#i spent way too long writing this

[somethingpersonarelated]

Another No More What Ifs Analysis

Okay, so... between wanting to analyze this and Our Light, and the kpop posts that I'll be doing that overlap with this. This blog will turn into Persona Music Analysis hour. Long post. Heavy spoilers for P5R, Proof of Justice, and Mementos Mission. BEGIN!

Let's begin with some context for the song. I think this is crucial to understanding why it is associated with Akechi's character. If you're familiar with this, you can skip to the lyrical analysis! The best analogy is that Beneath the Mask is to Akira as NMWI is to Akechi, in my opinion. Proof of Justice was an OVA released with the P5 anime (in May 2019) a couple months before the release of Persona 5 Royal in Japan (October of the same year). This OVA is centered around the relationship between Akira and Akechi. Specifically, Akira's grieving process as he goes through the places where they used to meet to find clues about the phrase "Proof of Justice" which was written in the Leblanc crossword. The Jazz Jin, as noted by Muhen here, is a place where Akechi would typically go alone. He also notes in confidant rank 4 that it wasn't necessarily a place that he was keeping secret, but that he never brought people around there since it was his personal space to reflect. As we'll examine, the content of the lyrics is too specific to not be related to the story, and there aren't any other characters or themes I could think are as associated with the song as Goro Akechi. Just wanted to clear this up first, as for some it's not entirely clear why the song is specifically Akechi's (since it's not explicitly stated, and the lyrics are hard to catch while you're playing through normally).

Lyrical Analysis

people come and they go some people may stay with you though I am all alone tonight and I kept on asking myself questions

The very first line is one of the easiest to dissect. Goro, since the death of his mother, has had few stable figures in his life, whether it is his parents, family, or friends. This also extends to his line of work as a celebrity detective, as he is kept so busy that there are very few people he sees on a regular basis, at all. He notes in the second confidant rank (if you choose to ask if he has no friends) that he doesn't have people that he chooses to spend time with. [I chose this option on my last play through and remember it but I can't find the dialogue anywhere].

The doubt that grows in this verse comes from the second line. He is taken by surprise that there is someone he is giving thought to for more than a couple seconds at time. Someone he is... to some degree choosing to spend time with even though he is doing it for the mission. At first, to investigate the Phantom Thieves identity to prevent them from interfering in his revenge plot, and then to lure Akira into a death trap. Tying it back to the first line analysis with the third and fourth line, this dissonance has put the first example of his doubt in this song.

Conceited I was at time I never really doubted myself But tonight got me thinking about it all if I am the fool or what not

There is a self-awareness that Goro always has about his personas (in the metaphorical sense). Goro kind of knows that he's arrogant and it was not ever something that bothered him. Even his character flaws will not get in the way of his plan, even if those flaws are just his humanity peeking through. There's a longing in Lyn's delivery of the last two lines here. He's stumped as to why he feels this way and the inner conflict makes him pause more than he is comfortable with.

"If I am the fool or what not." This line, is literally perfect, the double meaning is just ugh! We'll see this idea again near the end of the song, but I want to take an opportunity to talk about it now. For two years, Goro was the only Persona-user he knew, so he had no reason to believe anyone would ever stand a chance against him. Not only is he angered at himself for allowing Akira to get close to him and cause these doubts but he's also questioning what his role was.

I do not regret with my choices I'm rather proud ooh I know I won't change anything because I can only be me so

I had already written parts of this analysis like two months ago but I saw a post written by @vashtijoy here on how Mementos mission has a sneaky reference to this song. So check that out! It's something I never noticed.

Before Shido's palace, there's an acceptance of the circumstances in this line, that he has to do it regardless of what he may think because he has a goal. Throughout the third semester, we see an Akechi that is alive and tried to deal with the consequences of his actions before Maruki took that opportunity away from him. But he does not show remorse for what he did, that it was the only path he could have chosen with the information he knew.

How can I be so sure? at a crossroads I'm afraid too But I can't let fear get the best of me Someone once said burn my dread babe

This verse... this verse makes me wanna cry. I cannot even lie to you. The direct statement that there is fear behind the fact that he doesn't want to kill Akira and the acknowledgement in the last two lines that one of them has to end up dead. That he is also acknowledging that Akira must also be fearful, by playing with fire through continuing to lead the Phantom Thieves. The doubt is consuming him in this verse. The crossroad offers two choices, one where he sacrifices himself for Akira and one where Akira no longer is with him. The reference to Persona 3 really carries the weight here with this theory. I would explain more but I only spoiler tagged for P5R so we move.

Who knows what tomorrow holds? just wanna live my life the way I want what fills up my soul is passionate music that makes me want to sing

The first line, to me, reads that he's given up on allowing himself to think if there's another way to resolve his doubts. That there's another path where neither of them die and that it can't exist. He wants to live freely, which is what he thinks is assured once his revenge plan is complete. In another world, maybe it was one where both of them could be together without this chasing them. The last two lines I don't have a particular opinion about, but I think they add to the fact that Goro has given up entertaining other possibilities.

my story will be starring me just like yours ooh ooh who knows when will it end what matters most is how you bring joy to life so

I think about confidant rank 8. It feels written all over this line, and we come back to an idea that was present with "If I am the fool or what not." I think there's a bit of that 'hatred' that he talks about, that he's resentful that Akira story will end differently than his own. He's waiting for the day to come and resolves by centering himself, that once his goal is achieved, that he will achieve joy for the first time in his life. Refusing to acknowledge that Akira was showing him companionship that brought him happiness for one last time.

The Theme of Doubt

One of the things I have had trouble defining is what the doubt Goro is referring to is, or why the doubt is there. It's one of the things that is left in the air. Speculating here a little more than I usually will try to: the doubt stems from the fact that Goro is enjoying his time with the protagonist and is unsure what that means. In terms of what he is doubting, I'm not sure, I don't think he is referring to his plan, but rather the fact that Akira is caught up in it at all. His resolve to complete his plan never changes, but he wishes he could choose to leave him out of this. This tracks with a line stated by the SIU director which implies that some of the cruel actions carried out by the conspiracy/antisocial force by Akechi are not entirely his idea. He still carries them out without hesitation, but he never thinks of them himself. One of the reasons I wrote out this analysis was to see if there were any opinions on what this part of the song meant since I have trouble wrapping my head around it myself.

Goro, in base game and third semester, never shows any form of doubt or regret to the protagonist directly, only brief flickers and implications from dialogue. But this song is layered with it and bashes you in by telling you that it is what he is struggling with most when it comes to executing his plan. It's what nags at me even though I've tried to analyze this song a couple of times on my own.

IN CONCLUSION: I obviously hate goro akechi. (lying is fun)

#shuake #akeshu #akechi goro #akira kurusu #persona 5 spoilers #persona 5 royal #no more what ifs #persona music #persona analysis #i spent way too long writing this #can you tell this is my favorite persona song #p5 meta #thinking emoji

[lets-try-some-writing]

Christmas and Culture Clashes

The bots have a tendency to take things the wrong way or seriously misunderstand human customs due to their Cybertronian world views. Hence when Christmas came around and the children made it very clear that it must be celebrated, the bots tried to understand the holiday and participate. With varying levels of success as one might guess.

Optimus

All his research and diligent study on the subject of Christmas left Optimus more confused than anything else. A whole quarter of humanity celebrates Christmas as a way to remember the birth of their deity/savior/religious figure. Meanwhile another large swath of humanity celebrates the holiday because of some human named St. Nickolas, who apparently goes out every year is a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer to deliver presents to the entire world.

Not being all that sure about the big red fat man travelling the globe in under 24 hours, Optimus threw in the towel and opted to instead work with what he could feasibly understand. This being the religious aspect of the holiday.

Optimus did not, and does not have any interest in the human religious figure beyond Christ's historical significance and how his life affected earth's development. However, not wanting to offend anyone unintentionally, Optimus decided to stick to the general religious value associated with Christmas instead of the human religious symbol. And so, relying on the old Cybertronian cultural norms regarding foreign practices, namely offering something something similar from ones own culture as a way of showing acceptance and trust. He quickly went about creating gifts that embodied the ideals of the holiday, the ideals being rebirth, salvation, and blessings.

He spent the whole month of December dutifully working on gifts for the children. And when Christmas finally came and the children gathered at the base to celebrate with the bots, Optimus was prepared. Very proud of himself for figuring out a way to work around the cultural differences to the best of his ability, Optimus presented his handiwork. The children however were left rather scarred as they gazed upon the murals he had prepared for them.

The first mural, gifted to Jack, represented Solus Prime's death at the hands of Megatronous Prime and the creation of the well in rather vivid detail. It was meant to symbolize rebirth and the beginning of new life, sort of like how the human Savior died and returned to life, however the very detailed images of Solus's... rather brutalized corpse earned Optimus a shaky thumbs up. The second mural, gifted to Rafael was similarly graphic, portraying the last battle against the Quintessions with the leading Prime at the time standing proudly on a hill of fallen foes. Much like the first mural it was meant to symbolize salvation, more specifically, freedom from slavery at the hands of their ancient enemies. It too earned Optimus a few strained smiles due to the vivid imagery.

Lastly Optimus gifted Miko a mural which showed Cybertron during it's peak. In his mural mecha smiled and sang praises to Primus for his blessings and the peacefulness of their lives. It was a breath of fresh air for the children and was met far more appreciatively. Optimus, not knowing why the children were hesitant about his first two murals and assuming it was a delayed reaction, beamed and went about Christmas day believing he had positively nailed the whole holiday thing.

Ratchet

Seeing Optimus's efforts to show the human children some pieces of Cybertronian culture through Christmas, Ratchet opted to do the same... in a rather unusual fashion.

He saw images of the Christmas tree and read all about how the trees end up rotting, getting grossness everywhere and being both a pain to gain and get rid of. And so thinking that his gift would be a solution to the problem, Ratchet got out his tools, grinned evilly, and got to work. He also spent a good chunk of the month preparing his "gift". Every single time he looked at it and considered his creation done, he ended up adding something else, slowly but surely deviating from the original design of the Christmas tree until what remained was something not of earth.

The end result was a fantastical sci-fi tree looking thing that could have come straight out of a comic book or another world entirely. It started off looking semi tree like, the trunk of the "tree" being silvery and pulsating with energon veins. However as one looked up it started to become something less understandable. The "tree" branched out into large wire like branches which swayed and regularly shook as electricity flowed across them. The wire branches ended with moving cable things which swayed sort of like a twisted version of leaves, each cable searching out warmth and wrapping around warm things when in contact. And lastly there were bio-lights bulging out of the trunk and wire branches filled with multicolored unidentifiable fluids.

Understandably the children were rather distressed when they saw the Christmas "tree" and the horror movie looking pulsating bio-lights and eerie wire and cabled branches. They nearly had heart attacks when the "tree's" branches wrapped around them and sent static running along their skin. Simply put, the "tree" was not well received. But not wanting to hurt Ratchet's feelings, the children tolerated the "tree" until Christmas was over and praised Ratchet's efforts before sternly proclaiming that the next year they would get the tree.

Bulkhead

Surprisingly it was Bulkhead who was the most normal of the bots when it came to Christmas. However "normal" still tends to be rather out there when compared to the rest of the bots. And so for Christmas, Bulkhead took decorating of all things to the extreme.

Not having the build to handle dainty material like paper to make decorations, Bulkhead instead decided that metal was the way forward. He had some experience in construction and so while sitting at his workbench planning out how he was going to decorate, he took some inspiration from Ratchet's "tree" and planned his decorations to match the theme the medic had unknowingly set. Bulkhead still took into consideration the earth traditions when he began his work, but ultimately he got a little carried away bringing a piece of Cybertron to earth.

The finished product took him weeks of work and the team found it to be a sight to behold. Surrounding Ratchet's "tree" were copper lights handing from the rafters setting a more rustic feel for the Cybertronians present. Decorating the human's platform was a carefully constructed "winter" area. The place where the children's couch and other items usually were was instead replaced with distinctly Cybertronain furniture, scaled to size for the children of course. Surrounding this was a rather ridiculous spread of packing peanuts, a replacement for snow. And throughout the rest of the main part of the base Bulkhead had gone to great pains to replicate the only somewhat winterish looking place on Cybertron, namely the Magnanese Mountains.

When the children saw what he had made they were mostly awed, but also left somewhat uncomfortable due to the overwhelming copper and rust colored decorations alongside Ratchet's "tree". Still the children made sure to praise Bulkhead for his efforts and much like with Ratchet, proclaim their intent to decorate by themselves the coming year.

Agent Fowler still found packing peanuts in the children's space even months after Christmas had passed.

Wheeljack

He was a little late to the party when it came to Christmas. And so having only received the bare bones when it came to information regarding the holiday, Wheeljack turned up to base three days late with items that probably shouldn't be given to children.

The only memo he got about the holiday that actually stuck was the concept of giving gifts. And Wheeljack, a mech constantly looking for excuses to give others weapons, turned up with a huge smile and a very large, very ominous looking crate filled with... something. Optimus and the team tried to put a stop to whatever it was that Wheeljack was attempting, but were unfortunately denied the chance as Wheeljack pulled out the gifts and gave them to the kids before any bot could do anything.

Miko got an alien ray gun, which she promptly fired into the far wall of the base by accident, leaving a sizable melted indent. The gun was confiscated even as Wheeljack and Miko skipped around in joy. The weapon was given back after Ratchet disabled it, that way Miko could still wave it around and even turn it on again if needed while.

Jack got himself a nifty energon blade, one sized down for a creature of his size. Being similar to a switchblade he quickly pocketed it without much thought. It wasn't until weeks later when he pulled out the blade to sharpen a stick that he found out what the heck the blade actually did. He came to base with a charred stick and a glowing knife that Wheeljack simply cackled at the sight of. As one might guess, the blade went through a similar human proofing adjustment by Ratchet before being returned.

As for Rafael, he got himself a small military grade Quintession battle drone. Ratchet nearly pulled a blade on the thing the moment Rafael used his controlled to whirl the drone to life. The drone ended up nearly decapitating the medic, much to Wheeljack's mixed terror and amusement, before it was also confiscated and adjusted for human use.

Arcee

While not all that fond of celebrating a human holiday, Arcee still made an effort to try and be cheery through the creation of holiday attire. Though as a general rule, Cybertronians do not wear clothing of any kind, they are familiar with the concept and occasionally wear capes, magnetized jewelry, and additional cosmetic armor for fancy events.

And so, having some experience in armoring and taking inspiration from the general theme of Christmas and the human attire, Arcee adjusted it to her liking, making some of the traditional human clothing choices for Christmas suitable for Cybertronians. Not only did she craft things for the children, but also for the team, much to the mixed joy and fear of each party respectively.

Optimus received a small red cape and helm ornament that functioned sort of like a crown, being largely gold with blue accents. He accepted the gift happily and attached the ornaments without delay. Ratchet got a broach that read "Doctor of Doom" in Cybertronian, much to the irritation the medic who still put it on despite the light mockery. Bulkhead was given a distinct chest piece made purely for cosmetic purposes but still engraved with runes of protection. And lastly Bumblebee was given a set of bands to wear on his ankles and wrists, the bands of course being a stunning obsidian.

As for the children, it was rather difficult for Arcee to work something out for them but she tried nonetheless. Eventually she settled on small helmets in a stunning red and similarly engraved with runes of protection. However what truly made the children have to stifle their laughter was the little antennae Arcee attached to the sides of the helmets, each were of course being topped with small white balls of cotton to try and meet the Christmas theme.

Bumblebee

Unsurprisingly Bumblebee was all over the idea of Christmas. However seeing the rest of the team merrily working away, Bumblebee wanted to try something the others hadn't considered, that being gingerbread houses.

He was determined to find a way to make a gingerbread house that both bots and humans could consume, and so he spent the whole of December experimenting. Eventually he produced something that could theoretically be eaten by humans and bots alike, at which point he went to town building his "gingerbread house". The end result of his long work was a simple house composed of energon-bread like stuff and similar energon-frosting stuff topped with energon-goodie like things.

Bumblebee was incredibly proud of his creation when he showed it to the team and the children. Both parties came to the conclusion that the eerily glowing structure that looked like it came out of Chernobyl was likely not something that should be consumed. However not wanting to hurt Bumblebee's feelings, Optimus took one for the team and took a bite of the "gingerbread house". Let it be said there are few things that can break Optimus's composure, in fact they can be listed on one hand. However whatever abomination Optimus took a bite of added one more thing to the small list of things that destroy his stoic persona.

He immediately snapped his battle mask in place to hide his horribly disgusted face and shakily giving the piece of "gingerbread house" he had been eating to Ratchet. He muttered something about it being "delicious" with watering optics and a shaky thumbs up before promptly leaving to go retch somewhere private. Ratchet and the team looked at the offending abomination with wide optics and fear before looking to a very pleased Bumblebee. Once again not wanting to ruin the mood of the scout and not wanting the humans to even begin going near the "gingerbread house" Ratchet and the team steeled themselves. Each took a piece of the house and pretended to share it with the children and taking a bite out of it for good measure before giving Bumblebee affirmation through gritted denta.

Not a spark dared to question Optimus's reaction after taking a bite of whatever it was Bumblebee had made. Bumblebee was many things... a baker though? No. Defiantly not.

#maccadam #transformers shenanigans #transformers #transformers prime #optimus prime #arcee #bulkhead #ratchet #bumblebee #wheeljack #tfp kids #christmas #sort of a christmas special i guess? #hope you guys like this #I spent way too long writing this

[ruri-rari]

this anon is sending this ask because they are curious about your complete and unfiltered opinion on each surodame route 🤓

Slow Damage is a love letter to survivors- to those who have scars, both visible and not.

To me, it was wholly unlike many other visual novels or dating sim games I’ve played before.

In fact, it feels a bit unfair to view the game as just a series of different character routes that end with the guy of your choice because, ultimately, it’s TOWA’S story. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

So! Here is my absolute monster of an essay about my thoughts on each of the routes (both before and after playing the whole game), as well as their different endings. For reference, I played Rei->Taku->Madarame->Fujieda, which ended up influencing my pre-/post-True Route feelings a lot.

Rei’s Route

Pre-True Route: Rei is a totally sweetheart, and as much as I love Towa, he can do better. Not to say that I didn’t like them together! They just seem like better friends than lovers, especially considering this route was so heavily focused on all of Rei’s issues, and neither directly explored nor resolved any of Towa’s, which… felt pretty unsatisfying and unsustainable for a long-term relationship.

This route was noticeably longer than the others, but since I played it first, I enjoyed really getting to know all the characters of Shinkoumi more thoroughly. It explored gender expectations and dysphoria in a direction that I wasn’t expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was handled. Kirihara’s arc was disturbing (a nice teaser for the theme of cycles of abuse throughout the game), but seemed tame in terms of violence compared to Ikuina’s arc.

Mad End: EYE-PUSSY!!! ME-MANKO(?)!!! Jokes aside though, this was both sadder and less traumatic than I was expecting after the whole Ikuina business. I was a little confused about how Rei could turn out like he did here, though Towa letting himself become Rei’s opinionless sex doll didn’t surprise me. Ultimately, I think this was supposed to show how both of them had given up on ever being understood by others; Rei turned to inflicting violence in the hopes of affirming what he BELIEVES a man represents without actually making the scarier choice to change and grow as a person, while Towa decides to waste away his remaining days not as a person, but as a sexual object.

Euphoria End: Towa drinking water!?!? In my edgy grimdark game!? (I was honestly so shocked that I ended up having to reread lines since I was so distracted by our beloved protagonist actually hydrating with something other than alcohol.) This ending was so cute! Tooth-rotting fluff! Rei’s haircut was another shock, but I think it was important for us as the players to SEE him grow into the person he wanted to become, so I liked it. Despite none of Towa’s issues being resolved in this route, I think he has a lot of hope in this ending. He’ll be loved, and dragged into living a healthier and more fulfilling life by Rei’s stubborn refusal to let him waste away. They’ll travel the world, make new friends, and continue to grow and change as people.

Post-True End: I appreciate this route a lot more after finishing the whole story. While my dissatisfaction with how Towa’s issues don’t get addressed still stand, I felt like that may be the point of Rei’s route.

You don’t need to confront and overcome all your past trauma in order to have hope for a happier life. You have to WANT a happier life though, and I think we get to see Towa do so here in a much healthier way than in other routes. (I’m looking at you, Madarame.)

As stated in-game, Rei’s route focuses a lot on the contradictions that come with being a human, and in that sense, I can appreciate how Rei and Towa fit together.

Taku’s Route

Pre-True Route: Oof. Taku – babygirl, I love me a good overprotective yandere, but this route HURT me.

From the unsettling topic of pedophilia in Asakura's arc, to Taku’s shame revolving around drugs, to the horror of what was implied about Towa’s past, I was tense basically until the credits rolled.

I spent a majority of the time frustrated with Taku’s refusal to communicate, and at Towa for not pushing harder…but by the end, I was so, so invested in them getting their happy ending.

Shame and control were the themes of this route, and those are difficult topics to handle well, but I think N+C did a good job here.

One of my favorite moments was when Taku rightly points out that Towa’s obsession with pain isn’t just for sexual gratification, but as a way to punish himself. FINALLY SOMEONE GETS IT!! I like to imagine this gets picked up again once Taku is out of jail.

Mad Ending: PAIN AND SUFFERING. I’m not entirely sure why, but I think this ending was the most upsetting for me (though it may be tied with Fujieda’s Mad End.). Maybe because it was more realistic? (On a side note, props to N+C for clearly doing some actually research about drugs. I am SICK of anime and manga acting like taking ANY drug will give you reefer madness.) I saw Taku giving in to his desire to control Towa as just another manifestation of his shame, and in for a penny, in for a pound, right? So he slowly destroys himself, his morals, Towa, and any genuine love they had for each other. Meanwhile, Towa loses the only adult he ever felt safe with, and is doomed to die isolated and in fear. I hate thinking about it.

Euphoria Ending: I cried!! I was really proud of Taku for owning up to his decisions, and I loved that Towa learned that it’s possible to trust others. They may have been separated for two years, but their feelings only grew stronger during that time. I found it a bit funny that they had Towa wearing a totally different color scheme to show his growth (and to look good while standing under the cherry blossoms), while our resident old man came out of prison looking beefy. Loved that Towa mentions how Rei supported him during those two years without Taku. The only thing that left me conflicted was how Taku clearly knew a lot about Towa’s past, and how he had no intention of ever telling him.

Post-True Route: Taku, you fucker, I feel betrayed!!!!! I still like him and his route a lot, but all the discomfort I felt about his connection to Towa’s past has only been magnified tenfold! How much did he really know about what Maya was doing to Towa? Surely, as his doctor, Taku would have known for at least a few years that something really fucked up was happening to this child. I’m uncomfortable thinking about all the implications.

Madarame’s Route

Pre-True Route: Ah, yes. The fandom discourse creator, picking up the mantle left by Shiki of TNC and Mink of DMMD.

I was sad to watch what felt like Towa backsliding into his fucked up coping methods again after seeing the progress he made in Taku’s route, but ‘sane and safe’ is not the name of the game here.

In the end, I had a lot of fun playing his route and actually wished it was as long as the other three, especially since it gave us a lot of new worldbuilding and plot progression, as well as a showing us a big chunk of Towa’s past that had only been previously hinted at.

Granted, I spent a majority of the time trying to figure out just who the hell this guy was… Like, what drives him? What does he feel for Towa? What will he do if XYZ situation occurs? Much like our protagonist, I struggled to get any kind of read on him, so I was left feeling kind of frustrated by the time I finished his route.

Mad Ending: I mostly just found myself cringing through this ending. It was only while reading the last few lines and listening to the ending theme that I started to feel sad. I do think Madarame cared for Towa in his own way, but they have no hope for a happy ending here. Obviously, Towa is fucked; whether he kills Madarame or not, he can never go back to who he was. He’s not human, he’s Madarame’s dog. Meanwhile, Madarame clearly isn’t satisfied in this ending, especially if he WISHES Towa would go through with it and slit his throat someday. All around just a not good time.

Euphoria Ending: “Madarame makes me feel human again.” This quote really sums up what I think is the ultimate point of this route, and of this ending in particular. These two are so toxic for each other. That doesn’t change, even in their good ending. HOWEVER! Towa goes from drifting through life in a near-catatonic state of numbness, apathy, and self-hatred to living completely and fully in the moment. No past, no existential pain, just sheer adrenaline and the call of his most base needs. In a lot of ways, the Towa in this ending IS a lot more human than his previous self. Still, I was left feeling mostly worried for Towa, since despite Madarame’s declaration that he wanted Towa since the day he first laid eyes on him (and ignoring the whole “I-want-to-keep-you-as-a-pet” thing), I have no confidence in their relationship as we see it lasting long. What happens when one of them changes? Because they will someday. That’s just inevitable. So I can only imagine them drifting apart and then staying together in misery just like they do in their bad ending.

Post-True Route: Much like with Taku’s route, I am now haunted by questions about just how much Madarame knows about Towa’s past. We know Towa didn’t remember anything that happened with his mother during the years he spent with Madarame and Kaga, but the recklessness and need for violence that originally caught Madarame’s eye were very clearly a manifestations of Towa’s trauma… and I’m fairly certain Madarame knew that. So the question is, HOW much did he know and how involved was he? Clearly enough to know that even seeing the ruins of Maya’s mansion would send Towa spiraling in the True Route, but I like to hope that he had no involvement with Euphoria in its heyday. Regardless, I doubt we as the audience will ever know for sure.

Much like when I first played through Madarame’s route, I don’t think ‘romance’ is really the point; it’s about seeing a version of Towa that, while refusing to confront his trauma, has broken free of his complete and total apathy for life. A detail I really grew to appreciate with this route after finishing the game was how Towa’s, and therefore Maya’s, method of reading and manipulating people just straight up doesn’t work on Madarame, so we the players are forced alongside Towa to give up trying to do so… progress, I guess?

Fujieda’s Route

TIME FOR THE TRUE ROUTE, BABY!!! FINALLY!!!

Listen, I know this is technically Fujieda’s route since he’s the love interest here, but to me, this is actually the TOWA route.

Playing this part of the story totally recontextualized all the previous routes for me, and without that happening, I don’t think the game would be nearly as impressive as it ended up being.

Finally getting to uncover the truth the game had been steadily building up to, seeing all the plot points of previous runs come together as one story, watching Towa get to confront and overcome the trauma that has haunted him since childhood and get his happy ending was so, so incredibly satisfying.

When I first started this route, I was skeptical. After all, Fujieda barely shows up in the story before you unlock the True Route, so you have to go in already attached to all the other characters while knowing NOTHING about this random lawyer dude, and that’s hardly a fair competition. As I played more, my skepticism increased, because Fujieda is just so unlikeable during the beginning of his route; he’s cold, robotic, cutthroat, and clearly holds no regard for Towa, who at this point in the game I just wanted to shield from any and every bad thing that happened to him.

But as more and more secrets were revealed and Fujieda began to shed his armor around Towa, I grew to like and understand him a lot more. By the time he and Towa slept together in Towa’s apartment, I was completely sold on his role in the story.

As the title for this chapter of the story says, Fujieda and Towa are equals. The events that made them into the people they are may be totally different, and the way their trauma has manifested itself may appear to make them polar opposites, but at their cores they share a sameness that lets them understand and connect with each other in a way they’ve never been able to before. Through bringing the truth to light, they help make each other human again.

Mad Ending: tied with Taku’s bad end in terms of how upset it made me. After all the disturbing reveals about Towa’s childhood under Maya’s thumb that led up to this point, I was almost surprised by how… only mildly upset I found this ending? That is, UNTIL THE VERY LAST LINE FROM TOWA. That one whisper of “たすけて” had my stomach dropping and tears coming to my eyes. We just watched this character, through multiple routes, try and live with the fallout of his childhood abuse, AND THEN try so hard to actually face it, only to end up trapped as his mother’s slave just as he always feared. It’s heartbreaking if that happens, but he’s so far gone that he isn’t aware. It’s downright horrific if he has enough sense of self left to realize what’s occurring, but not enough to break free. Essentially, this ending is Towa’s worst nightmare come true, which I hate, but as a part of the story, was an incredible choice. Ending theme was also 10/10.

I just… have so many emotions about this ending. There’s so much hope for Towa, and every other character. THIS is the conclusion of Towa’s story, and I felt so proud of him for choosing to finally live. I would willing pay to play another 60+ hours of Towa getting to live his best domestic life with Fujieda without hesitation. Absolute 10/10 conclusion.

Euphoria Ending: Oh boy. I don’t have many words for the conclusion of Towa’s story. We finally get to see what true healing looks like for Towa and Fujieda both. So many plot points I had worried would be left unfinished were nicely wrapped up. (THE PAINTING??? TOWA’S ABILITY TO SEE SMOKE??? THE 大丈夫 GLITCH??? THE CHANGES TO THE MAIN MENU??? Stop, I’m gonna cry.) The inclusion of Maya’s diary was a great choice too; what we learn about her can never absolve or excuse what she did to her own son and many others, but it did make her human, and I think that was necessary for Towa to realize in order for him to come to terms with the abuse he suffered at her hands. She wasn’t a god, she was a sick woman who died sad and alone in the end. But Towa,.. he isn’t alone. He has people who love and support him, and who will stand by his side even when he fails. As he tells Taku in the final exploration section, he wouldn’t be where he is if he didn’t have all the people in his life who care for him.

#snips plays slow damage #slow damage spoiler #slow damage #I spent way too long writing this #please forgive the massive wall of text #I just have way too many emotions about this game

[wardingshout]

Zelda goes mushroom girl

#tloz #a link to the past #zelda #link #my art #I was happy with that first one but for some reason decided it still needed a companion piece so I spent way too long on that second one... #I don't think there was any time during the progress where I was happy with it but hfduhdfu at least I got to Attempt drawing moss hell yea #I also at some point sat in Pyu's art stream and said I enjoy drawing legs As I was being murdered by the infamously impossibe (imo) squat. #it's ok I had fun !! but I need to learn how to let doodles be doodles or I'll never finish stuff at this rate dfsuhfd #if everything in my tloz tag looks like it was drawn by different people uuuh 2023 was art crisis year ngl...... #I'm falling back into my old ways rn though #anyway I think about these two a lot I think they're both stone faced and awkward ppl in different ways but they try rly hard to be friends #like I like to think it starts out so incredibly awkward and a bit sad bc they keep stepping over each other's toes accidentally the harder #they try but idk they find comfy middle ground idk in my brain they have a very interesting friendship I wanna get around to drawing it #in a proper way that might make sense.... #if I don't write 200 tags I will die maybe it's bc I grew up on dA or smth #and yes I know how to find 1 (one) type of mushroom /I/ am not mushroom girl unfortunately smh

[lemonadeslice]

tragic: local video game company puts out their first half-decent horror game in nearly a decade but forgets to give it an ending, random internet artist forced to macgyver one

#everyone and their mother has been talking about how much better an interrogation scene would have been as an ending #but what can i say? everyone and their mothers are right. podcasts should be made illegal #i don't really want to post these bc i think many of them are ugly and also my attempt at writing dialogue is very sad #but i have spent! way! too long on these to leave them sitting in my folders forever so #the quarry #i wish my mental stability was as strong as the grip ryan's earbuds had on his shirt

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

PLEASE MORE BUTTERFLY HOWDY CONTENT HES SO FUCKING SILLY

OKAY HERE'S A COMIC SHENANIGANS THING

#this looks best if you click through instead of scrolling #which is kind of stupid to say After The Post. but yk. #spent way too long on this. worth it tho #its always worth it For The Bit #and this was good practice! ty for the opportunity! #the version of butterfly!howdy i have in my head is. hes a lot. i love him <3 #scribble salad #welcome home #welcome home puppet show #howdy pillar #yassified howdy <3 #i am so so so soooo tempted to make a butterfly howdy tag just to compile it all #i love compiling things. i like having specific collections In One Uninterrupted Place #alright well my hand hurts and its 5 am so im gonna queue this and go sleepies #wait fuck whats in the queue for tomorrow. today. #hm... ok this is a sunday post then. tomorrow is Booked #yall get a brief break from the butterfly howdy shenanigans #*got. im speaking to future people from the past rn. wild. ty tumblr for allowing time travel #its a tangled mess of yarn anyways #i am once again So Tempted To Write For This #perhaps one day i will fulfill my dream of writing a fic about howdy chrysalizing. metamorphosizing. whatever #id make it slowburn laughingstock perhaps... Probably.... i care them too much not too.... #something for future me to enjoy! as a treat <3

[vegasol]

«3! 2! 1! Happy new year!» Everyone screams excitedly all around them.

Then, as they tend to do, all the couples kiss. And for a stupid second, it feels like the whole world consists of only couples. It makes Eddie feel like there’s a giant spotlight on him, pointing him out in the crowd. Look, there’s the single guy. The virgin, with no one to kiss.

He looks at Steve, who’s right next to him. Steve’s got his arms around Robin, she’s got her arms around his neck, and they’re just done giving each other a kiss too, a big ol’ smack of puckered lips. Eddie wonders if he should look away, but then they release each other and Steve turns to look at Eddie, catching him looking.

So Eddie just hovers, awkwardly frozen in place by Steve’s gaze.

“You alright, Eddie?” Steve prompts, reaching out a hand to place it comfortingly on Eddie’s lower back. It feels so warm, makes Eddie feel all fuzzy. Or maybe that’s the champagne.

“I don’t have anyone to kiss,” he blurts, tongue loosened by alcohol and way more honest than what is good for him. “I’ve never kissed anyone before,” he adds lamely, because his drunk self apparently thought that was an important amendment to be making.

“Uhh..” Steve stares at him, confused. Like his gears are grinding away ever so slowly. He’s had plenty of the champagne too, Eddie knows.

“You could kiss me? I don’t mind,” Steve offers, and it suddenly feels simple. Yeah, why shouldn’t he? Steve’s just offering to help, it doesn’t have to mean anything. He kissed Robin too, so it’s no big deal, right?

He lets Steve’s hand on his lower back pull him in gently. They’re the same height, no need for Eddie to bend his neck at an awkward angle or anything. He just steps right into Steve’s space, their lips suddenly just an inch away from touching, their breath suddenly mingling.

I don’t know how, Eddie is about to say, but he doesn’t have time to before Steve closes the rest of the gap. His lips are soft and warm and plush as he puckers them against Eddie’s. It’s nice. And Eddie thinks that’s going to be it: just a sweet, chaste, innocent kiss among friends, before Steve will pull away again. He’d be okay with that.

But instead of pulling away, Steve presses his lips harder to Eddie’s. In surprise, Eddie parts his lips, to draw a breath, to say something maybe, and again Steve surprises him by catching Eddie’s bottom lip in his. Eddie’s breath stutters and he forgets everything about everything. He forgets that people are watching, he forgets that this wasn’t going to mean anything. He forgets how to stand on his own two legs, so he sinks into Steve’s arms, holding on to him desperately as he lets Steve deepen the kiss.

It's like fireworks are going off, not just in the sky all around them, but inside Eddie, too.

When Steve finally breaks the kiss and lets him go, Eddie feels like a changed person. New year, new Eddie. Now that he’s tried it, he never wants to stop kissing Steve.

And Steve, King Steve, he’s gotta know, the way he’s looking at Eddie grinning all smugly. It must be written clearly all over Eddie’s face.

“Maybe you can return the favor next year,” Steve says, and Eddie can only nod.

“Uh huh. I will.”

#look; i spent way too long on this and am going to bed way too late because of this; not to share #I fully wrote it sleep deprived at 1-2am so please don't hold any typos or grammatical errors against me gfjdklshfs #hope this can bring a bit of new year cheer to y'all #steddie #steddie drabble #steddie fanfic #steddie fanfiction #steve/eddie #steve x eddie #stwgdailyprompt #steddie ficlet #steddie fic #stranger things fic #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie holiday fic #vega writes #my writing #happy new year everyone!

[keirawantstocry]

writing idea!!! pac sees someone (can be anyone) flirting with tubbo and gets jealous because he is the one and only person (-fit) that gets to flirt with tubbo so he makes up a super elaborate unnecessary plan to get this person away from tubbo

okay listen anon idk what kind of crack cocaine you put in this request but after writing it I had the motivation to clean my room for the first time in over a month. so thank you 

Torrid shocks of jealousy and anger shot through Pac's body as he watched that fucking shark hybrid lean over Tubbo with low eyes and a wide smirk. He did not like that. Why the absolute hell did that other man think he had any permission to get close to his guy? 

Did Foolish not know who he belonged to? Well he was going to have to change that wasn't he? 

Without another thought he was looping over and behind Tubbo. He snaked his hands around Tubbo's waist and propped his head on the man's shoulder before looking up at the shark hybrid with thin eyes. 

A laugh rumbled deep in Tubbo's chest. “Hey, Pac.” 

“Hi, Tubbo.” 

Foolish's eyes darted between them both quickly with a confused glint to them, his eyebrows tilted down. Was he just gonna act like Pac didn’t know exactly what he had just been trying to pull? 

Pac gave him a sharp toothy smile like a predatory animal. 

“Ah,” Tubbo tsked, as his comm buzzed with a message. “I gotta go guys. I'll see you later, yeah?” 

Pac let him go and as he turned to see the both of them gave him a much kinder smile. “See ya!” 

After Tubbo warped away, Pac grabbed Foolish by the collar. “Hey! Listen to me.” 

Foolish's eyes went wide as he nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. 

“Tubbo… he's mine okay? I don't mind if you do little adventures with him. I don't mind if you look at him because trust me, I know. But just know he's mine okay? I will cut you open like the Chester de Natal if you even try to get your hands on him.” 

Foolish laughed slightly. “Possessive little bastard aren't you?” 

Pac growled at him and he raised his hands in surrender. 

“Hey, hey. My bad, okay? I'm not trying to go after your guy. I wouldn't.” 

Pac took a step back, giving him another wicked grin. All teeth. “Glad to see we came to an agreement. Tchau!” 

Just as he started his walk away he heard Foolish mutter under his breath, “I wasn't even flirting with him, crazy bitch. Tubbo's got himself one protective asshole.” 

#anyway i took it as pac pulling out these wild unnescarry threats and foolish is just there like #dude i wasnt even flirting with him this isnt nessecary #my writing #qsmp #fanfiction #poly morning crew #pacbo #q!tubbo #q!pac #q!foolish #also i spent way too long googling smth to find a metaphor for cutting him open #chester de natal is basically their main christmas meal in brazil fyi

[aastarions]

(18+) it's probably so overdone but my head spins at zhongli worshipping you in a similar fashion his people continue to worship him

the way they bow at his statue mirrors the way he drops to his knees in front of you, his heady gaze never faltering from your own unless absolutely necessary

the compliments that spill past zhongli's lips – with hope that doubt shall never cast a shadow over his complete and utter loyalty to you – samples the praise his people still sing of him to this day

the ancient people of liyue once scrambled for just a taste of what they believed to be the sacred waters of rex lapis atop mt. hulao – what would they think if they were to witness their god savoring every drop of your release as you cum on his fervent tongue?

the only time he resonates with his most devout worshippers, those who dangerously blur the line between faith and obsession, is when he's buried inside the temple that is your body – that is when he feels most alive, most human

that is when he truly understands what it means to dedicate one's life to a higher being

#c.etc #this goes 0 to 100 rly quick oops #thats it thats all i got #ykw bc i spent way too long on this im throwing it in the tag #zhongli x reader #i sat here for like an hour writing this btw i think i wanted it to sound more poetic but #if i dont post this now im gonna throw it into my drafts and never post it so

[eorzeashan]

Commander Stew

Theron cooks something for the Commander.

Odessen - The Kitchens

A young man sporting a dollop of white hair and refined features entered the communal kitchen of the Alliance carrying a large crate, wearing a plain burlap apron, rubber gloves, and waders over what usually would qualify as a stealth suit–a bit of an odd sight, but one Theron had gotten used to over time.

“Hey! You’re back early. Put ‘em down over there,” Theron glanced over his shoulder, nodding briefly at the young man, then motioning with his head at the kitchen island. Eight squeezed past him as he ran his hands under the faucet, careful not to bump into the other spy. They set down the box on the counter and patiently folded their hands, awaiting instructions.

Theron turned off the sink and flung the remnant droplets off his hands, drying them with a slightly stained checkerboard dish towel.

Even with his fearsome past, Theron found the quiet operative to be pleasant company most days, with Eight acting as his assistant in daily matters ranging from mundane chores to deadly missions. All at the behest of Lana, of course. She was the one who insisted on (see: forced) a pair of helping hands for him after he'd incorrectly assumed she’d wanted him to take on all her burdens.

Not that he was complaining about the extra hands. Certainly not today of all days–he was planning something special, and that required all of the help he could get.

Theron opened the flaps of the crate. Fresh from their gardening plot in the Odessen fields, the box was practically bursting with colorful root vegetables and leafy greens native to the planet. Purple, orange, striped yellows and swirls of blue–all packed with vitamins and the healthy color of a successful crop. Plain proof that their efforts to cultivate more organic food for the personnel had finally given fruit, after several long winters of withered stalks and exhausting meals of food chips.

Theron smiled wryly. He’d have to make a toast to Dr. Oggurrobb’s fertilizer and the Force Enclave’s agricultural knowledge later.

“Will this be enough?” Eight asked, mellow as ever. He watched him coolly through deep umber eyes.

“It’s more than enough,” Theron answered, a bit of uncertainty leaking into his tone as he stared at the foodstuffs. The vegetables taunted him from their comfy spot atop the counter next to the impressive array of knives and cooking utensils laid out side-by-side like an interrogation toolkit. “...I think.” He wiped the tip of his nose.

Theron hated to admit it, but he was no culinarian. Master Zho had never taught him (really, what could you teach a kid to cook in the wilderness besides canned goods and pre-packaged rations), and his stint as a SIS agent since his youth had left him with little time to prepare nor care. The extent of his cooking repertoire could quickly be summed up to sticking a frozen Orobird leg in the flash oven and waiting for two minutes, sadly.

So why was he making an effort now?

The image of the Commander’s tired face weary from battle and sleepless nights, aging lines etched deep into their skin with the carvings of a destiny too large for one person, flashed in Theron’s mind. He’d seen the way they’d fought–skipped meals, denied themselves sleep, hid the way their gaze turned vacant when they thought no one was looking, left their cafeteria plate practically untouched, compounded blackened bottoms of endless cups of caf, the stims—the Commander was burning themselves at both ends.

Hypocritical as it was, he couldn’t stand watching them drive themselves into the ground. The galaxy’s fate was important, but…not as important as they were to Theron. Yet he found himself at a loss; what words he wanted to tell them to eat better, to sleep more, to stop hurting themselves fell short whenever the Commander gave him that one look. That look of resignation, deep as the dull ache that would settle in his chest afterwards.

“I’m okay,” They’d tell him, smiling wan, “Thank you, Theron.” It’s alright. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me.

Like hell he couldn’t. He–

“Theron…?”

Theron snapped out of his reverie, realizing he’d been wringing the dishcloth far too tightly for too long. Eight stared at him, puzzled. He released it. His knuckles returned to their previous pink.

“...Sorry. Just. Tired,” Theron shook his head, massaging his temples. Tired. Yeah. He was sure someone else was too, and he hadn’t asked Eight to come here to watch him have a breakdown. Pushing off from the counter, he clapped his hands together, mustering up a second wind. “Let’s get to work. Shall we?”

Commander Stew

Ingredients:

Young Makrin Legs

Orobird Soup Stock

Rootleaf, 1 Head

Imperial-issued Instant Glowblue Noodles, 1 Package

Republic Synth-Ham and Grophet Sausages

Odessen Wild Onions

Mandalorian Spice Sauce

Zakuulan Swamp Glowshrooms

Slice of Ration Cheese

Directions:

Prepare the young makrin legs by soaking them in water and shaving the fibrous exterior with a peeler.

Theron stared at the unassuming pile of…legs that resembled roots more than they did the limbs of any creature, and secretly shuddered. Makrins weren’t particularly uncommon on terrestrial worlds, but their crabby, tree-like appearance and tendency to wallow in loam didn't make them his first choice to eat. He wasn't exactly opposed to adventurous cuisine, but he wondered how exactly the legs of a chitinous creature equaled something that would make the Commander more appetized.

As if sensing his cause for pause, Eight peered over his shoulder where he stood frozen with peeler in hand. “The Jedi recommended them for use in medicinal dishes. When eaten boiled, it lowers blood pressure, and contains many nutrients.” He said thoughtfully, as if reading an entry from an encyclopedia.

“Is that so.” Theron inwardly balked at the mention of the Jedi–a little known fact was that Master Zho had raised him on Jedi cuisine, most of it vegetarian, but even then he hadn’t sampled every bit of agriculture the galaxy had to offer. Makrin legs were a bit out there, but seeing as they were native to Odessen, recommended by the enclave and another piece of stress relief on a plate for the Commander? His survival training told him the harmless limbs could only benefit, despite their gnarly appearance.

Remove the tips and fibrous base. When cleaned and processed, set aside.

He buckled down and began shaving the legs. Lack of proper nutrition was always a deciding factor in conflict–Theron had seen his fair share of soldiers who contracted disease from improper eating and lack of supplies– and he would feed the Commander any bit of ugly vegetables if it meant seeing a little more life restored to their pallid cheeks. His fingers found their rhythm as he removed the tough outer skin from the legs exposing their soft white core beneath the blade of the peeler, their texture reminding him oddly of Dantooinian tubers with an extra coat of slime.

Slice and dice half of a medium-sized onion.

Theron had to pretend he wasn't looking particularly emotional as he chopped the onion. Or maybe he was simply brought to tears at the thought that their food could have flavor for once, all thanks to the Alliance’s team of scouts who procured such supplies for them from the unmapped regions of Odessen’s wilds. Eight was among that team, hence Theron's willingness to let an Imp spy of all people join him in cooking. There was only a small handful of people he could use to conceal his efforts from the Commander, and Theron would make use of both his ability to obtain food in secret and his espionage skills to see this through, opposing factions be damned.

And if others worried about poisoning, well. He didn't pride himself on being Chief of Security for nothing. The safety of the Commander was his priority, as were the characters of those he chose to fight alongside them. They were his responsibility. His to trust with their most important fight and everything in-between. Theron couldn't afford to keep the old grudges that the Republic and Empire maintained in these desperate times, and he would not fall victim to their need to blind themselves with their unending war. He had to fight for what was important, and that was…people. Not sides.

Theron would always be a son of the Republic at his heart. But now his heart belonged to another, and those lines had long blurred.

Slice the glowshrooms length-wise, removing the head from the stems. Set aside.

Clean and cut the rootleaf in half, then the following halves into quarters; chop into smaller squares until you have about 1 cup’s worth of rootleaf. Store the rest in a cool, refrigerated place.

Unpackage the Synth-Ham, Republic Ration #0625, and slice to desired thickness.

Theron opened the can of mystery meat and upended it onto the chopping board. The green ham-like substance plopped onto it with gelatinous grace. He poked it with his cooking knife. It jiggled away from the tip.

Eight placed an empty pot next to him along with a can of opened grophet sausages and an unwrapped package of Imperial ration Glowblue Noodles, their signature color shining through the foil. Theron quickly thanked him out of the corner of his mouth.

Arrange the rootleaf, onion, makrin legs, and glowshrooms at the bottom of the pot in even layers.

Add a helping of Mandalorian Spiced Sauce on top.

Theron couldn't forget Torian and his people. They were the ones who suggested using their own spices for the hotpot, as “no other spice in the galaxy compares to that of a Mando’s.” Though he’d initially expressed some reservations at setting the Commander’s tongue aflame, this special mix had been made with their preference in mind; Shae had been so impressed by their valor that she presented several crates worth as a gift after the battle of Darvannis. Spices were a luxury if not a grand gesture in wartime, and not one Theron intended to use lightly.

Add the Synth-Ham, grophet sausages, and top with a slice of ration cheese over the previous ingredients.

Finally, add the Glowblue Noodles and 3 liters of Orobird stock.

Theron blinked at the finished product. “Wait a minute. This is…”

“Revanite stew?” Eight once again helpfully supplied.

It was Theron’s turn to ask the questions as he raised a suspicious brow towards his sous-chef. “They ate this during the coalition, when the camps combined. How did you get the same recipe?”

Eight smiled quietly to himself, in his mysterious and elusive way. “Our Commander was there. It was their idea to share food across factions. I still haven't forgotten its taste. If you ask any of the soldiers from that time, they will say the same.”

Theron stared at him, speechless. To think the same recipe he’d been making this entire time was a result of their union on Rishi…he recalled seeing Imperial and Republic soldiers bonding over a cookpot, but hadn't joined in, content to watch the proceedings from a distance. So much had happened during Revan’s rise that he’d failed to pay enough attention to something so innocuous as a moment of camaraderie between unlikely allies.

It had been their idea to eat something both Imperial and Republic that fateful night. To form the basis of their Alliance over a simple, warm bowl of soup.

Theron felt his heart swell.

He…he had to remind them of what they had built. What they meant to him. With this.

Set on top of a burner and deliver to recipients with bowls to share.

Theron held his breath as he wheeled the cart of foodstuffs to the Commander’s quarters, careful to avoid jostling the stew that balanced atop it as he reached his destination. He rapped on the door with the back of his knuckles.

A puff of pnematic air revealed the Commander, yawning wearily from yet another sleepless night of work and burdens. “Yes–” They stopped. “Theron? What are you doing here?” They eyed his cart. “And what's with all the food?”

Theron cracked a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thought you could use some dinner, so…I brought you some. If you don't mind, that is.” He quickly added, feeling out of place in the deserted hallway.

The Commander smiled, a genuine one that reached their eyes, crinkling at the edges. “I’d love to try whatever you made. Come in, we can eat it together.” They stepped aside to allow Theron room to maneuver.

Enjoy with your intended party.

As expected, it was delicious.

Not as filling as seeing the Commander laugh to the point of tears at his explanations as to why he'd been so secretive all week trying to hide the fruits of his cooking from them, but filling nonetheless. He'd give it a 5/5, personally, as a true soup for the soul. (And a note to make it again with less sneaking around).

If the Commander was satisfied and satiated... so was he.

#swtor #swtor fanfiction #theron shan #theron shan x alliance commander #oc: orradiz #knights of the meshi. #admin writes #unnamed commander btw you can self insert. or not #eight cameo in there for. uh. reasons. #i spent way too long procrastinating on this but i think it turned out alright #writing a cooking style fic is way harder than it looks also the ending was kind of botched but im tired #a bit of alliance worldbuilding a bit of speculative cuisine of alien species and plants a bit of #CHARACTER STUDY?? #what the hell whatever

[house-of-mirrors]

Orsinio had rehearsed the response dozens of times. He was very tired. “I have always dealt with some weakness of constitution. Coming to the Neath exacerbated latent issues.” He pressed his right hip. “It started with this injury, and never got better.” When I was seeking justice for my brother your colleague murdered. “I don’t expect you to understand, but sometimes, humans hurt and we don’t know why.” “Why did you not tell us sooner? We could get you the best medicines. Even the Science—” “Because nothing works!”

Today I bring you a fic about Mr Wines learning Orsinio has chronic pain and trying to figure out how to help. Wrote this while my own pain was high. Coping. Don't even worry about it

Read it here

#my writing #fallen london #oc: orsinio #mr wines my beloved #it's my disability and i get to write self indulgent stuff #i spent way too long picking a title for this!

[brisquad-unit-4402]

hey here’s a stray hc for something i’m writing but the hc won’t make it in the final draft. you know how sometimes when you dream, you twitch in your sleep? and how it it much more common with cats and dogs because you see them asleep far more often than humans?

anyways mysta and alban twitching often in their sleep. like DUDE. listen to me here. i’m onto something. i just skimmed a reddit thread where someone said their dog had dream feet

hear me out on this one. you’re in bed with mysta it’s late at night you were up doing something whatever that’s not important. but you know what is important? you enter the room and see mysta went to bed hours ago and is already deep asleep, so deep asleep that he’s already kicked half the covers off.

he’s sprawled out on his back, and his hair is already starting to become bedhead, and you feel the mattress sink in as you get yourself comfortable. his leg twitches! just a quick quirk to the side as you tuck yourself in.

then as you settle, another little twitch, and this time it spreads to the other side of his body for just a moment before it’s gone.

you smile. cutie. he looks so serene, but even when he’s asleep, he still has enough energy that he moves to his dreams.

five minutes later, as you begin to drift off, you hear shuffling on the other side of the bed. then pressure. mysta rolled over to his side in his sleep, and rested himself against you. he’s shivering, you realize, and his skin is bumpy as well. poor baby got too hot under the covers, but he’s too cold without them either.

you gently rub circles along his back, cupping him into a cuddle as you do so. mysta stays small in your embrace and the shared warmth gets him to stop shivering.

he stays there, though. you don’t have the heart to move your arm and send him into another chill either. so you drift off with your limbs tangled between him, and before you enter dreamland, you feel the twitch of his leg against yours.

OH OH OH OR. alban’s expecting an early morning tomorrow, so he fell asleep hours before your usual bedtime. he lays curled up like a shrimp, and as his chest rises and falls, his lips slightly part with steady breaths just short of a snore.

his hands are close to his chest and below his chin, but the palms are exposed through his loose fingers. they’re very pretty hands, usually hidden by gloves thick enough to hide identifying traits, so when they’re off (rare except for when he’s resting) you see gentle skin and smooth nails.

even when he rests, alban is catlike. his loosely curled fingertips end just above the joint where the finger itself starts, so almost all of his palm is outstretched.

like a paw pad, you muse, barely able to contain yourself from cooing and possibly waking him up. however, you can’t keep yourself together for long, and you reach a finger out to gently press on his palm like a button.

and just like a button, when you make contact, his fingers flutter.

entranced, you brush along the palm again, and another set of fingers waver while his eyes are closed in sleep.

it’s almost like a game. alban’s hands wind you down as you play with them, and observe how his fingers swirl along yours even in his sleep. he’s dexterous.

you spend too long fascinated by how they move even while the thief himself isn’t available, that when you feel the soft skin between fingers again, alban catches you by surprise as he runs his arm up and around you, without even waking up to aim. try as you might, you can’t dodge out of his grasp, and after all, why would you? he’s too adorable to ignore even when he’s asleep

#nijisanji x reader #mysta rias #mysta rias x reader #mysta rias fluff #mysta rias headcanons #alban knox #alban knox x reader #alban knox fluff #alban knox headcanons #nijisanji en #luxiem #luxiem x reader #noctyx #noctyx x reader #4402 writes #happy 4:10 am everyone i need to wake up in 4 hours 20 minutes. not nice #at least i have a coffee in the fridge #spent too long talking online to realize the time… got hit by inspiration way too late at night #i want to write but i almost fell asleep so many times typing this #remind me to put this on the masterpost tomorrow i’m too tired #no formatting either bc im tired snnz snnz i’m gonna go get my blanket and sleeeeeeep…. goodnight… goodmorjing to those who celebrate

[jacks347]

When you remember you actively use Tumblr now so you can cross-post all your Discord fics :o (Enjoy Hadestown Bastard Warrior)

"You're really going after him."

Faith nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden voice, turning to see her only friend leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and eyebrow raised. She just sighed, turning back to continue packing her suitcase. "He's the love of my life, Devlin. I won't give up on him that easily." "Sister, I know you're dedicated but he walked to the underworld willingly! He saw Hades and went with him!"

Faith snapped the lid of the case shut, spinning around to face Devlin with a fire in her eyes he'd only seen a few times before. "If going to Hades and demanding him back is what it takes then by God I'll do it!"

Devlin just stared at her for a minute, as if trying to read into her soul, see if she would squirm or break under his hard stare. She just stared back, rising to his challenge and daring him to question her. He closed his eyes, sighing heavily before digging into his pocket and pulling out a shimmering gold coin. He tossed it over to Faith who fumbled to catch it. It was ancient, the engravings in a long-forgotten script. The only thing she recognized was the embossed symbol on the back. It looked like a horseshoe but Faith knew better. Omega, the last letter of a lost language, the sign of Hades. She'd never seen anything like it, it was no currency from any country she recognized. What was it? Why did Devlin have it?

What did he know?

"If you're really sure about this, I can't stop you. But I can tell you how to get down there without getting yourself killed. Unlike Albus, you won't get the easy way down on the train. You'll have to walk the tracks. That is your ticket past the gates. I trust you'll treat it with care until you come back."

Faith clutched the coin tight, feeling the cold of the metal seep into her skin. "Tell me how to get him back."

~

The air was thick with smoke and suffering, a smell that burned her nose and threatened to choke the air out of her lungs. So this was Hadestown, land of the dead, domain of death itself. It wasn't quite the fire and brimstone she'd been taught as a little girl but it was close enough. It reminded Faith of the mines she'd visited while traveling on a charity mission. Faith sucked in a deep breath that stabbed her lungs, holding it in her chest as she pushed through the slow-moving crowd. She had to find him, she would find him, she would march up to Hades himself with her love in tow and demand he return with her if that's what was required of her. Gods have mercy on her, you couldn't blame her for trying.

She waded through the sluggish worker bees of the underworld, scanning every face for the one she desperately wanted to see. How long had she been searching for? Minutes? Hours? Days? It was impossible to tell. But gods be damned, she was standing by her word, she would not return until she found her warrior.

"You are a persistent one, you know that?" A voice from behind Faith chirped, making the priestess spin around. Who stood before her was someone...different. Faith couldn't exactly tell what they were but they certainly weren't one of the dead around them. It almost looked like they were made of...stone? Was that possible? The person tilted their head at Faith, their long purple hair falling over their shoulder. "You're looking for him, aren't you? The warrior that Dad brought down.” “Y…Yes, I am. Who are you? How do you know that?” The person laughed, straightening back up with a grin. “Call me Pandora. As for how I know, it’s kind of obvious. It’s one thing for one living person to be in the underworld but two? Consider it a likely guess.”

Faith took a second to compose herself before stepping towards Pandora, attempting to look intimidating. “Take me to him or I’ll-” Pandora held up her hands in surrender with an amused smile, cutting Faith’s threat short. “Take it easy, dear Sister. I was going to do that anyway. Follow me.”

~

“Dad! Dad! She came! I told you she would!” Pandora shouted as they kicked the door open to a massive throne room of sorts. Sitting in the giant throne was an equally giant man with the same carved stone design as Pandora, white hair, glowing eyes, and a kind smile. Faith knew who he was, she’d heard stories about him all her life. “Hades…” She whispered under her breath, making Pandora pause, turning to look at her. “Hades, Tyr, Jupiter, ancient giant, whatever name you wanna give him. I usually just call him Dad.” They turned back to the man, still beaming like a child bringing their parent a shiny rock.

Hades stared at Faith for a moment with a blank expression, making the priestess squirm before he smiled, standing from his throne and gently removing a black bundle from where it was nestled in his hair to place it on the ground in front of Faith. “Is this what you’re looking for?” His voice held a hint of laughter, revealing the bundle to in fact be Albus who had been peacefully sleeping on the lord of the underworld’s hair until he was moved and was now very much awake and not very happy about it. “What the hell? Why’d you wake me up, I was enjoying that-” “Albus!!”

The man in question barely had any time to react before Faith practically bowled him over as she threw herself into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed like he’d disappear if she let go, buried her face in his neck and cried. All the emotions she’d forced down since he left sprung to the surface, like a pressure release valve being pulled. “I thought I’d never see you again…I thought you left me…” She sobbed, her voice broken. Albus took a few seconds to recover before he very slowly and awkwardly hugged Faith back. “Faithful? I-I missed you but what are you doing down here? How are you down here?” “I could ask you the same question, you train-hopping jerk.” She sniffed, pulling her face out of his neck to look at him properly.

Hades cleared his throat softly, making Faith look up. His smile had turned sad and a little guilty. “Don’t be mad at him, little priestess. If you’re going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. I’ve been watching Albus for a while now, he intrigued me. So when I saw the opportunity to give him a better life down here, I took it. I only realized after I heard your cries that taking him wouldn’t be as consequence free as I thought. I’m sorry I took him from you. Now I must ask, how did you get down here?”

She begrudgingly pulled away from Albus to properly face Hades. “I…was guided. In a sense. Someone told me how to get down here.” “Someone told you?” Pandora chimed in, looking very confused. “But the only person on the surface who know how to get down here without the train is…oh.” They took a second before bursting into giggles. “He really disguised himself again? Wonder how long it’s been. Did he give you the coin?” “Yes…he did.” Faith slowly pulled the golden coin out of her pocket, letting Pandora get a close look at it. Hades let out a soft chuckle of his own. “Seems Hermes has taken quite the liking to you if he was willing to help like that. Or does he still go by Devlin?” “Devlin is Hermes??” “Hermes, Mercury, maybe Odin if you squint at it, names are never consistent.” Pandora shrugged as they ticked off each of the names on their fingers.

Faith turned her attention back to Albus, her heart hurting at the thought of having to return without him, even if she knew he was safe. Would it be selfish to ask for him back knowing he was doing well here? She shook the thought away. No, she came down here on a mission, she was going to fulfill it. “Hades, my lord, I do thank you for your hospitality but I’m sure you know I don’t belong down here.” “Of course, you’re still living, you must return home.” “Then, I’ll go. But I’m taking Albus with me. If the living cannot remain in the underworld, he can’t either.” Hades frowned at that, his brow furrowing. “Dear Sister, he came down on the train. He gave up his life, he is no longer part of the overworld. The dead cannot return to the land of the living.”

Faith felt her heart stop. No, that was impossible. Sure, Albus went willingly but that didn’t mean he was dead, right? Then again, he did step onto the train. He took the dead way down. She felt sick. “No…no that’s not possible. I came all the way down here, I’m not leaving without him. I refuse! There has to be another way!” Hades thought for a moment, muttering quietly under his breath before sighing. “Fine. I’ll let you return with him.” Faith’s entire body relaxed in relief. 

“However.” 

He continued before she could start to thank him. “You must return the way you came, back up the railroad tracks. But you will not be side by side, hand in hand. If you wish to bring the dead back to life, you must lead him, standing one in front of the other. You must have faith in yourself and in him to remain behind you. If you turn back to check if he’s there at any point in your journey, he must return to the underworld and you will continue back home alone. It will not be easy, there will be those on your path that will try to make you doubt. Whether you choose to listen to them or not is up to you. That is my condition. Choose to take it and I’ll let you go. Choose not and you will return alone. Will you take this test of faith?”

Faith contemplated for a minute. A single file walk back home, simply having to trust that he would be there. Could she do it? Did she really have the mental strength to?

She had to. There was no other choice. She came all this way, she wasn’t going to leave without him.

Faith turned to Hades and nodded solemnly. “I’ll take the test. We’re going home.” Hades smiled, something encouraging but also worried. “Then let’s send you two on your way.”

~

"Think they'll make it?" Pandora looked up at Tyr curiously. His face was caught between tired and hopeful.

"I don't know." He frowned, the tired sadness in his eyes taking over as his shoulders sagged like a sudden weight had dropped upon them.

"Tyr, you let them go." Pandora looked back at the two with a worried expression, the retreating figures of the pair as they started on their journey inspiring both excitement and fear. Tyr's soft laugh had her staring up again in confusion.

"I let them try." The hope was back, a smile just barely tugging his lips up.

Maybe...just maybe...

~

Faith was terrified, she really had to admit. Her hands were squeezed together in front of her to keep them from shaking and the only sound was her heart hammering in her ears. She could do this. There was no reason she couldn't. But there was still something weighing on her, like a block of marble threatening to crush her heart if she let it hope too much.

“You really think you can do this? Bring someone back from the dead that easily?” The voice was new, lilting and dripping in honeyed sympathy. Right, this was the enemy of the return trip Hades had warned her about.

The Fates. Or Fate, she supposed in this case. He'd told her this one was called Kravatas. Believed to control the lifespans of everyone through golden strings. They didn’t much appreciate being challenged, so the path back to the surface would have them whispering in her ears the whole time, making her doubt herself in an attempt to make her break the deal and turn around. She just had to be stronger than them.

"Poor naive Sister Koria. Why do you think no one has succeeded in this before? What makes you think you're better than anyone who came before you to walk this road?" He hissed, his sweet tone doing nothing to hide the acrid venom in his words. She knew she shouldn't listen, that he was just trying to mess with her. But something in his words made her hesitate for just a second.

"Faith? Faithful, listen to me. Just keep going, you have to trust me. I'm right here, I'm still with you." Albus’s voice pierced through her thoughts, reminding her that she wasn't alone in this. She took a trembling breath, wishing desperately she could turn around and hold him or at least reach back to touch him. Some kind of physical sign that he was there. But she couldn’t. All she had was his voice and her own faith in him.

“But does he have faith in you?” The voice was back, she could practically feel his breath curling against the back of her neck. And as much as she didn’t want to think about it, his question hit her. Did Albus have faith in her? He was living the good life in the underworld, the only reason he was going back to the surface, a life he loudly expressed his hatred of, was because of her. He could turn back at any time and never say a word. She would be left all alone and not even know it until she got back.

No, I can’t think like that. He wouldn’t do that to me. Sure his life hasn’t been great thus far but he loves me. I know he loves me.

Right?

~

Faith had long since lost track of how it’d been since they started walking. The hissing doubts of the Fates becoming white noise that buzzed in the back of her head. Not like she needed them, her own doubts were far louder.

He’s still there, right? He hasn’t spoken in a while, I can’t tell. He wouldn’t have turned around without telling me, right? He wouldn’t just leave me, right?

Faith had bitten her nails down to nothing, her nailbeds aching. She couldn’t hear, she couldn’t think. She just needed a minute to process but she had to keep moving. There was nothing she could do. It was just her, the road ahead, and her own thoughts. And that was the scary part.

I just have to trust him. I know Albus. He might’ve gone down himself but he’s coming back now. And that’s all that really matters, doesn’t it?

“He already left you once. Who says he won’t do it again?”

She nearly stopped in her tracks. He was right. She hated to admit it but he was right. Faith already had to walk down into hell for him once, took him away from a life he deserved far more than what the world above was giving him. What was stopping him?

“Do it.”

I have to.

“It’s just a peek.”

Just to check.

“Prove his love to you.”

Prove that I’m not a fool.

"Turn around, Faith.”

And turn she did, looking right into the betrayed eyes of the man she doubted.

In the dead silence of their walk through purgatory, Faith could hear both of their hearts shatter.

She knew Albus didn’t cry. He just didn’t. But nothing could hide the shine in his eyes or the waver to his voice. “Missed me that much, did you Faithful?”

It was all over. She’d let the Fates get in her head. She got in her own way. “Albus…I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have doubted you-” “Don’t apologize, Faith. I’ll see you eventually, right? Don’t forget about me while you live your life up there, will you?” “I don’t think I ever could forget you, Albus York.” She laughed wetly, his face beginning to blur from the tears that welled up in her eyes.

“I love you, Faith.”

“I love you too, Albus. I’ll see you again.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

~

Devlin leaned back against the wall of the train station, flipping a familiar gold coin idly. “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of Faith and Albus. Lovers torn apart by doubt and want.”

The gathered crowd burst into a mix of applause and sobs, as was the reaction every time he told this story. He didn’t blame them, it was a popular one.

His coin flipping was distracted by a small tug on his sleeve. It was a little girl, one who attended his stories quite often and he’d heard some of the Sisters call Kerano. “Mr. Devlin? Can you tell it again?” Devlin sighed, shaking his head with a smile. Kerano’s hopeful stare and bright smile were too cute to deny. “Alright, one more time. Just for you. Now, on the road to the underworld, there was a railroad line.”

#i spent way too long on this #but it was worth it #i regret nothing #suffer :D #asmr roleplay #good boy audios #gba albus #gba devlin #gba faithful #gba tyr #gba pandora #gba bastard warrior #angst #fanfic #fanfic writing #writeblr #writing #writers on tumblr #hadestown #musical theatre

[best-non-english-word-torunament]

What even is a language?

All tournament words will hava a short text about the language, but since I don't want to simplify until it's misinformation I need to open the can of worms on what a language really is. Join me, I promise the worms are interesting!

So, what makes two languages different from each other?

Think about it for a while. The first thing that comes to mind is probably that people who speak the same language can understand each other, while people who speak different languages can't. This criterion is called mutual intelligibility by linguists. This sounds easy enough, why is there so much post left?

Well, imagine two villages along a river, A and B. They speak slightly different from each other, but can understand each other. Same language, different dialects. Easy.

Now imagine there's a third village called C further up the river, closer to B than A where they speaking a third slightly different variant. The people in B and C understand each other, but speakers in A and C have a harder time and some can hardly understand each other at all. Do the people in A, B and C speak the same language? It would probably still count as one language since all of them mostly understand each other.

Let's make this more complicated! Imagine a village called D even further up the river. The same situation applies here, C and D speakers understand each other without problem, B and D speakers have a harder time and A and D speakers can't understand each other at all. How many languages are there now? Now imagine we add villages E, F, G etc and apply the same logic. Not so easy anymore

This situation is called a dialect continuum, where different dialects form a continuum so that people understand their neighbours but not all parts of the continuum. This is a common situation where linguists have to try and group languages together out of dialects based on which ones are the most similar.

Fun fact! This does not only happen on a village to village basis, but over larger regions. There is one hiding in plain sight right in the middle of Europe called the Continental West Germanic dialect continuum. There's more about it in the posts with German words, but in short: German is/was a few generation back two (or three) separate languages, the continuum also includes Dutch and "dialects" from Switzerland and Austria. Yet there is a Standard German based on one dialect. Anyway, on with the show.

Language exposure is another interesting worm in this can. Do people understand each other because their languages are similar enough or because they've learned another language? Imagine town X, where a language is spoken, and village Y outside the town. People from Y trade with X and often visit X, since it's a lot bigger. They understand people in X. People from X however, have no clue what people from Y are saying. This isn't mutual intelligibility since it only goes one way, but it will be relevant later on.

Using only mutual intelligibility gives us 6500 spoken languages in the world, as well as 200 signed ones.

This way of defining languages seems too complicated. Can't we just ask people what they speak instead?

Well, you can. This is another way of defining a language: What the people speaking it say is a language is a language. Easy.

On first look this seems reasonable. People know what their language is and will tell us where to draw the lines in the dialect continuum mess. This is the sociopolitical approach to language.

No. This approach intersects interestingly with the mutual intelligibility approach in that the number of languages suddenly skyrockets! There is no estimation, but people tend to call their own community a separate language from the neighbouring communities, even though they all understand each other.

Sometimes these peoples agree that they speak the same language if presented with the mutual intelligibility approach, there just aren't any words for the shared language. Then we can easily go ahead and call them dialects of a shared language.

But what if they just don't like each other and don't want to call what they're speaking the same language, even when they absolutely do? Or when there are political reasons for wanting to differentiate what their dialects, like connecting dialects to separare nation-states? Maybe these political divisions cause dialects to grow further apart, or different writing norms are implemented. Maybe it just happens as land is divided into countries with different policies and influences and a language community is split.

So if mutual intelligibility and people's own classifications don't match, should we just ignore the socio-political part? Often people agree that they speak the same language and let themselves be classified as such, but at other times it would work worse. The line between language and dialect is blurry and confusing.

Take the case of Swedish and Norwegian: I am Swedish and I can understand some Norwegian. It is also my understanding that people living along the border, particularly further north speak similarly and understand each other even better. Considering mutual intelligibility they could be considered the same language, especially some dialects. There is no animosity between Swedish and Norwegian (unlike Swedish and Danish, which might be considered in the same group except the differences are larger?). There are different spelling norms and probably different loan words/influences from countries that have been in contact with Sweden and Norway. Most important of all, it would still feel weird to call them the same language because of the nation-state connection and national identity.

Sometimes, this goes the other way around. Remember town X and village Y? What if the people in Y consider themselves speakers of X, while the people in X still can't understand them? Would it be the same language or not?

Another situation is the national state that really wants everyone to speak the same language. I have another example from Swedish, which is the former dialect Älvdalska (possibly anglisised as Övdalian?) which isn't mutually intelligible with Swedish. Still, for a long time it was considered a dialect anyway, but not anymore. It's its own language.

So what do we do?

Neither approach works on its own since things will get weird if we just pick one. The two big databases over language, ethnologue and glottolog, use a mix: It is mostly based on mutual intelligibility because that's more important for linguistics, but with some sociopolitics where it's reasonable. This leaves between 7100 (ethnologue) and 7700 languages (glottolog), both numbers including sign languages. See how the databases have vastly different numbers? Yeah.

Another fun fact: There are still languages previously unknown to linguists discovered every year. Some are dialects reclassified as languages and some are dying languages spoken only by older generations that were previously missed, as they aren't often spoken.

Anyways, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed discovering that everything is more complicated than you think. There will be more posts like this to come. Also, to have it in the post: this knowledge comes from me studying linguistics and being very excited about it

#best non english word tournament #linguistics fun fact time! #linguistics #please tell me you appreciated this bc I spent way too long writing it #just can't avoid sharing knowledge

[imminent-danger-came]

continue being a little mean to toh fans please it is really irritating how some act like its got the best writing of any modern cartoon

Daawwwww I don't have it in me. TOH fans love it for a reason, and there are legitimately good moments! It's just not the most complex or well-written show out there—which it doesn't need to be—but I also totally get your exhaustion. It gets tiring seeing people praise it so highly over and over again when it's just like...fine. It didn't do nothing but it also didn't do something, you know? It's main couple is cute and queer, but that's pretty much all there is to them. It has a fun cast of characters, but they all tend to fall into archetypes. Luz is a sweet main character, but she doesn't have any real flaws and kinda takes a back seat to Hunter and Eda (the white people lol). Her foil with Philip was interesting...but then they kinda backed off and went the "you and Belos are nothing alike" direction.

((I'm also going to answer this anon with another: ))

And It's not that an unsympathetic villian is bad, or that Belos would even be sympathetic with added backstory, it's just that...there were a lot of interesting things to explore with his character that were left hanging.

Like, while he's definitely not at all a good person, it's intriguing that he would bother to recreate his brother over and over again knowing that each time the grimwalker was going to betray him. It's intriguing that he was even willing to kill his brother to begin with (though Caleb was super underutilized in general). Like, you can give a villain depth without justifying or victimizing them (hi Finnegran from tdp, I'll also add Spider Queen & LBD here). So it just feels like a missed opportunity all across the board. It's still surprising to me that we got a confirmation on the Wittebane backstory through an unrelated background character, rather than Philip himself (who had literally possessed a main character, and mindscapes had already been well-established....the pieces were all there me thinks).

And obviously it's like, people can love something despite it's flaws, and they can cherish it for the good it has, but they still don't need to praise it as an ultimate form of media, you know? We don't need to pretend toh was this dark and complex story—it was just a story a lot of people liked and resonated with. Which I'm glad it's there for those people, and I'm glad there are options when it comes to queer pieces of media!

That said the show with the best writing of any modern cartoon is The Dragon Prince (streaming on Netflix).

#Monkie Kid while very good is still not that good. I'm sorry lmk. I give you 2nd place. In my heart <3 #Though we'll see. If s5 (or beyond) brings back some stuff from s1 the writing might just be that tight #(aka the skeleton key being given to MK in 1x08 & also the 1x01 seal) #Anyways I feel like I've been too much of a hater recently #but gahhh. toh just did not get that deep. it's like fake deep #Let me explain my thoughts: #Lilith cursed Eda. Spent years trying to force Eda into the coven system to undo her own mistake. #Only to then learn that Belos was never going to heal her sister. And does this impact Eda and Lilith's relationship in any way? Not really #Like yeah sure their relationship improves after Lilith leaves the Emperor's coven. #But I can't help but feel like that situation got boiled down to ''Lilith had a good reason for it so we forgive her :p'' and I'm like NO #WHERE'S THE DRAMA #THAT WAS KINDA SUPER FUCKED UP OF LILITH. A LIFE LONG CURSE THAT SHE GAVE HER SISTER. AND WE'RE GONNA LIKE #GLOSS OVER THAT???? #tis not story telling for me. At least not any more at this stage in my life. #asks #toh critical

[sappymix1]

dream team + as items on the Panera menu

#I spent way too long doing this I was supposed to be writing #dreamwastaken #georgenotfound #sapnap #tinakitten #sylvee #bbh #skeppy #hannahxxrose #foolishgamers