#but not to the extent that it would effect her intelligence

[daydreamerdrew]

The Savage She-Hulk (1980) #1

[somerandomdudelmao]

Ok, so, some marble sky thoughts? Character analysis? Whatever this is! 

I think the only reason that both Oscar and Ward are still alive is because Oscar was left to his own devices with the marmors. 

There are several contributing factors to this thought, but I think it boils down to two main factors: friendliness (towards the marmors), and morality.

First point: as far as i can tell, Oscar genuinely cares about Ecliptica to some extent. My example is when he clubbed that teegardian–the look on his face, and how fast he reacted, suggest that he reacted on gut instinct because Ecliptica was in danger, not that he had a cunning plan to make himself look better. As well as the fact that he genuinely seems to enjoy being around her, and voluntarily spends time with her–I think that this has convinced (some) of the marmors that Oscar is trustworthy, or at the very least not a threat.

On the other hand, Ward has shown that so far at least, he does not like or trust any of the marmors. Now I certainly can’t blame him for that, but it doesn’t do much towards gaining him any favor in the marmor’s eyes (or, sensor things).

My next point is that Ward seems to have a very strong moral code, and acts according to that code regardless of consequences, which restricts him in a way that Oscar doesn’t seem to be restricted. With the teegardian situation, I think Ward would either have straight up refused to be a hunting dog, or tried to help the teegardians, resulting in getting himself killed. 

On the other hand, Oscar, by playing along with the marmors and siding against the teegardians, managed to get into good enough graces with Ecliptica to be able to help Ward (and Holly). Now, I don't think Oscar lacks a moral code, or is trying to be evil or anything–I think he is doing everything he can to protect the people he cares about, and to stay alive. So far, he’s been pretty darn effective too. I also can’t blame him for prioritizing his life, and the life of his friend, over those of complete strangers, especially in such a morally gray area of how intelligent of a species is it ok to eat, and how to define intelligence at all. 

Oscar seems to be doing whatever he feels he needs to in order to keep himself and the people he cares about alive, regardless of “right” and “wrong”. 

Ward also seems to want to keep them both alive, but in contrast he is very attached to his idea of morality, defending what he believes to be right, and fighting against what he believes is wrong.

Because of this, I think Ward and Oscar would have (and probably will in the future) come into conflict because of their different ways of doing things, potentially really messing up each other’s various plans and ideas, in ways that are not conducive towards staying alive and/or friends. 

Also, unrelated theory, Ward is absolutely about to polymorph into an alien cyborg bc of whatever it was that Sculptor did to him

OH THIS

THIS IS SOME REALLY INTERESTING THOUGHTS RIGHT HERE >:D

[artbyblastweave]

Any ideas to connect SU Diamonds and Worm Entities for a crossover?

For the past three years and change, I've been kicking around the idea of the Gempire as the residual result of an entity that botched its own cycle so badly that the central Zion-style figurehead holding the entire operation together is a hundred-thousand-year-gone memory. The result amounts to an entity with serious brain damage; The gems retain elements of the original programming for the cycle- namely, the ability to create anthromorphized avatars reflective of the local culture, and the drive to reproduce and consume planets to perpetuate themselves- but they've completely lost the plot on other important elements, namely the importance of hybridizing with local host species, their historical record, the full extent of their dimensional manipulation capabilities, best practices for resource extraction, and, most crucially, mutation, change and innovation as a desirable outcome.

Rather than an avatar, White Diamond is an intelligence analogous to a Endbringer or Titan who slid into the vacant role as the next-most-powerful autonomous portion of the network, holding the consolidated, stretched-thin remains of the original Network together by her fingernails while also deleteriously superimposing her own residual instinct from her original role onto the entire network- namely, to pacify, homogenize and sterilize host planets if and when a cycle is beginning to get out of control. This hybridized with residual data from previous host species that caused the gempire to organize in a fascimile of imperial structures encountered back when their cycle was still functional; essentially "Playing House" at the societal level, aping the culture of a host species without really remembering why.

The result of this is a "cycle" that's bad at everything it's supposed to do but effective enough that it limps on regardless- supremely energy inefficient, stripping planets bare rather than experimenting, and utterly developmentally stagnant. In the unlikely event that an entity were to cross paths with the Gempire, they'd have an uncanny-valley reaction to it and likely attempt to euthanize it, but compared to most entities the Gempire is tiny- while Shards canonically deploy in the hundreds of millions, the gems tend to reproduce only a few tens of thousands of themselves each time they claim a planet, and they usually only strip mine the handful of "active" worlds that would feature in a normal cycle rather than obliterating all dimensional iterations of it.

Yellow, Blue and eventually Pink are similar constructs to White, brought online to assist her in the project after the "imperial" territorial holdings grew too vast to micromanage. Unfortunately (for the cycle) another one of the things that got lost in translation were the controls meant to keep individual shards from developing autonomy or attachment-to-hosts. When the Gempire hit Earth, Pink Diamond and a significant contingent of the network, after patterning themselves after humans and spending a significant amount of time on the ground, pulled a fragile-one and went native, leading to a localized civil war that ended under unclear circumstances when the other the diamonds glassed the planet from orbit and pulled back their operations to prevent whatever affected the rebels from spreading.

All of this happened about 8000 years before the events of Worm, in a universe about 43 dimensions down the line from anything seen in the Earth Bet Cluster; due to the Gempire having mutated so much as to no longer be immediately recognizable as fellow Entities, and with so few active gems left on the planet in the aftermath of the rebellion, Zion ignored the crystal gems and folded them away into the inaccessible dimensional space, where the events of the show played out much as they did in SU canon. Ironically, Steven is the first ever example of this cycle successfully empowering a host, in the most roundabout way possible.

In my notes, and in keeping with the religious-theme-naming of the canon entities, I usually refer to this whole situation as Nirvana (what else would you call it when they break the cycle?)

[p-seduonym]

Being the Maid of Yandere Louis James Moriarty

A/N: I kinda winged this one, if you can’t tell already. Enjoy, or don’t, I guess. Do whatever.

You were a maid at the Rockwell estate.

Fairly young, you had worked there for your entire life.

Your days consisted of tedious chores, cooking and cleaning mostly.

That is until Lord Rockwell suddenly took in three wards.

You heard passing rumors from other servants, about the incident at the Moriarty manor.

The count and his wife, along with all of their servants, tragically lost their lives in a terrible fire. Nothing was spared, except the count’s children, who were left orphaned.

Although no one seemed to mention the adopted child that had also perished in the fire…

You felt pity for the boys, only a few years younger than yourself. Especially the youngest.

The eldest son, Albert, was busy with duties as the heir to the earldom while the second son, William, was soon enrolled in school.

That left the youngest, Louis, alone.

And, although you don’t like to admit it, you felt slight trepidation at first. 

The boys were withdrawn, which could only be expected, but they didn’t seem to have an air of grief about them. More so, the atmosphere appeared almost like a cold sense of resolution.

But, when you laid eyes on his bandaged face, you felt guilty for your thoughts.

Ashamed, you made it a point to be especially kind to the boys. But, your efforts mostly went to Louis, who remained in the house most of the time.

Initially, Louis was rather confused by your attention. You seemed to go out of your way to speak with him. Whether it was just greeting him or asking how his day was.

He didn’t know why you were so interested in him, rather than Albert, the eldest, or William, the prodigy. 

Most people disregarded him, the adopted, scarred boy from the slums, with neither age or intelligence to make him stand out in a particular way.

Still, he remained cordial to you. He was even somewhat grateful to learn firsthand how to manage a household.

Soon enough, it became common for the two of you to be seen together, whether it was doing laundry, washing dishes, or cooking in the kitchen.

It was tedious work that you were used to, but you enjoyed the time with Louis.

And you couldn’t help but think he did as well.

As time passes, Louis becomes gradually less distant, his smile becoming less of a pleasantry, more genuine.

He would also leave small gifts for you, be it a small pastry he claimed he made too much of or a flower he said was out of place in a bouquet he picked.

You're pleased by this change. Ignoring etiquette, you sometimes gently ruffled his hair just to see him get flustered. Or you would hug him to coax a smile out of him.

If someone saw the two of you, they would have seen an older sister teasing her brother.

And it felt that way. For you, at least. For Louis…

It felt odd to think of you in such a way.

William mentions, offhandedly, how close the two of you seem to be.

Louis is startled by this observation. He’d never been particularly close to anyone except William, and Albert, to an extent.

He quickly assured his brother that you were just a maid, an innocent servant that knew nothing.

But William only smiles and says he’s happy to see Louis enjoying himself. 

With his brother’s (seeming) blessing, Louis reconsiders his feelings about you.

It was obvious you viewed him as a younger sibling, if your physical affection said anything. But why did that frustrate him?

He wanted to be the only one you smiled at with that beautiful smile of yours. He felt irritated whenever you gave one in passing to a male servant.

Fortunately, it was easy to use his young age to his advantage. He would grab at your skirt like a child trying to get someone’s attention. It was shameless, but effective as you would turn to him with a smile.

Or he would pretend to be confused about how to prepare a meal, just to have your attention to himself.

It was easy when he was younger, but those tricks wouldn’t work as he got older.

So how could he keep you to himself?

As years passed, the two of you grew older.

Your relationship now turned a few more heads. Why would a simple maid be so close to the son of a count? You heard this among other whispers as you passed servants in the halls.

It was endearing, at first, to see a maid so attentive to her young master. Now, however, it made it look as if you were just a tad too ambitious. Could you be trying to raise your social status by seducing a young nobleman?

The entire idea scandalized you so much that you made an effort to shape up, acting more professional around Louis, who obviously notices you becoming more distant.

It’s difficult trying to maintain a proper relationship, between a servant and their master, with him. But you figured it was for the best, since he came of age and wouldn’t remain in the Rockwell estate forever.

This was inevitable, and you had resigned yourself to that…

Louis, however…

He isn't oblivious to the rumors, so he doesn’t blame you for becoming distant. However, he refuses to accept this. You’ve become someone precious to him.

So, he asks his brother for his advice…

For reasons unknown to you, your life had become increasingly hostile at the Rockwell manor. Rumors followed you everywhere, along with disdainful looks. You noticed items of yours disappearing. Pins were stuck in your uniform and broken glass in your shoes.

Who would do such a thing?

Your only solace was Louis, who remained loyal even in the wake of your distant behavior towards him. He comforted you as you confessed all that happened.

Ultimately, it all culminates in someone - you only saw a shadow - pushing you down the large staircase, causing you to break a leg. The one who found you lying at the base in a heap was Louis…

Carrying you to the servant’s quarters, Louis softly proposes something to you.

Albert has purchased a house, in the quiet town of Durham. Somewhat old, but furnished. He and his brothers were to move there soon.

As he bandages your leg, he asks for you to come with him. He can’t bear to see you suffer here any longer. There won’t be too much work, his brothers and he weren’t demanding. There was always a place for you.

As you tear up and hug him, for the first time in a while, Louis smiles to himself.

[bloodlust-1]

༻ 3 Nights ༺ part 6

Gortash x fem Tav — mini series Explicit 18+

Summary: Gortash invites Tav to stay 3 days at his palace for the sake of an alliance. Reluctantly, she compromises for peace and it becomes an experience they won’t forget.

Part one -> here <-

Tav and her companions made their way to the lower city, the weight of recent events heavy on her mind. She had just helped Astarion in killing Cazador, a task that had taken its toll on both of them. It ached her heart to see Astarion so depressed in the days following the encounter. Despite her own inner turmoil, she had prioritized aiding her companions over fulfilling her treaty with Gortash by postponing killing Orin. However, Tav was aware that the time has come to prioritize Orin’s death, today.

As Tav walked with her group, engaging about their next target, Gale suddenly interrupted with a sense of urgency. “Tav, you’re going to want to see this,” he said, his voice tinged with concern. As he extended the Gazette, the newspaper’s headline caught Tav’s attention. “It’s not good,” Gale added gravely.

Tav scrunched her eyebrows in confusion as she read the front headline of the newspaper: “Adventurers or Absolutists? All you need to know.”

She crumpled the paper between her fingers, she irritated my whispered to herself, “No, no, no, no…” She looked up at her friends with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance, “Who would write something like this? Those damn journalists, always peeking their noses into things they don’t understand!”

"Shit. that damn Gazzette... well at least the paper didn't mention what we looked like. But we don't have enough time before they do." Karlach added as she peeked over Tav's shoulder, frowning at the text.

"Damn it." She ripped off the first page, folding up the paper and stuffed it into her pocket. "For as much as I would love this fix this now, we need to get going. I bet Orin has something to do with this." Tav started to walk ahead of everyone.

“Wait, where are we going?” Gale chimed in, running from the back to accompany Tav’s side.

“To the sewers, we’re killing her today.” Tav held her head high, her vision blurring red with anger. The injustice of it all had reached a boiling point, and she could no longer tolerate the slanderous rumors that spread like wildfire.

"Oh, what fun!" A small giggle left Astarion's lips. "But please, do watch where you step. It smells vile down there." Despite the evident disgust on his face, there was a slight hint of excitement in his eyes.

In the city, the wait has finally come to an end. The bloodshed in the name of Bhaal would no longer taunt the people. What started as a rather tedious quest turned into a ritual with pure malice, culminating in the lifeless body of Orin in its inhuman form - a sight straight out of the hells. Killing Orin was no easy task; it required everything they had to take her down. Tav, witnessing the evil firsthand, realized that Orin was even more twisted than Gortash. Finally fulfilling Gortash’s request to rid the world of Orin, Tav now prepared to pay him a visit. But first, she sought healing from Halsin after nearly exhausting all her strength in the battle against Orin.

~

“Thank you, Halsin.” Tav calmly spoke to him as his hands glowed in pure magic, his hands cleansed her body of any pain. Only leaving behind the small cuts and bruises.

“I really hate seeing you like this. You should not be the one covered in bruises.” He had a sadness in his eyes. No woman should be bruised to this extent.

“Well you know we really haven’t gotten much of a choice lately. I’m just glad we have someone like you here with us.”

Halsin’s gentle touch and intense gaze had a calming effect on Tav, relaxing her body and mind. The silence between them was noticable, and Tav couldn’t help but feel a little nervous under his watchful eye. Tav found herself drawn to Halsin’s intelligence and the way he made her feel like he was always looking out for her well-being. Not to mention how handsome she found him.

However, there was something about Halsin that didn’t quite click for Tav. Perhaps it was his almost fatherly demeanor, or the fact that he was always so sweet and caring. Whatever it was, it made her feel like she had to be careful around him, like she was constantly on edge. Tav was able to be as raunchy as she wanted around Gortash, which made her feel more comfortable to voice her feelings around him. Even if it was mostly banter.

Despite that, he was pleasant eye candy. Her eyes matched with his for a moment before embarrassingly averting her gaze away. Halsin chuckled to himself from the flush of her cheeks. “All done then.”

Halsin instinctively withdrew his hands and took a subtle step backward, his eyes lingering on her figure as he assessed her. “You’re truly beautiful,” he murmured softly, his voice carrying a tenderness that was unmistakable. He always worried about her health and it always felt nice to be valued by him so dearly. He did make her nervous everytime something flirtatious left his mouth.

“Thanks so much again. I’ve got to clear some things up, I’ll be heading out for now.” She looked at him with grateful eyes, giving Halsins hand a slight squeeze in return with a smile. He returned her gratitude, “Do you want me to come with you?”

“Oh no, it’s okay Halsin, really. You’ve done enough. Rest.” Tav patted his hand before grabbing her bag. She opened it to reveal Orin's twisted red knife, its blade covered in old dried blood and adorn with a nether stone. Tav ripped out the stone and handed it to Halsin, “Take this and keep it safe while I’m gone.”

Halsin took the stone and simply nodded to her favor. Tav was grateful to have such loyalty. Her eyes wandered to his biceps before shaking herself out of that naughty head space, “thank you.”

“You have a sparkle in your eyes as of lately. Though— I know it isn’t for me. Who is giving you such a spark in those eyes?”

Tav’s voice quivered as she spoke, “I— Halsin, there’s nobody…” Her words trailed off, leaving an awkward silence in the air. Shit. Tav felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, wondering if Halsin had caught on to something. Frantically searching for an excuse, she stammered, “Maybe it’s because of everyone’s company that I’m so grateful for.”

“Perhaps.” He once again smiled with knowing eyes at Tav before walking back towards his tent.

There was still daylight outside, and Tav had plenty of time to visit Gortash, even though it had been a week since she properly visited him. He had been popping up unannounced to talk to her whenever he caught her alone throughout the city. Tav was sure he wanted to speak with her, especially after Orin’s death.

Tav dressed down in a loose-fitting brown blouse and paired it with fitted pants to create a balanced look. Her hair fell loose, falling just below her hips. With her traveling bag in hand, she started her small journey to the palace, determined to prove to Gortash that Orin was no longer a threat and that their deal could finally be fulfilled. She had, after all, taken care of Orin, ensuring all business between them.

Upon entering into the palace Tav immediately called out for him. Yet, no response. Tav scoped the halls of the palace and called out a servant, “Hey, do you know where Gortash is?”

The servant, startled, responded, “O-oh, lady Tav! It’s you… He’s in his chambers.”

Tav thanked the woman before heading to his room. She’d never been in his chambers and it felt a bit too personal. As she approached the door, her heart quickened with anticipation. Should she simply open the door and enter, announce herself, or linger outside until he noticed her presence? The array of choices overwhelmed her momentarily, but Tav ultimately keep a high head and opened the door. She called out his name before hearing thunking noises hit the floor.

“Who dares to barge—“ Gortash stormed out of the bathroom, his body drenched from head to toe, a towel slung low on his hips. Water droplets rolled off his black locks and plopped onto his collarbones, leaving behind a trail of glistening beads. His eyes blazed with irritation as he confronted Tav, who stood frozen in the doorway, her mouth agape in disbelief.

She caught a glimpse of the trail of hair that ran from his chest down to his groin and disappeared into the tucked towel. As her eyes followed the path, she instantly averted her gaze. Turning around, she focused on the door, trying to distract herself from what she had just seen. “Fuck! You don't have to come stomping out half naked!“ Tav’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red as she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She could feel the heat rising from her neck to her face, making her feel like she was melting in her boots.

“My favorite assassin, how have you been?” Gortash completely disregarded the fact that he barely clothed. His demeanor was nonchalant and pleased to see Tav at this moment. It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Instead of walking away to cover himself, he walked over to Tav’s turned back. “I was waiting for you to come tell me good news. So—“

Tav took a deep breath before answering, "Orin, she's dead." With a steady hand, she retrieved the blade from her bag and turned back to face Gortash, the weapon glinting in the light. His eyes flickered momentarily to the knife before returning to her face, his gaze piercing and intense. Tav felt a shiver run down her spine as she took in the deep scar on his chin, her mind racing with the desire to trace its path with her fingertips.

Gortash’s expression softened as he accepted the knife from Tav, there's a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. He casually discarded the weapon, letting it clatter to the floor without a second thought. His attention then shifted to Tav’s clothing. The blouse was far too big for her, and it masked her femine figure turing all her delicate curves into a shapless jumble. Not even the color suited her in the best way possible. Gortash thought he'd rather see her in a bra than the ugly shirt. He spoked up with a sense of cockiness, "I hate this color on you. Actually— the entire shirt is not flattering, really."

Tav’s mouth fell open in a mix of shock and offense. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I came here to tell you the greatest news you'll ever hear in your pathetic life, and all you can do is criticize my clothes? How classy of you,” she scoffed, her tone dripping with disbelief. Tav rolled her eyes in frustration. It seemed like he always found a way to ruin any moment of connection and attraction. “And for gods sake, put some damn clothes on…”

"The dagger— It's a lovely souvenier, dear." Gortash added as he dug into his drawers for clothes and sloppily dressed himself despite judging Tav for her unflattering blouse. "It's good that you came, I want to hear all about that fight." The shift in his demeanor caught Tav off guard – was he truly intrigued by her battle with Orin? It was an unexpected moment of connection amidst their otherwise mundane interactions.

"oh, sure..."

~

As they walked, Gortash led Tav to the back of the palace, where a vast and stunning garden awaited them. The garden was adorned with an array of bushes, flowers, and lush greenery, creating a picturesque scene that left Tav breathless with awe. Gortash, observed her reaction, tilted his head, and stared in approval by her response. It was a moment he could speak with her out of the stone walls, one that he knew he would never share with anyone else.

“You are a force to be reckoned with,” Gortash remarked with confidence as he looked at Tav. “I am glad that you are on my side.” His words carried a sense of trust and appreciation, hinting at the possibility of a newfound understanding between them. Tav had just completed an exceptionally important task for Gortash, and it seemed that this act had solidified a bond of trust between them. Perhaps she wouldn’t betray him after all.

"You're welcome. It was a pleasure killing her." Tav admittingly let the dark thought slip her lips. The weight of her words hit her, and she widened her eyes in realization of what she had just admitted. Instantly, she flashed an embarrassed smile at Gortash, acknowledging the sudden darkness of her confession. “She gave me one hell of a hard time… she almost killed me, to be honest,” Tav confessed with a tinge of sadness in her voice. She lowered her tone as she continued, “She turned into this— monster. It was like something straight out of the hells.”

Tav had to grapple with the impact of the horrific encounter with Orin. The weight of her words lingered in the air, painting a vivid picture of the intensity and trauma Tav had to endure. Tav felt a bit defeated in the moment, this fight took a lot of her mentally and physically.

In the midst of a tense atmosphere, Gortash chuckled at Tav's grave confession, "Am I rubbing off on you, little hero?" His words injected a small sense of light into the heavy air, although he could discern the challenge in her eyes. Seeking to reassure her, Gortash offered his support, "If there is ever a problem, you can come to me. After all, we are allies now, offically." A tinge of his voice felt cocky and playful at the end.

Tav smiled slightly and nodded her head to his offer. She felt like he was actually being genuine for once and it was a good palette cleanser to what she was used to.

They walked down a carved out stone path into the garden side by side. They were silent for the most part admiring the scenray and company. Tav bite down on her lower lip as many thoughts flowed into her head. Mostly that she now felt insecure in the baggy blouse she wore that he clearly hated so much. It felt strange to suddenly care about what he thought of her appearance.

A fleeting image of Tav’s face crossed his mind as they walked in silence. Gortash was captivated by the delicate features that seemed out of place in the harsh world he ruled. Gortash peered over his shoulder to peek at her. He found himself admiring how silky her hair was and how it curled at the end.

Gortash’s thoughts of Tav were a dangerous indulgence, one that made him vulnerable in a way he couldn’t afford. Yet, he couldn’t deny the allure of Tav’s beauty, a beauty that seemed to defy the darkness that surrounded them. Even in the brown top that consumed her natural curves, Tav was like forbidden fruit in their small bond.

But in rare moments of vulnerability, Gortash found himself lost in thoughts of Tav’s face, her silky hair, and the longing that stirred within him.

During their time apart, he watched over Tav with a keen eye, particularly noticing the stares of her companion. These stares were not just casual glances, but rather intense, lingering looks that seemed to bore into her very being. Jealousy crept under his skin like a slow-burning fire, fueled by the memories of that wizards lustful stares.

Gortash’s voice erupted abrasively from his thoughts, catching Tav's attention. The question that followed was rather random, laced with a hint of jealousy that lingered in the air. "Whose that pathetic wizard in the group? He's always staring at you."

Tav tilted her head up questionably as she stopped in her tracks, “He’s my friend. And what does it matter with you anyways?” She crossed her arms with curiosity.

In a flat, lifeless tone, Gortash elaborated his jealous statement, “Because he thinks he stands a chance with you.”

Tav was taken aback by the harshness of his jealousy. She couldn’t help but mock his behavior, “Maybe he does? He’s intelligent, sweet, and far from a homicidal maniac.” Tav playfully teased him, “What? Do you really think you stand a chance?”

Gortash let out a small, evil chuckle as he grabbed Tav’s wrist and pulled her body closer to his. His hands firmly grasped the top of her hips, closing the gap between them. With a menacing expression, he brought his face dangerously close to hers and whispered in a mean tone, “Do I not?”

Tav's eyes widdened from his advances in surprise and then responded flusteredly with a firm “No.” She shook her head in denial softly.

His index fingers traced sensually around her hips. “That’s hard to believe when your face is like this. Such big eyes that plead,” he said, gazing into her widened glossy eyes. His tone was filled with domination.

Tav could feel his gaze drilling into her, could feel the heat of his body radiating towards her. She closed her eyes, her heart racing as she waited for him to make his move.

And then, without warning, he leaned in. His lips brushed against hers lightly, then finding a sweet spot. Tav's pulse raced as she felt a rush of excitement. Kissing so openly during daylight. But Gortash’s gentle touch was reassuring, and she found herself melting into his tighten embrace.

Their lips moved together, soft and dominating, their tongues exploring each other’s mouths. They gasped for air between heated kisses. Tav felt a rush of emotions, her heart pounded in her chest as she wrapped her arms around Gortash’s neck, deepening the kiss. The world around them melted away, leaving only the two of them, locked in a passionate kiss.

As they kissed, Gortash’s grip on her tightened, pulling her closer to him. Tav felt a surge of desire, her body responding with goosebumps from his touch. Her knees grew shakey, and a growing heat tickled her body. Gortash held any additional weight that Tav lost in her legs.

His hands slipped down to her thighs, scooping her thighs up to wrap around his slender waist. Tav’s hands lovingly caressed the sides of his stubbled face, as their lips hungerly devouring the bitterness away. Tav finally traced the pad of her thumb over the deep scar on his chin.

Gortash held her body close, propping her against the nearest pillar. His hand gripped her neck, firmly holding her jaw. He pressed his hips against hers eagerly, causing Tav to let out a soft whimper of surprise. “N-Not here, not now,” she whispered.

“Isn’t this what you want— To surrender to me? " He huskily asked between the kisses. he whispered, his voice filled with desire. His intense gaze locked with hers as he spoke. Gortash's brown eyes fell into a half opened state.

Tav giggled softly against his lips, her eyes sparkling with mischief. The look on her face was a sight to behold, a mix of playfulness and determination that made Gortash’s heart race. She couldn’t give in so easily to have him devour her so shamelessly in his garden, not when there was still so much to explore and discover.

Tav teased him in a whisper, breaking free from his hold and taking a step back. “I never surrender, you should know that,” she said, her voice firm and seductive. Her feet touched the ground once more, and she stared flirtatiously up at Gortash, her eyes daring him to try and catch her. “I would rather watch you squirm for it.”

Tav blushed through out the teasing smiles. She reached into her pocket and unfolded the ripped newspaper article, "I expect you to fix this however."

“Mmm, tempting.” Gortash clicked his tongue in the lost of her warmth. His eyes fixated on the news clipping, he took it softly from her hands.

"Thank you— Enver." Tav smiled confidentalty at him, her hands were clasped behind her back as she began to walk backward, then turned around completely to leave the palace. Tav enjoyed keeping him on his toes. She noticed how easily he aimed to please her, and she was keenly aware of the power of her desirability over him.

To Be Continued ~

Any Thoughts? Comment 👇🏼 I love to engage!

Shout out to the ones who’ve been following this story! You guys give me so much inspiration to keep the updates coming🫶🏼 hope you enjoyed gortash kisses, mwuah.

Next part here

[emp-t-man]

if we were to get another 1-2 hour bonus episode of backstory (like change of mind/volte face), what character/s do you think would be most interesting to hear about?

oooooo i like this one thank you for indulging me—

honestly, something i would’ve loved to see more of is hermes crew content— we got maybe three minutes of them and their chemistry and characters were impeccable for those three minutes and i was so sad to just lose them after that. i don’t think it’d be necessary to have a volte face length episode of them because they don’t do too much to drive the plot, but a lil mini episode would’ve been cute and would’ve done much more to have the listeners understand the gravity of their situation—

as for answering the actual question— miranda. one hundred percent. i absolutely adored the backstory about her given at the beginning of the finale, but i think it could’ve been so much cooler and more effective as a bonus episode right before it. we know how she grew up and the basics of how she got involved with goddard, but i really wanna know the full extent of her and cutter’s relationship, how young he really found her before taking her under his wing, what he could have told her to have her view humanity the way she does, why she treats artificial intelligences with such little respect when she herself is half machine— i just want to take her under a microscope and study everything that’s ever happened to her

as a bonus runner-up— as much as i despise kepler, he’s the only person where it isn’t revealed how he started working for goddard in the first place. in his mini episode, the one that reveals it for every other character, he’s already a major under cutter’s command. there isn’t much of a difference between the person he is in that episode and the one he is in the present, and while i understand and respect why gabriel chose to do that (the static nature of his own character helps magnify how dynamic the other characters become, i could write a whole thing about that too), it’d make his sacrifice and his death a lot more meaningful if we were. y’know. given a reason to like him in the first place. it would be interesting to know the person he claims to have killed in order to be who he is during the events of the show.

[rambrosius]

Actually tired of people calling Korra a "weak" avatar compared to Aang for experiencing blatant depression, ptsd, disability, and all around feeling her emotions to their fullest extent.

Aang lost his culture, and that's a horrifying side effect of the Firelord's desire for domination and arguably much worse than anything Korra faced. But Aang didn't have the time or emotional space to absorb that, and we don't know how he recovered after his show. I'm sure he WOULD have been spiritually broken had there not been a ticking clock counting down to the end of the summer. In fact, had his friends not been there to ground him, he may even have been truly broken. Katara as an old woman even suggests that Aang's time as the avatar wasn't an easy journey post-war.

And, trauma affects people differently! Two people can face the exact same circumstances, and react totally differently! For Korra to shut down for 3 years and face depression, immobility, and flashbacks is just as realistic as Aang using his anger to motivate him. Not everyone who goes to war or faces trauma comes back with a trauma disorder.

Plus, Aang was written for younger kids, who have had less time to face trauma themselves or don't have the experience to contextualize it. Korra was written for older kids who are realizing that their circumstances aren't fair and that those circumstances have an incredibly real and powerful effect on them.

Korra also has the privilege of being surrounded by adults who have a lot of emotional intelligence and who can spot when she's struggling or advise her in communicating those emotions, and so can freely feel those emotions. Aang and co. are just Aang and co.. They don't have the same healing journey or guidance because they are a group of children who are surrounded by adults who failed to protect them or got their opportunity to protect taken away. Much of their healing would have taken place off-screen.

TL;DR: Korra's trauma symptoms are incredibly realistic for what the writers were trying to display (if nothing else, I'm thankful for the positive mental health representation in this show, as someone with similar symptoms). She and Aang are different people with different personalities and we should not expect them to handle trauma in the same way, especially given the different cast of adults these kids have to look up to for guidance. Likewise, the intended audience is different.

[possibly-god]

So I saw a post about ElfQuest somewhere forever ago that popped back into my head For Some Reason Thanks Autism and it was someone saying that not only must elves and trolls share a common ancestor, they must be subspecies of the same creature, which... Okay, on one level it makes sense for them to be related species, they're both intelligent immortal humanoids/primates from the same planet. The issue that sticks with me is that the extent of their argument was "Two-Edge exists" - again, makes sense on the surface based on how cross-breeding works in real life, but a quick glance at canon shows that the existence of one "trelf" proves jack shit about Abodean taxonomy.

POINT #1 - WE DON'T KNOW IF TWO-EDGE IS FERTILE

Looking at real-world genetics, while only members of the same/closely related species can produce fertile offspring, there's plenty of real life examples of related species interbreeding to produce infertile hybrids - mules, ligers, etc. With no evidence of Two-Edge having any children, it can't be said conclusively that trolls and elves are closely related.

Well okay, but that still proves they're related species, right?

NOPE, because this is a fantasy world and even if Two-Edge had twenty kids it wouldn't actually prove anything because-

POINT #2 - ELVES CAN MAGICALLY BREED ACROSS THE SPECIES BARRIER

The existence of Timmorn Yellow-Eyes and his descendants the Wolfriders demonstrates that, with a little shapeshifting, elves can produce fertile hybrid offspring with unrelated organisms. Either elves and wolves are the same species when they come from entirely different planets, or genetics is powerless in the face of elven magic.

But there wasn't any shapeshifting involved with Two-Edge's parents!

Are you sure?

POINT #3 - WINNOWILL IS A TRICKY BITCH

Winnowill, Two-Edge's elven mother, is the most powerful flesh-shaper in the entire ElfQuest series, and while the series defines flesh-shaping and shapeshifting separately... are they really? Winnowill herself explains that different disciplines of magic may spring from the same source, that Leetah's healing power may be nurtured into flesh-shaping ability - and shapeshifting may well be the level after that. What are Winnowill's modifications of Tyldak and her own aquatic and human guises if not a shifting of shape? And we know that flesh-shaping can be effective on a genetic level - Winnowill herself is able to edit the infant Windkin's genome to remove his wolf blood and make him pure elf, and the flesh-shaped aquatic features of Wavedancer elves are heritable as proven by baby Korafay. It's not hard to conclude that with practice, flesh-shaping could evolve into shapeshifting, and Winnowill certainly has plenty of practice. The question of why Winnowill would put so much magical effort into a child she fucking hates remains, but knowing her and her pride in her power, she very well might have tried to break the species barrier just to prove she could.

CONCLUSION - Elves and trolls might be related but they certainly aren't conclusively the same species and ElfQuest biology is weird as balls.

[maschotch]

free ticket to talk about low empathy emily. i've missed your thoughts and opinion posts.

i love low empathy emily <3 i think it makes so much sense for her character… a child of a diplomat who grows up understanding the world through intricate rituals and structures that she doesn’t relate to, only to realize that there’s a big piece that many people actually do connect with. i think functionally she’s learned to manage it, and she’s intelligent enough to recognize the patterns of causes/effects of behaviors. i don’t think it bothers her but she’s worried it’ll make other people mistrustful if they found out, which is why she tries to hide it when she first joins the team.

i think her interpol team knew (and i think many of them had similar situations, but to what extent idk). i also think the bau members all have various levels of awareness. i think some of them would look at her differently, so they don’t see it or choose not to see it (like morgan and garcia). jj just thinks she’s good at compartmentalizing and has her own issues with her inferiority complex that makes her stuck with that idea of emily. i think spencer realizes it eventually… maybe in season 4? but he’s able to see evidence of her caring for them, so he recognizes that her mind just works differently and accepts it at that, which makes him more willing to share his own experiences with her. i think gideon and rossi can both tell immediately, but they don’t care. i think hotch probably would’ve been able to tell sooner if he wasn’t so hung up on taking his frustrations out on her in season 2… revelations should’ve been when he could tell but i don’t think it was until maybe season 3 that he truly realized. at first he’s skeptical whether it’ll interfere with her abilities as a profiler, but when it obviously doesn’t then it’s no longer his business

[donnapalude]

i just realised that what the hamiltons do for flint and what rogers does for eleanor are almost exactly the same, in that they pertain to the liberation from shame, but the methodology for and effects of achieving this end up being completely different.

"know no shame" "thomas and i are not bothered by [the rumors]? are you?" are well known.

however, i hadn't connected that rogers has almost exactly the same conversation with eleanor. when he asks her to work closely with him (and already there is a romantic undercurrent) she is immediately preoccupied that people will be suspicious and he answers "i am fairly certain i don't care. do you?". and the sentiment could be similar but the context makes all the difference.

first of all, we need to see what he is encouraging her to embrace here. he tells her he wants her by his side:

"because you are smart. without needing anyone to explain to you how to be. and because you are not afraid of being thought to be wrong, when you know that you are right"

i think this is a really insidious line, when i heard it i immediately understood why eleanor would feel flattered. on the surface he is praising her intelligence and diplomatic ability. what he is actually saying is that he values that intelligence only insofar as she is can show she is able to be humble about it and to hide and bend it for his purposes.

when the hamiltons tell flint not to care about what people think they are telling him that if he knows something is right he should not feel ashamed even if society knows and does not agree. they still may hide some things out of self-preservation but not shame. and they are still not really trying to change the system and they are trying to live within it, but they at least adknowledge the conflict between what they believe is right and what society thinks is right is systemic and cannot be reconciled.

when rogers tells eleanor not to care what other people think he is telling her that if she knows something is right she should not feel ashamed because he can create a space where society will never know it.

it's a subtle but important difference. because to some extent he is still recognising there is a conflict between what he/eleanor and society believe to be right. but he sees it as an incidental and isolated misalignment, a misunderstanding with specific people. he is concerned only with eleanor individualistically, certainly not with the ideology of women's rights and abilities at large. since he does not question the whole societal system as inadequate, the problem for him is private not societal. and so is the solution. he believes it is possible for what is right for him and what is right for society to co-exist side by side if they just don't touch each other. that is of course due to privilege. so he is not telling eleanor he will challenge society for her just that he will create a place where it will not touch her (we all know how it ends). and that is really everything she ever wanted: the dream of pacified nassau was always an attempt to just create a pocket of the world where she would matter. so this is why this works for her and she is hooked.

[dr-albertwesker]

[WESKER'S REPORT II / G-VIRUS]

G-VIRUS

1995.7.31 (Mon)

(Seven years after previous record)

It was summer again and seventeen years had passed since that day I first visited that place. Whenever I came back there, I remembered the smell of the wind that day. Both the building and surrounding scenery hadn't changed since then. Above the heliport I could also see Birkin, who had arrived earlier. It had already been a long time since we last met. Four years had now passed since I left the Arklay Laboratory.

When the G-Virus Project formulated by Birkin was approved four years ago, I requested a transfer to the intelligence division and was readily accepted. Giving up on my career in the role of a researcher and seeking a turning point must've looked like a natural course of events from anyone's perspective. The fact is, the concept of "G" was beyond a level I could keep up with. Even if I had no aim to investigate Spencer's true intentions, I was sure I'd reached the limit of my capabilities as a researcher by that stage.

As the wind of the helicopter whirled overhead, Birkin never took his eyes off the papers in his hand, as usual. Although he seemed to be a regular visitor to Arklay, he no longer belonged there either. Some time ago, he transferred to a huge underground research facility in Raccoon City. That place served as the base for him developing the "G-Virus." But to be quite honest, four years prior, I never imagined Spencer would approve G. It consisted of a concept so unknown it deviated from the general idea of a weapon.

The reason G is distinguished from the previous t-Virus is that an infected organism continues to mutate spontaneously and independently. Viruses are prone to mutations due to the fact their genes are exposed. But that's only true of a virus itself, not for the genes of living organisms. It's very rare for in-vivo genes to mutate even if they're structurally altered by a virus.

External factors such as exposure to radiation are another story. An organism infected by G requires no such external factors at all however, it will continuously mutate until it dies. A similar characteristic exists to a lesser extent within the t-Virus. It had already been confirmed that placing a Bio Organic Weapon in a special environment would cause structural genetic changes due to activation of the virus within the body. For that to happen though, it strictly requires a trigger due to an external factor, putting re-mutations within a predictable range to a certain extent.

However, there was no such rule for a "G Organism." No one can predict where their changes will lead, and no matter what countermeasures are devised to destroy it, it would continue to mutate and invalidate them.

Birkin discovered a glimpse of this effect seven years ago in the female test subject. Used for each and every experiment, she apparently hadn't developed any changes in appearance, but deep down she was constantly changing and survived, coexisting in fusion with all sorts of experimental viruses. Then her internal mutations, lasting twenty one years, had changed her enough to even absorb the "Nemesis Parasite."

The G-Virus Project was going to push this characteristic to the extreme. What lies ahead however may be evolution toward a "supreme organism", or a destructive demise...Could it be called a weapon?

What was Spencer thinking when he approved this project?

Although four years had passed since I transferred to the intelligence division, I was still unable to grasp Spencer's true goal. And now Spencer has even stopped showing up in Arklay. As if he anticipates something happening here soon...Spencer's visage drifts away from me like a mirage floating in a desert. But an opportunity should present itself someday. If I can survive until then, that is.

The elevator picked up Birkin and I and descended to the lab's highest level.

We returned to the place we first met her. Birkin's successor was waiting there, the new chief researcher "John." This man was supposedly an excellent scientist who had come from the Chicago Laboratory, but he appeared too sane a person to work at this lab. He questioned the barbarity of the research here and submitted his opinion to the top brass to have it corrected. There was talk of him even in the intelligence division I was in. Everyone's opinion was "If any information's going to leak out, it'll come from this guy." We just ignored John and commenced her final disposal.

We were to kill her. Although she had absorbed Nemesis and regained a modicum of intelligence, it merely resulted in bizarre behavior. Her actions gradually escalated until she began tearing the faces off other women and wearing them. According to the records, it seems she exhibited a similar behavior at the time she was first injected with the Progenitor Virus. We had no idea what she was thinking or why she was doing it, but her disposal was decided on after three researchers recently fell victim to her.

Now that G research was on track, she no longer held any practical value as a test subject. After repeatedly verifying her lack of vital signs over the course of three days, her body was brought somewhere at the director's order. In the end, I still have no clue who she was or why she was brought here. Of course, the same is true for the other test subjects. But the "G-Project" may not have existed if not for her. In that event, the lives of myself and Birkin would probably be different now. I thought about that as I left the Arklay Laboratory.

I do wonder, to what extents do Spencer's calculations go?

(Three years later, the "incident" begins)

[hecatesbroom]

Remember that essay I wrote on vulnerability in the Golden Girls? Yeah. 8k wasn't enough apparently, because I've got a little add-on about Rose here. After rewatching some episodes, I have a lot more to talk about!

Under the cut because this got slightly out of hand (again). You can just treat this as a standalone post if you haven't read the essay by the way; it's just that the subject matter is the same so that's why they're linked in my mind ;)

Rose is very emotionally intelligent and great at supporting others. We see this in multiple instances, and I've mentioned it in the essay as well — so I won't delve too deeply into that. But, and I never mentioned this in the essay because I hadn't noticed it before, she seems to deal with her own emotions in a healthy way only (or at least primarily) because she lives in an emotionally healthy household.

What do I mean by that? Well, when left to her own devices, it seems like her coping method is actually very similar to Dorothy's (distract herself from the matter at hand while trying to find a solution), which can be seen very clearly in S01E22: Job Hunt, where she loses her job and, for the first part of the episode, focuses on everything except her very serious problem (being out of a job and needing money to pay rent). The discerning difference between Dorothy and Rose is that Rose stays incessantly cheerful and focused on empathizing with other people throughout it all. In fact, I'd say that as long as she prioritizes others' (emotional) needs, she can trick herself into feeling like her own needs aren't as important — attempting to diminish their emotional impact in the process.

It tracks perfectly with what she said about the orphanage (only the sweet, happy kids were adopted). And what better way to hide your hurt, even fron yourself, than behind a mask of cheer and kindness, and empathy for others?

In the episode mentioned above, she snaps only when Blanche and Dorothy call her out on her seeming lack of concern for at least the second time — and she seems to snap not because they show concern, but because she's frustrated with the fact that they think she's underestimating how severe this all is (because she's been putting up a front all this time, and it's been so effective not even Dorothy or Blanche saw through it). When asked why she's been hiding the extent of her distress from them, Rose replies with a very clear line of reasoning: telling them won't get her a job.

This implies she's actually focused a lot more on practical outcomes for her own problems, than her work at a grief centre (where her only way of helping people is emotional, not practical) would suggest. By working at a grief centre and acknowledging her importance towards her clients, she acknowledges the importance and effectiveness of emotional support. But when it comes to her own problem, which is admittedly rooted in a more practical concern, she completely dismisses her need for emotional support — because telling her friends won't fix the practical root of her problem, so she simply doesn't do it until she snaps.

So: Rose turns to somewhat unhealthy coping mechanisms (distraction to the point of ignoring her emotions) until her roommates confront her about it. Which is where the emotionally healthy environment comes in: because Blanche and Dorothy are so willing to support Rose, she opens up eventually and she's able to work through her problems. (As she does on several other occasions!) But it seems like she opens up only when she's pushed to do so, at least a little.

[tea-earl-grey]

DS9 character dnd classes

continuing from this

Sisko: cleric. i mean pretty easy given that in canon he's literally the emissary of some gods. but also cleric fits Sisko the best because unlike captains like Picard and Janeway, Sisko isn't really focused on being the champion of Federation ideals but instead on protection. he also literally performs acts of divinity and communes with gods pretty regularly in ds9. in terms of domains... war domain might fit just because of the content of ds9.

Kira: paladin. eaaaasy. Kira is incredibly devout, a fighter, and devoted to protecting those in need. you would be hard pressed to make a character who's more like a paladin. i would also probably say at the beginning of the show she serves under an oath of vengeance but maybe that changes over the seasons.

Odo: paladin. Kira and Odo as paladins with a very different outlook makes sooooo much sense. while most paladins might champion moral righteousness, Odo is very much the champion of justice and law to the extent that he has a crisis of faith when he realizes that his sense of justice can be corrupted (Things Past).

Jadzia: sorcerer. while Jadzia is obviously very intelligent and could be a wizard, Trills are such an annoyingly good analog for sorcerers. like literally gaining skills through a mystical bloodline stored in the symbiont. also yeah Jadzia is clearly a high charisma character.

Bashir: warlock. Bashir has a wizard energy sure but also he gets his abilities from being genetically engineered which seems analogous to me to a forbidden warlock's pact.

Quark: rogue. what more explanation do you want? i will say rather than being dextrous, Quark as a rogue would depend much more on deception and cunning than dexterity and whatnot.

Jake: bard. he's a writer and he has the personality to match.

Ezri: sorcerer. fits the sorcerer model even better than Jadzia tbh. like all of her erratic behavior after joining is just like wild magic effects.

O'Brien: fighter. O'Brien is the only character i'm kind of struggling with a bit and i know i said that science/engineering skills translate to being a magic user but also O'Brien very much has the energy of a very tired fighter in a party with only magic users and he's trying his best alright.

Worf: paladin. (already in my tng summary)

gotta say making dnd classes for the ds9 characters was much much easier than tos and tng characters. maybe if i'm feeling inspired i'll come back to do some secondary characters.

[trillscienceofficer]

“[Star Trek: The Next Generations fourth season episode ‘The Host’ i]s one of the most outstanding episodes we've ever done,” says story editor Brannon Braga. “Being in love with someone is not very fresh. Having the parasite being as the real intelligence and the body as the host is. It was not originally pitched as a love story, it was pitched as a squirmy worm who's really the intelligence. What's ironic is that the most repulsive story ever pitched to us ended up being the most touching love story and that's why it's so unique." Elaborates Ron Moore, “The addition of Beverly to that story is the vital component. A lot of freelancers would take that premise and say this is a show about the ambassador and the struggles of the parasitic creature and the war negotiations. No one really cares about that. But when it becomes a Beverly problem, who's in the position with the problem, and to some extent Riker, that's how it became a Star Trek story.” Ultimately ‘The Host’ has become one of the most popular Trek episodes in light of its non-polemic, but effective, advocacy of tolerance and acceptance. [...] Although many questioned Dr. Crusher's rejection of Odan, once transplanted into a female body, as homophobic, [director Marvin] Rush disagrees vehemently. “Most of the people that I have talked to thought the show worked pretty well and were entertained. Some comment was that they were unhappy with the ending because it was left a question. There was, or could have been, a sort of homosexual aspect to is [sic] and we chose not to go that route with it. I felt that it was more about the nature of love, why we love and what prevents us from loving. To me the best analogy is if your beloved turned into a cockroach, could you love a cockroach? It's the same person, if the person is the personality and the core within, but can you get past the outside? We as humans are affected by the whole package, including the outside shell, and Gates [McFadden] in her last scene talks about maybe someday our ability to love won't be so limited. She says mankind may one day be able to deal with this, but I can't. To me that is about the nature of love and I think that's an interesting, worthy discussion. Rather than deal with the fact it was because of any homosexual bent per se, it's just that in our culture and our society people who are heterosexual who want the companionship of a male because they are a female, wouldn't be able to deal with that opposite situation.”

From “Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages” by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman (1995)

[For the record, I'm quoting this while completely disagreeing with the argument Marvin Rush made here. I think it's a textbook example of someone going ‘no I'm not a homophobe but—’ while also bringing transphobic sentiments to the table in order to justify themself. And it would've been easy to entirely sidestep all these ad-hoc rationalizations for ‘The Host’, just by doing what ‘Rejoined’ did with the same concepts—of the Trill and of love transcending hosts while still not being quite enough for a happily ever after—only a few years later.]

[project-sekai-facts]

2nd year event?! I saw the announcement and am now very curious and excited, especially since this is happening before Mafuyu’s coming up. Have the 2nd years ever had an event about them? What are your thoughts about this group? I know you have some because I saw your tags 👀

Below cut

It's SO gonna be a WxS key story like no way out of it. Given that they're both lims that probably means that it's gonna have a lot of screentime for the boys (well, Rui is a given, it's his event), so there's no way they won't bring up the current WxS plot. Honestly making this a Rui event was an amazing idea because it connects so much with his arc with his fear of growing up and having to leave what he has now behind. And by the looks of the card he made new friends!! Which actually makes it all the more gut punching because he's never really had friends and he only gets a whopping one whole in-universe year with them now.

It's also really cool to see that the Miyajo girls are there. I reckon Shizuku (and Airi, but to a much lesser extent) will get like a mini version of STEP by STEP! with Mafuyu. Because think about it, if Shizuku and Airi leave formal education, that makes Mafuyu the only MC Miyajou 3rd year. I think it'll be really neat to see all the second years interact more because they've never been given much of a chance before outside of a few short scenes, and I think Rui and Mafuyu's dynamic in particular is really interesting. I don't know how much they'll interact in this event, if at all, but I'd like to see more there. Rui is very emotionally intelligent - so long as it doesn't apply to himself - and he's also very very observant, so although having him notice where Mafuyu's issues was unexpected, it wasn't necessarily surprising, and I'd like that to be followed up on even if it is arguably more effective as a passing encounter moment.

I'm guessing there'll be a sweet making and tea ceremony part, because those are the event teams and also Airi's favourite food/club so I think that would be a nice laid-back bonding moment from the 2nd years and who knows, if that does happen then maybe they'll ruin the 3 seconds of peace we get from by reminding us that Airi is moving to credit course and won't be doing clubs anymore.

I'm assuming they'll throw in the excuse for the two schools interacting is that they both happened to be on the same school trip at the exact same time.

Also, the event description. I have thoughts.

from @/pjsekai_eng on twitter

I'm guessing the reason Rui has little interest is because 1. aforementioned fear of getting growing up and moving on and doesn't want to face it, and 2. doesn't have many friends at school, let alone any in his class (it's outlined in KAMIKOU FESTIVAL! that he has never particularly been one for school events because everyone would push him away. We've had Cheerfes since then but you get my point). But it looks like maybe his classmates are actually more willing to be friends with him now?

And then the event name

same source as above

Hey look that sounds like a Wonderlands x Showtime inevitable disbandment reference. Atp I'm starting to think the reason I'm so invested in their current arc is because of how much it resembles a Love Live plot (mod makes shameless LL reference #3 billion what else is new?). Enjoying your youth while you can because there's so much fun stuff you can do and you're surrounded by people and it truly is an experience that you won't be able to quite match later on. It's simple but incredibly effective and emotionally driven. Especially since the age high school is in Japan really is like that bridging period between childhood and adulthood. And linking this to Rui and Tsukasa's event cards specifically...

They seem to have tied the folklore theme with a school uniform theme. And I'm going to pick this apart because I'm already 643 words in so why stop now? I feel bad for excluding Shizuku from this but we've never had too much on her school-related past. The most we got was Draw Your Bow In This White World which was only set 1 year pre-canon so not counting it.

Anyway. I've seen several people point out on Twitter that Rui's limited hair is the same hairstyle that he had as a child. That stuck out to me because we know from flashbacks that that was when people started to steer clear of him at school and he lost a lot of friends, and I wonder if that's going to be brought up in the event, especially since it seems that he's going to be making new friends.

In a similar vein, Tsukasa. I'm sure most people noticed that he's basically wearing his middle school uniform except with glasses. Like Rui's lim linking to when he was most lonely, Tsukasa's does as well. It's established in On the stage of dazzling light that he was pretty lonely during middle school because it was when Saki got moved to a hospital out of the prefecture.

I don't know if this was intentional because Shizuku's doesn't visibly follow that theme, but prsk does like some good symbolism and lim sets quite often have one that sticks out from the others for whatever reason. If it wasn't intentional then good on them for somehow doing this. But it does make a lot of sense, y'know? Cherishing the high school memories because the ones before now were a bit shit?

1 2 (heh)

Being frank I don't entirely know how Japanese school trips work but judging by the card it looks like Rui and Tsukasa got put in a group together? I hope their friendship gets some depth and development added to it with this event because they actually have an interesting dynamic underneath the Oddball 1-2 comic relief that has a lot of underutilised potential. Like what I said in those screenshots - Rui wants to know more about the SEKAI, but since it's entirely derived from Tsukasa's psyche, it means he has to get to know Tsukasa better, and they still aren't on much of a more personal level of friendship almost 3 years after that card story. The fact that both of their lims seem to reference the points when they were most lonely... I think that could be a good starting point for them to bond over. Obviously the circumstances were completely different and Rui was driven into depression by it, but what I'm saying is that it's a start.

Also like the very intentional parallels between Rui and Mizuki and their loneliness and their connection with the rooftop Wonderlands x Showtime main story chapter 5 My Footprints, Your Destination chapter 8 Tsukasa and Ena and the personal impact they had on those two respectively something or other and the fact that one side of that parallel has surprisingly little depth to their relationship idk

Oh and this part from the very end of A Canary Sings In A Quagmire. Though they might stall on it for a bit longer since it's a plot thread that was only just introduced. I reckon if it does get brought up it will just be in internal monologue or Rui just mentioning the concept in passing or being vague about it rather than actually addressing it (Emu and Nene aren't here and I think they will probably be around when it gets fully unpacked). If they do decide to face it directly then I wouldn't mind but it seems too soon to me.

Finally, I reckon we might get some more Shizuku and Tsukasa interactions. It's kind of guaranteed to be fair but you never know. Their dynamic isn't hugely deep or anything but it doesn't need to be, like they only know each other because their sisters were friends. Anyway I don't really mind if all they do in the event is talk about their sisters and what they've been up to themselves - it's pretty cute.

I'll be reading the event in my lunch break tomorrow so long as it is on sekai.best by then, so if anyone wants to ask me more about it then feel free. Watch literally none of what I just wrote happen in the event.

If I said that almost all of the 2nd years are in my top 10 would that justify the word vomit?

[ncfertari]

Devil Fruit AU

If Vivi got a Devil fruit it would be during her travels with the Straw Hats maybe around the time of Little Garden. Maybe she is given the fruit to eat while everyone is drunk and no one realizes it was a devilfruit until after the fact. The devil fruit she would eat would be the Mirage-Mirage fruit.

Please note devil fruit information is from Reddit conversation which I really liked. Changes were made to suit Vivi.

The user can create realistic illusions that can confuse opponents and hide their presence. However, the illusions cannot cause physical harm but can directly affect the environment. They are purely visual, this is countered if the fruit is awakened, then the illusions can cause harm and are bigger and more realistic. If the user awakened their fruit makes a illusion of someone they are almost as powerful but not as powerful as the original. Before awakening the fruit the mirages has a limit but after the fact the limit is the users imagination and intelligence.

Illusion Creation: The user can create highly realistic and convincing illusions that affect the visual senses of others. These illusions can take various forms, such as creating mirages of landscapes, altering appearances of objects or individuals, or even generating complex scenarios.

Sensory Manipulation: The illusions created by the user can target multiple senses, not just sight. They can create illusions that affect hearing, touch, taste, and smell, making the experience incredibly immersive for the affected individuals.

Illusion Interaction: The illusions generated by the user can interact with the physical world to some extent. For example, they can create illusory objects that people can touch or illusory sounds that can be heard. However, the illusions lack substance and will dissipate if physically interacted with too forcefully.

Illusion Complexity: The complexity of the illusions depends on the user's creativity, skill, and concentration. They can create intricate scenarios with multiple characters, dynamic environments, and detailed interactions. However, maintaining complex illusions requires considerable focus and energy from the user.

Limited Range: The illusions have a limited range within which they can affect individuals. The range depends on the user's mastery of the fruit and their own physical proximity to the targets. Generally, the illusions are effective within a few meters of the user (Unless it is awakened).

Mental Defense: Individuals with strong willpower or mental fortitude can resist or break free from the illusions to some extent. The effectiveness of the illusions diminishes against opponents with strong mental resilience or those who possess advanced observation Haki. (harder to do after awakened)