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checkoutmybookshelf · 5 months

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From Criminial Mastermind to Fairy Tale Hero: The End of Artemis Fowl

Here we are, everyone: The final Artemis Fowl book. It has been a journey revisiting the first series I was old enough to follow and fandom, and it's wild to me that we're finally at the end. Especially since I picked up the first Artemis Fowl book in late elementary school (I'm genuinely not sure when though, because the first book came out in April of 2001, when I was in fifth grade and it's very possible I didn't pick the book up until sixth grade, which would have put me at 11, same age as Artemis in that first book) and the final book came out in 2012, when I was in my junior year of undergrad. So at that point, Artemis, Holly, and Butler had been part of my life for a long time. And now here we are, to say goodbye to them again after this leisurely re-listen/read. Let's talk Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian.

Artemis grew and changed so much across eight books, which makes sense because holy cow do kids change a LOT between 11 and 15. We get so busy living life in those years that we don't really think about how much we truly learn and grown between prepubescence and full-on teenagerhood, but that is a time of massive change, and I think that more than anything else really justifies how Artemis goes from a chillingly vampiric child to a teenager with enough compassion and empathy to understand that sometimes the right choice is a heroic self-sacrifice for the people that your people (both humans and the people, in this case) love. Artemis also did a really interesting version of that thing so many teenagers do where they hit a point where they can't just phone in their abilities anymore and have to actually put effort in, but for Artemis it was emotional rather than intelligence. And yet even when making said heroic sacrifice, we have the absolutely beautiful callback to the end of book one, where Artemis drugs his mother, Butler, and Juliet to keep them from being harmed by the bio-bomb. To stop Holly from preventing him from stopping Opal, Artemis sedates her. The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Except where best villain ever Opal Koboi is concerned. By this book, Opal is so disconnected from reality that she is willing to risk literally going nuclear to escape captivity, and then just...casually sparks off the apocalypse because if there is one thing our girl wants, it's to be Empress of the World, and if that means using spirit zombies and an ancient fairy doomsday device, then I guess it's a good thing she's already versed in black magic. Or something. Opal is fully and completely off the rails at this point, and if you catch yourself referring to yourself as "Mommy" in reference to the spirits of several scores of ancient elven berserkers who would--barring a geas--murder you for it, you might want to stop and take a long, hard look at your life choices. And maybe don't forget that you've cloned yourself, because that's the kind of little detail that can completely ruin your chances of being Empress of the World.

Holly quite possibly deserves every medal that exists for managing to drag Artemis's extremely out-of-shape butt through increasingly dangerous and high-stakes missions while navigating fairy politics and *checks notes* breaking up with her commanding officer after a disastrous date where they both got kicked out of a crunchball match. (And once again...HOW DARE Colfer leave this in exposition and not show us this amazing disaster of a date!?!?) Holly has also just been through the emotional wringer with Artemis and every time he decided to double-cross or lie by omission to bring off a plan and every time he does something infuriatingly human that drives up her blood pressure and yet makes the mission succeed. And then she has to sit there and watch him die to save humans and fairies. Seriously, the fact that Holly Short is a functional being rather than a hot mess is nothing short of a miracle.

And then we come to Butler. Long-suffering, super fucking over it, broken-hearted Domovoi Butler. Artemis got DAMN lucky that the whole "put my spirit in a clone of me" plan panned out, because if it hadn't, Holly was entirely correct: Butler would never have recovered. Butler and Opal might be my two favorite characters in the entire series at this point. That's not where I started--for a very long time, Holly was my favorite character, and Commander Root still gets an honorable mention--but as a grown-ass adult (I'm not doing that math for you, if you want to know that I'm old, you do the math), I cannot escape how dedicated, competent, kind, and just AWESOME Butler is. I feel like the vibe here is very similar to the thing that happens when you watch Sound of Music as a kid and either Maria or one of the kids is your favorite character, but when you come back to it as an adult, Captain Von Trapp is EVERYTHING (RIP Christopher Plummer, we loved you). Butler has a similar vibe but in a different genre.

So, I was an adult and had enough experience of watching fandoms to see the mixed reactions to this book being released. People were sad the series was ending, people were disappointed because the series had seemingly drifted, and people loved it. My reaction was pretty mixed, because I had a lot going on, I knew there were good things here but I was also kind of missing the heisty, criminal mastermind vibes, but also OPAL KOBOI. So I was pretty unsure how to feel about this book when it came out, and then I didn't reread it for literal years because I went to grad school.

Returning to this book now, I have suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch respect for how Colfer tied up the series and how he pulled off a new Irish mythological cycle, but updated for the twenty-first century. I have enough life on me to appreciate the changes Artemis goes through, and enough literature degrees to have a new and deeply fulfilling perspective on the series structure. Last Guardian is not my favorite book of the series--it's not even in the top three--but I think that what it does is genuinely impressive and I love how you can finish this book and go instantly back into the OG Artemis Fowl. The story does not, strictly speaking, have to end. And that is a vibe I can 100% get behind.

I deeply love the Artemis Fowl books, and I cannot recommend the series enough. They have so many strengths, are incredibly well-written, and they live rent-free in my head even now as an adult.

#artemis fowl #eoin colfer #artemis fowl the last guardian #artemis fowl and the last guardian #domovoi butler #holly short #opal koboi #children's literature #children's books #books and reading #books & libraries #books and novels #books #book recommendations #middle grade sci fi #middle grade books #middle grade fantasy #middle grade fiction

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inconspicious-random-thoughts · 1 month

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Do you think Valentino will be killed off at some point in the series? Viv has made him out to be the most morally repugnant of the Vees and the most personally dangerous to the heroes (mainly to Angel Dust but I imagine he's capable of causing harm to a lot more demons than we've seen). In the event that Angel manages to get out of his contract, Val might lose what little bit of restraint he has and go on the warpath against the Hotel, which may lead to him having to be killed depending on how much of a threat he ends up being on his own.

I know you've theorized before about the Vees making some measure of peace with the Hotel, but I just don't see Valentino making any compromises given his personal vendetta against the establishment and Charlie in particular for giving his favorite victim a small escape from his control. Vox and Vel may get off with some form of humiliation, but Valentino isn't a villain I see living to the end of the story.

As much as I enjoy the Vees dynamic, I actually didn't put any real thought how they will be played out. Which is silly as their role will be amped up next season. So what I'm going to ramble off isn't something I dwelled on and may have a lot of holes as I'm thinking on the spot.

Valentino is dangerous because he acts out violently before thinking. He lacks foresight and thought. He metaphoric as well literally blind. I mean, he was ready to go down to the hotel to shoot everyone with the simple fact Angel moved there. He also threatened to shoot Alastor shadowed minion and its whole family when Angel flirted with it. But I don't think he will be killed off. I think if character would be killed off it be a character that would be a emotional gut punch for the audience be impacted by.

If there be an overlord death, it would be Carmilla or Zestial. "Out for love." Leaning more to Zestial, the oldest overlord finally ending his reign. His death would be caused by protecting Odette and Clara. An attack heading their way and Carmilla pinned or unable to reach them in time and force to witness their demised, only for Zestial stepping in to taking the the death blow himself. Carmilla with with renewed strength and energy from the destroyed what/who was the obstacle from stopping her from getting there in time the first time, to rush to his side and he part with dying words for her. Probably words of parting something from a shakespearean play that held deeper meaning for the both of them.

I already lowkey headcanon the reason why Carmilla is already so protective and trusting to Zestial is because he had protected her daughters from danger before...perhaps from the radio demon himself. But if Alastor did already threaten them, I think Carmilla would hold that grudge and be undercurrent of hostile ahile acting professional to him. Perhaps its not so dire. Maybe, Alastor was in the area ready to fight Zestial, with the daughters nearby. Seeing the overlord killer, Zestial moved to protect the girls (who wasn't targeted just in the area) and Alastor saw Zestial true character decided to let them be. Since Alastor has his own moral code of selecting victims and Zestial wasn't deplorable in Alastor standards to meet the criteria to be a victim. Which worked out for Alastor, because I think Alastor realized later Zestial one of the few sinners that can overpower him.

But if not Zestial be the overlord to die, it be Carmilla protecting Zestial. (Again, with Zestial protected her daughters int he past in mind) and her parting words be asking him to promise or make a deal to always protect and watch over her daughters.

Zeezi and unnamed overlord might be thrown in for deaths jsut to add to a body count for the gravity of casualty and loss if there is a huge battle for survival.

If one of the Vees were to die, I say it be Vox. Surprisingly, it be a heroic sacrificial death. Or he stupidly ran in to protect Alastor and took the hit instead. Shocking both of them. Alastor probably saying "Farewell, old pal." in his unfiltered voice and meaning the words ol pal and Vox took his last breath in Alstor arms and his lips quirked into a small almost content smile at Alastor words.

Valentino, I think is safe from the execution blade despite a lot of fans would find satisfaction of his head rolling off.

In regards of Angel Dust contract, I think Husk will play the large role in it, possible small part Alastor. The other two who are contracted.

I know there's a lot of fics of Husk saving Angel but I never read any of it, but I am positive someone already wrote a really thorough brilliant plan. But Husk gambling to win Angel Dust soul seem fitting. Husk may have betted his own soul that he just acquired back from Alastor. The act really affecting Angel Dust as he stood witness. Valentino couldn't pass that a chance to own a former overlord who has intimate information of the radio demon and another way to put Angel in his place, knowing Angel cared deeping about the wind cat demon.

The point you made about Valentino retaliation is very valid. It's very in character for Valentino. All I can think of is, its part of the deal when he lost Angel. It one of the clauses. Husk bets his soul, Valentino can do whatever he wanted to Husk without any clauses and restrictions and has full access to Husk intel if Valentino bets Angel Dust soul, to never bother Angel again or any of the Hotel residence and love ones.

I think if the show went with this angle, Husk would acting out soling on his own to save Angel. But Alastor may be present. Either reinforce/ threaten that the hotel and the residents are his territory. As well Lucifer and Charlie's presence and power.

Or Alastor had them Husk play another round for Valentino to get a chance to win Angel back in in exchange for Valentino to bet the additional clauses and restrictions. Because Alastor nit picky and not going to leave deal the deal to be open if Alastor not going to benefit from it being vague. He may even included that they have to stop merchandising and advertising Angel likeness which would really hit his company pockets. Or Angel get a large royaltees from them. Giving a chance to drop the act when he out in public and slowly become more he wanted to be or act more himself.

There might be something that addressed the contracts themselves. Like all contracts became voided. Which would have any overlord scrambling but I think it hit Valentino harder then the others. So he be too busy trying to stop an uprising to worry about his own safety then think about Angel at the moment.

But in all honestly I have no idea how Valentino meet his end or how his rampage of retaliation be curbed. We see Angel having some final words for some closure and might get a satisfying Angel kneeing him in the balls. He may even lose one of his wings or his weaponized tongue cut off briefly if there was a brawl not by Angel). But I don't think death is in the cards for him. I think Valentino is just has to force to seethe (and losing a lot of capital of his number one money maker)and witness Angel living a happy life afar and perhaps Angel redemption. That everything is so much better for Angel now he out of Valentino grasp.

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runninriot · 2 months

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Inspired by the prompt Love is the only thing we can take with us by @thefreakandthehair for @steddielovemonth day 24

Only Love

wc: 1646 | rated: E | cw: canon typical violence, blood & blood drinking, talk about death, sexual intercourse with a monster | tags: Kas!Eddie Munson, Monsterlover!Steve Harrington, Sad Love Story, but it is still a love story

minors, this one isn't for you

If someone had told Eddie he would one day go into battle against interdimensional monsters, he’d have laughed and called them insane. Had the same person told him, he’d lose said battle against monstrous bats out of hell, he’d maybe have used the idea for one of his DnD campaigns or maybe wrote a song about it because it sounds kind of cool, pretty badass to think of a character having to fight eyeless, bat-winged creatures with vine-like tails to strangle you with and tiny, sharp teeth that can rip through skin and flesh like a knife through soft butter.

Doesn’t sound so great anymore once you know they’re real. Doesn’t sound very heroic either to tell the tale of almost getting eaten alive by a swarm of angry, flying monsters.

It’s a sad story, really, if you think about how young Eddie was and how little of his life he got to truly enjoy.

But it’s also kind of funny to think that fate chose someone as clumsy and cowardly as Eddie to become something better, something superior. A creature of the dark, a godlike creation forged in the Upside Down to bring horror and harm to a town that, to be honest, would’ve deserved his rage for all they’d done to him.

But lucky for the puny people living in Hawkins, there was one thing Vecna couldn’t take from him when he made him turn from human to monster. And while his heart might not be beating anymore, sitting stone cold in his chest now where it once was the source of life – one thing remained.

The thing that made the monster turn against his master in the midst of a raging war, spilling blood and guts, tearing apart every screeching thing that dared to come too close. One monster against an army of many until he came eye to eye with the One, the evil incarnate, and finished him once and for all to protect the people he loved.

Love was the one thing he took from life to death and beyond.

Love for a girl he couldn’t save but will remember for the rest of his days.

Love for a kid that has more courage in his left foot than Eddie ever had in his whole body.

Love for a group of nerds and losers that made him want to be a better person for them.

Love for him.

Eddie turns his gaze away from the full moon shining through a gap between the treetops when he hears the rustling of leaves in the distance. He doesn’t need to see Steve to know that it’s him, could scent him from miles away, but still he smiles when the other man finally steps out of the shadows and into the faintly lit space where Eddie has been waiting for him.

“Hey baby.”

Steve takes the hand reached out to him, lets Eddie pull him close against his body.

“Hey.” Steve looks up at him through hooded eyes, enthralled by the vision Eddie is.

Still so fascinated by Eddie, his transformed self, the demonic version of what he once was. Tall, much taller than before. With broad shoulders and strong arms. His whole body covered in thick, opal skin. He’s got sharp talons and even sharper fangs. Wings, black and leathery, reminiscent of the creatures that took his old life and gave him a new one.

Eddie leans down to plant a kiss on Steve’s waiting lips, just gentle – for now.

“Missed you so much.” Steve sighs as he crawls deeper into the cradle of Eddie’s arms, would melt right into his skin if he could.

And God, how Eddie missed him too.

They never get enough time together, can never stay as long in each other’s presence as they both would like.

It comes with the curse of being the thing he is now but they both take it as it is because it’s better than not having each other at all.

Just one night every full moon is all they have. All Eddie allows himself to have. Because with Vecna defeated, he is the one now ruling the Upside Down, lonely like the Devil reigning hell, making sure the creatures of this other world stay trapped where they belong.

It’s a price he’s willing to pay to keep his loved ones safe.

To make sure the young man in his arms has the life he deserves – peaceful and quiet, not fighting wars that aren’t his to fight.

“Missed you too, my love. Couldn’t wait to have you in my arms again.”

Eddie pulls him closer, feels his boyfriend’s heartbeat thrumming in his chest, healthy and strong. He can hear the rush of Steve’s blood running through his veins; it’s singing to him, soft and enticing like a siren’s song. He can smell the natural scent of Steve’s warm skin, mixed with the deep fragrance of the forest ground and brittle wood.

It’s intoxicating, mind numbing, addictive.

Steve pulls away, knows what Eddie wants, wants what Eddie needs.

“Take it,” he says. Unafraid and always so ready to share what keeps him alive.

A rush of ecstasy takes hold of Eddie’s senses, makes it seem like the world around them shifts, turns reality into a dreamlike sequence. Moonlight falls on Steve, illuminating his angelic form with a silvery glow, makes him shine like Sirius in the night sky.

“My pretty boy.”

Eddie’s voice is nothing but a growl, deep and dangerous, resonating in his own ears like the sound of a hungry beast.

Steve bares his throat, offers himself to the monster that takes hold of the few remaining pieces of humanity that Eddie has left in him.

Eddie opens his mouth with a hiss, makes way for his teeth to grow, ready to take what he’s being offered so freely. The pointy tips of his fangs pierce easily through Steve’s skin, breaking enough of the protective layer to let blood spill out. It’s like drinking pure light, tastes better than anything else. The world’s most expensive wine couldn’t compete with it, no fruit could be sweeter than Steve. Every drop is a burst of flavour on his tongue, slowly dripping down his esophagus in a warm and steady stream.

He’s greedy for it, sucking the precious liquid into his mouth with fervour until he feels Steve’s body go limp in his arms.

He pops off with a wet sound, licks over the wound to soothe the stinging pain.

“Kiss me, please,” Steve begs, voice weak but demanding.

And Eddie does. Kisses him with blood stained lips, painting Steve’s mouth dark red with it – sharing what he took from him.

“Love me,” Steve whispers into the kiss and Eddie tries hard not to ravish him instantly.

He lifts him up, strong arms wrapped protectively around Steve, and carries him to their favourite spot. Here, where the ground is overgrown with tick layers of moss and clover, he lays Steve down gently.

“Love you so much.”

They fuck on the dewy forest floor, hidden away from the world, covered only by the night as their blanket. Steve is trembling, shaking uncontrollably as Eddie splits him in half, careful not to hurt him anymore than necessary. His new form isn’t made to easily glide into the depths of this frail human body; it’s rough, almost brutal but he knows that Steve wants him like that. Writhing and crying, so perfect and soft, Steve begs him for more:

“Deeper, baby. Go harder. I can take it.”

It’s beautiful, the way Steve’s tears glisten in the moonlight as he loses himself in the harsh rhythm of Eddie’s hips slapping against his skin. Deeper and deeper Eddie thrusts into his hole, fucks him hard and good. He pulls out a beautiful whimper with every push, viscously dragging his inhuman size along Steve’s inner walls, hitting the right spot over and over again. He’s got one hand curled around Steve’s hardness, gliding spit-slicked and in merciful contrast to his otherwise torturous movements up and down the length of it; giving Steve what he needs to find relief.

When Eddie can feel Steve tripping over the edge, he finds his neck again and bites down once more just for fun, just to take in all of Steve. To feel his warm blood on his tongue and his slick release on his fist, fills him up in return as a reward, a thank you, a sign of his undying love – you’re mine, I am yours, we are one in this unholy union.

Steve comes down slowly, held tight in Eddie’s arms with his wings wrapped around them to keep Steve warm against the cool night air.

It’s almost midnight, they’ve got only got a few more hours together. So they do what they always do – stay close, hold each other, kiss. Eddie listens to Steve talk about his life, his work, his friends (‘They miss you. It’s hard not to tell them you’re alive.’ – ‘Well I’m not really, am I? It’s better that way. I’m only here because of you.') Steve cries and Eddie feels his pain tenfold.

“Please stay.”

It’s the same desperate plea every time. And Eddie wants nothing more than to give in, wants to stay with Steve in this beautiful, dark dream but they both know he can’t.

“I’ll come back.”

Before the moon begins to make way for the rising sun, Eddie carries a sleeping Steve back to his home, lays him gently down on his bed and kisses his lips once more.

And like so many times before, the only thing he can take with him into the darkness he made his own prison to keep everyone safe, is the love that keeps him alive.

“I’ll come back,” he promises again, “I’ll always come back to you, Steve.”

#steddielovemonth #love is...#day 24 #eddie munson #steve harrington #kas!eddie munson #monsterlover!steve harrington #steddie fic #minors dni

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turboacek-blog · 2 months

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Zutara and Kataang: my thoughts

Basically Zutara is the enemy to lovers ship

Kataang is the friendship to lover ship

Combine with other things like opposites attract, and love at first site and so on

With the Netflix adaptation stirring things up for this old ship rivalry just wanted to share some general thoughts

General thoughts as you can go anywhere for Zutara hints or why KatAang was actually good and don't need to analyze every moment

Enemies to Lovers

Disclaimer: I dislike the enemies to lover trope. It’s one of those things I genuinely don’t understand why they would like each other in most cases, as the cases I do like it it’s more like they’re the two friends that don’t gel as well like Sam and Freddie in iCarly not actual enemies on opposing sides of war, but I don’t feel this about Zutara due to Zuko

I brought up the ship tropes before as I think this shows more of the discourse amongst the fans

There’s a ton of people that love the enemies to lovers trope whether it be actual enemies or just the two friends that don’t get along that well and can argue/fight often

As people think things like opposite attracts or that when characters fight and argue and etc it shows their chemistry and potentially (sexual) tension of the two

And this isn’t every enemies to lovers ship but some people are genuinely more into the bad boy or bad girl or bad person, more than then opposite of good boy/girl/person

From appearance wise, some see dark and edgy > simple and clean, personality wise with crazy > generic heroic, to the story aspect as the dark story of the enemy can be more interesting then the normal story of the hero a lot of the time due to complexity and writing quality

Friends to lovers

On the flip side

Friendship to lovers is the ship that covers the exact opposite of enemies to lovers

As some believe you’re supposed to be with someone similar to you in morals, ethics, spiritually, emotionally, etc

And a way some people find that is through their friends / people in mutual interest group (sports, church, clubs, and so on)

It’s why there are tropes of the person finally realizing their best friend was the one or childhood friend were their perfect match

Let alone some people just like it more when people seem to enjoy being around each other in peace vs the opposite of fighting and arguing a lot

Aang-Katara-Zuko shipping stuff

So even after all that I do think some understand that and that isn't the cause of the divide for some

and their disagreements become more of a personal thing or how times have changed since the showed aired back in the early 2000s whether socially or just the fan themselves growing up

Like for example as I've seen this a lot, if you’re a girl it can be hard to put yourself in the place of Katara a 14 year old girl (which would be that 9th grader in high school range) being attracted to a 12 years old (essentially a 7th grader middle schooler (Aang) ) especially when that same girl was attracted to seemingly 16 year olds (11th graders before (Haru and Jet))

But I do think it’s not as cut and dry as a teen being attracted to a person two years younger as unbelievable as some also say that's a pretty shallow reason and people write those people off

Some think Aang is cringe for all his especially early attempts at flirting with Katara. Which not nonly ties into the age thing but the whole sometimes being persistent is bad and harassment which is more and more true as the years goes on as a lot of shows back then had that element of boy tries repeatedly and gets rejected repeatedly then eventually “wore her down”

And on the flipside Zuko harmed that group for a long time and even if unjustified Katara saw him as the representation of her hatred for a period which can have its own downsides when compared to things like abuse and not racism exactly but hating that whole nation almost (there’s a word but I can’t think of it)

They both have things against them

Some aspects just don't appear the same to different people

Like a popular example is the fortune teller episode

Where Katara only thinks of Aang as potential person for her when a fortune teller foresees it

The intention is this cosmic supernatural aspect saying these two are meant for each other

Destiny

Like on one hand Destiny can be super romantic like this person was destined for me, like this is my perfect match, they were made for me

On the other it can feel like you have no agency, like this is the only person for me? Am I just destined to be with this one person I might have never looked at in that way, am I allowed not to choose them?

Some people like that Katara realized Aang was a potential match via this supernatural aspect

Some hate it as it feels like Katara didn't come to become attracted to Aang naturally

On screen vs potential possibilities

Like it was kinda obvious Aang and Katara would end up together despite the distractions from guys like Jet. So the series being written that they naturally have more moments which leads to them being the ship makes sense

So whenever Katara kisses Aang cheek is just evidence that this clearly the ship

Even more than Aang and Zuko at times, Katara and Zuko are parallels so they're interactions even if on opposite sides can also be seen as evidence

But I think this on-screen and potential aspect is mostly on the Zutara side because of how the show went, which gives them more what-ifs

Like Zutara has a lot of what ifs like what if Zuko joined them in Ba sing se? Some genuinely think that would of kicked of Zutara for real

Let alone other aspects that I think people mostly like for story potential like if Katara marries Zuko she becomes the Queen of the fire nation which has a lot of story potential

It doesn't even have to be Zutara alone, can say if they did go Zutara for the writing back in Book 2 they could of easily wrote Taang (Toph and Aang) to be Aangs ship

As just minor example but Toph just being attracted to Aang and not Sokka from a writing viewpoint would make people like them as people like Tokka (Toph x Sokka) for similar reasons

Basically the show was building up to Aang x Katara and if they diverted from that there would be a decent amount of disappointed if literally all that changed was that at the end Katara kissed Zuko

But I think when people see the potential chemistry and interactions of different pairs not just Zutara but people like Sokka with Toph or maybe Katara should of just got with Haru they would have liked it if they wrote around those ships vs the KatAang one

Zutara thoughts

My quick thoughts on zutara is that for me…

I think this is more of a I like Zuko and Katara as characters but not necessarily together

Like I think if the show would of had Zuko with Ty Lee and not Mai people would feel different since Ty Lee is so loved while Mai seems more of an acquired taste and people might not like Zuko with Mai

Like I like Mai but her and Zuko together weren’t handled the best to me, even in the comics they broke up for a period where with Ty Lee at least she would be generally more well liked due to personality differences

Plus people really don’t like how they handled some of the more cringey moments of KatAang which is basically all on Aang which I’ll save for later

So when their main ships are not perfect I see the logic of putting them together along with all the other stuff I mentioned before

I however think what Zuko did while eventually forgiven by Katara doesn’t make him the best option for her but for Zuko Katara is lowkey the best option if we can’t put him with a Ty Lee or somebody like that

As Katara even if not with Aang I could put with someone like Haru or a hypothetically alive Jet whereas if Zuko isn’t with Mai he has the one off characters like the ba sing se girl (I forget her name, the one he went on an actual date with) but no one that comes back making Katara his next option it seems

KatAang thoughts

I don’t mind all the cringey stuff Aang has done lol

I think people really don’t like the kiss during the play as it’s one of those he kissed her without permission moments that gets people riled up as there are definitely examples and instances where it’s not ok irl and in media

But not even including the time the show came out in which definitely is a different time culturally than now

He kissed her before and didn’t have the same reaction and he’s 12/13 they’re allowed to make these mistakes

Plus even though she was confused and doesn’t outwardly say it all the time like Aang does, Katara did like Aang at this point at least that’s how I read it.

So it’s not like he kissed a girl that didn’t like him. Aang to me was basically asking her to be his girlfriend and she’s like maybe after the WAR, whereas he took it as doubt and tried to reassure her. To me it’s two people that like each other but are prioritizing different things as Aang just wants Katara and Katara wants this war over with

And could go on but all their cringey moments aren’t bad worse thing is how realistic some of it can be lol

I think the whole love at first sight and destiny and all that is take it or leave it though

As I know some people don’t believe in love at first sight or just don’t like that trope and that’s admittedly the basis of this ship

I think while they eventually worked up to it well I can see to some their beginning are just as shaky narratively as Zutara

Also Aang doesn’t really have another ship tbh, like someone pointed out that the only person Aang called pretty was Katara and the Painted Lady who was Katara lol

Like if they would have actually played into Ming from that fortune teller village, Toph the only other character his age or even someone like Ty Lee I can see an argument to not make Katara his main ship

Conclusion

I think the KatAang ship is harmless especially given their ages, the show release time period and just general point of the ship narratively therefore I think it’s a good ship

But I won’t lie and say especially earlier on that Zutara, Taang, and other possibilities wouldn’t have made some good if not even better stories depending how it was written just off potential

#avatar aang #avatar netflix #avatar the last airbender #kataang #zutara #aang #katara #zuko #aang x katara #zuko x katara #enemies to lovers #friends to lovers #avatar the last air bender thoughts

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katnissdoesnotfollowback · 6 months

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What's your opinion of President Snow as a character in THG trilogy? Was he a great villain?

* Spoiler for TBOSAS *

After reading the novel, what's your opinion about Coriolanus Snow 'transformation' in the end?

Was it his nature or the way he was nurtured that led him to become the character we know?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

Snow was a Bond villain and I will die on this hill. He's awful, don't get me wrong, and I certainly would never want to meet someone like him, but there are so many more efficient ways for him to get what he wants, for him to keep control of Panem. He fixates so much on Katniss Everdeen that he loses sight of almost every other threat. I mean... why send Peeta back hijacked to kill one person when he could send Peeta to 13 carrying some kind of lethal disease that would wipe out a large portion of 13's population without harming the weapons or infrastructure? He takes on his fight with Katniss and Peeta with single minded determination and basically forgets that his real enemy isn't just this one girl and her pesky tag along baker boy. These are two kids from District 12 who, while they certainly have a large impact, are by no means the largest or most important piece of the rebellion game. At times it feels like they are because we're in Katniss's head and only see her perspective, but the rebellion and the overthrow of the Capitol happens mostly not in front of Katniss.

That said, Snow tells us in Ballad that he has a tendency to be obsessive and fixate on one thing, and if I remember correctly, Collins even drops the foreshadowing line of "it would be his undoing if he didn't learn to control it" or something to that effect in case we missed the point the first time around when he tells Katniss that he was so busy watching her that he didn't see Coin coming. So that's exactly what happened he didn't control his tendency to obsess when it came to Katniss and Peeta.

And I don't think that makes him a "great" villain. I think it makes him the villain that makes sense for this story. And the one with the right kind of flaws for the plot of the original trilogy to make sense and work well.

One of the things that's actually really good about Collins returning to Panem to tell us Snow's story with Ballad is that Snow finally makes sense in the original trilogy, rather than being a caricature villain. He spends the entirety of Ballads obsessed with Sejanus and Lucy Gray, even though he doesn't want to be. He can't figure them out, and while he manages to "beat" them both by literally getting the one killed and possibly killing the other, his actions still stem from his inability to understand them or control them, and therefore his obsession with them. And then 65 years later he does the same thing, only he can't understand and therefore can't control these two kids either and thankfully just keeps (ultimately) failing with his Drama King tactics like dropping a bunch of roses from a bomber in order to play with Katniss's head rather than do something that would, you know... actually be an effective war tactic. And he does it all in the name of trying to get them to kill each other the way he killed Sejanus and Lucy Gray.

As for the nature versus nurture question, I think it's a little bit of both? We are of course, always influenced by the people around us. But the whole thing about Snow being 17 and right on the cusp of adulthood in Ballads is that yes, how you were nurtured impacts your decisions, and he was certainly raised and taught to become what he did, but Snow in Ballads was also literally surrounded by a thousand chances to do the right thing or to become a better person. I don't think he was nurtured in a way that would've made him heroic in our eyes. Not at all. But he didn't have to be so awful. And a lot of it also has to do with the REASONS he does what he does. He only helps Lucy Gray because it helps himself. He only befriends Sejanus because it benefits himself (momentarily). He only listens to Dr. Gaul because it benefits himself, and he ignores Dean Highbottom because those thoughts make him uncomfortable and angry.

There were any number of people showing Snow or telling him how to be kind, humane, thoughtful, and he ignored them all or dismissed them as weak, stupid, inconsequential (how do you like that call back to Peeta's words huh?). Tigris, Lucy Gray, Sejanus, the guy from the bar whose name escapes me but who was always kind to Coryo and his family. And yet Snow actively kept choosing to be a violent, murderous, entitled dickbag.

Thanks for the ask, @curiousnonny!!!

#curiousnonny #thg thoughts #anonymous #look at that ask

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jungleslang · 1 year

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I am absolutely losing my mind over Yeong/Naksu's character in part 2!!!!

It's so insane to me how we're seeing all these different facets of one single character. She was born as Cho Yeong, but we see her first as Naksu, then as Mu-deok, and now as Jin Bu-yeon.

As Naksu she was cold and ruthless and only cared about her mission. In episode 1 of the first part we saw her brutally push a blind girl out of the way and forcefully grab another so she could shift her soul into her body. As Mu-deok, we see her warming up and caring about those around her. She becomes reluctantly heroic and decides to save everyone who's trapped in the ice stone, even giving up her power to do so. And now, as Jin Bu-yeon, she is a sheltered but kind and playful noble lady.

We have seen Yeong in so many contexts. As an infamous assassin, an impertinent maid, and a sheltered lady. But her core personality is still there in all of them. Cho Yeong as Naksu, Mu-deok, and Bu-yeon are all different and yet soooo similar.

Regardless of what name she goes by, I can still tell it's her because she has that exact same boldness and fighting spirit. As Bu-yeon, she is unhappy with her circumstances and so she does everything in her limited power to change them. You would think that having no memories of anything but confinement would make her obedient and docile, but nope. Even though she believes that Lady Jin is her mother and she doesn't want to hurt her, she refuses to go along with the future her (fake) mother has mapped out for her. Mama Jin also talks about the times Yeong has escaped before. That means that Yeong ran away multiple times despite knowing that they would always be able to track her down with the bracelet because she simply cannot stand to do nothing. She herself says that escape is not possible and tells Uk that if she leaves, it would only be an outing. But she does it anyway. Because doing nothing is just not in her nature.

I just love love love that we still see hints of Mu-deok and Naksu in her role as Bu-yeon. Like she points that fire poker straight at Uk's throat with zero hesitation and she even managed to sneak up on him. Uk is a Hwansu level mage now, but he didn't notice her creeping up behind him until she spoke. She still has Mu-deok's cunning and resourceful nature and her quirky charm, too. She knew how powerful Uk was by the way he managed to break the barrier and embed that fire poker into the wall, and she still dared to deceive him. She purposefully made him think that she was more powerful than she actually was so that she could appear useful to him and he would help her. Her first thought upon meeting a powerful stranger who could easily harm her was "how can I use him to get what I want?" That along with the way she slams her hands against the table when she doesn't get her way is such a Mu-deok thing to me.

And that's not even talking about how utterly fucking unimpressed she was when she confronted that body-snatching water monster thing in the second episode. The only memories she has are of being locked in the same room for three years and yet she didn't flinch at that thing for even a second. She actively chased after that monster, coldly stared it down and essentially told it to fuck off before turning her back to walk away. You cannot deny the sheer big dick energy of that move. That cold confidence and fearlessness scream Naksu and you cannot convince me otherwise.

I can't wait to see how all of these versions of her come together when she gets her memories back!!!!!!!!

It's so sad to me that we never got to see her live under her true name, and I really hope the show takes us there by the end. She deserves to finally be able to live as Cho Yeong, the person she really is. And when she does get to live as Yeong, I hope we see elements of all three of her aliases in her personality because they've all shaped her in some way.

#alchemy of souls #alchemy of souls: light and shadow #alchemy of souls spoilers #naksu #cho yeong

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rubykgrant · 7 months

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Some magical animal buddies for a concept story I was playing around with! Each of the main characters has a theme color and animal; pink/rabbit, black/bat, red/red panda (there are more that go through the whole rainbow, plus a few more like teal, gold, etc). Every guardian animal is named either after a fruit or a flower. Cherry Bunny is the companion for the pink magical hero (and an homage to two of the magical girls from my childhood; Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura). Blackberry Bat is the companion for the magical hero with black as the color scheme (and has accents of pale purple, with a little pink/yellow, like actual blackberries turn as they ripen). Rose Panda is the companion for the red themed magical hero (it was difficult but satisfying to figure out how to make the rose pattern work). These would be their "powered-up" forms, with full details. When they're just relaxing with the heroes during calm moments, they are more simplified~

There once was a team of colorful magical girls who protected the world from evil... as the years went by, it seemed that they had finally won, and could retire in peaceful times. However, a dangerous enemy attacked once more, and although the magical girl defeated it, they lost their lives in the process. A lot of buildings were destroyed during the event, with civilians being harmed as well. Many people had to move away from the area...

20 years later, the city has been re-built, and a memorial park is being built in honor of the magical girls who gave their lives to save the world. A group of boys who all lost their mothers in the event are returning for the first time; they once were friends and played together, but have lost touch and grown apart as the years went by (all having their own troubles in adult life, and still with mixed feelings over what happened). As they try to talk and reconnect, the same evil enemy from before begins to gather power and return! The boys are all at the memorial site when they get attacked, and find themselves drawn to mysterious objects hidden in the dirt; these turn out the be the magical items used by the heroic girls, which glow when the boys touch them! They discover they can all transform into "magical dudes"... because their MOTHERS were the magical girls!

They slowly learn to use their new powers and try to find their own roles as guardians against the evil enemies. At first, their outfits all match what the original magical girls wore, which is a bit... awkward. However, as they become more comfortable and confident, the outfits are up-dated to better match their own styles (and some of the dudes realize they kind of like the ribbons and frills).

The flowers/fruit/animals/colors are all part of the aesthetic for each dude, but it also relates to what their powers can do. The red hero creates various weapons from red energy that takes the form of roses, etc. They can all use different methods of attack, defense, and healing. Many of them also have elemental powers part of their theme (fire, electricity, water, and so on).

#character design #magical girl #fantasy creatures

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raspbeyes · 1 year

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my v3 pregame hcs

another quick one while my wrist still dies

Kaede Akamatsu - A popular girl who conceals her more cynical side. Her classmates adore her for her confident and extraverted personality, and can motivate anyone to follow her strong and calm leadership. However, what people dont notice behind her level-headed fascade is that she is quite dubious and suspicious of others, often trying to find the true hidden despair humanity has so she can never be blind sighted by any harm

Shuichi Saihara - Known online as one of the most deductive arg detective, in real life, shuichi is nothing more than a danganronpa obsessed fan boy. Though a sweet albeit very awkward person, he can get a bit obssessive about talking about danganronpa, leaving non fans speechless by how much a nobody like him can talk abt the topic. He's intrigued by the thrill of murder mysteries danganronpa provides, and tries to apply said detective skills with args he finds online

Kaito Momota - The bully with a smile, Kaito has an odd reputation. Not outright aggressive, but definitely your average jock kind of character who would get violent if push comes to shove. But usually, he gives off a laid back attitude around his friends, which somehow makes him more formidable somehow with how confident he is. But behind the manly exterior, Kaito secretly wishes to find a true passion in life, fearing he is doomed to be nothing more than a high school has-been

Rantaro Amami - Returning after his successful run of season 52, Rantaro is a world wide celebrity for his heroic sacrafice in the final trial. But, he has no recollection of it, nor does he want to see any of the footage of the game. He is far more drained, tired of the constant media attention following him and talking about events he cannot even remember. Compared to his considerate pre-52 self, Rantaro is determined to stay alive and while he preached hope on tv, he has lost faith in others and acts like an aloof celebrity behind his dry smile

Maki Harukawa - Maki is a cool-headed girl, very unlike her aggressive in game self. nothing much can phase her, and while she has a calm smile, maki is truly seeking out her next thrill that can actually make her truly feel alive. As such, maki is quite atheltic, working out and very active in the school tennis club

Himiko Yumeno - Even by pg shuichi standards, himiko is quiet. Most take her for as mute since outside of the occassional peep, himiko refuses to talk. Himiko doesn't want to let others in, scared that others can hurt her, and she tries her best to stay in the sidelines and not draw attention to herself. She has a low opinion of herself, and she is just hoping that someone can be the one to reach out to her first

Angie Yonaga - The student activist of the school and class president known as a buzzkill, those outside her inner circle don’t tend to like Angie for her outspoken opinions on a variety of topics. Due to her religious values, she personally finds the idea of Danganronpa detestable, choosing to go to the interview in order to personally confront its creators and demand it be shut down. But to clarify angie doesn't believe her religous beliefs are above others, she simply wants to create a more peaceful world and has dreams of helping everyone

Gonta Gokuhara - Heir of the wealthy Gokuhara bloodline, Gonta has a lot of expectations placed onto him, and as such, he too has high expectations of the people around him as well. Composed and somewhat stoic, he is typically found reading a book in the courtyard, studying, or working out. He is a man of strict schedule imposed by his family, and as such, many find it best to ignore him. He is very perfectionistic and can be quick to criticize other. But in truth, little see how much Gonta applies those standards to himself, never believing himself to be enough for his prestigious family. In truth, Gonta is intimidated by others and feels himself not worthy to speak with them.

Kirumi Tojo - Kirumi Tojo is poor, but her suck-up and stuck-up attitude sure makes it hrd to have such an impression. Top of her grade in terms of academic test scores, Kirumi pushes herself to rise above her low family income to pursue greater things. She works incredibly hard and dedicates herself greatly to give the appearance of a refined student and student council vice president, growing an ego that she will rise above her class. Though well liked by teachers, some people can find her a tad egotistical underneath her high class demeanor. Her constant comparisons with others can be especially grating.

Kokichi Oma - A quiet class representative, Kokichi Oma does a lot to help his class out however he can. Through his wide smiles and numerous good deeds, he is often in charge of a lot of responsibilities, almost to his detriment. Never one for confrontation, he hides himself behind lies to appear more likable and helpful than he is: A classic person pleaser to the highest degree. But he’s not stupid, aware that he is often used, but he can’t push himself to say no to any requests. Behind all his non-judgemental words, he tries to suppress his more joke-ish attitude, sometimes seen stifling an immature laugh to himself.

Korekiyo Shinguji - Kind, studious, but reserved, Korekiyo has many walls up, especially with the fact that nobody has seen the second half of his face. Whispers surround the boy, all of which point to a headline from years ago of an unfortunate tragedy occurring with the death of an upcoming idol that shared the surname of shinguji. Many are convinced Korekiyo is the girl’s younger brother, but without being able to see half of his face and usually hiding behind his hair, there can be no confirmation. But when confronted with such rumors, Korekiyo’s usual collected attitude sours, and he would excuse himself. He appears to be haunted from a ghost of his past.

Miu Iruma - “The blonde, bimbo chick” is what most think when the name, Miu Iruma, is brought up. Popular and surrounded by numerous shallow friends, Iruma is known for her feisty, playful attitude, especially around the boys. But deep down, her aggression stems from her own perceived inferiority, despising that everybody assumes her as stupid and objectify her. It frustrates her to no end that she can’t be seen for anything past her looks, but with her fake friends surrounding her, she doesn’t feel like she can make such an odd complaint to anyone. More than anything, she wish she was spoken to, rather than treated as a joke.

Tenko Chabashira - Energetic and hyper, Tenko is sort of a weird one, always chattering about her latest obsession eagerly. She is not as popular as Miu or Kaede nor is she as smart as Kirumi, but she is just a girl with her own passions who wants to hang out with her friends with similar interests. She adores girl idol groups and devours discussion threads and Twitter posts, and just wants to nerd out about it.

Ryoma Hoshi - A delinquent with not a lot going for him, Hoshi is isolated from others with his jaded attitude. As they say, he’s been on the wrong side of the tracks, and usually doesn’t show up to class, typically skipping or found loitering on school grounds. Not many people give him a chance, his reputation exceeding him but he doesn’t seem to mind it. But, when you get to know him, he shows to give good advice and likes any company he can crack a good joke with.

Keebo - Keebo is created by Team Danganronpa and doesn't know about much of life outside of that. He is only loyal and can obey what he is told to do.

Tsumugi Shirogane - A stressed out DR writer in dire who finally has managed to score the role as lead producer for the latest season after her success with season 52. She is dedicated to her job both as a part of its creation but also as a fan, belieivng that her sole purpose is to continue the danganronpa legacy.

#danganronpa #drv3 #pregame drv3 #pregame shuichi #pregame kaito #pregame kokichi #danganronpa v3 #killing harmony

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sezja · 2 months

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Febuwhump Day 17: Hostage Situation Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV Characters/Ship: Sanson Smyth/Guydelot Thildonnet, Nourval Lhorulgois, Raicheille Lhorulgois Triggers/Content warnings: Child abuse

Previously: Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Once Raicheille has scrubbed away the day's travails, dressed in one of Nourval's long nightshirts (fully a dress on her slight frame), and gotten some food in her, she promptly retreats to the bedroom for a well-earned rest.

It's just as well, Sanson muses; having dealt with the girl during Guydelot's abduction at her uncle's hands a year ago, he knows how much of a handful she can be - and how unconducive to conversation her boundless energy can be, at that. Last year, she'd successfully wrangled him into breaking Nourval out of gaol, and if he cannot deny it was a gamble that paid off, still, he'd just as soon avoid any more of Raicheille's wild schemes if he may.

Although he fears he may have already stumbled into one.

Is that better or worse, though, than the idea that she has no control over the situation?

"It was the Order's understanding," he says, breaking the tense silence that settles over the three of them once the girl leaves. "That your parents had no part in Astarnaix's plot, and that your sister could be safely returned to their custody."

Nourval nods, weary. "He wouldn't have told them, not after I..." He glances at Sanson, then drops his gaze, staring intently at the floor. "I'd known things must be terrible for her at home. I knew. But I'd assumed... I don't know. They'd never gone so far as to beat her, not while I lived under their roof. Raised voices, aye; locked in her room, aye - but starving her, beating her? She's too young yet for a serious betrothal." He shakes his head. "They've fallen out of favor with Astarnaix's cronies, plainly, and they're trying to win their way back with a good marriage. She's the only coin they've left to spend."

Guydelot looks deceptively calm, leaning casually against a wall. "Aye, and they're doing their level best to polish her up, never mind if it leaves a few dents." Sanson wagers only he can see the thunderclouds brewing behind his bard's eyes, and the fury hidden behind his relaxed posture. Guydelot may not like Nourval, but that doesn't mean he'll stomach what's being done to an innocent girl.

"I should have argued for custody of her," Nourval says, hands curling into fists. "After Astarnaix, knowing what she would be returning home to-"

"You were in no fit state to argue for anything," Sanson protests, remembering all too well how perilously close to death Nourval had been; if the man had even been conscious enough to protest his sister's return to their parents, Sanson would have been astonished.

Guydelot cuts in, "Even if you had been, I reckon they'd've been reluctant to let her stay with a man who'd broken out of gaol."

"He was released under the authority of myself and Commander Vorsaile Heuloix," Sanson replies primly, fighting a smile.

"Aye, so says the official report. Now."

There had been a great deal of back-and-forth, and for a time, Sanson had been certain he'd be stripped of rank, and Vorsaile too. In the end, discretion won out: the plot had been exposed and halted before any harm could be done to the delicate negotiations between Gridania and Ala Mhigo, and none could deny the role Nourval had played in it. House arrest seemed a fair compromise between allowing Nourval to walk free despite his past actions, and condemning him to prison once again despite his more recent heroics.

But house arrest is surely no place for a girl of fifteen... unless, of course, her home life is so dreadful as to make even this seem a paradise by comparison.

"Well," he says, quiet. "The question is... what do we do now?"

Silence.

It's Guydelot who breaks it first, pushing away from the wall. "Well, one thing's for sure - we can't just hide her here forever. I figure your parents know she's fond of you?" He looks at Nourval, who hesitates, then nods. "Right. So if this ain't the first place they'll think to search for her, it sure as hells won't be the last, either. And all they'll have to do is tell those nice lads out front that they're looking for their daughter, and wouldn't you know it? We brought a girl matching her description here a few bells ago."

"You'd aid her?" Nourval peers up at the bard, surprised. "After I..."

"What, held Sanson hostage? Tried to stir up a war?" Guydelot shrugs. "Your uncle did the same thing, twice as bad. I reckon bastard just runs in the family."

"Then-"

"But the way I see it, I owe the lass a favor or two." He smiles, flexing his hands; they may still ache from time to time, Sanson knows, but he's otherwise healed nicely from his ordeal. "Besides, look at it this way. This time, it's sort of like we've got the hostage, seeing as we've got what they want."

Nourval's face is mutinous. "I will not hand her back into their keeping."

"Never said you should. We're in a position to negotiate, is all."

Oh no. Sanson inhales sharply. "Guydelot. What are you planning?

#febuwhump #febuwhump2024 #febuwhumpday17 #my writing #sanson smyth #guydelot thildonnet #nourval lhorulgois #raicheille lhorulgois #local bard has Ideas; may come to regret them #(sanson may also come to regret them)

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endangered-liaison · 5 months

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The Knight Before Starlight

The kiseru twists this way and that between Max’s fingers. She’d seen it in the markets, and Starlight was coming up, so…she’d bought it. It was only once she made back to the apartment she and Gloria were sharing that she realised the person she’d bought it for was near-impossible to contact.

How do you find a wandering cowgirl? Especially one who left to find herself in the first place? That’s too much finding for her tastes, and she sucks at it. Give her prey to track and she’ll follow them across half the world. Give her a friend to follow and…well. There’s a reason she came to Othard. Sometimes you need to go somewhere where you won’t be followed. Sometimes people follow anyroad. Sometimes you need help.

But Laelia doesn’t need help. She needs space. Room to think. Max, of all people, can understand that. She never expected to understand it, but she does.

“That’s quite a fine pipe!” a voice pipes (hah) up from right in front of her, and Max jumps like a startled opossum. She’s either getting too rusty or too relaxed because somehow Ser Basile Bellerose, The Least Sneaky Man In Any Given Room, has managed to surprise her. He stands before her in the theatre, hands on his spandex-clad hips and cowboy hat perched daintily on a head slightly too large to it. “But I was under the impression you couldn’t smoke?”

Max opens her mouth to respond, but evidently the man’s thought processes are still going strong as his mouth falls open in some realisation and he continues.

“Have you found some sort of tobacco or moko which doesn’t harm your lungs?” he asks. Then: “Magic and botany are both equally impressive in my books, and either one could offer you the experience of finally being able to smoke as your image suggests you should!!”

He’s right about her image. Every ilm of her screams that she’s some sort of troublemaking layabout smoking cigarettes and threatening to put them out on the nearest intimidatable person. But that’s never been her fate. She speaks up before he has a chance to take his enthusiastic thought processes even further in something that feels vaguely like trying to derail the phantom train. “Nah. I saw it in the markets - got it for Lee.”

That causes the light behind his eyes to do a strange series of things. It dims, brightens, dims again, then brightens once more to an almost zealous enthusiasm. “Laelia! Of course, I’m sure she’d love to receive such a thoughtful gift, and to know she’s in your thoughts! I’m sure she’d also like that smokeless tobacco as well!” Evidently, after being derailed, the train somehow managed to find a second set of tracks, mount on to them, then perform some complicated technique of multi-track drifting.

Max feels out of her depth, and she was a semi-professional sapper. The man’s enthusiasm is truly dizzying, in that after speaking to him Max isn’t sure what way is up and kind of feels like hurling. In the nicest possible way. “Yeah. Figured she’d like it, but…you have any idea how to get somethin’ to her? Girl makes off-grid look like a tourist trap.” If anyone knows, it’s going to be the man wearing her hat.

He crosses his arms over his barrel chest, pacing this way and that while looking deep in thought. Ten seconds pass. Fifteen. Twenty five.

“Not a clue! Shall we go?”

What. “Huh?”

Basile beams, sparkling teeth and wit. “We know she’s in Ilsabard. We know she has a large dog with her, and we know exactly the sort of heroics that she would get up to! If you have a starlight gift for her then by Halone, I think we should deliver it!”

Max blinks.

This man truly is insane.

“...Alright.”

Two weeks later, the two find themselves once more wearing their winter clothes and once more in the cold of Ilsabard. Max’s teeth chatter. She’d forgotten how much the cold sucked.

Basile has not so much ‘swapped out’ his cowboy hat as he has ‘perched a starlight hat on top of it’. It seems to be holding on through the Garlean winter winds by force-of-will, force-of-personality, or him tugging it over the hat like pulling on a tight pair of socks. It’s genuinely impressive watching the little white bobble blow in the wind from his position on the sidecar of Max’s motorbike.

They’ve been searching for a week. Three towns and a survivor settlement down and all they have to go on is a vague rumour about an oversized dog (which turned out to be a bear), talk of someone riding a horse through the wastes and helping everyone she came across (which turned out to be a strange miqo’te with what looked like an even stranger unicorn), and some rabble-rousing nonsense about the XXVIIth Legion returning to bring them to a new glorious age and to crush the Eorzeans once more. Garlemald doesn’t even have a twenty-seventh legion.

“This was dumb,” Max says, and gets a mouth full of snow to thank for it.

They’ve just stopped for the evening in some old, abandoned town, and she doesn’t know how much longer they can keep this search going. There’s a whole continent Laelia could be in, and that’s assuming she’s even still in Ilsabard.

No. She’d have sent a message if she’d left. She would’ve.

“Perhaps so! But in my experience, the difference between dumb things and brilliant things is simply a matter of perseverance!” Somehow, Basile’s spirit remains utterly undaunted as he dismounts from the sidecar, unfolding his limbs from it and beginning his routine of stretching that he’s done every day since they started riding together. “We shall find her, whether by force of will or Starlight Miracle.”

Max lifts their camping equipment from the back of the motorbike, giving Basile a Look. She’s been giving him more and more Looks recently, but somehow he never seems to notice them.

One more week. One more week, then they’ll turn back.

They don’t have a week.

Max awakes the next morning to the sound of gunfire in the warehouse they’d camped out in. By the time she rolls out of her tent, pistol in one hand and knife in the other, it’s risen to a cacophony of clashing blades and cannonfire.

She’s greeted by the sight of Basile fighting a half-dozen Warmachina. Quite where they’d come from, Max has no idea. Did they pass by an obscura last night? Are they here to give her a speeding ticket? She doesn’t know, and she isn’t much in the mood for asking as she raises her pistol and blasts one of the bladed, skittering ones apart.

Basile throws her a thumbs up and a cheerful “My thanks!” before swinging his gunblade once more, carving a wheeled nightmare like a starlight turkey.

Debris litters the warehouse, and it’s clear he’s already dealt with the worst of them. But it’s equally clear that he’s getting tired, and Max fires off four rounds at the biggest baddest of them all - a Colossus - before joining the fray with her blade.

The Colossus barely seems to care about such petty gunfire, and Max finds herself wishing she’d taken the time to grab her grenades from the tent. But life isn’t for regrets and she’ll have plenty of time to wish she’d made better choices if it cuts her in half. Basile blasts apart the last of the chaff, then turns to face the metal beast. His gunblade roars as it cleaves into the thing’s leg, and Max uses the opportunity to clamber aboard it, ramming her knife into the space between two armour plates and twisting until she hears servos whine. She pulls the knife free, climbing further up its frame before she’s grabbed by the Colossus’s free hand. It squeezes tight enough for her ribs to creak then tosses her halfway across the room. She lands with a dull thud but the ringing in her ears drowns it out.

She watches in dull horror as the Colossus raises its enormous sword, aiming directly at her. It’s ignoring Basile completely, focused on eliminating one target at a time. Starting with the weakest link.

It swings.

Max closes her eyes.

There’s an almighty clash of metal.

When she opens her eyes, Basile is in front of her, his own sword blocking the Colossus’s. It’s heroic. It’s magnificent. It feels like some sort of badass music should be playing in the background.

But he’s struggling. Max doesn’t need to be a mage to see his strength fluctuate. His posture shifts, and his leg bends. He falls to one knee, gritting his teeth. “Max! Run!”

She climbs to her feet, unsteady. She has to do something to help. There has to be something she can do to help.

But before she even has a chance to move, the warehouse echoes once more with the sound of a gunshot. The Colossus’s head snaps back, a bullet piercing clean through its armoured chassis. It slumps, falling to one side. Defeated.

Basile rests his weight on his sword, gasping for breath and clutching his chest. Max stumbles over towards him, dizzy and barely standing.

They both look towards the source of the gunshot.

Laelia Belisar lowers the rifle in her hands, barrel smoking and faintly glowing from whatever round she used. Beside her, Brutus chews on the leg of a piece of magitek like an oversized bone. “Um.” She smiles, and offers an awkward wave. “Hey guys.”

Basile is the first to recover. He rushes over to Laelia, regaling her with tales of Starlight Miracles, starlight hat bobbling away and the brightness of his eyes even brighter than normal. He practically seems to be glowing and, after a few moments of shock, Laelia relaxes into it like a familiar campfire. She smiles, and laughs, and offers him a hug.

“It’s good to see you both,” she says, genuinely, and it’s like fresh kindling on the flames of Basile’s enthusiasm.

He insists on hearing everything about Laelia’s time since they last spoke, nodding rapidly to everything she says while he plays with Brutus. He hears of frontiers and homesteads, of talk about expeditions to the New World. Of people lost. Of people found.

“So, there was this one town where some chick calling herself The Razor had set up shop. She said she’d broken out of prison in Thanalan or something, and she was trying to start up some new Garlean movement. With a name like that, I dunno what she was aiming for.” She’s got a starlight hat on by now, cheeks red from the alcohol Max had been carrying in their supplies and the campfire they’d made to fight off the cold.

Even Max has put a hat on, a grin on her face as they sit close to one another.

“So…time for the million gil question.” Laelia interrupts her own storytime to ask it. “Much as I’m happy to see you both, what’s brought you out here? We just finished with one apocalypse, and if you’ve shown up to tell me about another one I swear I’m going to kick you out into the cold and steal the rest of this booze–”

That has Max’s smile fading a little, and she runs her fingers through her hair self-consciously. It’s been getting long, recently. She doesn’t mind it. It used to bother her, but those times are long since passed. “Nah,” she says. “The World’s goin’ fine. I just…missed you.”

There’s a few seconds of silence as Laelia seems to be trying to work out how to reply to that. Max and Basile came out here, a week into the colds of Ilsabard, because Max missed her? “Bull! Shit!” Lee shoves Max’s shoulder, laughing. “Come on. Seriously now, Sawyer. I know you too well, and I know you came out here for a reason. Apocalypse and family are the only things that could drag you this far north without handcuffs.”

The fire crackles.

The camp is quiet, save for the sound of Brutus attempting to eat Basile’s entire arm.

“Well, you ain’t wrong about that,” Max finally concedes. She reaches into her pack and withdraws a parcel. It’s wrapped in brown paper, with a rough bow tied on it with twine. She hands it over to Laelia. “Family’s the only thing that could drag me this far, kickin’ and screamin’. Happy Starlight, Lee.”

Laelia stares at Max for a long time. She looks at Basile, and Brutus. She looks at the package in her hands.

She leans forwards, and wraps Max in a hug. “Thank you. I…thank you.”

Max buries her face against Lee’s shoulder, gripping the leather of the woman’s jacket as she returns the hug fiercely. “You ain’t even opened it yet.”

“Shut up, Sawyer.”

Across the fire, Basile watches the two with a smile, and wraps his own mighty arm around Brutus to give him a fine hug. “A Starlight Miracle, my friend. Or sheer, stubborn force of will!”

Brutus boofs approvingly, and the knight rubs his ear.

“But I prefer to trust in a little magic.”

((Featuring @snowbird-down 's Laelia, and @autochthonousone 's Basile!))

#max sawyer #Laelia Belisar #Basile Bellerose #This was my christmas gift for Lee and Basile's players!#And with their kind permission I now share it with you all

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twisted-art-wounders · 6 months

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ML Found You

Remade my short blrub form 2019 I wrote the OG before Chat Blanc aired so now with new knowledge I can write a better version of ym old short, idk if I'll write more yet I'll see how well this one does and go form there. Gonna update the art too...it's so bad.

Marinette's eyes were glued to the screen on her desk, her knees were pressed up to her chest as she sat sunken her pink computer chair. Fear and disbelief in her blue bell eyes while the rest of her body stayed frozen in place. Biting her lower lip she watched the reporter Nadja Chamack inform the public of the current disaster terrorizing Paris. Normally this would be Marinette's call to action; to dawn her Ladybug persona and swing off into the heart of the city to deal with the oncoming treat it was her job after all.

As one half of the dynamic duo responsible for keeping all Parisians safe she has to go out there and face this new evil. But no she found herself frozen in shock and fear as she read the title of the new broadcast “Chat Noir Turned Evil? Paris in danger!”. She couldn't believe it, no she wouldn't believe it! Chat Noir would never turn his back on Paris and harm innocent people! This was her partner, her friend, and fellow hero! There's no way he would have turned evil on his own! It had to be Hawkmoth's doing! Her heart was racing or maybe it was aching...either way it was all she could hear anymore as the sound of her heart beat started to drown out everything around her.

Tikki floated beside her holder's head worry in her eyes as she watched Marinette sit as still as a statue. She too looked at the screen, as she did her antenna perked up before she looking to Marinette again and spoke.

“Marinette! We should go shouldn't we?”

Tikki waited for a response but didn't receive one so she tried again.

“Marinette...we have to go now! Or Paris may really be doomed!”

Once again she was met with more silence form the girl, it was like she was lost in her own mind spiralling out of control. Everything was flooding into her mind all at once; Chat Noir he must have been captured by Hawkmoth! And when he wouldn't give up what knowledge he had on Ladybug he must have been akumatized! And now the villainous Hawkmoth was using him to draw her out! She'd have to face an akumatized Chat Noir! It was like a nightmare coming true!

Tikki floated in front of her face trying to break the trace Marinette was in she placed her tiny single unit hands on Marinette's face forcing their blue eyes meeting each other, Tikki again shouted loudy.

“Marinette please! We HAVE to go!”

Finally, it was like the light had properly returned to her eyes again and Marinette blinked before focusing on Tikki and world around her. Sound returned and so did everything else, she shook her head quickly looking directly at Tikki who'd backed off after the head shake.

“Ti-Tikki?” Marinette rubbed her eyes as they finally focused properly allowing her to readjust to reality. “We...I-” Marinette cleared her throat and quickly stood up out of her chair, striking a heroic pose Marinette was now ready.

“We need to go!” Marinette shouted as she was about to say the transformation words to Tikki, a great booming echo launched all around her making her stumble a little. Marinette looked around in confusion as once again the dooming echo surrounded them again this time was loader then before. She grabbed onto a wall trying to steady herself as she looked around confused.

“Wh-what is that?”

Marinette asked as again the dooming echo drew closer and even more loudly causing everything in her room to shake bit by bit. Spools of thread started to tumble and roll of her sewing desk, papers and pens flew off her study while books and other objects started to fall off the shelves.

With each boom growing louder and more violent then the previous one, it finally hit her what this reminded her of...foot steps. Not just any foot steps these foot steps sounded like they belonged to something...or someone huge. Suddenly they stopped and all was still, her room was still a mess but the echoing booming had stopped.

Quickly she ran towards her rounded window to try and see just what was causing the all the commotion outside but all she was met with was a gigantic icey blue eye. She screamed and jumped back quickly losing her footing again and falling backwards onto her behind. She looked at the window again as the dark blue almond shaped iris focused on her fully. These slightly slited eyes it reminded her of a cat's eyes...Chat Noir's eyes!

“Ch-chat Noir?”

Marinette scooted back a bit form the window as the giant eye narrowed in on her, so cold and focused nothing like the warm gentle green of Chat Noir's eyes, these where the eyes of a hunter that has just found it's prey.

Suddenly the entirety of her room shook violently as the roof to her room was starting to be torn open. White clawed fingers dug into the ceiling and ripped the entirety of the roof away, the open sky above was now replaced with an enormous white gloved hand reaching down towards her. She felt like she was a mouse caught in a trap!

Marinette could barely find her nerve as the enormous fingers slowly wrapped around her body and she was scooped up and into he waiting palm of her captor. Marinette was taken out of her room and held in the hand of what looked like Chat Noir. But he was different...Chat Noir's costume was a black suit and mask with blonde hair and green eyes; this costume this Chat Noir...It was like he was bleached, he was all white form his hair to his suit the only real colour on him was his icey blue eyes, it matched with his cold aura that surrounded him...

Not to mention he was enormous! Large enough that her top of her home only reached the top of his chest, he had to have bent down a bit just to look into her window the way he did. Chat Noir brought the hand holding Marinette closer to his face this made the girl yelp in surprise as she was forced into looking directly into the face of the giant Chat Noir.

At first there was no expression on his face as he glared at the small girl in his hand, it made her so nervous she wasn't sure what was going on in his mind but it couldn't be good. After what seemed like way too long to be looking at anyone his eyes lit up, a wide cheshire like grin grew from ear to ear it was such an unnerving smile it made her skin crawl.

“Found you...”

#marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #chat blanc #miraculous #gt #fan fic #fan art

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sirowsky-stories · 6 months

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Recovery

Sirowsky's 600 & 700 Followers Celebration

Submitted by @yourstrulylightstar283 No prompts for this one, it's based on This Ask. Character: Marcus Moreno

Rating: Mature 18+ONLY Warnings: Marcus Moreno x Original Female Character Sarah, plus daughters Missy and Bianca. AU. Allusions to severe injuries. Flashbacks. Comfort and fluff. Word Count: 680 Masterlist of the Celebration Sirowsky's Main Masterlist

It’s been over a month when he’s finally discharged from the hospital, and it feels so good to be back home. Of course, his last mission with the Heroics had to have gone bad, sending him into retirement with a bang. He’s not sure why he ever expected that it would just go smoothly, because that’s almost never been the case in the past.

Thankfully though, he is alive and well on his way back to normal, surrounded by family and friends, all of whom have been there for him every step of the way. He still has a long way to go with months of physical therapy to get through before he’ll be considered fully recovered, but there’s no rush. He’s got everything he needs right here at home, because that’s where his girls are.

They’re in the kitchen today, preparing a small feast to celebrate his survival and homecoming, and he happily sits in a reclining armchair in the living room, watching the three of them bustle about, helping each other with the various dishes while joking around and having fun. God, he loves the sounds of their happiness.

Once all the dishes are finished, they help him get to the table since he still gets winded if he exerts himself too much. The long-term effects of a busted lung. Then Missy calls for everyone’s attention.

“So, I know that it’s Halloween this weekend, but I thought that maybe we could look at this like a mini Thanksgiving dinner. Because I feel like we all have so much to be thankful for right now and I, for one, don’t feel like focusing on anything scary for a good long while.”

“I think that’s a great idea, sweetheart,” Sarah agrees, and Missy smiles at her adoptive mother before turning to her adoptive sister.

“Is that alright with you, Bianca?”

“Of course,” her little sister agrees. “You know I don’t like spooky stuff anyway.”

Marcus hears them agree and start to chatter happily about all the things they’re grateful for right now, but his mind is drifting. A light sting of pain from his damaged side has brought him back to that night. To the fight and the loss. The terrible pain that he suffered as his body was broken long before he lost consciousness. How he’d tried to keep fighting to protect his teammates.

He remembers every punch and every cut, followed by the unyielding pavement that had broken his fall, after he’d been hurled ten feet into the air, finally leaving him unable to rise back up anymore. And he remembers waking up but being unable to ask about his team. Not knowing if he’d failed to protect them had scared him more than his own condition had.

“Dad?” Missy’s voice reaches him, breaking through the haze of pain and fear, and he refocuses to find all three of them staring at him with concerned expressions now.

Clearly, they’ve been trying to get his attention more than once.

“I’m okay,” he assures them. “I just… needed to remember.”

They know what he means by that. How he sometimes can’t stop the images, but has to let them live and be real, because if he tries to bury or ignore them, they come back in the form of crippling nightmares or unbearable headaches.

“Did it pass?” Bianca asks quietly, and he smiles softly at her.

“It always does when I’m around my girls.”

That makes them all smile, relieving all tension from the room as they dig into the delicious food that they’ve spent all afternoon making. And Marcus thinks to himself that it doesn’t matter what he’s been through, because the network of support that surrounds him will forever protect him from any real harm. Their love shields his heart and keeps the deepest and most precious parts of his mind safe.

Through the care that they give to his soul, he has in some ways already fully recovered. And that’s what he’s gonna tell them that he’s thankful for, every Thanksgiving for as long as he lives.

THE END

I'm sorry for the delay @yourstrulylightstar283 but all the little stories I've been writing for this celebration really helped to inspire me to write this, so I hope you like it.

@pedrostories @harriedandharassed

#Sirowsky's 600 & 700 Followers Celebration #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal character fanfiction #marcus moreno fanfiction #marcus moreno x original female character #marcus moreno x ofc #we could be heroes fanfiction #we could be heroes #au fic #halloween writing #halloween fic #spooky season fic #spooky season #sirowsky stories

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ksfoxwald · 6 months

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Fire and Hemlock Readalong: Part 3 Chapter 4

There's a LOT of ground to cover here, so let's go!

Polly returns home to Granny, who calls Ivy out on her bullshit. Children don't have a lot of context for the way adults act, but we're seeing with the quartet and now with Granny that there are now adults saying that the way Ivy treats Polly is not okay, and that starts to make it more real.

Granny decides that she is going to get custody of Polly in a decidedly "warlike" manner - so we have another female hero in some ways, another way of women to be powerful besides imitating men (Hero) or using sex to control men (Laurel).

We also see the return of Seb, this time with a camera. Polly already has two significant photos from the House, and Seb's may or may not be considered a third. Laurel, it seems, prefers music but does like the arts in general, as several of her other conquests have been photographers, though whether Seb is aware of this is unknown.

Photography is an interesting motif because it's a way of capturing an image that is supposedly true, but as we've seen with the shifting nature of the Fire and Hemlock photo, that is not always the case. It's another blurring of real/unreal like Nowhere.

Granny, strangely, encourages Seb's crush on Polly, though Polly herself is dubious, at first not realizing what Seb wants and then feeling uncomfortable about it. Perhaps Granny is compensating for her earlier hostility toward Tom. Or perhaps she sees him as less threatening because he's closer in age to Polly, but he's like sixteen to Polly's twelve, which is still highly questionable. In fact, when Polly finally does manage to tell him off, that's exactly what she says. "Go away and don't come back for a year! I'm too young!"

At school Polly performs in Twelfth Night, another classic crossdressing story, and Nina is going through an activist phase like any good queerling. It's a bit heroic of her, honestly, and yet another way she parallels Polly. The girls also manage to meet Leslie at Town Hall as they had arranged earlier, and though we don't learn much, we do establish that he and Seb know each other and that he has a "broken home of some kind." I guess your dad pretending that your mom is actually his sister in order to hide from a Faerie Queen can be considered a broken home.

Meanwhile, Polly finally manages to compose her Epic Novel about Nowhere. Interestingly we do get a mention of a bit where "Hero herself became a king's daughter who had to run away from home because of the machinations of her beautiful but evil girl-cousin," a trope which I earlier noted seemed conspicuously absent but fits with her unconscious dismissal of women as heroes. The whole novel is very tropey, because she is fourteen. Tom's response is the iconic:

Sentimental drivel.

In a way this is also one of the pictures from the House coming true. One of the rejected pictures was of a knight praying at an altar; Polly suggests he might be a trainee-hero, and Tom says it's "soppy." In any case, we've known Tom has Opinions on this sort of thing since the beginning.

The scene we get as an example is of Tan Coul getting wounded in the shoulder, and Hero having to dress the wound, while admiring the "smooth, powerful muscles rippling under the silken skin of his back."

Polly's latent sexuality is emerging in this scene, though she's still only comfortable expressing it in her imagination and not in reality; Her reaction to Seb kissing her is "What a funny thing to do! What do people see in it?"

But every teenager knows that there is a huge difference between a hurt/comfort fic starring your self-insert OC and a clumsy teen boy who, as Granny puts it "When he's noticed there are other people in the world besides himself, there might be no harm in Master Sebastian."

Polly is furious at Tom, demanding an explanation, so he sends her a very vivid description of normal human backs by way of Sam. But it's not until Polly goes and talks with Ivy, who has a new lodger and blames Polly for all her problems, that she realizes "there were ways of thought that were quite unreal, and the same ways went on being unreal even in the hero business."

This is a very fundamental part of Diana's writing. In her essay "Two Kinds of Writing" she describes part of her process as being "Now what would really happen [to these real people] in this situation?" (the situation being crashing a spaceship in an alternate world in order to seduce ascetic monks, because of course it is. Go read A Sudden Wild Magic if you can get your hands on it, it's bonkers even by DWJ standards).

But this also reminds me of current Discourse in fantasy circles about "realism," because it usually comes down to "it's not realistic for people to be brown or queer in a medeivalesque setting" vs. "if you can accept dragons why not queer people or people of color?", I haven't seen much talk on defining what "realism" means for fantasy, and what purpose it serves. Because fantasy is about making up situations, but the people should still behave like people, and that means there will be queer people and people of color and people with a variety of backs that most definitely do not look like silk.

Tom, of course, has an agenda here, because the things they make up work better when they are rooted in reality. Their magic is in many ways a metaphor for the creative process (see also Diana's novel Hexwood, which is in many ways a metaphor for the editing process) as well.

Perhaps seeing Polly with the quartet also reframed Tom's concept of their relationship, because he's pulling away again. He does not come to Twelfth Night - which is ultimately a romance - but he does come to Sports Day, which is part of Polly's hero training and thus puts her back in the safely nonsexual category of "boy/child assistant." Still, he does not stay and talk, leaving only a postcard with a drawing of himself as a kangaroo before the quartet sets off on a tour of Australia.

"He thinks I'm just a child!" Polly said angrily. "Well you are," said Granny.

Polly seems to have forgotten her "I'm too young!" to Seb; or perhaps does not see any connection to her relationship with Tom; or perhaps is simply experiencing the Nowhere state of being a teenager as constantly too-young and too-old all at the same time.

#fh readalong #fire and hemlock #dwj

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archeryn · 18 hours

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Random ahh scenarios with Katniss (Katniss x Reader)

As title says

Reader is afraid of bugs (Gender neutral)

Just hunting out in the woods with Katniss like usual, her with her bow and arrows while you had your (weapon/item of choice.) As you rest against the tree trunk, you notice a little lime worm dangling from above. Your movements were limited, the worm was inches away from contact with you, and you had no plan on touching that thing.

"Uhh, Katniss!" You call out to her in a whisper-shout. She seems too focused on waiting for game to hear you. You decide that you handle the situation yourself, to not disturb her for a pretty dumb reason. Carefully, you scoot to the side, trying to avoid the bug, but it suddenly descended on your leg.

You couldn't help but let out a scream, watching as it moves on your lap. This triggers Katniss' survival instincts and she loads her bow as she dashed to you.

"What happened!?" She asks as you shuffle around in one spot, hoping the worm gets off-but it didn't help.

Finally, you find your words and speak. "There's a bug on me!" You point to the innocent little green thing. This causes her to chuckle and pick the worm up without hesitation. You could never understand how she doesn't find bugs gross.

"It's not gonna do you any harm." Katniss says, flicking the worm to another direction. Yay! Heroic Katniss has saved the day! Until you spot another green worm crawling up your arm. 😨

Reader is girly(?) (Femenine)

You told Katniss you owned many bows, just to play around with her.

Katniss thought you meant this bow: 🏹

But really, you meant this bow: 🎀

She was surprised since not many people she knew were into archery. On a random Thursday, you invite her over to your house after school to show off your "bows." You felt bad for exciting her, convinced she could have another archer friend. (☹️☹️)

You awkwardly display your set of bows and ribbons to her, pretty and silky. Katniss' excitement quickly drains to disappointment. (DW DW IT HAS A GOOD ENDING)

"Girl, you made me think I could have another friend who also likes archery." She tells you.

Daaaamn. Though you enjoyed keeping yourself clean and tidy, you have taken an interest in archery. Even if it's a toy, Katniss can use a toy bow and arrow at school and hit pretty accurately. She always won the bow and arrow games in gym.

"Sorry for disappointing you with the 'bows,' but archery is actually pretty cool. You should teach me sometime!" You smile, hoping it could cheer her up, and it does.

"If you can't sneak out into the woods, then we'll use a toy. Not the best, but will do." She says. "I'll teach you how to win in bow and arrow games."

➳༻❀✿❀༺➳

Guys I think I'm supposed to be asleep right now but I didn't feel like it, wonder how I still get through school uhhhhhhhsh

My writing might be trash because I'm sleepy and I don't have my glasses on, so apologies, I'm gonna try to upload daily but I keep no promises

Ty for reading jsjsjsjs have a good day/night <3

#katniss everdeen #katniss everdeen x you #katniss everdeen x reader #katniss x reader #the hunger games #hunger games x reader

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animebw · 1 year

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Alright, now that I’ve had some time to process, I’ve come up with some thoughts on what I want to see from Lycoris Recoil’s recently announced second season. Honestly, I’m excited: I always felt that the last episode was more of a season 1 finale than a full series finale, so getting a chance to follow up on all its unresolved threads could lead to something truly incredible. Or it might completely fuck everything up, who knows? Regardless, here’s what I would do if I was in charge of writing season 2, below the cut.

So the biggest issue with LycoReco season 1 is how unconclusive its politics end up being. You’ve got a full-on secret police of cute anime girls maintaining the illusion of peace at any cost, one of the two protagonists rejects the violence-first mentality of her organization and tries to solve conflict non-lethally, the antagonist wants to blow a lid open on the whole scam and show Japan their peace is built on a lie, and the ending resolves... none of that. Majima revealing the Lycoris’ existence to the public is somehow papered over by the flimsiest of propaganda, but both he and his guns are still out there promising to cause havoc in such a way that it can no longer be ignored, and the Lycoris organization remains basically unchanged. It’s clearly trying to say something about the conflict between giving up rights for peace and giving up safety for freedom, but it doesn’t come to any answers by the time the final episode wraps. Which is why I’m glad we’re now getting a season 2, because the inconclusive nature of that ending makes way more sense as a thematic To Be Continued than a conclusion in its own right. And if everything goes right in season 2, it’ll be a lot more forgivable considering what it helped to bring about.

So the big question is, of course, how do you follow up those threads? How do you tell a satisfying story about grappling with a fascist police state that actually, you know, says something about grappling with a fascist police state?

Well, if it was up to me? I’d go full Gen Urobuchi on its ass.

To be clear, I’m not saying LycoReco season 2 should turn into a greek tragedy and kill lots of characters very messily. That’s not the kind of show it’s been, it would be too big a tonal swerve (though I do absolutely think season 2 should be darker overall). No, what I mean is that it should borrow Urobuchi’s fascination with heroic ideals being tested and broken against the complexities of reality. If the ultimate end goal is to either destroy the Lycoris program outright or at least reform it into a non-fascist functioning community service (as it should damn well be), then both our leads, especially Chisato, will have to seriously consider what it means to protect people from harm, and what responsibility a governmental organization like this has to do so ethically. And that’s gonna demand some hard questions that the first season didn’t really get around to asking.

Consider: Chisato’s nonviolent philosophy stems from her desire to create a world where everyone can be happy. She refuses to kill, even when her target arguably deserves it, because she believes she can make a better world by solving things without bloodshed. A noble goal, to be sure, and one that puts her at odds with the rest of the Lycoris program. But, well, it’s not like Chisato is actively fighting against the Lycoris program either. She’s content to walk her own renegade path, solving problems her own way, while the organization she’s a part of continues on its bloody streak regardless. She may not kill anyone herself, but as long as she’s part of the Lycoris program in the first place, she’s still contributing to an engine of death that’s surely executing far more people than she can possibly save. And if Chisato truly wants to create a peaceful world where no one has to die, well... won’t that require doing something about the people who are responsible for the most needless death?

So if I was writing LycoReco season 2? That’s the angle I would explore. Majima’s schemes start causing chaos around Japan, the Lycoris program becomes even more authoritarian in response, and Chisato and Takina are pulled out of semi-retirement in Hawaii to help in the anti-terrorist efforts. But as things escalate and the Lycoris become even more violent and totalitarian in their efforts to keep the peace, Chisato will be forced to confront the fact that like it or not, she’s part of a system that’s working against her pacifistic goals. And if she truly wants to build a better world, then the Lycoris program in its current form needs to go. Which means not just acting as a free spirit inside the program, but outright opposing it and everything it stands for. Thus Chisato and Takina will become targets for both Majima’s terrorists and all our former Lycoris friends from season 1. Of course, plenty of those Lycoris will probably be reluctant to fight Chisato and Takina after they saved everyone’s asses in season 1, which eventually leads to a revolution from the inside as characters like Fuki and Sakura reject their boss’ orders in favor of following in Chisato’s pacifist footsteps. Eventually things climax in a big fight where the Lycoris program is destroyed, Japan is set on a course toward a less authoritarian future, and Chisato and Takina get to kiss in the sunrise of a new world.

Speaking of, Chisato’s crisis of faith could be a really fantastic way to officially jumpstart Chisato and Takina’s relationship into a proper romance. We could get a scene where Chisato’s breaking down over being a part of the Lycoris, saying she has blood on her hands and it can never be washed clean, and Takina steps in to pull her back from the brink and assure her she can still make things right. Just as Chisato freed her from her demons all throughout season 1, now Takina can free Chisato in turn. We can even get a callback to the artificial heart business, Takina can say something like "I was really the one with the fake heart... until you came along and made it real."

That doesn't account for everything, I know. You'd still need to figure out what to do with Mika, how the Lilybells factor into things, where Majima's character journey ends up. But if I was writing Lycoris Recoil season 2, that's the direction I'd take things in. Will the writers take any of that advice? I guess we'll find out in a few years.

#anime #the anime binge-watcher #tabw #lycoris recoil #lycoreco #chisato nishikigi #takina inoue #chisato x takina

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