#i expected the flashback to flesh out this point more

[cielsama14]

Not a whole lot for me to say on this chapter, it was sad but I’m also glad Yana fleshed out the thematic point of “lie becoming truth” vs “cruel truth” even further with the new info we got about Snake’s motivation.

Snake’s whole wish of wanting to be a real family with his loved ones by sharing everything shattered before the cruel truth of what they’ve done. Some things just weren’t meant to be known.

[totheblood]

superposition. (four)

pairing: dealer!ellie x best friend!reader

summary: a flashback to when ellie and petal first met...they hang out in a bathroom for some reason?

warnings: 18+, no smut! (i'm sorry it's just necessary for the plot) cursing, drug/alcohol mention and use, cheating if u squint

a/n: i am so sorry but this chapter has no smut and yes that was a decision i made on purpose, it will be back and i am already working on it so don't be mad at me.. this chapter is important for the plot and is mainly from ellie's point of view. also there are ai audios but they are not ... nasty... cause no smut! also reblogs, asks, and replies are so appreciated and encouraged! thank u kisses

wc: 2.9k

masterlist for previous chapters

"why don't we rely on chemistry?"

It was decided, Ellie wanted to crawl inside your chest and live there forever. 

She can’t remember a time she’s felt this involved with someone, this desperate for another person’s touch. Any free space of her mind was taken up by you, by your smell, the way your skin felt under her fingertips. There was only you. 

Ellie had always fantasized about this being a reality. About you leaning into her, delicately murmuring her name onto her flesh, coming undone on top of her several nights in a row, but she never expected it would hurt as much as it did. Every time you rushed out the door, fixing your hair in the mirror before you went, or she checked your location and saw that you were at some new restaurant or bar, her heart sank to her chest. 

She was unsure of what she expected when she first kissed you. She knew it was a bad idea, that nothing could come from it that would stop the swirling in her stomach when it came to you. The pit in her stomach could only be filled by you, by being on, around, or inside you. 

Ellie had met you during her junior year in high school when she was just starting to discover herself. She always knew she liked girls but before she turned 16 she had never kissed one. Everything about her was more chaotic at 16, her freckles seeming more scattered and auburn hair always slightly messy. She had been falling behind in most of her classes, except physics, and found herself not sleeping. She was an overly anxious kid with a mind that never stopped turning until she met you. 

Jackson was a small town with an even smaller high school; everyone had some connection to someone. So when you sauntered into class, with shaking hands gripping the straps of your backpack unsure of where to sit, Ellie had offered you Dina’s seat. She told herself she was just being kind and it wasn’t because Ellie’s brain came to a halt when she saw you, which was wildly untrue. Dina cursed her out for giving you her seat, but when she grew to know you she understood.

Ellie was soccer captain, the one sport that the high school had for girls. When her body was moving she wasn’t thinking, all she could think was: ball, net, don’t trip, you? You slipped into her mind when she was on the field, looking up and seeing you perched on the bleachers, a book in your hand. Upon seeing you, she smiled to herself, but that smile was quickly wiped off her face as another girl on the team bumped into her, shaking her from her thoughts.

She approached you after practice, wiping the sweat from her forehead and briefly smelling her pits before getting too close. Your legs crossed over each other as you hummed, flipping the pages in the worn-down book and not noticing Ellie’s presence. 

“Hey,” she grinned, hands coming forward to lean on the rail of the bleachers as she looked up at you, “came to watch me practice?”

“You wish,” you giggled, tucking your book into your backpack, “needed to find a quiet place to read. Not much action on the field.”

Ellie faked a gasp and rolled her eyes, hoping her face wouldn’t betray her but it did. The sweet blush crept up on her face as her eyes blinked at you, what a tease, she thought. 

“Talking a lot of shit for someone who probably can’t make a goal,” she replied, making the playfulness in her voice evident. It was your turn to fake a gasp as your hand came over your chest. 

“Excuse me, I’ll have you know I was goal champion back in New York,” you added a bit of cockiness to your voice, fully knowing you were faking it.

“Goal champion?” 

“Yup.”

“Never heard of it.” Ellie laughed, shaking her head before turning back and seeing the field empty. The sun was going to set soon, nighttime just around the corner. She usually hated walking home in the dark, but decided she wanted more time with you. Any amount would do. “Wanna show me your moves, goal champion?” 

“I don’t think you could handle it,” you giggled, picking your bag up and walking down the steps to the field. 

“Try me,” Ellie looked back at you, a shit-eating grin on her face as she ran onto the field. The night was spent with you trying, and failing, to make one goal against Ellie. She giggled as you made one goal and threw your hands up in the air chanting ‘goal champion’. She decided to never tell you that she let you make that goal. Her smile never left her face and for a brief moment in time she wasn’t thinking about all the work she had to do, or how she was going to do it, or how Joel would react when he found out she failed her Algebra test, she was just happy. She slept like a baby that night thinking of the sound of your laugh. 

She kept her crush on you secret, letting it fizzle out slowly. Every sleepover the two of you had, the fear that if you found out about her crush on you that you would think she was a creep crept up the back of Ellie’s neck. It was a fear that wasn’t exclusive to you, but the rest of her feelings were. The way you sat posed for her, smiling with your teeth on display as she painted a portrait of you for art class created a new feeling she had for you, and only you. She couldn’t name it but she believed it was love. 

When you came around to look at the finished product, you gasped. Ellie had painted you with flowers coming out of your hair, tulips, lilies, and roses surrounding you. You never believed you could look that beautiful, but it was how Ellie saw you. Your mouth hung open as you gasped, eyes taking in the artwork and glossing over with tears. The pink, orange, and red hues adorning your pictured face. 

“Ellie, this is-” Your mouth fell open again, eyes too shy to meet her. 

“You like it?” Ellie asked nervously, eyes darting between you and the painting. 

“I, I love it, Ellie,” then a smile was on your face from ear to ear, “I didn’t know I could look so beautiful… and the flowers I mean?”

“The flowers are meant to represent you,” Ellie’s voice was small as she looked up at you, “beautiful and delicate.”

When you beamed at her and brought a finger to trace the lines of her art she was sure she melted. It was over for her. Every waking moment would be now spent trying to get that reaction out of you. That was the day she began calling you ‘Petal’, her own face blushing at the memory. 

Her plan had always been you, even when she wasn’t sure she was making a plan. So when you and Malia had become ‘Instagram official’ she couldn’t stop herself from keeling over and throwing up into the trash can she kept beside her bed. She didn’t feel like she was going to be sick, she was just sick. 

There was jealousy, and then there was whatever Ellie was feeling right now. It was almost a blind rage. She knew she didn’t have any claim to you, but didn’t she? It was her fingers, her lap, and her mouth that you came onto, not your ‘girlfriend’s’ and Ellie made sure of that. 

She didn’t feel the need to call you for two days after seeing the post. She texted you to let you know she was sick, which wasn’t technically untrue, and you texted her back a sad face paired with a message to get better before the formal on Saturday insisting that you couldn’t do it alone. She wanted to reply with some snarky comment about why your girlfriend couldn’t take you, but she refrained. 

The upcoming formal was something you attended for Dina and Jesse’s sake. It provided an excuse for you to wear a fancy dress while also providing a large and willing customer base for Ellie. These things were boring, and at most became fun when the music got slightly more uptempo. The point was to raise money for the fraternities, not shake your ass in front of your classmates. 

Despite how excruciating these things felt, you and Ellie had gone together for the past two years. She always wore a suit and tucked your pink flask into the pocket inside her jacket, spiking your drink whenever you flashed her the signal. What started out as a boring night always ended with you and Ellie in a fit of giggles on the bench outside the venue. It was one of those traditions that you continued to look forward to.

Ellie showed up that night, a tequila-filled flask pressed tightly against her shirt. She even felt bold enough to wear a bowtie. She waited in the lobby of the venue, occasionally staring at her feet as she waited for you to arrive. She expected to drive you but you told her that you would come on your own. That alone should have raised some flags. 

You showed up with Malia, her arm linked with yours. Ellie's green eyes widened but she had to maintain her composure as you approached her with a giant smile plastered on your face and arms open for a hug. She took you in, breathing in your scent which now felt unfamiliar to her. You smelt like pink pepper, Malia was rubbing off on you. Ellie shivered at the thought. 

“Malia,” your voice was sweet and sing-songy, “this is Ellie, my best friend.” You gestured to Ellie who reached out her hand to Malia, a smile on her face that said ‘I’ve fucked your girlfriend, in fact, I took her virginity and I felt good doing it’ but only she knew that. 

“Nice to meet you, Ellie,” Malia said as she shook Ellie’s hand, her own warm smile on her face, “this one’s told me so much about you.” Internally, Ellie scoffed. 

Ellie wanted to hate Malia, and for the most part, she did. She was objectively beautiful and had this aura around her that made things in the room glow. Everyone who knew her always raved about how kind and caring she was, you being one of them. Ellie wanted to hate her, but more than that she wanted you to be happy. Malia made you happy. She had to like her. 

“Same here,” Ellie shook her hand before pulling it back. Her eyes glanced to the door of the room the event was being hosted in, classical music seeping from the walls. “Should we go in?” 

“Oh, uh, yeah,” you smiled as you took Malia’s hand in your own and walked towards the room. Ellie followed after, feeling like a third wheel. This was the night that your tradition would die. 

Ellie had to make some quick exchanges and so she had to reluctantly leave you. She didn’t want you to get too comfortable without her, but she had a job to do. When she returned she found you and Malia on the dance floor and had to actively ignore how much she wanted to throw up again. 

Ellie leaned back against the cold metal backing of the chair as she watched you and Malia dance in the center of the room. You looked like you were having fun, laughing and throwing your head back as Malia whispered something in your ear. Malia’s hand was on the small of your back, mine, Ellie thought. Her lips grazed the shell of your ear, mine, Ellie’s mind rang again. Her hand moved down to rest at the top of your ass, min-

Fuck it, Ellie thought, as she got up and stormed out of the room. She found herself in the ladies' room, eating the mints that were in a bowl by the sink and taking swigs of the liquor she bought for you. The bathroom surprisingly smelt nice and some lady handed Ellie a five, thinking she was the bathroom attendant, and tipping her. She didn’t even try to correct her, she just thanked her by nodding her head and opening the door for the woman. Easy five bucks.

Then you were pushing through the door, looking underneath the stalls, and locking the bathroom door behind you. Ellie was so flustered she didn’t even know what to do. She just stood up straight as she watched your movements carefully. 

“Hi?” she questioned, eyeing you with a confused look on her face. 

“You brought the tequila?” You questioned, your eyes wide and frantic, glancing down to her chest where you knew the flask was. 

“Oh, um-” Ellie’s fingers pulled the flask out and handed it to you. She watched you intently as you took a giant swig, attempting to pretend she couldn’t read you like a book. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m a shitty fucking girlfriend.”

“No, you-”

“Yes, I am,” you sighed, leaning your head back against the wall, hitting it with a cold thud. You were about to groan in pain when someone tried opening the door. “It’s fucking occupied!”

“Jesus, Petal,” Ellie cursed under her breath as she watched you take another swig from the flask. 

“I just, I can’t do it,” your eyes looked glossed over, Ellie had to stop herself from pulling you into her arms, “She’s just so nice, and every time she tries to… you know, I just can’t.”

“Is she pressuring you?” Ellie’s voice had a bite to it as she crossed her arms across her face. Her eyebrows knit together and her mouth was in a permanent frown.

“No!” you quickly assured her, “not at all. She’s actually been really nice about it and I have no idea why I can’t just go all the way with her.”

“You’re not ready,” Ellie’s voice was softer now, “that’s okay. You don’t have to be.”

“Then why…” you took another deep breath, avoiding eye contact with her, “why am I ready to do it with you?”

Ellie’s breath caught in her throat, the words getting lost on her. She wanted to speak or to lean forward and kiss you, but she couldn’t. She was a lot of things, crass, rude, occasionally a bitch but the area that was once grey was now so clearly black. You had a girlfriend, and if she kissed you, she would be a homewrecker. She couldn’t speak, but she could whisper your name. It sounded like an apology. 

“Ellie, I know you were just being a good friend but I think you ruined me.”

“What?”

“You’ve ruined me for anyone else. Every time I kiss her, it’s just…” Your hand came up to pinch the bridge of your nose, “It’s not you, and I can’t understand why that’s so disappointing.”

“I’m not,” Ellie breathed out the words, eyes staring at the floor, “I’m not a homewrecker, Petal. I can’t keep doing this.” 

“I know,” you took a step closer to her, causing her eyes to look back up at you. She looked so sad, or conflicted, you were having trouble reading her, “I know you’re not, I’m sorry.”

“Do you like me?”

“Of course, I like you.”

“You know what I mean.”

“What does it matter?”

“It matters to me.” Her voice was louder now as she attempted not to choke. She knew the liquor was giving her the confidence to do this, but also knew that it would give you the push you needed to be honest.

“Do you like me?” 

“Yes,” Ellie answered quickly, too quickly. You took a step back from her causing her to shrink almost immediately. This was the first time in her life she felt like she couldn’t read what was going on inside your head, “I like you, not as friends or any of that crap. I like you more than I like myself, more than I like anyone, and now that I know what it’s like to kiss you… I can’t go back to being your friend.”

“Ellie-”

“And you know this has been really shitty for me. This was supposed to be our night and you bought your girlfriend?” She took her own step back, leaning against the counter of the sink. “And I know this is my fault, I shouldn’t have kissed you or,” she made a weird gesture with her hand, “done any of that. I know but, it’s you, Petal. I would do anything for you. I will do anything for you, except for this.”

“Ellie, I-” your voice was cut off by the sound of your name being called from the other side of the door. It was like reality had hit the both of you and immediately you were both sober, “I have to go.”

“Of course you do.” Ellie rolled her eyes, moving back to sit on the bathroom counter. She watched as your nervous eyes scanned her and you turned around to open the door, hand stilling over the lock. Quickly, you turned around and hurried over to her and pressing a kiss at the side of her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of your lips so close to her again. She was fucking losing it. 

“We’ll talk about it?” You whispered, mouth still close to hers, “I have to go but can we please talk about it later?”

Ellie nodded, eyes still closed. She heard you breathe a sigh of relief before opening the door and leaving. She only opened her eyes when she knew you were gone, letting the tear slip down her cheek.  

ai audios:

[poopersdoopers]

This is my first post ever:

Imagine Shanks and Mihawk (fem presenting reader) in a poly relationship. No beta. Not reading this over.

TW: spanking, BDSM, cursing, rough fucking.

Both daddy doms.

Where they use you as they like and punish you.

—————————

Mihawk comes home late from work one day, goes into the kitchen to grab some juice to drink. The sight displayed for him is breathtaking.

Shanks has you over the marbled kitchen counter. His hand pressing down against your back, your bottom half stark naked, red where he just spanked you.

“You wanna run that back to me again, little one?”

You moan. It earns another spank.

“What’s my name?”

You flush in embarrassment. “If you’re not going to answer me you’re gonna have to take more punishment. Count after each spank daddy gives you and maybe he’ll forgive you enough to give you a reward”.

Shanks was grinning, a glint danced in his warm chocolate eyes, as he massages your hot flesh with both of his hands. He loved teasing his sweet little girl to the point of tears, especially when he had an audience. He glanced over at his other lover, his smile widening.

Mihawk, as silent as ever, walked over to your form splayed over the kitchen island.

“Be a good girl for Daddy”, he whispered gently in your ear, grabbing the back of your head. You stared at him, with big hazy eyes tears threatening to spill over. You weren’t expecting him to be back so soon.

A wash of shame flushes over you as you remember misbehaving earlier this morning.

——Flashback——-

Rolling your buds between your fingers, begging to be touched. Trying to be oh so quiet. Mihawk woke up first, silently watching.

“Puh..please…”, you had to clamp a hand over your mouth to keep from begging more lest you wake them both up. Your hand snaked down your panties, rubbing between the folds before sticking a manicured finger in, and spreading the wetness all over your throbbing over-sensitive clit. You whined behind your flushed hand,it all being too much at once.

You roughly ground on your clit when suddenly, a hand held your wrist tightly.

“Don’t you dare cum, little one. Not without permission.”

Mihawk stares at you with intense eyes. You gulped, “Sorry daddy…mmmhmm!” He grabbed your wrist away from your throbbing clit. You started to openly cry, “Please I wanna cum!”

“Hush girl or I’m going to punish you more severely”.

You shivered, it’s been a while since Shanks or Mihawk were this attentive towards you.

Mihawk stood up, slightly groggy from sleep, and strongly grabbed your jaw. His intense eyes bore into yours. You couldn’t help but feel so small, as he looked you up and down. You were naked as the day you were born, you stiffened peaks begging to be kissed by his full lips, your pussy leaking steadily all over your massive king’s sized bed where Shanks lay fast asleep.

He pinched your nipple harshly, “ Im going to clean you up so. you don’t leak all over our bed. There will be no talk of this until later my dear. After this you will be the punished tonight, as it seems you miss me that much, my dear.”

As Mihawk walked out barking a behave, you crawled over to Shanks sleeping form. Nuzzling at his neck, before sucking deep hickeys. You felt his strong arms surround you, before ruffling your hair.

“I heard you being naughty baby”, he smirks, “You’ll probably get it punished for this too”.

You whine, something in your chest tightened, you wanted this more than ever. You needed to feel him inside you, claiming you, the little distance between you two too much to bear. You wriggled under the blankets. Discovering Shanks fully hard, putting the girth of it between your hands.

“Can I please, daddy?” You begged with big glossy eyes.

And how could he deny you when you begged so sweetly?

“Sure baby girl but don’t blame me for what happens next”, he chuckled.

Your mouth was on him in no time and by the time Mihawk came back with a wet cloth and bowl, your fate was decided.

You lay fast asleep at the foot of the bed, suckling Shank’s softened cock. Dried tear marks and cum decorated your face.

He stared blankly at Shanks.

He put his hands up defensively, “I can’t say no to such a cute face”.

Later on you begged Shanks to let you cockwarm him. He obliged, letting you sit on him as long as you behaved. Surprisingly enough, you were good for the most part. Nuzzling into his thick neck, hands laying deftly on his chest. He melted, kissing the sides of your face, murmuring about how a good girl you’ve been, while he’s been in meetings all day (with the camera off of course). You cutely moaned at this, his strong calloused hands ran up and down your spine.

He would stay here all day with your warm walls clinging to him, but alas he couldn’t.

“Baby as much as I love this…Daddy has to go to a lunch meeting”.

You whined, gripping to his length with a vice grip. He moaned in response, “Baby you are killing me.”

“You can’t go Daddy! You’re always gone. Stay here with me, I promise I’ll be good.”

“Aww baby I know, we haven’t been paying much attention to you but this is important”, he bopped you on the nose. You responded by biting him on the finger. You could feel his laughter building from the bottom of his stomach and bloom into his chest. It almost made you less mad. Almost.

“Okay as much as you know we both love this,you cannot get in the middle of Daddy’s work. Stand up.”

His voice may have been playful but his eyes glimmered with danger.

Your vice grip on his length didn’t relent, as you started to grind slightly.

Shanks, gripped tightly on your hips with both of his hands.

“You little minx are being naughty so now you have to take what I give you”.

He slammed his hips into you, sharp and fast, chasing his high. Dragging you back onto his cock. You couldn’t think, you couldn’t breathe, you could only feel Shanks.

“Daddy I—Im gonna cu-“, he pulled your wide hips off him in an instant.

“We said no cumming without permission. Clean Daddy up on your knees.”

You obeyed. Sniffing at yet another orgasm ripped away. Such mean Daddies.

You took the length of Shanks in your mouth.

“You ready? I am not going to be gentle, little one. You have disappointed me.”

Your sobs were muffled by his cock.

“How are we doing baby? 1 Finger up means green, 2 means yellow, 3 means stop.”

You held a finger up. He grabbed the back of your head and pushed it down to his pelvis. Petting your head softly.

“Okay princess hold on tight, if you need to stop pinch my thigh. Can you demonstrate?”

You pinched him. “Ahh Good girl.”

He roughly fucked your throat. One hand on your head, the other texting his executive assistant to reschedule his lunch meetings and cancel the rest of his afternoon.

He looked you in the eyes, before glancing and seeing you rubbing your puffy clit. His fault, he should have been watching his slutty baby girl.

“Hands behind your back bad girl. Daddy’s gonna give all everything to you right now”. You moaned on his length, spit dribbling down your jaw. He sat back, pushing his length out of your sloppy mouth. Taking it in his hands, rubbing down the side of a vein. You gasped slightly, lips tingling, throat too used to be speak. You whimpered.

“So fucking sweet”. Open your mouth and Daddy will give you what you want.

You obeyed. He spat in your mouth.

“Swallow. Good girl.”

He grabbed the back of your head again.

“My cute little cock dumb baby”.

He chuckled darkly, before slapping his thick cock across your flushed cheeks, smearing pre cum. “Hold still baby.”

He added a few small smacks to the rest of your head, before deciding to decorate it.

“Open your mouth baby girl, daddy has a gift for you”. He slammed his cock down your throat as you struggled to breathe.

“You still green, little one?”

You held a finger up, tears streaming down your throat.

“Good girl, be extra good. Daddy’s going to send mean Daddy a present. Now suck.”

You sucked at the head, as Shanks started the video. Licking the underside and tracing the vein down his thick length. You both moaned.

“Fucckk baby just like that. Being so good for us.”

Look at how much of a fucking slut you are. You took more of him in your mouth, bobbing your head, he grabbed your head and edged it down to his pelvis again. You swallowed. He traced the lines of his cock in your throat.

“Shit. Im gonna cum.” He stopped the video in favor of grabbing your face, to fuck you faster. He pulled out and you whined for him.

“Shhh be good and Daddy will give you a treat. Open that mouth”.

His hand sped up down his length, before slamming back in you.

“Swallow”.

That you did as you felt him shoot down your throat, he eased up and came across your fiery hot face.

“Hold on one second, baby. Let me show Mihawk how much of a pretty little whore you are”. You flushed in embarrassment. Will Daddy know you were being naughty again?

Your core was on fire. You hoped he did.

“So beautiful”.

He snapped a picture of your cum strewn face. “Now lick your lips and swallow. Show daddy after you’ve finished.”

You did just that, shivering.

“Good girl, now what do we say?”

“Th-thank you, Shanks”.

“Come on doll, you know that’s not my name”.

You stayed silent. Wanting to be punished further. Basking in the glow of his anger, his praise, his hands. You watched as he sent the videos and pictures to your lover.

—-Which lead you to where you were at right now—-

“Perhaps we have been too lenient towards you, little one. Perhaps we have not been as attentive as you needed us to be.”

You sobbed, the knot in your chest all day had been released.

“Don’t worry we are going to make it better all night. Right after your punishment is over. Now hush darling and let us take care of you.”

He kissed you deeply. You felt breathless. Finally falling down into that hazy place.

“Good girl.”

Mihawk pinned your hands down to the island as Shanks began his spanks.

“What do we say after after each spank my darling?”, his intense eyes scanning over your body.

“Th-thank you Daddy!”

“Good girl, but we have to start over so you can count. Can you give Daddy a color?”

“Green..Daddy I’m Daddy Im sorry Ill be good I promise!” You sob and shudder.

“I know baby.” A spank to behind emphasized his point.

“One. Thank you Daddy.”

A thawck to the back of the thigh.

“Two. Thank you Daddy”.

Another hit to the other thigh and lower ass. “Three? No Four Thank you Daddy”.

The spanks got harder and in quicker succession until you were left a shivering, slobbering mess. Mihawk’s grip on you never faltered, no matter how much you bucked up or twitched in pain. “Mmmm thank you Daddies. Thank you.”

“I think you’re ready for your reward now…hmm?”

“I agree. Our little one is so pliant now.”

Both men looked at you like wolves.

[kidspawn]

And Now, A Comprehensive Essay I Never Thought I'd Write:

I've seen people upset with Gabe's character in the show thus far. Saying he's too toned down, too "pathetic white trash" as opposed to abusive jerkass. I do understand why people are mad, but a few words in defense of this portrayal - and why it still works.

One: "He's too nice/soft/passive"

Um... absolutely not? This dude had me cringing and tensing up as soon as we meet him. Percy tenses and goes on the defensive, starts shooting comebacks. Gabe, seeing a tense and emotionally drained child, immediately comes at him, berating him for misbehaving.

He snaps at Sally, basically loses his shit at the idea of her leaving the apartment. She has to negotiate with him to leave her own apartment? To use the car? I don't care if she's "standing her ground" more. (Which, she isn't, but that's a whole other topic.) He's still being a douche.

There are aspects of Gabe's book characterization that are lost in media translation. For instance, Percy giving him money. "Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our 'guy secret.' Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out" (The Lightning Thief, pg. 31) This is Percy's internal monologue. When Percy enters their apartment in the book, Gabe is just a dick. Yes, he's not pestering Percy for money but he's doing everything else. I wouldn't be surprised if this information about Gabe comes to light the further into the story we go. Rick Riordan isn't trying to erase the abuse, but drawing attention to the intricacies and subtleties of abuse.

Two: "Sally is too assertive/fights back/etc"

Please, kindly, screw off with that "perfect victim" line of thinking. Just because Percy and Sally aren't crying, sobbing, etc, doesn't mean they're not being abused? First of all, that would be out of character. No doubt about that.

The only thing different between the scene in the book versus the show is how Sally manipulates/negotiates with Gabe. She has a different tone here, sure, but let's face it - Sally doesn't particularly like Gabe. He is a means to an end. She doesn't care too much about hurting his feelings here. She's placating. She's leveraging what little she has to get something from him. In the books, it was bean dip. In the show, its sandwiches and watching a game together. Sally doesn't care for Gabe, but Gabe obviously has interest in Sally, or spending time with her. She's leveraging her time and her resources to get her kid to Camp Half-Blood. She knows what's going to work because she's been dealing with this for so long.

And don't pretend like Gabe using the word "please" is changing the horrid tone he uses with Sally. Neither Percy or Sally flinch when he yells. This isn't a rare occurrence. Gabe probably yells all the time. But it's been happening long enough they're both desensitized to it.

These aspects aren't that different from the book.

Yes, the abuse is subtle, a few tweaks to appease an admittedly young target audience. But it is there. It's solely disappointing to me that subtext has seemingly been lost.

Three: "He's just average white trash."

Is that not... the point? He's... just a basic mortal? He's so abysmally human, so utterly mundane that he masks Percy's smell. He's crummy, and slimy, and awful. He doesn't strive for more, he doesn't aspire for more. He's a bully. He's awful to Percy, he yells at Sally. The only thing different about him in the show so far is he hasn't hit Sally yet.

(Yet. By the way. There's only two episodes out. We find out he's hitting Sally at the end of the source material. He never hits Percy onscreen, it's stated in internal monologue.)

Details will be lost in translation, of course, but please I cannot stress enough how little of the show we've seen. We don't know how they're going to explore Percy's characterization and reaction to abuse. There will be flashbacks, opportunities to flesh out the relationships and characters. Just because Rick changed aspects to keep people from being triggered doesn't mean he's going to let audiences go on believing this kind of behavior is ok. (At least, I hope he doesn't.)

Gabe Ugliano is still a piece of garbage. He is a horrendous human being. It's baffling to me that no one's believing that based on what we've seen of him. Not once did I think he was "toned down." I had a hard time rewatching that scene. The verbal belittlement, the subtle manipulation and control he's asserting into their lives. He's awful to Percy, he's awful to Sally.

Also, I reiterate: there are only two episodes out. Give the story time to breathe. Give the team time to deal with this storyline and flesh out this aspect of Sally and Percy's relationship.

[naranjapetrificada]

Izzy becomes a "real boy"

So obviously I haven't been able to shut up about the way Izzy has been written in season 2 and I stand by my disappointment and criticism, even knowing that the writers were given a herculean task of cramming 10 pounds of season into an 8 pound bag. Even knowing that, his "arc" such as it is has felt very off to a lot of people, present company included. I'm a cogitator at heart (thanks AuDHD!) and that can turn "make it make sense" into a prime directive sometimes. So here I am, trying once again.

I felt a particular way about Izzy after the end of season 1, which I would describe as "not especially strongly" because I primarily saw his character as a storytelling tool/useful foil more than anything else. But his presence and characterization in season 2 have been haunting me this time and not in a good way, because I've spent this season trying and failing to make it make sense. But something just occurred to me that I hope I can explain in a coherent way:

If season 1 Izzy was more a storytelling tool than anything else, maybe season 2 was an attempt to turn the puppet into a Real Boy. And if so, maybe things did not go as planned.

There are so, so many good posts going into the things that don't work about how Izzy has been handled this season, to the point that I'm not gonna try reinventing the wheel. Some of the reasons it hasn't worked for some of us include:

Much of his alleged growth apparently happening offscreen, most likely due to the reduced budget and episode count.

The lack of connective tissue between many of his scenes, some of which can be attributed to the previous point about corporate fuckery but other parts of which are hard to explain beyond "idk I guess the writers felt like it?"

The unfortunate connotations of sidelining nonwhite characters like Jim, who was the only character beyond the central pair to receive a detailed backstory, flashbacks, and a multi-episode character arc

The unchecked racialized comments he gets to drop about Edward (calling him a "wild dog" or seemingly mixing him up with Roach) that in season 1, would have resulted in violent retribution as a sign of the story's disapproval

The lines we get from Izzy that feel like they should have been said by other characters, and maybe that would have been based on the expectations of the show that we left season 1 with

The way it seems like Izzy's suffering is being used as a stand-in for actual moments of reflection or atonement, which is a pretty fucked up dynamic to set up as precursor to redemption

The way Izzy now gets to partake in the very behaviors he denigrated in Ed last season, which would be a cool and moving character beat if there was a single, solitary narrative acknowledgement in the harm caused by his treatment of Ed in s1e10. Ditto for him apparently just being cool with shit that once would have been his worst nightmare.

The fact that so many of these issues could have been addressed in a quick throwaway line or two that showed that the narrative understood what was wrong to reassure us all because by definition if a character is getting a redemption arc, it's because they did something wrong, right?

There's plenty more of course, but that's not why I made this post. I made this post because regardless of why the decision was made to handle Izzy this way this season, the attempt was made to flesh him out in ways that his role last season may not have been initially written for. Con's performance and certain production choices hinted at a depth to his character that may or may not have been on the page, but helped make for a pretty interesting season 1 antagonist.

For season 2 they decided to make Izzy a real boy, but the combination of a reduced budget, a lower episode count, and whatever creative darlings they couldn't seem to kill in order to give us more development of his transformation made sticking the landing impossible because we're lacking certain elements for basic comprehension.

Imagine you know almost nothing of the story of Pinocchio and someone starts up the Disney movie version of it for you but it's a weirdly edited version of it. There's no narration from Jiminy Cricket, mostly because there's no Jiminy Cricket at all. We see Geppetto crafting a wooden puppet, but not the part where he wishes for him to be a real boy, which makes it kinda weird to then see the part where the fairy brings him to life and says he can become a real boy but okay, let's go with it.

Now let's say the one thing you've always heard about the story is that Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies. So we get to the scene where he lies to the fairy but for whatever reason, his nose doesn't grow. No one comments on the inconsistency, and when you mention the nose thing all anyone wants to talk about is how great Pinocchio's nose looks.

Then Pinocchio goes to Pleasure Island and while the animation and acting seem great as usual, and the language of cinema appears to be setting up something dark on the horizon. Then Pinocchio's new friend Lampwick starts transforming into a donkey, this random well-dressed cricket shows up to admonish Pinocchio, and our puppet friend is randomly immune to the thing turning other kids into donkeys. No one comments on that either. Maybe Pinocchio even gloats about it a little, which seems like a weird storytelling decision that merits a follow up discussion later.

And I guess this is the part of this over-extended metaphor where you remember you have somewhere to be but you'll finish the film later, because as an audience we won't know how things shake out for season 2 Izzy until the finale. Presumably we'll still get the scene where he magically turns into a real boy, but there isn't exactly time for anything else like all that stuff with the whale. Maybe the real boy scene will happen, but for whatever reason the animator kept drawing him like the wooden puppet and every time you point it out no one will take you seriously.

Wouldn't that be a weird thing to experience?

[aihoshiino]

chapter 142 thoughts!

HEADS UP: In this review I discuss fictional depictions of sibling incest as well as a brief reference to both fictional and a real life suicide. As usual, feel free to skip if you're not in the right zone and I'll see you next time.

thank you for the kind words from everyone when i was still in the Slime Era of feeling sick lol. i'm like 80% back to full power now!

I'm gonna be totally up front and say I really think this is one of the worst chapters we've gotten in a while but here's the twist: it's not for the reasons you probably think!

We're following up basically right off the back of last chapter and immediately I am kind of mad at how shitty the series is continuing to do Miyako with regards to the movie arc. She was a total non-factor in the RBKN conflict and now that Aqua and Ruby are being pressured into doing something they have both verbalized that they don't want to do she's just like well gosh i feel complicated but what can i do :(. Having the setup almost 20 full chapters ago of Miyako expressing that she wants to step up and do more for Aqua and Ruby as their mother and then having her completely failing to intervene on their behalf here is just wild.

In general, the way everything is being set up to force this kiss feels so… well, forced. Even if Kaburagi (as the story says) insisted there be a kiss scene, there are a million ways to fake a kiss that doesn't involve actors actually kissing. Body doubles! Camera angles! Putting your thumbs in the way! Unless Kaburagi said "I want 20 full seconds of Kamiki sticking his tongue down Ai's throat center frame", there is absolutely no reason "a kiss scene" needs to mean "these two blood related twin sibling actors actually kiss". The whole thing is just so incredibly contrived.

And honestly? The fact that both Ruby and Aqua have expressed a 'no' and are being forced to do this anyway is the part of this chapter making me the most actively insane. It is absolutely mind boggling to have spent half of last chapter on a Miyako monologue about how immoral and unethical it is when people's ability to give informed and sincere consent is compromised by the entertainment industry and to then follow it with a whole chapter of basically every character we're supposed to like flaunting a total lack of respect for Aqua's comfort and consent in this regard, up to and including the completely insane scene of two adult women lecturing Aqua about how he isn't allowed to have boundaries. What the fuck is going on here!!!

This is especially frustrating because I actually really like a lot of things about the scene with Yoriko and Abiko… even if there's some stuff that really kind of broke me lol. Like uh, wasn't it a really huge plot point in Tokyo Blade that a mangaka couldn't be expected to turn out an entertaining theater script because those are two entirely different kinds of storytelling…??? But whatever.

Off the bat, I have really mixed-leaning-negative feelings about the reveal that the KamiAi romance scenes we'd gotten were entirely fictional. On the one hand, I actually feel pretty validated - I had guessed that the full-immersion-flashback presentation was a hint that we were being presented with a falsehood and it implicitly confirms something I've been saying from the start that 15 Year Lie's version of events has to be taken with a grain of salt, both because it contradicts known events and facts and because so many other people have interfered with it. Having that made textual and being able to confidently say it helps a lot in discussing what this means for the story.

But like… that means we wasted a whole bunch of time on shit that was made up and didn't matter! Like, thematically speaking, I think this is potentially interesting but I just keep getting stuck on the fact that we were given a super interesting scene finally fleshing out and giving us info about both a character and a relationship we've been absolutely starved for details about, only for the story to turn around not two chapters later and go "and my source? i made it the fuck up". It just totally dashes all the enthusiasm I was feeling and it also makes it way less rewarding to try and dig into what 15YL is doing when at any time, all of this potentially interesting character work could be revealed to be total piss in the wind.

Stepping back from that… in total isolation from everything else, I do think this talk with Abiko and Yoriko about what it means to write stories is interesting from a lot of angles. While I don't think these two are the 1-to-1 author avatars for Aka and Mengo fandom treats them as, they nevertheless clearly serve as reflections of the two's experiences and viewpoints about the manga industry and specific and the art of storytelling in general, allowing the story to play around in the quasi-metafictional space it does sometimes, where it uses in-universe fiction as a method of commenting on itself.

In that sense, I think Yoriko can be understood as speaking for Akasaka here and discussing some of his feelings as a storyteller of Oshi no Ko specifically. OnK has never made a secret of the fact that it's drawing on Akasaka's real experiences in the entertainment industry but perhaps less obvious to overseas fans is the inspiration it takes from real life issues in contemporary Japanese pop culture, too. Infamously, Akane's arc very transparent drew inspiration - if it wasn't reconstructed entirely - from the suicide of Hana Kimura, not even six full months after Kimura's death. When the anime aired, Kimura's surviving mother (imo, rightfully and deservedly) lambasted the series for using her daughter's death as the fodder for entertainment without consulting her surviving family. It wasn't even that she disagreed with what the series was saying - she just wanted someone to have some consideration.

This is what Yoriko means when she talks about the responsibility a writer has to their stories. When you write a piece of fiction as highly visible as Oshi no Ko currently is, it is your responsibility to consider the impact your words will have on the world. No, fiction does not directly impact the real world in a physical, tangible way but if we are careless with our stories, we can regurgitate and perpetuate dominant cultural narratives that very much do cause real, tangible harm to marginalized people. Hikaru Kamiki isn't a real person, but there are undoubtedly people in OnK's readerbase who see their experiences mirrored in him. Airi Himekawa isn't real, but people like her exist. Akane Kurokawa isn't real but Hana Kimura was.

This discussion also serves as an interesting warning to Aqua himself, though maybe not quite in the sense Yoriko intended. Aqua's revenge has always been something treated, in-universe, as a sort of fiction in of itself; Aqua calls it his 'revenge play' and his primary method of pursuing it is to become an actor. It's a retribution narrative about real people and Aqua is its author. But as Yoriko reminds him… stories can kill. Especially ones featuring real people. Aqua has been telling himself a comfortable lie for years that only he will be hurt by his own inevitable self destruction but Yoriko reminds him that he isn't the only person involved here and that he is inevitably going to cause great pain to the people he loves if her continues down this path.

That's why this chapter is so frustrating. This is all good, meaty character work with some great thematic overtones… and it's all in service of contriving this scenario where Aqua has no choice but to tongue his sister on camera and for some reason, nobody is pointing out the million and one alternatives to this deranged scenario.

But anyway. Enough beating around the bush: let's talk about That Scene. And despite what everything I've said this post might lead you to believe… I actually really like it.

I don't know exactly what activated to make her go sicko mode but Mengo has been really on fucking fire with her art on the series lately. It really jumped out to me in 137 but she's honestly been cooking since the very start of the movie arc. It stands out especially strongly in Aqua and Ruby's talk on the balcony in ways I really vibed with. The whole scene feels like Ruby's shoujo brainrot and the cold reality of what she's tiptoeing around suggesting to Aqua are battling out for dominance over the framing. Ruby's stubbornness is such a force to be reckoned with that it almost wins entirely but there are moments where the lens cracks and we see things as they are. Aqua's discomfort practically radiates off the page this entire conversation.

Not only that but… jesus christ, Ruby. Just look at how she's framed when she first enters the scene.

That oppressive silhouette, her shaded eyes and that sinister smile… I probably don't need to tell you that's NOT how you typically frame a romantic heroine. She honestly almost looks more like a villain.

But Ruby quickly reasserts control over the framing. Or rather, what she's suggesting is such a sugary shoujo fantasy, the framing has no other option but to comply. At last, Ruby steps out of the shallow channel of plausible deniability and puts into concrete words what she has been thinking and longing for these last twenty chapters: for her to retake her role as Sarina Tendoji and for Aqua, in turn, to play Gorou for her once again. More than that - she pushes him for a concrete response to her love at last, not as Ruby but as Sarina; not only does the paneling repeatedly cover the eye with her star but in the final panel where she unambiguously propositions Aqua, the star is completely gone. This is what Ruby is offering: to completely sever her connection to Ai and the new life she has built on that foundation and to return to being Sarina, if that is what the doctor she loves wants.

This is SUCH an incredibly effective scene. It's excellently done and the art is fantastic. It finally draws out and makes explicit the underlying disconcerting subtext that has been swimming under the twins' relationship since 123. It works fantastically well… in isolation. But when taken into the context of the rest of the story it just feels so… unearned.

For the last 20 chapters, we have had absolutely no serious insight into Ruby's feelings re: the reveal of Gorou's new identity as Aqua. We didn't see her grapple with it or have to adjust to it at all. It was like a switch flipped in her brain and she was suddenly a 2010s fanservice imouto splooging about her oniichan. Her interiority in this regard is completely absent. Whenever the subject is addressed at all, it is made into a joke with Ruby as the punchline. There has been no serious build up to this moment or any meaningful time spent on Ruby's feelings about Aqua and as such, being asked to take it seriously now feels so incredibly jarring.

I've said this over and over in other places but I'll make this clear here: the handling of Ruby's feelings is not bad because Incest Is Morally Bad or whatever. At the end of the day, OnK is fiction and fiction is a space that allows us to explore ideas and scenarios that would be unpleasant, dangerous or even downright immoral to try and interrogate in real life with real people. Not only that, but AQRB's situation is so far removed from anything any real person could experience there's very little risk of it acting as a harmful reflection of a real person's life. But because OnK had the space to do just about anything with this idea, I'm so incredibly baffled that it chose to do all of nothing. This is a plot point that has been cooking since the literal first chapter of the entire series and now, just under four years and over 140 chapters past our starting point… and this is the best Akasaka can do? Dated brocon humor that reduces Ruby to a shallow gag character, denying her the opportunity to have deeper, more complex and ugly feelings and denying her the respect of examining those feelings with honesty?

It sucks. This whole thing really sucks. As someone who loves Ruby so, so much… this really just feels like an insulting way to have handled what should have been one of the most interesting and engaging parts of her series long arc.

I do think this chapter is the beginning of the end of AquRuby's time in the endgame couple race, if it was ever seriously in the running to begin with. Ruby embracing Aqua with a proposition in those final two panels echoes Akane doing the same in chapter 72 and the fact that this cliffhanger ends on the proposition and not a kiss implies to me, structurally speaking, that we are heading for a rejection. On top of that, we're pretty far away from the manga's ending still and Kana's romantic resolution with Aqua hasn't gotten its time to shine. All those factors together makes me feel pretty certain that this is the final nail in the coffin and we're just waiting to see how Aka sticks the landing.

After all - Ruby is asking for his response as Sarina. And if this is Sarina asking for his love one last time… we already know how Gorou's going to respond.

[nalyra-dreaming]

I thought it was really interesting that Ben Daniels said Santiago was in love with Armand. And we were told they'd slept together at some point. If they had a deeper and more complex bond than the story showed, I can absolutely see why Armand would downplay it during the interview, but it'd be a really interesting thing to touch on later (and a way to bring Ben back for a cameo!) and it would help to flesh out Armand's motives around that time. Not that I'd expect to see it in s3, though I am hoping we'll get some kind of account of things from Lestat's POV.

Maybe! I'd certainly love it if Ben Daniels would be back for a flashback^^

But yeah, there were hints at "more", aplenty. With Santiago's maker, too. And Santiago getting a lot of lenience for (literally) fucking around.

So yeah. It's... interesting^^.

[shuttershocky]

I remember leading up to Rebirth people expecting for it to end with having to choose between Tifa and Aerith. As if that wouldn’t be the Worst Idea

Something like that would have blown the scope way out of control (as if these games aren't huge enough) and also would have missed the point entirely lol.

Rebirth's changes and surprises work so well because it uses your knowledge and expectations of FF7 against you, not just in what it changes, but in what it keeps the same.

Yuffie is really easy to miss in the original and is recruited in the forests outside Junon, but in Rebirth she's seen in Junon but doesn't join in until after Costa del Sol, making you question if it was possible to have messed something up. Funnily enough, the team also does all it can to push her away (because Barret doesn't want to endanger a teenage girl) and instead she forces herself in.

Cid is also met in Rocket town in the original game, and he's a foul-mouthed chainsmoker, but in Rebirth he's first seen as a hired pilot in Gongaga, and while he's rough, he's not unfriendly (because the gang are customers), and he's yet to really join the party in anti-Shinra activities because you're still missing the part where Rufus refuses to restart the space program and Palmer tries to steal his plane.

Now the thing with Aerith's fate is that her death worked in the original because it was such a surprise. Rebirth can't replicate that anymore, not when Aerith's death is one of the most famous plot twists in all of JRPGs.

Instead, Rebirth tells you that it knows that you know. Events involving party members change majorly, while the ending of Remake states that the very concept of 'fate' has been destroyed. The party gets more time with Aerith and more fleshed out relationships, from Tifa confiding with Aerith about her doubts regarding Cloud's Nibelheim flashback to Barret becoming something of a father figure to her (and Yuffie) with his protective nature and little cute details like lending Aerith his shades in battle. There all these new things that clue you in on a slowly sinking feeling that despite things changing, one dreadful detail is going to stay the same, because this game still feels like FF7.

And it's great because it's not just a meta thing. The cast fights for Aerith like it's possible for her to be saved, because they don't know that she has to die here, only you, the player, know that. Unlike the original, Cloud reaches Sephiroth seemingly just in time. Barret looks Sephiroth dead in the eyes and says "I'm going to kill you." because apparently skewering him with an odachi is fine so long as you don't do it to someone else under his watch. Zack Fair himself abuses a bullshit cosmic loophole to come back from the dead (not exactly but it's a long story) to save her because he promised years ago he'd come back, and when you go as far as having the second most famous dead FF7 character cheat death to save her, to grant the wish of FF7 players since 1997, you would think "Oh shit this can work. This can happen. Aerith's going to make it!"

And then she doesn't.

You can't toy with your audience's emotions that precisely and effectively if you're going to let them choose between Aerith or Tifa lol

[cecekeating]

My 614 Jordayla Analysis/Commentary pt.3

Now let’s go back to the housing situation. After Layla has a brief chat with Preach, she realizes that what she and Jordan need is a home, not a house. I am happy to be wrong but so far, the writing is pointing to Jordayla taking over the Baker home. If you recall in 401 when she tells her father that “it is not about the house, it is about the home”. The next time we see Layla after that scene with her father, she is moving into the Baker house. The Baker house has been Layla's residence since S4 until she married Jordan. This house is also where she grew up with Jordan and Olivia since middle school. We even have a laylivia childhood flashback in that house. So home for Layla is the Baker house.

For Jordan, obviously, this is his childhood home but also in 517, he tells Spencer that the Baker house still feels like home even though Coop is now in his room. While there was an undertone of Layla who he considers his home living in the house, I still believe that Jordan always knows that the Baker house is where he will always call home. So I am expecting Jordayla to take over the Baker home and I will be very surprised if NK and Oby go a different route in 615 with this housing arrangement.

Jordayla pregnancy theories!  I feel this episode dropped major pregnancy hints through the writing. Between Jordan cooking for Layla, him patting her tummy and Layla wearing pink in this episode, I feel it is very clear that Jordayla will be getting a parenting arc. In the worst case scenario, the audience would likely find out about Layla being pregnant in the early episodes of S7. This is the worst case scenario. I am also sure of Jordayla having a daughter, I am not so sure of a son yet.

Now this brings me to the wild theory I am about to share with you.

I don’t know if it is me but have you noticed the writing sort of building up Amina and Layla? Starting from 611. I am beginning to think Amina might be the new gen character or at least one of the new gen characters. When we heard of the new gen stuff, I think a lot of us assumed it would be a coach Baker and Spencer type situation. I don’t know why we didn’t consider the fact that the new gen character will likely be a female character from Crenshaw being mentored by a new gen Baker who is female. It is definitely Billy and Spencer all over again but it is also different because we are looking at female characters. If this is the route NK is going, I am here for it because it will keep things fresh and allow the writers to be more creative. So I can see Amina likely being the new ‘Spencer’ that gets mentored by a Baker only that the Baker is Layla. 

From a storytelling perspective, this makes a lot of sense. Amina has quite a bit in common with Layla. Just like Layla she lost her mother at a very young age. Remember Amina’s mother is Mo (the main antagonist in season 3) and her uncle is Tyrone. Both her uncle and mother are/were gang members and her father Preach used to be a gang member. Preach, her father fired the shot that killed Mo, her mother. I don’t think Amina is fully aware of this yet. Amina had a pretty fleshed out arc in seasons 4 and 5 that showed her curiosity to know the truth about what happened to her mother. From season 4, you can see she sort of had an idea of what was going on. She was also involved in a custody battle between Preach and her grandparents. So just like Layla, she had a pretty tough background as a kid. So you can see there is already so much material with Amina’s character that the writers can pull from to bring in high stakes drama. 

There are also some hints in the writing that she is already in a ‘teen phase’ with Preach. Preach grounded her in this episode. I can see her having tensions with her dad which is similar to teen Layla in seasons 1 and 2 and a bit of season 3 and  the tensions she had with JP Keating. This tension can become something else if Amina eventually understands/finds out more about the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death and the role her father played in it. If the writers play their cards right, the Amina arc is already brewing to be a really messy drama on AA. For more complexity, the writing can have Amina struggle with grief, depression or for a change, become a wild rebellious teen that Preach struggles to handle and we have our hands full. 

With other characters, Amina fits in very well too. She knows Patience very well and since she did/does some drama in high school(611), I can see Patience step in here as Patience is a musician and also has broadway experience. Coop blends in so well here too. Coop was front and center in the custody battle, Coop knew her mother very well and other than Preach, Coop is likely the only other character that has a full picture on the lives of her uncle and mother. Again, another source of drama. 

Going back to Layla, the storyline has been strongly hinting on her being the mother of a little girl. Having Layla mentor Amina makes loads of sense as Layla can begin to process motherhood or prep for motherhood through the lens of supporting Amina. I can see her relationship with Amina force her to really think about what type of mother she wants to be for her daughter. This will land better if it happens while Layla is pregnant or if she has a newborn daughter. Both Amina and Layla being young women that lost mothers at a very young age, in quite tragic circumstances (murder and suicide)  takes the Layla/Amina dynamic to a deeper level. I can see the writing continue to flesh out Monica/Layla a little bit more too, especially as Monica Keating was a huge part of Layla’s arc this season.

So Amina being the new gen character that the show decides to focus on will not come as a shock to me. Again this is what I have seen from the writing. I don’t know NK’s plan and which actors she plans to bring back  but this is likely where I can see the writing on All American heading. If all the stuff I have written makes no sense, please throw it out. This is my writer brain, fan theory brain here and I just wanted to yap all about it. If you also have some extra theories, I would love to hear! DM on Twitter or on here and let us yap away!

This episode also sort of dropped clues on the vibe S7 will likely have. I am thinking the vibe shifts into a more lighter, feel-good, wholesome vibe with maybe a strong family vibe lean. There was just something very light about this episode because even the writing for Spelivia (who normally have their writing lean into more serious, angsty stuff) were written to be pretty light and comedic. The next episode seems pretty emotional too. I am thinking this will likely be the vibe next season and I expect the audience to change a little bit because of this shift.

So that is all the yappings for this episode. There are still some loose ends to tie up with Jordayla so I will surely be back next week with more yappings. I personally loved this episode and I am looking forward to seeing how NK closes season 6 for us. 

[lonelylonelyghost]

Re-watch of The Spirealm. Episode 2

Ah yeah. "What's yours is mine" routine. Totally normal behaviour considering that you met yesterday.

Iconic. Violence is never the solution except for when it is. Bonus points if you look hot while doing it.

Life is nothing but a stage, and this guy is aiming for the Oscars.

This is a glimpse into what 90% of my phone memory is taken by

All hail the Forest.

And the scary shit that lives in it.

The scary shit in question

This bit is hilarious.

Well...

I like him. I'm currently reading the novel, and I love how they fleshed out a lot of characters and expanded on their stories in the drama version compared to the original

Contemplative bb

ಥ_ಥ

I like theeeemm...

Lol

"Maybe if one more person dies, the monster will be full. If one person dies, it might save everyone. Whom do you choose?"

"I don't know. I... can't choose."

I think that this ☝ is kind of a statement of the show. What are you ready to do for the greater good? Whom can you sacrifice? What IS the "greater good"? The infamous trolley problem. Or that story from Ursula K Le Guin (I think?) about a happy town powered by the suffering of one child.

But also, when I saw that flashback glimpse, I almost jumped out of my seat in excitement. The Main Character? With a trauma? That probably made him feel like he shouldn't have any expectation for people around him because those expectations will be crushed anyway? YESSS.

More trauma! MOAR!

Pulthaoreune

I generally don't kill people, except for when they interrupt my obligatory 9-hour beauty nap. So, bestie - same.

"As a token of gratitude, I have a gift for you." Fellas, is it gay etc. etc.

Ruan Baijie's on his side-quest "How to traumatize an NPC". Just look at his smug face here

"I can't save everyone, but I just want to save those in front of me."

...

[lou-syd]

So I read the first issue of Red Hood: The Hill and my expectations were admittedly low because of how poorly Jason is handled most of the time so I'm not disappointed like I've seen some people be (if you are, that's totally valid though, I def get it). I feel entirely neutral about it. I think it wasn't a strong start for an already very, very short run, and with it being a flashback its pacing worries me a bit.

I think it could be interesting going forward but I'm definitely getting the vibe that this is not going to be Jason-centric like a lot of people are. I do think it's too early to tell but it's definitely possible this will focus more on Dana and her crew which like I guess?? I like Dana and I don't mind some of the focus being on her at all. She's interesting and I like when Gotham-set stories actually feel like it's a real but weird place with real people living in it. I enjoy it when they show how much of a mess the city is and how the people living in it have to adapt to get by. Dana's dynamic with Jason has potential and that being the focal point of this whole thing could lead to a more compelling narrative overall. The idea of Jason being the one to try and guide a friend entering into this world could offer up a lot of good character beats for him that we haven't seen a lot of in a while. That being said, it feels like Red Hood is more of a vehicle for this story about The Hill so I'm not holding my breath for it. Retroactively changing his backstory around to fit this place into it also doesn't give me the best feeling either.

As for the rest of the 'new' characters, I don't really care for the little neighborhood watch crew outside of Dana. There's not much to go off and seeing Jason interact with them does nothing for me and just feels forced (but then again most of his relationships are forced in general). Having this many characters with such a short run is not going to allow for any of them to be fleshed out enough for them to feel like they matter in the grand scheme of things. By virtue of this being a flashback, the stakes already feel pretty low so having a cast of characters that aren't particularly compelling and whose relationships with Jason evolved off-panel doesn't help. They have cool designs though, I'll give them that.

I don't like that it took getting through almost halfway through the issue for Jason to show up and when he does it's underwhelming.

So far, it's shaping up to be a one-off story with low stakes. Which is fine. A short, contained story can be good if it's written well and there's something to take away from it. Otherwise, they're just slapping Red Hood on the title for readership's sake and calling it a day. Which like, nothing surprises me anymore but it's lame that this is what we get for Jason after the nightmare mess that was Gotham War and TMWSL.

Apparently, Zdarsky is planning on including Jason in his upcoming Batman arc according to some posts I saw so take that with a grain of salt but the thought of that happening makes me want to grind my teeth into a fine dust.

At this point, I feel like I'm just holding out for nothing with Jason. I don't like any direction they've taken with him outside of some interesting bits here and there so I hope this run picks up.

[tinycoded360]

Lilliputian Adventures Chapter 3

(flashback)

Telwin's world spun in a whirlwind of feathery chaos as he was snatched from the safety of the earth, the sky, and land trading places with dizzying speed. The seagull's beak was a prison cell, the taste of its saliva an unwelcome reminder that he was nothing more than prey.

Panic clawed at his chest, but beneath that fear, a spark of defiance flickered alive. He wouldn't let his story end in the gullet of a gull.

He felt himself being pushed down the dark tunnel of the bird's throat. With a surge of determination, he thrust his hands outward. His palms pressed against the sides of the fleshy tunnel, fingers splayed wide. The texture was slimy, and the stench was overwhelming.

His small fingers found leverage, the creature's saliva slick against his skin. The seagull squawked at Telwin's unexpected resistance. His body trembled with the effort, muscles straining against the might of the avian predator.

Telwin's arms, though quivering from exertion and fear, held firm, an unexpected barricade within the cavernous throat. The seagull, caught in a gag reflex by the tiny obstruction, let out a strangled squawk. Its head jerked violently, eyes wild with confusion and irritation. The convulsions of its throat muscles vibrated through Telwin's entire frame.

A sudden retch from the bird sent a rush of air past him. With one final convulsive effort, the seagull expelled Telwin from its maw like a projectile, flinging him into the open sky.

The world spun around him chaotically—the blue of the ocean, the white of the clouds, and the tan of the sands below—all blurring into an indiscernible whirlwind.

With every passing second, the ground loomed closer; he twisted and turned, fighting against the tumultuous current of air, striving for even the smallest bit of control over his trajectory.

Suddenly, his descent halted abruptly, knocking the breath from his lungs. Not the unforgiving earth greeted him, but something soft and warm. Dazed, it took a moment for Telwin's mind to register that he was miraculously alive and another to realize he was lying on a surface that rose and fell gently with the rhythm of breathing.

"Good heavens," he muttered, pushing himself up slightly. His hands sank into supple flesh, and he froze as the reality of his landing spot dawned on him. Glancing up, he saw the underside of a giant chin, and it hit him—he was nestled between the cleavage of a colossal human.

"By all that's holy," Telwin whispered, his voice trembling. He pressed his tiny form closer to her skin, both out of fear and a desperate effort to stay concealed. The heat from her body enveloped him, a stark contrast to the cool sea breeze that wafted over them.

"Please don't be like Hilgar," he prayed silently, recalling the horror of witnessing his crewmates' demise, their screams still echoing in his memory.

"Whoa!" The exclamation boomed above him, and he flinched as the giantess’s heart rate increased beneath him. "What on earth?"

"Please," Telwin called out, his voice barely a squeak as he pushed against the cavernous walls that enclosed him. "Don't harm me! I mean no trespass upon your... person."

From this vantage point, he couldn't see her face, only the vast expanse of skin. Telwin held his breath, waiting for a sign, a gesture, anything that might indicate whether he'd found a savior or another predator.

Tori's hand flew to her chest, fingers probing the source of the sudden tickle. Her breath hitched as she grasped something small and solid, not at all like the insect she expected. She yanked out the offending object from its warm hiding place with a startled yelp.

"Ah!" Tori’s voice thundered as she held the wriggling form between her index finger and thumb, ready to fling it away. But then her eyes focused, her movements stilled, her heart skipping a beat. It wasn't an insect but a man—a tiny man with wide, fearful eyes staring back at her.

"Please, don't!" The minuscule voice cut through Tori's shock, halting her reflexive toss. "My name is Telwin. I swear, I mean you no harm!"

Held aloft, dangling precariously in the grasp of the giantess, Telwin fought to steady his breathing. His gaze locked onto hers, a silent plea for compassion.

"How did you... What are you?" Tori whispered, her curiosity taking over.

"I'm from Lilliput," he replied, each word quivering but clear. "A seagull snatched me from the ground, and my crewmates and I washed ashore here. I'm lucky to have landed on you instead of... well.... the ground."

Tori tilted her head, the confusion evident on her face. "Are there more of you?" Her fingers relaxed slightly, giving Telwin a momentary reprieve from the pressure.

"Yes, we've shipwrecked here, or well bottlewrecked. It's a long story, but we got trapped in a giant bottle, and now we're stuck here." he managed, trying to ignore the sensation of vertigo as he swayed in her grip. "I beg of you, help us."

"Okay, Telwin," she murmured. "I'll help you. And by the way, my name is Tori....I'll do what I can to help you."

"Please, we have to find them," Telwin pleaded, his voice vibrant with urgency. "My crewmates... they're out there, lost on these sands. They need shelter, food—anything you can offer."

Tori nodded, her heart swelling with an empathetic resolve. "Let's look for them together," she said firmly.

They began to comb the beach, Tori's eyes scanning the ground while Telwin rode in the safety of her grasp. She gently curled her fingers around his tiny frame, protecting him close to her chest as they moved. But he squirmed, clearly uncomfortable with the lack of freedom and the heat radiating from her palm.

"Your hand... it's quite warm," Telwin remarked, trying to shift into a less confining position within her clenched fist.

"Sorry," Tori murmured, loosening her grip slightly. "Is that better?"

"Somewhat," he replied. The touch of sweat from her hand made his skin prickle.

Dark clouds converged above, casting an ominous shadow over their search. Tori glanced skyward, concern etching her features. "It looks like rain. We should head inside; I can keep you safe in my apartment."

"Wait, no!" Telwin protested, his voice rising in alarm. "A downpour could be deadly for them! We must keep looking!"

"Telwin....I don't know, we've been searching for a while......" Tori replied.

"Put me on your shoulder or even atop your head," he countered quickly. "I have sharp eyes. I've spent hours in the crow's nest; I won’t fall."

She hesitated, torn between the urge to shield him and his desperate plea. "I'm just... what if you slip?" she stammered.

"Trust my sea legs, Tori. I promise I'm as stable as they come," Telwin argued with a fervor only matched by his earlier fear.

Their exchange went back and forth, the air filled with the tension of disagreement until Tori, ever the people-pleaser, relented with a sigh. "Okay... this might sound strange, but you could ride here." She indicated her cleavage, her cheeks coloring with a bashful flush. You'd be secure, and you can still watch for your friends."

Surprise flickered across Telwin's face before he gave a brisk nod. "I accept," he said.

"Alright then," Tori whispered, more to herself than to him, placing Telwin carefully into the new vantage point provided by her clothing. "Let's find your crewmates."

Telwin nestled into the warm, cushioned haven between Tori's breasts, a peculiar mix of embarrassment and relief coloring his miniature features. His feet found purchase against the fabric of her bra, pushing ever so slightly as he peered out at the increasingly blurry world. The sensation of softness enveloping him was strangely amusing; he mused that a man might embark on a lengthy courtship for such an honor under normal circumstances.

"Uh, hold on tight," Tori murmured, her voice tinged with a nervous laugh as she unfurled her umbrella with her free hand. A symphony of raindrops began their assault.

"Got it," Telwin called up, his voice barely audible over the downpour. "And thank you, Tori. This is quite the... unique perspective."

"Let's head inland," Tori suggested, raising her voice to be heard. "We've scoured the beach enough, don't you think?"

"Agreed," Telwin replied, trying to sound confident despite the churning in his stomach. He squinted against the driving rain, scanning the surroundings with practiced eyes. "They can't have gone far."

****

Tori's pulse raced as she padded softly into her apartment's sanctuary, the door clicking shut behind her with a soft thud. Cradled in the warm cocoon of her palm were the Lilliputians. Telwin, the smallest among them, had found an unconventional perch nestled securely between her chest's soft rise and fall.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice quivering like leaves in a breeze as she entered her bedroom. "We're safe here." She glanced down at the minuscule band of adventurers; their faces pinched with concern and awe as they surveyed the vast landscape of her room from their vantage point.

"Um..." Tori began, her fingers twitching nervously as she tried to think of what to say next. "I—I hope the journey wasn't too uncomfortable for you."

"It was fine," The tiny captain shouted up at her, "But can you please let us down now?"

"Y-yes, of course," Tori stammered, feeling the weight of their gazes upon her.

"Excuse me, Tori," came a voice, muffled yet chipper, from her chest. Telwin's tiny face peered up at her.

Tori's cheeks were aflame with embarrassment. She'd almost forgotten the intrepid Lilliputian lodged so close to her heart. With utmost care, her fingers—each the size of his entire body—curved around him, lifting him gently from his cozy nest. The heat of her blush seemed to radiate through her entire being as she noticed his delighted smile.

"Quite the view from here, I must admit," Telwin quipped with a wink, clearly enjoying the ride. His laughter was light and airy, a stark contrast to the heavy thumping of Tori's heart.

"O-oh gosh, I'm so sorry," Tori stammered, still red-faced but now cradling him in her open palm. She navigated across the room, taking slow, measured steps to avoid any jarring movements for her miniature passengers.

"Nothing to fret about!" Telwin assured her, his voice bubbling with mirth.

Tori reached her desk. She lowered her hand to the surface, allowing the tiny people to step off.

"Thank you, Tori," he said, sweeping a miniature arm in a grandiose bow.

Fildor stood back, his arms folded across his chest as he watched Tori hover above them. The corners of his mouth twitched upward into an amused smile, his eyes crinkling in mirth at the sight of her fumbling attempts to make them feel at ease.

"We've encountered giants before, but none with a heart as gentle as yours," Fildor remarked.

Tori's cheeks tinged pink. "I—I'm just trying to help. I can't imagine what you've been through."

"And we thank you for your help," he said. "You've given us sanctuary when we'd only known peril from those bigger than you. Hilgar... he was not so merciful."

"Who's Hilgar?" Tori asked, curiosity peeking.

"A tale for another time," Fildor replied, the levity fading from his expression as he turned his gaze to the other Lilliputians.

Meanwhile, Mavri kept her distance; her eyes narrowed and vigilant as she observed the giantess. She remained unconvinced, her stance rigid and unwavering as she monitored every move Tori made.

"Food, water, and what else?" Tori asked, her voice steadier than she felt.

"Medical supplies," Fildor replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "Linric needs proper care."

"Got it," Tori affirmed, her feet carrying her swiftly away. Her hands trembled slightly as she rummaged through the cabinets, gathering bits of bread and fruit and carefully cutting them into small portions that wouldn't overwhelm her diminutive guests. Her fingers found a roll of gauze, and with careful precision, she tore off tiny strips, arranging them neatly beside the rest of the supplies.

"Thank you, Tori," Fildor said when she returned, his eyes reflecting gratitude amidst the amusement.

Tori blushed but smiled. "I'm glad to help. Is there anything else I can do?"

Fildor shook his head. "We need rest now. I'm sure we can discuss more in the morning."

*****

The first light of dawn seeped through the cracks of the blinds, casting a tranquil glow across Tori's apartment. Linric, his tiny chest rising and falling with shallow breaths, blinked open his eyes, only to be met with the towering walls of an unfamiliar giantess' home. A sharp gasp escaped him as he scrambled to his feet, panic and pain etched in every line of his miniature face.

"Where are we? This—this is a giant's lair!" Linric's voice quivered, echoing faintly against the vastness of the room.

"Easy, Linric," Mavri said, firmly touching his shoulder. "It's ok, we're safe. She's not like the others."

Tori stirred from her slumber, the warmth of her bed fighting to keep her under its spell. With a yawn, she stretched out her limbs, the fabric of her pajamas clinging softly to her skin. She glanced at her new guests, noting the early hour by their hushed, anxious murmuring. Running a hand through her tousled hair, she slipped out of bed, resolving to make them feel at ease.

Mavri watched the giantess disappear into another room, her own heart pounding with a mix of trepidation and resolve.

When Tori returned, a tray laden with food—a veritable feast by Lilliputian standards—rested in her hands. Carefully, she lowered it to the desk, ensuring everything was within their reach.

"Good morning," Tori greeted them, her voice soft, betraying the nerves that fluttered beneath her calm exterior. "I hope you're hungry."

"Thank you, Tori," Fildor responded, his voice carrying the weight of their collective gratitude as they approached the feast.

"Look here," Tori said after a moment, her tone shifting to one of hesitant excitement. She drew her phone from her pocket. The Lilliputians gathered around, their eyes widening at the sight of the glowing rectangle.

"Is that some form of magic?" Linric asked, his earlier fears momentarily forgotten.

"Sort of," Tori chuckled. "It's a phone. We use it to communicate... and to learn about the world." She tapped the screen, bringing up an article. "This is about the bottle you arrived in. It's made the news."

Mavri stepped forward, her blue eyes scanning the tiny symbols, her brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of the alien script.

"Can you tell us what it says?" Mavri asked, her voice steady despite her gnawing uncertainty.

"Of course," Tori replied. As she read aloud, her guests listened intently, captivated by the technology and the tale it told.

After they all had their fill of breakfast, Mavri took a deep breath and looked up at their giant hostess.

Mavri cleared her throat, drawing Tori's gaze as she set aside the phone. "Tori," she began, her tone imbued with a newfound resolve, "we need your assistance."

Tori leaned closer. "What do you need?"

"We must construct a new vessel to return home," Mavri explained, gesturing to the remnants of her crew. "Our ship is lost; without one, we are stranded here."

"Okay," Tori responded, nodding slowly, her eyes filled with empathy. "I want to help. Maybe I can buy some things for you... There could be toys or models already made that would work as a boat for you."

"Truly?" Mavri's eyes sparkled with cautious hope.

"Absolutely," Tori affirmed, her voice soft yet determined. "I've seen model ships in stores, replicas meant for display. Perhaps they could be seaworthy for you."

"Such generosity..." Mavri murmured, a sliver of trust piercing the veil of her skepticism.

Tori reached for a pencil and notepad she had used for college notes. "I'll find something perfect for your size," she said.

[gen4grl]

You kinda pointed out that he does a while ago so I'm curious: why don't a lot of people pick up on the fact Leon has a different, significantly more irritating personality in the anime? It REALLY doesn't seem to be a common take that he does but oh does he ever

ooooo hello and goodmorning :3

i actually think about that post bc i feel like i didn’t word it properly :o

i think leon in general has a very hit or miss personality especially with a fanbase that is so tainted with nostalgia rose coloured glasses. leon is canonically the strongest champ (compared to red i have no clue where he would stand) and despite this being clear as DAY and implied within swsh i think what made leon seem annoying and got him his rep is: 1. the anime amped his most “annoying characteristics” of being the “unbeatable champ” and how he constantly tells you and 2. showed this roided up version to more fans on a larger scale. i also think him sweeping the floor with alain and diantha then saying “oh i got lucky” did not help LOL. the anime literally ran on plot armour so im not sure why people are shocked he sweeped some oc ass character and a champion people constantly say is “the worst champion from the worst game” (diantha defence squad here!).

i think all of that makes anime fans think leons “full of himself” when i feel like most swsh enjoyers know, that isn’t true. i think he’s got a somewhat childish mindset (possible due to being in the champion light for most his life) and is constantly making sure others don’t have to worry about shit, and burdens himself with those worries. leon is the epitome of the “big brother” stereotype which is why i love him so much.

i think another issue is that leon requires a lot of filling in the gaps (swsh in general, so not an exclusive criticism to leon). giving a trainer the title “the strongest” is risky because if you don’t flesh out that backstory and just expect fans to agree, it’s gonna feel cheapened. i feel why most fans accept red to be the strongest is because we PLAYED as him as kids. we saw red go from being weak, defeating team rocket and becoming the first ever champion. so to see him all alone on mount silver with his perfectly rounded, insanely high levelled team - it feels good because we SAW him on the journey that got him there. we didn’t see that with leon so i guess the lack of relatability also adds to the dislike. i also think while leon and red are meant to kinda mirror eachother in terms of what they both represent, again, red has the relatability that saves him for most. the anime was the PERFECT opportunity to show and flesh out leons backstory but all they did was like a 5 second flashback via sonias perspective.

i think leon’s biggest character development comes from being obliterated (and possibly traumatised but let’s leave the headcanons out of this LOL) by eternatus, being manipulated by rose and then being beaten by gloria/victor. i always tell people if they wanna watch a more enjoyable leon to watch twilight wings. i feel as if all the miniseries (evos, generations, twilight wings, origins) did a WAY better job showing these characters in the actual game environment.

[semi-imaginary-place]

Houseki no Kuni chapter 99 "Beginnings"

.

.

"The chapter was great. I was having some AoT flashbacks but the direction 99 went was so cathartically depressing and peacefully sad at the same time. love how Rock-kun is the perfect embodiment of tranquility and peace with life; unlike Phos, who was constantly changing and chaotic. Rock-kun and Phos' conversation over contentment and regret in existence was wonderful. A measly pebble and a literal god finding common ground with one another is poignant as fuck; topple that with the final panel of having yet another beautiful scenery in such an empty time for the story... it hit me in the feels. The remaining mystery that needs to be answered is how Kongou's creator spoke to Phos, no? I'm expecting some flashback chapter right after this." (Wakivuu_)

"Personally I think 98 fits well thematically so I wasn’t that worried, I knew Phos would eventually pray for them as they attain enlightenment (much like Bodhissatva who prays for all sentient beings to “end their sufferings and pain of life” which in this case the Lunarians). And I really love that rock! Frizzle frizzle. I love his song. Also, the fact that Phos sleeping in the black panels was in a complete parallel to chapter 1’s Morga waking them up, only this time it’s Rock, and it’s been eons that has passed enough for the star to evolve into a white dwarf. Really amazed how Ichikawa can bring so much detail every chapter, I get too overwhelmed with the insufferable agony every chapter that I tend to miss out on parallels, I think I need another reread tbh. Loved this chapter, also hoping for a flashback!" (wallnosekyla)

ch1 and ch99 parallels. In both Phos lays down for a nap in the grass, at this point in his life he is purposeless and unfulfilled, existing to pass the time. In the first chapter he is called awake by Morga into a society that does not value him for the inherent characteristics of his body. Gem society is static, gems are generally content with the way thing are, and things only start getting shaken up when Phos pushes for something different and the others follow in his wake which leads to the eventual destruction of gem society and all of humanity. In the second set of panels there is no one left to wake Phos so he sleeps until enough time has passes that the sun has become a white dwarf, long enough for rocks to gain sentience.

The first gem red diamond wanted to be more like Adamant so Adamant molded the gems in the shape of humans, made them eyes, and covered them in powder. Phos in turn tries to give the rock all the things humans had like sight and mobility. However the rock is not dissatisfied with its existence, the rock does not want to become human. This is in contrast with all of the human descendants we meet who one way or another become dissatisfied with their existences; from the Moon People who are dissatisfied with existence and wish to cease existing, to the gems who through contact with the Moon People become dissatisfied with their gem bodies and wish to become beings of pure spirit like the Moon People, to the Admirabilis who struggle to maintain their populations and sentience.

Phos has become the only true human combining spiritual (moon pearl), mineral (phosphophyllite, lapis lazuli), and flesh (fossilized shell), as well as the last creation of humans (adamant eye), and a god or artificial bodhisattva, and this simple rock is more satisfied than Phos. (there's also probably some discussion to be made that humanity's final hope, the praying machine Adamant broke and it's only after humanity's descendants made another one out of their own that the souls of humans are allows to cease but I lack the relevant PhDs to analyze that so I'll leave it to someone else)

(in Shinto, everything has a spirit)

[mekatrio]

literally so much has happened in tota jfsdjvnsjafk so here are some of my thoughts bc. So Much. has happened. and i think this is a good moment in gameplay to step back and review things before Even More Stuff Happens and i forget these thoughts. wanted to do this last night but i was too sleepy so 😗

where i am currently... literally just left the house and reached yulia city after lowering the outer lands like wow. the game was reallyyyy hyping up the battle with van to be The Last Battle but like theres no way right..... i didnt know what to expect but a one month timeskippy skip was not one of them so. this will be interesting. but ill babble more abt that later ummmm i think ill pick up from. natalia and her father making up.

that was a really sweet moment.... and Yes i did cry and also OMG the english voice acting in this game is amazing. i think its really cool how neither natalia or luke are the 'true' heirs to the throne although their situations are completelyyy different. though i do kinda feel like it came out of nowhere LOL while i love the story so far i do think it has some weak parts, primarily with its build up.. like the game is very dense with arte mechanics lore + politics and i dont think it does the best job of easing it into the story. theres a lot to take in and even now theres still stuff i dont completely understand like what. is an isofon. and also how come asch can make hyperresonances too Huh i thought only luke could cuz hyperresonances are when two 7th fonons collide and luke being a replica kinda made two 7 fonons in him but apparently no. what. huh. and also another instance i remember is like, as of Now i know that the score is a big deal, but before the legretta boss fight i didnt really get that cuz luke (and by extension me) was too busy learning basic societal conventions and the importance of the score was not one of them. so like yeah. still enjoying the game in spite of this but it could stand to be smoother

moving on um. let me babble abt guy. guy is a wonderfully complex character likeeeee the type of dude i love to rotate in my mind. skilled at hiding their negative feelings which is sooo interesting in conjunction with the time hes spent w luke and the fabres, bc he has a very valid reason to hate them, BUT he also genuinely cares for luke. probably. like its spelled out by the game that luke deliberately chooses to trust guy despite him having every reason to betray him and that is just SOOOO compelling and interesting like wow. and its also incrediblyyy compelling that guy is able to deeply sympathize with our main antagonist van bc they are both survivors of hod and its just like.... yeah very fascinating dude.

also interestingly enough i think tear's character narrative is the weakest to me despite being a character we've been around the longest? like shes similar to guy in that they both have close relations to the main antagonist, but guy had actually experienced the same thing that van had experienced, while tear had only heard abt it second hand. shes got her loss of faith in mohs / the score / the order going for her + her miasma sickness, but the story hadnt really touched on that tht much. with that said tho, i hold faith that the rest of the story will adequately flesh out the rest of her character, bc theyre gonna have to resolve her miasma sickness at some point and i think that's when she'll get her proper arc, along with asch's and van's characters which are also currently unresolved.

also my currently favorite moment of hers is from one of her training flashbacks with legretta, where in the present day she knocked out a monster that was about to attack luke, and in the flashback legretta killed a knight that attempted to attack tear. and legretta was telling her um... fuck i didnt take a picture so i cant precisely remember X( but it was something about the value of life, and showing enemies no mercy. but tear defied her and moved on from her teachings bc she chose to heal the monster bc it had children nearby. and that was a very sweet moment to me :') im looking forward to having more tear in the storyyyy

also speaking of legretta. jesus christ the sheridan massacre was crazy... and unexpected too. the antagonists are really crazy huh. like obvs they make a point abt freeing one self's from the score / "fate" but also like... the War Crimes.... idk ill have to see where the story is taking this but how it stands right now its like... compelling but also kinda weird because the question tota poses is... kinda theoretical?? but also not?? cuz a lot of whats being questioned is abt the score, which we, real world people, Do Not have a modern world equivalent for.. but its also not completely abt the score and is kinda like saying, "Is it ok to hurt others if it's believed prosperity will be achieved from it?" which is also kinda like saying "Is there any justifiable reason to destroy others?" and also when you throw replicas in there its like "For what reason are you alive for? If the reason for your life is already dictated, must you follow it?" something like that...... also im curious abt how the game will frame the church in the end bc like... ya mohs and the oracle knight are portrayed negatively, but our homie ion is shown positively like... its surprisinglyy nuanced but i wonder if it will steer around w that at the end. especially considering the numerous mentions of the church subsisting from donations which well... Can Be Problematic, to say the least.

speaking of the problematic church.... aniseeeeeee 🥺 at first i wasnt very interested in her character bc a young boy-crazy girl is a trope that im kinda sooooo over with.. but then it turned out that omg? anise isnt that at all but is actually a gold digger LMAO that is awesome?! and its very compelling how her reasoning for being one is very sympathetic, with how her parents are poor followers of the church and anise is trying to attain a better life for both them and herself. and the way we learn that shes not really boy crazy is really cool too with how she does a 180 and becomes completely (and justifiably) nasty to luke after akzeriuth, i think her meanness and brattiness is sooo awesome. but shes also very kindhearted like the.. oh....

this made me very teary eyed like T_T oh..... to see the first time we ever see anise crying is over someone who she probably used to be friends with.. and also how shes also been shown being sympathetic to dist, jade's former kinda maybe friend.. she is a very great character and not at all what i thought she'd be like initially, which im very thankful for.

also i fucking love her dynamic with jade it is SOOO awesome AND funny af cuz like, when u see these two you might expect a fucking, endearing older man looking after a younger child dynamic. but thats not what u get with these two at all, they are two very capable soldiers and jade is shown to rely on and trust anise and vice versa, and also jade is a very haughty and somewhat mean-spirited person, and anise can match with that perfectly. like when jade was being a well meaning douche casting suspicion on guy, which led to luke restating his decision to trust in guy, anise followed up with teasing jade like 'awww youre going soft on them teehee XD'. and also like this convo is so awesome

where epic observant anise points out to jade that 'Hey you care about these people dont you?' and its SOOO awesome that this is when jade realizes like 'LOLLLL apparently i do!!! 🤣'

and JADEEE like omg he is also a really cool character because like. during that moment where his sister speaks alone with luke to warn him 'hey my brother is Fucking Crazy and you are a Science Experiment so Watch out' i laffed bc it kinda felt like it came out of nowhere to me, but as the game progressed and jade's genius became more evident + when he admits this

thats when it really clicked to me that ohh..... jade is kinda Apathetic Af. and yet i find it very VERY cool that despite lacking empathy for others, jade is portrayed rather positively. like yes he's made unfathomable mistakes and has hurt others and yes he lacks basic empathy But he still cares about others enough to help everyone to save the world and he cares abt the party members in his own weird way like i think this is the first time ive seen a character that lacks empathy being portrayed positively like this and i think thats really really awesome.

i have a lot more to say but um i kinda wanna stop putting down my thoughts and play the game instead LOL so im stopping here yayy

[misterspectacular]

GOOD OMENS 2 SPOILERS, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK, JUST STATING MY THOUGHTS BASICALLY

SO MY FRIEND AND I BINGED SEASON 2 OF GOOD OMENS THE SECOND IT WAS RELEASED! What an adrenaline rush pahahahaa to have waited that long, and finally get it, it was a lot, I think we almost died.

(I dunno how to do the "keep reading" thing so have some dots)

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I honestly would say that season 2 of Good Omens is better than season 1. Nearly the entire thing was Crowley and Aziraphale. YES. They're what I want.

Also, the way the flashbacks were arranged -- perfect! They were longer and more fleshed out and we got continuations of some of them! Huzzah!

Gabriel was hilarious, as usual. Jim was even funnier. Conflicting feelings about Gabriel for most of the season, I started forgiving him towards the end though. The thing with Beelzebub was pretty nice.

It starting off with angel Crowley, he was such a dork, finding out he KNEW AZIRAPHALE THEN, wow! Highlight!

The apology dance was a highlight,

Crowley drinking poison and shrinking/growing and sounding like a Leprechaun was a highlight,

All of Crowley's different accents -- all highlights.

THE FACT THAT CROWLEY IS THE ONE THAT GOT AZIRAPHALE EATING, THE WAY THAT WHOLE THING HAPPENED, THAT WAS CERTAINLY A HIGHLIGHT.

Crowley pretending to be EVIL!!! I didnt fall for it for a second, I was like, yeah okay so where did the goats actually go hahaa! Into the crows, amazing!

Aziraphale with his halo, that was freaking awesome -- he was pretty badass in this season, at some points.

THEM DANCING TOGETHER!!! Jfhsnsnehdiend

The magic act! And it working, even without using actual miracles!

Crowley making it rain, ha, I did that in a RP.

Aziraphale being... look, he's freakin adorable, the way he cradled the, well, the tumor -- I mean, it sounds weird, but it was actually incredibly endearing -- he was very endearing, as always.

THINKING HE WAS GOING TO FALL, and crying about it, and Crowley cheering him up!! YESSS

And... Crowley's realization... SAYING AZIRAPHALE COULD NEVER BE A SIDE PIECE jddjsbdje

Crowley FALLING APART as he OPENS UP TO AZIRAPHALE!!! OUCH! That was like being stabbed, but somehow in a good way, because YES HES SAYING IT, JESUS FUCK

And...

THE

KISS

Like holy-fucking-moly! Dream come true, right there!! I did NOT expect things to go in that direction, I thought we were going to play it safe, and I am so glad that I was wrong. I've wanted these two to kiss for A LONG TIME, I've role played kissing AZIRAPHALE SO MANY TIMES, I've written stories, that was -- well, this was my response at the time: hfjdnelsneksndkwndjskwjznwjs jdneksneksjs disndjsnskw djjwdne idens! LITERALLY A DREAM COME TRUE, NEARLY EXPLODED!!! Like Crowley and Aziraphale literally kissed, mouth to mouth, its canon, it happened, the music swelled, they did it, it's real. Never thought I'd have pictures of men kissing up on my wall but I think I might need to print that out and hang it up, this was not just a highlight of season 2, this was A HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE! THANKS FOR THE NOURISHMENT, GAIMAN

and the nightingale thing -- "I don't hear anything" "that's the point, no nightingales", killed me man. THE NIGHTINGGALE, WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE NIGHTINGALE! OW! I DID NOT CRY ABOUT IT, I SWEAR ! ! !

Aziraphale saying I FORGIVE YOU ksndjwnsje I dont understand why he said that when just seconds ago he was saying LET US BE TOGETHER HOORAY, my friend and I were talking and I said, well last time he said I FORGIVE YOU it was after Crowley called him stupid, and my friend was like, well didnt Crowley call him an idiot this time, call back, so maybe that was it,

Aziraphale touching his lips like that after the kiss, holy fuck, A++++, but a painful A++++

and then CHOOSING METATRON!?!? WHAAAAAT?!?!?! I was reeeaaallly hoping he'd run to Crowley and KISS HIM or SOMETHING, but he -- METATRON, NOOoooOooOooo!!! So that was an extremely painful ending. and I realize that for Season 3 to happen, something would HAVE to push fans into creating that build-up and that NEED for another season, but.... OW! how long do I have to live with this pain??? If season 3 is NEVER MADE, it's going to end on this note??? it'd better get made jdbekdnwksn HOLY FUCK, I also better not DIE BEFORE IT'S MADE. I'll be over here, guts out, "cant die... yet... need... to see... Aziraphale and Crowley... make up...! Need... season... 3...!"

So yeah I'll be watching that over and over and over and over and over and over and ov