#midnight ramblings

[petrichor-poet]

I wasn't made for flings or situationships. I was made for falling head over heels in love with someone who loves me.

[dodgeball-of-apollo]

I never thought I’d see the day where dnd sold out MSG but here we are, and I was a part of it

I’m so glad that dnd has been such a uniting force that people from literally everywhere came together to chant, watch, and have fun

Thank you Dimension 20 and Dropout, but from the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone who loves Dnd, from the elders who have played since the 80s, to the newcomers who maybe haven’t even joined a campaign yet

Now I’m going to bed

[greeeenhand]

There is just something so charming about low level fantasy.

I love stories about a simple band of adventurers exploring a nondescript dungeon. Simple spells, cheap equipment, iconic monsters.

Stories where getting lost in the tunnels and level 2 skeletons are real threats and challenges. Stories where victory takes the form of a turned in quest, a pouch of coins, and a good meal.

I don't want a band of the realm's mightiest heroes looking to save the planes, I want a group of adventurers trying to get by.

I think that's why I like Dungeon Meishi so much. Not because of its similarities to D&D, but because of its differences.

[t-posing-ibuki]

I think the comedic potential of Kaito's talent is underutilized. Like, sure the "Ultimate Astronaut" hasn't been to space, but like how funny would it be if he's still like an esteemed rocket scientist and astrophysicist?

Like Miu tries to build another Jetpack That Sucks You Off™ after the first one explodes and Kaito takes one look at the blueprints and goes "Oh, you forgot an O-ring seal on the right SRB here, that should keep your fuel stabilizers from decoupling" to the abject bewilderment of the others.

The man deserves the Fred Scooby Doo treatment where he's still a dumb jock, but with a PHD.

[soulicious]

"I can't get enough of you"

"I'm completely obsessed with you"

"I can't think straight when you're nearby and you're all I think about when we're apart"

"you've consumed my dreams, thoughts and daydreams"

"I've been yours since the day I laid my eyes on you"

[maria-of-the-waves]

Cale Tattos

Why does nobody talk about Cale’s tattoos?! It’s canon that Cale has tattoos, and nobody mentions it! (＃＞＜)

Why didn’t Ron ask anything? It’s safe to say that Ron knows when the shield tattoo appeared because he helps Cale get dressed. So why didn’t he say anything when it’s obvious that Cale didn’t go to a tattoo shop? After all, if he had, the rumors would go wild (＾＾＃)

And when does the heart appear? And the swirls? And the lightning bolt?! With the latter, it’s obvious that they are ancient power marks, so why is it never mentioned? ＼＼٩(๑`^´๑)۶／／

I understand it’s for plot convenience and all, but how the hell does nobody comment on it even once? ヽ(`⌒´メ)ノ

Here’s a list of Cale’s canon tattoos up to chapter 1045:

Silver shield + Heart + Lightning bolt (disappeared after the battle at Mapple Castle and the appearance of the golems) over the heart.

Swirls on the ankles.

Eight water droplets on the collarbones (four on each side).

Well, well, I know it’s not much, but it’s still significant! (」°ロ°)」

[https-rediation]

Im not normal about this show so take my mediocre observations on the complicated dynamics of Gray and Carmen's (platonic) relationship

Credit to @forgetful-nots for motivating me to write about this they had a really cool post on the shocking extent Carmen and Gray had an effect on each other considering the relatively short time the two knew each other 🙏

Anyways

The two both have distinct identities that are really significant when referring to one another

Carmen has Carmen Sandiego and Black Sheep

Gray has Graham, Gray, and Crackle

And while yes I hear you saying "they're literally the same person"

And you'd be correct

But that is exactly why the fact that they've been isolated within the show is so important

I think it's most easily able to be observed when Carmen refers to Gray so we'll start with her

Carmen's Side

Carmen almost exclusively refers to Gray as Gray throughout the duration of the show, regardless of what he himself is choosing to be called (Crackle when an operative ("We gonna rock this thing, Gray?" "It's Crackle now, remember?") and Graham after the Mind Wiper)

It's a running gag when his memory is wiped because he's going by Graham and she just can't get his name right

But it's for a reason

Carmen is holding on to that past, longing for someone who once was as opposed to who he had become

And it's not just while he's Graham

When he's going by Crackle it's the same thing

On the train to Paris:

"I thought I knew you like the big brother I never had **Gray**"

There's a sense of betrayal there, like when he embraced Crackle as an identity there was a shift in how she viewed him

And yet she never accepts it because she never let's go of that past between them

But the thing is, Gray and Crackle were never two different people

Merely ones Carmen had crafted in her mind so she wouldn't have to accept who she saw as the "new" him as someone who had been there all along

"Gray, we have to move"

"The name is-"

"-Graham, I know, I know"

"No.. it's Crackle"

Carmen tells him that he's not that guy (in reference to Crackle) anymore, no matter what he's been told.

Gray says that he "[is] that guy, [he's] always been that guy"

He's never been anything other than who Crackle is. Gray and Crackle are the same guy, they always had been, there wasn't just some change within him that caused him to commit the acts he did

It was always in him

And Carmen didn't want to see it

Because she saw Graham and saw who she wished Gray always was

And she never gives up hope that he can still be the person she saw him as

Who she looked up too

Gray is the one who doesn't think he's capable of it

He's accepted who he is

And I dont think he knows how to escape that cycle

Its not until the very end that he breaks free of that, and very fittingly it's for Carmen

Proving her right in a sense

There were always the parts of Graham Carmen admired in Gray the whole time

But when he's finally reached that point he doesn't think he deserves to be in her life

After all she didnt need him "complicating her life"

WHICH IS SUCH A GUT WRENCHING PARALLEL TO WHAT SHE SAYS IN THE OPERA OUTBACK CAPER OMFG

Anyways

That's Carmen's side and development

BUT GRAY ACTUALLY DOES THE SAME THING TO HER TOO

Gray's Side

Gray wields the name Carmen Sandiego like a title

Also seen on the train to Paris:

"Its time we tied up loose ends"

"You were the only loose end, until five seconds ago, when I captured the elusive Carmen Sandiego"

Carmen to Carmen is her identity, it's who she is and has chosen to be

To Gray it's merely a symbol of her allegience

Much like the name Crackle is

When hes referring to the her he knew back at the Academy he uses Black Sheep

"We miss you Black Sheep, VILE wants a truce"

That is who he references when he wants to talk to her as a person, when he doesnt want to engage with Carmen Sandiego, superthief and VILE's public enemy #1

You can see it again as well in the Himalayan Rescue Caper (it has so many good lines bro)

"No.. it's Crackle"

"I assume you prefer I continue to call you Carmen?"

Again there's that split in identities

To him, Carmen isn't who she is, it's something she's assumed as an act of rebellion

Both Carmen and Gray are unwilling to truly recognize each other as anything other than who they wish the other was or could have been

Carmen wants Gray

Gray wants Black Sheep

And recurringly neither can live up to those expectations

The thing is, Gray did get his wish though

He got Black Sheep, the VILE operative

And yet

He didnt like it

It was wrong, twisted

Yes it was "fun while it lasted"

But whe wasn't in control

This wasn't her choice

Carmen was her choice and that's when his shift begins

Not only in his allegiences and priorities

But in the way he thought about Carmen and Black Sheep

He stops hesitating when referring to Carmen as Carmen

He sees all of her

Who she is

Who she'd chosen to be

And then she's simply Carmen

Though he never gives her the ability to do the same

He gives her back her ability to choose for herself then revokes it all over again

He chooses to make her let him go

Hes finally in a place where she could accept him as Gray and nothing more

Yet he chooses to leave

Because he will never be good enough for Carmen

A soft of self-fufilling prophecy that the two of them created inexplicably for each other

Anyways

That's it ☺️

I might look at the themes of free will in the show later

Especially in relation to Gray

I had a really interesting discussion recently about his morality and the extent of the choices he makes being of his own volition or through manipulation and I'll love to fully elaborate on that

But that could be an entirely different discussion so who know 🙌

Hope this made sense though I wrote this at like midnight so

👍

[neon-hell]

Two aroace moods: the sinking feeling in your stomach when you're having a good time with someone and then realize they're interested in you romantically vs. the gutwrenching pain when someone tells you "I love you" in a romantic way but all you can do is think "I love you too and I wish I could love you back in the same way you do but I can't and I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-"

[sillyunicorn]

who else is thinking about jeredrew post tgr?

i don't think they'd be good for each other in a relationship but i like the idea of them hooking up... i feel like jeremy could follow directions and andrew would treat him way better than these other guys.... i think they'd be bad for each other and also could kind of call each other out on stuff... idk they just fascinate me

also there's enough personality similarities between jeremy and neil (surface ppl) and jean and andrew (depth ppl) (ask me about my surface/depth person theory) that I think there'd be something there....

ok no i'll tell you

jeremy and neil: pros at ignoring problems until they go away. having a thought? no i'm not. problem? already talking my way out of it. feelings about a boy? unlikely. irrelevant. ignore. let's play exy!

andrew and jean: i am mired in my own mind. i deserve to suffer. my words cut like a thousand knives. i will protect you with my life for it is worth nothing. all i see is darkness and yet i hope for light

do you see my vision????????

[homeforinsomniacs]

i just watched something where the two main characters hug for a while and it makes everything better and wondered if you wanted to see if that happens in real life as well

you know, just for science

[dinogalad]

When the Gods flip a coin...

Daenerys of the House Targaryen and Celebrimbor of the House Fëanor, Heirs of Fire and Doom

I was thinking about this the other day—how Daenerys Targaryen and Celebrimbor are almost like mirrors of each other across worlds.

They’re both the last in line of these ancient, powerful houses—families wrapped up in fire, ambition, and ruin. And they don’t just inherit a name; they inherit a legacy that’s heavy. The kind that comes with expectations, prophecy, and the kind of history people whisper about.

You know that quote from Game of Thrones—“Every time a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin”? They’re either brilliant or broken. Great or mad. That line applies so well to Celebrimbor. His bloodline is basically the Elven equivalent of the Targaryens: genius, fire, obsession, destruction. His grandfather was Fëanor—the one who made the Silmarils and then kicked off several apocalypses trying to get them back. His father, Curufin, wasn’t much better.

And I bet the Elves were watching Celebrimbor like people watched Dany as she rose to power—half in awe, half in fear. Like, ��Is he going to redeem his house… or repeat it?”

They both fight so hard not to become their fathers, not to walk the same cursed path. But they have that same fire. That same drive. That same dangerous, world-shaking potential.

And then—both of them go and do something impossible. Daenerys brings dragons back into the world. Creatures of legend, extinct for generations. She walks into the fire and comes out with three living weapons. And Celebrimbor? He forges the Three Rings. Alone. Pure. Hidden from the Dark Lord. The same rings that will guarantee the heritage of the remaining elves of Middle-earth.

That’s not just magic. That’s defiance. That’s legacy-challenging brilliance.

And if they wanted to, both of them could reclaim a throne. Dany has her claim to the Iron Throne by blood. Celebrimbor also has his claim by blood. He could’ve taken leadership of the Noldor in Middle-earth. Their names mean something, enough to rally armies or kingdoms. But it was never just about power for them—it was about proving they could do better.

And yet... they’re both tragic in that poetic, painful way. They stood at the edge of greatness and couldn’t quite escape the flames that shaped them.

In the end, the legacies win. The past swallows them.

They’re both these brilliant, broken inheritors, doing everything they can to rise above the madness behind them.

[petrichor-poet]

I’m embarrassed to show vulnerability. All I can think of is how it could be used against me.

[withastorytotell]

I believe that the little things can change your life. Like when you decide to change your old orange toothbrush to a new purple toothbrush. Like when you notice that your music playlist makes you feel like ocean breeze instead of summertime sadness. Like when you notice the sunlight isn't harsh so a walk out might be good. When you comb your hair every night and brush your teeth before bed and apply your lipbalm and when you notice you are the only one who does. You know you care more for yourself than you think. That's how life changes. By noting the little things and making the slight changes. Notice how you deleted the contact instead of blocking it? How you wrote the shitty poem instead of forgetting it? How you studied for five minutes when that's all you could give? How you pray everyday now when religion used to be only a question? How about the times you decided to just sit close to your loved ones but without talking you just scrolled yt because words failed you? All these things that you did, the little changes you could afford, that feels like rain with grey skies amidst sunshine, a favorite scenery, your little life is decorated without your own knowledge. I think that's a little big thing.

[romicat]

Ok, thinking about other Cuckoos getting picked to honey trap Kamala, and honestly Esme would've been a really interesting alternative pick. As demonstrated while she is a dork, Kamala is pretty smart, she has a history of figuring out when people are using her fairly quickly. She had apparently suspected Sophie was up to something for a while before that one issue.

Kamala is both someone who had immense compassion but also isn't a pushover.

Their relationship wouldn't just be completely one sided with Esme using Kamala as a doormat.

The quote that best defined Kamala is "good isn't something you are, it's something you do." She doesn't always know what the right thing to do is, she is constantly examining her own behavior and that of the people around her. But she also understands how hard it is for other people to do "good", and extends to them an amount of grace no matter what or how much they hurt her or how many times she's had to stop them. She's always trying to understand how the people fighting her feel and why.

Esme has shown to have issues with her self esteem. She's shown to honestly hate herself to some extent, which she projects outwards towards her sisters and Emma. She lashes out at people, she can be hot and cold. She can plan the death of one of her sisters one moment and then sacrifice herself for that same sister the next. She is capable and has done some genuine good for other people, but also is responsible for some serious shit. Her behavior can be self destructive, hurting herself and probably who care about her to push them away.

Kamala would be someone who both could see the best in Esme without shunning or ignoring her more prickly side. Someone that can confront Esme without pushing her away, who wouldn't let herself get pushed away either, and who is capable of making up (and hopefully making out) with her.

Someone who would love her even when they stand on opposite sides.

[lyceal]

Hear me out… T4T Ava x Pierce, HEAR ME OUT

Ava, who’s had access to gender affirming care since she came out. Pierce, who did his own top surgery in the woods with a sword and a prayer.

Ava, who has supportive parents. Pierce, who’s parents died long before he figured out what was wrong with him.

Ava explains HRT to him and he just starts bawling.

Idk I just think it’d be neat.

+Pierce casted a permanent spell on himself to make his voice masculine but it wasn’t good enough for him so he actively tries to make it deeper.

SMP Pierce is how MID Pierce sounds normally.

[t-posing-ibuki]

I dunno how many people might’ve said this before but: I think Tsumugi might’ve previously been the Ultimate Hostess/Bartender.

The first big clue is the bar in Tsumugi’s Lab. Its odd enough to include something like that to begin with, but then Tsumugi makes Shuichi a cocktail no problem (and from the sounds of it, a pretty good one)

Then she talks about how she shmoozed with patrons for tips to fund her cosplaying hobby.

But the other clue is something you have to infer a little more for. In fact, this seamingly unrelated skill is foreshadowing.

In the final trial, Tsumugi reveals what happens to the last two surviving players: they get put in the next game, with one of them becoming the next Ultimate Survivor. As far as we know, this is the only way for an Ult. Survivor to be picked*, which means If Rantaro was V3’s Ult. Survivor, then he reached the end of the previous game via the “rule of two”.

But what about the second student? Why aren’t there two survivors?

She became the mastermind. She adopted a new talent to facilitate her role: a clothing based talent, just like the OG mastermind, Junko. The second student became the Ultimate Cosplayer.

From there, we can assume Tsumugi wasn’t the Ult. Cosplayer in the 52nd killing game. Not yet, anyway. Just as Rantaro was the Ult. Adventurer, Tsumugi was the Ult. Bartender… or Hostess. Whatever you wanna call it.

*[Quick side note. While it’s possible Rantaro killed and got away with it in order to “win”, he wouldn’t have been called a ‘Survivor’ in that case. Also, in Chapter 6, Tsumugi states that Danganronpa fans love a dramatic “hope wins” finale. I doubt any killing game ended with a killer succeeding, since the games rely on them getting caught and executed to progress.]