#only tagging people who appear before the readmore

[nethergreatrack]

QSMP Elections

(Disclaimer, I am a Slimecicle main for the most part, I do watch other povs)

It’s interesting seeing everyone argue about what is the best policy but calling q!BBH, Gegg and q!Baghera naive for believing in revolution as opposed to fixing the system from the inside is failing to consider recent ideology promoted in leftist circles of the US about Law Enforcement. From a US perspective the idea of fixing the system from the inside could seem naive. If everyone in the federation is corrupt how could a single person fix the damage in a more effective way than a council? Also, it is very easy to point out the lack of official policies planned by Gegg, q!Baghera and q!BBH but this fails to account for the fact they (at least q!Baghera and q!BBH) only want things that people agree on. Say there was a mod they wanted to add but someone else doesn’t, they don’t know that until the council is assembled so that everyone can voice their concerns hence they can only say things they might do if agreed by the council, not what they definitely will do. For example, invisible armour (I don’t know what exact mod q!Cellbit is suggesting) might not be supported by people who enjoy duels like the q!Quackity and q!Slime one at the funeral as it gives a greater opportunity to cheat during these kind of duels. However it is the job of the candidates to make these kind of points during the debates to prevent any confusion so them not explaining a reason for not promoting a lot of their own ideas is a flaw.

Opinions on the candidates more specifically below:

Gegg/q!Slime has said that he thinks the election is rigged, which is likely a factor in him campaigning for revolution. He is also, from a meta perspective, highly likely to die and has expressed a desire to be a martyr. So him promoting this ideology allows him to continue lore if he dies too early in the electoral process. I love him as a funny little guy; even if he will likely die before the voting. Also, his stuff about burning everything is actually suspicious and I hope if he is elected he immediately becomes corrupt. If he doesn’t die and I can vote. I will probably vote for him.

I genuinely love the duo of q!Cellbit and q!Forever and I think they have a lot of great ideas, q!Cellbit acting as a shield for q!Forever is a genius strategy and they both care so much about this server and the people and eggs on it. But I don’t know why they necessarily think this is a good idea since q!Cellbit and q!Felps got close to the Federation and ended up kidnapped. Although, from a Meta perspective q!Forever is for sure a great choice. He greatly cares about the people on the server, he does so much for the community and is overall a great guy. But he also someone I don’t want anything bad to happen to. Richas has been through way too much at this point.

When thinking about q!BBH he is a great guy and friend to most of the server. I support the sharing of power. But there is one thing that worries me, this is probably a trap and q!Bad is a single parent. If this goes wrong, it is very much a concern for Dapper. But this would also be very angsty and I do like angst in moderation.

On q!Baghera, I think she is a great pick and would be a good choice. The council seems like a good idea and, much like Forever, Cellbit and BBH, she is on the server a lot and does a lot of RP. Something bad happening to her would be very angsty and there are other parents who can take care of Pomme if she ends up taken. I do think she needs to ask more people what they want if she hasn’t already due to her campaign being rooted in being a voice for the people.

I think q!Mike would also be a great choice from a Meta perspective and a lore perspective. Tazercraft having an increased access to things they might want to add to improve the server and make new events is genuinely great. It would be interesting to see how q!Mike would implement Communist ideology as well. His roleplaying is funny and I think if they went with a corruption arc he would be quite good at it. (I know I used the argument that Richas has been through enough, but I think q!Mike is more likely to be a corruption arc and do think what the Federation does with the winner will depend of which candidate wins, probably)

I think, taking into account that this whole thing is likely some kind of trap and/or rigged, q!Etoiles might actually be a good choice. He is strong and has a great desire to protect others. If this was some kind of trap then it would be greatly dramatic to have one of the strongest players be taken out or impressive to see him fight to escape. He also cares deeply about the other players and I do think he would give other players a voice while also, as president, being a target. I do think that whoever the president is (if not ElQuackity) will be a target for something.

When it comes to q!Foolish, I think he is the best choice if you want a revolution. He seems to be vaguely corrupt already and even tried to assassinate Gegg. It would be an interesting and funny arc but there would be the looming threat of q!Vegetta so the actual damage this could do might be higher than we might expect. He is also silly and already likes the Federation (or at least pretends too); so we might get funny Federation employee and q!Foolish interactions.

I don’t know a lot about q!Felps and his policies outside of the power of pasta (if I am remembering correctly) because he didn’t really get to speak much and my Wifi is pretty bad. I would love to hear more about him though and I think it would be funny if he won. I do really love pasta.

I do not want ElQuackity to win. It would probably be interesting lore wise. It would also likely lead to a revolution arc but he has less allies in terms of server members so it would be less conflict than if a revolution occurred under another candidate. Although, he is the closest to a guaranteed one if a revolution is a must.

#qsmp #long post #sorry if i said anything ignorant #feel free to correct me #gegg #q!badboyhalo #q!baghera #q!slimecicle #only tagging people who appear before the readmore #just my opinions #none of what i say is 100% for sure the correct take #i do want to hear other takes though #note: i am actually from the uk #i know revolutions can fail #i know that they can easily result in more corruption #since people who seek power are often the ones who shouldn't have it #however i definitely don't want to speak over latin american viewers #other peoples concerns are entirely valid #i was just scared of sounding american

[girlyholic]

"Landmine Clothes" are Typically Not Even Girly Anymore: A Look into How Brands Use the Term

A main topic on this blog back when I started it was discussing the way the term "landmine" has been used in order to sell products. While I mostly covered entities like Lafary, who initially promoted it dishonestly on purpose for clout while it was highly associated with Girly fashion, there have been many other brands who have used it in the past two years in order to sell clothes, as popularity of the term has gone up and down.

But the effects of using this label to death as a selling point are starting to become more clear, now that we are beginning year 3 of the term evolving as a sales point. Because as it turns out, when a controversial term sells well, all kinds of brands will hop onto the trend in order to cash in: even if they're completely unrelated to how the fad initially looked.

Which brings us to the current state of the "style".

Another super long post incoming, so, putting a readmore as per usual.

Something important to start out with: brands and magazines are generally who are responsible for random terms being thought of as styles, which then gets parroted by other people. In fact there's an article on Yumekawaii, Yamikawaii that includes an interview with a Milklim representative, who had this to say about how styles acquire such names.

「私たちは私たちがかわいいと思うものを着ているだけで、そういう名前は外の人が勝手につけてるだけなんですよね」。

"We just wear what we think is cute, and those names are just given to us by outsiders".

Which brings us to landmine fashion, and the brands who tirelessly make up trends to push fads.

A big one is Anonenone, a Taobao reseller that seems to consider itself an authority on what's hot in the landmine fad. Their social media pages also tend to just say completely random things are now a "new trend", such as their recent claim that cyber fashion nowadays is a derivative of "サブカル系 (sabukaru-kei) and 天使界隈 (tenshi kaiwai)" due to it being light blue.

Cyber fashion is so old, a color shift would most certainly not be enough to make it a new derivative. And the two terms they mentioned are not actually fashions either, the latter one being the fan submission hashtag of this online magazine. This is a non-landmine example of what the main issue with their post is.

Anyway, looking into their landmine category on their website, while you will find a couple items that could be considered Girly, it mostly turns up accessories, and the rest of the clothes that are displayed are far from what was originally considered to be "landmine fashion".

Tracksuits and oversized striped sweaters have been quite popular among self-proclaimed landmines for a few months now. Even looking into the 地雷系 tag, you'll mostly find people wearing only those two things, as well as clothes that are very clearly other pre-existing styles, when before you would primarily get the black x pink coordinates that were synonymous with the stereotype.

This shift in what's considered landmine fashion is most prominent in how it has been covered by fashion outlets, such as Larme and Harajuku Pop. Larme actually has a partnership with the aforementioned Anonenone, which is why most of their recent issues recommend them in almost all of the coordinates featured. Although Larme has a rather interesting history with featuring landmine fashion, one that might be better for an entirely separate post...

Anyway, Harajuku Pop also recently did an online article about Reflem, as they're a "must see" brand for landmine girls, and all that's showcased is what I have previously discussed: tracksuits and what would just be considered Yamikawaii or punk-ish coordinates. Here's one example from that article:

And before anyone comes running to explain how all of my examples are just "substyles" of landmine fashion: substyles have to bear the same anatomy of the original style they stem from at least somewhat, hence substyle. Established styles don't just drastically change appearance like this. If pink x black Girly coordinates are what landmine fashion started out as, and now it's oversized sweaters and plain tracksuits, what is landmine as a style, anyway? The answer is that it isn't one.

Unless you count the color black as being the thing that ties landmine outfits together, which would be so broad that everything would be landmine.

To put it into perspective, even when the Girly tracksuit thing was in full swing earlier in 2022, before it had any other associations, the tracksuits coming out had elements of Girly in them, such as frills, dress designs that were similar to maid outfits or nun outfits, etc. They weren't just any, nondescript tracksuits like the ones that are now sold as being landmine, although you can still find that type of Girly tracksuits being pushed as being landmine, as with everything else that's been associated with the term.

I still see a ton of pushback in Western JFashion spaces about using the term Girly Kei, as "landmine is just so much easier of a term to use", but with what's currently being considered landmine within Japan, that no longer holds up. Because now what brands are referring to as landmine fashion is even more broad than Girly Kei, as it encompasses so many varied styles with nothing tying them together except, of course, the stereotype (which is usually just people trying to emulate the physical elements that became associated with it, such as having undereye blush and a hime-cut because that is what "seems" landmine).

The point is, we would have to get rid of several years of pre-established styles in order to fit everything that's being claimed as landmine right now under that one label, which is what makes it even more clear that it's a fad, not a legitimate style.

Especially since many of the brands who pushed the term the hardest, such as DearMyLove, have now gone back to using Girly to push sales, instead of only labeling everything as landmine like they did at the height of the fad. This is likely due to landmine becoming unrecognizable from the clothing they primarily sell, which, has always been called Girly.

#j*rai #jfashion #girly discourse

[galacticnova3]

Assorted screenshots of my thoughts/ideas and a doodle related to RtDD. Contains minor to major spoilers, which will be under a readmore. However for folks in the tags who don’t want spoilers, I do have a shitpost regarding the giant boot items/puzzles so this post isn’t a total nothing burger for you.

Anyways now for the bulk of what I was too impatient not to post. Again, spoilers for new content!

First and foremost, I wish everyone who ever called me weird or said I was reaching with my headcanons regarding Lor being sapient and not solely just under the control of Magolor or whatever powers that be a very GET FUCKED FOREVER. BOAT PLAY BEHAVIOR REAL.

Next, Magolor’s win animation in Samurai Kirby took me out for a solid 10 minutes and I was compelled to make this.

I also had another thought regarding things with Lor in Magoland. Specifically boat experiences mask noise jumpscare.

And while I am gonna wait a bit longer before saying anything about [the horrors](including the alternative joke name I thought of for them), I did make this doodle based on a recent catcrumb post and my experience in the poor little meow meow mode.

And then finally here is me being extremely normal about a mask. Did I immediately notice all the inconsistencies with this design when compared to previous in-game appearances Nova has had? Yes. Did that make me not happy to see them again acknowledged as a character in spite of only being tangentially relevant to this game due to special obscure dialogue from Magolor? Absolutely not, I didn’t name 99% of my accounts places after Nova for nothing. Love that cat clock. My brain rot is terminal

I do plan on posting some actual headcanon-y stuff soon(particularly regarding Doomers and a certain headpiece), but it’ll be once the game has been out for longer to reduce the odds of people being spoiled by mistake. That stuff will be shared on my sideblog dedicated to such things, @nova-starcutter. You’ll never guess just by the name of the blog what kinds of headcanons I tend to think about most.

#rambling #kirby return to dreamland deluxe #krtdldx #lor starcutter #magolor #krtdldx spoilers #krtdld spoilers #kirby spoilers #kirby #look how hard I can fixate on random characters FFWSHSHHHHHHH #I’ve got 100% on normal and extra mode + epilogue #just need to complete Magoland and then beat the True Arena(I have gotten very close every time) #(the original RtD TA was easier. I will not elaborate further) #anyways so boat huh

[sexyinaratkindaway]

On Fangs and Claws

Fandom: Batman

Pairing: Jonathan Crane/Edward Nygma

Tags: Jonathan Crane is Scarebeast, Murder, Blood and Gore, Cannibalism, Bait, Trans Edward Nygma, Vaginal Sex, Cunnilingus, Werewolves, knots, uhhhhhh, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Public Sex, no actual knotting happens

Summary: Written for the Anti Batman Alliance discord server 2022 Secret Santa gift exchange. Even a skilled hunter, turns out, sometimes needs the help of an appropriate bait.

For @constantron !! hiii babe

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43838865

Text under readmore!

Something crinkled behind him. Something cracked and snapped.

Edward was running.

He ran, and ran, and something was quick on his heels, growling, panting, the stench of fear wafting off of it. The empty streets did nothing to placate his hammering heart, caged in his chest.

It inched ever closer.

And then he was in a park.

The smell of wet greenery filled his nostrils, of damp earth and the last traces of seasons gone by, buried under soft leaves.

The streetlights—old affairs of wrought iron, straight from the 1890's—cast only a feeble light on the late autumn night, and Edward stumbled on his feet.

"Help," he choked out, voice quivering, “Help!”

Through unshed tears, Edward saw a person.

A man, alone, staring out at the empty pond.

Voice finally managed its way through Edward's throat.

The man jumped.

He was anonymous, unknown, a blue hoodie and a patchy beard and startled surprise in his eyes. Who knows what it was that he saw, chasing after Edward. He hitched on his feet, arms opening as if to let Edward in, some unheard blasphemy on his lips.

Edward grabbed his wrist and they ran together, figures gasping through the isles of light in the rainy night.

“What was that?” the man whispered, his voice so very small, like suddenly this big, burly man was nothing more than a scared child.

The snarling grew closer, warm air on Edward’s nape, his hand sweaty in the stranger’s.

They rounded a corner into a patch of trees, the air suddenly still around them.

No noises, no chittering, no growling. Just two people sharing breaths, pressed against the damp bark of a sleeping tree.

He grinned, and the stranger saw his tombstone between those lips, ivory white.

Edward looked up at him.

He was handsome, blue eyes, dark hair, some wrinkles added for character.

What a shame.

“Your funeral.”

Suddenly the air around them exploded, a whirlwind of sounds, of smells, fur and feathers, chittering of teeth and clicking of claws and the heavy stench of pheromones and toxins in the air, as Edward pounced off to the side, and the creature appeared from the shadows to assault the man, pawing him to the ground to tear into him.

This meal was a quick affair; in the span of maybe a minute and a half, the coppery, disgusting scents of blood and feces filled the night, mixing with leaves and rain and damp grass, and what before was a man, screeching and squirming, was now little more than a mess on the grass, chest ripped away, ribs cracked open like a jewel box to reveal shimmering, still pulsing insides, stringy. Most of the contents of the man’s chest were gone, down the fangs of the thing now staring straight at Edward.

His screech did nothing to the warm feeling in Edward’s belly, observing his partner work.

It was a thing, not a creature, not anymore and maybe never, fur brown-grey-black, shimmering under the moonlight with the oil-slick iridescence of raven’s wings, fangs brilliant white in the cloudy night, and then bloody maroon as they tore into flesh and bone, long snout—a long, jagged scar between nose and lip–and grey on its muzzle, notched ears twitching, eyes ember-blazing and a sickly, almost fluorescent yellow.

Along the perfect curve of its back, hunched over its meal as it was, sat a perfect row of bony protrusions, white tips breaching meat and muscle and fur to shine like terrible hooks built into too-large vertebrae, and at its sides, wings, inky, addictive black, two, four, six, some folded neatly on themselves, others wide open, easily fifteen feet primary to primary, or folded around the hunched figure as if to shield its meal from the world.

It looked hungry, still.

Its chest was pulsing faintly, more like bones covered by a thin film than a real body, shimmering orange and red from the inside, blood dripping down its furry chin and neck.

And yet, despite looking like the ghost of a coyote dragged out from the pet cemetery it was buried in, it looked livelier. Its fur was shinier, its eyes bright, ears perked up like a dog after a full meal.

Well…

It looked down at Edward, eyes like the orange moon, fangs bloody and bared under black lips. Made its way, slow, shambling almost, a far cry from the powerful thing chasing behind him before, to sit in front of him.

Even sat on its haunches, Edward had to tilt his head to look up at it.

It was terrifying. It was awesome. Edward wanted it all for himself.

He moved his hand, slow, not to spook the beast.

Then a paw, long and thin, came to rest on his shoulder. Claws dug into the fleece of his hoodie, dripping red down his arm. Before he knew it, a rough, wide tongue was licking his face, terrifying in its size.

Buried his fingers in the matted fur on its canine cheek. Then the other one, as well.

Uncaring of blood and stench, Edward got closer, he buried his face in the stiff fur on its powerful neck, the same way he did to the dogs at home after a long day.

The creature mollified under his fingertips, powerful muscles relaxing under blunt nails.

They stood still, for a moment, enjoying the warmth in the cold autumn air.

“Ugh,” was all he could say, raising his hands to keep the dog still, “Your breath smells like death.”

It chuffed something amused, brought another paw to Edward's shoulder.

The combined weight took him off balance, stumbling off his feet under the dizzying power of the beast. It licked his face again, and again, a rough sound from its throat, slobbering blood and spit all over Edward.

“What is it, puppy?” Edward murmured instead, a dreamy smile on his lips. His hands never left the warm fur, dragging long petting motions through it, as the beast nuzzled its way against the bare side of his neck. “Are you hungry, still?”

It should have been disgusting. It was disgusting. He was lying in a soft bed of mud and gore, a creature easily ten feet tall hunched over him, stenching of death and fear, terrible fangs and claws on him.

The only movement in the still autumn air was its tail, wagging slowly in big arcs.

“Alright, alright, you gluttonous thing.”

The beast’s tail wagged faster, it panted a damp line against his skin.

Edward laughed, tickled.

“Good boy,” he cooed, nuzzling into the damp fur, thumbing at the engorged cock, “good boy. Feels good, doesn’t it, Jon?”

A full body shudder shook the creature, fearsome and delighted, and, buried in its fur, warm like an animal and yet clammy and cool like a corpse, Edward could feel something long and hard and hot pressed against him, as big as his forearm.

He dropped his hand down to palm at it—fingers barely long enough to wrap around the thing—and enjoyed the shuddering warmth around him as the beast relaxed.

The beast—Jonathan—Scarecrow, whined, a beastly sound, hearing his name uttered with such reverent affection, burrowing deeper in the crook of Edward’s neck, flushed warm with sated hunger.

Edward’s hand didn’t relent, jerking up and down in long strokes.

“Did you enjoy yourself? Are you satisfied?” He murmured, lips pressed against a bloody, greying muzzle, “No. You want more. You always do.”

He loved these moments.

More than the gore, or perhaps in spite of it, more than regular sex in their regular bed, than being dizzy on each other.

Loved seeing this fearsome beast, power-bloody, hungry for fear and guts, bend willingly to him, his power, his authority, eat from the palm of his hands and not even think about biting.

Every word was a stroke, a low, whiny growl.

“But that’s okay, because I’m here to take care of you.”

Jonathan’s paws dug at Edward’s hoodie, just as his hand did something particularly clever around his cock, up and down in a twisting motion.

Bronze skin was suddenly uncovered to damp autumn air, and Jonathan nosed his way down, trying to reach the tantalising little strip of obliques-belly button-obliques.

Was it stupid? To expose his belly, so simply, so trusting, when another man lay there with the very contents of his own belly splattered on the ground, slowly growing frosty as hot blood cooled down in the cold air?

“Oh, you’re something else.”

But Edward was grinning at his partner’s exhuberance, and let go of his cock—savoured the offended whine that followed—to grab the soft hem of his hoodie and push it up.

He tucked it in the neckline, and immediately the beast was on him.

His tongue was so warm, breath hot and damp, leaving red trails down his skin, now crawling with goosebumps. Edward shuddered, holding on to his hair, fingers fisted in the spiky fur.

Jonathan did not rip his flesh to pieces. He did not bite down and rip away and drink in his blood.

Instead he nosed down his sternum, the soft line of his diaphragm, lapping at the Arabic etched in there, down down his belly to nip gently at his belly button.

Clawed fingers pulled at his waistband, pulling it down, down, uncovering soft skin and dark cotton. Edward reached down, frantic almost, to help his lover pull his underwear down, uncovering his cunt, warm and swollen.

It was almost immediate, the effect it had on Jonathan.

His cock jumped, darkened tip moistening, and he dove in nose first, licking red stripes around Edward’s thighs.

Powerful paws gripped at soft skin, pulling his legs apart to get access to the prize between them.

Jonathan sniffed it, damp nose a hair away from Edward’s cock, swollen and pink, before his tongue dove in lower, to lick broad stripes at his lips.

Under him, Edward quivered, suddenly keenly aware of how open a space they were in, and not caring enough to pull Jonathan away, fingers still knotted in dark fur.

Before long, Edward was reaching down, pawing at Jonathan’s muzzle. It took a moment, of carefully fingering between the gaps of his teeth, of pressing his black nose away and wrapping three fingers around a sharp fang, to pull him away and upwards and savour that tongue, still tasting of musky pleasure.

Jonathan ate from him, blissful and uncaring, tongue big and flat and rough burrowing deep inside Edward, delighting in the rising volume of his groans, his twitching legs unmoving in his powerful grasp.

His tongue went deep, moving in swift arcs, brushing coquettishly against Edward’s cock every now and again, a delightful whine punched out of his lungs each and every time.

“I should put a collar on you,” Edward mused, panting hard, in between trying to kiss a mouth that didn’t kiss the same way, “And a leash. So I don’t have to risk my fingers when I want to kiss you.”

He reached down again, to give some love to Jonathan’s poor, neglected cock. It was painfully hard under his fingertips, and he pumped it, once, twice, three times, the creature burying his long snout in the crook of his neck, and then, slowly, he started moving.

He spread his legs further, moved closer, fingering at the pointed tip, pushing it close to his dark bush until it buried itself inside.

Jonathan jerked into action, powerful haunches and thighs springing to bury his cock inside Edward to the hilt, a growl on his lips.

Edward choked out a noise that could have been a "Yes".

Not that Jonathan would have cared, lost in his rut.

He just kept pounding, uncaring of the writhing body in his claws, of its gasped, shivering pain.

He pounded through Edward’s whine, and his cunt clenching almost painfully around his cock, a pulsating upward motion that took him base to tip, and through his whimpery exhale as energy left his body, like a puppet loosely strung.

His grip on Jonathan’s fur wavered, but never let go, as Jonathan slowed down, thrusts getting deeper, breath getting shallower.

Edward blinked upwards quickly after, hands pulling at his underwear and pants to cover himself, dripping come and all.

Once, and twice, and he was gone, flooding inside Edward, and a little bit outside of him too.

If nothing else, he had had the good sense to pop his knot outside, before collapsing in a heap on his lover.

He gave one last pet on Jonathan’s nose, spent and lovely. One eye blinked open, blue and orange and remarkably human, quirked in Edward’s direction.

“Come on, Jonathan–you had your fun. Let’s go home.”

#knight's notebook #scriddler #scarecrow #riddler #jonathan crane #edward nygma

[estradasphere]

tagged by @aranarumei :) (under a readmore because Long)

1. are you named after anyone?

my actual normal chosen name is lifted from one of my very old ocs (like, i named him and then decided i liked his name so much i stole it for myself - he's not a sona or anything), so… in a sense, i guess so! "rottel" is from a series of beatmania songs but specifically this one

2. when was the last time you cried?

two or three days ago, maybe? don't remember. my eyes just randomly water so often that it's hard to tell

3. do you have kids?

lol no. does anyone on this website?! redirecting to kiri's alternate question…

3 alt: recommend a song?

struggling not to mention a certain band… here's a song by öOoOoOoOoOo, chairleg thesis. discovered this album recently and love it a whole lot!! (actually, my favorite song on that album is well-oiled machine but it's a super short song, not much of a recommendation LOL)

4. do you use sarcasm a lot?

i don't think so. and when i do i kinda suck at it lol

5. what sports do you play/have played

none, i am Not athletic, never have been. i did marching band in high school if that counts

6. what's the first thing you notice about people?

voice, i suppose. i don't really pay any attention to how people look because i avoid eye contact like its the plague 😂

7. eye color?

on paper, blue. but - at the risk of sounding like a stereotypical blue eyes haver - they're more of a, like… dark grey? barely any blue to them at all

8. scary movies or happy endings?

i can't handle horror at ALL i'm a pussy. but yeah as kiri said this kinda feels like a false dichotomy LOL

9. any special talents?

um… uh… hm…

10. where were you born?

alabama (as anyone who's been following me for like 5 minutes probably knows already)

10 alt: what made you make a tumblr account?

i do not remember! tho i've been here since i was like 13 or something…? definitely way before the porn ban anyway. but i deleted and then came back so this isn't my first account

11. what are your hobbies?

listening to music… drawing, making ocs... uh… i would say playing video games but despite having like 70 games in my steam library i only ever play tboi and tetris lmao

12. do you have any pets?

a cat (lenny) and a dog (angel)

13. how tall are you?

4'9" (~145cm?). yes yes get your jokes out of the way now & i slouch so i probably appear even shorter lol

14. favorite subject in school?

band lol. besides that… hmm… i used to love english but 12th grade + college english workload kinda killed it for me 😔 i hate writing essays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15. dream job?

i do not dream of labor. ideally something quiet and low stress i suppose...

i tag um uhh anyone who reads this and wants to do it. yes even you reading this!!!! u dont have to say u were tagged by me or anything.

[wrestlezon]

(hell yeah. heres a whole post blogging about my blog. i hope you like introspective words. if not... then definitely dont click that readmore)

I posted 3,572 times in 2022

That's 3,572 more posts than 2021!

(well... a respectable amount... for this being the first year of Blog Existing)

370 posts created (10%)

3,202 posts reblogged (90%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

pepsitwist

dogcollarpunk

hoodyhoo

allelitewrestlings

(3 people with the best tastes on the site and a fantastic sourced aew content blog. hell yea ofc these were my most reblogged blogs)

I tagged 3,533 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

(oh no. where are they. where are these 40 untagged posts?? how could i leave them BARREN... NO... THEYRE LOST... OUT IN THE COLD...)

#chuck taylor - 576 posts

#orange cassidy - 570 posts

#cm punk - 500 posts

#fanart - 406 posts

#p - 291 posts

#trent beretta - 229 posts

#talkzon - 221 posts

#mjf - 220 posts

#jon moxley - 201 posts

#eddie kingston - 198 posts

(ah yes my top 3 favorite wrestlers. chuck, orange, cm punk. of course. LMAO. funnily enough the pipeline for me was in that exact reverse order... punk vs eddie got me watching the show, then i saw an orange match and was like hey thats fun and cool, then i was like hold up... whos that weird-cute guy who hangs out with him sometimes... and now here i am. with incurable chuck taylor brain worms.)

(ok. actually the story is a bit more ironic than that but if i get too openly genuine on here i'll break out in hives sooooo moving on)

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#excalibur said something last friday along the lines of ''hes not willing to team up with danhausen yet'' which made me laugh out loud. ''ye

(my tag got cut off... i think this is before xkit rewritten added the ''tag too long'' alert for the quicktags thing. i dont even remember what the rest of it was supposed to be... this was on a gifset of the hook birthday chips incident)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

thank you aew broadcast team for the instant replay alternate angle on wardlow's very cool pin

295 notes - Posted July 13, 2022

(...i liked wardlow better when he was a vaguely amoral henchman guy but i can appreciate A Very Cool Pin)

#4

"One word to describe me? GAY"

295 notes - Posted October 17, 2022

(the people need to know. they need to know max caster is an entertaining and somewhat unhinged weirdo)

#3

listen. look. i need you to understand. look at this.

SLOUCHED. HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK. HEAD BENT DOWN. cm punk spends most of his promo at this point AVOIDING EYE CONTACT. he never even holds the goddamn mic!!! punk is posturing SO hard to appear as a small harmless creature. so much smaller than hangman.

which he factually ISNT. i mean, look at how he looks when he stands up straight, when he isn't trying to put on an appearance.

See the full post

325 notes - Posted May 26, 2022

(oh noooo lmaoooo not my overly excited cm punk theory-effortpost... embarrassing...... even more embarrassing in hindsight... u_u "wow theyre doing such a good job of working together to tell this fictional story of conflict and antagonism! such acting! such subtlety! wait. what. no. are you guys mad for real. what the")

#2

See the full post

389 notes - Posted June 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

how im feeling about that upcoming dog collar match

752 notes - Posted March 5, 2022

(honestly the most shocking part of this was seeing people out in the wild think this was where the sickos meme came from? which doesnt even make sense chronologically?? sickos has been around forever!!! and the original comic is so good. i am not deserving of kartoonist kelly's onion comic clout i am just a wrestle blog)

(also. i have to say. getting into wrestling right as the cmjf feud started was such a mistake... it set the bar too high... wrestling is not normally Like That... ;~;)

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#year in review #talkzon #why do they add like 4 different tags for ''year in review''. no. i will have a single one

[dapper-shipping-forever]

I posted 322 times in 2022

That's 216 more posts than 2021!

98 posts created (30%)

224 posts reblogged (70%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dapper-shipping-forever

@cursegf

@dappercookiexd

@3lectro-heart

@milks-shake-cafe

I tagged 219 of my posts in 2022

Only 32% of my posts had no tags

#self shipping - 24 posts

#self ship community - 24 posts

#self ship - 22 posts

#<3 - 21 posts

#lmao - 19 posts

#oc x canon - 18 posts

#next day reblogging - 14 posts

#f/ovember - 12 posts

#other ships - 10 posts

#dapper answers - 7 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#its about his depression and how he cares for other people but feels no one cares for him making him basically too tired to try for himself

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

This is way self indulgent, but that's what we're all doing this stuff for, yeah.

M.agi s/i is captured and trapped in a spell that shows her what should be a perfect version of reality.

Just some quick vocabulary used since probably not all of y'all are familiar with m.agi.

Djinn metal vessels are powerful weapons that have djinn within and grant the person who wields it incredible power.

Dark djinn metal vessels are man made versions that use dark energy to power them instead.

Djinn equips and dark djinn equips is when someone invites the power of a metal vessel to transform their body and increase their power further.

I think that's it, lmao 🌸

---

---

---

She'd had smarter ideas than coming to this cave by herself, but she can't say yet how dumb it was.

It had been a week since they'd heard she's the latest target of the organization Al-Thamen. Why? Gillian herself isn't sure. She supposes she's been more blatant as of recent with fighting them as she's assisted Sinbad, Alibaba, Aladdin, and everyone else trying to end their plans, but in her eyes anything she's done hasn't been all that spectacular. Regardless, she'd seen an immediate change in Sinbad. He'd refused to let her out of his sight, and was ready to get on his knees to get her to agree to him assigning her body guards from the eight generals. Gillian isn't a reckless person, she'd been content to stay close to their lodgings, though Sinbad would've preferred she'd be shipped back to the protection of Sindria. But she wandered away, and when she heard someone was in trouble, she couldn't help going after them. Which is how she arrived in this dark, damp cave, two agents of Al-Thamen cornering her. They'd appeared a second after she'd sensed them, emerging like predators from behind cave structures and circling her. Wielded by both men, she could see dark metal vessels. One held his confidently in his hand, resembling a large brush, and the other wore his weapons around his forearms.

"You've been a tricky one to catch alone." The smaller, wirery agent said. "But someone like you couldn't hide for long. I pity you for being stupid enough to believe that lie. Now we've got you, exactly as I knew we would." He shakes his head in a mocking way, long hair swaying behind him.

:readmore:

The other agent, a larger, more muscular man just grunts behind him in a baritone sound.

"I'm not looking to fight anybody." Gillian said, holding her hand out in a calming gesture towards them.

The dark metal vessel user simply smiled at her. "Excellent; because there's no use in resisting this. After all, I'm doing you a favor here." And he held out his hand with the dark metal vessel, a bright colored mist emerging from it. The substance crept forward towards Gillian, surrounding her.

Gillian brought her metal vessel forward, but before she could activate it, the mist clung to her completely, heavy yet weightless on her, in her. She blinked, and jolted backwards a step when she saw the area surrounding her had turned far too dark to see anything in. She pivoted, swiveling her head to try and find anything, but she saw nothing near or far.

"I wonder what you desire." The voice of the agent of Al-Thamen sounded around her, somehow surrounding her exactly like that mist he created. "The girl who converses with princes and kings, queens and princesses. Who travels the world and holds immense power in her delicate hands. What do you wish to obtain?"

Gillian thrusts her hand in front of her, djinn metal vessel clinking on her hand. But, it's almost as if she hadn't moved, like she couldn't find her metal vessel at all. Is it not right in front of her? Her body feels strange, and the thought occurs to her that this isn't real at all; but she can't focus on that to find what's real when the voice continues speaking to her.

"I can see it. What a sweet girl. You have such a pure desire in you. The man you've longed for, but who taunts you with the ways he throws around his affection. What you desire, simply, is love." As soon as they say the word, Gillian feels a large hand grab onto her shoulder.

She spins around to see who it belongs to, immediately defensive, but who she sees shakes her guard and makes her take a step back.

Sinbad laughs, care free. He's the only thing she can see right now. "Easy there. Sorry, did I catch you in another day dream there? I hate to interrupt, but the people are waiting for us."

"Sinbad?" She says, voice an incredulous whisper. She realizes with a slight jump that they're both now surrounded by familiar scenery and warm sun light. Birds chirp all around them and the crisp scent of the sea drifts to her as she stands before the royal palace in Sindria. "When did we get back here?"

He gives her an amused look. "Were you that deep in your day dreams?" He puffs out another laugh, shaking his head. "And they call you the responsible one. You're adorable." He sighs.

"Thats not it, Sinbad." She hadn't been day dreaming just now. Had she? No, of course not. She has to tell Sinbad about the Al-Thamen agents who confronted her !

Sinbad speaks again first. "Come on, you can get back to that later. For now, we have a duty to attend to, my love."

The use of the pet name isn't what makes her pause, since Sinbad often uses them for her, but rather she finds herself slipping into further confusion; as if the thoughts about Al-Thamen are becoming less important to her, she catches on the part about them having a duty to do. "What duty?"

"There's a festival to get started !" He grabs her hand. "And the people want to see their beautiful queen." Sinbad starts pulling her along, towards a ledge beyond which she can hear the sounds of hundreds of people gathered below, waiting.

"Their queen?" It's then she looks at his hand clasping her's, and she sees on his finger a sparkling wedding band shining there.

See the full post

5 notes - Posted October 27, 2022

#4

You

5 notes - Posted November 19, 2022

#3

Went many episodes of m.agi without seeing sinbad and then finally he reappears looking Hot As Fuck and I'm just like MY BOY

6 notes - Posted October 20, 2022

#2

The ogre and the fairy

7 notes - Posted November 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Sailing home

15 notes - Posted November 7, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#I know I hadn't used this blog much this year until semi recently #But ye here's the year in review for my self shipping blog ! #tumblr year in review #My own blogs are two of my top five reblogged from people #Lmao

[mysterybooks-world]

Say hello to Vox's friend

I settled on this idea instead of My original idea

When I was thinking about Vox's friend OC I was thinking of making a young man with a Venetian Mask

Like a mix between Joker and Kaitou Kid

Joker from: (Persona Records) and Kaitou Kid from (Detective Conan)

a True gentleman More than Alastor and Valentino

And he sang a song Did I Mention (From "Descendants") Dove Cameron - Boyfriend

But I changed my mind or I can put him in another au

I was thinking about her appearance As you can see she is between stars and plants witch.

Because Sinners have their own appearance in different shapes and sizes And a different design

As for her store or Shop is (Antique store) aka (MystiKraft) Not only Antique store It is the place of everything, without Anything related to sex and drugs.

From the outside it is like a small store but from the inside it is big

she is like wandering merchant, She sells things and items

What is special about her store?

Her store Like pocket dimensions can go anywhere to other Rings of Hell & heaven & earth

You could say something similar to (Howl's Moving Castle)

No one can enter the store without her permission.

Anything that happens inside the store, no one can use magic to see it inside Or use magic to enter. Even Lucifer and Seven Deadly Sins & Angels, they magic doesn't work in a store.

(My mind whispering: A perfect place for someone to hide If you get my meaning)

Her powers are like a witch's -she can mess with reality -has the power to mess with time Like stopping time or turning it back

-her tail is like fire, but it does not sting If she want to, Sometimes, her tail becomes like a street lamp

Back story: She was there from the beginning, anomaly, She's just there seeing it all, She saw everything The fight God & angels and Roo aka ROOT OF ALL EVIL. And you know the rest of the story.

She was interested in humanity But she did not interfere in many people's lives, only telling them her advice and wisdom. and She listens to their stories. She loved playing the role wandering merchant.

she appeared in front of humans At different ages Sometimes she is an adult, a teenager, an old woman or a child,

And one day, years ago, When she was child, she met child Vox, They became friends, They began to grow together from children to teenagers then Adults,

when Vox died and fell into hell, His friend was already there, she Guide him to her store and she offered him sweet tea, After he calmed his nerves and realized that he was dead and in hell, After she told him everything About hell, and she Give him some stuff and money, Both of them went their separate ways, Sometimes Vox would visit her,

My OC: Wait a minute I think I forgot to tell him I'm not human and She smiles OH well I'll let him figure this out for himself, Plus His reaction will be funny

And here the story begins Like I mentioned in my poster before

was returning from his back from his supposed date with Valentino But Valentino didn't show up and forgot about their date, He is busy with Angel Dust.

When Vox was passing by a store. He stopped where he was and stepped back, This store wasn't here when he walked in this morning, But when he read the shop sign (MystiKraft) Vox realized who the shop owner was And he entered the place, Vox meets his best friend again

I feel like this is a song for them

she sing (Flying Solo) from Julie and the Phantoms

So Vox spends time with her again.

now the important thing What name should I choose for her? There are four names with their meaning of Flowers and stars

First name: Aster: Greek in origin, this uncommon name's literal meaning is 'star.' Aster flowers, which bear brightly-colored, star-shaped blooms, are the official flower of September and according to myth, are the tears of the Goddess Astraea, also known as Virgo — September's ruling constellation.

Second name Calla: comes from Greek roots, is a type of lily, and means “beautiful.” With Latin origins, this name means “starflower.” This name is inspired by the relaxing flowering herb commonly found in teas

Third name Calytrix. 'Calytrix' has a Latin origin and the meaning of the name is 'star flower'

Fourth name Ahana. This pretty Japanese name means “sky flower.” Anan. This one has Hebrew roots, too, and means “cloud” or “vapor.

I was thinking about choosing Aster or Calytrix.

What do you guys think? Which one of names suits her the most?

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel vox #hazbin vox #vox decided to move on #these two bitches decided that they suddenly want him back #all the rest is romcom but in hell #Fanfiction #au #my oc #oc #oc character #character oc #characteroc #occharacter #Vox's friend

[dorkousloris]

you know imma ramble about my old pkmn ocs since theres a possiblity that i might draw some content of them, but i also will not stop making a pkmn au with my polyship shhh once i get that game.

anyway, since i have revamped my ocs now that im geninuely older sgnsdgnsdg

rissa darrell (she/they), helga holtzer (she/her, doesn't mind all pronouns), rachel santos (they/them)

okay... now imma put a readmore bc im. they're ocs i had from waaaay back in 2013-2014???? so im just. its been a while since i talked about them and its probably long by the time i posted this sgmsdmg

Rissa Darrell, 27 years old, Bisexual, and uses she/they!

Rissa was born in Sinnoh and moves to Kalos when she was a teenager, and now travels with her wife.

Rissa is the daughter of two retired Pokemon Rangers, and growing up, she was gifted by her father, a fossil from Kalos-- who would later to be Tyrant, her little Tyrunt (that went on to be her longtime pokemon partner as a tyrantrum years later). She had beaten Kalos, Kantos and Hoenn Leagues the past decade.

Today, Rissa is traveling (or in her own words, tagging along) with Helga, her wife of two years, who is on her traveling journalist job and doesn't bother by it because it meant she get to explore with her wife and she dabbles in racing competitions with Tyrant, having been titled 'The Dino Rider' in the past. Better than being called a ex-champion, really. Still, it doesn't stop her to still try other leagues while she's there however!

Helga Hotlzer, 28 years old, Bisexual, and she/her but doesn't mind having all pronouns. She doesn't really care for gender.

Helga was born in Sinnoh, but after a awful incident that forces her family to go back to her mother's family region-- Galar. She had only beaten one league and that was Galar. It was... what makes her realized she's really not up to the type of battling through kind of challenges.

It had lead Helga to discover writing, and had became a journalist, specialized in places that had been happening in current news. It also lead her to Kalos where she was surprised to see her former childhood friend, Rissa. Let's just say, there was a lot of trying to be friends, finally talked about the incident and soon became proper friends.

But we all knew these two ended up together, and two years later, they're married.

Today, being a traveling journalist allows Helga to travel to regions, whenever she pleases as long as it is a current topic or whatever so. Sometimes, she do interview people. But the best part of her job? Her wife comes along with her and that's all Helga ever wanted.

Fun facts: - Rissa's original name is Lorissa. Yes, that is the OC who I have claimed "Lori" part of it, thanks to good people that made me realized I love that name more than ever. - There was a old design of Rissa that I actually want to carry over, that old design is now the design of Rissa's mom! - Rissa did had a crush on a boy, and had dated a few people in her past, before reuniting with Helga. Helga, on the other hand, just doesn't bother with relationships despite she does fancy people, but dating wasn't in her mind at that time.

Rachel Santos, 25 years old, they/them and nonbinary!

Rachel was born in Unova, and growing up, they were... expected by their parents. It frustrated Rachel to a point they almost run away, and as much as they had grow up in Castelia City, they did get lost. But what they discovered was... street dancing. That ignited a passion in Rachel to be a dancer. Long short story? Rachel got a title called 'Dancing Prince' which by the way, had lead them to realize they're nonbinary and finally embraced their androgynous appearance, and is actually more happier that way!

Today, Rachel had recently beaten Unova League, and Sinnoh League the past two years. Although they could've travel to any of the other regions to battle more leagues, they decided to actually travel for more dancing styles, as well as still battle whenever they want to. Because they're traveling, Rachel brought Petra-- their watchog is rather large for a watchog, and Howard, their long-time companion from the day she was born, and who stubbornly never evolved after evolving as a herdier-- which is probably why he have a everstone. He still battles for Rachel, however.

Fun Facts: - Before Anita (a oc of mine!), Rachel was my peak for oc design and for being relatable back in the day. So I guess, since now that I'm trans and nonbinary, I just. simply slaps Rachel to be trans and nonbinary because why not - Rachel is a lesbian, and they are very sweet but. Goodness, they're always on the move so relationships hadn't... come to their mind. Yet.

annnnd now that's all my ramblings of old pkmn OCs that i had revamped recently smdgMGMSDMG

#dorkous ramblings #lori speaks up #kind of #oc: rachel santos 2022 #oc: rissa darrell #oc: helga holtzer #you know the fact its been a long time and i still remember rissa's last name wtf #helgas last name? i have to LOOK UP my old docs on her msdgmsdgmsdmg #its kinda tempting to like make a rp blog again buut im old and i think its fine to just. make little silly contents for them MDGMSMDG #it does meant i should redraw that old rissa and tryrant art actually i always love that but i want to draw them in their current ages #tyrant def got nasty scars from his recent battles while rissa get to be a little more. toned bc she WAS a climber (she still does) #and helga is just her soggy smad rat former childhood but still bestie that is her wife--

[savrenim]

This is the second time I've found somebody who got into the mha fandom from Nov 5 within two days of each other, except yours is a reverse reaction XD That OP was someone who understood all the memes EXCEPT "what is a dabi and why is he touya" when Nov 5th first had Dabi trend above the election and all that happened, the rest of us were dying to know the confusion it caused to the non-mha fans and the poor twitter headline writer who had to wonder why a burnt anime boy was trending that day.

hello anon thank you for making my day other five asks below the cut bc this became a Long Post (ur right it's more.... I try to be as considerate as possible to other people on my dash so I've gotten into the habit of readmores for long posts?)

(2) So thank you for sharing your story, even in the form of an insane chunk of tags lol. Some fics updated before canon reveal actually contain crumbs of canon too just because the author goes back and edits it in, usually names since they can't change the entire fic of course. This is the case for Hawks's name, we used to call him "Takahiro Sora(ta)" after a fic first kickstarted the name. But shortened it because birb + sky. And hawk + word that sounds like "hero"

(3) In Dabi's case, it was whatever name related to spring or autumn the author could find, I've seen Haruka used once. (Because the Todoroki sibs are named after seasons, Touya and Shouto are too but vaguely and I forgot which is which.) Their tags are HUGE and I've read so many fics these past 4-5 years, I'll have to get back to you later because not only do I have so many deadlines, but also have to look through them all again 😭 Once you have canon sorted out, do u wanna hear fandom stories?

(4) You really had to go and choose the only two mha characters (Dabi and Hawks, Aizawa is fine) who caused an absolute RIOT in fandom. In so many ways, but we'll stick to one type for now. Dabi??? We been knew who he was, but it actually wasn't his backstory reveal trending that day, it was his name, which was also revealed 100 chapters ago! Just not connected to him. We got EVERYTHING wrong about his backstory, the single thing we got right was the method which was a beloved fandom dream.

(5) And even then some of the "method" caught us off guard, I won't spoil you but boy am I tempted to ramble cause these are all my favs too lol. Hawks? We got everything RIGHT. But in all the worst ways. Every crack theory we had became canon. Everything we thought about his backstory was severely understated or we were outright tricked into thinking it was something else because of how it was drawn. It does NOT help that these two aren't often written accurate and they LIE a lot. Good luck!

(6) Also I would love to know what your osmosis journey has taught you if you're willing to share, it's always funny I want to see if you fell for the same things we did or even the same things other osmosis readers fell for. It shows just how strong fanon becomes XD I could send a really long ask, but decided to send it in parts so you could hide it under a read more, since it looks like you don't like long posts. Also! I can find canon retellings, but how do you feel about canon set fic?

OKAY SO

funny story with (2) actually I have seen something like this happen in the star wars fandom, specifically with Dooku. I read several fics that referred to him as 'Yan Dooku' and there is so much spinoff material that, like, I went 'shrug even though this doesn't appear in the movies it might as well be true' bc it was in multiple fics. and then was brought up in question whether or not that Was His Actual Name and it had gotten into fandom osmosis enough that it made it onto a wiki page it took quite a while for me to convince myself that no.... no this wasn't actually Dooku's name...... canonically he only had one name...... someone had just picked it up and run with it..........

but that's so fun and funny I love it, good job fandom choosing names, that's great

I mean I Do Not Mind Spoilers, I'm already pretty spoiled for this thing and am only going to learn through fandom osmosis and love fandom stories so if you want to give me The True Story Of Trending/ Method, I would love that

also deeply amused that I picked the two most Fandom Rioting characters to love this is GREAT, I would absolutely love any set-in-canon fics mostly, like, 'alternate universe -- no quirks' doesn't interest me very much bc there's less grounding into the things that I find interesting in the setting, but otherwise p much anything goes

alright so the interesting thing with 'things I learned from osmosis' is that you need to understand that I started out this fandom reading a jjk crossover fic where My Fave Character Gojo Who Has Math Powers That Are Ridiculously Overpowered and this fic was 'Gojo Is Reincarnated As Dabi He Keeps His JJK Powers And Just Gets Dabi's Too And Decides Instead Of Being Responsible For The Whole World He'd Rather Just Fuck Around And Have Fun And Kind Of Accidentally Gets Labelled As A Supervillain For This And Doesn't Care And Is Also Adopting Half Of Class 1-A Bc The Teacher Instinct Never Goes Away' but it means that a whole bunch of things that were from the initial osmosis were like.... me knowing the character Gojo and assuming things were him and not BNHA; it took my a few chapters to figure out that Dabi was actually a character and not just the hero/villain name that they decided to give Gojo throwing him into the universe (and also that all the other characters who appeared were actual characters and not OCs)

but anyways some fun weird osmosis things

I at first thought that everywhere having star wars names was 100% just Gojo having fun naming places. the star wars names have come up enough that I'm pretty sure everywhere does have star wars names. this is so weird to me. like I guess if it's set on earth that's a historical reference not copyright infringement but W I L D

I've gotten used to gay canon pairings in a few things and I did legit think Aizawa and Present Mic were married for a little while. I think that's just a popular ship now but a person can dream

given other ridiculous parentage reveals (mostly Dabi) there are a number of fics where All For One is Izuku's father. I am now, like..... 65% convinced this is a fan theory but am leaving a 35% convinced this is canon

I figured out really quickly that Hawks/Dabi is a popular ship, which, like, good for them it's fun with their backstories but then exactly bc of the backstories and the ship, 100% assumed that 'Hawks goes undercover to try to infiltrate the League of Villains' was a contrived reason for them to interact. at this point I'm 95% sure that no that's an actual canon arc not just a fanfic thing

on the opposite end of the spectrum I am fairly sure that Dabi is not the lead singer of a mcr-style emo/punk/rock band but boy did y'all have me going for that one a lot

cannot tell how much the League of Villains are Misunderstood Poor Little Meow Meows who just want to Change Hero Society and Unfortunately Are Somewhat Willing To Murder To Get There and how much they are murdering psychopaths I think it's the latter but it's funny how many fics they seem a lot more willing to be chill in

also having a hard time telling who is currently dead or not as well as whether canon had a Nomu apocalypse arc and canon itself is now in some horrible everyone-barely-surviving setup or if things are more chill there but I hope y'all are having a good time wherever you are

those are most of the ones that I can think of, the rest of the osmosis has mostly been me picking up what the main events of the first few arcs are, general things about how quirks work, I'm fairly certain the reveal that One For All kills you/ages you at an accelerated rate came late enough bc there are a number of fics that are 'Izuku actually has a quirk!' that does not touch that angst at all but yeah out here having a good time mostly

#my life #bnha

[normal-looking-male]

am i allowed to ask what the deal is with hunter? i don’t mean to be rude im genuinely curious and remember little to nothing about s2 :0

GREAT QUESTION. I'm gonna avoid tagging this as anything Owl House-related at all, but if somebow a fan of Hunter sees this: Scroll past. You're not gonna like this post. (This is written spontaneously and without any reviewing or editing, so if I stop making sense at a certain point, R.I.P. to me, I guess.)

:readmore:

So, in his first appearances as the Golden Guard, he was pretty much just a snarky extension of Belos. A little shit causing trouble for the protagonists, threatening them and clearly revelling in his deeds.

And then the mask came off, and Dana mentioning that he's one of her favourites became glaringly obvious. Suddenly, this guy whose whole thing was that he was unquestioningly loyal and obedient to Evil White Man McGee, and as just another antagonist, he was great! But then suddenly he was this poor innocent little guy that just wanted to impress his uncle. Adorable, but this awkward uwu little guy was a bit of a tone shift. Where was all this timidity and morals when he was all for dropping best titan, my boy King, to his death?

It's just. So glaringly obvious Dana wanted to pull a Zuko, but Zuko was there from Book One of Avatar, and we could actually see him be an impatient and traumatised teenager, we saw his tragedy before we saw his cruelty. In fact, we are made aware early on that the reason he's on this quest in the first place was because his "crime" was not wanting people to die. We didn't get that with Hunter. We are just informed that he was led to believe what's right and what's wrong by Belos. But unless I missed something, he's most definitely been revelling in the damage he did on his own, without Belos there to tell him "now threaten their dog", or something.

Hunter could see the destruction that was caused by the Emperor's coven, and had an olive branch extended to him one after another by pretty much everyone else in the cast, but none of Belos' actions or the damage they did mattered to him until he found out he's a Grimwalker. He didn't absolutely obey Belos anymore, and would hide Flapjack from him and whatnot, but he was still loyal, and would excuse every horrible thing Witch Hitler ever did, until it affected him personally.

And that was probably the nail in the coffin for me. He only started to team up with the good guys proper after he found out he was just Belos' attempt at resurrecting Caleb. He only cared about the damage Belos has done and will do when he was the victim for a change. Kinda like every other teenage cis white boy that realised Nazism Is Bad, Actually, only when it affected him in a negative way. But, because he made some sad noises and was an awkward dorky uwu bean, the fandom latched onto him. Mostly it was the straight women that saw another angsty Varian-Kylo Ren-Hordak-(HORRIBLY MISINTERPRETED) Zuko-Some other villains whose names I can't be bothered to remember kind of guy, who was blatantly antagonistic and violent, clearly took pleasure or pride in his evil deeds, and had some vUlNeRaBlE sCeNeS, and then did a heel turn at the last possible second. Usually because, again, now that he felt he didn't wanna be a mass murderer anymore, he was now gonna be a good guy, everyone else be damned.

Of course the second his mask came off he was shipped with Luz and Amity (even though Amity is a lesbian, but hey, when has canon ever mattered to that part of the Owl House fandom), of course when that stopped working, he was shipped with Willow. And, here's the fun part, it's not because they work together. It's just shipping for the sake of shipping, just so that their special little blorbo can be shoved into dicussions about characters other than him, and most likely in part just the straight women using Willow as a vessel for projection, because they wanna kiss the angsty white boy, and Willow's more of a self-insert in that scenario. If Amity wasn't confirmed lesbian, I guarantee she'd be shipped with him way more, because the majority of the straight women that would eat the dirt off of Hunter's shoes are... Drumroll... Crackers themselves. Amity would just easier to project onto for them.

The recent episode isn't helping. Even in the conversation at the start that Hunter has with Luz, the second she mentions her worries and struggles, of course he makes it about himself. I shouldn't have been surprised at the audacity, given how self-centered his worldview is, but I just. I can't. I can't overlook that just because he got excited about wolves, or because Flapjack had to sacrifice himself to save his sorry ass, or because other characters just inexplicably care for the guy that would have probably executed them himself, if the Grimwalker part never became apparent to him.

The crew was robbed of a proper third season, we did not get everything Dana had planned for him, and me typing up this whole post is kinda hypocritical, given that the reason I don't even engage with the community anymore is because of the Hunter oversatutation. There's better characters to focus on. I'm just so damn tired of seeing him as a "parallel to Amity", or "sibling to Luz", or "crushing on Willow", or "adopted by Eda", I've genuinely had enough of this guy. He did not have an actual redemption arc. He just abruptly switched to being intended as sympathetic to the audience, because he's Dana's favourite, and the majority or the audience gobbled it up. My general distaste for angsty dickheads becoming The Fandom's Faves is also probably not helping with my growing disdain for his character, and what he represents in fandoms overall.

There's three potential fixes that could have been for him.

Disney not being jerks, and letting us have the full story. Maybe in that alternate timeline where Hunter actually had all his development, grew past what Belos drilled into his head, and actually at least properly apologised to the ones he hurt and betrayed (no, him kneeling before Camila is not cute, it's a sign the guy still thinks he has to serve someone, and no, Luz, he is not family, he triED TO KILL YOUR ACTUAL FOUND FAMILY ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, ARE YOU INSANE-), I could actually move past my own dislike of him, and at least be neutral about his presence in the show.

Dana making up her mind about him either being a little shit or Just A Little Guy..., and also him actually willingly wanting to leave the Emperor's Coven for the sake of anyone besides himself. She had to just. Make him not selfish, it is not that hard. Make him actually compassionate and caring instead of other characters saying he is, and making him go 🥺🥺🥺 at that. It would change the order of certain events, but would at least work with the rest of the plot.

Keep him a bad guy without the uwu bean part, or just cut him out entirely. You'd have to rewrite the way the story progresses quite a lot, but that wouldn't be too big of a loss.

Also, I tend to half-jokingly headcanon characters as LGBTA+ even though canon would kinda go against that, but he's the exception. Like, not even from a "historical accuracy" standpoint. I can see, for example, Brendan from Secret Of Kells as transmasc. Ninth century my ass, the entire Abbey of Kells is Welcoming And Accepting[tm], and nothing gives me reason to believe any of the inhabitants would have been dicks about it. Meanwhile Belos canonically wants to wipe out witches in a very brutal way, most likely because he's still salty that Caleb boinked one, and is one of the most inarguably evil villains in recent kids' (well, teens seem to be more like the target audience, but y'know) media. If his bro 2.0 exhibited any signs of not being a cishet, he'd be dumped into that one cave where the previous Golden Guards got thrown out, and then patched to be cishet in the next update.

#if you're reading this remember to eat every four hours + stay hydrated + take breaks + take your meds + charge your electronics #treat yourself and have fun 'n' stuff

[samrriegel]

As creators, it’s important that we strive to create a positive relationship between our content and community while still retaining our rights. With this in mind, we’d like to share our new content policy covering how you can use our IP.

(you can click the link embedded above or click the readmore. there is a lot of text!)

Everyone at Critical Role is extremely honored and humbled by the interest our incredible community has shown in the stories that we tell, the shows that we produce, and our company in general. We think it’s pretty amazing that our fans want to create artwork, websites, and other works (“Projects”) based on our intellectual property (“IP”). Our IP includes any unique material our team creates — things like the names of our campaigns (for example, Vox Machina and Mighty Nein), our characters (for example, Grog Strongjaw or Beauregard Lionett), story locations (like Whitestone or Nicodranas), company slogans (such as How Do You Want to Do This?), as well as written content and all related artwork, music, etc. We are generally cool with Projects that follow the rules outlined below, but we reserve the right to remove Projects that, in our view, misrepresent these rules or use our IP inappropriately. We want our fans to continue celebrating our world and sharing their talents with the community, but for Critical Role (“CR”) to exist as a company, our legal advisors have suggested we establish some ground rules for how our IP can be used!

1. What can I develop with Critical Role’s intellectual property (“IP”)?

Free stuff for the community to view, with some exceptions. Critical Role allows you to use, display and create derivative works based upon Critical Role’s IP, strictly for noncommercial (except as specifically provided below) community use. CR reserves the right to use our sole discretion to deny anyone the use of our IP at any time, for any reason or no reason. If we deny you the right to use our IP, you must stop developing, publishing, or distributing your Project immediately.

In all cases, the use of our IP with your Projects must be appropriate for our Critter Community. Projects cannot be defamatory, offensive (including but not limited to anything transphobic, sexist, homophobic, racist, ableist, ageist), or harmful to others (as determined solely by CR).

2. Can I create a project that is commercial in nature?

You may not create commercial Projects, including any Project that (without a written license agreement from us):

i) crowdsources any portion of its funding; ii) involves a business or legal entity; iii) gates the content with a paywall (e.g., Patreon, YouTube Premium, etc.), unless it is also legitimately available elsewhere for free; or iv) involves the sale of merchandise utilizing CR IP

We prohibit the use of our IP in interactive games, apps, and downloads. Please do not take any part of our IP (e.g., character appearance, character abilities, maps, icons, items, etc.) and use it in a game or app for other than your own private, noncommercial use. We do not allow any Projects utilizing our IP to appear in any app stores, including the Apple Store or Google Play, unless they have a written license agreement from us.

No monetized novels, theatricals or the like. You are not permitted to write, produce or create any novels, theatrical productions or other adaptations that include CR’s intellectual property without our express written permission.

Fan fiction is generally permitted (and enjoyed!) by CR, as long as the content is not monetized and otherwise follows the guidelines of this policy.

You are not permitted to manufacture, promote, or distribute (for free or otherwise) any merchandise (such as apparel, game pieces, accessories, etc.) that bear any CR IP without a separate, express written agreement between you and Critical Role.

Critical Role, on occasion, collaborates with and licenses third parties for the creation and distribution of Official CR Merchandise. These agreements are separate from this CR Fan Content Policy.

3. What about passive ad revenue?

This is one of those exceptions we mentioned earlier. We permit fans to promote their Projects on websites, streams, or videos and passively generate revenue through appropriate advertisements, including pre-roll ads, ad breaks, and sponsor ad overlays. No inappropriate direct ads or sponsorships—we alone decide what qualifies as inappropriate, but if you won’t see it on Critical Role, it is probably not appropriate.

We permit individual fans to solicit personal donations or offer subscription-based content while livestreaming, so long as non-subscribers can still watch the live stream concurrently. In other words, you may have your Project behind a paywall, so long as the Project is legitimately also available for free in some other way.

Your use of CR Content must be transformative in nature. You cannot simply re-upload our content. Examples of potential transformative works include:

Animatics

Compilation videos

Remix edits

Added commentary

Music/ music videos

Cosplay content

Art / draw alongs

GIFs / memes

React videos

For longform CR content: Originally 2 hours or more in length (e.g., Critical Role, Exandria Unlimited, and One-Shots)

CR allows your passive monetization of under 10 minutes of content usage per episode

CR may claim monetization or execute an automatic takedown for over 10 minutes of content usage per episode

For medium-length CR content: Originally between 1-2 hours in length (e.g., Between the Sheets, Narrative Telephone)

CR allows your passive monetization for under 5 minutes of content usage per episode

CR may claim monetization or execute an automatic takedown for over 5 minutes of content usage per episode

For short CR content: Under 60 minutes (e.g., Handbooker Helper, All Work No Play)

CR may claim monetization or execute an automatic takedown, which includes any “clips” or “memes”

4. Can my Project make reference to Critical Role?

We’d love that! Just make sure that your Project follows the other guidelines in this policy and clearly let people know it is a fan Project and not an official CR Project. That is, you are not permitted to state or imply that your Projects are affiliated with, sponsored, or approved by Critical Role. You may not create a Project in a manner that could cause other Critters to believe that it is an official CR work. If you share your Project with others, please conspicuously include the following disclaimer (e.g., on your Project’s website):

Portions of the materials used may contain trademarks and/or copyrighted works of Critical Role. This material is not official, is provided for free, noncommercial entertainment purposes only, and is not endorsed by Critical Role.

5. Can I create CR-related video content before the content is available on Critical Role’s YouTube channel?

No. Please be considerate. So it’s clear, any posting or other unauthorized disclosure of CR-created content prior to its official release on YouTube (or an authorized media-sharing platform) is strictly prohibited. In regards to spoilers, even after an episode’s release, spoilers can ruin a fan’s experience and we always aim to avoid them. Please be respectful of others and do not deliberately push plot reveals on people who are actively avoiding learning about them. If you are releasing fan content after its official release on the CR YouTube channels, we ask that you please offer spoiler disclaimers (or appropriate hashtags) as a courtesy.

6. What about CR fan art that’s shared publicly during or after a livestreamed RPG broadcast and before the VOD is available on YouTube?

Boy, we love ourselves some amazing Critter fan art. We also want to ensure that artists are taking every precaution not to spoil an episode before its official release on the CR YouTube channel. Please ensure that your artwork is not audiovisual in nature and follows the guidelines set forth in this policy. Again as a general courtesy, please include spoiler disclaimers (or appropriate hashtags) whenever possible.

7. Is all content in a Critical Role video available for use?

No. Certain CR videos contain music or other content that Critical Role doesn’t own. Critical Role, at times, enters into licenses with 3rd party content providers to enhance CR videos for viewing. Since CR cannot grant you a license to use someone else’s content, you’ll need to get permission from the copyright owner(s) before using their content. If you include non-Critical Role music or other content in your video, do so at your own risk. Your video could be subject to filtering or takedown notices by the owner of the copyright in the original work.

8. Can I use Critical Role’s Logos or Trademarks?

Generally, no, and only in limited instances. Use of Critical Role’s brands, logos, character names, actor names, actor and character likenesses and other IP are only to be used in connection with the discussion of Critical Role works, Official Products and non-commercial Projects in compliance with this Policy. Critical Role expressly prohibits uses of its Trademarks to promote your business or merchandise. You may not register domain names, social media accounts, or similar stuff that uses any of our trademarks, trade names, character names, etc. without expressed written consent.

You definitely may not use any CR trademarks as keywords, titles, or search tags for products that are infringing or counterfeit.

9. Can Critical Role use my Project?

Yes. We want fans to create and share cool things with each other, and we want to remove barriers to sharing. Because you are using Critical Role IP, if we celebrate or spotlight a fan Project, or make something that somehow resembles a fan Project, by posting it publicly you give Critical Role permission to spotlight or share your Project with the world. By using Critical Role IP in the creation of your Project you give CR authorization to share your Project in any way at our sole discretion. Critical Role will always attempt to contact artists in these instances and/or provide proper artist credit whenever possible.

10. What if my Project is not covered here?

If your creative efforts are not covered by this Policy, you’ll need our prior, written approval before you put it out in the world. If you have any questions or creative content you want to make that isn’t covered by this Policy, contact us by sending us an email to [email protected]. Written approval is required for Projects that are outside of the scope of this policy.

If you don’t hear from us, it does not mean we approve of your requested use of our IP.

11. Anything else?

Yes. Critical Role reserves the right to change this Policy at any time with no notice whatsoever, but we’ll do our best to communicate any changes widely as soon as we can in the interest of remaining transparent with you.

Please note that we are constantly developing new content and creating new IP that will fall under these guidelines.

Thank you so much for your attention to this policy. Our main goal is to ensure that the Critical Role community remains creative and vibrant as it’s always been. Our content policy will protect what we own today for the long haul so that we can continue to create magic for all of you for many years to come. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to us at [email protected] or via critrole.com/contact.

#critical role #important #long post #content policy

[ghosttrolls]

My Ghost, My Son

After taking literally forever to write this, it’s done!!  A few people have asked me to tag them when I finished it so here @horrendoushag @narwhalsarefalling @amabsis @imdeadtiredtm 

This is posted to AO3 and FFN! I’ll post the first part here under a readmore but please follow the links to read the full thing! Thank you 

One

Maddie thought he looked so familiar. 

She hunted ghosts for a living, her inventions paying for her work - her and her husband Jack’s work - and she made a point of keeping her town safe. Jack was never the best at it, but that was okay. For you to love someone, they don’t have to be good at anything except loving you back. Loving meant working together, to her. And so they worked together. They were the Fentons, after all.

There’d been this ghost that they’d been hunting - Jack called him the “Ghost Kid” - just a young boy, with white hair and a black jumpsuit. When he got angry, his eyes flashed green, and you knew you were in for trouble. He’d caused so much damage and distress over fights he’d pick with other, always larger ghosts. Maddie and Jack had both assessed it as just petty ghost squabbles. The kid was very argumentative. Jack wanted to study the ghost, take it apart. Maddie wasn’t sure exactly why. She meant to ask, but didn’t want to know.

The thing about ghosts is that no matter how much time passes, they don’t age the same way that humans do. Most of the ghosts they’d come across that appeared to be children had crossed over decades ago, sometimes longer. And they were stronger for it. Any ghost was a threat. Too many times, they’d let their guard down around a child ghost, and came away sorry.

But in this moment, Maddie questioned their assessment of the Ghost Boy for the first time. Maddie had responded to a ghost fight - the ecto-signatures were off the charts, the little screens beeping nonstop. A ghost that called himself Plasmius had started a battle with the Ghost Boy, or maybe it was the other way around. They were yelling at each other in front of the Nasty Burger restaurant, throwing punches and mostly just arguing, with more than a little showing off. Maddie got out of the car, watching the battle, waiting for a moment to act. It seemed like a fistfight now, but at any moment it could escalate... And just like that, almost on cue, Plasmius shot an ecto-blast at the Ghost Boy - and missed. The shot continued on, hitting the Fenton family car, and bouncing off, heading right towards Maddie. 

In a split second, Maddie heard the Ghost Boy yell “NO!!” and suddenly, there he was, in front of her. She watched the blast head towards him. She watched him throw his hands into the air, trying to cover as much as possible. His head was twisted towards her to make sure she was alright as he fell, and a realization struck her. His face up close was so familiar... 

The Ghost Boy hit the ground, groaning. “Plasmius, you idiot!” shouted the kid, voice strained by pain and anger. He was curled up - it was safe to bet he was hit somewhere in the stomach. Shocked, Maddie stood there, unsure of what to do. If this were a normal human kid, she’d know how to act - she was properly certified in the appropriate emergency procedures. But she’d never thought to help an injured ghost before. 

She looked up to the sky, to see what the ghost Plasmius was doing. But she couldn’t see him anywhere. “What a jerk,” she mumbled. Shooting and running.

“Coward, more like it,” groaned the Ghost Boy. He coughed. “Hope you’re okay.” She nodded, searching for words. Before she could say anything, he said, “Bye,” and with that, he phased into the ground, disappearing.

Maddie stood there, wondering how to process this. It all happened so fast. She got in the car, ready to head back to the house. Jack was still at home. They’d already started making dinner and it couldn’t go unsupervised, so he’d stayed behind. She wondered if she should even tell him what happened. 

Maddie walked through her front door, opening directly into the living room. Against the far wall was the couch, which her son Danny was lying on, holding his stomach. He was facing the wall, back to Maddie. In the kitchen, she heard Jack and their daughter Jazz laughing about something. 

Maddie went and knelt next to the couch, trying to examine Danny. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Got hit in the stomach,” he said, strained.

“You got into another fight at school? How many times-”

“I wasn’t fighting any kids!” interrupted Danny, rolling over to face Maddie. His face was full of anger, with a sharp glint in his eyes. They reminded Maddie of someone… 

Danny sighed. “It was a stupid move, but I jumped in front of someone else that was going to get hurt.” Maddie was surprised - her son was angry, everyone knew that, and he got into fights often. But she’d never heard of him breaking one up before. “I couldn’t stand to see… someone else get hurt,” he said. He rolled back over. 

“Well… I suppose that’s okay, then.” She leaned forward and kissed the back of his head. “Don’t tell your father.” She got up to get him an ice pack.

After dinner she and Jack were cleaning up, alone in the kitchen. Lost in thought, she scrubbed a plate in the sink, for a little too long. “He reminds me of Danny…” she said, quietly. The anger, the short fuse - but actions that show a good heart, deep inside. She looked up at Jack, who hadn't heard her. 

Maddie thought of the ice pack she’d given her son. She thought about the ghost who'd helped her that night, and how he would most likely be alone in recovering. Why would he risk himself like that for her? After all, she'd spent months already hunting the ghost. Why would he protect her after fighting for so long? She wondered if he was playing some kind of game. 

She realized the risk must have been huge, for him. She'd only ever seen him alone, fighting someone or some ghost. Never with anyone else. 

“Do you think he has parents?” she asked. Jack looked up from packaging leftovers. “The ghost boy, I mean.”

Jack spoke without thinking, screwing a lid onto some Tupperware. “No, he's a ghost, of course not.” But as Maddie continued to scrub, he pondered the question a little longer. Maddie wondered what he was thinking - of course his initial reaction was no, he'd been hunting this ghost alongside her. But after a moment of pause… “I guess I’ve never really thought about a question like that before,” he said. “Maybe… but he's a ghost that wrecks havoc, Maddie! Why would that even matter?” 

“I don't know,” she said. “I guess… sometimes, there's moments when he reminds me of Danny. The way his eyes get so angry. But there's kindness, too…” she trailed off. “Does he have parents to go home to when he's hurt? Is there anyone caring for him, at all?” She kept imagining that ghost, alone, floating around the Ghost Zone… healing from his fights on his own. 

Jack put down the Tupperware. “What happened at the ghost fight tonight? You said it was routine,” he said, and then sighed. “But, I guess… no ghost is ‘routine,’ is it?” He sat back down at the table, looking at his wife expectantly. “Tell me.” 

Maddie didn't turn away from her dishes. “It's just -- he saved me, Jack. Plasmius shot at me with a blast, and the Ghost Boy just jumped in front of me without thinking. He took the hit. I worry that he's alone out there… but why did he do it, Jack? What could he possibly gain from all this?” Maddie dropped her sponge and plate into the sink with a splash. “Why am I here scrubbing dishes instead of investigating?”

“And why didn't you tell me sooner?” asked Jack with a pointed eyebrow. “Listen, honey, maybe it doesn't mean anything…”

“That just doesn't feel like the right answer, though,” sighed Maddie, sitting at the table across from her husband. She rested her face in her palms. “Maybe there isn't a right answer. But I want to learn the truth. We've never bothered to learn about the Ghost Boy as a person, really. Who is he? Why does he fight all these ghosts anyway? Where does he go to rest at night?”

“That's a lot of questions,” said Jack. “We can't answer all of them right away.” He paused, thinking. Maddie knew he'd be resistant to research like this. “But we can take some time to study… see what he's really about.” It was a middle ground argument, on unsure footing. But she decided she’d take it. 

“Great,” said Maddie. “Let's start tomorrow night.”

#ghostly posts #my writing #danny phantom #fanfic #phanfic #danny fenton #maddie fenton #jack fenton #jazz fenton #vlad masters #vlad plasmius

[destieltropecollection]

Destiel Trope Collection 2021 | Day 3: Angst with a Happy Ending

39 fics under the readmore

Conditional Miracle | @vampamber

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 1,551 Main Tags/Warnings: season 12 finale, in-canon temporary character death, love confession Summary: Chuck can bring Castiel back to life, but only on one condition: Dean has to tell Castiel how he feels about him. Not that "You're family, Cas" stuff, but how Dean actually feels. A coda for s12e23 "All Along the Watchtower" (a bit late, but better late than never)

Sharp edges | @chaoticdean

Rating: General Word Count: 1,638 Main Tags/Warnings: Major Character Death, (although he does come back at the very end), Temporary Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Hurt, Angst with a Happy Ending, Letters, Five Stages of Grief, post spn 15x18spn coda, Post-Episode: s15e18 Despair, written several months before the actual episode Summary: Castiel told him he loved him right before getting swallowed up by the Empty. Sam told him to talk, but words won’t come out, and really, how is he supposed to tell anyone how it feels to lose everything? So he writes. Letters on napkins, motel notepads, paperback books. He writes as he goes through every steps of grief, until finally there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

What the Water Gave Him | @mattzerella-sticks

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 1,794 Main Tags/Warnings: Post-Canon, Implied/Reference Character Death, Sam Finds Out Summary: It was over. Chuck lost, Sam and Dean can live their lives how they want them. But their victory wasn't without losses. The biggest upset nearly taking Dean out of the game, happening so close to the final battle. Now he's on the other side, alive against all odds, but Sam knows he isn't happy. Not truly happy since the Empty stole his best friend. But there's a chance they can save him. A slim chance. A risk that Dean's willing to take despite every logical nerve in Sam's body screaming at him to look for better options. That threading a needle this small is too dangerous. That they don't have to take on another big bad, not anymore. That they don't have to risk their lives anymore. Dean is far past the point of listening. Dead set on this mission, Sam can only watch. And pray his brother proves him wrong.

A Classic Fear Of Rejection | @vampamber

Rating: General Word Count: 1,841 Main Tags/Warnings: pining, anxious Cas, Dean has self worth issues, love confession Summary: Castiel has been in love with Dean for almost ten years now. Ever since he'd raised the Righteous Man from perdition, actually. But Dean appears to be straight, so the angel just pined for him instead, fearing rejection. At Sam's insistence, Castiel finally admits his feelings, and it turns out that the angel may have been wrong about the elder Winchester's orientation.

The Things You Almost Say (But Never Do) | @wingsdestiel

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 1,967 Main Tags/Warnings: Light Angst, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonverse, Season 11 Summary: Team Free Will hasn't been much of a team lately, and Castiel wishes that Dean would stop avoiding everything.

Forget Me Not | @imbiowaresbitch

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,932 Main Tags/Warnings: top Castiel/bottom Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Car Accidents, Hospitals, Amnesia, Temporary Amnesia, Therapy, Makeup Sex, Marriage Proposal, Married Castiel/Dean Winchester, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary: A tragic accident during an argument leaves Cas with a head injury and amnesia, but Dean is determined to stay by his husband's side, even when the memories that return are painful. Can they move past the memories?

Forgetting Your Blues | @amirosebooks

Rating: Mature Word Count: 3,440 Main Tags/Warnings: Season 12 finale fix-it, amnesia, temporary main character death, fluff and angst, getting together, openly bisexual Dean Winchester Summary: Dean Jones doesn't know his real name. He woke up on a public park bench a few months back with an empty wallet and a driver's license listing the name Dean Jones with his picture. The name doesn't feel right on his tongue, but he doesn't remember what part is wrong. The cop who found him in the park got Dean a job in a local diner. The diner feels comfortable to Dean. He understands the rhythm of the place, the ebb and flow of the people and food, even if he's clearly never carried a tray of hot plates in his life. He settles into his new life. He makes new friends. He takes beautiful women and men and people to his bed for comfort on long nights. He has nightmares about blood covering his hands. Who is he? Why has no one come looking for him? What has he done? Why did he fall apart when he saw a guy wearing a tan trenchcoat?

I NEED YOU | @cooloddball

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,675 Main Tags/Warnings: Angst with a Happy Ending, Smut, Making up Summary: Sam is so done with Dean and Cas' bullshit. Time to get some things sorted out.

Even if the sky gets rough | @notfunnydean

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 5,360 Main Tags/Warnings: Fuck Or Die, cursed!Dean, dubcon, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, First Kiss, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings Summary: Dean can’t believe he got cursed again. Only this time it’s a lot worse, because if he can’t find someone to fuck him… well, he dies.

spes alit et falit. | @celestialsilhouette

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 5,524 Main Tags/Warnings: djinn fic, angst with a happy ending, first time Summary: ~hope sustains and deceives~ Dean wakes up with a gasp. He shoots up in his bed, panting, heart pounding, and wide awake. He grips the sheets in his hands tightly and swivels his head to look around the room, making a half-aborted movement to reach under the pillows for the gun he knows always lies there, the smooth metal familiar and comforting. He doesn’t recognize where he is.

Don't Call Me Demon | @angzlicas

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 6,432 Main Tags/Warnings: Demon!Dean, MOC!Dean, Human Castiel, Angst with a Happy Ending, Smut, Canon Compliant, Top!Dean, Bottom!Cas Summary: Dean’s shouting at this point, his eyes pure black again, and Castiel can feel the anger and panic tainting the room. It’s charged with emotion, even though most demons are incapable of feeling anything other than hatred and malice. It feels like fear. Or the one where Cas wants to take the mark from Dean

Life in prison | @notfunnydean

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 7,084 Main Tags/Warnings: Hurt Dean Winchester, Dean had to steal food to eat, Dean had sex for money in this, Thief Dean Winchester, almost murderer Castiel, Semi-Public Sex, implied bottom dean Winchester, Non-Penetrative Sex, Soft Dean Winchester, almost rape (non Destiel), Angst with a Happy Ending, First Kiss, First Time, Alternate Universe - PrisonPrisonAlternate Universe, Prison Sex Summary: When Dean gets arrested for stealing food, he has to face prison at 21. He is scared and his cellmate seems a bit harsh too. Will he warm up to him eventually? Or could he even fall in love with a prisoner?

Four of Swords | @mattzerella-sticks

Rating: No Rating Word Count: 7,127 Main Tags/Warnings: Post-Canon, Human Cas, Baths, Dean Winchester has Self-Worth Issues, Castiel Takes Care of Dean Summary: The Four of Swords, in the present position, means you don't want to interact with the rest of the world. Because of stress, you need to spend some time with yourself - unhealthy always being 'on'. That the healthiest thing to do is to escape. Dean might crave escape, but it's not something he thinks he can have. Something he deserves, even. After his and Sam's most recent hunt, this cancerous feeling has grown heavy and weighs him down. He cannot escape on his own, as best he tries. Luckily a guardian 'former angel' angel swoops in at his lowest. Helps pick up the pieces as best he can and lovingly put them back together. But he can only do so much. The rest is up to Dean. Can Dean take those final steps, say those final words, and finally free himself?

Free To Be Us | @imbiowaresbitch

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 8,011 Main Tags/Warnings: Omega Castiel/Alpha Dean Winchester, Explicit Sexual Content, Anal Sex, Switching, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Claiming Bites, Semi-Public Sex, Kidnapping, emancipation, broken bonds, Suicide attempt mentioned, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Dystopia Summary: In a Dystopian world, Alphas and Omegas are rare. So rare that they meet only at semi-annual, semi-corrupt conventions organized by Betas, all for the purpose of breeding. Dean is one such Alpha, prized more for his seed than for himself, and untouched. Raised to value the system, he's about to have his world turned upside down, and it all starts with a decadent scent.

Not Here for Me | @mattzerella-sticks

Rating: Teen & Up Word Count: 8,113 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Humans, Alternate Universe - 2000s, Gay Bars, Closeted Dean Winchester, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, references to Dean's bad childhood Summary: If he had the choice, Dean never would have stepped foot inside this place. But Sam was curious - and curious is a hell of a lot better than the depression that clung to him day after day since Jess left him. So Dean swallows his pride, joins Sam as his babysitter. So he won't get find himself in any trouble. Trouble, however, is more likely to find Dean. In the bowels of his personal hell, can Dean resist temptations that have plagued him his entire life? Or will someone descend and lend a hand, showing Dean that the darkness he imagined only lived inside his own mind. And all that he feared was not as he seemed if he let himself step out of the shadows of his past.

Bearing A Heart | @lockandk3yfiction

Rating: Mature Word Count: 9,421 Main Tags/Warnings: Female Castiel (Supernatural); Castiel in a Female Vessel (Supernatural); Genderbending; Pregnant Castiel (Supernatural); Possessive Castiel (Supernatural); Miscommunication; Running Away; Death Threats; Angst with a Happy Ending; Abundant Mention of Death pertaining to an unborn child Summary: Castiel believes she is becoming more human in the way that she sleeps and eats. It’s a repercussion of falling after all. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s what she gives up to maintain her relationships with the people that she cares about. But what if she shared more than a “last night on Earth” with Dean Winchester? When Castiel learns that she is bearing the heart of another living being, the angel decides to do all in her power to protect her child.

Take Your Human Charge To Work Day (WIP) | @pointyearedelvishprincling

Rating: Mature Word Count: 11,222 Main Tags/Warnings: mutual pining, fluff and smut, case fic, top!castiel/bottom dean winchester, canon typical violence, angst with a happy ending, love confession, castiel dream walking, memory alteration, Summary: Written in third person with alternating POV of Dean & Cas. Something's changed between Dean and Castiel. Dean asks Cas to take him along wherever it is the angel goes when he's not around the Winchesters. He's curious, that's all. No feelings involved. It'll be fun. Dean's ready for Cas to take the wheel on their adventure, but turns out some feelings aren't so easy to repress when it's just the two of you. Cas needs some time alone. It's a heavy burden hearing Dean's longing like a constant prayer while Cas is trying to resist his own feelings. Now he's stuck in LA on a case that could have taken him minutes to solve, and Dean is very distracting. Why is it they can only let their guards down when faced with losing the other?

Scentless | @destielshipper4cas

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 11,416 Main Tags/Warnings: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse, Getting Together, Alpha Dean, Omega Cas Summary: Cas lost his mate and his scent a year ago when his scent gland was burned in order to brand him as a barren omega. Ever since then, he has been trying to pass as a beta, hiding his mutilated scent gland under the collar of his shirts. This works pretty well for him, until he meets alpha Dean Winchester, who turns his life upside down.

Mated (WIP) | @destielshipper4cas

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 14,721 Main Tags/Warnings: Falling in Love, Strangers to Lovers, Internalized Homophobia, Dean in Denial about Sexuality, Alpha Cas, Alpha Dean, Bottom Cas, Top Dean Summary: Of course, if Dean had known that it was possible for an alpha to mate another alpha, he would never have let himself get carried away and bitten the hot alpha’s mating gland in the throes of passion. It wasn’t like he was into alphas, after all… Right? Having accidentally mated the most awesome alpha, he might have to rethink some things about himself as he gets to know his mate and starts falling for him.

Scented | @destielshipper4cas

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 19,298 Main Tags/Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse, Mpreg, Alpha Dean, Omega Cas, Top Dean, Bottom Cas Summary: Cas could not believe that a sweet and sexy alpha like Dean was interested in him—burned and barren omega, social outcast with an abusive ex-mate. To make their new relationship work, they have to figure out how to deal with Cas’ insecurities, society’s prejudices, and a surprise here and there along the way…

Tacoma | @ellis-park

Rating: Mature Word Count: 20,055 Main Tags/Warnings: Canon divergent, season 15 breakup, angst with a happy ending Summary: After an explosive fight, Castiel leaves the bunker and Dean decides to let him go. As Cas ventures halfway across the country on a journey to find himself, Dean reevaluates what he needs from life. And what he needs is Cas.

I Will Hang My Head Low | @andimeantittosting

Rating: Mature Word Count: 22,403 Main Tags/Warnings: Fairytale/Folklore AU, Sick Cas, Temporary MCD, Grief/Mourning, Boy King!Sam Summary: Dean Winchester gave up hunting when his brother became the prophesied Boy King of Hell. Now he ekes out a meager living, chopping wood for a nearby village, until one snowy night, he follows what appears to be a falling star, and encounters an injured angel. Afterwards, he tries to put the strange night from his mind. When he meets Castiel, a mysterious man with healing powers, they form an instant connection, and the more Dean learns of Castiel's powers—to heal, to protect, to purify—the more he begins to hope that Sam can be saved. But as they prepare to save Sam, Castiel grows sick, and then sicker still. Too late, Dean learns how much Castiel is willing to sacrifice for him. Inspired by the Decemberists' Crane Wife and the Japanese myth on which it is based.

The Awakening | Eggplant47 (A03)

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 39,144 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe--Human, past child abuse (not explicit), past rape (not explicit), past child sexual abuse (just mentioned), Drug Use, Drunk Driving, Prostitution (past), Infidelity (not between Dean and Cas), Switching Summary: Dean Winchester had always lived on the surface of life, but a bump on the head and his young, blue-eyed brother-in-law are about to push him into the deep.

Lost Together | @imbiowaresbitch

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 40,551 Main Tags/Warnings: Castiel/Lucifer (Supernatural), bottom Castiel/top Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Witch Castiel (Supernatural), Familiars, Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Minor Character Death, Racism, Homophobic Language, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, True Mates, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Explicit Sexual Content, Claiming Bites, Knotting, Mpreg, Happy Ending, Shapeshifting Summary: Castiel is a powerful Omega witch, but even his magic can’t save him and those around him from his ex, Lucien. When his familiar is brutally killed, Cas vows never to take another familiar because he can’t imagine risking another animal’s life. A wolf roaming his property has other ideas. Meanwhile, his new neighbour, an Alpha named Dean, is worming his way into his heart in a way that Cas can’t resist. Can the two souls overcome danger, broken hearts, and secrets together, or will they remain lost? Through tragedy and misunderstandings, Dean and Cas are destined to be together. But destiny’s road can be deadly.

The Driver | @friendofcarlotta

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 40,963 Main Tags/Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Stunt Driver Dean Winchester, Getaway Driver Dean Winchester, Convenience Store Clerk Castiel, Waiter Castiel, Kid Fic, Single Father Castiel, Angst with a Happy Ending, Minor Character Death, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, Inspired by "Drive" (2011) Summary: Dean Winchester is a mechanic and occasional movie stunt driver living in LA. Most people don't know that Dean also drives getaway cars for armed robberies. For months now, Dean has been nursing a crush on his neighbor, a single father named Castiel. When a violent turf war between Dean's boss and a rival gangster threatens to compromise the safety of Castiel and his son, Dean makes a choice that will change his life forever.

(You Don’t Have To) Say You Love Me | @darknessbound3

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 44,379 Main Tags/Warnings: Heavy Angst, Top!Cas/Bottom!Dean, Separation, Reconciliation, Pining Summary: Six months after Castiel walked out on a twelve year marriage to Dean, he decides it’s time for a divorce. Dean, on the other hand, isn’t so sure, and is willing to stop at nothing to win his husband back.

The (Un)Buried Past | @gii-heylittleangel

Rating: Mature Word Count: 53,282 Main Tags/Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Deaths, Gore and Blood, Angst, Intense Violence and use of guns, background relationships, Implied Smut Summary: After six years of living as a civilian, Dean has gotten rusty when it comes to defending himself. But, when the past comes knocking down everything in its way, Dean has to sink back into his old skin to get back what he wants. Ad what he finds out during the journey is not what he wants.

A Driver Worth His Salt | @thefandomsinhalor

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 67,844 Main Tags/Warnings: Graphic Depiction of Violence, Mafia AU Vibe, BAMF Castiel, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean, Trauma Summary: The job is simple: drive the passenger a few times a week to yet-undisclosed locations and return with said passenger without fail. Be on time. Be discreet. And never interact with each other outside of work. Once twenty-year-old Dean meets the passenger in question—the sharply dressed and rough-looking Castiel Novak—he finds that abiding by those shady rules may be more complicated than he had anticipated.

All the Night Tide | @funnywings

Rating: Mature Word Count: 72,315 Main Tags/Warnings: Pirate AU, Golden Age of Piracy, Mythology and Lore, Temporary Major Character Death, Pirate!Castiel, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary: Kidnapped for ransom by his childhood best friend, Dean is eager to return home and escape the pirate ship that has become his prison. But when Castiel sets his sights on a dangerous new quest, Dean chooses to stay by his side, even if it means facing down Death itself.

help me get where I belong (WIP) | ravenkings (AO3)

Rating: Mature Word Count: 73,437 Main Tags/Warnings: alcoholism, substance abuse, referenced child abuse, referenced assault, extensive crafting Summary: Dean Winchester just needs to get through a quick three-month stint in rehab to appease his little brother, then he'll be back to boozing away the rest of his short, shitty life. Except he kind of likes the group therapy leaders for AA, he's getting way better at watercoloring, and the crazy-haired guy on the NA side of the ward keeps winking at him.

Missing | @kitmistry

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 93,025 Main Tags/Warnings: Slow Burn, Murder Mystery, Post-Breakup, Mutual Pining, Heavy Angst, Minor Character Death, John Winchester's A+ parenting Summary: Two years ago Dean Winchester broke his heart. Now he's at Castiel's doorstep, asking for his help, but there's nothing Dean can say that will convince Castiel to listen. Or so he thinks. Faced with the news of Sam's disappearance, he decides to put his anger aside and follows Dean to a rural town in Nebraska, where they end up tangled in the missing girl investigation Sam was looking into. With an unknown threat closing in on them and all the things left unsaid between them about to be revealed, Castiel and Dean race against time to find Sam before it's too late.

All the Reasons We Are Real | @charlies-secret-closet and @jupiticas

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 96,466 Main Tags/Warnings: Slow burn, Mutual Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Fluff, Canon Adjacent, Sam Winchester Ships Destiel, Destiel Fluff, Abusive John Winchester, Suicidal Thoughts, Eventual Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Charlie Ships Destiel, Self Worth Issues, Major Angst, You Will Cry, Summary: Sam is tired of it. Tired of the staring contests and the eye-sex and the 'standing two inches apart' thing. With a little help from Rowena and Heller-Queen-Charlie, Sam becomes the matchmaker: and tries to make his ship canon. Meanwhile, Cas is hiding a painful secret about a certain deal, and Dean is hiding his deepest truth. Until one night, when their long-awaited happiness becomes their greatest sorrow. Written in the original canon universe, this fic uses many canon scenes from the series to show that Destiel doesn't need fanfiction to be real. It has always been there, it will always be there, and it is REAL.

Twenty-Nine Steps | @scones-and-texting-and-murder

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 113,621 Main Tags/Warnings: underage, rape/noncon , PTSD, past child abuse, child sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts, repressed memories Summary: At the age of forty, Dean Winchester has a strong, loving marriage, a successful business, and a young nephew he absolutely dotes upon. He and Cas are living the kind of life Dean never thought was meant for him, one where the future stretches out before them, solid and bright. When a series of small and seemingly unrelated events coalesce into a larger, horrifying realization, he’s rocked to his very core. With so much of what he thought he knew about himself ripped away, he’s trapped between confronting the trauma of his past and believing he’s worthy of the life he’s built.

Still Breathing | @casbelieves

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 124,924 Main Tags/Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-con, Drug Use, Self-Harm, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Mentions of Suicide, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Reunion, Angst, First Love, Unrequited Love, Foster Care, Smut, Switch!Cas, Switch!Dean, Angst With a Happy Ending Summary: Castiel has no reason to trust anyone. As a teenager in the foster care system, he’s experienced horrific and unspeakable acts of violence and abuse that will haunt him for the rest of his life. When he arrives in Pacifica, CA, as the newest addition to the Singer’s foster family, the last thing he expects is to develop a deep and unbreakable bond with the boy-next-door, Dean Winchester. But Dean isn’t as in control of his own life as it seems, and the two struggle to navigate homophobia, trauma, and the pressures of an impending adulthood. When they meet again as young adults, eight years after their falling out, they are given a chance to rekindle a fire that never truly went out.

Patient Love (WIP) | @chaoticdean

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 152,765 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Modern Settings, US Navy SEAL Dean Winchester, Journalist Castiel, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, War Injury, PTSD, Grief/Mourning, Friends to Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Angst With a Happy Ending, Switch Dean/Switch Cas Summary: Castiel Novak is 27 when he suddenly loses his twin brother Jimmy, and his whole world turns to ashes. After 10 years as a Navy Special Warfare Operator, a battlefield injury forces 28-year-old Chief Petty Officer Dean Winchester to chose between being stuck behind a desk for the rest of his career or going back to civil life. Things are already complicated and painful enough as it is, but when former lovers Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak meet again after 10 years of radio silence and a galaxy of wounds and scars solidly standing between them, it feels like both a curse and a blessing has been placed on them both. Is there any hope in putting back their broken pieces together after a decade, and how do you deal with grief and broken dreams?

The Offering | @deans-jiggly-pudding

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 167,703 Main Tags/Warnings: Incubus!Castiel, AU - high school, John Winchester’s A+ parenting, rape/non-con elements, heavy angst with a happy ending Summary: As a pastor's son, Dean Winchester is expected to be all the things he's not: the church poster child, compliant with every plan his father has for him, and of course, straight. Fighting the confines of his father's faith and the control it has over his life, Dean is caught in the middle of a teen lock-in activity that will change his life. The boys accidentally summon an incubus named Cas, and his demands are clear. Dean discovers Cas to be everything he expected... Yet, even the darkest of creatures has secrets of his own. Can they be together, despite who they are, and despite everything designed to keep them apart?

A Ghost Story (WIP) | @valleydean

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 248,988 Main Tags/Warnings: Temporary Character Death, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Gardener Dean Winchester, Rich Castiel (Supernatural), Hunter Dean Winchester, Period-Typical Homophobia, References to Depression, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicide, Magic, College | University Student Dean Winchester, Ghost Castiel (Supernatural), Haunted Houses, Established Relationship, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Arranged Marriage, POV Dean Winchester, POV Castiel (Supernatural), Witch Hunters, Animal Death, Alternate Universe - Past Lives, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Secret Relationship, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Soulmates Summary: Castiel Novak has haunted his family's estate for 150 years, awaiting the return of his lost love. Upon their reunion, Dean Winchester learns of his past reincarnation. After the night of Castiel's resurrection, the two try to find out why they've been given a second chance. The answers may be hidden in the forgotten memories of Dean's former life - but sometimes the truth is better left buried.

Time Won’t Let Me | Aketch-22 (AO3)

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 253,520 Main Tags/Warnings: Non Explicit Sex, Closeted Castiel, Hurt Comfort, Harry Potter Crossover, Angst and Feels Summary: Entering his 5th year of the Voldemort-controlled Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, muggle-born Dean Winchester is faced with the prospect of the Choosing - a ceremony where twelve students are picked based on blood status to participate in the Mudblood Games. In the Games, the tributes are transported to Purgatory. If you're the first to find your way to the portal out, you become part of Voldemort's world - and if you're not, you die. Will Dean, Sam, Castiel and the others be Chosen, or will they simply have to sit by and watch their friends suffer at the hands of the cruelest supernatural threat the trio have ever faced?

The Exceptional Bad Boy | @thedevil-is-in-the-details

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 329,619 Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - High School, Bottom Castiel / Top Dean Winchester, Bottom Dean Winchester / Top Castiel, Past Rape / Non-con, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Alcohol Abuse / Alcoholism, Drugs, Suicide Attempt, Fluff and Smut, Tattoed Castiel, Depression, Anxiety, Self-harm, Stalking, Minor Character Death Summary: Again, they move to a new town and Dean is so sick of always moving around and always being the new kid at school. And he wants something better for his little brother Sam. But their father can't manage to keep a job for longer than two months. No matter where they are, there is one thing that is always the same though. Dean's reputation as bad boy. It was never a problem that there were already other bad boys because Dean was always the worst. But now, he has keen competition – Castiel Novak. Covered in tattoos, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, breaking other people's noses... Novak's reputation precedes him. But that he's still different than every bad boy Dean's ever met is pretty clear though, from the very first moment they meet.

#destiel trope collection 2021 #day 3 #angst with a happy ending #destiel #fanfic #supernatural #saving blogs; queuing things; the tumblr business

[moved-to-void-kissed]

Split of Twin Flowers

After being rescued from the realm of darkness, Aria seeks a way to give Ves a chance at living her own life, while also continuing to survive in her own right. Aqua brings her to the scientists at Radiant Garden to see if they have a solution, and for Aria to explain her situation, but the only option available may carry some worrying implications.. (3937 words)

Takes place after the ending of KH3. Content warning for mentions of battle scars, talk of a character being possessed, an event comparable to an exorcism (it’s kind of hard to explain in non-series-specific terms, sorry), and rather a lot of self-insert-focused exposition.

(Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but are by no means required. I recommend reading this piece on the original document, but if that doesn't work, a transcript has been copied and pasted under the readmore.)

tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @beeon | @tex-treasures | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @catcao | @lilacslovers | @kissofthemoonrabbit | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @childrenofmeyneth | @kalliopi-ships | @blackbirdcrime | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)

This is a piece I have been working on for a long time, and am very proud of, so I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it. I hope it isn’t quite as heavy as the content warnings may possibly indicate. I’m also using it as my post for the twenty-ninth day of sapphic September; there’s just one more to go!

Document transcript:

The door to the laboratory opened halfway, and a young woman tentatively poked her head around it. Upon seeing that she was not interrupting anything, she smiled and emerged more properly, brushing a lock of blue hair from her face.

“Oh, Master Aqua!” The lone scientist in the room smiled warmly as he noticed her. “Thank you for coming. I’m glad to see you’re alright.”

“Thank you, Ienzo.” Aqua replied, even if she did still in fact look rather tired. The long battle to defeat Master Xehanort and the true Organisation still felt fresh in her mind, and although it was a fight that the light had eventually won, it had still taken quite a toll on her. Not only that, but she hadn’t had the same chance to rest as the others - though thoughts of locating Sora still weighed on everyone’s minds, Aqua had been more concerned with finding a way back into the realm of darkness in order to rescue Aria, her partner who she had so unwillingly abandoned..

Now that Aria was finally free as well, Aqua could let herself relax a bit more, and with that lowering of her guard came much contemplation of everything she had gone through.

“Um.. Master Aqua?”

“Ah!”

She’d been staring off into space again, judging by Ienzo’s worried expression half-visible under his hair.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, don’t worry!” she replied, slightly embarrassed at her lapse in concentration. The young scientist did not look entirely convinced, but he seemed content enough to continue.

“I’m the only one here at the moment, but I should still be able to help with what we talked about over the Gummiphone. Did you happen to bring Aria with you?”

At this, the half-open door Aqua had come through continued to swing open as if of its own accord, only to reveal another young woman entering the laboratory with a somewhat nervous expression. She had clearly been through a lot, and the realm of darkness she had reportedly been trapped in for aeons had definitely left its mark on her; several large patches of darkness could be seen spanning her face and body, with one reaching down her left eye like a melting wound.

“Yes, I’m here..”

Her catlike eyes flickered nervously around the room, and it soon became apparent that what Ienzo had thought was a cape were in fact a pair of black feathered wings, both subconsciously curling around her shoulders. It was only upon recognising that Ienzo was the only one present, and that his initial reaction to seeing her was not as negative as she was expecting, that she was able to relax slightly and explain herself from behind a now-steeled facade.

“My name is Aria.” she said, looking up at the scientist from under her messy blonde hair. “Aqua said you might be able to help me achieve something. Has she already.. told you about, well-”

“We’ve already spoken a little bit using the Gummiphone I was given before, but he said it was best for us to come and talk in person to try and get everything clear.” Aqua stepped in after sensing Aria’s hesitation and took her hand to support her partner. “It’s alright - you can trust him,” she whispered close to her ear.

Trusting only in her love’s reassurance, Aria started to explain her intentions to Ienzo, who seemed content to listen even considering the clear presence of darkness she had; this silent gesture of tolerance was greatly appreciated. She appeared hesitant to reveal much of her true nature as a Heartless, but she did what she could to inquire whether the young scientist knew any way for a heart to be released from its current body and inhabit a different one, allowing the dormant self within the original body to reawaken. Unfortunately, Ienzo remained pensive, even after she had said her part.

“So, you’re looking for a way for a heart to enter a new body? I’m sorry, but.. I’m not sure we’ll be able to help you. Any of the resources we could have used - which is to say, the replicas, they would have been perfect for this - were taken by Roxas, Xion, and Naminé’s hearts.”

“Oh. So, there is nothing you can do?” Aria persisted, but Ienzo shook his head.

Then came a flash of hesitant inspiration.

“Unless..” He trailed off and turned to look down one of the corridors leading away from the main lab space. “Could you two come with me, please?”

“Of course!” said Aqua brightly, as Aria nodded in assent.

==========

The three left the main hub of the laboratory to walk down the corridor, which felt as though it was turning downwards into a basement level of sorts. Once there, they came to a tall door which Ienzo unlocked with some sort of biometric scanner, and this opened out into yet another laboratory space with a similar layout to the first - however, this one seemed in a less presentable condition than the other, and its lack of windows seemed to be what was giving it a more foreboding presence. There was a distinct sense that something bad had happened here, once upon a time.

“After you and the other Guardians of Light helped to defeat Master Xehanort,” Ienzo was saying to Aqua, “we went back to the Keyblade Graveyard to see if there was anything to salvage from the battlefield, and we were able to bring this back with us.”

He gestured to a container at the far wall, in which the two Keyblade wielders could now see a strange white figure suspended inside, resembling a featureless mannequin. It appeared to be dressed in some kind of dark robes, of a dull purple colour inlaid with sharp red motifs, worn over pieces of tarnished metal armour. A number of scuffs and dents littered the otherwise-smooth surface, and Aria could sense traces of a dark presence seeping from the container, despite the blank nature of the figure itself.

“What is this..?”

“This is one of the replicas that Even created, back when he was still Vexen, and a member of the first Organisation.” Ienzo explained. “The first twelve were prototypes, initially abandoned as failures, since they were made before his assistant provided the data needed to perfect them, but.. From what I understand, the real Organisation - which Vexen was also a part of at the beginning - repurposed those twelve into vessels for Xehanort’s heart, as backups in case the people they brought through time fell in battle again.”

“That’s right, I remember fighting these now.” muttered Aqua. “But, didn’t they fuse into one form, eventually?”

“That’s what I thought, too, from your accounts of the situation.” replied the scientist. “I’m not sure if Sora defeating the replicas in battle made them all separate out again, since they weren’t really designed to be fused, or if this one was already too damaged to combine with the others in the first place. Regardless, it was the only one we recovered.”

He now turned to face the blank figure with a concerned expression. “We’ve been running some experiments to see whether it can be repurposed for anything, but.. There’s a lot of darkness still lingering within it, so it wouldn’t be safe for a heart of light to inhabit without risking it also being afflicted by that darkness. And we haven’t found a good way of destroying that darkness without compromising the replica, either.”

“I could sense the dark power when I saw it, so corruption would seem a likely outcome.” Aria mused. “This would also be darkness from Xehanort, so.. it isn’t that surprising that some part of it stuck around. Persistence did seem to be his only worthwhile trait.”

She had crossed her arms in contempt at this last part, but seemed satisfied enough to relax after studying the replica further. “It shouldn’t matter any more than he did in the long run, though.”

“Hmm..” Aqua seemed concerned about the prospect, but was trying to keep an open mind. “What do you make of it, Aria?”

“Well..” She took a moment to examine the figure with an unchanging expression. “The replica body itself has sustained some damage from the fight, but I don’t see why that would affect my ability to inhabit it - it’s just possible that those injuries would reflect in my new appearance, which is.. nothing I’m not accustomed to. And, if the heart within a replica determines its appearance, then maybe what’s left of my heart - or, I suppose, the heart that I once was - would be able to smooth over those gaps. Though, if it’s the latter, that could mean my appearance ends up changing, which.. is not what I want.”

Aqua tentatively nodded, but Ienzo seemed more visibly confused.

“I’m sorry to interject, but- what do you mean by “the heart that you once were”? You’re saying that that’s different to your heart, somehow?”

“..In a sense, yes. How do I explain this..?” There was a slight pause as Aria tried to gather her thoughts, and it was clear she was still trying to think by the hesitant nature of her words that followed. She had seen right through to the heart of the man standing before her, which glowed with a newly-restored lustre. It was a heart that sought to help people, and sought knowledge in order to do that, though there were visible flickers of a long-seated regret present as well. Still, it was a heart that she judged would not judge her, so she decided to provide it with the truth she hoped would sate it.

“Though I look mostly human to you, this- isn’t technically my body, however much I treated it as such. If I were to let go of this vessel, or be driven out from her, you would see me as I really am - a Heartless, a flowering thing. However, Heartless are created when a heart is consumed by darkness, so.. surely the appearance I would take if I were to possess a blank replica would be that of the person this heart - my heart - used to belong to. Only, I don’t- I don’t really see myself as him, or as Ves. I am different, I am my own- well, person, if I can even call myself that. Yet, when I imagine my appearance outside of this vessel, I can only see myself as a Heartless. Does that make any sense?”

“I think I follow..” the scientist mumbled, though his still-furrowed brow seemed to indicate otherwise. “So, you kept your memories of who you were, even after turning into a Heartless? Kairi had implied that the same thing happened to Sora, but.. I’d just attributed that to him turning the Keyblade of heart on himself to free her, so it wouldn’t have happened to anyone else.”

This claim caused Aria to shake her head. “To my knowledge, the method is irrelevant; what matters is the intention. The more willingly a person opens their heart to the darkness, the more of their mind they keep when their heart is consumed, and they become a Heartless. I believe this is what happened with Ansem, though he actively sought after darkness so strongly that he retained a human appearance as well as mind. The emblem on his chest was the only way an onlooker could tell his true nature. When it comes to my original self, he was a Keyblade wielder, very similar to what I know of Sora, but… though he certainly did not willingly or deliberately let his heart be consumed, he was able to accept his fate in his final moments, and that is what allowed the Heartless formed at his demise - so, in other words, me - to retain some semblance of mind and self. Just.. not as much of it.”

“Oh. Yes, I think that makes more sense now. Thank you for the clarification.” said Ienzo. He was writing something furiously in a book that seemed to appear out of nowhere, then became startled when he realised his blunder. In an instant, he opened his mouth to ask something, but closed it with relief when Aria’s expression reassured him she did not mind him making notes about her.

It was Aqua’s turn to speak up now. “It’s so interesting to hear about this from you, Aria - but, I can’t say I’ve seen that kind of behaviour in any of the Heartless I’ve fought before. Had you noticed it at any point while we were in the realm of darkness?”

“Not that I can recall.” she replied. “It isn't exactly that common of an occurrence, considering most people’s disdain for the darkness. And, not only that, but..” She turned away from the other two here, and her next words came much more reluctantly again.

“Before I took over Ves, I remember feeling that I was losing myself - all I was driven by was this desire to be complete again, to be human again, but that was fading away over time. Then, when I found her, I didn’t necessarily feel more human, but what sense of humanity I did have was no longer fading away. So, if I hadn’t found her or someone like her in time, I probably would have lost my sense of self completely, and become just as mindless as most other Heartless are. It’s only thanks to the type of Heartless I became that I was even able to possess her in the first place, and.. I didn’t start to truly feel more like a person until I met other Keyblade wielders, and they interacted with me.”

“I see, I see.. So you’re saying that, in those Heartless that retain a sense of who they were before becoming Heartless, the remnants of normal heart behaviour - of humanity, if you will - have to be nurtured by others in order to be sustained, and will just be lost to the darkness if not actively encouraged?”

“Yes.”

Ienzo paused to finish hastily scribbling this knowledge down in his notebook, then lifted his head in realisation once he had had some time to think. “I think I might remember something of that from the old Organisation, actually.. Though, the memory is very hazy..”

To stop his mind from wandering as it wanted to, he returned to address the matter at hand.

“From what you’ve said, Aria, it does sound like you’d be able to make use of this replica - and you may well be the only one who could. I don’t think there’s any other solution here for you, and.. I say there’s no better way to find out than by experimenting. Give me a moment to get everything ready, and then we’ll be set to see if it works!”

Aria nodded, content with the proposal, but Aqua reached out to take her hand with a worried expression.

“Aria, are you sure you want to do this..?”

“Of course I am, Aqua. This is why I came here.” she replied. Then she hesitated again. “..Why, is there something wrong?”

“Well, no, it’s just-” Aqua took a moment to settle her whirling thoughts, holding both of Aria’s hands in her own now. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I use my Keyblade on you. I don’t want to hurt you, or even destroy you. And, if something happened with the darkness infecting the replica, then..”

Aria couldn’t bring herself to meet Aqua’s gaze, but it was clear she appreciated the consideration, and did her best to reassure her love. “If I could leave of my own accord, I would have done so by now, but.. we’ve become too intertwined for me to do that myself. And Ves is not quite strong enough to drive me out from within - it’s enough of an effort for her to stay existing in the first place. So.. an outside force seems to be the only way to separate us. And there isn’t anyone I’d trust to wield that force, other than you.”

Despite herself, Aqua couldn’t help but smile at the last admission, and she felt her normal confidence returning. “..Alright then. If you’re sure about this, then.. I’m happy to be able to help.”

The two embraced for a moment, then there was a pause of silence as Aria took a few steps back to stand in the middle of the room. Once Ienzo had brought the replica out of its container, he carried it around to the other end of the laboratory, closer to the other two. Aqua summoned her Brightcrest Keyblade, then slowly raised its tip to be level with the X on Aria’s outfit. She took a deep breath, then pointed the Keyblade directly at her partner, echoing the movement used to open the paths to new worlds.

Aria instinctively flinched when a thin beam of bright light shot forward from the tip of Aqua’s Keyblade, striking her directly in the chest. She was then forced down into a kneel as an aura of pink-tinted darkness began to escape from her body. Her expression was grim, as if she was in pain, but Aqua caught sight of a hint of a smile before the darkness now emanating much more rapidly from her form started rising up to create something above her. It almost completely engulfed her body as if to pull it upwards too, seeming particularly concentrated around her head and wings, before disconnecting entirely to drop a drained figure to the floor. This left a dense collection of dark pink wisps, amalgamating in the air.

Ienzo was now well off to the side, looking rather alarmed, but his expression was replaced with complete surprise when the amorphous cluster of darkness coalesced, giving way to what looked like a floating mass of pink petals. Eventually, it turned around to reveal a large jagged mouth and piercing yellow eyes, staring with an expression he found difficult to interpret. The Heartless stayed floating in place for a moment, as if disoriented, then suddenly appeared to notice Aqua, staring at her curiously.

“Aria..?”

Her tentative call was clearly recognised by the flowering monster, which began to float cautiously towards her. She still had her Keyblade summoned, and her hand was trembling ever-so-slightly - whether with nervousness, uncertainty, or something else entirely, it was impossible to tell. Then, Ienzo stepped between the two and lifted up the replica body, hoping that Aria still remembered the plan.

“Here!”

It seemed the Heartless remained aware, as she moved forwards more purposefully after this, and collided directly with the empty vessel’s centre. A few petals scattered from the force, but it took only a few moments for the Heartless’ form to disappear entirely, appearing to be absorbed into the replica body. This caused another aura of darkness to manifest, enveloping the blank surface of the replica and making Ienzo recoil from the body - but it caught itself as it fell from his grasp to end up kneeling on all fours. A few more moments passed, as the darkness engulfed the entire body in a shell, before gradually dissipating after a few gold sparks were seen being forced out of the system.

The figure that stood up was slightly smaller than the replica had looked in the container, with catlike ears now poking upwards from a fluffy head of golden blonde hair. As she lifted her head, a cluster of cute freckles were seen scattered across her face, though in what Aqua thought was a slightly different arrangement than before. There were other little differences here and there, as well - the shape of her face, the way her hair fell at the back, how she stood dressed in the unfamiliar clothes from the replica in the middle of the silent laboratory.

But all of Aqua’s worries disappeared when the girl standing before her opened her eyes. Neither the bright, empty yellow of the lesser, mindless Heartless, nor a piercing orange like the seeker of darkness, nor even the harsh cold shade between the two that Aria’s eyes had been before, but a warm and resolute amber was the colour that met Aqua’s gaze, and regarded her with a renewed sense of gratitude and love.

“Aria!”

The Keyblade Master ran across the room towards her partner and nearly knocked her over with the energy of her emotions. Aria was nervous, but comfortably allowed herself to melt into Aqua’s embrace, now able to feel the connection between the pair even more strongly than before. Something felt so much more tangible about her presence now, and the relief coursing through her new body was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

“Aqua, it really worked..!” she smiled, speaking in a quiet voice filled with gratitude.

“I’m so glad you’re alright!” exclaimed Aqua, who also had a few tears in her eyes. “How do you feel? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, it’s all fine, I promise.” she asserted. “The replica’s darkness was not organised; it was just remnants that my presence has removed. I feel.. different, but in the best possible way. I could never have done this without you here with me - thank you, so much, for being here..”

She trailed off, still smiling at her partner, and another wonderful moment came and went. Then, a movement from behind Aqua caused Aria’s expression to take on a slightly fearful quality, and she turned her head to see what was happening. The cause of this movement was the figure left behind when Aqua set Aria free, who was slowly trying to get to her feet, her heart’s light flickering nervously. A bright green eye could be seen darting anxiously around the room from under her hair, but she was too weak to properly move, and quickly fell back to the ground again. Ienzo stepped in to support her, and his assistance was clearly welcomed as she was just about able to stand.

“Please take her somewhere she can recover.” Aria requested hurriedly. “After everything I put her through, she needs every opportunity she can to rest and adjust to being herself again..”

“Don’t worry. We have good facilities here.” Ienzo assured her. “Everything will be fine.”

This did little to ease Aria’s guilt, but the gesture was nevertheless appreciated. “Thank you, Ienzo.”

The scientist nodded, and then slowly helped the girl walk to the corridor. She appeared to be very shaken, and was glancing at everything with apprehension and unfamiliarity, but as she turned the corner of the corridor, she looked back at the couple still standing side-by-side, and met the eyes of both her saviour and her prison.

(For all that you have done to me, I know why you do not deserve forgiveness.

But, this is not the first time we have seen each other face-to-face since that day, thanks to that mirror you found in the darkness.

And ever since that moment, you have sought a way to free yourself from me. To let me live the life you once denied me. To break the hold that any other being you’d call your kind would do everything to strengthen.

You calculated the risks, but you still took them - the risk you would lose everything and the one person you cared for, for the sake of me getting to “get rid of you”.

So, who am I to judge a person - the person you have become - by the actions of the creature you once were..?)

A ghost of a smile flickered over her face, and the long-held vessel finally free again spoke of her own accord for the first time since the age of ancient fairytales.

“Thank you, Aria..”

#a call from the void #creations from the void #kingdom hearts selfshipping #this post is okay to reblog! #sapphicseptember2021 #selfship #selfshipping #love: wayfinding waters (aqua) #selfship: survivors of the dark (aqua/aria) #self‑insert: darkness' champion (aria) #and also featuring #self‑insert: ruby in the light (ves) #read the post carefully before opening the readmore please #or opening the document (which is how I recommend reading this one) #I have spent a long time trying to write this piece #i am proud of it

[threewaysdivided]

Well I don't want to tell anyone how to feel but the movie felt like a kick in the shin. Not so much for me as for others because I've always been a little separated from the series, but it just feels like they pulled the rug out from under me in a way. I can't properly explain without spoilers in case you don't want them.

(Following on from this ask.)

I appreciate you being so considerate about potential spoilers 😊.

Not super necessary in this case - as mentioned in the tags of the last answer I'm in a pretty similar position to you vis à vis emotional distance from ToA. In this case, after seeing some more negative reactions and some vague mentions of the ending I figured it probably wasn't going to be one I wanted to watch and decided to read a wiki synopsis just to give the plot a fair shake.

And after reading that...

Yeah, Oof.

[Continued under the readmore for people who don't want spoilers.]

First impression was that the plot was maybe trying to do too much. That summary was a lot.

Even for an established cast it's a big collection of named quasi-main characters, existing concepts from the three series and - like each of the preceding series - there's another mostly-new paranormal element being added that only appears in foreshadowing hints at the very end of Wizards. That's not necessarily a deal-breaker but there is that issue of Scope Management & Opportunity Cost that I mentioned in my long YJ analysis: the more things you include the less time you have to develop any one of those things in meaningful depth - especially considering the shorter run-time a move has to deal with.

Just based on the summary it seems like there was a lot of "go to the place, fetch the McGuffin, do the thing" storytelling, with fewer character through-lines or thematic/ emotional/ personal conflict. Which seems a bit of a waste for a capstone move.

As for the ending, I can absolutely see why it rubbed so many people the wrong way. Around a third of the major characters are killed off by the climax, and the general impression I got was that those deaths were much more plot-serving than being character-growth-concluding-sacrifices or cut-short-before-their-goal tragedies. Then to solve it they use time-travel (a plot device that has barely been present across the series at least as something the protagonists can personally use and control strategically) to not only go back to a point before the deaths/ inciting incident of this movie but to reset the entire series to before Trollhunters started and have Jim give up the amulet to someone else.

Which means the ending of the movie undoes all the canon of the previous three series. That's on the same level as "it was all a dream" in terms of making it feel like none of it mattered. It might even be worse than "and then they woke up"-ing it, since "it was just a dream" stories can still have the characters take some kind of metaphorical/emotional/personal lesson from the dream into their waking life, where this solution almost accidentally proposes that the best solution for everyone is for nothing they did/experienced/learned across the series to have happened at all.

Also I'm rusty on my Trollhunters lore but doesn't it kind of undermine the whole symbolic importance of the amulet to have Jim be able to just give it up and pass the burden over to someone else? Sure, "the amulet never made him a hero, he already was one" but the amulet still chose Jim because he had that innate potential, so to have him go nah and hot-potato it to Toby (and not in a "passing the mantle forward"/"I recognise you as the person who should inherit this legacy from me" way) feels like it both undermines that message of innate heroic potential and swings a bit into an accidental "maybe being a hero isn't worth the price after all" message. Also, if he is giving up the amulet to prevent tragedy then surely it's either a bad choice to pass it to someone who's physically and emotionally close to Jim and likely to get involved in similar things as a result or a huge dick move to saddle Toby with the burdens Jim knows will come with the role instead. I guess you could say that maybe Jim thinks Toby will make better choices as the Trollhunter (although the ToA wiki itself points out that Toby exhibits signs of Histrionic Personality Disorder) but even so - thematically confused message on top of an unsatisfying plot device.

Anyway, yeah, I can totally see why people are lumping this in with the likes of Phantom Planet in terms of lore-and-character-breakingly unsatisfying conclusions.

I feel like it's a real shame too, since there were a lot of ideas and lore across Tales of Arcadia that felt pretty unresolved and like they would have benefited from more development if they had chosen to focus on those rather than continue adding new things. I feel like there was a lot of unanswered mysteries about the Changelings, how they were created, what exactly the Darklands is, what happens to the kids they replace and how Stickler was going to deal with all of those kids post the end of Trollhunters. I feel like Troll-Jake and what that experience was like for him barely got a look-in across 3Below or Wizards despite being really interesting and seemingly a struggle for him to adapt to since it impacted his ability to enjoy the taste of human food (remembering that his hobby was cooking) and prevented him from walking in sunlight.

Merlin especially left me with a lot of questions; throughout Trollhunters he's treated as this sage, infallible figure of myth and wisdom but then when they actually meet him he comes across as pretty unreliable, amoral and dubiously trustworthy what with acting dismissive to the other characters, not telling Jim what the potion will do and having used Morgana's severed hand to make the Amulet of Daylight in the first place. It's like they Dumbledore-d him, but unlike in Harry Potter - where Harry recognising that the adults around him are flawed and fallible as he grows older is part of the narrative - ToA just sort of brushed past it and seemingly expects everyone to keep treating him the same despite that dissonance.

Maybe I'm getting off topic here but I feel like there was the potential for a capstone story that brought Troll Jim, Douxie, Krel and Aja together in a narrative about leadership and legacy in the wake of Merlin's death. Jim as a human/half-troll Trollhunter leading the trolls of Trollmarket, Douxie as Merlin's primary apprentice/heir to Avalon and now fully-fledged-wizard, and Aja and Krel as the heirs to Akiridion-5 all fit into the archetype of a new generation of unconventional younger leaders who buck the traditions of their predecessors. There's definitively a common thread there that you could run parallel character stories along. Put the lore focus on elaborating the existing worldbuilding of the Heartstones, the Darklands, the Changelings, the Gumm-Gumms, the Amulet, Avalon, Camelot and why Arcadia Oaks seems to be so magically and cosmically important, and draw some sort of sinister force/villain from there who can be appropriately antagonistic for those themes and I'm sure you could wrap things up decently enough.

Instead it seems we got an Arcane Order who want to use Titans to erase humanity because they're The Bad Guys, and the final solution is to undo absolutely everything that happened.

Bother.

#Trollhunters #Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans #Tales of Arcadia #youmaycallmeyourhigness #3WD Answers #I fully advocate reading the Wiki Summary for things you are on the fence about watching in order to save time #The straight plot-description will give you a more objective/ fairer sense of the narrative than reading another person's review #And while the cost is that it WILL spoil any subversions/reveals #In a competently told story those elements will be narratively cohesive enough to still be enjoyable on the equivalent of a second viewing #I also feel like RotT is kind of 'disappointing but not surprising' #Since all three ToA series felt like they had really rushed/weak endings that left too much unresolved on balance #3Below was probably the best of them #since being about Aliens sort of made it its own thing #But in Trollhunters the Merlin thing + the potion + Akaridions-ex-machina to solve the lightning in a bottle left things feeling unfinished #And in Wizards Callista is barely developed until the amulet chooses her and then she finds out her name is actual Deya from a doll #which feels like such a weak way to do that when she could have picked the Troll name Deya herself or otherwise been given it #After the Trollhunter's ending tripped on the payoff I was kind of emotionally distant to the series as well #I mostly watched 3Below and Wizards out of curiosity - and without that investment the weaker writing was pretty noticable #so yeah #makes sense that RotT would inherit that flaw too #'Trollhunter must make the ninth configuration and the Krohnisfere will make right' just feels week and bad and deliberately unclear #also: mpreg Steve. That sure was a thing that happened. Not sure why. Even less sure how I feel about it.