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katyspersonal · 10 months

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Top 5 Elden Ring's demigods

Argh... Could you've given me any HARDER top to make? :') No matter who I put below 5th place, I will feel like a huge prick @_@ Because they all deserve some praise, and some love. It is just incredibly good writing. Well, fine then, let's try.

Five - Morgott!

I talked about him already. The absolute tear-jerker character, a member of oppressed minority, that is defending the very corrupt system that deems people like HIM worthless.... He made me cry (/srs ) more than once upon just this sentiment. He is very realistic, and very easy to sympathise with and feel bad for. He certainly radiates a giant soft spot, though (and not JUST because he has dad bod that is completely naked under his robes, hahaha). In a weird way, he reminds me of Asg0re, a character from my other fandom - a big "monster" King who did a lot of bad things on his way, and because of his mental wound, but in the end might melt upon a simple hug or be easily convinced. It is just not what a Soulsborne game would've let us experience, but... honestly, he has not only huge muscles, but also a huge HEART. I love this combination a LOT, it pulls the richest spectrum of emotions.

Four - Malenia!

She is such a beautiful and impressive boss.... ...that I never talk about her. x) I can't quite explain how my focus works, sorry </3 She scares me a little - and it is not even her fault, but the thing that casually claimed her body, because superior deities have nothing better to do I guess :/ She is holding up very well for someone who has to live in a constant struggle with the horror plaguing her very being. And for someone having to hold up as a warrior of her dear brother's interests despite her body rotting as she goes. And having to repeat 'I am Malenia, blade of Miquella' like a mantra, since Rot is infamous to destroy the memories, and she must not forget what and who she is fighting for.

"She deserved better" is an understatement, I'd say. Her personality shines through the 'influence' that has been ruining her quite well, I'd say. She is a strong warrior, very determined, but very full of honor and love at the same time. I say this in every other post about strong Soulsborne characters, yeah. True bravery is not lack of fear but going despite fear, true power is not being callous unbreakable wall but to still hold your weapon firm through struggle and pain, true personality is what you ARE and not what you are 'not', etc etc. It is always about the feelings.

Three - Godwyn!

I could not explain why he made it to this place very well, honestly. First, he stroke my weird spider-sense intuition. I was going into Elden Ring mostly in blind, and still keep whatever I can to be revealed as I go! Thus, I did not know anything about Godwyn besides the fact that he was the golden child (metaphorically and literally) that went down as sacrifice during Night of the Black Knives as one having his soul killed. And that he used to be a lovely person. But one day, as I was playing Elden Ring and progressing casually, from nowhere, for no reason, I started to think of this character. Again, for no reason, I was thinking of the 'Deep Sea' and imagining him becoming a mermaid (?), and healing/truly dying/letting new soul grow/whatever by returning to the sea. I even started crying, and I swear, those emotions felt like they were not even mine.

It felt very random, but you can't even imagine my surprise when that same day, I just coincidentally travelled to THAT location, and found him. And, coincidentally, he was posed like this with a mermaid tail. I take weird 'intuition moments' (dreams or waking) very personally as I have many of them (and funny enough, they always have to do with the 'sea' theme). No matter how I feel about this character in the future, but the weird "foretelling", "intuition" bond fixed my attention, so yeah.

He seems like a very loveable person, though... From narration standpoint, it does make the most sense that he of all people had to suffer this way. It just would not have had the same effect if someone less likeable/innocent had to go down. It is... sad, how much of this character is his tragedy alone. But, he befriended a dragon and bridged the gap between conflicting forces, and from what I gathered losing him specifically was what broke Marika, and Mohg named his new dynasty after himself AND Godwyn. Clearly, the guy was the best thing to ever have been associated with the Golden Order, and manifesting everything good about it within his personality alone. Whenever I bash the Golden Order as inherently corrupt thing, I just always think back on Godwyn as a confirmed exception from the judgement. And, of course, he would have enough "kindness" to spread death as new form of existence... despite the fact that his 'true' self would've probably dreaded to manifest living in death of all things.

Two - Rykard

I talked about this guy since the day ONE I've picked even remote interest in Elden Ring, isn't it so? @_@ Well, I still stand by what I was talking about. Tanith is absolutely justified for being obsessed with this guy. He is like uh... Aldr1ch but executed much better, or rather, in more sympathetic light? I for one honor the narrative of a character who has the GUTS, the S P I N E to sacrifice a lot, their morals included, to just get OUT of the corrupt (!) way their world works. And I have a feeling that so does Miyazaki. x) I think it is a twisted sort of bravery that we are lucky to never experience and only perceive through fiction. But, unlike Aldr1ch, who revels in his corruption and the horrible things he has to do, Rykard, 1) has a loving family and 2) hinted to have or have had sympathetic traits and simply lost his way from.... heheh.... biting more than he could chew... xd heheh... :drum emoji because I am a comedy genius:

But, in either case, ya'll are lucky that the guy is happily married. Ya'll would not survive the intensity of my thirst otherwise. It is just my rule to not touch married characters. I still admire the guy though. Not to mention the fucking UNREAL AWESOME FUCKING DESIGN, one of the best I've seen ANYWHERE, and him having my favorite theme in entire Elden Ring. Like, it was legitimately hard to live down the crisis of him being "taken", because this guy is really loveable, both as a man and as a monster.

One - Ranni!

Honestly, I always liked the mysterious aura, the clairvoyance and the uhhh... I guess, machiavellianism of this character? "Ends justify the means" character who does some unforgivable things but believes there is no other choice, and the grander purpose is more important. But, she has so many layers. She stepped away from her mother's teachings yet still created a badass illusions to protect her and clearly loves her forever, she has trust issues but in the end needs true friends and true kindness (something even an idiot like Seluvis can see!).

You could see it hurt her to do all that, but whatever freedom could be was worth it. She is just a very complicated character, that goes above and beyond. Letting her own body be killed is badass but understandable, since her body was inextricably tied to the Golden Order, as an Empyrean. Letting her somewhat-brother who was a genuinely good and radiant and loveable person be killed? That's a bit... more drastic... And so on. Indeed, she IS like Rykard in how far she had to go, and how much she had to sacrifice, but nonetheless I uh... would not say she lost clarity of her mind like him? It is interesting how by Dante's Divine Comedy though, Herecy is associated with fire but only on 6th level, yet it is treachery that is considered to be THE sin of sins, and it is the lowest level, and associated with ice, like her element. I am thinking about this very often @_@"

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Honorable mention - Radahn!

Sorry, but I love the guy, despite lack of deep discussion (and becoming a mascot of the most toxic fans). This is ADORABLE that he learned Gravity Magic just so he could still ride Leonard. He appears to be such a goofy dumbass, wholesome person in the "wrong" way, opposing a character that is actually likeable and loyal to the things and people that arguably never deserved it?

But you know I am a huge fan of Rom Bloodb0rne, right? He gives off the exact same 'person that seizes and conceals the horrors of the cosmos from humanity, although their personality and intellect are gone' vibe. It is just... that same vibe of a "silly" character, the comic relief, that turns out to either face a tragic fate or reveals a much deeper personality. He is simple and complicated at the same time! And, well, him having been such a legendary and impressive warrior that so many people gathered just to give him honorable death. This is somewhat impressive. He was actually a very close tie with Malenia.

#elden ring #ranni the witch #rykard lord of blasphemy #godwyn the prince of death #malenia blade of miquella #morgott the grace given #starscourge radahn #ask replies #ask meme #use later #no seriously ya'll would not survive the raw cataclysm had rykard not been taken #all two of you who heard me simp for Aldr1ch thought THAT was bad? you don't know what IS 'bad'#good family though him and tanith hella deserve each other /pos #but yeah this is the hardest 'top 5' i've done yet because i can say good things about everyone #even mohg lol #it is just the magic of fuckin awesome writing skills #thanks for the ask!#lol i have mixed feelings talking about 'telepathy trips' as i call them (like with godwyn)#because i swear i can foretell what i will learn/feel few hours before it happens for SOME reason #but it is so weird that i don't know what to make out of it besides 'time is a social construct anyway' sfdhfdhfhds #at least it was not as bizarre as my dream about golden tree before I even LEARNED of ER let alone played #*X-Files music bass-boosted and deep-fried*

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melrosing · 5 months

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anyway in an absolutely wild turn of events I think I’m free of my hideous job and like. substantially richer for it??? lmao 2023 you really owed me

#ok so this a lot of personal shit but I’m just gonna incredulously vent into the tags #like I don’t even know how to describe what 2023 in this job has been like lol #since April they’ve been insulting and scrutinising and scapegoating me over absolutely everything #they were really angling for just firing me outright for never measuring up to their constantly shifting and increasingly bizarre goalposts #and it got so personal man they kept insisting that it wasn’t but my god #then my dad gets sick and it suddenly becomes awkward for them to keep insulting and overworking me #so they switch to just ignoring me entirely so they don’t have to reckon w what me and my family are going through #like they never ask how he is or how things are going just every Friday they say hey do you reckon you can take more work on again?#and THEN I get a gut infection and suddenly im being guilt tripped for taking sick leave and pestered for evidence #it was giving like ‘we had to give you time off for your dad but now you’re taking the piss’#to the point I DID reach out to a third party at the company and was like ‘I’m sorry but why the fuck are they treating me like this’#and she was like ‘confidentially this is disgusting and I advise you to report it’#WHEN SUDDENLY I get back from sick leave and it’s like ‘the business is falling short so we have to make some redundancies….’#and now they’ve had to pay me a SUBSTANTIAL sum to fuck off!!! I think I win???#like I was so close to quitting but thank god I didn’t because now I’m getting a sweet deal to fuck off with no notice lmao #i leave end of the month #at first I was shocked like y’all really doing this now??? but suddenly I’m like. this is the best possible thing that could’ve happened #I spoke to that third party again and she was like ‘I am so happy for you’ like omfg it was a curveball but we’ll take it!!!#I’m fucking outta here and in due course I WILL be writing on glassdoor how fucked they are

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a-snowpoff · 2 years

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GOOD GIRL, YOU’RE JUST LOST AREN’T YOU?

#POV: You’re a chihuahua lost at the dog park and you’ve been trailing Papyrus for the past 10 minutes.#…. uhm…. do not perceive me… thank you…#pfff imagine someone reblogging it without the context of the first tag OHMAHGAH dskfdskfh #it’s just Papyrus…. at the dog park… look he’s holding a leash… for HIS dog…#you’re not his chihuahua… he has his own dog that’s always stealing his special attacks….#Papyrus can’t seem to find his own dog and has instead gotten you as a companion as he searches #You can hear Papyrus grumble… I BET THAT MEDDLING CANINE FOUND A STASH OF DOG SLIME TO ROLL AROUND IN!!!! THIS #THIS WOULD BE THE 3RD TIME THIS WEEK! JUST HOW MANY BATHS DO I NEED TO GIVE ONE DOG IN A WEEK…#He peers down at the tiny chihuahua trailing him and thinks aloud #CERTAINLY YOU’D KEEP CLEAN IF I BATHED YOU #ANYWAYS BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TAGS #papyrus #undertale #my art #a-snowpoff #papyrus with fangs #what am i even writing BAHAHAH… where are my whims taking me…. i just wanted to draw him from this perspective #can’t help but attempt to build a story around it skfjsdkjfksdj okay anyways enjoy~~~#*Awkwardly trips while trying to scurry away*

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presiding · 7 months

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What is your favourite thing about Billie Lurk?

(Answers are obvious possibly but i love when people talk about her👍)

thanks for the ask!! YEAH ME TOO I love when people talk about Billie! I can't say I have a favourite thing specifically, but I can explain why she's my fav. apologies for not taking this qn literally, but -

short answer: she’s really cool

& you can stop reading there, or, for the maybe 2 mutuals who might have time to read this my thoughts on her as a character, her meta, and her character as raw potential...

long answer:

i considered making this entire thing a gush so you could read a gush about Billie. but, part of what draws me to her is that she’s not always well written, and in fandom she’s underrated for a literal protagonist.

since you ask...

billie is a cool character

when I played Dh2 (hadn't played Dh1), I was excited to see a black woman with disabilities who was captaining a massive ship by herself. wow.

then I discovered Billie’s backstory with Deirdre, the way she responded to that, then having to survive while living on the run, and her bisexuality. as well as her history with daud & delilah. fascinating!

she’s an outsider who has so much to lose, and knows what it's like to lose everything - having lost everything not once but three times - but nevertheless speaks truth to power. she's so brave! she went and helped Emily & Corvo and she must have known they might kill her! plus, she’s smart, she’s funny, she gets shit done, she’s gorgeous.

but... the meta

mild critique of fandom & arkane incoming.

skip this bit if you want - you've been warned twice now - jump to tired Hayao Miyazaki and read from there if you'd like my thoughts on writing her.

i thought Death of the Outsider was going to be amazing and then... well. *sad trombone* i've written about that before so i won't keep banging on. i figured others must be disappointed too, so I joined a few fandom spaces in hopes of finding camaraderie.

most people with complaints about DotO didn’t like how the Outsider and Daud were handled. which is valid & I agree. but it seemed like most paid no attention to Billie; when people talk about her it’s with respect to Daud, as opposed to in her own right. you could argue for fandom misogyny because people don’t talk about adult Emily Kaldwin that much either, but in Billie's case, it’s misogynoir (compare & contrast with the popularity of thomas, particularly the popularity of thomas portrayed as a white man for no particular reason that i've been able to discern - i keep asking around, is it in the books???).

i think this is a LOT better now than it used to be, which is fantastic. or perhaps i have found the correct echo-chamber? ha.

ultimately, The Fandom is a fraction of the entire picture, and not even the important bit since The Fandom is not who these games are made for. you can't make money relying on only your hardcore fans even if all of them spent a fortune on merch, this is true for any AAA game.

while it's true that Billie is underrated from a fandom perspective - but Billie as an underwritten protagonist is squarely Arkane’s fault.

it was reasonable when she was a side character - the lack of info in Dh2 makes perfect sense (if anything there was more lore in Dh2 which is kind of wild)-

- but as a protagonist in Death of the Outsider?

.... there’s lousy writing, and there’s whatever is going on with Billie Lurk, a black woman who mostly exists as a foil or saviour for light-skinned characters. In her own game there’s barely any of her own lore except where it's relevant to saving two dudes.

lore hints at, but barely touches on what race means in the Dh universe (xenophobia is stronger in Dh1; separate essay i guess), but Arkane has patted themselves on the back for portraying non-white characters, which feels like the same thing as the aesthetic of diversity we're seeing in advertising currently because it’s in marketing trend guides. it's self-congratulatory and it's a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling.

you can see an example of diversity at its most shallow in the way that Billie’s written: there’s little engagement with her as an entire person with history & wants & preferences, and the world she walks through in that game feels like it has nothing to do with her. you could make a case for alienation as a theme, but then, how do you handle the titular premise of 'Dishonored' without ever letting Billie make changes in an environment without a chaos system? it's disappointing from that angle too.

in my opinion, whatever it's worth, it was an accident Arkane created such an awesome character - they needed someone to betray daud. congrats billie.

all this said, it makes her an underdog as far as characters to enjoy & create art & stories for. it's nice to find so many like-minded, switched on people! <3

billie's character potential

she’s got a wealth of unexplored lore, being deeply intertwined with both Karnaca & Dunwall’s fates & criminal underbellies, as well as her connections to the witches & whalers, and three Empresses.

she’s lived a few distinct lifetimes and in the games we get to meet her at two peaks (KoD & DotO) & a low (Dh2 as Meagan).

her voice is very distinct, her dry & often dark humour is entertaining & fun to write. her perspective is really interesting - she’s had the widest variety of void-powers of anyone canonically, and she’s also lived through the highest highs and lowest lows.

she's got everything going for her :) i couldn't really pick a fav thing!

#i assume my followers are cool enough to let me give a brief measured critique on fandom trends and DotO #thanks for the anon question!! what fun!#i love billie lurk <333 #jumped on the opportunity to rant n rave #what part of billie isn't my fav! (im a guy who likes the bad stuff too. mmm interesting meta)#trying to be not unfair or mean- i'm not targeting anyone but rather trends. and it's ok to be disappointed with something you love #fuck it. make it part of the appeal! her writing sucks! plenty of room for me & other creators!#its easier for me to indulge my billie brainworms when it sorta feels like she's not getting as much love as she deserves #you know? i want stories where her history is explored and her agency is important so i guess i'll roll up my sleeves #tumblr is a terrible place for this sort of critique IMO- lots of nuanceless empathy-free guilt-trip-ish rhetoric #so i hope i avoided that. but not so much that i seem forgiving.#that said i'm not tagging this one with fandom tags! no thank you.#i am blaming arkane yes. but that is also not without games industry context #i could complain about amateurish writing but that also never happens in a vacuum. industry problem(s) for sure.#people love to blame writers for things #and yeah a couple really fucking good writers can push a boulder uphill #but its usually a company problem #hire lots of diverse people in your company. give them authority and respect and reasonable workloads. and no crunch.#ah fuck this is a separate essay in tags. again #THIS WAS A SIMPLE QUESTION #*clutches head in hands*#uh if you're still reading at this point im SO sorry and thank you and i love you

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skeletalheartattack · 6 months

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We're going to the zoo. Love the animals?

person who's only ever watched super metroid speedruns voice: kill the animals

#ask #anon #alternatively my response wouldve been ''leave nothing alive'' but even when writing that. i couldnt stop thinking about super metroid #''love the animals'' and ''save the animals'' are the same in my mind you see.#ive never actually been to a zoo before myself #or anything of the sort really. closest ive been to are like. petting zoos?#but even then those were school events. granted i guess going to a zoo couldve been a school event but i dont recall the opportunity.#the only adjacent thing ive been to is a science museum. but theres no animals there. except for like. fake bones i guess.#but anyway. yes of coarse. love the animals.#such meaningful things. i'll look them all.#thank you for the ask anon. i hope your trip to the zoo is fun if you actually are going to the zoo

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plushiehamuko · 9 months

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With Shinjiro’s birthday quickly approaching, Hamuko wants to complete her plans for the perfect birthday with a perfect homemade cake to go with it, and Junpei and Akihiko are more than happy to help. However, they quickly learn that baking may not quite be “as easy as pie”. Additionally, Hamuko ends the special day by giving Shinjiro a present.

hey uh. here is a silly little fic i wrote for shinji's birthday, as promised...! mostly featuring hamuko, but there's some akihiko and junpei in there as well! no ships, just platonic stuff :)) happy birthday shinji, love you very much!!! <33333

#squishy tries to write #<- new tag new tag gonna USE THAT for fics now #uhhhh. sorry the quality is a bit rushed! i really didn't want it to be late but i didn't have much time to work on it lately bc of a trip #i prommy i'll post fics for shinji with more thought and time put into them when i'm not on a deadline!!#i'm also still learning and getting better with writing in general so uh. please be niceys thanks <3 #i still think it turned out cute despite everything!!! i hope you guys do too #shinjiro aragaki #hamuko arisato #junpei iori #akihiko sanada

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sunlightamed · 3 months

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. albedo / / @spidergourmet asked,

albedo has never needed a special day to treat klee accordingly. even so, the festivities and merriment make a golden foiled gift feel all the more magical. he squats to klee's height, a gloved arm beckoning her closer—the other arm waits patiently behind his back, seconds away from revealing the surprise of the hour.

"happy lantern rite, klee." albedo draws out a red pocket, presenting it to his younger sister. "i think red quite suits you. did you know? it's the color of a hero, of sparks, and particularly in liyue... of 'luck'. just like your clovers."

just like everything that has led him to here. there could be no greater fortune than what she has given him. ten, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand mora has nothing on it.

"now, make sure not to spend it all in one place, yes?" a palm cups the side of her head—albedo's language of doting is silent like snowfall, but certain as the imprint of footprints left in its powdery white blanket. "you mustn't forget to indulge yourself, either. i'm very proud of how responsible you've been growing in your adventures."

received: albedo's red pocket! a weighted crimson envelope packed even heavier with mora. 100,000 mora, to be exact. happy lantern rite!

little sun was almost too eager to be anchored by her other half, smiling from cheek to cheek, her chest rising in uneven breaths as she panted and tried to collect herself before her brother. after all, running to and fro in a game of chase with the other children of the harbor surely put her out of breath! but no matter how breathless, how dizzy with excitement, this mage's gaze immediately stuck to the arm albedo kept extended behind him. round, bright eyes narrowed, her mouth opening to maybe exclaim her surprise before all of her attention is pulled back to his face. to his smile, mainly.

thus, she giggled, tawny skin flushing merely from excessive joy as she nodded, "happy lantern rite, big brother! i━━" but a gasp interrupted her; her gasp, to be specific. a red pocket was raised to her gaze, bright and golden and full and hers! all hers!! klee squealed and hopped on the tips of her boots, anchored only by the hand albedo gently had on her arm, keeping her close enough within the invisible bubble of their conversation.

her first red envelope of the year! or, well, that's how the tradition went... but! it was a first! klee giggled until the mirth trembled her shoulders and her voice spilled into the sweetest fit of laughter, her arms outstretched, not to reach for the envelope, but instead for her brother. she practically tripped into his arms, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck and trapping the crimson pocket between their bodies.

"klee knows! klee knows! mama said she knew red would be my color ever since... well! ever!" little sun held him closer, laughing against his skin until she pulled back, still smiling, still bright. gloved hands carefully took the crimson envelope, holding that, too, close to her chest as she swayed on dizzy feet. a softer fit of laughter slipped from her at the touch of albedo's hand against her head, thus, she pressed back into the embrace.

klee's assurance came in the form of little uh-huhs and happy mhms. she nodded, "i promise! klee will be diligent with this." but her promise came too early, as albedo hadn't finished. and, when he did, his words left her in a silent, wide-eyed state. she blinked, rapidly, bright eyes unable to fathom what he had said.

but then, little sun laughed, a small sound, glancing away albeit nervously, kicking her foot against the wood of the harbor beneath them. "oh, big brother..." she whispered, clutching onto the red pocket as though it were him, hugging it to her chest until she remembered that, unlike her parents, he was tangible; kneeling before her with a gentle smile.

so, once again, klee embraced him, arms around his neck and head bowed slightly. laughter hadn't left her, still prominent as she said, "thank you, 'bedo! thank you so much! klee's grown so much and learned so many things and it's all because of you! well, most of it. hehe, i can't forget about the other knights." when she pulled away, it was to press a quick kiss to his cheek, before ultimately remaining in the embrace. "klee can't wait to buy so many souvenirs with this... and, oh! maybe we can take a trip to fontaine and buy some of their gear! have you seen this lady━━very pretty and blue━━who..."

#ghlanternrite2024 #spidergourmet #ᰔ ━━━ ❝ a blinding sunlit smile of fangs ・【 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 】 .#ᰔ ━━━ ❝ the sparkling secrets of a little knight ・【 𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐗 】 .#HRRHRRKRKRKWEMWEWE EHWWHAAYAYAAWWSMA EWM WE DEMWWEWKSAKDKMWE RHRHRHRHRHE #RAAAAAAAAAAA #this is my formal apology for writing so much #I JUST . I JUST . THE SIBLINGS... i clench my fist #sen... sen... i grab you by the shoulders... THANK YOUUU #klee who is taking albedo on a field trip to fontaine so she can spend her 100000 mora on equipment ( she saw furina and got inspired

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yvesdot · 4 months

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I still have people from five years ago who are big fans of the book and recommend it to their friends on their own, which is kind of all you really want, for people to like your work enough that they feel that it’s changed them.

Another interview, this one in the Good Times!

#press #interviews #txt #important writing updates #You see why I'm behind...#Thanks so much to Josue Monroy!! I still owe you a boba trip...

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abirddogmoment · 11 months

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As an avid birder who also wants a dog someday, how did you deal with Mav while birding? Assuming you had him with you :) is his instinct to watch rather than chase, or did you have to do work with his prey drive? Also, any breeds that you (or anyone else) think would be content to just watch birds with me? :P

Hi this ask brought me SO MUCH GLEE.

Maverick, my beloved friend, was a terrible awful no good birding partner. I worked really hard on impulse control but it still was no match for his (enormous, untamed) prey drive. If we were on foot, we were not birding (with the exception of chance encounters). He was a phenomenal road birding partner; when I drove back roads looking for birds I would let him ride shotgun and he was great at that. It brought him joy to watch birds, but it would have taken so much work to turn him into a pleasant birding partner on foot. I would very much not recommend a brittany for calm outdoor recreation.

Pike (a rat terrier) is a phenomenal birding partner. I feel like the more innately engaged and biddable breeds are probably a better bet if it's important to you.

#about mav #mav memories #mav was my best friend but he was EVIL #it was still worth it imo #but he was a bad hiking companion and a bad birding partner #he was too energetic too balls to the wall GO too spirited #if he was off leash i was constantly giving him verbal directions #and if he was on leash i had to leash handle so i didnt have a free hand #he had a good down stay #but it was mostly for chance encounters more than like a full birding trip #miles can attest he tried birding with mav on a waistbelt a couple times #(it was not a pleasant experience for either of them)#this brought me a lot of joy to think about and write thank you #i adored that evil little dog

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9haharharley1 · 4 months

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Having a dilemma because I would love to know 001 for Blackice but also 002 for Jack and Pitch individually 💦

Where do I even begin with this!!! Hold on to your hats!

001 | Blackice

When I started shipping it if I did:

Story time! So, back when I originally watched the movie in 2015 or 2016, I didn't think much of it. I thought it was cute, but I was battling heavy depression and dissociation, and so I didn't really think anything of it past that. Themes and characters meant nothing to me. Even the voices didn't stick, which is weird because I've been in love with Jude Law since I was wee. Fast forward to September 2022, I'm reading Apprentice89's entire pompep catalog, and, desperate for anything similar they might have written, I stumbled upon their only Blackice fic. Even though I remembered nothing from the movie, the summary was just interesting enough, and I love their writing so much that I had to read it. I read it, fell in love, had to go watch the movie again, and promptly watched it about ten more times that same day, and I've been obsessed ever since!

My thoughts:

They make me insane. I've always been a sucker for dark/light ship dynamics, Yami/Yugi (puzzleshipping) was my very first ship when I figured out what shipping was, so you can only imagine how I lost my mind when I found out Jack used to be a creature of light in the books! Black/White, Light/Dark, Black/Blue, two sides of the same coin, beings who complete each other if only they would let it happen! This stuff makes me feral. I was never gonna be normal about them when I finally figured it out, and I hate that I'm late to the party, but better late than never!

What makes me happy about them:

Where do I even begin with anything on this list?! They're just... ugh! They're perfect! They're comedy and tragedy and hope and despair and love all wrapped up in a messy box of internalized pain topped with a neat little bow of healing magic! They understand each other in a way that no one ever will! They have felt and experienced love and loss, have faced a lifetime, and then some of loneliness and heartache, only to have finally found each other when it all became too much, this other being who understands, who feels some semblance of the same bitter ache the other feels! Here is someone they can talk to; they can touch, they can exist together, and maybe, finally, be able to begin to heal together.

What makes me sad about them:

They're lonely. They are both so lonely, even Jack with his newfound place with the Guardians and among his believers- he will never be completely unalone among them. The Guardians will never understand the kind of ache and bitter loneliness he and Pitch have felt, Jack will never be able to explain that kind of torment to them. And now he has to worry about spreading belief in him when it seems only a handful of kids from the movie even know he exists. And Pitch has been alone for even longer. He's had nothing but shadows and the whispers of failures long past for centuries before Jack is even born. He'll forever be haunted by the things he's done, the lives he's ruined, and know that belief in him will only continue to fade with time. But when they're together, they're not alone. They understand each other in a way that the Guardians will never be able to. They can help one another, they can connect and heal, and maybe even tie themselves together enough that they can spread a shared belief in each other.

( I have no idea if any of this is even making sense, I've gone incoherent)

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Pitch always seems to be too nice. He's too nice and too thoughtful, and Jack is sometimes too timid or even just too angry and aggressive. Jack being a little too confident can also be grating. I also don't like it when they're over-sharing their thoughts and feelings, and every little action needs to be picked apart and talked about, oh hey, here's what a healthy romantic relationship between these two should look like! It gets annoying to me.

things I look for in fanfic:

I read fics based on interesting enough summaries and worry about the tags later. I love it when there's a bit of conflict and drama, I love it when Pitch is possessive and needy of Jack's affection, I love when Jack doesn't realize how desperate he is for Pitch's attention and doesn't know how to reconcile his love when faced with the Guardians when they find out! I love when Pitch is not necessarily redeemed, but certainly not Good, and only willing to heel for Jack.

Who I'd be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I love a good platonic relationship with Sandy for both of them. A begrudging friendship between Pitch and North makes me laugh. Gilly, you made that wonderful little doodle of them sharing a drink that just melts my heart! Jack and Katherine in the books also have a cute friendship, and that can stay platonic for me as well. I do like a little bit of JackRabbit, but I also prefer it as a cliche trope to make Pitch jealous cuz I crave a possessive Pitch. Basically, no, I don't ship them with anyone else.

My happily ever after for them:

Their happily ever after includes continuing to learn and grow together. Since they're immortal to some extent, they get to spend their days learning about each other, falling in love over and over again at some new quirk they never notice the other has, they get to heal as time goes on, they get to bicker and argue and kiss and makeup over and over while falling more and more in love until the heat death of the universe. Basically, they get to live their best married life forever.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Pitch is the big spoon usually. He tends to run hot, and Jack is just the perfect little ice pack to keep him cool in the dark of his caverns. Jack tends to sleep curled up - he's used to sleeping on tree branches or awnings, small tight places high up enough he won't be bothered, but also has had to learn to make himself small for so he won't fall. Pitch loves it, and since my Pitch doesn't sleep, he tends to use this time to me be creepy; touching and groping at Jack until his lover is squirming uncomfortably in his sleep.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Honestly, they just like spending time together. They've both been alone for so long that idle conversation is enough for them as long as they're together, be it down in Pitch's cave or up in the world as Jack spreads winter. They're constantly touching - feet in laps, holding hands, hands brushing skin. They play games, they spar, and Jack often drags Pitch to the movies or a play or even the occasional concert. As long as they're together, they're happy.

002 | Jack

How I feel about this character:

I'm normal about him. I swear. Completely normal. No, his centuries of loneliness and isolation doesn't make my heart weep. What do you mean I'm crying over the resentment he so clearly harbors over the ignorance from his creator and the Guardians alike? No, I'm not sobbing over how he can relate to no one except the one person he's not supposed to feel kinship with! How dare you insinuate I'm tearing my hair out over his choosing to be kind in a world that has shunned him and being a good and decent person despite his pain and isolation when he would perhaps be justified if he had taken the devil's hand and unleashed a a second ice age upon the world!

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Pitch. Obviously. Also Kozmotis. Obviously.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

He and Sandy can be bros. As a treat. And I guess Katherine is a cute platonic friendship. I forget Twiner exists because I go off the movie mostly, so him to, I guess.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Oh boy. So this kind of goes with what I said under the ship bit above, but I don't like it when he's too timid. Jack is not a timid person. He's insecure. Insecurity does not necessarily mean he's scared, but he's been alone for 300 years. He's interacted with very few people as far as we know (unless you go by the books, which I don't usually, but even then). He talks to himself, he talks to the Moon, he talks to Sandy , who doesn't talk back, and he's talked to Bunny, which has been historically antagonistic. His social skills come from studying the people around them, gauging what is right and wrong thru observation alone, but he's not entirely confident in himself. Which brings me to: I can't stand when he's overconfident. Once again, he's insecure. He's unsure of himself, of his place in the world, of his role with the Guardians. He's known no true loving friendship in 300 years, and suddenly regaining his memories is not gonna fix that kind of trauma. Can you imagine the mental break he'll suffer when he realizes his sister had to watch him die, knowing there was nothing she could do to help? That she had to go on with her life, thinking it was her fault her big brother drowned? I don't like when he's super happy-go-lucky, either, but also when he's this weird avenging spirit of hurting children, too? I've seen that, and it bothered me.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

What blackice fan doesn't wish for him to have reached out to Pitch at the end of the movie? I would have loved for him to be the one to chase after Pitch at the end, to have reached out his hand to the Boogieman the same way Pitch had in Antarctica, to offer him a place among friends. Maybe not as a Guardian because I firmly believe Pitch would hate that, but as equals and friends.

my OTP:

Blackice, of course

my cross over ship:

None that I take seriously, but I did use to really enjoy Hijack, and I still find it cute on occasion

a headcanon fact:

I know it's unpopular HC, but my own HC for Jack is that he's a virgin. As a human, he fooled around with a local friend, discovering together what these weird teenage hormones are all about, but they never got that far past frotting in the woods after dark. When he became a spirit, his internal and external temperatures were too cold for anyone short of winter fae to handle past embracing for a brief period of time, and Jack learned early on not to entirely trust the fae court, so he steered clear of them foe the most part. He figured if he didn't have the urges too much as a spirit anyway, then it wasn't a big deal. His body didn't miss it, why should he? Then Pitch came along, and suddenly, his sex drive is working overtime.

002 | Pitch

How I feel about this character:

I am SO normal about him. Please ignore my twitching eye. Tall, goth, creepy, handsome men with spooky shadow powers haven't all been my weakness since I was wee lass, stop looking at me like that. I'm not thinking at all about the broken legacy this man left behind, about how he was once a great hero, renowned and loved by all, how he loved his daughter above all things, only to lose her and what little he had in an endless war and become a shell of that great hero, how he lost himself to despair, became corrupted by the very shadows he vowed to destroy, proceeded to lay waste to his people, destroyed entire Constellations, and became the monster in the dark children fear. I'm not thinking at all about how this man became nothing more than a shadow himself, forced to prey on the fears of children who no longer believe in him in an ever changing world. I'm not frothing at the mouth that this same man found the only other person in existence who has felt even an inkling of his same loneliness, had pinned all his hopes for companionship on that being, only to be turned away, forced back into his dark and lonely hole, into the dark and away from a light he can never touch. What do you mean I'm clawing at the walls? I have no idea what you're talking about.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Jack Frost, and a bit of Nightlight thrown in for some flavor.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Sandy, of course. The idea that Pitch is the only one who can community clearly and fluently with Sandy makes me laugh every time and is one of my favorite HCs to come out of this fandom.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Once again, it all comes back to characterization. Authors tend to make him too nice or too thoughtful. He's too neutral or too tame. I like my bad guys to be Bad Guys. Don't neuter him just so you can have a fluffy redemption thru sex. This man has had nothing to claim as his own for millenia. He's gonna be possessive and all kinds of red flags about it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I wish we got to see more of Pitch's power in the movie. I would have loved to see the spooky, shadowy shapeshifter from the concept art. I would have loved to see him be an actual nightmarish threat, with shadows and fearlings, sailing the skies on his Nightmare Galleon. I wish we could have gotten a hint of the terrifying Nightmare King we glimpse in the books and the fear his very presence strikes in those around him. It would have been an entirely different movie.

my OTP:

Blackice, duh

my cross over ship:

None

a headcanon fact:

Pitch spied on Jack over the course of the boy's 300 years. He sensed his fear when he died. He wanted to be there when he rose out of the lake, but the Moon's light prevented him from reaching out to Jack. Instead, he settled for being a stalker creep, feeding on Jack's fears when both of them were in Burgess. He never met Jack personally, but he watched him. He thought it a kindness to leave Jack out of the fight with the Guardians, but since Jack was playing favorites, Pitch decided he was fair game to try swaying to his side, especially since they had so much in common.

#thank you for asking!!#this was a trip to write #im at work and actively stopped working for 3 hours just to get all this down #this was so much fun tho!#harley answers #asks #harley writes #blackice #rotg

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