#but they aren't perfect comparisons but give you an idea
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Was experimenting with halftone effects after watching this video and it almost has spiderverse vibes honestly. I actually learned some neat things about why printers use CMYK instead of just CMY so I thought I'd share !!
So in our optimal little computer space, Cyan (0,255,255), Magenta (255,0,255) and Yellow (255,255,0) all multiplied together gives us a perfect black (0,0,0) Awesome! The issue is that ink colors irl arent exactly perfect like this, and color is a bit more complicated irl compared to how computers represent it, so they aren't the greatest at combining into black if they aren't those perfect CMY values:
Left: CMY
Right: CMYK
(thats not even black, its a dark blue in the original image but dark colors just look so much richer)
An important step to make sure you arent doubling up on the black values though is to divide the image by it's own "value" (the max of all 3 color channels) that way the value is equal to 1 everywhere, and you're letting the black ink take care of the value on its own.
Left: CMY (normalized value)
Middle: K (black)
Right: Combined
Now obviously the grids of dots cant be aligned perfectly with each other because you'd just get a bunch of black dots in unwanted areas, but if the grids are misaligned, then some dots become more prominent than others which tints the whole image. This was an issue because older printing methods didn't have great accuracy and these grids were often misaligned.
The solution was to rotate these grids such that they can move around freely while getting rid of that tint effect if they aren't perfectly aligned :D
(I have no idea how they came up with these angles but that might be something to look into in the future who knows)
SPEAKING OF MISALIGNMENT
I wanted to implement that in my own filter to get some cool effects, and I discovered another reason CMYK is better than CMY for lots of stuff !!
With CMY, you're relying on the combination of 3 color channels to make the color black. This means if you have thin lines or just details in general, misalignment can make those details very fuzzy. Since CMYK uses a single color of ink to handle value, it reduces color fringing and improves clarity a lot even if you have the exact same misalignment as CMY!
Left: CMY
Right: You guessed it! CMYK
(yes these comparisons have the exact same color misalignment, the only difference is using a fourth ink color for black)
ANYWAY I just thought there was a lot of cool information in this tiny little day project, I also just think it looks really neat and wanted to share what I learned :3c
EDITING BECAUSE THERE'S ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO ADD
So, I talked about how to get K in addition to CMY instead of just CMY, but how exactly do you separate CMY from an image in the first place?
Well, CMY is a subtractive color space, meaning the "absence of color" is white, compared to RGB where it's black. This makes sense because ofc ink is printed on white paper. You can use dot product to get the "similarity" between two vectors, and this can be used to separate RGB actually! Using the dot product of a color and red (255,0,0) will give you just the red values of the image. This is cool though because if we get the dot product of our image and the color cyan (0,255,255), we can get the cyan values from our image too! If we first divide our colors by their value to separate the value from them, then separate CMY using those dot product values, and using K for our final black color value, our individual color passes end up looking like this:
While it's called a "subtractive" color space, I find it more intuitive to treat white as the absence of color here, and then multiply all these passes together. It makes it much easier to understand how the colors are combined imo.
Notice how cyan is the opposite of red: (255,0,0) vs (0,255,255) and magenta and yellow are the opposites of green and blue respectively! This means you can actually kinda get away with separating the RGB values and just inverting some stuff to optimize this, but this example is much more intuitive and readable so I won't go too deep into that.
THANKS FOR READING
I know it's a very long post but I hope people find it interesting! I try my best to explain things in a clear and concise way :3
oh thank you I realized I should probably add an eyestrain tag
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AANG ＆ OZAI PARALLELS: DEBUNKED
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Because apparently the true villain is the sole survivor of a genocide of his entire nation, and not the imperialist colonizer.
Where do I even begin?? Because I’m genuinely holding in laughter writing this, it’s absolutely insane how certain people can make such egregious parallels that aren’t even found in the first place.
AH, so a little backstory on how this fucking shit stained idea even came to existence, well our dear z^tara fans pissed their pants over Zuko and Katara not tying the knot, so, as a way of retribution for their supposed “honour” They take any chance to jump on the Aang hate train and make him into some irredeemable abusive demon, aaand they got that perfect opportunity because the LoK decided to take a lick out of the great “Main Characters Must Be Bad Parents In The Sequels” Trope. Which personally, does absolutely nothing to the protagonists resolution aside from cheap family drama but I digress.
Now, I’m not behind the idea of the writers trying to make Aang a “flawed” Parent, I think it really makes no sense by how they went about it, (I might touch on this in another post)
((And it’s so very clear that they’re trying to give it a soft “retcon” And even taking extra steps saying that Kya and Bumi just “remember wrong” Which I’ll actually take, because season two of LOK was hell on earth anyway so you might as well give it some saving grace.))
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There’s three main parallels that they got from Ozai and Aang: (god help me)
Favouring a child
isolating the rest
leaving pressure On the golden child
I’m going to debunk all three of them while trying not to fall into complete lunacy over how ridiculous they are.
Favouring a child + Leaving pressure:
OK, so people are clearly blind with context clues and media comprehension, got it. No surprise whatsoever. I can’t be disappointed if I didn’t even have any expectations to begin with.
Let’s compare the treatment on how Ozai treats Azula, and how Aang treats Tenzin. (Holy Shit)
Beginning with Ozai, well.. It doesn’t take much of a rocket scientist to understand that Ozai essentially could not give two fucks about Azula, as she in essence, serves the role of an attack dog, as long as it does its job, it’s worthy.
Ozai favoured Azula because she was molded to match his ferocity and hunger for power, she was a prodigy bender, and was cunning and calculated, all traits that Ozai found endearing and someone worthy to be crowned the next “fire lord.” His “favouring” Of her didn’t come out of genuine love or care, she is his tool who serves a purpose. In short, she showed more competency and more ruthlessness and callousness in comparison to Zuko. Which earned her, her place as the “Golden Child.”
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None of this is even remotely similar to how Aang treated Tenzin and his kids, aside from the fact he supposedly “favoured” Tenzin more, but that is such a baseline statement and has absolutely no relation with Ozai's reasons.
You have to understand that an entire FUCKING NATION IS DEAD. History, Culture, Tradition, is at the BRINK of being wiped out, Tenzin is quite literally the only Airbender that will be left after Aangs passing. Why do people devalue this concept so much?
“B-BUT THE AIR ACOLYTES1!!” Still have limited knowledge, airbending is so heavily tied to its spiritual roots, you LOSE your ability to AIRBEND, if you aren't inclined to your spiritual side. Which is a core part of the air nomad culture. Tenzin is... Literally the only god forsaken part left of that, so yeah. It’s a pretty big fucking deal. Aang values his culture and teachings to such a high degree, he is literally the survivor of a genocide. His favouring of Tenzin was done out of necessity and love, not out of a need for power and a new attack dog to send orders around.
Tenzin will literally be the future “Director” Or guide for the next avatar to learn airbending, people still forget this, and it’s hilarious. He needs to know all the moves, all the teachings because he will be the next avatar's personal guide.
Aang constantly reassures him, and apologizes for the pressure that may be put upon him but he always reaffirms that he’ll be there to guide him and they’ll “learn together”
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So yeah not the same thing at all. Fuck you for being so inept at understanding the different reasons and perspectives of those situations, just for some petty ship discourse, genuinely disgusting.
Isolating the children:
OK this part, I have to say that the writers definitely messed up with aangs characterization, but I think the execution came out way differently than the intention, so I will try to look more into the intention of each decision.
Ozai isolated Zuko, mistreated him, belittled him, PHYSICALLY ABUSED HIM, but yeah totally on par with Aang actually.
I don’t wanna touch on this part much mainly because his treatment was literally explained all throughout the show, and granted, while I understand most of these people haven’t touched the show aside from reading fanfic 300000 Where Aang is revealed to us as satan himself, but perhaps, even a small peak at Ozai's parenting would reveal the laughable contrast between the two.
Zuko was a slow learner, and much more of a softie, and a “mama's boy” To Ozai’s heavy dislike, he was thus treated as such, he was belittled, turned down, and literally burnt alive for showing “weakness” He is meant to serve as a direct contrast to Azula, ”The everything he isn't.”
Kya and Bumi on the other hand, don’t show any actual signs of trauma aside from some petty jabs they threw at Tenzin,
Bumis talk with Aang at the statue was *very very* Clearly, meant to highlight his own inferiority complex that he internalized growing up. His need for proving himself to be capable of doing just as much if not more than a “bender” Probably happened because his two parents were both prodigy benders and him being a first born son who was a non-bender must’ve hit pretty hard for him, and I’m so sure that katara and Aang reassured how special he is but that kind of thing doesn’t really go away.
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Kya:
[while healing Bumi] I told you those rocks were slippery. You're lucky you didn't kill yourself.
Bumi:
You done with the lecture, mom?
Kya:
Oh, grow up. You haven't changed one bit since we were kids. You're still trying to prove you can do everything a bender can. Well, you can't. Deal with it.
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That talk with Aangs statue was very much meant to unveil an internal struggle rather than a conflict he had with his father. Kya even doubles down on this, telling him “of course he’d be proud of you” Basically spoon feeding to us, the viewers, that this is much more of internal than an external conflict that he has to overcome along the show.
“Why Didn’t he share his culture with them 1!!1!”
He most definitely did, or tried to, but it’s clear they didn’t show much interest so he didn’t pester, this is shown many times throughout the show.
“You know I could never keep all those gurus straight… There were like a million of them!
remember that long boring story about the guy who never ate?”
This is literally Kya’s remark to Tenzin just after he tried teaching the airbender students this story, basically telling us that Aang DID try to tell them about his stories and culture, but much to their disinterest, didn’t try any further.
And Bumi, literally could not pay attention to the story to save his life, and instead decided to fool around in his literal 60’s!! I mean Imagine what he was like when he was a kid!!
I could imagine their dynamic was very similar to Jinora with Meelo and Ikki, Tenzin being the only one with actual interest and care, whilst Bumi and Kya goofing off and not putting much focus onto it. WHICH IS FINE BTW!!
It only goes to reiterate that Tenzin was the only one who was actually giving interest and attention to the air nomad culture, and it was of Kya and Bumi’s own personal choice to not partake in it. To each their own I see.
“BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VACATIONS”
This.. I agree, weird for the writers to decide this, but given how they low-key are retconning it in interviews, my best guess is that each of those trips were side-quests during their journey to teach an important lesson that might’ve just drowned out because Tenzin may not have remembered it as well.
Also keep in mind that Tenzin was put into a lot of pressure, Aang probably saw this, and as a way to still keep it enjoyable, he took him to trips that would help ease the mind for a little kid whilst also learning something valuable. That seems pretty on brand for Aang actually
And given that Kya and Bumi are literally in their fucking 60’s it wouldn’t surprised me if they didn’t have the greatest memory. Hell, they didn’t even fault Aang as a parent until Tenzin started boasting about “trips” That Kya and Bumi gave petty jabs but weren’t actually showing genuine hurt, just annoyance.
Kya even comments how Aang was too busy “Trying to save the world, and doing his duty that he didn't have much time for them”
Phrasing as if it wasn't anything "important" But it's clear that this was Kya's own personal irritation towards Tenzin rather than an actual evaluation on Aang's duties.
A continuation comic best explains it in a deeper way:
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Literally showing that “neglecting” His kids wasn't up to him, and was out of a sense of necessity, trying to cram as much knowledge onto Tenzin, the only one who was basically putting his lessons into practices. Kya and Bumi were left feeling neglected. But that wasn’t out of his decision; he still loved them dearly.
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This. Literally highlighting how much pressure was forced upon Aang, so yes, as any person would, he struggled with making time for everybody. Holy shit who knew??
GASP!! IS THAT… A REALISTIC BUT UNDERSTANDABLE FLAW!!?? HOW DARE YOU! ITS OZAI #2
The fact that the smiley energetic person forgets to SMILE, is a big deal, man was put through hells amount of stress but he never cracked.
So tell me, how is a genocidal freak, who treats his golden child like a tool and abuses the other both physically and emotionally for showing “weakness’
Even remotely comparable to
the sole survivor of a genocide, trying to withhold his teachings and culture onto literally his only child that showed actual effort in doing so, while also maintaining the balance of an entire fucking world and being literally the biggest “advisor” And “Mentor” For society, OH! And also building and managing a literal city, but along the way struggling to make time for his children.
Guess what, they’re not. And if you think they are. You are an idiot, with bias and headcanons.
So the conclusion is, Aang is a flawed parent, but he isn't a "bad" Parent - confirmed by the literal writers.
Comparing him to Ozai a literal dictator, is absolutely sickening, just for your petty shipping discourse when this show's been over for a decade is insane. Indulge in what you enjoy, but stop projecting delusions like they're canon.
:D
#atla#avatar the last airbender#aang#pro aang#aang defense squad#the legend of korra#tenzin#kya ii#bumi ii#how could you hate this cutie#anti anti aang#anti zutara#pro kataang#kataang#you all suck#anti zutara fandom#katara x aang#aang meta
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My wonderful girlfriend got me Gideon the Ninth for Christmas and I realized why should I just give Worm recaps? Let's read some Locked Tomb! (We'll see how this format works, maybe I'll adjust it. Specifically might break stuff down into smaller segments instead of full acts, but I didn't think of doing this until after I had read all of act 1.)
Gideon the Ninth Act 1 (chapter 1 through 8) thoughts:
This book is so gay oh my god
Like, it's gay in ways I can't even explain. I love it.
Harrow beats the shit out of Gideon in chapter 2 and I don't know if I've ever seen someone get beat up in a more gay way.
"Oh Griddle! But I don't even remember about you most of the time." ROLL A FUCKING DECEPTION CHECK HARROW! You are saying this standing in the middle of the field you spent all night burying bones in just to foil her escape in the most dramatic way. You can't stop remembering her.
Gideon is the most herbo of herbos. I fucking love her. I love reading her PoV. She just knows punch and stab with sword and if those don't work than she'll just do them harder.
Also Gideon is SO fucking gay. Dear god. Dulcinea faints and Gideon turns off all though. HELP PRETTY GIRL. Nothing else.
Ok I could just make this whole thing "EVERYTHING IS GAY" but there is technically more than that.
I love how weird everything is and how little explanation is given. I don't want pages of exposition, I want to learn the world as it comes at me! This is perfect.
And just the very nature of things that seem weird not being given more than a passing thought in the book is information. Something may seem wild to the reader but it's so normalized to the characters that they wouldn't even think about the idea of it being different.
Lack of explanation also helps really show how much of a meathead Gideon is. Do the readers get to learn details about this thing? Only if it is a weapon, has tits, or Gideon is forced to listen while Harrow explains it. Otherwise no, why the fuck would Gideon spend her precious few brain cells on thinking?
And even if Gideon is forced to listen as Harrow explains it, the readers might not learn much cause Gideon might stop listening. I love her.
Aiglamene is wonderful. Crux is fine but I like her more.
Poor Gideon just wants a big sword that she can swing hard. It's not like she can't use a rapier. But why when she can go big sword?
SO MUCH CATHOLICISM
As someone who once was Catholic and then realized I was actually not a straight man, but instead a lesbian, I am in deep.
And the fucking slang used! Or whatever would be the right term. The shit they say! I love it. Just the weird sci-fi far future space necromancer universe and then suddenly "Are you asking me to . . . throw her a bone?", "Gideon had always known that this would be how she went: gangbanged to death by skeletons.", "Don’t hypothetically shove stuff up my butt again, it never does any good.", "Lo! A destructed ass.", "Well we were developing common sense, she studied the blade.", "Double Bones with Doctor Skelebone."
House of the First appears to be Earth. I kinda assume the House of the Ninth is Pluto, even though things obviously aren't in order given that the Seventh and Sixth are closer to the sun. Of course, I'm kinda expecting this to not technically be this solar system at all.
Undying Emperor, King of Resurrection, I Have Ten-Thousand Titles, Boss First, etc etc hasn't been on "Earth" in over nine thousand years. I wanna know MORE.
And the fucking Ninth House has their own prayer! Everyone else has one that the Ninth didn't know and then the Ninth had one that no one else knows! GIMME MORE!!!!
Also again, so many Catholicism metaphors or comparisons or whatever!
I could go on forever but gonna end this one with OH MY GOD SHE FOUND SUNGLASSES I LOVE HER. Fucking "I came prepared, my sweet." and "But then you couldn't have admired . . . these!" as she whips on the sunglasses. God. I nearly died.
#The Locked Tomb#tlt#Gideon the Ninth#Cairavende reads The Locked Tomb#Gideon Nav#Harrowhark Nonagesimus#Dulcinea Septimus#This might be the most lesbian thing I've ever read and I've read some pretty fucking lesbian things#Dulcinea might be my favorite so far
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I think an interesting thing about both TWEWY games after replaying them is that, when you look back at them, Neku isn’t really punished for his flaws in comparison to Rindo and when he does suffer, it’s mainly through external factors that’s tied to his development as a person. On paper, it's pretty clear that Rindo is punished more heavily for his flaws (or at least more severely near the climax): his bouts of insecurity and fear of accountability made him the perfect candidate to be Kubo's puppet, and as such, he relies heavily on the Replay to the point where he basically assists in creating an all-powerful noise that is beyond their ability to erase, all but guaranteeing Shibuya's doom sans Haz's interference. Neku’s flaw of being tactiturn isn't something constantly producing conflict for him throughout the game; he overcomes a significant portion of his flaw by week 1; and the rest of the punishment he receives mostly comes from the reapers being unfair dicks to him. Neku does struggle emotionally during week 2 and 3, but it has less to do with his flaws and more to do with him having legitimate reason to doubt whether or not he can trust Joshua and Hanekoma. Throughout the game, his doubts are articulated very well through narrative action, but these doubts aren't a result of his own isolation and delusions, you know?
The closest it gets to that point is where Neku heavily blames himself for not trusting Joshua more when he chooses to "sacrifice" himself for Neku’s sake, but that whole instance actually makes Neku more retroactively justified when he finds out the truth about Joshua’s true nature. Not to mention Joshua was giving him plenty of reasons NOT to trust him so mistrust wasn't really a product of Neku's loner demeanor; Joshua was legitimately gaslighting him throughout the entire second week.
But I actually don’t think that’s a flaw within the narrative. Quite the opposite, in fact. The thing to keep in mind about Neku was that he was essentially having his character arc in both directions. He was both having to learn to be a better person and directly confront his propensity to shut people out and refuse to rely on external help, while also trying to piece together who he even was before the Reaper's Game. He’s not given enough of a foundation to lay out who he was and what his deal is to the same degree as Rindo because for both Neku and the player, things start in medias res. He literally has no idea about who he even is as a person besides his name at that point of the story.
I don’t think Neku’s flaws not really affecting him is a problem with the narrative itself considering how people do call him out on his behavior and he does change immensely throughout the game. One could argue Neku becomes nicer a little too quickly given his few days with Shiki, or that in week 2 onwards, his distrusting personality isn't as prevalent; but on the other hand, Neku's growth from week 1 is challenged and put to good narrative use, because now he has to be willing to exercise patience and understanding with other people, especially since he has something worth fighting for that isn't just himself. W2 with Joshua is meant to teach Neku that not everyone is going to be sweet like Shiki, but regardless, you should at least make an attempt to understand such people, even if you end up never really liking them. Expand your world to include people, even if they think or act differently from you. By W3, Neku is now put in a position where he has to learn that caring about people isn't just about being nice to them or trying to understand them; it's also about being dependable enough to support others in need, which he develops into with his time with Beat. From that sense, OG TWEWY doesn't present Neku's flaws as a constant force he has to battle throughout the game, but flips this concept on its head and instead presents his arc as having to learn how to practice being an empathetic human being; something he shut himself from trying to do after the trauma of his best friend’s death.
Neku doesn’t really hate people like he claims that he does at the beginning. He actually loves people. And he fucking hates that because it just leads to him getting emotionally hurt. He doesn't want to get hurt more than he already has and that’s the reason he pushes people away because he's scared he'll end up caring about them and getting hurt again and it’s why he’s heartbroken after Rhyme’s erasure and when he finds out the truth about Joshua.
I think that's really interesting in itself. By the rules that the Reaper's Game is supposed to usually operate by, Neku won with flying colours in week one, but because of circumstances being what they were, Kitaniji had to cheat and keep players from getting their resurrection wish. So Shiki is whisked into reaper-jail as a new entry fee, and Neku is forced into yet another game, even though he should have qualified for another chance at life as he was. The development of his character from amnesiac misanthrope into someone who actually trusts another person is so stark that it feels like you're playing as a completely different guy... but then week 2 rolls around and Neku's partnered with Joshua, who very intentionally pushes his buttons ceaselessly and tests him further.
Rindo on the other hand, has his flaw presented as a constant force throughout the narrative, and presents his growth through it more organically. Everytime he does Replay, he’s essentially forced to take charge of his life and grows more confident and assured in his capabilities as a leader while also becoming more and more heavily reliant on his time-travel abilities to carry him throughout the journey, acting as a double-edged sword in that sense.
He also begins to grow out of his paranoia in regards to other people, having a habit of riding others' coattails and seeing them for their performance value first, personality second (Minamimoto, Beat, Neku when he was seeking him), especially if it's something he's heard about them (Neku the 'Legendary Player', Nagi having a 'bunch of pins') AKA, again, others' opinions.
He slowly gets better with his willingness to take accountability for his choices, but even in the final week, you still see that while he's made strides, he hasn't quite nailed the confidence just yet, and he even still relapses from time-to-time. Some people seem to look at this as a flaw of the game but I actually quite like this and I think it makes Rindo an interesting contrast to Neku as a protag.
His arc shows that you even if you are changing, change isn't like a switch; you don't just all of a sudden stop making mistakes tied to your flaw and it shows when he starts to delegate towards Beat and Neku’s judgement when they come by to start taking a load off of his back. He basically falls into a cycle of:
>improves
>falls into old habits
>improves
>does bullshit again
>improves
Until it culminates into Neku officially joining the team and unofficially taking Rindo’s role as the leader, telling him not to time-travel since it might cause more Dissonance only for Rindo to actually break this cycle and go against what Neku says in order to not fall for Susukichi’s trap.
It’s why his convo with Haz and his final choice is so impactful for his growth; with no outside influences, he has to make one of the hardest decisions of his life and he works his ass off towards making the second chance he got count.
Rindo isn’t the easiest protag to like as a person even in spite of how seemingly more well-adjusted he looks to be compared to Neku. He constantly fucks up, acts really passive-aggressive when confronted on his flaws, and said flaws don’t immediately jump out like Neku’s did. The last part might seem confusing but people tend to attach themselves more to a character when they let you know what they’re about upfront, which is what Neku did quite bluntly at the beginning of the game ("all the world needs is me.") And if you’re not reading into Rindo’s actions and his head, a lot of his characterization can fly over your own head.
It even plays into the themes of both games. Even when Neku got screwed over by the machinations of the game, he was at least able to make some semblance of a difference throughout each week such as taking down the respective Game Master. But with Rindo and the gang, almost every victory they earn gets taken away from them due to another factor out of their control.
"Oh, you took down Susukichi? Too bad, Shiba says fuck you, start the Game over. Oh, and Sho is gone too."
"You took down Motoi? Congrats but he was actually a victim of the same system that you’re all a part of and is basically a desperate man on the brink of despair, which Rindo is forced to acknowledge, especially after Motoi himself passes away the next day."
"Speaking of the next day, you’re starting to form a counterattack and actually fight back against the system but oops, Shiba is here yet again to say, fuck you, do it again. Oh, and Susukichi was just playing pretend the entire time."
Not even taking down Shiba himself is enough to give them a reprieve because Kubo shows up to immediately undercut that sense of relief by revealing himself as the true villain and having Rindo’s very own powers kill his friends. Ain’t that a bitch?
But I think that in itself makes Rindo an interesting protag, at least to me. He’s the epitome of an NPC who got stuck with the protag role that he wants absolutely nothing to do with in spite of the world itself telling him to get his shit together. Hanekoma even initially writes off him at first due to only having average Imagination. But, after everything he’s been through and his character development, he’s finally able to find his own footing in the world and stand tall as the leader of the Wicked Twisters, ultimately saving both his friends and the city.
The main point I’m getting at here is how both games play with each protag’s arc in a way that neatly contrast one another and show off their respective writing styles quite well. TWEWY as a duology is fascinating to dig through and I really appreciate how multi-layered the games are.
#twewy#the world ends with you#neo twewy#neo the world ends with you#neku sakuraba#rindo kanade#ntwewy#analysis post
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Been waiting to do thisss
⭐️ for tmdg!!! Plssss!!!!
Omg I've been wanting to ramble about tmdg!!! Thank you for asking!! <3 there are many details to discuss, but I listed a few below!
(ask game)
✧ many moray eel facts and behaviors are scattered throughout the story. Like the gaping mouths to signal a want to mate or their toxic blood or how most morays aren't monogamous or how they're a territorial species. Additionally, since Jade and Floyd are canonically bioluminescent, I thought it would be interesting if they were able to glow brightly when they're attracted to someone. >:D
✧ "body language" is mentioned often. this is an allusion to The Little Mermaid (specifically Ursula's line of "and don't underestimate the importance of body language!"), but also a nod to how moray eels interact in courtship. A lot of the gestures are based on body language, and I love the concept of the trio using body language as a means of flirting or conveying certain feelings without having to verbalize them.
✧ the scene in which reader becomes a grouper mer,,,, moray eels and groupers are actually hunting partners. they have a mutualistic bond in which they work together to hunt for meals. it's initiated by the grouper approaching the eel's living space and signaling to them through body language that they'd like to engage in a joint hunt. this is meant to mirror the mutualism Jade and reader have as well as show just how good of a match they are. Even as mers, they are perfect for each other. <3
✧ the title "The Most Dangerous Game" refers to the short story of the same name, in which a hunter is stranded on an island and meets a general who loves to hunt the most dangerous game of all (human beings). For you and Jade, the most dangerous game involves navigating your situationship while trying not to fall for him and his charms. There's a point in the story where you may be able to catch Reader's shifting feelings. >:)
✧ you can tell Jade really does love you when he gives you the entire tray of mushroom brownies. Jade is a foodie with a big appetite and he loves to eat, so for him to bake an entire tray of something and then not keep a single leftover for himself,,,, oh, he's so in love. orz he wants to provide for you, not just by cooking meals for you, but in many other ways as well, such as when he comforts you during the times in which you get upset and cry. :D I like to imagine one of the biggest love languages for merfolk is giving gifts (whether that's actual materialistic items or something intangible like quality time). it's a guarantee you'll be well-fed with Jade because he loves cooking for you!!!!
✧ heliotrope symbolism (eternal love).
✧ the moon and star comparisons. you liken Floyd to a star: something that shines brightly but can also be popular if not read as the astronomical definition. Jade likens you to the moon because, unlike the stars, there is only one moon (Earth's moon) and thus there is only one of you. but there's also something so romantic in Jade pining for the moon because the sky and sea are so separate from one another. truly a bittersweet reflection of Jade's feelings. they're as deep as the sea, but can't be encapsulated in the solar system because there is no room for him there (not when you're so in love with Floyd and have made him your entire world). orz
✧ the recurring mention of scent. I like the idea of merfolk being able to scent their partners so that it's easier to find them, but also so that they can make it known to others that that person is taken. >:) Jade claims he's been scenting you for fun, but the truth is that he fully intended to let everyone know that you are his. <3 Jade takes advantage of your limited knowledge on mer customs and culture hehe.
✧ all of the times in which Floyd (the real Floyd) is being sweet to you (buying you perfume or kissing you on the cheek)... those are just his ways of being much too friendly towards you. he never had any romantic attraction towards you to begin with, which is why it drove Jade so crazy because you were looking at and loving the wrong eel!!!! T_T
✧ the times in which phony Floyd is talking about Jade are actually Jade's true feelings and actions. he really did stay up late to learn new recipes for you. and he truly isn't very physical with others. jade just loves you too much and likes being near you, touching you, kissing you, etc. orz he had to say those things as floyd, otherwise he would have just said them outright and he's trying to have some tact. ;;;;
✧ the dinner date scene was Jade's attempt at having a genuine date with you, but because you're so Floyd-brained you mistook his gesture as being part of your arrangement. ^^;;;; in fact, most of the times in which Jade tries to be authentic, you either don't believe him or interrupt him to ramble about Floyd LOL. but the dinner date was the one time in which he was hoping to do something with you that wasn't part of your deal and instead just something between you and jade. >_< he's trying his best...
✧ the waltz you share with Jade is 100% courtship. reader refers to it as a "competition, not courtship," but she forgets Octavinelle is underwater and thus, as Jade noted, both of those things are indeed the same under the sea.
✧ when you ask Jade what the both of you will be after your tryst in the Coral Sea, he leaves the specifics up to you for your decision. he does this a lot in the fic (such as asking if you'd like the dinner date to qualify as such) because, though he appears mostly confident in his actions and words, he's too cowardly to clearly illustrate what the two of you are and doesn't want to do so when he knows you may not reciprocate. he also just wants to hear the words from your mouth because he hopes that, after all of these questions, you'll eventually say the thing he wants to be with you: lovers. :D
✧ alongside Jade and reader having a few similarities (one of which being the obsessive degrees they're willing to go to for their crush), there's significance in their feelings and how they handle them. reader's chasing someone who will never turn around to look at and love her. Jade's chasing someone who only looks at him when he's Floyd. though reader loves to extremes, she's scared of that love being reciprocated, which is partially why she doesn't let Jade say "I love you," whereas Jade just doesn't want to love in silence. they're both not the best at navigating love, and the ways they do it are,,,, questionable. orz but they both understand each other on that level because they're so obsessed. it's crazy to crazy communication. to quote Azul: "a match made in madness."
#twisted chit chat#sull1van#aaaaa there's so much to ramble about but i'll stop here before i write too much >_<
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BIG BURLY FLUSTERED MEN with a/o who takes one of their hands and kisses their knuckles - knuckles that have been covered in blood - and big burly man (I’m imagining König) just self destructs. Blue screens. Combusts.
Unwinding after operations is always a hassle. There's this limbo between finishing the mission and arriving back at base where adrenaline is still high, but you can't stay in one place long enough to come down from it.
Everyone is still milling about the building your unit is using as a temporary base. Counting your dead, if any, and treating the wounded before heading to the drop ships to fly back to KorTac's base.
You and König are holed off in a corner of the courtyard, you being seated on a bench with your back pressed against the wall while he sits on the ground between your legs. He rests his head back on your thigh, and you can feel the way he fidgets. Itching for something when there is nothing left to do but wait. His mask is still on, along with the rest of his gear. One of his hands idly tap your ankle, trying to find some way to release this anxious energy he has until you both can get back to base, where he knows it's safe.
You look down at him and remove your gloves, placing them aside before sneaking one of your hands under his hood and the balaclava beneath. Your fingers drag against the column of his neck, and your nails gently scratch his nape, making him groan and tilt his head back further to look up at you.
König let's out a grunt and fixes you a curious look. You hold out your free hand toward him. "Give me your hand." You murmur, and he does so compliantly.
He melts a little at the pleased little smile you give him, eyes darting down to where your hand holds his. His are so much bigger than yours, thicker too with the bulky material of his gloves. The fabric is stained red, speckles of blood still wet and crimson. He frowns a little at the idea of your hands becoming stained as well.
König thinks to rip his hand from yours, but falters when you begin to tug the leather off his fingers and down his wrist until his skin is released from the suffocating material. His hands are rough, pale and scarred and calloused. Your hands aren't perfect, but they are much more delicate and pretty than his in comparison.
You seem to disagree, though, with the way your hands trace the shape of his. You spread his fingers a little, dragging your nails along each callous and faded scar. It's almost devout in the way you study each line of his palm, the pads of your fingers so gentle against his skin.
You lift his hand up to your lips, tenderly pressing a kiss to each knuckle. You start at the base before moving down each finger, almost as if you don't want any of them to be left out. He would have laughed at the thought if his body wasn't frozen like a deer in headlights.
Your eyes fall down to his and your smile widens at the absolutely mystified look in his eyes, stormy blues flickering between yours and your lips against his hand as his pupils dilate.
His mouth opens and closes underneath his mask, but any attempts to speak die in his throat. How could you put so many thoughts in his head that he is unable to fabricate them into words? Do you have any clue what you do to him?
You let out a small chuckle and go back to kissing his hand, trailing your lips down across his palm and the back of his hand. You pull down the edge of his sleeve just to press your lips to his wrist. König groans as your affection doesn't let up, long and pained as his head lulls against your thigh and he drapes an arm over his eyes.
"Du wirst mein Tod sein, Engel..." He murmurs, thankful that his mask hides the stupid grin on his face.
#maus writes#i have no fucking clue what just came over me#i opened my ask box and posted my pinned post with the intention of replying to some brainrotting asks with like 2-3 paragraphs or smth#you got a whole drabble as a treat thank you for the most amazing prompt nonnie <3#call of duty x reader#cod x reader#konig x reader#konig cod#konig mw2#also sorry if the german is atrocious blame google translate 😔#im a sucker for some hand appreciation and i know konig would be too
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Honestly, you are like the most based person ever. A Martian Manhunter fan and a MAWS critic? F YEAH!
I'm so disappointed with MAWS' Lois :( Her romance with Clark could've been so good. SO GOOD. But they decided to go for fan service instead. She just gives off Lena (from cwsg) vibes and that's never a good thing.
Speaking of Supergirl, what's your opinion on the show? And on the show's portrait of J'onn. It baffles me how much hate the show got for the same things fans are willing to overlook now on MAWS. Aren't those some double standards, geez...
Aw shucks thank you! 2 incredibly niche but based things to be...
Sob! Call it the ace in me but whenever people think MAWS!Clois have chemistry because they're easily amused by seeing hot characters undress I lose life force. I didn't witness a couple that grew mutual respect and affection, I saw an insta-crush that led to Lois becoming so entitled to a guy she'd known for less than a week to the point of demanding full transparency of his private life before they even started dating. And then the narrative says it's Clark's fault for having reasonable boundaries, and then they're a couple. What is this.
I've briefly talked about CW Supergirl before, but my takeaway is: if people think MAWS is genuinely good writing then they should absolutely watch CW Supergirl because it must look like high art in comparison to MAWS. Maybe people are less judgy when something's animated and that's not fair. If we want to take animation as a serious medium we should hold it to the same standard and not coddle it. As someone who watched a few eps when CW Supergirl aired and then revisited and watched the whole thing years after the show concluded, I feel that the misogyny surrounding people's discourse around the show has led to people judging the show based on a fanon idea of it rather than its own merits.
more under the cut!
CW Supergirl is a show with great highs and lows. This results in things being hit or miss. But when something hits- CW Supergirl is not given nearly enough credit as it deserves. As a Martian Manhunter fan, I believe that their take on J'onn is the most competent and well adapted in not just adapted media, but all of comics canon. That doesn't mean I like everything they did with his lore and character, but I can acknowledge that they actually bothered developing him outside of the comics/cartoon's fixation with making him mope about his Origin Story all the time. He gets to find love, have adopted daughters through Kara and Alex, reckon with what it's like to preserve aspects of a culture he doesn't fully identify with, deal with his dad going through Martian Alzheimer's disease, and most importantly MAKE PEACE WITH HIS BROTHER. CW Supergirl has hands down, the best take on Ma'alefa'ak in all of canon.
I think Lena is a great character on the show. She's dealing with the trauma of being constantly manipulated by her own family, the legacy her name carries and who she is in all that. But because the supercorp ship permeates the way people perceive the show, she's reduced to that by discourse. When Lena has drama over Kara's secret Superhero identity, it's something that's built up to and informed by trauma, trust-issues, and TIME. We are shown that she has these problems. It gets melodramatic at times, but it's still something that was built up to. Meanwhile in MAWS Lois just tells us she has daddy issues and that it's why she really needs the cute guy at work to spill all his personal info to her even though she gets to lie to him for her own personal gain multiple times. I appreciate what CW Supergirl did to bring more attention to what was an obscure character. Whenever I bump into Lena in the comics, it hasn't stacked up to the character I met on the show.
I've called this out before but while CW Supergirl isn't perfect by any means especially with their treatment of Jimmy Olsen as a love interest to Kara and a generally sidelined Black supporting character, they still discussed and acknowledged Jimmy's identity as a Black American man! Sure it was heavy handed many times, but that's way better than MAWS straight up ignoring Jimmy's Blackness and even making an unintentional jab at it!! Like cw Supergirl Jimmy knows bigotry and has experienced it. MAWS Jimmy thinks bigotry is being ghosted for a camping trip. I have seen the exact same critics call out cw Supergirl for Jimmy's treatment while gleefully thinking Jimmy's treatment in MAWS is so uwu perfect. It makes me sick! Am I going insane?? It's the double standards for me.
#askjesncin#jesncin dc meta#jesncin talks maws#both shows have terrible Asian rep tho- early Supergirl especially. Asian men dropped like flies in that show it's not even funny#I see you other asks about Supergirl- I will get to you! And I will introduce Kara into my AU eventually
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~The Duchess' Thoughts and Drabbles Pt. 4~ Ft. Neuvillette
Thinking about Neuvillette slowly falling in love with a reader who owns a dessert shop. Mostly just ideas of Neuvillette falling in love with the reader's Raindrop Cakes, rather than them as a person lol
[Neuvillette x reader, Very little romance/slow-burn set-up, Gn! Reader, fluff]
Well, it had all started when one of the Melusines had come across your new, quaint little dessert shop that's just got up off the ground. The shop was tucked in a little corner, but at the time it was all you could afford to purchase for your bakery. Unfortunately for you, the awkward placement meant that there was not a lot of traffic coming through your doors, and it didn't matter how many sweets you baked with the windows wide open- the smells of the other bakery shops nearby greatly overpowered yours.
It was tough trying to get by everyday, but you always held your head up high for the next day. After all, it was your dream to open up a bakery in Fontaine, and after all the shit you had to go through to get this up and running, you weren't about to just kneel over and give up when things didn't go as you planned.
At the very least, you've now managed to secure a couple regular customers, who prefer the tiny and cozy atmosphere of your shop compared to the grand and extravagance of any of the other bakeries.
On this day, you were sitting at the register, focused on your little stack of baking books around you and writing things down in your notebook. There wasn't a single soul in your shop besides yourself. The Melusine could hear you muttering things under your breath about ideas for new recipes and baking methods, and you were brought out of your thoughts when you heard the bell of your door ring as the Melusine walked in.
"Good evening!" you jump up excitedly. This Melusine could possibly be your first customer of the day! "Let me know if there's anything that strikes your fancy. I also offer free samples if you're unsure!" Well, it's not like you really had a choice with the free samples... With how much you ended up baking, most of this stuff was probably going to have ended up in the bin anyway.
The Melusine nods her head and starts looking around, and you can tell that she's rather timid as she takes a look at the goods you have on display. Though, with how much your focus was directed specifically to her, you can see the sparkles in her eyes as she browsed. You offered a lot of classic Fontainian desserts, like croissants, tiramisu, lemon tarts, macarons, mousse, and the like, but a majority of your items were things the Melusine has never seen before. Swiss roll cake? Key Lime Pie? She's never even heard of these- but you're more than happy to offer her a taste of your hard work.
With every bite, the Melusine's eyes started shining brighter and brighter, and her timid personality started to give way to her curiosity about your work and how you create these sweet confections.
At some point, she stops in her tracks when she sees a dessert that looked rather....bland, in comparison to the others. It sat in its display case, delicate and untouched. The surface was smooth, and you could see right through it.
"Oh, this? This is called Raindrop Cake. Some of my customers prefer desserts that aren't too sweet, so I have this. It really just tastes like plain water, at least until you add some toppings to it. It's quite pretty, isn't it?"
"I'll take a box of those please!" the Melusine exclaims excitedly. It was the perfect dessert to offer as a gift for the Iudex.
"Of course! I appreciate your business! Come back next time!" And the Melusine happily leaves your establishment with a skip in her step while you're just happy that you managed to sell something today.
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Ever since then, Neuvillette has been asking for more of those Raindrop Cakes specifically from your shop. He's always much too busy to get them himself, so the Melusines are always happy to go grab some for him in his place. Every time they come back, the Melusines tell him all about the kind owner who works the entire shop single-handedly. They tell him about all of the amazing other sweets they've got for sale, too- some even offering him a piece of their cake for him to taste.
Of course, he's always happy to receive any gifts the Melusines offer him, but his favorite is always the Raindrop Cakes. Their delicate texture and subtle tastes always brings him to happiness. He can tell when you've used water from different places for the recipe. (His personal favorite is when you use water from Sumeru's waterfalls.) And at this point, it's become a part of his routine to enjoy some of your Raindrop Cakes while tasting water as part of his hobby.
Even Furina manages to hear about this new bakery and she demands Neuvillette to bring her some of their cakes, being a sweet connoisseur herself, she must find out what all of this fuss is about! So, for the first time, Neuvillette finally decides that it was time to visit this bakery personally.
You almost fall off your seat at the cash register when you see the Iudex of Fontaine walk in through your doors, with at least 3 different Melusines in tow excitedly. You recognize each of the Melusines- after all, most of your customers recently have been Melusines coming in to buy more Raindrop Cakes and a few other desserts for themselves.
"G-good evening, sir! How can I help you today?" you ask nervously. Neuvillette's eyes stare directly into yours, his face unmoving and stern.
"Are you the owner of this establishment?" he asks. You can do nothing but nod under his intense gaze. Did you do something wrong? Are you in some sort of trouble with the law? You're sure that can't be it, you've been doing everything correctly... Maybe there's some other law that you broke without realizing? Or maybe someone wants to charge you for murder!? You know that eating too many sweets isn't really good for your health, but it's not your fault if someone ate so many of your sweets that they died from it!! You're innocent!
"Could you please show me your Raindrop Cakes?" he asks politely, and you're knocked out of your thoughts at the unexpected question. So... you're not in trouble. That's good. You move to show him where you keep the Raindrop Cakes. Because you've had so many people (Melusines) ordering them, you expanded the space and you increased your variety of Raindrop Cakes.
Neuvillette's eyes widen when he sees how many you have in stock. Some of them appeared to have been drizzled with molasses, some with honey, some with caramel, and some with black sugar syrup. Some of them have graham crackers sprinkled on them, some with powdered cinnamon, and some with soybean powder. Some have sakura blooms inside them, some with cecilias, some with glaze lilies, some with kalpalata lotuses, and some with rainbow roses. Some of them have strawberries in them, some with blueberries, some with mint, and some with valberries. Not only that, but some of them are in different shapes too. Like, take a look at this one, it's shaped like a cat! Or an otter! How delightful. The point is, Neuvillette didn't realize there were so many different variations to his favorite dessert. And this isn't even going into the different water you used in each of them. The only way he'll know is if he tries it.
"I'll take your entire stock of these. And add in one of those Mille Crepe cakes as well, please. Lady Furina would also like to try some of your desserts."
"Huh?!"
"It appears I am woefully ignorant of the world of Raindrop Cakes, despite how many I've enjoyed until today. I look forward to trying out each and every single one of these," he explains with a subtle smile on his face. The Melusines behind him celebrate to each other- namely because they're happy that your ledger will not be in the red for today. With how often they've stopped by, they've become quite close to you, and they collectively have been praying that your business succeeds. But they're also happy that Neuvillette seems to have found another thing to enjoy besides his water tasting.
While they were celebrating to themselves, they noticed the dazed look on your face as you try to box up all of the Raindrop Cakes for Neuvillette, and their minds start delving into...creative territories.
"Do you see that? I think they might like Monsieur Neuvillette!"
"Is it a crush?"
"Could it be true love?"
"Monsieur Neuvillette finally finding someone! How exciting!"
"I'm sure they'd get along splendidly! They're so kind, it's hard not to love them!!"
The hushed whispers of the Melusines do not escape from Neuvillette's ears, but it appears you were too much in shock at the moment to hear. I mean, both the Iudex AND the Hydro Archon wants to try out YOUR desserts? You'll have to thank the Melusines later for their free advertising. (That is, if you aren't forcibly closed down due to Furina not liking your sweets...)
But after everything that he's heard about you from the Melusines, he supposes that officially getting to know a person like you wouldn't be too bad. Maybe he will prove them to be right after all.
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This was meant to be a lot shorter, and a little more romantic, but I'm happy with how it is now! But I just KNOW that Neuvillette would absolutely adore Raindrop Cakes since they're so simple and since they basically taste like water lol. I hope everyone enjoyed! <3
#duchess kyuupid#genshin impact#genshin x reader#genshin imagines#neuvillette#fontaine#genshin#neuvilette x reader#neuvilette genshin#genshin impact x reader#genshin fluff#x reader
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Let's talk about the music in Young Royals! (Part 2)
This is the second part of a two part analysis. You can read part 1, which focuses on needle drops in the show, here.
I absolutely love Matti Bye's original Young Royals score. It is beautiful and immersive. It makes Hillerska feel like some place special. It shimmers and sparkles and draws us in to the emotions of the characters.
I've already talked about how effective the score can be at elevating certain scenes and creating intimacy in my posts analyzing the sex scenes in the show, which you can read here and here. But today I want to focus on another purpose of the music: the way that it emphasizes themes. Much like the needle drops in the show, the score helps emphasize the difference between public performance and genuine emotion. The conflict between the characters' assumed roles and their actual feelings is one of the biggest themes of the show, and the score helps establish this.
In order to examine how the score reinforces this theme, I want to break down the music in one small section of the show. The music that underscores Wilhelm's speech at the end of 2.6 tells us so much about what Wilhelm is going through in that moment, and it's the culmination of several musical motifs that we've heard earlier in the show.
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In order to really be able to listen to the score, I ran this little clip through the program that I use for video edits, that separates vocals from background music. It is admittedly better at isolating words than it is music, so the audio here isn't perfect. But I think having the dialogue muted helps when you're trying to concentrate on the music and pick out melodies. I'm going to use time stamps based on this video for the rest of this post.
At the beginning of this clip, the score feels almost... familiar. There's a shimmery opening sound, and then a sequence of falling notes. It sounds so familiar, in fact, because it's a version of "Recomposed", one of the two tracks (along with "Harmony Theme") that are played most frequently throughout the show, and that together make up a kind of unofficial "theme song" for the show.
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However, these two themes are used in very specific ways. You never hear them used in intimate scenes between two characters, or when a character is talking about their true feelings. Instead, they're used over montages of the students at Hillerska, when the class system of the school is on full display, or in moments of stress for our main characters. The best example is probably their wide use in 1.3 during parent's day. "Recomposed" plays when August is making a stink about letting Sara, Simon, and Linda eat with the boarders, and when August makes Wilhelm pose for photos with him. "Recomposed" is beautiful but it's also stressful, and it's used here to underline how arbitrary and discriminatory the Hillerska traditions are, and how uncomfortable Wilhelm feels adhering to them.
So, the first 55 seconds or so of the speech the scoring sounds like "Recomposed". But not exactly like "Recomposed". It's a little slower. The notes are more syncopated. It almost feels like the melody is breaking down. Just like Wilhelm's ability to maintain his facade and play his role is also breaking down. If you were to listen to this section of the speech with the words unmuted, you would hear Wilhelm struggle through and then abandon the scripted speech he's been instructed to give. So the idea of this oft-repeated musical motif also being slowly discarded is just perfect.
The next section of the clip, from around :55 - 2:05, is characterized by a series of ominous sounding chords and the lack of a clear melody, which reflects Wilhelm's anguish as he decides whether or not to tell the truth about him and Simon. I think this is a good reflection of the way the score in general shifts between seasons 1 and 2. Season 1 has a lot of complete, distinctive melodies. By comparison the season 2 score feels muddy. There aren't as many distinctive melodies, and the emphasis is on highlighting the stress and confusion that characters are feeling rather than creating a pretty song. This makes the season 2 soundtrack album less satisfying to listen to on its own, but works really well in context. Season 2 is full of amplified emotions and the score really captures that.
Ok, now we're on the last part of the clip, from 2:05 to the end. This is my favorite discovery that I made while working on these posts. For a long time I could not figure out where I had heard this melody before. The piano notes sounded so familiar. It made me think of Simon and Wilhelm in happier times. And then I remembered: the fish scene. This clip once again has (most) of the vocal track taken out. Can you hear how it's the same melody as the end of the speech clip?
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So, we have a musical motif that is closely associated with Wilhelm and Simon's love that plays while Wilhelm is admitting to being in a relationship with Simon publicly for the first time. Makes sense, right? (Also thank you to @books-books-smolderinglooks for pointing out that this is on the soundtrack for season 1 as the track named "Dad"!)
Well I got curious, and did a full series rewatch, looking for this musical motif. And I found it in two more places besides the fish scene and the final speech. It also plays during Wilhelm's first two sessions with Boris the counselor. These sessions are so significant for Wilhelm. They allow him to actually feel his emotions in a safe place and realize that he does actually have agency over how he chooses to live. So while I was originally thinking about this as the "Wilmon Musical Theme", I had to revise my thesis about it a bit. Now I would describe it as the "Wilhelm Living In His Truth Theme", which of course includes Simon.
It's so meaningful that this music plays while Wilhelm is admitting that it was him in the video. He's doing what he should have done at the end of season 1, telling the truth and being honest about his and Simon's connection. And he's reclaiming agency over his life by refusing to continue to lie. The music subtly enforces this, without us even realizing, by using a motif that we have already associated with those themes.
I cut off the clip of the speech right before it transitions into "The Most Beautiful Boy" by The Irrepressibles, but I think the juxtaposition of that needle drop with this musical motif is so beautiful.
Those are all my thoughts on the score, and this particular musical moment in the show, for now. Do you have a scene where you think the score is particularly effective? Do you have more scenes that you want me to analyze? My ask box is open and I would love to hear your thoughts!
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Clue Crew Zine Done Cheap
The current trend in fandom zines (fandoms in general, not Clue Crew in specific) are these very fancy, professionally-printed collections of fanfic and art. Typically it's competitive to be selected as a contributor, and expensive to purchase. I'm sure they satisfy a project management itch or an "owning a nice thing" desire, but they don't satisfy my personal feelings about fandom. I want to make something for the sake of making and sharing, and the joy of creating without the pressure to make it perfect. I want to touch it with my hands and feel like I'm connecting.
I was feeling a little sad that the zines I want aren't really a thing in fandom anymore. Then I remembered that I'm the bizarre Millennial Who Owns A Printer and also I accidentally just bought way, way too many stamps*
So fuck it. Let's make a zine.
I'll print them at home and mail them out for free to anyone who wants one. If they're too large for a regular sized envelope, I'll still mail them out for free but also ask people to chip in a little money for postage if they can.
We need two things to make a Nancy Drew games zine: 1. People who want to make things for it, and 2. People who want it mailed to them.
1. Fill out this form if you want to make something for the zine. This is not a binding commitment, this is just a way for me to get in contact with you. I'll also poke people in a couple months to see if they're still interested in contributing.
2. Fill out this form if you want to be notified when it's time for me to collect mailing addresses. To be clear, this isn't an 'interest check' or whatever. As long as one person wants it, I'm going to make it. I'll also put up another tumblr post when I'm ready for addresses, but if you fill out the form, you'll get a message and won't have to worry about watching for that post.
"What can I make for the zine?" Honestly anything, as long as it centers around the Nancy Drew games and hasn't been posted publicly yet. Fanfic, meta, speculation about KEY, a puzzle, comparisons of Bess Marvin's character across different Nancy Drew media. Limit it to maybe…2500 words? I'm trying to keep this in a range that won't kill my printer.
Art doesn't really work, because again, home printer. BUT an option would be to put in a link or a QR code that goes to an art piece. And hell, if we're going to make this multimedia, it can be anything: a music composition, a podfic, a video acting out your favorite game scene with puppets. (I can help with image or audio hosting for anyone who needs it)
This is open to everyone to contribute, no restrictions or auditions. I'm setting a tentative submission deadline of February 29th (it's a leap year!), but that can be pushed back if needed.
I know it's uncomfortable to give your address to some stranger on the internet, especially since I'm newer to the Clue Crew! I've had my main blog (@theshmaylor) for ages though, and I have some mutuals there who I've met in person at various conventions who can vouch for me. I'll also make sure to collect addresses in a way that doesn't connect to your username or internet presence.
I really want to make this zine happen, so please share around Clue Crew tumblr, and let me know if you have any feedback or ideas!
*I thought I was buying 4 sheets of 6 stamps, but it turns out the sheet was folded and actually they're sets of 18 stamps, and sure I should have asked more questions about why it was so expensive but there was a big line behind me, so what was I supposed to do? Hold up the line at the post office? Of course not
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Bakugo needs to die for there to be any stakes left in mha
Do you personally think Bakugou is just that important to all the characters in the manga or to all the audience for his death to be the only stake possible ?
Also why Bakugou ? Why not Deku ? Why not SHouto. You know what ? Shark Girl is actually one of the only characters I haven't seen anybody give any hate to so logically, her would her death impact more people ?
More seriously though which definition of stakes are you going with ?
In a narrative setting "Stakes are the risks, impacts, and rewards of a character's choices, which make audiences care about the story."
According to the Cambringe dictionary, the general definition of stakes is this: "If you have a stake in something, it is important to you because you have a personal interest or involvement in it".
Because I wasn't joking that much.
Now I'm not gonna disagree that Bakugou is important. As someone who has loved his character for 8 going on 9 years now and who has shipped BakuDeku both in a queerplatonic way and in a romantic way because of how he was written as this important piece of Deku's character, I completely agree that Bakugou definitely has this high of an importance in the story.
In order to work though, Stakes in storytelling are heavily linked to the themes and goals of the story.
Now would losing the boy he can only call "Kacchan" impact Izuku in deep and horrible ways ? Most definitely. Would he still consider he and the others became great heroes if said boy died and Izuku could not save him ?
No.
And this isn't a small detail, this is an important piece of narration that's repeated at least twice in the story (and even widened to people other than Izuku).
This stake you're talking about does not work in the story because it would be the dumbest writing mistake Horikoshi would have made in it. It would be the most basic yet important inconsistancy he would have made in the story.
Is that stake more important than the actual story he's telling ? I thought GoT s8 had finally taught people it's a very dumb thing to want. And in comparison it would make GoT s8 seem well written.
Because all this is not even counting the themes as well as Bakugou's role as a deuteragonist. What are the themes, ideas and goals of the story ?
Showing people coming together. People helping people. People inspiring people. People impacting, both directly and indirectly, people's lives. Individualism and collectivism in their extremes hurt literally everybody. You need to find a middle ground. Society needs to change because individulas aren't enough to change a system, People are worth more than what they can give to others, ect... All these represented by two boys who needed to learn how to communicate and who will complete their journey by holding hands.
That's why a duo of protagonists works better than a single protagonist. Bakugou represents individualism while Deku represents collectivism. Then they reverse it. Now that they've both experienced each extreme, they need to join each other in the middle and finally fucking hold hands.
Now Horikoshi isn't a genius storyteller, he is far from perfect and in the symbolism vs concrete storytelling theory, he definitely works better with the symbolism part but he is still generally pretty good at storytelling in general. He is in the genre of Shonen, specifically an Action and Comedy. While he is inspired by superhero comics and uses a lot of their tropes, he also criticizes many of them. And that includes the very type of narrative device you suggest.
Because the truth is that unless it fits the themes, killing a character is about as useful as letting them go on vacation.
Which is why I suggest "knowing whether Hawks' goal of creating a society where heroes aren't needed and can go on vacation will allow Izuku and Bakugou to get one to visit Mahoro and Kazuma for their honeymoon" as a more interesting stake for me personally ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
#BnHA#Bakugou Katsuki#MHA#BkDk#BakuDeku#Midoriya Izuku#Writing#Writing Reference#me toeing the line between trolling and answering honestly : °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°#Answer#Also this is a quick answer 'cause there's so much more to the themes which is why the BakugouDekuAllMight Trio is soooo interesting among#so many other things
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Fatal Flaw
Fandom: WoF
Characters: Clearsight, Darkstalker
CW: Clearstalker-typical behavior (manipulation, fighting, the works)
Summary: Clearsight confronts Darkstalker after discovering that he cursed her earring.
Word Count: 3.4K
A/N: So I was possessed to write this nightmare of a relationship. I forgot how blatantly and obviously evil Darkstalker was presented in the Legends. The scene where this oneshot's based on has him give a half-assed reason for enchanting Clearsight's earrings and quite literally (no exaggeration here) basically going: "Well then, buh-bye! I am going to kill the queen!"
Anywho, enjoy!
Clearsight swooped down, landing onto the library. She paced around the area, trying to relieve some stress before the inevitable were to happen. All of the futures near her came crashing together, forming a clear idea of what was to happen.
She and Darkstalker were going to have a little argument.
She hadn't remembered the last time they argued. Minor disagreements? Sure, yes, of course. Every couple has those. But, an argument? That was something entirely different. Yet, she didn't think of it as frightening. She knew what Darkstalker could do. She couldn't care less though. What he had done- what he plans on doing to this kingdom... Well, to simply stand by and let it happen would be the worst mistake possible.
This was necessary, both for them and their relationship and for the rest of the kingdom.
Darkstalker landed beside her, dust kicking up from his wings. "The library rooftop?" He glanced around the area. It was a peaceful and quiet area. A small garden surrounded them, benches dotted every now and then. Marble spires stood in the corners. Combined with the setting sun and the beautiful hues of twilight, it was a gorgeous place.
"My, what a romantic little spot you've dragged me to," he said, his eyes eventually landing on a white rose. He plucked the head of it, handing it over to her. "But, it all pales in comparison to you."
Clearsight grumbled in response. "You know why we're here."
"What? Was that too cheesy of a compliment, even for your standards?" He chuckled. "I see." He crumpled the rose, throwing the remains back into the bushes. "Simply putting off the main event. Trying to lighten the mood before you begin it all."
Clearsight sighed. "Not too great how you put it like that. I'm not some big bad evil dragon for not wanting my closest friend to trick me."
"Friend? Is that what I've been relegated to?"
"I-" she took a small breath. "-I didn't mean it like that. I still...love you, just I don't feel particularly safe when you go behind my back and do things." She fidgeted with her ear. "I loved that earring, you know? It went well with my eyes, yes, but when I heard you made it yourself I... I thought it was even better. You told me you didn't enchant it into being."
"I didn't. I did make it, that part is true."
"Then what about enchanting it to make me unable to see any futures where you're king of the NightWings? Ones where you're some self-proclaimed emperor over the entire continent?"
He merely looked at her straight in the eyes and said, "that was a little bonus. Come now, don't act like you weren't a lot happier once they stopped happening."
"I didn't even remember them happening before!"
"Another little bonus. Makes you forget that they were even there in the first place. For all you knew, I was perfect. We'd be together for the rest of our short, insignificant lives, raising dragonets and being happy in each other's company. Not to say those futures aren't pleasant in their own right, but I'd rather have my life here be one of more...magnitude. To do something. To be a hero in the eyes of many, as opposed to hiding away like a coward and afraid of my own magic."
"That's what you think of Fathom all along, isn't it?" she asked.
"Fathom? Him? I suppose it is, yes. Though, he'll come out of his shell eventually. A shame he hasn't used his potential to its fullest. That old murderer did a number on his psyche, didn't it?" His face shifted into a crooked smile.
"He's your friend," she hissed.
"I know he is. I want to help him. It's what I've been focusing on more as of late. I don't see what is the issue."
"The issue is that you seem a lot more confident in using your magic."
"Shouldn't I be?" he asked, approaching her. "Clearsight, love of my life, I've never been scared of my magic. I've been liberal with my usage, yes, but never scared. My powers are a gift, one that I must use to bring peace to the two tribes."
"You want to kill them."
Darkstalker paused. "And what makes you say that?" Looking at him was as though staring into pure evil. Yet, he looked no different than the dragonet she had met all those years back. This dragon she cared about, shared laughs and memories with, spent so much time with, was he really like this?
She tapped her claws on the wooden floor. "I can see all these futures where the Ice Kingdom is reduced to ash and dust. Ones where you've repurposed it into more land for the NightWings. Ones where you force all the IceWings to submit and bow to you. I can see ones where I'm standing next to you, watching as the gorgeous palace burns." She sighed. "And we're smiling. You're smiling. Me? I can...feel it. In all of those futures, it's the same. I can feel how my face is forced into that position. I'm not happy. I want to scream at you. I want to claw your throat out. I want to stop this chaos. I hate you. Yet, I stand there, useless and incapable of doing anything. In those futures, you've done something to me to make me...nothing like me."
Darkstalker straightened his neck. "You're stressed over that? The chance that I control you further than you'd like?"
"It's not just that. I mean, yes of course I'd rather remain myself and sufficiently not enchanted beyond recognition just so you still have somebody by your side in your conquest, but it's more." She blinked, feeling her eyes welling up. "I don't want you to do any of these things. You know I don't. You're probably prying around in my mind right now, aren't you? You're seeing all of the futures and plotting what next to say so you're so frustratingly distant." She flexed her claws. "Why can't you just be yourself? Why can't it be like the old days?"
He laughed. "I don't think I could go back to those 'old days' if I'd like. I don't know how else to tell you, but I've always been like this. It's almost adorable, how you constantly try to go back through those old memories. You keep trying to cling to the idea that I was once a better dragon. Some innocent and hapless fool. Perhaps I was once that. But, that was your rose-coloured view of me. I assure you, my sweet, that I was no different back then." He grinned.
A lump formed in her throat. She wanted to speak, say anything. It didn't matter what. A half-baked insult. Pleading that he was lying. Desperate attempts to reason with him and talk him out of it all. Something as pathetic and sad as a quiet, strained sob. Yet, nothing. She was frozen.
"I can tell it's a lot to take in." He drew closer to her. "I would be shocked too if I were in your position. The love of my life? Somebody who I've trusted for so long? How could you be so cruel? Well, I personally don't see it as that. Perhaps you're giving these IceWings too much credence."
"Why shouldn't I?" Clearsight spat out.
"Why? Because they don't deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. You know this too, don't know? IceWings are vile, horrible dragons. Look at them. Look at their circles. Standing high and mighty with such pride and arrogance as to believe they are a superior tribe. They are pathetic. They hide behind their lavish walls and watch the rest of the continent, laughing amongst themselves for other tribes not being as civilized as them. Hypocrites. They spit and laugh at those lower to them. Put the weak, ill, elderly, those deemed 'useless' at the outskirts of their kingdom, far from where they can hear their pleas for help."
Darkstalker's eyes narrowed harshly. "They hate. That's the only thing they know how to do. They hate their own brothers and sisters for not being as nauseously strong. Imagine: you are doomed to live in horrible conditions and deemed utterly useless by your society for simply being hatched with an illness, not being physically able to hunt, or for having the smallest shred of decency and kindness in your soul. For simply not being 'good enough', you are sentenced to a village where, if there ever were to be an attack, your house would go up in flames and no guards would be to save you. If anything, those in the higher circles will laugh as they drink their wine and eat their lavish meals, giggling about how it was about time."
He looked back at her. "Do you think those dragons deserve sympathy? Mercy? They are disgusting. Revolting on all levels. They are built on hate and oppressive rules that only hurt. They want nothing more than the destruction of the rest of the tribes. To be the only ones. They are vicious, horrible dragons who don't deserve even an ounce of kindness. They only destroy, pillage, and hate. They would be better off gone. No more could they hurt. No longer will they be able to curse this continent with their presence. It would be a blessing if I were to just snap my talons right now and force them all to tear their own hearts out, wouldn't you agree, my darling Clearsight?"
Clearsight had to hold back from gagging. To hear him speak with such vitriol and malice... She knew he wasn't fond of them. But, to this extent? To kill them all? Vile. Simply evil.
"Evil?" he echoed, "seems a bit much."
"So you ARE reading my mind!" she snapped.
"Of course. It's a bit hard to. I love hearing your thoughts. They're oftentimes eloquent and beautiful. A lot more refined and pleasing than any other dragon I've met." He raised his talons, stroking her snout. "You're a perfect dragon. You deserve better than to be so...fragile."
"Is that what you think of me? Fragile?" She backed away.
"Well, it isn't-"
"No, you think of yourself as better than me, don't know? More powerful. You have the ability to do whatever you want, and it- it's all gone to your head! Look out at the plaza. Look at all of these NightWings. What do you see them as."
Darkstalker glanced at the busy streets. "I see them as...weak beings."
"So you admit it."
"Of course! I would never lie to you."
"You lied about the earring."
"You never asked or questioned if it was enchanted, only if it I willed it into being," he answered, a smug, pompous feeling etched into his words.
"I shouldn't have to ask if it's enchanted! I should just be able to trust you and not have to sit there, wondering if every second is my last one spent free. Perhaps I'm enchanted right now. The moons only know if you've subtly messed with me. Every thought of mine could be influenced by your magic. I wouldn't even know if what I'm saying is what the real me would do-"
Darkstalker cut her off with his low, rumbly laugh. "Your paranoia is so funny to see. My sweet, if I didn't value you so much, I would've silenced you and made you forget about everything. Put back on the earring, this time with a couple more adjustments so you never find out. Or perhaps make it a permanent spell on you. Make you quiet and agreeable." He tisked. "But, that's not you, is it? That's not the dragon who I love so dearly."
"So you value me and not enchanting me, but not the others? You would do this to anybody else?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I? I'm only held back because I have a connection with you. A bond so deep it defies the universe. I love you, Clearsight."
"You...you want to kill the IceWings," she muttered.
"A necessary action to take to ensure the safety and prosperity of not only our kingdom, but the entire tribe. Look at me and tell me that the IceWings offer anything of value to the other tribes. Anything. Their culture isn't anything to gawk at. It's dystopian and shameful. It's oppressive and they value certain dragons more than others over superficial and idiotic reasons, leaving others behind to feed off of the scraps."
"Isn't that what you are like as well?" she asked.
A pause. The atmosphere grew tense and stiff. It was harder to breathe, her lungs almost rejecting what little air could worm its way into her. Darkstalker's eyes were still, the silvery pupils glistening in the evening light.
"Clearsight!" he responded, his manner playful and humorous. It didn't hide the brewing frustration in him. "You honestly believe I am like that? To be even so much as comparable to them? That's rich!" He laughed.
"I'm not joking. Th- this isn't a joke! These are dragons, Darkstalker. Dragons with real lives you're talking about. Hopes, dreams, goals, aspirations, all that. They are as alive as you are."
He snorted. "Again, bold to assume they would even have those. Their lives are nothing but to serve the kingdom. They are miserable inside of it and out. Look no further than my father. A parasite on the life of my mother. He tricked her, making her believe that there was something more to him. That he wasn't like the rest. That he was as soulful as she was. Then, he trapped her in a loveless, horrible marriage. Not a day passed without them at each other's throats. Depressed and alone without anybody else except her two dragonets. That was until she finally had enough and..." he sighed. "She didn't deserve her fate. She didn't deserve such a grisly demise."
"So you're simply using your father as a reference? A guideline for how the tribe works?"
"It's only natural for the royalty of such a tribe to be practically the epitome of such a toxic and horrible environment. It's in his nature to act in such a way. To suck the life out of anything and everyone. He ruined Foeslayer. He ruined Whiteout. He ruined me. For that, I've seen enough. I know how terrible these dragons are."
"So you're completely fine with killing them all?"
"Yes."
Clearsight refrained from her knee-jerk reaction to scream and yell "What's WRONG with you?!" and rather took a small breath. "And what makes you believe you're any better than them? With all of your talk about being vastly greater than them? With believing you're higher and better than any other dragon? With thinking that everything would be better if the other tribe was dead?"
"Clearsight, that's a bit of a reach-"
"Is it? Is it!? From what you've been going on about, you've done nothing to say something even remotely moral. You've only tried to justify your actions. It's never your fault for anything, is it? You enchanting my earring, that was to make me happy, wasn't it? You never consulted me before. You simply altered me in a way I couldn't even tell as a 'surprise gift'. Was it really to make me happy? Or was it to make me shut up and blindly follow you?"
"Clearsight, that's quite enough-"
"I'm not done yet. The way you talk about other dragons is abhorrent at best and downright despicable and evil on the regular. Not just the IceWings, but anybody else. I'll spend an afternoon with Listener and then the minute I get back you'll go on and complain about her. I remember you once 'joking' about how you wished you could enchant her to lose her voice. I don't think that was so much of a joke as is what you genuinely wanted. You want power. You want to be this...figure that everyone loves. Aren't I and Fathom enough? Moons above we care about you."
"Clearsight, that's enough."
"You say you love me, but I can't honestly believe in that. I don't believe in my own feelings for you either. What part of me is real and genuinely cares about you, and what part is fabricated from your enchantments? I can't tell. Perhaps all of it. It's...sad watching you become this dragon. I know you're not like this. You're better. You're not some evil dragon. But, you're determined to see this through, aren't you? This plot to kill Queen Vigilance and claim her throne, as if you'll do any better of a job than her. She's got sheep for brains, but you're a monster-"
"Enough out of you!" Darkstalker snarled. He raised his talons, clamping them together. With that, Clearsight's mouth closed. She couldn't speak. Her breathing quickened as she tried to breathe. Whole whole body seized up. She couldn't move a muscle.
"I've been merciful for a while, letting you vent out your frustrations. Believe me, my dear, I understand why you would be so angry. It's only natural you'd react in such a way. However, you haven't grown to realize that this all is for, well, you. Me getting rid of the IceWings and making way for a sweet, peaceful existence? It's all for you to be happy. My parents weren't happy. I don't want us to be like them. Ever. We deserve a happier life, one full of love and joy."
He paced around her. "I do it all because I love you. None of it is selfish, I assure you. I promise you with all of my heart and soul that it's for you. Every enchantment. Every spell and utterance. It's all for you. Yes, even now with me keeping you still. I need a moment to talk. For you to understand without objecting or claiming falsehoods."
He came to her snout, grabbing her by the chin. He tilted her head up, letting her stare right into his cold, black eyes. "I love you, Clearsight. Though you may be scared, you may find me strange and unsettling, I know you do too. You may hate me in this moment. You may find me disgusting and horrible. But, we both know one thing is certain. You love me. It's the truth. You do love me. Even when you crawl into your bed tonight, hateful and wishing you could've said anything else to win this 'argument', you will love me. Even when I kill Vigilance, you will love me. Even when I send waves of plagues and famine upon the IceWings, slaughtering village after village in order to maintain peace and fulfill my destiny, you will love me. It's our fatal flaw. We love each other more than anything else."
He looked at her with a longing, sweet expression. "I love you, Clearsight. I love you."
With that, he opened his talons. Clearsight dropped to the ground, grasping at the floor. She gasped for air, clawing away from him.
"Would you like me to help you up?" He held out his talons.
"GET AWAY!" Clearsight screamed. She swiped at his claws with anger, sadness, and above all: fear. What would've otherwise been a blow so powerful and heavy it could've sliced at least a couple claws off glazed along his scales. Not a single scratch.
She flailed away from him, opening her wings and taking off into the skies. She flew away from the library, her legs sprinting through the air as if it would make her go faster. She needed to get away from him. She didn't even notice the tears pouring from her eyes until they were rushing against the wind, drying as quickly as they formed.
She felt hopeless. There was nothing she could do against him. Any sort of plea or reasoning would only make him more annoyed and upset. It could endanger more lives. He was already dead set on killing Queen Vigilance. It was only a matter of time he did it. She was useless.
But, above all, she felt betrayed. That wasn't the dragon she fell in love with. That couldn't be him. The one who she stuck by whenever things got rough. The one who cared about her and told her that she was the most lovely thing in the world. The one who promised her a loving, and sweet future where they'd both be happy and love each other.
That was the dragon she loved, not this...thing.
...was he even that different though? He was right. The more she thought about it, the more of these repressed memories bubbled up. Moments where Darkstalker would say or do something that would otherwise be harmful and horrible. He'd joke about the NightWings all bowing to him one day. He'd bring up hypothetical about him 'going mad' and what Fathom and her would do about it.
A sick, disgusting pit formed in her stomach as the realization dawned on her. She...really did love this dragon; and no matter what he'd do or what she'd say, there was nothing that could change that. This was the future Darkstalker that she wanted all of those years ago. This was her soulmate. This was the dragon who she loved.
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I saw your Robotus NSFW Alphabet post and please GOD elaborate on him having a fleshlight based on Reader's pussy because he misses them. It's driving me insane your ideas are so good
YES ANON OFC I WILL <33 FAVE SHIT EVER ARE YOU KIDDING
nsfw below!! this is gonna be so long I'm so sorry MNSDMS
he didn't expect himself to miss you so much??
Like you're only gonna be out of town for 3 weeks, max. That's nothing. especially in comparison to how long of a life you two are gonna spend together, that IS nothing.
He repeats that a lot to himself during the coming days.
It's about halfway through the second that he starts missing missing you. Proper yearning. Not just surface level ‘wishing you were with him’ NOPE SMDNS
He’s absolutely lovesick. He finds himself missing every little detail about you.
The smell of your shampoo. The little glint in your eye when you flirt with him. Kissing your warm cheeks after you cum, the lazy smile that follows. The way your eyes light up when he makes a joke.
AND ITS STUPID. HE KNOWS ITS STUPID. ITS IDIOTIC YOU AREN'T ON MARS FOR FUCKS SAKES YOU'RE JUST A FEW STATES AWAY. YOU'LL BE HOME BY THE END OF THE MONTH. HE WANTS TO GRAB HIMSELF BY THE SHOULDERS AND SHAKE.
He feels so dramatic but. that changes nothing. he's still stuck in Yearning Hell.
He definitely tries masturbating, because that seems like the easiest way to tamp it down until you're back, but it isn't the same.
Sure, he cums, and it's perfectly fine, but the wanting doesn't go away. There's still that aching sensation.
if anything, he feels worse after because it's not you. It's just a new reminder of how amazing it is being intimate with you and how far away you are.
AND,, WELL,
It's definitely an impulse decision.
(Granted, most of his decisions are impulse decisions, so.)
He's got a full 3D model of your innards bc. of course he does smdnsd.
Shockingly, it isn't even smth he actively kept info about? he just has so many sensors in his dick that it just,, naturally acquires that kinda data, and it gets stored away subconsciously.
Wouldn't even be hard to print out something usable. a few minutes at most...
Yeah after the base idea crops up, he considers it for maybe,, .5 seconds before caving smdnsmd.
He keeps internally scoffing at himself as he sets up the printer, fills in the silicone, inputs the instructions. Sighing his nonexistent lungs out.
Just a constant mental stream of 'you are such an idiot you are such an idiot you are such an idiot' as he undoes his belt MSNDMSD truly he is. Experiencing.
actually,, using it,, oh lordie,,
he hates, hates that it gets a full-throated 'oh fuck' out of him, but it absolutely does.
Is it perfect? Not even close. A pale imitation at best. The slickness of lube is too artificial, there's none of that Human Warmth he's grown accustomed to, he can't cradle your face or squeeze your hips.
Is it just enough for him to pretend it's you? YEP <33
He only gets about 5 thrusts in before his first orgasm, and tbh his artificial cum really helps pull the illusion together?
It stays warm inside his tanks, heated by his motor, and it fills up the inside of the toy in no time.
It cools down pretty fast, but it's no problem because he replaces it just as quick <3
He's split between. feeling absolutely mortified that he's humping a piece of lukewarm silicone like some sort of animal vs not giving a singular fuck because it hits the exact spot he needs it to.
<333333
He isn't entirely sure how long he goes for, but when he's done the sun is firmly in the sky, which makes his cheeks feel more than a little artifically warm.
Thankfully, the toy itself fairly easy to dispose of, since it's virtually unrecognizable by the time he's done.
maybe. he'll keep those designs on file. for future use. just in case.
OH and don't think this spoils the welcome-home sex - think of it as an appetizer <33 just a reminder of what he's had to be away from!!
so. um. *pinwheels into the atmosphere*
#SORRY YALL IDK THIS. HAD AN EFFECT. COULD YOU TELL.#im so obsessed w/. every time AB j.ac.ks off hes like#'this is so stupid you are an idiot this is pathetic you are being pathetic' bc. he just cannot mentally wrangle the idea that#yes its ok for him to have needs.#so instead its a tightrope walk of Embarrassment and Need#also bc the mental image of ab absolutely RAI.LING a f.lesh.lig.ht while internally being like 'I am being so cringe' MAKES ME CACKLE#oh. oh desp.erate ab. is everything to me#we love men who are too stubborn to admit they want 2 b.on.e so instead they just repress it until it explodes in one Big Hrony Moment.#mwa. love that shit.#IDK. is this in character. am i lost in my own sauce. MNDSSM#lmk besties#nsft#minors dni#inside job#alpha-beta#robotus alpha-beta#alpha-beta x reader#robotus alpha-beta x reader#inside job x reader
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On The State of Comic Books
Comic books should be way bigger than they are. Not the characters or the stories mind you, but the actual medium of comic books. While Manga and Manwha are arguably the most popular they've ever been, American comics are lackluster by comparison. Specifically the two giants of the comic industry (Marvel and DC).
Marvel and DC comics have been on a downward slope recently, events aren't as exciting, and new characters are introduced only to immediately be either forgotten about or used so often the novelty wears off (Looking at you, batman who laughs). There's also this issue of characters who were made to carry on a legacy that they'll never inherit. All of this on top of the confusing timeline, no solid entry point to the story, and the fact that timeline resets have become more and more common.
The way to fix this (in my opinion) is one more reset of the timeline, redo the origin stories and whatnot, and then LET THE STORY PROGRESS. Let characters age, let them die (permanently), and let new heroes rise into the roles they were meant for. Instead of resetting the timeline to explain Spiderman's origin story to the new generation, just let someone else be Spiderman. Let Peter Parker take some time off, get his life together, and let Miles be Spiderman. for the next ten years. Then once Miles gets older, he gets a protege and we see Miles fill the Mentorship role with the next generation's Spiderman (Maybe a young Miguel O'hara?). This idea can be applied to numerous characters within comic books.
Now I understand that this is a pretty radical change to the comic book landscape, but I think it will work. Any of the old people salty that they have to say goodbye to their hero have at least ten years' worth of story to engage with, on top of gettting to see an actual character grow and change with a solid beginning, middle, and end. The new generation doesn't have to sort through opinions online of where to start if they want to get into Green Lantern, and they get their own identity instead of continually having to live around their parent's media icons.
Allowing time to move forward in comics will eliminate some of the major issues within the medium. One of the biggest issues is character age, as time continues certain characters defined by events in the real world become harder and harder to adapt. This is seen specifically in Marvel Comics because their solution to the timeline is that everything in Marvel Comics has happened over ten years and they're just sliding the dates to fit.
The Punisher used to be a Vietnam War Veteran and that played into his disillusionment with the system and into his tactics for crime-fighting (brutal efficient murder), as the timeline progressed The Punisher became a Gulf War veteran, then an Iraq War veteran, and now he's a veteran of the fictional Siancong War. Changing what war Frank Castle participated in changed the context of his crusade. Being a Vietnam Veteran puts Frank Castle at a time when Veterans were despised, chemical warfare was used regularly, and The Government had just been exposed for the liars they were. These are real-life events that Veterans could relate to. Instead of introducing a new Punisher Character to tackle the effects of the Iraq war and reckon with the lies the US government told there, they decided to use the same character to go through the same thing. Making a new character gives you the freedom to explore the way that the same types of incidents affect different people.
The sliding timeline obviously isn't going to fix the massive issues present within the medium, but I believe it's a perfect foundation for major positive changes.
#comics#comic books#opinion#marvel#dc comics#mcu#dcu#dceu#dc universe#spiderman#the punisher#miles morales#peter parker#frank castle#batman#superman
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While I absolutely don't condone Vanitas's early treatment of Jeanne (especially not that first kiss), I do think the power dynamic of their early relationship fits in a really interesting way with Jeanne's arc as a whole. Jeanne is a woman slowly rediscovering how to want things, and Vanitas's pressuring and manipulation forces her very earliest instances of acting on that want.
In particular, I'm talking about the blood drinking scenes at the bal masqué and in the alley in chapter 12. Vanitas doesn't force himself on Jeanne in either case, but you could make a good argument that he gets uncomfortably close. He can tell that Jeanne isn't in good control of herself at the Bal Masqué, and he spends a lot of effort wearing her down and convincing her that she should bite him.
Spending a long time wearing somebody down as you convince them to do a sexual act with you is. not great. Absolutely not a thing that you should do in real life.
And later, in the alley, Vanitas straight up blackmails Jeanne into continuing their blood drinking relationship. If she doesn't bite him and only him, he tells Luca about how/why Jeanne Marked him, which she refuses to let happen.
However, though the first non-consensual kiss is pretty clearly framed as Vanitas doing something Bad, these two blood drinking scenes aren't. So what gives? Well, I once saw a review say that first awful kiss was like something out of a bodice ripper, and the comparison has been haunting me ever since.
Dubious or nonexistent consent is a pretty old and common trope in romances, especially bodice ripper type ones, and there are a couple common explanations that float around as to why women would enjoy reading something like that. One of those explanations is the idea that non/dubcon is a good fantasy for people who feel like they aren't allowed to have agency over their own sexual desires. Women are made to feel like they shouldn't want sex, and so even if they wouldn't want a "no" to be ignored in real life, it's kind of an exciting fantasy. The heroines in books can play chaste as they're meant to, pretending they don't want the things they aren't supposed to want, and the man will give them what they secretly desire anyway.
That isn't a universally applicable explanation for why people like dub/noncon, not by a long shot, but I do think it's an interesting idea. And given that Jeanne's story is so very much about agency and learning to want things, it feels relevant to early VaniJeanne. The actual kiss, the part that that review compared to a bodice ripper, is just straight-up assault. I don't think there was any secret desire involved there on Jeanne's end. But what about the scenes at the bal masqué and in the alley?
It's made pretty clear that, for reasons of both chemistry and whatever secret thing is wrong with her, Jeanne wants Vanitas's blood. She doesn't want to want Vanitas's blood, and she doesn't want to act on the desire, but she desires it anyway. And Vanitas, through dubcon-level coercion and threats of blackmail, cajoles her into acting on that desire.
It's a classic romance novel setup of the heroine saying "no, I shouldn't" while secretly filled with want, only for the love interest to force her to "give in to her desires." She wants to drink his blood, and Vanitas gives her no choice but to do so.
Jeanne, in becoming a Bourreau, was meant to shed everything that made her a person. She was a tool. She was not meant to want anything. And that makes her the perfect character to act out that romance novel trope on. She's the ultimate example of a woman that isn't supposed to want what she wants, because it's not just sex that she isn't supposed to want. It's everything.
But, by casting Vanitas in the mold of a bodice ripper-style love interest, Jeanne is given an out. Gévaudan is her breakthrough—the moment when she goes directly against her orders to do something for the sake of her own heart. Before that point, when she still struggles to admit to wanting things, the only possible way she can act on a desire (including a sexual or blood desire) is to be cajoled and coerced.
And at the bal masqué, her biting Vanitas is the first time we see her carry out an act not in service of Luca.
#vnc#vanitas no carte#the case study of vanitas#I don't wanna get this post hidden from tag search with an sa tag#so instead for blacklist purposes:#dubcon#sa#(hopefully that should be sufficient *and* not get this hidden)#vanijeanne#english major hours
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Thinking about how I would rework silver eyes and honestly I think itd be cool and fun to just lean further into the Sharingan comparison and give it actual stages of progression, instead of it being an all-or-nothing thing that in turn mandates that Ruby has to be completely incompetent at using it in 80-90% of situations, or else the conflict would be over.
So in my AU, it has ten stages. (Nine, in general practice. The last is more of a mythical/worldbuilding thing that probably isn't real.)
Each stage both unlocks a new thing it can do, and can improve what you've unlocked in previous stages. (In DnD terms, kind of like getting the choice to perform a basic spell at a powered-up higher level) Each stage is mastered with training, and you cannot unlock the next if your mind and Aura aren't strong enough. But each time, either intense emotion, or a sort of "epiphany" moment of self-actualization, is still needed as the "final trigger" to progress to a new stage.
All of its abilities are a form of "magic", and do not directly use Aura, but still tie into it. Instead, the eye abilities accumulate "Tarnish", a new cost for the ability. Its only remedy is time and rest.
Tarnish is lasting strain upon the user's mind and soul, chaotic dissonance in their Aura that causes the user's maximum Aura capacity to progressively weaken the more they use these. Along with this, the user's emotions become increasingly dulled. High Tarnish also causes physical pain, tingling, numbness, and has additional, increasingly worse effects on consciousness, critical thinking, and motor function.
However, the Tarnish generated by lower stages of the eyes is minor, generally dissipating over time faster than it builds up. Still, Tarnish always dissipates much slower than Aura can recharge. Past a critical point, it no longer dissipates at all. If one stops just before this point, it can still take over a month to fully recover, and will leave you effectively unable to do anything Aura-based for several days.
After the critical point, the user becomes an emotionless and powerless husk. Forever.
This in turn is actually perfect for the creation of Salem's Hounds. A fully Tarnished being results in a more powerful Hound than any alternative.
The reason why is not well understood.
Anyway!
Stages:
Part 1: Pre-Beacon Unlocks
Stage 1, Ward: Cannot do harm. Weak Grimm recoil from the light, but the range only extends a few meters from the user.
Awakening Trigger: Ruby learning of her mother's death as a small girl.
Stage 2, Stun: Immobilizes and overwhelms the senses of weaker Grimm for several seconds, and also causes mild burns. The light is also disorienting for normal, non-supernatural reasons against humans at close range.
Awakening Trigger: Bullying at Signal (Cliche, but I really want a better actual reason why Ruby starts out awkward and self-conscious, and of where she picked up the idea that she'd prefer to be "normal".)
Stage Three, Gaze: Any Grimm that should be hidden or obscured can be clearly seen through any obstacle, as if faintly glowing silver. Weak points can be picked out as particularly bright areas on a Grimm.
Awakening Trigger: Bullying Part 2, Electric Boogaloo
Stage Four, Petrify: Can encase one target up to mid-level, such as an Ursa Major, in stone, or fully petrify them. Requires several seconds or more of sustained focus. Ruby herself remarks that it's often impractical, unless she's restrained.
This is also the first stage to be able to cause rapid Tarnish buildup.
Awakening Trigger: When she stands up to her bullies at Signal without Yang.
She is at Stage Four when she arrives at Beacon.
Stages
Part 2: Beacon/Post-Fall Unlocks
Stage Five, Scour: Any Grimm-produced substance within a few yards is rapidly destroyed and nullified. This includes slime, ooze, toxins, acid, projectile attacks, and even their elemental attacks, but it only works for a few seconds at a time. It can also weaken Grimm defenses and erode their armor, but does not kill outright.
Awakening Trigger: Entrance Exam
Stage Six, Ray: The eyes produce a beam that causes Instant disintegration of one or two small to mid-size Grimm, and causes the skin of larger targets to "boil" like hot tar, doing great harm.
Awakening Trigger: Volume 2
Stage Seven, Luster: The Silver Eyes equivalent of the three-tomoe Sharingan, the furthest you'll normally get. Users briefly gain an altered silver Aura, essentially making all of their attacks and their very touch "super effective" against Grimm.
Watch out for all the Tarnish, though...
Awakening Trigger: End of Volume 2
And Now We Get Spicy...
Stages
Part Three: Refinement
After this point, the user must be both sufficiently powerful and directly witness a great loss (This need not be death, but often is), to unlock the "Refined" Silver Eyes (basically Mangekyou Sharingan).
Unlocking Refinement is very strenuous upon the body and soul. Passing out or going comatose after it is first attained is common, as the user's first time inevitably generates high levels of Tarnish.
It is also possible for someone to permanently "fail" their Refinement and get stuck at Stage Seven instead, if they face a great tragedy before they're physically and emotionally prepared for it.
But once Refinement is attained, "Ward" becomes passive, and works on Grimm up to mid-level, such as an Ursa Major or Manticore. However, the default radius is still only a few meters.
This would potentially add some logic to why exactly Ruby just walks around with Relics, since she can now cancel out their attractant properties without any significant effort, and it would also help explain her moments of overconfidence and recklessness.
As for active abilities:
Stage Eight, Smite: What Ruby canonically does with her eyes. A powerful area-of-effect blast that can kill or petrify all Grimm in the area.
Awakening Trigger: RIP Pyrrha
Stage Nine, Sanctify: Objects, buildings, and places can become infused long-term with the ability to repel, or at greater levels of investment, actively harm Grimm. Effectiveness can build cumulatively, but scales down in inverse proportion to the total size of what is Sanctified. Handheld weapons, for instance, can become extremely damaging to Grimm for centuries, if sanctified by many at a time, or given many years to be imbued with power. An entire place/area is much harder.
Ideally, it is meant to be used by entire groups of SEW. Ruby herself can only safely Sanctify something like a large house for a day or so, but maintains a permanent low-level effect on Crescent Rose.
Can briefly "stack" with Luster for some Real Bonkers Finishing Move Shit.
Awakening Trigger: During V6
Stage Ten, Salvation: An ability detailed only in legend. Allegedly, the ability to "purify" a Grimm without killing it, turning it against all of its brethren. In some legends, this even bestows it Aura. What this process would truly entail, or how this stage is actually reached, is unknown. Sources tend to be somewhat contradictory of one another.
Awakening Trigger: N/A
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