#stu is the creepy uncle

[printed-paws]

I love thinking about aus where Billy raised Sam

He'd be such a bad dad it's hilarious

[sevensfantasia]

why do u hate wuwa so much??

Oh boy, you asked the wrong question. Prepare for me to yap.

More under cut because this is an actual novel

First off, it should be noted that I don't hate the game. I just want the game to do better.

There are pros to this game. One being that the controls are very easy to pick up, especially on keyboard. Secondly, the overall graphics are stunning. Some of the overall graphics of certain maps give AAA and AAAA games a run for their money. Third, the music is lovely. It really sets the mood of the game. The game in general is absolutely gorgeous.

This is where the talk about good things ends though.

The story is very poorly written. You have the MC which is written as a Mary Sue/Gary Stu who can do no wrong go to each new area and be treated like some sort of Daddy Big Dick. It's boring. This game is boring. The women especially are written terribly. You have these beautiful stories and companion quests ruined by awkward fan-service which isn't needed. A very large amount of the adult women characters are one dimensional and only interact with Rover to serve his every whim, just stopping before they drop to their knees in declaration of love to Rover.

Encore’s story is beautifully written so I know there is some talent there on the writing team. Is her story great because you can’t put the awkward fan-service in it because she’s a child? I don’t want Rover to be Gary Stu. I want Rover to have feelings and emotions and have people dislike them. The longer I play, I started in 1.2, the more the skip button and I become friends. The story is trash. The story is downright uncomfortable and at other points creepy, and not creepy like a horror movie. Creepy like your uncle who is a little too friendly with your friends despite being 30 years older than them.

With each passing patch, we meet a new character that suddenly is in love with Rover after 5 min. It’s not believable. The game started out great with the Jiyan patch, but it's very obvious the main writer was let go and someone who had as much writing experience as the random 15 year old in her creative writing class writing her first fanfic was hired.

After 1.3, the patch that dropped Shorekeeper, it was obvious that this game was dropping what pulled me in, the darker post-apocalyptic themes, and becoming another wannabe Genshin ripoff with some cheesy and demeaning Master Love/Harem trope.

The overall ratio sucks. Rumors floating around saying by the end of 2.x that we will be close to 30 females and 9 males overall is horrible. I would appreciate some sort of attempt at a close to 50/50 ratio, even 1:2 would work, but that would require close to 6 new males, which is laughable at this point.

This game was marketed as an omni gacha. I don’t think it is at this point. Just either go balls to the wall and go full awkward harem game which is what yall clearly want it to be, or add some more males to this game so it’s actually omni. The game itself is currently biased towards male serving players who feel like male characters and female/LGBTQ+ players are below them, and that is an issue when you market the game as omni.

One or two males every 6 months isn’t going to cut it, and a lot of the overall global fanbase has started to notice and have gone back to Genshin/HSR or just gone straight to Love and Deepspace at this point because they don’t feel like their complaints each survey are being heard. Please, just another crumb of testosterone in the lineup. I’m sick of living in waifu hell.

The interactions with other characters as Rover feels very shallow. The fanservice in the game with the romances, I use it as plural, feels very forced. I don’t get a choice to turn down advances from this character that I do not like, did not pull for, and will never pull for. It makes me extremely uncomforable and gives me what I like to call "the ick."

Let the characters interact with each other. We got crumbs of it with Mortefi talking about Baizhi, but now nothing in the newer patches. It makes the characters seem like massive losers who can’t interact without Rover being there to hand hold them like a mom sending their child to school for the first time.

The overall fandom has to be one of the most homophobic/misogynistic fandoms I have had the misfortune of being a part of, and I have been a part of some pretty shitty fandoms. You voice your complaints with the game on social media, and you are instantly met with "just go play LADS then." (I firmly believe "just play LADS" is this generation's "go back to the kitchen.") As much as I love LADS, I don't want to play it. I want to play an open world gacha that is inclusive for everyone, me included. You mention that there should be some fan-service for the women players and you are met with insults and people calling you a "femcel" and "femnazi." You bring up you are ok with the whole cameltoe thing being taken out of the game strictly because children do play the game and you are met with absolute hate. How dare you not like Cantarella's pussy print????!!!! People meme about how Snowbreak is the "containment zone" for creepy incel-ish weirdos, but that is unironically WuWa at this point.

Long story short: I was baited into this post apocalyptic game with peak combat and overall visuals just to find out that it's just a self insert for waifu lovers who don’t want people like me (a woman) to play the game, and as of 2.2, I have dropped the game because the harem collecting and objectification of women continues. I want the game to do well because there is still a decent chance it can be up there with the best of them, but I can not in good conscious support a game that supports the mindset of the players being catered to. Women are more than just sex dolls in scantly clad outfits with obnoxious jiggle physics and comical/back breaking chest sizes.

[sharpth1ng]

Ok hear me out, I have this wacky scenario that lives in my head rent-free: all the ghostfaces hanging out in the afterlife as this weird little family

Billy and Stu are mom and dad obviously. Mrs Loomis is grandmama. Mickey is the charismatic older sibling and Billy is jealous because he never had to compete for mommy's attention before. Jill is Billy's favorite child and Charlie is Stu's. Amber is the youngest who gets away with (literal) murder. [Ritchie who??] Roman is the creepy uncle nobody wants around and Billy would like him to stop calling the house please.

Billy wears a shirt that says "I'm with Stu(pid)".

Stu keeps inviting Tatum and Randy over, to Billy's dismay.

Billy actually does have a child, but it's not Sam Carpenter. It's just Jughead from Riverdale.

Anon this is the wildest thing I've read in days holy crap, I feel like you walked into my house, told me all of this and walked out-

Like first the fact that Billy is mom- I hope you know he's rolling in his grave and I think that's hilarious.

Also LMAO Billy and Jill knowing each other would be such a fucking problem oh my god the terrible influence that this would be good lord. I can't imagine how extra dramatic they would be in each others presence.

Roman is the creepy uncle nobody wants around and Billy would like him to stop calling the house please- LOL I CANT

And the jughead shaped bomb you drop at the end there? I've been obliterated. Congratulations.

[stuckasmain]

Finally watched scream 5

It’s been out for awhile now and I had bits and pieces spoiled though gif sets, like I usually do. But never enough to give me the plot or expect what happened. Honestly this movie was pretty great, it’s just after scream 2 for me.

SCREAM FIVE IS WHAT SCREAM FOUR WISHES IT COULD BE

Look, scream4 had its moments but it’s genuinely the worst out of them all. It’s too 2011 for it’s own good and produced the two most annoying characters to the franchie. This movie does- as Mindy so wonderfully puts it- a good requel.

It’s a great  homage to the orignal without completely doing it over with the same points or the same thing subverted. It has new charecters who are connected but not annoyingly so to the point that’s all they are. Despite their relation to existing charecters and their rolls each kid has a actual personality that I really enjoy (except Liv/pink hair, by the third act she was kind of just a ass?) it does the legacy charecters well. Brought back but not overly used. The stories about them but it’s not. It passes the touch without over relying on their familiarity/ fans love for them. Also loved the small references to other works not just past Scream movies- such as they’re being Elm street (which Sidney cannonically lived on in the first movie) or Sams dad being billy - if he dated let alone married her mom it would have been Sam Loomis. Both Halloween and psycho references.

Also props for killing Judy (idk why I hate her as badly as I do but I absolutely despise this woman and she had it coming) Wes however- didn’t deserve that :(. He had to potential to make it into the third act.

I’ll also give them this - they returned to their roots. The orignal scream was a spoof and movies and horror fans, the second one slightly? Kept this but after that they became a spoof on scream fans rather than the whole. This one at least makes reference to more besides a few shoved in title drops. Idk how to explain it.

Randy Meeks memorial home theater 💕

Way funnier then it should have been but a great homage Randy himself would adore. Mindy is also a direct nod to her uncle sharing a LOT in common, their rants I relate to a lot lol. Seriously the re creation of the couch scene while watching it is absolute art. “Oh shit” realization is everything. And the line that was something along “you’re watching a movie where your uncle gets stabbed” her charecter is really the only one to directly follow a orignal charecter (the killers only really show randy/stu tendencies at the end) and so she survives the end of this movie even getting the iconic Dewey thumbs up while on a gurney. I only hope, if there’s a scream 7 she doesn’t also die in a sequel like her uncle.

There’s a few holes for as good as this movie is. Like how the creepy ex comes into it besides being another spot on the kill count. Sure he’s related to stus … apparent sister? But he’s never brought up after that and seemed like random bloodsport. Also a bit confused on how sams…dad situation is supposed to work but that’s for another post

While Dewey’s death is extremely sad for me it also makes a point about stakes. His whole  character is to survive when he really should have died in all of the movies, and I do like how his limp from the second is brought back. However I like that it mentions stakes- that these beloved charecters have had it really lucky for a bit to Long.

RICHIE I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU. But I do like how they make him the reverse Derek. There to help and is hurt by ghostface in the beginning but is actually guilty this time around.

Sid said “fuck doors”

JAMES A. JANISSE. SCREAMING FOR THE DEAD MEAT/KILL COUNT REFERENCE

Why’s Tara like 16 and the others all around 18? Or does the actress just look super young?

[inspiteallthedanger]

I read this from a website, do you think this is true? It's just that some insiders know about john and paul

“I was born in Liverpool and was a child of the Sixties I was around at that time and i can def tell u John and Paul were a couple. I’ve seen both of them together many times I worked in Whitechapel 50 yds away from Brian’s record shop. The truth will never be printed while Paul is alive . ”

“Ok guys someone told me about this site and i have been loving it so far. Anyway my great uncle who lived in Liverpool told me a story some years ago. He told me that John and Paul actually were living together at some point during the sixties (John even stated it in a 70’s interview) and he is invited by a friend of his to a party that John and Paul are having at their house. He said as he walked in he saw Paul, who was walking around in nothing but a white shorts and John some feet away playing pool. He said throughout the day John and Paul is behaving like a regular couple and he is shocked since so many other ppl are there. Later in the evening as he is getting ready to leave Paul casually walks over to him and thanks him for coming and he leaves. He told me this some yrs after John’s death because he was sure Paul would have admitted they were a couple, well it has not happened and I don’t think he ever will. I really don’t know what to make of this story since he was the first person I ever heard claiming John and Paul to be a couple but apparently he is not the only one! ”. “Since everyone is anonymous here, I guess I can give a bit of info I got from a female friend of mine who at one time was Paul worked as one of Paul’s assistants. According to her Macca is a bisexual, who makes no secret of this when he is around his inner circle. She does not know for certain if John and Paul were involved but she suspects it since to this day whenever John’s name is brought up he acts in her words ‘like a widow’ and he also addresses John in present tense. He would say things like, ‘John thinks that the music should be like this,’ and during his bitter divorce from Heather he was saying, ‘John says that this is getting nasty.’ Kind of creepy. She claims he always talks about Linda and obviously misses her very much. As for the threesome rumours she heard ppl talk about it and would not put it past him. She is also certain that the BI about the bisexual Rock&Roll legend over 65 yrs was Paul. ”

“In the music circles it is spoken as a fact that John and Paul were a couple (My Dad was a musical director in Liverpool). Their affair started long before 1963, but came to a halt after Stu Sutcliffe became the central person in John’s life, hence the reason Paul hated Stu so much and even to this day blames his dislike of Stu on his lack of musical ability. Even Stu’s sister said that Stu and Paul were fighting for John’s affections. After Stu died Paul became the centre of John’s world again and he remained that way until Yoko replaced him.”

Hello my love! Thanks for sending this over. Sadly, and perhaps boringly, the short answer is no. But I do have thoughts about these sorts of quotes and also potentially how stories start out that eventually turn into something like this.

More under the cut.

I’ve said before that I really don’t believe that J&P were hiding any sort of romantic relationship. There’s a few reasons for this, but mostly I don’t think the way they talked about sexuality and gender would be the same. Also, the break up would just… look very different. I get the impression neither of them (but especially Paul) really let themselves admit what was going on between them. There’s just a level of… unresolved something. If they’d made a go of it and simply broken up, I’m less convinced they’d have kept coming back together.

Also, John especially seemed to be searching and pushing at the bounds of his sexuality in a way that seemed like (at least until the mid 70s) hadn’t been fully satisfied. Paul’s just way too weird about it for me to believe he was in an openly same-sex relationship.

As for the quotes, I think some of them are probably simply made up. Devoid of any real context or identifiers, I wouldn’t take these sorts of anecdotes as truth. I’ve seen similar stories about basically every ‘pairing’ in every fandom I’ve even been tangentially involved in.

Also, if J&P were openly in a romantic relationship and that many people saw them, I think we’d have someone saying so in a more official way than annons giving second-hand accounts. I’m sure they’d be largely dismissed, even if they did exist, but we’d still see some evidence of it. I just don’t believe in that many people’s ability to keep a secret (especially one that could have made them a lot of money).

That said… I can believe that some people saw them and…. Hmmmmmmm. I think the party story is meant to have been from around the time of SP. That was the period where they were the most close. So, someone could have been to Paul’s, seen them, and told a story that said, “Gosh they sure were peas in a pod” and then that story went through a game of telephone and came out something like the above.

There are also quotes that talk about how close J&P were, especially in Liverpool. So, like, I can believe that they essentially acted like a couple. That is to say, making obviously joint decisions, playing hosts together, talking in inside-jokes etc. I think that was, actually, part of the confusion that ultimately led to the break up. I suspect they both realised it was all getting a bit much. But I really don’t think they were able to articulate why or face it (perhaps more on Paul’s side but even then…).

This could also sit along some sexual contact that was never, ever talked about and was very much set aside from any emotional intimacy. Perhaps until India. Annnnyway, all of which is to say, they kind of were a couple, but they just didn’t want to admit it. But that’s not the same as openly talking about it, having regular sex, and in any way committing to one another.

Anyway. No, I just don’t see the quotes being true. But, what I think did happen was way more interesting and sad. It’s also why we have Paul still rambling and confused about whether John even cared about him. If they’d been some form of couple, I reckon he’d just shut it down or not talk about it. He’d have a PR answer that either went: “Nah, we weren’t that close” or “Yeah, we were best friends but we fell out. Oh well, anyway, here’s some Wings.” Instead we have… whatever it is Paul is doing instead.

[lovelyteng]

BS: Assassin Ambush!

[Starts to Lush Pole in Robot Factory for outside. Cut to Mortis spawns in front of the box of Power Cube, he looks amazed everywhere.]

Mortis: Wow! That's an amazing place at the Robot Factory! Now... (Look at the box of Power Cube.) Time to rest! (He and everyone break the boxes with their weapons.)

[Meanwhile Stu rolls to Power Pad while humming the Battle Music. He rolls on it and jumps up to the bush as he hides and looks at Emz who walks to the bush. Stu fires Emz which attacks him.]

Stu: G-got y-you!

Emz: Hey! That's not cool, loser!

[Cut to Mortis gasps while getting attacked by Crow.]

Mortis: Emz! (He started to hurt and poison.) Ouch! (He looks at Crow and Stu. He starts to worry.) Oh no. Assassin ambush! (Dash away from Crow and Stu; offscreen to Emz.) I hope you're trying to win, Emz!

Emz: Thanks, Uncle Mort!

Stu: Now... Let's d-d-do this! (He attacks Emz but they get another attack by Penny.) G-g-great! (He and Emz look at Crow joining the fight.)

Emz and Stu: Are you kidding me?!

[Emz got beaten by Penny who got the effect of slowness by Slowing Toxin, Crow's Second Gadget. She laughs in triumph while Mortis looks in surprised worry.]

Mortis: Oh no. Emz. (Hears the screams from direction as he realizes to surprise.) Oh no... Not Colette!

Stu: What?

[Cut to El Primo being chased by Colette who attacks him as she laughs crazily.]

Colette: (looks Mortis and Stu) Oh! Two Assassin Brawlers! Yes!

Mortis and Stu: Uh-oh!

Stu: Y-y-you along with her, I a-a-am going to El Primo. Bye! (Rolls away.)

Mortis: (shocked) WHAT?! (Looks Colette attacks him but dodges it.) That was so close! (Runs away.)

Colette: (upset) Aw...dang it!

[Cut to Stu being attacked and chased by El Primo as they fight each other, then they head toward the bush where Edgar hides it and looks through to El Primo and Stu.]

Edgar: This is perfect.

Stu: Yes! Almost done! And... (Rolls to the bush.)

Edgar: Assassin ambush! (Attacks Stu and beated him while El Primo is scared.) Yes! (Laughs.)

El Primo: (Looks Penny) A-ah! (Used his Super to Penny.) EL PRIMO!

[Penny just beats El Primo, she shakes her head in annoyance. Cut to Crow fighting Gus while Mortis toward them, Crow uses his Second Gadget as an effect to Gus who is worried.]

Crow: Got you!

Mortis: Hey Crow!

[Crow fights Mortis while Gus looks at Mandy who starts to attack him.]

Gus: Oh no. (Uses his Super as shielding from Crow and Mandy's attack.)

[Cut back to Mortis and Crow. Mortis used his Second Gadget, Survival Shovel to attack Crow in fast.]

Mortis and Crow: (happily for Mortis and surprised for Crow) Assassin ambush!

[Crow uses his Super to Mortis but gets beaten by Mortis who laughs in triumph and crazily.]

Mortis: I LOVE THE ASSASSIN AMBUSH! (Laughing hysterically.)

Mandy: (annoyed) I hate the assassin ambush. (Continues fighting with Gus.)

Gus: Oh no, I'm gonna to hide! (Hides the bush which Mandy passes it, sighs in relief.) That was so close!

Edgar: (offscreen) Think again!

Gus: Oh no... Assassin ambush...!

[Edgar uses his Super as jumps to Gus who runs out of his Super as he screams and is beaten by Edgar who laughs hysterically. Cut to Colette laughing nervously and Penny shocked to Edgar as they pause the fighting while Mortis slowly walks to them and still laughing hysterically yet creepy.]

Penny: ...So, that's how everyone called Assassin Ambush?

Colette: (nervous) Yeah, Assassin Brawlers always ambush them in the battle. (Got hurt by Penny. She is angry.) Hey! (Continues the fights with Penny. She uses her Super.) I'm gonna catch you!

[Penny dodges Colette and beats her, then Mortis attacks in ambush to Penny while he gets more laughing hysterically yet creepy and Penny screams in frightful.]

Penny: (worried) Stay away from me, you creepy vampire! (Uses Salty Barrel, her First Gadget to block Mortis and attack him.) Colette was right about that!

[Mortis attacks Penny and then beats her, he gets yet more laughing hysterically yet creepy while Edgar and Mandy watch them as Edgar is happy and Mandy is surprised by Mortis' successful attack to defeat Brawlers.]

Mandy: (paused) Okay! Colette is right about that!

[Cuts to Mortis still laughing while toward the bush as hides it. He finally stopped laughing.]

Mortis: That was so much fun! (Paused) But if I got 5 Power Cubes, someone was higher Power Cubes or level than me. (Realized as starting to get scared.) Oh no...! Edgar!

Edgar: (jumps up to Mortis as used his Super) That was right, Mortis!

[Mortis attacks Edgar while screaming in fear as he uses his Super and attacks his Second Gadget on him until he gets beaten by Edgar grabs Power Cubes to 8 and he laughs hysterically while Mandy was more surprised.]

Edgar: Just you and me, Mandy.

Mandy: Oh no! (Uses Cookie Crumbs, her Second Gadget to Edgar as it goes through the walls but Edgar dodges it.)

Edgar: Nice try!

Mandy: Come on, come on! (Uses her Second Gadget to Edgar who uses his Super to her.) Please, I'll promise you to never attack on Candyland!

Edgar: Good.

[Edgar attacks Mandy and then defeats her. Cut to 10 Brawlers on Trophy Area as top was Edgar, Mandy, Mortis, Penny, Colette, Gus, Crow, El Primo, Stu, and lastly Emz which Mortis worries Emz.]

Mortis: Sorry about that, Emz!

Stu: Seriously! I'm b-b-barely last place in Assassin Brawlers?!

Crow: It's okay.

Mandy: Congrat to Edgar! (She and 8 Brawlers applaud Edgar.)

Edgar: Thank you, guys! (To Mortis) Mortis, don't do it, you're acting like that again!

Mortis: What? I just love Assassin Ambush!

Stu: H-h-hey, you two teach me about Assassin Ambush?

Crow: Oh, mine too!

Mortis: Okay then!

Edgar: Sure, whatever.

[Crow and Stu cheering while Non-Assassin Brawlers start to get scared.]

Non-Assassin Brawlers: Oh no! Here we go again!

[k-corner]

Ashes of Love: The Problem with the ‘Protagonists’ Actions and Characterization, and an In-Depth Look at their Concerning ‘Romance’ Part 2

This is a continuation from Part One. Feel free to head on over there to take a look.

Part Two: Issues with Characterization –

Some points mentioned here have already been lightly touched on in part one as they deal with the plot, but they’re going to be looked at more in a characterization sort of way and in a ‘how that comes across to the audience’.

Now, since Ashes of Love is a romance story, it’s natural to assume that there’s going to be some sort of meet-cute, some sort of flirting or courting stage and then some sort of getting together stage that might be accompanied by something a little more concrete physically like kissing or sex or what have you depending on the rating of the show and the image it’s trying to get across.

Now in Ashes of Love, the main two love interests are Xu Feng and Jin Mi, whose characterizations should have some sort of weight to them that allows for a long-standing love story to spring up from them. This can be seen in the ideas of ‘introvert meets extrovert’ or ‘opposites attract’ or ‘birds of a feather flock together’ or some other variation of what personality and characteristics that these characters have that draws them in and is supposed to draw in the audience as well.

Here is where I would say the weakest part of the entire story of Ashes of Love stands. Not in the sometimes dragging storylines that make up the 60+ episode season, but in the base understandings of the two main characters that we as the audience are supposed to root for.

Xu Feng – AKA The Sexual Predator:

One of my biggest pet peeves in a ‘romance’ drama is anytime the two main love interests have some sort of accident – trip and fall, stumble into each other, get pushed into the same small space, etc. – and ‘OMG! Somehow despite height differences and just a basic understanding of how gravity and momentum works’ they’ll fall into a sweet, gentle kiss or somehow just press their lips together and I guess we’re supposed to swoon at the audience at something that really doesn’t mean anything. The fact that no one smashed each other’s noses or foreheads or something is the more impressive moment being seen in that scenario.

I digress though, but unfortunately Ashes of Love has moments like this. Unfortunately it also has moments that are so much worse. Xu Feng takes the kissing and courting parts of the storyline and runs with them from eyeroll territory and into concerned side-eye country. There are several moments, especially early in the show, when Xu Feng chooses to press his luck with Jin Mi and come onto her in a sexual/kissing/pawing at her and starting to take off her clothes while she lays there and looks up at him almost uncomprehendingly sort of way. He’s putting it all out there and out on the line, but somehow he’s not able to catch onto the fact that Jin Mi isn’t picking it up or worse, he doesn’t care and continues to press because it’s what he wants/desires.

Xu Feng’s character is a mess of ‘but she didn’t say no’ and ‘I don’t care that she’s chosen someone else I know she loves me so I have to keep pushing’ and my absolute favorite ‘Uncle, be a bro and tie us together using your mortal love fate strings for no reason other than I want to go get it on with my brother’s fiancé while I pretend I’m doing it to protect her and not take advantage of her in a vulnerable situation but it’s okay because I swear we truly love each other even though she’s never said it because she can’t actually say it right now but it’s going to be just fine just you wait’.

This is also the character who – and I would call this scene a full on assault scene regardless of him stopping himself before he goes too far and I’ll explain why – that got drunk and practically threw Jin Mi onto the bed before climbing over her and pulling at her clothes while she just laid there and blinked up at him with a kind of look that seemed innocent, uncomprehending and trusting. She had no clue what was happening in that moment as he pushes his luck. I’ll give – he stops himself though, as he should but not for the reasons he should. Why does he stop? Because at this point he thinks that there’s a possibility that she’s his sister. If he hadn’t thought that, would he have pushed harder? Would he have gone further? Who knows.

On top of creepy entitled behaviors that he shows to Jin Mi, he also takes pleasure in being unnecessarily cruel to her. The little back and forth in the Heaven Realm when he turned her into all of the various items to ‘teach her a lesson’ was not cute to me. It was borderline sadistic and just downright fucked up.

Leaving Jin Mi behind, Xu Feng still falls short when it comes to his characterization. He’s portrayed as a kind of Gary Stu. He’s the best at everything. The most powerful. He’s unchallenged by any other character – look at how the entire demon army flees before him! Look at how undefeatable he is in battle! Look at how easily he talks back to his mother with no repercussions! Look at how easily he ignores any possible feelings his brother might have and just keeps on pushing! Look at how every other side character prefers him! What a stud! (note sarcasm). Honestly Xu Feng is a character with no obstacles. The only one he has is that he is in love with his brother’s fiancé and his brother won’t give her up to him because he loves her too. How dare he! He’s evil incarnate! (note sarcasm again)

Plus, we have the narrative trying to portray Xu Feng as a supposedly moral and upright character in contrast to Run Yu who is a schemer. There’s just one problem. It’s easy to be lighthearted and benevolent and chill when you’ve never faced a day of hardship in your life, when you’ve clearly never been told no before and when the roulette wheel of fate always spins in your favor. What hardships has Xu Feng truly had to overcome? Everyone loves him and he is the Greatest at Everything™. We see his narrow world view though and how only what happens to him matters when he deals with the information about the Heavenly Empress’s tyrannical torture and killing fests. He doesn’t care that Run Yu has just lost his mother and has been tortured for the survivors he wants to talk about him and get Jin Mi. He doesn’t care that his mother murdered thousands of people because the Heavenly Emperor couldn’t keep it in his pants, how dare Run Yu disrespect her. Who cares if Xu Feng is the one who started them all down this path of misery by refusing to stop chasing after a woman who told him to stop and just kept pushing until he eventually won, he’s going to feel like he’s righteous enough to tell his brother to be alone for eternity as a price to be paid for what’s happened while Xu Feng goes to find a way to flounce off with Jin Mi and live happily ever after. Who cares if Xu Feng stripped Sui He of her powers and her sanity and threw her out to be tortured and eaten by demons without a trial or anything like that, everyone cheered him and he got the girl! Clearly he was right!

Jin Mi – AKA Born Sexy Yesterday:

Jin Mi’s whole characters storyline and plot depends and hangs onto the fact that Jin Mi is ‘naïve and sheltered’ and that she doesn’t have the ability to either consent or not consent to a male leads love. It’s because she doesn’t know what that is and can’t recognize these weird things he does! Like kiss her? Like start pulling off her clothes? Why would she say no? It’s all innocent fun!

Oh but wait, now she’s going to fall in love with this person because…because he’s constantly there and pawing at her regardless of what she says or does or how she reacts! Yay! True Love FTW! But it’s all okay because it might be that she was in love with him the whole time but it’s a good thing that he recognized it because she can’t figure out her own feelings and wrapping her mind around complicated things like love is just too hard so all of his attentions are okay somehow even though they were still done without consent but that’s okay because deep down she truly loved him. [flips a table in the distance].

Unfortunately Jin Mi’s whole story is all about her lack of agency or characters taking it away. Her mother gives her the pill. Her father sells her away before he even knows that she’s been born in an engagement to the Heaven Realm. Xu Feng continuously ignores what she says and pushes himself into her sphere and hounds her over and over again. Run Yu restores the pill and later holds her captive in the Heaven Realm. The Moon Immortal and Yan You literally turn her into a puppet to put her in wedding clothes and shove her at Xu Feng without her permission. How is any of this okay? Jin Mi needs to get the fuck out.

Plus, the story never seems to understand the limits of the pill. She can feel love, just not romantic love because she feels sibling/friendship love for her cactus friend and mourns her death. She acknowledges that she likes people like Run Yu and understands the concept of marriage and mothers and fathers despite somehow not understanding that Xu Feng is a boy and has different equipment. At certain points her level of ditzy and uncomprehending everything and anything was baffling for a woman who is thousands of years old. Sure, she lived sheltered in the Flower Realm so that’s why she got confused at a dick and wanted to cut it off…. but wait…there are men in the Flower Realm which means she would have come to understand the differences. A child catches onto them pretty quickly and that’s within two to five years. Why can Jin Mi not figure that out after four or five thousand?

This all adds up to the most irritating moment of characterization for Jin Mi. Wherein she decides based off of information that she has – before it’s verified or investigated into – to kill Xu Feng with her own hands. This is an action that Jin Mi chooses to take. Run Yu does not push her into this. Run Yu does not tell her to do this. He does not force her to kill Xu Feng. Later though, because of her guilt she throws the responsibility for her actions onto him and blames him and tears him down because of her own guilt. This is not okay for the supposedly main female lead. It’s not okay for anyone to demonize someone else and leave them holding the bag for something they had no control over. Learn to take responsibility for your own actions. It sucks, but you did it. He didn’t. Blaming him and saying that he doesn’t feel/understand love crossed a line after everything.

 The extra characterizations of the other main characters I’m not going to go into but I will sum up as this:

Supposedly Smart Characters Doing Stupid/Crazy/Out of Character/WTF Things Because of ‘Plot’:

Sui He ��� Bechdel Tests Worst Nightmare AKA Female Character Only Exists To Further Male Story And Fawn Over Him.

Run Yu – But By God He’s Pretty When He Suffers AKA Actually a Disney Prince Cast Into Role Of Sea Witch For Reasons Unknown.

Tu Yao – Obvious Over The Top Bad Guy Is Obvious And Will Never Let You Forget It

Tai Wei – Satan’s Butthole.

[mycatshuman]

The Emo Who Stole Christmas

Chapter 1 : Story time!

Word Count: 3,068

Pairings: Pre-established Prinxiety, pre-established Logicality, pre-established Demus

Warnings: Commercialization of Christmas, falling down the mountain, Grinch used as an insult? Small car crash with no harm, brief mention of playing with matches, mentions of messing with mail? Almost getting crushed by a stamp, child being wrapped in wrapping paper, that might be it I'm not sure and I know these sound weird but I'm just being careful.

Remus and Deceit don't come in until the next chapter.

Thank you so so much to @icequeenoriginal !!! You are basically the co-creator to this fic and it really would not be as good as it is without you. And I also have to thank you for coming up with such and ingenious title!!💜💜

Masterlist | Next | More Chapters

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Snowflakes fall through the dark sky. A sparkling flake flies close and then we zoom inside the snowflake, watching sparkling crystals fly by as we start on our journey. 

Storytime! Inside a snowflake, like the one on your sleeve, there happened a story you must see to believe. The clouds break away and we see snow-covered mountains and evergreen trees dotted across the landscape. 

And in that snowflake, way up in the mountains, in the high range of Pontoos, lay the small town of Whoville: the home of the Who's. Ask any Who, And they'll say: "There is no place like Whoville around Christmas Day!" 

Every window was flocked, and every lamppost was dressed and the Whoville band marched in their Christmasy best! Or holiday best if they celebrated a different holiday. Who's run through the town as the snow falls around them, their arms full with bags and gifts and decorations. 

Arbor Day was fine, and Easter was pleasant and every Saint Fizzin's day, they ate a Fizz pheasant. But every Who knew, from their twelve toes to their snout, they loved Christmas (or other winter holidays like Kwanzaa and Hanukkah) the most, without a single Who doubt.

------

A man with dark skin hurriedly says "Farfingle's welcomes you! Thank you! Happy Holidays! Thank you for shopping at Farfingle's!" The man is looking a little pale as he tries to keep up with the sales as people shove money at him to pay for gifts. No one stopping to take their receipts, causing the man to become exhausted and fighting to keep his smile on his face. 

Patton walked around as he stared at his long gift list. "We got a snoozlephone for your brothers Stu and Drew, a muncle for your uncle, fant for your aunt, and a fandpa for your cousin Critic. That means we just need….." Patton paused and looked around, realizing he couldn't find his child. "Emile?" He called out.  "Emile? Honey?" He turned to find a set of legs sticking out from under a square of presents. He crouched and pulled a wrapped gift from the middle and his child's face peered out at him. Their face was pinched slightly and they seemed uncertain about something. "Doesn't this seem like a bit much?" They asked as they glanced at the presents. 

Patton chuckled heartily. "Oh no! This is what Christmas is all about!" Emile scrunched their nose as they looked at their father. "Can't you feel it?"

Emile shook their head and sighed as they left the store getting ready to head to the post office, where Patton worked. In the background, the sound of the store clerk’s increasingly exhausted voice sounded. "Wait! Don't forget your change!!!!!" 

Outside, the loud bell tolled and everyone froze. The Counter shouted, "Another Minute Closer to the Holidays!"

"And now, for the next ten minutes only, 99% off!!" A store owner shouts out into the busy streets and everyone rushed forward to try and get as much as they could from the store. 

-------

Yes, every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot. But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did not.

-----

Four Who teenagers climbed up the mountain quickly laughing and giggling, on their way to cause mischief. Or so they thought. "Come on! All the good mistletoes at the top! Missy! I'll race you!" Emile's brother Pranks shouted. 

"The last one to the top is a stinky old Grinch!!" Missy shouted as he raced past his brother. 

"Where are we?" One of the teens said as she climbed up alongside her sister. "I think we should go back before something bad happens."

"What? Are you scared of the Grinch?" 

The other sister huffed and grabbed her sister's arm and marched up to the door and hesitated. "Go on! Touch the door!" Pranks cried out. The sister gulped and reached forward only for the door to swing open and a huge ugly purple face with piercing fangs stared at them with malevolent eyes. A thundering growl sounded from the pit of the beasts' throat. The teens screamed and turned around only to tumble down the mountain head over heels. 

"Remy!! Look at them run!! Scared them so bad they fell right off our mountain!!" A deep voice laughed as he picked up an apple. "It serves them right. Those Yuletide-loving sickly-sweet, not-sucking cheer mongers! I don't like them. I really don't." The voice paused as they stopped and a flush spread across their pale face. "Well, most of them."  The voice moved out the door and stood looking down at the town of Whoville. "Remy! Sass master! Get my cloak!" The figure grimaced as he looked down at the town. "I've been too tolerant of these delinquents and their "innocent, victimless pranks." The figure's frown deepened as he glared at the town. If looks could kill. "So, they want to get to know me? Do they really? Want to spend a little quality time with the-" the future's nose scrunched in disgust. "Grinch!" He spat out the name as if it had hurt him. And maybe it had. He huffed and then turned to his cat Remy who sat next to his midnight colored cloak. A wicked grin spread across his face. "I guess I could use a little...social interaction." 

---------

A dark clothed figure walked through the town, A small dark grey cat trotting along beside them. Well, maybe walking wasn't so accurate. The figure seemed to glide and float across the ground as if it was an otherworldly spector. However, none of the Who's seemed to notice this different looking figure. "Happy Holidays!" A person called cheerfully as they walked past the figure. Virgil grimaced. "Yeah, yeah, you bet. Ho, ho, ho, and all that stuff or whatever." If any Who had stopped to peer closer at the hooded figure they might find a weird creepy mask and a lanky body covered in dark purple fur. It was a suit Virgil used to frighten the Whos more. It also to stay warm in the biting cold weather. 

A horn blared as a car crashed into a pole and Virgil gasped overdramatically. "Oh no!" He exclaimed and looked down at Remy. "Someone must have vandalized that vehicle. Don't you see, Remy? This city is a dangerous place!" He snickered after he confirmed his little trick hadn't hurt anyone.

The Grinch hated the holidays. The whole Holiday season. Or maybe he didn't. Maybe it just hurt to remember what the Who's had done to him. But please do not ask why. No one quite knows the reason. Aside from one other.

Virgil stopped two children and handed then a play saw, perfectly harmless but looked very real. "Here's a present for you two! Now be sure to run real fast with it! Double time!" 

Some believe it's because his head wasn't screwed on just right. Or that his shoes were too tight. But they think the most likely reason of all is, maybe his heart is two sizes too small.

As Virgil was walking a man stopped him from moving any further. "Hey, there stranger! Won't let you go until you buy a chapeau!" Virgil lifted his mask and hissed. The salesperson who had stopped him fainted out of sheer terror. Virgil held back a snort and he and Remy were on their way. 

-------

Patton carried presents alongside his child, Emile as they made their way to the post office. "Oh boy! Nothing beats Christmas! Right kiddo?" 

Emile frowned. "I don't-I guess." 

Patton frowned and turned to look at his child. "You guessed?" He asked, concern lacing through his words. 

Emile shrugged as they looked down. "I mean, I look around and see you and Pa getting all kabbabled and doesn't it seem...superfluous?" 

Patton opened his mouth to say something when a loud screaming reached his ears and he froze, turning towards the source of the noise as everyone around them did the same. 

"DAD!!!!" Missy and Pranks raced into the town square as the Mayor came out of his office along with his assistant to see what the commotion was about. 

"What happened to you?!?!" Patton asked panicked. The two boys were covered in frost and snow as they tried to stutter out a response. "It was the Grinch!" 

Virgil looked up. "What do you want?" He froze, "I mean.." He pitched his voice higher. "'Grinch? Oh, no!'"

"Did you say Grinch?" The mayor, Anton Who said as he stalked over to the family. 

Patton froze.“H-Hello Anton, M-Mayor Sir.” Patton said as he moved his children behind him. 

Anton sighed "Patton, I don't think I need to remind all of you that this Christmas marks the one-thousandth Whobilation."

"Whoville's most important celebration!!"

"As you know," the Mayor began as he pulled out a very large and thick book. "The Book of Who says very clearly, 'Every size of Who we can measure knows that Whobilation is a time we must treasure!'" He closed the book, perhaps a bit too quickly. "Now, Patton. Please tell me that your children have not been up on Mount Crumpit provoking one and only creature within a billion bilometers of here who hates the holidays!"

Missy and Pranks began speaking quickly, "But it was the Grinch-" 

Patton stopped them by covering their mouths, terrified of what the consequences may be for them and their family if they kept talking. "No, Mayor. They didn't see no Grinch. They were probably just up on the mountain playing with matches or defacing public property or something…" 

The Mayor let out a sigh of relief as he placed his gloved hand on his chest. "Oh! That is such a relief." He turned his extravagant cape dragging behind him. "All right! You heard the man! There is no Grinch Problem here! Happy Holidays!" The mayor called cheerfully. 

Virgil frowned and raised his mask and stuck a straw between his lips and spit a ball of paper at the Mayor. The mayor frowned and whipped the ball off his face, disgusted. Virgil chuckled as he pulled his mask down and went off again. 

-----

Roman May let out a sigh as he realized he still had four hours until it was dark enough to leave town. So he just rolled his new purchase home, slowly, hoping to kill more time. He paused at the post office however and let out a faint chuckle as he noticed the end of a cape and a cat's tail slipping through the crack in the door as it fell close. He sighed dreamily. "That's my love," he muttered fondly to himself and walked away with a lot more pep in his step than before. 

-----

Emile frowned as they watched their dad walk down a long hallway with envelopes and presents as he stuffed them in small cubes lining one wall that leads into the room on the other side. "Dad, I just- I don't understand something."

"Hhm?" Patton asked as he continued working but made sure to give his child the attention they deserved. 

"Why so everyone so against talking about the Grinch?" 

Patton huffed quietly, a little admirable of his child's fascination. "You kids and the Grinch…” he said softly. "You see, Emile, the Grinch is a Who, who always…." He paused. "Well...he's actually not a Who. He's more a..." 

"A what?" 

Patton nodded. "Yeah, he's more a what who doesn't like Christmas or any other holiday." Emile's face pulled down into a frown as they listened to their dad. "Just take a look at his mailbox. Not a single card, in or out. Not ever!" 

Emile looked at the empty mailbox that had seemingly been empty for so long that cobwebs filled the dead space. "But why?" They asked as they turned to look at their dad, unsure why someone wouldn't have at least been kind enough to try and include him. 

Patton opened his mouth to answer his child only to be cut off by people crowding around the front counter. "Patton! I got the wrong mail!!!" Someone cried out frantically and Patton gave Emile an apologetic smile and walked to the counter. "I'm coming!" He called out. "We can sort this all out!" 

-----

Virgil grinned wickedly as he stood in the mailroom and looking at the mailboxes from the other side. "Oh, this will take them years to sort out!" He began to grab envelopes and switch them around. "This is his and now it’s yours. This is hers and now it’s his!" He giggled gleefully and turned around. Picking up a stack of bright yellow envelopes he spun around. "And for the rest of you!" He flung envelopes into random mailboxes with great force as he chuckled madly to himself. "Jury duty! Jury duty! Jury duty! Blackmail! Pink slip! Chain letter! Eviction notice! Jury duty!" Remy watched unamused as Virgil tried to wreak havoc. He rolled his eyes, as well as a cat could. Virgil may seem threatening but in all actuality, he was just a hurt soul trying to hurt those who hurt him but was too nice to do so. At least he had Remy to keep him in check. 

-----

Patton walked over to Emile and held out a small stack of envelopes. "Hey, Emile, would you mind helping me take this to the mailroom?" Emile nodded and took the envelopes from their father. Patton smiled and ruffled their hair. "Thank you. Now be careful of the sorting machine, alright?" 

Emile nodded with a small smile and turned around and opened the door to the mailroom and glanced over as they watched the conveyor belt drop presents down a hole to have Fragile stamped on the side. They set the mail down and turned to leave only to hear a loud splat. They turned around and frowned as they noticed an ugly, overly happy mask sitting on the floor. They bent over and picked up the mask and inspected it. 

Virgil and Remy stared down below at the small Who child that had entered the mailroom. They were squished into the corner of the ceiling, trying to stay perched where they were until the child left. Then Remy sneezed. "Gesundheit," Virgil muttered. Emile gasped and whirled around, their gaze going to the ceiling. "Whoops."

Emile stuttered as they stared at the purple fur of the Grinch and the dark grey cat and screamed. The Grinch screamed back. Emile screamed again, and as the Grinch let out another scream they slowly composed themselves.  "You're the...the...You're the..."

Virgil jumped down and leaned forward into Emile's face. "The Grinch!" He snarled. Emile screamed and fell back into a pile slowly falling through the hole in the floor leading to the conveyor belt for the sorting machine. Virgil blinked as he tried to calm his racing heart. "Well...I guess that worked out..." He quickly turned towards the door, terrified of getting caught. "Remy, let's go. Our work here is done." 

"Help!! Help me! Please! Somebody!" Emile screamed as their head fell closer to the conveyor belt. Remy stopped just short of the door and gave Virgil a look that said, 'I know you're gonna feel guilty about this. Go help them, gurl.' 

Virgil huffed at being called out despite not actually hearing what Remy said, he was pretty good at telling what his cat was thinking. "All the bleeding hearts of the world unite! Ugh!" Virgil turned around and grabbed a hold of Emile's ankle before pulling the child out and quickly turning them upright. "There!" Virgil exclaimed. Although he turned his voice down at noticing the slightly shocked face of the child. He huffed and yanked the mask from them. "Give me that! Don't you know you're not supposed to take things that don't belong to you?! What are you, some kind of wild animal?!?!?" 

Emile blinked, desperately trying to process what exactly had just happened. They quickly found their voice as they vaguely heard the Grinch say something about leaving to their cat. "Thank you for saving me!" 

Virgil froze and slowly turned around to face the child again. "Saving you?" He asked slowly, carefully. "Is that what you think I was doing?" Emile nodded. Virgil huffed. He couldn't have this getting out, who knows how many teens would come up to bother him then! He grimaced. "Wrong-o!" He glanced to the side and noticed a roll of wrapping paper on a wrapping paper holder. He glanced back at the child. They can't know where I'm going. I have to make sure to stall them. "I simply noticed you weren't properly packaged, dear child." 

Emile stepped back only for the Grinch to began rapidly wrapping them up in the shiny red wrapping paper. "Hold still!" The Grinch exclaimed. Then he turned to his cat. "Remy! Pick out a bow!" Then the Grinch paused. "May I use your finger for a moment?" After a few more moments, Emile felt the Grinch's presence move away. They heard a snap and an "ow" at what, Emile assumed, was the Grinch putting his mask back on. 

Emile stood silent for a few moments after the Grinch left before they began shouting. "Hello! Hello!"  

Patton frowned as he looked for his child. A small "hello" drew him towards the mailroom and he opened the door. "Emile?" 

"Dad! Daddy!" Emile called out as they sensed their father moving closer. 

"What ...?" Patton was speechless as he noticed a figure wrapped in wrapping paper around the size of his child. "Emile? Is that really you?" He asked again and began removing the wrapping paper.

Once Emile's head and torso were uncovered, they grinned excitedly at Patton. "Dad! It was astounding! Th-"

"You have been practicing your Christmas wrapping!" Patton exclaimed, eyes twinkling. "Oh, Emile! I am so so proud of you!! That's the holiday spirit!!" 

"O-oh…" Emile train of thought halted as they took in their father. His black-framed glasses and the grey cardigan pulled tight over his postal uniform. The smile that was wide on his face, beaming with pride. Emile subconsciously rubbed at the grey material of their school uniform. 

Kind little Emile didn't know what to do. In their head, a conflict or two humbled around their brain. 'If The Grinch was so bad, then why did he save me?" They thought. "Maybe he wasn't as bad as they say." Maybe. Just maybe. 

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Everything Taglist: @spxced-oxt @superwholocked-for-life @mirror2thespirit @aroundofapplesauce @lyditist @little-euro-girl @unicornofdarknessstuff @maryann-draws

[slasherplaything]

Slashers as people at a family reunion

Bubba: Your sweet grandma who made like 60% of the food herself and greets everyone with a hug and "I remember when you were this big!"

Thomas: your grandpa who always looks grumpy but is actually really nice! Pretty quiet and has a no bullshit attitude, he's staying close to grandma and keeping an eye on everyone so things don't get too rowdy

Michael: Your dad who doesn't want to be there but went anyway because he didn't want to disappoint grandma, stands quietly with a beer in hand almost the whole time, if grandpa needs him to step in for something he's on it

Jason: your mother who wants to socialize, but doesn't want to interrupt and insert herself into other people's conversations, eventually gets into it and has lots of fun

Freddy: your creepy uncle who likes to snap bras and always puts his hands just a little too low when hugging you, greets you with a creepy smile and "you've grown since I last saw you"

Brahms: your annoying kid cousin who is constantly complaining about being bored and asking you to play and asking if there is cake and complaining he's bored again, you can't find his mom anywhere

Billy and stu: your mischievous teen cousins who like to cause trouble, they gave your kid cousin a water gun and are snickering while he torments everyone else

Bo: your distant cousin who is very attractive and you feel awkward around because ew, he's your cousin you shouldn't be attracted to him wtf

Vincent: your really shy distant cousin who pretty much keeps to himself the whole time and avoids everyone, waiting for the gathering to be over so he can go home

Lester: the really friendly family member whom you hardly ever see but are still happy to see, he greets everyone with a smile, a hug and a loud "hey how ya doin'?! Long time no see!" Everyone is happy to see him, but you get the sense that he's lonely

Nubbins and chop top: your two uncles that are laughing loudly together and drinking alot they feed off each others energy, you sometimes get the sense that they are trying to outdo each other in someway, chop top came to the gathering on his motorcycle

Norman: your kind aunt who helped organize the whole gathering by helping people get in contact with each other, they haven't seen you since you were a baby and take an interest in your life, you probably won't see them again till the next reunion but its still nice to visit

Idk lol its an idea

[natsumi52488]

People should read more carefully if they think he’s totally innocent, I love him because he’s a complex character with his flaws and not a perfect gary stu ;) Btw I don’t think the majority of Bum’s fans who call him innocent actually forgot he is a stalker or that he killed Jieun ^_^ But I don’t want to use the word pervert for him (even though it may be correct considering everything), yes he’s obsessive and creepy at times and his behaviour is unacceptable but I don’t like it probably because in my mind it implies a dangerous sexual perversion :/ Bum doesn’t get off on other people’s pain like Sangwoo or lusts after a teenage relative like the Uncle, it’s true that he’s hypersexual but actually his “love” and attraction haven’t strictly sexual connotations; Bum fell in love with Sangwoo because he thought he was good and kind to him ( a similar situation happened with his high school classmate), despite *everything* he’s definitely not a sexual maniac. Sorry i didn’t want to hijack your post! It’s just that some people (not you of course ^^) are so fast calling him a monster while we know it’s not the truth in canon