#<- arent i so fucking smart

[jel-jel-jel]

I have to get these out quick before side order releases

#my art #splatoon #side order #off the hook #dedf1sh #splatoon pearl #splatoon marina #splatoon acht #pearlina #marinacht #<- arent i so fucking smart #i think pearl can be a liitttlle insecure. as a treat. for me #she did also just randomly take off once without even telling marina so??? girl you have this coming #its her penance for winning final fest ok #shes really just overthinking anyway dsbhjfdfs #suggestive #<- just in case lol #edit: i put suggestive in bcuz i was thinking of achts hand and not. the octos doggystylin it in the middle of the goddamn post. am i stupid

[lovesickeros]

☆ even the gods bleed [ pt 4 ]

{☆} characters arlecchino, furina, lyney {☆} notes cult au, imposter au, multi-chapter, gender neutral reader {☆} warnings blood {☆} word count 3.7k {☆} previous [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

Fontaine was bathed in darkness, not even the moon daring to illuminate where the common man fears to walk. The streets were bleak and empty save for the constant, rhythmic ticking and clanking of machines marching on endlessly, dauntlessly wading where even the bravest dared not to venture. Not even the sharp click of the Gardes boots followed the occasional hisses of steam as they walked the barren streets.

It was haunting, and it'd been like that for days now. It showed little signs of stalling in the slightest, too. Every inch of Fontaine was practically crawling with Gardemeks– like a swarm of rats skittering about.

Arlecchino had secluded herself in the Hotel Bouffes d'ete for days at this point, waiting– biding her time. Her nails clicked against the wood as she tapped at the table in a stilted rhythm, the subtle click of the clock mixing into the clanking outside, weaving in and out of earshot as the patrols slipped by. She reached forward after a moment of thought, reaching for the white king.

She leaned back against the chaise, tilting her head just enough to catch a glimpse of a patrol of Gardemeks as they vanished behind the rows and rows of buildings. It wasn't enough to keep her attention for long, however, her features twisting in disinterest as she glanced back to the chessboard– and the letter neatly resting beside it. The seal was unmistakable and a sobering sight, demanding her attention– the soft hues of blue etched into the shape of a dragon stared back at her in a way that almost unsettled her.

She had already parsed through it's contents hundreds of times, but she was met with only vague, flowing script that only served to irritate her more then anything– it filled the page top to bottom yet managed to say nothing at all. Her hand reached out again, but instead of reaching for the letter she plucked the black rook from the board, setting it down with a soft click.

Arlecchino had all the time in the world to sit back and observe her prey, but all that time would be useless if she lacked the information to act.

And he was quite tight fisted about it, evidentially. None of her inquiries or attempts to decipher any potential codes in the letter left her empty handed. She could not act without even knowing the reason for his summons– it was almost worded like a personal affair rather then one would expect for a foreign diplomat. In truth, she'd expected a scalding report on her operatives, but it lacked any mention of anything of the sort.

She was no stranger to people masking hostility behind pretty words and compliments, not that it was ever unwarranted per se– the Fatui did not create connections through honesty and genuine kindness. They have strong armed more then their fair share of people into cooperation to the point distrust is all the Fatui are met with outside of Snezhnaya. Every word was meant to conceal the deceit, every action meant to conceal the price later paid.

So she had been..skeptical of the letter, to put it lightly. She doubted the Iudex of all people would offer a hand to the Fatui without a price attached– a trap, perhaps, meant to lure in the most powerful piece left on the board. Her eyes narrowed, reaching for a white rook and moving it to the right.

Or he was hiding something. Something that he simply couldn't risk getting out to anyone, not even the Divine themself. A tempting prize, whatever it was.

..A dangerous prize, too.

She'd considered burning the letter and forgetting it all together– the risk was great, and she couldn't risk getting caught up by whoever else the Iudex may have on his side of the board. But she could hardly pass up the challenge and the prize that he fought so hard to keep from prying eyes and ears. Even her agents came back empty handed each time. She lazily picked up a black rook, sliding the white pawn aside.

"Lyney," Arlecchino drawled, crossing one leg over the other and turning her gaze to the door as it slowly creaked open. The pale visage of Lyney stepped through, though his siblings were noticeably absent. The weariness that weighed down on his shoulders was apparent in the slightest furrow of his brows and the subtle creak of leather as he clenched his fists behind his back. "Father." He choked out, the title dragged out by the sharp inhale and shaky exhale.

He looked out of breath, she noted.

The silence that lingered after the small exchange was punctuated only by the click of another chess piece being moved. She sets aside the black rook, letting it sit among the dozen other pieces that had been wiped off the board. She can see the conviction glinting beneath the fog of exhaustion, but if he would utilize it was another matter all together.

He had seemed to make his choice quickly, at the very least.

"Our contacts and operatives within the Fortress of Meropide have gone silent– all we have is their final confirmed missive.." His voice is confident, but it is rigid as the words spill from his lips. He takes a sharp step forward, unfolding his arms from behind his back and opening his hands– the small, water stained and messily folded note catches her eye, plucking it from his palms with a half hearted interest. "They believe the Duke left the Fortress of Meropide..and that he may be coming to the Court of Fontaine."

Her eyes narrow dangerously, nearly crumpling the thin paper in her hands– yet just as quickly, she collects herself.

But she cannot get rid of the bitter taste on her tongue, lingering as she sets down the note and slides it to the side, her lips pursed into a thin line.

So the Iudex had shown one of his pieces..she tightly grasps a black rook, tipping over the white rook, letting it roll against the board.

If the Duke was involved, things were much more complicated then she expected– he would be a problem, she was certain. She couldn't blame the lamb for fearing the wolf, either. Whether her agents had been killed or captured by the man mattered little. He had his ways, and he was a force that could instill fear in even them.

Which meant the possibility that her operation was already compromised was far too real.

What had the Iudex so concerned he had gone through the trouble of bringing in the Duke and herself? The Fatui was one thing, but to specifically request one of it's Harbingers..

The Prophecy? The thought had her clenching her fist, but..no. If it were to rear it's head now, the Iudex could simply not afford to waste time on his contacts deciphering his nonsensical script– If the prophecy were to be the issue, there time would be limited to mere minutes in the worst of cases. Which meant it was worth biding his time in order to ensure absolute secrecy.

So if not the prophecy, then what?

Her next moves were..limited. She was already walking on eggshells considering her position and the reputations of the Fatui– especially with a Harbinger in the midst. If they caught wind of her operations, they'd weed out her operatives and be on guards for any snakes that lingered in their garden.

She reached for the chessboard again, picking up one of the white rooks from the board with a scowl. The sharp click as she sets down the white rook and sets aside the black pawn draws a shaky inhale from Lyney as she moves another black pawn, the dull click of the pieces drowning out the distant clinking of machines.

..A draw, perhaps.

The pieces were all falling into place– the players of this game were slowly being revealed. Whether she could secure her victory..she was unsure.

She wasn't even sure who her opponent was. Only that the Iudex himself was but another piece in their game.

Arlecchino reached for the board again, yet this time she hesitated. Perhaps she could still swipe the win from beneath them, if she played her cards right.

She would simply have to capture the king– or, if need be, let it end on a draw. Either way, she would not concede. She could not afford to concede. Down to the last piece, she would drag out this match until she was in a position to force their hand into the outcome she desired.

She stood slowly, picking up the king piece and observing it for only the briefest of moments before she set it down on the table, taking measured steps around the table and across the room. She was hunting a much more dangerous quarry today– it would be no simple runaway traitor this time.

"Do you remember the directive?" She inquired coldly, her hand lingering on the door for that long, tense moment. "..Yes, Father." Lyney faltered, taking a hesitant step back and bowing at the waist. "Then do not stray."

All that was left was the silence and click of the door shutting behind her as she disappeared down the hall, her boots clicking harshly against the floorboards. The rest of the agents knew better then to linger in her path as she stepped down into the lobby, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves. She barely even acknowledged the Fatui agent standing at the ready by the heavyset doors, their gloves hands held out with her cloak held loosely in their palms. She quickly snagged it from them, tugging it over her board shoulders and clasping it around her throat.

With a quick tug, she brought the hood up over her head to conceal her sharp features, lifting her hand and placing a neatly folded note within their waiting hands. She had only one chance to make the right moves and secure her victory– no matter the cost.

Each piece had it's purpose.

Oft, that purpose was a bloody and horrible end– but for the grand goal of the Fatui built on the backs of the dead, it was an honor.

She didn't bother speaking a word as she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, pushing open the heavyset doors and stepping out into the barren, damp streets. The rhythmic clink and whir of Gardemeks was still distant– she needed to move. Her boots clicked and splashed in the rain soaked stone of the streets as she slithered between the buildings, ducking through the openings in the patrols.

It was almost too easy.

She tilted her head back, taking in the towering Palais Mermonia with a scowl, her hands clenched into fists. The final moves were being played– the king was within her reach, yet she felt no more confident then when she began.

The air carried a sense of unease, thick and heavy, filling her lungs until she felt her breath still in her chest– listening to the empty, bleak night that seemed so..quiet.

She'd done her fair share of research, had more then her fair share of her agents try to peer into the Iudex's office or the Archon's supposedly hidden chambers, but every attempt was a failure. She had to give them credit, they were quite elusive when they wished to be. Though now she only thought about it bitterly– this was all a risky gamble, in the end, and only time would tell if it paid off.

With minimal effort, she'd managed to pull herself to the flat, tiled roof, eyeing the massive tower peaking out of the center cautiously. At least here the wandering patrols down below weren't likely to notice her..she could hear them passing by the spot she'd been in only a few minutes ago, just beneath her. She pulled the hood further over her face, peering through the sheer darkness of the night for any oddities, but it was almost impossible to see in the dark.

Her boots clicked softly against the tiles as she approached the tower jutting out from the Palais, her hand gliding along the smooth stone, pressing against odd indents or crevices. If it was for the Archon's chambers, she doubted they made it very difficult– she'd only met the woman once, but she doubted the Iudex make it all that complex just from a brief glance. And it surprised her little when one of the stones sunk into the wall, gears whirring as the walls split open to reveal a stairwell straight into an inky black hall. Only the barest hint of light peaked under the door at the bottom, but it's occupants must have heard her, considering it went out not a moment later.

She cautiously stepped down into the small crevice, her breath visible in the bitter cold air– her shoulders tensed at the subtle sound of muffled footsteps behind the door, her vision flaring with a molten heat between her shoulder blades as she reached for the worn handle of the door. The heat of her vision was enough to just barely heat the metal, her vision flaring like a quickly building inferno.

Arlecchino was prepared for a fight, if it came down to it.

The door creaked as she pressed against it, shoving it open with a grunt of effort and surveying the room with narrowed eyes and a biting remark on the tip of her tongue– the lavish opulence was expected, she supposed, but the lack of the towering figure of the Iudex was not.

Yet before she could get a word in or even take in her surroundings properly, the light flickered back on and she had to squeeze her eyes shut with a hiss at the sudden brightness. She could hear the door being shoved closed behind her, the hurried footsteps retreating just as quickly as her eyes adjusted to the light.

..This was a joke, wasn't it? It had to be.

She'd expected the Iudex, perhaps even the Duke if she'd been unlucky, not the Hydro Archon. She had half the mind to test her worth as an Archon then and there, her temper flaring like an uncontrollable blaze, barely kept at bay. It took all her self control to force herself to smile politely at the woman rather then snarl.

"Miss Furina," She sneered beneath her hood, x shaped pupils locked onto the startled, trembling Archon with thinly veiled contempt. "What a..pleasant surprise. You'll have to forgive my manners, I assumed I was meeting with the Iudex." She observed her body language carefully– the way her eyes darted about like a frightened rabbit seeking escape, the slightest tremble of her lips..

Arlecchino opened her mouth to offer another scathing remark, but her jaw audibly clicked shut as her entire body seemed to lock up. Even her vision went cold against her back, a chilling feeling creeping up her spine as someone, or something, crept up behind her. Their footsteps were almost silent, the slight rustling of their clothes the only thing she could hear over her heart pounding against her ribcage.

Arlecchino had always prided herself on being on the other end of that sensation– she was the monster, and her target was the prey frozen like a deer between the hunters crosshair.

It was a chilling feeling to have the dynamic shifted on it's head.

She couldn't even swallow, her jaw clenched so hard she could hear it creak as she tried to reason with her quickly splintering mind– a futile effort, her joints locking up almost painfully. Black spots were quickly swallowing her vision from the lack of air in her lungs, the sound of shuffling behind her barely audible over the ringing in her ears.

For a moment – a moment too long to have only lasted the seconds that it did, yet so quick it gave her whiplash – she thought she would hit the floor dead before she could even glimpse her assailant.

And then it was gone. She came crashing back into reality with a startled inhale, her lungs burning and her knees nearly buckling under her. The instinct to lash out and kill whoever had done it was intense, yet she couldn't bring herself to move even a finger– it would be so easy to twist around and ignite them with searing flames, but her feet were rooted in place.

She almost didn't notice the surprisingly gentle hands unclasping her cloak, tugging it off her shoulders, if not for the sheer intensity of the presence still lingering behind her. Her mind was still fractured, struggling to right itself after the ordeal, and it had her seething.

"..Are you certain you held back enough?" Furina croaked, the normally soft lilt raspy and almost hoarse. "Not– not that I doubt your capability, most Divine!"

Arlecchino felt her nails dig harshly into her palms, heat swelling beneath her skin– Divine? Had she lost her mind? The Divine was..

The Divine was upon their throne where they belonged. She'd seen them!

"Hm. Well, maybe? Sorry, I didn't think it'd affect you too." Their voice was sickeningly soft as they stepped around her like she wasn't even there, focusing their attention on the Archon who seemed more then delighted about it. "What gave you that impression, most Divine? Aha, I..was completely unaffected, as you can see! Perfectly fine."

Furina let out a small squeak when they pinched her cheek, but the almost affectionate smile that tugged at their lips revealed the lack of malice behind the action.

"You're a bad liar, Furina. You might want to sit down..please?" They didn't take her protests for an answer, gently pushing her to sit on the bed before abruptly turning to face Arlecchino once more, a forced smile on their lips. "Oh, good, you're..uh, not dead. That's good. I thought I fried your brain. Sorry?"

..Had she hit her head on the way here? The Divine should still be on their throne, yet she couldn't shake the weight of their stare– it felt tangible. She felt like she was standing face to face with the stars– galaxies and constellations bearing down upon her.

She grit her teeth and clenched her hands until she felt the sting of her nails against her palms, grounding herself in the pain through the sheer overwhelming nature of their existence.

"You.." She croaks, reaching out with a shaky hand and grabbing them by the collar of their shirt, lifting them up until their feet left the floor– she pays no mind to the startled protests of the Archon. Arlecchino would crush her like a bug before she even got the chance to intervene and they both knew it. "You shouldn't exist– you aren't them, and yet you..you're the imposter, aren't you?" Her grip tightens yet they face her without an ounce of fear, meeting her unyielding glare with a pondering look.

Arlecchino wanted to make them bleed just to see if she could, the urge to sink her teeth into skin welling up in her chest to the point she visibly snarled, her mask of politeness long . "You're the imposter." Her expression falls for a moment before she schools it into one of apathy, setting them back down and holding them there for a moment, finally releasing them after a tense moment. "Or you were supposed to be."

Hers brows furrow– she wants to demand answers, to throttle them for damning them to being nothing more then dolls for the supposed Divine to break at their whim, but none of the words come to her.

"..Why now? The current Divine has been in power for years, yet you descend now?" Her shoulders tensed, lips pursed into a thin line– it's impossible to ignore the truth that lay before her. The Divine is a fraud and this..imposter is the true Divine. How many years had they been in power, now? How many years were they waiting? Why did they wait? Was the suffering of Teyvat not enough? Was the blood that painted the steps of their stolen throne not enough?

She'd personally been on the wrong end of the Divine's wrath– she wonders..had they watched? Had they seen the cruel hand of their imposter and turned their back on Teyvat?

"I.." They hesitated. It made her seethe, her hands clenching into fists at her sides– her vision flickered, flames swelling within it's casing just to be smothered by the presence of the Divine. But once that spark had been lit, she refused to let it go out. "I didn't know."

The answer does not satisfy her. There is an itch beneath her skin that she cannot scratch, a fire that burns in her chest so hot it scorches even herself.

"And what about now? Are you content to cower like prey in the safety of the Palais Mermonia?" She snapped, taking a step forward, her brows furrowed and her glare intense– she can see the slightest bit of worry in their eyes. She revels in it. "Will you let them use your acolytes like pawns? How many more need to be broken on the steps to your throne before you act?"

Again, her vision flares and dims– it refuses to be used against the Divine that created it.

"Have you no answer?"

The room is silent. They do not speak and neither does she.

Even the world itself seems to quiet in the face of her accusations, fury boiling to the surface so hot it incinerated all it touched.

"I will kill them myself."

Their words are quiet, but they are not soft– there is a vindictive, searing anger that explodes out like dying stars within their eyes. The sight of constellations replaced by a void that would not be . The smell of ichor grows stronger– to the point she feels almost lightheaded.

"..I am aware that I have failed in preventing this, but I had no choice in the matter. Still," They muse, their voice like the tolling of bells. A solemn melody that stills the swelling fury burning in her chest, if only for a moment. "I will rectify it– I will tear down their throne of lies and let not even the earth tarnish itself by burying their corpse among it's soil."

They pause for a moment, holding out their hand– scarred and bandaged by the weapons of the devout, yet still they take upon the burden of dirtying their hands to save those who did not save them.

"Do you trust me, Arlecchino?"

Did she?

"Will you help me?"

She exhales heavily, meeting the starry iris' of the Divine with a scowl still tugging at her lips. Arlecchino trusted no one but herself.

"..Yes."

#sagau #genshin sagau #self aware genshin #genshin impact sagau #self aware genshin impact #fic tag #imposter au #genshin cult au #genshin impact cult au #arlecchino #lyney #furina #you do NOT wanna know what i got put thru writing this fic #trying 2 find out where arle was in the few times we DO see her and going down a rabbit hole of fuck fontaine and its layout actually! #I spent like 3 hours looking it up and checking in game it gives me a migraine thinking abt it. ew #anyway trying to write a really smart character is surprisingly difficult when ur as dumb as rocks #also used an actual chess match for this and gave myself an even worse migraine trying 2 make sure i didnt repeat moves or smth #furina doesnt get a spotlight yet just imagine her sitting in the corner trembling like a wet kitten you found on the side of the road #arlecchino goes thru a crisis more at 11 #shes a tired single dad shes isnt getting paid enough for this okay #hands u a fic over half the length of the other THREE PARTS #ehe :] #is arle actually on ur side??? is she gonna double cross u???? who knows!!!!! #shes unpredictable she might stab u for funsies #anyway im gonna go nap in a ditch now this took SO LONGGGGG OH MY G-D #also just think acolytes who arent buddy buddy w reader and even resent them is so tasty #bc how r they supposed 2 know reader was a human vibing 5 minutes before their got eebied 2 teyvat.. #reader gotta roll up their sleeves and get 2 WORK sometimes murder IS okay #they gotta fix some shit around here and that means committing several crimes all at once. sometimes more #a group can be g-d (just got here) their dragon (neuvi) their cat (archon) their dog (wrio) and their wolf (arle)

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

got so into my laughingstock feels that i burnt my fuckign toast

#shit was Black #literally was in my kitchen Wailing about them and forgot the bread slices i put in the toaster oven three seconds prior #s'ok i made a new set but oughhhhhh i am still sooooooo so unwell about them.... #OUGHHHHHHH THEMMMMMMM #theyre just... snf.... theyre just two silly goofy guys in love.... #silly goofy fruity fellas and they love each other <3 #SIDE NOTE GINGER SPREAD ON HONEY/BUTTER TOAST ABSOLUTELY FUCKS TRUST ME ON THIS #absolutely unprompted #but yea i was specifically thinking about that fic i have in my head #yall know the one by now. the one i desperately want to write and I SWEAR I WILL EVENTUALLY #but the fuckin... Misunderstanding... it makes me insaneeeee #its the most unhealthy part of their relationship AND THEY ARENT EVEN IN A RELATIONSHIP YET #damn theyre so healthy. theyre so. wails screams howls #but howdy being an oblivious idiot to his own emotions is so important to me #mans is whip smart & quick in every other area #but in this One Subject hes dumb as a rock & that hurts both of them <3 #but it also turns into something they can cry w/ laughter over later #someone asks how they got together. they exchange a look. and burst out howling #full on wheeze-laughing Cannot Form Words #y'see most couples would have some lingering 'i cant believe you did that' and/or guilt #but barn & howdy would just find it hysterical. full on 'remember when you-' 'yeah lmfao' #THEYRE SOOOOOO <3 #yknow if i ever find someone i want to have a partner-esque relationship. i want to have what laughingstock has #i do genuinely believe that howdy might have feelings for barn #but i like to live in the delusional world of my mind where they're Established <3 #grabbing them and slamming them together like a violent 5 yr old playing with dolls #kiss! kiss damn you!

[timeisacephalopod]

The type of Christian who asks atheists how they don't like, murder people on the reg are so funny to me because they seem to think their religion makes them the Peak of Morality when statements like "if you don't believe in God how comes you don't do X thing" all but outright state they have no idea why shit like murder and rape is bad except that God doesn't like it lmao. Like way to admit you have no intrinsic sense of morality and need to be afraid of a higher power to be a decent person, but I promise if you're not a piece of shit it's actually very natural not to want to do heinous evil shit all the time potential punishment from a higher power or not 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

#winters ramblings #seriously its SO funny when that happens because every time its like ??? the FUCK kind of thoughts do you have #to ask HOW i resist doing evil shit all the time because i dont fear god because i dont believe in God?? #what kind of fucked up person do you haveto be to only resist killing people because of fear of a higher power?? #these are people to avoid because typically they also come with the issue of using their religion to make any action they want #perfectly Good and Moral because GOD said it its in the BIBLE whether thats true or not and like bible or no #if you have no intrinsic sense of morality i dont want to hear about atheist morality from you lmao #not that athiests lack issues i swear to god white dudes who evangelize atheism like its their new religion #have WILDLY missed the point and often suffer the same problem as the aforementioned Christians #wherein the onky thing thats ever given them any kind of pushback is the church so they decide RELIGION is horrible and bad as a whole #which isnt true religion can be a perfectly lovely amazing thing for people but that brand of atheist #doesnt seem to understand that people turned away from the church because of wide spread abuse and discrimination not because #believing in god makes you literally mentally ill like some of these fuckos act like. abelist AND shite to religious folks in one fowl swoop #so you know atheists have problems too but like they arent making laws in their beliefs images across the world so you know #temper the criticism with how influential the group actually is although richard dawkins types DID get a lot of space to spew their idiocy #like dawkims if you think youre SOOOO much smarter than christians how come you have ALL the same misogyny problems?? #youre not that smart and logical if youve decided a whole kind of person is inherently less than you buddy. in fact thats very Christian #of him actually. funny when that happens but again if you dont actually know WHY something is a problem #its very easy to say Thats Bad and then literally do the exact same thing you just condemned because when YOU do it its no longer bad #because its got YOUR flavor of fucked up morality on it now instead of being like hmm maybe Christianity isnt a problem #because it EXISTS but because a lot of people use their religion as a pointed barb to discriminate against huge swaths of people #and often the intolerance becomes a legal issue when Christians and other religious majorities shove through laws based on EXCLUSIVELY their #religions and opinions and that doesnt mean religion should be dismantled it means we ahould tell religious folk who would know what #morality was if it fucked them up the ass to shut up and figure out what morality is outside of rekigion before they start legislating about #it and whatnot. also i wish extreme opinions werent ALL the news focused on exclusively on the political right #can we platform some NORMAL well adjusted christians who are god loving AND not a bunch of wingnuts #who are two steps away from arguing thou shall not kill only applies to people they LIKE because they dont seem to understand #maybe murder is bad when EVERYONE does it not just The Bad People??!?!

[biolums]

YOU GUYS NEED TO STOP SAYING SHOWS DONT HAVE PLOT IF ITS ONLY ROMANCE. THE PLOT IS THE FUCKING ROMANCE DID YOU TAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL LITERACY CLASS OR ARE YOU JUST STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#sincerely. a lit major who cannot handle ppl trying to diss on shows for only having romance #its perfectly fucking fine to have just romance and its perfectly fine if you dont like that!! #there is STILL FUCKING PLOT THOUGH #brb my brain is exploding from rage i see this so fucking often #jace.txt #FUCKIT. tagging for reach. hopefully #bl drama #thai bl #love in the air #yes this is about love in the air. you arent smart for saying it doesnt have plot you actually sound like an idiot

[hella1975]

tams azula is sooo fascinating bc while canon azula doesn't really show her age at all like she's completely desensitised to so much shit 'she is fourteen' is not a justification for ANYTHING both in her own mind and in other people's, in tams she has zuko. and yes the world has been abundantly cruel to her but zuko hasn't. he's basically raised azula and he's done so in a way that she's allowed to show her age, but she still only shows her age in very azula-esque ways. there's no reluctance to see violence like you'd expect from a fourteen-year-old, and like ive said before, that means zuko can't play on that reluctance in order to shield her, but he still wants to shield her from that violence because regardless of what SHE feels about it, as the eldest he knows fundamentally that she shouldn't be seeing certain things no matter how well she can handle them. and seeing zuko effectively PLAY azula in order to protect her is so interesting and complicated and fun

#and also a little heartbreaking bc it's the 'you protect azula but who protects you?' #like in order to shield azula from these things zuko is metaphorically standing in front of her and seeing them himself #as if he's not only sixteen and a child too #but yeah taking azula's canon traits and manipulating into the tamsverse is soooo fun #like the example that inspired this post is how canon azula is logical NOT cruel #like time and time again she follows only the logical route and even actively avoids the cruel route #e.g calling off torture in the boiling rock bc she knew that he was telling the truth and therefore continuing to torture him was illogical #im not saying azula is averse to/incapable of cruelty i just hc that she genuinely just thinks it's stupid #just like any other unnecessary act would be considered stupid. if it's not logical or being used for a greater plan then what's the point? #and tams azula STILL HOLDS THIS TRAIT except because i lean more into her age in tams bc she's been given the freedom with zuko #to liberally be a CHILD without any consequences as a result of that simple thing #her intense logic actually becomes a certain naivety on azula #like she cannot comprehend other people NOT coming to the conclusions she comes to #and that expands to needless cruelty. like she wont factor a person's cruelty into her calculations #because in her head all she needs to dismiss that calculation is 'excessive cruelty here would waste time which is illogical' #she assumes everyone is as smart and to-the-point as she is so when they ARENT and will actively waste time just to do dumb shit #it catches her off guard and she DOESNT PLAN FOR IT so it can really fuck them over sometimes #so this is one instance where zuko has azula beat despite it being STRATEGY aka azula's strong point #bc zuko's immense cynicism and assumption that Everyone Is Awful doesn't hold up against logic 9 times out of 10 #but the one time it does is the time azula gets caught out #i just think tams zuko and azula's dynamic is so fucking interesting im so clever for that tbh #twice as many stars

[craycraybluejay]

How many great artists and scientists and iventors dyou think died in slave plantations, concentration camps, and meaningless bullshit wars and genocides?

#i think about it every now and then and feel like crying #you know? #someone who died to the cruelty of humanity could have cured cancer #and their lives matter either way but #it causes me anxiety to think that even with whatever value I have it can only mean so much #people are irrational and cruel. i could invent fucking time travel and in some spaces it simply would not matter #how do you play at stocks and mind games with someone who does not Think in that way #a smart play for power or play for anything else is only useful so long as other involved parties arent insane or stupid #how frustrating is that? #irresponsible stupid people in power make my blood boil more than just the power itself #you cant even concede to someone like that either bc they wont understand compromise or surrender #but also its like telling a bully you'll tell his mom that his dad cheated #but the bully is stupid and beats you up anyway and now you both lose because youre definitely going to tell now #you could have come out both winners if he understood your leverage and backed off #but now youre both losers cause you are still all bruised and bloody and he gets to deal with his parents messy divorce #don't negotiate with stupid people. recognize when they arent understanding and just try something else like running #dont fret sometimes an appeal to emotion will kick em into gear #'ill tell your mom' vs 'your mom will be so devastated and sad when she finds out :(' #obv dont do that unless someones abusing their power over you/hurting you in a situation you cant just run from #because the best solution if possible is almost always run. leave. get away. #but if you have to fight you want to get at any angle you can #you want to corner the other person so they go from being offense to defense #and if youre just digging/prepping for a bigger thing you want to get them frazzled enough to make a mistake #again. this is for self defense especially in long term abusive/toxic situations #people who abuse using their power usually have ego problems. sometimes you can take a gamble and go for the ego #they do this to you. do it BACK. #and preferably have a weapon on hand if they are liable to violence and unpredictability #better to look for a lawyer than check on the status of your life and health insurances #it is never too late to fight back. some people will tell you helplines but they have not helped me or anyone i know #so i'm telling you how to fight back and protect yourself by any means necessary

[dreemurr-skelememer]

ao3 post has me curious and i cant seem to find anything on it- could you perhaps point me in the right direction here? if not thats alright, can just keep looking (have a nice day/night btw! ^^)

it be this

if its a little too much to understand (trust me i know), op replied to someone with a more brief version that helps put things in better place when you reread the thread again

all you gotta do is basically make sure you have backups of your work because ao3 is being a bit urrghrgrg rn

#tl;dr: volunteers have been getting sent CSEM and i thiiink the legal team arent doing shit abt it and helping volunteers deal w it #also the site is fucked in the way that the way it removes work doesnt wipe everything and can leave IPs and other sensitive info open #with that (comma) the anti-censorship ppl sending CSEM to volunteers r threatening to send the vulnerable info to places like kiwifarms #(kiwifarms and lolcow i think most especially. basically they love doxxing and swatting for fun) #i read it this morning so it might not be totally accurate so sorry #also sorry for writing this tl;dr in the tags! its a habit but im on my phone and now its a hassle.....im very dunb #its also good to get a personal understanding if the situation w the thread itself #im not very law smart at all so i might have interpreted this all wrong #Anonymous

[freebooter4ever]

i send my friend suggestions of tourist places to see in his new country (his contract was extended, lucky him!) or messages about friend of friends i have living there that he could maybe meet for fellow americans to talk to, and his response is always that he doesnt have time. and not in that exaggerated way that people do to seem busy. but in that bone tired way i recognize from him here in LA, that i recognize in myself.

#jrnlsht #i watch the lives of my friends who have Made It on social media and its like looking through glass into another world i cant relate to #theyre so happy and confident and successful and its beautiful #you know whats a funny thing about LA #so many people on the on*line da*ting apps put *successful* on their list of requirements in the people they want to date #like theres a bar of entry and if you haven't reached a certain goal post like... blue check marks on your social media or a level of wealt #then they arent even going to want to get to know you #and its so antithetical to how i was raised i cant even comprehend #and yet i see it happening to my own relationships #in pittsburgh i had friends from literally ALL walks of life from people who made even less money than me to comfortable to fairly wealthy #here my friends are almost entirely of one professional class #and i have been observing how my hyper wealthy friends self select in who they interact with to maintain this wealthy bubble around them #i dont think it's entirely intentional but its also not not intentional if you know what i mean #anyway its one of the reasons i fucking loved the talk on saturday oh my god those two were a breath of fresh air i needed so much #these smart genius dudes built their own life and instead of constantly looking up for more and more personal gain #they paused and looked at the people still desperately trying to rise #and were like if i have gotten this far why cant i help you do it too and then they DID IT they actually started helping #i think that is the true meaning of success

[hecksupremechips]

Honestly though I think it’s really a bad sign when I look at Shin Tsukimi and literally feel like he’s a self insert 😩

#the klock keeps ticking #yttd #i wanna replay yttd so bad but i also like Gotta play other stuff with the time i have akskks #but yeah the brainrot this specific character has given me idk if I ever really talked about it but it was BAD #i like obsessively played the game in like 3 days and it was not a good idea lol but just like shin #i had to take like a week to recover from this guy cuz i couldnt stop thinking about him and how hes just like me fr #first off just the very inconsistent personality hes got going on that is very me he has these different personalities he wears to cope with #all the traumatic shit happening hes both so helpless its comical and so manipulative its terrifying #and idk its really interesting how like good and bad he is at being manipulative like hes very smart and can analyze weaknesses and lie so #good not even he knows the truth but hes also grasping at straws he doesnt think things through at all #like the second main game he just didnt prepare at all hes fumbling his way through everything its going so bad #he just wants to go home he wants to outdo the game makers but hes being used by them so bad he wants it to STOP #and its just the way that like. it hits so hard cuz you know hes really not a bad person not at all he doesnt want any of this hes just #being horribly manipulated and doing whatever he can to survive but its also really scary how #well hes able to lie and manipulate and claw his way through but hes also weaker than a grade schooler #and you never forget that either and as much as he cheated his way through he still failed it was all just a cheap trick in the end #and all of this hits very hard like his personality is eerily similar to mine and just the way he thinks and acts #cuz im the same like im weak and a dweeb who likes funny cats but im also emotionally detached and observant and selfish #but where it hits the hardest is his relationship with midori like oooof that one was too real just like #the first person who was ever his friend was horribly abusive and treated him like a child and didnt respect any boundaries #and he just got sick pleasure out of seeing shin be upset and he was like. a groomer #and shin was fucking relieved when he died but also kept his scarf and adopted his personality to survive #and still goes by sou after ch2 and the scene that gets me the most is when shin ai is asked about his relationship with midori #and you can just SEE how horrified shin is because his deepest shame his abuse is being shared to everyone without his consent #and hes reliving it all in that moment and literally seeing who he used to be experiencing the abuse #he just curls into himself and like covers his ears and pulls his hair thats literally what i do AAAAAA #im just so grateful for the direction they took this character kokichi ouma wishes he was shin tsukimi so bad #and yeah just like damn. its scary how similar i am to shin like damn i really am going through it huh oof #I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I WILL DEFEND HIM WITH MY LIFE HE DID ALL OF THAT STUFF YOUR HONOR BUT LISTENNNN #have you considered that hes cute and smart and weird and maybe just needs friends who arent assholes

[hickoryhorneddevils]

3.8gpa❣️… how did i pull this off

#GRADES ARENT SHIT ik ik but like. ive always really struggled with scademics and grades and fuck that shit it doesnt determin my worth or #how smart i am but. it just feels nice esp bc i was SO worries abt this semester and have been stressed out of my gourd. relief #.txt

[andromedasummer]

i ended up having a like. 30 minute conversation with some of those "freedom convoy" people. was at the bus stop. they were wearing trump hats. i ended up roped into the conversation because i was so taken aback at seeing one in public i was just. staring at it. ive never felt more depressed about someone elses life and beliefs than when i talked to them.

#they fucking. tokd me about the litterboxes in schools for kids identifying as cats and i had to #break it to them that that wasnt true and explained that. also explained. what its like yo be autistic. how i find it joyful #and also discussed how they believe trump has been spoken to by god and chosen to lead and how they arent christians or catholics like they #used to be but instead talk directly to him and have him inside them #and also apparently how 15 minute cities in china are used to keep people imprisoned where they are #and we arent a democracy anymore. which was so funny considering. they are participating for a party #running in the election #i gave them my perspective on being transgender and gay and watched them have like. 3 or 4 ''are we the baddies'' moments #explained what puberty blockers actually do. that surgery is paid out of peoples own pockets. that we literally only have #one doctor who can perform these surgeries and hes abt to retire #and at the end of the convo they were like ''youre so pleasant. youre really smart young lady'' and i was like ''ty? i just. read a lot' #god i hope they learned. something. or i changed some opinion. they seemed to have a more positive view of autistic people at least #i just like. fuck dude. these fuckin right wing grifters are ruining these peoples lives. #the lady has been unemployeed since covid cos she got sucked into this antivax stuff and now theyre both financially unstable #perfect targets for tamaki and the freedoms people who were known for squeezing money out of people through bogus religious stuff #those two have been twisted into just. hateful and scared and are saying the most. insane shit and they dont even realize it. #and the worst part of it was the amount of young people there. so many people my age just deluded into this nonsense. #and kids JESUS CHRIST so many kids holding signs about ''protecting the kiwi way of life'' like bro every single thing #you are getting upset about an imported culture war. you arent threatened by this shit. #youve latched onto american culture war stuff because youre insecure in your whiteness and existence in a colonial country #its so fucking evil.

[britneyshakespeare]

emily dickinson is gonna win bb25

#that scene fucking killed me #bb25 #text post #emily dickinson #mecole not knowing who ed was kinda surprised me but i guess whatever im a poetry person most ppl arent #if you only read a few of her poems in middle school and never thought of them again. yeah you might forget where you know the name #felicia too. shes old enough to have forgotten exactly who emily dickinson is and me not be mad about it #CAMERON MANSPLAINING INCORRECTLY WHO EMILY DICKINSON WAS THO WAS SO FUNNY #'ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT FEMALE WRITERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY... CLOSER TO 1900S' #HES VAGUE AND HE'S STILL WRONG #'yellow wallpaper' HELLLLPPPP MEEEEEE #cameron pretending to be smart for a moment just bc no one else knows more than him in a situation #hilarious #emily dickinson is my target this week

[redstrewn]

"New follower"

The follower:

😃🖕

#blocked. go fuck yourself. #not touchstarved #meta #rant #vent #redstrewn talks #ai artist my ass. i will stick my broken pencils up yours #i do not offer my art to be referenced just so that ai artists type some fucking words and not actually pick up a fucking pen #off the topic of touchstarved for a bit but #ai art could be interesting if the art fed into it was used with consent and artists arent already being exploited #but alas there is no consent and artists are being exploited #not just bc “stolen art” but in the industry too #but if youre a touchstarved fan you probably are smart and empathetic enough to understand all this #ive seen fans respect the no AI use for touchstarved and that is a big W for us #TOUCHSTARVED FANS STAY WINNING

[fun-k-boards]

My god can batman fanboys shut the fuck up 'he's batman he should have a contingency plan' STOP SUCKING THE MANS DICK NEEDLESS PLOT ARMOUR BEING RICH AND WORD SPEWING DOESN'T MAKE HIM A GOOD CHARACTER

#batman #bruce wayne #i cannot stand him when its obvious the writers arent actually smart and just making shit up #plot armour is fine when its excusable but just going 'oh hes batman so nothing bad can happen to him' is fucking annoying

[solcarow]

.

#. hm.. thinking about la chopper ……. mayb he shud look like a capybara #fucked up deer looking human thing whatever creature #solar-talks #i was talking abt this w my sister but like i think it was a really fun choice not to disclose how kuina died in la #like when i first watched his backstory in la i really thought he was going on some revenge quest or something #so watching ep19 was really fucked up actually i remember being real iffy about it but god the Layers #zoro’s thing with fate and not really luck but his acceptance of wtvr outcome he gets is doing some cocomelon shit tio my brain #itd b so neat if they revealed her death in loguetown like Come On having it right beside the kitetsu scene would b such a smart choice #WITH TASHIGI god i hope they give tashigi a little more something #ok now im thinking abt the la changes … #what iv noticed is how they seemed to isolate the eastblue kids from their islands a little more .. not exactly a flaw tho #zoros basically the same but usopp didnt have his oh my god i just realised usopp didnt have his babyguy gang oh my godddd THAT was what was #missing my whole train of thoughts derailed NOOO USOPPS BABYSITTER CHARACTER TRAIT …….i get it they couldnt fit the vegetable kids bc #of the tone but waugh…. primarily hanging out w a bunch of 8yos says so much abt him………. it was cute #anyways back to it yeah they didnt syrup village noticing his absence and the rest of baraties connection w 3ji which honestly i dont #really mind either i think the only ): to me was how they did cocoyashi #lost a bit of it’s depth my making them hostile to nami tbh #its a good thing i watched the anime After la bc i feel like i wouldve been way sadder abt that decision #these arent real complaints btw the la did a reaaallyy great job #if they didnt i really wouldnt be here thinking about this show . in depth . god how did it come to this SKFHDJFJSHF #anywho . they missed some bits of course but oughhh they did baratie really good .. #ill b honest zeff n 3jis backstory is seriously my favorite thing about the la #some ​absolutely breathtaking execution it really Got Me .. #the all blue speech …. taz skylr yuoure line delivery skills are insane #whats rlly crazy is how when u take away 3ji’s 1 flaw hes fucking unstoppable . why r u favorite character material . explode forever #head in hands its the themes of hunger .. hate it here so bad ….. #ack he grows on u like mold . it was the stupid curry filler episode that got me i rewatched a while ago goddd hes so annoyinggggggg #the curry filler ep was cute . i liked it . <- mad about it #ugh spent 2 hrs writing these tags i dont wanna do my psychology essay .. nico robin save me ……. save me nico robin ……………..