#was excited she was considered human but now....i really wonder if this is the case

[red-dyed-sarumane]

anyway like i started saying over there i think its interesting that in all the other songs that have the nami no ne no melody (excluding aru sekai shoushitsu itself obviously) its mixed into the instrumental somewhere. however. in oumen mokushiroku theres none of it in the instrumental. its in the final lyrics of the song.

so. in the other songs the charas who can still repeat/still have their humanity intact have the melody in their songs. at first i was saying like thats interesting that the oumen mokushiroku chara would count as a human given shes an angel, both in depiction & the sound of the song works with that same style

but now im thinking. its not passive in that song. its lyrics. so i wonder if that's to say that the angel is at least partially responsible for this world to be able repeat in on itself infinitely. we know she can't do anything while the disaster is ongoing both from her own song and others like canon, but thats not to say she cant do anything before or after it settles down. and we know from her song that she very clearly wants to do something about the situation. so i think its very possible that the only thing she can do to help is to give them another chance to fix things.

which is then to say is that also how charas like the laboratory chara can no longer repeat. that theyve strayed too far away from her, or like got too ahead of themselves or something that now theyre on their own, sacrificed themselves to the point they cant be helped in the only way that was previously possible

[mochinomnoms]

I have been having this thought for days now and want to know what you think.

This is before ptm Jade and Yuu are together, it's Also before Riddle and Floyd are together.

Mama and Papa Leach are coming to visit there boys at school and of course they know all about Yuu and Riddle who know nothing about them. I imagine shenanigans would insuu. Like Mama and Papa Leach trying to set up there boys and just embarrassing them in general.

Their parents are very perceptive, and they know their own sons quite well. Despite their best efforts to hide it, and thanks to the twins' proclivity to embarrassing the other whenever possible, they both know specifically who their sons are fond of.

Mama Leech loves picking fun at Jade for his shyness with his crush. Granted, he's much more like her when it comes to interacting with the subject of his affections: coy, quiet, and sly. Waiting for the right moment to strike. In her case, it was a strike of jealousy that spurred her to claim her husband by kidnapping him and dragging him home. Though, it can't really be called a kidnapping when he was so eager to let her take him hostage.

But she notices how shy Jade is around Yuu, something that no one but those closes to him would notice. To others, he's his same polite, maybe a bit mean, self. But to her, she can see how gentle he is with Yuu, how his gaze lingers on their form longer than considered polite, and how his lips quirk up every so often with them. It's cute, but boring! She's wondering why he doesn't just pick them up and toss them in the sea to take home like Chinese take out. Just, swoop them up! Mama Leech forgets that that's not necessarily a custom for humans (or a good chunk of merfolk to be honest).

Jade knows what his mother thinks of romance, and her habit of becoming jealous. So he's not keen to let her around Yuu, especially considering the numerous amount of friends and general attention they get from others at NRC. In her mind, Jade should make a statement in front of everyone that Yuu would appreciate. After all, he must have studied them like she did her husband, so he must know them very intimately and what they like! But if he refuses? Well, time to take things in her own hands and start making offhanded comments about how fond Jade is of them, how much she raised him to be a doting partner, and that their home under the sea can just be soooo lonely! She wishes that he'd bring home a sweet partner to fill up the space, just like them :).

On the other side, it shouldn't come as a surprise then that Papa Leech is much more like Floyd: outspoken, attached, teasing, but ultimately won't make the first move. As much as he liked to chase after his wife and take over her attention, Papa Leech wouldn't make the move to make her his. Instead, he wanted her to chase after him, and was very excited when she kidnapped him for herself. It was practically a dream come true! Floyd is very similar, in that he likes Riddle's attention and reactions on him as often as possible. He's always been fond of excitable and expressive things, and Riddle (though not a thing) is one of the most expressive and eye-catching people he's ever met. Plus, he's so red! Floyd never knew how brilliant the color red could be, the color muted under the sea. Riddle has him quite enamored, though he's quite unaware.

Papa Leech thinks it's funny that Floyd can be so outspoken and social, and yet his crush have no clue that he's in love. Even more so after her got beat up by Riddle! You're telling him that the tiny classmate of yours that tossed you across the room on orientation was not only this tiny thing, but that he did that and didn't immediately claim Floyd as his mate? Humans are so strange in their courting customs. Papa Leech is just as “tactful” as his wife, funny enough, making small comments to Riddle about how much Floyd talks about him, how he's so impressed how determined he is, how strong he is, etc. Ironically, Papa Leech is Floyd's best bet in getting Riddle to fall for him, as Riddle tends to just assume the worst intentions from Floyd. But hearing how…sincere Floyd is, and the embarrassed look and pink cheeks on his face as he tries to get his father to stop, Riddle might be inclined to think more of Floyd's actions.

[steodraws]

Crimson Snow: Mistletoe and Memories ❄️

disclaimers: this story contains angst, sad, tension, literally no happy ending feels, drama and it's bada's pov. remember it's a work of fiction, none of this represents what i truly think about bada's/bebe's character or nature! it is meant for fun and entertainment purposes only. also, i'm not a native english speaker and this is my first ever fanfiction so keep that in mind and be nice please. thank you 🩵

Summary: "Old flames, city lights, and buried memories — Bada Lee, against her own wishes, returns to Incheon for Christmas. Amidst the moonlit whispers and the unyielding snowfall, she's compelled to confront a past she believed buried beneath the frost."

WC: 2.1k

"Yes, mom, i'll be there for Christmas," i muttered into the phone, my voice tinged with a hint of disdain.

"This city gives me the creeps," i ponder.

Incheon is like a patchwork of bitter memories; every street corner bears the weight of choices made and opportunities lost. This place represents a chapter of my life I struggle to bury.

Regrets, disappointments—I tried to shove those aside a while ago, or at least attempted to.

Nevertheless, i made a promise to my mother about being there for Christmas. What foolishness it is to commit to something i might not fulfill. Yet, is it too late to reconsider? Can i claim i couldn't secure a flight on time?

Idiot; no turning back now. I wonder how much longer i'll keep evading my past.

"I just wish i don't run into her there," i murmur with a slight tremor in my tone. I knew all too well whom i was talking about.

It's exactly 9 o'clock, my train departs in about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, i'll be in Incheon in a few hours.

"I can't believe you're finally coming back here! I guess i'll have to spend Christmas at your mom's house if that's the case," a sharp, loud feminine voice speaks over the phone; Lusher, a childhood friend.

Lusher has always been with me throughout our high school years and even into adulthood. Despite me moving to Busan a few years ago, we've kept in touch. She always mentions how much she misses me and that i should visit more often, to which i consistently reply, "Maybe someday."

It seems that day has finally come.

"Stop. Don't get too excited; i don't intend to spend much time in this place," I retort, my tone indifferent.

"The entire city already knows you're coming back, Bada."

Briefly, i freeze and fall silent. I only plan to make a short visit to my family, precisely.

"Incheon is wide-ranging; i doubt everyone really knows," I reply, an attempt to reassure myself that my plans won't change.

"Lin knows."

As soon as she counters, i instinctively hang up the phone, my back colliding with the seat of the moving train.

This definitely cannot be happening.

I was praying fervently not to encounter her during my time in Incheon, and i hope it stays that way. Regardless, she wouldn't want to see me after all these years... no, she hates me. I hope she hates me.

It felt like time stood still; i couldn't tell whether i had plunged into a deep sleep during those four hours of travel or if i had ended up in a temporal lapse. I open my eyes, and there's Incheon Station outside the window.

The time has come to face this city once again, with people bustling around, knee-deep in Christmas preparations just hours away.

I step off the train, grab my luggage, and find myself compelled to smile at strangers who somehow recognized me, waving as they passed. Perhaps they did, considering i gained some visibility after opening my dance studio in Busan. Or maybe it's simply because i am notably taller than the average Korean women; either of these reasons would be plausible.

My eyes scan the surroundings, searching for a familiar figure in the crowd. Mom said she would be waiting at the end of the station, my next stop.

"Bada!" Someone yells my name amid that human sea, resembling canned sardines.

My older sister came to greet me, slightly shorter than me, with a delicate and sweet appearance framed by her impeccably cared-for dark brown hair and welcoming smile.

"Haeda!" i respond, happy to see a familiar face, rushing to hug her.

"Mom couldn't come; she's busy with preparations for the dinner later," she shares, helping me with the luggage. "Lots of people are excited to see you, little sister! We're glad you've come back."

"I haven't come back; i'm just joining you for this Christmas season," I respond seriously, making it clear my stay won't extend beyond Christmas.

"You've always been a bit grumpy, haven't you?" she laughs, teasingly.

Finally out of the station, we settle into a taxi. During the ride, we chat casually and laugh about things that happened during our time apart. I'm trying to have some fun as much as possible.

"So, how's your love life?" she asks, innocently.

Oh, crap.

"I don't really want to get into that," i reply, slightly irritated by the question. The fun and nice atmosphere that surrounded us moments ago seems to have abruptly evaporated.

"Seems like you still think about Lin," she murmurs softly to herself, sighing calmly, yet i hear her loud and clear.

I arch my eyebrows, surprised and bothered by Haeda's comment. I plan to stay silent, but i can't resist.

"Why do you always bring her into everything? It's been years since we last spoke; she was just a kid. Now, forget about it," i assert firmly aiming to put an end to the subject once and for all. The silence in the taxi becomes deafening.

Not even five minutes pass, and i ask the taxi make an unscheduled stop.

"Aren't you going home?" my sister inquires, confused.

"I promised to have lunch with Lusher; there's a café around here," i reply, still maintaining a slight arrogance in my voice.

"I'll drop your bags off at home then," she understands, nodding.

I step out of the vehicle and grab my phone, immediately calling Lusher, asking her to meet me where i am. She agrees without a second thought.

A short time passes, and i spot a girl of average height, black hair, always smiling, with a high-pitched voice that stands out in the crowd. She runs towards me as soon as she sees me.

"Is that really you, Bada? It's been ages since i saw you. Have you grown even more?" Lusher enthusiastically hugs me, talking without even taking a breath.

"Looks like you're still talkative... and no, of course, i haven't grown more. I'm already 26. Now I'm just going to shrink," i reciprocate her warm hug as we head to the café.

"Tell me, how's Busan? How's your studio doing? I want the whole scoop!"

"We don't have time for me to give you the full rundown. Overall, the city is comfy, and the studio is doing well," i say, a bit curt; i'm not one to drag out my words.

"That's it? Nothing interesting happening?" she says in a frustrated sigh, still curious about my life.

"I know where you're going with this, miss Lusher, but i'm not commenting on that. I'm kind of fed up with this topic," i respond, making my exasperation clear.

We lapsed into silence for a few minutes until someone finally spoke up; she seemed nervous.

"Listen, i messaged Lin yesterday." She pauses, intending to continue talking.

Lin, Lin, Lin—I'm tired of hearing that name.

"She seems to want to talk to you," Lusher finishes, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Unfortunate. I've already stated that I'm only here for Christmas with my family," i halt, clenching my fists, wanting to say more but finding myself unable.

"Bada, you know she was deeply hurt after you left." Lusher attempts to ease the situation. "After all, you left without telling anyone, not even me."

"I didn't have to tell anyone. I've said that before; new opportunities arose, and that's what happened. Am I to blame for considering my future?" I say, feeling a slight warmth in my body due to the anger this topic brings up

"There's no issue with you wanting to pursue your dreams; the problem was leaving her in the dark out of nowhere. I think you should talk."

"Lusher, i've had enough. I don't owe her any explanations, it's over. I've paved my own way, and she's chosen hers, end of story." Rising abruptly, i toss money on the table for Lusher to settle the bill and i make a swift exit.

I sense Lusher's gaze on me, even though i haven't cast a glance back after leaving the place.

This is why i hate this city—the people, the environment, everything reminds me of her. I despise it; I despise being so coward and weak, unable to endure an environment where her name lingers. Tears stream down my face as i silently reassure myself, "The past is the past; it'll be fine."

It won't be fine.

For quite a while, i just roam around the city, immersed in the festive Christmas decorations and the chilly yet pleasant atmosphere. Families stroll along snow-covered roads, little cafes are buzzling with events, and everyone radiates happiness, caught up in the joy of being together—while i meander alone. I'm the odd one out here.

The city lights gradually begin to flicker on, signaling the encroaching darkness. It's time to head home for the Christmas Eve feast, but before that, i need something to ease my stress.

I head to a nearby convenience store, searching for a pack of cigarettes. I randomly choose any available brand, pay, and head towards a secluded alley.

Turns out, i'm not the only one there; a woman next to me doing the same, and i can't quite see her face. I shake my pockets, searching for my lighter.

"Fuck..." i mutter softly as i lean against the wall, frustrated.

Suddenly, i notice something fall to the ground, accompanied by words.

"Pick it up," the woman, slightly mysterious but oddly familiar, says, tossing the lighter onto the snow-covered ground.

I quickly bend down to grab it. "Thanks," I express promptly, attempting to say something more. "Do you come here often?"

"Sometimes, only when i think about my ex." She pulls the cigarette calmly, allowing the smoke to envelop her face in a thin mist. An ephemeral cloud of smoke slowly wafts around me.

"We're in the same boat," i muse, giving a little laugh at her comment. "Does your ex smoke?"

"Since I've known her. She was always cautious so i wouldn't end up like her; nevertheless, here i am," she narrates with a tense tone.

"You shouldn't smoke; judging by your voice, you've quit for a long time. You should stop while you still can," i suggest while lighting my cigarette with the borrowed lighter.

"Look who wants to give me a moral lecture," she laughs, mocking. The whole situation is ironic.

"Pfft, you don't even know me; you probably think i'm a hypocritical smoker," i admit, in a casual tone.

"Definitely."

"Maybe i really am, but I still have feelings!" I laugh, playfully.

She seems serious now, and we stay silent for a few seconds.

"Have you ever thought about your ex's feelings when you two broke up?" she inquires, finishing her last drag before dropping the cigarette on the ground and crushing it under her foot.

I remain motionless, confused, and unsure of how to respond.

"I'm just messing with you; after all, i don't even know you." She lets out a nervous laugh before completely disappearing into the darkness of that dimly lit alley.

"I'm home," i announce, slipping off my shoes and opening the door.

My mother greets me with a smile as she sets the dining table with the help of my father and sister.

"You're here! It's so good to see you, dear," my mother smiles warmly and hugs me. The scent of kimchi fills the air; she must have been cooking for a long time.

"What's that smell of smoke..." She makes a disgusted face, and i quickly plan an excuse.

"There were some delinquents smoking in the streets; the smell must have clung to me," i say cautiously.

"Looks delicious," i observe the meal on the table after greeting everyone present, trying to change subjects. Despite my reservations about Incheon and the memories this city brings, i feel welcomed and relieved with my family by my side.

"Let's eat!" My father exclaims, excitedly, sitting down and preparing to enjoy the eagerly anticipated tteokguk, a unique skill of my mother.

A few minutes were left for the long-awaited December 25th, and the countdown unfolded gradually.

"I'm eager to know what you brought for us from Busan, little sister!"

"Did i have to bring a present?" I laugh ironically, joking. "Just kidding, i'm sure you guys will like it!"

1 minute to the 25th.

"Wow, i can already hear the neighbors starting the countdown," my sweet and dear mother says.

A sound echoes at the door.

"Knock, knock."

30 seconds to the 25th.

"Oh, let me get that!" I quickly get up from my seat and head to the door.

10 seconds to the 25th.

I grab the keys and swiftly unlock the door, while my family had already started the countdown.

"5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

I can't believe who is on the other side of the door.

"Lin?"

"Merry Christmas!" the whole family celebrates in unison as i stand there, paralyzed, looking at my former love standing right in front of me.

aaand we're done! i don't know if i should make it a series or not since i'm the lazy type but lmk! also tysm for @/kiyaedits for the dividers. i hope you enjoyed this as much as i did, thank you for reading. ❄️

[finniestoncrane]

2.5k Event Request - King Shark x GN!Reader word count: 850 a/n: please give me nanaue i'll take him on a wholesome date i swear to you i can be trusted!! i'll hold his hand and be polite i SWEAR cw: fluffy blind date scenario with some hand-holding and soothing of insecurities 🔞minors dni🔞 • masterlist • kofi link • tag: finnie2.5k (to follow or to block)

As you walked towards the park, you reflected on the choices that had led you there. Desperation played a part, just something to break up the mundanity of your life. You needed a little bit of excitement, but something relatively safe, which was not listed among the options Harley had provided you at first when you had expressed your problems to her. But when she suggested that she could set you up on a blind date, you reasoned that it was actually a pretty good idea.

Now, however, you realised that you had trusted Harleen Quinzel, of all people, to find a partner for you, and you began to worry about who might be waiting for you. Given her own track record with men and the people she considered to be friends, you worried that this might verge out of "fun and exciting" and into "dangerous and potentially life-threatening." Although, you were her friend too, so you wondered what that might say about you to the person you were meeting.

At least you were meeting in a public place. Your date had requested that, asking to meet you in the park for a walk in nature. The day was pleasant, warm but not hot, sunny but with a gentle breeze. There were enough people there to make you feel safe, but not too many for it to be considered busy. And in the distance, there was someone you vaguely recognised from news bulletins.

King Shark was a formidable figure, one you were aware of through his various crimes and his work with the Suicide Squad. It was that memory of his affiliation that made you realise that he was likely there to meet you. Harley was very fond of him and talked about him often. That did bode well for your afternoon. So you approached him, admittedly nervous, and introduced yourself.

"So... yeah, I think you're here to meet me?"

"Yes, Harley told me your name and what you looked like. It is not so much a blind date in my case then, I suppose. But I wasn't sure how these things usually went."

You smiled, assuring him that there weren't really any rules to it, and asked him if he'd like to head towards the pond on the set out path. As you walked, you could feel your heart fluttering. You were giddy, excited. Harley had gotten it so right. Nananue was big, strong, but surprisingly soft. He spoke so enthusiastically about the plants and the wildlife, so interested in learning about them, and your opinion on them. You'd barely been with him for a half an hour before you began planning a second date to a museum.

"I suppose I wasn't exactly what you expected. I am sorry for that."

He sounded so awkward as he said it, confessing his worries to you now that he felt a little more comfortable in your presence.

"Hm... I won't lie, you weren't what I was expecting at all..."

His slight smile dropped, sharp teeth covered by his lips.

"... But this is a much better outcome than I could have imagined. I mean, it's Harley, after all. I could have been set up with... Harkness!"

Despite his fondness for Captain Boomerang, Nanaue still laughed at your joke, feeling comforted that you would have picked him over a human, even. And with his worries somewhat assuaged, he was able to let his soft smile return, eyes sparkling with excitement of his own as you continued on the path.

His questions were insightful, perhaps a little bit rehearsed, but he seemed so interested in getting to know you, listening intently as you offered up answers to him, and smiling when he responded to your own queries about his interests and his life.

As you were hearing his joke about the last mission he had gone on with the squad, a shrill ringing interrupted you both. A bike approached quickly from behind, and Nanaue grabbed your hand to pull you out of the way of the cyclist to the side of the path. Once you were free from the risk of collision, he apologised prousely, letting go of your hand immediately.

"What are you sorry for? You saved me from getting knocked on my ass in front of you!"

"I... my hands are clammy, and large. I hope I didn't hurt you by grabbing you or being too rough. So I apologise."

You took his hand in yours, holding as much of it as you could. They were huge, by comparison, but you didn't mind at all. In fact, the idea that he could hold so much of you just in his palms felt nice, on several levels.

"It's maybe a little too soon to reveal this to you, given it's out first date... But I'm actually qute interested in things being a little rough."

He looked at you quizically, raising his brow as he spoke.

"What do you mean?"

With a smile, you wrapped your hand around two of his fingers, pulling him back onto the path.

"I'll explain it another time... maybe after a second date."

[karmawonders]

Congrats on 800 followers!!!

Ever since I learned about SAGAU, I have been nervous to play music (idk why though??) But I listen to people like Cupcakke and Ayesha and now I'm wondering what the acolytes' reactions would be to the creator playing weird music ^^

🌸Thank you, thank you!🌸

Ahh, I do enjoy myself some good Cupcakke and Ayesha. I got both of em on my playlist, haha! I listen to some pretty out there music as well, if hyper-pop counts as weird. Who knows~ Anyway somehow this became Consort!Diluc and I apologize, my brain went running with this ask and it became.. this.

Warnings: Sexual Content. Cult and Self Aware AU. Somewhat Yandere.

Contents: This could be considered a crackpost at some points. Includes the song squidwards nose / commentary from because I bop to it, aight? . There is mention of "holy dildo." Forgive me i thought it was funny. Diluc is completely devoted to you(he wants to be your consort) and is suddenly worried about his dick size. Not beta read we die like rex-lapis.

Anyway!

I imagine it would be a normal day like any other in Mondstadt. The city is bustling, Flora giving people cute little flower crowns to promote her flower shop, bards singing about various topics and styles, Knights of Favonius helping people find lost cats, etc etc.

In the middle of the town square, stands your current puppets (thats what I call the"vessles" in my au) , in this case the traveller. I imagine depending on the emotional connection/friendship level you have to each of your puppets, people can sometimes hear you through them. Like a walking speaker or smth.

Since the twins don't got a friendship level, its just the equivalent of maxed out. They're crafting up some condensed resin for you, since you were AFK and they knew you were going to do so anyway. They were doing their best to ignore the loud music that they are emitting whilst doing so, Timaeus and others looking at them with wide eyes.

It isn't often your non-puppets hear obvious signs of the creator themselves, ya know! Literally everyone likes listening to you, whether it's Lofi music, rock, pop, or your voice itself!

Whenever they hear your voice from one of your more connected puppets, everyone is just filled with bubbles of happiness and excitement. Like! yay! I am directly in the High Gods presence! Sorta! Not really but its stilly exciting!

This time though, its a bit more of a "Ayo what the fuck?" sort of feeling instead of the usual.

Loudly blaring from their beings, was Cupcakke, and the iconic song "Squidward Nose".

Jean? Red faced, making sure no children are in the area, hands covering her face as she does her best, and fails, to think on who "dora the explorer" is, instead thinking about her god wanting a dick apparently as large as "squidwards nose". She has the church and the sisters notate this in a book. Might be some form of holy dildo or something, who knows.

Lisa is laughing her ass off the entire time, patting her on the back as she helps annotate notable things in the song with a few of the sisters from the Cathedral. Gotta keep their holy bible updated, afterall. She is tempted to write a new thesis for the scholars at Sumeru just for kicks and giggles about how their High God could potentially be more human than formerly assumed. She has a great new evidence, after all~ then again, the scholars at Sumeru are batshit crazy, so many not.

Venti is right at the travellers side, committing the song to his memory the best he can. Definitely getting in the way of them actually crafting the Resin, much to the twin's annoyance. He is always at whoevers side when you are playing any type of music, the music is completely new to him after all. You can bet he will be doing his best to sing the song at any late night tavern performances, even if he isn't getting all the references outside the obvious sexual stuff. Its an instant hit at Angels share, not just because Venti is singing it, but because the High God apparently likes the song as well. Also because its a great song.

Speaking of Angels Share, Diluc's face, is obviously, also as red as tomato when he hears Venti reciting the song later. He enjoys very much being a puppet, and he is definitely incredibly devoted to the High God. (aka you). He has to be devoted if he wants to fully commit himself to you, and possibly be your consort if you come down to Teyvat one day! This entire situation is completely uncouth, much to his dismay. He thinks its ruining your image before he realizes it is simply expanding it. Also, he is very upset. He is packing down there, definitely. But now he is self conscious because what if squidwards nose is better? He should honestly really kick out Venti, even is he is an Archon. Its getting in the way of his business.

Kaeya and Rosaria know about Diluc's somewhat obsessive worship and desire to be your consort, and they also know exactly why thats he is so red faced and upset and Venti's song. And because they absolutely enjoy it, they keep on giving Venti bottles of alcohol for encores of the song. And more, and more. Until Diluc has to excuse himself and leave. They are laughing the entire fuckin time. They always enjoy listening to your music whenever its playing, and they definitely agree that you should play similar songs more often. Its incredibly amusing.

🌸

Anywho's, that was fun to write! I do not know why Diluc was on the mind, but to be honest, I simp for the man highkey soooo-

Hope that was all alright for you dear Anon, and I hope you have a good day!

🌸Want to support me? Here is my Ko-fi and Masterlist!🌸

[misc-obeyme]

I'm always brain rotting about really silly things like food, fashion, and transportation in the devildom compared to the human world. world building i suppose?

but how do you think the spice levels compare? like there's different types of spicy, and the devildom for sure has spicier stuff. But i wonder how spicy it is. Like Mammon's hell sauce noodles...

I'm thinking about this because my mom cooked dinner, and she always makes separate food for me and my little brothers if she's using chiles (in this case it was just meat cooked without the spicy sauce). and i tried some because I'm trying to finally build my tolerance and I was dying at the first bite 😭 tastes so good though. she gave me a surprised look when i added more spicy food to my plate

i already know mammon would make me try spicy things for shits and giggles, or new foods because I'm a picky eater. Also there's a saying/joke in Spanish where people will ask if you were angry while making something if it's too spicy lmao.

I haven't been too active because I've been busy working early shifts and training in framing at my old store (forgot to set my alarms the last two days), but tomorrow I'm off, and going to ihop and bookstores with my friend !! she's trying to finish her current read so we can buddy read King of Wrath together (king of sloth comes out soon). I'M SO EXICTED

Anyway i hope you're having a good day/night, and I'm very excited for the anniversary banner. May everyone's boys come home 🙏

- ✨ anon

Ohhh yessss I love worldbuilding! And there's so much they leave out, there's plenty of stuff we can fill in, which is always fun.

Okay so spice levels, apparently it really depends on the individual as to how spicy something truly is. This is because humans at least have the ability to make themselves less sensitive to capsaicinoids, which is what they call plants with capsaicin in them. That's the spicy, I think they evolved with it to prevent predators from eating them, but humans were like nope we'll just get used to it!

Anyway, I think this is relevant because it's going to depend on whether or not demons also have that ability or if it's different for them biologically. Like okay, if humans eat enough capsaicin, over time they become partly immune to it, which is why some people can eat really spicy food and other people can't. I think some of that might also just be genetics... like some people might be born more resilient to it to begin with. But don't quote me on that lol.

So demons either have a natural immunity (not completely though because they clearly can still taste the spice, it's just much less) or they also have the ability to desensitize themselves to it.

I like to think it's a bit of both just like it is in humans, but demons have a higher tolerance level to start with. And they all have it. Because they're demons and that just feels right, you know?

But I also think it'd be interesting to consider that the tongues of demons are made of different stuff than the tongues of humans. Or that there are some demons who have tongues that are more scaly or something. Just because that'd be fun lol.

Anyway, I think the spice levels in the Devildom are probably pretty high. I like to think that Mammon has an especially high tolerance due to the fact that those spicy hell sauce noodles are his favorite. You know he eats them all the time and if they can also build tolerance, he must be super used to it by now.

I definitely think he'd make you eat spicy food lol. That's just how spicy food lover are, too. I'm also extremely sensitive to spicy foods. I've been trying to build up my tolerance, too, so I've been adding some hot sauce to things, but it's nothing compared to my brother in law. His spice tolerance is insane. And he's always like, here try this it's not spicy. I have learned not to believe it.

I love the idea that being angry while cooking makes food spicy.... I feel like there could legit be a spell for that in the Devildom, too.

There you go working all kinds of crazy shifts again... truly Mammon coded lol. I hope you had an amazing day off and enjoyed your time with your friend!! I looove bookstores and pancakes, so that sounds like an excellent time!

I hope you're having a lovely day/night as well! And YES I too am quite excited about the HDD~ spreading all the love & luck to all to get their faves~

[whitehotharlots]

Tara Reade, Christine Blassey Ford, and the bleak limitations of pettiness feminism

For what it’s worth, I found the accusations made by Tara Reade and Christine Blassey Ford both imminently plausible. I’ve never met Joe Biden or Brett Kavanaugh, but I’ve spent more than enough time around entitled white collar pricks to realize that things like non-consensual workplace groping and wacky frat house sex pranks are a part of their worlds. There was nothing about either story that struck me as obviously false or otherwise disqualifying. Both very well may have happened.

But I also believe that there’s a wide chasm between plausibility and proof–especially in criminal matters, and extra especially in regards to the sort of accusations that could result in yearslong jail sentences. Sexual assault cases are notoriously hard to prosecute in their immediacy. If we’re talking about something that happened years or decades earlier, there’s no reasonable way to prove the accusations in a manner that would warrant a formal, judicial response.

By 2020, this belief of mine was considered hopelessly out of date, borderline sacrilegious. The Trump era ushered in a new diligence in regards to how the public was supposed to understand and react to accusations of sexual misconduct: women should be believed, full stop. Accused men should be punished, full stop. The crisis of the moment meant that all the old notions regarding due process and the fixed standards of what is or is not a crime had to be thrown out.

Remember that “Shitty Media Men” list from 2017? God, seems like forever ago. The list was a wholly anonymous Google Docs spreadsheet containing the names of several dozen men in media and a brief description of their alleged crimes. It was written about in glowing terms by publications big and small, heralded as a bold and exciting new chapter of social justice, and the list’s creator–Moria Donegan–was eventually granted status as a star commentator.

Did you read the list? I did. About one in every 15 or so entries contained a very severe accusation–something along the lines of “he raped me in the dumpster behind Arby’s” or “he keeps tricking me into getting stuck in a dryer.” But the vast, vast majority of entries alleged nothing more than minor interpersonal conflict: “he doesn’t respect my work,” “he raised his voice at me one time in 2012,” and other stuff along those lines. One entry really stuck out: the accuser admitted that she had never met the man. “But,” she said, “he must be a creep… just look at the stuff he writes!”

No doubt, at least some of these men were/are grade-A jerks. But the bulk of them appear to have just been disliked by a colleague or acquaintance who felt the need to take advantage of a social justice movement to exact revenge. This is how human interaction works. No one is beloved by everybody; everyone will experience some instances in which they treat others with less courtesy than they probably should; and, well, sometimes two people who are otherwise completely decent despise one another for reasons that are inscrutable to everyone but God.

The malignancy of the Shitty Media Men list is that it caused readers to conceptually associate minor interpersonal conflicts–some of which admittedly did not happen, most others of the sort that would cause no reasonable person to find one party entirely at fault, let alone worthy of expulsion from polite society–with major violations such as rape and assault. This was the new era: every accusation is proof of guilt, and all guilt is of the same severity. It’s too hard to definitively prove that a rape happened, ergo we needed to dismiss the usual evidentiary standards of criminal proceedings in regards to rape. And, also, mildly upsetting a female colleague is now the same thing as rape.

Wonderful stuff. Fantastic stuff.

A year passed. The Notorious RBG ascended to the great rap battle in the sky, and it was up to the dastard President Drumpf to appoint her successor. He settled upon a youth-pastor-cum-jurist who resembled a crude caricature from a late 1800’s anti-Irish political comic. The man had a rap sheet a mile long: lackey to Ken Starr (himself quite the defender of rape), Yalie, anti-abortion, corporate puppet, helped rig the Florida vote in 2000, Federalist Society member, blah blah blah all the horrible shit you expect from a GOP nominee to the Supreme Court.

None of these facts mattered much within the liberal imaginary, however, as they weren’t that far afield from the activities of the sort of justices liberals find inoffensive. No, the #Resistance had an ace up their sleeve: a lady said he had sexually assaulted her 30 years prior, and she was willing to say so in front of congress.

He must have been toast after that, right? Because everyone had spent the last few years hashtagging #BelieveWomen, right? They’re not gonna say they believe women and not believe them, right? It can’t be that this precedent we just set up would only be used to ruin the lives of low-level middle manager type guys who did inconsequential stuff, right? Right?

No. Of course not. Republicans never even pretended to care about that shit.

In the non-conservative press, Blassey Ford was treated as a hero. Her effort was brave, and her failure served to validate the premise upon which it was founded: women are not believed enough, and men can get away with anything.

Another few years passed. Due to a confluence of events of that ranged between skullduggery and outright rigging, the Democratic presidential primary narrowed down to a less-corrupt-than-average politician who was called a “socialist” because he was to the left of Grover Norquist, and a credit card lobbyist who was once accidentally appointed vice president.

The credit card lobbyist should have been considered especially ignominious, considering the degree to which the #BelieveWomen mantra was prevalent on the left. Decades earlier, in a situation quite similar to that faced by Blassey Ford, he led the charge in aggressively dismissing the accusations of a woman who had accused a SCOTUS nominee of sexual misconduct. Surely that was the sort of thing MeToo would not abide, right? Right?

Again, no. The semi-socialist was repeatedly smeared as a racist and sexist for reasons that no one could ever quite articulate. Social media figures openly solicited false allegations of sexual misconduct against him. In spite of being a leftist Jewish man, in spite studies showing that his supporters were actually far less aggressive and hateful than those of Hillary Clinton, he was still the most toxic and evil presence to ever enter into Democrat politics. #BelieveWomen and #MeToo precedents were very effectively invoked: there doesn’t need to be proof, and there doesn’t need even be an accusation. He’s evil because we say he’s evil. His name is on the spreadsheet.

But the guy who got Clarence Thomas onto the Supreme Court? That was regrettable, sure. But it was a youthful transgression! He’s apologized! It doesn’t matter.

Then we got a late-primary curveball: a woman who verifiably worked with Biden claimed he had jammed his hand down her pants. The allegation was decades old and therefore unprovable in a legal sense, and suddenly that was an issue where it hadn’t been just a few months before. The MeToo movement’s purveyors worked to clarify that she was a lying, mentally unstable, and possibly Russian slut.

A year earlier, we were told that due process was a misogynist construct, and that expressing skepticism toward politically opportune allegations was an expression of patriarchy and privilege. Now, faced with allegations that would force them to choose between a semi-leftist or Donald Trump, the progressive vanguard suddenly decided that these old principles of Enlightened Liberalism weren’t so evil after all.

Blassey Ford is about to embark on a book tour, receiving near-unanimous praise (and ample financial compensation) for her bravery. She might not be a household name, but among those who do remember her, she is revered as a hero.

Reade, meanwhile, is a permanent disgrace who had to defect to Russia.

In a sad way, the disparity between how these two women were treated demonstrates the conditions that spawned MeToo: a woman who makes an accusation against an unpopular or hated man will be, at least, believed. She will not suffer negative consequences. She may even be rewarded, even if the man himself isn’t punished. But a woman who goes against a man who is too important, too well-connected? She won’t even get a chance to testify. She’s actually even worse than the abusers. Every aspect of her account and character will be placed under a microscope, and anything she cannot prove with 100% fidelity will be held up as proof of how horrible she is. She’s also on the spreadsheet.

And in an even sadder way, this disparity demonstrates why the MeToo and BelieveWomen stuff was horribly misguided from the start. Removing the structures that allow society to function will not magically result in a more just society manifesting from the wreckage of the old. You might–might–remove some of the most malignant shitheads. But in the process you will ruin the lives of many who are either innocent or marginally guilty, and you will entrench the utter empowerment of those who are, only in some small ways, the lesser evils. There’s no path forward, here. There is no hope here.

[pocket-sized-nightmare]

here’s my entry for day 5 of @gem-pearl-week 2024! today’s prompt is “death/reincarnation”

The only time Gem sees Pearl cry during Real Life is when she loses her dog.

Pearl’s canine army no longer represents her only solace from isolation, but she still loves them like family. Matchbox and Mailbox have formed their own tiny pack with Tilly back on Hermitcraft, and Pearl was so excited to introduce Milly to them. She was such a sweet puppy. Before, the game felt fun for once – far more hopeful than the others, in any case – and Pearl is stunned by how quickly her emotions change. She falls to the ground and sobs, half-laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. “Milly’s dead…”

Gem sees Pearl and lays down beside her. She plays with Pearl’s hair, trying to distract her. Real Life has been kind to its players so far, and a piece of her wonders if it would really change so quickly. Grian wouldn’t do that, would he? “Shh,” Gem whispers. “In the next life, there’s gonna be another dog.”

“Really?” Pearl whispers back.

“Of course.” Gem thinks of Tilly, cowering in the corner of Pearl’s house the first time Gem saw her. Her fur was singed, and she had an injured paw and a scar over her eye that still hasn't quite faded. She was alive, though. Pearl’s lost wolves have survived these games before. “There’s gonna be another dog.”

Two days pass after the group’s return from Real Life, and Milly still doesn’t appear. Pearl is grateful that she at least didn’t have time to get too attached. She doesn’t tell the pack about Milly, but she can tell Tilly knows something is wrong. Tilly curls up against Pearl and whines, then walks around in circles, confused. “You’re a perceptive pupper, Tilly.” Pearl pets Tilly on the head, and Tilly hesitantly flops over for belly rubs. “What’s goin’ on, honey?” Pearl asks.

Tilly has no response.

Pearl sighs as Matchbox and Mailbox join the cuddle pile. “I’m just glad I’ve got you guys.”

————

In just about all forms, Grian doesn’t quite stick the landing.

Everyone returns to Hermitcraft in one piece, but they all respawn in the wrong bases. Cleo lands right in the middle of spawn, Tango somehow wakes up in the med bay, and both Gem and Pearl end up in Pearl’s base. (All the Hermits find that one especially cute.)

Gem doesn’t pay it much mind until a few days after Real Life ends. It’s night, but she’s had one too many cups of tea from Cleo’s cat cafe, and it’s given her too much energy to settle down. She paces around her new base a few times, plotting out build ideas. The power lines could use some work. Maybe I could get one of the redstoners to check them out. And that area over there would be perfect for–

A soft, tiny bark distracts Gem from her thoughts.

“What the heck?” she murmurs aloud. “Okay, who got out now?”

She looks around the chunk she’s in, but there’s no sign of any wolves, let alone a familiar one. “Hello? Anybody around? Or anydog, I guess?”

There’s another soft bark, but no further clues. Gem can’t even place the sound. “Can I get a hint?”

No response. Gem sighs, then realizes she might have a way of figuring it out. Pearl’s wolf pack seems to accept Gem as their second human. She could go over to Pearl’s base, but it’s outside the mountain, and Gem has the sinking sense that whoever she’s hearing won’t last that long. She’s never tried calling Pearl’s wolves before, but it couldn’t hurt.

Gem takes a deep breath and calls, “Mailbox! Come here, Mailbox!”

There’s a brief pause, and then a soft thud as a wolf with a yellow collar appears on the grass in front of her. He immediately runs over, nuzzles against Gem, and rolls over for belly rubs. Gem happily obliges. She barely has time to grin at the realization that Pearl’s dogs consider her a part of the family before another soft bark echoes across the base.

Mailbox immediately sits upright. His ears prick up. Gem breathes a sigh of relief. “Can you go find it, buddy?”

Mailbox takes off running across Gem’s base at full speed. Gem follows.

On the other side of Gem’s base, there’s a pile of barrels leaning against a wall. One of them is tipped over with its open end facing the wall. It was once full of fish, but Gem remembers there’s only a few left in it – the darn foxes keep eating them. Mailbox sniffs the barrel, then paws at it and barks.

Gem sighs in exasperation. “Mailbox, you can’t have any fish. I’m trying to find the other wolf.”

Mailbox barks louder.

“Alright, fine.” Gem rolls the barrel towards her and peers inside.

A tiny wolf with a fish in its mouth peers back at her.

Gem gasps. “Oh my gosh, hello! What are you doing here? Did you tip over the barrel?”

She spots a collar on the wolf. As Mailbox barks louder, Gem dares to hope. “Let me see…”

She reaches into the barrel and stretches out a hand towards the wolf. It wobbles towards her and sniffs her hand curiously. Gem reads its collar. “Milly. If found, please return to PearlescentMoon.”

Gem is surprised by the tears that spark in her eyes. “You’re alive!” She looks further into the barrel and laughs. “You’re alive, and you ate all my fish. That explains why you don’t seem all that hungry. Come on, let’s take you back to–”

Mailbox nudges Milly’s side, and Gem notices why Milly wasn’t able to escape the barrel on her own. One of her hind paws is gone, leaving only a furry stump behind, and she can hardly walk on the other one. “Oh,” Gem whispers. “You got a little hurt on the way back, didn’t you?”

Milly barks softly. Gem scoops her up and cuddles her close. “I’m gonna take you back to your human now. She’ll be very happy to meet you.”

Mailbox, proud of his discovery, trots all the way back to Pearl’s base with his head held high. Gem follows with a bright grin on her face. Pearl’s wolf pack is back together at last.

————

Pearl wakes up to a large dog licking her face.

As her eyes adjust to the waking world, she sees the trademark scar identifying the wolf as Tilly. After a moment, she also sees the moon in the sky. “Tilly, it is not morning. Why are you waking me up?”

She glances over to the corner where her dogs were once asleep. Matchbox is still sleeping soundly, but Mailbox is completely gone. Pearl blinks in confusion. “Mailbox? C’mere, boy.”

Mailbox appears in front of her. Moments later, there’s a knock on the door. “Special delivery for the postmaster herself,” Gem’s voice calls from outside.

“You could’ve used the mail system,” Pearl says playfully as she walks over to answer the door.

“Believe me, this needs to be in person.” Gem smiles as Pearl opens the door. “I found your dog.”

Pearl doesn’t notice at first. “Oh, is that where Mailbox went? Thanks for taking care of him…”

Her voice trails off at the sight of the little wolf in Gem’s arms. “You– what… Gem, who’s this?” Pearl reads the wolf’s collar.

She bursts into tears.

Gem hands the wolf to Pearl, then wraps an arm around her shoulders. “No, don’t cry! She’s here! She’s back to us!”

“Happy tears,” Pearl murmurs, cuddling Milly in her arms. “Very happy tears.”

“I’m so glad.” Gem pets Milly on the forehead. “She didn’t make it all the way back in one piece, though. I don’t know if you spotted it, but–”

“Her back left paw is gone. Yeah, I had a feeling.” Pearl giggles as Milly licks her hand. “Do you think we can get a Hermit to make her a little wheelchair?”

“Oh, that would be so cute. Little wheels instead of paws?”

“Exactly.” Pearl sets Milly down on her bed, then wraps her arms around Gem and kisses her on the forehead. “I don’t know how you found her, but I can’t thank you enough. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Gem murmurs, hugging Pearl even tighter. “I’m just glad I tracked her down tonight. She’s finally back home.”

Matchbox finally takes note of the new dog and curls up against her. Mailbox curls up on her other side. Tilly sniffs her, then licks her head and joins the cuddle pile. On the other side of the room, Gem yawns. “Your dogs have the right idea. I should head back.”

“You could stay for the night,” Pearl says with a smile. “I mean, the dogs do seem to love having you around.”

Gem beams. “I can’t disappoint them, now, can I?”

Gem and Pearl lie down in Pearl’s bed together. Pearl blinks back another wave of tears, then cuddles against Gem and kisses her on the forehead one more time. “Thank you for everything.”

“You deserve it all,” Gem murmurs back. “Good night, Pearl.”

“G’night, Gem,” Pearl whispers.

As the moon shines overhead, Gem and Pearl – and their wolf pack – fall asleep together in the warmth of Pearl’s base.

[blaperile]

Homestuck: Beyond Canon (reactions pages 554- 576)

Wow, that was quite a heavy update.

I love that we finally got some insight into Yiffy's personality! Feels like she got a lot from Rose there, haha.

Too bad we still don't have dialogue from her yet though, I wonder when we'll get that honour.

But yikes, that tension between Kanaya, Rose and Jade. When Kanaya started putting on her lipstick I got REALLY afraid that the lipstick was going to turn into her chainsaw and that she was going to attack Jade with it. Good thing that didn't happen.

Rose and Kanaya's relationship has gone through a lot across both Meat and Candy!

What's drawing my attention MOST OF ALL though is that shot of Jade's captchalogue card!!

That's clearly a hand with stitches on it… which heavily implies it to be a STUFFED CORPSE. :o

We know Jade and her Grandpa had quite a history with stuffing corpses, so this immediately makes you wonder… whose corpse is this? And just what is the Homestuck Beyond Canon team planning on doing with it?

The most obvious candidate is Candy Dave's corpse! He recently died, from Jade's perspective, and she was most likely the first one to find his corpse. So if her old mannerisms surfaced again, perhaps she immediately stuffed him?

It's kind of a strange pose for this hand, but maybe his corpse is still lying in about the same pose Jade found him in?

If they all end up in a new SBURB session, does this mean we're going to get a new Davesprite???

And what impact would it have on Davebot, if any? Seeing as it's technically Candy Dave's consciousness (in ultimate self form) inhabiting the robot, would it be pulled from the robot into the sprite and cause the robot to explode (just like Aradia experienced when she went God Tier)?

Even the "WEE WOO" text beneath the panel is heavily implying this, using red and orange text, much like Dave and Davesprite's text colors.

An alternate interesting theory raised by abundantChewtoys is that it's Candy Dirk's corpse. I don't think it's very likely considering that they had a funeral for him and all, but it would be another notable corpse here in the candy timeline Jade could technically get her hands on AND it also fits with the text colors (Dirk's orange and Arquiusprite's red).

Finally another excellent point abundantChewtoys raised is that this update made sure to point out that Rose never buried her Mom. But then what DID happen to her body? Was it left on the Battlefield?

I may recall John or pre-retcon Jade having mentioned that they had a funeral for the dead Guardians on the 3-year trip on the Prospitian battleship? I might be remembering that wrong though. I can't find it with the search function, so my mind might be making it up.

But in any case, post-retcon Jade was ALONE on the ship, she had no John or Davesprite with her. So, knowing her family history, it's POSSIBLE she stuffed the corpses of John's Dad and Rose's Mom (and Dave's Bro?)… and that she still has those corpses with her?!

Anyway, most likely it's "just" Candy Dave's corpse, but it's hilarious to think of the other possibilities as well. At least we know for sure it's not a troll corpse considering the white human-like hand, hahahahaha.

I also just want to point out that this green captchalogue card implies this to be Jade's Pictionary modus… which would mean Jade had to DRAW the corpse to captchalogue it… think about that for a minute. Yikes. :(

It's interesting how in both Meat and Candy we currently have someone holding onto a dead corpse (Terezi holding on to John's body and Jade hanging on to this mysterious body who may or may not be Dave). Where is this leading? New Sprites in a SBURB session or something else entirely?

Finally I just want to talk about James Roach his newpost, where he hints one or more [S] pages are upcoming a few months from now!!!

I'm VERY excited about that, but also very curious what it could be about…

Ever since this new creative team took over we've got plenty of updates which seem to be building up to everyone heading to the Plot Point at the meteor. So are we going to get an [S] page featuring an epic confrontation between Jane and the rebels at the meteor, tying up everything that's happened so far in Candy and ending this "Act"?

Maybe that same page will also be the one to finally reveal what the Plot Point truly is. Is it some kind of portal (like from Hiveswap) to the Meat timeline or is it something else entirely?

My mind has been going crazy on theorizing and imagining where this could be going.

If everyone is gathering on the meteor and the Plot Point will activate then and there, what if it will somehow transport the entire meteor to the Meat timeline and have it go to Deltritus??

That would be an absolutely crazy but also amazing way to merge the Meat and Candy storylines into one.

Alternatively, I would find it hilarious if the Candy meteor transports to Meat Earth and it turns out that Calliope and Caliborn grew up there in the distant future (making it a combination of Candy and Meat, which is an appropriate symbol for both Cherubs).

[rivalkieran]

HI I’VE COME TO BOTHER YOU-

I’m the anon who asked for you to info-dump about the legendary Pokemon a while back (which did help me, the way mine are sort of set up is they also embody concepts but are less tied to stories here, so like Yveltal is Death, Dialga is Time, Terapagos got assigned to wishes here, etc) and I’ve come back to ask you to info dump more.

It doesn’t need to be about legendaries this time, I’ve actually been wondering about Paldea, Galar, and Hoenn specifically. I think about the dynamic Kieran and Florian have here maybe a touch more than is healthy… but also like the paldea friends are something I’m wondering about.

Give me the detailsssss pleaseeeeee (I’m going to ask many a time. It’s gonna happen. I’m far too mentally ill to just leave it beeeee)

-Hyperfixtated Anon (this will be my name now because I’m going to come back many times I don’t know why I can’t be normal about this)

OH HELLO this is I think one of the first reoccuring anons I've gotten how exciting!!! to be honest I do pretty badly with more broad questions like this but I'll try my best..!!!

with most of my pokemon stuff I don't really change the main story that much unless I have problems with just how it's written on a technical level so alot of the meat of solisverse is contained within the protagonist interpretations and the themes I explore through them.

for hoenn, may hiroshi's themes of aloneness and isolation (themes which are shared with other protags actually) (but hiroshi especially puts emphasis on those specific aspects of protagism) acts as a contrast to the rest of hoenn's duos and pairs and whatnot. specifically those themes of isolation shine through in her hoenn hero status. she saved the world not once but twice (mainstory + delta ep), and now she’s expected to save it again if it ever comes to that. lone titan atlas, burdened with holding the world up by himself. or something like that lol

someone’s actually asked me about galar before! so I wont bother repeating myself. galars general themes are of heroism and villainy, in the storybook fairytale sense and how those concepts get ‘adapted’ into reality so to speak. since galar is late in the solisverse timeline alot of my verse’s weird meta bullshit starts really rearing its head

speaking of weird meta bullshit! paldea! the themes are very broad here, since this is kind of the finale for what I consider ‘act 1’ of solisverse. the themes are: what does it mean to be a protagonist, desire/wishes, and connection. I could honestly go ON about every little intricacy of the themes here but I’ll try to keep it brief for now ^_^;

paldea is a very unique case protag-wise. there are actually two separate protags, juliana goes through the main game and florian goes through the dlc. But. There’s a catch. juliana is… to put it briefly, Not Really Human. and she literally straight up Leaves The Story after the main game. nearly everyones memory of her is altered to be about florian instead. (everyones memories except florians of course) which makes the og paldea friend dynamic… kind of weird!!! nemona arven and penny were all kind of unhealthily dependent on juliana for emotional support (and this wasn’t a problem for juliana because she was inhuman and didn’t have a will of her own) and that doesn’t go away once juliana gets replaced with a much more human florian. I think they do work out the whole dependency thing out and become better and more stable friends, but… I still haven’t written anything for florian telling them that a significant chunk of their memories about her are completely false. so. scratches head. yeah

[1863-project]

Thinking a bit about Courtney and how different her dialogue is in Ruby vs Omega Ruby. Here's her dialogue in Ruby, cited from Bulbapedia:

Here, she's high energy, laughing a lot and generally seeming excited about everything - all her dialogue starts with "Ahahahaha!" Definitely different from how we've gotten to know her since.

Omega Ruby, of course, is an entirely different story. Team Magma and Team Aqua got redesigns for ORAS full of personality, and so instead of a typical giggling villain, Courtney became who we know her as now - she speaks with reduced affect display, better known as blunted or flat affect. Reduced affect display is most associated with schizophrenia, PTSD, depression, autism in some cases, depersonalization disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and brain damage.

Interestingly, she seems to show more emotion in her speech during the Delta Episode.

Here, she's yelling, talking in full sentences, and even crying. She expresses emotions under extreme stress, but apparently only under extreme stress, because she goes back to how we know her afterwards once Maxie takes her back in.

We also know she apparently considers herself in Maxie's debt, or at the very least is deeply devoted to him and willing to follow him anywhere. She was also a scientist elsewhere before joining Team Magma. One wonders if Maxie took a chance on her when no one else did, especially poignant if you choose to read her as dealing with a disability/mental health, because as we know those things can be massive barriers to employment due to societal ableism and the difficulties of keeping up in a society that won't accommodate you accordingly.

That said...I don't think depicting her as a robot is particularly fair to her as a character, given all of this. She clearly struggles to emote "acceptably," but she's not emotionless, and she's acting on her own instead of by some sort of "programming," especially since she's driven by emotions even if we don't see them. If anything, she's a portrayal of a part of the human experience we don't often see portrayed in this way. The game just allows her to be Courtney, and that's really refreshing.

[eaudeeuphoria]

thinking about adamil and honestly i just love them so much!! it really bothers me when people hate on that ship. i can understand some of the reasoning why people would feel uncomfortable with it, but i also definitely think people fail to consider everything about it, and i personally have a few reasons for why i ship it.

they met before emil's hospitalization. according to emil's wiki and ada's deductions, ada saw emil while he was panhandling and noticed that he was starving, so she bought him a loaf of bread. this is one of the reasons he was so comfortable being treated by her; he remembered her kindness.

ada treats him like an equal. emil was literally treated like an animal during his time at the dog fighting pit, and when he first arrived at white sand street asylum, he was traumatized and his violent responses caused the staff to lock him in a cage and subject him to electroshock therapy and constant sedation. his entire life, he has been treated as subhuman. however, when ada meets him, she treats him with kindness and administers treatment gently. she sees through his current state and recognizes his humanity. she also tries to lower his dosage of sedatives, so that he can be conscious and think for himself. he is more than just a test subject to her. she sees him as a person.

ada asked for emil's consent. she realized her hypnotherapy was an effective way to help emil heal and recover, and she was excited to test her theories, but she asked emil whether he wanted to continue using the sedatives or work with her. emil chose to work with ada, and chose to leave the asylum with her.

ada resigns from her position as a psychologist. while she does still use hypnotherapy to help emil, she no longer works for the asylum. even though she still performs treatment on him, there isn't the same power imbalance that he would have with a staff member at the asylum.

the relationship itself is healthy. ada encourages emil to think independently, socialize with others, write in a diary, and participate in other healthy coping mechanisms. ada does have to take care of him a lot of the time because of his severe trauma, but she isn't possessive or controlling and her main goal is for him to recover.

also, identity v is a horror game so it would make sense for them to have some darker and sadder themes!! in most situations, real or fictional, i would never condone a doctor/patient relationship, but adamil is obviously a very special case. everything in this post is probably common knowledge by now but i just love them and wanted to infodump!! that's all have a wonderful day and if ive converted you to adamil let me know lmfao

[mrbensonmum]

TV Shows - 3 Body Problem V

At the start of the third episode, another dead scientist is found. I noticed that I really like Benedict Wong's new voice actor. It gives a clear distinction from his role in the MCU films. Usually, I’m not a fan of such changes, but in this case, it works really well.

The relationship between Will and Jin is explored in more detail here, which I appreciate because it makes what follows more understandable. In the book, I missed this a bit, even though the author touches on it, but I felt it was a bit brief.

When Auggie discovers the game and rushes to the others, I find what Saul says very interesting, or rather how he says it. It also becomes clear that Jin and Jack don’t fully understand the game’s objective yet. As a viewer, it seems obvious, but from their perspective, it makes much more sense. They don’t know it’s about the three-body problem; they see the game world just as the Trisolarian civilizations do.

Level two also shows that the civilizations are still focusing on the wrong priorities, a point made clearer in the book. Sophon (Tomoko) later explains this. The Trisolarians always focus on survival and realize very late that this isn’t viable and that they need to consider leaving their world. This is where the series could have emphasized the Trisolarians’ dire situation more. The number of civilizations before the fleet launch is only briefly mentioned. (I know this will happen later through Sophon, but it could have been built up a bit better for suspense.)

The games Clarence lists actually exist. Here are the Wikipedia links if you want to check them out:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Jet Set Willy

I've been wondering if there’s an equivalent to Jin’s friend in the book, but I don’t think so. There is someone who leads a later operation, like Raj Varma, but I don’t think there’s a connection to Jin in the book.

Ah, now I remember what I wanted to write in the last post. The sound design is worth mentioning. The first time you notice it is when Vera plunges into the tank, but it stands out again in the third episode when Auggie tries to restart the nanofiber project, and the countdown begins again. It’s impressive both visually and audio visually.

What I also like about Sophon’s (Tomoko’s) portrayal in level three is how she floats. Usually, characters that float look like they’re suspended from their hips, hanging like a sack. But here, they did it differently. Either she wears a different harness, has excellent posture, or stands on a post and was then edited in. It looks different and superior, which fits her character perfectly.

I wish they had spent more time on communication and the differences between the two civilizations. (Scene on the Judgement Day with the old Michael Evans)

When Jack and Jin are invited (level four), it’s clear that while the characters in the series have the same traits as their book counterparts, some things are shifted. According to the book, Auggie should be the one to solve the game’s puzzle and go to the summit in London, since she is the series counterpart to Wang Miao, who did all this in the book. (Please don’t take this as criticism; I just enjoy noting these differences!)

Towards the end, Sophon (Tomoko) explains how the Trisolarians ventured into space and how humanity is involved.

Jin and Jack undergo a test to see whose side they’re on. We also see more of Tatiana, who in the book is just a bodyguard for Ye Wenjie. But the kindness of the Trisolarians, shown again through the little girl, doesn’t last long. Thomas Wade and Jin Cheng will learn much more later, which I’m looking forward to because it’s one of my favorite parts of the series.

We know the stakes, the characters involved, and the motives of various factions. But it only gets crazier from here in many ways.

Up to this point, there's a lot that is fascinating and exciting. When it’s later explained how some things came about or how they worked, it may lose some impact, but the explanation is even more fascinating. I find this incredibly exciting and a testament to a high degree of creativity in science fiction.

I found a quote from D.B. Weiss about the series' content and how far they want to adapt the books:

“We always wanted to get to the final page of the third book, and it’s really, really thrilling to us that we will get to do just that.”

This is reassuring, so I don't have to worry about the series ending abruptly or strangely. However, he also mentions that while there’s no episode list yet, there will likely be 8 episodes per season again. This feels too few, and I fear they might leave out important parts or alter too much.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many details available beyond the usual "What we know so far…" videos, which, in my experience, often show that the creators don’t know much and just produce useless content.

[missmungoe]

💌 Hello!

💌 Share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

Several of my long-running fics are close to being finished, and the first one out will be my Selkie AU, Moon and Her Maiden! On the night before leaving East Blue, Shanks encounters a selkie while skinny-dipping, get a kiss for his troubles, and then decides to stick around for a while, much to Makino's horror, who really hadn't thought that far and who now has to keep her identity a secret. Cue classic secret identity tropes, moonlit swims and water kisses, and, as always, an unhelpfully meddling crew. (It's also fairly raunchy, just fyi!)

I'm almost done editing the final chapter, which clocked in at just under 30K, and with luck I'll be posting it next week! I've already posted a snippet, but from the bonus chapter that I'm totally not writing:

Moonsongs

She wondered sometimes how her mother had managed, raising a selkie child with no knowledge of her kind, and the ways she’d differed from human children.

“Are you sure this is safe?”

The question drew her eyes from the horizon to where he stood beside her, waist-deep in the surf. He was holding their baby daughter above the water, cooing excitedly at the fish below the clear surface.

“Yeah, this seems a bit premature, Makino,” a voice called from the shore.

“She’s not even walking yet!”

Turning her head found the rest of his crew were gathered on the shore behind them, their expressions conveying similar concerns. Makino had half a mind to tell them they shouldn’t be pointing fingers, who didn’t have a prudent bone between them.

Well, there was Ben, but even he looked like he might voice his concerns. Or like he desperately needed a smoke.

Having found allies to back his case, “See?” Shanks asked. “I’m not the only one with misgivings.”

“She was born in the water, Shanks,” Makino reminded him. “And she needs to learn to change at some point.”

“But she’s so little,” Shanks said, holding her closer as she giggled and kicked her feet, her sealskin slipping into her brow, the sunlight bringing out the dappled spots in the red pelt. "What if something snaps her up?"

"There's nothing big enough to eat her for miles," Makino said, reaching up to adjust her pelt until it was sitting atop her hair, her little toothless grin beaming. "Besides, I'm not worried about that. He's looking out for her."

The look he gave her told her what he thought about this particular arrangement, but while he had a temper, the Lord of the Coast wouldn't let anything happen to her daughter.

Still not convinced, “What if a current carries her off?" Shanks asked, lifting her as Rowan made a giggling lurch for the water. "Did you think about that?"

“She’s half seal,” Makino pointed out, prim. "If it does, she'll swim back."

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Dadan said, her arms crossed where she stood on the beach behind them, her tail swinging lazily. With a nod at Ace, “I tossed you in when you were a few months old, and you turned out fine. Babies are buoyant.”

Blinking, Ace looked up at her. “You did what?”

“Explains a few things,” Sabo mused, only to get an unamused look from his brother.

"At least I float," Ace said, with a nod at Luffy. "Unlike hammer boy over here."

"Eh?" Luffy asked, and seeing their looks, "Oh, right! I can't swim."

"How did you survive this long without us?" Ace sighed, adjusting his straw hat where it had slipped into his brow.

“I still think we should wait longer,” Shanks said. “What about when she’s thirty? That sounds reasonable.”

Murmured agreement from the crew ashore, as Makino briefly considered just pushing him in, baby and all.

[artistic-mathematics]

anyway so I finished the main storyline of Pokemon Scarlet today and I’m just. I’m. yeah.

spoilers below

yeah before anything starts just, if you played Violet replace Sada for Turo and Koraidon for Miraidon, I’m tired. it’s 6:05am as I’m writing this and I’m losing it.

man I don’t even know what to say. the amount of sheer emotional damage I took all throughout Area Zero.

I mean, just??? something must’ve fucking gone wrong. like, there’s the one journal entry where she specifically says that Sada’s excited to have a kid. shit went downhill so fucking fast and there’s not really an explanation for it, like--

Turo just ups and leaves her, which is never really explained (but imo the most likely explanation was probably their views on what “paradise” was or whatever, maybe I’ll look into this more when I’m more awake). she builds an AI for herself at one point, creates a disgustingly complicated security system for her time machine all in the case that it gets shut down. at some point her rational self gets overtaken by obsession, but it happens rather quickly, and so for AI Sada to be the rational one makes sense here. I think that there’s two possibilities here, either 1. the betrayals that she goes through causes her to believe that someone would actively try to sabotage her sometime in the future, which is why she creates this intricate defense system, or 2. something in Area Zero truly causes her to go insane. and in both worlds, by the time she starts making the defense system, her dream is all she cares about protecting and carrying out, and there’s no going back.

it does start to make sense from there. it’s implied that AI Sada tried telling Sada about the negative environmental impact, and Sada just shrugged it off, saying it was natural. I wonder if Sada truly believed that to be true, considering the fact that she would later on die protecting the passive Koraidon from the aggressive one. I don’t think she genuinely believed in survival of the fittest, she was just bullshitting because she wanted to bring her dream to reality. no, at that point, she needed it.

(in a way, Arven was right. bringing the passive Koraidon back to Area Zero actually caused Sada’s death. Koraidon was, in fact, the reason why he didn’t see his mother ever again.)

doesn’t change the fact that she was, in fact, a shitty mother. but I think there’s so much more to her character than just that---I mean, Sada loved Arven. there’s no doubt about it---the AI says it and his pictures are in her labs. and she did, from time to time, send him emails. she loved him, but she completely neglected him for her work.

I saw a post earlier where someone called her selfish for absorbing herself into her work, and how she continued to be selfish as AI Sada when she went into the time machine, and I have to disagree with that.

I can understand the first part---but the second part? the post said it was selfish of her to leave Arven again. but I want to mention that it was stated, very explicitly, that AI Sada could not leave Area Zero due to the power source. the AI would have had to left Arven eventually, and considering the defense protocols, they didn’t have much time left. it would have initiated the next part of the protocol, likely forcing the player into a third battle. and considering how close the second battle was, the third would’ve almost most definitely been a defeat.

time was of the essence there. and she said what needed to be said. didn’t even hesitate before sacrificing herself.

and yes. it was a sacrifice. again, the AI cannot leave Area Zero due to the power source. if she’s traveling back in time, who the hell knows if there will even be a power source for her to even use? there is literally no way of knowing.

though, actually, now I think about it, they mentioned that if a human goes through they can’t come back to the present. what happens if an AI does it? weren’t they able to send master balls there and back?

okay I’m done rambling for now, I’ll probably post more scuffed (but much more organized) theories when I’m. you know. actually awake.

EDIT (from a more awake op): forgot that the time machine got shut down, but idk, could it be reactivated? it's not like we broke it

[lyrakeaton]

Chronicling The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Reached Snowpeak and was tasked with investigating this giant who loves to fish. Gotta say, I'm really excited to get to do more quests for Midna. I know acquiring the fused shadows was also for Midna's sake, but this somehow feels more personal to her. She was furious when saw the mirror shattered, which in turn made me feel more motivated to help her.

It's a strange feeling. Usually companions are good for newcomers or those who need help, but Midna doesn't feel like that kind of character at all. I rarely found it helpful to ask her what to do, as she would often just tell me the current objective, but not where to go or what to do to reach it. In a way, I enjoy that, because it's fun to figure it out on my own. But I also think that's strange, knowing how hand-holdy the Zelda series would get in Skyward Sword.

Another instance I do actually miss is enemy analysis. I often found myself L-targeting my opponents and wanting to ask Midna for some flavor text on the enemies I fought or maybe even just their names. Sadly I can't ask her to do that, which feels rather odd. though that does make sense considering she isn't actually present in the light world until later, and even then she likes to hide in human Link's shadow most of the time.

Actually, that makes me wonder, why does she hide in his shadow? She appears in her silhouette form when you talk to her as a human. But now that she was blessed by Zelda to be a part of the light world, why does she feel the need to do that?

I suppose the convenient excuse is that the people of hyrule would consider her a monster just like Wolf Link, and gave the devs an excuse not to make special animations or cases for her regular form to appear in. But it is something I've been thinking about.