#since he doesn't need protecting

[bafflement]

Deaged Oz AU - Atlas Hospital Scene Part III

Oz swam back to consciousness slowly, still lying in the comfortable bed he had been in when what he was certain had to have been a dream happened. The room still smelled like all hospitals, but his fingers were clutched around the hilt of his cane, which he knew he hadn't had when he arrived here. Did that mean this was real, then? That they forgave him? Surely not... he'd lied to them. Lied to himself, tried to make the best of an impossible situation and an impossible war. Salem could not be beaten. She could not be defeated, the others hadn't signed up for this. They were just going to get themselves killed. 'Neither did you' a small voice seemed to echo in his head, but he shook it. He was what he needed to be, it was his fault after all. Everything was, hadn't those in the Vale told him that enough times?

How much of what he remembered had been a dream and how much of it reality? Surely he could not truly be the kidnapped Schnee child? They would have found out by now, right? Someone, somewhere, would have checked? The thought of being related to Jaques Schnee in any way, shape or form was deeply disquieting to him. He wasn't used to hating anyone but Salem, but that man certainly made it to the same exclusive little list.

There was a sound as several people filed in. Oscar, James... Winter, Weiss. Qrow! Qrow was here. He'd actually come back, he didn't hate him. He wasn't sure what he would have done if Qrow hated him, ran away again, perhaps? Not that that had worked last time, but there were more places to get lost in Atlas, it would be far easier to hide. He swallowed, bracing himself to be yelled at.

"Oh, Oz..." Qrow sounded sad, noticing how tense he'd become. "You're safe, I promise, okay?"

"Qrow? I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Yeah, pocket sized, so am I. Never should have reacted like that, but the circumstances... it won't happen again. I've said that already, but I'm not sure how much of that you remember. They had you on a lot of the good stuff and I know how much that messes you up."

Oz's head did feel far clearer as he turned to gaze at the others. James and Winter seemed to be staring at each other as though having a silent conversation. James sighed, seeming to have lost the argument.

"We need to talk. Whether you should be or not, your body is currently that of an eleven year old boy and as such you are highly vulnerable."

Oz opened his mouth, about to protest, but James just raised an eyebrow at him.

"None of us want Jaques Schnee to find out that you used to be Winter Schnee, since his marriage to your sister would technically mean that you would fall under his control. None of us are going to allow that. Therefore, you have something of a choice."

"A... choice?" Oz really didn't like the sound of this.

"As to guardian. Myself, or Winter. She has the added benefit of a blood relationship but I could probably protect you better. I assume you don't particularly wish to be seperated from Oscar? He claims you as a brother, after all."

"I don't need a guardian, James. I'm not actually a child."

"Yes, Oz. You are. More, you are incredibly vulnerable at the moment. If Salem or one of her people find out about you, as an unaccompanied eleven year old you would make a prime target. You have, after all, been kidnapped before."

There was a flash of hurt in Oz's eyes and James looked like he regretted the phrasing of his words, but he kept on anyway, voice stern. "I will also be taking temporary custody of Oscar. He has no real Huntsman training and you are far too young to be expected to have any real proficency."

Oz blushed at that, glaring up at James. Winter interrupted.

"It's not that you're not fully capable, uncle. But whether you like it or not, you are currently a child. While you are here, it would be far better for all involved were you to have at least nominal protection."

"Think of it this way. While you are under my care, so is Oscar. Wouldn't you prefer to have him protected?"

"You're starting to sound like you wouldn't protect the pipsqueak if it wasn't for Oz, Jimmy." Qrow's voice carried a warning. "That's not a good look."

"Of course I'd protect Oscar. But like it or not, he's far less important in all this than Ozpin is."

"Oscar. Matters." Oz bit out, his glare icy now.

James sighed. "I never stated that he didn't. I'm not actually that good at this, Oz. I have never been in this situation before. Can you at least agree that keeping you out of Jaques Schnee's hands is by far the best option here?"

"I think if I was forced to be in close contact with him, something regrettable might happen. Probably to him. Okay. What exactly do we need to do? And have you asked Oscar's aunt, yet? She is his guardian, after all."

"Both of ours, technically." Oscar sounded amused. "Or did you forget that... Tip?"

Oz winced. "My question stands."

"Yes, I talked to her. She agrees that you two need the extra protection while you're here. Besides, I have access to a great deal of training scenarios both of you could use. We might even be able to source a better weapon for young Oscar."

Oscar's eyes lit up and Oz sighed. He was likely going to regret this, wasn't he?

Qrow looked briefly regretful. "Sorry I didn't volunteer, pocket sized, but..."

"But it would be highly inappropriate, considering certain other considerations. It is fine, Qrow. That you're here is enough."

Winter stared at the two of them, a look of mild horror on her face as the Lien finally dropped. Weiss looked like she really needed some form of brain bleach at the imagery, though thankfully it seemed to entirely go over Oscar's head.

James filled out the paperwork then and there. He was the temporary guardian of Oscar and Tip Pine less than five minutes later.

Although part of James, too, worried that he may end up regretting this...

[no-brain-just-akutagawa]

a new unexpected member of the Aya protection squad

[ID: An edited Arlo meme. Instead of Rosa there's a smiling Fedya and instead of Arlo there's a screaming Aya. The text reads: "I've only had Aya for a sec and a half but if anything happened to her I would kill everyone in this world and then myself". End ID]

[epickiya722]

You know what, Sukuna lowkey had it out for Choso since Shibuya. Probably did not like the fact that Yuji had someone, actual family... an actual blood brother that cared about him. He been had plans to kill him, I just know it.

[jahiera]

one of the things that hits really nicely for me with Astarion's romance is that he never really encourages or wants you to be some kind of "protector." there are several instances where you can offer him that; protection, swear to him you'll kill cazador, or after his personal quest--I don't have the screencaps on hand, but you can directly say to him that he'll never have to need something like the ritual, because you'll protect him, and HE says back something along the lines of "It would be nice to not need you as my grand protector.... but I appreciate the thought." -- there's tinges here early in act 1 maybe of distrust of faulty promises yes, and considering Tav naive / not comprehending the power of cazador and therefore unhelpful, but even as you proceed, he's never interested in trading a lack of protection for a dependency on a protector.

in fact, the only time he's like "I'm doing it for US... to keep US safe <3" is when he's trying to manipulate/convince Tav into letting him do the ritual. "You want whats best for me right <3333" is the thing he actively uses to try and sway you over to his side, because he knows that's an emotional string to pull on.

there's an insistence of preferring equality in the subtext there; that protection or a skewed imbalance is not what Astarion wants, at his core. he doesn't want a nurse, or to be pitied, or be beholden to anyone. to try and pity him invites his irritation, even outrage. trying to swear to protect him at best gets a fond "I appreciate the Thought" and at worst a "don't be a fucking idiot." it would be veeeeery easy for the narrative to slip into something generic about being able to fix him, but it insists on someone to depend on as equals. give and take in true partnership. and in the post-ritual ending you can really feel the lack of equality there too--only now, he's in the position of both """"protector"""", and more so than that, obsessive beholder of Tav, and he exercises it in overt fashion; of course he'll protect you, your future, your life, is his after all. (and there's a LOT about that that's very interesting to me, and equally as complex & intricate as the no-ritual route in which two people meet on equal footing.) the game never shames this approach of wanting to protect him either, it acknowledges the good intent, and simply shows in Astarion's reactions that there's more here to it than that.

[gxlden-angels]

Bro I hate fundamentalists and culturally-fundie parents they'll say shit like "spare the rod spoil the child am I right haha yea my parents used to have to beat my ass with a switch almost everyday but I sure did learn my lesson" but like??? no you didn't??? you were hit multiple times for something you very obviously did not, in fact, learn

Like studies about how harmful even lightly spanking children is aside, you're literally contradicting yourself?? Some even admitted they got worse as they got older cause they wanted to see how far they could push their parents before they got punished

And studies not aside, you're gonna get child raising advice from the same book that tells you to stone your wife if her hymen doesn't break on your wedding night instead of the decades of research we have now?? Just say you're a bad parent and move on my guy. Skill issue

[laugtherhyena]

May make more designs for this thing idk

[collectorcookie]

they released the full body image for the outfits and i now get to roast murr on unsafe lab practices (<- worked in labs before). Explanation in tags

[starspaces]

ah the delight of finding that a star trek/de crossover fic already exists :,-) here are the lads from @confusedtravelermari's interspace where kim is 1/4 vulcan and harry is cardassian/betazoid hehe

[buttercupshands]

wait a minute

stop.

stop it.

[maddymoreau]

My Thoughts on Poppy Playtime Chapter 3

Ollie is ADORABLE!!!! "No ouchies or lost body parts?" HE'S A BABY I NEED TO PROTECT!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! (¬‿¬) I have ZERO evidence for this but my theory is he’s The Prototype.

I’m REALLY happy to see the phone Ollie calls the player on is identical to the one in Project: Playtime! It’s nice seeing stuff introduced in Project: Playtime finally appear in the main series.

( ⚆_⚆ ) ESPECIALLY DR. HARLEY SAWYER!!!! WOW THE TAPE FEATURING HIM TALKING TO THE PROTOTYPE WAS DARK!!!! I knew a man like Dr. Sawyer would be a sick and twisted individual since he created the Bigger Bodies Initiative.

Despite that I was NOT prepared to hear the joy in his voice to experiment on children. It was revolting.

This exchange:

Prototype: "You stick us. Beat us. Tear at flesh. Do you feel it?"

Dr. Sawyer: "There is a secret inside you, 1006. Valuable beyond all measure. I cut and prod and burn at it, and I get closer with each session . . . So speak, or don't. Fight, or give in. Regardless, I learn something new about you every day . . . (Laughs) It excites me!"

Prototype: "Thank you."

Dr. Sawyer: "You . . . thank me?"

Prototype: "Absolutely. I learn something new about you every day."

THAT FINAL LINE WHEN THE PROTOTYPE IS MIMICKING DR. SAWYER'S VOICE AHHHHHH!!!!

＿|￣|○ I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO DR. SAWYER SO BADDDDD!!!!!! He wasn’t around for The Hour of Joy but I hope he suffered.

Leith Pierre: "Normally I'd have Dr. Sawyer do this but he's uhhh . . . out, let's say. So you got me until they find his replacement."

(o ´ _ ` )o The contrast between how Dr. Sawyer speaks to the experiments VS Leith Pierre the Head of Innovation at Playtime Co.

Both dehumanize the experiments in different ways.

Leith Pierre can’t even bother remembering Catnap's real name. He puts on this fake friendly facade. Referring to Catnap as his Pal and Buddy. It's so disingenuous.

Especially when he asks, "Heya Theo! How ya doin' bud?" Pierre could care less about how Catnap feels. It's only when Catnap responds, "The Prototype will save us." That gets Pierre to finally drops the corporate spiel. Admitting to what this place is. Catnap’s prison.

No wonder Catnap worshipped The Prototype after being save when this is what he’s told about his horrific situation.

Leith Pierre: "THIS is your life now. Get used to it."

I absolutely LOVED all the new features for the Grab Pack. The air jet looked SO FUN!!!! Watching people desperately shoot the flare gun against smiling critters in a cramped space WAS SO INTENSE!!! The smiling critter's small growls and whimpers made me sad.

(ʃƪ 〃’▽’〃)♡ The horror in this chapter was INCREDIBLE!!!! While I had fun playing Chapter 2 I remember feeling disappointed by the scares.

CHAPTER THREE HAD ME HORRIFIED!!!! EVERY JUMP SCARE HAD ME FLYING OUT MY CHAIR, THE ATMOSPHERE WAS AMAZING AND AHHHHH THE HOME ORPHANAGE SECTION!!!!!

It reminded me of PT ∑(; °_°) Especially with the radio informing us that in Elliot Ludwig's house it was discovered he HAD THE BODY OF A CHILD IN A DUFFLE BAG!!?!?!?!?!?!

ALSO THAT ONE RADIO'S REVERSE MESSAGE!!!

"8-8-1995 I find your presence intrusive. After all this time you return. You come in here and yet you kill and murder. You pilate and destroy. Your presence was demanded 10 years ago and yet you didn't show up . . . 8-8-1995 You were supposed to be here. Why weren't you here? You missed the event. You missed the meeting. You missed the party. You have no right to be here . . ."

AHHHHHH MOBGAMES KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THE LIGHTING IN THIS SCENE!!!!!

I thought I was going to see MY BOY 😭💔!!!!!!

Huggy Wuggy is completely fine.

Kissy Missy was so sad and adorable in this chapter. Seeing her stare at the picture and hug herself BROKE MY HEART ( o̴̶̷᷄ _ o̴̶̷̥᷅ )!!! She deserves the world.

Catnap acting like a child and avoiding school 😭💔

Miss Delight was a minor spoiler I knew about since people used her face in their thumbnail. However I was NOT prepared for her to act like a Coil-Head!!!!

Theodore being described as antisocial and having a peculiar relationship with an imaginary friend _(:ì」∠)_.

That “imaginary” friend being The Prototype. Who guided Theodore to help them both escape. Only for Theodore to get electrocuted since he was just a child who didn't know how to safely use a Grabpack.

The Prototype throwing away their chance to escape to save Theodore by bringing him to the staff. Showing The Prototype does care in some way.

Only for Theodore to be later turned Catnap.

THEN the player electrocutes Catnap the SAME way Theodore originally received his injuries. The Prototype comes to “save” Theodore once again but this time by making Catnap a part of him AND CATNAP ACCEPTS SO WILLINGLY (˃ ⌑ ˂ഃ )!!!!

It felt like I was watching a religious experience.

I love Poppy Playtime but I do think they show too much in their trailers. Dog day is a great example but even then his scene was *chef kiss*

All the smiling critters crawling inside Dogday as he desperately screamed in agony and for us to run away left me speechless.

I liked the detail of Dogday calling us angel. I'm excited to see all the AUs people create where we save him.

ALSO THE HOUR OF JOY WAS A BLAST TO WATCH!!!!!

I know Poppy is right that it was just senseless slaughter. How all that death didn't fix or help anyone. Especially when it didn't matter if those killed were innocent or not.

However imagining these characters being painfully experimented on and stripped of their autonomy. Going though years of hell and finally reaching their breaking point. It's hard to not feel good for them getting to release that anger. Even if I know it's wrong.

ALSO I GOT TO SEE MY SECOND FAVORITE CHARACTER BOXY BOO YAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

THERE WAS SOOOOO MUCH HUGGY WUGGY IMAGERY IN THIS CHAPTER AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I'M GOING TO OVER THINK IT!!!!!! I HAVE NO THEORIES I’M JUST POINTING DETAILS OUT!!!!!!

When hallucinating Huggy Wuggy's face is on the employee training video:

“Join the Innovationists, where the bounds of science are continuously pushed. Or join the Counselors of Playcare, whose diligence and care for our children will help shape a brighter future, just you see.”

“Now every one of you has your part in that future, so should you come back tomorrow feeling unhappy for where you are, or what you’ve done . . . worry not, for your supervisor is here and happy to listen! And . . . should you come back . . . years later . . . your conscience finally getting the better of you. May you descend into the dark and the dust, finding all that awaits you are incomprehensible horrors . . . each hungry for your return, each eager that they might find you. Perhaps they’d smile at you from a shadow, their smiling mouths full of teeth and meat and plastic, watching and waiting patiently for their turn at a warm welcome. Or perhaps they won’t allow you such a time to figure your place in the world you’d left. A world that’s theirs now. Welcome home.”

The video transforms into a manifestation of the player's guilt. Not only for their involvement for whatever they did while working at Playtime Co. but for being gone and returning after ten years.

This is also paired with the player's possible guilt for killing Huggy Wuggy and their fear of him.

The hallucination version being a more exaggerated version of the Chapter 1 Huggy Wuggy vent chase.

When Catnap causes the player to later hallucinate:

Poppy: “Do you even know what’s real?”

Poppy: “No you don’t.”

THEN AT THE END OF THE HALLUCINATION IT SHOWS US THE DAY OF JOY!!!! Which is very odd when you consider two things. We've been told multiple times we weren’t there and during this scene we didn't know what the Hour of Joy was.

So the player hallucinating being in front of Huggy Wuggy’s podium during The Hour of Joy with a large Prototype hand reaching for us IS ODD!!!

ALSO THE TAPE IT SHOWS THAT’S WHERE HUGGY WUGGY WAS DURING THE HOUR OF JOY!!!!!!!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?!?!?!

This is just speculation but perhaps the player's memories aren't as trustworthy as we think. After all we still aren't even sure who even sent us the letter or tape in Chapter 1.

"EVERYONE THINKS THE STAFF DISSAPEARED 10 YEARS AGO WE'RE STILL HERE FIND THE FLOWER"

It’s important to point out the characters from Chapter 2 made ZERO appearance during these hallucinations. Mommy Long Legs, PJ Pug-a-Pillar, Bunzo Bunny and the Wack-a-Wuggy.

Is the Huggy Wuggy imagery used because he’s who we encounter at the start of the game?

OR SOMETHING MORE AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

[decarbry]

yabureme is looking a little fuzzy there. well more than usual. does that mean he can't chose to shave his face on his own either? i am lowkey cackling thinking about his facial hair growing disgustingly long and shigaraki just being like FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GO SHAVE YOUR FACE YOU GREMLIN

this is not part of his programming 

[meeko-mar]

Katsuki gets revived and saves Izuku and they finish the war together, but they are both heavily wounded and lose consciousness together soon after victory.

This time somehow Izuku wakes up before Katsuki, and he can't find Katsuki. So the anxiety drives him out of his bed this time and he trudges agonizingly and single-mindedly through the hospital to find Katsuki.

He finds him down the hall. His arm still in cast, his face mostly healed but wrapped under bandages, chest bandaged so heavily, but rising and falling with healthy breaths. The machine beeps with his heart, thank god, Izuku exhales a breath he'd been holding in for too long.

He doesn't even care that there's only one bed when he gets to the right room. He pulls an extra blanket off a nearby chair, wraps it around himself and carefully pulls himself into the space between Katsuki and the edge of the bed.

Katsuki responds to his warmth and turns his head towards him but doesn't wake.

"...Izuku..." he talks in his sleep, his soul just KNOWING whose presence was with him.

"I won't leave. Not again. Not ever." Izuku murmurs into Katsuki's shoulder. Silent tears stream down his cheeks.

Eventually Katsuki warms and returns the embrace, as if Izuku was a precious plushie he needed in order to sleep.

They are found this way by Aizawa, who makes it explicitly clear to staff that the two are not to be separated during their recovery. He smiles down at his House Arrest Boys and flicks off the overhead lights.

[basuralindo]

Hey do you think Jamil has trouble seeing people his age as peers?

Like, growing up having to be a caretaker to a guy literally a few months older than him, always expected to act like the adult in the situation, expected to work with adults and adopt their perspectives and pick up their slack. Do you think he just, forgets sometimes?

I mean we've seen him go into caretaker mode with other sophomores, and the only people I've seen him take seriously are juniors like Vil who also act much older than they should have to (his reactions to Leona look more like a trauma response and I don't wanna get into it here). People like Malleus and Cater still somewhat get the caretaker treatment. Like I just highly doubt that he subconsciously realizes he's actually part of his age group

Aaand that inevitably brings up Azul, who also acts like he thinks he's older than he is. Whether you're looking at it from a shipping angle or not, he reacts to Azul like an actual peer. With older students, he seems more in his element but there's still a status hierarchy which he compulsively reacts to. With Azul he doesn't acknowledge any status worth respecting or see him as someone who needs to be looked after. He just bickers like an equal, in a way that implies he actually does see Azul as a real peer, like subconsciously he's categorized this guy into the same group as himself, who was previously alone on that level (he gets like this more with the twins too, over time, but it seems to start with Azul).

And my favorite part about this is, while that response stems from them both acting more like adults in general, they elicit a pettiness from each other which drags them both down to actually acting their own age, and I just love that. Their characters are perfect foils for each other and it seems to make them both less isolated in a way.

[mad-hunts]

JACK MATHIS, THE CONTORTIONIST — expert thief and fauceur of the mathis family.

[lexicog]

traitor to the cause forgets national holiday every year KILL HIM

[hearties-circus]

Oh yeah! Faye's summer uniform ^^

[Faye: he/she/they]