#part 1 I think

[bunnylivehere]

Meet the REALLY °˖✧cool daddy✧˖° Oops, original Mammon, you're not in charge here anymore, I'm sooo sorry! Hmmm, maybe I could let you staaay?

[rriavian]

Okay, so I'm sending a more detailed explanation in an ask so I can show you some of the comic pages that stuck out to me in particular. Also, once again, major comic spoilers here, I pretty much just have to explain the whole plot of TKO in order to explain why Morpheus's manipulation style is so spot on in your writing, so this is your final warning for spoilers

So I'm not sure how much you know about the plot of The Kindly Ones, but a major aspect of it is that part of Morpheus wants to escape the role of Dream of the Endless, but can't bring himself to leave like Destruction did. He also can't seem to believe that he's capable of change, which is one really major change that was made in the show, cause by the end of season 1, Dream's acknowledge that he is capable of change. Anyway, but the question is, and this can be debated heavily, how much did his desire to stop being Dream of the Endless played into what ended up happening.

So basically at the end of Season of Mists, he makes a deal with Loki, that he'd create a dream-thing to play the part of Loki in Loki's prison, which would allow Loki to go free and also put him in Dream's debt. Now, fast forward to TKO, and Loki kidnaps Daniel. Dream then sends a newly remade Corinthian and Matthew to search for him, while Lyta is on the warpath. This of course leads to what ends up happening, Lyta setting the Kindly Ones on Morpheus, eventually The Corinthian and Matthew finding Daniel and bringing him to the Dreaming, which does calm Lyta down, but by then there's no calling off the Kindly Ones, and I presume you know how that ends.

Anyway, but the question is, what led Loki to kidnapping Daniel in the first place. I saw the theory that Dream actually called in the favor with Loki to kidnap him, but I personally don't believe that. I think it makes more sense that Loki, who didn't want to owe anyone anything, kidnapped Daniel because he knew it would lead to Lyta calling the Kindly Ones on Morpheus, leading to his downfall and thus no more debt is owed.

This comment by Odin sells that for me, it seems to imply that there was no getting a favor back from Loki, Loki would find some other way out of the debt. Which makes me think that Morpheus didn't cash in his favor with Loki

Odin goes on to make this comment about Morpheus though, which is absurdly similar to a comment The Corinthian makes about him in your series. And Morpheus's answer here is very classic Morpheus.

Now, it's later implied that there was definitely some manipulation on Morpheus's part going on. And once again, there's another statement made that bears striking resemblance to The Corinthian realizing how thoroughly he had been manipulated in your writing

So here's what I think happened. Dream knew the character of Loki as he knows everyone. He knew that Loki would do anything to get out of paying a debt. So by having Loki in his debt, he would be ensuring that someone would be going to any lengths to see him destroyed. Morpheus would put up every fight he possibly could, he would not let himself die without doing that, after all, that's why he couldn't just quit like Destruction and give up his responsibilities. He would protect the Dreaming until the Dreaming required him to sacrifice his life for it. And then he could finally have peace.

But if all this is true, then Loki did exactly as Morpheus wanted. If all this is true, then Morpheus was the true manipulator. And just this style of ensuring that he wins no matter the outcome, strikes me as very similar as to how Morpheus manipulates The Corinthian in your series. He was always going to win, he had what he wanted from the beginning. Sort of like how the moment he had Loki in his debt, all he had to do was wait for the scene to play out and let everyone act as their nature would allow.

I think that Morpheus probably would have preferred fewer people be hurt in this, because I think that fundamentally, he cares so much about the Dreaming and humanity. Which is why he couldn't just abandon his responsibilities, no matter what The Corinthian might say.

But I think this highlights the main reason I was so shocked that you hadn't read the comics.

There are other things too, things about Morpheus's character that becomes very evident as you read TKO, but are there are hints of in the show, such as how he handles vulnerability. He simultaneously lets himself be vulnerable while also not allowing himself to truly be vulnerable and it's very interesting. He like wields his own vulnerability as a weapon against himself in a sort of "you can't hurt me if I do it first/ you can't really hurt me if I just let you" and also a "My weaknesses are so far above you're strengths that it does me no harm to be vulnerable" sort of way. That aspect of his character I think is particularly evident in TKO, but definitely can be seen in the show as well.

Then there's the way that he has no qualms about letting other people define him. He will play whatever role he needs to for a means to an end, so it doesn't matter to him how you see him. Which is very evident in his response to Odin, "you have known me for some time, old god. Which would you say that I am?" it doesn't matter to Morpheus if he's the cunning spider or the hunted deer, all that matters is that he sees his end reached.

So yeah, this has been very long-winded, but you probably can see why I was absolutely astonished that you hadn't read the comics.

Also, to comment on what you said about hating misunderstandings which leads you to try to be as close to canon as possible as far as characterization goes, I completely get that. As someone who also hates misunderstands because I've been misunderstood too many times before, I too try to capture the fullness of a character in all their complexities when writing, I'm not sure if I succeed, but it matters a lot to me. Dream was also my way in to the fandom, he just makes sense to me, you know? I find him to be rather relatable in some ways and I've never struggled to understand why he does what he does or is the way he is. But all of this might be why I find your version of Morpheus to be so accurate.

The funny thing is, Corintheus isn't normally my thing. I've always found myself drawn to ships that are a friends to lovers sort of situation, which is why Dreamling is my main ship for this fandom. But your fics have permanently altered my brain chemistry. Just the power dynamics throughout them are just so interesting. First time I ever recall reading fics that were mostly porn for the plot lmaooo

Anyway, this has gotten quite long, but I hope you enjoyed reading my thought process here

I’m still in awe of every word of this. Just—honestly this is incredible! Thank you so much for putting so much thought into it, getting feedback like this is the most incredible thing, and I’m always ready to talk about any aspect of the series that has jumped out to people. I actually have a bit or dialogue set in the BTT verse around the time of the Kindly Ones. But I think my plan is to read along as the show does its thing. I’m not afraid of spoilers but probably won’t engage with comic stuff too much as they are very much separate entities. I want to keep my versions pretty distinct, as I’m writing for show canon.

So disclaimer - I've still not read the comics.

Dream’s characterisation is a direct result of how I view power, its various dynamics, and what that might mean to an essentially near all powerful being.

It was important to me to take the humanity out of it. Very specifically meaning humanity as a species, not necessarily as a morality. I’ve seen it used it interchangeably but inhuman doesn’t always mean immoral—doesn’t always mean a lack of personhood either—and the interchangeability is very indicative of our own bias on what being good (or even what being real) means.

Your point about vulnerability and how I write it is one of the results of this. What is vulnerability? And why do we usually shy away from being seen that way? Why do we assume that everyone else should/does act the same? It’s a loss of power, a felt helplessness, and how perspectives on that would differ in someone like Dream is very interesting to me. Arguably there’s no reluctance in actions we as viewers would see as weak—no real loss of control—which is exactly why him letting someone hurt him, or hurting himself before they can, work as things that disguise themselves as vulnerability while being a subtle way to deny an advantage.

It's like—what can you do that I will not allow? That I will not do willingly.

Even while being trapped by Burgess Dream never allows himself to be drawn into a dialogue. He refuses to engage entirely, doesn't acknowledge it as a fight, and while it could be seen as petty pride it's still Dream resolving to just take the imprisonment for what it is.

For me it’s an example of Dream being so powerful he can actually take the most extreme of hits, doesn’t always even see them as hits (like in Baiting the Trap). It's why I see Dream’s constant need to be in control of the collective subconscious as not necessarily incompatible with his appearances/allowances of vulnerability. From what Dream said in the show his experience seems to be a constant awareness of the entirety of human feeling. Dream can’t let it overwhelm him, has rules to protect himself, but he’s never had one moment of his existence where he’s not been standing right in the thick of it.

To him it’s normal, and I think the intensity of the storm he’s constantly standing in really factors into his responses externally. There’s very little that can compare with his normal existence and I think his true vulnerability is very much related to that internal, individual, fight that is really one he has with an aspect of his own self.

Again. It’s ‘what can you do to me that could ever match the battle within’.

You could say Dream brings this to its natural conclusion in the comics by finally ending the situation with Orpheus (again, I don’t exactly know what happens). It seems like he puts himself in a state where he’s ready for things to end, does the one thing that would ensure there’s no turning back, triggering the fate planned for him himself to deliberately rob anyone else of the chance to do the same thing.

He’s the instigator and that means he can be his own victim rather than be forced to be anyone else's.

I've got a lot more on this point so happy to expand!

Going back to BTT and power dynamics, I saw a post that really resonated with how I write that ended up being an explanation of some ideas from The Art of War, because apparently I’ve accidentally been writing battle tactics all this time. I’m happy to expand on it if anyone is interested (this answer got so so long my goodness!) but the three points that most stuck out to me as what I use are the following:

Manipulate what your enemy views as orthodox and unorthodox behaviours. By feigning orthodox behaviour, you set your opponent up for attack through unorthodox action. Eg. Appear weak when you are strong.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

A large group striking a small group is not held in high esteem, but a small group striking a larger force is.

This is sort of the cheat code to everything I've ever written, and explains a lot about how I construct narratives. Erm, I didn't address everything you said so happy to do a part 2 if you want? This got very long! The amount I cut from this answer probably shows how much I’ve thought about this series haha. I apparently have like ten thousand different layers to this in even my own head.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Hey now, Let her cook!

[gender-trash]

it was weird living outside california for the first time and learning that in most locations people DON'T have personal beef with their electrical utility??? massachusetts was like "eversource: it's fine? i don't really think about it." meanwhile i'm pretty sure everyone in california loathes pg&e passionately

[cordspaghetti]

She doesn’t look anything like her pictures…

[nicolloyd]

what he lookin at me for

[aurosoul]

absolutely haunting google maps point of interest. what do they know? do I want to know? do you?

[inkskinned]

one of the things that's the most fucking frustrating for me about arguing with climate change deniers is the sheer fucking scope of how much it matters. sweating in my father's car, thinking about how it's the "hottest summer so far," every summer. and there's this deep, roiling rage that comes over me, every time.

the stakes are wrong, is the thing. that's part of what makes it not an actual debate: the other side isn't coming to the table with anything to fucking lose.

like okay. i am obviously pro gun control. but there is a basic human part of me that can understand and empathize with someone who says, "i'm worried that would lead to the law-abiding citizens being punished while criminals now essentially have a superpower." i don't agree, but i can tell the stakes for them are also very high.

but let's say the science is wrong and i'm wrong and the visible reality is wrong and every climate disaster refugee is wrong. let's say you're right, humans aren't causing it or it's not happening or whatever else. let's just say that, for fun.

so we spend hundreds of millions of dollars making the earth cleaner, and then it turns out we didn't need to do that. oops! we cleaned the earth. our children grow up with skies full of more butterflies and bees. lawns are taken over with rich local biodiversity. we don't cry over our electric bills anymore. and, if you're staunchly capitalist and i need to speak ROI with you - we've created so many jobs in developing sectors and we have exciting new investment opportunities.

i am reminded of kodak, and how they did not make "the switch" to digital photography; how within 20 years kodak was no longer a household brand. do we, as a nation, feel comfortable watching as the world makes "the switch" while we ride the laurels of oil? this boggles me. i have heard so much propaganda about how america cannot "fall behind" other countries, but in this crucial sector - the one that could actually influence our own monopolies - suddenly we turn the other cheek. but maybe you're right! maybe it will collapse like just another silicone valley dream. but isn't that the crux of capitalism? that some economies will peter out eventually?

but let's say you're right, and i'm wrong, and we stopped fracking for no good reason. that they re-seed quarries. that we tear down unused corporate-owned buildings or at least repurpose them for communities. that we make an effort, and that effort doesn't really help. what happens then? what are the stakes. what have we lost, and what have we gained?

sometimes we take our cars through a car wash and then later, it rains. "oh," we laugh to ourselves. we gripe about it over coffee with our coworkers. what a shame! but we are also aware: the car is cleaner. is that what you are worried about? that you'll make the effort but things will resolve naturally? that it will just be "a waste"?

and what i'm right. what if we're already seeing people lose their houses and their lives. what if it is happening everywhere, not just in coastal towns or equatorial countries you don't care about. what if i'm right and you're wrong but you're yelling and rich and powerful. so we ignore all of the bellwethers and all of the indicators and all of the sirens. what if we say - well, if it happens, it's fate.

nevermind. you wouldn't even wear a mask, anyway. i know what happens when you see disaster. you think the disaster will flinch if you just shout louder. that you can toss enough lives into the storm for the storm to recognize your sacrifice and balk. you argue because it feels good to stand up against "the liberals" even when the situation should not be political. you are busy crying for jesus with a bullhorn while i am trying to usher people into a shelter. you've already locked the doors, even on the church.

the stakes are skewed. you think this is some intellectual "debate" to win, some funny banter. you fuel up your huge unmuddied truck and say suck it to every citizen of that shitbird state california. serves them right for voting blue!

and the rest of us are terrified of the entire fucking environment collapsing.

[rugwurm]

[on-the-clear-blue]

Original idea coming from @the-witchhunter and then added on to by many others.

Dead Man's Diner

---

Danny was tired okay? It may very well be his own damn fault but he can't keep waking up during daylight hours, while yes, he can fully be up and sitting at a desk, the likelihood of him waking up getting shouted at by his boss for sleeping on the job was astounding.

So at 19 years old, freshly jobless, Danny said Fuck it and moved away from Amity Park, Valarie was more than willing to handle the few ghosts that still came through the portal since he became the King.

You might be wondering, why isn't Danny filthy rich and rolling in it as the ghost king? Two words, the Observants.

Those flouting eye bastards had moved in and said that unless he was the king full time, he was unable to access the vaults of the Infinite Realms.

So once again, 19, freshly jobless and wanting to get out of Gotham? Danny was very lucky to have friends that love him far to much, Sam and Tucker both pitched in to move him out to where they had chosen to do collage.

*Gotham* oh Sam was in love with the place, the architecture, the people, (and maybe a certain green supervillian that was determined to make the city better) and Tucker was obsessing over being in the same city as Wayne Enterprises, trying his best to get into their internship program by his own merit rather than just hacking himself into it.

And Danny? He was loving it for a slightly different reason.

While the death rate was unfortunately high in Gotham, that also meant that the amount of passive ectoplasim generated by the deaths was massive, it was almost as rich as back in Amity Park with the portal into the ghost zone!

(Oh and the many job opportunities but Danny was a little less worried about that.)

---

Letting out a sigh, Danny scrubbed at his eyes as he leaned back into his chair, another job he had to turn down due to it being shady as all get out.

4 hours and he was getting payed 200 bucks? Major criminal vibes from that...

Taking a moment to get himself balanced, Danny leaned back and looked to the clunky laptop that Tucker had given him, it was modified to hell and back, so it still ran quickly, but it sure as he'll wasn't pretty.

Clicking on yet another job listing, Danny paused as he felt a shiver run down his spine, and a blue mist pass through his lips, blinking, he twisted around to look at the spare room of Sam's apartment, Ghosts tend not to get close enough to him to trigger the ghost sense in Gotham...

Seeing nothing, Danny turned back to his laptop only to find a piece of paper stuck to the screen with tape, freezing at first, the dark haired man sighed deeply, peeling it off he held it close as he read it.

[Help wanted at Big C's Dinner! Looking for a night cook that knows their way around a kitchen!]

There was a few more lines that Danny's eyes skimmed over, picking up the location that it was at, it even had a decent pay, but he paid more attention to the scribbled on note at the bottom of it.

[Daniel, head to this place at 12 am tonight. While the Observants said that you may not touch a single coin in your vaults, they side nothing of your properties.]

---

So Danny knows how to handle himself, he has fought many, many people and still came out half alive, but even he felt a little on edge coming down to the railroad tracts in Gotham, because apparently that was were Big C's dinner was at...which he apparently owned? Clockwork works in mysterious ways that Danny was so done trying to figure out.

Stepping up to a bit of abandoned tract, he blinked a few times at the site of Big C's.

It was a decent sized Dinning Car, with a ramp that attached itself to a proper street, it had peeling green paint and dirty white accents with charming rusted steel connecting it to the tracts, the only thing new looking on it was a bit banner stretched across it, stating the name "BIG C'S ALL DAY EVERY DAY BREAKFAST CART! OPEN 24/7!"

The windows were close off by tinted yellow blinds, but he could still see light coming through them. Stepping up the ramp Danny felt the cart under him shudder and something inside of him fluttered, and by the time he was opening the door he could feel the reason why.

The very cart was *alive*, taking a quick breath, Danny could practically taste the energy from it, there was a buzzing undercurrent of excitement that rung through the whole cart.

A little unprepared for his, Danny just smiled warily, "Uhh, hey there? Anyone around?" In response to his words the cart shuddered, the blinds dancing up and down and he could hear the squeel of the wheels.

"O-okay then, um my name is Danny Fenton...Clockwork sent me?" There was another flapingnof the blinds, and the small wooden flap that let people into the back lifted up suddenly before clacking down loudly.

Taking a steadying breath, Danny slipped through the bar and into the back.

It was surprisingly clean and orderly, the stove and fryer looked over than his parents but well maintained, the flat top was perfectly scrubbed and was already heating up.

As Danny looked around, he felt a familiar shiver run down his spine, looking around once more, Danny fell into a fighting position as he spotted the figure of a familiar foe

"Lunch Lady? Aren't you a little far from home? What did your order of fist not come in?" The bright rings of light around Danny's waist swirled into life as he went into his ghost form.

He got a thrilling grin from the older apparition, but she only crossed her arms, "While we can tumble later little King, Lord Clockwork sent me personally, said you need a bit of help learning how to cook? And ain't nobody better slinging food than me, dead or alive!"

---

Down in the dripping depths of the cave system deep under Gotham, one Bruce Wayne, still in his Batsuit sat in front of the Bat Computer, eyes glaring at a map of Gotham.

He had been tracking a strange energy pattern that made its way through Gotham, he had first thought it was some sort of layline, but the more that he tracked it the more he realized it was closer to watching a person's walking patterns, sometimes following roads, and sometimes crisscrossing through streets and alleyways.

But tonight that power signal tripled in size, off-putting energy that Bruce hadn't seen it done before, tapping the com on his ear, he spoke clearly "Nightwing, take Red Robin and investigate the coordinates I am sending the both of you, observe it, I just got a massive spike in an energy at that location."

There was silence for a moment before the com crackled and his sons responded "Got it B! Me and RR needed a little time together huh Babybird?"

There was a quiet hum from Tim, before the teen spoke "On route Batman, after this I am heading in, we have a meeting with a suspect in the morning B, Vlad Masters has been poking around Gotham."

[time-woods]

EMOTIONAL WIN ! ! the bug lets his emotions make decisions for once !

[soosoosoup]

Funk branch au

Au and branch design by @bbc-trolls

[ejsuperstar]

Imagine you live in pelican town. The new farmer has been here a couple weeks now and seems to be settling in, except... He's picking the weirdest friend choices. Like sure it's not weird to befriend the local fisherman, especially when he has an interest in fishing himself, but you're pretty sure you've seen him rooting through the Saloon's garbage with the local homeless man. As well, he keeps harassing the poor guy who works at Joja even though you KNOW he doesn't want to be friends with him.

And since you're on the topic of weirdness, isn't it odd he seemingly runs everywhere at a full sprint? Or just... Eats entire raw fish while fishing for "energy reasons"...

...

Despite all that, it's too early to call him off putting or anything... He has been engaging in town traditions, and he's started helping out with the old community centre. He's probably like the rest of you. Someone with a few quirks, that will fit in with the valley great!

Surely he can't get any weirder... Right?

[ruushes]

ive been enjoying artfight SO much it's rly energizing!! crops of my first three attacks: hamal mahariel for @ghostwise, ariya blackwood for @puffy-shirt, and connor delacy for @reddragoncrush 💙🩵💜

[shkika]

i need a name for this bug

[formulanni]

Rush was such a good movie I wish it was real :-/

Tag list: @st-leclerc @rubywingsracing @saviour-of-lord @three-days-time @the-wall-is-my-goal @albonoooo @ch3rubd0lls