#i understand that the games give them that sort of dynamic at times I get it

[illdothehotvoice]

Also I don't want to be rude but I feel people are missing the point of the post so here's some more thoughts I have about overprotective Mario

idk it's also especially weird because a) Luigi is an adult grown ass man b) they are twins

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Could I request a platonic MM request of them having having a friend who is like a cool older sibling to them?? (Maybe April’s older sister or something)

I just love the dynamic of cool older kid being chill with their little buddies, and the MM guys are just so dorky and loveable who wouldn’t want them as brothers??

Maybe the grind is like 18 or something, so they got a job and their own car, and they do stuff like when the bros are whining they can’t get pizza cuz they haven’t got money the cool older friend just casually goes “I just got paid I can grab you some if you want” and the brothers are just loosing their minds. Or when the guys wanna see a movie with April but can’t get a lift so the friend is like “I have a car I’ll drive you there” 

Just wholesome found family/sibling sorta vibes if that’s cool! 

April’s Big Sister (Fluff)

MM!Turtles x reader (platonic)

A/N: One platonic MM!Turtles x reader coming up! Hope you’ll enjoy💚

Warnings: None💚

April had an older sister, and to be quite honest, the turtles thought that she was the coolest person ever. As a bunch of 15 year olds, who had just started going to school like the humans they had seen in movies and on television, meeting their best friend’s 18 year old big sister was just another cool thing to add to the list.

First time they met April’s sister was when she gave her a lift to the movies. The four boys was standing outside the cinema building, waiting for their friend to show up, when a car parked beside them. Out came April from the front passenger seat, waving goodbye to her older sister, telling her what time she would need to be picked up again.

The four brothers were somewhat shocking, as none of them were aware that April had an older sister. Especially one with her own car and her own job, having graduated just before the turtles entered their high school. They asked April so many questions about you, that she almost ended up giving up on the movie, citing their continued talking as distracting and irritating.

Soon April invited her four friends over for a game night while your parents were out. All five ended up sitting around the kitchen table, playing all sorts of board games, talking about school and eating snacks. That was when you entered the kitchen, emerging from your bedroom after hours of hiding away, doing whatever cool older siblings did when they were alone, looking into the fridge for some leftovers you had left for yourself on your day off. At that moment the four brothers forgot all about the board games, intending on getting to know their best friend's big sister.

Of course it was Mikey who asked you the most innocent question that a little sibling's friend could ask, causing said little sibling to slap her own face in embarrassment: “What’s your name?”

You, about to reheat your mac n’ cheese, looked at your little sister and her friends, raising a brow, before you answered with your name.

“You’re April’s sister?”, Leo asked, only for his brothers to mumble things along the lines of; “of course, dummy. Why else would she be here?”

“I am indeed”, you said, smiling a little at their banter, watching your sister roll her eyes at her friends, trying to hide her smile.

You could see why April liked hanging out with the four turtle brothers. Though they seemed a bit awkward, sometimes even a bit cringe like so many young teenagers, they were sweet boys with good intentions, filled with curiosity for the world around them. And you could totally understand that. You would probably feel the same if you had lived 15 years in the sewers, with only your closest family. And so, you started hanging around whenever April brought her friends over for game night, interested and ready to be amused, by whatever the humorous brothers had to say.

It didn’t take long for the turtles to learn where you worked, their eyes widening and shining brightly when you heard you say it. You were working at the pizzeria, just a few streets from their school. And after having given the boys this piece of information, they started showing up at your workplace, almost everyday after school, sometimes even managing to make your sister tag along.

It soon became a normal day occurrence, for your sister and her friends to get a pizza at your workplace after school, telling you about their day or whatever news that they found important. It was a delight to have them around. Even your boss found amusement in the mutants’ company in his pizzeria, soon finding a way to advertise that his pizza was so good, that the four mutant saviors of New York City eated it on a daily basis, in turn making sure that they got to eat for free when they came to visit you. And also made sure that you got a nice raise for bringing him such good publicity. All in all, your new friendship with your little sister’s best friends, proved not just entertaining and nice for you and them, but beneficial was well. Who could say no to free pizza and a raise? Neither you nor the four turtles.

Soon, your friendship with your sister’s friends blossomed, to the point that that was what you called them - your friends. You enjoyed having them around when you worked, and it was always a joy to hear them and your sister playing board games in your home. Just one of the benefits of being April O'Neil's older sister.

[crispyanonart]

With your previous SamSeb post of them being the coolest uncles ever i was wondering

Did Maru and Sebastian have a redemption arc? As I mean they have a better sibling ship as they got older? How would you see that progression? 👀

Thank you sm for these questions, you gave me an excuse to talk about this 🖤 it's a topic near and dear to my heart because I too grew up in a funky family situation so sibling relationships are my roman empire.

yap session below

My idea is that Sebastian's initial sentiments towards Maru were mainly born out of teenage angst which was truthfully more directed at their parents — in his eyes, she was merely a result of the relationship he resented so much. As people grow up, they often lose some of that pent-up anger, creating relationships that allow them to feel less insecure and misunderstood, and in turn, more open to understanding others too. I think this would be the case for Seb. He would start seeing Maru more clearly, finally recognizing who she is, rather than what she represented to him up until that point (she, like him, had no role in the family dynamic except being born into it). He would discover that he actually likes her a lot. Maru, on the other hand, probably always looked up to him but could never approach him first because Seb can be very intimidating. I picture her telling herself, "Maru, be cool!! How would Sebastian act??" because he would engage in all sorts of behaviors that she, being a "good girl," could never imagine partaking in (talking back to people??? Oh lord). I reckon she would also be often concerned for him and his habits — to be honest, she would probably be a better sibling to Seb than he ever was to her. Upon maturing and realizing this, Sebastian would definitely promise himself to make up for it and start acting like an actual older brother, the instinct to protect the younger person taking over.

A while back I posted what could be one of their first sincere attempts at an hangout x !!

While Maru already had great support from Demetrius, I imagine she would really flourish from this new dynamic, and she would grow into her feisty personality, finally realizing she does not need to be the good girl at all times but also that she can set her own example. As they get older their relationship would become more and more sincere, Maru would stop holding back and Seb would gladly accept the love that she's been trying to give him, and they both would heal and learn a lot from it. They would finally become a great support system for one another, I can't imagine a story where they don't end up getting along and doing good as a family 🥹 I need Sebastian to be obsessed with Maru's kid and spoil her rotten with all sorts of gaming equipment !!

Side tangent: I feel the need to say that I don't think either Robin or Demetrius are bad people, they are flawed individuals that could for sure do better at parenting but are far from the worst family in game. Let's not forget we can see the book "Practical Tips For First-Time Step-Dads" in Demetrius bookcase, the man is trying (which doesn't mean he's necessarily succeeding or that Seb's sentiments are less valid, but you get what I'm saying)

chat can you tell I've been in relational-systemic therapy before LMAOOO

[yeyinde]

i apologize if you’ve already answered this question before somewhere - but would you ever consider writing something with an explicitly male reader? i’ve been an avid reader of yours since mw2022 came out and after having read most of your works, i can’t say i’m not curious as to how it might change the dynamic

it would change the dynamic a little bit. more so because i think there's more options to explore with a male mc in an m/m relationship. especially with the 141. these are all super rough ideas i dreamed up at lunch lmao so an actual fic might change a lot of them but:

Simon is basically the same but more physical. aggressive but in a condescending way. always seems like he's goading you into a fight (and he is, but that's just so he can throw you to the ground and rest his weight on you until you beg him to get up). but i don't think he interprets gender. it's mostly just people who he can be rough with and those that he can't. the f!mcs i write fall into this weird middle ground of he can't, but he wants to. he has to be softer but he wants to ruin them. i'd probably do the opposite with a m!mc - should be softer, but can't. if only because mean Simon bullying the guy he's down bad for would be so fun to write. it'd be more animalistic because the m!mc wouldn't have an issue with fighting back against his ugly form of love.

you'd meet him in a bar. he's the scary guy in the back who says nothing to you at all but every time you look at him, he's already staring back at you. picking a fight, you'd think. and it'd cow you a little. as much as you can hold your own, as often as you get into tiffs, he's a tank. his size makes your belly twist. makes all those ugly feelings in the back of your head well up, the ones you tried to bury behind a too-bright grin and forged masculinity that fits like clunky armour. you feel sick looking at him. jealous. envy. greed. a noxious cocktail roiling around the generous sips of flat beer. so you don't. you look away. but the glares you send over your shoulder only make him huff, his head angling down toward his chest in a way that oozes a droll, acidic sort of amusement. stay away.

and you do. but he catches you at the mouth of the alley when you try to make your escape for the night, shoving your face into the brick as he grunts into your crown about fuckin' teasin' him all night. don't worry, though. he's gonna give you exactly what you've been craving, pretty boy. just be good for him, yeah?

Price is crass. rougher. but like Simon, gender, sex, and identity are all narrowed down to two categories for him: those that need his help, and those that don't (and then beneath that: those that deserve it and those that don't). if you're in control of your own life, competent, he'll force you into the former. bully you until something breaks. he's a bit more reserved with his advances but only because knocking you up isn't really an option. so, he has to be smart. cunning. it's a waiting game with Price, really.

with Gaz, there's almost a sense of a rivalry in the relationship. he definitely understands his attraction to you, knows what he wants, but he likes to push the people he's interested in and a m!mc would let him test the limits a bit more. he likes to mould the people he likes around him. re-build their entire life until it's tangled up in his. a m!mc would be a harder catch. like Price, it's not like he can just knock you up and keep you forever. he needs to strategise a bit more and i think that would make him more desperate.

Soap is basically the same. rougher, though. crude, too. has a thing for forced feminization. would call you hen and bonnie even as he manhandles you on the bed and rides you until you pass out. he's softer when he pursues a f!mc because he knows he can't play his hand right away or they'll run, but with a m!mc, he's all teeth. always grinning wide but like a shark. a touch scarier as he slides his hand up your thigh and coos in your ear about how badly he wants to fuck you stupid. but he won't let you cum. no, no - you're only allowed to cum inside him so you better not get off when he's fucking you or he'll have to show you some self-restraint. bites a lot. everywhere. always has a bottle of lube stashed away somewhere. it's intense. wrings you dry.

[iambicpentameterhamster]

This is random but here are my six of crows friendship headcanons

Jesper + Nina: They go to each other after fights with their boyfriends and give each other terrible advice. They are probably the first to get out the popcorn at any sign of drama and i just know that they go and get waffles together so they can bitch about everybody else. I think they would be one of the best friend duos.

Wylan + Matthias: They sit in comfortable silence most of the time, but they're actually really good friends. I can imagine Matthias and Wylan with mugs of tea just sat there quietly while Matthias watches Wylan draw and makes suggestions. They are weirdly in sync and really understand each other.

Inej + Nina: Well, we see a lot of this in canon, but they're really close and emotionally support each other. Nina uplifts Inej and Inej soothes Nina. They defend each other and probably parade around with linked arms laughing together.

Kaz + Jesper: Sibling dynamic. Constant bickering, and will disagree with each other just on principal. Beneath that, though, is an unbreakable bond and they love each other to the ends of the earth.

Wylan + Kaz: They're both the most cunning and clever in the group, so they probably spend a lot of time scheming, both together and against one another. I imagine board games with Wylan and Kaz would be INTENSE. At the same time, they understand each other really well and probably confide in each other to some extent.

Kaz + Nina: She annoys him just because it's funny.

Jesper + Inej: One of the closest bonds imo... Jesper brings Inej the confidence to be loud, bold, and to have fun, while Inej brings Jesper inner confidence and he feels peaceful and can be vulnerable with her. They were the first friendship in the crows and they are the glue of the group. They turn to each other in their darkest, most vulnerable moments.

Matthias + Inej: Again, i think there's a lot of quiet understanding there, but Inej brings out a more relaxed side of Matthias and Matthias makes Inej feel understood to some extent (with them being the only religious members of the group) Matthias looks to Inej for familiarily and for a perspective he feels he can trust.

Matthias + Kaz: I can't see them as friends exactly, but they nod politely at each other and talk grudgingly while their girlfriends hang out. They make fun of each other a bit but don't mind each other, really, and they have built some sort of trust.

Nina + Wylan: She teases him A LOT, more so than Jesper, but they are fond of each other. They have a relatively surface level but still very sweet friendship and look out for each other, even if they aren't super close.

Wylan + Inej: They strike me as the two most emotionally intelligent of the group, so they would get super close really quickly, and the rest of the group treat them sort of like gurus or fountains of knowledge when it comes to relationships and emotions. No conflict, strong trust, probably have deep convesations. They have a deep respect and admiration for each other and will big the other up behind their back. When Wylan has a new idea for music or something, Inej is the first to hear it because he values her opinion so highly.

Matthias + Jesper: They care about each other, but don't really get on as friends. Jesper teases him a little and Matthias responds earnestly, there isn't any chemistry there, but they are civil and are still bonded through the group and would risk their safety to help the other.

And then you know the relationships already so thats just the friendships!

[inchidentally]

I just love everything and every little detail about the Landoscar dynamic. It's so captivating. The pt. 2 video of the mid season celebration just showed another layer.

Oscar is the typical mischievous introvert who teases the unhinged extrovert to do the crazy things for him, for his own amusement. And Lando will just cave because I don't think he can say no to Oscar, even if he wanted.

no fr anon the fact that Lando likes being able to wheedle and fuss and complain around the people he loves but is otherwise extremely shy around new people and finds it difficult to navigate new places without friends or his team around to help… while Oscar is overall quiet and lowkey but can get extremely mischievous and actually prefers to navigate new experiences and places all on his own… Lando thrives on consistency and feeling comfortable… Oscar is super flexible and happy to make sure other people are comfortable… Lando is extroverted in that he thrives on being around people but introverted in how he'll only relax and let loose around people/places he knows and trusts (having multiple sets of friends groups for different activities etc, keeping tons of friends for over 10 years) Oscar is extroverted in that he rarely if ever seems daunted by wherever he finds himself and never 'performs' or loses his self-confidence but introverted in how he'll prefer a one-on-one chat in a club over being in the middle of the action and needs a certain amount of time and space all to himself… the way their little 'games' are Lando whining and misbehaving to get Oscar to do what he wants and Oscar's is to get a twinkle in his eye and bribe or connive to get Lando to misbehave with him…

and bc I think maybe the air temperature in fandom about Hungary has reduced enough, Oscar fully knowing that Lando - like any driver!! - will have to be pushed and forced over team orders no matter what the circumstances (Oscar is quieter about it but no less reluctant) AND that Lando will require space and time to come down off the emotions after the race because that's always when it's most difficult for him (and the media know this ie them creating the Lando/Max drama). Lando literally saying he remembered what Oscar's "done for him in the past" and all the times Oscar's been so happy for him after team orders and like my god for ppl who know Lando !! his reactions to the media immediately after that race were the purest proof of his respect for Oscar and their partnership by him overcoming that initial tidal wave of personal disappointment and anger. Oscar moving to stand close to Lando at Lando's plinth and Lando reaching that hand out to him and them sharing that baffled smile between each other bc it's just A Lot but the one thing they know is that none of this situation is something to take out on each other. (and oh !! the poetry of brocedes between them !! the contrast of a different generation and intimacy being mistaken for understanding - compared to landoscar choosing understanding over immediate intimacy) but Oscar didn't push any further into Lando or ask for anything else and Lando fought to give that smile every time Oscar looked at him and like !!!! they gave each other things and then gave each other space !!! and chose to see out flight delays in a little group and then playing a board game in an even smaller group! and so many ppl haven't fully appreciated that they've always done this before I think bc it was sort of expected by Oscar's position in the team for him to obey team orders, even when it really hurt. and definitely bc a lot of folks see Oscar's calm demeanor and think he isn't burning up over giving up a lead or losing out on a podium in exactly the same amount every driver does. but as Lando keeps reminding even his own fans, he knows what Oscar's done for him <3

and the cameras and media back at MTC clearly had Lando thrown back into that feeling of quicksand over every single thing he said and how he said it and he'll have fully witnessed how his own friends and family and hardcore fans will have felt and how often can he reiterate something before someone decides to accuse him of just delivering a PR line and uuggghhhhhgg. but then !! Oscar breezes in full of mischief and smiles and standing tall and proud !! and Lando can giggle and step back and breathe a little from the weight of The Narrative bc the more Oscar keeps refusing to let it settle over them the less interest others will take! if Oscar won't be drawn into anything about the team orders or Lando then The Narrative will slowly lose all it's color and interest and Lando can breathe and disappear into the break. bc for all that he has experience on Oscar, he does not have experience of this situation at all!! and Oscar bearing them up through it with that same unflappable calm while Lando writhes and grapples with it inside himself is just <3<3

and it all boils down to what's compelled all of us into their dynamic so deeply despite them not baiting with fake gay or bromances or publicizing a friendship in a way that usually gets us invested. they talk and they communicate and they allow space to learn each other and to react and behave instinctively. on the one hand they already have a shared wavelength that's gotten noticed by pretty much everyone and we get glimpses of how they hone in on talking about things with just each other kind of forgetting that cameras or other people are around. but on the other hand they still watch each other talking and reacting SUPER closely at times and keep fumbling around the concept of their rivalry and their partnership in this conflicted and clearly kind of anxious way. they'll have certain people in their lives pushing for them to say to hell with being friendly with the other guy - then they'll have Andrea and the team negotiating life at the front and keeping both cars there - and then the fact that when all that pressure is lifted, they have a genuine fondness and gentle affection for each other that would make them easy friends in any other circumstances.

and that's why it makes all the more sense why they choose to not broadcast to fans when they spend downtime together or give us their relationship in any kind of packaging. they're not hiding it but they're not letting us into a share of that space. as a few of Lando's friends/colleagues showed that weekend, a lot of unnecessary mess gets created when people can't separate work from private life feelings. and it's why Oscar has wisely asked everyone in his own private life circle to limit their opinions and commentary - Nicole's podcast ep was about Oscar as a person and only a bit about him as a driver. just like how Lando and Oscar don't hide anything about their dynamic or their partnership at all - even down to saying how they need to do more sports together - but they're not going to consider fans or PR at all when it comes to developing that dynamic and partnership. private but not hidden or secret.

so it's ended up as this rare experience of watching them both openly get to know each other, negotiate the honestly dizzy fast experience of going from a backmarker team to both being top 4 in the WDC in under 2 years together - and in a car that is identical between the two of them and that they've both developed with open communication between both garages. in being so open and honest about all of those experiences, their personalities have revealed themselves gradually to each other and honestly to fans as well.

which is why everyone who thought Hungary would be followed by a massive dry spell or just angsty/fix it fic was way off - nobody's into landoscar bc they're another perfect bromance where all we want is sunshine and positivity - and they're honestly not even yaoi fodder. they're so gd compelling for authors especially bc they're in so many ways equally softly rounded and hard edged and their dynamic is so effortlessly sweet in some ways and so intriguingly complex in others. Oscar only talks about Lily the same way he talks about Lando (when it comes to non-racing stuff). Lando reveals a more vulnerable, quieter side with Oscar that you don't really see in him with other drivers and even a lot of his mates. but then they're both identical in their determination and focus and desire to win that would be like drift compatible but in this case they're also each other's opponents.

they don't spend as much social time together as they have with other teammates, but they have a level of understanding each other and improving each other they've never had before. they don't go clubbing regularly but they finish each other's sentences. etc etc etc.

they get thrown into one of the most dramatic racing/team orders scenarios at a point in the season when it's even more dramatic, but they remain steadfastly resistant to the divide being pushed by fans and the media with a maturity that I hope more people give them credit for considering how young they are ????

and again, I don't expect them to be able to have such smooth sailing as time goes on and McLaren are eventually dealing with two number one drivers. but !!! their maturity and understanding of each other will also only increase so !!! they're just very very very exciting to watch and talk about and write fic about !!

[remember-digimon]

Let's talk about Tai!

First of all, Tai does in fact show signs of terminal Shonen Protagonist, however with the depth of his character we can assume it is in remission. Good for him.

Tai is reckless and often rushes into things without thinking. To him, there is the goal and there are things in the way of his goal, so naturally he just has to bulldoze the obstacles and he's good. This is probably how he ended up as the leader of the group, aside from him being shown as a sort-of-main-character; while other characters are important, Tai is the driving force. He is action.

(Remember that time he tried to beat up a Bakemon?? This kid has zero chill when he's on a mission I swear)

If Izzy were in charge, they would get sidetracked by the details. If Matt were in charge, they'd likely never get very far because he has to consider the feelings of the entire group. If Sora were in charge, she would be too concerned with protecting everyone.

While Tai is basically the rocket fuel of their group, this also leads him to charging forward when other parts of the metaphorical machine aren't ready. This is why the dynamic of the whole group works so well; Tai may be hyperfocused on the end game but the others make up for the skills he lacks.

In addition to being the driving force, Tai is really good at delegating. He gives the task of figuring out the gate in Myotismon's castle to Izzy, who is objectively the best one for the job. During Our War Game, he's giving orders like a general during the fight, showing his aptitude for strategy.

Other leaders in Digimon seem to be given that title simply because they're the ones wearing the goggles, but in my opinion none of them really live up to the standard set by Tai. He may not have a deep understanding of Digimon and their world, but he has Izzy for that. He might sometimes lose himself in the end goal and forget to be empathetic to his friends, but he has Matt for that. He might be bullheaded and stubborn, but he has Mimi to be blunt and tell him what he needs to hear.

His real weakness lies in Kari; when she passes out in the desert, Tai basically falls to pieces and Izzy has to take over. When Izzy accidentally broadcasts their location, Tai flies off the handle, unprovoked, in a way that's pretty out of character for him any other time. He's haunted by the incident where Kari collapsed at the playground when they were younger, and he blames himself completely for what happened.

It's interesting to compare Tai and Matt as older brothers. Tai is very loving to Kari, and very protective, likely (at least in part) because of what happened at the playground. Matt is just as overprotective of TK, maybe even more, since he's basically rooted his entire purpose in protecting TK. Tai values Kari as a member of the team, but is still highly aware of the danger she's in. This is similar to how Matt views TK, being glad to be spending this much time with him but losing himself a little in worrying about him.

Unlike Matt, though, Tai is never really given the chance to fully confront his fear of something happening to Kari. He finds aspirin for her, but Machinedramon attacks and separates them. She's recovered by then anyway, but that's beside the point. It would've been nice to see him come to terms with his feeling of failure to protect her at all costs, but there were huge monsters to fight so I see why they skipped it.

Overall, Tai is a wonderful protag. He's courageous and instills his teammates with the energy to keep moving forward, he always has his eye on the prize, and he knows when to step aside and let someone else handle a problem he might not be well equipped for. Other shonen protags, like Ash from Pokemon for instance, can solve their problems by believing in their friends and that's it. Tai solves problems through strategy, delegating, and most of all, teamwork.

[bitchesgate3]

Disclaimer: I have not romanced Minthara nor have I fully played the Dark Urge.

One thing I've experienced whilst having Minthara in my party since Moonrise is that there feels like there are narratively TWO Mintharas. And the Durge break up makes sense for one and not the other.

This 1st Minthara: Upon rescuing Minthara, all your initial conversations are deeply emotional. And later ones at camp are so deeply insightful that her maturity and experience compared to the other companions really stands out.

She understands the plots going on and the subterfuge and conspiracy. She reflects on her experiences with the Absolute, her understanding of the Chosen 3, her gratitude about being saved by Tav, her time under Orin's thrall, and gives us glimpses into the emotions that run through all these experiences.

How does a merciless woman grapple with being shown mercy? Her specifically. Not Dror Ragzlin. Not Priestess Gut. But her - singled out - for mercy?

This Minthara feels like she makes sense of these experiences for herself, to find a life to carve out on her own - integrated with her indomitable spirit. She is a dynamic and nuanced character and makes her a must-have companion for me on ANY playthrough.

However, another Minthara exists.

Minthara is most likely intended to be Chaotic Evil. She comes across as Lawful at times, but I think she was de facto made to be compatible with any type of evil, hence she must be chaotic. As opposed to Lae'zel who with Lawful Evil and disapproves if you are dishonorable in some way.

Astarion in EA was more overtly Chaotic Evil leaning Neutral Evil, and probably more conventionally chaotic because some of what he approved of felt like evil for shits and giggles. Following his whims and entertainment.

Minthara on the other hand is certainly calculated by comparison. She understands that seeding disorder is a way to destabilize an existing power in order to obtain it for one's self. This knowledge of undermining pairs extremely well with the overarching mindflayer plot. So while she may inevitably seek more secure power for herself, her ambient dialogue options encourage chaotic evil in this way.

And that's where this 2nd Minthara character comes in. She is the only companion that consistently disapproves of every "good" aligned decision the other companions make. She encourages you to make deals with Gortash and the Emperor (THE master manipulators), and has all these big plans for world domination right out the gate that she sort of assumes you're on board with.

The most egregious thing for me is that she grants approval for the silliest evil actions in the game.

It's clear to me that being opportunistically evil, selfish, and self-serving makes sense for a character like Minthara who utilizes chaos and fear for her own goals, but I find that because she is the only character who could possibly align that way, Larian gives her EVERY possible [calculated] chaotic evil approval that comes up.

So this 2nd Minthara ends up saying the most contrived, cartoonishly evil dialogue responses that really breaks immersion because it feels as if she's only saying that because she's the only companion who can.

That being said, I don't mind this "2nd Minthara"/Chaotic Evil Minthara existing and actually being a part of her character (because clearly this is intended and part of the authors' vision), but when the 1st Minthara seems to hint at possessing divergent thought while this 2nd Minthara seems stuck in her ways, I can't merge the two entities as the same one.

I actually think the game needs to add flags similar to Gale and the Crown where the more you agree with Minthara on her disapproving of the companions defying their dominators/approving when they align with them, only then you will get the Durge break up if you defy yours.

Just adding those flags - not even adding new content - would be an easy fix and I think would help justify why these two Minthara's even exist.

[lunar-years]

i'm still very sad they didn't do anything at all in season 3 with the Nate & Roy dynamic they'd been building off in the background for the first two seasons, because the layers there were really fascinating.

Starting with like, Roy being the only one to vocally and actively stand up for Nate in season one. At the time I think Nate was appreciative, but I think in hindsight, (rightly or wrongly) it quickly morphs into this mindset that Roy is sort of patronizing and has long viewed him as this weak thing in need of protecting. It feels (in Nate's mind), like Roy swept in to play the savior when it convinced him, but even that was based more around his hatred of Jamie than it was about liking Nate. And we see Nate later think himself proven correct in that thinking after he kisses Keeley and confesses and Roy...barely reacts. Roy, who is furious and angry about everything and everyone every day of his life, is suddenly like "Oh it's fine" when Nate has kissed his girlfriend. Nick Mohammed's commentary that Nate actively saw that as a micro-aggression was so fascinating and makes a lot of sense.

Then you have Roy, who did see season one Nate as someone to protect, but then was also driven to his best performance on the pitch during his final season by Nate's no-bullshit speech before the Everton game. That scene is so effective because it's such a jarring departure for the entire team from how they've previously viewed Nate, and it works for Roy especially because Roy respects people who don't give in to the intimidation he's constantly goading them with and instead tells it to him straight, no words minced (this is why Roy gets along so well with people like Rebecca, Keeley, and Ted, and why the breakthrough moment with Jamie is Jamie calling him out at the gala, etc.). I think there IS a part of Roy that doesn't respect Nate in season 1, which is why he later reacts how he does to Nate's kiss with Keeley, and it's a mindset he's vindicated by when Nate turns on Ted. But that also gets all mixed up with moments like the Everton, with the evidence of Nate being such a good strategist that Roy later finds himself deeply envious of after becoming a coach himself.

During the time they are both coaching together, there's a dynamic there where they both (I think) believe the other person doesn't take them seriously, and it's rooted in a little bit of truth (on both sides!!) that's then wildly exacerbated by their own insecurities. Like, Nate is intimated by the fact that Roy is this rich famous hotshot publicly beloved, so that it feels way out of Nate's league to even be interacting with him. At the same time, he also thinks Roy is a bit of an asshole who doesn't see him as a threat because he doesn't take him seriously, and is (fairly) offended by it. Meanwhile, Roy is intimated by Nate because Nate is so clearly so intelligent, which I think is something Roy is insecure about in general, given his own education being superseded early on by football. He sees Nate as being a more adequate coach than himself because of this. But he also thinks Nate is spineless and whatever respect he had for him (fairly) dissolves completely after Nate goes to the press about Ted.

So it's like, this messy mixture where they both have something the other desperately wants but they can't see at all why the other would possibly be envious of them due to their own insecurities. They are, imo, the two most insecure people on the show in completely different ways. They hate themselves far more than they hate each other, yet they displace the weight of that feeling onto each other; Roy by treating Nate with indifference and Nate by dismissing Roy in his head as an asshole hotshot whose had a great life handed to him and doesn't even appreciate it, whereas Nate has to fight tooth and nail to find success. And it all boils down to them not understanding one another while also having a lot in common under the surface.

Anyway, I think it would be super interesting to see how their friendship or even just their relationship as coworkers develops after season 3, as they both make active attempts at overcoming their insecurities and doing better by themselves and each other.

[bugcatcherkit]

very curious about your thoughts on a tome teru ritsu shou friendship. you are one million percent correct but i am also extremely curious what you think her individual dynamics would be with everyone in the group, how she starts hanging out with them, and the general vibes of their private minecraft server

oh my god thank you hfhhehvhe i lovee having space to ramble about my interpretations !!!!!! I am trying so hard to make this short and coherent (I didn't sleep at all last night) so bear with me ok. This got long sooo ...

Tome and Teru bond first by virtue of being work besties turned regular friends. Well, work besties as in Teru hangs out there and helps out a lot but would never officially take the job. Anyway they get along great because they can match each other's weird and eccentric vibe while also having an underlying bit of Understanding between them due to the whole "tried to rationalize their isolation with specific escapist fantasies that indulged it instead of addressed it" thing. I think they help each other bridge whatever gap remains from their difficulties in connecting the supernatural/extraterrestrial/super-powered world and experiences with the regular/normal/ordinary world. like theyre a good balance for each other. Theyre both So Much that it kind of cancels out. I just like to think they help ground each other. This is very important for their enrichment.

Some of their enrichment activities include: Tome trying to get Teru to fucking Relax For Once by introducing him to video games like pokemon but it kind of backfires when he gets Way Too Into It (this is where minecraft comes in also). Making a super expansive OC world and continually referencing it to each other much to everyone else's confusion. Trying to cure their intense boredom by hanging out together but never really knowing what to do, so they're just bored together. Their text messages are mostly funny images they found, not actual conversations. Their solidarity with each other is almost unmatched. They have a warriors bond.

Anyway. ANYWAY. I think Tome is just kind of absorbed into the Teru-Ritsu-Shou friend group mostly because of Teru, and partly because sometimes, very occasionally, Shou will be at S&S because of Ritsu, who is usually there only as a favour. Ritsu and Teru do the exorcism stuff and Tome and Shou have to sort the filing cabinets for the 5 millionth time because Reigen is running out of things that Tome can do. Shou does not mind these tasks. I think Teru and Shou both like having little menial tasks to do whereas Tome doesn’t. For Ritsu is depends on the task and who it’s for a think. But ANYWAY. Anyway they just grow closer from there probably unless I think of something better.

I like to think of the Tome and Shou dynamic for similar reasons as the Teru-Tome dynamic (character comparison reasons). Shou craved normalcy and decided to chase it post-canon. Tome wanted the complete opposite. So I don't think they would exactly see eye-to-eye immediately (why would she want to give up that normalcy vs why would he want mundane normalcy). I think Shou might even find her View of Things a little bit annoying, mostly because I think he'd be high-strung post canon and she is just not helping that, as opposed to him actually disliking anything about her. But because they are both quite considerate of other people, they work through these things and become bros. He actually probably really appreciates her Severe Genuineness and (mostly) unwavering will regarding her passions/beliefs. She probably likes his appreciation for simple normalcy and relaxation because it hammers in again that doing stuff like that isn't a waste. They love doing so much Nothing together because they both like to take it easy. I think they would enjoy parallel playing.

When they hang out they have to stop EVERYTHING they're doing to watch an ant carry something 4x its size across the sidewalk because it is so exciting to them. Shou is in on the OC world by the way. Tome and Teru and Shou develop it like they're in the writers room of a high-budget TV show. He updates her on every little thing his hamsters do.

For some reason I found the Ritsu and Tome dynamic like the most difficult to think about out of all of them. They're probably the least close? Ritsu treats Tome as Mob's friend in the same way that Mob treats Shou as Ritsu's friend -- with immense care and consideration, but not a lot of close contact outside of a group. He tries to be sooo polite with her but she Does Not match his energy. So after a certain point Ritsu just kind of gives it up. Then they start annoying the shit out of each other. I do think that Ritsu looks up to Tome based on what he knew about her in middle school and how he knows her post-canon. Because she never conformed to people’s expectations in the way that he did, and she is committed to a Fun and Meaningful Existence in similar ways that he wants to be. My ideal dynamic is a Ritsu who gets Weirder and a bit more childish around her, because he deserves it I think. I know I said they wouldn't be close but this is how they can bond more.

I HAVENT EVEN GOTTEN TO THEIR MINECRAFT SERVER YET. Tome and Teru are the powerhouses of the server because they are so cracked at the game. the only difference is Teru takes it so damn seriously and Tome actually likes fucking around. She's putting herobrine portals around and convincing Ritsu he's on the server. Teru is doing it all he's farming he's mining he's building elaborate builds he's setting up economies because probably has the most consistent resource supply. Where's that post where it describes him and Ritsu as "they keep making more elaborate redstone powered industrial farms" I swear I saw something like that. That is them.

I wouldn't say Shou sucks at survival mode but he probably isn't terribly good at it either. He seems like a "load in a flat world and build stupid things and spawn in the max number of mobs allowed in any given range." He's always asking people for stuff because he keeps dying and losing his. Or he gets lost frequently. He's followed by at least 7 tamed wolves at a time and every time he loses one he makes everybody stop whatever they're doing to come to the funeral he puts.

The only thing stopping Ritsu from basically speedrunning the game is the fact that he is scared of the cave noises/the monsters/the nether. Also him and Mob have to share an account so sometimes he'll load in with nothing because Mob got them killed last time he was on. Tome and Teru both suck at bringing beds with them when they go out on in-game days long adventures and everyone else is soo mad at them. Is this too elaborate. I could probably go on I just haven't played minecraft in a while.

[xmoonlitxdreamx]

OW2 Junkrat & Roadhog Relationship (part 2)

Part 1: [click] Part 3: [click] Part 4: [click] Part 5: [click]

This is my second post on me trying to understand Junkrat and Roadhog's relationship dynamic in OW2. This second post is looking at Roadhog's OW2 voice lines sourced from his wikia page and a video on twitter with some unused voice lines (source links will be under the cut). Again, I’ll only be talking about lines that I think give insight into Junkrat and Roadhog’s relationship and how they think of each other.

As I said in my previous post, I am biased for viewing their dynamic positively because I ship roadrat; but I'll try to include negative or neutral interpretations as well.

Anyway, interpretations are under the cut!

This first set of quotes are from his OW2 voice lines wikia page.

“Dipstick.” (Pig Pen triggered)

I feel like this line is typically associated with Junkrat and wasn’t something Roadhog said before his Pig Pen ability was added

Could suggest that Junkrat’s speech quirks have rubbed off on Roadhog

“Caught the rat.” (enemy Junkrat trapped)

refers to Junkrat with rat-related nicknames (or just “the rat")

“That little grubber... *grunt*” (eliminated by Junkrat)        

Uses patronizing nicknames for Junkrat

Doesn’t seem to respect Junkrat

“I’m tired of hearing your voice.” / “Now will you shut up?” / “Peace and quiet.” (eliminating Junkrat)

Junkrat is really chatty around Roadhog

Roadhog thinks Junkrat’s chattiness is annoying

“Never liked science.” (eliminating Moira using Coalescence, Sigma using Gravitic Flux, or Zarya using Graviton Surge) / “You eggheads stay away from me.” (with multiple scientists on team: Lifeweaver, Mei, Mercy, Moira, Sigma or Winston)

Roadhog doesn’t like scientists; this could potentially be used as a point of tension between him and Junkrat, as Junkrat seems to think of himself as a scientist sometimes (“Who says I can't be a scientist? I can be whatever I want.”).

This sort of tension isn’t really addressed between them afaik, I just put it here bc I thought it could be interesting LOL

“Someday, I'm just going to leave you.” (Elimination, said to ally Junkrat on low HP)

From the tone of his voice, this suggests Roadhog seems to get exasperated with having to save Junkrat’s ass all the time

Taken in isolation, this line can suggest that Roadhog is tired of Junkrat’s antics and plans to leave him one day

Taken in context (which is Roadhog saving a low HP Junkrat), this could be seen more as a hollow threat meant to signal his frustration to Junkrat rather than an earnest expression of wanting to end their partnership

Again taken in context, I think this kinda suggests that Roadhog often gets Junkrat out of tricky situations (something like “someday I’m going to leave you. And then what’s gonna happen to you? You’re gonna get into trouble because I’m not there.” -> kind of has this implication that Roadhog saving Junkrat is something that happens so often that it would be a problem for Junkrat if Roadhog wasn’t there)

“No job too big, no score too small.” (Summer Games voice line)

This is his and Junkrat’s “tagline” as partners in crime, as seen on Junkrat’s official OW2 Hero profile

Suggests he is a little willing to play into the cartoonish partners in crime dynamic that Junkrat set up for them, or at least is aware of it

“At least I’m not a rat.” (along with “At least I’m not a hog.” from Junkrat)

Taken in isolation, could suggest that Roadhog doesn’t like Junkrat

Could suggest a sort of competitiveness between the two of them, or possibly that the two of them bicker

Sojourn: Follow my lead, and we make it out of here in one piece.

Roadhog: Watch the high ground.

Sojourn: Huh, I didn't take you for a tactician.

Roadhog: Used to it.

Could suggest Roadhog is more of the tactical one between him and Junkrat, despite Junkrat’s posturing as the leader between the two of them

Sojourn: I remember Overwatch tailing you back in the day. Before you teamed up with your... sidekick.

Roadhog: Quieter times.

Roadhog doesn’t deny that Junkrat is his “sidekick,” so it’s possible he thinks of Junkrat like that

On the one hand, this suggests that he doesn’t respect Junkrat as a leader

On the other hand, this does suggest that he does at least see him and Junkrat as an odd pair of sorts

Roadhog thinks Junkrat is noisy

He likely misses having peace and quiet without Junkrat

Roadhog having a past connection to Overwatch could mean something for Roadhog and Junkrat’s dynamic considering Junkrat sometimes seems admirable of Overwatch in his voice lines, but idk there’s not really anything to work off of from just this

These next voice lines were sourced from here; it’s unclear of what the context is for these since not all of them were added to the game. (Think they were canceled (?) PVE voice lines or something)

“Someone pick up the rat.”

Again, refers to Junkrat as “the rat”

Seems reluctant to help Junkrat

“Somebody killed Junkrat.”

The most interesting interpretation I can come up with for this is at least he bothered to point out that Junkrat was killed LOL

Summary of this section: Overall Roadhog seems to find Junkrat noisy and annoying, he doesn’t respect Junkrat as a leader, and he complains when he has to get Junkrat out of trouble. There is some indication that he does recognize his partnership with Junkrat and sees the two of them as an odd pair. It’s possible that he gets Junkrat out of trouble frequently, which could imply that he feels some sort of obligation to help Junkrat instead of actually leaving him. At the same time, it’s possible that he’s so frustrated with saving Junkrat all the time that he wants to end their partnership. Unlike Junkrat, Roadhog doesn’t bring up Junkrat on his own in conversation with others and only seems to talk about Junkrat when someone else brings him up. At least one of Junkrat’s speech quirks has rubbed off on Roadhog, suggesting they’re around each other often and possibly Roadhog does pay attention to Junkrat.

Other caveat: imo it’s unclear how much of his reluctance and negativity should be taken super seriously--he does seem to be really grumpy around Junkrat, but he’s also really grumpy around everyone LMAO;; though I will say he does seem more grumpy around Junkrat than he does around other characters. Is the fact that he’s more grumpy around Junkrat mean that Junkrat is special in some way, or does that just mean he particularly dislikes Junkrat….???? Idk it’s up for interpretation. I feel like characters like Roadhog who don’t really wear their emotions/intentions on their sleeve are kind of hard to parse outside of a story that has a narrative or purpose, so with OW2 being a pvp shooter with no plot there’s not exactly a lot of clues for how to interpret his grumpy attitude besides. grumpy.

I could also say a little bit about Roadhog’s nicknames for people (which started with the catch-a-mari event iirc), but I'm gonna save that for a different post.

Anyway! That’s all. I’m gonna look at the “A Friendly Rivalry” short story in the next post, and maybe some other stuff idk I haven’t decided how I wanna organize it yet. Thanks for reading!

Part 1: [click] Part 3: [click] Part 4: [click] Part 5: [click]

[enquire]

Hello again! Dunno when you’ll be back online, but when you do return, could you tell me of any potential DRA ships you have? Additionally, do you plan to make them canon or ship-tease them in your pony AU?

Hello again! :D

I hope you're ready for an info dump because I have a lot of thoughts about class 79!

Ships... the age old question...

I'm honestly not the kind of person who gets heavily invested into a lot of ships. That being said, I do enjoy them a lot, especially when it involves a cast I am as attached to as class 79! And one of those handful of ships I am highly invested in is a DRA ship, lol. (It's Kinjomae... and to be honest, a really big part of my DRA special interest is filled by those two characters, and Utsuro, in general if not together)

Kinjo and Yuki tend to end up being with central roles in most of my DRA related thoughts, art, and writing, it just kind of sneaks in, regardless, somewhere.

I like interpreting them in a queer platonic or more ace-leaning relationship as well. Not always, but I've made a habit of it. So yeah they're going to have a relationship of some sort in this au too.

To specify, I am referring to DRA1 Yuki; I don't really ship the real Yuki and Tsurugi together. To me, they are two very distinct characters with different personalities from each other despite their similarities, not just memories... I won't get into all that (a post for another day perhaps) but in context of Kinjomae, only one of them is his Yuki, who knows and cares for him.

Exploring the relationship between Tsurugi and (actual) Yuki Maeda is still super interesting though, and I can understand why people ship it, there's loads of interesting places to go with it.

Also, I'm the kind of fan who can be swayed to accept almost any pairing or headcanon, especially in the context of the respective work (art/writing, etc) I really think it's possible to execute pretty much anything in a convincing manner if done well, and that applies to ships and stuff. Are there some ships and/or headcanons that give me the ick? Yup. Are there some I just don't like? Yeah. It just takes a lot for me to really get to a level where I hate something.

Uh, let's see... there are a few other ships I tend to immediately think of, even if I'm not as invested!

Ayame/Akane (may or may not be teased or explored in the pony au)

Satsuki/Haru (they'll probably be canon, I mean... it's satsuki and haru)

Rei/Teruya (I love their dynamic, regardless of the type of relationship they have)

Utsuro/Akane (they are super fascinating and it would feel remiss not to include this one in some manner)

I'm not sure yet what I'll do in this AU with everyone, we'll see. Including friend groups: I want to make more 'mane 6' type groups from the rest of the cast but I haven't finalized any of them besides the main one yet.

That's one of the things that makes me love class 79 so much; they feel very real to me, individually and how they all interact with each other. I'm invested in them as a group, and in all the little friendships and groups within the class. So I might spend more time thinking about them in terms of friendships and other relationships than pairings, except for Kinjo and Yuki of course.

My favorites of those are:

☀︎ haru, satsuki, and teruya

tsurugi, yamato, and mikako

teruya, tsurugi, and rei

best siblings yamato and mikako

the if only group: teruya, tsurugi, rei, yuki, akane, yamato, and mikako. (who also happen be most of the mane 6 for my pony au, and are my favorite characters along with Utsuro, pretty much.)

I love this cast a lot if you couldn't tell by now.

My least favorites are Mitch and Kizuna, though. I don't dislike them, but Kizuna in particular I am really neutral toward compared to everyone else.

I feel like I just... don't have a grasp on what kind of character she is at all? Her story in the game combined with her FTEs left me pretty conflicted about her. It feels like there were many opportunities to give more insight into her, but none of them worked for me.

I mean, we get to meet her mom, and even that didn't give me any more insight into her childhood or personality at all... which is kind of hard to ignore when the time we spend (or being told about via FTES) with Ando, Keisuke, Ryutaro, and Midori all give their respective family members more context and anchors we didn't have before. Plus the tiniest whiff of Juu we get speaks volumes for Tsurugi's upbringing, it is very easy to fill in the blanks.

As much as it is a tradition to hate on Mitch, I don't really hate him as a character: he works perfectly well for the kind of role he's meant to fill, (I mean, he's designed to be a case 1 killer first and foremost) and personally, I find it a lot easier to add layers to him than Kizuna because he has a base I can wrap my head around, unlike Kizuna, even if it is a really simple one.

Anyways...

As a bonus, here are some of my favorite rarepairs:

mitch/uehara

teruya/uehara

teruya/haru

almost any rei pairings (I usually pass on the very gloomy and incoming divorce vibes of tsurugi/rei though) maybe partially because I (personally) have difficulties seeing Tsurugi being in relationships with women. Sorry, but I can't undo it. He's just gay in my eyes. And/or ace and homoromantic.

I think that's the end of my thoughts for now. Thanks for prompting another ramble I appreciate it.

⋆⁺₊⋆ see ya later ! ⋆⁺₊⋆

[preciouslittle-bhaalbabe]

I'm so happy to see a softer take but still realistic about the ascended Astarion. It seems like all the headcanons and takes on him recently have just been either spawn+ with a different voice or a horrifically abusive tyrant who keeps the player a slave

I mean technically he's not ascended in game yet. And everything I've said has been responses to people asking how I think he will be when the time comes. But essentially yeah. In this playthrough, I view A!A as a man who just got everything that he lost back and then some, he's completely drunk off his tits with power and then he actually managed to fall in love with someone who HELPED him do all this willingly. He didn't have to manipulate Tomie even a little she's been ride or die from day 1. I think the version of A!A we see during gameplay is someone who has to get used to themselves. He's overwhelmed still.

I believe him when he says he doesn't want to control or hurt the player. And when he says he loves them, he means it. Now what that love actually looks like or means is up for debate. Or if he even knows what love feels like. To him, love is sharing this new life with his person and making sure they have everything they could ask for. He dotes on them.

And if A!A tries to get weird and controlling you can bet your ass Tomie would be like "nuh uh don't be a baby. You're a strong powerful vampire lord you can handle me going out with friends without you". As far as the kisses go, the dynamic between Tomie and A!A is 100% agreed upon and consensual. He knows her limits and she knows his. Hence why I modded the facial expressions.

I still think that the player becomes some sort of new type of vampire just like he did. Just a different version. He doesn't want his lover to become a spawn the same way he did, so he gives them his blood so they can also benefit from the powers the ritual gave him. Like walking in the sun, not feeling the hunger, etc. And based on what he says, he's completely fine with and even enjoys the idea of the player feeding on him in the future. They're not just a spawn. They're his spawn. Which not only indicates the possessiveness but also that there's a difference because he is different.

According to what I understand from DnD lore, that would technically make the player a true vampire and therefore Astarion can't compel them even if he wanted to. He still calls them his spawn because he did make them and likes having that power. They are his because they gave themselves to him willingly. But there is no forced compulsion for them to obey. Instead, there's a mutual understanding of trust and devotion to each other. And that's why he knows they'll be obedient to him should he ask for anything. And I think that's why he reacts SO devastatingly when broken up with.

You're absolutely free to think differently about A!A of course. But that's the dynamic in my head for my playthrough.

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

It actually means conscious VS unconscious

And Storer did it again, he was metaphorically saying what he was doing and put it out there, in plain sight.

I already went over this point in several posts actually because it was pretty obvious to me that their only issue was definitely not communication, that was just the visible tip of their iceberg. It was deeper than that because communication is never a cause per se, it's always a consequence of multiple other factors, so I knew it was about the REASON behind it and whether they are aware of that or not, whether they wanna be aware of it or not, whether they are ready for that or not, etc. CC vs UC. So I elaborated on all those topics previously:

What matters is the people

Stuck in the mud

Inside Carmy's mind

Recycle / Repurpose

Purpuse, chef!

Never apologize

The trap

I now realize that I had missed that Storer put it out there, in plain sight in that scene above, which BTW was one of the few semi-Sydcarmy moments we were given this season, or as I call it: ALMS.

Anyway... The point is that Sydney said that what was killing them (she referred to the operation but I refer to the Sydcarmy dynamic, that's the metaphor) was the "bad communication" between FOH and BOH, in other words: between CC/UC or Conscious and Unconscious or subconscious if you will, because info always permeates from one to the other.

So this takes us back to the fact that until they don't consciously realize and put in the front of their minds THE REASON why they are doing all of this, they won't be able to communicate properly and efficiently, and therefore they will not understand each other and what's even worse, they will definitely not find in themselves the strength to carry on and to endure this battle.

Because let's face it, every day in that restaurant, chasing a star is like going to war and it would be anyway even if they were going through a honeymoon phase. Chasing a Michelin star is no easy task for anyone and it always takes its toll on the team, that is why it's so elite. Not everyone can do it. Yet everyone who has done it ends up learning the same lesson: IT CAN'T BE DONE UNLESS YOU HAVE A BIGGER PURPOSE. Some get lost along the way, and the star kills them because they never find a bigger purpose than the star/s itself as I mentioned here.

I trust Sydcarmy will find a way to make conscious of their real purpose which is obviously THEM/EACH OTHER as I mentioned in all those 7 posts above.

They are actually doing this to show how much they love each other. It's their way of showing their affection for each other. It's also how they communicate.

It would be easier to just say so and go out on a date and maybe give each other simple presents like a playlist, flowers, a cologne... but not for them. Nope. They are "special".

For her, it didn't start that way, though. It morphed into it along the way. Originally for Syd that star was some sort of personal victory and vindication after her Sheridan Rd's trauma fiasco. Later on, when she started suspecting that she may have started falling for Carmy, around the time C showed up, she had to shove that suspicion very deep into her UC, meaning, never let it out, DENY IT, because otherwise she was gonna get hurt. She's too smart and too much of an emotionally avoidant G WOMAN for that. She would never let that happen if she could avoid it prevent it.

For Carmy that was the reason from day one two, though. Right after she said that was what she wanted. But as I mentioned here, that was not his goal at first:

But this is where they are now and they should honor it and be honest about it, even get nasty if they must, ARGUE about it if that's what it takes for them to really get it. I'm sure that S4 will be all about it because they have reached the breaking point already → The crying game

Or should I say breakthrough?

Yeah, I will go for breakthrough. S4 is gonna be all about Sydcarmy. Get ready, truthers. There's no way but up from here because S3 was:

The end of Carmen Berzatto.

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[number-one-shadisper-shipper]

I really love the Sonic movies and their whole found family dynamic❤️❤️❤️❤️ I've seen some great headcanons about them, and I wanted to make some of my own!

Wachowski Family Headcanons: ✨Movie Night✨

Movie night has always been a tradition at the Wachowski house. Tom and Maddie did it, and once they got Sonic it became an even more special time. Now Sonic is super excited to share all his favorite movies with his two new bros.

They have to buy a new TV since Knuckles punched Sonic through their old one when they first met. The whole family goes to the nearest bigger city since Green Hills is too small to have a good electronics store.

Knuckles has no knowledge or interest in technology so Maddie takes him window shopping at the nearby stores

Tails is so excited when they step into Best Buy. He's never seen this much tech in one place! Tom has to remind him not to take anything apart before they buy it.

Sonic immediately runs off to look at all the new video games

The salesman keeps trying to sell Tom the more expensive and "fancier" TVs. Tails is able to see through all the fancy talk, points out the actual specs, and calculates what will give them the best bang for their buck. Tom has no idea what he's talking about but buys the one Tails points to.

They finally get it home and set up. Knuckles is still confused as to what exactly a "TV" even is. It shows things that aren't really there? Is it like a some sort of window? A portal? Tails's in-depth technological explanation does not help. Sonic finally explains it as a "magic wall mural" and he's relatively satisfied.

Time to pick a movie! Sonic wants to watch "Speed" or one of the "Fast and Furious" movies for the millionth time. Knuckles wants to watch an action movie once he hears there's fighting in them. Tom and Maddie are a little worried those might be too much for Tails. Everyone agrees to watch one of the Disney movies Maddie picked up.

They pick Lilo and Stitch (partly because of the ironic parallels of adopting a funny little blue alien with a fear of water, and just getting back from Hawaii after Rachel's wedding)

Everyone curls up on the couch or on blankets on the floor. Even Ozzie comes to join in the fun. Tails and Sonic use him as a pillow.

Maddie brings in some fresh-popped popcorn (and grapes for Knuckles). Tails is a little skeptical of the new snack, but one bite of the buttery goodness and he's obsessed. He and Sonic keep stuffing handfuls in their mouths and throwing kernels at each other. Soon both the couch and the floor is covered. Knuckles tries a few bites. He says it's okay, but swears it's better with grapes.

All the boys love the movie and think it's hilarious, although some of it goes over Tails's and Knuckles's heads due to their limited understanding of Earth culture.

Sonic finds the scene where Stitch almost drowns a little triggering, although he doesn't say anything.

Knuckles's favorite character is Cobra Bubbles. Sonic's is of course Stitch. Tails relates a worrying amount to Jumba the mad scientist.

Tom and Maddie were prepared for Tails to get scared or emotional over the movie, after all, he's still really young. He ends up being fine and really enjoys it, although he points out all the inaccuracies with the spaceships and technology.

But none of them were expecting Knuckles to start choking up at Stitch's "This is my family. I found it all on my own. It's little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good." speech. He denies crying and claims he was only sniffing because he got popcorn butter on his nose.

After the movie, everyone stays cozied up in their blankets for a while talking and eating more popcorn. Tails falls asleep and Tom and Maddie decide it's time for bed. They carry Tails up to the boys' shared room in the attic, but Sonic and Knuckles insist on climbing up themselves even though they're both so sleepy they can barely walk.

Sonic falls asleep the moment he hits the bed. Tom puts Tails in bed, and he and Maddie tuck all the boys in. Knuckles actually allows himself to be tucked in for the first time since they got there. Maddie even gives him a little kiss on the forehead. She swears she hears him mumble something about "Ohana means family" before they go downstairs and no she's not crying why would you ask

Thus marks the end of another wonderful Wachowski Family Movie Night!

Alrighty there you go! Thanks for reading!

[phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing]

Star Rail mechanics for beginners

Characters have two attributes:

Their Path

Their element

Characters can equip two sorts of items:

Lightcones

Relics

Characters can upgrade three things:

Their level

Their upgradeable abilities (basic attack, skill, ult, talent)

Their Traces (extra skills + extra damage multipliers ability tree)

This is all you really need to keep track of.

FAQ

Q: Can you dodge?

A: No. Shield up and/or use a healer. Shields are really good.

Q: Can you assassinate enemies?

A: No, but attacking them first does damage them when the fight starts.

Q: Is the turn-based combat fun?

A: I found it fun, it’s not so complex that it’s hard to understand, it’s pretty and it’s relatively dynamic. Try it out~

Further details below.

Path

Acts both as a weapon class and an analog for a dnd class style battle role. Preservation characters have Tank like abilities and so on.

Element

The damage type your character does, as off launch thats one of seven:

Physical

Ice

Fire

Lightning

Wind

Imaginary

Quantum

Each enemy has multiple weaknesses among these. Enemy with a weakness to an element usually resists it less and their Toughness bar gets damaged every time they’re hit by their weakness. (It’s like a second white HP bar.)

Once the Toughness bar is empty, they suffer from an element-specific effect (Frozen if you broke it with ice, Burn with fire, etc), their action is delayed, and they’re stunned for a turn.

Lightcones

A character can equip up to one, and their level can be upgraded. They add extra stats to any character and each have a Path assigned. Only a corresponding Path will activate the extra effect a Lightcone has.

Example:

A Hunt character with a Hunt lightcone will activate the extra effect (ex: Basic attack damage 20%), but this will not happen if the Hunt character equips a Preservation lightcone. However, the Hunt character will benefit from the extra stats in both cases. (ex: HP +300, ATK + 200, DEF + 400) .

Lightcones are primarily gained in gacha but there’s a few other ways to obtain them, like level up rewards or shops. They come in 3*, 4*, and 5*.

Identical lightcones can be fused up to four times (for a total of five levels), which increases their extra effect.

Relics

They’re equippable items that have stats and set bonuses with extra effects. Set bonuses in CBT3 were at 2 and 4 relics of the same set.

They come in 2*, 3*, 4*, and 5*. The maximum level of a relic changes with its rarity. As off CBT3, none of the Relic set were rarity locked, so you’ll be able to upgrade any of them by swapping out for rarer pieces.

A character can equip up to six relics, split into two subtypes of relics: sets with 4 relics and sets with 2 relics. You don’t need to worry about this. Just know they add stats to your character and give extra bonuses when in a set. Easy.

These are NOT gacha-locked, they’re fully farmable. Farming can be automated and you can borrow a friend’s character for it too, so it’s not too tedious and also an opportunity to experiment~

Level

Characters are leveled up with exp materials and other materials you find or fight for. User level locked due to materials becoming accessible over time.

Upgradeable Abilities

There’s four abilities you can upgrade (and one you can’t, Technique).

Upgrading an ability makes its multipliers go up, but doesn’t change how it works.

It takes material and money for each, all of which, to my knowledge, can be obtained just by playing the game normally (I think one of the rarest ones is in the free battle pass though).

These upgradable abilities are:

Basic attack

Skill

Ultimate

Talent

Upgrade them to make them better. That’s really all there is to it.

Regarding how they’re used:

During your turn, you may consume a skill point to use a skill, or use a basic attack and gain a skill point.

Skill points are shared by the whole team.

Attacking and getting hit gives your character energy. When energy is full, Ultimates become available. These can be used at any time, even during the enemy’s turn.

Talents activate without your input whenever their conditions are fulfilled but may have use limits.

Traces

Traces are skill trees with two sorts of bonuses you can unlock:

Stat bonuses (ex: HP +4%)

New abilities

You can upgrade Traces over time with materials and money. Each unlocked node of the Trace only needs to be bought once, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on whether you can buy a nice one.

(As a word of personal advice, unlock at least one, preferably two ways to remove debuffs from allies before chapter 2, it’ll make your life easier during a certain boss fight… March 7th and Natasha have cheap Traces that let you do so.)

For character information and cost calculation you can use this website, but beware of spoilers as it’s a database.