#some of it is because they think I’m arrogant which….. is kind of true but not the reason I’m not talking to them | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bethanydelleman · 27 days

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So I asked a while ago about which of our main men would change the most/least of their novels if they went back to the start (and I really loved the answers)…

But how do you think it would work vice versa? If our leading ladies went back to the start who do you think would change the most of their respective novels?

I feel like Marianne and Emma would probably change the most… but most of them would change things quite a bit I think.

Except maybe Fanny not out of lack of want to change things but because she has so much difficulty speaking up. I’ve got to admit I’m swaying back and forth on Lady Susan and Anne though. Bc Lady Susan is just arrogant enough to think that if she knows when/how things are going to go wrong then she can prevent them even when it’s something out of her control or that she doesn’t know the actual cause of. And Anne is quite a lot like Fanny in that she has trouble speaking up and also bc up until Lyme Wentworth is still very angry with her and I’m not sure there’s anything that she could do to mitigate that before then…

Thoughts? 💜

This question is in reference to this question.

I think the person who would change the most is Elizabeth Bennet, she's the only one who has someone she absolutely needs to save. (And Jane Bennet if we are counting her as a heroine.) Fortunately, I think rescuing Lydia would be in their power. Elizabeth would actually flirt with Darcy and she could drop hints about Jane loving Bingley. I think they could prevent Bingley from leaving and through that, prevent Lydia's trip to Brighton (ie take her somewhere else exciting with their wealth, as they take over the care of Kitty in canon). Also, knowing his true nature, they'd likely start some sort of whisper campaign against Wickham.

If only Elinor time travels, she would hopefully be able to inform Colonel Brandon about Willoughby earlier and stop W's romance with Marianne, but I don't think she could stop W&M on her own because she doesn't have any evidence of Willoughby's wrongdoing. She'd at least be prepared for the Lucy reveal and she knows it will turn out okay. I think she'd be intelligent enough to just not touch that and let nature take it's course.

Marianne would go for Colonel Brandon and snub Willoughby, it'd be delightful!. Poor Willoughby would have an ego crisis losing to an "old" man.

Anne Elliot doesn't have trouble speaking up, in my opinion, she just knows it's useless. She's been living with her father and Elizabeth for long enough to know that they won't listen to her. However, she would know the future which would be comforting at least and maybe she could prevent the Lyme fall. I think Wentworth would still wake up to his true feelings even without the fall and Anne is selfless enough to risk it.

Catherine Morland would likely avoid Isabella and her best to keep James from entering into his engagement. She would eagerly look forward to each time she knows that Henry Tilney is coming and would not even accuse General Tilney of being a murderer, not even once!

Fanny Price is actually kind of cruel, because the future would horrify her but I don't think she could do anything to prevent it. Edmund is ineffective, Maria wouldn't listen, and I don't think Fanny would dare approach Sir Thomas. So she'd just be EVEN MORE of a Cassandra and in acute pain the whole time. The fact that she ends up with Edmund would only be a minor consolation, given her personality.

Lady Susan would try again with her better knowledge, she might even succeed 😬 the horror!

Lastly, Emma. She's a tricky one because I don't know what she would do. She knows Elton sucks, she knows Jane and Frank are engaged, she's ashamed of her behaviour... Does she encourage Harriet to accept the first proposal or do the same thing as last time so she can enjoy a year with a friend? I think she would refrain from encouraging Harriet about Elton, and therefore avoid that heartbreak. Could she wiggle out of Elton's proposal? I don't know. It's going to happen eventually. She may discover that without her flirting with Frank, Knightley doesn't discover his feelings, so she's got to stick as close as possible to her original actions to prevent disaster! However, she would avoid the Box Hill debacle and refrain from bringing up Mr. Dixon with Frank.

#question response #emma woodhouse #elizabeth bennet #jane bennet #jane austen #pride and prejudice #mansfield park #fanny price #sense and sensibility #northanger abbey #emma #persuasion #catherine morland #marianne dashwood #elinor dashwood

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shima-draws · 9 months

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One thing about Kieran I find interesting that I haven't seen talked about elsewhere is that his fixation on Ogerpon likely comes from his obsession with strength, not the other way around. Like as early as the first signboard he mentions that one of the reasons he thinks the ogre from the story is so cool is that it was strong enough to take on three other pokemon at the same time. But Ogerpon herself doesn't seem to value strength, she seems to value kindness, which is why I think she ultimately chooses the player- our acceptance of her is unconditional, and we don't have the same sort of expectation of strength from her that Kieran does. And Kieran fails to realize that, which he proves when he challenges us to a battle for Ogerpon- he still thinks that he can win her over by showing strength, when it was never something she herself cared about, and was something he projected onto her. In a way, Kieran's feelings towards Ogerpon mirror his feelings towards the player- he latches onto us because we're strong, grows possessive over us, then spirals when we "betray" the expectations that he imposed onto us, that were never based on our actual behaviour but his idealization, and he fails to learn his lesson, doubling down and growing even more obsessed with strength as a consequence. I'm so excited to see where Indigo Disk takes him, I have some Theories that involve the potential Momotaro pokemon that might appear there, but this ask is long enough already LOL

YES YES YES yes to all of this. I think another thing is that due to his fixation on strength Kieran probably believes that having Ogerpon will make him strong, strong enough to beat the player. Which is another reason why he latches on to her so much and refuses to just give her up to the player.

And as for Ogerpon, everything kind of flips when we get her backstory reveal. She didn’t fight off the Lousy Three because she was flexing her strength, she fought them because they were crooks who stole the last precious things tying her to her human friend. But Kieran grew up believing that she liked to fight and show off her power, so there’s the wrong point of obsession for him.

I’ve also seen theories floating around that Kieran might be the Champion of Blueberry Academy, or that he becomes the Champion. And if that’s true his whole thing about getting stronger suddenly makes SO much more sense. Carmine even compliments him and says he’s a pretty strong Trainer, which like. Coming from her that’s a pretty big deal lol. I don’t think Kieran tries to challenge and beat you out of arrogance or ego tho,, it most likely ties into the possible inferiority complex he has. Maybe even tho he’s considered the “strongest” he still feels like it’s not enough, and when faced with an unbeatable trainer like the player, that makes him feel even MORE inferior and further fuels his desire to get stronger :’)

Idk I’m spitballing at this point. Again I’m obsessed with his character arc and am in a deep dive with analysis. I love hearing you guys’ takes on him too, so don’t apologize for the long ask!! This is feeding me good I’m enjoying every second of this discussion lol

#‘Ogerpon values kindness over strength’ Yeah…yeah 🥺💖 SO true #Pokemon #Kieran #Pokemon Kieran #Ogerpon #Shima answers questions #The Teal Mask #Pokemon SV

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lorilujan · 2 months

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HAMILTON but replace the words "sir" and "son" with "bitch"

“Aaron Burr, Sir Bitch” Alexander Hamilton: Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, bitch? Burr: That depends, who’s asking? Hamilton: Oh, well, sure, bitch. I’m Alexander Hamilton, I’m at your service, bitch. I have been… looking for you. Burr: I’m getting nervous. Hamilton: Bitch, I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out-of-sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It’s a blur, bitch. He handles the financials? Burr: You punched the bursar? Hamilton: …Yes! :D --- Hercules Mulligan: Lock up your daughters and horses, of course it’s hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets. Marquis de Lafayette: Wow! John Laurens: No more sex, pour me another brew, bitch! Let’s raise a couple more… Trio: TO THE REVOLUUUUTION!

“Right Hand Man” Burr: Your excellency, bitch! George Washington: Who are you? Burr: Aaron Burr, bitch? Permission to state my case? Washington: As you were. Burr: Bitch, I was a captain under General Montgomery until he caught a bullet in the neck in Quebec, and well, in summary, I think that I could be of some assistance. I admire how you keep firing on the British from a distance. Washington: Huh. Burr: I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west. Washington: Yes? Burr: Well- Hamilton: Your excellency, you wanted to see me? Washington: Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr? Hamilton: Yes, bitch. Hamilton and Burr: We keep meeting. Burr: As I was saying, bitch, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out. Washington: Burr? Burr: Bitch? Washington: Close the door on your way out. Hamilton: Have I done something wrong, bitch? Washington: On the contrary. I called you here because our odds are beyond scary. Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh. Hamilton: Bitch? Washington: Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff? Hamilton: Bitch! --- Washington: Bitch, we are outgunned, outmanned! Hamilton: You need all the help you can get. I have some friends. Laurens, Mulligan, Marquis de Lafayette, okay, what else? Washington: Outnumbered, outplanned! Hamilton: We’ll need some spies on the inside, some King’s men who might let some things slide. I’ll write to Congress and tell ‘em we need supplies, you rally the guys, master the element of surprise. I’ll rise above my station, organize your information ‘til we rise to the occasion of our new nation. Bitch!

“A Winter’s Ball” Burr: How does a bastard, orphan, bitch of a whore go on and on, grow into more of a phenomenon? Watch this obnoxious, arrogant, loudmouth bother be seated at the right hand of the father. Washington hires Hamilton right on sight, but Hamilton still wants to fight, not write. Now, Hamilton’s skill with a quill is undeniable, but what do we have in common? We’re reliable with the… LADIEEEEEEEEEEEES! Burr: There are so many to deflower! LADIEEEEEEEEEEEES! Burr: Looks! Proximity to power! LADIEEEEEEEEEEEES! Burr: They delighted and distracted him. Martha Washington named her feral tomcat after him! Hamilton: That’s true! Burr: 1780, a winter’s ball, and the Schuyler sisters are the envy of all. Yo, if you could marry a sister, you’re rich, bitch. Hamilton: Is it a question of if, Burr, or which one?

“Satisfied” Angelica Schuyler: I’m a girl in a world in which my only job is to marry rich. My father has no bitches, so I’m the one who has to social climb, for one.

“The Story of Tonight (Reprise)” Hamilton: Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr! Burr: Bitch! --- Hamilton: It’s all right, Burr. I wish you’d bought this girl with you tonight, Burr. Burr: You’re very kind, but I’m afraid it’s unlawful, bitch. Hamilton: What do you mean? Burr: She’s married. Hamilton: I see. Burr: She’s married to a British officer. Hamilton: Oh, shit.

“Stay Alive” Washington: The cavalry's not coming. Hamilton: But, bitch! Washington: Alex, listen. There’s only one way for us to win this. Provoke outrage, outright. --- Hamilton: We cut supply lines, we steal contraband. We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand. And ev’ry day, “Bitch, entrust me with a command.” And ev’ry day… Washington: No. Hamilton: He dismisses me out of hand. --- Washington: Ev’ryone attack! Charles Lee: Retreat! Washington: Attack! Lee: Retreat! Washington: What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet! Lee: But there’s so many of them! Washington: I’m sorry, is this not your speed?! Hamilton! Hamilton: Ready, bitch! Washington: Have Lafayette take the lead! Hamilton: Yes, bitch! --- Washington: Don’t do a thing. History will prove him wrong. Hamilton: But, bitch! Washington: We have a war to fight, let’s move along.

“The Ten Duel Commandments” Burr: Alexander. Hamilton: Aaron Burr, bitch. Burr: Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature? Hamilton: Sure, but your man has to answer for his words, Burr. Burr: With his life? We both know that’s absurd, bitch.

“Meet Me Inside” Washington: What is the meaning of this? Mr. Burr, get a medic for the General. Burr: Yes, bitch. --- Washington: Hamilton! Hamilton: Bitch! Washington: Meet me inside… Bitch. Hamilton: Don’t call me bitch. Washington: This war is hard enough without infighting- Hamilton: Lee called you out. We called his bluff. Washington: You solve nothing, you aggravate our allies to the south. Hamilton: You’re absolutely right. John should’ve shot him in the mouth, that would’ve shut him up. Washington: Bitch- Hamilton: I’m not your bitch. Washington: Watch your tone, I am not a maiden in need of defending, I am grown. Hamilton: Charles Lee, Thomas Conway, these men take your name and they rake it in the mud. Washington: My name’s been through a lot, I can take it. Hamilton: Well, I don’t have your name, I don’t have your titles, I don’t have your land. But, if you- Washington: No. Hamilton: If you gave me command of a battalion, a group of men to lead, I could fly above my station after the war. Washington: Or you could die, and we need you alive. Hamilton: I am more than willing to die- Washington: Your wife needs you alive, bitch, I need you alive- Hamilton: CALL ME BITCH ONE MORE TIME!!! Washington: Go home, Alexander. That’s an order from your commander. Hamilton: Bitch- Washington: Go home.

“That Would Be Enough” Eliza Schuyler-Hamilton: I knew you’d fight until the war was one, but you deserve a chance to meet your bitch. Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now.

“Guns and Ships” Washington: Hamilton! Lafayette: Bitch, he knows what to do in a trench. Ingenuitive and fluent in French, I mean- Washington: Hamilton! Lafayette: Bitch, you’re gonna have to use him eventually. What’s he gonna do on the bench? I mean-

“Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)” Hamilton: If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me, a weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me. Then I remember my Eliza’s expecting me… Not only that, my Eliza’s expecting. We gotta go, gotta get the job done. Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my bitch! --- Mulligan: A tailor spying on the British government! I take their measurements, information, and I smuggle it to my brother’s revolutionary covenant. I’m running with the Bitches of Liberty and I am loving it! See, that’s what happens when you're up against the ruffians, we’re in the shit now, somebody’s gotta shovel it! Hercules Mulligan, I need no introduction, when you knock me down, I get the fuck back up again! --- Hamilton: Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my bitch.

“Dear Theodosia” Hamilton: Oh, Philip, when you smile, I am undone, my bitch. Look at my bitch! Pride is not the word I’m looking for. There is so much more inside me now. Oh, Philip, you outshine the morning sun. My bitch.

“Non-Stop” Burr: Alexander? Hamilton: Aaron Burr, bitch. Burr: It’s the middle of the night. Hamilton: Can we confer, bitch? --- Hamilton: Bitch, do you want me to run the Treasury or State department? Washington: …Treasury. Hamilton: Lesgo. :)

“What’d I Miss?” Mr. Jefferson, welcome home, bitch, you’ve been off in Paris for so long!

“Cabinet Battle #1” Washington: Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, bitch. --- Hamilton: Madison, you’re mad as a hatter, bitch, take your medicine. Damn, you’re in worse shape than the national debt is in. Sitting there useless as two shits. Hey, turn around, bend over, I’ll show you where my shoe fits. --- Washington: Hamilton! Hamilton: Bitch! Washington: A word. --- Hamilton: Bitch- Washington: Figure it out, Alexander. That’s an order from your commander.

“Take a Break” Eliza: Alexander- Hamilton: Okay, okay. Eliza: Your bitch is nine years old today. He has something he’d like to say. He’s been practicing all day. Philip, take it away.

“Say No to This” Hamilton: So I offered her a loan, I offered to walk her home, she said: Maria Reynolds: You’re too kind, bitch. Hamilton: I gave her thirty bucks that I had socked away, she lived a block away, she said: Maria: This one’s mine, bitch. --- James Reynolds: Dear bitch, I hope this letter finds you in good health, and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets of people like me: Down on their luck. You see, that was my wife who you decided to- Hamilton: Fuuuuuuuu- --- Hamilton: I hid the letter and I raced to her place, screamed “How could you?!” in her face, she said: Maria: No, bitch! Hamilton: Half dressed, apologetic. A mess, she looked pathetic, she cried: Maria: Please don’t go, bitch!

“The Room Where It Happens” Burr: Ahh, Mister Secretary. Hamilton: Mr. Burr, bitch.

“Cabinet Battle #2” Washington: Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, bitch. --- Washington: Hamilton is right. Thomas Jefferson: Mr. President-! Washington: We’re too fragile to start another fight. Jefferson: But, bitch, do we not fight for freedom? Washington: Sure, when the French figure out who’s gonna lead ‘em. Jefferson: The people are leading-! Washington: The people are rioting. There’s a difference. Frankly, it’s a little disquieting that you would let your ideals blind you to reality. Hamilton. Hamilton: Bitch? Washington: Draft a statement of neutrality.

“One Last Time” Hamilton: What do you need, bitch? ...Bitch? Washington: I wanna give you a word of warning. Hamilton: Bitch, I don’t know what you heard, but whatever it is, Jefferson started it. Washington: Thomas Jefferson resigned this morning. Hamilton: You’re kidding. Washington: I need a favor. Hamilton: Whatever you say, bitch, Jefferson will pay for his behavior. --- Washington: He’s stepping down so he can run for president. Hamilton: Ha! Good luck defeating you, bitch. --- Washington: And then we’ll teach them how to say goodbye + (1x cus I'm a sloth), you and I. Hamilton: No, bitch, why? Washington: I want to talk about neutrality. Hamilton: Bitch, with Britain and France on the verge of war, is this the best time-

“We Know” Burr: “Dear bitch, I hope this letter finds you in good health, and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets of people like me: Down on their luck. You see, that was my wife who you decided to-” Jefferson: Whaaaaaaat?

“Blow Us All Away” Hamilton: Come back home when you’re done. Take my guns, be smart, make me proud, bitch.

*I cannot with Philip's death, forgive me.*

“The Election of 1800” Hamilton: Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr, bitch! Burr: Alexander! Hamilton: You’ve created quite a stir, bitch! Burr: I’m going door to door! Hamilton: You’re openly campaigning? Burr: Sure! Hamilton: That’s new. Burr: Honestly, it’s kind of draining. Hamilton: Burr- Burr: Bitch!

“Your Obedient Servant” Burr: How does Hamilton, an arrogant immigrant, orphan bastard, whore bitch somehow endorse Thomas Jefferson, his enemy, a man he’s despised since the beginning just to keep me from winning?

*Just the light-hearted and choleric ones, please. Plus one of my personal favorites:*

"The World Was Wide Enough" Hamilton: Eyes up. I catch a glimpse of the other side. Laurens leads a soldiers' chorus on the other side, my bitch is on the other side, he's with my mother on the other side, Washington is watching from the other side.

*I'm done. I apologize for this monster of a shitpost.*

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tamelee · 7 months

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As a beginner artist im only happy when people reupload and share my art. I don’t want to be arragont enough to think im like samdoesart or something and you’re not really on that level either no offense though your art is inspiring me a lot

Okay, I'll address this then... (Art-rant for anyone who cares;)

... no offense taken. I'm very aware of my (skill)’level' in art and definitely feel a certain type of way about it ;-; .... but that aside, what is your argument here?

Is anyone who doesn't want their art reposted or uploaded on other accounts considered arrogant? Is there some kind of popularity threshold you need to cross before you can request something as simple as this? And if so, what's that threshold to you? I'm genuinely curious.

When does someone become "good" enough to have the right to say that their art is theirs and protect it from being stolen or decide where it gets shared? Who has any say in it, other than the artist or creator themselves? Isn't that extremely subjective to base it solely on that?

Hm. If you're a beginner artist, I'd like to offer some advice....

It's entirely up to you whether you read it, give it any thought, or find it valuable in any way. I'm no Sam, after all. But there are plenty of ways for others to support your art, engage with it, or share it even in their own accounts without taking anything away from the original creator, whether it's art/writing or any other type of creation. However, it's also perfectly fine if you personally don't care about it or if someone allows it only with proper credit because that's your decision as.. you know- the original creator.

You mentioned that you're happy when your art gets reuploaded as a form of "sharing." But do you know what makes me the happiest as an artist Nonee?

Do you know what really brightens my day? 🥹

...It's knowing what people are saying about my work because I can read it on my own posts that are on my own accounts. When I can respond and take it in fully. When I see people using tags that make me snort my drink or when I have to stifle a laugh to the point I’m choking because it's just SO funny! (I genuinely need to make a compilation!!) Sometimes, I get comments that are cursing me out in a playful manner, and it's often followed by an incoherent keyboard-smash. I end up making embarrassing alien-like noises because of it that makes me more grateful than ever to live alone. Other times, I bawl my eyes out because someone left a comment or tagged it with something that just hits differently. A while ago, I got an ask that said I should stop saying 'thank you' on everything because it got repetitive/annoying(?), but I genuinely feel so grateful for all of it 😭!!

I get new ideas because someone suggested something different. I see friends having entire conversations under a drawing that I'm not even a part of because apparently, what I drew resonated with them personally, or it made them feel a certain way, which is oddly fulfilling with art ;-; Just so you know, I read everything... and all this feedback (because it's all feedback in a way) can be very inspiring, don't you think?

Honestly, when it comes to activities like drawing, it's true that it is better to never do it solely for the sake of engagement. Drawing, or more specifically, living as an (aspiring) artist is incredibly lonely.

So, so lonely...

Relying on engagement alone to keep you creating for hours, days, years, or maybe even decades is just not sustainable. It takes an enormous amount of time and dedication to practice, come up with new ideas, and endure the inevitable frustrations that come with it. With anything, keeping yourself inspired at times takes effort also because it requires for you to be in a state of mind that allows new idea’s in the first place which in itself takes practice because you won’t always feel like drawing. You might even encounter nasty comments or discover that something you poured your heart into gets criticized, YOU as a person may even be criticized because what you drew with your current skills (and such a journey is never-ending) in a single moment could get paired with your entire personality or even your humanly morals (ffs) to judge. Which can be more hurtful than you'd expect... especially in the beginning.

Although it may sound silly, the saying "the fun is in the journey” is very real and likely the most important thing to keep you going as an artist. No matter what, you gotta have fun or find a way to have fun.

Yet, even so, now more than ever, the process of creating is very underappreciated as many are looking for “content” that's quickly generated for entertainment. Tsk, some even call art “content” which, IT IS NOT. It's a proven fact that we, as humans, currently have become dopamine junkies with short attention spans. (I totally understand this – I was diagnosed with ADD, hence my extreme hyper-fixations also 😆 it's both a blessing and a curse, tbh.) So, right now, the very thing that can support artists (which means you as a beginner also!) on their creative journey is letting them know you appreciate their art in any way or just let them know your thoughts maybe even by specifying what it was you liked about it so they can carry that into their next drawing.. which is only truly possible through your own accounts y’know? :’) I'm being sincere when I say this really can help.

I get that many people believe that creating should be satisfying in itself, and everyone may expect you to think that way because, after all, you want people to see what you've made and a reposter ‘helps’ you with that, so, it should be enough and you should be happy and grateful actually. Anything beyond that might be considered "arrogant."

And... based on your ask, it seems like you might view having your art reuploaded as a form of 'help,' and if that's the case, it's totally fine. But I want to share a rather harsh reality, because even if those who repost your art provide credit...

They don’t do it for you and it’s not necessarily because they love your art so much 👀 rarely anyone cares to go through a description full with useless trend-based tags or promotive texts they always use only to put in the effort to find your name and most likely, if they follow such accounts there is zero connection with the original artist/creator which means it is WAY more likely in this case that the art you worked on for idk how long ends up becoming a forgettable blur as it is scrolled past 🤷🏻‍♀️

And even if the reposter likes your art personally, that's probably not their primary motivation to share it (except for a very few who are in it for a fandom, sns has a few also). Art that gets ‘selected’ for reposting is typically selected with a specific, often trend-oriented, goal that has little to do with the artist. It's frequently shared with the mindset of a rather poorly-driven marketer. Especially on platforms like IG- many of these accounts exist to benefit the account owner only by making high(er)-follower accounts that later get a different purpose. Many of these accounts will discard all art once it has reached an engagement goal to then move onto something new that's more financially profitable to the account owner, which original art by others is not. And yeah, a lot of these accounts are sold after. There are especially many now due to the IG affiliate program, and recently tiktok also. The same is quickly happening on X with its monetization... and guess what :’)!!! Although original art is hard to monetize, Ai is completely approved.... 🤨🙄 But I won't bore you with all the specifics any longer.

Me not wanting my art on other platforms/accounts, has little to do with credit nor do I think in the very least that I have some sort of control over it by making that decision... but still. I refuse to willingly take part in anything that currently takes ‘art’ (any creative form) and makes a mockery of it, using it for mere "content" or treats it as this ‘thing’ that appeared out of nowhere to then just use any way people like and participate in the narrative that gives the impression that investing time in creating something isn't valuable or a cherished part of human expression that brings and promotes joy.

Because rarely do people take the damn time anymore.

I want all artists/writers/creators/etc- to be acknowledged for their work in general, or, even in the least, acknowledge the work that isn't seen that goes into the final result for others to enjoy. I don't want to continually see art stolen and exploited so rapidly. This phenomenon enables tech bros who don’t have a single ounce of argumentative skill or self-proclaimed "entrepreneurs" to generate their little stolen jpg’s for their absurd 3 a.m. morning-routine videos and use them as banners on their get-rich-quick schemes, scamming the unsuspecting and spamming the internet with this bs, largely thanks to AI making this partly possible... for example. There's not a single platform left that supports artists or helps them fight for security and protection for their work. I know and I'm aware. At the very least, we can say 'no' to reposting because giving up completely makes no room for possible solutions... and then we can work from where we are at all times to find ways to protect a right (because it is) that some might perceive as trivial.

Nevertheless, it is a right, and it definitely isn't an issue of arrogance or skill.

#asktamelee #art talk #anti ai #personal #art theft

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mephinomaly · 7 months

Text

[TL] BIOHAZARD/Chapter 1

[ This post uses Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Time: Flashback. Middle of February, the first year of ES’s establishment

Location: RhythmLink Office

Rei: This is a grave set of circumstances.

Recently, there has been a considerable loss of UNDEAD fans.

Though we have been on the decline for some time, now the numbers are showing that too. In the number of people attending our lives, CD sales, merch items, and many more.

Kaoru: Eh, really?

That’s surprising~... From my personal experience, I feel like since Yumenosaki fans still get all excited at fan sign events and stuff.

I don’t think we’re losing customers per say, more that our clientele is changing, right? Now in ES, we take part in a lot of variety shows that even kids can enjoy.

Kids have to make do with allowance their parents give them, they can’t exactly fork out a bunch to buy live tickets and CDs—

So if you look at the overall, it just looks like sales are going down, right?

Koga: Eeh, even though you’re stupid rich, you still get how the average person lives.

Kaoru: Hey, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. My parents are pretty strict, you know.

Adonis: Fufu. The reality is, we’ve been in the business so long we’ve become numb to it.

If you are a child, the price for live tickets is most likely far too expensive for them.

If you pester your parents over it, they’ll just become more and more firm in their decision.

Kaoru: Yupyup. They’ll be like “I’m not buying you silly things like that, just google a picture of them!”

Adonis: Is that what your parents said to you?

Kaoru: Not those words exactly, but pretty much, yeah. When I told them I wanted to go to an idol training school, they gave me a lot of flak for it.

Rei: We’ve strayed a little off topic but- whilst what Kaoru-kun said is true, we cannot ignore that sales are floundering.

To put it bluntly, the current UNDEAD is on the wane.

Koga: That’s exactly why I was against it! Goin’ on those lively variety shows don’t suit our personas at all!

Wish we’d just stuck to making cool music ‘cos maybe then—

Adonis: But if that was the case, UNDEAD would have been overthrown at an earlier point for being idols that aren’t current nor can read the room.

No, it’s more than that, it’s because our senpais purposefully signed up for a variety show that would make Oogami seem like an idiot.

Rei: It is more that we simply wanted to do that work, that’s all. As Koga quite rightly said, we are responsible for the situation we are in.

Koga: D-damn. It’s pretty weird for you to be so upfront ‘bout your faults.

Rei: Well, there’s no use being obtuse about it. No matter what shameful behaviour I get up to nowadays, no-one will grow to hate me…♪

Kaoru: Ahaha. I normally hate that kind of arrogance~, but since it’s true it pisses me off even more ♪

There’s been times in the past where you’ve immediately gone “that’s my responsibility”. If there’s a problem with UNDEAD, it’s a problem for all of us. Don’t try to deal with it all on your own, ‘kay?

Adonis: I agree. There are times where Sakuma-senpai acts like that. But we are not children who cannot undertake responsibility.

Koga: Yeah yeah, whenever you pull shit like that it makes me seriously pissed~♪

Rei:Oh? So what I'm hearing is that you all hate me more than I thought you did...?

Kaoru: We’re lecturing you because we like you. If we hated you, we’d just ignore you.

Rei: Hm… Anyhow, to return to what we were talking about, the cause of this whole thing is because we were not clear in our attitude.

UNDEAD was originally a unit that sang exclusively about immoral and radical themes via rock ‘n roll.

However as of late, we have been taking part in variety programs that emphasise friendliness which goes in opposition to our true nature.

We’ve created an environment where people say “Oh? UNDEAD looks scary to approach but they're actually surprisingly easy to talk to?”

But because of that sort of work we’ve been able to expand our clientele…

Those who have loved UNDEAD since the beginning are probably feeling disillusioned.

Koga: Ain’t we got our priorities twisted? We shoulda payed more attention to the so-called hardcore fans.

-And not the new “oooh so cute” new fans who think they know us just from watchin’ those variety shows.

Rei: Well, both are just as important as the other.

Of course we must treasure those fans who have been with us since the beginning, however if we do not gain new fans, their interest will fizzle out like sparklers.

That is how it goes in the idol industry, nay, in all of the entertainment industry.

It’s not as simple as, if you work as hard as you can, you’ll succeed and everyone will love you for eternity.

[ ☆ ]

Prologue

Chapter 2

#enstars #ensemble stars #translation #rei sakuma #koga oogami #kaoru hakaze #adonis otogari #biohazard

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janeicethesiren · 6 months

Text

Sebastian Michaelis Headcanons

Hello! Long time no see! Sleep isn’t speaking to me right now so I thought I’d do some headcanons for our favorite demon; Sebastian!

Disclaimer: These headcanons are based on my interpretation of Sebastian’s character from the manga (what I’ve read so far), and just some miscellaneous things I think about sometimes. This isn’t meant to be a serious character analysis, I’m just having fun!

Warnings! ⚠️‼️⛔️ Mentions of R/pe and SA; Sexism and Racism, it’s near the end don’t worry.

——————————————————————————

“Sebastian” The Demon Headcanons

Ok, so it seems like Sebastian the demon is a very different person from Sebastian the butler. And there are some things about him that I don’t quite understand yet, so these are my headcanons based on what I’ve seen.

He has said that his true form is ugly and grotesque, and I don’t disbelieve him. However, if I’m not mistaken, before meeting with o!ciel, he seemed to have already taken on a somewhat human like appearance that’s not very different from the beautiful man we see today. I can believe that he automatically took on a human form to ease o!ciel’s mind; it’d make sense. But I still believe personally that:

The beautiful man we see is just as much a part of his “true form” as the mass of goo he’s shown as at the beginning.

I believe he can shapeshift into any form he wants, based on his quote, “I am no one, yet I can be anyone.” But I also believe he has a “default human form” in the same way he has a “default bird form” and possibly a default form in the demon realm, too. I just think it’s weird that whenever he changes his human form before the contract, he never changes his face, height, skin, or even his gender, which is interesting. Just his clothes. Why?

Secondly, I think “Sebastian” the demon does have a gender. Let me clarify, it’s not so much that he’s like a human where he was born a certain gender, but it’s more like, he has a sort of preference for how he shows up? If that makes sense? For example, demons in the kuro world could be inherently genderless, however; it could be possible that some demons could have preferences or even biases based on lived experiences in the human world. To elaborate, Sebastian has seen first hand how most humans are typically more trusting and differential towards men. Particularly tall, handsome, white men. So therefore, he typically prefers to show up in that form for most contracts as this allows him the most freedom, and lowers most people’s guard, generally speaking.

Some stereotypes, good or bad, could be highly advantageous for certain demons depending on the way they like to handle their contracts.

Sebastian’s True Personality Headcanons

We all know what Sebastian is really like at his core. He’s narcissistic, sadistic, arrogant, selfish, and heartless. But I have a few headcanons to add to that wonderful personality of his.

I feel like, outside of his butler persona, or in his thoughts, Sebastian can actually be quite childish and whiny at times. I think this is kind of funny because he criticizes his master for this all the time but I don’t think he’s much different. Sebastian has no qualms about working hard, for sure, and while he likes battling with his master, he also doesn’t like to be undermined or looked down upon. He gets very miffed when people don’t like him, and he’ll whine when he’s not given enough attention. Of course this is much more subtle within his butler persona, but it’s still there. I feel we see this most blatantly when interacting with characters like Nina Hopkins.

He can be quite the brat himself too, which is also funny. It’s rare, but those moments when he’ll complain, or mock his master in his head for his orders, or his extremely passive aggressive, pedantic behavior, particularly at the beginning of the contract. And his whole thing about everything needing to be perfect and beautiful all the time even outside of the contract, lol he’s just as much of a brat as his master! A match made in hell, truly. (Not in a ship way!!!)

I may do a separate headcanon list for this later but I feel like Sebastian would be the worst friend/partner ever. He’d be such a headache. Any friend or partner of his would have to: measure up to incredibly high standards at all times, would need to deal with his constant need to be the center of everything, would have to listen to him complain and possibly be subservient to him as he sees himself as a king (another headcanon based on the ice king short story). He’d be very controlling and wishy washy with affection (only wanting affection on HIS terms), probably would have no respect for any possible boundaries you may have, would subject you to constant psychology abuse, if you’re good at something he’ll try to upstage you as often as possible, won’t listen to a thing you say because he thinks he knows best (due to his arrogance), it’d SUCK! Very, very bad friend/partner material. :(

Sebastian Michaelis: Biases and Sexuality

I don’t think Sebastian would necessarily have biases in the sense of like: thinking men are better than women or white people are better than everyone else because why would he? He, himself, is a shapeshifter and a demon who sees all humans as grasshoppers. It’s like us discriminating against male ants and female ants, red ants or brown aunts. Why would we? They’re all aunts.

However, with that being said, he can still fall into the trappings of ignorance sometimes, subconsciously.

For example, at least in the beginning of the manga, when he needs to gather information from a woman, do you notice he tends to approach her in a more flirtatious/sensual manner? Even when he doesn’t have too? Beast is the most infamous example. Regardless of William’s presence, there really was no reason why he had to approach Beast that way, or even at all! Unless I missed something (which I very well could have), I don’t see a reason why he couldn’t approach someone like Dagger for information or even Doll, who was clearly just as emotionally vulnerable as Beast was.

I think Sebastian, subconsciously or otherwise, might have internalized some of the stupidity of the ideology around a “women’s place” in society during that time and, based on his good looks, believes that women are generally easy enough to get information from as long as he’s handsome and charismatic. Since he’s both of those things, all he has to do is wink and smile and it’s in the bag. Basically this is Sebastian. “Women respond best to sweet words and private attention, men respond best to ego stroking or violence.” Something like that. You get what I mean? I hope I’m making sense.

I also theorize that, while he wouldn’t necessarily see a black man as less than a white man, he wouldn’t be immune to believing in stereotypes about different groups of humans, especially if he hasn’t met one that’s challenged these stereotypes yet. For example, his knee jerk reaction to meeting a black person during his current time period, assuming he may not have ever met one, could default to, “Black = half evolved human, or “strong laborer humans” or “hypersexual/extra primitive human.” Simply because, those were the horrible stereotypes that persisted back then. But he wouldn’t act on his immediate thoughts unless given a reason too. He doesn’t treat Mey-rin, Lau, Soma, Agni, or any other ethnic character differently so it’s quite possible he doesn’t think anything at all.

To put it simply, it’d be like us seeing aunts and being like, “regular aunts are harmless, red aunts are dangerous and should be avoided.” But they’re still aunts and not worth thinking about more deeply than that (in some opinions!).

Onto sexuality, this one is particularly confusing to me because I see so much debate about this and truthfully I have no idea what to believe concerning canon. So I’m going purely on headcanon for this, and feel free to correct me if you have more information on this (assuming you’ve read this far).

So, I’m asexual or something like that (I’m figuring it out sis), and I’ve seen some people say that Sebastian is asexual because it seems like he doesn’t enjoy sex, and only sees it as a means to an end, which I do kind of agree. However, a few things confuse me.

As someone who doesn’t enjoy sex, I personally look for any excuse to not be bothered with it. Obviously, I’m not a demon, and I’m not Sebastian, but is there really no other way for him to gain information from women? Surely he could just use his words/mental manipulation tactics? There’s a thousand different ways to seduce a person or tear down someone’s guard without ever touching them. Surely, as a demon, he would know that, right? If so, then why isn’t this his default?

Personally, I think he does like sex but not for the reasons we think. I think he finds sex/sexuality with humans largely boring. He’s a demon after all. However, I do think he enjoys the potential pain he can inflict on others through sex. Sex is a very intimate thing that can alter your very soul, for better or for worse. I’d imagine giving yourself or being taken by a demon can do horrible things to a person’s psyche. Sebastian LOVES mind games. He may not care for the act, itself, but he’d love the torture and pain one can inflict through it. Se/ual a/use and r*** are one of the worst possible ways to hurt a person, beyond any type of physical torture. Hurting someone in the worst way possible by using something that’s supposed to give pleasure to humans? Sounds like a perfect torture method for our favorite beautiful monster.

Plus, sex isn't only used to express love and attraction. It has also historically been a way to assert dominance and control over people. It’s been used to strip people of their sense of self and all types of horrible evils of that nature. I don’t believe that to be out of character for Sebastian. Again, look at what he did to Beast.

So while I can see the argument for Sebastian being ace, I don’t think he dislikes sex at all. I think he does find a level of personal enjoyment from it, but not in the way we would think. Sick bastard.

The End.

Well, that’s it from me! What do y’all think? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have anything you wanna add? Please do share it with me! Just don’t be mean, please. 😭

Congratulations to those who made it to the end cause this thang long as hell. Let me know if you’re interested in more headcanons for Sebastian and other Kuro characters. I might do some for ya! Cheers!

JaneicetheSiren

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji manga #o!ciel #sebastian michaelis #character analysis #black butler headcanons #please don’t take this seriously #i’m just talking #theories

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lemonhemlock · 10 months

Note

Hello,

I really love the posts from this blog. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to YouTube and Twitter which is dominated by Team Black stans.

Can we please talk about the ‘Rhaenyra is the best mother’ propaganda going around.

I’m not saying it’s untrue (though I’m personally skeptical) just that I only ever see it being used to denigrate Alicent as though their situations are in anyway the same. Worse still is when these people (Team Black stans obv.) bring in book ages into a discussion of the show canon arguing that Rhaenyra was only 17 when she had her first son and managed to be a good mother. I’m not arguing either woman, or any woman in general in Westeros, is in a good never mind better situation. Only that it’s easy to argue that Rhaenyra is mother of the year when she has like a half dozen scenes with her children that last all of 15 seconds. She only actually speaks to Jace and Luke in the show.

Alicent may not be perfect but let’s think more critically about the result of Rhaenyra’s supposedly Grade A parenting. Jace is violent and arrogant, Luke is petrified and timid. Neither can fight competently, never mind fairly. Jace cannot speak High Valyrian even though he has both Daemon and Rhaenyra around who were both fluent at the same age. And Rhaenyra send her underage son to the Baratheons when she Rhaenys right as a vastly superior envoy (that’s a different far more annoying topic) — All of this is true even with the buckets of narrative bias working on their favour. There’s a FF trope that Joffrey squired in the Vale, Luke regularly goes sailing with the Sea Snake, and Jace is such a wonderful diplomat. None of which is textually supported but those TB fic writers need desperately for Rhaenyra to look as though she wasn’t just sitting on her ass doing nothing during her stint on Dragonstone.

To me Rhaenyra while probably more affectionate than Alicent; she should nonetheless also be condemned because her selfishness (the reason TB say Alicent usurped the throne for Aegon) puts her children in active danger.

Case in point TB say Aemond needed to be punished because the accusation of bastardy is so dangerous but who might I ask put those children in that situation in the first place? Oh right Rhaenyra.

Additionally unlike Team Green, none of Rhaenyra’s family was truly in danger if she had just capitulated. She’s a woman and the children bastards of the female line. Alicent is there actively counselling Aegon against assassination and conflict. There may have even been a place for her on his small council or she could live out her best Lana de Rey vinyl life and a responsibility free rich lady on Dragonstone (bit rose tinned. I know but not completely absurd)

Just hoping you had some input on this idea that Rhaenyra is an UberMother or even that Alicent is supposedly the worst, most abusive, uncaring parent ever. (This is because she hits Aegon occasionally — but IDK that’s just how boys got disciplined in the past, and why is no one talking about the lack a father figure yet the reason Aegon is a lush is all on Alicent *head desk*)

Thanks

Hi there & thank you for your kind words about my blog. I think the difference in parenting style between the two can be explained due to structural factors, i.e. their social positions & respective privileges.

Rhaenyra is her father's favourite, a princess by blood and has an actual dragon. She's not just any regular Westerosi noble lady. She is THE it-girl. She can afford a laissez-faire approach to child-rearing. She is careless with the paternity of the children. She is oblivious to how she is perceived in court, because, for a very long time, it is not a subject of interest to her, as she just automatically assumes her status and dragon will render that aspect irrelevant ("their views don't matter"). It takes until her THIRD child for her to realise people are gossiping about her and that gossip can be dangerous the more her father is ailing. Because of her short-sightedness, she unintentionally puts her children's lives in danger because she insists on keeping them in the line of succession not just for the throne, but also attempts to steal another house's lands and titles. I have always thought that sending Luke to Driftmark to "rule" would just make him vulnerable to assassination attempts by his disgruntled Velaryon relatives.

Meanwhile, Alicent is terrified that her children's lives are in danger, her father's, her brother's etc. She's not going to be a lax parent, she can't afford that. She grows to be an anxious and dissatisfied adult. While Rhaenyra gets to explore her sexuality and have children she wants with someone she cares about & finds sexually appealing, Alicent is repeatedly impregnated against her will and maritally raped by an old, decaying man. She is always going to have a more complicated relationship with motherhood because of that.

Had Rhaenyra & Alicent been millennial mums living in the contemporary world, they probably would have both done a good job of it, with all the resources & information available today on child development & psychology and with enough wealth to afford appropriate childcare when needed. They also both would have benefitted from superior medical knowledge (so childbirth wouldn't have been a death gamble) and would probably not have been forced into teen motherhood.

#ask #anon #alicent hightower #anti rhaenyra targaryen #not really but i just can't be bothered with tb stans #alicent & her children

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shiftingparadise · 1 year

Note

heyyyy! it’s been a loooong while since my last request and i keep thinking about an enemies to lovers fic with gojo 🫠🫠 i mean like “i hate you. i hope you die a horrible death.” typa beat at the beginning.

i’m not sure if you’re taking requests atm, or if you haven’t watched jjk, so feel free to ignore this if that’s the case, i will completely understand^^ have a nice day<3

aaaa, I really loved writing this one. I'm sorry it took so long, but I was busy with school :(

I hope everyone's having a great day, enjoy reading 🤍✨

No warnings.

Word Count: 3100

“Yaga’s going to send me on a mission with him”, you let your head fall back. “Please Suguru, just kill me”. You earned a small chuckle in response, “I don’t understand why you two hate each other”. “And I don’t see how you could be friends with someone like him”. “He’s not that bad. I mean, he’s an arrogant piece of shit, but so am I”.

For some reason, it felt as if the corridor to Yaga’s classroom kept expanding. Which was a good thing. You didn’t want to see that white-haired bastard.

“You’re not arrogant, you’re confident. There’s a difference”. “He is the strongest sorcerer. His birth technically changed the balance of earth”. “I’m strong too, and smart”, jealousy flooded through your veins. “Y/N”, Geto stopped walking, “Don’t underestimate him. He may act foolish, but there’s more to him”. “Whatever, I’ll see you around”.

You hated it when Suguru defended him. It was bad enough that they were best friends, he didn’t have to defend him every time you complained about Satoru.

“Okay”, you closed your eyes once you saw the door to Yaga’s classroom, “Maybe he just wants to settle things with me and that idiot?”.

“Nope, he’s going to send us on a mission together”.

“S-shit”, your heart dropped to your stomach at the sudden presence behind you, “Asshole. I almost died because of you”. “Almost?”, he clicked his tongue, “What a shame”. “I’m not going on a mission with you”, you turned around, angry eyes staring into his blue ones. “As if I would ever go with someone like you”. “Excuse me?”, heat rose to your cheeks. “You’re selfish. You’d never sacrifice yourself for someone. Honestly, I don’t even know what you’re doing here. A sorcerer needs to protect others”. “What do you know about me?”, you shakily replied. “I know that you’re in love with Suguru”. “W-what?!”, your eyes wide open, “N-no, that’s not true!”.

It wasn’t. He was wrong, but nonetheless, a cherry-red glow was left on your cheeks.

“Stop it. Both of you”, Yaga opened the door, a stern expression on his face. “Sorry”, you mumbled. “Hm”, Gojo scratched the back of his head, “What do you want?”.

Right. His disrespect for his peers never failed to amaze you.

“Sit down”, Yaga nodded towards the wooden chairs. “Why?”. “Just sit down”, you angrily pushed your shoulder against your classmate, “The world doesn’t revolve around you”. “Actually-“. “Shut up”, you sighed as you sat down.

“Gojo”, Yaga’s stern voice broke through the silence, “Sit down”. “I know you’re sending us on a mission together”, he lazily leaned against the wall. “That’s right”, Yaga ignored his disobedience as he turned to look at you. “Now, I know –“. “Not happening”.

It was your turn to be disrespectful. Everyone knew how much the two of you despised each other. Was this some kind of joke?

“Y/N-“. “Let Suguru hop along. He’ll be delighted”, you pushed your chair back, ready to leave. “If you two don’t go on this mission together, you’ll both be expelled”.

“You think you can blackmail me?”, Gojo loudly laughed, “You guys need me”. “I’ll be expelled?”, you widened your eyes, “But I-“. “We know”, Yaga replied, “Just go on this mission together, and we won’t have to”. “Perfect”, Gojo smiled as he clapped his hands, “She gets expelled, I get to stay since you guys need me and-“. “Please”, you softly whispered, “I can’t get expelled”. “I don’t care”, he turned around, his hands childishly waving in the air, “My life will be a lot easier with you gone”.

Yes, you hated him. Yes, you wanted to kill him for being so ignorant, but…

“Please”, you lowered your head, “I’ve got nowhere else to go”. “I’m sure your rich family will happily welcome you back-“. “I don’t have a family”, your voice shaking, “If I get expelled, I’ll have nowhere to go”. “Huh?”, he tilted his head. “Satoru, just go on this mission with her”, Yaga pinched the space in between his brows, “It’s easier for everyone”. “Why do those old people from higher up want us to work together? I know this wasn’t your decision”. “I don’t know”, Yaga sighed, “Just do it”.

---

“Let’s try to be nice to each other, shall we?”, he nonchalantly walked through the hallway, not caring to look at you.

“Fuck off”.

Why, out of everyone, did they send you on a mission with Satoru?

“You should thank me. All I know, is you’d be sleeping on the streets if I didn’t agree to go on this mission”.

“You’re an asshole”, you stopped walking, “I hate you, and not because you’re arrogant, not because you’re always bragging about how strong you are, but because you’re heartless. You don’t care about anyone except yourself. You only ‘save’ people because it makes you feel good. You’re a self-centered idiot”.

“And what do you know about me?”, he looked over his shoulders.

“Easy”, Suguru’s voice tore down the dense atmosphere, “It’ll be nice”.

God, why did he always have to smile?

“Nice?”, you turned around, eyes wide open, “Nothing’s nice with that idiot”. “I disagree”, he smiled as he slowly walked towards you two. “Dinner?”, Gojo ignored your insult. “Starving”, Geto smiled as he walked past you, softly patting your head. “He’s not that bad. You’ll see”, a soft whisper. “Hm”, you pouted, “See you”. “See ya”, Geto happily waved, “Oh, when do you two have to leave?”.

“Tomorrow morning”, you placed your hands in your pockets, “Want to play UNO after dinner?”. “Don’t be a crybaby when you lose”. “I won’t lose”, you smirked as you turned around, “Later Geto”.

“Are you in love with her?”, Gojo smirked. “No”, Geto coldly replied. “How can you be friends with her? She’s annoying”. “Why? Because she’s almost as strong as you?”, a smirk on Geto’s face. “She isn’t”, Gojo grabbed something from his pocket, “We’re the strongest”, he smiled as he put his shades on.

---

“Car’s not big enough for you?”, your angry eyes staring at him. “What?”, he coldly replied. “Your legs, could you spread them even further?”. “I always sit like this”. “I don’t care”, you angrily pushed against his knee, “I need some room too”. “Brat”. “Excuse me?”, your eyes studying his face. “You heard me”.

One more word and his cheek would have a stinging, red glow.

“You’re a brat”, you childishly replied. “We don’t have to talk”, he let his head fall back, “We’ll be there soon”. “Give me that”, you snapped the tablet from his hand, “Want to know what we’re dealing with”. “All yours”, a smirk on his face.

Special grade curse? This must be a joke, right? You weren’t that strong and-

“Why didn’t they send Suguru on this mission? I’m not that strong”, your heart dropped to your stomach. Your cursed energy wasn’t special, not like Suguru’s or Satoru’s.

“Don’t know, but I’m not responsible for your safety”, he stared out of the window, “I won’t sacrifice the mission for your safety”.

“Just worry about yourself, I’ll manage”, you quietly responded, a worrying frown on your face.

---

“Hey”, his cold voice greeted your ears.

You dreaded this moment.

“Hey”, you walked past him.

“Y/N?”. “What?”, you stopped walking, eyes glued to the painting at the end of the hallway.

“I’m sorry”.

Sorry wasn’t enough. It could never be enough.

“I was just a kid-“.

“You’re still a kid”, you scoffed back, “You only think about yourself”.

You waited for a response, for another sorry, but only silence filled the air.

“Don’t worry. I’m only here to see Sukuna’s vessel”. “When are you going to accept my apology?”.

“Accept? They expelled me because of you”. “But you got transferred”. “And I never saw Suguru again. I never got the chance to talk him out of it”.

Why were you even explaining things?

“You killed him. You killed your best friend”, a lump in your throat. “He killed an entire village, Y/N. He wasn’t the Suguru you used to know”. “I don’t care. You don’t give up on the people you love”.

“He gave up on us”.

He didn’t. Even if his motives were wrong, even if he did evil things… He wanted to make the world a ‘better’ place for the people he loved.

“Goodnight, Satoru”, you wiped a tear from your cheek, “Always nice to see you again”.

---

“What do you think?”, Yaga looked at you, his dark shades masking his eyes. “You made the right decision. He’s strong, even without Sukuna”, your eyes twinkling, “Can I train with him tonight? Just for research?”. “As long as he’s okay with it”, he lifted his shoulders. “That kid”, you nodded towards the dark-haired boy, “He’s strong too, isn’t he?”. “He has the most potential”, Yaga crossed his arms, “You don’t know who he is, do you?”. “I know. Thanks to his dad-“. “Yeah”, Yaga interrupted, “That’s him”.

---

“So, you let him take over whenever?”. “N-no”, the pink-haired boy backed away, his cheeks red with embarrassment. “Does he talk to you?”, you tightened your grip around his jaw, your eyes studying every part of his face. “Y-yeah, he’s annoying”. “Can I talk to him?”, you eagerly asked. “It’s too dangerous”, a stern expression on his face, “I don’t want to risk the safety of others”.

“Don’t worry”.

Why?

“Get out”, you slowly backed away, resisting the urge to turn around. “Come now, that’s my student”.

He was smirking. You could feel it.

“Yuji”, his footsteps drew closer, “Let him out. I’m the strongest, you know that”. “B-but Gojo sensei-“. “Let him out”, he lifted his blindfold with his thumb.

You didn’t want to see him, to give him some form of satisfaction, but… You were so curious, so fascinated…

“And I’m here too”, you softly agreed, “I’m strong too”. “She is”, Gojo happily smiled, “And smart. She’s the most highly paid researched in the sorcerer community. Her books are being used in every sorcerer school”.

“Tsk”, you clenched your jaw. “She doesn’t seem to like you”, Yuji tilted his head. “That’s because we’ve got some history-“. “N-no! Not like that!”, you blurted out when you saw the look in the student’s eyes.

“Let him out, Yuji”, Gojo smirked.

“Okay”, the boy shrugged his shoulders before closing his eyes.

Your heart was racing, your mouth dry… You were nervous.

“That brat gave me 30 seconds”.

“H-huh?”, you jolted, “H-his voice… The marks-“.

“Sukuna?”, you slowly walked closer. “Long time I’ve seen someone this pretty. She yours?”, the curse widely grinned at Gojo. “Your time’s almost up”, Gojo smiled back, “It’s been a pleasure”.

“W-wait!”, you tried to buy more time, but you could already see the marks disappear.

“What did he say?”, Yuji shook his head, as if he tried to shake the curse away. “I’m never leaving this place as long as you’re here!”, you swung your arms around the boy’s neck, “I’m going to write so many books about you!!!”.

“G-gojo sensei?”, the boy tried to ask his teacher for help, his cheeks glowing red. “Hey, she never hugged me”, Gojo loudly laughed, “Just enjoy it”.

---

“So peaceful”, you sighed as you looked at the stars above you.

You always loved the smell of a hot summer night. A clear sky above you, thousands of stars, the soft touch of grass underneath you…

You were sitting in the middle of a park just outside Jujutsu high. It must’ve been 3 AM, but you didn’t care. This was worth it.

What was this sudden feeling? This sudden eeriness?

“Right, I should’ve known better”, you slowly stood up. “I can never get a moment of peace”, you angrily mumbled. “Don’t hide. I know you’re here”, you wiped some dirt from your uniform.

“Hide?”, a chilling voice greeted you.

This wasn’t a normal curse. This was trouble.

“Who are you?”, you widened your stance, one hand in your pocket. “Mahito, nice to meet you”, a tall figure happily walked towards you.

“What do you want?”. “You. Dead”, a big smile on its face. “Try me”, you grabbed a bag of blood from your pocket. “Oh, blood manipulation. Interesting”, the curse scratched underneath his chin, “But then again, I already knew that, didn’t I?”.

It knew?

“Just like I know about your little accident years ago. Don’t you want to get revenge? Don’t you want to make him pay?”.

“It was an accident”, your heart racing, “He didn’t mean for it to happen”. “Then why are you still mad at him?”, a fake confused expression on Mahito’s face. “You know it’s his fault. You know it’s his fault your body is covered in scars”. “He didn’t mean to”.

It scared you how much doubt there was in your voice.

“He did”.

T-that voice-

“S-suguru?”, you turned around, your legs shaking.

“Missed me?”, a smile on his face.

He was dead-

“Suguru!”, you immediately ran towards him, your arms eagerly wrapped around his body. You didn’t care what he’d done. He was your friend. You two were inseparable-

“S-suguru?”, tears in your eyes as you fell to the ground, a sharp pain in your side. “Don’t worry, you’re not going to die. We just need Gojo”, a disgusted look on Geto’s face as he looked down at you.

“W-what-“, “Don’t worry”, Mahito’s happy voice interrupted, “I can heal you, and your scars”. “D-don’t-“

Why couldn’t you use your cursed energy?

“You’ve been poisoned”, Suguru coldly added, “You can’t use any cursed energy”. “Why did you do this?”, your sight blurry. “Don’t worry. The Suguru you know is gone”, a smirk on his face.

Right. The Suguru you knew would never do this. He’d never-

“You aren’t-“, “What a smart girl”, he kneeled down. “Mahito?”, Geto brushed some strands of hair from your face, “She’s useless. Do with her as you wish”.

“Get your hands off her”.

For once, you were happy to hear Gojo’s voice.

“Finally. Let’s see how strong you really are”, Mahito laughed.

“S-satoru-“, darkness surrounded you, “Leave”. “Leave?”, a gentle smile on his face as he walked towards the curse, “I owe you one, remember?”.

---

“Suguru?”, you slowly opened your eyes. “Ouch”, a chuckle, “I saved your life, you know?”.

“Satoru”, you immediately sat up straight, “Where am I?”. “In your room. Shoko took care of you”. “S-shit”, you grunted as you felt a sharp pain in your side. “Careful”, his hand immediately behind your head, “Shoto did what she could, but you need plenty of rest”.

Normally you’d rather die than let that idiot touch you, but now it felt kind of reassuring.

“Thank you”, you whispered, “If you weren’t there, I’d be dead”. “As I said, I owed you one”.

You knew he expected you to ask what had happened after you passed out, but you didn’t want to know. Not yet anyway.

“Got you these”, he took something from your nightstand, “They’re my favorite”.

Mochi?

“Thanks”, an unintentional smile on your face. “They’re not regular mochi, you know? I got these from-“, “I recognize them, Satoru”, you gently smiled, “Thank you”.

“Y/N, listen”.

What a strange sight. He actually seemed nervous.

“I never meant to… I didn’t know”, he clenched his jaw. “I hate myself for what happened back then. For the pain I caused you”. “I know”, you softly whispered. “If I knew there was another curse, I wouldn’t have-“.

“Where were you?”, a lump in your throat. “I don’t blame you, but I’ve been wondering why you suddenly disappeared after I exorcised the first curse”.

“Flowers”, he mumbled as he looked at the ground. “What?”, you frowned. “I was getting you flowers”, his hand massing the back of his neck.

“F-flowers?”, you widened your eyes, cheeks blushing. “I guess I was in love with you back then”, he cleared his throat, “That’s why I was such a jerk… I thought you loved Suguru and –“.

Why was he cute right now? Gojo wasn’t the type of man to seem insecure and shy, but it kind of suited him. It was refreshing to see a blush on his cheeks.

“When you exorcised that first curse, you seemed so proud”, a nostalgic smile on his face. “I never doubted you for a second, but you did. You always underestimated yourself, so… I wanted to celebrate. I had this stupid idea of buying you flowers and asking you out on a date”.

“Satoru-“.

You finally understood. You understood why you hated him all this time. Why you never got close to him. Why he was the one person who could get under your skin.

“I know it’s silly”, he chuckled, “Please don’t tell the students I have a crush on you”.

“Have?”, you repeated the words in your head.

“Ask me”, you quietly responded, “Ask me if I want to go on a date”.

“H-huh?”, his blue eyes towering over his glasses as he looked over them.

“Ask me”.

You didn’t love Suguru, you never did. You remembered why you even tried to get close to Suguru in the first place. You wanted to spend time with Gojo.

“Do you want to have dinner with me?”, his voice sounded raspy.

“No”, you nervously smirked.

“Do you want to go to the arcade with me?”, he smiled when he realized what you were after.

“Nope”, you shook your head.

“Fine”, he playfully sighed, “Do you want to order pizza and watch a movie?”.

“Bingo”, you held out your thumb.

Why was the room so cold all of a sudden?

“Can I see?”, a dark expression on his face. “What?”, you frowned. “What I’ve done to you”.

No.

“You haven’t done anything to me”. “I want to see, Y/N”.

Don’t run. Don’t run. Don’t run.

“Okay”, you slowly unbuttoned your shirt.

He was disgusted. He had to be. The dark scars on your stomach and chest, all the way to your arms…

“I’m so sorry”, he lowered his head, a crack in his voice, “I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you”. “Do you still think I’m pretty?”, your eyes hanging low. “No”, his digits slowly tracing over your scars.

“Right”, you closed your eyes, “That’s fine”.

“I don’t think you're pretty, " the sweetest smile on his face, “I don’t think there are enough words to describe how beautiful you are. You’re divine. A goddess. I’ve always thought so”.

Shit. You were blushing.

“T-thanks”, you awkwardly responded, his nose brushing against yours. “Ask me”, he smirked. “W-what?”, you loudly swallowed as you felt his lips hovering over yours. “Ask me to kiss you”.

“Kiss me, please”.

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sith-shenanigans · 25 days

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throwing the names of the following NPCs at you for you to describe your OCs' relationships to them: master tol braga, master orgus din, overseer tremel

I’m going to answer this in three parts because it got ridiculously long. Here’s Brakerre’s.

Brakerre and Tol Braga:

Brakerre first meets Tol Braga, like all of the people who usually come in during Act 2, during the Act 1 crisis. This does absolute wonders for her not considering him an absolute twit who doesn’t think anything through or listen to anybody. He’s a very kind person who tries to see the good in everybody, and he shows up with (as it’s explained to Brakerre) one of the very few redeemed Sith in the galaxy. Brakerre is kind of simultaneously a starry-eyed padawan (she’s only seventeen! she hasn’t been a Jedi for more than a year or two!) and also more jaded than most Jedi her age in some ways (she has an Expensive Medical Condition that the Order can treat easily, but that her mother couldn’t afford best practices for), and somehow this works out that… Tol Braga isn’t as grounded as Orgus, and isn’t as materially entangled as the Green Jedi she grew up hearing about, and I think that works out to her largely believing Tol Braga’s self-perception.

Which is almost accurate! He’s kind and forgiving and above worldly flaws, and—she doesn’t see that it’s a kind of arrogance to believe that the Light never fails and your senses won’t ever lead you wrong, because doesn’t he just really, really trust in the Force?

Then Act 2 starts, at which point everyone who knows anything about the Emperor is going “no, you can’t, this is a horrible idea.” Unfortunately, this is largely just Kira (with Brakerre backing her up, having seen and felt the entity that briefly possessed Kira on Angral’s ship) and Sajar. And Sajar is far too able to be convinced that he’s acting out of fear, because it’s partly true; he does fear the Emperor. And Tol Braga has had a vision, has felt a calling, is convinced that the “Emperor” who possessed Kira and who Sajar has once or twice seen is… a ghost possessing a figurehead, or an entity created by the mysterious Hand that “serves” him, and that he needs to be rescued.

I haven’t decided how Brakerre reacts to that. She certainly still has reservations. But she has to wonder if Braga is right—if there’s someone trapped at the center of this, as much a victim as Kira is. And if there isn’t, is that worth deciding they wouldn’t have been worth rescuing? It just means the mission might turn out to be an assassination.

But things… crop up, as she assists in the mission preparations. Braga should have been the one to go to Quesh—not because he was wrong to leave someone alone who’s been a Jedi for ten years now, not because Sajar needs his master there the same way a young padawan might, but because that official responsibility still exists. If you have so much faith in him that “the base is surrounded by Imperials, but he refuses to fight and won’t answer his holo” doesn’t seem like a personal concern, or even an “I’ll be there when I can, but you’re closer, do what you can in the meantime” concern, then he shouldn’t be a padawan anymore. If he doesn’t need you there, then he doesn’t need a master.

(This is one of the places where I’m not inclined to chalk it up to the writer not understanding the implications they were making—the fact that Braga tells you flat-out, “Sajar has fully embraced the Jedi way. Whatever has happened, it isn't his fault,” seems to make it entirely in keeping with what’s later revealed as his fatal flaw. He’s unwilling to consider that Sajar might not have been as prepared as he thought—even if it had only been that Sajar didn’t think he could fight and kill Imperials, there’s still clearly a problem there! If it isn’t Sajar’s, whose is it?)

Brakerre doesn’t think in quite those same terms of responsibility, but it doesn’t go over her head that Braga is kind of… considering his current responsibilities and accomplishments settled enough that he doesn’t have to pay attention to them while he chases new ones.

Then the mission ends badly, of course. Then Brakerre is left as a hunted fugitive, and it’s Braga’s fault in large part, and Braga’s padawan is committing the mother of all parole violations to go with her and help her save the galaxy and the other members of the strike team both. She doesn’t hate Braga for it. She doesn’t have the time or energy to spare to care about him at all, except in a dull distant way when she sees how much Sajar blames himself for all of it.

She’s willing to accept Braga’s insistence that he cannot be saved, at the end.

Sajar isn’t.

And if she can’t make herself reach out a hand, she’s not the one who has to. Not there, not then.

Brakerre and Orgus Din:

How do I explain this in less than a thousand words?

Imagine that you are Orgus Din. Imagine that you lost your previous padawan during the Sacking of Coruscant, and you haven’t taken another since. Imagine that you’re visiting Corellia for all the reasons that the Master of the Order might need to talk to the Order’s often-slightly-estranged cousins, who took you in after the Sacking but approach Jedi philosophy in a way that makes you want to tear out all your hair.

Someone lets you know, during the visit, that there’s an initiate who wants to join the mainline Order instead. They could wait for someone else to come evaluate her for admission, but you’re right there; it’s more efficient if you talk to her. And you’ve counseled a lot of young Jedi who are trying to figure out the path they want to walk—even a few who decided they didn’t want to remain with the Order at all, in the end.

Imagine that you come to talk to the initiate, and she’s sick because of something treatable and she’s as kind as any Jedi ought to be and she’s so tired, already, even though she’s only fifteen, because she knows why her life has been like this and if she has to stay with the Green Jedi she’s going to start hating them.

Imagine that you look at her, and you know the Force chose her.

You don’t know if she’s meant to be your padawan. But you can see all the ways she could go wrong, already, and you know that no one else would understand quite as well.

(This is a version of another story. It isn’t a happy story, no matter who it happens to, but it’s a kinder one than it could have been.)

Orgus takes her as his padawan then and there, and she learns to be the best Jedi she can be, and then the galaxy starts going to hell. She’s seventeen when Coruscant is nearly encased in the Planet Prison. She’s eighteen when she’s knighted, on the battlefield, and eighteen when her master almost dies.

His ghost, of course, can’t save her from Vitiate. He’s halfway across the galaxy, alive and well. She has to save herself.

He can’t help very much when the Republic declares her a traitor. The galaxy doesn’t have enough time for her to undergo a trial. There’s no guarantee they’d come to the correct conclusion.

Brakerre knows that Orgus saved her in every way he could. But in the end, she still has to face the end of all things alone.

[npc opinions]

#asks #oc: brakerre pellek

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savethevamps · 8 months

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Top Tanin: The Imperfect Victim

Disclaimer : Please leave your Top hate away from this post. I have no problem having a discussion about Top, but if you’re just going to blatantly hate & make comments that have absolutely nothing to do with this topic, keep it to yourself.

Now before we get into the topic at hand, I would like to give everyone the definition of The Ideal Victim Fallacy aka The Perfect Victim Theory, which is: a damaging belief about how a victim should look and behave in order to be deemed a credible source.

Some of you may be wondering, “what exactly does this have to do with that cheater Top?”, and I’m here to explain how it has everything to do with him. Top is a prime example of how the perfect victim does not exist, and how damaging the very notion of a “perfect victim” is. Top Tanin has been SA on multiple occasions, and it has mostly been glossed over by viewers simply because he is not the ideal victim. Now, I won’t sit here & say that no one has pointed this out, but I will say that I haven’t seen this be discussed as deeply as I think it should so here I go.

1. First, let’s talk personality. “The Perfect Victim” is always thought of as someone who is meek, innocent, and kind; someone who would never engage in anything illicit.

When we’re introduced to Top, we’re immediately told how we should feel about him. We’re supposed to think that Top is an asshole, a player, arrogant, and rude. We can go back and forth about what is true and what’s not, but the main point is this; we have our set up of this guy now, and we know how we’re told to feel about him personality wise.

2. Secondly, physical traits. The “Ideal Victim” is usually someone smaller in stature, weak, and by all accounts defenseless.

Top is a relatively tall man who exercises, and from what we can tell, a man who isn’t afraid to throw a punch when provoked. So now we have our physical attributes.

3. Thirdly, SA is usually depicted as only happening to the “receiver” or the person who is usually penetrated during sex.

From what we see of Top, he’s portrayed as being a well, Top. The story is also in the realm of boys love, a genre in which if SA is going to happen, it will always happen to the bottom.

Now, we have all these points down and they all add up to this; Top is the exact opposite of a “Perfect Victim”. From his personality down to the position he takes during sex. Hopefully everyone has followed along with me, and we can all come to the same conclusion that he is not an “Ideal Victim”, and we can discuss the scenes in which he is SA.

The first assault occurs in episode two. Top goes to shower off and Boston strips naked to join him in the shower. Top is of course caught off guard by this, and asks what Boston is doing, to which Boston replies by saying he, “wants it again”. He then proceeds to push Top into the shower. They talk back and forth, Boston starts kissing his neck and body, then Mew comes in. A lot of people see this scene and immediately say, “oh Top should have pushed him off, or “He clearly didn’t care or he would’ve said no.” It’s worth noting that Top freezes up once Boston starts touching him suggestively, and to the second point; Top has said no, we find this out in the very first episode. Having sex once isn’t blanket permission, especially when the person expresses they do not wish to have it happen again.

The second, technically third, time he is assaulted, happens in episode four. Top is once again cornered by Boston, and getting groped while he constantly tells Boston “no” and “stop”. Boston doesn’t listen, so Top pushes him away. Now this is a scene where I see people agree that it’s SA, which is good, however it gives ammo to the people who believe the first incident was not assault. They say, “well if he can push him off here, why couldn’t he before” or “he spoke up fast here, but he barely said anything before.” The simple answer is, in my opinion, the fact that Top is now feeling ashamed and guilty about what occurred the night before. He’s no longer just thinking about himself, he is now also thinking about Mew and how he can’t “allow” (notice the quotations) Boston to keep touching him.(It’s worth noting that Top does have a brief moment where he freezes, just like in the first scene.)

In conclusion, I’m pretty sure Top does not see himself as a victim of SA due to the theory I’ve explained above, and I can tell that most people do not view him as a victim either. All I wanted to say in this post is how as a viewer, it’s our job to be able to see this for what it is. Top is a victim of SA, he is a victim of this “Ideal/Perfect Victim” myth, and I would like it if people would start viewing these scenes as such, and not just ammo for you to use when saying how “bad” you think Top is.

#only friends the series #only friends #top tanin #topboston #only friends top #I also believe he was sa in the car scene and I can give a long breakdown about that too

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monstersinthecosmos · 8 months

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Hi!! I would love to hear your thoughts about Marius' experience of captivity and how this affects his relationship with Armand. You alluded to this in Gallows Bird and I think that's a super interesting thread to pull

[ Let me drop these two fics real quick to get it out of the way for reference sorry if this is obnoxious LOL but Gallows Bird (Marius/Armand) and The Lotus Eater (Armand/Daniel) !! ]

Asdgahsdk oh boy

I have so many deep nuanced feelings about Marius de Romanus so be patient with me while I try to sketch this all out, I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START!

So one thing I want to mention off the bat, which is not necessarily canon VC but is relevant to my fics and how I write, is that I process a lot of ND/ADHD stuff when I write, and this goes way back before I even knew I had ADHD. So even going back to like my earlier VC fics from like 5-6 years ago, I think I was constantly inserting traits of myself into my fics and trying to process them in the way that I thought they were just character flaws at the time. AND LIKE this is also relevant because I wrote Gallows Bird to be directly correlating to my Devil’s Minion fics. For example, in The Lotus Eater, one of my huge emotional cornerstones in that fic/me talking about my own perceived character flaws, was the “he had been careless with this boy” theme. And I repeated that in Gallows Bird on purpose to link them lol. So that example is like, I was really inspired by like how ADHD can ruin things on accident; like you don’t take care of something, miss a deadline, break something by being careless even though you DO CARE. At the time when I wrote The Lotus Eater I had no idea about ADHD so I just thought it was like this bad part of my personality that I was really struggling with. I am more forgiving of that now.

And I connect this also to Marius in Gallows Bird because like, something I really struggled with as a person is like the ND/ADHD impulse to like RELATE TO PEOPLE when they’re trying to talk, like bringing up my own experience as a way to say “Something like this happened to me too so I can empathize with you”, which is always well intentioned! And I’ve seen so much convo from ND folks that struggle with this because NT folks tend to misunderstand it as changing the subject/being narcissistic/whatever.

Anyway!!!!!!!!! Sorry for that preamble but I’m saying that like, I kind of approach writing Marius as a mix of canon & projection, because yknow it’s my fuckin story and I feel like it lol but I think like the fun of fanfic and what makes people’s styles unique and interesting is our mix of perspectives and personalities and like how we choose to fill in the blanks in canon or interpret characters, right?

Canon Marius makes a few comments when he meets Armand about how like, this is someone who is as bruised and damaged as he is, and someone who can heal him, and he feels their souls understand each other. And Canon Marius is like, arrogant enough (by his own admission!) to see the absolute HORRIFIC trauma the Armand went through and go “Oh yeah I had horrific trauma too.”

How do we compare Armand’s trauma to Marius’s trauma? Idk. No one can answer that because we all respond to trauma differently. So I think to some extent there’s some headcanon territory here of how everyone interprets Marius, and do we believe him that his trauma was SO SEVERE that it IS on par with what’s happened to Armand? Or do we believe what he went through isn’t so bad/was 1500 years ago and he’s being obnoxious by comparing the two because he should be healed by now?

I’d also ask like, to what extent is neither true/is it not that fucking deep, like is Marius simply saying “wow this looks really bad, I want to know him for centuries so he has time to grow and heal”; like perhaps Marius at this point sees his captivity & murder as this awful thing that happened to him 1500 years ago and maybe it feels sort of disconnected.

BUT I DON’T KNOW, the thing about Marius is that he’s so fucking stoic! Like I know I’ve brought it up a couple times recently but it’s because I was reading some Marcus Aurelius to put in Gallows Bird lol so using that to like fill in some blanks with Marius, he reads like someone who is constantly trying to rationalize away his own emotions. And like! IDK! Maybe beliefs about psychology are always a phases or temporary until we learn more, but reading him in 2023 I just call bullshit on that! It doesn’t work that way! So who’s to say that his 1500 year old trauma isn’t actually still very close to the surface, and who’s to say he can’t be easily retraumatized whenever it comes up because he’s never meaningfully recovered?

AND LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA THE AFTERMATH IS SO OFTEN ABOUT JUST FINDING CONTROL OVER WHATEVER YOU CAN, NO MATTER HOW USELESS OR UNHEALTHY IT IS. And that's also the sort of central thesis of Gallows Bird; giving Armand a space to process his trauma where he's in control. And for Marius it's just really sad how often he tries to control his own personality, his own feelings, his own mask, the way people perceive him, and it's such a struggle for him that it always eventually collapses.

I want to pause here for a second too and bring up a couple old posts I’ve written so I’m not repeating myself too much LOL but let’s also consider:

Trauma Hole Theory and if vampires are stuck forever within the trauma of their turning

Marius & Armand’s equal-opposite religious trauma

Marius’s struggle with feeling emotion

I think if we start dissecting ANY vampire in VC we’ll see thematic ways that their turning has traumatized them forever, between the violence/trauma around the act itself but also whatever ways they’ve been frozen as their mortal selves. Lestat is a perpetually insecure 20 year old who can’t emotionally regulate and must prove himself to everybody, Louis is someone who didn’t want to live at all and was given eternal life rather than death, Armand is deeply wounded and fucked up but is having like 2 years of relative peace and safety. And Marius is like, older, has lived life, knows what he’s losing and gaining, and has his entire worldview shattered after spending a year resenting religious zealots only to find out that everything they believed was true.

So I bring all these points up because I don’t think there’s a simple answer or a direct correlation here. Marius recognizes that they’ve each suffered a trauma, but he hasn’t really dealt with his own in a meaningful way, therefore he is not equipped to help Armand deal with his either.

I constantly go back to when Marius hits him after they come back from Kiev and I think this really hammers it home for me—Marius is someone who wants to strangle all of his emotions into submission, and he’s really trying to believe that it’s a matter of willpower to simply NOT FEEL THINGS. So much of Marcus Aurelius is about this! AND IN SOME WAYS LIKE, YEAH THIS IS MAYBE AN ANCIENT VERSION OF CBT??? Like we do CBT to patiently teach ourselves to think differently, but it’s obviously not as easy as simply shutting your emotions off or bullying yourself out of feeling any. And he’s trying SO SO hard to be this way, and it doesn’t work, so it’s not going to work on Armand either!

And like it’s not Marius simply being a dickhead, simply being abusive; I do think he’s really trying, but he’s fucking lost! HE HAS LIVED LIES! And god it just really hurts to see him as someone who struggles with this shit and who lies to himself about it, LIKE WHO HASN’T BEEN THERE? How many of us who struggle with mental health haven’t had those moments like, those tiny glimpses seeing behind the veil and being honest with yourself, but being so fucking powerless and not knowing what to do with it.

I know I’ve personally had moments of realization like “I am going to be like this forever” and it’s SO defeating, and imagining that sentiment for someone who will LIVE FOREVER just hurts me so bad!

We see this trope in media sometimes—certainly it’s based in real life!—of parents projecting onto children, trying to correct mistakes by breaking a cycle, but which only serves to treat their child like an extension of themselves and not a whole individual. So I think of that, too—Marius seeing himself in someone who was also abducted, and even though he also plans to turn Armand, he wants it to be beautiful and gentle! (He even changes his mind about it several times before he does it in a panic because Armand is dying! {this is heavily referenced in Gallows Bird because he realizes he's fucked Armand up to much to let him live anyway.} ) He also is sorta trying to fake it till he makes it with all this emotional stuff; like even though he KNOWS he can’t simply shut emotions off, he’s still trying to teach Armand to. And going back to Marius being a lil arrogant, I think sometimes he does project himself onto other people, or treat people better if they remind him of himself. So like, projecting some wounded version of himself onto Armand to try to rescue, vs risking it all for Lestat a few centuries later because someone who reminds him of himself actually WANTS to be rescued.

The IRONY too that like he spends his whole time in captivity as a skeptic, not believing that there is a God in the Grove, and for that entity to turn out to be a vampire!!! Marius presenting HIMSELF as a god-figure to Armand, but trying to be safe and friendly about it! I don’t know man I’m really fucking hsdkjgladsghkjl upset right now lol

And after all that like, not really knowing what exactly happened to Armand to indoctrinate him into the cult, just knowing that he’s thriving with them, that he gave it all up to be their leader, is such a betrayal of everything and so traumatizing!

Gosh.

Anyway.

I DON’T’ KNOW WHERE TO START I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO END, THINKING ABOUT THIS FUCKS ME UP I HOPE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION LOL

#deep ass thoughts about vampires #marius de romanus #armand #marius/armand #vampire chronicles #trauma hole theory #stuff i wrote #gallows bird

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artbyfinnbrown · 23 days

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Screenshots of my favourite moments from Re:Zero Arc 7 (Part 1):

Todd, it’s chapter 7. You don’t even hate Subaru yet. Why are you already talking about things that could potentially act as parallels to Return by Death?

This death (and the subsequent loops that follow) is probably my favourite sequence of Subaru deaths. I had to do a double take reading this when I realized that the words had started repeating. It starts so suddenly.

I love the O’Connell siblings. Nothing bad better happen to these to or I will be very upset.

“No trust me, I have to keep using the girl voice, it’s about staying in character” Sure buddy, whatever you need to say to feel better about yourself.

So I know this is meant to be screenshots of my favourite arc 7 moments, I guess this is also screenshots arc 7 moments that just make be feel sad and go “Aw, Man”

Wow, Subaru, you’re weirdly into making sure your boobs seem real. I wonder if that means anything.

Priscilla is weirdly one of the characters that seems to be most okay with Subaru’s crossdressing. She’s still mocking him, but she’s not mocking him for crossdressing, she’ll mocking him for being Subaru. She basically says “Yeah you’re a pretty hot woman. Unfortunately, I know your true cringe nature, so your good looks have no effect on me”.

Al. How many times did you die Al.

HA.

“I’ll fill you in on the correct information about Natsumi next time”. This implies that Subaru has Natsumi Schwarz lore that he actively maintains, which is incredibly funny (and also shows just how much dedicated he is to the Natsumi Schwartz persona)

Abel: Good that you’re here Priscilla. I assume you brought troopS with you to help support my cause? Priscilla: Nope! Just me and these 3 useless men I got to follow me around. Abel: Abel: Girl I am trying to retake a nation here-

I really like what arc 7 does with Priscilla’s character. Because arc 3 really just sets her up as an arrogant asshole. And arc 7 never disproves that, she’s still an arrogant asshole. But she’s an arrogant asshole who cares some very specific people.

On my first readthrough, this just seems like another instance of Subaru and Abel’s banter. However knowing everything there is to know now about Vincent and China’s relationship… yeah, it makes sense why Abel might not want people to talk about Chisa betraying him.

“Either is fine” She says. Okay sure thing buddy (Googles “What is Bigender” on a separate tab)

Damn Rem, I’m pretty sure killing him would have inflicted less psychological damage at this point. I do think it is interesting that despite being unfriendly towards Subaru for most of the arc so far, Rem does try to help him by trying to make him feel less guilty about not being able to save everyone. Unfortunately, she had no way of knowing that Subaru was basing a large amount if his self-worth off the belief that Rem thinks of him as a hero, leading this to backfire.

Those are some great questions about Al being brought up. Does he know about Return by Death? Does he have an ability like it? If He does, why wasn’t he able to prevent the loss of his arm? NOW IF ONLY HE WOULD GIVE US SOME ACTUAL ANSWERS-

I don’t know how to feel about the fact that horses exist in the Re:Zero world. I always assumed that Land Dragons just filled the role that horses did in this world. So that fact that there are actual horses feels kind of weird. I don’t like it . Unless horses have always been a thing in Re:Zero and I just somehow never noticed. Does anyone else think that horses existing in Re:Zero is weird? maybe it’s just me.

I mean, I could do an analysis on Natsumi Schwartz, but at this point I feel like Re:Zero tumblr has analyzed Natsumi to hell and back, so I don’t know if there’s really anything meaningful I could add at this point. I’ll leave it at this: At minimum he’s a Drag Queen, and at maximum she’s a trans woman, with the truth probably being somewhere in between those two extremes.

On its own this is nothing. The fact that Subaru says this right after the story refers to Natsumi Schwartz as Subaru’s “ideal self” is what really gives me the sad “Aw, man” feeling.

No Abel was right I don’t think that deserved a response.

AL GODDAMMIT HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU DIE THIS TIME YOU CRYPTIC MOTHER-

Anyway, expect part 2 of this post soon.

#subaru natsuki #al rezero #rem rezero #medium o’connell #flop o’connell #vincent vollachia #priscilla barielle #todd fang #re:zero #rezero

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foggyworksbutbetter · 2 months

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one final character analysis of silver spoon

ah, we’ve reached the end. 6 months ago, i posted the first, 5 months ago the second, and i think i finally want to delve into his final bits of character development in the finale. as always, ignore how jumbled my thoughts are, i write as it comes to me.

i made a lot of predictions for the finale, but unfortunately none of it came true. i expected candle to flat out die after iii18. i saw the reference to s1 and mephone being unable to save bow because he died when she did as foreshadowing for smth similar happening to candle, since mephone was debilitated. i also backed up my theory with the idea that candle activating her inner flame left her outer flame very vulnerable, since it seems to grow brighter when she uses her power. tldr, like her inner flame was on the outside. strangely, silver straight up murdering candle wasn’t brought up AT ALL. she was recovered offscreen. such an odd decision by the writers.

silver’s inner flame is eluded to in iii16 and fully realized in 17-18. as i mentioned in my earlier posts, the inner flame is an allegory for the soul. like candle, somebody who is very in touch with themselves and their surroundings can access their inner flame and use it for some kind of power boost + flight and telekinesis. not sure if that’s all it can do, but that’s everything we’ve seen candle or silver do with it. (candle’s ability to see the future and predict a teammate’s betrayal might also be related to the inner flame, but i’m not sure) as silver, with candle’s help, learns about himself and becomes more in tune with what he wants he unlocks this power. when he shows this power off at the final vote to gain support, candle is reasonably upset. “[the inner flame] isn’t some party trick to be strewn about to boost your own disgustly self-inflated ego.”

silver rejects cabby’s attempt to comfort him right after this and says he doesn’t need her vote if he can gain enough votes from the others. he’s regressed, and candle sees that. she saw it in him the moment he used his power to make himself look better in front of the voters. even though silver put on a brave face, we know he cares about candle more than himself. when he attacks her, he has a few lines about how everything he’d done was because he trusted she believed in him. another voice whispers over everything he says that only gets louder right before he kills her. his own arrogance leads to his downfall again. he finally felt like he’d gotten control—which he says himself—after a game of either being constantly undermined or doing anything candle says to please her, because he doesn’t trust himself.

he realizes that despite how much he has grown, he still has a long road ahead of him. his blindness to that leads to him hurting the people he holds dearest. he learns from his mistakes and doesn’t try to use the inner flame again, but a lot of the damage is done. candle is dead, and thats how it should’ve stayed, in my opinion. she’s used as a plot device to push silver’s story arc most of the time, so permanently getting rid of her forces silver to learn to grow and change on his own, like when she was eliminated. on the topic of that, i also think springy shouldve died for good too.

a bit shorter than my other analysis posts, but i did most of the heavy lifting in those last ones. them not showing silver and candle in the library was an absolute crime against nature. i still think blueberry getting immediately eliminated was a terrible writing decision. the show is quite flawed, but the characterization and community keeps me sticking around. cant wait to see whats next on inanimate insanity. hopefully taco gets her redemption arc or whatever they plan on doing, theyve got a lot to wrap up in 4 or so episodes.

#i am NOT late and have NOT been putting this off #god i love silver spoon #ii silver spoon #silver spoon ii #silver spoon inanimate insanity #inanimate insanity invitational #inanimate insanity #osc

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cicadaknight · 1 year

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"if you’re gonna call seyka a mary sue, a flawless, overly positively portrayed character, don’t you kind of have to do that to almost all the sympathetic characters?" seyka has no flaws, she is totally right on what she is doing and why even if she is breaking the law and the executive is mean with and wrong on everything he does, thats very mary sue-ish not matter what anyone says, its exactly the same as aloy in the first game

i’m assuming this second anon is you as well so i’ll add it here:

"aloy is never in a true position of authority or power with seyka, and that’s in large part because of seyka’s personality and self-assurance." it wouldn't be as jarring if she wasnt truly the only one in the whole damn game who calls Aloy out for what she does or what she doesn't tell, but instead of doing this with the companions we know from the first game; the players are forced to endure a random character (that we dont have to care about) to have that attitude. or even with new characters, zo, kotallo or alva had a thousand better introductions, better developed friendships with aloy than her supposed first romantic choice

agree to disagree, anon.

i’m not sure who you mean by “mean with and wrong with everything he does.” Rheng or Londra? But regardless, I simply don’t agree that a character needs to be DEEPLY flawed to be compelling. Nor do I think they have to be a foil to the protagonist to be compatible? Which seems like some of the argument here. You’re gonna look me in the eyes and tell me that what makes you love Varl, Zo, Kotallo, Alva, Talanah, Erend, Petra, is that they’re wrong about shit or abrasive? You’re not drawn to their compassion, strength, or persistence in the face of unbeatable odds? Or that over time they question what they believe in and commit to believing in themselves and Aloy?

I DO find Seyka to be flawed. She’s not a self-insert Mary Sue lmao. She’s flawed in much the same way Varl or Kotallo are. She’s a soldier who will prioritize her duty to her tribe over common sense and safety. She believes she’s the only one who has what it takes to get shit done, she’s arrogant and cocky, loses her patience easily. I think she’s battling with insecurities about her sister, who’s an elevated and invaluable member of their expedition, by trying desperately to prove herself by saving her.

I think you are holding Seyka to an impossible standard. I’m not gonna change your mind if you just really don’t vibe with her. But like you said, it was jarring for you to see that chemistry and dynamic between a new character and Aloy. And that seems to be the crux of it. I’d be curious if you play it again with some time to digest everything, if you still feel as strongly?

To the second anon message about Seyka being the only one to push Aloy (in this case about what she does or doesn’t know) and that you have to “endure” that from a new character. Again, agree to disagree. I don’t think the other characters had inherently better relationships with Aloy.

I 100% think all of the companions challenge Aloy and push back on her. Aloy just rolls her eyes and ignores them unless she has no other choice. Zo refuses to let her go to the sacred cave and is resistant to Aloy plowing through their way of life. Kotallo basically calls her a flaming idiot all the way from Stone’s Crest up until they get the canon. Varl CONSTANTLY calls Aloy out for shutting people out of her life. Erend very bluntly tells her she hurt his feelings and disregards people who can help her. It’s just that in this case with Seyka, Aloy’s had all of those experiences with the others which has resulted in her ability to trust and be vulnerable. She’s had an inordinate amount of character growth by the end of Singularity. She knows Seyka is worthy of sharing the burden, or at least she’s willing to take that leap of faith. And personally, I love that Seyka’s in a position where she doesn’t have to just let Aloy do whatever she’s gonna do. Seyka uniquely knows the lay of the land, and she’s confident she can make progress herself. That’s a really refreshing dynamic to explore in these games.

Again, is it really that Seyka is just an annoying, perfect, unreasonably beautiful and talented woman who you can’t stand, or are you mostly pissed Aloy has a first crush on her instead of companions we know and love?

#this was long so i’m sure i missed some points #the tldr is:#you don’t HAVE to like her #you don’t have to ship her #and we don’t have to agree :)#seyka #burning shores #burning shores spoilers #hfw #horizon forbidden west #spoilers #my notes

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