#Three All-Purpose New Year’s Resolutions

[leportraitducadavre]

“Sarada is the first Uchiha that awoke her MS out of a sense of pure love, unlike the rest of them that were rooted in hatred –she’s the first one to break the “Hatred Cycle” of the clan.”

*sighs* Listen, there’s nothing I’d like more than to leave Boruto and all of its byproducts behind for good, yet over and over again the rabid anti-Sasuke fandom comes back to trash on the original characters of the show for the sole purpose of chanting “old Uchiha bad, new Uchiha good” around a barely lit pit fire.

Allow me to quickly break this notion, as it doesn’t need much more inspection than a faint passing of our eyes through the original series to debunk it.

After hearing Naruto is sealed away alongside Hinata and everyone blames Boruto, Sarada starts crying and, in desperation, asks her dad to “help Boruto”, awakening her Mangekyou Sharingan.

[Contrary to what I initially believed as I thought she might be asking for help as she couldn’t move, she’s not injured, she appears to be (at most) in shock due to everything that Boruto has to face, so, in case you’re one of those Naruto fans that are used to have pretty plot-relevant, emotional moments after the initial awakening of an Uchiha’s MS, let me tell you: That’s not happening, at all.]

Regardless of the minuscule and for real, for real, not sarcastic at all, very-well thought and constructed attempt to empower a character whose relevance to the main plot lies in the fact that she is the only daughter of Boruto's mentor, many stans of the child saw this opportunity to trash on Sasuke’s power as an Uchiha (you know, the reincarnation of Indra itself), and to justify such an awakening of one of the most powerful forms of the Sharingan under the premise that “it’s a different type of awakening because it’s linked to love, not hatred.”

So, in order to fact-check such affirmation, let’s see how other characters achieved the Mangekyou:

Sasuke:

Sasuke awakes his MS originally from learning the truth behind his family’s genocide; before this (and I mean, chapters before this, as his MS is dedicated a total of three chapters) Obito explained that the Uchiha were planning a coup and that Itachi, to protect Konoha and his brother, committed the annihilation of his entire kin following the government’s orders. We see him crying before a new resolution is reached: destroy Konoha. His MS awakes due to his pain which turns to complete anger.

However, you wouldn’t believe how Sasuke has conscious access to both Mangekyou:

That’s right folks, he has conscious access over his right MS by thinking of those he wants to protect, Team Taka and Team 7. So this “hatred” cycle that powers up his Sharingan is fuelled by one thing and one thing only: love.

Furthermore,

Sasuke got conscious access over his left MS technique when trying to save Karin, as she’s a very dear comrade of his. Something similar happened when he awakened his Sharingan versus when he got conscious access to it when trying to save Naruto.

[Sasuke awoke the Sharingan when he was eight years old, so the idea that “haha, Sarada awoke her MS when she was younger than him so she’s better!” is stupid as he awoke it when he was at least four years younger when facing the genocide of his people, unlike her that got it from daddy issues. In fact, awakening MS or the Sharingan before or after has nothing to do with the person's capacity as a ninja as it solely depends on the traumatic events that said person experiences. It's safer to say that her emotional threshold is significantly lower than her father's given the "peaceful" times in which she grew up than to claim a "superiority" based upon the age they both experienced traumatically enough events to influence their chakra and develop or evolve their doujutsu.]

Obito:

Obito, somewhat similar to Sasuke (and this is due to their feelings, as they’re heartbroken and such pain triggers their raw hate), awakes his MS when he sees the girl he loves get killed by the boy he started to consider a friend when he was twelve/thirteen years old. His feelings are so strongly connected to his Sharingan that they also evolve the doujutsu that Kakashi possesses.

However, there’s a striking difference between how Obito awakened his Sharingan (basic form) and how Sasuke or even Sarada did as he achieved such power when trying to save his comrades.

[Sasuke awoke the Sharingan due to the pain he felt when seeing his parents get killed by his brother, which turned into hatred when Itachi "explained" his reasons. Meanwhile, Sarada got her Sharingans due to the pain she felt when her father didn't recognize her, which turned into fear when he threatened to kill her.]

Obito’s Sharingan was completely awakened by a sense of protectiveness over those dear to him, in other words, love. 

Every single Sharingan or evolution of the same doujutsu is driven by the same emotion. From there, it either derivates to different states (pain, hate, grief, and so on), or it doesn’t, but no Uchiha can access either form without feeling a strong positive connection with someone or something they are trying to protect.

P.S: Unrelated, but look how pretty Kishimoto's art is compared to Ikemoto's (who also sexualizes minors constantly, as this is the cover of the newest volume), Sasuke looks so ugly and Sarada's MS is the most awful thing I've ever seen. No wonder the manga is flopping. Yikes.

Edit to add: It’s devastatingly hilarious how the whole point of Sarada’s Mangekyou wasn’t even about her; nor her power, nor the relevance of her bonds, it was about making a powerful enough moment for Sasuke to believe her and help Boruto! Everything becomes, yet again, about Sasuke.

#anti boruto #anti sarada #anti sarada uchiha #anti coh #anti tobirama #anti tobirama senju #anti konoha #anti shinobi system #anti ss #anti sasusaku #anti sss #anti sakura uchiha #sasuke uchiha #pro sasuke #pro sasuke uchiha #obito uchiha #mangekyou sharingan #karin uzumaki #team taka #team 7

[incorrectbatfam]

favorite pair of bat siblings and their favorite thing to do together

Not a pair but I'm always a fan of the Tim+Steph+Cass+Duke quartet

Alfred sends them grocery shopping. Steph and Cass race shopping carts, Duke gets a $500 parmesan wheel the size of a bike tire, and Tim negotiates his way into buying a lottery ticket underaged. They're no longer allowed to go unsupervised

They once pretended they were making each other's death row meals. Steph made a rotisserie chicken, Cass baked a Happy Death Day cake, Duke blended a smoothie bowl 'cause the girls were taking up all the stove space, and Tim opened a can of Arkham-brand slop and called it a day

The first time they meet Duke's girlfriend, Izzy, the girls hit it off instantly and within 15 minutes get all of his embarrassing We Are Robin stories. Tim takes notes. Very very detailed notes

Steph's New Year's resolution is to finish a TV show before anyone can spoil it. Tim, Cass, and Duke's resolution is to watch everything before her. Duke puts everything on 2x speed, Cass screenshots major moments, and Tim hacks Netflix to get new episodes early

Steph used to work retail and they won't let her live down the time she, as a customer, used her customer service voice on a cashier

Tim's phone doesn't have a QR reader. If he needs to access one in public, the other three will do a thing where one scans it while the rest two pretend to and they make him guess

Cass is really passionate about making tiny ballet slippers for rats so they get an equal chance to learn it and ropes the other three into her sewing circle. Damian sometimes helps too

They get an underwater speaker for the sole purpose of playing the Jaws theme while Bruce is in the pool

Alfred creates a swear jar for each kid. Everyone expects Jason to fill it first, but it's actually Duke after he stubs his toe. Second is Steph, then Cass in sign language, and finally Tim when his coffee ran out

Alfred collects the money and gives it to Selina for safekeeping, who wires it back to Tim who adds a new living room to the house. Duke blueprints, Steph and Cass pick the furniture, and they slowly build it whenever they get a break. It's not hidden or anything, but somehow no one noticed an entire room that wasn't there before

They have a shared Spotify account. Some of their playlists: POV it's 1998 and you're terrified of growing up, Songs for when you wanna bite styrofoam, How to use a stapler, and Holy Fucking Bingle

#tim drake #red robin #stephanie brown #spoiler #cassandra cain #orphan #duke thomas #signal #batfamily #batfam #batboys #batbros #batgirls #batkids #batsiblings #batman family #dc comics #headcanon #tw swearing #tw food mention #ask #anonymous

[isalisewrites]

A ramble on writing for my mental health

At the end of 2023, I calculated how long it would take me to finally get through the slow burn to the first kiss between Tom and Harry in Terrible, But Great.

At the rate I'd been posting at, I discovered that it would take an approximate of 3 to 4 years to get to the first kiss.

When I tell you that I lost it, I mean that I lost my motherfucking mind. 3 to 4 GODDAMN FUCKING YEARS to get to the FIRST KISS???

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I ranted. I screamed. I raged. Unacceptable. Absolutely not. Fuck no. I refuse. Friends would say, "No, it's okay. We can wait. Take care of yourself. Mental health. Important. Blah blah blah."

NO. I love you.

NO!

I don't want to wait that long. I, ME, the author, do not want to wait three to four years to share one of my favorite chapters of all time. I don't want to wait. My soul wept at such an idea. Because there's so much more to come after the first kiss. How long would it take me to finish what I'd started? Life is fleeting. Life is fragile. I know this all too well when my mother died far too young in my arms. I'm not saying something will happen to me, but this story is so important to me.

And so

A determination like no other came over me.

I made an immovable, unshakable goal. I needed to write every single day, before everything else in my life. It had to be first. I wake up; I write. I've gained so much good by going to college, but I've also lost so much when it came to writing. I needed this. I needed to write - before the duties, the homework, the chores, before EVERYTHING because I needed it.

I decided that 700 words a day was a reasonable goal for me. I could do it. I could reach that. If I wrote 700 words a day, it'd be an average of 21,000 words per month with a total of 255,500 words for all of 2024.

Not only would I reach the first kiss, not only would I finish Arc Two, I would also finish Arc Three, which contains the climatic purpose of the whole story.

On that day, when I never really made New Year's Resolutions in the past, I set this daily goal of 700 words per day.

It's now the end of January. Did I accomplish this goal?

Yes.

-

This is a screenshot of my daily word count in January.

50,461 words.

Not only did I reach the goal, I surpassed it. There's 35,000 words more in Arc Two than there was at the beginning of January. There's 15,000 words more in Arc Three, Arc Four, and Arc Five collectively.

I discovered so much about the story in Terrible, But Great. I learned so much more about the characters. One day, if you're a reader of the story, you'll learn about it, too. I promise.

I learned there was an Arc Five, when I'd barely thought about a fully realized Arc Four. I learned about the final chapter, about the final lines.

I cried that day.

Life is still hard; it's still stressful. But you know? The depression that would settle over me by this point in the semester hasn't come. I'm so much happier than I've been for a long time. Putting what gives me the most joy in life has been the best thing I've ever done.

Yes, there are still some hard days. Yes, some days, it's harder to write. But as I look back on every day, I am so happy that I still choose my writing and story first.

Until next month.

#mywriting #fanfic writer #fanfiction writer #nanowrimo #unofficial nanowrimo #writing #tomarry #hp #hp fanfic #harry potter #tom riddle #fanfiction #fanfic #2024 writing goal update #terrible but great #writer #2024 writing goals #isa's ramblings #isa's writing

[fernsnailz]

January 2024 Review Roundup

hello everypony‼️ something i want to do through 2024 is a mini review series where i recap some of the media i watched/played/read at the end of every month. this was inspired by tumblr user ponett’s 2023 media wrap-up, it's a great collection of quick reviews so go check it out!

i’m doing this partially as writing/analysis practice, but mostly because my memory is really bad and i want to keep track of what i've seen this year. with that said, my thoughts on everything i finished in january 2024 is under the cut :]

Portal 1 + 2

yyyup i beat Portal and it only took me (checks watch) 13 years

the first time i played Portal 2 was at a friend’s house when i was in middle school, and i had a fuckin blast. but after all that time... it still holds up! i don’t think anything i have to say about Portal will be particularly new since people have been praising this series since it came out. the writing, the level design, even the controls feel tight and engaging the whole way through. i played on switch and expected a bit of jank, but i was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it felt to play. the only part that dragged for me were the levels through the old aperture labs, but i think i would like them a lot more on a second replay. Portal 2 is fantastic and one of my new favorite games, the artistry behind it is truly incredible and i’m really glad i finally finished it. while i was playing Portal 2, i described Glados and Wheatly to a friend and said “they’re like if a ceiling fan could be passive aggressive and if Fozzie Bear was an evil golf ball”

I Think You Should Leave

finally. i can truly understand and appreciate Subspace Dubbed Over

i think one of my favorite things about I Think You Should Leave is how it utilizes horror. beyond sitting slack-jawed in disbelief at the crazy events unfolding before my eyes, a number of the sketches dipped into bits that genuinely kinda scared me. like the one sketch that circulates on here where the guy (pig?) in a mask crawls through a dog door, which is. genuinely terrifying. but so many of the other sketches have slow, nerve-racking pacing leading to crazy shit that would be perfect in a horror film were the context different. idk i like dissecting how horror and comedy are essentially the same thing and I Think You Should Leave was very good at enabling that <3 favorite sketches are probably “then let my wife eat the damn receipt” and “55 BURGERS 55 HOTDOGS 100 FRIES 100 TATER TOTS”

Sonic Prime Season 3

man. ohhhh man. i didn’t go into this with high expectations and i still feel let down. Sonic Prime Season 3 was definitely my least favorite “season” of the batch - abysmal pacing, very few character moments i actually enjoyed, and the things i praised about the show felt very underutilized through these episodes. Nine is the shining star of Sonic Prime and i was looking forward to seeing his more villainous side, but his character took such a sharp turn into pure evil and it felt like he spent the entire season repeating the same three lines. and as much as i praise Shadow’s writing in Prime, it doesn’t really matter when he spends half of the season trapped in a hole that he just… runs out of later.

lastly, i cannot stop thinking about how bad the pacing of this season is. three episodes for a repetitive final battle feels like such a waste of time when you see just how much they rush the emotional resolutions in the last episode. however, there is one thing i truly love about Sonic Prime Season 3 - i love the Sails and Mangey fakeout death. it's so fucking funny. like you really expect me to believe that two cartoon animals in this Y-7 rated show EXPLODED?????? absolute comedy gold.

overall, i just… don’t really know what to think of Sonic Prime. anything i enjoyed in the show was often fleeting, and much of it felt like its only purpose was to waste my time. also Rouge i can’t believe they did you so dirty oh my god

Ghost Trick

i was so proud that i figured out the secret behind Sissel’s memory loss like halfway through the game. however i also kept getting caught during the prison escape sequence like an idiot

Ghost Trick is in a similar situation as Portal where 1. it’s incredible and one of my new favorite games, and 2. there’s nothing i can really say about it that hasn’t already been said or just. shouldn’t be said. Ghost Trick is a fantastic mystery game, and because of that i think it’s best to go into its story as blind as possible. the narrative unfolds in such fascinating ways - even though the actual object manipulation gameplay isn’t directly about solving the mystery (like in Ace Attorney or other mystery games), it still ties wonderfully into the story in some incredibly unique ways.

i also really love the artstyle of Ghost Trick - i love 2D character artwork with that sharp lineweight, it reminded me a lot of Sonic Battle (another game with an artstyle i love). i was also really impressed by the 3D character models and animation - despite the limitations of the camera, you get a wonderful sense of everyone’s personality from the limited body language expressed in the overworld (even though the models lack much facial expression which. i guess they don’t really need? idk that was the only thing that threw me off). anyways yeah everyone should play Ghost Trick so Ghost Trick fans can be freed from their curse and talk about it without having to tag like 10 different spoiler tags. and for Missile

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

ok bear with me. i went into Scott Pilgrim Takes Off without reading the comics first. and i fuckin loved it

my understanding of Scott Pilgrim before SPTO was mostly from the movie (I KNOW I’M SORRY), but even with my base understanding of the series i really enjoyed this show for what it was. i found myself appreciating the time they dedicated to further develop every single character in the show - especially Ramona. she’s fantastic as the lead, i really loved watching her reconcile with her exes and seeing all of them grow instead of exploding into coins. my favorite episode was probably the one with her and Roxie - not only did i adore the movie-jumping set pieces, but you really understand the weight of Ramona’s mistakes in their past relationship and how much it hurt Roxie. despite the big climactic fight, the flashbacks are quiet, subtle, heartbreaking. Ramona’s apology is genuine, and it feels so wonderful to watch her confront her past throughout the show. also i think it’s really funny that for all these characters to become the best versions of themselves, they had to kill off Scott for most of the story

and holy shit the artstyle and animation. oh my god. i love watching something that makes me immediately go “i need to see the storyboards for this RIGHT NOW.” SPTO is such a visual delight to watch, it elevates the artstyle of the comics while also keeping what makes that style so appealing - i love the line weight on the characters, i love how much forward energy the animation has, i love the fucking. virtual boy section. as soon as i found out Science Saru was also behind Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, everything made immediate sense. i was destined to love this show.

another worry i had going into SPTO (besides the fact that i hadn’t read the comics lol) is that the original cast from the movie was returning. i think the movie cast is fine, but i wasn’t sure how some of them would fare with voice acting for animation. however, i thought they all did a good job - i think the whole cast loves these characters and would be able to fit into them fairly easily no matter what form their performance takes, and they definitely had a good voice director in the studio with them. the only thing that felt off about the voice performances to me was that sometimes it sounded like some of their mics kept peaking?? idk some of these episodes i watched high as balls and i felt like i could hear and see every single sound and frame of the show. so that might have just been me.

god i did not. expect to have this much to say about Scott Pilgrim. i really loved this show and i’m currently reading the comics to fully catch up on the general Scott Pilgrim experience - i think reading the comics AFTER Takes Off is making me appreciate even more of the character work that went into the show. like they do so much with Mathew Patel in SPTO, a character that was. not originally around for a long time from what i’ve gathered? also i like the funny little robot. oh my GOD i cannot talk about this show anymore whatever it’s good get me out of here

Sword AF Season 1

i put on the Smosh cast’s D&D series to play in the background while i was drawing. i did not expect to think much of it. instead, i had one of the most enjoyable D&D podcast experiences since i listened to The Adventure Zone Balance???

i haven’t really enjoyed other D&D podcasts since i dropped off of The Adventure Zone, and i wasn’t expecting much from Sword AF of all things. then i saw that Shayne was playing as a druid warforged made of plants and his name was fucking Fernie and i sat my ass down and LISTENED. while i think Sword AF is currently lacking in its world and larger story, those things just. aren’t really what Sword AF is really trying to provide at the moment. it’s main focus is comedy, and the players are genuinely such a delight to watch play together and build off of each other. they mostly focus on bits and goofs for the sake of she show's comedic tone, but i still found it thoroughly enjoyable because every player embodies and performs their characters really well. idk Sword AF was an unexpected hit for me this month, i thought it was fun. and i love Fernie so much

Plastic Death - Glass Beach

so originally i wasn’t going to include music reviews in these roundups at all, but then i was entirely surprised by a new Glass Beach album and oh my god. holy shit. oh my fucking god jesus christ. holy shit. its preddy good

Plastic Death gets the low point of the album out of the way immediately. it starts with the “phone call/conversation audio” trope that i don’t particularly enjoy - HOWEVER despite me disliking this opening, 1. it sets up the overall themes of Plastic Death very quickly, and 2. the rest of the album blows this 40 second opening completely out of the water. from there, the album grows into something beautiful and uncontained, and i just. i really like it

Plastic Death captures the beauty of the temporary, asks what it means to be created for a cause you can’t fulfill, questions if you can reclaim yourself from cycles and constraints designed to destroy you. and is also about being transgender. the lyrics are abstract in a way that requires a conversation with the listener, many of the vocals obscured and smooth like waves - this album is definitely one that needs to be listened to a few times. i wasn’t sure how i felt about the vocal style at first before realizing the vocals were the main reason i was relistening to this album, allowing myself to find even more that i loved about it. the instrumentation is also incredible, i love the use of marimba in a number of songs - distant, eerie, almost skeletal. and the fucking. 8-bit section?? which kinda rules???? and that’s the only point in the album it ever shows up??????? incredible. a fleeting, somewhat silly moment that i love every time.

this album left my heart aching, in part from my connection to it and in part from the pure love and joy emanating from this music. i can feel just how much fun this music was to perform and create, a cohesion of time and sound that just clicked for me. Plastic Death made me miss playing music, which is something i haven’t felt in years. all from an album that starts with a conversation about CrankGameplay’s dead youtube channel. good lord

i like this album a normal amount. go listen to it a few times. my favorite tracks are cul-de-sac and commatose

Wish

i watched Wish with a couple of friends and knew i probably wasn't going to like it. with that in mind, i gave myself a challenge: i wanted to find one thing about this movie that i genuinely really loved. it could be anything, and loving it for ironic reasons was allowed.

here's the complete list of things i loved about Disney's Wish (2023):

i love the one shot where King Magnifico stirs an evil caldron evily. i thought it was hilarious. what was he cooking

i loved that the end credits included a reference to Dinosaur 2001 at all, and i loved that they paid homage to Big Hero 6 by showing the forgettable villain of that movie instead of their Baymax cashcow for some reason. my friends and i saw him show up in the credits and were like "who's the trenchcoat guy??"

you may notice that this list is very short and 50% of it is about the movie's credits. so yeah this movie is not very good

Wish is an empty husk of a movie. everything about it feels so, so hollow - lifeless town squares, uninspired character designs (to quote a friend: "i have all of these characters' hairstyles in The Sims"), characters whose existence is only justified to fill empty space or an overused archetype, and an "evil" villain who lacks charisma and spine in a futile effort to remind the audience of previous disney villains with actual character. even the artstyle lacks any sort of sauce, the watercolor effect they were trying to go for only makes the backgrounds and character textures run together, and the dull lighting makes things look even more faded. it's like disney was scared of making a movie that made its audience feel... anything. all to celebrate 100 years of Disney slop, baby!!!

Some YouTube videos I liked in January: 💥 An Exhaustive Look at Pokemon Brilliant Diamond 💥 TomSka's Guide to Plagiarism 💥 Paradise Bombed (this video is a great piece of journalism and i’m definitely not doing it justice by throwing it into the youtube vid list) 💥 Surprising Our Friends with Zoo Animals 💥 Did FNAF Ever Have a Good Story?

thanks for reading! next month’s roundup will be wild because i’ll likely be reviewing House of Leaves and Hazbin Hotel. can you guess which cursed house gives me a worse headache? WHO KNOWS! (hint: it's Hazbin Hotel)

#under the readmore is pretty long! oh boy i love having opinions about media #most stuff in january i liked a lot though :] good month of stuff!! #review roundup #<- oh boy new tag for this series #long post

[utilitycaster]

What ACOC fanon are people getting so upset over?

Come traveler. Let me tell you a tale. For I, too, was unaware of it until they went absolutely bugfuck all over Twitter. But if you don't want the whole long-winded epic: people shipped Belizabeth Brassica and Saint Citrina and while there has been no evidence indicating this will or not be confirmed or even mentioned they FREAKED OUT about how Matt would OBVIOUSLY destroy the "widespread" fanon (it is not widespread), specifically implying he'd do so in a bigoted way. Then some D20 guests noticed because the people saying this are not like, unknown fanartists (in fact one implied they had been asked to create art for the season but forgot to check their DMs) and were like "this is entitled and stupid and needlessly cruel to Matt, who is like, a guy we personally know and generally like." The people then, rather than saying "my B" and taking this to the DMs like a normal person who wants to talk shit, repeatedly doubled down. As of a few hours ago they were accusing Jasmine Bhullar of subtweeting them when she was in fact merely promoting an entirely unrelated show, it's sparked both a heartfelt discussion about how Matt's discussion of body dysmorphia has helped people and a conversation about how there's toxicity in all fandoms but the D20 community refuses to even acknowledge it; and also I think they've burned their chances of ever doing fan art for an actual play of any size in LA, Chicago, New York, London, or the centroid that represents an equidistant point from all the McElroys which is, I believe, hilariously for Amnesty fans, in the Monongahela National Forest.

Anyway POV we're around a campfire, I'm drinking something lightly alcoholic, and you wish to hear of The Drama At Length:

Do you remember Belizabeth Brassica, aka Broccoli Pope loosely based in appearance on Queen Elizabeth I (technically renaissance rather than high medieval but like...people constantly mix those up in D&D so it's fine)?

Great. Now do you remember the Rocks Sisters? Not the twins played by Siobhan and Emily; Amethar's four older sisters who died in the Ravening War, before the story started: Rococoa, Lazuli, Citrina, and Sapphria. Rococoa was a general; Lazuli an archmage (and Caramelinda's wife before she died; Caramelinda then married Amethar because while Lazuli had been a love match, this was a beneficial marriage for political purposes); Citrina a devotee of The Bulb; and Sapphria a spy and diplomat. They get talked about a lot, for sure, but their presence in the story is to be absent and to haunt the narrative.

Anyway the fanon is that Citrina and Belizabeth were in a relationship. In canon, I believe all we know is that both were devotees of the bulb; that Citrina held positions that might be considered heretical by some (she was a passionate believer in love matches and supported Amethar's marriage to a commoner in the Dairy Isles) and that Belizabeth ordered that she be killed.

Here's where this gets fun. So ACOC aired pretty much exactly three years ago, and while I think it's considered by many to be a high point in D20's oeuvre, a lot of fans have, you know, kept up with D20 on the whole and not dwelt on it in depth. But a small group of people have been consistently focused on this ship between an NPC who is vitally important to the narrative but shows up in fewer than a third of the total episodes; and a character dead before the story ever started. Which, I need to stress, is fine; the joy of headcanons is playing in the empty spaces.

Flash forward to 2023: a creative director who was generally opposed to revisiting past campaign settings and preferred standalone has just amicably parted ways. Neverafter has gotten mixed reviews (I have to see the last 8 episodes; this is anecdotal but some of the editing choices, plus the both dense yet meandering plot, brought the momentum of a truly fantastic TPK and resolution early on to a shuddering halt), and really nothing but A Court of Fey and Flowers has truly stuck for some time. The fandom has been clamoring for Fantasy High Junior Year for quite some time to no avail. The switch to 10-episode sidequests from 6 episode sidequests has met lukewarm reception. In short: D20 could use something flashy to revitalize their next sidequest. Enter: Matt Mercer as DM.

Now, a lot of D20 fans who are not part of the (significant) overlap with CR fans hate Matt Mercer. This is in part because a lot of people who got Big Mad about ships in Campaign 2 went to D20 and proceeded to badmouth Critical Role, a show they happily watched and made art for until roughly episode 107-ish of Campaign 2, proclaiming it homophobic (wrong two women kissed); racist (one of the women who kissed is a dark-skinned woman played by a white woman, which would have still been true if she kissed the other woman but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯); and probably problematic in other ways. To be clear I am not saying Critical Role is above criticism, and it has made its missteps, but like, the fact that these complaints showed up conveniently only when a ship didn't happen and mostly from like, white teenagers who proceeded to simultaneously call the cast transphobic and deliberately get their names wrong means this is not the criticism that is valid and worth considering, as is the fact that technically Matt had nothing to do with the ship not happening, but they've realized being an asshole to Marisha about her character's romantic choices will rightfully get you flayed alive. Also some D20 fans just hate Critical Role in the way that if you live in Boston you're supposed to hate New York and vice versa but if you say "why? what if I just want the baseball boys to have a good time together?" no one can answer.

Anyway here's a diagram to illustrate the group I'm talking about; they're the green dot:

So: a couple of them decided a smart thing to do on Twitter in front of God and everybody was to say that they were worried Matt would contradict this "widely established" fanlore because he is not plugged into the ACOC fandom. They then proceeded to specifically (jokingly, but like, in a shitty way, still where everyone could see it) say that Matt would probably introduce Belizabeth as being married to her husband because she is 100% straight.

Now there's a bunch of problems here, and people pointed them out. Namely:

This is a weird thing to assume Matt would do, ie, automatically make an arbitrary NPC definitely straight, even if you're joking about it; like, he has a pretty decent track record for making NPCs of varying genders and sexualities, especially by C2 and C3.

This is not even widely established fanlore; this is a tiny group of fans of ACOC. See below for more on that.

Even if it were widely established fanlore, it's unlikely Brennan would know either.

Even if it were widely established fanlore and Matt or Brennan were aware of it, they are under no obligation to adhere to fanlore, because it's fanlore, not the established canon of A Crown of Candy. This does not make fanlore bad! It just means that creators are allowed to ignore it in the same way that fan creators are allowed to ignore canon; this is a two-way street.

Therefore, because this is fanlore, even if Matt did say "here is Belizabeth and her husband, and she has only ever been involved with men" this would not be homophobic because the character's sexuality has never been established and straight is one of the possible sexualities she could have. Obviously if he went super hard on her straightness that could get weird but that's a fucking bonkers stretch.

When people pointed it out, this group and a few other people who just fucking hate Matt kept dismissing them as CR fans. Then it caught the attention of various D20 guest cast members or people in the broader TTRPG scene, who have pointed out that like...the actual play and TTRPG industry is a place where basically everyone in a particular region knows everyone else and they are all good friends and this is shitty. The D20 fans mad that Matt is DM-ing The Ravening War kept doubling down and started making outright ad-hominem attacks on Matt (notably his appearance and dress which is like, shitty and irrelevant to this fanon thing anyway even before you consider the body dysmorphia) and whining that because they've made some charity fanzines, a thing people have been doing since the dawn of Star Trek TOS, they deserve...something. People rightfully called them out as 1. entitled brats and 2. needlessly cruel. They keep whining that CR fans are dogpiling them when in fact like, the entire TTRPG community including, as far as I can tell, the D20 community who overlaps with CR fandom and even the D20 community that does not but is neutral on CR, is like "you suck, you started it, this fandom is not exempted from typical fandom toxicity, and you will look back on this in 5 years and vomit from embarrassment."

Anyway this is all kind of tiresome, but also pretty funny because literally I'm expecting a bunch of fanartists who are immensely high on their own farts to be 100% blacklisted from ever receiving a commission from like, any Actual Play of note and also a lot of fans; there's an outpouring of support for Matt that far outstrips what there would have been without a handful of idiots starting shit; and also the season is fully filmed anyway so if this ship was confirmed noncanon, it happened a few months ago anyway and there's nothing anyone can do.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, pretty much all these losers are still 100% going to watch The Ravening War anyway so like, this has all amounted to a net positive for everyone but them.

#answered #Anonymous #long post #i'm just...not maintagging this and if you need to filter it do what you have to

[ninapi]

┏━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┓

For Haikyuu go here

For Jujutsu go here

For Tokyo Rev here

┗━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┛

☆ﾟUpper Moon Two: Origin

Premise: A journey trough Douma's life as a human, was he always as bad? The reminiscence of his real past lingers as he dies, not the things he always remembered but the reason itself that made him choose the demonic path.

Word count: 2395

☆ﾟ Upper Moon Four: Relentless Emotions

Premise: The line between being rescued and captured can be very thin, it all depends on who gets to be in charge for the day. Battling against their own feelings, they were only allowed to feel one emotion each, even when they had feelings for the same person, they were really the same demon after all. Could it be possible they fell for a filthy treacherous human? Nah…

Word count: 4337

Bonus Chapter

☆ﾟWind Pillar:

❀。• Liquid sunshine

Premise: A life without the demon corps was just meaningless. Living with a heavy survivor guilt can really eat someone from the inside. That was until a weak light arrived in the most unexpected way possible, breathing life back into his lungs, making him feel needed once more.

Word count: 5081

☆ﾟ Bonus chapter 1, Bonus chapter 2

❀。• Depths of Fate

Premise: Sanemi goes out of his way to take care of a sick young woman who captivated his heart since their first time seeing each other. A love like this wasn't possible for a man like him, or so he thought, fate has many faces and he would end up seeing them all up close.

Word Count: 5708

☆ﾟWater Pillar:

❀。• Blessed rain

Premise: Lacking resolution was his weakest attribute, after losing his established lifestyle and many friends in battle, finding something worth living for can be challenging. But there's always a rainbow after a rainy day and he found that rainbow when his low was at its peak. A lost soul finds another.

Word count: 4563

☆ﾟSound Pillar:

❀。• Shattered

Premise: A broken man, a shattered dream and purpose. Retirement made Tengen feel useless, a rather confident man shatters to the ground, new resolution and sense of one self blooms from it as he meets the right person at the right moment.

Word Count: 4551

☆ﾟMist Pillar:

❀。• Sweet Innocence

Premise: Soulmates come at unexpected times and places. Muichiro goes on his final mission, one that he would get to remember to his very last breath. A short lived love blooms with the worse possible timing.

Word Count: 3286

☆ﾟSnake Pillar:

❀。• One sided

Premise: Love isn't always something beautiful, wanted, expected. Iguro had always been in love with Mitsuri, but that didn't stop his Tsuguko from falling for him.

Word Count: 3686

☆ﾟ Stone Pillar:

❀。• Flavored Tears

Premise: A tale as old as time, a love as big as it can possibly exist. A traveling merchant gets lost and stumbles in Gyomei's mountain, a meeting that only destiny could make possible.

Word Count: 4044

☆ﾟShinazugawa Genya:

❀。• Rommates…?

Premise: Zenitsu trips you and Genya into being roommates in your first year of college, disregarding Genya’s everlasting crush on you.

Word Count: 7638

☆ﾟ Bonus Chapter

☆ﾟ Haganezuka Horaru:

❀。• Fireflies

Premise: Haganezuka gets a marriage proposal from one of the elders of the village, marrying was a must for those in the Swordsmith's village, self preservation of the clan and its techniques was absolutely mandatory. He hated the idea to his very core, to say the least.

Word Count: 3544

☆ﾟKimetsu daycare

Premise: Kiriya calls the former pillars to celebrate his coming of age ceremony. Since the three of them have children, his sisters offer to take care of the lot. Welcome to a hell of a day in the Kimetsu daycare.

Word Count: 4026

☆ﾟKimetsu Academy, Teachers edition:

❀。• Rengoku Kyojuro: Be Mine

Premise: Destiny can be a fickle thing. One little mistake while dialing a random shop opened a new door for his desolated heart; one he was more than eager to go into.

Word Count: 3985

❀。• Tomioka Giyuu: Training Camp

Premise: Giyuu asks for one of the interns at the academy to be assigned to his care as the training camp was approaching and he didn’t have enough energy to deal with all the brats and their antics.

Word Count: 3660

❀。• Shinazugawa Sanemi: Infinity

Premise: Kanae convinces Sanemi to go on a blind date in a combined effort from all the teachers at the academy to battle Sanemi’s imminent desolated future.

Word Count: 3485

❀。• Uzui Tengen: The art of beauty

Premise: Tengen never thought possible to fall in love so bad that he'd want to give away his freedom and finally settle down. Who said a flamboyant life can't have a bit of loving~?

Word Count: 3472

❀。• Himejima Gyomei: Righteousness

Premise: Teaching children was his dream, taking care of his buddhist temple his responsibility. Finding love wasn't in his priority list, but not having to take care of everything on his own was certainly refreshing for Gyomei and made him feel warm inside.

Word Count: 3075

....::::**•°✾°•**::::....

#kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #demon slayer fanfic #demon slayer x you #demon slayer hashira #kimetsu no yaiba fanfic #hashira x reader #12 kizuki #shinazugawa sanemi #tomioka giyuu #rengoku kyōjurō #shinazugawa genya #tokito muichiro #douma #hantengu clones #iguro obanai #hotaru haganezuka

[tarotwithdanise]

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF YOUR ANGELS TO YOU THIS COMING JANUARY 2023 | PICK-A-CARD

from left to right ; intuitively choose the pile your mind, heart and soul desire for. if you are having trouble choosing the right pile for you, here's some tips you can do ; (1) take a deep breath (2) close your eyes (3) ask guidance from your guides (4) finally open your eyes and you can choose the right pile for you by the guidance you ask from your guides. if you are still having trouble by choosing the right pile for you let me know because i am willing to help and guide you.

pile one. pile two. pile three.

𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ☆

just a quick disclaimer : this reading was made for entertainment purposes only. this is obviously a general reading so takes what resonates and leave when it doesn't, you don't need to force your energy to read this and leave such a bad comment just to say it doesn't resonates with you at all because the answer is very obvious! i don't own any these pictures i collected them from pinterest so credits to the rightful owners.

lastly, be happy and enjoy reading my works — feedbacks, comments, likes, reblogs and follows are really appreciated by the reader. (that's me, lol :3)

for tips, donation and paid readings :

TIP JAR | DONATION BOX | PAID READING SERVICES

check out my second account @danisetarot . the full list of my works are here ; masterlist.

pile one

cards : hammer-knife-fox-mountain-knight of wands-nine of cups-three of cups.

wow i am elated for this pile! it's not only some of your wishes is getting granted but also angels wanted you to know that you will find a resolution from your issues for this past months. they know the hardwork and pain you've been through this past months so they'll have a lovely gift for you, this will mark an end of your every toxic relationship with yourself/self traits that you been have for quite long time and also for others as well. i see that this coming january will give you confidence to make new connection to others.

with the mountain card clarifying the knight of wands here, can be interpreted to me as some sort of delays when it comes to moving place, career, phase of life and confession this sagittarius season because you already expecting it to happened since you've read them on other worked pacs but seems like it got delayed but i don't see it happening neither with this month. i know this was honestly bring so much disapointment for you.

this part will not resonates with everyone but for some, you'll cut toxic friendships that you have right now not only that this will bring satisfaction to you but also from your heart and mind, you'll be like "phew, finally i made it." but also i do see here for those whom been through a rough year this 2022, you'll have emotional and mental stability this upcoming month which is good for you. this coming month is giving you happiness too like you'll felt you have won a huge amount of money on lottery, that's the feeling.

Thank you so much for reading, let me know your thoughts, feedbacks and tipping is well appreciated !! ♡

pile two

cards : sunglasses-i like you-bird-fish-nine of wands-two of cups-ten of pentacles.

okay pile two you've got a very strong intuition and you know that fact. your angels wants you to know that someone is stalking and watching you from afar, specially your social media accounts, whoever this person is they really really really like you, they want to ask you out for a date. for some, i think you've met this person through social media and may confess their feelings with this month. this person is a potential soulmate, there's a great chemistry about this connection.

you've got the birds, fish and 2oC cards which represent to me that you've have a great discussions or conversations with this specific person. to summarize this part from this pile — the month of january will bring love for you, while if you already in relationship with someone your romance will be blooming for this month and solid foundation.

for the rest of this pile, i see here that be careful to some gossip that you'd like to share with your friends or others okay? they're dangerous to share and might involve to a situation where the blame is all yours or if you have a business online be careful to your transaction that you are doing, there's a high chances you can get scam. for those people who are waiting for their hardwork to bloom, this month has an unexpected gift for you or something good will be happening with this month. your angels knows that you've learnt from your past failure and now you are close to success so gather all of your strength to claim them.

another thing, for those people who have a rough time to their financial, i see an unexpected windfall.

Thank you so much for reading, let me know your thoughts, feedbacks and tipping is well appreciated !! ♡

pile three

cards : photograph-cupid's arrow-anchor-tower-king of cups-six of swords-strength rx.

i'm grateful for some of you from the people who chose this pile, i see that you will make a decision where you are finally working with your own self-doubt and insecurities. angels wants you to know that they're ready to support for what decisions you are making, you'll build a great stability and security from this month about yourself.

it's time to make your own choices and be independent, don't be afraid of life. have faith, don't lose hope because of this insecurities you are feeling. you guys are entering to your healing process away from your lack of confidence, low self-esteem, weakness or feeling inadequate.

for the rest of this that wanted to move on or asking a sign to move, it's the right time for you to move on from this love. angels wants you to make new memories with other people, i see that love is coming. this is so random but expect a surprise invitation or meeting from someone. 8, 19 and 35 plays a big role with you from this month.

Thank you so much for reading, let me know your thoughts, feedbacks and tipping is well appreciated !! ♡

hello everyone! how y'all doing? it's been awhile since i posted a pac here. i just wanted to update that my 'paid reading services' is gonna be close for awhile, that means i won't be accepting order for a while due to my very busy life and schedules however i still accepting tips from the pac readings i've been do since the day i started here. also, i'm kinda excited since tommorow (december,18) is my 19th birthday but i still need to work so maybe i can check all of your feedbacks from this pac by tommorow night. happy holidays, my fairies!🎄🤍 i hope y'all spend your holidays with your loved ones and have a great time with them💗🌷

love, danise.

© daninixx ── all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, alter, or repost my work without my explicit permission.

#danisetarot #daninixx #pickacard #divination #tarotcommunity #free tarot reading #pick a pile #pick a pile reading #tarot online #tarot #tarotblr #spirituality #meditation #pick a card #intuitive tarot reading #pick a card reading

[ivesterrarium]

Christmas TMR Headcanons!

*You can find my Halloween ones here

The Glade celebrate the new year more than Christmas, and would therefore have their new year resolutions as promises to one another. Some would give actual handmade gifts, but most would go off with a simple gesture.

Chuck would give prank gifts to people, usually next to their sleeping bag or cot so they didn't know it was him.

In a modern au, the main few would all have their specific Christmas tree topper, and if they were to all live together, it would get very hectic.

Thomas: A silver wire angel Minho: A glow-up wire reindeer Newt: A golden star Teresa: A white angel model Brenda: A snowflake

Every day of December there'd be a different Christmas tree topper, and nearing Christmas day, they'd all get tense whenever around the tree. What do you choose for your tree topper?

Newt has no shame and will absolutely be eating mince pies as soon as they are in store (I do this too, lol, I saw a box of them in September)

Most of the main few take mistletoe quite well (at this point, Minho has kissed everyone, they are starting to suspect he's doing it on purpose) but Thomas... he's a complete mess.

He instantly malfunctions the second he realises he's under the mistletoe, and then has to sit in his own puddle of bisexual disaster-ness for a minute or two.

Newt is often really thoughtful with his gifts, but ends up panicking on Christmas day and watches in mortification as his friends all open gifts from him, only for them to find it just as sweet as Newt three weeks prior.

As I said in my previous Halloween headcanon post, Teresa and Sonya both love the patterned season themed socks, and that's not just restricted to Halloween.

As I said there, Teresa would have her socks organized for December and late November, while it would be April and Sonya would be wearing garish green Grinch socks.

Brenda has about a wardrobe full of ugly Christmas jumpers, and has a hard time deciding which ones to wear on Christmas day.

Back with the idea of the main few living together, they would all help out with the cooking. Because of their mixed talents, the turkey would be immaculate whilst the pigs in blankets are burnt and the gravy being evaporated.

Favourite Christmas songs, now! They'd have a shared Spotify playlist where all the Christmas songs would go, Brenda would automatically skip whenever Mariah Kerry would start playing, much to both Teresa and Minho's despair.

Thomas: Last Christmas by Wham! Minho: All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Kerry Newt: Fairytale of New York by The Pogues, Kristy MacColl Teresa: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Mariah Kerry Brenda: Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens

What are your favourite Christmas songs?

Newt, Minho and Thomas would watch those shitty Christmas hallmark movies together (whenever any characters would do anything remotely sexual or romantic, Minho would turn to the two others and go 'that's SO us')

Thanks for reading! Merry-almost-Christmas to those who celebrate it and a merry-almost-December-25th to those who don't.

#tmr #the maze runner #newt tmr #thomas tmr #minho tmr #teresa tmr #brenda tmr #sonya tmr #headcanon #newtmas #minewt #thominho #thominewt #thomesa #trenda #chuck tmr

[i-did-not-mean-to]

Fairytale AU + Hair Brushing/Braiding

Ah, Elrond/Erestor...and a dash of fairytale vibes! Always a winning combo lol

Sorry for dragging all my blorbos into this LOOOOL

Prompts: Fairytale AU + Hair Brushing/Braiding

Pairing: Elrond x Erestor

Requester: @maglor-my-beloved

Words: 1 130

Warnings: Injury, trauma, doom, nudity, bath scene, Fëanorian Erestor

Once upon a time, in a faraway land that was yet free of the strife of this present day, two young souls sat by a peaceful river’s shore, braiding each other’s hair in a gesture of unmarred affection.

“I shall cherish your design forevermore,” Finwë, future patriarch of a fated line, whispered, and Elwë smiled knowingly.

Soon, though, they were torn apart by destiny.

Many cycles of silver and golden light later, Finwë found himself brushing the hair of his firstborn son—his heir, his cherished boy—and, inspired by the love he had lost, he wove an intricate, intimate pattern into that living silk.

Thus, a hallowed tradition was born on either side of the great divide. For generations, fathers would braid parts of their identity and their most unspeakable well-wishes into the hair of their progeny.

Often hidden but never undone, those tresses spoke of legacies and enduring faithfulness—they spanned ages, becoming ever more complex, and retold the story of a people ever on the brink of desolation.

So it was that, with heavy hearts and three skeletal hands, two notorious kinslayers thusly marked the blessed sons they’d stolen from their intended purpose.

It was with surprise and life-altering emotion that a stubborn, golden-haired princess and her dignified spouse discovered that, despite and beyond their differences, they shared this precious custom. Together, they created a new design for their daughter, interweaving strands that had been set apart by time and providence.

It was with tears in his eyes that a taciturn, irascible hermit looked upon the simple plait a ferocious mortal had put in their sleeping son’s hair.

“So he’ll never forget where he comes from,” Haleth whispered, kissing a burning cheek. “So he might find his people when both of us are gone.”

The one she loved so desperately without being able to save him frowned.

“One day,” she promised, “he’ll be able to trace back these strands of hair to the root of all love. The braid shall lead him home!”

Once upon another time, a valiant leader stood alone in the face of overwhelming evil. He was beaten down mercilessly, and—just as he had accepted that he’d never leave the battlefield alive—a warm hand settled on his hip.

“The day is lost,” a scratchy, breathless voice mumbled. “Come away now and live to fight another day.”

Too weak and injured to protest, Elrond Half-Elven let himself be carried away by Erestor who was stronger, faster, and much more cunning than he looked at first glance.

“I shall bathe you,” Erestor declared as soon as they had reached the camp, “and tend to your wounds.”

When Elrond tried to decline, overcome with a sudden sense of shame and panic, a resolute but tender finger was pressed against his lips like the prelude to a kiss the other didn’t yet feel comfortable dispensing.

“Hush! Your secrets are safe with me!”

Mollified and subdued by the severity of his injuries, the fearless lord mellowed into the caring embrace of his saviour who bore him to a small tent where a copper tub was already waiting to be used.

Servants brought in hot water and clean towels, and Elrond melted into a semi-conscious state of bliss, listening to the soft murmuring of the blurry shapes fading in and out of focus.

It had been many long years since he had last allowed another to gently peel muddied, blood-soaked fabric from his clammy skin, and the very recollection of those hands—drenched in crime and regret—made him sit up with a jolt.

“You must not…” he whispered hoarsely, but already, he could feel nimble fingers comb through the tangled strands of his sweat-matted hair. “I—”

Erestor’s affectionate ministrations slowed to a crawl as he found what his friend had so desperately tried to keep from him—in the face of such stark, unequivocal reluctance, he felt strangely shy and unwilling to cast his eyes down to look upon the discreet braid, burning like a string of hot metal against his palm.

Even though his mind shied away from an identity he had always suspected but never dared confirm, the sensitive tips of his long, sinuous digits deciphered unerringly what his heart might always have known.

“I recognise parts of this design,” he murmured pensively. A wave of heartsick longing threatened to drown him from the inside as he remembered his mother, brushing his hair and sharing all she had been able to learn about his father’s family with him.

Erestor also remembered his father—stern, often distant as if afraid that his mere touch could harm his child, and yet so discreetly and steadfastly loving—and he couldn’t help but wonder what had become of him.

“He thought I was too young to know,” he whispered as if to himself.

“Who? What do you mean?” Elrond articulated painstakingly. The soothing warmth of the herb-infused bath had washed away the last vestiges of his stubborn ferocity, and he felt worn out and dizzy.

With a soft, rueful chuckle, Erestor lifted the obscuring curtain of his dense, dark hair to reveal a gorgeously elaborate tress of his own.

“It is far from being as ornate as yours,” he conceded sheepishly. “Alas, I have fewer legacies to represent and keep alive, but…you are not alone.”

If he had thought that every layer of protection—armour, clothing, and the dignity of his station—had already been stripped from him and that he had nothing left to lose, Elrond now discovered that he had been sorely mistaken.

A weight he had not been fully aware of carrying fell from his soul, and—finally unburdened—his very heart seemed to draw breath for the first time in centuries.

“They have claimed you wholly then,” Erestor said, his voice becoming unsteady as he was shaken to the core by this revelation. At last, he allowed himself to look down and read the labyrinthine story of his dear love’s life, woven in glossy strands that felt more akin to a soothing river on a hot day than to the burning sun itself now.

“How do you know?” Elrond asked, too overcome to play coy.

“My father would only share so much, but—needled and encouraged by my mother’s faith—I have spent a lot of time seeking answers and documenting as much as I could about those lost to horrifying history.”

Spell-bound and stunned into startled silence, Elrond could merely stare at him.

“I shall not undo it,” Erestor promised as he took up his cherished task of carefully washing the abused, battered flesh once more. “Once we get you out of here and into a warm bed, I shall tell you about my findings. Welcome home, little star. You’re much loved still.”

@fellowshipofthefics Here's another one!

Lots of love from me!

-> 🌟Masterlist 🌟

#og post #FOTFICS January #FOTFICS 2024 #January Trope Roulette #2024 #Fanfiction #writing #IDNMT writes #jrrt #Tolkien fanfiction #Elrond/Erestor #Elrond #Erestor #Fëanorians #Galadriel #Fairytale AU #Hair Brushing/Braiding

[dramioneasks]

New Year’s Day Fics (2023):

On Call New Year's Eve by Over__watch - E, one-shot -  Hermione is working on New Year's Eve as Healer on duty at St Mungo's. What she doesn't know, however, is that her least appreciated colleague is on duty too and, due to a technical mishap, they will find themselves unpleasantly forced to spend the evening together. Mind the tag, almost no plot, just smut smut and also smut.

An Incubus (In Flannel) by Oftendisenchanted - T, WIP - The task, in theory, should have been an easy one.Step One: Exit his office and take the five steps across the hallway that would place him in front of the intended destination.Step Two: Knock—bonus points awarded for doing so without hyperventilating.Step Three: Invite the woman he’s been hopelessly in love with for the past ten years to accompany him to his mother’s annual New Year’s Eve Ball. As his… date.

No Regrets for the New Year by whimsymanaged - E, one-shot - Malfoy stands at the edge of the dance floor with his hands in his pockets and his eyebrows raised at me. He’s in a dark blue button-down with the sleeves rolled up, the color popping against his fair hair and light eyes, and his midnight black jeans fit so perfectly that they’ve got to be tailored.Cormac’s gathering my hair and moving it over one of my shoulders. “Any plans after midnight?”I think I’m looking at them.

Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot? by emsdiadem (emilyjoy2509) - G, one-shot - My favourite New Year's Eve film When Harry Met Sally is the perfect crossover for my two favourite idiots in love. This work isn't even heavily inspired by, it IS the script of WHMS word for word with magical elements.Happy New Year to one and all x

Resolute (Golden) by lyr_rose - G, one-shot - Resolute (adjective): admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering (gold)A New Year's Eve one shot for all of us struggling through recovery and healing during the holidays.

The Gala by WritexAboutxMe - E, one-shot - The one where Hermione Granger attends the Ministry's New Year's Gala with Draco Malfoy.

auld lang syne by gloivy  - E, one-shot - Stuck in a lift with his ex on New Year’s Eve, Draco is sure the Gods are out to spite him.

Some Trees Will Play by simplifiedemotions - M, one-shot - Whilst others’ formulaic platitudes were predictable enough that he could offer half-hearted agreements, Hermione Granger was a riddle he could not decipher.The version of him before the war, before the ugly mark on his left arm stood stark against his pale skin and the threat of death to him and his mother and father made every waking moment a nightmare, he was certain he had Granger pegged.She was an ensemble piece to Potter. Smarter, perhaps, but still as fool-hardy and stubborn as Potter and Weasley.He couldn’t have been more wrong.Or: Draco Malfoy traverses through his Eighth Year, changed from who he once was, and bemoaning the fact that he's falling hard for Hermione Granger.

Draco Malfoy and the Impossibility of Faith by miss_evie - E, WIP - Five consecutive New Years Eves, from the perspective of a questionably redeemed Draco Malfoy, who owns a crystal ball.

#new years #dramione

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are holding a series of votes Thursday on whether to expel Democratic legislators from the state House over their protests on the chamber floor against gun violence.

In the first vote, Republicans expelled Rep. Justin Jones -- the first time in state history that a House member has been removed for alleged chamber rules violations.

The second vote, to kick out Rep. Gloria Johnson, failed. Cheers erupted in the chamber with chants of "Gloria!" after the tally was announced.

The House voted 72-25 along party lines to expel Jones. The effort to remove Johnson fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. That vote was 65-30.

The next and final vote on Thursday will be for Rep. Justin Pearson.

The resolutions accused each of the Democratic lawmakers of engaging in “disorderly behavior” and purposely bringing “disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives” during protests against gun violence on the state House floor last week.

The votes drew attention to the partisan divisions that have rankled the Tennessee Legislature in recent months.

Chants from protesters — many of whom touted signs defending the “Tennessee three” — were audible throughout the entire legislative session Thursday. Organizers said hundreds were present.

Over the cacophony of protesters outside the state House, Republican legislators began expulsion proceedings Thursday afternoon against the three Democrats.

At the onset of the proceedings, state House Republicans moved to play a heavily edited video showing some of the events of last week’s protests — despite Democratic objections.

That led quickly to the votes to expel. In a process that closely resembles a trial, the Tennessee House allows each member to defend themselves with a 20-minute speech. House members then debate the resolution, and then each member is allowed to answer questions about the accusations against them from lawmakers.

“What is happening here today is a situation in which the jury has already publicly announced the verdict,” Jones said during a floor speech. “A lynch mob assembled to not lynch me, but our democratic process.”

Jones and Pearson are Black. Johnson is white.

Jones said his participation in the protests amounted to him “standing for those young people ... many of whom can’t even vote yet but all of whom are terrified by the continued trend of mass shootings plaguing our state and plaguing this nation.”

In an MSNBC News interview after his expulsion, Jones said that the legislative body was setting a "dangerous" precedent.

“What the nation is seeing is that we don’t have democracy in Tennessee — and that if we don’t act we have some very dark days ahead. And so we have to respond to this with mass movements, nonviolent movements,” Jones said.

“To expel voices of opposition and dissent is a signal of authoritarianism,” he added, suggesting that Tennessee’s action should “sound the alarm across the nation that we are entering into very dangerous territory.”

During the March 30 protests, the trio led supporters in chants calling for stricter gun safety measures after a mass shooting in a Nashville school that killed six people — including three 9-year-old children. A bullhorn was used, in violation of rules for the House chamber, and the lawmakers were gathered in area on the House floor without being recognized to speak. House leaders at the time called their actions “an insurrection.”

As members debated the resolution to remove Johnson, she said she participated in the protest because she felt she had to "raise the voice of the people in my district. I did what I felt those folks wanted me to do.”

“I did it for the kids in my district, for the kids in my state, for the kids in this community,” she said.

“My friends in school all called me Little Miss Law and Order because I’m a rule follower and I know that rules sometimes have to be broken, and sometimes you have to get in good trouble," Johnson added.

She also said that the resolution's charge that she "began shouting without recognition," was false, insisting that while she did protest in the part of the chamber known as the well, she didn't speak.

Addressing her supporters after the vote, Johnson said, “America should be worried," adding, according to The Tennesseean, that the failed vote to expel her “might have to do with the color of my skin.”

GOP Rep. Andrew Farmer, who sponsored the resolution to expel Pearson, described the trio’s March 30 protest on the House floor as a “temper tantrum.”

“Just because you don’t get your way doesn’t mean you can come to the well with your friends,” he said Thursday.

Pearson responded by saying: “He called a peaceful protest a temper tantrum. It isn’t a temper tantrum to say kids should go to schools that are actually safe."

The proceedings prompted criticism from Democrats across the country, including the White House. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dubbed the scheduled expulsion votes as "legislative bullying."

“The fact that this vote is happening is shocking, undemocratic and without precedent,” she said at Thursday's White House briefing.

After Jones was expelled, President Joe Biden chastised Republican legislators over the votes to remove the Democrats.

"Three kids and three officials gunned down in yet another mass shooting. And what are GOP officials focused on?Punishing lawmakers who joined thousands of peaceful protesters calling for action," Biden tweeted. "It’s shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent."

In an MSNBC News interview before the vote over his expulsion, Pearson said, “We are losing our democracy, this is not normal, this is not OK.”

“We broke a House rule because we were fighting for kids who are dying from gun violence and people in our communities who want to see an end to the proliferation of weaponry,” Pearson said.

“No one should be wanting to operate as though this is not happening, as though we are not living in a gun violent-epidemic in the state of Tennessee," he added.

Tensions flared earlier this week when the expulsion proceedings started Monday with the introduction of the resolutions. Over the yells of protesters who had again filled the chamber, each proposal passed on a party-line vote.

A protester was arrested Monday during the chaos, which, according to reporters at the session, included a physical altercation between Jones and GOP Rep. Justin Lafferty. Jones accused Lafferty of stealing his phone and trying to “incite a riot with his fellow members,” The Tennessean newspaper of Nashville reported.

The Tennessee Constitution allows either of the legislative chambers to expel a member with support from two-thirds its members.

With Republicans holding the necessary supermajority to carry out the expulsions Thursday, Democrats in the chamber had no tools to put up any meaningful resistance against the measures.

Any of the lawmakers removed by expulsion will be able to run in special elections for the seats they were booted from.

Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, has 30 days to set a date for the special elections. In the meantime, interim representatives selected by county commissions in which the seats are located will fill in.

Johnson’s district includes parts of Knoxville; Jones’ includes parts of Nashville; and Pearson’s includes parts of Memphis.

The Tennessee House last voted to expel a sitting member in 2016, when members voted 70-2 to throw out Rep. Jeremy Durham over sexual misconduct allegations.

According to The Tennessean, House members had previously voted to expel a member in 1980 — but they hadn’t done so since the Civil War. The Tennessee Senate voted last year to expel a sitting member for the first time — Katrina Robinson — after she was convicted of federal wire fraud charges.

But unlike in those prior instances, Johnson, Jones and Pearson faced no criminal or civil charges or any investigations.

More than 250 Democratic state lawmakers across the U.S. signed on to a letter organized by a progressive legislation advocacy group that accused Tennessee Republicans of racist motives.

“The attempts to expel Reps. Jones, Johnson, and Pearson show a dark truth in the light of day: there’s a robust and racist connection between fighting against gun safety and dismantling our democracy,” the letter says.

#us politics #news #nbc news #2023 #Tennessee #republicans #conservatives #gop #Justin Jones #gun violence #gun control #mass shootings #school shootings #Gloria Johnson #Justin Pearson #Democrats #racists #racism #Tennessee Republicans #tennessee house of representatives #protests #Andrew Farmer #Karine Jean-Pierre #president joe biden #Justin Lafferty #Tennessee Constitution #Gov. Bill Lee

[itsclydebitches]

I appreciate Jake continues to be the worst. I know that's harsh but man was he annoying in the finale.

The joys of a consistently written character!

Real talk though, I do wish something had come of that. In another show I think it's totally fine to have a character who is annoying simply for the sake of being annoying, but Ted Lasso really only has two categories of characters: Those Who Are Already Nice People Or Who Are Given the Chance to Become Their Version of Nice (99.9% of the cast) and Rupert (the perpetual antagonist). Jake being annoying doesn't serve a purpose the way Rupert being an ass does... though it feels like it should? I kept expecting the show to acknowledge the specific, ethical issue of Jack being their former marriage counselor, rather than simply treating him as any random, generic man Michelle has moved on with. Then I expected the show to unpack him encroaching on Ted's dad-status, rather than ignoring that (really interesting!) emotional dilemma for a "Michelle isn't actually engaged to him yet, so it's all fine" resolution. Then, during the finale, it all made perfect sense to me for a solid 10-ish minutes. "Ah," I thought, "they didn't bother unpacking all that in an already full season because Michelle was always going to break up with him. Ted doesn't need to come to terms with her marrying their counselor, or figure out how to share his dad-status (yet) because Michelle is going to take note of how little Jake cares for her interests, what an ass he is during the biggest game of the season, and she'll break it off by the end of the episode."

... but then she didn't. I mean, she might have? But we're never told as much on screen. It's one of the many, tiny details that I think they could have EASILY included to make the last couple minutes of the finale (to my mind) more palatable. Give us a single line about how Michelle has ditched Jake, freeing Ted of that awful situation. Give us a single scene of Ted making new friends/reconnecting with old ones in Kansas, so it's not up to Henry to be his sole source of joy there. Stick him next to Beard at the wedding to show us that he hasn't completely cut himself off from the family he's spent three years building.

Jake feels like a number of complicated ideas that the show simply didn't have the time to develop appropriately. Which I get. That happens in the industry. But instead of wrapping these ideas up in a way that's (again, imo) at least somewhat emotionally satisfying, if simplistic, they're left dangling awkwardly, not technically confirming anything, but implying the worst cast scenario nonetheless.

#Ted Lasso #mymetas

[mkaugust]

Hi hi!! Kisses ask game #13 for the knights or (fictional) hockey players of your choice, if you’re interested

I'll be toasting at midnight to a year of new forms of brainrot and all the continued brainrot to come <3

Knights, as you requested. Continued below the cut cause I got wordy. Warnings for lack of editing or I fear it would have been even longer. (Everyone who doesn't know these guys should go read The Song of the Lioness series. Make it your new years resolution lol)

A Toast

“George!” Jon startled as George walked out the door to Alan's empty room. Well, perhaps not Alan’s room anymore. The squire’s room? Jon shook his head, distracted and thoughts swirling with the sounds of the party he had left behind still echoing in his ears. Quieter this time, though no less surprised, he said, “George, you're here.”

“Still haven't fixed your security flaws I see.” 

Jon huffed and straightened his shoulders. “There are no flaws and I can protect myself if there were.”

“Hmm,” George smirked. “I suppose that's why I stayed here rather than keeping an eye on Alanna.”

“She's strong on her own.” 

“Yes. We'll keep reminding ourselves of that, shall we?” George whispered, voice suddenly less sure than before. They both worried for the missing third piece to their set, even if they constantly pretended otherwise.

Jon smiled in reassurance and nodded. “So, how do I happen to find you in my rooms on the eve of the New Year? Shouldn't you be…at a party of your own?”

“I was. I left. As did you.” George spoke as he walked slowly around the room, aimless and yet clearly full of purpose. Jon sat on the edge of his bed and reached to remove his shoes, loosen his tight clothing. 

Their eyes never left each other for long. This dance was becoming familiar.

“I watched you dance.” George whispered, nearly more hum than words. “I watched…I…”

“You…enjoyed it? My…dancing?”

George nodded, once. “Dance with me.”

“What?” Jon frowned, confused. This part of the routine was…new. “We…have no music. No partners.”

George stared down at Jon, motionless, intently serious. “Two men can dance together. Surely they taught you that.” 

“They?”

“Alanna.”

“Ah. I…yes I suppose.” Jon stood at George's beckoning. He hesitated, looking around. “My boots…”

George knelt to remove his own boots quickly, placing them out of the way. “There. Now we're on equal footing. Your excuses are gone. Dance with me.” 

It was a command, but the gentlest one Jon had received in recent memory. How could he resist obeying?

George bent at the waist briefly, a motion like a bow but somehow different, placing himself in the maiden’s position for the dance. Oh, Jon realized, he's done this before. Jon stepped forward and they began to dance as one.

“George…”

“Yes, Jon?” 

The moment was too tender for loud speech, nearly too much for steady thought. Jon stumbled, less elegant dancing on his bedroom floor than in the ballroom. Dancing with a man. Dancing with George.

George steadied him and suddenly they were closer, so much closer, than any dance should have rightfully brought them, hands strong and tight to each other even as words faltered and the music of joint silence prevailed. They danced on.

“I thought of you, you and Alan, at the party. Sometimes I feel as though I've been waiting all night for you.”

“I have waited…my whole life for the both of you.”

Distantly, the cheers of a party reaching its peak echoed through the halls. As the cheers reached them, their dancing halted, though their embrace did not. Foreheads pressed together, Jon blinked his eyes open, unsure when they had closed.

“We should toast. I don't think I have anything for it though.”

“Toast to what?”

“To…the new year, of course. To…to Alanna's adventures and safety. To dancing.” The last was said with a smirk and confidence Jon did not quite feel until George returned it readily.

“To dancing.” George echoed. “Or…to us?”

“Us?”

“A toast, to us three. Dancing here and awaiting the steps of our missing partner, their return to our arms as certain as their place in our hearts. And to us two, keeping space safe and warm in the meantime.”

“A toast indeed.” Jon echoed, awed by George’s words. “And still…nothing to toast with…” Jon looked around his room sadly.

“Here,” George called Jon’s attention back. “Here.” 

George placed a hand, gentle but firm, to Jon cheek and closed the little space between them, pressing their lips together briefly. “A toast,” he said again, pulling back only just enough to speak.

“A toast to us two,” Jon echoed, speaking the words asked George's lips before sealing them together once more. “A toast to us three.”

Further words were unnecessary. Their toasting continued to blur out the distant sounds of revelry and a different sort of New Year's toasting occurring elsewhere in the castle.

#song of the lioness #sotl #tortall #george cooper #jonathan of conte #alanna of trebond #george/jon #but also #george/alanna/jon #midnight kisses #chat

[fire-emblem-drabbles]

Pairing: Ike x Soren x Reader x Ranulf

Prompt: Commission for cute poly stuff!

Description: You begin to grow suspicious of a certain dating trio when they start paying more attention to you then they ought too. It's not as if Ike, Soren and Ranulf have anything bad planned for you, but you can't help but wonder what they're up to...

Rating: sfw

Content Warning: Poly couples, reader is called her once by Ike, otherwise just some teasing and dense idiots in love!

Word Count: 2023 (yes this was on purpose :3 )

Notes: Happy new year everyone! This was another commission for anon, the same person who commed that first cute Ranulf piece! This isn't related but I had a lot of fun writing this dynamic of a poly trio who wanted to add a fourth to their group.

____

Something seemed different lately. Perhaps, because the New Year was quickly coming upon you, but things just seemed strange and lethargic after all the festivities; you could swear there was something more to it. A certain someone (certain someones, even) have been treating you differently.

You couldn’t put your finger on it but something seemed especially different about Ike. He was more, well... it was obvious he was trying his hardest to impress you and get to know you. Which while very sweet of him was confusing. What was he up to? What did he hope to achieve? You don’t mean to be suspicious, but Ike is not subtle at all in his attempts.

Neither are his sidekicks… Well, at least Ranulf isn’t. Soren, on the other hand, can be suave if the situation calls it. You’ve found that more then once you’ve divulged a little more information if need be if he was the one listening. Honestly, the same could even be said for Ike and Ranulf. Despite being very blatant in their attempts to gather information on you, they were nothing but sweet. And it’s not as if they were planing something nefarious, either. If any of the three of them hated you, the other two would have surely followed suit.

So it left you’re wondering just what these boys had in store for you…

“Summoner! There you are!” Ike greets you with an enthusiasm and smile you’ve grown fond of, blue eyes sparking at they land on your. “I was looking all over for you.”

“Sorry Ike!” You meet his long steps towards you half way, giving him an apologetic smile. “But you have to share me with the other heroes sometimes, you know that right?” You tease him, giggling when you see the way his face twists into a blush and surprise.

“I-I don’t mean to take up all your time I just--” You cut him off before he backs himself into a corner.

“I was just teasing Ike, goodness.” He visibly relaxes when you say that, smile returning to his face but sweet blush staying on the apples of his cheeks. “So what has you coming to me in such a good mood, Ikey?” He stopped bothering to correct your nickname for him long ago.

“Oh well…” At the mention of that, he clams up again. You wait patiently as he gathers his words, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “I was, well… we were, that is, Ranulf Soren and I…” He trails off, quieting as he meets your gaze.

“What did you three need of me so close to the New Year?” Preparations for the New Year were what kept you busy all day.

“...We wanted to know if you wanted to greet the New Year with us.” Finally finding the right words, Ike is resolute when he speaks, steeling himself as he looks at you. He seems far too serious for such a casual invitation (you remember quite well how much of your time they took up during the winter festival, after all) but perhaps that’s what it took for him to find what to say.

“Hmm… I don’t know…” You hum, giggling when you see the way his face drops a little. “Lots of heroes want to spend the night with me. Shouldn’t you share me a little bit?” You can’t help but grin at the way he panics. He wanted your attention to himself but also wasn’t one to be selfish, you knew. You hadn’t meant to raise a serious moral conflict in him, honest, so you decide to speak again to save him.

But Ike manages to speak before you do. “Then forgive me for being selfish, but…” Rough hands reach for yours carefully, cradling them in their grasp. “We worked hard to make this night special for you… I’d really appreciate if you joined us.” You’re always caught off guard in those magical moments when Ike gets swept up in the confidence and charisma that made you want to follow where ever he wanted to lead. Still, you have to play it cool, even if your heart is beating wildly in your chest.

“Well…” You say, letting out a little exhale of sudden nervous energy. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to indulge you a little.” The smile he gives at your response is well worth it, however.

“That’s great!” His excitement is contagious and you can’t help but smile with him. “Come on, hurry, they’re already waiting for us!” Ike is quit to turn, keeping hold of one of your hands as he does.

“Lead the way, Ikey.” You follow his charge, happy to let him fill the silence as he blabbers about this and that and how hard they worked. It was sweet, really, but it still made you wonder…

To what end? Why did they do all this for you?

“I got her.” Ike announces triumphantly as you enter Ranulf’s quarters-- bigger then either Ike’s or Soren’s, to accommodate his beast form if he ever felt he preferred that over his more human one.

“Way to go Prince Charming!” Ranulf slinks over to the two of you, wrapping an arm around both your waists as he welcomes you in. “We’ve been waiting for a while for you two.”

“Welcome, _____.” Soren greets, face even. He was just as excited at least, or so you hoped.

“Goodness, look at you guys!” You smile as you take them in, being pulled on to Ranulf’s bed next to him. Ike takes a place next to Soren, giving him a kiss on top of his head, despite his protests. “It’s like you were waiting for me to get the party started.” You laugh at your own thought, but Soren interjects.

“We were.” He states plainly. “What’s the point of celebrating the New Year how you do back home if you’re not here to enjoy it?” He huff, brushing his hair back. As if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You mean…” You pause, realization dawning on you all at once. You turn to Ranulf, since he’s the closest to you, excitement dancing on your features. “You guys were getting all buddy buddy with me to celebrate how I do back in my world? That’s so sweet!” You cry, pulling Ranulf into a sudden hug. He seems surprised a moment but is more then happy to oblige. “Ike, Soren, come here!” You cry. Ike does so without complaint, pulling Soren who rolls his eyes. Soon the both of them are hugging you and Ranulf as well, the four of you a mess of limbs.

Soon enough, you all pull back from each other. “You are all literally so sweet, you know that.” You sigh softly, content in this moment with all of them around you. “I was suspicious but… well, I know you guys are all big sweethearts so I wasn’t too worried.” You can’t help but relax around them, eyes gliding from the collected sweet wine and small foods on a table.

“Well, honestly, it’s not the only reason…” Ike speaks up. Somehow the four of you have found way to all fit on Ranulf’s bed, limbs tangled and personal spaced damned. You’re between Ike and Ranulf, with Soren in front of you and just as sandwiched as you.

“Oh, there’s more?” You say giddy, Ike’s serious tone flying over your head.

“_____, love.” Ranulf grabs your chin, smile on his face as he holds you gingerly. “Surely you aren’t that dumb.” You blink at him, confusion plastered on your features.

“What do you mean?” Your gaze passes over Soren, and then to Ike. They all have the same look of disbelief on there faces. What were you missing here? “Did I do something wrong…?” You add, features falling.

“No, nothing of the sort…” Soren sighs. He’s had hold of your hand for a while now, drawing aimless patterns over the soft skin usually hidden away by your gloves. “You’re just incredibly dense is all.”

“Well, yeah.” You agree with him easily. “What’s that got to do with anything?” You add.

“_____…” You curl up to look at Ike, whose lap you’ve somehow managed to crawl into without really realizing. His grip on your waist had just felt so comfortable and right, you didn’t think to question it.

“Yeah?” You meet sweet, striking blue eyes again. This time, it feels different. Ike feels different.

“We’ve been talking with one another about, well, our relationship…” Ike looks away from your face a moment, trying to find the right words to say, or the right way to say them.

“We’ve been talking about you too.” Ranulf quips, looking a lot more calm then Ike does. Your heart pounds.

“It sounds like you’re trying to break up with me!” You laugh, to try and lighten the mood a little. “I’m not even dating you guys. You don’t have to be so nervous Ike.” You turn to him again and the look he gives you makes you want to take your words back. His eyes are wide, with lips lightly parted.

“You really are dumb, ____.” Soren speaks, squeezing the hand he’s still holding. “Ike fell in love with you a long time ago.” He states plainly. You look back to Ike surprised. Before he speaks, Ranulf beats him.

“You’re talking as if you aren’t!” Ranulf laughs, sitting up properly now. “_____, Ike was definitely the one to bring it up… but we all adore you.” Ranulf smiles bright at you.

“...All three of you?” You say in wonder, looking from Ranulf’s warm smile, to Soren’s red cheeks and pout, to Ike, face and neck red as he looks down at you all too seriously.

“Yeah, we are.” Ike let’s a little of the tension leave his face as he speaks. “If, you at all feel the same, we’d like you to be with us.” Despite his nerves, Ike manages to keep his voice even.

“You guys really feel this way?” You manage to peel away from Ike’s pretty eyes and look to Soren, possibly more pink then the minute before. You squeeze his hand like he did to you. “Even you Soren?” You can’t help but smile as he take a shuddering breath.

“I… do. You’re special to us, _____.” He manages out, unable to meet your gaze at the moment, instead fixated on your enclosed fingers.

“It doesn’t feel like ‘us’ without you anymore.” Ranulf pulls your gaze away, possibly the only one among the four of you who isn’t a blushing, nervous mess. “Not to be dramatic or anything, but you help us feel whole.” he laughs softly but you can tell from the other two men around you that his words ring true.

“You guys are really serious…” You take a deep, fortifying breath, thoughts flowing too fast for you to say anything without great effort. “I think I need a m--” before you can finish, the sounds of yelling and cheering reach your ears. Fireworks outside the window signify the start of the new year.

“Oh, look at that.” You laugh softly. You sit in silence a moment, letting everything you’re feeling wash over you like gentle rain. “I’m a little overwhelmed but…” You turn to Ranulf, grabbing his face with one, gentle uncertain hand. “I love you, Ranulf.” You give Soren another gentle squeeze, meeting his surprised gaze. “I love you, Soren.” And finally, you pull your limbs back to Ike, hugging around his neck and pulling him close to you. “And I love you Ike. I love you all so much…” You laugh softly, the sound muffled by Ike’s chest.

“_____…” Ike hesitates only a moment, wrapping his arms around you. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year!” You pull away from Ike, and cheer loudly to your three new partners. “There’s no one I’d rather spend this year with… I’m happy to be here with all of you.” You take a deep breath, letting a big smile take over your face. With the three of them by your side you were sure it would be…

#Ike x reader #ranulf x reader #soren x reader #ike x reader x soren x ranulf #path of radiance #radiant dawn #fire emblem heroes #feh #x reader

[chrysalis-the-butterfly]

Jessica: A Poem

Discovering the Jessica Rabbit RP blogs of @aparticularbandit last year has inspired me to start writing again. I did work on a few fanfics as a teenager, but then I fell away from writing, and I'd like to pick it back up. It's my New Year's Resolution for 2024.

So here's a poem about Jessica Rabbit. It's inspired by a brief line from the official Roger Rabbit comics, where Roger casually mentions that he used a butterfly net on Jessica the first time he met her. (And nope, there's no other context given.)

This poem is a first draft, so I welcome constructive criticism.

I’m told I must be seen to be believed,

But I have no control over my image. 

Were I to print a portrait for you here,

That would be called a breach of copyright,

And those who own me now are rich in funds

To buy the finest lawyers in the land. 

So picture, in your mind, a female form,

With legs so long they stretch from Saturday

To Monday like a three-day weekend, and

A body snaking out and in and out,

And topped with orange locks like dampened fire,

And emerald eyes, and plump and pouting lips. 

That’s me.  And that is what I’ve always been,

Since someone dared to stain his fingers red

With paint to drape me in a sequined gown

And panted, breathing on me, giving me

The life and animation he required

To make his films.  Yes, acting is my trade. 

I’ve had another.  It would make you blush. 

Now, I must stress, I had no choice in that. 

I had no interest in the act itself;

It was a job, I did it rather well,

But was it something I looked forward to

With girlish glee?  No, not at all.  Listen,

I did not hate, but neither did I love. 

Those owners told me, “Jump;” I asked, “How high?” 

Those owners told me, “Down;” I asked, “How low?” 

What power did I have to utter, “No”? 

I truly did believe this was my role,

My purpose, yes, the reason I was made:

To be the one that husbands hurried to

Whenever they had need of rough relief. 

I did not ask if I deserved to live

A life where I could choose my own desires,

Could choose where I would go, what I would do –

A life of joy and peace and liberty. 

It was self-evident that I did not. 

I had been drawn, not born, and that made me

A servant to the gracious human beings

Who gave the greatest gift, of life, to us,

The inkblots.  We were servants.  And that was

A fact as clear as day, just like the fact

That one man known colloquially as “Pope”

Was Catholic.  So I sank into my pit,

The lowest of already lowly folk. 

What pulled me out and finally set me free? 

A butterfly net.  No, I’m serious. 

One day I took a walk into the woods,

And it was spring, and flowers carpeted

The forest floor, and I was passing time

Until the night came, when I would be needed. 

I thought I heard the slaps of massive feet –

Then something like a stick wacked into me. 

The impact knocked me backwards into mesh. 

I sat there, tangled, reeling from the blow,

And then I heard a voice above my head:

“Jeepers!  So sorry, miss!  I’ll let you out! 

See, I was aiming for this butterfly –

I didn’t see you there!”  I had to laugh. 

That was the first time I had ever laughed. 

How could I not have laughed?  How could he not

Have seen me?  How?  I never could escape

The leering eyes and lolling tongues of men. 

Surely this fellow was a fellow too? 

Then why would he be any different?  Well,

I dug a high heel in and cut the net,

And then I stood and shook the ropes away,

And turned, and I beheld my captor – and

I realised I towered over him. 

He was a creature made of ink and paint,

As I was, only he was hairier

And shorter, and his clothes were like a clown’s. 

His eyes and ears and nose were larger, too. 

He trembled in my shadow, looking up,

Expecting me to fly into a rage

And beat him till his snow-white hair turned red. 

Instead, I simply asked, “Are you all right?” 

That must have been a welcome change for him. 

We painted ones see little kindness from

The humans who created us, the ones

Who ought to love us dearly, but do not,

So we must give each other kindness.  Well,

That’s how I’ve tried to live my life, although

Few people tend to want my company

(Unless they’re paying for my services),

Not even other painted slaves.  After

I asked this fellow if he was all right,

The man exhaled, apologised again,

And asked me who I was, and where I worked,

And how I found myself within the woods. 

I answered, and I asked him questions too. 

We almost could have stayed a thousand years,

Among the daisies, asking, answering,

But all too soon, the Sun was lowering;

I had to go; he promised he would meet

With me again.  He kept his word.  He came

To find me just outside the studio

And asked me what I’d like to do that day –

The first time anyone gave me a choice. 

We spent two years in pleasant company,

And then, one summer’s day, we tied the knot. 

I strode into the chapel, dressed in white,

And my eyes found his, and they never left. 

We’re still a wife and husband.  No-one thought

That we would last this long.  How could a dame

With beauty such as mine dote on a fool? 

What do I see in him?  He treats me well;

He buys me candy in a heart-shaped box

And takes me to the finest restaurants

He can afford – and I buy gifts for him,

Usually clothes, because he always rips

The ones he has.  I love the way his face

Lights up when he unwraps them, tries them on. 

What do I see in him?  He writes to me –

He sends me letters when he’s called away,

Composes poems of love when he is near. 

We call each other many silly names. 

And when the weekend comes, the kitchen is

The place we spend most time, as we attempt

New recipes for different kinds of cake. 

(My favourite kind is still the carrot cake. 

He’s told me carrot is his favourite, too.) 

What does he see in me?  I dare not ask,

For fear that I will break the magic spell

That’s binding us together.  So instead,

I sit, and run my fingers through his hair. 

What do I see in him?  Quite simply, he

Was, and still is, the only man who tried

To find out who I was, and love that dame,

Instead of thinking he knew all of me

Based only on my looks, and judging me. 

What do I see in him? 

He makes me laugh. 

#chrysalis poetry #who framed roger rabbit #wfrr #jessica rabbit #roger rabbit #roger rabbit comics #roger rabbit x jessica rabbit #roger x jessica #aparticularbandit #bandit's jessica #poetry #poem #poems

[v-arbellanaris]

i have a question. or not really a question and more like a request for advice.

basically: my mahariel is currently canonically involved with alistair in dao until the landsmeet where he dumps her because he's now king and was unhardened. this is all planned and on purpose because it was the least tragic outcome for my worldstate. mahariel later gets in another relationship that presumably works out well unless da4 does something to either hof or the other person. but that's not the point.

the point is, i made her romance alistair when i liked him. and now i... kinda don't. i'm not sure what happened but he's starting to annoy me. you could make up some "you just grew up" stuff probably but i was 17 when first playing and now i'm 20 so not much growing up could happen.

and now i don't know what to do. do i just never play dao again (actually plausible because i fried my brain on top of having adhd and now i cannot replay games without just skipping dialogue because it's not captivating anymore) to avoid cringing at his romance? do i change her entire romance and the worldstate (it used to be carefully planned to not kill either alistair or hawke because i didn't want that kind of unhappy ending for mahariel and because my hawke is andersmancer and anders is literally the reason i started the game so i'm NOT breaking my blorbo's heart like that) but i feel like that would undermine the 3 years of building canon? do i just accept that i have to get through alistair's romance if i ever replay dao on my babygirl?

i literally have no idea what to do and if i should even do anything. like it's pixels and not that deep. help

also no hate to alistair enjoyers i get the appeal but seems like it ended up not being my cup of tea.

sorry for the wall of text and it's probably very incoherent i have no brain and it's 1 am and i'm not even currently focused on dragon age but i needed to ask someone for an opinion apparently

AHHHHH i love it when aliwarden drama its soooo good. for obvious reasons, like kal's worldstate, i love it when he dumps you for various reasons.

i think this makes sense though! each individual is different, and the past three years have been enough to age anyone twenty years, so it's understandable if you look back at him with a different perspective. that being said, i also understand being really reluctant to undo 3 years worth of work on character and dynamic building.

from my perspective, you have several options:

ONE, you replay dao with your babygirl and see where that takes you. sometimes, that's a return to the whiteboard or to have the opportunity to explore the game can open up loads of new areas for consideration you might not have been able to think of out of game because in-game you just sometimes have to make a snap decision. i DID also do this w my kal pt which made me change canon from alistair getting exiled to king alistair married to anora which i'm really happy with because 1. kal having to live with the consequences of her actions in a very real way 2. the inherent messiness of that whole situation after is something i enjoy intensely. and you might find another romance more interesting to pursue for mahariel you might not have thought of!

TWO, incorporate this perspective growth into your character! i think one of the most tragic aspects of the aliwarden romance - if you're doing a Specific kind of pt, like yours, and like my alikal runs as well - is that in a lot of ways, for a lot of characters, the tragic inevitability of their falling apart can always be there from the start. wynne's warnings become a prophecy rather than just her brownnosing. for kal, she was always going to be on the opposite character arc that alistair was going to be on because of how their stories start and end - kal has already gotten her revenge at the start of the story, whereas alistair is heading towards the resolution of a revenge story at the end. so maybe it's worth it to try and think about the headspace your mahariel starts in, and how she develops through the story, and how the story shapes her - and how that differs or doesn't differ from alistair. how does her growth through the story impact alistair's?

in defense of alistair's... childishness? i suppose? he acts young because he is very young! he's nineteen! a lot his humour is a mask for very deep trauma and insecurities. and his decisions can be very frustrating for a HOF but i think considering that he's grieving the loss of a lot people he cared about - ofc he talks about duncan specifically but he does also talk about a lot of the other fereldan wardens, everyone who had made the wardens a family for him over the last six months for a guy who has never had a family before and deeply, intensely, wants one is really insane. and i think it really puts a lot of his actions into perspective and contextualise that. and maybe going through the game and re-experiencing Actual Alistair and not Fandom Perspectives On Alistair might help you reach a decision about where you want to go with him narratively.

i hope that was of help to you!

#asks