faces she didn’t recognize. But she recognized Athyn Sarethi’s, who smiled warmly at her. He wore a heavy kresh robe, his tough body lost in its folds. 

She also saw Varvur Sarethi, Athyn’s son. His thin body - one she was all too familiar with - was also lost in a thick robe. He smiled sheepishly at Qismehti, his hands clasped behind him.

“You’re here,” Athyn said. “Good. We have business to attend to.”

“What business?” Qismehti asked. 

“If you want to challenge Bolvyn for the title of Archmaster, you need to be fully inducted into Great House Redoran. I’m adopting you into the Sarethi family.”

Qismehti, somewhat bewildered, blinked rapidly. But all she said was, “Very well.”

“Come,” said Athyn. He, alongside Qismehti, Varvur, and the priests, sat down on cushions surrounding the Waiting Door, a wide pit of ash and bone fragments in the center of the chamber. 

What followed was a strange candlelit ritual, one Qismehti did not understand (as the words the priests spoke was entirely in Velothi, the language of the Ashlanders), but got the gist of. They were beseeching the Redoran ancestors, specifically those of the Sarethi family, to consider and accept this young outlander into the clan and House. There were certain procedures and actions which Athyn prompted her to perform at various moments throughout the ceremony, which she carried out dutifully. 

Nearing the end of the ritual, the lead priest asked a question of Qismehti in Velothi. Athyn translated: “Now you must choose your cardehn. Who do you declare?”

Qismehti knew what a cardehn was: an ancestor bound to a person, usually upon their birth, to serve as their guide and protector in life. She’d had childhood friends growing up near Blacklight on the mainland who had had their cardehns chosen for them when they were born, usually from a list of honored ancestors from their line. She had only ever been in temporary and conditional service to House Redoran, and was born to a Redguard and an Orc; she had never been granted a cardehn. She wasn’t a history buff, either. She knew precious little about the ancestors of the Sarethi family.

“I don’t know,” she said, matter-of-factly.

The priests muttered to themselves for a moment, before one produced a gilded redware bowl, filled to the brim with a thick red liquid. It was carefully transferred down the circle until Athyn handed it to Qismehti. “Drink,” he commanded. 

Qismehti took the bowl and peered cautiously into the drink. “What is it?”

“Shein,” Athyn said. 

Qismehti smiled, unsure if Athyn was joking. “Why is it so thick?”

“Probably the ectoplasm,” Athyn said, his expression blank. “Although the gall could contribute.”

“Gall?” asked Qismehti, her face paling. 

“Not that kind. It’s corkbulb myrrh. Just drink.”

Qismehti looked around at the priests, who were staring intently at her. She closed her eyes, raised the bowl to her lips - with this proximity she could smell the myrrh intensely - and drank deep. The wine was bitter and viscous, and it didn’t go down easily. But she choked it down with all her strength. 

A few seconds after imbibing, Mehti suddenly felt a pounding in her temples. Her hands began to shake, and invisible hands snatched the bowl from her before she spilled any of the ghost-spiked shein. The blackness behind her eyelids grew deeper and she felt herself fall backwards. Her head seemed to land on something soft, which she visualized as a lap, before she fell unconscious. 

- - - - -

When she awoke Qismehti was standing in the ash outside the temple of Ald’ruhn. But there was no temple, nothing but a mound of rock and ash. She turned around and -

A gigantic beast was staring at her. Its massive claws seemed to wring the sky and its many legs suffocated the ground. Its enormous stalked eyes were lowered, almost level with Qismehti’s face, dripping blood. 

“Don’t worry,” said a strange voice, “it’s dead.”

Suddenly a mer leapt from the top of the beast and landed on one knee. He stood and spun his chitin spear, ebony-tipped and adorned with racer plumes, with a decorative flourish. His armor was rudimentary chitin in a style Qismehti didn’t recognize, but she could tell from the quality of the plates and the way they locked together that it was of high quality. 

“Hail, Qismehti,” said the mer, his golden skin glistening in the clear midday light. Qismehti recognized why his voice was strange: he wasn’t speaking Cyrodiilic, or even Dunmeris, which she was also familiar with. He spoke Velothi, the language of the Ashlanders. Not only this, but an old form, barely recognizable to her ears as Velothi at all. But somehow she understood his meaning, despite the language barrier. 

“Hail,” Qismehti responded softly. In the haze of this place her voice barely seemed her own. “How do you know my name?”

“I’ve been watching you, ever since you came into contact with my descendants. You do great honor to them.”

“I’m sorry…who are you?”

The mer smirked and planted his spear into the blood-soaked ash. “Does this not give it away? This spear, this scene?”

Qismehti apologized again, saying, “I don’t know the history of Ald’ruhn.”

“It was once the meeting place for we Velothi. I established it when I killed this great beast, Skar, with my spear Calderas. Your House mer have long since lived here, though, and call it the seat of their political power. Which is something you seem to desire.”

Qismehti’s face hardened. “Bolvyn is a dishonorable man. He does not deserve his title.”

“You need not defend yourself to me, Qismehti. The only one you should defend yourself to is your own spirit, your ambition.”

Qismehti fell silent, lost in contemplation. Finally she asked again, “Who are you, that you know so much about me?”

“I am Dranoth Hleran,” the mer said, crossing his arms.

Qismehti frowned. “There must be some mistake. I don’t have any Altmer ancestors.”

Dranoth burst into laughter. “You call me Altmer? How insulting. I am Chimer, proud to go different, and in thunder.”

“I don’t have any Chimer ancestors, either.”

“It is not your ancestors you need lay claim to,” said Dranoth, his face suddenly grave. 

“But this family is Sarethi, not Hleran.”

“Ah, but they carry my blood just the same. What’s in a name? It is a dead thing, just as dead as I.”

“But I carry not the blood of Sarethi, either.”

“Will is stronger than blood - all the wise men proclaim it. And it is will that brought you here to me, even if you do not know me.” “But -”

“Stop questioning destiny. It’s unbecoming of a ruling king. You shall face the coming challenges with me at your side.”

Qismehti was silent for a moment, then clarified: “I will not be a king. I will be something lesser, and therefore greater.”

Dranoth smiled. “That you will. Now go. Execute your will.”

- - - - -

Qismehti suddenly woke up, and opened her eyes to see Varvur Sarethi staring down at her. The lap she had fallen into was his, and he cradled her head in his hands. He smiled and whispered, “Rise and shine.”

Qismehti reached up to grab his hand. “Don’t be sentimental,” she whispered back. 

Qismehti sat up and said, “I have chosen.” She looked around at the priests, and at Athyn, and said, “My cardehn is Dranoth Hleran.”

The priests murmured loudly to each other at this. The lead priest shushed them and said, in Dunmeris, “You have been chosen. Welcome to Great House Redoran.”

[gingeremo]

I can’t dance either 😂 but Guinness?! Only if there’s plenty shots after 🍻😍

Oh me too I’m just a lover of history 👌🏻 it’s true there just something about you Sammy 😜

One of the nightclubs I go to you can dance on the tables. It's great fun!

I like me Guinness 😊🍺

I'm the one who gets the bloody shots on a night out 😂 whilst my mates look at me like they're about to die 😂

I've been a massive history buff since I was a kid. It's my favourite subject ❤

[subtle-edge-of-rot]

gm today I’m thinking about Michael building model airplanes and cars and boats from the WWII era bc I hc he loves doing that. He’s a history buff and so hungry for knowledge. He was locked up for so long he missed out on the details.

He holds the tiny pieces in his massive hands and he’s hunched over the table while he works. There’s a magnifying glass sitting next to him. It almost looks comical until you see the determined look on his face.

He likes to hang the model planes from the ceiling. It almost makes him smile when he sees them. The corner of his mouth will twitch and his good eye will have a bit more light behind it.

[sapphic-scylla]

P5R Personal Persona Top 20

Told you I’d do this. I love the Persona designs in this game and that’s outside of the fact of me being a massive mythology, literature, and occult nerd. All of these are gonna be based on their aesthetic design, their place in the compendium, and their skillset and viability. I’m also basing viability primarily on the abilities it picks up through leveling, not through items or fusions. There may be standouts, but there are very, very few exceptions. For clarification, I also limit myself to using only personas whose base level is lower or matches my own until roughly late game on NG+, hence the placements.

Alice-We love her. She’s hella fun and has that horror, unassuming Annabelle doll type vibe (plus Alice in Wonderland—noice). She comes very close to scraping the ceiling, but I give her a pass because not only does she have a glaring weakness in the form of bless damage, but her physical stats and endurance aren’t great compared to the rest of the options that start above base level 80, which is also bad because she is a very late game option. Why I love her though is because she has an amazing Magic stat and she has a unique instakill button for farming through lower tier encounters that can chunk HP and SP on more difficult no item runs where I’m trying to conserve resources.

Nekomata-Catgirl. Fairly obvious, but still my early game go to, because she’s very adaptable. Also, my play style sits in the support/swing area that Morgana occupies if you carry him (which I don’t), so she makes for a good replacement so I don’t have to use him. Plus she represents a Yōkai and Japanese myth has always been a pretty niche interest of mine.

Yoshitsune-I know. I’ve always been very clearly anti-meta and this dude just happened to hit number 3. Hypocrisy. I know. But hear me out. Japanese history and legend is cool as hell. Plus, there is something SO satisfying to stack him with Charge, Zaou-Gongen’s trait, and all kinds of buffs to just devour health bars. I mean 750 per hit on Maruki is truly disgusting and he hits for 8 of those. I won’t use him regularly, but still a personal favorite.

Ananta-A very niche pick, I’m sure, but a very solid mid-to-late-game all-around carry with the abilities it picks up. Plus Nuke is a pretty solid choice. Being that Ananta is a cosmic serpent in Hinduism and has pretty interesting lore plus a kick ass design? He’s very cool.

Angel-My early game carry. Bless, early game is fairly uncontested and she comes with support moves as well. I also am a victim of religious trauma from Christianity, so using Abrahamic rooted characters is cathartic in its own way. Plus, I mean, girls.

Nebiros-Late game pick that’s just very fun. She specializes in Brainwash and turning your enemies against each other. Plus she picks up some pretty neat abilities. Probably could be higher, but bosses resist status effects. Another Abrahamic deep lore entity. High general and necromancer of Lucifer’s armies.

Quetzalcoatl-We love Wing Snake here. My Nekomata replacement late game. Windy boy here pulls his weight DEEP into late game and boasts some pretty butch stats for where he sits.

Yaksini-Early to mid game Kali. Solid for physical abilities and has the bonus of inciting rage. A Hindu goddess of fertility is also kind of like a mood for carrying two swords.

Okinunushi-Discount Yoshitsune, but can definitely still hold her own. She gets me Myriad Slashes earlier than I really should get it. And the whole samurai/ronin vibe is so nice in this game.

Lilim-My ice chick. I usually use Yusuke anyways, but Yusuke is a very good physical damage option and I don’t always want to waste his turn using ice moves, so Lilim helps cover that.

Baphomet-The late game weakness hound (or goat). Covers a wide scale of magic and abilities plus a few solid strengths. Also, I’m a fiend for the occult vibe and Baphomet serves that in spades.

Asterius-There will be a few DLC personas on here, but trust me, I know how broken they are. Asterius, besides been the Greek manifestation of the Minotaur, has a very unique utility where his damage goes up as your health goes down, incentivizing you to take damage, which I think is super cool. That and his design is S tier.

Mara-I will never use him for several reasons, mainly because I have dignity, but his design is truly peak. Two words: Dick Chariot.

Hastur-Probably the latest in the game I ever go because when you hit Maruki, you’re already pretty squared away, but Abyssal Eye is too cool of an attack to miss out on. Plus he adds a bunch of solid resistances and options to your play style. And while I’m not at all a fan of Lovecraft in any way, shape, or form, the Cosmic Horror genre has so much cool stuff.

The Riders (Four Horsemen)-I’m pretty sure I have at least two of these each run through. They build differently, but each one gets a solid mix of status and attacks and they make for good pick ups.

Kaguya-The chief reason I think DLC’s are broken as hell. Izanagi-no-Okami is bad, but you get this bitch at level 20. This, by itself, can bail you out of so many jams it’s insane, which is why I don’t use her. As a level 20, she also gets Repel Phys AND Mediarama AND Shining Arrows. All early in the game. Nasty, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t add her because she’s saved my butt so many times.

Pisaca-My Despair troll and a very fun midgame option that can status effect your enemies to victory. Plus, horroresque vibe on this one is top tier.

Power-Yes, there is a Persona. Named. Power. She isn’t in my inventory for long, but she practically carries when she is. Her defense is great plus she comes with some solid hybrid damage/status moves.

Daisoujou-Truly, the protector. Great for support, but matches most heavy-hitters with damage. Basically, Alice but midgame and bless instead of curse and he comes with more healing instead of assault moves.

Arsène/Raoul-Literally, your first persona and I wish you kept him longer. Raoul is the late game variant and is basically what Arsène would be if you had him the whole time. He also gets a blanket sleep that can set up SO many technical smacks.

[nesting-dreams]

I love everything Lupin except part 5 and 6. I usually only concentrate on stuff outside of these two and I post positively about them all the time and reblog all kinds of art, so I’m not prone to focusing on stuff I don’t like, but it does need to be said what some of the issues are for these two parts cuz what I dislike about them is sitting away just stewing in my head and it’s annoying me. If you’ve not seen these two parts then I suggest you watch it yourself and just decide for yourself if you like it or not. I don’t personally like part 6 cuz it’s too serious and everyone doesn’t act like themselves. Lack of focus on our main 5 for most of it too. I give examples: Lupin can’t figure out how technology work for some reason when he always is savvy on the latest tech for every series. Then with the fight against the little girl half his size. I’m expected to believe Lupin finds this girl an issue? Fujiko and I are grown women and we could grab her by her neck and toss her off that roof easily. Why’s Lupin struggling so much? He’s a burly, grown man who goes to the gym cuz he’s bored of waiting for Jigen to finish at the gym. 😂 Lupin almost lost to a scrawny girl. If the girl had been hitting the gym too, then maybe I wouldn’t find this so hilarious. Buff flower girl, could of been a thing. Maybe the blood loss is getting to him cuz part 1-4Lupin wouldn’t ever throw fists at a woman or little girl. He’d find a different way to deal with her without throwing hands, especially if she’s half his size in weight. Men can still do stuff when bleeding, I’ve seen men fight in real life over the last beer can or soccer teams and bleed and still use their full strength. . They cockteased the audience with Lupin’s heritage and then chickened out. Nobody really cared to know about his heritage in the first place for this series tbh. So I don’t know why they brought it up just to chicken out. It ends with the show going “Lupin is still Lupin. Where he comes from doesn’t matter”. Yea. I know already. I don’t need this ring around the rosy crap to prove what I know already. The creator Monkey punch always saw Lupin 3 as a mix of Loonie tunes, and Tom and Jerry. Things aren’t supposed to get this serious and boring.

(it feels like the tms team isn’t very good at long arcs. They should just go back to what they are good at which is episodic or get some people who do know how to do them. I didn’t like part 5’s ending cuz suddenly the villain changes his mind for no reason when he said to Ami the previous episode that he doesn’t give a fuck about her. Fujiko had left Lupin with Adeiu which is goodbye forever and then she questions if he loves her at all. Feels like I was gaslit as an audience cuz he literally moves mountains for her. It wouldn’t be a problem if I’ve not seen their history together completely, but it is cuz I know the history. Fujiko forced Lupin to reveal his face in front of people, and Lupin stupidly revealed himself when he never would of done that in past around people over feelings for somebody, he’d do it in a smarter way for Fujiko and his own wellbeing, the villain was literally talking about revealing his face to the world and suddenly changed his mind last second that he’s gonna be a good guy with zero hesitation, gonna conveniently not reveal the secret, felt like how an AI would write a human being, and I didn’t find it romantic or touching at all. Part 5 also made Fujiko into a whiny brat in the flashbacks when she was more composed and collected in previous parts. Part 5 added timelines and continuity as a massive plot point and it basically wrecked the timeline. Things don’t make sense when movies are supposed to be set).

[twilightmalachite]

MIRAGE - The Most Beautiful Mirror in the World 2

Author: Akira

Characters: Yuuta, Hinata

Translator: Mika Enstars

Proofers: Bella & feesh

"I’ll be seriously depressed if our popularity drops drastically the moment the “younger of the brothers” appears, though."

Season: Winter

Location: Starmony Hall 2nd Floor Passage

Flashback: A couple days ago, in the Starmony Dorm Hallway

Hinata: Hellooo~, Yuuta-kun, you here~…?

Please open your door! Don’tcha wanna talk with Onii-chan? If not, then I’ll be the little brother today! How’s that sound?

Onii-chan, Onii-chan! If you don’t come out soon, I’ll hate you~! ♪

…No reply! No cracking down on my wisecracking! It’s a cruel concrete jungle in here!

Sob sob sob… Somebody help~... My cute brother has become a shut-in~… Boo-hoo-hoo… (crying noises)

Yuuta: …Could you not make strange noises in front of other people’s rooms?[1]

Hinata: Ah! Yuuta-kun! I missed you…☆

Yuuta: I didn’t want to see you. Whenever I see your face, Aniki, I just think about people such as the Aoi Yuuta who showed their ugly side during the SS, and get depressed.[2]

Hinata: Just what was ugly about it? Like, true, we duped our way into the main competition… It’s not like anyone actually expected us to get there in the first place, right~?

That’s the general gist of things if you poke around online too! Y’know, stuff like “Against all odds!” and “Defying the competition!”

Of course, our long-time fans are genuinely psyched for us, yeah?

And don’tcha think it was quite the surprise for the fans of other units too?

The line-up for the preliminaries was a total stage from hell, jam-packed with powerful units, you know?

Yuuta: How could you look at something like the internet right after the disaster that was the SS, Aniki? Some nerve you’ve got.

Hinata: Our nerves are the same through and through~. How many times have I said it already~, the SS wasn’t a complete disaster! We put up a nice fight!

In fact, a new job came in, likely because of our performance! Check it out! A proposal!

Yuuta: New work…? I’m really not in the mood, though…

Hinata: Professionals don’t work based on their mood!

Yuuta: Right. …Hmm? I haven’t opened HoldHands yet, so this is the first time I’m seein’ this…

What is this? A request to perform on Volcano Island?

Hinata: That’s right! It really surprised me, y’know~, I didn’t expect to get a request to appear on that program again! I thought maybe they sent the email to the wrong person, so I gave them a call just to check!

Yuuta: Volcano Island… That’s the stupid show that asked only one of us to perform despite our selling point being twins, wasn’t it?

Hinata: That’s a harsh way to put it! It was a very complicated situation! It’s a super famous program where having just one of us perform was enough for us to gain prestige, wasn’t it~?!

We gained a whole slew of fans after our appearance on that show, and that’s part of the reason we were able to get the results we did during the SS.

And I have to thank you for letting me perform, Yuuta-kun.

On that program, we performed all by ourselves—at least from the public’s point of view. And it went pretty well to boot!

We’ve always made being twins our biggest selling point—but right then, we were seen as being worthy as idols even on our lonesomes.

This means that we’ve been recognized for our genuine ability, without our rarity buff of being twins.

Personally speaking, I think it was a massive accomplishment—one of the greatest in the otherwise ordinary history of 2wink!

Yuuta: Yup… Although, it feels like you just earned your fame by sneaking in that head start,[3] Aniki, given that, technically, only the “big brother, Hinata” performed.

Welp, at least it was you. I’d rather have that than someone else taking your spot.

It’ll be bad if one twin is way more popular than the other, though, so let me perform as the “little brother, Yuuta” this time to keep the balance.

I’ll be seriously depressed if our popularity drops drastically the moment the “younger of the brothers” appears, though.

Hinata: If that ever happens, we’ll just pretend that Yuuta-kun is Hinata from then on!

Yuuta: Could you not offer up your entire existence so casually, Aniki? Like you’re doing right now?

Hinata: Hehehe, but alsooo, this time it won’t just be either me or you, because it says that they want “both of the brothers” to perform!

They even included what seems to be an apology letter expressing regret for only having allowed one of us to appear last time? Tacked on at the end here?

Yuuta: It’s too late for them to apologize now. It always is. Every single time, for every last one of them.

And what’s more, they’ve been completely snubbing us up to this point, even though it’s because of us the program went well. It pisses me off that they’re asking us to perform the moment we achieve results in the SS.

Yuuta: An apology letter? Do they actually feel sorry about it? Aren’t they only saying that for some mindless PR?

Like they’re just giving an upset child a lollipop!

Hinata: A complete rejection… Usually we decline the request if we don’t feel up to it or don’t like it, sooo… Whatcha wanna do?

I’ll always put your wishes first, Yuuta-kun. Well, I’d like to, as I always have.

Yuuta: You’ve been so rebellious lately, though, Aniki… You put yourself first during the SDS, too.

Either way, as much as I personally hate it, Volcano Island is a super famous show. Not performing isn’t really an option, y’know?

Hinata: That’s true, isn’t it~. And the show’s producer looks to be a big shot that’s well-liked by some of the bigger names in the industry.

Do you think our job offers would dry up if we end up offending them?

Yuuta: It’s just not worth the risk… Man, what a hassle.

But it’d just piss me off to put on a glittering smile and say, “It’d be such an honor to perform!” like a good li’l kid.

I wanna do something that’ll knock them speechless. Every last one of them.

Hinata: Oooh. Now that you’re in your teens, Yuuta-kun, you’re just like a knife slicing everything up.

But don’t worry, ‘cuz Onii-chan will become your sheath, ‘kay?

Yuuta: I don’t want that. I need this sharpness right now.

…Oh, I just got a great idea! ♪

Hey Aniki, how ‘bout we do this? It’ll seem like one of our pranks, but in reality…

← prev | story directory | next →

His hair appears way shorter here despite it only being a couple days ago, but I’m fairly certain that it simply means his hair is down in his regular style, and his “Aoi Byakuya” disguise is just him putting his hair up differently. There’s no comments suggesting that his hair is longer “while in disguise”, so I think this is just a case of Enstars not wanting to make an additional sprite to show yet another hairstyle for Yuuta.

This refers to the Sandstorm story from the SS arc, where Yuuta plans and follows through a plot to deceive UNDEAD in order to prevent them from moving into the finals. Hinata betrays this plan last second, allowing UNDEAD to move into the finals alongside them, however.

In the story Twin Peaks, the twins hold a carefully planned “competition” where the winner gets to perform on Volcano Island. During the final chapters, after Anzu’s attempts to persuade Volcano Island to allow them both to perform failed, Yuuta is about to strike an agreement with Hinata to end the competition in a tie. However, Hinata disagrees and suddenly runs off to win the competition, and the right to appear on Volcano Island.

[tinydark]

Tinydark 2022 Review

This year, the focus was on developing Tinydark’s upcoming open-world roleplaying game, URPG. This involved a lot of work on GAM3, the game engine that houses it. We also moved away from The Orbium and now all game accounts are simply housed under tinydark.com. And finally: we became an officially registered LLC!

What follows are just the highlights of another 1,000+ hours poured into Tinydark. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the non-programming-related tasks this year.

Jan - Mar

January saw the introduction of the Crafting system in GAM3 and brought a host of new items to craft with it. I cooled down from a serious dev grind in February and swung back in March to bring fallback projects, new bubble-style event projects, and the Carving free time activity.

Apr - June

Starting off April Fools with printing support for the engine, we moved on to many UI improvements and fleshed out some of the content of URPG in May. April was mostly spent preparing the Orbium -> Tinydark conversion.

The Combat Update released June 22nd and with it, the three “pillars” of URPG: Society, Adventuring, and Roleplay were realized. This was a massive content drop and technology upgrade, featuring new spells, perks, monsters to fight, items to craft, and prose written for all of it. Our players would spend the next few months practicing combat and delving deeper into the mine, until finally the golem known as Crystal made history by killing the final boss on October 14th.

July - Sept

Registered Tinydark as a real company in July. URPG received new content and technology all throughout this quarter, notably the buffs panel, character blurb, and the new combat/hunting panel.

tinydark.com was rewritten and redesigned to be more modern and useful, as well as house all our upcoming functionality.

Oct - Dec

In October, all links to theorbium.com were redirected to tinydark.com. This finalized the switch from Orbium to Tinydark.

Released the Characters page for creating and managing your characters; bumped available character slots up to 2. Introduced dream and travel magic and improved the top bar with a new menu. We finally wrapped up the year with the Inbox feature and a Christmas update featuring URPG’s first seasonal content.

Looking Ahead: 2023

Tinydark Roadmap

In 2022, I had to accept that I need to slow down and improve my development process. With the birth of my third child, free time’s gotten sparse. I’m not going to be able to release URPG into open beta this year. I’ve had incredibly good feedback for Bean Grower and it’s time to treat it like a proper game. This year’s goals are, in order:

Finish the URPG column on the roadmap. I am not moving on until the engine has customized items.

Do what I can of the Slow Quarter. I’m putting a hard expiration of May 15th on this.

Release new version of Bean Grower. We’re going to the Play Store, and I have a list of things that I want to do for Bean Grower before it hits. Apple’s App Store is a stretch goal.

Release Black Crown: Exhumed. This includes a Steam launch, hopefully before the Halloween sale. At the very minimum, I want BC:E fully playable on the web by the first week of October.

Once it’s sensible, I’ll return to URPG with the expectation of releasing into Open Beta some time in Q2 of 2024.

See you in 2023, Vael Victus

[heavenbarnes]

Umm… what’s with that anon ranting about the historical inaccuracy of Bridgerton? That’s so unserious since that series never claimed to be historically accurate. Lmao. Also got the impression that the anon is a homophobe who hates sapphics and fetishizes mlm.

i’ve also never spoken about bridgerton on here (to the best of my knowledge) so i’m a bit confused

really hope it wasn’t coming from a racist or homophobic place- hope they’re just a massive history buff