Now I don't know if it's just because Im physically disabled, but I feel like it's not a stretch to interperate Lindsay pepper-bean saying she's stupid everytime she tries to walk withiut assistance/realizes she really does not know how to walk on her own as another thing her society has cut out from themselves, like the rich- white- young-able bodied model of the bubble people really stands out of a "yeah of course she would say that. If you can't walk your dumb." As well as constantly calling ruby and the doctor stupid and dumb for not knowing 'basic things ' just that whole high and mighty thing alot of privileged people say without even thinking twice.
It's interesting characterization to me because she CLEARLY thinks VERY HIGHLY of herself, so why on earth is she calling herself stupid for not knowing how to walk? No one here does obviously, of course aside from Ricky September who she calls crazy for knowing these things
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So I adore time loops and I think Sampo would be very fun in a time loop AU. Because despite having so many onscreen interactions with so many characters, he almost always seems to hold people at a certain careful distance, so it's fun to imagine what or who he's willing to use a time loop for, how far he's willing to go, how much he actually does care.
At the end of the Masquerade Duet companion quest, Sparkle mentions a catastrophe soon to befall Jarilo-VI. And some players have interpreted this as a past event (the catastrophe being the story quests we took part in there), but other players have speculated this as an upcoming disaster that Sampo is trying to mitigate.
And so, Gepard finds Sampo in Belobog, right after he was supposed to return from Penacony...or whatever it was called, Gepard had almost been too relieved to remember the name after Natasha assured him that Sampo was fine and not missing or dead, just on a trip since the planet was finally open for travel.
He had assumed this was some kind of vacation, or some shady business endeavor (valid), but when he sees him, Sampo looks. Exhausted.
His usual smirk is there, but there's something horribly off about it that Gepard can't put into words. His voice doesn't have the usual bounce in it. His gait slightly off. There are bags under his eyes, his hair is just the slightest bit out of place. Sampo looks exhausted.
His feet move without him really thinking, he goes up to Sampo to say...something. Maybe just ask him if he's ok. But he can't leave this alone and not do anything, because Gepard can feel it, something is wrong.
And that feeling sticks with him, like the persistent cold, like frostbite, all day. Gepard can't seem to shake it. There is a collective unease seeping through Belobog, sinking deep, tangling around their bones. And the only one who seems to be reacting truly different to it is Sampo.
Gepard tries to tail the guy a few times, anything he can do to learn about what's going on and ease this devouring dread, but Sampo seems to know where he's hiding and calls him out every single time.
He dodges every question (normal), slips out of every grab and grasp (normal), barely even looks at Gepard (decidedly NOT normal).
And maybe it's the darkness that seems to hover over them. The way the air feels like it is pressing down and smothering the breath out of his lungs. But Gepard's patience finally snaps, much sooner than he ever would have thought it would, and he finally grabs Sampo by the collar, hauls him up and forces his back against the brick wall of the alleyway. Because maybe Sampo makes his living double crossing and stabbing backs and he wouldn't understand this, but Gepard has a family, he has people he wants to protect, and so he needs to know what the fuck is going on.
And he knows he's crossed a line the moment he says it. He knows it's not true. Gepard has seen the way Sampo and Caelus sneak around in the Fragmentum or meander down the alleys, snickering with their arms slung around each other. He's seen the way Sampo lets Hook climb up his back onto his shoulders while he takes the moles on little adventures. He's seen the way he and Serval rib each other like it was natural, easy, and the way he goes out of his way for Natasha like he wouldn't any other client, had even trusted her with the knowledge that he was leaving off-planet.
Sampo has people he wants to protect, too, and Gepard shouldn't have accused him otherwise.
But before he can even apologize, Sampo does something stranger still.
Instead of telling him off, or taking a swing at him- both things Gepard would admit he deserved- Sampo just. Lifts one hand, lays it over Gepard's fists still balled in his jacket. Like he's keeping him there. Even through his gloves, his hand is warm.
And Sampo doesn't even really look at him, he leaves his head hung low as he quietly tells Gepard to just go home. Stay in with his family. Don't come out. Please. Please.
But eventually, the catastrophe strikes.
And Gepard can't. He can't stay safe inside his home while this is happening. He can't ignore this. He tells Serval and Lynx to stay in. Don't come out. And he dons his armor and marches out to protect as many people as he can.
When it's all said and done, all Gepard can see is rubble piled around him and a blackened sky. He can hear fire crackling. He can hear a voice he recognizes as Serval's wailing and screaming his name, and he knows she's not going to find him in time. She shouldn't even be out here.
A bloodied face swims into view, bright green eyes looking hollowed and haunted, posture weary and defeated. Gepard reaches out a shaking arm, trying to grab at Sampo's pantleg, trying to make any sound other than gurgling the blood filling his throat, because he knows it for certain now, he knew, Sampo knew.
"Not this time either, huh...?" The sigh he heaves isn't theatrical, for once. Somewhere, rubble groans and loudly collapses. Sampo doesn't even startle or turn to look at it. "I'll figure it out soon, I promise. There has to be a way to pull you through this alive. There has to be."
Something materializes in his hand, something red. Gepard's vision dims at the edges as he watches Sampo hold the mask over his face, as it seemingly attaches itself directly to his skin.
"See you on the next go around, Captain."
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DFF Finale
Alright alright alright that took me on a rollercoaster like some REAL high lows in that episode, I love an ambiguous ending but also I crave so much more closure owwwwwwww
However for now I'm just coming to share my theory. Ever since this post pointed out that New hallucinated Non in his death t-shirt, I've been sitting on the idea that the Janta drugs have actual supernatural qualities. These aren't just any old hallucinogens New cooked up, they're a strain of a drug that serves a specific purpose for a death cult. So now that EVERYONE hallucinated Non in his death t-shirt, even though Tee is the only one who ever saw him in it, and it's highkey unlikely that he described the shirt Non was wearing to them at any time (and certainly not to New when he hallucinated Non wearing it years ago), I would like to propose the theory that the ghost of Non they see is a very real very true ghost, and the things he says to them are very real very true things. The "thank you" he gives New is not a figment of New's troubled mind, but what Non actually has to say to him, just like everything else he says to everyone else: their actions may be the product of their guilt, but Non is actually speaking his ghostly mind to each of them.
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✦ COVER REVEAL! ✦
Into the Tower is a choose-your-own-path, masquerade ball fantasy heist into a spellbinder’s tower, with multiple special endings for each character and some incredible guest art from some of my favourite illustrators.
It's available to pre-order now from IDEALLY YOUR FAVOURITE INDIE BOOKSTORE or also here
psych, that link ALSO lets you support indie bookstores!!! It also has more info, artists and previews of the first pages.
FAQ Is it queer: yes. Can you topple the government? Yes. Can you become lost forever in the twisting realm of memories and fears that’s the source of all magic? Yes. Can you make friends with a woodlouse? YES.
~ INTO THE TOWER ~
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Circumstance IV
Circumstance III
They made it all the way to the drains without running into another guard and Rayla’s anxiety had begun to lessen just as they ran into Soren.
He sighed upon seeing them, his sword slung over his shoulder. “I was beginning to hope you weren’t as dumb as I thought.”
“I don’t want to fight you, Soren.” Rayla unsheathed her blades, stepping in front of Callum. He’d surrendered his staff before being sent to the dungeon and there wasn’t even a slight breeze this far underground. Potentially, he could use the puddles of water under their feet, but it would be weak magic.
“I wouldn’t want to fight me either.” Soren smirked at her, holding his sword in front of him for a moment, before he sighed and sheathed it.
Rayla frowned at him, not in anyway relaxing her swords. She glanced at Callum, finding him similarly perplexed.
“Soren?” He stepped around Rayla, eyes fixed on the crown guard.
“You had to know everyone suspected you’d do this, right?” Soren rolled his eyes, a hand on his hip. “For a smart guy, you can be really dumb, Callum.”
“You’re not stopping us, Soren.” Rayla gripped her blades tightly, confused as to what was going on. “I’m not going to let them sentence Callum to death.”
“Wouldn’t that make sense? That’s what he’s done to the rest of us.” Soren glared at Callum, his expression harder than Rayla had ever seen it.
She gripped her swords tighter, watching Soren, noting his every move, preparing for him to reach for his sword again-
“Go.” Huffing, he shook his head and stepped aside, gesturing down the tunnel. “They’re expecting you to run to Xadia, so don’t go there. Or go the long way around or something.”
Rayla looked at Callum, finding him similarly confused.
“Seriously,” Soren pursed his lips, looking like he was warring with himself. “Before I realise how dumb this whole thing is too.”
Exchanging a glance with Callum, Rayla took the lead, inclining her head at Soren as she passed him.
“Thank you, Soren.” Callum nodded at the crown guard.
“I’m not doing this for you.” Soren turned to face Callum; his eyes fierce. “Either of you.” He looked between them. “I’m doing this for Ezran. You both have put him in an impossible situation. First you, giving up the Cube-” He glared at Callum then turned to Rayla. “And now you, being so stupid as to bust him out. Ezran doesn’t want to see either of you hurt, but his hands are tied.”
Rayla looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. Of course she knew this, all of this, was betraying Ezran more than anyone. What was the alternative though?
“Here,” Soren’s voice was hard, and Rayla braced, not knowing what might be next. Instead, Soren leaned into the shadows and produced Callum’s staff, the miniature primal stone glowing brighter as soon as Callum’s fingers touched it.
“Don’t make me regret this,” Soren held Callum’s gaze for a moment, then looked at Rayla.
Callum nodded, taking Rayla’s hand in his. “We won’t.”
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I really enjoy the life series being a thing that goes “thrown into a death game and shit gets intense and we all end up needing therapy” BUT ALSO the meta version where it’s “Grian invited us to a death game and we voluntarily went and shit got intense but it’s all good we know we’re doing this for entertainment, no hard feelings anywhere (although some players hold grudges stronger than others)”
But what if it was combined? Sorta like genloss
Maybe it’s only the winners who see eldritch beings holding cameras or floating cameras. The winners get a special mic held up to them while they rant about their strategies or thoughts. Maybe everyone else sees it too, but it becomes invisible to them as the season progresses. As shit gets intense and they get their head lost in the game
And Gem, the newest addition, doesn’t have seasons worth of ignoring the things out of the corner of her eye. She catches a camera and stares right at it. At the audience. Us
The eye imagery still stands, because what the players perceive as floaty glowing eyes are actually camera lens. Reflective black “eyes”. Watching. Waiting. Recording
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