#correct me if I'm wrong but Killer is one of the few characters who have a big emphasis on hiding their identify

[terukotime]

allow me to be super delulu for a second

if either Eden or Ace are the actual killer, that would mean one of them would be saying their secret quotes in the next coming episodes. but...do we really feel like the situation warrants them saying what their quotes are?

Ace's is: "I don't know what to do with myself anymore."

Eden's is: "You can't go back, no matter how hard you try."

Ace's feels a little strange to say in the trial. we're very close to unearthing the real culprit, and if Ace really is the killer, when would he say that? immediately upon being found out? the quote itself has their air of melancholy and defeatism, and even at his lowest, we know Ace isn't someone to concede or go down without a fight. and if he knows he's about to die, what's the point in saying "I don't know what to do with myself anymore" when he's not even going go be alive in the next few moments? He WON'T be doing anything with himself anymore, he'll be dead.

Eden's, while not as strange of a thing to say as Ace, is also kind of peculiar. when would she say it? while she's admitting to the murder? if Eden did it, sure, it's believable that she'd feel some regret, but the setup to her being the killer feels very odd now that we've gone through this big emotional moment between her and Teruko. honestly, after all that, if Eden really is the killer, i'd be more inclined to believe she WOULDN'T regret killing Arei. it'd seem like her crying and pleading was all just emotional manipulation. it also seems strange to me that Eden would have already had it in mind to kill Arei when she and Teruko found Ace, and took the opportunity to steal the tape to carry it out. i could definitely be wrong, and please correct me if i am, but i think the attempted murder was the same day as what happened with Eden and Arturo? honestly, even if it wasn't, it just feels weird to me that Eden would find some way to disguise her handwriting, set up a murder method even more elaborate than Nico's original version, and then do the whole trial pleading and sobbing for people to believe she didn't kill her and actually have regretted her actions. that shit is so premeditated that everything Eden has done thus far feels like immense emotional manipulation. while that could still be possible...it's not really that satisfying, i'd say. who knows, maybe i'm in severe denial, but i just think this characterization of Eden would be really weird. it would feel less like a betrayal of "man, this character i liked turned out to be awful", and more like a betrayal of "man, this character i liked has made a 180° in their personality without any foreshadowing of having a darker side to them".

and i'm just still really hung up on Hu. her secret quote, "I want to pay for what I've done. But even then, I still want to live." makes total sense in the context of this trial, especially after her secret reveal. and while it's pretty unlikely she took the tape from the gym, there's no guarantee that the person who took the tape at the time HAS to be the murderer. i'm just still hung up on the fact that it feels like there needs to be one last, big twist before the true killer is revealed. a moment where Teruko comes to her realization and the culprit is selected before she makes any actual accusation against them. we already knew Eden and Ace would be the ones Teruko was going to interrogate in the selection because of her explanation. just given how drdt has been written thus far, i feel like they wouldn't hand the potential answer to us like that so easily. like we wouldn't get to the point of selecting the culprit with the story already telling us it can only be one of two suspects.

it's entirely possible that i'm just coping and am refusing to accept that one of my favorite characters is actually the culprit. or that drdt could have a trial that isn't greatly written. it's totally fine if i'm wrong and Eden or Ace really is the killer, i definitely won't enjoy it much but it's not my story, nor would it completely make me drop drdt.

i honestly just needed to rant LMAO. this episode left me with a LOT of feelings.

[epicfirestormer]

Okay so I have no idea if anyone has pointed this out before or not, but I haven't seen anyone talk about it, so I guess I'll do it.

In Chapter 944, Kid says thay Killer wears a mask because he would beat up people who made fun of his laugh and decided to hide it by wearing a mask one day. Which is like, the weirdest reason I've ever heard.

How exactly does wearing a mask meant to hide his laugh?? It's not soundproof, we know that for sure, because 1. He talks normally and doesn't sound muffled at all, and 2. We can still hear his laugh. We see this in the raid during Act 3, multiple times. So, what's the point??

Is he functioning on the logic of "if no one can see me physically laugh, they can't make fun of me for it"? Which is like, I guess makes some sense, but still feels like a stretch.

Technically speaking, covering his face has close to nothing to do with stopping his laugh. Because it doesn't. It's to hide his face.

Killer wasn't made fun of because of his laugh. It was because of his face- or more accurately, his third eye. In this essay I will-

[donquixotehomura]

Valentine's Day with One Piece Boys

Master List

W.C:3295    so uhhhhh my hand slipped oops... I took some assumptions here and I changed some things that are common about these characters in Fanfic writing, my brain couldn’t come up with a lot for Law I’m sorry about that, Crocodile and Doffy can be read as pre or post becoming Warlords, some might be OOC but IDK I wrote this in about a day lol (my eyes fingers and back hurt I need to correct my posture lol) sorry if I didn't write for your favorites, have fun and lemme know what you think I love feed back It took two and a half fucking hours to put the gifs in, cause the line thingy where you add stuff only showed at the very bottom so I had to keep editing and dragging shit around, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, also I had to look up all the gifs here even tho I have tons cause for some reason "something goofed" .... end my suffering also I wrote this on word and then brought it here so if formatting gets weird that's why, even tho I spent hours on making sure everything is good shout out to my inspo who also encouraged me to write it @cinnbar-bun

 

Dracule Mihawk, Roronoa Zoro, Portgas D. Ace, Donquixote Doflamingo, Eustass "Captain" Kid, Charlotte Katakuri, Massacre Soldier Killer, Sir Crocodile, Trafalgar Law.

Dracule Mihawk:

Mihawk and Y/N prefer intimate celebrations for Valentine's Day. They often opt for a quiet evening together at their secluded castle, away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. 

Despite their stoic exteriors, Mihawk and Y/N are surprisingly sentimental when it comes to expressing their feelings. They exchange handwritten letters on Valentine's Day, pouring their hearts out on paper in a way that words spoken aloud cannot convey. 

Instead of extravagant gestures, Mihawk and Y/N prefer to exchange gifts that hold sentimental value. Mihawk might gift Y/N a rare book on something she likes, while Y/N might give Mihawk a custom-made piece of simple jewelry like a small bracelet she personally crafted for him. 

On Valentine's Day, Mihawk surprises Y/N by offering to cook dinner together. Despite her lack of culinary skills, Y/N appreciates the bonding activity and enjoys spending quality time with him in the kitchen, even if it results in a few culinary mishaps. 

After dinner, Mihawk and Y/N venture out into the castle's courtyard to stargaze. They lie side by side on a blanket, Y/N pointing out constellations and sharing stories about their significance, reveling in the peaceful solitude of the night, Mihawk just listens to her with a small fond smile. 

Throughout the day, Mihawk and Y/N take time to reflect on their journey together, reminiscing about cherished memories and shared experiences that have strengthened their bond over the years. 

As a romantic gesture, Mihawk and Y/N share a midnight dance in the castle's grand ballroom. Lit only by candlelight, they move together in a graceful waltz, lost in the magic of the moment and the timeless beauty of their love.    Going To Sleep Cuddling: Mihawk and Y/N will go to sleep in the end of the day holding each other, Y/N would curl up into his arms, burying her face into his chest while he wraps his arms around her his hand going into her hair to play with the soft strands.  

As Valentine's Day draws to a close, Mihawk and Y/N exchange a few hushed words as they cuddle, reaffirming their commitment to each other and the promise of a future filled with love, laughter, and endless adventures together. 

Roronoa Zoro:

Despite his tough exterior, Zoro secretly spends weeks planning the perfect Valentine's Day surprise for Y/N. He meticulously selects a secluded spot on the island they're docked on, where they can enjoy each other's company away from the hustle and bustle of the crew. 

Y/N, appreciative of Zoro's efforts, prepares a special gift for him on Valentine's Day. Knowing his love for swords, she surprises him with a beautifully crafted sheath for one of his blades, personalized with intricate designs that reflect their shared journey together. 

Zoro and Y/N spend Valentine's Day evening taking a leisurely stroll along the shores of the island. With the sound of waves lapping against the shore and the moonlight casting a soft glow, they share quiet moments of intimacy, lost in each other's company. 

During their stroll, Zoro and Y/N encounter a group of wild creatures roaming the island. With their swords drawn, they effortlessly dispatch the beasts, their synchronized movements a testament to their unwavering bond as swordsmen and lovers. 

As the night progresses, Zoro and Y/N build a campfire on the beach, the crackling flames casting flickering shadows around them. They share stories of their past adventures and dreams for the future, their laughter mingling with the sound of the ocean. 

Under the starlit sky, Zoro finally opens up to Y/N, expressing his gratitude for her presence in his life. He admits that he's not good at expressing his feelings, but Y/N's unwavering support and love have changed him for the better. 

Moved by Zoro's vulnerability, Y/N wraps her arms around him, offering him comfort and reassurance. She assures him that their love is enough, and she wouldn't have their Valentine's Day any other way. 

As the night comes to an end, Zoro and Y/N make a promise to each other to continue facing life's challenges together, hand in hand. They vow to cherish every moment and celebrate their love not just on Valentine's Day, but every day. 

As they watch the sun rise on the horizon, Zoro leans in to press a gentle kiss to Y/N's lips, sealing their promise with a silent vow of devotion. In that moment, amidst the beauty of the dawn, they find solace in the certainty of their love for each other. 

As they return to the ship, hand in hand, Zoro and Y/N share a knowing smile, their hearts full of love and gratitude for each other. Though their Valentine's Day was unconventional and filled with unexpected adventures, it was a testament to the strength of their bond and the depth of their love. 

Portgas D. Ace:

Y/N wakes up early on Valentine's Day to prepare a special breakfast for Ace. She arranges heart-shaped pancakes and fruit on a tray, leaving a note with a playful message for him to wake up to.  Ace spends weeks leading up to Valentine's Day working on a handmade gift for Y/N. He creates a personalized necklace with a small pendant in the shape of a flame, symbolizing their fiery love and passion. 

Y/N organizes a scavenger hunt around the Moby Dick for Ace. Each clue leads him to a different part of the ship, where he discovers small gifts and love notes hidden by Y/N. 

Ace surprises Y/N with a romantic beach picnic at a secluded cove. They enjoy a delicious meal together as they watch the sunset, the sound of the waves providing a serene backdrop to their intimate celebration. 

As the night falls, Ace and Y/N gather with their friends for a bonfire on the beach. They roast marshmallows, share stories, and cuddle close under a blanket, basking in the warmth of their love and the crackling fire. 

Y/N sets up a telescope on the deck of the Moby Dick, and she and Ace spend the evening stargazing together. They point out constellations, make wishes on shooting stars, and share dreams for their future, Y/N certainly tries to find constellations that match Ace’s freckles.  Ace surprises Y/N with a makeshift dance floor on the deck of the ship. He puts on her favorite song, and they dance together under the moonlight, lost in each other's arms. 

Y/N leaves little love notes for Ace to find throughout the day. Each note expresses her affection and gratitude for having him in her life, reminding him of the depth of her love. 

Ace and Y/N spend the afternoon cooking a special Valentine's Day dinner together in the kitchen. They laugh, tease each other, and steal kisses amidst the preparation, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together. (Marco is on standby with a fire extinguisher) 

As the day comes to a close, Ace and Y/N exchange heartfelt declarations of love. They express their gratitude for each other, promising to cherish and support one another for all the days to come, both of them yelling it at the top of their lungs of the railing of the ship and the crew is so done with them lol 

Donquixote Doflamingo:

Doflamingo, despite his intimidating persona, secretly enjoys the sentimentality of Valentine's Day. He's known for surprising Y/N with extravagant gifts, ranging from rare treasures he's acquired during their travels to personalized items he's commissioned just for her. Y/N, in turn, cherishes each gift as a symbol of Doflamingo's affection, even if she's not one for material possessions.  On Valentine's Day, Doflamingo arranges a private, candlelit dinner on the deck of their ship or a secluded spot on the island they're currently exploring. He spares no expense in ensuring the evening is perfect, with gourmet cuisine prepared by their crew's skilled chefs. Y/N appreciates the effort he puts into creating these intimate moments and enjoys the opportunity to spend quality time together away from the chaos of pirate life. 

Instead of focusing solely on lavish gifts and grand gestures, Doflamingo and Y/N often reminisce about their shared adventures and memorable moments throughout the years. They spend Valentine's Day reflecting on the challenges they've overcome together, the laughter they've shared, the tears they’ve shed and the unbreakable bond that has formed between them. 

Despite their often intense and tumultuous journey as pirates, Doflamingo and Y/N also value quiet moments of affection. They may spend Valentine's Day simply enjoying each other's company, whether it's lounging on the deck, stargazing, or taking a leisurely stroll on the beach hand in hand. It's in these peaceful moments that they feel most connected. 

Doflamingo and Y/N have a deep understanding of each other, and Valentine's Day serves as a reminder of the unspoken bond they share. They may not always verbalize their feelings, but their actions speak volumes. Whether it's a knowing glance, a comforting touch, or a gentle smile exchanged between them, they both know that their love is unwavering.

Eustass "Captain" Kid:

Despite her tough exterior, Y/N secretly enjoys the romantic gestures she receives on Valentine's Day. Kid, though he may not admit it openly, takes great pleasure in surprising Y/N with small gifts and tokens of affection, leaving them anonymously for her to find.  Kid's idea of a Valentine's Day gift may not be traditional, but it's always heartfelt. He might present Y/N with a custom-made weapon, intricately designed and tailored to her unique fighting style, or a rare treasure he stumbled upon during their travels, symbolizing the adventures they've shared together. 

Y/N, with her artistic flair, expresses her love for Kid through her creations. She might spend weeks crafting a personalized piece of jewelry for him, incorporating elements of his Jolly Roger or symbols that hold significance to their relationship, showcasing her devotion in a tangible form. 

Amidst the chaos of their pirate life, Y/N and Kid cherish the quiet moments they steal away together on Valentine's Day. They might escape to a secluded spot-on deck, watching the stars and sharing stories, finding solace in each other's company amidst the vastness of the sea. 

For Y/N and Kid, Valentine's Day is not just about romantic gestures, but also about embarking on new adventures together. They might set sail to explore uncharted islands, face formidable foes, or discover hidden treasures, strengthening their bond through shared experiences and thrilling escapades. 

Despite their differences, Y/N and Kid's relationship is built on mutual respect and understanding. They may not always see eye to eye, but they know how to support and uplift each other, especially on Valentine's Day, when they take the time to appreciate the unique qualities that make their bond so special. 

Y/N and Kid's Valentine's Day celebrations may not be conventional, but they're uniquely theirs. They might indulge in a feast of their favorite foods, engage in friendly competitions and challenges, or simply enjoy each other's presence, knowing that their love transcends traditional expectations. 

As they spend Valentine's Day together, Y/N and Kid exchange promises for the future. They may vow to stand by each other through thick and thin, to continue exploring the world and facing its challenges together, and to cherish the love they share, knowing that their bond is unbreakable.

Charlotte Katakuri:

Despite their tough exteriors, Y/N and Katakuri secretly enjoy showering each other with romantic gestures on Valentine's Day. Y/N surprises Katakuri with handcrafted doughnuts with many flavours, each one meticulously made with love and care. In return, Katakuri presents Y/N with a beautifully crafted box of her favorite sweets, a testament to his thoughtfulness and affection. On Valentine's evening, Y/N and Katakuri escape the chaos of Totto Land for a private dinner date on a secluded beach. They indulge in a feast of their favorite dishes, sharing laughter and intimate conversation under the twinkling stars. As the night deepens, they dance together in the moonlight, their hearts beating in perfect harmony. 

In the days leading up to Valentine's Day, Y/N and Katakuri exchange heartfelt love letters, expressing their deepest emotions and gratitude for each other. Y/N's letters are filled with poetic prose and declarations of undying love, while Katakuri's letters are eloquent and sincere, revealing the depths of his affection for Y/N. 

As a special Valentine's Day surprise, Katakuri whisks Y/N away on a romantic getaway to a secluded island paradise. They spend their days exploring pristine beaches, indulging in couples' massages, and savoring gourmet meals prepared by a private chef. It's a blissful escape from their duties and responsibilities, allowing them to focus solely on each other. 

On Valentine's Day, Y/N and Katakuri reminisce about their favorite moments together, flipping through photo albums filled with snapshots of their adventures. They laugh at candid shots of themselves and smile fondly at pictures of special milestones they've shared. It's a heartwarming reminder of the bond they've built and the memories they've created together, a few of them are pictures taken by Y/N of Katakuri throughout the day, in some of them his scarf is hiding a smile or a blush a reason as to why she took the picture (yes she walks around with a Visual Den Den Mushi.. At least that’s what I think the picture taking ones are called)    Y/N has been joining Katakuri during his Meriendas for years now and same as rumors spread about him meditating and talking to gods of battle during them rumors spread about her as well (I read a fic about this before where Y/N was considered his oracle and it’s an amazing one I’m trying to find it again) what they don’t know is that these two are being very sappy idiots, cuddling sharing kisses and laughs and stealing each other's sweets, especially on this day, the others just think that they’re doing some sort of ritual about devotion to Gods of Battle only lol. 

As the night falls on Valentine's Day, Y/N and Katakuri retreat to a secluded hilltop, where they lay beneath a blanket of stars, hand in hand. They share stories of their hopes and dreams, tracing constellations with their fingers and basking in the quiet beauty of the   night sky. It's a moment of perfect serenity, a reminder of the infinite possibilities that lie ahead for their love.

Massacre Soldier Killer:

Despite their tough exteriors, Killer and Y/N secretly enjoy surprising each other with small romantic gestures on Valentine's Day. Y/N might leave a heartfelt note tucked into Killer's pocket, while Killer might craft a makeshift bouquet of flowers from materials he finds on their travels. Valentine's Day is a rare opportunity for Killer and Y/N to spend some quality time together away from the chaos of pirate life. They might steal away to a secluded spot on the ship or find a quiet beach where they can enjoy each other's company without interruptions. 

Killer and Y/N reminisce about their favorite moments together, cherishing the memories they've created during their time as partners in crime. They might exchange stories about their most memorable adventures or laugh about the mishaps they've encountered along the way. 

Despite their limited resources as pirates, Killer and Y/N find creative ways to exchange gifts on Valentine's Day. Y/N might fashion a piece of jewelry from shells she finds on the beach, while Killer might carve a wooden trinket with his expert craftsmanship. 

Killer surprises Y/N with a romantic candlelit dinner, showcasing his culinary skills with a delicious meal cooked from scratch. Y/N, in turn, appreciates the effort and thoughtfulness behind the gesture, and they enjoy a quiet evening together under the stars. While they may not always express their emotions openly, Killer and Y/N show their love and affection for each other in subtle ways. A gentle touch, a lingering glance, or a reassuring smile speaks volumes in the language of their relationship. 

Valentine's Day serves as a reminder of the unbreakable bond between Killer and Y/N. They reaffirm their commitment to each other, promising to stand by each other's side through thick and thin, no matter what challenges may come their way. 

As they bask in the warmth of each other's love on Valentine's Day, Killer and Y/N discuss their hopes and dreams for the future. They envision a life together filled with adventure, laughter, and unwavering support, knowing that as long as they have each other, anything is possible. 

Overall, Valentine's Day is a special occasion for Killer and Y/N to celebrate their love and appreciation for each other, strengthening the bond that binds them together as partners in both love and piracy.

Sir Crocodile:

Crocodile and Y/N aren't ones for grand gestures, so their Valentine's Day celebration tends to be understated. They prefer spending quality time together rather than getting caught up in the commercial aspects of the holiday.  Crocodile surprises Y/N by preparing a simple but delicious meal for them to share. Despite his gruff exterior, Crocodile has a surprisingly deft hand in the kitchen, and Y/N is touched by the effort he puts into making the evening special. 

Instead of extravagant gifts, Crocodile and Y/N exchange meaningful tokens of their affection. Y/N gives Crocodile a handmade leather-bound journal, knowing how much he values knowledge and planning. In return, Crocodile presents Y/N with a rare seashell he found during one of their adventures, a symbol of their shared experiences. 

After dinner, Crocodile and Y/N enjoy a quiet evening together, lounging on the deck of their ship and gazing up at the stars. They talk about their hopes and dreams for the future, reveling in the simplicity of each other's company. 

Despite their tough exteriors, Crocodile and Y/N share a passion for Planning and Conquest. They spend the evening poring over maps and planning their next expedition, excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.  While they may not be overly demonstrative, Crocodile and Y/N show their love for each other in small, subtle ways. A gentle touch, a knowing glance, or a shared smile speaks volumes about the depth of their bond.   As the night draws to a close, Crocodile and Y/N express their gratitude for each other, acknowledging the strength and support they provide in each other's lives. They may not say "I love you" in so many words, but their actions speak louder than any declaration of affection ever could.

Trafalgar Law:

Y/N is bubbling with excitement as Valentine's Day approaches, eager to celebrate the occasion with Law despite his usual reservations about the holiday. She takes the lead in planning the day, organizing a romantic dinner aboard the Polar Tang complete with candles, rose petals, and Law's favorite dishes. Law, although initially hesitant about the festivities, appreciates Y/N's enthusiasm and decides to go along with her plans, wanting to make her happy. He surprises Y/N with small but meaningful gifts throughout the day, such as a locket containing a picture of the two of them together or a handwritten note expressing his love and gratitude. Y/N showers Law with affection, peppering him with kisses and hugs as they spend quality time together, enjoying each other's company in the privacy of their quarters. They share stories and reminisce about their favorite memories together, laughing and smiling as they bask in the warmth of their love. Law surprises Y/N with a heartfelt gesture, such as letting her cuddle with him instead of working or giving her a massage to help her relax and unwind. They exchange promises of love and commitment, reaffirming their bond and promising to stand by each other through thick and thin. As the day comes to a close, Law and Y/N cuddle up together under a blanket, content in each other's arms and grateful for the love they share. 

[adipostsstuff]

THE THING ABOUT DANGANRONPA THAT YOU SAID SOUNDS FUN AND COOL!!! a friend of mine is really into the whole series but I've never seen or played anything, if I were to jump into the web series, is there any previous knowledge I need? :O

BOYS (gn) WE GOT ANOTHER ONE!

Omg I'm so excited that I managed to get you interested in this Web series, it's really good but I didn't expect you would actually show interest!

The web series can be found on YouTube under the name Danganronpa Despair Time, there are playlists for the prologue, chapter 1 and the first part of chapter 2. The series went on hiatus part way through chapter 2 due to the creator's health (who does all of the writing and art by themself btw) but the remainder of chapter 2 is nearly finished so can be expected to come out soon (which means you got in at a perfect time lol). There's also bonus episodes, free time events and character music videos which aren't necessary for understanding the main story but can provide interesting information that I would personable leave until after watching the main series should you wish to do so. There's also quite a hit of info on their Tumblr page @danganronpadespairtime which I would check out that also has the progress bar.

In terms of Canon game knowledge, I'm not sure if there's anything you need to know. It is based off the timeline of the main games but everything that you need to know for the series is explained so I don't think you necessarily need to know what happens, someone else who's seen the series can correct me if I'm wrong (it does spoil the canon games though, particularly the first one, so bear that in mind). While it is set in the same timeline, the story is completely original, at least so far, so I think you're good, though if you're not planning to get into the canon games or if you don't care about spoilers for them you could ask your friend if there's anything you dont get. It would probably be helpful to know the structure of these games but I can just explain that right now: 16 Ultimate students (high schoolers chosen by a special school that are the best among high schoolers in the country in a particular field) are trapped in a closed location by a robotic bear (which can be replaced by other animals in fan projects) and the only way to escape is to kill another student without getting caught. Once a body is discovered the remaining students have to investigate for a while before they are made to participate in the class trial where they discuss and eventually vote for who they think did it. If the majority vote is correct only the killer is executed but if it is wrong everyone except the killer is executed and the killer gets to leave.

A bit more propaganda: I talked about my blorbo in length but really all of the characters are great. I can think of a few you would like but I won't say who so your experience can be as unbiased as possible (not sure if that's the right word haha). Not to spoil anything but the series does treat its characters in a similar way to how Milgram does, and, no, I will not elaborate. There is actually a significant crossover between Milgram fans and DRDT fans, though usually the pipeline is the other way around, so you already have other mutual to talk about it with, yay.

[gizkasparadise]

Thank you so much for the recs, I've already seen he is psychometric and that revelation of who the killer actually is? It made perfect sense and they gave us so many clues but it was also a gut punch and I never thought they would actually go there. I'll check out the others, I was actually interested in watching wonderland of love but I think I saw someone say it has a power imbalance I think it was @dangermousie and that turned me off. I haven't watched many cdramas vs hundreds of kdramas. I think every good love story should be two people falling in love and taking the time and effort to support protect and care for each other and compromising and sacrificing for each other instead for just one person going to multiple extremes and it's not returned and I might be wrong but a lot of recent cdramas fall into the second category even modern ones. Maybe they're trying to compensate for the years of air head female leads and psycho male leads who treated women like sh*t lmfao ( not that kdramas didn't do this a lot too). Just something I've been thinking about because now that I'm watching a lot of cdramas I'm noticing a pattern. Also idk if you've seen them if you haven't you should, ming lan and yanxi palace are both amazing, they're 70 eps but so worth it, two of the smartest female leads I have ever seen and it's shown instead of just repeated to us by multiple characters like a lot of dramas do, the otps are great but they're both essentially character studies of the women of that era and what they had to go through as they showcase multiple female characters of ranging moral standings but all treated with sensitivity and understanding and the highlights are watching these women form beautiful bonds and use their genius brains to f*ck people up.

Omg yes @ the reveal for psychometric!! I was shook and had to bodily recover for a few days lol

Re: wonderland of love, there is an arc where things are definitely lopsided in the FL's favor (I call it the Grovel Arc), so I get why that could be a pass for you. I'm still gonna rec it though just because the dynamics are fun and the leads are both interesting together and apart which I don't usually find in dramas (plus their world views are so different, but in a way where imo neither is wrong it's just the innate opposition of idealism vs. pragmatism)

Oh I've seen minglan! I always forget about it when making rec lists for some reason but I do love it a lot. Yanxi has been on my to watch list FOREVER

And yeah, to your point, I do think a lot of it's course correcting re: power balance. That said, there's still a lot of Male Lead Is A Genius Who It's A Privilege To Chase present in newer dramas as well (unpopular opinion, but I couldn't STAND the ML in lighter and princess, for example).

[mongrelmutt]

Continuing the Jules Verne kick with "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"

Under a cut because this is longer than the others:

- This is my least favorite of his books so far. I am falling asleep while reading it.

- The professor calling Conseil his "boy" when Conseil is 30 years old, and only 10 years younger than him  😬😬😬

- *Hisses at Captain Nemo* Bad Vibes

- I'm pretty sure physics doesn't work like this, but I don't know enough to argue. Nor do I care enough to look it up. I am just so bored. Please get to more interesting things. 

- Also, lol of course the Victorian dudes would be like "WHALE BODIES MUST BE STRONG AND IMMOVEABLE LIKE MANLY IRON TO DIVE SO DEEP AND NOT BE KILLED!" Wrong! they squish and adjust their innards to adapt to the pressure: 

- Trying to suss out what (if any) real sea life is being described when no name is given, just fantastic descriptions.

- Sleeping underwater in scuba gear seems... unwise.

- More 19th century anthropology 😬😬😬

- Yes, yes I understand that the water temperature is invariably 4⁰ wherever and whatever time of the year at depth. You've said that like 8 times already. This had better turn out to be relevant. [Note: not particularly]

- I do not like Ned Lands.

- Shark slander 😭

((Why did the myth that sharks have to turn over to bite things last so long? I remember it from "James and the Giant Peach" as well. I would have thought enough people would have at least seen sharks biting bait at the surface by the 1800s for this to be known false?))

- Man, these guys are a bloodthirsty lot. Every new animal they see they're like "Can I kill it?? Please let me kill it! Let's kill it! 😈 Man, wouldn't you jump at the chance to kill sharks like you do bears and lions??" :/

- At the same time they're afraid of everything, assume it's dangerous, and, if not killed instantly, will retaliate violently in revenge, including a freaking *dugong.*

- Wow, some people at least knew industrial commercial whaling was unsustainable and would result in the whales' extinction even in the late 1800s! Wild that it took almost 100 years to get it (mostly) banned!

- *head desk* Nemo is such a hypocrite (I imagine that may be The Point)

- Ugggghhh the whole "predators are evil, vicious monsters, and we need to slaughter them all without mercy to protect the poor innocent prey animals" attitude still so prevalent today.

- ...wait, those are *sperm whales*?? I thought they meant killer whales at first! Sperm whales  don't even eat baleen whales... All that brutal slaughter for nothing :'( 

- ... Bonus for an even more uncomfortable use of "voluptuous" than Bram Stoker! Seal eyes are described as "voluptuous" 😆

- Of all the sea creatures to declare harmless Verne chose *elephant seals* 🤦🤣

- YAY THE KRAKEN!! At least these covers haven't lied to me!! :D 

- aaaw no, the giant squid didn't play nearly as big a part as advertised *le sigh*

- Ah, the classic "crap I've written my characters into a deadly corner, time to knock out the POV character and have them wake up safe in bed later." 

- Why did the Professor talk about Lands like he was dead at the beginning? I can see a few reasons from the author's perspective (varying from "deliberate red herring to increase the suspense" to "oops I forgot dude was originally going to die and didn't correct it") but not from the character's? It's not even like he was reflecting on the matter from decades later, when Ned might have died after the story, they're all still chilling together in Norway waiting for a steamer home?

Lands: Stop telling people I died.

Professor Aronnax: Sometimes I can still hear his voice.

- Welp, I did enjoy the sea critters and fun steampunk machines, just not the long rambling bits that seemed to overwhelm the story for me

[gildedmuse]

So, most the One Piece fans in my life have been discussing the live action series, and, surprisingly, most with a hopeful tone. Which is great because, seriously, I'm too old and close to death to deal with either of the following preemptive attitudes:

"Look, I know trailer footage is not only often unfinished but not even always what gets included in the final project but based purely off the smallest of moments contained in this purely commercialized content, I can definitely state with absolutely no doubt that due to minor detail, the whole thing sucks"

"This will be just like I imagined it including all the changes I would make to canon that have never once been hinged at by those in charge, I just know it's going to be not just as awesome as I have created in my mind but even betyeyr and there is absolutely no way they'd ever make the slightest change that would somehow immediately ruin the entire property retroactively for me!"

The fact that most the people I interactive with are taking a positive but grounded attitude instead of determinedly antagonist or unhinged optimism is just... Nice. Really, really nice.

Most our discussions regard general aesthetic and what we think these creative choices indicate for the show, but there has been one area where 95% of all feedback has been glowly positive, and that is the actors. Seriously, every sneak peak trailer reveal brings about more fan-gushing from the bleachers (related note, this means that any characters we haven't seen gets more and more nails bitten short. Like, why haven't I seen the Benn Beckman? This is actually really important to me.)

This has lead to a lot of excitement for potential future cast members, including from the boys at my work. Which.... They are definitely fans, there is no denying that, but like... I don't think of as "those kinds of fans" .

But I'm always happy to be proven wrong.

AnimeDub Fan Coworker: I've never seen a more perfect live action adaptation than Mihawk in the trailer. The word. The eyes. The facial hair. Like damn.

Manga/Anime Fan Coworker: The cast looks so fucking on. I know this will never get a season 2, but if it did, the absolute dream would be for Jamie Lee Curtis to play Kureha.

Me: Yes, please. She's on my list of Characters I Have To See In Live Action. It's Law (obviously), Kid & Killer but particularly Killer, Ace of course, Robin because ROBIN, and Kureha who, yeah, is on the list cuz I want JLC or equivalent.

AD Fan: You just went off about how Garp was too hot but are cool with Jamie Lee Curtis as Kureha?

Me: Yeah, because unlike Garp, Kureha is canonically smoking.

AD Fan: Agree to disagree.

M/A Fan: They'll probably go for no names again like they did for this cast, but dream casting would be Alexandra Daddario as Robin. Boom.

M/A Fan: *With absolutely no further promoting from me* Ooooooh I got another fake casting. This one's for Kid. Cameron Monaghan.

M/A Fan: He's played crazy before too. And he's really good at it. He was pretty much "the Joker" in the show Gotham. AND he was the gay brother on Shameless. So he can totally be pirate married to Killer!

Me: *Desperately trying to remember when I mentioned in my work chat - that includes a few non-geeks, like not just not OP fans but just straight up not up with geek culture - that Kid and Killer were Pirate Married, a phrase which is very much so mine.*

Me: *Decides it doesn't matter and just gives self a point to converting yet another normal fan straight boy around to the correct view of Kid and Killer's relationship.* Now we just need someone who can pull off the perfect 80 glam rock star AND NHL defense player and we have two more Supernoves cast and ready to go.

I don't know how I keep convincing these straight boys who have probably never read a fanfic in their lives to get behind Kid/Killer as canonical Pirate Husbands, but when one of the major considerations for fan-casting is, "would Mina find him suitable gay with Killer?" you know you've won. I'm not sure what exactly, but it's definitely a win.

[frenzity]

@jiwone offered... not necessarily sure it's a misconception, but what do you feel about the general fandom idea that susie is the nice one of legion, who was entirely dragged along by the others in their crimes? i see people tend to treat her like a victim & i'm curious how you feel about that!

oh boy, let's get into this.

so, i can see where the whole "susie is the nice one, she doesn't know what she's doing," comes from. more specifically, the part of the legion's backstory where it is pointed out that susie is the only member of the legion who doesn't stab the first person frank kills. i can see where someone would read that and think that susie maybe isn't on board with it.

this, however, leads to a slippery slope of a few things. A. robs susie of a lot of her own agency, because she does willingly take part in all of the other crimes the legion does, B. completely villainizes frank and julie in particular.

i cannot tell you how many posts i've seen where frank simply manipulates the entire legion and he's the truly horribly evil big bad, OR... julie is just as evil and bad as frank and helps in manipulating her best friend into a life she does not want.

this?? just feels so silly to me after a point. maybe if they all met in the fog, and susie had no choice but to kill as a killer... but that's simply not the case.

susie actively commits all the other crimes w/ the legion. she is not some victim who is not aware what they are doing is wrong. there is a point she crosses with the killing as well... where she doesn't care anymore.

as far as i'm aware, susie is only described as hesitating in literally that one instance. correct me if i'm wrong, but it feels a little silly to have the conclusion she actually wants to do none of this from that one line, right?... well, that's the thing. i don't think it comes from that one line.

it might be a little weird to say but, i honestly also think the fact susie dyes her hair pink, has A LOT of colors in her skins, is shy, and so forth, also adds to susie's infantilization by the fandom.

which happens with a lot of other female characters as well. like, yes, she's cute. she's adorable.

she is still fully aware of the fact she is a killer and is okay with that. it's taking simple things of her personality, and that one line in the backstory and turning that into that shes and uwu babey who frank abuses and who julie is horrible to for dragging her into all of this.

anyway. thats my rant. let susie have her damn colors and still murder survivors.

[personaconcept]

Regarding the personas themselves, is there a particular theme, like how the personas in P5 were based on fictional and historical figures who rebelled against authority in some way?

Right now, most of them are characters from Greek mythology. The two excuses I could give for that are that I was a Greek mythology kid, so I know an abundance of Greek mythology, which leads to the fact the Greeks did a lot with health (hence the MCs both having the symbol of a snake, which was associated with hospitals due to Medusa and Hermes). The only ones that don't come from Greek mythology are Hidaru-gami (Yudai's persona) and Pluto (Masahiko's persona), which are Japanese and Roman respectively. As for why I didn't use Hades instead of Pluto, it's because there's already a persona from one of the other games known as "Doors of Hades", from I think #3? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

However, the truth is that I think most of them came from the initial video I found and haven't had the time to sit down and research for much of what I want. I think I changed a few, especially Hoshiko because I think I completely threw out the character they had there in it. The only thing I kept about her was the fact she was the Star Arcana. I think Shinju's was also a different persona, but with the video down last I checked, I honestly don't remember.

With that said, I have wanted to go with a different theme. Keep some of the Greek inspired Personas, but I wanted some famous/fictional/historical doctors and some personas that represented the disorders that each character had. Like Hidaru-gami for Yudai, as the hidaru-gami is a spirit or something that devours/is always hungry. Their awakened personas would be the doctors. But the research I've done had mostly led me to find that half of the most famous doctors were serial killers. Take of that what you will.

So if anyone out there knows of any historical/fictional doctors out there, hit me up.

Ah yes, I do know one thing I'll leave you with. The MC's awakened persona is Persephone. Make of that what you will.

[zachsgamejournal]

PLAYING: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Ok, ok KOTOR--good move. I like the twist. It's got me reflecting on the story so far. Not a fan of the writing, but the twist works...

I dread playing KOTOR. It's slow moving, repetitive, and the writing is a disappointment. I've not been compelled to play. This is simply a slog I must push through to say, "Yeah, I've played it" and get on to thee games I'm really excited about. That said, the plot twist was a good move. I'm not sure I'm all "OH SHIT--that's mind blowing!" as I am, "Oh--all that bad writing before makes more sense. Ok, ok...let's see where you go with this."

Bad writing is a bit harsh. But if I were to use a binary system, I would call this bad--not good. But if you threw in a game like...Well like any Resident Evil--though I love those games more, the dialog is pretty atrocious. So RE has bad writing, but good plot and ok characters. By comparison, KOTOR would have ok-to-good writing, with decent to good characters, and bland-to-good plot. As far as the plot, that twist is what's keeping it alive.

SO--where we left off was Kashyyyk. An old Jedi wanted me to get rid of poachers. I feel like he was ok with me using lethal force, but I lean towards not killing and fighting where I can. I tried to use the force to make one of the poachers abandon his post, but he interpreted that as murder his comrades! WHOA--no, that's not what I said...Anyway, I found the "non-violent" way--which allows a large, murderous monster to chase them away.

Next, we found a star map guarded by a holographic questionnaire. Apparently you needed to prove your connection to the original creator, owners--something. That meant making strategic choices in hypothetical situations. Being a good-leaning dude, I tried to choose the most noble answers. Those were "wrong" and killer robots were sent after me. I could not beat them. Given it's just a questionnaire, I chose the correct answers, which were usually sacrificing the lives of the innocent to gain tactical advantages. Whatever, starmap found.

I then wandered around Kashyyyk, cleaning up side quests. This has been the easiest of the worlds. No back-and forth. Just a bunch of "While you're out there, here's a few things to pick up." It reminded me the most of World of Warcraft which then made me reflect on how World of Warcraft-like the gameplay is. It especially reminded me of when I made a private server with bots that I could control, so I was in a squad of 5 and I could make different characters use their abilities. Then I was like, "Damn, I wish I could just be playing WoW right now."

So, if there's anything I like about KOTOR--it's the similarities to WoW.

After helping the Wookies sort out who should be chief (I went with the Wookie that wasn't going to sell their own people into slavery), the Wookies rebelled against the corporate forces occupying the planet. It was a good victory for the enslaved Wookies, but then they began to discuss how outsiders would no longer be welcomed on the planet. I get it--they're having some trauma, but xenophobia isn't the answer either. The problem was slavery and exploitation--that's where you focus your attention. Not "outsiders bad, wookie good".

Somehow Carth learns the son he thought was dead is on a planet the Sith use for a homebase of sorts. Not only that, but he's training to be a Sith. Carth is upset, and deciding to focus on people, I sent us to that planet immediately. I was a bit anxious at first as we need to blend in as Sith-friendly. While almost everyone recognized me and companions on Jedi, they assumed we were converting to Sith. That's nice.

It was an interesting set of missions. I took on a Master, who immediately asked me to betray the head Sith school teacher--or whatever he is. To sound Sithy, I agreed. I also learned that I could get to know this master and her sob-story that led her down the sithy ways. Turns out she's not all bad, just making terrible choices that lead to a lot of death. There's a strong theme of redemption and "no one is too far gone." That's going to play into the twist.

Which...it's interesting, cause according to the guide I did the sith world out of order. And the twist happens when you finish the third planet. So according to the "order" I wouldn't visit the Sith world until I had experienced the twist. That's weird. Knowing the twist changes the context of that planet, as well as making the fact that I wandered around unbothered completely crazy.

anyway, I have to explore some tombs with some kinda ok puzzles to collect stuff and prove my sithiness. I also "pretend" to kill some Sith that have decided they don't like it. There were opportunities to encourage Sith-wannabes to abandon the dark path, and I took it as much as possible. I could also try to befriend my master, who was very cutthroat when I met her.

In the end, we end up killing the grandmaster of the school and then we fight. She surrenders and I'm given the option to execute her. But I encouraged her to head back to the light (we're friends after all). I kinda wanted her to join my team.

We also found Carth's son. He was being all angsty, but given how angsty his dad is--what else would one expect. I accidentally skipped the part where we convince his son not to be a sith, so I ended up replaying 2 hours of the game so I could get that win. I needed Carth to be happy. Er...something.

Leaving the planet we're intercepted by a Sith ship and Darth Malack is on his way to see us. While being interrogated, the commander says some things and I'm like, "What do you mean", and he's like, "OH, you don't know the truth--haha, wait till you learn the truth about your 'friends'"--which basically said, "OH SHIT YOU'RE REALLY THE MASTER SITH THAT THEY SAID DIED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME AND YOU HAD MEMORY LOSS."

They really revealed their hand on this one. So when they try to pull a Fight Club later and show you flash backs that hint at the truth of your character actually being Darth Revan, I was like--yeah, I'm already there. Thanks for catching up with me though. Maybe the writers are fine that they spoiled their own twist. Maybe the writers did just to make people like me feel smart and superior. I don't know--but it did have me reflecting on the game. I've considered much of the writing to be rough, sexist, xenophobic, and without much diversity. But with the context of this revelation--maybe some of it works...

So the writing, my issue is the dialog choices are pretty shit. They either are A. multiple choices that say the same thing. Or B. represent a cringe perspective of the writer(s). Like with Bastila--the game constantly tries to get you to hit on her. And it's not in the sweet, romantic, "I think our connection is moving beyond friendship"--it's more of the affectionately aggressive, no-means-yes, Han Solo way. And quite often when other characters are getting heated, your own choices are very passive-aggressive, or condescending commands. Especially with the Wookie on Kashyyyk. Maybe there's an implied racism in your character, but you're encouraged to talk down to him. And there's just a general lack of boundaries.

To continue with my rant--good listening is asking open-ended questions. The game does not practice good listening. You're often given choices to demand that people share their backstories, and when they refuse to do so, your choices are often snarky or aggressive. There's no good listener wanting to empathetically build intimacy with their crew. I'm curious if anything impacts the dialog options--like intelligence, class, light-dark side?

I get that people love Han Solo. I don't. When I watched the old Star Wars, I was interested in Luke. I naive brat that wanted everyone to do the right thing. While he was naive and foolish, he still valued being good and was willing to do for others as much as himself. Han, on the other hand, was not a particularly good guy. He was very selfish, a little sexist, and very aggressive and inappropriate with his affections. I think of those Hoth scenes where instead of saying, Leia, I have feelings for you and I don't know how to express it--he just says shit like, "I bet you wanna kiss me you love-starved horn-dog" and then walks off. While that's a character flaw and great for drama, I think people too easily identified that as "cool, alpha male" behavior.

Anyway--that's what this writing feels like. It's not about choice or expressing yourself as a player--it's about being a cool, alpha. Maybe. i don't now. Maybe it's good.

So yeah, wandered around on the Sith ship. Explored a bunch stuff, killed a bunch of sith, and stole all their junk. I've finally learned how to use my special abilities, like throwing a light saber, ha! Also learned that my equipment was preventing me from using abilities like resisting the force. Damn, I could have used that while attacking the Sith world. I read a guide that insisted on using heavy armor, but my Jedi robes aren't heavy armor and I actually haven't found any heavy armor worth wearing. No idea what that was insisted upon.

I had thoughts about the silly moral system and it's connection to the antagonistic dialog options. I'll save it for later.

I fought Malack, and the truth that the Jedi had brain washed my character so he wouldn't realize he was the greatest, most evilest sith to have lived. It's made some of the dialog make more sense, including Balista's grumpiness towards me. I would have liked to see more subtle clues. Like Carth didn't trust me from the get go. He explains he doesn't trust anyone. But if he had known I was Revan, then it would have made his doubt more logical.

There's also an ethical issue--while yes, we're saying anyone can be redeemed--what the Jedi did was pretty bad. They brainwashed their enemy to manipulate him into giving them access to military advantages. That's such a personal betrayal. If a person is their consciousness, then to destroy Revan's consciousness to make him a Jedi again is kind of murder. And then they've filled his force-sensitive shell with a more docile, obedient ally. All for a leg-up. While the Sith are definitely bad--this is really bad.

We'll see how it all goes.

[dystopian-reverie]

Making two random Marvel characters meet #1

The Moon Boys and Kamala Khan

Warning: Mentions of trauma only if you squint, nothing else.

This is just a headcanon that's been running around my mind for a while. I just think that they all would have a cool character arc together.

Of course, the headcanons have next to no chance of happening anyway.

This was written before the Ms. Marvel series was even completed, so this is pretty vague and contains no plotlines or might not be in sync at all with what might happen in MCU's future.

A/n: Felt physical pain knowing that Muslims don’t usually celebrate Raksha Bandhan (pls do correct me if I’m wrong because I learnt this from Google) because I’d give right about anything for Kamala to tie Rakhi on Marc’s wrist and him not taking it off for the whole day.

Tag list: @jakelcckley @wowifinallymadeanaccount @devilish-mirage @later-gators12 @wast3ofurtim3

The way I see it, this duo could be the next “grumpy yet cool dad figure adopting an over-eager teenager with who they bonded quite a bit, and would definitely screw up anyone who hurt them” dynamics in MCU, following Tony-Peter and Stephen-America.

If their first-ever meeting was during super-heroing, whoever is fronting would most definitely go "Who the FUCK is letting a 16-year-old fight crimes around here? I'd like to have a word with them" and proceed to draw all the attention to him so she doesn't get hurt.

Let's say it's Marc who met her first. Fast forward a few minutes, he is clearly getting his ass handed to him and Kamala swoops in to save the day. They decide to team up, and after a messy, but successful mission nevertheless, they'd go get ice cream or a drink.

Kamala would immediately bombard him with questions, about his superhero origin story and how long he's been doing this because "Trust me, I know right about everything there is to know about the Avengers and you're not one of them."

"Far from it, kid," he'd grumble. "I'm the avatar of the Egyptian God, Khonshu" He'd explain how being an avatar works as she'd listen intently, taking in the fact that Egyptian mythology was indeed very real, as the Norse ones. "So, as I said earlier, I don't do team work, I'm better off alone,"

"But what you did back there was awesome!" She'd exclaim in dismay. "And the suit changes mid-fights? One moment you have this long cape fluttering behind you wherever you go and the next second you look like you're going to a serial killer met gala,"

That's when Marc truly laughs. It wasn't every day he met someone who doesn't want to kill him, let alone someone who was filled with life and enthusiasm and doesn't keep him on the edge all the time.

He could see Jake smiling in the reflection. "I like this kid. She's got spunk," He'd say, getting a warning glare from Marc.

He could see Steven in the back muttering something about "Serial killer met gala" and couldn't stop smiling to himself.

"The suit changes because the person who is wearing it changes, kid," he says and proceeds to explain about Steven and Jake, all the while she listens to him dumbfound.

"So, in a way," She'd smirk, "You're already doing teamwork. You just don't like being around other people,"

"Can't argue with that," he'd shrug. "Right. Don't you have any normal work to do? What do you kids your age do? Study, party? Why are you here?"

When he learns about her story, he realizes how much of her family and her ethnicity's history is bestowed upon this little kind. A part of him was impressed, and another part was mad that a teenager had to bear the mantle of representing an entire community, and if she ever messed up, bad people were going to come not only after her but her people too.

He'd feel his heart breaking for her because she was so young and innocent, she hadn't yet seen the fate of what happened to people who chose this path or what toll being a hero would take on her.

"That's her decision, Marc," Jake would chime in.

"She's just a child, Jake," Both he and Steven would hiss, their headspace immediately breaking into chaos.

I think there is so much potential for an awesome dynamic here.

Kamala and Marc would be the ultimate sunshine and sunshine protector TM duo ever. Layla would sometimes tease him about him basically being her brother figure, but he'd brush it off, grumbling about how he's just not letting that kid get into anything stupid.

It'd take him hours of convincing and some expensive chocolates to keep her from making a video about him and posting it on her youtube channel.

"Dude, it has like 5 subscribers anyways, and all of them are my friends," She'd whine, but would finally agree to keep his identity a secret.

Whenever Kamala would rant about her family, Marc would listen to her, wishing he could tell her how lucky she is to have a family that cares for her and loves her so much.

Kamala would sometimes be tip-toeing around that topic. Ever since Marc told her about his DID, she'd been researching about that and it came to her knowledge that this disorder develops in little kids who have gone through extreme trauma. She couldn't for the life in her imagine what would've happened. Abusive parents? Rough childhood and foster care system? He'd never talk about any of it and Kamala never tries to push it.

Marc would explain to her what having DID was like, and how he found out that he wasn't alone and shared his adventures with her. He wasn't great at narrating stories, so Kamala had to do most of the work, pulling sentences from him that would paint the perfect picture of the story he was trying to tell her.

She'd also brush up on her knowledge of Ancient Egypt and whenever she tried to geek about it, Marc would chuckle. "Steven's not available at the moment, try again later."

Muneeba's cooking was Marc's favorite. He'd traveled nearly all around the globe and had to eat a lot of dishes from various cultures, but he's always had a knack for Desi food, he found out, no matter how spicy it was. He'd huff and puff through it, his face red and hot but he'd be too proud to admit that the food's a bit too spicy.

Kamala would smirk, and tell him how she finally has a companion other than Bruno and doesn't have spice tolerance either.

If Kamala ever gets injured mid-fight, better take it for granted that whoever was responsible for that is going to get shredded to pieces. He would fight with such violence and vigor, not in front of her of course, that even Jake would be impressed.

Marc would feel less like a mistake and try to enjoy the lightness the kid brings whenever they hung out.

"Look, kid, if you want to survive out in the world with the kind of powers that you have, then you have to learn to physically fight too, alright, don't always rely on your superpowers, you never know what might happen," He had finally said one day, after Jake pestering him for a week straight.

"Jake, Steven, and I are gonna help you, and teach you how to fight," He'd say and be met with an over-enthusiastic and excited Kamala.

He'd soon realize how much he underestimated the kid because even without using her powers, with all the fighting, the kid has gotten physically and mentally stronger. Maybe she can survive this after all.

He couldn't help but worry at times about the inevitable- she's going to lose somebody close to her. An unsettling feeling would take over him, as he realized how much it would break him to see the kid in pain.

Kamala and Steven are probably the softest and most enthusiastic duo who aren't family related in the MCU.

Usually, when Steven is fronting, nearly the whole time would pass by as they both take turns sharing their knowledge on different things that interest them.

Muneeba doesn't understand how Kamala is sliding in random Egyptian facts in everyday conversation and doesn't remember buying her that large Encyclopedia of Egypt that sat heavily on her study table. Probably a gift from Bruno, she had shrugged it off.

If Steven ever got the chance to meet her family or already knows them in the story, he'd definitely help Muneeba around the house with all the work. Breaking through a Desi mother's doubts and initial distrust was probably his greatest achievement, he'd tell Marc and Jake.

This man would have ZERO tolerance for spice and the family would try to stifle their laughs as Kamala brings him cold water and curd to ease the burning. Muneeba made a note to go easy on the chili whenever Steven was around.

Steven Grant was a patient man, and Kamala liked to test that by going "Alright what's all this then," and "It's chewsday, innit?" in a terrible English accent all the time. Jake and Marc adored her for this very reason.

And let us not forget about Kamala's dad and Steven watching cricket matches together!! Those two would lose their minds during every sixers and fours, and wicket. They'd often get into heated discussions about the players and their styles, and historic cricket matches. They both would put the match's commentators to shame.

Kamala might ask for Steven's help whenever she had a history test, and Steven would spend hours teaching her the study materials and helping her memorize all the dates and places and major events fast because he was easily the best teacher Kamala has ever encountered in her life.

When she jokingly mentioned that, Steven felt so proud of himself, not something he was used to feeling.

Kamala is the best wingman for The Boys and Layla. They might be divorced, or complicated or working through it, but whenever Kamala was around, she would, in her own ways, try to help the boys out.

Whenever a mission was getting out of hand, his first priority would always be getting Kamala to safety, though as time went on, he learned to let her fight beside him because she was equally, if not more, stronger and powerful than him.

Kamala and Jake would be the definition of a disaster duo that raised the blood pressure of anyone and everyone around them.

He mostly never fronted when any of Kamala's family members were around. He had met Bruno tho and promptly traumatized that kid with his gruesome stories. Kamala would shove him in the ribs to make him stop, but he'd only keep smirking as he watched Bruno fumble around him.

He'd have zero verbal filters around the kid, earning him a string of warnings from both Steven and Marc which he blissfully ignored. He'd also not bother about beating guys to a pulp whenever she was around, unlike his other alters who were always careful to not use too much violence. Though it made Kamala queazy sometimes, she wouldn't say anything because Jake was the only one who she felt treated her like an adult who can handle things instead of a child who didn't know what she was doing.

Jake would be the one to spoil Kamala so much. He'd buy her whatever she wants on one condition: she exceeds in her superhero training program (but he just buys the random stuff she asks for anyways).

Kamala would try to learn Spanish from Jake, and he'd try to learn Urdu from her. It wasn't a thing they did voluntarily, they didn't set up classes or did it on purpose. They both would say something in their mother tongue and the other would ask what it means and they would go on teaching and learning for minutes together.

One time Jake even gave Kamala and Bruno a ride to their school in his infamous "SPKTR" Limousine that had the whole school turn around and look at them. "Enjoy the attention for the day," He'd say and drive off.

He'd often ask her if he wants to meet Khonshu knowing damn well Kamala can't see him (or can she, with her having Noor ancestry) but never got the chance to because he'd brush it off as a joke- a result of Marc, Steven and Khonshu yelling in the back for him to stop.

Jake usually steered clear out of the way of emotions and feelings. To him, existing while having fun and being wild was all that mattered. At least that was how he planned on spending his days. One day, he was flipping through Kamala's infamous sketchbook that was filled with superheroes and her friends, fictional characters she loved, or basic landscape sketches, and found illustrations of him, Marc, and Steven, fighting or just their basic character profiles.

He'd marvel at Kamala's talent. She really had the hands of an artist. That's when his eyes flicked to the captions beside or beneath every image that'd describe their superpowers or how she viewed them.

He could recognize his sketch pretty easily. The bloke with a boy cap and a suit, leaning over his limousine and a gun in his hand and mouth turned up in a smirk.

'Kid truly captured my essence,' He'd think. "Partner in Crime," He read the caption scribbled beside the illustration, smiling to himself a bit. "Coolest, deranged, uncle figure"

He never cared for much in this world, really. But if there was one thing he was good at, it was fighting for people he cared for. The list didn't have anyone other than Marc and Steven and only a couple of other people he'd seen in his short life, and Kamala was right beside the two idiots he shared his body with.

The Moon Boys and Kamala would be a fun and dangerous duo who have one of the most unique dynamics in the MCU, with so much potential for joint character development and arcs.

[msookyspooky]

Terrible Trilogy

Part 18

wordcount: 7,004

Your back was shoved against the wall with big hands wrapped around the upper arms of your jacket. Blue eyes narrowed down at you as Stu pinned you against the wall.

"Where the HELL were you?!" Stu demanded. "We thought you went back into the house or skipped town or the copycat got you or some shit! Would it kill you to fucking call?!" Stu lifted one hand while still pinning you with the other, making a phone sign and giving an awful imitation of your voice. "Oh, hey guys! I'm totally in one piece but I'm gonna be late. Just take my car back to the motel. Thanks, you're the best Stu!" He dropped the hand sign and stared you down. "...Huh?!" 

Billy came up beside you, leaning his arm on the wall. "And who the hell was with you just now?" 

You huffed after the shock wore off, returning the glare at both of them. "I'm fine, by the way. Just a few stitches in my hand." You jeered before shoving Stu away. He let go of you as you moved past him and dropped your purse onto the bed.

Stu huffed. "Well, that's great! I'm glad! I was gonna ask that! Okay, I was! Right Billy?...Come on, man. Tell her how worried I was." He wildly gestured to Billy while he ignored Stu and just walked towards you with his arms folded.

"Let me put this into perspective for you here…I come back to find both of you gone after our little disagreement. Called Stu just to find out you went to a party with people that work on Stab. I got a taxi to drop me off a block away because I knew it was a stupid idea and the killer would be there. Then when I got there, my suspicions were right! Shocker!… You're bleeding and hysterical; running off right before the house just blows up. We searched for you and had to get the car back to the motel when we heard sirens…You've been gone all night without a single call and now you just got dropped off by a man we've never seen before. So, I'm asking again…Who was the guy that dropped you off, YN?" Billy demanded.

You sucked in a breath and looked up at the ceiling. Rolling your lips before practically coughing out the answer under your breath. "...Detective Kincaid." 

Stu huffed with a wry smirk. " Is he an actor or something playing a cop on Set? Damn, go to one party and already you're letting these Hollywood douchebags sucker you in. " 

You raised a brow at him. "Noooo…I mean, he's an actual Detective and he's in charge of this case." 

Billy's entire face dropped as he stared at you in disbelief.  "...A fucking cop?...AN ACTUAL COP?" 

" The Detective looks like THAT?! You gotta be fucking kidding me, man." Billy side eyed Stu as Stu walked towards you. "…You were with the cops this whole time?! What the hell did you tell him?!" 

 "I told him Billy and Stu are alive and I'm helping them! Obviously!" Your face dropped and your hands fell with a loud smack at your sides. ".…What the hell do you think I told them?! I told Kincaid the bare minimum and left out anything that links me back to you two. In fact, you both still don't exist…Well…Except, Dennis." 

Stu gave a nervous chuckle. "Whaddya mean? Why uh…Why are you saying it like that?" 

You shrank back a bit. "Um…Since you weren't at the party and you're next to be killed off in one of the scripts-" 

"WHAT?...WHAT?!" You cringed at how high his voice rose. 

"Look, there's three scripts and in one of them; Stu Macher is next to die in the flashback. Some nightmare gone wrong in Sidney's memory sort of thing…We think the killer is following one of the scripts."

Stu's face paled. "Oh shit…What the fuck?! I'm getting Freddy Kruegered over here in some dream memory crap?! They're doing me like that?!" He jabbed a finger to his own chest, eyebrows raised and eyes wide. 

"In the script!" You corrected him.

"Well, no shit! So not only is my character going to only have like 20 seconds of screen time but they're gonna kill me?!...And this asshole is after me in real life! Nice. Fucking perfect." 

 "But um…We don't know which script. So either you or Angelina or even Jennifer or Gale since they didn't die like we thought or Dewey unless Tom counts-" 

"Shhiitt! Shit, man!" Stu exclaimed as he ignored you. 

Billy glared at you both. "ONCE AGAIN, I was right that it was a major fucking mistake coming here with you two fuck ups!" 

"Guys, listen-" 

He interrupted you while ranting. "I was gone for a few hours, a few fucking hours, and look what happened! You morons sneak on set, go to a party that was obviously a trap-" 

"Billy, would you listen-" 

"-YN gets attacked, the house blows up and now there's cops involved!" He turned back to you, up in your space demanding an answer.  "Why did he drive you here? Why would you have a cop know where you're staying?!" Billy argued.

You snapped at them both. "I DON'T KNOW, OKAY?!" You rubbed your tired eyes as you enunciated every word in irritation. "Would you both calm down and listen?... Me and Stu went for clues-" You gestured to Stu but he barely looked at you. You huffed and continued. "-We knew there was a chance the killer would be there so Stu stayed hidden down the road but we had no idea the freaking house would explode! When I ran away from you two; I fell down the hill looking for Dewey and Randy and the cops arrived…" 

"Yeah, well if you wouldn't have ran away from us you wouldn't have rolled down the hill where cops could find you!" 

"BILLY…You both came out of nowhere and a voice that was identical to yours called me saying he was you. You would do the same thing in my shoes!... I was at the party and went missing during the kills. I would have gotten questioned MORE if I didn't go to the precinct!"

Stu looked at the ceiling, shaking his leg with a disbelieving grin. "This can't be happening, man…The cops are gonna question me hard now. I was prepared for a few questions but now?! What am I supposed to say? This is unreal!" 

Billy yelled over his shoulder as you gave them both an annoyed stare. "It's real. Believe it, dipshit! You wanted to be famous? You got it!" 

"Guys, just chill out!…We have bigger things to worry about than the law right now…A lot bigger." 

"What could be bigger than the law?" Billy demanded.

"Uh, the fact we have a killer on the loose! One that knows us…Really, really knows us. In fact, they know our every move. I think that's more concerning right now." 

Billy glared back at you. The anger you felt at what he had to say from earlier was still there and you could tell he felt the same.

"...You still think we're the killers?" Billy mumbled. "Are you that stupid?" 

"Well, you being hostile and defensive CONSTANTLY isn't exactly screaming 'innocent' to me. Coming out of the woods after being gone an entire day and you don't think I'm not going to be suspicious? Why would you even give a shit enough to come save me?" 

"I DON'T give a shit. It's called damage control; something we are beyond fixing now…So, did you tell the cop I called?" 

"No! Of course not!" 

Billy raised chin, eyes narrowed as he looked at you from the length of his nose. "Really? So that little eye fucking you were both doing just now in the parking lot is nothing, huh?" 

Stu joined in. "Yeah, no kidding. You acted pretty damn comfortable for someone that could go to prison too. I swear, he looked at you like you both had a VERY long chat…Maybe vertical, maybe horizontal. " Stu leered at you. 

"WHAT?!" You squawked in disbelief. "Oh my God, you both are so…I don't even have a word other than obvious; INSANE! You have some major malfunctions if you think ANYTHING happened between me and Mark within the few hours I've known him!" 

"Who?" Stu raised his pierced brow with a scoff.

You rolled your eyes practically into the back of your head. "Detective Mark Kincaid." 

Billy shoved away from you and raced to your purse on the bed. You saw him dump it out and run his hands over everything.

"What the hell are you doing?! You can't just go through my shit without asking!" 

"Shut up! Since you're getting chummy with cops and letting them take you back to our motel; I'm looking for a bug. Consider it even for going through my bag" 

You snatched whatever you could away from him. "There was never a time this purse wasn't with me other than leaving it in the car before the explosion. And I told you, Stu went through it! Not me!" 

"Yeah well, call me paranoid. Maybe it wasn't the pigs' idea." He spat with a sarcastic smirk.

You rolled your eyes. "You actually think I'm trying to frame you?! Are you serious??" 

"Yep, just making sure you don't try to get cops involved…Again. You have a pattern of that, remember?" He growled out. A hostile glare your way as you bit your inner cheek and returned the glare. 

"One time is not a pattern, Loomis. Windsor doesn't count, that was out of my hands. The detectives were assigned to me…Whaddya gonna do? Frisk me next?!" 

"Maybe." He mumbled as Stu eyed you up and down. 

You defensively put your arms over your chest. "Come near me and I will run out of this motel screaming my head off." 

"It's LA. I doubt anyone would pay attention." Billy reasoned, still focused on skimming over the contents of your purse. 

"Then you'll get a bullet between your eyes. How about that?" 

Stu sighed to himself. "Lord, you'd think that gun was superglued to your hand." 

"Being with you two? It might be…" You snatched a crumpled up piece of paper.

 You realized it was the copy letter you had shoved back in your purse from the restaurant. Too scared to just throw it away anywhere and too wrapped up in that night's fiasco to figure out where to properly put it…You stared at it long and hard before it hit you.

"...Oh my God..." You mumbled under your breath. 

Stu put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling in his own thoughts.  Billy grumbled to himself as he searched. All while you were piecing everything together. 

"...They're bullshitting us."  You looked up at them and said it louder. Smacking the paper against your thigh as it all was making sense. "....It's bullshit…The threats, the photos, the letters…It's all bullshit!" 

Billy stopped looking for a moment and Stu looked over at you. "Huh?" Stu muttered as you raced over to him pointing at the letter. 

"Why did they make a duplicate of my original letter?" 

Stu shrugged. "Because they're unoriginal? We know that already, Sweetcheeks! Where the hell have you been?" 

You smacked the paper to your thigh in irritation. "Nnooooo! Think about it; they could have sent me a new letter and they didn't. Randy and Dewey were right there-" 

"Yeah, cause Ray's doing it." 

"STU. I am begging you right now. PLEASE, put your territorial crap aside. Even if it is Randy…Why not send a new, more incriminating letter to let Dewey know? Or even a picture? You can't tell me the killer didn't have pictures then! In fact, we know they did because that picture was of us when we first arrived. So they had evidence when I went to the restaurant; so why not use it?" 

Billy and Stu exchanged glances as you paused a moment before continuing. "...You know what I think? I think this new killer wanted me to think one of you put it in my purse…" Your face lit up as you connected the dots. "That's why it's identical to the original! Word for word!" 

Billy stood up slowly and stopped looking as you spoke. 

Stu blinked down at you, pointing at you as realization dawned on him as well. "...Why haven't they sent any photos to anybody but us?" 

You jumped in place with your voice rising in excitement. "Exactly! And the killer attacked Gale after I rolled down the hill…" 

Billy looked at you. "There's no way me or Stu could have gotten down there in time." 

You swallowed a moment, thinking before nodding. "...I hate to admit it but you have a point. It's almost impossible that either of you could have got dressed in the costume and gone down that hill from the woods in the time frame the house exploded and we rolled down it." 

"Partners. Just saying." Stu mumbled.

Billy glared at him and you for once agreed with Stu. "It is possible. Because things aren't adding up. Whoever this is, is either one of us with a partner or it's someone close. Someone from Woodsboro. Someone that knows everything from that night." 

Billy scrunched his face, not looking at you as he was deep in thought. "...They wanted you to think it was me or Stu or both of us." He looked over at both of you with knowing eyes. "That's why he called in my voice. It wasn't just to lure YN out there, it was so she'd think I was behind it." 

Stu pointed with an astonished look. "Yooo, that's why he probably ran off and stopped attacking you! He heard me coming and went towards my direction in the treeline to make it look like it was me!" 

You still were hesitant about whether or not they were completely innocent. You still agreed. "...I think that's a big possibility…He wants us to turn on each other…" You gestured to the letter in your hands. "He wants us sleep deprived and scared and thinking the worst! He, she, they; whoever the hell is doing this is setting us up against one another! They aren't even going to the cops!

Billy shook his head. "We can't risk that." 

"Why not?" You argued, hyped at the idea you might finally be piecing it all together.

He scoffed at you. "Because me and Stu have a lot to lose if we're wrong." 

"Billy, think about it! If they were really going to turn us into the cops; they would have done it by now! They want to divide and conquer-" 

"And gut the sorry ass left standing after we kill each other." Stu finished for you as you pointed with a nod. "She's got a point, man." 

Billy gave you both a glare. "We still can't risk that! It's a theory!" 

"Well are you going to just bend over and let this guy fuck you or are you going to do something about it?" Stu jeered. "Because I for one am getting really sick and tired of these mind games… Aren't you?" 

"Of course I am but I'm also using my head here." 

Billy glared at Stu as you interjected.

 "Look…We have no idea who this is but we know that not only are they trying to pin us against each other but that Stu is a target." 

Stu's face dropped. "Hey, hey, hey! We don't know that for sure!" 

Billy gave him a condescending grin. "Sure we do. You're the pierced up freak. They never live in horror movies." 

Stu looked genuinely worried. " What about you? You're a damn weirdo!"  

"Loners don't die until half way through after everyone suspects it's them. Sluts, Punks and Dumbass Popular kids are the first to die. It's the rules…You're all of the above now, kid." 

You held up a hand while shooting a frown at Billy who just gave you a wry smirk in return. "We don't know for sure! But there's three scripts. Gale was supposed to be killed last night and she wasn't. Neither was Jennifer that plays her. BUT now the target is either still them or it's Angelina, Dewey now that Tom's bit the dust or…" 

"Stu." You both said in unison, glancing over at Stu as he swallowed hard. 

You looked at them both. "We know the police are going to look for Dennis Rafkin for questioning. And the killer is looking for Stu Macher." 

Billy raised his brows. "So…Let's give them what they want. Stu will go about like he's Dennis and we'll keep watch for the killer after Stu." 

"I don't have an alibi, Billy! What the hell am I telling the cops?!" 

"Just play it cool like we practiced at Woodsboro,  alright? Now that someone blew our cover-" He glared at you and you gave him an annoyed look before he looked back at Stu. "It's gonna be risky telling them the motel number…Did you order anything here?" 

"Nope. " 

"Shit…So basically the cops are supposed to just take your word for it you stayed here this entire time. AND we gotta hope and pray the agent you claim was killed didn't have paperwork or proof of you at that motel…Fuck." Billy hissed out.

They looked at you and you sighed heavily. "...Fine. The room is listed under Dennis Rafkin because Stu here wanted to be a 'gentleman' and get the room for us with just two beds." You mumbled. "So if worst comes to worse; say it." 

"Say what?"

"...That this is your room." 

Stu huffed as a slow smirk tugged at his lips. "And what will you tell your Harry Callahan when he finds out you went into my room, Sweetcheeks?" 

You gnawed at your inner cheek with a glare Stu's way. You looked away with a disgusted grimace. "...Tell them whatever you need to without showboating, Stu." 

Stu grinned ear to ear. "Showboating? Me? Nah, you don't gotta worry about that, babe." 

Billy shot him a glare as well. "Don't do it. Not unless you're cornered and don't have a choice because I'm not going to prison just so you can have a dick measuring contest with that Detective…Got it?" 

Stu lost his grin and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever." He threw up his arms. "So you both want me to be bait??" 

"Yep." You both nodded as Stu's mouth dropped.

"Wait, seriously??? Can't Dennis just skip town-" 

"And risk this killer keeping his word and notifying cops? Not a chance in Hell." Billy growled out. "You just have to be Dennis, play it cool, act like you're clueless and only admit the room you're staying in if asked. Say you weren't feeling up to a party or whatever. Make something up that's credible. " 

You pointed to yourself.  "Meanwhile, I'll be with Dewey and Randy looking for clues on the surface." 

"And I GUESS I have to be the one lurking in the shadows; watching." Billy finished for you.

"But I'm still bait? For real??" 

You smirked at him. "You want a Scooby snack if you do it? Two scooby snacks?" 

Stu gave you an unamused stare as you saw Billy smirking in your peripheral. 

 "That's hilarious. Really." Stu deadpanned. 

You shrugged and walked over to the bed. "Look, we don't have a choice now. And don't get to blame me for the party or Detective Kincaid when you were the one that just had to join Stab." 

Stu rolled his eyes as you shoved things back in your purse. "Now, I'm going to clean up the mess Loomis made, get some rest and we'll go from there…First let me put this letter with the other one in my suitcase before it falls out again." 

————————————————————

You were startled by a knock on the door. Billy and Stu instantly jumped up, knives ready and hunkered down. You blinked at them before getting up from bed and creeping to the door. You looked through the peephole to see a familiar face.

"Who is it?" Stu whispered from across the room.

"It's Dewey." 

Billy threw up his hand. "Does everybody suddenly know where we're staying? Why don't we just put our names on the fucking door?! Save everyone the trouble." 

You shrugged with a bewildered look of your own before urging them to hide. You waited as Stu ducked behind the bed and Billy went under it. You had some deja vu before opening the door.

'At least a knife isn't in my back this time.' You thought as you opened the door. 

"O-Oh, YN. I was worried Randy was wrong about the motel number he saw you come out of." Dewey mumbled with an awkward smile. 

You smiled and purposely stepped out a bit to close the door behind you as much as you could without clicking the lock. 

"No, no. I'm just surprised to see you!…I kind of passed out and took the longest nap of my life…What time is it?" 

Dewey checked his watch. "A quarter till 4. I would call but we weren't completely sure about the motels pjone number and well…You not having a phone now. Want me to get you a burner phone for now?" 

You blinked and nodded. "Uh yeah, that'd be great." 

You still were reeling at the fact you all slept for roughly 6 hours straight. Considering your lack of sleep, it wasn't too shocking. You looked to see Dewey's Ford Explorer in the parking lot with what looked like Gale in the front seat and who you presumed was Randy in the back.

"Did you…Did you sleep in your clothes from last night?" He asked with a hint of concern.

You looked down at the white camisole with dirt stains on it now and your scoffed up red pleather pants that you thought were extremely uncomfortable but the more you wore them and the more tired you got; you noticed them less and less.

"Uh yeah…I was exhausted. Okay, so um…Are you just checking up on me or?" You gave a nervous smile, terrified he'd want to come inside. 

"Actually, Kincaid wanted to check the Set we think the pictures of Maureen Prescott were taken from and we wanted to know if you wanted to tag along." 

You thought a moment before nodding. "Yeah but um…Can I just drive and meet you there?" 

Dewey nodded. "Uh yeah. Sure. I think that'll be okay." 

You gave him a relieved smile. "Thanks I just feel better with my own car. Security thing." 

"Should we wait on you?" 

"Uh no! No, I gotta get awake and ready…How about we meet at the entrance gate to the set? I should be out of here in like 15 minutes. " 

Dewey nodded and you quickly said goodbye before getting back inside. You flinched, coming face to face with both Billy and Stu. 

"So…Go time?" Stu asked.

Billy nodded and put his knife away. "Seems like it. I say we ride in the back of the trunk, duck down near the gate and slide out once YN parks." 

 "Okay. What about Stu?" 

Stu gave you a look. "DENNIS is going to lay low, look busy, avoid cops if he can and try to confiscate his files." 

Billy raised a brow. "You actually think you can pull that off?" 

"Watch me. I'm not even going to get screen time now so if I can swipe my file and make it look like I was never here; I will. I got a card, remember?" 

Billy rolled his eyes as you rummaged through your luggage for an outfit. You heard Billy lecturing Stu. "You fucking dingus, there's cameras! There's audition tapes. Photos. That file is just a tiny microscopic piece of information about you." 

Stu gave him a glare. "Yeah, yeah you're right! With Dennis Rafkin on it! If I can get that file then the audition tapes are just some guy. They won't have a name." 

You took your clothes and went to shower in the bathroom, still able to somewhat make out what they were saying. 

"Stu…The cops know your name!" 

"NOOOO, they just know Dennis…Right YN?!" 

You shouted back as you washed your face under the water. "I GUESS! I JUST HEARD THEM CALL YOU 'THAT DENNIS GUY THAT PLAYS STU MACHER'!"

" See? If I can snag that file; who's to say they'll have anything on me! Then when this is over, I can skip town if I want. And if I want to join again-" 

Billy scoffed. "Don't even. You would be a complete idiot to try and join in the limelight again after this." 

You dried off and started getting dressed. 

You heard them bickering back and forth before stepping out. This time in something you could run in. A simple jean, t shirt combo with your leather jacket from the night before. You saw them both stop to eye you as you tried getting ready. Forcing your boots on and finally putting your gun in its strap around your calf. The finishing touch was Sidney's 'good luck'  locket…You didn't know how lucky it was but you were alive this long while wearing it. 

"Alright. Let's go." You shook your keys as you crept out the door first, looking across the street and in the parking lot to make sure you weren't being watched. 

———————————————————–—

'Okay…Now or never.' You thought at all the bustling people as you slowly drove through the studio buildings alleyways. Your anxiety with crowds still existed, especially the loud noises and people bumping into you. It was so drastically different then your serene cabin in the woods with just you and Cherri. 'The sooner I get home to her and put all of this behind me, the better.'

You pulled in behind Dewey and Kincaid's car. Parking a few meters away to get some space. You rubbed your temple with a shaky sigh and hoped you parked close enough to the building that those two crawling up to the backseat and stepping out wouldn't be noticed. Considering a bunch of aliens walked by…You had a good feeling no one would notice two guys lurking around.

You left your doors unlocked as you stepped out. You watched Kincaid's partner get out of the car telling Mark something…You could have sworn it was something about flowers and candy?…You shook it off as you saw Dewey standing outside his car talking to Randy and Gale. 

You forced yourself to go to them. You had to get away from your car so no prying eyes would be on you or the Honda. You forced a smile that wavered when Randy avoided looking at you. 

Dewey pointed as he talked to Gale and Randy. "That stairwell over there is where the picture was taken." 

You came up to them looking yourself at an ordinary stairwell…Nothing special. But how and why would Maureen Prescott take photos here? You would have thought Sidney would have mentioned it if her Mom was in showbusiness. More importantly, why would the killer care about something from 25 years ago?

"Why does all this seem like such a secret?...It doesn't really make sense." You mumbled. You glanced over at Randy who looked away.

Dewey noticed and nudged him. 

Randy sighed heavily and motioned to the trailer. "It's part of the rules- All right, if we're gonna talk. Probably should do it someplace private." 

"Good idea." Gale stepped up to the empty trailer beside you guys and opened the door. Randy went in first, then you, then Dewey who seemed to scan the area one last time before shutting the door behind him. 

You all got comfortable in your seats. Randy checked his phone and rolled his eyes. "Jesus...No way." 

Dewey leaned forward in his seat. "What? The killer?" 

"No! Martha. She's called me like 50 times already." 

Gale blinked. "Who the hell is Martha?" 

" My little sister." He groaned. "I knew it was a mistake telling Mom what happened last night. I freaking knew she'd blab to everyone." 

You rolled your lips before speaking up. "You should call her soon, Ray. She's probably worried sick." 

He side eyed you but just released a puff of air past his lips and rested his elbows on his knees. "Okay…I think it's safe to say we have a Trilogy on our hands, people." 

Gale raised her arched brows at him. "...Really?... That's what we needed the film nerds expertise for? To tell us we have a killer on the loose?" 

You shot her a frown before looking back at Randy. Randy pointed at Gale. "Hey, you need my expertise." He looked at all of you. "At least we're all probably breaking the rules now. So it's all equal ground. It's actually a miracle I made it out in one piece the last time I broke a rule…" 

You all looked confused before Dewey asked. "What rules have you broken, Randy?" 

He looked to the floor and cleared his throat. "...Losing my virginity to Karen Kolchak. Probably not a good idea in hindsight…The other times don't even matter now. I mean, you did it once, you did it a dozen…Or…Two times. At least, with the cinematic horror rules." He rushed out under his breath.

Dewey had the same reaction you did years ago. "Karen Kolchak??" 

"Yes, Karen Kolchak." Randy grumbled while not looking at anyone.

Dewey looked at you with a scrunched face as you bit your lip to try to hide a grin. "Creepy Karen??" Dewey whispered. 

"Shut up!" Randy snapped at Dewey while Gale tried stifling a giggle in a chair across from you both. "She's a sweet person, okay? We were working late. We were putting some videos away in the porno section…And, you know…Shit happens!" 

Your lips rolled to hide the grin as you put your head down. Randy rolled his eyes at you. "Anyways, there's a reason I survived. It's to narrate these events. To be the one to warn everybody of the rules to survive this. To help some poor souls from getting mutilated." 

He looked at all of you intently, his hands moving in wild gestures as he spoke. "There are a few rules we all have to remember to survive this. If this is another sequel then the same rules apply." He held up a finger. "But, here's the critical thing; If you find yourself dealing with an unexpected back story and a preponderance of exposition, then the sequel rules do not apply. Because you're not dealing with a sequel, you are dealing with the concluding chapter of a trilogy." 

Gale shrugged. "What's the difference?" 

He dropped his hands in his lap and gave her a deathly serious stare. "...Huge. HUGE." 

You all shared a glance as he continued his rant, getting up to pace. You saw him rub at his upper thigh for a moment and you wondered if it was him needing to pace while he ranted or a way to stretch his scarred muscles as an excuse. 

"That's right, it's a rarity in the horror field but it does exist and is a force to be reckoned with. Because true trilogies are all about going back to the beginning and discovering something that wasn't true from the get go." His was animated as he spoke all while you watched him. Your mind racing at that inclination.

Dewey added in. "Like Maureen? Like something to do with her murder?" 

He grinned at Dewey. "Ahh you're catching on." He turned to you and him on the couch. Walking closer as his hands moved with every word. "Godfather, Jedi, they all revealed something that we thought was true but really wasn't!" 

Gale tilted her head. "Okay, so this has something to do with Maureen Prescott's murder. We get that." 

"Do you, Gale? Because how do we know it's just Maureen Prescott? How do we know?" 

Gale shrugged as you sat still and listened quietly. Randy sucked in a breath and held up a finger. "Here are the rules we have to establish if we're gonna live through this. One; we got a killer who is practically superhuman. Stabbing won't work, shooting him won't work. Basically, in the third one, you've gotta cryogenically freeze his head, decapitate him or blow him up." 

Dewey gave you a worried look as you glanced over at him too. 

Randy held up two fingers. "Number two, anyone including the main characters can die…" He faltered when you both locked eyes. You felt your brows raise as he hesitated but shook his head and gave you a sad look. "I'm sorry, YN. Even you. This thing could be fucking Resvior Dogs by time it's over. Even the Final Girl can be offed… Nancy Thompson, remember?" 

Gale whispered to Dewey. "Nancy Thompson?" 

Randy answered for him. "Nightmare on Elmstreet: Dream Warriors. A trilogy. Nancy Thompson was the original final girl from the first. She was up there with Laurie Strode and Sally Hardesty…She died. Fans were shocked, livid, scared! Because if she could die as the final girl; anyone can…That's not counting the deaths of other main characters that were later scrapped by sequels." 

Dewey sighed. "But we're in real life. We don't get redos." 

Randy tipped his head to him with a nod. 

You frowned, hugging your arms a bit and sat back in your seat. 

He raised three fingers. "Number three: The past will come back to bite you in the ass. Whatever you think you know about the past? Forget it! The past is not at rest!" He looked at you as you both locked eyes. "Any sins you think were committed in the past are about to break out and destroy you." 

He looked over at Gale but you still felt a shiver run down your spine. A queasy feeling in your gut at what he said…Why did he look at you while saying that?

Randy paused for a moment before continuing. "...So in closing, let me say…Goodluck and Godspeed because we're gonna need it." He glared at you. "It's why we need to be smart about this. We can't just go after the killer willy nilly because he will destroy us and send our bloody hearts through the mail to our Mothers for added measure." 

Dewey tsked. "Randy…Those are movies. YN said she wouldn't do it again…Right?" 

You nodded as Randy just sighed deeply and looked at you. "Well I hope so. Because if this is a trilogy and the rules apply…At least one of us isn't going to make it because something or somebody from our past is going to make sure of that." 

You bit your inner cheek. You shot up, the words coming from him had you ill. "I-I…I need some air. Talk without me."  You shakily muttered as you got out of the trailer. 

You practically raced down the trailer stairs and collapsed against the trailer. Your back pressed against it and your eyes closed as you leaned your head back. 

Unsurprisingly, the trailer opened to reveal Randy. He eyed you before stepping down and walking towards you. Limping a bit from the hard night before. "Hey, I didn't mean to…To worry you. I mean, we all are at equal risk. You could live and I could die for all we know!" 

"Don't say that!" You spat. He stared at you before you ran a hand down your face. "Randy…This is bad. This is worse than all the other times." 

"I mean, is it ever happy fun times having a masked killer after you?" 

He leaned next to you as you shook your head. His words just made your fear of Billy or Stu playing you and being you and your friends undoing heightened by what he said. 

"But what if you're right? What if one of us actually dies?" You paused before smacking your hand against the trailer, blinking furiously. "I'm so fucking sick of this!…Why us?! Why aren't we allowed to have normal lives? When is this shit gonna end?!" 

Randy opened his mouth and then closed it before shrugging deeply. "I…I don't know. Life sucks." 

"This is more than that, this is; 'we're all cursed or some shit'…Maybe I'm cursed?" 

"Why? Cotton was killed before you came here." 

"Yeah but it got worse once I arrived…Ray…I don't know if I can do this again." 

Randy hesitated before reaching out and gripping your hand in his. You looked over at him, long scratch on his cheek from last night and a busted lip. "Hey, if a cowardly spineless wimp like myself can do this; you can too…I need you to be strong. Because if you're not strong, how the fuck can I be?" 

"You'll manage. You are a lot stronger than you think, Ray. I mean, you told off Mrs.Loomis and survived a stabbing that should have killed you. Pretty badass…And you got the guns to prove it." 

He scoffed with a smirk and subconsciously looked at his bicep under his oversized button down shirt. "Yeaaahhh, I'd still rather have actual guns or some type of mega ray that obliterates on sight. Hell, I'll take a regular gun too even if it won't kill the killer. Maybe I can take out an eye before the terminator comes for us?" He pretended there was an imaginary gun in his hands as he sagged his features and put on a fake accent. "Hasta la vista, baby. PEEW." 

You couldn't help the chuckle that escaped you as you hung your head. He smiled at you with a nudge of his shoulder against yours. "Look, I just don't want you going off by yourself and trying to take down a killer. Please for my sake don't try to die a hero because you aren't saving yourself or others by dying in the woods all alone…You know you probably took 5 years off my life last night, right? I was so fucking frantic I almost went back in the house while Dewey and Gale held me back. Dewey wanted to go too but I think 'Gale'-" He rolled his eyes at the mention of her name. " Keeps him grounded. Thank god I didn't because Tom did and…Well…I don't think there's much left of Tom. But I seriously thought that was you in there till you helped me up. Don't ever do that to me again, not after all the shit we've been through…You can'tkeep fighting these bastards alone. I don't know why you think you have to be alone in life; you don't. " He softly scolded with a frown. 

You both stared at each other a moment before he reached out and you eagerly leaned in. Hugging him close with your hands clasped around his shoulders. 

"I'm sorry. " You wanted so badly to just tell him. While Billy and Stu were gone and you were sure this killer was bluffing about the cops; you wanted so badly to just say it. That even if Billy and Stu aren't the killers; neither are you. That you were being held hostage practically until this killer was taken down and then dealing with the aftermath. But then you remembered what the killer said on the phone…They were from Woodsboro, they knew too much about that night and…It hurt you but you couldn't risk it. 

You still told him even if he was the killer because if he wasn't then you still needed to just remind him. "I'm sorry, Ray…Love you, jerk." You whispered against his shoulder. 

You felt him sigh against you. "Love you too even though you're a major pain in the ass sometimes." 

You smirked and released him. 

The trailer opened as Gale and Dewey stepped out and you and Randy stepped away from each other. Gale talked as she walked past everybody. "I've got an idea, I'll hook up with you guys later." 

Dewey asked. "You want us to come with you?" 

She smiled over her shoulder. "I work better alone. Why don't you try to figure out where those pictures were taken?" Before walking away. 

Randy gave you both a shake of his head and you glanced over at Dewey. "I can see nothing's changed." 

Dewey scoffed with a shake of his head and a smirk. "No." 

You all started walking towards the stairs when Randy smacked his head. "Oh shit! I gotta go get something-" 

You threw out your arms. "What?!" 

"I have something in my work locker I forgot. I swear I'll be-" He stopped himself and gave a tight smile. "Just stay here." 

"Should I go with you?" Dewey asked. 

"No, YN needs all the protection she can get. Just stay here." With that, he jogged off. 

"Ray! I have another Detective watching me, let Dewey go!" 

Randy just waved over his shoulder, probably not even hearing you.

You groaned and ran your good hand begind your head. Dewey shrugged, his hands in his pockets. "Should we take a look?" 

"Yeah um…I need to use the bathroom really quickly though. I just need a breather." 

He nodded. "I'll stand watch." 

You nodded back, eyes darting to Kincaid's partner who stood a distance away. You went to the bathroom, looking under stalls to make sure you were alone and behind the door and then went to the sink. Running the water to splash some on your face with your unbandaged hand. You gripped the sink for a moment, mind racing.

Stu keeping numbers of your friends, Billy just showing up out of nowhere, you and Stu ending up at the exact shop Billy worked at in the exact town…Then what they said about Randy and Dewey being involved or even Gale. How this killer wanted to act like Sidney, how they knew too much from that night.

You lifted your good hand to see it shake before grasping it gently to your chest with your stitched up hand. Breathing in and out to calm your anxiety setting in. 

....

You jumped when you heard something in one of the bathroom stalls. 

[moriphyte]

I know defending quackity for dream's torture makes peeps uncomfortable but man idk nothing about goes against my moral compass and maybe that means I have something wrong with me but man Big Q just makes me feel safe. He makes me feel safe because even after he's beat he doesn't lie down and take it, he doesn't shut up, he's angry and violent but he's calm with Tommy, he cares and that makes me feel safe. I don't see him as a protective force, bitch is such a weak little man that I bet even my brittle boned ass could take him, but he's rather an enduring force, he survived meaning so can I. He doesn't preach peace like philza because he knows it's unattainable for people on the bottom.

He's safe man

(also this maaaaaaay be because I was raised in a religion that doesn't see violence as inherently bad because we were consistently oppressed by the dominant religion, idk mate sometimes u gotta beat a green tellytubby to an inch of their life before he destroys everything dear to you)

Idk man I know ultimately giving into hate is bad and that any movement propelled by hate will ultimately cannibalise itself but I just feel that anger is different from hate. Anger protects you, hate grows like a parasite and consumes you, and big Q is a character that plays with the difference between the two and I just wish discussions of him went beyond "man he be girboss, but I don't support torture cause I'm a good Christian"

first of all everything you said about quackity is absolutely correct. he’s strong in that he is a survivor, he’s enduring, and he’s done what he’s had to do, no matter how gruesome, to protect himself and the people he cares about. similarly to wilbur he is hopeless when it comes to fighting but he’s good with people and he knows how to use his words to get what he wants, he’s had to to survive. as for torturing dream, i think the reasoning behind it is a lot more complicated than it seems. on the surface there is the reason quackity openly gives, which to obtain the revive book. technically it is true that quackity wanted the revival book, and was torturing dream to get it, but it was never because schlatt won their bet. quackity owes nothing to the ghost of his abusive ex and i find it hard to believe he would do something as extreme as daily torture for months just do do a favor for a man he hates. however i do think quackity wanted the revival book both to take that power away from dream so they could finally kill him, and to take some power for himself. quackity was in the darkest part of his revenge arc. he was the remnants of a good man who was quickly being lost to vengeance. he hadn’t yet realized with the help of charlie that revenge would only ever hurt everyone involved and continue on endlessly unless the cycle was stopped. he was lying to sam, manipulating people into joining his country, and torturing the man that has done more harm to the server than anyone else. and that’s the real reason he was torturing dream, because he murdered tommy, he hurt one of the few people quackity truly cares about, and after all the pain he’s caused the server big q decided to take justice into his own hands. now i can’t say i like the torture, but more because of its effects on the story than my own personal moral opinions. first of all it brings undue sympathy to c dream, because torture is objectively horrible no matter who it’s happening to. however, when that person is a serial killer that has tortured multiple people and gets his kicks from abusing a kid? this sounds harsh but like…who the fuck cares? i have no sympathy for dream when it comes to the torture. the way i see it he experienced a small fraction of the pain he inflicted on others for research or in tommys case just sick fucking fun. second the torture ends up having the complete opposite effect that quackity wanted. he wanted to punish dream for what he did to tommy, serve the justice that is so often non existent on the server, but it backfired as revenge always does. dream was already fucked in the head, like no normal person would do what he did in exile even at their worst, but after months of isolation, starvation, and physical torture? he’s fucking unhinged. when he was chasing tommy he literally repeated the exact line quackity said to him in the prison “i’m going to make your life a living hell” just another example of revenge hurting everyone involved, especially the person the revenge was for. now dream is hunting tommy, and of course that would have happened regardless of quackity torturing him, but it’s also clearly had a psychological effect on dream. he already found torturing and abusing a child “fun” but now? whatever boundaries he may have still had are gone. and that actually relates to the last and darkest part of why quackity was torturing dream, and that comes from dream himself. at one point quackity says “i’m getting tired of this, i don’t even know why i’m doing this anymore” and dream screams back “you’re doing it because you like it!” and initially quackity dismisses this before reconsidering and admitting that maybe he does like it. and the thing is, the only reason dream knows that, the only reason he could see whatever small part of big q did truly like torturing him, is because he recognizes it. their motivations couldn’t be more different, but the end result is something dream recognizes in quackity. dream enjoys torturing tommy because it’s entertaining, quackity enjoys torturing dream because it’s vindicating.

[bored-storyteller]

Blessed are you who send me so many requests for Uta, he is one of the few characters I want to write for even in my black periods, so thank you very much for that!

Despite that, I wonder if I'm getting a bit repetitive and simplistic with him, you are free to correct me and tell me what is wrong in your opinion at any time 🌸

P.s. Tokyo Ghoul's One-shot for Itori is also coming, it's just that I need a little more time for her

68- Tokyo Ghoul, Uta x Human!Artist! Reader

This is the second part of THIS

"Just ... it was unexpected."

Uta's voice is placid and calm, broken only by the concentration he is turning to his work. His precise and delicate hands weave ribbons and move needles, while his eyes from time to time scan the design of a strange mask that he holds nearby.

You weren't prepared for him to bring up that topic now.

You remembered the embarrassment you felt when his fingers touched the pages of your sketchbook so covered with his face, yet all he did was ask you about your techniques, your choices of colors, if you used other tools besides those that had been imprinted on the paper and the like.

He is also an artist. That realization was a surprise for you, a pleasant surprise. And that was what brought you closer, unexpectedly more at the behest of him than yours.

If he ever had doubts about you and the secret he unintentionally shared with you, he never told you.

He just let you go to him shyly, quietly, and you still occasionally find yourself thanking God, the spirits or whatever may exist for allowing you to be so close to him.

Yet right in the middle of the silence of the late afternoon, he asked you that question: "Why me?"

Your head had suddenly popped out of the side of his work table, where you were curled up drawing absorbed in the calm atmosphere.

He just looked at you for a moment, wondering if it was so comfortable to sit on the floor, but you dismissed him, asking him if it really was something so weird to want to draw him, and that was the answer you got.

You are curled up in your corner again, but never really take your eyes off him.

"If you find me creepy you should just say it ..." You mutter softly, immediately lowering your eyes to your sketch.

Not sure you want to hear the answer now that you think about it better.

"I? Should I find you creepy? " His light laugh comes to your ears, and you curse yourself for not having the courage to look at him. “If I found you creepy, you wouldn't be alive anymore. It's me ... the horror movie killer between us, right? "

You don't answer him right away, but rather you wander with your mind between his words. Now that you know him a little better, Uta is different from what you imagined, yet he has never really disappointed your expectations. Your vision of him has changed, over and over, yet it has always been just one more detail, a more defined trait on his figure.

"Are the trims better red or yellow?"

The question of him forces you to look beyond your barrier again.

"Yellow ..." Your answer is immediate, but you know right away that's not what he really needs.

"Come to think of it I almost ate you, but despite this you are here, with me ..." he bends, pushing himself closer to you, leaning on the tabletop to get as close as possible "but perhaps more than disturbing, you are only strange."

Your eyes escape from him again, timid and insecure, still tied to a kind of awe of him.

"We are all strange to someone else ..." You mutter, and your strokes on the paper become more frantic and intense.

For a brief moment all you hear is the soft, muffled noise of your pencil on paper, and perhaps if you listen closely you can hear the hum of Uta's thoughts in his head.

"Well, it's an interesting way of looking at things ..." he murmurs, vaguely losing the playfulness inherent in his voice until then "is this what you saw in me?"

Another brief moment of stillness, just necessary to allow the tip of your pencil to detach itself from the paper permanently. You do not know at all what is going through that ghoul's head, but it is evident that he has waged a battle with you, or perhaps it is better to say an investigation, and that it is a deep interest of him or just a whim he is not willing to give up.

"I ..." you begin, barely sighing as your eyes search for his face drawn on the paper "I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and I didn't. However, you really seemed like a book I wanted to read."

Even the timid noise of his work stops. Muffled by the walls and the isolation of the shop, only the city noises remain between the two of you.

You still don't know what actually touches Uta's mind or heart, he never has excessively surprised or exaggerated expressions, yet he is not expressionless either. The feelings he manifests are like the breeze before the storm; light, almost pleasant, which however heralds power and disaster.

Yet now, his silence is a sign of meditation, and perhaps of understanding.

“It's not the storyline you expected. However…"

There are no questions for you in his words, just findings for him. But you hear him get up, and in a short time he is there, in front of you, sitting on his heels. His hands crossed in his lap almost rest on the pages of your notebook, and you are forced to meet his gaze.

"You are a masochist."

His is not a question, but rather a witty statement that makes you look away with a slight unconscious pout on your face.

"You are a little bit too." You whispers, and a laughing sigh slips from his lips to your face.

When he moves you think you see him disappear from your sight, but instead you find him sitting against the wall, next to you, with those crimson eyes that demand your attention.

"Maybe, but not for the reason you think." He assures you, and before you can reply, his hand points to your drawings again, and without even needing to stop turning the pages, until he can extract the drawing that you had hidden so carefully, the one where his nature it is manifest, clear in its darkness.

However, it is not yet finished, but compared to how it was before it is now more detailed, more true, and Uta is amazed at how much more that drawing seems to reflect not only his body, but also his soul, more and more, every once he sets his eyes on it.

“You keep doing it, you keep drawing me despite this, despite everything. I don't find you creepy, just… it's not something you'd expect from a little human like you. "

For a moment your pupils are lost in his, as if trying to understand where the trap lies in his words, but in the end you sigh. If he really he wants to set you up in some way or catch you out for some reason, he has all the power to do it.

"Is it really that hard to understand?" Your hand swirls in the air, indicating the surrounding environment of his mask studio "You are an artist too, and even better than me. You should know that inspiration can come from anyone and anything. "

"Do I inspire you?" The question he asks you is neither uncertain nor narcissistic, it seems rather the search for a reasoning, an attempt to understand the how and the why.

“You are… umh… you have always been very different from what I am used to living. And the more I know you, the more you are something I've never known. "

It's impressive to you how he manages to get words out of you that you never thought you could say. It's as if his silences put them on the tip of your tongue, ready to come out.

He murmurs something in approval, while his eyes wander to a point away from you, following a thread that is invisible to you.

"But I'm a ghoul." An observation. A light observation, a fact left to fly in the air with all the naturalness of his truth. It's normal for him, and for you too.

“And you are an artist, like me. I'm really learning a lot from you. " A second observation, and this is yours. Equally true and just as natural.

Uta's clear lips barely open when your words reach him, suddenly as in a revelation his eyes on nothingness open slightly more. For you it is almost mystical to see true amazement on his face, you would like to immortalize it in a thousand ways, if only it lasted a moment longer.

When his gaze is on you again all of this has already vanished, but something new has been born in his meek look. Is it trust or complicity?

"You're funny" he tells you before you can realize that new truth "even today you deserve not to be my next snack."

He jokes, even if the boundary between joking and seriousness is always thin with him, but the index finger that playfully hits your forehead is a certainty.

"You know, I thought you talked a lot less." You mutter as you watch the man get up.

The one who tasted your meat looks at you from above, and even if you should, you don't want to be afraid.

You don't really know him, yet the more you stay with him, the closer you get, every time his gaze lingers on you, you get the impression that the wound on your shoulder burns for him more and more, and you don't really know what causes that resentment in him.

"I think ... you may want a mask in the near future." A slight, almost imperceptible smile blossoms on his pierced lips "Would you like to let me take your measurements?"

[fakeikemen]

Katara's Grief

(This is my first attempt at a meta post and I know that this has probably been already done but I just needed to get it off my chest and go on a little rant and it kinda got long so bear with me.)

A lot of the hate on Katara stems from the fact that she keeps on mentioning her mother's death at every chance she gets and invalidates other people's pain to assert that her suffering is the worst of the lot.

And even though everybody is entitled to their own opinions, I'm gonna point out why I think the aforesaid claims are not exactly correct.

First we'll take a look at; Katara's Backstory:

We know that Kya is killed in a fire nation raid and that Katara had been the last person to see her alive before she leaves the tent on her mother's insistence. Only to come back a few moments later and find her dead body. This, in itself is a traumatising event.

So yes, her mother died. Other people in the story go through far worse. You're not wrong when you say that.

But what is more important in Katara's story is the aftermath of her mother's death.

As Sokka says while talking to Toph in "The Runaway" in B3 Ep7:

Sokka: When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess, but Katara? She had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom.

As an eight year old, she had to force herself to grow up to step into her mother's shoes and raise herself and her elder brother and simultaneously look after the entire village after her father left to fight in the war. She had to do all of it by herself.

In face of all her responsibilities, she never really had the chance to simply be a grieving child lamenting the loss of her mother. She habituated herself to caring more about others than herself (We see this trait in the entire series as she acts as the stand-in mom friend for the entire Gaang with an exception of Suki and Zuko). She ended up bottling her feelings of grief, resentment, guilt and rage deep within herself.

She had to give up an extensive part of her childhood where most children focus on figuring themselves out, to become a mature and responsible person who was working as the immovable pillar holding up the family and even the whole village not much later.

She put up a strong front to help others and pretended to be fine even though she was hurting inside the whole time.

She could never find any closure from the situation. She never got over it.

Moving on to the criticisms:

1. Katara keeps on mentioning her mother like a broken record:

Here are the number of times Katara mentions her mother's death (not sure if that's all of it, lmk if there are any others):

1. In her first scene with Sokka

Katara: Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!

2. A short while after she meets Aang

Katara: Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother, and they could have done the same to your people.

3. A short while after she meets Haru

Katara: I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her.

4. A short while after she meets Jet

Katara: Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation.

5. In the swamp after she sees a vision of her mother

Katara: I thought I saw Mom.

6. In the Crystal Catacombs with Zuko

Katara: I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.

7. A short while after she meets Hama

Katara: We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid.

8. Repeated mentions in The Southern Raiders episode

(Most of the episode basically)

The first mention with Sokka is in the middle of a siblings' spat where she tells off Sokka for trying to act as if he were superior when it was obvious that in the face of the gaping hole that was left by Kya's sudden death, Katara had shouldered much more responsibility.

When she tells it to Aang, she uses it as a proof that the Fire Nation is capable of immense cruelty and destruction.

The Gaang travel all around the world and meet different people affected by the war in different ways. So when Haru, Jet and Hama narrate their own stories, Katara sympathises with them and talks about Kya's death in lieu of "I understand, the Fire Nation hurt me too."

After they got separated, Aang, Sokka and Katara each had their visions and after they get back together, they all mention their visions and so does Katara.

When left alone in catacombs with Zuko, whom she considered as the face of the Fire Nation— the same Fire Nation that had her mother killed and forced her father to leave to fight in the war, she has a meltdown where she rightfully accuses him of all the bad things he's done and then breaks down while talking about how the war has cost her i.e., by causing her mother's death.

The Southern Raiders is the episode where Katara hunts down the man responsible for her mother's death. If you think mentioning Kya repeatedly in this episode is uncalled for, then I don't know what to tell you.

In all the incidents mentioned above, Katara mentioning her mother's death is a very natural occurrence is the respective conversations. She mostly talks about Kya's death to either extend her sympathy or to use it as an example of the ruthlessness of the Fire Nation.

Another fact to be noted is that 70% of the Gaang's storyline is followed via Katara from a narrative point of view. Plus, being the mom-friend, she acts as the spokesperson. Considering that Kya's death is a major event that played a huge role in shaping Katara's life and is also the source of her severe, unresolved trauma, which acts as the driving force of her story, it is only natural that she brings up this topic whenever she is engaging in a deeper conversation.

It is us as the viewers who have seen her from the start and already know about her mother's death and we see her talking to multiple people about it. Which is why it might come across as repetitive to some people.

While, Kya's death is not necessary information that everyone needs to know, Katara talking about it never comes across as a forced or unnatural.

2. Katara invalidates others' pain because she thinks she has suffered the most:

First of all, if anything, Katara is the most empathetic person of them all. As the mom-friend of the group, not only is she their constant moral support, she also helps them untangle and sort out their own feelings. She is also able to tap into issues that aren't said out loud.

Instances of Katara helping and supporting Aang, emotionally are uncountable.

She is the first one to notice Sokka's sour mood in B3 Ep4 "Sokka's Master". And even though his insecurities seem baseless, she validates him (by saying "I'm sorry you're feeling so down" instead of something like "That's a dumb thing to say") and knows exactly what to do to cheer him up.

In B3 Ep7 "The Runaway" she has the insight to understand that Toph's unruly behaviour is caused by the mixed feelings she has about her parents even though Toph's herself never talked about it.

She even reaches out to Zuko in B2 Ep19 "Crossroads of Destiny" even though she used to think of him as the face of the enemy.

But then there's The Southern Raiders.

Ah yes, that episode where Katara is extremely OOC and a total b*tch.

Agreed that she said some things that she definitely shouldn't have said. But like, she's just 14?? And has been hurting on the inside since she was 8?? And pretended to be fine just for the sake of other people?? Like, there's a limit to how much she can have her shit under control?? And she did a real good job of Sokka's upbringing and taking care of the village and taking care of Gaang on her own?? Some people out there are really willing to forget everything she has ever done just because she was mean for 5 minutes?? A traumatised 14 yo shouldn't be villianised and called toxic because she got mad and lashed out at people that one time??

But here's my take on the scene anyway:

When Aang gets to know that she's going to go face her mother's killer:

Aang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

Katara: I knew you wouldn't understand. 

Aang is a non-confrontational person who prefers running away from difficult situations as opposed to Katara who firmly stands her ground and is never afraid of confrontations. Katara had approached Aang only hoping that he would understand. But going by his dismissal, he obviously doesn't understand the burning need that she has to confront the man who had single-handedly destroyed her childhood. (Most people infer that what Katara means is that she thinks that Aang doesn't understand the pain of losing people. And so does Aang, I guess)

But things start getting even more tricky when:

Aang: Katara, you sound like Jet.

In all honesty, this is probably the most insensitive thing that she could've heard from anyone right then, let alone one of her closest friends. Hearing herself being compared to a homicidal maniac just because she wants to avenge her mother's killer. (No, I'm not justifying murder but there's a clear difference between homicide and avenging someone's death. And Aang may not be my favourite character but I do love him but this wasn't really a good thing to say either. And he wasn't even mentally distressed in the very least to be completely lacking tact or a filter.)

And then the situation escalates:

Sokka: Katara, she was my mother, too, but I think Aang might be right.

Katara: Then you didn't love her the way I did!

After 6 long years of Katara bottling in her dark feelings and letting them fester inside herself, she is finally letting them out and the first things she faces in a span of few minutes are outright rejection, invalidation of her feelings, comparison to a homicidal maniac and nothing akin to the unconditional support that she has provided to everybody. Her own brother tells her that he is siding with the boy who just compared her to a homicidal maniac.

Yes, accusing your own brother of not loving your mother enough is a very cruel thing to do. But both Sokka and Katara know that she doesn't entirely mean it.

But also, there is one very important factor in here:

In B3 Ep7 "The Runaway", Sokka says to Toph:

Sokka: I'm gonna tell you something crazy. I never told anyone this before, but honestly? I'm not sure I can remember what my mother looked like. It really seems like my whole life, Katara's been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara's is the only face I can picture. 

Katara overhears this conversation just as Sokka had meant her to.

This dialogue lets us know that Sokka's coping mechanism has made him suppress all memories of Kya and replace them with memories of Katara in order to attain a semblance of normalcy.

Both Katara and Sokka had very different ways of coping with Kya's death. Katara pressed down her feelings and tried her best to pretend to ignore them while Sokka partially succeeded in forgetting her.

When Katara first hears these words she is shown to be crying. But if she were to remember these very words while she was justifying herself infront of her own brother and a close friend for wanting to avenge her mother, it would've had a negative impact on her.

In her rage, she would've thought: "Of course he doesn't want to avenge mom. Because he doesn't think it's worth it and that's because he doesn't even remember enough of her to be mad about her death."

And for someone who has spent each day of the last 6 years trying to fill in the shoes of her mother and experiencing her absence everyday, the idea of forgetting her mother is a ridiculous concept to her.

Her thoughts would have quickly derailed to: "He didn't love her enough to remember her."

In light of these thoughts, saying "Then you didn't love her the way I did" doesn't feel out of the blue.

No, I am definitely not justifying what she said, I'm just laying out a possible explanation to why she said what she said.

Yes, she should've apologized to Sokka for this and I think that they definitely should've had a long conversation about their mother's death and how it affected them. Between Katara supressing her feelings and Sokka supressing his memories, i don't think they ever had this conversation.

But sadly we are given neither of these scenes.

Tl;dr: Everytime Katara mentions her mother, it's with good reason and I don't think it's fair to call a character toxic when they lack a mind to mouth filter for 5 minutes and say some mean things. And considering all that Katara has done for everybody, it isn't fair at all.

Peace out!

[n1kolaiz]

ENTJ + INFJ DYNAMIC

BSD MANGA CHAPTER 54-57 SPOILERS

Chapter 54 introduced Mushitaro Oguri, and his background involving Yokomizo was ever so intriguing to me. So unfortunately, here I am.

Mushitaro and Yokomizo's dynamic:

The 'Commander' meets the 'Idealist.'

Alright, I won't go into the details about the case of Yokomizo's death, because there's no way in hell I can explain it fluently at all. So if you need further reference to what these few chapters are about, popopretty's post would elaborate on the details and whatnot.

Before I start, here's a bit of little introduction to both individual characters:

MUSHITARO OGURI

Mushitaro appears to take a lot of pride in his ability, which contributes to his arrogant complex altogether. He had his own desires and goals, and lived out his days just to fulfil them.

His ability is called the 'Perfect Crime,' which allows him to erase any trail of evidence pertaining to whatever crime he had committed. Hence, he is also known as the 'infallible Detective-killer.'

Until Ranpo proved him wrongヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉﾞ

His personality type is most likely 'ENTJ,' the 'Commander.'

- ENTJs are known to have exceptional leadership skills. They are confident in themselves and what they do; basically, they don't have the tendency to second-guess what they are capable of. This explains Mushitaro's ambition to achieve his ends, and his ability goes the extra mile of complimenting his success rate greatly. Whether his motives or the end results were morally good or evil, it didn't matter to Mushitaro— as long as his wishes were fulfilled.

"With tyrants and demons, I'll make deal with a demon. That's in my nature."

- They're also quite outspoken with their opinions. It's a fairly minor detail, but this shows why he wasn't afraid to express the distaste he had for mystery novels to Yokomizo— including the extravagant ideas and serpentine stories his close friend based his life upon and discussed with him.

- The subtle insensitivity mixed in with an ENTJ's preference of logic over emotion highlights one of their core weaknesses: which brings us back to Mushitaro's ability to kill his friend. Say you were to put a person with a deeply compassionate heart, who's also very well in-tact when it comes to identifying emotions and being empathetical to other's feelings: would that person be able to kill a friend they'd known for so long? For the sole reason of making his last mystery novel a deathless enigma? This is very subjective perspective, but I believe that if Mushitaro was more of an emotionalist rather than a strategist, things would have turned out different for Yokomizo's eventual fate.

Side note: His insensitivity did, however, find its limit when he realised how devastating it was to have killed his own friend with his hands. Even though there's a wide scale that measures how insensitive a person can be, they are, in fact, still human beings capable of feeling. Killing someone dear to you is no easy task; there is a breaking point for the hardest of hearts.

SEISHI YOKOMIZO

Yokimozo, also known as Kindaichi, was a mystery writer who was very particular about detail and being exclusive, especially when it came to his works. His last wish he pursued to achieve before a terminal illness took his life was done by formulating a 'mystery that transcended reality.'

"I hate regret. So I've done whatever I've wanted to do. Up until now, it's been a satisfying life. But now… I've been given a time limit…Before then, I have to complete the ultimate mystery."

His personality type is identified as 'INFJ,' also known as the 'Idealist.'

- INFJ's are deeply creative and artistic, but they express it in various different ways. For Yokomizo, he portrayed his brilliant artistic skill through his writings revolving around mysteries and their compelling depths. The fictional character's namesake was also a mystery novel writer. Yokomizo was pretty well-versed with how mysteries worked and how their details ravelled themselves into elegantly, well-established riddles, which only added to his natural flair of writing.

- Generally, INFJs are reserved, but incredibly idealistic. Yokomizo was seen to be very abstract in his idea of thinking, and this is due to the fact that INFJs have a thing for pondering about life and the meaning behind everything.

"Mushi-kun, I bet you're laughing at me for destroying myself for the sake of mystery. But if that's the case, maybe there's no such thing as unshakable values. Maybe it's up to us to decide what to put value in and what to live for. After all, we have the right to turn our own decisions into our entire world. It is, foolishly enough, the greatest luxury afforded to mankind."

- As for their weaknesses, some INFJs are very hard to get to know. They are mysterious at times, which prevents them from being flamboyant with their thoughts and opinions. Yokomizo had a very lighthearted, mystifying nature, which made him a very interesting character altogether. Despite having a high regard for their intimate relationships— INFJs can be quite private. Mushitaro vaguely points out his self-contained, introverted mannerisms in this panel:

Now, I'll get to my point.

ENTJs and INFJs don't ideally match up, but when it comes to general friendships, there are a few details that suggest an accomodating dynamic between the two personality types. These qualities emanate from Mushitaro and Yokomizo's friendship with each other.

Opposites attract in most cases, correct?

Well, in this case, ENTJs and INFJs have a lot of similarities:

intelligent

intuitive in thinking

determined

goal-oriented

But the more numerable contrasting qualities is what really brings out the agreeable traits between Mushitaro and Yokozimo. Think of it as a system where two opposites mutually keep each other in check:

1. Mushitaro bases his life on the gaining his own needs and wants, and is very firm in his sense of realism, while Yokomizo is more focused on the deep, complexities of life itself. This may come off as impractical to ENTJs, but also compliments their coordination with INFJs. Realism limits idealism, but idealists can also expand the boundaries realists place themselves in.

2. INFJs accept people and ideas as they are, not willing to put others down just to prove themselves right. Yokozimo's tolerant behaviour stands in contrast with how authoritative Mushitaro is, especially when it boils down to his arrogance— he isn't afraid to spit his pride right into his opponent's face.

Kneel, detectives! I am the king of crime! No one can force me to sin and repent!

Just for laughs reference^

So it's safe to say that because Yokomizo had an acquired sense of serenity and open-mindedness, he was able to tolerate Mushitaro's extravagant, subtle histrionic characteristics, which were laced with his superior complex.

3. In the manga, Yokomizo speaks and converses with Mushitaro in a way that suggests that he is careful with his words. INFJs are gentle and generally sensitive to the needs of others, so they tend to be careful with what comes out of their mouths. Mushitaro, like most ENTJs, are quite blunt. This points back to how insensitive they come off, even if they don't actually mean it. So when it comes to Yokozimo explaining tales of mystery to Mushitaro, Mushitaro doesn't hesitate to mock Yokozimo; but because of how understanding Yokozimo is, he doesn't take Mushitaro's opinions too seriously to the point of discounting the value of their friendship, because he knew Mushitaro didn't use his words with the intention to harm.

If you were to place a more dominant persona in Yokomizo's position, I doubt that that person would be able to tolerate such behaviours. Then again, this is crucially subjective.

I suppose the main thing I wanted to point out was how ENTJs and INFJs balanced each other out by cancelling out each other's extreme traits, and keeping each other in the middle of the equilibrium altogether. But another thing I'd like to point out to sum up Mushitaro and Yokozimo's relationship was this: the fact that Mushitaro had to kill his own friend to grant his dying wish. Dying for someone or by someone's hands is easier than killing someone, especially if that someone is dear to you, no? I guess that's the part I can't fathom— it was the type of relationship that stood out way more than I had expected. Say, the roles were switched, would Yokomizo actually kill Mushitaro? Or would Mushitaro think of such an incomprehensible way to die in the first place? Or what if these two friends had different, more superior traits that coexisted in conflict all the time, would Yokomizo even depend on Mushitaro with such a task?

The speculations are endless, or maybe it's pretty straightforward. Though, I hope this made sense.

Okay, I'm done rambling for now. Thank you for reading!