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chaosxcrushed · 15 days

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There's a certain CCCC summary video that we really, really like. We think it is a great video for people if they want to grasp the story more clearly, if they're confused, or if they're listening to the album for the first time.

That video being Chonny Jash and the Weight of the Mind on Youtube by W3tBl@nk3t. We think they cover it really well.

However, I'm sharing this for a different reason; they say few certain things that really struck with us until now, that I'd like to share with the fandom. Sometimes, we see people really just.. Miss the point of CCCC entirely, and I'd like to shine a light on what was said here. If you'd like to hear this for yourself on video, the timestamp is 35:57-36:45.

“..I bet we all could relate to that, they are the prime example of the side of you that suffers and the side of you that hates yourself for suffering:

The side of you that just wants to slow down and feel everything even to the unhealthy extent of not being able to do anything else(1), but also the side of you that so desperately wants you to get over it(2).

Sure, laying in bed all day every day to rot isn't healthy, but neither is boiling things down and invalidating your own emotions. Both are paths to inevitable disaster, and that's what Chonny is doing here. Keep in mind that the idea behind this album is being whole, and that means neither of these sides are entirely in the right or the wrong; this album is about inner compromise and acceptance(3).”

1.) The side of you that suffers; Heart. He is representative of Whole's emotions, he holds them. Your emotions can go haywire, especially when one's mentally ill and has no way of their feelings being validated. An emotional person like Heart suffers under the weight of crushing, devastating feelings. He wants to feel things out, have time to just process everything, even if it takes them days or weeks to get over it. It's not healthy, but feeling is what he does, and he wants to help because he knows he has importance. Solely focusing on just your emotions isn't the best thing to do, however.

2.) The side of you that so desperately wants you to get over it; Mind. Many people have been there, have wanted themselves to stop wallowing in their own emotions and just do something else, even to the point where you think feeling things out is unnecessary. This is also unhealthy, but not intentionally. Like Heart, Mind just wants to help, everything he does is in best interest. This is what he thinks will get them to move on the quickest; to leave behind emotions and focus on anything BUT that. Also not the best thing to do.

3.) This album is about inner compromise and acceptance; About being whole. Neither of Heart and Mind are right nor wrong. They have their own ways of doing things, of what they think will help their whole self out the most, but both are unhealthy despite the good intentions. They fight over who's wrong or right, when they shouldn't even be doing so in the first place. It's your thoughts against your emotions, basically; your feelings contradict your thoughts, and it leads to an inner war of sorts. This won't make things better, which is why you can't have Mind over Heart or vice versa; you'll need both of them. In the album, they are only able to be whole when they get along. They harmonize, they 'combine', they see eye to eye with each other and work together instead of fighting over and over. Inner compromise is achieved with this, and acceptance can lead them away from any disaster that there's to come.

What we're trying to say is that mental health is a large thing tackled within CCCC, and yet we see a lot of people who overlook it; thus, end up missing the point of the whole album. We see a lot of people believe Mind's perspective a little too much and treat Heart quite harshly, or the other way where people demonize Mind and say that Heart is perfect, when it's not really that in the slightest.

This is not a hate post towards people's interpretations of CCCC or how they view characters, I'm just saying that people can tend to overlook what's in the very narrative, and we see a concerning amount of people do such.

Anyways. Stream CCCC and put your Hearts and Minds in the get along shirt. Have a nice day.

#chonny jash #chonnys charming chaos compendium #cccc #cccc heart #cj heart #cccc mind #cj mind #mind chonny jash #heart chonny jash #I did not mention Soul once in this post. I am so sorry to all of the Soul enjoyers #whole was technically mentioned but this is not about him. so sorry to the Whole enjoyers as well #we rreally really really like this CCCC video #a lot #it does a great job at explaining things and is fairly good for an unbiased telling of the story #to reiterate though this is not a hate post #it's just a bit frustrating to see how many people say that mind is right or heart is right #but no.. that is not the point of cccc #and it's even in tse as well. the line 'neither is right yet neither is wrong'#personally we are big fans of heart and will defend him since he gets so mischaracterized #but we know and acknowledge that he isn't 100% correct and can be wrong for what he wants to do and has done #we love Heart but he did not have to pull that gun.#also. more justice for characters who make mistakes but aren't automatically super evil because they're just human.#we've seen how people lack that understanding in the fandom </3 #hmsw are so incredibly flawed in a relatable way with such good writing #we feel like people overlook that so much #this post was scary to make but #we're doing it #here goes #CxC rambling and yapping #we haven't posted purely text posts in a while please don't come for our heads c4 fandom

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viihoff · 6 months

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How does Astarion and Tav's relationship develop during their romance? A little analysis and a really long post, part 1 of 2, first and second Acts.

Please note that this is an interpretation. Your Tav's relationships with Astarion might evolve in a different way, it's a mix of both canon and headcanon material. I just love analyzing people and writing stuff.

Act 1.

During this time, Astarion's in survival mode. Being thrown into the world, unknowing if he's free of Cazador's will or not, if he's being chased or not, Astarion resorts to the skeleton of his behavioral pattern - manipulation. He cannot trust Tav, both because he's a vampire (and vamps don't have a good rep, of course), and because the centuries he spent in servitude, deprived of any hope and freedom, thought him to rely on himself, only. He's lost, scared, bewildered. Astarion is drunk with the sense of freedom, but he doesn't know when or how it might end, what's out there for him, and what to do. Seeing Tav, he latches on to them, and starts to plan how to get the most out of them.

So, feeling where the wind's blowing, and seeing Tav as a solidified leader of the group, Astarion starts playing his game. He tries to appear charming and flirts with Tav (and sometimes not only them, but also Gale, Wyll, etc, he needs to have his options open) despite not being whatsoever close to them. It might appear, from Tav's perspective, that Astarion's just like that - overly flirty, promiscuous, a down to earth guy who seeks the simple pleasures. And, maybe, genuinely likes them, why not. But, of course, Astarion doesn't. He actively acts on the persona he created, not willing to share his true feelings yet. He might feel sympathy towards certain Tav's behaviors, like being self-serving, but he doesn't trust them. Again, yet. Even during the first and second sex scenes with Astarion, as he confirms in Act 3 if you didn't get his confession, it was only a transaction for him. His body for your loyalty and a faint chance of you being enamored enough not to stab Astarion in his back.

This is the reason why I don't believe that Astarion develops a crush on Tav in the 1st Act. He prayed for 200 years to the gods for him to be saved, of course they won't send an angel now who would magically sort his shit out for him and basically save him from Cazador, will they? It would be really unfair, after all these years, and totally unrealistic. So, everything he does is an act, confirmed to me by the way Petras acts when you meet him in Act 3. Same mannerism, same learned by heart 'honeyed words' Astarion uses on Tav to lure them in. The way he talks, gestures, plays with the pitch of his voice - Tav's constantly bombarded with the best tactics Astarion has developed to lure people in. There's only a number of times when's genuine - when you reject him, and when he's bitching during the cutscenes and over some of your choices. Right now, the only feeling Astarion's is comfortable to share is anger and mild dissatisfaction. All of his pain is saved for later.

I'm confident to say that spending the night with Tav was a 'duty' of Astarion's, as he himself believed, and he didn't get any initial pleasure in doing it. Of course, he did it willingly (and it was good sex, otherwise Tav wouldn't have been screaming Astarion's name into the night for everyone to hear, lol). However, it was no more than a type of physical labor one performs, totally mechanized.

Act 2.

This is when the immediate danger of being turned into a mindflayer is not a real life threat anymore and being 100% reliant on the good will of Tav isn't a survival strategy.

Genuine friendship starts to develop due to the time spent together and the good things Tav is ready to do for Astarion without asking anything in return. Everyone who's upset over not being able to start as friends with Astarion before initiating the romance - rejoice, I really believe it happens this way in the game. No matter the approval, Astarion begins to warm up to Tav and other companions only in Act 2, feeling comfortable and experiencing true camaraderie for the first time in his life. I say that because I believe that most of the bonding is happening behind the scenes, and the only thing we see is the byproduct. You cease to be a group of survivals in Act 2 and become a real team.

Thus, Astarion begins to feel safe. Not only thanks to Tav being compassionate towards him UNCONDITIONALLY, but because everyone else in your band is ready to protect him and one another. Astarion finds true safety, and, thanks to that, survival mode is finally off.

His mental capacities are finally free to start not only caring about his immediate survival (because he's surrounded by friends, and I don't care how apathetic companions act towards Astarion in his spawn ending, this shit is the result of time crunch, not the way the band would really behave, I'm sure of it), but observe. He sees the person before him, Tav, who does things and doesn't ask shit in return from him, who's genuinely compassionate and kind, and he finally stops viewing this as a weakness. Why? Because it was proven to him by Tav's actions that being a good person is a real life strategy and doesn't always leave you weaker than you were before, but stronger, with more allies and resources than before.

By observing Tav, Astarion sees and understands that there are people who can care for him, and they don't get crashed by the big bad world which is cruel and actively acts against you.

No, the world is indifferent, and shit happens because people choose to act like that. Cazador was a cruel monster to Astarion because he chose to, and Tav cares for him and stands for him because they chose to. There are people who he can trust.

This is the point when Astarion cracks. I believe that he falls for Tav not for their looks or certain temperament (this is the reason why you can romance him as a gnome who he is racist towards, lmao), but they way Tav treats him. He falls for Tav's protecting and kind nature towards him, and after that, I think, he starts seeing beauty in the looks, certain character quirks and stuff like that.

After you helped him decipher his scars and/or protected him from the blood merchant, all of his walls are down. He's a cup full of sheer admiration and gratitude, and, when he confesses, he still doesn't understand that he's in love. He thanks Tav for being there for him, and although he doesn't know what he feels or wants, he enjoys having Tav around him. Being with Tav gave him the strength to believe that good things can happen to him, too. Despite still being in danger from Cazador, he's finally hopeful enough to desire something beyond being away from his master.

He wants revenge. He wants to finally stop pretending. He wants closure. He wants to move on. And he wants Tav.

He wants to treat them the same way they treat him. He finally has the capacity to give back the kindness, because he was given enough of it for him to spare.

And then we move to Act 3, but I will do this part some next time, because this post is already ungodly long. I will also write about the way Astarion's relationship with Durge evolves and how it is a bit different from a standard romance.

Cheers, vampire lovers.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion #astarion x tav #text post #next time I will also include some Durge analysis #cause the relationship there is a bit different #you're more of on an equal footing there #I must have made so many mistakes writing this #sorry English is not my first language

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dyingbuck · 1 year

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A look into 2022 Internet in the Stranger Things universe or,

Do you ever think about how in the Stranger Things universe, there is probably a ton of talks online about what happened in Hawkins because I do

#fay draws #stranger things #will byers #byler #hawkins #i could have definitely done more with the concept but im embarrassed enough by my lack of writing skills as it #this is why the r*ddit post aren't written over but just text #also i wasn't sure if mike or will would take each other name #so i decided they kept both #also it's hard designing an older version of a character #will originally didn't have his bowlcut but another haircut (similar to jonathan) but he didn't look like himself enough #im sorry for my writing skill (both in style and in form idk if its how i should put it) but i did my best #i know there are mistakes #i'll rewrite everything in a reblog later as im very tired now

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jazzzzzzhands · 9 months

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Ok FOR REAL Theory Time!!! Gonna be massive spoilers plus mention of bugs/fungus! So I'm calling this the Mold Theory And what is the Mold? It's the black stuff under Home! (Mold under a house is very suiting, right?) The Mold has contaminated Every single thing that the Restoration team has found! The team talks about the envelopes, the antiques, and the artwork found for Welcome Home and how it is alwasys Wet and covered in Grime. The stuff that is "Growing" all over the found items... Staff must wear gloves or they will get covered in it

You can see it all over the gloves, the Walls, and even the Website Itself! It's also been shown on the restored art prior to the update. But one unfortunate person seems to have touched it. and that is.. The Question Answerer! (The head person of the Restoration team is also most likely infected) Now what this Mold does is, It seems to have an effect of the person's mental state. Causing them to see and hear things, as well as having lucid nightmares and an overwhelming urge to draw spirals. From the very moment of contact, it seems to have effect "When I Unwrapped the first letter, I felt it. I heard it. Open Open Open. I want it out, I'm Going to get it Out" Instant Hallucinations and Obsession! Now I'm going to be Comparing this Mold to a Real fungus called Cordyceps, or the Zombie-Ant Fungus. It is a fungus that can control BUGS (familar themes right?) and take over their minds, forcing them to act unnaturally and wander far in order to spread itself! ~Similarily~ this Mold can take control of the Host's mind as well. The "Spores" that it is trying to spread are the drawings of the spirals/eyes. And the more eyes are Drawn, the more Wally can SEE. Wally has made it truly apparent that he can see us through any rendition of his eyes. "I've seen you every time you've looked into my eyes" "I have more eyes than I did before, you know how to draw eyes You draw mine, many times. I know it is thanks to you, Neighbor.. That I can see.. but it is still.. I can't see" He is giving us instructions.. "You have work to do" -Giving us instrustions on how to draw an eye... "Please Open, Let me In" Now I find this last instruction very funny He doesn't say "Let me Out" No... He says "Let me IN" Into What? What are we Opening? Our doors?Our EYES? our Mind? our Heart?? I think that could be exactly it!!! Letting him.... into You!!! (The collective You) Isn't that Funny? A Funny little thought?! The Puppet becoming the Puppeteer! ooh hee hee hoo hoo I think I'm very clever about that! But there are so many themes of Strings/Control/Scripts That I simply couldn't help myself! Now does that mean I think Wally is Evil? Absolutely NOT I LOVE Wally, and hey, what's a bit of mind control between Neighbors? <333 I'll borrow a cup of sugar and you can borrow my sanity! That's what Neighbors are for! <3 Jokes aside, No I Do NOT think Wally is Evil!! No, he might become a Puppeteer over the Real world... (and It might be for good reason, to save his friends and himself) but he is still very much a Puppet himself. Literally and Figuratively, And the Real Mastermind behind the strings is... Home!

Afterall? Isn't that where the Mold is coming from? From Down Below? Below Home?

This image gives me BIG TIME Obediance vibes Reporting/Worship/Subjugation I very much see Wally as the Lure of a very big Angler Fish.. The bait, the perfect little puppet that has captured our hearts and led us by the hand into Welcome Home. Isn't that very much how it has gone in real life? (Oh I KNOW I got the Mold BAD!!! ahahaha) (I can't stop drawing himmm!!! :3c ) But this is where my rambling stops, Until Next Time! I will just say that: The Relationship between Home and Wally (And by extension, YOU) Is a Strange one for sure! And I cant wait to see it further! And Just one more extra note on this whole Fungus thing.. Did you know that the BIGGEST Organism on the entire Earth.. Is a Mushroom? It is because they are connected through their Roots... (Down Below) and Houses kinda are shaped like musrooms... I will Leave it at That! Ahahahaha!

#im very very normal about all of this!#lyinggg #mold theory #welcome home #wally darling #welcome home theory #i know i can be a bit sparadic i hope this all makes sense!!#i can go a bit off the wall sometimes!!#its hard for me to articulate what i want to say sometimes!#i swear its so much more in my brain!!#also i am really bad at typing #im going to look for mistakes but im sorry if i typo!#jazzisaspazz #long text post #shout out to my sister for putting this into my brain #maybe i will have more thoughts later!#i do have a bunch of random things written down #maybe i will make an “observations” post?#will u guys be interested??#please feel free to send me asks and theories of your own!#feel free to add on or to correct me!!#i mean u can also send me art request ...;w;#or to randomly tell me about how you also enjoy cereal on ur hot dogs.. no? just me? ok #i have a really nice art coming tmrw that im so so proud of....#saving it for tmw... cause its my birthday tmrw!!!#a gift for me! to post something that im really really happy with!!#oof oog i talk a lot in the tags #i'm talking to myself really #if you made it this far... you get ... a gift..#its an apple! 🍎

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dawntainbobbynash · 16 days

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Genuinely if you think this show focuses too much on Bobby backstory, I would love to see whatever version of it that you’ve apparently been watching

#bc it sure ain’t the one i’ve seen like WHAT are you talking about #sorry i have to be petty about a tweet i saw yesterday #that website was a Mistake #911 #mine.#text #bobby

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pebblerosegamer · 2 months

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@tasmanianstripes Okay! Welp, cracks knuckles time to ramble about this absolute mess of a family that i love dearly.

But, just to let you know, this stuff may change or is still being worked out, and also that hollow in my main au isn't exactly the focus, so these are not permanent ideas, nor dynamics i plan rn to completely explore / finish.

Basically what i mean is that hollow does indeed get trapped in the black egg and pk never figures out they arent empty, rough life.

My pk, i see him as a caring and also very selfless character, i imagine thats why he did the black egg plan at all, despite all the misery and pain it caused him and others- sacrificing his clean name and his children so everyone else can thrive.

So we have a selfless guy who cares about everyone a lot, hows that tie in with hollow?

First I'll start at the beginning! At the beginning was of course the abyss climb, hollow making it to the top and emptily watching their other siblings fall, and of course then taken in by pk, from their perspective, pk could be seen as a savior almost, saving them- though i think hollow either knew, learnt of it later, or wasnt 'alive' yet, they werent exactly there for those first moments.

And from there pk cared for them, which hurt him because of what and who they are, but for hollow it was more enlightening, over time with the short very very very quiet moments the two had together, i think a bond formed, though an odd one, which was hollow very subtly and unknowingly liking pk and looking up to him, and pk being reminded of all hes done, and how much suffering he's caused, but also a thin sense of fondness, cause he did see them somewhat as his kid, despite how hard he tried not to…

I think this bond was thin and very subtle, and no one had any clue besides the few times pk had realized he was too soft with them, (and reined himself in, (only to later soften again subconsciously…)) he didn't want to get close at all, because he knew he'd loose them, and that they had to stay empty, and he didnt want to taint them.

Plus, the vessel to him is quite a sad reminder of all hes done, all the bloodshed- all those children gone- i believe he hid away the void constructs due to that reason aswell… he has a few quite, quite bad memories of those times that just- he'd rather not relive…

But at the time pk was very alone, his root left to care for her gardens and he naturally isolated himself, the vessel was really his only 'companion', so even despite that, he managed to begin caring for them anyway, occasionally, maybe after awhile, managing to overlook the memories.

I think when pk was sure they couldnt be tainted by his antics, he began staying a little longer with hollow, specifically whenever he told them to stay somewhere. I think he joined them on occasion, staring out into either the gardens, the ballroom, off the balcony, or perhaps in his office, he reminiscing, reflecting, and wondering, and of course the vessel doing none of the above- enjoying the empty company, and maybe the painful guilt? Maybe he saw it as some sort of punishment? Idk prob not the last one.

But! Now we get into the part where hornet shows up! How joyous.

Now when hornet came to the palace she wasnt allowed to the upper floors, where the vessel was usually kept, to which she grumpily stomped away and later stole a key and got into said upper floors~

Hornet's first reaction to hollow was probably just "why are they so tall" then approached them and glared at them for a solid minute, haha. I think hornet and hollow's relationship would be nonexistent, i think she'd be curious about who and what they are but clearly they cant talk nor want to so she seeks answers elsewhere, they also dont seem intrigued by the idea of playing knights, too busy staring off balconies or something… which leaves their bond quite hollow. (Haha get it)

Now though, with pk and hornet, and hollow watching them- i think they wouldn't think of anything, but when the two get closer i think they'd feel very slightly insecure, noticing how hornet is so lively and clearly a person, and how pk reacts and cares for her- i think subtly it would make them question themselves, wondering if they should be more like her to get father's approval- but also the entire kingdom would be doomed if that happened, simply they'd be quite torn, but in the end they stay empty…

Now, ive mentioned the xero incident before, and rambling about hollow here it reminds me that chances are, hollow could swoop in and protect pk when it happens- which thinking of it, sounds very interesting and gives hollow perhaps more meaning for pk, since we dont see most of the past of pk and hollow in my au… it could show a different side of them? I will have to think about it more.

But thats nearly all, besides the last few scenes with pk and hollow, which is them getting sealed away- i think those would be really, really tough moments for pk, i think whilst hes readying hollow to be trapped for literally eternity i think he'd just be thinking and thinking of it, realizing that- damnit, hes going to miss them, hes really really going to miss hollow- realizing how much they mean to him probably is one of the most painful realizations for pk in the story- especially since he thought he tried his darnest not to get attached… i wonder if he'd do some sort of final goodbye, nothing sappy like "i love you" though- i don't think he could express that since hes been denying that for like 3 years(?) straight, though maybe "goodbye." Or some variation of that. "My hollow knight, goodbye." < maybe??????????? Is that too sappy???????? I think???????? Probably too sappy…

Anyway i think after the plan i think it'd affect pk big time, i think he'll be looking out at the balcony hollow used to be left at and he'd just wanna cry, and remembering that he doesnt need to do those little routines for the vessel anymore- he'll probably catch himself going to the vessel's room to get them or almost prepping a bath for them, or wondering if its about time to clean up their armor, or sharpen their nail- nonetheless when he remembers again he'll feel sadly empty, like something is missing.

But, to do a TLDR; hollow is empty, but subtly, very subtly, longs to be more, pk is overly caring and an absolute softie, but tries not to show it to avoid tampering the vessel, also hollow makes him sad due to their history, but pk is too caring of a guy and loves hollow anyway, in conclusion everyone is sad 👍

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watchandyoullsee · 10 months

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Ariel Takes the Wheel

Scene 1: Ariel "Just Forgot"

King Triton (1989): "I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young lady."

Ariel (1989): "Daddy, I'm sorry, I just forgot, I--"

King Triton (2023): "It's irresponsible. Your sisters are only here for one phase of the Coral Moon. Can you imagine any one of them missing the gathering?"

Ariel (2023): "No, you're right. I'm sorry." (Excuse the watermark; I don't know where else to find images.) Of course, Flounder comes to her defense in the LA just like the 1989 version, saying it wasn't her fault, but Ariel realizes her mistake and takes full responsibility.

Scene 2: Blaming Sebastian

Ariel never blames anyone but herself in the 2023 version. She knows it's wrong to make the deal with Ursula in both versions, but the Live Action Ariel does not do it just for herself, but for both worlds -- after all, humans and merpeople may be different, but that doesn't make them enemies. Shipwrecks are alarmingly frequent, taking the lives of humans and damaging the seafloor below. Were the relations between the two peoples mended, perhaps their respective worlds could mend as well.

Thus, the stakes are higher. Had Triton been willing to listen while she had her voice (and it is understandable why he wasn't), she would never have had to give it up to be heard. 2023 Ariel not only rebels against her father because he made her upset (and she's obsessed with a human prince), but because she is doing what she believes is right for herself and her people. Since she heard Eric express a similar desire to bridge the gap between their kingdoms and the rest of the world (a desire she has never heard expressed by anyone else), it is only natural that she forms an immediate attachment to him. His beautiful face is not a motivating factor, but a nice bonus, and proof that humans are not all monsters.

Scene 3: Ariel "Didn't Mean To"

Ariel (1989): "Daddy, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to! I didn't know!"

Ariel (2023): "I'm sorry, Father, this was all my fault."

The point of this comparison is to highlight how important it was that Ariel took the wheel of the ship at the end. These are two very different characters, and thus their character arcs are different. Ariel in 1989 was curious, naïve, stubborn, rebellious in the typical adolescent fashion, and innocent as an infant. Her arc wasn't the noblest for a princess, as notwithstanding her mistakes and lack of character growth, she managed to receive all that she desired in the end. She didn't need to kill Ursula because Eric was there to do it for her, just as Scuttle was there to stall the wedding and retrieve her voice, and Sebastian was there all the way along to get her closer to Eric. Animated Ariel did not take responsibility for her actions. How could she, when she didn't know any better? Every movement she made was in her own self-interest (though I think by the end she really did love Eric as a person and not just a pretty face). Still, we love her because she is the picture of wide-eyed, adventurous youth, and there is much room for her yet to grow up, even after she's married. Because of her carefree innocence, it's nigh impossible to hate her.

Live Action Ariel is also carefree to a point, but the weight of her title and responsibilities shines through in her character. She is ignorant about the Above World (by no means from lack of effort), but clearly educated as a princess should be regarding her own. She is less stubborn in her naivety and more secure in her sense of right and wrong. There is an important distinction to be made between knowing what is right and remaining steadfast in that knowledge, versus remaining immovable in one's obliviousness.

So why was it important that Ariel took the wheel in the climax? Because she had taken the wheel all along. Had she been trapped in a vortex like in the cartoon, a damsel in distress, it would have been a disservice to her particular character arc -- that of a girl who took responsibility for her actions at every turn. "Those sacrifices you made were a choice that you can't undo," she sings in 'For the First Time.' This thread of action->consequence->action would have been left dangling, unresolved if she had suddenly lost all power.

Does this in any way diminish Eric's character? Not at all. He was willing to sacrifice his life to be with Ariel through the storm. He did everything in his power to save her. He still threw the spear, which undoubtedly saved her life in that moment (and, might I say, was a display of incredible competence to have an aim underwater like that). In that way, he repays her in kind, after she'd rescued him from drowning.

As an aside, she mimics his exact movement when he had steered the ship earlier in the film. Had she not observed what he did in that storm, she might not have known what to do in the final battle.

Ariel still needed help -- she still needed the support and aid of her animal companions, Eric, the castle staff, and her father. BUT she also took plenty of action to satisfy her arc, avenged her father's death, and she gave credit where it was due:

Ariel (2023): "You gave your life for me."

King Triton (2023): "And you fought to get my life back."

Ariel (2023): "I didn't fight alone, Father. Eric was with me."

I hope this post makes it a little clearer why robbing Ariel of her ability to act in the climax of the film would have been a poor choice, specifically in the Live Action. And, by the way, you can still prefer one or the other, or neither. While I don't dislike the cartoon, I obviously prefer the more mature and responsible Ariel.

#the little mermaid 2023 #the little mermaid #ariel #prince eric #i am sorry for the watermarks #i don't know how to photoshop or anything #one day i will replace these images when we have access to better quality #also it might be worth mentioning that she saves flounder from the shark by pure ingenuity #after putting him in danger #which is another time she corrects a mistake so someone she loves doesn't suffer the consequences of her actions #i think she's a much better role model in the 2023 version ngl #i realize this post is going to offend some people but what Doesn't offend people these days?#please relax - we're talking about disney films here #i'm not forcing you to share my opinions #text #my thoughts #btw it's not important that eric “repays” ariel for saving his life #because she did so out of love #both parties in a truly loving relationship must be willing to give their All for the other #and they both gave 100%#in fact #eric's life was more at risk during the climax (after the spear-throwing) than ariel's was #she didn't risk her life for his until she grabbed ursula to redirect her fire at the eels #and ariel climbing aboard the ship and steering it was a risk to her life in favor of eric's as well #so i'd say you can call it Even despite the fact that romance is never 50/50

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welcometogrouchland · 1 month

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May I ask about your Jason Todd idea? <3

Hm, okay so. How to lay this out sensitively since I know it might be a tad controversial...

Prefacing by saying I'm not an expert on the minutias of Jason characterization. I like him when he appears, I think the battle for the cowl/Morrison era and some parts of modern era for him are Weird and Bad, but I'm not Jason scholar (for that I'd say maybe check out @/tumblingxelian and their great video essays), I'm just trying to think of what might be an interesting step forward for him.

First, the canon facts

Jason got lobotomized and has panic disorder on steroids. By the end of Gotham War (specifically when Jason was. Flying the batplane into the asteroid. God I can't believe that's the plot) he was finding it in himself to power through said panics

In Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #12, the joker gives Jason a "low dose" of joker venom, which has an ambiguous effect on Jason, allowing him to power through the fear (which joker explicitly states is still very much present, just not physically debilitating, like when Jason couldn't run over in either Catwoman #57 or #58, the one with the kid in the building) even though he'd been able to do that sans venom over in Gotham War, like I previously stated.

The effect of said joker venom seems to be lingering for now, minus the creepy grin side effect it gave Jason over in that man who stopped laughing issue, as seen in the latest batman issue (number is escaping me rn, #147??). He still has the stutter which is a shorthand for fear, he's drawn with fearful expressions by Jorge Jimenez, but he says that he's "working through it" thanks to the chemicals

This is both super interesting and kind of maddening as it doesn't completely remove the consequences of what happened in Gotham War, but is trying to sweep them under the rug and get back to business as usual. I, however, propose making said consequences front and center like a fashionable urn on a mantle piece:

Since it's never stated how exactly the joker venom works, and I think the current answer is "it works how the story needs it to" I've decided that because it's a low dose, it eventually wears off. And when it wears off, Jason's back to square one in terms of mental state. Ergo, if Jason doesn't want to live the rest of his life as quaking shivering husk of his former self...he's going to need more.

(read more for the meat of things)

So, Jason self medicates for a condition given to him by the father he has endlessly complicated feelings towards with a cure invented by a man who represents everything he hates in the world who once tried to take everything from him.

Which, insert poetic cinema gif here, I'm quite proud of myself for that one.

Anyway, there's a lot of directions you could take this. Personally I think it'd be interesting to explore Jason trying to get back into the drug trade like he did in UTRH (FULL TRANSPARENCY I HAVEN'T READ THE FULL COMIC, I KNOW BROADSTROKES BUT IM NOT GONNA TRY AND MAKE PARALLELS) as he tries to use the resources (production plants and other drug runners who can hook him up with samples of joker toxin/similar stuff you can probably find around Gotham) to manufacture his own cure that means never having to go back to the joker again. Maybe he ambushes a joker toxin chemical production plant to get his own supply, and then Jason uses this as his foothold back into that world.

This isn't necessarily me saying we should regress Jason alll the way back to UTRH, that was before his anti-hero era and I'm not willing to fully shoot him back into the past. I just think that's not how you tell good stories in a medium like comics. But it'd inherently be a little different just bc he's doing it for different, slightly more self motivated (depending on your take on villain Jason) reasons and the people around him would have a different reaction to it.

Anyway, all sorts of problems can arise! Depending on how you wanna characterize Jason (wayward son who longs to be back in the fold or black sheep who doesn't play by daddy's rules, etc) he can either a) try and hide this criminal enterprise from his giant family full of nosy detectives (good idea there jay) OR do it out in the open, trying to justify himself but still putting himself on the opposite side of the family again (not the law bc that boy hasn't been on the 'right' side of it since he died)

There's also the fact that Jason now needs to take something 24/7 in order to live his life. He essentially can't be without it, he's dependent on it, in fact he'd get sick without it despite any adverse effects it may have on him (which are guaranteed, I mean. No clinical trials)

I imagine it'd be easy to become addicted to it in some way.

And uh. This is the part where it works slightly better as a fanfic pitch than an actual comic pitch. Because as much as I think it'd be such an interesting beat for Jason's character considering his fraught history with addiction and drugs (looks away from that one urban legends story where he suggests terrorising addicts to get to the suppliers and bruce lectures him. The easiest way to make Mr "we don't sell drugs to children" sympathetic and you beefed it)

I also fully recognise that this is a sensitive topic that DC doesn't have the best track record with (although addicts aren't a monolith and feel a number of ways about addictions portrayals in comics) and that there's probably some pitfalls inherent in the premise, namely bc of Jason's background as an impoverished kid and his grey morality, and how those play into stereotypes of addicts. Addiction is already such a misunderstood and stigmatized condition that I imagine playing with it with an antihero might be enough to turn some people off. Addiction is not a moral failing and I'd hate to write it as a moral failing of Jason akin to his willingness to kill, etc.

But with all that said, I think that stereotypes are primarily harmful because of their shallowness. They inhibit understanding of groups labeled "other" by presenting them in simplistic ways that don't portray richness or complexity. And I think a truly good red hood comic could give both sympathy and complexity to Jason, even as an addict. If anything, Jason is a popular character (mostly) and there could be something nice about seeing a main character go through what you're going through, gritty details and all. YMMV (can we bring that back btw?) and it depends on execution. There's a lot of ways it could go wrong, but seeing as it just lives as a hypothetical rn, I think there's also a lot of ways it could go. I mean, not right, it's a downer story beat for Jason but it's mostly meant to be interesting and a vehicle for more stories as Jason navigates it, ya know?

Anyway, I have a lot of spiels littered in my notes app and discord DMs that elaborate on all this (how this could work as act 1 in a broader Jason story where his little operation goes to shit and he has to hit the road (jack) and maybe do some character development for better or worse. I'm a sucker and wanna say better- not squeaky clean better but. Yknow, finding himself to an extent. I recognise I'm a sap and a fool tho. Or how a new outlaws team could factor into either of those eras (since I do like Jason with an outlaws team. It gives him an excuse to exercise his compelling relationships and dynamics with other characters without having to constantly tip-toe around the elephant in the room whenever he's with the batfamily all the time. He just needs a good lineup) but that's all for another time

... though without elaborating on the vision in my head it kind of just sounds like my pitch is "Jason gets addicted to his hyper-anxiety medication" BUT I SWEAR ITS MORE THAN THAT.

It's like. If Jason has struggled as a character (and this is very subjective on my part so feel free to disagree) because he has compelling relationships with all of the batfamily, but also has compelling grey morality that makes it hard to capitalize on those relationships, without the conflict always coming to "Jason stop killing!" "Nuh uh!" OR just being ignored, and the main way writers have addressed this is via reboots instead of arcs...

Then giving Jason and the bats:

real, legitimate and fresh reason for jay to be mad at Bruce (taking their relationship of love with very little understanding to it's most dramatic conclusion)

give the family a real reason to want to bring him back into the fold (feel bad about the lobotomy and it would be pretty immoral to let Jason waste away slowly and painfully because of something Bruce did)

capitalize on all the ways Jason is sympathetic (bc the addiction is a natural lead into his backstory, which is one of his most sympathetic elements)

And the ways in which he's very out of step with the bats post-resurrection (I'd be mad asf too if i came back to life just for my dad to a) not avenge me and b) LOBOTOMIZE ME meanwhile the cunt ass clown giving me my meds is just lurking out there).

Idk it's not a sophisticated pitch as of this moment but I think a real chef (writer) could cook something w/ this

#ramblings of a lunatic #do i maintag this #uhh #dc #that's enough i don't need to bother ppl with my brain dump #you made the mistake of asking /j #i hope it's not. too out of left field for what you were expecting? if you were expecting anything #this has just been rattling in my brain since i was venting about gotham war to a friend while sick a while ago #idk jasons a hot topic rn he's seemingly controversial atm but i think he's just some guy #he needs a little direction a little tlc like i said. but I've always found him interesting and i think this is at least an idea-#-for how to deal w/ jason post gotham war #tho who knows. with the new Summer Events on the horizon maybe jason will be rebooted again #and I'll go bald all at once like silver age lex luthor #not from chemicals in a lab accident but from stress at my ideas no longer having relevance #it happens more often than you'd think #the ideas thing. not me going bald. that's only sometimes #uhhh anyway hope this absolute behemoth text isn't too much. sorry i can't physically shut up #also ppl who know more about jason amd would like to say things (CONSTRUCTIVELY) on this post feel free!#(i say constructively because. I'm sensitive. mean comments make me cry)

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juriyuna · 5 months

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> san's swimsuit isn't her usual style (she's a bit self-conscious about it); himena picked it out for her

> miyuri spends the beach trips in her swimsuit MSS + youkai kagome's event 5 seconds away from clipping into the next plane of existence

i choose to believe that himena set this up on purpose. she can do miyurin a solid AND watch the instructor try not to seem embarrassed. it's a win-win!★

#magia record #aika himena #kagura san #yukari miyuri #sanmiyu #hc post #himena gets back from the mall and sends miyu a text that says ''just went shopping! you can thank me later c:'' with no further context #i wish we got to see himena and san's shopping trip though #i keep picturing himena holding up this floral-patterned bikini like #''omg instructor this one would look soooo pretty on you!! 🥺 please??? it even has flowers on it! we'd all match!''#and san is looking at it thinking that it really doesn't suit her but... himena is so excited... maybe a change of pace would be okay......#(the feeling of ''i may have made a grave mistake'' only sets in once she gets to the beach and realizes that people will See Her)#(but she's not going to back out now so. she will try to keep what she can of her dignity.)#once i finish up my other stuff i might JSON youkai kagome's event #i need an english screencap of ''i-i'm really really sorry! san-sama's legs are just too powerful...''

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ciceroballtorture · 4 months

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i actually rlly appreciate slow repliers bc it means ive found one of my ppl. we hail from the country of ill text you back in 1-3 business days

#.text #sorry texting back is always on my mind but i don't wanna half-ass it when some days i feel like evolution was a mistake and we should have #all stayed in the primordial broth

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maystea · 1 year

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— The houses of cards: the middle.

In the first part, we talked about the first house of cards shown in the series. Now, I would like to have this post of the ending for the house cards since the third and the last part is going to be about different cards.

— The second house of cards.

Let's start with the first one we see after the beginning of episode eleven. Just like in episode ten, Yo-Han builds it patiently; this time, though, we're unaware after which events this scene takes place.

But what we do know is that 1) the structure is different from the one shown in ep. 10 (back then it was a pyramid); 2) the top is temporarily absent but as Ga-On walks in and talks, Yo-Han carefully puts it on the peak of the building.

The most interesting part begins when we start to look into the meanings. It would be nice to read through each card (since it has many "spoilers" for what's going to happen next in the show) but just like previously, some cards are blurred while some are basically unseen. We see only a small part of what can be deciphered, but it's already enough to do some conclusions.

Returning to the main point — the top — we can see that the card Yo-Han puts when Ga-On talks about Doh Young-Chung on the right is different in the first and the following shortly scenes. It may be the house that fell and they had to rebuild it, but in both scenes where the top is shown properly, the structure doesn't change. At all. The same cards are on each floor in the same order.

Either way, the meaning behind the card we see first is intriguing, even though it's kind of a small card with the number Four of Hearts (description taken from here). But I do not want to focus on the card too much because 1) it's not accented on; 2) Yo-Han closes it with his hand (meaning the card changes); 3) we have a card more interesting to discuss.

Once again, according to this site and the photos of the deck, the one standing on the top the second time is Jack of Spades.

Once again taking the description from here, we see words that fit the end of episode eleven along with the next ones pretty well; even more, we see that Jack of Spades characterizes both Ga-On's personality and motive pretty well... or it doesn't?

Since it's a show where even directions of eyes are important, Ga-On not looking at the Four of Hearts not even once gives us a hint about him being the second card on the top: the hidden card, which neither number nor suit is known. Again, his role is yet to be discovered and may be interpeted wherever.

— The third and the last house of cards.

Repeating already something that was told one thousand times (and still will be repeated), but The Devil Judge is not a drama where something is happening just because. Everything has its reason, whether we, the viewers, know it or not.

That is why the last house of cards is shown in ep. 16 is... kind of odd. The structure is similar to the one in ep. 11, but... that's where all the similarities end.

All the times Yo-Han had played with the cards the only way he knew knows, we always could see at least half of the whole building with the cards. Here, all the floors are shown blurry and we can catch only a few ones. With previous houses, we could get a lot of information about the plot and the characters' inner thoughts and motives. That was before, and not now.

Before, we saw the top that consisted of two cards. Now, instead of reading into the roles of Yo-Han and Ga-On in the game they played, all we see is emptiness at the top... which also may be the answer: the game is over, and it's not going to continue ever again.

And apparently, as much as it saddens, it gives new opportunities for writers. Because "Every ending is a new beginning", there are many ways to begin the new page... which we will uncover in the next part.

#look who is alive oh god #I can't believe it but yeah that's true #and I know it won't be interesting for many people #but that's fine I try to act like everything is not falling apart lol #moving on um it's second part out of three but i have two more posts that i hope i will finish quicker than this one haha #the devil judge #kim gaon #kang yohan #lawful husbands #sorry for any mistakes in the text english is still not my first language

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un-pearable · 7 months

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made a mistake

#(reading old lu fic i had bookmarked)#god. that fandom really was the worst of fanon characterization but at some (rare) times. golden fic from people who were sick in the head #about one specific game #the million botw fics? predictable . that one person who was in love with ocarina of time and painstakingly wrote a beautiful character #exploration of half the cast via that? absolutely amazing #people who were super passionate about characterizing them based on the games are my favorites. miss them #one day i’ll come back to my palace of the four sword fic . i must become my own guy who’s sick in the head about lttp #text✨#anyway it was a mistake bc now i’m having feels about four and hyrule #god a good hyrule fic can mess me up <- wrote several mediocre hyrule fics #wait sorry yeah it’s a mistake bc i was supposed to be writing a paper <3 <3

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taegularities · 11 months

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being here has never felt this suffocating.. it feels impossible sometimes to continue

#i wish you'd talked to me about it instead of making a post with screenshots #because that was nothing i did intentionally... i didn't wake up thinking 'i will be racists today' it was a mistake i'm not proud of #i meant my apology and i said i understand when people are offended and that i'm sorry #i know it was wrong and i'm ready to learn from it to not hurt people anymore and idk why it warrants calling me a full racist #and i don't know how you saw that ask bc it was days (or yesterday? idk anymore) ago and you blocked me weeks (months?) ago #you'd have to actively seek that ask out or look through my posts if im blocked for you #and if it wasn't you but someone else who pointed it out for you idk how you guys got to the point of scanning my blog #if i ever hurt anyone im ALWAYS open to talking about it. i remember once using a word wrong and someone pointed it out on anon #and I've never used that word ever since #i would've immediately apologised and deleted that bit too if you'd texted me just one sentence a la 'hey that's so not okay'#and you did the same thing when i went alway last time... never communicating but going against me while so many others reached out to me #if i didn't see anything wrong about this thing now i wouldn't have made that post. im not scared of disagreeing with ppl #and i don't know what you want me to do? i didn't even know M when their thing happened and still felt bad for them.. me or those who are #defending me didn't go against M... how would you think it's the same people? idk man #idk.. i can apologise a 100 times and it won't be okay. and if i don't say anything im dodging the topic it'll never be enough no matter #what i do #reach out to me jords tell me what i can do bc i did NOT mean to ever hurt anyone and im so freaking sorry that i did #<— this msg especially to those who were directly hurt #idk what to do so you stop posting so many screenshots #if you want ppl to stop supporting me then...yeah idk guys stop supporting me — unfollow me it's absolutely okay bc i know that was #uneducated af of me #to all sweet ppl who reached out thank you i see your messages #i'll see all those that'll come too.. i just wont answer so no one drags y'all #thank you that's it #go ahead and screenshot this too. i can't do anything else anymore #also.. the only parts i edited in my apology were 'i didn't mention japanese' and 'i dont feel superior' which i did after waking up cos #my post was made at 5am after randomly waking up during the night #edit: stop sending my friends asks saying i deserved this. i never told anyone to defend me.. they CHOSE it and they're allowed to #that's it... thank you guys and ily #ill brb. not too long just a bit

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memes-in-a-half-shell · 10 months

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Villain AU - Deadlock, Part 5

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 ||

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

smooth_criminal: idk, must be some kind of chess nerd.

She too had noticed that Bishop name on the investors' list. Getting that question from Donatello confirmed that this was a new face in the game, or at least one that usually knew how to cover their tracks efficiently.

smooth_criminal: Is that the new target you want me to look into? HookedOnCoffee: Not yet. I need to think. Things are getting a bit complicated... smooth_criminal: How so?

The answer took some time to come in.

HookedOnCoffee: Lack of trust.

A grunt escaped Vee. For what? The info she gave him? Herself? His own team?

smooth_criminal: Gotta be more specific, turtle.

She couldn't afford being tossed to the side this early, especially considering the advance she got from her mysterious client.

HookedOnCoffee: The others don't want an external presence in the investigation.

"Fuck 'em," hissed Vee.

She pushed herself away from her desk, walking away only to crash on her bed in the nearby bedroom. A muffled grumble left her, face planted in her pillow. Thinking fast wasn't her forte tonight, yet she knew she had to bring a new idea on the table in order to keep the mutant invested in her. ... Nonchalant, she brought a nearby tablet to her, starting to scroll through its content mindlessly. Landing back on the project Renaissance's information, she decided to revise it lightly. Maybe that would hype her again to truly keep this mission alive...

Skipping some pages, she landed on a listing of who was working on what, as well as a mention of contributors and commissioners. Frowning, Vee stopped as her gaze landed on the name "Bishop".

"Who the hell are you...," she mumbled to herself, already starting a search for any other mentions of that name.

The results were very few, but she did find some other instances that were listed alongside the initials "E.P.F." In a rush, she jumped out of bed and headed back to her computer. She briefly saw another message from Donatello, but disregarded it at first and prefered to open a new browser tab. Her queries were basic at first:

>> E.P.F. >> What is E.P.F. >> Bishop E.P.F. >> Who is Bishop >> Bishop Eternal Poopstain Fucker

"Come on, brain, wake up," groaned Vee, unable to find anything sustainable.

She hopped back to her conversation with the terrapin, finally seeing what he had written.

HookedOnCoffee: That doesn't reflect my view on this matter. I want to prove them wrong, and I hope you can show them you're trustworthy.

She paused. ... It certainly was a wonder to see how adamant he now seemed to include her in this operation.

smooth_criminal: Aww, cute. You like me already!

His response was almost immediate:

HookedOnCoffee: Don't get some high hopes. I simply recognize talent when I see it.

That brought a smile to Vee's face. His enthusiasm was worthy of calling him a 'sweet summer child', but she did admire his convictions.

smooth_criminal: Speaking of hope, I was wondering (hoping) you'd know something about "E.P.F."? HookedOnCoffee: No idea. Where's that coming from? smooth_criminal: I found a mention of Bishop in the project Renaissance files. Alongside it were those initials... I found nothing online about that, nor Bishop.

Gosh, she hoped she wasn't making a faux-pas by mentioning the project...

HookedOnCoffee: Interesting. HookedOnCoffee: Let's meet up and discuss.

"Woah there, mister," puffed Vee, not expecting such request.

smooth_criminal: What about your dear ol' family? Won't they be pissed if you do that? HookedOnCoffee: They don't need to know. For now.

That brought a quick laugh out of the woman, highly entertained by this sudden rebel strike of his. Was she inspiring him?

smooth_criminal: That's what I'm talking about! smooth_criminal: And to reward this initiative, plus prove you can trust me, we can meet up at my place. smooth_criminal: but that'll have to wait close to the weekend. Right now I'm swamped.

She had to up her game if she wanted to get into his good graces.

HookedOnCoffee: Can't get your phone number, but going to your place is cool? ... I don't understand you. smooth_criminal: I don't understand myself either. Glad we agree on that! smooth_criminal: Take the offer or leave it, turtle. Dunno what you want to talk about, but if you want to join our searches together, that'll be a good step forward. HookedOnCoffee: Count me in.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Finally back on tracks, Vee forwarded him her address, alongside an ideal date and time to meet up. She fluttered her legs happily, making her chair swivel. Getting a look around her apartment at the same moment, her lips formed a thin line.

"Fuck. I'll have to clean around..."

***

It was always so easy to lure his family away. Giving the pretense that he needed to go scavenge for some electronics was the ideal excuse for him to be left alone - especially if he needed to get topside by himself. The trek to Vee's place was easy and pleasant at first, until a storm slowly crept its way over the city. The joys of spring.

He found the apartment building, aiming for her floor as he scaled down the fire escape stairs from the rooftop. As he reached for her window he paused, feeling somewhat weird to arrive at this new place - a woman's place nonetheless! Finally knocking on the glass that gave view into her living room, he soon spotted Vee making her way towards him. She gasped after opening the window, noticing the heavy downpour.

"Fuck, wait! Let me go grab some towels."

As she rushed away, the turtle took a moment to glance inside furthermore. The place seemed small, the living and kitchen areas melding together, and he guessed that there was only one bedroom and a bathroom. When the woman reappeared, he finally got a view at her frame. She was wearing jeans and a tank top - which gave a nice sight on her cleavage... Keep it together.

He was allowed to step in, Vee tossing him several towels as she also started to forcefully pat the water off of him.

"I don't want you to mess any furniture or my tech. Otherwise I'll slap you."

"Oh, I'm so scared," replied the terrapin, amused.

She dismissed his comment with a quick grimace, then offering him to remove any gear he wanted to let dry on towels left aside. Finally settled, the woman stood before him, hands on her hips as she laid out some rules:

"First of all, do NOT try to log back into my stuff while you're here. I was able to push you out once, I can push you out again. Please respect my privacy."

"I already agreed to that, what else?"

"Don't go snooping around my place. It's small and I know where everything's at. If you touch something, I'll know."

"Didn't know I was in the presence of a dragon."

That brought a quick chuck out of Vee: "Fun fact, they're my favorite mythical creatures."

"Another rule, or we're gonna share more info as if we're playing a get-to-know-you game?"

"Rule number three, don't be an ass. And rule number four-" she made her way towards the small kitchen, getting some wine glasses out. "- when we're here, we drink. What's your age?"

"Oh now you're asking me how old I am," smiled the terrapin, coming her way, then leaning against a countertop. "I thought you were just going to hand me a drink out of nowhere, like last time."

"I was too focused on leaving with class, I do have a dramatic flair as well."

After pouring some red wine, she offered him a glass.

"I'll be thirty-one in October," answered Donnie as he took it. "So we're basically in the same age group."

Vee whistled low: "Looking swell for an old man."

"Same goes to you, old woman."

They both took a first sip, Donatello appreciating the flavor for a moment.

"You got good taste, I'll give you that," he commented.

Vee jokingly flipped her hair, letting out an "I know" as she made her way next to her computer desk. Setting herself in her chair, she unlocked the screens, revealing notes and some of the Renaissance files opened.

"You wanted to discuss, let's do so," she started.

As her eyes fell back on the mutant she frowned lightly. She had no seat to offer to him, and she sure as hell wasn't going to offer him one of her weak kitchen chairs. Guessing her questionnement, Donnie simply knelt down beside her, his new height allowing him to rest his forearms on the desk.

"No worries, I'm cool like this," he reassured. He then vaguely pointed the screen: "Turns out 'E.P.F.' stands for 'Earth Protection Force'."

"Wait. Where did you get that information?" Vee was already scrambling through her opened windows, trying to find any mentions of what he just said.

"I have my ways to find things off the grid, and I want to offer some of my tools to you so we can be on the same level."

That slowed the woman down, somehow incredulous.

"... Wait, you'd do that just like that for someone you barely know?"

He shrugged: "Why not? I feel like you'd make good use of it. Unless I should be worried?"

"Any sane person would be!"

A quick flash appeared in the room, surprising both. It was quickly followed by thunder, the air slightly shaking in its roar.

"Look, do you want to help me, or not?" asked the male next. "I can't have you be slowed down by generic tools."

Vee slumped back into her chair with a sigh.

"I mean, sure," she said. "I just hope your thing doesn't have anything suspicious in it."

"I think now we're past that point of questioning eachother's stuff. Trust me."

He got back up and headed for his backpack he had left near where he entered.

"It's a simple installation," he continued, still searching around. "It'll allow you to get past government firewalls, dig deeper into queries, and basically uncover anything that is usually hidden to the public." He got a small USB device out with a grin. "I'll teach you how to use it!"

And right after his words another lightning appeared, its crash closer this time. Power was instantly lost, plunging the small apartment into darkness.

"Are you FUCKING kidding me?!" let out Vee.

That made the mutant laugh, a quiet snort escaping him.

"That was a good, yet unfortunate timing," he said next.

"I guess we wait now..."

With a sigh, she grabbed her glass and got up, trying to aim for her couch next. She heard some movement as well from Donnie's side, which was enough to distract her and for her leg to hit her coffee table in the dark. She was about to lose balance, but was quickly stabilized by the turtle's grasp around her free hand and forearm. Dang, now she remembered how big he truly was... Her fingers got a chance to graze across his scales, taking in the texture and realizing how thick his skin seemed like. Great, she thought quickly with slight annoyance, I may need a stronger needle...

"Thanks," she quickly mumbled, both then letting go of eachother.

Vee finally settled down on the couch, taking a well-deserved sip of wine. It didn't take long before she felt a dip into the seat, her body instantly falling towards the terrapin's mass and clashing into his form.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry!" he let out.

That brought the woman to spit some of her drink back into her glass, instantly laughing right after. Maybe it was the adrenaline of being so close all of a sudden; Vee couldn't quite control her reactions.

"No worries, I just didn't expect it," she said. "I can't see shit!"

Man, this guy was well-toned as fuuuuuuuuuuuc- Sitting straighter, the woman returned to her drink, letting the sound of rain fill the space instead for a moment. Allowing for this silence to reign made the gears of her mind work, almost regretting the next words leaving her mouth:

"You know... I'm starting to wonder why you need my help, really." She tried to find his gaze, but her eyes were not quite yet adjusted to the darkness. "You look and sound like you can handle yourself with all that research stuff. Won't I slow you down or something?"

The turtle hummed, first taking a sip of wine.

"Sure I can find my way through anything," he started. "And I can always let an algorithm work for me whenever I'm either away or asleep... but there's always a margin for errors and details can get omitted. Meanwhile-" Vee saw the faint silhouette of his hand get up, a finger tapping to his temple. "A living brain gets to see nuances and make connections where a machine can't. And that's what I need right now."

He took another sip, probably finishing his drink as he next left his glass on the nearby coffee table.

"And that is actually a great segway into something I wanted to talk about. ... You found Bishop's mention into the project Renaissance documents; why were you looking through that in the first place? I asked you before why you were seeking information about it, but never got an answer."

Oh boy. Vee finished her glass as well, trying to find something good to say. The deep rumble of thunder rattled through her brain, opting for an innocent approach.

"I was curious?" she started. "The information was unknown to me, and like I said when we met previously; if I don't know something, that'll only push me to get to know more about it."

"What do you intend to do with that information?"

She noticed how his tone was now serious and somewhat deeper. Unwillingly, she started to feel some fear deep within her - which she would never confess about.

"I just want to know what I'm dealing with," she replied.

"You're not thinking about selling anything you know to any good offers?"

He had said that while getting closer, his intimidation act somehow now sending shivers along Vee's spine.

"I wouldn't have anything really sustainable to sell, anyway." The woman tried to keep her cool. "Most information I've found was incomplete."

She risked leaving her hand against the terrapin's chest, stopping his motion.

"You said you want me to show how trustworthy I can be, then let this be your proof. I will never sell the information I've read."

But I can easily sell anything related to it... Her spoken word did seem to bring some calm onto Donnie, a quiet and relieved sigh leaving him. This time Vee was the one to get closer, her hold shifting to one of his mask's tails. She replaced her fear with enticement, speaking so close to his jaw:

"Don't worry, I won't stab you in the back. I don't think I could anyway with that shell of yours."

She released him next, getting up instead and grabbing the empty glasses so she could bring them to the kitchen. Donnie prefered to remain silent at that moment, attempting to bring the rapid pace of his heart to a calmer beat. He could still feel the touch of her hand on his plastron and the ghost of her lips so close to his face...

"I'm guessing those concerns of me selling any information is also part of your family's lack of trust towards me?" rose up Vee's voice once more from the shadows.

The turtle's attention snapped back to her.

"For the most part, yes."

"I get it, and I don't blame them."

Donnie couldn't help noting a faint trace of melancholy in her tone. At once, he did realize that her world was probably feeling very small - with most people surely having little to no confidence in her due to her occupation. His conscience got him to stand up, approaching the woman's position. He couldn't explain why, but if he could bring her any peace and comfort, he'd do so in a heartbeat... He felt Vee's gaze in the dark, her small frame a sudden magnet to the depths of the mutant's soul.

"Need something?" her words echoed timidly.

Suddenly he needed everything...

The power came back, illuminating the frozen scene they were now in. Donnie finally realized his position; standing so close to the human who had backed up against the countertop. His eyes grew slightly, suddenly ashamed of his behavior. With a quick clear of his throat he got his device out of his pocket, pointing towards the computer's direction with it.

"Let's get this installed and I'll give you a quick rundown of it."

((Part 6))

#it's-a-moi #villain au #usual sorry for any mistakes #-BITES LIP AGGRESSIVELY-#mah maannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn #I feel like I've been writing a lot of dialogue lately - but I just can't help it #hopefully next chapter should have a bit more action to it #ANYWHOOZLE #this fic is now my brainrot #oops I forgot to add an actual something at the top before the 'read more' AHHAHAHAAHAHAHAH #have my placeholder text HAHA

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