#GG you aren't old

[doubleedgemode]

A.B.A's chains-A Guilty Gear analysis

I heard that in the spanish version A.B.A's title of "lovingly latched on homunculus" is translated as "homúnculo encadenado por el amor "(homunculus chained by love) which aside from being a fair translation serves to highlight A.B.A's recurring chain motif, either of real or metaphorical chains.

Out of the way, of course, we have Paracelsus's old chain though of course that's more a motif to him and his story! But in a lesser way you could argue its hers too as it is she who holds the chain.

And of course we have to mention her arcade mode quote of (from memory, sorry for innacuracies) "the shackles of affection are still shackles" which, yes! This is too related moreso to Paracelsus! but its her realization. And a pivotal scene for both.

Lastly, this is more my speculation but you know the gg Isuka xbox cover where her gloves say "Alice"? Part of me wants to believe it's an Alice in Chains reference because.. you know. Guilty Gear.

Whatever, this all plus the hypocrisy she has exhibited about Frasco and Paracelsus make for a really interesting leitmotif. Not as big as the key, frankenstein or even blood ones, but a subtle, present one, imo. A chain motif. Both as the chainer and the chained.

I say hypocrisy because well, she saw Frasco/Flask as her trap (fun fact, the name is prob a reference to Paracelsian lore of homunculi having to spend their early stages in a flask or else they'd die) and she desperatedly wanted freedom, she knows so well how is it to lack autonomy but when she obsessed over Paracelsus she was doing that to him. Hell, while the XX endings aren't canon afaik, we see her bad ending. Just like how other characters in the game make a heel turn or die (I'm oversimplyfying it but you get it) the ending where she keeps human Paracelsus chained (that one ending is... Something) even more crassly than before. She's not the victim here, it's him, but if we follow the metaphorical chaining thing then she has also chained herself very strongly.

As we see in Strive, either always or at some point she realized her doings were wrong... Yet kept on doing them. She's indeed chained to (her unhealthy idea of) love (and her other obsessive mindsets).

Of course, Paracelsus is not innocent, either. This is an A.B.A centric post but of course I have to mention him!! As we see in Strive and, regardless if it was due to his demon nature or simply willingly being a bad guy he was also metaphorically chained before knowing A.B.A... chained to his thirst of destruction and recklessness. And we know he tried to manipulate A.B.A even if he fails and starts to legitimately care about her.

Both of them are chained. Chained not as a good term but as a detrimental one. Chained to eachother, yes, but also to themselves, to their own chains, shackles of obsessions. With A.B.A especially, we know for sure she has managed to escape previous chainings but she keeps getting into them. And that's scary, almost.

But this is Guilty Gear and there's hope and freedom (ha.) so Strive has this beautiful conclusion (or rather new beginning!) to their story, and, while we have seen Paracelsus improve before, maybe A.B.A's won't be linear. But she legitimately, against all odds, WANTS the situation to be better, and both have gotten a better understanding of the other and like Paracelsus said, they can make it right, now. Now what they have with eachother is less chaining and more bonding and dissolving of a healthier kind as partners, be it as lovers, friends or whatever.

The chains are broken now, it's a new beginning.

#a.b.a #paracelsus #guilty gear #guilty gear strive #guilty gear spoilers #long post #I DON'T KNOW WHY I TYPED OUT A WHOLE little ESSAY. #text tag2b named #a.b.a's such an interesting character. paracelsus too but her hypocrisy with chains gets me. I'm glad she's in strive

[torukmaktoskxawng]

'anla - part seven

Series Masterlist Summary: The next generation is getting ready to complete their Iknimaya. Ao'nung and Y/n aren't exactly hiding, but people are finally noticing. Pairing: Ao'nung/Fem!Na'vi!Sully Reader Warnings: Mature language, overprotective parent, heated arguments, heated gazes (in a sexy way), fluff, coming of age, mentions of mating, mentions of drowning and death, etc posted on ao3 Word Count: 8k+ Tag: #'anla ao'nung fic Na'vi Words: Marui - house/pod, ilu - plesiosaur like animal, tulkun - whale like animal, skxawng - moron, akula - shark like animal, olo'eyktan - clan leader, ma'yawntu - my love, paskalin - honey, syulang - flower, tìyawn - love, tsahik - spiritual leader, tswin/kuru - queue braid, tsakarem - tsahik in training, tsurak - skimwing, ikran - mountain banshee, tsaheylu - the bond, swoa - intoxicating beverage, oel ngati kameie - I See you, ma'yawntutsyìp - my darling, nantang - viperwolf, ma'ite - my daughter, taronyu - hunter Taglist (bold indicates "could not tag"): @bangtanxberm @aonungmyaddiction @lv9su @aisselasstuff @yourusername1 @amortencjja @king-julian6201 @gg-trini @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @mikeyswifie @heart-an0n @iloveavatar @urdads-gf  @kentfisherswifee6 @sakurayuki8655-blog @ken-zah @nilrilie @g-l-1-t-c-h-3-r @iovemoonyy @sopluto @frvv A/N: Two chapters in just two days??? Anyway, like I said the last chapter, I had to split my writing into two parts since it was getting to be over 10,000 words, so here is the next part!

The trip back to the village was a quiet one, Y/n's mind still reeling about her conversation with Neteyam. Jake thankfully didn't ask and acted as a pillar of strength when they returned home. He made one look at Neytiri and she opted out of saying anything, gladly letting her husband and her daughter return to the marui but not before she held them both in her arms out of relief that things would be alright between them. Y/n went to bed early, exhausted from all of the events of the day that resulted in the grief come bouncing back. If she woke up in the middle of the night to find herself in a cuddle pile of both Na'vi and human siblings, she didn't mention it, and none of the Sullys made any comments the following morning. Everyone was just happy that bonds were mending and hearts were healing. They were one step closer to feeling like a family again.

Lo'ak was visibly more comfortable walking beside Y/n that morning, knowing that she and their father had talked, and was happy to no longer walk on eggshells around either of them. Y/n appeared more relaxed as well, despite receiving some odd-looking glares from nearby Metkayina girls. To ignore the stares and lighten the mood a little more, Y/n shoved her little brother into the water before he could even blink. The resulting splash sent Y/n laughing and Lo'ak sputtering when his resurfaced, vowing revenge. It was then that Ao'nung and Rotxo showed up, grinning down at Lo'ak's predicament while standing beside Y/n.

"Quit messing around, Lo'ak," Ao'nung teased good-naturedly, "We got work to do today."

Lo'ak frowned, slightly embarrassed but summoned an ilu for himself. The other teens do the same and they head out to work, all the while Rotxo explains today's task to the Sully children, "When training to be a warrior among the Metkayina, you have to ride an ilu to chase away predators that threaten the young."

"Bro, we used ilu to rescue a tulkun and fought against Sky People," Lo'ak retorts, "I think that should count."

"He's got a point," Y/n added, "I think we rescued plenty of our young doing that."

Lo'ak squints his eyes in his sister's direction, "I couldn't tell if that was sarcastic or not."

"Figure it out, skxawng."

"It is all about tradition," Ao'nung explained, "I am sure the Elders would appreciate us keeping up with old traditions despite we have done enough to become warriors ten times over already despite our young age."

"So we're only doing this to impress a bunch of old people?" Lo'ak questioned with an added groan, getting splashed by Y/n in the process.

"Lo, for someone who just tries to fit in--"

"I know, I know," he waved her off half-heartedly.

"I'd like to see you talk that way to Grandmother."

A bit of color drains from Lo'ak's face, but otherwise he says nothing. Ao'nung laughed as they leisurely swayed in the water, leaning over in Lo'ak's direction, "They say that the Elders see and hear all. I would watch my back if I were you, Lo'ak te Suli. Maybe make a necklace for them as an apology."

Y/n laughs while Rotxo's smile slowly turns up into a mischievous grin, eyeing Ao'nung while opening his mouth, his eyes all-knowing, "Speaking of necklaces, that is a very nice arrowhead, Y/n. Akula?"

Ao'nung spun to glare at Rotxo in warning while Y/n briefly pressed a finger to the arrowhead she had yet to take off. She quickly retracts her touch and pointedly doesn't look at Rotxo, "Yes, thank you."

By now, Lo'ak is also staring at the necklace, eyes widening each time his brain puts another piece of the puzzle together, head tilting to Ao'nung, then Y/n, then back again. Rotxo could see Lo'ak's realization slowly dawning on his face and decided not to let up for the sake of teasing his friend, "Did you make it? Or was it given to you?"

"The necklace is mine... the tooth was a gift."

"Oh? From who?" Rotxo's big eyes practically sparkle with mirth, staring directly at Lo'ak as he adds, "You know, speaking of tradition, usually when a Na'vi gifts another something as special as that, it means they are courting--"

"I think we should split up on our patrol," Lo'ak abruptly states, briefly glaring daggers at Ao'nung while urging his ilu forward to swim beside Rotxo, "As I am about ready to strangle both of you, I will be going with Rotxo."

"Sure," Ao'nung shrugged, "Meet back here around midday?"

"Alright. See ya then."

Ao'nung and Y/n watch Lo'ak and Rotxo speed their ilu up and swim away, jumping in and out of the water before disappearing on the horizon. The pair waits until they are completely alone before Y/n flashes a side-eye glance in Ao'nung's direction, "You told Rotxo?"

"I didn't tell him anything," he defends, "But practically everyone has been asking. They all probably know."

"Yeah... 'Teyam used to tease me about it." She smiled sadly at the memory.

"Did he? I was so sure he would have killed me."

"No, he was the brother you didn't have to worry about," she huffed a small laugh, "Lo'ak and Spider on the other hand... well, you've been punched by the one before, and Spider might be more level-headed but you have never seen him truly angry."

A small glimmer flashed in Ao'nung's eyes, a wave of respect for the human boy washing over him, "That's intriguing."

She snorts quietly, her eyes returning to the spot where the other pair of teenagers disappeared, "I'm pretty sure Lo'ak has known about us for a while, maybe before I even knew there was an 'us.' So I wouldn't worry about him. He's just acting like a child."

She raises an eyebrow when Ao'nung emits a small growl, "Maybe your brother should worry about me if what I heard about him and Tsireya is true."

"Oh, please. They have been fond of each other since the day they met, don't act like you didn't notice." Y/n rolled her eyes.

"I am going to kill him."

"You will do no such thing if you know what's good for you," she glared dangerously back, though Ao'nung noted that it was not as heated or as threatening as her usual glares, "You cannot hate him for seeing your sister and then turn around to see his. Besides, I think your mother doesn't mind it after she and I talked that one time we were foraging. She heard my side of things and I think she actually approves of Lo'ak and Tsireya now."

Ao'nung goes back to that day when he found Y/n and his mother walking out of the forest together, his ears sheepishly pinning back against his skull when he remembered what had happened after Y/n had left, "My mother asked about you."

Y/n's eyes widened, "She did?"

"And she tells my father everything, so..."

"Same here. I think our sisters know, but they are not saying anything. They would take it to their grave if we asked them." Y/n smiles to herself.

"It wouldn't matter. This whole village is full of spinsters," Ao'nung snidely comments, "Everyone's business is everyone's business."

He watched as the gears openly turned in Y/n's head, her eyes looking to the sky while she asked, "... Is that why there were girls staring at me down by the docks this morning?"

"I do not know," initially, he shrugs, but she watches as Ao'nung's eyes slowly start to sparkle as his teasing grin reemerges, "Maybe they are jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Of course," he flaunts dramatically, "Jealous that a forest girl from a faraway place managed to steal the future olo'eyktan out from under their noses."

Her scowl immediately pitches into a laugh when he reaches over and briefly grabs her tail. Y/n pulled away from him before he could do it again, still laughing while trying to evade his hand.

They urge their ilu to swim a bit more after that, chasing one another playfully until they get to their next spot for patrol. By the time they got there, Ao'nung noticed that Y/n was staring off into space and looking a little unsure of herself, "What is it?"

Her eyes and ears lower, gaze pointedly staring down at her hands, "We mentioned honoring tradition earlier, then just now you reminded me of your stature. Maybe the Elders wouldn't appreciate the chief's son choosing a forest girl over one of their own."

Ao'nung scoffed, "The Elders don't care about that sort of thing. You are Na'vi. That's all that matters to them."

"But even you didn't think we were true Na'vi," her eyes flick up to his and his blood turned cold under her stare, "Not when we first arrived."

He slouched, ears drooping while his eyes softened into regret, fingers twitching with the need to reach out to her, but remained in his lap, "I was wrong."

"Maybe. But there are others who still think the same way you did. They still look at me, Lo'ak, and Kiri and think we are freaks. I am pretty sure even Tuk has more friends than us because she at least looks Na'vi."

"That is not why she has more friends," Ao'nung tries to smile, "Tuk is Tuk."

Y/n hums to herself, feeling one corner of her mouth twitch at the fond thought of her baby sister, "That's true."

"You..." Her eyes flick back up to Ao'nung when his voice didn't sound very confident. He wouldn't look her in the eyes, clearly feeling out of his comfort zone. She patiently waited for him to speak, occupying herself by watching drips of water fall off his brow or glisten in his hair, the sun reflecting off his wet braids like diamonds. Y/n's chest squeezed, but it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. It was warm and it was spreading over her like a comforting blanket that her mother would leave beside the fire. Her thoughts are disrupted when Ao'nung finally finds the courage to look up, "You have never once doubted yourself like that. Lo'ak and Kiri sometimes still look at themselves and hate what they see, but not you. You've never doubted yourself, Y/n, so why start now?"

"It doesn't matter whether or not I despise how I look," she carefully answers, feeling small and scrutinized under his disbelieving gaze, "It matters what everyone else would think if they knew you were courting a deformed freak."

"You are not deformed."

"No?" She bitterly questioned, frowning as she lifted up her hand to him, purposely wiggling her pinky finger, "This doesn't freak you out? It is alien."

"So what?" He reached out for her hand, "An extra finger just means there is more of you to hold."

The response stuns her to the point she didn't react when Ao'nung slipped his hand into hers. Looking down, she stared at their joined hands, fingers wrapped around one another in an ornament of two different colors. Looking back, their skin tones complimented each other beautifully together, and the contrast just made sense. Y/n was still amazed about how big Ao'nung's hand was compared to hers, despite being the same age. Once those thoughts vanish, all that's left are Ao'nung's smooth words and the color slowly rising in her ears.

Y/n scoffs, trying to play it off, "Do you think yourself charming?"

Ao'nung grinned, "Only for you, ma'yawntu."

The term of endearment surprises her out of a laugh, playfully horrified, "Eywa, no."

"Paskalin?"

"Stop."

"Syulang?"

"Please, you are embarrassing."

"I got all day, tìyawn." Ao'nung laughed, "What would you like me to call you?"

"How about my name?" She asked sarcastically.

His smile was wide, bright, and downright beautiful. It took all of Y/n's willpower not to melt right then and there, "Of course, Forest Girl. It's what I prefer anyway."

"I'm sure it is, Seaweed Brain."

~~~~~~~~~

Ronal's baby was born in the traditional way, in a water birth ceremony called the First Breath, where the whole clan gathers around in shallow water to celebrate. Now, normally the tsahik would help the mother guide her newborn to the surface to take its first breath, but seeing as Ronal was the one expecting, one village healer and Tsireya were chosen to help her. This was a new kind of ceremony for the Sullys so they hadn't fully participated until after the baby was born, then they proceeded to celebrate with the rest of the Metkayina.

Kailani was a beautiful baby girl and everyone adored her. Nearly everyone wanted to see her and hold her. As the newest baby in the village, she had earned herself a lot of attention and was loved by all, especially her older brother and sister. Ao'nung was little enough that he couldn't remember when Tsireya was born, and Tsireya had always been the youngest, so this was the first time either of the chief's children experienced what it was like to have a new baby in the family... and it showed.

This became obvious a month into Kailani's life when Tuk came out of nowhere and started to drag Y/n and Kiri by their hands toward Ronal and Tonowari's marui, "Come on, come on! I wanna see the baby!"

The teen girls reluctantly follow their little sister, smiling fondly at Tuk's excitement. It was adorable to see that Tuk didn't have much experience with babies either. Approaching the pod, it was obvious neither tsahik nor olo'eyktan was home, and yet there were soft cries coming out of the marui. Tuk drops her sisters' hands and runs in while Y/n and Kiri dutifully follow. Walking inside, they find Tsireya and Ao'nung sitting close together, appearing a little worried and exhausted while looking down at the small baby lying in her big brother's arms. Both of the reef teenagers looked up when they heard someone enter, and Tsireya waved them over, "Have either of you seen our mother?"

Kiri and Y/n exchange a look before the former responds, "She's in the healer's hut. A warrior came in all scraped up from getting thrown against the coral reef."

"What is wrong?" Y/n asked.

"She won't stop crying," Tsireya admits shamefully, looking a little distraught, "We do not know why. We fed and changed her, but--"

"Have my sisters help," Tuk confidently offers without missing a beat, proud at her idea, "They know about babies. They helped Mama take care of me when I was little."

Tsireya and Ao'nung pointedly look up at the older Sully sisters, their eyes desperately pleading. Kiri was initially going to scoff at Tuk for her idea before Y/n wordlessly stepped forward and knelt down in front of Ao'nung. One look and she could tell why Kailani was so upset. Her tiny body wasn't exactly held close to Ao'nung's body but was instead held in his arms and in his lap. It didn't look comfortable and Y/n pitied the child.

"Here," Y/n offered, leaning over and helping Ao'nung adjust his hold on his baby sister, having him lift Kailani up from his lap and making sure he kept supporting her neck, "Babies need a lot of skin-to-skin contact at the beginning of their lives. It helps them bond with their mothers and other members of their family."

Y/n helps Ao'nung lift Kai until she's nestled snugly against his chest, her face protected in the crook of his neck. Almost immediately, the baby calms down, trying to bury her cold little nose into her brother's warm skin. Ao'nung is unable to speak or look away from Y/n, his ears only perking up as a sign he is listening when she keeps on explaining, "Try not to pinch her tswin. Without any hair to protect it yet, the tswin can be extra sensitive."

Kiri smiled softly to herself as Y/n continued to list several things Tsireya and Ao'nung could do, both of them listening with intense determination, all the while Kiri could only think about her older sister. It really was a shame that Y/n didn't want to take on the role of tsakarem, instead passing it along to Kiri when her adopted sister had shown an interest. Y/n still remembered a thing or two about healing from when Mo'at had begun to teach her, but from what Kiri understood, Y/n would get easily distracted and would beg their grandmother to dismiss her so she could go find Neteyam and train alongside him to become a warrior. Mo'at eventually gave in, fondly stating how Y/n was just like her mother, then proceeded to name Kiri her successor.

While Y/n may not like the method of healing and preferred hunting, she was still pretty knowledgeable when it was needed, and as Tuk said, she and Kiri remembered what it was like having a new baby in the family. Tsireya and Ao'nung appeared incredibly grateful for Y/n... but Kiri couldn't help but grin under her hand while looking at the way Ao'nung was staring at her older sister. The way his mouth formed such a secretive smile without the intention of showing it, his eyes subtly falling from Y/n's eyes to watch her lips as she spoke before flicking back up to her eyes before anyone would notice. But Kiri noticed, and she eventually had to look away because she felt as though she was intruding on something so intimate.

Rotxo had told Kiri and Spider about the mysterious arrowhead-shaped tooth that suddenly appeared around Y/n's neck one day, but the adopted Sullys didn't want to believe it. Lo'ak had scoffed, rolling his eyes and refusing to talk about it, but Neytiri had overheard and had this all-knowing smile on her face as she cooked over the hearth when her children walked back into the marui after bidding Rotxo goodnight. Jake and Tuk were none the wiser but Kiri had a feeling that her father was like Lo'ak, trying to ignore that something was clearly going on between Ao'nung and Y/n. Now, it was more obvious than ever.

~~~~~~~~~

While Y/n had not been able to complete all of her rites of passage alongside Rotxo and Ao'nung, she and the other Sully children still cheered them on and celebrated alongside them, especially after watching in amazement to see how a young Metkayina must finish certain challenges alongside their bonded tulkun brother or sister. After finishing those trials, along with taming their own skimwings, Ao'nung and Rotxo were gifted a special article of clothing, their first tattoo as warriors of the clan, and three beads for their songcords. Everyone was proud of the reef boys, now celebrated as young men among their People.

Next was going to be Y/n. She was determined to follow suit, as were Lo'ak and Kiri. They went out to practice for their trials every day, playfully competing with one another. Whilst Kiri was planning on becoming a healer in the tribe, she still wanted to tame a tsurak as her rite of passage and receive a Metkayina tattoo meant to signify healing. Jake and Neytiri were not sure how to feel about three of their children rushing toward adulthood, but they were supportive either way. The older Sully children tried very hard not to exclude Spider in the many training exercises, but he goodnaturedly shooed them away and told them to have fun and train hard. He may not be able to follow them, but he will still cheer them on from the sidelines, being there in spirit.

Lo'ak passed his trial with Payakan with flying colors, and now he and his sisters would move on to taming their own tsurak. Kiri did so with ease, her attachment to Eywa helping her befriend the mighty skimwing instead of mastering it. All of her siblings cheered for her from the docks, watching her disappear to wander with her new friend beyond the sea wall. Lo'ak was determined to go next, and while it looked a little rocky at times, he too, mastered his own warrior's mount, and Jake yelped and whooped proudly for his son. Lo'ak also left the safety of the lagoon to explore with his new friend and likely introduce him to Payakan.

When it was Y/n's turn to go tame a skimwing, Ao'nung approached her and spoke quietly under his breath, "Remember. The tsurak are temperamental creatures. Much like an ikran, you have to work hard to form a strong and loyal bond with them."

"Got it," Y/n nodded in acknowledgment, wrapping leather around her knuckles per her father's advice. Speaking of whom, Jake was approaching his daughter so Ao'nung simply nodded his head toward Toruk Makto and walked away to stand beside his own father.

Jake narrowed his eyes as he watched Ao'nung leave before softening his gaze and speaking down to his firstborn, "You're your mother's daughter. That makes you the best flyer and hunter on an ikran, so this will be a cakewalk for you. Tonowari told me that the ikran and the tsurak share a distant ancestor, so it's easy to see where they get their stubbornness from. You know how to tame stubbornness. You'll be a pro at this."

Y/n tried her very best not to visibly shrink up under her father's advice and praise. She wants to stand tall and proud under his words of affirmation now that they're starting to see eye-to-eye, but it is still a work in progress. She's not used to her father being so encouraging as of late, due to him stressing out over the war, moving away, and losing a son, so it was still a big step that needed adjusting. So, Y/n instead smiled widely up at her father and whispered a small thank you before rushing over to get the tsahik and olo'eyktan's blessing.

Ronal and Tonowari bid Y/n good luck with their own hidden smiles while Tsireya shared her confidence for her friend and lifted Kailani's arm up to wave at the Sully girl for encouragement. Ao'nung flashed his forest girl his own secret smile and a small nod, barely noticeable to the naked eye. Y/n practically beamed and with a new wave of confidence, turned and ran down the long dock to the very end, diving gracefully into the water.

All forms of sealife greet her underwater, her breath held as she forced herself not to get distracted. Since that fateful day against the Sky People, Y/n had been training herself to hold her breath longer, hoping to never have to worry anyone over her drowning ever again, not wanting to be a burden. Without wasting any time, she called out for a skimwing to approach her.

She had managed to find a school of fish Ao'nung told her was the tsurak's favorite snack, so she swam close to the fish and continued to call out, her heart singing when her strategy worked and a familiar beast gradually glided toward her, its powerful, scaled body creating a disturbance in the water. Looking like a Terran gharial, the tsurak approached with purpose and demanded to be respected, other small fish species quickly scattering to avoid it. With its long, sword-like snout, it gave itself personal space, and with its beady, soulless eyes, it analyzed Y/n. For an animal that was nearly domesticated with the Metkayina, Y/n wasn't worried about whether or not the creature deemed her as a threat, but then again, she looked different compared to all the other Na'vi the tsurak likely grew up with, and it was possible the skimwing could smell the part of her that descends from demons.

Y/n didn't take the kind and befriending approach as Kiri did. That form of taming only works for someone as Eywa-blessed at Y/n's adopted sister. Instead, she kept herself between the beast and its likely prey, the schoolfish behind her. The threat was clear. If it wanted to eat, the tsurak would have to go through her first.

The reptilian-looking fish didn't appear insulted by the threat and leisurely swayed side to side, jaw gradually opening and closing to breathe while stuck in place, showing off its small rows of razor-sharp teeth while staring Y/n down and waiting for the right opening to strike. Y/n slowly and carefully pulled her kuru braid over her shoulder all the while keeping her eyes locked on the tsurak. As they continued with this ocean version of a standoff, Y/n gradually began to inch forward, only moving in small, very slow strokes of water.

When she got too close, the tsurak opened its jaws and snapped down, quick as lightning, but Y/n was prepared for it. Much like taming an ikran, she quickly moved out of the way before the creature could bite her head off and, using her knuckles and palms now wrapped in leather, clamped down on the jaws of the creature, keeping it shut with as much muscle she could muster while using her newly found momentum to quickly swim onto the skimwing's back, never letting go. Knowing she would only have a second before the creature was no longer stunned, Y/n let go of the jaw with one hand and quickly grabbed her braid, immediately forming the tsaheylu.

The beast wiggled and then paused, swaying calmly back and forth as the connection was made. With her lungs slightly beginning to burn, Y/n didn't panic but also didn't hesitate to give the creature the order to resurface, now letting her other hand let go of the tsurak's snout in good faith. She promises to let the tsurak eat, later, if he swam up for air.

As quick as a bullet, the tsurak follows its new rider's order, shooting up through the water at great speed. Y/n nearly forgot to hang on tight, clamping her thighs down on the creature's back as tight as she could, her ears beginning to pop at the very sudden water pressure as they rose higher toward the surface. Sunlight was coming in fast and, before she knew it, Y/n was out of the water, leaping through the air, and plunging back into the ocean, all while still holding on tightly to the back of her very own tsurak. The beast resurfaces more gently this time and stays leisurely swimming above the water, giving Y/n much-needed time to breathe. She smiles when she can hear scattered cheering from the beach and docks but keeps on task, trying to stay focused. She has yet to fly with her new ride.

Adjusting her grip on the creature, she gives her new order, clenching her thighs again while preparing for the powerful beast's ascent. The tsurak begins to speed up, faster and faster until it's zipping through the water like a ship. Eventually, it gains enough momentum and the creature lets out its wings, extending them until they begin to catch air, and then the body rises out of the water. Y/n hangs on tight, stamping down the anxiety in her gut, sharing her determination and willpower through her new bond so the skimwing knows she means business. There is no room for failure.

The tsurak doesn't stumble, doesn't break, and doesn't lose focus. As they sail, the pair sails gracefully without a single wiggle or wobble. Y/n can faintly hear cheering in the distance but doesn't let it phase her. One more test. She gives the order and holds her breath, immediately bending down and pressing her body tightly against the creature's back.

The tsurak retracts its wings and points its snout down, briefly falling through the air before diving straight into the water below. The impact and mighty force of it all was much more powerful than riding an ilu, and Y/n had to hold on for dear life. Water rushed through her ears and she squinted her eyes in order to see better, but she held on and she held firmly. She would rather get her arm pulled off than let go, so she held on tighter, her leather wraps doing the trick to give her a better grip. One last order and Y/n feels the pair of them shooting back up through the water and into the air again, and this time, Y/n hoots triumphantly at the top of her lungs, hanging on tightly with one hand but throwing her other fist in the air, her trial complete.

Several people are cheering with her on the beach and in the water. Spider, Tuk, and Jake are whooping and hollering like party animals, ecstatic for their daughter and sister. Ao'nung and Rotxo are cheering alongside them, along with several other Metkayina watching the event. Y/n beams proudly at all of them from a distance, then proceeds to follow Kiri and Lo'ak's lead and head for open waters.

Ao'nung is smiling just as proudly from the beach, and once Y/n takes off, so does he. The chief's son immediately breaks into a sprint down the side of the beach, diving into the water before another word can be said. Once below the surface, he calls for his own skimwing and takes off after the Sully girl.

The only one who appeared to notice Ao'nung slip away was Neytiri, but she appeared to be smiling as she watched the reef boy chase after her daughter. A brief wave of déjà vu washed over her as she watched until she couldn't see either tsurak anymore. She smiled fondly, proud and filled with unimaginable joy as she had witnessed history repeat itself, much like it had with her when she first chased after Jake on their ikran.

The new warriors do not stay out for long. When eclipse comes, Y/n, Ao'nung, Lo'ak, and Kiri return for the Sully children's ceremony. The sunlight disappears and it's replaced with a bioluminescent glow everywhere, as far as the eyes could see. Lo'ak, Y/n, and Kiri stand before Ronal and Tonowari as they are presented with their rewards, their article of clothing, and the beads for their songcords to signify this triumphant milestone of adulthood. The Na'vi believe that every person is born twice and the second time is when a Na'vi finds his or her place among the People forever.

Once Ronal and Tonowari bestow the three Sullys their first tattoos, they were officially one with the Metkayina, marked with warrior and healer ink. Everyone gathered around the new young adults and congratulated them, making room for the parents to squeeze their way through the crowd and finally gather their children up. Neytiri held her children against her, joyous tears in her eyes even as her heart broke, mourning their childhoods but celebrating their futures. Jake held his children just as tightly but didn't make a sound, afraid of what would come out if he tried to talk.

The ceremony gave way to celebration, large bonfires lining up and down the beach, the flames rising high into the night sky, embers blinking down on Eywa's children along with the stars above. The Metkayina dance together in wide circles around the fires, conjoined in several different rings, moving in opposite directions as they sang, talked, laughed, ate, and drank to their hearts' content.  

Y/n found herself dancing around a fire that was shared by most of the newest warriors of the tribe, people around her own age, and her brother and Kiri. There were so many fires along the beach, however, so it would be nearly impossible to find out which ones her other family members were socializing at, hidden among the chaotic crowds of flailing limbs and boisterous songs. She allowed herself to let loose and cared little about what others thought of her, letting the swoa warm her stomach and the fire her skin. She stuck close to Kiri and Tsireya for a short while before the chief's daughter ran off to find Lo'ak. Y/n and Kiri playfully rolled their eyes before the latter decided to turn in for the night-- which is just code for she was going to keep Spider company so their adopted brother didn't feel left out. Y/n let her sister go without complaint, giving her a brief hug and voicing how proud she was of her. Kiri smiled brightly under the praise and took off, leaving Y/n's heart feeling warm as well. Getting roped back into dancing, Y/n danced without a care in the world, not bothered by whether or not she looked bad, and sang with the others until she was breathless. The celebration was getting to be too disorderly with everyone having so much fun that faces had begun to blur and sometimes when people danced, they were spinning too fast to figure out their bearings. 

But Y/n let her feet carry her to her intended destination, and that was right into Ao'nung's arms. With her family elsewhere and other Metkayina having too much fun to otherwise gape at the sight, Y/n danced with the chief's son for practically the whole night, tired and out of breath, but never wanting to stop. She couldn't help it. With the fire lighting one side of his face and the bioluminescent ocean lighting the other, Ao'nung looked ethereal, and Y/n couldn't stop her rapidly beating heart even if she wanted to.  

Ao'nung only looked at her, never caring about who saw them, his smile gentle and eyes proud, not helping the flips Y/n's stomach was taking. Her body felt like it was on fire in the best way possible under his gaze, and maybe it was the lighting, maybe it was the liquid courage, or maybe it was the way he was looking at her, but her mind was open and her voice was knocked loose from her throat as she pulled her reef boy close to her and whispered so only he could hear the words that she knew, deep down, were only meant for him, "Ao'nung. Oel ngati kameie."

Ao'nung's eyes briefly widened, mouth falling open in shock, yet he couldn't take a breath in. The fire didn't help the blooming fire in the forest girl's yellow eyes, piercing up at his and leaving him breathless, unable to come up for air. She didn't look afraid or even bothered by his reaction, instead, she smiled, a little cheekily, as if she could see just how much she affected him. Slowly, he comes back to his senses, a smile slowly creeping up his lips once more. His hands gently cup both sides of her face, marveling at how her entire head fit perfectly in his palms, while her reasonably smaller hands move to hold his sides, keeping his body close to hers. Ao'nung leans in, taking a small breath in through his nose, memorizing her scent before he gently fits his lips against hers, to which she responds in kind. The kiss tasted like sea salt and swoa, but neither complained, closing their eyes and reveling in their closeness.

Despite her lessons, Y/n regrettably needed to pull away for air, and when the kiss broke, her soft pants ghosted across Ao'nung's skin, hot and prickly, and when her eyes opened, she stared up at him through her eyelashes, cheeks slightly flushed. It took a tremendous amount of willpower to relax his body, his heart racing to the tempo of drums playing somewhere in the crowd. Eventually, his mind clears and he manages to find words again, leaning his forehead into his forest girl's.

"Ma'yawntutsyìp Y/n. Oel ngati kameie."

~~~~~~~~~

Neytiri sees everything when it comes to her children, especially her firstborn daughter. That girl is a spitting image of the mother who birthed her, except for the little human features she inherited from her father, so Neytiri often knew what was going on in Y/n's head because she had been in her daughter's footsteps. Neytiri was young once. She knew what it was like to be in love.

Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite had seen the lingering glances, the stares when the other wasn't looking, and the smiles that were only shared between each other. Furthermore, Neytiri had noticed the arrowhead on Y/n's necklace the second she came home that day, and then the mother noticed Ao'nung anxiously waiting to get out there and chase her daughter into the sea astride their tsurak. And of course, even in the vast crowds lining the beach the night of Y/n's ceremony, Neytiri could see the young pair kissing, unbothered by the amount of people around them. It felt as though no one had seen them but her. 

And yet, she had not said a word. Much like Y/n and Ao'nung's sisters, Neytiri intended to take their secret to the grave if it meant seeing her eldest daughter smile again. Sure, Neytiri was fiercely protective of her children, but she would never refuse her child when it came to whatever made them happy... especially after she had lost Neteyam.

So Neytiri kept quiet and just watched from a distance. Now that three of her children were seen as adults among the Metkayina, their tattoos a physical sign as such, she wasn't gonna go around telling them what to do anymore and just enjoyed their company while it lasted. After all, soon they will choose men or women to be with... and not long after that, Neytiri will find her marui emptier than the day before.

One fateful day, Neytiri found herself alone with Y/n in their family pod, cooking some fish over the fire to prepare meals for the rest of the Sullys to take with them throughout the day. It was a quiet and comfortable morning until Ao'nung showed up, respectfully greeting Neytiri before asking Y/n if she would like to join the other warriors on a hunt that afternoon.

Y/n perked up at the offer, her smile brightening under Ao'nung's gaze. Wordlessly, she nudges Neytiri's shoulder with her forehead, and her mother leans into the touch before the daughter draws away and stands up. Y/n briefly grabs Ao'nung's arm before diving into the water with the intention of having him follow her. Ao'nung stayed a second longer, lingering in the doorway of Neytiri's home when he noticed the woman staring at him. Despite wanting her daughter's happiness, Neytiri also wants her daughter to be safe, so she briefly glares at the chief's son before simply looking back down at her task, "If she gets hurt, I pluck your eyes out."

For some reason, he knew she wasn't talking about the hunting party.

That same night, during communal dinner, Neytiri could see just how obvious Ao'nung and Y/n looked. Instead of sitting with her family, Y/n sat with his, conversing between him and Tsireya without a care in the world. Occasionally, the chief's son would try to sneak a kiss on the forest girl's cheek, hiding it by pretending to whisper in her ear. Y/n would smile shyly, her pinky finger subtly reaching out for his hand whilst she talked to his sister.

This time, Neytiri wasn't the only one who noticed, and she cursed herself for not trying to distract her husband sooner instead of openly gawking at the young pair with him. The moment Ao'nung reached for Y/n's pinky finger, Neytiri could feel her husband tense up beside her. Immediately, she knew what was about her happen once her mate quickly stood up and she was helpless to stop it. 

"Jake--" She had gotten up as well but it was too late. Her mate had already stormed off in the direction of their daughter. Several eyes throughout the communal meal turned in their direction and Neytiri could feel their stares prickling along her back, her other children now aware of something wrong when she stood.

"Mama?" Tuk asked.

The older Sully children immediately clock the situation once they follow their mother's gaze, seeing their father clearly out for blood as he beelines for the chief's family. Spider immediately scrambles to his feet, "Shit--"

Neytiri didn't know whether to hiss at or agree with Spider's observation, her feet taking her to where Jake was going, the rest of her children now standing up to follow her as well, abandoning their meals. Neytiri would not make it in time, but even from where she was, she could hear the commotion already starting when Jake reached down and grabbed Y/n's arm, pulling her to her feet and away from Ao'nung, "Alright, young lady. Time to talk."

"Dad, what--"

Ao'nung immediately rose to his feet without thinking. Neytiri almost pitied him, "Sir--"

Jake's glare fell on Ao'nung, his voice dropping low to a tone only the military side of him could produce, "And you, boy. Did you mate with my daughter?"

"Dad!"

Y/n's exclamation further drew the attention of the tsahik and olo'eyktan, along with even more Metkayina sitting around the growing commotion. Neytiri could see Ronal and Tonowari stand up as well, their eyes only on Jake and their son, dread forming in her gut at the idea of what might happen next. Ronal handed Kailani over to Tsireya and marched with her mate over to the confrontation as Jake continued to talk down to her son. 

"And whatever you say better be the answer I'm hoping for, young man. So choose your words wisely."

Neytiri finally reached her husband and grabbed his arm, opening her mouth to try and get him to calm down while the rest of their children stood around them and simply observed with worried glances. Ao'nung glared only at Jake, his shoulders squared back, and stepped up no doubt to defiantly say something stupid before Y/n stopped him from where she stood behind her father.

"Ao'nung," she warned loudly, to which his eyes flicked to hers at the sound of her voice.

Time stilled as everyone turned to Y/n, waiting to hear what she had to say, even her father. She didn't look at anyone else other than her lover. All Y/n had to do was flatten her ears and just ever so slightly tilt her head, eyes locked on his the whole time for Ao'nung to get the message, loud and clear. His shoulders lower and visibly calms himself under her stare, and in response, Ao'nung merely nods. The young Metkayina backed down, stepping away from Toruk Makto and glancing off to the side, eyes and ears lowered like an injured nantang pup. Jake's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, glancing between Ao'nung and his daughter, trying to figure out what had just happened.

From beside Lo'ak, Kiri silently gasps behind her hand as she whispers to the younger brother, "Oh, my Eywa. He's so whipped for her."

"Bro-- shut up," Lo'ak hissed back, glaring at his sister's tiny amused smile while Spider laughed under his breath.

Jake didn't have time to berate his other children as he shook off his confusion and his wife's arm, letting go of Y/n's bicep but keeping her frozen to the spot under his cold, scrutinizing glare, "Look at me, young lady," she refused at first, eyes flicking elsewhere in shame and fear, "Look at me."

Her frown twitches just as the fear dissipates, her usual distaste for authority returning. Her eyes harden as she purposely and slowly glares up at her father through her eyebrows, her entire posture now defiant and standing strong against him.

Either Jake didn't notice this subtle change in body language or he didn't care, glaring right back at her, "Tell me the truth. It's a simple yes or no. Did you mate with him?"

She flashed her fangs, grinding out her response between her teeth, "No, sir."

"Do you plan on it?"

"I do not see how that is any of your business anymore."

"Y/n, where I'm from, you're still too young to have a family," he points back to Ao'nung without ever taking his eyes off his daughter, "And he is the chief's son--"

"You can't tell me who I can or cannot be with when Mom went against everyone and everything she believed in to be with you," her tone was strong and accusatory, throwing Jake into a state of shock as he nearly stumbles back. Y/n stood strong against her father, her words bold and as destructive as a tsunami wave, "I would not exist if you hadn't gone off and mated with the chief's daughter so don't you dare try to sound as if you are above such scandal." 

"Oh, snap," Spider muttered, earning an elbow to his chest from Lo'ak.

The entire commotion had been driven to silence, everyone waiting with bated breath as to what would happen next. Neytiri felt both fear and pride for her daughter, again, feeling history repeat itself through the eyes of her child. Tonowari finally broke the silence and the stand-off by stepping between Jake and Y/n and placing a comforting hand on Toruk Makto's shoulder, all the while pointedly staring at each and every Na'vi who was openly watching the family feud, "I think it is time for everyone to return to their meals."

Ronal backs up her mate's demand by glaring at all the bystanders, "Go on."

The Metkayina scatter, either to return to their seats or avert their eyes back to their food, the silence now filled with casual mumbling among the People. Jake's ears droop when he realizes the size of the audience he attracted by his outburst and he has the decency to look ashamed. He peers back to his family and mutters, "Lo'ak. Spider. Take the girls home."

"I can walk myself home, thank you very much," Y/n snarled dangerously, stepping around Tonowari and her father and stomping through the parting sea of Na'vi who dared to get in her way.

Tuk pouted and stomped her foot defiantly, "So can I!"

Kiri sighs in mental exhaustion toward her baby sister, "Tuk..." 

Once the other Sully kids gathered and vanished from the meal, Tonowari glanced between Ao'nung and Jake, "Let us return to my home to further discuss this."

Ronal gestured Neytiri over to her before looking over her shoulder to address Tsireya, "Stay here, ma'ite."

Tsireya nodded appropriately, keeping Kailani close to her chest as she flashed a small look of encouragement to Ao'nung. She watched her parents and brother walk out of the community marui, the Sullys following suit. Neytiri walks out into the night with her husband's hand in hers, squeezing his fingers in encouragement.

Once the group was safe inside Ronal and Tonowari's home, Jake immediately apologized, "Brother, forgive me for my actions against your family. I was out of line and your son did not deserve my behavior toward him."

Tonowari raised his hand to gently silence him, "I will not fault a father for just trying to protect his child. There is nothing to forgive. Ao'nung is still young and has much to learn. Before he began to court your daughter, he should have gone to you for your blessing immediately."

Ao'nung, clearly embarrassed, kept his head down while he quietly whined, "Father, please--"

"You are the one who wishes to court Toruk Makto's daughter, boy," Tonowari directed his gaze to his son, eyes darkening but not as a threat, but in disappointment, "As the future of our clan, you should have done what tradition demands."

Jake took pity on Ao'nung, watching the way a father looked down on his son, immediately thrown back to the past when he, too, looked down on Neteyam and Lo'ak, and instantly knew he had to speak up this time, "No. I don't blame your son for not coming to me. I don't deserve that sort of respect. Y/n is strong-willed and she knows I don't deserve the respect of being her father or any traditions that require me to be so. If anything, she would much rather have Ao'nung ask for my sons' blessings over my own because her brothers respect her as an individual who can make her own decisions... unlike me."

Tonowari nods, looking back to meet eyes with his mate. Ronal shares a silent conversation with him before the chief turns back to the Sullys, "If it is any consultation, Jakesully, Ronal and I have approved of this match a long time ago."

Ao'nung's head perks up with interest, "You did?"

Jake's question echoed Ao'nung's, equally shocked, "You did?"

The chief explains with a distant look in his eyes, "I was much like my son at that age. Arrogant, crude, and desperate to please the other reef boys around me. All it took was to find Ma Ronal to get my head back on straight. From that day on, I only ever ran after her." 

Ronal pointedly looks at Neytiri, her chin held high, "Even though he is destined to be olo'eyktan one day, my son has never shown interest in a mate. Never. Not once. That is... until he met your daughter."

Neytiri took Ronal's stare as an opening for her to add to the discussion, raising her hand to gently take her husband's arm to grab his attention, "Jake. I already knew."

Jake turned back to her, still shocked and sounding like a broken record, "You did?"

"Everyone did," she nodded, smiling slightly, "Apart from you. Why do you think none of us have said anything before now? It is because we have accepted it and even approved of the match. We all would have said something sooner if we were against it. Y/n is taronyu now and she does not need our permission to live her life anymore. She never had."

Jake takes a moment to collect his thoughts, breathing deeply in and out slowly through his nose. He stared off into space, conflicted with a war going on in his head before Neytiri simply squeezed his arm and he returned to the present. Jake looked back at his wife before raising his white flag, turning his gaze onto Ao'nung with an expression of guilt.

"I am sorry, Ao'nung. I shouldn't have accused you of anything. I know Y/n is capable of taking care of herself and I know she wouldn't have given you the time of day if she didn't think you were a good man," Ao'nung stands up straighter, appearing grateful and nodding to Jake before the former marine turned to Tonowari, "We'll take our leave now. I apologize for interrupting your supper."

Jake takes Neytiri's hand again and they walk home, speaking as they walk so their conversation is kept private before they would have to face their children, "Does he have to court her now? They're too young."

Neytiri hums in agreement, "Courting sometimes takes years, Ma Jake."

"It wasn't with us."

She hums again, only it was full of fond amusement, "If I recall, you never courted me."

A small grin played on his lips, a little drained from tonight's events, but it was genuine all the same as he playfully spoke, "No, but if I recall, you knew exactly what you were doing taking me out there to the Tree of Voices, alone, wearing your hair like that and wearing that lovely top--"

"Ma Jake!" Neytiri gasped in astonishment, gently slapping his chest and laughing as they finally made it home.

The parents quiet their amusement before they walk into the marui, instantly met with five pairs of eyes, four yellow and one brown. While the rest of their children stared expectedly at them, Y/n immediately looked away, ears pulled back in embarrassment and tucking her knees up to her chest.

Jake immediately beelines for Y/n, slowly sitting down beside her as he wraps an arm around her shoulders, "I'm sorry."

Conflict flashes over her face. It felt as though she and her father were back at square one, fighting as though they hadn't already sorted out their issues. Then again, this wasn't Neteyam, or the war, or Y/n's depression. Jake was just trying to be the classic overprotective parent he was always meant to be. He wasn't acting as a soldier. He was acting as a father, and that's all Y/n had ever wanted from him. Slowly, she melts into her father's embrace and sighs, "I know. You were just being my father. That is not something I'll ever blame you for. Just... don't be so embarrassing next time."

Jake and the rest of the children laugh while he just holds Y/n close. Neytiri smiles at the scene, trying to memorize it as best as she can so she can share it with Neteyam the next time she visits her son. After all, Y/n was one step closer to moving out of their family marui and wouldn't be able to hug her father like this as often as they used to. As sad as that made Neytiri feel, she was comforted by the fact that Ao'nung was kind and good to her daughter, and she would never be alone again.

A/N: The next part will be the final! Basically, I wrote everything that I wanted for this story, and the rest of it can be told in just one more chapter, so I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!

#'anla ao'nung fic #avatar imagine #atwow imagine #atwow fic #avatar fic #avatar 2 #avatar the way of water #avatar 2009 #atwow #avatar #james cameron avatar #james cameron #aonung x you #aonung imagine #aonung x reader #aonung #aonung fluff #aonung fic #aonung fanfiction #atwow ao'nung #ao'nung imagine #ao'nung #ao'nung x reader #ao'nung x you #ao'nung fluff #ao'nung fic #ao'nung fanfiction #neytiri x jake #ronal x tonowari #whumptober 2023

[greeenchrysanthemums]

I love your GG au! I was wondering where I could read it or if it was only an AU posted on your account. Also I was wondering what the current ages of the characters are?

Well aren't you in luck anon! You asked this on just the perfect day, you see, as I have just now posted the first chapter of the actual fic for this au. You may find it here on ao3 or here on tumblr.

As for the ages of everyone, I will put them under the cut here:

Oldest to youngest

Skizz = 44

Impulse = 42

Cleo = 42

Ren = 40

Bdubs = 40

Tango = 39

Etho= 36-37

Martyn = 34

Bigb = 34

Lizzie = 33

Joel = 32

Grian = 31

Pearl = 29

Scott = 29

Gem = 28

Jimmy = 28

Mumbo = 28

Nobody knows how old Scar is.

You really made me think with this one XD

I had to pause and go "wait how old did I make them again??" and then I had to go digging through the timeline to find out. I honestly would have liked to make them a bit older, but it just didn't work for the timeline, so I had to stick to them being younger.

#GG rivals au #GG asks

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

Hey, I stumbled across your last post addressing the toh blog critiquing fans of belos and how they engage with the show and i'd like to put my 2 cents in as an au creator who has belos featured in my aus.

When I made arofam, I was just goofing around, it was before s2 officially aired and I thought at work one day "oh, belos and this gg kid look like parallels to luz and eda, wouldn't an au swapping them be funny?". I made that au based solely on that, and everything after that was straight up just me trying to work around everything the show was throwing at me and try and adapt it in the au. It became more emotional with time, but it wasn't built on a foundation of trying to make his canon self less bad nor excuse anything he did. (Undoubtedly that goofy au just made me more invested in those characters over time).

Like we didn't even know belos's plans, his abuse of the ggs, his brother, nothing, when I made the au. The show really had to make me work to make belos likable in my au after that.

I say this because it's why it's wrong to always make assumptions about ppl based on what they create or are engaged in. You don't have to like the content yourself, but there's a variety of reasons ppl make aus with philip in a prominent role. Some wanna explore him in unique ways that canon can't, some are intrigued by his backstory and wanna play with that, and some are like me who just woke up one day and thought " Ok, but what if we did a silly with him?".

It would be wrong to categorize everyone into one box, with the same ideals and same opinions. Not everyone will have the same draws but assuming the worst of a fan who likes to play with the main antagonist in noncanon work or personally have different opinions on his execution in the show is extremely judgemental and hurtful because a lot of these fans are just having fun and have very little malicious intent.

If you have criticism of the work and wanna kindly address it to the creator, then sure, they might be allowed to give their opinions on where they were coming from while they're at it in case the work was misinterpreted.

But you can genuinely hurt ppl and creators by throwing them under a " bad person" label without allowing yourself to understand them or their work and why they made the choices they did.

I guess the point I'm making here is, fans engage with the media they like for a number of reasons, if you're going to make accusations on them, at least have clear solid reasons rather then basing it on pure assumptions based on work that might not even really be that deep in the first place or even just the comments of a few fans.

If they're being purposely malicious and awful then sure.

But sometimes it's really not that deep, some ppl just wake up one day and wanna imagine a swap au with belos or wanted a cooler death.

People shouldn't be crucified online for that.

100% agree with you there! I've stated before that this fandom has a tendency to connect a person's morality to the type of media they consume or how they engage with it. It's really unsettling, tbh.

You don't like AUs that redeem Belos? Or make him a goofy uncle? Or make Caleb the evil emperor?

Then don't read them. You're not the target audience.

In other words...

I hope any and all creators with a Belos AU aren't discouraged because some ninny on the net, who thinks they're the arbiter of social justice, got mad because they decided to have fun with a fictional character.

Fandom is not activism.

Just chill and let people put the old man in a dress.

#the owl house #emperor belos #philip wittebane #fandom shenanigans #asks

[rainbowsky]

Hi RBS , I love your blog.. very informative.

Do you have a post about dd adjusting his watch during DDU to show certain times like 18:23??

Or any other candy during DDU???

In what time period dd worked as a host in DDU ???

Hi Anon! Thanks so much for your kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying my blog! 😅

I know I had a post somewhere about the watch adjustments, but I can't find it now. It can be really difficult to find older posts that aren't consistently tagged, and unfortunately back in the day I didn't used to tag as consistently as I do now.

I do think it's hilarious how DD was always adjusting these outrageously expensive precision timepieces when he was on DDU, and somehow would end up with a kadian time.

DD was a host from 2016 to October 2021. There is a good video of how he became a host here (make sure you have a box of tissues handy when you watch it).

Here are a few DDU-related posts and other links that you might enjoy.

GG’s 2019 guest appearance on DDU

DDU brothers being the biggest Yizhan supporters

The Devil’s Timeline

Did DLS out DD during a DDU recording and make him cry?

About Kadian

You can also browse my DDU tag for old posts, but I don't think it would be a comprehensive list of posts I've made about it in the past because I didn't always tag consistently. My the mysteries of yizhan tag also is where I put candy and unanswered questions.

You might also find my masterlist post helpful.

#bjyx #yizhan #ddu #the mysteries of yizhan #ask

[solradguy]

Mr. Badguy I have a question as a guilty gear lore baby. I have been told sol/ky is problematic and I do not know why I fear. Could you please explain

Oh boy. I'm probably not the best person to ask about what ships are and aren't problematic because I honestly... just don't have the energy to care about it that much, it's like infinitely easier to block/blacklist and then move on. I don't know how people have the free time to get as worked up about it as they do.

Anyway. So, Ky's age before Missing Link (the earliest in the timeline of the games' stories) is generally the biggest problem. He was 20 in ML and a teenager through the Crusades. I think he was probably at least 18 near the end of the Crusades right before Sol left but that's pushing it. Anything with Ky and Order Sol's bad weird. I won't argue that at all, Ky was a kid and Sol was very much an adult, on top of the physical and mental power imbalance between them. Not good. Luckily, I really only see HOS/Ky stuff from the really early fandom (<2006) and IIRC their ages were still pretty vague back then so I'm just gonna chalk it up to no one knowing, especially in the EN fandom where it was a lot harder to find/get official information.

Between Missing Link to like late GGX/early GGXX I don't see what the problem with shipping them then is; they were both adults at that point and there wasn't even the power dynamic between them that there was during their Holy Order days. This, I think, really just comes down to personal reasons for not liking it. Which is fair.

After GGXX it gets... complicated.... Ky marries Sol's daughter but it's vague on when exactly Sol pieced it together that he even had a kid and that it was Dizzy, of all people. Ky definitely did not know she was Sol's kid until at least like partway through Xrd, when they both kind of put the pieces together and had a crisis over it. So shipping them after this point, between the timelines of Overture through Strive, you've got the issue of Sol now being Ky's father-in-law.

But the canon never straight up says Dizzy is Sol's kid (it is VERY HEAVILY implied though) and Sol and Ky both end up being dads together for Sin...?? It's like ASW is playing gay chicken with whether or not Sol and Ky are still shippable from an ethical standpoint lol Whatever that saying is about having a cake and eating it too, etc.

I saw the email for this ask this morning and I presented the Sol/Ky situation to my mom as if they were real people (she doesn't know anything about GG) and she was like, "That's a hell of a love triangle but I guess if the guy (Ky) and the daughter (Dizzy) got divorced and the daughter is alright with it, and it's consensual between the men, then it's weird but it's not as bad as some other relationships I've seen."

That's kind of how I feel about it too...? It's messy as fuck lmfao But I guess if there's a way to like write it so that Dizzy doesn't end up needing lifetime therapy then like... go for it....? I guess....???

I don't ship Sol/Ky because I think their dynamic is WAAAYYYY more interesting keeping them as rivals-turned-friends, and I like Dizzy too much; there's too big a chance of her ending up getting completely devastated by it. But as far as "problematic" Guilty Gear ships go, Sol/Ky's in the like... "People are wasting time arguing about this?" tier, imo. It being Thee biggest GG ship throughout the series' entire history is something to be considered, too. It's unavoidable, even the official art contributes sometimes. I often wonder why they decided to make it weird by throwing Dizzy into the mix because I know that, from digging through old forum archives, that change made a lot of people furious hahah

Disclaimer because the reading comprehension on this website is abysmal: I DON'T SHIP SOL/KY. IT'S FUNNY AS A JOKE BECAUSE IT'S AWKWARD BUT I DON'T SHIP IT IN SERIOUS CONTEXTS BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT THAT GREAT A SHIP AND THE FATHER-IN-LAW THING MAKES ME A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.

#asks #Sighing as I yet again walk into the lion's den posting something like this

[pesterloglog]

Karkat Vantas, Jade Harley

Act 5, page 4101-4104

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling gardenGnostic [GG]

CG: THE PASSWORD IS

CG: SEE YOU SOON

CG: OK UH

CG: I'M GOING TO TAKE YOUR LACK OF RESPONSE AS TACIT VERIFICATION.

CG: ALSO

CG: THIS PRETTY MUCH HAS TO BE THE LAST CONVERSATION WE HAVE, RIGHT?

CG: YOUR TIMELINE CUTS OUT COMPLETELY IN A MINUTE OR TWO BECAUSE OF THE SCRATCH.

CG: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT UP THERE?

CG: ARE YOU HYPNOTIZED BY THE FLASHY SHIT, WHAT THE FUCK.

CG: THAT'S BEEN GOING ON EVER SINCE JOHN STARTED SCRATCHING THAT BIG GODDAMN RECORD, AREN'T YOU ACCLIMATED TO IT BY NOW?

CG: HELLO????????????

CG: HARLEY, JEGUS MOTHER OF SCREAMING FUCK.

CG: WHATEVER, I HAVE SHIT TO DO NOW.

CG: I GUESS I SHOULD BE KEEPING AN EYE IN THE SKY TOO NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT.

CG: THE BRIGHT GREEN BEACON SHOULD BE APPEARING ANY MINUTE, ASSUMING YOU ACTUALLY MANAGE TO BLOW UP THE SUN.

CG: AND THEN

CG: WELL, THEN I GUESS MAYBE WE ALL GET TO HANG OUT?

CG: WHILE MAYBE ALSO NOT BEING IN UNYIELDING MORTAL PERIL???

CG: IT'S GETTING KIND OF OLD, FRANKLY.

CG: OK, WELL THIS IS A PRETTY CRAPPY FAREWELL, BUT I GUESS IT'LL HAVE TO DO SINCE THERE IS SOME SERIOUSLY SHOW-STOPPING SHIT TRANSPIRING UP THERE IN FUCKING OUTER SPACE.

CG: LATER JADE, I'M GOING TO GO MAKE SURE JOHN KNOWS WHAT THE HELL HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

CG: AND IN CASE NONE OF THIS WORKS AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY GET TO MEET

CG: I GUESS I SHOULD SAY...

CG: SINCE APPARENTLY MY GUTLESS FUTURE SELF CAN'T EXPRESS HIMSELF AND NEVER GOT AROUND TO SAYING SO

CG: THUS LEAVING IT UP TO ME AS USUAL

CG: TO SAY

CG: THAT

GG: oh sorry!

GG: i was distracted

CG: OH

GG: no not by all the scratchy stuff in the sky

GG: theres something coming down...

CG: WHAT

GG: its hard to make out

GG: but

GG: i think

GG: it might be...

CG: WHAT.

GG: shaving cream?

CG: WHAT THE HELL IS SHAVING CREAM.

GG: its like

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gardenGnostic [GG]

GG: hey!

GG: ...

GG: karkat?

#homestuck #karkat vantas #jade harley #homestuck act 5 #page 4101 #page 4012 #page 4013 #page 4014 #homestuck act 5 act 2

[beemers-hell]

i had no clue you liked guilty gear too. i dont follow you on twitter lol. my favourite is xrd bedman

dude i am SUCH a huge fan of fighting games, I am a fucking fighting game girly, guilty gear is just apart of my blood lmao. Both Guilty Gear and Blazblue are like my bread and butter of fighting games, I like Blazblue and have more hands on experience with that franchise more than I do GG but I still hold GG dear to my heart. I just don't really talk about them (or any of my other HUGE special interests that aren't madness, dolls, or my ocs in general tbh) cause my brain isn't super hard focused on them like I am the three spinterests mentioned above lmao. I am coming out as a Guilty Gear fan (JOKE)

anyway A.B.A. has been one of my GG favs (alongside I-No and Baiken) since I was a little baby gamer, my dad used to let me play whatever fighting games he had when i was like a toddler and a few of the old guilty gear games were some of them. Anyway tldr A.B.A. and Paracelsus made a HUGE impression on little baby me and I've always hoped for the day she came back to the roster in the newer games, even if I don't really have any way of playing them. Needless to say I lost my fucking MIND when she got announced for Strive last week and I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since. Like I am ILL about this woman and her stupid fucking key husband and I have been for years LMAO. I'm not even brain rotting over GG it is SOLELY A.B.A. and Paracelsus that I'm losing my shit about. I'm finally getting validated now that she's back for everyone to enjoy!!

Also hey check out this post for a GG related surprise lmao

#beemer asks

[randomnameless]

Rewatching the 2003 FMA anime -

It sure brings back nostalgia, 2003!FMA was the thing that made me hook up on anime/mangas since middle school, looking for OSTs, opening/ending songs, I even went to my first anime convention thanks to FMA (and brought a trinket for 20 euros but i couldn't care at that time, it was merch!) - hell, FMA was the phenomenon that made me discover the world of fanfics and, by extension, "learn" english to browse more fanfics (i know).

20ish years later though...

(i still read fanfics)

Sure, Arakawa told Sony (Dybex?) to make their own stuff and that they did, so judging on the "faithfulness" of the adaptation itself is a moot point - but the story and the characters in themselves?

Sorry -20ish years me, but damn if that anime is full of inconsistencies, i-hope-it-was-non-intentional meanings, retcons and, tbh, the protagonists are, quite frankly? Not likeable at all ?

One of the major plot lines that completely was created from scratch regarding the canon manga, and is the trademark of the 2003!anime, is how human transmutation, aka trying to resurrect the dead, well, doesn't resurrect dead people, but creates a new living being - those beings later are revealed to be homonculi.

FMA, even the 2003 anime, had that part with the living armors battle, where the protagonists wondered what it meant to be called a human, or even what is a human. Alphonse is only a soul tied to an armor, a "living" armor if you want, but Edwards refuses to consider other "livign armors" as less than humans and kill them, because if he does so, he will have to see his own brother as "not human anymore".

And we saw Tucker - a scientists so hellbent on passing his exam that he lit sacrifices his 4 years old daughter and doggo - who has a human body, human soul and human mind : what makes Tucker more "human" than a living armor, or even Alphonse?

Comes the homonculi reveal and one of the main issues of this anime : 2003!Wrath.

When we are introduced to him, he's just a weird kid with mismatched members, who lost his memories, doesn't understand empathy but bar that, he eats, hugs people, bathes just fine.

And yet, the second he is revealed to be a homonculi, a being born from alchemy, he is considered as a monster and something that should be killed, because he should never have existed in the first place.

And who says that?

Not the antagonists of this arc, no, our protagonists, Edward and Alfonse themselves! To sum up, Wrath has been behaving perfectly fine despite his background being a mystery, but when he is revealed to be a non-human being, our protags want to kill him - because he is a homonculi.

Yeah. GG protags.

Earlier we had the confirmation 2003!Wrath's weird mismatched limbs are actually Edward's missing ones, they accuse him of having "stolen" them - which is true ! - but Armstrong (who is more of a joke character in this continuity than in the manga!) asks them the ultimate question, even if his limbs are Edward's, what are they going to do? Sever them to re-attach them to Ed? Of course not, Ed says...

But in the following episode, we have Al fight against 2003!Wrath, asking him to "give back" his arm and leg to Edward...

What is the viewer even supposed to understand here?

Then we have the entire Greed arc - which also ends on a dud, I mean, Edward screams to whoever wants to hear it that's he's going to kill Greed, and then he truly kills him but screams in horror because he killed someone? Dude? - which, thanks to his chimeras and the bond they created, was enough to tell the viewer that those beings, homonculus, aren't monstruous by nature, sure Envy and Lust are asses, but Greed was shown to care about his newfound friends, and could even live with humans?

No, they're still monsters created through Alchemy, they're not human, thus need to die.

WTF?

2003!Wrath's character background basically oozes of pathos/tragedy : sure, he was not the "baby" Izumi lost when she "created" him, and yet, he was still in a baby-like state who was abandoned - and we later learn his wish was to have a mother - and he is furious at the circumstances of his creation, and abandonment.

And then, enters 2003!Sloth, who is a result of the Elrics' human transmutation. For sure they couldn't "look after" her immediately post transmutation - but they, uh, never wondered where the "thing" they created went? What it did? If it died?

(in the manga Pinako says she buried it as she found it dead when she came to their house)

Sure sure, the main villain Dante (Hell hath no Fury like a Woman Scorned : the Villain) conveniently passed by and snagged the "thing" that would later become Sloth, and yet, we're left to wonder, is the sin the alchemists refering to when they're talking about homonculi is the sin of creating them, or the sin of abandoning them?

It's basically the entire thing with Frankestein's creature, what was the biggest sin, to have created him, or treated him like trash?

To Izumi, who tried - but too late - to reach for baby Wrath, his righteous anger and Izumi's mothering tendencies when she immediatly knew "what/who" he was seems to indicate the second option - she feels like dirt for abandoning Wrath.

But when Edward fights 2003!Sloth - there is no introspection, especially as we see her own flashbacks as a thing that was recovered by Dante - and groomed by her - he will merely kill her because she is his "sin" and because she is a homonculus.

Not because of what she did, but because of what she is.

Our hero, everyone.

...

Yeah... and it's not helped at all by the fact that Mustang, maybe one or two episodes later, tells 2003!Pride that he cannot give a fuck about Pride being a human or a homonculus, but he will kill him to avenge Hugues' death and because of his war-mongering actions as the Furher.

Mustang, Armstrong and Pinako (who tells Ed to shut the fuck up when he goes in his spoiled brat mode wanting to beat Mustang for not telling him about Hughes' death and rushing to his own) were really the heroes of this story lol.

Or... not, concerning Mustang himself, and that's where we enter in the disturbing implications stuff from this anime.

2003!Mustang has PTSD from the Ishval war, in the Marco flashback we see him execute orders and basically nearly have a manga!armstrong level of breakdown - but when we see him roasting Ishvalan children, randoms and all, what really pushes him to the edge, and what the showrunners put emphasis on, is the killing of Winry's parents, aka two amestrians.

Who, in this show, accuses him of having killed her parents and bring the tense moments and accusations of war criminal and murderers? Winry, not the two Ishvalan kids whose mom was toasted during the war.

Make no mistake, the death of a civilian, regardless of their nationality, is always a tragedy.

And yet, between the thousands "brown" Ishvalan people and the couple of "white" Amestrians doctors, which death seems to have affected Mustang more? Which one is often brought to the forefront whenever Mustang, Ishval and civilian casualties are mentionned?

Oh I can't tell if it was 2003, but the, uh, depiction of the Ishvals is just...

Like, people really religious, dark skinned, living in a desert, shunning Alchemy (depicted as science and scientific approach here more than in the manga) and being hellbent on doing "God's" work?

Hm.

They stone someone who's a "great sinner", if it wasn't clear, and the one who initiates the massacre of 7k randoms is, well, an Ishvalan claiming to do this in the name of justice.

2003, right.

Oh, and about this incident, Scar justifies it as "the military" having occupied Liore and, well, Rose's ordeal. And yet, the 7k people he sacrifices weren't the ones who were in Liore (they're part of the randoms who were brought by Archer and Mustang!) and assaulted Rose, no, they were just randoms.

And when you compare this anime to Brotherhood, it gives more spoltight to Mustang's cast of randoms, or even has random loldiers in the background (either being annoyed at Armstrong's antics or, when he was alive, at Hughes') so we have some "randoms in the background" depicted with sympathy. And yet they're all killed to make Alphonse in a philosopher's stone, and Al's first reactions is to run around and swim??

7k lives sacrificed for... Al learning how to swim???

In general 2003!Ed'n'Al are my least favourite protagonists, both because they're too impulsive (Ed effing injures Havoc and Fuery!!), rude and, well, act like brats (I mentionned it earlier, but damn if Al asking Wrath to give back his members is just... wtf).

Alfonse himself becomes a prop and doesn't see much fight - doesn't fight at all - when Ed apparently knows how to create automails (what's Winry good for then?) from scraps of metal and their relationship ultimately ends up as Ed always going "I have to save my brother!" which seriously sucked, especially since earlier in the series (during the lab 5 attack!) Ed had faith in Alphonse knowing how to defend himself.

On that topic, the relationship between the brothers seems... really strained. Where was the Ed who finally managed to apologise to Alfonse and Alfonse vowing to tell him everything we had after the Lab 5 incident?

Now Ed physically restrains Al to talk to their father, doesn't tell him (and straight out lies) about excavating Trisha's remains (who is also Al's mom!) when Al keeps secret about Tucker's phone call. Are they even close anymore? IDK.

The brothers don't trust (never did tbh) Pinako and Winry, Mustang and Armstrong, and eventually, don't trust each other anymore - which can even give that ending some sense : they are now separated but why does this even matter anymore?

Remember when they promised not to die for the other, because they refused the pain of living all alone after the first meeting with Scar where Ed was ready to offer his life to have Al be spared?

Well, the ending of this anime basically pisses on this - Ed is "nearly" dead? Alfonse doesn't want that, so he sacrifices his life to make Ed return, even if it means he will die in the process and leave Ed alone. Ed doesnt' want that? So he will sacrifice himself to make Al return, effectively leaving him alone (but he works on irl missiles to return home?).

I remember FMA!2003 being lauded for its mature themes, but what themes are we talking about?

The long monologues some characters deliver to explain their vision of the world, and are never challenged about it? (or it's Ed calling BS to Dante's argument that equivalent exchange sucks)

What it means to be a human? Sure, at the end before dying, Ed seems to realise 2003!Wrath has to be taken care of (like not killing him but providing him real care) because he earlier noticed that he cried real tears with 2003!Sloth died so it's a progression from his "he's a homonculi he needs to die"... and yet, he already had this realisation when he talked to Wrath after another round of "give me back my arm'n'leg" on the top of a roof in Dublith!

It's kind of hard to say whether FMA!2003 is a good anime or not with all the things I've read/watched in the last 20ish years - because Arakawa ended her manga which is imo the best out of the three "tellings" of her story - and while I still love the "Brother" songs to death, part of me is just, very disappointed after revisiting this anime that I used to love.

Like, man, I didn't remember Ed to the POS he is in this anime, aka a character without any growth (he legits insults Armstrong over Ishval in iirc episode 7, only to apologise at the end of the episode because he acted like an ass, to give a "they must have had fun using those weapons in Ishval" at him again in the last episodes...) and Alfonse targetting Wrath to "recover" Ed's limbs - before his "awakening" as a homonculi - will always leave me with a weird feeling.

The OST is good and the animation not that shabby for something over 20 years old, and maybe the younger!me already perceived something was wrong/unlikable with Ed'n'Al, that's why I was looking at fics centered on Mustang's group -

But is it an anime I'd recommand now? Or even call a good anime?

No, not anymore. I'm hopefully not in middle school anymore fwiw and to its credit, in 2003 there wasn't a lot of new stuff or even fantasy anime that was released, and FMA!2003 was something really important and interesting at that time.

If it were to be released today? I'd say it'd maybe warrant a netflix exclusive release.

#FMA 2003 #making a comparison with the manga wasn't the goal of that post #I tried to tackle the things i didn't like from the 2003 anime alone without taking into account the manga #but if i did the saltometer would be way higher #Poor Ed'n'Al #Mustang goes to duel Bradley mano a mano because he wants to avenge Hughes? And he gives up on his plan to because head of state???? #arakawa wrote the inverse! Ditto for the goodbye scene Ed asks him to return alive bcs they'll see each other #this time it's just 'we won't see each other again but good luck?' #oh well

[riosnecktattoo]

Lmao I have so many questions about that promo pic!!! Was this s1?! MM looks more like s2/3, but I can’t see how they’d have him with a Mini Cooper in later seasons 😭 are there similar photos for the rest of the cast?? Or network was just like nah let’s just throw Rio in front of the lamest background and call it a day?

I love all the background knowledge you have from watching this show live haha. As a ‘streamed it’ girlie, I do regret missing all the behind the scenes hot goss!! Please continue to share, it’s so enjoyable for me 😂

Haha yeah it was a promo pic for Season 1!

The (first time) they shared it was on their insta back in March 2018 so when S1 was airing. Obviously a totally silly promo shoot with a different ~vibe~ to what he ends up being lol mini cooper Rio woulda been too funny

I get the sense they were using any shots they had lying around at that time (the promo for GG was always a total mess) and because it's so odd I always assumed it was taken during the shooting of the original pilot when the show was different/before they recast Beth and changed things.

Or it wouldn't even surprise me if it was actually just a costume test for Rio that they photoshopped a random background behind so they could post something. It's literally stock footage skyline stock footage car.

I'm guessing there aren't any similarly odd pics of the girls from that time because if it was from a character photoshoot they probably woulda shot pics as a three? And they couldn't use old material that woulda had Kathleen Perkins as Beth.

And to back me up on this theory literally the day before they posted this Rio image they posted separate portrait pics of all the girls but not in character just from a cute recent (at the time) shoot they did.

And lol yeah honestly we were in the TRENCHES 😂 I have sooo much cursed background knowledge and most of the bts is best left forgotten lmao but it was a wild brilliant experience watching GG live week to week, the 3am streaming anxiety for me was unreal and the live watching with the fandom and insanity we endured and the hilarity and the fun and drama and analysis....man i miss it 🥹

#asks #nbc good girls #i think the most unreal live experience was the (forced) S3 finale #all of us in covid lockdown show cut short and not renewed and we were all depressed over the hitman plot #and then that 1 minute brio walkthrough scene revived us #like ill never forgot the way we went mad and we were all going bonkers #i went deaf i didn't hear half that scene hahaha it was all overwhelming #then we got the s4 renewal and had THE funnest hiatus

[jarpadswalker]

look, if one or two people were being assholes towards Jared then sure, they're the assholes. but if the entire world is being an asshole towards Jared, then he is the asshole, he is the problem, he is the one who did something wrong and needs to change, not the rest of the world.

So this anon thinks that some spn extras and some spn crew (writeres etc) are the whole world? Every other show or movie he's worked on he was praised by everyone. And even NOW, years and years later, they still talk about him (and you can't tell me that is for promo or fake because they clearly aren't promoting GG or New York Minute etc anymore). They often bring him up unprompted (Milo and CMM do it fairly regularly). He's a name that gets dropped when his old coworkers ask who they loved working with etc. He's literally praised for how he handles the Walker set and cast/crew.

The only ones who are asshole towards him are jealous extras from spn and Jensen sycophants. If you, anon, think the spn is indicative of the whole world? You need some perspective and possibly some counseling.

Exactly. They need to step out of their house and face the rally world.

It is just an AA who got their undies in twist because how dare anyone say anything against Jensen.

#anti jensen #anti aas #anti hellers #anti jared padalecki hate #anti spn prequel #anti jared hate

[destinyc1020]

Do you find the Austin Butler voice jokes played out? I was checking twitter tonight for GG updates and I would see a few tweets still dissing Austin over his voice (in reference to Margot still dressing like Barbie (I don't see an issue) or Paul's voice). Is the joke not old yet?

Giiiirrrlll...I've BEEN saying this on my blog for over a year now lol 😂

YES, the Austin/Elvis/Voice jokes are tired and played out. 😩 Idk why people are still so obsessed w/his voice?

Not to mention, I could see if his voice were going in and out or something in interviews or various different events, but his voice has literally stayed the same. I'm sure he still had more of an "Elvis twang" when he first stopped filming.....It's probably hard to shake that once you've been doing it long enough. But after over 3.5 years since he filmed "Elvis", the "twang" has gone away, and I highly doubt he's purposely faking a voice all this time. 🙄

I think the thing that makes me roll my eyes the most is that people keep comparing his voice now to when he was like in his teens or early 20s. But yet, if you compare his current voice to when he was like 25, 26, and older...you'll see that his voice really hasn't changed much at all. 🤷🏾‍♀️

RE: Margot... Anyone who has an issue with her "still dressing like Barbie" for an awards show in which her film "Barbie" in which she plays the LEAD and she's nominated for, needs to go outside and touch some grass, cuz it is NOT that serious. 🙄 Let her wear whatever she wants to wear. If she wanted to dress like Barbie for the rest of her career, that's her choice and fine by me for all I care lol. 🤷🏾‍♀️

I will never understand why people have an issue with things that aren't even harming other people...like, seriously? It's not that serious. 😒

[hastings727]

In general, what you see from GG oldheads about Strive is due to how intentionally different Strive is compared to the older gear games.

Whether you like or dislike the direction they went in, it's still a fighting game, and still Guilty Gear.

I've played +r, I've played all versions of XRD.

And yeah I play Strive. And Strive is my favorite one, tbh. It's easy to pick up, it looks good. I like the character designs more than the older games. I like the music more than the old games.

I appreciate the amount of time it took to look at each character and change them to fit into a very different system and they still feel like themselves.

Some characters feel more different mechanically, like Testament. But something oldheads need to understand is old iterations had problematic mechanical designs. You really didn't want +r testament in Strive.

Not to mention that the old games still exist, and with good netcode to boot.

I appreciate the roman cancel system and how it exists as a "best of" album for guilty gears previous iterations while still having it's own unique mechanics.

Blue RC is like XRD YRC.

There are fast and slow versions of RC, so you can fast RC like plus r has.

Dead angle is gone but YRC exists in the same vein.

I won't deny that I liked the longer gatlings in older games, but I don't mind the universal gatlings of Strive either.

Games change, and devs aren't going to build the same game over and over. They want change too. You don't have to like it, of course. But some ppl treat it as something to be reviled, and I can't stand that.

#guilty gear #fighting games

[im-yn-suckers]

cupids arrows; my high school dream galz

pairing- not exactly enemies to lovers but along those lines. idol niki x idol fem reader park y/n (jays baby sister) (debuts in gg)

warnings- i don't know how any of this works so ye. light crying and a kiss on the forehead. boy talk between teenage girls. friendly teasing. lmk what i missed

proofread again yay

synopsis- flashback as jay's younger sister in school, you and your friend decided to audition for hybe at the age of 14. when you pass and she doesn't, you get selected to join a survival show. when your unnies and the one member younger than you debut and you don't, you are announced as the 8th member of enhypen. how does getting cheated on benefit the fact that you and niki aren't very fond of each other?

chapter two; my high school dream galz

prev <;- m.list -> next

If it weren’t for the fact that you were packing for ‘My High School Dream’, it would be a normal friday you still couldn’t believe it. they told you you’d lose your phone and that you’d be able to get a new one after debut. your last facetime with jay was probably the hardest. you knew you’d have opportunities to meet up with him after debut but, what would happen if you don’t debut? no, you will debut. that’s what you told yourself. 

"don't worry kiddo. we'll see each other when you get famous, i'll get your number then!"

"yeah, but what if i don't debut, then what?"

'you will debut, don't worry. good luck! i love you and im so proud of you kiddo!"

"thanks jay. i love you too. bye, i have to catch the bus to make it to our dorms. i'll be staying there for like two months"

"ok, stay safe kiddo. I love you. bye."

"bye y/n!! have fun! cant wait" all the boys shouted, they always hyped you up. except niki, of course

little did you know, the boys were teasing niki back at the dorms. why? let's just say you're really pretty and he agreed, without you knowing.

you plopped your phone on your bed and finished packing. you started to tear up at the fact that you wouldn't be able to talk to jay as much. Hyun came over and helped you for a bit.

"i'll miss you" he wiped your tears and kissed your forehead

"me too, Hyun"

when you left for the bus, some students from your school came to show support.

"bye mom, bye dad. i love you guys so much. see you around" you hugged your parents, Hyun, and the one friend you had left. the bus ride was a little hard, but you managed.

WELCOME TRAINEES! that's what the banner read.

"hello ladies! i am Yong-hee, i will be one of the judges on 'my high school dream'. you may take a seat in the lobby and talk amongst yourselves for about an hour. we will then introduce each other all together. have fun!" she seemed really nice and was really welcoming.

you girls began talking amongst each other and you found out there were only three members younger than you. 6 of you started to talk with each other, the other six did the same.

"hello i'm Eun-sa, im 18 years old" she was so pretty.

"i'm Soo-ah, i'm 16" she had really nice hair

"i'm Cho-gyung. i'm 17" she was tall

"i'm Ro-cha, just call me Rora. i'm 15" her skin was beautiful

"i'm y/n, i'm 14" you said and smiled warmly

"what about you, whats your name?" Cho-gyung asked the girl sitting next to you.

"i-im Se-un, i'm 13" she was about your height.

"wow, you all are making me feel old." Eun-sa said.

they all seemed really nice, Se-un seemed really shy, but maybe it was because she's 13.

"i look forward to working with you guys" Rora was so kind and genuinely seemed excited to work with you guys

you introduced yourselves and played some games, you and Se-un got really close and she thought you were like a big sister.

after that, you all went to the main lobby and got assigned your rooms. there were two big rooms for the trainees.

"ha, looks like we'll be living together for the next two months" Soo-ah mentioned and it was true. all six of you were assigned to one of the two big rooms. you had dinner and got settled into your rooms

you and Se-un chose beds next to each other. she felt really comfortable around you.

"well, lights out isn't for another hour so, how about we get real"- Eun-sa

"how?"- Rora

"are any of you in a relationship?" Eun-sa asked and you felt the tips of your ears get red

"i had a boyfriend but we broke up before i left. we decide it was best" Soo-ah's comment made you feel a bit better

"y/n-ah! your ears are red!" Cho-gyung

"well, i have a boyfriend yea, we've had to be apart for long periods of time before so we'll be fine" you admitted with a pink face.

"awww, how about you Seun-ah? if you're not comfortable, thats ok too though, ok?" rora

"well, i've had a crush on this guy for a while, and some celebrity crushes too" she said and started to blush a bit.

"ooh, like who? obviously if you don't want to, you don't have to answer" Eun-sa asked and she made Se-un feel like she could talk about anything with them.

"well, i think the members of BTS are cute, but even locals agree, uhm, also the new group that debuted, enhypen, they're cute too" she told you all about her crushes

"oh! i know enhypen. jay's my brother and i kind of sound like a pick me right now but yeah." you blurted out and almost regretted it until,

"no way! you like any of them?" Soo-ah asked you while lightly nudging you with her elbow.

"well, i kind of like niki but he doesn't even talk to me. all the others are really nice though." you remembered how niki reacted to you passing your audition

"girl, that is a classic enemies-to-lovers trope!" Rora has read way too many books to know how that ends

"no, no." you blushed a little but you had to admit, the sound of enemies-to-lovers made you smile a bit

"lights out, everyone report to your rooms and go to sleep, you have a big day ahead of you!" Yong-hee's voice was heard throughout the entire building.

"goodnight guys!" Cho-gyungs voice we heard in your room and everyone responded

"goodnight unnie, thanks for making me feel welcome" Se-un tired voice was so calming

"goodnight Seun-ah. you're welcome"

you patted her head goodnight to lay down. what waits for you the next day is big. until then, goodbye

taglist- @annoyingbitch83

send an ask or comment to be added!

#im-yn-suckers #enhypen niki #enhypen fanfiction #niki ff #nishimura riki #enha niki #enhypen fluff #niki x reader #nishimura niki x reader #niki fanfic

[innytoes]

On that note: Gilmore girls × Leverage (og or redemption, I love me some Harry and Breanna so) crossover AU??

Okay so long ago I did do a GG/Leverage fusion au for @ot3tropetober that you can find here.

But if you're talking straight crossover... well, @hawkguyhasstarbucks and I always joke that in some way, shape, or form, Eliot Spencer and Luke Danes are related.

-So when they need to lie low somewhere asap, Luke notices they're near Stars Hollow and is like: I am going to Regret This but let's go.

-Luke is NOT amused when he comes downstairs at 5AM to see his diner full of random not-townspeople, and Eliot in his kitchen. There is some yelling, then he calms down a bit, then more yelling because YOU DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP TO MY UNCLE'S FUNERAL, ELIOT. YES I KNOW HE WAS AN ASS THAT'S WHY I WANTED YOU THERE.

Eliot just like: I was a little busy getting tortured in Russia.

-Parker saw Taylor's Old Fashioned Soda Shoppe through the window and just like, snuck off and is eating everything in there. Yes Hardison, Sophie, and Breanna have noticed. Harry has not, until Parker knocks on the window like: THIS IS REALLY GOOD, you should try some, he jumps like a foot in the air.

-Luke immediately decides Parker is his favourite.

-By the time they get everything sorted, Harry has made friends with Lorelai, Sophie with Miss Patty, Breanna has had 4 slices of pie and several things from Parker's pockets from the Soda Shoppe, and Luke is happily watching Taylor through the window because he can't PROVE someone broke into his shoppe but he can SENSE things aren't the way he left them.

-Yes they go to a town meeting and yes they cause a ruckus.

-Before they leave, Luke pulls Eliot aside to be like: I like your two partners. What do you mean they're not? BUDDY I HAVE A BOOK ON TAPE FOR YOU.

#leverage #gilmore girls au #purveyor of useless AUs and crossovers #I wrote a thing #listen the most evil thing in stars hollow is the swan that attacked Jess so they can't be there on a job #so you get this instead #HardisonxParkerxEliot

[rainbowsky]

hi rainbowsky, love your blog and your very articulate and sane view of things. It’s been very calming and comforting when there’s so much noise (and hate) in the world. So, thank you!

Curious your take on wyb wearing a bandana hanging from his left belt hook, at the Shu Uemura event today. And not a designer bandana, like the Chanel one he had on his backpack on recent trip to Japan.

I immediately thought of 1970s San Francisco gay culture, men would signal their orientation by hanging them from left side, right side, back pocket (L/R). Not thinking too much about color significance since red is Shu Uemura’s brand color. I don’t know anything about the new ad campaign he’s doing with them, but 1970 and 1971 were on 2 posters behind where he was seated.

It just flashed on me so I’d thought I’d ask. 🧐 🤡

Hi Hellopedey! Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying my blog! 😊

Inquiring minds want to know: is DD trying to signal to the world that he wants to stick his fist up their ass for Shu Uemura?

You aren't the only person to take note of this. I've seen people mentioning hanky code in the tags of reblogs of my post of the photos from that event, and I've seen people talking about it on Twitter, too. It's become quite a topic since the event.

This is a question that has come up a few times in the past, but alas - it's often impossible to find old posts on Tumblr, so rather than being able to point to my previous post about it I will just re-answer.

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

Long story short: I don't believe for one hot second that DD is using hanky code. There are a lot of reasons I feel this way, and I'll get to that in a minute, but the number one thing I want to bring home for people is that:

Everyone is allowed to wear hankies without assumptions being made about their sexual activity/preferences.

Including you, Hellopedey, and every other reader. Maybe that's not as much of a relief to some readers as it would be to those who happen to be queer and heavily sexualized by others, but it should take a load off some minds. 😅

You know that old saying, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar*?" Well, sometimes a hanky is just a hanky. I'd go so far as to say that a hanky is almost always just a hanky. Even if worn by a gay man.

*Incorrectly attributed to Freud, the origin of that quote is actually unknown.

Here are just a few reasons it's obvious to me DD isn't signalling (and I can't believe I have to say this, because it seems obvious to me):

Location, location, location. Please remember that hanky code is used when people are looking for sex. DD is at a brand event. He's not looking for sex.

His outfit is likely put together by a stylist, and that stylist is unlikely to be trying to hook him up with people for sex.

Hanky code isn't much of a Thing with young people these days. There's no need for it, since now all anyone needs to do to hook up with someone based on preferences is tick off a few boxes on Grindr or other apps (even in China).

Hanky code is pretty Western-centric. It's unclear whether it's even used in China.

As was discussed in the notes, bandanas are popular in hip hop fashion and in other fashion styles DD often wears.

Hankies are a very widely/wildly popular fashion accessory worn by people from all walks of life. Both GG and DD have worn hankies a lot, including for their fabulous Happy Camp dance, and in this context, it really is just a fashion accessory.

I'm going to say this as gently as possible, because I get it that people are just being clueless and oblivious, and that they don't intend to offend, but it really tweaks something in me as a gay person that so many fans are casually willing to make the assumption that DD is sexually signalling at work.

This goes back to the whole oversexualization in the fandom thing that I often lament.

I think fans - especially turtles - get so used to scrutinizing everything for signs and signals of GG and DD's sexual and romantic proclivities that common sense and GGDD's basic humanity are often overlooked. Fans could also stand to do a bit more to reflect on how their behavior and attitudes might (unintentionally) come across as offensive and homophobic* to queer people.

*Not saying this is where you were coming from, Hellopedey, but I hope all fans will reflect on it.

Please read this post for more info on that, because it's important.

PS] For those looking for something salacious about GG and DD, how about checking out the lyrics for the song they danced together to on Happy Camp? That's a pretty racy song for a couple of 'straight' guys to be dancing together to. 😅

#bjyx #yizhan #lgbtpride #ggdd in the public eye #some guys are not straight guys #ask