#but it does and there's no amount of logic or magic that can be applied to

[amaranthsynthesis]

So….does Ballard know math? (Or does he think he won’t die?) Because BG alone has like 125k people in it. It’s not even the biggest city on the Sword Coast (and has been keeping up that pop despite a lot of Bhaalspawn). Going out further, there’s about 68 million peeps to murder in Faerun. A standard drow can live up to 750 years, chosen certainly can live longer than that. It seems like the Urge taking over takes a decent bit of time, so it doesn't seem Daddy dearest is mathing it out hard either. (Also, the Illithid side quest seems a new of tactics.) Now sure, some other people will help out with the murdering. But….I have questions about what assumptions and internal narrative Ballard had prior to being tadpoled about his lifespan.

The jokey non-answer is no, Ballard can't count, he told Gortash already!

The second and objectively true answer to this question is that's the stupid lore, which I don't love but must needs work with. I don't have much background knowledge of the previous games or the forgotten realm setting (or even 5E if we are honest) so I don't know if that's also Bhaal's goal elsewhere, or if he has more nuance instead of dumb evil, but. yeah.

The third answer, where character lore has to work around and fill in the gaps of the source material, is that faith necessitates a certain amount of cognitive dissonance.

I attended thirteen years of Catholic school, with mandatory religion classes every year, very few of which were concerned at all with other world religions--I do not believe, and have not since the third grade, but that's a point for another time. One of the topics we would revisit every few years that I found fascinating was the idea of the sacred mysteries, which are events or acts that we cannot explain and will never understand, but we must accept as true without seeking to apply logic. That is what faith is, fundamentally; believing in something that has, physically, limited to no evidence to support it.

Religion in the forgotten realms is clearly a very different beast, as there is no way to deny the gods are real, their acts are real, magic is real, etc. They're right there! And they won't leave our shit alone!! Ballard knows he is the son of Bhaal because Bhaal is real and talks to him; he knows how he was made, he knows his purpose, he knows the punishments and rewards that are offered to him. But you're right, you are absolutely right in that Bhaal's vision of the end of the world is fundamentally impossible. It's a numbers game and he is boned before it even begins. He has set Ballard an impossible task--there is no way to complete it, and no outcome but failure.

That's..... not information Ballard can have and remain sane and stable. Perhaps other Bhaalspawn could accept the inherent futility, but it would shatter him and his core of duty and purpose. Him ignoring it isn't conscious, it isn't 'Hm. Well, let's put that back in the vault and never think about it again!', it's a very real survival mechanism his body is invoking to keep him safe. He can build the temple up, he can restore it to it's former glory and drive the influence of Cyr from it's halls, he can swell the ranks of the faithful, he can obediently complete his own mandated murders and whatever show of faith necessary for the Ecclesiastic calendar and regular worship. Those are the things he can control, those are numbers he can change.

So that's as far as his mind will go.

Ballard has never had a vision of the future further than a few years, enough time to complete this plan, to finish this stage of temple refurbishment, this recruitment effort. He will live as long as his father wills it, doing his will, for as long as there is. Beyond that it is darkness--trying to probe that darkness, envisioning a future future with Gortash, after the Crown plan, is what lands him in the Illithid Colony having a full crisis of faith and vulnerable to Orin's attack and the tadpole itself. A Ballard who can dream about the future is very fundamentally not a Ballard who can remain faithful to Bhaal, and the two are tearing him apart.

I've got some fic and art percolating that delves into that crisis and the what-if future, and all I can say is........ sorry in advance. About that.

#ask meme #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #the dark urge #durge #ballard #me holding what was intended to be a quick little sketch based on a klimt and laughing very nervously

[tmntxthings]

request: can I get a platonic Rise!Turtles(mainly Mikey cus I love that boy way too much, also can you add April if possible?) x GN/Male Reader. The prompt is that the reader is this omniscient spirit-like entity from a different dimension who likes to travel through worlds and interact with them or simply watch them from afar through astral projection and just so happened to lend into this one and had caught an interest by the Turtles(because they're the only beings so far that radiate magic energy) and decided to follow them around

In This World

author’s note: omigosh so sorry for the wait, I rlly rlly rlly rlly hope you enjoy >.< to tumblr, u need auto save, like I was almost done (._.) three perspectives are missing, don’t do this to me AGH

warnings: platonic relationships, fluff, comfort, unedited

—————————————————————————

Leo

Leo never thought a silly game of ouija board would amount to anything other than him scaring the bejesus out of Raph and Mikey, he didn’t have any hopes to scare Don. But as fate had it, unbeknownst to them all, you were watching the game and decided to have a little fun.

Now Leo had planned on pushing the piece around the board, and acting as if a ghost had done so. But before he could apply much pressure the little glass piecing was already moving to the letter ‘y’ after he had asked “Is anyone out there?” Leo immediately suspected Donnie had went ahead and moved it so Leo shot him a glare

But Donnie was raising his eyebrows and giving him a look that said what?? “Alright wait a minute, everyone let go..” Leo said and everyone retracted their fingers from the glass piece. “Is anyone out there?” He asked again and watched in horror as the piece moved on its own. Spelling out yes.

All the brothers were up from their spots around the board, running to the edges of the room and screaming bloody murder! “A GHOST IS HAUNTING US!!!” Leo couldn’t believe it, he thought everything had a rational explanation, but he couldn’t exactly refute what his eyes were seeing.

After things settled down and more questions were asked, full blown conversations had with not a ghost they found out but you! Turns out Donnie’s whole theory about the multiverse and space time continuum was true, Leo didn’t know what that all meant but basically it meant you weren’t dead, nor a ghost, nor haunting anyone, though you admitted to them all that you found them very entertaining

Leo might’ve become a little more entertaining after that, but the coolest part was when you finally revealed your astral projection/image, the two of you got into trouble plenty of times after that, mega pranks being pulled, if Leo was ever bored out of his mind, he’d go to you with a big smirking expression on his face, “Y/n~~~~ who do you wanna prank this time???”

Donnie

After finding about your existence you better bet your bottom dollar that Donnie is taking the ouija board in his lab and asking all the questions his big brain can think of, this turtle has some hard hitting inquiries too. “How is this possible?” “How does your power work?” “How many realities have you been to?” “What made you stop in this one specifically?”

Come to find out, the turtles mystic energy is off the charts after the events with the kraang. I was drawn to your power signatures but I stayed because it’s never a boring day here, you tried your best to answer all of Donnie’s questions, you found it quite endearing how curious he was, to you having become used to the traveling you didn’t think it was that special

Donnie would try conducting experiments once you revealed your astral form, though much to his dismay he found that he couldn’t exactly hook you up to a bunch of wires, they’d just fall to the ground right through you, what boggled his mind completely was when you would hand the wires back to him with a shrug, not being able to explain how you could touch things, yet things couldn’t touch you

The logic befuddled the genius turtle, but it seemed a lot of things as of late were defying logic and reason, don’t even get him started about the whole gravity situation by metro tower during the kraang invasion, some things just weren’t meant to be explained, he guessed he would have to classify it as magic: science that has yet to be understood.

“Y/n I think I’ve come up with an alternative method of experimentation,” Donnie said as soon as you floated into the lab, “but if this fails I have 36 new questions I would like to discuss.” His goggles come down looking real scientific, definitely meaning business as you held back a smile, his enthusiasm to learn knows no bounds!

Splinter

Splinter was used to the crazy weirdness of the world. So he wasn’t that shocked when his sons finally introduced you to him. You reminded him so much of the Hamato Clan legacy, how they too showed up in a similar form as yours, helping Splinter and his sons when they needed it most.

He didn’t mind your presence when you came to float by his recliner in the projector room. As time passed he came to accept you just like he had with April. “Hello friend #2” he’d smile, Hello Master Splinter~ you would reply. You would indulge him as he talked about his past and adventures as Lou Jitsu.

Sometimes late at night when the brothers were all asleep, you would float back into the room to see Splinter was still awake, on those nights he would talk to you about his worries, how he didn’t think he did a good job raising his sons, how he wished he could’ve done things better, he wished he would’ve thought more about them than himself..

Well, I think they turned out to be just fine, but I think you still have time! They may be teenagers but they still look up to you greatly! Splinter would nod, it would get quiet and he’d stare off at the projection, not paying much attention to the commercials. “Yes, I think that is what I shall do.”

“Don’t tell my sons, but you are my favorite.” Splinter said sneakily as he looked over the recliner to make sure neither Red nor Orange heard. Purple would be absolutely devastated. Blue probably not so much, though Splinter loved him, all his sons. Your secret’s safe with me you promised.

Raph

Raph would be skeptical about you at first, he didn’t have a good track record with beings from other places. Especially since they had finally recovered from the kraang. But with time he came around, realizing you were different, you meant no harm to them or the rest of humanity for that matter.

Though you did like to pull pranks with Leo, which Raph was a victim of plenty a times. Poor guy actually would let a high-pitched scream every time you would pop in to hang out with him. Raph may be the biggest and strongest, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have fears. He hated scary movies and you resembled what he would call a ghost for a lack of a better term.

“AH! Oh- it’s you!” He’d breath out in relief as you smiled sheepishly. The whole lair would know whenever you tried to hang out with Raph. Which would mostly be when he was working out or training. One time when he had finished a particular brutal workout he had been too tired to pick up the weights.

I can help, you offered and floated over to the heaviest dumbbell. You picked it up with ease and floated over to where they were stored. All the while Raph’s mouth was gaping in complete shock. “You’re really strong!!” He gushed, the only other person who could lift that besides himself was Mikey when he was using his mystic abilities.

You didn’t have the heart to explain to Raph that it all came down to mental will, which as a reality shifter you had a lot of, so it just came down to how badly you wanted to pick up the weight. He watched as you quickly cleared up the rest, Raph would definitely be asking you to workout with him!

Mikey

Mikey was also afraid of you at first, but he came to trust you way more swiftly than Raph. He absolutely loved the idea of having a friend who was ready and waiting to hang out! He’d call out to you to do just about anything together. “Hey Y/n do you wanna watch me color? Look I made this for you yesterday!”

Wow Mikey, it’s gorgeous! Thank you so much you beamed as he added it to your designated pile since you didn’t have a place to put them. He would ask you if you wanted to watch him cook, or to watch videos with him, or if you wanted to go out to the surface together!

Mikey rarely wanted alone time, and if you weren’t hanging out with one of his brothers then you were there by Mikey’s side, listening to his rambling. One day he took you by surprise, turning to you, looking down as his fingers came together. “Y/n?” Yes Mike? “Do you think if I made a portal, I could reach your reality? Then maybe we could hangout.. for real?”

You listened intently, you knew of Mikey’s powerful abilities, his mystic energy was the greatest out of all his brothers. You had been drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Though that may be possible, I am perfectly happy with the way things are now… thank you for the offer though Sweet Mikey

You smiled at him as he looked up with a slight smile, sighing, “yeah you’re right things are fine this way,” he didn’t want to admit it to himself but it would probably take a lot out of him to make another portal so soon. As long as you were happy though Mikey wouldn’t do anything risky. “You just let me know if you change your mind Y/n, maybe Donnie could help too!”

April

Now you weren’t exactly the normal friend that April had been hoping for, but a new/astral projection/person was a friend nonetheless. During the day when the turtles were asleep you would hang out with April. She was very aware you were around during school, seeing you pull pranks inconspicuously.

Those pranks were mainly pulled on the students who gave April a hard time, aka bullies. They’d be bending down to use the water fountain and it would suddenly be spraying them in the face. You tried to keep it toned down since you didn’t want rumors of the high school being haunted spread around.

April would always shake her head saying she didn’t you to do that. But you could tell she secretly liked the thought of having a friend who wanted to stick up for her. Someone who could extract a little harmless vengeance. “Yo! Y/n you there?” April would be walking home from a long day at school and the sidewalks quieted down with little to no traffic. You would appear floating next to her, Yup! How was your day?

April rolled her eyes, like you didn’t already know every little detail. But she obliged, telling her point of view and how she was feeling, what she was looking forward to. “I’ll be heading to the boys later tonight, can you let them know for me?” You gave her a thumbs up and she waved goodbye as she entered her apartment complex.

#platonic relationships #platonic reader #tmnt fandom #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles #turtle bros #leonardo #donnatello #raph #mikey #rise turtles #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt headcanons #rottmnt #rottmnt movie #tmnt 2022 #rise tmnt headcanons #tmnt headcanons #headcanon #rise splinter #hamato yoshi #lou jitsu #april o'neil #raphael hamato #michelangelo hamato #leonardo hamato #donatello hamato #save rottmnt #rottmnt x reader

[plantsjustwannahavefun]

The connection between Izzy and Buttons in S2

Guys, I just realised something about the connection between Izzy and Buttons that could actually explain why Izzy had to die in a way that affirms the show's internal logic instead of actively contradicting it.

So, OFMD has always had a very... interesting relationship with reality. On the surface, it *is* based in reality, of course. As intentionally historically inaccurate as it is, it's still based in real life history. It's not fantasy. And yet, it's always lived in that weird liminal space between reality and fantasy. I would argue that a liberal use of huge intentional anachronisms such as singing a 20th century song in an 18th century show counts as a fantasy element. And death being treated as essentially nonexistent for characters who aren't villains, to the point where it deliberately makes fun of all real life biology and physics laws to make the characters practically unkillable so physical threats can safely be used for non-lethal drama or comedy, that's also a fantasy element. Even things like dream sequences and hallucinations (both ghosts and near death experiences) can also be said to blur the lines between reality and fantasy.

Still, in S1 all of those elements were still used in a way that had plausible deniability. Was it in any way realistic that a character could recreationally stab himself in the guts dozens of times and apparently it was totally safe and risk-free and resulted in nothing more than a scratch as long as you kept to the left side? Of course not. But it's possible to ignore it and let it slide if you try hard enough. It's still not a tangible proof of anything magical.

But what happens in S2? A man turns into a bird. Literally. This could easily have been left intentionally ambiguous, but it wasn't. It happened for real. Buttons got a book of transmogrification, found the right vessel, and bam. He's a seagull now. The first real, tangible act of magic in the book.

Narratively, the purpose of that moment was to make Ed believe that people are capable of change. Including himself. And it doesn't seem like there's anything more to it. But what does this actually mean for the internal logic of the show? It upsets the balance. A show that only had a certain level of subtle magical realism suddenly got a very tangible act of magic. What if OFMD world works just like any typical fantasy world? Meaning that there is such a thing as a certain balance that has to be maintained. So if Buttons got some "extra magic"... This meant that an equal amount of magic had to be taken away from somewhere else, in order to balance out the scales.

Now, who could be said to have an extraordinary amount of OFMD magic this season? None other than Izzy hands. The guy survived not one, not two, but THREE "fake death" experiences. He was now officially part of the unkillable Muppet cast. He even managed to utilise his new wooden leg - which, while adorable and maybe well made, is surely not very well ergonomically suited to replace a real leg - and regain his swordsmanship skills, and by episode 8 he barely had a limp anymore. And wasn't his performance just pure magic? Not just the massive anachronism but the way he had it in himself to sing a song like that in the first place, dressed in beautiful drag? The way he seemed to have such a massive amount of perfect character growth in such a short amount of time?

Well, this is what I'm saying: Izzy had to die as a consequence of Buttons becoming a bird. Izzy was the character whose OFMD magic got taken away to compensate. He lost the absurdist comedy style OFMD armour that he and every other character had this season. So of course he got killed by some stupid stray bullet that injured him offscreen, the way you'd see happen in real life, or in "serious" shows like Black Sails or Game of Thrones. And in his left side, to boot. Because the magic no longer applies. Of course getting shot in the left side of your stomach would be just about as lethal on average. And that's how we got that completely serious and dramatic deathbed scene too. Because that's what happens in real life or "realistic" TV shows. That's what happens when that little bit of subtle magic is lost.

#Izzy hands #ofmd buttons #ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers

[amaiguri]

Worldbuilding My Magic System FOR REAL

So Yssaia has HAD a pretty developed magic system for a while. And to recap it for you... I'm going to paste my half of me raving about this on Discord (thank you to @zebee-nyx and @galacticsand and @reaperofcrows for being so cool and letting me be an unhinged worldbuilding mad lad XD):

"What is Ysse?"

So the way Ysse works is its basically invisible dust floating in the air. And if it hits itself at certain velocities and in certain volumes, "spontaneous effects" happen -- like water materializing out of "nowhere" or fire exploding or wind gusts. You're limited a little by Avatar Last Airbender bending logic (you can't summon fully sapient creatures, you can't teleport, you can't control people's minds unless you're like... touching their nervous system, etc.)

So Mages invented the first writing as a way to record what patterns of movement did what. And eventually, used them to communicate these patterns as a shorthand for more generalized concepts...

So writing also got invented sometimes BEFORE agriculture...

"How precise do these movements/velocities need to be?"

It needs to be PRETTY precise. And this is why the average person CAN'T learn magic -- because Ysse in low amounts is invisible to the average person

But mages can see Ysse, which helps a lot. And they can see these shapes OCCURING in the natural world too -- when the wind blows, its because Ysse particles FORMED the Wind Rune/Sigil in the sky BUT this still doesn't guarantee that they cast any spells if they don't have the physical discipline too

So, in theory, "anyone" COULD move their hands PERFECTLY to spontaneously start a fire. But they PROBABLY won't

"How does this impact the natural world?"

This is also how animals and plants can do magic too. Tree roots in the north have roots that have specific patterns that warm up the soil, so snow can actually MELT and give them water and the tree doesn't die

And this is also my excuse for why so many things have bunny ears -- normally, long ears in colder-than-average climates (i.e. All of Yssaia) would be bad. But in Yssaia, these long ears are convergently evolving to channel Ysse. What they channel, exactly, I haven't decided (probably heat lol or something to increase air density so sound travels farther???)

AND all this is ALSO why the Demons are such an abomination -- because their Blood Magic doesn't obey particle physics, they just fucking do whatever they want

"Why do you need to know all this?"

The question at this point, I guess, is basically "How do I make fantasy technology that looks whimsical but also looks at least hypothetically functional under closer scrutiny?"

Yeah, and the full Answer TM to that right now is just <insert the entire design philosophy I haven't discovered yet here>

"So how IS magic going to shape technology, when you design it for the Untitled Yssaia Video Game?"

...Yeah, okay, after brainstorming all this, I think here's my strategy for how I'm going to tackle technology:

Step 2) Create a master list of technologies I will worry about/actually visualize in the game I will want to keep an OPEN LIST so I can add more things to it as I do research/find really specific use cases (such as scrollcases or chopstick holders)

Step 1) Establish symbols for a handful of common things in both the North and the South that at least vaguely make sense with the concept of the particles. So things like: - Fire/Heat - Water/Melt - Ice/Slow - Wind/Quicken - Earth/Apply Force - Sun/Light - Moon/Closing/Locking (Thanks to @zebee-nyx for this one!)

Step 3) Design simple sprites for things that can later be shrunk down and used as set-dressing for maps BUT at a little bigger in scale so they can be shown to other people sensibly (maybe on the same sheet at the walking animations for scale?)

AND WITH THAT, after 5 years of only vaguely imagining all this, this is what I designed, using a combination of symbols I had already designed and dice that I pushed around on my desk to see what kind of patterns they'd make:

Are some of these a little funky and don't really work with real particle physics? Yeah, fair. I'll take notes, if you got 'em. I'm open to critique, if you wanna lol

Last comment that didn't make it into the big discussion with my buds tonight: Ysse particles are how temperature is distributed. So, hot areas have fewer, cold areas have more. I know that isn't how thermodynamics work but does anyone else really?

(Something something eldritch horror thermodynamics post... And my magic-god is an eldritch horror! See? It's perfect!)

Thank you for coming to my #WorldbuildingWednesday post! If you liked this, don't forget to REBLOG and follow the #Yssaia tag or something🥰 (Are calls-to-action cringe? Publicly shame me, if so)

#worldbuilding #world building #world building wednesday #fantasy world building #magic system #magic #game dev #writing #amaiguri #yssaia

[humming-fly]

Yeah I’d like to know more about Prism and Fayre! 🍅💼🍨🪄⚖️ or either or both?

[ask meme] oh man quite the collection there lol

🍅 (Tomato) - If Kirby absorbed them or their attacks, what Copy Ability [or Abilities] would he get? Alternatively, if they themselves are capable of using the Copy Ability, do they have a favourite?

Prism: Wing ability (rare chance of Poison)

Fayre: Mirror ability (rare chance of Poison)

💼 (Bag) - Inventory check! What items does your OC typically carry around with them? What do they carry them in?

(Prism left Fayre right I forgot to label these lol)

🍨 (Ice Cream) - The Invader Armour undergoes a drastic transformation depending on its pilot. If they were to wield it, what appearance would their mech take on? What abilities would it have?

oh jeez i am not creative enough for this one tragically - Probably just the same variants from the ability question but just applied to the robot lol

🪄 (Magic Wand) - Are they capable of wielding magic? Is it a learned skill, or is it innate? What sorts of spells can they cast? Do they possess any magical items or artifacts? [e.g. the Dimensional Mantle]

Both Prism and Fayre have small amounts of innate magic that is tied to their wings - Prism’s magic basically makes the Wing ability viable, replacing the feathers every time she plucks one to use as throwing darts, and Fayre’s wings are constantly putting out a weird psychedelic aura (while this is largely a physical affect the same way prism’s feathers being poisonous is, there is a magical component).

since fayre’s a mirror double they have some additional tricks at their disposal, like the ability to potentially create a reflective barrier, but really the only time they’ll consciously use magic is if they’re altering the appearance of the face their mask is reflecting. (Fayre’s wing-cape technically isn’t a magical item, but is more a wacky swapping spell than anything. What happens to the cape doesn’t happen to the wings and vice versa, but the cape also can’t be removed from Fayre the same way their wings can’t. That trick derived from a brief foray into a more knitted dimension a while back.)

⚖️ (Scales) - On the subject of a certain someone’s lengthy rant; is your OC moreso on the side of magic or science? Somewhere in-between? Do they incorporate the two together in some way?

Fayre leans a bit more magic than science and Prism is largely neutral! Going into random details Prism is a bit more hip with using tech just because it comes up more in her day to day - she finds it practical but not all that exciting, and similarly intense magical conjurings go way over her head.

As for Fayre they don’t really know much about tech or how it works but they also have a highly observant way of thinking that makes them bizarrely astute at picking out logical fallacies in hardware, less in a “I know what is happening” way and more in a “oh yeah that’s probably not turning on because that one wire is going into the wrong input” pointing at something like this

They’d probably make a pretty stellar debugger if they weren’t more interested in hunting down physical bugs instead

#ask meme #reply #a-stardusted-sky #thanks for the ask! lots of questions there haha #fayre #prism #ahh #my art #doodles #The feather trade is funny I forgot prism had one of Fayre’s #it was gifted to her since she wanted to try building up an immunity to Fayre’s aura #(the twins aren’t actually immune to each others poison though they are slightly more resistant to it)

[adultish-momma]

Yuu vs. Overblots

This ended up being so much longer than I thought or intended for it to be, so I stuck it under the read more so you casually scrollers can peacefully go about your business without this absurdly long ramble being in the way.

But man I just need to vent and get some ideas down on metaphorical paper.

So I've been trying to map out and solidify scenes I want to rewrite from cannon and how they would go realistically and how they would affect and shape relationships between my Yuu and the other cast characters.

And my biggest snag so far was trying to figure out how I wanted Yuu to participate in the Overblot showdowns.

I like there to be as much realism as can be applied to a fictional magic-based fantasy world, and realistically Yuu can't really do much during Overblots. Unless they have essentially a professional background in fighting (which my Yuu definitely does not), they really can't even hope to make a dent in the physical aspect of the fight. And they just don't have the emotional background with these villains to try and make a difference by talking them out of it. If the Overblotted student's friends and fellow dorm members can't just talk them out of an Overblot, there's no realistic way Yuu can. They're basically a stranger.

The way Twisted Wonderland portrays Yuu in every battle, but especially in Overblot battles, is that Yuu is standing on the sidelines, essentially coaching the others and shouting words of encouragement, all while desperately trying to survive the chaos surrounding them. And IDK, maybe it's just me, but I feel like such a high stake, high-pressure, personal situation like the Overblot fights, that approach to "participation" would be fully ignored if not (justifiably) dismissed.

So my hiccup comes from the fact that I want Yuu to matter in these fights, I want Yuu's participation to help turn the tides. So how do I do this realistically, when the base characteristic I've been given is that Yuu is essentially removed from the fight? Not even the cut scenes acknowledge Yuu's existence once a fight has begun.

And then I remembered the Mage Stones.

I might be misremembering the lore behind them, but this is essentially a rewrite AU, so the lore I'm going with is this: Mages have essentially a well for a magic core, something that if used too much at once leads to extreme risks to their health and potentially their life. Mage stones act as a pump of sorts to their magic core, providing quick and easy access to a great amount of their magic core, but still in a controlled and measurable way. Mages can access their magic core without a Mage Stone of course, but it's much harder, like using an old-fashioned bucket on a rope method. Using magic without a mage stone is doable, but the effort exerted makes the mage much weaker.

And the first part of every Overblot transformation cut scene we are provided, is watching their Mage Stone fill with ink, and then the boys change form.

So add this all together, and you come to the same conclusion Yuu does. That when the boys Overblot, the quickest and most efficient way to cure them is to break their Mage Stone. The Mage Stone fueling the chandelier broke on impact, and it became useless as a magic conduit. Breaking an Overblot's Mage Stone would force the Overblot into a more vulnerable state, having to exert more effort to cast spells.

That is my solution. That is how my Yuu becomes an integral part of the team trying to defeat each Overblot. Because like I said, everybody, Overblot included, kinda forgets that Yuu is there. This means Yuu is the one with the best shot of sneaking up on the boy-turned-monster and stealing the Mage Stone.

And such a dangerous move has to lead to some very delicious, angst-based ideas, but I think I'll save those for the actual fics. If/and when I get around to writing them. But sorry for the long ramble, I just needed to actually write all this... logic, lore, whatever you wanna call it somewhere down where other people could hold me accountable to my own cannon.

If you made it this far, thanks! I have notes and scenes and dialogues written out for all the Book 1-4 dorm members (plus Malleus because we have actual chapter interactions with him) of at least one cannon scene I wanted to rewrite. I want to get those, and possibly the Pomefiore ones now that Book 5 is fully released, out before I do any Overblot-related things.

#momma speaks #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland overblots #twst overblot #when I tell you that we will be hopping on the angst train once I get to writing OB stuff #oh so many people are going to cry #and probably scream #it will be a little graphic #but where there is angst comfort wont be far behind #rewrite lore #Mirrors are Never to be Trusted

[vonbaghager]

I feel like at certain points, One Piece's devil fruit powers almost run on JJBA logic in both how they're applied (control over sand also somehow translates into the ability to dehydrate things you touch?) and their relation to what the power is vs how dangerous it actually is.

Like, don't get me wrong. The dude that can turn into lava and the dude that can generate an infinite amount of poison? Both incredibly potent threats. The guy that can turn into light can kick with infinite force. There's no arguing that some people just win the lottery when they eat their fruits... But then there's the guy who's power is "can generate an infinite amount of string" who's one of the most powerful crime lords in the setting, and the guy whose power is "can push away anything he touches with the adorable paw pads on his hands," who's the only character in my memory who's handed the entirety of the main cast an unambiguous defeat twice and was only ever "beat" off-screen.

And then there's the guys who HAVE devil fruit superpowers but whose physical strength is so horseshit unbelievable that their magic powers are secondary considerations when assessing their threat level.

No one quite does "how much of a threat does this guy actually pose" like One Piece.

[saintsenara]

All of your writing is gorgeous, so this was a tough choice—

“One Year in Every Ten” is my ride-or-die, drop-everything-to-read-when-I-see-an-update fic; it’s everything I like wrapped-up in one beautiful package, and I’m head-over-heels obsessed. It’s made it into a few of my dreams, and I even tried to motivate myself to re-learn predicate logic, which I needed for an exam, by applying it to the case (let’s just say Sherlock Holmes is not yet out of the job—I did not succeed in deducing the murderer).

My favourites among your oneshots are “Lamentation,” “Nor All That Glisters Gold,” and “Sparkling Cyanide.”

“Bookbinding” also requires a shout-out. That fic has my whole heart, and everyone should read it.

thank you so much, pal. i'm delighted that you mentioned one year in every ten, not least because your ride-or-die enthusiasm for it has been a source of great support for me as we race towards the end with the speed of tom and harry seeing a chance to fuck.

i wrote it for two reasons. the first was that i am an enormous murder mystery fan, and i think it's a genre that lends itself really well to harry potter (what is chamber of secrets if not detective fiction?). in particular, the slightly odd whimsy of the detective fiction of the interwar period really works with the vibe of the wizarding world. in the work of authors like dorothy l. sayers and agatha christie you get this subtle and eccentric, but still quite profound, insight into topics like class, gender, grief, the legacy of war and so on, and it made a lot of sense to me for that style to be taken and applied to the magical britain of a decade following voldemort's demise. a lot of 'how does the wizarding world recover from the war' fic is quite heavy - which is great, and i love that for authors and readers - but i wanted to show that it is possible to say a lot about topics like the continuation of institutional corruption during the shacklebolt ministry, what happened to the people caught up in the quest for justice after the war, what happened to the people who got away with everything, and how gender, class, age etc. are considerably more significant in the post-war wizarding world than jkr seems to think they are, within a story which is also (if i say so myself) funny.

i also wrote it because i was getting sick of the sheer amount of tomarry in which harry is pathetic. i really don't like seeing one of the rowdiest protagonists in history reduced to a wallflower who is completely subordinate to voldemort - he refuses to bow to him when he's fourteen, when he's twenty-seven he literally doesn't give a fuck about tom's attempts to run rings around him. obviously, as readers of chapters 15 and 16 will know, this doesn't come without consequences for him, but i wanted to add to the number of fics with an impulsive, messy, domineering harry.

tom is not entirely sure how to cope with this, which is good for him. learning how not to be in control all the time is something he should think about...

lamentation also has a touch of 'i'm doing this because i'm petty' to it.

i get quite annoyed with a lot of the fanon which surrounds the black family - especially as it relates to sirius - but the revelant bit here is that i'm always uncomfortable with the idea that walburga was extremely and sadistically physically abusive to her eldest son. it gives orion a pass a lot of the time - although i don't think he was as bad as fanon makes out either - but it also seems to ignore what sirius himself says and implies about his family in canon. walburga (for sirius rarely talks about his father) seems, on the basis of canon, to have been emotionally abusive - cold and neglectful and playing sirius and regulus off against each other - and that emotional abuse is bad enough (as with harry at the dursleys) without extreme violence having to be added on top of it.

we can also say that, on the basis of her portrait, walburga was - by the time she was an older woman, at least - not very well.

i loathe the fanon of 'black family madness' or blood curses etc. i don't think it's unjustifiable as a trope - and anyone who wants to use it can do what they like - but i think it firstly negates the value of choice in the blacks' lives (by implying e.g. that bellatrix is unhinged because of genetics and not because she's chosen to become a terrorist) and secondly is often used as a reason to vilify the family even more, by suggesting that their cruelty (especially if they're women) is innate and unstoppable.

but it's always been one of my readings that walburga suffered from postnatal depression - a common and perfectly treatable illness - which she wasn't provided any help for. in this story, i wanted to explore how that would manifest itself in her relationship with her sons, in her isolation and paranoia, in her marriage, in her complicated relationship with her extended family, in her fear and her pride, and - of course - in the duelling emotions she would feel when she was told, by a solemn albus dumbledore, that sirius was dead.

[i've written about nor all that glisters gold here, sparkling cyanide here, and bookbinding here.]

#asks answered #one year in every ten #lamentation

[allsassnoclass]

hello, Hazel!

how about "let's go out for a cheap dinner" ft. mashton for the prompts?<3

hi ana! thanks for requesting!

mashton: "Let's go out for a cheap dinner"

Michael covers his face with his hands and groans, as loud as he can. It echoes slightly in the empty theater, or maybe he just thinks it does because his hands are creating an echo chamber, but either way it's equally as satisfying as it isn't.

"Mood," Luke says. Michael turns his head to look at him, sitting in the second row of the audience with his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, Sierra nodding sagely beside him. It looks like an uncomfortable position for someone of his size, but laying on his back on the hard, disgusting wooden stage isn't as comfortable for Michael as it could be, so he's not going to say anything.

"They should've done Beauty and the Beast," Calum repeats for the fiftieth time since they all began working on this production nearly two months ago.

"Or Shrek. Or Spongebob. Or Sound of Music. Or literally any other family-friendly musical besides fucking Mary Poppins," Michael agrees, just like he has every other time.

When he applied for the job to direct Mary Poppins at a community theater this summer, it had seemed like a good idea. Being partially-funded through Community Education, he was told that they would have full access to the theater, scene shop, and costume shop at the high school, as well as some additional rehearsal spaces there. The board of directors seemed really excited to dive into a family show after producing some more mature musicals in the previous years, and he got to hire the production staff, meaning he could ensure that he works with his friends this summer. He knew that Mary Poppins is a difficult show from basically every standpoint: the music is complex, the dance numbers are big, there's an inconvenient amount of settings, and Mary Poppins does magic at about 12 different points in the script, including flying across the stage. Still, Michael had been optimistic.

Michael had been a fucking idiot.

This has been, to put it plainly, the most frustrating directing experience Michael has ever had. The theater was a new build from five years ago, but apparently the blueprints have since been lost and no one at the school knows the measurements of the space. He keeps trying to negotiate with different flight companies so they can rent equipment, hire a trainer, and have Mary actually fly across the stage, but most of them are appalled at the quick turnaround and all of them need some sort of measurement of the space, not to mention that Michael has to wait for permission from Community Education before he can solidify a deal. Every time he thinks they have it, the school finds some sort of issue that takes him three days to smooth over, at which point they find another one, then later another one.

Administration doesn't seem to understand anything about urgency, because the production staff didn't get their contracts until a month after rehearsals began, so now everyone is scrambling to get things done, and they still don't know what the set will look like because they don't know if Mary will be flying or if they have to find some other way to imply that she is.

That doesn't even scratch the surface. The stage has dried gum on it but the custodians won't let them mop, let alone paint the stage so it actually looks nice and fresh instead of ugly and chipped. They don't have keys to the catwalk. They only just got keys to the booth tonight, and Matt and Roy spent all rehearsal up there trying to figure out how the sound and lights are set up, because it doesn't follow logic. The electrics aren't weighted, which could kill someone, but the weight station is a floor above and the door is padlocked. Michael has already requested a key, but he requested a key to the catwalk two months ago and still doesn't have it.

There's no dressing rooms, no backstage space, and no hallway behind the stage to cross from one side to the other unseen. Michael figures all of those are problems for tech week, but tech week is very quickly approaching, which is why Michael is currently laying on the stage having a mental breakdown two hours after rehearsal ended.

His phone buzzes. He checks it, exhaling when he sees who is texting him.

"Can someone let Ashton in?" he requests.

Someone, probably Roy, heaves a sigh and gets up. Michael stares up at the electrics and wonders if he can sue the school if one of the lights falls and lands on him.

"Well, this is pitiful," Ashton says a few moments later. Michael holds up his middle finger. Ashton probably looks lovely, even for this late at night, and looking at him will probably make Michael feel incrementally better, but he's decided to let himself wallow and therefore refuses to so much as glance at him.

"Come on, what was your win of the day?" Ashton asks. He started asking this after the second week, when Michael came home and told him that every day with this production feels like getting one win, then fifteen losses. The win is usually that the actors have learned something new. The losses are typically everything else.

"We got access to the booth," Matt offers. "Nothing in there is set up, but we have access, so Roy and I can actually start our jobs."

Michael gives a thumbs up.

"Hey, that's great! Is there anything else that you need to solve here tonight, or can I take your fearless leader home?"

Michael holds up his middle finger again. There's a beat of silence, then Calum's voice, holding all of the authority he needs as a stage manager.

"There's nothing else we can do tonight. Let's all go home."

Michael listens to everyone gather their things and put the theater back to some semblance of order. Something blocks the lights overhead, and Michael squints until the silhouette solidifies into Ashton, looking down at him. He really looks good, even when Michael is looking at him from the most unfortunate angle. He's wearing a bandana to keep his curls contained, something which he started doing again this summer, and his shirt is sleeveless, giving Michael a fantastic view of his arms. Michael really likes those arms.

Ashton holds out a hand. Michael drags a sigh up from the depths of his soul and takes it.

"What do you want to eat?" Ashton asks as he's hauling him up and Michael is doing his best imitation of a rag doll.

"We have no food at home. I do not want peanut butter and jelly."

"Let's go out for a cheap dinner," Ashton suggests. Michael rolls his eyes and slumps against him.

"I do not want McDonald's for the third time this week, and there's no where else near us open this late."

"I was researching and found a 24/7 diner about half an hour away. That'll give you enough time to vent and relax, and you'll probably get to sleep just as early as you would if we went home and you watched Netflix."

Michael considers, enjoying the feeling of Ashton's arm around him, supporting his weight. Ashton is always a fantastic combination of solid and soft, which makes him the perfect person to hug.

"I have a playlist ready," Ashton says. "No Mary Poppins on it at all."

"Twist my arm, why don't you," Michael concedes. Ashton ushers him off the stage to gather his backpack, script, and numerous writing utensils that have escaped their case. Calum has already stolen his keys to lock up, and by the time he turns out the lights and the group heads to the parking lot, Michael is feeling marginally more like a functional person.

"Come on, in you go," Ashton says after they call goodbyes to the rest of the staff, holding Michael's door open for him. The show must be taking a noticeable toll on him tonight if Ashton is babying him this much, but Michael is pretty lazy and isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth right now.

Michael doesn't know what he'd do without Ashton, honestly. Between juggling his day job, rehearsals, production meetings, and all of the administrative bullshit that has unexpectedly come with this show, Michael barely finds time to exist, let alone eat and sleep and drink water. Ashton is the one who ensures that those needs are met, picking him up from production meetings once he deems that they've gone on long enough if Michael doesn't call before then, making meals that will be good reheated when he has time and scoping out places for them to get food when everything else is closed. He offers a patient ear when Michael needs to rant and practical solutions when he can, and Michael is man enough to admit that he would have fallen apart by now without the knowledge that there is someone who is in his corner and who will still love him if the production goes to shit.

"Hey," he says once Ashton starts the engine, his phone already hooked up to the car and an acoustic pop punk song beginning to play over the speakers. "I love you."

Ashton smiles at him, reaching out and tucking a lock of Michael's hair back, letting his fingers trail down Michael's cheek after. Michael closes his eyes, savoring the sensation.

"I love you, too," Ashton says warmly. "Now let's get some food in you. You can tell me all about the school's latest bullshit on the way there."

Michael sighs and presses back against his seat, looking out the window at the dark. quiet town around them. He starts talking, and Ashton listens attentively the entire time, even when Michael can tell from his clenched jaw and furrowed brow that he's angry on his behalf. Once Michael has gotten it all out of his system, he lets Ashton distract him with talk about his own day over a plate of pancakes and some bacon.

With Ashton's ankle hooked around his under the table, it's the most relaxed Michael has felt all day.

"Thank you," Michael says before they pay the bill. He means it for more than just the food, Ashton understands. He always does.

"I love you," Ashton says in reply, like it's an explanation.

Michael takes the last bite of his pancakes from the tiny diner that Ashton found to ensure that Michael eats well, and knows with certainty that he can make it through anything with Ashton by his side.

#my writing #mashton #ask box prompt #YES i was projecting. yes these were all real issues with our production i choreographed/assistant directed #however i think that the fact that i wrote at all is a big big big win!!!! #this is the 4th thing i've posted this year. at all. since january. #but we're vibing now!!!! #also i didn't think of this until i finished this version but i totally could've made this about vampires for you ana #like. ''let's go out for a cheap dinner'' that's vampire flirting for let's go kill some people #but no matter! what's done is done! #i already wrote a vampire thing this year so it's fine #chameleonsoul #ana

[invested-in-your-future]

On Silver Eyes

The more I think the more the lore behind the silver eyes that the show does give feels sparse and kind of meh.

Why did they make Silver Eyes into basically a magical flashbang? Why is it eyes? Why is it even a "thing" in the setting? Why are the consequences of having/using them so pointlessly vague and meek and unclear? Why did Ruby having them seemed so important and unusual to Ozpin?

Its the key power of the protagonist of the whole story and the way the show has handled it basically starts and stops with "we really needed a plot-device killswitch for powerful grimm"

6 Volumes after it was introduced in V3, we know basically exact same amount about them as when the power was introduced, just in fancier/dorkier wording. It takes emotion to activate, it can kill or paralyze Grimm, that's all.

And that's just boring.

So what could be a fun way to do this concept if one were to ignore what the show did with it and just redo it?

Like the first thing I did when trying to redo lore surrounding Ruby was to set a clear idea of just what "silver eyes" is, what does it do and why, as well as the very clear-cut set of downsides. Downsides are always more fun to write, because it allows to do something with the concept beyond it's mere "purpose".

And of course the most important question is - just what does the concept being there actually DO for the characterization of the character who has it. What I discovered is that the concept can actually tie into the character arc really well.

To start with? Let's make Silver Eyes a bit more than merely a beam/flash plot device. Ruby did something in V3 and its not a door she can necessarily close and open at will.

To put it bluntly - while Ruby hasn't fully really realized it yet, it affects what she sees and how she perceives her surroundings. There are aspects to the world that shouldn't be perceived or seen, but having used the eyes even once, kind of forces her at times to get a glimpse at such things, acquiring the kind of information that human brain isn't supposed to analyze or notice.

Its the light shining upon the dark corners of your world, showing you that which was never meant to be seen.

What does that mean? Imagine the feeling, the emotion one has when they know they are completely alone, the knowledge of absence of others around you? How about the small tinge of regret upon doing something you absolutely can't undo or losing something forever? Or maybe irrational fear of NOT being alone when going through a dark hallway or entering a dark room? The inherent dread of the idea that you have a defined "end" ? Those are perfectly normal things to feel that tie into humanity's very own primal fears that we are born with.

Now imagine walking through a forest patch and KNOWING that there's an entire graveyard of people below your feet who all died here - just the presence of dead bodies beneath your every step. Imagine looking up at the stars and, just for a second, feeling the vastness of empty dead void embracing you. Imagine music at the local town's fair, morphing, just for a second, into the sound of someone's last dying breath. Imagine shaking someone's hand and for some reason feeling nothing but vomit-inducing disgust. Imagine making small talk with someone you know well and suddenly, just for less than split second, knowing you will absolutely never see that person ever again. There's no logic involved, no thought process or any line of reasoning you can apply to it - the feeling just happens. Its not a lie, its not a trick of the mind, its not an illusion, its a complete indecipherable truth.

That's an aspect of what Silver Eyes does, by just being. Imagine what that means for a person like Ruby, whose whole world is already falling apart and who has clung to ignorance and denial her whole life. The sheer irony of Ruby of all people having something that shows things nobody should know.

Silver Eyes isn't merely a convenient power up or "push in case of energy" power. Its part of her characterization, its part of her overall journey and part of overall setting. Its not some grand superpower, its costly and dangerous aspect of her very being, an open door to something she might not want, something she should NEVER actually want to use. Why is it there? Which parts of her experiences and feelings are because of that and which parts are due to her traumatic experiences affecting how she sees the world? Would she even want to know that? Where has experiencing this led her mother? Where can that lead her? Those are pretty interesting questions to ask when writing and questions Ruby would want to know answers to too.

And I haven't even gotten into actual downsides or actual mechanics of it yet here, which I also wrote down in detail by now.

#rwby #rwde #rwby au #rwby rewrite #rwby stuff mine #Ruby Rose

[south-sea]

thinking aloud about metal sonic specs and such

on the one hand, i’m not enough of a tech-savvy person to make this stuff up and it still be real-world feasible. on the other hand, there canonically exists an in-universe device that can just zap a badnik’s exterior (and presumably interior circuitry etc) back to pristine condition, so i think i’m allowed a little bit of magic-leaning nonsense.

that said: the best way to describe metal’s data storage capacity/system is to liken it to a walking library. he has petabytes worth of space. he compresses terabytes at a time and files them away not unlike putting a book on a shelf, but unlike zipping things up on a computer, he can still freely access the data without extracting it again.

this constant rearrangement contributes to his occasionally longer processing times and need to regularly defrag his systems. it also lends to why it's so easy to fragment his thoughts/effectively stun-lock him. he's powerful, not perfect; even something at his level is still capable of encountering logic errors and getting caught in a loop.

constantly recording bits of audio/video and storing it too—he’s able to retroactively record up to a minute prior to when he officially starts; not unlike a Switch, for example. i’d argue his margin for retroactively recording is considerably larger, even.

nothing gets deleted. every single person he meets and place he visits gets a profile. any time someone does something unexpected or “out of character” or generally anything he doesn’t understand in the moment, he records it to review later. this is both for the sake of building their profile, and for his own understanding of how and why people, in general, operate. in the case of applying it to individual profiles, his intentions are not always so benign. he’s a manipulative little beast who can and will use little tells like that to his advantage.

it’s likely he already has a full petabyte, mostly of prior missions/battle/individual data. no small portion of another may also be devoted to his past models’ experiences. given eggman designed him, i’d be willing to bet he easily has a 10PB+ capacity. i'd be shocked if eggman didn't have a dedicated drive specifically for metal's backup data.

definitely taking some liberties with this one, but let’s say it wasn’t the material neo was made out of that allowed him to shapeshift, but was instead a fluid or something that imparted the ability, kind of like the metal virus. so, somewhere in him is a holding tank for that fluid. i’d imagine only a small amount is needed, like he unlocks a mechanism to release it, and this tiny amount rapidly coats everything to reenable this ability/capability to assume the neo form again at all. this lock mechanism/tank, like his voice chip, are still physically present since the last neo arc, but he’s unable to access it internally himself.

probably goes without saying, but his capacity to learn is unmatched. it only takes him seeing something once or twice for him to be able to mimic it, and this especially applies to things like sign language. you could feed him a video of every single sign, and he’d come out of it perfectly fluent after a few minutes of processing. gestures are similarly almost entirely learned secondhand; he rarely moves in a wholly "unique" way. battle moves take a little more doing to replicate on the fly, but it certainly all gets stored for him to review and practice later.

he has all that processing power, but things like empathy/theory of mind are, and will mostly continue to be, somewhat beyond him. he learns largely by example, but this kind of thing is different. mathematics are one thing, organic thinking is another. there are some concepts he just struggles to grasp on a personal level.

most importantly, though, that does not mean he’s incapable of experiencing his own emotions. those, even on their own, can be intense. i'd put him somewhere on sage's level when it comes to sentience/sapience/emotional capacity. he just expresses it in different ways, given his heavily limited means of expression.

#metal sonic #sea talks #assume stray headcanony posts like this are inherently applicable to the au #it’s probably just not worth putting in the actual tag #in particular i’m wondering about what might allow him to reassume the neo form without needing to be manually upgraded #the rest is just stuff i've wanted to ramble about for a while now #and figured others might get a kick out of seeing how my little dude operates at least #edit: just kidding future sea decided it's going in the tag anyway #second chance au

[spinningbuster98]

Mega Man X6 Ending

The final stage is little more than the boss rush + the final boss thankfully. It’s got some pretty creepy and atmospheric music though.

And yeah obligatory mention to how X6 has a seriously awesome soundtrack, probably the most diverse in the franchise. Most Mega Man games tend to stick to a single genre, usually either rock or techno. X6 is mostly rock but also throws in jazzy pieces, relaxing tracks like Rainy Turtloid, Shield Sheldon’s sounds pretty magical, Metal Shark Player is oppressively atmospheric and Gate 3′s creepy.

Honestly Zombie Sigma might just be the most interesting thing that has ever been done with the character, which is prety damn sad on its own (Insert obvious joke about how he’s a nice metaphor for the state of the X series at this point)

People always say that he’s easy but honestly his second phase is a mess with all the shit he just flings at you, it feels like the best way to win is to just tank hits and keep hitting him back while also destroying as many of his minions as you can in order to make them drop health to keep you going.

Like before the ending differs depending on the character who beats Sigma

I hate X’s ending.

I know it may seem strange, but it really does piss me off.

I don’t like any of the endings of the X games because they usually just amount to the characters angsting over how “the cycle of violence keeps going ì, when will this war ever end blah blah blah” and it’s just another example of the X series using useless angst that won’t really go anywhere for “deep” storytelling.

On paper I should prefer what X6 gives us here, as it’s a more upbeat, hopeful ending about how the characters won’t give up and will try their best to rebuild the world and stop whatever threat will come their way. These tend to be some of my favorite kinds of endings: the light at the end of a dark tunnel

However in this case it doesn’t work for 2 reasons:

1) It’s too cheery given the situation: Gate was Alia’s friend turned mad, she’s seeing his corpse right there and yet she’s all smiles like she doesn’t give a shit

The same applies to X, y’know the pacifist who’s all about not wanting to use violence and wishing he could solve things peacefully? Why is he all smiles as he drags the corpse of his friend’s former colleague around?

2) This isn’t ACTUALLY a happy ending if you ask me. It’s actually a pretty cynical one. This wasn’t supposed to exist. This whole game wasn’t supposed to exist and only does in order to keep milking the series down to the last drop, so when the characters act all cheery and hopeful about how they will “fight for the future” and stuff it doesn’t feel like a message of hope to me, it feels like Capcom quite literally telling us “yeah there are more games on the way and we’ll keep making more ‘till this cow’s a dried up husk of its former self. have fun!”

Oh but then we get to the REAL juicy one! Let’s take a moment to talk about Zero’s ending!

So on its own merits there aren’t any real issues with this ending: Zero decides to go into stasis for a 100 years in order to have the Maverick Virus inside his body analysed so that scientists can find a cure. It’s basically a tie-in to the then upcoming Zero series.

However many issues arise as soon as you remember that X7 and X8 later became a thing.

And Zero is in both of them.

This makes no sense

The most common (and likely) interpretation is that this ending takes place many years into the future at the very end of the X series. However there are issues even here.

It just makes sense logically for this ending to take place not long after X6 because...Zero now KNOWS he’s a carrier. He know that he’s a danger and doesn’t want to create problems for the world.

If we go by the interpretation that this ending takes place way later we have to assume that it took Zero YEARS to figure out that “Yeah maybe I should let scientists study me instead of running around the world with this Virus inside of me”, which not only makes no sense for the other characters, who seem to have no issues with this and never bring this up again (sans some small mentions in X8), but it’s also nonsensical for Zero himself, since he’s always shown himself to be perfectly ok to sacrifice himself for the greater good, ever since X1!

Some people take this to mean that, evidently, X7 and X8 cannot be canon, compounded by the fact that they’re not rererenced in the Zero series.

Guys.

No.

Them not being referenced means very little, characters like Alia, Signas, Dynamo and Gate are also never mentioned across the Zero games, so the likes of Axl and Lumine never being mentioned doesn’t immediately make them non-canon

Besides everyone knows that some last minute changes had to be made to the story of the Zero series in order to accomodate for the retcons introduced by X6, such as Zero being resurrected and Sigma still being around, so why should X7 and X8 be so impossibly non-canon or whatever, given that they’re far less convoluted plot-wise? If there’s a game that they could’ve easily written off as non-canon that’s X6, given its retcon-riddled plot and the fact that it was the first game to have absolutely zero input from Inafune, and yet X6 is 100% canon to the Zero series.

I’d much rather keep X7 and X8 as canon rather than imagine a split timeline like some fans do. ‘Cause that’s what the series needs right? A Zelda timeline.

So how do we explain all of this mess?

Well here’s my theory:

How does the Maverick Virus spread?

Yeah it can spread via airborne means like we see in X5, but how does it jump from robot to robot?

Because we never really see this happen do we?

I mean Zero has been a carrier ever since before X1 and yet, depsite the Zero Official Complete Works claiming that he’s been unwillingly spreading the Virus while working as a Hunter, we never see anyone being infected by him, and he’s constantly in contact with a lot of people! Alia, Signas, fuck, Colonel and Iris! And yet none of them has ever been infected!

The only time Zero has ever infected someone was with Gate, who came into contact with one of Zero’s remains, seemingly some of his internal components, and maybe Sigma when the latter fractured his head gem.

My theory is that the only way for the Virus to pass between Reploids is if one comes into contact with an infected Reploid’s interior mechanisms. It’s kind of like how real life viruses spread to other hosts through contact with infected liquids like blood or saliva. This would explain why Zero is still able to work as a Hunter with no issue, since there would technically be no issue being in his presence, and the Virus would only get a chance to infect another if he were to bet injured.

This is still problematic though since his work literally requires him to fight and get injured pretty much every day, so he’s still a danger and there should be a plethora of safety measures: what happens when he returns to base all damaged? Does he get put in quarantine? Does he have to wear a robotic face mask? Since the Virus can even infect simple machinery like we see in X5′s intro how the fuck do the Hunters even repair him without someone or something, even simple equipment, getting infected? Does he NOW get to repair himself?

Sighhhhhhhhhh.......

#youtube #megaman #megaman x6 #my gameplay

[shiroselia]

This could probably use an extended thoughts post if I wanted to, but it’s just a hypothetical I’m throwing out cause I’ve been thinking way too much about it

So, two things are very evident right now, a) SSE have definitely lost money lately and they Really want to make up for that and b) They’re most likely trying to make up for this loss by giving us more horse sales (which I believe because we have Essentially had one horse sale a month and that is not an exaggeration, hell, May has had essentially two horse sales A Week)

However, I think this might be the dumbest thing they could do to create more sales because you’re targeting the complete opposite side of the playerbase with this method

The people who care about sales the most are not the players who will spend money on you

There are probably, definitely, players who see sales (especially in consecutive sales like the Bazar week going on right now) and who do buy star coins to keep up with it because now you have to buy less star coins to buy more horses (see why this Still isn’t a smart idea on SSE’s part?) but I think we all know that the people who appreciate sales the most are those who either can’t afford to buy star coins and are reliant on waiting/planning and people who are cheap and just want to buy more for less (Which is where I place in the player spectrum right now, trust me I have more than enough to buy full price but like, why would I lmao)

So what I’m trying to say is that one-sale-a-month isn’t going to save SSE’s economy and is probably actually making it worse because it’s probably making even Less people buy star coins than before

So what should they do instead then?

Well honestly I’m not even kind of trained in this so I’m just guessing, but I do think that they should take more advantage of their horse sale system, and by that I mean, release more horse colours. (Which I know they already do, but they really gotta step those releases up both in frequency and in colour amount.) Especially move more Gen 2 colours up to Gen 3 to those breeds that apply, because Trust Me there is nothing that most of us older players want more than for our favourite Gen 2 colour that didn’t get transferred to the Gen 3 variant to get carried over. (Hi, that’s me with a solid 3 breeds lmao.)

I do also think they Need to keep the horses at full price for this to work. And yes I know that’s worse for us, but if SSE want money they have to be smart about it, and currently they are Really not. (Probably, once again I am just guessing based on general common sense.) But like, it’s just logical to not add new colours to a horse while it’s on sale, keep those separate. Because new colours do matter, and people Want more options. And yes this takes a Bit of effort, but not nearly the same effort that a whole new breed does. It’s just the same idea as the magics but with less coats. And it will probably get more people to shill out for star coins, and that is the goal, no? At the end of the day, all you have to do is convince the people who can and are willing to buy star coins that a) their investment is worth it and b) that waiting isn’t worth it.

#This is mostly me speculating but it's speculation backed up by educated guessing #So I don't think I'm like completely off base here #And it sure beats computer generated candles!

[s4crificial-a]

time to explain nol's abilities.

so, if you don't know, nol, or "no life" is an operative of the global defense ministry, a magic association sanctioned by governments all over the globe to defend earth from supernatural and extraterrestrial threats. you can read more about it here.

but i want to get into nol's powers and why he's so complex. nol is an s-tier mage of eldritch magic, meaning he's in the top five percent of the mage population. his speciality is corruption, and this is fascinating because it allows near-perfect synchronization with their eldritch master, alphard (no, this is not his real name. his real name is unspeakable).

because of nol's natural affinity for this type of magic, and his genetic ability to compartmentalize and store trauma, he is the number one candidate to become alphard's avatar.

but, of course, this does not mean he is immune to the effects of his own magic.

nol's abilities are rooted in madness empowerment, meaning, in order to reach his full capacity, he has to release his understanding of the world, relinquish his identity, and spiritually untether himself. logic, rationale, even emotions, have no place in a brain dominated by psychosis. so his behavior changes drastically, and depending on his stress levels, he can either become manic (aggressive, delusions of grandeur and paranoid) or depressed (devoid of emotion, unable to empathize).

his magical output is defined by percentages drawn from alphard, his eldritch master. depending on the external threat, he can summon a certain amount of power from 1-100%. 1-5% is the norm, and he's mastered his mind to remain in complete control. simple neutralizations of compromised mages require this much.

anything above 10% is reserved for beings equaling the strength of lower deities, and nol's spirit fractures anytime he enters this range.

above 50% and nol has lost touch with his identity, becoming a vessel of madness. this range is forbidden except when in the presence of extraterrestrial supernaturals. the downtime after using abilities in this range could last for a month and he will enter a catatonic state as his mind repairs itself. (on the flip side, once he emerges from this state, he will be stronger than before.)

at 100%, nol becomes the unholy avatar, discarding all ties with his human identity. his soul would be irretrievable and the laws of the universe would no longer apply, as he'd be an equal of alphard. secretly, nol trains to control this level of power to eventually destroy alphard and sever their contract with the ministry.

but the most fascinating thing about nol is that his mind has broken and restructured itself so many times that it's considered an alien mind, inaccessible and even harmful to anyone who tries to gain access without permission.

in short, nol is an all-encompassing study of self-sacrifice and the power of human will.

and he's just a dude from virginia. he's not a chosen one. he's not a prince with a birthright. he wasn't born with these abilities. this life just chose him and he said "sure".

#{ nol ; study } — alright. enough about me. #/ i love him #/ i love his hero archetype #/ and i love people who lose their shit just to save others #/ is alphard obsessed with him? yes yes they are #/ I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MADE ANY SENSE #/ but anyways lunch time

[globalfinancialsolutionsasia]

Forex Tips That Everyone Should Know About

Global Financial Solutions Asia Top service provider.Currency trading can imply a lot of different types of trades depending upon whom you ask or talk to about it. We all know that it's what and when you trade that determines your profit or loss. Take some time to train yourself and work on your trading using the tips below.

While trading forex, it is important that you stay humble and patient. If you begin to believe that you have a magical knack for picking out investments, you could end up losing a lot of money. Each investment that you make should be a well thought out investment, so that you can minimize loses.

The best way to earn profits in forex trading is to trade in the long-term. It's easy to get suckered in to short-term or day trading, but the biggest profits are seen over weeks and even months. Currency trends depend the trends of large economies, and large economies don't change quickly.

Find a broker you can trust. An unreliable broker can negate any and all gains you acquire through your trading. It is also important that your goals and level of expertise match that of your broker's offer. Look at what kind of clientele they service, and be sure their trading software is up to your needs.

A great Forex trading tip is to not worry too much about what other traders are doing. You might be comfortable with a three percent risk, taking in five percent profits every month, while another trader might be comfortable with four times the amount of risk and profit. It's best not to compete with other traders.

One important Forex fact to keep in mind is that every currency pair has its own unique behavior. While there are overall strategies every trader can apply to every market, the wise investor will be careful not to treat every pair as equal. Trade in a new pair should start out cautious until the trader is comfortable with the pair's particular idiosyncrasies.

When entering the foreign exchange market, it is best to start off with small sums. You should also have a low leverage and add to your account as it gains revenue. You can increase the size of your account if you wish, but do not continue to add money to an account that steadily loses revenue.

Do not take big risks. Try to limit your risks to two or three percent of your entire trading account. You may find that you will lose 10-15 trades consecutively and if you bank more money than a small percentage, you will find yourself out of the game before you even get started.

Keep a very detailed journal about what you have done on the market. It will help you learn your tendencies so you can better understand what your weaknesses are and how to avoid loss. You will benefit by maximizing your strengths in a more efficient manner which will in turn make you more money.

Make sure you have access to the internet at all times of the day and night so that you do not miss any opportunities. You can receive alerts on a laptop or a cell phone for instance: this way you will know when you have to buy or sell and react quickly.

Try your best to keep your emotions out of the FOREX trading market in order to make clear, level-headed decisions. Many trading mistakes have been made because traders take market swings personally. By keeping your feelings in check, you can develop self-discipline, which you will find is essential in making logical, well-reasoned trading moves.

Start your forex trading by learning the fundamentals. Many people jump right in, excited to make a quick buck. The forex market does not care if you have a college education, but you must educate yourself well about trading forex if you want to compete with top traders and increase your chances of success.

Everything you need to get started with forex is presented in NFA's Forex Online Learning Program. This program is free and allows you to learn at your own rhythm. You should go over the program once and go back to the material later if you need clarification on one point.

Global Financial Solutions Asia Proficient tips provider.You should always look for the new thing on forex markets. Because it is entirely online, forex changes quickly, and new methods or technologies appear constantly. You should stay up to date, perhaps by signing up for a newsletter. Do not buy any new product before you are sure you actually need it.

Don't approach the forex market as if you were walking into a casino. Don't make trades just to see what happens or just to take a chance on a hunch. Long shots generally don't pay off, and trading without a measured plan of action is a recipe for losing money.

Do the type of forex trading that you currently understand. This seems like a simple principle, but many new traders get caught up in the excitement of the market and trade outside of their expertise level. Spend time learning how to trade correctly, practice in a demo account and build your confidence before putting money in the market.

Another good idea when using Forex is to invest according to your personality style. Some people are patient enough to sit for hours and wait for a price to fluctuate. Whereas others will be frustrated at mere minutes. Choose the one that fits your personality best.

You can make money with short term and long term forex trading. Short term trading is attractive because you get money right away. You should set some money aside and experiment in long term forex trading as well. You may be surprised at the results when you give it a try.

Global Financial Solutions Asia Top service provider.Currency trading involves various types of trading strategies, but no matter who you are, you can always refine your strategy. Study and improve upon your own techniques to learn to trade on par with trading experts. With any luck, this list of tips gave you advice on how to do that.

[thailondon5]

Which is the best body to body massage spa in UK?

Deep Tissue Massage Notting hill

Deep Tissue Massage involves a firm knead on tense muscles using the palms of the hands and fingertips to release pressure and strains damaged in highly physical activities. Similar to a deep tissue massage in notting hill, this stroke technique isn’t as relaxing but is more for the purpose of relieving stress and improving the muscle repair by increasing the blood flow around the damaged tissue.

What to Expect from Couples Massage in Notting Hill

Booking a Thai Massage in Notting Hill ensures a memorable experience for both you and your partner. You’ll be in the same room, receiving massages simultaneously from two skilled therapists. The synchronized movements and soothing touch create a sense of unity and relaxation that is truly special.

Whether you’re strolling through Portobello Road Market, exploring local galleries, or simply seeking a moment of shared serenity, remember that Couples Massage in Notting Hill is just a reservation away. Discover the ultimate relaxation and connection in Notting Hill as you and your partner share a journey of revitalization and togetherness. With a warm invitation from Thai Angels, your trusted partner in the world of massage, this unique experience in Notting Hill awaits you.

At its core, Swedish massage in Kensington involves a combination of long gliding strokes, kneading, friction, tapping, and gentle stretching. It is designed to enhance circulation, reduce muscle tension, promote relaxation, and induce a sense of overall well-being.

 Thai Angels: Delivering Excellence in Massage

Thai Angels, located in the prestigious Kensington neighborhood, has garnered a reputation for delivering exceptional massage experiences. The skilled therapists at Thai Angels are not only experts in traditional Thai massage but also excel in the art of Swedish massage. Their deep understanding and mastery of the techniques ensure that every client receives a customized and invigorating Swedish massage experience.

Deep Tissue Massage in Hampstead

Deep tissue massage is the key to relieving tension, lowering stress, and revitalising your body, all of which are difficult to achieve in today's hectic urban lifestyle. This restorative treatment is a haven of relaxation that has the potential to whisk you away to a place of utter serenity. In this article, we will discuss the enchantments of deep tissue massage in Hammersmith, as well as its incredible benefits and the locations in this bustling district where you can experience the magic for yourself.

Deep tissue massage is a commonly utilized method of massage therapy that is effective in addressing persistent discomfort and soreness. By exerting focused pressure on the underlying muscles and fascia, which is the tissue enveloping your muscles, this method specifically addresses areas of tension or tightness. 

While many individuals perceive a regular massage as a soothing body treatment accompanied by tranquil music and an appealing scent, it’s worth noting that a deep tissue session, as described by Amy Montia, PhD, LMT, a medical-massage practitioner at Physio Logic, may incorporate these components, but it does not always induce a sense of relaxation.

Whether you’re seeking relief from tight muscles in cities or elsewhere, deep tissue massage in Hampstead massage can be a valuable therapeutic approach for alleviating discomfort and promoting overall well-being.

The Advantages Of Deep Tissue Massage In Hamstead

According to Amy Montia, PhD, LMT, the body benefits from deep tissue massage as it helps to release tissues that are restricted or injured. According to her, deep tissue massage can accelerate the recovery process and offer relief from pain by applying the right amount of pressure. 

Based on research findings, deep tissue massage has been found to offer various advantages, such as: 

Enhanced flexibility

Reduce blood pressure and heart rate

Decreased perception of pain

Alleviation of the inflammation linked to plantar fasciitis.

Alleviation of persistent and lower back discomfort

Decreased discomfort related to Ankylosing Spondylitis  

For residents and visitors in Hampstead seeking a holistic approach to relaxation and well-being, Thai Angels is a beacon of rejuvenation. Their skilled therapists and authentic Thai massage techniques offer a myriad of benefits for the body and mind. Whether you seek relief from muscle tension, stress reduction, or improved overall wellness, Thai Angels in Hampstead is your destination for an exceptional Thai massage in Hampstead experience. Discover the therapeutic world of Thai massage and elevate your well-being amidst the tranquility of Hampstead with Thai Angels.

Thai massage in Kensington

London's prestigious neighborhood, lies a gateway to relaxation and wellness - Thai massage. Rooted in ancient traditions, Thai massage has transcended time and gained global recognition for its multitude of health benefits. This article unveils the world of Thai massage in Kensington, focusing on its remarkable advantages and the potential to restore harmony to both body and mind.

Deep Tissue Massage Kilburn

Looking for Deep Tissue Massage in kilburn ? Deep Tissue Massage involves a firm knead on tense muscles using the palms of the hands and fingertips to release pressure and strains damaged in highly physical activities. Similar to a Swedish Massage, this stroke technique isn’t as relaxing but is more for the purpose of relieving stress and improving the muscle repair by increasing the blood flow around the damaged tissue.   

Thai Angels Massage & Spa is one of the most popular destinations in London for a traditional thai massage in london, all of our staff are Thailand trained and have years of experience in Massage. Located in a quiet Mews in Maida Hill, you will be greeted by a beautiful garden before you enter the traditional Thai Spa, surrounded by artefacts and imagery of some of the most stunning places around Thailand. There are three rooms available two single and one couples room, all traditionally decorated in this tranquil place.

Massage in Mayfair

Located amidst the grandeur and sophistication of London's Mayfair district lies an oasis of tranquility – the realm of Massage in Mayfair. Here, the essence of relaxation takes on a unique form, intertwining the luxury of Mayfair with the ancient art of massage. This experience transcends the ordinary; it's a bespoke journey into indulgence and rejuvenation, promising a retreat from the hustle and bustle of modern life. So, if you find yourself amidst the allure of Mayfair, consider gifting yourself the transformative experience of Thai Massage in Mayfair. Let the skilled hands of therapists guide you into a realm of tranquility, where the worries of the day fade away, and relaxation becomes an art.

Deep Tissue Massage Marylebone

Looking for Deep Tissue Massage Marylebone?Deep Tissue Massage involves a firm knead on tense muscles using the palms of the hands and fingertips to release pressure and strains damaged in highly physical activities. Similar to a Swedish Massage in Maryleborne, this stroke technique isn’t as relaxing but is more for the purpose of relieving stress and improving the muscle repair by increasing the blood flow around the damaged tissue. 

If you have been working from home throughout the COVID19 pandemic and have been experiencing shoulder and neck pain, this is the perfect technique to really loosen up built up tension from sitting at your desk all day. If you have sat in a hunched position, paired with the reduction in body movement previously experienced working in a busy office environment- this can contribute to this tension. This technique will stretch the muscles and improve the soreness of the cramped tissue to prevent reoccurring pain

#couple massage #relaxation #google #love