#them recognizable and interesting as a character… like i do NOT want to be told that someone is attractive unless it significantly impacts

[stayteezdreams]

Lost In You: Part One

Plot: When attending your friends costume party, you keep getting complimented on your couples costume. But you can't help but be confused, after all, you came to the party alone.

-Part Two-

Pairing: Park Seonghwa x Gn!Reader* *A/n: Obviously had to go with Star Wars costumes lmao, and even though the costumes are of a male and female character, I believe it doesn't matter the gender of the character, you can still dress up as them anways. So besides the reader dressing "as" Rey, everything else is Gender Neutral, so please dont let that effect how you enjoy the story. The readers costume is not mentioned in detail, only vaguely to give a rough idea :)

-Meet-Cute Series-

Warnings/Notes: Brief mentions of alcohol, drinking, and drunk people. Reader is referenced to have drank, but is not drunk. Reader is a bit of geek (helps them bond with Seonghwa).

Words: ~2.4k

Walking around the fairly crowded house, your eyes scanned over the mix of recognizable, impressive, unusual, and downright lazy costumes that people were wearing.

When you had been invited to your friend's birthday, being told it was a costume party, you were excited. You had been wanting an excuse to wear your costume for ages, having missed the opportunity the previous Halloween.

Waving to some people you knew, your eyes scanned the crowd for more of your friends.

Nearly bumping into someone, you said excuse me before you recognized them as an acquaintance.

"Oh hey!" you greeted cheerfully "Nice costume" you smiled down at their bright yellow kill-bill inspired jumpsuit.

"Thank you!" they grinned as they looked at yours "Oh! Love that you went with a couples costume!"

You furrowed your brow "Huh?"

Having not heard you they waved to someone nearby before smiling at you "Sorry, gotta go, I'll talk to you later yeah?"

"Oh yeah, bye" your voice was still laced with confusion as they walked away.

Couples costume? You hadn't matched with anyone, none of your friends were really into Star Wars, so they wouldn't have matched with you.

You shrugged it off, figuring they just mistook your costume for someone else as you walked through a small group of people, before spotting one of your best friends.

Grinning, you snuck up on her "Hey!"

Gasping, she turned around with a glare "Stop doing that"

You chuckled as you grabbed yourself a drink before looking around "A lot more people came than I thought would."

"Yeah, I guess adults really do love an excuse to dress up like kids again."

You smiled and nodded, agreeing with the thought. "I thought you were going to go with Harely Quinn?" You asked as you eyed her Batwoman costume.

"It was trash" she rolled her eyes "Tore as I was putting it on."

"That's what you get for ordering cheap"

She waved her hand dismissively "I know, I know"

"Where did you get this one?"

"Last minute favor from my cousin, luckily we're the same size, otherwise I would have shown up in that slinky red dress I have and called myself Marilyn Monroe"

"You have black hair, Betty Boop is more accurate"

Just as she opened her mouth to retaliate, a drunk girl stumbled up to the drinks table before the spotted your costume.

"Ooh, that's why he brushed me off" she pouted before her eyes rose to meet yours.

You rose your brow before you glanced at your friend who gave you a similar look of confusion.

The drunk girl took a step closer "You wore a couples costume, that's so cute, mm'jealous" she slurred with an even bigger pout before she spotted someone, squealed and ran towards them.

You let out an awkward chuckle as your friend looked at you "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, but that's the second time someone said I was wearing a couples costume with someone."

She looked you up and down, "Well, since you're dressed as Ren-"

"Rey"

"...Rey, then someone is dressed as that tall evil black haired guy right?"

"Kylo Ren, or Ben Solo" you stopped yourself from explaining as you recalled your friends lack of interest in the franchise before you began looking around the crowd of people "I haven't seen anyone in an outfit like that so far."

She hummed before she glanced around as well "I wonder if they're cute."

You scoffed but couldn't help but wonder the same thing. Shrugging it off again, you turned around, just missing the cloaked figure walk past and into the next room.

After a while, you parted ways with your friend. You made your way through the crowd again, having begun to grow tired of being bumped into, and having to strain your ears to hear anything anyone tried to say to you.

Your friend had clearly over-invited guests or overestimated how many people would show up, as the room grew hot and almost claustrophobic.

Spotting the doors leading to the backyard, which seemed surprisingly empty, you slid through a group of dancing people, desperately wanting to escape.

Feeling your costume catch on something, you had to tug yourself away, before accidentally running into someone just as you reached the doors.

"Oh sorry!" your voice almost mimicked the strangers, as you both apologized as your eyes met.

You smiled, "Excuse me" you added on.

"It's okay" he smiled sweetly, his voice soft.

Your eyes drifted down to catch his costume, and you felt yourself freeze as you noted the lightsaber hooked on his belt. His eyes grazed over you as well as he had the same exact reaction.

Your eyes quickly met again as your voices called out at the same time "You!"

You rose you brow in surprise and he chuckled "I've been hearing all night about someone I wore matching costumes with."

You smiled and let out a soft laugh "So have I!"

His smile widened a bit, and you realized just how attractive he was. He was intimidatingly attractive, actually, you told yourself as you suddenly felt a bit shy.

You cleared your throat a bit "Nice costume, it looks like really good quality"

He grinned down at his costume before he looked at you "Thank you. Your's too!"

You smiled, starting to feel a bit self-concious as his eyes seemed to have looked you over slowly.

Suddenly, he spoke up, his voice full of excitement "You're lightsaber! I have the same one at home!"

"You do?" you asked intrigued as he nodded with excitement "I collect a lot of Star Wars stuff" he confessed, and you saw a tinge of embarrassment cross his features.

'Cute' you thought as you grinned, "I collect a lot of stuff too! From Star Wars and other movies"

His face seemed to brighten a bit, as he wondered what else you might have in common.

As a loud song came on, you winced a bit as you looked towards the now cheering group of drunk people.

Seonghwa cringed as well, before he looked over at you and leaned closer. You turned and met his gaze, alarmed by his sudden closeness.

"Were you heading outside?"

You nodded, unable to find your voice as your eyes remained locked with his.

"Me too." Hearing a drunken scream you saw him wince as he motioned his head towards the door "Shall we?"

You let out a soft chuckle and nodded. You watched him opened the doors, stepping aside so you could go out. You muttered a thanks as you made your exit, your heart hammering in your chest.

The cool night air washed over you and seemed to sober any ounce of drunkenness you might have held before.

There were only a few people scattered around the back yard. A few in the pool, and some playing a nearby fooseball game.

You looked back at the house and shook your head softly, "I'd hate to have to clean up after this."

The man laughed and agreed, as he stopped beside you. Looking back over at him, your heart jumped a bit as he was already looking at you.

He seemed to realize this too before he adjusted himself "I'm Seonghwa by the way."

You smiled at him "I'm Y/n."

His smile widened as you introduced yourself. Seonghwa's heart was beating fast, as his face felt hot, he hadn't drank much at all, so he knew it must just be you affecting him this way.

His eyes glanced over at a nearby couch surrounding a firepit. Feeling a bit brave, and far too intrigued by you to just walk away, he met your eyes again.

"Want to go sit?"

You looked back at where his eyes lingered and you smiled before nodding softly. Following him over to the couch you took in a deep breath, calming yourself.

It hadn't taken long for you and Seonghwa to fall into deep conversation. You had a lot in common and found subject after subject to rant about to each other. From movies, to music, to friends and dreams, you wouldn't be surprised if you lost your voice the next morning with how much you seemed to be talking

So lost in each other's conversation, you hadn't noticed when the music died down, or how the back yard had emptied, leaving you two alone. Inside the house, nearly 70% of the people had gone home.

Nor had you noticed how much closer to two of you had become, literally.

When you sat down, you had sat on the seperate chair beside the couch, feeling too shy to sit beside each other. But now, you were both leaning forward, sitting beside each other on the couch now, faces merely a foot apart as you raved about a recent move you had both seen.

Seonghwa's arm was draped across the back of the couch, behind your shoulder, something he hadn't even noticed because it felt so natural already. When his knees brushed yours as you sat facing each other, you barely noticed.

"Y/n!"

Your voice cut out mid-sentence as you heard a familiar voice call out. Looking over, you see her walking across the yard, red solo cup in hand.

Her eyes moved to Seonghwa and you saw the look on her face that screamed 'Holy shit, he's gorgeous.'

Seonghwa however, did not see this, as his eyes became glued to you again, after only having glanced towards your friend when she first came out.

"Oh, hey!" you greeted.

She leaned on the back of the couch before Seonghwa finally looked over at her. They introduced themselves to each other before your friend looked him up and down.

"Oooh, you're the one that people kept thinking matched with Y/n."

Seonghwa chuckled and nodded his head "Yes, that's me."

She met your eyes, and a knowing look passed over her face, that you promptly ignored.

"I was surprised to see you out here though, you never stay at parties this long."

"What do you mean, what time is it?"

She rose her brow "One in the morning"

Your eyes widened as you looked over at Seonghwa, who had a similar look on his face. He took out his phone and you saw the time flash across his screen. 1:14am.

"I got here at nine" you said out loud to no one in particular.

She nodded, "And you've been out here...chatting" she glanced at Seonghwa "for about three hours."

You and Seonghwa locked eyes and he smiled somewhat shyly as he looked down at his lap.

"Oops." You chuckled as you looked back at your friend who wiggled her eyebrows.

"You said you were only staying until eleven, since you have work tomorrow"

"Oh God, I have work tomorrow" you put your hand on your face as fatigue washed over you, surely only because you now knew what time it was.

Seonghwa smiled as he watched you, thinking of how cute you were. Though, he also had to work tomorrow, and showing up to early morning dance practice after a late night was not his ideal.

You met his eyes, "I should go."

Seonghwa nodded his head "I should too, I also have work tomorrow." he chuckled.

You smiled at him as mutual shyness seemed to wash over both of you. Your friend looked between the two of you and smiled before standing up straight.

She tapped your shoulder, "Come find me after you say goodbye we can get a ride together."

You nodded at her as you looked back at Seonghwa. Both of you began to rise as you let out a soft groan.

"How did I not realize it had gotten so late?" you chuckled softly.

Seonghwa smiled, "We were busy."

He hadn't felt as though time had passed at all when he was with you. He got so lost in talking with you, so lost in you, that he didn't realize there was anything going on around him at all.

The way he was staring fondly as you made your breath hitch. You smiled at him as you felt your ears burn a little hotter.

"Yeah. It's been a while since I've met someone I could talk to about all of that stuff."

He grinned, "Me too."

Seonghwa, realizing you were about to say goodbye, felt panic rise in his chest. He didn't want to say goodbye, at least not forever.

"Uh- can I- do you think I could get your number?"

Your heart leapt as he asked, and you resisted the urge to respond with as much excitement as you felt.

You nodded, "Yeah"

"Great. And maybe...we could go see that movie next week?" he asked, referencing the movie you shared excitement about earlier.

You nodded a bit more fervently this time, "That would be fun"

He nodded in agreement as he pulled out his phone. When you exchanged numbers you began heading inside, noticing immediately how the party had ceased since you were last inside.

Music was no longer playing. Empty cups and plates were scattered around, two people were passed out on the couch as the disco ball spun slowly on the ceiling.

You winced, "Yikes"

Seonghwa laughed before you looked back over at him "I should go find my friend"

He nodded, "I'll text you tomorrow?"

You nodded with a bright smile and Seonghwa almost felt like swooning at the sight. As he began to walk away, he gave you another glance as he waved.

You waved goodbye before you spotted you friend watching you with a grin from across the room.

When Seonghwa disappeared out the front door, you made your way to your friend who rose her hand.

"If you tell me you didn't get his number, I swear to God-"

"I got his number" you cut her off.

"Yes!" She cheered dramatically "I cannot believe how gorgeous he is."

"Right!?" You said with a restrained excitement.

"Are you going to see him again?"

You nodded, "He asked me to see a movie next week."

She clapped her hands as she led you to the door "You have to tell me all about him on the ride."

You nodded as you thought back on your night, and Seonghwa. You had never clicked with someone so fast before, it almost felt too good to be true. Almost.

xx End xx

-Part Two-

Ateez General Taglist: @soso59love-blog

Series Taglist: @bubblesreplies, @halesandy, @why-am-i-sad, @acciocriativity

#Seonghwa #Seonghwa x reader #seonghwa/reader #ateez x reader #ateez imagine #ateez/reader #seonghwa imagine #seonghwa fic #ateez fic #meet cute #meet cute series #ateez meet cute #seonghwa x gn!reader #seonghwa fluff #ateez fanfic #park seonghwa imagine #park seonghwa/reader #park seonghwa fic

[cheesecakezyum]

How about some competition? Like there's this character Who is also courting SWK and Macaque's s/o A LOT. How much annoyed and jelous would they be? Bonus scene: They came over just when s/o speak back at the other:"Look, I appreciate your feelings, I really do. But I am already in love with someone else"

Vying For Your Endearment

It continues, it continues. I really liked this idea though! Don’t know how I did thoughh

Didn’t put too much in this because of the fact that I want to keep some info for my fic. Mischief mischief mischief.

I like to think that while the scent of a demon is super pungent to them— when it comes to non-demons its rather faint to barely recognizable actually.

Scenting headcanons are so quirky

I’ll fix anything later we’re on that grind boyssss

Enjoy!

─────────────────

─────────────────

Sun Wukong

♡- At first? It really wouldn’t trouble him too much. He feels unintimidated, especially if the two of you have been courting for quite some time. If it’s around courting season, it’s only expected.

♡- The only thing he truly worries about in the beginning is certain traditions for demons who take interest in a potential mate; worst case scenario is you being kidnapped by this demon, and no way is that happening on his watch.

♡- It’s way more rare nowadays, but that doesn’t mean it’s essentially out of the question! Definitely would keep a better eye on you and take you home more often himself.

♡- If nothing changes though, and he notices that the other suitor just won’t bug off after a week— that’s when it starts getting to him.

♡- Catches you talking to the other demon in public? Definitely the one to impede on the conversation. He’ll just slide on over there, wrapping an arm around your waist.

“Mind if I just borrow them for a bit? Yeahh, thanks!”

♡- If Wukong happens to visit and notices you with any slight smell (Stench, in his personal opinion.) related to the demon— boy are you in for it.

“Let go already! That’s enough!”

“Just 5 more minutes.”

♡- Not just to provide more overall affection but to drown their scent with his own. A threat on his part.

♡- Kind of but not kind of a property thing. He doesn’t want to own you of course! Never. But.. wants it known that you’re being courted by him and him only. Wukong’s personal smell of peaches is rather recognizable as well— so he wonders why such a lower class demon would attempt getting their hands on you. Do they not realize who they’re competing with?

♡- It's nothing but confusing to the monkey king. What do they have that he doesn’t? Why you of all people? Did they have a personal grudge against them with hopes of stealing you away? Why haven’t you just turned them down already?

♡- Don’t even get me started if you mention the demon in question in front of him. Expect a pouting menace.

The monkey king spoke under his breath, grumbling.

“I can do that.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing!”

♡- Even after an explanation of demon courting by Wukong did you not realize this new demon was trying to compete for your affection. You considered them more of an acquaintance, really.

♡- So when you got the sudden confession of their admiration for you with bold claims of wanting to make you his mate?— yuck.

“I’m sorry. I appreciate your feelings, really! But I already love someone else.”

♡- If he caught you in the act like that, rejecting the demon attempting to steal his place by your side? Fist bumping the air. I mean— cough cough, he never doubted you! Himself too, yeah.

♡- Would act as if he never saw it, brush it off and wait until that poor, poor rejectee finally left you alone to interact.

♡- It’d probably be the first time you told him you loved him as well! I mean, not up front just yet, but still said it! Wouldn’t actually mention it until way later, when you’ve most likely forgotten. It was an in the moment thing!

“You know, I love you too.”

─────────────────

─────────────────

The Six-Eared Macaque

♡- On Macaque’s part, it’s an instant alarm when he’s noticed another demons aura around you. Wouldn’t make it immediately known, but try to pry out as much as he can without sounding desperate.

“So— how was your day? Anything new?”

♡- When it turns out his suspicions are correct, he already knows their intentions. Courting season would give it out immediately. Not just anyone would attempt going for you— but then again, he did.

♡- He’d definitely be overprotective in the aspect that you’re at risk of being kidnapped. Would try to follow you around way more than usual. Going to the market? He’s been needing something actually. Taking a walk? He could use one too!

♡- Basically anything that would keep him closer to you. He respects courting rituals and wouldn’t go against them until absolutely necessary, so he takes the competition. Macaque isn’t letting you get away that easily.

♡- Similar to Wukong, your scent is a big thing to him. If you don’t smell like yourself or even him, man would it irritate him beyond belief.

♡- So coating his scent over the other demon’s will always be the #1 priority when he has you alone. Maybe leave in gentle bite or two for good measure depending on how far into courting the two of you have been.

♡- Macaque also takes it as an opportunity to be more bold with you— overall way more flirtatious. Any opportunity the six-eared demon has? He’ll take it.

“Aren’t you a pretty little thing for me.”

“Let me get a good look at you.”

♡- Whether it be spontaneously cornering you while the two of you walked in an alley, wrapping his tail around you in public when no one else can see, WAY more eye contact. He isn’t going down that easy.

♡- He wouldn’t really be too scared to point the other suitor out to you too.

“What did they bring you today?”

“Next time, just call me.”

♡- I mean, he wants anyone else to know that you belong to him. You leaving is just, something he dreads. Let alone to a low class demon.

♡- Definitely would think it’s someone he’s wronged in the past trying to get back at him. I mean, who would be stupid enough to go for his prize?

♡- So catching you in the act utterly rejecting the poor guys feelings? He wanted to crack up right then and there, but stayed behind and watch the beautiful scene unfold before him.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t return your feelings. I love someone else,“

♡- That last part caught Macaque off guard. You’ve told him you’ve cared about him, but never said loved. Not like that. He was quick to take residence in your shadow once the demon took their leave, and waited for the perfect opportunity to speak up as you walked home.

“Yeesh. Who knew you were so cruel?”

Startled by the all too familiar voice, you jumped and turned behind you, only to see a pair of violet eyes and a cunning smile replace your shadow.

“Macaque?!”

“Really liked that last part, though.”

#Jealous bastards #sniff sniff #lmk x reader #lego monkie kid #monkie kid #lmk #sun wukong #six eared macaque #wukong x reader #lmk wukong x reader #sun wukong x reader #monkie kid sun wukong #macaque x reader #six eared macaque x reader #lmk wukong #lmk macaque

[sunshineyuuji]

Surprising Facts

IkeVamp suitors with an s/o who randomly says interesting facts

Characters: Leonardo Da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Arthur Conan Doyle, Le Comte de Saint-Germain, Johann Georg Faust

Warnings: maybe ooc since I don't know their personalities well, bad English (?), some facts may be a little disturbing (Isaac's part), gn!reader/fem!reader.

Notes: hello~! It's great to write again! I hope you're all taking care. This is the first time I write anything that has to do with the Ikemen series, so I hope you like it (╥﹏╥). Also, this is a tiny bit too much inspired by things I say to my friends and family so enjoy this little random facts I know, te-hee~.

Leonardo Da Vinci

"Did you know that Samuel Morse, the creator of the telegraph and Morse code ran for mayor of New York, but was against Catholics and immigrants?"

"I beg your pardon?"

It's really fun to have them around, though he sometimes doesn't understand some of the facts they throw at him and asks them to explain.

He learns more about future events through their random facts than asking the other residents.

He gets caught off guard by some of the facts his s/o throws at him though.

"Nutmeg is a hallucinogen."

Sometimes tries to ask them things that he thinks may be difficult for them to know, but he always fails.

"Actually, Sudan has more pyramids than any other country in the world."

His s/o never fails to impress him and he loves that.

They’re just cute darlings full of knowledge! They’re pretty and smart!

Secretly wishes to surprise his s/o with something they don't know.

Perhaps his unconditional love for them.

"And did you know, tesoro, that I love you dearly?"

I'm sure they didn't know that one, did they?

Isaac Newton

"Did you know the human stomach can dissolve razor blades?"

"Y/N, please, PLEASE stop with the creepy information."

Look, he's glad they’re drenched in information, but WHY do they choose to tell him the creepy ones?

He knows some of the facts his s/o tells him, others are more modern so he asks them information about it.

But when it comes to the creepy ones...

"Acids can dissolve a body more completely than lye, liquefying even the bones and teeth."

"And why do you need this information?!"

Let's face it, it's a bit weird that they know that, but they’re full of information!

Although they always have one or two that make him smile.

"Did you know the world's longest marriage lasted 86 years?"

Isaac looked up at his s/o with intrigue.

"Why don't we break the record?" they smiled at him and laughed when they noticed his cheeks blush.

Arthur Conan Doyle

"There are four law books bound in human skin at the Harvard University Library."

"Bound in what?!"

It feels like a competition.

He wants to outsmart them in saying something they don't know, but never finds anything.

"Video cameras were invented in 1891."

"Mmm that was the movie camera called Kinetograph, but in 1888 Louis Le Prince invented a single-lens camera that created the first and oldest motion video in existence."

"Bloody hell, Y/N!"

Don't worry, there is one thing he can do that leaves them with no answer.

And that is at flirting.

"You may be a little know-it-all, but you're still my cute dove, aren't you?" he chuckles. "Oh yes, I always win in the game of seduction."

Always uses the little random facts they give him on books.

Like that one time when his s/o told him that hydrogen peroxide dissolves blood!

Comte de Saint-Germain

Let's be clear, this man knows quite a lot thanks to his time travels.

But that doesn't stop his s/o from saying a thing or two.

"It's interesting how people often paint you as a time traveler and an immortal being without knowing they're right. Isn't it ironic?"

Asks more about future events like wars that are soon to come or any type of information that calls his attention.

"In your time, which is the most famous book?"

"Currently the Bible. It's the most recognizable and famous book that has ever been published."

He always has this soft smile whenever they tell him anything out of the blue, either because of amusement or because he loves how they smile whenever they tell him any random fact.

It's adorable to say the least, and he will make sure to always make them feel proud of their knowledge.

"Ma chèrie is very smart and knowledgeable. I sure am a lucky man, aren't I?"

Johann Georg Faust

Let's be for real, he's a smart ass.

He knows quite a lot about alchemy and other stuff.

But what about modern stuff?

"You know, I wanted to watch the play that goes by your name. I read it though! Very tragic indeed."

"What are you talking about?"

Yeah, yeah, he’s smart and stuff.

Really cool.

But his face when they tell him something he doesn’t know?!

Priceless.

Even if he does know, he’s more surprised on the fact that his s/o knows that type of stuff.

For example:

“Did you know that injecting 35% hydrogen peroxide can cause inflammation of the blood vessels at the injection site? The oxygen bubbles that block flood flow and lead to gas embolisms, leading to the destruction of red blood cells.”

“May I know why you know this information?”

Secretly likes it. I mean after all, his s/o isn’t just some pretty face.

Doesn’t stop him from teasing you though.

“Your knowledge won’t help you get away from me now will it? Hm, thought so. Now come here before I make you regret it.”

Will make a quiz full of questions regarding history out of spite.

They pass flawlessly. (Yeah, just with random facts from the internet. Leave me alone, I did that once.)

“You are proficient with your little data. Well, I can't expect less from my partner.”

#headcanons #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #ikemen series #ikemen vampire #otome game #ikevamp #ikemen vampire headcanons #ikevamp leonardo #ikevamp le comte #ikevamp isaac #ikevamp arthur #ikevamp faust #ikevamp headcanons #ikevamp hcs #cybird #ikevamp x reader #ikemen vampire scenario #ikemen vampire x reader #is this worth it? #is it too much?

[thrifty-swiftie]

wonka gate: an examination of the parallels between wonka (2023) and sweeney todd (2007)

i saw wonka (2023) approximately 10 hours ago and since then i have been plauged by the film's nearly exact parallels to sweeney todd. over the past 10 hours, i have employed the help of my friend @orfisheus and we have successfully deconstructed every similarity between wonka and sweeney todd, though this post will specifically focus on the 2007 tim burton adaptation.

**SPOILER ALERT FOR BOTH FILMS. DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS!**

the simplest place to start is to introduce whom each of the wonka characters is trying to replicate. in my opinion, the most recognizable of these characters are mrs. scrubbit, portrayed by olivia colman, and mr. bleacher, portrayed by tom davis. these two are obviously trying to replicate sweeney todd/benjamin barker and his counterpart mrs. lovett. these two are recognizable by name alone, with "scrubbit" sounding extremely similar to "lovett" and "bleacher" sounding similar to "barker." however, the personalities of scrubbit and bleacher are nearly exact replicas of lovett's and sweeney's personalities. both sets of characters run "shops" that aim to harm the people coming in. one character, lovett in sweeney todd and bleacher in wonka, lures their victims in while the other, sweeney and scrubbit, do the actual harming. even from a non-theatre fan standpoint, the similarities between these characters is undeniably recognizable.

now, you may be asking "if scrubbit and bleacher are meant to represent the main characters from the original source material, why aren't they the main characters of wonka?" to that, i propose that we look at wonka as if it's the story of sweeney todd told by another character: anthony. timothée chalamet's wonka is almost a 1:1 copy of sweeney todd's anthony. both characters are dreamers and see the world in the best light possible despite all of the tragedy surrounding them. if you choose to view wonka as a story told through an anthony-esque character's perspective, the fun, colorful atmosphere of wonka feels less out of place than it did upon my initial viewing of the film. in a society where law enforcement and religion is corrupted by corporate greed, willy wonka still chooses to see the good in the world and the people in it, hence the film's upbeat and colorful atmosphere.

no anthony can be complete without a johanna, which willy wonka finds in noodle, the film's female lead played by calah lane. noodle, a supposed orphan (although, like with sweeney's johanna, the viewer finds out the true parentage of noodle later in the film), was taken in by the film's antagonists and is literally caged in by said antagonist. this directly mirrors johanna being trapped by turpin, sweeney todd's antagonist.

though the characters do not take a romantic interest in each other (which, let's be real, would be illegal) wonka and noodle form the same kind of bond that anthony and johanna did in sweeney todd. wonka rescues noodle from her cages multiple times throughout the film, just like anthony freed johanna. the duos care more about the wellbeing of their partner rather than the rest of the world and at the end of both films, the two sets characters both have happy endings.

in terms of minor characters, i would consider wonka's trio of chocolateers to be an extension of judge turpin, while keegan michael key's police chief character takes on the role of beadle.

as for plot parallels, the two films share many similar vital plot points, including quite literally opening in the exact same way. tim burton's sweeney todd film begins with anthony singing on a boat, while paul king's wonka opens with willy wonka singing on a boat. both sing about similar topics too, with wonka singing "after seven years of life upon the ocean... the city i've pinned seven years of hopes on lies just over the horizon... i've got twelve silver sovereigns in my pocket and a hatful of dreams" and anthony singing "i've sailed the world, beheld it's wonders... but there's no place like london." right off the bat, the viewer is exposed to the dreamer's perspective before the rest of society is shown.

not long after, wonka is brought to the shop of mrs. scrubbit and bleacher, where bleacher then attempts to club wonka. this could potentially serve as a callback to sweeney and his razors.

we meet noodle right after this. although noodle is most definitely the johanna stand-in of wonka, an argument could also be made for her representation of sweeney todd's toby. in the 2007 film, mrs. lovett takes toby in both out of usefulness and emotional attachment and she puts him to work in her shop as an assistant. like toby, noodle is taken in by mrs. scrubbit and put to work. however, mrs. scrubbit feels no emotional attachment at all towards noodle, hence why her name is scrubbit, a pun regarding her profession, rather than lovett, a name that professes why the character takes toby in.

as the wonka film progresses, we see more and more parallels with burton's sweeney todd. firstly, bleacher lies about his identity for a large portion of the film, just like sweeney does, and in both films the audience is made aware of these lies before the other characters find out. another parallel can be drawn between sweeney and wonka as both characters go "underground" to escape arrest, although wonka literally uses the underground sewer system while sweeney conceals his identity from the people who used to know him as benjamin barker. additionally, both wonka and sweeney utilize their stores to evade police capture.

at the very end of the film, we see our last two similar plot points. first, noodle is reunited with her mother. johanna meets her own mother at the end of the film, but while noodle is able to obtain a happy ending and live the rest of her life with family, johanna doesn’t realize it’s her mother, and is unable to reach that same fulfillment. johanna’s ending is much more tragic than noodle’s, however wonka is a children's movie, so what can you really expect? finally, in the post credits scene, we see justice delved out to mrs. scrubbit and bleacher as they are arrested for their wrong doing, similar to how mrs. lovett and sweeney die at the end of their film. once again, they're not killing people in a children's film, so this is the best we can get in terms of a parallel ending.

after breaking these similarities down with @orfisheus, i am completely convinced that wonka is a cleverly concealed parody of sweeney todd, but in the end, the movie represents a genre that is critically underappreciated in today's society. musical theatre should not have to be concealed to be enjoyed by all and theatre should not be relegated to the stereotypical shakespeare dramas. at the end of the day, who can really say if wonka is secretly a replica of sweeney todd? all that truly matters is the knowledge that allows us to appreciate wonka's worth. more than just a children’s film, it builds off of the foundation of two great works to become something that both pays tribute to and evolves the stories of willy wonka and sweeney todd.

#wonka 2023 #wonka #sweeney todd #these are the same movie #you cannot convince me otherwise #wonka movie #willy wonka #timothee chalamet #johnny depp #theatre

[graywritesoccasionally42]

So I wrote an entire essay comparing Loki from The Bifrost Incident to Loki from the Prose Edda for my Medieval Literature Class, and I figured I'd post it here in case anyone wanted to read my analysis on her character

Essay Under Cut--(my formatting got fucked up by the hellsite but what can you do?)

“Is this truly me? What have I left behind?”

A look into how The Bifrost Incident interacts with its source material

Title from “Losing Track” by The Mechanisms

In the early 1200s, Snorri Sturlson wrote his famous collection of Norse mythology called The Prose Edda. In this compilation, we met many gods, goddesses, and creatures, including one who is arguably the most popular Norse deity--Loki, the god of mischief and general shenanigans. The Prose Edda presents Loki as dishonest, violent, at times incompetent. Recently though, about 800 years later, Loki has attracted the interest of many modern writers who have adapted Loki’s story to explore contemporary problems. One particular adaptation, The Bifrost Incident by English steampunk band The Mechanisms, imagines her to be just,  intelligent, and loving. There are many striking differences between these two versions of Loki, the most significant being gender, mortality, and how their stories end. This is important because this album re-examines and redefines Loki’s identity, and how we view this Norse deity in a modern context.

To fully delve into how The Mechanisms’ adaptation works, I think some context for the band is necessary. The Mechanisms were an English steampunk band, self-described as “Storytelling Musical Cabaret'' that operated from 2010 until 2020. The Band members themselves were in character at all times as the immortal pirate crew of the Starship Aurora. They also took on the roles in the tales they told. So for example, Tim Ledsam was the guitarist for The Mechanisms, but when he was onstage he played Gunpowder Tim, Master at Arms on the Aurora, and when the band performed The Bifrost Incident, he voiced the character of Loki. The Mechanisms were best known for their clever reworking of mythologies, creating queer narratives and telling queer stories, and their love of tragedies. In their last concert (recorded as a live album), Death to The Mechanisms, Jonny D’ville--the band’s first mate/lead vocalist. played by Jonny Sims--and Ashes O'Reilly--the band’s quartermaster/bassist, played by Frank Voss--had a conversation that encapsulates the crew's relationship with unhappy endings: 

[Jonny]

"We happen to stumble across tragic situations where everyone dies. I mean, obviously there are stories where people live but we just choose not to tell them."

[Ashes]

"Yeah, 'cause they're boring."

[Jonny]

"Yeah…”

The fact that this conversation happened during some technical difficulties in the song “Terminus”, the finale of The Bifrost Incident where the entire star system is consumed by a Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror, only adds credence to their claims. 

With that bit of explanation out of the way, let’s discuss the similarities between Sturlson’s work and The Mechanisms’ adaptation of it. Loki from The Prose Edda and Loki from The Bifrost Incident share many important similarities. These similarities are important because they make the character recognizable, giving us a reference point and allowing the audience to connect the new version to the original. The Mechanisms play on the audience’s knowledge of Norse Mythology, creating an insider audience. Listeners feel like they are in on the joke, as they understand what myths or details are being referenced. The Mechanisms also use these similarities to create puns, as they often do in their albums. For example, in The Prose Edda Baldur is killed by Mistletoe, and in The Bifrost Incident Loki kills Baldur with Missile 2 (the second missile).  

Another thing The Mechanisms’ adaptation has in common with Sturlson’s work is how they develop ideas through music. The Bifrost Incident is a musical album, with each song continuing the story, much like the soundtrack to a musical. It alternates between spoken narration and songs, weaving music into the fabric of the tale. The Prose Edda does this as well! We have evidence that the original myths were probably put to music, connecting this modern work to its source. 

This being said, there are significant differences between the Loki of The Prose Edda and the Loki from The Bifrost Incident. I’ve selected just three to discuss at this time, the ones I think are the most important. The first is gender. In The Prose Edda Loki and Odin are firmly male, using exclusively male pronouns. There is a specific instance in the text where Loki turns into a mare and gives birth to Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged steed. This is seen in a negative context, as a way to shame or punish Loki. In The Bifrost Incident, however, Loki and Odin are gender-bent, using exclusively female pronouns. Loki’s gender expression in the album is further complicated by how her character is voiced. Gunpowder Tim, who as far as I can tell is a cisgender man, voices this specifically female character. The use of a more masculine-sounding voice actor for a character that not only uses feminine terms and pronouns but also is married to another woman in the album introduces a new, interesting layer of queerness to the narrative. Because of this casting decision, it’s a commonly held belief among fans that Loki is a trans woman in the album. These choices help the audience explore modern queer themes through the lens of Norse mythology. And it creates a contrast to how gender, sexuality, and queerness in general, were talked about in Snorri Sturlson’s time. 

The second difference I’d like to discuss is Loki’s mortality (or lack thereof). In The Prose Edda Loki is a god, an immortal being that could affect the world around him and cause problems on large scales. This allows many myths to happen, most strikingly the ones where Loki transforms into an animal to either cause problems or fix a problem he caused. Now this is complicated by the fact that Snorri Sturlson did not believe the characters in the myths he was compiling were gods. He lived in a Christianized world, trying to compile stories to save them for poets. Either way, Prose Edda Loki is an immortal deity. But in The Bifrost Incident, it is important that all our characters are mortal. It intensifies the tragedy of Loki and Sigyn, their sacrifice and Odin’s demise. It helps us relate to the characters in a way that we don’t get if they’re immortal. In the narration “Cold Case”, we learn that Loki was thought to be dead, and in the song “Sigyn” we get the heartbreaking reunion between Loki and her wife, Sigyn. But the reason I cry every time I listen to “Sigyn” is because of how heartrendingly happy Sigyn is to see her wife, alive and in front of her, and then see that relief ripped away as she realizes that Loki doesn’t recognize her. The humanity, the fear and permanence of death, of losing those you love, is one that we as an audience can easily relate to. 

My final difference, and possibly the most important difference, is the ending to Loki’s story. After killing Baldur in The Prose Edda, Loki is chased down by the Aesir and eternally punished: He is imprisoned below the earth, tied down with the entrails of his sons, and has a snake set above him to drip poison into his eyes. His wife, Sigyn, stays with him by choice, holding a cup above him to catch the venom, but the vessel can only hold so much before it must be emptied. So when Sigyn has to empty the cup the venom gets into his eyes, and his thrashing is the etiological myth for why earthquakes happen. Eventually, Loki is destined to escape and kick off Ragnarok (the end of the world), where he fights against the Aesir--sailing in on Naglfar and fatally injuring Heimdall before dying himself. These all add up to an ultimately evil view of Loki, even if he is a bit sympathetic. He turns against the gods and his children are the cause of much destruction. However, the Loki of The Bifrost Incident has a completely different characterization. After her memories are returned to her, she leaves Odin to her madness and goes to find Sigyn. She tells Sigyn what they must do to delay the eldritch train as long as possible, keeping the end of the world from happening for 80 years-- 

“They uncouple the [train] carriages behind [them] and Loki lays upon the altar. Sigyn pushes a single line into her wife's heart and holds it tight. All she lets through is a drip drip drip, flowing through the glyphs and gears. When Loki's heartsblood is gone, the train will arrive, but until then, they are together.”

Loki chooses to sacrifice herself to stop the end of all life in her star system. This is almost directly opposite of how Loki acts in The Prose Edda. She is noble, in contrast to his cowardice. 

I think it’s important to consider why these changes were made. Some are more obvious--The Mechanisms always committed to the bit at full throttle. It’s evident from their stage presences that they cared about the storytelling more than anything else. So many of the more minor changes are to keep to the aesthetic choices the band made--setting it in space, steampunk and cyberpunk imagery, and the puns we talked about earlier. Some choices were made to turn the original myths into queer stories. Making Loki and Sigyn a lesbian couple, as well as having Loki use feminine terms and pronouns while being voiced by a traditionally masculine voice actor, fall into The Mechanisms’ commitment to telling queer stories. Many of the band members themselves are queer, and the vast majority of their fanbase identifies as LGBTQ+. And finally, The Mechanisms only tell tragedies. We discussed this at a few earlier points, how the change from god to mortal fed into the tragedy of the story they were trying to tell. 

So why does this matter? Why should we care about a Steampunk concept album written in 2017 that no one has ever heard of? The Prose Edda was written to preserve poetry, religion, mythology, and meaning post-Christianization. Why was The Bifrost Incident written? I believe that it’s a commentary on corrupt government systems, as seen with Odin, as well as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pushing too far without the proper safety precautions. It’s also just a fun retelling of myths that most are fairly familiar with in a fun, new setting we never would have expected. The Bifrost Incident takes stories written hundreds of years ago and creates a modern narrative that is as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking. And I hope this paper, if nothing else, convinces you to listen to the Album.

#Loki #norse mythology #the mechanisms #the bifrost incident #loki tbi #tbi loki #The Prose Edda #the mechs #snorri sturluson

[baki-tiene-un-simp]

Hi,i know that i literlly made an ask minutes ago but i also wanted to request some other hc involving the prior hc that i just made, those hc where the S/O doesn't make it and dies with musashi and mumon but instead of coming back as a spirit they reicarnate in another realm for example like retsu did in his isekai but they reicarnate in another being that isn't human like a fairy or an angel or even some sort of paranormal entety in that realm and they have some foggy memories of musashi/mumon but they try to and they end up starting to have flashbacks of themselfs with them and they go on a journey to go back to the human realm and do it but they fear that musashi/mumon would find them disgusting or have moved on so they kind of like protect/haunt them to make sure they are ok and slowly reintroduce themselfs, i also wanted to know how they would react with their return (by the way this is all after like 2 years on the human realm wich equats to like 20 years on the other realm but the S/O is imortal and has cool powers) and if they would accepr them back as their companion and would start over or continue and what would change.

Sorry that this ask is so long but i had some sort of creativity boost at liek 5:00 A.M and i can't sleep so... sorry if i told any spoiler about retsu's isekai but that is the best example i can get.

I hope that everything is ok with you and that you have a good day and sleep well, because i can't sleep.

Here are some kisses and bear hugs

I'm not really sure how to develop this without having to properly personify and describe the S/O when we want to know what Mumon and Musashi think, but I tried my best to keep it neutral.

Situation: S/O's Isekai? / Isakai del S/O.

Characters: Mumon Katsuragi and Musashi Miyamoto.

Mumon Katsuragi.

He is restless, that feeling of being watched persists even when he is in the company of others. At first he thought it was his brain's way of processing his grief; he thought that feeling a little paranoid was typical for people who were grieving.

But he just didn't feel human the way he was watching, he wasn't watched by a normal person. It was a heavy and embracing feeling, like a person with overwhelming power.

He is more likely to use amulets to ward off spirits or ghosts, he is exactly that kind of person. He feels a little calmer, but it doesn't last too long.

At first he assumed he was dreaming, it was simply the smartest thing to do in his situation, in the middle of the night a creature materialized next to his bed. His body was bathed in an ethereal light that glowed a luminous gold, giving them an angelic and inhuman appearance that captivated him. Their features were simply familiar, but the sleepy haze that filled his senses made it impossible to recognize that face.

It wasn't until you smiled and leaned in to whisper soft words in his ear that he was able to recognize you, he didn't consider that it was your new identity as an elf, but that you were still just as beautiful as when you left his side.

He wasn't sure if you were a dream or not, but he didn't want to bother corroborating that, he had missed you so much and he would finally be able to see you once again.

The next morning he woke up and almost had a heart attack when he saw you sitting on his couch. Before getting out of bed, he was convinced that it had been a dream.

He is very curious, he wants to know how, why and when you were able to return. He's asking a lot of questions as he holds your hand, he just wants to make sure you're not going anywhere.

I miss you so much, he'll probably be stuck with you for a while, he needs to catch up with your presence again. He's happy.

He likes your new form, it's interesting and very cute, but he still feels a little nostalgic for the person you were before. Technically, the person in front of him is you, and you still have recognizable characteristics, but he still misses seeing your previous version.

He's just in love with you, a lot.

Musashi Miyamoto.

Musashi is strangely distraught lately, something really strange. He felt watched all the time. He could sense something non-human following him everywhere, a dangerously powerful entity that wouldn't leave him alone, but they wouldn't reveal themselves either.

His constant state of wakefulness made him hyperaware of everything around him, he hated the idea of not knowing where the threat was coming from, because it seemed to come from everywhere. All the time.

His desperation reached the point of making him enter a forest in the middle of the night, 3 am, exactly.

He is summoning this mysterious entity to fight him, to come get what they wants and to stop chasing him. His katana drawn and ready to attack whatever moved.

The breeze blows coldly over his skin, Musashi could attribute the shiver that ran through him to the cold of the early morning and not to the figure that materialized in front of his eyes when he decided to blink. It was a figure dressed in a black kimono with gold details, elegant over the zori, offsetting the misaligned obi that camouflaged itself with the anthropomorphic parts that grew from its lower back, two types of fluffy tails that almost looked like a fan from its position.

Miyamoto's hands tightened on the handle of his weapon as the masked creature moved their hand to stop any of his actions, silently asking him not to rush to attack them, he obeyed their request. Mysteriously.

It was not until the entity removed the mask from their face that he was able to observe a more human and comfortable feature for him. His S/O. His posture remained even when his S/O approached, Kitsunes are famous for being mischievous and somewhat malicious, wouldn't this be some kind of joke? That thought faltered in his mind when he saw your smile, it was definitely the same as before.

He's surprised, plus he's overly respectful of you, something about honoring who you are now. He still hesitates a little when you ask him to sit next to you.

He's happy to see you again and doesn't really want an explanation, I mean, he doesn't ask for one. You are a powerful spirit now, plus you make a feeling of respect and admiration grow in him, typical of Japanese folklore and those who know. That's all for him.

He uses very big terms and honorifics on you, it will take him a while to erase the image of mythical respect he has of who you are now.

But you are here, after all, with him. That's more than enough now.

Versión en Español.

Mumon Katsuragi.

Él está inquieto, esa sensación de ser observado persiste aun cuando está en compañía de otros. Al principio pensó que era la forma en que su cerebro procesaba su luto, creyó que sentirse un poco paranoico era algo típico para las personas que guardaban luto.

Pero simplemente no se sentía humana la forma en que era observado, no era observado por una persona normal. Era un sentimiento pesado y abrazador, como de una persona con un poder abrumador.

Es más propenso a usar amuletos para ahuyentar espíritus o fantasmas, él es exactamente esa clase de persona. Se siente un poco más tranquilo, pero no dura demasiado tiempo.

Al principio supuso que estaba soñando, era simplemente lo más inteligente en su situación, en mitad de la noche una criatura se materializó junto a su cama. Su cuerpo estaba bañada de una luz etérea que resplandecía en un dorado luminoso, dándole una apariencia angelical e inhumana que lo cautivo. Sus facciones eran simplemente familiares, pero la bruma soñolienta que inundaba sus sentidos hacía que fuera imposible reconocer aquel rostro.

No fue hasta que sonreíste y te inclinaste para susurrar suaves palabras en su oído que pudo reconocerte, no consideraba que se trataba de tu nueva identidad como elfo, sino que seguías siendo igual de hermoso que cuando te fuiste de su lado.

No estaba seguro de si eras un sueño o no, pero no quiso molestarse en corroborar eso, te había extrañado tanto y por fin podría verte una vez más.

A la mañana siguiente despertó y casi se infarta cuando te vio sentado en su sofá, antes de levantarse de la cama se convenció de que habías sido un sueño.

Es muy curioso, quiere saber como, por qué y cuando pudiste regresar. Está haciendo muchas preguntas mientras toma tu mano, solo quiere asegurarse de que no iras a ningún lado.

Te extraño mucho, probablemente se quede pegado a ti durante un buen rato, necesita ponerse al día con tu presencia otra vez. Está feliz.

Tu nueva forma le gusta, es interesante y muy linda, pero aún se siente un poco nostálgico por la persona que eras antes. Técnicamente, quien está frente a él eres tú y aun conservas características reconocibles, pero aún extraña ver a tu versión anterior.

Él simplemente está enamorado de ti, mucho.

Musashi Miyamoto.

Musashi está extrañamente angustiado, últimamente, algo realmente extraño. Se sentía observado todo el tiempo. Podía sentir algo no humano siguiéndolo a todas partes, una entidad peligrosamente poderosa que no le dejaba solo, pero tampoco se revelaba.

Su estado de vigilia constante lo hizo hiperconsciente de todo su alrededor, odiaba la idea de no saber de donde venía la amenaza, porque parecía venir de todos lados. Todo el tiempo.

Su desesperación llegó hasta el punto de hacerlo adentrarse en un bosque a mitad de la noche, 3 am, exactamente.

Está convocando a esta misteriosa entidad para que pelee contra él, que venga a buscar lo que quiere y que deje de perseguirle. Su catana desenvainada y preparada para atacar a lo que sea que se moviera.

"La brisa sopla fríamente sobre su piel, Musashi podría atribuir el escalofrío que le recorrió al frío de la madrugada y no a la figura que se materializó frente a sus ojos cuando decidió parpadear. Era una figura vestida con un kimono negro con detalles dorados, elegante sobre las zori, contrarrestando el obi desalineado que se camuflajea con las partes antropomórficas que nacían de su espalda baja, dos pareces de colas de esponjosas que casi lucían como un abanico desde su posición.

Las manos de Miyamoto se apretaron sobre el mango de su arma cuando la criatura enmascarada movió su mano para detener cualquiera de sus acciones, pidiéndole silenciosamente que no se apresurara a atacarle, él obedeció su petición. Misteriosamente.

No fue hasta que la entidad retiro la máscara de su rostro que pudo observar un rasgo más humano y más confortable para él. Su difunto S/O. Su postura se mantuvo aun cuando su S/O se acercó, los Kitsunes son famosos por ser traviesos y algo maliciosos, ¿no sería esta alguna broma? Ese pensamiento flaqueó en su mente cuando vio tu sonrisa, definitivamente, era la misma de antes."

Está sorprendido, además de que se muestra demasiado respetuosos contigo, algo sobre honrar lo que eres ahora. Aún duda un poco cuando le pides que se siente a tu lado.

Está feliz de volver a verte y realmente no quiere una explicación, digo, no pregunta por una. Eres un espíritu poderoso ahora, además de que haces que un sentimiento de respeto y admiración crezca en él, propio del folclor japonés y del que sabe. Eso es todo para él.

Usa términos y honoríficos muy grandes contigo, le tomará un tiempo borrar la imagen de respeto mítico que tiene de lo que eres ahora.

Pero estás aquí, a fin de cuentas, con él. Eso es más que suficiente ahora.

#mumon katsuragi #mumon katsuragi baki gaiden yuuenchi #mumon katsuragi x reader #mumon x lector #musashi miyamoto x lector #musashi miyamoto x reader #musashi miyamoto baki #miyamoto musashi #baki the grappler #baki son of ogre #baki dou #baki headcanons

[sapphire-weapon]

Her remake version is more popular than Jill and that is a fact. People are demanding more content of her. She is Leon's romantic interest, people want to see more of her. And she deserved to be on Fortnite and not Claire, Claire is even lower than Jill.

"IT'S TRUE BECAUSE I SAY IT'S TRUE"

you know that capcom makes business decisions based on focus group testing, mass market research data, and allocation of funds, right? there's a reason why claire got chosen for fortnite over ada. it's because capcom made a tactical marketing decision based on data they had collected, which told them that claire was more immediately recognizable to a wider number of people than ada was. and the reason for that is because claire is a playable protagonist in a mainline game, and ada isn't.

jill paved the way for other female characters in video games. ada hasn't done that. jill is considered a mascot of the series. ada isn't.

just because kids on tiktok like ada doesn't mean that that reflects the reality of the wider video game community or the overall perception of resident evil as a series. this is why i continuously beg and plead with you guys to play other video games. but you refuse to do that, and then you get mad about reality because it doesn't reflect your highly curated little bubble.

[allegra-writes]

"The Vampire at Mary's"

Lestat De Lioncourt x Daniel Molloy

NSFW

Warnings: Smut. Vampire bites. Brief non-graphic descriptions of sex as a currency.

Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable character, and for legal reasons I won't be accepting tips for this story or any story set in Anne Rice's Immortal Universe. Thank you!

What if Daniel had found Lestat instead of Louis that night at Polynesian Mary’s?

MY MASTERLIST

“Like that… just like tha-Oh, fuck!”

He giggled. The rugged blond on his knees on the filthy floor of the dingy bathroom with the sinful, bee-stung lips around Daniel’s cock giggled. High, and joyful, and carefree. It was almost enough to make him forget all about the sting. Almost.

“Jeez, babe, you said just a little taste…” Daniel withdrew from the guy’s mouth, helping him stand, “Got a little carried away, didn’t you?”

He didn’t reply, instead crashing his lips to Daniel’s, forcing him to taste himself on his tongue. It was hot as all fuck.

“Feels better biting down” The man breathed out, as he released Daniel to mark bruises down the column of his neck, his collarbone, his chest, shoving his button-down off his shoulders.

“Is that so? Let’s see…” Danie bit down hard on the juncture where Blondie’s neck met his shoulder tearing a moan out of him 

“Fuck… you like it rough, don’t you?" 

He nodded his head, unable or unwilling to form words with Daniel’s hand slipping inside his tight leather pants.

"No underwear? Damn, baby, you’re a fucking dream” The mystery guy silenced Daniel by kissing him again, rough and insistent, but it was hard to kiss him back as he, fast as lightning, undid Daniel’s jeans, wrapping his hand around Daniel’s cock. Not to be outdone, Daniel changed course, right hand trailing a path around the man’s narrow hips to his firm, curvy backside, enjoying the feeling of it in his hand, massaging the globes before dipping his fingers into the cleft dividing them. Finding his rim, he played the snug ring of muscle, surprised when it slid right in.

“Holy sh-” He had died and gone to heaven. Daniel Molloy was not that lucky “you- you’re ready for me? Fuck! And you feel so good… bet you’re going to feel even tighter around my cock…”

“Only because your cock is so big” Blondie whimpered, “gonna feel like you’re splitting me in two" 

It was a line, Daniel knew it was a line, just like he knew he was faking his moans just a little bit, but it was working, it was doing the trick, his dick throbbing almost painfully, angry and nearly purple with all the blood accumulated there. This guy was perfect, and Daniel couldn’t stop thanking all his lucky stars. He took his hand out and away from him, to close his fingers around himself, pumping once, twice, single-handedly popping open the bottle of lube - that the blond offered to him- thoroughly coating his cock. 

"Hands on the countertop, gorgeous” Daniel commanded with more confidence than he felt, “and open those pretty legs for me" 

The guy smirked, shrugging off his t-shirt and dropping it on the dirty floor. Turning around, he made a show of peeling off his pants and bending over the sink. 

“Don’t hold back, cowboy” He quipped, giving Daniel a come hitter look over his shoulder, “I like to ride hard”

Daniel gulped, but he did as he was told, and he wasted no time in stepping forward, positioning himself, and sliding home in one hard, delicious stroke.

"Yes! I knew you were going to feel so good inside me…" 

Daniel cursed again, biting on the inside of his cheek to anchor himself, to stop himself from shutting his load too soon. It wasn’t usually like that, the guys he usually took to the bathroom were far more interested in dominating him, in putting him on his knees and getting off as quickly as possible while Daniel choked and gasped for air. They rarely spared him a second thought. But not this guy. This guy saw him. This guy wanted him. Him. Not just to use him, he wanted Daniel. And the way he talked, about freedom, about pleasure, about the beauty of the savage garden that was the world… It sounded insane, the fantasies of a madman. But there was just something about him… something Daniel couldn’t quite put his finger on, that was exhilarating, freeing, that drove him wild. That made him think that maybe, just maybe, it could be true.

Once he felt back under control, Daniel grabbed hold of the guy’s hips, thrusting as hard and fast as he could go. Emboldened by the pretty sounds the guy was making, he tugged at his hair, guiding him up until his naked back was flushed against his chest, changing the angle of penetration, making them both moan. 

The guy took Daniel’s arm, splayed flat on his chest, holding him up, and buried his cries against it. Soon as his lips touched Daniel’s skin, he shuddered, adrenaline spiking through the boy’s veins for some reason, heart galloping violently inside his chest. But he was too far gone, too lost in the pleasure the monster’s warmth was providing, to notice the signs, the red flags his body was trying to send to his brain.

All Daniel knew was him. All that existed was the sweet rapture enveloping his cock, the delectable pain of his nails digging into his arms, four perfect bloody half-moons etched on his skin.

The sharp pang as dry fangs punctured his wrist. 

Daniel didn’t know, he would never know, what possessed him to sink his blunt teeth into the monster’s bare neck as his orgasm exploded like a thousand napalms behind his eyelids, his human mind finally giving up, for good. 

By the time his hips stopped, by the time he was done riding the pleasure and the pain of his natural life ending, he was something entirely new. Something dark and hungry and unhinged. 

#lestat de lioncourt x daniel molloy #interview with the vampire #amc #amc iwtv #smut #fanfiction #fanfic #imagine

[tiny012]

This is why I dropped off of Crystal after season 3, they keep pandering to the 90s fans and reusing stuff from the 90s anime that it became hard to enjoy it. Deadass wish that we could get another adaptation, this time one that's actually faithful to the manga instead of catering to nostalgia and hopefully not in Toei's hands because they haven't been treating it right.

Like this right here

I know I made light of this situation which you can find the post right here but this really goes beyond homages to the 90's anime.

It's not a copy and paste but it's straight pandering to the 90's anime.

Because the simple fact the top pic is an VERY VERY iconic shot in the 90's anime first season. When people see it they know exactly what scene and episode it is to point they can tell you which song is playing and probably quote lines.

So of course when they show in the trailer a shot almost look like the first shot, the comparisons is going to happen. Which lord, I can not go on a SM FB group without seeing these two shots together being posted and people saying " Oh I like the 90's anime one better." and " Well this didn't happen in the manga." which we already know that.

I mean Dark Kingdom Arc and StarS Arc supposed to actually mirror each other if you really think about it since it really shows Usagi's growth as teenager on the cusp of womanhood but the 90's anime missed the memo .

But I also look at in this angle which I did touch on in the previous link.

I really wonder how Naoko feels about the second shot that going to be in Cosmos because lets think about this.

Naoko wanted to kill the senshi the Dark Kingdom so it only be one arc but was told not to by execs because they wanted another season.

The writers then killed the senshi off which episodes 45-46 still pack an emotional punch to this day which is 31 years ago. Then you have the top shot which is Usagi fighting Beryl by herself but with the sprit of the senshi beside her which is one the most recognizable shots in the 90's anime.

So they did something that she wanted to do but couldn't do because they told her not to do it which the 90's anime got a big emotional pay off for doing it.

So Naoko does Black Moon, Infinity, then Dream arc which arc feels like the end but they want her to do one more arc.

So she does it but does it her way and at last she does what she wanted to do in Dark Kingdom arc.

Kill the Senshi off.

But she does it in a way that you can tell that she's done for real and you can tell that she's done.

Have a villain that is a also Sailor Senshi gunning for the most powerful Senshi?

Yeah kill your main love interest when he's purposing to the main character?

Take out the main character best friends two by two and don't give you enough time to grieve before the next two is gone?

Take out the main character new allies by impaling one of them and killing them?

Then bringing the main character friends and love back in which she have to fight and kill them in order to save them?

Yeah she was done. If you kill your main characters the way Naoko kill her off in StarS ( even if she bought them back) she was really to let go of Sailor Moon and move on.

But then the 90's anime couldn't even do her last arc right as a simple thank you for all the work she done..

Which now we have the reboot that has been faithful to her content 95% of the time.

So I really can't imagine her seeing the top image and not going back and thinking about the fact how she wasn't able to do that and not 31 years later in a reboot that suppose to be faith to her work decided to pay homage to it in the bottom image is something that SHE couldn't do until that last arc when she finally said "Fuck it let me kill them all . " ( Which I know just had to be fucking satisfying)

Even if the 90's anime made her money just like the Manga did.

It's a like a slap in the face to me but I maybe reading to much into it..

It always feel like the 90's anime will take precedence over any other version of Sailor Moon which is completely not fair.

It maybe the version that got most of us into the fandom but it shouldn't be the one that should have the most pandering..

One more point than I'm gone

Like this Iconic scene right here in R Movie

Some people want to say that Crystal was "copying and paste" this scene in episode 14

Not realizing it is coming straight from the manga and really R Movie was paying homage to it...

Because the manga scene came first. Because somehow anything the manga or crystal do is an " insultment" to the 90's anime...

Because let my say this then I am gone for real this time.

Sailor Moon Crystal come out in 2014.

When it finally ends with the two Sailor Moon Cosmos Movies being released in June, on July 5th 2023 with be the 9th anniversary of its premiere.

So we have been Nine long years into this Adventure that has been Sailor Moon Crystal..

Which people are still having a hard time gasping the fact that this reboot that been going on for almost 9 years with two very big hiatuses is based of the manga aka the original source material and not the 90's anime.

That when we had that two year hiatus between the initial announcement of the reboot and Crystal coming out,that's one the only piece of info we knew.

Something that has been over discussed?

Something that I know I have said to many times that I know yall tired of me saying.

I am tired myself saying.

Now we are at the end of the series after nine years.

Finally after character design changes, going from web format to t.v format to movie format, this reboot is finally coming to an end and people still thinking " Oh if it happened in the 90's anime its going to happen in the Crystal" and be downright ready to say Crystal got it wrong when Crystal is doing everything that was in the Manga aka source material. As if everything the 90's anime did is law and everything Crystal is doing is going against the law.

How many times people have to say " Read the manga please?" because people are tired of those hottakes?

Bitch I'm tired since I just turned 33 today and been on this site since I was 20 years old in 2010.

November 24, 2010

So almost 13 years of seeing a lot of shit. Good and bad.

I can really use this meme big time.

I'm a damn old head on this site.

Let me wrap this up. lol

#tanya rants about sm

[bloobluebloo]

Wrt that post from a few minutes ago. Listen I'm not saying that the gods created a man with the indestructabity of a Nokia to be an extremely effective scapegoat for everything they do wrong but

(Yes this has been said before but Imo it does need pointed out again just how fucked it is. I started playing WW and I'm so mad that he somehow STILL gets the blame)

(Pardon me, but if you would permit me to go on a tangent of sorts) It's funny because while we keep hearing that the story of LoZ was intended to be simple, a vehicle to let the gameplay take centerstage and shine, they still left behind hints and clues that tell of something deeper and something that is not so simple.

I was actually thinking of some of the elements that go into telling a simple story. One of those elements is to lean into well known tropes and stereotypes. For example, TotK's story gets away with a lot of things based on the idea that people know who the characters are already. Ganondorf's evil nature needs no explaining because in popular culture everyone knows that Ganondorf is a villain. Zelda, and by extension, Rauru and Sonia's intentions are understood to be for the good of Hyrule because we have established that the Hylian Monarchy always serves in the name of good. When OoT came out, designing Ganondorf as a thief originating from the desert was a decision that was very likely made because it was a recognizable stereotype for a villainous character. The story did not have to do that much heavy lifting to prove that he was an evil man because his background already pointed to it. Then we also have the unbridled racism towards the Gerudo seen in the game which didn't seem *so* strange because well, of course they're like that right? However, in the same game, we learn, without any filters, of Hyrule's crimes, of the inklings of what may have created a man like Ganondorf in the first place. Now what was the point of all this? I...really hate that we have reached a point in media literacy where, if you are not directly told that something occurred, that it must have not occurred. Someone who does not get the point after sending several unanswered invitations and still insists on sending them is someone who has entitlement. It doesn't have to be an act of violence to be *bad* or *oppressive*. Concentrating power that can wipe out the most powerful of armies in mere seconds in one family is not peaceful. Building extensive mines underneath and in the lands of others is not peaceful. Keeping the ruler of another nation close under the pretense that he is evil and must be leashed is not peaceful. The thing is by now so many people are conditioned to see Ganondorf as bad that they might not even want to imagine that his hatred and scorn for Hyrule have reason behind it. He is the source of *all* evil. He is the only one never afforded any grace or mercy, regarded as an illness that must be eliminated in the most violent way. He is always wrong, and he is the only wrong. I just find it...interesting that this scapegoating of his goes hand in hand with the fact that he is the only one who successfully upends Hyrule's monarchy and causes true damage to Hyrule.

So yes, he is a scapegoat. In my eyes, it's because he's the only one who has the balls to fight against his natural order in the world, even if it means he will be forever a loser.

#ganonthots #bloothots

[intogenshin]

When I say hoyo doesn't address sensitive topics (that they themselves introduced) I don't mean that they should verbalize them in the text (though it would be like.. the bare minimum if they're not willing to go into it at least). As in, having a scene with explicit in-game racism and acknowledge it by calling the situation or the character committing the aggression "racist". Very little of it could be misinterpreted as anything else, the audience recognized what they were watching easily. Pointing it out would reassure the audience that it is an intentional choice with a purpose if it has one, but hoyo didn't have any, so more like a cheap way to not engage with it any further. Yet they didn't even do that.

They don't need to necessarily solve it either, the writing would feel pretty disingenuous and immature if racism was solved in a day.

Actually, I think the way hoyo does it (solve these big issues) is pretty awkward? They skip the development and go straight into solution, and it creates a dissonance between the world building and the audience.

For example: the Wall of Samiel

We started the Sumeru chapter with the introduction of this wall as an element of marginalization between the forest and the desert, and we're shown later that Dehya even smuggled people in.

In that sense, the narrative owes it to the audience to explore this deeper before dropping the retcon of "Acshually, the wall was good all along" we get when it's revealed that Rukkhadevata created it to protect the forest.

This specific element in the story had a lot of connotations recognizable in the real world for the audience and implications within the world building one moment, and then the next it doesn't.

We should have gotten, like, at least a quest that explored the perspective of eremites regarding the wall. And if they wanted the retcon, they could have done it as well by having one of these characters struggle with the feelings caused as a consequence of oppression vs the original intention of the wall, and see them reach an emotional resolution that could frame the eremites into positive lights of forgiveness, resilience, etc.

(I mean, my preferred option would always be to break down the mf wall and give the characters validation for their anger, but we're working with "the wall was always good" here.)

We get something loosely similar to this through Rahman in the archon quest, where he confronts his resentment against the dendro archon with the new understanding that deshret and rukkha were never enemies, which makes the eremites' collective desire for revenge misplaced (where have I heard that one before lmao). But, see, it's not an empathetic narrative towards the eremites, it makes their anger meaningless and frivolous (where did I hear that one again).

When Dehya expresses her anger in the archon quest, it was one of the most interesting and promising bits of the world building. A wide range of fans liked this moment a lot and wanted to see more of it through Dehya, we're feeling this anger with her, especially people who relate to the allegory or abstract portrayal of what this wall symbolizes, but then we're just told it wasn't a big deal and the characters got over it already.

It feels like an unfulfilled promise from the writing. And the plot relied on this element of the story, on the marginalization that motivated the eremites to hope for deshret's return, so if they fail to deliver the development of these themes, it only looks like they used them as a prop for the main story. Like, the in-game racism of this chapter is just makeup to support the main storyline.

And obviously using minor themes in a story to do exactly that is normal but, like, not racism bitch. Especially not considering the racism that this chapter was built on, the colorism of the designs and the orientalism overall.

This is one the most distinctive (/neg) characteristics of genshin's writing, they do it all the time. It's fine most of the time, like having the parallel of Marie Antoinette be a loveable girl failure slash cunning god with a nice character development who we all sympathize with - not a big deal. It's not a sensitive issue, who cares. But racism or colonialism? if they don't have the freedom to explore that within the medium or whatever excuse there is, then just don't do it man. Did we really need to see those microaggressions against brown people if they were not going to be followed by anything else.

#I'll keep complaining sorry

[chibipandaao3]

The middle children –

While driving home from work this afternoon I was struck with the realization that both Win (UWMA/Between Us/Hemp Rope) and Jade (The Middleman’s Love) are the middle children in their respective families but have decided – both subconsciously and consciously – to take on very different roles within the families themselves, and by proxy within their own lives.

For context in case you aren’t familiar with both of these characters

– Win is the swim club VP, he is brilliant, a natural caregiver, has been bleaching his hair for years, has tattoos and ear piercings, is openly and proudly bi, and is (in many ways) the glue that keeps his brothers together when problems with their father arise.

– Jade is a well-liked (by everyone) graphic designer who often does the work of others to be kind, he is also a caregiver and a people pleaser, and he has a bit of a quirky attitude (this is magnified by the power of 10 in the show), a fiercely loyal and loving friend, and an animal lover.

As middle children;

Win, in an attempt to find himself and highlight himself, started riding a motorcycle, bleached his hair, pierced his ears, and started getting tattoos. He did all those things to fill what he thought was ‘missing’ from his life – these things make him stand out. He is well known throughout the university – easily recognizable.

In contrast, Jade is invisible. Whereas Win decided to mark himself in ways to stand out despite being in his brothers’ shadows, Jade does nothing to prevent it. He is a self-professed ‘ordinary’ person whose ONLY descriptor is being a ‘middleman,’

Within Hemp Rope, Win’s description comes with colors and vibrance – in The Middleman’s Love, Jade’s comes with neutrality and dismissal.

I think it is an interesting difference, Win’s decision to stand out so easily contrasts with Jade’s decision to stay hidden – almost two sides of the same coin.

This connection continues with the addition of Team and Mai respectively. Win recognizes his affection for Team and pursues him (I have broken down the differences between Hemp Rope and Between Us in the past, but TL;dr in the book Win decides to let Team feel special because he is without defining it until Team brings it up). Win is confident about moving forward in a relationship with Team, especially in the book. On the other side of the coin, you have Jade who is so insecure he cannot even recognize his affection towards Mai – let alone allow himself to believe that Mai might like him back. This is true in both adaptations. As the book is told from Jade’s perspective, the readers can even mark the exact moment Jade recognizes his feelings – during their company’s sports day when he finds himself a bit jealous that Mai is on the opposite team and sad that Mai’s love is directed at Uea (it’s not – but Jade is Jade).

For both of these characters, it is their best friends who push (or shove) them towards happiness. Dean gives Win the word for the emotions he is feeling towards Team – and, bless him, Uea takes Jade by the metaphorical hand and tells him exactly what he needs to do.

I don’t know – this is completely random but was something my brain wanted to chew on. I just think it is interesting how two characters, who are defined within their stories as middle children, can be so extremely different.

Anyway, for my crossover project, I might just make these two meet each other – maybe Win can help Jade deal with lingering insecurities. Hell, maybe Win can get Jade to get a tattoo or dye his hair!

#winteam #teamwin #hemp rope #win x team #hemp rope novel #between Us #the middleman’s love the series #middleman’s love #MaiJade #JadeMai

[asp1diske]

My friend is currently playing through hollow knight for the first time and just got to monomon. He was trying to decipher the tablets and was like what the hell is this?? So I was like there's this great artist who headcanons its monomon'a shorthand, and told him about your art and showed him, and he loved it and immediately wanted to dive more into your monomon.

But the thing is he's my souls buddy. We are currently doing a joint playthrough of all 3 games + bloodborne and ER, on the last dlc for ds2 now. Ds2 is his favorite game so I got to show him those as well and he was like WOAH THIS IS THE MONOMON PERSON'S? and loved them (he doesn't have a tumblr or else he'd reblog I'm sure)

His favorite bloodborne character is Eileen, and we talk about her a lot. So I told him I had new fanart to show him thats gonna make him cry and he was like oh? From where? And I was like you're never gonna believe it. It's the same person 😂

(Anyway he loved it again)

HE'S FAVORITE IS DS2??!!! I AM SHAKING YOUR FRIEND'S HAND DS2 WAS MY FIRST SOULS GAME AND PART OF MY SOUL WILL FOREVER BE IN MAJULA

if he's interested in the archive script these might be of interest to him

this is my take on deciphering the archive script (it's a more direct translation compared other people's work)

this is a document i compiled on all the written languages in hallownest. while this one is in korean, it's readable with some effort with a translator (i recommend papago). more importantly, there is a transcript of the archive letters that i've traced from the game files. (i frequently reference them whenever i write the archive letters lol) i also have a table of recognizable pictograms and some notes on the tablet in lurien's secret room.

i don't have a lot on monomon compared to lurien (i am admittedly not normal about lurien) but i consider this and this to be the epitome of my interpretation of monomon. i headcanon monomon as an idealist and a philantropist. i think she was a kind and eccentric person. and i think that she was thoughtlessly, carelessly cruel to quirrel in that she had no idea just how much influence she had over him. (to quote the first comic, 'how could he dare say no'?)

tell your friend thank you for liking my art and good luck on hollow knight! and thank you to you as well for telling me this and for all the support you gave me <3 i hope you have a good day!

#ask #this made me so happy you have no idea

[drafthorsemath]

@lightwise my app tried to eat part of my answer but I got a screenshot of the ask. It just won't let me finish writing my answer, so new post. Also, no idea what you're talking about. 😇

8. There should be more of this type of fic/art…

I was going to give a general answer of "clones," but I have to say in all seriousness, we need to see more fat characters. There aren't a lot in Star Wars, but it doesn't feel great to see most of those few fat characters being a bad stereotype. I'd say Shep is the first character who is bigger and is just portrayed as a person which should not be a breath of fresh air but it is.

The number of fics I've read with descriptions of readers who are clearly thin despite supposedly being a stand in for anyone, it just kind of sucks. I know not everyone is going to know how to write fat characters because the author is thin and just want to write what they know, but then say reader or your OC is thin in an author's note or take the time to read through one of several posts about what phrasing to avoid when you want to be inclusive. I swear if I read about one more woman with a dress that hugged her curves perfectly, I'm gonna hurl myself into the sun. (The moment I read a line like this, I stop reading.) This comes off as such a throwaway statement and I think it's well-meaning, but there are better ways to describe bodies. "Curves" is so very often used to describe fat people by people who think being fat is bad. Stop doing this. Did your character feel smart? Pretty? Did they take your favorite character’s breath away? Say that instead.

And art with plus size OCs? We need more of it. BTW people can find fat people attractive. Give them the glam spread they deserve. Fat people are people. We can be just as smart and capable as anyone. We aren't just a punchline. My fat lady OCs are just as wanted as anyone else and I gave them that even though most people like me are told they're never enough. There's room for all kinds of people in Star Wars.

20. Could anyone have fixed Anakin?

Fixed? Well that word is past tense so it implies helping Anakin break cycles after falling but before the events of Return of the Jedi. And then I think no one could really fix him. But, I think the tragedy is if it could have been prevented. It would take a village. Palpatine would have to be checked and stopped, Anakin wanting love and choosing Padme really set him up to be secretive and Palpatine likes people who keep secrets because it's easier to manipulate people that way. So the Jedi could have helped if they hadn't created circumstances where Anakin had to hide his relationship. Anakin needed more support than he got and if he had that support he might not have fallen. Once he's fallen though, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka couldn't save him. Padme couldn't either. Once that was set in motion I really think he just had to find his way. Anakin was stuck in a cycle of bounded choice (see my pinned post).

25. What’s your opinion on modern AUs? What makes a good one?

They can be good. I think as long as the characters are still recognizable, modern AUs can be really interesting. Sometimes they feel forced because people try to make a one-to-one connection between the source material and our world and I actually think those can be harder to read because they're trying too hard. It's an AU. As long as the writing is good, have fun.

#star wars #about me #asks answered #ask game #ranting #anakin skywalker #fat characters

[youkaigakkou-tl]

The Kyoto Arc Analysis Post (Part 2)

(Had to split this into multiple posts because image limit. This whole thing is meant to be read as one continuous thing)

This part covers the chapters in Arashiyama, and the scene where Seimei talks to Haruaki

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

Shatter

We get told that the soul pieces “flew in 5 directions, like a pentagram” but it’s not like a pentagram at all I mean look at this.

The Arashiyama location is fairly easy to pinpoint, even though it’s a mountain, since the bamboo grove is a very specific part of it and is a famous tourist attraction. Not gonna find where exactly in the bamboo grove this happens tho lmao

Speaking of Arashiyama, there’s a lot of updated pages in the volume release, so here’s some comparisons. Look at my meow meow!! Kitty!!!!

This is the heart sutra, a buddhist sutra originally in sanskrit. I was slightly considering transcribing the sanskrit here, but then I realised that was harder than just using the english translation.

Sensei is a genius for giving characters recognizable hands and fully utilizing it. I love how you can see Haruaki’s hand with the bracelet and instantly know it's him. I love how you can see this ring and instantly know “omg wifeguy”. (punches walls)

Also look at this updated page!! My favorite furries!! Also little soul-aki on Tamao’s shoulder!!

Can I just say. Sensei is INSANE and a GENIUS for this, to pose this question to the three who have an entire spinoff dedicated to them and their best friends. This is so evil. Diabolical. I love it.

Look at this updated panel. Rintarou and Haruaki are as important to him as his wife and kids. I’m going insane. (crying sobbing punching walls etc)

This is another one of those scenes that would have killed me if I didn’t phrase it just as well as the original. Good on Hatanaka-sensei for solving a trolley problem like it’s the easiest thing in the world. I think I would have chosen to kill the stranger to save my loved one. But also I don’t have loved ones who I would do that for so maybe I’ll just choose to kill the stranger for fun. Starting to realise I have the moral compass of Takahashi.

Also, the word for “thorn”, and sometimes also “rose”, is “ibara”.

Most Sane Yohaji Enjoyer

(We are now entering nonsense zone. Don't believe anything I say here.)

In case you didn't know/forgot, there seems to be some plot stuff going on with Hatanaka in the spinoff, and I have a crack theory that at some point in the future of the main story he's going to end up back in time to when Yamazaki and Takahashi were in school.

And you see. In the panel that Yamazaki brings this up. Hatanaka's arms are bandaged up.

And guess what happens in chapter 86. His arms are injured and he's hauled off to the hospital. Boom theory proven boom I'm a genius. (jk)

(Also want to show this sane comment on chapter 93: "What if Seimei is actually present day Haruaki who went back in time with all his knowledge now"

Can you Imagine. Insane idea, I want someone to write this fanfic.)

What the hell is up with this imagery

Anyway. Back to chapter 87. And also the inner color page for vol 13 since this seems to be the same place.

Easiest question: What are the pinwheels?

While pinwheels are associated with childhood in general, in Japan, they’re also associated with death, which is why you may see pinwheels on graves, especially children’s graves. This isn’t relevant really other than the death part.

The more interesting association is that in Buddhism, pinwheels also symbolise the cycle of reincarnation. (Notice how pinwheels kinda resemble the manji symbol) (Actually, maybe this is why pinwheels are associated with death in the first place? Nothing online points this out specifically but it seems like an obvious conclusion)

Also note the pinwheels on this vol 13 cover draft. (God I love this cover so much I love the final one too but oughhhh)

The hard question: Where is this?? The moon???

First thing I thought when I saw that scene and the color page was the moon, and also Tsukuyomi (god of the moon) -> Yomi -> ???

Also some stories say Tsukuyomi also rules over Yomi so -> ??? idk what the conclusion here is. word association

Saturn is also a multi layered word-association-pun-thing. The planets from Mercury to Saturn (excluding Earth) are named after the Gogyo (five elements) in Chinese and Japanese, Saturn specifically is named after “earth” (as in like dirt and ground not the planet we’re on).

The kanji for Yomi, 黄泉, is a loanword from the Chinese name for the underworld, and literally translates to “yellow springs”. However, elements in the Gogyo and their representative colors are often used interchangeably, so in this case “yellow” means “earth” since Yomi is thought to be underground.

So of all things, for Saturn to be on that color page makes a lot of sense. Of course, the simple answer is probably that Saturn looks cool as hell.

“Earth” is also the only element not represented in the four gods, since it’s thought to be central, and typically symbolises the emperor. But also, in this context, it being paired with Seimei… yeah this makes sense.

The hardest question: Why the big dipper?

There’s a number of obvious simple answers that jumps to mind: it’s easily recognizable, looks cool, it has spiritual importance in Taoism and by extension Onmyoudou, but I can’t figure out the specific association with Abe no Seimei, let alone why specifically it on this page.

And it does have a specific association to Abe no Seimei, it’s in the stepping stones leading up to the well in the Seimei shrine, and is sometimes featured in the center of his pentagram.

Perhaps this is just one of those things that “it’s just like that, stop asking questions”. Perhaps there’s a simple, straightforward answer in some corner of the internet that I haven’t found yet. You reading this! I implore you! Figure this out! As with all the other stuff I can’t figure out! I’ve given you all the pieces!

Just maybe, death of the author, I get to takeaway anything I want from this panel. The big dipper points to Polaris, and at the end of this scene Seimei points Haruaki to Sano. (????)

Actually, now that I look at it closely, maybe this is the little dipper??? Assuming it’s not a mistake, the handle is bent the wrong way! Then it’s the little dipper! That’s even more nothing! The little dipper isn’t even mentioned in japanese mythos! I need to stop thinking about this I’m going insane.

Anyway. Next page we get to see the name of this bridge. Only “modori-bashi” is written here, but this refers to the Ichijo Modoribashi bridge in Kyoto, first built in the Heian era and has a variety of stories associated with it, as well as specific stories pertaining to Abe no Seimei. The physical bridge itself has been rebuilt in the modern age and is just down the road from the Seimei shrine, but a miniature replica has been built in the shrine itself using the original materials.

“Modoribashi” means “return bridge”, and was used in funeral processions, and has come to be associated with a variety of meanings of “return”, including “return from the afterlife”.

What’s up with this guy’s soul?

First of all, a translation note.

In the raws, Seimei doesn’t say specifically “your” soul here, since japanese can work without possessive nouns, but there wasn’t a good way to phrase that in english without sounding weird.

With that out of the way, what is up with his soul????

Recap for the last time we saw his soul in Miki arc:

It was inanimate until a while after Mikimom ate it, at which point it was Seimei. Same with the flashback when Haruaki was a kid. At no point did the soul actually act like Haruaki. If Seimei could just do that why didn’t he do it from the start? idk

(real reason: it’s so we get to see Haruaki’s hot lifeless body. This is something I realised chatting w my friend: the way to get Haruaki to look hot is to get rid of his soul, get rid of everything that makes him Haruaki (fucked up thing to say lmao). Like, look at Ame and Seimei, they’re hot all the time)

But in this arc, all the split pieces are Haruaki, and at no point does Seimei take over his soul or anything like in Miki arc.

(Obviously this makes sense narratively, the point of this arc is that Haruaki is a different person from Seimei, especially after Byakko constantly calling it “Seimei’s soul”, but also what’s the practical reason?)

And now, the big question: How is Seimei in Yomi?

Every other time we’ve seen him makes sense (relatively):

Haruaki’s dream at the start of ch47, or maybe Seimei’s memories?

Manifesting from his/Haruaki’s soul in Miki arc

This scene in ch 82, while similar to the ch87 situation, this is actually a scene from the past so this gets a pass from me.

ch 88 to 90: Byakko’s recreation of the past. This makes sense, but it’s also weird in other ways, like how Seimei is able to see chibi soul-Haruaki. Remember, this isn’t even the actual Seimei, it’s Byakko recreating it. Unless this is what actually happened (Seimei turning to look at Haruaki)???? In which case he was able to see the future where Byakko is recreating the situation he was living through at that moment (????) This guy scares me

If you haven’t caught on to why the ch87 situation is weird to me, it’s because every other time we see him has been a memory or a manifestation of his soul, and this is neither.

For him to be in Yomi, his soul would have to be there or something like that, but clearly his soul is with Haruaki and is currently in pieces around Kyoto. So just what is this Seimei?

I have no doubts that this is Seimei, and that this isn’t Haruaki’s hallucination, for the sole fact that Seimei talks like he has agency to go wherever he wants. Funny enough, I think this is the most genuine we’ve seen him.

Just what is it that makes a person? Haruaki has Seimei’s soul, but is a different person. Obviously, because they’ve had different experiences in life, live in different time periods, etc. But even then, what is it? Is there something more intangible, more inscrutable than a soul?

And does this have to do also, with the idea proposed in the Haruaki student arc, that the true nature of a person isn’t so easily changed? What constitutes a soul?

Maybe one day I’ll have the answer.

The Principal

I’ve already picked apart this next scene in this ask, although that was written before ch93 dropped, I think it holds up pretty well. Take a second and read that if you want 👍

Hit the image limit again, so this continues in part 3.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

#youkai gakkou no sensei hajimemashita #a terrified teacher at ghoul school #yohaji #rambles #analysis

[none-prob]

I write about a character per day

Day 19: Lilith Clawthorne

I just have this special place for Lilith, since she's the aroace rep of the show, and I found out I'm aromantic in February.

I just think Lilith is neat.

I want what Lilith and Hooty have so much. Just me and my pet and no one else.

Lilith got a really interesting redemption, one that is not the same as Hunter or Amity in the sense that, her damage was irreversible. And even worse, it's on her own sister. She got her punishment for it as well, the negligence from her parents, and the betrayal from Belos. But no other character had such a drastic change in personality from S1 to S2 as much as Lilith, from the right hand of Belos to historian cool aunt and finally Isles' engineer.

Just imagine the dynamic Lilith and Eda could have had in their full power. Oh boy, Lilith is only slightly weaker than Eda, and in my opinion Eda in Season 1 is probably the strongest witch of the show, covenheads included, not just in power, but also in strategy. One combination that had never happened because of the curse, but that's okay because we got two cool harpy witches. (Oh we also got robbed of that because the show got cancelled prematurely? Hmm, oh well)

I really think Lilith wasn't completely ill-intended even from her first appearance. After all, she believed what she's doing was for the good of her sister. Even when Luz trying to uncurse Eda like Lilith wanted in the first place, Lilith still believe not doing so is better. She was duped by Belos so hard, and I don't blame her for that, Belos is an excellent manipulator. Belos got that close into erasing Lilith's one of her first ever purposes when joining the Emperor's Coven, which is to heal her sister. But once Lilith recognized it entirely, it's time for redemption. A redemption that came entirely from her. A moment of confession later and she's flying away with her owl sister.

Regardless, the countless attempts to redeem herself for Eda was recognizable. She was in the sense that she had to do something for Eda to redeem herself for decades of pain Eda's been through, even sharing the curse of Eda to her. Eda helped her get used to the new life, powerless and cursed, but not useless. Eda being incredibly generous to her sister helped Lilith not feeling too guilty and adapting her new life so smoothly.

Lilith studied quite a lot in her sister's house. She got a cool niece who taught her things, went to adventures, and got to punch her old boss (that she didn't acknowledge of), and honestly I'd love to see more of Luz and Lilith, they got a long pretty well. King is fine with Lilith even before the petrification, and that scene when King and Lilith speaking about the absence of parental care was quite depressing. And speaking of that...

Lilith was an indirect victim of parental negligence. It is hard for Gwen and Dell to look after her as much as Eda for obvious reason, for a reason that Lilith committed to even. But only by living in Eda's house did Lilith saw her mom for the first time in years. It is painful that even then she was still pushed away by Gwen because Gwen still prioritize curing Eda's curse more. I don't think it's fault for anyone, and it genuinely is nice that Lilith went home with her mom, to rebuild the broken, and to know that her parents still love her after all those years, even if she told them the secret about the curse.

But by far the biggest gift in Eda's house is Hooty. And by god these two are so precious. Hooty being Hooty and handling Lilith on his own, single-handedly squashed the entire army in the morning, but in the afternoon being the eyewitness of the greatest redemption he has ever seen. Lilith wasn't too fond of him, but one mission later and a few fire bee stings on Hooty helped them bond together. The scream when Lilith saw puppet Hooty was so touching I don't know how to describe it. They loved being around each other (platonically), protected each other, inspired each other, and genuinely so awesome.

Why is there only 2 episodes of Lilith and Amity together? (And other mysteries of the Isles that wouldn't be explained because of that reason) One of them was before their redemption arc, and the other was in the last montage. The teacher-student dynamic is quite strong for this one, and I would love to see more of them.

Lilith is so special to me. She's aroace. She's a nerd. She punched Philip. Historian. Engineer. Cool aunt. She had it all. I'll miss her so much.

#the owl house #toh #lilith clawthorne