#but it seems like it'd be more intuitive

[broodsys]

yada yada learning curve i say it all the time

but i am annoyed at how much more control i have with traditional drawing >c

[ddarker-dreams]

do you have any hcs of what the yan genshin boys would b like when darlings on her period?

i'm gonna rank them from best to worst when it comes to dealing with this . let's see how they do.

best

zhongli is on top of his game. it's like he was born for the sole purpose of pampering you when you're under the weather. he'll insist on you taking it easy, drinking soothing teas, eating nutritious meals, and taking medication for whichever symptoms are the most prominent. if he seems oddly content, it's because he is. he won't state it outright, but he wants to leave the impression that him being in the position to care for you like this is worth the sacrifice of some... freedom. he knows of herbs and remedies to help make the experience as painless as possible.

kazuha already dotes on you as if you were royalty. while he leads a rather transient lifestyle, he puts your travels on pause to ensure you're properly cared for. he's sweet to a degree that'd be condescending from anyone else, but because it's kazuha and it's completely genuine, you can't call him out on it. he'll lay your head down on his lap and softly recite poetry until you doze off. he might not know much about periods specifically, but he treats it as if you were injured and need to be nursed back to health. he makes you your favorite meals from ingredients foraged locally. considers it a privilege on his part to be able to care for you. warmth blossoms in his chest whenever you have no choice but to ask him for something, your pride temporarily discarded.

albedo knows when your period is about to start before it even crosses your mind. he calculates every phase of your cycle and writes the important dates down in a calendar. he's all about preemptive care, he'll give you some concoctions of his own making the night before your period is due to start so you don't even have to worry about cramp pain. if you've been particularly troublesome lately, he might withhold this miracle elixir until you butter him up. he doesn't come outright and tell you this either, you have to do some trial and error to discern the specifics. as an alchemist, anything to do with the functions necessary to create life greatly fascinate him.

childe has sisters, so he's roughly familiar with how unpleasant periods are. he'll grin and reassure you that a little blood has never frightened him. thinks you're the cutest thing ever when you have to rely on him more. he's happy to oblige and is surprisingly intuitive about requests you never state verbally. he makes the tastiest soups, the kind that warm you from head to toe with every bite. there's no use trying to pretend you don't like it because he knows. he calms down on his tendency to tease you, since in his view, it's never his intent to actively make you feel distraught (unless you've acted out in a way that puts you in danger).

cyno means well (probably) but can come off as a little overbearing. he's literally breathing down your neck and constantly reminding you that if you need anything, just say the word. he's carrying you around, bringing you meals in bed, running all over town to get that one snack he knows you love; he's nothing if not dedicated. the thought of you being uncomfortable, much less in pain, is unbearable. when you do fall asleep, he's peeking into the room every five or ten minutes. every time you get your period, should any blood get on the sheets, he'll look you dead in the eye and ask if you've gotten in a fight lately. when you don't laugh, he starts explaining the joke, so it's better to force a chuckle.

diluc is just awkward about it. he refers to it as 'your time of the month' but even choking those words out is a struggle. he considers it to be a very private occurrence and thinks it'd be polite to tiptoe around the subject, as if it were taboo. the staff at dawn winery make further accommodations for you — everything you could ever want is a ring away. he's normally skeptical about you going outside, but since you're under the weather, he'll grant your request. if you're observant, you'll notice he's more inclined to give into your whims during this time. just don't get too carried away or he'll say he knows what you're doing at pointblank.

scaramouche is mostly annoyed that you're going to be more cranky for a while. your attention is essentially his lifeblood, but when you don't feel well, you're focusing on that instead of him. kind of inconsiderate tbh. once asked dottore if there's a way to prevent this, but dropped the idea when the harbinger said 'it only requires a few organs to be removed.' scaramouche would prefer your organs remain as is. he'll sigh and huff about how lucky you are to have him while spoon-feeding you, despite the fact he secretly enjoys it. his words are a whopping 10% nicer until you start to feel better, something he is frequently reminding you of. when your period is finished, he keeps staring in your general direction, fully expecting you to trip over yourself to thank him for his benevolence. if being delusional is a game, then he's winning.

when it comes to xiao, he's not awful per se, but this is likely his first encounter with menstruation, so you have to explain everything about it. he gets a bit freaked out the first time you wake up to bloody sheets, although you wouldn't be able to tell unless you closely observe his body language. he's somewhat at a loss when you explain what you need during your period and probably doesn't grab all the right things. he makes you eat these awfully bitter herbs that are supposed to help with pain. also makes some watery tea but gives you such a hopeful look, you don't have the heart to complain about the taste.

worst

[dramaticals]

untimely revelations

pairing: theodore nott x reader

summary: you and theo are at a slug club party and theo has an unfortunate revelation (he likes you). theo pov! / requested by @hotchfiles.

word count: 561

author’s note: did my experience as rp-ing as theo come in handy here? let me know lmao

Slug Club parties were supposed to be an honour.

Professor Slughorn handpicked academically bright or promising students to join him for a night of fine dining and socializing. He had an unbelievable track record of choosing the right wizards and witches to connect himself to in order to reap the rewards of his pickings in the future.

When word got around that Slughorn intended to invite Theo to his glorified networking social, he was more than ready to scoff and turn down the offer. He didn't need Slughorn's stamp of approval, nor did he want to stay connected to the goof after Hogwarts.

But then Theo heard you were invited.

You practically squealed in joy, jumping up and down foolishly as you accepted the invitation with your stupidly bright smile and excessive enthusiasm. "It'd be the greatest honour, Professor."

Theo wasn't going to let you enjoy Slug Club without him. Years of being head-to-head in marks had solidified quite the academic rivalry. It annoyed Theo to bits how intuitive you were at Potions, and he would rather jinx himself than allow you to gain any more of an advantage over him. 

So that was how Theo found himself here, at one of Slughorn's more lavish parties, by the refreshments. He sipped on pumpkin fizz. Stark blue eyes dulled and expression blank as he counted down the minutes until he could finally leave the gathering. Ensuring your night was not as great as his was an exhausting but very necessary activity. 

Theo scanned the group, his gaze lingering on you as you chatted with a Slug Club alumni. You were talking about something that excited you. Fervent hand gestures, sparkling eyes, and a radiant smile had the alumni captivated by whatever you were saying. You laughed at something the man said, covering your mouth with your hand. The apples of your cheeks warm, and your laughter flows through the room. Theo stared at you unabashedly, the corners of his lips tugging into a disbelieving smile. For someone so infuriating, you were captivating. You were clever, a pain in his ass, and devastatingly beautiful in the cream dress you opted to wear for the night.

Theo continued to soak in the sight of you, his heart stuttering at the sight of the alumni placing a hand on your arm. His fist clenched and his eyes narrowed. Theo wondered whether you'd swat his hand away just as you would his whenever Theo tried to tease you. 

Theo watched you exchange a small smile as Professor Slughorn appeared beside him, a god-awful expression on his face. "Ah, Mr. Nott." A glimmer of bemusement in his eyes. "You know, I had an inkling you had an eye for her. Though I do suppose it's rather obvious, isn't it? It's a good match, if I do say so myself. Top of the class and whatnot, though she's more likeable than you are. But I reckon that complements your... well, you know." He raised his brows and gestured to Theo's position away from the other guests.

Theo swallowed hard, his ears feeling hot. He shook his head, finally making a point to drag his gaze away from you, no matter how magnetic you were. "I don't know what you're talking about, Professor."

Slughorn chuckled and patted Theo's back. "Apologies, Mr. Nott." Though he didn't seem sorry at all, "It just appeared to me as if you had an epiphany."

[cherryfennec]

Okay I love your most recent art work of Mario and Mr. L!!! I’m just curious how on earth did you draw their hats so well?? Especially the brim of their hats?! Hats are the one thing I struggle with when drawing them! I can’t make it look believable!

Hi! First of all thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you like the art! Now as for hats (more specifically Mario and Luigis type) there can be different ways you might go about drawing them.

(I should probably mention at the beginning that I am not an expert and sometimes struggle myself as well. Despite this I'll try my best to explain how I usually approach it.)

Let's start with brims because they seem the most problematic (as I see it.)

What I'm going to talk about might already be intuitive for a lot of people, including myself, however I thought it'd be a good idea to break down the mindset so everyone is on the same page and those who have trouble seeing it can hopefully understand stuff better.

First it's obviously the idea. No real details, just the general idea. With it we'll be able to establish the basic rules for what you're drawing, most importantly the angle and perspective.

Now this is going to be pretty self explanatory but: if I'm drawing a character looking up I know that the bottom of the brim will be visible, if the characters looking down it won't and etc. An easy way to check which parts of the brim will be visible from a specific view point is to imagine it as a slab.

Now this isn't anything mind blowing, I know, but saying this out loud can be handy and save you some overthinking.

Alright, let's talk about the hat itself now!

In most of the pictures I could find of the bros hats they're divided into two parts: the front, which is taller and slightly spiked up, and the back, which is noticeably shorter. Now this kinda goes back to the idea of simplifying shapes:

At some point it unfortunately becomes rather difficult to explain why some stuff is drawn the way it is because it's kinda justified by: "that's how the real life counterparts act". Above everything I highly recommend references, both irl and ingame ones. It's not embarrassing to use them, trust me, no one will criticise you and they'll help!

Now that we got the brim and the hat, let's put the two together!

There isn't really a strict order of how you should draw things, everyone has different preferences and processes which should be taken into consideration. For example, I personally like to draw the entire head before I touch on the cap:

(I added the hair and colours for the sole purpose of this post, this process is usually done during rough sketching.)

This way I have a point of reference where the brim ends (right before the ear for me) and where I should place the middle line on the cap (it's a bit of a stylistic choice than anything but it also lets me know where the fold will be). You can find your own way and make your own rules and with time the process will get much easier! I hope this somewhat helps.

Just practice, have patience, experiment and most importantly: have fun!

[youronlylie]

hello people in my phone

BOONE head cannon list, just a mix of stuff that'll probably change later ( THERE WILL BE MORE ) 1/?

• He undoubtedly was ripped/heavily worked out being in the ncr, after moving to novac and loosing his wife he undoubtedly lost a lot of muscle but...guys he still is literally like beefed.

• He cannot fucking cook for shit, he understands what shouldn't be put in your body but from there he has no clue.

• Going off of cooking, he has strict times where he eats, like routine from the ncr.

• For some reason he strikes me as a guy who really enjoys fruit whenever he can get his hands on it.

• Cannot tolerate any sort of spice.

• Smells very mettalic, sweaty, like man must.

• Has a soft spot for cats.

• 1000% is not bald, just shaves his head as he probably prefers the look.

• I feel like with a romantic partner, since he isn't one much for talking his love language would be physical touch or gift giving, I could imagine him seeing stuff he knows they'd like and saving it for later, excited to see how they'd react.

• He would definitely have a special place in his heart for fantasy movies, he doesn't seem to be able to express himself well and I feel like the creativity of something like lord of the rings would get him going.

• I seriously cannot pick so I'll include both, he is either an extreme cuddler with a romantic partner or on very rare occasions, he's just terrible at expressing emotion.

• If the courier and him are something like romantic partners he'd definitely never be able to sleep, often awake staring and listening for noises, waiting for the next cascade of legionares but it never happens and he eventually learns that.

• I don't think he'd ever get married again unless it'd be over 20 or so years in the future, it's a type of commitment that I don't think he could mentally handle whatsoever unless he is totally over Carla.

• I definitely do think boone could find love again in another person, he's scared and alone, fearful for any sort of attachment.

• 10000% has really really nice man hands, like large hands with nice fingers.

• Is definitely tall but not close to arcade tall, 6' ish at MOST, I just feel like looking at his build and concept art that he is definitely a tall man.

• Secretly really has a thing for drawing whenever he can, especially when he was nested at novac, sitting up top the dinosaur scribbling stuff on old receipts or whatever else it helps him get his emotions and thoughts out.

• irl he would be so patriotic it's not even funny, like he'd go all out for fourth of July but is the somber type so he'd cook hot dogs and whatever else then sit in the corner and watch everyone else.

• Has a thing for memorizing features, very very very intuitive and will remember almost anything you tell him.

• He is so the type of guy to enjoy snow, like yeah he'd probably be kinda pissy for a bit but if you pushed his buttons enough I feel like he'd mess around with the courier.

• He absolutely like no doubt has nightmares, like the ones where you erupt in cold sweat and your throat is sore.

• If he does sleep like ever, along with nightmares he grips the sheets, rolls around a whole lot, mumbles. In the ncr he was the total opposite, stone faced, layed straight and slept some what peacefully until later on in his ncr years.

• Yearns for someone, even platonic, to just sit beside him, no words and scratch his back and kinda just touch him lightly. I don't think he'd cry but it's something I could imagine would bring him close to tears.

• He absolutely probably finds almost everyone annoying, like, he just is done with everything and doesn't give two shits about what anyone has to say unless the courier puts some sense into him.

• Really disagrees with gambling, just doesn't like it.

• Wishes he had a nice farm house, out somewhere away from everything, where it has everything he needs and could be away from absolutely everyone. ( of course after extracting revenge on the legion )

• He wants to learn how to play guitar, either he has tried and is horrible or has just never gotten the chance, I have a feeling he'd really be into (irl) like classic rock or something smooth.

• Cannot look at people with features his wife had the same, down to personality or looks.

• Absolutely dreads deep down without realizing going back to novac when the courier disbands him.

• He would like having books read to him, he's a listener not a reader, likes hearing people's voices just not his own.

• At a point probably had a nickname for his rifle, something like Beth or something that was a joke between him and Manny.

• Manny 1000% at a point tried hinting to boone or even confessing his love for him, either the point never got across or they got over it together. ( somewhat ish at a point )

• In all reality I play him out to be a really sweet guy, which I can imagine and he can somewhat tend to be but he ultimately really doesn't care, he'll kill in order to get what he wants ( so be it revenge or whatever else ) even if he isn't necessarily fond of it.

• At a point, consumed by guilt he forgets what Carla looks like and that eats him up inside, like the teeth gritting soul crushing ache for revenge, and a year or two leads him to completely forget her complexion.

[planetsxmore]

⊹ฺ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞/𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⊹ฺ #𝐏𝐀𝐂

Hey there lovelies <3 Long time but I'm back - I'll keep this short and get to the reading. It's dedicated to @rosearex who helped me recover some of my PACs. Hope this resonates with y'all 🤍

✪ Disclaimer:

this is a general reading and may or may not resonate with you. please choose your pile carefully by grounding yourself and thinking of the topic - you may pick more than one pile of you'd like to - this is NOT a genderbased reading so please reverse or adjust the genders. Avoid the typos,if any.

✪ Reading Type:

exclusive charms reading - intuition - starseeds tarot deck - channeling - oracle astrology cards

✪ The Piles:

Pile 1 to 3 is left to right and is given above ^ choose carefully.

my new masterlist • paid readings • will appreciate your likes, reposts and feedback on this pac reading

© planetsxmore rights reserved 2022

let's get started ⊰⁠⊹ฺ

Pile One

✪ Cards For This Pile:

ace of cups, 2 of swords,9 of cups, knight of cups

With the ace of cups as the first card coming up while shuffling,I can safely say that this pile will be charmed with their future spouse's actions easily. Your future spouse will likely charm you with emotions and romantic actions. They'll make their intentions clear that they have a crush on you 💞 Clearly there are two people in this pile - the ones that will have an arranged will clearly have these situations after you both are introduced. But for the ones that'll have a love marriage - it's clear that your future spouse will be the one that falls for you first or atleast notices you first.

With my intuition and the other 3 cards,the picture is quite clear here. Usually the cards contradict at times and I have to evaluate them differently together but in this pile,all the cards align with each other perfectly. I've not yet done the other other piles yet but this pile seems to have a fairytale touch here. Your future spouse will do everything to impress you. There's a sweet energy to their actions. They may look in any way,for some of you they could look stern or way too serious by looks, but emotionally - they'd be very sensitive. The knight of cups clearly shows that they'll praise you alot. They'd at times praise you a-little-too-much lol - at times it might look more like buttering but nevertheless, you'll like it. He won't be very direct at first with the 2 of swords. They may want to impress you or judge your reactions to evaluate your future action as to when they'd propose or ask you out. But when they'll interact - it'd be easy to judge that he's interested in you. They may blush alot around you. For some of you,they may ask if you're taken or interested in anyone else before asking you out or proposing.

After you go out or start dating/become committed,there may be many stereotypical actions that they'd do for you. They may gift you flowers , chocolates,gifts that may have alot of effort put into them. I don't see any pentacles cards so it's not like they'd be woo-ing you with money and all even if they have it. You'd rather be impressed by their actions and words. They may have a soft way of approaching you in the courtship period. Sometimes they may seem a little cliche to you but you'd appreciate the way they cherish you and value you during the court ship period. He'll make it clear that you matter alot to them, emotionally especially.

✪ Channelled Situations Through Charms And Intuition:

(these situations do not have to be literal,they could have a metaphoric significance in your courtship period or relationship)

girl walking in a field of white roses, kneeling down,a peck on the cheek, violet color(?), running together while holding hands,a couple twirling in the rain, recieving a bouquet of multicoloured flowers, someone dedicating a love song to the other/writing a song for their love

✪⁠ Oracle Astrology House Card Pulled:

4th House-home and family

It matches the vibe of the reading clearly showing that this person will treat you like their family from the day they meet you.it shows that they'll flirt but more than a sexual way, it'll be healing, nurturing and soulful. Strong soulmate energy coming through as well. The love will be pure and strong and their actions will represent it. You may meet their family in the initial phases of your relationship or they may talk to their mother/family about you alot lol. Their family will be well aware of how admired you are in their eyes.

Pile Two

✪ Cards For This Pile:

king of pentacles,the fool (rev),9 of pentacles, the devil

Oh yeah - we've got the king of pentacles and 9 of pentacles here. It's obvious that your future spouse is wealthy and abundant in material possessions and they'll use it well to impress you. Don't worry, because I don't think they'll think of you as a gold digger but it's just that your FS will be well aware that life is nothing without money 💸 and so they wouldn't mind showing you that your future is secure with them. They won't show off but they will show you that they are abundant and fully capable of leading you a abundant life. I feel a few of you here are like - oh no, but I'm not impressed by all this or this is just arrogance - but sorry love,that's what's coming through. You can choose another pile of you want but remember that it's not always what you think you'll be impressed by be the case - nevertheless it's your choice.

I'll be honest - this person is proud of their wealth or slightly may come off as arrogant - but here's the thing- they're a self made man who may have worked for everything and reached where he'd/she'd be. They'll know the value of material and so he'd just want to show you that he's got that. And tbh,this reading is about how they'll pursue you - and so I think you will be impressed by this somewhat. As I said,it would come off as someone showing you how stable and we'll put together they are. They'd also dress up quite well. Somewhat sexy I heard? I mean we've got the devil card here. They may have good looks to impress you.

This pile will be impressed by their FS for superficial reasons. Looks, finances and for some,even sex. I mean it's alright guys,these things matter alot in life and perhaps later on you will build an emotional connection with them but that'll what'll be the core starter reason. Your partner will be a winning trophy for y'all. Hot yet rich. Now y'all - I don't mean out of this world rich or out of this world hot but considerably more than average y'know. Although for some of you,they could be billionaires but not for all. So yeah - that's what I got for this pile ,they'll be alot more reasons but this is a general reading and not a personal and so I can't go into details of everything - though this is one of the main themes.

✪ Channelled Situations Through Charms And Intuition:

(these situations do not have to be literal,they could have a metaphoric significance in your courtship period or relationship)

someone with in a suit waiting for another for a date, a couple booking a suite in a 5 star hotel,a couple eating sushi (?),the color silver(?), having a movie date, travelling abroad for a destination wedding,a girl waiting for the guy and he's late (?), exchanging rings and lip-locking

✪⁠ Oracle Astrology House Card Pulled:

12th House- subconsciousness and hidden nature

So through this pile,I see that you'll also likely be pursued by them is because you'll feel that you'll be able to open up to them. You'll find things you never knew about yourself. Sexually or spiritually - could be anything. They may help you explore a part of yourself that you'd never know you had in you. It's like he'll make you more daring - adventurous. Curious. You'll feel like a deep bond with them like you never never felt before. I feel like the Devil card could represent this too. I feel they'll feel the same,but this reading is about you so I can't say with full surety,but nevertheless the bond you'll share with them will be unique - and special.

Pile Three:

✪ Cards For This Pile:

judgement, 5 of cups (rev), 6 of wands, 8 of pentacles,6 of pentacles (extra card for this pile)

Ahan wow. A strategy? Seriously your partner will have made a strategy prior to approaching you lol. This person will be very good in their plans and skills. Mental skills especially. It's like they think before they execute and that's exactly what they'd be doing before moving towards you with the intention. With the 6 of wands it's pretty obvious they'll win guys right? After all they're your future spouse 🙃 so they're plan will be set on impressing you as a person rather than a suitor first. Even if it's an arranged marriage, they'll have come up with a plan. It's like he'll want you to first see that he's a perfect individual before a perfect suitor. Now I know that sounds slightly narcissistic lmao. But trust me that's not the case. What he'll want you to see is that he or she is a very good person individually/collectively and just with you -

It'll be like he'll show you that he is frequently involved in charity (with 6 of pentacles) or philanthropic work. He'll show you that he has various hobbies (different for all) be it sports or intellectual. He'll try to show you that they're a compassionate yet practical person as a whole. Now I know noone's perfect lmao 😏 but he'll try to show you his good qualities. And tbh,he will be all of these since I didn't get any negative cards. They'll obvious have their shadow side but that's not showing in the reading because that's not the topic. The purpose is to show you that he's not just like this around you because he's just trying to impress you to date/marry them - it's to show you that they're genuinely a good person and I think you will be impressed by this quality.

He'll later on definitely flirt or praise you. Gift you and indulge you - but this'll be the main theme of their courtship period. Which I find interesting because it's something quite different. He may even tell his friends to talk about specific activities of theirs to you to impress you lmao - you're FS is such a cute drama tbh - but he'll want you to know that choosing him would be the best option for you because if he values everyone around them,then it's quite, quite obvious that they'll value the love of their life. I just heard poetry? This could be specific but someone's FS may dedicate poetry to you. Perhaps their own. With the judgement card,I think this person will propose you pretty quick in this relationship, because they'll want you to know that they think of you as a stable,long term partner and not a causal one. If it's arranged marriage,then it's pretty obvious that they'll start off with the proposal.

✪ Channelled Situations Through Charms And Intuition:

(these situations do not have to be literal,they could have a metaphoric significance in your courtship period or relationship)

a couple having ice cream and laughing,nose-rubbing,a kiss on the forehead,a couple surrounding by orphaned kids while they give them goodies,a man looking at a girl with tears in their eyes, playful hitting, helping each other make their hairstyles,blue color(?)

✪⁠ Oracle Astrology House Card Pulled:

9th House- teachings and philosophies

So for this pile, I see that you'll learn alot from your partner and that may impress you too. They may either be highly spiritual or highly educated/knowledgeable. They may be a comforting mentor to you. You may view them as being larger than life itself. He may be well cultured and mannered because this house represents travel at times and so I feel this could also indicate them being cultured well. For some of you,your father or fatherly figure may approve them alot. For someone specific,they may be at a teaching level in your field and you may be impressed by their knowledge in your field and so you'll be guided by them well (for some of you, not all)

[valley-of-headcanons]

bachelorettes reacting to you getting hurt || headcanons

these bachelorettes vowed to stay with you, in sickness and in health! part two here!

warnings: you get hurt (obv) by: the mines, ocean, farming, tree, electrocution, and animals. if you're scared of that, don't read this :)

requested by: anon! thank you so much for the request! oh how i love comfort fics <3 it was kinda hard trying to figure out unique things that would hurt the farmer so pardon the slightly goofy scenarios 💀 had to screenshot anon message because tumblr hates my guts and won't let me post. anyway, hope you enjoy! :)

abigail

• You told Abigail you were heading to the mines, and it was rather late. She was worried, but she knew you'd be fine. You've done it several times, what would make this time different? Well, seeing as you didn't have enough food to keep your energy and help up ... uh oh. You weren't doing well, pretty beat up at this point. Tons of scratches and more blood than there really should be …

• Once it hit 2 AM, Abigail couldn't rest anymore. She was worried sick about you. Yes, you both were adventurous spirits, but everyone has their limits. So, Abigail got ready to head into the mines to find you. She descended through the floors, searching for you while slicing the monsters. She was more scared than she'd like to admit, and it was evident on her face.

• Once she found you passed out cold on a relatively low floor, she freaked the fuck out. She eventually got you to wake up through enough pushing and shoving. You looked to see your frantic lover's face for only a moment before she pulled you into a deep hug. She wasn't one to be emotional, she didn't like talking about that stuff, but when it came to you ... she loved you too much to hide it.

• “God- you had me worried sick! It's three in the morning- and you were- you were knocked unconscious and ... I was worried I lost you ... you can't do that to me, you had me so worried, I ... God, I sound like my dad ... just- please. Be more careful. I was worried I ... I was worried I didn't have the power to wake you up. Or ... anything did. I'm just glad you're awake, now let's get to Harvey's ASAP.”

• Abigail hurried with you to Harvey's, trying her hardest to stay calm with deep breaths. Despite the blood that was pouring on her clothes, her shaking hands, and her worries ... she stayed externally calm for you. She got you to Harvey's in no time, and he stitched you up with some warnings. Abigail made sure you stuck to them. Yes, she encourages rebellion, but not when it comes to health.

emily

• You decided to do some late night fishing. You had made kind of a big purchase today, so you needed to make up for it with some fish sales. Emily knew where you'd be, down by the beach. You go fishing all the time, it's not like this time would be very different. But when you hadn't come home, and the clock is striking 2 AM ... something was fishy.

• Emily made her way toward the beach, her intuition telling her something was wrong. Something didn't seem right in the slightest. But, she tried to keep her cool, as nothing that bad could've happened, right ...? She's one of the most calm and collected bachelorettes, despite her eccentric nature. She's truly the most emotionally mature. So ... why was she so nervous?

• When she saw you face down in the sand, it all clicked. She raced over to you, taking off her shoes and slinging them across the sand so she could get to you faster. She turned you over, trying to get you to respond. Worry laced her expression, trying to think of what to do. She had to learn CPR to work at the Saloon, so she decided to try it. She's out of practice, but ... when your eyes popped open, coughing up sea water and sand, everything seemed to be remotely okay.

• “Jeez- you had me worried for a second there! We've gotta get you to Harvey's tonight, you crashed out. I should've told you that something didn't feel right about fishing tonight, but I thought it'd be okay ... that's behind us. Right now, we've gotta get you back to health! Let's get to Harvey's. I'll be your crutch, 'kay?”

• As she helped you to Harvey's, she was a bit nervous but she knew you'd be fine. You were in good hands, and no matter what, something like this couldn't take you down. So, after getting to Harvey's, she sat by your side and held your hand as Harvey checked everything out. She trusted that fate knew what it was doing, and it did. She knew something this simple couldn't take you down.

haley

• Bright and early, you needed to do some work on the farm. Haley had opted to stay in the bed, claiming to need her beauty rest. Even though she didn't need it, you let her rest. You didn't need your partner sitting on the porch for you to do farmwork! It's not like you were a toddler who needed to be supervised, right? ... right?

• Haley woke up about an hour or two after you had, fixing herself some morning tea and admiring the scenery. She gazed out the window, looking at the beautiful life you two had created together. She was really proud of you, and the life you provided for her, even though she didn't say it nearly enough. She was shook from those thoughts when she noticed that you weren't tending to the farm like you normally were. You were laying in it. Not moving.

• Essentially launching herself out of the cabin in a robe, she ran to your side. Haley was screaming and panicking, dragging you out of the crops and sitting by your side. She shook you, trying her hardest to get you to wake up. She didn't know what was happening. Heat stroke? An undisclosed illness she didn't know you had? But then she noticed the already forming bump on your forehead ... you hit yourself in the head with your hoe? Really? Once your eyes began to open, she hugged you really tight before letting you have it.

• “Babe! How did you hurt yourself with a hoe?! You've got to be more careful! You're so- ... you're so stupid. I love you, you've gotta take better care for yourself! What if I hadn't seen you and you suffocated or something! I can't be around all the time! ... let's get you to Harvey's to get you checked out, dummy ... no, I'm not mad. My nerves are just super heightened now ... you know I worry about you, right?”

• Haley took you to Harvey's hoping that you hadn't done significant brain damage. When she knew that you were fine, she apologized for freaking out and giving you a kiss on the cheek. She'd still tease you about it, but she didn't raise any more hell. She was genuinely worried about you, and she doesn't respond to stress well.

leah

• Leah was hard at work on a sculpture, chipping away at the driftwood on the table in front of her. You wanted to do something nice for her: cut down a tree and give her the wood for her projects. She gives you so many things, so it's time you give her something in return! So, you set out on this journey, unbeknownst to Leah. She started to get a bit worried when you hadn't been around in a while, though …

• She had gotten so sucked into her work, she didn't realize that you had been gone for so long. It was getting pretty late, where could you be? She racked her brain for answers as she stood, calling out your name. She looked across the farm, not seeing you. Her last resort was to head into town, but she needed to drop by her old cabin for some materials. So, she headed through Cindersap Forest. She didn't expect to see you, helpless under a cut down tree.

• Leah's heart raced as she called your name, rushing by your side. Her first course of action was to pull the tree off of you, huffing and puffing but eventually getting it off of you. She looked over your body, seeing that you were mostly unharmed aside from maybe a broken leg. The tree must've hit you on the head on the way down. She dragged you to Harvey's without waking you up, she knew that this was probably dire. You woke up to Leah sitting beside you in the hospital.

• “Hey love, you scared me there ... I was worried I had lost you. What happened? ... ah, I see. Please, be more careful. I can lend you a book on how to more carefully cut trees? ... I love you. I don't say it nearly enough, even though I think I say it all the time. Please get some rest and get healed up, Harvey's gonna take care of you. No, don't apologize, you're fine hon.”

• After Harvey put your broken leg into a cast and explained how to properly take care of it, you looked over to Leah. She smiled at you softly, holding your hand. You knew that you were in safe hands with her. She was going to make sure you were taken care of, whether you liked it or not. She wasn't going to rest until she knew you were better.

maru

• Maru was working on a big project and needed some batteries. You were happy to provide! The lightning rods on your farm were the best way to go about it. Finally, you woke up to a rainy day! Maru was already hard at work in the home, so you went out to do your chores. Batteries were ready! You just had to grab them, and- pzzzt!

• She was very sucked into her work, not noticing that you had been gone for a remarkable amount of time. About midday, Maru got up to get herself a drink of water. She started to wonder about how you were doing and where you had gone, so she decided to step out into the rain to look for you. She didn't expect to find you laying in the dirt beside the lightning rods.

• Maru rushed over to you, pulling you away from the lightning rods and looking over your body. You were breathing, but you were definitely out. She tried to wake you up, but nothing. This was out of her nursing expertise, so she dragged you to Harvey's, slowly but surely. She got you there shortly, letting Harvey take care of you and helping him to the best of her ability. When you woke up, she was right by your side.

• “Hey hon, did you get electrocuted? ... yeah, I got you to Harvey's. Yes, you're fine, I assume you hit your head hard on the fall down. Is there anything else that feels odd? ... yes, you have a minor concussion, but I'll be home to help you out. You worry me, farmer ... I love you, though. You keep life interesting.”

• Maru followed Harvey's orders exactly, making sure you were on the way to recovery. She kept you fed and medicated for your pains. Taking care of someone is not something Maru normally does, despite her being a nurse. But she knows what to do and tries her hardest, giving you small little kisses in between your requests. She shows her love for you by doing everything you need.

penny

• You were going about, doing your daily chores while Penny was out with Jas and Vincent. This was the usual, despite your married life. You were working with the animals, as per usual. Tending to the cows and chickens was a daily chore, but it wasn't too bad! But sometimes, accidents happen. Sometimes you get accidentally kicked pretty hard by your cows. Y'know, it happens, right?

• Penny made her way home after working with the kids, waltzing into the cabin with a spring in her step. She didn't see you out on the farm, so she assumed you'd be home. She was surprised to see you not in the cabin, so she glanced back outside. She tilted her head, wondering where you could be. Well, in the meantime, she could go say hi to the cows! She loves the animals on the farm, and she can't wait to see them. She didn't expect to see you knocked out against the wall of the barn …

• Fight or flight mode kicked in on Penny. She stared at you for a moment, analyzing your breathing. You were alive, probably not too badly hurt, but definitely passed out. She shook off the panic, trying her hardest to push through despite the tears pricking at her eyes. She tried to shake you awake, but nothing. She knew she couldn't get you to Harvey's by herself ... so, she had to bring Harvey to you! She ran at full speed down to Harvey's, begging him to come visit the farm for you. She brought him to you, and he checked up on you in the barn. Penny sat right by your side as you woke up.

• “Love, I'm so glad you're awake! You had me so worried, I didn't know what had happened! I-I ... God, I'm so glad you're okay ... did one of the cows hit you, or something? ... hmm, I didn't expect that, that's really weird ... but, I will be right by your side until you feel better! Harvey said you had a broken rib, so I'll be taking care of everything that I can for you! ... just rest up for me, okay?”

• Penny stayed by your side for your entire recovery, helping you with anything you could ever need. You're so important to her, and it shows through every action. She would drop on her hands and knees for you if you asked. She cares so much for you, and she wouldn't dare put you in any discomfort! Penny is an incredibly devout wife.

[spikeface]

I love the "werewolves burn through calories like wildfire and have supernatural appetites" trope as much as the next guy, but please consider: werewolves can metabolize moonlight, like barky hairy nightplants.

For one thing, I think this is closer to what we see in canon. I recognize that Davis didn't seem to want characters to eat onscreen at all, for the most part, so absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, but we never see werewolf characters concerned about food. What we do see are things like Scott seeming almost electrocuted by the touch of moonlight (1x08), and Boyd and Cora especially high on it after not being exposed for a while (3x02). Chris even adds that they're not concerned with food (3x03):

CHRIS: There is an important difference to recognize. Wolves hunt for food--at a certain point, they get full. But Boyd and Cora are hunting for the pleasure of the kill--for some apex predatory satisfaction that comes from the ripping of warm bodies to bloody shreds. And who knows when that need gets satiated?

On an intuitive level, it makes sense to me that moonlight would give werewolves a rush of energy and an insane high, and in the comedown, they might need food and drink, but more to deal with the crash of endorphins and serotonin than a genuine need for calories. I think it would lead to angsty grappling--especially for a bitten werewolf, like Scott, who didn't grow up with this--with the nature of food, which might seem inefficient and disgusting after the purity of moonlight. It would be disorienting to realize that you're grossed out by a turkey sandwich when, last night, mauling human viscera seemed like the most delightful thing in the world.

Also, it's incredibly funny to me to think of the pack gathered together after an exhausting full moon of fighting some bad guy, and some collection of Allison, Stiles, Lydia, and Mason are demolishing the entire menu of In-N-Out, while the werecreatures pick listlessly at Gatorade and whine at them to "at least chew, Stiles, jesus."

Lastly, because I'm always thinking about the chimeras and Theo and what it means to be a fake werewolf, I think it'd be so interesting if one of the differences is that someone like Theo can't metabolize moonlight, and so would be dependent purely on food to replace his energy, but also has to spend years pretending he isn't.

[greenboyfriend]

pick an image! (tarot card reading)

image source ❁ image 1: an aged, leather book, with many, many pages. it makes you wonder what's inside, but due to its thickness, maybe it doesn't... ❁ image 2: a pleasant smile in the hands of gods. overlapping colorful wings form a small space in the middle. if you threw this at the wall, it'd definitely leave an imprint. ❁ image 3: a mysterious brass key. to what does its dainty swirls open? no one knows but you! how do I pick? everyone has their own method of getting in touch with their intuition. for me, when I know it's right, I feel a lightness in my chest, and when it's wrong, a pit in my stomach. don't think too much about it. whichever you choose will be right! BOOK A READING THRU DM/ASK!

1.・。.・゜✭

boy howdy, y'all.

you see the change you need to make, and yet you're still resisting? maybe you're scared of what this change will bring, but in your stagnancy, you're missing an opportunity for growth. the most important thing is that you tell the truth. right that wrong-- let everyone know what's really happening. whatever your reason for inaction might be, know that you do, in fact, possess the strength to overcome your issue(s), no matter how much you think you don't. you've already reached a major milestone, too, so why keep yourself in a box? reap that reward. you worked for it, after all! this important change will have to do with you clearing the air, speaking articulately, and being sure that you share the absolute, honest truth. consider a direction change. sure, what's gotten you here has worked wonders, but what will get you to your next goal? don't be afraid to try new things!

(7 of pentacles reversed, ace of swords reversed, king of swords, four of pentacles)

2.・。.・゜✭

whadda hell? such similar cards and yet such distinct meanings...

unlike those who chose image 1, you have not yet reached your goal. but don't worry! you're almost there!! you've just got to keep trying... easier said than done, right? it seems like you really want to give up, or are doubting yourself. this is a strong energy-- maybe you've been hurt in the past because of a similar situation, so you're refusing to acknowledge what's happening at all. maybe you don't believe in your own strength, but know that it is there. you've come all this way-- think of this as one more hurdle to jump before you take a lunch break. and what a wonderful lunch it will be, indeed!!! something that will be important will be finding out what's real and what's not. break up this complicated situation into segments and slowly analyze how all the pieces fit together. try to remain objective during this process, it is important for your future success. and finally, the scariest hurdle of all: simply having fun! you don't need to be guarded all the time, and maybe that's the lesson you're tackling right now. there's a very strong vibe of "recapturing innocence", in the (inno-) sense that you must shed the learned, knee-jerk responses of heartache. in order to feel better, you must let yourself free, but don't worry; your heart will always come back to you. don't let your inhibitions stop you from living the life you want to... need to....... deserve to live!!! so take that crazy chance and engage in unadulterated, unfiltered, unstoppable whimsy. this will be the key that takes you to new heights!!!

(ace of swords reversed-- this hoe really jumped out of the deck to see you. say hi..., the fool, 7 of pentacles reversed, king of swords)

3.・。.・゜✭

okay so everyone's going through it. okay

god damn. y'all really need a hug, a hot cup of cocoa, and a cat in your lap, because fuck!!! you're experiencing a betrayal. deserted in your time of need, you're left to wander far, far away from home... you will find happiness in trying new things and keeping your head up, but don't let discovery be your excuse to neglect your needs. above all else, you need to heal. this will be a time of balancing these two things: trying out new developments and changes, while also healing your emotional wounds. you may be more interested in the former than the latter. you may feel like you're too weak to face this pain, but know that hard times help redefine the person you are. it's easy to wave it all away and throw all your energy into what's new, but what will really matter when you're 75 and looking back on your life is how you treated yourself during this time. did you dutifully lick your wounds, tending to yourself as you wish someone else would? or did you discard yourself in the same way you discarded your feelings? it's a tough ask, and a bit shocking to think about, I know. but imagine looking back and feeling pride in how well you managed things, the comfort gained-- almost magically-- from yourself, and the good it did you. okay, okay im getting off my soapbox now! just know you're headed towards good things. it may be a long process, so be brave, and steady. take breaks! drink water! stand motionless in the shower for 30 minutes, it's ok if that's what you need to do cause guess what?!?! you deserve to be taken care of, especially by yourself!!!

(3 of swords reversed, ace of swords reversed, 2 of pentacles, 6 of swords reversed)

lots and lots and LOTS of love for all of you silly little geese. I wish the absolute best for you! although I don't need to hope for the best... because I know all of you will prevail!!! simply because ur interested in what ur intuition seeks to teach you. please accept my kind words even if im a stranger on the internet! please know you deserve every tender moment that life has to offer and more, because you're just a motherfucker who's out here trying their best, just like most everyone else, and oh my god no matter what anyone tells you that is enough!!!!!!! sorry. I got back on the soapbox. BUT ITS TRUE!!!

[anonymooose]

==== Spoilers for Delicious in Dungeon/Dungeon Meshi! ====

Ok, so, I randomly saw a post by @corvidonia about Falin!Hypnos.

So, I thought to myself, y'know I just started watching too and this seems like a fun mini-project so I started it. Then I subsequently got way too into it and accidently made a whole rendered scene and au concept... welp! It's here now!

For this little crossover Au whatever you wanna call it I did this main drawing but also came up with a bit of background stuff.

In this Meg would be a tall-man paladin in a sort of Chilchuck situation where she's mostly here because it's her job (and bonus, Dusa's here) and she'd be a paladin. Paladin might be an odd choice (?) but I felt it made sense due to her dedication and none of the other martial classes really stuck out to me like paladin.

Zagreus would be the party's Laios of sorts and a fighter tall-man, I imagine that the reason why they went through all the trouble for Hypnos is 50% Zagreus being friends with him and 49% Than not wanting his brother dead and 1% pity. I don't know if there would still be the culinary focus in this Au, probably not, so maybe instead it'd be more about just general monster knowledge. Like Zag and the gang filling out the codex?

Dusa would be a Half-foot, probably the farthest from their Dungeon Meshi inspo character, Senshi, only really sharing the fact that they came into the party late. I imagine that she's kind of in an "I'm the only monster around that has any sentience or emotion??" type situation though I don't really have a worked out reason why. She's also friends with Meg prior to joining and comes because of her.

I translated Thanatos and Hypnos' godhood into having a particular magical ability as elves, so they're elf twins. Than being a sorcerer rouge mostly for the vibes but also because sorcerer powers are innate to their being. Instead of a wand/staff I think he'd just use his scythe as a casting focus. I figure he'd be sort of like a mix of Chilchuck and Marcille, not bound to the party by a job but still kind of obligated to help Hypnos since they're family and all. I don't think he'd be thrilled about having to risk his life to save Hypnos from another screw up though, but he would and I do think he'd be relieved to have him back after the ordeal. (does Falin ever actually 100% come back? I've only watched the anime so idk actually, I like to think Hypnos would here though because I like my happy endings)

Hypnos is obviously the sort of Falin stand-in, but in a very different way I think. I do think he'd be a sort of magic prodigy like Falin but in more of an intuitive way compared to Than/Marcille's book smarts. I definitely think that the connection to the strange would remain but instead of ghosts it'd be personified dreams in the form of something like the Oneiroi. In this Au the starting incident with the monster would be the same but it'd probably be some sort of big bird/sheep to explain the bird/sheep design I went with for the Chimera design and it'd be Than in place of Laios. I also think that he'd be a cleric type situation like Falin sort of is, I like to think he'd excel at healing magic. I do kind of like the idea of Hypnos not being really encouraged to partake in adventuring due to his lack of physical ability but he'd go against that to spend time with Than and try to look out for him. As for Chimeros (As I've been calling it) I think it'd be accompanied by fog from Lethe rather than the harpies in the original and it'd have a similarly blank personality like Faligon (which'd be especially off-putting from him). Added angst potential, I figure his powerset would be very different from Faligon's and revolve around putting everyone to sleep (go figure) and memory erasure, so maybe the main party wouldn't even remember their first encounter with them?

I do actually have ideas for the remaining party, I'll keep it to one bullet though. I think Achille's would be a paladin/fighter or something like that and would be similar to Namari as a weapons expert, probably leaving for a different reason though maybe to join Pat's party? I don't have a particular idea for Shuro's stand-in, maybe switch the Shuro Falin romance thing to Charon Hypnos brotherhood thing and it could work? Idk though.

I did also make a full design for Hypnos as an elf/not Chimeros and here that is. The staff is inspired by actual myth where Hypnos sometimes has a wand dipped in Lethe to induce sleep.

Ramble over!! Congrats if you were able to push through my incessant yapping to actually get here. First Tumblr post btw, who would've thunk it'd be for this. If anyone is interested in using these designs or ideas for art/writing feel free, I'm probably not going to do anything else with this idea but if you want to I'd be very interested in seeing/hearing it! Also, really sorry if this isn't properly spoilered?? I'm not exactly sure what the proper spoiler etiquette is so I tried.

[nanomooselet]

Little but Fierce IX

By the end of the finale, Knives is excused attendance on account of self-immolation. Vash, though alive, is understandably in hiding. Wolfwood's pulled a Stampede of his own and fucked off, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Roberto's gone. Meryl mourns him.

She is the last one standing.

This has changed her. Her clean white has been darkened, and her reflective shades conceal her expressive eyes - a shield between her emotions and the world she never had before. Something Vash and Wolfwood both had the right idea about. She's dispensed with her poofy jacket and her oversized shoes, and of course one cannot help but fail to notice: she's not intimidated by a hint of sexuality anymore. (Or maybe I'm just too much of a lesbian to avoid noticing the tits, I don't know.)

She wears brown slacks. Hooped earrings. A grey shirt. She carries the weight of the people she lost in a dozen other little ways, something Vash himself does. Like him, she's come into herself - though she was always a little ahead of the boys in that respect. Girls often have to be; it's expected. But she was lucky, too, to have a stable base to grow from, which neither Wolfwood or Vash had for very long.

Overlooking her was Knives's greatest tactical error. Vash keeping his distance from her might also have been a mistake. Because she played a part neither of them ever could have - and not as Rem, and while Roberto openly drew a comparison between her and Vash, not him either. As reluctant as he is to assume the role just at the moment, Vash does do a pretty good job being Vash the Stampede all by himself.

It still always comes back to the twins. Wolfwood, as I said, has more in common with Vash than not. Meryl's different. She tries to be a nice person, tries to be like Vash. But the twin she most resembles isn't Vash.

It's Knives.

Or perhaps a better way to think of her would be as Nai - the solemn little boy Vash knew all those years ago, before he became the horror he is now.

Vash has always been a pragmatic guy, very concerned with what's of tangible benefit. He's practical. He's concerned with the physical. The flower is pretty, but is it edible? (It'd be better if it was.) He's good at improvising and thinking on his feet. He's all about what's real, what's here and now, not stories.

Nai was the idealist. Emotionally-driven. Intuitive. The one who knows little of the world, but tries to learn more. The one who looks for the truth, and judges. The one who seeks and observes and remembers. The one who makes structures and strives for efficiency. The one who tells himself stories inside his head.

Just like Meryl.

Meryl is aggressive and self-righteous. She's ambitious, determined to be on top. She's angry, and her anger motivates her. Whatever she decides to do, she wants to do it well and plan it out as thoroughly as she can - like Knives, she's a perfectionist. She doesn't have the raw physical strength to smash walls, so she's had to learn to be a little smarter than that to survive which... well, is maybe a lesson Knives could have benefitted from learning. But then if he was capable of learning these lessons, none of them would be here.

Meryl has emotions like solar flares; she's intensely expressive to the point of comedy, just like Knives has every single feeling he feels written all over his silly face. And her jacket made her look bigger. Like him, she makes an effort to seem physically imposing. It's just rather less effective on her and she looks like an angry blueberry cupcake instead of a Greek statue.

You know how Knives saw Tesla's remains, and later all those Plants go through the Last Run, and he justifiably freaked the fuck out? Meryl got to see, firsthand, Dr. Conrad's handiwork, her mentor's death (which, despite his assurances, was her fault) and then poor Vash slowly having his identity and memories ripped out of him until he was a husk.

They both had older men trying to shield them from danger and retaliation. One whom we all knew was doomed to die - even him, I think - and who tried his best to make the time he had count. With his death, he freed Meryl from his strictures, but left behind all the lessons he taught her. Meanwhile Dr. Conrad is held hostage to the fulfilment of Knives's wishes, and would have been freed from them with his own death. With Knives's defeat, he remains trapped. Still bearing his cross.

And call me delusional but… something about the way he's lingered on here makes my brain tickle.

He has to be thinking of what Roberto said to him. Conrad insisted he "did nothing to demean" his subjects, innocuous phrasing for a revolting suggestion. Roberto mocks him for thinking it absolves him, telling him yeah, I bet you didn't, you seem too uptight. My feeling is that it's a moral line Conrad is very purposeful in not crossing, the same way he tells himself he's giving those lost kids purpose.

Looking out at all these poor violated Plants, can he still believe Knives shares even that single principle? Is this what the endpoint of atonement looks like? Is this "freedom" the Plants themselves would welcome? He said it was a hundred and fifty years too late to save humanity... but Roberto's triumph may yet still echo into the future.

Anyway, Meryl's also someone who imposes her will, albeit mostly by scolding. She assumes superiority and will not bend to compromise. While she can't kill people with demon blade tentacles, now she's Derringer Meryl, counterpart to Millions Kni(ves).

But she differs from Knives in a few key respects. While both are (or once were) determined to find and know the truth, Meryl doesn't close her eyes to it once she does. She has the emotional strength, or perhaps a steadier foundation, to withstand such deep shocks to her worldview, and to learn from them, as a good investigator does. Which makes her a liar's natural predator - she's a counter to Knives and his delusional manipulations, a living tool to dismantle his falsehoods. And now that she's endured all she has, she assumes her own identity, leaving behind the insecurities which Knives found he could not abandon.

She can extend trust. (I can't get a shot that makes it clearer Vash is picking Knives up, sorry.)

She remembers the past, but is not consumed by longing for it.

She's proven herself worthy to bear and reveal the truth.

She's grown up. Now she's as strong as Knives wishes he could be, and she didn't have to kill a single person to become so.

And there's still more to come. She's getting a newbie of her own now, rather more reliable protection than a single derringer, and we know Vash's story is not yet complete. Nor can they be sure that Luida's plan will come to fruition. (And, I mean, we know even getting himself melted to a skeleton didn't kill Knives. There's no way it did. Personally I'm little concerned that he might, for once, have learned from his mistake, and remembers Meryl.)

Whatever comes, though, she'll have an important part to play in it - as important as Wolfwood, the right hand to Vash's left.

Don't overlook her. She matters. Ship or not, remember her. It would be a terrible pity if all the work that's gone into her story turned out to be in vain.

Fin. Final phase can't come soon enough. Possibly unwelcome personal insight: it was in fact partly due to her that I found the courage to identify as a lesbian, so my intentions here aren't entirely honourable. I demand more sexy fanart of Meryl.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

[007-nightfire-yakuza-agent]

@horsesource

gosh such a big question. a ship is so much to the sailors she holds. more than just a home - shelter, conveyance, workplace, friend, protector, confessor, and so much more. every ship is different, has her own quirks and traits and personality. some ships are truly on deaths door and you feel bad for them - you feel like they're begging for rest in the way that an old blind and arthritic dog is. like let it sleep bro. be loving. some of them are formidable seawise giants that seem to conquer the waves, but they often lack charm. the favoured ones to me are the smaller ships, like this, the ones that go up against the odds, the ones that need the love and need the affection but will see you through for it... i think it'd be best if i gave a brief account of some notable ships from my time, i shant name names as it's impolite to kiss n tell.

The Ro-Ro - a roll on, roll off vessel that also had capacity to take containers. was enormous - over 300 meters - with a terrifyingly large engine. built around 2015, it was fresh, new, the machinery never really had problems, the engine room was spacious and well laid out, it was pretty, capable, endured rough seas... the ship herself didnt leave much of an impression, but i remember feeling the heartbeat of her engine, dread and terrible, and feeling so small, and so honoured to be held so tenderly by something so colossal.

the tanker- a plucky ship if ever i knew one. not too old, but with many problems - especially the main engine, which destroyed a piston not once but twice - and with many machinery problems due to dealing with tropical heat constantly. the ship was designed with cargo capacity in mind, but unfortunately was a product tanker which meant she often sailed from port to port unloaded by cargo... meaning she floated like a cork in rough weather. her main engine was small, 6 cylinders compared to the ro-ro's 12, but the engine room was laid out in a smart, intuitive way which meant that even with these issues she was pleasant to work on. probably my 2nd fave ship and the only one i wish i could go back to.

the cruise ship - hell on earth. a bloated, sickly beast brimming with sin so mighty it poured out of her continously. like the passengers she carried, she was old, ready to die, but unlike them she embraced death eagerly. EVERYTHING that could fall apart fell apart. she even overflowed sewage while in port. she had, in her midlife, some work done - an extension that made her able to carry more passengers- an act that left her forever scarred, forever limping, like some pitiful chimera dreamed up by an inhumane melder of flesh. i worried abt staying onboard that ship, because i had the feeling that if we did not end her service, she would do it for us.

every ship has her own personality and history and feel, though its interesting how they can grow on you. my current ship felt so meek and in bad condition when i joined. i know now how badly i underestimated her. she's a fighter, a valiant one at that. if i could, i'd sail with her forever.

[rockandroar]

I adore the Steel Stampede! How did you come up with the appropriate animal designs? What are their characters? How do they act? Are they nice? They look very intimidating, and scary, like Clash!

That’s all! I’m quite excited to see their introduction and Clash’s introduction in the webcomic!

Thank you! :) Two of my lifelong obsessions are music and animals, so I guess it was inevitable that I'd end up caricaturing music genres as species or groups of animals. It's the premise that gave way to the entire Rock & Roar story, so I went wild with it. So with metal, we've got this loud, fast, heavy genre with chugging guitar riffs and drums doing blast beats, and all of that reminds me of powerful, charging animals and their thundering hoofbeats. Top that with the sign of "the horns" being a hand gesture associated with metal since the heyday of Black Sabbath, and it seemed clear to me that metal musicians and fans would be horned and hooved animals like the ones above.

I first drew Grant Ruffalo more than ten years ago and he was a buffalo/bison from the beginning. It's just the animal that intuitively felt right for this character. To his left is Onyx Slater, and I chose an oryx because their white face with black markings reminded me of the corpse paint some black metal bands wear.

To Grant's right are Billy Kidd the goat, and Gunnar Ramsey the black sheep. No specific reason for choosing those animals in particular, I just thought it'd be funny.

Steel Stampede became a band in the late 60s. These four guys take their music very seriously and are intimidating, for sure. They command respect and they don't mess around, at least not publicly. They're very much regarded as musicians of a very high caliber, a band that is cited as influential by virtually everyone else in the metal scene.

Grant is known for his short temper, Onyx is more restrained and keeps to himself, Billy is the funny guy of the bunch but also very brave for his small stature, and Gunnar is the most down to earth and easiest to talk to. None of them are actually mean though - that's more of an image they keep up. They're not going to go out of their way to bully anyone around or intentionally hurt someone. They just won't tolerate anyone messing around with them, or their gear, or their live performances. And frankly, I think they've earned that level of respect.

But backstage, if you're on a friendship basis with these guys, they're pretty cool. If Grant is in a good mood, he'll regale you with stories of all that he's experienced throughout his music career, and will enjoy listening to your own stories too. He might even pass on some of his wisdom, in the form of a guitar technique, or advice on stage presence. He wants his beloved music genre to live on and have a strong future beyond him and his band, and even if he won't outwardly show it, it really warms his heart to see young musicians pursuing their craft with passion and discipline the way he did. He wants small bands to succeed, and every once in a while he is known to publicly give a shout out to unknown bands whose future he believes in.

[pastel-twilight]

✨ An Analysis of Shiki Misaki ✨

Neku, Beat, & Josh were all bitter towards the world because they felt like they couldn't be understood. Shiki stood out from them in that she outright wanted people to perceive her in a different way than she actually was.

It's interestingly ironic since she's the most accepting & empathetic out of the whole group. She's more than willing to encourage others to open up so she may understand them, & yet, she's very unwilling to show her "true self" out of fear that she's not good enough to be cared about in return. It shows how unworthy she feels in comparison to those around her. She even puts herself down at several points, subtly or not.

She was patient with Neku, gentle with Beat, & she'd likely be kind with Joshua. But she believes she's not like them. She shouldn't be herself. If she were, it'd expose just how unimpressive she truly is. Nobody would like her & her friendships would fall apart.

However, as good as her intuition is, she's very incorrect about that. Eri, who's apparently a large source of her self-hatred, adores Shiki. Claims to be nothing without her. Neku, a guy who hated humanity & pushed everyone away, warmed up to Shiki in a matter of days because of the cracks in her façade revealing someone he could have better respect for. He outright says he likes her as she is & to discard the notion that she has to be like Eri.

Shiki - insecure lil Shiki - caused a domino effect that led to the city she dreamed of basing her future in being preserved. It was Neku who proved Joshua wrong in the end, but it was Shiki's influence that inspired Neku to become better to begin with. She's simply that amazing.

Sadly, being able to change & befriend the previously uncaring Neku didn't fully clear her doubts. This led to the telling question, "Once you see the real me, will we still be friends?"

"Count on it. You'll always be Shiki," wasn't something she expected to hear in return.

I theorize that during the ending, she was only mostly shown & not completely because her arc wasn't finished. It symbolizes that her journey towards self-love has not yet reached its conclusion. We can't see Shiki at her (literal) fullest until she's ready to accept herself.

NEO is where that changes. She's living out her dream, being herself down to a fashion sense that might seem tacky to others, but feels cozy to her. It's what she feels about herself that matters, after all, & she's finally acknowledging it. This is why I like her new design.

Shiki used to base too many of her feelings on how others may or may not feel about her, but now that she knows she's good enough, she can be confident in whatever she does. Wear sneakers with a dress & oversized cardigan, then top it off with large, nerdy glasses? Sure, why not! She even succeeded in starting her fashion brand with flying colors. Now she can simultaneously make herself & others happy! Sad as it is that Eri didn't show up alongside Shiki, it goes to show that the seamstress can be iconic even if her bestie('s appearance) isn't involved.

Also, contrary to popular belief, Shiki's not shy. She was awkward when it came to herself & her needs, but was loudly eager to befriend & aid others. She was mostly super capable of putting her foot down when she felt disrespected. That strength can't be faked. It's no persona.

Shiki Misaki's bountiful optimism & compassion already helped her stand out. She never needed to be someone else to shine bright.

When we finally get to see her eyes, we note that they're big, beautiful, & brown like Eri's, but with a different hue. Shiki's hue. 💚

[https-furina]

4. “it was just a nightmare, it’s okay.” with heizou

i love this prompt

✎ crime scene aftermath.

ft. heizou x gn!reader

prompt: “it was just a nightmare, it’s okay.”

w.c. 707 words

content: fluff, established relationship, reader & heizou work together, mentions of murder - i'm a little gory on details sorry my loves the criminologist in me popped out, i guess it counts as work related ptsd - this ended up so much more angsty than i wanted it to i'm sorry pt 100!!

notes: you are hurting me with this one aly oh no (and i’m taking it personal bc my oc is in fact his colleague and she is me so pls hELP ME) - think of this as a brief look into what i can conjure up for my future murder mystery teehee

there is a solace in being colleagues with your lover. there is routine in leaving the your shared house together in the morning, taking the many steps to the police station with your hands knotted together. there is pride in the way your partner hooks his arm around your waist, giving you a prompt kiss on the lips in front of your colleagues - they're getting tired of him pulling this, everyone knows you are together. heizou just likes to remind them.

the two of you are mildly inseparable; more like heizou always seems to 'coincidentally' find you, even when you're doing a case alone. you know damn well he's looking for you under the guise that his "intuition told him a case was brewing here." you would never complain out loud however when the pair of you work as the best detective duo in inazuma. there isn't a case you haven't cracked using your wit and heizou's intuition, even going so far as peeling open files for cold cases long unsolved. at first your supervisor scoffed as you perused the little to no evidence acquired by the police station's early days but after a week or so with neither heizou nor yourself attending your jobs at the police station, the two of you appear with a verdict that leaves him bewildered.

as with many jobs, there is a downfall - negatives that lurk in the dark behind the pride you radiate upon solving a case. there's the alarm when a civilian rushes to the police station, claiming all sorts of things about a murder. you remember sharing a look with your boyfriend's verdant eyes and then that day fuzzes over. the crime scene reeks, it's metallic and yet there is a stronger, more putrid smell of rotting flesh - one similar to that of putrescine - that nauseates you. for a few moments, you debate whether you should flee and surrender the case to someone else.

then your eyes fall ever so slowly onto her - the unfortunate victim. you take in her injuries, the state of her being left for presumably days. you shoot up, panting as a cold sweat runs down your body, making you unbearably wet. the room is dark, a crack of moonlight filtering through a crack in the linen curtains. your throat is dry and yet you swallow anyway, hoping it'd wash away the suffocating lump in your throat as you keep gasping for breath.

"love?" he's barely awake, voice deep as he awakes from what must have been a peaceful slumber for him. guilt washes over you that you managed to wake up your boyfriend over something so trivial. you stay sat up, slumped a little as a stinging sensation pricks at your eyes, "hey - what's wrong? speak to me, dear."

heizou pulls himself up slowly, a hand smoothing over the curve of your back comfortingly as you choke out a sob and heizou is quick to pull you into his chest. you can still smell it - no, her. it's heavy, hanging over you no matter how much you bury your face into heizou's skin in a futile attempt to escape. your boyfriend clucks his tongue, arms wrapped around you as you shake with every cry.

"it was just a nightmare, it's okay," he soothes, his chest vibrating against your body with every word, "deep breaths, in and out."

heizou can hear you barely babbling words in-between sobs, your body heaving as you struggle to get air into your lungs. his fingers trace shapes on your back, he even traces keywords to his ongoing cases. this is the sixth nightmare you've had regarding that woman's case - which happened months ago. heizou's brows knit together as he leaves a kiss on your damp hair.

there is a toll to being so devoted in supressing the evil of this world and it is the images, the smells, the sounds that never leave your psyche. they taunt you, swallowing your sanity in a thick fog. he clears that fog, he knows he does when you fall still in his arms, breathing shallow on his skin as you ease back into sleep. morning will come and neither of you will utter a word about what happened in the night.

© https-heizou 2023.

[hurpdurpburps]

The Otherside Picnic Michelin Guide

Instead of prepping all the shit I have to do for an upcoming 80-hour work week, my procrastination has led me to writing this list, which is mostly a food-focused curation of my OP Pilgrimage Destination List, with new additions that I've discovered since publishing that.

I like to eat and my 4 years of working as a food journalist have sorta ingrained a subconscious razor-sharp attention to mentions of food in the media that I consume (pun intended). Armed with 5 years of experience living full-time in Tokyo, I've decided to redirect my powers for the Greater Gastronomic Good.

All photos featured are taken from Tablelog/official sources. I haven't been to any of these places myself, but you bet your ass I will be visiting most of them and writing up reviews on here when I'm done.

1. Kitchen Nankai Jinbocho (キッチン南海 神保町店)

The "Western food" (洋食) place Sorawo and Toriko visited for a quick builder's lunch in Vol 6 (File 20 - T is for Templeborn).

In case you're interested in what our protagonists ate:

Sorawo ordered the tonkatsu curry (カツカレー) topped with cheese, while Toriko went for the fried flounder and ginger pork with rice (ひらめフライ生姜焼きライス).

From the photos on their Tablelog page, raw egg seems to be the most popular topping for curry, which is surprising to me since cheese seems like the most intuitive candidate. Best to bring a healthy appetite since their portions look absolutely huge.

2. Sichuan Cuisine Aki Jinbocho (四川料理 秋 神保町本店)

The Chinese restaurant near Jinbocho station where Toriko and Sorawo held their first ever afterparty together after hunting the kunekune.

Unlike what the name implies, it seems to be a run-of-the-mill Chinese place that kinda does a jack-of-all-trades menu rather than any focused niche in Sichuan cuisine. They even have peking duck on the menu according to their Tablelog page, but I can't guarantee if it'd be any good.

If you want to follow what SoraTori ordered, then go for the cashew chicken (鶏肉のカシューナッツ炒め), cumin lamb (ラム肉のクミン炒め) and water spinach (空芯菜), and wash it all down with Tsingtao beer.

3. Cafe Pause Ikebukuro

The cafe where Toriko and Sorawo had their first fight. Its location right behind Junkudo presumably translates into a lot of foot traffic from bookworms. Reviews that I've read say that more than half of its customers come here just to read in peace, and it's got free wifi to boot, so the ambience's probably top notch as well.

The cafe regularly updates its menu (but not online, sadly) and offers a wide range of cafe staples such as fresh pasta lunch sets and homemade baked goods. If you want to recreate Sorawo's one-woman feast, you can check to see if the menu has some or all of the following items:

Taco rice

Chocolate and sour cherry cake

Matcha terrine

“Tart of the day” topped with raspberries

Caffè latte

Grape-flavoured black tea (ぶどうの紅茶)

Check out their website and Instagram here.

4. Maison c

Also nearby Junkudo is this cosy little wine bar in Ikebukuro where Sorawo and Toriko had a rather gloomy dinner after the Ninja Cat saga in Vol 2 (File 8 - Little Bird in a Box).

They don't have a website or a menu, but from what I could glean from their Instagram, they serve mostly seasonal French-Italian fare. Order some sparkling red wine and a prosciutto-salami platter for that SoraTori experience.

Place looks tiny so I wouldn't try to visit with more than one companion, or at least not without a reservation (strictly by phone).

6. Keio Plaza Hotel Shinjuku

The buffet that The Girls stuffed their faces at for their first anniversary dinner in Vol 7 (File 22 - Toilet Paper Moon) is the Glass Court Super Buffet, located on the 2nd floor.

The line in the book about roast beef being their signature is probably true. I mean LOOK AT THIS:

Other shout-outs from the book (MASSIVE HUNGER WARNING):

Picking away at the appetizer of sakura shrimp and lily bulbs as we talked, our first glasses were soon empty.

I gluttonously loaded up my plate with fresh fried tempura, mussels, foie gras with strawberry sauce, Berkshire pork and mountain vegetables fried in miso, and tom yum noodles. Toriko got a chicken stir fry with chili peppers, chicken liver and bamboo shoots in garlic, a bunch of Iberian ham, and more. It was a lot of meat, but she also had a Caesar salad and yuba maki rolls, so she still succeeded in having a somewhat stylish plate overall.

Just a bit of an intermission here to note a couple of slight mistranslations. The Japanese text is as follows:

揚げたての天ぷらとか、ムール貝とか、フォアグラの苺ソースがけとか黒豚と山菜の味噌焼きとかトムヤム麵とか、欲望のまま皿に取ってきた。鳥子は鶏肉の唐辛子炒め、砂肝と筍のガーリック風味、たっぷりの生ハムなどなど、やたら肉が多めだったけど、ちゃんとシーザーサラダや野菜の湯葉巻きなんかも取っていて、全体として小洒落た感じにまとめることに成功していた。

砂肝 (sunagimo - lit. "sand liver") refers to the gizzard. The name is derived from how the organ works, which stores bits of grit to help grind up food before it's digested, since birds can't chew.

生ハム (nama hamu - lit. "raw ham") is a term for generic proscuitto, and is not interchangeable with the much more culturally/geographically-specific parma ham or jamon iberico.

We both went to the buffet and came back, having gotten gratin, paella, beef curry, and other heavy foods that would pair well with red wine.

Toriko asked between bites of roast beef. It was the type the chef cuts as you watch, and I’d gotten some too. This was supposed to be one of their best dishes here and the taste reflected that.

I got a tiny cake and a confection called nerikiri, then poured myself a cup of black tea.

It was Crêpes Suzette, warm crepes in an orange sauce with coconut ice cream on top.

The second half of the night takes place at the Aurora Sky Lounge on the 45th floor.

Definitely a great (and very convenient) choice to bring a date to get in the mood.

7. Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭)

After escaping Hasshaku-sama in Vol 1 (File 2 - Hasshaku-sama Survival), Toriko and Sorawo had dinner at a waraji katsu shop located within the food court of a recreational complex that was connected to Seibu-Chichibu station.

This complex is called Matsuri No Yu (祭の湯) and the only waraji katsu shop here is Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭).

Here's their Tablelog page. According to reviews, the standard serving size is two pieces of katsu. Miyazawa really wasn't lying about meat overflowing from the bowl.

8. Masan's Home (琉球酒場 ま～さんの家)

The Okinawan izakaya that Sorawo and Toriko pigged out at after finding themselves on Kokusai-dori in Naha.

Their Tablelog page features a very extensive menu. Jimami tofu and sea grapes are a must if you're visiting Okinawa for the first time, and I also recommend going for the local sashimi platter as well as other Okinawan specialties such as rafute, Okinawa soba, goat sashimi and bitter gourd stir-fry (ゴーヤチャンプルー).

Honourable Mentions

1. Mendokoro Maruwa (麺処 まるわ)

In case you missed it, there was an OP x ramen collab back in 2018. You can read all about it in my first ever tumblr post (literally I made a whole ass tumblr acc bc I felt like I NEEDED to share it with the world lmao).

I'm not sure if the Ultra Blue is still up on the menu (probably not after all these years), but if you're enthusiastic about the restaurant's link with the series then perhaps it's worth checking out. Their signature is the basil salt tsukemen (バジルソルトつけ麺) so it wouldn't be too different from the Ultra Blue in terms of base flavour profile.

Here's their Tablelog page and Twitter.

PS. This place is in Chiba prefecture, outside of Tokyo. So like idk maybe plan it before a Disneyland trip or smth to be more time-efficient.

2. Kayu San Chin Keio Mall (粥餐庁 京王モール店)

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) food therapy restaurant that Sorawo and gang visited in Vol 3 after the events of the Kotoribako was KOGA Seibu Ikebukuro (皇雅西武池袋店), which closed down a few years ago.

While not a perfect replacement, there's a store specialising in Chinese-style congee located at the Keio Mall in Shinjuku, called Kayu San Chin (粥餐庁 - lit. "congee restaurant" in Chinese).

Their menu is similar enough (sans the TCM tea selection that was apparently a signature offering by Koga).

3. A Whole Buncha Meat Places

Kozakura treated Toriko and Sorawo to a luxurious steak lunch near Shakujii-kōen station after the kidnapping incident in Vol 4 (File 12 - The Matter of that Farm). While Meat Bar Modavaca (ニクバル モダ・バッカ) has since closed down, there's more than a handful of places where you can try out the quintessential "sizzling hot plate" Japanese steakhouse experience for yourself.

Ikinari Steak (いきなり！ステーキ) is the most easily accesible place where you can order a cut of beef by weight. It's a chain, so don't get your hopes up with regards to the meat quality, but it's also a convenient and budget-friendly option. Website here.

Steak Kuni (ステーキくに) is a similar concept business but on a much smaller scale - with only three locations so far split between Tokyo, Natori in Miyagi prefecture and Koshigaya in Saitama prefecture. Website and Instagram here.

Beef Up Tokyo is a chic joint nestled somewhere near the Yaesu side of Tokyo station near Kyobashi. Which bumps it up really high on my to-try list based on the location alone (I'm pretty sure my usual hotel is max 2 streets away from it). They have basic options that start at 1,800 yen for a 200g cut of run-of-the-mill sirloin, to A5 marbled wagyu going at 3,600 yen for the same size. Which is a steal imo. Click here for their Tablelog page, Instagram and official website.

Pound-Ya Roppongi (听屋 六本木) is another option if you want to splurge a little bit more on quality. Their wagyu steaks are priced at 2,200 yen/100g for the rump/round and 4,000 yen/100g for the sirloin, with the filet taking the cake at 5,600 yen/100g. Tablelog page and Instagram here.

PS. I KNOW that you laughed at that name.