#made this for a friend! my first actual attempt at an icon </3

[world-arcana]

Frostbite

Merry Christmas! ♡

[blossombriefs]

Noodles | A Goku OneShot

Authors Note: I'd write something short and sweet while I'm on a creative high! Drop a like and a follow if you like what you're reading! I'm gonna be posting around 2/3 times a week! I'd also love to follow back other writers :3 Update: MY MASTERLIST IS NOW PINNED TO MY PAGE! Summary: You meet Goku for a blind date after being set up by a friend Content: Goku x reader, SFW, cute, gender neutral reader Word Count: 908 Words

You were ecstatic that your friend Android 18 had set you up on a date with one of her friends. It had honestly been a while since your last date and you loved everything you had heard about her friend Goku. You dressed yourself up in your cutest outfit as you left the house with a bounce in your step. The sun hung rather low in the sky which casted a warm glow over the city as you navigated your way through the crowded streets. You sometimes find it overwhelming with the amount of people around you but your head was preoccupied about your date, the man you were meeting and where this might then take you.

As you approached your meeting point, you spotted Goku standing with a hand firmly against his waist. You could see him looking around for you, dressed in his iconic orange gi which made him easily recognisable as you got closer. He stood tall, his stature was muscular and his head housed thick, black spikes. Once he had clocked your approach, he waved with a friendly smile which assisted a wave of nervous excitement to rush through you.

"Hi! Are you Goku?" you smile toward him sweetly, trying to hide the flutter in your stomach.

Goku's face lit up with a wide grin, "Yeah! Nice to meet you! You must be Y/N? 18 told me all about you!"

As the two of you exchanged pleasantries you took a moment to admire the man in front of you. His friendly, goofy, and easygoing nature was helping to put you right at ease. You guys had decided on dining at a local ramen shop, Goku held the door open for you as you both entered. The first thing to greet you both was the chime of a light bell followed by the savoury aroma of the fresh, simmering broth. You could've sworn Goku was ready to levitate towards the scent. Your stomach growled in anticipation of your meal.

Settling in at a corner booth, you took in the cosy and warming atmosphere. The restaurant wasn't busy but there were still a few patrons sitting around, none necessarily close to you which allowed for a bit more privacy. The walls were a warm brown, decorated with beautiful hand-painted art, and the ceilings were dotted with soft overhead lights that complemented the wooden tables and chairs. Goku eagerly gripped a menu, his eyes widening at the selection of ramen that the restaurant had to offer. The waiting staff approached the table and you could tell his curiosity was getting the better of him as he smiled, "We should try a little bit of everything!"

Your eyes sparkled looking across the table to your date as you nodded your head in agreement, "That sounds perfect to me!"

You engaged in some small talk, his bright personality really drew you in. He shared some stories of the recent adventures he'd shared with his friends and his intense training sessions. You nodded along enthusiastically as you told him about yourself too. It wasn't long until you were greeted by the first bowl, Goku's eyes gleaming in pure delight. You looked up at him from across the table, blushing embarrassingly as you attempted to pick up your chopsticks.

"I uh," you started, fumbling the sticks between your fingers. "I actually don't really know how these work. I'm so used to using a fork."

Responding with a smile and a gentle pat at the wooden bench beside him, he signaled with his head that he wanted to show you the ropes. "Let me help you out, c'mon!"

Just like Goku you were also up for a challenge. You perched yourself beside him as he gently took your hand in his, positioning the chopsticks in your hand as he moved your fingers to the right place. As you ate together you could feel yourself fumbling them but it would lead to shared giggles between the two of you. Gradually the waiters brought out the rest of your feast. Noodles upon noodles, sushi platters, dumplings and much more traditional Japanese cuisine. Each one you enjoyed together, even if Goku ate significantly more of the food than you could let yourself indulge in. Between each bite he couldn't help but look up at you with a smile, "This was such a good idea. I'm so glad we came here!"

You beamed to him in response, "I'm glad we did too Goku! It's been a lovely day so far."

The evening slowly unfolded under the shared laughter you had over the warm bowls of broth, vegetables and noodles. You could feel a genuine connection with him. You bonded over so much and the way he made you laugh was unlike anyone really had before.

When you both left the restaurant the streetlights illuminated the now darkened city and the streets were much more tame, most people had already headed home by this point in the night. Goku rubbed the back of his neck, smiling down to you, "This was really fun! I haven't had that much fun in such a long time!"

"Me too Goku! Thank you," you say with a shuffle of your feet and a blush. He sighed happily as he carefully took your hand in his, the same hand he helped your chopsticks into.

"So how can I contact you? You know... for the second date? If you're interested that is..."

[gizkasparadise]

final leg of a journey to love thoughts!! (eps 35-40). this got so gd long so under a cut it goes. spoilers, of course:

PLOT STUFF/PACING

pacing for the plot definitely got shredded in the last chunk, which is a damn shame because otherwise i've been finding the pacing pretty much perfect. eps 35-37 in particular felt like they could have been like a 10 episode arc. ep 38, which mostly dealt with wu palace politics, should have been cut or streamlined imo and more time given to the characters we've actually been riding along with the whole story. by the time we get back to the pregnant empress, prince danyang, the first prince whose name i dont even remember, and the prime minister, i do not care about any of them and i think this subplot was simply just trying to fit too much shit into one bag

that said, this show still let the emotional moments hit and breathe and linger. i love the grief for the fallen liudao comrades as we go, as well as the less heavy but still emotionally important moments like yang ying and tongguan bonding over their upbringing. and we got a wedding /;3;/!!! for this show, the relationships and characters matter more than the storyline so im not mad about anything at all

side note: it's so gd millennial to have a story about a bunch of 30 something year olds who want to fake their deaths and retire into obscurity but instead they go and die for a boss they hate

CHARACTER STUFF

this show consistently brought a lot of depth to its side characters (and side side characters!!). i said it in an earlier post, but it bears repeating that even someone like deng hui i didnt expect anything from, but he got such good development and writing that he became a stealth fave. his dying words essentially being "dude, quit fucking around" ? iconic.

i didnt like tongguan as much as everyone else, so im pretty meh about everything regarding him. the attempt to force-wed ruyi was tonally really weird and didnt make sense (i assume there was some cuts made surrounding it). but LOL at him reusing all the outfits and decor immediately for his wedding to yang ying. baby duke, you tacky motherfucker. i ultimately think yang ying deserves better than him, but the good thing is that she knows this, so she'll be able to hold her own and then some entering into this partnership

shisan really was the heart in a lot of ways--the mom to yuanzhou's dad for the liudao. i was not expecting him to break my heart the way he did, but the fact that he held both qian zhao and sun lang as they died and then tried his best to remove yuan lu from harm and saved chu yue and was just very much a nurturer all the way through got me. his character couldve been cheap comic relief but the writing + performance really elevated him into one of the (imo) most memorable wuxia characters. his line wondering who would get to behead his beautiful skull!!! and how his mantra was always that he was going to drink the best wine, see the most beautiful women, and make the best of friends and he dies having lost the ability to see and having just had wine in memory of qian zhao, yuan lu, and sun lang. like. shut up!!

ruyi and yuanzhou were both so great and they're gonna be the drama OTP to beat forever. i loved the gender reversals, that they both were so respectful of each other, and that they also felt very mature in how they handled things and communicated. they were really interesting characters both together and apart and that's always a win-win. they had a schroedinger's ending where it's not super clear if they're alive or dead (i interpreted it as the latter), but what's kind of beautiful is that either option is satisfying to me. if they both died, they're reunited and with their comrades and the story is truly about the journey and the meaningful short connections we have. if they both survived, it's a bookend with the beginning where they each faked their deaths to escape. A+

COSTUMING

i gotta just separately mention the costuming for this show because it was 15/10. the textures, shisan's accessories, the way red became integrated with yuanzhou's wardrobe and blue with ruyi's. the details on the liudao name amulets!! SO GOOD. i love when characters' clothes tell a story on their own

overall i just really loved this drama it is probably my favorite wuxia ive seen so far! it's gonna be in my brain for awhile lol feel free to send fic prompts if you've made it this far :'D

[pinkscaped]

wait omg myah please please PLEASE tell us more abt myrah’s career after allume (and maybe during too 🤭) i js NEED to hear more abt her !

MYRAH YAMAZAKI is a Japanese K-pop idol and global icon based in South Korea. She made her initial debut in the rotational girl group ALLUME in 2005 as the group's leader and lead vocalist until her generation's graduation in 2010. Myrah is often credited for making ALLUME as popular as they are, achieving international stardom during this time for her strong attitude and natural star quality. Her run in Allume would be dubbed "Myrah and Friends" by fans due her popularity often overshadowing her groupmates.

Myrah would immediately begin a solo career after her 2010 graduation, destroying both the Korean charts and Japanese charts with the mini album HAUTE TOPIC. HAUTE TOPIC would break records for having all four tracks debut in the Top 10 on Melon. Moonlight, Chase Me, Starlight, and Kitty Kat would all break into the top ten and remain there for a solid five months. Myrah's solo career would be proflic and global, debuting in Japan shortly after her Korean solo debut where she would destroy the charts there as well. She would be the highest-performing Flowerbank soloist ever until the acquisition of Baebi's contract in 2023.

Myrah is still a high profile celebrity, starring in a handful of blockbuster films, critically acclaimed dramas, and becoming the face of many luxury brands through out the years. She is also the head of the creative board in Flowerbank Entertainment, owning an impressive amount of stocks in the company. She has been the host of the radio show AllTalkMe for over ten years now, keeping her and Allume relevant over the years.

ﾞ . ✩ . ' ۫           INFORMATION!

STAGE NAME :: MYRAH

BIRTH NAME :: Myrah Yamazaki

Birthday :: December 1st 1987

Zodiac :: Sagittarius 

Birthplace :: California

Hometown :: Osaka, Japan

Ethnicity :: Japanese

Nationality :: American-Japanese

Faceclaim :: Devon Aoki

Height :: 175 cm || 5′9

ﾞ . ✩ . ' ۫           VIRAL MOMENTS!

"I don't think people realize we haven't actually had sex...I wish but we're acting, guys." One of her first viral moments as an actress was in 2016 during the press tour for A Man and a Woman with her co-star Gong Yoo. Myrah and Gong Yoo would go on to have a public relationship that would often have them going viral for their cute and funny moments. To fans' dismay, the pair would split in late 2020.

When she snatched Sooah's mic from her during a concert, singing her lines and high notes. "My mic wasn't working. It's not like she sings much anyways," Myrah would go on to say in an interview, fueling the fire of rumors about the two having a feud during their time in Allume. After this, Sooah would noticeably clutch her microphone whenever Myrah would walk by her.

"How could I not like her? I've never spoken to her. I love 2ne1. Shut up." Myrah would shut down rumors of her and CL of 2ne1 having beef, telling a fan to shut up when they spoke negatively of her. Shot in glorious 2009 iPhone quality, the video would make its round around the internet. A week later, Myrah would post a selfie with CL on her blog with the caption "My bestiiiiii~ ^-^ <3" and the two are still close to this day.

She put her hand up in Gdragon's face when he attempted to sing to her at the 2013 MAMA Awards. It was a lighthearted interaction, Myrah laughing the whole time, but the internet took it differently and deemed her "a rude bitch" and VIPS would begin to harass her. This would have very little effect on Myrah as she would go on to post a couple of photos of her with T.O.P and Gdragon in the studio with the caption: "I lovvveee rappers!! (*^^*)♡"

"She's a bitch! A hot one though!" Myrah would shout out her car window when she was escorted out of a club by Flowerbank CEO Kim Iseul. Myrah was a bit of a club-goer post-Allume, often having to be picked up by friends or, on rare occasions, her CEO. When asked by paparazzi about her thoughts on Iseul having to pick her up, prompting her to say her now most iconic line.

[santiagonex]

I can’t sleep. Let’s talk about the four sacred top fives of 2022 as in top 5 gay movies, top 5 gay tv ships (or shows as whole), top 5 short gay movies and for the next one, let’s change it up a little bit and I’ll provide you with top 5 upcoming gay movies (2023) I’m looking forward to and are currently in the process of pre-production, production or post-production.

Top 5 Gay Movies of 2022

5. La Santa Piccola - very different from your usual gay movies, but the scenery is gorgerous and the story made me feel things 4. Badhaai Do - amazing queer representation in Indian Cinema, "gay guy and a lesbian woman enter into holy matrimony to appease their families”... just pure comedy and romance and the friendship is beautiful 3. Fire Island - a classic rom-com, must-see 2. In from the Side - rugby gays, affair, romance... all of that 1. Sublime - since it’s finally available on VoD, I had a chance to watch it this weekend and the soundtrack and story got me... Mi mejor amigo vibes but actually gay

Top 5 Gay Ships/TV Shows of 2022

5. Heartstopper - a classic, it was honestly hard to rate the shows because they’re all equally brilliant in my eyes 4. Heartbreak High - australian Sex Education, obsessed 3. The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself - magic, witches, gays... c’mon 2. Prisma - very important show 1. Patrick/Iván in Élite - they’re literally everything to me, if you get it you get it, if you don’t you don’t, if you know you know and if you don’t know I honestly feel bad for you like I literally cannot explain it, I don’t have the vocabulary to sit here and explain like either you get the vibe or you don’t

Top 5 Gay Shorts of 2022

5. Catalina - a queer man and his two childhood best friends reunite for a weekend camping trip on Catalina Island... could there be sumn more? 4. Too Rough - Nick wakes up next to his boyfriend Charlie and must conceal him from his own homophobic and dysfunctional family... very sad 3. Jean est tombé amoureux - two football players of opposite teams falling in love... mm very good! 2. Swim - two swimmers develop a strong friendship during their weekly sessions, but their relationship is tested outside the pool, when true identities are revealed... this one fawked me up good 1. Hard - Mikey experiences awkwardness and struggles to navigate the uncertainties of his sexuality after his first time with a girl doesn't go as expected, forcing him to confront his feelings of desire for his best friend... this was so much fun to watch

Top 5 Upcoming Gay Movies in 2023

5. The History of Sound - Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor in a gay romance period drama? We’re looking forward to that actually! Anyways, they were supposed to film it this year, but they had busy schedules. Current plan is next year. Also Paul was hanging out with the director last month, so maybe something’s cooking. 4. Glitter & Doom - described as a summer romance musical feature told with the iconic tunes of folk duo Indigo Girls. Film follows a musician who wears charisma as camouflage and a carefree guy about to run away with the circus as they fall in love at first sight. Sounds fun. 3. Nuovo Olimpo - any Ferzan Özpetek fans? Any Manuel from Un professore fans? Well, looks like we won. Period drama set in Italy, following two men who have a chance encounter and then fall deeply in love, and then are torn apart. The film then follows them both over the next decades as they attempt to find each other again. 2. Strangers - yes, another one with Paul Mescal... yes, I’m crazy. And hi Andrew Scott. Directed by Andrew Haigh (Weekend, HBO’s Looking). Word on the street is that their characters will be romantically involved since Mescal's character corresponds to a woman who has a romance with the protagonist (Scott) in the original novel. We will be tuning in. 1. Bonus Track - film set in 2006, follows a small-town boy with dreams of being a gifted musician. When the son of an iconic musical duo enrols at his school, a powerful bond between the boys begins to grow. Based on an original story by Josh O'Connor (yes, him) and Michael Gilbert.

Anyways, that is it. There are a lot of movies that weren’t released THIS year yet, and I’m looking forward to them (Punch, Aristotle and Dante, Spoiler Alert,...). But I would be just repeating myself, so I’m not gonna talk about that.

[narastories]

Hi Nara! To celebrate your new fic, I humbly submit Harry/Nicodemus to you for the ship bingo. (And Simms/Eileen if you feel like doing two!)

Thank you <3

Aaah, it takes a special kindness to ask me about a ship that you don't interact with. Thank you, friend <3

Harry/Nicodemus, my darlings

my friends are tired of me screaming about this. Yes, very tired, probably. I'm sorry. I don't intend to stop tho ^^"

I'm going to hit them with a crowbar. Gently. I mean neither will break. So I'm going to gently bonk them until they talk to each other properly and kiss lol

train wreck but I can't look away. They have a counter of how many attempts they made on each other's lives.

I want to write fics for this and luckily I doooo write fics for this <3

THAT one scene. you know the one. In the sense that I'm always making these posts where I go "You know THAT one scene where they do THAT thing that makes me CRAZY"

INTERESTING COMPELLING COMPLEX SCREECHING

this has no right to be a rare pair. I mean. I get it. On the other hand if Harry/Marcone became so popular, Harry/Nic wouldn't be a stretch, you know? :P

I need a 200k slow burn NOW. No energy to write it tho lol

person a deserves better than person b. Harry does deserve someone better than Nicodemus. But when I write them Nic always treats him right

they are divorced, possibly not for the first time. I'm re-listening to Skin Game and they bicker like a divorced couple. "Who needs no introduction." Right, cause you guys know each other better than you have any reason to, kiss already

could cut the tension with a KNIFE. Seriously. We had an actual knife involved at one point. Pinning up against walls. Choking. Hair pulling. It's great.

Overall, I just love their dynamic and the potential in this ship <3

Simms/Eileen

pleasantly surprised by being canon. Come on, Luke practically confirmed this will become canon. That is so cool!

I'm a casual shipper. I like them. Wrote a fic. Don't think I wrote it for the right reasons tho, and prob wouldn't write another. But I would 100% read more fic and like them overall.

THAT one scene. you know the one. When Fetch introduces them and Simms just looooks at Eileen for a little too long. Hope we'll get more iconic scenes with them in the next book.

unironically relationship goals. I think they would be good for each other, you know?

Thanks so much for playing! xx

[poetslore]

Things I noticed on my most recent “Coraline” rewatch: part 1

1. THE COMPUTERS: at the beginning of the movie we see that Coraline’s parents are ignoring her for their work, more specifically a gardening catalog they have been working on. That’s when I notified the computers. Coraline’s mother has a lap top, it appears to be brand new mostly because around the time this movie was made laptops were just becoming popular, while Coraline’s father has a 90s style box computer, he even appears to be using an older program to write his section of the catalog. How I interpreted this is that Coraline’s mother seems to be more sophisticated or materialistic. We see that she dresses far nicer than her husband and of course the Lap top. Coraline’s father is far more laid back, his clothes are messier and he seems to enjoy Coraline’s presence far more than her mother.

2. THE DOLL: the first night at the house, Coraline lies down in bed (the dinner transition) glanced at her poison ivy rash and then talks to the picture of the friends she left behind in Michigan, when the camera pans over we see that the doll is looking at Coraline as she lays on the bed, later, when Coraline wakes up at the sound of mouse, the doll is no longer looking at her, this is because the other mother is using the mouse to spy on Coraline and guide her, not the doll like she does during the day.

3. ONE NOTE PIANO: when Coraline first enters the other world she meets the other mother and she is then told to go fetch her other father who is in his study, for dinner. When Coraline enters the study we can see that the other father is tapping on a singular piano key, almost as if he’s in a trance, he had no purpose because Coraline isn’t around him, then about two or three seconds later he notices Coraline’s presence and acts giddy and excited and plays the “making up a song about Coraline” piece. I took this as the other mother “activating” the other father the second Coraline was near him.

4. NO FOOD?: the iconic dinner scene. On Coraline’s first night in the other world, the other mother cooks her an elaborate welcome dinner. During this dinner Coraline piles the food onto her plate (it’s appearance and likely taste is far better than her fathers tragic cooking in the real world) and then we see the other father, who also piles food onto his plate, but there’s one outlier here, the other mother. The other mother doesn’t pile food onto her plate, despite spending time on an elaborate dinner, which you’d then expect she’d want to feast on her labors, she sits there, her porcelain plate empty as she watches the others eat. I interpreted this in two way. First, the other mother is ancient, she doesn’t need to eat to survive. At least, she doesn’t eat food to survive, she eats the souls of children. Secondly, she is far more focused on Coraline, pleasing the blue-haired eleven year old girl and manipulating her rather than the food, and eating it like a regular “human being”

5. SMART COOKIE: once again this takes place during the dinner scene. Coraline has just received her welcome home cake when the other mother offers for them to play a game. At this point Coraline is growing a little suspicious for a number of reasons. She likely got a gut feeling that something a little malicious and uncanny was happening, the other mother and the other father knew she was coming based off of what the cake said (there’s no way they should’ve known she was coming, without magic of course), then the other mother asks to okay a game Coraline’s mother in the real world hate games. But we really see her first grow truly uncomfortable when the other mother taps her fingers against the table, something that Coraline’s real mother does quite frequently. It is clear that the other mother made this movement in an attempt to make Coraline feel comfortable, to make her feel like she was around her actual mother, but the girl doesn’t fall for it. She actually finds it strange and it just tacks into the pile of strangeness that has taken over the dinner. Then the lightning strikes after Coraline says there is no rain and at this point Coraline is deeply unsettled. She’s one smart cookie if you ask me.

6. “SEE YOU SOON”: despite the fact that Coraline showed extreme discomfort at dinner and on the way up to her bedroom the other mother and the other father say “see you soon” as she falls asleep. I interpreted this as: The other mother knew that the talking stuffed octopus and the chomping turtle wouldn’t convince Coraline something weird wasn’t going on there or wouldn’t ease that discomfort, but she did know that creating false versions (Coraline doesn’t know this) of Coraline’s “best trolls” aka her best friends from Michigan would comfort her and make her more open to coming back. She knew that Coraline would come back, she knew that she won this round simply based off of bringing Coraline’s “best trolls” to life.

This is where I stopped. I got tired lol. I will continue watching and update more on what I notice

[omorinintendoswitchedition]

2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 (My question is just say something about them you want to say)

For whichever character/characters your want

woweee this is gonna be a looooong post

2-Favourite thing about this character

Doing this for Dante. The Dr Faust cutscene, or to be more broad I love his silly attitude and his stupid jokes. Made this series iconic and funny and gives him a personality.

3-Least favourite thing about this character

For Dante this would probably be the ‘if you were 18 i would date you’ joke from the first episode of the anime. This really rubbed me the wrong way and its kinda weird to say that to a kid you just met???and ooc for him???

7-Whats something the fandom does when it comes to this character you like?

Actually give the girl characters time to shine instead of just making them sexy eye candy. And the silly family dynamics between the Sparda boys.

8-Whats something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

the fucking Vergil dodges child support and is a ‘sigma based alpha male’ homophobe. i hate it so muchhh even though the meme is dead it still annoys me so much when i see people still think its funny.

9-Could you be roommates with this character?

I probably could be roomies with people like Dante and Nero and Kyrie. Id probably get a little annoyed at Dante for constantly being in debt and gambling but we could survive. Do not think I could be roommates with Vergil. that man does not know how the oven works.

10-Would you date this character?

fuck yeah I would date Dante.

12-What's a headcanon you have for this character?

Nico is the kind of person who drenches everything in ranch. She buys the ranch ice cream a lot and it makes Nero loose his shit every single time. She drowns her chips in ranch and Nero looks at her from across the table like shes murdered someone

14-Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

Hrngh fuck im not a fashion person. Do kinda see Trish getting into gothic fashion tho.

20-Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

Nero and Nico are the perfect best friends duo. Always got each others backs, always making fun of each other lightheartedly. I want more of them sooo badly you have no idea.

21-If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

its been decades since I have last written anything in general. But I do remember Dante’s dialogue being fun to write for me and I dont like everything else because im constantly worrying if something is ooc

22-If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

Its been decades since ive read any dmc fic either (get caught up in other things) but as mentioned earlier do love those family dynamics and the attempts to fix everything. Dont like when Vergil os portrayed as ice cold after dmc5.

23-Favorite picture of this character?

FUCK THIS IS SO HARD. I do love the capcom cafe art with dante and his tits out. the teppen card art is also pretty cool.

24- What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

So considering the only other fandom I am in is about depressed teenagers trying to overcome their trauma its safe to say none. I guess Kel somewhat for Dante? Only cause theyre silly and have older brothers who like blue.

25-What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

When I first saw V back when I knew absolutely nothing about dmc, I thought he was edgy and didnt really like him (the video used the ‘what evil lurks I must destroy’ clip out of context). But now that I have played and beaten the series I must say V my poor guy hes an absolute menace.

26-FREEBIE QUESTION!!

no idea what this means!!!!!so im just gonna make up a question!!!!

26-Would you work for this character?

ABSOLUTELY NOT DANTE HAS NO BREAD!!!! and the job is like. insanely dangerous and im just an internet guy.

[lesbianmontrosepretty]

Silly little ethersea doodles: weeks 6&7!

(slowly catching up to date with the actual listening... soon......)

most of this batch is actually title compliant!

✔️silly

✔️little

✔️doodles

realized i did the last ones in the wrong order and also forgot the episode numbers so ah. sorry abt that🤡

Ep. 5: Dr Shaq! the most important iconic vital character in the whole show. you agree.

Ep. 6: Amber's place! no boys allowed<3

Ep. 7: The Hand of Guidance being. her delightful self. No attempts were made to make her look like helen distortion from the magnus archives (<- lie)

zoox should have shot her with the crossbow i think

Ep. 8: Devo rolling a 22 on that dex save unfortunately did not make him suddenly able to swim, so.

and there's a bit of a rant on this one! i realized more and more i was trying to make these look "good" or "pretty" or like, "measure up" to the incredible amazing fanart that is produced on this site (a bunch of it by ppl i'm proud to be able to call my friends!!! you guys are really good at art!!!!). and then had a breakdown because. OBVIOUSLY it doesn't. I am taking baby steps and trying to measure up to olympic runners. and the second i realized that i decided to amp up the silliness and lay off the pressure. Yeah they're doodles, they're sketches. It's not good art, it's just silly and i'm doing it for fun, and maybe someone else can find it fun too!

can't learn something for fun if it makes me miserable, so i won't let it<3

EDIT: Fucked up the alt text the first time around! should be good now.

[byooregard]

Persona Characters Ranked by How Many Mechs Songs Feature Their Personas

First, let's get things straight. The Mechanisms were a band made up of immortal space pirates that traveled through space and told stories about what they saw through song. They have four albums that tell stories throughout the albums-- Once Upon a Time in Space (fairy tales, in space), Ulysses Dies at Dawn (noir greek myths, in space), High Noon Over Camelot (cowboy arthurian legend, in space) and The Bifrost Incident (cosmic horror norse mythology, in space), and two albums (Tales to be Told vol. 1 & 2) that are miscellaneous songs/stories.

off we go. I asked my friend for his opinions on this, so it's not ONLY my opinions, but all of these are subjective opinions on what songs i like best

10. Yuka Ayase- Freyj Freyj and his sister Freyja are mentioned in the Bifrost Incident, but they don't get any actual singing parts

9. Sumire Yoshizawa- Cendrillion, Vanadis, Ella Freyja (Vanadis) is, as mentioned, mentioned in the Bifrost Incident. Cinder's Song from Once Upon a Time in Space is a song that is dear to me, but I will admit that the Mechs' albums get better as they go on, and Once Upon a Time in Space is their first.

8. Aigis- Pallas Athena Twisted Threads from Tales to be Told Volume II takes place in the same world/storyline as Ulysses Dies at Dawn, and is an absolute banger. However, other songs on this list bang harder (in my opinion), and the song is mainly about Arachne, though Athena features

7. Labrys- Ariadne Ties that Bind from Ulysses Dies at Dawn slaps, both Ariadne & Athena are sung by Raphaella la Cognizi/Rachel L. Hughes, & her singing is off the charts awesome & adds wonderfully to the jazzy noir vibe of Ulysses Dies at Dawn

6. Persona 3 Protagonist- Orpheus Trial by Song from Ulysses Dies At Dawn is honestly tied with Ties that Bind, but i like it slightly better and this is my list.

5. Eikichi Mishina- Hades Underworld Blues is the best song in Ulysses Dies at Dawn it slaps, and also the character of Hades is awesome.

4. Futaba Sakura- Prometheus Prometheus from Tales to be Told (also taking place in Ulysses Dies at Dawn world. this album features the most because of persona's love of greek myths) is iconic, so is the space jam mashup. Massive bonus points for Prometheus being a hacker. [Prometheus the hero who let us hold off the horde//Prometheus who proved the keyboard's mightier than the sword]

3. Baofu- Odysseus, Prometheus As mentioned Prometheus is a good song. My friend ranked this one lower in protest against Johnny Sims's attempt at an american accent. The entire album Ulysses Dies at Dawn is about Ulysses (roman name for Odysseus), but he features most heavily in Broken Horses, My Name is No-One, and Elysian Fields. Personally I don't like any one of these songs as much as the previously listed songs, but Baofu gets points for having an entire Album.

2. Takuto Maruki- Azathoth I am not going to tell you anything about Red Signal (the Bifrost Incident). I am only going to tell you to listen to it. Anyways. Azathoth is also technically a major.... character? in the Bifrost Incident, which is imo (and afaik most would agree with me) the Mechs' best album, so that's worth some points.

Goro Akechi- Loki, Hereward Loki is one of the main characters of the Bifrost Incident, and she gets parts in multiple songs, mainly the one named after her, and it slaps verily, it's one of the Mechs' best songs, in their best album Hereward the Wake (Tales to be Told Volume II) is one of my favorite Mechs songs and also the reason I made this list, because it's the only reason I knew about Hereward the Wake before playing persona 5. So Akechi wins this list because i am a) extremely biased, i will admit and b) he's the only character who has two personas with entire songs, and they both happen to be some of the bangingest mechs songs

[decompose1]

An analysis on MePhone’s complicated feelings about Bow.

Now, obviously, MePhone has a lot of distaste towards Bow in s1-- she did sort of force her way into his show mid-season, despite never having signed up. He didn’t have any control of this situation, which we know now to be a very sensitive thing for him. As much as i adore Bow, it’s very reasonable that he didn’t like her.

So because of her established tendency to wedge herself into his game/join despite not being allowed to, he takes extra measures to make sure she doesn’t escape Idiotic Island.

This... does inadvertently contribute to four total deaths. I’ve written a whole analysis on why MePhone seems averse to causing harm himself! While this WASN’T entirely MePhone’s fault (Marshmallow was the one who trapped her a second time- she wouldn’t have died if she was only trapped once, but Marshmallow remembered it made her act wild), i can’t imagine he doesn’t realize he did play a part in that domino effect.  

All of this was the catalyst for the four deaths in the finale (along with the general intervention of Meeple Inc.). Bow dies with MePhone4 and 5. I feel like that is significant-- while contestants die every now and then, MePhone’s deaths are more serious (he isn’t recoverable, he’s a robot), and Bow’s was, too, as it was permanent. This also led to the death of MePhone4S, as he allowed his own termination to bring MePhone4 back.

That all marks an incredibly dark spot in the history of II! It was the day he lost the only brother aside from MePad that he’d ever managed to bond with, as well as the first time MePhone has actually experienced death (as the first one was reversed with time travel), and it was with HER! That HAS to feel pretty weird.

And i don’t think that his later dismissive references to her being dead actually challenge this-- MePhone notoriously ignores anything that makes him feel bad. He tries not to think about them at all, so it makes sense to me that he would try very hard to brush this off.

This is highlighted best here, i think-- this scene implies that MePhone had actually attempted to revive Bow on his own time.

[IDs: Image 1: Fan points angrily at MePhone4, holding an egg. Captions: Fan: “You’re just saying that because you hate her!” (in reference to him being unable to revive Bow) Image 2: MePhone4 points back. Captions: MePhone4: “Oh yeah? We’ll see about that.” Image 3: MePhone4 stands next to Marshmallow, pressing the MeLife icon for Bow. In front of him is a glitching, static-y silhouette of Bow. Captions: “[beeping noises]” Image 4: MePhone stands next to Marshmallow and Fan. All 3 are frowning. Captions: MePhone4: “See? I didn’t wanna disappoint you guys, but she’s gone, for good.”]

He most likely wouldn’t have known about this without trying, and this is pushed further by him admitting he didn’t want to disappoint them. It implies he attempted to save her, failed, and then tried to cover up the fact that he just wasn’t able to by not saying why he wouldn’t bring her back.

As my friend Willow points out so wonderfully in their own analysis, MePhone takes his job as the only means of recovery very seriously. He DOES NOT want anyone to think he would allow someone to stay dead just because of his own personal dislike for them. (Please read their analysis! It’s so good!)

Anyways. This is all a very long and wordy way to say i think that, at this point in s2, MePhone’s thoughts and feelings towards Bow are really best described as “weird and complicated and kind of dark”.

BUT! Even with s3′s more lighthearted themes, i actually think this MAY have a little to do with how quickly he turns around on BowBot.

So, like i pointed out, MePhone tends to hide his feelings. This also means he’s almost NEVER very open or vulnerable with anyone. There are only about two examples- the conversation with MePad in the cave (season 2 episode 14, after MePhone shows MePad the gemory of him escaping and rescuing MePad), and the conversation between MePhone and BowBot in season 3 episode 3- where he admits to feeling silly, and they comfort him over it. Being vulnerable with MePad makes sense- they’re brothers. But BowBot makes a little less sense. They’re a contestant, and at the time, one he supposedly doesn’t like. Still, he lets his guard down with them for a moment. I wonder if it has something to do with already having been with him at a very low moment. Whatever the case, his opinion on them seems to do a sort of 180 after that, and he quickly becomes much kinder to them.

[IDs: Image 1: A picture of BowBot, visibly distressed as Cabby questions her off-screen. Captions: Cabby: “How are you alive? Why are you here?” Image 2: A picture of MePhone4, also visibly distressed by this. Captions: Cabby: “WHAT ARE YOU!?!” Image 3: MePhone4 stands next to Cabby with a disinterested expression, while she looks surprised as she was stopped mid-rant, still pointing at BowBot. Captions: MePhone4: ”Hate to break this magical moment but oopsies look at the time!”]

[IDs: Image 1: A picture of BowBot, with the camera zoomed in on the damaged part of their robotic shell to show that MePhone4 is looking at it. Captions: BowBot: “Please, MePhone, don’t make me go back out there.” Image 3: A picture of MePhone4, with an understanding look. Captions: MePhone4: “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”]

He both defends BowBot when Cabby is clearly upsetting them, and then also protects them when they don’t want to go back out. Now- i think a lot of the second one has to do with the fact that BowBot is a robot, and MePhone seems to feel some bond for other robots, as a robot himself. But he doesn’t know any of the details of this yet, just that he sees wires, and immediately agrees to help. This may be partially because the last visibly damaged robot he had seen would have been MePhone3gs, a departed sibling he was unable to help, but BowBot is here, they’re alive, and he can help in that moment.

But without any context for what’s happening with BowBot, he still mostly knows he’s helping some version of Bow. He is showing care for some version of Bow. And i think that has to have at least a little to do with their complicated history.

[lesbianlotties]

how would you rank the first 10 episodes of season 1 and why?

OH I LOVE RANKING THINGS THANK YOU...

ACTUALLY I TAKE IT BACK THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE

okay. i will attempt the impossible. but i Will be very biased and this is mostly about which episodes have my fav scenes ghsjdfhghfg from best to least favorite episode. let's go!! (spoilers: this is fucking long and i did both seasons!!!)

episode 1: pilot. because ??? it's literally perfect?? what do you want me to say. flawlessly introducing all the girls' pre-crash personalities. the shaunajackie homoerotic tension. "you are beautiful in the eyes of our lord". natalie wearing purple. pit girl!!!! she's been iconic since day 1!!!!

episode 10: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi. what can i say. i like beginnings and ends. i like high school reunions. i like death scenes that will haunt me forever and ever. and i still think that "who the fuck is lottie matthews?!" is one of the best lines ever

episode 5: blood hive. listen... nothing gets to me like a possession. to this day that's still one of my favorite scenes of the whole show

episode 9: doomcoming. absolutely iconic. pure chaos. also just the name doomcoming? instantly made history. "there's no bookclub?!?!?" also the aftermath of laura lee's death! how cute they all were getting ready together! jackie and misty. shaunajackie arriving together. lottie wearing laura lee's dress :) (smiling through the pain). TAIVAN!!

episode 2: f sharp. *whispers* cunt. ← literally all i need to say. but seriously. it's nice to see them already there. but not insane yet. and of course, "hello misty... you crazy fucking bitch <3"

episode 6: saints. HOMOEROTIC BAPTISM!!!! but also shaunatai!!!! miss sophie nelisse really has been acting her heart out since day one huh

episode 7: no compass. i really thought van was so dead here 😭 but that was insane. and i liked to see the adults still chasing ppl <3

episode 3: the dollhouse. LAKE SCENE!!!!!!!!!!! and the beginning of lottie's beef with the cabin <3

episode 8: flight of the bumblebee. this episode ruined my life <3

episode 4: bear down. i mean, one episode had to be last even if love them all!!!! i do!!!!! and as much as the competition was fun to watch, i think they should've killed travis the second that he pointed that gun at nat <3

and you know what???? i want to share my ranking of season 2 too 😭 gshjdfhgjfhg so

episode 1: Friends, Romans, Countrymen. lend me your ears!!!!! another perfect episode!!! i'm still getting chills every time i listen to seventeen and cornflake girl (which is several times every day). i think nothing compares to the feeling of watching shauna eat jackie's ear. also the day i fell in love with simone kessell as lottie matthews. i literally haven't been the same since then. also the teen lottie yell!!!!

episode 4: old wounds. listen.... i don't know what they put in this episode (laura lee's ghost and lottienat bath scene and adult van) but it literally changed me as a person

episode 2: Edible Complex. ella purnell acting as ghost jackie is seriously one of the best things i've ever seen. and the jackie feast!!!!! history was made!!!!!!!

episode 8: it chooses. when i tell you that i've never, never been so stressed as i was from the moment that they start drawing cards to the moment the credits started rolling in.... i'm so serious okay? worst night of my life. i wish i could live it again (bonus points for lottie losing it at her friends confessing their many crimes)

episode 7: burial. therapy time!!! bruce the goat!!!! 🥰 nothing compares to the feeling of seeing the adults just happily hanging out (plus florence and the machine songs!). and then shaunalottie sex scene shauna beating lottie up while the adults dance around a bonfire??? 1000% rewired my brain. i collapse on the ground every time i listen to lighting crashes (again. several times every day)

episode 6: qui. i fully support sophie nelisse emmy campaign <3 unnecessarily cruel <3 they fuckimg ate that baby <3 jackie's voice <3 high school reunion!! <3 that last scene will fucking haunt me forever and ever amen

episode 10: storytelling. this episode ruined my life <3 i will defend it forever though!!!!! i swear i will!!!! i'm yellowjackets episode 2.10 number one defender!!!!! the natalie coronation scene is my favorite thing in the world. and i loved to watch the cabin burn, idk if i was the only one but i did NOT expect it!!! can't wait to see them huddling for warmth on a pile like puppies on season 3

episode 3: digestif. baby shower 🥰!!!! and i'm a simple lesbian, i just want melanie lynskey to point me with a gun

episode 5: two truths and a lie. teen nat comforted by adult lottie like adult nat will be comforted by teen lottie in a few episodes will haunt be forever. but, "i'm so sorry bestie", literally no one wanted to see that much of randy walsh

[dark-night-star-light]

Spirit Animals: Against the Tide (Reread pt. 5)

DISCLAIMER: WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOKS ONE THROUGH SEVEN AND BOOKS ONE THROUGH FOUR IN SECOND SERIES.

Masterpost

Chapter 1

“ . . . it was enough to instantly and badly burn any foot, or boot, or paw . . . ” (2). How did the four get on top of Muttering Rock during the climax, then???

“Kings and empires had risen and fallen since his imprisonment, but still, he waited” (2). Foreshadowing Kovo saying that it’s better for kingdoms to fall than for the Wyrm to claim its host?

Kovo and Gerathon bickering like siblings is lowkey funny???

Chapter 2

“‘She’s just jumpy. We all are.’ ‘I wonder why’” (8). Abeke and Meilin’s relationship has regressed significantly . . . damn.

“Except that Abeke’s family usually made her feel uncomfortable and small and worthless, while being with Conor was easy and warm” (9). Abeke’s abusive family literally makes me so angry. Also “being with Conor was . . . warm” . . . she probably means that literally and figuratively, considering what happened in Arctica.

“‘ . . . I saw what happened when Conor and Meilin chose their families over our quest - and when Rollan nearly did . . . ’” (9). Abeke is the only one that hasn’t attempted to choose her family over the quest somehow. Huh. 

“The falcon shrieked, which might have meant, ‘Oh, put your shirt back on’” (13). REJECTED.

“‘That’s not fair,’ said Rollan. ‘That’s barely hilarious at all’” (16). He does have a point.

Chapter 3

“‘They probably already know,’ Meilin said unhelpfully. ‘Since someone is passing them information, as you might remember’” (20). Meilin is so mean in this book. 

“‘I thought we were friends’” (20). That’s literally so manipulative of Meilin. She was being hostile first.

“‘ . . . you realize that was the second time you were conveniently captured so you could be used as leverage against us?’” (21). The first time was Glengavin, right? But she wasn’t even used as leverage then???

“ . . . every time he thought of Shane, he wanted to punch something . . . ” (21). The third time Conor has expressed interest in punching Shane, you guys. In case you’re keeping track.

“‘I knew that boll weevil in my soup last night looked suspicious’” (23). LOL.

“He had a strong, sinking feeling that this mission was going to end with loss and disaster” (25). The foreshadowing is done with a heavy hand in this book. Not sure if I’m a fan.

Rollan and Meilin arguing for a whole page be like: Actually, I’m right-

Chapter 4

“Nope. Don’t even think about it. I refuse to be eaten by sharks” (34). I talked about this briefly during my Hunted reread, but the tone of the story after the first book is vastly different from the first book’s tone. It gets lighter and more joke-y. This quote is another example. “Nope” is a word that is too informal to have ever made an appearance in the first book.

“ . . . oh, and PS, also had deadly sharks snapping and lunging only a few feet away” (35). This book is even more informal in tone than the past three. Again, it makes sense given the change in author, it’s just interesting.

“‘Hruumf,’ she observed at the sky” (37). This is so cute.

“The top of a rockback whale was clearly no place for her, and hey Jhi was trying her best to do as Meilin had asked” (38). Yeah. Yeah, I wonder why that is.

Chapter 5

“‘Foolish stupid crazy stupid lunatic brainless-’” (41). Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the extent of cursing in this book.

“Then she started pointing to the shark bites and barking orders at everyone swimming or paddling around the whales” (44). She’s ordering people she doesn’t even know? What an icon.

“With a whoop, he did a cartwheel in the sand and fell over” (44). This is too hilarious.

“Uraza turned up her nose, flicked her tail, and stalked off toward the jungle of dark green trees visible at the top of the beach” (45). She’s back to her arrogant self, lol. 

“Two islanders ran up as Kalani took off her dripping green seaweed cloak; one took it from her with careful ceremony, while the other handed her a new, dry green cloak” (47). Kalani has servants?

“‘Compassion and respect! So THERE’” (48). LMFAO.

Chapter 6

Does Abeke have trauma from island jungles?

I actually think that Ngaio and Tangaroa’s spirit animal might be the best in the whole series. Really. They literally play hide-and-seek together. That’s so cute. Also totally what I would do if I had a spirit animal.

“She almost missed the freezing wind and icy, insect-free snow of Arctica - but not really” (53). Didn’t Abeke grow up on a hot savannah? She really shouldn’t be preferring coldness to heat.

“‘Probably because he expected you to help them,’ Kalani said. ‘Instead of acting like an embarrassing mule-headed pig’s snout’” (55). This is such a teenage insult, it’s funny.

Ngaio and Tangaroa’s relationship is probably the best spirit animal bond ever.

“‘This lunatic is nearly as old as a whale king. Show a little respect for your elders’” (57). Didn’t she just call him “an embarrassing mule-headed pig’s snout” though? 

“Abeke could tell that Meilin was ready to stab something. Fun was not something any of them had time for, not with the future of Erdas at stake” (58). This would be so fun to draw.

“Definitely no falling into the crocodile-infested river” (61). Seems like something Rollan would say.

Can’t Abeke call foul play on Tangaroa for the river stunt?

“It reminded Abeke a little of Kunaya, the kitten she’d rescued on their trip to find Rumfuss” (63). Oh yeah, that reminds me, what happened to Kunaya? Did Finn take her? New headcanon: Donn-Kunaya parent-child relationship.

Chapter 7

“Briggan came back from sniffing the undergrowth, licked Conor’s hand, and sat down on his foot” (66). The image of this is too funny.

“Briggan was trying very hard to look dignified, but it would be very hard for anyone, even a Great Beast, to maintain his dignity while wearing a bouncing orange hat” (68). Grumpy Briggan.

Nightshade Island is cursed because of the First Devourer War catalyst event happening there, I’m pretty sure.

Bruh, Meilin is literally physically abusing Rollan? I hope this is a one-time thing-

“‘Jhi, for the love of Mulop, would you stop rolling around like a drunk chimpanzee?’” (72). Meilin is kind of psychologically abusive toward Jhi as well.

Chapter 8

“‘Meaning people who’d rather throw a meal away than give it to a starving orphan’” (74). That wasn’t Rollan’s code of honor, though? It was don’t steal from sick or poor people, and don’t steal if there’s a better way. I guess there’s a footnote there, then.

“‘If anyone knew where we were going - if anyone spoke of this island to us - if someone helped us get there even just by giving us a canoe . . . ” (75). Why can’t they just ask someone to give them a canoe and not tell them where they were going? They can lie.

“‘I’m not sure his head is going to fit in the canoe anymore’” (76). LMFAO.

Ah yes, Essix’s iconic blood-curdling shriek.

Meilin thinks being with Rollan is like being with a panda: parallels.

“If the word tapu hadn’t already existed, Meilin thought someone would have invented it just to describe this island” (82). That’s probably what happened, though???

“It was a little weird if she thought about it, and a little weird that she liked it, and a little weird to think about Rollan at all . . . ” (83). You don’t say.

“‘I can still control Jhi . . . ’” (85). Meilin feels so toxic in this book? Like more than normal??? It’s concerning.

“ . . . [Tarik and Rollan] looking almost like father and son . . . ” (87). Foreshadowing.

Chapter 9

“Conor, Abeke, and Kalani had spent most of the day lying in a shallow hole, covered with palm fronds . . . They were waiting for it to get dark” (90). Why didn’t they just wait for it to be dark before coming? Then they wouldn't've had to be in a cramped hole.

“Conor wasn’t sure what system she was using for the symbols” (93). I kind of want to know how Kalani is marking the walls so they don’t get lost, as well.

For some reason, I remember them meeting Timone on the island itself, not in the cave system??? Huh.

“‘You can’t take us anywhere near the tribe!’” (94). Is he trying to warn Kalani about the Bile’s effects?

I kind of want to know what Timone was doing wrong with his bond to make Waka resist him before he took the Bile.

“‘That no-good shark-faced backstabbing son of a jellyfish’” (97). Kalani has such descriptive chain insults.

Chapter 10

“If only the Bile didn’t exist in the first place” (102). Foreshadowing the end of the first series?

Kovo, a Great Beast, and one that thinks humans are stupid, gives the Devourer the Bile, a substance that enslaves animals to humans. Very logical of him.

“‘You mean - he would have come to me anyway?’” (103). So that means the first Devourer is literally not even old enough to be bonded. He’s not even eleven years old.

I’m not really a fan of the use-dreams-to-further-the-plot-or-explain-things trope, and this is no exception.

“‘Thank you, Jhi,’ Tarik said. ‘Yes,’ said Rollan. ‘Thank you very, very much.’ ‘Why would it be here, on the beach?’ Meilin demanded” (108). Meilin is the only one that didn’t thank her own spirit animal.

Chapter 11

Wow, they killed a whole-ass Komodo dragon.

“They had to run, and hope against hope . . . ” (112). Hope against hope? Kind of a cool line.

Abeke! Riding! Uraza! It’s mentioned in Tales of the Great Beasts that Uraza was too proud to let just anybody ride her. 

Katoa seems so cool. Like if he were human, he’d be one of those chill, laid-back surfer-type people. 

Chapter 12

If Meilin has a grandfather, how come she never tries to see him? We don’t ever meet him either. Is he dead?

“They would be furious - for five minutes. Then they would roll up their sleeves and start cleaning it up” (118). Kind of reminds me of Meilin: angry during the war, but afterward she helps rebuild Zhong.

“‘She’s not,’ Meilin said. ‘I thought so at first, but . . . we are meant for each other” (119). Meilin was kind of abusive to Jhi for the majority of this book. There was a cute moment after Jhi found the shell, but before that, it was all verbal lashings.

Is this dream Jhi attempting to warn Meilin?

“‘Worse,’ murmured Jhi. ‘Oh, Meilin . . . I can’t tell you, but you need to know . . . ’” (121). So, she is trying to warn Meilin. Can Gerathon control the animals, too? I mean, she can control the humans that control their spirit animals, but can she control the animals directly? I’m pretty sure she can-

Chapter 13

“‘Has anyone ever told you that your trust issues are all over the place?’” (124). Yeah, get her, Rollan.

“Lenori was on the beach . . . ” (124). Where has Lenori been all this time?

“‘Kalani is a wise and strong queen’” (125). Isn’t she sixteen?

“She looked straight at Abeke. ‘That’s the person who killed my father’” (127). She is in for a surprise. Also, she was good with Abeke in the last book? In one of the previous books, she makes an effort to not let her distrust for Abeke show outward.

“Rollan found himself appreciating the fact that at least his spirit animal had a face” (129). LOL.

“‘I fear that something awful is about to happen’” (132). Heavy hand with the foreshadowing there.

Rollan’s carpet memory with his mom . . . awww.

“He wondered if he and his friends would survive long enough to see a day when they could just enjoy a place like this . . . ” (138). Really, this needs to happen. Canonically.

“‘Float there unhelpfully like a wet piece of silk if the answer is yes’” (140). HA. Also, she should’ve switched that to no.

“‘I’ll go first,’ he offered” (141). So Rollan was scared to get onto the Kingray, but he’s willing to be the first to go into a giant hole?

Chapter 14

“The wolf sniffed at the tentacle and sneezed . . . ” (143). This kind of reminds me of the line in Fire and Ice. Parallels? 

“‘Remember the tall ones from last time?’” (144). What is Mulop referring to? What humans? Conquerors from the First Devourer War?

“ . . . being the only underwater Great Beast” (145). But the Great Beasts had to migrate to the Evertree, which is in the middle of Nilo . . . how did Mulop . . . ?

Mulop’s question-answer talking is so funny.

“‘I thought the war was the Devourer’s idea, and Kovo and Gerathon were just helping him’” (148). Yeah, I thought that, too. I really don’t remember anything, do I?

“‘Kovo wanted to rule Erdas. Why?’” (148). I kind of wish easter eggs about why Kovo did what he did were planted while writing this series, instead of Kovo just pacing in his cage muttering about how he wants to crush the human race. Also, he’s a Great Beast. Doesn’t he already kind of rule, in a way?

“‘We also guard the secret of the bond between humans and spirit animals. That is the source of power’” (148). The Evertree???

“‘Very few still remain with their Great Beasts. Tellun’s. Cabaro’s. And mine’” (149). Didn’t Olvan say that the four fallen’s and Kovo and Gerathon’s talismans went missing after the First Devourer War? The Conquerors have Gerathon’s, obviously, but where are the others, then?

“‘It is a terrible thing,’ said Mulop. His deep green eyes bored into Meilin’s. ‘You will wish you had been kinder, little warrior’” (152). So Great Beasts can sense the Bile? Also, why didn’t Mulop, just, like, tell them that Meilin had taken the Bile?

Chapter 15

“‘Essix would have warned me if we were being followed’” (158). Only if Essix knew.

“‘Plenty of boats to carry us straight to Stetriol and into the hands of the Devourer. Aren’t we lucky’” (159). LOL.

“She could see at once that the enemy had planned for this attack . . . ” (159). Okay, so step one: Gerathon looks through Meilin’s eyes. Step two: she . . . tells the Conquerors??? How??? Isn’t she in Stetriol? It’s not like she can send messages? Or does she control them instead of telling them???

“Zerif tucked the Iron Boar back into his shirt, still grinning smugly. Abeke wanted to smash something. Ideally his face” (163). I personally think we should allow Abeke this basic human right.

“A heartbeat later, Essix dropped from the sky and drove her talons and beak at the Conqueror’s face” (164). GO FOR THE TALISMAN, ESSIX! THE TALISMAN.

Chapter 16

Oh, here it is.

“Abeke was taller, but Meilin knew ways of holding people that made it almost impossible for her to break free” (168). Does that mean that Gerathon can only work within a person’s arsenal of skills? Can she force someone to fight if they don’t know how?

“It’s me. I’m the mole” (168). *dramatic music*

“Did my father do this to me?” (168). If he did (he probably did), then he quite literally got himself killed. He tricked Meilin in drinking the Bile → Gerathon can see through Meilin’s eyes → the Conquerors swarm the Lake of the Elephant → General Teng is killed.

Also, why? Why did he want Meilin to have a spirit animal so badly? It is mentioned that Meilin’s mother and all four of Meilin’s grandparents had spirit animals. Maybe he felt isolated and didn’t want his daughter going through the same thing?

Also, how did he even get Bile??? Where did it come from??? Why was he just willing to give it to his daughter? So many unanswered questions . . .  

This is referred to several times throughout the chapter as a “betrayal”. But it’s not??? It’s not even close??? Betray is defined as “to treacherously reveal information or secrets”. Meilin did none of the above. So this isn’t a betrayal.

The only person doing anything evil is Gerathon, who they already knew was bad. Obviously, that doesn’t make it any less devastating, but it’s not a betrayal. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

“Jhi was being controlled by Meilin exactly the way Meilin was being controlled by Gerathon right now” (170). Which allows room for some level of resistance, right? Also, it feels like they made Meilin ridiculously toxic in this book in particular to foreshadow this. She was less toxic before this and barely toxic at all in the first book.

“ . . . it would only take a moment for Rollan to switch talismans . . . ” (172). Can you not use more than one at a time?

“I’m the mole . . . I’m the reason the Conquerors are winning the war. I’m the reason they’ve always been able to find us; it’s my fault they have the talismans they stole from us. It’s my fault my father is dead” (174). Literally none of those things are her fault. They’re really all her father’s fault. And again, referring to her as the mole is inaccurate.

Chapter 17

Again, saying Meilin is the mole is inaccurate.

“‘Why didn’t the Greencloaks protect her?’” (177). Honestly, yeah.

“‘I’m glad you guys are safe, too,’ Conor said . . . ” (178). Yeah, about that . . . 

“Conor stared at him in disbelief, his green eyes wide and confused” (179). I think this is the first time we’re getting canon Conor eye color?

Okay question: couldn’t the Greencloaks have just stopped trying to collect talismans and instead focus on building their army for the war? Because so far, the Conquerors haven’t actually gotten the talismans themselves, just stolen them. They probably wouldn't have either, considering that the Great Beasts only gave theirs up because the four fallen were there. So if the talismans stay with the Great Beasts, neither side will get them and Kovo will never be freed?

Final thoughts and rating:

I like Kalani as a character and her insults are definitely top tier. Tangaroa and Ngaio are definitely my favorite bond thus far. I liked how Conor doubted Abeke in certain places then felt ashamed. It really made him feel more 3D and not like a perfect angel that trusts everyone, because in a situation like this, it’s a bit impossible. The author did a good job of conveying Nightshade Island, like I could picture it in my head, and I usually can’t do that very well. It wasn’t really the physical description itself that was so good, it was the way it made you feel that was done exceptionally. Sunlight Island’s cave system was really cool in my opinion, and I wish it could’ve been revisited at a later point in the series. I enjoyed Mulop’s personality a lot, it’s nice to see the Great Beasts show some character and really come to life. The plot twist was definitely pulled off perfectly, and was clearly foreshadowed with the sleepwalking and whatnot. I think Meilin’s devastation was written quite nicely. I enjoyed Abeke’s slow realization that her family was pretty abusive towards her. I also liked how Rollan’s mother and his feelings about it didn’t weigh the story down too much, only at critical points. A very good choice in terms of writing efficiently.  

Meilin choosing to help the whales redeems her a bit, but I still think the way they decided to make her ridiculously toxic right before the reveal was a bit unnecessary. Meilin was definitely more toxic than needed in this book. Personally, I think they should’ve taken it down a couple notches. Mulop not just telling the four that Meilin had taken Bile was a questionable choice. I think easter eggs and hints toward Kovo’s true motive, stopping the Wyrm, should’ve been planted in this book instead of making him out to be this human-hating villain that is bent on ruling Erdas. Just small things, like Kovo perhaps worrying about a “mysterious ancient force” or justifications involving how he will “save Erdas”. 

Rating: 8/10

[belongsinthetrash]

What interesting things have you gotten interested in, in these past few interesting months, my interesting friend

Well, well-well-well-well, welllllll, a few thing-a-ma-bobs. But it's mainly been 4 fandoms that have come and intergrained themselves in my grey matterspace.

Disco Elysium is pretty obvious with some of my recent posts, BUT I've really only gotten 5 or so hours into my first playthrough so far and from what I can guess, it is nowhere near the end for me. I'm gonna try and get back to it sometime soon, but it's just been a case of notyet getting into the mindset to play a deeply written detective-human psychology-political story novel, to the surprise of myself. It's highly enjoyable, don't miscontrue my words, but it's an undertaking.

Speaking of politics, guess which underwater, steampunk, civil war simulator franchise I've played and has shot to the top of favorite games of all time? Yeah, Bioshock 1 and 2 had knocked my socks off with their presentation and story than I had first expected. I knew the games were classics, but I had just thought they wouldn't interest me since I'm kinda lukewarm on the steampunk genre admittedly. But Rapture as a whole had made me engrossed with every inner working and system in the sunken city, not withstanding the competing and aggressive interactions between the personification of political stances called Andrew Ryan, Sofia Lamb, and Frank Fontaine. Lovely games and my heart is sent to every Big Daddy and Little Sister down there, specially Delta.

Oh, and Infinite? ...i-it's fine. Like, I liked looking at the grim alternate history of Columbia (which is another reason Rapture had grabbed me) and I got used to the gameplay and feeling of being akin to Half-Life 2, but the ending kinda fell super flat on me and I wasn't a fan of how they intergrated parallel worlds into the story. And less said about Burial at Sea, I'll give you as many sugardoodles as need be.

Now back to our normal scheduled program, and by normal, I mean bizarre. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Good segueway, I know. But yeah, Jojo has occupied a lot of brainspace in me too recently, which is rare for an anime to do so for me. But fuck me, did the story grip me by Part 2. I had felt like it had finally start to get it's narrative grip by the time I had seen the Pillar Men emerge to be cool, strong, honorific yet bastard vampire dudes. It may have also been the gay talking and Joseph being iconic. But what sucks about my situation is that I'm not far into Part 3 because I've been watching through it on a friend's behalf and her schedule hasn't aligned for it for the past month, so I'm stuck in a purgatory of waiting to get the full context of scenes through the actual story while I tiptoe around spoilers when watching content made by Jojo fans, and it kills me more when I slowly feel like I'll fucking ADORE Parts 5, 6, and 7 when I get to it! Basille, you bitch (affectionate), WATCH JOJO WITH ME!

Ahem, sorry bout that, let me get to the last thing right quick. Risk of Rain was yet another thing recommended to me by a friend and I've had my fair share of enjoyment playing through both of the games. The first game's style is wonderfully Terraria feeling for a guy that knows that Terraria is not my speed in the slightest, and I had a fair bit in fun in completing the game with every survivor. Risk of Rain 2 has been even more fun but also more infuriating as another result, since I really like the transition into 3d and how the game feels much more smoother to play, but I've grinded myself at trying to beat the game even once after 30+ attempts that it has burned me out even when I get a good run. Maybe it's just because I complete stages too slowly, but I can't help but wanting to complete shit. I've gotten to Mithrix once and have been waiting to taste that wonderful feeling again. And what is another kick in the pants is how RIsk of Rain Returns has released but isn't on consoles beside the Switch and I want it!

Oh, and I don't know if I had said this outright, but I had seen Ultrakill about a year ago and have been still into that, but even moreso now, soooo I guess that counts?

[technodromes]

[⚙️] Character Info Sheet

name: Grum name meaning: Their name means wrench, if pronounced correctly. Imagine a very deep-voiced heavy metal singer singing 'gum'. It's about like that. Grum stems from a generation of Utrom that have been known as great engineers and machine scientists and all their names refer to tools. alias/es: Kraang 811986 (while being mind-controlled), Bubblegum (by Rick, they just roll with it at that point tbh) and pretty much whatever other nickname people give them at some point. They are different from many other Utrom in the way that they use no exosuit and rely on their flyer, so they have no exosuit/human alias. ethnicity: Utrom, or Xephalopod Utrom (a wide-spread subspecies of the Utrom that '87 Krang stems from, but no Utrom ever really talk about it) one two picture(s) you like best of your chara My art muse has been so fickle lately and I didn't really draw much of meaning aside from just editing icons for them. I definitely wanna draw my little grape more in the future tho. You know, whenever inspiration hits me.

three h/cs you've never told anyone:

1) Grum pronounces their own name wrong when introducing themself to a human (saying the 'r' in it out loud while actually you don't). It is widespread knowledge among Utrom that most humans can't pronounce Utrom names correctly, so they don't bother and usually use different names altogether (like the Council for example). Which seems rather pretentious despite the lack of hard feelings, but it has just stuck with them. 2) Like many other Utrom, Grum is gluten-intolerant. They are also allergic to strawberries. Other than that though, they can digest many things that Earth has to offer. They are not really picky either, but due to their strawberry allergy, they don't like fruits that are similar to it (like raspberries). 3) They always carry a towel in their tiny backpack to clean themself up after work or eating. It's not obsessive, but Grum cares a great deal about hygienics and makes sure to keep themself and their equipment clean. You know they are stressed when they overlook a speck on themself after finishing work.

three things your character likes doing in their free time:

1) You know Grum is going to fix or improve some devices in their supposed 'free time'. Just being idle and doing nothing is not really relaxing for them. Keeping their tentacles busy is what keeps them the happiest. 2) They study a lot when they're not actually working. They have a tablet/pad in their backpack where they can also connect to Earth's Internet. Not unlike Bishop, their research can result in wild assumptions, depending on the topic and results. It is easier to feed Grum with wrong knowledge though. They can be a little gullible at times. 3) Trying out new things. Like cooking or crafting. Just as mentioned above, they are the happiest when their tentacles stay busy with something.

eight a few people your character likes / loves: That's a tricky one. While I have Grum intertwined in the Canon as having been a part of Kraang's hive and therefore harboring hard feelings towards Krang and Subprime, I haven't spent awfully much time thinking about their relationship with the other characters to be quite honest. The Salamandrian scout K'Arakga was their first friend after being on their own, even though they parted ways again. They are also on good terms with Bishop, since the latter offered to help them reconcile with the Utrom numerous times. And, considering Grum is a good fellow who tries to redeem themself, they do get along with Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and April. Grum is likely to stay in contact with Donatello the most though. two things your character regrets: Even though Grum never really had any control over it in the first place, their biggest regret is having been a part of the Kraang Hive. There are also moments where they regret numerous decisions they made, like some of their awkward socializing attempts that resulted in uncomfortable situations... two phobias your character has: Ever since having their own identity mixed up with Kraangs, they experience a great fear of memory loss (Athazagoraphobia). The thought of potentially forgetting someone or something important causes them huge distress, even though it is very untypical for Utrom to forget something entirely. Their dislike for being touched borders to a mild fear of hugging (Haphephobia). While they don't necessarily feel pain, the sense of guilt they harbor causes them great emotional discomfort when they're touched. It is a phobia they can and certainly will overcome over time, tho.

Tagged: @dynamoprotocol (thank you <3) Tagging: @countlessrealities (SR), @tatorupawa (Donnie, canon/verse of your choice), @nightwatchr (canon/verse of your choice), @chaosmicjelly , @championofdarkland and whoever else wants to do this ^^

[spiderflora]

🌺ROLEPLAY PINNED TWEET🌺

(Oh god that's the first time I actually try to make something tidy and "aesthetic", send fucking help!!!! Totally inspired by @novaragno pinned post she taught me everything but I am a terrible student.)

💐Ahem!💐

Since I haven't been active on my tumblr acc for a fucking while, well, here is a roleplay attempt. Here goes a spider-sona, yep! (ran by Sassaetcie, 22, she/her)

CARRD

RULES BELOW

📔1. Everyone can RP with me I guess?

That's my first time so this mayyyyy change. If I ever sound weird or if I do something that is not supposed to be done on tumblr RP please tell me! I'm new in here so I may not know some rules!

📔2. Asks and threads.

I will answer asks as much as possible! We can continue an ask in DM if you want, that's fine by me! I usually don't share my Discord but I may make an exception if we become friends or if we RP a lot :) We can also make a plotted thread (I love that, even if well, I've only done RP in private so far!)

📔3. Language/Grammar.

English is my second language. Please tell me if I make a mistake, I'd be glad to learn considering it's supposed to be part of my work. We can speak in French if you speak French as well :)

📔4. Art/Credit.

Well, I guess I mostly going to draw my own stuff but considering my attention is all over the place, that may change. Icon made by @novaragno and face claim: Tomoe Mami :)

📔5. OCs.

I'll be playing with my OC, so why not play together? I'm perfectly fine with ocs!

📔6. Shipping and NSFW.

I'm fine with shipping as long as you respect what's written on my Carrd! Suggestive is fine but I'd rather avoid NSFW because: -It can make me uncomfortable -I don't know if I have any underage people in my followers so: Just in case.

📔7. Blacklist/TRIGGERS.

I don't really have any triggers (except maggots and pregnancy) but I'll follow your lead!

📔8. no AI. That's it. Couldn't be clearer than that.