#my plans and ambitions have grown with each part

[rotbtd-edits]

Happy new year!💖Right now I'm resting a bit after two weeks of traveling, so I thought I could use that time to just chat~

Do you have any questions regarding my Rotbtd series so far, or overall about Rotbtd universe and the four? Or just thoughts, ideas and comments, I love hearing about those as well<3 Fire them away at me; my ask box's open, or you can reply to this post as well! :)

[warden-melli]

Does the Diamond Clan realize that they took Melli for granted ? And do the wardens miss him ? Maybe they would feel differences they didn't realize while he was here...

Oh absolutely, especially with my headcanons around what the wardens do, their roles in running Hisui, and the Nobels.

For example one of the biggest challenges for them to deal with is Lord Electrode, and the voltorbs after Melli’s disappearance. I deliberately stray from canon when it comes to how pokemon reproduce, and instead of hatching from eggs (which to be fair is a mechanic missing from PLA) I treat the voltorb more like plants that must be tended to each season. I do plan to share my headcanons and notes on this in more detail, but the “Voltorb Harvest” is a huge deal in Hisui, and as part of Melli’s role as warden it’s his duty to see the harvest through each year. This involves staying up on the mountain virtually all winter alone, to tend to the developing Voltorbs so that they’re healthy when they emerge in the spring. The voltorbs are important because when they explode they produce a pollen that helps all of the other plants in the area thrive, and therefore a large Voltorb harvest is essential to the areas wellbeing. It effects not only the plants directly, but the pokemon who feed on them, and the humans who depend on the pollen to help to grow their crops. The voltorbs are grown in the trees on the mountain, originating from seeds and pollen produced by voltorbs and electrodes in the early spring, and take the entire year to grow, but in the winter they require constant care to survive in the numbers that Hisui needs to thrive. The strongest and most valuable voltorbs originate from Lord Electrode itself, and are grown in the large tree in Moonview Arena. A voltorbs pollen is most potent the first year of it’s birth, which is why its important that a large number of high quality voltorbs are born each year, because despite being able to live an extremely long time, the benefits of it’s pollen weaken each season. While the voltorbs are essential to the health of Hisui’s ecosystem they are also extremely dangerous, and require specialised knowledge that only the warden tasked with looking after them truly understands, so its not a role that can easily be filled. Especially because after Melli disappears, Lord Electrode refuses to be looked after by anyone else. I headcanon that the Lord pokemon choose their Warden, and as such can be very fussy on who they allow to care for them. Lord Electrode is the most stubborn (and arguably dangerous) of all of the Noble pokemon, so taking care of it proves to be extremely challenging in Melli’s absence.

I have headcanons about all of the nobel pokemon and the roles that they play in making Hisui work, and of the work that the Wardens do to help not only their own Nobel, but the entire area that they’re assigned to. With such an important job Melli being missing definitely impacts everyone in Hisui, even if they don’t realise it. The other wardens also have their own roles and duties that are just as important, so trying to pick up his slack, especially when Lord Elctrode won’t allow it, is extremely challenging and stressful

On a personal level though, of course they miss him. Especially the Diamond Clan. Building off of the events of PLA, Adaman definitely grows to understand Melli’s role, the work that he does, and of why he was compelled to interfere with the events of PLA despite telling him not to. That’s his mountain, his nobel, and he makes scarifies, and cares deeply about them. Learning about what goes into it the job definitely opens Adaman’s eyes to the work that his Wardens do. He also misses his friend and feels like a failure, secretly blaming himself for Melli’s disappearance as he knows it was his ambitions of becoming leader that inspired Melli to become a warden in the first place. Adaman doesn’t cope well with the grief, and lashes out at those around him, refusing to even entertain the idea that Melli might be dead, despite making accusations that other people have killed him. It’s a complicated time for Adaman that challenges him both as leader and as a person, forcing him to reflect on his relationships, navigate conflict and negative emotions, and to confront moving forward without somebody that he never really expected to be without. Adaman also takes on Melli’s pokemon, refusing to let anyone else care for them as he feels responsible.

The other Members of the diamond clan miss him too, but especially Sabi who is confused why her powers let her down by not warning her that anything bad was going to occur, nor offering her a vision of his location. Arezu, Mai, Iscan, and the entire Diamond clan are devastated, and all of them cope with it in different ways. The Pearl Clan, while offended by the accusations, are concerned for him, but don’t really know him on a personal level as well, so their concern comes mostly from the natural concern that they have for the safety and well-being of another human being, and also from wanting to clear Ingo’s name. Palina is affected by how upset Iscan is by the situation, and begins to see melli in a different way to how she may have viewed him before. It’s her who pushes for the two clans different wardens to work together to try and solve the mystery, partially for Melli’s sake, partially for Ingo’s sake, but also because she deeply cares for Iscan and can’t stand to see him in pain.

Irida is affected deeply his disappearance, not only having to deal with Adaman and the fallout of the situation, but because she and Melli had grown quite close as friends, having first bonded performing together during the festival in PLA. She is hurt that Adaman who make any accusations that her clan would ever hurt him, and is especially upset by any accusation that she could in anyway be involved with a plot to harm someone that she considers a friend. With tensions so high she feels alienated from various members of the Diamond clan that she had developed close bonds with, pulling away from Mai (who she befriends during PLA) due to the conflict, and even her best friend Palina. Irida worries that Palina’s relationship with Iscan, as well as the progress made between the Pearl and Diamond clan, (and their ally ship with the Galaxy team) may be in jeopardy due to the accusations made against her, Ingo and the Pearl clan, so almost entirely withdraws from her support system in an attempt to cope with the events.

Ingo is of course upset that he is being accused of being involved with Melli’s disappearance (and even possible murder), but as a warden himself he is more concerned for Melli’s wellbeing, and commits to helping discover what happened to him, despite the two having a (somewhat friendly) rivalry in the past. He knows the mountain extremely well, and as such is completely baffled by his disappearance. Despite the hostility from Adaman over the disappearance, his close proximity to the voltorbs and having observed Melli attending to his duties means that he has picked up the most knowledge on how to take care of them outside of Melli himself, and therefore despite being from a different clan (and as far as Adaman is concerned, a suspect) it’s Ingo that is forced to step up to try and perform Melli’s duties. He is given permission begrudgingly from Adaman during mediation organised by the galaxy team to help deal with the voltorb crisis caused by Melli’s absence. Ingo is determined to do the right thing despite Adaman breathing down his neck at any given opportunity, and wishes that the two could just work together instead.

Akari is Ingo’s saving grace, as she was with him at the time of Melli’s disappearance providing an alibi that he was not involved. The Galaxy team don’t want to get involved with Clan disputes for the most part, but have a vested interest in maintaining peace across the region. They seek to preserve the truce between the two clans, and offer mediation to try to maintain that. Akari pushes for the survey team to be allowed to investigate, and not only is she concerned about melli, but she’s worried that whatever happened to him may be a threat to the region as a whole. Melli is an experienced warden, who knew the area and the pokemon within it well, and who seemingly disappeared during broad daylight without a trace

I could realistically keep typing for ages, but long story short, yes. Melli’s disappearance has impacts all over the Hisui region, both personally for those who know and care about him, but also potentially by causing problems that could affect the whole regions ecosystem and political climate

[wanderlustinwonderland18]

Turkkila & Versluis: “We Trust Each Other”

Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis are Finland's number one ice dance couple. Both started their careers as single skaters, but switched to ice dance seven years ago. Their development was slow in the beginning but over the years, training became smooth as they learned to read each other's body language.

Juulia:

If I could describe my first impression of ice dance in one word, it would be challenging. The rules were completely new and it was hard to have someone else skating so close to me. As a single skater, I didn't have to take into account what anyone else was doing. Despite all that, I felt safe skating with Matthias from the very beginning.

I trust him both on and off the ice. I can tell him my honest opinion and it will remain between the two of us. I appreciate the fire and passion he has for the sport. We both have ambition but Matthias shows it more clearly.

In the beginning of this partnership, our skills were at zero but it was still very fun to train with each other. Maurizio assured me that we would get better, though it didn't feel like that at the time. With years of training, we started to understand each other on a deeper level and started to look like a real ice dance couple. We also found our own style. Aside from success in value competitions, one of our biggest goals when we skate is to induce emotions among spectators and create a certain atmosphere.

Matthias:

Our partnership started on the spring of 2016. Juulia and I both suffered injuries as single skaters. My biggest one was the knee surgery in 2014, which caused me to miss the European Championships that year. Maurizio urged Juulia to ask me for ice dance and that's how it all started. From the very beginning, I enjoyed skating with her.

Of course, I already knew about Juulia through skating circles. We trained in the same rink when we were kids. I was surprised by her calmness when we started to skate together. She had really grown up over the years. I really appreciate Juulia’s radiant positivity. She’s rarely in a bad mood but when she is, I just need to approach her in a friendly way and talk things through. She is always on time at practices. She truly gives her all both in competitions and in training. I trust her. From the very beginning, there was trust in working together. Physically, especially with lines, we also match well. We just balance each other out.

The transition from single skating to ice dance took time. In the beginning, it felt like nothing was working. Despite that, we had fun on the ice. We improved little by little and realized our potential two years into the partnership. At that point, we started skating in the same direction and we could read each other. Like when we’re training, we can sense each other’s body movement without words.

Juulia and I have coped well with setbacks such as injuries. I have never regretted switching to ice dance. I dream of success in value competitions and hopefully after my skating career, I can take part in international shows. I also plan to complete my studies as a physiotherapist by then.

[kernelbastard]

putting these Slugpup Hungry Games hcs here bc I don't feel like making a new sideblog right now

me and my friend have been obsessed with it the past few days so here's some stuff we came up with. note: the pronouns are not literal, Slugcats don't speak English (slugsign W), they're just how we refer to them (also I have separate headcanons for how Slugcat gender and social roles work but I don't know if any of the Hungry kids ever learned any of that stuff so it's not super relevant)

... also we don't know GladosCat's real Iterator name so we've just been calling her Ambition or Wire Mother interchangeably

anyway. these are for you @peculiurperennial

General

The pups are listed in order of age. Therefore, Bingus is the eldest, while Onion, despite being larger than the others, is the baby of the group.

How much a Slugcat remembers past cycles is determined by age and species, and increases as their brains develop. However, there are exceptions to this pattern, like Fleece.

They were not born of the same litter, although it is possible that they were all raised in the same tribe; either way, none of them (except Onion) remember who they were before being captured, and in the end, it doesn't change that they are siblings now.

They cannot directly speak to each other, nor do they know Slugsign, so their means of communication are very limited. Still, they definitely understand each other better than other pups would, simply because they're so familiar and have had to learn to cooperate in dangerous situations. Bingus and Fleece are the most in-tune with each other's thoughts.

Onion already had a bit of the Rotund gene in her ancestry before modification, which is why she's so much bigger; Rotund Slugcats are very close to standard Terrestrials, and are not considered a separate species by Terrestrial society. That being said, all Slugcats - excluding Purposed Organisms - have enough genetic similarity to produce healthy pups with Terrestrials, so it's not impossible for Bingus and Fleece to also have Carnivore and Aquatic ancestors, just... Unlikely, especially in Fleece's case, as Aquatics are not native to this region.

Subject A-23334, Carnivore type - Bingus

They/Them, "the Prodigy"

Second-clearest memory of past tests and cycles.

The smartest and strongest of the siblings, at least in most ways relevant to testing.

Does not enjoy violence, preferring to solve problems as puzzles rather than fights, but will do what is necessary to help their siblings get through the tests. They're not afraid to take a hit if it means the others are spared.

Considers themself a sort of leader, whether or not this is acknowledged by the others, but it's not a source of pride or self-importance; it is instead a great responsibility, a burden, that feels so heavy it nearly crushes them. They know they are Wire Mother's favorite, and they'll do everything in their power to keep her focused on them rather than the other pups, even if that means they will be left out of escape plans. This facility creates Purposed Organisms, and, under the Iterator's watchful eye, Bingus has lost every part of themself that is not part of this sense of purpose.

Subject B-6587, Aquatic type - Fleece

They/Them, "the Opportunist"

Can remember past testing cycles almost perfectly, but has gaps in their memory.

The quickest and most practical of the siblings, avoiding unnecessary risk whenever possible.

Often acts cold or distant, as if they don't care as much about the others, but really, they keep that emotional distance as a means of protecting themself. They are afraid that if they break down and Wire Mother finds out, she'll do something to "fix" their memory.

Feels deeply isolated from their siblings, except for Bingus, as they both know more than they should. Even then, though, they don't have a clear method of talking about it, and Wire Mother doesn't give them much privacy, anyway, so Fleece can never drop the act for long. Over time, this loneliness has grown into resentment, though they won't let it show to anyone but Bingus, as the misplaced "source" of this anger.

Subject C-6287, Terrestrial type - Jib

He/Him, "the Paragon"

Doesn't remember much, but has held onto enough information to know how bleak the situation is, and retains more of the emotions from past cycles than actual facts.

The kindest and bravest of the siblings, but unfortunately, naïvete has no place in the testing chamber except as a bloody example of failure.

... Isn't actually anywhere near as naïve as Wire Mother thinks he is. He knows he's not the strongest or the fastest, and he's very easy to kill. But he does have one thing the others don't: pure stubbornness. Anyone here seen Everything Everywhere All At Once? He's like Waymond. You know what I'm talking about. "When I choose to see the good side of things, I'm not being naïve. It's strategic and necessary. It's how I've learned to survive through everything." If these kids do get to escape down the line, I hope it's Jib who leads them through it.

This bit isn't as serious, but he reminds me of a shonen protagonist. That's all

Subject D-42346, Rotund type - Onion

She/Her, "the Avenger"

Has little to no memory of past cycles, but does remember her life before capture.

I don't have nearly as much to say about this one, mainly because I'm still trying to figure her out. But I do think it'd be cool if, while Jib represents the things Wire Mother can't control or beat out of him, Onion is more... Well, technically a great success, but maybe too great. She's hard to kill. Eventually, her creator is going to regret that.

kind of ran out of steam at the end there but I'll follow this up in a little while with more details (in the form of Discord screenshots)

[thedivinelights]

Who Leaves a Wedding Early?

Jacob Marley was a fool.

There. He said it. That was what he was: A complete, utter, baseless fool. He should have followed his own advice and just kept to himself. Attachments were for those who wanted to get hurt, he should have known that better than anyone.

So why… why did it hurt so much?

He remembered the day he was told of the engagement. It had been a crisp autumn evening — early November, tenth or eleventh, he couldn’t quite recall — when Ebenezer burst into their shared office with the giddiest grin upon his face.

“She said yes, Jacob!” He had called out, rushing to Jacob’s desk and clasping his hands. “Lord above, she said yes!"

“I…” Jacob had been at a loss for words. He had known that Ebenezer had been courting Belle for quite some time now, of course. He was not blind to the obvious affections the two had. But they had been friends for so long, and Jacob had grown to cherish Ebenezer’s company more than anything else in the world. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

Even still, he had to pretend to be happy. At least for Ebenezer’s sake.

“Congratulations, ol’ boy.” Jacob had replied, giving him a smile that never quite reached his eyes. “I could not be happier for you.”

“I want you to be my best man.” Ebenezer beamed, still oblivious to the way his joy was like daggers to Jacob’s heart. “Will you?"

Jacob had almost laughed and scoffed the idea away. Best man? Him? He was the last person who should be standing beside Ebenezer on his wedding day. But he had nodded anyway, because he couldn’t say no to Ebenezer. He never could.

"I would be honoured."

He forced himself into the preparations. He arranged the venue, the menu, the seating. Everything they ever needed, he gave it all and then some. It was slow going at first, but soon business at the counting house was booming.

“I want to give Belle the future she deserves.” Ebenezer had stated once in a moment of respite when Jacob asked why he had been continuously postponing the wedding. “I need to be able to provide for her needs. She does not deserve to live in squalor.”

And with every year that passed, a part of him — the stupidest, goddamn part of him — was still holding on to that tiny sliver of hope. Hope that Ebenezer would wake up one day and realize that the love he was searching for was right there in front of him. Hope that they could have something more than just a deep friendship sprinkled with 'my dearest' and 'old chap'.

But hope was ever the cruel mistress, and she never granted his wish. She teased him with stolen glances, secret touches, soft whispers in the dark. She made him long for a life he so desperately wanted, but never could. In another lifetime? Perhaps. But not here. Never here.

He watched as Belle walked down the aisle. He watched as Ebenezer looked to her with such reverence. He watched as they exchanged their vows. He watched as they kissed and danced.

Until finally... he could watch no more.

He had planned a toast as the best man. He put on his finest suit and practiced it in the mirror. Over and over, writing and rewriting it a thousand times until it was perfect. It had to be perfect. Because what else could he do?

Yet as he stood to deliver his words, he found himself unable to speak. It was ironic, was it not? This famously — or rather, infamously — charming man, able to sell ice to the Inuit and convince the Devil himself to turn the other cheek, now at a loss for words. Rendered speechless by his own feelings.

But he had to try.

"Ebenezer." He began, and he mentally cursed himself for the crack in his voice as he spoke his name. "My dearest friend. My partner in both business and in life. We have seen each other through thick and thin, and I... I would not be the man standing before you today without him. Without his wit and his cunning, his tenacity and his ambition. Ever is he the logician to my romanticism, the yin to my yang. The..."

Jacob trailed off, clearing his throat and fighting back the lump that had formed there. "But today, I stand before you not as a partner, but as a witness to the love that you and Belle share. A love that is pure and true. Times can change, people too. But love is the one constant that I know will endure the tests of time."

He raised his glass, looking to the couple with a smile. The kind that looked more like a grimace than most. "Ebenezer has been the light of my life. The one uniformity in a world that is ever-changing. He has been my rock, my safe harbour, my everything. And I know that he will be the same to Belle, who is a kind and wonderful woman deserving of all the love in the world. So... So I toast to you, my dear friend. May your love be everlasting, and may you both find happiness in each other for all of your days."

He downed his champagne in one go as the applause roared in his ears. It would not be long before the dance would begin, but he could not will himself to stay a moment longer.

He muttered his excuses about work, before grabbing his coat and slipping away. The chill of winter was cold and uninviting, but it did nothing to the man who had a blizzard of his own raging within.

He barely remembered stumbling into his apartment, fumbling with the keys and collapsing on the couch without even beginning to undress. He sat in the darkness, his expression numbed. Grown men shouldn't be crying. He wanted to hold it in for so long. He almost did.

Until he realised that Ebenezer wouldn't be returning to the apartment they had shared for years. He would be going home with Belle, and not sitting with him, sharing a bottle of scotch as they talked and laughed late into the night.

And that was when the dam broke.

Jacob let out a sob, a gut-wrenching sound that echoed through the empty sitting room. He clutched his chest, feeling as if his heart was shattering into a million pieces. It was a pain that he had been trying to ignore for years, but it had caught up to him at last.

He loved Ebenezer. He had loved him from the moment they met. He loved him for his kindness, his intelligence, his sharp wit. He loved him for the way he could make him laugh even on the darkest of days, for the way he always knew the right thing to say, for the way he had always been there for him. He loved him for everything he was, and everything he could never be.

But life wasn't fucking fair, was it? It wasn't fair. It was never going to be fair, not for him. It was cruel and unforgiving. Life was a bastard that ripped your heart out and left you on the streets to pick up the pieces. Life was a game of chance where the odds were never in your favour. Life was... just life.

He did not know how long he sat there, or how red his eyes appeared to be. All he knew was that he had to let Ebenezer go. He was a selfish man, but for Ebenezer...? He wouldn't dare.

Because that was the hardest thing about love. It wasn't always about getting what you wanted. Sometimes, it was about letting go. It was about putting someone else's happiness above your own, even if it tore you apart inside.

Jacob Marley was a fool. But he was a fool in love. A pathetic fool who was willing to stand on the side. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him, but he knew one thing for certain: He would never be a fool for love again.

[kiirostarz]

Okay, for some time now I have been talking about Star Darlings and Wish as a sequel and prequel respectively. So… it took me a couple of days. But finally I have it, my own story, headcanon, whatever how I have connected both stories. *clarifies his voice* 🧐

_________________________________________________________

Magnifico's backstory in starland. [A Headcanon]

Long ago, high up in the uncharted skies where the threads of destiny intertwined, in a land of enchantment and magic, there exists "The Star Realm, where the whispers of the universe converge into an eternal glow." Or "Starland" to skip formalities.

Each denizen of Starland radiated light, both metaphorically and literally. Every Starlian fervently worked towards the wishes of the denizens of Wish World. It was a task done with love and joy, not a burden or a headache, for wishers formulated their most beautiful and brilliant dreams to keep Starland alive. In return, Starlians fulfilled them in magical and wondrous ways.

But then... there he was... Magnifico.

Magnifico, a young Starlian, ambitious, intelligent, handsome, and powerful. A shining promise for those who knew him in this land of enchantment. Yet, in his domains, Magnifico craved more. He yearned for something much grander, for he had grown weary of following the same routine since he was a little starlight. He wanted more, he craved greatness, autonomy... and he could wait no longer.

He felt overwhelmed by the limitless potential he possessed. However, instead of using his gift for good, Magnifico succumbed to the darkness of his own desires and the pursuit of absolute power.

Rejecting his role in the cosmic balance of Starland, Magnifico escaped into the shadows, taking with him forbidden knowledge and unbridled ambition. Over time, he founded a new realm in the depths, from some part of the universe far from the watchful eyes of celestial guardians.

This realm, named Rosas, was shaped by Magnifico's will and dark magic. He adopted the guise of a benevolent king, hiding his true intentions behind a cloak of majesty. Under this facade, Magnifico ruled his realm with an iron grip, earning the trust of his subjects while weaving plans for even greater grandeur.

As Rosas grew in power, Magnifico sought forbidden knowledge and unrestrained power. He experimented with stars in ways that defied natural laws. The magic he unleashed left a dark residue, an energy that permeated the very fabric of the cosmos. This residue, called star shadow, scattered through space, finding its way back to Starland.

However, Magnifico no longer cared for Starland. Instead, his dark plans were directed towards his own realm and those who sought to challenge his authority. Asha, a brave inhabitant of Rosas, and the aid of her friends, with a bit of magic on their side... took it upon themselves to confront Magnifico when they discovered his dark designs. Meanwhile, Lady Stella and the others focused on a looming new threat, unaware that Rancora planned to disrupt the cosmic balance with her own sinister schemes.

________________________________________________________

I also clarify that I haven't seen Wish yet, I will see it this week (I hope, seriously, I hope) so I could edit anything once I have seen it. But in short, Magnifico is indirectly responsible for the crisis of negative desires… what will happen when Lady Stella meets the Star Darlings again. And Rancora is the direct cause of the negative crisis, but I've also been thinking that essentially Rancora is this dark and negative being that takes hold of these horrible feelings from villains, amplifying them so that they 'win,' but the celestial guardians are always one step ahead to defeat them. This is thanks to the star shadow that Magnifico created. This allows Rancora to be present to the villains... well, not literally present. because it's more like a feeling, that she can control (when it's strong enough) and feed off of it.😅 Bye and thanks if you read it <3

[divineprank]

"If I found a way to let you out, what do you plan to do?"

"...I expect you want an honest answer?" Ganondorf's voice reverberates through with an almost haunting resonance. A voice that has weathered his imprisonment, burdened by the weight of time and trials of eternal confinement. Every word that comes out of his mouth carries the essence of a soul both wary and weary from year after year of near-total isolation.

Ganondorf's heart pulses with conflicting desires, each pulling him in opposite directions, like a tempestuous storm within his very soul, broken as it is. The starved yearning to pull Nabooru close into a long-overdue embrace tugs at him relentlessly, a profound ache that reverberates through the depths of his being. The memories of their shared past, the moments of intimacy, and the connection they once had all weave an unbreakable bond, refusing to be forgotten or ignored.

In this ethereal realm, where his existence has been tethered for what feels like forever already, he yearns to reach out and hold her, to feel her warmth against him once more. The desire is not simply a physical longing, but a deep need for emotional closeness, to find solace and comfort in the embrace of the woman he loves. It is an urge to bridge the chasm that has grown between them, to heal the wounds of the past and rekindle the flame of their love that once burned so brightly.

But alongside this ache for reconnection, another desire lurks in the shadows of his heart—a hate that burns with a darker, more destructive intensity. It is the lust, the need, the want to watch Hyrule burn, to witness the world that cast him aside succumb to the flames of chaos and despair. The embers of his ambition still smolder, fueled by a thirst for power and domination that has become an inseparable part of him.

As much as he longs for reconciliation with Nabooru, the allure of revenge and the pursuit of ultimate power still hold sway over his thoughts. It is a twisted yearning, born from centuries of resentment and bitterness, where the thirst for control and the rage of a discarded king intermingle. In the cold confines of the Sacred Realm, he is haunted by visions of the realm he once sought to conquer, a world he believes has forsaken him and denied his rightful place upon its throne, denied his right to wield its ultimate, divine power.

These conflicting interests wage a silent war within him, each vying for dominance over his actions and decisions. The dichotomy of love and destruction intertwine in a dance of turmoil, the emotions swirling and colliding, leaving Ganondorf in a perpetual state of unrest that continues to exhaust him to his deepest core.

His hands, though unbound in the physical sense, clench and unclench with a restless energy, the physical manifestation of his internal conflict. As the restless back-and-forth persists, he strains against the figurative chains that hold him in place, seeking a path that will lead him beyond the confines of his own current suffering.

"--First, before I answer your question... I must ask: why?" His voice resonates with a mix of intrigue and caution as he responds, "this isn't another game of yours, is it?" His words carry a touch of skepticism in an attempt to mask the growing flicker of hope that Nabooru has suddenly awakened within him. Wondering if she holds the key to unlocking his prison, not just the physical chains but the emotional ones that have bound them apart.

"After all... It's always been you who has excelled at teasing me, Nabooru, I'm fearful of getting my hopes up."

[entropii]

🌠 or 💙 for birdsong unsung?

These are both interesting for Birdsong, so I'll do each of them! The answer to these may change or could be better answered after Bird's simmered in my brain for longer, but on first impression:

🌠 Who was your OC’s first friend? Do they remember them or are they still friends now? Talk about some of the people your OC has lost contact with over the years. Do they have any regrets about losing these people and would they revisit them if they could?

I think Birdsong's first friend was Nor. He still remembers them, but they are Certainly not friends anymore. After assassinating the commander of their unit, Bird cut all ties with the entirety of the Selene. These were people he trusted to watch his back without question, in whose hands he put his life day after day. Part of him regrets it, part of him does want to reconnect with the Selene if they weren't ordered to execute Bird on sight, but you won't catch him admitting that any time soon.

......................................................................

💙 What did your OC want to be when they grew up and why? Did they have any lifelong dreams or ambitions they never got to work on or are they currently working to achieve this dream? Has their life taken a very unexpected turn and put all these plans on hold for a while or have they given up on any dreams?

I'm not sure if she had any particular aspirations growing up. I haven't fully figured out their backstory yet, but I feel like their path in life was set for them. As such, they never bothered to think they could do anything else.

They certainly weren't expecting to form close relationships with the Selene, however, and they certainly weren't expecting to betray people they had grown close with. And neither did they expect to be on the run from them and the entire kingdom for the rest of their life. Whatever dreams they might have now though, whether it be to live a peaceful life or to reconnect with the Selene, and whether or not they even realize they have any dreams, they've probably given up on those entirely.

[bainhardt]

Pokemon SV thoughts: tumblr exclusive dlc version sorry this is so long but too bad lol

I got to the credits tonight and to be honest, I feel like I have way too much to say about SV, but that'd be kind of exhausting, so I'll try to keep it to broad strokes. It reminded me a lot of Legends Arceus: I had my share of fun, but I have numerous complaints as well.

First, if what people are tired and cynical about is Game Freak's supposed lack of "innovation," I feel this game is proof that they are finally coming around to trying new ideas. This and LA are the freshest the franchise has been in decades. But new ideas take a lot of refining.

The most fun aspect was exploration. It's legitimately awesome to simply wander, see Pokemon, and catch Pokemon, and you can go basically anywhere you want from the word “Go.” I remember wanting far more out of the exploration in Legends Arceus, and I was relieved to find when playing SV that it felt much closer to what I had envisioned for the concept. This is a big step forward in terms of freedom (and the region is pretty cool, which helps).

But the battling is the same as always (even with the new gimmick), the gyms are the same, the E4 is the same. If the core gameplay loop has grown old for you, there won't be much to win you over; you can do these battles in any order you like, but they're still just... battles.

Add on top of that this game has... a LOT of cutscenes, and it can really drag just trying to get things done so you can progress and become stronger. Story is always subjective, but if you're not invested in the plotlines, you are NOT going to enjoy the pacing (I didn't).

Despite that, the "endgame zone" so to speak is probably the single coolest thing I've seen in a Pokemon game to date. idk that I'd say it makes up for the first portions, but I did start to enjoy the story in the back half. imo the coolest villain/plan segment in the franchise.

Lastly, this game runs like shit. This is THE worst technical showcase of any game I've played on my Switch, bar none. I'm not talking your occasional slowdown or something - this is literally a game that spends more time chugging and breaking than not.

It really brings the entire experience down to know this was a game that was willing to put the work in with its ideas and ambition, only to be held back by hardware limitations and likely development problems (three Pokemon games in a year, all felt crunched and unpolished). I honestly feel like now that the fanbase at large has gotten their hands on gen 9, just about anyone would’ve been willing to give up BDSP and Arceus if it meant this game got the time and resources it really needed. But that problem rings true for any one of them; all three of these games needed more work than they got in the end. Not one of them has felt truly complete when compared to SWSH.

Anyway, all I really had left in terms of complaints are minor ones, but man, I had about a thousand. You can't turn move animations off, you can't L=A mode, there's no Battle Style Shift or Set option, the Pokedex and Bag don't remember where your cursor left off in between uses, the PC box takes forever to load each page, you can’t change to the All Boxes view while holding a Pokemon, the summary screens work differently between the PC and the Party screen, the Bag and Pokedex have no fast scroll buttons, the sandwich recipe menu has a favorite button but then no way to filter by favorites, each time you use an item on a Pokemon it deselects that item and makes you select it again... you get the idea. Many people don’t notice things like this, but for me they’re like pebbles in my shoe, and holy shit - this game was like walking on goddamn gravel.

If this game worked as intended, it would very probably rank the best in the franchise like, unanimously. For a lot of players, it likely still will be. But to me, it's hard to recommend a game that feels this broken, that feels this slapdash when I know they can make them better.

Also, I never tend to include this as part of my actual review’s parameters, but I liked a lot of new Pokemon (most since like gen 5 maybe) and thought a lot of new abilities/moves/battle stuff was really creative. This was the first game I can remember in years where I actually used a team of nothing but new guys, and a full team of six at that. But there's also some truly batshit insane powercreep stuff that's looking to make competitive a nightmare (getting my predictions in early). Continuing the post-3D trend, practically every new Pokemon has a signature move, signature ability, or both, and holy fuck some of the new moves are unbelievable. And the two box legendaries have some Calyrex-ass double down abilities that are sure to make the restricted format full of them. Ugh.

Another thing I felt even before the game came out and after playing still feel is: I really hate the approach to graphical presentation and how that factored into the designs and appearances of the human characters. It’s admirable that they’re trying to add more detail to the Pokemon with texture and lighting, but the people in this game look properly fucking weird to me. The clothes are textured to look more real, the hair is attempting a realistic texture with like visible strands (although it does look pretty shoddy)... but then the skin and faces are still giant plasticy anime-style deals. It reminded me a lot of fashion dolls. Just kind of uncanny, you know?

And personally, I don’t even want the graphics to be more realistic at the end of the day; Pokemon is supposed to be cartoony, and I think this bizarre middle ground only hurts the style in a lot of ways more than it improves it. The trainers and NPCs at large suffer from this lack of cartoonishness, and I feel like the entire world’s color and vitality gets brought down a level from generations past. Yes, the gym leaders still manage some good and a couple great designs; yes, the Star leaders are probably the best designs in the game. But virtually everyone else in the game look like “boring human in clothes.” Battling what few trainers I did, it felt hard to believe this is the same franchise that used to have unique Youngsters, Lasses, Beauties, Fishermen, Hikers, Ace Trainers, Battle Girls and Black Belts, where everyone from business people to scientists to janitors to students and their teachers had memorable and new appearances each generation. Looking at this game, the notion that we could see a repeat of what happened to XY’s Hex Maniac, for example, was laughable. They really put all their eggs into one basket with the main cast, which I think is a significant step backwards.

The actual, real, final thing I can remember to say at this time was that I felt the gym/E4′s use of Terastallization was poor and a huge missed opportunity. Each gym, the leader uses a random ace that they Tera into their gym’s type, which only serves to make the battles as much of a sweep as always if the player is sufficiently prepared. When wiping the Water gym leader with my Electric type, I actually paused for a second when seeing his final Pokemon was Crabominable. I thought “huh, now I don’t have a great move for this, do I switch out to-” before remembering he was, of course, going to change it to a Water type like everything else and I could finish the battle with no more trouble than before.

To me, the better way to handle this and introduce the depth and possibilities of the mechanic is to have each leader’s ace still be a Pokemon of their type, which they Tera into something different and unexpected, reflecting the way it will work in real battles with other players. This also serves to showcase a range of basic strategic choices for each type players could choose to use in their own teams. The only leader that felt close to this was Iono, Terastallizing a Mismagius into Electric so as to have no weaknesses with Levitate. Giving her something like a Volt Absorb Pokemon to Tera into Flying or Water and negate a weakness wouldn’t have been as “strong,” but I feel it would’ve been more thematically appropriate while requiring players to actually vary their approach a little more.

[holycowss]

Truth and it's many combinations

Life and its so many combinations of choices. It's truly a mind corkscrew. I think of all the ways each and every single detail of the choices I make affect my life.

The people I encounter, the lives I cross paths with... It's all a testament to my existence. Sometimes I like to think that some of the small details don't matter, but the truth is that they do.

The truth is that everything is all interconnected, according to a higher power's plan for my life.

Scripture states that I can make my own choices, but nothing will ever hinder the plans of God. I take true refuge in knowing this. Because sometimes I feel as though I am ruining my life, but I remind myself that I will stumble at times, but my intentions are always good and my heart remains pure in every situation I find myself in.

Acknowledging this, allows me to remember that I am not as grand as I believe. That I cannot disrupt the plans of God, for he orchestrates everything. He goes before me, and paves my way, knowing my innermost thoughts and feelings every single moment of my life. He watches me sleep and keeps me safe. He is my fortress and my refuge. How amazing is it to know that I can rest in my silly human mistakes, because God loves me so deeply he will use my errors to create something beautiful.

This evening, I reflect on my solitude. How I play a part in my own heartache, and challenges. It makes me question why I've been willingly choosing hardships my entire life up until this moment. The short answer boils down to the deep hatred I feel for myself. It's because I have grown to learn that I deserve punishment and a hard life and this stems from childhood. It's as if it was lingering dormant like a virus, but finally, like a bamboo shoot, the truth has sprouted into the light, overnight.

It's ugly. The truth. I don't hate myself in a way that I wish I was someone else; more-so, in a way that I wish I was more worthy of my parents love. Because I have familiarized myself with this truth, I have entered a room of wrestling with what my conscious has recognized as truth, but it is so far from the actual truth is.

As I understand this, it is my job to rewire my brain to understand and not to self destruct. This life and all my goals and ambitions would be more easily achieved had it not been for an auto immune disease in my psych. The mind is the most powerful tool, it can work for you or against you. Rewiring this thing to work for me.

The moments we take to sit with ourselves and search for what is really yearning to be felt, heard, seen, and acknowledged are the same feelings that can be a catalyst for growth, or sometimes the opposite.

[foreverarmed]

Many years ago, in the realm of feudal Japan, there existed a skilled and ambitious samurai named Haruki. His prowess with the sword was renowned, and his name struck fear into the hearts of many. Haruki's desire for recognition and wealth consumed him, driving him to seek out any opportunity to prove his might.

Through whispers carried on the wind, Haruki heard tales of a legendary warrior who had once bested numerous soldiers in combat, infuriating a wealthy emperor. The emperor, in his anger and wounded pride, had placed a handsome bounty on the head of this warrior. Determined to claim the glory and riches that awaited him, Haruki set out to find and defeat this elusive warrior.

After months of relentless searching and gathering information, Haruki's loyal men finally reported a promising lead. The legendary warrior, it seemed, had gone into hiding in a small town, taking up the humble occupation of a gardener named Tetsugen. Haruki's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he realized that defeating this renowned warrior would secure his place in history and bring unimaginable rewards.

With his mind set on victory, Haruki devised a cunning plan. He ordered his men to kidnap Tetsugen's farmhand, holding him hostage under the threat of death. Haruki approached the trembling farmhand and demanded information about Tetsugen's combat training and his current skill level, now that he was older and in hiding.

Fearfully, the farmhand spoke, "Tetsugen awakes with the rising sun and prepares a cup of tea, following a ritual passed down through generations. He handles each step meticulously, from boiling the water to pouring it into the cup without even glancing. He then sits in silent meditation, embracing tranquility for varying lengths of time. Sometimes it is only a few minutes, and on other occasions, he remains immersed for an hour."

"After his meditation, Tetsugen prepares a simple breakfast before venturing into his garden. There, he attentively tends to each plant, making decisive cuts to remove unwanted parts and nurturing those that can be revived. He studies every plant, carefully assessing its needs, whether it requires new soil, water, less water, a different amount of sunlight, or shade. He spends the entire day in the garden, moving with deliberate grace, never hurried, and seemingly without any pattern, always caring for the plants. He never touches a sword, engages in combat, or succumbs to anger."

Listening intently, Haruki's heart filled with a mix of arrogance and certainty. The farmhand's words reinforced his belief that Tetsugen, once a formidable warrior, must have grown weaker over the years, lacking the practice and training Haruki had devoted himself to. With newfound confidence, Haruki resolved to challenge Tetsugen to a duel and claim the bounty.

Haruki made his way to Tetsugen's modest abode, his eyes filled with the gleam of ambition. Tetsugen, however, greeted him with a serene smile and offered him a cup of tea. Politeness radiated from his every gesture. The scent of freshly brewed tea filled the air, calming Haruki's nerves for a fleeting moment.

With disdain in his voice, Haruki sneered, "I have no interest in your tea, old man. I have come to prove my superiority in combat."

Tetsugen's eyes reflected deep understanding as he gently replied, "As you wish, brave samurai. But before we indulge in violence, please accept this humble gift." He handed Haruki a carefully potted plant, its vibrant leaves dancing in the sunlight.

Fury consumed Haruki as he hurled the plant to the ground, spitting on the earth. His hand instinctively reached for his sword, ready to strike down his

opponent. But before Haruki's blade could find its mark, a flash of steel moved with astonishing speed.

In a swift and masterful stroke, Tetsugen disarmed Haruki, leaving him defenseless and bewildered. Haruki collapsed to his knees, his dreams of triumph shattered.

As Tetsugen stood above him, his expression filled with compassion, the farmhand stepped forward and addressed his master, "Master Tetsugen, why did you have to defeat Haruki so effortlessly? He was a fool, believing your skills had waned. He failed to recognize that you approach every task with the spirit of a warrior, even without engaging in combat."

Tetsugen, his gaze never leaving Haruki's defeated form, replied, "True strength lies not solely in the art of swordplay, but in the way we approach every aspect of life. Every action, from preparing tea with mindfulness to tending a garden with purpose, can be an expression of the warrior's spirit. Haruki sought victory only through the blade, ignoring the essence of true strength that resides within."

In that poignant moment, Haruki's quest for recognition and wealth transformed into a profound realization. He saw the profound wisdom in Tetsugen's approach, understanding that true mastery encompassed more than martial skill alone.

And so, Haruki, humbled by his defeat, rose from the ground, forever changed by his encounter with the gardener warrior. He dedicated himself to studying the way of the warrior beyond the battlefield, seeking harmony between strength and compassion, recognizing that true victory was not found in the external accolades, but in the depth of one's character.

The story of Haruki and Tetsugen became a timeless lesson, echoing through the ages—a testament to the understanding that true warriors are not defined solely by their skill with a sword, but by the way they carry themselves in every moment of their lives, infusing each action with the indomitable spirit of a warrior.

[an-art-exhibition]

Baltimore, 1998.

Graduation day was a long-awaited moment for every student after giving their blood and tears to pursue education, meaning it was a dream to attend your graduation day after the horrendous years of studying. For Rome and Venice, graduation day meant so much more than freeing themselves from the hardship of studying.

Their four years of pursuing their education at The Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts & Sciences were lovely, and they enjoyed their stay at school. It might be because Johns Hopkins University was their dream, or it might be because they have each other throughout the years. But on their graduation day, they would be bound by something larger than love as youngsters.

"... to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow." applaud heard from the people as they stood from their chairs, cheering for the newlyweds surrounded by unimaginable joy.

Geneva, 2000.

After two years of marriage, the couple expected to have their babies born into this world—the doctor said that Venice was pregnant with twins, and Rome couldn't be happier than this.

As a diplomat, Rome shall move from land to land, learning foreign languages and all to survive in his job. While Venice's been a great supporter of her husband, she's still doing her dream as a museum curator. It's just her stay at the museum won't be long if Rome had to move to another country.

"Rome... My water broke..." Venice said anxiously, seeing the water flow from her bottom. Rome dashed, trying to call an ambulance to save his beloved wife and his babies.

"You are now Paris and Milan," Rome smiled, seeing his babies alive and well. The twins were born healthy, and they resembled their father a lot with the hint of their mother.

Baltimore, 2018.

Paris and Milan had grown into lovely youngsters. As the youngest of all their family, they'd been granted the freedom to choose what they loved and to do what they wanted in life.

Apple never falls far from the tree. Paris and Milan decided to back to Baltimore, the city where their parents pursued education. Paris pursued her education in education major at Johns Hopkins University, hoping she would become a great teacher in the future. In comparison, Milan dreamt of being a painter and chose the Maryland Institute College of Art to pursue his dream—he inherited his love for art from his dear mom, Venice.

Present Days, 2023.

Passionate and driven by ambition, Milan has concealed his delicate self drowning in the desire to be great. Milan has thrived as a painter, and he has already held his solo exhibitions several times in many countries and cities. Nothing much changed from him. He is still Milan that has planned his whole life for the next ten years, five years, tomorrow. Milan also has a restaurant built with his name on Fullerton Rd, Singapore. The Éttiene—It's a restaurant where culinary and art are the crucial point of it. The Éttiene is Milan's prized possession. He's been exhibiting his paintings there as the main attraction to the patrons

[lupically]

#F40B32 | RYOMEN SUKUNA.

genre | light fluff, light angst, very faint romance undertone 

word count | 2616

warning | mention of death, mention of injury, mention of killing, decapitation 

note | i just wanted to try my hand at writing for a villain that is obviously irredeemable in a semi-realistic way.

what happens when you are irredeemable? you will fall in love anyway.

but ryomen sukuna wasn't in love with you. after all, he had killed you one too few times to claim that he was in love with you.

the first time he killed you was out of instinct. you were an intruder touching his soul the way mahito did, except you barged in without any malicious intention. he had gazed over your fallen body with mild interest then; a mere mortal, yet you emerged from thin air into his locked tight domain without dying?

the second time he killed you was a choice. he gave you not a minute to explain yourself, even though you had wasted the minute asking questions about his identity and the skull-filled area instead of giving him any valuable information about yourself. he had been fed up, he was never a man of patience, so he killed you with a wave of his hand and returned to his dull life alone on his throne.

the third time he killed you—he did not kill you. there was no third time; people liked to say the third time's charm but sukuna believed no such superstition. he killed you twice already and each time, you came back unscathed, both your body and your memories. whether he liked it or not, killing you for the third time would do neither you nor him any benefit, so he kept you alive.

you were afraid of him. he could tell, and he meant for things to be that way until he realized it served as a misfortune on his part. in order to understand this mystery—your sudden appearance into his domain, as well as your inability to leave it and his inability to kick you out—he has to gain some piece of information about you, but you were too shaken up from being murdered to talk to him at all.

sukuna's patience was reaching a breaking point and he thought about torturing it out of you, but he understood that humans are fragile, way more fragile than your typical jujutsu sorcerer. he could accidentally kill you and you would return with no scars and more unwilling to converse with him than before. then it was the waiting game all over again.

he wasn't planning on going through such a dull ordeal again, so he left you be and waited for you to calm yourself down.

the first time you talked to him, you asked him a question.

"are you going to kill me?" you asked him.

sukuna peered down at you from his throne. small, frightened, curled into a ball with no desire to touch the skeletons at his feet, but you looked up at him out of politeness.

he scoffed, displeased. "no, but i always can."

the second time you talked to him, it was to exchange a brief introduction.

"ryomen sukuna," he hummed curtly then he nudged his chin toward you. "your turn."

you shuffled up to your knees and sat down on your heels. your fingers fidgetted at your lap as you timidly peered up at his tattooed, disinterested expression.

"[full name]," you said with a nod, unable to meet his eyes. "nice–nice to meet you, sukuna-san..."

the third time you talked to him, you flinched.

"ma–may i ask you two questions... if i can...?" you asked, for the first time standing up to face him directly.

sukuna leaned away from his propped-up arm. after taking a better look at you, accessing your figure analytically despite having seen you move around slowly for days already, he shoved his hands into the sleeves of his robe and he suddenly jumped down from his throne to stand before you.

you pursed your lips nervously over his looming figure, face heating up with terrible anxiety while your eyes darted down to the watery ground. oh, his presence has been so overwhelmingly deadly that you forgot your white tennis shoes were stained red and your pastel ankle socks remained wet. you did not dare to complain, not even in your head.

"i'll allow it," he said.

"where am i?" you quickly asked.

"an innate domain," he replied.

you have questions, but you decided not to ask. you only nodded after breathing out a soft sigh to calm your nerves. this man constantly sounded condescending, he was kicking open your comfort zone without actively doing anything that would make you uncomfortable.

"okay..." you said, "thank you."

"aren't you going to ask me another question?" he stated with a raise of his brow. "you wanted to ask me two questions."

you gulped, blinking hopelessly at the air as a grimace appeared on your face. "the first question was if i can ask you two questions, and the second one is about where i am... so that makes two."

oh, a meticulously cautious one, and somewhat humorous too he would give you that. sukuna scoffed loudly, but it was less out of annoyance and more out of disbelief of your incredible dullness. however, as plain as you were, he has grown accustomed to your presence; the scent of fear that bounced off of you and the fact that he cannot kill you at will.

"you must be dying to know what this place is, are you not, you brat?" sukuna asked.

when he saw the flashes in your eyes, he knew he had you down through and through. all you were was but someone who was too afraid to say what they want, which was just as he expected from you. you wouldn't cause him trouble, you never could.

reaching his hand out of his sleeve, he stayed silent despite seeing the way you flinched with your eyes shut at his raised hand. his movement had been slow, but that was an involuntary response, an instinct that he didn't craft into you. he wondered what it was.

"you can ask me three more questions," he said as he pushed the heel of his palm against the curve of your head. he was gentle at first, then he clamped his hand down on your head as he bent his waist to meet your eyes. he laughed. "i'll allow it."

he could keep you here. he has no choice but to keep you here, and he would kill you once he realized he has the ability to. but for now, perhaps he could act a little civil, something like a human being but one that people would hate to the core.

except he was met with a little obstacle in the way, which was that you were no bad company.

the first time sukuna gained a liking toward you was when you asked him a peculiar question.

"sukuna-san," you called one time when there was only silence within the innate domain.

you sat on a bed of skulls, one that you tentatively asked the king of curses to make you so you wouldn't have to lean on the rib-cage structure and sit in water for slumber.

he denied it at first. calling you names and threatening you about ever requesting something from him—a bed in his domain? fucking atrocious. but your insomnia was killing you; you hated the blood water and your neck burned whenever you wake up having it arched at the worst angle possible.

he did not grow soft. he just made one so he didn't have to watch you sleep in his peripheral vision.

"hmm."

"why do you think curses exist?"

he raised a brow at you. "did i not teach you that before?"

"you did, sorry," you nodded, "then do you believe in god?"

"where the fuck is this coming from, you brat?"

"from where i came, god is good. but from what i am seeing, whether from where i came from or here, everything goes against that value," you muttered loudly as you pulled at your fingers. "cursed spirits harm people. if i can argue that way, i think cursed spirits are harmful within themselves."

"if god is good, and god is real, why would this happen," you said. "why should we feel negative emotions? why do we have the ability to create cursed spirits? why do curses like you exist?"

he furrowed his brows in irritation. have you reduced him to mere curses? have you reduced him to nothing but a brainless being that only takes joy in the suffering of others? no matter how he approached your words, he felt infuriated that you could minimize his importance to simply being a bad person.

he was much more than a bad person, much more than just a pain! he has ideals, he has goals and ambitions, he has wit and strength! he has anger and malevolence and power beyond which your soul could ever contain and endure! he was ryomen sukuna, the strongest curse in a thousand years and more!

he will fucking kill you.

"i'm really glad you're here, though," you finished off softly, an unknowing smile on your face as you rubbed your thumbs weakly together.

he will kill you.

"for a long time, i was told my anger and hatred aren't real. that they don't and should not exist, and i learned to bury them to the ground so they never appear on the surface again," you said, your innocent smile audible to his ears and making his chest twitch with guilt.

"cursed spirits' existence is proof that my negative emotions are real. they may be a problem, but i am not crazy for having them because they're here. they became something, they're here and alive."

he will... he will kill you.

"i just think it's unfair to put the blame on cursed spirits and cursed energy alone when the society's standard guarantees the manifestation of them," you said. "if my anger got out to the world in the form of a monster and it hurt someone, i'll forgive it. i will forgive myself."

he...

"you don't need to hear this, i wish i had your confidence, but i have to say it," you looked up and smiled at him, "i'm a little glad you're here, sukuna-san."

he will kill–he will ki–

the second time, he went stoic.

mahito was too smart for his own good. the first thing he noticed when he entered the soul within yuji's body was the way sukuna has the collar of your shirt clutched in his hand and your body pulled close to his side. it was a glance, he had one small glimpse of you both before he was kicked out of the domain.

your face was riddled with tears—crying, disappointed, and frustrated, but why? for the transfigured human whose name mahito almost forgot, or because sukuna just had one of the most sadistic outbursts you have ever witnessed.

and sukuna, the king, the lord, the almighty—didn't he look annoyed. well, not annoyed, per se. angry, mad, overwhelmed, knowing, protective. very, very, very protective; glowing eyes that glared at mahito's patched up face, fingers that gripped at your shirt so tightly he could rip the fabric apart, an aura that was ready to spit any moment if mahito so much as reach a finger toward your direction.

you meant something to ryomen sukuna. mahito realized that, so the second time he entered the innate domain, he killed you.

right before his eyes, with a cunning and triumphant smile, your neck cracked and your skin broke, and mahito tore your head off just before he was once again beat out of the domain.

sukuna tried to heal you. he tried to seal your head back to your lifeless body, time and time again pushing your decapitated head against your haphazardly cut neck. but his reverse curse technique wasn't healing you. your skin refused to piece itself back together, you refused to come back to him. time passed and he was getting mad, he was going batshit crazy trying to force himself out of this body.

bastard! bastard! bastard! he was supposed to kill you! he was supposed to be the one to kill you! he would murder that patch-faced piece of shit! he would kill mahito! and he would destroy the whole world, light it on fire and kill all that wasn't worthy of his time! he would jump universes, light-years, the bloodstream of the galaxy to find you and bring you back to him. he would—

"sukuna-san, i'm sorry i took a while! i thought you were fighting–holy shit, is that me?"

the third time, sukuna admitted to himself.

"what kind of flowers do you like, sukuna-san?" you asked, voice drowsy and your legs dangling after you climbed on one of the bones of the rib-cage structure.

"why does it matter?" he asked from his throne, eyeing you carefully.

your were a clumsy idiot. you could fall anytime.

"it doesn't, but it's flowers," you mumbled with your chin leaning against the bone, eyes threatening to close. "sukuna... sukuna..."

"what?" he snapped.

"i like lilies, the red ones," you said with a silly grin. "will you visit me when i die? sukuna... will you bring... mmm... bring red lilies..."

he looked ahead. your death; your grave, decorated with red lilies, protected and preserved with his curses. your death—he gritted his teeth. he refused to think about it. it was a waste of time.

or maybe he simply hated the idea of your death.

sukuna has not gone soft. he was irredeemable; a killer, a curse, a tragedy to descend upon mankind. he was not good and he never would be, nor did he ever have the intention to be good.

still, from you, there was proof that he could be more. what was left of his being; his anger and his torture, what was left within the gaps of his hell, the rare softness that once was there, belonged to you now.

you were the vessel that pocketed all that he could potentially become if he wasn't born to be ryomen sukuna, a version of him that you have witnessed. within you, there was proof that he did not only exist to hurt people, but also to validate madness and pain, to acknowledge passion in its murderous wakefulness. within you, there was proof that within himself, there are pieces of what it means to be human and alive.

hearing your soft breath, sukuna looked up to find you asleep with your head against the bone. your arms barely supported your weight and you were threatening to fall off as you dozed with faint snores. he stared at you, his fingers twitching, then he finally waved his hand so he could bring you away from the ribcage and to where he sat.

he paid no mind to subtlety when he set you on his lap. his hand supported your back while he kept your head pressed against his shoulder. his other arm went around your body, preventing you from falling off the throne made only for him to sit on. when he was done adjusting to the new sitting position, he relaxed.

brushing the hair away from your face, he stared down at you with disinterest, but his heart pumped and pumped for you to be warm and well, his arms tightened for you to sleep soundly.

"i will bring you all the red lilies you want," he whispered, the back of his finger gliding past your soft cheek. you did not smell like fear when you fall asleep, you did not smell like fear now even when you looked at him. "i will allow myself that."

after all, ryomen sukuna was only fond of you. very, very fond of you. 

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E131 (March 30, 2021)

Tonight’s guests are Liam O’Brien and Sam Riegel!

Brian points out that a lot of Caleb’s greatest fears have come to pass. Liam: “It’s funny, because he’d kind of believed for a while that those things weren’t going to happen. After a while, he got complacent.” He notes that it was extra wild because everything with Trent popped up again in the midst of that complacency. And how did it feel to be defiant toward Trent? “I think Trent successfully made Caleb question if Caleb really was in control“ at the dinner party. “I feel like anything that I do is part of his plans for me, or is that just gaslighting? I’m legitimately scared of that dude.” Sam: “Of Matt?” Liam: “Sure.” He highlights the disconnect between knowing that the M9 is mechanically powerful and could possibly defeat Trent in a dice-and-stats battle, versus fearing him in a story sense and being convinced he can do almost anything.

Sam, on Luc’s death: “That was brutal, man. Matt Mercer is a-- he hates children! Clearly. He actively sought to kill a child in the campaign in as brutal a way as possible. He hates children and wants them dead. Canon. No, but to RP, that was horrible.” He highlights that so much of Veth’s arc has been about trying to get back to her family. “We had to choose something and we thought we were making the right choice. It was all Veth’s fault, and it was pretty rotten. My heart was beating pretty fast, and I certainly didn’t want to have my son die live on the stream. I don’t know what Veth would have done. That’s the end, that’s over. It’s almost worse than when your own character would die. This is something that would also kill Veth.” After the episode was over: ���just shaken. I also didn’t know what to do next! That felt like a turning-point moment for my character, weirdly so close to what we assume to be the end arc of this campaign. I texted Matt later that night and was like, that’s it, Veth’s out, I’m tapping out.”

There’s an interlude in which Sam discovers a new dream to record an episode of this show from his Peloton. Dani informs him that she will not be inviting him back.

On Astrid, Liam: “I literally don’t know what she’s doing. I know that she’s dangerous, she always was ambitious, and there’s not been a moment where Caleb let his guard down with her. He’s not trying to reestablish what they had. He cares for the both of them, for Astrid and Eodwulf. He thinks about it a lot, still. He can’t tell how much she buys into everything that she experienced and is now living as a full-grown adult. He suspects that she’s bought in and is not going to change things, because she believes in the system, as much as he’d like to peel her away. He does believe that they want what’s best for the Empire, and stopping whatever wants to come vomiting out of a hole in the frozen north is good for everyone. And they’re powerful. They’re not trustworthy, obviously. But there’s enough at stake to make it worth it. He could imagine a situation where they fight each other to the death.” He was convinced Astrid was going to stop them when they left the tower and was really shocked when she held back. Sam: “Not me! I’ve trusted Astrid since day one. She’s the greatest! I sent a letter to her, she’s very nice, I think you guys would be a nice couple. I believe every word she says.”

On having to decide on Veth deciding to go off and save the world after Luc’s death. “Like I said, I was ready to be done. And then I decided somewhere in there that that’s not very D&D. So I thought I’d leave it up to somebody else, so I asked Caduceus to decide for me, essentially. She knows she’s putting her other family in danger if she doesn’t go. It’s an impossible choice, you know?” Liam: “I love watching you grapple with it, because you’re a lovely father and love your kids.”

On the Sanatorium, Sam: “That was brutal, man. Matt lulls you into a sense of complacency. We’d forgotten that Caleb was a stone-cold killer! It had been a while since he went on a murder spree. Still got it!” Liam: “I never meant for this character to be perfect sunshine.” Brian: “You don’t say.” Liam: “He’s very not-perfect, and I think in his brain, he was going in with the impression that they needed to get in and get out as soon as possible. The place is crawling with people with magic ability, and I didn’t have faith that we wouldn’t be sussed out or something wasn’t going to blow an illusion.” Everything was about getting out of there as fast as possible.

Did the conversation with Yeza help with Veth’s decision? “First of all, every conversation with Yeza is a beautiful one. Every time she talks to Yeza, it makes her feel good. In some ways, she’s gotten to the point now where she knows Yeza’s going to be supportive, she knows he’s going to allow her to do what she wants, but maybe that’s too much. Maybe she needs to not listen to him, basically, and be like, no, you need to be selfish now, dude, you need to say ‘come home, I’m sick of you leaving’. At a certain point, being supportive can turn into being enabling.”

Cosplay of the Week: Jester in the snow! (liljerbear47, photography by kairiceleste on Instagram)

On Trent’s motivations for chasing Caleb: “I really don’t know. The simplest explanation is to just hammer down the nail that’s sticking up. It has crossed his mind that all high-level wizards are in danger of their own ambition and egos, so it’s occurred to him that Trent might have the same kind of ideas that Halas had in the past, and maybe Caleb was always meant to be another body to jump into. Maybe in some sick, disgusting, twisted way, he wants him to be his successor. I am thinking of the next campaign, without getting too deep in, trying to do something that is much more ride-along. Caleb is very, very specific, and I thought long and hard about all the different pieces on the chessboard for him. For campaign three, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”

Dani: “Do I need to be keeping lore on your fucking ads?”

On the cursed dagger: “It was a tricky one, because in campaign one, one of the characters was under the influence of a cursed weapon, but it interacted with him and he knew what it was and what it did. And it affected his gameplay as a character. For me, Veth didn’t know what it was, ever. I as a player knew what it was doing, but Veth didn’t know at all. So it was kind of like my dirty, dark secret for many months. I knew this thing was coming perilously close to killing me, but my character didn’t know enough to bring it up to her friends. Nobody ever asked! So I was like, well, I guess this thing’s just going to kill me one day, and it’s kind of going to be a surprise.” Liam: “Sam, you love danger and self-destruction so much, you might as well be Mollymauk.”

On the fight in Yasha’s sequence, Sam: “You gotta put a character in your storm giant creature. It was so fun! It was so great of Matt to involve us in this encounter. It would’ve been fun just to watch, because Matt would have made it amazing and Ashley was sweating bullets, which is always fun to watch.” Sam notes he felt guilty, but Liam was going for the kill. Liam: “Matt’s gotta be careful about giving me that kind of story beat. I do not fucking care, I just fucking flip, I’m like, well, I’m going to destroy you, and I have no qualms about it. It’s too much fun!”

The Beau/Yasha tower date was in part inspired by not being able to give gifts as easily this last year. “This thing that we do together is a gift, but I love finding these moments, like the book for Jester and the tower for Yasha and for Beau. I really just wanted to give both of them a little magic for a night. I wanted them to leave this-- we’re trying to be as entertaining as possible, but shit is having an effect on all of us too, and I wanted them to have an escape, a great place to escape to.”

Fan Art of the Week: an amazing group shot, plus Marion, Yeza, and Luc! (vocaz on Twitter)

On choosing Essek over Trent, Liam: “It would have been so interesting and awful and great! Essek and Astrid and Eodwulf are everything that Bren used to be attracted to that are terrible for him. Essek, hopefully he can with time find a way out of the hole that he dug himself into, but it was only two months ago where he was found out and his ambitions came crashing down around him. Long-term, I have high hopes for him, but I think it’s going to be hard.” In contrast, Astrid and Eodwulf are still “deep in the shit. It would have been really hard to navigate, but fun to play at the table. We made the right choice with what we went with. Essek’s just getting started, and Caleb doesn’t trust him entirely, because he was burned so hard not too long ago. He’s still more trustworthy than the other three. So it’s the better choice. While Caleb has all these ties on the other side, they’re really fucking dangerous. So if you have to choose, you choose Essek. But fuck that die.” Sam: “Veth, much like Sam Riegel, makes instant decisions about whether to trust someone or not and sticks to it forever. Astrid, 100% trust. Eodwulf, 100% distrust. Essek, completely distrust. I still don’t think he’s a good guy. Ikithon? Trust. 100%. Because you know where he’s coming forward, you know what he wants. I still want him dead, but I trust him.”

On Veth’s post-adventuring plans: “Veth is probably still too in it right now to think about what comes next. I, Sam Riegel, have a good idea of what I want Veth to do post-campaign.” Brian: “Maybe you shouldn’t tell us. Save it for the show!” Sam: “All she knows is she can’t do this anymore. It’s very unhealthy to be battle-wounded every other day. It’s fun for a while, but college has to end at some point, and she’s gotta go home.”

On Frumpkin changing appearance and returning to the Feywild: “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but the way it feels now for Caleb is that he feels too enmeshed in everything that has happened, and too much good has happened, and too much needs to happened, that that really narcissistic, selfish goal has the risk of harming everything else, which is more important. And that’s how he looks at it now. So he’s gearing towards letting everything from the beginning of the campaign, and where he started, go, and trying to figure out what use he’s going to be now and what he’s going to do if they’re not all dead. If Matt throws that shit down, I don’t know what I will do, I think about it a lot. But turning Frumpkin white and saying you’re free either way is him preparing to let go of everything he’s been holding on to for a really long time. He’s addicted to that idea that he can fix himself, and we’ll see if that hard choice gets presented, what he might do. But where he stands now, he doesn’t think that’s going to be reality, and he sees a way that he can be of use that he never really anticipated before, so he’s slowly shifting gears towards living with the pain he was trying to remove.”

On the last request scene and confidence heading into Aeor, Sam: “I feel like that’s a good request. I think all of us realized that if we die, that probably bodes badly for the world. I feel like all of us are at a point now as characters and as friends, that the first order of business would be to take care of everybody else’s shit, although we probably have different ideas of how to do that.” Liam: “I want the Empire to be healed, Caleb has all these memories of his parents and what they wanted for the world, and he wants that too. It’s clearly not in place now, the system needs to be broken and replaced. That could be a part of Caleb’s sunset. I don’t want Caleb to die, so maybe he can work on that after. As everything starts to shake out and we start heading towards our destiny, Caleb’s just free-floating. He’s not even going after the same thing he started for. So he’s looking at Veth’s family, and Luc specifically, and seeing that’s me, that’s a little boy in the Empire.”

[alberivh]

The gravestone of the wilderness — (scraps)

diluc x gn!reader — fluff, angst, comfort/hurt, death, implied werner syndrome, memory loss.

the second stage of diluc’s life, death and you.

a/n : a very very messy writing which were written by me for 2 days…? please listen to je te laisserai des mots while reading this, it would improve your imagination more <3

oh to be a normal couple. Lying in your frail shoulder, diluc exhales his heavy breathing. Trading the air with a brain of oxygen and beauty of life, he let your hands wrapped to his arm. Soothed his messy-red-hair and hearing the whisper of the freedom. Near the lakes of the winery, stand your figure and diluc seeing the sunset in mesmerized glances. It was a peaceful evening, even the birds seems too peaceful that it hurts your soul. The world isn’t fine, how come everything became so peaceful today?

“diluc, quick question..” , you called out his name. Stealing the sunset gaze from diluc’s eyes. His breathing is heavy, his heartbeat is unexpectedly warm. Yet you found his presence a little bit too cold..and too fragile.

“and..what is it?”

“who’ll die first, me or you?” , the question is simple. Like a sword to a warriors body, straightforward and cut short. You pay no attention to diluc’s tighten grip, avoiding his eye contact is the way you make his answer straight and honest. After all, you only want to hear his intentions, why did he still seek you even after your condition worsened? He could had the chance to escape from your affection 3 months ago but why did he stay? Did he pitied the unknown for not being the best of his life?

“you” cold and strong. His whole sight focused on your eyes. Anxiety fills it, tears could even force itself to leave your eyes if diluc told you how your eyes show everything. He seen through you and for so many time, he predicted your words. I don’t have any days left diluc.., is your favorite line. The one he thought to be a bullshit.

“just as i expected”

“but you do know i’m not your doctor right?”

“i trust my lovers instinct better than the doctors, they’re a bunch of creeps anyways” , the sunset falls to the edge of the winery before you could finish your reply. the infuse, the breathing machines and the ventilators were all beside you, accompanying you these past weeks. it was bothersome to bring them all together, but thanks to diluc, you could felt as if you were alive. and with no essentials-help you are fine.

diluc saw your anxiety trembles to sobs. the sunset was over and thus—began the starry moonlight which bright to the breezing sky of monstadt.

“thank you..diluc…” , you carefully clinge to his arm. Hugging it tightly without letting your infuse disturbed the warm of his body. your fingers gone numb but his warmth, it radiates so much energy and comfort to be alive. tears fall to his jacket, the moonlight was yet to be found and here you are pleading your lover to stay. Even if you’re both better dying off alone.

“dying off young is pretty tragic don’t you think? Like us..”, whispering your thoughts under the darkened sky and to diluc who was staring empty at your eyes. It was quite and clear to be hear in diluc’s ear but maybe he prefers to drown himself to your frail shoulder, so he could escape from the reality you were going out from his lines.

“y’know diluc, if i were alive till the 32 years of your life, i’ll be happy to laid on our deathbed together..” , a not so sappy thought to be precise. But diluc tries to understand from what are you implying to say, he doesn’t want to make himself fooled by the guilt of his past.

“and what makes you say that?”

“diluc we all know that i’m dying, i couldn’t always stay like this can i?” “I just want to be free that’s all..but diluc…i don’t wish for someone to forget about me…i want them to know i’m used to be alive and well, i want them to know i’m in love.” — i want them to know i’m in love with you diluc, i don’t want to leave you behind. I don’t want someone to abandoned me behind. I love you diluc. How many times have i told you that? I lost count.

minutes feels like seconds, under the starry night you felt nothing but warm. The warm of his heart and his radiance, although it seems like a facade to hide from your sharp-vision. He is beautiful. but with diluc’s lips under your dry mouth, You could feel more the presence of his fading-figure. Wandering through his palm, the space of his cold fingers and his salty tears. He was crying out of madness. He was frustrated that he couldn’t been able to save you from your draining thoughts.

the sharp needles inside your infuse feels numb. The breathing tube wasn’t as heavy as before. Diluc lips is the only thing you could feel. Under the moonlight, he drops his devotion to his knees. Hands wrapped to your delicate-fragile self. Under the days he left you behind, he apologize. As Now he is humming your lips with hopeless wishes. His kisses are soft, gentle as the wind. Pyro seems so warm to your cryo vision. Unknown for love and ambition to be bear. so this is how falling in love feels like?

the sunrise have awoken, another day has finally begun. Sitting at the balcony with his brother, reading letters and wishes from his inner family circle. Eyebags have grown to diluc’s glance, even his wrinkles start to form onto his charming face. His hair start to fall out to thin airs, leaving half of the once burning red to a pale-silver colored. Enjoying his time with the breeze of the sun, diluc realizes kaeya standing figure. he must be going somewhere..

“Kaeya where are you going?” , voice gone frail. His voice aren’t as strong as before. Even his flatter organs are better than the rusty voice kaeya heard.

“to visit someone, it’s their birthday afterall..want to join in, good-master di—“

“shut up don’t you say that name again” , crossing the words. He exhales his breath. Giving himself an opportune moment to breath the fresh morning air. He flinch to the song of the birds, watching them fly ti the air while the letters flew to the side of the tables. it was a peaceful day for diluc to rest, but nonetheless..he always forgot them. Them who aren’t here anymore. father..and..who are they again?

“Alright big brother diluc ragnvindr..just sit on your wheelchair and prepare your stuff, we’re going to windrise right now.”

“It’s not vennessa’s birthday kaeya, why’d you want to take me to windrise? Are y—“ cutting diluc’s voice, kaeya managed to give him the usual smug face on his sight. Making diluc seems more uncomfortable by his plan.

“Yeah yeah..just stick your butt on the wheelchair already mister, we’re going now woohoo!” , whistling to excitement diluc found his brother action to be quite..suspicious. The road was smooth, maybe because the land of winery belongs to diluc’s and his bloodlines, no? Windrise wasn’t that far from the winery, maybe it is far for someone like diluc to explore such an area in the first place.

Windrise, the inner nation of freedom. The location of free will and vennessa legacy. But why does it feel so..cliché for diluc to remember? He doesn’t remember anything about windrise. He doesn’t remember anything about dying, he doesn’t even remembered the gravestone in front of him now. The air was fresh. The leaves and flowers which grow from the small-location of the gravestone was unexpectedly beautiful. The name which were craved in it was unreadable, maybe it was..once. But never again it would be readable to diluc’s eye.

“happy birthday (name)..me and diluc is in here to plant some cecilia’s..would you mind? Ah if you do..you could breeze the bells there, please don’t mind diluc, he’s lost right now.” , kaeya pleaded to downfall of the gravestone. Whispering questions and rants for the owner of it to know. The bell rang and under the wing it sang. they gladly appreciate your visit, diluc. Kaeya steal his glance to diluc’s unfocused eyes, it look as if it were questioning every each of it’s memories. Who are they and why does kaeya think of them as one of the part of him?

Planting the seeds of cecilia under the ground of the suspicious gravestone. The Crystalflies even surrounded it with grace, as if they all belong to their first habitat, the gravestone of the wilderness. Who are they and why are their remenance so…beautiful?

“hmhm, goodjob. Thank you for accepting our birthday offer..diluc and i will go now, farewell for now, see you soon” , cleaning the dirt from the gravestone. Diluc once again asked kaeya’s answer. But nothing could be found from his brother mouth, it seems it was hidden for diluc’s sake.

“you’ll recognize them again diluc, sooner or after.”

soon never came. Kaeya wasn’t here, he was already gone from the resident, Taking diluc’s place aren’t that easy after all. pale and unrecognized, diluc came to his once work office which he never touch any longer. Searching for documents for kaeya to read for him later at night. His fingertips are still the same, numb and empty. I lack something but what are they…? This uncureable piece of shit was such a bothersome.

oh..what is this..?

a letter? — opening it with caution, diluc found the sight of something he craves. The writing of those who couldn’t be recognized by his mind, yet the feeling..it was warm. So warm and comfortable, that it even shakes diluc’s empathy.

to, my sweetheart, diluc ragnvindr.

i never knew when would you opened this but i think you opened it few years since i have died. I know the side affects of your ilness. So i wouldn’t mind if you forget me all along. It’s not your fault for leaving your old memories and life behind, your ilness is one of the part of your issues diluc and I totally understand that, better than kaeya, better than adeline or elzer. And if you forget about me, it’s fine. You don’t need to remember me, just read this all along alright?

Diluc, my swetheart. You probably found this crumpled behind your documents. Maybe kaeya would found it first than you do and it wouldn’t be much of a problem for me to bare, after all i’m dead and even if you apologize i wouldn’t dare to say i would forgive you. Cause diluc, i’m hopelessly in love with you. I love you diluc. Even if you forget me, even if you died in your old age and disastrous days, even if you don’t love me any longer. I’ll be very happy if you could still read this letter. Your curiosity is the reason i’m alive for once diluc. Your warm is the reason of my short-recovery diluc. You are everything. And if you forgot, then it’ll be fine. Read this letter everytime you felt lost, because no home without your lover, no? Ah nevermind that’s a shitty joke isn’t it diluc? Hehe

I’m very satisfied with what I’ve achieved in my lifetime. I got to be with you and your family. I feel like i’m apart of them, apart from who i become. I escape and i’m alright. I’m alive and it’s all because of you diluc. I’m happy. Very happy. But one thing i couldn’t regret more is the fact i couldn’t marry you and tell my devotions to the crowds. I want you foreve diluc, but our time is short enough for each other sake. Fate was cruel, but it’s fair and merciful. It gave us a time to met each other and i’m thankful.

So diluc, whenever you feel lost. Feel free to found me in the crystalflies and in the starry night of the winds. Whenever you need me, i’ll be there. just so let you know i’m the donor of your heart, please don’t regret the fact i’m sharing my life with you. I’m happy to know you are alive, diluc. As long ad you enjoyed your days and live a well-long life, i’ll be happy to give you my everything. I might couldn’t give you this year, but here. Open this envelope, it’s a present. For what exactly? For your own love, diluc. Accept it, would you? I don’t mind if you wouldn’t, but if you want to wear it, feel free to use it.

I’m very happy to be alive diluc, i love you.

The letters ended and so do his tears scroll through his cheeks. The crystalflies in the gravestone. Oh it’s you all along..? Why didn’t you cry out of regret? Are you happy for what diluc became? Are you, my dear…? He was scared of letting you loved him again. He deserve nothing but your hatred. The envelope, it was fill with your charm bracelet. The matching bracelet you used to talk with diluc.

The gravestone, the cecilia’s..? Aren’t those the promises diluc made before? i’ll grow garden of hundreds cecilia’s with you. But he forgot. Your existance are nothing to him anymore, he lost his senses, he lost everything. This heart..your heart. It was pounding rapidly, it even showed diluc emotions again. He was crying in pain. He was crying in sorrow. Oh god, i wish i’m not that weak. I wish i still love you the same as how those letter told me. Darling, will you love me again? No response. He was truly out of his mind to forget the ones who bring his dimmed eyes back alive. So once again he confesses, falling to his knees as he begged for his mind to remembered you.

The days have past so did you died in his eyes. Casket opened and emptied with your body, cecilia all over the ground. You are dead and yet the pounding heart of yours are the result of love. Strokes his body with empty thoughts, he began to murmured again his love.

your heart..it’s warm, My dear.

TAGLIST : @mikachuchu , @zierx, @childeluv @urujiako , @chichikoi , @noirkkat , @aphrodicts-imagination

[jancys-blue-bayou]

So regarding them retreading the fucking love triangle bullshit... I don’t see a good reason for why they’re doing it, I think it’s just the limitations of what the Duffers bros can write. I don’t know if they misjudged what fans want or if they don’t care about that (probably the latter), but still regarding fans like... who wanted this, regardless if you stan Steve or Nancy or Jonathan lol, thought everyone was done with the love triangle long ago. Jancy stans obviously just wanted to see Jancy be a couple (which we’ve really barely gotten since they become one) and Steve stans by my estimation have wanted Steve to develop on his own, away from the love triangle bullshit.

I think the Stancy shipteasing their doing is sort of commenting on the whole concept of shipping. And then they tie it into the whole UD time thing with season 1 flashbacks of course. But the thing is, that connection to the whole time thing... of course you don’t need the shipteasing for that. All the shipteasing is just a needless add-on.

I still don’t think they’ll actually do Stancy for real (but I haven’t read any leaks so idk). If you look at all the shipteasing they do, Nancy doesn’t actually reciprocate any feelings in a clear romantic way. They do all the most tired old tropes including wounded soldier fantasy which made me barf, but even for the Duffers bros I think it was so on the nose it again felt like they were meta-commenting on ships. Yes Nancy looks at Steve when he’s shirtless (lol this quality writing) and Robin looks at Nancy looking and makes a face, but it’s not that look from Nancy actually mean anything. Or her jumping into save him, or any of the other care she shows, all the care can just as well be read as her caring for Steve as a friend, not anything romantic.

I do think Jancy still is endgame and they’ll work through their shit by the end of this season or in the next depending on how much shit they plan to cram into the last two episodes.

The number one thing that I hate the most about them doing this is that FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GIVE NANCY ROOM TO GROW WITHOUT TYING HER ARC TO BOYS ALL THE TIME. Seriously. Season 1 and 2 was love triangle. Season 3 was her and Jonathan as a couple having their first big fight. By the end of the season they’d worked through it, supposedly grown as a people and a couple (y’know, that makes it an arc). Now was the chance to move on to other stuff. Especially considering they separated Jancy for season 4. Let Nancy shine on her own then, don’t drag up all the old boys stuff again then! There’s so much to do with her character without making her arc revolve around boys.

It also regresses Steve’s character development, like what happened to getting over Nancy? What are they even doing with him now?

As for Jonathan’s character development, hard to tell given his extremely limited screentime. Him worrying about their future and not wanting to hold Nancy back was kind of interesting, but he’s not gotten any room for it to develop more. But also what bothers me about this Jancy arc is that it once again is down to communication issues. Jonathan’s trust issues and Nancy’s ambition play a part too, which is good those are traits that shouldn’t magically disappear, but the whole drama is once again down to poor communication which they already explored in season 3. Yes in real life you always have to work on communicating with your partner yada yada, but this just feels like retreading old steps. And wasn’t the point of their season 3 arc that they learned to communicate better, be more open and most of all they reiterated their strong bond that they always got each other’s back. I don’t see how, after three seasons of saving each other’s lives multiple times, Nancy saving Will’s life, monster hunting and saving the world, and with what they fought and made up about in s3, they’d have this poor communication. Jonathan not speaking to her about the future, Nancy not confronting him when she senses he’s pulling away. Like, character development would’ve been Jonathan facing his trust issues (”Trust issues? I don’t have trust issues...”) and talking to Nancy about how he’s worried for what the future means for them and his family situation. Also character development? Nancy not retreating (”Retreat? I don’t retreat.”) but confront Jonathan about what he’s hiding.