#WHO THEY ACCEPT AND LOVE AND ITS A REALLY HEARTWARMING MOMENT

[pininghermit]

Bane of My Existence

Pairing: Alucard x Fem Dom Reader

Warning: Minors DNI (seriously don't). Pegging and other good stuff. Reader with a cunt and Alucard with a dick.

Summary: Dressed in the colors of your kingdom, wearing the jewels provided by you Alucard looks ravishing even with the murderous glint in his eyes.

Word count: 2.5k

AN: I have no shame anymore. Could it be nastier...yes but idk how to. Also please ignore if there are any stupid errors (unless its really bad). I have written this in a moment of hyper fixation.

“Rather than moping alone with this ruin, I would recommend that you find something better to do,” Alucard glares at you from where he lies on the ground. Perched on the only surviving piece of furniture you do not avoid his withering gaze.

Instead, you stare right back. “Lying here in filth as you wait for death tsk tsk…,” the dismissal in your voice enrages Alucard. “What do mortals call it…yeah meaning of life. Why don’t you look for that? I mean you already did your heroic quests but what now?” Dressed in the finest silk and invaluable gems you look out of place.

“Maybe a heartwarming friendship or must I say romance,” Alucard flinches at the mention of both. Dusting your hands you stand from your place. And for once Aculard regrets not having his sword on him. “If not all that then,” you crouch next to him and your fingers brush against his chin, tilting his neck to look right into your eyes, “why not accept my proposal? I am still very smitten with you and very willing to offer all that I did a year ago,” a mischievous smile plays on your lips. 

The touch of your fingers burns Aculard’s skin with a sensation he feels after months. The touch of another leaves him wanting more. Barely resisting the urge to lean into your touch Alucard stares by defiantly. 

“My subjects would still welcome you. Our betrothal still stands unbroken after all and I am nothing if not understanding for a fiance who was cheated on,” you do not care to spare him from the burns of his past. You never have. Maybe that is why even now it is hard to sense any deception from you. Alucard never visited your kingdom. Your betrothal to him had been a thing of the past. A bond forged for petty alliances.

“The ones who betrothed us are long gone. So are the ones you claim to be my lovers. What exactly is your aim here? Why are you here y/n? Have you run out of things to do in your kingdom?” Your bond was formed in the teenage years of Alucard’s life. A bond that promised him the only position of the consort, next to you. Somehow in all that went by Alucard forgot about it. 

You look at Alucard with a mix of amusement and intrigue, your eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, my dear Alucard, you underestimate my motivations," you say, your voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "I didn't come here out of boredom or a lack of things to do. I came here for you."

Alucard's brows furrow as he tries to make sense of your words. "For me? But why?" he asks, his voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of skepticism. “What scheme are you up to now? And why now? Where were you when I needed you?”

You lean back, still maintaining your captivating gaze. Undaunted by Alucard’s accusations you continue, “My absence from your life has been a part of my duty as a ruler. I simply could not drag my people into your father’s mess. It wouldn’t be a great look if I got my people killed by my father-in-law or my fiance,” you shrug dismissively.

“So I am here now. Offering you what my father promised. A place by my side and my people. You have proven yourself worthy of it. Wealth, power, love, praise, I offer everything and if must you insist then also my deepest apologies.” Aclucard pushes away your hand as silence prevails over the room after your declaration. 

There's a hint of sadness in your eyes, but you quickly mask it with a dismissive smirk. "Your loss, Alucard," you say, rising to your feet and straightening your attire. "I offered you a chance at something extraordinary, something that you could have had. But if you prefer to remain in this pitiful state, then so be it."

As you turn to leave, Alucard's voice cuts through the air, “Fine then, prepare everything you can,” standing up Alucard faces you with a cutting look in his eyes. “This proposal that you are so proud of, I accept it. So be ready to bear the consequences of offering beyond your reach,” leaning in Alucard’s eyes glimmer with a crazed look that matches your own. Both twisted with a sick fascination. “I might just find meaning in becoming the bane of your existence.”

This is how Alucard finds himself in your royal chambers. Dressed in dainty silks that you prefer. Ladden with jewels that bear your insignia. His usually flowing hair braided into the intricate style of the royal consort. All covered by the insanely long veil he was made to wear the entire ceremony.

It had been hours since he had been thrusted into the wedding chambers. The sweet coying smell of wine and roses surrounds Alucard as he awaits you. Tired of waiting Alucard rips away the annoying veil and fills himself a glass of wine. 

“My, my, indulging ourselves self a little too much aren’t we,” your breath falls on the column of Alucard’s neck just as he was about to sip the wine from his glass. Yet, moments later you find a dagger digging at the exposed skin of your neck. “Ai, and here I thought consummation would be the easier part,” you reply without a care in the world.

Dressed in the colors of your kingdom, wearing the jewels provided by you Alucard looks ravishing even with the murderous glint in his eyes. Unfettered by the dagger pressing close to your neck your arms circle Alucard’s waist, pulling him closer. 

Alucard flinches as the tip of his dagger nicks your neck. “Dearest consort feel free to kill me if you can manage all the paperwork of this forsaken palace. Although I will say I have been slacking off the past few days so you might have to work a little harder.” Despite your light-hearted words, Adrian finds it hard to breathe. 

A clang of metal reverberates in the room as he lets go of the dagger in his grasp. Instead, Adrian’s arms circle your neck. Leaning in closer to him your lips remain a hair’s width away as you whisper, “I would have loved to take off your veil but what an injustice would it be to hide you any longer Adrian,” the dhampir’s breath hitches at the mention of his name from your lips. His true name. 

Your lips meet his and they are soft. Adrian’s body heats up at every point of contact as your arms pull him closer. Your lips, hungry fight his own as your teeth nip at his lower lip. Your tongue ventures into his mouth exploring every part of him with unparalleled haste.

There is a wild look in your eyes when you pull away and Adrian would have almost collapsed if not for your hands that hold him steady. 

Adrian feels the cool of night cling to his skin, as you rip open the ceremonial gowns with a care in the world. Peeling off the layers in careless motions. Before Adrian can voice his discontent at your intact gown, or notice the scars of his own past you pull him into the bed. 

Adrian plops down on the plush bed, “Shh,” your finger stops the complaints forming on his lips. “Only words I want to hear from you are the moans of my name and of course and warning of discomfort,” you pluck away all the hairpins that hold Adrian’s hair back. Your own hair falls down like a majestic waterfall. Shielding him from the outside world.

And then in quick motions, you discard your robes in a messy pile beside your bed. Adrian finds his eyes wandering on the planes of your body as yours do on his. “You’ll be in this bed much longer than anticipated husband,” your voice sounds huskier as your hands travel Adrian’s torso. “Maybe I should just keep you here, always ready for me.” your dilated pupils stare back at Adrian. 

But it isn’t fear that fills Adrian even at your crazed words. No…it’s something completely different. Something that makes him want to be here for you. Waiting for you to take him at any passing moment of the day. Waiting for you to drill him into your wedding bed as he screams your name. The name only he is allowed to utter in the entire kingdom. 

You lean back in to kiss Adrian, who meets your kiss with equal enthusiasm. And Adrian’s legs part to accommodate your knee. His pleasure, visible from the eager red erection that springs to life. 

Adrian groans when your knee rubs against his dick. A thrum of pleasure goes through him at barest friction. Your lips trail down leaving a map of hickies down his throat. Your fangs tug at his skin teasing it and nipping it mercilessly. 

Your hands rest on each side of his waist. Holding him from humping onto your knee like a bitch in heat. “Ahh…ugn please,” Adrian finds himself begging you in the very first minutes. He cannot bring himself to care. He truly does not care enough to put appearances for you. But do not allow him. Your hands hold him as your mouth continues traveling down. 

For all your chatter, you remain quiet in bed. Only amused chuckles and clever remarks that put dirty scenarios in his mind grace Adrian. Your hands travel up gripping his chest as your fingers toy with his nipples. “Should we peirce them?” Your nails dig into his sensitive nubs. “Tell me Adrian would you like that? Tight clamps, chains all that would leave your pretty little nipples this beautiful red? So sensitive that even a touch would leave you a moaning mess? Cover you with all the jewels and delicate gold chains like a prized trophy. A pretty present only for the monarch. And then fuck you so good that it leaves you in a mess of jewels and your own cum forever wanting more,” as if on cue your knee rubs on his dick, and Adrian’s eyes cloud. 

“Maybe I could dress you in those see-through silks, that all this would be out for everyone to see. For all our subjects to know how much their beloved consort enjoys playing with his nipples,” your mouth bites his nipple and Adrian arches into you. “y/n please,” he rubs into you. Your words ringing in his mind. Your teeth roll his nub as he continues rutting on your knee. Your tongue sucks his nipple and Adrian’s mind blanks as he comes shooting cum all over you and his own belly. 

However, your knee continues rubbing his dick that stands back up as if it hadn’t just…”Good job husband,” your voice sounds distant. “Ummph,” oversensitivity wrecks Adrian’s body but he cannot bring himself to pull away from your onslaught. 

He obediently opens his mouth to welcome your fingers that taste of himself. He rolls his tongue sucking your fingers taking in his own cum. It doesn’t last long before your fingers pop from his mouth and Adrian whines at the emptiness. 

He is too far gone to notice a slight shuffle as you pluck a small clear bottle from the nightstand. But he feels it when your fingers circle his rim. His mouth falls open when the first tip breaches open his entrance.

Working his muscles you take your time. He feels the lube running down his hole. Trickling in as you work him open. From one to two, your fingers scissor him open. And Adrian finds himself meeting the rhythm of your fingers. “Haah, y/n,” he calls for you and you reply with an endearing kiss on his lips as your fingers keep him open.

“Patience consort,” and then he feels it. The tip of your strap on entering him. Cold compared to the rest of your body. “Please,” Adrian widens his legs as you enter him inch by inch until he feels too full. Wrapping his arms around your neck and his legs around your torso Adrian rocks back into you as you ram into him.

The pressure of his own movements leaving a sweet pressure on your cunt. Sweat, lube, cum all cover you both as you drive the dildo into Adrian’s hole. Moans, groans, and pants fill the room. 

Adrian’s dick quivers with pleasure as it stays trapped between the both of you. Each movement rubbing it towards another orgasm. You kiss Adrian as pleasure builds inside you from the friction of the strap-on and Adrian’s hurried movements.

The tip of the dildo hits his prostate as Adrian comes with you. Both your juices mingle on the wedding bed. “Told you consummation was the easier part,” your words earn you a swat from your consort. 

Maybe some need love to live, but for Adrian being the bane of your existence is enough.

#alucard #alucard x reader #castlevania #adrian tepes #adrian tepes x reader #bottom alucard #top reader #sub alucard #hermit mourns her innocence #enemies to lovers #enemies to spouses??

[ctitan98official]

Eating Alcina out part 2

18+ Minors DNI

Smut! Precious Alci gets finished ;) Read the first part here! Let’s get into it!

The moment Alcina’s soft, warm lips touch yours… It’s over. Is it possible to fall in love this fast?

Alcina is like no one you have ever known. She’s complex and intriguing. You wanted to spend every waking moment of your time with her once you started working at the castle. You feel a deep desire and need to unravel this mysterious woman, to see what makes her tick. While you’ve found that some firsthand accounts of Alcina’s personality have turned out to be rather accurate (From people who told you about her as you were growing up)… Alcina is dynamic. She’s different from moment to moment. This only serves to fuel your excitement when you get a chance to interact with her. You never know what side of Alcina you’ll get the pleasure of seeing. Will she be focused and professional as she works diligently on paperwork for the wine business? Will you spot her act as a loving disciplinarian to her three precious daughters? Will she allow others to witness her breathtaking smile after a good conversation with Mother Miranda? She truly is a beautiful kaleidoscope for you to admire.

Alcina definitely has high standards. Both for herself and those around her. She conducts herself with regality and grace, but… This moment right now is showing yet another side of her… And you swear you’re spellbound. It’s rather heartwarming to see someone as composed as she typically is acting so nervous. As you pull back from the kiss and look at her, the rosiness of her cheeks gives away her bashfulness.

“I… Um. I… Haven’t kissed anyone in a really… Long time,” Alcina admits.

You give her a gentle smile. “You did wonderfully, my lady. I’m very impressed,” You wink playfully. “Seems like you’ve still got it,” You joke softly.

Alcina can’t help the nervous giggle she lets out at your flirtatious answer. Whatever you say always seems so effortless. Your easy-going nature is an attractive quality. For her, it feels like she overthinks everything. What she says, what she does… It’s exhausting. She just wants the ability to be herself. After meeting you only a few short weeks ago… She already feels safer with you than anyone she has ever met. She doesn’t have to put up walls around you or pretend to be somebody she’s not. You accept her just as she is. That’s… Really comforting.

She looks into your eyes and you can see the happiness glittering in them. You reach out to gently take her face and bring her into another kiss. Your tongue quickly finds its way inside her mouth and glides delicately against hers.

Alcina’s eyes roll back as she feels your hands moving lower to cup her breasts.

But, you suddenly pull back, which makes Alcina whine impatiently. “Would it be alright if I undid your dress?” You ask, wanting to move as slow as she needs you to.

Alcina’s golden eyes widen as yet another blush erupts across her cheeks. “Oh! I, um, of course! Please! I-I mean… If you want. I don’t care,” She shrugs, trying to rein herself in.

You chuckle at her adorable attempt to seem slightly aloof. “I’d love to,” You answer and move her glossy hair to one side so you can undo the clasp. You gently pull the dress off of her and set it to the side. You stand and hold your hand out to her. “Why don’t we move to the bed?” You suggest.

Alcina almost chokes on her own saliva at your question. She can only manage a weak nod as she puts her hand in your own.

You guide her over to the bed before gesturing for her to sit. “I’m going to take off your bra and underwear, alright?” You ask.

Alcina once again nods silently, but this time she is biting her lower lip in anticipation. Oh, goodness. This is really happening, isn’t it?

You lean in to take off her bra and place gentle kisses along her breasts as you do so.

Alcina sighs erotically and the sound really revs you up. She’s so sensual, she can’t help herself. Everything about her is drawing you in even more.

You take the bra off and gently push her to lie back on the pillows.

Alcina moans as your kisses make their way down her soft, plush tummy.

Your tongue eagerly laps at the silvery stretch marks that adorn her skin. This is your new favorite feature of her body… Well, that is until you make your way down to her soaked panties. You take a deep breath in, savoring the sweet scent of Alcina’s arousal. You feel your mouth begin to water. You look up at her one more time. “Is it okay if I take these off?” You ask huskily.

Alcina is practically panting as she hears and sees the complete lust that has overtaken you. She nods her head, whimpering pitifully. “Yesss…” She hisses in anticipation.

You waste no time as you carefully tug off her panties. You look down at Alcina’s glistening sex and lick your lips. You’re about to make a complete meal of her. Your licks are long and harsh as you begin, savoring the taste of the woman you have been crushing on for the past few weeks.

Alcina clenches up the sheets in her hands and throws her head back as you work. “Yes, yes!” She cries as your tongue slides along her sensitive folds. “P-please, keep going!” She begs, a single tear slipping down her cheek in pleasure.

You grin and pick up the pace of your tongue’s swipes. You continue your ministrations for a bit, but you can feel Alcina is already close… You know what will send her over the edge. Your greedy licks quickly transform into rough thrusts as you fuck her with your mouth.

Alcina is losing all sense of herself. She, unintentionally, grips your head like a vice, shoving your face even deeper into her sex. “Yes!” She finally screams as she comes harshly. Alcina catches her breath for a moment and her hold on your head eases up, but… She realizes just how rough she was with you.

“Oh, my gosh! You’re bleeding, Y/N!” She cries, horrified as she looks at the deep scratches she’s left on your face and head.

——————————————————————————

You tilt your head in confusion at her. “Hmm?” You say. You reach up a hand and place it on your forehead, finally feeling all of the cuts on it. You pull your hand back and silently study the blood for a moment.

Alcina is horrified. “I’m so sorry, Y/N! I just… Got so… Excited!” She tries to explain. Oh, shit. What has she done to you?! She hurt you! What the hell is wrong with her?!

However… Something happens next that Alcina would have never expected.

You begin to crack up. “Hahaha!”

Wait… Why are you laughing? Alcina is brought out of internally beating herself up as she hears you chortling. How… What?

“Bahahaha! That’s hilarious!” You guffaw loudly. Nothing quite like this has ever happened to you.

Alcina is concerned. Maybe she hurt you worse than she thought…

Finally, you stop laughing and look at her fondly. “Well, I’m glad my work was so… Enjoyable, my Lady,” You say. “I’ll take this as a compliment,” You grin and point to your head.

Alcina’s entire face is burning. You brought her so much pleasure that she almost crushed your head like an egg in a fit of euphoria. Damn… She really needed to get off apparently… (A/N: Alcina can crush my head anytime.)

Alcina shakes her head and moves to get something to clean your gashes with. “I… I am so sorry, Y/N. I hope you can forgive me,” She says as she grabs a soft cloth. She sits back down on the bed and gently wipes the blood off of your face, endlessly embarrassed.

“Forgive you? I was actually thinking of asking you to do it again,” You reply easily.

Alcina was not expecting that answer. “I-I… Well, I-!” She tries to say.

You chuckle. “It’s alright, my Lady. I’m okay,” You tell her.

Alcina bites her lip and looks away for a moment. “Please… Call me Alcina,” She suddenly says, turning back to you with a small smile.

Your eyes widen. She… Wants you to call her by her first name? Wow, she must really like you. Well… You hope she does, at least. “Everything will be alright, Alcina. I’m… So glad we met,” You tell her, trying not to grin like an idiot. She turns you to mush just by looking at you.

Alcina fondly caresses your cheek with her warm fingers. “I am too, Y/N,” She purrs, leaning in for a kiss.

Today was one of the best days of your life… Hopefully the first of many with Alcina.

Masterlist

#alcina dimitrescu #lady dimitrescu #re8 #re8 village #re8 lady dimitrescu #lady dimitrescu x reader #alcina dimitrescu x y/n #alcina dimitrescu x reader #resident evil village #resident evil 8 #resident evil imagines #top!reader #sub!alcina #resident evil smut

[questforgalas]

As always I will hold firm that this blog is a space for positivity while welcoming constructive criticisms of media. I’m a firm believer you can enjoy a media while still accepting it’s flaws/not vibing with an episode/not vibe with some writing choices etc.

I have a lot of emotions swirling in my brain after the Bad Batch panel at Star Wars celebration.

The panel started off with a montage recap of season 2, and I became so emotional watching it. It reminded how much I really loved this season and how beautiful it was cinematically, the development we got with the characters (got extra teary when they showed Crosshair shoot Nolan and the audience erupted, my man deserves all the flowers 😭😭😭), and wonderful development with the story of the clones and the empire.

There was a lot of focus in the beginning of the panel on Omega's development from Season 1 to Season 2 along with her development through Season 2, and her view of what's right and what's wrong being challenged like every child when they experience that everything is not right and just, and it was really heartwarming to watch Michelle talk so passionately about Omega. It's clear she loves this character and is so excited to bring her light to life in the galaxy. I also thought it was interesting when she and Athena (a producer) brought up the fact that Omega is actually older than the batchers, and as much as we view it as "over protective older brothers", Athena and Michelle made the distinction that it's actually "over protective older sister", and that gave me a major perspective switch to her character and her need to put herself in danger regarding the Batch that I hadn't thought about before. I think this realllllly plays into the now very talked about moment in the trailer (that I haven't watched yet) with Crosshair saying "I'm not like them" to Omega - I 10000% believe this is Crosshair, mr. wicked-observant-perceptive-sniper, pushing Omega away because he knows she'll put herself in danger for them and Crosshair genuinely believing he's not worthy of being considered a Batcher anymore and not worthy of her dedication. Someone fucking sedate me and my emotions regarding this pixelated man

Dee saying "I'm very excited by the screws that are turning, the wheels that are grinding, as this story plays out in all of its interesting ways in particular around Crosshair" gave me the air under my wings I need to get me to 2024.

Now, I'm someone who when I watch panels like this, I analyze every smirk and smile and frown and eye glimmer when a spoiler topic comes up, so let's get into when Tech came up (putting under the cut because this is getting long and some people may not want to see Tech conversation yet).

Michelle: stuttered through her whole answer, not in a "overcome with emotions can't talk way" (although she did get choked up initially talking about it which ugh love ya babe 💖) but it came off as she didn't really know what she could say in the moment. "Ok no he doesn't come back in this episode, at least", big pause before "at least"

Dee: probably the most convincing that Tech's gone. Even tone throughout, passionate (for Dee) talk about saying goodbye to this character. Got emotional at the end. BUT THEN when he discusses Tech and Phee's dynamic later in the panel, is all present tense

Jennifer: Got very emotional. Couldn't finish her explanation. Brought on the emphasis of Omega's perspective and Hunter's worst nightmare. Used the word "definitive" a couple times. Had spent other moments in the panel previously talking about how "every time they got involved with the Empire, it didn't end well"

Brad: More emphasis on what happenen when the Batch tangled with the Empire, and Tarkin being the ultimate Empire force at the time. Intercepted by Dee, a lot of finality speak

So, after watching that moment a few times now, I still stand firm that, until the end credits of the series role and no body is returned, Tech will come back, but I will admit that watching the panel brought my assuredness down from 90% to 50%. Unless that entire panel are the best actors and phenomenal at not giving any tells, it was hard to grasp onto hope that Tech will come back after watching that. Which brings me to my criticism

If Tech is actually dead, and the OG 4 Batch are not reunited before the end of Season 3 aka the end of the series, then that will leave a sour taste in my mouth with the series as a whole. Genuinely Season 3 could be the Crosshair show and it would not save the series from my overall opinion if the OG 4 are not together and then the whole Batch family have their conclusion.

I want to be very clear, that conclusion could be all 5 of them chilling on Pabu together (although I think Echo is going to end with being part of the rebellion) or it could be that all of them fall fighting the empire in a blaze of glory together - which I admit seems more likely with the ongoing theme of "they're not just soldiers but they can't get away from it, and every time they engage with the Empire it doesn't end well for them, but now it's personal" - but either way, if it's all of the Batch together I don't care how it ends. I also want to be very clear that I will still love the series and I will still rave about them and blog about them in a positive light, but I will have a very hard time at the conclusion of the series if this doesn't happen.

It narratively and logically makes no sense to me to introduce the Batch as they did in TCW to have them separated within the first 60 minutes of their own series and have a focus be on how out of synch they are when they're not all together, to then continue to separate them with absolutely no sense of closure. It makes no sense to me to emphasize their brotherhood and their sibling dynamic more than any other clone squadron, even the dominos, and that emphasis be really put on Crosshair (after rewatching TCW arc, ALOT of the typical sibling moments are between Crosshair and another batcher. He is the sibling focal point in that arc and "Aftermath") to have him be ripped away from them and never have that reunion with one of his original brothers. It makes no sense to me to have Tech be the one to stand up to Hunter and declare Crosshair as still their brother and they need to go get him to have him then be killed off in a very flat way to not have that reunion moment.

Admittedly, I fell in love with the Batch because of their dynamic in TCW arc, and I expected there to be changes through their series, that's what character development is for. I also admit that the hope that the OG 4 would be reunited kept me coming back each week, which then resulted in me just being hooked and attached in general as I grew to love each batcher, especially Echo and his dynamic with the squad too. But if Tech is really dead, I am just so confused as to why they'd take what hooked so many people on the Batch as a whole and throw it out the window.

With all of this said, I completely recognize that I'm not the creator(s) of this show and I'm not making the decisions, so if the OG 4 reuniting is not an end result, then I may not agree with it but it's not my decision and I still love and appreciate what they've given to/will give us.

So, we obviously have awhile until 2024, and I will be gobbling up every crumb they throw at us as the season comes closer. It is more than likely that by the time the season comes around, I will be emotionally feral and unhinged living in an AU la la land. I am so so excited to see how they conclude this story and very hopeful for what they have in store. Until those end credits role, I will hang onto the hope that the OG 4 + Echo + Omega will be together again, and I'll happily strap in for whatever ride they throw us on.

But please, please, please bring the OG dynamic back.

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb #star wars celebration #hunter #crosshair #wrecker #tech #echo #omega #the bad batch hunter #the bad batch crosshair #the bad batch wrecker #the bad batch tech #the bad batch echo #the bad batch omega

[flowerfairyboi]

西の魔女が死んだ [Nishi no majo ga shinda] - The Witch of the West is Dead by Kaho Nashiki (1994)

Book recommendation: cottagecore, cozy, simple life, witchcore, nature, green witch, slice of life, heartwarming, Japanese literature

For plot and review scroll down :)

"To obtain the things that are most valuable to you, the things you desire most, you may have to overcome the most difficult trials."

Synopsis:

Mai is 13 years old and no longer wants to go to school. Her worried mother decides to send her to stay with her grandmother for a while, in a beautiful little house in the Japanese countryside on the edge of the mountains. The grandmother is a widowed English lady who came to Japan many years earlier and stayed there for love. Both Mai and her mother refer to her as the "Witch of the West," but the moment the grandmother reveals to her that she really possesses magical powers, Mai is incredulous and distrustful. However, when she proposes to her niece to take on the harsh witch training, Mai accepts without hesitation. Immersed in the unspoiled wilderness of remote Japan, grandmother and granddaughter spend wonderful weeks together in recollection, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, working in the garden, gathering wild herbs and cooking, as well as devoting themselves, of course, to the basic rudiments of witchcraft. Over the years, the author has added three short stories to this cathartic and revelatory story, which echo its character and setting.

[source]

Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a great short slice-of-life story. The vibes are immaculate: it's peaceful, tender, spiritual, witchy, and very nature-centred. As someone who had a strong bond with my grandmother, I loved this book and it was great reading about a loving and nurturing grandmother-grandchild relationship. I love Mai's character arc: even if it isn't something drastic, you can feel her development throughout the story as she absorbs her grandmother's teaching and makes them hers. To be honest, I needed to hear some of the things that the grandmother tells Mai and I think I learnt some life lessons from this book, too. I don't think the author wanted to do that per se, but I did learn from it. The focus on nature and the descriptions of it are also very well executed and I almost had the impression of being there at times.

All in all, I think this is a great cozy book for when you feel down, or when you want to unwind, or simply if you like nostalgic and heartwarming stories.

I'll finish with one last quote:

"The right desires, those that are in line with the course of things, will guide you and turn into reality."

PS: At the moment there is no version in English(?), So I would like to either do one myself or find something on the internet. If I do and you're interested, I will post the link here. There are currently versions in Italian, French, and Japanese (maybe more but I'm not sure). The book was adapted into a movie though (if you watch it tell me what you think).

#cottagecore #fairycore #naturecore #Witchcore #forest witch #green witch #witchcraft #cozy books #cozycore #witchblr #witchcore #bookblr #booklover #cozy reads #西の魔女が死んだ #kaho nashiki #nishi no majo ga shinda #books

[biggestthighestgeminiest]

Here are my combined thoughts about Barbie (2023) as I saw it on the 18th and have had more time to think abt it.

Some good, some bad - overall I very much enjoyed it, laughed my ass off, cried quite a bit, was enthralled by the set and costume design, but left feeling like some things were off and perhaps not accomplished in the best way. This will all be delivered in bullet points in a very chaotic and random way and is NOT ordered in importance omg. Anyways i love media analysis and I will probably not explain this in the best way but HERE WE GO

the casting was fantastic, everyone read the assignment and lived their campiest life, margot robbie was phenomenal and ryan gosling absolutely killed me with laughter, glorious glorious

set design, costume, props,, perfection when it comes to bringing the mattel products to life. bangin'

i had that stupid fucking dog that eats and shits. i lost my mind when he came on hsdgkhakh

the message of barbie being representative of all little girls is still very lost on me. the idea brought up when barbie speaks to the teens, where they tell her that she gave them unrealistic body standards- well this never really gets resolved at all. Yes there was a diverse range of Barbies but they were all still beautiful in a conventional way that adheres to western beauty ideals. every barbie has perfect hair and skin and clothes even by the end of the movie. and yes i guess barbie is supposed to be this "above everything else" sort of divine feminine beauty but is still not representative of most young girls. as hilarious as the line narrator's line about margot robbie is, it sort of knows itself, that it is showing us the most perfect looking women, but doesn't address it at all beyond a simple joke. honestly what will mattel do beyond this? i imagine people will be more than happy with this movie so they won't have to make any big changes. i mean their "curvy" fashionista isn't close to being fat, and i don't believe they will ever make a barbie that isn't conventionally beautiful... so this movie just sort of gets to say it's about accepting yourself without actual real-life substance if that makes sense? it reminds me of that cartoon of all those diverse yet conventionally attractive models, with diverse people who don't fit those standards standing outside that box looking angrily. what's the point of the film at the end of the day when not addressing all those people left out of the conversation? also made me annoyed that cellulite was still the big thing that barbie was concerned about, like really?? it's a bad example as people are coming to embrace cellulite and it's also relatively easy to hide, i don't think they would have margot robbie have like, idk, dark under eye circles or a double chin,, idk someone say this better than me but the cellulite thing annoyed me (as someone who has loads of it!!)

the plot was BONKERS and i for one don't really care about plot holes or cartoon logic. there were some things that made me overthink about barbie lore and then i thought to myself that it doesn't really matter. the campiness of it is more important. im sure it will deter some people but again i dont mind it being silly in that way as long as it delivers on its messages and themes, which it does to a certain extent

absolutely lost it at the you are kenough shirt, ljadhkglkhd

as i said in a previous post i predicted that it was going to be the mom who was paired with barbie. i loved the idea sm and it was very heartwarming

i CRIED when barbie first sat down and watched the humans around her living their life, she was so overwhelmed by so many emotions and it was such a simple moment of show-dont-tell and man did i weep :))

i LOVED the ken bits and i did feel as though there was a bit too much ken. especially at the end. but at the same time i loved the dance sequence. its hard loving it so much yet wanting it not to have been to prevalent. i felt like it took away from the barbies a bit which goes against the whole point of the movie????

um the barbie's plans of distracting the kens was... i guess reminiscent of all these spy or superhero movies where women use their beguiling nature against men to get the upper hand? like i am woman so i will flirt with man to distract while my team escapes and hooho it works :)) it was slightly different and not overly sexy or about flirting but it still had the same undertone. like really? the best way to get the other barbies out was to continue to conform to patriarchal standards and pump the ken's egos? surely there's a better way? yes the kens are idiots and turning them against each other works but it still felt a bit icky. i guess i just find this trope annoying being like... ok i am being taken advantage of men so i will USE the thing they oppress me for against them,, idk surely surely there's another way.

also America's character's plan of kidnapping the barbies and ... using very true and very valuable feminist lines to snap them out of it felt... weird? like what she was saying was 100% true but taking them out of context and almost using them as one liners made them feel less serious???? like making women "wake up" by just telling them about how the patriarchy takes advantage of them is just... idk. like in real life women who are indoctrinated and truly believe misogynistic things won't just wake up by being told such a line. and i know the barbies are brainwashed to forget their powerful feminist backgrounds so it's not entirely comparable to the women i just mentioned but... idk it felt disingenuous. i did laugh my ass off at the guitar scene but it still had that ickiness attached like..

i would watch this movie again, no doubt about it and i will definitely pick up on new things and easter eggs etc

mattel's board did make me laugh, perfectly casted and performed but again- mattel has its name on this. they know what they are doing. they know we will love this movie and not demand any change. it will still be full of men controlling the output of production. it will still put out products that don't reflect all young people's desires. it will still make products that uphold current societal norms. so having these buffoons in the board meeting just gets soured a bit when knowing these people will still be in power in real life....

the ruth bit made me cry and no i do not care that her ghost is just around. i loved it

the marketing team knows exactly what they are doing. the huge push of promotion made me gobble up all their interviews and im sure people will be buying all the barbie products. i am yet another victim of capitalism and i will thank them for it when i inevitably buy their you are kenough sweater

again i loved this movie despite all the bad things abt it. i love being critical of the wider impact of this movie while still enoying it as a piece of media and entertainment. i needed this movie and fuck it i want to go to barbieland so bad. i know i shouldnt. i love ken and think about ken more than i do barbie which is fucked up but the movie also played into it in a way,, as described before. i mean even ryan gosling being so iconic in all the interviews is adding into this lol. how many people are posting videos of him vs videos of the actresses i wonder.

also cockring ken. BUT HE WASNT WEARING THE COCKRING SO WHATS THE POINT EVEN???

the narrator was an interesting choice, personally wasn't a huge fan of it but it did somewhat fit with the rest of the cinematic language of the story so i can't say much about it

mattel knows exactly what its doing with putting its name on this movie. i think greta did a great job despite the constraints that mattel probably put on her,, it's hard to tell if the flaws of the movie come from the corporation's infuence or from the writer and director's creative decisions, most likely it's a combo of both. again i believe that the actors and designers and production team did a fantastic job with what they had, they committed to the bit. i would have loved for the movie to have been better, but it is still a great film in my book. as said before i would watch it again and would still enjoy it despite the flaws. the himbo part of my brain can shake hands with the media literacy one and emerge with an overall positive experience, yet PLEASE do not think this is the ultimate feminist movie, it is a step in the right direction, it could have been better, and i understand if you don't like it at all. but also i dont think it would be right to blindingly love it and call it perfect bc it's not.

#barbie spoilers #barbie #that being said i still wore pink and fairy wing shoes to the movie #and sang i'm just ken to myself #pls feel free to share your own opinions #and again i believe someone else will probably express this in a better way than me #intersectionality is definitely important here too #i do not have the best formulated arguments for it tho #so i hope people contribute to the wider discussion!! #watch the movie! and form your opinions! and discuss! wee #barbie 2023 #the barbie movie #i will probably regret posting this

[warsofasoiaf]

I think you said before that Pale Moonlight was your favorite Garak episode. What was your favorite Quark episode?

A lot of Ferengi episodes are panned for good reason, but there are some good ones in there. Little Green Men was probably the most fun Ferengi episode for a whole host of reasons - the set design, good use of screwball comedy, my own love of the Cold War era. The Magnificent Ferengi was another great Ferengi episode, and had a heartwarming moment between Cecily Adams and Iggy Pop. But I don't consider those Quark episodes; there's a difference between Ferengi episodes (which also focus on Rom and/or Nog) and Quark episodes. If we're looking at episodes that really focus on Quark, I think House of Quark is my favorite.

Most Quark episodes are rather formulaic affairs: Quark tries out his latest get-rich-scheme, things escalate beyond Quark's control, hijinks ensue, Quark ends up no better off than he was before. House of Quark starts off the same way, a drunken Klingon named Kozak trips and falls on his own blade while in a struggle with Quark over paying his bloodwine tab. Quark spins a tall tale about how he heroically faced down the Klingon in combat to drive customers to his bar. It doesn't fool Odo, and it probably doesn't fool any of the other regulars either, but plenty of folks would stop by to hear the story and see the novelty that was cowardly Quark boldly facing down a Klingon. This is an episode that is thick with its themes of empathy, honesty, and partnership - the characters do well when they act according to these guidelines, and suffer when they don't.

Quark dishonesty is challenged by D'Ghor, Kozak's brother, who threatens Quark with bloody retaliation. To hear D'Ghor tell it, if Kozak accidentally died, it would be a disgrace, one that mandated Kozak expunge the stain by slaying Quark. Yet if Kozak died at the hands of a superior warrior, it would be a death in honorable combat, one that required no vengeance. Quark, cowed, accepts, maintaining the lie that he slew Kozak in a duel, and D'Ghor leaves, satisfied. Many Star Trek fans would catch on that something is somewhat fishy about this, because Klingons swore oaths of vengeance all the time in response to the deaths of a loved one- it was a major plot point in Worf's arc in The Next Generation against the House of Duras, and Jadzia had to honor Curzon's blood oath against the Albino in Blood Oath in the previous season. Yet Quark, dismissive as he is of Klingon culture, doesn't catch the lie, and so plays into to D'Ghor's scheme.

As is typical for Quark episodes, Quark's schemes come back to bite him. Kozak's widow, Grilka, comes to face down the man who slew her husband in combat, and when she finds that he is a coward in capable of defending himself, she demands the truth. Once Quark confesses, she threatens that he either come with her and use his talent for lies in her service, or be gutted. At knife-point, Quark is tranquilized, abducted, and then learns that Kozak was the disreputable head of a great Klingon house, and now the house has no male heir to lead it. D'Ghor was not Kozak's brother but his rival, and Quark's lies have given him all the ammunition he needs to destroys Grilka's house. Still at knife-point, Grilka forces Quark through an unknown ritual, then suddenly kisses him before spitting in disgust. Quark's zany scheme has its escalation: the bartender has just been part of a Klingon shotgun wedding.

Quark's bizarre marriage to Grilka is not the only marriage in this episode; the Ferengi-Klingon marriage might be a sham, but Miles and Keiko have a real marriage that is going through difficulties in the B-plot. The school had closed down and Keiko was left with little to occupy her free time, starting to feel adrift. Miles tries his best, giving Keiko a romantic dinner and communicating earnestly about how much he loves her. It makes Keiko happy, for the night, but when O'Brien has to work and Keiko is left home, the feelings fade. This is an understated, but powerful scene that really resonates with people that suffer from depression, and those who care for those who suffer from it. Sometimes, things can happen that shake the feeling in the moment, but it returns, creeping in the quiet time afterward, evoking feelings of uselessness and futility, even guilt that loved ones are trying so hard and spending so much effort. O'Brien and Sisko speak frankly about a topic that many people in long-term relationships face: "what do you do when your significant other is unhappy?"

Quark's happiness in his own marriage is irrelevent in the main plot, as Grilka demonstrates before the Klingon High Council that Quark is the new head of her house, as she has wed her husband's killer, as according to D'Ghor, Quark was a superior warrior. Gowron accepts the ritual which buys Grilka time, but she admits that she doesn't quite know what to do next. Quark asks to see the financial ledgers of his new house, and Grilka scoffs. Just as Quark dismissed the Klingon culture, so too was Grilka dismissing the Ferengi way. When Quark's keen eye for finance uncovers D'Ghor's scheme to reduce Kozak's house with finances (the way a Klingon would never do, hence why D'Ghor used the tactic), the show dispenses the characters with their reward - Quark might be able to save his skin, and Grilka might be able to save her house after all. Quark believes he can save himself by acting as a Ferengi and exposing D'Ghor's "un-Klingon" like chicanery. It's still a Ferengi episode, it's still primarily a comedic outing (as seen by the Klingon High Council visibly frustrated and confused as Quark explains the "simple" matter of depreciation and asset assessment), but the comedy is used to augment the episode instead of carrying the burden of filling the hour alone.

Of course, the scheme continues to unravel, as D'Ghor threatens Rom to confess to the whole scheme, and uses it as a pretext to challenge Quark to personal combat. D'Ghor might be cunning in finances, but he reframes the issue in a Klingon way, by accusing Quark of slander and demanding the Klingon method of arbitrating a dispute. Quark knows that he is doomed, and so he plans to flee, and leave Grilka to her fate. Grilka attempts to persuade him to answer in the Klingon way, Rom feels guilty, but Quark won't be dissuaded; he follows the 125th Rule of Acquisition: "You can't make a deal if you're dead."

Miles tries everything he can think of, but in the end, Bashir helps him realize that Keiko is feeling unfulfilled in a way that has nothing to do with their relationship. Keiko loves Miles, but she doesn't feel personally fulfilled with her own life. So Miles does the only thing he knows he can do, he finds a botanical mission that she can go with, and take Molly with her. Miles speaks a powerful line: "this is about you being happy and me knowing that you're not." And likewise, Keiko initially demures, saying that she doesn't want her own professional life to get in the way of their previous promises to each other - Keiko sacrificed a lot for Miles to take on the position at DS9. Miles says that they can make it work, that the sacrifice he's making for her is a testament to the strength of their love for each other. If Odo and Kira at the end of Chimera was about partners doing what they can for each other instead of dwelling on what they can't, Miles and Keiko are about the importance of compromise, communication, and sincerity in a relationship. As a B-plot, it contrasts enough with the main plot to be its own story, but the themes of marriage and understanding resonate strongly that it makes the whole episode very strong.

The climax of the episode comes in the Klingon Council Hall, where Grilka believes that all hope is lost. Quark enters the hall, wearing Klingon robes and carrying a bat'leth, and announces himself: "I am Quark, son of Keldar, and I have come to answer the challenge of D'Ghor, son of whatever." Quark foreshadows how much he has learned of Klingon culture in this simple line. None of the Klingons have ever heard of Keldar, and they really have no reason to have done so. He wasn't even a very good Ferengi as he had no business sense, so by all rights, Quark should omit his name entirely. Instead, Quark stands and proclaims the name in challenge as a Klingon. He states the name as if Keldar was Klingon, and that all assembled should know exactly who he was due to his own great deeds that Quark is legacy thereof. Then he insults D'Ghor, by saying he was the son of "whatever," a pointed insult that renders D'Ghors lineage not only unworthy of recognition, but not even sapient. Quark stands with his bat'leth, but before the duel begins, he tosses it aside, and castigates the Klingons - they know that Quark is physically incapable of fighting D'Ghor, but they cannot condone him simply being murdered. The Klingons created a fiction, just as Quark did earlier in the episode, to satisfy their own personal needs, and Quark refused to allow it. If D'Ghor wanted to rise to the Klingon High Council, he would have to do it through the murder of an unarmed man, without honor or glory. Quark kneels, presenting his own head to be severed ala the Green Knight from Arthurian legend, and when D'Ghor accepts, Quark doesn't flinch. Gowron sees the truth, D'Ghor would stoop to anything in the pursuit of power, while Quark bravely faced his own death with eyes open and heart steeled, almost as if had said: "It is a good day to die."

With that, the lessons of the episode are learned, and the protagonists victorious. D'Ghor is discommended, and is not even afforded the dignity that Worf held when he faced his own shunning in Sins of the Father. Gowron commends Quark on his bravery, and Grilka offers Quark a boon. When he asks for a divorce to gracefully exit from this scheme, Grilka grants it, slapping him and spitting before kissing him. During the marriage ceremony, she kissed him and spat - the kiss was clearly ritual while the spit was her true feelings. This time, the spit is ritual while the kiss is genuine, Quark has grown and become a greater person due to his bravery. Quark ends the episode with the bar facing reduced customers yet again, but Rom asks him to tell the story about how he faced down D'Ghor again - he has respect, earned sincerely, through his deeds. It's not latinum, but it is something he didn't have, and it's something he wanted. The 109th Rule of Acquisition might state: dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack, but as seen later in The Magnificent Ferengi, that empty sack is full of something deeply desirable.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

#ds9 #star trek

[evergreen-dryad]

thoughts on snow flower and the secret fan by lisa see

I can relate to Lily. It has me thinking of the female relationships I've had (thought of my 2nd best friend and my cousin), while she is in the wrong with how she lashed out and betrayed Snow Flower's secrets, I still empathised with how she was so hurt and angry and proceeded to Pick Out Every Happy Memory

on laotong, the descriptions really encapsulate what it's like to be so bonded with your best female friend. Evokes memories and emotions I have

there's so much queer subtext. discuss. Accidentally queer? (Was this meant to be a gimmick to show how close they are with little boundaries?)

Lily: doesn't like sex at all with her husband, notably blushed while imagining Snow Flower's moans of pleasures in her laotong's bed 'But how do I say this without sounding like a husband' -thinks of SF's touch while husband is first touching her -her first priority is Snow Flower, gets tremendously jealous/betrayed of the thought of SF sharing an equivalent bond with other women (sworn sisterhood) -has only ever broken the rules for Snow Flower -SF: writes poetry to Lily about them being birds. I was pretty damn sure she was referring to Lily as the 'phoenix (together with her)' even in her sanzhaoshu poem when Lily got married. Just as Lily also wrote of her as a phoenix in hers.

also the iconic Li Bai poem they write on each other that every chinese kid learns as a kid made queer: Quiet Night Thought. They're each other's home.

-they also didn't have a choice in their laotong, but this was the one good thing they could have all their lives

ironic how Lily would end up being like her mother and her mother-in-law 'obey rules' -and how while she was like that wanting for Snow Flower's own good, it still hurt her because it was taken to an extreme, what should have been encouragement turned into excess criticism and blind solutions -but also sympathising that it's hard: when someone you love and want to support is constantly miserable, and you want to do what you can (and this you feel the other can) to fix the situation

for me it's a cautionary tale in a way. To love is to accept and to listen, instead of trying to fix all the time. "...but inside I also waged something like a man's battle between my true nature and the person I should have been."

What lured me in: historical setting, friendship between women specifically (wouldn't you love anyone who matched you in so many ways?)

Irony of the reveal later of reversed fate: the poor one marries rich, the rich has a downfall and marries poor)

writing techniques, what works for it:

accurate evocation of emotions

detailed description of foods, colours, along with lush historical setting. (The description of the caramelised taro!!! I WANT) Characterisation seems right to history, Lily might only seem close to a 'modern' woman thinking fate can be changed at the end because she has power as Lady Lu

pacing? Just right I think. Tone -solemn, serious.

plot and agency were a lot clearer with peony in love (same author, also loved this book a lot more), whereas this one only meant to show a relationship in its full (which makes sense as it is meant to be an autobiography in regret)

oohhh even though it starts at the end, how much later revealed still becomes a surprise! The little foreshadowing

characterisation: someone on goodreads said they flattened to 1D as they got older. Don't think that was the case, but that's somewhat apt for SF bcs her life was so miserable she became thus (and partly bcs they've both gotten busy so the perception of narrator too)

relationships between women all explored, and between parents and children. Heartwarming moment to see that fathers also loved their daughters. My heart hurt (pg 110 when MC left her home and family to be married, and they all sang as part of the wedding rites -"Thank you for raising a worthless daughter" "Goodbye, daughter") reminded by my family. The slight rebellions they could all take as women with nu shu, and how they could be there for each other. How the harsh life of a woman and its stages was shown in that era.

the tragedy at the end (how it started at the end and began with such a fascinatingly clear memory at 7 years old) of misunderstanding, how even if her life has almost been perfect, she misunderstood due to her upbringing.

It is about love. How the narrator and MC yearned for love all her life, and who couldn't sympathise? And in such a society harsh to women, tragedy was bound to occur. "What was the point of being Lady Lu if I didn't have love in my life?"

how helpless you can be in misfortune and stick to convention as a way to help

snow flower's character (both of them as kids having fun and learning from each other!). the ways love was shown between them and in their families.

#snow flower and the secret fan #lisa see #books #i wanted to try to actually post thoughts on any books i read this year. since i tended to check if anyone on tumblr had a review for it #books-ed-read-2024

[charmed-and-alarmed]

EPISODE 4: PART II OF THE KURO CHRONICLES aka the little boy in the well

see previous episode here

That soup looks like cake frosting wtf

Helmeppo not recognizing Kuro's face is v in character. Dude cemented your dad's legacy and you don't know what he looks like?

Zoro carries a grappling hook with him? That's the kind of man I want to be

Zoro and Kuina being all for using real katanas and murdering each other is peak pre-teen behavior

They really lean into Kuro's Freddy Krueger vibes.

Kuina beating Zoro 2000 times and then admitting that she knows that she has the advantage for now, but worries that the weakness that's supposedly innate to women as they mature will take it all away from her - it's such a real feeling? It's so relatable? And Zoro just refusing to accept that? Screaming at Kuina that she's his goal, so talking down about herself is disrespectful not only to her, but to him and his training and his 2000 lost bouts? I have so many feelings guys

And then they get no time together. She's dead the next day of totally natural causes (at least I think it is, based on what I've seen) and its fucking unfair. I'm glad Zoro has Luffy as a friend now, bc he deserves someone who he knows won't die on him

He wants her sword bc he wants her to be there when he becomes the greatest swordsman in the world [me, ugly crying]

Kuro going around, destroying furniture and saying the most out of pocket shit, just to make Kaya miserable as he tries to kill her - this is what makes him an evil pirate. The sheer disregard for human decency

I love the soundtrack in this scene though

I'm sorry but the black cat twins look SO STUPID. Kuro is genuinely scary here and then it jumps to the two morons wearing cat ears. I'm sorry but even when you try to make them more of a challenge, it's still a major tonal shift

'annoyingly resilient' is Luffy's whole m.o.

The Going Merry being named after her deceased family friend is such a heartwarming moment. Also I see you, putting Kaya in an outfit just like she wears in the anime. Don't think I didn't notice

I'm 100% certain that Usopp returns to Kaya after they find the One Piece. It means everything to me

I'm getting ahead a little of myself but I don't really get Nami being upset about Luffy not telling her about Garp. Like, I'm p sure we all know that Luffy has no idea that's important information. He wasn't actually keeping a secret - that would imply he has some kind of interior self that he's keeping hidden, and we know that's not true. She's just getting butthurt bc it hits close to home

Anyways, I'll be taking a break for the rest of the day and starting up again tomorrow. We're just about to meet Sanji and Zeff!!

now with episode 5

#opla #opla spoilers

[animehouse-moe]

Ranking of Kings Season 2 Episode 9: Miranjo and The Demon | The Prince And His Treasures

I need to get my soap box and megaphone out so I can tell the world about how much I love this season. Maybe it's because I knew what we were in for before it came here, or maybe it's because Wit has been working animation magic these last few years. But this season of side stories for Ousama Ranking has been so amazing. Absolutely zero shortage of heartwarming and important and creative moments.

Starting with Miranjo's story as a child, where she finds the wish granting demon child in the forest. I think it's a really incredible story about duality. She finds herself lost in a deeper part of the forest after hitching a ride on some deer, only to spot the young demon feasting on a wild animal of some sort.

Right away, that dichotomy appears as Miranjo is peaceful and accepted by the wildlife, while the demon boy is shunned by it. You can say that they're also hostile and violent towards it, but that's a complete misinterpretation of the scene. They have to eat to survive, so they're unable to create that peaceful bond like Miranjo has, which I think is a rather impactful statement. And those comparisons and differences continue, with Miranjo always being in light and the demon boy remaining in the shadows.

But, the story turns on its head pretty quickly, as the demon child flees from Miranjo, and she chases after him before leaving him alone, and huffing and puffing on her way home before she gets lost. I think it's a really great pairing of pieces, as the foliage covers overhead of Miranjo in both scenes, dulling them in comparison to when the demon boy helps Miranjo find her way back home. It's incredibly cute because the light that Miranjo brought into the forest is the same light that the boy returns to her to help her home. The cramped forest that appeared around the demon boy, and that Miranjo poked through, is the same forest that the boy returns to so that they can find Miranjo. It's a circular story, reciprocative, as Miranjo brings happiness and light into the boy's life, and he returns the favor and in turn begins their friendship.

It's just so wonderful. The colors are amazing, the art style is incredibly precious, the direction is perfectly fitting for a fairy tale style, and I love how they use the forest to frame the various scenes. Using trees and foliage to create a suffocating and encroaching feeling before opening it up to allow for freedom and brightness later on. Such a wonderful story of how Miranjo and the demon boy came to be friends.

And quick side note, I really like that little backstory we got for the boy. Not cause it shows there's a whole town or whatever of demons, but how the story views adults and those seeking power as inherently evil and repulsive.

Anyways, on to part 2!

What a cute and endearing second half. Far less a cohesive story as it is the culmination of memories and experiences as Bojji runs all around the castle to deliver his treasures to the people whom they were discovered with. A lot of similar stuff, so I just want to highlight the importance/significance of the items.

First, we've got Bebin with the snake skin from a young Matsumata. Of course, it can signify his growth and the changes he underwent to get to where he is, but I'd also like to think it's a testament to how caring Bebin is inside that outer shell.

Next up, we've got Apeas (who was sporting some really awesome combat animation in his training), to whom he gives what looks like a piece of obsidian in the shape of a spear. I think it's an equally rewarding gift that commends Apea's honing of his abilities, and is in a way, Bojji recognizing the strength and power of Apeas, whom struggled greatly with that concept through the end of the first season.

Following Apeas, we have a double feature with Domas and Hokuro, who share the same gift of the shell of a cicada. I think this is a really precious one that does great at symbolizing how both of these characters have broken out of their shells and grown. Plus, over-emotional Domas is incredibly fun and endearing.

We've got another duo after this pair, with Hiling and Dorshe. Hiling sports a feather from some sort of bird, while Dorshe is given a fang. You'll have to forgive me, but I can't think of any symbolism or prior event for Bojji to give Hiling a feather for. Dorshe on the other hand? His gift of a fang makes perfect sense as a reward and treasure for how fiercely he defended Bojji's mother.

And last but not least is Daida's acorn. I think it's a really cute one that's equal parts innocuous and important. There's the whole idea of growth and strength associated with it, but more than that I feel its importance stems from the shared memory that Daida wants to cultivate with Bojji, by turning the acorn into a tree within the castle.

Now, there's a bit more to cover before I get to the end, so I just wanted to share some of the outstanding layouts from this episode. The use space and slightly warped perspectives through most of them is really creative and gives a refreshing twist on what can sometimes be typical layouts for "good" series.

This scene with Bojji giving Miranjo a crystal ball though has to be the best of the episode. Such a creative idea with incredible execution.

And then we get to the end, where they use the song from the first OP for the anime. Need I say much more? Incredibly endearing and precious, it's the perfect way to approach the end of such a nostalgic and memorable episode.

#ranking of kings: the treasure chest of courage #ranking of kings #ousama ranking #ousama ranking: yuuki no takarabako #ousama ranking bojji #王様ランキング #王様ランキング 勇気の宝箱 #prince bojji #anime recommendation #anime review #anime and manga #anime #dorshe #apeas #bebin #domas #prince daida #miranjo

[phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing]

dont mind me just ranting a little. i really hate the fact that honkai players in youtube comments always acts like they know the lore when their statement and argument is baseless speculation with no source whatsoever "we dont have enough information" "i think" when said info is available and straight up told in main story available on global. not to mention how the community LOVES to exaggerate how "depressing" honkai is like they have never seen an actually tragic and depressing death. constantly going "oh noooo character A is going to die 😭😭😭" when it will literally ruin their whole character arc. no seriously honkai story is wholesome compared to many stories with heavy themes. all deaths have meaning or are painted in a thick rose colored glass, the theme of the story is heartwarming (fight for all that is beautiful in the world) and they arent even in a post apocalyptic world setting. the honkai community seriously lacks people who openly critique the story writting with most overglorifying its writting.

:’)

I think it’s because Honkai got dark and then got lighter, but people didn’t really update their mental image to fit the lighter part of the story?

and now people have said it’s dark so much but it outright REFUSES to be dark anymore.

Aponia was nothing but simpery and good intentions, Kevin refuses to even consider killing Hua, Theresa is safe and sound and asleep away from the plot, the sims died and left Mei “fulfilled” rather than sad, nobody is mad at her for colluding with the enemy either…

I’m not mad that good things happen, but I like it when I think things might turn bad, too. I loved the darkness of the deaths in EE— it’s just that the ending basically makes them pointless, erasing the darkness with the rose tinted glasses. Honestly if they’d been just a little less intense on the Mary Sue Elysia they would’ve had me with a favorite chapter. It was dark and then it had a lighter twist and a kinder ending— much like Shattered Samsara, but it just doesn’t work at all for me.

Weird isn’t it? Shattered Samsara’s my favorite animation, too. What did they get wrong?

I think, in great part, Shattered Samsara was great because we were used to horrible outcomes and we were surprised by a good one. There’s pleading and emotional tension and the kinder ending is earned by Kiana struggling through pain and acknowledging all of it, all the darkness, and she’ll help Hua carry that burden. It’s cathartic, it’s awesome, and heartwarming, and until she decides that NO she won’t accept the sacrifice you don’t quite know Hua will survive this. (midway through).

Everlasting Flames and Because of You both have a fakeout loss that don’t hold up two seconds— there’s no tension because we know they win. Narratively there’s no doubt that they’re gonna win. If they lost, it would’ve subverted our expectations, but Mihoyo refuses to let them lose anything, especially Everlasting Flames. For Kiana this still works because it’s her apogee, her triumphant moment; a surprise would have meant the story has another twist coming, so it’s… fine. Good, just not as emotionally intense due to predictability. It’s good.

For Elysia… the exact outcome was more uncertain, but the surprise would have been that someone survives. They announced the deaths and then they died. Either no tension or disappointment. It’s the third animation in a row I was getting bored by, and it’s a treat for the eyes but not narratively significant in any way.

Everlasting Flames is a triumph; its narrative consequence is showcasing Kiana’s final push of growth into a realized individual.

Thus Spoke Apocalypse is a bittersweet epitaph for a man who announced that he’d die to accomplish his goal, and did. It isn’t necessarily all that interesting (it wasn’t to me, I skipped through) but it’s got the narrative significance of giving him the ending he has strived for all this time. It’s a reward for Otto just as much as it’s his funeral.

Because of You…

You get exactly what you were told you would get and you can skip the animation entirely without missing anything. Elysia tells Mei she’s going to fight, take back the other sims, then destroy ER, and she does exactly that in that order. It has no narrative value beyond giving a band-aid of a conclusion to an arc that skidded and refused to acknowledge death is tragic in its last moment, too focused on trying to state over and over and over again what we already knew: that there’s beauty and goodness in the world. (Not despite the bad. The bad gets such little consequence that it might as well not exist. The Show not Tell rule is crying.)

People have called out Because of You claiming it copies Everlasting Flames but that’s not quite right; it’s that they share the same story beats (main character gets beaten by Herrscher then rises again in very shiny glory thanks to the power of friendship).

Except for Everlasting Flames, you could forgive that because it was a peak, a triumph— glory is predictable, but you can get fucked over in an infinite amount of ways.

There’s just no tension. Thus Spoke Apocalypse I got bored halfway but at least it had angsty flashbacks and a bittersweet end— if I’d actually cared for Otto’s fate I would’ve probably enjoyed it very much. I like nuance.

Everlasting Flames didn’t need nuance because it was about glory and growth and Kiana coming into her own.

Because of You needed nuance so bad, and it didn’t get it. Closest we get is HoC saying she did think Elysia is beautiful which is… honestly kind of laughable.

And ever since that part of the story, nothing really dark has been allowed to happen? Earth people are gone but literally not ONE person we know has been affected so far. Schicksal HQ and Salt Lake Base are fine. The robot guy is cool with his new body his bestie Jackal made for him. Stigma will end in dreams rather than blood even if the villains get their way. Bronya basically greets Mei with “hi”, feeling no negative emotion whatsoever despite being one of those to pick up the pieces after Mei left Kiana for World Serpent, we’re not even allowed to play their spar. I haven’t caught up with the update from yesterday but I don’t think there’s a lot of tragedy— couldn’t they have at least made a flame-chaser one of the living dead for some real pain? It’s just MEI being like whelp we’re gonna die anyway and Prometheus going :/ so far.

I don’t think spoiler culture makes any sense, and this isn’t that. It’s about tension. It’s about taking me along on the roller coaster ride and making me fear the speed and the height even when I know I’m safe. This is turning into a merry go round in a bad way. :T

#honkai impact #hi3 #asks #elysium ever ranting #honkai spoilers

[tiredassmage]

17,20, and 30 from the creator asks :)

Thank you, friend! <3

17. What are some tropes and dynamics found in your wips?

Specifically in my wips, hmmmm.... Well, I do have to say I think I've revealed my weakness for the mentor-type relationships and while I don't think I have anything actively in the pile that chases that dynamic, I expect it won't be going anywhere any time soon - both in that I definitely want to explore more of Tyr and the mentor figures in his life and his potential for sharing that experience forward.

Currently, I'd say the biggest one is the developing ride-or-die Savosta has built up with Rhystyl. I have a snippet of a piece started that's meant to retell their time in carbonite as a shared sort of hellscape dream-land (the base idea being that, even if Savsota's head is where Valkorian decides to kick his feet up, both of them are experienced with Vitiate's influence, so it'll still affect and connect them both) and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to finish that one off sometime because it lets Savosta shine in a role Rhyst has traditionally taken for him thus far: the calm in the storm, the support when everything else is going wrong.

Fun fact: while I was writing sacrifice, part of my hold up was trying to determine if there was something other than friendship developing between them. The opportunity for it was absolutely there and I couldn't ignore it, but it just didn't feel right and I did sort of hesitate to leap on the possibility because I didn't want to overplay something. Ultimately, I found Savosta like me: somewhere on the ace spectrum! It was most important to me (and Savosta) to build a friendship - that's not something he's properly had in a really long time. KOTXX really seals their friendship as inseparable and there's absolutely love there. They're best friends who go through a lot together and I, ironically, haven't written a lot of characters that share marginally in the experience of asexuality with me, so it's kind of an exciting thing to have discovered and decided. I wanted that friendship and that journey of healing, self-discovery, and self-love to remain focal in Savosta's story and friendships can be just as vital to that. It makes the most sense for him and for the kind of story I hope to see him through, I think.

20. What story are you proudest of? Why?

Not to reuse, but partially sacrifice, for actually finishing that idea from start to posting. Version history of that on Google Docs tells me I spent about a month and a half with it and I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned out. Savosta finally getting one of those moments to really connect and... I guess not necessarily feel positively, given the stress of the situation, but to go through a moment with him where he engages his emotions in a way that accepts them and acknowledges what him and Rhyst have both been through is really gratifying. He started as this character that was mostly motivated by the achievement hunt for DS5, to be honest, and then I... grew attached. And I genuinely decided "I want to see him succeed and I want to see him heal." So, it's... kinda heartwarming to have that go full-circle, at least in my head. There's a lot of other stops along the way in him and Rhyst's story I still want to tell and explore, so, hopefully, I'll be able to continue to create and share those in the new year. <3

Also, greedily picking another, imbalance was such a fun exercise, so honestly thank you for enabling that, lol! I'm proud of this one because of how thoroughly it shows of Tyr's more Cipher side. I've explored a lot of his sort of struggle and his connections, I think (and I hope its at least sort of showed, lol), but I hadn't really showed how Tyr worked as Cipher Nine. imbalance shows where he's willing to cross lines, where some of his willingness to compromise himself and ideals crops up when he's on a job. Yes, it's been incredibly important to me to show his very small inner circle, the very few people with whom he tries and tries (and fails, sometimes) to be an at least more honest version of himself - more honest to himself about everything he's been through, but to really feel the ease of the shift he makes when he works is so fulfilling. I feel like it added some much-needed weight to my musings about his inner workings and how he feels being a Cipher. He is, in fact, rather good at his work - if not in the most traditional sense. (I'm still reeling from Watcher Seven going for the fucking throat intentionally or not after... everything that happened, okay? Yeah, maybe he is mentally unstable and you're not helping!!!!)

30. How are you doing? <3

Okay, I know I got all sappy on my New Year's post unexpectedly, but WWWWWW. Really. Really. I just want to say that our friendship was a highlight of the last few months of '22 and I'm just. <3 I treasure it. And you're a joy to see in my notifications. Keysmashing, etc etc

aH. Okay. Uhm. Otherwise, I have survived my first week back to classes for spring semester and I am! Hopeful and kind of excited again. I was a bit nervous given how stressful last semester was (generally a poor semester for me as far as time management, etc), but my classes so far seem cool and interesting - I'm doing primarily just elective credits to satisfy eventual hour requirements for graduation this semester with the idea of hopefully being kinder to myself than last semester's schedule, so I think it'll be nice. I'm excited to be back with the campus group I joined last semester.

Overall, pretty good. I'm looking forward to it and I think it'll be a really valuable and informative semester!

#answered #dot talk

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Thrown by Sara Cox

I am a big fan of Sara Cox’s BBC show Between The Covers, where she discusses books with celebrity guests. I had no idea that she was writing a novel until I saw it on NetGalley, so you can imagine my excitement at being accepted for it!

The community centre is a far cry from the exciting hub that single mum Becky remembers it being when her mum was in charge. So she sets up a pottery class to bring locals together again. Sheila’s children have left home and she wants to move somewhere warmer but her husband Martin seems to have other things on his mind. Jameela has a loving husband, excellent career but life just won’t seem to give her what she wants -a baby. Louise has a very happy family life but she can’t help but want something more. So, when the handsome, charming pottery teacher Sasha walks in on the first day of the new pottery class, heads are turned, connections are formed and all four women are about to discover that beautiful things can be made from an ordinary lump of clay.

One thing that Cox does really well is capture the eccentricity of British village life. Having grown up in a quite affluent suburb with a village-esque vibe, I know that these people exist and I could easily picture them as the neighbours that I saw every day as a child. 

The humour is excellent too and I loved how it gave me a glimpse into the author’s imagination. I can think of so many middle-aged women who would love some husband replacement therapy on reaching their last tether! I laughed so many times and it was a really lovely way to get to know the characters.

The book also explores the theme of wanting something more from the perfectly comfortable life you have. I think this is something that most people feel at some point. The guilty feeling of not being grateful for the people and the things that you have against a desperate longing for something else or in most cases, a bit of excitement. I know that so many readers will relate to Louise and will perhaps find a new hobby or explore themselves to find out where those feelings are coming from and hopefully achieve life satisfaction again!

There were some really heartfelt, poignant moments in the book too, as the women form unlikely friendships and offer invaluable advice. Sheila is an empty nester who feels a bit lost and she has some really lovely things to say about motherhood in a way that I’d never heard them said before. So many parents, both in fiction and real life, think of their kids as ‘theirs’ or an extension of themselves. Sheila’s attitude really turns that idea on its head and in turn, helps women see that they are so much more than mothers. Children will leave their parents and when that happens, the parents have to have their own identities to fall into.

Thrown is a heartwarming, uplifting debut novel about friendship, community and making the most of what life throws at you. It manages to be light-hearted, philosophical and romantic with a real focus on the power of injecting something new into a life of dissatisfaction. I loved these characters and would really love to see what Sara Cox writes next.

#thrown #sara cox #contemporary fiction #book review #review #books #bookworm

[romancemoon]

🍃 FALLING LEAF - do they enjoy being in nature? what is their favourite outdoor activity? 🌌 MILKY WAY - what was the inspiration behind your oc? what was the first thing you decided about them? 🎭 MASKS - do they act differently around certain people? what's different between the way they act around friends, family, strangers, etc.?

✨ @debtwon. meme. still accepting!

🍃 vi’s naturally inclined towards being out in the sun. he loves to sweat. he loves humidity and he loves being beaten down by sunshine and that’s pretty much due to his upbringing in a tropical country aljgfdlgjdflkg... his favorite thing to do outdoors is just... draw. he likes to draw. a lot of his art turns out to be portraits of nature. lots of flowers and trees and the sky. a lot of sunsets and moonrisings and etc. he also rly likes to do yoga outdoors on the hottest days of the year. one thing he likes to do at the very end of summer and all through autumn is collect leaves and press into bookmarks. he usually gives these bookmarks away since he... makes so many bookmarks for himself lol.

he just really likes being outdoors. a lot of people dont like the sweltering heat and walking through rays of light frying them, but he loves it... virote loves a good hike, too. back home, he really enjoyed working out in his grandparents field picking strawberries, picking rose apples, and riding horses :))) he’s a nature boi

🌌  virote started off as an oc for a jrpg from a tiny little company u may know called square... ya know, kingdom hearts, etc etc. he was an oc for final fantasy x. he was a summoner, endowed with the gift to save the world. but he failed. mostly everyone he loved was taken from him and his journey was dealing with the aftershock of all of that but then he kinda grew into his own thing of an amalgamation of stuff. 90s pop culture, 2000s pop culture. trashy reality tv. art house films. 80s and 90s anime. some 2000s anime. ive watched so much anime, its fucking stupid. that obscure ova that hasnt had a physical copy since 1994? ive seen it. that weird ecchi one-off with a publisher that has literally no info available? i’ve watched that. manga that was only printed a couple of years around 2005? been there! also just life experiences.

i’ve met so many crazy fucking people in my life.... done and seen a lot of crazy shit. never a dull moment in an alabama town where everyones high off their ass on meth! people tell me vi’s pretty real.... ya.... a lot of his experiences are real. down to meeting a guy behind a post office selling cough syrup from the back of his car. down to the bald drug dealer that pedals through the neighborhood on a little bike with a cute bell, wearing socks and sandals. city pop music too..... the magic, the sparkles, the twinkles. the wavy haziness of vaporwave. vi’s just this big, big reference i kinda love that. wish more people got said references. glkfdjglkdf.

virote is my love letter to pop culture. he is my love letter to visceral and heartwarming experiences ive had. he’s a love letter. he’s my love letter to what makes the weirdos weird. and that’s just kind of his charm that i decided from the jump. he’s not here to be cool. he’s so uncool that it almost makes him cool......... he’s my love letter to just being u, even if no one gets it.

🎭 he tries not to be too fake. he can keep it cute ya know... he can keep it formal and put on his business face when he wants, but other than that, vi’s not really one to bury who he is. what you see is what you get. it’s kind of hard for him to repress himself.

that’s exactly why he says stupid shit during inappropriate times and i wish he’d stop but who am i but a spectator to his decisions in life...................

#( 🌙 ABOUT! AN AURA OF MOONLIGHT AND DARK NEON. ✨ ) #debtwon #/ i LUV him.

[bctoastyyy]

just a bunch of stuff i never posted!

few of these are crossover doodles, with ape escape (2), kingdom hearts, and zelda twilight princess

#LOOK I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE FENTON PARENTS HUG THEIR SON #WHO THEY ACCEPT AND LOVE AND ITS A REALLY HEARTWARMING MOMENT #chumby #again. he's holding a double threat. #love for jazz #a danny doodle that pulled me out of my very frequent art block ?? #BOGUS VLAD #the catboy wes is older lmao #merboy and ghost king doodles #danny phantom #dp #danny phantom crossovers

[writer-akihiko]

so mc running away i love it the angst 👌 so if its alright can you the same but with the dorm leaders?(pls do a good ending my poor heart cannot take it-༎ຶ‿༎ຶ)

Dorm Leaders + MC Running Away

So I apologise for the lack of happy endings, if you want to call it that. The scenarios turned out much more different than the First Years probably because of the power gap I had in mind. Also, for anyone wondering, the Vice Dorm Leaders will have a shot of saving you next! When I get to it... Cut for length. Also please help to share because I limited the tags!

Warnings: Character Death [Not you or the main boy], mentions of abuse and emotional manipulation [On the Reader] and violent actions [The Dorm Leaders]

"I'm not going back."

"Wh... What?" He was astonished. "YN... I've looked far and wide for you- please-"

No words left his mouth as you stepped away from him, tears in your eyes and you were going to make a run for it again.

Malleus Draconia

Your words struck a chord in him. He didn't mean it, but when you said that you weren't going back, he almost lost control. What did you mean you weren't going back? You promised him to be his Queen!

No... he's not accepting this. His Queen deserved better. His larger hands encircled your wrists, stopping you in your tracks. No matter how much you tugged and pushed, Malleus' strength was beyond you. In your sole despair, you fell in his embrace.

Every ache and injury struck your core, as you cried your heart out. "I can't go back Malleus," you whimpered. "I... I'm sorry."

Your hands gripped tighter onto his clothes. "I don't mean to fight against you, I-"

The Fae Prince sealed your bruised lips with his own, pulling your smaller form into his lap as he took in the moment of the bittersweet, longing kiss. "YN... listen to me," He said, his own ice cold tears falling onto your cheek, healing your wounds. "You never have to apologise for your suffering. Not even to me."

Malleus held you close as you drowsed off. The gentle smile hardened into a growl, as his back arched, black wings bursting out of his body. Malleus, in his dragon form, summoned the thorns to protect you, holding you as if you were his personal dragon hoard…

The principal, or more accurately the culprit, Dire Crowley was a fool to step out. It disgusted Malleus to his very core, his claws setting the very ground on fire as Crowley stepped closer. No words were exchanged between them. For all the suffering you faced, it was to be paid in tenfold as the dragon took a deep breath, releasing the fire in his chest.

"It was a fraction of her suffering…"

Riddle Rosehearts

He was ballistic. Riddle had been eager to bring you back immediately, but the sheer refusal and attempt to run away made him think that you hate him. He was blaming himself, sobbing to the ground.

Riddle's breakdown made you stop. No matter what you did, you still love him. Riddle's hiccups of sobbing paused at the feeling of your arms wrap around him. He wanted this, he wanted your warmth, he wanted- no… he needed you so badly he'd ceased to function without you.

"I don't hate you Riddle," You said, kissing his tears away. Your pretty Queen of Hearts had ruined the uniform he so proudly kept up with and Riddle himself was unkempt. Riddle cradled your sore body, letting you tell him your stresses and your breaking point abused over and over again by Crowley.

Riddle's heart softened ever so much for you, as he realised that he was to a fault as well. It was then he started to cry for you. "YN… I… I lost control. I know I can't be forgiven for the stress you went through so-"

"Rosehearts! You found her, how wonderful!" The jovial Principal cried out. In his hand was a magic tracking spell and that's when Riddle was struck with guilt once more. He doomed you, again. He… no, he refuses to end it this way.

Your loving self became meek, frightened by the aspect of being under Crowley's care once more. You trembled, reaching out to the hem of Riddle's coat. "Riddle… Please don't let them take me…"

He pulled you up, whispering to you. "When I cast my magic, run YN."

"Ridd-"

"Never thought you'd defy me, Rosehearts. Being a law abider and all~"

"Off With Your Head."

Kalim Al-Asim

"Y-YN?"

Kalim desperately hung onto your ankle, on his knees, begging and bargaining you to stay.

"YN… Please don't leave me again," He begged. "I'll… I'll stop dragging you to parties! I'll get you anything you want just please… please come back to me."

His tears wet your foot, as his grip left light marks on your ankle. Kalim never meant to harm you. He was so desperate to make you stay, but in his heart, he knew that he didn't have the strength to keep you with him if you desired to leave.

"How could you think that?!" You cried out. You stooped to Kalim's level, tackling him in hug so hard that he crashes to the ground. "I… I'd never leave you if I had the choice! I couldn't stand NRC anymore…"

You sobbed into Kalim's chest, wondering when it'd all end. You could never refuse Kalim, but what about everyone else? What about Crowley? Your spine shivered at the monster's name, wanting everything to disappear except for you and Kalim.

Kalim didn't know what to do. He didn't understand why Crowley would do such a thing to you. If Crowley was causing you such pain… He'd just have to get rid of the problem. You only deserve the best, after all. It's not his fault, nor is it yours.

You had cried yourself to utter exhaustion. Kalim gently wrapped you up in his jacket, cradling you to his chest. As if clockwork, Crowley appeared to the heartwarming scene, simply glad that you were going to be returned.

"Al-Asim, Dire should patch her up nicely-"

"No."

Crowley coughed. "What was that?"

"I said no," Kalim reiterated. "I have no reason to listen to you…"

"Since YN and I aren't your students anymore."

Azul Ashengrotto

How grateful he was to find you near the water. He almost turned red at the thought of you willing to search for him. Azul never thought you'd long for him this way, but you knew him, and you knew him well.

As if on cue, you looked beyond the trees to see your beloved, running from the sandy shores barefoot to be caught by your precious Azul. Azul doesn't have the best reflexes, trying to catch you without hurting you.

Azul took one good look at you, and the sight was enough to make him cry. Messy hair, cuts and bruises littering your skin possibly from running through the rocky forest, feet with sores from rocks… and tearful, sorrowful eyes.

Not an inch of sadness deserved to touch you. That was one of his core beliefs. He didn't say anything to prompt you to tell about what you'd been suffering. He knew. He knew every line of the story, and it made him ever so guilty that it led to this. If he just paid more attention to you, or at least try to.

Azul offered you everything. An ear to listen and his body for comfort, with his arms wrapping about you. If the simple action was enough for your forgiveness, he'd do it over and over again.

It was for a moment Azul held you, before running the water with you in tow. From the forest emerged the tweels, but what was behind you made you scream. Crowley, with his magic, retaliating against the twins' magic.

Azul wrapped you around his tentacles, drifting further into the ocean with you. He bent down to whisper in your ear. "YN, close your eyes. Don't look."

You shut your eyes tight as you did, hiding yourself in Azul's chest, away from the scene.

"May we never see you again, Crowley."

Azul and the twins in their merforms plummet into the ocean, deep down where Crowley would never come to touch you.

Idia Shroud

He wasn't surprised that the huge robot scared you. It was his secret project after all. He immediately let himself out of the robot, but he was hesitant to step into the forest. Idia was scared, but he still had to protect you!

"Y-YN..."

"Idia!..."

You stopped running, seeing your boyfriend pop out of the robot. Idia was quick to get over his reluctance as his panic shifts to your injuries instead. He wanted to cry out of joy from the mere chance of finding you.

Idia tried to treat your wounds as best as he could with the emergency kit conveniently equipped [he really did think of everything] although his wrapping technique was unkempt at best.

Idia's attempts to heal you made you forget of all the suffering. You couldn't help but laugh, realising how much you missed Idia. He knew that you needed this time. Oh, how he wanted to whisk you away...

But he might as well. You're his, right?

Crowley didn't get close to reaching you. Idia thought of it all. He tracked every move the principal made, fooling Crowley to think that Idia was with you the entire time, with the tracking device that Crowley so faithfully gave him.

"How desperate... it's honestly funny..." Idia scoffed at the idea of Crowley getting to you.

With the S.T.Y.X androids, Idia confronted Crowley, who was in sheer confusion.

"Crowley… burn in hell."

Leona Kingscholar

Leona didn't hold back. He couldn't believe you would say such a thign to him… The only conclusion he reached to was that you hated him. You hated his very core, just like everyone else… He was scared. It frightened him to the core that after everything he did, you still hated him.

"YN… stop fucking around with me," He said, grabbing onto your wrist. He wasn't about to throw a tantrum then and there. He had to get things straight. "Hey… tell me. Was I just a waste for you?"

"W-What are you talking about Leona?" You pushed against his chest, trying to get some distance but Leona was way stronger than you. The lion couldn't listen to reason. He simply went on about how you must've hated him, and how much you despised him.

"Did I mean nothing to you, YN?" Leona was shaking, his shoulders trembling from the mere thought of hearing those words.

You wrapped your arms around Leona, pulling him in close. "I never did… How dare you think that you stupid lion?!" You said, sobbing your heart out. You were equally hurt, but you never once thought Leona would think such a thing.

The emotional reunion was interrupted by the principal himself, pretending to be moved by such a scene. The false pretense of safety caught on to you, and you were sent into a panic, clinging onto Leona for fear of your life.

"I hate you!" You yelled, your body crumpling to the ground just as Leona caught you. "I hate you, I hate you. I don't want to go back, don't make me!"

If you were to scream anymore, you might collapse from exhaustion. Leona was quick to carry you in his arms, holding you close to his chest, where you were comforted by his heartbeat.

"Hoi, good for nothing principal," Leona called out, a single claw drawn out, igniting his Unique Magic.

"Move before I turn you to sand."

Vil Schoenheit

He was stunned to see you in such a state. He called out for you, and you stopped in your tracks. Was he that incompetent that he can't keep you with him? Did he not treat you right? Was his mere presence just torture for you?

Vil couldn't keep it in anymore. He needed to know. "YN… why won't you come back? Tell me, is it my fault? Am I not worthy of you?!"

The once prideful queen fell into shambles of insecurity as his mind won't stop painting images of you walking away from him, of you calling him your doom, of him being your captor… No, he didn't mean it…

"Was I the villain in your story?! WAS I?!"

Vil had never cried as much as he did. He needed to know that you didn't of him as a nuisance. He really was worthless if he made you feel unwanted… so please, he needed an answer.

"How could you think that, my love?"

You stooped to Vil's level, brushing away the tears that ruined his makeup with your very hands. Oh, your poor Vil… You were too selfish, thinking of your own suffering. With Vil in your arms, you felt whole once again. You gave Vil your actual answer, relenting every moment of your stress that stemmed from Crowley.

Oh… how his sweet potato must've suffered. Vil had a stuck of guilt, considering that he was under an Overblot as well. No matter, he had to make things right. For your sake, for his love's sake.

"YN, Crowley is trying to find you. But I… I have to set things right," He said, pulling you up.

The rustle of leaves had you on guard as from it came Dire Crowley, revelling in the scene.

"Schoenheit. You are supposed to bring LN YN to me immediately as I ordered."

Vil for once scared you. It scared you how enraged he was, and your heart wrenched at seeing the ink droplets by his hand.

"Vil, don't you dare-"

He turned back to you, whispering for you to run to Rook's safety. "Don't cry, my love."

You tried to hold the tears once again as you saw Vil shifting forms to an ink-like mess, this time his rage directed at Crowley. You could only run away, praying in your heart that Vil was safe.

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst scenarios #twst angst #twst dorm leaders #twst azul #twst idia #twst kalim #twst malleus #twst leona #twst vil #twst riddle #azul ashengrotto #idia shroud #kalim al asim #malleus draconia #leona kingscholar #vil schoenheit #riddle rosehearts

[thekingofwinterblog]

It’s all for his sake - Endeavor and the Sunk Cost Fallacy

My hero academia 301 is a pretty interesting chapter, but for me, the most notable piece of it was how Endeavour reacted to the realization that Touya couldnt surpass All Might.

upon realizing that his son might not be able to do it because of inborn physical limitations, he immediatly stopped his training, which frankly was the responsible and adult thing to do. 

This stint of real parenthood did not last long however.

After taking the matter to a doctor, he is flat out told that not only cant Touya achive what endeavor wants, but it is a direct result of his incredibly selfish and irresponsible attempt to play god, by trying to breed the “perfect” hero into being.

It is how you react when you lose however, that shows who you really are, and endeavor illustrates that very, very well.

Upon being told in no uncertain terms that his attempts at Breeding an heir failed magnificently, producing a child that was not capable of resisting his own immense power, but also admonished by his doctor for even attempting it, and adviced not to try again, Endeavor instead doubled down, while focusing on the child he screwed over from the start with his attempt at genetic manipulation.

It was all for him you see. Endeavor doesnt use those words, but that is how he spins it here. it was all for Touya, all for his sake. if i stop now, then Touya was all for nothing, a mistake, im doing this for my son.

if im doing this for my son, then im not responsible for any of this.

his wife however, calls him out on it, as she understands Touya much, much more than endeavor does. or rather, she sees him fully as a human being, instead of as a thing, a weapon, a failed attempt at an heir.

Unlike Endeavor, Rei is able to see the way this all is affecting her son. She is able to see, and understand that Touya has fully accepted what Endeavor wanted him to be. a stronger, and better version of himself. however, unlike Endeavor, she only cares about him as a person.

Endeavour by comparison isnt completely uncaring about Touya. like most abusive parents, he does possess love for his offspring, but it is forever tainted by the fact that however much he might care, or not care about Touya, any familial love he has for his son is tainted by the fact that to Endeavor, he is a failed experiment, a failed heir, not his child. 

He is the golden child that Endeavor was building up as his true and only heir, who he breed, trained, and molded to for that single purpose, and now that he’s reached a point where he cant continue that legacy.

so, its time to abandon him, and start over new, despite literarily having just learned how stupid this plan was, and that it can, in fact, go completely wrong, with a quirk that will fuck over the person he brings into the world.

Of course, Endeavor doesnt use those words to frame it. there is no way to pretend to be a hero, if you phrase it like that after all. Intead, this is the words he uses.

this is a very important series of panels for a great number of reasons, some that can be debated, argued, and we will probably never know the full truth to the questions because this is a series published in 2020′s shonen jump, and there are things that probably wasnt gonna fly with Hori’s editors, if it was the case.

but lets start with what can not be debated. Endeavor’s words here.

“If we want him to give it up, then we have no choice... Touya... Cant surpass him.”

These are very telling words, and however you believe The third and fourth children of the Todoroki family was concieved, there is not denying the meaning of what he’s saying here.

The only way that my son will stop being an idiot and fall into line, is if we have another baby. that is the only Right way to move forward. it is morally right, because if we dont do this, then he’s going to destroy himself.

there are two ways to interpret this scene.

The charitable way is to read it as the fact that he used Rei’s oldest son’s mental state as a justification of guilting his wife to have a third child, to give this attempt at a superpowered breeding project another shot, despite the fact that they now know that this can lead to a child who is essentially born crippled from his own powers, and despite the fact that Rei obviously understands the effect of them continuing this insanity will have on their oldest son.

the uncharitable way to look at it, is that he used this as justification for flat out raping her, and forcing a third, and then later a fourth child on her.

I personally believe the last one, given a number of factors shown in this chapter(the way this page is framed, the fact Rei obviously didnt want a third child, given she predicted exactly how touya would react, the way her eyes would latet turn when she looks at who is presumably touya which really brings to mind how she would later react to her youngest son’s face after her mental breakdown, etc.), but i’ll frankly admitt that withouth a direct quote from Hori, its impossible to know for sure one way or another. 

either way however, this is a very good example of Endeavor both being influenced by, and using Sunk Cost Fallacy to justify bringing another potentially crippled child into the world for his own, selfish goals.

sunk cost Fallacy, is a mental reaction to when you invest more time and resources into a project, that you becomes so emotionally invested into said project that you will continue to invest into it, even if it reaches a point that it becomes clear that the resources you put into it, far, far outweighs the potential gains you can achieve.

because if you give up after having invested years, and years of effort to breed, raise, and train a kid, and then all that effort was absolutely wasted. hence he choose to keep going, despite having learned what a terrible idea this is.

He doesnt care about the fact that his next child might be even more crippled than his firstborn, he doesnt care about his son’s actual wellbeing. he cares about the fact that if he doesnt continue this insanity, then not only will he not achieve his dreams, but everything he did to get to this point was for absolutely nothing.

and endeavor cannot accept that. and so long as he can justify breeding more children into the world, and there being any chance they might inherit both quirks perfectly, he doesnt care about anything else.

and the moment he realised that this kid wasnt gonna cut it either, he did it again. it is not a coincidence, that the age gap between Endeavor’s second, third, and fourth children were all 3-4 years apart. because thats the age where you can usually tell when a quirk will manifest or not, as established earlier in the series.

While she isnt brought up directly by Endeavor as a justification, it is very telling that Endeavor decided on having a third child, only after his second child was old enough that he could tell that that there was no chance she could take the place as his heir instead.

So, he had his third child, and as time passed and it became obvious that he wasn’t gonna be able to fulfill Endeavor’s goals either, he dumped him, and instead breed a fourth child into existence.

and finally, he struck gold. he did it. he produced Shoto.

everything was finally worth it, and now, everything would be absolutely fine. the cost fallacy had reached its end, and it was now all full sails ahead.

except of course it wasnt.

His oldest son, now in middle school, had been raised from birth to believe he would surpass his father, only to be thrown away, and getting to see his father try to replace him, not once, but twice.

frankly, this scene is probably my favorite in the chapter, because it goes to show Endeavor’s mindset. Natsuo made a point that their father completely ignored his older children. and he did... from Natsuo’s perspective. however, having a more thourough picture of things, we can clearly see that this wasnt the case with Touya.

Endeavor genuinly cared for Touya, enough that once he got that child he tried to breed into existence 4 times, he genuinly wanted him to just abandon trying to be a hero. he genuinly thinks of himself as a good dad here, wanting his son to abandon the mission he set out for him before he was born. of course, with context, this heartwarming scene is incredibly sad and insidious, because we understand why Endeavor got so attached to his oldest child. because he WAS the golden child. he was the child Endeavor genuinly cared about, and invested in, and trained personally with great warmth and enthusiasm.

And not only did he abandon him as a failed project the moment he realized he wasnt gonna live up to his ridiculous standards, but he literarily created 2 more kids to try and replace him, just as his oldest son was old enough to understand what exactly his dad was doing. over the course of this chapter, we get to see Touya’s start as a 5-8 year old, his deteriorating mental state over the years, until he finally seemed to reach the breaking point with Shoto’s birth sometime in his middle school years 12-15. 

Endeavor is in this scene, just not capable of understanding why Touya so desperately wants to become a hero, when obviously he isnt physically able to do so. he isnt able to understand that he is 100% to blame for the fact that his son is having a full emotional breakdown after literaly being replaced by his siblings. 

In other words, Endeavor genuinly think’s he’s a good person. a person who has made a few mistakes along the way sure, but a person who was always justified in the end, and now that he’s having to face the fact that as dabi would later say “The past never dies” and has to face the aftermath of his inane attempt to play god for the pettiest of reasons, things simply arent going to work out.

He isnt going to have a happy family, who can now put the awful early years behind them, he put way too much effort, caused too much suffering and sacrificed too many years of his life for this not to work out as he wants.

after all, if he walks away from this project now, and lets Shoto have a normal childhood, and decide for himself, with no pressure from him, wheter or not to become a hero, then the sunk cost fallacy will have reached a negative end. it will all have been for nothing.

and we know he did eventually double down on this mentality, literarily beating into Shoto that he WAS going to become a hero, and there was not but’s or no’s about it.

there was no way that Endeavor was EVER going to let things be for nothing. His treatment of his older children could not be for nothing. His treatment of his wife could not be for nothing. His treatment of Shoto, and the way he beat him black and blue to train him, could not be for nothing.

Because if it all was for nothing, if everything he feels guilty about was for absolutely nothing, then he was in fact, a bad, bad person, who had no justification for anything he ever did.

#my hero academia #touya todoroki #dabi #endeavor #endeavour #enji todoroki #rei todoroki #character study #301 #meta