#i was throwing these down constantly. i had to adapt and get better at my placement.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 5/21/2024

get a load of this cat

listening

one of my favorite bands, Joywave, dropped a new album last week! it is not my favorite album of theirs but so it goes. perhaps it needs more time to grow on me. Sleepytime Fantasy kicks off my favorite section of the album. video game enchanted ice cave dream sequence music.

i must stay true to my own rules for this series (not a rec series, genuinely what i've been into the most this week) and the song that's been on loop all week is a genshin impact character's theme music (punchy wolf-coded ice cop who is the duke of the prison he. runs? administers? don't worry about it). unfortunately a bop. the character music lately has been a lot more modern and experimental than i expected? this one has a police siren drop

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reading

thank you mackintosh.

i really, really enjoyed Trouble And Her Friends by Melissa Scott (LAMBDA award winner 1995)! @delta-orionis and i frequently ask ourselves "what if neuromancer was good?" and this scratches that itch for me. it is often difficult for me to take neuromancer's protagonist henry seriously, but this book features a pair of extremely practical dykes. it opens on the passing of a new american law criminalizing big swathes of online activity, passed despite a presidential veto. description from amazon

Less than a hundred years from now, the forces of law and order crack down on the world of the computer nets. The hip, noir adventurers who get by on wit, bravado, and drugs, and haunt the virtual worlds of the Shadows of cyberspace, are up against the encroachments of civilization. It's time to adapt or die. India Carless, alias Trouble, got out ahead of the feds and settled down to run a small network for an artist's co-op. Now someone has taken her name and begun to use it for criminal hacking. So Trouble returns. Once the fastest gun on the electronic frontier, she had tried to retire-but has been called out for one last fight. And it's a killer.

this startled me by how fun and competent it is! i tried reading one of the author's books last year (Dreamships) and had a miserable time with the pacing and flow of information. there are echoes of the pacing issues i had with the last book-- this is a nearly four hundred page hardcover, we have a lot of Next Locations to go to, and we are going to take our fucking time getting there. a road trip book, rather than a destination book. Scott has gotten way way better at fleshing out those locations— an artists' co-op has their skylights set to amber to hide the wear and tear on everything in their central hangout space when the feds show up. i also connected with the inciting incident way more-- someone stealing a female hacker’s name and style is instantly relatable. i am riding shotgun with Trouble. i am ready to throw down with her.

it's a very physical book in many ways, bc it has three brief sex scenes, is very concerned with sensuality in both senses of the word, and overall it's like the background in an anime that’s full of dials and buttons and little blinky lights. written in 1994, fascjnating how much concepts of VR and sensory inputs have not changed, but everyone still has the equivalent of an enormous old school desktop and giant CRT monitors set up. everyone is constantly lugging around so much physical tech. the stuff that makes you better at hacking in the net is quick reactions to VR sensations, the only way to get that cutting edge sensation is to get a physical chip or “worm” in your head, and the only people who do that are the core outcasts and freaks of the internet (the gays, the women, the people of color, the all three, presumably the furries as well). from that day to this…

there's an interesting contrast between Trouble and her old partner Cerise stalking the virtual reality bazaars/being queens of the BBS undergrounds, and the danger they feel and face when moving about in the real world. some reviewers are very cranky about how negotiations on and offline feel the same but i did not feel this particular quibble. communication is communication. it is known both on and offline that they're 1) women and 2) lesbians. they're in less physical danger online but slurs can still happen no matter where they are. also, i am well used to the necessity of having to posture and peacock and be kind of a bitch to establish myself in order to get anything done in coding/hardware scenes, which is something i don't think any of the male reviewers of the day ever had to think about.

some cowboy shit goes down at the end that had me hooting and hollering, and Scott handled the hacking scenes in an interesting way-- a sort of abstracted duel? terrific "fight" scenes. very interesting at how she will move things around in order to treat scenes in ways she's good at-- like establishing very grounded locations that feel real, physical sensations, and fight scenes-- instead of just kind of slogging through a very surface level high-overview travelogue like in her last book. ive been stuck on a fic chapter for like four years and this is making me think about doing it the fun way instead of the way i thought it should be done. this may be obvious but i am an amateur and more importantly an idiot.

this was a $6/1 book special last year at one of my favorite thrift stores, a religious shop with the absolute worst vibes in the greater houston area but some of the best stuff

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watching

Five Dolls For An August Moon (1970, dir. Brava). sometimes you see a cool title on kanopy and you don't have a better way to kill an hour and a half. plus it had some guys i know from cowboys. tw for a suicide's body in the first fucking ten seconds of the trailer, which is a weird trailer choice bc u don't actually see most of the murders in the movie.

ive watched a fuck of a lot of spaghetti westerns so i feel i am somewhat qualified to tell you this is one of the worst dubs ive ever seen. the lines actors are quarter-heartedly delivering do not always make a lot of sense and only occasionally match the subtitles. i am assuming this is the original dub, bc kino lorber generally does a pretty okay job restoring things?

this is not a good movie (extremely troubled production, director swap three days before filming, made on a shoestring budget, the actors mostly wore their own clothes, etc). it is not very good at maintaining tension, because it is a film that first and foremost Looks. beautiful fucking sets, beautifully decorated. the exterior is a matte painting, a sort of frothy dream-bubble of sixties architecture. most of the interiors are apparently a real house. incredible experimental burbling soundtrack full of Weird Sounds.

sorry about the tubi interface and our old friend the activate windows logo.

there are so many fun directorial flourishes and staging, but it does get a little wrapped up in itself. this made me think of The Secret of NIMH, a beautifully animated talking-animal film that gave me nightmares as a child, where the animation tricks and sparkles and moving parts sort of all get in each other's way to produce something less than the sum of its parts. this sort of happens here. i'm going to yoink this from a review:

Bava’s eye for exquisite compositions is equally evident. One scene in particular stands out in this regard: The filmmaker shoots an otherwise humdrum fistfight through wooden latticework that breaks the action up into an abstracted mosaic effect. The fight culminates with a table being upended, which in turn unleashes a myriad crystal spheres. The camera follows along as the spheres tumble and cascade down a spiral staircase and roll across a tiled floor before plopping like so many bath bubbles into a tub. The scene concludes with the revelation of a recently deceased character caught in what you’d have to call a tableau morte. It’s a dazzlingly orchestrated sequence, easily on par with more famous Bava set pieces.

it's gorgeous! there's also So Much going on. another lovely bit of business: as each person dies they get wrapped in plastic sheeting and put in the walkin freezer. next to slabs of beef. not a subtle film, and i don't mean it as a diss, bc where's the fuckin fun in that?

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playing

i have not been doing much of anything here except listen to podcasts and work toward the two-thousand-fish-caught achievement in genshin. impatiently waiting for Clorinde to be released in several weeks. that one button needs a raise. it is So funny to see genshin characters with fucking guns. very sword and pike based societies so far

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making

every time i have tried to make one of these samplers for Me it's gone horribly wrong or been somehow destroyed so i'm making this one for my brother's upcoming birthday, bc he will have off-campus housing next academic year, in an attempt to peacefully do some fucking cross stitch and get something out at the end of it. pattern here on etsy

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The Superman Logs: MAWS Season 2 - Episodes 1 - 3

Well, hey, it's me again! My Legion of Super-Heroes DCU essay series has been more difficult than expected to put together (for a whole buncha reasons, I won't get into it), but I also haven't written much on this blog in a while. So, may as well get back into the swing of things, which I've been planning to do regardless. Just needed an excuse, and oh look! My Adventures with Superman just released their long awaited second season! And hell, better now than ever!

Since three episodes have released, with some new characters introduced, I may as well jump in. I'll also say that, from now on, I'll be posting actual character retrospectives and concepts on here, in a style similar to what I've done before, but looking at my headcanon versions of characters, as well as already existent versions and adaptations of characters. Spoilers ahead, by the way. Not gonna go crazy with spoilers, but they'll be there, so, you've been warned! And so, without further ado...

Episode 2.1: More Things on Heaven and Earth

This episode focuses on some of the fallout from the first season, but most importantly gives us and Clark a few answers about his origins. It also throws a pretty major change to Clark's origin our way, but I won't get ahead of myself. The purpose of this post is to look at these episodes from a fan's eye (or an overly picky nerd's eye, but whatever) and inspect them for what happened, and what may be coming. And I have a theory here, so hang tight with me.

As I said, amongst the smaller revelations about Jimmy's quickly decaying fortune and Task Force X discovering Kryptonite (fuck), and the normal shojo stuff between Clark and Lois that is genuinely cute, one of the first big things we get is Clark and Jor-El finally having a conversation. And I gotta say...I really like this version of Jor-El.

Now, I've done a retrospective on Clark's parents before, in my DCCU essay series that you're more than welcome to check out, but at the time of writing that essay, I hadn't yet seen MAWS' version of Jor-El. And I hope we get to see more of Krypton in this universe as well, because I appreciate what they've done so far! We've gone back to the origin of Krypton as a conquering empire, destroying itself by war and inner conflict. Classic, nice. Jor-El, once again a voice of calm scientific reason amidst the chaos, sees fit to send his son to another world as the planet of Krypton is being destroyed. Again, classic stuff. But this version of Jor-El is different from most for one reason: he seems more caring than most.

Don't get me wrong, we've seen kinder versions of Jor-El in adaptations and original source material (although recent comics have COMPLETELY fucked his character into straight-up villainy; thanks a lot, Brian Michael Bendis, GODDAMN IT). And most versions of the character want and support Kal-El being a hero to the down-trodden. But the vast majority of them are a bit cold and clinical from beyond the grave. Obviously, part of that is the fact that the Jor-El that interacts with Clark is basically always a computerized duplication of his personality, but still. We rarely ever get a Jor-El that expressed emotion towards his son, or even acts like...well, like a father.

But this Jor-El simulation? In a short period of time, he gives advice to his son about his love life, he tells his son about his origin story without dicking him around constantly (lookin' at you, Smallville), helps his son as best as he can from the grave, and expresses how proud he is, while addressing him by his Earth name! And most importantly, he does something I have NEVER seen a version of Jor-El do in any of his incarnations.

He...hugs Clark. Maybe that sounds like the exact opposite of a big deal, but it kind of is. This is somebody who Clark can miss. Somebody who, were he to live, Clark could've had real connections with. Somebody who is...well...a dad. And come on, have you ever seen a version of Kal-El who feels like a caring dad? Not a father, a dad. Somebody you can talk to, somebody who can give you fatherly advice, somebody who would give you the world if they could, and is proud of you and your accomplishments. A dad. Sure, an idealized version of one, but still. It's something I've never seen in Jor-El, and I honestly love this version of the character. Hopefully, we get to see more. Especially because of the...OTHER big revelation to happen in this episode. But BEFORE getting to that, I wanna touch on the smaller-but-important stuff.

The crashed Kryptonian ship from last season becomes the classic Fortress of Solitude in this episode! Now, I've barely talked about the Fortress of Solitude, but it's one of the most classic of superhero headquarters in comics. Usually composed of either ice or crystal, and on one of the two poles (Antarctica, in this case), this is typically a Kryptonian repository of knowledge for Clark to visit. There's a bit of a trend that says the more alien Superman is, the more he spends time in the Fortress. That is to say, it's a symbol of his Kryptonian heritage, and he uses it as his knowledge of the past increases.

Now, based on the events of this episode, the usage of the Fortress is something yet to be seen. Jor-El, who's traditionally the guardian of the place, appears to be gone for the time being. He may come back yet, though, especially as we see if the effects of the Kryptonite are long-lasting. In either case, this floating temple of ice is here to stay for the time being, and we'll see if this version proves as useful and seminal to the Superman story as others have. Oh, and for the record, by favorite version of the Fortress is from Smallville, but this has my favorite design for the Fortress thus far, from the outside.

But Jor-El isn't the only thing in this Fortress during the episode. Task Force X shows up with a new member, whom I can't find in GOF form outside of this one above. But yeah, this is also a comic book character, a little-known Rebirth-era one named Damage AKA Ethan Avery. Now frankly, Damage is...a choice to use, especially considering that he was an attempt at a popular character that nobody's really bit into, and is also basically DCs version of the Hulk. MAWS decided to tone down his appearance significantly, but he's presumably kept his army origins, and added Kryptonian technology to augment himself here. Arguably, there were other characters that could've filled this role, but I do get the feeling that we're not quite done with Damage yet. We'll see what becomes of him in the future.

That said, we also get a far more interesting character reveal in the form of Hank Henshaw, an employee of STAR Labs (who also makes their first appearance in this series), former classmate of Lois Lane, budding astronaut, and potentially the future Cyborg Superman! Which is...kind of a big deal, especially considering that I have a hunch that Damage may turn into this series' version of Doomsday. Oh, did I not mention that? Pet theory, and I don't want it to happen, but we'll see. We'll see. In any case, are we hinting at a Death of Superman arc down the line? It'd be too soon for it now, but who knows how far this series is going to go? But continuing with the villain talk...

We get yet another glimpse of those familiar three circles, and confirmation that this technology is indeed Brainiac! Looks like we're taking from the Superman: The Animated Series version of this character, making Brainiac affiliated with Krypton and Kryptonian technology before the fall of the planet, as well as getting hints from last season that Brainiac is involved with the current remaining vestiges of the empire and their conquering forces. And that reminds me...there is one more little hint that we've gotten about something. And I have a hunch about it.

So, the other big villain revealed in the end of last season was a bruiser in a Kryptonian battle suit, speaking with Brainiac. The symbol on their chest was roughly Z-shaped, leading most people (me included) to assume that this was classic Kryptonian villain General Dru-Zod. But, uh...another likely suspect just reared their head. One who may have been raised by Brainiac technology their entire life up until now, in the tradition of the Kryptonian conquerors of old. One who has a last name starting with Z. And I think you know where I'm going with this. Because, in this episode, we (and Clark) found out about...

Clark has a surviving cousin, Kara Zor-El. Yeah. I realize that she's a part of the House of El, and their naming conventions mean that the girls take the name on their father, BUT...last name starting with Z. Just saying, I think the bruiser in the armor very well COULD be Kara Zor-El, wearing a new crest, rather than that of the House of El. We know for a fact that Supergirl appears in this series, but who's to say she starts as an ally of Clark's? Especially considering that she has no actually familial memories of him. Which reminds me!

That's a hell of a change, huh? No older cousin turned younger cousin this time; Kara and Clark are the same age! Who knows, maybe we will get time-dilation or suspended-animation shenanigans, because we still haven't been introduced to the idea of the Phantom Zone or such folderol in this universe, but as it stands now, Clark and Kara are age contemporaries! A very different take that I'm not sure we've ever actually seen before in media adaptations of Supergirl. And this Kara hasn't been raised by her parents AT ALL, as far as we know. Meaning, we're going to see a VERY different version of this character. Exciting!

There was some other stuff seen here too, like more Cat Grant, and the hinting at another major antagonist that I'll talk about with the next episode, but still, this was a good amount of set-up for what's to come! With that in mind, time for episode 2!

Episode 2.2: Adventures with My Girlfriend

OK, before I bring up anything about this episode, I have only one real comment: a REAL Superman villain, baby! WHOO! Up until now, we've had pretty bastardized versions of Superman villains, for the most part. Mr. Mxyzptlk was even a drastically different version of the character, while still being faithful to the original. But no, we now have the best adaptation of a major Superman villain in this series in the form of Joseph Martin, AKA Atomic Skull! And damn, this dude is a bruiser, and a great looking one at that!

There are a few versions of Atomic Skull, with a few different identities, but the Joseph Martin is the most iconic in terms of appearance and ability. In the comics, he's the second Atomic Skull, and a human college student whose metahuman genes are activated via a Parasite-related explosion, triggering an absorption and generation of radiation, as well as a mental break that makes him think he's a character from one of his favorite movies. Comics are weird. Anyway, Martin's continued to be a foil of Superman's, mostly acting as a mook or powerful obstacle, rather than a mastermind of plotter of any kind. It's still awesome to see the character, and this is a somewhat faithful version of him as a result. Hell, him working for another organization that gave him these powers is sort of a reference to the first Atomic Skull (whom some of you would recognize from Young Justice), Albert Michaels, who worked for STAR Labs until joining up with a terrorist group that wanted to take out Superman.

And of course, we get yet another villain FINALLY confirming his appearance: Lex Luthor. Yeah, a lot of us figured this out last season, and it's nice to see him FINALLY making his fully red-headed appearance. Interesting...very interesting. And he's partnered up with Checkmate and Amanda Waller, a winning combination when it comes to villains. This is, of course, not the first time this has happened in media, comics and otherwise. The two famously teamed up when Lex became president for a minute there, and had an incredible joining of forces in Justice League Unlimited. So, not an unprecedented combo by any means!

Other than this, we get confirmation of Amanda's pure villainy (even worse than a lot of other versions, scarily enough), the rivals to her position in Checkmate, Clark and Lois' first argument, Clark getting the Beacon that'll help find Kara, and the official hiring of the Newsboy Legion working under Jimmy Olsen alongside Steve Lombard for Flamebird! Lots of stuff, not to mention setting up tensions between Clark and Sam Lane. But not much else for me to report on here. SO, moving on to episode 3!

Episode 2.3: Fullmetal Scientist

Hoo boy, THIS is a hell of an episode when it comes to references! We start off with a literal bang with the scientist that Superman saves, Silas Stone! You may know this guy better because of his son, who's referenced briefly as being 9 or 10. This is, of course, Victor Stone, AKA Cyborg! If this series gets a future lasting into the Teen Titans era, we have a contender for a member! Only time will tell, but this is a neat name drop! Plus, who knows where Silas is gonna go from here...

Then, right after that (and a cameo of The Flying Newsroom, a Daily Planet helicopter in the comics reduced to a toy helicopter owned by Flip), we meet AmerTek Industries, CEO Thomas Weston, and the most important character spotlight in this one...

Vicki Vale is back! OK, obviously, not the most important character in this episode, but lemme milk this a little. Vicki (who is VERY tall, by the way, holy SHIT) made her appearance as sort of a heel at the end of last season, and has now apparently become a rival for the Daily Planet this season, reporting for the Gotham Gazette. I can't wait for this to inevitably lead us to our Gotham cameos, which may hopefully include you-know-who, but her rivalry with Lois here is pretty fun, and sets up some new conflicts down the line for our central couple!

As for Amertek, I should talk about Thomas Weston and the...other cameo made in this episode. Weston is straight out of the comics, as the CEO of AmerTek Industries, a weapons manufacturer based in Baltimore and Washington D.C.. They're important to the comics of one character in particular, who I'll obviously get to, but I want to mention the OTHER thing introduced in this episode...considering how...upset it makes me. Because once again, this series completely RUINS a major Superman villain by turning them purely technological. And if you've read my previous essays, in which I develop a cinematic universe Superman, as well as my desired villains...you'll know why I'm upset.

LOOK HOW THEY MASSACRED MY BOY

Seriously? THIS is Metallo in this universe? God...DAMN IT! Look, I can already tell that Lex is going to use Kryptonite to stabilize the power core in the chest, giving us a Kryptonite beam that fires from their chest like the REAL Metallo, but GODDAMNIT AGAIN! The point of Metallo is that he's humanity corrupted! He's not JUST a goddamn ROBOT! Seriously? This was a slam dunk character for this show; should've been an easy one! But...I dunno, maybe the real version of the character will appear. I just...really hope that this isn't it. But that said, Metallo is sadly not the real highlight of this episode. Still...dammit. Dammit dammit dammit.

One of the other highlights of this episode, before I forget to bring it up, is the extension of Superman's bioelectric field as one of his powers. This is a recent comic book expansion, which has been hinted at as a possibility since the '90s. Basically, Superman generates a bioelectric field of invulnerability which, with enough focus or external energy input, he can extend past his bodily boundaries and around others. It's the reason bullets bounce off his suit without rupturing the fabric itself; they're actually bouncing off his microscopic bioelectric field. Comic books, what can I tell ya? Anyway, it's a very anime power, which is this series vibe, and I can't help but think he'll figure out how to focus that into some kind of energy blast by the end of the season. Time will tell!

But the REAL big feature of this episode is, of course, John Henry Irons, AKA Steel, one of the most prominent supporting characters in the Superman family. His role is extremely important to the Superman mythos, and this is already a fantastic version of the character. It also does something with him I rarely see with the character, and makes him TALLER than Superman, considerably so! He's also a bigger guy, and as a bigger black man myself (well, not vertically), I appreciate the representation quite a bit!

Of course, even though we get to see him in the suit with the hammer, it's obviously soured when Lex Luthor and Checkmate buy Amertek and the Steel suit, as well as all the Metallos. Like I said, Lex'll stabilize the Metallo units with Kryptonite, but it's NOT THE GODDAMN SAME, NOW IS IT? In any case, what we're likely to get is John creating his own Steel suit, closer to the classic suit we usually see in comics and adaptations. I may actually do a full retrospective of Steel, since he is one of my favorite characters. I feel like I'm short-changing him here, but understand, Steel is one of the best supporting characters in DC, who became a major hero in his own right. Hell, his niece Natasha Irons, who's also name dropped in this episode, is a major hero herself! With her and Victor Stone confirmed to exist in this universe, I can't help but think that we're setting up something special in the future.

With all of that said, that's the summary for these three episodes. I'm actually a bit inspired to do some character retrospectives now, but please let me know if you have any requests for retrospectives. Thank you to the (probably 3 max) people who read this essay, and I'll probably see you after the next three episodes! Unless, of course, something massive happens that requires my prompt response after episode 4 or 5. Honestly, we'll see what happens! In any case, see you later!

See also:

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

I kinda struggle with the "Family Proclamation," but not in the way most people do

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families." It's a small thing, and when I see quotes from the Proclamation, it skips this part over. But I can't

I'm left wondering "what's wrong with me." I want to be a good Father, and a good Priesthood Holder (neither of which I had growing up), but I want to be the parent staying home. Me & my wife discuss, and we go back & forth on this issue, but we won't even have kids for a few years. It shouldn't be an issue then, but it is

I love cleaning the house, making dinner, and all those those activities that would've been called "women's work" in the savage ages. I have trouble holding down a job, no matter how much I like it (in fact, I try harder when I dislike it, for some reason). And this leads me to ask "how can God love me as much as other people, when he made them according to his divine design, but makes me against it." It's like when I realized I was attracted to my best friend (who was also AMaB), and wondered why God made me that way

It's kind of a stupid thing to get hung up on. I was able to keep my testimony from the worst slander the Baptists could throw at me (and I mean dig deep for stuff like "Adam-God" or "Blood Atonement"), from my own discovery of bisexuality, from my Liberal politics, from literally being told I couldn't go to the Celestial Kingdom because I didn't want to be sealed to my abusive mother (fun fact, I first met my wife when I was crying about that particular gem), but I struggle with this!? And I still believe the Book of Mormon is true, and Joseph Smith was a Prophet (as well as Brigham & having the Apostolic Authority, reinforced by the Savior visiting Lorenzo Snow). So, is this a case of God wanting me to suffer, or the Church getting it wrong?

And there's ways around it. My wife says we fall under "Disability, death, or other circumstances," which "may necessitate individual adaptation" (I have ADHD, Autism (which is just self diagnosed for now), and Depression). My father says I'm "providing for the necessities by making sure my wife is able to not worry about home." Both, while possibly true, just don't strike with me. But why can't I accept them!?

Whatever the answer, I hold on to the Testimony I have, that men are that they might have joy. Not joy in some far off future, but here and now. That we are called to build Zion, and I will do my part (even if the part of Zion I'm called to is only found in my home. Or even if it's across the world). That the Savior is my perfect example, whether I stay at home, or go abroad

But, I'm hoping for an answer sooner rather than later. Obviously, I'm looking for Work (Amazon is firing me because their Health Leave policy is crap, and they should obviously make a guy who is regularly passing out work but heavy machinery that has killed people before), because damn it, I don't want my kids to survive, but thrive. I'll work as much as I can to save up for them, and for mine & my wife's retirement. But if we ultimately decide, when we have them, that I'll be the parent staying home with the kids, I don't want to be constantly consumed with thoughts that I'm defying God's will

(And I do understand how heartless this may sound to the Queer Mormon Community. I'm in a Straight passing marriage (to someone I'm actually attracted to), and will hopefully have kids one day. In the Church where we're constantly told that's the ideal. I am not trying to be whiny, or take attention from the issue of Queerphobia in the Church, because it is an issue, and people are obviously struggling more than me. I hope it doesn't come across like I'm entitled or trying to say I'm suffering on the same level as some other people. I'm sorry if it does, and I'll do better next time)

[seabysiren]

As much as my English sucks, I need to make this request about "streamer au". I don't know, I imagine the chat a lot treating Fantasma x Reader, as a couple and Sabão, getting encuimado (jealousy of the reader), but a silly jealousy, just to provoke both. Or, the Phantom watching a Sabão x Leitor edition (romantic imprint), on tiktok, and feeling jealous? Leaving something like "Why edit them? They're my...I mean, my best friends 😃". That would be great, and funny ;)

your english is ok! it took me a few moments and the few years of spanish i took to realize this was in spanish/english.

hope u enjoy this one!

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sometimes soap feels like the third wheel. you and ghost are so tightly intertwined by the time he joins he feels out of place a bit. sure he loves the way ghost comments on things, and egging on his dark and bad humor. but he wishes that he could get involved a little more.

ghost and you work like a well oiled machine. but with a new part in play he has to adapt.

so that means he teases you constantly.

soap is already a very touchy feely person so its really easy to subtly flirt with you without breaking any boundaries. beacuse you like hugs, and claim soap gives the best hugs once he smothers you in his chest.

ghost gets jealous about your comment and refuses to give you hugs for a few days. not that you realized that.

soap also loves the cooking streams you do. so ghost, soap, and you would all be trying to bake a cake. cue a flour fight and the whole kitchen is messy.

soap licks his thumb to get flour off your face. his face is scrunched up as he tries to wipe a little bit of flour off your nose.

or giving your cheek a kiss when he jokingly says you got chocolate right there...

'right there. you're missing it. here let me get it.'

cue a teasing, loud smacking kiss on your cheek. you gasp offendedly as you wipe his germs off your face.

ghost throws more flour at soap in annoyance.

its not really annoyance he just wants soap to stop kissing you on stream.

when the three of you have media share on. its chaotic. because you're being the moderator and filtering through all these media clips. ghost and soap have their face cams on and something a little proactive post shows up.

someone had edited and clipped the amount of times in the baking stream soap had used his shirt as a rag to get flour off his face. that meant lifting his shirt and showing off his toned body underneath. and they had your reaction of your eyes darting to his body before you awkwardly smiled.

chat ate it up. because you usually don't get embarrassed and flustered too much.

its not just ghosthound anymore.

there's a new contender.

and its soaphound.

since that first post everyone just wants to show ghost and soap all the ship art and edits made.

people are arguing which is better, ghosthound or soaphound.

after a little bit of those media ghost asks you to filter those out. because he's getting a little irritated.

because these people have to right to assume what ya'll relationship is. nor should they be shipping you and ghost or you and soap or whatever.

because deep down ghost wants to know why you have such good chemistry with soap on camera. because he thought yall had good chemistry too.

when the livestream ends and soap leaves to go back to his own apartment ghost melts into simon. and simon gets all clingy and pouty. he doesn't say anything but you can sense the shift in body language.

he sits a bit closer than he normally would when you sit on the couch. or spreas his legs farther so his knee will press against yours under the table.

or overall just stalking you and initiating contanct, which simon doesn't do often. and you just smile and give him a headrub or a pat on the head, none the wiser to the boiling jealousy in his chest.

god sometimes you can be such a himbo and soap and ghost both love and hate it.

[welldonebeca]

Rhaenyra's Choice(1)

Summary: Daemon kissed her, slow and sweeter than any kiss she had ever had, and held her close when she fell onto his shoulder, still crying as he held her close, rocking her slowly in comfort. He pressed his lips to her temple, rubbing her back. "I won't let you fall apart again," he promised her. "I'll take care of you, I promise." . . . When her life needs a change, Rhaenyra divorces Laenor days before Daemon finds his way back into her life - and this time he is determined to never leave it again. WC: 1.5k words Warnings: Canon divergence. Modern AU. Unhealthy eating. Angst. Tension. Children. Family fluff.

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Masterlist

Rhaenyra sucked in her breath, trying to zip in her trousers.

Post-pregnancy was always her worse time.

She should pick up after herself at the gym.

"That's what I get from getting lazy," she sighed, taking it off and throwing a dress over herself.

The boys were at school now and Joffrey was napping, Laenor was only coming for dinner...

Damn it all, it wasn't like she had anything better to do.

She took them off, picked up her yoga pants and squeezed herself into a workout bra, running down to their gym.

Jacaerys and Lucerys weren't biologically Laenor's. It was obvious to anyone who had eyes. He was a good father, a great one. He knew the name of their doctors, didn't need her to be constantly telling him things about things, helped with homework, spent time with them...

Everything her own father had never been, nor his father, from his own tales.

But he wasn't a good husband. No, he was a terrible husband.

And she was a terrible wife.

They never judged each other for that. It was their agreement, he had his lover, and she would have the freedom to do what she wanted.

So she had Harwin, and he gave them three very healthy sons.

Their families knew him as 'the sperm donor'.

Tomato, tomato.

Her life sucked.

She shoved her earbuds into her ear just in time to hear the income call, and picked up her phone, her heart skipping a beat at the name on the screen.

Daemon.

Rhaenyra hopped on the treadmill, setting her phone in the little support box.

"Good afternoon," she half sang.

Daemon was...

Well, Daemon was Daemon.

Her uncle, yes, but...

Before she was forced to marry Laenor, when she was fucking engaged to him, Daemon was her little secret.

They were Targaryens, not strange to love their own blood.

And she loved him. And she liked to believe he loved her too.

But she was young and he was afraid.

So he left for Essos and had his own lover. His wife, who gave him children while Rhaenyra had to content herself with what she had. A husband for name and a security guard for warming her bed.

"Busy?" he called on the other side.

Rhaenyra increased the speed of the treadmill, trying to control her breathing.

"Trying to make myself busy," she said simply.

"Sounds like you," he joked. "I just dropped the girls at fencing and dance, I'm all yours for... 50 minutes."

She chuckled.

"How are they?" she panted a bit.

"Surprisingly well," he told her. "People stopped asking questions and they are getting back to their routines slowly. The therapist said they are adapting well."

Laena had died a few months before her baby was born. She was Laenor's younger sister, Rhaenyra's childhood best friend and a little more.

They were each other's first kiss. And a few other things.

She was also Daemon's wife, as of a bit after Rhaenyra herself had married her brother.

"I wish Laenor was the same," she lamented. "He's still struggling. The boys have picket up on it, it's... worrying."

Since the news, she'd had to handle all of the emotional weight around the house. It didn't help that Joffrey was born almost right after, things were exhausting.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she exhaled. "Jace keeps trying to coddle him, doesn't want to leave him alone... he tried to sleep in his bed when he heard him crying the other night."

Laenor didn't cry a lot, but he seemed so... empty.

"Losing family is hard," Daemon said as if quoting some book.

"I know..." she sighed. "Gods, I absolutely know."

And yet, nowadays, she couldn't relate to her younger self after her mother's death. No, she felt like her father would. Alone, with the weight of a family in her back and no one to count on to share it.

No wonder he had found a wife so quickly, she would love to find someone to share the pain with.

"Is he going to therapy?" he asked.

"Well, he goes inside the room," she agreed. "But he doesn't tell me about it, and if he talks to Joffrey, then they have an agreement to keep those things from me."

"Joffrey?" Daemon asked softly. "The same Joffrey?"

Oh. She hadn't spoken of him before, had she?

"Yes. Same old Joffrey."

His once secret boyfriend, since they were mere teenagers.

"Well, your husband really is loyal to a piece of ass," he chuckled.

Rhaenyra giggled.

"What a shame it is not the one he is married to," she quipped.

They laughed together.

"So..." he sighed. "You two. Now…"

She knew the question, even though he didn't have to ask it.

"He is good with the boys. And a good friend," she noted. "Besides, it's not like I have anywhere else to go."

He chuckled again.

"And yet you keep running as if you do," he noted. "How many hours do you spend on that treadmill every day?"

"Half the kids' school day, give it or take it," she lowered the speed, needing to take a breath. "Again... nowhere better to be when my shift is over."

She worked from home, five hours a day. The company barely needed her, it functioned on its own.

"So you like to spend the rest of the time shining with sweat," he hummed. "I wish that treadmill had a camera feature."

Her cheeks felt warm.

"Daemon!" she rolled her eyes. "Don't be gross!"

He didn't seem affected.

"I remember how pink your cheeks get," he reminded her. "And how hard you work, always trying to push yourself."

She tried not to blush.

"How are those cute abs?" he asked, sounding interested. “I remember you were very proud of them.”

"Non-existing," she shook her head. "Jace left them alone, but Luke had to take them with him. I lost hope by now."

Her poor belly, it would never be back to its flat state.

"Oh, so you have a cute little pouch now," he cooed. "How adorable."

She grimaced.

Cute? It was pudgy, loose, and full of stretch marks. She’d had a full month of treatments, and only managed to get rid of the redness, her skin was still just as dented.

"Well, I'm considering getting rid of it," she told him. "I know a good doctor who can-"

"Don't you dare," he interrupted her, sounding offended. "That's the story of your life that those doctors get rid of!"

Rhaenyra raised her eyebrows, surprised at his defensiveness. Alicent had gone to the same doctor, it wasn't like he was a bad one.

"Daemon, it's nothing special," she reminded him.

"It is," he corrected her. "It's your body, the body that has been with you your whole life, caring for you, nurturing you and your boys."

"I have enough pictures of what my belly looked like with both the boys inside it," she pointed out. “I don’t need a reminder of it in the mirror too.”

"Send them over, then," he joked. "It must be a beautiful image."

She scoffed.

"Daemon!"

"I'll cross the narrow sea and stop you before you can even step into a stupid doctor's office," he told her, his voice not leaving space for protest. "Don't challenge me."

Her cheeks burned in response.

Gods, he probably meant less than what she hoped he would, but still...

"Then do so," she challenged him. "I'm three weeks away from my appointment, where I'm free to do whatever I want with my body."

No answer.

Rhaenyra checked her phone for a moment - was there something wrong with the line? - but Daemon cleared his throat.

"You gave birth nine weeks ago," he changed the subject. "And you're already spending four hours a day in the gym?"

"And Joff sleeps through all of them," she gloated. "I've been doing my leg days with him wrapped around me. It helps relearn balance."

She still remembered the way Alicent had looked at her when she gained more weight than necessary with Jace. How her friends mocked her behind her back in their double baby shower.

Rhyaenyra didn't ever want to be looked at like that again.

"Why?" he asked. "What are you trying to achieve with that?"

She sighed.

"Well, Alicent always gets rid of her baby fat in a month," she pointed out. "I would go up to see my new brother or sister, and she was already fitting back into those stupid dresses of hers as if she hadn't carried a child for nearly a year inside her."

Rhaenyra scoffed to herself.

"Besides, just because I have a baby doesn't mean I should let go of myself, I have an image to uphold," she mocked her, though she was right. "And I'm already going to be pumping like a cow when I go back to the office, I don't need to look like one too."

She reached up, increasing the speed again, her little break over.

There was silence on the other side, and she thought for a moment they got disconnected, but Daemon spoke again.

"I have to go now," he told her, swift and soft. "Goodbye, Rhaenyra."

She exhaled. Back to her life, then.

"Goodbye, Daemon."

Rhaenyra didn't put on music, the tension of their conversation lingering, and abandoned the treadmill, moving to sit by one of the machines.

Joff was asleep, it was best that she used the time wisely.

[fruit-salad-ship]

In the pro skater AU do you have plans for Plum and Grey? My brain went to Plum doing figure skating, something with similar mechanics but more “refined” but I know classic Peach does that. Grey I thought maybe does BMX, I don’t know just seems fun. Definitely is also constantly helping Peach repair her gear

We had a chat on the discord and the general vibe was that peach is the reckless idiot skateboarder, goes for massive air time, some sick flips, an adrenaline junkie. She’s found it impossible to get signed because she’s so difficult to work with, and gets in trouble with the cops for skating places she shouldn’t be at, petty crime, nothing crazy but enough to put sponsors off. Her skill however is very high, she lives for the sport. Grey is super chill, also a skateboarder like her but not as brave, better at street tricks, can do some crazy things on rails, off walls, cruises on a longboard on his days off, high speed down those hills with the gloves that have the metal plates on them. He’s however nervous and competitively he ranks way lower than his skill due to his own ability to self sabotage through fear and stage fright. Plums the agent, assigned two hopeless clients no one else wanted to work with, one too hot, one too cold. She can’t get anyone to take them on, has had to bail peach out of jail, coax grey from the locker rooms when spooked. She sees their skill.

Eventually she uses her own money to make sure they get into the competitive scene, becomes their boss, and finds ways to bolster them both. They teach her how to skate, she buys a little penny, all three coasting around town at sunset laughing, beers by an empty pool looking at the stars. They respect her, she put everything on the line, so they do the same. Grey grows confident and ranks higher than ever to prove he’s worth her payout, and peach throws herself into frankly dangerous tricks to win and make her boss look good, make sure all those bail outs from the cops aren’t for nothing. Does she break a few ribs and keep skating anyway? You bet.

Peach’s boards are constantly switching, she snaps them, breaks bearings, busts trucks, but favours the classic setup. Her old faithful cruiser looks like it belongs in a bin but she loves it.

Greys adaptive, likes to longboard a lot, cruise around freely when not doing tricks and perfecting routines with his regular board. For sure he’s the one ordering parts and helping with repairs.

Plum grew to love this little teal and red penny the duo bought her, it’s compact and nippy, suits her. She can nearly do a kick flip. Has yet to land if. The other two believe in her, coolest boss they’ve ever had.

[toonsforkicks22]

My thoughts about Leo after the movie and why a third season is important

I need to say this about Leo, and I’m sorry to anyone who loves him, but please hear this.

Now looking back on clips from the movie, there was not one moment before the ending that Leo hasn’t pissed me off.

- Not taking his role seriously, just because they have mystic powers and have been taking down “B rated villains like Hypno and Warren”.

- Making fun of Raph’s “chasm” and joking around while his big brother is expressing his concerns for the family. Raph has been nothing but a voice of reason prior until that became Casey’s role when the Kraang took Raph, and Leo just mocks it. I cannot blame Raph for trying to literally knock some sense into him during that scene (although I think he was just pretending to do so to make Leo listen). But honestly, I would have knocked that smirk right off Leo’s face if I was Raph.

- The disregard for his team up until Casey literally had to tell him that if they don’t change the present, everyone he has been joking around with will die.

Some people say the movie has a perfect conclusion. No, we’re just getting started. Just because Leo made one selfless sacrifice 5 minutes before the movie ended does not mean he actually 100% has a hang of the leader role. And does not 100% excuse his mistakes and rude attitude and what he had to put his family through. Especially Raph.

This is why we need a season 3. Because while Leo has developed character, he still has a lot to learn.

They all have a lot to learn. Each one of the characters has their own insecurities just as Leo does. And while Leo is still the goofball face man even after some change, there is still room for improvement. I’m not saying he just straight up throws away his fun attitude and cheesy one-liners, but there is a time and a place to do those while balancing the responsibility as a leader.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that Leo was always my least favorite ever since watching Rise of the TMNT back in 2018. Don’t get me wrong, he is WAY better than all his previous adaptations (especially 2003 and 2007). And especially 2012, although I can’t get over the fact 2012 was voiced by Chris Griffin from Family Guy.

I don’t hate him, but sometimes I feel kind of disappointed with him. And I always savor the moments where he gets his his shell rocked because he honestly deserves that.

While the movie centers around Leo, it honestly feels more like it could have been Raph’s movie. Raph is constantly going out of his way to keep his family safe, and now he has the scars to show for it.

Makes me wonder if Leo’s going to joke about those. After all, it is Leo’s way of coping. How is Leo going to cope with Raph’s broken shell being his fault?

Just like how the entire plot of the movie is basically his fault.

Think about it.

*Literally wrote this in essay format lol

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[shinidamachu]

I also noticed in my reread of the manga that the anime made Kikyo seem more powerful. In the manga Inuyasha easily parried Kikyo’s attack when she was first resurrected and chose to throw aside the sword to reason with her, and even got ready to strike her down and cracked his knuckles in order to bring Kagome back. In the anime he was easily overwhelmed by Kikyo and was only saved by Kagome waking up. I’m seeing Sunrise’s bias 🙄

And there's nothing wrong with making Kikyo seem more powerful. Inuyasha was constantly getting upgrades for Tessaiga without us as much as batting an eye over it.

The difference is that we were there when he found and got Tessaiga. We were there to see him struggle to master it. We were there for each and every single breakthrough. We know the how and we know the why.

Kikyo's power-ups, on the other hand, seem to come out of thin air most of the time. I'm sure she must have worked for it, but it wasn't shown, so there's a bit of a disconect between her journey getting there and the audience, which makes her achievements turn out to be not as satisfying as they could have been.

It's like, we know what the stabilished powers of a pristess are and so we think we know what Kikyo's powers are limited to, but then she does something new that doesn't fit that criteria and our only explanation is that she was the most powerful priestess of her time. Which makes sense, but also tells us that it's not important how she came to be so powerful, only that she is.

So why should we care when she uses a new trick? It's probably something she has known how to do for a while, anyway. We weren't rooting for her to get it right. We weren't anticipating it. We just roll with it.

The problem is that, in order to make Kikyo seem more powerful, Sunrise often gave her scenes where Kagome was originally the one kicking ass and taking names. And that's what I have issues with. Take this scene for instance:

Kikyo is the kind of character who doesn't do anything without a reason, so why would she interfere? She doesn't really knows Koga. She has probably no idea of his connection to Inuyasha — and even if she had, I don't peg her for comeone who'd care, considering how she treated Kagome most of the time. Koga is a demon with two jewel shards. Why help him out instead of taking them from him herself or waiting Naraku's incarnation finish the job to sweep in and do it? Because in the manga, Kagome is the one who saves Koga:

Which makes infinitely more sense and proves that there was no actual reason behind this "creative" change other than making Kikyo look cooler. The entirety of Sunrise's adaptation is full of these little shenanigans. Do you want to see a practical example of how this affects the general perception of the audience regarding the characters?

Here's Kagome diligently destroying a Naraku puppet to save an unconscious Kikyo. She actively uses the bow and arrow she didn't know how to shoot in the beginning of her journey to save someone she judges to be her love rival. And she suceeds without overthinking it or breaking a sweat.

But Sunrise thought it would be better to just do this instead:

The result? People naturally praise Kikyo for being the biggest girl boss in Inuyasha for stuff that was originally done by Kagome:

Don't get me wrong, it's great that people will appreciate Kikyo — this was exactly what Sunrise was going for, anyway — but it rubs me the wrong way that it came with the price of Kagome getting constantly criticized for being a "damsel in distress" who never does anything.

When your adaptation changes the story so much that people wrongfully perceives your female lead as useless despite the many, many scenes you still animated of her saving the day — and specifically saving the life of her supposed rival, who they judge to be much stronger and independent than her — that's when you know you fucked up.

And the worst part is that people are either blissfully unaware of this irony — because they haven't read the manga — or straight up dishonest about it.

The funny thing is: Kikyo didn't need any of that. What Sunrise did was the equivalent of taking original scenes of her being kind or compassionate and giving it to Kagome instead. It wasn't necessary. Kikyo was stabilished as a powerful woman from her very first appearance:

Kagome was the one who needed to prove herself in battle because she was the 15 year modern girl who was tossed untrained in the middle of a feudal era "life or death" situation. She was the one I wanted to see exploring and using her spiritual powers, because that's what her character needed to grow.

What Kikyo needed was humanization, glimpses of the ordinary woman she has always wanted to be. Empowerment is important, but it's also multifaceted and it falls flat when it focuses on power for the sake of power.

I'd gladly exchange any of those changes for scenes of Kikyo coping with taking a human life or using women's souls to stay on the world of the living. Scenes of Kikyo realizing she has become the very thing she used to fight against and how seeking for revenge affected the people she loves.

Scenes of Kikyo regretting decisions she can't take back, scenes of Kikyo bonding with Kaede both before and after her death, scenes of Kikyo acknowledging the part she played on the way her relationship with Inuyasha ended and apologizing for the hell she put him through over it.

That's how you make her character relatable and empathetic. That's how you highlight her complexities and makes her interesting. Kikyo being pretty while shooting arrows is absolutely stunning on screen, but it does little to create a truly emotional attachment to her character, at least for me.

As for the particular scene you brought up, Inuyasha was, in fact, easily overwhelmed by Kikyo in the anime. When she first attacks him, he just... lets her.

While in the manga, Inuyasha is quick to dodge it.

He does try to defend himself in the anime. However, Kikyo's arrow manages to stop Tessaiga's transormation and almost hits his heart.

None of which happens in the anime, where Inuyasha not only defends himself but also actively pushes back.

Sure, Kikyo still succeeds in zapping the hell out of him, but only because Inuyasha threw Tessaiga aside to reason with her, like you pointed out. When that didn't work, he cracked his knuckles in order to strike her down, before realizing he couldn't do it and then Kagome comes in with the save. In the anime, he didn't even try.

And the hug I mentioned, when he's attempting to appease Kikyo and she cries on his arms for a moment? Completely erased in favor of making her push her elderly sister aside twice and hurting Inuyasha more than originally intended while also referring to him as "beast", "monster" and "half breed."

I understand why Sunrise wanted to give Kikyo more screen time – she's a key character and people seem to have a good time drawing and animating her – but they focused mostly on making her look "cool" by kicking up a notch on the whole "vengeful spirit" thing and ended up shooting themselves on the foot by going too far.

They really thought the nonsense added scenes, like Inuyasha watching her bath or telling the audience they were always by each other's side – while actually showing them sitting far apart, Inuyasha being left to chase after the carriage she was in instead of being there with her, etc – would make up for the hug they cut out in order to give Kikyo more "badass" moments.

That's because they realized the couple had no substancy whatsoever and to remedy that, prioritized telling us that they were together for at least a couple of seasons instead of making the effort to show us this so called deep love. The hug was meaningful and made sense. Inuyasha dramatically laying on the ground while mentally screaming her name after telling her she needed to return the last piece of Kagome's soul – which is how Sunrise decided to end the episode – did not.

Especially because in the manga, he checked on Kagome before...

And after he left to try and get the remaining piece of her soul back – knowing what it would mean to Kikyo.

Plus, while obviously sad about Kikyo's "death", he also seems to accept this was for the best and acts like he is pretty much ready to move on.

Not to mention how he panicked when Shippo brought up the possibility of Kagome not being Kagome anymore and how absolutely relieved he was when he realized it wasn't the case.

And if this wasn't enough, he spent a good three panels blushing over Kagome right after the whole ordeal.

Those scenes had two purposes. One was to solidify, once more, Kagome as her own person to the audience and to Inuyasha, as well as a love interest. He had the opportunity to get Kikyo back and still wanted her to return the soul – even if it meant Kikyo would cease to exist – because he didn't want to risk Kagome not waking up or not being herself anymore, since he was already falling in love with her. Kikyo herself guilt trips him about it when he tries to convince her.

The other was to contrast Inuyasha's first reaction to Kikyo's ressurection and the information that they were both set up with his reaction after he was told that Kikyo died for him and therefore he owes her his life. The former consists on him standing up for himself and rightfully seeing himself as a victim, the latter consists on him blaming himself out of proportion based on a blalant lie. That's why in the manga he takes her "second" death so well, while the others really take a toll on him. In the anime, however, it's like he is already blaming himself when she falls off that cliff.

I attribute this change of attitude to another scene Sunrise thought fit to delete:

Of course the anime also has Inuyasha denying Kikyo's accusations, but he is way less effusive about it in there. Originally, when he realizes they were fooled into thinking they betrayed each other, he acts like they were both at fault for distrusting each other and are, therefore, even. So when she "dies" there's nothing he can do but wish for her to rest in peace and move on despite how sad it makes him.

All of this really sucks, because as you can see, the changes they did in favor of Kikyo either didn't work on her favor at all or heavily impacted the characterization of others – Inuyasha and Kagome especially – in a negative way, in addition to creating huge inconsistencies plot and narrative wise.

TLDR: yes, Sunrise's bias is obvious. And ironically, I think if they had liked Kikyo less, she would have been a much better written character because they wouldn't be afraid to give her the development she needed.

[spock-pewds-louise]

Wow, uh okay so there's a thing going on with Pewds...

He got an urine infection, and that's just an annoying thing for humans to have but its apparently deadly for cats if not treated fast. Like I'm talking 3-6 days of having it untreated can be fatal😖

I texted the vet on saturday night and told them what was going on and if it was normal or what I should do, they answered at 6am on saturday (cuz who sleeps anyways? Clearly not me)

They told me to call the emergency vet and tell them, I did and he called the only open vet in the area, AND then we had an appointment asap.

I called mom and she basically ran out the door (and told me she didnt even take time to put on a bra xD)

She came and picked me and Pewds up, let me just say that shes like almost 15mins away, but she got here f a s t

We arrive and I tell the vet that hes been struggling to pee for almost 2 days, hes hissing and growling (not to me or the other cats), hes drinking water and have been kinda meh on the food.

I changed the food cuz they all started to throw up by the food theyve had for 10years...

And I told him I havent been the best at changing the litterboxes, or emptying them...

And the cats are fucking champs, they will only go in the box, even if. But it's not a "wow my cats adapted to my depression, awesome" its fucking serious, if fucked up BAD.

Because, the food I started giving them gave Pewds more crystals, cuz cat food have that for some reason, and if you dont change out sand and poop scoop often, that can ALSO give them urine infection.

AND its "common" for elderly and sterile male cats to get the infection, so that's a thing to remember.

Is it my fault? Dont know, could I've prevented it? Possibly.

Am I gonna be fucking better? Absolutely!

Back to the status of Pewds

After he stopped being all drugged up, he just looked genuinely pissed, which I get.

Drinking water, trying to pee, sleeping A LOT and only when I pick him up and put him on my lap, he starts to seem like Pewds again🥺

Headbuts, washing my face (trying not to remember hes constantly washing himself), purring and holding onto me in his sleep.

I've been inside the bathroom with him for hours, towel, a pillow and a blanket, and I've been up against a wall and Pewds on my lap or close to me as I've slept (and my neck and ass hurts like hell) hes peed on me, and I've let him cuz poor boi.

His wet food, given by the vet, that smells worse than any other I've smelled:

Come sunday night, 3am.

I've googled and learned all I wrote on top, and I'm sobbing, having a full on panic attack, just holding him and breaks and try not to cry on him.

I call the emergency vet dude again, tell him it's me from Saturday morning, update him and let him know about Pewds current behaviour and if it's ok, is it normal?

I tried not to cry on the phone, but I basically thought he was declining cuz of me.

But!

Everything is as it should be, all hes doing is normal, sleeping more is fine, didnt eat ALL the wet food? As long as hes eating, hes fine.

Randoming peeing with a tiny but of red colouring? Normal and fine.

So I calmed down, and sat with Pewds until I went back out to sleep. Woke up 3 hours later, put him in the cage and sat it in the hallway and I cleaned the bathroom, since it stank of piss, now hes just sleeping and relaxing, he seems fine, and nothing is screaming danger.

Google have helped, I talked to a dude I have on xbox cuz hes had a cat that *died* cuz they didnt catch it in time. So I'm lucky, Pewds is lucky.

Now we're just waiting for tomorrow, Tuesday, to see what the vet says.

Updates this post then.

Here is a fresh pic of him now:

Jk

[falsenote]

one exciting thing for all involved is now that i've read the idiot i can finally get to the film adaptations that include

- a rewatch of zulawski's l'amour braque

which i am most eager to get to out of all three because it's more of a homage / inspiration than direct adaptation also i have the security of already having seen it. it's not my favourite zulawski but i think i might like it better the second time. and i really like that compared to the book l'amour braque ends on a positive note at least that's the way i remember it. which made me realize actually that while zulawski films are generally full of depraved disgusting insanity they tend to have a positive ending, considering. and it's unavoidable to compare a bit because of course while reading i had the film in mind constantly and at first i thought the film's tone was just the zulawski signature craziness but actually the idiot turned out be really funny  -save for the soul destroying ending- like i expected the heaviness of crime and punishment all throughout but it actually made me laugh a lot... on that note i thought the 'group of unhinged characters following the main character around, constantly screaming crying throwing fits and being ridiculous' was a zulawski invention since it's present not only in l'amour braque but in his other movies BUT it literally is there in the idiot already vsgshsbxhshdwjs great minds think alike. and now that i've mentioned the crying i think the film matches the book's general hysterical energy. connected to this i think a big problem with the other two adaptations i will get to in a minute will be that they'll mess up natasha's -or whatever the english translation of her name is- character. like call zulawski a misogynist because he was but he did know how to film women with all their ambiguity inexplicability complexity and it is very true of sophie marceau's natasha i think. which might be missing from the other two versions as they were made in the beginning and the ending of the 1950s. which will be fun to compare now that i think of it but i am nevertheless a bit afraid she'll be reduced to a damsel in distress trope or whatever but then again you never know. and now that i've introduced them next item is

- 1959 italian tv adaptation

with gian maria volonté as rogozhin which is...................................................can't wait to get to it as soon as i calm down and lower my expectations. i remember a carla gravina interview where she says that when she saw him in it she couldn't decide whether he was really bad or really good. well she says something like he was 'like a dog' in it which i don't know the meaning of but i believe women. logically there's just probably something lost in translation but if she did mean dog as the literal animal on further thought it's kind of the vibe needed for the character. hyped

- kurosawa adaptation

with toshiro mifune as rogozhin this time AND setsuko hara as natasha which is !!!!!!!!! crazy. and i've been wanting to watch for YEARS but i wanted to read the book first. i have my doubts and fears with this as with the previous one, as indicated above, but it will be worth it either way for this lineup i'm sure. well let's not lie all three will be worth it for the sake of analysing and comparing them in my head

busy schedule for this year! but i will be viewing

[protagonistheavy]

Continuing my D&D mood lately, I finally got around to watching the D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves. I wasn't especially hyped for this film, but was curious after reviews turned out surprisingly positive. Well I'm happy to have watched it, because while it wasn't revolutionary film by any means, it was a really fun romp and adventure from beginning to end.

Though admittedly I do know SOME of the Forgotten Realms universe, I applaud Honor Among Thieves for having strong and followable world building. For as much wild shit happens in this movie, it's commendable how much of it manages to feel consistent and understandable, especially with regards to magic and the few factions relevant to the plot. Just enough is explained to the audience without overloading them or becoming a distraction, it's a very fluid film that doesn't get slowed down by its own context.

I really loved the action sequences, especially when magic gets involved. Seeing two spellcasters go at it felt exciting, it really captured the feeling of two incredible powerful but squishy forces throwing powerful magics at each other. The druid wild shape sequences were really lively too, I loved that scene from when she spies on Forge and Sofina and has to escape the city by transforming into all forms of animals -- feels like you could hear the DM asking for a long list of skill checks. The non-magical action bits were also serviceable with fun choreography, but I really wished the two elements had blended together better. One of my biggest complaints is that there's so little teamwork between the party members, most of them just take turns 1v1ing an enemy if they don't just handle a situation by themselves. I would have loved to see more combinations; the final fight comes close, but I would have preferred another action scene elsewhere that felt more like one party versus another party. I guess you could also say the combat doesn't really "feel" like normal D&D, but as a film adaptation, it's fun.

Oh of course I loved Holga pretty much from the start. All of the characters were decently charming, but god is Holga good. I guess I just wish her character arc was a little more involved, but there's already a lot the movie is trying to fit in.

That does remind me though that an unfortunate aspect of the story is that so, so much of the hero's scheming relies on one magical item -- an item that comes up super conveniently, and then proceeds to carry most of the sequences later on. I admit it's a little cute how they end up getting the Hither-Tither staff, how Holga took it a long time ago thinking it was a walking stick...... but yeah that's mighty convenient for the exact situation they end up in. It wouldn't be so bad if that one staff wasn't so critical for almost every other obstacle the heroes face.

I guess lastly there's the comedy of the film, which was passable overall. Some gags were not that funny, but it's made-up for with other jokes that are still making me grin half a day later. Some of the humor is especially D&D-y, and with the right deliveries, it really works out. I like when the party members bicker with each other exactly like actual D&D groups, with characters suggesting dumb plans, asking why they can't just "magic" a solution, or how some spells/effects are represented. There's a little bit of that "well THAT just happened" snark, but not enough to be too annoying.

A movie like this could have been soooo much worse, so the fact it was genuinely entertaining is an achievement I think. Lovable characters with classic dynamics, exciting plot twists with escalating stakes, and generally just a well-paced story that constantly keeps you enthralled with adventure. It's definitely succeeded in making me even more interested in the Forgotten Realms lore, so good job in that department.

[bradshawed]

as of right now, currently, do you have a crush on anyone? or interested in someone ? If so, what makes them special? What makes them stand out from others and have your interest?

word count — 0.8k

fictionally speaking, i’m currently in love with tg:m and just all of bradley bradshaw. i’m so down bad it’s not even funny. he’s just wow and had me completely enamoured from the first moment i saw him on the screen. his ability to capture the audience’s attention and just the pure talent and charisma he holds is incredible, not to mention his looks and that bloody beach scene, but nothing could compare him to this girl that i really like. i say ‘this girl’ but she’s far from that, she’s an angel which is pretty ironic for reasons i won’t divulge in but she’ll know why if she sees this. i could be here for years to describe all the reasons why i like her so much but i’ll settle for the top three so none of you get so bored and leave the rest for me to tell her later or when the time comes. firstly, she’s unapologetically herself. it isn’t often that you meet someone who is just wholeheartedly them and carries themself with such grace and power but also vulnerability. i know we are all trying to figure ourselves out and changing all the time to adapt to whatever life throws at us but there’s a difference between that and being someone you’re not and she’s always herself. her energy just attracts you. i’ve found that with other people, they change after a month or so of you knowing them and you find out who they truly are but with her, that never happened and it makes it so much easier to love and connect to them over so many different things. secondly, she’s incredibly patient. like for most of us, 2022 was a shit year but despite all of it, it taught me so much and made me into who i am today. sadly, it also left behind a lot of emotional scars and baggage that most people tend to avoid or treat me like i’m glass or a combination of the two and so it ends up being ignored or never spoken about but with her, it’s easy to be vulnerable and honest. she’s an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on as well as the support and guiding hand to help me allow myself to heal and that kind of love and patience is incredibly rare, as well as finding someone who wants the best for you. thirdly and finally, her honesty. she will tell you what she wants, how it is, what you need and deserve to hear. she puts in the effort and that’s something i’ve never had someone do for me before. i’ve never felt more appreciated and loved than when i’m with her. i’ve never had anyone but my sister tell me any of that and even then it’s different because it’s romantically, how i make her feel, the things that make her think of me, just the little things that get me smiling for the rest of the day and i love that about her. her humour, her sweetness, her passion and joy, just her, and everyday, i find myself falling just a little bit more in love with her. she makes me feel comfortable. someone once told me that if you’re with someone that makes you feel bad about yourself, that makes you feel nervous or anxious, that makes you doubt you or makes you feel awful when you leave an interaction with them, someone that you find yourself constantly making excuses for or someone that just doesn’t put in the effort, then they aren’t for you and they aren’t someone you’re meant to be with. my ex was all of that and more but i thought things would change and that the anxiety were just butterflies but i was wrong. you shouldn’t be with someone who seems better in the scenarios you make up in your head than in real life. she was the opposite and she showed me what love is truly meant to feel like. she’s her and that’s why she stands out and has my interest now and wherever this takes us.

she’ll read this and probably wonder, as some of you who are reading this might wonder, why i haven’t asked her to be mine yet if we’ve already had the conversation that we both like each other very much. the answer is that i was going to on christmas, and then on new year’s too. cliche i know, but that’s how enamoured i am with her. i didn’t want to jump into it too soon, and i was worried i wasn’t ready. short answer, i was scared. and then, i wasn’t. i know i’m ready now but i’m going to wait and ask when the time is right, like something out of a fairytale because that’s what she deserves. we have all the time in the world, so what’s a few more days or months of getting to know each other? i’m sorry if you’re disappointed but i’m all yours princess, without any labels for now and nothing is going to change that.

[bleuberrygliscor]

Great Job team Rock, Come get ya'lls juice ✊🏾

[bratz-kitten]

random thoughts on the moon signs

moon in pisces is literally my favorite placement ever. something about these people makes me feel safe. as a capricorn moon, i repress my emotions constantly and i’m deadly afraid of showing vulnerability, but pisces moons give off this vibe of constantly being consumed by their emotions – and it’s fascinating. you make me feel like it’s okay to express my deeply emotional side; even better, you encourage it. you’re the type of people who i love crying with while eating ice cream, even cuddling with. your empathy and passion for your interests is your biggest strength.

moon in aquarius reminds me of that shrek quote of him being an onion – you guys have layers upon layers upon layers. my brother is an aquarius moon and sometimes i feel like i’m the only person who knows how emotional he really is. you hate showing this part of yourself – it’s hidden safely from prying hands; you racionalize your emotions, repress them, attempt to conceal them; but ultimately, your deeply compassionate and intuitive nature will be shown – even if only to the very few you trust. your dreams are your biggest strength.

i have never met a cancer moon without raging mommy issues yet who was deeply attached to their mother. you always share this very close bond and she’s very present in your life – yet its so obviously this very toxic dynamic. you guys get this fame for being the only ones with ‘stable’ emotions because your moon is exalted but you’re like.. not. your emotions aren’t stable; much on the contrary, and even if you’re very emotional, you don’t particularly like showing it. most of the cancer moons i’ve known are iffy about expressing their feelings. you joke a lot about your trauma, though, and so you give people the impression of knowing you when really, they don’t know the half of it.

moon in sagittarius makes it feel like life is worth living. you dream so much and so high; you’re so open about your love for adventure and freedom, so optimistic and fun-loving – to the point where most people don’t understand how turbulent your emotions are underneath the façade. you give off the vibe of the funny friend who’s depressed and afraid to show it because you’re supposed to be the one who raises the spirits. doesn’t it hurt when you try opening up to others and they almost seem bothered by it because they prefer it when you’re just this bubble of fun? you need to learn to take that weight off your shoulders – stop trying to entertain others and realize that they’re the ones who need to entertain you. this is your show, baby. your resilience is your strength.

is it possible to be a capricorn moon without having strict parents and a terrible childhood in which you had to raise yourself? because i think it’s kind of a given. it’s so funny how literally everyone sees you as this cold, unemotional, strong person yet you probably cry everyday. a lot of problems with self-worth every time you’re in a bad place mentally, which is constantly. extremely calculating – you always do shit with a clear purpose in mind and it can come off like you’re using people for your own gains. your ability to survive even unsurmountable odds stacked up against you is your strength. i almost feel like you thrive on pain because that’s how you’ve learned to grow and adapt.

moon in aries people are so smart, and most of all, dedicated. you make me want to get my life together so bad – you’re the type of people to set a goal and go through with it no matter what. you’re always on to something, looking for opportunities and recognition. you see what you want and you go for it. you’re so easy to rile up and lose it, though, it’s so funny how you’re so bold and passionate yet so big of a crybaby (all aries placements are tbh).

moon in scorpio stop being so pessimistic pleathe i will kiss you in the lips just don’t lose your faith in humanity /yet/. trust is the most important thing in the world to you which is funny because you have raging trust issues. so sensitive but you cover that up with anger. you be looking like you wanna commit sporadic murder when on the inside you’re just so hurt. you’re so dependable, things might be in deep shit but as soon as you’re in the room i know we’ll find a way to fix it. if the l*ve of my life doesn’t end up being a scorpio moon i’ll be so pissed.

moon in leo YOU’RE SO INFURIATING PLEASE SHUT UP OR I’LL FUCK YOU??????? massive egos, you know you’re the shit and you won’t shut up about it. likes to start arguments just to rile everyone up and then laugh maniacally in the corner at the chaos they created. always have a wicked plan in mind and i’ll go along with it because you’re also stupidly endearing. the best friends, literally always there when you’re down and sosososo supportive. i’ve noticed that feeling insecure is quite possible the worst thing you can feel, it’ll start to take a toll on your physical health. your ability to be a fucking idiot but also a /pretty/ idiot is your biggest strength.

moon in virgo if you say “well actually, that’s not how that works” one more time i’ll throw hands. incredibly nit-picky and obsessive but also the types of people to have a pile of dirt on their room?? mom friend, WILL take care of her babies/friends. you always ruin the mood yet.. you’re so fun to be around? how does that even work? i could listen to you talk for hours. i don’t think you know what the concept of relaxation is. also pleathe stop with that need to fix others. the fact that you’re so focused on your goals and willing to do just about anything is your biggest strength (it’s also kinda scary).

my mom’s moon is in libra and ma’am can you please stop transferring your mommy issues onto me? i get it, you had a codependent relationship with her and she showed you she loved you while also constantly criticising you and treating you like an extension of herself. my bestie is a libra moon too and it’s also like that. just.. mommy issues and insecurities for days. a passion 4 fashion and people love to be around you. also, i can’t understand how you feel. like, you’ll cry a lot and love so hard yet when you break up with someone you’ll never spare a thought about them again? it’s almost like you can turn your feelings off. which is funny, because that’s supposed to be a capricorn moon thing but i’ve never met one who can stop caring, they just act like they’re heartless to protect themselves. either way, libra moons can switch from sweethearts to cold and aggressive in a literal second and it’s scary but also cool.

moon in gemini please don’t ever shut up you have so much to say, your interests are so fascinating and the way you talk with so much passion about literally anything makes my heart do the flippy thing. also so complicated, can you name one person in this world who fully knows and comprehends you? very secretive, people feel like they know you because you talk a lot and are very open about certain things but as soon as something actually serious happens you turn into allison dilaurentis real quick.

moon in taurus why are you so pretty? you’re so extra too, you always leave the house looking straight off the runaway. you’re literally so caring for your friends and overprotective too, possessive of even them. you prioritize comfort a lot, wether it be on your home or concerning yourself. you’re very good with people, i feel like you’re the ex that your ex-boyfriend’s mom doesn’t ever shut up about because she misses you and wants you to be The one. you need to learn that change isn’t the enemy!! change is fundamental for personal growth. hold grudges for a crazy amount of time. very weird sense of humor, in an oddly endearing way. your mentality of “if they’ve hurt you, they’ve hurt me too” is your biggest strength.

[thebiscuiteternal]

Ahahaha, after telling Nonnie I was gonna post this, I completely forgot to actually post this and just left it sitting in drafts. Whoopsie. So! More little snippets and such from my twitter.

- Everybody mocks the sect descended from butchers until a boar demon the size of a city grain warehouse goes down and nobody else can deal with the carcass because it’s just too fucking big. By the time the thing has been taken apart and properly dispersed, the entire jianghu has had an Awakening to the fact that Some People (even the small cute one) are at their hottest when mostly covered in demon blood.

- Bitty!Huaisang tags along with his brother on some sect business to Yueyang and while he and his minder are eating lunch in the markets, he notices a street kid staring at the food like a starving wolf. Without thinking, he puts a plate of duck buns in easy reach and watches it and the kid vanish. By the end of the day, he’s practically forgotten about the whole thing, distracted by other stuff. But even more bitty!Xue Yang has just found himself a mark.

- Thinking about Nie Bros and how Huaisang decided early on that annoyance and exasperation were better than condescending pity and started playing up his lazy behavior to cover for his body’s failure to keep up and how Mingjue knows this, but has to make himself believe that Huaisang could do better if he actually tried, because otherwise he would constantly be swamped with guilt over the fact that he will inevitably be leaving his sickly brother to handle the sect.

- AND ON THAT NOTE, thinking about the fact that for all Huaisang is considered a pathetic cultivator, literally none of the adaptations have him “showing his age” more than cultivators who are supposed to be leagues more powerful than him, and even the novel just describes him as being pretty. Therefore, thinking of the possibility that all his desperate efforts to find Da-ge’s missing body pieces and/or soul wound up strengthening his golden core considerably (and he was Not Happy when he realized this) but no one noticed because he was that effective at keeping up the hapless idiot act.

- Rule 63!Huaisang where literally none of the Nie family dynamics have changed and everyone else is very ????? about it. Some Rando: “Shouldn’t your brother be getting you married instead of throwing a saber at you?” Huaisang: “Have you met my sect?”

- Nie-er-furen and Lan-furen were both yao, but Mama Nie was a cat and Mama Lan was a rabbit. Therefore, when the older brothers tried to introduce Nie Huaisang and Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan’s new instincts went “Predator!” and that is why Nie Huaisang has bite scars.

- Mo Xuanyu escaping Koi Tower and going to live with the (extremely grudgingly acknowledged) Yiling Wei sect, featuring Wei Wuxian being an absolute gremlin about his disciple’s crush on Nie Huaisang while still oblivious/in denial to Lan Wangji’s crush on him. WWX: “Follow your dreams and get your man!” MXY: “...Okay. So when are you gonna take your own advice and let Hanguang-jun court you?” WWX: “Haha, what? That’d never happen, Lan Zhan likes girls.” MXY (to NHS later): “So my sect leader might actually be an idiot.”

- Wei Wuxian in a Number Five situation. Fucks up an experimental talisman and winds up chucked  into an apocalyptic future (maybe even one demonic cultivation caused?) and is trapped there for decades before being slung back into his "just started raising corpses" age. Bonus points if it is a zombie apocalypse, but he doesn’t realize it because what evidence he was able to find pointed to the Sunshot Campaign having lost, so when he gets back to his present time, he starts working even harder at building up enough of an army to fight the Wens...

- So my personal headacanon is already that all of Jin Guangshan’s kids look more like their mothers than him because he doesn’t deserve anything good. But. Imagine the emotional/social fuckery if every single one of his bastards had at least some of his features, while Jin Zixuan is a male carbon copy of Jin-furen.

- The assumption that the original soul would be obliterated during the body sacrifice ritual was just that: an assumption. Wei Wuxian doesn't realize this until the first sect conference after Guanyin Temple when he sees his own reflection glare at him and then wrap the exhausted-looking reflection of Nie Huaisang into a reassuring embrace as the man discusses something or other with a minor sect leader.

aaaand everything else I was thinking about pulling over would be long enough for their own “Things I will probably never write” posts, so that’s all for this go round!

[fisherrprince]

do you have more thoughts on keyblade fighting that you need to put somewhere, because i have two hands ready to catch Should The Need Arise

anon: hey I heard you mention you’d analysed the combat styles in KH and what you said in the tags was already alluding to really neat stuff, but I for one would love to hear more of what you came up with!! so if you ever wanted to share any of your analysis then the floor is yours

aHAH, MY EXCUSE!!

Okay, so first some words on “standardized wielding styles”. These are styles shared by Terra, Aqua, Vanitas, Riku, and Xehanort and every other scala and daybreak kid. I will make the argument that the red style is the fanciest standard style, while the purple is seen often to make it easier on the little chibi sprites. BUT, I cannot discredit Eraqus, who uses the purple variant in bbs, nor can I discredit half of the Foretellers (Gula and Ava, at least, use this. Invi and Aced use the first type). So, two standard styles. For simplicity, let’s say one for primary offense, one for primary defense. The standard offensive style really wasn’t popular before Scala-era society.

check this difference out, specifically between ava invi and gula:

then between eraqus, hermod, and xehanort, and eraqus and terra.

These two were likely popularized and standardized for education in Scala ad Caelum for their predominant lack of obvious weak spots.

After this, we have unique styles. Those include Sora Kairi and Xion’s (similar to standard defense, but more mobile at the expense of form — Kairi takes after Sora but less confident, she hasn’t been hit that heavily yet), Ven’s (backhand, heavy range and mobility), Roxas’ (modified for two keyblades, but takes after Sora), and Axel’s (taught himself, comfortable with chakrams).

So! Let’s go.

.

Standard (offensive)

All styles have sub-variations, of a sense. Different wielders can choose where their keyblade points, and how they hold it exactly, based on what makes them most comfortable. Terra and Aqua point theirs downward, while Vanitas and Riku hold theirs above their head. What is recognizeable to this style is a hand for the sword, and a hand for guarding/blocking/items/magic.

It’s incredibly efficient. With only one hand on the weapon, you not only free up a hand for other things, but increase your range of movement with said weapon. Test it out yourself! The keyblade hand is always your dominant hand, held behind you for increased power when attacking (since you lose a significant amount of it by choosing not to grip with both hands). This style also decreases the speed of the defense you have, but with that increased mobility and swing power, along with a hand free to brace against the keyblade (defense strength up!), it makes up for it. Many people who use this also have strong barrier spells — both a testament to their preference for coverage and an acknowledgement that any directional block will take a little longer and be weaker if they try it with one hand.

The pointy end, though. What difference does it actually make, the height it’s at?

I think it’s half a matter of attack style preference and half intention. Riku, Vanitas, and Xehanort stab quite a bit. Aqua and Terra slice more. Not that they don’t do both, but it’s the first instinct. Aqua and Terra are also likely taught to hold their keyblade neutrally, in a safe position, until someone starts attacking. It’s polite! Eraqus also holds his one-handed, neutrally, until he gets into position. Riku and Vanitas learned to fight assuming everyone was out to fight them. Invi and Aced may like this style because of range (i hc she’s blind and strikes very very quickly, and he’s already very powerful with just the one arm and wants better motion).

and on character specifics: Terra often switches to two-handed, to copy his dad and add extra power to his hits without always sacrificing the empty hand. Vanitas likely was forced to relearn how to fight, as instead of solely being trained to be better at withstanding, he was constantly being made to better his own attacks. The moves Xehanort uses would best be replicated in the same style. Vanitas is wild for holding the massive spiky x-blade like that.

Now, what‘s good on this style does not correlate to what’s bad in the other. The two standard styles simply have different ways of dealing with each con they create or taking advantage of each pro.

(Here’s an interesting side note — Gula uses standard defensive, but in this instance, swaps. One hand… likely to display confidence! Wrong move, but hey. He got cocky. He’s also doing it wrong, and swaps back to two-handed to take Aced’s attack.)

.

Standard (defensive)

The main detriment of this style is the lack of ease of long range movement. Hold a wrapping paper tube out in front of you with both hands, then run. It goes to the side, or tucks in to your stomach, right? Dodge. Your legs will get in the way unless you know where to move that sword. It requires, interestingly, a little more discipline. You’d think Aqua would like that, but no, she wants movement and practicality, and she loves magic, and remember that you must take a hand off this style to grab a potion. You’d think young Eraqus wouldn’t, but remember that he’s a fancy royal lad.

The main draw, though, is tankiness, readiness, and power. You don’t need to move as much if nothing dares hit you! Ava and Gula might be attracted to this style because they’re not as physically strong, but want protection in close-quarters fighting. Using this style when your muscles aren’t as big but you still want to Hit Things Good, or when you want to be a boy you can’t knock over with a pail of water (horse stance rules), is probably solid advice.

Traditionally, this is a lot less like fencing, and a lot more like a samurai sword or kendo. Your blade is held in front of you, giving you very easy access to blocks and frontal attack/defense. In losing some twirly spinniness, you gain power and minimize your opponent’s ability to parry and block.

you gotta dodge master Eraqus so mcuh

All styles will swap between one and two hands for different moves. Eraqus, notably, swaps to a stance very similar to Xehanort when channeling a metric ton of magic.

Both of these styles require a degree of upper body/core strength, as does all swordfighting. I would be interested to see someone whose keyblade style relies on leg strength.

.

Sora, Xion, and Kairi

please look at the difference between the foretellers’ or eraqus’ two-handed grip and Sora’s. Do this with your shoulders and a top-heavy object.

They’re both in a hard stance, but hon. What are you, a gremlin? Anyways, a traditionally taught master would have… better form, even if it’s harder to learn at first. It’s habitual. Sora nearly crouches, and holds his keyblade back-pointed with two hands, which makes it easier for him to dodge roll, push off his feet quickly, and pull off those spinning combos he loves. It‘s really gonna hurt his muscles, in the future, though, since he’s doing a squat for like…. hours. Pulling on those shoulderblades and neck. Xion, too. Replicas had better have correct muscle dynamics. Kairi is brand new, so… maybe Aqua can teach her how to hold a sword so it doesnt hurt you.

Okay, now look at the grip itself. Held in front versus held to the side-back. They’re really attempting to combine both standard styles subconsciously, giving themselves more attack power while really wanting to keep that hard defensive parry, wanting to prevent all attacks to the front while also wanting mobility. It’s working for them really well, they fight like an anime character, and manage to get the best of both, with a minor sacrifice of length range that they don’t care about. We’re flexible and full of magic, baby! Holding the blade like this makes it pretty easy to let go with one hand without sacrificing that crouched defense position.

Now, Sora, specifically, is very adaptive. He’s had two keyblades, claws, guns, yo-yos, and a giant shield, to name a couple. He retains a bit of that alert crouch no matter where he goes, but Sora knows how he wants to attack and how to balance that with the most effective way to use his current weapon. He’s a smart kid! Sora has the most ridiculous shotlocks, which are also probably due to not always wanting to go standard for it. He also prefers to keep his focus on the enemy, which is evident in his reprisals and lack of very many effective “escape” moves.

Xion is very similar to Sora, but she does have some moves that are all movement. She switches to one handed for strikes a lot — using two for defending, one for smacking. In her data battle I’d swear some of those heavy hits are claymore-like. But anyways, since we’re magic, Xion cares not for the laws of exhaustion, and will ping about as a ball of light everywhere. Short range? Up in your business. Mid-range? In your business with one hand. Long range? Throws a boomerang. Hit her? No you dont. Ball of light. She’s above you and wants to bash your head in. (Vanitas also does this! A lot. It’s an easy way to catch someone off-guard. I’ll argue that the soras are very tough and strong, but not tanky. they want to avoid being hit a lot)

Another interesting note about Kairi. I say “unconfident” not because she doesn’t hit hard, but because her stance is also often tilted back, ready to dodge. It’s two handed, but almost all her moves are one. She does love spinning and throwing the thing! It looks like she’s been taking notes from the wielders she knows. It would be easy to teach her a standard style, I think. See here, she lets go on the strike, and by trying to do both, actually ends up with an advantage (being confusing) and disadvantage (losing both the power of two handed and versatility of one handed).

A counter to Sora and Xion is difficult to pin down. Time? Probably. Lack of heating pads. Something that takes all their attention is about the only way to get a sneak attack in, and then you have to hit hard. A counter to Kairi would be anyone who can knock her off balance. She needs a sturdier stance. .

Roxas

Roxas is interesting. He takes after Sora for the one blade. Wielding two, however, nets him a totally different way of fighting. Roxas’ clavicle muscles n… deltoids and stuff must be Ironclad. Also, two handed means you are very fast and sharp all the time. He has the advantage of standard defense (horse stance), and the advantage of offense (range of one sword, but twice).

Roxas generally attacks in two ways — simultaneous hits, and follow-up hits. Either he hits with both at once, or hits hard with the first one, and adds the second one as a bonus smack. He can attack by hitting in opposite directions with the two, like a drum, but that will be a little awkward and leave him prone to being tangled. That established, the follow-up hit method means he spins a bunch. As do we all.

Roxas gets a little complicated because we are not in the real world. We have magic and turning into light and physics that let you become a circular saw. So, typically, disadvantages would include: being unable to let go of a weapon to grab something or use an item, having just a very big silhouette to attack on, having difficulty with close-range attacks because Oathkeeper and Oblivion are kinda long, and convenience. Roxas gets to dodge #1 (keyblades can be unsummoned) and #4 (keyblades can be unsummoned). Speaking of dodging, he also gets to skirt the difficulty of dodging and rolling with two swords because he turns into a beam of light. But he can’t dodge how difficult it is to use two swords effectively — he needs to concentrate on fighting, and nothing else, or he risks messing up. He has to be very, very coordinated, and undistracted. Luckily he’s pretty good at making his opponents shut up, most of the time. Blocking is another thing — theoretically his blocks could be strong, but Roxas has no real brace: crossing your blades and taking a hefty stab might smack one of them back into your face. He mostly uses reversals and dodges, because of this.

The takeaway to this is Roxas is built for speed and power, and he is very strong. He’s a mid- to far- range fighter who if you’re not careful can snap you in half if you’re too close (be SO careful of that cross blade scissor).

A perfect counter to Roxas would be a tank that can grapple, and also be very distracting. If you can take hits, be talkative, and get close enough to stop his blades, you have a chance.

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Ventus

This is a bizarre choice, my guy, but I get it.

Backhanded weapons are very impractical for a lot of... attacking, mainly in mid-range combat, and Ven likes to either fight very close or throw the keyblade like a boomerang (and hey, backhand gives it a good whip for throwing). His attacks aren’t meant to one hit KO, but they do come with a bit of power to them, especially on the backslash. Like holding a knife for gouging. It’s for very close defense — pretty good when Wayward Wind and Missing Ache have hooks.

Backhand also, while retaining that empty hand for potions and guarding, gives you an extreme coverage boost. By which I mean Ven’s sword hand now has a nearly 270 degree sweep of “I see you, don’t touch me”, very quickly, based on just flicking his wrist. It sacrifices a ton of strength/sturdiness, but you don’t need that if you’re dodging. You also don’t really need to block, which is slower, but relatively sturdy when Ven does it, as he blocks with mostly the chunky hilt between crossed arms. He sacrifices (again) a bit of strength for coverage — an attack would hurt his arms, not his chest, if he were hit head-on.

His attacks often have him flip the blade around in his hand, too. Quick swaps between standard moves and backhand ones. Basically, Ventus is built for moving, protecting himself, and quick attacks that wear down the enemy, not outclass it. Likely because he’s good at fighting, but everyone he’s fought hits harder than he can! It doesn’t matter how he holds it, getting hit will hurt. So he just. Doesn’t. He’s not a buff little guy — but he is a persistent one. Ven very likely made this up on his own, in Daybreak, and it was too hard to fix his whole style, but it was enough to correct most of his form so he doesn’t hurt himself too much. He is going to have to really stretch that shoulder and wrist (maybe get a brace), though. At least his neck is ok. … not sure about his knees tho dang boy that crouch

A perfect counter to Ven would be someone big and fast, who hits hard mid-range. He’s already been sparring with Terra, though, so when in doubt, try scruffing him?

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Axel

Theres not a ton to say about him — he‘s not a swordfighter. He uses his keyblade like it’s a frisbee. Because that’s what he’s used to! His neutral is behind his back on his shoulder, which is terrible for readiness, but okay for chucking the thing. It’s good it has a sort of… ripstik like… boomerang quality.

Axel’s fighting style is completely made up, like most of the self-taught wielders’. His strengths lie in some of the benefits of standard offensive style (one-handed), and some of the same coverage stuff as Ven, having a cocked wrist most of the time so no one can sneak up around him without risking getting whacked very quickly, and having an interesting range due to the pointy end being basically on a spinny swivel wherever his hand moves. He’s not going to be good at close-range and he knows it — his attacks are mostly distance. And the guy has ZERO defense, combined with zero coverage when idle, so it’s for the better.

Distance-wise, though, he rocks. Treating the blade like it’s a flaming throwing weapon means his idle is actually great for sudden flick-tossing and attention-guiding for sneakier attacks, and his stance itself (…nonexistent) serves a different purpose: bait. Basically a big "come hit me". Fun, when you have a lot of fire magic and two friends who are beasts and love to take advantage of a distracted enemy — distance on the blade, proximity on the burning.

A perfect counter to Axel would be someone pinging around very close <—> very far and circling him incessantly. Like, data Xion could wreck him, as he has to wait for the boomerang to come back -- he no longer has two spinny wheels. Also someone with water magic.

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SO! In conclusion! Having a teacher who teaches you correct sword usage rather than instinct may detract from overspecific styles that benefit you most but leave weak spots, but your muscles and your oversights will thank you. Everyone is glad we have the power of the Mouse and anime on our side.

Keep in mind again that I have done cursory research, and have had minimal actual sword instruction, I am not an expert and this is all for fun anyways :]