#so i'm combining them all... for emphasis <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[bad-traffic-smp-ideas]

Wildcard idea: nothing

Yes thats right, nothing.

Imagine how increasingly anxious all the players become when a card is rolled and its effects arent immedietly obvious. That anxiety turning into sheer terror as th3 session goes on and they still can't figure out what the card is. Not trusting any feature of the game as anything could be the thing to betray them.

Grian would be having the time of his life tho

Something something trafficblr is a hivemind...

[ama3003]

In the Middle

Character: Bucky Barnes

Requested: No

Type: Angst/ Fluff

Summary: Being caught in the middle is always hard.

A.N: DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THUNDERBOLTS TO BE SEMI SPOILED!!!!!!!!! I have seen Thunderbolts* on Thursday (amazing btw) and have been craving Thunderbolts!Bucky. Also reader is like mid to late 20s.

Also double whammy with these fics. Also thank you those who requested some fics. I'm getting on them right now. Keep em coming!

Again THUNDERBOLTS* SPOILERS ARE IN THIS FIC

3...2..1...

“I cannot believe this dude,” Sam says, pacing the living room like it personally offended him. His hands are moving almost as fast as his mouth. “I tell him Ross wants me to rebuild the Avengers, right? I open up—I mean really open up. I tell him I’m not sure I’m the guy for it. That maybe Steve made a mistake giving me the shield.”

He stops mid-step and points dramatically in the air, like he's building up his case.

“And you know what Bucky says? ‘No, he didn’t.’ That’s it. No discussion. Just—‘No, he didn’t.’ Point. Blank. Period. And I'm not gonna lie, that's all I needed to hear."

You open your mouth to say something, but Sam’s already spinning toward you.

“And I believed him! I believed him because I thought he was my best friend.”

"Hey!" you cut in, brows raised.

Sam waves you off. “Nah, nah—don’t ‘hey’ me. You know you’re like my sister. Ultimate mega best friend status and all that, but not the point right now. Lemme vent about your ugly boyfriend real quick.”

You throw your hands up in surrender. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you!” Sam claps once, then starts pacing again. “Then I find out there’s already a ‘New Avengers’—capital N, capital A—already up and running. And guess who’s right in the middle of it? Bucky! Like I wasn’t gonna find out!”

He stops again, staring at you like it’s your fault. “You know what I call that? Betrayal.” He jabs the air for emphasis. “Straight-up betrayal.”

You’re sitting on the sofa, letting him work through it. Honestly, you couldn’t blame him. Bucky had called not ten minutes ago to talk about—of all things—the copyright on the Avengers name.

Now Sam wants to sue them.

“Fourteen months,” Sam says, voice rising, “of back-and-forth with this man and his ‘new family.’ You remember what we went through? What he went through? Guess what? We were his family first. And now he’s calling me like I’m the one stepping on toes? Like I’m in the wrong for trying to do what Ross asked me to do?”

“He told you to back off?” you ask, already knowing the answer.

Sam gives you a long-suffering look. “He wants me to give him the rights of the name."

"So it didn't end well..." You sighed, rubbing your temples.

"Y/N… if I’m venting like this, how do you think the call went?”

You try to offer something. “Can’t you just… I don’t know. Combine the teams? Be the MegaVengers or something? Steve literally said ‘Avengers, assemble’ and there were like a thousand people who showed up. We all kind of worked together then.”

Sam looks horrified. “No. No combining. It’s not about numbers—it’s about principle. That man knew what this meant to me. And now he’s trying to sidestep it like it’s nothing.”

He crosses his arms and looks at you with purpose. “You need to talk to him. Get him to step back.”

You shake your head. “Nope. Not getting in the middle of this.”

You meant it. You’ve known Sam for years—he was your ride-or-die, your day-one, the brother you got to choose. But through Sam, you met Bucky. And he became your favorite person. You were in between your best friend and the love of your life.

You learned about the ‘New Avengers’ team at the same time Sam did. The two of you had stared at the screen in disbelief.

But after hours of yelling at Bucky—tears, arguments, explanations—you got it. You understood that he hadn’t meant for it to happen like this. That Valentina made moves he couldn’t stop. He hadn’t betrayed you… not intentionally.

Still, the line between intention and impact? That’s where Sam lived.

He stares at you for a moment, then reaches into his jacket and hands you a folded sheet of paper.

“What’s this?” you ask, skimming it. Then you stop. Your eyes widen.

“I want you to join my team,” he says simply. “The new Avengers.”

Your jaw drops. “Sam…”

“Don’t look at me like that,” he says quickly. “You really think I’d build a team without you? Come on. We’ve never not been on a team together.”

“Sam, I… I can’t sign this,” you say, handing the paper back. “You know I can’t.”

He rolls his eyes. “You can. You should. Y/N, I’ve already started recruiting. I’ve got a plan, but I need my right hand. I need you.”

You stand, walking toward him. “And I can’t go against Bucky.”

He exhales sharply, then softens. “Just… think about it, okay? I don’t need a yes right now. Just don’t say no yet.”

“Sam…”

“Think about it,” he says again, looking at his watch. “Ugh—venting session’s over. Gotta go pitch Ross on the plan. Wish me luck.”

He leans in, presses a quick kiss to your cheek, "Please think about it," and walks out the door.

You sit back down, staring at the paper. Then you run a hand through your hair, heart pounding.

A few quiet moments pass.

Then you grab your bag and head straight for the other tower.

*****

“James Buchanan Barnes—you are in so much trouble.”

Your voice echoed through the tower as you dropped your bag with a thud. The team—scattered around the lounge doing everything from eating chips to watching TV—immediately snapped to attention.

A chorus of "Ooooooh!" broke out like a middle school lunchroom.

Bucky stood up fast, hands already in the air like he was facing down a SWAT team. “Okay, doll, don’t be mad.”

You marched forward, hands on your hips. “Don’t be mad? You asked Sam to drop the Avengers name.”

“He’s suing us!” Bucky shot back, already defensive. “We had the name first! Val got the jump on it—we just made it official.”

He crossed his arms like a stubborn teenager. Behind him, his teammates exchanged exasperated looks, a few shaking their heads like, here we go again.

“Are you both five?” you snapped. “You need to talk. Face to face. Not through lawyers. Not through phones. Like actual adults.”

“He doesn’t want to see me,” Bucky muttered. “And honestly, I don’t want to see him either.”

He tried to hold his glare, but it faltered when he looked at you. He could see it written all over your face: this was tearing you up. And he hated that he’d played a part in it.

“I saw Sam today,” you said quietly. “He asked me to join his team.”

The room fell completely silent. Even Yelena put down her snack.

Bucky blinked. “And… what’d you say?”

“I told him no. For now. But he asked me to think about it.”

Bucky scoffed like that was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard. “Think about it? What’s there to think about? You’re not joining them.”

Your eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

Every single person in the room physically cringed. Even Red Guardian mouthed oh no.

“You’re not serious right now,” you said, voice low and dangerous. “Did you just try to tell me what to do?”

“I’m saying Sam’s being irrational,” Bucky argued, digging his own grave. “He’s suing us, Y/N. You can’t join them. That’s not how this works.”

You stepped toward him, fire in your eyes. “He’s not being irrational. He’s hurt, Bucky. He thinks you betrayed him. And the truth? Even if it wasn’t on purpose—you kind of did.”

Bucky opened his mouth, but no words came out.

“I get it,” you added, softer now. “He shouldn’t have filed a lawsuit. It’s messy. But this—this whole thing—is a disaster. And you’re both too stubborn to fix it.”

Bucky slowly reached for you, pulling you into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he murmured into your hair. “I never wanted to put you in the middle of this. I just... I won’t give up on this team.”

You let him hold you, but your heart was heavy. “I know,” you whispered, then gave him a small kiss. “But I can’t keep being the bridge between you two.”

He pulled back, looking at you. “Then don’t be. Move in with me. You said you were thinking about it. And hell, you could just join us too. We’d be unstoppable.”

You stepped back, blinking. “Are you seriously asking me to join your team right after I told you Sam asked me the same thing? Are you kidding me, Bucky?”

“Not cool,” Yelena muttered, earning a death glare from Bucky.

Then your phone rang—loud and dramatic. Mariah Carey’s voice filled the room. You groaned and answered.

“What, Sam?”

“Figured you were over there,” he said. “So I’ll keep it short. Ross and I have a few new recruits saying yes already. We might fast-track things. So I need an answer. ASAP.”

“You gave me thirty minutes—”

“Thirty minutes for what?” Bucky leaned in, practically pressing his ear to your phone.

“Would you stop?” you muttered, pushing him back.

“Is that Barnes?” Sam asked over the line. “Yo, Barnes—fuck you.”

Bucky blinked. “What did he just say?”

You sighed. “He said—”

“I said fuck you,” Sam shouted, louder this time.

You snapped.

“That’s it!” you barked, stepping between the two of them. “Both of you, shut up.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

“I am so done being in the middle of your pissing contest,” you said, voice shaking now. “You used to be a family. We used to be a family. And you two are tearing it apart like a couple of overgrown toddlers.”

Bucky looked like he’d been slapped. Sam was silent on the other end.

“You know what’s really messed up?” you added. “You both say you love me, you both trust me—but you’re trying to make me pick between you. And I won’t. I won’t.”

Everyone was still, barely breathing.

Then Sam, faint over the phone: “Wait… Did Barnes ask you to join the FAKEngers?”

“We’re the real Avengers, for the record,” Bucky muttered.

“Oh my god,” you said, throwing your hands up. “I’m done. Until you both grow up and get your shit together, I’m out. I’m not picking sides.”

You turned, grabbed your bag, and stormed toward the door.

“Wait—what do you mean?” Bucky called, chasing after you.

You turned back, pointing between him and your phone. “I love you, Bucky. And Sam—you’re my brother. But if you two can’t stop acting like enemies, then you don’t get to have me caught in the crossfire.”

And with that, you hung up the call and walked out.

Back in the room, Walker slowly picked up the paper. “Ouch,” he said, wincing. “Don’t you just hate when they walk away?”

Yelena smacked him in the head. “You’re not helping.”

***********

It had been a few days since everything exploded—and both Sam and Bucky were unraveling in their own ways.

Neither of them said it out loud, but they both felt it: the quiet ache where you used to be. The texts left on read. The silence that said more than any shouting match ever could.

Eventually, they both found themselves doing the same thing—sitting alone, staring at their phones, thumbs hovering over each other's names.

Bucky sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and hit the contact.

Sam’s phone lit up. He stared at the screen for a long second before finally answering.

“Barnes,” Sam said flatly.

“Wilson,” Bucky replied, just as dry.

A beat.

Then Bucky exhaled. “I miss her.”

Sam’s voice was quieter this time. “Yeah. Me too.”

Another pause.

“We gotta fix this,” Bucky said. “This whole thing… it’s not worth losing her over.”

“No, it’s not,” Sam agreed. “We should talk. In person. Try to settle this."

“Tomorrow?” Bucky asked.

“Yeah. Tomorrow’s good.”

“Alright.”

“Cool.”

“…Fine.”

“…Fine.”

They hung up.

No apologies yet. Not out loud.

But it was a start.

Maybe this whole MegaVengers idea wasn’t so bad after all.

[davrinsleftpectoral]

A Word With Thursday Bangers

Did I combine both games into one piece? Yes I did. It just worked out, okay? Thank you @hedwigoprah and @woundedsoul12 for such fun prompt games. I hope I made it fluffy enough to counter the angsty bangers. Longing is still fluff right? lol. 

Rules for a word with friends: Use the challenge word to write a sentence or scene and then tag a few friends. Happy writing! 

This Week's word is Avarice (noun)

Excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greed for wealth

Inordinate desire for some supposed good.

Rules for your Copy and Paste: Free form a blurb or drawing based on the weekly lyrics prompt. It doesn't have to include the prompt just whatever you're inspired to write, write it! Then tag some friends so they can play as well. It doesn't have to be finished on Thursday just post it whenever you can (you have a whole week between Thursdays). 

Baby I'm so into you

Darling, if you only knew

All the things that flow through my mind - Fantasy Mariah Carey

I knew this song and I remember listening to it a lot on the radio back in the day. I was 12 when it came out 😭😂 

Also making an appearance is Xiqaa, @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai rook. I hope I did them justice, it was fun to have them show up. 

Just under 1400 words under the cut. Only posted here for now but it’s the start of chapter 3 of Welcome to Nug E Cheese.

==

Turvi was putting his breakfast dishes into the sink as Taash walked into the kitchen.

“You ate? You gonna come work out with me?” They asked. 

“Sorry not today. I was getting ready to head out,” he replied. 

“That’s the second time this week you missed the gym. Those arms are gonna shrivel up you know,” Taash said as they raised their eyebrows accusingly. 

“I know, I know,” he said, waving them off. “I’ll get back on track tomorrow. I just have some things I need to do before work. And I want to walk, clear my head. I’ll see you there.”

Taash tipped their chin up at him and went about making their typical pre workout drink.

Turvi tossed his sling bag over one shoulder, slipped on his favorite purple crocs, and headed out into the city. 

Once he was out of the apartment building, he was not greeted with a sunny day, but at least it was not a rainy one. A dry day in Dock Town was a good one. Turvi had left early because he wanted to go to the Starbeaks Coffee shop and they often had a line that could wind outside of the building if you got there too late. Starbeaks was a little too pricey, just another sign of the corporate avarice that was grinding the people of Dock Town into the ground. But it was the only shop he knew of that sold the kind of muffin he wanted. 

Turvi was pleased to find that the line was thankfully short when he entered the shop. He looked over the menu above the counter as he waited, and he felt a little sick when he saw the prices. Even though he wished he could come in to buy things regularly, this treat was going to have to be more rare than he’d originally hoped. He’d figure out where in his budget he’d take the money from later. 

When Turvi reached the front of the line he was surprised to see Xiqaa, an old friend from when they worked together at The Gull and Lantern pub before it closed down. 

“Hey!” He exclaimed happily. “I didn’t know you worked here now.” 

“Turvi!” She yelled, purple curls bouncing  as she reached across the counter looking like she was going in for a hug, but instead put him into a headlock and noogied him. “What the fuck are you doing in here? You can’t afford this shit,” she laughed good naturedly. 

Turvi laughed along with his friend. “You’re right I can’t. But it’s a gift for a friend, to celebrate a special occasion,” he explained. 

“Friend huh?” She asked, dragging out the word friend and raising her eyebrows suspiciously. They didn’t see each other often but she did know him well. 

“Yes, friend,” he replied, with extra emphasis on the d. He couldn’t stop grinning though, so he knew she wouldn’t believe him. 

“Right…” She leaned across the counter again and lowered her voice. “Well, since this is for your friend, I’m giving you the family discount. Just don’t tell anyone I did.”

“You’re the best Xiqaa.”

“You’re fucking right I am. Now what do you want?” 

==

Turvi carried the large black coffee and pastry bag as he continued down the street, humming along with the music he was listening to in his earbuds. He found the bench he wanted, and settled himself down to wait. Because of wanting to avoid the rush, he had ended up here exceptionally early. He sat back to people watch as they rushed off to work. Turvi cradled the warm pastry bag, and realized it felt heavier than he expected for a single muffin. He opened the bag to look inside and found a croissant tucked in with it. Good old Xiqaa, always looking out for him. He dug into the bread and waited.

He’d only barely finished the croissant when a bus pulled up to the stop. He wasn’t really paying much attention since it was still early when he heard the familiar clinking of Neve’s prosthetic as she exited the public transport. She walked up and stood in front of him, waiting for the rest of the crowd to disperse. 

“Well, look who is out and about early. What are you doing here Rook?” She asked affably.

“Hi Neve,” he smiled brightly up at her. “I was actually waiting for you.”

“Really? What for? The store doesn’t open for another couple of hours.” She cocked her head at him quizzically.

“I wanted to bring you this,” he said, holding up the coffee and pastry bag.

Neve’s face lit up as she said, “Really? It’s not even my birthday.” She sat down on the bench beside him and accepted the offering.

“I thought we should celebrate getting the regular booking from Doctor Hot Pants. It’s a big deal,” he said.

“It’s a bit early to celebrate, don’t you think? We’ve still got a long way to go to keep the store open,” she countered.

“No way. Every little bit helps, and you should celebrate the small stuff, give you something to be happy about. It’s still early, but we’ll keep this momentum going, and the store is sure to be kept open.”

“Well that’s some determined sunshine. And a bit of a fantasy, I’m afraid. This is Dock Town after all. Seems like this city is out to sabotage itself, sometimes.”

“No, none of that this morning. We’re celebrating, Neve. Now open the bag,” he encouraged.

“All right,” she acquiesced. She unfolded the top and peered inside. “A muffin?” She asked. Turvi nodded, not saying anything more. Neve drew her eyebrows together and pulled the muffin out. She lifted it to her face and inhaled deeply. “Gooseberry, my favorite?” Turvi stayed silent, simply smiling at her, basking in her surprise. “Where did you get his? Only Starbeaks makes them regularly and they sell out quickly. And how could you afford this? I can’t take this, it’s too much,” she said in a rush as she started to try to hand the muffin back to Turvi.

He wrapped his hands around both of hers and gently pushed the muffin back towards her, but didn’t move his hands away. “No Neve. You work so hard for your employees, the store, and for Dock Town. You deserve to be celebrated too,” he explained. She rolled her eyes and shook her head but gave in and pulled the muffin back to her lap. Turvi let her hands slip from his, missing their shared warmth immediately. There was nothing he wouldn’t give to be able to reach out and hold her hands whenever he wanted. He ached with it, deep in his soul. But for now, a moment shared over a muffin on a bench by the bus stop would have to do. 

==

Tossing out no pressure tags for @serensama @jenn2d2 @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @notyourmamasdeerbat @chaosherald @seaglassmelody @thedissonantverses @biowaredisasterbisexual

[mayapapaya33]

I hope in the animated mighty nein show they keep Nott repeatedly endangering/ killing Caduseus with her recklessness with the exploding arrows (or at least have the one big moment). I also hope they do a bit more with it in the show, like some sort of mild confrontation about her behavior. Idk, Caduceus is so kind, maybe there could be slightly more emphasis on it considering she LITERALLY KILLED HIM lmfao. (C2 E55 4:03:40)

Maybe one of the others could be like wtf? You killed Caduceus! holy shit! And then the two of them could have a nice chat like they did when Taliesin got back (I so wish he hadn't been absent that next episode, but it is what it is). Percy got punched in the face by Vax for forgetting to check for traps, which accidentally killed Vex, which they very much amped up for the animation into him coaxing her into being reckless. Veth ACTIVELY exploded Caduceus to death because she wasn't paying attention to where she aimed or collateral damage radius to her weapon! They've gotta play with that!

It can also set up a pattern of recklessness that pays off in the fact that she very much got herself killed fucking around dismantling deadly traps. I don't remember if she was drunk or nott; C2 E83 (3:19:15) AND how later on her and Jester being loud and reckless endangered her both their friends and families and got Veth's son killed. I'm not still salty about C2 E129 no siree, I'm not still irritated that Veth and Jester couldn't sit still for 10 fucking minutes to let Caleb cast the dome, nope, not me lmfao. (Speaking of life lessons I hope they emphasize a little harder in the animated show, Marion and Yeza are waaaaaay too nice hahaha. Also they didn't really know it was 100% Jester and Veth's fault but I digress). Combined with her arc about alcoholism and self worth I can see a really great storyline. Those are very strong, interesting themes to write about.

Maybe she goes on a mini bender out of guilt for hurting Caduceus after or something, or just some actual conversations between the characters about it, anything really to have it in the narrative. That death is when he gets his first in campaign major vision from the Wildmother as well, so that would be very interesting to see. Especially if they manage to preserve the blink and you miss it information buried in a beautiful conversation with his sister later on that he used to eat lilies (which are poisonous plants irl) to try to talk to the Wildmother when he was all alone. Campaign 2, Episode 130 (2:37:32) The subtle tragedy of his loneliness and isolated devotion are so slept on sometimes so I really hope it's addressed more.

They said they were changing things; that's one of the things I hope gets fleshed out a bit more. Taliesin really played support for most of C2 and he did it wonderfully, but I hope they take the opportunity to bring some of his more subtle character journey to the forefront for the show.

[intimidatingpuffinstudios]

Progress Update for August 2024

Hey, everyone!

This August has seen some meteoric progress in terms of development LMAO!

Both BtM and TSSW 3 have gotten a lot more content written, with BtM now sitting nicely at 60% completed. But the biggest winner has been TSSW 3.

The game has just come together in a way I didn't even dare hope for. I've written more for it these last two months than I did last year combined.

The plot is coming along in ways that I do not expect, and yet they slot in so perfectly with the narrative that it makes me wonder if my subconscious is the real MVP here.

But aside from the plot, it is the characters who have surprised me most of all. They are showing me who they are in such surprising yet visceral ways that all I can do is simply stand back and stare in awe.

In BtM, Zach and Cy are working relentlessly to realize their goal, their true faces coming through in a manner that might be unsettling to some. And yet, the thing shining through the strongest is their unrelenting, absolute devotion to the MC. All-consuming, breathtaking, and yet…somehow cruel. I just can't wait to show you.

As for TSSW 3, the Stone has simply swept me off my feet and I'm still reeling, gasping, kneeling in worship. This will truly be the book that makes or breaks your relationship with Sielthan, and you'll experience them in a way that even I couldn't imagine. 

When I started this journey, I thought of them as a potential trickster, someone whose intentions you can never be sure of. In TSSW 3, they grabbed me by the throat, looked me straight in the eye and told me, "That's not who I am." And who they truly are has left me breathless.

Another shock has been Manerkol. When I first created the character in my head, his unyielding, relentless drive was his main characteristic. This is a character who doesn't give way, who won't compromise no matter what.

Except, he isn't. Not with his MC. Manerkol took me by the hand and rumbled in my ear, "I don't want to fight anymore." The man who has fought everything and everyone all his life has finally found the one person he doesn't want to fight. The one person he wants to hold instead. He looks at his MC and makes the scariest, most powerful decision he could ever make: he puts his sword down.

When I tell you I was SHOCKED once it dawned on me…. I guess it's not just my characters changing, it's me too.

I will continue to write as passionately as I have the last couple of months, with a greater emphasis on finishing TSSW 3. That will take priority, because I am SO close to finish line. I believe I will be done with main plot/Manerkol/Stone routes by end September.

And then it's the rest of the romances left. 

Wish me luck!

[saxandviolins77]

Transformers Skybound #16 spoilers below cut

Actually pretty ok, and I was more interested in the things it was setting up rather than the combiner fight stuff (that was barely the focus of this issue.)

Bluestreak called; he wants his backstory back.

What a whimsical and inviting nature! SO CUTE! My heart is fluttering. /ref

Real G1 experience with those miscolored Constructicons LMAO.

RUN BRUH RUUUUN THIS AIN'T THE CIRCUS WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!?!?

Easily one of the coolest panels of the Skybound comic to date. No joke.

FINALLY! We're making some progress here. I was wondering how long DWJ would keep this up, but yeah, I liked how it was revealed, and the fight between Starscream and TC was great. I am a firm believer these bitches should be fighting all the time and killing each other with mallets. <3

?????

Blitzwing....???

I did not expect this turn of events, but I'm all in for Transformer romance.

They'll probably make up a fem love interest for him because I genuinely don't see them letting the robots be homo.

(Speaking of Blitzwing, this lighting is totally making TC look the part...)

Ignoring the shattered glass SW for a second, I totally love seeing him distraught and losing all his support, taking everything away from him before the big comeback.

I also like how DWJ is showing how Soundwave sucks as a leader, yeah, some people are meant to be paper pushers until they retire, that's fine.

"Optimus? Ha.... More like Nemesis... Nemesis Prime... From the hit Netflix series War for Cybertron. ONLY ON NETFLIX"

Cute.

TRAILBREAKER!! WITH HIS G1 PERSONALITY?! MAYBE THERE IS A HEAVEN!!

Absolutely loved this introduction. Trailbreaker is such a nice character conceptually, and I'm happy they chose him for this book... If only he isn't a sacrificial lamb.

Dude what are you fighting for??? Stop! Everyone is doing their own thing, move on!

(waow, the back of Devastator's head looks like two vents... Can I climb there?)

Ok, so two things I liked here:

Touching on how Transformers get made in this continuity, it's always nice to see what stays and what the writer comes up with.

Transformers are being made specifically to fill ranks. I'd expect DWJ to find something interesting to say about that. (especially with the emphasis on family and, more specifically, paternity.)

Who's this?

[ineffably-human]

Okay, so: the hypnosis!

Nandor's actually the one who wasn't great at it in the past, yes, whatever. I'm fine with those kind of details being all over the place, personally. Even though it's weird.

What's intriguing me more is that this is clearly a runner. We've heard it mentioned two episodes in a row that they're starting to overly rely on hypnosis as a means of dealing with their slip-ups, specifically when they accidentally reveal themselves as vampires. There's the question of it impacting the minds of the humans around them, in the long-term.

Combine that with:

Sean (their biggest link to the normal human world, whose brain is already fucked up from hypnosis) appearing more frequently.

The vampires going out into the world more in all four of the episodes critics have had access to - and more after that, if the episode titles and summaries so far are any indication.

Nandor does a verbal faux pas on a newscast, we have seen clips with all of them on the newscast as newscasters, is this for a mass hypnosis? (The second one after Nandor's at the basketball game, that was a lot of extras for a simple gag!) A mass coverup?

Colin is going to be running for public office, what's less secretive than that?

They're going to a Pride Parade, what's a better way to juxtapose secrecy than that?

Increased emphasis on the documentary crew. Does the neighborhood notice they've had a film crew around them for fiveish years now? What do they think it's for? Who's supposed to see this documentary anyway?

Guillermo still has another episode with his family coming up, the family that were hypnotized into forgetting major things that are still a part of his personal truth, things that would be a huge risk to the vampires if they came to light...

Between Guillermo's personal secrets and this increased emphasis on the vampires out in the world, not to mention the whole thing with Derek as a metaphor for infidelity, I think secrets and lies are the theme this season. The way change/transformation was a theme in season 4, and power and protection were the themes of season 3.

The 'lies' part of things can also involve self-delusion, that's how Nadja's piece can fold into it. Nandor and Guillermo's feelings about each other work there, too. (I think they know Guillermo has a little crush on Nandor, but neither of them realize just how much and maybe don't even believe it's still ongoing.)

And I think this is a great time to bring it up, because this season is about Guillermo maybe becoming a vampire at last - and I think the secrecy is part of what draws Guillermo to being a vampire. It's like a contradiction that's a feature, not a bug. He's spent a long time hiding major facets of who he is to everyone around him, and being a vampire means living openly, freely, while simultaneously being part of a secret species.

Hell, he's the one who gives us the thesis statement at the end of the season's first episode:

"Being a vampire is no different than being a human. We're all just doing what it takes to survive. We go on about our day. Blend in. Act like everyone else. But the truth is, we're all just hiding in plain sight."

I think the vampires are going to get into a situation that hypnosis can't get them out of, maybe something involving the documentary crew and the footage they've collected as well. Something that fully threatens to expose them, impact their safety, with no way of turning back.

Maybe it's something where only Guillermo, as the bridge between human and vampire he's always been, can save them. After all, what is he right now, if not stuck in-between?

[moonshine-nightlight]

So i just read Nothing's Wrong With Dale for the 4th time, and I just wanted to say thank you. I fucking love that story so much it's insane!!

I have a few questions that I keep thinking about of their life after the story ends. (Some of them are silly, sorry!)

1. Would you ever consider doing a sequel?

2. I feel like personally Dale would be an amazing father, but do you think they would ever have children in the future? If so, would they be half demon?

3. How would Dale react if another woman hit on him? I have a feeling he would be so oblivious at first.

4. What would Dale do if 'reader' is jealous of said woman?

5. What do you think would happen if someone in the 'readers' family accidentally found out?

Sorry if this is a lot, I'm just love this story so much! You are such a wonderful author 💜

Damn! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story enough re-read multiple times! That's so sweet!

i love questions about my stories, especially Dale! Since some answers will be spoiler-y and speculation, please see below :)

(Mild disclaimer: all of this is just speculation and half-baked ideas, nothing is canon because nothing is written etc even if i am the author. if anyone personally disagrees with any of this for their version of the reader and Dale--I fully support you)

I have considered it and while i do have ideas for some little spin off/side short stories, currently i don't plan for a full sequel. I just don't have a compelling idea for the overall plot/character ? Some of my bonus ideas are: POV story from Miss Adir&Mr Murray called "Peculiar Creatures" about reader and Dale; Dale hunting down Two; dale confronting the patrons of the assassination; a Midwife POV story; and a mini-romance story with Breighton and Teresa. I also do want to write more stories about different romances set in the Dale universe, with potential cameos by Dale and reader (each with at least 1 human and 1 demonic person).

Dale will certainly put his all into being a father. Not set in stone, but I think they'll have three kids and they are all part demon. If i ever was to write a full sequel it would probably combine some of the above short stories into one longer story covering readers pregnancy with their first born and the ramifications of a partially demon pregnancy lol while learning to take over Northridge. Dale felt very alone when he was young and so he'd put a lot of effort into making sure his child wouldn't feel that way--especially since the kid will be singular (no swarm) which Dale would see as very lonely. Both want multiple kids so that gets alleviated in time. They do have to be careful about letting Dale's grandparents around their children until they can control themselves lol

You're right, he likely wouldn't pick up on the nuance between "general manners" "sucking up to powerful people" "general flirt" and "flirting with him specifically". If he did notice, he'd be relatively polite but also ignore it or, if persistent, just leave to find the reader lol. If reader was there, he'd just be like "my lovely spouse" in greater and greater frequency/emphasis--like the other person is oblivious to the fact that he already has the best spouse.

I don't think reader would be jealous, they're married and stupid in love, but Dale'd probably just be confused if they were. Like, jealous of what? lol (I mostly find jealously fun to write/play with either before the couple is together or if its about non-romance things)

Reader's family finding out is a very interesting idea. It would definitely depend on who and when they find out. Callalily is the most protective so she'd be worried about the danger to the reader and generally everyone, not just violence but also manipulation. Douglas would be suspicious and wary and would need to interrogate Dale directly--fearing the reader being controlled in some way. He's seen the damage demons can do and takes it super seriously, but knows individual demons vary wildly. Marigold and Asher are both the most likely to hear the reader out and not jump to conclusions, for different reasons. They have more open minds and trust the reader to know themself/trust their judgement the most. All are more likely not to run screaming the longer they've known him/any children the couple has. The reader's parents would immediately tell everyone, they would have to be actively kept from spreading the word.

thanks for sending this ask and these questions in! It was a lot of fun to think about and share, especially since i hav basically no time for anything but work (which i should be doing now lol)

I'm always happy to talk about Dale ^^

[muninnhuginn]

just some thoughts now yingdu has finished about cheng xiaoshi's parents.

thinking on how during the fire, cheng xiaoshi's mum confronts cheng weimin and says the fire was premeditated. but she also says it was planned by "them" (plural). I'd been considering the possibility that xia fei was involved in some capacity (and honestly that still can't be ruled out) but there being a specific group involved (and, huh, "involved" in the same way as vein asked cheng xiaoshi?) makes me think this is bigger than we thought. this was a decade ago so in theory none of our main players (vein, liu xiao) would be considered some great threat for shao yuanyuan to consider. could be organised crime, I guess? specifically, the xiang guy who liu xiao tracked down in yingdu ep 1. he had connections with the liu family, an interest in "superpowers", and clearly recognised the name "cheng weimin". still leaves many questions, but it's an option. and it'd mean that we don't spend season 3 with both liu xiao as the "main villain" and another organisation on top of that, if liu xiao has already taken this organisation out and moved in for the takeover.

the motives for the fire could also be a few different things. few possibilities off the top of my head:

obviously a lot of people want the book with the eye sign on that cheng weimin was keeping hold of (and wang qing/shao yuanyuan later hid)

the school being a place for people with powers also leaves the possibility that it was about taking out all the kids with powers before they could become threats (brutal, but the show did confirm a school full of kids burnt down so)

shao yuanyuan *thinks* it was premeditated (because there *is* a group after cwm) but in actuality it was linked to wang qing/xia fei snapping in some way as a result of bullying and it going terribly wrong

"it was the detective"/"and then there were none" - cheng weimin was forced in some way to set the fire by "them" or his family was at stake (sth sth mutual secret keeping), but helped xia fei and wang qing escape as "repentance" and faked his own death. (I hate that I'm writing this btw.)

(and the final option I'm shooting out here purely because it is *bold* if they pulled it off is that the "them" shao yuanyuan referred to is the same "them" that yingdu ep 3 was named after - xia fei and vein. again, I don't think it's super likely because of their respective ages and perceived threat at the time, but would be hilarious if it was right there in the title - similar to the "and then there were none" reference)

also! the fact that shao yuanyuan could simply refer to "them" and expect cwm to know exactly who was being referred to makes me wonder. it seems to imply that whatever group this was was known to them both. was cwm in hiding when he settled at the school? what's in that book that's so precious it took priority over his life?

cxs' mum also seeming to be in hiding in the "present" (both from her reactions during the wang qing possession and emphasis on "little time") combined with the way she'd gone non-contact with cheng xiaoshi for a decade. and, of course, "them".

and it's curious that cwm settled at a school for those with powers when it appears that it's cxs' mum with the powers not him. is this a case where they both had powers (and cxs just... inherited his mum's side?) or did cwm die and transfer the powers and book to her in one shot. would certainly add to the parallels with lu guang going back with cxs' powers.

(final thing and this admittedly could be down to the TL but when wang qing was saying about people answering her story the same way to cheng xiaoshi, she mentioned she'd "like him to meet [cwm]" which is... an odd thing to say about someone who is supposed to be dead. I mean, I guess it's in flux if he's in the process of being saved, but still, incredibly strange offer to make. and wang qing has told that forest fire story as part of her therapy sessions, so would she have asked cheng weimin back when he was still her teacher? I genuinely can't tell if I'm just overthinking things, but if there is yet another fake death going on here I am going to stab something.)

[crusherthedoctor]

❤️‍🩹 Writing in general :3

If I ever write a story that portrays badniks as a metaphor for minorities and Eggman as a thinly-veiled caricature of orange man, please shoot me. (This won't be necessary, I have no desire to insert US politics where it doesn't belong.) ("But what about SA2's themes?" Yeah I didn't care for it there either ack ack ack ack ack.) (Also I'm not even American lmao.)

Writing is my release, despite the embarrassment of how long it takes me due to perfectionism. It has been my comfort in a fandom that constantly frustrates me with its frequent and unreasonably popular shitty takes, as well as the ongoing age of Flynn shoving himself into virtually everything. Nowadays, it's also my primary deposit for conveying my interpretation of the characters' portrayals: while I'm no stranger to going in-depth and analyzing, like the Sweet or Shite series, these have always been the exception, as the current fandom era of "if you don't express every thought in a sixty paragraph essay with thousands of likes and reblogs, your opinion is automatically wrong and stupid" is just too grinding, draining, and frankly not fun for me to keep up with. I'll always be enthusiastic about the things that I love, that will never change, but it should never be a job to explain how I feel about this character or that story, and no matter what I say or do, there will always be fans who misinterpret me, dismiss me, or purposefully paint my views in the most bad faith manner possible. With all this in mind, I'm better off spending my time more productively by using my perspective to create out of passion, instead of debate out of "for the millionth time, that's not what I fucking said".

Another incentive for writing, at least for the multi-chapter fics with a focus on action and adventure, is to indulge in my most favourite tone of all. This goes beyond merely being balanced: the specific juxtaposition of a legitimately evil Eggman, with all the darkness and tragedy (for victims) that entails, VS a beautiful and whimsical world with likable characters and plenty of appropriate humor, is sadly not a combination that you often see in fanfics, as they usually lean in completely on one scale (high school AUs, friendly enemy Eggman ala Boom), or the other scale (gratuitous grimdark misery porn ala Prison Island Break or the zombot arc). So as they always say, if you want something done... I also get to convey my personal approach to build up, the different nuances in each character's gesturing and emoting, emphasis on subtle or surreal horror (this one might sound like an informed attribute currently, but it becomes more prominent later on), and of course, portraying the environment with as much character as the actual characters. IDW making every location Generic City Zone made me double down on that last one as a form of protest lol.

Eggman and Trudy are undeniably my favourites to write in Stellar, what with them being my favourite character and my own delicately crafted creation respectively. I'm not ashamed in admitting this, because aside from all writers having their favourites anyway, I don't use it to slack off with the rest of the cast like certain beloved writers who I could name. Even when it's a character who I severely struggle to give a fuck about, like Silver (he's not in Stellar specifically, but I digress), I nonetheless find it important to put as much effort into portraying them accurately and fairly. You also don't see me claiming that Trudy would single-handedly change the entire plot of Forces, instead I let her tug on Sonic's collar with consent. :P

As for the Mario fic, the premise of Eggman turning a different universe inside out has been a really fun experiment in terms of exploring how this unrelated world sees the doctor and vice-versa. Obviously, there's a mutual hatred just like his dynamic with Sonic and Co, but given these are fresh faces from each other's perspective, there are inherent differences in the way that this is conveyed. For instance, Eggman takes notes that Mario is a human who wasn't born with any (conventional) superpowers just like himself, and as such, he displays a more superficially cordial attitude towards him compared to his more obvious contempt towards Sonic... all the while continuing to do horrible shit and not actually respecting Mario as a person, and respecting best girl Vivian even less.

[sunnylandsworldwithwords]

No shame! here’s proper punctuation with a simple format and the dictionary definitions because i used to be that writer who was where some of you are now. 💖

1. Full stop

A full stop is the punctuation name for a mark that is used to show the end of a sentence, as shown in this punctuation example:

'Lucy went clothes shopping. She bought a lovely new skirt.'

Full stops are used to indicate that it is the end of a sentence, usually communicating a complete point or thought. It highlights a new sentence is about to begin.

2. Commas

Commas is the punctuation name for a mark that aregreat for breaking down sentences, combining two clauses or showing us when to pause.

'Despite the fact I hate maths, I quite like learning about fractions.'

This shows how commas can add emphasis and tell the reader when to pause. Sometimes, commas can be misplaced. This is called a comma splice, where two independent clauses are connected by a comma, when they should really be separated with a full stop or semi colon or connected with a connective.

3. Question marks

Question marks simply indicate that the speaker is asking a question. They're used at the end of question (or interrogative) sentences.

'Do you still want to keep your teddy bear?'

4. Exclamation marks

Exclamation marks is the punctuation name for a mark that can change the meaning and tone of a sentence. They still end a sentence, but they can add emotion - whether that's excitement, anger or nervousness!

'Look, it's a cat!'

'I'm so nervous about my SATs exams!'

'I can't believe you just said that!'

All three of these sentences convey very different emotions using an exclamation mark, so it can be confusing. Yet imagine if they used a full stop instead - these emotions would be much harder to read and understand.

A sentence which needs an exclamation mark is called an exclamatory sentence.

5. Colons

A colon is the punctuation name for a mark that is used to connect two clauses.

'Never go out in the sun without sunscreen: you#ll damage your skin.'

They're also great for introducing a list of three or more things.

'I'm visiting four cities this summer: Rome, Florence, Paris, and Seville.'

6. Semicolons

Semicolons get a bad reputation for being difficult, but in truth, they're super handy!

You can use a semicolon to join 2 main (or independent clauses) which have equal importance. For example,

'Katie was hungry; she hadn't eaten all day.'

Semicolons show a closer relationship between the clauses than a full stop would show.

7. Apostrophes

Apostrophe is a punctuation mark that can be quite confusing for many children, but it's really important that children learn how to use it properly.

Apostrophes are used to identify something that belongs to someone or to show a letter or multiple letters are missing from a word. Yet as simple as this sounds, many children and adults often misplace or forget apostrophes, even putting them somewhere they shouldn't be altogether. The following sentence shows how to use an apostrophe for contractions, where letters are missing from "were not", "of the clock" and "cannot".

"We weren't meant to leave before 4 O'clock, so we can't go yet."

Apostrophes can also be used to show the possessive form of a singular noun.

"The student's job was to make sure no one touched the pet rabbit's breakfast."

With plural nouns where the word already has an 's' at the end, an apostrophe just gets added at the end.

"The girls' toy truck had broken."

If the word is plural and doesn't have an 's' at the end, again one can be added.

"The women's business meeting had been delayed."

One of the most common misuses of apostrophes is putting them in words which are just plural and don't show possession or contraction. For example, words such as pencils, ghosts, houses, or guests never need an apostrophe.

8. Dash

A dash is the punctuation name for a mark that used to separate words into statements. There are two common types of dashes: en dash and em dash which vary in length. The en dash is twice as long as a hyphen and is most commonly used to signify a range between two words or numbers, for example the date range:

1990-2014.

Meanwhile,the em dash can be used in place of a comma, parenthesis, or colon to enhance readability or emphasize the conclusion of a sentence. For example:

She gave him her answer—No!

8. Hyphen

This list of punctuation marks isn't exhaustive, but it does contain the most commonly used punctuation marks with names. For example:

Sarah had a part-time job that she worked on a Saturday

9. Parentheses

A parenthesis is a word, phrase, or sentence that is inserted into writing as extra information using brackets, commas or dashes. For example:

'James (who was terrified of heights) was going to ride the biggest rollercoaster in the theme park

When a whole sentence is written inside a parenthesis then the full stop will be included inside the parenthesis, for example - Please read this story. (You'll be amazed.). However, if the majority of a sentence is written outside the parentheses, then the full stop should also be used on the outside, for example, You are late (aren't you?).

10. Brackets

Brackets is the punctuation name for a mark that is a curved symbol that looks like () and they are used to separate non-essential or additional information from a sentence. For example:

She finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that she didn’t understand the question.

11. Quotation marks

Quotation marks is the punctuation name for a mark that is the primary type of punctuation used in quotes. These are inverted commas that are used as either single (‘ ’) or double (“ ”) sets. They are used either to mark the beginning and end of a title or quoted passage. For example:

Walking across the beach Mary said, "the weather is very sunny today".

12. Ellipsis

An ellipsis(plural ellipses) is a punctuation mark made up of 3 dots. Ellipses are commonly used to indicate the omission of words, lines or paragraphs from a quoted passage. For example:

'Today...we are proud to announce our new product.'

Dictionary version [better version In my opinion]

What is a typographical symbol?

The term typographical symbol, or any other number of phrases, refers to a character or symbol that isn’t considered to be a punctuation mark but may still be used in writing for various purposes. Typographical symbols are generally avoided in formal writing under most circumstances. However, you may see typographic symbols used quite a bit in informal writing.

Typographical symbol examples

The following examples show some ways that a writer might use typographical symbols. Keep in mind that some of these sentences may not be considered appropriate in formal writing.

The frustrated actor said she was tired of her co-star’s “annoying bull****.”

For questions, email us at anascabana@bananacabanas.fake!

The band had five #1 singles on the American music charts during the 1990s.

My internet provider is AT&T.

Period (.)

A period is used to end a declarative sentence. A period indicates that a sentence is finished.

Today is Friday.

Unique to them, periods are also often used in abbreviations.

Prof. Dumbledore once again awarded a ludicrous amount of points to Gryffindor.

Question mark (?)

The question mark is used to end a question, also known as an interrogative sentence.

Do you feel lucky?

Exclamation point (!)

The exclamation point is used at the end of exclamations and interjections.

Our house is haunted!

Wow!

Comma, colon, and semicolon

Commas, colons, and semicolons can all be used to connect sentences together.

Comma (,)

The comma is often the punctuation mark that gives writers the most problems. It has many different uses and often requires good knowledge of grammar to avoid making mistakes when using it. Some common uses of the comma include:

Joining clauses: Mario loves Peach, and she loves him.

Nonrestrictive elements: My favorite team, the Fighting Mongooses, won the championship this year.

Lists: The flag was red, white, and blue.

Coordinate adjectives: The cute, happy puppy licked my hand.

Try out this quiz on the Oxford comma!

Colon (:)

The colon is typically used to introduce additional information.

The detective had three suspects: the salesman, the gardener, and the lawyer.

Like commas, colons can also connect clauses together.

We forgot to ask the most important question: who was buying lunch?

Colons have a few other uses, too.

The meeting starts at 8:15 p.m.

The priest started reading from Mark 3:6.

Semicolon (;)

Like the comma and the colon, the semicolon is used to connect sentences together. The semicolon typically indicates that the second sentence is closely related to the one before it.

I can’t eat peanuts; I am highly allergic to them.

Lucy loves to eat all kinds of sweets;lollipops are her favorite.

Hyphen and dashes (en dash and em dash)

All three of these punctuation marks are often referred to as “dashes.” However, they are all used for entirely different reasons.

Hyphen (-)

The hyphen is used to form compound words.

I went to lunch with my father-in-law.

She was playing with a jack-in-the-box.

He was accused of having pro-Britishsympathies.

En dash (–)

The en dash is used to express ranges or is sometimes used in more complex compound words.

The homework exercises are on pages 20–27.

The songwriter had worked on many Tony Award–winning productions.

Em dash (—)

The em dash is used to indicate a pause or interrupted speech.

The thief was someone nobody expected—me!

“Those kids will—” was all he managed to say before he was hit by a water balloon.

Test your knowledge on the different dashes here.

Parentheses, brackets, and braces

These pairs of punctuation marks look similar, but they all have different uses. In general, the parentheses are much more commonly used than the others.

Parentheses ()

Typically, parentheses are used to add additional information.

I thought (for a very long time) if I should actually give an honest answer.

Tomorrow is Christmas (my favorite holiday)!

Parentheses have a variety of other uses, too.

Pollution increased significantly. (See Chart 14B)

He was at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.

Richard I of England (1157–1199) had the heart of a lion.

Square brackets []

Typically, square brackets are used to clarify or add information to quotations.

According to an eyewitness, the chimpanzees “climbed on the roof and juggled [bananas].”

The judge said that “the defense attorney [Mr. Wright] had made it clear that the case was far from closed.”

Curly brackets {}

Curly brackets, also known as braces, are rarely used punctuation marks that are used to group a set.

I was impressed by the many different colors {red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, white} they selected for the flag’s design.

Angle brackets <>

Angle brackets have no usage in formal writing and are rarely ever used even in informal writing. These characters have more uses in other fields, such as math or computing.

Quotation marks and apostrophe

You’ll find these punctuation marks hanging out at the top of a line of text.

Quotation marks (“”)

The most common use of quotation marks is to contain quotations.

She said, “Don’t let the dog out of the house.”

Bob Ross liked to put “happy little trees” in many of his paintings.

Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe is most often used to form possessives and contractions.

The house’s back door is open.

My cousin’s birthday is next week.

It isn’t ready yet.

We should’ve stayed outside.

Slash and ellipses

These are two punctuation marks you may not see too often, but they are still useful.

Slash (/)

The slash has several different uses. Here are some examples:

Relationships: The existence of boxer briefs somehow hasn’t ended the boxers/briefs debate.

Alternatives: They accept cash and/or credit.

Fractions: After an hour, 2/3 of the audience had already left.

Ellipses (…)

In formal writing, ellipses are used to indicate that words were removed from a quote.

The mayor said, “The damages will be …paid for by the city … as soon as possible.”

In informal writing, ellipses are often used to indicate pauses or speech that trails off.

He nervously stammered and said, “Look, I … You see … I wasn’t … Forget it, okay.”

I don’t do not own any information listed above. This can all be found on google/chrome/safari

Divider credits go to @cafekitsune

[vodid]

Pleasseeee talk about Bay Megatron being a tragic hero 🙏 I yearn for bayverse character depth (Lord High Protector Megatron my beloved)

u got it o7 anti-villain might be a more appropriate term, but in his own story he's the tragic hero i'm sure

in every single movie, megatron is purely and solely concerned with saving his planet or his people. he doesn't care who gets in the way or who can get him there; the ends justify the means and he will take any and every opportunity. despite his heroic intentions, the movies heavily portray him as an unreasonably evil guy, which just isn't fitting for his goals i feel. or rather — not surprising from bayverse — they failed to portray it correctly and in an impactful way. we had his goals, but we did not have the right presentation or emphasis for how he felt about those goals (dotm may be the only slight exception of this as it was far closer to showing the emotions of our cybertronians than the other movies) but generally, he was shown to hold a lot of resentment for optimus and sought to destroy everything, with only hints of his actual end goal there.

the first movie, he was presented as wanting to use the allspark "for evil" and killing every autobot in the process. here, he's just straight up an evil guy, having been seeking the allspark for ages, but after the destruction of his planet and their numbers depleting due to war, i'm sure fixing that became his goal. also with the addition of hating humans, because they were also getting in the way <3 they had him frozen and were using his potential babies for their menial tasks! /hj (which they created using reverse-engineered technology from him; they literally handed it to him on a silver platter. we'll see this again in a few movies)

however, the second movie (which leads me to believe what his intentions were in the first ^) he was concerned about getting energon for their youth, starving before they're even hatched, and went for the most tried and tested method of obliterating a sun for energon that i'm sure would last them for ages and through the development of their baby decepticons. optimus has to die in the process? a massive bonus! humans have to die in the process? huuuuge bonus. he gets to feed their young in the end and gain a new army of decepticons to help revive cybertron and establish a new generation? biggest bonus. no one will be able to get in his way.

the third movie, the guy lost almost everything. left with only a few of their young, he just wanted to go home and have it be fixed. this was his final chance. he went as far as to lower himself to be "equal" with an autobot prime for his major advantage over everything: the spacebridge. and with what little energy and mental coherency he had left, he went for the most extreme option of not only enslaving billions of humans, but bringing cybertron into earth's orbit. when his plan begins to succeed, he is already losing energy but feels massive relief of finally seeing his planet once more. he could finally fulfill his life's goal. sentinel got him there, but he was also about to take it from him (teehee A+ carly manipulation). and we know how megatron feels about people getting in his way !

fourth movie, he worked with what was handed to him. literally handed to him. humans made a grave mistake not only creating a bot that will essentially function like megatron, but once again, an entire array of bots (this time all activated and functioning independently!) ready for directions. the seed that would turn biological material into transformium was his ticket to creating more of these ksi bots. his ticket to reviving their species. it was a little sad how back-burnered he got in this movie tho lol he got demoted to second-rate villain harder than the first two movies combined! so again, his goals were muddied.

fifth movie, we attempt to bring cybertron back. again. and judging by the red mark upon megatron's face, he had made a deal with quintessa. or she had taken over him in some way but we know how megatron feels about mind control. but having a common goal, there was probably little resistance to quintessa and was merely marked. he is again, rather low on energy methinks and understands, with the years humans have spent living with cybertronians, they have actually become highly dangerous. he's not stupid. he learned from his past and will lay back and let quintessa do the work if that meant it would work out in the end for him. this movie was a bit more sloppy with its writing but megatron is still concerned about their home.

it's to such a severe degree, that the autobots' goal is no longer to bring back their home like many other iterations; it's to stop the decepticons from getting there first. from getting there at all. they'd rather sacrifice their home and race than to let the decepticons have it, and it's for that reason megatron had been pushed so far so many times in each movie, with increasingly dangerous and unconventional methods. call him mr. grasping at straws, but he wouldn't let the autobots goal of stopping decepticons — thus giving the decepticons a goal of destroying autobots — get too much in his way. his end goal was ALWAYS to save their planet and people.

doesn't mean megatron is good. he is still unequivocally a villain who became corrupt by the failures he endured at the hands of the autobots bent on stopping him. it just makes you wonder

[noxiatoxia]

While we're talking about the official translation vs orenronen's, can I ask about a Tanaka line about Komaeda in chapter 3, just as he's being hospitalised?

Official:

Orenronen:

I originally thought these clashed but the latter's second half can read as him being okay with Komaeda dying anyway. Is this another case of one translation being more literal and another going more for vibes? It wouldn't be out of character for Tanaka to expect to cross paths with people after death lol.

No rush to answer this, of course.

Thanks for the inquiry! So, this line as it is read in Japanese is as follows:

狛枝だけならば、リタイヤしたも構わんのだがな...

Literal: If it were just Komaeda retiring, I would not care. However...

Tanaka literally says "retire" in English. This is a common loan word used in Japanese and means much of the same. It's unclear if he means it "permanently" or not. Given the context, I'm going to say no, he does not mean it that way, which leads into my analysis:

Orenronen's translation is much closer with some added flair...because it's Tanaka. The NISA translation is a bit off the mark and I think I see what tripped them up.

At the end, Tanaka says だがな. I think the official translation misinterpreted this as だ + がな, when it's supposed to be だが + な. Basically, だ、が and な are all particles, but when combined, they have different meanings.

If you read it as だ (it is) + がな (a sentence ender to mean emphasis or expressing a wish/desire) - I can see how it would now suddenly seem like he's saying "I want Komaeda and ONLY Komaeda to 'retire" - which then makes it sounds like he DOES want him to die.

However, it's meant to be read だが (but/however) + な (emphasis particle, also sometimes filler). This makes it what it's supposed to be: him emphasizing that he's not worried about Komaeda's condition, but is worried about Owari and Mioda.

In the surrounding context of the scene, death is never mentioned. It's far more likely Tanaka means he does not care that Komaeda is now "out of commission", but he doesn't like that it's also happening to Mioda and Owari. Making him say he wouldn't mind if Komaeda died forever and ever, while not something necessarily out of character per se, is simply not what he's saying here.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

...It is possible I am about to bring the Bridgerton fandom down on my HEAD, but I have an opinion and I am sharing it.

The show hasn't set writer Colin up sufficiently well for me to believe that he is going to catch professional jealousy about Pen being Lady Whistledown.

Yes, we got the journal reading scene, and it is well established that Colin is a prolific letter writer. I am also aware that the fandom is happy to headcanon Colin being as prolific a letter writer as he is made out to be is setup that he is a prose writer. But um.

Contextually, when all you have to communicate with people is letters? Like, that doesn't necessarily HAVE to equate to also being an excellent prose writer. For one, when you're writing a PRIVATE letter to someone you like (such as a friend or family member) your audience is extremely specific, so you don't have to tailor to a general audience. The skills are different. I imagine the letters being a combination of text messages and a Tumblr blog and a Facebook profile before Facebook became functionally unusable. It's a means of connecting and sharing experiences, and given how the Bridgertons react to the letters and their content, it's basically an amateur travel highlight blog. Which is why the letters and journals worked TOGETHER in the book to establish Colin as a good travel writer, because he had the letter format and the longform format. They complemented each other and there was more emphasis on Colin actually engaging with his journals in the book. Like, he was talking about editing them and refining the prose and really engaging with the text. That piece is missing in the show for me. He doesn't seem to really give a damn about the writing unless the plot needs him to in a given moment.

We got two full seasons of Penelope building her private life around Whistledown and finding time to write and struggling with writing and working out the logistics of getting published and protecting her identity. Even without the time jump in the book that gives her extra experience as a runaway successful gossip columnist, I believe that writing is important to Penelope in the show.

Colin spent season 1 being a naive white knight, without so much as a hint that our boy is a writer. But maybe he discovered writing on his travels. Ok, fair enough, but then why didn't they have him working on writing in season 2 when he was feeling directionless and purposeless? Would that not have been a direction and a purpose? He just...kinda shows back up in season 3 and there's a journal for one scene and we're expected to believe that he is suddenly as avid a writer as Lady Whistledown? Sorry, no, I'm not sold. We don't even get what might have been an interesting internal conflict where his fuckboying around the ton in a desperate attempt for validation is CONFLICTING with some kind of internal validation that writing brings him. Like...the foundation and the groundwork and the moments that Penelope gets to establish writing as something important to her just are not there for Colin.

I honestly think I'd have preferred them to drop writer Colin altogether (I'd have been disappointed as hell) rather than try to token in the writing with like...the letters and the singular journal scene. Writer relationships can get MESSY and DRAMATIC and...I would have loved that. But the show just hasn't spent enough time there for me. I'm still here for the Polin relationship, but I wish we'd gotten the love and care in setting up writer Colin (or even a fraction of it) that Penelope got.

[scarecrowandsunflower]

My Unexpected KakaHina Rant (And Why I'm Not Sorry)

I accidentally read someone's opinion on KakaHina as a pairing. I'm gonna write about it here because answering under their post will likely draw confrontation, and I have no intention of being in one, at least in the situation I am currently in. All these claims were made by one person. Anyway:

Claim 1: "This ship is very obviously only for the aesthetics, and I get it. They look pretty nice together."

As a shipper, this isn't why Kakashi and Hinata suit each other. But as a fan, I do think Kakashi and Hinata look good together. At least from this person's POV who doesn't like the pairing, they have matching aesthetics visually, So I'm not alone in thinking that. 

Claim 2: "(IMO they only really look good together in the blank period though. don't feel like their other designs mesh that well.)"

This seems like a projection though--the emphasis on superficial aesthetics. A strong relationship, however, is based on the core characters of the individuals, not simply their outward appearance at any one particular moment. The commenter's focus is on the specific designs instead of the underlying elements of the characters, thereby reinforcing the shallow argument.

Claim 3: "They don't normally interact in the manga, so it's definitely a crack ship, but unlike some other crack ships, the shippers don't even pretend it makes sense. That makes me respect them a lot."

The lack of formal interaction in the canon doesn't preclude the potential for a compelling story. The absence of a direct relationship creates a blank slate for creative exploration. The most thoughtful fanfictions don't just "pretend" the pairing makes sense, but they combine the established source material with their creativity to create a compelling relationship. 

Kakashi and Hinata interacted in the 8-Man Arc. Kakashi had extensive knowledge of Jyuken and was the one who explained it in the manga. Kakashi witnessed the exchange between Hinata and Neji in the Chuunin Exam, and he blocked Neji's hand from killing Hinata even though he wasn't her Sensei and he didn't have to. It's not a no-interaction in canon like SasuHina, for example. 

By praising those who "don't even pretend it makes sense," the commenter sets the terms of engagement. They suggest that any attempt to justify the pairing with logic or evidence is inherently foolish. By praising others for not trying to do so, the commenter preemptively dismisses any argument that might be made in favor of the pairing. Their praise also suggests a desire to end the discussion, as their opinion is clearly superior.

It reinforces their existing bias against the pairing, creating a closed loop of thought where any evidence that challenges their preconceptions is immediately disregarded. This prevents any meaningful discussion of the ship from occurring.

Claim 4: "Uhhh. Aesthetically (in the blank period.) they look nice. so I'll give them points for their designs complimenting each other and being pleasing to the eyes, but idk. just not feeling it. can't imagine their personalities complimenting each other in a relationship. both are quite docile in a domestic environment."

"Docile" is an unfair and limiting description. Hinata's gentleness can be a source of strength and comfort for Kakashi, while her compassion provides him emotional support. His reserved nature can also be a source of stability and strength for her. The commenter has failed to appreciate how their seemingly disparate traits can be complementary. They emphasize the need for a "strong personality," but that doesn't always equate to being loud and aggressive. It often involves a deep sense of inner strength and a strong moral code.

Claim 5: "I think they both need someone with a strong personality. watched the anime only scenes of them interacting and found it boring. this ship is all looks with none of the substance for lack of a better wording."

This statement again relies on superficiality. The "anime only scenes" are not a reliable foundation upon which to base this type of judgement. The commenter's reliance on "anime-only interactions" as a basis for their judgment is fundamentally flawed, as these scenes are specifically designed to portray a formal, professional, and often limited dynamic. Expecting these interactions to be exciting or indicative of romantic potential is inherently misguided.

Anime-only scenes are not part of the original manga storyline and are therefore not considered canon. They are often created to fill time, to add fan service, or to develop specific plot points.

The anime is often limited by needing to adhere to the established boundaries of the canon story, and are not always free to explore new or complex character dynamics.

The anime is often created with commercial considerations in mind, and thus may prioritize fan service, or may choose to ignore more complex or subtle themes, that may be more difficult to portray to a broader audience.

 Anime-only content can often lead to deviations in character portrayals that are not always consistent with the original manga.

The quality of anime-only content is often inconsistent, ranging from well-written and insightful moments to filler content that lacks substance.

 A few select scenes do not make the most compelling case for a relationship, as they do not account for the development of a realistic pairing.

The fact that the commenter is relying on anime-only interactions, which are limited in their scope and do not add any depth to their characters, is a telling aspect of the flaws in their argument:

They already have a bias:

 Their preconceived notions and biases towards the pairing, as indicated by the term "crack ship," likely colored their interpretation of these scenes, predisposing them to find them boring or unconvincing. Their bias likely had an enormous impact on their conclusions.

Their reliance on biased opinions does not account for the subtle nuances that can be found in a well-executed fanfic that takes the time to expand and extrapolate on those characters. Their viewpoint makes it impossible to be objective.

They are only focusing on one very narrow set of moments, rather than a comprehensive analysis of the relationship or the characters involved. They are not giving the pairing the credit that it deserves.

In short, attempting to understand the potential for a relationship based on the limited viewpoint of a prejudiced outside observer is futile, as their judgment is already clouded by their biases.

By acknowledging the limitations of that perspective, the author can then create a story that rises above it.

Anyway, their comment is on Wattpad. I don't usually go there because I feel that the platform caters to kids, but the writer said they were too old to be on Wattpad anyway, so here are my grownup counterarguments for them. 

TLDR: They are wrong.

[tsims]

RPG GAMES RANKED

Since Baldur's gate 3 I've played 3 more RPGs, and here's my ranking:

(1)The Mass Effect Series. I'm deeply attached to this game, the romance of the character's I choose to pursue were very well done. I actually love the combat in this! I think it's because it's ranged (guns), and you can make quick set up decisions (using droids, elevation etc.)

(2) Baldur's gate 3: I really liked this! It's only lower than mass effect because I prefer mass effect's combat system, and even though Baldur's gate has more romance scenes, I feel like mass effect has more believable romance progression and it makes you buy into the fact that you're truly in love. Also I cannot emphasis how a voiced playable character highly improved my attachment to my Mass Effect playthrough. BG3 sometimes feels like you're being talked at lol.

(3) Greedfall (I'm still playing this 20 hours in): I'm so shocked no one seems to know this??? I only found out about this while specifically looking for RPGs with romance. The plot is VERY GOOD, and the side quests are intertwined and are not fetch quest filler. It in my opinion has a better story than both mass effect and baldur's gate, and only ranks below both of them because the combat is 'mid' (gets very easy after you skill specialize! I had to up my difficulty because combats were starting to end in seconds after they were initiated) and the romance is barely there. Story wise though in my opinion it BLOWS all the games in this list out of the water story wise, and has more variable paths towards the ending. To emphasis how okay I am with the plot and character build --- this is the only game on the list I play with no mods. I am okay with all possible outcomes and their combinations. In contrast I modded Mass effect's ending, Baldur's gate charisma checks (absolutely BRUTAL if you're not a charisma class), and dragon age's romance (sorry, I am a woman who would like to kiss Cassandra. 💀)

(4) Dragon age inquisition: has a better romance than Greedfall, and a better story than Baldur's gate. It's ranked dead last because while good it doesn't blow my mind, also the side quests have me feeling like a hunter gather lmao. It gets very tedious towards the end. The combat isn't hard, and I enjoyed being an archer tbh, but the "find this and that timed quests" (ball quest I'm looking at you) are such a DRAG. This is not something you can crank out a few quests before work. This is something you'll spend hours on youtube looking at guides if you don't want to fail a quest. A lot of places are also level gated without telling you they're level gated. Walking into certain locations while under leveled will have you DEMOLISHED.

-----

I'm going to get dragon's dogma 2 when it comes out, so we'll see if I like that!