#we are certain that this is a complaint that maybe like three people have had but if ur working with mammals n such like

[secret-bug-pain-blog]

Fun fact about us! We have precisely No filter for "how much gore is too much gore", because we just... don't get squeamish about it almost at all.

Part of this effect is that we spend ages waffling over how to tag things because we just... don't have a point of comparison for things, and trying to find them results in us running into a lot of stuff we wouldn't consider gory at all being tagged as gore. We'll sit there like "this is a skeleton! this is bones!" and we'll feel like it must be, like, overtagged "just to be safe" type stuff, because, well, it's not gore, it's just a skeleton arm! Maybe a cartoony cross-section! It doesn't read as gore, it just reads as, like, cool character design to cartoon violence.

Part of this is that we'll click on things with "MAJOR GORE SUPER UNSETTLING CLICK AT YOUR OWN RISK" and end up just... underwhelmed. Like, we know in theory that we have a much better gore tolerance than most people, but in practice, like. It's utterly baffling to us that people will be that sensitive over blood. It's just, like... you're calling this "major gore"? It's one arm with a slightly messy disconnect! Like, sure, put a gore warning on it, but we expected more than just one slightly messy arm! They barely even look anything more than surprised about it!

#the lines get even blurrier with writing like. what on earth counts as major gore??? how hard does an author have to go to get into there?? #does blood count? how many physical descriptions make it count while we're describing an injury? we're trying to sell the wound here #and we have no damned clue what the hell and fuck people call “gore” out here #the perception of gore that goes into tagging it is beyond any comprehension we've got we're afraid #necessary note for this: we have prior experience working at a veterinary clinic and have had perhaps a few too many hospital visits #and we are of the flavor of person that is also completely blindsided on a regular basis by what people consider inappropriate #every day we discover a new think of the children argument and every day we have literally no idea what they're talking about #for it to be considered major gore for us it has to have at least a bit of gristle to it and its gotta at least TRY to sell the impact #like. its not major if its just a clean circle with a bone in the middle and some blood slapped on top #its not major if the wound just cleanly removes a slice with no meaty bits or bloody bits #flesh is messy! if youre going for gory stuff then you have to pay at least a bit of mind to the little gristly bits! #we're sorry but the impossibly clean anime cut that people use for like. gashes and scars and whatever just... isnt that graphic #we are certain that this is a complaint that maybe like three people have had but if ur working with mammals n such like #it honestly just feels cartoony to have a gut spill going on. YKINMKATOK we just dont understand how its treated #theres membranes! theres connections! your guts arent gonna just spill out loosey-goosey the second u get an abdominal wound! #we all love a good like. “hobbling around trying to keep your insides in” scene ofc #but its very clear that some of you people dont even know how butchering a pig works #my posts

[kalims]

kiss your best friend | diasomnia

kiss your best friend and see how they react!

parts. one , two , three , four , five , six , seven

characters. malleus, lilia, sebek, silver

content. gender neutral reader as usual, mentions of murder by lilia's cooking, someone faints lol

note. finally last part after ten years /j

malleus

goes absolutely silent but his surprise is definitely there -> eyes widen, brows raise on a miniscule scale. you'd think the guy would be all lowkey about his joy but five seconds later and there are comical sparkles surrounding his face.

I mean. you had to formally confirm that you two were friends before, and you had off-handedly linked his name and best friend in the same sentence a few months later (he was bursting for like a week.) and now all that?

thrown away, nu-uh. you two are NOT friends no more, he doesn’t have a single care in the world. he's throwing the friends label off a cliff with his foot and skipping off with joy cause you just got upgraded to the next ruler of briar valley wink wonk.

or perhaps you'd like being referred to as his consort? he can always make the people refer to you as both.

if you're wondering why he's so silent all of a sudden; malleus: already thinking of how he'd decorate the castle when you move in with him. maybe... he can break down the wall to link your two bedrooms together—wait no he'd very much like to share the same room instead..

"child of man, do you prefer violet or green?"

"uh... green...?"

"excellent choice, you have my gratitude."

the thing you should be asking is 'why' because it's either the main color theme of your wedding or the gem he'd engrave on your ring (he's very happy it's green though, since it'd be a constant reminder of him.. oh he knows! he should get his a color of your eyes too—)

someone stop him.

lilia

spiderman kisses spiderman kisses spiderman kisses spiderman kisses

more knowledgeable than malleus about the level up of relationships so he doesn't jump from best friends to newlyweds immediately. actually he doesn't even need a label, if you're going around kissing him he's just gonna act like you two are a married couple without a confirmation on your status'

"darling, could you hand me the sugar?"

"lilia, I hope you know that you're supposed to use salt for the sauce not sugar." <- *passes the right bottle*

ignoring lilia's attempts on lives he acts pretty normal.

ahem, besides the fact that your first kiss on him has made him come to the conclusion that he can now incorporate kisses in your daily routine since you've already done it, so apparently that means he can too.

kiss him once, he kisses you thrice I guess. it's either the occasional jumpscare from the ceiling since he felt like reminding you of his love through a pack or the times you blink and feel a sensation against your lips without seeing anything cause his affection can be silent as it is loud you suppose.

pov student you were speaking to who definitely saw that but you didn't midst your blink: 😨—

"lilia are we dating."

"i suppose it would make us more official like you humans like, so of course~"

he just accepts it without any complaints, just announce you're spouses and he'll accept that too probably.

#chill

silver

if we have spiderman kisses surely we can have the sleeping beauty kiss?

sleeping beauty kisses sleeping beauty kisses sleeping beauty kisses sleeping beauty kisses

I reckon he would be a pretty light sleeper though the quantity of his sleep is more often than not so even though he accidentally passes out a lot he's really easy to wake. trained to be vigilant and all, courtesy of his murderous father (well, murderous through food?)

he knows the weight of certain things. a blanket draped over him, the feeling of something squirming on his shoulder—a squirrel, most likely. something on his head, a bird or some other critter. but this?

a light press on his lips, gone as quickly as it came. that, he isn't sure of. the animals don't tend to linger around his face so the unknown origin of it has curiosity opening his eyes.

and boy, he is trying to find every reason to not believe that you didn't peck him.

perhaps they touched it? he furrows his brows lightly, attempting hard at trying to avoid your gaze because he feels guilty at his first assumption, you're his best friend! you wouldn't do such a thing..

"did you touch my lips?"

"nah, is it fine that I kissed you?"

"..."

"..."

*passes out*

is he dreaming?

sebek

in what scenario will sebek even let you near him? hmmm.. I suppose being 'best friends' (he calls you self proclaimed, and that you guys aren't that close but still rages over someone and hits them with an essay why you're so much better than their insults) makes you more tolerable around to be closer.

totally not the fact that he might have a crush on you, which can't be right cause he can't be capable of having feelings for a *gasp* human!

scandalous. he knows.

raises a brow when you do anything but be discrete with your intentions of shuffling closer but he doesn't really double back, okay. he's getting a little concerned now when you continue getting closer, he takes a step back not because you're near or anything but this behavior is... just strange.

you're in his face already and before he can question (loudly) what in the seven's name you're doing before you just casually peck him on the lips?

WHAT IN TARNATION!

stiffens up immediately, his face looks like it's holding in a yell. maybe that's why it's getting so red? he's just standing there with shoulders so tense he looks like he's trying to seem big.

"..." WHAT JUST HAPPENED. DID THIS HUMAN JUST.. NO, WE ARE MERELY BEST FRIENDS—are we even friends.. NO! THIS IS THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE ACT TO COMMIT. THIS HUMAN NEEDS TO KNOW BOUNDARIES. I mean he enjoyed that and all—I mean what..

"why are you so quiet."

if only you knew.

#ㅤ◜◡◝ . . signed ! #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #twisted wonderland headcanons #twst fluff #malleus draconia x reader #malleus x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader #lilia x reader #silver x reader #twst silver x reader #sebek zigvolt x reader #sebek x reader #x gn reader

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Pretty like the wind

Previous chapter /Next chapter

a/n fourteenth part! You guys we are nearing the end and this one... This one was tough. I will only be able to accept complaints via email. Enjoy! 😉🤍🫧

warning: kids, blood, torture, intoxication, drugs, dark magic, pain, deaths, Illyrian torture mmm... I'm trying to think if I haven't missed anything. Ah... wounds.

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There was one thing Azriel was certain about: he was never going to get used to the sensation of holding you. The way his body ignited. It felt as if only then all of his senses were in tune with the rest of his body. The sweetest taste of perfection filled him. This was what finally feeling whole felt like. So was he pissed off when Rhys's gentle knocking on his mental shields woke him up? Yes. Was untangling his limbs from you the hardest thing Azriel had ever done? Absolutely. Did he linger just a bit longer, slowly brushing your hair as he watched you take in breath after breath? yes. Azriel smiled to himself because this was it. This was his forever. His other half lay in his bed. Peacefully sleeping. So his. Only his.

"I'll let you punch me raw", Rhys had caught up with Azriel in no time, "But you also know I wouldn't have asked if this wasn't serious". Azriel knew his duties. He took them seriously, too. So even if his heart was bleeding for his mate, he knew his people also needed him. "Fill me in," Azriel said firmly, tightening the straps holding his knives. "Cass is finishing the last interrogations, and nothing fucking adds up." Rhys was frustrated, which was always a sign of something going extremely wrong. All he was told before Azriel had winnowed into the south side of Velaris was that the border had been breached. An attack had occurred, but the moment the soldiers were sent, it all vanished. In Azriel's 500 years of life, shit didn't just disappear. "Memories?", Azriel said as he scanned the place. Weavers were already patching up the wards, but none of them looked seriously torn apart or damaged in general. "Ink black," Rhys said and Aziel halted at the sound of it, an odd chill running through his back. "And a freezing one. I could push, but...", Rhys ran a hand through his hair. Azriel recognized that worry now. Worry for the family. A mate, children. He was in the same boat now. "You could push, but let me guess, you would fry their brains in the process," Azriel unleashed, his shadow scattering around the place. He was going to fix this. And fix this quickly. Maybe he will even be able to come back before you have woken up.

Cold. Cold. Cold. So cold. So dark. It was so painful and numb at the same time. There were hands. Cold fingers. Echoes of something familiar. How could one feel so heavy and light as a fever at the same time? It felt as if you were blinking for a moment, desperately trying to wake up, only to be plunged back into the same darkness. Someone was holding your head down as you trashed. before Your body had grown frail once more. Slumping.

"I'm telling you they came with torches; everything was on fire," the man said, and Azriel would have believed him, but he knew the farmer. Had gotten multiple reports from him about younglings messing up his sheep fence. He heard him speak before, and something deep within Azriel screamed that this man wasn't talking on his behalf. "Look, if you got the whole village in on this because of that damn fence..." Cassian huffed; he too was losing his patience. Nesta was pregnant. Nothing had been confirmed, but Azriel could smell it on Cass, and so could Rhys; the two had shared a look but chosen to not test Cassian's boundaries. The man was desperate for her. Out of the three of them, Cassian was the one whose patient was extremely thin today. Not to mention the heightened need to protect that coursed through his body.

Azrie shot his brother a look before motioning for the door. Cassian was halfway through the door when the man spoke again, "What fence?" There was a glimmer of relief in the man's eyes before it all glazed over again, and this time that same odd tone was back: "Torches all of them." Azriel turned to Rhys, whose face bore the same realization. They were all under something. Herbs. Magic. Mother only knew.

"Billy, your goat. How is he doing?", the man practically seized at Azriel's voice. "Bill...", the male breathed. "Yeah, one who chewed up your farm shoes," Azriel continued, the same glistening light running through the male's eyes. As if he was clawing at himself from within. It was as if someone was barging to be let out. But it was Rhys who delivered the last blow. "What about your wife? Huh, how's she been doing? She's still knitting you scarves." The male coughed, clawing at his neck. Panic set in as he moved towards the door, but Cassian was still standing there, his broad shoulders blocking any chance at escaping. "Billy and your wife, how are they?", Cass said it in a demanding tone. The man stilled, and then, thick like lava, liquid trickled down his nose.

"Rhys...", Cassian growled. The male staggered back slightly but gained his stance pretty quickly. And the terror that set in now was of a new kind. "My lord...", he breathed out, pulling his hat off his head, only then reaching to feel the dampness on his lip. Dread pooled in Azriel's stomach. "Fuck," the high lord breathed, "This is set up." Rhys's darkness swallowed the place as he winnowed. Azriel reached for the older male and said, "Go home; I'll be back, but you have nothing to worry about." With that, he snatched Cassian's hand as they both winnowed.

It was the cold that seeped into you that had pulled your eyes open. Your fingers grazed the surface beneath you. They felt numb as if they no longer belonged to you, but enough to still somewhat identify your surroundings. The surface you were lying on was damp. That would explain the sounds of droplets hitting the puddles somewhere. You tried to dig into your mind. Tried to think. Where were you? What was happening? You forced your eyes to fully open. A gray stone was what greeted you. You frowned instantly. Nothing seemed to add up. It was sniffling that you picked up on next. But the moment you turned your head to the side, you were met with something you thought you would never see again.

"No", your voice was barely a whimper. "No", you tried to pull yourself up, crawling towards the painfully familiar bars. You didn't feel a single ounce of magic within yourself. It was as if it had all fizzled out. But this couldn't be true. Absolutely couldn't. You have escaped. You... your hands touched the bars as you pulled yourself up. And for a heartbeat, you wished you hadn't.

In the cell opposite of yours lay two figures that clawed through every bit of sedative running through your system. "Zofie, Axel...", the words were barely a whisper as your knees threatened to buck any minute. "Zo, Ax," you breathed louder, trying to move the cell doors, but for nothing. It all came rushing back then. The strange vision. The dinner prep. Elain. Your thoughts halted - Azriel. Your hand rested on your chest. You couldn't feel him. You couldn't... "No," you breathed. He couldn't be dead. You wouldn't be standing here if he was. Your eyes darted back toward the kids. Zofie was pale. Too pale. Axel's wings were bent awkwardly. They couldn't be. They couldn't... It was enough for the thought to simply swirl there and within seconds you were turning to the side as bile rose in your throat.

No matter how much panic Azriel felt coming from both Rhys and Cassian, he refused to let it settle in. You were fine. You had to be. They were all just panicked. Nothing like that has happened since Amarantha. So it was more than understandable that everyone would be ticked off. Azriel unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt as he winnowed back to his apartment. Rhys was meeting him there the moment both Nesta and Feyre were in the safety of the house of wind.

Just the moment his foot hit the wood floor in his apartment, Azriel knew that something was off. The place seemed ice-cold. The burning smell filled his nose. No. No. No. Not happening. "Y/n," he called out as he stepped deeper into the place. Bile rose in Azriel's throat as his eyes scanned the kitchen. Flowers were scattered on the floor, with a smashed vase to accompany them. Fresh goods were still in the bags by the little kitchen counter. A burnt-out pot—whatever had been cooking there had turned into a chard mess. At least now he knew where the smell was coming from. Azriel's eyes fell onto the colorful drawing that now lay upon all the filth that filled the floor. A card. He hesitated. He knew whatever was in... Azriel folded the paper open. Messy's scribbled writing in two different colors greeted him.

We wanted to ask you a big question. Written with a k instead of a q, that's been crossed out and corrected. Azriel wanted that to warm his heart, but all it did was cause more ache. Yet nothing prepared him for the next line. Can you please be our dad? We'd love that, Zo and Ax. The world in front of Azriel shifted. His vision went out for a second. Their dad. A father figure. Azriel gripped the kitchen counter. His kids. They were already his kids. But to know that they both wanted that and that they had all of this set-out... All of this was supposed to be a surprise for him, and now...

Azriel heard rustling outside his apartment door that he only now realized was slightly ajar. "Elain?", a muffled voice that belonged to Rhys called out. Azriel crossed the distance in a couple of steps as he yanked the door open. His anger was boiling even hotter. He saw her, hiding in the corner of the hallway. That same black liquid trickled down her nose. "I couldn't. I tried", she managed to muffle between sobs, but Azriel turned away from her. "Tell Lucien that she's here. I don't need a territorial male running around causing trouble", Azriel said bluntly to Rhys.

"Azriel, please," Elain shifted, trying to reach for any part of the shadow singer she could get her hands on. "Elain, unless you have something useful to...", Azriel batted her hand away as he scowled at her. She probably didn't deserve it. It wasn't her fault that she had gotten herself under that spell, yet knowing that she was the one who had seen you last didn't sit well with Azriel. "They know you'll come; she wants that," Elain muttered, making Azriel frown. "Who?", the female shook her head, and Azriel moved to step away instantly. "A lady in white, she... I don't know, like a priestess."

And within a beat of a heart, it was all crystal clear. The threats and the unwillingness to cooperate—Rhys said it had all been done and taken care of. A new wave of anger rushed through Azriel as he reached for Rhys's neck, bending most of his body over the sixth-floor railing. "I should have burned that place down," Azriel hissed. "Azriel," Rhys said, pushing against his brother's hold. "If my mate and my kids get hurt because you stalled, I swear on everything holy to me. You will never see me again, Rhys", and with a final shove, Azriel let go. Rhys managed to keep himself upright, but before he could turn to the spymaster, he was already gone.

The next time your eyes snapped open, you scrambled to your feet almost immediately. Reaching for the bars, you cast your gaze upon the cell opposite yours. A breath hitched in your throat. They had shifted. Axel was leaning against the wall. All you could see was his face; his wings were messily draped over his chest, he no doubt had to be holding Zofie. "Axel," you called out softly, not wanting to startle him even more. Mother knew these kids were through hell just because of you. "Sweetheart, Ax," you called out again, knees buckling as those golden eyes gazed straight at you. "Y/n," he breathed in return, trying to move closer, but you quickly shook your head.

"It's okay; stay where you are. Are you hurt? Does anything hurt?", you looked him over the best you could. The boy only shook his head. "But Zofie is cold," he muttered, pealing one of his wings to reveal a sickly pale girl with no color in her skin. You sank to the floor. "Is she...", the ringing in your ears grew louder. Axel quickly shook his head once more. "I think it's the empathy thing," he said softly. "I've been thinking all the happy thoughts, and pa-Azriel," Axel stated. Your eyes softened. "You don't have to correct yourself, Ax; you can call him your papa." You wished they hadn't taken this evening away from them. Why this one out of them all? "Will he come to get us?", there was doubt in the boy's tone, but you met his eyes with your blazing gaze. "He will. He will always come for us. No matter where we end up, Azriel will always find a way to bring us back home. You want to know why?", you asked him, and Axel instantly nodded, "Because he loves us, and we love him."

Azriel's shadows were swirling all around the sanctuary as he watched from the mountain peaks. He knew that you were there. The last bits of mating bond practically screamed at him while he ran over ways he was going to slather everyone stupid enough to get in his way. He gritted his teeth together.

"You know... I was never afraid of your darkness," you had muted to him as you two had laid in bed together. Your hand was extended up in the air as his shadows swirled all around, tattering your skin with kisses. "You should be; most are," Azriel breathed. "Why would I? It's a part of you, and it's beautiful to me." Azriel had shifted slightly from the words—loving you is the easiest thing I have to do in my life, he had thought but he didn't say it. too afraid that it was all moving too fast. too afraid to scare you away. And now, more than ever, Azriel wished he would have spoken those words. Would have told you about the house on the very side of Velaris. He had bought it decades ago for his family. For his mate and for his kids. And he had just that—all of it—but it was slipping past his fingers.

A handful of papers slapped against Azriel's chest as Rhys winnowed right in front of him. "Padme wants you apart because you two were a profit in some ancient scroll," Azriel snatched the report, taking his eyes off the building just for a heartbeat so he could look it over. "You two are the opposite of the spectrum; your union can... You'd become more powerful than most high lords", Rhys said firmly, knowing that at any moment the words he spoke could be his last, " So this whole thing could be set up by one or multiple of the other high lords, or someone desperate to save the world".

Azriel had to give Rhys credit. The stuff he pulled out in such a short time was impressive, and it would explain the level of magic used to possess others. But if he could do it in such a short time, he could have given him the papers with this information weeks ago. As if reading his mind, Rhys spoke, "Let us help you get her and the kids back, and then you're free to step away from your position as my spymaster." The words drilled holes in Azriel's already bleeding heart, "I should have taken action sooner. I failed you and your family." Azriel lifted his hand, silencing his high lord. "Two entrances are unguarded. Your job is to get the kids and take them away from that place", the cold tone Azriel used felt wrong, but he couldn't do this now. Azriel's priorities no longer lay with Rhys. No longer lay with his court.

You were humming an old Illyrian lullaby when the doors to the dungeon creaked open and in strolled Padme, accompanied by at least four guards. "I hope you're enjoying your fantasy now," she said with that same cold smile on her lips. "You bitch," you spat her way, throwing all of your weight at the iron bars. "Pick your words wisely, child. I have power over you", she said, standing right in front of you now, looking you over as if you were nothing more than a speck of dirt beneath her shoes. "I trusted you," you said through gritted teeth, "You said...", "That I cared? That I will keep you safe," Padme cut you off, "The same thing your supposed lover is saying to you now. Look where my love brought you; want to see where he will take you?" She stepped over so quickly you didn't even notice when her claws had dug in the hack of your scalp, that same demonic face flashing right in front of you.

Then flames erupted all around you. All of the Velaris was up in flames. Houses falling. People were trying to crawl from beneath the debris. You ran forward, trying to help a woman free her leg, but the moment you approached, she screamed out in panic, trying to move away from you. You shook your head. "Do you want this?", Padme's voice rang all around you. "You are going to be so selfish and end so many lives just because you think someone can finally love you," her laugh echoed, chipping even more of your already frozen-over heart. "I kept you safe. It is I who truly knows how to love a creature like you". Your head fell back as the priestess pulled her blood-coated nails away from you, licking the very tips, "You always belonged with me." Your eyes locked on her dark orbs. You've never seen them in their true colors before.

"That's a lie! Azriel loves us; we're a family," Axel's voice rang out, making you blink, "Tell her, YN, we'll always be together." Padme turned to the boy, yanking the cell door open as she stepped in. "No," you breathed out, reaching for them. "Say that again, boy," her hand wrapped around his neck as she lifted him from the ground, Zofie's frail body slipping out of his hand, awkwardly filling the cold floor. "No, Padme, let him go," you pleaded. You were not letting them go through the same torture you had already endured. "He loves her," Axel said firmly, even if he was slowly losing oxygen. "I'll do whatever you want, but you have to promise you will not hurt them, Pad," you said so quickly that you could barely make out your own words.

The priestess's head turned toward you, a vicious smile spreading across her face. "Return them safely to Azriel, and I will do whatever you want," you pleaded. Padem simply let go of Axel. "Very well," she said happily. "I'll drop them off at that old lady's house," You nodded along with her words. Cordelia will look after them for now. She'll explain it all to them. Take good care of Zofie until she can once again lay in Azriel's arms. "But you, my dear," Padme mustered, "You owe me your heart, especially the part of it that belongs to the shadowsinger." Your vision blurred as her words settled in. A part. There wasn't just a part. All of it was Azriel's. You had given it to him that night outside his mother's house. He had it ever since.

Azriel had his finger pressed to his lips as he once again came into contact with a small group of terrified females, slowly gesturing for them to exit the place. Knowing well that Rhys would guide them out of the building. One of them had already told them how to get to the lower floors of the sanctuary. Azriel would find you. He'll take you home. He rounded the familiar corner. He was trying to be as quiet as he possibly could. It was strange to think that he had lived here for a bit. He had met his other missing part between these walls, which made him nothing but sick now.

Down the corridor. Into the main communal hall, and then right on the left corner, Azriel stopped. There was no way. No, there was no way this couldn't be it. His eyes instantly darted up, looking for anyone planning an attack from up above, but he saw no one, and his shadows sensed nothing.

"Y/n," he breathed out, and you instantly turned around. Your dress was dirty and damp, and there was blood running down the back of your neck, mixing in with your light hair. Blood. Azriel crossed the distance between the two of you in a couple of steps. "Why are you here? Did you kill her?", he carefully cupped your face as he looked you over. Your lip trembled. "Love," Azriel breathed. "The kids are at your mother's. I got them out, but you need to leave," the last word was choked out, and you quickly covered your mouth. Trying to fight your emotions. Azriel pulled at your hand, but you quickly pulled back. "You need to leave me behind," you whispered. "That will never happen," the spymaster said firmly.

"Azriel, I will lose control again. I will burn the city down. I saw it", you shook your head, trying to chase the images away. "I will burn it for you if you give up on us," Azriel said harshly, but his touch still stayed nothing but soft.

"I'm not giving up on us," you whispered so quietly. You promised to push him away. Make him leave you so the kids will be safe. Be safe with him. They didn't need you. But you couldn't lie to him. You'll make him leave you behind in some other way. But Azriel cupped your face with both hands and said, "I waited for you my whole life. You are everything I ever wanted and more. I can only breathe when I'm with you, Y/n. You are my everything. If you are not with me, I don't want to live." His honest words pulled a light sob from your lips. "Azriel, I...", you breathed right as an arrow pierced Azriel's shoulder. The spymaster hissed as he turned back, trying to find the source of the attack.

"No," you shouted, but Azriel was already shielding you while an arrow after an arrow pierced his skin and wings. A roar slipped past his lips, but he stood unmoving, using his body like a shield. "No, let me," you breathed out as you tried to pull him away but... The room died down quickly, and you watched as Azriel slowly sank to his knees.

"Azriel," you followed suit, cupping his face in your hands. His lips were tinted red. No, they couldn't be. No, this couldn't be happening. Azriel moved one of his hands up as he grasped your forearm firmly. "You belong to no one," he said, pausing to take a breath between each word, "Don't let them control you any longer." His grip loosened, and his hazy eyes only focused on you. "No, Az. Azriel! Look at me, Azriel", you bagged, tapping his face lightly, trying to keep him awake.

"And so the story ends," Padme said, moving from behind one of the columns with a pleased smile on her lips. "What did you do? What did you do?", you shouted at her. "I saved the world, child," she said, raising her hands in delight. Her laughter filled the space, but your eyes were already back on your mate. "Azriel, look at me," you pressed your hands against him, trying to flicker at least some of your magic on, but you couldn't seem to get a hold of it. The spymaster smiled slightly, grasping your hand in his. "I'll see you on the other side," he muttered. You choked out a cry. "No, no, you will not," you said angrily. "Azriel," his name was like a prayer on your lips. You felt the last bits of the bond slowly flicker out as an overwhelming pain crawled all over you. Time slowed as you watched Azriel's eyes slowly droop.

But then your deathly glare rose to meet Padme's satisfied gaze. "What did you do?", the scream ripped through. Ignited even more by the pain of feeling Azriel slipping away, the cry seemed never-ending. You heard glass breaking. The cracking of the chipping stone. You saw nothing but white rage. Pulling one of the arrows out of Azriel's body, you pointed it at Padem. "I will be your worst nightmare," you said through gritted teeth. Your body didn't feel like your own as you logged the arrow. And it hit Padme straight in her heart with the speed you'd never thought you could muster.

That same itching feeling in your throat started once more. The same one you felt when they ripped your wings off. The sanctuary was slowly falling apart. The females rushed to get out, but you couldn't bring yourself to care anymore as you pulled Azriel's head over your lap. There was so much blood everywhere. Too much blood. The tears fell freely down your face in a never-ending stream.

You moved your hands over Azriel's heart, watching as your hands disappeared within the light you possessed. But it didn't seem to work. "Y/n," you heard Rhys's shaky voice. "Get out," you barked out. The high lord still tried to step closer, but you hissed at him, "Get out, Rhys, and take the ones you can with you." You felt the last bits of your self-control failing. He only held your gaze for a moment before he winnowed away.

A sob slipped past your lips as you cupped Azriel's face, leaning over to kiss his cold lips. Time slowed once more. The static felt unbearable. One heartbeat. Two. Three. Four. And it all erupts with a sob like no other. You felt blood trickling down your ears as all of your being clawed at your fragile body. The light was blinding. So was the warmth that followed it. It felt like forever. The sizzling of your skin eased as the snow slowly fell upon you two. You blinked a couple of times. Pouring whatever was left into Azriel until your hands slipped off his chest and your body sagged on top of his.

The first thing he felt was coldness. Then the snowflakes fell on his face. His body also felt heavy. Like it had never felt before. The gray sky was all around him as he opened his eyes. His mind felt numb. For a moment, he had no idea why he was lying there in the first place. Until it all came tumbling down. One image after the other. The sanctuary. You. Arrows. Was this what the other side looked like because, shit, it was grim. Azriel shifted slightly, halting when his hand hit something. Something that was sprawled out across him.

He sat up so fast that your body rolled down to his lap. No. "Y/n," he said, wrapping his arms around your body and hissing at the coldness of it. "My love," he muttered, flexing his stiff wings. They had to be torn. Azriel turned. Not a single cut was on them. Not a single arrow was in his flesh. You've melted it away and healed him. "Love," he called out desperately, "Open your eyes." You couldn't die. He couldn't have just been here, lying unconscious, while you slowly faded from this world.

Azriel's eyes darted across the fallen sanctuary walls. Blood on the white stone. Padme's body was not far away from where you two were. Only the outskirts of the city looked burned to the ground, but there was no doubt that Rhys knew that something like this was coming. Azriel shook his head as he pressed his forehead to yours. "You promised me forever, love," he said softly, "I'm calling in my bargain now." Azriel carefully brushed his lips over yours, and the faintest of thuds echoed in your hallowed-out chest.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Taglist: @naturakaashi @hoemadegrace @just-m-2 @thereadinggremlin @i-am-a-lost-girl16 @stressed-reader

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #azriel x oc #azriel imagine #azriel shadowsinger #azriel spymaster #azriel acotar x reader #azriel acotar imagine #azriel acotar #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #acotar x you #acotar x oc

[luluboobird]

Minds Eye

Word Count: 838

Summary: Open-ended one-shot set in a universe where Lady Lesso has telepathy, and she's meeting Clarissa for the first time as the new dean for evil. Hint: "Pink" is Clarissa's thoughts.

~~~

Leonora was grateful for the ability to read minds. In her youth, she thought it a curse. A blight that she wanted to cast away. What good came from knowing what people thought of you all the time? 

She could read the hate on their face, she didn’t need to hear what they were thinking.

But now, after a lifetime of scheming, backstabbing, and lying as a Never, knowing came in handy. Knowing kept her alive.

It unsettled people. The little trump card she kept tucked away in her back pocket. Despite the cost, and truly the cost was heavy, it was well worth it. For example, right now she was meeting her future coworker and famed fairy tale influencer, Professor Dovey. They were going to be working against each other for the foreseeable future.

Running into her on the way up the stairs to the schoolmaster’s office gave her the opportunity to feel out her future adversary. See what negative thoughts lurked under her polished facade.

If Leonora had to describe the woman in front of her in three words they would be: pretty, poised, and preternaturally perfect.

Brown eyes and long dark eyelashes, an unblemished face, and a disarming smile. Her blonde curly hair cascaded past her shoulders and a golden tiara settled on her head.

She was beautiful, but Evers oftentimes are. Pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside. Vain, self-centered, and rude, Evers really only cared about looking good and making everyone else feel bad.

“Oh no…” Here it comes, Leonora sneers internally, waiting for the insult. A complaint about her style of dress, her posture, her general presence; Leonora had heard it all.

“…she’s cute.” She pauses, more than certain that she had misheard the woman’s thoughts.

“What?”

The blonde blinks, furrowing her eyebrows as she repeats herself.

“I said, I’m Professor Clarissa Dovey, the Dean for Good. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Clarissa looks at her expectantly, and somehow, despite her confusion, Leonora manages to muster up a halfhearted response.

“Lady Leonora Lesso. The new Dean for Evil.” She scans Clarissa’s face, but the woman just looks remarkably polite. Right, she definitely misheard. Leonora chuckles softly, shaking her head.

“And her laugh, Storian! If she smiles like that too often—“  Or, maybe not?

“Are you settling well into your new position?” Clarissa asks, and despite the flattering projections of her mind, not an ounce of her attraction to Leonora is reflected on her face. It was as if she had perfected the art of separating her thoughts and her body language.

“Well enough, I suppose. Though I must say, I quite look forward to breaking your winning streak.” Finally toppling the Evers from their lavish thrones would be satisfying.

“Break our winning streak? You can try.” A hint of excitement flashes in her brown eyes from the voiced challenge. “I don't doubt your abilities, Lady Lesso, but I’m certain that Good will come out on top. Again.”

“Here’s the thing, Professor Dovey, Evil would very much prefer being on top,” Leonora declares with a smirk, taking a smooth step forward.

“She can't possibly mean— No, you're imagining things. Get your head out of the gutter, Clarissa!” Poor thing. She wasn't imagining it at all.

“Then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed,” Clarissa responds with a soft grin and a step of her own. She’s looking up at Leonora because she has to, but it doesn’t diminish the strength of her presence.

“We’ll have to see then, won’t we?” She says, smirking as she gives the woman a shameless once over.

“Yes. We’ll have to see.”

“Stop staring at her.” Clarissa's gaze flits away from her face before returning after half a beat. “Well, maybe just a little while longer.”

Leonora allows the curious gaze to rove over her face for a second before bringing attention to it. “Is there something on my face,” Leonora asks, tapping her chin as if curious about the stare. 

“Other than the blessing of Aphrodite?” The redhead raises her eyebrow. What high praise, but if Leonora was the blessed, then Clarissa must be the one with divinity.

“No.” 

“ ...this is going to be a problem. She smells divi— I need to get out of here before I embarrass myself even more.”

“Then perhaps—“ Before she can push Clarissa any further, she is interrupted.

“I should get going. I have some preparations to make for the opening ceremony.” Clarissa says, taking a step back and a deep breath. It would be a perfectly reasonable excuse if Leonora couldn’t read her mind. “I look forward to seeing how Evil fares against Good this year, Lady Lesso.”

“As do I,” Leonora responds plainly as the woman departs with a subtle bounce to her step. “As. Do. I.”

She doesn't bother trying to stop her. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future to gauge the depth of Clarissa’s interest. Leonora has no problem with being patient.

~~~

I figured this was too short to post on A03, but it was a fun scenario to write, at the very least.

#dovesso #fanfic #dovey x lesso #one shot #lady lesso #clarissa dovey

[deepspacedukat]

Occupational Indulgence

Alright, I've been waiting to write this fic (and its sequel) for a while now, because it never felt like the right time. But it's here now. I fudged the dates of Mr. Eddington's assignment to DS9, but it's for my Pointy Man, so I don't care. This is part of Jorik's timeline with Jadzia.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Jorik (Vulcan OC)

[A/N: This is just a place-setting for the fic that will directly follow this in Jorik and Jadzia's timeline, so no warnings. Just fluff and Jorik being adorable.]

Warnings: Side characters involved in a romance, mild angst but not the romantic kind, angst about life in general, Jorik trying to justify his actions and potential future actions with logic.

~*~

**2371 - Stardate 48003.1 (January 2, Early Morning) - Aboard The USS Min'ow**

"I can't believe they're sending us to a Cardassian scrapheap way out in the middle of nowhere," one ensign grumbled over his breakfast. Despite the mess hall being practically full at this time of the morning, Lieutenant Commander Jorik was perfectly able to hear the ensign's complaints. For someone fresh out of Starfleet Academy, the younger officer didn't seem very enthused about his assignment. "Man, what I wouldn't have done to be posted on Enterprise. That must seem like a damn luxury liner compared to that Cardassian eyesore, am I right?"

One of the officers at his table was giggling at his remarks, batting her eyelashes at him as if her simpering might make him notice her existence. The other two were staring studiously down at their plates. A wise choice on their parts. The man being obnoxious was, unfortunately, under Jorik's command.

"Perhaps, Ensign Maxwell, you would prefer to remain here on the Min'ow and assist the engineering teams by scrubbing out the plasma manifolds on a daily basis?" Jorik called from his seat after delicately dabbing his lips with a napkin. "I'm certain they could use an extra hand, and I could ensure that you receive such an assignment if performing your security duties on Deep Space Nine is unappealing to you."

The man scoffed as he usually did.

"That won't be necessary. Sir." When he and the girl vying for his attention left the mess hall, Jorik noticed that the other two officers who'd been seated at that table looked vastly relieved. They were two of the hardest working people in his team.

"I trust the two of you have no such complaints?" Jorik was on the verge of smiling as he spoke to them. Ensigns Ava Hardy and Terry Giles had warmed to him quickly when they were assigned to his security team, and Jorik was quite content to consider them friends.

"Oh, not at all, sir," Ava said glancing at the other woman. "We're excited, actually. Bajor sounds like such a gorgeous planet."

"Yeah, I can't wait to take this one on shore leave there," Terry said dropping a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek. "And hey, who knows? Maybe this is the fresh start that we all need. What're you still doing over there, huh? The ugly bastard's gone. Come join us."

Jorik nodded his head and carried his plate over to their table. They would arrive at Deep Space Nine in less than an hour. He couldn't bring himself to tell them that this would be a rather short assignment for him, though. He did not wish to sour the remaining time that the three of them had together.

He'd tell them prior to his departure, of course, but right then all he wanted to do was savor the anticipation of a new assignment with them.

Anticipation. That was something else he would be giving up in a few weeks' time. Vulcans may not express their emotions as boisterously as other species, but they still experienced them just as keenly. He did not want to give that up, but...if his undergoing the kolinahr would placate his parents, then he would try it for them.

Luckily, Ava and Terry were so excited to be talking with him about Bajor and all the worlds beyond the wormhole that they didn't notice how quiet he'd become. They likely assumed he was just being courteous listening to them.

Good, Jorik thought, let them assume something positive. I do not wish for them to worry.

--

Just over an hour later, Jorik ascended the steps to the office that used to belong to the Prefect of Bajor. The doors slid open automatically, and he proceeded inside.

"Lieutenant Commander Jorik reporting for duty," he said standing at attention as soon as the door hissed closed behind him.

"Ah, yes. Captain Gifford mentioned that he was bringing us some extra security personnel. At ease, Mister Jorik. I'm Commander Benjamin Sisko. Welcome to Deep Space Nine." Commander Sisko stood and respectfully offered him the ta'al, which Jorik returned. "I trust your journey wasn't too rough?"

"Not at all, sir. My team and I are prepared to assist you however you require," he said walking over to his C.O.'s desk and handing him the PADD that contained his orders.

"Good, good. Then I'll introduce you to the Ops staff and take you to the security office so that Odo, the Bajoran chief of security, and Mr. Eddington of Starfleet security can brief you." One by one, Commander Sisko introduced him to Major Kira, Chief O'Brien, and the rest of of the senior officers. As they walked to the turbolift to head down to security, Commander Sisko conversed with Jorik about life on the station. "Oh, by the way, there is one senior officer whom you have yet to meet. My science officer, Jadzia Dax, is away on shore leave. She should be back in a few weeks."

Jorik's thoughts gnawed at him.

"Computer, halt turbolift," he called, and at the Commander's curious look, the Vulcan drew himself up to his full height. "Commander, I thank you for your hospitality. You have been very welcoming to me even though you have only met me today. I wish to be candid with you, sir. I will not be here on the station for more than a number of weeks."

Sisko lifted an eyebrow as he turned to face him.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Jorik took a deep breath and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Commander, my family...my parents have been rather...insistent that I return to Vulcan to fulfill an obligation. It is one that will take many years to complete, and they are becoming impatient," he explained. "It is likely that I will request an extended leave of absence from Starfleet in a few weeks' time in order to complete that task. I did not wish for you to be 'blindsided,' as your species might say, by the loss of an officer so soon after his acquisition."

The Commander nodded his head quietly as he processed what he's been told.

"Thank you for letting me know, and...well, I hope this isn't too presumptuous, but you sound a bit reluctant about returning home," Sisko observed, and Jorik dropped his gaze. "Lieutenant Comm– Jorik...I don't claim to know much about Vulcan customs, but make sure that your obligation, whatever it might be, is something that you want, not just something your parents want. It's your life, not theirs."

He looked up at his new C.O. only to find concern in his eyes.

"Thank you, Commander. I will take your words into consideration. No matter what my decision, though, I assure you that my team will do their best," Jorik murmured, then he had a thought. "I...have not informed them of my situation, however, thus I would be...grateful if this conversation could remain private."

"They won't hear it from me." When the turbolift's progress resumed, Jorik felt both a sense of relief - logical, given that he'd been honest with the Commander - and newly conflicted. His misgivings were illogical. He had no choice in the matter. Jorik would return to Vulcan and, for once in his life, ensure that his parents did not see him as a disappointment.

He would have to content himself with the knowledge that for once, he would be exactly what he was expected to be: A good, proper Vulcan.

"Jorik?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts almost as soon as the lift doors opened onto the Promenade. He knew that voice, though it was different than before. A pair of wide green eyes met Jorik's, and all at once he recognized her.

The girl with the panda hat had grown up, and she was in a blue Starfleet uniform. Her curly brown hair had been tamed into a long braid down the back of her head.

"Cassandra?"

"You and Ensign Connor know each other?" The Commander asked from Jorik's side, but he hardly noticed. Cassandra held up a perfect ta'al just like he'd shown her sixteen years ago. Jorik returned the gesture, of course, and easily caught the young woman when she threw herself into his arms.

No self-respecting Vulcan would have stood for such a familiar, tactile gesture...which, Jorik guessed, was why he had no problem returning her embrace. He'd never been as stoic as the rest of his people, and he'd spent a significant amount of years amongst Humans. He'd secretly relished hugs from his former classmates when he received them at the Academy. Why shouldn't he? They were simply demonstrating through their own cultural practices that they bore him some sort of platonic affection, and did his own people expect him to cast aside their own saying, 'infinite diversity in infinite combinations'?

As for the young woman in his arms, he had always wondered what had happened to her. She'd seemed intelligent when he met her all those years ago, but even so, he hadn't expected her to remember something that for her must've been extremely trivial.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Commander," Cassandra said to Sisko as she pulled back, "but I didn't think I'd ever see Jorik again. Hell, I didn't think that you'd remember me, even if I did. I'll leave you in peace, but if you're free later, maybe we could catch up sometime. If you want to, that is."

Her last remark was directed at the Vulcan officer who nodded his head.

"I would be pleased to...'catch up' with you when your duty shift permits, Ensign," he answered, and with a bright, warm smile, she excused herself. Perhaps these weeks prior to his departure would be more enjoyable than he'd anticipated. Forming a friendship with someone long lost in his past would make it even more difficult for him to leave, but he would still savor every moment.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

#deepspacedukat fic #Jorik of Vulcan #Ensign Cassandra Connor

[marshallpupfan]

Just Some Thoughts About the Third Film

As many of you know now, it was official revealed recently that PAW Patrol will get a third theatrical film. It's due to release on 2026, three years from now. Third movie, three years, and a certain spotted pup drives a vehicle with the number three. It just fits, eh?

Okay, maybe that's a stretch. As of right now, we still don't know anything about the third movie, it's plot, or which pup it will focus on. From what I've noticed, most fans are rooting for Marshall, as am I. Despite my complaints in the past, I want this to happen for a specific reason; to put Marshall back in the spotlight again, which I feel is sorely needed after the way the franchise treated him these last few years... ESPECIALLY during season 9. To see the TV series practically treat him like a side character for nearly a whole season was... annoying, to say the least.

Marshall headlining a theatrical film (and a good one, I hope) would surely mark a great turnaround for the pup and hopefully negate all of that. However, despite how much I want to see him be its main character, I must admit, I do have some reservations.

This isn't a rant, but more akin to a fan expressing some thoughts and concerns. This is, however, easily one of my longest posts yet, so if you're curious, click "Keep reading".

Whenever I look back at the first theatrical film, I have mixed feelings about the way Brunker handled Marshall. On the plus side, he had some great rescues, especially when he saved all those people on that subway. And if I have to credit the film for anything, it's that I'm grateful it allowed my favorite spotted pup to actually be a fireman and put out fires. This seems to be carrying on into the sequel, thankfully. Believe it or not, the last time the TV series allowed the pup to put out a dangerous/uncontrolled fire was, no joke, all the way back in season one. Only the theatrical films, and Rubble & Crew, interestingly, seem to let him do this anymore.

While his rescues were really cool, everything else wasn't as good, in my opinion. And one of the biggest reasons I say this has to do with how Brunker handled one particular element; Marshall's clumsiness.

You all know I love that aspect of the spotted pup... but if I had to take a guess, I'm going to assume Brunker does not. The first film only gave us two brief bits of clumsiness, and both were restricted to the first twenty minutes, no less. Furthermore, he wasn't even allowed to have his pre-mission wipeout, which is arguably one of the franchise's most iconic elements. Brunker skipped over it like it was nothing. Granted, we did sorta/kinda get something else in its place, but it was given to Rubble. Sadly, I can't help but believe both of these will be lacking once again in The Mighty Movie (at the time of typing this, I haven't seen it, so I've no idea yet).

It wasn't just the lack of clumsiness, but how it was handled that also left me disappointed. In the TV series, Marshall might get careless while playing a game and trip over his own paws, or he might slip during a moment of haste. It just depends on the situation, how serious he is, among other factors. And yet, it tends to be, for lack of a better word, natural. Marshall was excited to finally find Jake in that dark cave, wasn't watching where he was going, slipped, and he slid all the way down and kept going until he was stopped by a stalagmite and started spinning on top of it. Classic Marshall! If Chase has slipped, he likely would've only slid a little or stopped near Jake, but with Marshall, we always seem to get so much more out of it.

And in truth, his clumsiness isn't always a detriment, but often a moment of humor. It's something we've all come to expect from him over the years. He saves or helps save the day, and we tend to get a laugh or two along the way because... well, that's Marshall!

In the theatrical films, each moment of clumsiness always seems to be specifically *caused* by something. So far, he's been "clumsy" because he was dancing in a moving vehicle, startled by a hologram appearing beneath his paws, and Chase startling him when the shepherd snuck up behind the Dalmatian with his super speed. Cute moments, but with his tumble in the PAW Patroller being a possible exception, none of these felt like natural moments of clumsiness to me. Rather, they're scenes that, arguably, could've made any of the other pups react in a similar way. What if Rocky was the one standing there when the hologram appeared? Wouldn't he have jumped, too? Or, what if Chase startled Zuma instead? Couldn't he have accidentally sprayed someone or something with his water powers?

I guess what I'm getting at is, to me, these didn't feel like genuine clumsy Marshall moments. They felt less "this happened because of Marshall's characteristics" and more "Brunker wanted a funny scene, and any pup might've reacted the same way so it largely didn't matter which one it was". Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just the feeling I get.

Now, compare that to Marshall's appearance in "Rubble & Crew". That episode included his trademark clumsiness at just the right moments, even during the mission. They never restricted it to the first act, but rather, it was seen throughout the whole episode. Even little moments, like when he slipped while climbing into Mix's truck, left me with such a big smile on my face. His clumsiness wasn't caused by something, but rather, it happened naturally and in a way we, the viewers, expect! And these moments really made me appreciate the episode all the more, as I felt the writers took their time to understand Marshall and get him just right. If you ask me, they did a great job!

Going by the first movie alone, I don't get that same impression. Maybe things will be different in The Mighty Movie, but for now, I don't think the director seems to *get* Marshall. He might just see him as the one who "trips a lot" which is why he wrote his clumsy scenes in a way that, to me, didn't feel natural. Instead, they felt forced. Something *caused* Marshall to be clumsy, instead of something happening *because* Marshall is clumsy. There is a big difference, and I'm not sure if Brunker sees this.

And if he doesn't, and he sees Marshall's clumsiness as something that can be turned off as easy as the lights in a room... then I fear we might be in trouble if he directs a film based on the spotted pup. Personally, I don't see Marshall's clumsiness in that way, nor do I believe that was ever the intention. I think it's something the pup simply can't help at times, and it's just a part of him he has to live with. He always gives it his best, but his paws just slip more than the others. It just happens, although it doesn't make him or his actions any less heroic.

And I don't know if Brunker sees it that way. His version of Marshall doesn't trip down the slide, doesn't get a wipeout before the mission, and only acts clumsy when something causes it to happen. Due to being unwilling or uninterested, I don't think Brunker understands Marshall's clumsiness, which in turn makes me think he doesn't understand the pup...

...and to write a whole movie based on a character he might not understand? That... is what has me concerned.

With that said, it's not like Marshall is super complex or anything, so Brunker can certainly take the time to learn more about the pup and how he's like. I just don't know if he will, as he has a tendency to shrug off stuff from the TV series. As he, himself once said, he doesn't treat most of the cartoon as canon to his films. He ignores everything after a certain point in season two, which is why the pups are discovering their Mighty powers for the first time again in his theatrical sequel. Will he try to build off what we know about the character, or will he instead pull something out of thin air again, like he did with Skye and her sudden lack of confidence about her size? Or will he pretend Marshall's clumsiness is the result of something from his past, and like Chase's fears in the first movie, will a pep talk before the finale make it magically go away? Again, I don't know.

Furthermore, I also fear things becoming too stale for film #3. From what little I know so far, it seems like The Mighty Movie, and even Skye's backstory, might share a few too many similarities with the first movie and Chase's own backstory. These films even share similarities with his The Nut Job 2, oddly. Brunker seems to be following a template of sorts, and he's sticking to it like glue. Will Marshall's movie involve more of a corrupt mayor? Will we get more adventures in a city? Will Marshall suffer from a lack of confidence due to a painfully sad backstory, too? If so, I fear people are going to start getting bored. I'd hate to see that happen, especially if Marshall is the focus. The pup has plenty of potential, if Brunker's willing to see it.

It's times like this I really wish I was a somebody in the entertainment industry. I'm not saying this out of arrogance, but I'd like to think I possess a considerable amount of knowledge about Marshall... possibly more than anyone at Spin Master now. To them, he's just a thing in a cartoon that's helping them make money... but to me, he's a character who I've admitted before is my #1 favorite of all time. I know and remember things they've likely forgotten over the last ten years. The character has become special to me and I love him to death, whether that's a good thing or not.

I just wish I could be a consultant to Brunker, should the third or any future theatrical films focus on Marshall. Not to say I'm perfect, but I'd like to think I'd be useful with helping him decide what would and wouldn't work for the character, how the pup might react to certain situations, when and when not to add some [natural] clumsy moments, among other things. I'd even help figure out ways to push the character to help him stand out, especially in-regards to avoiding any similarities between Chase and Skye's stories in the theatrical films thus far. It's wishful thinking, I know. In the grand scheme of things, I'm a nobody, and I'll be the first to admit that. I don't have the slightest chance of this happening. I doubt anyone at Spin master or GURU know I exist... I doubt Brunker knows much of me, either (he might not like this post, so maybe that's a good thing). 😅

All I can do at this point is hope for the best... which I find myself saying a lot nowadays, it seems. If film #3 is about Marshall, I just hope Brunker takes the time to understand the character and get him right. Maybe he, too will start to see why so many of us, both young and old, have fallen in love with this clumsy pup over the years.

As usual, only time will tell.

[zydrateacademy]

Review - Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector

What an amazing experience this game is.

I've had it wishlisted probably since it showed up but there it fell under my radar since its release. It may or may not have caught some sales in that time but again it went unnoticed and what an absolute crime that is. Released in 2021, it recently just came out with the T'au army which put the rest of the game and its various army packs on sale to an agreeable level, and putting it back on my radar.

Many Warhammer games usually nail the aesthetic, themes, diction, and storylines but very few capture the actual feel of playing on tabletop. There was Dawn of War which depicted swaths of armies cutting across the landscape but it was all in real time, the only methodology there was making sure your travelling teams had all the right counters to vehicles and infantry and after that you basically just let it go.

What we have here is a unique XCOM-like that may very well be the closest many of us will get to playing the actual tabletop game. We have a campaign (just one; following a Blood Raven chapter of the space marines) and two extra modes. Demonic Invasion is a wave based king of the hill type thing where you hold off for as long as you can as every round will continually spit the chaos god's minions at you. There's Planetary Supremacy, which is a sort of Catan/Risk style hex board that players of Dark Crusade or Soulstorm may be familiar with. It's the mode most of my hours have been played on. My only wish is that it could go for just a bit longer, maybe a bigger map, more enemies fighting each other, better node control.

In extension, there's also custom campaigns players can build as well as skirmishes for you to play against AI or other players. As of this writing there is no Co-op and that's quite a shame.

So there's a lot to do here. Some of the more mixed reviews, especially targetting the new armies, are complaining that there's not a super special story campaign for each and every single one of them. That is frankly not so much a problem for me, as I immediately gravitated towards the hex board game mode and just enjoyed having my hands on the Necron for the first time in many years. Now in HD with reflections! My dead bois are beautiful!

There's plenty to learn as well. Even on the easiest difficulties, the AI can route you. My Necron have units called Warriors, basically the equivalent to shotgunners. They also have the slowest movement of my army so it's difficult to get them into position and keep my general army momentum going. Sometimes they fall behind and I lack the much needed damage against enemy swarm units, and I've lost some good troops because I didn't have enough people shooting back. It's how I nearly lost against the Tyranids one game despite outnumbering them by 500 army points. Tactics very much matter here.

There's also a photo mode which is a bit fickle. The camera is locked at certain height over the floor tile so it's difficult to get sweeping, heroic visions of your armies from foot-level. You're more or less stuck staring at them from head-on. It's fun to play around with, though.

So while there is a campaign (just the one), this game could be treated more like a sandbox than anything else. I'm told from the game's discord they plan on releasing free units over the coming months. This is good, because that's one of my chief complaints about the game. There's a significant lack of versatile units to play with. Each faction gets around a dozen to fifteen to allocate with your army point cap (another staple of Tabletop that most games don't quite capture), with Khorne getting the shortest end of the stick (and the cheapest DLC) whom only have eight units to choose from. There's a significant lack of Kroot and vehicles here, and foot troops seem to be a choice between three different things. There's a lot more than that on tabletop.

Not that I expect this to be the tabletop simulator but it cuts real damn close. Closer than most games in this franchise. A must have if you like turn-based XCOM-likes.

#Warhammer #warhammer 40k #WH40K #Games Workshop #Necron #Battlesector #XCOM #Gaming #PC Gaming

[firedragon1321]

Missing Digidestined Theory

Hi and welcome to my humble abode. Tonight at 4 am, I'm going to (try) to make sense of some Digimon shit. Namely the number of Digidestined in Adventure's world, and how that correlates to a certain statement from the producers. This is entirely headcanon, possibly AU, and also made at 4-6 am. It also contains spoilers for the new 02 movie. There is a brief mention of child death. And it ends with complaints about the timeline and epilogue.

EDIT: This is no longer solid for several reasons, mainly conflicting information in 02 the Beginning, the presentation of clear AU as a theory, and the use of a ship blog as a source. On the first, I had not seen the movie yet (and now have doubts that Lui was really "the first", but that's a theory that basically ends in "Daigo/Maki's group were still first"). On the latter two points, I really should know better, and I apologize.

I have closed notifications due to some rude behavior, so I won't see any updates on this. However, I also deleted the original edit mentioning that since it itself was rude. There's really no reason to leave this up, except I like the idea generally and for archival purposes. If you still wish to read it, it is stored below. Just get ready for 40 year old Lui, lol.

I'll hook you with this- there weren't five Digidestined globally in Maki's time. There were eight.

This goes off a statement from one of the producers. You can read it all here.

Basically, the number of Digidestined worldwide would double. This ensures everyone would have a Digimon partner by 2027 (aka, the epilogue).

Doing the math- the number would exceed the global population (approximately 8 billion people) in 2020 (becoming 16,777,216 to be precise- 2019 cuts it close with 8,388,608, but the math is not wrong either way).

The exact statement says this "doubling" occurred from the Parrotmon incident forward. I personally believe that's BS because Willis exists. He receives Gummymon and Kokomon around the same time that the original Botamon spawns. There's also Meiko, Ken, and Ryo (depending on how you interpret the WonderSwan games). Meaning the number of Digidestined is higher than 8, and possibly already doubling.

Let's assume Lui is the first Digidestined. He seems to be around his early 20s (or ages really well- maybe it's Maybelline). Then Daigo and Maki's team came after him. Then Adventure team and so-on.

This all rides around this comment, as there are no official ages for Daigo, Maki, or Lui and we need them. User SharpeBB from With the Will points out the following, which I used as it's the only logical explanation I can find.

So based on this theory- assuming they were 11/12 when they were chosen, and Maki's age in the flashback is as SharpeBB claims, the original Digidestined would have set out on their mission in 1987 (using the age of 9 as a baseline for reasons I will explain later and computing in Maki's age of 21).

I assume for this theory that Maki was a Digidestined for at least two years prior to losing Tapirmon (referring to the flashback involving the Harmonious Ones). My tri. knowledge is a bit rusty. But since that flashback occurs in the Digital World, I'll have to assume she met Tapirmon in the real world, there was time fuckery similar to Adventure, adults were looking for the members of that team in the Real World, or any combination of the three.

So- 27 (Maki's age) minus 9 (assumed age when first she became a Digidestined) is 18. 18 years before tri. in 2005 was 1987.

There are five of these "original kids"- Daigo, Maki, and three unnamed ones. But you may notice that five is not an even number, nor a multiple of two. The lowest number of Digidestined that must exist globally at that time is eight. This doesn't mean for Maki's team specifically- they could be in another country, like the numerous American Digidestined.

So going backwards- there would be four Digidestined (globally) in 1986, two in 1985, and one (Lui) in 1984.

Incidentally, Lui was born on a leap year...which 1972 is. Using the baseline of 12 years (based on the above image), he would be 40 in 02 the Beginning. Let's just say he ages well.

So I bet you're tired of BS- let's get to the meat and potatoes. How many Digidestined really exist by the time of Adventure? Well, with 12 years between 1987 (original Digidestined) and 1999...the answer is 32,768.

Remember that not all Digidestined go to the Digital World. Some of this number might have died (we can't rule out "accidents" in the Digital World entirely, nor death via other means). Others might have stayed in the Real World and never went to the Digital World. Still others might have let their inner child- and partner- die (see Kizuna). But given the time gap between Daigo/Maki's team and 1999 alone, I don't think all 32,000+ of them were twiddling their thumbs.

There's more threats out there that we don't know about. There's more dead kids than we can fathom. And worse still, this only accelerates the amount of time until everyone has a Digimon. It would exceed the global population in 2009 with 16,777,216- that same number from the start- three years before 02 the Beginning.

Yet we can see that this is not the case. Ukkomon's MO is to give everyone a Digimon partner, which the world is not ready for. Recall that the production team claims the worldwide doubling occurred starting with Tai's team. Including those eight and the four outliers I mentioned, everyone would have a Digimon by 2019 (with an estimated 12,582,912 partnerships- this exceeds the global population). In 2012, this number is merely 98,304. Which makes sense for the Ukkomon plot.

So I wasted your time. Except...

I still feel this math doesn't account for things like Daigo/Maki's team and Lui. The producer's math states there are 64 Digidestined globally by 2002. But this cannot be the case as how do the Digidestined from before- or even kids like Willis- factor in? Like, they fit numerically, but how did they find their partners? Why were they chosen? Especially those before 1999, if it all connects to the Botamon in Japan? Also- assuming Lui is as young as he looks (i.e.- around Davis's age) makes Maki older than him...which makes no sense, given the average age someone becomes a Digidestined and her own assumed age.

It makes more sense for Lui to look really good for forty than the entire timeline does if we assume that the doubling began in 1999.

And this is because of two issues. One is "left hand not talking to right hand" throughout the Adventure timeline. There's simply no communication between departments (especially for the WonderSwan games, the canonicity of which is flaky even in my own personal timeline). This has resulted in other plot holes throughout Adventure canon.

Another is a hardcore determination to keep the epilogue canon, despite conflicting elements from tri. on forward. The link at the very beginning attempts to explain the epilogue, yet includes some absolutely bonkers explanations for things like why Matt became an astronaut (basically, there's extraterrestrial threats made in response to digivolution, and the Dark Masters are implied to be one of them, despite actually being linked to Apocalymon- is he also an alien???).

There was supposed to be a season 3 that would have evened out a lot of this (I'm afraid I forgot the link- if someone has it, let me know so I can add it). But we never got it, so the epilogue will never make logical sense. Almost all attempts to canonize it cause batshit lore to enter the chat, or it simply does not mesh with batshit lore from tri. onwards.

Both of these elements cause massive plot holes that make the 1999 doubling pace simply not work. So I'll play with this AU/headcanon some more. Besides, I personally find the idea of Digidestined hiding for decades interesting...

Thanks for surviving to the end!

Edit

Fixed a calculation to include Meiko (forgot her by accident.).

#digimon #theory #headcanon #epilogue complaints #this is not really sound as a theory #but canon makes less sense #digimon adventure #mention of child death #disproven by 02 the beginning #disproven theory #archive

[needsmorewlw]

do you have any hcs about the counselors drinking?? Like who gets drunk the fastest/slowest what kinda drunks they are 💕

The only one I've actively thought about was Dylan with this post but yeah I'll do the rest 👀

They're all like 17/18 so none of them have developed tolerances yet, except maybe Jacob and Kaitlyn. I'll explain below but here's a summary if you don't wanna read the rest

Big boys, big drinks: Jacob, Dylan and Nick.

They know how to hold it so they can party : Ryan, Kaitlyn, Max

White girl wasted: Emma, Laura and Abi.

Dylan

Getting him out of the way first. Just read the linked post honestly. We basically have a solid canon showing of his blood taking WAY longer to get infected. And since getting drunk depends on blood to alcohol level, my only opinion is that this man is the heathen you see doing multiple shots before people have finished their first drink, just so he's on their level.

Also he's a cuddly drunk and his lap is a magnet. Whenever he sits down it takes 0.02 seconds for one of his drunk friends to snatch up that prime real estate. And being drunk just heightens his personality. Talks way more, just constantly talking.

This also lines up with the Stoner!Dylan hc. Drinking is too expensive for him so he gets high instead.

Kaitlyn

There's a bunch of stuff about a high % of east Asians having a genetically lower alcohol tolerance but I think Kaitlyn dodged that bullet. Everyone thinks that because she's small she'll get drunk crazy fast and I think she used to, but she and Jacob party so often it's not a problem anymore, she knows how to extend her lifeline (eating certain food, taking breaks etc)

I see her being another heightened personality drunk. It just intensifies her already existing traits. Eg; she's the mother hen who can be ten drinks in and look after the people who have passed out. She'll be mad about it and pretend not to care but she secretly cares alot

Jacob

Jacob is a big boy and it takes it forever to get drunk. IF he drinks like a normal person and not a frat boy. Which he does not. He will drink like a fish before anyone can stop him so he's rolling around and passed TF out by 10pm.

Before he passes out though (which he does consistently. He's THAT friend.) He's so... incredibly loud. Noise complaints from neighbours are specifically targeted at him. Also he's maniac on the dancefloor and he's dancing like he's never dance before.

And yes I am biased about Jacob and Dylan being chaotic drinking buddies. Dylan enables the hell out of Jacob everytime.

Emma + Laura

I'm putting these two together because you KNOW they get classic white girl wasted. They'll do two or three shots with Jacob and Dylan and be set for the rest of the night. The only difference is how they act.

Emma is also a dance machine + constantly has her phone out filming herself or her friends. Her shoes are off by the time she's finished her second drink. By the end of the night you'll either find her curled up in a blanket inside or laying on the grass in the backyard.

Laura is a giggly drunk AND a cuddly drunk. She loves hanging around Dylan for both of these reasons but only if Max is not available for hugs because he's off being a drunk menace. She finishes two drinks and no matter what Max is doing, she will find him and she will cuddle him.

Ryan

Ryan's very self aware of his own drunkenness (angst hc, but I think his mom's a drunk so he's kinda in his own head about drinking) but he can hold his own and you'll never see him stumbling around or anything.

You think it takes longer than it actually does for him to get drunk simply because he's so good at hiding it and acting normal. But if he gets to 8+ drinks he starts getting giggly and flirty. He'll just sit there and make dirty jokes (mostly @ Dylan) and that's usually the sign that he's tipsy.

Also he had incredible aim and he's really good at beer pong. Him and Kaitlyn are an undefeated duos team.

Nick

Nick is an Aussie he absolutely has the highest tolerance. He'll join in with the shots at the beginning and show absolutely no sign of being affected.

He's the type of drunk who just watches everyone else downfall. He's a sweet boy so if he sees someone struggling he'll step in. But mostly he sits in a chair giggling at everyone else's antics. His lap is also prime real estate. Him and Dylan have those Long Boy Legs™ that are just so comfy to sit on.

Abi

Abi typically doesn't drink and there's a reason for it because she cannot hold it. Three drinks and she's ready to curl up and go to sleep.

BUT if she had a big meal and pushes through the initial sleepiness, then she's a full on party girl. She moves in phases like Amy from b99. She's the type who sings and dances and jumps around and bugs everyone to play more drinking games even though they all know she's ten minutes from passing out.

Max

Left Max till last because I'm convinced he's a menace. He has an alright tolerance but it's what he does with it that makes him a true menace.

Everytime you see him he has deshevelled or less clothing than when he started. He will convince Laura to swap shirts with him no matter how tiny a top she's wearing. He'll be right there with Jacob saying "hey watch me do *blatantly dangerous thing*". Kaitlyn or Nick has to confiscate his car keys at the beginning of the night so he doesn't try to do a McDonald's run.

You will catch him lying on the ground Zooming in on a picture of Lauras face.

#the quarry #supermassive games #ask #anon #tq headcanons #drinking headcanons #dylan lenivy #jacob custos #kaitlyn ka #ryan erzahler #emma mountebank #laura kearny #abigail blyg #max brinly

[glindaselphie]

so I wanted to put my perspective on the show out there as someone who is a big fan of both it and the books it is based on! I’ve seen a few of these around and just wanted to put mine out there.

now bear in mind: the show is what got me to read the books. I started season one in 2019, enjoyed it, went out and got the books mid way through, finished book one before s1 had even finished airing and finished the entire trilogy quickly after that. they have been my absolute favourite books ever since and so the show will always have a special place in my heart for that reason. the only other familiarity I had with the story was the film and had I not started my journey with the adaptations, perhaps my perspective might be a bit different.

I do understand - and sometimes agree with! - people’s complaints about things. I agree that I do think we should have got more of marisa’s violent side for example. I think what we did get was excellent - those scenes of her torturing the witch? I shudder thinking about it tbh - but I also do think more of it would have helped with a lot of people’s complaints about her characterisation.

that said? I do think her characterisation in the book is a tad inconsistent and I can see why they did flesh her out a bit more the way they did. yeah it takes away some of the mystery of her but I do think that mystery would have been difficult to properly translate on screen imho. I also do think they wanted to give her a more concise arc from season one to season three, and I do think it works well. I do think they still could have done stuff like having the monkey ripping up bats for example, but in their defense I think that may well have been due to change of scenery for those scenes and maybe they thought bats being there wouldn’t have worked as well.

I know marisa isn’t the only one that’s a tad different from the books too but she’s the one I see talked about most. I also see people criticising LMM’s portrayal of lee which I also understand. personally I don’t think he did a bad job character or acting-wise but lee is meant to be an old man so he is quite a bit different from how he is in the book on that basis.

that said? this show will always be my favourite and these books will always be my favourite! because personally? I think they compliment each other really well!

adaptations are never going to please everyone and tbf this isn’t pullman’s show, this is jack thorne’s. he is essentially just a fan of the books same as you and me and his perspective on the characters may well be different than other’s. the show is essentially just an officially produced fanwork - which is basically what most adaptations are tbh - and the same way some may like certain fanfics and others might not, I can see why there are mixed views on the show.

overall I quite liked the portrayal of the characters that the show did! I think the show captures the heart of them, their arc and the story very well and I can tell that the people who made it have a lot of love for the original works ❤️

#HDM #his dark materials #marisa coulter #sir philip pullman #jack thorne #laur.txt

[keicordelle]

The Daily Inconveniences of an Au Ra: Taste

If there was a second reason his companions didn't like Keshet's cooking, it was that they all grew up on nothing but boring old bread and had the palates to show for it. There were toddlers back on the Steppe who had more refined tastes than this lot of cookie munching Sharlayans.

Well, alright, they weren't all that bad. Thancred could handle some heat, and Estinien would eat just about anything you set in front of him with minimal complaint - at least, when they were in front of other people. He certainly had no bones about grumbling under his breath, and if it were just the two of them he'd make his distaste known, but by and large the three of their palates aligned well enough that if it were just left to the three of them, mealtime would not be a horrible affair.

The rest of them though...

Keshet grimaced at the plate of cakes and confections laid before Urianger, each one sweet enough to melt off his tongue all by itself. Eating a whole plate of them would make him keel over on the spot, he was quite certain. Yet Urianger dug into it with vigor, fending off thieving hands from the twins between every bite.

"Thy countenance betrayeth thy distaste," Urianger told him, pulling his plate out of the way of Alisaie's fingers as she tried to take advantage of his distraction.

"I don't understand how you can stomach so much sugar, but even the slightest bit of habanero makes you hurl."

Urinager flushed, hiding his face behind a cupcake. "Thy lips uttereth falsehoods. 'Twas simply a bout of nausea. ...Intense nausea. Perhaps a spot of retching. But I did not 'hurl', as thou sayest."

"And that was not 'a little bit' of habanero!" Alisaie protested. "I couldn't feel my tongue for three days after that! And don't even get me started on that cactus flower sauce you used last time."

"Hey, that sauce is great. I love the way it tingles through my mouth and all the way down my throat."

"That's because it's poisonous, Keshet. It's not supposed to tingle. That's literal poison."

Keshet rolled his eyes. "We eat that all the time on the Steppe. It's perfectly fine for you. You lot just can't handle a little bit of spice."

"Your upbringing concerns me," Alisaie said, peering at him through narrowed eyes.

"Thy constitution far exceeds our own. Perhaps thy gustatory system functioneth not in the same fashion as our own."

After Urianger clarified the meaning of 'gustatory' for him, Keshet shrugged lightly. "I wouldn't doubt it. Dining with you lot is torture. Maybe we should have a taste test to find out!"

The two of them blanched. "Ah, no, I don't think that will be necessary."

"That is one mystery I am content to leave unsolved."

Read the rest of the series on Ao3!

FIRST | PREV | NEXT

#ffxiv #au ra #wol #alisaie leveilleur #urianger #ffxiv fanfiction #idk if habanero exists in Etheirys #but i couldn't come up with any specific spices known for their heat in lore #so :shrug: #my writing #daily inconveniences #drabble #keshet dotharl #~K

[superlocktvd]

KinnPorsche

On April 2nd lives changed, we finally got KinnPorsche after almost 2 years of wait. At that point episode 14 seemed like a dream so far away and today as I write this I am forced to think where did 3 months exactly go. In these three months I have seen this fandom grow leaps and bounds. The tag alone on tumblr has come from 4k to 40k. 

These 3 months I have witnessed one of the best made Thai dramas not just in terms of being BL but in general. The production value, the acting, the screenplay, the cinematography have been nothing but chef’s kiss. I am neither a film major nor do I know details or intricacies of filming but the stage KinnPorsche was and how far it has come and the roar it has caused across the globe is result of the hard work the entire team has put hence I don’t wish to complain even if I wanted something else or wanted something more or felt I wish they had shown this too. To critique is one thing, to complain is another at least for me.

Special thanks to Mile because man you need guts to invest a figuratively large sum and dive into something you are doing for the first time alone on the feeling that this is something good and will work. No wonder you’re a businessman. 

I have seen a lot of complaints and negativity too but honestly I wonder if its worth to crib over if the other option was that I never would have gotten the series. Hence I don’t really care that much about small loopholes or if someone feels the story is that or the character should have done something else. At this point I would love if I had episode of them eating so really it doesn’t matter to me.

KinnPorsche has set a standard not easy to match much less surpass, of course there will come a time where some show will be at the same level or above but I don’t really see it happening soon at least if there is an independent production (not taking into account Netflix because they have money money).

KinnPorsche not only introduced me to these wonderful actors but also how kind the people are in real life. Mile and Apo are truly the definition of, “Why should I lower my standards when such men exist”. I have come to appreciate little details of scenes and how so many small things add up to large intentions. The metas have not only opened my eyes and expanded my vocabulary but also allowed me to view the content in such a different way than before. It has helped me appreciate how much work gets put into every scene and when every cent is being counted how much more important it becomes.

KinnPorsche is a fandom that even with tonight’s episode has fair share of content coming through in the upcoming months. Things will slow down yes but I I am fairly certain those who have enjoyed the series will stick maybe little less active but definitely here for whenever this fandom needs backing and support.

I have so many more thoughts but for now that’s all I can type without getting emotional so, Lastly, I am grateful for those who followed me in these last few months, appreciated my thoughts and were riding alongside this roller coaster. Let’s end it on high note and hope for the new announcements and content to come through. For now it is the last KINNPORSCHEDAY!!!!!!!!!

#kinnporsche #kinnporche the series #kinn x porsche #vegas x pete #vegaspete #mile phakphum #apo nattawin

[emblemxeno]

As someone who enjoyed Birthright and Conquest enough, I still find some aspects scummy. Idk if you played FE4, but we obviously don't pay full price for both gen of that game. Imagine if they made a FE4 remake and you had to pay full price for gen 1 and gen 2 to get the full story. And Awakening had tons of free DLC, which probably made Fates seem more scummy in comparison at the time. 3H was repetitive but you paid for the whole game upfront. You didn't need to pay more to get the full story.

I feel that's not a fair comparison, considering FE4 is unique in how it's structured and is also a game from 1996.

For one, Fates is massive. At the time it eclipsed pretty much every other FE game in terms of sheer content amount. I'm not saying "you should be grateful for buying it cuz they worked so hard!!1!" but it stands to reason that as a business, they wanted to at least break even on financial returns.

And yeah, I get it, because paying more for a full story isn't appealing, but to me a lot of complaints regarding this sound like as if it's the same exact content just with a different plot. But it's not.

You're paying for more and different stuff. You're getting bang for your buck with a new plot, tons of new supports, different toys to play with, etc. Each route of Fates on its own is an Awakening sized game, but people continually treat it as if you're paying for either an Eliwood Mode or a Hector mode, when it's not comparable.

3H on the flip side, yeah you're paying full price for the full game, but the entire game is recylced content within itself. That's what I don't understand when people praise this aspect over Fates splitting its routes apart. Why is the game being fully together that big of a celebratory aspect when the game itself has next-to-no gameplay related replay value? When three routes follow damn near the same gameplay beats (with two of those three being blatant copy paste) and the fourth one still reusing the same maps despite being a perspective flip, why is this getting cheered on? And that's only after having to start each route with the same first half over and over again, with no way to skip directly to the new content. The biggest form of replay value you can get in 3H that isn't recycled, is having to inhibit yourself by not recruiting characters from different houses, a mechanic that the game wants you to do because otherwise you won't get certain exlcusive supports or paralogues.

Maybe I'm just out of touch but $60 USD for a game that recycles itself again and again for 4 different routes will always sound worse than paying $80 USD for 3 different routes with unique content across all of them and have their own merits to stand on. I just don't get this kind of "it's the principle of the matter" mentality regarding "having to pay more" as if paying half price for another complete game is asking so much of people :/

#queue #fire emblem discourse #fire emblem fates

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | X (West, 2022)

This review contains spoilers.

So, this is not a problem that I think most people will have with this movie, but it’s one that annoyed me pretty thoroughly thanks to my questionable viewing habits as of late. The characters here are supposed to be making an arty porno movie. Fine. But I’ve seen my share of arty porno movies over the last two years, and what we see here doesn’t feel anywhere close to the real thing. If anything, it looks like what most people who haven't seen any vintage pornos imagine what they look like, deliberately cheesy and low rent. If the characters had just been making a porno for purely mercenary reasons, I probably wouldn’t have minded, but there’s something kind of lazy about how the trope is handled. Quite frankly, the crew here (director, assistant and three performers) seems big enough for maybe a one-day wonder, but certainly not the actual arty pornos that would have been made at this time. And I would assume that had the director been believably written, he would have been able to tell what he was shooting was nowhere near as arty as he was intending, but the whiny discount Kieran Culkin we get here shows no such indication. Again, none of this will likely matter to at least ninety percent of viewers, but to me, it seems obvious that Ti West has no real understanding of vintage pornography and is using it as a lazy setup for the sexual tension that’s supposed to drive the movie.

That tension is supposed to be compounded by the snippets we see of a televangelist throughout, but West’s handling of it is so obviously kitschy that it never really adds to the atmosphere. Even worse is that the eventual source of horror ends up being the sexual desires of old people. Listen, I don’t need the underlying worldviews of my horror movies to be politically correct, but there’s something about the trope here that feels both lazy and demeaning. We don’t get any real sense of interiority for the villains, so the effect ends up being less about whatever sexual repression or trauma they might be coping with and more just that old people are gross. For the record, I think you can use aging as a source of horror in a respectful way. The found footage movie The Taking of Deborah Logan has issues, but I found it was able to generate dread from the titular character’s mental decline while still affording them a certain dignity. It helps that the character is played like an actual human being and not a movie monster. And if I can return to my earlier thread, if West really wanted to horrify with sexual content, he would have done well to brush up on his knowledge of pornographic horror films. Those movies are especially disturbing because they choose to put the viewer on the side of evil when delivering the genre goods, yet West is happy to maintain his distance.

And if I can keep ranting and offering complaints that I expect most people won’t share, Mia Goth elsewhere has had a pleasingly off-kilter presence that I’ve quite enjoyed. (She’s one of the few things I enjoyed about the Suspiria remake, where she manages to seem both alien and deeply empathetic.) As far as vintage pornstars go, she would have been perfect casting for Terri Hall, who also has a pleasingly off-kilter presence. Yet West casts her as a generic Southern sex kitten, and saddles her with a cocaine habit and delusions of stardom, the latter of which provides fodder for the movie’s most obnoxious line.

All of this is stuff I could ignore had the movie worked for me as horror, but there’s something too distancing, too studied about West’s style here. He most obviously references Tobe Hooper, but lacks Hooper’s commitment to atonal shrillness and ability to use that quality to unnerve, so that the references just make you wish you were watching a better movie. (If you want horror directors who homage while still making their movies tense on their own terms, Rob Zombie is an obvious one given the Hooper connection, but I thought Jordan Peele made a certain Spielbergian spectacle totally his own in this year’s Nope.) I remember quite enjoying House of the Devil, but while it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it, I think it understands the sense of dead air endemic to the first wave slashers it’s referencing and particularly the way that dead air can covertly transform into dread and leave us less prepared for when the violence hits. The gore moments here feel too blatantly telegraphed, although as West is still a capable visual stylist, we do get a handful of decent images. (I particularly liked a scene where a scene is bathed in red lighting by blood spattered on the headlights of a car.) And I liked the performances by Martin Henderson, Kid Cudi and Brittany Snow, although I was mostly wishing they were in a much better movie.

#film #movie review #x #ti west

[galsource75]

Chatting with the one you love (maybe not)

Everything inside of me is screaming 'Stop its a lie' you know well enough he does not even know that you exist. You have been down this road ; "how many times GalSource?" Exactly !! Now block the person now! I don't for longer than i know better to. And Words with passion and emotions are sent from my side of this place to the person on the other end of the chat line . Confessions of love and thoughts on life are exchange by way of poems and hellos in the early morning . Before the light of dawn is above the horizon we are chatting once again the only difference this time is that it is a different person claiming to be the Man i have fallen in love with. Long days and even longer nights i allow the passion play across my screen knowing all the while it is not him , yet the hope inside of me just will not let me push to the point of getting his confession of the truth of who he/she really is . Damn , I just let it ride out so that i can release all the emotions and all the daydreams inside of my mind before they cause me to burst into flames from the desire in my soul for him to but be the true person that i need him to be . soul steps in after a short while and demands that i pull the wind from their sails . So i direct the conversation to where i need it to be and tell of the deceit i have been through by others claiming to be my Star and how i fell for so many words that they used to confess a never dying love for me all the while never being full of emotions but full of lies the entire time . Then i demand proof of the truth of who they are , they send passports that has been doctored believing you will believe their lie , even provide video chat except for the issues , on my end nonetheless, of computer and or cell phone interruptions so each call is incomplete and the only time you miss their call that they have made to you despite their busy schedule of touring and plane rides from here to there , how dare i miss their call. Of course i was there the phone rang half a ring then fell silent again , never following up with a text stating "tried to call but you were busy babe will call back later" love you . This is true and it has happened to me many times but with that said the last three persons wanting to deceive me i only played along to see where they was trying to take the conversation though i must confess that i always spoke my truth of the feelings i have for a certain entertainer. Alright if i am ever going to get this out to the public so that the Star of my heart can see what is happening to his #1 fan from Kentucky , then i must say the persons name. Please do not judge me in being a fool or for being so naive . Love sometimes clouds the minds eye and it can be over powering to every aspect of ones hope and dreams and gives rise to a faith that one may say is like that of the faith we have for our God, whom ever you choose that to be ok.. Dermot Kennedy is the person that these peoples have convinced me , or try to convince me that they were. These predators stalk the Star and other Stars, i know this for a fact, this is not just hearsay. Anyways, these persons are so determined to obtain whatever it is that they want that they have stalked me and others on the person they will pretend to be social media and lock in on the one who has posted and commented the most on the sites that they are scoping out and they will then make a double account with the entertainers name stating that it is the site they want to connect with their fans and that management is controlling the other sites which in fact the PR of the entertainer is running multiple sites for the Entertainer , anyways they prey on the emotions of the fans and believe me i have reported them everyone to someone of authority but those sites and emails but be fakes as well because i have never had anyone follow up on my complaints it is as if they read the email or voice mail and say "well there is another fool who fell for the most popular scam that is running the internet these days. " And nothing is done about it .

when will i ever learn....

[notalwaysright]

Never Try To Satisfy Those Who Cannot Be

https://notalwaysright.com/?p=257990 During my last couple of years of high school, and throughout college, I work summers at my uncle’s (my Mom’s brother’s) restaurant. I am nineteen at the time, and this is my third summer working there. We have a party of eleven people coming in on a late Saturday afternoon. The “lead” person at the table is a guy who is in his early forties or so, and the rest are apparently all related in one way or another. All of them are adults, the youngest maybe in their early twenties. I’m a very good waitress. My uncle trusts me implicitly and he understands that I know what I am doing. My uncle hates chronic complainers and charlatans that look for any excuse to get a comped or partially-comped meal. Most people at the table don’t really complain directly themselves, but they certainly support this guy in his complaints by nodding in agreement or saying things like, “Yeah, that’s right!” whenever he complains about something. Right from the get-go, he complains about anything and everything. I am too slow getting them their menus, even though I bring them over within thirty seconds of sitting them. Silverware settings are missing, either a knife, fork, or spoon. I know they are missing because he’s the one who removed them. I saw him take a spoon, fork, or knife away from each setting and toss them into a nearby tray that we used to put dirty plates when clearing the tables. The steak he ordered well-done is too well-done, and the replacement is not well-done enough even though it does not have a shred of pink in the center. The waters aren’t filled promptly enough, his dessert is far too sweet, and his decaf coffee has caffeine in it because “I can see it in there!” This goes on and on and on throughout the whole meal, which takes them over three hours to eat. Apparently, their food sucks, and our service is horrible. I wait on the whole table myself by taking each of their orders, but two other staffers help bring out their food, get drink refills, etc. Positively NOTHING they complain about is legitimate in any way whatsoever. My uncle is kept informed, and he speaks to them numerous times to codify them to virtually no avail; the complaints continue. My uncle takes me aside at one point and tells me that this jerk is just trying to get their whole check comped, which he is not going to do. Other customers have even asked me what’s going on because they’ve seen nothing worth complaining about, but they’ve certainly seen what an entitled jerk this guy is being. Their final bill is nearly $900, mostly steaks, seafood, and shellfish, all our more expensive menus items. Given their rudeness to him and particularly to me, my uncle absolutely refuses to give in to any of their demands. He even tells them that we’ve made every effort to appease them only to be met with rude, selfish behavior over things that are clearly a non-issue. He outright tells them he is not comping anything on their bill. Finally, they leave and pay the bill in full. As he writes on the check “to make a point,” the guy leaves only a 5% tip because of my “horrid, inattentive” service. He doesn’t want to leave no tip, as he doesn’t want me to think he just forgot, but he wants to be certain I know “exactly why” I am not getting my full tip. However, he didn’t notice that for parties of six or more, we add a mandatory 18% tip, and for parties of ten or more, 20%, which is what was added to his bill. So, I actually end up with a 25% tip! Not bad for serving a table full of self-absorbed a**holes! This guy leaves us a scathing review online. My uncle responds by posting point-by-point every rude thing he said and his contemptible behavior and pointing out that his food and service had been exemplary. If any doubt his word, just check his other reviews. “Oh, and by the way, I have security footage to prove all of this!” To their credit, several customers who were there that night and had witnessed what this jerk said and did left wonderful reviews for us and even mentioned my uncle and me specifically. Most of them called out the rude behavior of this guy and his family.   My uncle told me that if they ever returned, he was going to refuse them service. As far as I know, they never came back, at least not during the two subsequent years I worked for my uncle. I love my uncle, but I’m so glad to now be out of the service job environment and into an office setting! Source: https://notalwaysright.com/?p=257990