#valid question with both answers possible after the game

[tinderbox210]

ND-5: Are you ready to commit?

Kay: Like, a crime or a relationship?

[ephemeralinstance]

The Veil and the Ad Hominem Fallacy

While there are many things I love about Veilguard, the way the Veil was dealt with was definitely a weak point. We know the devs were worried that people sympathized too much with Solas' goals; hence the choice to have him kill Varric. But I think this demonstrates a misunderstanding of the reasons why people liked and sympathized with Solas.

In previous games, we were shown that the Veil has consistently harmed spirits, mages, and (arguably) elves - three groups who are systematically oppressed and/or have their personhood erased in Thedas. And in Inquisition, Solas was the only person who stood up for spirits, and among one of the most vocal supporters of mage freedom; he was also (albeit inconsistently) critical of the ways elves have been treated throughout Thedosian history. So people who sympathized with those three groups were naturally inclined to have at least some sympathy both for him personally and for his plans regarding the Veil (of course pending further details, since Trespasser was pretty vague about this). It's not the case that people agreed with him blindly because they liked him or because they romanced him; they liked him because they agreed with him, at least about the harms the Veil was inflicting on vulnerable groups. The use of Cyrian as a metaphor is also telling here. Anaris is clearly intended a parody of Solas, and so the mask which makes Cyrian feels Anaris' emotions seems to be intended as a critique of people who sympathize with ancient elven gods due to empathizing too much with them. But again, this is a misunderstanding. People didn't sympathize with Solas' goals just because they think he's tragic, they sympathized for actual reasons based on the canonical evidence for the Veil doing harm.

Having Solas kill Varric was therefore not a good way of addressing this issue, because Solas' personal character and methods are completely irrelevant to the question of whether the Veil should come down or not. The same goes for showing that Solas is largely motivated by regret, or that he often gets his plans wrong - all of this is a classic ad hominem fallacy. Perhaps these things might serve to convince us that it is not a good idea for Solas to take down the Veil by himself, but none of it is relevant to the question of whether the Veil should in fact come down.

The right way to address this issue would have been to actually address the arguments for it! Allow Solas to articulate the fact that the Veil harms spirits, mages and (perhaps) elves. Allow him to tell us what he believes Thedas would look like after the Veil came down. Allow Rook to discuss Solas' claims with knowledgeable people like Emmrich and Morrigan, and assess their validity. Perhaps even allow Rook to talk with the Mourn Watch, the Veil Jumpers and so on about other possible ways to mitigate the harms that the Veil does. Give Rook a chance to convince Solas himself that there are other options!

I'm not saying that the Veil should have come down. There's no canonical answer to the question of whether that would have been a good outcome, since we got no concrete details at all on what Thedas might look like if it did. Nor do I necessarily think that would have been a better story. But I do think the game we actually got would have been strengthened if they'd trusted players a bit more and allowed us to explicitly contemplate the morality of the Veil, and to seek alternative ways of solving the problems it causes.

[summerclementine27]

Meet Me in The Hallway🌷pt. 1

summary: Mr. Styles has possibly interested Y/N more than his literature classes and she finds herself pining for him over the months.

pairings: professor!harry, student!reader

warnings: small age difference, mentions of smut

word count: 4.7k

note: i wanted to make this one part but it will be too long so there will have to be a part 2

part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/summerclementine27/757559698881986560/meet-me-in-the-hallway-pt2

Tender days of mid-October

As I took my seat in the large lecture hall, a sense of anticipation loomed over me. Today, Mr. Styles was giving us the results of the last literature and theory criticism coursework I had handed in the previous week. This was my third class with him, one of two this school year, the other being Contemporary Literature. Last year, he taught me Introduction to Literature, a mandatory class for my degree. Though I dreaded it at first due to his choice of reading list, I ended up falling in love with the course because of the way he taught it. Some works I initially criticized him for choosing, he ended up using as examples and critiqued them himself, like "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin. Plus, it helped that he was impossibly handsome with his tall frame, tousled brown hair, and piercing green eyes.

When my friends noticed how much I liked his class, they were unfazed. However, as I became somewhat of a teacher’s pet in a class rudimentary compared to the others I took this year—such as Feminism and Literature, Historical Narratives in Fiction, and Postcolonial Literary Criticism—they realized that maybe the tall, green-eyed man was what had really piqued my interest, not discussing "Middlemarch" for four classes.

On days when I had his class, I dressed extra nicely, sometimes even daring to pair a clean collared shirt with a shorter-than-usual skirt. One time, I even left my wool trench coat on during the first period and stood up from my auditorium seat to take it off. Sitting in the back, the rows of chairs likely covered the lower part of my body, but I was sure the space between my long boots and short skirt was visible from his vantage point. Surely, my abrupt standing would grab his attention. What I didn’t anticipate was him pausing in the middle of a long train of thought to stare, then quickly catching himself and stuttering before continuing seamlessly as I knew he would. My friend Anika, seated in one of the front rows, noticed and turned to see what had caught his attention. To her dismay, I was playing games with someone totally unattainable again. But she knew I thrived on academic validation, and this little crush of mine would only drive me to excel in more classes.

"Are you serious, Y/N? He's our professor." she exclaimed once.

"I know, but he's just... different."

"Different? Or is it the way he looks at you when you answer a question?"

"Maybe both. Besides, this crush is making me work harder. You can't argue with the results."

"Just be careful. I don't want you getting hurt."

In fact, it drove me to do more than that. One time, Mr. Styles noticed my passion for poetry after I shamelessly defended the works of Sylvia Plath with a controversial view that modern poetry should not shy away from the stark realities of mental health. He gave me a few poetry anthologies and compilations, including his annotated copies. I fawned over reading his notes and even emailed him once, pretending that I had "accidentally" annotated something, forgetting it wasn’t my own copy after losing myself in the literature. He replied kindly:

Mr. Styles: "Please, feel free to annotate as much as you like. I would be honored to have your opinions inked on my favorite copies."

By the next semester, after encouraging me to join the poetry society, Mr. Styles nominated me for president, and I was thrilled to win. He insisted on celebrating, gently grasping my upper arm and smiling warmly as he said he expected nothing less. I brought a bottle of wine to his office, where he had asked me to meet him, only to find the entire poetry society there, ready to congratulate me. The gathering lingered for a few delightful hours before everyone left, leaving just the two of us to clean up.

"You really impressed everyone tonight, Y/N. Not that I'm surprised." He began once we were truly all alone.

"Thank you, Mr. Styles. I couldn't have done it without your support."

"Well, you deserve it. By the way, outside of class and school hours, you can call me Harry." He said in his thick Manchester accent.

"Only if you stop calling me Ms. Y/L/N." I joked.

"Hey! I only do that sometimes. Plus, I can't call out to you in class like, 'Y/N, will you read the next slide?' People will think..."

"...think I’m the teacher’s favorite?" I finished his sentence with a teasing smile.

I couldn’t take the lingering stares and supposedly accidental touches we were both guilty of. But I knew that if I really wanted this, if I wanted to be more than just a student he regretted being tempted by when I graduated, then I had to play the long game.

And indeed I did. I kept up my habit of always showing up well-dressed in elegant coats and well-fitting clothing. I accentuated my features with a light coat of makeup, even if I had to apply it on a bumpy bus ride to campus. I even signed up for his office hours, despite really not needing them, just to exchange thoughts and opinions under the guise of “wanting to make sure I'm on the right track.” I wanted him to get to know me more, to realize that despite my youth, I was mature and thoughtful.

At the start of the second year, he emailed me to come to campus a few times in August, a month before the start of term, to discuss my responsibilities as the founder of the debate team. The idea sparked in his mind after I excelled in the heated debate he chose to hold as our first-year final assessment. He was so in awe that he went as far as saying I could compete at a national level on the English debate team, which neither of us was certain of, but I accepted the compliment.

Our earlier meetings were spent cooped up in his office, reviewing why the last debate team failed almost a decade ago and planning the structure for the new team. We discussed everything from team dynamics to potential debate topics, ensuring we were prepared for any challenge.

On one of the hotter days in August, we took our meeting to the university courtyard, having grown tired of experiencing the last bursts of England’s so-called summer from his office window. It was a beautiful window, and a big one at that, but it didn’t compare to actually being outside. That day, I realized the majority of planning for the next few months had already been accomplished in our first few meetings, and I got the hint that he didn’t actually need my help now that I had settled everything I could that wasn’t on an administrative level. So naturally, I decided to have a little fun.

I was wearing penny loafers with black tailored pants that I got fitted for when I visited my mum in London in July. I had paired them with a light knit sweater that fit slightly loosely over my shoulders, often falling down to reveal a collarbone. When I saw him take off his blazer and loosen his tie, I took that as my green light to take off something of my own, knowing I was wearing a neat white tank top underneath. As I slipped the sweater off, covering my face with the fabric, I could see his face through the thin material, making out his features and briefly noticing his eyes on my body. Sitting up straight, I managed to remove the sweater from over my head neatly. Once he saw my face, a soft blush made it to his own.

"Did I mess up my hair?" I asked, as if I hadn’t planned on brushing down the strands that had likely gone astray or as if I was oblivious to the fact that I had just taken off my sweater in front of him.

"Um, yeah, a bit at the top," he said, chuckling as if he wasn’t just clearing his throat in a flustered manner before my face was revealed from under the sweater.

To my surprise, he reached out, inching himself closer to where I was sitting on the bench we shared. With two fingers, his index and middle, he gently brushed down the messy hair on either side of the top of my head.

"Thank you, Harry," I said softly.

However, nothing could have prepared me for what would happen later this year.

As the class settled down to receive their marks on the literature and theory criticism coursework, Mr. Styles walked in, dressed in a well-fitted navy suit with a crisp white shirt. He took off his coat and placed it on the edge of his desk, a departure from his usual habit of draping it over the back of his chair. He wasted no time before pulling out the papers from his leather satchel and making his way down the aisles of the lecture hall, passing out the papers to everyone. When he read out my name, I watched as his eyes searched for me across the hall, darting from one side of the room to the other. It was unlike me to skip his class, so he knew all he had to do was find me. I hadn’t planned this specific event, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. Once he found me, he smiled sheepishly, yet much more subtly than he did when we were alone and made his way to me.

"Excellent work, Y/L/N," he said as he gently placed the papers on my desk. "I especially appreciate the effort of handwriting this," he remarked, although everyone knew he didn’t care if papers were written by hand or typed on a computer.

I had deliberately written my paper by hand after he replied to an email of mine. I had thanked him for letting me borrow his books, and his response was a charming note saying he’d enjoyed reading my annotations and adored my handwriting. For once, I was glad that my all-girls school had emphasized cursive writing, as I used it to add a romantic touch to my work.

When I finally read his comments and feedback, I was met with admiration and praise. In one of the margins, he had written, “Your insights are so compelling, it’s impossible not to fall in love with your analysis.” On the final page, at the bottom, he had added, “It’s a privilege to be your professor. Your brilliance shines so brightly that it’s clear this paper is a testament to your exceptional talent.”

Often times I worried that there actually was something going on between us, and that his praise and charming were remarks were not that of a proud professor, but of an infatuated man instead. So that day, I decided to address it.

As the lecture drew to a close, I lingered in my seat, carefully packing up my belongings with deliberate slowness. The classroom slowly emptied, the murmur of students’ conversations fading into the background as they made their way out. I wanted to be alone with Mr. Styles, to discuss something that had been weighing on my mind. By the time I made my way down the row of seats to his desk, the room was empty except for the two of us.

“Mr. Styles,” I began hesitantly, catching his eye as he gathered his papers. “I was hoping to ask you something.”

He looked up, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Of course, go ahead. I’m actually glad you stayed behind. There’s something I’d like to ask you as well.”

A sudden rush of anxiety gripped me. The possibility of crossing a line—whether I had done so with my subtle flirtations or if he were about to make a move that could alter our dynamic—was almost too much to bear.

My fantasies of him flashed through my mind. I had dreamt of intimate moments with him like kissing him, waking up in his bed, or better yet, on the couch in his office after a late romantic night together. I had once pictured us sitting on the floor around his small coffee table as we did one time when they ordered takeout during one of our August meetings except this time I would slip my shoes off casually and find a way to stroke my foot, clothed thin leggings, against his leg, looking at him with doe eyes as I dare to not so innocently asks if he ever thought about me sexually.

Hell, I even pictured him going down on me after laying me on his desk and even touched myself to the idea of riding him while he sat on his office chair. I would sneak into the small space between him and his desk and shut off his laptop while he graded my papers, cockily saying “We already know I got an A” – despite my crippling self-doubt without tangible affirmation – as I sit on his lap. In this fantasy he would laugh at my remark and gladly embrace me with a hand on my ass, the other intertwined among thick locks of my long hair, messing it up as I teasingly kiss him, ever so aware of the friction I’m creating between our crotches.

But still, to think that he would propose something to me in that moment, sexual or romantic, casually after class as if I haven’t been pining for two Octobers made me incredibly nervous.

I cleared my throat, trying to steady my voice as I met his gaze. “Mr. Styles, well, first of all this has nothing to do with the actual course itself, maybe a bit but...” I trailed off “It’s... it’s been on my mind for a while.”

He raised an eyebrow, curiosity evident in his expression. “Sure, go ahead. I’m happy to answer anything.” He smiled shyly to comfort me.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding as I prepared to voice my concerns. “Do you think that maybe my behavior in class, my enthusiasm, or even my approach to your feedback has influenced you to… um… maybe to favor me? Over other students I mean.” I began nervously, desperately searching for an expression on his blank face.

“Maybe sometimes I get a little excited and forget that you are my professor and not my friend or something, I think I may have overstepped my boundaries but… but you treat me as an equal which, by the way, I have always greatly appreciated. I mean, it has offered me an opportunity to grow as a student like no other, but I still worry…”I trailed off, now a stern look evident on his face and possibly even hurt.

He paused for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he considered my words. “I appreciate your honesty and self-awareness,” he said finally, his voice steady but soft. “It’s clear that you’re passionate and dedicated, and I value that. But it’s important to remember that I strive to maintain fairness in all my interactions with students.”

I bit my lip, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. “I understand, Mr. Styles. I just want to make sure that if I take pride in these academic accomplishments… if I want to revel in the fact that I always receive praise from you and rarely any criticism – like todays feedback for example, which included no criticism, I want to make sure it is because I am worthy of it. And not because I won you over by involving myself in your extracurriculars or because we are… uh.. friendly.”

He looked at me with a reassuring smile, his gaze steady and sincere. “First of all, let me assure you that you are never inappropriate. The friendship we’ve developed is separate from our academic interactions. Outside of school hours, I call you by your first name to maintain that distinction. In the classroom, I evaluate you purely on your merit.”

He leaned forward slightly, his tone earnest. “The reason your feedback today contained no criticism is that your paper was truly flawless. If there had been any weaknesses or areas for improvement, I would have pointed them out without hesitation. I hold you in very high regard academically, and that respect extends to all aspects of your work. If I ever notice any shortcomings, I will address them so you have the opportunity to refine and grow.”

His expression softened, a touch of concern in his eyes. “The only issue I see here is that you are doubting yourself. Your achievements and the praise you receive are well-deserved. You have a remarkable ability, and I believe in your potential. My only hope is that you start to see in yourself what I see in you – a brilliant, dedicated student who deserves every bit of recognition they receive.”

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief and a renewed confidence. When I looked down at my lap I heard him continue:

“And of course I value the relationship we have fostered outside of class. Would I be the man I am today if you hadn’t introduced me to the wonders of Moroccan cuisine?” He tried to joke to ease the tension and unsurprisingly it worked as it earned him a soft chuckle of honest amusement.

“Theres the y/n I know and love” he bantered though I cant say my heart didn’t skip a beat at the mention of the word “love”.

“You know, there are many other cuisines you’re yet to try,” I said with a playful glint in my eye. “For someone who’s so well-traveled and cultured, it’s surprising how much you’ve missed out on when it comes to food.” I teased.

“Well, perhaps you’ll tell me all about it when we’re in Amsterdam for the debate competition,” he said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with genuine excitement.

I blinked, momentarily stunned. “Wait, what? You secured that for us?” My voice wavered slightly as my heart leaped with joy. “I can’t believe it! I’m so excited. This is incredible news!”

He chuckled, clearly pleased with my reaction. “I thought you’d like that. It’s an excellent opportunity, and I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it.”

I couldn’t help but beam, my excitement bubbling over. “This is amazing, truly. Thank you so much!” I stepped closer, touched by his thoughtfulness and dedication.

As I reached out, our hands brushed briefly, a fleeting touch that sent a shiver through me. His gaze softened, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. “I’m just glad we get to share this experience together,” he said softly.

The moment felt charged, filled with unspoken words and mutual appreciation. I nodded, my heart full of gratitude and warmth. “Me too,” I murmured, feeling the depth of our connection more than ever before.

Time jump – December is getting ready for Christmas.

As we stepped into the hotel lobby, the excitement was palpable among the debate team. Amsterdam was already charming me, even though I’d only glimpsed it through the bus window. The streets were lined with picturesque canals and quaint buildings, each one more enchanting than the last. I couldn’t help but talk animatedly about how I’d dreamed of visiting the Netherlands ever since my father told me stories about the blooming flower fields when I was a child.

Harry, who had been sitting beside me on the bus, watched with a fond smile. “You really seem to love the city,” he said. “Maybe we could find a couple of free days between the training and the competition to visit the flower fields.”

My eyes widened in delight. “Really? That would be incredible. But managing a whole field trip with the debate team might be a bit complicated.”

He grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Well, we could go alone. Just you and me. A little escape from the team.” He added. “We could explore some other things too if we’d like.”

The thought of spending time alone with him, wandering through a sea of flowers, made my heart race. I felt a warm blush creep up my cheeks. “That sounds amazing. I’d love that.”

When we checked into the hotel and were given our room keys, Anika, my vice president, and I realized that Harry and I had rooms on a separate floor. In fact, they were deluxe rooms though him and I booked standard rooms for everyone when we went over the budget. Anika seemed particularly perplexed by this.

“Why did you get such a nice room and I didn’t?” Anika questioned, her tone tinged with curiosity as she approached me in the lobby.

I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Maybe Mr. Styles thought I needed a little extra comfort. You know, as president” I joked, not really sure if that was the case. “Besides, he probably just had to make decisions based on what was available.” I found myself lying, knowing I was curious myself.”

Anika raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe he’s using the budget money to splurge on you. I’ve noticed you two have become quite friendly. Could it be that he has a thing for you?” she teased, knowing I have spent months pining and flirting.

I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t think so, Anika. We’re friends, and that’s all it is. I don’t think he feels anything else.” I said, confidant of my words for the first time in this conversation. “Plus, you are the only person other than me and Harry that got her own room. Others are sharing and you likely have a king bed all to yourself.”

“Harry? Is that his name now?” she smirked. “I guess you forgot to tell me you are on a first name basis. Are you holding out on me Y/L/N?” she joked though she was never oblivious to the fact that you kept some encounters with Harry to yourself, as if it would fuel the fantasy somehow.

I raised an eyebrow and gave her a playful grin. “Oh, come on. You have to admit everyone in the poetry society calls him that when we are outside the university.” I said, knowing that it was only one guy who was a family friend of Harry’s who got the honor.

She chuckled, but there was a hint of curiosity in her gaze. “Right. But you can’t deny there’s something a bit… special about how you two interact. Just saying.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m not holding my breath for anything more on this trip. We’re here for the debate, remember? That’s the focus. But if anything happens later…” I shrugged playfully as she returned my knowing smile.

“Fair enough. Just keep your eyes open anyway, okay? Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to.”

I heard Harry calling my name from the end of the hall. I turned around to see him walking towards me with a thoughtful expression.

“Hey, do you still want to gather the debate team for a brief practice session before the afternoon debate?” he asked, his tone carrying a hint of concern.

I shook my head, smiling. “No, no need. You were right; they need a break. Plus, everyone has their notecards and seems prepared.”

Harry nodded, his smile relaxing into a satisfied grin. “Alright then. Let’s head to the elevator; it’ll be a bit quieter now anyway.”

We walked to the elevator together, and once inside, he pressed the button for my floor. The confined space seemed to amplify the gentle hum of the elevator, making it feel intimate.

Harry glanced at me with a soft smile, his eyes lingering a moment longer than usual. “Your hair looks different today. Did you do something special with it?” he asked, his voice carrying a playful undertone.

I felt a tinge of embarrassment, my cheeks warming slightly. “I just blow-dried it differently since I was in a rush this morning,” I replied, trying to sound casual.

Harry’s smile grew, his eyes twinkling with a mix of admiration and something else I couldn’t quite place. “Well, it looks beautiful. I wouldn’t have guessed it was rushed.”

His compliment made my heart flutter, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Harry. That makes me feel a lot better about this hectic morning” I tried to divert the conversation, feeling nervous at his focus on me.

“Yeah, well, at least you have matching socks,” he joked, and before I could ask him what the hell he was talking about, he lifted his foot, revealing his own mismatched socks with a playful grin.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You and your accidental fashion choices,” I said, shaking my head with a smile, remembering that time I complimented his shoes only to find out he ordered the wrong ones online and couldn’t get them returned. He looked handsome in them anyway, I had told him.

He shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “What can I say? I like to keep things interesting. And besides, it’s a good thing someone’s got their fashion game on point around here.” He said, brushing off the fact that it was a rushed accident.

I playfully nudged him. “Well, I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. And for the record, I do have matching socks today, just in case you were wondering.”

Harry’s eyes softened as he looked at me, a warmth in his gaze that made my heart flutter. “Well, I must say, your socks are a lot less distracting than mine.”

I chuckled, feeling the tension between us ease into something more comfortable and light-hearted.

As the elevator chimed and the doors slid open to my floor, Harry didn’t make a move to exit. Instead, he turned to me with a charming grin, his eyes sparkling with warmth. “Let me walk you to your room. It’s the least I can do. After all, it’s not every day I get to be a gentleman,” he said, completely ignoring the fact that his room was directly across from the elevator.

I laughed softly, touched by his thoughtfulness. “You’re too kind, Harry. It’s just down the hall here,” I said, gesturing toward my door, which was a short distance away from his.

As we walked together down the hallway, the atmosphere felt lighter, filled with a quiet, pleasant tension. Harry’s presence beside me was comforting, and I found myself appreciating the little things—like how he occasionally glanced my way, as if trying to make the moment last just a bit longer.

When we reached my door, Harry reached out and brushed his hand lightly against mine as he opened the door for me. “Even so, a little extra time with you—well, when else can I talk about my accidental shenanigans and have someone listen intently?” His voice was low and warm, and his gaze lingered on me with an intensity that sent a thrill down my spine.

I felt a flutter in my chest at his words but remained blissfully unaware of the deeper implications behind his gaze. “Well,” I said, smiling as I unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Thanks for walking me. It’s always nice to have a bit of company, especially when the company is as pleasant as yours.”

Harry’s smile grew softer, and he took a step back, still holding my gaze. “Anytime, y/n. I’ll see you in a few hours. Get some rest.

“You too, Harry.” I said as he walked back to his own room.

——————————————————————

PART TWO IS NOW UP 🌷🌷

[butterfly-ribbon]

i was thinking about mizuki's gender being listed as unknown again and how everyone else has an explicit mention. people tried to point at that to say she's either not trans OR that she isn't a tgirl (instead a different kind of trans) at some point, but i think that… actively misunderstands the internal intent of the game. like this was done so people wouldn't assume she's a cis girl and i also think there's an active intent in noting that, but not wanting to say "gender = male" bc this would be misgendering (duh) and for a character who's burying so much of her gender struggles bc of how others deny it, i think it makes sense. there's a struggle, i think, in writing and exploring trans narratives that engage with that… question? idk. maybe it would be better if she was just noted as female from the start and i think she's overdue for that especially after ena5, but i also think there's so much nuance in how she's portrayed that i see saying her gender is "?" isn't meant to actually be a declaration of her gender or meant for the reader to question what her gender is.

in many cases, trans girls are already automatically shunted into that expectation of either a fetish or wish fulfillment (which in many ways are the same thing at a certain point) and that's the conceit of her introduction in the main story in terms of how everyone treats her as an exhibition at school - she's fetishistically mythologized and vilified as an Other type of girl, which is something she tries to reclaim by hiding behind the facade of the Mysterious Manic Pixie Dream (Cis) Girl when she's around niigo bc it's the only way she feels like she can be with them without imposing on them or getting close enough to them to the point of having to reveal her secret due to her desire to avoid being hurt. it's wild to me that the consensus in the past about her was that she's anything but a trans girl when the treatment she's subjected to at the school is textbook transmisogyny and this is something we see immediately in the main story.

people are constantly fetishizing her and treating her like an object to be ogled at. she's constantly under the threat of violence. even when she puts so much work into pushing back just through being full of energy and looking "past" it all, they never stop. there's nothing she can do about a society that refuses to recognize her as a person, much like mafuyu can't do anything to change her own mother.

at most she gets told by others that this person is "just not used to her yet". terrible implications all around bc she's made to feel as though people are just putting up with her existence instead of making the effort to understand something that should be simple about who she is, which makes her feel terrible after she's put so much effort into both explaining herself and making herself as palatable as possible?

i think there are some valid criticism to be raised about how marking mizuki as "unknown" and how it might've contributed to people writing her off as "neither a girl nor boy" and the unfortunate parallels with degendering/third sexing therein. if i were to engage in good faith, i'd say the intent is draw attention to mizuki's gender struggles and make the reader interrogate that (and then ideally arriving at the answer being that she's a trans girl), but i still stand by my take that ena5 should've had her refer to herself as a girl explicitly to reclaim the way she was outed previously. it also always felt like the equivalent of mafumom being 'hidden' due to mafuyu's perception of her as a figure of authority rather than a person until kanade saw her for the awful person she is. in this case mizuki's "unknown" is also meant to tie into her own internalized transmisogyny (e.g. referring to herself as an artificial flower in many songs). mizuki herself plays into the degendering she's been subjected to for her entire life in many ways … we know that in the beginning of high school she actually made effort to explain herself to others and they didn't get it? she presumably said that she's a trans girl but she wasn't taken seriously. now she just finds it exhausting to explain anything and she doesn't want to feel like she constantly has to prove that a trans girl is just a type of girl so she's just like "that's me. i do this bc i wanna be me. this is the person i am, why the hell do you think i would do this, why would i dress this way, why would I put up with people like you if it wasn't obvious." i think there's also a lot we can engage with in terms of the presentation of mizuki which is wholly under her own control vs that which is outside of her control... mizuki finds comfort in niigo and connecting with girls over discord bc she can rewrite her life in such a way to as to obscure her own transness like when she narrates her backstory. the fact that the details of her trauma are so carefully hidden carries a strong intent bc it reads as mizuki's renarrativization due to not wanting to get too much into detail about her own trauma? it feels very meta considering mizuki's genre saviness and the fact that most transfeminine narratives tend to indulge in transmisogynistic violence in really voyeuristic ways... we know mizuki had numerous traumatic coming out moments and i think there's so much to read into the ambiguity around this... she's frankly constantly under the treat of SA as well as a trans girl, but i just appreciate that this is something the writing treats respectfully and affords her so much dignity. to be trans in many contexts is to be expected to give over so much of yourself to people who frequently won't care, won't actually understand how much of yourself you're giving over, and will actively rewrite your narrative to define who you are for you based on their own prejudices… and mizuki communicates that well bc she's allowed to be almost wholly in control of her presentation and her narrative.

[croquis-el]

Let's talk about how similar Naruhodō and Mitsurugi are in terms of morality and high responsibility in relation to their work.

And how determined they are to put themselves at risk, knowing full well that it could end badly for themselves.

I will talk about how they both share the same moral principles and how they do not allow others to lead them astray from their intended goal.

So, illegal evidence

Now you may be thinking - what the hell, this has nothing to do with the topic

And I will say that everything is just the opposite

I will discuss the use of fake evidence, its creation and responsibility for it, backed up with evidence

Let's start, as they say, from the beginning and pose the following question:

Does Naruhodō believe that Mitsurugi made shady deals, and will he protect him from these rumors?

In the first game of Trilogy, we are introduced to Naruhodō, shocked that his righteous friend is surrounded by rumors of evidence tampering, and how he desperately tries to understand whether it is true (he does not deny the fact of the shady dealings, does not vehemently defend Mitsurugi, saying “no, he couldn’t do that” and is fully aware that this could really happen).

And at first everything seems open and understandable - yes, perhaps it was so, and now Naruhodō's anger about this is clear to us

But then 1-5 happens, which closes a huge plot hole and gives answers to many questions. Mitsurugi has never falsified evidence in his life, which he honestly states to Naruhodō and which is later confirmed in court (he was caught colluding with witnesses and hiding evidence, but not falsifying it).

Now let's get back to Naruhodō and his attitude towards this. Having learned that Mitsurugi did not fabricate evidence on his own (other people above him in position did this), Naruhodō does not rush to defend him, saying “This is a forgery,” but literally says the following: “So it's true. Even though he may not have known it... He really was involved in falsifying evidence” .

In response to the above question: Naruhodō believes that a lawyer is responsible for the validity of evidence in the courtroom, regardless of who provided it to him previously, and will not even try to deny this.

And he’s not the only one who holds this opinion.

Mitsurugi himself also believes that "The police department's error is my error. I am a prosecutor, and I am responsible for it."

Considering Mitsurugi's resignation letter, Akane Hozuki (Ema Skye) doesn't understand why such serious measures need to be taken, even when such serious accusations have surfaced, but without decisive action on the part of superiors. Naruhodou answers her with the following: “Someone has to held responsible. That's how it is in the grown-up world.”

Naruhodō understands Mitsurugi's emotional state and accepts his willingness to resign from the prosecutor's office, knowing that this is not happening in a vacuum. If you used fabricated evidence (not even by yourself) - bear responsibility for your recklessness.

When Naruhodō used the fabricated page from the diary, he understood that no arguments would be heard by the court and took full responsibility for providing the fake evidence (but not for fabricating it). Naruhodou acted according to his own words from 1-4 and 1-5 - he doubted the legality of this evidence, but still used it and took the weight of the punishment upon himself.

We don't know how he felt or what he was thinking in the days after his license was revoked (except he felt "lost" and because someone is too good at hiding his emotions), but even in the thick of the situation, he remained collected and calm, and two weeks later he began investigation to find the person who framed him.

And now to the main thing.

Both Mitsurugi (in the SL-9 case and possibly other unknowns) and Naruhodō (the falsified diary page) unknowingly (but not freed from doubt) used false evidence provided to them by other people

And both blamed themselves for their inattention, recklessness, naivety.

And now a new question - was it that they voluntarily used obviously illegal evidence?

Yes

Mitsurugi, being an acting prosecutor, deliberately used 10-year-old evidence in the investigation, for which, according to the law, it was impossible to prosecute the guilty party. He was well aware that he was taking a big risk and that the balance was between “truth and illegal evidence” and “justice and the loss of truth,” but he still took the opportunity to bring to justice someone who was above the law.

Naruhodō deliberately fabricated evidence as a suspect in the Trump Turnabout case and a disbarred former lawyer. And he didn’t even deny it while in the courtroom. Naruhodō did not claim that the bloody ace was real. He only pointed out the possibility of why this card had to be taken from the crime scene. He used a trick! And he also did it in order to trap the criminal who framed him (more than once). And we know that Naruhodō doesn't forgive two offenses - betrayal and poisoning. He wouldn't have tolerated such an attitude towards himself after the case in which he found himself involved in his 3rd year at university.

Naruhodō would never take another person's guilt after that incident (neither in case 1-2 about the murder of a mentor, nor here in 4-1). Therefore, he could not afford to be convicted and led the trial as an eminence grise. He had to go over heads to get rid of false accusations and he wisely used his knowledge of the law, strictly controlled his testimony, smoothly leading the court to the correct decision, gave his lawyer only the information that was relevant to the case, preventing unnecessary facts from slipping off the tongue .

Now let's move on to the most controversial issue: would Mitsurugi condemn Naruhodō for fabricating a bloody ace? (to prove his own innocence)?

I think not

Mitsurugi in AAI 2 talked about the flexibility of the law, that only a person sets the limits of his own capabilities, that the law grows and develops as a living being, as a person. If the law tries to hide the truth, then it is mistaken.

The truth is Naruhodō's innocence.

If you listen to the law, then the defendants turned out to be the innocent party.

If you push the rigid boundaries, it becomes possible to find the true criminal.

Officially, we don't know what happened in those missing scenes, but I believe that Naruhodō wouldn't have received an ounce of judgment from his best friend, and given the circumstances, he could even help from the shadows (just remember AAI, where he is still at the investigation stage proved the innocence of his friends and colleagues - it is enough that he unconditionally believed Yahari (Larry), Mikumo (Key), detective Gumshoe (detective Itonoko), so Naruhodō cannot be an exception, but more about their mutual trust later). Didn't it seem strange to you that the judge calmly agreed to Naruhodō's request for an additional search of the crime scene, and allowed him to practically carry out his defense on his own, guiding his lawyer in the right direction? Here's a new rhetorical question.

Also with the presentation of the fabricated page - Mitsurugi expresses out loud that he regrets that he wasn't able to help Naruhodō earlier (he probably tried), to which Naruhodō replies that there is no need to blame himself and that it was solely his decision to give up badge, admit the charges and his future without a lawyer's license. Naruhodō believed that he did not deserve pity specifically in this matter, but Mitsurugi proved him the opposite - everyone gets what they deserve, but what Naruhodō deserved was the return of his license and the reliable shoulder of a friend and ally, who strives to do only the best for his friends (and not set them up by trying to ruin their lives because of your own pride).

As the result: both Mitsurugi and Naruhodō strive for the development and evolution of the law, for change the judicial system, for search for truth and justice using all methods available to them. And they are ready to bear responsibility for the course of the trial, for the evidence they provide, for their own words, even if their actions don't meet the standards of the laws adopted in their realities and will lead to terrible consequences for themselves.

P.S. please remember that this happens in their realities, which do not pretend to be reality. Comparing our world and law and their world and law is wrong.

[emblemxeno]

I've been replaying fates this year after a long time, and shit is Conquest hitting different now. I got the game on release (middle schooler at the time) and didn't give too much thought to the story, just kinda going with the crowd of "fates story bad" without really thinking to much about it. Suffice to say, after playing it recently I no longer feel that way.

Playing Conquest as a women who is put in danger and routinely suspected of dishonesty and treason by the corrupt men in power due to the circumstances of my birth (while having a family that fully accepts me as their sister) fucking gut punched me. Corrin wanting to not hurt/exploit people as much as possible, despite the society that they are a part of and perpetuating being built from the ground up to do so (and not really being painted as stupid in story), felt way more realistic than it did 9 years ago.

Also Lilith's death, while it didn't hit me too much, felt fine as a plotpoint. If i was already in an extremely emotionally vulnerable state and my longtime maid/pet goldfish died to save me, I would be really sad. Drastic oversimplification but I think it gets the point across

YEEEES, THIS THE GOOD STUFF!

What makes Fates' narrative so good to me is that it operates on philosophical questions.

Do I choose this family over the other, or decide to back neither? Is peace truly a worthy end goal if the journey there has me risk my values? Is justice something that's stable and structure, or is it something that each individual must define for themselves, and does justice even exist at all? What does being a leader mean? What does being a hero mean?

And so many more.

But the best question it asks is this: Is conflict inevitable and just the way things are? And the answer is always a resounding NO! Corrin exists as a character to question and uproot the fabric and understanding of the world around her. She believes the conflict between Nohr and Hoshido is unreasonable at its core. She doesn't think there is a quick fix to anything, and recognizes there has to be some sort of inner change of how each kingdom functions in order for the bad blood to truly end.

It's why Xander and Ryoma are both proven wrong in CQ and BR respectively. Xander's beliefs about justice and doing what you can for the people around you rather than stay naive is wise in a reasonable world, but the war between Nohr and Hoshido was never reasonable. Ryoma's beliefs about problems being solvable by himself and through just beating down Nohr would be valid had Nohr been completely evil and he was strong enough to do things by himself, but neither of those things are the case. Hence their character development and respective speeches at the end of those routes.

Corrin's influence was paramount in them realizing that, because Corrin never let go of the idea that justice and peace can exist in a new Nohr, and she kept advocating for Hoshido to understand Nohr's place in the world compared to them (more in the JP version but meh). Choosing Rev, meanwhile, is the peak of questioning the world she lives in, where against terrible odds she still presses on to change things. Initially, Ryoma and Xander both try to "correct" her way of thinking saying that "she'll get herself killed taking a neutral position" and "it's my duty to teach you the truth." Again, they're both wrong.

The war is founded upon unreasonable violence, but they've been conditioned to believe other wise. Corrin, being isolated from that mindset, simply does not understand why it's that way and plain refuses to except that. She's derided for being naive, childish, an idealist.

But whose beliefs come out on top in the end? Guess in the end, the war was never truly "just how things are", but something that everyone can break away from.

(Also yes yes yes, I feel you on the Lilith aspect, I honestly think that was the biggest case of Avatar vs. Player separation, because it means a lot to Corrin, but most players decidedly didn't care/acknowledge Lilith as important after not being in the story past the Branch of Fate. Same on the premise of trying desperately to not exploit or harm innocent people while operating in a system that encourages such actions, ughhhh, it hits all the notes at just the right times)

[lymooniee]

Why I hc Shadow as autistic:

Just gonna preface this before I begin, this is all for fun and is a headcanon of mine. Your headcanons may be different to mine and that's valid too! Any grammar mistakes uh- ignore because I'm too lazy to edit this like crazy.

I will also link the video I made of all the moments, too, since it is way too long to post it on here. Keep in mind that not every moment is in the video, but like 95 percent of it is.

Shadow for me has always shown plenty of signs of being autistic, I'll provide as much evidence as I possibly can while doing my best to try and keep this at a reasonable length.

Shadow has always been the silent type of character when he is written correctly or, in other words, whenever Shiro Maekawa was involved with his writing in SA2, heroes and 06. Currently Prime too has done his character justice. I have to state this because I feel this is the best possible way of actually understanding Shadow as a character, so I'll mainly be touching his good characterizations and then some from his own game (not a lot however). He was silent, lonely, calm and often was in his head more than outwardly speaking out. I believe many autistic people like myself, connected to this side of him. Facing with so many adversities because of our differences from others, we become shut in and lonely too, since most autistic people don't feel as if they fit in. You can easily argue this is because of his ptsd from losing Maria, but I'd like to challenge the idea that it can easily be both and his ptsd enhances his traits.

I'll first begin with SA2, Shadow's first scene with eggman to me is quite hilarious if you put a different lens on it, the way he stand there ignoring Eggmans questions and then quickly demands Eggman to abide his rules. It puts Eggman into shock, but I think you could tie these moments that Shadow has as an autistic trait of his. Social cues are quite difficult for a lot of autistic people, and having no filter adds into this difficulty. The way Shadow ignores Eggmans questions to quickly ask him to do what he wants instead really emphasizes this point I made.

I love how he remains calm too, he doesn't yell this at Eggman and instead walks away casually and confidently. It's always been one of my most favourite moments with him. It really does make him stand out as he was able to influence Eggman to follow his wishes. If we want to talk about when he gets introduced to Sonic, I find this moment also again pretty funny in an endearing way when you put in this perspective. Sonic running to him asking Shadow to say something to speak, as Shadow stares at Sonic with silence. He's once again in his head more so than externally present, he also may be struggling to craft up a response or is at a lost with why Sonic is desperate for an answer. Conversations or socially interacting with people is challenging for most autistic people for a plethora of reasons so anything can really explain why Shadow here wasn't responding.

I've also found some of his moments when thinking of Maria (two specific moments being when Amy encourages him to help fight and the other being before Rouge approaches him to ask why he saved her), these moments he's very in tuned with his thoughts. After realizing his true promise with Maria he is in his head not responding right away to Amy, he sheds a tear and runs quickly to help and exclaims how he has to go now to keep that promise. This confuses Amy, however she doesn't stop Shadow or anything. When Rouge approaches Shadow and saying it was unexpected and unlike him to save her, he answers by saying that he didn't go to save her and was doing it for the chaos emeralds. She clearly catches on that this isn't the entire truth, this moment to me is harder to explain. But I think it's because of how he struggles to express his true intentions and feelings in the matter, similar to the Amy one before because he doesnt understand his own empathy.

Now one of if not the most obvious moments in SA2 is when Amy mistakes Shadow for Sonic, he slowly turns to look at her. Doesn't say a word or anything the entire time, and just continues to stare at her. I always loved this moment. I feel this one just speaks for itself lmao.

Now moving onto Sonic 06 moments (sorry there's not a lot in heroes tbh. There is a lot in Sonic X/Prime, Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, and the Twitter takeovers though!) Sonic 06 main one points out how he is going to discover himself and make his own path. I've always loved this about him as a character, he's not there for anybody but himself, he knows he is different. He will embrace this about himself and not let others try to make up what he has to be. Other subtle traits in 06 are also ways in which he responds to those around him, head nods or simple "yes" responses. Again, it's his way of expressing himself in conversation that really hints at his struggles for social cues. I also adore when Rouge asks him a question and he once again demands for something, and she is like "ok cool, but you didn't answer my question?" Moments like that not only add a lot of charm to him, but something I really connected too because I do this all the time without realizing it. I think partially it's because I get stuck with my own thoughts and those questions I feel I've already got it answered for myself so it's prolly similar where that realization that you may know the answer already, but the other doesn't just doesn't click together sometimes. It could also be because he needs to get out what he needs right away to feel a sense of stability.

Sonic x just has a lot of funny moments that really make his character shine, when he crashes the plane with Espio, Vector and Charmy. He doesn't use his words and instead guides it down forcefully, I similarly do stuff like this where I struggle to express what I need or have to do so I usually just do it without saying it. This happens often when people are in the way of something I have to get to. Like if I have to throw out something for example. I also love that when Espio asks why Shadow didn't just ask, Shadow responds by saying he needs to go find Dark Oak and then just crashes straight into the wall. He really just has such a difficult time expressing exactly why he needs to do things lmao. I also love how he has a challenging time understanding instructions. Eggman asks him to do something and because to Shadow they didn't feel clear, he asks more than once for confirmation. Or when he gives the silent treatment to Rouge and she teases him about it, he just walks away without a word. Now this isn't only applied to Sonic X but Shadow has a really REALLY REAAAALLLY difficult time finding the true intentions of people, Sonic X he gets upset at Rouge and Chris for calling him out on trusting Eggman. He gets defensive and argues back at them saying that Eggman is worthy of trusting because he knows the most about him. It's all he has even though Eggman has been evidenced of tricking others around him. There's countless of other times where Shadow struggles with this, like basically every moment in his own game where he blindly trusts Black Doom. One other moment too I can't exactly remember which game it was, but Rouge was clearly lying and goes "you can trust me! really!!" And he does and then tells her absolutely everything that she wanted to hear.

Sonic prime moments are a lot less, but I do feel his way of just remaining very inwardly or to himself about things can once again be his difficulty in trusting. The way he also overanalyzes a lot of things around him as well. I also just love certain scenes like, "they're air shoes" or "hardly, I'm the ultimate lifeform" because he is blunt and took it quite literally. As he usually does in Prime, where he takes things quite seriously in general. I also feel because sonic is very VERY adhd coded in prime, it really does emphasize the contrast between the two of how someone with autism may interact with someone with adhd. In the most recent episode, he once again finds it difficult to express his protectiveness and plays it off. Or when he does compliment Sonic, he just glares at him when Sonic somewhat jokes around because it felt out of character for Shadow to do that. Even though Shadow was just being blunt about his thoughts and had a moment where he does express properly, but then his glare somewhat shows once again how he has a difficult time crafting up responses lmao.

Some more stuff but more miscellaneous, the Twitter takeovers is funny but it depends on if we want to take it as canon. He loves dry foods, adores kittens to the point he wants an orphanage (connection to animals on a deeper level), he has an organized bedtime routine, and yeah that's basically all the ones I can think of atm. These are quite explanatory I feel. Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog shows he has empathy but struggles to show it similar to basically every other moment I've described, but also just love that he can't handle computers I think that's so funny idk why. I can't even describe how it's an autistic moment for him it just feels like it. He stims with his quills a lot as well, which ugh I adore so so so much.

A lot of these things I've expressed about Shadow come from just from me loving him but also being able to see myself in him as well. I'm happy that Prime is bringing back his character to what it was, I think so many people love Shadow in the fandom simply because of how much they relate to him. He's such great representation despite it not being canon, because of how easily those can see themselves in him. I really do love Shadow and I know this is super long so if you read this, thank you and I hope you enjoyed it.

Have a cute photo of him as a reward ♡

[theheirofthesharingan]

I saw you reblogged a post requesting asks so here is my contribution. Feel free to ignore, because it is probably a difficult question.

So, the Uchiha burdened Itachi with their problems and used him against the village even though he was just a child. From your posts I see you defend this and there is no much to argue here, it is pretty obvious it is true regardless of the legitimate reasons they had to oppose the village. So, in your opinion, and based on the situation they were in, what would have been your course of action if you were in their place? In Fugaku's place, let's say. What should they have done taking into account that even leaving the village peacefully can be considered treason.

I just don't have the slightless idea and I think maybe you are the right person to come up with a good analysis of this.

Great blog, by the way. Happy to see a space to love both Sasuke and Itachi, it is so rare. Enjoy the day/night, whatever it is at your end.

Hey!

Yes, it is a difficult question because of the possibilities and AUs it can conjure. I'll try to answer it as best as I can.

The Uchiha clan was doomed from the start. From the time of Madara and Hashirama, I mean. It was always a one-sided game where Uchiha were always seen as an afterthought. As a goodwill gesture, Hashirama tried to offer Madara the Hokage seat and then deserted him. Okay, maybe there was some weight in what Tobirama said.

Hashirama was the driving force behind the truce and the village. It was his vision that he never gave up on and continued to fight for despite Madara not being in the picture. Uchiha also acknowledged his contribution. They lived in a warring era, so everyone was fed up with this perpetuatal violence and hate, Uchiha included. That makes Tobirama's next words about them bullshit. Unlike both Madara and Tobirama, Hashirama - who had also lost his siblings - tried to look at the bigger picture. The problem was that he chickened out of his promise he made to Madara in the last moment, which is a major breach of trust on both personal and diplomatic fronts. Both Madara and Hashirama were clan leaders and must have had the abilities required to carry on the responsibility of the village. Yes, the village was growing with other clans coming to live in and you needed abled leaders, Hashirama should have thought of it before rather than changing his stance after the proposing Madara the Hokage seat. They were both capable of handling the village, and one would always have the back of the other, because they had seen some of the worst alone, and endured the same things since their childhood.

Then, Hashirama backed out. And Madara attacked the village multiple times, slowly tarnishing the name of the Uchiha clan, who wanted nothing more than to live in peace.

To summarize it, the conflict in which Itachi was brutally used was bigger than him, Fugaku, and the clan itself. It was a deeply rooted prejudice that had taken hold because of the events of the past. It would be impossible to get rid of it and also convince the village that they were oppressed.

If they tried violent methods for it (coup d'état), it would be the end for the clan in more ways than one. It was never, ever the answer to the oppression, especially because lives were not at stake with this.

What else could they have done?

Diplomacy.

It was like shooting an arrow in the dark with the coup which may or may not have been successful, so why not try something else before taking the destructive path?

Obito mentions Hiruzen wanted to buy some time, but it wasn't enough. In Itachi's memories we see Hiruzen saying the same. Though from his Midnight novel we know Hiruzen didn't do much to help the cause and was secretly okay with the clan's extinction. It might not have been entirely due to hate or prejudice that Danzo had; instead it was 'I will not have to work on this issue too much, too long if the clan's dead completely since they're not backing out.'

It's a valid argument that since Hiruzen knew about the clan's displeasure with the system, he could have reached out too. It was his duty. However, as the marginalised group the clan could also have reached out, instead of, you know, throwing a 10-year-old child to do the spying for them, collect the information, and then attack the government.

The idea of the coup was shortsighted and upto no good. This is when the Uchiha did have some power in their hands.

They had their roots set deep into the Anbu as well.

The Uchiha police force had enough power to arrest anyone except for the Anbu (they could arrest any other Shinobi and civilians).

They had their connections in Anbu. Like I said before, pressurizing Hiruzen into taking an action and letting him know of their plight would have been a better idea than sending a child to spy for them. It was a matter of 'we'll see what happens' anyway. So why not first reach out to seek support and then do something about it if your demands are not met? It would most likely come to that eventually, but making a noise, letting others know, would have been better than sending Itachi into it. There might have been some dissenters who might have supported them, and helped their cause.

In Itachi's novels, which elaborate on the oppression, the clan looking for negotiation is never mentioned either. Historically, too, going against the village had resulted in the complete annihilation of a clan.

It all boils down to taking one more chance with the negotiation before taking the drastic measures.

One more thing that would make more sense than what they actually did, would have been waiting for the old geezer i.e., Hiruzen to die. If they weren't planning the coup d'état, Konoha would have no reason to kill them. Hiruzen wasn't immortal. He would have died at one point.

Koharu and Homura recommended Jiraiya instead of Danzo to be the fifth Hokage. In Kakashi's filler arc, Hiruzen kicks him out after the massacre, but manga doesn't provide any such information. When he's introduced he's already the leader of the Root.

There are countless possibilities on the outcome of Konoha Crush with Uchiha being in the picture. But let's say it does happen and Orochimaru causes enough damage and kills Hiruzen, the old man is dead, which gives way to the fifth Hokage. By this time Shisui must be grown up. There's a possibility he might have been Hiruzen's successor. If not him, and Tsunade does show up as Hiruzen's successor, the kind of person we know she is, she would be far more compassionate towards the clan.

Unlike Hiruzen she put Danzo and the other two elders in their place. She took stand for Naruto. She had immense respect for Kakashi as well. I strongly believe she would have been the perfect person to understand and help the clan. I don't view her as a one-dimensional 'loyal to Konoha' woman as her predecessors were, who wanted to protect the landmass rather than lives of the civilians.

Given her character I imagine her to be able to separate the cause of the clan's dissatisfaction towards the village and work on it. She wasn't blind in prejudices like others were.

I also imagine she'd dote on both Itachi and Sasuke. And Itachi might be her successor since in the novel he wanted to be one.

Also, thank you for the kind words. I know it's super rare to find people who love both the brothers. So it's nice to come across people who share my love for them both.

[absolutehomosexuals]

After all the backlash we received, we decided to expand our opinion on BG3's approach to companions's sexual orientations – or lack thereof, along with the not so mysterious reason behind this choice.

TLDR: Playersexuality was a marketing choice, due to the creator's own admission. Given the lack of a canon sexuality for any of the companions, our interpretations are just as valid as yours.

No matter how many arguments we make for our case, both times we analyzed a BG3 character's behaviour on the matter of their sexuality, many of the answers we received were fixated on the same rhetoric: "Larian planned for every character to be pansexual".

We're going to look into this matter specifically, to see what Larian stated precisely and what the reasoning behind that choice is.

We want to dig deeper into one of the infamous interviews* with Larian Studio's writers (Corcoran and Law) and narrative designer (Welch) that always gets brought up when someone dares to interpret any companion as anything but pansexual/bisexual.

The title speaks for itself already: Larian always took player's opinions and preferences for the game heavily into consideration when designing BG3, and never tried to hide this, making this feature of their writing and designing process a badge they wear proudly.

One example we can think of is quoted very early in the article: Halsin's role being expanded to a romance option after fans expressed their attraction to the druid.

But let's see what the interview actually says about the companions.

The question we're going to examine focuses on the MC's identity being the focal point of this feature.

So what do the interviewees have to say on this matter? What is the main thing they took into account when making this choice?

Law immediately expands on what the interviewer hinted at. Her main interest is being true to DnD's inherent sense of freedom and self expression, allowing the player to make every choice they desire to live their gaming experience as close to their fantasies as possible.

Of course she also brings the idea of all companions being pansexual to the table: but not only she attributes it to their "values", an argument that feels icky to say the least, implying that being attracted to all genders is a value, a moral principle, rather than a neutral characteristic some people have – but her main focus clearly seems to be not limiting the player's imagination to design choices.

Corcoran also centers his answer around player's freedom being the default of Larian's designing process, stating that assigning their characters "fixed roles" (like a game-impacting sexuality?? as if sexuality is a "role", ffs.) makes the game less dynamic. Yet again, what matters the most in the writers' view is allowing the player to portray their own story however they see fit.

Welch's answer is the only one that detaches itself from the other two's perspective, concentrating on how sexuality interacts with each character's identity. The "player-sexuality" that is so hated as a concept in the BG3 fandom is ironically quoted as the design choice for every companion's sexual orientation.

All three answers help us to draw a single conclusion: the companions' sexualities were taken into account as a consequence of the design choice to give the player as little limits as possible, rather than as a character trait that is independent from Tav and that expands each character's being as a person.

Of course, we don't think that this conclusion is absurd, from a marketing point of view especially: videogames that came out some time before BG3 confirmed that players dislike feeling "limited" in their romance options.

We can think of examples like Cyberpunk 2077, whose fans are still furious because of Judy's romance being available only to female V's, or Dragon Age Inquisition, whose canonically gay character Dorian made some female fans very upset by the impossibility to romance him if your character isn't male.

And surely these aren't the only games that left gamers unsatisfied by this design choice. These situations made the same point we got from this interview: players want to be free to fantasize about whatever character they like and to feel less limited as possible by any character's traits.

So Larian is right, players much prefer to be free to romance whoever they like with every MC they want.

After all, it's glaring that the game doesn't focus on representing bi/pansexuality as an authentic trait that the companions share.

Some characters tell the players about their past relations involving only people of their same sex, like Astarion and Minthara, while others don't talk about/never had any relationship at all, like Lae'zel and Shadowheart, and Gale has never been with anyone besides Mystra. Halsin is the only exception in this matter.

Little to no effort was put in making all the different companions feel truly attracted to both sexes. Most of the time, the only representation of this "identity" depends, of course, on the Tav the player decides to make only.

What does this mean for our argument then?

If anyone's free to imagine "their" companions to be whatever they want them to be, because this is the liberty that was intended to be available to any player, then how is reading someone like Astarion as gay, like Lae'zel as lesbian or like Gale as straight any different than imagining all of them as bi/pan? If this is the spirit of the game, to let anyone act out their dream campaign without any limits, then everyone's personal reading on the companion's sexual orientations is equally worthy of respect.

*https://gaymingmag.com/2023/08/how-community-feedback-has-shaped-baldurs-gate-3/

If a character being homosexual for example is what we see being more consistent with their story, their experiences and their expression of themselves... it wouldn't be true to Larian's project, the same one that allows a lot of you to see every companion as pansexual, to aggressively deny us the possibility to share this theory with others that may enjoy it and prefer it.

[bardic-tales]

I may have missed you answering this before, but I was wondering. What got you into playing FFVII?

Hello, J. Thank you so much for the question.

Possible Trigger Warnings: references to abuse, assault, childhood neglect, grooming, homophobia, and emotional trauma.

I got into Final Fantasy VII when I was 17, and the timing wasn’t random. It was a complicated, emotionally-charged moment in my life. My mother bought the game for me after a particularly abusive episode as a kind of love bomb. At the time, I didn’t have the language for what that was or why it felt so hollow, but I knew the gesture came with strings but became my lifeline.

FFVII became a quiet refuge. It wasn’t just a game. It echoed themes I already felt deeply: abandonment, searching for truth, and trying to carve out identity in a world that constantly tells you who you should be. The storyline, especially Sephiroth’s, mirrored parts of my life that I couldn’t yet name.

Growing up, I was dealing with layers of abuse—from both my mother—and by the time I was a teenager, I was already carrying more emotional weight than most adults I knew and know now. Final Fantasy VII spoke to that part of me: the part that wanted to understand why the world could be so cruel, and if there was ever a way to take control of your own narrative. I resonated hard with Sephiroth’s journey, especially the parts of his story tied to identity and betrayal. When you’ve been lied to your whole life about who you are or where you come from, that kind of story doesn’t just entertain. It validates. It made me feel seen in a way nothing else did at the time.

So while the reason I first got the game was rooted in a toxic cycle, the reason I kept playing, and still connect to it today, was because it gave me a space to process the emotional reality of what I was living through at the time. Looking back, it’s wild how something pixelated and scripted can give shape to feelings that were otherwise too big or too messy to hold. It helped me survive. And even now, with everything I’ve lived through, FFVII still feels like that rare piece of media that understands the wounded parts of me without asking me to justify them.

Over time, that connection deepened. The fandom gave me a space to explore myself more authentically, to meet others who got it such as you and my other FF 7 fandom friends, and to create stories that honored my truth. And Sephiroth? He became more than a character to me. As a soulbond and a facet, he’s someone I live with, think with, and heal with. He’s not just a symbol of pain or trauma or madness to me. He’s also a reminder of the power in reclaiming your story, no matter how broken it began. Through him, I’ve found strength, voice, and even joy. The fandom isn’t just a place I go to escape. It's where I found pieces of myself worth keeping. 💙

[jessthetea]

Jess probably manipulated Renell and Quill so much that they both cover her to avoid the threats she could possibly make to them, this woman is like « if I drown, you drown with me » there are no other explanations and after all they can very well say what Jess’s real job is and what her role is « as a co-founder of Ice Studio » instead of not answering and ignoring people who ask her this simple question and lately, she has often been mentioned on IG as an executive producer, but there is not enough evidence to know if it’s true.

Narcissistic sociopaths don’t really feel empathy and their affection for those around them are very limited and often they use their loved one out of interest and they are very good at manipulating people who are close to them and regarding the case of Jessica Moloney, she started manipulating her own family to get money and probably other things and that’s why I think her family avoids her or they cut ties with her, (because they understood her little twisted game) and so she had no choice to find money elsewhere than her family and she could possibly manipulate her friends from Ibiza or those with whom she went to the Maldives (in 2019 or 2020) and she weirdly no longer has no contact with them and she post anything about them on her own IG and she also certainly manipulated her ex partner and stalked some of them to become famous, but it didn’t work with MGK and probably other less naive famous men and since the summer of 2021, it Jamie who is manipulated by this sociopath.

If Jess wears a cursifix cross and if she is truly a believer, she should confess to a priest for the twisted things she did in her past and the twisted things she continues to do today in order to be rich and famous.

It’s honestly sad how much Jess seems to be taking advantage of these people. They’re clearly wrapped around her finger, doing whatever she wants, even when it’s not in their best interest. I mean, how much have Renell or Quil really benefited from her “management” when she’s living across the country and just handling everything by phone?

That alone makes her a pretty terrible manager, and even worse, she doesn’t even have a license for it. Do they know that? Do they even care? Are they actually being represented by her, or is she just telling people that?

The whole situation is wild. Jess has people defending her but can’t even answer basic questions. Renell even straight-up denied Jess is the co-owner of Ice, saying it’s *her* brand. But that’s what’s listed on their own website, so why not just admit it?

I’m starting to think these people are just keeping her around because they feel bad for her, or maybe there’s some visa stuff involved. I’d be surprised if she still has a valid visa to work in the U.S. Maybe that’s why she’s in NYC now, staying with Renell or Quil—easier to fly under the radar as just a “guest” at someone’s house. The whole thing feels shady.

[loganlermanstanaccount]

Omg I recently found your Miguel and Joel fics and your writing is so good!! I have to ask, as an aspiring fic writer, do you have any tips on how to write/improve fanfic or find your writing own style? I have so many docs files worth of half-finished fics (since I suffer from not-good-enough syndrome), and I try to learn as much as can from those I admire. If this ends up being answered, thank you so much!!

hey! thank you for the ask and it's taken me a while to answer cuz I had to think long and hard to give you something useful lmfao... and it means a lot that people enjoy my writing enough to even ask me for advice!! thank you anon, and I hope this helps :D

a/n: I'm not an expert, not even a little bit, but I like writing on here and I'm writing a book! so those are my (lack of) credentials - just a heads up

gonna split my advice into parts: before writing, during, and after; and also give some tips on writer's block / "not-good-enough-syndrome" (very very valid, btw)



Before writing

- Planning is not always necessary but I find it helps! it doesn't even have to be a really detailed one, like mapping out every story beat - but writing rough notes can help you guide it along better. And if you're not actively planning, thinking about the fic in more detail can act as a plan.

- Unironically, all my fics start off as vivid daydreams, which I then jot down notes, and start writing. If you think of your plan as guidelines rather than something rigid, it can help with flow. I.e. if when you start writing you're finding it hard to hit a certain beat, there's no need to force it in that direction.

- It can help to emulate the writing styles of writer's you like - like an artist study but with fics/literature you like. Take a couple of fics you really really like and jot down what you enjoy about it, and specificity is key. What about their language do you enjoy? Is it their use of metaphors, is it the way they describe actions, or the little character details they include? It can help to have this list on hand when you actually start writing.

- Similarly, you can try little writing exercises to get you thinking about that kind of thing. It think I saw this in a youtube vid, but a thing I've done in the past is take a scene from a movie or book and try to emulate in one of two ways, or both: first, as best you can remember, as close to the style of the original work as possible. And second, in your own words, trying to hit certain plot beats as best you can, leaving the rest up to you. For example, I always did it with the opening of the hunger game's first chapter, because it was something really distinctive to me and a property I enjoy. The important thing here is to not have the reference in front of you. The aim isn't to copy exactly, but to imitate / get your brain thinking about the way in which the author / filmmaker / etc portrays the story.



Whilst writing

There is a lot of very valid general writing advice in terms of language and actually writing, so I'll list some general ones below, (idk if this was quite your question tho):

- vary sentence length and structure. it adds rhythm and texture to your writing. but also be wary and try to align it to the context: i.e. a more fast-paced action scene would benefit from short, staccato sentences, but a scene describing characters falling in love (hazy, romantic, etc) might be better with longer, multi-claused sentences to drag out pace.

- focus less on stuffing in adjectives (i am very guilty of this, icl) but rely on the specificity of your nouns to portray information I.e. instead of 'spindly, thin and wire-framed glasses' using 'spectacles' is both more efficient and sounds a bit nicer.

- depends on the writer, but try to work backwards from images and motifs for characters, places, etc rather than the other way round. I.e. if your character is as fierce as a lion, instead of stating that as a simple simile, imply the metaphor with description: "her flowing mane (note specificity of noun, mane, not hair) cascades around her maw - spit-slick and eyes wild. Carnal, she was a killer; and God help those caught between her claws." (<< this is corny asf, lmfao, my bad. but u get the gist), and then you can pepper your text with callbacks to the motif - like little easter eggs for your reader.

- similar to above, adverbs often break up the flow of text, so choose the verbs carefully. Instead of "Hurriedly, he ran" even more info can be given with "tumbled" or "stuttered" etc etc

- break up dialogue with action rather than the usual alternatives for "said" .

- also also, "said" and other simple words are not bad to use at all!! sometimes they work better in the text than every dialogue word being "whispered" or "crooned" or whatever. you can repeat words without reaching for a thesaurus every time, cuz often its alternatives are more jarring and noticeable to read.

- honestly, above all the 'feel' of the text trumps everything else, or at least it does for me. There is no point using a super complex metaphor if it comes out of nowhere, or breaks up the tension of a scene. These aren't hard rules, and if it serves your story more to 'break' them, then you absolutely should! Definitely read aloud where you can (ik it's a little embarassing with fics, sometimes). In terms of my specific style, I'm a big fan of poetry so i like to pay careful attention to the way words and sentences sound! I love using fricatives or plosives or words that sound the way they feel (if that makes any sense), sentences that have rhythm due to placement of commas and semicolons - I think it makes for a more enjoyable read.

- don't be afraid to jump around when writing. Often, the issue is with starting out, so chop and change where necessary and jump around the fic. If there's a specific scene you're really excited about writing, write that first! and then once you're in more of a flow, the rest should be a bit easier.

- I can't really help with grammar cuz I know my grammar fucking sucks; there's probably an editor out there that has a heart attack everytime I overuse a semi-colon lmfao.



After writing

- For me, editing is the most important part of writing. Due to the way I write it's where a fic can really be elevated or fucked. A lot of the stuff I write initially is gibberish, and then is improved massively in the first edit.

- so with that, don't be afraid to shift things around: sentences, words, whole passages if need be. If you're writing in a word processor, take advantage of it's features. if it helps, make a copy of your fic and really 'fuck' it up: move shit around, get rid of wonky words, etc. be ruthless lmfao - cuz it's only the copy. if you tend to over describe (like me), I promise you that backspace button is your best friend.

- depends on how long it is, but take it in chunks (this is with both editing and writing) focus on the chunks and then expand out into the whole.

- it's important to be reflective. if you get through the process, or hit a slump and you're unsatisfied; be specific about why. where exactly did it stop working for you? is it the way you've described a scene? does it feel slow? too fast? do your characters feel flat? no stakes? be specific, and if you can, highlight where it went wrong. the comment feature on docs is my favourite to use because of this reason

- also, please remember to give yourself your flowers! where it works, no matter how small, make sure to highlight it and say, "I really like this bit, because of xyz". the 'because' is important, as it helps you do this again in later fics.



writer's block / not-good-enough-syndrome

- first off, remember that 9 times out of ten, you are your own worst critic. I guarantee that the things you don't like about your writing, someone will read and very much enjoy it! humans aren't great at being objective, so give yourself some grace and leeway to learn and improve.

- second, best way to overcome this is exposure therapy, imo. Tumblr is a great place for this: you can make a side blog and dump all the fics you think are a bit shit on there. It may gain some traction, it may not; but the most important part is that you've put yourself out there, and nothing exploded. and because there are no stakes, you can get rid of the blog as you see fit, with little to no consequences, and never have to think about it again.

- if you do end up posting, please don't get bogged down by the metrics! it can suck when something you've worked really hard on doesn't do very well. the great thing about fanfic, is that it's a really easy way to improve quickly. if you like something enough to want to write fanfic - you're more likely to write. More writing = more improvement, and you get to enjoy fucking around with the canon or a self insert or writing smut or whatever.



in terms of overcoming writer's block / having lots of half finished fics you can approach it a couple of ways:

- you can brute force finish a fic, no matter how shitty you think it is, and try to salvage what you can in the edit.

- lower the stakes! if you can't write a thousand words, leave it at 500! often when you move the goalposts closer, there's less of a mental block, and you end up bringing it to it's natural conclusion anyway.

- if you've got multiple unfinished fics, frankenstein that bitch lmfao. cut and paste and stick the best bits together. You like that one interaction? cool, stick it onto a bit from another fic. You've come up with a great piece of dialogue? great, stick it in the middle of that fic. Because you're not necessarily coming up with new content, just repurposing old bits and bobs, often you find you're writing the inbetween-y bits anyways and you've got a full fic.

- take a break! leave stuff unfinished, sleep on it; come back in a day, a week, a month. fresh eyes can make all the difference when you've been staring at it too long.



finding your writing style:

- read, read, read, read. other fics, books, even consuming media generally to find a voice. You can be reflective and specific, like I mentioned in the other points to help yourself along, but expanding your horizons will do wonders for your writing.

- e.g. my favourite book is Lolita and I'm in loooove with the writing style: it's a beautiful balance of poetic with a strong narrative voice. I love poetry (Ocean Vuong you will always be famous!), and gorgeous, existential films filled to the brim with subtext (Blade Runner 2049, Howl's moving castle, Moonlight, etc). You probably can't notice that explicitly in my writing but it does show up: I love wistful rambling, heavy imagery, strong thematic motifs... all things I've connected with in other media, and emulated in my writing.

Your "voice" comes later, I think - something that happens without you actively looking for it. Who you are, your experiences, your connections with other people: it's pretty hard to keep that out of your writing. So don't stress! The page is like a block of wood; it scratches, it dents, it erodes - chips away into something new, entirely. Your writing remembers, and it doesn't stop being yours when you walk away from it.

Hope this wasn't pretentious or annoying or anything! best of luck anon and feel free to dm me cuz I'd love to read whatever you come up with (no pressure, ofc).

If anyone has any other writing tips I will do my best to reblog them, thanks <33

[tellthebell48]

TellTheBell – Get 20% Off – Taco Bell Survey

Whether you’re craving a classic Crunchwrap Supreme or just can’t resist a good old Baja Blast, Taco Bell knows how to keep its fans coming back for more. But Taco Bell doesn’t just stop at serving up deliciousness—they genuinely want to hear what you think! Enter TellTheBell, Taco Bell’s official customer feedback survey. This survey gives you a voice and even a chance to win some cash, so let’s dive into everything you need to know about the TellTheBell survey!

What is TellTheBell?

So, what exactly is TellTheBell? Simply put, it’s Taco Bell’s way of keeping its pulse on what its customers love, and maybe even what they think could be a bit spicier (pun intended!). With TellTheBell, you get a say on all aspects of your Taco Bell experience, from food quality and order accuracy to the friendliness of the staff and the restaurant's vibe.

Taco Bell takes customer feedback seriously, using it to fuel changes and improvements. Whether it’s about making sure your order arrives piping hot or keeping those hot sauce shelves stocked, your feedback matters!

Why Participate in the Taco Bell Survey?

Why not, right? Here’s the thing: not only does your feedback go straight to Taco Bell’s team, but you also get a chance to enter their TellTheBell Sweepstakes! By completing the survey, you could win a cash prize—yes, that’s right, cash! And all for just sharing your Taco Bell experience.

Let’s face it, we all have opinions. Now you can put them to good use and maybe even win big. It’s a win-win!

How to Participate in the TellTheBell Survey Ready to give it a go? Here’s how to get started with the TellTheBell survey:

Keep Your Receipt: After visiting Taco Bell, hold on to your receipt—it has a unique code you’ll need. Head to the Survey Site: Go to www.tellthebell.com to start the survey. Enter the Code: Punch in the survey code from your receipt. Answer a Few Questions: It’s that easy! Just answer questions about your recent Taco Bell experience. Submit & Enter the Sweepstakes: Complete the survey, and you’ll automatically enter for a chance to win. Remember, honesty is key! Taco Bell genuinely wants to know what you think, so go ahead and share both the highlights and any suggestions for improvement.

Eligibility and Rules for the TellTheBell Survey Before you dive in, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Age: You need to be at least 18 years old to enter. Location: The survey is open to U.S. residents. Frequency: Only one survey per purchase receipt, but feel free to enter each time you visit Taco Bell! Check out the official rules on their site if you’re curious about the fine print.

What Kind of Questions Does the TellTheBell Survey Ask? The survey is short and sweet, focusing on your visit. You can expect questions on:

Food Quality: Was it as tasty as you hoped? Speed of Service: Did you get your order fast enough? Staff Friendliness: Were you greeted with a smile? Restaurant Cleanliness: How’s the ambiance? By answering these questions, you’re giving Taco Bell a clear view of your experience. They’re not looking for perfection—just your honest feedback to help them stay on top of their game.

Rewards and Sweepstakes Details Alright, let’s talk about the rewards! After completing the survey, you’ll automatically be entered into Taco Bell’s sweepstakes for a chance to win $500 in cash. Imagine the possibilities! Whether it’s a Taco Bell feast or something on your wishlist, this extra cash could be yours.

Winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has a fair shot. Just keep an eye out for communication from Taco Bell if you’re one of the lucky ones!

Tips for a Smooth TellTheBell Experience Want a hassle-free survey experience? Here are a few pointers:

Make Sure Your Code is Valid: Receipts have an expiration date for survey entries, so don’t wait too long. Good Connection: Ensure you have a stable internet connection to avoid interruptions. Take Your Time: Be thorough and give genuine answers—it makes a difference! Following these tips will make your TellTheBell experience smooth and easy.

Other Ways to Give Feedback to Taco Bell If surveys aren’t your thing, don’t worry! Taco Bell also values feedback through other channels. You can reach out via social media or their customer service if you have suggestions or shout-outs for awesome service. They’re all ears!

Final Thoughts: Take the Taco Bell Survey and Make Your Voice Heard! Whether it’s because you love Taco Bell and want to help them stay amazing, or you just can’t pass up a chance to win some cash, the TellTheBell survey is an awesome way to be heard. It’s quick, easy, and who knows—you could be their next big winner!

So next time you get your Taco Bell fix, hold on to that receipt and visit TellTheBell.com. Your feedback could make Taco Bell even better—and score you a sweet cash prize!

[walviemort]

hidden blessing (10/?)

Summary: Killian thought the only thing he was left with after Milah’s death was a broken heart and a thirst for vengeance. It’s not until he gets to Storybrooke, after so many years spent in stasis, that he discovers something else: he’s carrying her child. How does this new, tiny blessing change his path? (Canon-divergent from 2x12.)

rated T | part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | AO3 | 3.1k

a/n: We're back!! And good news--I've been working on this a lot lately, and should be able to post the next few updates with much less of a break in between! ;) Hope you like it!

After calming down and setting himself to rights, Killian rejoined the group. He glanced over at Emma, and wondered if the blush on her cheeks was from their encounter or her proximity to the fire. She glanced up and met his eyes, gave a small smile, and immediately looked away; perhaps the former then. (His own certainly was.)

As much as he longed to join her, he was hesitant to burden her with the knowledge Pan had just revealed to him. So instead, he found David and Snow on the edge of the clearing. “We need to talk,” he said quietly, and thankfully they both picked up on the fact he was trying to be subtle. “Pan paid me another visit,” he started, only to be interrupted by Snow.

“Another?” she asked, incredulous. David waved her off, but he was still cursing himself; damn this pregnancy brain.

He didn’t acknowledge it, though. “He, uh... he told me that Neal is alive, that he's on this very island.”

They were understandably in disbelief, given that Emma was the witness to his supposed demise—until Snow noticed signs of struggle in the foliage on the path by the camp. “Someone was here while we were gone,” she concluded. “We have to tell her.”

They quietly debated whether or not to go along with that idea; he and David were against it, if only because Killian always had a healthy distrust of Pan’s motives.

“You want to find him without letting her know?” she whisper-yelled; he was at least glad she was on the same page as him in regards to tracking him down—if Bae was truly on the island, he couldn’t leave him anywhere near Pan’s grasp again, even if the man was now grown—but he didn’t want to cause Emma any more emotional upheaval until they could confirm or deny it.

“Why hurt her unnecessarily?” he answered quietly.

Snow wistfully glanced over at her daughter. “I've never lied to her before.”

“You're not lying. You're just keeping a secret until confirmation,” he assured her.

“Secrets always seem to keep us from the people we really care about,” she countered.

“And sometimes, secrets protect the people we love,” David added in. 

Snow turned away—and missed the knowing look the two men shared. But she agreed, assuming they could come up with a good cover to keep their sidetrack hidden, which he and David assured her was no problem.

The reality was…less so, though.

“Where are you guys going?” Emma asked as they gathered their things.

“Firewood,” Killian said at the same time as David answered, “To get water.” Bloody hell—he knew his excuse for being off his game; what was the prince’s?

She (obviously) saw right through it. “Guys, what's going on?”

Killian and David shifted uncomfortably, but Snow wasted no time in blurting out, “Neal's alive.”

Emma immediately found Killian’s eyes; he could tell she was looking for the truth in them. “Neal is... alive?” she repeated, clearly unsure if she was hearing correctly; he desperately wished he could confirm or deny the statement.

“Well, maybe,” Snow added, then quickly apologized, mainly to him and David.

Regina, to no surprise, was not interested in a rescue mission, while Emma continued to question the validity of what she’d been told—as if the more she denied the possibility, the less likely it would be true. 

But in the end, Snow managed to convince her it was worth it to try, and at the very least, someone was likely in danger. They agreed to set off on a possible rescue mission, but Regina hung back, unconvinced. 

Snow led the way, following the trail of struggle through the jungle. She and Emma ended up a bit ahead of him and David, so Killian took the moment of moderate privacy to assess David’s mental state after the previous day’s happenings.

“So what’s the plan here, mate?” he asked quietly.

“You’re the jungle expert; I should be asking you that,” he replied, willfully missing the point, if Killian had to guess.

“I meant in regards to telling the missus that there won’t be a home sweet home for you after all of this.”

“Are we really having this conversation again?”

“Yes,” Killian said simply.

David sighed. “…I’m working on it,” he eventually answered. 

“No time like the present,” Killian said, gesturing ahead at the ladies, who were engaged in their own conversation.

“No offense, but I’m not gonna take advice on that kind of thing from you right now,” David bit back. 

“The hell does that mean?”

“You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with personal details that might affect those around you, either,” he explained, nodding towards Killian’s midsection.

Defensively, he put his hand over his bump. “Piss off; I told you, didn’t I?” 

“Under duress,” David countered. “It’s not exactly the same as being upfront.”

Killian would have argued his case further—the list of reasons why he was still trying to keep his pregnancy low-profile was rather long—but Snow interrupted them.

“The tracks lead directly into that cave,” she called out, pointing at an opening in the face of the rocks ahead of them. “This must be where Pan is keeping Neal.”

The lone perk to constantly facing gut-wrenching scenarios on the cursed island was that he was finally able to tell the difference between pregnancy-related nausea and unrelated anxiety. What he was feeling now was definitely the latter—because he knew this cave all too well.

“If the cave is some sort of prison, why aren't there any guards posted to stop us?” David wondered, hand on the hilt of his sword and searching the trees for a trap.

“Because this prison doesn't require guards,” Killian explained. “It’s the Echo Cave.” He then had to explain to the group how he’d lost far too many men to it, owing to its mythology. “The only way to rescue someone from inside is to reveal a secret.”

“A secret? That's all?” (He supposed he wasn’t shocked that Snow didn’t find that a difficult thing to face.)

“Your darkest secret,” he went on. “The Echo Cave derives its name from an old saying: ‘the deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo.’ The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone.”

Emma scoffed. “This is ridiculous.” But she was noticeably studying the forest floor.

“Don't kill the messenger, love.” (He didn’t disagree, though.)

That didn’t satisfy her. “Even if we spill our guts, how do we know Neal's still alive in there?” She was looking at him and it was obvious she was still willing it to not be true.

However, he was more convinced than ever that Pan hadn’t been lying. “Because this is what Pan wants. He wants us to rescue him.”

“Why?” asked David.

Killian turned to him.”So that we reveal our secrets,” he answered pointedly. “He likely believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us.”

David swallowed nervously. (Perhaps it was a good thing he’d waited to tell Snow about the price of his recovery; that fact just might be coming in handy.)

Not wishing to delay the inevitable, Killian stepped ahead and led the group into the cave. A narrow, dark tunnel opened into a wide cavern, lit in a blue glow from the moon streaming through a smaller hole above. There was a landing just large enough for the group to stand, and then a chasm opened up, save for a lone pedestal in the middle—upon which a bamboo cage sat, with a familiar person inside.

“Emma!” Neal shouted, and her name echoed across the stone walls.

All eyes were on Emma as she reacted to his presence, shrinking back and quietly murmuring his name. Killian longed to comfort her, but now wasn’t the time or place.

Ever logical, Snow and Charming debated whether or not it was possible to launch a mechanical rescue, but Killian knew that was for nought.

“So what do we do?” Emma asked, somewhat emotionless.

“I told you what needs to be done,” Killian stated. “Consider this the moment of truth, literally. Now... who wants to kick things off?”

No one did—not that Killian could blame them—especially because there was no guarantee it would work. 

“Fine, I’ll start,” he huffed, then took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

The ensuing pause was, too.

The trio glanced around to see if anything would happen, but nothing did; the cave remained unchanged, Neal just as far away as he once was.

“Think you might need a more secret-er secret,” Emma said. “I mean, I already knew that.”

“Same,” David chimed in.

Okay, so that wasn’t Killian’s best effort. (“Well, I didn’t,” Snow said quietly.)

“To be fair, it was the first time I’ve admitted it when not under immediate pressure,” he clarified, “but, aye.” Then he swallowed. He’d been hoping that would be a sufficient enough truth, but the cave apparently demanded more. “I kissed Emma.” 

Emma rolled her eyes at that, but he couldn’t quite tell if it was in response to his admission—or David’s indignant reaction.

“I already told Mary Margaret, so technically that’s not a secret either,” she said. “But it was just a kiss. How's that your darkest secret?”

He ignored the sting of her minimization of their encounter and went on. “It's what the kiss exposed. My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love... of my Milah…” He could feel his little one kicking at the mention of their mother, but found Emma’s eyes as he continued. “...To believe that I could find someone else—that is, until I met you.” 

He didn’t know if it was love yet, but what he was feeling for Emma wasn’t just hormones or base attraction—he knew his own feelings well enough to know when he was falling, and gods was he.

Emma’s eyes grew wide at the confession and the conflict in her gaze was obvious. She was about to speak, it looked like, when suddenly, the ground shook—and behind him, rock appeared out of nothing, growing out from the pedestal holding Neal and reaching towards them.

So that’s how that worked.

He’d stepped back from the edge of the cliff to watch what happened, and now stood next to Emma. He glanced over at her, but she was again studying the ground. Well, what did he expect after the kind of emotion he dropped on her?

Snow and David followed him with their confessions; when Snow revealed her desire to have another child, Killian didn’t miss the flicker of pain on Emma’s face—nor the similar but different ache when David finally told them about his inability to leave Neverland.

At that, the stone bridge connecting them to Neal was complete, and Emma didn’t hesitate to run across it, nor did he blame her (although it was somewhat awkward standing there with her parents, when Snow was clearly upset by their previous deception).

He watched as Emma tried brute force to free Bae, but couldn’t hear their conversation. If he had to guess, Emma’s own truth was probably required; a few moments later, the cage disappeared and the former lovers embraced.

With Bae saved, no one felt the need to stay any longer in that conflicting cave, and quickly exited. Neal expressed his thanks, and confirmed his ability to still read his star map; that was one less thing to worry about. Now it was just a matter of getting Henry. 

They left to head back to the camp, though an awkward air had definitely settled on them. The weight of the revelations hadn’t fractured them, but things had definitely shifted and would need to settle. 

For his part, he was keen to keep his distance from the anger simmering beneath Snow’s surface, but given Emma’s lack of a response to his confession, he wasn’t about to hang back and wait for her. Besides, she was deep in conversation with Bae, so Killian stayed vaguely between the two pairs on their hike back. 

Lest he feel lonely, his little one resumed their activities, seemingly playing football with his liver. Perhaps not the most comfortable sensation, but a reminder of what he was truly fighting for: their future. There was nothing he could do about whatever Emma may or may not feel for him (despite her obvious attraction), but so long as he and the babe escaped this realm unharmed, all would be well. 

(That said—try as he might not to eavesdrop, he couldn’t help but overhear Emma say to Neal, “I wish I could change how I feel more than anything, but... I can't. I'm sorry.”

As vague as that statement was, his heart stuttered at the possibility she might have meant him. So lest his heart begin to hope too hard, he picked up the pace and let the sounds of his steps drown out their conversation. 

Maybe…but first, they had to get home.)

————————————————–

thanks for reading! tagging @cocohook38​​​​​​​​​ @wyntereyez​​​​​​​​​ @jennjenn615​​​​​​​​​ @superadam54​​​​​​​​​ @ashley-knightingale​​​​​​​​​ @justsomewhump​​​​​​ @teamhook​​​​ @ captainhookfan (let me know if you want a tag!)

[shiawasekai]

1,25,28 for the KC ask game! - Yunessa

Hello!! Thank you for these, @yunessa!! They're from this ask game

Spoiler warning!

1. Do they think they're going to make it out alive?

Now that's a difficult question and one that evolves a lot over time. During the prologue and act 1... No, not really. She's terrified and putting a strong front, but she has no confidence of coming out of this alive. Especially with a strange wound in her chest that simply refuses to heal.

Over time... She stops considering the question at all. Mostly because the answer is....... who cares? Deep down, under all that denial and desperate attempts to hide herself from the truth she already knows, she realizes it. This isn't her time, everyone is dead and she's alone in the world. There is nothing for her. No home to return. Her country has changed so much it may as well be called something else entirely as far as she's concerned.

Maybe it's easier if there is no after. No need to ask herself what's going to happen. How is she going to deal with having nowhere to go. Delving on the question at that point would not have a happy ending, I think. It's purely self-preservation.

As Nela settles in and makes Drezen her new home, however, she gains the mindspace to consider it again... just as the worst of the mythic metamorphosis starts to happen, the situation forces her to admit the actual truth to herself and the reveal about the consequences of closing the Worldwound herself come around.

Death is a likely option, especially if Areelu refuses to collaborate, so she can't be sure about her survival. Both options are possible to her, and she finds herself making an active effort to live. She finds herself unable to give up, even if the future is still terrifying to her.

25. How did they welcome the physical change that came with their mythic powers? Did they embrace it/reject it?

This question has many, many layers to it and relates to her personal issues with her appearance so let's go by steps.

First point to take into account, because it goes a long way towards defining her relationship with mythical powers: she hates being an Aasimar to the point of getting tattoos to ruin her own looks. She never had a good relationship with her body, her appearance just a symbol of what was hurting her. The wild, impossible expectations; the denial of who she was by those around her.

Second point to take into account: She can't even recognize herself in a mirror during the game, because she has suddenly aged into an adult and she is coping badly. There is a mental dissonance between her image of herself and what she has become she is struggling to reconcile with. The person in the mirror is not her.

Adding the physical chance of mythic powers on top of that has weird and contrasting effects. On one side, being recognized as an angel and not an aasimar is something she likes. Transforming to an angel was, up to a point, a choice she took (a limited, forced choice, but leagues better than being born as one).

It is also strangely validating: if she is finding success as an angel in these Crusades, if actual angels look at her and find one of their own... it proves there was nothing wrong with her all along. That those berating her for not fitting their ideal of perfection were wrong. She welcomes the idea of her angel identity completely overwriting the aasimar part of it.

Besides, the angel instincts quiet down the intrusive thoughts from the Fallen Angel part of her (Emberkin) and, given how terrified she had grown of those, she considers that a blessing.

On the other hand........ she is a mess and already struggling with her inability to recognize the person in the mirror. It makes it exponentially worse, especially after the full transformation in Rank 9. Her transformation is particularly invasive for an Angel Commander, and no amount of hiding her wings is going to fix it. It's plain to see for anyone.

Rank 9 is the breaking point, where her mental issues reach a point of no return and the post-game breakdown becomes a certainty.

28. Would they be a companion instead of the KC? What would their storyline and personal quest be?

Her story would be mostly similar if made into a companion. Still an experiment by Areelu (just a failure), still out of her time, still struggling with an older and changed body (not in the same way as the mythic metamorphosis, different changes). The main change is that she isn't in charge of anything, and hence doesn't have to keep a strong front or play up a Commander persona like her KC self. She can allow herself to be more vulnerable.

That doesn't mean she's going to be honest about her situation to the KC. She is found wandering in the Worldwound during Act 2, unsure of why is she even here. She only gives the KC her first name, not her surname (out of a misguided attempt to protect herself, but ultimately because otherwise Sosiel could connect the dots and that's not a good idea for a companion quest. He comes from the same part of Andoran)

Ultimately, her quests would be about prying out the truth from her and finding a way to help her recover. As a companion, Nela's ultimate motivation for collaborating is her resentment towards Areelu. But make no mistake she is just as troubled by having absolutely nothing in the world as her KC self.

There are two solutions to this problem: repeat what Sosiel does in the KC-verse and reunite her with her twin brother, now an elderly man, and let him help her through the worst of it, or talk your way through it, choosing the right options to guide her through the trauma to find a reason to live.

One requires you to research her background and dig out the necessary clues, the other requires the KC to have the emotional intelligence to support and guide their companion through a mountain of issues to a point she can keep working it out on her own.

And I say reason to live because she would take herself out after the game if the quest is failed. Vanishing forever, in a place you can't find her body.

[originalwindycity]

I've been thinking about the intro to Chapter 1 some lately.

It just feels bizarre?

And I can't help but wonder if it's just a dream Kris is having.

Generally not a fan of like "what if it was just a dream?" theories, but in this case I feel like it works?

Thinking about it more, there's not necessarily any indication that it has to be real, and it's just a short sequence at the very beginning of the game, with very little connection to anything else we've seen so far.

So I think in this case, the possibility of it not being real is significantly more reasonable than in other "it was all a dream" sorts of theories?

Not to mention how surreal a lot of it is:

Like, the fact that there are this many weird choices to be made (with the blood type question feeling weirdly specific even aside from the fact that two of the answers don't make sense) I think suggests that this scene probably isn't really happening.

This sequence also fits in with some potential trans theming surrounding Kris:

The first thing you do is create the body you like the most. (After doing that, you're told: "THIS IS YOUR BODY. DO YOU ACCEPT IT?", and upon saying yes, you're told "YOU HAVE CREATED A WONDERFUL FORM.", which is just a lovely bit of reassurance that one's choices/preferences are completely valid.)

Next, you "SHAPE ITS MIND AS YOUR OWN." Kris is shown to struggle with some degree of friction between their body and SOUL, with each chapter ending with their body removing their SOUL in order to go do things on its own (presumably things that their SOUL wouldn't want to do). Having a body which doesn't have this friction would likely be ideal for them (I include this when talking about trans theming, not because it's necessarily specifically a trans thing on its own, but just because I feel like the contrast between one's body and conscious self can resonate with transness, with one's body changing and developing itself in unwanted ways, almost as though it has a will of its own.)

After that, you pick out a name. Two names: one for the vessel, and one for the creator. The game is very specific about the latter being "YOUR OWN NAME." If you pick the same name for both, the voice says "OF COURSE OF COURSE. OF COURSE THEY ARE THE SAME.", because like, that's the point of making a body that you like with a mind matching your own, right? To have one's body become just a part of oneself, rather than it being effectively a separate thing.

After the whole scene of creating a body that matches one's SOUL, it is unceremoniously thrown away, with the statement that "No one can choose who they are in this world.", followed by you being assigned a name. If this is a dream that Kris is having, then it seems that they're not only dissatisfied with their body, but they also don't even necessarily want their name, it's just what was assigned to them.

Also of note is the fact that, despite the voice at the end of the scene suggesting that the answers and vessel will all be discarded, it seems like the information is stored in the save file anyway. If your responses are Kris' actual feelings, it makes sense that they'd still be saved, even if that scene was just a dream to begin with.

The name you enter as "YOUR OWN NAME." even makes a return in Chapter 2, as this Rudinn says it as apparently being the name of Castle Town:

That raises a good point though, actually: There are some things that the vessel creation sequence being a dream doesn't explain on its own.

I don't plan to answer all of them in this one post though (starting to wear myself out from thinking about this maybe a bit too much in one sitting), but I will absolutely list out the issues that come to my mind:

Either a resident of Castle Town or the town itself (as in, the Fountain) knows your name, despite the only time it's come up in the game having been during the vessel creation sequence.

The voice in the vessel creation sequence, as well as in the Chapter 1 game over screen, seems to be Gaster. (This is also supported by the music.) Why would Gaster be in this scene?

The background of the vessel creation sequence resembles the background visible in the Dark Fountains towards the end of each chapter. Why would that be in Kris' dream, what's the connection there?

(It's possible there are more things that aren't coming to my mind. If so, please feel free to let me know!!)

I have ideas for potential explanations for all of these, but they require quite a bit more context, and I think they'd be best left for future posts. Looking forward to it!