#so would create better conflict lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

arachniee · 3 months

Text

ᡣ𐭩 •｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ “I’m Their Cure!”

༘✿ Synopsis: Unfortunately, you’ve fallen ill. You didn't tell your lover as you didn’t want to be a burden, so you decided to just let your friend take care of you. And trust me, your boyfriend was NOT having it.

༘✿ Notes: this has been in my drafts long before i created my other series. I needed to get the dust off this and post it lol. This is just purely chaotic fluff that may or may not have grammatical errors. Characters; Lucifer, Vox, and Adam.

‧₊˚✩彡 Lucifer M.

Let’s be honest, this man would have NO idea until you’re coughing up your lungs. It’s either he’s really fucking dense, or you’re just that good with hiding your sickness. He’d literally think that everything was normal until the day he didn’t see you at the hotel at all.

He’s asking everyone his eyes land on, asking them if they knew where you were. Most would just shrug and say no (lies), but just as when he was about to lose hope, his daughter saved the day by telling him.

You were at your friend's apartment?? Why?? That was genuinely the first thing that came to his mind. As he knocked on the (hopefully) right apartment door, he was conflicted when he saw a man with just a t-shirt on with a wet towel in his hands.

His mind went in all directions except the right one. His mind filled up with (horrifying) negative thoughts as he stuttered and asked if you were inside. And when the man in front of him said yes, he was instantly red.

He literally started attacking your poor friend with his much smaller frame, accusing him of doing things to you. The commotion was so loud that you heard the cat fight from your room, thus urging you to sluggishly make your way to them.

You immediately pulled Lucifer away from your friend, who surprisingly didn't have much scratches, as the little man in your hold visibly brightened upon seeing you. But his gaze soured just as quick as he glanced back at your friend.

“Leave.” He’d order, still fuming (adorably). “But this is my apartme–” And in the end, you managed to convince your friend to leave for a few hours. Apologizing to him as you tried to calm your lover down.

After the whole fiasco has died down, it was your turn to glare at Lucifer, who in return, chuckled nervously. Though, he'd try to defend himself, saying things like “who knows what he could have done to you if I didn't arrive on time?”

Once you explain everything to him, that feeling of uneasiness turns into guilt. He feels stupid. First, he didn't know that you were sick, second, he was so stupid that he wasn't able to take care of you properly (even though you didn't want him to know).

Despite your sickness, he's clinging onto you, mumbling sorry’s. He doesn't care if he gets sick in the process, he WILL take care of you now. You will go back to the hotel and stay in bed. You will not lift a single finger at all. You will be treated like royalty (which you practically are, at this point) and he’d be doing all the work for you.

Hungry? He's got a snickers. Thirsty? Here, have some apple juice. Having trouble sleeping? He's literally right beside you on your bed, snuggling close.

In the end, after you got better, it was his turn to get sick. And he's expecting you to reciprocate what he did when you were sick! (He just wants to be pampered and babied by you.)

‧₊˚✩彡 Vox.

Look, he’s a busy man. So hiding the fact that you were sick would be a piece of cake since you don’t meet that often, even if he desperately wanted to. But he does notice once you finally spend time together after a few days. He watched as you coughed and struggled to do things you’d usually do with ease.

He’d be very concerned about your wellbeing, despite not wanting to admit it, at least not so soon. Since he always has to be somewhere doing something, he’d get his most trusted employee to bring you stuff. Flowers to make you feel better? Right at your doorstep. A new, comfier blanket? Already on your bed, neatly folded. And of course, he never forgets the medicine.

He thought that sending gifts and stuff was enough for you (it was), but he was (not) wrong. At least that’s what he first thought during his visit when he finally had time. His eye twitched in irritation as he watched one of your ‘friends’ help you eat the soup, their hands carefully bringing the spoon to your lips.

He’d cough comically loud to try and get your attention. Come on, he’s literally standing in your doorway and yet you’re pretending as if it’s only you and your friend in the room. Once you finally notice his presence, you’d thank your friend before asking Vox why he was visiting you since you knew he was busy.

He refused to speak on that matter until your ‘friend’ left. Your friend understood (thankfully, Vox thought) and left, telling you to call them if you ever needed anything. Your lover would mock your friend behind their back by saying “ ‘cAlL mE iF yOu nEeD AnYthiNg’, bitch, who do they think they are? I can take better care of you by myself than they ever could.”

He’d instantly ask you tons of questions, why didn’t you tell him you were sick? Oh, you didn’t want to be a burden? Bullshit. He is not accepting that lame excuse. Unconsciously, he’d be pouting, and of course, it isn’t a matter of time until he throws a tantrum.

It took almost exactly 2 minutes before Vox was making a scene, dramatically conveying his hurt that you preferred some other bitch’s care than his. Isn’t he enough for you? He’d be making comments about how your sickness might have affected your brain and your taste. Not just in food, but in people.

What? You prefer some cheap fucker’s company during the time you’re vulnerable more than his? No, we are not going to talk about how he’s busy most of the time. And we are also not going to talk about how he literally threw a tantrum just to visit you.

He’d still be pretty cranky about everything, it’ll take quite the effort for him to consider forgiving you. No, kisses, hugs, and all of your attention when you’re better isn’t enough. He wants, no, he needs everything you have to and can offer.

‧₊˚✩彡 Adam.

At first, he doesn’t catch on that you’ve been more sluggish lately. He would complain about how you might not be doing your job properly, though it’s just a facade of his growing concern. But when you brush him off, saying that it’s nothing, then he’d reluctantly disregard the topic.

Once he finally realizes that you didn’t go to work (where he visits you quite often, well, more like everyday), he’d ask almost everyone that he encounters. Lute (who is tired of his bullshit)? Emily? Sera? Everyone will be questioned about you.

When someone finally gives in to his pestering and tells him that you were resting in your home, he’s sprinting there faster than the speed of light. He’d literally be banging on the door, screaming at the top of his lungs for you to let him in.

You’d groan and cover your ears with a pillow as your beautiful friend, Molly, laughed beside you. She sat upright as you tossed around trying to drown out Adam’s yelling. After realizing that he wasn’t leaving or stopping any time soon, Molly eventually asked if you really didn’t want her to open the door. You’d groan even louder, to which she’d chuckle at.

She was so sweet, cooking for you and making sure you drank your medicine. As she grabbed the empty bowl on the coffee table, she smiled as you finally gave her the green light to open the door for Adam.

She always found the two of you cute, the most adorable couple ever! And as soon as she opened the door, Adam zoomed past her, ignoring her presence completely. Once you finally come into his sight, he’d be scolding you about not telling him that you were sick, did you honestly think he wouldn’t be able to help? Don’t underestimate him, damnit!

He’d only ever acknowledge Molly’s presence as soon as she came into the room with medicine in her hands. To say that he’d be pissed was an understatement. He was (cutely) fuming, not only did you not tell him FIRST, but you also have someone else taking care of you?

Jealousy brewed more in the pit of his stomach as he watched you thank Molly and drink the medicine with a smile. Psshh, she just gave you pills! What’s so special about that? If you wanted medicine, you could’ve just fucking asked him and he would’ve given you a whole dozen of boxes!

The whole time Molly was there with the two of you, he’d literally comment (complain) on everything she does, whether it was to help you or not, her every action will be judged by him.

Though he still tries to help, asking you if you want a drink or a snack, making sure you’re not uncomfortable and other stuff. Don’t get him wrong, he’s still pretty fuzzy about everything. And he’d make his feelings known after your friend has (finally) left.

He’d immediately bombard you with questions that you would rather not answer. He’s being a dick, yes, but that’s because you acted like one first! Why would you not wanna tell him? He’s your lover! Do you not love him anymore?

You’d need to make it up to him because explaining that you just didn’t want to be a burden to him is not enough of an explanation, apparently. He’d make you promise that you’d give him ALL of your attention and time next time, and by ‘next time’, he meant when you’re not sick. Because he ain’t coming any closer than 5 meters with you. Get better first!

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel adam #hazbin hotel lucifer #lucifer morningstar #hazbin hotel vox

295 notes · View notes

bimbolita · 4 months

Text

I’m so glad everyone is having the same visceral reaction to episode 4 like I did. I thought I was being too sensitive but fucking no. It is painful. It is horrid. Knowing that this type of abuse actively happens to sex workers and those who are trafficked. It’s jarring because I didn’t expect to see this dark and explicit depiction in a cartoon that jokes about penises every 2 minutes. It’s like when light hearted coco melon shows start talking about death, it was just unexpected because I never took this show serious. I’m going to share more of my thoughts below! Trigger Warning: Mentions of SA ⚠️

I don’t think it’s my place to deny or confirm if the ‘poison’ scenes were fetishized, I personally believe it’s subjective. I know how I feel but I think no matter where you stand, you are right in your own way. Many things can be true at once. What we can all agree on, is that it was harsh. In a way, I hope the audience is able to understand how exploiting and non glamorous sex work is. There is nothing fun about having your body used multiple times a day by people you do not know and having said scenes recorded then plastered all over the media. Of course all forms of engaging in or creating adult content are different, I am specifically talking about sex workers who have no say or control over their bodies and finances. Like Angel. Let us put emphasis on WORK in sex work.

It is demanding. It is laborious It is scaring. Remember that and remember the unheard voices who must do this to simply survive.

There is a lot of criticism about angel’s personality and yes I agree it is annoying but you have to understand, it is a trauma response. Hypersexuality is a common trait among those who are sexually abused. Angel just outwardly expresses it all the time because it is all he knows. This thought process is the only way to tolerate his behavior. I say thought process because it is only an interpretation. It’s very obvious viv just adores writing sexed up characters with zero nuance or depth but let’s just pretend she can actually write male characters that think beyond their cock and balls. Let’s pretend that Angel Dust is a two dimensional character and not (grits teeth) fetish bait.

Now, let’s talk about Charlie. Alright great, she saw her friend being mistreated and was about to stand up to his abuser, ok good good. The victim (Angel) gets upset and wants her to leave because he was beaten. Yes, average response of someone who is an abusive relationship, he is afraid and wants to avoid more conflict between him and Val. The situation at hand couldn’t be more than obvious. How does Charlie respond? She cries. And not because she is frustratedly concerned for the safety of her friend. It is because he yelled and rejected all her poor attempts at helping. Charlie is weak as shit and I think that interaction was weirdly written. I wish she had the mental fortitude to understand how much danger Angel’s life was in at that moment. I cannot enjoy her ‘aggressive kindness’ cutie do no wrong baby girl type of character in a moment like that.

And I feel the same about Husk’s song. Out of all the responses you could’ve made, this is what made it to the final cut? Do better. I don’t care if I lack the mEdIa LiTeRaCy twitter keeps yapping about. It’s bad. You just showed a sexual assault montage and the rebuttal was basically “my uncle broke his neck tap dancing once :/“ lol we’re both losers and that’s ok, suck it up buttercup, I like you regardless. This was the best response to an SA victim? No degree in media literacy would ever help me think that was an acceptable response. I dunno about ya’ll but I major in common sense at the university of using my eyes and fucking ears. Now imagine, if that entire segment, when Husk and Angel are at the bar plus the musical number; imagine if all of that was placed BEFORE we see Angel and Val interact and then poison plays as the final song. It would be 10x more impactful because then the audience sees how deep and stuck Angel actually is. Trauma olympics is never acceptable but neither is trauma participation trophies. It is not right to make Husk’s issues be seen as the same as Angel’s issues. They are not the same and it is ok to acknowledge that Angel has it worst than Husk. It’d be more genuine if Husk were to just hug him in complete silence after dragging him out of the bar and have Angel tearfully embrace him back. The first non sexual and benevolent interaction between them. The first physical act of care with no ulterior motives of lust.

I grind my teeth at the wasted potential.

#sorry for randomly dropping that trolls reference but it’s exactly what husk’s song felt like!#i hope my statement about sex workers didn’t come off as bashing anyone!!!#it’s just important to know it hard and can be extremely dangerous #don’t let some onlyfans girl with a pink wig trick you into thinking it’s fun just because she used her check to buy disney tickets or smth #sex work is (and i cannot stress this enough) WORK. LABOR.#anyways teehee thank you for reading!!!#anti vivziepop #anti hazbin hotel #vivziepop critical #vivziepop criticism #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel critique #hazmat hotel #🍯

360 notes · View notes

celestie0 · 1 month

Text

ellie's writing tips

hellooo this is just a lil masterpost for the writing tips i have collected over my time writing since it's a question i get often!! this way it's all in one place <3 this is also for my own reference to look back on when i forget them lol

tips for specifically writing long fics

on coming up with a main storyline.

planning out a general idea & premise at the beginning of the fic that helps two characters get closer to one another, such as a forced proximity, some sort of mutual agreement, a mission to complete, etc. is a great way to get the ball rolling on a fic and can create environments between characters that feels connected and necessary rather than forced

on coming up with secondary storylines.

after laying down the main groundwork, building some side storylines adjacent to the main one that will give you options down the line to play with narratively (you don't need to figure out exactly what you want to do with secondary plotlines up front, but having them in place can create flexibility in your story to pivot towards some ideas if you'd like to later in the story)

on planning chapters & scenes.

it's wise to have a general idea for your series, but it's also okay to scrap those ideas if ultimately they don't work. there will be scenes that do not make sense or fit in the way you thought they would've, and making last minute decisions is okay and totally normal. sometimes better answers will find you along the way, and it's only a testament to how well you're getting to know your own story and also your own characters. it's also okay to plan multiple path ideas for your story, and choose whichever one fits best once you get to that point. it's not necessary to have a scene-by-scene in order to start writing! planning is useful, but writing is more important

on finding motivation to continue long fics.

having certain "key" scenes planned out in the very early stages of writing that you know you will look forward to writing can help with finding motivation. it will also help you find momentum to write during points where you might have some writer's block. also, one of the best tips i have seen for writing chaptered fics, is to end your chapters when you still have a little bit left planned. so cutting it like 10% short so that you have an immediate jumping off of point that you can start with for the next chapter

my general writing tips

inspiration. starting off w a concept or idea that you already know you like from a tv show or book works really well for fanfiction! for example if you like spiderman, then you can write a canon-adjacent spiderman au w your fave character from an anime or something. and then maybe once you start writing, your own original ideas start to come into play and you go off of those. i think in the fanfic community, people adore spin-offs & mainstream concept ideas

dialogue. my biggest tip for dialogue would be to just write all of your dialogue for a scene completely stripped down. none of the “he says” & “she says” or action verbs in between, just write it all out like it was a simple text convo w quotation marks. that way the words will sound realistic because you’re only picturing a convo in your head, rather than also trying to juggle all the descriptive prose. then, you can go back in to fluff things up. if it’s meant to be comedic or a fast-paced argument, keeping it relatively stripped down is the way to go, but if it’s something intense or suspenseful then fluffing it up may be the better choice. also, i find dialogue becomes easier the more you write for a specific character, so if it’s not flowing right away, don’t worry!! their words will find you eventually once you get to know the character better :)

on choosing conflicts. characters won’t always act perfect, but i think a great way to make conflict seem realistic is for them to act in character but with flaws, rather than out of character with flaws. maybe make a list of what that character’s good qualities and how those qualities could also work against them, and use the latter to brainstorm realistic conflict that those qualities could put them in (ex: a character is self-sufficient, but that causes them to rely on ppl less when they need it -> they fail to reach out for help in timely manners and leads to mistakes/regrets)

pacing. when starting off a story, don’t be afraid to just jump straight into it! or jump straight into the dialogue and then build the scene gradually as it progresses, rather than [big block of text in beginning of scene that reader must drag their eyes through] and then get to the dialogue. make sure the pacing fits the scene (romantic -> longer paragraphs more focused on subtle details, comical -> short paragraphs n dialogue heavy w simple n relatable diction, etc)

for tone and mood. to get words flowing for different scenes, it can be really useful to get into the environment of those scenes while you’re writing, such as listening to a song that fits the vibe of the scene prior to/during writing, or if its a scene at night, write it w the lights off, or watch a youtube vid w scenery that matches. may sound silly, but it could help!

read more. this is sort of a miscellaneous one but a good way to subconsciously get better at writing is to just read more! your brain kinda learns how to write on its own when you read. also, when i’m reading, if i see words i really like i jot them down in my notes app so i have my own lil vocabulary of words that i know i would like to use in my writing

on writing insecurities. be proud of your writing!! your first draft does NOT have to be perfect. some days the words will flow, but on some they won’t, and that’s okay. don’t get too into your head about “i wonder what readers will think of this plot point or this character action” etc, i think having faith in your own process but also in your readers will bring you a lot of peace as you write :) create what you want to create and the rest will follow!! at the end of the day it’s just a hobby and you should be writing what YOU want to write!! and just get started! ☺️ that’s the easiest way to write—is to just write 🫶🏼💕

use chatgpt. looool ai can be useful in writing too! i usually only use it after i'm completed with a draft, and i just plug select paragraphs into it to see if it can come up with some better words for me to use. it's also useful to come up with logistical details for aspects of your stories for world-building etc

#writing tips #writing advice #writing #writers on tumblr #creative writing #fanfiction #writing fanfiction #just writer things #writing pointers

76 notes · View notes

revisitingfandoms · 2 months

Text

Idea prompt 12- A midsummer night's longing.

(Based kinda off the project bud by @luvielolol. Go check it out!)

(Honestly- I don't know if this more prompt or story blurb, lol.)

It was largely understood. Faerie cookies were created to be the right hands and servents of the virtues. Of course, not all Faerie cookie were this way, but that was their choice and shadow milk would be a fool to begrude them.

Afterall, a number of them when to seek themselves and that was knowledge on its own. Part of him almost wanted to join a few of them- wanting to see their growth, their change and watch them shift and change and-

Shadow Milk shook his head, "Ah- I shall have to put that off, the festivial is important." Part of him looked forward to the festivial- the other half hated having to attend.

The Joy on cookies face was a delight, but dealing with the formalities? The planning? The worshipping? Shadow Milk would rather not.

He had very little problems with planning- infact planning quite often a mental test he quite enjoyed, but the more... formal aspects he could do without.

But of those formalities, their was only one he truly enjoyed. Performed by the very faeries who served under him.

The Faerie Soiree.

A celebration in the form of dnace. A colorful, beautiful enchanting dance. A glorious movement of storytelling, of speaking in beautiful riddles and twisting truths.

Of all things; Shadow Milk loved the Soiree.

Althought he hated the aftermath.

The Soiree had been almost the same as last years which was.. dissappointing at first. But- It was different.

He couldn't stop his eyes the moment he spotted the blonde dancer with closed eyes.

The blonde hair had been what first caught his attention. Faeries didn't typically have blonde hair- in fact he has never seen a Faerie with blonde hair until now.

Yet after a moment after he had quickly noted the lack of Faerie wings. Just considering that fact the blonde Faerie was more then likely only half-Faerie. Which although uncommon, wasn't impossible. Just an oddity.

Yet he couldn't keep his eyes off that dancing Faerie.

He couldn't tell the direct gender of that Faerie- if they had one. They looked danity, each step was in tune with the rest- but yet mixed with a slow movement at the same time. Mere half seconds off, they adjusted well to the rest but they still moved slow.

A delicate step forward in line, the moving green silk ribbion ends flowing their moves as they enter a twirl and as they come back to face the audience- shadow milk can feel his breath being stolen.

Unfocused but so very gorgorous eyes. His right glittering like the sun had given part of itself to shine in eye, his blue like the soft tides of the ocean as they crashed softly against a beaches shore.

His mind as so stuck on this- Witches he doesn't have the correct word for them.

The green long loose sleeves that lose green ribbons were held onto were like dancing willow leaves. The white under shirt and dancing trousers- not even mentioning the twisting jewelry of white vines on the green robe- only made them seem to glow.

They weren't even one of the main dancers- merely a backup. Yet, he was unknowling stealing the show and planting them at shadow milk front thoughts.

"Them," He mindessly says to his nearby attendent, "I want Them."

Its after a moment before he spots the Faerie look upon blonde dancer and then bow with a tone of hestiantance speaks, "It shall be done by lord."

He silently mourned the loss of the blonde dancer upon the end, before remembering what he had mindlessly spoken and felt conflicted.

The Aftermath of the Soiree typically ended in one of two ways. Either a Faerie would be picked from the performers over the course of the festivial by himself or one of the other beasts or none would be picked.

The picked Faerie would end up on of three ways; Typically only the first two had happened, the third had yet to be used.

The first would be spending the night as a, in better words, bedpartner. The second, would be as a compainion, to simply be there for comfort or as a call upon for things of other natures.

The third was for a lifetime partnership. For the Faerie to be seen as a true partner and to be wedded to that virtue.

He understood for Faeries it meant quite a bit for their social standing yet he never quite felt comfortable with just picking a Faerie as a partner- muchless a bedpartner! In fact this was the first time he ever picked a Faerie from the festivial!

Throughout his time waiting, he was a mix of impatient, eager and apprehensive. Just what- or rather who was this blonde half-Faerie who had taken over his mind.

His mind was interuptted with a knock at the door, his festival attentent bows to him, "My lord, the... Faerie has arrived." He notes the hestiance at the word Faerie- only more evidence to his half-Faerie theory then.

Witches, Faerie cookies are so prickly at times with their own kind. Some cookie doesn't act a certain way? Outcasted. Isn't good at what are considered standard Faerie skills? Mistreated. Not completely Faerie- or not even raised in their general culture?

Well. Almost always they never go into Faerie society and if they do, they typically leave it.

His eyes linger on the blonde with closed eyes as they enter the room and bow to him, "Greetings, my lord." Gentle, yet warm. Quiet, yet can easily fill a room.

Something in his mouth is dry as he looks upon the new outfit the other was in. He wore a similar outfit to the one on stage. The same white pants and undershirt, but with a green leaf like top with wrapping vines around his wait and those leaf overtop sleeves meeting right at the edge of his long white sleeves. There seemed to be an odd live yellow flower with a- is that an eye thats blinking?

He chuckle aloud, this halfling just gets more and more interesting.

He waves his hand to his attentant, "Leave us, I call if needed."

The Faerie nods- but he notices they look they give the blonde Faerie. He can't stop the frown that forms on his face at that action. He turns back to the still bowing Blonde. He motions for them to rise- but they don't seem to immediately act. Shadow milk is a bit confused before he speaks, "Rise please, and take a seat on the chair to the next of me."

The other raises without question and slowly making their way to the chair- he notes closed eyes and the blinking flower, but also the way the other feels the room as they walk to the seat. As they take their seat, they sit, hands in their lap, looking the picture of manners.

He offers a tea cup to them, "I am quite curious about you, would you answer my questions, perhaps?" After a good moment the other takes the tea cup and takes a small hestiant sip- no, not quite hestiant. Cautious.

The other speaks in that soft, yet ringing tone, "I am Pure Vanilla Cookie, My lord. It would be an honor to answer your questions."

Pure Vanilla Cookie, he thinks with a smile, what a lovely name. Flows right off the tounge. He hums, "Well then, my dear, I hope you are perpared, I am quite the curious one."

Pure Vanilla, he thinks in the aftermath of the festivial, is a spirited, knowledgable, kind and lovely cookie.

He comes from a small farming village as a sherpard. He was taken in a baby by a sherpard named Brown sugar cookie. He learned he was good with healing magic at an early age when he healed one of the herd. He loved reading, although he struggles to read most things with his poor eyesight. His blinking flower was something he funneled magic into to be able to see temporarily. When one of the younger cookies of the festivial bumped into him, he immeditaly made sure they were okay- healing their scraps as he did.

Yet, he was distant, he was hestiant and he was careful. Perhaps he held an ex-lover? Or even with an even higher likelihood the other Faeries were giving him problems. He even confirmed the pure vanilla was half Faerie as he thought.

Yet as twirls the green flower in his hand that pure vanilla had caught during the festivals flower throwing. He can't help his mind.

Pure vanilla, he thinks.

I want him to be mine.

#pure vanilla cookie #shadow milk cookie #cookie run au #cookie run kingdom #idea prompt #PV isn't half Faerie- although he does have some Faerie blood in him #Time traveling Pure vanilla #pure vanilla x shadow milk #pureshadow #shadowvanilla #vanilla milkshake #pre-beasting #If you must know #Brown sugar knows pure vanillas from the future #and is supporting him in the past

66 notes · View notes

dramadramallama · 6 months

Text

EP 7 - extremely charmed by how they decided to use the "asking foR a FRienD" trope to speed up the romance for the simple reason that instead of making it stupid/overly-complicated, and having the character mess it up somehow, tae-ha just... followed the advice given to him (and it worked lol)

he was told to "be straight-forward", and with it, he was also:

very quick

very precise

very unambiguous

very prepared

the Quickness™: literally the next scene we see him ready with a gift for my girl yeon-woo. no hesitation on what to get, no fumbling on what to do, straight-up "move, i know my wife"

the Exactness™ of it all: not only did he notice, but he remembered she is obsessed with choco-anything. full-on, "if yeon-woo-ssi was an exam i'd get 100/100." she would have loved the fancy box of chocolates, if he had managed to actually give it to her

the transparency: and just when you think it can't get any cuter, any better, he just straight up tells her he likes her (dimples making a quick appearance!). also he does buy her some chocolate after all. no ambiguous flopping around, no silly denial at the last minute. just a cute, dorky :] smile after telling her

he kept going???: the chocolate didn't really count so he went for another gift, just as thoughtful, if not better than the first. 100% sure he had a couple of other ideas in case this one didn't work out either. he was all cute with it too (dimples on full display, very dangerous)

idk, i liked that he wasn't disastrously awkward, that he didn't agonize over his feelings, wasn't accidentally offensive for comedic effect, or to maybe create superfluous conflict before they get together. just very satisfying to have the couple be aligned and on the same page, at the same time.

yeon-woo is just as worried, just as charmed by tae-ha as he is with her. it distilled just enough sweetness in this otherwise quite tense episode. there's only 12 episodes, angst will come (pretty soon too) but like, let us have some of that sweetness first.

#the story of park's marriage contract #kdrama #bae in hyuk #lee se young

106 notes · View notes

willicewc · 1 year

Text

Just a quick drawing of my Lionblaze is Scourge's reincarnation au :) I am still sick so the drawing is a bit wonky here and there.....

This au is still a vague concept and everyone is free to interpret it or create their own story line with it ! It's mainly made to make Lionblaze more revelant as a character, I liked the idea of him having the power to be "impossible to defeat in battle", and at the same time, be the reincarnation of the one of most deadly cats in the series !

So what if Scourge's new chance at life - being Lionblaze - turned out to be not that much of a good idea ?

Starclan "rant" ahead !

Starclan is often a bit weird when they give out powers and prophecies, such as lying to Squirrelflight about being infertile so that she would adopt the Three. ...Or forcing Jayfeather to become a medicine cat against his will, going literally against their decision to reincarnate Cinderpelt so that she would become a warrior because she was made a medicine cat against her will ??? If we follow Starclan's logic, then Jayfeather would have to then be reincarnated to become a warrior because his dream to become a warrior was cut short by Starclan ITSELF ???

Anyway, Starclan being so strange about its decisions, it would be right up its alley to make Scourge's reincarnation have a power to give him a full chance at bettering himself, just like how Brambleclaw was given the chance to kill off Firestar to become leader, and chose to kill Hawkfrost instead.

Knowing that Lionblaze's main inner conflict is the fear of losing control and killing people against his will, being Scourge's reincarnation would make that way more difficult. What if Scourge had genuinely always been a horrible person ? What if Scourge was meant to be terrible in every single timeline, Tigerpaw or not ? Would Lionblaze be able to fight off this strange, tingling need for blood ? Starclan really be testing my boi Lionblaze in this au.

But anyway I hope you enjoy that small sketch! It's not much, but it's honest work lol ! :)

Oh, also, sorry for the Starclan rant again, I feel like I keep ranting about Starclan but Starclan is such a strange mecanic in Warriors ??? Like they go against their very own concepts at some points (the cinderpelt/jayfeather point...), not even counting the fact that they would let Ashfur in Starclan when he threatened to KILL three cats just because Squirrelflight friendzoned him years before wtf??? Or sending Frecklewish to the Dark Forest??? I might make a full written post to talk about Starclan because Starclan is a really weird plot device and they can't seem to keep track of what they are doing. Such as : Let's forbid the medicine cats from having kits. But let's give the children of Crowfeather and Leafpool some powers. Why would Starclan give powers to children that are born against their own values ???

Idk man Starclan is really weird sometimes and I wish they were more... Logical ? Maybe these are just neatpick ? If you have anything to add, if you agree or not, feel free to tell me ! :)

(Also should I write Starclan as a "it" or as a "they" ? I am a bit confused so I used both on this text !)

#wc au #wc art #lionblaze is scourge au #lionblaze wc #lionblaze #scourge #scourge wc

294 notes · View notes

lookbluesoup · 1 year

Text

Hydaelyn in Endwalker

At the risk of looking stupid online I'm going to field my perplexions about Hydaelyn that've been bothering me for months lol This post is... a little Hydaelyn critical. But I do offer that in good faith, I LOVE the character and I'm not trying to just trash her, I'm genuinely interested to hear other perspectives about it. (But please be nice, everyone is entitled to their own take)

Also this is not in response to anyone else's post. I haven't even seen any Hydaelyn posts circulating lately. I'm not vagueing anyone or trying to start drama. Just trying to sort out my own feelings about this character.

So my main takeaway from MSQ was that love is, ultimately, what saves you. That humans (including Ancients!) aren't perfect, and cannot love perfectly, but the shared love of you and others is still what saves you.

And, also, that grief is a part of life. Mistakes are a part of life. Conflict and loss happen, but they need not destroy you. Stand for doing right as best that you can, forgive yourself and keep trying, keep loving - both yourself and others.

There was an incredible amount of emphasis on not judging or hating one's enemies, about accepting the humanity in all of us and coming together, which I really loved.

There was also, of course, a huge rejection of self-sacrifice and martyrdom.

I saw all those themes in the Dark Knight quests a LOT (especially before the English translation changed so many scenes), and I assume Ishikawa was continuing that theme from Shadowbringers onward.

So again! I don't hate Hydaelyn!

But I feel like... at least in the English translation, she is still treated with excessive reverence, like a goddess, by the Scions - even ones it didn't really make sense to after her origin came out, like Y'sthola.

And at least on my first playthrough, while I like Venat a lot and love the drama of the Final Days pushing everyone into points of desperation, to their breaking points, and her decision to sunder the world definitely did ultimately help (help!) make it possible for us to defeat the Endsinger... I dunno.

To me she was still subject to the same arrogance as the rest of the Ancients. Whether her decision paid off or not, she still took into her hands the fate of the entire Star, she still made a decision that would result in millions of deaths.

And if we're going by Hydaelyn's own assertion, that each reincarnation is their own person, not just a missing piece of a whole... then to achieve her goal of a better world, she killed all the remaining Ancients except those three.

She chose to create a world where death and trauma would affect generation after generation - and she can say that it was for the greater good, for the world to survive. But that was essentially the Convocation’s justification too, in creating Zodiark and orchestrating the Rejoinings. Committing genocide to prove that genocide is wrong… is not noble.

The cutscene with her sundering the world, where the people insist they'll return to a world free of sorrow underneath a burning sky, could also NOT be how it actually happened. It had to be representational of her feelings and conclusion. Becoming Hydaelyn took coordination with her followers and planning.

At least in English, idk about the original Japanese, Hythlodaeus's shade describes the time of the Sundering as if the world wasn't in utter ruin at that point. It was beginning to heal, they had restored some natural systems, but the Ancients were short in numbers. At that point, they were done sacrificing their own people, in time they were going to sacrifice other life - plants and animals, to restore those lost brethren.

At the very least, Hythlodaeus's completely different account shows that the two sects of people post-Zodiark were viewing their sacrifice and end goal in completely different ways. Ethics aside, whether the competing goal was achievable or not… we will never know, because Venat stopped it from happening.

But I don't think either recounting has a monopoly on the truth. There was no One Truth, there were just competing needs and perspectives. And though Venat insists that unity is necessary to avert the Endsinger - she perpetuates this division. Azem refused her followers call to help summon Hydaelyn, and I think that's significant.

But I'll also acknowledge that Azem didn't manage to save the Ancients, either.

And you could argue that the Ancients were their own worst enemy. They kind of were.

Hermes was a really, really great caricature of severe, untreated Depression. And he had the powers of a god. His creations were sent to find a specific answer in the world beyond, and like their creator, they didn't have the tools to process hearing an answer other than what they were expecting. They were trapped in their own perspective. He was looking for answers in the stars, instead of in himself. Their own pain and inability to engage with emotion in a healthy way overwhelmed every encounter they had and created the very reality he so feared.

He did not use the proper channels for peer review before sending them out on their mission. Those rules, those checks and balances, that community approach to design, existed to protect the Ancients from their own power, and he deliberately acted in secret. He isolated himself from society, convinced himself his pain was something nobody could understand, made an island of himself and doubled down on his own jaded beliefs.

I don't know what kind of mental health facilities were available to the Ancients - we just don't have that information. But I do know that he was treated with patience and forgiveness by a significant number of colleagues, and his quirks weren't held against him. People did try to help and accommodate him, even if they didn't always understand. He had been promoted to a powerful position. I don't know if it's fair to blame anyone in particular, or even their society, for what happened. Because again... everyone was doing the best they could with what they had.

If anything, the problem was that literally any Ancient could have made a similar mistake in the right situation. They were ALL that powerful. Eventually chaos would happen. Sundered souls can certainly create destruction, but not on the same scale.

I don't personally agree with Hydaelyn's decision not to reach out to the Convocation. I understand being careful, and thinking through what the next step should be before acting. But there's a LOT of "maybes" in this argument:

And ultimately, it's her doing the same thing as Hermes, putting the power of judgement over an entire people in her own hands. She's assuming that she is in a unique position to decide the fate of the entire Star. It's not evil. But it's arrogant. She wasn't special among the Ancients, gifted with some unique wisdom. She was doing the best she could from her own perspective.

Plus... if half your population, and then another half again are about to sacrifice themselves... what have you got to lose by outing Hermes and/or trying to work with the Convocation to avert that loss of life? We don't have all the details, I'm willing to accept that there were circumstances that made it impossible, or at least made Venat decide against trying it. But even so. What did you have to lose leading up to the summoning of Zodiark? There was already panic and destruction at that point.

Hydaelyn sacrificed a lot of people to accomplish her goals. She made a goddess of herself and manipulated people like Minfilia on that basis. She killed so many children and stole so many lives even just by reincarnating Minfilia over and over on the First. She misrepresents the nature of the Ascians to the WoL, keeps secrets, and essentially charges you with being a crusader in her Holy War.

It's Emet- Selch who tries to bridge the gap. Not Hydaelyn. It's him who's willing to consider trying to achieve his goals without bloodshed, if you, the WoL, are strong enough. He says this to himself, out of anyone else's hearing. There's no reason for it to be a lie.

And just before Mt. Gulg, you can see Emet starting to question his beliefs about humanity because of the WoL's accomplishments. Hydaelyn has nothing to do with that. It's all you. And Emet succumbs to his own weaknesses too, so we never get to know what that might have happened if you'd had more time with him. He's not better than her.

But I think it's significant that he's the one who reaches out. Who's willing to consider a compromise at all.

In war you make sacrifices, I get that. But she was not more heroic, somehow, than the Ascians. Both sides were doing terrible things and denying the agency of mortals in order to achieve their ideal world.

So to me... she was not a benevolent incomprehensibly wise mother figure. Much like in real life we go from being kids who trust our moms implicitly, to adults who realize our mother was human and made mistakes, I think we’re supposed to recognize that Hydaelyn didn't do everything right and its our job to carry the future forward for subsequent generations, to learn from what came before, and hope that our own children do the same and forgive us for our own mistakes.

I think its very important to note that the WoL is just as much the Convocation's creation as Hydaelyn's. Without being rejoined as many times as they were, the WoL wouldn’t have survived. She saves you from the Ultima Weapon, Emet-Selch saves you from Elidibus, and its their powers combined that save you and your friends from the Endsinger. You are the legacy of each side’s imperfect love, equally.

WHICH brings me to my point of perplexion. Hydaelyn continues to be venerated. NPCs who know what happened continue to emphasize her side of things. I feel I must be missing something, because to me, the finale of Endwalker essentially shattered any idea that this was a Light vs Dark kind of story. People made choices. People made mistakes. It wasn't good or evil. It was human. We survived in spite of our mistakes because love was more powerful than our imperfections.

The Scions sacrificed themselves one by one just like the Ancients. And got brought back using energy from the Star... not all that different than what the Ascians had planned to do with their own brethren. I just don't see much functional difference there in the sentiments between either side.

I don't think we're supposed to hate Hydaelyn. I don't think she was evil. But I don't think she was better than the Ascians.

So while I don't expect, or want, characters to be condemning her left and right in the narrative, it's still baffling to me that there's such consistent, explicit reverence for her.

#ffxiv #ff14 #hydaelyn #venat #emet-selch #ascians #ancients #meta #shower thoughts #long post #endwalker spoilers #dark knight spoilers #shadowbringers spoilers #text

246 notes · View notes

aihoshiino · 7 days

Text

chapter 150 thoughts!

Chapters Since The 143 Kiss Happened And Went Entirely Unacknowledged And Unaddressed Count: 7…. ttttttechnically? they don't actually mention that the kiss happened, so i'm counting it…

ladies, gentlemen and those who know better, our long national nightmare is finally over

after… literally I've lost count of how long it's been since we had some proper Aqua introspection, our landmark chapter 150 is almost entirely dedicated to putting us back in Aqua's head (quite literally!) and sort of catching up with him. Some things about Aqua that have been mostly only communicated through showing over telling are explicitly told in text and i'm ngl, there's one or two things where seeing textual confirmation of them got me barking like a fucking dog. Overall, while the pacing of the start of this arc has been bit clunky and this chapter itself isn't free of that either, it actually feels like things are moving and meaningful characterization is happening which after the Movie Arc is a bit of a luxury lol.

As usual, I want to gush about Mengo's art before I touch on anything else. Setting the majority of this chapter in a dream sequence allowed her to do some incredibly fun things with the staging and imagery here. Aqua in that eerie void with his feet drenched in blood… Aqua and Gorou still stuck in that hallway where Ai died, while Ruby has managed to take steps to leave… It's so fucking good.

There were some absolutely top tier Kanas this chapter, too… her little baby tantrum in flashback and that gorgeous final page of her… But I'm getting ahead of myself.

While I described this chapter up top as being communicating things about Aqua, it very much feels to me like it's also serving as closure for Gorou, both in the sense of him as a person and resolving the posthumous arc that he's been going on as part of Aqua. This chapter at last draws a clear and explicit distinction between the two, that Aqua is no longer Gorou, even if he might have been built on the foundation of his identity. Gorou is even described as a 'role' that Aqua has been compelled to play that Gorou himself is now urging him to step down from - he is offering to relinquish Aqua's future back to him… if that's what Aqua wants.

This was how I'd initially read the relationship back in my 143 review - that 'Aqua Hoshino' created from Gorou, his core values and driving ideals, but 18+ years of living a whole new life in a whole new social role, meeting people and having experiences Gorou would never have and literally having a different body and brain in the process have made him different and the sum total of those differences is the person we call Aqua Hoshino. This chapter seems to lean into this interpretation, casting them as a pair of briefly intersecting lines that once crossed but have now diverged onto their own paths.

I also just really liked the dynamic that they were shown to have this chapter. Whenever we've seen this conflict externalized in the past, Gorou has always been this frightening, overwhelming presence whose existence actively prevents Aqua from having any kind of happiness or peace. Here, though, they have a much less adversarial energy, which is a really nice reflection of Aqua being able to gradually start pulling himself out of the shit he's been stuck in. Gorou almost feels fatherly or big brotherly here, not just in how he behaves in regards to Sarina-as-Ruby, but for Aqua, too.

But……….. okay, I'll stop dodging around the elephant in the room now lol

After over 25 chapters of very deliberately avoiding putting us in his headspace, 150 finally puts the ball in Aqua's court vis-a-vis the AquRuby tension and he answers in a way I think would be pretty hard to walk back: That Ruby is his precious sister and that's it. That her feelings for him are the result of her projecting Gorou onto him, chasing a ghost that is fading from this world and that she does not actually love him. Whoof.

This was another thing where seeing it in text felt pretty great. I'd caught pretty early on that there was a weird divide in the way the story was handling the AquRuby dynamic - namely, that there wasn't an AquRuby dynamic and all the supposed ship development of it was largely happening in retrospect, beefing up the intensity of the GRSR relationship and having Ruby express her feelings to Gorou-through-Aqua. When the idea of Aqua and Ruby romance was floated, by contrast, it was always treated like a gag. With the Movie arc being as much of a mess as it was, it was hard to work out what the intentionality of that was (if there was any to begin with) but this seems to make it about as clear as it can be: neither Gorou or Aqua have any had any feelings of that sort of Sarina-through-Ruby and neither of them want to pursue romance with them.

Once again tapping into my powers of Claire-voyance, I already know a lot of people are trying to insist that this is Aqua lying to himself or 'settling' and that he does secretly want a relationship with Ruby for reals! but that really isn't how it comes across to me in the art. He's calm, speaks straightforwardly and without hesitation and makes his point pretty clear. We know how it looks when OnK character lie to themselves and this isn't really it. It would also just be strange for that to be the case when this is a scene about Aqua starting to consider the idea of moving past the things that hurt him and live out his future with someone.

And who that someone is… seems to be coming into focus, but I don't think we'll be getting there quite yet.

I will say that for as much as I liked this as a chapter and as a goodbye for Gorou… it kind of doesn't really make a lot of sense as a resolution for his guilt lol. This chapter frames things in such a way that centers his guilt on Sarina and that seeing her live her life as Ruby has given him some catharsis over it. This is a sweet idea but… that's, uh, not how this was framed anytime prior! When we've seen Gorou intrude on Aqua's happiness before, his self hate and his guilt all center on Ai's death and his inability to save her. The last time we saw him in this capacity in 95, that's what he was saying with his whole chest: that he deserves to suffer as punishment for Ai's suffering, Ai's death. I'm sure that knowing Sarina is living on as Ruby was very cathartic but… it has nothing to do with Ai! Why is this being framed as narratively resolved in this way?

Like… if I chew on it a bit, I can make it make sense: since chapter 1, Gorou has been pretty open about projecting Sarina onto Ai, processing his grief that way and imagining her living vicariously through Ai's success. The idea of Ruby doing the same by continuing Ai's legacy and keeping her radiance alive being the thing that gives him release over Ai's death is interesting and I can understand it emotionally, it just feels like a weird unexplained leap for the narrative to make. I was talking to a friend about it, trying to work it out by externalizing it, and they theorized that this was always the intended endpoint of Gorou's posthumous arc but that the story had drifted in the middle section and Akasaka hadn't quite realigned them. This makes a lot of sense to me and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the case.

I will say that it really bugs me. I've already talked about the ways Ai's importance to the twins as their mother has been gradually downplayed and diluted as the Movie Arc has gone on. In my original post, I attributed this to Akasaka trying to amp up the intensity of the GRSR -> AQRB relationship in a soap opera-y sort of way, but given that this chapter seems to shut down AquRuby, I don't really know if that's the case. In general, Ai has been treated as sort of narratively 'resolved' as of 137, as if that chapter was the capstone to her posthumous character arc and while that might be the case for Ruby… I really don't think it is for Aqua!

It's possible that this is intentional. Aqua still has a shitton of work to do on unfucking his relationship with Ai and the ways his view of her, as implied by the Movie Arc, is warped by his grief. I could see this final stretch of the story being primarily about that - after all, this chapter is about confronting Aqua with the binary choice of revenge or love. In a lot of ways, this has always been what he's struggling with but putting the ball this firmly in his court establishes Ai's death entirely as his own trauma that he has to work through on his own. After all, Aqua might have confronted Gorou in this chapter, but there's a certain someone we also saw in chapter 95 that Aqua hasn't dealt with yet…

I'm talking about Kana, obviously! (ducks thrown tomatoes)

I don't have a ton to say about the AQKN romance setup in this chapter other than… yeah, I kinda saw this coming! It's interesting to see Gorou, the representation of Aqua's guilt and self destruction, be the one to so directly confront him and push him towards trying to find some happiness with her. Aqua quietly noting that he knows the things he likes about Kana and he knows that moving on with her makes a lot of sense - but what makes this especially interesting is the way it mirrors Kana's own reflection on her relationship with Aqua at the end of the chapter.

I like that a lot of the AQKN moments the two reflect on are just… mundane, everyday instances of the two of them stumbling through life together. I've seen a lot of people say AQKN is 'boring' or 'flat' because it lacks the drama of AQAK or AQRB but honestly, I feel like this is what makes it work (when it does work) - their relationship, whatever form it takes, is a safe and quiet space where they can just exist outside the drama and transactional utility of so many of their other relationships.

That said, while those montages mirror each other, what makes them interesting is their divergence point. Kana decides to commit to choosing 'love', with that absolutely gorgeous full page panel, but Gorou hands the knife - the symbol of the violence that blighted Aqua's life - back to him and makes it clear that love or revenge, the choice is now entirely in Aqua's hands. We don't see what he chooses, but… if Oshi no Ko really is a story with a happy ending, I think it's a foregone conclusion. And that makes me really happy.

Not that it's happening anytime soon, lol. I'll be very shocked if Kana's confession doesn't result in a rejection from Aqua, at least at this point in time - there's too much else going on in the story for this to be the right place for Aqua to commit to Kana. She's still an idol, after all and Kamiki is still around. The bets I'm placing right now are that AQKN are going to get their resolution, whatever form it takes, at the Dome concert during or after Kana's graduation.

As for their date… Call me cynical, but I also don't see it going particularly well. After all…

Aren't we forgetting somebody?

#oshi no ko #oshi no posting #onk spoilers #chapter reviews

38 notes · View notes

imtrashraccoon · 1 month

Text

Consider this... The Nightmare of Apathy but Dreamswap

I'm kinda experiencing brainrot over Helios and Eos at the moment...

Dream is the one who rules over a world that is permanently day where everyone is happy and adores him. I imagine there would be sun worship but it's morphed into worshipping the deity that literally glows and makes everyone's life better.

Plant life flourishes and the climate is always comfortably warm. I don't think animal life would be much different with permanent sunlight but I'm not going to be putting thought into this right now lol.

Somehow, MC (probably named something vaguely related to the sun to have a nice parallel) meets Dream. Not sure how or why but it would either be transactional or a coincidence. Or maybe they have a "dark opposite" soul and Dream wants to "fix" them.

Dream and Nightmare still quarrel over the multiverse, although Dream has more influence thanks to time and positivity being easier to spread. Nightmare is gaining ground though which is rather concerning to Dream.

Nightmare forms his own team, not sure if it'd be the usual rabble or others. Without spoiling possible future plot points for TNA, there is a conflict between the brothers that leads Dream to forming his team. Again, possibly the usual rabble but it could be interesting if he "converts" bad guys to his cause.

I could go on but I will end up spoiling the finale to my fic... ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ

Or maybe it's like how Swapfell and Fellswap are similar but different? (Swapdream?)

Same premise as above, but Aylin is on Nightmare's side the whole time. ("Dark opposite" soul again?) I think this would be more like a desperate rebellion against a vast empire, except the rebels are technically the bad guys. So lots of angst and action scenes where they barely get out alive?

Aylin would meet Nightmare on more normal terms. He isn't a domineering lord but a pathetic outcast, hated by everyone because he only brings negativity when he's around. Or maybe his world is the one place his brother can't "taint" and while he's not loved by the populace, they understand all would be lost if he wasn't trying to maintain the balance. Maybe the economy is hyper focused on production for war efforts?

They'd get into a relationship much more quickly, especially after saving each other's lives a couple of times. Nightmare teaches her to fight, use magic, and possibly other skills he learned too. In turn, she teaches him what she knows as a herbalist and creates many valuable tonics and potions for conflict.

They pick up friends along the desperate, uphill, in the rain battle that is trying to re-establish emotional balance in the multiverse. Could be the usual rabble, although they'd probably have to rescue them from Dream's clutches first. Not sure if the boys would be more or less insane, especially if Dream was forcing them to be positive through magic.

The duo aren't loved by the majority of the multiverse and would likely run into many powerful players. Or maybe Dream hires bounty hunters to go after them. (Fresh might make sense here as he isn't a good guy and probably wouldn't appreciate Dream.)

The potential for a "happy" ending is very low and something drastic would have to occur for that to even happen. I would explain what but again, I'd literally spoil everything for TNA...

I think I like this idea much more than the previous one... (⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠;⁠)

#raccoons rambles #no i'm not writing this anytime soon if ever #i got too many wips #tempted to write a oneshot for the second idea though #gonna have to ask if i can use helios and eos though #they're so cool!#or maybe i'll just use my own bois #no promises!#i just took a small break to stretch my writing muscles #on a roll at the moment with chapter 4 #it's got like two sections left?#the nightmare of apathy #dreamswap

43 notes · View notes

starfruiity · 4 months

Text

Venus & Sexuality

⚐ note ⚐

I do not read charts professionally.

correlation ≠ causation

18+ topics mentioned

⚐ note ⚐

It's been a year since I started researching Venus and desire. Since then, I have been challenged and forced to bring down all that I thought I knew.

As many modern astrologers and teachings, connected the idea and action of sex/sexuality to Mars, I thought the same.

Yet, after reading old texts, many birth charts as case studies, and thinking hard and a bit too long. I saw myself aligning sexuality with Venus.

the connection

I feel it makes better sense to connect sex with Venus sex rather than Mars because many people use the act of sex to bond with those they love or just to receive pleasure, all "Venusian" things.

And while it may be true that many people view sex as a way to assert (Mars) something or just see it as a physical activity (Mars).

I feel, in itself, sex is a Venusian act; it brings two (or more if you're into that lol) people together, even if it's for a moment. An agreement for pleasure has been made, and that's what Venus is about, creating a balance that results in peace.

Mars, however, is piercing energy, like anger. It's conflict and destruction, but not slow destruction like Saturn, it's fast and abrupt.

This destruction and violent temper is not the best thing to have when you want to connect with people.

Traditional significations of Mars often point to him being a loner (again, not like Saturn) because of how abrupt and challenging he can be.

Mars shows eagerness to challenge, and while that shows courage and passion, it also makes it difficult for him to listen to others; often he rushes into things without much consideration of those around him.

Mars with Cupid -- Giovanni Francesco Barbieri a.k.a. Guercio (1591-1666)

From Google Arts & Culture: “Mars with Cupid” was one of a pair of images painted for a military general, for who an image of Mars, the god of war, would undoubtedly have had some significance. The commission also included a painting of “Venus and Cupid, ” now lost. The pairing of an image of the goddess of love with an image of Mars, who gazes out of the frame (presumably at Venus in the other canvas), suggest that love can conquer even the strongest of warriors.”

In itself, the energy of Mars is all about breaking things apart, shaking things up, and ruffling some feathers.

Mars seems not to ruffle feathers when he is "distracted" by Venus and is instead alongside her. And it seems Mars is more tolerated while in this state: "Make love, not war."

There are levels to Mars of course. Without war, you can't have peace. Without destruction, you can't create, and through creation, beauty can be made. But, that's the effect, not the beginning. So, if anything, Mars makes way for Venus.

sensuality & creation

Each planet "creates" in some way; Mars creates discord, brawls, and challenges; Venus creates compromises and peace. She also deals with sensuality: the senses.

Though Mars had passion, he's a bit too abrasive and quick to really just stop and smell the roses, he always has to be in movement.

Venus on the other hand can stop and smell the roses. In fact, she would touch the roses and taste the rose petals while relaxing on a soft blanket listening to the sounds that surround her.

It's all about pleasing the body--which is animalistic. Dare I say, lewd. Why? How dare you try to enjoy your body instead of using it as a tool?

To explore the senses is to allow yourself to be open to experiencing the moment. When you allow yourself to be idle and vulnerable you can form relationships because you let yourself feel the other person and can be present in the moment with them.

Venus of Urbino -- Titan (?-1576)

And though sensuality and sex can happen at the same time, it's important to remember they are not the same thing. Yes, being sensual indeed helps your sex life, but you don't have to do it.

But here's the problem with that, it's unfulfilling. Venus is all about fulfillment, being pleased and gratified. But don't get confused; Venus is all about reception: to love and to be loved.

You don't need to have sex to be sensual or to explore your senses. It's not something that's restricted to gender or conventional attractiveness.

Anybody can be sensual, and I think artists of all kinds (from bakers to musicians) get that, knowingly or unknowingly, and so, are familiar with the process.

To get. in touch with your senses is to create and be open. And creatives tend to have increased perception. Creatives are so sensitive, so very sensitive. I feel this is where the personal daimon comes in and why they encounter it more often than others.

Those little sparks of creativity amaze even the artists because they seem to come out of nowhere. But it doesn't. And I don't want to get too deep because this is a whole other discussion, and I'm no expert.

Basically, the essence of the artist takes over, and they sort of transcend. It's not quite like a high, but it is a state of being. And while in this state, the artist can just be and let things happen naturally. And that's the best way to create art.

wrapping it up

Even after everything, the interpretation of the topic is still subjective. It really just comes down to this, some people would rather fuck than make love, and others would rather make love than fuck.

So I understand why modern astrologers connect sex/sexuality to Mars. Mars is energy; Mars is raw and passionate. But Mars is about seizing the moment, conquering the moment, and even at times being the moment.

Relaxation and the willingness to bond with people are not present with Mars. He always doing something, piercing something, causing conflict, he's in a constant state of doing.

Venus can just be, that's where she excels. And I feel, truly, that's what sex is about, just being. Not worrying about doing or asserting, just vibing.

#starfruit musings #astrology #astro notes #Mars #Venus #astro blog #astro observations #astrology community #astronotes #astro tumblr

40 notes · View notes

sophieinwonderland · 15 days

Note

Hi! Voices & Gemstones here, I saw your reboot of my post about the phrase the future is plural and I wanted to ask something. I would send my ask off anon but it's my main blog and I'm a little ehhh about using it lol but I come in good faith

Im a trauma based system, trying to navigate syscourse and I agree the human brain can split with no trauma, I just... Struggle with the idea someone could purposely give themselves alters in the same way we've known systems to function.

Do self created systems have amnesia & memory issues too? What about issues with control of the body & fights for front? Foreign thoughts and emotions? If it's a self created system why would you create these problems? It doesn't seem possible or reasonable to us, but we can't not ask.

If life stress is what compelled someone to start a self made system then... Doesn't that count as some form of traumagenic?

And like we said way forever ago on our blog, we don't care what source you claim as long as it helps your function in life, we just

We want to understand different sources of plurality better, and you seem very passionate about education, so we wanted to ask. Thank you for your time

- Gemstone System

Thanks for the questions! 😁

Do self created systems have amnesia & memory issues too?

Nope! I mean, not generally! There's like, one guide that purports to be able to induce amnesia between headmates, but the process requires months of mental conditioning and I don't know of anyone who has actually gone through it.

I have noticed we have sort of speed bumps when trying to access someone else's memories, and our own memories often pop up in our head more easily than memories from other headmates do. But I wouldn't call that amnesia.

What about issues with control of the body & fights for front?

Sometimes.

It depends on the system though, and it's not something that I feel happens too often.

For us... by the time I was created, my host was already a mature adult. (I think with a lot of systems who are plural in childhood, the lack of maturity probably contributes to internal conflict and sets up adversarial relationships.) If I wanted to front, we could talk things out. Most of the time, he'd let me if I asked, but If he didn't want me fronting right then, we could work out a compromise so I could front later instead. It doesn't always work out perfectly. But 99% of the time, negotiation works.

Things were a bit harder in the very beginning, but we got better with thime.

Foreign thoughts and emotions?

Like, passive influence where we feel the emotions of other headmates? Yeah, we get that.

If it's a self created system why would you create these problems?

Most tulpas are created for companionship, with loneliness being a major reason cited in studies of tulpamancers.

Something that's important to understand about tulpamancers is that most don't make tulpas for the switching part. I think originally, in the very very early days long before I got here, the tulpamancy community didn't even know switching was possible, and it was something they discovered later.

How a lot of tulpas start out is purely in the inner world or imposed externally. And learning to switch often takes effort and practice. Maybe that's another reason you won't see many fights over front in the tulpa community, because switching is often an act of love, where the host is willing to dedicate their time to it just to allow their tulpas to be happy and interact with the world. It's not generally something that we'd be fighting over.

If life stress is what compelled someone to start a self made system then... Doesn't that count as some form of traumagenic?

I don't think so. At least not in the same way.

The typical traumagenic systems is a system who experiences trauma as a child. They separate this trauma and their brain tries to distance them from it. As they undergo repeated trauma, they have to return to that traumatized state and the dissociation becomes ingrained into them as a trauma response, often resulting in the presence of triggered switching once the traumatized state develops into its own entity that holds those trauma memories. At the same time, in avoiding trauma, they distance themselves from the traumatized part, creating these memory barriers.

While one could argue that loneliness is traumatic and therefore headmates created due to loneliness are traumagenic, the tulpa isn't holding traumatic memories of loneliness. They're just created to provide companionship.

Hope that helped clarify things a bit!

Have a nice day! 😁

#plural #plurality #pluralgang #tulpa #tulpamancy #multiplicity #endogenic #systems #pro endo #system #pro endogenic #pro tulpa #actually plural #actually a system

22 notes · View notes

idontwanttospoiltheparty · 17 days

Note

My main problem with that episode was just that I feel like they hyped up the beatles aspect of it so much (you can even find doctor who magazines in shops in England that have posters inside them that parody "with the beatles" album cover with the Beatle actors and the doctor and ruby) and they did so little with it. The actors didn't really feel like John and Paul in most scenes, we saw and heard basically nothing of George and Ringo, and we didn't see them play off each other.

They put the beatles in an episode and neglected to have them interact with each other, the thing that's arguably the thing most distinct about them.

Like I know it's only a 40 minute episode but come on. It could've been done better. AND the secret chord could've been the Damn A Hard Day's Night Chord, or the final chord of A Day In The Life. To make the Beatles aspect of it more significant.

Also the way the only thing that was different in a London without music was smog? Really? Nothing more???

Jinx Monsoon was incredible tho what a stellar performance. (Sorry for the long rant I just had t h o u g h t s )

THE WAY I HAD THE SAME THOUGHT ABOUT THE CHORD???? I was yelling for the AHDN chord. Why was it just the most normal major chord ever? For an episode that started off saying interesting, accurate stuff about music theory, I just felt really let down as a music lover (as opposed to a Beatles fan particularly). Like I was like "genius????? that's not a genius chord what the FUCK" It could have not been the AHDN one too (though that was perfect and right there – also would be something where no copyright strike could possibly be justified, while being PERFECTLY iconic) just something that actually felt like interesting music.

Look, I understand Doctor Who is here to be Doctor Who, not biblically-accurate Beatles RPF. That being said, it didn't even try to create interesting – if perhaps inaccurate – characters for John and Paul that you could learn to root for as the episode progressed. The two DW episodes I'm thinking of the most here are the Shakespeare and Van Gogh one, which similarly centered the historical person's artistry as the thing that ultimately saves the day. The premise of this episode made that task harder, granted, but it's so easy to include the Doctor going on an extended rant about what makes them great or whatever. He did that a little, but he basically just named two songs and left it at that lol. And it was about the fucking piano not them as musicians/writers.

TO BE CLEAR: I'm not saying this because I think the show needs to pay them tribute or whatever, I'm saying that if the narrative treats them as geniuses that are the only ones capable of sending Maestro back, I think the episode should maybe in some sense try to demonstrate this genius (slowly build it up over time!!! what!!! a fucking character arc perhaps???). And you're right, they clearly made a lot of hype around this being a Beatles episode and then didn't really want to actually protray them. They were off-screen for most of the episode and completely unaware of the plot! Why? Like genuinely, why am I meant to care about this piano chord scene when the characters in it have been absent from the plot for the past twenty minutes of runtime and their only purpose before was essentially to provide exposition on the conflict of the episode? I DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did think Jinkx did a good job, but I also found Maestro was so… one-note (lol). It didn't to me feel justified to spend so much time with just the villain, when Maestro is just… kind of one-dimensionally evil. Like, it's entertaining, yes, but when you combine it with my above issue it just feels hollow, if that makes sense. Having Maestro actually interact with the musicians they're sort of running dry would have been fun, I think? Honestly would have been way better than zeroing in on Ruby, and given Jinkx her flowers without sidelining the Beatles aspect.

Side-note, but weirdest thing I'm noticing about this season is that RTD is doing the companion-mystery thing so many people hated about Moffat but like. he is NOT as good at it lmao.

#ask #anon #meta #(sorta lmao)#doctor who

21 notes · View notes

yourantag · 5 months

Note

norton, naib, or fredrick waking up to their s/o not in bed but s/o is up cooking? they've been doing this for a few days now and it helps soothe their nerves when they have an upcoming match, sometimes other members of the manor are up so they normally have whatever they made when they arent hungry or they make enough portions for anyone who might be up and hungry,,,generally tooth-rotting fluff, bonus if the characters are a little clingy ???

tysm <33

AN: Qjgpjwvphvsvksj thank you for this soft request! I was surprised to see a request for someone who isn't Ithaqua, but I'm extremely grateful for that. I love Ithaqua, but if I keep on writing him and him alone I'm going to lose my mind. By the way, sorry for the long wait. I didn't forget this request, I just had to deal with school lol. I was also conflicted on who to choose and how to go about it. In the end, I've chosen Naib. I must apologize, though, since I wrote him much softer than most would expect of him. Still, I hope you enjoy! Word count: 1.4k words Summary: Waking up next to you is the best part of the day. To get to see your peaceful face first thing in the morning is a blessing. It makes Naib look forward to waking up early, no matter how much his body protests. Sadly, this has become a rather rare occurrence lately. Won't you indulge him a bit?

The mornings in the manor are always quiet and serene, a stark contrast to the afternoon when matches are in full swing. The faint chirping of birds, the leaking sunlight through the blinds, and the wafting scent of breakfast come together to create a sleepy wake up call. Getting to bask in the dazed ambiance of the rising dawn is one of Naib's favorite things in the world.

Usually, he would get to enjoy this all with you. Well, kind of. You tended to sleep in more often than not, though he wasn't about to complain. You looked adorable while you slept, so completely at peace. Nowadays, he can't even see your face until it's halfway through the afternoon or, if he's lucky, in the kitchen during breakfast.

Today marks the fifth day in a row that Naib has woken up without you. The sight of the empty bed leaves him feeling cold despite the blankets pulled over him. It's a bit bitter, too, since today was a more relaxed day where Naib didn't have as many matches. Lazing around with you would've been perfect.

With a sigh, he gets ready to start the day, though more specifically, to see you. His footsteps are light as he descends from the stairs, gloved palms dragging along the lacquered wood of the railing. Taking a deep breath, Naib scowls as he marches towards the kitchen. The few survivors who are awake, namely Emma and Victor, move away from his path once they catch sight of his expression. He'd apologize to them later, but for now, he was a man with a mission.

The mercenary quickly arrives at the kitchen, the sound of light humming reaching his ears. The wordless song is enough to put him at ease, his lungs filling with air as he lets himself breathe. His face softens, the tension in his jaw loosening and his shoulders relaxing as Naib carefully opens the door a bit more. Leaning against the doorframe, his lips curl into a gentle smile, his eyes crinkling as he watches you do this and that.

Eggs crackle and pop with oil within a cast iron pan, the scent of freshly toasted bread drifting in the air as you prepare plates. Your smile is a balm to his aching heart, soothing him as he quietly watches you place food on trays. The breeze ruffles your hair like the gentle hand of a mother, messing up your already rather disheveled appearance.

Taking a better look at you, Naib can't help but snort in amusement. Flour paints your left cheek a powdery white, jam covers your apron in splotches of jewel like reds and purples, and butter is somehow smeared across your forehead. How you hadn't noticed, he doesn't know. Still, even looking as though you had just fought a pastry chef and won, you looked so, so lovely to him.

You look up at Naib, confusion written across your face. The moment you meet his eyes, it all washes away to reveal a smile. He's tempted to raise a hand and shield himself from the brightness of your gaze. He doesn't, of course- looking away from you feels like a cardinal sin.

"Naib! I didn't expect to see you here. Or, awake at all- it's 7 AM, you should be in bed." You scold him lightly, though your cheery look negates everything you say. In the first place, he wouldn't be up if it weren't for you. But alas, his love refused to be the sleepy head he knew them to be.

"How about you stay in bed from now on so I can stay in bed too?" It's said more so as a request than a question. Naib walks up to you, fondness whispered in his every touch as he wipes away a bit of flour from your cheek. It doesn't do much, really, just leaves a streak of slightly less floured skin.

You smile apologetically, leaning into his hand and kissing his palm. Though Naib makes no reaction externally, his heart bursts in his chest, warmth blotting out the cold emptiness from before. He supposes that makes up for the disappointment of waking up without you this morning.

"I'm sorry Naib, I've just been really anxious lately. I've been getting a lot more matches than usual, and it's been making me rather nervous. I'm sorry if I've been disturbing your sleep." Your soft words, coupled with your genuinely worried eyes, causes tenderness to flood his chest again. Naib found it hard to tell you honestly how he felt, so in moments like these where you didn't hesitate to express yourself, he couldn't help but be reminded of what made him fall in love with you. Your desire to be transparent, to be sincere and communicate, made him love you all the more. It was a strength he didn't have before, yet now, telling the truth came easy when it came to you.

"You haven't been disturbing my sleep, I just miss lazing in bed with you." Naib wraps his arms around you, his chin resting on your shoulder. He doesn't care about how his clothes are probably dirty now, thinking more about how he could help you ease your nerves. Would waking up and cooking with you be better? Naib didn't mind the idea of waking up earlier just to spend more time with you.

He's dragged out of his musings as you yawn, tearing up a bit as you pull away from his embrace. You blink your watery eyes, stretching your weary limbs. Naib winces a bit at the following cracks and pops of your joints, staring at you with considerable amounts of concern.

"When is your earliest match?" He asks suddenly, watching as you tilt your head in confusion.

"Hm? It should be around 3 PM. There aren't as many matches for me today, and not as early, either. Why?"

One could practically see the gears turning in Naib's head as he smiles, untying your apron and lifting it off of you. He places it on a hook before he starts pulling you away from the kitchen. You dig your feet into the ground, frowning.

"Hey! I still need to make breakfast for the others, you can't just- WHA-"

Naib gives you a cheeky grin, continuing to walk away from the kitchen and up the stairs as he bridal carries you. His arms don't falter no matter how much you complain or tug at him. His hold is steady and unyielding, keeping you captive till you're finally back in your shared room.

"They can make their own breakfast. You haven't slept properly for a while, and I've missed out on a lot of quality naps with you. I think you can indulge me just this once, can't you?" He tilts his face down to look at you, his nose barely grazing your own. Naib watches with satisfaction as you can only grumble a quiet "fine," a light flush covering your face.

Naib was weak to you, but you were just as weak to him. You would never say no to his requests, not when it took so much courage for him to ask. And if it were something you wanted too? How could you ever resist?

When the both of you lie down once again, donning your pajamas with no regards to the risen sun, Naib feels that everything in the world is right again. You're already passed out, sleep taking you the moment your head rested against his chest and the blankets covered the two of you.

With you in his arms, he can smell the scent of buttered toast and eggs that lingers on you. He wonders if you can hear his heartbeat, pressed so close to him. Naib hopes it isn't too loud. He can't help how enamored he is, how stupidly fond he is of you.

He can't help how in love he is with you.

So, forgive him if he holds you a bit too tightly, as though he never wants to let you go. Please forgive him for playing with your hair, till there's one strand that permanently curls out. Won't you forgive him when he almost makes you late, sleepily dragging you back into his arms?

Naib loves you in all his quiet yet loud, straightforward yet hidden, contradictory ways. So, won't you love him too? Won't you rest in his arms lazily even as the dawn comes and goes?

#idv #identity v #identity 5 #idv naib #naib x reader #identity v fanfic #idv fanfic

41 notes · View notes

acorpsecalledcorva · 4 months

Text

Ok actually I might actually have something to say on this. I originally wasn't because the idea of system responsibility/accountability seems like such a no brainer to me I couldn't even think of a response to that thread going around right now that wasn't just "lol, no". Like, if we both have the same information on the topic and that's the conclusion you've come to about it then I simply cannot help you.

I also dislike conversations about things being anti-recovery because there's always nuance where you simply cannot definitively say something is or isn't anti recovery in a way that applies to everyone. I have decided, however, that this topic might actually be dangerously anti-recovery for a lot of people and I'm probably just being a pussy not wanting to poke the hornets nest by avoiding it. So here goes.

A huge complication of this, is of course, the dissonance between therapeutic and community settings. The two will never line up, they will never wholly agree with each other, and there will always be conflict. You can never seamlessly take advice from one, and apply it to the other, not least of all because neither the community nor the therapists we see make up a cohesive hive mind. There are different goals, different methods to achieving those goals, and disagreements on what those goals should be.

That being said, let's at least explore these ideas in their correct contexts and see if it can at least expand our perception and understanding of them. You don't need to relate to these scenarios, simply try to see the topic from the hypothetical systems point of view.

Therapeutic Setting

The host of a system presents at a therapists office. She is aware of her alters and has good relations with many of them but struggles to manage her day to day life. She suffers from an intense fear of abandonment and has incredibly low self esteem. There are several alters in her system that she is deeply concerned about that have created conflict in her life. One is sexually promiscuous and has ended relationships by sleeping with people other than her partners, one that harms the body and is hostile towards her including strongly negative critical thoughts, and one that is dedicated to permanently ending friendships and relationships by being extremely cruel and harmful to the people she cares about. She is very scared of these alters and wants nothing to do with them, she resents them for what they have done and is scared of what they might do. Her goal in therapy is to create greater harmony within her system, to have better collaboration with her alters and reduce the amount of internal and external conflict in her life.

The therapeutic approach in this scenario would be to remind the host that the alters she is afraid of are the result of traumatic events, and formed as part of a defence mechanism to protect her younger self, but that these defence mechanisms have likely gotten stuck and may no longer be appropriate to help with the problems they seek to solve. These alters may also feel alienated from the rest of the system, they might feel like they are being unfairly punished for trying to help and resent the host for pushing them away and punishing her back. Therefore, the path to resolving this issue is to accept these alters for who they are and what they're trying to do. To be grateful for the help they provided in the past and how much they must care for her to do what they do. To work on the fear and apprehension, because everyone in the system is part of the same brain and so will know if she doesn't really mean it, so that everyone can be brought closer together and work collaboratively towards common goals. After all, they all share the same brain, the same body, and must live the same life and what affects one will affect the other.

Community Setting

The host of a system enters the online system community. They are not the original host of the system, and do not go by the bodies name. They join system discord servers as well as follow many systems on social media platforms such as TikTok. They feel at home in these spaces as they are very alter centric. They, and the rest of their system are encouraged to share details about themselves, write lengthy bios, and differentiate themselves from each other. This works well for everyone in the system because it provides a freedom of self expression that is absent from their real world life. The alters find it very validating to establish their own identities and be treated as their own individual selves. These feelings are reinforced by sentiments shared in their communities that no one should force them to fuse, that fusion is equivalent to death, and that parts language is dehumanising. The system does not feel the need to seek therapeutic support as they are happy as a system and have heard accounts that made them wary of being invalidated by a therapist.

There is one alter, however, that likes to get up to mischief and create drama. They often front momentarily to leave inflammatory remarks, don't abide by community guidelines, and keep getting them into trouble. They post to Reddit to ask for advice on how to stop them when they're someone else and they can't control what they do and are told "your alters aren't different people, they're part of you and so it's up to you to work with them to change their behaviour". Well that doesn't sound right. The alter isn't them, that's the whole point of being a system. They decide instead that there's simply nothing they can do about it, that alter has nothing to do with them and controlling their actions would be like trying to control a random person on the street

Now it's completely understandable why two systems from these two settings would come away with completely different perceptions of what being a system is like. Why one would find the other anti-recovery and the other would find the other invalidating. But there is a key commonality between them, and that is both systems are distancing themselves from the alters causing issues, one through fear, and the other through absolvement.

System responsibility in both cases, therefore, is to accept their role in the conflict as an active participant and seek to resolve it. In the therapeutic setting it's to recognise that the hosts fear and resentment, if understandable, is contributing to the furthering of conflict and reactionary behaviour from the alters in question. For the latter system, it's to accept that as individual and different each person within the system is, they still share one body, share one life, use the same phone or computer, and have the same accounts. That they do not get special rights as a system that singlets do not. That if they want access to spaces where they can all be themselves then they all need to agree to abide by the rules or none of them will have access to protect the other members of the community.

Neither of these are nice or enjoyable or easy things to accept, but, and this is the really crucial bit, if you don't take responsibility for your system or your role in an alters behaviour, then you are consenting to the behaviour by your refusal and whether you accept it or not, others will hold you accountable for doing so.

So what's it to be? Do you want your friends and partners to be hurt and lose your access to spaces that you find so affirming? Or do you want to put in the work to build communication, participation, and collaboration with your system so that you can all enjoy your individual lives together?

#syscourse #system responsibility #system accountability

46 notes · View notes

raxistaicho · 10 months

Note

Why do you think so many people consider Crimson Flower to be poorly written?

The vast majority of them that I've seen just don't like the route because they disagree with Edelgard, or they confuse a route being shorter than the rest with it being unfinished or poorly-written.

For my own part, I think the pacing of the other routes sucks and a lot of chapters are just about approaching the Empire and have nothing to do with advancing the plot. The Great Bridge, Garreg Mach Defense, and Aillel are good examples of this.

Hunting by Daybreak is really nice from a thematic standpoint, but from a gameplay standpoint it's fucking awful. Then you have Gronder II, which was created purely for trailer bait because it's totally missing from half the routes and the actual battle itself doesn't matter. No, not even in Azure Moon, honestly, because they could have had Rodrigue get shanked in just about any map and it's all the same in the end.

Like seriously, would Crimson Flower be any better if it had a Hunting By Daybreak, Gronder II, or Aillel analogue, which would equalize its chapter total with Silver Snow? Fuck no, lol.

And of course, to refute the "unfinished" argument, Crimson Flower has the most unique set of maps after chapter 11, and it's very clear the developers put a lot of work into rebalancing the campaign around its shorter length (there's a pretty well-done Reddit post that goes into this in more detail). Contrast that against Silver Snow where they did baffling shit like have Edelgard take her deployment slot with her when she left and put Miracle on about half the units in the endgame.

People complain about the lack of fighting the Agarthans, but they forget the Agarthans in and of themselves are always only fought and dispatched in a single chapter after the time skip (CF 16, AM 19, SS 20, and VW 21) and the actual fight with them is always a narrative afterthought (Dimitri doesn't even realize he fought them, in VW they're fought to justify Nemesis's return and in SS they're fought to put Rhea at near-death so Byleth can take over), so it's clear the writers considered them a distant second to the conflict of ideals between Edelgard and her adversaries.

The Agarthans are there to escalate the conflict and serve as a red herring that Three Houses is going to be an FE7-esque story where the conflict is a low-key one against an evil cult before chapter 11 changes everything, not to be the true villains of the story.

Just about the only problem I think is cogent is the lack of high quality cutscenes in Crimson Flower. It could really have stood to have one more (either Rhea striking down Byleth or Byleth reuniting with Edelgard) cutscene to equalize it with the number of unique ones in AM (Dimitri's freakout and Byleth's reunion) and VW (Byleth's reunion and Claude and Nader... shooting at each other.), but much of the problem is it can't reuse the shared cutscenes the other routes have for obvious reasons.

Then there's the nonsense, "Edelgard has no character development in Crimson Flower!" argument which just confuses character development they didn't like for not having character development at all.

Good question, thanks for dropping it!

#fire emblem three houses #edelgard discourse #edelgard von hresvelg #edelgard positive #crimson flower

77 notes · View notes