#sometimes it's fun even when things aren't historically accurate

[neechees]

Should non-Native people avoid using the words "folklore" and "mythology" when talking about stories from the histories of the communities of Native American cultures?

This kind of depends, because do you mean "folklore" & "mythology" as in oral history (which may, or more often, not be treated as trustable by White people), or do you mean those things as in Native spiritual beliefs like for spirits? If its for historical events, yes, you should definitely avoid using those words in regards to precolonial history & oral history not talked about in White schools or books, because they are not accurate to describe Native oral history & it'd be racist to assume that our history in our own words about ourselves is less accurate or real (which those words would imply). Many Native tribes valued accurate, oral information & history to an extreme degree to the point that (& we did this for legends too) our historians could track down who told them, who told that person, & so on all the way to the original teller so that if there was any inaccurate information, they'd be able to track down who started it. We didn't fuck around when it came to oral information, but colonizers assume that because we didn't have writing, & that many Europeans lied for their own histories (written or oral), then WE must have been the same.

As for the spiritual part, if you meant "folklore" & "mythology" to refer to spiritual things: You might get different opinions within the Native community, but personally yes, I think so. I think people use those terms in a way to delegitimize Native beliefs. Like, most people would think it would be weird if people called Christianity "folklore" or "mythology". Sometimes the two (history & spirituality) go hand in hand, however, & that doesn't make it wrong or incorrect. But Native religions/spirituality is not seen as "real" or as "valid" as organized religion like Christianity, which I further use as an example.

A lot of people straight up do not believe or understand that Native people do in fact, follow a set of beliefs based on the spiritual & religious stories of our peoples & behave in different ways & have a different worldview & way of navigating the world because of that belief system. I've gotten asked (both online and offline in my personal life) by White people if I REALLY or ACTUALLY believe in the spirits present in our stories, like it's silly or strange that I would. Like uhhh yes? That's my religion? Would you ask a Christian if they REALLY think angels exist? & then find it weird that they say "yes" even though it's clearly present in their belief system & the Bible? It doesn't help that a lot of our spirits got bastardized into "cryptids" to the point that I'm now seeing White people call literally any Native spirit or deity they hear about a "cryptid" regardless of whether or not it even has/had a history of said bastardization by White people (like "sasquatch").

Our spirits are seen as "cryptids" that we tell for fun (but don't REALLY believe in, apparently), our ceremonies are seen as fun little activities or get togethers that we do just for shits and giggles (but they don't REALLY mean or do anything, according to racists), & our sacred artifacts or objects, according to racists, aren't things akin to the bodies of Catholic saints or historical religious items, but apparently must be just really cool stuff we like to hang onto like a charm bracelet. Native beliefs are routinely mocked and deemed as silly, and have been for a long time.

So personally for me, I don't like using those words to describe Native spirituality, no, & don't think they should be used because of the above reasons. It seems to reinforce the ideas that our beliefs aren't on the same level of importance or as worthy of respect as something like Christianity. I'm a little less turned off by "mythology", but I still don't use it that much.

#also try not to use 'non-native' bc its piggybacking off the term 'nonblack' which is used to describe global antiblackness #from other ethnicities #autistic-prince-cinderella

[candied-boys]

Luke's POV x F! Reader - Part 3

Warning: Dark Content!

Including but not limited to references to prostitution, child neglect and abuse, war and death, PTSD, flashbacks, nightmares, suicidal ideation, and historically accurate ages for relations. The dark content is almost entirely drawn from/same as Luke's route.

Themes: protection, hurt and comfort, mutual healing, learning to trust, letting yourself feel, and eventually giving into love. Everything is written from Luke's POV.

Part 2

“I've never had cake before!” she beams back.

It stings more that you're not surprised by this than the fact she's never tried cake.

____________________________________________________

“Luke! There you are! We heard you liked the girl at Rosey’s so much you took her home! Lucky son of a bitch! Where'd you get the money for that when we all work the same job?” one of your colleagues calls from across the room as you step in the building.

“Is that why you didn't show up to work yesterday? Too wrecked from all that fun?” another cackles, elbowing you in the ribs.

“Ah! You know he doesn't fuck and tell, mate. No point trying to wring it out of him,” a third one quips.

“Gonna bring her around sometime? Let us all have a go, eh?” the first jibes, the other two laughing as a few other men around the room join in and comment on what fun that would be.

It takes everything he ever taught you to keep calm and laugh it off while visions of murder dance in your head.

Y’ really shouldn't care ‘bout the shit they say, Luke.

Joke or not, it's not like she's important to y’.

In fact, she's completely useless.

Y’ only brought her back on a whim…

Right?

Right. The sooner she's on her way the better…

Despite reciting this internal monologue daily, you find yourself coming home earlier after work than before. You used to stay out and drink. Not that you particularly enjoyed the company of your colleagues, but keeping informed is essential to your mission and gossip is a good source.

More than anything, it was a distraction from the dark memories that haunt you at all waking and sleeping hours. But now you can talk with her, which is far more pleasant than forcing yourself to pay attention to your drunk comrades.

Especially so when the conversation is over a hot homemade meal. Though you didn't ask her to earn her food and shelter, she's taken to preparing dinner for the two of you every night. Her skills can't compete with yours, but she's also never seen most of the ingredients your pantry is stocked with.

You avoid the subject of her home life because you don't want to talk about yours, but you notice from the things she can and can't do that her childhood was similarly neglectful. Unlike you however, a deep seeded fear lurks in her cautious actions. One obviously instilled by years of abuse.

Because she thinks she doesn't deserve anything but such horrific treatment she's easy to spoil. After her feet healed, the first thing you did was take her to the cobbler. You made an apron and a coat for her not even a week after the kirtle. This time with a matching handbag.

Her apologetic and sheepish reactions to being given things of her own is gradually shifting to grateful smiles and thank yous. The brightest smile you've seen so far has to have been last night when she tried cake for the first time.

When you aren't off at clandestine anti-royalist rallies, most nights after dinner you've been teaching her to read and write so that she has something to keep herself occupied while you're at work. She struggles, but she's a bright enough girl that you know she'll be able to enjoy books soon. Most importantly, if she can read and write she'll be able to secure a good job and find a place to live where she can be free and safe.

For now, you've been working through a cookbook because the vocabulary is familiar and the instructions are short and simple. That's how you ended up baking cake with her late into the night.

“Wow!! This sounds so yummy!” she squeaks after successfully reading through the recipe.

“Nonnettes, huh? I remember they were popular where I grew up. Gingerbread spices, rye flour, honey, eggs, and jam. I think I have everythin’. You wanna try makin’ ‘em?”

“No, no! I don't want to bother you, Luke! I'm sorry I said anything! Please forget it!” she babbles, wide-eyed as she waves her hands dismissively.

“Stop it, Honey,” you chide and grab her wrists. “I suggested bakin’. If I didn't wanna do it, I wouldn't have offered. I love sweets and y’ know I'll eat everythin’ with honey in it. But more importantly, y’ need to learn that it's okay to ask for things y’ want.”

“Really? Are you sure it's not too much trouble…?” she queries hesitantly, shoulders curling up to her ears now that you've arrested her flailing arms.

“Yes. It'll be fun and we get to eat it all afterwards too!” you smile at the thought of fresh pastries.

“I've never had cake before!” she beams back.

It stings more that you're not surprised by this than the fact she's never tried cake.

“Do y’ like spiced things?” you ask knowing not everyone enjoys cinnamon and ginger.

“I don't know… We could never afford anything but salt…”

“Guess we'll find out then, won't we,” you smile and stand to fetch the ingredients from the pantry.

“I have lots of honey, but what kinna jam does the recipe call for?” you ask over your shoulder as you gather up little boxes of dried spices.

“It says or..or…”

“Orange?”

“Yes! Orange mar..ma..lade, or fruits like ap..ri..cot.”

“Oranges are for the bourgeoisie. Can't buy ‘em at market, so marmalade is out. I have black currant jam though.”

“Sounds delicious! We also need butter, rye, water and spices.”

While you measure out the spices, she warms the honey and butter to mix into the leavened rye dough you always have handy. In the days after you brought her here you picked up extra dishes and cutlery, so at least you have bowls to bake and eat with now.

With the jam tucked into the centre of each little cake you set them over the coals to bake, and return to her writing practice as the next hour or so passes. Though your eyes linger on the wobbly shape of her letters you aren't really seeing the ink. Teaching her basics like this reminds you of all the ways he looked after you.

You know he took special care of you to ensure you'd be a well-equipped pawn, but that doesn't change the fact that he did care for you. As manipulative and conniving as he is, he's gentle in some ways… and for better or worse, he did save your life.

If he saw me now, would he be disappointed?

Would he think me a fool for lookin’ after somebody so obviously worthless to my ambitions?

Would he think I've gone soft?

If he thought I'd lost my resolve, would he cut me down ‘cause I know too much?

Or would he be happy for me… like that time I told him I was getting along with the kids at the military academy…

“Luke? Luke!” she calls and waves her hand in front of your eyes.

Startling from your daydream you hum inquisitively.

“I think the nonnettes are done…”

There's a concerned look in her eyes when she tells you this, but you brush it off by ruffling her hair as you rise to fetch the baked goods. By the time you've each finished your first cake, her genuinely radiant smile has you enchanted and you've forgotten those worries.

Part 4

#why do i do this to myself #why do I love dark x comfort #ikemen prince #ikepri #ikemen luke #ikemen prince luke randolph #luke randolph #ikemen prince luke #ikepri luke #ikepri fanfiction #fanfiction #ikemen prince fanfiction #ikepri fanfic

[a-libra-writes]

Quick question, but where would you suggest to start researching? I’ve never really done it before, but I want to, but I’m worried I wouldn’t get a reliable resource and only realize it later. Any suggestions?

So Im gonna guess this is gonna refer to historical events and such (bc I mentioned that), BUT I think it can be applied to most research? This is how I go about it!

First, wikipedia article! Obviously they have the sources that you can dig through, but I use it to skim over the general idea (like if it's a war or a type of fashion), and make notes on what I want to focus on. Earlier I was researching how the Ottoman Empire was split up by France and Britain after WWI, and the interesting/turbulent decades of Syria as an independent state following the fall - that's A LOT of complicated shit to go through. So, from there I make a list of what's most interesting to me.

(This may be tough depending on how broad your subject is! "American Civil War" is really broad so maybe pick a very specific aspect that's interesting you the most. The battles? How a specific part of the US was affected? The history of black Northern soldiers vs Southern soldiers? etc etc)

Narrow it down - from "History of the Ottoman Empire", focus on "Post-WW1 Fall of Ottoman Empire and Creation of Turkey" and then what events, documents and people were important to that? Pick like two from each category. More examples - I love queer history, but maybe I want to focus on Queer terminology from 1920-1960. Narrow it down further - "Queer Slang from the 1920s", "History of Queer Clubs In the 1920s", "History of Queer Clubs in Harlem in the 1920s", "and so forth.

I google and use credited websites; it's great when you find the website of a museum that specializes in that or a special article put out. Sometimes what I need is so specific that I'm digging through any link I can find. Again, that gives me more details, but like you said, is it reliable? And even if these articles or websites can get detailed, it may not be exactly what you want.

So! Depending on how deep you wanna get. I love love love non-fiction and if I'm really passionate about the subject, I look into non-fiction books that audible or my library might have. Audiobooks work best for me personally. Auto-biographies are fantastic as well. And if the book has several revised editions, you can be sure it's regularly updated and accurate (usually), as well as check for reviews on the accuracy of the book and author.

Also, documentaries! I went on a kick about the rise of nursing as a proper profession in France from 1900-1950 - very specific! - and Netflix actually had a French-made documentary with english subtitles about it. So interesting! You can find documentaries online and on Youtube. Sometimes Youtube has really interesting videos, and if you're lucky you can get a deep-dive on your chosen subject... but most of the time it's just a 10~20 minute overview video (avoid the videos that are like, "History of This Complex Historical Event or History of X Country in 1-3 Minutes", just. Trash.) Sometimes I get a video that a museum made; they aren't the best production quality but you can tell they're very passionate.

Oh! And ofc Im focusing on historical things, but I also looove to research fashion for specific decades in the US. That's fun because there's quite a few websites where you can get lots of photos of what every day people wore, what was high fashion, esp if it's after the 1900s! Vintage Dancer is one of my favorite websites for the sheer detail of 1920s fashion, with descriptions and photographs.

By this point you probably have a lot of notes and things to cross-reference! So if you get a feeling that something may not be correct or biased, ideally you'll have multiple sources (docs, videos, books) etc to pull from. Again when I'm very serious about a subject I really prefer non-fiction books because they're (supposed to be) rigorously researched and the authors typically spent years on them. I think Youtube and Wikipedia is like your start, documentaries and specific websites/blogs are the middle, and tons of non-fiction or going out to do your own research (look for local museums, ask librarians, etc) is getting deeeeep in that rabbit hole! It's all so interesting and very very fun and just. Gah. I love how terrible and fascinating history is.

#im working on a Lackadaisy Thing (tm) so im back into the 20s research i did for Peaky Blinders stuff #but more intense bc it's US-based #so easier for me to find stuff bc thats where I live! #anyway good luck anon! !! #I hope this made sense Im v sleepy from work haha #not writing #libra says

[kustas]

finished samurai champloo do here is my attempt to keep my opinions about it brief. REALYL good show. im trying to find a playlist of the soundtrack in order bc the music in it is SO interesting like first of all obviously the hiphop and its used vv creatively but i also am a huge fan of that fast drum beat that i think they only used twice? both times mugen was fighting someone and its just a very interesting sound for both scenes, also thw whole show was visually soso beautiful and interesting and i want to eat it. u already said everything about mugens design but i also loved that jin's clothes were long and flowy and gave him a much larger shilouhette (not how thats spelled i think) which contrasts his restrained fighting style/persinality and also kind of fun bc of his like legend thats larger than him. fuu's design was cute and i loved her dagger i wish shed used it more but tbh i think more couldve been done with her than the constant kidnapping. i also really liked that the tonal shifts were natural and it changed between fun anarchronisms and zombies and like the harrowing inner life of the characters and the real struggles of the era. overall best show ive watched this year i think. now onto mind game

hello hi! Glad you had a good time! Champloo is such a ridiculously rule of cool show, it deserves all the good press :D

You are on point about the design for the leads, in the shape language and contrast and all those little details...:) About Fuu, she's a character I'm torn on. I love that she's a rare example of a teen girl character who actually feels like a teen girl, she's peppy and cute and kicks ass when she needs to and the writing of the show and other characters (even Mugen...lmfao) treat her like a person albeit an immature one. But her role in each episode...sheesh. it's one thing to talk about how sexist that era was because it absolutely was the case, but it doesn't do much with it. She's supposed to be the protagonist, her being the damsel in distress all the time got on my nerves and I agree way more could have been done with her. I really appreciated the episodes where she solved problems with her personality in ways the two guys wouldn't have been able to. But for how rare it is to have cool girls in shows...always dissapointing to see them become secondhand sometimes.

And about the historical stuff, the "real struggles of the era", I found that for a show that openly embraces "not historically accurate get off my tits" , it does a weirdly good job teaching about aspects of the time that aren't known about in the mainstream. Jokes on the writers, I guess! Even if it's mostly played for jokes, several episodes touch on the attempts at contact/colonization by Europe especially the Dutch, and I found the mystery around the rise of Christianity one of the most interesting parts when I first watched it.

As for the music....damn right it bangs. OP/ED alone are some of the best I know in anime. Was already the case for Bebop, but Watanabe has a thing for picking really good music and using it in slightly unconventional but awesome ways. If you haven't, I strongly recommend checking out nujabes, the artist behind the opening track. Unfortunately as far as I know he's not worked on other shows, as he tragically passed away only a few years after Champloo was released. He might be the one to have popularized chill beats especially among anime fans. I'll recommend my favorite track of his, Lady Brown, the sweetest love song I know :)... As well as another unrelated track that you might dig, kode9's 9 samurai, who's beat revolves around sampling what I believe to be a Kurosawa movie soundtrack. Bit off topic but hey that's the vibe with Champloo's writing too isn't it

Thank you so much for sending me your thoughts! I hope mindgame won't blast your brains too far out :D

#ask #samurai champloo

[ragnarlothcat]

2, 8, 38, 42!

Hello and thank you 🥰 (for this fic writers game)

This is very long for some reason (I know why and it's the same reason all my one-shots are ridiculous) so I'll put a cut

2. Go to your AO3 “Works” page, to the sidebar with all the filters, and click the drop-down arrow for “Additional Tags.” What are your top 3-5 most used tags? Do you think they accurately represent your writing habits?

Absolutely fascinating to do this, thank you. My results:

Alternate Universe - Modern Setting (9)

Rimming (6)

Top Obi-Wan Kenobi (6)

Anal Sex (4)

Bottom Anakin Skywalker (4)

First what this tells me is that I failed to tag anal sex at least twice so that's on me. The top/bottom disparity puzzled me for a moment until I remembered I'd tagged at least one fic with power bottom Anakin and I bet the filter didn't catch that.

It's funny, tagging dynamics wasn't really a thing in my previous fandoms but I saw it was in obikin so I've adjusted my habits. This also shows that I a) have a lot of wips that have not gotten to the sex and b) I write more M and under and non-penetrative sex than I realized.

The modern AU thing is definitely accurate, I write a lot of those. Although I have 22 works in total so I guess more than half aren't modern AUs. They're a combination of canon divergence (which I never tag although I probably should) and other (like historical au). I like modern AUs! I love reading them and I love writing them. Sure you can angst it up but it's nice to have a setting where I don't have to think about whether Anakin's already gone on a murder spree or not.

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

I am the worst person for this question because I've never been inspired to write by a song. Sometimes I'll have an idea and go looking for a song with the right vibes to listen to while I work but that's the closest I've gotten.

Oh you know what? I was listening to Criminal by Fiona Apple one time and thought something fun could be done with that premise (with all the "girl"s changed presumably). I never went anywhere with it but I could see Anakin being the Fiona Apple character? Is there something there? Maybe he and Obi-Wan broke up because Anakin was callous in some way? I don't know!

38. Did any of your fics get surprisingly popular (whatever that means to you)? Which ones? Why do you think they were so successful?

To this day I'm a little surprised when anyone reads anything but I maybe my one shot Out of the Bag? The general pattern I've noticed is that longer fics end up being more popular and my catboy Anakin is one chapter, short (by my standards) and fundamentally pretty cracky. They don't even actually hook up in it, it's just kissing and the suggestion of a further relationship!

What this tells me is that a decent number of people also want to see a cat eared Anakin get absolutely wrecked by Obi-Wan and you know what? I want to see that too.

42. Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason?

The cheap but true answer is that whenever someone takes the time to really engage with a chapter it stands out to me. I can remember writing à la carte and getting comments wondering what would happen next and about Anakin's backstory and that's all I've ever wanted! When people have theories??? It's the most fun ever and I always have to hold myself back from confirming or denying them.

The sillier answer is that someone bookmarked one of my fics with the comment "guilty pleasure unfortunately" and I think about it like once a month and laugh. I've been there too, bookmarker. I'm just happy you enjoyed it!

#ask game #anon #thank you! #i love being a guilty pleasure #also the fic in question is a master/padawan thing which i know can be a little iffy for some people #so i am not remotely offended #it is a little kinky! #anyway sorry this is so long i have all this pent up writing energy but a brain made of pudding

[clit-a-cola]

Like I absolutely adore women's fashion from the 1950s. I have several dresses, a petticoat, purfumes, and makeup that are semi-era accurate to that time period. Every now and then, I like to just do myself up in the style and have a fun day out on the town or hell even just run errands dressed up for the fuck of it.

I mean shit when I start doing my fallout recipes I plan on making a whole Look (tm) for the day I'm cooking, because one of the many things I love about fallout is the retro-futurist aesthetic of the series!

But like??? That entire era of fashion was a desperate attempt to shove women back into the kitchen after they'd been winning the war in the 1940s.

The hyper-feminine Everything Much Match Everything you need to keep up on the latest fashion stay thin wear three different dresses a day trend, was a capitalist consumerist push to make money in the post-war economy!

But it was also so so focused on trying to force women back into feminine standards. Keep them busy with bullshit like Fashion and Being Skinny and Ladylike. Forget that 10 years ago you were slamming together fighter planes to kill nazis, you need to focus on what was REALLY important: Popping out future wage slaves and war fodder for when we fight the commies, being a prize for current (male) wage slaves and meat fodder, and most importantly going back to doing work that you aren't gonna get paid for!

And like??? I can not imagine diving into historical fashion, learning historical contexts like this (sometimes from eras even MORE repressive to women) and then going around and calling women "people perceived as women".

Like bro I will call you a they/them all you want like you're super valid for naming yourself after a 18th century gothic romance novel character but be so so so for fucking serious right now ;o;

#blogging #Idk what to even tag this as. #Like why does acknowledging sexism is real past present and future make you so mad ;o; #Why would you want to appeal to people who get mad at you for acknowledging sexism oh my godddddddddddd.

[revolutionarytea]

Me: *likes a musical or period drama*

Everyone: But aren’t you mad that it’s not historically accurate?!

Me, just trying to enjoy things:

#Sometimes I simply vibe with things ya know? #sometimes it's fun even when things aren't historically accurate #then I get the chance to do my own research #and sometimes I don't research at all because it was something I casually watched #I know it's not a popular opinion but still #sometimes I just like things for the sake of liking them because I vibe with whatever it is #personal #history #historical accuracy #period dramas #musicals #hamilton musical #alexander hamilton #six the musical #turn washington's spies #bridgerton #Versailles

[himboholhorse-moving]

1 2 4 7 8 9 13 18 20 26 27 29 30 32 39 40 41 43/44 45 46 49 51 53 55 56 57 59 63 65 that is. so many dghsdghsdgv I'm sorry I just see an ask meme and go crazy aaaa go stupid aaaa. You can just answer whichever u like from those!! also 69(nice): you seem rly nice and funny from your 🅱️osts and I appreciate u... I hope you can find better irl friends who aren't trash

HDSKFJKS I completely understand but lucky for u I LOVE to talk !!

1) How are you?

Pretty good, actually!! Which is a nice change of pace. I went to Walmart with some friends yesterday and got a few things, baked a family recipe that my friends LOVE, and finally did my laundry (it’s been a couple weeks we love depression and executive dysfunction dfhkjsfd). I went to Cracker Barrel with some friends and earlier and played a 4-way game of Tetris after. :3c

2) Post a picture of yourself.

Here you go !!

4) What is your entire name?

Sierra Alexis and my last name is something constantly misspelled so I’ll give you the name of a historical figure whose name is a letter off from mine: George B. McClellan, to whom I may or may not be related because last name variations are fuckin’ WEIRD.

7) Your zodiac/horoscope and if you think it fits your personality.

I’m a Capricorn sun and moon, and Libra rising !! And from what I’ve read on Twitter from various astrologers, like Milkstrology, I LOVE her, I’d say it’s pretty accurate with my personality!! I like to say Capricorn’s aren’t cold bitches but, I Have A Tendency To Be One !!

8) What did you do on your last birthday?

God what DID I do on my last birthday… it was in January, so like, I SHOULD remember… OH I went to IHOP with my friends !! I share a birthday with another friend and I got a JoJo notebook and something called a Fuggler! They’re stuffed animals more or less but designed to be “ugly.” I got one that looks like Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty because I LOVE Gritty… he’s so fun and funky.

9) What is one thing you’d like to accomplish before your next birthday?

Get all my requests in my inbox over on my writing blog done KJHFDJKSF it’s been a few months and life has been. Hectic to say the least.

13) If you could change your eye color, would you?

There’s so much weird as hell brown-eye-phobia so like… I think blue eyes would be pretty neat. OR PURPLE… give me some unnatural eye colors pls...

18) Do you have any tattoos?

Not yet!! I’m going to get one the next time I go back home for break. :3c And I have a few ideas for other ones!! I wanna get a big-ass “Dragon Age: Origins” tattoo that’s the dragon on the cover on my thigh. I also wanna get a DA2 and “Inquisition” tattoo… and the Joestar birthmark… too many ideas… 

20) Left or right handed?

Right-handed !! I could have been left-handed or ambidextrous if I broke my arm AFTER I started kindergarten, but alas that was before.

26) Something you are working on right now:

This !! But also the script for my next podcast episode that I record on uhhh Monday I think. Should probably figure that one out dsjfjhsf

27) Do you have any “rules” about food?

I answered that in the last ask !!

29) What would you say is your best quality?

I also answered this in the last ask !!

30) What do you think you’re really good at?

Writing, I’d say! And memorizing trivia about the stuff I’m super into. If it’s stuff pertaining to “M*A*S*H” or old movies or TV shows or actors or specific historical events, I will know that shit FOR LIFE. Don’t ask me to do math pls thank u

32) What talent do you wish you’d been born with?

I wish I was able to do stuff with music. That was never really in my blood, despite all the music classes they make you take in elementary school. I just never learned how to memorize or read sheet music. :/ I would have loved to play violin, tho… my friend plays and she says I would have been a good cellist.

39) Do you sleep with a stuffed toy?

YES… have for years. I still have my Care Bear from when I was 5, Gritty as mentioned above, a plush of my school’s mascot, and a little Fugo !! He’s so tiny.

40) What do you think about the most?

Everything and constantly and all at once. But the past really because I can never let stuff go and even the small things I mess up on haunt me forever… Wish that wasn’t the case but it is !!

41) Share two habits:

Biting my nails and having a very specific routine in which I get ready when I wake up. Like, I’ve gotta go brush my hair before I put my important cards in my left pocket, then put on my silver bracelet, then my beaded bracelet, then my earbuds in my right pocket, then put my earrings in. I HAVE to do it in that order…

And other oddities that include, like, if I need to go around something I HAVE to follow the urge to go one way and not the other, lest I feel the need to go back and fix it. And then which foot goes first before I reach a crack in the sidewalk, or up or down a curb, etc.

43) What are your career goals?

If I can just make people happy or get some kind of joy out of the things I do, I’d call that enough. :)

44) What is your ideal career?

Mmm, either a film historian or a film professor !! Preferably at the college I’m at right now but wherever the wind takes me, I’ll go! Or a Twitch streamer or YouTuber, it really depends on my mood jdhfjskf

45) Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

It was pretty much the same !! Freshman year was pretty lively, I didn’t have a job on campus yet though, or my podcast. Everything else is basically the same!

46) Do you replay things that have happened in your head?

CONSTANTLY… good or bad it’ll play back over and over and over again.

49) Do you have any phobias?

HOO BOY, DO I… fear of heights; fear of insects/bugs/arachnids/bees/wasps; I have a strong dislike of the number 13 but I don’t know if it’s a phobia, I just. REALLY hate it; the unknown, more or less what lurks somewhere beyond where I can see. Not so much a fear of the dark with that one, just what could BE in it.

51) Are you allergic to anything? If so, what?

I answered this in my last ask, as well!

53) Ever come close to death?

Two or three times, maybe? Two of them involved what’s called a laryngospasm, typically it can happen when your sick, which is what happened to me both times. Basically your throat just closes up on your for a hot minute and you can’t breathe. The first time I genuinely thought I was going to die (and my dad still sent me to school that day… HOE), the second time I was also sick and was losing/had lost my voice DURING A JOB RETREAT and it happened in the middle of the night so that was funny sitting there gasping for breath in the pitch dark.

At the FIRST retreat I went on for that job, you had to take pictures as part of a scavenger hunt, and the place used to be an old military fort, so there were still the old bunkers there. We had to take one on top of it and I was taking the picture, and it’s a wide shot so I go to take a step back but before I do I look behind me. If I hadn’t I would have fallen a good 10-15 feet down onto solid Civil War-era bunker concrete. I’d consider that being a “close to death” moment because I really could have died!

55) A random fact about yourself:

I have a half-brother !! My sis and I finally found him after her 23andMe results came back (which she decided to do despite us being like THE GOVERNMENT WILL COLLECT OUR DATA) and we didn’t think our mom would be happy she found him but she was !! My sis might reach out and contact him, she just wanted our mom’s permission first to do it.

56) What are three things most people don’t know about you?

Well, that I have a half-brother. I don’t mention it a lot. Aside from y’all on here and my sister, most everyone else doesn’t know I’m nonbinary! Everyone else knows I’m bi though lmao. And that there were times I’d stretch or bend the truth or lie about something just to impress someone else. It’s a… Bad Habit. Another thing is that most people don’t know I like coffee? Like I need to put a shit ton of creamer in with it because I’m a Bitch, but yeah.

57) An unknown fact about your life:

I wouldn’t call this an “unknown” fact but I’d used to go to work with my dad every now and again when he worked at the Home Depot and he was assistant manager. I’d either chill in the back room which was an office he shared with two other guys, or walk around the store with him. I had my own apron, too, which was my name with “Mini Mac” next to it, “Mac” being my dad’s nickname and something easier to say than my last name. I actually helped a few customers out so I wonder if I should have gotten paid for that despite being like, ages 9-13 when I’d go jshfkjd

And I guess I technically tested video games as a kid? Basically, when my dad was stationed at Fort Knox, they’d get demos of video games that hadn’t come out yet to test I suppose? and I still have a few somewhere. He’d hand them off to me and I’d play them so there’s that.

59) Five weird things that you like:

Eating globs of wasabi for no reason.

Scaring my friends also for no reason.

I wouldn’t say using cotton swabs to get wax out of your ears because it feels good is weird, just more medically inadvisable if anything.

When I was younger I’d like to floss really hard because the slight pain from it felt good. Young me was a #Freaque KJHDFJJDHF

I don’t know if being fond of alphabetizing and reorganizing things is considered weird but I LOVE doing that.

63) A quote you try to live by:

“It matters not how strait the gate, / How charged with punishments the scroll; / I am the master of my fate: / I am the captain of my soul.” It’s from the poem “Invictus” and the last two lines are what I’m getting tattooed !!

65) Weird things you do when you’re alone:

Practice the “Lucky Star” dance. I GOT THE LYRICS DOWN… JUST NEED TO DO THE DANCE NOW…

69) Leave me a compliment:

“you seem rly nice and funny from your 🅱️osts and I appreciate u... I hope you can find better irl friends who aren't trash”

Anon pls 🥺 I do my best to be nice but my friend really do test me sometimes... my feelings bounce back n forth like if they do something my feelings can switch to angry or like, hate, and then if they do something nice I’ll like them again. It sucks but ! I just take it one day at a time. Anon I care for u 💜💜💜

#anonymous #asks #ask games #I love u anon 💜 thank u for letting me just Talk jdhsksjf #Anonymous

[3wisellamas]

Because there still aren't enough Deltarune theories: Fun Facts About Cards

So, I was thinking a lot about @pirenja's older post on Jevil and Seam as The Fool and The Magician, the first (or first and last, depending on who you ask) cards of the Tarot major arcana and which usually map to the Jokers in a standard playing card deck.  

There's also the MINOR arcana, though -- the plain numbers and suits that make up the rest of a Tarot deck, and look a LOT like a typical 52-card deck.  I knew about those, but didn't know those, so I got curious and spent a couple days looking into it, just for funsies.

So, uh...holy shit.  The card-based Darkners aren't just playing cards, they're TAROT cards.  The characters we know fit almost ridiculously well to their cards, and there were a couple parallels I found particularly interesting.  Allow me to infodump, and add in a few extra fun little things that also came up in some card research, and which might have some...interesting implications on the rest of Deltarune.  A lot of this is gonna come from Wikipedia, as well as this site.

Just a heads-up, this post is gonna include a lot of theories (some of which may or may not be pure crack) and will be LONG, and much of it will look like this:

...But in a fun way, I promise.  ~^

First, let's go over some REALLY brief info about some of the cards we've seen so far in Deltarune.  The ties between these guys and Tarot are pretty damn obvious, especially when you look at the four suits:

Diamonds:  In Tarot, their equivalent is Pentacles or Coins.  These are associated with wealth, business, and physical possessions.

Sounds a lot like the Rudinns and the King of Diamonds, right?  I mean, they're so obsessed with their treasure that they sold their beds to have more of it!

Hearts:  The Tarot equivalent is the Cups.  Associated with emotions and bettering oneself.  

Hathys are pretty big on emotion -- they're the ones you keep flirting with in encounters, after all, and the proceeds for Hathy's bake sale go towards their health.

Clubs:  The Tarot equivalent is the Wands.  This one I had to work a bit to figure out, but it seems to be more associated with social things, passion, and desire/drive.

Clover is definitely a social one, seeing as how they're throwing their birthday party in the castle when you arrive.  And they're also VERY passionate about three specific topics, which actually plays into pacifying them!

Spades:  Now for some fun.  In Tarot, these are Swords, and are most associated with...take a wild guess.  Ambition, power, violence, and the military.

Yep.  Shall we look a bit closer at the actual cards in the Spades suit, then?  

First off, the King of Spades/Swords.  The card is LITERALLY called The Warlord, and is associated with force and discipline, ruthlessness, intelligence, and sometimes coldness and abuse in a negative reading.  Pretty damn accurate to the King, I gotta say.  Not a lot of room for interpretation here.

The other Spade we know of, though?  A...little less clear-cut, but still works.  Lancer is the Jack of Spades, meaning his Tarot equivalent is the Page/Knave of Swords -- same card, just an older name -- which is indeed all about youth and energy, as well as learning and observing, and keeping cool in danger.  However, the card is also called The Spy, and also has a meaning of concealing oneself and keeping secrets.

Hm.  Some of that really sounds like Lancer, some...doesn't?  Perhaps our boy has an arc and some more character development ahead of him.  Or...I'll get back to this.  Because there is some interesting theory fuel here once I bring in another point.

Now, for a Spade we DON'T know yet, but that we know very well is coming:  The Queen.  The Queen of Swords is associated with intelligence, strategy, independence, and...repressed sadness and divorce?  Hm.

HM.  If the King of Spades is meant to be a Dark World mirror of Asgore, could the Queen end up being a dark mirror of Toriel, out in self-exile?  Time will tell.  And when we do finally meet the Queen in future chapters, she will very likely be one hell of a big deal, if the Tarot theme holds, so keep the card description in mind for that!

But, we can't stop at the Queen; we're missing a big, major detail.  In Tarot decks, and in fact in historical playing card decks in general, there are FOUR face cards of each suit, not just the three we see in a typical deck.  At the top are the King and Queen, obviously.  At the bottom is the Page or the Knave, as I said up there the equivalent of the modern Jack.  And the last one, between the Page and the Queen?  The Knight.

No, really.  The Knight is a CARD.  But, I'm gonna go further than that:  We already know someone, specifically a card person, in the Dark World who fits the description of the Knight of Swords/Spades, quite well in fact:

Associated with major, drastic changes -- pretty appropriate for the person who's been jailing kings and opening up dark fountains, huh?

Impulsive, and constantly takes actions without much planning beforehand.

Fanatical and single-minded, obsessively loyal to one thing and one thing only at a time.

Confident, to the point of arrogance.  Basically, obsessed with themselves.

Articulate, good with words, and a sweet-talker, able to get what they want through speech and charm alone.  Ironically, not often associated with direct action, and can mean cowardice.

Also, a bald-faced liar -- their whole thing is trickery and deceit.  They also keep a LOT of secrets, like the Page.

Worth noting, the Knight often replaces the Queen entirely in older decks, and is considered the card right under the King of Spades, as his main servant or advisor.

Notably, according to that Tarot site up there, they are heavily associated with major career changes and promotions.

You figured it out yet?

.

.

.

Oh yeah.  Worm knight.  

Let's go through some points with both Rouxls Kaard and that card description in mind, if you don't believe me.  

Uh, hello?  Confident, impulsive, acts without thinking, fanatical, self-centered?  The card description may as well be the guy's Wikia bio.

Articulate...well, he tries.  Can't fault him for that.  (yes you can)

Honestly, aside from that "God.  Damn it." moment, can you give me one instance in which his manner of speaking WASN'T overly flowery and fancy, to the point of ridiculousness?  That's, like, his most defining trait.

He's a coward, never actually facing you himself until you reach the castle, and instead preferring to vandalize puzzle solutions and throw minions at you.

He seriously butters you up during the entire second shop conversation, and in fact almost constantly from the moment K.Round is defeated for the final time -- he says he's always on the winning side, which at the time is you, and does his best to claim he never truly opposed you at all, that everything was a test, he just wants to help you, etc.  The guy even tries to BRIBE you at the very end if you went pacifist, offering Susie a plate of worms for letting him lie about his involvement in your adventure, to boost his own ego.  

Did I forget to mention he's pretty much got a lot of the Rudinns and Clover (and a lot of fandom it seems) charmed with his looks and manner of speaking, and wrapped around his finger as well?  Because that.

Throughout the game, Rouxls really is nothing more than a big talker and a big liar.  Most obviously, the first time you talk to him in his shop he says quite a bit, but does a COMPLETE 180 on ALL OF IT after he's defeated for the final time, suddenly going from praising the King to hating his guts and claiming to be undermining him, from mocking the Fun/$!? Squad to praising them and offering assistance, and from complaining about Lancer to admitting he cares about the kid quite a bit.  

Also, consider:  His "ultimate puzzle", which he suspiciously refused to show us...

Even if it's not explicitly pointed out as such, Rouxls is King Spade's second in command, the guy serving directly under him in the castle in the absence of the Queen (or any other castle staff besides the guards, for that matter).  In very old decks before the Queen was a thing, Knights are in between the Page/Jack and the King and are considered the King's advisor/right hand guy.

Knights also have a lot of very close connections to Pages, both in card games as well as history.  A page is literally a knight's very young (age 7-14) apprentice and servant, and stick close to them and learn from them -- similar to Rouxls' lesser dad/son relationship with Lancer!  (Also, a thought:  medieval knights would often carry lances, supplied by said page!)

During battle, the King calls the Knight "My Knight".  This might confirm that the Knight is indeed a member of his own court, the Knight of Spades, and not of another suit.  However, from the tone and some of the other things he says throughout the battle, it’s clear that King Spade actually owes allegiance to the Knight, rather than the other way around.  Possibly even some fondness for him, from that particular tone.  And...I'm not gonna beat around the bush on this.  King Spade is totally Rouxls' sugar daddy.  The King just up and fires everyone in his castle, and gives this random unqualified prettyboy the next-highest position after himself out of absolutely nowhere?  Yeah.  No.  Even incompetent kings don't just do that.  There's something really weird going on there, something about their relationship that screams there’s some shady business going on behind the scenes.  Though, potentially, one could also flip the script, seeing the new job as repayment for putting King Spade in power...

One final point, getting a bit away from the card again.  In the game, The Knight is supposed to have a close connection with the Dark Fountains, able to “pull them from the Earth” and manipulate their power to bring darkness or whatever, right?  When using the Card Castle fountain to go home, Kris and Susie teleport in a massive column of white light, that looks like this:

(Sorry, screenshotting that particular moment is tough...)

Look a little familiar?

Yep, I'm gonna go there.  The same goddamn teleport animation.  Nowhere else in the game is that particular animation used, even when it kinda should -- for instance, Jevil’s scythes also teleport in vertical columns of light, but those look entirely different!

There's some other things about Rouxls that actually make me super suspicious of the guy, but one that does so even more now, that I really should bring up if I'm claiming him to be The Knight:  Remember that last battle against K.Round?  When Rouxls brings out his "Control Crowne"?  That lets him control anything “disc-shaped”, and (if we take Ralsei's word for it) looks incredibly painful?  

...What the actual living FUCK??!  Seriously, is no one else IMMENSELY ALARMED by the fact that not only is this crown a thing that exists, but for some goddamn reason it just happens to be in the puzzle guy's possession??

I'm bringing that point up for a pretty big reason, though:  Another name for the Diamonds/Pentacles suit is DISKS.  If Rouxls wasn't just bluffing (like he does on everything else, admittedly), there's a good chance he might be able to use that crown on Diamond cards as well.

And Rouxls DEFINITELY has a lot of interesting connections to Diamonds himself, beyond that.  Rudinns generally seem to be pretty enamored with the guy, and the whole suit is all about money and even represent the Merchant, or if you will, the shopkeeper class.  (And if you ask him why he’s selling things to you, he will admit he's raising money, for...some reason.)  In a four-color deck, Diamonds are usually represented by the color blue instead of red.  Also, Diamonds/Pentacles represent the Earth element, which is where one would find worms and insects.  So, he may very well have a close connection to Diamonds, as well as being the Knight of Spades...

I'll get back to that one as well, though, because there's another point I wanna bring into this whole card mess that might complicate things.  Because while researching, I found a very, very interesting little bit of trivia about the Joker card...

Second half of this post and a LOT more fun cracktheories under the cut.  Yep, you heard me, I'm still only halfway done here!

So.  The Jokers, Fool and Magician, former members of the card court, before...something went wrong.  You know how Jevil (and presumably Seam, as his only equal) can apparently do anything?  Well, while researching Tarot, I also randomly looked into the Jokers and their functions in a couple of other card games, the biggest being Spades, because why not.

In Spades, the Joker card can attach itself to any non-Spade card in the deck to make it count as the equivalent Spade, though still inferior to the real Spade card.  In other words, Jokers can turn other cards into Spades.

No, I'm serious.  Look for yourself.

This idea I’m mostly just having some fun with here, but if this little bit of trivia happens to come into play in the next few Deltarune chapters, it might have some SERIOUS implications on what we know about the Spades court.  In particular, it means we might not be able to take...really, any of the Spades characters we meet at face value (pun not intended, but appropriate).

But you know what?  I think we should take a closer look at the Spades we already know, and see if that might already be the case.  

The King fits his card description very well, and we actually see the other three kings locked up in a cage, so none of them could have been converted into the King of Spades.  So, we can pretty much confirm he's who we think.

But, then there's Lancer.  So far, he's the only Jack we've seen -- I know the card characters were originally based on a set of playing card designs by @kanotynes, and that the Jacks in that deck included not only Lancer but also the various minor enemies we see:  Rudinn, Hathy, and Clover.  But, in the game, those three don't seem to have any royal ties at all, definitely not as princes!  So, I think we can confirm that they're not actually the Jacks of other suits in Deltarune.

So, I'm gonna go back to my first Tarot loose end -- the Page of Spades/Swords, Lancer.  Remember how I pointed out some pieces of the card's description didn't fully match the kid?  The secrets, the concealing of one's true nature?

What if Lancer's not the Jack of Spades at all, but rather another Jack that was converted into a Spade by one of the Jokers for whatever reason?  Let's take a quick look at the other Pages, and see if one fits Lancer a bit more, shall we?

The Page of Hearts/Cups:  A "sweet-natured child", immature, creative, naive, a bad childhood, and self-centeredness.  Not a bad fit for Lancer, gotta admit!

The Page of Diamonds/Pentacles:  Planning for and seizing future success and opportunities, loyalty, sometimes associated with fruit trees and harvests (”Delicious little apple” / "Sweet little peach"?), and most importantly, a student, constantly learning just like the Page of Swords.  Also not a bad fit, though maybe a little less than the Page of Cups.

Now for the really fun one.  The Page of Clubs/Wands:  Inspiration, optimism, also creativity and making plans, rushing into things without thinking (appropriate for the Knight's charge...), "a bit of a cheeky charmer or lovable rogue", impatience, laziness, and a big emphasis on "losing yourself".  Also, did I mention that Wands represent the fire element?

So, really all three other Pages have elements that fit this kid in different ways, but some of the things about that Page of Clubs are...striking, to say the least.  This possibility might be worth keeping in mind when chapter 2 ever gets released!

Now, then, there's also another Spade we know, even if unconfirmed, with no known equivalents in other suits to rule out.  Could Rouxls also have been another suit, and got converted into the Knight of Spades?  

Remember all those weird connections to the Diamonds suit I pointed out?  Well, let's talk about the Knight of Diamonds -- A Red Knight, if you will!

"A young man who is dark of complexion and features."  This is an actual quote from Wikipedia. 

Defensive -- focus on protecting home and family.

Hard worker, determined, stubborn, finishing what you start.

All about questioning one's work or home life, or where they stand on an issue.

An animal lover.

The "wish card", about making your wishes and dreams come true, via perseverance and ambition.

Also, a negative interpretation is a loser or laziness, expecting results but not putting in the effort.  

Not a PERFECT fit, but still an interesting comparison, no?  Especially those things about fulfilling your wish, but failing by not putting in the effort required, kinda like how Rouxls is quite proud of becoming the high-ranking and privileged "Duke of Puzzles", but doesn’t actually put together anything other than simple block-pushing puzzles.  Another thought that comes up:  The control crown(e).  If Rouxls was originally a high-ranking Diamond/Disk suit, that fucking thing suddenly makes WAY more sense.  (Also, it would make all the Blue Diamond comparisons really funny in hindsight.  Just saying.)

Yeah, I know, claiming that Rouxls is the Knight is a big enough deal, and this extra cracktheory about him being a Knight who switched suits  is one even I'm admitting it’s crazy, and over-analyzing is just what I do.  Who knows if all or any of this will still be plausible by chapter 2.  However, worth noting:  If Rouxls was originally another suit, and got converted into the "Lesser” Knight of Spades/Swords by one of the Jokers, then there is very likely ANOTHER Knight of Spades/Swords out there, a much more powerful one.  Hm...

...Naaaah.  Too obvious. And on the same note, if my cracktheory about Lancer being the “lesser” Jack of Spades up there ends up actually being somewhat accurate, then there's also an original one out there somewhere...

...Maybe?  If you look at that description up there again, it actually seems to fit Ralsei even better than it fits Lancer -- the things about concealing one's true nature, keeping secrets, intelligence, and analysis suddenly become quite fitting.  And didn't Ralsei's original concept art include a reversed spade instead of a heart on the front of his robe?

So, if these are the case, what card is Susie?  I'm...admittedly not sure.  ^^;  I bet someone else can find a card that fits her though, so I'll leave that one open.

Okay, okay, I'm done with the wild theories now.  Lastly, I just wanna mention a couple of other interesting, weird card things I found out while researching.  Won't go as in-depth with these, but including them because why not:

A lot of people have been theorizing about the idea of Darkners bleeding like humans, and unlike monsters.  What if I told you that "bleeding" is an actual card term?  When you bleed your cards, you're accidentally exposing your hand to other players out of turn.

Remember when Rouxls called the party "mine amigose"?  Kind of an odd line, especially coming from him, but it was actually another card game reference!  Also from Spades is the term "Three amigos":  A nickname for the Ace, Queen, and King of Spades.  Interestingly, the Ace of Swords is all about cutting through lies and exposing the truth.  (Maybe that could be a card for Susie in future chapters?)

Hell, there’s just a LOT of card references thrown all over the place.  A cute one is when Jevil says “piip piip” during his fight -- like the dots on dice, the individual symbols on number cards are called pips.

Want another fun Tarot card meaning?  Take a good look at the Nine of Swords.  It's generally considered the worst card you could get, even in a mostly positive reading -- It's literally called The Nightmare, and represents fear, stress, being overwhelmed, grief, doubts, cruelty, etc.  Basically, if it's bad, it's in this card, up to and including a complete breakdown.  Now, recall another line that seems totally benign at first, courtesy of Jevil:  "From now, a nightmare will awaken in your hearts.  In the shadow of the Knight's hand..."  If I were y'all, I'd make damn sure to WATCH THIS CARD.

Also, "The Knight's hand"...of cards, perhaps?  :P  Okay, bad joke.  

There's sometimes three Jokers in a deck -- a white one in addition to black and red.  Just sayin'.  Might wanna also keep your eyes open for a third Joker in chapter 2, maybe chilling out with the Queen wherever she is? 

#deltarune #delta rune #undertale #spoilers #I guess? #emtheories

[aminiatureworld]

heyya, it's me again, hope you're having a wonderful day so far 💕

so i've just finished reading every chapter of the 'in my dreams' and i wanna comment how you did such good job with writing it! esp when its the flashblack / dream sequences also mainly i'm a history nerd and seeing stuff based on historical places makes me happy :D

and i also liked how you touched the emotional aspect of it. Seeing how the characters react to the anguish and pain the reader is experiencing is very comforting and it totally was not because i was projecting ahaha nope

but seriously, you did a great job. i hope you're feeling better now since you mentioned in a previous post that you were feeling a bit burnt out. if you ever reached that point, please do not hesitate to rest and take a break from writing! pushing yourself to do something you don't want to do will really take the fun out of it,,, plus i'm sure everyone here will be patiently waiting for you :D

anws i have another idea that popped itself in my head since i've watched too many horror films this week ;; i can't stomach gore horror like the saw movies or final destination, but i can however handle paranormal horror! it still freaks me out though

also this is partially a zhongli brainrot so i hope that you enjoy! if not pls feel free to delete

okay so, reader is an outcast from their village. they had no family, relatives, or even friends! it wasn't because they had done something inhumane, or horrific. heck, they aren't even a bad person! but, there is something deeply unsettling about them.

you see, whenever people look at them, they get the sense of uneasiness, something that they can't figure out and the longer they look, the more they become fearful and paranoid of their surroundings. they want to look away, but an unseen force practically forces them in a trance, which becomes more unbearable with each passing second.

reader is mainly aware of the dilemma they bring to everyone, so it causes them to become a hermit, practically living in isolation at the edge of the forest. at least in that way, no one has to be affected by their curse, right? right?

living in isolation was harder than they thought and they were going insane. at least back in the village, they had pets that kept them company but now? the complete silence was unbearable.

so, whether they cause a commotion or not, reader decides to travel to different cities in Teyvat, enjoying the different cultures and sceneries as one could. they do end up causing trouble from the local governments who thought they were a threat to the point that they were thrown to jail a few times, but other than that it ends up... fine? It was a miracle no archon tried to kill them!

On their journey to Liyue, reader was a bit lost when they end up bumping into someone. They profusely apologized, saying that they were being careless and it was rude of them. However, the gentleman simply acknowledges his mistake, and goes on to introduce himself when..

reader feels a chill crawl up their spine once they had eye contact. for a moment, it felt like the earth was pulling them down, slowly swallowing them whole and it was the most terrifying thing they had ever felt.

it was over in a blink of an eye and reader took a few steps back, unnerved by the entire situation.

"Do I know you?

"I'm no one of importance. I'm simply a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. And who might you be?"

"No one of importance too, I suppose."

They exchanged directions and quickly parted ways, yet reader cannot shake the feeling that they're being watched. By whom? No one can say for certain. But, let's hope Liyue's adepti and its ex-archon won't do anything rash. For the meantime, reader enjoys their life as a traveler.

The end! It's abit long so apologies ;;

- 🍪

Hello anon! 

I’m doing well enough, I hope that the same is true for you!

I glad you enjoyed reading “In My Dreams”. I’m always happy to hear from a fellow history nerd, it’s very gratifying to hear that you enjoyed the dreams and flashbacks especially, I found those were sort of the hardest scenes since I usually got way too sucked into the history part of it. 

And projecting or not, that the emotional beats were satisfying is also something I’m glad to hear, especially since I was so focused on lore and trying to mess with that. I was afraid sometimes I left more personal feelings and connections in the lurch. Also if it was a comfort at all then I’m very glad to hear it. Sometimes fiction can be the best place to find a sort of understanding ear, and I’ve definitely read fics that I feel can accurately mirror certain feelings and emotions. 

Thank you for caring about my wellbeing. Thankfully I was only burning out a little bit, I think I just set a schedule that was a little too ambitious, or rather ambitious considering I always end up writing late into the night instead of during the day like an intelligent person might. Still, thank you for worrying. I promise if it ever gets very bad I will take a break, and I’m glad to hear that you would be willing to wait for me to come back.

And I also don’t particularly like horror films in the slasher genre! I find they tend to have worse writing, but it could just be that I find jumpscares really irritating. I mostly stick to anime horror and then thrillers like Silence of the Lambs, which I really think is more thriller than horror. I do agree though I think whether film or books psychological horror and paranormal horror is usually more enjoyable to consume. 

And oh I think that’s a very interesting premise! And don’t worry it’s not long at all. It could go so many different directions. Is the reader cursed with it or is it inherited? If it’s a curse then could it be a spirit or being that Zhongli has dealt with before? If not did Zhongli make some sort of contact with the reader’s ancestors? It would also be interesting to see how Zhongli might react later on. He tends to be passive enough unless there is a genuine threat to Liyue, and it would be interesting to explore what he bases the idea of something being threatening on, whether he waits for something to happen or makes an assumption, and how that might change as he interacts with the reader. 

One thing the premise also touches on is the strength of horror, that being ambiguity. Horror that works best leaves a lot to the imagination. Thus the idea of the reader being watched but us never getting an answer to what happens to them is - at least to me - very compelling. I really think that letting the mind run wild is sometimes much better than spelling everything out for them. Explain something too much and it’s no longer scary. Something that’s governed by specific rules is never as terrifying as something that just exists or happens or appears without explaination.

Thank you for your lovely ask and for letting me ramble a bit about horror. Your premise was as interesting as always and I hope you have a lovely week and that you write again! 

#asks #anon #🍪 anon