#does Blue even have a big role in this game's story?
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It’s been 3 years (or somewhere around that) since I last did a drawing of my Pokémon OC Blue. But ever since I got into Pokémon violet brain rot mode I sort of had this need of somehow adding her into the story (or at least make her have some relation with Julieta).
Before getting into more details about her I need to clarify something:
1-I headcanon that Scarlet/Violet take place 2 years after the events of Sw/Sh. Now, at the beginning of Sw/Sh story Blue is 18 yrs old and by the the end of the story she would have turned 19 (More specifically after the events that take place in the Crown Tundra, if you played the DLC you know what I’m talking about). So basically by the time Julieta starts her journey, Blue would be 21 yrs old.
2-Yes I do ship her with Leon. I created Blue more then 3 yrs ago, so I got everything regarding her story and all that figured out, I’m only adding a couple more things since I thought it would be interesting to have her and Julieta be related in some way (I literally had to figure out a timeline and do the math just so I could determine how big the time skip between SwSh and ScarVio storylines should be).
3-I only drew her in her champion uniform cause that’s the only outfit I hadn’t figured out for her. Most of the time she’s wearing her casual clothes and only wears the uniform for exhibition matches, and official battles and/or tournaments.
Now that’s been cleared up, time to get into her info! First we'll cover the stuff related with SwSh and then we start withe the ScarVio stuff (don't worry the SwSh stuff will be short).
Blue is currently Galar’s reigning champion. It took her a while to get used to her new role, but eventually she got the hang of it and enjoys her job as the region’s champion.
Has known Hop for a very long time since she used to babysit him back when he was little, but even though she has looked after the boy for a long time, she never got meet his big brother before until the events of the game kick in.
A month after she earned the title of Champion, Blue decides that she needs to do some extra or special training to become a better trainer. Leon suggests that she should go to the Isle of armor and train under his old mentor, Master Mustard. While she and Klara started with the left foot, they eventually become good friends and even helps the poison type trainer accomplish her dream of becoming a gym leader (being a champion and the partner of the chairman does have its benefits 😉).
A month after the events of the Isle of Armor, Blue travels to the Crown tundra to find out from who is the strange voice that’s been calling her all the way from the south of Galar. (Yes, she does capture Calyrex but let’s him roam free around the Crown tundra since she thinks it’s for the best they stay in their natural habitat. Blue does visit Calyrex every once in a while if she has some free time to spare)
Blue is a very kind person and easy to get along with, as long as you don’t piss her off of course.
Blue does some routine visits to the Pokémon schools all over Galar to scout for new talented trainers. She always does this some months before the gym challenge, as she gives an endorsement to the kids that manage to catch her attention. It was during one of these visits that she met Julieta. Blue realized that the girl had the potential to be great at Pokémon battles, so she took the girl under wing and made her some sort of protégée.
At some point, Blue becomes close to Julieta and her mom, making her a friend of the family. One day Julieta accidentally called her 'Auntie' but it didn't bother Blue at all.
Blue is techincally Julieta's Godmother, but it's way easier for Julieta to just call her auntie (and it's also cute).
Was the one who suggested Julieta's mom that they move to Paldea to have a fresh start, hoping that the change of scenery would help the girl open up and make some new friends.
Since moving to another region ain't cheap, Blue covered all the expenses: ferry tickets to Paldea, moving services and buying a house. Alice (Julieta's mom) was very insistent there was no need for this, but deep down she's very grateful for her kindness.
Since the enrollment process of Uva Academy takes a long time to be completed for people that come from other places of the world, Blue personally made sure that the staff works on the process almost at the speed of light so her little girl can start attending as soon as the new semester begins. All the administrative staff and Director Clavell were sweating bullets, being pressured by a very famous champion was a huge deal, so they better not fuck this up.
Whenever she has time, she calls Julieta to check up on her and know she's doing well. Imagine how delighted she is when the girl tells her she has made some new friends and is now having her own adventure.
Figures out in less of five seconds that Julieta has a crush on Arven, when during one of their video calls the young girl starts to talk about him and kept saying how amazing and cute he is. Ah, young love is just amazing, or it would be if the girl weren't so damn oblivious and kept being in denial-
Julieta: Me? H-Having a crush on Arven?! D-Dont be silly! We are just good friends!
Blue: Julie, anyone with at least one funcional braincell can tell you like him that way 😒
Not many people know Blue is Julieta's godmother. The only exception are Julie's family, Clavell and Geeta. All of them agree to keep that information confidential for Julieta's sake, otherwise the media will bother her with questions related to her relationship with Galar's champion.
Sometime later after the events of Area zero and the post game, Blue decides to pay a visit to Julieta which means she gets to meet Penny, Nemona and Arven at long last. Those three definitely were shocked.
Nemona: Miss Blue, please let me have a battle with you! 🤩
Penny: *trying to process the fact her bestie is good friends with Galar's champion*
Arven: *internally panicking cause his crush's godmother is a freaking champion so he better give a good impression or he's fucked*
#pokemon oc#blue#pokemon sword and shield#oc#oc stuff#this turned out longer than expected#does Blue even have a big role in this game's story?#no#but I thought it would be fun to have Julieta interact with Blue#ocs
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I think one of the things that gets lost in the big, endless internet conversation about whether or not heroes should kill their villains is the fact that killing villains off robs you of a lot of story-telling potential. The Joker died at the end of his debut story in Batman - imagine what Batman would be if he stayed dead. No Joker in Batman 66, no The Killing Joke which means no Barbara Gordon as Oracle and no The Dark Knight, no Mark Hamill Joker episodes of BTAS (so many of them were based on his comic appearances, after all - the laughing fish is a direct adaptation of a comic), which means no Harley Quinn and no Return of the Joker, on and on it goes.
Like, you can argue the morality of heroes sparing their villains till you turn blue - god knows this site does it at least a thousand times a day - but on a purely pragmatic story-telling level, the minute you kill ANY character, you kill all the story potential they had. And yeah, it's fiction, you can bring them back from the dead if you really need them, but that's a pretty hard story beat to pull off without hurting your story. You don't want to fill your tale with "Somehow, Palpatine has returned" moments.
And you can just make new villains, sure, but again you have a problem with that - a new villain has to establish themselves and has to stand out from who came before, which means you can't go directly to the storylines you could have had with a villain who stuck around AFTER their introduction. A recurring villain is capable of doing things that one-off villains can't.
youtube
I'm going to illustrate this with a character from a fandom I'm not even a part of - I never played the Ratchet and Clank series and am only vaguely aware of it, but one day I saw a supercut of scenes starring one of its recurring villains, Dr. Nefarious, on twitter, and I was like "Oh shit, that's the guy who plays Quark on Deep Space Nine, isn't? This guys a hoot, let's see if we can find more clips on youtube." Which brought me to this hefty video here from one of the more recent games in the series.
And, like, as a person who "doesn't even go here," it's obvious this goofy little fucker has a history. His opening scenes have him ranting about how much it sucks to lose repeatedly - a lampshade on the "flaw" of a recurring villain, i.e. that their threat diminishes the more they come back because, by the nature of their role in the story, it means they've suffered a lot of losses. So how cool is it that as this supercut chugs along you can clearly see this is a theme of the game - that this is a story about the virtue of losing, a story that is enriched by having an antagonist who fans of the series know has lost a LOT?
The true antagonist is an alternate version of Dr. Nefarious who's won every fight in his life so far, apparently with little effort, and I love how they differ on a design aspect. They're both technically mad scientists, but notably, Emperor Nefarious, the winner, has a more imposing and "heroic" build, but a smaller brain-dome for his robot brains. Because winning may make him look strong, but if a mad scientist's real power is their mind, well, which Nefarious is really the strong one here then?
Dr. Nefarious gets this juicy arc about realizing the virtue in his repeated failures that corresponds with the heroic characters struggling to find a way to win against a seemingly invincible opponent, as well as contrasts the true villain, Dr. Nefarious's explicit counterpart and foil Emperor Nefarious, who has never once lost and is a total piece of shit for it. Again, not my fandom, I don't go here, not an expert on Ratchet and Clank, but even as a relative stranger to it who's just watching a big supercut, I fucking love this. This is an excellent story.
And it's one you can only tell with a recurring villain. Without Dr. Nefarious, this story works significantly less. You need a villain with a history the audience has seen to really sell this.
Anyway, I made this post because, ironically enough, I saw another tweet talking about how some fans think Dr. Nefarious should have been killed off in his first appearance, and, like... that's just fucking baffling to me, as a person outside this fandom looking in. Recurring villains deserve more love, man, they give us so much.
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Your platonic yandere vampire fuckin slaps, its so good i want to eat it
Since after turning, the reader is basically a NEET at this point cause I doubt Dorian would allow her to have a life. Are there like any expectations that he has on her on a day to day basis?
As in, does he expect a minimum amount of time spent together as a family (aside from dinners), having the 1700s equivalent of family game nights, does Dorian expect the reader to hug her dads at least once a day? Or does he let her rot in her room with dolls and just likes the idea of having his husband and daughter in the house?
Once again, love your work and great job , fuckin banger series you made thank you so much for the delicious food, looking forward for more
𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓑𝓮 𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴 (Ask)
When Night Comes asks
Platonic Yandere Vampire
Story Chapter list
I'm glad to know you liked it! (*°▽°*) Thank you for asking! Sorry it took so long to answer, I just didn't know how to put it into words until today. o(TヘTo) But here it is :
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Surprisingly, Dorian did not expect a certain amount of time spent together. With time, he had grown to understand that forcing it would only make the girl pull away even more. He knew (Y/n) would come to him or Killian all by herself. Who else would she turn to anyway? Who else would she turn to, after all? Balls and gatherings where she could mingle with vampires of similar age and disposition were few and far between. Being in contact with mortals without feeding on them was even rarer.
No, he knew she needed them. Leaving wasn’t even an option for one who looked so young, that, she was very much aware of. She wasn’t dumb, far from it.
But every three decades or so, the youngling would forget that and simply confine herself in her own quarters. Dorian learned not to make a big deal about it. Still, she needed company no matter how much she could forget that sometimes. Naturally, he would then find her company; that was his role as his caretaker, after all. The first time, it had been a grey cat which, for the life of him, he couldn't remember the name of. Next, it was a little puppy and, ten years ago, it was a small cat with bright blue eyes named Atlas.
They all died within ten years of their arrival. His little vampire took great care of them, but their mortal existence couldn’t be extended forever. Yet, every time, she would be devastated, mourning them for a long period of time. Just like she was doing tonight, in fact. Atlas had been buried earlier in the night. The poor girl was a mess sobbing in his arms. He gently rubbed circles in her back as she cried all the tears in her body.
“Now, hush dear," he muttered with a soothing voice, “you gave it a wonderful life. I’m sure he is now thankful wherever he is.”
"Why did he have to go?" She sobbed even more.
"All mortals have to go, starshine, you know that," he reminded her softly.
The stark contrast between mortals and their kind was a truth they couldn't escape. Mortals, with their fleeting lives and fragile mortality, existed on a different plane altogether. They grew old and frail, their bodies succumbing to the relentless march of time, while vampires remained frozen in eternal youth, unchanging and immutable. Mortals came and went like whispers on the wind, leaving behind only the faintest traces of their existence, while vampires endured, their memories etched into the fabric of eternity. Dorian knew the pet would eventually die, just like the others. And yet, despite the inevitability of her passing, she still had them; her family.
In the quiet darkness of the night, she sought solace in the embrace of the familiar, curling up in the comforting confines of Dorian's coffin. Her tears, silent witnesses to the turmoil that churned within her, traced shimmering paths down her cheeks. He petted her hair gently as Killian placed a kiss on her forehead. And just like that, everything was as it was before. She clung to them as she should.
She would always come to them in the end. Sometimes, it just took a little push, a reminder that mortal life was fleeting — and here she was once again, returning to them with a heart heavy with sorrow and tears.
She would come and they would be there.
┉┈◈◉◈┈┉
Does he bring her pets so she can watch them die on purpose as a form of punishment whenever she pulls away for too long?
'Nooooooo, of course nooooot,' Dorian says, u know, just like a dirty filthy lying liar who lies.
#platonic yandere#yandere platonic#yandere vampire#yandere father#obsession#yandere#vampire#platonic#x reader#reader insert#child reader#yandere x reader#fanfic#stockholm syndrome#manipulation#(y/n)#female reader#animal death#toxic relationship
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What if Jaune was a Xiao-Long? Does he either inherit Tai’s puns but are actually good, or Summer’s obsession with weapons, specifically swords.
Well, let's talk about the changes that would come with Jaune being born a Xiao Long. I'm assuming that he's Raven and Tai's son and Yang's twin brother, since him being Ruby's twin would potentially give him silver eyes and take away Ruby's role as the innocent and pure soul that she is, since she'd have to share the big hero spotlight.
As a Xiao-Long Branwen, Jaune's eyes would be red, blue, or purple, which is a choice of colors I love. Like, Yang isn't red like her mothers or blue like her fathers, but a lovely mix of purple to show she is both her mother's and her father's child. So Jaune also being born with these would be nice, though him having either Tai's or Raven's colored eyes would be a nice contrast to Yang. Also, fourth option, just putting it on the table so it's there, Jaune being heterochromatic with red and blue eyes. But to be honest, that feels a little too OC for me. Honestly, I'm leaning to Tai eyes since it would give Raven more reason to not stick around.
Jaune would grow up with Yang and help raise Ruby, but I could see him acting more like a brother than a father with her. He plays video games and reads comic books with her, while Yang is acting more as a mother-figure, filling in the space Summer left. I can also see Jaune having a Luigi dynamic to Yang's Mario, with him being the more timid and cautious twin of the two. Like, I'm imagining the three leaving to look for Summer with Jaune making constant whines like "Yaaang, we should go back!"
Now, with Jaune's weapon, let's address the goliath in the room. Crocea Mors? Not a thing. There's no family heirloom for him to take from the wall to attend Beacon. Instead, since he'd attend Signal and Beacon with his sisters, he'd make his own weapons. What weapons? Ooh... That's... Oof... If you're familiar with my Ru-Ja-Gun-Con series, you know that there are A LOT of weapons Jaune could choose and be inspired by. I even hinted at one being a solid choice for me if I had my way, BUT that was Jaune in canon. This is an entirely different Jaune. However, since this Jaune is still, essentially, Jaune, I would still like to keep the Jaune Arc style, so I'll let him keep the sword and shield and say he was inspired by the fairy tale stories he would read to Ruby, and yes, it is the Rusted Knight. However, I'd also like to borrow from the Joan of Arc inspiration and give Jaune something from her arsenal. I'm thinking a sword and shield/sheath that can be turned into a crossbow! But wait, there's more! Since both Ruby and Yang use theirs for combat AND mobility, I'd like to suggest Jaune has a rappelling line/bolt that he can slide on. Neat, right? Now we just need a name... How about... Juniper Rose, named after his favorite character from his favorite fairy tale.
"But what about his semblance?!" The voice in my head cries, mimicking what I think is what you're asking. Well, since he is heading off to Signal and Beacon with his sisters, it would only make sense to have Jaune unlock his aura and his semblance, but instead of coming up with something wild like Juniper Rose, I'd suggest keeping Aura Amp as his semblance BUT obviously have it unlocked sooner. I'm imagining a scenario during training where Ruby or Yang got really hurt, so he rushes over to help them and uses his semblance to quickly heal them.
But yeah, there's my Jaune Xiao-Long for you.
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when i think of them, i think of...
inspired by this post by @shoccolatine, check it out!
LUCIFER
his smile — whether seductive, sadistic or genuine
reds, blacks/greys/whites, golds
his study — the skull on the wall, fireplace, the red velvet chair | you reading by the fireplace, enjoying the quiet crackling sounds as he works
his demon form — the red gloves, the horns, the wings, the peacock feather details on his clothes, the diamond on his forehead
his fur lined coat, his gloves, his tie
his eyes, specifically the reds at the bottom
apples, poison, fangs, blood
ghosts, grief, loss | him petting a sleeping cerberus as he sits by lilith's statue. he's silent, not wishing to disturb her
how much he loves his family — how he's willing to be a villain to anyone he feels may harm them, from you to his own father
cosmic and body horror, upside-down crosses, eyes, destroyed psyches, crackling, warped reality, the sound of bones snapping
the skeleton in his room
records, wine, comfortable silence, quiet nights
MAMMON
him laughing as he and you drive in a getaway car
his laugh, his smile, his sunglasses, his jacket
that little pose he does where his hand kinda covers his lips, usually done when he's feeling confident
his silliness — the dumb excuses for doing (or not doing) something, his even dumber schemes, running/hiding from lucifer, his tsundere-ness, how he says "yikes!"
gift boxes, jewelery, gold, silver, money (coins and paper)
casinos, the word "jackpot", poker, slot machines, cards, dealers
the casino fight scene in black panther, specifically the part where claw's hand thing shoots the cabinet and the money flies everywhere
his wings
his familiars | him petting and praising them for doing a good job, like catching stray grimm or reporting important info
him punishing people who don't pay back their debts — they find themselves in an empty street, fog rising and crows soon surrounding them
how much he respects lucifer, how he followed him into hell without question
how despite all the fighting and dumb stuff that he does with his family, he still values his role as a big brother
LEVIATHAN
this card (the pre-devil's flower)
him at his pc, laser-focused in on a game. he's glaring at the screen, fangs bared, determined to win
his room — the bathtub, the jellyfish, the aquarium, the figures, henry 2.0 in his little fish bowl
headphones, game controllers and consoles, screens, neon colors (greens, blues, purples), keyboards
anime, magical girls, figures, sparkles
his loud ass OOOOHHHHHHHHHWWOOOOOOOOAHHHHH voice line
his tsundere-ness and shyness, how he gets flustered so easily, how cute he is when he blushes, your love and affection for him being "too high level"
how he seems to have a soft spot for the twins
his demon form — the tail, the diamond pattern along his neck, his weird zipper jacket thing, his horns | (a fic i read where the author described his horns as antlers, and they headcanon-ed that they shed every season)
fish, colorful coral reefs, bright blue seas, bubbles, beaches, snakes
deep dark oceans, octopus/giant squids, sea monsters, ships, the navy, admiral uniforms, lotan
SATAN
orange cats, piano music, books, libraries, coffeeshops, soft greens and browns
him sitting in a greenhouse. sunlight filters through the glass walls and plethora of green plants. he's smiling as he reads a book, an orange cat sleeping in his lap
his professionalism — he has many connections, and he prides himself on his intelligence. "people respect someone who's well-informed."
how he's a gentleman, almost like a fairy tale prince
love and lovesickness | him writing love letters and poetry for you, a giant smile on his face as he comes up with the most beautiful words to describe you
him becoming incapable of reading love stories when you're away, for all he can think about is you while reading them. his fingers delicately trace the spines of his many romance books, but he refuses to open them. just the thought of doing so is too much to bear
his room — the beauitful shade of purple, the window, the books, the candles
fire, chaos, destruction, broken buildings and bones, screaming, rage, fangs
his eyes, a beautiful green
his demon form — the feather boa, the horns, the ribbon ribcage design on his shirt
the things that make him stand out compared to his brothers, compared to everyone — his symbolic animal is a unicorn (the only fantasy animal), his black eye shine, his butler outfit is the only one with three patches on the sleeves
his pose — one hand on his hip and the other on his chest, just like lucifer...
ASMODEUS
pinks, yellows, oranges, and more pinks
his cute smile and giggle
his demon form — the bat wings, the gradient horns, the bleeding hearts on his arm, the asymmetrical legs | (the redesigns i've seen from people where they include a scorpion tail)
scorpions, sand, heat, blood, bloodlust, hearts, gore, passion, obsession, love
diaries, glitter gel, sparkles, cute nicknames
spotlights, music, singing, stages, partying, drinking, clubs, sex
bunnies, strawberries, fluffy and fuzzy textures, fangs
his eyes | (the fics i've read where the author describes their color as champagne)
him lying in bed on his stomach, fresh out of the shower in a cute robe, slippers, and headband. he's writing in his diary, kicking his legs, smiling as he thinks about you
lipstick, blush, makeup, nail polish, influencers, devilgram, livestreams
(red) hearts, both the symbol and the organ
his positive energy — his ability to light up a room, how he wants everyone to join in and have fun, asmo nights, how he sees the beauty in everyone
how much he cares for his family — he painted their nails so everyone would know them as brothers, how he's determined to make sure satan feels included
his insecurities — he ties himself to his image and appearance, to the point that when you were the first to compliment his personality alone and not just his looks, he was surprised
how he acts like a helpless damsel in distress while also being the most viscous character
that scene in season one, where he said that if you were thinking about belphie while with him, he would rip your heart out | (it made my heart beat faster, but not out of fear)
BEELZEBUB
reds, oranges, yellows
the sun, bright blue cloudless skies
him being the cause of plagues and famines. a scene of him summoning swarms of locusts to gorge on crop fields, leaving nothing left, still unsatisfied
wheat and corn fields, apple orchards
his wings | (i saw someone describe them as fairy wings)
dense, mossy, and enchanted forests. twisting trees and twinkling fairies, mushrooms and flowers growing everywhere
bugs — bees, butterflies, flies, grasshoppers, beetles, locusts
bears, squirrels, lions, grass, honey, fluffiness, cuddling
his smile, how adorable his blush is
calling him beautiful or sweet, watching him blush in embarrassment. a big, ravenous demon turning into mush after being complimented by a human
how he loves his family more than anything — his extreme survivor's guilt over lilith, how he said he would die for lucifer, how he became enraged and even attacked lucifer once the truth about belphie's whereabouts were revealed
even with how he's a big brother to belphie, they're still twins, making him the youngest of the brothers as well — he has his own bratty behaviors, throwing tantrums, being a karen at restaurants, stealing food from levi every morning. he's the biggest brother, but he's still another baby of the family
his hair
his jacket and shirt | (they both look very comfy, and i would love to wear them)
hunger — hell's kitchen, banquets, expensive meat, clusters of grapes, plates, forks and knives
fangs, tongues, gore, cannibalism
BELPHEGOR
dark purples and blues, blacks, white accents
space — starry night skies, the moon, constellations
sleep, teddy bears, pillows, blankets, dreams, illusions, ghosts, nightmares, fear
the cow jumped over the moon nursery rhyme
cow print — it's on his pillow, his demon form's jacket, and his swimwear jacket too
his horns, which are similar to that of a dorset horn sheep
him looking down at sheep mc's bell in his hands, a solemn look in his eye. maybe mc's in the human world, or maybe it's been years after their death
regret and grief — not being able to save lilith, his love for humans turning to hatred, his fight with lucifer, the attic, lesson 16
how he and lucifer were said to be close before the attic...
beel, lilith, and love — he doesn't blame beel for saving him, and called beel an idiot for believing otherwise. he learned about the circus in the human world, and pretended to be a ringmaster while trapped in the attic. he let lucifer get rid of lilith's room, and said goodbye to her
his sarcastic and bratty little shit-ness — his "innocent" bitchass smile, his giggle, how he embodies the youngest sibling and baby of the family, the anti-lucifer league
a fanart i saw of him in his TSL outfit, the description being "the princess is locked in the tower for a reason..."
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Name: Mr. Frosty
Debut: Kirby’s Adventure
Happy Funny Walrus Friday! Here is this week’s Funny Walrus, my personal favorite of all the Funny Walruses we have covered and will ever cover here on funnywalrusesposting.tumblr.com! Mr. Frosty is an ultimate classic funny walrus, one dear to me for most of my life now, and he does it all with a complete lack of tusks. This is just a testament to his potency!
Mr. Frosty has been a mid-boss since nearly the very beginning, and of course he always brings with him frosty abilities! If a Kirby game has mid-bosses, Mr. Frosty is nearly ALWAYS there! And if Mr. Frosty is there, he WILL flaunt his buttocks.
Mr. Frosty’s big blue butt is an integral aspect of his character! He is evidently SO proud of it! In later appearances, this blue section would be depicted as a patch sewn onto his pants, but in earlier ones, it’s unclear if that was the case, or if both buttocks are always just hanging out. They sure are shiny!
He shows off his considerable rear shelf when readying an ice cube to throw, so it seems like he’s not INTENTIONALLY showing off his rear, right? Just leaning over and they happen to be there?
Well, in his first 3D appearance, Mr. Frosty outright slaps that thing any chance he get! No accident here! He’s a cheeky guy and there’s no denying it any longer!
Ok, I’m done talking about this pinniped posterior now. Sorry. There’s just so much material. Look at this hat from Battle Royale! Now Kirby can dress as the funny man himself! Shall we get another angle?
Ok NOW I’m done I swear!!!
Very sadly, we have never been able to play as Mr. Frosty... this early image from the cancelled Kirby’s Air Ride may indicate he could have been playable there, but we may never know for sure! But then...
Kirby Star Allies, the game where nearly any ability-yielding enemy can be befriended and playable, including mid-bosses, depicting Mr. Frosty as 100% friendable! Could it be...?
It can’t be. That’s not him. I love Chilly! I love him a lot! But we have been able to play as him before, and he is not Mr. Frosty. Mr. Frosty is the ONLY mid-boss in the game who is not playable, and remains unplayable to this very day. But, at least we got the next best thing...
Behold! An extremely wonderful image! In Forgotten Land, Mr. Frosty joins the Beast Pack, becoming Wild Frosty! Nothing seems to change about his personality, since he acts the same and is said to still be jolly and beloved by all is coworkers. But look at his new ice tusks! He’s So Cool. And look in the bottom left! The new Frosty Ice ability is basically a Mr. Frosty ability! A very cute knitted hat in his likeness, and the ability to create absolutely precious snowruses! The description even states that Mr. Frosty must be so proud of these snowruses, so I guess using this ability makes you like his apprentice! I love to put the snowruses in funny situations.
Name: Mr. Flosty
Debut: Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
Sadly, Amazing Mirror had a glaring lack of Frosty, but at least they made up for it with something almost as good- Mr. Flosty! Obviously, this is Mr. Frosty’s Mirror World counterpart, who is all about dental hygiene!
Name: Mr. Floaty
Debut: Super Kirby Clash
Wouldn’t you know it, Mr. Frosty is not the only funny walrus around! (not that there are unfunny walruses) Mr. Floaty is here to have some summer fun! Please direct him to the nearest pool! He is really just a water variant of Mr. Frosty, but he IS a distinct character, and I love him!
While we never get much insight into Mr. Frosty’s actual character, something always important to note with Kirby characters is the distinction of gameplay and story, mainly in regard to the roles of enemy characters. He may be a mid-boss, but I really don’t think Mr. Frosty is a Bad Guy. From the description of Wild Frosty, he in fact seems to be very friendly and nice! That’s exactly how he should be. Ideally, though, I think he should also be an ice cream vendor. That would suit him perfectly. I think he would love nothing better than scooping up smiles!
Finally, Mr. Frosty is real now! Thank goodness. And yes, yes, you don’t need to ask!
It is accounted for!
#mr frosty#mr floaty#wild frosty#kirby#kirbys adventure#kirby enemies#not mario#funky friday#mod chikako
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LMK S4 THEORY TIME
So I was thinking about the box art that came out recently and thought of something we might see in season 4, involving Mei, the Samadhi fire, and her love for the game Monkey Mech.
[!This post contains MAJOR SPOILERS for previous seasons of lego monkie kid, especially season 3!]
Inspired by this thread by colesmonkies on Twitter!
The thread above talks about how season 4 might take place inside a video game, specifically Monkey Mech, or maybe even the unnamed game that Wukong made from S2E6 "Game on". This theory is supported by the fact that Monkey Mech has been a big part of the show since the very first episode, and that it inspired MK's physical monkey mech power - which is the sole thing that separates him from Monkey King as his successor.
This journey into the game (instead of actually traveling to the past) would help tell the story of Monkey King's adventures that were never covered in Journey to the west, like his relationship with Macaque. Because let's be honest, that monkey would never talk about his past problems out of his own free will, especially not that part of his life.
Some people have pointed out that it was suspicious how MK's arcade machine was highlighted next to MK's staff and the scroll in the end scene. We know the latter is definitely going to be important in season 4, and we know Pigsy removed the game from his store when it kept distracting MK from his work too much.
So why does Wukong have it? Did he just want to have the game for himself to play? Or maybe there's something special about it? And most importantly, how would they get INTO the game in the first place?
Mei has a big role in MK's Monkey Mech obsession. It's also her favorite game and she's an expert at it, easily beating him (or anyone else, really) every time they compete against each other.
Very early in the series, in S1E3 "Coming home", she reveals a bit about her childhood, her personal life and her family, and obtains her dragon sword. She has grown a lot since then, going through character development comparable to that of MK himself and other major characters.
In S3E6 "The first ring" she is shown to be able to create, or at least modify, other vehicles and transform them into her own, very much like MK's physical monkey mech. She does this by plugging her dragon sword into it like some sort of overpowered USB stick. This particular vehicle is white gold and blue instead of her usual green, the same color scheme as her Monkey mech horse character (and her outfit on the new box art).
Also why did Red son have an input specifically for Mei's dragon sword in his car? I could go on about this but that's a topic for another post
Mei is insanely powerful even without the sword, or her dragon powers. She has created a fully stocked futuristic secret base, owns multiple personalised motorbikes, put a totally-not-creepy digital tracking system on all of her friends, and probably much more i forgot about while writing this post. She is a massive tech nerd much like Red son, the previous holder of the Samadhi fire.
Thanks to him, Mei has now learned to make the fire her own. This is a huge development, something i assume they won't just gloss over in season 4. I fully expect to see more of her abilities now that she has the fire under her control, especially combined with her dragon powers. We've only seen a snippet of what she can do with it (Including nearly cooking MK alive on like... three separate occasions).
I was watching the season 3 specials again, and one thing Red son said stuck out to me:
The samadhi fire is more than just an inextinguishable flame. It's an interdimensional weapon, with the destructive power to burn through the very fabric of reality."
Season 3 put emphasis on the fact that the fire could destroy reality. But what if through some training, the fire could also modify it, BEND it? We know Mei can teleport now, so it wouldn't be too far fetched to assume she could use this INTERDIMENSIONAL weapon to travel between realities.
We've seen that Mei can plug her sword into things to give them a "power up". So what i think might happens is that she will use it on the Monkey Mech arcade machine, and using the samadhi fire's interdimensional abilities, somehow transport herself and her friends into the reality of the game where (a big part of) season 4 will take place. She will need to leave her sword plugged in while being in there, which could explain why she doesn't have it with her in the box art.
TLDR: My theory is that the plot of season 4 will be about Mei plugging her dragon sword into the Monkey mech arcade machine, and transporting herself and her friends into the game thanks to her new samadhi fire powers.
I don't really have an idea for why they would enter the game and how the scroll could to this. Maybe they just wanted some fun, or it was an accident? Either way, they would need to find a way to get out back to their own reality, either by finishing the game or with help from outside. (Red son on Guanyin? Flying Bark? pls?)
Let me know your thoughts!
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EDIT 3/12/2022: MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MORE SETS CAME OUT!
The man antagonists of the new sets are the yellow tusk elephant, azure lion and golden-winged eagle which are minor characters in Journey to the West. The Rhino king was a character from JTTW that made a cameo in Wukong's game in S2E6, so it's likely that these three new animal-based characters will have a similar antagonistic role.
But what stood out to me are their sidekicks, called "ink demons". These demons are original characters, never appearing in JTTW. @/sonofwu on twitter pointed out that heir names imply that there's a possibility our main cast will dive into the world of a book (the scroll from S3E14?) instead of a video game, or that the characters in the book come alive into the real world of Monkie kid.
Since Mei gets a lot of focus in the sets, and her and MK being the only ones not as their past selves unlike Pigsy, Sandy and Tang, I believe there's still a possibility of her using her sword to take MK and herself into this dimension (either into the book or the game) instead of traveling to the past.
Something that stood out to me as well was the backgrounds for these sets, which appear very similar to the scenery in Wukong's game from S2E6. This could support the theory that they'll travel into this game instead of Monkey Mech.
In one set, MK, Mei, and the original versions of Pigsy and Sandy are shown to be vendors of some kind of stores (for example, Mei being a blacksmith). Maybe this implies that they'll take part in the game as NPC's too, like how the original Tang did in Wukong's game.
Also, you know how I said Pigsy, Sandy and Tang looked like their past selves in these sets? They also have VERY similar outfits to their game counterparts! I wonder if this means anything....
Let me know your thoughts!
#lmk#lego monkie kid#monkie kid#lmk theory#monkie kid theory#lmk mei#lmk red son#monkie kid season 4#lmk season 4#lmk spoilers#monkie kid spoilers
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astarion, anne carson, & autobiography of red - small character study blurb
In which I've written 40k words of Astarion character analysis fanfiction and I'm definitely still normal.
Astarion used to be blue, but ever since that night two centuries ago, he was reborn red.
And he had spent at least the past century thinking that red was irreplaceable. It was – red, it was in his blood and the little blood Cazador would let him wring from rats, corroded and stained. His very life force. He was Cazador’s, his spawn, his jewel, his ruby. There was no cure for red. Not until you became the successful means to an end. He had been sure of it.
Being red wasn’t good. It made everyone who wasn’t red, and that felt like most everyone, stare at you like you put off a certain aura… like they knew you were a monster that could only act off of instinct and emotion. And it was so frustrating, because parts of Astarion were blue still, knew what was better, but they were nothing in comparison to the suffocation of red. The emotions, and especially anger, fear, came on so strong. It was hard not to act on them, to test out what the boundaries of pure action were. Astarion knew the color and impulse all too well.
I expand way more on the idea of people as colors within my writing than Autobiography of Red does, where Geryon is the only one who is red. This further pushes Geryon's feelings of being separated from humanity in his narrative, but there's a lot of inherent evil and fucked up things within Faerun so I felt expanding on colors and specifically shades/hues was a better way to communicate this for Astarion.
Geryon's red is tied very instinctually to emotion though, and so representing red as a chaotic force of emotion in my fic didn't feel like too far a step. I took a lot of inspiration from Magic: the Gathering's color pie lol. While you never get an exact description of what's wrong with Geryon, you get a lot of the symptoms, reminiscent of some sort of innate childhood mental illness, on top of the obvious trauma present in his story.
Back to Astarion, though. I've just never not been able to code him with CPTSD, I think that's obvious, but I also know that poor bastard has a personality disorder skffkjdf. The game always hammers in he has no sense of self outside of his looks, which he can't even be sure of because he can't see himself. Astarion has to work his confidence and self-image off of memories of his body and face from two centuries ago, and from his master's word. Cazador has assigned him to this seduction role (or, I feel its at least implied that Astarion was ultimately forced into it because he was seen as the Szarr runt, he was pretty and easy to push around, and I'm also pretty sure Petras has a line about getting to eat dogs now and then?) and Astarion fulfills it because it's all he can do. All he feels good for. His actions aren't his own for two hundred years, and in a morbid way of coping with constant sexual trauma, he functions off of "Well, at least I'm pretty," but even that assumption comes from Cazador's rule.
Astarion had decided he was mostly pure red, splashes of black and blue coming in, bright and visible. The remnants of his past and an even deeper level of Cazador’s corruption, bruising his psyche.
Carson is again sparing with other color imagery as to fully emphasize Geryon feeling like this big red monster, but I love this little excerpt on fearful anger.
Black/shadow is already a strong force and theme within the game so it was easy to work with, acknowledging it as a sort of staining evil. Astrion has his later lines about how he never stopped viewing himself as Cazador's slave, and I think showing that corruption is obviously important. He's hurt but can still heal (as opposed to an ascended Astarion... who I have little if any hope for sdfkjdskf).
Cazador had spent the last two centuries branding it into his skin and mind, breaking his psyche to the point Astarion was worried there’d always be little cracks that remained.
That he’d always be Cazador’s wilted poppy, ashamed and folding in on himself, his neck miserably drooped aside for the taking.
Cazador is Astarion's Herakles, and I think that metaphor works even better considering that whole little side lore with Vellioth in the ruins. Herakles kills Geryon because he must, Geryon is a way for Herakles to ultimately reach a life free of consequence, but it's not like Herakles is innately malicious in the act. He is hardened after already facing so many labors and the trauma that was forced on him by Hera that induced his journey in the first place.
Cazador wants power, some part of him is probably truly convinced he's easier on his spawn than Vellioth was to him (a lot of insults to Astarion are about his feelings and "whining", Cazador feels vindicated in his trauma and is far gone), and sacrificing Astarion is simply a part of that journey. There is no world where their destinies do not intertwine. Geryon will always be pierced by Herakles, and Astarion wouldn't be the Astarion we know without being pierced by Cazador (and without his ultimate decision to finally separate himself from him, or to become him.) Astarion, understandably, will never not feel some sort of shame or agony over this moment, from natural emotions and I'm sure years of Cazador victim-blaming him. He consented to Cazador's help that night after all, didn't he? (And we simply won't acknowledge the coercion.)
Astarion’s attempts to prolong the inevitable were shattered by thick layers of stone suddenly slamming in front of his face, muffling sound and casting him into a void. He could hardly hear Cazador’s foul laugh as he departed.
Astarion waited all night for Cazador to return. And then all of the next day, and the next one after that. Days became weeks. Weeks became months. Astarion started to agree that dying would have been easier. More peaceful. He had pondered hundreds of ways to attempt to kill himself while stuck in this abyss, the voices that had started developing only giving further inspiration, but it was impossible. He was sure.
All he could do was wait. Beat and claw at the stone around him. Curse. Repeat.
Sometimes he'd wonder. If he'd ever get out of here. If Cazador would remember after forgetting. If this would be his forever.
The voices began to recite to him again. Just how long eternity can be.
I think this is the greatest and most obvious similarity between these two, within Carson's retelling. Geryon feels somehow trapped and doomed by the narrative from his early childhood, and receives some blunt confirmation of it when he faces early sexual abuse. This affects his entire life, his early relationships. Geryon can't be older than ten in this excerpt, but knows the pain of isolation because of his trauma and for feeling different.
Astarion was plucked up by Cazador right out of law school. While for us it's not all that young, for elves he was fiercely immature, basically just starting to come into himself at his first big-boy job. Astarion was likely raised with a lot of privilege that also made him a bit more naive, his book smarts not meeting street smarts, which has him meet his end. In his undeath, that basically flips, Astarion plays his manipulation games and indulges in petty crime and seduction, unable to dedicate himself to studies. He reads and he's witty, but can you imagine the Astarion we know as a judge? It's giving Divorce Court. It's giving Judge Judy. (Honestly maybe that's what got him whacked in the first place.)
Astarion is already constrained to what Cazador lets him be as a slave. He's less than a person, and his own body is one of his greatest trauma sources.
All of this, to be punished so supremely when making an act of slight self-preservation. Astarion wanting to maintain some of his principles and let someone go. It becomes his greatest regret, his worst and most defining punishment. It's how Cazador breaks him.
I restructure some of the circumstances within my fic, as to better tie in the main romance, but it still functions as a punished act of self-preservation for Astarion. I'm also sure most people are familiar with the pain that solitary confinement can bring, but if not, it's genuinely inhumane and dehumanizing. Lack of stimulation is extremely damaging to the psyche, I wrote in Astarion breaking into psychotic episodes while enclosed, but even in game, he speaks about going catatonic. I'm sure minorly from exhaustion after fighting, but also from the isolation. His mind likely just drifted and dissociated beyond belief, and I can't imagine it. This is my favorite piece of Astarion's story we are given, it really is just so pivotal and heartbreaking, to be punished for having freewill in the most objectifying circumstances.
In summary to Astarion Ancunin I just sorta feel like this I guess...
ddfsdfdk but yeah just emo about my poor boy feeling so weird and disconnected yet so drowned in his own emotions you know...
[my homage to autobiography of red, fic series page, my ao3 page]
#astarion#astarion ancunin#bg3#character analysis#character essay#anne carson#classics#mythology#ao3 writer#bg3 fanfiction#feeling emo about the 6th century ig#character study#writeblr#geryon#my blorbos from fragmentary poetry and crpg#cazador szarr#halstarion#character psychology#just my opinions <3#going delirious#sswcbh#qb
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Alright, it's Halloween peeps (everyone knows that Halloween lasts the whole month). And @wheezystan inspired me with their zombie weasels to post about something that's been brewing in my head for a while.
The Rotten Ink AU
Warning for... Well, zombies. And the horror and angst that comes with it. And isolation, and the insanity that that comes with as well. What have I done to our favorite toons?
Note that this AU is still being developed. I apologize if it doesn't look so cohesive 😅
~Story~
Set two years before the events of the film, in 1945. No one knows what happened. Not the humans, not the toons, not even the animators responsible for breathing life into ink and paint. Though things have started to go terribly wrong in Toontown.
It's hard to pinpoint when it started, though the first sign was when toons started to feel pain. Instead of a hand comically turning red and blowing up in size when smashed or punching a brick wall, the skin started to actually rip- and in worse cases, the bones would break just like a human. The second horrible sign was that, unlike a human, these wounds wouldn't heal. No matter how many bandages were applied and stitches were sewn. And the ink that made their person would ooze from the seams.
It wasn't just the sentient toons that were changing. The living architecture of Toontown started to rot away, coughing up coagulated ink onto the street and becoming more brittle. The chirping blue birds lost their song and would fall from the sky. Even the smiling sun and moon that used to shine brightly in the animated sky bled out, and their remains rained down onto the once bright and colorful town. Of course, this caused a panic among everyone. Though the humans assured the toons to remain calm, as they were already looking into what was happening. So, filled with dread, the toons attempted to continue life as normal.
However, it was only after an infected toon went deranged in a studio, causing so much damage to the other toons and people, did the humans decide on a drastic choice. It was taking too long to find an answer to what was happening to their beloved characters, and they saw no other choice but to cut them off from the rest of Los Angeles. The tunnel was closed off, with policemen guarding the entrance with orders to shoot on sight if any toons attempted to reach the outside world.
So now, the residents are stuck in the dying town. As time went by, neighbors were forced to fight each other as the infection grew worse and worse, turning each other into what everyone refer to as 'inkies'; toons that are husks of their former selves, with a seemingly insatiable urge to rip anyone they see apart for more ink. Toons have had to learn how to be cautious for their own lives, and as resources and shelter become more scarce, even those who have not completely fallen under the infection are now potential threats.
How did this all get started? Will there ever be a cure? Will everyone be turned to normal again? No one knows. But for now, all one can do is survive.
~
~Tid-Bits~
I was mainly inspired by The Walking Dead, and not just in the title. The infection in this AU works similarly to the virus in TWD (at least the Telltale game that I played). In that everyone is infected, and you not being bit doesn't mean you won't turn once you die. In fact, for the toons, as long as they don't get themselves killed, being bit will not turn them. The disease is already doing that job. It's mostly only a matter of time before someone is turned into an inky.
As such, there are plenty of toons that have bite marks, and even parts of themselves missing, yet they are completely safe to be around. As long as they aren't willing to hurt others to survive.
Since this is before the events of the movie, that does mean that Marvin Acme is still alive. In fact, he's the one leading the cause for finding a cure for toons. So he plays quite a big role in this AU.
That also means that the weasels are alive, too. And thriving. In this AU, they're the kind of group of survivors that the others find themselves depending on, as they are the ones who are willing to raid any inky infested area for supplies, but people are still afraid of them since they still act as a gang. They're kind of like a necessary evil in this town. Though as long as you don't get on their bad side, you'll be fine.
Since toons are based on emotion, having been made to make people laugh or cry, inkies are only permanently killed when you shoot them in the heart. Much like a vampire, yes.
I'm still debating it, but I'm thinking that, like the zombies in Shaun of the Dead, the inkies retain some semblance of their past life. For example, a cowboy inky may keep holding onto their revolver or stick by their horse despite them serving no purprise to it anymore.
That's all I've got for now. And it may change in the future. Wheezystan, as a fellow zombie lover, I hope you in particular enjoy this! ^^
And to everyone else, I apologize once more for doing this to our favorite cartoon characters.
#tw horror#tw zombies#Who Framed Roger Rabbit#WFRR#The Rotting Ink AU#Toon Patrol#Disney#Disney Villains#Disney Heros#The Rotten Ink AU
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Happy December and happy holidays to those who celebrate!
Before we get to our usual housekeeping though, the mod team would like to reiterate these important points from November's newsletter. Despite our insistence that they be read, we found ourselves repeating them throughout the month as if no one had read them at all.
Important Reminders (Read ALL of them - for real this time)
If you submit feedback, particularly about another person's behavior, please exercise patience before sending us another feedback form on the same subject. When you entrust handling a topic to us, we usually contact the person in question in private and then monitor their behavior afterwards to see if they have taken the suggestion to heart. Some change takes a little while, and positive change and growth within members should be encouraged.
BOUNDARIES: We’ve received some concerns about boundaries not being respected. It can be easy to dismiss someone asking for certain jokes to stop as playing along or joking themselves, especially in a group as big as ours. Remember that even if people are friendly, it does not necessarily mean you are aware of their limits. If someone asks for conversation or jokes related to their muses to stop, oblige them.
Conversely, if you are the one asking for others to stop making certain references pertaining to your muses, or so on, you should be specific and firm in order to ensure your request is taken seriously. The same applies to establishing boundaries according to your comfort with thread content. If something makes you uncomfortable, tell your partner directly. Come to the mods if behavior doesn’t change.
RESPECT: Similar to the above point, be respectful when you talk about other characters, especially if someone is writing them in TOA. Remember: every character is someone’s favorite, so don’t go trash-talking them outside of private DMs. The caveat to this, however, are villains. If you choose to write a villain or some other antagonistic character, be prepared for both muns and muses to hate your character. That is the point of their role in the story.
SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: When submitting an application, submit the whole application. This includes the whole character info section. The mod team does not like having to hunt this information down on your blog. Also make sure that your stats page is linked. If submitting a google doc, submit it as a clickable link so that the mods can open it on mobile. The application has been updated with a reminder.
CANON COMPLIANCE: This is a reminder that muses in TOA should remain canon-compliant and avoid venturing too far into Original Character territory. Per TOA rules,
“[your muses’s time in Fódlan] should not change their canon plotline much, which ensures that castmates from the same game always have a static reference point for their muses.”
This also means not changing fundamental aspects of who your character is in canon, including but not limited to changing species, changing identities, changing canon lore and how said lore works, and granting them special powers otherwise unavailable to them outside of TOA’s rank chart.
NEW - CLAIMING MUSES: It's fine to be excited about grabbing a new muse, but be aware that you may not be guaranteed this muse, whether it's because of your activity, the application, or that someone else reserved the muse before you had the chance. For this reason, we generally discourage pre-emptive talk about claiming a muse or discussing a muse as if you've already been accepted. The same goes for creating picrews. It's fine every once in a while, but if it's almost every day for weeks, this is excessive and can turn others off from wanting to pick up this muse for fear of stepping on toes. Remember: you have no claim over a muse until the masterlist has officially processed an acceptance.
Housekeeping
Current Month in TOA: Blue Sea Moon
Check out the new tasks added to the Black Eagles mission board [ here! ] This board runs through the end of December.
Keep an eye out later this month for the teaser & signups for the next big lore event, set to begin in January.
Don't forget, for those participating in this year's Secret Santa event: gifts are due by December 17th, 11:59PM EST, and should be submitted [ here ] when you're done!
Happy two year anniversary to TOA’s “Memories” zine! Check [ here ] if you’d like to take a stroll down memory lane~
Please don’t forget to leave feedback on our [ feedback poll ] for this month! Let us know what you thought of the autumn arena, or what you're looking forward to in the next lore event.
Other
December Mun Birthdays: Tiff (2nd), Endi (3rd), Nel (6th), Rose (11th), Leora (12th), Amelia (15th), Tcheschire (22nd), Rune (23rd), Regina (31st)
December Muse Birthdays: Emma (3rd), Jakob (3rd), Edain (10th), Pelleas (12th), Michalis (12th), Selena (SS) (13th), Valter (14th), Priscilla (16th), Céline (18th), Seteth (27th), Larcei (28th), Scáthach (28th), Finn (30th), Rafal (31st)
First-year mun anniversaries this month: Endi (8th), Audrey (23rd), Leo (24th)
Second-year mun anniversaries this month: Maddie (4th), Emm (9th), Pat (20th)
Fourth-year mun anniversaries this month: Bren (22nd)
First-year muse anniversaries this month: Ashe (8th), Edward (24th), Lyon (29th)
Second-year muse anniversaries this month: Python (4th), Forsyth (20th), Edelgard (22nd)
Fourth-year muse anniversaries this month: Sara (14th)
Muses who have been in the group for a solid year will also be granted an Academy Brooch to put in their inventory. It doesn’t do anything. It just lets others know your character has been around the block. These characters are also granted a new opportunity to change houses if they wish to do so.
- The House Leaders
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Okay so
For various reasons, Sonic Adventure (SA1) is among my dead favorite games. The two relevant to this rant are the characters and the gorgeous soundtrack (in fact, I might go on a tangent about individual songs at the end of this).
My favorite character in the game is E-102 “Gamma” (btw if you derail this post about Omega, you die), a robot built by Eggman, who runs on animal power, as Eggman’s robots usually do. However, Gamma contains a very special animal - it’s a surprise tool the will help us later. Five minutes into being born (and after training, ofc), he is forced to shoot his brother, E-101 “Beta”. Following this, he board’s Eggman’s ship (the Egg Carrier) and is tasked with catching the tailed frog. Upon collecting the frog, he is transported to the past, where he experiences childlike wonder at the chao. Back on the Egg Carrier, the rest of his siblings are cast out because of their failure to get the frog. After that, Gamma is sent to execute a prisoner. On the way, he makes a wrong turn and ends up in the machining room, where he experiences eldritch horror at the sight of his brother being disassembled and reassembled. In the prison, he finds Amy Rose, who has a blue bird flying around with her looking for its parents. She convinces him not to kill her a la Mindy Animaniacs, and protects Sonic out on the deck of the ship, further confusing Gamma. He leaves the crashing ship, now convinced to “rescue” his disowned brothers. After successfully disposing of them, he is ambushed on the Egg Carrier by Beta Mk II, who feigns death in order to shoot Gamma in the back, and they both die as a result. Lo and behold, Gamma and Beta contained the parents of the bird. Reunited, they fly off into the sunset.
TLDR: Gamma is Eggman robot who experiences eldritch horror and compassion and forsakes his master as a result. He “rescues” his siblings before dying himself, and the animal inside him reunites with its family.
Now, a little more background before we get to the main point. SEGA Sound Team popped off for this game. Each character has a theme song that plays during their respective recaps and end credits (each one has an entire storyline with slight variations on who does what (it’s all happening at once)). Side note: I’m like 70% sure SA1 is the origin of Knuckles jazz. It should also be noted that I have a youtube playlist of songs on queue for downloading, and when I run out of ideas I scroll through the recommended additions section.
E-102’s theme is in my top three favorite songs from SA1. You’ll never guess what it’s called! Theme of E-102γ. And that’s my first talking point. I was reading the comments on one of the music videos, and one of them made a connection that his theme doesn’t get a proper name because he’s just another cog in the machine. Even Big the Cat has a greater role in the main story than him. And yet, doomed by the narrative as he is, he gets his own story. As another comment pointed out, each story has its own (literary) theme: Sonic is Adventure, Tails is Independence, Knuckles is Recollection (I’m kinda iffy on that one), Amy is Protection, Big is Friendship, and Gamma? Gamma is heart and soul. Compassion. Morality, something that shouldn’t be possible, and definitely isn’t comprehensible for a robot, especially one of Eggman’s creation.
As a side tangent here, I’ve been putting rescued in quotes when it comes to Gamma and his brothers, but I realized something between the time I started writing this and now. The animals that drop from the E-series robots are birds. They’re all his brothers, inside and out. I had always assumed that Gamma had meant rescue only in the liberation sense. I never realized that he meant it both ways. I just… I’m need a moment.
As a side side tangent, I think this is one of the biggest differences between E-100 ZERO and the rest. To my knowledge, he didn’t have any animals, much less another bird, and that was what led him to the brutish oafishness that we see displayed by him.
Back to the main points, I think that all of this is reflected in the song. It starts out with all of the synth, vague vocals, electro, etc. that would be expected from the theme of a robot, and then you’ve got… PIANO. Oh my god the piano. Piano Man has its harmonica, and this song has its piano. In the midst of the circuits, the wires, the computers, there’s life, a heartbeat, a soul. And with the soul comes that twinge of sadness. Sure he freed the animals, but to do so, he had to kill his brothers with his own two (?)(does the gun count?) hands. Due to this and the cumulation of everything else, hearing the song (or the variation of it) during his final cutscene hits and hits hard.
youtube
THE REPRISE OF THE MAIN THEME PIANO AS HE DIES IN OBSCURITY. THE OTHER BIRDS ARE LIKELY THE ONLY ONES THAT END UP KNOWING ABOUT HIS DEATH
It’s okay I’m okay I’m so normal about this
Now that the main rant is over, it’s time for me to hoot about the other songs
Be Cool, Be Wild, Be Groovy …for Ice Cap
I get that it’s a snowboarding section, but still. THEY BOTHERED TO USE GUITAR IN A SNOW LEVEL. NAME ONE OTHER INSTANCE OF THAT THAT ISN’T LITTLE BIG PLANET’S THE WILDERNESS’S SITAR.
Limestone Cave …for Ice Cap
Ambience plain and simple. Good for falling asleep to
Snowy Mountain …for Ice Cap
Another ambience piece, this time with another guitar (no this doesn’t count for the challenge I posed above). Love the mix of electric and acoustic
Welcome To Station Square
“The train headed for the Mystic Ruins will be departing soon.” Came for the guitar, stayed for the trumpet.
Red Barrage Area …for Hot Shelter
SAX (shout outs to the rest of Hot Shelter’s music btw)
Militant Missionary … Boss Egg Walker & Egg Viper
Hopelessness, despair, DRAMA. Things may not have gone to plan, but Eggman is surely still the one in control.
And finally, shoutouts to Bad Taste Aquarium, Pleasure Castle, and Dilapidated Way for going full throttle right out the gate.
@green-mountain-goose @greetings-inferiors @cue-jay @kimu-dem
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A Glimpse Of Us (A Shin And Sara Platonic Fic)
Deep fatigue seeps into Shin Tsukimi's bones. It seeks a moment of peace that even the plastic couch in the art gallery provides, the uncomfortable wrapping feeling like an angelic cloud under his tired frame.
Beside him sits an ex-detective and a young boy with a wet face. To their side, a girl he badly wished was dead, seeming as exhausted as the rest. The banquet concluded only hours before, leaving them helpless as their numbers dwindled from five to four. They could find no hope in that, but none seem as worn down as Gin.
His tears ran even hours after Q-Taro burned, feeling a grief Shin knows as well as how to breathe. But he knows to keep his place and not intervene. It's Sara's role to swoop in and save the day while he acts as nothing more or less than an observer in her story. He watches as she wraps her arms over the green-eyed boy, slightly leaning on him in an attempt to shield him from the blood-stained halls of the death game.
It would be kind if not meaningless. He has no doubt the child will be thrown away at her next whim. That's what she does, and will do again if not put down.
"... I'll kill you...Worthless... It's all worthless..." a promise made only to himself echoes in his head. But for now, he'll bide his time, watching this play out. To learn her tactics and weaknesses.
To see how far she'll go.
More Undercut
He'd like to protect Gin from the wolf that circles them, but he's more than aware of how little power he holds. The strong create the path, and the weak follow it even if they disagree with the direction. The way of the world dishes out consequences for those like him, consequences he'll no doubt have to face later, but he can't fight the fate assigned to them.
The girl who's most likely to live whispers Gin's way, not minding the presence of the commoners around her.
"Gin... Don't cry... We'll be home soon." The softness of her tone is almost nurturing. But Shin knows the truth. He saw it with his own eyes, and reaped the consequences of believing. Yet her next words throw him off, a simple mundane sentence he didn't expect.
"Gin… What's your favorite type of ice cream?" Her clear distractions dig into his mind, resurfacing a memory he yearns to forget.
"Sara really is kind…Kanna knows you don't trust her, but she's not bad." The young girl rambles on as she has for hours, playing with her fingers as his own tap against the laptop keys.
"...Just be careful." Her face doesn't flicker from boredom, unlike his intense expression as he clicks through the last remnant of Kai Satou. His eyes stay glued to the screen, but his ears listen as Kanna fills the silence.
"Err…Sou? Do you like ice cream?"
It's the mundane of the question that takes him aback. Not once since he's come here has he thought about the day-to-day. Death and manipulation have taken the space where joy and a carefree attitude used to be. But now, he doesn't need to think of the bad. Instead, he leans into the dullness of their conversation.
"...Yeah. I haven't had it in a while, but my parents and I used to go to this corner store after school some days." He's always too honest with her. Too vulnerable. But it's worth seeing the smile spread across his sister's face.
It reminds him of a young man in a blue scarf smiling warily into a camera, but he pushes that thought down as soon as it emerges in favor of listening to Kanna speak.
"Kanna and her sister used to get ice cream every day…." He notices the girl cringe at the memory, but with a deep breath, she steadies herself to continue onward.
"Sister liked mature flavors like mocha, but Kanna prefers mint." She pauses for a moment, tears welling in her eyes at thoughts of days long gone. Shin feels powerless to make things better, instead choosing to distract her from her mind. Just like a big brother should do.
"That toothpasty stuff?" Genuine rage flickers across her face, looking like she received a personal insult. It makes Shin lose his composure, letting a sharp laugh escape his chapped lips in a moment of joy he hasn't felt since then. Instead, those feelings are replaced by a living voice cutting through his haze.
"Meow…sherbet…Woof."
He can hear the past in their words, the unwelcome recollection making his legs shake as he pushes to his feet and stumbles to the art gallery entryway. The stillness of the library seems tempting to seek out in the hope it'll quiet his racing thoughts. Yet words from the purple-eyed girl stop him dead.
"That's a good pick, Gin. Whenever I get ice cream with Ryoko, I always end up getting mint…even if I say I'll finally get something different." The pain is fresh again, sharper than it had been a few moments earlier before his stomach felt filled with lead. Such a simple statement winds him, the mere thought of a monster having anything in common with his guiltless little sister making him nauseous. The part of him that's still sane knows that by nature's laws they'll share similarities, but his disgusted mind begs him to deny it.
He stays frozen in the doorway, cursing himself when dark eyes catch his own. The lightest of smiles ghost across Keiji’s damned mouth at the thought of making his life harder, a smug look he’d love to wipe away.
“Hang on a minute Sou…no, Shin Tsukimi. Why don't we all have a little sleepover here? I'm sure Tia wouldn't turn down a request for blankets." Shin doesn’t argue. There's no need in a rigged discussion. His wants would fall on deaf ears as they have once before. So he forces a tight-lipped grin and a brisk nod, moving back from the entryway as Sara stands to find Kanna's executioner.
"You can rest, Sara. Your friendly ex-policeman will ask, so take it easy you two…and stay together till I get back. Until we get a good grasp on this Meister character, we shouldn't get separated." Despite his warning, he's quick to turn on his heels and exit, leaving Shin to take his place in the corner.
He knows better than to wander. His "loyal allies" would only track him down. The moment of peace he so badly desires is as far out of reach as possible. Yet, he feels no need to fraternize with the enemy, not when he's safer alone.
It's easier to forget his lost light when cast in darkness, even if the soft glow emitting from the others can be tempting to embrace. But he pulls back, refusing to join even as Keiji returns with strong arms filled with warm blankets and soft pillows.
The blonde tosses one of each toward his allies, hurling it too fast to catch as the pillow fumbles from Shin's grip and onto the floor. He can hear Sara laugh, a high-pitched sound ringing through his head as the girl silently places her bedding in the center of the room while he puts his in the corner. To no surprise, Keiji and Gin join her, chatting about the coming day.
He's too tired to listen and too exhausted to care about tomorrow. All that matters is his head falling against the pillow and the blanket giving the false illusion of safety under its warm fabric. His limbs are as heavy as his eyes. All he wants is to sleep, even if just for a few hours. But Sara's chatter keeps him awake. A reminder of what could happen if he lets down his guard. She leaves him for now, but that could change as his back turns.
He won't give her an easy strike, even if that means awareness of resting alone.
"… You're sure Kanna isn't a burden?" an unwanted recollection hits him like a wave. A reminder of the real burden, which is memory.
"I would tell you if you were. Just get comfy and don't cause trouble with Miss Sara." He was harsh to her then. Far more than needed for a girl who grieved like the moon missing the sun.
Yet, in his mind, he feels little guilt as Kanna collapses against the bed. Weariness from the first main game seemed to have followed her, tears running down her pale face like a flowing waterfall.
He wanted to do more to cheer her up than he had to give, only being able to agree when the shaken girl asked to stay in his room until daybreak. A request he was happy to fulfill not to be alone.
It made him feel safer, silly as it was. The girl offered no real protection, but she calmed his always racing heart. It seemed to give her a sense of comfort as well. She quickly pulled the blankets around her, curling into a small ball on her right side.
"Sou…could you wake Kanna up if she starts acting funny? Um...Kanna doesn't want any nightmares." Her request made his chest ache, and he couldn't consider refusing.
"... I'll keep a lookout. Rest is a valuable option in its own right, so try to get some sleep." His words gave enough comfort to lull her off. Yet he wasn't ready to rest. Instead, he turned to Kai's laptop, hoping against all threads of logic he'd have a plan to escape waiting for when she woke up. However, like every shred of hope he's felt, it slips through his fingers as the password dangles just out of reach.
His teeth hurt by how bad they grit as his leg bounces in unease. If he can't aid in their escape, death will approach faster than a vote could be cast. But the only use he has is in this room, watching for a nightmare that could or could not appear.
Yet it feels more important than anything he's done so far.
He's not one for promises. They can be used to get the upper hand far too easily. A manipulation tactic he'd be quick to use but disgusted to be used by. Yet he can't help but trust the girl sleeping soundly on her right side. Her breath comes out steady, and her eyelids lay still. She looks peaceful, if not cold, with the blanket kicked down by her feet.
If he is of use, it's to be a big brother fighting the chill in her bones. With a natural motion, he reaches out and places the blanket across her frame, a smile ghosting his lips as she cuddles into the warmth provided. The flowers sprouting from her body protruded from the fabric as her red skin contrasts against the pure blank blackness of her eyes that glance at him with hatred.
"Why did you help Miss Sara kill me?"
Shin's eyes shoot open with the speed of a bullet. He's quick to push himself up, relieved to find no pink flowers waiting for him. Instead, he's met with darkness and the sound of gentle snoring bouncing from walls. His throat is slightly sore, and his head twinges in similar dull pain. It's hard to tell if he was asleep or in the realm of deep thought, but either way, he was far too vulnerable for his liking.
With a sideways glance his vision focuses on the middle of the floor. Keiji and Gin look asleep, but shift with unease as something beyond his understanding plagues them. However, Sara lays as still as the dead. Her body is stiff, and silent, showing no signs of experiencing the torment she so easily bestowed upon him.
It's incomprehensibly cruel. Shin's mind is never alleviated from the grief that's become a part of him, but her mind grants a feeling that he can no longer understand.
Resolve.
It's an emotion only the strong can have. The weak are the ones kept awake by their sins. The ones who ask, "How could I have changed the outcome?" While the strong march on without a doubt of the choices they've made. But there's one thing he wouldn't regret, and that's cutting his strings from the strong by killing the puppet master.
It's her who killed Kanna and took away his right to die. A right he didn't know he wanted to have. But the memories don't break her. They only serve as a tool to bring the allies she would discard at a moment's notice closer. His eyes flicker to Gin, bile rising up his throat at the thought of enduring the sight of a child's blood. Again.
But a sentence comes from his shell of a mind, a promise inviting him to fulfill it.
"... I'll kill you...Worthless... It's all worthless..." Shin meant every word, even as days passed with inaction as Sara continued to be the hero they sought. But he, too, can be a hero with a moment of blind bravery and unprecedented luck. In her unconscious state, tactics and weakness aren't needed, just a blunt object.
That's when he remembers the hammer in the operating room.
He rises to his feet. His heart pounds with fear for what he's about to do. A part of him screams to lay back down, to go to sleep and see what tomorrow brings. But a premonition guides him to make things right. To get revenge and take back the peace Sara stole in just one blow.
He vaguely thinks about how empty his hands feel, wishing he had taken a tool much earlier when he didn't have to cross the floor full of sleeping people. But he can't go back and make his mission simpler. All he can do is try to pass through.
He steps slowly until the blanket resting at Sara’s feet hits the tip of his toes. She doesn’t indicate that he’s standing over her. Even as he stares. For the first time, he looks down at her instead of her looking down at him, just to find the thrill of strength isn’t there, only a deep numbness spreading through his bones like a chill. He can’t breathe as a wave of dizziness hits him, especially seeing how Sara rests.
She’s curled into a small ball on her right side. Blanket kicked to the foot of her bed.
Exactly how Kanna would sleep.
With a natural motion, he reaches out and places the blanket across Sara’s form, watching as she cuddles into the warmth provided.
It scares him how natural it feels. How surprising it is to feel brotherly affection again after days of loneliness. It’s all too much, a fact he knows when a hot tear trails down his eye and onto the sleeping girl’s pillow.
“What am I doing?” The thought hits him, a scream from a weak man he can’t quite bury. His knees nearly buckle under as he stumbles backward, turning fast to find his previous resting place. His bed isn’t what’s waiting for him. Instead, a small girl stands in its place. She wears a taunting smirk, unlike any expression he’s seen before, blood trailing down her limbs as flowers sprout from her veins.
“Why did you let Kanna die?”
Shin screams as his hand flies over his mouth, stumbling back as he trips over Sara’s legs and crashes onto the cold floor. For a moment, he’s dazed as his ears ring and vision blurs, but then he hears it. Three shocked yells are coming from above.
“Meow, loner, are you okay, woof?!” “Sou?! What were you doing over here?” “Shin! Are you alright?!” He looks up at them, as he always has, and feels contempt. For once, not at them, but himself. For seeing his sister in his enemy. For thinking he was strong enough to end his pain. For not being able to get revenge.
For leading Kanna to her death.
He bites back tears as they stare. The shame of the strong seeing him cry being enough to repress the sadness engulfing his mind. Instead, he relies on rage to refit his mask as his words come out dripping with venom.
“Do you think I’m alright?” None look shocked, but Sara shifts with unease as she bites her lip and broadly shrugs her shoulders.
“I-I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.” Her hand reaches out, offering to pull him to his feet, and Shin's quick to swat it away. He pushes upward of his own will, not wanting to accept the hollow gesture of friendship presented before him.
"Of course you wouldn't. You don't feel anything at all unless it's convenient for you. Isn't that right, Miss Sara?" Disbelief flickers across her features, and for a moment, Kanna looks back at him. They share the same look of confusion. Their eyebrows shoot up while their lips curl into a disapproving frown, leaving their nose scrunching as if they've smelt something awful.
But the illusion ends as soon as it begins. A much more manipulative face replaces familiar features.
"What are you talking about?" The way she asks almost sounds sincere, even when he knows she's lying through her teeth. However he'll have none of her fake confusion.
Even if it means isolating further.
Before his brain can catch up with his body, his legs move under him. He doesn't know where he's going or when he should stop. He runs, even when the teen calls for a dead man.
"Shin! Stop, please!"
His stamina doesn't last long. Giving out in the library as he collapses against a shelf, knocking a few novels from their place as he slides to the floor. His fingers curl into the shag carpet, brushing against a book cover colored bright green. A contrasting pink font adorns it, drawing his attention to the letters.
"A Guide To Gardening"
A frustrated yell escape's him at the universe's taunt. It's not the first given to him, nor will it be the last, but you can never come to terms with some things, just like the glimpse of pink flowers always lurking behind his eyes. He can see them as if he could grab them, the green, thorny vines stained a dark red.
"Thank you, Sara…." Shin can still hear her voice. Soft and resigned to the fate befalling her. Her voice quivered as she held out her arms for an embrace only her murderer could provide. "Can I...have a hug?"
His throat aches, and his hands shake. He looks at his sister in bewilderment, watching in silence as she dives into her killer's arms as he stands with a newfound emptiness. Nothing feels real. Like he's deep in a never-ending nightmare that only Kanna could save him from being engulfed inside. But she can't save them as Tia's voice rang out with far too much calm.
"Activating collar device…the human flower."
His lip trembles, hardly able to stop himself from lunging forward. The only thing restraining him is the sacrifice she made and a survival instinct chaining him to the floor. Yet, another instinct tells him to close his eyes, unable to watch the cruelty feet from him.
But that doesn't stop him from hearing. The sound of vines growing through her skin echoes in the small room, along with her screams of agony as she shouts her final words through the death game halls.
"Nooooo!"
A chill shakes him, her regret making survival taste far more bitter than he could've ever imagined. With hesitation, he peeks open his eyes. Not knowing why, but knowing that he had to see the carnage. Maybe it's what he deserved. Maybe he needs to see what Sara did. Maybe he needed to know she was gone. Regardless they open, and a mess of bloody plants stare back at him.
A prominent pink shines through the ugly red, the smell of blood mixing with a distinctly earthly smell that turns his stomach. There's only so much of the sight he can endure, and in seconds he tears his eyes away to glance at Sara, who stares ahead. She looks empty and numb, with no light shining in her dry eyes. It's a sight that makes a promise form. Not just to himself, but to anyone else Sara will hurt.
"... I'll kill you...Worthless... It's all worthless..."
"Shin!" A voice, now more urgent, calls to him from above. It snaps him out of his daydream, focusing on the wolf in sheep's clothing staring down at her prey.
"...What do you want, Miss Sara?" She looks surprised, shocked even that he didn't read her mind. As if he wouldn't have already if he could.
"I…wanted to check on you, actually. You had this weird look on your face." He grits his teeth in response, shoving his hands into his pockets to hide his curling into fists, the reason for his annoyance being as apparent as the scent of a rose.
"Ahaha, I don't look any different than normal. You shouldn't resort to insulting people's appearances, Sara." His attempt to deflect is met with a scoff, her expression turning sour at the unfounded accusation.
"If you want to act like this, then at least answer me..why were you by our beds?" The real reason for her arrival exposes itself, and more than ever, he hates the first things first way she speaks. Not that it gets in the way of his bold-face lie.
"...Sheesh, I was just going to borrow your blanket. It was cold in there, and I didn't think you'd notice being clonked out and all." He thinks back to her curled in a ball on her right side, looking far too familiar for him just to ignore. But he pretends in front of her, not willing to show his weakness that seeks a connection between the living and dead. However, she can see through him like glass, looking uneasy at his answer as she always does to his lies.
"It's just…you looked angry. Like you wanted to hurt me." Her intuition hits gold, unsettling him despite his cold front.
"...Getting paranoid?" Her eyes narrow at him, not foolish enough to trust his words but having no evidence to disprove them.
"...Not at all." There's a hesitation laced between her words. Easy to notice and unsettlingly honest, a look of bravery crosses her face as she speaks again.
"Well… can't help it...Come on. We should get back to the others." The request takes him aback. Oddly, he's surprised that Sara can't read his mind.
"No thanks, ahaha. When you make demands like that…it makes us seem like we're allies." He shifts uncomfortably in his boldness, watching a frown spread across her face as she struggles for words.
"I...understand that you're upset. But we all need to get along together. If we can't, it's all over".
"If you can't, it's all over." He's heard these words from a girl standing before her future killer in a lobby. She spoke to them with so much trust and love and asked each other to do the same. But he knew better than to put faith in Sara then, and even more now as a shade of red clouds his vision as he's reminded of what he lost.
"Why are you doing this?" Shin doesn't know what he's asking, nor does Sara as she clutches her arm to self-soothe.
"Doing what?" His body acts on autopilot, taking a step closer to face down the monster that looks at him with confused eyes.
"Why are you doing this?" He asks again, hoping the repetition will cleanse his muddled mind. "Why are you acting like her?"
She steps back, glancing at him as if he were to break. Maybe he will. Maybe he already has. It doesn't change the caution she speaks with.
"Her? But the only girl you were close with was! Surely you couldn't mean!" He runs a hand through his messy hair, unclenching his jaw to respond.
"Your victim? Oh, sorry, Miss Sara. I suppose when you've had so many, that doesn't narrow it down any." She does nothing but blink in response. First slow, but then rapid as her complexion goes deathly pale.
"I...remind you of Kanna? But that's inconceivable! I mean-!" She shakes her head in disbelief, looking to the ground as the realization hits her like a brick through a window.
It's hard to tell who's shaking more. They both tremble from the emotion flowing through their stomachs, forcing them to recall the young girl with a bucket hat.
The same girl that could be standing in front of Shin now.
The same nervous energy Kanna always held radiates from the girl in the school uniform. It makes him want to say, "You'll be fine." instead of continuing to glower with frustration in his chest.
He wishes she had never mentioned ice cream. If so, he wouldn't notice every little detail his dear sister and greatest enemy share. The way they sleep, the words they speak, and the energy they carry. It's all far too similar. As if he could see Kanna through her eyes and feel close to her once again. But she isn't Kanna, and Kanna isn't her. Because Kanna is dead and buried.
Wetness forms behind his eyes. Weak and desperate as he wishes Kanna's voice could come through Sara's mouth and assure him everything will be okay. But the only voice he hears comes from the orange-haired girl as she meekly gives her aid.
"C'mon, don't cry. I'm sure they're all watching us from somewhere cheering us on...and Kanna is cheering loudest for you." A snort escapes him, recognizing a lie as much as he could his own face. Even now, Kanna is no doubt screaming Sara's name with pride and joy, a confident tone Sara lacks.
Instead, she sounds soft and unsure, similar to a tone Kanna held when they first met in the main hall all those days ago. She looked so small then, bundled into a corner clutching her knees for dear life, not at all a proper showcase of the girl who grew to be so strong. Stronger than the real him could ever be as his lip quivers at the mere memory, tears barely held back from falling.
"S-Shin…" She looks at a loss for words, gazing at him like she's meeting a stranger for the first time. It's so clear that she doesn't know what to do, but she settles on a smile. A forced grin that shakes as it spreads across her lips. It's far too similar to the one Kanna wore during her final moments, another reminder that sends him crashing down to Earth in a free fall as he lets loose the breakdown long brewing.
"Just stop it!" The shout emitting from his throat aches, his sudden burst of anger making Sara nearly fall to the floor in surprise.
"Stop acting like her! Stop making my life more difficult! You did that already! I don't need anything else from you!" His voice cracks, and he can't tell if Sara looks at him with fear or pity. But her eyes are on him, and he hates her.
"You took away my sister, and you still look at me like I'm the villain? If you want an antagonist, take a look in the mirror."
"I-" Her mouth opens, then shuts again as he rambles without pause.
"You're just like everyone else! A strong person who uses the weak! Kanna was nothing like you...And yet…"
Shin breathes, deep and long as it feels like all the air has left his lungs, too breathless to say anything, as Sara collapses onto the floor, jumping on her turn to speak.
"I… you're right."
His legs stop moving, freezing to the floor as his neck snaps in her direction, and their eyes meet.
"I...voted for Kanna because I wanted to survive." She buries her face in her hands, tears gathering in her eyes as her voice breaks. "But…I wanted all of us to survive together! And I thought…you were our best chance. Even if it meant voting for Kanna, it seemed better than waiting around for the next main game. But…Q-Taro and Alice died anyway."
He can't comprehend not putting Kanna first. Not even for a second. He'd have done anything to protect her. Making Sara's words ring hollow. But her next sentences take him off guard, a thought that resonates far too well.
"...Kanna asked me to protect everyone...and I failed. She'd be so disappointed."
"She asked me to cooperate with everyone, and I can't even do that right." He thinks to himself. For a moment, he understands Sara more than he'd ever like to, as he neither confirms nor denies her statement. Instead, he clings to his boldness, asking a lingering question that's floated in the air since the second main game.
“If you could do it again, would you vote for her?" Sara's head jerks back in shock, her mouth slowly parting as she looks at him as if he were a sphinx asking a riddle before settling on her answer.
"No"
It's odd how much relief a single word gives him. The petty part of him finding peace knowing that Sara feels a similar regret, remorse being an emotion he assumed was only a concept to her. Still, he's not foolish enough to trust her words entirely, even if he has no evidence that disproves them. But he's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now, only if so he's not the only one in grief.
"Good."
She looks surprised, then resolved, a part of her seeming to anticipate his response as her shoulders slump in what could only be described as shared relief.
"I really miss her. I know you do too." He looks away from her face, listening as Kanna's voice echoes through their shared room.
"I miss sister, Kanna wishes could have met her." For a moment, he's too honest. Too vulnerable. The thought of Kanna bringing out his honest side that he can't seem to kill.
"… It's hard not to." Exhaustion slams him as his adrenaline halts. The night's events and his lack of sleep catch up to him as he lets himself slide to the floor, face to face with someone he was once sure was an enemy. But now, he can't even look in her eyes. Afraid he'll find a glimpse of her as a heavy silence falls between them.
They both struggle to find what to say. An outlandish lie trying to spring to Shin's lips to fill the void. But it's Sara who's first to speak, her voice soft and meek.
"What's your favorite ice cream?" He nearly laughs. The taunt from the universe was clear, but for once not feeling cruel. Simply nostalgic.
"Anything but mint."
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Design Deep-Dive #10: From Concept to Card
Iteration is crucial to good design. Your first ideas are rarely your best, and especially when designing an entire set of cards, it's impossible to know exactly how everything will interact until you actually sit down and play with it. One of the clearest examples of this is the card Mesmir's Betrayal, which required a drastic overhaul to find its niche!
Let's take a look at how this card went from rough concept, to one of the most exciting cards in the set!
1. Concept
Mesmir's Betrayal is a top-down design, meaning I started from the theming and flavor and had to build mechanics to fit (as opposed to bottom-up design, where the mechanical effects come first and narrative theming is decided later). In this case, I knew three things:
Mesmir was a powerful NPC wizard who betrayed our heroes at the end of a pivotal arc.
I'd already drawn art of this story beat that would be perfect for a card.
In this set, Red and Blue are all about Wizards, so this card should be a big, flashy payoff in those colors! Ideally, if you're playing lots of Wizards, this card should be able to close out the game.
2. First Draft
After a bit of thought, this was the first version of the card I printed out:
{2}🔥 Instant
Rare
Until end of turn, target Wizard gains +3/+0, first strike, trample, and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a creature, exile that creature."
Cycling 💧 (💧, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
I really wanted to lean into the idea of a Wizard turning around and becoming a lethal threat! So this first draft operated as a combat trick that gives a scary stack of keywords a la Kaldra Compleat.
However, the way it's written, it would do absolutely nothing without a Wizard already in play. I decided this would be a good opportunity to split the Red and Blue identities of the card into two modal effects -- you could spend 🔥 for the aggressive combat trick, and 💧 to simply cycle the card away and draw a new one, if the situation didn't line up. It didn't feel like a perfect compromise, but it was good enough for the testing phase.
3. Playtesting
After several playtests, I began to realize that this card didn't operate the way I'd hoped. Frankly, it didn't operate at all -- even in tests where players had access to the card and were playing lots of Wizards in their deck, this card just wasn't making the cut. Instead, I focused on what was working with those decks, to see why this didn't fit into the gameplan and came away with several insights:
A combat trick feels useless to a non-combat-focused deck. The Izzet Wizards archetype wants to sling spells, not rely on pushing damage through combat. While it's important for those decks to have Wizards on board, their main role is to enhance other instants and sorceries, and to provide good targets for Concentration auras.
The buff feels unnecessarily complex. All those stats and keywords can be difficult to parse and make the card easier to dismiss. It feels flashy and scary, which is great, but it might as well read "Target Wizard gets +3/+0 and unblockable."
The card feels small. Making this card a 3-drop doesn't give it the impression of a big finisher. As flashy as the buff is, it doesn't feel like an effect that's likely to end the game on the spot.
It ignores too many Blue subthemes. Blue decks in this set have a lot of support for completely different angles, especially hand and library manipulation. If this card could hook into those synergies somehow, it might be more attractive to players.
It's not really "betraying" anything. Sure, making a Wizard suddenly good at combat does a decent job of conveying Mesmir's sudden heel-turn, but it doesn't quite capture the scope of our story: a man throwing his entire community into ruin for a chance at personal gain, a desperate but calculated final gambit!
With all this in mind, I was ready to push Mesmir's Betrayal to the next level...
4. Iteration
{4}🔥🔥 Sorcery
198/275 Rare
Mesmir's Betrayal deals 2 damage to any target.
Wizardstorm (When you cast this spell, exile any number of target Wizards you control and/or Wizard cards from your hand. Copy this spell for each Wizard exiled this way. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Wizardcycling {1}💧 ({1}💧, Discard this card: Search your library for a Wizard card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)
Deal 2 damage. Wizardstorm. Wizardcycling.
Now we're talking.
It's risky to commit an entire brand-new keyword for this single card, but I just couldn't pass up the chance to play on the infamous Storm mechanic of MtG past! Instead of copying the spell for each other card played this turn, Mesmir's Betrayal lets you trade off your Wizards for damage, either decimating your own board or cashing out your hand to potentially reach lethal levels of burn!
Wizardstorm also provides an extremely satisfying mirror for the Wizardcycling mode of the card. This technically isn't a new mechanic, thanks to the cheeky and experimental Future Sight era. But it's certainly a deep cut that fits the flavor of the card and makes the card way more interesting in the early game, if you're having trouble drawing your Wizards or before you're ready to go all in on the burn plan.
It also allowed me to design a fun nod to Mesmir himself, by giving the creature version of his card an ETB that shuffles some spells back into your library. So you can Wizardcycle to find Mesmir, and then play him to let your opponent know... his Betrayal could be just around the corner! But that's a Card Showcase for another day.
5. Lather, Rinse, Repeat...
In all, the revised version of this card is a massive improvement in every aspect, and it's already been used to great success in a playtest with its new text! Most importantly, the Izzet Spellslinger archetype, which has underperformed so far compared to more creature-combat strategies, finally has a proper build-around card to pull players into those colors in a draft!
But of course, I'll keep testing it to make sure it's right in that sweet spot. The key to iteration, after all, is to keep iterating.
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Movie Amy Rose , by someone who has only ever seen the movies, fanart, and three video essays:
What do I know about Amy? She's a bubbly, cute, adventure seeking, Sonic obsessed, tarro card wielding hedgehog of bright pink proportions. She often gets left behind, but is determined to prove herself and protect her friends. Adorable as she is, her hammer isnt and she isn't afraid to use it. While her friends are caught up in saving the world, she's there to take care of the little guys on the ground and doesn't lose sight of who their fighting for. Her mystical tarro cards are what brought her to Sonic, and since then she's been his number one fan, harboring a not so subtle crush on the blue blur. She's a talented cook/ baker who wants to open her own bakery someday. There's some theories (canon? I'm not sure) of her being able to sense Chaos energy, which is how she always knows where to find Sonic.
All around a very bright character who I think has a lot of potential in the Movie Universe.
First off, how would she join the team? Most likely she'll have heard about the epic Robotnic fight and how Sonic used the Master Emerald to save his family. In awe, she travels to earth to meet this hero. The idea I like better is that she (assuming she CAN sense Chaos energy) gets massive signals from earth due to Super Sonic and comes to investigate. This would immediately establish her as a determined, thrill seeking girl looking for adventure and would play into her wanting to join Sonic. Seeing Sonic as a means of adventure from a presumably boring life would explain her fast and furious crush on him
Whether or not she'll be well received is difficult to say. Movie Sonic seems a little less brass than game Sonic, so will probably try not to be rude or ditch her, but since her being left behind seems an important staple of her early character, it's not something the writers can completely cut. What's more likely is that Sonic won't be confident in her ability to take care of herself and would want her to stay behind for safety.
Her role may partially be a "prove yourself" sort of deal where she, having been left behind while Team Sonic deals with Shadow, strikes out on her own, determined to help and be apart of the story. After all, she came for adventure and to help Sonic, and is going to do so whether he likes it or not. In doing her own thing to help the conflict, she proves herself a valuable member of the team.
While she could do that by going in and kicking butt in a fight, it'd be cool if they drew on another major part of her character: taking care of the people that get overlooked when the world ends. I believe she helps this little floaty thing escape capture and reunites it with its family in one of the early games, even though she didn't have to and doing so put her in danger. This willingness to help others turns especially useful in-game as she talks Shadow into helping. Her playing a similar role in the movie would be a fantastic way to show her strength and value as a character while staying true to her established traits. It's shows the power of compassion and empathy and how a kind gesture can win a war punching can't.
This kind of character is very important for the team as they really come into their own as heros. Just like Tom learns that protecting his friends and family means more to him than proving himself as a big city cop, Amy serves as a reminder that taking care of those "little guys" is why they're fighting evil. Not forgetting the friends they're defending while they fight bigger and bigger foes will fit nicely into the established themes of family in the Sonic cinematic universe.
As far as representation goes, I think she has the potential to be a fanstatic role model for girls if the writing team does her character justice. Showing girls female characters who don't need no man and can take care of themselves is important, but so is showing all the other unique types of women out there and how each are strong and capable. Though I am Down to see Amy play whack-a-hoe with her hammer, keeping her character's strength in kindness and compassion (and the value that has on the plot, team, and characters) is infinitely more impactful. She's a perfect character for SEGA to demonstrate how a strong female character doesn't have to be a cut throat drill Sargent at all times, and that great power lies in a helping hand.
Apart from a gentler approach in character, I'd be thrilled if they kept her girly in appearance and speech like she is in the game. Love seeing characters decked all out in ribbons and bows while carrying massive hammers that make Thor cry.
Though I didn't grow up with this character, I have high hopes for seeing how she grows into an amazing on screen girlboss. The writers have done an amazing job of doing right by Tails and Knuckles, completely rectifing the recent decline in quality from some Sonic games. Saving those two allows me to put faith in them that they'll take care of Amy the same way and won't reduce her to a background character at best, annoying Sonic fan girl at worst.
Amy Rose has so much potential to be a unique and compelling character who can add so much to the team and story. With any luck we'll have this amazing girl back in business by the time Sonic 3 is half way through.
This is ALL opinion, and I'd love to hear yours!! Obviously I've never edited played the classic games, but she's a character who caught my attention when I entered the fandom and one who I can't wait to see on the big screen!
#amy#amy rose#amy sonic the hedgehog#movie amy rose#movie sonic#sonic fanart#sonic wachowski#sonic cinematic universe#knuckles the echidna#knuckles wachowski#tails wachowski#tails the fox#scu#sonic fandom#sonic textpost#sonic theory#sonic movie spoilers#sonic movie fanart#amy and sonic#fanart#team sonic#tom wachowski#maddie wachowski#sonic movie headcanons#sonic 2#sonic#sonic movie 2#sonic the hedgehog#sonic 3#sonic movie 3
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HIIII JIL ! 🩷
AINT IT FUN WITH JAIDE !!! - @savoryangel
TYSM NOEL AHEHEHEHE I WILL GO WITH RED GORLFRIEND REALLLLL
Ain't it Fun: When in canon does Jaide come in? Does she play a certain role in the plot?
jaide starts all the way back at the RBG game era, when blue and red were still competing to be ... ehem. VERYYY BESSTT.
she initally doesn't have much of a big story arc at this time, she's only a supporting character to red and blue's competitive endeavors. red may have left after winning over blue, but she and blue continued to stay friends even after she moved out and stayed in johto for the rest of her life. during her "off-screen" time, she was busy caring for her younger brother, ethan since he's still very young at this part. but at the start of GSC game era, that's when she slowly considered to become a trainer since she watched Ethan go off in his own adventure. blue simultaneously filled her interest to become a trainer since they still kept in touch. I like to think blue reports to her any cool and silly things his pokémon does and she would be invested, and that's what sparked her interest to try to become a trainer, and eventually... a catching specialist!
as for... like. major plots in pokémon, she's not involved with team rocket and such. though red and ethan definitely had to deal with them 😭 (I haven't really considered that part either tbh LOL)
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Alpha, A Rhapsody Not In Blue
George Gershwin is an amazing composer and it is not surprising that Rhapsody in Blue is extremely well known, however, what brought this song to mind today was not a need for relaxing music but the search for a replacement word for a rant. Slowly over time, there has been the bubbling up and it is time to call malarkey on it but rather than saying rant, today will be a rhapsody, not in blue but so top-notch that is going to the alpha of all rhapsodies. The subject that needs to be addressed is the staggering amount of d-types who have decided that they are ‘alpha’ doms. Those who take this title are often spewing bullshit, trying to fake dominance, thinking D/S is ordering women to suck their wang on command, or a combination of all of them.
A great starting part on this alpha stuff is money that you can take to the bank. The esteemed alfalfa community often point to their balance sheets to show they are the best, better than the rest. Most people have learned that monetary wealth does not make a person superior or better than another. We all know people who may be rich
in terms of dollars and cents but their souls are bankrupt. Also, does that mean within the lifestyle a dominant is less than if they do not have an MBA, a corner office, and three supercars? Sorry Danny Dom, your job as a delivery driver disqualifies you from being an amazing d-type. No one’s career or bank account balance should preclude them from any role in the lifestyle. A final thought on this part of alfalfaism is that wealth does not come from a checking account balance, what a person owns, but from the people they love and are loved by, that is where the true riches in life are.
Next, we must put on our Sherlock Holmes customs and start sleuthing around to see what it means to be an alfalfa dom, in addition to having that big, bad bank account balance. Here is more information on what qualifies one for alpha status:
An alpha d-type must have confidence. That is not shocking as dominants need to have a level of self-assuredness but also recognize that dominants are human beings so this means there are going to be insecurities within all d-types. The purveyors of the alpha mythology tell a slightly different story, these folks have such a high level of confidence they simply “go for it” without second thoughts. This is pure poop because how many times have each of us thought we had the perfect idea/plan only to give it a second thought realizing our first idea or approach was so flawed it would be an epic fail. Confidence is great but cockiness is so not. Confidence does need to be part of a dominant’s realm but so do insecurities, second thoughts, and critical thinking because d-types do not cluck off in rushed decisions motivated by an inflated sense of self-worth.
So now it is game on because all alpha males not only love to compete but they always compete to win. That sounds great does it not, always play to win but life is not a game. Part of life is sucking at things because if we never suck at things, no one will ever learn new skills. Plus when anyone is just learning a new skill, sometimes competing is not about winning but learning how to play and success never comes on a whim but is achieved through determination coupled with hard work. A few questions for submissives, if an alpha is fixated on winning, what happens when one wins your hand? Are you now a trophy in their display case? If they are ruled by the need to win, how long do you think it will be before they are back out there competing for a newer, shinier submissive?
Not only are alphas out there, queue the Charlie Sheen voice, “winning” daily they are also grunting and groaning in the gyms of the world. Sorry to have to break the news to you Dominant Dan but dude you have got a total dad bod so you better not even think about calling yourself an alpha, let alone a dominant. Dan, it is great that you have been with your submissive for twenty-plus years, work full time, and do all the stuff your family needs, plus you have a proven track record of leading a successful relationship but that body of yours just does not measure up so do not even think about that alpha title. The amount of hours someone does or does not invest in fitness is not related to a title unless your name is Hans and every Saturday night, live from New York, you and BFF Franz pump us up.
Maybe at this point, some alfalfa d-types want to beat those who disagree with them up and if you search the wonderful web, many of the guides to being an alpha dominant preach this. That is correct, the alpha dom is not afraid of getting physical to get their way. Do not carry your lunch money anymore because one of these internet alphas might come and try to beat you up. This is just donkey because a dominant will stand up for what they believe to be true but standing up means using communication skills and not fists. A bully is not dominant.
Speaking of communication, an alpha dom is said to always command the room when they speak. Shhhh, here is a secret effective communication, including nonverbal skills, are things that anyone can learn, practice, and grow proficient at. Even a shy geek can command a room when they speak if they have learned how along with the nonverbal skills that go with that. Becoming proficient and even excelling at verbal communication is something that takes education and practice. All grown-up ‘bullies’ want to talk about is themselves and their achievements and that quickly loses an audience. Communication is a skill that some do better than others but one’s skill at communicating with groups of people does not make them a superior dominant. What truly matters in a D/S relationship is the communication between the d and s type not if they are a good or bad public speaker.
Finally, it is time to put on your Sunday best because the alpha dom knows how to dress. Yes, indeedie folks, alfalfas are always rocking the latest fashions and dressed just so. The alpha dom is a snappy dresser because as we all know, how you dress aligns with how well a person can lead a lifestyle partnership. Sorry to tell you but if t-shirts and jeans are your things, you are toast when it comes to being a good dominant. What is that you said? Oh, you are a welder so a tuxedo does not work for you. Sorry Charlie you had better get a better job so you can be a real dominant and you better make reservations for fashion week in New York City.
So much of what it means to be an alpha dominant is all crap-o-la. The people who are portraying themselves as alphas are trying so hard to fake it until they make it. If a person has dominance in their soul, their discovery of the lifestyle will allow them to unearth that in their heart. All the things that are floating around about what makes a person an alpha are nothing more than measures an insecure person uses to try to mask their low self-esteem. Do not fall for the alpha malarkey and myths.
What do you think, are alpha doms the real deal or just made-up marketing?
As with all of my thoughts, please see this disclaimer.
©TLK2023
#d/s relationship#d/s community#d/s blog#d/s real life#dom/sub#bdsmblog#bd/sm community#bd/sm lifestyle#ds community#chattingwiththelightkeeper#bdsmlife#bdsmrelationship#d/s lifestyle#d/s dynamic#bd/sm relationship#d/s#my thoughts#my writing
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