#some of them have cool powers i remember them and then i am like wow maybe teenager me had a point

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Ateez Dynamics (San's Perspective)

Time to look into what San's perspective is for the group members. Let's take a look at his thoughts.

Hongjoong (The Protector/5 of Swords) Now normally the 5 of Swords means conflict and arguments between the two. I mean it can happen between the two, but the keyword is controversy, so maybe Hongjoong protects him from that, because we also go the protector card, they may both do this for one another. There is a need to respect each other's boundaries. Okay, I am now being drawn back to their reading, this may help me a bit, because I am getting there could be arguments between the two that may have to do with boundaries. So, the keyword on the deck seems to be important, I respect people's boundaries and expect the same for them. I lowkey think Hongjoong may not do that at times, because he can be so protective, oh, okay, I am starting to get this. So, Hongjoong may not get why he is upset, if you go back to Hongjoong's perspective you'll see what I am talking about, the reason San is showing me why he is upset is because he crosses the line from time to time. Ah, this makes sense, this is why perspective is important ya'll lol This is where the arguments stem from, well allegedly, don't know them, but wow, fascinating stuff here.

Seonghwa (The Partners/10 of Wands) Hmm, there could be a sense of responsibility they put on themselves, they may relate in that sense. There could be a sense of responsibility he feels he has for Seonghwa, or he sees Seonghwa as someone who puts others first and carries the weight of others. I mean they both seems to be that way. Carry the weight of the team, because you have the partners here, so they are the same, a tandem, working together here. It is like they both put their friendship and members first, which carry a lot of burdens for them. So, he relates to him in that sense.

Yunho (The Benefactor/5 of Cups/The Hanged Man) He seems to see Yunho as a man who finds a way to rise to the occasion, or find a way out of a deep whole, or a dark period. He finds a way to reflect at what he lost or what he is disappointed about, work through that, and moves forward. He always takes steps forward, not backwards. He knows his value and worth and uses it for his gain. It is like he takes a step back, pauses for a bit, looks through the situation, he may take some time away to himself to gather himself, and then moves forward. I am not sure he meditates, but the one card gives me that. Anyway, he values what he brings to the team, and probably respects how he handles things. This is more how he feels about him, than the dynamic, but love seeing this. Yunho seems like such a cool dude.

Yeosang (The Angel/Queen of Swords) Okay, he is giving me that he shows more confidence and composure than I thought he had lol Why does he not give me that though? He sees him as very intellectual and very observant. He helps those in need, is a generally sweet person. He guides and protects those he cares about. He keeps his composure through all the struggles and difficulties. There is a strong confidence and belief in himself that he has. Yo, why is Yeosang so hard for me to get? This seems new to me. He did not give me this energy lol Okay, San, thanks for the new information here. He stands for his beliefs. Okay, I remember him being this way, head strong and kind of stubborn, this is ringing a bell now from other readings I did about him. He likes that he is cool, calm and collected. Not overly emotional or dramatic. He knows what he wants and sticks to it. He doesn't say much, but when he speaks it speaks volumes. Interesting

Mingi (The Dreamer/Strength) Not at all surprised by what I see. Well, the strength card is represented by Leo energy. He is a Leo. Powerful, strong, very confident, I heard loyal, okay. Very strong willed, has lots of strength to endure difficult times. He knows his power but knows not to go overboard with it. He is optimistic, hopeful, has lots of dreams, also a strong imagination. He could be very intuitive as well, and also may have vivid dreams and share that with him. He is a force to be reckon with I hear. Once again, more about his love for Mingi, but not much of the dynamic. I guess he wants to share how he feels about him lol

Wooyoung (The Initiator/Queen of Wands/7 of Swords) So, I was going to put back the 7 of swords, because it was behind the QOW's, but I kept it because I want the tea, and both cards flew out hard, they basically fell on the floor, so I am going to keep it. He definitely sees him as very passionate. He sees him as someone who goes after what he wants. He sees him as someone who takes the initiative to get what needs to be done. I felt like someone gave him the opposite energy in a dynamic reading, don't remember who though. Now with that QOW'S energy, girl, how do I say this, I mean he may see him as attractive with this energy, not going to lie. It doesn't have to be romantic thought people, not going there. I mean I see some girls as attractive, doesn't mean I date them. But he also sees him as a shining star, very charming, alluring, has a nice presentation, what that means, who knows, just channeling, but with this 7 of swords, I am getting looks can be deceiving here. So, what I am getting is he isn't what he showcases or appears to be in public, that is what this is giving me. Because the keyword in this deck for 7 of swords is deception, so yeah. I do think he likes him, he gave me more positive energy toward him than others, but he may not be as confident as he appears is what this is giving me, because the keyword for the QOW's is confidence. Interesting once again. Man, San spills the tea, love his energy and how he explains things, he takes me on a journey.

Jongho (The Lustful/6 of Wands) Once again this boy gets the lustful card, I believe he got this for Hongjoong's reading, and also doing his ideal partner reading. Boy is a playboy lol Because the keyword on the card is I embrace my sexuality as a sacred gift, boy stop, anyway. Ya'll he a Freak, okay, let me stop. Umm, yeah, I think he sees him as someone who goes after what he wants and is successful at whatever he wants to achieve. It is like he enjoys winning at all costs. Like whatever he wants he achieves. I mean this could do with potential partner, because man, the lustful card speaks volumes, like why he had to throw that one out lol

Okay, this was a fun ride. I love chatty energies like this. I can't wait to get to his perspective reading, because I know boy wants to talk, his energy is one of the stronger ones for me for that reading. I knew I would enjoy this one and he did not disappoint.

[loverofpiggies]

Oh, you watched Fiona and Cake, great!

I am curious, what were your thoughts about like Winter King or first opening? Or like about overall more mature stuff than in og adventure time

So now that I'm doing a huge rewatch of the OG Adventure Time, I will say I adore both in their own ways.

It was really cool seeing the more mature stuff in Fionna and Cake, sort of like the show 'grew up' with the audience, you know? And do NOT get me started on how much my heart was destroyed by Simons entire plight through.

See I never managed to finish the first show, mostly just got distracted, but on my rewatch I can tell I at least got through six seasons. I like how spaced out the original show is, and it makes the really sad shit with like the Ice King hit like a ton of bricks when it happens. It really feels like you're watching all these wacky people live their lives, and occasionally the horror of the Mushroom War reminds you of its effect, through Marceline, and the Ice King, and every character who was forced to live through it. I don't know, it's really nice!

Okay I'm gonna ramble so I'm putting a read more!

I was wondering if on a rewatch I'd get frustrated the way later seasons of Steven Universe made me get frustrated, but it never felt like that at all. It's just been... fun. It's just Finn and Jake on adventures, occasionally having to set down their fun and recognize the horror of things around them, and it's just. DAMN it's just done so well.

I just got to the episode where Finn meets Prismo and makes the wish, and accidentally ends up wielding the power of the crown, and all it did was break my heart. Like I was sitting there, and for a split second I was like 'wow that crown corrupted him really fast!' and then I remembered.... he was like 13 when he got the crown. He was still a child, and when Simon got the crown, he was what, in his 40s? He was just a kid, and couldn't possibly be able to handle or combat the crowns power. It just punched me in the gut.

So I very much enjoy how spaced out and silly the original Adventure Time is, because its such a unique world I love seeing more of it, and I feel like it makes the heavy scenes hit so much harder. With Fionna and Cake, I love how tight the story is and how structured things are. They're both SUCH good shows, with different ways of writing and different vibes and I adore them equally at this point.

ALSO THE WINTER KING, holy shit don't get me started, but I will rant about this mofo

(These are keychain designs but I decided to put them together on a little canvas)

Firstly, I fucking LOVE the Winter King, and I'm really sad we didn't get more of him. I do wonder if the fact that Fionna's universe wasn't 'canon' during all the universe hopping, that if somehow the multiverse will reverse some things and 'repair' the damage. I'm not even saying that because I want to see the Winter King again, it just absolutely sounds like something that could happen in Adventure Time. Hell, look how they made Fionna and Cake just-- real! Thanks Prismo you're a cool guy.

But in terms of the Winter King as a character, and in terms of his universe? I want SO much more detail. Where is Finn, where is Jake? Marceline either left the Winter King or got killed, so I'm curious there too. The juxtaposition of genuine confidence and whimsy, and the mans incapacity to feel remorse or even real deep sadness (him saying 'Oh! The dead one?' when Simon asked about Betty was... holy shit) he was just an EXTREMELY interesting character, and I so badly want to see more of him.

Also dude was just funny. The fact he straight up admitted he thought about kissing his alternative universe self was so fucking funny, and plays heavily into his narcissistic behavior and tendencies.

On TOP of that, the idea of how he ended up cursing Bubblegum specifically would be so interesting. I read online people assuming when the Ice King did his spell, it was more like "I want Princess Bubblegum to love me, so I'll do a spell so she can understand what I'm feeling and then she'll marry me!" but then the 'understand what I'm feeling' is actually just... "Hey, I feel absolute madness, here, take it off my hands!' and might have just been a huge accident. We certainly can't trust Winter King's words about it.

I don't know. He was so fascinating, and the way he put feelers out to see if Simon would feel the way he does (Specifically talking about making an Ice Betty, then realizing Simon was disturbed so he shrugged it off with a laugh, being like 'no thats immoral obviously haha') and the fact that he was so cautious and smart about avoiding telling Simon how he conquered the crown? Like he would be glad to help and teach Simon how to keep his sanity AND his power... but obviously would have never spoken his secret the more he realized Simon would morally object to it.

I dunno. This character was in the show for 20 minutes and he was so fucking interesting I almost feel robbed. I hope maybe we can get some Adventure Time comics about the guy at the VERY least!

[starryknight-tarot]

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓾𝓼𝓱 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾

pile 1 -- > pile 2 pile 3 -- > pile 4

my masterlist<3 . paid readings Hello beautiful souls✨Today we will be looking what your celebrity crush would think of you if you met. This might be a little shorter cause it's just for the kicks and giggles but if you meet your celeb crush you will know how they think about you lol. Remember to meditate, take a deep breath and pick whatever pile calls to you the most. My readings are meant for everyone, no matter what sexuality or identity you are. Since this is a general reading, make sure to take what resonates and leave what doesn't.

Pile 1 Cards: The Magician rx, Page of Wands, The Hierophant, Nine of Cups, Four of Swords, Four of Pentacles, The Star, Page of Cups Back of the Deck: Knight of Cups

Pile 1, I feel like your celebrity would really appreciate you. You may have liked this person for a really long time, like before they really blew up or even since the very beginning of their career. I feel like your celebrity crush acknowledges that they won't have anything of what they have now without people like you so if you were to meet, they would be really kind to you, I even just saw the imagery of someone kissing someone's hand so they may be very polite and like prince like(?). It's really cute it got me blushing lol. I feel like this meeting would be like a dream come true for you (obviously) but I feel like they may also be pretty excited to meet you and they would just find you pretty cute. I am getting that your celebrity crush would actually really like you, I feel like you would have a really nice conversation. I am being brought to a conversation I saw between the NCT member Ten and a fan that he was talking to over video call and I remember thinking to myself while watching their conversation, "Wow they are talking to each other like they are good friends or they already knew each other well.". I feel like you could have this kind of connection with your celebrity crush. Although, I do feel like your celebrity crush won't be able to look past the fan/celebrity aspect of your relationship. They know that there is a sort of power imbalance in your relationship or it may be that you will always just see them as this celebrity that is so cool and talented, and you may struggle to see the more human parts of them. You may also be a lot younger than them and they may see you in a more youthful way. For some of you, they want you to spend a little less time focusing on them and taking some time for yourself. But overall, they seemed to think you are pretty fun.

Advice Cards:

Make your presence felt You can if you think and believe you can Remember that in universal law, all is well and fair You are wiser than you think It's time to realize the blueprint of your soul Considerable and consistent effort may now be required You are greater than your story

Channeled Songs:

Pile 2 Cards: Knight of Cups, Nine of Swords, Six of Cups rx, Ten of Cups, The Sun, The Magician rx, Eight of Swords, Three of Pentacles rx Back of the Deck: Four of Pentacles

Ngl Pile 2, I'm picking up that your celebrity crush would be a little scared of you at first. For some of yall, you may come off pretty strongly and it might throw them off but I don't think thats for everyone (if yall are into the group TXT, there was this one girl that went up to Huening Kai at a fan sign and basically started throwing compliments at him and I'm sure he was flattered but it was A LOT, to the point that Beomgyu asked if she was a rapper cause she was speaking so fast, spirit keeps showing me this so I thought I would mention it lol) I am getting that they may be a kind of shy and timid person, even if they don't really seem like it and I feel like you have a really intense personality. I don't think this is in a bad way, it may be that you are loud, talkative, or just really energetic and I feel like this is a kind of energy your celebrity crush isn't used to. Their first impression of you just might be that they are nervous around someone with so much energy. I am also picking up for some of yall they are gonna feel shy cause they find you really attractive and they are afraid of making a fool out of themselves (aye go get em Pile 2). You may also have a pretty bold appearance (unique hair, colorful makeup, tattoos and piercings) and they may make certain assumptions about you from your looks but I feel like overall they are kinda blushing from your looks Pile 2. Yeah I feel like you would make them feel self conscious. Spirit keeps telling me that they would be learning a lesson from you(?). You would teach them an important lesson to nurture your inner child and to be authentically yourself. Your celebrity crush would see you as a really successful person, someone that is living life to the fullest. They see you as very independent and capable, like you could do anything you put your mind to.

Advice Cards:

A connection needs deeper attention You can manifest your heart's desire Give up resistance in your current situation Control is an illusion. Surrender and allow the Universe to guide you You are moving beyond your old form. Congratulations! Complete the project or task. Something is calling for closure

Channeled Songs:

Pile 3 Cards: King of Wands, Three of Swords, The High Priestess, Seven of Swords, The Lovers rx, Nine of Pentacles rx, The Magician rx, Two of Pentacles, Back of the Deck: Eight of Swords

Pile 3, you would straight up remind them of their ex. That message came out the strongest as I was shuffling. Spirit is telling me it's mostly because of how you look, you have a similar face structure or hair style to someone that they used to know (wonder what the channeled song is lol). You could also resemble another celebrity or person in their life and they can't help but see you as that person, I feel like they would accidentally say that person's name to you. I feel like after getting to know you, they would be REALLY interested in you, like probably more interested in you then you are in them. Like Pile 2, I feel like they would also be pretty self conscious around you, although I feel like this would be stronger than Pile 2 because they would really want you to like them. I heard "Senpai wants you to notice him."LMAO. I'm getting that your celebrity crush would actually think about you a lot, they may even have dreams about you right now (although I am hearing some of yall have been using some spells to make them think of you so if you have, this is confirmation that it is working). Honestly Pile 3, I picking up that your celebrity crush may have a lot of internal problems that they need to work on and if you knew them personally, I would advise you to distance yourself from them to give them time to work on themselves. I don't think your celebrity crush is a bad person at all, but they do got some stuff they need to work through. I am also picking up a small energy that some of yalls celebrity crush would see you really cool and chill, specially someone they would wanna play games with.

Advice Cards:

Be sure to keep your promises, especially to yourself Reflect on the state and use of your personal energy Give up resistance in your current situation Create a plan and take the first step A connection needs a deeper attention You may need to take a break from the situation or simply take a rest Spend some time in stillness to reflect

Channeled Songs:

Pile 4 Cards: The Chariot, The Fool rx, The Empress, Two of Wands rx, The Hierophant, Ace of Pentacles, Ace of Wands, Ten of Swords rx Back of the Deck: Page of Pentacles

Congratulations Pile 4, this is the only pile I pick up on romantic feelings lmao. It's pretty cute honestly. I feel like they would be pretty awe struck by you but OH MY GOODNESS Pile 4. All piles have kinda showed signs that they would find all physically attractive but this pile is on another level. The mixer of The Hierophant and Empress, I just see straight worship for you like yall. They are on their hands and knee for yall. Spirit is telling me if they could, they would make a whole statue or painting or some shit to show off your beauty. They be simping for you Pile 4. If you were talking, their attention is ON YOU, they are listening to every words. They see you as SO talent and smart Pile 4, they would feel like you have a lot of potential to do really amazing things, they would probably do everything in their power to help you out. Although, they would feel like they won't need to do anything cause you are just so powerful. Your celebrity crush would be at a loss of words around Pile 4. I am picking up some of yall are on the shy and quiet side but they would find it really cute. A very strong message from this reading is that they wouldn't want a conversation with you to end. Spending time with you, they wouldn't wanna go home. I am feeling that if you met, they would probably make a fool out of themselves and look stupid but it would come off as kinda cute. This is actually one of those rare moments when I actually don't see any negative energy from this Pile at all, this pile has a very comforting feeling, and they would probably feel that way around you. Comfy and cozy.

Advice Cards:

You need to make the first move Change is being introduced into your life Act on what you know A powerful dream will guide you The issue at hand is about reflection. What is the mirror showing you? A change in attitude toward the greater good could be beneficial

Channeled Songs:

(really felt like I needed to add literally any song called Attention but this one felt the best with the energy of the reading)

Thanks for tuning in₊‧.°.⋆🫧•˚₊‧⋆.

[1000sunnygo]

The Three Captain's Interview (2021) Part 2: Mayumi Tanaka as Luffy & Namikawa Daisuke as Kidd - Translated

The ask I received got deleted, I'm sorry! 😩

I've decided not to half-ass it, here's the remaining part of the interview with Namikawa san and Mayumi san's answers.

👒 : Tanaka Mayumi (Luffy)

🌷 : Namikawa Daisuke (Captain Kidd)

+ Kamiya Hiroshi as Law (already translated, check here)

-

Q. How did you feel when you got the role?

👒: I was mostly indifferent, as the work (the manga) itself was unknown to me back then. In retrospect, I think it was for the best. I mean, if you know it's a deeply beloved work, you'd feel greedy, won't you? That's why I passed the audition without feeling nervous. Looking back now, maybe it matched Luffy's freedom.

🌷: I remember vividly. Among the eleven rookies with more than 100 million bounty, Kidd's was the highest. I had a clear image of the voice that would express Kidd's powerful appearance, but I couldn't imagine myself playing the role of Kidd. So, I didn't know how to do the voice. I kept thinking about it while recording. I still have a hard time doing Kidd's voice, but it was even harder back then than it is now.

-

Q. Did you have any specific thoughts or feelings while playing in One Piece?

👒: In One Piece, there is the unshakable pillar called 'Eiichiro Oda' , but it's not enough to rely on him. I want people to think, "Wow, One Piece really is amazing" when - including myself, all the individual creators' imagination, music, scenarios, and everything else come together! We'd like to continue to create moments in anime that surpass the original manga.

🌷: Many One piece fans would say it's "fire" when expressing their opinions. Thinking about what makes them feel fired up, I can clearly see it in the scripts. The lines of a good scene are spread over several cuts. I feel that the timing; or rather, the process of speech delivery is given a high importance. So, in pursuit of an impact on the audience, when the scripts says "haah?" I myself try to stretch it with "HA~aah??" - to make everyone feel even more fired up.

[T/N: The Japanese word used was "hot", while "fire" expresses a different type of feeling, I think it works as a closer substitute.]

-

Q. Impression of the character you're currently playing?

👒: Someone who accepts his weakness, says "I can't" when he can't do something and then relies on his friends, and never wavers from the freedom of doing so.

🌷: He's surprisingly kind and considerate of his crew mates. He'd often say "Let's go!" and bring along some of them, but that's not because he's afraid. I interpret it as saying, "I'll protect y'all no matter what, so let's enjoy the thrill of going ahead together!"

-

Q. Thoughts on Mayumi Tanaka's Luffy?

🌷: Unwavering...isn't he? The story moves on, but the same old Luffy is always there. Regardless of the state you're in while watching anime, you can always relax and enjoy One piece. I think this is where Mayumi san's Luffy comes off as an undisputed champion. It's quite difficult to keep things the same for decades, so I have deep respect for it.

-

Q. Thoughts on Daisuke Namikawa's Kidd and Hiroshi Kamiya's Law?

👒: Some voice actors separate their personal lives from work, but those two are as transparent as I am! It doesn't have to do with their roles, but that makes it comfortable to work with them, so I enjoy it a lot.

🌷: Law looks cool, but he has his passionate sides; he has the calm aura, but he also becomes emotional. You need to incorporate a variety of elements to express those subtle ups and down in a Law-like manner, so I think it's an incredibly difficult role. That's why I think Kamiya kun puts a lot of thoughts and efforts in his performance.

That said, I can't help but feel a storm of jealousy regarding their rankings in the worldwide popularity poll (laughs). Law was in top 5, and Kid was 23rd. Even though they don't have the same screentime frequency, they were introduced at the same time, yet the difference was so big... Like, I understand Law's charm, but it was frustrating!

-

Q. Do you think it's possible to win against Kaidou?

👒: Of course, it's possible. But the absolute winner has to be Tesshô Genda (Kaido's voice actor). I don't think I can compete with that deep voice.. Well, I'd win though (laughs)

🌷: I want to believe that Kidd wouldn't lose his heart over his defeats. He doesn't intend to be beaten by anyone.

(T/N: Fun fact, Mayumi Tanaka doesn't read the manga. She only learns the manga's events when she reads her script. Sanji's actor Hiroaki Hirata does the same, and he admitted that he doesn't know much of the parts of story where sanji is absent.)

[dreamstate4you]

New beginnings.

chapter 0.3

They all finally left the little village. Each of them a bit quiet then when they originally arrived ,but unlike a sad atmosphere it once was now one of peace. They had learned and now they needed time to process things.

Venti seemed to be looking down on the clouds Appa was flying over. Stretching her Hand as if she wants to touch the cloud. Occasionally Katara would ask some questions to the girl and so Would venti.

Aang was flying Appa in his train of thoughts. No one disturbed him. Everyone gave him time to collect his thought. He was the one who seemed to be affected by this the most.

Katara was sewing her clothes that sokka had torn and Sokka. Well... He was looking at venti ever too curious

"So what magic trick can you do?" Sokka finally asked venti. "In your songs you talked about a magice carpet. Do you have it with you." He beamed

"What magic trick do you want me to show you? And no That was just a song, Sokka ,but I can make a carpet fly." Venti pulled her hand back from the clouds and faced the boy with a smile.

"Awesome! how about something that can help with fighting. Can you something like that?" Sokka continued to make some punching sounds in the air.

"Here let me show you." Venti stood up on appa's little mat. Katara leaving her sewing behind and Aang letting go of appa's ropes to look at the girl.

Venti walked over to just about the edge and extended her arms out to the clouds.

"The clouds are made out of air and water. If I can put it under extreme pressure." She put her hand in a stiff and powerful bending position.

Everyone watched as a piece of cloud flouted and placed itself on her hand. She seemed to have a look of struggling as her eyebrows were together and her hand slightly shaking.

Everyone watched as the cloud spun itself in a fast speed before completing stopping and evaporating away. But something was left. It seemed like a ice shard. No more than the size of a tooth pic.

" You can create ice." Venti fished her sentence as she held the ice pick on her hand.

"Wow cool!" Aang walked over to get a closer look. So did Katara.

"How did you do that. Isn't that water bending?" Katar questioned as she took the pick from Venti to investigate further, Aang following around as Katara held it.

" That's it?" Sokka replied bored.

"What do you mean sokka. Venti just did some water bending but she's an Airbender." Aang defended her.

"Well it's not water bending to say. I'm not the Avatar. But water does have some elements of Air and hence why I am control a small part of it." Venti explained to them.

"Wait." Katara opened her water cap to bend a small ball of water out. "Can you bend this?"

Venti extended her fingers out focused on the ball of water that katara was holding.

"Let go in 3...2...1."

Katara let go of any bending she was still holding on her water ball. The water splashed into appa's carpet.

"Ha, nope not a water bender." Venti Chuckled.

"What else do you know?" Aang asked enthusiasticly.

Venti held her hand in a thinking motion as if she was in deep thought. "I can sand bend, but that's not special. Every Airbender can do that."

"Have you meet other Airbenders?" Aang asked again innocently curious about the other Airbenders that mangaered to escape the mass murder of almost all Airbenders.

"Yeah I have! There's Malan. She's great you'd love her she's like an earth bender but with air. She uses the air and surrounds rocks with it and bends it." Venti chuckled at the memory "I remember her using that technique to prove she was an 'earthbender' after the firenation got suspicious as to why there was strong wind on a sunny hot day."

Venti continued to laugh with tears prickling from her eyes. Noticing how Aang had a somber smile on his face as he looked at her laugh.

"I'm sorry Aang."

"Don't be. I'm actually happy to know that I'm not the last Airbender." Aang crossed his leg to sit down on the carpet with a happy smile on his face.

"ARG! Enough about this. Venti you do have money right. We can stop by somewhere and get some food real quick." Sokka said as his stomach started rumbling.

"Sure." Venti crawled over to her bag. Searching before she suddenly stops and slowly turns to sokka. Katara scolding him about how they just ate

"I take back what I said..." She hesitantly smiled. "I don't have my money bag." Venti held her head in frustration "Rohan that earthbending snake."

"NOOO" sokka exaduraded as he slowly slumped down. His growling stomach accompanied him.

"Come one Sokka we can hunt for food like we alway do." Katara set down to pick up her sewing work

"Yeah and I can also help." Venti said enthusiastic but sokka only replied with hungry groans.

"It's not the same~" he moaned out as he faked cried.

Aang stoop up from the mat to go sit on Appa's head. He turned to face us with a bright and beaming smile. "It's also getting late. We should let Appa rest too."

Aang flew Appa down and they landed in an area that was covered in trees. Once they were down venti and Katara started setting up camp to sleep on.

Sokka was the first to go get fire wood with Aang as Katara was taking out their sleeping bags.

Once sokka was back he threw the fire wood in a pile and slouched into his sleeping back.

"Goodnight you all." He said in a sad and lazy tone

"Sokka the sun is still setting."

"No food, No sokka."

Aang deadplaned at him. He moved to go grab something to start a small fire with so they could get warm before night actually began.

Katara stood up to go fetch some water from the rivers. Leaving Aang ,who was zoned out in the fire, and Venti who was going through her bag.

"So what's the plan, Mr avatar." Venti asked while she was still shuffling through her bag. "You mastered every element or?"

"No." Aang pulled his knees closer to his face.

Venti decided to not say anything and wait until Aang was ready to continue.

"Water is next, then earth and then fire."

Aang said still focused on the flickering flame.

Venti nodded at his answer. "And air."

Aang turned to look at her with a confused face. "What do you mean? "

"I may have not been raised in the temples ,but I do know quite a few things you might not know. You could teach me something. "

Katara finally returned from fetching the water. By now the sun had fully set the sky was a deep purple colour.

Katara took a seat next to Aang around the fire while venti was still standing beside Appa.

"Tell me about the temples. I've only heard about them through stories and songs."

Aang seemed to light up at the idea of that.

"Even better we'll take you to the temples."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Katara inturpted. "We need to get you to the northern tribe so you can learn Water bending, remember."

Aang sloched at katara's comment.

"I mean katara's right. We should probably focus on your avatar duty. I can always go visit the temples after." Venti tried to cheer up.

A yawn found itself into venti's mouth.

"I'm gonna join sokka in the dream relm." Venti walked over to her sleeping bag that was on the other side of sokka's bag. Just one meter away from earth other. She patted it down before climbing in to close her eyes.

Leaving Aang and Katara to enjoy the heat from the fire that continued to burn bright.

[minthandsoap]

The Interview

1250 words

Interviewer: Welcome to or welcome back to The Late Night at Godolkin! Tonight, we've got some heavy hitters in the studio - none other than the power couple themselves, Jordan Li and Marie Moreau! Ranked number two and seven, respectively, these two aren't just powerful, they're practically campus royalty! So, Jordan, Marie, how does it feel being our very own God U's favorite couple? Pressure much?

Jordan: (chuckles) Favorite? Not surprising, we’re fucking amazing, so nah, it’s no pressure.

Interviewer: (laughs) How modest! The whole campus has been talking about you guys. So, spill- tell us how two souls like yourselves, amidst the chaos of campus life while being superheroes, found their way to...well, this? Tell us your origin story!

Marie: (blushing) Oh, you know, we didn’t exactly get along at first. First time I met them, we didn’t immediately… click.

Jordan: (chuckles) Yeah, she stormed into my office, demanded to speak to Professor Brink, and insulted my intelligence all within the same breath. Not before flirting with me first.

Marie: (nudges Jordan playfully) That is not what fucking happened and you know it, Jordan.

Jordan: (raises an eyebrow at Marie) Yeah? What was inaccurate about what I said then?

Marie: (rolls her eyes) Shut up, oh my god. They (Jordan had) rejected me from Intro to Crimefighting so, of course, I had to come in hot. But it ended up working out for us anyway.

Jordan: Yeah

Interviewer: (teasingly) Great how that worked out for you guys! So, who made the first move? I’m feeling like it was Jordan? Tell me it was Jordan (laughs)

Marie: (laughs softly) Actually, it was me. We were “studying” (air quotes) in Jordan’s room and (we) decided to take a smoke break. Well, Jordan did and they had asked me if I wanted a hit (of weed) as well. Anyways, like an hour and a half later, I’m high off my fucking mind and I kind of just turn to Jordan and ask “I think you’re pretty, cool, and fun! Wanna go out?”

Interviewer: Awwww oh my god, that’s so cute! And Jordan you probably immediately said yes right?

Jordan: (smiling) Nah. I told Marie to wait a few hours after she came the fuck back to Earth to ask me that again. She (Marie) didn’t remember asking me that. Kinda had geared her to ask me again. Definitely said yes the second time though.

Interviewer: So I have to ask: there are still many on this campus and to be honest the entire country who find both of your respective powers to be… interesting. What do you have to say to that?

Jordan: (raises brow) If by interesting you mean fucking weird? I mean it does suck. I wish that people could see me as me and not some freak show you know? But in the meantime, they can all just suck my gigantic *bleep* and my *bleep* cause I could give less of a *bleeping bleep* and *bleep*everyone who wants to *bleeping* say *bleeping* otherwise.

Interviewer: (laughs nervously)  Wow… you are passionate about this topic-

Jordan: True

Interviewer: —so Marie, what’s your response?

Marie: (smiles) Yeah, I agree with Jordan. I don’t particularly like the fact that my powers are seen as unhygienic and whatnot but it is what it is. So yeah, everyone can go suck it!

Jordan: You’re so cute babe.

Marie: (smiling) I know!

Interviewer: I love it! So, shifting topics slightly, what do you guys like to do for fun then?

Marie: (looks over to Jordan) What do we like to do for fun? Uhhh… what do we like to do for fun Jordan?

Jordan: We like to fuck. Hard.

Marie: (slaps Jordan’s arm) Jordan! Be serious right now.

Jordan: (shrugs) I am serious though.

Interviewer: We’ll just cut that out and try that question again-

**************

Interviewer: So what do you guys do in your free time? Movies? Dinners?

Jordan: I am being silenced so no comment. 

Marie: Yeah we have movie nights and stuff. We also train a lot together! Jordan’s been really helpful to me with that (rubs Jordan’s thigh)

Jordan: We also like to fu-

Interviewer: Moving on! So, asking some stupid questions that I got from Google-

Jordan: (interrupts) Why are you asking us stupid questions?

Marie: Jordan my god! I will hurt you, stop it!

Jordan: Oh baby, please do.

Interviewer: (nervously chuckles) Anyways, the question is: “If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?”

Marie: Probably my knife and my journal. 

Interviewer: Yeah? Why those two things specifically?

Marie: Well, my knife goes with me everywhere, if I need blood, it's (the knife) the fastest way for me to get access to it. And I’d bring my journal so I can document everything. Keep track of how many days have passed, my thoughts, my feelings etcetera. 

Interviewer: Makes sense! Jordan, how about you?

Jordan: Easy. My phone, earbuds, and Marie.

Marie: (raises an eyebrow at Jordan) First of all; the question said two items not three and second of all, I am not an item.

Jordan: (grins) Didn’t say you were babe

Marie: But you implied it when you grouped me in your answer… with two other items Jordan.

Jordan: (grins fucking wider) No you did, just now. You referred to yourself as an item, not I (shrugs)

Marie: Jordan I will seriously fucking hurt you.

Jordan: (leans to Marie) Again, please fucking do.

Marie: Weirdo.

Jordan: I don’t deny.

Interviewer: Okayyyy so Jordan, why those three—sorry two items then?

Jordan: Bringing my phone so I can try my hardest to get the fuck off the island. My earbuds just in case I can’t escape, I can at least listen to good music while I suffer in my personal hell. And Marie so we can fu-

Interviewer: (shakes head frantically) Alright, I’m just going to move on to my last question then. (chuckles extremely nervously) How would you describe your partnership?

Marie: I’d say we're each other's anchors, a reality check when things get too…crazy. Jordan pulls me back from the edge, and I help them stay grounded. We challenge each other, support each other, and most importantly, have each other's backs.

Jordan: Definitely. Marie inspires me to be better, to never lose sight of what's truly important. And she's got this incredibly unwavering faith in me, even when I doubt myself. I couldn’t ask for anything better than that to be honest. I love her (Marie)

Marie: (smiles) And I love you!

Interviewer: Beautiful note to end with! Thank you, Marie and Jordan, for sharing your beautiful story. 

Jordan: Thanks for having us Jayda

Interviewer: (eye slightly twitches) It’s Justine.

Jordan: Oops

Justine: And thank you, to my listeners, for tuning in tonight and every Friday for The Late Night at Godolkin. Next week, we’ll have our very own Dean Shetty gracing our podcast and sharing her insights. Goodnight everyone, see you next week!

AND CUT 

******************

The air crackled with a sudden awkwardness in the podcast booth. Justine, the producer, dropped her headphones with a huff, the silence deafening after their segment. "Look, guys," she said, crossing her arms, "I know I said you could loosen up a bit, cuss here and there, but I didn’t mean in every damn sentence. This is a professional podcast.

"Well, shit, Justine," they drawled, "should've fucking clarified that from the start then-"

“What they mean,” Marie interrupted quickly, giving Jordan a pointed look, “is that we’re sorry and it won’t happen again Jasmine.” Marie finished flashing a warm smile in her direction.

“It’s Justine!” Justine snarled before storming off.

“Whoops.”

[lanaevyssmoved]

how do you feel about people getting astarion’s scars as tattoos because when i saw it i was like uh….

so i was thinking about how to answer this question for a bit and i've come to the conclusion that my struggles because i am completely gobsmacked that in 2023 we still have issues like this

i am 29 years old, which i think is very important to bring up. i've been on tumblr for over a decade, i remember when people were actually doxxed over kinning a character who did a murder once. i remember when lives were destroyed over how people chose to love a video game character. i remember when an ask like this would cause a witch hunt that ended in someone being genuinely unsafe. i think asks like this can still be dangerous, and i can't post this without making that clear. while i'd like to think this wouldn't happen anymore, i can't say for sure, i think we need to have the self awareness of what can come, when our history, as in tumblrs history, is full of things like this being actually deadly. sorry if that's a little too serious for the vibe you're putting out, but that shit was fucking traumatising and i'm not gonna pretend it wasn't, so this ask was a little scary to receive and my upcoming honesty? i'm scared to put it out there on gut instinct alone haha (insert comment about astarion kinnies here)

astarion is a video game character with intent to make you feel things, good or bad. he is designed to tell a story and attach you to that story. he is designed to make your little brain juices sizzle when he says a funny or makes you sad. i'm sure this is obvious, but your concern for what people do with these feelings makes me think it might not be.

the scars are fucking cool design. they were made to be fucking cool. you're meant to look at them the first time you do and go WHOA.... it is very easy to appreciate the work and effort that went into them by whomever designed them, they have a lot to be proud about. if someone wants the scars as a tattoo because they think it's cool, more power to them. that's a fucking expensive tattoo, it would take a long ass time to be finished and heal, it would never be an easy decision for these facts alone.. and adults can do whatever they like with their money. he doesn't exist, he isn't real, he can't be offended by this, and you shouldn't be either.

and now i have to get sensitive with it because astarions story, whether you want to think of this or not, can, and will, resonate with abused people. many kinds of people of course, but most especially abuse victims. as a victim myself, parts of his story hit just a little too close to home and hurt. now think of someone who might have it hit closer to home than it did for me, someone who finds more connection with what astarion went through and what they went through. now imagine how important astarion is to that person, his reclaiming of autonomy, his reclaiming of agency, etc. i can see someone wanting the scars as tattoos because then in their mind they can be astarion and do what astarion did. they can be closer to astarion and use that strength to survive and push through. they can feel what he felt and survive (obviously it's not the same, but it's the symbolism). unfortunately you cannot dismiss that some people may be doing it out of a place of trauma and using astarion to help them heal. i'm not arguing whether or not this is healthy, i've certainly done similar in my youth when it comes to relating to characters who have been abused, we all find our ways to cope, and we all find our places of strength.

astarion doesn't exist, he was created in a game studio with intent to make you feel shit, as established already, including intent to make you feel so strongly you want to put pieces of him on your skin forever, like, that's a compliment when it comes to making characters. if afhiri had something on her skin that signified trauma, and someone wanted to permanently put that on their skin? wow, she means that much to you? you liked her that much? that's a gods damn compliment. and i cannot see those who worked closely with astarions creation seeing it any other way.

what i can say is that when i was younger, 20-23ish, i probably would have given it an 'uh...' too, but as i grew older i realised that life is draining, it is hard, and there is no room to healthily view video game characters as any more than some code and 3d model that exist exclusively to make you feel something strong enough that you might want them with you forever, because that's the end goal, to make you feel that strongly, and if you wanna spend that hard earned money you make on putting the cool scars on your back, or the scars that make you feel so emotional that you cry on your back, do it. let the character whose made this rough existence a little easier or mean a little more do that for you, and if you wanna express it through a tattoo, do that, it's your body, your flesh.

i'm rambling on because i am so passionate in that life is too short to judge others via this. our lives are too hard already, life sucks enough as it is. the video game character doesn't give a shit if his scars are a tattoo because he's not real. who cares? why do you care? no, seriously, why do you care? does this help you? is it good for you? is judging someone else's decisions an act that brings you actual, real joy? is that how you want to spend your time? where you want to put your free thoughts? you don't know them, their reasoning, what they're going through, and it shouldn't matter. because their body has absolutely nothing to do with you, and i find it weird and uncomfortable that you cared enough about what someone else does with their body that you'd send me an anon about it.

i don't know whether you were looking for validation, or me to generally think about this critically, but i cannot encourage the mindset of caring about this more than "wow, i hope it looks good because that shit gonna be expeeeensive!!!" i cannot encourage sending people anon asks about it, it is strange to do that. this was strange! it was a strange experience and i don't like it. but i couldn't ignore it.

astarion might matter to you, personally, but he himself as a video game character, doesn't, because he isn't real, he has no feelings, he cannot be hurt or offended. but the person getting the tattoo? they're real. they're a real life person with feelings. they can be hurt, you can hurt them. you can judge them and bring them down and make them feel guilty for their choices. deciding whether you are the kind of person who'd do that to a living breathing person over a video game character is something you need to do. do you want to be that person? i know i certainly don't

[nineevees]

general thoughts on the wk “our blue and green world” special (for funsies)

they had me in the beginning, by the end they completely lost me tho lolol

!! SPOILER WARNING FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SEEN THE EPISODE YET !!

things i liked:

the intro was!! very good!! loved how they started in space and then gradually zoomed into earth, that was really fun :D

always excited to see how the background of the final shot changes in these specials !!

right away i am so glad they finally color corrected everything i couldn’t stand how bright everything was in season 6 T_T

chris being able to just effortlessly fold his t-shirts into a stack made me laugh lol

i don’t care if anyone says the song sounded flat as hell. the disbelief i had when it first came on. “what is this music what is goin- IS THIS A SONG??” the pure, unadulterated joy i experienced from it. it may be cringe but it has set me free.

idk. i’m just glad to see all these characters back after the hiatus :D

the resplendent quetzal is!! so cool!! so pretty!! i’d love an episode just dedicated to it

saw someone say this already but common aviva W for inventing two creature power discs at once !! it’s her world we are simply all living in it

BLUE WHALES ARE AS BIG AS TWO BRONTOSAURUSES?? waow

i think ever since i’ve gotten past the age of. elementary school. martin’s nicknames for animals have been kind of hit-or-miss for me? (though it might just depend on who’s writing the script i dunno) but i liked kablooey!! (kabluey?) it’s a very cute name :D

zach remembered that he has hacker bots he can use (which are. arguably his best invention?? i’m pretty sure?? i get why they don’t use them every single time zach shows up bc that would get old quickly but it establishes that despite being a whiny man-child who couldn’t tell a walrus from a wombat or a wallaby, he can still be a threat to the wk team)

indri lemur my beloved 🫶🫶

and everyone’s been talking about that so um. let me throw my hat into the ring then.

i can see the intention behind trying to redeem paisley, but it just. doesn’t really match with what’s been established by her character?

the entire special hit me with subsequent punches of “wow this is a kid’s show and i am NOT the target demographic” when they were talking about the water cycle and explaining global warming. so it makes sense, in a sort of wish-fulfillment kind of way that they’d try and redeem the villain whose goal is arguably the most realistic out of the main four.

zach’s main gimmick is using wild animals for his own technology. donita uses wild animals for fashion. gourmand cooks and eats wild animals. yes, the latter two can and do happen in real life (not… really sure about zach’s but that’s not the point). but paisley’s gimmick was never about harming animals, but destroying the environment they live in, in order to build things for humans instead. she’s the kind of person who you’d most likely encounter in real life. redeeming paisley has nothing to do with her character (a businesswoman who finds nature “yucky” as seen in the spirit bear and Asian elephant episodes), instead her general gimmick. wouldn’t it be nice if we could get the people destroying animals’ homes to truly see how beautiful nature can be? so much so that they stop trying to destroy it and instead attempt to help preserve it?

(this is just a personal nitpick but paisley’s new design absolutely is NOT working for me srry)

after i watched the special i had some ideas abt how it potentially could have gone instead?:

don’t redeem paisley at all: again, i get the general idea of why they did this but also. it doesn’t?? line up with her character at all?? the way she was acting in the beginning was fine and perfectly in character for her. she just wants nature out of the way in order to complete her plans, and she has no time for zach being overly concerned with the wild kratts. you could argue that her knowing that dolphins and whales weren’t fish but mammals was foreshadowing to her redemption, but like… paisley’s not dumb?? donita has also corrected zach on not knowing his animals in the past so unless you’re also going to argue for a possible donita redemption in the future then. yeah. i dunno. the other villains didn’t need a redemption to make the special they were in interesting, i don’t see how this one should be any different.

another redemption fake-out, but do it much earlier in the story: i have. my own gripes about how the plot of this special went but we’ll save that for later. have paisley initially be dismissive of the wild kratts’s presence, but once she learns that the kratt brothers are arguing and that aviva, koki, and jimmy are spending all of their time trying to get them to make up, pounce on that opportunity. have her go all over-the-top (like she did in her canon redemption) and trick the wild kratts into thinking she’s turned good, only for her to turn on them in the second half. this might be too similar to “a creature christmas” though. this one would take up more of the plot if that’s any consolation?

give a hint to a paisley redemption arc, but don’t make her do a complete 180 right away: if they’re adamant on redeeming paisley (again, i see the general idea behind this gimmick-wise), then they could still do it and make it fit with her character. remember that paisley’s intentions are not to harm animals, but their environment (which is not any better, making that clear). she can still have her awed-by-coral moment, but maybe. tone it down?? she can have second thoughts about going with the plan, but have zach or rex* encourage her to continue. she steels her resolve, but remembers the coral, and hesitates. and the kratt brothers use that last-minute hesitation to defeat zach’s zachbots and paisley’s pavers. have paisley question why she couldn’t go through with it as she and zach leave madagascar. you could have aviva or one of the other wild kratts theorize that paisley has started to have a change of heart after seeing what nature is capable of, if left to thrive. but again: don’t redeem her right away. hint at it, and then explore it whenever she appears as the main antagonist in an episode of season 7.

*i’m admittedly not caught up on all of wk, but like. did paisley fire rex or something. WHERE WAS HE THIS ENTIRE SPECIAL??

as for the plot point of the kratt brothers fighting… yeah that definitely could have gone better.

(again, minor nitpick but jimmy saying that this was the first time he’s seen the brothers fight,, then implied that it happened every single laundry day,, but also he’s definitely seen them fight before? or had disagreements at least?? isn’t that the premise of at least two different episodes not counting this special. this script is also Not My Favorite. not sure how to explain it but some of the dialogue seems a little awkward?)

ik that the brothers get into danger 24/7 but i feel like. martin should be a little bit concerned that chris was getting squeezed to death by a green anaconda?? like you don’t have to make him overtly worried to the point of apologizing, but you could at least. make him look at chris with concern? i get that the point is that “oh no the brothers are fighting so they won’t help each other when one’s in danger” but. martin your brother is dying STOP SMILING NONCHALANTLY.

the resolution between the brothers was. kind of rushed? all it took was chris complimenting martin (“nice one, bro!”) and then activating some creature powers and then everything was fine. is. is that all it took?

if you liked it then that’s 100% fine !! i’m glad you enjoyed it :D it just wasn’t for me

just my personal preference but i think i would have preferred it if we spent more time with the brothers solo (martin at sea and chris in the rainforest) and have them come to their realizations that the planet needs both blues and greens to thrive separately. like martin sees the planktonic soup and acknowledges that the creatures who live in the ocean need a little green to survive. or chris sees how important rivers are in the amazon and remembers how the rivers will eventually flow into the ocean. and both of the brothers remember their adventures with each other (or aviva, koki, and jimmy remind them). they can still be stubborn and not forgive each other, but i’d like them to at least like. acknowledge each other’s pov and respect it.

or: do something with aviva trying to program two creature power suits at once (the brothers are both in madagascar at this point). like, what if there was a creature power suit malfunction where martin is a blue whale at first, but then turns into an indri. and chris starts our as an indri but then his suit malfunctions and he becomes a blue whale. the bros swap places, with martin going on land and chris going to sea, and then they realize that the other had a point - the land is home to so many wonderful creatures and so are the oceans. and how both are connected and make the earth their home. boom, reconciliation.

also another personal preference thing, i really wish they spent more time with kablooey/kabluey and mambiky (?). i’m here for cool creatures and i wanna see more of the cool creatures !! is that so much to ask for !!

also also. i think the indri-conda was born bc someone saw the pun potential and to that i say. no comment.

i still have. a lot of thoughts but i think i’ll just leave it there for now. ik i criticized it a lot but i did genuinely enjoy the special :D i’m happy to have the brothers back from hiatus and can’t wait to watch the other episodes !!

[go-to-autistic-crypt1d]

I'm re-watching SGA again and omfg the first episode when weir and daniel are talking, "Atlantis" "I think we can go there" CHILLS

(Gonna be updating this like live tweeting because I can and I will)

-(@autistic-crypt1d)

Updates:

- Ok so straight up did not remember there was no intro for the first few episodes. Also, John and Teyla's first interactions are sooooo awkward, I always forget that. DAMN the plot is so good right off the bat though. The city rising from the ocean??? BEAUTIFUL, MORE CHILLS, GORGEOUS.

- the color scheme and lighting for the wraith ships is soooooo different in the beginning WOW. The blue and grey, complete lack of other colors aside from a slight yellowish light. So drastically different from the heavy yellow and green fleshyness it becomes later on.

- FORD, AHH 💛

- I've always wondered if the red haired wraith was intentionally not following the black or white hair scheme or if that was a pilot thing where they hadn't thought that far yet. (If anyone knows please lmk)

- DAMN the wraith are so fucking cool. I'm 1000% going to make a whole seperate post ranting about them, but I just have to say they introduce them SO WELL. They're intimidating, mysterious, powerful, and not to mention SO UNIQUE. GAAAAAH!!

- "We are merely the caretakers for the ones who sleep" CHILLS. FUCKING CHILLS DUDE. All the lifsigns appearing and the pods lighting up??? BRUH

- Ok Teyla and John's first head bonk, ADORABLE. I love that they do that and that's their thing ya know? Like it's her people's thing but the only expedition member she does it with is John as far as I can remember.

- Episode 3, THE INTRO ARRIVES AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL

- gotta say, the personal forefield thing is a lil inconsistent, like the coffee can't touch his body in the slightest but he can grip the cup? Could be that they're expecting the viewer to assume the forcefield is creating a gap between his hand and the cup and just left out the sound and green flash, but idk

- Jinto (Ginto? I'm not sure how it's spelled) is such a fun character, I wish he was featured with the other ethosians after the move from Atlantis :/

- I love how Sheppard, Teyla, and Rodney all start to really become a team already in ep 3 with the shadow creature. All 3 not knowing eachother really at all, but after everything on the wraith ship and now with this creature threatening everyone on atlantis, they come together and we see their strengths as individuals and their ability to work together using them. Plus getting to see Rodney really step up and be selfless really gives you a new view on him after his appearances on SG-1.

- idk if it was intentional, but Ford being in the infirmary and not with the other 3 could be some serious foreshadowing for later. I mean him not being there while the majority if the team forms really does not set him up for success being the fourth. Don't get me wrong, I adore Ford, I just also think that Ronan fits the team better and provides a better dynamic.

- I kinda love how there's no discussion shown about Teyla joining the team, she's just on the next mission with them. After the 3rd episode it just makes sense ya know?

- iratus (aratus?) bug, then eventually John literally gets infected and starts turning into a wraith cuz of the retro virus? Bro cannot catch a break

- gotta say, the audio balancing in this show is not my favorite, I always have to crank it up by like 10 when it's all talking and then am immediately auditorally flashbanged when the action starts 😂

- I know it's all serious and shit but Rodney and Ford getting tossed around the back of the jumper is fucking hilarious, especially knowing that they themselves are throwing themselves around

- UGH KAVANAGH

- "don't talk to me about screwed!" Teyla's face at Rodney, PRICELESS. Like, do you not see the man paralyzed with the bug on his neck sapping his life force? Stfu

- omfg I never noticed before but when they're running up the dirt hill from the wraith in John's flashback of the bug attachment, Teyla grabs his arm to get up the hill because the sand is constantly crumbling 😂

- Weir putting Kavanagh in his place, PEAK.

- "you're telling me he can't go through the gate while that thing is on him?" "Then we must do something NOW" THE DRAMA, I LOVE IT, THE MUSIC AS BECKETT EXPLAINS THE PLAN, UGH, SO GOOD

- man even though everyone was fine you can see on Halling's face how the fact that Weird didn't allow the ceremony to happen affected him. Like, would it have sucked for the rest of the people on the ship to be told to prepare to die? Yes, but Teyla might have felt comforted by it, we don't get to find out. Really foreshadows all the conflict that occure between the cultures because of their differences later on and how the expedition's culture is always the one that gets its way. The Athosian's really get the short end of the stick in their relationship with the expedition members for like, the entire show :/

- OOF and it only gets worse with Ep 5 when they think there's a spy and only after basically accusing every Athosian of maybe colluding with the wraith (literally the biggest insult you could ever say to an Athosian or really anyone in the pegasus galaxy), do they find out about the necklace. Not to mention the tension when Bates accused Teyla and all that goes down I mean, YIKES.

- ANYWAY

- I will never get over the fact that they fucking TAZED a wraith dude 😂

- ok so they've captured their first wraith, but I always wondered why they never bothered to try and capture another iratus bug. I mean, they already theorized in its first appearance that they're some sort of prehistoric ancestor to the wraith and they're easier to contain and handle than a whole ass wraith so why no let study it? I think they do later when the whole inoculation thing happens but I guess idk why they wouldn't take the opportunity to study something like that off the bat. Even just to study the regenerative abilities.

- bro episode 6 makes me so sad every time, the ancients really just decided to tell them to off themselves in order to get to their version of heaven instead of something asking the lines of maybe, idk, don't have too many kids or something?? Don't stray outside the field?? Anything else??? I'm sure the ancients had some sort of birth control, maybe share that tech??

- is it just me or does Keras 1000% have a crush on Sheppard? (Who could blame him tbh) I mean, the smile he gives him at the end???

- brooooo not the Hoffan drug event 😭 it's so sad dude, the desperate attempt to save themselves only for it to kill a huge chunk of their people and lead to them fleeing their planet as the wraith attempt to wipe them out.

- ya know, they keep that wraith in the brig for a while and there's no bathroom in there, do wraith even need to use the bathroom since they only feed on life force? If they eat regular food does that mean they have to use the bathroom?

- ok ep 8, underground, absolutely one of the most infuriating episodes imo. The Genii are great antagonists, but god damn are they infuriating about ittttt. Tyrus getting himself killed in the wraith ship and Teyla getting blamed for it??? Don't even get me started on Kolya and Sora dude.

- ya know, I find it interesting how they differentiate scientists and military personnel in the field initially. It changes at some point but right now the scientists are in the tan color while military are in the dark navy. They obviously have the color coding back at atlantis with the color blocking, but the field stuff changes and I think that's interesting.

- the cocooning thing the wraith do to save victims for a later feeding is such a horrific and unique thing to add to them as a species and enemy. Like, that's so cool in such an awful way, they really nailed making the wraith scary dude.

- man it's so weird to see this version of the wraith ships, they're so much more techy than fleshy

- ok so ep 9 "Home", always confused me for one reason, Simon and Elizabeth. They mention him like once after his first appearance I think with absolutely zero follow up. He's such a weird like Checkovs gun fuck up (I think I'm using that right, he's like the opposite of "if you mention a gun it should eventually go off"). His relationship with Weir is never flushed out further and it's all so weird.

- something I really like about the episode is how right off the bat there's hints that something is wrong after they believed they dialed earth. Like, when Weir comes through the gate into the SGC she's alone, but in the briefing room suddenly McKay is with her. Of course things only get more confusing from there once we see Sheppard there etc etc.

- can we all agree they did Teyla so damn dirty with her hair rn

- ep 10 THE STORM OMFG. I am SO excited for this episode dude let's goooooooo

- THE DRAMAAAA, god the scene is set so perfectly, the coming storm, the danger, the empty city, GAH such a good setting for what's to come

- the fucking bacon convo between the two guards PFFFFT, I love it so much dude

- Rodney slickly leaning on the intercom to alert Sheppard is just so good. I love those two SO MUCH dude. Those two can do fuckin anythinggggg.

- Sheppard yelling at Kolya over the walkie in the wind with the waves crashing, god he's such a badass and everyone fucking KNOWS ITTTT

- I FORGOT IT WAS A 2 PARTER. I'm even more excited about The Eye, shit is about to get REAL.

- Rodney standing between Kolya with the gun and Elizabeth, I love that man dude.

- "Oh would you look at this?! That is just never gonna be useful again!" - Rodney McKay, being dramatic as per usual and I love it

- John sheppard literally in the rafters waiting for the Genni FOOLS who thought they could take him. Bro really saw those life signs disappear and whimpered "report...". He knew true feat that day.

- McKay's sign "REALLY REALLY DANGEROUS, DO NOT TOUCH.". Sheppard 👀... imma touch it

- the way weir grabs Kolya as he presses Rodney against the railing, heavily contemplating throwing him over. She couldn't possibly stop him, but the way she tries and runs to grab him after he's released, so wholesome dude.

- "are you telling me to shut up again?" "Again."

- "turn. around." "You turn around" "what?" "Well if I have to turn around, you should turn around." Sassiest mf alive.

- Bro the final grounding station being sperated and everyone all at once realizing there is only one place to go, the control room. Everyone in the same place, the culmination of the entire ordeal. Have I mentioned how fucking AWESOME the sound track is for this show??? Because DAMN.

- ok Sora pisses me off, but the hallway scene with her and Teyla where she comes at her. Dude the emotion and reckless abandon she has confronting her, it's so good. Plus Tesla's entire lack of fear, she knows she can take this girl down in a heartbeat and she will if she has to, but she doesn't and god that's so badass.

- "you said this would work!" "I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED BUT I'M AN EXTREMELY AREOGANT MAN WHO BELIEVES ALL HIS PLANS WILL WORK"

- "I'm not aiming at her" fucking shoots the dude dead on, SUCH A BADASS DUDE.

- the lightning through the halls, the apocalyptic size wave heading for the city, AHHHH (wave is a lil janky looking but still dope)

- "nice work Rodney" "did you ever doubt me?" "Yes, several times"

- man the ancient weapons platform satellite was introduced a lot sooner than I thought! Now I'm sad because I remember that part.

- this episode (12) is both awesome and like, depressing af. Seeing Sheppard go one on one with this wraith who's been trapped on a planet alone thinking only of eating and escaping is so intense. Not to mention the wraith that's just eaten the two scientists he was supposed to protect. I also absolutely love Ridney wanting to go out and help Sheppard despite his background as a scientist and general phobia of... everything combat related. Also can I just say that this episode is HELLA FORESHADOWING (intentional or not) for S5 E19 - Vegas??

- oh hey, it's the bugs from that one SG-1 episode with Cadet Hayley.

- bro Sheppard realizing there could still be a Wraith on board

- the fact that this Wraith was also one who was actively part of the war with the ancients and his last interaction was that of combat, bro is out for bloooood

- watching Sheppard shake tf outta the bandage trying to unravel it only to still slap it on on top of the strap at first. How are we supposed to believe this mf actually tied that onto himself XD (jk John is amazing he can do anything obviously)

- almost blows himself up 2 seconds later

- there's gonna be a post where I talk about the wraith extensively but I have to say that I just love how multidimensional they are. Like the ones without masks aren't just soldiers or mindless drones for their queen, they're smart. Like this wraith is just boping away in the controls of the lantian ship, activating the forecfield, figuring out how to use a human gun. It's horrifying in such a cool way! A monster that gives even adults nightmares that is smart dude, that's so dope.

- I don't think people talk about Rodney witnessing Dr. Gall's death in this episode. I mean that's gotta have fucked him up dude. You can see it in his face afterwards. Then he has to go from that to confronting a wraith that's trying to kill Sheppard and he does. No hesitation he goes out there and opens fire dude.

- ooooo episode 13, the death by fear shit

- I love seeing Rodney in a leadership position. Is he an ass? Yes, but he is genuinely a fantastic leader. I don't think he should run Atlantis or anything, but he's fantastic in a second in command type deal and I love seeing it.

- dude Peterson is THE WORST dude. He's 10000% the mf in a zombie movie who hides a bite. Like I get you're scared but you're endangering literally everyone else.

- seeing the city quarenteen on its own once Peterson gets out of the damaged sensor area is so cool. I know it's all coding and stuff but man do they have a fantastic way of making the city feel alive.

- I don't understand how the red hazmat suits Sheppard and Teyla put on do anything. They're not sealed, like the hood is just kinda slapped on there. Carson's teams suits look sealed but theirs? Idk I wouldn't trust that

- ugh I really do not.like episode 14 y'all. There is literally zero chemistry between the ancient lady and John, it is so forced it's PAINFUL. Also another prime example of how the ancients are massively pompous self important dickheads that caused almost every single massive problem we see in stargate istg. Wraith? Their fault, replicators? Their fault and thus the annihilation of the asgard, their fault. Anubis? ALSO THEIR FAULT. Also probably like a lot more that we don't even know about cuz those fuckers have been meddling with the universe for a long ass time before getting wiped out.

- bro Sheppard believing this random ass person over RODNEY, will never not piss me off. This man has been there for you no matter what and you're not even gonna give him the benefit of the doubt that something is up with this complete stranger??? HE'S ABSLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT HER TOO OFC.

- the way Rodney starts walking towards Sheppard as he runs off to get a jumper. He wanted to go with him so bad 😭

- ok there's gonna be a rant in another post about the ancients rn, I'll put the link here

- "ah, that's what I thought, freezer burn." ABSKDJSKA RODNEY

- 1 x 15 is a pretty meh episode to me overall, but "that's not what happened, not the first time" and the whole flooding scene are pretty damn awesome

- the way I would immediately cry if I got there and realized we were fucking underwater dude, hell no. Then when the flooding started??? I'd have a heart attack before I drowned.

- Rodney staying behind, working until the end, duuuuude 😭

- the fact that Weir chooses the jar Sheppard gave her for her birthday to put her ashes in...

- ep 16 man, the one off insinuation of romance with McKay and the archeologist woman is so weird first of all. Sheppard seems to be the only one who agrees with that (jealous?)

- the other woman with them who rats em out to Kolya, UGH. DUDE.

- Sheppard not wanting to let McKay go alone with Kolya, so cute

- bro poor Carson being tasked to dog fight a damn wraith dart 😭 he's a nervous wreck in the best of days dude

- my question is, how does no one notice the piece that's hiding the last stone in the map? It's clearly a slot, like, come on now.

- Sheppard and Rodney getting side tracked about the Mensa thing, TWICE 😂

- they way Rodney looks to Sheppard after hearing the news of the wraith dark and loss of a jumper and crew. Teyla doesn't, no one else, we're shown Rodney looking to him.

- ok ep 17 is the whole preparing for the hive ships thing, this is leading up to 2 of my absolute favorite episodes (siege 1 and 2)

- they finally fixed Teyla's hair!

- duuuuude, seeing the hive ships for the first time, not to mention the cruisers with them, WOAH. The sheer size and quantity of them.

- watching Ford's video tape knowing what's about to happen in Siege pt 2... ouch.

- Carson losing it trying to tell his mom he misses her 😭 I love that man

- Teyla and Sheppard clashing over their ideals due to their background is so good. I love that they show their different viewpoints, never really pushing for one being right or wrong. Then for them to both have to sit and watch the culling happen before their eyes, a mutual, horrible feeling of helplessness.

- "you didn't say anything that would require security clearance did you?" "Security clearance?" 😂

- Rodney's entire video tape

- Dr. Weir's recordings to inform the families of deceased expedition members 😭

- UGH, KAVANAGH.

- The final snippets of video ahhhhhhhhhh

- SAM

- bro ep 18 is STRESSFUL AF. The revelation about the source of Tesla's powers, the conflict with her and Bates, finding out there's been a god damn WRAITH in the city THE ENTIRE TIME since the dart showed up.

- I know it's a really short scene, but Teyla and Sheppard sparring is still a favorite. It just shows once again how much they truly view eachother as equals, far too often are female teammates viewed as less, weaker, in need of protection. Not these two though, they don't hold back with eachother, they know that the other can take it and they continue to push eachother to be better. I love them so much. Not to mention how much they value the thoughts and opinions of the other.

- Rodney and Teyla running into eachother at Dr. Heightmeyer's office and him immediately making up a ridiculous excuse is so so Rodney.

- Ford making fun of Rodney making a tiny dick joke about him only to be SHUT TF DOWN by Sheppard is so funny

- Teyla being confronted with a fact she's been running from her whole life is so heartbreaking. She's connected to the Wraith, the species who has terrorized and killed her people and countless others throughout the galaxy for thousands and thousands of years.

- getting pretty much confirmation that the wraith created the damn wraith, angerrrrrr

- ok rq, Weir just said that according to the data from the lab, Wraith don't seem to be able to read the minds of humans even though they have a telepathic network, but they can on some level. We saw it in episode 2 when Colonel Sumner is being interrogated by the Wraith. Not only did she kinda read his mind, but she got so inside his head she was able to force him to kneel just using her mind! Maybe this is just cuz she's a queen (it's mentioned in that underwater power rig episode queens are significantly more powerful mentally than other wraith.), but still, it is entirely within their ability to read and influence human minds on some level. Even without the experimental stuff done to Teyla's ancestors.

- what's with everyone getting sedated in these shows

- UGH. BATES MY GUY STOOOOOP.

- I totally get that the Ancients are basically gods to the people of the pegasus galaxy, but Halling expecting the people of Atlantis to risk letting the Wraith get to the Milkyway out of faith? Faith that people who abandoned their galaxy over 10,000 years ago leaving the inhabitants alone to be repeatedly harvested and tormented by creatures they created? After all of that, all the horrors he's seen, the people he's lost and he wants them to risk letting it happen to a whole other galaxy because the Ancients might have a plan??? BRO.

- R "Oh yeah. Yeah that's permanent back damage." Peter "Sorry, I assumed it would come on more slowly." R "Well you assumed with my life." (He's so sassy I love it)

- I love the satellite trio so much, I wish we could've gotten more before... sadness. Also, how TF did Miller snap the pencil that easily???

- PETER NOOOOOO 😭 the way that they say they'll see eachother after the fight is so devastating dude, they're saying it for eachother but they both know he's not making it out of there alive and it breaks. my. heart.

- god, watching the first wraith ship be destroyed, everyone filled with joy and hope that maybe, just maybe they can win this fight. Then the wraith ships start to turn and Peter can't get the satellite back online and they all know exactly what's about to happen. Rodney tries to come back for him anyway but it's too late, it was always going to be too late but it doesn't make watching the satellite be destroyed any less devastating. Not only have they lost the satellite, their only hope, but their friend was on board when it happened and that, that is what kills their hope in that moment.

- new colonel guy irritated the fuck outta me right off the bat. Bro thinks after reading their message and mission reports that he has ANY idea what they're up against and it's bonkers.

- AHHH, the way Sheppard stands with Weir against the Colonel guy cutting her out, I love that man.

- I've been pausing this episode like a billion times because I have so much to write about it, help.

- the fact that Sheppard warns them they should keep some of the proximity warheads in reserve and he doesn't listen... AUGH. He is sooooo gonna regret that later.

- Carson and Rodney bickering will never stop being hilarious

- even tied up, blindfolded, and alone in a Genii facility, Elizabeth stands her ground like a damn badass.

- "yeah well we're building nuclear bombs here, staying awake is a prerequisite." "Snappy." PFFFFT

- poor Rodney man, dude already doesn't sleep enough, but now he's been awake for days already and still running around being the only reason any of these plans have a chance in hell. He needs a nap and a snack asap.

- "So long Rodney" you could write this off as Rodney being the person who happened to be in the room when he decided to man the jumper manually, but I think we all know that's not the case. He's run off in silence without so much of a word to anyone more times than I can count, but Rodney, he has to say goodbye, even if it's a crappy one.

- "You let Sheppard fly that jumper?" God he is so heart broken in this moment, he never had the chance to stop him but Elizabeth, she has the opportunity and she didn't. I don't think he ever could've truly forgiven her for that if he'd died.

- GOD DAMN I FORGOT THIS WAS A 3 PARTER.

- Rodney dropping the clip PFFFFFT

- Ford... his storyline makes me so sad, especially in this episode. The character we love so dearly, this boy who has seen war and conflict and violence and is still so full of joy and love loses himself before our very eyes. Before the eyes of his friends and there's nothing they can do to stop it.

- THE MUSHROOM CLOUD GOD DAMN

- "why are you whispering?" "I dont know, just seemed like the right thing to do."

- god the siege episodes are so good, if you wanna hear about my ramblings in more detail I'll link that post once it's made here.

- this is getting long af so each season will have it's own post

Season 2

[wolfsbanesparks]

Bouncing in here like a madman again

Do you think Captain Marvel (seperate from Billy) considers the Wizard SHAZAM as their father as a sort of creator and creation relationship? Giving room for Billy and grandpa wizard relationship kinda?

I've had a lot of sugar today, so I'm not sure how that sounds, but I kept thinking about your fic, "Split", and how if things took a different turn and Captain Marvel revealed he existed because of the Wizard, would the JL come to the assumption that the wizard was his father/Billy's grandfather?

Or if things took an angstier turn, if Captain Marvel let slip accidentally that he didn't believe that the death of Billy's mother (and actual father) was a genuine accident/had suspicions about it, how would they react? Would they suspect the wizard bc of all the suspicions they're having? Also, I'm not sure if I remember, but did the JL get to have a conversation with the wizard?

Kinda factors into that one ask I sent before, where the gods killed the parents of the champions of magic to challenge and prepare them without them knowing, which might include the wizard, too. (Sorry, I re watched the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 recently and it's been doing numbers on my little mind)

In all seriousness you could write an AU for your fics and we'd eat it all up and ask for seconds because your writing creates a universe of wonder for us.

That was a lot, wow :0

Okay first of all you are so sweet! It's driving me crazy (in a good way) that I can discuss AUs of my fics!

I think that the Wizard already plays a sort of wise grandfather figure to Billy (in my preferred version of him) regardless of Captain Marvel's feelings towards the Wizard.

But I think it's totally logical for Captain Marvel to think of the Wizard as a creator figure, especially in his current incarnation since it was just Shazam who made him instead of a full Wizard's Council. There's respect between them, but Marvel also wants to make Shazam proud, wants to prove he's a good Champion. And I think that can translate to a father-son type dynamic even if it's a lot more complicated than that.

If we're talking Split in particular, the JL "met" the Wizard but Shazam didn't bother talking to any of them so their many confusions and suspicions didn't get brought up to him directly.

But if they had reason to believe Shazam was Marvel’s father, Flash in particular would have been having a freak out because the Wizard would have gone from possibly sketchy mentor to controlling and possibly abusive father/grandfather. He might have even had more people on his side if that was the case (especially if we add in the idea that the Batsons were killed as some kind of test of Billy’s pure heart).

There would still be those who insist that they shouldn't get in the middle of their complicated and potentially messy family situation. But there would also be those who wonder if Marvel had a choice in becoming a hero if his father was the one who imbued him with his powers because it was his "destiny". I can definitely picture Marvel bluescreening if someone asked him if he'd had a choice in being a hero (he didn't, and Billy didn't either) or if he'd ever wanted something else for himself (it had never occurred to him that he could be anything else because he was created to fight evil). His answer would definitely send up some red flags to whoever he's talking to.

There are so many cool ways having people think Shazam is Marvel’s father could play out and it would be so fun to explore that.

And since you mentioned it, while I don’t currently have plans to write an AU of my fics, I AM completely open to other people writing AUs of my fics if they are inspired enough to do it! So long as you credit me as the original author/check the Inspired By box when you post, I encourage you to go for it!

[inkblackorchid]

So... about season 3 Aki.

Ok harsh contrast to my previous, excited post, but I did say I had more to yell about episode 75 and I need to get this off my chest anyway. Plus, I remember mentioning in a post that I need to talk about season 3 onward Aki anyhow, so might as well do that now! I am thinking Big Thoughts and I need to Scream.

Long, incoherent, unhinged rant incoming because I have 100 things to say and 100000 screenshots to post, but I am also tired and my brain is mush.

Can we please talk about all the jarringly unfulfilled setup the start of season 3 did for Aki? Because I'm starting to feel an urge to claw at the walls. I'm gonna go through this, piece by piece of damning evidence, because I need to vent my utter confusion and frustration somehow, I guess. Okay. So.

After giving us a bit of time to settle in after the timeskip into the pre-WRGP stretch of things, the itty-bitty portion of the story Aki occupies at this point starts off arguably strong. Yusei gets kidnapped, everyone's in a frenzy about it, but Aki's especially worried.

Then this. Funky new signer powers! Nobody's been able to do this before! I wonder if they're going to do something with that! (Spoiler: They're not.)

Then Aki "no sense of self-preservation" Izayoi gets herself in a bunch of danger trying to rescue Yusei and we get this:

Oh! Wow! Aki can control her powers now! (Which: how. Why did they never show us this. That alone could have made for a whole mini-arc. Why waste that????) That would give the writers so many cool opportunities to let her use them! I wonder if they're going to do something with that! (Spoiler: They're not.)

(Side note: I love this scene. I love it to death. They're both ride-or-die "who cares for my safety when yours is on the line" for each other and I love them.)

Of course, shenanigans then ensue, leading up to Sherry's marvellous introduction.

(Mwah. I blow her a little kiss.)

And it is at this point that Aki Has An Epiphany.

And to top it off, she gets some interesting interactions with Sherry, too!

So Aki resolves that she wants to become a turbo-duellist, too. And the thing is, this isn't a little one-off thing or something they never deliver on. They end up building this up for several episodes, bit by bit. First we get another mention of it at the pre-WRGP press thingy they all attend:

Then it's brought up again when Yusei accepts the first duel against Bruno/Antinomy:

(Also, side note again, but can I just mention that Aki also gets this moment the episode before:)

(Where she literally puts herself directly in harm's way in a public setting to protect people with her powers??? Like, I'm sorry, pinch me or something, but how does that not scream "badass good girl setup"???? HOW?)

So we get at least three episodes worth of buildup where Aki agonizes over becoming a turbo duellist to understand what her friends (but especially Yusei) are feeling when they duel like that, and then they finally deliver on it and episode 75 has her getting her license. And it's fantastic. Seriously. That episode is golden. Not just because it delivers on this promise, not just because it has a really cute moment between Aki and Yusei in it (regardless of how you read their relationship dynamic), and not just because it (as per my last post) showcases how much the rest of Team 5Ds cares about Aki (by literally building a runner for her and accompanying her to her exam and don't even get me started on Jack beating up those jerks trying to make her crash unprompted) but because it gives us just that smidgen more detail about Aki's character, too. Because the thing is, at first, she majorly sucks at driving.

And not only is this realistic to a degree (learning to drive is hard, regardless of what you're learning to drive), it's also great, because you know what Aki's response to it is?

She keeps going. She doesn't let it get her down, she gets back up and tries again. (And from a writing standpoint, this is lovely because that stubbornness is great in situations like this, but you could easily turn it into a weakness in a different scenario if you wanted to.)

And not only does Aki learn driving the hard way here, she also finds herself confronted with jerks who don't want her to succeed,

(Ruka, sweetie, I love you.)

and she makes an absolute rookie mistake during her exam by trying to play a speed spell when she doesn't have the necessary speed counters.

And feel free to disagree, but I think this is also great. Because honestly? While driving a really damned fast motorcycle that I'm not super used to yet, and being expected to make solid tactical judgements in an overcomplicated card game—the rules of which are slightly different when you're playing it on a motorcycle—at the same time, I would likely also mess up like that and accidentally try to make an illegal play. But the thing is, the episode rewards her for sticking it out anyway by letting her pull off a really complicated driving manoeuvre to save herself from her envious turbo-duelling-license colleagues' cheap tricks, and by letting her score a really nice win from a tight spot, much like any of the boys would have in her position.

(Take that, you jerks. Dumbasses only get blurry screenshots.)

So Aki gets her license and is welcomed by the team as a fresh turbo duellist. Hooray!

(I love them all so, so much, help me.)

And we also get this:

Wouldn't you know it! Sherry's been watching Aki get her license with interest! And she seems to be mighty pleased with the result!

So. After all that, I don't think you could blame anyone (it's me, I'm anyone) for getting really excited about what Aki's gonna get up to from this point outward. Aki can control her powers now! And she got her turbo duelling license! And we've got a new, enigmatic side character who seems like she could have super interesting interactions with and play off Aki! I wonder what they're gonna do with all that.

*deep breath*

Sigh.

Seeing as I already know this show like the palm of my hand, I kind of dreaded getting past this episode because I know exactly what happens to Aki from this point out: Nothing. A whole lot of nothing. Okay, well, no. See, I went back and checked all the episodes I have left, just to make sure, just in case I forgot something (very likely when you've already watched the show three times, I know).

From here on out, during the entire pre-WRGP, WRGP, and Ark Cradle arc, Aki gets exactly three things to do:

She uses her shiny new turbo duelling license to fill in for Crow at the Team Unicorn match because he got injured. Which, on paper, is a perfect way to let her have the spotlight for a moment. Except, the only thing she gets that spotlight for is to last a hot four turns in the duel before losing spectacularly to Andre and literally never turbo duelling again for the rest of the show. (Like, yes. The moment where she summons Stardust Dragon is chefs kiss and legendary. But in light of the surrounding circumstances, it feels like a consolation prize to make up for the ensuing character trainwreck.)

Since Crow is technically still injured when they're meant to go up against Team Catastrophe, Aki trains to fill in for him there again. Except! They intentionally make her crash right before the duel, putting her in a short-term coma! And as the icing on the cake, when she wakes up, it also turns out she lost the powers she was only just able to control for absolutely. no. reason. None. They never bother explaining it, they don't even try to hint at why they might have vanished. (I have my own theories for why they had to let her powers vanish and they all start and end with the words "we couldn't be bothered to figure out how to write this character".)

At the very end of the show, the very end, after temporarily fridging Sherry, too, they dig both girls back up in order to let them participate in a three-way final boss duel with Crow. (Which is a fantastic duel, I love it to pieces. Genuinely.) You could argue that they tried to cash in on all the intrigue they set up between Aki and Sherry here, but—come on. At the end of the show? Seriously? Oh, and did I mention that for some reason, Aki's powers mysteriously reappear after this duel? For no reason? Again?

I just. It does not compute. They went as far as doing all this setup, letting Aki get the hang of her powers, letting her get her license, making her part of Team 5Ds, even giving us a new character that seemed like the perfect fit to let her bounce off of—and then, like some sort of kafkaesque reverse-miracle, they somehow managed to take a sharp left into "whoops, don't care about this character" and nearly wasted the entirety of that setup in one fell swoop. If it weren't for that finale saving at least a smidgen of it, I'd be holding a torch and a pitchfork over here. (Hell, I might, even knowing that Aki's final duel in the show is kickass.)

Please tell me if this is just me (15 years after the show released, I know, leave me alone), but this feels like they were literally loading Chekov's gun directly within view of the audience, only to later procede to toss the damned thing into the sea instead of firing it.

Okay. Okay, I think I'm done. For anyone who actually bothered with the whole post, first of all, thank you for your attention, secondly, sorry, but this does, indeed, still bother me ten years after I first found this show, so I had to get it out or it would have eaten at me forever. God damn it.

Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to writing fics where Aki actually gets something to do right this second. If anyone's interested in giving a fic series where Aki gets a separate character arc that tries to stay mostly canon-compliant after the defeat of the dark signers a go, you can find my stuff here.

[secretmellowblog]

Hijo for the characterask game

Javert and #8

(A little late but for this ask game!!! Thank you again!)

#8: a thing the fandom does with this character that you despise!

Despise is a strong word! I'll say "confuses me" instead. I talked a little bit about it in my post about fandom Valjean things I dislike-- with the caveat that I don't think any of this is really a big deal, because this small huddle of fandom stuff is a very tiny niche that doesn't have a wide impact, and also it's very normal/natural for people's opinions on characters to change over time, and I know that my *own* opinions have changed over time-- but---

I am confused by all the pro-police stuff in the Javert fandom? XD

I think the main thing that confuses me is why Post-Seine stuff where Javert is "redeemed" usually has Javert returning to his job.

It just makes more sense, thematically and on a character level, for him to resign? The common idea that "redeemed Javert" would go back to arresting people and that this would be a Good Thing always throws me off. Because 'the entire criminal justice system is fundamentally broken, there is a gulf on high, it is immoral to do this' was his whole dramatic realization and all. Plus, even putting aside the anti-police politics of the book, being a cop was clearly not good for Javert's mental health. XD It was making him feel very bad!

I remember once reading a mildly popular fic where a post-seine Javert talks about how he thinks the prison system is fundamentally broken and violent and unjust, and he can never return to his job. And I was like "Wow, this author gets it!" Then I kept reading and it turns out Javert was supposed to be *wrong* in that paragraph, that paragraph was supposed to represent an incorrect pessimistic wrong way of thinking, and the fic was about Javert regaining his faith in the police. It's just very funky! Kinda just like, realizing people view this story in such a radically different way you can't ever vibe with their versions of the characters. People sometimes walk back everything Javert realizes in Derailed as if they're mistakes, instead of positive character development, which feels odd to me. People act as if Jean Valjean is the rare exception to the general rule that Prison Is Awesome And Cool, and that Javert just needs to realize he was wrong about Jean Valjean specifically and nothing else.

I think people often miss that the police are the villains of Javert's story, in the way they're the villains of Jean Valjean's. His family was ripped apart by the criminal justice system before he was even born, he was born in a cage like an animal, and he became an agent of the system that destroyed his childhood because he internalized that institutional abuse as something that he and his family must have deserved. "Is a system that leads to children being born in jails in desperate poverty actually just?" "well of course it is. the baby is a crime baby made of crime. >:("

He's spent his whole life either living in prison or serving as an agent of the prison system; he has no framework for what living outside of serving the carceral system actually looks like. My take is, that poor horrible creature has had enough policework for several lifetimes. If there is a way to be a "good cop," he would've found it by now. Let him rest. Let him find some funky new job.

Also, one or two people have implied in the distant past that I must hate Valvert, but from a Valvert perspective-- I think it's easier to have post-seine Valvert if Javert quits his job. First, it's a dramatic shift in their dynamic and the power level between them; it's a clear sign that Javert has permanently changed. Second: Javert searching for a new job after spending his entire life serving the prison system is just rife for bonding hijinks. You could easily write a scenario where Jean Valjean helps pull strings to find him work as a gardener for Petit-Picpus, but has to help train him for the position or something along those lines, giving them an excuse to interact. Third: I don't think Javert needs to be a cop to be nosy. If you want to write a "casefic"-ish mystery plotline he could be an Angela Lansbury Murder-She-Wrote old lady retiree character solving a mystery out of pure nosiness, without even arresting anyone. Because it would be very funny.

...This has just turned into a ramble about possible Post-Seine hijinks. Anyway the moral is: there isn't really a moral, this is just my petty fandom opinions. But "Javert fics where police are bad" and "Javert fics where police are flawed but ultimately good" are two completely different genres, is my take.

[gealachros]

Thoughts while reading Trimax Vol 13!

Wow we're reaching the end, its kinda crazy but its been a wonderful time. Thank you to Revenant Ghost for organizing this book club!! This was such a fun way to read Trimax for the first time and to see others thoughts on it as well

Now onto the reading

I love the alt covers, always full of funny details. Also a pirate AU for Trigun would be kinda cool

Wow holy shit... Already off to a strong start

Of course Legato is that kinda villain lol, gives himself a handicap to make it more fun. Hes such an edgelord and its great

Did he just catch the nail with his chin?? Livio is awesome man. Also, these fights are really cool. Very interesting dynamic between each fight

Ewww Legato licking Vashs blood is pretty disturbing. Such a maniacal character. (Not showing the panel here because I dont want to force anyone to see it again lol)

Lol Livio just wanted to get his clothes back. This man is such an amazing character

Oh wow... Shes got a sick as hell design even under the coat lol

I wonder if its supposed to be some sort of armor?

What is happening??? Seems like all the straps came off and that causes something to happen? I'm guessing it makes her more powerful but I'm not sure why

Lol even the people from space know about Vash. I wonder how they heard about him though

Wow this panel is amazing but also, hes fully colored black which is a little scary... Apparently hes used all his power which I dont like what that could entail...

Restraints??? Man she is badass as hell lol, I like her very much

Razlo is back??

LOL this fucking panel, I think Razlo is a little excited

WTF Elendira has a physic attack??? Also wow that was a graphic panel which I am not gonna show lol

Aww the flashback to Wolfwood

Oh cool, Razlo and Livio are working together now. I think they will work very good together since it seems like Livio is pretty good at tatics where Razlo is all about strength

I love this dynamic of them working together really well while still keeping their own personalities. Its really interesting character design for Livio/Razlo and its a great part of their character arc

Wow that design is sick, I love the attention to detail in Trimax

Aw this is really sweet, also holy hell what an awesome fight between Elendria and Livio/Razlo

Oh thats interestin, after what happened at July. Legato and that doctor are the ones who found Knives. It makes sense but thats something I havent seen before so its cool to know more about what exactly happened at July

Man the callbacks to Wolfwood break my heart every time

Ah thats how the space people learned of Vash, thats such a cool detail. Because of how hes been helping everyone all these years, the plants have remembered him

Indeed they do!

Aw its really cute seeing their thoughts on Vash

Some panels just absolutly send chills down my spine and this is no exception

Wow what an insane ending to volume 13, this one was super intense. Next it the last volume which Im interested to see the ending but also that means the story will be over so its bittersweet.

I actually do have the physical copy of volume 14 so Ill probably read that and maybe make a post with screen shots afterwards. I am excited though to read the physical edition since its the only one I have

Anyways, as always what an amazing volume and what an amazing story. Trimax is so well written its crazy

[fishsticksloser]

A hc of reader sister (little sister) who loves using memes sound effects to communicate with the family instead of her talk like " bruh " or " why are you running? ".

And it's fun because it makes everyone laugh.

Meme!Younger Sibling

RotTMNT & gn!reader

Warnings: swearing, platonic fluff, what you say is in green

A/N: They are meme connoisseurs, Raph doesn't understand, but is supportive. Coloring the words took way longer than I thought... I have a 6 hour car ride to the hospital so ask away!

Previous  |  Next

You got your taste in memes from your brothers

Leo and Donnie definitely have the most knowledge in memes

"Tight! So let me be, I'm here to give you customer service. and I'll set you free! (right)"

"Reese's Puffs! Reese's Puffs! Reese's Puffs! Reese's Puffs! Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up!"

It's almost completely random

They've learned not to ask what you're doing...

"Hey, what are you doing Waiting for them to play Gangnam Style..."

Mikey and Leo participate the most

At one point you were really into Bully Maguire memes

Raph was terrified of you

"I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye... W-What!? What did I do?"

Remember that video of the country guy standing on his truck with Nunchaku?

Yeah... That's a you and Mikey staple

"Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top. Sunkissed so hot it'll melt your popsicle!"

You, Leo, and Donnie are the most chaotic about it

Raph and Mikey are a little annoyed by the meme bond you guys have

"I got a plane! I got a plane! I love the fame! I love the fame! You know my name! You know my name!"

Being the 2 youngest, though, you and Mikey have something you will never have with the others

and that's having unlimited meme potential

"It's wizard time, motherfucker! Fire Ball!!"

Raph was very upset about this... ^^^

You are probably the only one allowed to chill in Donnie's lab because of your shared love of certain memes

He vocally stims in his lab and I have a feeling a lot of those are memes

"Wow... Your raps are too wack to handle. Let's do this like we do on the Discovery Channel!"

Leo is the one you go to if you want to recreate some dance you saw on TikTok

And he's very good... It should be a crime

Leo also quotes the Pedro Pascal edit that went around...

"How would you like to ride home on a real cowboy? I got a 6 pack of cold ones all nice and my roomies out all night, so you can scream my name as loud as you need to, sugar."

Is anyone surprised by that though?

"Aren't you excited? You're going to the airport tomorrow! Ehrpohort? I'm not going to the ehrpohort."

Although Raph isn't that knowledgeable in memes, he does know some

"Excuse me, brah. You're excused.... But I'm not your brah..."

Just random things they'd quote:

"I'm almost proud of you... That's the most proud of me you've ever been!"

"Give me back my gamer girl!"

"Material girl!"

"Just got diagnosed with cool guy syndrome... Now I take Adderall!"

"Ugh, you can't sit with us. Actually, Leo, I can't sit anywhere, I have hemorrhoids..."

"Look at all those chickens!"

"Is this an internal dialogue? I can't see the end of the horizon... Hastune Miku!?"

"Its really cute how you're going to defeat me with the power of friendship, but again, I am da Devil... From da Bible..."

"Hey~... What's up... It's me!"

"Whopper. Whopper. Whopper. Whopper. Junior, Double, Triple Whopper. Flame Grilled taste with perfect toppers. I rule- I rule this day!"

"You're an asshole, Leo. You are what you eat, Donnie." I'm so sorry...

"Freddy, you're supposed to be on lock down... VanessaAAAAAA!" When he's been working in the lab too much

"Nah, nah, nah nah. Nah, nah, nah nah, yeah. You're are the music in me! You know the words 'once upon a time' make you listen... There's a reason!"

"HOLD ON! HOLD ON! SO HER SISTER WAS A WITCH, RIGHT!? AND WHAT WAS HER SISTER? A PRINCESS! THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST, BRO... I'm gonna stab him..."

"Laloyd? That's right! It's me, your son! And it's Lloyd, Dad! No. L-l-o-y-d. I named you. You ruined my life! How can I ruin your life? I wasn't even there!"

[littledoggy-girlcollar]

a counterargument: colin bullied nate pretty relentlessly, including physically. nate was openly scared of colin in the for the children ep. not that that makes what said okay, but he also apologized to colin afterwards.

you know i did think about this when writing the post so here's my thoughts on that:

you're right, colin did bully nate in season one, but unless i totally misread shit (which, possible, i did watch a lot of it fairly late at night and watched the other part of it while writing an essay), the bullying was explicitly ring-led by jamie, and was stopped pretty much entirely by roy yelling at them in the club. as far as i remember, there was nothing specific that colin did that jamie and isaac didn't, and while i also don't remember a full apology to nate, it also seemed like they all got along fairly well afterward, especially after nate's promotion to assistant coach.

and then the Headspace episode happened. i had thoughts abt what i was going to say and then i went "hey lemme pull up the episode to make sure i have that right" and i forgot those thoughts and now i have new ones and they're way more thesis-y than i thought they'd be so here we go!

nate is a bit of a dick to colin during practice, following some ribbing of nate's new nickname of the "wonder kid," coming from him mispronouncing "wunderkind/wonderkind" (as far as i can tell these are the same word? just different spelling?). dani, jamie, and colin all make essentially the same joke, but colin is the only one that nate gets mad at. could this possibly just be because of the lingering resentment from the bullying last season? sure. but colin actually goes to nate's office to figure out what he did wrong and if there's something else he should be doing, and nate literally tells him he did it because dani and jamie have more talent and recognition than he does (incredibly paraphrased). my rant about how colin could end up being THE most inspiring member of the team if the show/the character decides to go that way will be saved for another post, but in essence, nate explicitly tells both colin and us as the viewer that he picked on colin because he doesn't think he has that much power to retaliate, and nate's position as assistant coach gives him a level of authority over colin as well.

crazy. almost like a role reversal over here or something.

anyways, beard calls nate on his shit, nate apologizes to colin in front of the team, the apology is accepted. in all, it was kind of a one-off thing that was resolved fairly easily, and i am realizing that my view of that specific instance may have been clouded by the rest of the episode, but there is one more point i want to hit on before we get to that part, which is that: colin is a gay man in a sport with (from what i've heard) no visibly out queer men, and nate had no way of knowing this, but that probably made his comment cut deeper than he even intended. i know in season three colin says he doesn't want to be some big statement or representation or whatever, and i think that's totally fair and if the show wants to stick with that i think that's chill, but i do still think telling a closeted gay man that "you aren't special, you don't inspire anyone, shut up and do the work" would have a biiiiit of a mental impact beyond just the visible hurt we see from colin as he leaves. again, this bit isn't necessarily on nate since he didn't know and may not have factored it in even if he did, but to me it's just kind of another drop in the bucket of "wow this man is just saying anything now cause he's got an outsourced sense of superiority."

and that's actually where my main problem comes from. because after the apology the team gifts nate a jersey with "wonder kid" on it. and they are happy about it, and they think it's cool, and they give the credit to will (the kitman, you know, nate's old job) for coming up with it, and will says "it's a pretty awesome nickname." and then nate sees one fucking negative meme on twitter, in a flood of literally hundreds of positive ones, plus headlines and fucking podcasts praising him to high heaven, and nate goes "clearly will was trying to embarrass me, guess i better go physically threaten him so he never does that again."

because he's an insecure prick that doesn't actually believe in himself or have self-confidence. he's done a bit of growing, sure, and he can stand up for himself and voice his opinions a bit better now, but despite his stupid fucking posturing and spitting in the mirror (cause its tough? a metaphor for him hating himself? whatever it's fucking stupid) he gets all of his confidence from other people. he hasn't internalized it yet. he feels good when ted praises his ideas, he gets overly insecure when roy does literally anything, including give the proper credit to nate, feels lighter than air and higher than heaven (i don't usually invoke holy shit this much the show must be rubbing off on me in terms of metaphors) when everyone is praising his name, and it can all be ruined by one comment from his father and the same picture of his face on the internet only this time it's saying shit instead of giving him glory. so he's hearing all of this praise from pretty much all corners, and he feels good about it, but he can't hold onto it. he can't internalize it. so when he sees a sliver of criticism, it all goes out the window, and he doesn't want that! that makes him feel bad! so he has to get rid of that, too, and the easiest way to get rid of it is to turn it around on someone else. someone with less power who won't fuck you up and who doesn't visibly have enough support to come back at you (because while i love colin, we really don't see him shine on his own that much. and neither does nate). and sure whatever nate's dad is a jerk to him and childhood issues shut the fuck up that's a grown man with an actively growing support system. which he throws under the bus like five seconds later by the way.

anyways. my point here is really that the episode is kind of a perfect summary of nate's character at this point in the narrative. he's abusing his power out of some weird sense of superiority one good win got him, he's got enough humanity to realize (re: be forced to realize by a large man with a beard and ability to disappear from offices) when he's fucked up no actually hold on. he literally only apologizes cause coach beard confronts him on it and is expecting it. he wouldn't have done this otherwise and we know it because look at how he's treated will literally since he got there. ok sorry for the detour that hit me literally as i was writing and i don't have the energy to go back up and revise to fit that in. so: abusing power, will apologize when made to by those he still views as having more power than him, externalizes all of his self-concept, positive and negative, and continues to take out all negativity on anyone he views as having less power. WHICH AGAIN FUCKING SUCKS SINCE THAT LITERALLY USED TO BE HIM IT'S LITERALLY "WELL I WENT THROUGH X SO YOU SHOULDN'T GET Y" BEHAVIOR FUCK OFF. GOD. okay i need to end this before i get real fucked up about it ok closing statement.

yes, colin bullied nate in season one. yes, nate ostensibly apologized to colin and colin accepted. no, the reason this grinds my gears isn't necessarily the colin thing specifically, but the situation is kind of a microcosm of everything that's going on in the world of nate, and is therefore condensed, and therefore saturated, so it sucks more ass. yes, i understand that pretty much everything i've laid out is why nate is such a well written character, but that doesn't make him a less shitty person. i'm sure i had more things to say and forgot them so if you wanna ask questions shoot.

[ammonitetheseaserpent]

Final chapter? FINAL CHAPTER- IT’S HAPPENIN-

Sooo yeah, we’ve reached the final chapter of Tide of Tied Minds, and… wow. I remember when I first started jotting down ideas for the first chapter in my journal, and the idea of writing the final one seemed like a world away. And now we’re finally here? Weird.

Anyhoo, I wanna thank everyone who joined me on this little ambitious undertaking, and those who’ll come to read it still. It means a lot to me that you all like like my random lil jottins. >w<

I’m glad I took this small step beyond my writing norm, too. My usual fare of writing one-shots is something I find very freeing - I can just take an idea and write a quick little thing for it, and bam. Writing this, though, felt that much more rewarding. They’re both satisfying in different ways, y’know?

I think this chapter is the one that’s changed the most throughout this. I originally had a whooole different plan on how I wanted to end this fic, but after WAD, I got a new, small idea and it grew into what you see here. I did keep the idea of having a flashback at the start, though. Also, the original title was Time Well Spent, as kind of a placeholder that looked like it would become the final title, and I was not planning to make another title a song reference after 3 and 4 - buuut as you can probably see, my inner music geek won out in the end. XD

Done with the 6 chapters of TOTM, eh? Well, I am, anyhow - for those of you clicking on this post for the first time, there’s still one more ride left…

Tide of Tied Minds

Chapter 6: The Stars Are Projectors

Summary: The Collector reflects as they prepare for their favorite human’s celebration.

Chapter Word Count: 2,578

Trigger Warnings: Discussion of death; discussion of trauma

-

Their powers were fading - thanks to Belos’s green goop spreading up their wrists - but they were not about to let anything happen to all the people still in the Archives.

Puppet strings snagged each jutting spike on top of the building, and the Collector put all his strength and willpower and adrenaline into keeping it upright. Some of the people in there walk into his line of sight, looking shocked, a few pointing up. He smiled down at them to tell them everything would be fine; they’d all be safe because he’d make sure of it.

Finally, the house stopped falling - just in time, too. The Collector’s strings all snapped, and all the tension sagged out of their body at once.

It had taken pretty much everything they had, but they’d done it; they’d saved the Archive House and all the people in it from collapsing into the Boiling Sea.

Cool; just gonna… rest now, for a few billion years. Maybe more, he thought as he flopped down onto a travel star.

The star floated down until it gently put the Collector down onto the front of the Archive House’s balcony, where he flopped down sprawled on his stomach, breathing heavily.

A group of Luz’s friends/classmates approached him, led by a purple-haired witch girl - Amity, their mind supplied.

He shrank away from them, expecting them to scold or punish him, to hate him for all he’d put them through.

But when that didn’t happen, they caaarefully peeked an eye open - and saw Amity offering them a hand, a small smile on her face.

Happy and relieved all over (which caused more of that weird wet stuff to well up in their eyes), they took it, and she helped them to their feet. A woman who looked like Luz walked up to the front, approaching the Collector. Her face carried a kind of warmth they’d never recognized before. “Thank you for the help, pequeño amigo.”

-

During their last visit to the Owl House for a short while, the Collector had spent some time getting to know the others.

Amity, the sorta sassy abomination-focused witch and Luz’s girlfriend, who treated them with an almost expert patience.

Willow, the super-strong plant witch who looked out for all her friends, whether that be through gentle caring or kicking someone’s butt with vines.

Gus, the fun-loving illusionist who could rival the Collector’s chaotic energy, and who excitedly told them all his favorite things about the human realm.

Hunter, the Grimwalker that he’d finally gotten to know as his own person, not just another one of Belos’s toys and attempts to bring back his brother.

It was a breath of fresh air; getting to kick back, make some new friends and just… be a kid for a while.

After a while, though, unwelcome thoughts and memories started to settle back in, the closer he got to the group. They initially tried to shove these to the back of their mind, wanting desperately to have as much fun as he could, and not fall back into being slammed with things he didn’t want to think about. But the more time he spent among mortals, the more reminders he’d get, until they were all-encompassed by the now-unavoidable notion.

The notion that finally made their decision for them.

They were going back to the stars.

Not permanently, of course - but there were some things he felt he could only sort out away from the Boiling Isles, and some things he was sure the people of the Isles could sort out most effectively with some space from him. There were a lot of… complicated feelings the Collector had that were tied to the place; it was where they’d been imprisoned, where they’d met and been pulled into a false friendship by Belos. He wouldn’t blame the people of the Isles if they held complicated feelings toward him in turn as, sure, being kept in the Archives had kept them from being swept up in Belos’s takeover of the Titan, buuut being turned into puppets and used as playthings was evidently not an easy thing to be put through - if the way a lot of people had regarded him with fear and still seemed wary was anything to go by. That was part of it, too; guilt over what they’d done.

But bigger than each of those things, perhaps, was the notion they’d been trying so hard to avoid this whole time - he had terrifyingly up-close knowledge that mortals could break for good, but a lot less knowledge on what it could take to break them. That scared them more than they’d probably admit, especially considering how powerful their own magic was; he could hurt someone before he even knew it. It was better, safer, he thought, to keep a distance from these new friends until he’d learned more about how to control his powers. Maybe King could also teach them more about mortals, too - after all, they could (and most definitely would) be in touch with him whenever they wanted.

Besides all that, they haven’t been to space since they were trapped, and, well… they really wanted to see it again, wanted to explore far and wide just like they used to, now that he could. Space was familiar, home-ish and comfortable in a way the Isles wasn’t quite yet. He didn’t know how long it would be until it did become that, or until he could be among his witch and human friends without feeling all jumpy that any of them could get hurt at any moment - but they did feel that those things were very much within reach.

When the Collector first told everyone he was leaving for a bit, and explained why, some people seemed worried. Luz and Eda asked him if he’d be all right on their own, and it was stressed to him that he could always come back, that they had a place here, should they need it.

Everyone said their goodbyes, and he gave Francois back to King. Just as the Collector was about to step outside, though, they were stopped by King. His Titan buddy pressed the rabbit plush into their hands; a gesture of trust, a reminder that the Owl House would always be open to them, and a way of ensuring they’d never really be alone again.

Then King pulled the Collector into a hug, whispering “I hope I see you again soon,” into their ear.

At that, they almost broke down right there, out of pure sentimental joy.

He didn’t, of course. But he came close.

-

During that time since they’d overrun - and then helped save - the Boiling Isles, the Collector kept in touch with their friends and family, and visited them often. They’d left the door wide open, after all, and he was more than happy to make use of that as often as he pleased inbetween their little space escapades.

This particular visit was a little bit different than usual.

Luz had told them about the upcoming celebration of her birthday - or quinceañera - during his most recent visit. According to the people they’d asked, a birthday was meant to commemorate the passing of a year in someone’s life. It never failed to fascinate the Collector how, in the face of their relatively short lives, mortals came up with all sorts of ways to celebrate and make the most value possible out of their time.

At the notion of celebrating such a meaningful event for his pal Luz, well… when he went back to exploring space that day, he miiight’ve dream-visited King and told him about something special they wanted to do for this day.

Their first trip back in space was a blast. Everything they’d missed about the place was there for him to get into all over again! He counted stars, slept in the nooks and crannies of slow-moving asteroids, and saw loads of different planets. King kept them updated whenever the mood struck him, and gladly answered any questions they had. The little exploration had lasted about a month or so before they’d decided to see the Boiling Isles in person again. He felt like he was ready to see everyone again, safely this time.

When he came back, he wasn’t sure what to expect, or how much he’d be welcomed. That almost didn’t matter when they entered the Owl House and were greeted by Eda and King like an old friend. Luz was further back in the house with her mother Camila, and gave him the same welcome when he saw her - this was also when he met her basilisk sister Vee, who was (coincidentally enough) also having her first visit to the Isles in a while.

They stayed on the Isles a long while, almost twice as long as their space trip, getting to know everyone all over again and learning what they’d been up to. He was surprised at how natural it seemed, talking to all their friends and listening to them talk with zest and zeal. He got closer to everyone; closer than he’d ever been.

The place they spent the most time, though, was at the Owl House, which pretty much became his home on the Isles. Luz, King, Eda and Raine (Ray-Ray) all helped him figure stuff out about himself and the things and people around him, and showed them things they’d never known before - like family. A long time ago, family hadn’t meant much to him. From the Archivists and their constant, annoying dismissals of their little sibling, to Belos and all the Grimwalkers he only pretended to love, but who all had no worth of their own to him as long as he could make more. This, though, was different. This felt… right, as weird as it felt to call anything in his life that. It was a strange feeling, having people who understood him. They remember how Gus told them he knew what it was like to think someone was your friend, only to find out they were just pretending in order to use your abilities for their own gain.

A few times, during their visits, he approached some residents of the Isles and offered to help with the rebuilding, partly to test how they felt around him - and while some were still kinda wary, they never protested the idea of the Collector willingly helping take back some of the damage he’d done to their home. It gave him hope, and made him realize that he’d begun to find not just friends and family, but a community. For all the differences and knotted-up feelings between them, there was one thing that inspired some solidarity among them all in general - the same guy had once had them dancing to tunes of his choice. This was something they all understood, even when it came to the Collector. He got a taste of this when Hunter told him about the things he was forced to do under Belos, and how he coped with it.

The rebuilding took a long time and was not easy, as the former ruler’s final act had dealt a looot of damage to the Isles. There was definitely a lot of deeper damage the guy had done, that wasn’t as simple as being repaired. All the same, the Collector got the sense that, given enough time, things would (eventually) be okay, especially as people were now able to put energy into doing things they enjoyed without fear or restriction. Once, at his prompting, Willow had told him about flier derby, and how it gave her a sense of freedom and fun she hadn’t had a long time before. He sensed that all over - how, even if things would never really be the same as they’d once been, people could come together and find ways around that, to be able to flourish and be free again.

One time, Luz gathered a bunch of kids around herself and Amity, and together they regaled the group of a tale they’d told the Collector briefly before - how Belos was finally defeated. The kids watched, wide-eyed, as the two recounted the moment he was ripped from the Titan’s heart and melted by boiling rain, before being stomped on and finished off for good. For all his palisman-prolonged life, death had finally caught up to him.

Death…

It’s something the Collector tries not to think about, as much as that doesn’t do to actually stop his mind from going there. It’s something they’ve seen only a few times and still don’t completely get, but they hope beyond hope to never see it again. Sometimes, on bad days, just a glimpse of the decaying bones the adult Titans were reduced to brings on memories of their hands shaking and stained with red, or grasping desperately onto an orb of light.

Just like the Isles and the people on it, there are things in his life he’ll never fully be able to heal, but they’re learning to be able to live with that.

Four years. A pretty insignificant chunk of time by his standards, and yet so much has changed.

The Collector peers down at the Archive House, resting on top of the Titan’s skull like a crown. The huge left hand that reaches up, fingers poking just above the planet’s atmosphere - almost as if in greeting to the cosmic deity, or wanting to reach out and cradle them on its palm.

Come to think of it, there was one other thing Luz had told the Collector.

At first, he didn’t get how she’d been able to fix herself, when even he couldn’t fix her. Well, not until she told them that it was the Titan - the Boiling Isles - King’s Dad - who had given her his last bit of life to bring her back from wherever she’d been (which also explained why the big guy’s glyphs weren’t working anymore).

She’d also told them that the Titan had confessed they’d made a mistake by trapping the Collector.

The Collector goes into a dive toward the outstretched hand, then spreads out his arms at the last second to slow their fall and land gently onto its clawed thumb. He reaches out one of his hands and gives their perch a little pat. “Farewell, big guy.”

Just then, small, bustling sounds catch the Collector’s attention. Leaning forward and zooming their vision in, he browses around Bonesborough until his eyes reach the Owl House - where they see a crowd milling outside, coming to greet Luz and her mother Camila with lights and a huge banner. Whoop! The Collector quickly jumps up, hovering a few paces above the thumb. The celebration’s starting, and they will not let the fun end without doing his bit.

Time to put on a show. Grinning gleefully, the Collector conjures a ball of cosmic magic and raises their arms to light up the night sky.

Once they start wrapping up their display and turn to leave, he hears a faint sound - a massive chorus of “byyyeee!” from a gathered crowd in front of the Owl House, all waving excitedly to him.

The Collector laughs, the sound tingling through their whole body and making it feel lighter, a sound of pure, hearty jubilation. He waves down to his people as he flies off. “Kthanksbyyyeee!”