#we know one of these will be really obscure and have people guessing ?where is [insert character's]? ref this is is lesbophobia /j

[pluralsword]

Gosh we love this piece so much... We commissioned @ VansZero (discord) & worked with them to make this four panel fancomic "That's So Lovely Sibling," focusing on Gauge & Sideswipe, he did such an awesome job with the art in our opinion. We did the writing, spot the references around the piece to who the two's six mentors are! (if you know us it's probably not hard to guess haha)

[slavonicrhapsody]

WHO IS THIS SAULTRY LITTLE BINCH

ok this is my extremely unpolished breakdown of MESSMER THE IMPALER from the shadow of the erdtree trailer

The first thing that stands out about this dude is that he’s wearing EVERY possible symbol of treason against the Erdtree: SNAKES and FLAME

Messmer has snakes on his sigil, helm, and 2 snake friends who have dragon wings. Volcano Manor is known for its statues of winged serpents, but the wings are feathered, not dragonlike. these snakes are bright red-orange and are very unlike the Great Serpent we all know and love, who has a heavier build and is blue-grey in color. 

Regarding snakes as symbolism, the Duelist Helm description reads,

“Bronze helm decorated with innumerable snakes. Worn by gladiators who were driven from the colosseum. The wearer becomes a slightly easier target for foes. The snake is viewed as a traitor to the Erdtree, and the audience delighted in seeing these bronze effigies beaten and battered.”

We can bet that whoever is associating themselves with snakes is a confirmed Erdtree hater (Rykard, hello!!!) or perhaps, this dude could even be part of the reason why snakes are considered traitorous in the first place?

In addition to us seeing Messmer wield fire, this line from the trailer (which I think is spoken about Messmer but not by Messmer) implies that he’s known for his fire: “Those stripped of the Grace of Gold shall all meet death. In the embrace of Messmer’s flame.” 

It’s well known that flame is in many ways a taboo power; particularly the flame of the Fell God, which has the power to burn the Erdtree (the cardinal sin). Messmer’s fire is weird, in some ways it reminds me of the Rune of Death since it starts out black and turns red, but it’s also far too orange to simply be the Rune of Death’s power. 

There’s also this description of the DLC: “The Land of Shadow. A place obscured by the Erdtree. Where the goddess Marika first set foot. A land purged in an unsung battle. Set ablaze by Messmer’s flame.”

I’d guess that the Land of Shadow was the place of Marika’s first conquest, and perhaps Messmer either aided her in razing it or that’s just something he did later? 

so WHO is this dude????

for starters, his name is Messmer the Impaler — M like Marika! Melina, Malenia, Miquella, Mogh, and Morgott. seems to be a pattern...

He says in the trailer, “Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?” 

Whoever Messmer’s mother is, she is in a position to “sanction lordship” meaning to give official permission for a lordship to take place. that screams Marika — she is THE goddess, and is responsible for guiding Tarnished to becoming Elden Lord. I can’t think of anyone else who might be called Mother who is in such a position as to allow someone to ascend to the position of Lord. He's also sitting in the same type of throne that the demigods sat in that we see in Morgott's cutscene.

theres 2 ways to interpret this line: 

Messmer could referring to himself when he says this; as if he’s saying, would my mother truly allow me to become Lord even though I’m so dark and edgy?? in a kind of sarcastic way. the flames he produces start out black, and he’s covered himself symbols treasonous to the Erdtree. OR, he’s referring to us, the Tarnished, when he says this; as if he’s saying, would you really let a person with such little light inside them become lord, mother?? (rude!) I’d say we need more context to determine exactly what he means

ALSO, interestingly, his left eye is sealed shut… you know who else has their left eye sealed shut? THAT’S RIGHT… OUR FRIENDS MELINA AND RANNI

The scarseal and soreseal items of Marika and Radagon are also carved into eyeballs… could eye trauma be an empyrean trait?? could Messmer also be an empyrean, one who the current demigods didn’t know the existence of??? 

with all that being said, I really doubt that this guy is Rykard or Rykard’s child as I’ve seen some people speculate… these other clues in the trailer point towards him being another, separate demigod. so what do we make of all the similar imagery?? I think that Messmer might be working against the Erdtree toward his own ends, and he’s embracing similar powers that Rykard did when he turned traitor. 

who is he then? I think he’s a demigod child of Marika, and possibly of Radagon because of the hair (unless his hair color comes elsewhere? a curse?). I think he got banished to the shadow realm for treason reasons, given the heretical symbols. perhaps he was an empyrean with his own agenda who was disposed of by Marika, like the Gloam Eyed Queen? perhaps he has ambitions to return to the real world and become Lord, destroying the Tarnished who might take his throne?

I did this instead of sleeping I hope you’re all happy

[yumeka-sxf]

According to this tweet from Endo, today's new chapter will be the final installment of the "Henry x Martha backstory" arc...and it definitely went out on a high note! The part where Martha meets Henry's wife was absolutely heartbreaking...in particular the below page, starting with an upside down view of the scene, showing how the world is literally warping for Martha, followed by shards and shreds of her various memories with Henry, all the while the "throb, throb" of her heart is overlaying all the panels. Definitely one of Endo's best portrayals of a truly shocking moment.

It's also interesting that we never see Lucia's face, despite her having a big panel when she first appears.

Endo has done this before with other characters, Loid's parents being the other big example. We also never see their faces, despite them appearing several times during his flashback arc.

With the few examples we've had, to me it seems like Endo hides the faces of characters who 1) appear as flashbacks only and 2) who have had a significant emotional impact on the character whose memories they appear in, but at the same time, that character has since done their best to get over the painful memories associated with them. So they basically represent some past trauma for the character (even if they don't necessarily dislike them) but in the current time, they've more or less left that part of their past behind. Hence why their faces are obscured in the character's memories. This is also why I think we'll never see Loid's parents or Lucia's faces outside of flashbacks. This is just my interpretation of course, and I'm curious if there will be more examples in other characters' flashback arcs.

But back to Henry and Martha, I also liked the fact that, despite her broken heart, Martha still saw Lucia as a good person and became friends with her. Henry seems to love her as well. This actually ties back very well to what Martha tells Becky at the end of her story about how dangerous it is to latch onto preconceptions and prejudices without knowing the truth.

In Becky's simple world, she would see Lucia as the "evil seductress who stole Henry away" and Martha has to get him back. But as Martha said, things aren't always that simple and don't always adhere to our preconceived notions. Sometimes things can't end up exactly how you want or expect, so you have to be grateful for what you have and see things as they truly are, despite living with lingering regrets. In fact, this whole speech from Martha at the conclusion of her flashback was extremely deep and profound. Not many people can write both comedy and drama so well, but Endo is certainly one of them.

Also, is this Wiesel's first appearance? Still waiting for the doggy play date chapter with Wiesel, Bond, Max, and Aaron! 🐶

Since it's been so long since I read the first chapter of this arc, I couldn't remember if Martha had actually revealed the identity of her lover in her story, but makes sense that she didn't. I can imagine Becky storming into school yelling at Henderson and causing total embarrassment for all 😅 Funny that she almost guessed correctly though.

I'm surprised we never found out how Martha started working for the Blackbells, but that's an easy enough mystery to solve - she needed work after the wars were over, and being a bodyguard suited an ex-soldier. Also seems like she never told Henry her true feelings either...maybe by the time Lucia died, it was too late and they had both grown somewhat apart by then, and/or they had some additional falling outs about Martha joining the other wars, etc. It just wasn't meant to be and the message of the story was Martha coming to terms with that and being wiser for it.

In conclusion, this was a great arc that really shows Endo's range as a writer who can do both comedy and drama very well. Despite Henry and Martha being side characters, I have a feeling that the struggles they experienced will have relevance later in the series. But for now, I look forward to seeing the Forgers and other characters again (and getting back to the last major uproar of Anya telling Damian about her powers...seems like ages ago, lol). Endo will be taking a well deserved break, so the next new chapter will be on August 19th!

I also have some new posts planned in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for those as well 😀

[earlycuntsets]

11/23/2004 gerard's interview from coffee with cojo on artsucks.com

"It's really cool when people you know, and knew from obscurity become famous in a field you would have never guessed that they were even involved in.

Here is some back story. . .My freshman year of college (SVA) I became fast friends with this kid named Gerard Way. It was our "foundation year" where they lump students into "general blocks" of courses, reguardless of major. The people you are grouped with, you are stuck with, because they will be in about seventy percent of your classes your foundation year. Being that Gerard was a cartooning and illustration major with a line-art-cartoonish-comic-book style, and I had been working at Marvel Comics for the past two years; we had a lot in common. He was actually a really good cartoonist (One of the top in our class).

Well, Gerard was best friends with this guy Todd. Todd was a funny guy, but I didn't really hang around with him. I was a DJ for our school's radio station (WSVA) at the time and I was dating this girl Cheryl.

A few months later I broke it off with Cheryl. . .Time passed and somewhere along the line (I can't remember how long exactly) Todd started seeing Cheryl. Of course that's when Todd would want nothing to do with me (being that he was with Cheryl now), and it's also where I lost touch with Gerard (Naturally, he being Todd's best friend and all).

Well, I would run into Gerard in school over the years from time to time, and I remember seeing one of his cartoons printed in "THE BIG BOOK OF THE WEIRD WILD WEST" which was part of one of my favorite graphic novel series' (THE BIG BOOK OF).

Then in 2003 sometime I ran into Gerard walking down Third Avenue right off of St. Marks Place. I hadn't seen him in like seven years and his name slipped my mind, but I was sure it was him.

I followed him, he was going pretty fast "MARK!" I yelled to him, and he turned around. He looked at me with the expression of searching one's memory to place a face.

"Cojo?" He said, then corrected me "It's Gerard by the way, where did you get Mark from?"

"I don't know, maybe St. Marks? I was just drawing a blank on your name, I'm sorry, but I knew it was you and I had to stop you, how ya been man?" I asked.

I rarely run into old classmates so I offered to buy him a cup of coffee. We were right in Cooper's Square so we hit a Starbucks (If you've never been in Cooper's Square, you will be amused to learn that there are three Starbucks Coffee shops within sight of one another. . .it's really freakish).

I paid for his coffee and we shot the shit. He blew my mind telling me that he's the lead singer for a band called "MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE" and that they just got back from touring Europe. What the fuck? A far cry from cartooning.

I told him about all the weird work I've been doing. It's so rare that I actually run into someone from school who is successful and doing something they love. It was really refreshing. I took a few photos of him as we talked. I'm weird with documenting things- as if you haven't noticed.

We left Starbucks and kept shooting the shit. Having nothing to do he decided to join me for the rest of the afternoon. We walked over to the Virgin Megastore on 14th and he pointed out the magazines his band had been spotlighted in and what music he's into and what not.

It was funny cause he's like: "We're in Alternative Press all the time" and I was like, "Hey, I worked for A.P., I did stuff for the Warped Tour a few years back and actually visited their office in Cleveland!" (-author's note: you will read about this Cleveland trip in the past updates after the site hard launches in Feb-). It was cool cause we knew the same peeps.

I showed him the magazines I was in, and turned to the pages to show him the artwork. One neat thing about being in magazines is that you have a mini portfolio of your work at any magazine shop you walk into in the country.

Well, he invited me to see his band perform at THE KNITTING FACTORY the next week. I told him I would try to make it, but I was really slammed with work so I probably wouldn't be able to make this one, but I'd really like to do an interview with him or him and the band sometime where I could record our conversation.

Like just hang out and shoot the shit with them (cause he's just a down to earth Jersey born kid like myself) and pitch it to magazines afterwords, accompanied by a portrait I would do of their members. He was like: "Man, I wish you had a tape recorder on you now, the stuff I've been saying is good shit, totally printable shit!" And he was right, I really was digging at him about what happend that got him to make the transition from art into music and was getting the "real" answers, not the way a rockstar talks to a reporter, but the way an old bud you goofed off with in drawing class and you haven't seen in years talks to you.

I told him I'd look out for his band in the mags and if I saw something or could help em' out I'd spotlight it or give him a buzz. He thanked me for payin' for the Starbucks and then I caught a train uptown.

Well, September Maxim's Blender did a whole page on MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, showcasing them as the next big thing. Then last week I was out with my girl and we walked by a magazine rack, and on the cover of AP (Alternative Press) was Gerard and his band in some serious Rigamortis style dead make-up.

"No SHIT!" I exclaimed, and picked it up. I explained to Tracy (my girlfriend) the story of how I knew this guy. That night I was flipping through the channels and I came upon MTV and what the fuck, there was a MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE video! Same day as I saw the cover! The song was catchy as hell. I couldn't believe it. I was like: "No crap. . . they are gonna be huge!" Just after their song, a yellow card video started. I guess that's their genre. I asked Ink's brother (17 year old semi-pro skateboarder) Mikey if he knew of My Chemical Romance. He told me he's a fan, has their albums. I asked Jain, and she was like, "Um yeah, they are actually a really popular band! They've been out for a while."

So I guess this update is long overdue, and so is a congrats to Gerard. Keep kickin' ass man! Next time you are back in town, give me a buzz.

Just another day in the life of an Art Juggernaut.

-Cojo"

[saintmeghanmarkle]

JAN MOIR on fire: Meghans become just another pay-per-view plugger turning her high profile into high profit by u/Von_und_zu_

JAN MOIR on fire: Meghan’s become just another pay-per-view plugger turning her high profile into high profit Between not launching her lifestyle brand, not being invited to A-list events and not visiting the UK with her husband, where does Meghan find the time to be an international businesswoman, that is what I want to know.This week, the Duchess of Sussex interrupted her trade and industry schedule to give an interview to the New York Times. How unlike her, is what you are thinking, and I agree.Meghan breached her ongoing quest for privacy, piercing that pearly shell of seclusion and confidentiality, to talk to one of the few publications in the world — along with People magazine, her trusty in-house trumpet — that she knows will treat her waffly pensées and latest commercial undertakings with respect and deference, rather than openly laugh in her face.And so it came to be.\**Meghan would not tell the newspaper how much she put into the brand, nor what ownership percentage she now has in the company, but Cesta confirmed it was a minority stake.So I am guessing that it was sixpence, a free jar of jam and a signed photograph of the Duke and Duchess being presented with their Golden Grifters of 2024 award.Why are we all here? I've lost my thread. Oh, yes — to salute Meghan's 'ability to move merchandise', a talent which was breathlessly admired by the NYT, as if the Duchess were a shiny fashion truck barrelling down the highway of hip.Which, as it turns out, is exactly how she sees herself.\**However, the exiled Duchess has had to wait until now to fully monetise that regal power and fully invest in herself — while also helping struggling fashion brands establish themselves, of course. Of course.'I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven't gotten the attention that they should be getting,' she said.Unknowns such Oscar de La Renta and Givenchy, along with St Ella of McCartney and an obscure apprentice tailor from Milan called Mr G Armani, are all so grateful for her help. As, indeed, are Cesta.\**The Duchess also told the newspaper that, when it comes to being a businesswoman, she is a dolphin, not a shark.And also that she is better than you, but you knew that already.\**Like all influencers — which is what she has become — Meghan always seems to be invested in the higher purpose of self-valourising while imposing her superior taste on the scabby masses for clicks and cash.Look. Plenty of celebrities and even some royals get clothes and accessories for free — but that is not enough for the Sussexes. I imagine long Montecito nights of the soul when Meghan and Harry just burn with pure fury at the thought of anyone else, from handbag maker to napkin embroiderer to dress designer, making money out of them.So perhaps it should be no surprise to anyone that she seems to be turning herself into just another pay-per-view professional plugger, a walking billboard in a perennial marketing campaign for herself, a duchess who has transmogrified her high profile into a high profit, with a price on everything from her ethical diamond earrings to the soles of her shoes.The problem is that, collectively and individually, Harry and Meghan haven't got any actual talent to monetise — all that is left to milk is the very fact of their celebrity itself.For he is a prince who will never be crowned and she is an actress who will never get a part. And it was always, always coming to this sad point. https://ift.tt/2Yd3cUs post link: https://ift.tt/J8CvZrl author: Von_und_zu_ submitted: August 30, 2024 at 04:27AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[alekthefox]

OH MY LORD. Aventurine teaching Ratio something. I want what they have...

"Well, there is one thing that I know and you don't, doc."

"Hm? I do not claim to know everything."

"You're not asking what it is?"

"You'll tell me anyways."

"Ah, haha... How about you guess? It's something only I know."

"... I was under the impression it would be perverse and you were joking. Now I am curious."

"Wow! You think so little of me?!"

"I do not, you simply have a pattern."

"Have I become predictable? Now that is a problem."

"Well, clearly the pattern has broken. It was foolish of me to grasp at such with you. Spit it out already."

"Sigonian. Would you like me to teach you, doctor? It could be useful to have a language only we know for moments where privacy is fickle."

Ratio paused. He knew that wasn't the sole reason. Aventurine wanted to share it with him, something he learned in childhood, something of his culture, something so sadly obscure.

"You mean to tell me nobody learned Sigonian to communicate with your people? I'm aware of synesthesia beacons but still, that seems odd."

"Yeah, if we wanted to talk to others we had to use those or have someone with it translate."

They didn't care, simply pushed their own communication onto the sigonians. The IPC prove yet again they are scum.

"Very well. Teach me." I would love to, dear gambler.

"WHAT?! REALLY?! Ah, ahem... Really, doc?"

"I do not see why not."

Aventurine proceeded to first teach Ratio the petname "honey" and claimed it means "gambler." Ratio then decided he needs to teach Aventurine how to teach languages because you should start from the alphabet and 'boring' grammar rules. Aventurine scoffed but was extremely giddy at how eager Veritas was to learn his native language.

[imaybe5tupid]

King Laios marriage headcanons! (nothing to do with any shipping don’t get excited)

Laios doesnt really gaf about getting married like that, but marriage is such a powerful political tool there is so much pressure. And Kabru, the absolute legend manages to spin a situation where Melini can benefit from that, whilst not infringing on Laios’ really serious reluctance to not just be forced into the kind of situation he ran away from home to escape (or at least as much as is possible since he’s trapped as the King of Melini 😭). 

And that is for Laios to have multiple concubines from noble or semi-noble or merchant families, emperor style, who he doesnt sleep with/have a romantic relationship with at all! (but who all keep getting pregnant and having children anyway hahaha) Laios treats the concubines with the same professional demeanor as he did as a party leader, and it makes his relationships with them much more easy than one in a potential marriage would have been. Also it’s a way to make many new political connections with many places at once, and gain that bargaining chip that any of them could technically be elevated to a wife at some point.  Whilst also keeping the political card on hand that Laios can still get a wife from outside of his concubines, from another powerful place. Kind of Duke Leto from Dune style. Like these are women who would not ordinarily be considered for any kind of high marriage for varied reasons (age, sexuality, gender, illness, low in the family pecking order, some drama in their family etc. things like that), but because of the strangeness of the situation, and political potential they are sent over to Melini.

The concubines get to basically just have comfortable free life paid for them, with the ability to act completely freely so long as any romantic relationships are discreet and any children they end up having are nominally/officially fathered by Laios. Also would be cute if some of them are like Laios in that this is a chance for them to live a free life away from a home they’d rather leave behind. All these concubines and their retinues coming over would also quickly fill up the empty castle, and bring a lot of life to it. 

Would also be kind of funny if the kids all mostly have appearances/racial mixes that make Laios being their biological father completely imposssible lmfaoo. And Kabru the G.O.A.T and actual recessive trait/atavism haver spins like obscure novel scientific theories why its actually possible and how dare you speak such treason. But of course everybody knows the kids are of course not Laios’, it’s just not spoken aloud in formal situations. Like the people of Melini are like look at our royal heirs dawg we are not getting a hereditary dynasty. Since these babies are like freaking half oni or half dwarf or half elf. or fully oni, fully dwarf, fully elf if the mother is the non-tallman etc. 

Also i like to think that one of the concubines can be from the western continent so that Kabru can have a western continent community connection in Melini ❤️ Like maybe one of the concubines from the Western Continent has a retinue that Kabru becomes close to and its all very culturally healing for him, even if it’s of course not quite the same area. Soothe that part of his heart which is seeking something missing, missing something left behind (in Utaya). Would also be amusing for Marcille to potentially have some flopventures in dykeland with these women too.

Laios likes hanging out with the concubines and learning from them since they come from many distant places, and though hes detached from the idea of being a father or husband (I guess he wouldn’t even be anyone’s husband bc they’re “just” concubines), he still tries to be in their lives even though its still not really As A Father or Romantic Partner but as like The King/their friend /the guy their mom’s work for. 

And because I’m a cyclical domestic drama sicko, I like the idea of it creating another situation for Laios to be something of an imperfect, somewhat distant, “father” and “romantic partner” like his father was, even if its borne from completely different situations and with completely different approach. Because as much as he can become friends with the concubines and their children, their dependence on the tangible power granted by their relationships to him will make it so there will always be parts of himself that he holds back, compared to say with Marcille or Kabru whom he also works closely with but who have a different relationship to him. Like Laios will always be something of an enigma to these women and to the children who are nominally his.  Particularly since they will never have known him as he was before he ended up trapped in the position of King, which he sorely does not want and is expressly unhappy with. Like here is their partner or their father, the King who achieved such fantastical things, but who ultimately, despite the meaningful loving friendships in his life, is a deeply unfulfilled and melancholy man.

[dingodad]

What's the deal with the obscure cult thing

the trolls' introductions give us an outline of each troll's position in their society. we have to remember that, at the point of the trolls' introduction, the caste system was only kind of just starting to be born as a concept. gamzee's introduction on p. 2012, where we get the "You belong to a RATHER OBSCURE CULT" line, comes a whole 70 pages before we even get this exchange:

GC: SOLLUX, PL34S3 / GC: YOU 4R3 MR 4PPL3B3RRY BL4ST 4ND 3V3RYON3 KNOWS THOS3 4R3 YOUR F4VOR1T3 FL4VORS / GC: 3V3N THOUGH YOU TYP3 1N YUCKY MUST4RD / GC: WH1CH 1S W31RD >:\ TA: maybe there ii2 more two me than you thiink. [...] maybe ii ju2t want two giive the red and blue thiing a re2t for a change and not make iit 2o iit2 liike, oh look iit2 that prediictable fuck wiith tho2e two 2tupiid color2, iit2 amaziing how much everyone fuckiing hate2 hiim.

of which Hussie has this to say in the published commentary (Book 4, p. 101):

Terezi says it's weird that Sollux types in yucky mustard, even though his "favorite colors" are red and blue. It's really not weird at all, considering literally everyone in his blood class types in that color. But this idea may not have been fully locked in yet as an ironclad canon fact. While Hivebent continuously provides the scoop on what the facts of this culture are, it is simultaneously exploring certain nebulous ideas before fully committing to them. This is a very good strategy when it comes to improvisational worldbuilding.

when Gamzee's cult is described as "obscure", it makes no sense to interpret this as meaning "obscure within his caste", because the caste idea wasn't even fully formed in the author's mind at that point in time, let alone the reader's. what that line is saying is that Gamzee's cult is obscure within his society. and everyone seems to ignore the very sentence after that comment, which says exactly what i'm saying, almost explicitly:

The beliefs of this cult are SOMEWHAT FROWNED UPON by those dwelling in more common lawnrings.

Gamzee's beliefs are strange to commoners. the very clear implication being that among the upper echelons of Alternian society, being a juggalo isn't that frowned upon at all! sometimes Hussie leaves things unsaid about the world of Homestuck because they're not important or to deliberately leave them up to interpretation, but quite often things go unsaid because when you read between the lines they really should speak for themselves. the fact that Alternia's upper castes are more and more uncommon is one of these things (but to drive the point home, there's this comment from Formspring: "lower classes must be much more copious than higher classes. The lowbloods die off much more quickly, and so must be spawned in greater numbers.").

it's odd that this particular "obscure cult" line has become a sticking point, because Kanaya's intro does the exact same thing when it describes her as "one of the few of [her] kind who can withstand the BLISTERING ALTERNIAN SUN, and perhaps the only who enjoys the feel of its rays." we all seem to understand that this isn't claiming daywalking as a unique power of Kanaya's, but merely hinting at the fact that Kanaya is part of a rare caste with that ability. I guess many don't make the comparison because Gamzee's caste is never explicitly singled out as a rare one?

from there, what limited background we do get on the Alternian regime hammers home the point. "subjugglator" (this has the word juggalo in it. a lot of people try to get out of this one) and "Highblood" are used as functional synonyms in Scratch's intermission:

p. 4054: The highbloods were livid over the unprecedented heresy, and soon, a massive sectarian war followed, spreading across the planet and throughout the galaxy. The conflict was lopsided of course, with the Highbloods given full support from the Condesce and her sea dwellers. p. 4063: [the Condesce] could use her leverage to delegate oppression to the subjugglators, whose unique abilities and exceptional brutality made them natural enforcers. They too would delegate in their governance, exploiting the pride and loyalty of dangerous bluebloods beneath them...

the fact that the guy literally called The Grand Highblood is a massive clown is basically garnish; but the fact that the word Highblood with a capital H, even outside of the context of Gamzee's ancestor, was basically used exclusively to refer to purplebloods in the comic seems to have been largely forgotten. this only continues into Act 6, even when a lot of the fandom's misconceptions and reconceptions of the lore started to seep into the comic proper:

You're not really up on Alternian history, but apparently at some point the empress got fed up with the Subjugglators' stranglehold on the soda market, and released a drink that was said to be more loaded with sugar than even the wicked elixir itself. The Highbloods considered such marketing reports to be blasphemous lies, however. (Act 6 Intermission 1, part 2)

emphasis all my own, to make clear that basically no distinction is made between Highbloods as a political institution and the subjugglators as a religious authority. but really, Act 6 is when the whole clown thing should have started to become really obvious, anyway, with lines like "There was this sense that [the Condesce] just loved the idea of delegating the extreme subjugation of the world's population to a pair of demented clown rappers" and the increasing inescapability of Lord English's influence on the story only entrenching that the presence of these juggalos on Alternia had real significance and was not some one off joke.

years ago when it was at its peak, the idea that the subjugglators "were only ever meant to be an obscure cult" seemed to me to have originated among troll enthusiasts who dropped off the comic around Scratch's takeover and didn't really care for overarching plot points like Lord English taking prominence into Act 6. but I guess now that troll discussion has started to center the design process that went into the Hiveswap trolls, the argument has circled back around into the mainstream? but basically to answer your question the deal with the obscure cult thing is that it's bogus. people wanted to make fantrolls who weren't juggaloes because what they fundamentally forget is that a race of juggalos controlling alternia is actually meant to be, and is, really fucking funny

[lynxgriffin]

I know you are working on a AU of Deltarune already (Eldritchrune) but can you at least tell us what a Deltarune Chapter 3 take from you would look like. Just saying. You don't have to draw anything you can just describe how it goes. Like idk your interpretation of Mike or Tenna would be neat!

I don't know that I have an idea or big plan for how the whole chapter goes, really! That is one area where I'm just excited to see what canon gives us! I have a few overall thoughts (and some art already done) on how I predict things might go for that chapter, though.

I think overall the theme with this chapter is going to be about the Lightners trying out roles, both wanted and unwanted. There'll be a bunch of hopping around between different shows and trying to "play the right role" for them. Stuff starts out pretty lighthearted and fun, but gets more demanding and dangerous as they progress.

While perhaps Kris was trying to get the police to come, I'm actually guessing none of them show up.

If Toriel does show up either as a party member or a side character like Berdly, this was my fan take on her Dark World look. I like the idea of it leaning in to her identity as a teacher in terms of abilities.

This was my take on Tenna. I feel like the "ann-tenna" pun has to come up some way! An overbearing stage mom type antagonist sounds interesting to me.

Sorry, but I honestly have no ideas for Mike yet. Not sure in what capacity he'll be showing up, either, if he does this chapter.

I actually think it's going to be revealed to Ralsei and Susie pretty early on that Kris made the fountain, if Ralsei doesn't already know!

All signs point to us getting a Susiezilla sequence, which I am excited for. However, I think that'll also be tied in with the once-per-chapter perspective shift to Susie, and I predict a rather crazy setup that will allow us to actually play as her for the kaiju smash sequence.

I honestly just hope that there's a bunch of references to obscure 90s TV things that I can Leo point meme at. I want an NPC to quote something that brainblasts me back to a Froot Loops commercial from 1994. An MST3K reference will have me over the moon.

I don't have any good guesses for the chapter three secret boss, and none of the objects people have suggested so far really seem likely to me. I'm guessing it's something no one has guessed yet, assuming we can even do the secret boss next chapter...

[rallamajoop]

The Baker Incident Report and the Resident Evil 7 Guidebook

While I’m talking obscure sources of RE7 lore, there's a couple more I’ve been poking through lately: the Baker Incident Report file (only available with the RE8 Trauma Pack DLC), and the BIOHAZARD 7 resident evil kaitaishinsho or RE7 guidebook (only available in Japanese, though some translations have made their way online).

I’m not the biggest fan of these kinds of ‘canon’ – fans shouldn’t have to go pouring through pages of DLC-exclusive-text-dumps or untranslated supplements to find out WTF was supposed to be going on – and both of these have other problems I’ll get into below. All that said, here's some of the more interesting new info they give us.

From the BIR, the Winters were moved to ‘Eastern Europe’, as witness protection from the Connections. That's still frustratingly unspecific, but more than we’re ever explicitly told in the game.

The lab that created Eveline is in Munich, Germany, per the BIR. This one does add up: close enough to Eastern Europe for Miranda to be involved, but not so close that it would necessarily ring alarm bells for Mia when the BSAA wanted to move them right to Miranda’s doorstep. Mia’s obviously been to the Munich lab, but presumably didn’t know exactly where the mould comes from (something redacted out even in their own reports). The guidebook also places the lab in Europe, but doesn't give a city. The BIR adds that the Connections are active in Eastern Europe, and we know they have facilities in Central America. Presumably there are offices in Texas too ‒ Mia can't be commuting cross continents to get to work every day.

Eveline was shipped to Central America due to an attempted raid by the BSAA, which is far more we learn from the "Orders" file from the game. The BIR goes so far as to imply that this botched operation was indirectly responsible for the whole Baker Incident, with Chris and his team leaving due to their frustration with the BSAA's attempts to cover the incident up. The guidebook, however, tells us Chris Redfield was actually the guy leading the team behind the failed raid. I assume we’re meant to take it that the mission failed because of an info leak, but I’m still amused by just how ineffectual this franchise keeps making Chris out to be.

Post RE7, Zoe is working as a reporter for a small paper in New Orleans. We don't know if she too went through witness protection but her name was listed among the dead at the Baker mansion.

Ethan is called a systems engineer in both the guide book and the BIR (this one does seem to have been spread around fandom more widely).

Eveline was created in the early 2000s, according to the guidebook. This one really doesn't add up for me: if the project started in 2000 and had already advanced through the A-E series by the early 2000s, why did it stagnate there for the next 10 years without further progress? Did Miranda leaving the project set it back so far? They can't have been waiting for Eveline to grow up, she can age 25x faster than usual, and is being deliberately maintained at the age of a 10yo girl. IDEK, I'd be inclined to ignore this one.

The guidebook states that Mia told people she worked for a "trading company," and was often away from home for work, something which had already strained the Winters’ marriage. I'd guess she told people she spent a lot of time accompanying shipments of goods when she was really smuggling materials or taking part in covert operations for the Connections.

The guidebook gives 2010 as the year she started working for the Connections (a year before her marriage to Ethan in 2011, though it doesn’t mention when they met, which may well have been 2010 or earlier). Mind you, this is also the one bit that randomly calls her "a researcher", so take it as you will (more on this below).

Of Mia's involvement with the project that created Eveline, it says only that the Connections' Special Agents Alan and Mia were assigned to transport Eveline to America. No real indication Mia was ever involved before then.

Of Mia's relationship to Eveline, it says that Mia "found Eveline creepy, but felt sympathy for her lonely situation." You and the rest of us, Mia.

Eveline forced Mia to lure Ethan to the Bakers' property in hope that adding Ethan to their family would make Mia more compliant, according to the guidebook. Eveline was especially fixated on Mia, having known her longer than the Bakers, and was frustrated with Mia's continued resistance to her control. Mia seems to have tried to keep Ethan's existence secret from Eveline to protect him, but somehow let it slip. All this is already implied in-game, of course, but it's nice to have it spelt out.

The Bakers feed people infected food because “oral and mucosal infections” are supposedly better for mould-powered mind-control. Ethan is obviously already infected AF well before their attempts to feed him 'dinner' (there's no way his severed hand would be usable otherwise), but IDK, maybe ingesting some extra mould would have made it easier for Eveline to control him? I'm sure a 10yo girl and a family of hillbillies do not have this down to an exact science, and I wouldn't even be surprised if feeding people mould was counter-productive somehow, given their success rate.

So why did none of those infected prisoners join Eveline's "family" alongside the Bakers? The guide book tells us simply that all were "deemed unfit" as family members, and were thus killed, and converted into molded instead.

We get official names for all the molded types we meet in the game (Moulded, Blade Moulded, Quick Moulded and Fat Moulded – pretty self-explanatory).

As a side-note, Ethan himself gets referred to as a ‘molded’ around this fandom a lot, which really isn’t correct. Ethan’s infected by the mold in the same manner as the Baker family, whereas ‘molded’ is a term coined to describe what amounts to mutamycete zombies (see above): the unintelligent, inhuman monsters that made up the generic enemy types of RE7, whose whole bodies are simply “superorganisms formed of countless mycelia.”

The guide book also implies that Jack’s final, mutated form reflects that he’s starting to become a moulded himself, which is a very interesting little detail.

Notes attached to concept art suggest that most moulded are created from dead bodies, covered by mould in bathtubs to convert them. Eveline is also seen spontaneously converting people to shapeless mould though, and clearly converted much of the ship’s crew into moulded-creatures in a very short time after her escape. It’s not super-consistent, but it is all horror-logic at its best (read: the rules are whatever will make this scene scarier).

There’s a bunch of additional stuff in the BIR naming the Connections’ founder as Brandon Bailey, someone who naturally has ties to Umbrella, blah, blah, blah ‒ I’m sure it all means more to fans of some of the older games. I can't pretend to have much interest in this part myself.

So with all that interesting info, what's my big problem with these sources? Well, for one thing, you don’t have to look far into the guidebook to find info that contradicts what we already know – and sometimes even itself. One page clearly describes Mia as a special agent working for the Connections ‒ a description that matches the wording used in the Orders document, and everything we see Mia doing in the game. But then another page randomly tells us Mia was hired as "a researcher" ‒ a description that matches nothing else we know about her (though it's an irritatingly common misconception, and this book may be the reason why). No-one's checking any of this stuff for consistency.

The guidebook also features such other gems as telling us Ethan currently lives and works in Los Angeles, when both Mia’s driver’s license and all geographical logic tell us they’re from Texas. Then there's that weird bit about Eveline being created in the early 2000s... and realistically, I can only assume a lot of what made it into the book may have come from earlier concept notes that were never updated as the story developed ‒ and if you read anything else on the production of this game, you'd know that concepts changed massively as development went on.

But more frustrating is everything the book doesn’t tell us. There isn’t a word said about the oh-so-mysterious "imprinting protocol" that Mia references in the game. How does it work? Is it, as the ending text spiel seems to imply, merely something that can be implemented in a hurry when Eveline needs to be transported across the globe? Can she be imprinted on more than one person at once? Has she ever been imprinted on anyone else? That seems likely, given that the lab’s in Munich while Mia lives in Texas (and if she's really been around since the early 2000s and Mia joined the company only in 2010, she logically must have been), but we don’t find out. Does Eveline get similarly obsessed with everyone she’s imprinted on, or is Mia special? Not a clue.

Since the guidebook was released in March 2017, long before the Not a Hero and End of Zoe DLCs, neither expansion is mentioned in the text. And since we don’t even learn the name ‘The Connections’ until the Not A Hero DLC, the group that created Eveline is referred to simply as the “mysterious organisation” (with quotes) whenever it comes up.

Nothing is said in the guidebook about the new incarnation of Umbrella which was so prominently involved at the end of RE7 either. Possibly, this too was to avoid spoilers for Not A Hero, which does at least give us some info on them – but then, the Baker Incident Report doesn’t mention the new Umbrella at all either, and it doesn’t have that excuse. That omission is all the stranger, considering that Zoe’s whole purpose in writing it is supposedly to expose the cover-up after the Baker Incident – doesn’t Umbrella factor into that at all? It’s like their whole role in RE7 has just wiped clean.

It's also obvious there was so much more lore written for this game that the guide book doesn’t share. Early versions of collectable documents that can still be found in the game files give the D-series head and arm some fascinating backstory, but there’s nothing about them in the guide book, which is a real shame.

Mia especially stands out as a character who must have so much backstory we never hear anything about. How did she get involved with a company as evil as the Connections? How did she justify it to herself for so long – what excuses did she make to herself? Did she genuinely believe they were finding ways to win wars without losing soldiers? Was she gathering evidence against them, was she scared they’d kill her if she left? Not one single word in either the guidebook or the BIR to explain.

Even more annoying to me, though, is just what a wasted opportunity the Baker Incident Report is to add more to Zoe’s story, when she’s one of my favourite RE characters. Included in the text is a letter she received from Mia, giving what should have been the perfect opportunity to flesh out the relationship Zoe and Mia must have built in the three years they spent trapped in the Baker property, the only two (semi-)sane people present – and what does the letter do? Imply they hardly knew each other at all. It’s the most boring possible answer, it contradicts hints from the actual game (Marguerite outright tells us they've been working together, even!), and GDI, you do not get to tell me that my girls didn’t know each other! ;_;

Ethan and Mia similarly get the short shrift. Throughout RE7 their every interaction is building to a big scene that never actually happens where Ethan finds out the truth – Ethan knows Mia’s been keeping secrets, he never stops asking questions about it, and Mia says outright that she wants to come clean. So what does the BIR tell us? Well, post RE7, Mia mentions in an interview that she doesn’t want anyone telling Ethan. Not a word about what changed her mind. Not a word about why Ethan would just stop asking. Total cop-out.

And there’s so much more it could have covered too. There's nothing about Ethan’s ‘military training’. Nothing about the Winters' relationship with Chris. Mia’s conversation with him in RE8 suggests he was personally involved in relocating them to Eastern Europe, but the BIR doesn’t mention that either. The BIR at large is basically just an extended lore dump, and it doesn’t even sound like Zoe’s voice.

So this is about where I finish up with both of these sources: frustrating, inaccessible, inconsistent, and more missed opportunities than real material. There’s a lot in both I’ll happily go on ignoring. But I’ll still pour through them for every last interesting detail, because I am that obsessed with this canon right now, and they’re what we’ve got.

[maybe-arts]

ATTENTION KIRBLR

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO

KIRBY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Remember the big collab we've done last year over at Far-Flung Starlight Heroes server? Well, this year we're doing it again!!! And guess what?

You are encouraged to participate too!

What is required from me?

Not much - just pick a single character from Kirby's canon and draw them celebrating Kirby's birthday! The theme this year is "photographs": everyone at Kirby's birthday party are taking a BIIIIIIG group photo with him, and we're trying to make this (probably) the biggest group photo of all Kirby's friends (and some enemies)!

The only thing I ask is that you don't take characters that have already been claimed. I'm intending this to work on "no dupes" and "first come first serve" basis, but I do believe there's a plenty of friendly faces to pick from!

Right now we would really like to have:

Rick

Kine

Nago

Gooey

Flamberge

Pitch

Elline

Claycia

Can I pick multiple characters?

Yes, you can! In fact, there's more than just a drawing of a single character that you can add: the end goal is to make it into a scrapbook-worth page, so any and all decorations, birthday wishes or additional party photos with your chosen characters are welcome!

Keep in mind, however, that additional characters (if they're separate from your main character) and any extra elements are optional. You're more than welcome to pick them, but only if you're sure you can make it all before deadline.

Are the characters from anime/novels/manga allowed?

Yes, they are! I may have to ask for the character's origin if I'm not familiar with them (ESPECIALLY if it's a novel original, I have not read all of them), but you're free to pick as well known or obscure as you'd like. (I know some people on the server are very interested in adding GSA members to the photo...)

In fact, these are who we'd really like to have from anime:

Tuff

Fololo & Falala

Sir Ebrum

Lady Like

Escargoon

Deadline? What's the deadline?

The deadline for submitting your drawings is April 25th. (You can get in some last-second additions up till April 27th, as I'm free that day, but I will be very nervous.)

There's no deadline for signing up, however, so as long as you're ABSOLUTELY SURE you can whip up something good in a matter of couple of hours, you may add your character up till the dawn of last day, haha! (You will sure give me a surprise with that one.)

Okay, but what if all the characters I know/want are already picked?

I know, with FCFS and how many of characters are beloved, this is bound to happen. Not to worry tho!

I have compiled a list of notable characters in the series with references of where they're from and if they have or have not been claimed. You can easily see, which ones are still up for grabs!

If nothing really catches your eye, you can always try and discuss with people who have taken additional characters to see if they're willing to give away, trade or even collab with you to make your characters interact on the group photo! (Trust me, most of the time they will cooperate, so don't hesitate to reach out!

(Keep in mind, however, that the list ISN'T a strict directive on which characters are allowed or needed to be taken. If you have someone on your mind that I've neglected to put in, you're more than welcome to pick them!)

Alright, I'm in. How do I send my submissions?

Simple! I'm working via Google Sheets this time (mostly bc I don't know how Google Forms work and also so people more easily see which characters are taken), so all you need to do is to check out this little handy-dandy link:

On the first sheet you'll see, there's more information on this collab and requirements, and also a list of people who'd already signed up!

To properly sign up, you'd need to list:

Your nickname (so I'd know how to address to you)

Your Discord username (for communication)

Your Tumblr and/or Bluesky username (for crediting once the finished collab is posted, if you don't have either, Twitter/Instagram/other social media of choice is also fine, just know that the result will be posted only on Twitter and Bluesky)

The character(s) of your choosing (to properly claim them)

Rough placement on the canvas (for me to figure out where to put you, maybe you want your character to hold Kirby, or high-five someone else, or discreetly put up horns to someone when they're not looking!)

Submission download link (for me to download your finished submission and add it to the canvas)

Notes (anything you'd think I'd like/need to know about your choice!)

I'm working in Clip Studio Paint, so if you do to, the easiest option would be to upload your cleaned up and flattened work as .clip file. If your art program of choice is different (like Krita, IbisPaint or PaintTool SAI, for example), you can export your work as either .psd or transparent .png. Where to upload your submission is up to you, Google Drive works in a pinch tho.

But wait! How will people know I've participated in this??

That's exactly what I need your usernames for! As I'm posting this on Tumblr mainly, I'm going to @ you as a method of crediting your submissions (specifically pointing out which part you worked on!). After the finished work is posted, you're free to post your individual submissions - either as a reblog of collab or separate post.

Great! Anything else?

One last moment - the main part of communication about this collab happens over here at Far-Flung Starlight Heroes server. (Don't worry, I have permission to promote it.)

It's a chill, fun Kirby-themed server, open to fans of games, anime and novels alike. Are you an artist? Great! Are you a writer? Even better! Do you want to ramble about Lore Implications or just document your 10th 100% completion? Go right ahead! Do you just want to gush about your OCs? People here would LOVE to hear about your little blorbos from your head.

That's it from me! See you around at Kirby's Birthday Party!

[bonnieisaway]

anyways while I was editing earlier we have almost a precise ranking of power for the shadow killers despite most of them not actually ever saying/their official ranking never been mentioned. and most of this is either just mentioned in passing or can be guessed from the way the show presents them. up to season 4 spoilers ahead btw

so like, obviously Seven (in his prime, at least - do you think the second spot ever took his when he disappeared btw? like do you think there was a time where he was just labelled missing for ages before somebody else became number one?) was rank number one, it's said and talked about like a million times, Seven was conclusively the highest ranked and most powerful shadow killer by 18 years old.

along with this we hear one other thing: Green Phoenix is mentioned to be the (physically) weakest Shadow Killer. given how much people are sticklers for the rankings we can presume this puts him at the lowest of the seven, even if he chose to appear weaker than he is and his focus is majorly on cunning and wit rather than martial prowess, I assume this is where he's offically ranked honestly

everyone else has never had their number mentioned - or if it was said in some obscure place i don't know it's not on the wiki, but let's be fucking for real nothing is on the wiki seriously one of us might wanna update that thing one day anyways - but I believe we can roughly guess where the rest of the killers rank given by their actions in the show and the order which the show presents them.

which - this might be a controversial one tbh - puts Redtooth fairly low on the list. he is physically more powerful than Green Phoenix, but Green Phoenix is able to outwit Redtooth twice, and Green Phoenix is technically the one who kills Redtooth. But also, Seven at fairly low strength was able to fight Redtooth and almost won on his own. Redtooth is also mentioned in season 4 that naturally, he was physically weak and actually struggled with picking up qi and such - he does not have a natural nor honed talent and his power ENTIRELY relies on the Blood Demon inside him. So he's easily outwitted, he's physically weak without the Blood Demon which, up until season 4 was still restrained heavily, Seven is able to handle him all the way back in season two. Notably, Dai Bo and the rest of the cast are unable to handle him however, even though most of them are built to handle aggressive opponents liked Redtooth.

But it's mainly the fact he appears and is 'defeated' so early in the show that makes me truly believe he ranks so low. Obviously we probably haven't seen the full capabilities of Redtooth and most of the cast however, and this is a ranking with the seal. Obviously he seems to be set up to absolutely rock White Fox's shit in season 5, but it's still really important to keep in mind that this is purely the Blood Demon.

after him the other shadow killer we have the most information on is Blackbird, who Seven ultimately beat into the fuckin ground but boy did we sure almost die getting there!!

So from what we know about Blackbird, from season three, is that unlike Redtooth, he is physically strong, and similar to Green Phoenix he's largely driven by his trauma and his need to validate something that's missing within him, but his weakness seems to really only be his own ego - his weakness (aside from the sun like a fucking vampire. cringelord) is when he can't win, when he is struggling, his frustration is ultimately his downfall. This is one of - if not the only - few fights where 'prime' Seven - or even just Seven as he is now - does not appear to be physically stronger than somebody, and he's actually just barely faster than Blackbird (being able to fucking FLY he's still got a bit of an advantage but Seven's reaction time is evidently quicker, and Blackbird comments that Seven's ambushes and speed used to be infamous - a prowess that Blackbird is almost capable to keep up with) but he wins the fight with wit and outsmarting them. And ultimately, Blackbird's weakness was himself.

Which is a lot to say he's really strong. But it's hard to place him anywhere on the leaderboard without a key thing that Manjusaka says:

"It seems you're the best after all," as she turns to Blackbird. This is (presumably) the direct translation, because in English Manjusaka actually says something different that I wanna touch on again later, but she turns to Blackbird and says he's the best after all. Which would imply: Blackbird took the spot for number one when Seven was missing. Blackbird had been second to Seven in the league - and some of his contempt for Seven may be because of that. This conclusively puts Blackbird in the number two spot for me.

The next three we have even less information on, so it's really hard to put them in precise spots. As for Manjusaka though we have this: she is very cunning and manipulative, and the other Shadow Killer we know to be infamous for their cunning and wit was the lowest ranked - because the ranks seem to have FAR more value in raw martial prowess and strength than wit. Along with this, Manjusaka never actually works alone. In English in season 3, when she turns to Blackbird, she says "I guess we're just better together," which puts a lot of emphasis on her working with somebody, and emphasis on the fact that she's USING the fact that Blackbird is so high rank so that she can be powerful by proxy. She's also the only one who seems to defend her other Shadow Killers - though they aren't immune to her own scrutiny, Manjusaka outright kills three people for shit-talking Redtooth.

Along with this - Manjusaka dies to Green Phoenix (coughprobablycough) and leaves her as an opponent Seven will never (probably) fight. The Shadow Killers have kept appearing in an order of higher and higher ranking, and Manjusaka is the third to ever appear, and of the three, ALL THREE have died and one came back. Just like, the order these characters have appeared in, they usually appear in increasing power and every season has ended with Seven fighting or about to fight a new, powerful Shadow Killer. Manjusaka dying already leaves her feeling fairly low ranked, given the pattern the show has exhibited.

Manjusaka is also tied to Shimen and are inseparable - what Shimen and Manjusaka lack the other make up for. Shimen appears slow yet viciously strong and stone faced, he's nothing but muscle and qi, and Manjusaka is fast and stealthy - she teleports around, she uses deception and poisons to best her enemies. They're also hardly ever depicted apart. They're only separated twice - when Shimen leaves the fight with Blackbird due to general disinterest, and when Shimen and Manjusaka split up in season 4.

(these two symbols fading into each other feel like they represent Manjusaka and Shimen)

They're constantly depicted together and fluently work together. They coordinate easily when that's not the normal for the Shadow Killers - infighting is banned and that's it, they aren't required to get along. But these two are two inseparable halves of one whole, they are both arguably strong on their own but they have glaring weaknesses that the other fills. Their weaknesses, to a point, are when they're separated. This also would seemingly put them next to each other on the ranking - together it feels like they make up one, unstoppable person, and it makes sense that separately they are at similar ranking/strength, just simply excel together, and weaker rankings would be the most likely to bond together to form stronger ones.

Not to mention, Manjusaka dies on screen at the end of the season four and that's it, and Shimen's fate is left entirely unknown because he doesn't appear again and only the leader approaches Green Phoenix. But during the opening for the entire season we see one shot of Shimen we never actually see during the season:

Shimen left alone and unconscious without Manjusaka. And he leaves the Blackbird fight unharmed, he obviously leaves the encounter with Ouyang Zang (is that his name ? straight up might've misspelled it sorry ) alive because he appears again afterwards, and it seems to imply that without Manjusaka, Shimen is left weak and vulnerable. So these two, to me, feel like they're exactly next to each other on the rankings - and possibly ranked somewhere in the middle

Which now only leaves White Fox, who we know the least about personality wise but we've seen some of his martial abilities (AKA: hey guys I can make a nitrogen bomb from my finger. wanna see) and watched him fight the prince of Stan, which does lead to the conclusion that he is fairly powerful, though it seems it's not really physical strength but his qi, speed, and reflexes that let him overpower his opponents. Given the rankings I've given the other Shadow Killers it naturally leaves him at a semi-high spot.

Which leaves me with my final (guesstimated) ranking of the Shadow Killers, with Seven during his prime, Redtooth's seal still not broken:

Seven

Blackbird

White Fox

Shimen

Manjusaka

Redtooth

Green Phoenix

Shimen and Manjusaka feel interchangeable in their spots, honestly? And I would almost put Redtooth above Manjusaka ...? But it kind of feels natural that he's below her. Also, I went back and skimmed the show to see if anybody else was introduced by ranking, given that a lot of people in the show had been previously, and I only found these scenes:

Which are all only labelled 'the seven greats' according to the translation, unless somebody here speaks Chinese and their rankings are actually said/implied in the Chinese characters and Netflix just didn't translate it which wouldn't even surprise me honestly Netflix just fucking does that sometimes

so yea 👍 that's my estimation on the rankings of the Shadow Killers maybe the show will prove me right eventually. this post took me like 2 hours to make. help

[sihtricfedaraaahvicius]

Note: I edited this when there was actual thunder outside and my heart is full.

This is part 3 of the Halloween fic, direct follow up to part 2.

part 1 - part 2

Warnings: horror/fluff. mentions of fright, spirits, demons, ghosts, violence, bruises, blood. also briefly suggestive.

pairing: Modern!Sihtric x you (f)

Summary: Sihtric took you out on a spooky date, it just didn't go as planned.

Word count: 5,7k 

Masterlist

'Sihtric? Are you a fraudulent member of the Catholic church?'

Sihtric: good morning, my darkness. I won't tell you what we're going to do, but, despite the sun, dress warm and wear comfortable shoes x

You: guess I'll change out of my catwoman costume then???? x

Sihtric: no wait

Sihtric: on my way ;)

You: always a funny guy huh? ;)

Sihtric: no, really coming over early 

Sihtric: if that's okay? :) 

You: sure, I'm ready to go anyway :) 

Sihtric wolf whistled and took his sunglasses off when you opened the door. You instantly became a trembling and shy mess when you realised how truly good looking he was, now that you saw him in clear daylight. You smiled when you saw he had his hair slightly pushed back and not hiding his scars anymore, at least, not for you. He was wearing a plain black hoodie with a leather jacket on top, black fingerless gloves, dark grey slim fitted jeans and black Doctor Martens underneath.

Sihtric stepped closer, leaned in to kiss your cheek and circled one arm around your waist as he did.

'Well, hi,' he smiled and took a step back, holding your hands, 'you look to die for.'

You felt flustered as you were simply dressed in black jeans and a grey Dracula hoodie, which Sihtric said he liked and asked where you got it from, but you didn't remember.

'Are you ready to go?' 

'I think so,' you smiled a little nervously, still not knowing what the plan was, 'we're going for a hike?'

'Something like that,' Sihtric winked.

The drive to wherever he was taking you would take about 30 minutes, he said. As soon as Sihtric started the car and his phone connected to his radio, you were shocked to hear the familiar sound and lyrics of one of your favourite songs blasting through his speakers:

"Death-magic and forbidden sorcery

Into the occult and science became necromancy

A pact with Mephistopheles

My stirring in the dark-"

'Oops,' Sihtric grimaced when he saw your big eyes and turned the volume down, 'I'm sorry.'

'No, no! I mean… Carach Angren?' you blinked rapidly.

'Wait,' Sihtric turned to you, 'you know them?'

You scoffed, 'I love them!'

Sihtric stared at you, his mismatched eyes piercing as a smile appeared on his face, 'Ain't no way. I have never met anyone who knows them, let alone like them.'

'I'm serious!'

'Okay, name three songs,' Sihtric taunted, knowing that was such a stupid thing some people always ask when someone says they're a fan of something "obscure".

'That is such a dick move,' you laughed, 'but I like The Necromancer. And the violins in Der Vampir Von Nürnberg are absolutely insane! But my favourite is In De Naam Van De Duivel, I mean the instrumentals near the end?' you sighed.

'Well, shit,' Sihtric smiled, 'you really are to die for.' 

He took out his phone and switched on your favourite song, and you both smiled at the intro riffs as Sihtric pulled off your driveway. You shouted the first lyric together at the same time, 'Once upon a time, back when the Devil had a temper!' and you were both surprised at each other and started to laugh.

'I love the storytelling in their songs,' Sihtric smiled.

'Me too. It's like a horror fairy tale in each song, and we need more of those.'

'We do.'

'But,' you looked at Sihtric, 'will you finally tell me where we are going?'

'Nope,' he smiled and carefully placed his hand on your knee, 'you mind this?'

'No,' you smiled and felt yourself blush. 

You felt silly for feeling so flustered, seeing the things you already did with this man the evening before, but today was so different. It was only the two of you now, both showing your authentic selves without any interruption or having to hide your personality. You knew you both still had a lot to find out about each other, but you were off to a good start. And Sihtric was already over the moon by finding out you liked the same music as him. You enjoyed his presence and felt comfortable around him, but you couldn't lie, you felt a little nervous when Sihtric got off the main road and pulled into a seemingly hidden forest track, and drove deep into the forest.

'Where are we going?' you asked after about a minute.

You hoped you didn't sound nervous all of the sudden, but you clearly did, because Sihtric noticed it and stopped the car.

'Hey,' Sihtric turned to you and spoke softly, 'did you tell anyone you're with me today?'

'Well, Uhtred and Finan know I was seeing you today…'

'You want to send your location or anything?'

You hesitated. You didn't want to make him feel like you didn't trust him, but you just didn't know him well enough to understand his motives or his thoughts. Sihtric had been very considerate the short time you've spent together, so you didn't think he was going to do something weird, but still…

'It's okay,' Sihtric chuckled lightly, 'I understand it, really, I don't take any offence.'

You apologised with a shy smile and took out your phone. Since Uhtred was the main link between you and Sihtric, you shared your live location with him, and you also trusted your life with Uhtred if you were honest.

You: hey, just wanting to share where I am right now…

Uhtred: you're with Sihtric?

You: yeah. All is well, but he's taking us somewhere in a forest now

Uhtred: yeah I know where you are

Uhtred: I'll keep an eye on your location, but don't worry. Sihtric knows that forest like the back of his hand.

You: exactly my worry? There seems to be no one else around??

Uhtred: yeah that is why he likes going there. Trust me, I know his plan already. You may love it or run away screaming, either way, you will soon find out if you're a match ;)

That didn't really ease you, but you smiled at Sihtric.

'You okay?' he asked, 'I can take you back home if you-'

'No, it's okay,' you said, really wanting to know what his plan was, and well… if he was a weirdo, then maybe there would be a Netflix documentary about you years from now, showing the world how you were interested in true crime, yet still fell for a trap set by a handsome Dane.

'You can trust me. I won't let anything happen to you, babe,' Sihtric said and squeezed your hand, 'you have my word.'

You smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Then you saw Uhtred had texted you again.

Uhtred: oh…. and if you let him stay the night

Uhtred: make sure he doesn't bite you ;)

You frowned at your phone as Uhtred sent you another text: the vampire emoji and the blood drop emoji. You had no idea what he was on about, but you'd ask Sihtric later.

'What the hell,' you mumbled when, out of nowhere, a huge old castle appeared from behind the autumn coloured trees, 'what is this place?'

'This,' Sihtric said, as he parked in front of the impressive but neglected building, 'is an abandoned castle with a rich history of bloodshed and horror,' he smiled at you.

'Oh?'

'Have you ever heard of the Old Willow hauntings?'

'Not that I recall, no.'

'This place belonged to a wealthy family, the Willows. They were brutally murdered some hundred years ago, but no killer was ever caught nor was there ever any evidence that someone had been inside the castle that day, except for the family.'

'So one of the family members snapped, took everyone out and then took their own life?'

'That's what you'd think,' Sihtric smirked, 'but suicide was ruled out for every victim.'

'Really?' you frowned and looked up at the castle, 'so what do they think happened?'

'No one knows, there is no explanation.' 

Sihtric brought your attention back to him by tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, and you found him smiling softly at you. Suddenly it all clicked for you, and you grinned.

'So what do you think happened?'

'I think there was another presence inside,' Sihtric said and cupped your cheek, softly caressing your skin with his thumb, 'and I think it might still be here.'

'You mean ghosts? Wait, you're taking me to go ghost hunting?' you chuckled.

'Too weird for you?' Sihtric suddenly looked shy and a little insecure, and he took his hand off your cheek.

'No,' you said quickly and took his hand, 'I'm just surprised you're taking me here during the day and not at night.'

'No, it's too risky at night, sweet thing.'

You smiled and squinted your eyes a little as you looked at him. 'Why's that?'

'If there is some kind of spirit present, and let's say it's an evil one,' Sihtric licked his lips, 'then the chances of getting into trouble at night are higher than during the day.'

'I know,' you smiled wider.

'What do you know?' Sihtric smiled playfully and interested.

I know,' you said and cleared your throat, 'that demoniacal phenomena often begins after sunset and ends before sunrise.'

'Hm,' Sihtric hummed, impressed, and tried to suppress his smile, 'that is why I brought you here during the day.'

'But,' you continued, 'I also know that those activities usually happen when there is no natural light. Meaning they can still happen during the day in places where there is an absence of natural light, say, a basement or an attic without windows. So you, Sihtric Kjartansson,' you poked his chest, 'may still get us in some trouble with inhuman spirits, even during the day.'

Sihtric stared at you, his jaw had slightly dropped as you were speaking and he forgot how to breathe.

'What?' you chuckled when he seemed to have frozen.

'Marry me?' he blurted out.

'I, eh…' you mumbled before you both started to laugh, and Sihtric pulled you in for a kiss. 

This time it was a sweet and gentle kiss, not sloppy like the ones he gave you last night, which had just been as nice. Sihtric pulled back and bit down on his lip as he looked at you.

'Let's go?' he smiled.

You both got out of the car and Sihtric opened the trunk. He took out a black backpack and swung it over his shoulder before he locked his car. He held out his hand to you and smiled,and you took his hand with a shy smile and walked over to the castle entrance.

'You've been here before?' you asked.

'Partly, yes. I've been in the whole left part of the building a few months ago. Today I wanted to scout the right side.'

'You ever found anything?'

'I, eh,' Sihtric chuckled, 'yeah.'

'Really?' you asked, 'how? Like EMF or EVP or something else?'

'Both,' Sihtric stopped as he smiled and looked at you, 'how much more do you know about this? Because I have a feeling there's a lot you're not telling me.'

You couldn't help but smile shyly again when he pulled you closer and snuck his arms around your waist.

'I know some stuff,' you said and looked up at him as you played with the zipper of his leather jacket, 'I read a lot.'

'And what do you read, my dark princess?'

'Mainly stuff from the Warrens.'

'But then you probably know a lot about ghost hunting?'

'Yes and no. I know the basics about ghost hunting, but my knowledge is more focused on how these energies work. Like… finding out if it's a ghost or a spirit and if it's good or bad so to say. I'm interested in its motives and I …' you stopped talking when you felt you were about to say something that could scare him off.

'And you what?' Sihtric smiled and nuzzled your nose softly, 'tell me, little bat.'

'I… sort of communicate.'

'Communicate?' Sihtric tilted his head slightly, 'Ouija?'

'No, well, kind of,' you chuckled, 'I use a pendulum. You know how ouija boards have a planchette? I don't use that or a board, I use a cloth which is similar to an ouija board, but made for pendulums and is mainly focused on asking yes or no questions. So the pendulum swings, which is done by whatever energy you are communicating with at that moment, and it answers by swinging towards yes or towards no. It's been very effective for me. So there's that, and, well I pick up on energies quite fast. I can feel when something is off, you know? Like when there is an energy that is not friendly, I sense it. But, yeah, anyway… you are mainly focused on capturing ghosts then or?'

'Yes and no,' Sihtric smiled and traced his thumb over your lips, 'I don't capture them like a ghostbuster or something,' he laughed softly, 'I try to capture them by recording audio and with equipment which is triggered by movements, even those not visible to us. But,' Sihtric said and paused as he looked in your eyes, terribly in love and in awe, 'the way you try to communicate and try to understand whatever is out there... then I guess I can admit that I know how to… you know… despite not being Catholic, I know Latin, I can perform an exorcism.'

'Have you ever done that?' you asked with big eyes.

'Luckily, I never had to. But I've held up a fair amount of crosses in my life when I just knew something was off.'

'But wait,' you shook your head lightly, 'you're not an official member of the church, right? So would an exorcism work then? I thought you need to be acknowledged by the church and all that to be able to perform them with success?'

'I don't consider myself a member of the church,' Sihtric smirked and pecked your lips, 'but the church doesn't know that.'

'What?' you gasped softly and laughed, 'Sihtric? Are you a fraudulent member of the Catholic church?'

'What's the fun in being a good altar boy?' Sihtric winked and brought his lips back to yours. Kissing you deep and passionate, and you felt he gradually started to kiss you sloppier again, just like at the fair, and he pulled you flush against his body as his tongue filled your mouth while you curled your fingers around the neck of his hoodie, holding him close.

'But,' you broke the kiss, not because you wanted him to stop, but because you were so intrigued, 'your tattoo? A Norse knot. And your Thor pendant? How?'

'I hide my pendant whenever I really have to step in a church,' he scoffed, 'and they believe I am a Pagan turned Christian, which is what they love, so they don't even look at the tattoo.'

'But if you don't believe in their god, how effective is that exorcism?'

'I may not believe in their god, but I believe in energy. I believe there are spirits of both good nature and bad, and I believe the bad natured ones fear the word of god, and therefore it definitely holds power.'

'Damn,' you smiled, 'so, what is the plan here? Summon a demon and do an exorcism?'

'Oh, you know better than that, lady,' Sihtric laughed and pecked your lips again, 'we're absolutely not doing that. But… you could use a necklace as a pendulum too, right?'

'Yeah, anyone can.'

'Maybe you could try to communicate and we can set up my stuff? Try to record voices or movements?'

'Ah… I don't work like that,' you said hesitantly, 'I need some stuff to… you know, protect myself with before I attempt communication. I'd love to do that with you one day, but I won't do it now, not without my own tools. I- I won't risk anything.'

'So you're the brains,' Sihtric smiled, 'and I'm the muscle.'

'You surely got the muscles,' you smiled as you squeezed his arms, 'but you definitely got the brain too. But, yeah, I think we could be a good team, if that's what you mean.' 

You pushed yourself up your tiptoes and kissed his cheek, which he gladly accepted, before he pulled you in for another passionate kiss.

'You never told me what you found here,' you suddenly remembered as you walked through a huge, empty hallway inside the abandoned castle.

You looked at the EMF meter in your hand, which Sihtric had given you after you asked if you could try it out. Sihtric held a flashlight which was switched on, despite there being enough broken windows to allow in daylight. He simply wanted to see what was in front of him, or behind him, at all times if he'd accidentally ended up in a dark hallway or room, especially with you there now.

'I've picked up voices and movements,' Sihtric said as he held your hand with his free one, 'I can show you that, if you'd like to come over at my place sometime?'

'Yeah, I'd love to see what you found here,' you smiled at him and carefully looked around the gloomy place. There was definitely some kind of energy in this building, but you weren't sure yet just what it was. 'Will you set up any equipment today?'

'Hm,' Sihtric hummed, 'I would if I was on my own. But it can be very boring. I usually just sit in one spot for hours, so I think it's more fun for you if we just stroll around, see if we can pick up on anything without using any tools, except for the EMF meter. If you're fine with that?'

'Yeah, that sounds like fun.'

You smiled at Sihtric when he looked at you. He stopped walking and let go of your hand, only to cup your cheek as he leaned in, 'Where have you been all my life?' he asked, brushing his lips softly against yours.

'At home, reading books I guess.'

You smiled against his lips and pulled him closer by tugging at his jacket. You pressed your lips against his and Sihtric moved his hand to the back of your neck, deepening the kiss as much as he could.

'You're so fucking perfect,' Sihtric whispered under his breath before he brought his lips back to yours, and then let his backpack slip off his shoulder and dropped the flashlight at the same time, which spooked you.

'Sorry. It's just me, baby,' Sihtric said in between kisses while he slowly pushed you backwards, through an open door, into a darker room and towards a large old oaken cabinet. While he kissed you slowly, and sloppy, he took the EMF meter out of your hand and shoved it in his back pocket, allowing you to move both your hands to his neck and up in his hair, softly pulling his dark mane as you felt his hands on your waist, keeping you close as he kissed you so gentle, so slow and yet so incredibly arousing.

'I- I love the way you kiss me, Sihtric,' you whispered when you needed some air, your breath already heavy and your voice hoarse.

'Yeah?' Sihtric smiled out of breath. But he didn't care that he needed air, he just needed to feel you close again and pushed you up against the cabinet, 'I've been thinking all night about you, babe,' he husked in between kisses, 'the way you came with my fingers inside you,' he flicked his tongue against your lips and you moaned softly when he kissed you again. 'And the way you made me feel so nice,' he smiled and gently sucked your lower lip.

'I've been thinking about you as well,' you said, breathing heavily, 'and about that big cock of yours,' you chuckled.

'I told you I didn't make things up when I spelled out my name for you,' he laughed and took your hand, sliding it slowly down to his groin as he left open mouthed kisses on your neck. You cupped his hardness through his jeans, massaging firmly and you kissed his lips again.

Sihtric moaned with a smile, 'Hmm, my queen of darkness, I'd take you right here-'

You were both suddenly startled by the loud noise the EMF meter made from his back pocket. And where you had first pulled Sihtric close because you wanted his tongue in your mouth, you now pulled him close because you suddenly felt unwell and almost fell down, as if something pulled your leg.

'S-Sihtric, I… I feel dizzy, something's here,' you grabbed onto his jacket as your knees gave out underneath you.

The EMF meter continued to spike and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped, making you see your own breath as the flashlight lit up the room from the hallway. Sihtric was quick to pull you tightly against his chest as he knew this was wrong, very wrong.

'Hey, I'm here, sweet thing. It's okay,' Sihtric said, calmly, 'take it easy. We're leaving, okay? I'm taking you home. We've had enough fun here.'

He pulled your arm around his neck and moved his arm around your waist, supporting you as he walked back to the door, which suddenly slammed shut, locking you in a cold and dark room.

'Sihtric?' you whispered and clung onto him, 'has… has that happened to you here before?'

You heard Sihtric's hard but calm breathing in the dark, 'No,' he said, 'nothing like this happened to me here before.'

He pulled you even closer and grabbed the door handle in an attempt to open it, but the door wouldn't budge.

'What the fuck,' Sihtric mumbled in the pitch black room. 'You okay, lady?' he asked while he tried to feel for some kind of lock on the door with his fingertips, not wanting to alarm you further when he sensed this was all bad news.

'I… I'm not sure,' you whispered and pressed your face against his chest, 'Sihtric?'

'Yeah?' Sihtric couldn't find a lock, and no matter how much he rattled the doorknob, nothing happened.

'I… I'm scared,' you whispered, 'I know temperature drops aren't a good sign.'

'They're not,' he confessed, 'but I won't let anything happen to you, okay? I just can't get the door to open.'

Sihtric knew a way to open the door, but he also knew he could not explain it to you later without the risk of you probably being scared to death or thinking he was stark raving mad. So he tried to kick the door open, but to no avail.

'Sihtric?' you suddenly sounded panicked, as a feeling of dread crawled over your skin and soaked into your bones.

'What? What's wrong?' 

His arms were around you but his voice seemed really far.

'S-something,' your voice trembled, 'something's t-touching my l-leg.'

'What?' Sihtric asked, suddenly sounding close again, while you felt him close to you all the same.

'Something is touching my leg right now,' you whimpered.

Sihtric didn't know what to say, he just tried to understand what you meant, because it wasn't him. He had his arms around you this whole time, except for when he tried to open the door, but that was moments ago already. And he heard nothing else in the room, except for his own and your breathing.

'Sihtric!' you suddenly yelled, 'make it stop!'

'What! What is it?!' Sihtric yelled as he felt you being pulled out of his arms. 

He had no idea what on earth was happening. And neither did you, all you knew was that something was pulling your leg, as if dragging you away, and it was with such force you could barely hold onto Sihtric, and you were in pain. 

'Sihtric, it hurts! It's hurting me!'

Sihtric pulled you back against his chest with a loud groan, using all his strength against the invisible force that tried to steal you away from him in the dark.

'Fuck this!' he grunted, 'in the name of Michael, open and let us pass! Into the light I command thee, or I will send you straight back to hell, you piece of shit!'

Sihtric kicked the door again and it flung open. You were blinded by the sudden flickering of the flashlight outside the room as Sihtric pulled you out with him. And as soon as you both stepped out of the room, everything became quiet and it seemed as if nothing ever happened. 

The EMF meter stopped spiking, the flashlight shone brightly and your breath wasn't visible anymore. You both fell down to your knees, out of breath, and Sihtric immediately pulled you close against his chest and cradled you in his arms.

'I'm sorry, baby,' Sihtric whispered, 'you're safe, I promise. It's over.'

You and Sihtric were quiet the whole drive back home. He held your hand in his whenever he didn't have to shift gears, often bringing the back of your hand up to his lips, pressing soft and comforting kisses to your skin. Despite everything, you were both okay and calm, just silently trying to understand what had happened. It had startled you both, but you knew the risks all too well before you stepped inside that building together.

'You still want to come in and watch a movie?' you asked once Sihtric pulled up your driveway.

'You still want me around after everything?'

'Now more than ever, Sihtric,' you chuckled lightly.

Beside being a little spooked still, you just really wanted him to be with you a little longer, hoping he would take your mind fully of everything eventually. 

He kissed your hand again and followed your lead, you took him inside your house and switched on some lights and lit a few candles while you waited for the tea to brew. Sihtric curiously walked around your living room, smiling as he inspected some of the curiosities you owned. He chuckled at your insane amount of candles and he looked at the pendulum you had told him about. He whistled when he saw your huge book cabinet and told you that you both owned quite a lot of the same titles. Sihtric was sweet and gentle, as you had expected, and he moved closer to you when you sat down next to him and handed him his tea.

'You okay, sweet thing?' he asked again, and you had lost count of how many times he had asked already.

'Yeah,' you smiled and took his hand, 'I am, thanks. But have you ever had something like that happen before?'

Sihtric shook his head lightly, 'No, never. I… I don't understand it. It's like whatever was there just wanted to drag you away from me. I've never had encounters like this with ghosts or spirits.'

'Well one thing we can rule out is that it was a ghost,' you scoffed lightly, 'ghosts are usually harmless and they just leave after they've scared you. And ghosts don't need darkness to manifest.'

'True,' Sihtric said, 'whatever this was, it clearly fed on fear. It only seemed to become stronger. And, you said it hurt you, right?'

'It did,' you remembered, and you quickly rolled up your pants, exposing your ankle.

'Gods,' Sihtric whispered as he saw the large, hand shaped bruise on your ankle, 'does it still hurt? It looks insane.'

'No, I don't feel anything now,' you rubbed your hand over the bruise, 'it clearly shows fingers. Are you… Are you sure there was no other person in there? Some homeless guy or something?'

'Not that I was aware of,' Sihtric said as he traced his fingertips across your bruise, 'I didn't hear a third presence. And there was no way one person could have slammed that door shut while holding onto you.'

'That is a valid point,' you sighed, 'I also…' you stopped and looked conflicted, 'at one point it seemed like you were really far away from me.'

'What do you mean?' Sihtric furrowed his brow, 'I had you in my arms the entire time, baby. You don't think I left your side, do you?' he asked concerned.

'I don't, no, that is why it's so confusing. I felt your body against mine, but… your voice sounded like it came from another corner. But only once.'

'A person can't do that.'

'I know,' you looked at your ankle, 'and I know that inhuman spirits can cause injury.'

'And they usually smell horrible, but that entire place was rotten,' Sihtric chuckled.

'Yeah, we shouldn't add smell to the list,' you smiled, 'but everything else really makes it look like…'

'A demon,' Sihtric agreed and sipped his tea. 'Would you dare to go back?'

'To investigate further?'

Sihtric nodded.

'Maybe,' you said, 'but not yet. I'd like to know more about what you found there last time, and learn more about the history of that place.'

'No, we definitely shouldn't go back right away. We need some time.'

'And I will wait until Halloween is far over.'

Sihtric frowned, 'Why is that?'

'Really?' you smiled, 'you don't know? About the veil?'

'What?'

'You know of Samhain?'

'Yeah, vaguely. It's what Halloween is based on, right?'

'More or less, yes. Samhain was like the Celtic new year. The day we now celebrate Halloween was the day the Celts celebrated the end of summer and the beginning of winter. The end of the harvest and all that. And because it was the time when harvest was over, meaning the lands basically… died, they associated winter with death. And therefore they believed that the veil between the spirit world and the human world was thin during this time of year. It is said that it allows the dead to visit the living in a much easier way than the rest of the year.'

'Wait,' Sihtric groaned, 'I have heard of that. But I thought that was just a Wicca thing.'

'Oh, no. Yes, it's a sabbat celebrated by Wiccans, but also by other pagans. Samhain was a Celtic pagan celebration.'

'I realise I need to gain more knowledge about the Celts,' Sihtric chuckled.

'Well you have me now,' you smiled, 'you don't need to read whole books about it anymore. I already did that.'

'I have you?' Sihtric grinned as he leaned in.

'Maybe… something like that,' you felt your cheeks heat up and you quickly took his cup and set it on the table with yours.

'But I haven't really claimed you yet,' Sihtric smiled and bit down on his lip, 'at least, not the way I should.'

'Well… maybe if you stay the night,' you said cheekily, 'you could claim me the way you should?'

'I will claim you, little bat.' Sihtric pulled you closer and kissed your lips.

'Yes,' you broke the kiss, 'but first we have to watch a movie.'

'I guess we do,' Sihtric smiled and he looked at your Dracula sweater, 'how about Dracula?'

'I love that movie, how did you guess?'

'Lucky guess,' Sihtric winked.

'Wait,' you giggled, 'speaking about vampires,' you took your phone and showed Sihtric the text Uhtred had sent, 'why did he send me the vampire and blood emoji and told me to make sure you don't bite me?'

'Oh,' Sihtric snorted and raked his fingers through his hair, 'eh,' he cleared his throat, 'I, eh… may or may not like to, you know,' he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

'Sihtric, just say it,' you chuckled.

'I have this weird thing, okay,' he smiled shyly, 'I like to… to draw a little blood when I have sex.'

'Wait, what?' you laughed, 'what does that even mean?'

Sihtric groaned softly and shifted uncomfortably, 'It's like… it's a blood kink, I guess. But nothing fucking crazy, okay, I don't get off from hurting someone, not at all. It's not like that.' He looked worried and nervous.

'Hey,' you took his hands, 'it's okay,' you smiled, 'just… just tell me about it. I'm not familiar with it. Explain it to me? What do you do and why?'

Sihtric looked at you for a short moment, almost brooding, and then he cleared his throat.

'So… like… my kink is quite mild, I think,' Sihtric said, 'I personally really enjoy it when I draw a little blood by, let's say, biting your lip a little harder than usual… or... by making a really small cut in your fingertip for example, just a few drops, you know?'

'Okay,' you nodded slowly with a shy smile, 'so… then what? You … drink it?'

'Well it's nowhere near the amount to drink it,' he chuckled, 'but, yeah, I… I like to lick it and,' he sighed and rubbed his eyes, 'and I also really enjoy it when I draw my own blood and have… in this case, you, for example, to…you know…'

'...Lick your blood?'

'...Yeah.'

'Okay…'

'I'm sorry, I know this is probably really fucking weird. I don't want to scare you off. It's totally fine if you're not into that, really.'

'Well, I mean… I don't know. I've never tried it,' you smiled, 'but… I guess I can understand that it's quite arousing, because it's something very intimate.'

'Yeah,' Sihtric sounded relieved, 'that's exactly what it is. I don't… I don't just do that with random hook ups or something. And also I swear my blood is clean.'

'Good to know. My blood is also clean,' you chuckled and cupped his cheeks, 'but you've done that before then, right?'

'Yeah, well, tried it like twice… with my… you know, ex,' he mumbled and took your hands, 'but she hated it, and it didn't even feel right for me either with her, so, yeah,' he shrugged, 'I only want to do it with someone I really have feelings for, or feel a connection with that I can't explain. It's something very personal, I guess. Something… oddly romantic, to love someone so deeply, you want to share blood at your most intimate moment.'

'And… let's say you get lucky tonight,' you grinned, 'would you…?'

'Only if you're open to it,' Sihtric smiled, 'only if you trust me enough and are willing to try it, then, yeah… I'd love to do that with you.'

'I… I think I'd like to try it, yeah,' you said shyly.

'After the movie maybe?'

'Or… now?'

Sihtric pulled you in for a soft kiss. 'Now is fine with me,' he smiled sweetly, 'but… Okay, I like to set the mood, you know? And I see you have plenty of candles, so, if you will allow me?'

You smiled and pecked his lips again, then took his hand and guided him upstairs, where you sat on your bed as you told him to look in your spare room for whatever candles and things he may need. And you remembered you had some black lace lingerie somewhere, hidden far away in a drawer.

[DM to be added to/removed from taglist! & don’t be shy to like, reblog & comment!🖤]

[cacoetheswriting]

pearl: october 1980

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader word count: 2.2k summary: eddie has a conversation with the girl of his dreams.

content warnings: best friends to lovers, part of a slow burn, a lil mutual pining, adult language, use of pet names, oblivious idiots, self-doubt / insecurities - if i missed anything, pls let me know!

pearl masterlist <- part of this lil series, but can definitely be read as a standalone.

When it came to starting a conversation with people, Eddie sure as hell was not the confident type.

Middle School didn’t allow for a lot of practice, especially since as a person with interests that differed from the norm, he was shunned quite early on into a category he couldn’t, and often still can’t get out of no matter how hard he tries: freak.

People weren’t lining up to spend time with him even in a platonic capacity, and they sure as hell didn’t want to get to know him in a romantic way.

But with time, Eddie learned to be okay with that.

Especially since, as it turns out, most girls in Hawkins had some sort of ‘bad boy’ fantasy they liked to keep a dirty little secret and he was happy to oblige.

Plus it’s not like he badly needed anyone to actually call his own. High School was apparently a time of self-discovery and what he discovered in the last month was that honestly, he really didn’t mind being the almost invisible freak.

That all changed when you came around.

Your entrance into his life was rather unexpected and Eddie quickly realised that he needed to up his game. Yeah, perhaps he still wanted to be left alone, but that thought took a back burner whenever you laughed.

Honey, the sound of your laughter. Every time he heard it, his heart would skip a beat and his palms would start to feel clammy, sweaty, as he gravitated towards the sound instantly. As he gravitated towards you.

Unfortunately for Eddie, so did everyone else in this godforsaken town. 

Who could blame them? Your arrival right at the start of the school year was perhaps the most exciting thing to happen in Hawkins since that maniac Creel murdered his entire family in the late 50s.

You had quickly become the new it girl and in the blink of an eye, you two were running in different circles. Your reality had become so far removed from his own, any hopes or dreams he had of getting to know you on a deeper level had become just that: dreams.

God knows he still thought about you often.

“Care to share with the rest of the group, Mr. Saltzman?” the teacher calls out, causing all heads to turn simultaneously in the general direction of the distraction. 

This includes Eddie's and he's glancing up from the scribbles in his notepad to focus instead on a few rows ahead where you, the girl everyone wanted to be friends with, sat.

The boy sitting next to you shifts uncomfortably in his seat, shaking his head. 

“We were just discussing the history of Halloween,” you chime sweetly. The teacher doesn’t seem to believe you for a second, but with such a likeable personality like yours, there’s not much else to say.

“Blake here doesn't believe Halloween dates back to the Celts, and the ancient festival of Samhain,” you continue with the quite convincing lie and Eddie's surprised you know these obscure facts, “He thinks I’m bluffing when I say the day marked the end of summer for the Celts, who believed on the night of October 31st the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred, thus what we now know and celebrate as Halloween.”

Your confidence certainly is admirable, although why you choose to protect the douche you called a ‘friend’ was beyond the young metalhead.

“I guess the conversation probably could have waited till after class so, won’t happen again. We’re sorry,” you add with a soft smile.

When the teacher returns to the blackboard, resuming the lesson no one was really paying attention to anyway, Eddie observes as you mumble something to Blake before turning your head ever so slightly in his direction. 

The air hitches in his throat as he awaits the standard "What are you looking at, freak.", but it never comes.

Instead, you smile at him and Eddie can feel his face turn a gleaming shade of red — pathetic. He quickly ducks his head down, but can still feel your eyes on him. It takes everything he has to stop himself from looking up again, afraid of somehow making a fool of himself.

Luckily, he manages to keep distracted till the bell rings, but he's not completely in the clear 'cause as everyone disperses in a hurry, you approach him.

“What you doodlin’?”

When he doesn't immediately answer, or meet your gaze for that matter, your hand appears in his field of vision. Your moves are hesitant at first, but since Eddie doesn't protest, you twirl the notebook around on the desk.

“Well shit, Eddie. These are really fucking cool.”

He snaps his head up, possibly a little too quickly, a little too eagerly, but he couldn’t help the act of surprise 'cause he didn’t realise…

“You know my name?”

Your pretty eyes latch onto his momentarily and a smile circles your lips. “Of course I do. As the new kid in town, I had to make it my business to know who’s who since y’all ogled me and my family from day one as if we were from outer space.”

He let out a semi-nervous chuckle as you pause, glancing back down at the notebook. 

“Plus, you’re pretty much the only person in this entire school who’s got a good taste in music,” you state casually, as if it’s no big deal. And to you it’s not. Though for Eddie, your admission causes his heart to flutter inside his chest since no one's ever admitted out loud to liking the same shit as him.

“Anyway, are you going to this Halloween party tonight? I’m thinking of dressing up as Janis Joplin and I could really use someone to be Peter Albin…”

“I’d love to!”

You giggle at his excitement and Eddie's thanking some lucky stars that his rather abrupt reaction doesn’t scare you off.

“I-I mean, I love Peter Albin. Janis too. Dressing up as them with you would be cool," he rambles.

“Cool,” you say and flick through some pages of his notebook and bend over slightly to scribble something down. “This is my address. Come by around six if you wanna make it for dinner, my mom’s making lasagna. Also, if you wanna stay over after the party, we have a spare room so bring a change of clothes or somethin’.”

Stay over at your house... Eddie swallows and does his best not to show how his insides are literally shaking at the thought of: a) going to a party with you, and b) this casual invite to what one could only call a sleepover.

The bell rings, signalling it’s time for next period.

A small part of the metalhead is angry since it means the two of you have to part ways, at least for now, but as he stands to gather his things, to his pleasant surprise, you wait. 

A certain envious feeling spreads through Eddie because he was never good at making friends, yet it seemed to come so naturally to you. Then something crosses his mind. What if this is some elaborate joke? After all, you are friends with some of the worst people this school has to offer, however, he does his best to shake the thought away for now and follows you out into the crowded hallway.

“So, are you a big Joplin fan?” Eddie asks, his best attempt to continue the conversation.

“Pearl is my favourite album,” you reply, “I know that could be a little tame to someone who wears a Judas Priest t-shirt, but I promise I also take devil worship super seriously.”

He snorts at your joke and when your eyes meet his once again, his priorities shift and he swear he's willing to do quite possibly anything to become your friend.

To say you checked your appearance at least forty times wouldn’t be a gross over exaggeration.

You had the outfit planned long before you were even invited to this Halloween party, you knew it was perfect and something Janis Joplin herself would likely wear, yet ever since you asked Eddie Munson to not only join you, but also compliment the costume with his own, you were suddenly feeling nervous.

The curly-haired teen was by far the coolest person in this stingy town — although it didn’t seem like he knew that or like anyone else shared your belief.

His metalhead vibe reminded you a lot of the kids you grew up around, which is exactly the initial reason why you were so drawn to him. Though it took you weeks to finally approach him. Partially because you were scared he’d brush you off, but mainly because ever since you moved to Hawkins with your parents at the brink of August and September, the more popular kids latched onto you like leeches.

“Don’t waste your time with Munson,” Blake would say repeatedly, “He’s a freak.”

Unfortunately for your new group of friends, you didn’t care about social status and it also helped to know Eddie was just as fascinated with you as you were with him. His secret glances and soft smiles when no one else was looking only affirmed that belief.

So you bit the bullet and invited him out.

Bold move on your part. One you were almost starting to regret as you nervously flattened the crinkles of your loose shirt, glancing at the clock on the wall in anticipation.

Eddie doesn’t show up for dinner.

You try to hide the disappointment in front of your parents and eat the meal while actively listening to your dad retelling the events from his day at work.

“Kid, I tell ya, moving here was the best idea your mother’s ever had. Aside from marrying me and havin' you, of course. Wanna know the most exciting thing that’s happened? There was a mixup with our lunch order. Can you believe it?”

You help mom clean up after before going to quickly freshen up, brush your teeth, and grab your set of house keys. After saying a quick goodbye, still thinking about the boy that never showed, you walk outside and are about to begin your journey to the party you no longer wanted to go to when a figure emerges from the shadows.

“Shit,” you exhale and place a hand over your heart, “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” Eddie says sheepishly, running a hand through his brown locks. “I-I wasn’t sure if you were still home so…”

Your brows string together as you take a step towards him.

“How long have you been out here, Eddie?”

“Uhm, at least the last half hour,” he answers, “I noticed the light was on upstairs, but I wasn’t sure if that was your room or not. Figured I’d hang around and you’d either show up or I’d head home embarrassed.” He pauses. “Sorry I didn’t come for dinner.”

“It’s okay,” a white-lie. “Still wanna go to the party?”

“If you want to.”

Eddie slides his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and you notice then how good he looks under the dim street lamps. Peter Albin, eat your heart out.

“I like your outfit,” you compliment him with a genuine smile and you swear you can see him blush.

“Thanks,” he says with a little more confidence than he’s displayed thus far, “but you arguably look a hundred percent better than me.”

Heat rushes to your cheeks. “Thank you, Eddie. That’s very sweet.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of you never make it to the party.

Instead, Eddie offers to show me Skull Rock and that’s how you end up laying down on the cold ground, arm-to-arm, somewhere in the middle of the forest. 

Truth be told, if you were with anyone else, you wouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place. An eerily quiet night and the deep dark woods are like a recipe for disaster in most horror movies.

Things felt different with Eddie.

Despite only having three conversations in the span of one day, the doe-eyed boy made you feel safe.

The few hours hiding from the world under this rock also made you realise how much you actually have in common. The conversation flow was incredibly natural. You drifted from topic to topic as if you had known each other a lifetime and in the space of two hours, you went from sitting across from one another to being in the formerly named position — pinkies gently grazing.

His presence next to yours is soothing. It’s also exciting, thrilling even. You hadn’t experienced this sensation before, with anyone, and you quickly find yourself thinking perhaps this could be more than just a friendship.

Until Eddie says, “Friends are hard to come by in Hawkins. I’m glad we’re here and I hope we can hang out more.”

Darkness hides your disappointment.

Short lived, the idea of dating the boy next to you so it’s easy to extinguish the flame inside and convince yourself that perhaps this was for the best.

Relationships end. Sometimes they do so quite badly.

Friendships however, well, they have a tendency to last forever.

“From now on, Eddie, we’ll never not be hanging out.”

pearl masterlist

thank you for reading <3

& tagging some cool people that expressed interest in this lil series: @cactusangie , @spenciesprincess , @capitanostella , @ashlynnkennedy , @ms1oftheboys

[coquelicoq]

murderbot for fandom asks?

oh good question.

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most) it's gotta be murderbot itself! in fact if i had to pick a single blorbo as supreme blorbo across all fandoms, it would be murderbot probably at least 50% of the time.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped) i mean probably three is the closest but it feels infantalizing to say that? i'm struggling with this definition, i think. but three is definitely my cherished beloved and i have certainly clutched my hands to my bosom when overcome by the great affection i feel for it, so i feel like that should count.

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave) VOLESCUUUUU!! smartest member of a team of smartypantses is the one who goes "hmmm. i think i will retire actually" after almost getting eaten by hostile fauna/murdered by hostile corporates. he got some trauma and at the earliest opportunity fucked back off to his group marriage about it. aspirational.

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week) i don't know if i am quite that enthusiastic, but i do appreciate kaede, who's been in like two scenes and all i know about her is that she has no interest in dealing with ratthi and tarik's "sexual discussion". girl, same. i also like tural, who is an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of indah and mensah and secunit's little glare-off in the trans lateral corridor just standing there like 🥺 please may i do my job now 🥺

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave) this is hard! i don't know that anyone really falls into poor little meow meow territory in the classic sense. in my opinion thiago did nothing wrong so i don't think he really counts, but in the spirit of picking an unpopular/controversial character who i actually like a lot, i guess he's my answer.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason) i think it's kinda fun what a horrible day leonide is having in system collapse. like it is objectively a terrible time for her, she gets betrayed, she gets shot, but she's also experiencing such disorienting events as "weaponry says a swear" and "if it weren't bad enough that we're in a high-speed chase running from the people who betrayed me, someone in the backseat is watching a soap opera and they forgot their fucking headphones". i'm picturing a reality show where interspersed with stressful action scenes we keep cutting to the talking head she recorded about it after the fact and she's just staring into the camera dead-eyed not saying anything.

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell) whichever clients on past contracts made murderbot fight other secunits for their entertainment. fuck that extremely.

[tyrantisterror]

To bring this chain of asks full circle, what are your top ten favorite Delicious in Dungeon/Dungeon Meshi monsters and why? Either on the basis of biology, design, or even story significance? What are your favorite dishes from Delicious in Dungeon? 😋

I thin the chapter that introduced Dungeon Meshi's take on living armor is the moment where most readers realize they're in for something special and more than just the gag manga it could have been. For me, it's the epitome of what makes Dungeon Meshi's world-building so special. Living Armors are a stock monster in fantasy fiction, and normally the thought that goes into them begins and ends with "a suit of armor moves on its own because magic." That's all they have to be for an audience to accept them and move on, and in most fiction, that's all they will be.

Dungeon Meshi, by contrast, came up with the most creative explanation for why a suit of armor would walk around and attack people I've ever encountered. It's so bizarre that it's fascinating on its own - BUT THEN, just to show she's a fucking master of story-telling, Ryoko Kui makes the process of our hero discovering the nature of living armor vital to stopping them, saving his friends, and making his way through the dungeon. Dungeon Meshi took a monster archetype that is usually little more than a footnote and turned it into a crucial and iconic story beat, one so important that it continues to figure in to the plot thereafter in the form of Laios's living sword, Kensuke.

Griffins are a monster I have a great deal of fondness for, and one I feel should be more prominent given how iconic they are. There should be more kickass griffins in fiction, more memorable griffin stories, more griffins in general! Dungeon Meshi didn't reinvent the wheel with its take on griffins like it did with Living Armors, but its griffin/hippogriff arc is nonetheless one of the most important emotional beats in the story, and also led into the changeling arc, which is one of the funniest in the entire manga. They also gave griffins the gravitas as a monster that they rightfully deserve. A+ griffin use.

The vegetable lamb is one of my favorite obscure medieval folklore monsters and seeing it show up in this manga made me so happy. It is exactly the kind of bonkers idea that fits perfectly into Ryoko Kui's fantasy world, perfect addition, no notes.

I'm of two minds on how Quetzalcoatl has been reduced to a monster in pop culture instead of, you know, the benevolent god he was originally, but Dungeon Meshi's coatl at least gets a lot of gravitas and even plays a semi-heroic role in some scenes, which is better than most knockoff Q's get. Also the one in the manga itself is covered in psychedlic flower pictures because of SPOILERS and it's really cute.

...Falin's chimera form is ridiculously hot in ways that make me look long and hard at myself in the mirror and wonder why I'm wired like this.

On a less existential side of things, Laios's Ultimate Monster design is, for my money, the absolute best running gag in the manga, with the PERFECT punchline at the story's climax that you'll think you've guessed but trust me, you haven't quite. If you're looking at it and thinking, "That looks like what a four year old would draw when making a monster," you are right, and that is the gag, and trust me, it is ALWAYS funny when it pops up.

How many slots do I have left? Four? Fuck it, let's talk about the dragons, we can go over I don't give a shit. The Red Dragon is the Heavy for the first third of the manga, and it's built up impressively throughout all the monster-eating shenanigans, so that when it finally arrives as this small-scale kaiju who makes the dungeon tremble and quake in its path, you really get a sense of dread attached to it. A lot of modern fantasy fiction gets lazy with dragons, content to let their cultural reputation do the work for them, but Kui made sure that when a dragon entered her story, it feels like an EVENT.

I haven't watched the anime yet, but what I've seen shows they did a good job handling Kui's design, which has this wonderful blend of T.rex, sauropod, and crocodile to give it this primordial reptilian strength. I also love how they animated its Thor Thimble, it's a great touch.

About the only thing I'd change about the Red Dragon is its lack of wings, but then you see how the other dragon species look in Dungeon Meshi, and it makes more sense. Another trope of modern dragons I dislike is giving them all one body plan, when their mythic predecessors could have all sorts of arrangements and numbers of limbs. Kui's dragons follow suit - the red dragon is a stocky quadruped, green dragons have the hexapodal look with two wings and slightly more gracile proportions, we've got two-legged and two-winged wyverns, two-armed wyrms, multi-finned leviathans, Asian-style dragons, and even a big fluffy arctic dragon for those freaks out there who don't want dragons to have scales for some inexplicable reason. All of them are still very much dragons, but each one feels unique and broadens what a "dragon" can be in the setting. It's great, I love it, A+ dragon usage.

Oh, yeah, there's one other dragon species I forgot to put up there - the Nightmares, which in your dreams look like, well, a nightmare, and in the waking world look like... shellfish. Apparently it's a Japanese pun that doesn't translate easily into English. They're not really my favorite monster but I knew if I included all the other dragons and not these guys then at least one person would feel compelled to "Um, actually" me. That nightmare form for the Nightmare looks pretty wicked, though.