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krypticcafe · 3 months

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How do you feel about CoD boys in a monster au? Whether they’re the monster or their s/o is the monster, I just think it would be neat. I’m partial towards werewolves but honestly I love anything that goes bump in the night. I LOVE the idea of a monster being afraid of hurting their partner but their partner knows that they could never hurt them. If you’re open to monster requests, I have so many ideas. Just… monsters, man

oooo are we spitballing bc I love throwing around ideas!!

I absolutely love monster AUs, one of my faves is @/bluegiragi's and I'm sure you all know that iconic one. I'm totally open to monster/hybrid requests, and a detailed list of what other things I write can be found in the cafe's Customer Service Policy aka rules :]

And monster-related plots? I'm a sucker for that shit, need more of that and monster!reader.

If I were to make a Monster Hybrid AU with my own specific ideas though, hmm...

Powerful and stoic, Price would make a great minotaur (lower half of a bull). Sure, maybe his back isn't what it used to be, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the strength to send you back to your maker. Every step he takes on base acknowledges his presence, a posture that demands respect from its witnesses. The horns on his head aren't something to mess with either, though it takes him ages to scrape out the dried blood from the cracks and tailor his bucket hats.

On the other hand, the canine hybrid for Soap is oddly charming. Similarly to a werewolf, he would have the senses of one, but as a just hybrid, he's unable to fully transform. Instead, he's equipped with features like ears, tail, fangs, some fur on his arms and legs, and a longer tongue. I can see him being a border collie, the Scottish sheepdog just makes sense. But a kelpie/merfolk would also work with his callsign. Soap, a mischievous water spirit known for "cleaning out" rooms of enemies? A body with slick scales, gills, and a frilled mohawk when in monster form? Yeah, I can definitely see that.

For someone with a Queen's honor, a phoenix feels right for Gaz. Bright and burning wings and tail—a light that feels regal and elegant, yet so youthful and lively at the same time. With him in the sky, you're guaranteed to be safe under his watch. Or maybe a cervitaur with those doe eyes of his, gorgeous as ever. Yet equipped with a kick that's sure to shatter the ribs of those who mock him for being just a faun with a pretty face.

Undeniably, with such a specific callsign, Ghost can't be anything other than a wraith. Maybe mix in a bit of demonic blood, soul-eater tendencies, or even marks of an incubus for a little extra kick. His scars look more like shadowy cracks in his skin, smoke pours from the concerningly realistic skull he wears, he looks more like a reaper than a spirit. Regardless, this man is a shadowy phantom that provokes the fear of gods in whoever he sets his target as.

Roach, sure maybe his energy is fitting of a satyr or something more fitting and urban for our token American, like a roach version of Mothman. Bug wings and scales similar to the structure of an exoskeleton, But Roach came to be for being nearly indestructible, like the bug. In fact, it would be more accurate to call Roach, Roaches, as a bogeyman with a human body that can crumble into a swarm of those insects would explain why gunshots and explosions can hardly stop him.

Like Ghost, we can't deny who Hound is, either. Werewolf. Anything less would be criminal. For fun, mix it in with a bit of hellhound hybrid biology, so that he has to either go as a full hellhound or a human with hellhound features. Eyes that burn like Tartarus and a fanged snarl that even Cerberus would shudder at. Maybe even make him in charge of a hellhound K-9 unit, forced to face the very thing he fears.

As for the Reader? Well, that's up to you. Personally, I'm a little fond of shapeshifters. Might need to draw some of these ideas sometime...

Ah well, just some thoughts I had. Any other spitballs you guys have?

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thefallenangelsgang · 15 days

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Fuck it, I'm throwing my hat on the ring about the Emil announcing Nate from Fallout 4 is the bystander Soldier in the Fallout 1 opener.

First and foremost, it was a stupid thing to say. As he backtracks to later, the conceit of Fallout's protags is they are supposed to be anyone (and that issue is precisely why some people hate the extensive prewar character background given to you in Fallout 4). For the lead writer to pull a JK Rowling (why would you do that? None of those went over well) is such a major marketing misstep that it wouldn't surprise me if Emil gets reprimanded for it before we even get into the implication of what he said.

Emil your voice is as good as God when it comes to the canon. You can't just say shit like that and expect it to go well. Especially considering the implications.

Speaking of the implications, I'm not mad about Nate being a war criminal. It's a coloring I actually would welcome if the games discussed concepts like Capitalism, Racism, and War in any meaningful way anymore. And if Emil also didn't say this.

Fallout's canon is rooted in reality. That is part of its whole thing. It's fun to do goofy shit like becoming the Silver Shroud and having a make believe superhero fight with the Mechanist or write a woman obsessed with Nuka Cola so much she traverses two games to basically kidnap the CEO's cryogenically preserved head so she can talk to him for all eternity, but the setting is very much rooted in reality.

You aren't dealing with fictional countries, you aren't dealing with fictional races, you aren't dealing with fictional hypotheticals. That is The Elder Scrolls job. You are dealing with actual countries, actual racism, actual history, and actual fucking politics. You have to be mindful of what you are doing and saying. You can't just do things because it's an interesting plot device without first thinking about the implications.

Fallout's world is a heightened version of our own, a path we seem to stumble towards with ever passing year unless we do something about it. It fucking sucks. I'm sure writing it feels like prophesizing the future and eats your soul a bit. It would mine. But that doesn't mean Fallout can just take a sharp left in terms of story and reality and get away with it.

To have Nate be the bystander Soldier and then meet him when he has a very good thing going for him (an expensive house during an inflation crisis, a robot butler, he gets into a vault for free for fucks sake) very much speaks to life rewarding him for his crimes. There is no hatred in his words when he looks at the flag of the country that made him kill innocents. His speech is speaks of remorse for leaving his family and the cycle of war, it does not speak of the horrors. Of watching you comrades bleed out in the Anchorage snow. Of the scream of shells overhead. Of the fear in civilians eyes as your buddy puts a bullet between them.

You all have to see how it looks like the man is fine with what he had to do during the war, right?

Not interacting with these concepts enough paints a picture of apathy and acceptance. In this day and age where being keeping the government honest and responsible for their actions is so important, that isn't going to slide without it being EXTREMELY purposeful, which it is not. It's tone deaf and lazy.

I respect a lot of what Emil has done in the past, but I am not above keeping him culpable when he has something so delicate in his hands. I hope this situation is what he needed to get his head on straight, or is the light bulb moment where he realizes he needs to pass the torch onwards. There is no shame in subject matter becoming too much as time goes on. There is shame in letting a previously critical series become the very thing it was criticizing.

He is going to keep getting dragged until he realizes that or he manages to convince the fans to be complicit in the degradation of setting. In doing so he is going to lose Bethesda most of its biggest fans who well and truly love the series and what it stands for.

But that's just my take, and I'm just a kid who studies polisci and history and can't shield myself from the inherent horror of nuclear war no matter how much I try.

War really never changes

#fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout new vegas #fallout 3 #fallout 2 #fallout tv series #fallout tv show #emil pagliarulo #bethesda

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pharawee · 5 months

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Welcome to the second part of my Pit Babe novel commentary aka "hey this isn't so ba---wait where's Babe's sudden daddy kink even coming from??"

And I try (oh my god do I try). 🤡

I'm now at chapter 10, trying to pace myself because the (auto-translated) translation I'm reading is apparently a WIP. I'm on the edge of my seat. The plot is beginning to thicken.

Previously, Charlie was being sus and Babe was catching feelings, but most importantly there was a lot of pwp and very little racing.

Now there's more racing. Babe even brings Charlie (he still has to wear a mask and a hat) but gets too distracted by his presence (he's apparently addicting enough to kiss through the mask) and promptly forgets to check his car before the race (even though Charlie warns him against it but such is the power of scent - or lack of scent in this case. I don't even know anymore - neither does Babe but at some point Charlie states that's he's now in an alpha rut which I suppose means exactly what it says on the tin).

But, oh no! Babe runs into trouble during the race. He loses the lead and his car gets increasingly difficult to control until it crashes and bursts into flames. But it's okay, Babe jumps out of the driving car just in the nick of time (have you ever seen a supercar outfitted for racing? It's difficult enough to climb into one - funny how I'm apparently okay with omegaverse shenanigans but I draw the line at wonky motorsports physics 🤣).

Anyway, the track marshals are doing a really shit job because somehow they 1. let Charlie on the track to singlehandedly try and rescue Babe and 2. they also completely miss that Babe has literally jumped ship car and is lying on the track. He ends up with a broken wrist and a sprained knee (or was it the other way around? anyway, he's wearing several casts) which means he won't be able to finish the season and lose the title of King (all because he was too horny to check his car... but yeah also apparently it was sabotage ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ).

So much for the racing part.

Babe needs weeks to heal so naturally he needs Charlie to pamper and feed him and dick him down several times a day but what else is new. No offence to the the dicking down part but ugh I hate this trope. Maybe it's just because I dislike the dynamics but I don't like the way Babe is taking on more and more cliché omega traits. If I have to read one more time about how much smaller he is (or about his "rounded" hips... are you ok google translate?)...

Oh, and btw. There are omegas in this! Charlie gets flirted at by one (which Babe absolutely hates) and he does have a scent and all. Later, when Charlie is busy being extremely sus again he meets up with a childhood friend, Jeff (Pon's character in the series is called Jeff - oh. oh no...), and if I'm not mistaken he's an omega as well. Jeff cautions Charlie against being with Babe and displeasing his father (which also seems to be Jeff's father? Dude sure has a lots of adoptive kids...) but Charlie argues that he knows what he's doing and he doesn't want to stop anyway.

Later on he tells the exact same thing to his (adoptive?) father, and why do I get the feeling that this might be the same father Babe mentioned earlier when he was telling a feverish Charlie a story to get him to sleep:

In his story, Babe mentions how when he was very small he used to go hungry every day because his mum was out of the picture and his father didn't even make enough money bring food to the table. One day the hunger was so bad that he passed out and woke up in the hospital where a stranger told him he'd be his new family. With little choice in the matter, Babe accepted and went on to spend the rest of his childhood well-cared for and in elite schools etc. That is, until he turned (presumably...) 18 and discovered that his father didn't adopt him out of the kindness of his heart but for ulterior motives that Babe doesn't explain any further because at that point Charlie has fallen asleep.

So yeah, what are the odds that Babe's "father" and Charlie's father are the same person (no spoilers, please)? Because if so then... that's disturbing, especially since Charlie's father seems to want Charlie to lure Babe back home. I mean, Charlie seems to have his own plans but it's not like his father throws him out after their secret meeting. Sus, very sus.

Meanwhile, Babe is slowly losing his heightened senses (the novel doesn't mention it yet but I'm pretty sure this is Charlie's doing) but he doesn't seem to mind because he's too busy falling in love. There's a lovely scene where Charlie and he spend the night stargazing, and this is when Babe realises that something's different because usually his heart only beats this fast when he thinks about racing (lmao).

Cue to them not having sex for a week because Babe feels like he's going crazy.

Meanwhile, it's been decided that Charlie will finish Babe's racing season for him because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and I'm sure he'll win the title too because he's Charlie, alphaest of alphas. Or something.

So one night Babe officially introduces him to the rest of team X-Hunter (and curiously Sonic and North seem to be racers in the novel as well) but things go awry when Babe is too busy fooling around with Way (no you cannot be affectionate with a male friend in a BL novel it is forbidden!!). Charlie and Babe argue and proceed to ignore each other for the rest of the night until they make up (and out) during the official X-Hunter sleepover (with Way and another poor dude sleeping in the same room).

They're polite enough to seek out the indoor pool (this isn't even their house - have you no shame?) and talk it out. And by talk it out I mean there's an inappropriate amount of daddy-calling and Little Mermaid jokes. This is where Charlie claims Babe. Yes, there's knotting (I think? like I said, I'm not axactly an expert and auto-translate is a bit vague, bless its little AI heart). Charlie threatens (I'm sure it's all meant very lovingly 🤡) to impregnate Babe if there's no other way to show others that he's his. To which Babe replies that that's impossible anway.

It's impossible, right? Right??

#pit babe the series #pit babe spoilers #pit babe #jane watches stuff #(in a way)#pit babe meta #bl meta #i wrote this is the middle of the night because i can't sleep #but this feels like a fever dream anyway so #to everyone reading this:#you have my thanks but also sry for subjecting you to this lmao 🙏

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no-m4gic · 1 year

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Hiya friend i saw u and knew I had to request heh

So I was thinking byakuya/nagito/shuichi characters w a reader who cries when frustrated/yelled at/someone angry at them :}

Lots of love also don't forget to eat and drink

mmm i'm here to pleasure the simps i'm here to pleasure the simps i'm here to pleasure the simps.

lmk if you ever want yandere byakuya, plasma /j

i had fun writing this lel, thanks for requesting! i relate to this a lot lmao

~ mod sitaya

BYAKUYA, NAGITO & SHUICHI W/ A GN FRAGILE S/O

BYAKUYA TOGAMI

"uugh. stop crying already, get up, the floor's dirty."

despite byakuya not being a patient guy, he isn't a loud one either. however that doesn't mean he won't get mad and snap at you.

he isn't a heartless monster though, if you'd just been scolded by perhaps kirigiri or ishimaru, he'd offer you his handkerchief, but i doubt he'll accept it back.

"i don't want anything that is stained with plebian tears."

isn't really the type who'd hug or like hugs, but if you do initiate a hug, he'll just awkwardly and silently hug back.

god forbid you stain his rich people clothes though.

don't worry about him being mad at you, you're one of the only people who doesn't piss him off to the core, so it's rare for him to be mad or upset with you, most of the time it's just him being annoyed and making snarky remarks.

if it was somebody who had made you mad, frustrated or upset, expect a handwritten apology letter from them.

when you ask togami about it, he'd act all innocent and clueless.

"i don't know what you're talking about s/o, i'd never do something like that for such a plebian."

NAGITO KOMAEDA

"oh atua- s/o- what happened? was it me? i'm sorry... i'll leave if you want..."

at first he'd think he was the problem and feel like absolute shit.

eventually tho, he'll find out that it isn't him, which was good on his part.

he'd ask you what happened and who made you upset.

after you're done rambling, you'll find yourself in his arms, him probably squeezing you tighter than you were squeezing him.

my guy doesn't want to lose you.

while hugging you and rubbing your back, he assumes that this happened because of his luck. he'd also be secretly plotting something against whoever yelled at you. it would definitely be something way less sinister than whatever was happening in his head, something like him acting all creepy around them.

if you're still upset, he'd bring you on a shopping spree, since you know like... he won the lottery.

if you run into someone like izuru or byakuya, you two would definitely have fun annoying them.

SHUICHI SAIHARA

"oh no- s/o, i'm sorry that happened... but what should i do? should i start crying too?"

if it'd make you feel better, shuichi would offer to cry with you and hold you.

he'd quickly run off to fetch you a glass of water

after that he'd listen to whatever you had to say, all the while enjoying your soothing voice.

if you like sulking in the dark, he'll lend you his emo hat and walk you back to your room, telling people who got in the way and were making the situation worse to fuck off.

if it's raining and you guys are outside, he'll walk in the rain and lend you his umbrella.

you'd probably have to care for him after he gets a bad fever

after dealing with you, the next person he'll have to deal with would be your attacker.

he wouldn't attack them komaeda or blackmail them like togami, he'd just walk up to them and be like "hey, could you be more careful around s/o next time? their ego is really weak. thanks."

or he'd get kaede to tell them if he decides to stay with you.

#danganronpa x reader #danganronpa #dr x reader #dr #byakuya togami x reader #byakuya x reader #togami x reader #nagito x reader #nagito komaeda x reader #komaeda x reader #shuichi x reader #saihara x reader #shuichi saihara x reader

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shygirl4991 · 3 months

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A shout out to @cody-the-cat enjoy seeing the idea come to life! All art is by @alianarepasa do not repost! A Four Chapter special as thank you for all the support you guys have given me! Next Chapter

Summary: SMG3 just wanted to make himself a nice cup of coffee before the work day began, but when he takes a sip from his freshly brewed coffee and passes out he will wake up to a huge surprise. Three other versions of himself now run wild in the mushroom kingdom and he has to stop them before the world learns all his secrets.

Tags: Love Confessions, Enemies to friends to lovers, Romantic comedy, fluff and angst,

Bob was running for his life as he hears the crowd of angry mob members after him, he looks at the vial he stole from them. He knew it would sell for a lot on the dark web but he wouldn't be able to sell it if he ended up in the bottom of the ocean. Looking around for a place to hide it he sees Three’s coffee and Bomb, he nods dashing in the cafe. A victory for Bob no one was around, he dumps the vile into the coffee machine then runs out “I'M TELLING YOU I DON'T HAVE IT!” he dashes off hoping no one will find his money maker.

Unknown to him by tossing the vial in the coffee machine it cracked, the liquid spilling in the machine getting mixed with coffee beans and gunpowder creating something new. SMG3 walks out of the elevator still waking up as he ties his hair up ready for another day, he turns on the coffee maker ready for his morning brew. He hums looking outside noticing SMG4 was hanging out with the crew, seeing the man's smile made his heart flutter. He rolls his eyes at the dumb emotion, sometimes he misses the days he would plot against Four trying to kill him and take over his channel. Hearing the coffee making go quiet he walks over picking up his cup of coffee, still being half asleep the man didn't notice the drink was glowing a strange color.

Sitting down he sips his coffee as he opens his journal and starts writing, he pauses and stares at the drink “The hell? I don't have cherry coffee here…” his eyes went wide, finally noticing the strange color the drink was. He leaves the cup on the table shaking, he gets up feeling strange as he looks at the strange color drink “What…the..fuck did i?” he falls to the floor feeling weak. He coughs as his vision starts to get blurry, as he blinks he starts to see colors. Three shadows, Pink, orange and lastly dark blue.

He passes out hearing a soft giggle from a voice that sounds similar to his own.

He doesn't know how much time has passed as he gets up rubbing his head, looking around an orange blur catches his attention. He turns his head staring at the person in the cafe “Oh…i'm dreaming!” The person in the cafe with him was himself. The orange SMG3 looks up from his journal fixing his glasses as he smiles at him “Ah original your awake finally!”

He slowly stands up staring at the other him, getting a closer look while they do look the same. The other version of him had subtle differences, the man's violet eyes look into his ruby eyes before they close as he sighs “I apologize, you have awoken and i haven't told you who i am. Ahem I am Supermemeguardian3 in charge of your logical thinking, a pleasure to finally meet you.” He fixes his glasses as he walks over to Three to shake his hand, he slowly reaches grabbing his hand “Oh god this isn't a dream…”

Now that the other him was closer he noticed the skull on the hat was different and had an appearance of a book, his hair was loose free from any restraint not to mention his hair was more wavy then his was. Taking a step back, the orange version of himself let out a soft chuckle “Yes this isn't a dream, we don't know how we got here. I have been waiting for you to awaken in order to work together to get to the bottom of this!”

SMG3 shakes his head feeling himself ready to scream “What…what do you mean your my logical side?

With a hum he starts to twirl his hair thinking “Whatever happened caused a split, your three strongest personalities at the moment in time turn into us?” SMG3 slowly nods as he turns and takes the elevator down to his room, Orange Three stood there confused until he heard loud screaming “Ah i had a feeling original would react like that.”

After a few moments Three comes out of the elevator looking drain “We need to name you, no way in hell we are going to call each other three it will get confusing.” His orange version nods watching Three checking him out. As he examines the outfit the one thing that stood out the most was the skull shaped book logo on the hat and shoes, with a nod he has decided “Given your logo looks like a book, how about we call you book3?” Book nods and smiles at him “Perfect i accept the name.”

Now that the name part of the conversation was over SMG3 had one thing that was bothering him “You have mentioned three of you guys got out…where are the other two?” Book opens his mouth then frowns awkwardly looking to the side “uh well those two ran out of the cafe so fast…i couldn't stop them and they are currently outside in the mushroom kingdom,” he lets out a sheepish smile as SMG3 glares at him.

“Oh my fucking ugh come on book we need to find the other two!” he grabs books and as he storms out of the cafe. Currently his logical side is out in the open, he takes a deep breath trying to remember what emotion he could have been feeling at the moment this happened. He was drawing blanks as he walked around holding Books hand, this was strange he stopped looking at their hands. Holding hands with Book made his mind buzz, he closed his eyes to focus on the feeling. His mind became more clear, Book became worried that SMG3 stopped walking. He let's go out of his hand “Original are you okay?”

SMG3 opens his eyes seeing a concern Book “Yeah…holding hands felt odd not like with Four this was different,” Book nods “It must be due to the fact I'm you, maybe it's our meme power trying to take me back but something is preventing the fusion from happening?”

They both hum thinking over it, suddenly a huge explosion happens catching their attention. They exchange looks before running to the sound of the explosion, there they see a dark blue SMG3 on a roof of a restaurant “LISTEN UP FUCKERS I RULE THIS PLACE!” Three stares in shock at his other personality. He was dressed similarly to his old design, looking at the hat the logo was a skull in the shape of a spade.

Spade looks down, noticing SMG3 and Book “Well look who it is! Sup loser finally picking to be fun, also saw you brought original with you what up!” he smirks showing off his spikey teeth. SMG3 climbs the ladder nearby to get closer to his other personality “Alright, mind explaining why the hell are you throwing bombs around?” Now that he was closer he noticed the small difference that was on Spade also, the personality had brown eyes and it turns out his hair was in a spiky ponytail. How the hell can someone just scream edge lord this hard core “Uh duh Original we are a villain, come on we rule the graveyard why not rule over this fucking place that would teach that loser SMG4.”

Three sighs walking over and lifting up Spade “What the fuck?!” without a second thought he throws Spade off the roof making Book run and catch Spade “You have some learning to do scrub, but before we can learn we need to figure out where the last one of you guys are!” Spade pouts making Book laugh. Noticing he is in Books arms Spade blushes “HEY PUT ME DOWN!” Book keeps laughing as he puts Spade down. SMG3 climbs down “Alright Book, Spade let's go!”

Spade looks at him confused “Wait.. am i Spade?” Book nods before following Three, Spade rolls his eyes and walks after them.

As they walked down the road he started to think about the last personality, he was drinking coffee before it all happened “I bet the last one of you guys has to be a coffee mix with bomb!” Spade lets out an evil cackle “More like a bowl of fruit loops!” Three looks at Spade confused, before he could ask Spade gasp running up to a store his eyes sparkling. Three follows and sees a paintball competition happening, Book sighs as he now has both Spade and Three glued to the window of a paintball store “Guy’s we are looking for the last personality remember?” Spade waves his hand “Yeah yeah but one game couldn't hurt!”

SMG3 agrees as they both giggle running into the shop, Book awkwardly looks around before stepping into the store. Shroomy turns smiling at them “Oh hey SMG3! Uh, who are your friends?” he blinks noticing how they looked similar to three “Oh they are my er twins?”

Shroomy gasp “Oh gosh i didn't know you had brothers Three!” SMG3 nods, acting annoyed “Why do you think my name is SMG3?”

Spade stomps to the counter smacking the table “Listen we are here to shoot shit, and all I'm hearing is talking so shut it and let me shoot shit!” Shroomy nods, handing Spade and Three paintball guns, Book takes a step back not interested in the distraction “No point in being scared of yourself,” hearing this Three turns rolling his eyes “Scared? Please im SMG3 why would i be scared of myself?”

Book walks up to Three “Because you know deep down who the last one is don't you?”

Three glares at Book, how would he know who the last one is? Spade was about ready to knock out Book for getting in the middle till he catches a pink blur, he chuckles “So that's where you went.” He slips out of the store while the other two are fighting. They hear the bell of the shop and turn to see Spade leave, in a panic Three runs out catching the attention of the last personality. His eyes go wide as they look into pink SMG3 teal green eyes, nervously he looks at the hat getting his answer on who this personality may be. He swallows as he stares at the Skull in the shape of a heart, he gets a huge smile from the personality and shakes the bags in his hands “Hey guys! I was just shopping for our Blue!”

SMG3 slowly takes a step forward “Blue?” Heart giggles at his confusion “SMG4 duh, i mean how can you not have a nickname for our future boyfriend!” Heart smiles as Book chimes in “Logic, Evil, and Romance guess we are now all here right original?” Three felt panic grow as he hurried to grab the personalities hands, he attempted to focus on the buzzing feeling. But nothing happens, he lets them go and stares at his hands confused. Book frowns seeing how upset Three looked. “If I may, I think the reason it didn't work is because you won't let us in.” Slowly he looks up and stares at heart. His hair looked so fluffy and had his bangs heart shaped, this man screams valentines days. Heart gives a soft smile to him “Don't worry we will figure it out! Now who wants cookies, I made them in the shape of our love!”

Seeing the cookies and the loving eyes was enough for SMG3 to take a step back and scream. The worst thing to ever exist is standing in front of him and its Romance.

#smg4 #shygirl4991 #smg34 #smg3 #smg4 smg3 #smg43 #smg34 fanfiction #alianarepasa #split into threes #fluff and angst #humor

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undercoverpena · 8 months

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the day three words are said

frankie morales x f!reader | resurrected chances

they're simple. those three words. especially when you mean them

wordcount: 2k themes: mention of triple frontier plot, FLUFF, sweetness. love declarations. allusion to frankie doing bad things prior. but no use of y/n.

Frankie knows what love is.

He’s experienced it—in all of the different levels and varying forms. He’s experienced it where his breath has been taken away and others where it has crept up, gently tapped its finger across his shoulders and made him smile.

There’s the kind of love he has with his friends—his buddies. The ones bonded together by battle, blood and loss.

There’s the familial one, the kind he’s always known—always kept close.

Then, there’s the love he felt for his ex. The one who had been there, who he thought he loved with all he had, but later found that wasn’t true at all.

And then, then there was you.

You, who he’s sure he’s been in love with long before today. The signs have always been there. Brimming and growing from as far back as your two’s first date.

Your foot against his calf. Smile spreading, practically grinning as he tells you some story that he can’t even remember now. And then you leant forward, the fabric of your dress slipping from your skin. The starters had not even arrived when your hand slid over his: Frankie, shall we go somewhere else?

That’s how he found himself half an hour later, all dressed up, in a booth at McDonalds. Your finger stealing one of his fries, your grin larger than he’d seen on the night of Benny’s fight.

If Frankie were to look back and ask at what point he thinks he began falling in love with you, he’s sure it would be that moment.

The moment he tried to get the fry back from your finger, you managed to get sauce on your nose—him swiping it off with his finger, your eyes sparkling under the ceiling lights before he married his lips to yours.

Frankie hammers his knuckles against the door and puts his hands in his jacket pockets. All unsettled, awkward. Before he pulls them back out, wrapping, folding his arms over his chest.

He’d been about to adjust again when you pulled open the door.

Frankie isn't sure you even mean to, but you wrap him in goodness, light and warmth. He feels at ease and all of a sudden calm. Easily able to forget how long he's been wandering, all aimless, lost amongst forests and treacherous seas.

There hadn't been a plan. He'd dropped his son off, said the awful goodbye he dreads each time he has to—and then he drove.

And drove.

Finding himself outside of your door. Months of dates. Weeks of it sitting in his chest. Those three words clotting in his throat, growing larger, making it difficult to swallow.

It's why he's not surprised to find a confused expression greeting him, slowly morphing, extending out before it’s halted. Then, it's quickly consumed by a smile, a glimmer in your eye and a look of pure tenderness.

It’s a gaze which fills him with a warmth from the outside in. A chain reaction you enact within him with ease. A thing you’ve been able to do to him since the moment he first met you.

“Frankie—hi? Did… did we have plans?”

Removing his hat, he shakes his head. Fingers, carding through his hair, catching on a knot as he watches your head tilt.

“Do you w-wanna come in?”

Following you in, the aroma of you meets his nose—the scent which is so undefinable, yet so you.

Just like the furnishings, all airy, but snug—a soft glow from the lamp in the corner spraying delicate amber across all it can touch.

His eyes glance over filled photo frames, people he’s met and some he’s heard stories of—his fingerprint still on one from the first time he was here. A question rolling from his tongue and a story from yours.

There are also the ones filled with him, your grin illuminated, his own once foreign to him, but now forever captured. Because you make it easy for him to just breathe, to stop, allow him to just be.

His eyes slide, moving to something new, something colourful and out of place—his heart almost stopping, halting altogether.

Because there, in a frame (he knows must be new), is the art Luca had given you the last time he saw you. The dragon you’d whispered to his son about drawing, all coloured in your favourite shades, with the sun in the corner mirroring a smile he knows you helped draw.

He’s barely listening when you ask him if he wants a drink, all set to leave the room—likely to retrieve him one all the same—when he speaks up.

Clears his throat, and shifts the lump which has been slowly forming on the unannounced drive over.

“Can we talk?”

The words catch and hit the air oddly. Barely a sentence, no more than three words, yet they drape over the room—hanging, thickening like smog around the two of you as you pause in your movements.

Especially because he knows he has said them without confidence—or intent.

It’s instant, the way your face flickers with emotions—some easier to read than others.

Frankie likes that about you, that your face tells every story, whether pain or happiness. Nothing concealed, nothing easily able to be hidden. You’re genuine and authentic; you’re all kind and real.

Nothing too much, or too little.

Just like two nights ago, when he rang—flustered and stressed. You hear him out, calming him. Lightly asking him what he needs, not running for the hills as his to-do list spoiled the air. You just took things from him, removing them from his shoulders, all those miles away from him.

“Frankie, are you... Fuck—is Luca okay?”

Nodding, quickly. Reassuringly.

He gently places his hat onto your sideboard, staring at you. “He’s fine. Promise.”

It does nothing to settle you. He can tell, something he notices almost immediately. Something he can’t form the words to correct because he’s focusing on willing himself not to unspool. Wanting to do this right, not unravel in a mess at your feet.

Mostly, Frankie doesn’t want to just let it all flow from him without care, or spill the truth and paint your ears in all that he feels.

Because he’s more than okay.

If anything, he feels more than he ever thought he could.

He feels so much for you, he’s struggling with how to say it. The words tangling somewhere in the back of his oesophagus, frantic to emerge—to thrive in the space the two of you have made for one another.

You shift on the spot, worry stitching itself into the smile you try to show.

His confession had been burning a hole in his tongue for a while. Having first appeared as an ember weeks ago, growing larger when he opened his fridge and found your note—those scribbled-out instructions and timings, your little 'have fun' and a drawn heart.

You step closer, panic carving deeper into your face. “Whatever it is, it’ll be okay. If t—this is too much, with Luca and work—”

“No! No baby, no. It’s…”

He takes a breath.

Your hands coming across your front, fingers looping together over your waist—a swallow heard, all loud, practically punching a hole in the silence.

Sighing, Frankie rolls his lips. “I think about you without even trying.”

His heart hammers in his chest—bashing itself against his ribs.

The sound reverberates around him, travelling up to his skull. The congestion in his chest eases, and the fluttering that’s been nothing but incessant, slows.

Because he’s setting it free, letting it escape, allowing you to have it.

So he takes another breath. Flexes his hands.

“I’ve… I’ve fucked up a lot, baby. I—I did some things in my life that I’m not entirely proud of.”

He watches as your mouth clamps shut, body stilling. A nervousness quivering in the air, but less so than before. Something which urges him on, gives him the push to continue as you remain dutifully silent—allowing him to speak.

“I especially—I wasn’t in a great headspace after Colombia. Rough doesn’t… it doesn’t even begin to cover the half of it. Fuck. I even went and convinced myself that there wasn’t much left for me—falling down a hole that was nothing but pitch black. Except for Luca.”

You swallow, and it sounds louder in the quiet. More so as he lets his words settle, soak.

Frankie lets his fingers brush over his palm, thumb cupping over them as he takes a breath.

“Guys like me… we don’t do what I did and think we deserve a good ending to their story. I know that. And I’ve done it all before, right? Tried to settle down. Tried to be good. But that kind of stuff, it was never in the cards for me.”

It smooths, the expression on your face.

Slowly fading into something blank, with no edges or easily discernible things, he can begin to unpick.

“I was stuck in a dark place for a while—didn’t have much hope of getting out on my own, or ever—to be honest. So here I am, wandering around for years on autopilot, going through the motions. Reserved in thinking this is it. Everything’s just background noise. Wake up, eat, work, have Luca overnight, sleep and repeat.

“That is until Benny strong-armed me into showing up to his fight. And that day—baby, I’ll never forget it.”

He smiles and lets it sparkle out across his face, watching intently as your eyes widen ever so slightly. Engulfing him in that same sunshine and love all over again.

“Fuck, that first time you smiled at me? Baby, I was doomed. Didn’t even stand a chance. It was like… suddenly, the world’s a little less sad. Like I felt a little less lonely. Things all a little bit brighter. Am I making any sense? Because what I’m trying to say is, I didn’t feel like it was impossible. I felt seen. For the first time in… fuck… ages. It felt like I had a light at the end of the tunnel. And, if it isn’t clear, it was you.”

“Frankie…”

He steps closer, bridging the gap.

Lifting his hand, cupping both your cheeks. He tilts those eyes up, so they embed themselves into his soul—just like he wants them to. Like he needs them, too.

“I am in love with you,” he adds, more in a whisper than before. “Not just because you see me, not because you do things like fetch my son some PJs, grab groceries, and cook me a meal. But because it isn’t hard to love you—I don’t have to force it. I don’t have to remind myself to ask you things, I want to.”

Twinkling and glistening, your eyes blink. Mouth shifting, twitching, before spreading into a smile. He takes the chance to stroke his thumb against the edge of it, feels it, and basks in it as his other hand drops down to your hip, fingers spreading, fanning across.

“You done?”

Pressing his forehead against yours, Frankie feels your fingers on his temple, soft and gentle—playing with his curls, as he nods. His nose brushes against yours, watching your lips curl up into a beam, cheeks rising, as he finds his own begin to mirror it.

Then, he hears it, all soft and shaky. “Good, because I am very much in love with you too, Francisco.”

Closing his eyes, Frankie basks in it.

The feel of it—all of it. The way it sounds to hear you say those words back—the way you let his name fall like a silk ribbon from your tongue.

So much so, that he’s sure he’s being wrapped in it—your words. Being pulled into a pool of love, he wasn’t sure he’d ever have, ever deserve—suddenly diving, swimming in it. But here it is. Your love, merging with his.

And it feels right, fitting.

Then you repeat it again. And again. Whispering it like a chant, those three words, until his lips capture yours, tasting the words—feeling them down his throat as he singes them against your mouth.

Pressing each syllable and letter to yours, then your neck, your collarbone. Until you’re both stumbling, tripping over clothes that are being removed before you're on your back on your sofa, and Frankie is drinking you in.

The person he’s in love with—the one he realises he’s always been looking for.

The one he's been waiting for.

an: fuck i love these two.

thank you so much to G for the help with this, including the gifted elements that made this what it is.

#francisco morales x reader #frankie morales x reader #francisco morales fanfiction #✨🩷 francisco morales #frankie morales x you #francisco morales x f!reader #francisco morales x you #frankie morales fanfiction #triple frontier x reader #mm: resurrected chances #frankie morales x f!reader #francisco catfish morales #catfish morales x reader #frankie catfish morales x reader #pedrostories #pedro pascal character fanfic

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beanghostprincess · 4 months

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Can you elaborate on shanks being rightfully blamed for shuggy break up? I’m genuine

Okay, so it's not that he's "rightfully blamed". When people say Shanks did nothing wrong, they're completely right. He did absolutely nothing wrong. He's an angel. Shanks, if you're reading this, I love you. In fact, his POV when it comes to his relationship with Buggy is equally heartbreaking if not even more painful and confusing. What I mean when I constantly say Buggy is rightfully angry and resentful, is not that Shanks deserves to be hated, I'm just saying that I understand Buggy perfectly. And even if Shanks doesn't deserve to be treated this way, Buggy's feelings are perfectly understandable.

Buggy has lived as Shanks' shadow his whole life. He had to give up on his dream because Shanks was the chosen one to keep Roger's legacy alive. He gave Shanks the straw hat, and not Buggy. As we can see in the flashback in chapter 1082, it's noticeable that it was not a one time thing. Shanks was constantly seen as brighter, smarter, braver, etc. Buggy was just in the background. And you know what? He was okay with that as long as he followed Shanks, because they were best friends and if Shanks achieved his dream, Buggy would too. He gave up on his dream to follow Shanks instead because he accepted he would never be seen as somebody like him. And you can blame Buggy and say "It's not Shanks' fault that he felt inferior! He could've fought for his dream instead!" but dude, sometimes people are fucking tired of fighting when nobody else is supporting them. It's just... Understandable. And he was a kid. You know how fucking painful it is to be neglected and see how much love your best friend received? From your dad of all people.

And then Buggy thinks "Fuck it, gonna go the easy way. I'll just follow this map and sell this devil fruit". But then Shanks' appears and he makes him eat the devil fruit and lose the map. "But it wasn't Shanks' fault! He literally did nothing and it was Buggy who got scared and ate the thin-" it's a metaphor. It's not hard to understand. It's- It's symbolism turned into a literal plot. Shanks' mere existence (appearing right behind Buggy when he was about to go follow his dream) made Buggy lose his independence as a pirate (made him eat a devil fruit, making him unable to swim an d be on his own. He's literally now hated by the sea, a pirate's home) and lose the path to his dream (quite literally, lose the map). Shanks did absolutely nothing to hurt Buggy, but Buggy's feelings toward him are understandable. It's the way envy and jealousy affect people. Mostly kids/teens. And this literally ruined Buggy's life forever. He can't even go to Laugh Tale, and even if Shanks stays with him, he can't go because of his Devil Fruit (I mean, not canon yet, but quite obviously real already, c'mon). And that's just gonna give Buggy more reasons to be resentful.

Then Roger (their captain. Their dad) dies. Gets executed in front of them. Buggy sees this as an opportunity to be his legacy, so of course he trusts Shanks to do it. It's obvious in the way he talks about it that he was going to follow Shanks, or at least trust him in his journey. But then Shanks hesitates. We don't know exactly why (maybe he knew something back then. Maybe he knew they weren't ready yet. Maybe he was scared. Whatever) but he hesitates. He doubts. And Buggy, who sees Shanks as this powerful force and as the brightest pirate of all (because he has lived in his shadow for so long), of course gets angry. It isn't fair that everyone sees Shanks as the brightest when he's the one hesitating about following their dream. It isn't fair that Buggy, the one who believes in Shanks and their dream, is the one looked down upon.

Idk, I don't think Buggy hates Shanks either. It's just that his mere existence hurts too much to be with him. And tbh I find leaving somebody for that extremely valid.

#basically: you go buggy i love you you're so real you're the realest #he's so relatable #i haven't reread this tbh if there are typos i am sorry #one piece #buggy the clown #red haired shanks #shuggy #< target audience #but i'm seeing this as romantic all the time anyway they're canon to me already

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farklelucas · 1 year

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okay so. now that ive taken some time to breathe, compose myself, and gather my thoughts, lemme lay out why the teen wolf movie was a hot holy mess (besides, you know, the obvious) as a teen wolf enthusiast and expert.

a lot of the characters were really little more than set dressing. to be specific, i think liam could have been replaced by a mailbox with a hat and the movie would have been the same (and this is coming from a major liam fan). the same can be said for mason, malia, melissa, peter, and honestly even the sheriff (which i hate bc god he was such a core of the show). i think parrish was only useful in one specific instance and even that isn't enough to warrant him being in the film. the characters i loved felt like cardboard cutouts and that wasnt fair to me, to the characters, or to the actors. i would have rather they not been there at all tbh. like just leave liam out of this if youre gonna do him like that fr

a lot of the plot points felt... disjointed and weird. saraid said it felt like three different movies in one and i have to agree. derek and eli felt like its own thing, then scott and allison, and then everything else (whatever the hell parrish and malia had going on, the lydia and jackson buddy cop comedy, liam in... japan with a ramen shop i think? and some random girlfriend that happened to be a kitsune) kind of fell to the wayside in between.

this movie was truly so flat without kira. it was hard to make a nogitsune movie without stiles, but it was almost impossible to make without her. hikari unfortunately ended up just feeling like a woman they randomly shoved into all the plot points kira was supposed to be in. because she didnt have a character besides liams girlfriend (and because liam was barely a character himself), she just couldn't compare and so kiras lack of presence was really felt. she left a huge hole in the narrative. they didnt even mention her and you knew what was missing. if you had cut khylin and dylan sprayberrys checks entirely, im sure they would have had enough to pay her as much as the rest of her white coworkers :) but that's just my opinion xxx

this was supposed to be for fans of the original series, but really just felt like jeff davis's weird rare pair fanfiction. instead of focusing on the dynamics that already existed - melissa and the sheriff, malia and peter, scott and liam, derek and. anyone really - he ended up delving into all these new dynamics with only two hours to develop them. malia and parrish (which. i really had to mentally run through the show to see if those two had interacted before and i dont think they have), liam and hikari, and derek and eli. all of which had a shot at being interesting but because there were so many different plots going on, it all just felt. awkward and confusing.

that being said, im gonna move onto derek and eli generally. i like eli! i do. i thought he was funny, i thought the actor was super charming (although the timeline made no sense because if he was born fifteen years ago And allison died fifteen years ago he would be braedens and. hate to say it folks. thats not braedens baby. make him mixed jeff davis you fucking coward). really, i liked him. ... but not at the expense of dereks character. the derek i knew was an asshole. he was mean, he was sarcastic, he was a bastard (honorifically). its not to say that people cant change, but... the derek i saw in the movie was a complete 180 from the derek we last saw in the series. honestly, the derek i saw in the series probably wouldn't have made a good parent - we saw how he was with erica, isaac, and boyd. even with scott. derek was kind of a dick. i dont even think he would have wanted kids - i think he would raise them out of duty, and i think he would if a partner wanted him to. but i dont think kids were ever in his life plan. and i think that could have been super interesting to see with him and eli. i think making him a parent could have been really interesting and it just. crumbled.

i know i mentioned the timeline in that last bit but. the timeline. it hurts my head. when was eli born. what year is it. how long has it been since scott has been in beacon hills. im so confused.

lets talk about adrian harris. shall we. i have made a list of people who i think would have been a better villain reveal are you ready: allison, peter, theo, chris argent, kate argent (resurrected), matt daehler (resurrected), victoria argent (resurrected), kira herself, danny mahealani, rafe mccall, isaac's shit dad, coach, greenberg, me with a baseball bat filled with rusty nails, jeff davis in a wig. the list goes on. you could not have picked a more random and less memorable character to reveal as your villain. i almost felt like i was being mocked. "haha! you didnt expect it to be this guy? the chemistry teacher who also died fifteen years ago? who had almost nothing to do with the plot until season 3? stupid! idiot!" i have never been so mad in my life

speaking of villain. did they forget what a nogitsune is. it needs a host. its not some guy they can stab to death. its a concept, a feeling, a parasite. its a manifestation of mental illness. but no sorry excuse me i must be wrong bc now its also a werewolf??????? im sorry. am i the crazy one. give me void allison! give me allison as the host and shes being taken over and she has those bags under her eyes and that creepy void stare and grin! give me crystal reed emmy noms! while we're on the subject, heres some more questions about the nogitsune include: why was it in a jar? why was it with LIAM of all people (who didnt even know what that was)? why did its powers completely change? HOW was it a werewolf????????? i cant stop thinking about it.

i said it once and ill say it again: jackson fucking carried this movie. he was giving all season one jackson, he was bringing comic relief, he was even bringing up ethan when no one else would! king! he carried. but he shouldn't have had to. dont get me wrong, i think crystal reed ate and left no crumbs. this was allisons movie and it should have been. but when the other two standout characters imo were jackson (who arguably did nothing) and coach (who did even less)... you simply didnt use your characters well. i think i would put deaton up there and even chris, but... scott and lydia? this should have been their movie. but scott spent nearly the whole movie ignoring his friends, and lydia was reduced to 'woman whose plot was about a man,' again. it was horrible. lydia outgrew that song and dance by season two. and scott? hasnt been to beacon hills in twelve years? hasnt seen his mom or his friends? not the scott mccall i know.

this is not about shipping discourse this post will never be about shipping discourse so i say this as a completely objective party. that being said. st/dia was so strangely shoved in there at the end. how did harris even know about lydia leaving stiles. how did he know about her dream. how did it add to the plot. like yes the nogitsune feeds of chaos and strife but i think lydia was getting enough of that watching her friends get murdered. it felt like a weird way to explain why dob wasnt there and it simply didnt work. i would have rather they not said anything about stiles at all.

anyway, this is skipping over a lot of other little things that i thought were really bad (sexualizing malia who literally had the mentality of an eight year old for most of her life AGAIN, why was mason a fucking cop, peters lack of interaction with the hale family which is what made him interesting in the first place, the absolute insanity of allison coming back to life and just being absolutely okay even though shes been dead for fifteen years, died at the hands of her friend, and almost everyone she knew including stiles, isaac, and kira are all just gone now), but boy oh boy. for a while it was funny bad. like "oh this is bad but i can still enjoy this for what it is" bad. but those last ten minutes. what is actually absolutely wrong with jeff davis. there are very few times ive felt this betrayed by tv shows i held this close to my heart, but im there. im heartbroken. i wont go on about it here, bc honestly, it would need its own post considering how much i have to say. but if the rest of the movie was bad? that was shit was traumatizing.

anyway. so sorry this post is this long, and so sorry i couldnt come back with a positive review. this show died long ago; i think we should have just let it rest - nobody asked for a reunion, and now i can see that was with good reason. so the next time jeff davis opens up an email with a header titled 'sequel idea' and he ccs tyler posey, i think we should all just agree to ler arden cho beat him to death in a dennys parking lot instead.

#long post #teen wolf #teen wolf movie #twm #personal #shut your pie hole katie

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oneatlatime · 5 months

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The Tales of Ba Sing Se PART 2

The Tale of Zuko

Maybe I should make a Zuko's Stupid Faces post.

Zuko and Iroh's whole dynamic in one frame.

This girl is cute. Total girl next door type. She does have fairly horrible taste in men, but she's also very cute.

I just want to take a minute to point out a VERY important distinction. Zuko is not going out on a date. Zuko is not taking a girl out on a date. A girl is taking Zuko out on a date. She's got that arm in a death grip. Not only is that a clever reversal of the usual hetero dynamic, but I'm convinced it's the only way Zuko would ever get any action, so it's also in character.

I know Zuko's social skills are non-existent, but apart from the blow up at the waiter he is actually trying. He's failing, but I have to give him points for trying.

The way this girl's voice actress says "You juggled" made my ears very happy. And the beleaguered "yes. I juggled." is equally good.

Zuko! Tell her you did sword stuff! That's something you can actually do!

It gives me hope that someone so steeped in the most toxic parts of the Fire Nation, for so long, can STILL be so bad at lying, but it would certainly be a handy skill right about now.

I take it back. This girl does have good taste in men. Zuko's such a softie when it counts. He still sucks at being normal, but he just risked his identity because the girl he didn't even plan to go out with was a little bit sad.

This girl is the best.

Ha! He kissed her back! He Did! I saw that!

I take back what I took back. Zuko's evil again. He made my new favourite girl droop.

I love that Iroh's waiting up for him while making it look like he isn't waiting up for him. How many times on their ship, when Zuko was out Blue Spiriting, do you think Iroh found a reason to be randomly sat on the deck at 3 am?

Character development baby! Can you really call yourself loyal to the fire nation if you admit to having a good time on a date with an Earth Kingdom girl?

The Tale of Momo

Pretty.

That was a FILTHY bait and switch. For one shining moment, I had Appa back.

They should take that to June.

Not Appa.

Also not Appa.

I did not have 'Momo gets gaslit' on my Avatar Bingo card. Nor did I have 'interspecies animal friendship angst.'

Are these cat things the raccoons of the Avatar universe? Or the squirrels? Urban scroungers?

I love the idea that this guy just grabs the closest squirrel, sticks a hat on it, and expects it to dance. He got lucky with Momo.

I thought they were taking the animals to the pound, but this is very much a butcher. Which means that in Ba Sing Se, they eat varmint. Stay away from the hot dog carts.

That's very effective Simglish.

Thank god for thumbs.

Aw they're friends! This has Aristocats vibes, when O'Malley and the girl cat are getting together near the end.

And one final Fuck You, because god forbid Momo's tale ends on a happy note.

I'm guessing that's an Appa print, but couldn't it also be a platypus bear?

Something about the cats standing vigil over Momo's grief gets to me.

Final thoughts

I'll go through each of these stories individually, but first some general comments.

Last episode was kind of intense, and definitely ended on a downer (not that this one didn't), so it was a good call to at least start this episode off on something a bit gentler.

I was really impressed with the soundtrack throughout. Apart from the Tale of Momo where it's the animal noises that are front and centre, the music is doing a lot of work in every story, the strings especially. The strings are doing emotional work, plot stuff, and even humour. Seriously, next time you rewatch this episode, pay attention to the strings. These shorts are actually very light on dialogue (apart from Sokka's), but they don't feel that way because the music is doing the talking.

I'm assuming that this all took place over three days at least, since Iroh, Zuko, and Momo's tales seem to end on different evenings. So I don't think calling this episode 'day in the life' is accurate. My bad. It also occurs to me that this kind of episode format would be a great way of showing time has passed. If they had had an episode like this in the Northern Water Tribe - after Katara beat the crap out of Poophead but before the Fire Nation attacked - I would have liked the pacing of the whole finale arc better.

On to the stories!

The Tale of Toph and Katara

It might be because I didn't understand what this episode was doing yet, but this one didn't do much for me. It was good to see Toph have a moment of self-doubt, but I never would have assumed, based on her previous behaviour, that her appearance was her proverbial weak spot. Katara did a really good job at building her back up, and she was delightfully (and appropriately) understated for once. When she's reassuring Aang of something (especially in Season 1) Katara tends to got from 0 to 60 very quickly, so it was nice to see her be reassuring in a quiet, non-steamrolling way. Is this Katara character development? Apart from the fact that Toph quite literally got her eyeballs sanded, nothing much in this episode stuck out to me. Except those bitchy voices. Those were like knives in my brain.

The Tale of Iroh

So many questions! Is Lu Ten buried in Ba Sing Se? How is that grave not defaced yet? How did Iroh get a copy of his son's picture? They lost everything at the North Pole, right? Did he ask the people who got him their passports for a picture of his son too? Does Zuko know/remember that it's his cousin's birthday? If so, why isn't he there offering Iroh the world's most awkward hug? Given the fact that Iroh spent the whole day helping people, including a very misguided youth, and given that Iroh says something along the lines of "if only I could have helped you [his son]" does this imply that Lu Ten was going through a crisis at the time of his death? Was he misguided like the wannabe mugger? Is Zuko not the first Fire Nation Prince that Iroh has had to guide through an identity/existential crisis? Is Zuko going to be the first time Iroh succeeds at guiding a Fire Nation prince through an identity/existential crisis? Does Iroh live in perpetual fear of failing Zuko the way he seems to believe he failed his son? Am I reading too much into this?

To be quite honest, this story would have hit me harder if I had remembered going into it that Iroh had a son. Lu Ten takes being a textual ghost to a whole new level. Also the 'In honor of Mako' text confused me. And worried me a little.

The Tale of Aang

I liked this one! Aang can't help Appa at the moment, but he can help all the Appa stand ins who aren't fortunate enough to have an Aang to help them. Aang is a nice little boy! Of course he'd free a bunch of animals without thinking about the consequences and the epic pile of platypus bear dung he's just landed the zookeeper in with the Dai Li. I liked the animal designs. I liked the earthbending. I liked the Siamese cat representation. I loved cabbage man. I think that, if Appa could have known, he would have approved. I also think that I'm once again reading too much into this. it was nominally a fun fluff piece elaborating on a established emotional conflict (Appa missing), which gave it just enough weight to be slightly more than a fluff piece.

The Tale of Sokka

I am entirely serious when I say that 'poetry bouncer' is my favourite joke so far in the WHOLE show. I love absurdity played entirely earnestly. It's fridge funny too. The longer I contemplate the implications, the funnier it gets. What past event required a poetry bouncer be introduced? He's not there to protect the students or the teacher; he's here to reinforce the structure of the Haiku by force. Was he hired by the concept of Haiku? Is Haiku taken so seriously in Ba Sing Se that he's needed to break up cat fights between students? There is a rich well of haiku-related hijinks just hinted at by his presence, and I want to know more.

Sokka is so often his own worst enemy that it makes sense that he's taken out by his own hubris. That fortune teller lady was absolutely a crook, but she did one hell of an accurate cold read on Sokka.

The Tale of Zuko

Credits tell me that the girl's name is Jin. I would like to congratulate the creators of Avatar for managing to illustrate romantic interest so palpably without resorting to heart eyes and steam whistle noises. Nothing wrong with those; I'm just impressed by how much of Jin's interest in Zuko you can feel. Also, she'd better be more than a single episode character, because I need more of this sweetheart. She's a real contender for displacing Toph as my favourite girl in the cast.

To be fair to Zuko, he did make Jin droop (UNFORGIVABLE), but it was also the right call. He can't date her honestly. It IS complicated. And I don't think any Earth Kingdom girl (worth dating) would knowingly go out with Fire Nation royalty. Jin wanted Lee the Tea Boy. Try as he might, Zuko can't stop being Zuko. I would argue that he shouldn't stop being Zuko. His flashback mom told him not to forget who he was, so I'd also argue that the narrative doesn't want Zuko to stop being Zuko either. I guess it's a case of right girl, wrong time. It looks like she's cool with him being a firebender, but firebending and being the Fire Lord's son are not the same magnitude of hurdle to dating. Maybe when the war's over they can hook up again.

The Tale of Momo

I think this qualifies as cruelty to the audience. I got the impression that this story was crafted borderline maliciously, to make the viewers suffer angst dump after angst dump.

I liked seeing things from Momo's perspective. I loved the animal noises, which really got across a shocking amount of emotion. Those, combined with body language, were as effective as any spoken script. These cartoon people really know how to use their medium.

It absolutely kills me that Momo is missing Appa, and since he doesn't understand human speech, he can't even be comforted by knowing that his humans are actively looking for him. If you've ever seen one of your pets missing another of your pets in real life, you know there's nothing worse than the helplessness that comes with not being able to explain or magically summon their friend back from the kennel, or the vet, or the dead. All you can do is give them hugs. I'm glad that Momo got a street cat support group at the end of the episode, but the animal grief at the beginning was hard to get through. It's sweet to have confirmation that Momo sees Appa as family, but surely they could have showed that to us in a way that doesn't make me need to hug the stuffing out of my own pets?

Final Final Thoughts for real this time

This episode wrings you out a little. Fully a third of the stories are about Appa, despite him not being there. At least half are about missing someone who isn't there. At least half are bittersweet.

I liked this episode format. I hope they use it again next season. Only Toph and Katara's tale felt too short to me. The rest did such a good job at drawing me in, that when I went back to check timestamps I was surprised by how short these stories are.

I'm going to go eat too much chocolate.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #the tales of ba sing se

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that-ari-blogger · 3 months

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Wicked's Existential Crisis

Deception is a big theme in Wicked. I don't think this is news to many people. The wizard is a wizard, truth is truth, happy is what happens when all your dreams come true.

Galinda embodies this pretty heavily, but so does Fiyero, although they do so in similar ways. They both lie to others, and realise that they have been lying to themselves later on.

But, you need a baseline before you get to character development. You need a benchmark for everyone to either move up or down from, depending on the genre.

In my opinion, Dancing Through Life establishes that benchmark, while asking a few more philosophical questions as it does.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

"Dancing through life, Down at the Oz Dust If only because dust Is what we come to. Nothing matters, But knowing nothing matters, It's just life So keep dancing through"

Fiyero, buddy, friend, pal... are you ok?

Dancing Through Life is the introduction of Fiyero, and there is a enormous difference between what he is saying and how he is saying it.

That dust line is actually a biblical allusion, with various Judeo-Christian books and prayers claiming that G-d created humans from dust, and that when someone dies, they return to that dust. Hence the "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" saying (source). So, Fiyero is nihilistic.

"Nothing matters, so why bother trying" is such a morbid idea, and its usually associated with emo music, either lots of drums and raw emotions, or quiet and sad. So, when Fiyero sings it as a musical theatre, bombastic full orchestra song, his message flies under the radar because it is so dissonant with the style.

That's the key here. Most of the time, people are nuanced, and stereotypes do not encompass the human experience at all. The emotionally confused or depressed or spiraling person isn't the one who sits in the moonlight writing sappy poetry, it's the person who manages to hide it the most easily because they've been doing it for the longest.

Fiyero is putting up a mask to hide his insecurities, and he is doing it by... not wearing a mask?

Lampshading is the practice of softening elements in a piece of media, letting the audience know that something is out of order or farcical, and turning it into a joke. Overly Sarcastic Productions (@comicaurora) has a video explaining the trope in detail.

In a weird way, this is what Fiyero is doing. He is turning his own crisis into a joke. He doesn't have to hide it if he can poke fun at it. He becomes self-referential, and tells people to move on past the words he is saying and focus on the fun dancing and music.

I see where Fiyero is coming from, here. Purpose is difficult to find in this world, and it definitely seems like neither good or bad are rewarded, and luck will do what it will. But I would like to present a counter point.

Everything Everywhere All At Once was easily the most emotionally powerful film of 2022, and it also discussed nihilism in detail. I don't want to get into plot spoilers, but this movie asks the question: If nothing matters, then what?

And the answer to this is clear: Everything. In a Cinema Therapy video on the film, Johnothan Decker states this:

"If nothing we do matters, then the only thing that matters is what we do."

Actions have whatever meaning we ascribe to them, and if we ascribe no meaning to anything, then everything has meaning on the same level. If nothing matters, then everything matters.

This segways into another core question of the musical and especially this song. Do intentions matter?

Galinda and Elphaba have a comedy of errors with the gift giving, specifically when Galinda sets up Nessa with Boq, and Elphaba arranges for her to receive a wand in return, contrasted with the infamous hat.

Galinda does things for personal gain, and accidentally makes someone's life slightly better for a moment, and Boq kind of does the same. Neither of the two cares about Nessarose, but they bring her happiness in the short term.

"We deserve each other, and Galinda helped it come true."

I mentioned in my post about The Wizard And I that this theme comes up there first, in association with meeting the wizard, and I think there is something else to it than just deception. Don't get me wrong, this is deception at work, Elphaba with the Wizard and Nessa with everyone around her. But that lie has a positive result here, for the moment.

It also separates the consequences from the intention. Elphaba sees the wizard and wants to improve the world, her hopes are on rocky foundations, but her actions are strong, and I have already mentioned what Galinda's actions do.

However, I would argue that intentions do matter, and that this musical agrees with me, and that is with Boq, a person whom I despise.

As a character, Boq is fascinating. He is a direct satire of the hopeless romantic of stereotypical fairy tales, think Ariel from The Little Mermaid, or Lancelot from the 1963 movie, Lancelot and Guenevere. Boq is trying desperately to court someone who does not care about him and has someone who does care fall from the sky in front of him, but he can't see past himself.

Now, pining is all well and good, you are allowed to pine, and if someone is attracted to you, there is no law that says you must be attracted back. But Boq goes a step further.

"It's because I'm in this chair and you felt sorry for me. Isn't that right?" "No! No! It's because you are so beautiful."

Boq had an opportunity to back out of the romance handed to him on a silver platter. He could have said it was just a dance, or even confessed that Galinda put him up to it, if he so desired. But Boq made a choice to keep stringing Nessarose along. He may have his reasons, but I think his actions are not excusable, and the gut punch at the end of the musical when he tells her that he never cared is a betrayal that could have been so easily avoided.

Boq and Fiyero go on to become key players in the "death" of the Wicked Witch of the West, and they do so for alternative reasons, and it reframes Dorothy's journey.

For a more nuanced explanation of what I mean, consider this: In 2019, youtuber Hbomberguy (Harry Brewis) raised $347000 for a Brittish charity organisation called Mermaids in a livestream of Donkey Kong 64, and he gave a speech in October of that year about why he did such a thing.

"I think secretly, we're always making one of two decisions, and we make that decision even if we don't know we're making it. You're either choosing to make life worse for someone you don't like, or better for people you care about. There is an actual difference, and I didn't realise I made the wrong choice until a lot of people came over and helped change the choice retrospectively."

What you are trying to do matters, because if you keep trying to do good, even if you hit roadblocks, if you are truly committed, you will eventually do some good in the world.

I actually like Brewis' definition of right and wrong here, because it isn't overly philosophical, it pertains to individual actions. You either make someone else's life better or worse.

I have been rambling around my point for a while, so let me make it concise. Dancing Through Life asks philosophical questions about life. What matters? Is it you? Is it your actions? Is it your intentions?

Final Thoughts

There are two other things I need to mention before I finish. First up, the extras are some of the best parts of this musical, and in this song, that is driven home. Everything comes across as so superficial, and not in a "that's bad acting" way, but in a "that's an actor playing a character who is acting" way. This carries over to Galinda's entire style of talking, but the extras knock it out of the park here. It means that the only sincere moments in the song hit with the relevant weight. Those being Elphaba and Nessa's conversation, and the Elphaba dance (something remarkably difficult to find images of).

That dance is the moment I see Glinda x Elphaba (I still refuse to use the Gelphie ship name) actually taking off, rather than in What Is This Feeling, because it's the first moment that the two see eye to eye, and Galinda finally understands Elphaba. She earns her friendship and trust by trying to make up for her mistakes. Galinda talks a lot, but actions speak louder than words, and that dance kicks off a love story.

Next week, I will be diving into Popular, a number that really takes apart the theming to an overt level only matched by one other song, and we will get to that one soon.

Previous - Next

#rants #literary analysis #literature analysis #character analysis #what's so special about...?#wicked #wicked the musical #elphaba thropp #galinda upland #wicked musical #gelphie #wicked is a queer story #fiyero #elphaba #glinda #long post

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trlvsn · 9 months

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of course phoenix's second "first" case is helping the performer girl with the diamond-shaped earrings who forces smiles and sort of tricks him when they first meet. i mean. what else is there to say (i'm going to say a lot, this is a long post about the orca case and it's references to aa4)

i'm going to talk about sasha first, though, even if the similarities between her and trucy might be coincidental rather than intentional. here is a somewhat full list of them:

1. diamond-shaped earrings and a big hat they wear at all times

2. perform for an audience for a living and are genuinely passionate about it

3. the "smile during showtime" attitude being not only something they use on the clock, but a motto overall (buckler tries to keep a smile and cheer phoenix and athena up in the detention center: see image below list)

4. have a persona with a moustache that they use in their performances (see image below list)

5. their first encounter with phoenix is an unintentional deception on their part: trucy gives him forged evidence and buckler, well, doesn't tell him the client is technically an animal and isn't even considered to be someone who can be brought to court for a trial

6. phoenix chooses to help them out after a trial ends unexpectedly (zak dissapearing, buckler being accused)

7. does a dead "father figure" count? i feel like it might.

you get the idea. again, i'm not claiming this was intentional: i am simply pointing it out.

btw. you know what he does right after taking the orca case (accepting the "deception")?

he goes to the pub o'danger, a place totally different from the, oh, i don't know. the borsht bowl club. intentional or not, this is a nice blast from the past, because we get a lot of his beanix personality showing throughout the case. a good example is the bloody "trump card" he presents:

basically, a bloody piece of evidence that turns the case around and gives him a chance to prove the truth turns out to be not what it seems. this case is one of those very rare times aa5 doesn't completely erase phoenix's aa4 (and trilogy) personality, i think. just look at the way he starts straight up manipulating people at some points:

it's very much like beanix: well-intentioned and careful pressing of the right buttons. i enjoyed that a lot.

speaking of phoenix's personality, a thing he does a lot more than he used to is staying silent. his thinking sprite while he does that is one of the only aa5 ones that have traces of his aa4 self in it: he is looking to the side, relaxed, calmly examining everything he has so far. at a certain point in this trial, athena actually gets to scream "objection" before him. she says she heard it in his heart that he's not willing to give up yet, so she spoke for his heart instead.

honestly, athena is a walking metaphor for phoenix's badge in this case. athena and phoenix get frequently addressed as the blue and yellow duo by deplume, which you might as well call phoenix and his badge; phoenix wears his badge like one wears a heart on their sleeve, and this entire case is his journey of learning trust and hope again (but i will talk about that later for a nice conclusion).

the case also has a sub-plot of sorts: specifically, the TORPEDO system. oh, you know the one with the capital letter name that is illegal in japan but would actually help a lot and work really well and is introduced to us by some shady guy who we think is a criminal... what do you mean that's MASON. like a jar?

"but, in some cases, lives can be saved by breaking the law. do we simply allow the lives of our animals to be lost whole we wait for the laws to change?"

if aa5 actually had the jury system happening in the game, this would make so much more sense. unfortunately, i'm not sure if this was an intentional parallel, but i'm sure going to talk about it regardless. it's illegal means for the greater good, introduced to us by the guy we are totally meant to suspect and misinterpret as the audience, just like we are meant to be put off by beanix in aa4-1. we later learn that ms deplume is trying to change the law and make the system legal in japan, and dr. crab won't be getting into any serious trouble for it, too.

we honestly learn a lot of new information that contradicts our prejudices that the game purposefully creates. a lot of people in this case can be suspected even based on their design - ms deplume in her shady glasses and shady attitude, dr crab with his twenty-something dead girlfriend (wasn't actually, btw. purely platonic situation there, which is surprising for ace attorney) and actual motive, and, of course, rimes. turns out, for the first time in forever, none of them did it. wasn't a murder.

phoenix, though, like the player, has no choice but to suspect. he doubts, he recharges the magatama, he changes theories and he, at the end of it all, gets his faith and trust back by saying "hey, actually, rimes didn't do it, it was an accident", despite rimes staying silent. i honestly think rimes is a mirror of sorts for phoenix's character - the guy who is, at his core, tired of being too "weak" to help anyone, so he doesn't speak up much for himself, and isn't that what phoenix did in aa4?

phoenix didn't try to defend himself when the diary page was revealed to be forged. phoenix didn't try to defend himself seven years later, saying "maybe i did it, maybe i didn't". phoenix didn't even create the jury system to redeem himself.

how can ya trust a creature that can't speak, indeed.

in this trial, phoenix is the orca and is the rimes and is athena the fire and i am the forest and i am the witness watching it. he is defending the creature that can't speak, and the man that didn't mean for this to happen, and his own right to wear his badge. he loses his voice at times, but his heart speaks up. it takes him two trials to get back at his rightful place, the trial for orla and for buckler - just like it took the trial of aa4-1 and 4-4 to get justice. hope has returned, and no one did it, and you can trust them all.*

* - trusting them all really would make much more sense in the presence of the jury system. forever mourning her.

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matchibee · 11 months

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A Web of Their Own Design (pt. 4)

i pinky promise this is meant to thicken the plot just trust me besties, trust me.

tw: talk of death, grieving

The wristband itched as it kept you together, hardly fashionable, deadly uncomfortable. It would act as your escape to different dimensions, a guide, the multiverse entirely at your disposal -- within the parameters discussed by Jess and Miguel, but yours to conquer nonetheless.

Following the conclusion of your visit they'd sent you back to your world, instructing you to report upon prospective anomalies. The detector embedded within your watch would alert you, displaying everything you needed to know —inter-dimensional travel, communication, information — the multiverse was at your fingertips, bound to your wrist.

The multicolored watch wasn’t the only thing bound to the multiverse. Your friendship alongside Aubrey and Alador bound to ruin, oblivion. You hadn't realized how much time had spanned in the moments between Doc Ock's attack and Miguel's recruitment, but as you zipped through the portal only to find the sun steadily setting, you knew you'd fucked up.

There was no coming back from this, was there?

Perhaps if you’d refused, denied Miguel and his accomplices of your services, you’d have kept your promise.

Your universe — no — the multiverse, had a funny habit of stretching you thin.

"Where have you been?" Aubrey was at the door to your trio’s shared apartment, arms crossed over her chest. She looked entirely exhausted, under eyes sagged and makeup smudged in various parts of her face. But her deflation didn’t stem from the day's events.

Aubrey was exhausted with you.

"I..." You couldn't come up with an excuse quick enough, refusing to look into her eyes, fishing for the keys to your apartment and unlocking the door — why hadn't she unlocked the door?

"I'm leaving my key here," She was indignant in her speaking, a hint of hesitance but she masked it well, "I can't do this anyone."

You swallowed the lump in your throat, dropping your bag at the apartment’s entrance, frozen in place. "…Will Al be leaving, too?"

"That's your question?" Aubrey scoffed in disbelief, raking her hands down her face, and it was only then you noticed the mascara that lined her cheeks. "I tell you I'm moving out, abandoning our friendship, and all you want to know is if Alador is doing the same?"

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, "What else do you want me to do? I can't stop you from making your decision, it isn't my place."

"Isn't your... How is this not your place?" Is it so much to ask of you to fight for once." Her hair forfeited its typically smoothed appearance, frizzed under her unrelenting grasp, "For once in your life can't you fight for what you believe in? Fight for the people you love instead of abandoning them on a whim — at the drop of a hat!"

"I fight everyday!" You slammed the apartment door shut, realizing now you'd been standing in the doorway, Aubrey well inside, neighbors likely terrified by the disruption. "Everyday I fight for you, Alador, my family — the people of this city and the people of this universe." You kick your bag clear from your path, uncaring of its contents, though it was something you'd come to regret further down the line. "I don't mean to..." You held your hand to your chest, "I don't mean to slam things and raise my voice but... You have no idea what I do when I'm not with you, not here."

"Then tell me."

"Aubrey."

"Tell me what's so important you can't be around us!" She threw up her hands in surrender, confining herself to the loveseat situated in the sitting area. "Tell me what's so important you couldn't be there for Alador! Tell me what's so important you couldn't be there when he died!"

Tension was thick in the air, Aubrey sobbing into her knees, her tears the only sound that could be heard for miles, enhanced senses be damned. Slowly, mindlessly, you dropped to your knees. "He didn't... He couldn't have..."

"Internal bleeding," Aubrey said through sobs, "He had internal bleeding that went unchecked because the help you supposedly called for never arrived." She was less screaming and more reminiscing, remembering, suffering through the pain as though trapped in a perpetual loop. You could see it in her eyes, see it in the way she carried herself, the way she held herself tightly as though embracing him for a final time. "By the time we got him to the hospital he was too weak for any treatment, lost far too much blood for even the most invasive transfusions to remedy."

Your friend had bled out while you made new experiences, met people from across the multiverse. In your exploration of the vast he explored the infinite, confined to the universe through death. Linked to you, to the multiverse, the spiderverse.

Alador would always be a part of you, in life and death, forever entrapped within your web of lies.

"Do you want to know what the last thing he said was?"

No, you didn't. you couldn't.

You weren't ready, you weren't sure you would ever be ready to know what he had to say as he took his final breath, spoke his final piece. "I can't... I'm not ready."

Aubrey scoffed, "And you think I was ready for him to die?"

You couldn't help it if she had a point, no matter how deeply it hurt you, rooted itself into your subconscious. "The last thing... He told me to tell you he loved you. With all his heart he loved you and he knows that whatever you go on to do, you'll do great — you always do the right thing."

You felt overwhelming shame, unable to respond through your tears, through the hiccups that burned your throat with their violence.

"He also told me you get his PC, just like he promised… Since he doesn't trust I'd take care of it."

You laughed then, despite how difficultly you'd fought with your body, you allowed yourself to erupt into a fit of laughter. Aubrey joined you, though the noises were laced with tears shed through loss. "Only he would think of his PC in his final moments..." You smiled, his face vivid in your mind, at least thankful you could remember him in good health.

Aubrey couldn't say the same. "Only Alador would think of someone who abandoned him in his final moments."

Ouch. That one stung. Perhaps you were deserving of it, perhaps it were true, but that hadn't meant she had to bring it to the front of your mind, remind you of mistakes made in your most vulnerable moments. It was difficult to think of everyone simultaneously — family, friends, strangers and even yourself, though that member always seemed placed on the back burner. Decisions had to be made, lines drawn, no matter how badly you yearned for it not to be true.

How you yearned for Miguel to be incorrect in his disciplines.

If you'd stayed, you ran the risk of an anomaly appearing, one that proved too much for you. What if the other spiders hadn't shown up like they had this time? What damages would the city have taken, who else would you have lost besides Alador?

At least this way you knew everyone would be safe from this point forward, safer than they could've been prior.

All it took was a sacrifice.

All it took was a canon event.

It hadn't seemed like it at the time, hadn't seemed like something capable of occurring. Every Spider went through this, every Spider knew what it meant to lose something close to them.

You saw it in Miguel's universe, heard it fall from his lips.

Yet, somewhere down the line, you'd hoped you were exempt.

Suppose the Multiverse wasn't that merciful.

"I don't want to leave," Aubrey finally spoke up, finally transparent in her thought process, "I don't want to leave but I don't... I can't bring myself to look at you without seething — I see red, I'm blinded with rage."

You nodded in understanding, hearing her out, confined to nothing more.

"And yet... I can't bring myself to throw away our friendship, not like that." Aubrey rose to her feet, looking down at you wordlessly, pondering what she had to say before she said it, always the analytic. "I just need to know why you left, why you weren't there."

Would you be capable of telling her? Would you be capable of revealing yourself to Aubrey? Endangering her, your family, your identity.

"Aubrey..."

"Don't."

"You know I can't."

"Then I can't be friends with you... Not now."

"I understand."

You had to watch her leave, confining yourself to your sitting room, incapable of anything else. Wishing to never be capable of anything else.

In less than a twenty-four hour period you’d learned so much, lost even more. A trade-off, information for inclination. How cruel, unfair. How badly you wanted to scream, hide away without ever returning to the light.

You convinced yourself you could, knees to your chest as you stared blankly to the closed door, the door Aubrey had accidentally slammed in an effort to get away from you — far, far away. She voiced an apology, the gesture nearly entirely muffled by the paint-chipped wooden door.

Would you ever see her again?

You looked to the keys plopped neatly on the kitchen’s island, pink paint chipping away as though she’d attempted to erase herself from the metal’s memory.

Even if it forgot, even if everyone in this city lost their memory, you would never.

The sounds of the city had never proved so burdensome. Screams, sirens, the screech of tires. Every little instance had you hopping to your feet, begging the latest call.

Now they were nothing more than background noise to your sobbing.

You’d even gone so far as removing the watch from your wrist, weight unbearable, uncaring of the beeps and vibrations that called out to you in the darkness.

How long had you been there confined to your thoughts, tears running dry and eyes puffed as though a pastry.

A portal reveled itself, falling open at your front door, Hobie walking through where Aubrey had walked out with a look of determination on his face. "Bossman detected some anomaly in your Uni, figured you were having a nap and sent me to... Hey, you alright, mate? What's happened? You look bloody wrecked."

#spider man: across the spider verse #spiderman 2099 #spiderman 2099 x reader #spiderman #miguel o’hara x reader #miguel o'hara #spiderverse spoilers #spiderverse #beyond the spiderverse #spiderman into the spiderverse #into the spider verse #across the spider verse spoilers #across the spiderverse

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lawbin-archive · 3 months

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Law & Robin analysis: Punk Hazard

I finally have some free time to re-read punk hazard and write my analysis. (have been busy with life in general :/) Someone on twitter asked me to write a chronology of lawbin's relationship, so I will just do it arc by arc.

Again, if you don't like lawbin, just don't read it. Please be civilize and respect each other.

As usual, I blab a lot in my analysis so just skimming if you want to. I will use purple to indicate my delulu thoughts.

~LAWBIN STRANGER PHASE~

Chapter 503: Law & Robin first met

When I read this chapter or even when I watching punk hazard for the first time, I didn't really associate Law and Robin together. I just think they are both really cool and rational. But after I ship them, as I re-reading these chapters, my only thought is - they are really similar in so many ways.

The first time law appeared in front of luffy resemble Robin first appearance on going merry so much. I mean did you see their aura?! did you see the both cross their leg?! did you see them saying "we are bad ass" on their face?! did you see they are both wearing their signature hat?! Bepo is even doing Robin's pose (face resting on their hand) They are both so cool T-T

If I'm Law here, seeing Robin falling from the sky like an angel, I will 100% falling for her. Plus, she's the only person from straw hats recognize him. He probably recognize Robin right away too he just didn't say it because straw hats got famous after Eneis Lobby. And Robin is the devil child for 20 years, so he probably already know her and her background. Maybe he alliance with straw hats, just to get closer with Robin (jk)

Let's fast forward to Punk Hazard! Chapter 663: Reunion two years later

Tashigi probably asked herself: What's wrong with this couple?! Why they need to threaten me like that?! LOL Again, they are really similar when the marine gets in their way. Show no mercy. Reading this makes me feel like Law (Sabaody -> Punk Hazard) = Robin (Alabasta).

Law also saves Luffy in Marineford like Robin did in Alabasta, it also happends before they join or alliance with Luffy. They both save Luffy because he's a D. (I just assume, they both said something about D after saving Luffy).

I always think did Oda make them similar on purpose? I think Oda didn't make them similar on purpose before Dressrosa. He probably just reusing some of the plots but accidentally make them so compatible together. Why would I think that? one of the reasons is there are so many Franky x Robin moments in Punk Hazard. If the source I read is correct, Law and Robin get popular during and after Dressrosa and I think that's the reason why there are more lawbin interactions later on. Not that I think Oda really care popular opinion, it's more like why not since they are so similar?! just my opinion tho.

I blab a lot again, I will show more moments later on about Law Punk Hazard vs. Robin Alabasta!

Once they met again, Robin is again the first one know his name and know he became a warlord. She also probably read the news that how he became a warlord. Hence, that's why she is worried when Luffy alliance with him. But as time passed, she definitely changed her perspective on Law gradually. As you see here, she is still very cautious about him. But once she learned that he healed Luffy, she surprised, a pirate treated another pirate without purpose?! maybe in Robin's mind, Law isn't a really bad pirate to her anymore.

Chapter 668: Alliance

Robin looked super worried here. Although maybe Law isn't a really bad pirate to Robin, she probably thinks he is still a very dangerous pirate that's why she warned Luffy about him. It's kind of funny to me though, she just says it in front of him, screaming "I don't trust you bro" lol Luffy is even funnier - "Are you gonna betray me?" "No" Ok we good haha To be honest, I'm not against with the Luffy and Robin are siblings theory because they are really similar in some way. Anyways, Robin still trust Luffy no matter what, so I think from this moment, she is also trying to trust Law like Luffy did. This scene also reminds me so much when Robin joins the crew. The crew is very cautious and Luffy just said "She isn't a bad guy" - The coincidence LOL. Ok I changed my mind maybe Oda made them similar on purpose. Law & Robin also are the ones who initiated a relationship with Luffy. And it happens rarely to Luffy since he is always the one who picks his crew. And Robin is the only straw hats who asked to join the crew and not Luffy asking her.

~LAWBIN ALLIANCE PHASE~

Chapter 668: Alliance Starts!

Law and chopper moment and mammy Robin didn't against with it haha. She is giving me the *Please take my son carefully* vibe and Law *panics*.

From here, Law and Robin starting to show their similarities in personality and experience wise. They both paid a lot of attention to what the world government do and both very analytical. One of the optwt accounts also comment about lawbin “it’s not about how many scenes they are together, it’s mainly about what they have in common” which I agree a lot!

Chapter 669 ~ 677: Same cage as Alabasta

Again - angel fallen from heaven?! How can you not fall for her?! Robin also told Luffy to be quiet about the kidnap, seems like she accepted their alliance and starting to follow Law's plan. From scale 1 - 100%, I would say Robin trusted Law 20% here.

Rare scene of Robin calling "Law" instead of "Tora-o". When I read this, I feel like Robin is impressed of Law's ability already. Feel like she always has been (in Wano too), it's definitely a handy ability for her in so many ways.

Robin and Luffy reminiscing Alabasta moment - one of the proof that Punk Hazard is so similar to Alabasta even they said so haha. If that's the case, I think Oda really make Law so similar to Robin on purpose (scratch the part I said earlier). Even their clothes are similar in some way. Robin's jacket is leopard pattern which is similar to Law's hat, jacket and jeans pattern. Also, Law's animal resemblances are spotted seal and snow leopard. (but this arc released before Law's animal revelation so probably just coincidence)

Law, I know this woman is really pretty, you don't need to keep looking at her. (jk I think he's looking at franky haha)

And Law cares about Chopper even they just met T-T he used his power to throw a paper to Chopper and remind him to not risk himself. Seriously, who the hell say he is mean to chopper? (i'm gonna have my rage again)

Chapter 694 ~ 696: Party

This scene really reminds me of Robin a lot haha saying scary things in a clam manner. If I really need to pick a difference, Law dark thoughts are more logical though, he is just stating the fact. Robin dark thoughts are more creative haha.

Law this moment also reminds me of skypeia Robin - when she suggests Luffy to be careful but of course turns out he didn't listen to them anyways. and Law & Robin panic hahaha.

That's why Punk Hazard Law is basically Alabasta Robin + when Robin trying to blend in with the straw hats. He is still trying to learn how Luffy acts and building trust between them just like what Robin did back then.

That's the end for Punk Hazard! I thought it would be shorter because they only have a few moments but yea I blab a lot LOL In conclusion, I would say Law and Robin is still in Stranger -> Ally phase. Robin and Law barely trust each other in this arc. But I think during this arc, they found out their personality and thoughts are similar. Hence, that's lead to the huge development of their relationship in the next arc. At least, Robin saw Law did what he plans, helped them save the kids even he didn't need to and didn't betray them after they caught Ceaser. She definitely started trusting him more, maybe 40%? haha

I definitely need a bit time to re-read Dressrosa. So the next analysis probably take some time! anyways, thanks for reading again!! always feel free to let me know your thoughts <3

#trafalgar law #nico robin #law #robin #punk hazard #one piece #lawbin

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pharawee · 5 months

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Okay, buckle up fellow BL enjoyers and people who are at least a little bit curious about Pit Babe the novel. I'm now five (very long) chapters in, so get ready for some spoilers and details.

Only, there isn't much to tell. The chapters are long but very little happens. Well, except for the fact that Charlie and Babe are just constantly getting it on. If you thought that the Big Dragon novel was pwp then think again. Maybe the smut is the alphas we met along the way. Or something.

It starts very similar to the first ep of the series, with Babe partaking in some pre-racing fun - only it isn't very fun for him because he hates the scent of other alphas. As an alpha himself he has the whole heightened senses thing and that makes him super sensitive to all kinds of scents - omegas included, I guess (yes, they exist in this universe but that's about it). And because he himself is a power bottom that leaves him with a bit of a problem. But not too much of a problem because the novel mentions hundreds of hook-ups until Charlie comes along.

Things play out the same as in the series. Charlie wants a car, Babe is his idol and he'd do anything for a chance at racing. Cue to the first of many, many spicy scenes. Babe is delighted that Charlie has no scent. Charlie already jokes about impregnating him (I forgot that this novel has mprg, why am I doing this again?) but so far it's never mentioned again.

There's very little racing happpening. The only other character from the series that has shown up so far is Way and he's pretty much the same. Way wants Babe but he's too cowardly to make a move so they're stuck in this weird friendship where Babe is really comfortable with Way being all touchy-feely. This gets Charlie jealous because at this point Babe and him are pretty much exclusive (with Babe demanding that Charlie hide behind face masks and hats whenever they're out and about as to not taint Babe's reputation as a horndog). Cue to some angry sex. And then some more sex.

But wait, somewhere along the way Babe catches feelings. He pretty much has Charlie move in with him, does some embarrassing stuff like calling him when he's gone for one (1) day and buys him a desk so he can work from his condo. They have a routine now. And so. much. sex. On every imaginable surface (some poor dudes car after Charlie win's a race where he himself was the bet) and occasion, several times a day.

Charlie is a little bit sus, though. Nothing's outright wrong, but sometimes Babe wonders if he's really the stupid boy he's grown to trust. Because sometimes Charlie reacts in ways that Babe can't quite explain but that are glossed over almost immediately because Charlie can be very distracting. One time he secretly follows him when Babe's out to buy something. He's about to get mugged and Charlie saves him (which doesn't fit with Charlie's whole personality at all). Another time Charlie's gone for a day, supposedly staying with his parents but he comes home smelling like alcohol and a strong, unpleasant scent (clearly something alpha-related) that Babe can't explain. But whatever, Pit Babe's horny and clearly Charlie is incapable of lying anyway because he's too stupid.

Yeah. 🤡

Oh, and as for the no kissing rule? Sadly that's abolished after the second sex scene in like, half a sentence.

And that's things so far. There's really very little talk about anything omegaverse, but mostly because it's just chapter after chapter of well-written smut. Babe constantly calls Charlie "his alpha" (not to his face) - but even though he's clearly in charge, Charlie has definitely taken a hold over him (and Charlie knows and uses this to his advantage). They have a really interesting dynamic. There's no power struggle at all, just a gradual shift of what their relationship means to either of them. There's definitely something up with Charlie though, but I'm surprised they're so open about it in the series.

And where does the rest of the cast even come from? Or the whole plot? Poor Winner is so sad and pathetic, he doesn't even seem to exist in the novel (just some dudes named Billy and Six who might or might not have previously hooked up with Babe).🤣

#pit babe the series #pit babe #jane watches stuff #bl meta #mind you i know nothing about a/b/o dynamics #i always stayed very far away from this side of the fandom #but i like thai bl novels and i'm super curious so

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o-uncle-newt · 4 months

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Cabin Pressure Advent Day 21: Uskerty

I absolutely adore this episode as the origin of my single favorite Cabin Pressure line: "You know, between the dames and the horses, sometimes I don't know why I even put my hat on." Nothing will ever beat it for me.

So yeah, this episode is super funny, but I do want to talk a bit about something that's come up as my go to "look, a THEME!" here- vulnerability. Because as I was listening, trying to figure out what I was taking away from this episode besides "this is all really funny and well plotted" because at a certain point that gets old, it struck me that there are ways that both of our (absolutely brilliant) pairings this episode really strike a chord when considering the role of vulnerability- and lack of it- in relationships.

This is a bit less so in the Douglas-Arthur pairing in this episode, which is inspired (and yay, there's finally a nice airport manager!)- there are brilliant set pieces, and the premise of the bar conversation allows two very different people to kind of sort of attempt to understand each other. There's also a really nice father/son element- we already can perceive, even if it's not said outright, that Arthur doesn't have much of a father figure- his life is very dominated by Carolyn's influence, even in the majority-male flight deck, in a way that I think even tints his interactions with Mr Birling about sports (there's a tinge of eagerness for acceptance), which he's clueless about. Would Arthur know more about sports if he'd had a dad who gave a shit about him? Who knows. But this episode giving him an older man who's willing to open an as-yet-shut door into a men's world that excites him.

The men's world is, of course, the world of the pub. We've already seen a glimpse of Douglas in that milieu in Kuala Lumpur, and usually I'd say the less said about that the better, but I think there's something interesting about how mean spirited and surfacey it could be there, alongside Arthur's misunderstanding what Douglas means about "talking about their lives." He asks a question that is so unexpectedly and deeply personal that Douglas isn't even upset that he asks, he understands that this is another rule of masculine bar/pub conversation that he has to teach Arthur. On a certain level, this is fine on its own- there's a time and place for everything- but if you look at it a certain way, it can reinforce tropes about men and expressing emotions and feelings. And yet... even by following the rules of pub chat that Douglas lays out for him, and trying to fall into its ritualistic norms (like creative insults), Arthur, in part through his own open-book vulnerability, is able to bring things to a place where Douglas is pretty unselfconsciously vulnerable himself, about the place in the world where he finds himself. And by the end, he's fallen more into Arthur's more atmospheric image of two men in a bar. He's loosened up, and isn't playing by the rules anymore. It's just really nice (in addition to being hilariously funny).

The Martin and Carolyn pairing is maybe a bit less novel than the Douglas and Arthur one, but it still works really well in this discussion of vulnerability. Both of them have had pretenses/barriers they try to keep up- and both, incidentally, are related to their own interest in expressing that they are in control- but by now Martin has learned enough to have started to relax his. This actually really helps, as his actions aren't hampered by pretense or pride- he's basically able to function ALMOST competently with the cabbie as a result. But Carolyn is almost on overtime trying to keep her barriers up against vulnerability and it is clearly driving her a bit bananas, hence her complete dysfunction this episode- she has to be ironic and invulnerable about her gift to Herc, to prove that she may be seeing him but she doesn't have feelings (which will of course come to haunt her in Vaduz), and as a result loses all her judgment. And her overtime craziness is, unusually enough, what causes Martin’s misfortune, not his own incompetence! He's the functional one here, not her, because unlike her he's not filtering all his behavior through this one very constricting lens.

Once Martin is able to open her up a bit in the discussion of his salary- where she starts off in control as the boss and is forced to face the fact that Martin is loyal to her even when he shouldn't be*, which could very easily pierce the defenses of her invulnerability as she has to accept this reality- she starts to mellow out. Whereas she starts off saying that she's “not a little old lady” so she can’t do the totally reasonable thing until Martin begs, afterward she manages to chill enough that she can do the, you know, sane thing even though it dings her a bit in the self-confidence. She's not quite as in thrall to her inner barriers anymore.

I'll just end off by saying- this episode may also, in addition to my favorite line, have my favorite closing lines of any episode, with the possible exception of Zurich 2. Though that one's mostly about the nostalgia and emotions. So maybe this is it.

*On this note- when did Martin stop looking for jobs? He was looking in Rotterdam… given my St Petersburg post I wonder if it was before or after that.

#cabin pressure #cabin pressure advent 2023 #cabin pressure advent #john finnemore #uskerty

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