#may have to rethink the strategy here

[heartisbrave]

watching bottoms and drinking every time something gay happens. not even ten minutes in and i finished my drink

[redstarwriting]

i think i’ve seen this film before

hobie brown x fem!reader

request?: yes

request: “Can I request a hobie brown x fem! reader who saves his life but almost dies. Like, she’s super protective over him and one day they’re fighting an anomaly.”

requested by: anon​

word count: 2.8k

genre: angst with some fluff

Warnings: language, strangling, mentions of injuries, knives, mentions of stabbing, near-death experiences, murder, death, mentions of stitches, canon event happenings, kraven the hunter (he himself deserves a warning lmao), bruising, cuts, blood

A/N: angst be my favorite lol i hope you enjoy this anon! sorry for the torture hobie and (y/n) go through in this oops ALSO t-swift title bc i enjoy pain

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The minute you came to Spider Society, Hobie became your best friend. Literally, y’all hit it off immediately. The two of you were seemingly inseparable and made the best team out of all of the spiders. He was overly protective of you, and you were overly protective of him. Because of that, it wasn’t surprising to anyone in the slightest when the two of you shared a kiss after a mission. Of course, for the two of you, it was an in the moment thing. Both of you were hurt and needed the other person to be okay and while the two of you were frantically making sure the other was alive and okay Hobie somehow ended up with his lips on yours out of relief you were still here. And then from that moment on you were together all the time romantically on top of being best friends.

Miguel noted this and started to try and send you two on missions without each other, but every time Hobie wouldn’t listen and end up with you anyways. So, he had no choice but to send the two of you together. But he was always worried that one of you wouldn’t be fast enough to save the other. And if that happened… well he’s seen enough Peter’s lose a Gwen to have a guess.

And today his fear nearly came true.

The two of you were on a mission going against a particularly difficult anomaly in his world. Of course, you and Hobie had taken on just as bad before and been fine, so going into it there wasn’t really any concern. But during the fight, things were getting a little hairy. The two of you land on a building to regroup and rethink your methods of attack. “Kravens fucking suck,” you growl, and Hobie nods. “Can always count on the bloody Russian wanker to make shit ‘arder ‘an it should be,” he frowns. “How do all the damn Kravens know how to develop the damn spray to cancel out our senses?” you ask, rolling your shoulder back since he had hit you there earlier after numbing your spider sense. Hobie rubs it without a second thought. “‘ow bad ‘e getcha, love?”

“I’ll be okay. Just pisses me off,” you mumble, and Hobie nods. “Don’t push y’self, (Y/n), it’s not worth it. If Miguel wants to catch ‘is guy so bad ‘e can do it ‘imself,” Hobie says, and you shake your head. “We can do this, just gotta come up with a new strategy.”

“Right, then. We’ll give ‘im hell like we did ‘at one time with Lizard in Miles’ dimension,” he suggests, and you nod. “Sounds like a plan. We can even knock him off the top of the roof of this building. He may be strong but he’s not us.” Hobie nods.

“Stay safe, (Y/n).”

“You too, Hobie.”

With that, the two of you leap off the building, Hobie going directly in front of Kraven and taunting him while you went behind him, getting ready to strike. Unsurprisingly, it worked. The two of you got in quite a few punches, kicks, and hits, but this Kraven just… wasn’t going down. The two of you didn’t know this, but he was actually drugged up on some enhancer from his world, so his durability was even stronger than usual. And getting a few good hits in just pissed him off. The two of you were going in for a similar attack, Hobie going behind him this time to catch him off guard, except that didn’t necessarily happen. Kraven caught him off guard. He turned around, grabbing Hobie by the throat. He gripped Kraven’s hands, trying to get them off, but his strength was too enhanced. Hobie actually felt panicked. He’s been through things like this a lot, but now he had you. And not only that, you were here, with him.

And he’s supposed to be protecting you.

His eyes widen as he feels Kraven tighten his grip, cutting off his airflow completely. Now, he was really panicking. He was desperately trying to pry Kraven’s hands off his throat, but nothing seemed to be working. He subconsciously started glancing around, trying to find you. If he was going to die, he wanted you to be the last thing he saw. Not this overly muscled asshole currently murdering him. He heard him muttering some shit in Russian, but he was too preoccupied with his vision starting to get fuzzy and going black. By this point, bitter tears were falling down his face, and all he could think about was you. He’d stopped fighting as hard at this point, mainly because he literally couldn’t fight any harder than he was, weakly trying to get Kraveen off in any way he could think. But it just wasn’t working. Nothing was working.

That is until Kraven got railed with a semi.

He let go of Hobie, and Hobie gasped for air. He fell to the ground, everything was hazy and he was too dizzy to stand up. He coughed, looking up at where the semi came from, and saw you. Kraven was angrily standing up again, and you were laser-focused on him. You charge at him, getting another good hit to his face. Hobie smirks, trying to stand, but realizes after he stumbles back down to that ground that he is nowhere near that point just yet. So he tries his best to take deep breaths and recover from what he just went through. But that leaves you alone fighting this piece of shit. He doesn’t necessarily like that idea very much. His eyes don’t leave you once. He knows how strong you are, but knowing how strong this anomaly is, worries him. So he calls for backup. Jessica answers, and he speaks. His voice is raspy, almost unrecognizable. “Need ‘elp,” he starts, still staring at you,  then he sees something that makes his entire body go numb.

Kraven punches you in the leg, and you suddenly stumble. You fall to the ground, and Kraven makes it a point to punch your other leg. And then both of your arms. Until you can’t move. Hobie’s heart drops as he realizes he’s using his nerve punch against you. He kicks you, hard, punching you in the face this time. Then, he pulls out his bolo knife. Hobie is running before he can even process it, and he learns later on that in his moment Jess heard him scream in a way she’s never heard before. He gets to Kraven and feels a searing pain spread across his chest, but he couldn’t care less about himself in the moment. He reaches out for you, ready to shield you with his body so Kraven can’t cut you again, but before he can grab you, Kraven picks you up by your throat, dangling you off the top of the building. You can’t even fight back, all of your limbs are limp and you just have to endure the choking Hobie went through earlier. Kraven laughs. “Do anything to me, and I drop her.”

“Let ‘er go. Now.”

“Well, if you insist.”

He drops you. He drops you right off of the high rooftop the three of you are on. Hobie screams, but Kraven quickly grabs him, preventing him from saving you. Big mistake on his part. Hobie growls, punching Kraven directly in the face. He doesn’t hold back. Kraven crumples to the ground, and Hobie jumps over the side of the building, trying to get to you as fast as he can. He doesn’t give a fuck about capturing Kraven anymore. You can’t move. You can’t web away from this.

You’re just falling.

You’re happy you have your mask on because you worry that the fear in your eyes would break Hobie. Hobie feels the same about himself as he reaches out for you, but you’re too far away from him. He shoots a web out, connecting to your abdomen as you near the ground, webbing himself against the building so you won’t keep falling. So you’ll be safe. He has to keep you safe.

To Miguel, he’s seen this scene a thousand times. The exact positioning, the panic, the way Spider-Man isn’t rationally thinking in the moment and makes a web mistake that destroys him. Typically, Miguel would stand aside. This is technically a canon event multiple spiders go through. But something in him isn’t accepting the two of you going through the event of losing the other.

 Canon event or not, Miguel wasn’t about to let another spider die today. 

Jess zooms over on her motorcycle, shooting webs out of her gloves to form a web of cushioning underneath of where you are about to hit the ground while Miguel leaps, shooting a web out to connect to your head to lessen the blow since he can’t get to you in time. Luckily, the web below you mixed with Miguel’s precaution quite literally saved your life. Your head did bounce back a bit, yes, enough to give you whiplash, but you were alive. Albeit very injured, but alive. Hobie leaps down immediately, landing on the web and cradling you in his arms. He rips yours and his mask off, bringing his ear down to your lips to hear you breathing. Then he puts his head on your chest to hear your heartbeat. It’s only then that he can calm down slightly. But then he sees the knife wounds all over your body. He looks into your eyes, seeing tears as he wipes them away. Sometimes he wipes away his own tears that dripped down onto your face. “Love? (Y/n)? Can ya ‘ear me?” he asks, but you just slowly blink at him.

You’re too tired to listen. You can’t really hear anything, but it breaks your heart to see Hobie’s face. The way he’s frantically trying to talk to you. You just don’t have the energy to say anything. He’s moving so much faster than you could even imagine moving right now. You can see Hobie mouthing to stay awake to you, but you can’t hear his voice. You wish you could hear his voice. You love his voice. He gently slaps your cheek, pulling your attention back to him. He looks so sad. He starts getting fuzzy, and you struggle to keep your eyes open. You know he’s telling you to stay awake and you know you probably should, but you’re just so tired. And cold. But Hobie will hold you and make you feel warmer. So, a little nap should be fine.

Your losing consciousness scares the shit out of him. He holds you close to him, crying and mumbling that he’s sorry over and over again. He only stops when Miguel approaches him, telling him they have to get you back to Spider Society so they can take you to medical. “But you have to let go of her…” Hobie shakes his head. “No. No, I’ll carry ‘er,” he says, and his voice sounds more like pleading than anything else. Miguel nods. “You can do that. Let’s go.” Hobie stands as Miguel opens a portal, walking through it and holding you as close to him as he can. He frequently checks your pulse, panicking when he realizes it’s fainter than before. As soon as he steps foot back into Spider Society, you’re taken from him. He just has to watch as they take you away. Jessica is holding him back. “You need medical attention too, Hobie. Come on,” she says, staring at the gnarly gash across his chest. He gets stitches, but the entire time he only asks about you. He’s only thinking about you.

“What happened?” Miguel asks him after he’s all fixed up. Hobie shakes his head. “I wasn’t fast enough,” he whispers. His voice is still raspier than usual and Miguel can clearly see bruising around his neck. “She saved you, didn’t she?”

“…I don’t wanna talk abou’ it.”

“Hobie—”

“Yes. Okay? She did. I’m alive cause she ‘elped me and when I needed to ‘elp her, I couldn’t. I ain’t fast enough,” Hobie snaps, and Miguel frowns. “Hobie. This is the job. She’s okay now, but—”

“I don’t give a fuck if it’s the fuckin’ job, Miguel! She got hurt on my watch!… This is my fault…”

“No. It isn’t, it’s that Kraven’s… though I don’t think we’ll need to worry about him anytime soon,” Miguel says, and Hobie glances at him. “Why?”

“You forgot to pack your punches in your panic,” Miguel sighs, and Hobie nods. “Fuckin’ good. Bloody bellend deserved it.”

Miguel shakes his head. “You should be able to go see her now. We needed to stitch her up and give her some blood transfusions so she’ll probably be a little… drowsy if she’s even awake. But you can see her.” Hobie immediately stands. “Where is she?”

Miguel walks him to your room, motioning to Hobie that he can go inside. Hobie walks inside the hospital room and rushes to your bedside. He grabs your hand, rubbing it with his thumb. You’re asleep, and he doesn’t even want to try and wake you up. But he can’t help but notice all the bruises and stitches all over your body. He can’t stop staring at your injuries, but the one that really sticks out is the bruising around your neck. He had the same, but he would have gone through it twenty times if it meant you didn’t have to. He’s crying again, but he doesn’t even make an effort to wipe the tears away. He just keeps staring at the injuries he couldn’t prevent. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

His head snaps to your face. Your voice is as hoarse as his, yet you’re still looking at him with a tiny smile. “’ow d’ya feel?” he asks, quietly. You sigh. “Bad. Head hurts really bad. Body’s sore. But it’s nothing I can’t handle,” you say, and he nods, looking away from you slightly as a new wave of tears comes over him. You bring your other hand up to his face, wiping some of his tears away. “Don’t cry, Hobie, I’m okay,” you say, and he shakes his head no. “You’re not okay. You’re ‘urt. I couldn’t ‘elp you…” he whispers, and you frown. “No. I should have helped you sooner.”

“Don’t you say ‘at.”

“Then don’t you say bad things about yourself,” you say, and he just looks down. “Hobie… look at me.” He raises his head, looking at your face. “I’m alive, okay?”

“But you almost—”

“Who cares what ‘almost happened.’ It didn’t happen, yeah? I’m here, breathing, talking to you,” you urge, and he shakes his head. “I care. Always gonna care, love,” he whispers, placing his hand on yours on his face, holding it there. You rub his cheek with your thumb, and he lets out a shaky breath. “I killed ‘im, y’know?”

“I’m so surprised,” you say sarcastically, and a ghost of a smile graces his face. But it disappears as fast as it came. “Really, though. ‘m sorry, (Y/n). This shouldn’ta ‘appened to ya,” he mumbles. You shake your head. “It’s okay, Hobie. You did your best,” you say, and he sighs. “Ya sound tired.”

“I am… apparently getting stabbed and cut multiple times makes you lose a lot of blood. Who would have thought, right?” you joke, and Hobie shakes his head. “Go to sleep, love.”

“Only if you join me.”

“Ya stable enough for ‘at?” he asks, hesitating just because of your recovery process. “I’ll be a lot less stable if I don’t get to hold you, Hobart,” you say, and he shakes his head. “I’m rubbin’ off on ya too much.”

“Impossible.” You scoot over, and he lays down. You wrap your arms around him as he places his head on your chest. Hearing your heartbeat is soothing to him right now. He gently wraps his arm around your waist, careful not to agitate your wounds. You rub his arm for a few moments before falling asleep. Now that he knows you’re okay(ish) and that you’re alive, he suddenly feels very tired. Maybe it’s just the lull of your heartbeat, but he falls asleep shortly after you.

Jess and Miguel look inside the room. “You interfered with a canon event,” Jess says, and Miguel shrugs. “I don’t like when spiders die.”

“Sure. That’s the only reason,” Jess mutters, softly smiling at the two of you. It was cute how in love the two of you were, even after a near-death experience on both ends. Peter B. Parker appears behind them, looking into the room and covering Mayday’s eyes. “Oh, shit— I mean shoot. Don’t tell your mom. What did I miss, you guys?”

───────────────────────────────────

[justanotherrpmeme]

Bound / Gagged starters

"You won't get away with this, [name]!" "Why don't you just let me go? This won't end well for you." "Tying me up won't change the fact that you're the bad guy here." "If you think this will stop me, you're mistaken." "You enjoy playing the villain, but you're just tying yourself into a corner." "This is temporary. I'll be free, and you'll be facing justice." "You really think ropes can hold me? You underestimate me, [name]." "You've made a big mistake, and you'll regret it." "Is this the best you can do, [name]? I expected more from a 'mastermind'." "You may have tied my hands, but you can't control my mind." "You know, kidnapping is a felony. You might want to rethink your life choices." "This is just a setback. I'll find a way out, and you'll be sorry." "Think tying me up will break my spirit? You're in for a surprise." "You have no idea who you're dealing with. I won't be restrained for long." "How about we settle this without resorting to ropes and gags?" "If you wanted information, all you had to do was ask. This won't end well for you." "You're not the first to try this, and you won't be the last to fail." "This won't change anything. I won't be silent, and I won't be defeated." "Your knots are pathetic. I could escape with my eyes closed." "This may hold me physically, but you can't imprison my will."

[STRUGGLE] The sender fiercely struggles against their bindings, determined to break free.

[TWIST] The sender twists their hands, attempting to loosen the knots around them.

[GLARE] Despite being tied up, the sender shoots the receiver a defiant glare.

[GRIMACE] The ropes are tight, causing the sender to grimace in pain.

[SNIFFLE] In a moment of vulnerability, the bound sender lets out a quiet sniffle, trying to hold back tears.

[EXAMINE] The sender examines the receiver's restraints, searching for any weaknesses in the binding.

[PROTEST] Muffled through the gag, the sender protests against the captivity with fervor.

[DISTRACT] Spotting a nearby object, the sender attempts to use it to distract the receiver or loosen the ties.

[STRATEGY] In a hushed tone, the sender outlines a quiet strategy for escaping the restraints.

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: daily transits 9/1

Today marks a significant shift in the astrological landscape as two powerful planets—Uranus and Pluto—initiate transformative journeys. Uranus, the planet of innovation, rebellion, and sudden change, stations retrograde at 27°15' Taurus, signaling a period of introspection and reassessment in areas where we may have felt stuck or resistant to change. Simultaneously, Pluto, the planet of transformation, power, and rebirth, re-enters Capricorn, a sign associated with authority, structure, and long-term goals. This combination sets the stage for deep, systemic changes that will unfold over the coming months.

Key Influences

Uranus Stations Retrograde at 27°15' Taurus:Revolutionary Introspection: Uranus stationing retrograde in Taurus brings a powerful call to reassess and reevaluate areas of life that may have become stagnant or too routine. Taurus, a sign deeply connected to stability, values, and material security, can sometimes resist change, preferring the comfort of the familiar. However, Uranus’s energy is anything but routine—its retrograde motion invites us to look inward and question where we have become too set in our ways. This is a time to explore new possibilities, break free from outdated patterns, and innovate in areas related to our resources, self-worth, and how we create stability in our lives. The retrograde period is ideal for revisiting past ideas or projects that may now be ready for a fresh, innovative approach.

Focus on Security and Values: Taurus’s influence on Uranus retrograde highlights the need to reassess our approach to security, both financial and emotional. This transit may bring up sudden changes or disruptions in these areas, forcing us to adapt and rethink our strategies for maintaining stability. The key here is flexibility—Uranus encourages us to be open to new ways of securing our future, even if they seem unconventional or challenging at first. Embrace the opportunity to innovate and redefine what security means to you, allowing for a more dynamic and resilient approach.

Pluto Re-enters Capricorn:Deep Systemic Transformation: Pluto’s re-entry into Capricorn marks the continuation of a long-term cycle of transformation that has been reshaping structures of power, authority, and societal norms since 2008. Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, is the sign of discipline, responsibility, and long-term planning. As Pluto moves back into Capricorn from September 1 to November 19, we are called to revisit and complete the deep transformational work that began during its initial transit through this sign. This period may bring up unresolved issues related to power dynamics, governance, and the structures that underpin our personal and collective lives.

Rebuilding Foundations: Pluto in Capricorn asks us to confront where the foundations of our lives, careers, and societal structures may have become weak or corrupt. This is a time for deep introspection and a willingness to dismantle what no longer serves us, even if it involves confronting uncomfortable truths. The work of Pluto in Capricorn is about building something more enduring and sustainable—whether in our careers, personal lives, or the broader societal framework. This transit supports long-term planning and the disciplined effort required to bring about lasting change.

Integrating the Influences

Embrace Innovation and Flexibility:Navigating Uranus Retrograde in Taurus: Uranus retrograde is an invitation to innovate in areas of life where we may have become too rigid or resistant to change. This is a time to experiment with new ideas, especially those that challenge our usual approach to security and stability. Be open to revisiting past projects or ideas that may now find fertile ground for growth. Uranus encourages us to think outside the box and embrace change, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Flexibility and adaptability will be key to navigating this retrograde period successfully.

Focus on Long-Term Transformation:Pluto’s Return to Capricorn: With Pluto re-entering Capricorn, we are reminded that true transformation is a long-term process. This period is about completing the deep work of restructuring the foundations of our lives and society. Whether it’s in your career, personal life, or broader societal roles, this is a time to focus on the big picture and the long-term goals that require patience, discipline, and a willingness to confront difficult truths. Use this time to build something that will endure, even if it means letting go of what is no longer viable.

Prepare for Deep, Systemic Change:Anticipating the Shifts: Both Uranus and Pluto are outer planets associated with deep, systemic change. As they begin their retrograde and re-entry phases, we are called to prepare for significant shifts in our lives. This may involve reassessing our values, security, and long-term goals, as well as confronting and transforming the structures that govern our lives. Embrace the opportunity to innovate and rebuild, knowing that the changes you make now will have a lasting impact on your future.

follow for more astro insights like this and head on over to @quenysefields or my etsy --> sensualnoiree to grab my new astrology guidebook on reading your own natal chart :)

[seventeenlovesthree]

Hey I thought I would you ask you something about the Digidestined that makes me really wonder about their relationships.

Minus any shipping,

Which Digidestined do you think brings out each Digidestined the best of themselves? It could be as a friend or a love interest.

The show seems to imply that DNA digivolving/jogress means they are matched together well, but is this really the case?

I think an analysis like this would be helpful.

I would agree that the idea of "brings out the best in the other/makes the other better" is not applicable to every single Jogress combination - and sometimes, it applies more to one side than the other, but it also really depends on the time and place the characters are currently at. While there is a certain theme of complementation going on between all existing Jogress pairs ("one is having something the other lacks"), they also don't make each other "perfect".

Personally, I would also always distinguish that Jogress compatibility doesn't equal romantic compatibility - it CAN be a factor, but is not the main theme in my opinion. But let me look at all individual cases... May be a looooong post!

Taichi: For him, it REALLY depends on what timeframe we want to look at, because it's incredibly context-reliant. To nobody's surprise, I gotta name the 3 characters that - aside from Hikari - have the greatest interpersonal impact on him: Sora, Koushirou and Yamato. Sora's influence makes Taichi softer and, as we know, makes him question his cowardice - she is indirectly responsible for activating his Crest for a reason after all and I still maintain that, despite the miscommunication that goes on between them throughout the series (OWG, Tri), him caring for her is pushing him to do his best. Yamato can be seen as complementary here, because, while Omegamon was never formed BECAUSE of their bond, Yamato still challenges his sense of courage, he makes him more contemplative and considerate in times of emergency (Dark Master's Arc, Tri, Kizuna). Yamato also pushes him to rethink his strategies, pushing him to be better - the problem is that they sometimes have to get physically violent for it to happen and that's not necessarily the healthiest approach. Koushirou is here for the simple fact that he enables Taichi to make the right decisions and even if Taichi still has a tendency to do things himself, he knows he can rely on Koushirou's strengths to do so (Adventure, OWG). Similarly to how he relies on Yamato, even though it has less of an emotionally visible impact. Long story short - he can be his most COURAGEOUS self when his heart, his gut and his head are in the right place. (Hikari can be mentioned here because she gets him to try to be responsible and protective thanks to their past experiences, but that should be self-explanatory.)

Yamato: Jyou and Taichi. Similarly to how Yamato has an emotional impact on Taichi, the same goes the other way round - I'm still ranking him after Jyou, just give me a moment to explain. First of all, both Jyou and Taichi used to have their rocky moments with Yamato, some involving punching, others shouting and accusations. You can argue that, as adults, a.) they have overcome most of their arguments and quarrels and b.) Taichi and Yamato seem to be much, much closer than Jyou and Yamato. I still maintain that, personality wise, Jyou is more emotionally compatible to deal with Yamato's temper. As said, most of Taichi's and Yamato's quarrels have been solved by now, Yamato doesn't perceive Taichi as a threat of his own sense of leadership and ability to be a brother anymore; he may still see him as a mirror displaying his own worst qualities whenever he's at his lowest point though. They have become good, close friends, that will always be capable of saving the world together, trusting in each other blindly; as mentioned here, I think that they are not necessarily able to save each other outside of that though. We may spin this into a direction that, Jyou is more compatible with Yamato romantically in my book; because he could look through Yamato's insecurities and, by being inspired by him, inspired Yamato in return as well - and activated Yamato's Crest after all. I know, I know, I may be biased and it's been a while since they've smiled at each other softly like they did in the Dark Master's Arc - but at least the stageplay validated me in how Yamato was eventually able to open up thanks to Jyou's encouragement. Long story short, both Jyou and Taichi tickled Yamato's sense of FRIENDSHIP in very particular ways - and this is remarkable, because Yamato is good at "finding people" (as in, doing investigations and knowing whom to contact), but not necessarily good at maintaining bonds. (Takeru may be mentioned, because he nurtured Yamato's protective attitude, but just like with the Yagami siblings, this can be seen as a given.)

Sora: Mimi and Taichi. I am a big fan of the idea that Sora and Mimi complement each other in the best possible ways - while Sora used to be the mom/big sister friend to take Mimi under her wing, protect and guide her, she encourages Mimi to bloom into a confident flower that got enabled to support Sora in all the ways she needed for once. Granted, Sora still struggles to accept Mimi's help, even as an adult, but the analogy of Mimi being the flower who softens the thorns in Sora's heart is just too beautiful to me. Speaking of hearts, if there is any other character that reaches hers in character-defining ways, it's Taichi. The same Taichi who, after saving her, vanished, caused her to look for him on her own while still protecting everyone in the back, just to end up reunited, with everyone having gotten stronger than before, helping her to realize that she indeed knows how to LOVE. As pointed out here, they are continuously on each other's minds, almost telepathically connected (as implied in the novels) - and similarly to Mimi, Taichi has a very strong impact on how Sora defines herself. Starting off as his football buddy and partner in crime, regardless of her gender, I still maintain that it particularly confused her when she got that hairclip from him, challenging her own identity problems and issues with femininity even more. And while I already said that there is an ongoing theme of miscommunication between them, up until Kizuna, the care and connection between them does not fully vanish. Mimi is the one who tells her to spread her wings freely (To Sora), Taichi is the one who tells her that her caring attitude is not a flaw (Tri) - she still has to embrace both of that first though and since she currently prefers to take a bit time for herself, we gotta wait and see if and when that might be the case...

Koushirou: Taichi and Mimi. I will try to keep this briefly, as you all may already be familiar with my stance on this anyway, but still: Without Taichi, Koushirou would not have gone to Summer Camp. Without Taichi relying on Koushirou's skills, enabling and encouraging him, the group would not have saved Sora, would not have been able to solve the card riddle and get back to the real world, would not have solved The Prophecy, would not have been able to find medicine for Hikari... You see where I am going with this. Koushirou, according to the novels, used to not think very highly of himself as a person who also didn't get along well with other people - and Taichi just naturally took him under his wing, invited him to camp, indirectly helped him to believe in his KNOWLEDGE and skills more and become more of a hands-on person, which naturally led to him become a guidance and eventually a mentor and teacher for his friends and especially the younger kids. Basically, he could open up and become more vocal due to his bond with Taichi (again, literal novel quote), being his best friend, right-hand-man and partner in crime, solving riddles and saving the world together. The other person who makes him get more vocal at times is Mimi - not only does she challenge him to question his own approaches by having a completely different priority system (positive!), but also makes him question his wardrobe (slightly less positive in my opinion and I still wish I could name Sora as honourable mention at this point, because fashion could have been a wonderful bonding and development theme for them, but they simply never got executed like that!). The fact that both Taichi and Mimi cause his polite attitude to fade at various points in the series is a clear indicator that they have an impact on him like nobody else - especially because he is very connected with a lot of people online and makes sure to keep everybody always up to date, but is not necessarily the most social butterfly outside of Chosen Children duty.

Mimi: Sora and Jyou. I'm not sure who deserves spot 1 and who gets spot 2 here, because both of them have such a vital influence on why Mimi is as confident in herself as she is. As already mentioned in Sora's part, Sora has been protecting and guiding Mimi ever since they have known one another and it's quite obvious that Mimi, despite not aspiring to be like Sora at all, still greatly admires her and all her qualities. When Mimi loses her way, she knows she can rely on Sora to pull her out of it - which is exactly why their bond, Sora's kindness and encouragement helped to make Mimi's Crest glow for the first time, making her admit her faults and wrong-doings. And Mimi, despite her outspoken, opinionated attitude, needs encouragement. Which is where Jyou comes into play - not only was he the one to accompany her on her pacifist path of self-discovery once, but he was also by her side when she needed to vent over her insecurities and self-esteem issues twice. Making her be her most SINCERE self. Which in both cases, was a mutual experience, as I will go into detail about down below. Long story short: Both Sora and Jyou are capable of making her open up in the most genuine way, she feels safe and loved by them in ways nobody else can. Because even if they (indirectly) scold her for things she does wrong - they still do so softly, signaling her that she is fine the way she is. (An honourable mention here goes out to Stageplay/Kizuna!Koushirou who inspires Mimi to try out "something with computers".)

Jyou: Mimi and Yamato. Due to the consistent trope between Jyou and Mimi, I am very inclined to put her before Yamato in this ranking, but in the end, the theme between them is very similar. As pointed out before, Jyou decides to join Mimi in the Dark Master's Arc, primarily to protect her - but through witnessing and admiring her for finding her way, he felt inspired by her AND Yamato to go search for his own path, approach and attitude towards basically everything. It's something that both of them trigger in him at various points; even when he ends up questioning his intentions and motivations again, Mimi's sincere way of opening up to him (Tri) is what brings him back on track himself as well, allowing him to be honest to her and to himself. Not only that, Yamato (stageplay) validates him in believing that it all comes down to choosing for yourself to stay on track. Yamato (Adventure) who had once left the group, leaving Jyou in particular with the wish to believe in himself and his qualities. It's just a wonderful theme that keeps coming up, that helps Jyou to develop such a strong aura of confidence, which in turn makes him the senpai others actually feel capable of opening up to freely and safely. Which is significant considering how busy (and/or absent) he is most of the time. He IS Mister RELIABLE for a reason, so his validation causing Yamato's Crest to glow and Mimi to be confident enough to reach Ultimate level does mean something...

Takeru: Hikari (and Iori as honourable mention). You may or may not personally be pleased by the fact that Takeru and Hikari took the longest to conduct here. This can technically be seen as a negative, since it may imply that Takeru's bond with other characters doesn't go deep enough. Don't get me wrong, he DOES have bonds with QUITE a few other characters, he's looking up to Taichi a LOT, he loves to quarrel with Daisuke, he seems to know what is going on in Sora's and Koushirou's lives, his path from despising to trusting Ken is incredibly interesting, we already know that he and Yamato would die for each other and so on and so on... But you get the sense that he's not letting anybody really in too closely - which, as I observed before, applies to his brother as well. On the other hand, it also means what I already said in previous analysis posts: That he and Hikari are too glued together by the hip to let anybody else really come in between. There may have been times when one could have called it codependency, but considering all their parallels, everything they have seen and have gone through together, it can at least be assumed that they overcame some of their communicative barriers by the time of The Beginning. As much of a fun little time-killing exercise it may have been, he still spent his time practicing his fanfiction world-building skills with her and while the viewer cannot tell how much they have been talking about and processing their trauma, their brother complexes, etc., you simply cannot deny that they have consistently been there for each other. So one can only hope that he has stopped projecting his own overprotective brother tendencies onto her (ever since Tailmon called him out on them in 02), taking off the masks he has been showing a lot of people. Allowing himself to be the HOPE to her Light so to speak. I still want to give Iori a small honourable mention, because while I maintain that Iori "profits" more off of their relationship, I do believe that there was a time in 02 when he was also capable of making Takeru softer, offering him a bit of a mirror to himself.

Hikari: Takeru and Miyako. While the same issues apply to Hikari that have been mentioned with Takeru, her case is still a little bit different. Of course she had been hyperfocusing and depending on her brother for big chunks of the series and while she doesn't seem good at letting others in too closely either, her kindness still attracts people around her - including Takeru, who, as described, is both parallel and sidekick to her. You may already refer to them as trolls and partners in crime - and Hikari intended to stop depending on Takeru for protection as well, wanting to be equals ever since 02. Which, by the looks of it, may actually be the case, considering how they have been fighting rampaging Digimon side by side in Kizuna almost in sync. Again, she is acting as the LIGHT to his Hope. On the other hand, there is also Miyako, who, in contrast to Hikari, is loud and brash and tells the world when she doesn't like something - which is a skill Hikari basically longed to develop herself. So her admiring Miyako to at least some degree - while also being admired and encouraged by her in return - may have been a trigger that allowed her to grow more and more confident, balanced and equal to Miyako. As well as to Takeru too. And they may only grow further from here...

Daisuke: Ken. Daiken are probably THE prime example on how a Jogress combination gets the best out of each other. Simply because them working on their bond, their friendship, drags them away from toxic or dangerous habits (playing roles, hiding behind masks to impress others, bragging, catastrophizing, self-sabotage, etc.) and instead helps them to focus on what's really important. Daisuke gets naturally more comfortable, confident, downright happier and more enthusiastic thanks to Ken; his wish to BEFRIEND Ken basically makes him discover his own sense of COURAGE... There simply isn't a better example than this, because nobody else makes him get as honest as Ken does, as he basically plays a role towards everyone else (Hikari, Takeru, Taichi - and especially with the latter, it's a shame, because he used to look up to him, but finds his own style along the way, which never got that much focus...).

Ken: Daisuke. It's the reverse situation as described above, Ken is being enabled to overcome or at least deal with a lot of his self-esteem issues thanks to Daisuke's encouragement. The best thing is that, as soon as he opens up thanks to Daisuke, literally letting all of his KINDNESS shine through, he is capable of forming (potentially beautiful) bonds with several other Chosen Children and may have the greatest growth with the members of his core group (Iori, Takeru, Hikari and Miyako) than any other 02 kid. And in contrast to what I've said at the beginning of the post, Ken and Daisuke may or may not also be romantically compatible after all...

Miyako: Mimi and Hikari. While there are other characters who have an impact on her behaviour, I would argue that these two may have the biggest influence on how Miyako defines herself. Her identity and self-image are basically challenged by how she perceives these two; Mimi is oozing freedom, self-expression and brazenness when Miyako meets her for the first time, which are not only things that make her look up to her, but also things she would like to possess herself. Hikari is on the other end of the spectrum, she appears to be more reserved, collected, lady-like - and still possesses a drive, confidence and courage that Miyako admires. Her bond with both of them makes her more confident and also more SINCERE and LOVING, more aware of herself, her flaws and limitations, while also making her softer. (I would LOVE to add names like Sora and Koushirou here too, but they did not have screentime nor long-lasting "revelation" appeal to her. Sure, they both basically made her see that it's okay not to jump if you don't feel up for the task, but overall, they didn't have too much effect on her in comparison.)

Iori: Jyou and Takeru. Koushirou gets an honourable mention here, because he doesn't get nearly as much opportunity to see Iori at his lower points or have meaningful emotional moments as the other two do. Jyou and Takeru get way more opportunities to get to know and bond with him - we all know he still gets the shortest end of the stick in terms of screentime and relationship development, but it's still interesting to see how he loosens up, softens thanks to what he experiences with and observes through them. Takeru and him both have a lot of pent-up anger, but Iori learns that lashing out for revenge may not be the right path. Likewise, Jyou used to be a lot more tense and stiff on rules when he was younger - and is now teaching Iori that it's okay to take things easier, to be kinder with oneself. Plus, neither of them treats him like "a child/the youngest" and so he gets the best of both worlds, making him become more resilient through the gained KNOWLEDGE and letting him take on tasks to show his own RELIABILITY.

[vibratingskull]

For a dance with you

“A first kiss? With reader. Like in a semi public place! Like an empire week evening, a boring one.”

Here you go my friend @blackmonitor !

Its a Thrawn x f!reader

No beta reader involved, sorry for any typo

You sigh deeply…

You’re bored to death.

All those balls and soiree blurred and look the same to you. But as an admiral it is your duty to appear at those evenement and represent the Marine. It’s just… It’s always the same. The same face. The same dances. The same orchestra. The same low bows and subterfuges. 

You massage your neck, easing your muscles, taking a deep breath. You look at the crowd in front of you. How many of them did you see yesterday and will see tomorrow? Too much. 

“Are you okay,  Admiral (y/l/n)?”

Your attention goes back to the small group of dignitaries you were talking to. Their conversation isn’t that reinvigorating, no wonder you dozed off.

“Yes… I will just go grab another drink.” You say, serving them the first excuse that comes to your mind and dump them.

You grab another glass, and as you walk aimlessly you see a large window opening on a balcony. You’re dying for some fresh air.

Thankfully there is nobody else on this balcony. You come leaning against the guardrail, appreciating the wind in your hair.

“Can I join you ?” A voice you would recognize among thousands raises behind your back.

You turn your head, to see the man of your dreams at the window frame. He too seems bored to death.

“You may.” You smile politely, trying to control the quaver of your voice. “You too need some fresh air?”

“I need a bastion to retreat and rethink a new strategy.” He explains, placing himself next to you, sighing “I don’t maneuver well in politics… It’s an aspect I will never grasp.”

You almost nudge him, but refrain before actually touching him.

“Don’t say that! You will manage one day, I’m sure.”

“Thank you for your words of encouragement, but I do not share your vision. It is as such, I have accepted it.”

Your arms almost touch, grazing each other, you feel your face heating up like hell.

“You came with someone?” you ask nonchalantly, but secretly afraid of the answer.

Please no date! Please no date! You pray internally

“I came here with Colonel Yularen, he wanted me to meet some people.” He responds unfazed, clearly unaware of your internal turmoil.

Gosh, the effect this man has on you is unreal. You discreetly wipe your sweaty palms, feeling the tension rise as he stays longer next to you. You try to play cool, but you feel painfully obvious. You chuckle nervously, earning you a side look and an inquisitive raised eyebrow. Relax Y/n, relax! He’s just some guy, some random man. RELAX!

But he’s not just a random man, not to you. First of all, because he’s your direct superior, that counts for something, and because he literally haunts you… Your mind, your dream, your work environment, everything oozes his presence and plague your daily life. Which is both a curse and a benediction.

“And you?” He finally ask.

“Hmm?” Wandering in your head, you’ve lost track of the conversation.

“What would be your ideal partner for such a soiree?” 

“Oh,well…” You think for a second, who will be your ideal partner? 

You. 

But you can’t answer that. So you answer what’s most accurate.

“My lover, I would say. I’m a romantic at heart.” 

You discreetly observe his reaction but he just nods, looking at his wine swirling in his glass. 

At least he didn’t laugh.

“And you?” You ask to deflect the feeling of shame of such a confession.

“My ideal partner…” His hand went to his chin, his gaze fixated on the forest in front of him. “Let’s see… Someone special. Someone unique to me. Yes… A lover is a good choice…” 

Your eyes widen, you both agree to something. His wine must be strong for him to open up in such a manner. But there is still one crucial question.

“Do… Do you have someone in mind?” You hold your breath.

“I do.” 

You recoil on yourself. 

With only two words he stabbed your heart and murdered you. You gulp, feeling tears behind your eyes. It’s life (y/n), accept it.

“I wish you could have enjoyed this soiree with the person of your choice and not just imagined it, sir.” You say swallowing your tears, breathing through your nose.

“But I do not have to imagine anything.” He whispers.

His hand slides across the guardrail and grazes yours ever so slightly. 

You blink.

What ?

He seizes your hand, turning fully towards you. You remain mute, not fully comprehending what’s happening right now.

“(y/n)...”

Your eyes lock. You’re enthralled by those glowing fire orbs, sparkling with a mischievous, almost childish gleam, contrasting with his stern and serious demeanor. Is it… hope that I see? He caresses your cheek and tucks a strand of hair behind your ears. 

“(y/n)...” He repeats, even lower

“Y-yes?” You stutter, too dumbfounded by what’s happening to function properly.

He tilts your chin, slowly leaning towards you. 

“Don’t refuse me, please…”

That wouldn't even cross your mind. You feel his breath on your lips and close your eyes, incredulous.

He leaves a single, soft, sweet, tender kiss and you savor it like it’s your last.

But deep down, you know.

There are many more to come!

@Bluechiss @thrawnalani @justanothersadperson93 @al-astakbar

@thrawnspetgoose @readinglistfics

[occasionaltouhou]

Why didn't Yukari ever try to take over Japan when it was trendy for youkai to do that? Wouldn't that be a good way to get humans to believe in youkai, if the easiest way to convince humans that youkai are a real problem is to kill them? Also, why does she want to do all that anyway? Lots of other youkai are mad at/scared of humanity, like Mamizou. (Doremy mentions that in her AoCF winquotes against her.) Yukari definitely isn't the only one to have figured out the impact of belief by now, so why aren't other youkai trying to do what she is?

as ever, there are things to be clarified here. in a sense, i suppose this question is a response to all the other questions i've gotten recently, the vacuous "who would win" question. that question, though, has assumed something important: that the youkai are playing on their own turf, because if they're outside, they don't stand a chance.

but first, here's the questions at hand:

why didn't yukari take over japan during the heyday of the youkai, when ooeyama was at its prime and the oni rampaged through the cities?

why does yukari want to enact the youkai expansion project?

why aren't other youkai trying to do that? why didn't other youkai think to do that?

there are answers to these.

why didn't yukari take over japan when the youkai were at their most powerful?

there are multiple possibilities to these, some of which contradict others. we'll never really have a canonical reason, of course, because it's not something zun is concerned with.

first and foremost - who's saying she didn't try? she attempted to invade the lunar capital, after all. there seems to be the general assumption to believe she did this to teach the youkai humility, but yukari is absolutely hubristic enough to attempt to seriously take down the gods. a failure to do so would absolutely have caused her to rethink her strategy. i'd say that an earnest attempt to defeat the lunarians is more likely, honestly, given the fact that he holds a grudge over it more than a millennia lately.

you might say that the lunarians and the surface are unrelated, but that assumes knowledge that we know in the present. there's no reason that yukari wouldn't have thought that the lunarians would have opposed her should she move against the humans.

another reason, though, is that even yukari might not have realised the exact relationship between belief and youkai existence at the time. it's not necessarily the most intuitive idea, after all, and although the hifuus discuss a lot of things, they never quite touch on that. in general, they - especially renko - seem to assume that gensokyo is an alternate dimension, rather than a pocket of their own? which makes sense, y'know. yukari may merely have been more aware of the fading of the youkai during the sengoku period's war-driven modernisation, and made the connections quickly enough based on her understanding of what the future was like.

also, there's a big step between "human faith sustains youkai" and "to maintain human faith, we need to control humans" - especially in an era where humans are already, to some degree, being controlled to believe those things. there are a lot of unintuitive ideas at work here that we can take for granted because we have the hindsight - and the outside perspective - necessary.

finally, she probably just didn't want to? with few exceptions, youkai don't really build societies, and the idea of building a youkai kingdom probably doesn't really sound that appealing to most of them. it's telling that the sages built gensokyo so that they'd have to do as little as possible to actively maintain it; the idea of youkai building armies and policing populations and doing all the things necessary to maintain a youkai rule over japan is inherently kind of absurd. that's just not what youkai do, after all, and youkai doing what youkai do is crucial to their nature

why does yukari want to enact the youkai expansion project?

in the 1400s, a group of youkai and kami came together to discuss the fact that, not now, but far into the future, they would fade away. and they began to develop a counter-measure. they created an enclave, hidden away in the mountains of japan, and began to gradually influence its culture. after another few hundreds of years, entailing who knows how many discussions between countless other kami and youkai, the great hakurei barrier was raised.

yukari is not alone in her fear and anger at humanity. she is not, in that regard, particularly unique. her primary value was that she knew, definitively, that youkai and kami would vanish from society unless something was done. that foresight was the seed of gensokyo. gensokyo is another rather unintuitive idea, required to be developed centuries ahead of the time in which it would actually be needed. the expansion project (at least, as i envision it) is similarly unorthodox, because it requires the knowledge that the human society that has no need of spirituality would be incomplete as a result. it exploits that weakness, the boundary of common sense, the idea that humans would be fundamentally, spiritually, emotionally unsatisfied by the world they built for humans. again, it's an idea that requires foresight.

but we can assume that at least the majority of the other sages were on board with this! probably a few other major youkai, too. youkai are fundamentally selfish, after all. they won't be satisfied with living in a little bubble forever. but they can wait. they just need to wait a little bit longer...

but that raises a question, of course - what about those who didn't come along? what about those youkai who remained outside? why didn't they join in? and, more to the point, didn't they try to fight their own end?

why aren't other youkai trying to do that? why didn't other youkai think to do that?

the short answer is that these days, there simply aren't that many youkai left outside. mamizou is specifically noted to be exceptional - kanako is surprised there are any youkai tanuki left. that's unsurprising, though, since mamizou's got a lot of credibility to her; it's implied pretty regularly that she's danzaburou-danuki, who's one of those Big Deal Youkai (though not quite on the level of ibuki-douji or tamamo no mae, of course). danzaburou's even enshrined - though good luck finding a source on that in english.

so what happened to the other big deals? there's myths on youkai getting exterminated, of course, but that doesn't really seem to stick - just look at suika - so it can't be that. unless, of course, they tried to pick a fight once it was already too late, and they'd already begun to fade. therein lies the problem, really; youkai are antisocial beings by nature, which is the real reason gensokyo is so unorthodox, because it requires the collaboration of hundreds, maybe thousands of youkai.

and, as noted, many of them simply became humans, too. they disguised themselves and lived as humans so long that they became human. that, too, is a kind of fading away. and yet... mamizou's fear leads to the belief that that's not all there was.

humans hunt youkai, and youkai hunt humans; as early as iamp, suika states that this is the Arrangement between the two. but this became imbalanced, as youkai grew weaker and humans more numerous. the youkai began to die when they were killed, and the system broke down. who knows how many were destroyed, not even trying to fight back, but merely trying to live the way that they always had? when would it have occurred to those dying creatures to reshape society? how could it have occurred to them? and to those who remained, what an absurd idea that would be! it's taking everything they can simply to survive, after all. there's a difference between recognising the problem and knowing what to do about it; and, perhaps, even trying to do something about it now would be too little, too late, expending the last breaths of a handful of dying creatures in a futile effort to prevent their own annihilation.

but fortunately, yukari came from the future and made a nature preserve, so it all worked out! yay!

[horizon-verizon]

If we discount Helaena, Rhaenyra is by far the most useless adult dragonrider in the war. Even teenagers like 15-year old Jace and Daeron or 14-year old Baela with young comparatively small dragons (Moondancer was barely able to withstand Baela’s weight and fly) contributed much more to their side’s causes than the queen too-traumatized-to-fly-a-dragon.

A good example was her sending Rhaenys to die instead of going herself or allowing her sons to go & help. Corlys was enraged she sent Rhaenys but wouldn’t risk her own life or her sons to even the odds.

I always get confused how much time was between Rhaenyra's stillbirth labors and Rook's Rest bc the timeline is not so solid when described in the actual book, but Rhaenyra was, again, recovering from that Visenya-birth...("The Red Dragon and the Gold"):

And, anon, leaders (not commanders, I mean the actual rulers) in medieval wars didn't lead armies as often as you may think precisely bc of what happens to Crispy!Aegon.

Plus, none of them thought that Aegon would be there with Aemond-Vhagar, bc again, Helaena wasn't considered an actual player/possible protector and the any other dragons the greens had otherwise that they could use was Vhagar/Sunfyre. Aegon essentially left KL vulnerable to attack when he left for Rook's Rest with Aemond. Rhaenrya, Corlys, Rhaenys, all the rest most likely believed Aegon would at least stay behind for that reason alone...and the text explicitly states that Rhaenys might have had a chance against Vhagar (Criston's aggressive plan to "trap" whoever came to Rook's Rest basically by ambush):

(one bc she is a consummate rider, having ridden for far longer than Aemond who has to wield a much larger dragon -- Meleys was known for her speed...two, Rhaenyra would have definitely died and then what? Jacaerys rules bc we see how competent he was? Why do people want Rhaenyra to die so bad and for a teen boy, no matter how great he is, to take that responsibility on so bad...look as what happened to Jaehaerys and and look how that turned out for this guy who had such an enormous weight on him that motivated him to be...what he was!!! And then while I think there was a good possibility of Jace still having supporters like Rhaenyra,) it would be--for a time--destabilizing the blacks if their Queen died in the middle of the war...and it's still also one dragon down).

My past two posts (POST #1 -- POST #2) abt GRRM's writing of Rhaenyra was never an invitation or admittance of her being totally useless...bc she nor Syrax were even as they were comparatively not as active in shaping the blacks' strategies against the greens until post-KL takeover. She still made necessary decisions that were NOT black-white solveable. Helaena was never encouraged to actually fight and after B&C there was no way she ever could. Whereas if given more time, I'm pretty sure Rhaenrya could have (KL armor and seating).

Then I could be proven wrong abt her not being more like a Rhaneys the Conqueror and actually using Syrax for war and more than laying eggs...but again, GRRM didn't allow the time to stretch out to accommodate that possibility bc he wanted Rhaenyra to be too entrenched in her own grief. Visenya was her idol.

It's very possible that she was willing but had no opportunity/mental space in lieu of her own kids dying (doing a lot of rethinking here since a few past, even earlier posts). Which, again, I'm fine with HotD Rhaenyra flaming bitches but not the swordwork necessarily still.

[magmas-stuff]

Metal Sonic: Imperfect Self (character overview)

Hello again! Last time I did an overview of Eggman Nega, so this time I chose a character even closer to Dr. Eggman himself: Metal Sonic. This post aims to be a short analysis of the character, his motivations and what makes him so interesting as a foil to Sonic's free spirit.

Purpose. Identity. Sonic.

Introduced in Sonic CD, Metal Sonic was built by Dr. Eggman and given one sole purpose: destroying Sonic. Operating under the twisted belief that he is the real, true Sonic, Metal constantly tries to prove his superiority to his "imperfect self" in contests of speed, coming back stronger each time.

Metal Sonic continues to analyze the situation as he runs after him. He has been unable to beat Sonic since the first match. He has the best performance and a tireless body of steel. There are plenty of factors that make him unbeatable. And yet, he can’t win. Why? Why can’t he beat a hedgehog that just runs fast… And then… A rustle of electrons rippled through this sea of AI cognitive threads. …Isn’t that because he’s “just fast”? (Translation by @browniestash!)

Metal Sonic occasionally shows some doubt or insecurity in his sole mission, but ultimately never gives up, analyzing gathered data to rethink his strategy and come back as more of a threat than ever. And Sonic is more than happy to take the challenge.

He’s already sent out a distress signal. Help will be arriving soon and he will be recovered at Eggman’s base. If he can connect to the base’s main computer and analyze today’s data, he should be able to win the next round. There will be room to rethink his inhibitory behavior and attack patterns, as well as to sharpen his focus on speed. He can still reach a higher dimension. There is someone with whom he must determine who is better in that dimension… (Translation by @browniestash!)

Stripped of free will

While Sonic is, most of the time, the only thing in Metal Sonic's mind, he does have another relationship of great importance to his character: the one with his master and creator, Dr. Eggman.

Regularly filling the role of Eggman's silent enforcer, Metal Sonic holds a much higher status than most Badniks in the Eggman Empire, being among his favorite creations. He is a tool, sure, but he's undoubtedly one of his best tools.

Though, of course, this has little effect on his treatment of the metal doppelganger. As a general trait of Eggman's, while he is very much capable of praising his robots in the event they succeed...

...The doctor will offer them less than humane treatment when met with failure.

Seeing fault in his boss' leadership, Metal Sonic would reach his breaking point in Sonic Heroes, modifying himself into Neo Metal Sonic and taking charge of the Eggman Empire. Perhaps he thought that, with him in charge, the empire would finally be able to wipe out its opposition. More specifically, to wipe out Sonic the Hedgehog. Curiously, Metal Sonic here also aims to take over the world, though this may be a consequence of his will being "attuned" to Dr. Eggman's.

This attempt at overtaking his creator's empire fails, and Eggman takes this opportunity to strip Metal Sonic of his free will and turn him into an obedient robot once more. Despite his attempts, it would seem Metal still has some remaining autonomy, seeing as he'd double-cross Eggman once more in the future.

Conclusion

And that's Metal Sonic. A relentless robot with a single objective and a lot of hatred, who aims to prove his superiority and destroy his rival but is, as he sees it, held back by the lead of his creator. I've been meaning to write about this for a while, seeing as there's been a lot of interpretations of his motives floating around and it’s a character I find fascinating.

[probablyasocialecologist]

If high-income countries are to decarbonize fast enough to stay within their fair-share of Paris-compliant carbon budgets, then urgent climate mitigation tasks – like building renewable energy capacity, insulating buildings, expanding public transit, innovating and distributing more efficient technologies, regenerating land, etc – need to happen very quickly. This “green production” requires mobilizing massive amounts of labour, factories, materials, engineering talent, and so on.  In a growth-oriented scenario, this is difficult to do because our productive capacities are already devoted to other activities (activities that are organized around profit and which may not contribute to social and ecological objectives). So we need to either compete with existing forms of production (for labour, materials, energy etc, which can drive prices up), or otherwise increase total productive capacity (i.e., grow the economy).  This cannot be done at just any desired speed.  Under these conditions, there are very real physical limits to how fast we can decarbonize.  Scaling down less-necessary production solves this problem, not only because of the two benefits indicated above, but also because it liberates productive capacities (factories, labour, materials) which can then be remobilized to do the production and innovation required for rapid decarbonization. For example, factories that are presently devoted to producing SUVs can produce solar panels instead. Engineers that are presently developing private jets can work on innovating more efficient trains and wind turbines instead. Labour that is presently employed by fast fashion firms can be liberated to train and contribute to installing renewable capacity, insulating buildings, or a wide range of other necessary objectives depending on their interests, through a public job guarantee program linked to green public works. This helps us rethink a longstanding question in ecological economics. Some ecomodernists have in the past argued that it is easier to achieve green transition in a bigger economy than in a smaller economy, because it means we have more capacity to devote to green production.  But this fails to grasp the nature of the problem. Yes, a bigger economy may have more capacity, but in a growth-oriented scenario that capacity is already allocated.  In this respect bigger economies face the same problem as smaller economies.  But a degrowth scenario is not a “smaller economy” (i.e., a low-capacity economy).  It is a high-capacity economy which is reducing less-necessary production, and therefore is suddenly endowed with spare capacity that can be redirected for necessary purposes.  This is a unique situation that carries significant potential: it enables acceleration in the speed of green production and innovation at a rate faster than what can be achieved in a growth-oriented scenario.

[rigginsstreet]

Oh so Billy's like a hamster but for one specific man got it.

Do you suppose Hopper has to shoo him back in the house with a broom multiple times. Or do that thing where you have to move where he moves to block him from escaping.

Hell, put a laundry basket on him like a cat who craves scampering out the house. He craves the Harrington, Hopper. Why must you deny him. </3

Are hamsters notoriously horny 😂

But he’s hopper does all of that. Ends up chasing billy around the house only to realize 1. He’s deeply out of shape and can’t do this too long but 2. This may also result in billy opening up his stitches and bleeding out everywhere so….hes gotta rethink strategies here

[foxesandtarot]

Been feeling stuck?

A while back, I did this spread for myself. It stayed in my mind for a bit, so I decided to pull some cards for you guys too! Simply pick a pile you feel drawn to, and hit 'keep reading' for the reveal and interpretations.

As always, take what resonates and leave the rest. If this spread has helped you, feel free to share it with your friends. :) I am also open to doing personalised readings! (If you’re looking for a specific spread that’s not listed, you can drop me a message and we can work something out!)

Pile 1

You're currently stuck at a crossroad, unsure of whether to follow your mind or heart — you've worked out all the logical steps but it may infringe on some of the emotional parts of you. On one hand, you may be ready to sacrifice some things; on the other, you want to find a compromise or a different way to tackle it. Despite your efforts to find a balance in which neither sides lose anything, it's been to no avail. And because you've been at this for so long, you might feel like you have to make a decision soon.

Unless it's a time-sensitive issue, you shouldn't continue putting more stress on yourself regarding this decision. Set aside time to ruminate on this, where you have time to breathe, relax and consider everything again with a clear and unconditioned mind. Let everything flow, even the seemingly "dumb" ones. Tune in to your intuition and dreams, pay attention to what's between the lines and outside the box. With a much more open mind (much alike a blank sheet of paper), you may come across certain ideas that could be worth exploring.

Pile 2

You've been trying hard, hoping to see some change, but it kind of feels like you're on a hamster wheel lately, right? The sights are the same and you're still in the same spot. Well, have you been neglecting the inner parts of you while working hard on the grind? Toiling away at the expense of your emotional and mental health won't take you far. Or maybe you're being too hard on yourself, and letting all the "what-if"s and negative thoughts run a little too free. It could also be that you're being too indulgent in certain things.

What you need to do is write down your goals clearly, and break them down into actionable, bite-sized steps. It doesn't matter how bite-sized it's broken down into: the objective is to ensure you can make it from here to the next step. Don't just write "I want to write a book -> I will write 1 hour a day." That can be broken down further into "I will write 1 paragraph a day" or "I will write X sentences a day". The distance you make with the small steps a day will become one or two big steps at the end of 30 days. When you are able to take action on your small steps, you are regaining control and steering back on track.

Pile 3

You've really been going through it and you're worn out to the bone, be it physically, mentally or emotionally. You don't know who you can reach out to, probably because you're still in the eye of the storm, or processing the aftermath of the fallout. No matter which position you’re in, I would advise against resisting the changes that are unfolding, as well as embracing them (gradually over time). There's a reason why this upheaval is happening, even if you don’t see it yet.

It's time to rethink why these old ways just aren't working out for you anymore (they could even be the cause of the upheaval), and find new strategies to tackle problems moving forward. This storm shall pass too, and it will only do you good if you can see and extract the lessons, so that you won't be in a situation like this again. This isn't to say you'll never face such storms anymore, rather, the next time something similar happens, you'll have the experience, knowledge and skills to navigate better through it, or even before it (developing foresight to avoid such situations).

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Which pile did you pick, and did it resonate with you? Let me know!

Don’t forget to leave me a like on this post if you found this helpful, or even share it with your friends. If you wish to leave a tip, you may do so on my Ko-fi page（っ＾▿＾）

☽✧─── Home page ˖ Paid readings on Ko-fi ˖ Reviews ˖ Tip jar ˖ Bi-monthly yapping on Substack ˖ Pick a pile spreads on Tumblr ˖ Instagram ───✧☾

[lunarsilkscreen]

Counting Cards

Turns out, Casinos use reverse psychology to fake you out when you have advantage.

This was an accidental realization on my part; I won a couple hundred dollars at the cheap [BlackJack]{21} tables the only time I went to Las Vegas, and while one of them was a fluke; I Happened to be drunk on casino freebies, and sat down with a group I recognized, who told me to get lost after I won a couple of hands... Where they didn't... I'm sure they're still mad about that to this day....

I couldn't read the table at the time, but in hindsight; they were playing a strategy that required them to agree not to hit on dealer-17 (or lower) (because the dealer *must hit*) and so the odds are in the favor of the players to assume the dealer will draw 5+ especially if there are plenty 4(or less) on the table.

It's a simple strategy to consider in order to maximize table wins over dealer wins--this isn't a trick; it's just following the "odds card" in tandem. The odds card every casino gives you so you "play by the book" and have a basic understanding of the game.

Hitting less *also* means the deck is shuffled less; because overall less cards are drawn.

My two other wins; turns out, they will start telling you stories about people who "win it big" only to "lose it all" in order to discourage your bet and force you to rethink your strategy.

I heard this exact story twice in two days; was about a person that won the jackpot, quit his job, and then lost it all gambling; At the cheap seats. I'm not saying it's not a true story. I am saying they use it as a "suggestion".

<aside>Suggestion; meaning to implant an idea, change how you feel, change the mood, or general vibe Intentionally. But not technically in the players beat interest. Tho... Who you gonna believe when the casinos say they actively discourage players from gambling is in "their best interest"</aside>

At first; I thought this was strictly targeted at me personally. And it may be so that it was. However--I think that they use sociological techniques and story-telling in tandem with card counting in an attempt to adjust player behavior. (Poker Tales suggest that this is correct).

*AND* now with a pit boss and to review every betting cam, and use image recognition to count cards for you; I'd assume it's more prevalent.

You can assume that the "house" is counting cards, *and*, presently; using AI assisted tools to influence player behavior. Since you can assume the House is using these tactics; you can assume that they want to ensure you don't take advantage of the stack when it's in your favor to do so. And that "Suggestion" is used when they think it'll influence that specific player a certain way.

For me: both times; I ended up winning the hand, and the second time; I split twice times and won all.

<aside>A "split" is when you're dealt a pair, and then increase your bet to play two hands, one with each card. You're dealt two new cards, and you can split as often as you have a matching pair in a hand and the casino rules allow you to.</aside>

The only reason I split 10s twice; was because I heard the story before. Again; at this point I assumed that they just wanted me out, and I cannot disprove that theory.

The Dealer said "Well Played" and I did actually disengage from the table.

I don't really care for gambling; It's too easy to have a lot of fun losing money. 40$ here and there for several hours of fun (leave your debit card somewhere you won't want to whip it out) seems like a single day of fun. But you're *at* best likely to break even.

I mean, I probably did.

Edit; I just realized I didn't actually say the whole idea outloud. Basically; if you can assume they're counting cards, *and* trying to influence player behavior; the only thing you actually need to know is how they're trying to influence you as the player.

If it feels like they're trying to get you to leave the table; maybe it's because you smell like a vagrant. But maybe; it's because it's in their best interest to do so.

Think smarter, not harder.

[oliveroctavius]

Did you check out the first issue of the new Ultimate Spider-Man? I'd be curious to see your thoughts

I was planning on letting it pass by me, zen-like. I kind of... disapprove of the entire concept. The more redundant universes Marvel creates (note that I say redundant, in that I like some AUs with recognizably different heroes and story lines) the more it approaches a DC-like level of story fragmentation, where nothing has to matter and everything runs on vibes. Every new restart survives an even shorter amount of time. It's a death spiral.

But alright. I may not know who Hickman is but some other people seem to like him. I'm Charlie Brown, the new title is a football, here's some of the whistling my foot makes as it flies through the air.

First off a disclaimer: comics are into longform storytelling these days, so almost nothing happens in this issue by design. This is a setup, not a story. I can point out some pettier dislikes, but I can't know what might turn out well yet.

I get that this is going to tie in to the Maker, but calling this USM is a bogus decision that is going to cause so much confusion down the line. It's like they didn't want to admit they were setting up yet a third story. See above grouch about redundant universes.

Uncle Ben being alive instead of Aunt May is a hell of a decision. But I like Hell Of A Decisions if they're pulled off with confidence. I miss og USM's ponytailed gentle old hippie Uncle Ben, I admit. He had a surprising amount of characterization, which I always liked about that series.

I... do not get... why they are homewrecking Robbie + JJJ for Ben. Like, I'm kind of offended on Robbie's behalf. og USM already put some of Robbie's plotlines into Ben--I mean, Ben Urich's hands, but this is more based on 616, isn't it? Robertson's personal moral compass and how that interacts with his job and his safety and his journalistic ethics AND his relationship with Jameson's short-sighted tendencies have been the core of his character for 60 years. Could we not think of something new for Uncle Ben to be doing instead of overwriting an existing character relationship and adding next to nothing to it? And Robbie's there and just kind of fine with the Kingpin's proposal as far as we see so far. This is probably my biggest complaint.

The kids could be an interesting element, but we don't really see any of that yet so it's purely potential.

The Harry fans seem to like this new Harold and his visual design so far. I suppose he's not fully flavorless but the flavor that is there is like. Salt and pepper.

MJ could stand to look older and have more characterization but that is not an original observation. Wait, she's definitely based off her 616 self and not her USM self isn't she? God why DID they call this USM, this is a structural publishing nightmare

The Goblin design is what people think the Raimi goblin costume was, which is not exactly a compliment. Also I *know* I'm the Goblin Fan but are there, really no other villains you could think of to open with? No? Is this the only plot point that's ever going to get adapted over and over again? Maybe it will be good and I'll be glad, I think! And then imagine Charlie Brown and the football again.

Another thing that really got me was the churning camera angles on some of the simplest scenes here. I respect the dutch angle hustle, Chechetto, but if I'm feeling seasick while trying to follow a scene where people have a conversation while sitting down then you might want to rethink your strategy.

To misquote Roger Ebert for a second, "the penciler has learned from better comics that artists sometimes tilt their panels, but it seems he has not learned why."

[captain29thegamer]

My thoughts on Nexomon Extinction so far

Nexomon Extinction

I'll preface this by saying I just got to the part after the 2nd element(?) As well as the area after in the plot. Also I'm on mobile lol.

Ive seen Extinction on Switch for a while and had it on my wishlist, it was on sale finally so I got it.

I've been addicted for the last 2 days lol.

I've been a Pokemon fan since Red and Blue days and this is a nice change. Although simpler, it adds different mechanics, a really good story and just an overall new world. The battles stay challenging and I've had to learn to utilise items where I wouldn't ever use them in Pokemon.

The level scaling in Extinction was odd to me at first. With everything scaling to my levels, it makes training easier, but harder if I wanted to use a Nexomon that I had previously caught. Although I could just avoid that by catching a new Mon.

Compared to Pokemon, Nexomon has less in terms of mechanics. Things like Nature, IVs, EVs and characteristics. Which keeps battle and catching simple. Catch the ones you want, if you think something else is stronger, get it, why not?

You can't overlevel as far as I can see, as everyone around you scales to your level. I'm unsure if it's your lowest, highest or average level but every trainer can be a challenge as you progress. Items are key I've found and a huge asset as compared to Pokemon. I NEVER used items in Pokemon, potions, ethers etc were basically useless with the abundance of Pokemon Centres, and the set levels of everyone around you.

The total Stamina aspect instead of Power Points (PP) for each move makes it different enough, with the challenge of watching stamina while battling. But also simpler as you can easily regain Stamina, where PP is so hard to get back as you can't buy Ether. (Although that's solved with Pokemon Centres)

The shaking grass is nicer for avoiding battles, but loses the surprise of the encounters. I do prefer this however, like the wild area in SW/SH with shaking grass and overworld encounters.

Another thing is Overworld Abilities.

In Pokemon it was HMs. They went from a team building hindrance, to the ride pager, to completely gone. Although SW/SH has the wild area, there's no exploration other than that. Here it's the Elements, once acquired they open up new paths in old areas, as well as brand new areas to explore. The battles for them replace Badges and the battles are difficult. I had to turn back and level up for the first, as well as the second.

And as much as I wish I could just overlevel and beat them easy, I really like the push of the challenge. You need items and strategy to beat them. It keeps your mind going instead of just, "well I'm 5 levels over so no worries". I haven't found myself struggling for money yet, but that may come soon.

I'm a planner, I've played so much Pokemon that I want the best nature/IVs/EVs etc to have the best team possible. I want to have the best pokemon and will do whatever I can to have pokemon that may only available later in the game. I like having the best offensive move sets, Nexomon throws a wrench in that.

I'm forced to rethink my strategies and really try new things which I like a lot. It's a great change from Pokemon.

I'm enjoying the game and look forward to more of it lol.

Any thoughts from other existing players? New players? I'd love to hear them!!

Thanks for reading!

[barbwritesstuff]

Hi Barb! I love your work, and I was curious about how you managed to branch out into so many different areas. How did you find an artist for your visual novel? Is trad publishing as hard to break into as I feel like it is?

Sorry this isn't a super focused ask; I just find the breadth of what you've been able to do really impressive and wondered if you had any advice to share for someone looking to achieve something similar.

Sure! I love talking about what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. I think creators should be as transparent as possible, because by doing that we help each other and can avoid scammy situations.

I found an artist for my visual novel by posting here on tumblr. A really cool artist who follows me approached me and we were able to do a deal that I could afford. I'm really happy with the work they've done so far and I'm really excited to put it into the game. Finding artists isn't always easy, and I'm still fairly new to this whole commissioning thing (the first art I commissioned was the cover art for Blood Moon), but there are a lot of really good artists just hanging out online that you can approach and talk to. If they're already in your circle, then that's even better, because they'll know the sort of thing you want.

Trad publishing is super hard to break into and I have not really achieved it. I'm looking for an agent as we speak (meaning, there are unanswered emails in inboxes around the world), so hopefully I'll get lucky and will be able to talk more about this subject soon, but right now? I'm still VERY MUCH trying to figure it out. My first novel, Crying Wolf, was traditionally published but with a very small publisher that didn't require agented submissions. At the time, that seemed like a good idea. In hindsight, I don't think I would suggest small publishers. I wasn't able to sell many books through them (my royalties for that project are <400 USD over two years) and the editing process was extreme. I'm hoping my latest novel will do better and hope an agent/bigger publisher will help that happen. But... I don't know. I may never find an agent or publisher for this novel I've been working on. In which case, I'll have to rethink my strategy.

Writing is tough, and being a writer isn't easy. A lot of writers I know have outside financial support, especially when starting up. Spouses are, I'm told, very useful in this regard. I'm single, so I'm working odd jobs part time to try and make ends meet.

But I love it. I'm also getting better at it the more I do. I'm trying different things (games, etc) and that's been a great experience. I'm never going to be one of these crazy successful authors that has a breakout best seller in their twenties and never looks back... but I'm enjoying myself and slowly trying to carve out my own little space in the writing world.

I hope at least some of that makes sense.